his Disciples could not cure him This Child was a Lunatick and possessed with a Devil which made him Dumb and grievously tormented him for when it seized upon him it threw him down upon the Ground cast him often into the Fire or Water and racked him with such violent Convulsions that he cryeth out fomes gnashes with his Teeth and pineth away and much bruising him hardly departeth from him The Unbelief of the Jews who did not as yet firmly believe in Jesus Christ though they had seen so many Miracles was a greater and more dangerous Disease than this of the Lunatick and was often an Impediment to the Miracles which Jesus would have done For this Reason it is that he would cure that before he drive out the Devil and therefore smartly touched that Wound that the Men afflicted with it might feel it saying O faithless and perverse Generation how long shall I be with you to convince you how long shall I suffer your Infidelity will you never believe Bring him hither to me The Child no sooner saw him but the Devil began to tear him with fierce Convulsions and threw him down where he rowled foaming Jesus asked his Father How long it was since his Son began to be vexed after this manner His Father answered him From his Childhood and added If thou canst do any thing have Pity on us and help us Jesus saith unto him If thou canst believe all things are possible to him that believeth Immediately the Father of the Child cryed out with Tears Lord I believe help thou my Vnbelief i. e. supply all the Defects of my Faith to make it worthy to obtain a Cure for my Child Then Jesus rebuked the Devil saying to him Thou Dumb and Deaf Spirit I command thee to depart out of this Child and to enter no more into him Then the Spirit cryed out and much tore and rent the Child and left him almost dead but Jesus taking him by the Hand lifted him up and delivered him to his Father perfectly cured And all that were present beheld it with Admiration and were amazed at the mighty Power of God When Jesus was come into the House his Diciples asked Why they could not cast out this Devil He answered them Because of your Vnbelief adding Luke 17 6 That if they had but one Grain of Syncere and Sound Faith they might by their mere Word remove both Trees and Mountains And then he says further That this kind of Devil goeth not out but by Prayer and Fasting The Apostles did without doubt profit by these Instructions for S. Luke teacheth us elswhere That they addressed themselves to their Master Luke 17.5 and said Lord increase our Faith XIV Jesus foretels his Death and pays Tribute While the Multitude was in Admiration of the great things Matth. 17.22 27. Mark 9 30-32 Luke 9 43-45 that Jesus did in all Places where he went his Thoughts were mainly employed in fitting his Disciples for the Disgraces and Contempt of his Death He tells them a second Time of it and desires them to hearken with Attention to him and think seriously of these Words in their Hearts The Son of Man shall be delivered into the Hands of Men who shall put him to Death and he shall rise again the Third Day But they understood not that Saying and yet this Prediction which they could not fully comprehend made them very sorry and cast them into such a Consternation that they durst not ask him to explain it to them They went through Galilee and returned to Capernaum Here the Receivers of a certain Tribute of Two Drachma's i. e. Fifteen Pence an Head asked Peter whether his Master did not pay Tribute To whom the Apostle answered That he did As soon as he came into the House Jesus prevented him by asking him Whether the Kings of the Earth exact Tribute of their own Children or of Strangers Peter answers Of Strangers Then Jesus concludes That the Children are exempted leaving it to him to infer from thence That he being the Son of God was not obliged to pay Tribute to Men Nevertheless saith he that we may not offend them Go thou and cast an Hook into the Sea and take the Fish that shall be first catched and open his Mouth and thou shalt find a Piece of Mony of Four Drachma's or half a Crown 's Value which give to them for thy self and me XV. Jesus checks the Ambition of his Disciples Matth. 18 1-14 Mar. 9 23-50 Luke 9 46-50 About the same Time it came into the mind of the Disciples of Jesus Who of them should be greatest and they disputed about it in the Way to Capernaum Jesus knowing the Thoughts of their Hearts asked them when they came into the House What they disputed about in the Way but they durst not answer him But when he had called his Twelve Disciples to him they asked him in general Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven He answered them If any Man desire to be first he shall be the last of all and Servant of all And having called a little Child to him he took him and set him by him and taking him up in his Arms he said unto them Except ye become as little Children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of God and that whosoever shall so humble himself that he makes himself small as the little Child before them he shall be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven And then adds That who so shall receive one such little Child in his Name receiveth him and he that receiveth him received him that sent him Hereupon John the Son of Zebedee saith unto him Master we saw a Man casting out Devils in thy Name and we forbad him because he would not joyn himself and associate with us But Jesus reproved this Action and told him That this Man would not readily speak ill of him in whose Name he did Miracles and that they ought not to look upon him as their Enemy since he did not engage in any thing against them Jesus then turns his Discourse to these little ones i. e. to the humble to whom he would have them make themselves like and pronounces a Wo against those who should be an occasion of Falling or Scandal to them declaring That whosoever shall offend one of these little ones which believe in him and whose Angels continually behold the Face of God in Heaven it were better for him to be cast into the Depth of the Sea with a Milstone about his Neck He adds That the World is full of Offences which will necessarily happen but Wo unto him by whom they come That to avoid them we must lay before Men the Torments of Hell where the Worm that gnaws the damned never dies and the Fire that burns them is never quenched yea is so far from consuming them that on the contrary 't is like Salt to them which preserves them from consuming that they may be
possess But the Publican on the other side standing afar off durst not so much as lift up his Eyes to Heaven but smote upon his Breast saying My God be merciful to me who am a Sinner Whereupon Jesus adds I declare unto you That this Man returned Home justified rather than the other for he that exalteth himself shall be abased but who so humbleth himself shall be exalted XLI Jesus blesseth certain Infants Then some of the Jews brought their Children to Jesus that he might lay his Hands upon them Matth. 19 13-15 Mark 19 13-16 Luke 18 15-17 and pray for them His Disciples rebuking those that brought them unto him spake roughly to them but Jesus being displeased at this Action reproved them and bid them to suffer little Children to come unto him because the Kingdom of Heaven is made up of such and if we will gain an entrance into it we must become little Children i. e. humble so commending a spiritual Infancy which consists in an Holy Simplicity and sincere Humility After this he takes these little Children up in his Arms and having Blessed them by laying his Hands upon them He departed from thence to go some whither else XLII He tells them how hard it is for a Rich Man to be saved Matth. 