borne of the Virgin Mary The name Iesus was given him at his circumcision and comes there to be handled So was not the name Christ but as often as the Evangelists so instyle him before his resurrection from the dead it is by way of anticipation for he was made Lord and Christ at his ascension into heaven though annointed to his propheticall office at his baptisme from which time he did declare himselfe by word and deed to be the Prince of Prophets yet not then consecrated much lesse admitted to the function or exercise of his everlasting Priesthood not then enthronized King of Kings and Lord of Lords these royall titles were accomplished in his resurrection and ascension The point for the present to be handled is how the conception and birth of the sonne of God the Lord God of Israel was foretold or foreshadowed and how accomplished for the substance how manifested by the signes of the time or circumstances concomitant 2 The conception and birth of the sonne of God with other mysteries which concerne his person and offices were purposely foretold and forepictured from the fall of our first parents untill the sacred Canon of the old Testament was finished yet not foretold or forepictured in the â—ame measure or after the same manner in every age of this long succession The first predictions or representations of these great mysteries were aenigmaticall and implicit but for the most part unwrapped and branched in succeeding ages The later representations beare the same proportions to the most ancient that maps of particular countries beare unto more generall or Chorographie unto Geographie In a map of the whole world though accurately drawne wee shall hardly finde any exact proportion of these British Islands no such distinct evidences of the severall provinces of this Island as are usually represented in a map of Europe of the same quantitie And it were in vaine to seek so distinct a survey of every English shire or County in a map of Europe as wee have in our ordinary maps of England But if wee descend to Chorographical platformes of every severall shire every one that knows how to use them may find the distinct place of his birth breeding or dwelling The first and most generall map of mysteries concerning Christ or of the Word to come is that often mentioned Genesis 3. ver 15. I will put enmity betweene thy seede and her seede c. Yet without some further dilatations or representations of this promise made by the Prophets it were impossible for the wit of man to discover any true proportion of those great mysteries which the Evangelists relate although all of them were conteyned in this as in their first head or fountain or as most Chorographicall descriptions are in the Cosmographie of the Universe Very probable it is that our mother Hevah did from this promise conceive that the seede promised should be Vir Iehovah a man which should be likewise the Lord God But questionlesse she did not imagine much lesse beleeve that this man the Lord should be conceived and brought forth of a pure Virgin for such she her selfe was not when shee uttered that speech possedi virum ipsum Iehovah as Fagius upon severall revises reades it Nor could the parents of Noah imagine that their son should be so conceived or borne although as many good Authors thinke they mistooke him as Hevah did Cain for the promised womans seede presume they might without presumption that the promised Messias was to proceed from him according to the flesh but seeing Noah had more sonnes than one it was not to him or to others then living distinctly represented from what branch of his stock he should proceed untill Noah by divine instinct or inspiration did bequeath the birthright unto Sem but Sem had many sons and his posterity was great and it is not probable that Sem himselfe did know from which of them the promised seede should issue untill the blessing which Noah bestowed on Sem was by God himselfe and perhaps by Sem as Gods Embassador bestowed on Abraham unto whom the former mystery concerning the incarnation of the sonne of God was more distinctly represented both by word and fact then it had beene to any of his Ancestors Hee doubtlesse did conceive that the seed in whom all the Nations of the world were to be blessed should be God the sonne of God be borne after a more miraculous manner then his sonne Isaac had beene but Abrahams seed by Isaac became more numerous then any mans before his time had beene and was divided into twelue Tribes In which of these twelue Tribes the promised seed was to be sought for was as uncertaine and as undistinct as if wee should seeke for the topographie of some particular Town of England in an ordinary Map of Europe Iacob on his death-bed points at his parentage in this generality Genesis 49. ver 10. that hee was to spring out of Iudah But God by his spirit directs the Church to seeke him in the Genealogie of Iesse and David in the Land of Iudea David himselfe had a distinct representation that hee should not be his sonne only but that hee who then was his Lord should become his sonne and be made Priest after the order of Melchisedech and no doubt but David conceived withall that this his Lord and sonne should be borne of a virgin not begotten by any man for thus much the holy Spirit which spake to him hath literally charactred unto us in that speech Psa 132. ver 11. Of the fruite of thy wombe will I set upon thy throne c. The same mysterie or the performance of this promise made to David is more distinctly unfolded by Isaiah Cap. 7. ver 14. The Lord himselfe will give you a signe Behold the virgin shall conceive c. But whether this long expected sonne of David should proceede from Salomon or any of his race or from the race or linage of some other sonne of David this was not represented for ought wee read either unto David or Isaiah and sure the Author of the 89. Psalme whether David or rather some later Prophet was nescient of this particular and the interruption or extinction of Solomons line was I take it first revealed unto Ieremiah and Ezekiel and the accomplishment of their Prophesies of Ezekiels especially first acknowledged or observed by the blessed virgine in her Magnificat In Davids time the place of his conception and birth were not discovered Isaiah first points at the place of his conception in particular but aenigmatically Ieremiah describes the place of his conception more plainely yet in a farre greater generality That hee was to be conceived in the Land of Ephraim as it was divided from Iudah Yet haply if Herod had asked his Scribes and others where the King of the Jewes was to be conceived it is questionable whether they could so clearely have resolved him of the place of his conception
