speaking of many but through her child-birth as meaning one which is Christ the Sonne of God made of a woman without man 13 It is vsuall with the Hebrewes to put the abstract for the concrete substantiues for adiectiues Cause our captiuitie to returne like the Rivers in the South that is bring home our captiues with speed so Salvation is often put for Saviour Glory for glorious Iustice for iust c. Now by the same priviledge which admitteth captivity for captiues or sanctificatio domini for domino sanctificatus must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 child-birth go in this place for as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shee shall be saued by her child Briefly the womans child-birth is as much as the womans child the womans child is somewhat more than the womans seed For that the womans seed which was to crush the serpents head should become a child and be brought forth by his mother not conceiued only is no paradox of our invention It was the meaning of Gods promise when first he made it that this seed should be such a child so conceived and brought forth as might truely call a woman his mother but no man on earth his father 14 To giue you a more distinct view of Gods wisdome in contriuing the meanes of our salvation The first woman by yeelding her consent to the wicked spirit eares of the forbidden fruit in hope she and her husband should become Gods and their ofspring like young Gods knowing good and evill The issue of this adulterous compact with the serpent was that shee conceaued sinne and brought forth death before she was a mother of children And her children with their posteritie were by nature the sonnes of wrath the serpents seed and heires of his everlasting curse To cure this maladie by the contrarie God in his wisdome so ordaines that another of the weaker sexe of a temper quite contrarie to her mother Eue one as lowly as she was prowd whom the old serpent had never tempted with dreames of being a Queene much lesse of being a Goddesse on earth one whose spirit reioyced in the lowly estate of an handmaid should by yeelding consent to the blessed spirit conceaue him that was the sonne of God the tree of life in whom as many as beleeue receaue the adoption of sonnes and are co-heires with him of everlasting blisse No marvaile if the issues of their cōsents should be so cōtrary when as the principall agents with whom they contracted were such opposites the one was the SPIRIT of TRVTH the author of life and GOD of LIGHT the other the spirit of falshood the father of lies and prince of darknesse Lastly the first woman did thus adulterate her soule by contracting with Satan without advice or consent of her husband and this is that which made her estate the state of her sexe farre more desperate then Adams was For as Divines obserue the wicked Angels because they sinned wittingly and willingly without a tempter are left without all meanes of a mediatour or redeemer Now the woman in that she did partake more deeply of this their sin for being tempted by them she forthwith turn'd tempter with them was more liable to their remedilesse punishments then the man vntill the Lord in mercy found out the meanes here mentioned by our Apostle to releiue her The conclusion intended by him in that discourse is to assure woman kinde that Evahs assenting to Satan without the advise of her husband was not more available to condemne the sexe then the blessed Virgins bringing forth of her first borne whom she conceiu'd by meere reliance on Gods promise without the concurrence or furtherance of man was to redeeme it 15 This exposition of the place in Timothie is so cleere and naturall that not the meanest student here present so hee will marke the former references to the first creation but may well wonder how any professed interpreter could omit it Imagine with me that the whole tenour of this assurance devised in tearmes most exquisite for securitie and comfort of the weaker sexe were to be pervsed by any ordinarie Lawier but with halfe the diligence men vse to examine Leases or other Evidences concerning their private commodities The principall clause or demise it selfe would at first sight appeare to be contained in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It would likewise be as apparent that faith loue holinesse sobrietie and temperance did follow onely by way of condition or proviso Or to speake in our owne dialect Seeing faith loue c. are added as cōditions or qualificaons on the womans part who is the subiect or patient the meanes or meritorious cause of salvation being emphatically assigned vnder scholasticke character in the clause precedent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this hath alwaies seem'd to me a demōstration as evident as any can be ab effectu that the principall obiect or foundation of sauing faith the promised womans seed must needs bee comprised in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Iesus Christ saith the Apostle neither circumcision availeth any thing nor vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue But neither loue nor faith working by loue can availe more without Christ Iesus then circumcision in Christ Iesus And bootlesse it had beene to haue added this cōditional if they continue in faith c vnlesse the foundation of faith and salvation had beene comprised in the former words She shall bee saued by her child birth Now as fidelitie chastity practises of charitie are necessarie to all but in a peculiar and remarkable sort necessarie to those whose forefathers haue beene perfidious adulterours and oppressors so albeit none can be saued without these virtues here mentioned faith charitie holinesse temperance yet are these peculiarly necessarie to the weaker sexe in respect of the first womans sinne to the severall parts or degrees whereof they are most divinely and accurately suited and ranked by our Apostle One part of her transgression perhaps the first