19.16 â— 30. Mark 10 17-30 Luke 18 18-30 As Jesus was in his Journey a Young Noble-Man who was very Rich ran unto him and kneeling down to him said Good Master What good thing must I do that I may inherit Eternal Life Jesus answered him Why callest thou me good There is none but God who is good i. e. who is good of himself being perfect and essential Goodness the Original of all Goodness for all the Goodness in the Creatures in only an Efflux and participation of the infinite Goodness of God This Young Man commended an Humane and Finite Goodness in Jesus only and it seems that the Son of God refusing the Title of Good Master and answering that there was none Good but God only would Teach him to acknowledge a Divine and Soveraign Goodness in Himself Afterward he says in Answer to his Question That if he will obtain Eternal Life he must keep the Commandments And because this Young Man asked him which of these Commandments he ought to keep he said unto him Thou knowest the Commandments of the Law Do not kill Do not commit Adultery Do not Steal Do not bear false Witness Defraud not Honour thy Father and thy Mother And Love thy Neighbour as thy Self The Young Man answered All these things have I observed from my Youth What yet have I to do Then Jesus beholding him loved him but this Love which he had for the Young Man did not hinder him from Teaching him a Truth which he could not entertain for he said unto him One thing lackest thou yet If thou wilt be perfect Go and sell all that thou hast and give it to the Poor and thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven and then come and follow me But this Lord who had a great Estate not being able to accept of his Advice and forsake all went away sad Then Jesus who saw him troubled looking round about him said unto his Disciples Verily I say unto you It is very hard for a Rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven And because they were much amazed at these Words he repeated the same Truth again to them in these Words Little Children How hard is it for them that trust in their Riches to enter into the Kingdom of God It is easier for a Camel to go through the Eye of a Needle This last assertion encreased the astonishment of the Apostles who said one to another Who then can be saved But Jesus removed their admiration by telling them that that which is impossible with Men is possible with God who can change the Heart and make Rich Men to leave all to follow Christ and gain Heaven Then said Peter unto him As for us thou seest That we have left all and followed thee What reward shall we receive Jesus answered him That at the Resurrection when the Son of Man shall sit upon the Throne of his Glory they shall sit by him on Thrones judging all the People of Israel And he further tells them that not only they But whosoever shall forsake his House or Kindred or Lands for His and the Gospels sake shall receive in this World an hundredfold Houses and Kindsfolk and Lands with Persecutionâ— and in the World to come Life Eternal By which he means that God who will reward his Elect in another World will give them in this such comforts as are necessary to support them in their afflictions and will find them such Friends as shall by their Christian Charity be as serviceable to them as their nearest Kindred and shall supply the want of all they have forsaken or lost for his sake to them XLIII Jesus explains how they that are first shall be last in the Kingdom of God Mrtth. 19.30 Matth. 20 1-16 The Apostles might well be surprized at the Promise which Jesus had made them That he would set them on Thrones to Judge their whole Nation especially since they had been always so little esteemed among the Jews From this passion the Son of God seems very desirous to free them by repeating to them again the words which he had before used upon another occasion That many of those that should have been first shall be last and many that should have been last shall be first Which Truth that he might throughly explain it to them he propounds a Parable and saith That the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Man who having sent some Labourers with whom he had agreed for Wages early in the Morning into his Vineyard did also send others at the Ninth Third and Eleventh Hours promising to give them as much as was reasonable for their Labour In the Evening he called all these Men to him and beginning with those who came came last he gave them the same Wages which he had promised to those whom he had hired in the Morning but these last expecting to receive somewhat more than the other murmured against him for giving them as much as he agreed with them for But the Master of the Vineyard proves that he had done them no wrong because he had payd them what was due to them and as for the rest it was Lawful to give them what he pleased From hence the Son of God concludes So the last shall be first and the first shall be last for many are called but few are chosen This is all the explication which our Lord gives us of this Parable but the Fathers understand by the Kingdom of God and the Vineyard into which he calls Men to Labour for the reward which he hath promised by an Holy Life the Church And this reward is nothing but himself Some entred at the beginning of the World into this Vineyard
Lord but do not what he commands and those only who do his Will shall enter into his Kingdom Lastly he concludes this long Discourse with a Comparison of his Auditors to Builders saying He that hears and does what I teach is like to a wise Man that built his House upon a firm Rock which no Tempest could beat down and on the contrary he that doth not practice vvhat he hears is like unto a Fool that Built his House upon the Sand vvhich when the Wind and Rain beat upon it was overthrown XVII Jesus Cures a Leper Matt. 8 1-4 Mar. 1 40-45 Lu. 5 12.-15 Jesus having finished this Sermon came down from the Mountain and a great multitude followed him having heard his Doctrin with Attention and Admiration Then came to him a Man over-spread with a Leprosy and falling down at Jesus Feet Worshiped him beseeching him and saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean This Prayer so full of Humility and Faith pleased Jesus who stretching forth his hand touched him and said I will be thou clean and immediately his Leprosy was cleansed But Jesus straitly charged that he should tell no Man of this Miracle and commanded him to go and shew himself unto the Priest that he might declare him clean and offer the Sacrifice prescribed by the Law This Man notwithstanding could not forbear publishing for all that what had happened unto him and the Fame of the Son of God was so much increased that he could not appear any more in the City but went into the Deserts where he spent his time in Prayer but the People did not cease going to him in great multitudes from every quarter to hear him and to be cured of their Diseases XVIII Jesus heals a Man sick of the Palsey Mat. 8 5-13 Lu. 7.1 -10. Jesus being entred into Capernaum he was entreated by the Elders of the Jews to go down to the House of a certain Centurion or Captain of an Hundred Soldiers to heal a Servant of his whom he greatly loved and who was so sick of a Palsie that he was almost brought to the point of Death by it This Officer having heard of the Fame of Jesus had desired some of his Friends to go to him and beg this Favour of him These Men earnestly besought him representing not only the danger the Servant was in but also the Worthiness of his Master and the obligations which all the Nation of the Jews had to him for say they he loveth our Nation and hath Built us a Synagogue Jesus then went along with them and when they came near the House the Centurion sent others to him to desire him that he would not give himself the trouble to come unto him and to say Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my Roof but speak only in a Word and my Servant shall be healed He adds that he did not think himself worthy to go to meet him nor to receive him and he doubted not of the efficacy of his Word if he would but command the Distemper to depart from his Servant since he himself who was but an under Officer and subject to the command of others could be exactly obeyed by those Soldiers which were under him Jesus admired this Mans Faith who was an Heathen and turning himself to them that followed him He said Verily I have not found so much Faith even among the Israelites themselves To which he adds That many shall come from the East and from the West and shall have a place in the Kingdom of Heaven with Abraham Isaac and Jacob but the Jews who boast of their Descent from these Patriarchs and under that Title are Children and Heirs of the Kingdom shall be excluded and cast into utter darkness where there is nothing but weeping and gnashing of Teeth Which indeed happened to the Jews in whose stead the Gentiles which knew not God are called to the Inheritance of Heaven To this Faith which he so highly esteemed did Jesus grant the Cure of the Diseased Man who was made whole from that very hour And when they whom the Centurion had sent were returned to his House they found the Servant in perfect Health XIX Jesus raiseth a Man from the Dead Lu. 7.11 -16. The next day Jesus went to Naim a City of Galilee lying near the Mediterranean Sea being accompanyed with his Disciples and the Multitude as he always was Being near the Gate of the City there was a Dead Man carryed out to be Buryed who was the only Son of his Mother who was a Widow and followed the Bier and much People of the City were with her Jesus seeing her was moved with compassiom towards this afflicted Widow and said unto her Weep not Then he cometh to the Bier and making the Bearers to stand still he touched him and spake unto the Dead man these words Young Man I command thee to arise And immediately the Dead Man sat up and began to speak and Jesus delivered him to his Mother And all that were present were seized with fear and glorified God saying A great Prophet is risen up among us and God hath visited his People XX. John sends two of his Disciples to Jesus The answer they received from him Matt. 11.2 -6. Lu. 7.18 -23. The Fame of the former Miracle spread it self into all Judea and all the Country round about so that John who vvas in Prison heard of it This Holy Fore-runner of Christ had a full Relation of the Miracles which Jesus did from his ovvn Disciples and vvould not lose so good an occasion of making them acknowledg him for the Messiah He would have them to be convinced of this Truth themselves and for that reason chose two of them and sent them to him with this Question Art thou He that should come or look we for another Jesus instead of giving a direct Answer to this Question wrought many Miraculous Cures in their Presence after which he saith unto them Go and tell John what things ye have heard and seen That the Blind see the Lame walk the Lepers are cleansed the Deaf hear the Dead are raised and to the Poor the Gospel is Preached These were the visible Proofs that he gave them to shew them who he was And he adds Blessed are they that shall not be offended in me as if he had said according to the Explication of the Fathers That it is easie for Men to accept me for the Messiah when they see me Work so many Miracles but few will believe me to be so when they see me suffer the Ignominious Death of the Cross These two Messengers being returned to their Master Jesus turned his speech to the People Matt. 11.7 -14. Lu. 7.24 -28. and discoursed to them concerning John after this manner What went ye out into the Wilderness to see A Reed shaken with the Wind Or a Man cloathed in soft and delicate Attire And having thus put them in mind of
departed from Bethany Matth. 21 1-9 Mark 11 1-10 Luke 19 29-38 John 12 12-18 and as soon as he came to a little Village called Bethphage which was situated at the Bottom of the Mount of Olives which is distant from Jerusalem but little more than half a Mile he said to Two of his Disciples Go unto the Village over-against you and ye shall there find a Shee-Ass and with her a Colt on which no Man ever sat loose it and bring it to me and if the Owners ask you why ye do so ye shall answer them That the Lord hath need of him and they will let you bring him The Disciples exactly obeyed this Order and finding every thing as Jesus had foretold they brought the Ass and Colt to him upon which when they had set him he rode to Jerusalem In the mean Time the People which were come to Jerusalem to the Feast having received Information of the Resurrection of Lazarus from those that were Eye-Witnesses of the Miracle and hearing that Jesus was coming to that great City took Branches of Palm-trees and went in great Throngs to meet him crying out Hosanna i. e. Salvation and Glory Blessed be the King of Israel who cometh in the Name of the Lord. Jesus riding upon the Colt which his Disciples had covered with their Garments came in Triumph thus accomplishing that Prophesy of Zachary Zach. 9.9 Fear not Daughter of Zion behold thy King cometh full of Meekness and siting upon an Ass's Colt A great multitude of People did also spread their Garments in the way and others cut down Branches from the Trees and strewed them where he was to pass When they were come to the Descent of the Mount of Olives his Disciples being transported with Joy to see their Master so highly honoured gave Praise to God with a loud Voice for all the mighty Works which they had seen saying Blessed be the King that cometh in the Name of the Lord Peace in Heaven and Glory in the Highest And all the People as well those that went before as those that followed after joyned with the Disciples in their Acclamations so that he was surrounded with Shouts saying Hosanna i. e. Honour to the Son of David blessed be he that cometh in the Name of the Lord blessed be the Kingdom of our Father David which we have seen to come Hosanna Peace and Honour in the Highest Heavens II. Jesus Christ bewails the Destruction of Jerusalem Matth. 21.10 11. Luke 19 39-44 The Pharisees could not see so great Honour bestowed upon a Man whom they had resolved to put to Death without great Indignation and therefore argued among themselves Do ye not perceive that we prevail nothing Behold all the World is gone after him But some of them could not conceal their Anger but said among the Multitude to Jesus Master command thy Disciples to hold their Peace But he silenced them themselves by saying to them That the Stones would immediately cry out if his Disciples should hold their Peace Then they came near to Jerusalem and Jesus casting his Eyes upon that miserable City whose Miseries and Sins he foresaw shed forth Tears as a Sign of the Compassion with which he was affected for her and seeing her cryed out O that thou hadst known at least in this thy Day the things that conduce to thy Peace and Safety but now they are all hid from thine Eyes For the Time shall come when thy Enemies shall cast Trenches about thee and invest thee and keep thee in on every Side and demolish thee and cast thy Children out and shall not leave one Stone upon another because thou hast not known the Time wherein God hath visited thee So that he shews himself much more affected for the Ruin of Jerusalem than at the Acclamations with which they received him Being entred into the City with so great a Number of People all the Citizens were moved and every one enquired Who is this Man To whom the Multitude answered It is Jesus the Prophet of Nazareth in Galilee III. Jesus Christ again foretels his Death Besides the Jews who were come to Jerusalem John 12 20-36 to keep the Passover there were also Heathens who being Proselytes of the Gates were come to worship God at that Feast Some of these having a great Desire to see Jesus did for that Reason come to Philip one of the Twelve Apostles Philip tells Andrew of it and both of them told their Master Jesus who by his Death was about to obtain Salvation as well for the Gentiles as Jews answered these Two Apostles That his Hour was come that he should be glorified And as a Grain of Wheat brings forth no Fruit till it is dead in the Earth where it is sown so should his Death be the Seed which should produce a great Harvest that the Faithful which should be produced thereby should learn by his Example to hate their Lives in this World that they may preserve it to Life Eternal and that the Service which they should pay him in following him whithersoever he goeth should be rewarded with Eternal Glory He also for their Comfort brought upon himself the Horrors of his Death and therefore stirred up voluntarily a Passion in his Soul which discovered it self outwardly by these Words My Soul is troubled and what shall I say Father save me from this Hour But considering with himself how great Glory God would gain by his Death he added But for this Cause came I to this Hour Father glorify thy Name At the same Time there came a Voice from Heaven which said I have glorified it already and will glorify it again They that were present said That it was a Clap of Thunder and others said That an Angel spake unto him but he answered This Voice came not for me but for your sakes And to let them know what Influence his Death which he should suffer upon the Cross ought to have upon all Men he saith Now is this World judged and the Prince of this World i. e. the Devil is cast out and when I am lifted up from the Earth I will draw all Men unto me Upon this the Jews asked him How the Death of the Son of Man could be consonant with the Holy Scripture which saith That Christ must endure for ever and never dye And they added Who is this Son of Man He answers them That they should enjoy the Light a little Time and advises them That since it is no fit Time to walk or act when they are deprived of it they should believe in the Light that is in him so long as he is with them Jesus having spoke these Words John 12 36-50 hid himself from them since they made no deeper Impression upon their Hearts than his Miracles did which he had done before them in so great Numbers for they were stricken with that Blindness of Heart which according to Isaiah's Prophecy Isa 6.9 hindred them from seeing that