else whereof this masse was the beginning did beginne to be before they had any permanent or determinate kinde of being And when S. Iohn saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the beginning the word was the Phrase in grammaticall construction necessarily implies that the word had a perfect actuall being when all things else did but beginne to be and having then an actuall proper being it could not at that time or any time since not at the beginning of time it selfe beginne to be but was and is and so continues without ending 4. Or lest wits unarmed with arts or unable to untwist arguments subtilly contrived by sophistry should be made to stagger in this article of the eternity of the word he addes the word was with God and the word was God not by extrinsecall or borrowed appellation as Princes and Angells sometimes are called Gods but by nature God the Almighty God Hence he addes the same was in the beginning with God that is had as perfect being as God himselfe had when all things else begunne to be there is his eternity or if this were not enough he further saith ver 3. All things were made by him to wit by the Word This is the character of his Almighty power or coequality with God who made all things by him But here perhaps the Arian or other involved in his error will object at least in favour of this opinion it may be objected that this universall of S. Iohn all things were made by the Word is subject to the same limitation or exception which those two universall before mentioned were the one out of S. Paul 1 Cor. 15. When he saith he hath put all things under his feet he is excepted who hath put all things under him the other out of the Author of the 146 Psal that we may not put trust or confidence in any sonne of man which admits of this limitation unlesse it bee in that sonne of man who is also the sonne of the Lord God of Israel why then may not this universall of S. Iohn All things were made by the Word admit of this or the like restraint All other things besides the word were made by God and by the word as his coagent but the word himselfe made by God alone Indeed if our Evangelist had said only thus All things were made by the Word this limitation would be more tolerable but to prevent this cavill or captious limitation he expressely addeth Without him was not any thing made that was made This clause reacheth home and caries it cleare that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word was not any of those things which were made or created otherwise it should have been made or created by it selfe which is impossible The addition of this clause is but an exegeticall or fuller expression of that which S. Iohn said before that the Word was with God in the beginning that is when all things which have beginning did beginne to hee this word was Gods coagent truely eternall and Almighty 5. The same conclusion is contained though more closely couched especially in our English version in that of S. Paul Heb. 1. 2. God in these last dayes hath spoken unto us by his sonne whom hee hath appointed heire of all things by whom also hee made the Worlds Though he be appointed heire of all things as he is man yet this right of inheritance was derived unto him as man from the work of Creation as he was the sonne of God For as the Apostle there addes God by him made the Worlds Were there then more worlds then one If there were all were created by the sonne and without him neither any world nor any part of the world was created Howbeit the world in the original doth no signifie this visible or quantitative world non mundos sed saecula non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not the heavens the earth the elements or any other part which we see but all things whatsoever which have any duration or succession were made by the sonne of God and he had a perfect being before any thing could hee made by him and is therefore truly eternall The worlds in the originall comprehends all things which heretofore have beene and now are not all things which now are and sometimes were not all which hereafter shall be though after their beginning of being they shall have no end So that S Pauls speech expressely extends it selfe somewhat further then that of S. Iohn All things were made by him and without him was nothing made that was made S. Iohns speech expressely refers only to things which were then made S. Pauls speech extends it selfe as well to things future as past not only for their making or beginning but for their preservation or supportance For so he saith Heb. 1. ver 3. He upholdeth all things by the word of his power As the father then created all things so were all things created likewise by the sonne The Father preserveth all things and yet the sonne who is the expresse image of his glory preserveth and upholdeth all things And however we render the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the brightnesse or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is the Almighty splendor and the Almighty expression or character of the father Almighties glory and person Finally as hee is heire of all things else so is he heire of the Almighty Essentiall Attributes these he enjoyes not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not by adoption or participation but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by right of inheritance as being his only begotten sonne yet not his successor but his coequall from eternitie And here by the way I cannot sufficiently admire the care and wisedome of the ancient Church in appointing the gospell for that great festivall wherein we celebrate the memory of Christs nativitie out of the forementioned Chapter of S. Iohn and the Epistle for the same festivall out of the first of the Hebrews to the end that all Christians might bee sufficiently instructed as well in the truth of his eternall generation or eternity of his person as he is the sonne of God as of his nativity in time as he was the sonne of David borne of the Virgine or of his begetting from the dead And as for the errour of the Arians or others who acknowledging the divine truth of the new Testament deny the eternity or eternall generation of the sonne of God The most compendious way to refell them is not as I conceive fiercely to dispute against them but rather to let them be caried with the blast of their owne doctrine or draw them unto these fundamentall Rocks and let them split themselves 6. But to follow S. Iohns expressions a little further which come neerer to the point now in handling ver 4. In him that is in the word was life this is more then if he had said he is the word of life For so is the Gospell by way of efficacy