was infidelitie or distrust to Gods threats and promises therefore it is required as a condition necessarie to all women 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they be constant in faith Another part of the first womans sinne besides disloialtie was breach of that sociall loue which by order of creation was due vnto her husband For as shee had beginning of being from him so she was not to haue contracted any businesse concerning her estate without him Shee should haue knowne his consent before shee had presumed to haue passed hers and because shee did not so but brake the bond of sociall loue it is required of all women that they continue in loue 16 Againe the first womā polluted her soule with spiritual adulterie by listning to Satans impious suggestions Hence it is required of the weaker sexe that they continue in holinesse chastity The claspe that must keepe all these ornaments or spirituall habits close about
till foure hundred and thirtie yeares after the former couenant was established make men sonnes of Abraham and of blessing Covenants which receaue their whole strength and vertue from the will or purpose of men being once confirmed no man may disanull or adde ought to them The contractors themselues must change their minds or revoke their mutual coments before any other may correct or change their deeds But Gods promise for mans good can neither change of it selfe nor be changed by any Yet had Abraham not Gods promise only but his solemne oath to assure the inheritance of blessing to him and his seed There is no mention of any release on Abrahams part and it were impietie to thinke that God without some release made by him whilst he liued would bee so iniurious as to retract or alter the covenant after his death Or shall a title immediatly grounded on his solemne oath whose word alone giues streÌ„gth being to al things that are eveÌ„ power authoritie to lawes themselues need the corroboration of any Law To what end theÌ„ was the Law giuen so long after Abrahams death that his posteritie might plead their title by it to the inheritance before promised This is that which our Apostle prosecutes with such deepe but iust indignation throughout this discourse For this was in effect to distrust Gods oath and for their parts vtterly to renounce all interest in the covenant made to Abraham Isaac and Iacob by seeking thus to drawe the free Doner into new legall bonds with Moses Yet if the Law added nothing to their former assurance the question still remaines why it was giuen the Apostle resolues vs It was added because of transgression In which words hee would giue vs to vnderstand that the whole world was quoad rem for its present estate or condition vnder the curse denounced against Adam the best of whose children were heires of blessing only quoad spem the life of our hope or expectation being in the promised seed which was to come into the world In the interim till his comming God gaue his Law to Abrahams seed after the flesh that the threats and curses contained in it might imprint a liuely sense and feeling of that first curse vnder which the whole world stood and that the sense or feeling hereof might bring forth a more eager longing after the second Adam or promised seed who was to propagate the blessing vnto mankind who being manifested in the flesh was to redeem all from that curse which had befallen the whole nature in Adam and being made vnder the Law was to redeeme the seed of Abraham from the particular curses of the Mosaicall or ceremoniall Law This Law then whilst it lasted concurr'd no otherwise to the adoption of sonnes then privation doth to the constitution of naturall bodies It was principium transmutationis non constitutionis to vanish out of the world whiles the world was regenerated The principall point whereat our Apostle aimes in this Epistle is to ascertaine both Iew and Gentile that their deliuerance from the forementioned curses was on their parts to be expected by the same meanes and vpon the same condions that the promise of blessing had beene established with Abraham This is the maine coÌ„clusioÌ„ Wherefore the Law was our schoolmaster to bring vs vnto Christ that we might be iustified by faith But after that faith is come we are no longer vnder a schoolmaster For yee are all the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus For as many of you as haue beene baptised into Christ haue put on Christ There is neither Iewe nor Greeke there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for yee are all one in Christ Iesus And if yee be Christs then are yee Abrahams seed and heires according to the promise 28 Thus you haue heard rudely and briefly what the Sonne of God for his part hath done that he might be a perfect Redeemer and vnpartiall Mediator betweene God man you know what on our part is required for the accomplishing of our redemption Abrahams faith Now were it as wel knowne what it is truely to beleeue as that true beleefe is on our parts only requisite for attaining the blessing promised to Abraham to his seed most of our ministeriall labours were at an end But my time for provision hath been so short and my opportunities for intentiue meditations in this short time so few that I could not hope either much to amend the characters of larger Comments to this purpose or that these vnrefined should make any better impression whiles I vtter them in your eares then they haue done or may doe whiles you read them in your eies I was the willinger to spend the whole time now allotted in laying these foundations because men vsually expect strength rather then curiositie of workmanship in foundations scarce brought aboue ground Howbeit no man would willingly tharch vpon a strong foundation though rude plaine And a better cover I could not in this exigence provide if I should make vp the structure or application All I haue to say vnto you is by way of request that as often as you shall compare or heare