is an Hebrew and Christ a Greek Word and signify both of them Anointed the Jews calling him so because they expected He should be a great King consecrated to God by a special Unction of which the Anointing of their Kings and Prophets was but a Figure Four thousand Years being at last expired and spent in waiting for him the Time appointed by God and foretold by the Prophets for the Deliverance of Mankind came The Roman Empire enjoyed a profound Peace under the Reign of Augustus and the Jews were governed by Herod whom the Romans had made King over them being some Years before become subject to their Power This Government by a Foreign Prince was an Evident Sign that the Coming of the Messiah drew near according to the Prophesy of Jacob Gen. 49.10 The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his Feet until Shiloh he that is sent do come This was the Time which God from all Eternity had prefixed for the Execution of his gracious Design That Jesus Christ the Saviour both of the Jews and Gentiles should be born in Judea and by him hath he accomplish'd the great Work of Man's Salvation in such a manner as the Gospel relates and which we are about to give an account of in this History of which I shall make Four Parts containing so many Periods of our Saviour's Life and shew what passed I. From the Conception of John the Baptist to his entrance upon his Ministry II. In the first Two Years of his Preaching III. In the Third Year of his Ministry IV. From his triumphant going up to Jerusalem to his Ascension into Heaven BOOK I. An Account of what passed from the Conception of John the Baptist to the Entrance of Jesus Christ upon his Ministerial Function I. The Conception of S. John the Baptist Book I. Luke 1 5-22 THere was among the Jews a certain Priest named Zacharias who with his Wife Elizabeth kept all the Commandments of the Lord blameless They were both of them very old and God that he might at length reward their Patience and contentedness in a signal manner having given them no Child but laid upon them the Disgrace of Barrenness which at that Time was accounted a great Curse inflicted by God It came to pass as Zachary ministred in the Temple according to his Course and offered the Incense commanded by the Law to God the Angel Gabriel appeared to him and told him from God That he should have a Son whom he should call John That this his Son should be great in the Sight of God and be filled with the Holy Spirit from his Mother's Womb That he should convert many Israelites from their Sins and should go before the Lord in the Spirit and Power of Elias preparing his Ways for him and disposing p. 5 The Anunciation of the Blessed Virgin Men to receive him Zachary doubting of the Truth of these Promises answered the Angel How shall I be assured of the Truth of thy Words for I am Old and my Wife is well stricken in Years The Angel reproving his Unbelief told him That from that Moment he should be dumb and not be able to speak till the Things which he had spoken of should come to pass And in that very instant he lost his Speech and the People who could not understand him but by Signs perceived by his Silence that he had seen a Vision The Days of his Ministration being accomplish'd he returned to his own House at Hebron Luke 1 23-25 a City in the Tribe of Judah and God performed that which he had foretold by the Angel for Elizabeth conceived and hid her self Five Months that she might between God and herself raise in her Heart a more perfect Sense of his Favour in taking away from her the Reproach of Barrenness and giving her a Son of whom she might hope for so great things II. The Conception of Jesus Christ. Six Months after the Conception of Elizabeth the same Angel Luke 1 26-38 which had foretold the Birth of S. John to Zachary was sent by God into a City of Galilee called Nazareth to foretel the Nativity of Jesus Christ to her who was chosen from all Eternity to be his Mother It was an Holy Virgin of the House of David named Mary who was espoused to a Man of the same Family called Joseph and living in perfect Chastity had her Spouse for a faithful Witness and Guardian of her Purity The Angel being come to her said Hail O thou that art highly favoured the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among Women Her Modesty raised in her a great Disturbance at the unusual Appearance of the Angel and she was surprized at this kind of Salutation But the Angel bid her not be troubled telling her That she should have a Son who should be great and be called the Son of the Most High to whom God would give the Throne of his Father David i. e. an Eternal Kingdom and that she should call his Name Jesus which signifies a Saviour She reflecting upon her way of living with Holy Joseph and not understanding how she could preserve her Virginity and yet become a Mother said unto the Angel How shall this be seeing I know not a Man The Angel answered her That this Holy Child which shall be called the Son of God shall be born by the invisible Operation of the Holy Ghost and to shew her that God to whom nothing is impossible would work this great Miracle in her by his Almighty Power he tells her what had befallen her Cousin Elizabeth who having been barren for many Years was Six Months since with Child Being satisfied by this Instance that she might bear a Child and yet continue a Virgin she humbly submitted her self to the appointment of God and said to the Angel Behold the Handmaid of the Lord be it unto me according to thy Word Then the Angel departed from her but the Holy Spirit wrought this great Mystery in her for which she had been fitted and disposed a great while before by the plentiful effusion of his Graces She conceived the Son of God the Second Person of the Holy Trinity who was incarnate i. e. became Man by taking on him a Body and Soul like us in the Womb of this chast and humble Virgin III. The Visitation of the Holy Virgin As soon as Mary had heard that her Cousin was with Child she went with haste to see her Luke 1. 39-55 and entring into her House saluted her which when Elizabeth heard she felt the Infant leaping in her Womb for Joy and being filled with the Holy Ghost she spake out with a loud Voice and said Blessed art thou among Women and blessed is the Fruit of thy Womb How great a Felicity is this to me that the Mother of my Lord should come unto me And having inform'd the Virgin That her Child leaped in her Womb she added Blessed art thou because thou
his Table but could not obtain that Piece of Charity from this hard-hearted Miser whose Dogs were more merciful than he for they came and licked his Sores and so by their healing Tongues did what they could to cure his Disease At length they both dyed but their End was as different as their Lives had been for the Poor Man was carried by the Angels into Abraham's Bosom i. e. into a Place of Happiness appointed for the Souls of the Saints the Rich Man also dyed and was buried in his Body but his Soul was carried into Hell From hence he beholding the Happiness of the Beggar whom he had contemned cryed out Father Abraham have Mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the Tip of his Finger in Water and cool my Tongue for I suffer inexpressible Torments in this Flame But the Holy Patriarch told him that it was impossible by reason of the vast distance between them to grant his Request so it was just that he who had endured so much Grief and Sorrow in his Life-time should receive Comfort and Happiness after his Death but as for himself who had surfeited with the Delights and Pleasures of this Life that he should suffer Thirst and Torments in another World The Rich Man perceiving that there was no Mercy to be hoped for for himself thought of his Five Brethren which yet lived in the same Luxury and Riot and prayed Abraham to send them Word by Lazarus of the miserable Condition he was in that by his Example they might grow wiser and repent But he answered them That they have Moses and the Prophets and if they neglected to hear them they would not give Credit to a Dead Man though raised on purpose to warn them of their Duty XXXVIII Jesus Christ shews the inseparable Conjunction of Married Persons and highly commends Virginity Matth. 19 3-12 Mar. 10 2-12 Luke 16.18 These Truths silenced but could not convert the Pharisees they still hated him and sought all occasions to ensnare him in his Talk and for this Reason they put this Question to him Is it lawful for a Man to put away his Wife for every Cause as he pleaseth Jesus answered them by propounding first another Question What did Moses in the Law command They replyed That Moses in the Law allowed them to put away their Wives giving them a Writing to testify their Divorcement But Jesus refers them to the first Institution of Marriage by God himself saying That Man and Woman are so straitly united that they ought to be looked upon as one Flesh only And then goes on and says What God hath thus joyned together let no Man put asunder They still insist upon the Permission which Moses had given them but he answered them That Moses allowed it only for the hardness of their Hearts for from the Beginning it was not so and that whosoever puts away his Wife unless in the Case of Adultery and marries another hath committed Adultery and whosoever marrieth the Woman so divorced is also guilty of Adultery His Disciples when they came into the House consulted him about the same Thing and he gave them the same Answer from whence they made this Conclusion That it is not good to marry Whereupon he says to them True it is that Virginity is the best Estate for Men but it is above the Reach of Man unless it be of some few whom either Nature hath befriended or human Force hath rendred incapable of Marriage or their ardent Desire of Heaven hath obliged to live in voluntary and entire