behold a doore was opened in Heaven and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me which said Come up hit her and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter And immediately I was in the Spirit and behold a throne was set in heaven and one sate on the throne And round about the throne were foure and twenty seats and upon the seats I saw foure and twenty Elders sitting cloathed in white rayment And they had on their heads Crownes of gold c. The foure and twenty Elders fell downe before him that sate on the throne and worship him that liveth for ever and cast their Crownes before him saying Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created This praising of him that sate upon the throne was that wherunto the Author of the 103. Psalme did solemnly invite the heavenly powers long before S. Iohn had this vision For after he had said the Lord had prepared his throne in the heavens and his Kingdome ruleth over all it followes immediately Blesse the Lord yee his Angels that excell in strength that do his Commandements hearkning unto the voice of his word Blesse yee the Lord all yee his hosts yee Ministers of his that do his pleasure Blesse the Lord all his workes in all places of his Dominion Blesse the Lord O my soule That which our Saviour saith of Abraham was in its measure true of this Psalmist he also saw the day of Christ the day of his glorious resurrection that day wherof it is said thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee and did rejoyce in soule to see it and his owne interest in it an assured hope of his inheritance in the heavenly Kingdome 5. But the vision of David to this purpose in that Psalme which amongst some few others beares the inscription of Michtam Davids Ieweler golden song as some would have it is most punctually cleare Keep me O God for in thee do I put my trust that is as the Chaldee explaines it In thy word have I put my trust or hope for salvation Psal 16. 1. and ver 2. I have said unto the Lord Adonai And againe ver 8. c. I have set the Lord alwayes before me because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoyceth my flesh also shall rest in hope But here the Eunuches question unto Philip will interpose it selfe Of whom speaketh the Prophet this of himselfe or of some other I can no way brooke their opinion who thinke the Psalmist speakes all this in the person of Christ as his figure but rather in this as in many other Psalmes and in the two last forecited especially some passages there be which cannot be literally applyed but to the Psalmist himselfe others which cannot be applyed to any one but Christ that is to God or the word incarnate and the 9. verse My heart is glad c. containes a feeling expression of that joy or exultation of spirit which did possesse all the faculties both of Davids body and soule But what was the object of this his exultatiō or the ground of his joy He expresseth it ver 10. Thou wilt not leave my soule in Hell neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption But the same question here interposeth againe Doth he speak all this of himselfe or of some other Whatsoever may bee thought of the former clause of that verse thou wilt not leave my soule in Hell which as some think might be meant both of Christ and David though in a different measure most certaine it is that the later clause Thou wilt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption was not literally meant of David much lesse fulfilled in him but literally meant of him alone and literally fulfilled in him alone whom David in spirit called Lord though he then foresaw he should truly be his sonne This undoubted truth we learne from S. Peter Acts 2. 29. Men and brethren let me freely speake unto you of the Patriarch David that he is both dead and buried and his sepulcher is with us unto this day Therefore being a Prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his loines according to the flesh he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne he seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ that his soule was not left in Hell neither his flesh did see corruption And S. Paul Acts 13. 36 37. more fully and more punctually to our animadversions upon this later clause expounds it thus David after he had served his owne generation by the will of God fell on sleepe and was laid unto his Fathers and saw corruption But he whom God raised againe saw no corruption In this as in many other Psalmes the comfort which did arise from the sweet contemplations was Davids owne or the Psalmists who foresaw that great mystery whereof we now treat that the fountaine of their comfort was Christ or God incarnate who was to be raised from the dead David in this Psalme did rejoyce in heart that albeit he knew his nature to be like the grasse that withereth albeit he knew his soule should be divorced from his body yet this divorce he knew by faith should not be perpetuall that albeit he could not but expect his body his flesh and bones should rott in his sepulcher as the body and flesh of his forefathers to whom he was to be gathered had done yet he foresaw in spirit that even his body should at length be redeemed from corruption by the resurrection of that holy One whose body though separated for a time from his immortall soule was not to see or feele any corruption Finally though David and other Psalmists forecited if others they were did perfectly and explicitly foreknow that they were to die yet had they as true implicit beleife of that which our Apostle explicitly delivers Golos 3. 3 4. That their life was hid with Christ in God that when Christ who was their life should appeare they should also appeare with him in glory 6. To the former generall Quaere in what sense we are said by S. Iohn to be borne of God we answer that to be borne of God is all one with that of S. Peter to be borne of immortall seed but what is that immortall seed whereof S. Peter saith we are borne againe That in one word is the flesh and blood of the sonne of man who is also the sonne of God So hee himselfe instructs us Iohn 6. 53 54 55. Verily verily I say unto you except yee eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud yee have no life in you Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him up at the last day For