Chastity And since all Men are not capable of so great a Vertue he concludes with these Words He that is able to receive it let him receive it i. e. He that hath this Gift of Chastity bestowed on him let him live in it XXXIX Jesus speaks of his Kingdom and of his Coming and teaches them That they must pray always Another Time the Pharisees Luke 17 20-37 who waited for the coming of the Messiah and who had drawn up a Romantick Scheme to themselves That the Messiah should reign in their Country with great Pomp and Majesty and should raise himself above all the Kings of the World demanded of him When the Kingdom of God should come He answered them That it should not appear with outward Splendor and Pomp nor be confined to any particular Place but that it was already come and was within them i. e. that his Kingdom was Spiritual and was to be set up in their Hearts by Justice and Charity From hence he takes occasion to tell his Disciples That the Time will come when they shall desire to enjoy his Presence but one Day but shall not see him more That he shall come hereafter as a Flash of Lightning i. e. suddenly and gloriously but he must first suffer many things and be rejected of the Jews And that as it was in the Days of Noah Men eat and drank and married not thinking upon the Flood which came suddenly upon them and destroyed them and as the Fire from Heaven fell unexpectedly upon the Inhabitants of Sodom so shall it be at the coming of the Son of Man All our Thoughts must then be employed in contriving to save our selves without looking behind us either to pity or save others remembring Lot's Wife who looking back contrary to the Command of the Angel was changed into a Pillar of Salt Luke 18 1-8 He teaches them also at the same Time That we must not be weary of Prayer and to shew of how great Advantage it is to pray always and with Perseverance he delivers this Parable of a certain Widow who having a wicked Man for her Judge who would not do her Justice constrained him by her Importunities to vindicate her Wrongs By which Example he demonstrates to us That God who is Just will certainly revenge his Elect which cry unto him Day and Night and will deliver them soon out of the Oppression they suffer But since such a Faith as is necessary to support us continually in so excellent a Duty is very rare and unusual he adds in a kind of an Astonishment Nevertheless when the Son of Man cometh shall he find Faith upon Earth There will will be few that will hold out to the End XL. He teaches Men to be humble Jesus Luke 18 9-14 that he might shew Humility in Prayer to be as necessary as Perseverance and so instruct his more attentive Disciples as well as beat down the Pride of the Pharisees who thought themselves Righteous and being full of vain Confidence in their own false Sanctity contemned all others propounds to them this Parable Two Men went up to the Temple to pray the One a Pharisee and the Other a Publican the former stood and prayed after this manner God I thank thee that I am not as other Men are Thieves Vnjust Adulterers or even as this Publican I fast twice in the Week and give Tythes of all that I
Wrong to any Man I will restore him Four-fold And Jesus answered This Day is Salvation come to this House And assures us That Zaccheus who was looked upon hitherto by the Jews as a Stranger and a Heathen was by Faith become a Child of Abraham as well as they and so was entituled to the Promises made to him L. Jesus condemns the Opinion of those who believed that the Kingdom of God would then appear All those who were present Luke 19 11-27 harkned unto Jesus with Attention and as they drew near to Jerusalem they thought that the glorious Reign of the Messias which they had fancied to themselves would immediately commence supposing that Jesus had undertaken this Journey to the Passover at Jerusalem for this End only to seat himself upon his Throne and to establish the Kingdom he had so often spoke of Jesus knowing their Thoughts condemned them by this Parable A certain great and Noble Man being about to take a Voyage into a far Country where he was to take Possession of a Kingdom fallen to him called all his Servants and gave them every one a Sum of Mony to trade withal and improve till he should return Some of his Countrymen who hated him sent after him and declared that they would not have him for their King But he notwithstanding this Opposition having obtained the Kingdom returned again and first calls the Servants to an Account to whom he had entrusted his Mony One of them had improved it Ten the Other Five Times by Trading whom he rewarded proportionably to their Diligence giving to the last the Government of Five Gities and the other of Ten But one there was among them who instead of trading with it had lock'd it up fearing as he said the great Severity of his Master and so not daring to hazard what he had entrusted to him But his Master condemned this Action and taking his Mony from him gave it to those whom he had already so bountifully rewarded This done he summoned those who had refused to accept him for their King and put them to Death in his Presence The Gospel doth not deliver the Explication of this Parable but since we know the Occasion that Jesus had to propose it it is very natural to explain it thus Jesus himself is the King here spoken of he is gone into Heaven and shall return in Majesty to judge both the Quick and the Dead He distributes his Graces here below and expects that we should improve them by a good Use of them At his coming again he will find Three several sorts of Persons some will make a good Use of the Grace that they have received to whom God will give greater portions of it Others will not improve it and therefore he will take it from them Lastly others will revolt from him and will not obey his Laws such as Infidels and Wicked Men but chiefly the Jews are meant in this Place who being God's People have nevertheless made the most vigorous Opposition to the Establishment of his Church and therefore he shall destroy them LI. Jesus Christ heals Two Blind Men. Matth 20 29-31 Mark 10 46-52 As soon as Jesus was departed from Jericho being followed by a great Company of People a certain Blind Man named Bartimeus he Son of Timeus who sat by the Way-Side begging being informed what the Multitude which he heard going by meant and hearing that Jesus passed by Luke 18 35-43 he cryed out with another Blind Man who sate in the same Road Jesus thou Son of David have Mercy on me The People which accompanied Jesus but chiefly those that went before him spake roughly to him to make him hold his Peace but he cryed out so much the louder as did also his Companion Thou Son of David have Mercy on me Then Jesus stopped and commanded him to be called which some did saying be of good Comfort arise he calleth you Then he immediately cast away his Coat arose and went with his Companion to Jesus who asked them both What would you have me to do for you They answered Lord that thou wouldest open our Eyes Then Jesus being moved with Compassion touched their Eyes and immediately they received Sight and followed him glorifying God as also did all the People who had been Witnesses of this Miracle LII Jesus Christ suppeth at Bethany Jesus drew every Day nearer and nearer to Jerusalem Matt. 26 6-13 Mark 14.3 â— 9. John 12.1 and Six Days before the Passover he came to Bethany where he had lately raised Lazarus the Brother of Mary and Martha from the Dead Here he was entertained at a Supper in the House of Simon the Leper Martha waited but Lazarus was one of those that supped with him While he sat at the Table Mary came to him having an Alabaster-Box containing a Pound of the Oyntment of Spikenard of great Value with which she anointed his Feet wiping them with her Hairs and afterward breaking the Box she poured the Residue of the Perfume upon his Head so that the whole House was filled with the Smell of it The Apostles but chiefly Judas Iscariot murmured at this waste and Judas said That this Oyntment might have been sold for Three hundred Pence which is about 9 l. 7 s. 6 d. of our Mony and so relieved many Poor People not that he had so much Care or Compassion for the Poor as the Gospel observes but because he was a Thief and kept the Mony which Jesus Christ had collected for his ordinary Expence and for the maintenance of the Poor upon which account it was that he was so very desirous to have gotten the Price of this Oyntment into his Hands that he might gratify his own Covetousness But Jesus himself undertook the Defence of Mary and told those that condemned her That she had done a good Work and had embalmed his Body before-hand for the Day of its Burial and that as for the Poor for whose Relief it was said that the Price of this Oyntment might have been better employed they were always with them and might receive Relief of them at any Time but they cculd not have him always with them to pay their Duty to him and give him the Marks of their Esteem and Affection And lastly That this Action of Mary's should in every Place where the Gospel is preach'd be spoken of in her Commendation In the mean while it being known at Jerusalem that Jesus was come to Bethany many of the Jews came to see him and not him only but more especially Lazarus whom he had raised from the Dead As for the Chief Priests they had determined to kill Lazarus because many Jews were converted to the Belief of Christ's Divinity by the Miracle of his Resurrection The End of the Third Book BOOK IV. An Account of what Jesus Christ did from his Triumphant Entrance into Jerusalem to his Ascension into Heaven I. Jesus Christ goes in Triumph to Jerusalem THE next Day Jesus
the Resurrection He answered them That they neither understood the sense of Scripture nor the Power of God that Marriage which is necessary in this World to raise up Children and posterity to Mortal Men is not at all so in another World where no Man shall dye but all shall be like the Angels being immortal Then he shews them by Scripture that the Dead are alive in respect of God who will one day raise them and consequently they were in a great error in denying a future Resurrection A Doctor of the Law who heard this answer could not but acknowledge that he had replyed well and all the People continued their admiration of his Doctrin XI He teaches which is the greatest Commandment of the Law A certain Scribe who was a Pharisee Matth. 22 34-40 Mark 12 28-34 and who had seen how Jesus had put the Sadducees to silence came to him and asked him tempting him Which is the first and great Commandment of the Law He answered him This Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy Soul with all thy Mind and with all thy Strength and that the Second which is like unto it is this Thou shalt Love thy Neighbour as thy self In these two are contained all the Law and the Prophets The Pharisee highly approved this answer of Jesus and confessed that he deservedly preferred Love above all other things for that is more acceptable to God than all Whole Burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices The Son of God for his part commended the Wisdom of this Doctor and assured him that he was not far from the Kingdom of God After this no Man durst ask him any more Questions but Jesus put one himself to the Pharisees for seeing them assembled about him in the Temple He said unto them What think ye of Christ whose Son is he They answered him The Son of David Whereupon Jesus objected these words of Ps 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou on my Right Hand c. And asked them how he could be Davids Son since he being inspired by the Holy Spirit called him His Lord This Question they could not resolve him because they would not acknowledge the Divine Nature of Jesus Christ whence it was that they were Ignorant that as God he was Lord of David tho' as Man he was his Son XII Jesus discovers the Vices of the Scribes and Pharisees Jesus then turning his Discourse to the People but chiefly to the Disciples Matth. 23 1-12 Mark 12 38-40 Luke 20 45-57 admonisheth them to observe and do those Truths which the Scribes and Pharisees taught them since they sat in Moses Chair and had right to instruct them But that they should take heed how they imitated their Actions for he tells them that they were guilty of Hypocrisy and commanded others to do what themselves would not do that they affected the highest places and sought after the greatest Honour that they used long Prayers indeed but 't was to devour Widows Houses He taught his Disciples not to desire to be called Masters but to acknowledge themselves to be all Brethren That they had but one Father who is God and one Master Jesus Christ. And then he repeats the words which he had often spoken He that is greatest among you let him be Servant of all for whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased but he that humbles himself shall be exalted XIII Jesus Christ commends the Alms of a poor Widow Jesus sitting over against the Treasury took notice of those that cast their Gifts into it Mark 12 41-44 Luke 21 1-4 and seeing a certain poor Widow casting in two Mites which make a Farthing of our Mony he called unto his Disciples and said unto them That this poor Widow hath given more then all the Rest because these Rich Men who have put much into the Treasury have given out of their abundance but this Woman on the contrary hath out of her want given all she had even all her Living XIV Jesus Christ foretells the Destruction of Jerusalem When Jesus was come out of the Temple to return to Bethany Matth. 24 1-20 Mark 13 1-23 Luke 21 5-24 his Disciples began a Discourse among themselves in the way about the Magnificence and Beauty of that Building and the large Gifts with which it was enriched and endowed And then came to their Master to shew him that which they so much admired and one of them said to him Master seest thou what Stones and Buildings here are But he answered them That the time shall come in which all this great Building which they see shall be so utterly destroyed that there shall not be left one Stone upon another that shall not be cast down When they came to the Mount of Olives Jesus sat over against the Temple and Four of his Apostles viz. Peter James John and Andrew prayed him to tell them When this Destruction of the Temple which he had foretold should happen when the World should end and he should come again in Glory and what shall be the Signs of these great events Jesus explained all these things to them and first advises them to beware of the Multitude of Impostors who should pretend themselves to be the Messias as also not to be troubled at the Wars Seditions Famines and other dreadful Signs which are nothing but many presages of the horrible Calamities which shall come upon the Earth He tells them that before these things come to pass they shall be Persecuted brought before Judges Scourged in Synagogues be delivered over to Punishments by their Parents hated of all Men for the Love they bear to Christ and many of them shall be put to Death But he comforts them at the same time by assuring them that he will give them such Wisdom to speak before their Judges as all their Adversaries shall not be able to gain-say or resist that they shall secure and save their Souls by Patience that in spite of all the Rage of their Persecutors there should not one Hair of their Heads perish and that his Gospel shall be Preached in all the World Lastly he tells them that he would raise up false Prophets which should deceive many that Persecutions should make many to fall away that they shall see Iniquity abound and Charity grow cold but they that hold out to the end shall be saved and so receive a sufficient reward for their Patience After he hath thus instructed them concerning what should befal themselves he then tells them what shall come upon the City Jerusalem the Temple and the Jews themselves He saith then That when they shall see Jerusalem invested and Gods Temple defiled with execrable abominations they may then assure themselves that the Desolation of them is nigh That they should only contrive to save themselves with all the care they can that they may not be involved in the Calamities of their Nation That this is the time that God will pour
make of the Gifts of his Mercy and that we need fear but one thing which is to hide or not improve the Talent that God hath entrusted us withal XIX A Description of the Last Judgment After these Parables in which Jesus teacheth his Disciples the importance of watching always Matth. 25 31-46 that they may not be surprized by his Second Coming which must needs be very terrible as the Fathers say to those who have not laboured after Salvation in this Life and who suffer Death to overtake them without a due Preparation for eternal Life He then informs them What he will do upon the Earth when he shall come again in his Majesty accompanied with his Angels He tells them That he shall sit on the Throne of his Glory and all Nations of the World being assembled before him he will separate the Righteous from the Wicked as a Shepherd separateth the Sheep from the Goats That he will say to the Righteous on his Right Hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the World for I was an hungry and ye gave me Meat thirsty and ye gave me drink naked and ye cloathed me sick and ye visited me imprisoned and ye came unto me to see me These good Men being amazed will then ask him When he suffered these Wants and they thus assisted him And then he will answer them I say unto you that forasmuch as ye did it to any of these least of my Brethren ye did it unto my self Afterward he will say to the Sinners on his Left-hand Depart from me ye cursed into Eternal Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels And he will add That the Cause of their Condemnation is this that they did not afford him Relief in his need not giving to his Brethren Not that Sinners say the Fathers shall not be punished for their other Crimes of which they are found guilty and the Good shall not be rewarded for the other good Works which they have done but by assuring us That he will judge Men according to the Works of Mercy which they have done or omitted He endeavours to teach us That without this vertue all the Good we do will be unprofitable for our Salvation and that there is no Sin which Alms-giving done by the Spirit of God cannot blot out Sinners shall be damned because they have not given Alms as a Sick Man may be said to dye of his Disease because he would not use the Medicine which might cure him These Two Sentences shall be followed with different Executions the Sinners shall go into Eternal Torments prepared for them but the Just shall go up into Heaven to be enstated in Life and Eternal Glory XX. The Jews hold a Council against Jesus Matth. 26 1-5.14-16 Mar. 14.1 2 10 11 Luke 22 1-6 While Jesus was thus instructing his Apostles the Priests and Doctors of the Law were devising all ways to apprehend Jesus by Subtilty and put him to Death He did not hide himself from them because his Hour was come He appeared in the Temple in the Day-Time and the People came together early in the Morning to hear him and at Night he went into the Mount of Olives On Wednesday his Enemies met in the Hall of Caiphas the High Priest and held a Council against him But because they feared the People they sought to seize upon him by Craft and that not on he Feast-Day lest they should cause an Uproar among the People In the mean Time Satan entred the Heart of Judas Iscariot that covetous Apostle who being a Thief kept the Mony of Jesus Christ and inspired him with a detestable Resolution to betray and sell his Master This Traitor therefore goes to the Priests and Rulers and saith unto them What will ye give me and I will deliver him into your Hands This Proposition did please them wonderfully and they promised to give him Thirty Pieces of Silver which comes to about Three Pounds and Fifteen Shillings of our Mony Which Sum he accepted From that Time he sought Opportunity to betray him This Jesus warned his Disciples of Ye know that within Two Days is the Feast of the Passover and the Son of Man shall be delivered up to the Jews to be Crucified XXI What was the Jewish Passover The Passover was the greatest and most solemn of all the Jewish Festivals Exod. 12. and God himself appointed it as a notable Remembrance of the Favours he had done for his People and as a sensible Sign of those that he further intended to do for all Mankind by the Death of his Son The Word Pascha signifies a Passage and if we would understand why this Name was given to that Solemnity we must call to Mind the manner how the Israelites were delivered out of Aegypt and from the Slavery of Pharaoh God that he might oblige that Prince to free his People sent several Plagues upon him and his Kingdom and particularly slew all the First-Born in Aegypt both of Man and Beast But that the Jews might not be involved in this Massacre which was intended only to work their Deliverance they were ordered by Moses from God to do these Things On the Tenth Day of the Moon in March they took every one an He-Lamb according to their Families without Blemish or Spot which they Sacrific'd on the Full-Moon of the same Month at Even and struct the Blood of it upon the Lintel and Two Side-posts of their Houses The same Night they eat the Flesh roasted with Fire in haste with unleavened Bread and bitter Sauces having their Garments guirded and trussed up their Shoes on their Feet and a Staff in their Hands as being ready to depart In this Night which was from the Fourteenth to the Fifteenth Day of the Moon in March God laid this heavy Judgment upon all Aegypt in slaying all the First-born and because he passed over all the Houses of the Israelites which he saw dyed with the Blood of the Lamb which had been sacrificed the Night before he would have this Lamb called by the Name of Pascha or Passover The Aegyptians seeng this Slaughter urged the Jews to be gone themselves who being ready to depart as we have already seen went out of that Country carrying the Dough along with them which they had not Time to leaven In remembrance of this miraculous Deliverance God commanded them to celebrate a great Feast every Year called the Passover that they might have it as a Monument of this Passage of the Lord and he enjoyned them during this Solemnity which was to continue Seven Days That they should eat unleavened Bread and should begin on the Fourteenth Day of the Moon of March in the Evening to Sacrifice and Eat the Lamb in remembrance of their Deliverance out of Aegypt This Evening which began the Feast of Passover was called the First Day of Unleavened Bread and the Name of Passover was given equally to the
concurring Approbation of his Father in Holy Scripture to render it credible nay certain but yet he knew that they would not be convinced by all these Proofs because they loved not God and instead of seeking that Glory which is from God they delighted in no other Persons Esteem or Approbation but what they receive one from another XIII The Jews accuse Jesus's Disciples of Sabboth Breaking Matth 12.1 8. Mark 2 23-28 Luke 6 1-5 The Jews who had charged Jesus with a Sin in healing a Man upon their Sabboth Day as having thereby broken the Law of God were not afraid to condemn him for the same Fault upon many the like occasions for as he passed along the Corn-Fields upon the Sabboth Day and his Diciples being very hungry took some Ears of Corn as they went along and rubbing them in their Hands eat them some of the Pharisees complained of it to him saying Behold thy Disciple do that which is not lawful to be done on the Sabboth Day But he demonstrates to them first of all by the Example of David who in an urgent case of Necessity had eaten of the Shew-Bread which none but the Priests might lawfully eat that Necessity may create a Dispensation of a Law Secondly by the Example of their own Priests who were not thought guilty of Sabboth-breaking notwithstanding they slay and slay their Sacrifices in the Temple upon the Sabboth Day according to the Commandment of the same Law 〈◊〉 that the Law doth not forbid all sorts of Action upon the Sabboth Day But if they pretend that the Temple justifies these sorts of Actions he might as well justifie this Action of his Disciples since He was greater than the Temple But if they had known that Mercy is more acceptable to God than Sacrifice they would not have so rashly condemned the Innocent That they inverted the Order of things in that they would have Man made for Sabboth whereas the Sabboth was made for Man And lastly That the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabboth-day and so may lawfully command or permit what he pleases to be done in it XIV Jesus Cures several sick Persons on the Sabboth On another Saturday as he taught in the Synagogue Matth. 12 10-13 Mar. 3 1-5 Lu. 6 6-10 there was a Man who had his Right Hand withered And the Lawyers and the Pharisees asked Jesus Whether it was Lawful to heal on the Sabboth day And they at the same time observed whether he would heal this Man that they might have cause of Accusation against him But Jesus knowing their thoughts bid the Man stand forth in the middle of the Assembly and asked them again Whether it be Lawful to do good and save Life on the Sabboth day And to give them an undeniable proof of the Lawfulness of it he adds What Man is there among you that shall have a Sheep which happens to fall into a Pit upon the Sabboth day will not lay hold of it and lift it out How much is a Man better than a sheep They could not answer any thing to this but they would not acknowledge the Truth so that Jesus having looked upon them with anger and being grieved for the hardness blindness of their Heart he turned himself to the Man that had the Withered Hand and said unto him Stretch out thy hand which he did and immediately his Hand was made as whole as the other Mat. 12 14-21 Mar. 3 6.-12 Lu. 6.11 The Pharisees seeing this Miracle were enraged against him and took Councel together how they might destroy Jesus Whereupon he withdrew himself with his Disciples to the Lake of Gennesareth being followed by a great number of People for the Fame of these Miracles being spread abroad throughout all Galilee Judea Idumaea and all the Country round about Jordan as far as the Mediterranean Sea to the Coasts of Tyre and Sydon they came in throngs from all these places to hear him and to be cured of their Diseases This caused him to order his Disciples to keep a small Ship there ready to go into that he might not be crowded by the People He healed all that were present of their Diseases commanding them at the same time not to discover him and silencing with threatnings the Devils who fell down before him crying out and saying Thou art the Son of God XV. Jesus Christ chooseth his Twelve Disciples and preacheth his Sermon on the Mount After these things Jesus retired into a Mountain where he continued all Night in Prayer to God Lu. 6 12.-26 Mar. 3 13.-20 Matt. 5. â—-12 And when it was day he called his Disciples and out of them he chose twelve whom he named Apostles which signifies Persons sent because he sent them to preach his Gospel with a power to heal Diseases and cast out Devils The Gospel observes that he chose whom he would and that these were the Twelve which he preferred to this Dignity viz. Simon whom he had already named Peter and Andrew his Brother the two Sons of Zebedee James and John whom he Surnamed Boanerges i. e. Sons of Thunder Philip to whom he first of all said Follovv me Bartholomew Matthew whom he took from the Custom-house Thomas also called Didimus i. e. a Twin another James the Son of Alpheus and his Brother named Judas or Thaddaeus Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot Then he came dovvn with them and remained in the Plain near the same Mountain vvhither the Multitude abovementioned vvhich came to hear him and touched him because such Virtue vvent out of him as healed all manner of Diseases flocked unto him Among them vvere many possessed vvith Devils vvhom he freed After this in the presence of all this Company he made a Discourse which contains all the Precepts of the Christian Law he spake it to his Disciples and begins it by teaching them wherein true Happiness consists saying to them Blessed are the poor in spirit that is to say those who are loose in their desires of Earthly things for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Blessed are they that mourn for their own and others sins hating the Carnal pleasures of this World for they shall be comforted and filled with spiritual Joy Blessed are the meek and quiet spirited for they shall inherit the Earth i. e. Paradise which is as the Fathers explain it the Land of the Living and the Heritage of such as suffer Joyfully the spoiling of their Goods which they cannot preserve without offending God Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Righteousness for they shall have their Holy desires satisfied Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy Blessed are they whose hearts are clean from all Carnal Lusts for they shall see God Blessed are the peace-makers who not only love and live in peace themselves but labour to make others to be at peace for they shall be called the Children of God being as like the God of Peace as Children are to their
Parents Blessed are they that are persecuted for Righteousness sake for their is the Kingdom of Heaven He adds further to his Disciples Blessed are ye when Men shall hate you and persecute you for my sake and load you with Injuries and Reproaches Rejoyce then for great is your reward reserved in Heaven And after he hath thus shewn that there is no happiness in this Life but in the contempt of Riches Honour and Pleasures and in the love of Religion Peace and Mercy Purity of heart and Patience by which we may render our selves worthy of that Eternal Life which God hath reserved in Heaven for us He pronounces a Wo against Riches against those who live in Plenty Mirth and Worldly Honours because they that place their Happiness in all these things shall one day find that their Pleasures Honours Comforts and Plenty shall end in Eternal Wailing and Sorrow XVI What are the Truths which Jesus Christ teacheth in this Sermon upon the Mount Matt. 5 13-48 Lu. 16 27-36 He next teacheth his Apostles that they were the Salt and Light of the World to reform their corrupt Manners and to illuminate their darkneâ— Minds that they ought therefore to be Pure and Holy themselves and not to omit any occasion of dispersing the Light of their Doctrin because they are set on a Candlestick i. e. preferred to the Ministry of the Gospel for that end That he came not to destroy the Law of Moses but to fulfil it and to bring it to its utmost perfection by teaching his Disciples a Righteousness far more compleat and excellent than that of the Scribes and Pharisees and without which no Man can be saved Indeed the Old Law forbids several Sins and regulated the exterior Actions But the New Law which Jesus Christ gives in this Discourse aims at the Reformation of the Heart and to suppress Sin in its very Source and Original For it was said to the Jews in the Law Thou shalt not kill But Jesus Christ commands every Man to curb in his Anger and not to utter the least affront or abuse of his Brother and if there be any differences not to offer any Sacrifice to God before they are reconciled The Law forbids Adultery Jesus forbids with the same strictness all Lascivious Glances and commands Men to pluck out the right Eye in which they are i. e. to deprive themselves of that pleasure of the Sight which excites irregular desires in the Heart The Law commands us to avoid Perjury Jesus Christ will not allow us to Swear at all and Teaches us that when we are obliged to confirm our Words with an Oath that very Oath tho' not sinful in it self yet proceeds from a bad Cause viz. as St. Austin says from the Custom of Lying and dealing falsly so much used among Men that they dare not trust to their bare Words The Law regulates Revenge and requires that the punishment do not exceed the Offence on which it is inflicted But Jesus Christ is so far from allowing us to revenge our selves that on the contrary he teacheth us not to resist evil not to go to Law but to give to those that ask and to yield our Cheek to those that smite us i. e. to bear all things rather than lose Charity The Jews believed that the Obligation we have to Love our Neighbour did hinder us from hating our Enemies But Jesus Christ will have us to love those that Hate us and to do good to those that Persecute us that we may excell the Heathens in well-doing and imitate Himself who makes his Sun to rise upon the Evil as well as upon the Good and so deserve the Honourable Title of the Children of God From Sins he passes to Good actions and to make them pure Mat. 6 1-34 he teacheth us to purify the Motives and causes of them shewing us that the Intention is such to the outward Actions as the Eye is to the whole Body and that they are pure or sinful according as the Intention is good or Evil after the same manner as the Body is either Light or in Darkness as the Eye is either Clear or Blind Wherefore he teaches us that we must not perform our good Works as Alms Prayers or Fasting that we may be praised of Men but of God who will reward them He lays down rules for Prayer that it should be made with a full Trust in the Divine Bounty with perseverance and with a mind full of Peace and Love to our Brethren knowing that he that will neither give to nor pardon others deserves neither the Mercies nor Pardon he petitions of God He makes the force and excellency of a Prayer not to consist in a multitude of Words as if God had need of our Words to manifest our Wants to him and that we may know what we may desire and request of God he hath taught us to pray after this manner Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily Bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us and Lead us not into Temptation but deliver us from evil Amen In the next place he endeavours to make the Souls of his Disciples contemn the good things of this World by teaching them not to lay up Treasures upon Earth but in Heaven where neither Thief nor any other danger is to be feared that they cannot love God and Mamon i. e. Riches at the same time and that instead of being sollicitous for the necessaries of this Life since God who nourisheth the Fowls and adorns the Lillies will not cease to take care of Man who is far more precious in his sight than Flowers or Beasts We should first seek the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof above all other things and then we may hope that God will give us all other things as an Overplus of favour to us He forbids rash Censures and Judgments Matt. 7 1-29 Lu. 6 37-42 and condemns those Hypocrites who cannot see the Beam which groweth in their own Eyes but would cast out the Mote out of their Brothers Eye He teaches them to distribute Holy things prudently saying We must not cast Pearl before Swine He summs up our whole Duty to our Neighbours in this short Precept Whatsoever ye would that Men should do unto you do ye even so to them He assures us That the way which leads to Life is streight but that which leads to Hell is bread and many there be that go in it He teacheth us to beware of false Prophets who come in sheeps-cloathing yet are ravening Wolves That we must not Judge of them by their Words but by their Works And altho' they may do some Miracles yet God will reject them one day as a People he never knew In the same manner will he also treat all those who content themselves to say Lord