liuely faith compared vnto a tree good works vnto the fruit you would vouchsafe to take this note of remembrance from me Faith is a plant of Paradise which comes not vp by generation but is herein truely like to trees of the first creation that it doth not send forth leaues before blossoms nor blossome before it bring sorth fruit For it hath his fruit created in it If you further demande what be the proper fruits of true beleefe as it is fixt on this peculiar obiect or article of faith The sonne of God Abrahams seed made of a woman Hee himselfe hath resolued you they are Poverty in spirit godly sorrow meeknesse hunger and thirst after righteousnesse mercifulnesse puritie of heart c. For that blessednesse which God did promise without a sequester or mediatour vnto faithful Abraham and in him to all true beleeuers is by this sonne of God sole fountaine of al blessings promised expresly bequeathed with the mouth of man vnto the poore in spirit to mourners to the meeke to the mercifull and pure in heart Albeit the denominations be much different yet these qualifications differ no more from Abrahâ—â—â—â—aith â—aith then fractions or parcels doe from their proper integrâ—ms To beleeue in Christ made of a Virgin is to haue him fashion'd in our hearts whose whole life and conversation was a patterne of such practises as he there commends vnto vs in the beginning of the Evangelicall iâ—bilie Now did wee put Him on as truely in our daily conversation as wee haue done by professioÌ„ at our baptisme we might be as well knowne to bee sonnes of adoption by these Christian habits as Academicks or Graduats by our weeds and ornaments But if we should make enquirie after the first
Life take his whole substance from his earthly mother by the sole immediate power of his heavenly father Thus much of the coherence of these words with the former the true meaning of this aenigma and of the Prophets drift and scope in this place which is to assure Ephraim or Israel that he should share with Iudah in the glory of their Messiah as after he did in his conception and education It remaines that wee prosecute the manner how this prophecie was fulfilled in the mystery of our Saviours conception other such accidents as fell out in Israel well deseruing their speedie returne 8 The Iewish Rabbins haue a tradition that God before he made this great world did trie his skill in making many lesser But this I am sure you al detest as a fable in it selfe most impious because it impeacheth Gods omnipotencie most frivolous because preiudiciall to his wisdome which worketh all things for testification of his glory or confirmation of his creatures faith neither of which could haue any place before men Angels were created But it is a point well fitting our meditations at this season to consider how the Lord in sundrie ages since the first promise of mans redemption by the womans seed did giue illustrious documents as of his power so of his purpose to effect this NEW CREATION delighting to raise strength out of weaknesse and by knowne effects of this nature to purchase vnto himselfe that title often inserted amongst his most glorious attributes of making the barren wombe to beare and become a ioyfull mother of children He foresaw as his Prophet Isaias complaines with what difficultie the world would beleeue his Prophets reports of their Messias growing vp as a branch out of a drie ground and for this purpose he sought by famous experiments of their conceptions that were most liuely types of Him to traine vp his peoples hearts to firme beleefe of his future strange miraculous conception 9 I will come vnto thee saith the Angell of the Lord to Abraham according to the time of life and loe Sarah thy wife shall haue a sonne This message seem'd so strange to Sarah who overheard it that shee shewes by her laughing how glad shee could be if it might bee so rather then apprehend any probabilitie that so it should bee Hence the Angell reproues her slownesse to beleeue Shall any thing be hard to the Lord And as if it had beene a matter of greater difficulty to rowse her dul faith then to quicken her dead wombe he reiterates his message againe At the time appointed I will returne vnto thee euen according to the time of life Sarah shall haue a sonne This strange worke of the Lord once accomplished was to bee as a perpetuall signe for confirmation of his peoples faith in the expectation of a farre stranger in due time to bee effected For this vse Isaiah made of it Heare me yee that follow after righteousnesse and yee that seeke the Lord looke vnto the rocke whence yee were hewen ad cisternam perforatam vnde excisi estis alluding vnto the dead wombe of Sarah as hee expounds himselfe in the next words Consider Abraham your father and Sarah that bare you for I called him alone and encreased him The end which the Prophet aimes at throughout that Chapter is to rectifie and establish their conceipt of Gods power who was able even of stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham intimating withal that Christs Church though farre surpassing the amplitude of Abrahams present seed was to bee raised from materials more weake and slender in the sight of man 10 Againe Manoahs wife had as little hopes to conceaue a sonne as Sarah had much lesse to conceaue such a child or Geber as should beginne that which the Geber here mentioned in my text was to finish that is to redeeme Israel from the oppression of their enemies And the Angell of the Lord desirous to avert such a mistrustfull reply as Sarah had given prevents it by insinuating his knowledge of what she could pretend for so he begins his message Behold now thou art barren and bearest not but thou shalt conceaue beare a son the child shall be a Nazarite to God from his birth and he shall begin to saue Israel out of the hand of the Philistines As little hope was there of Hannahs barren wombe vntill out of the fulnesse of sorrowe for her forlorne estate she conceaues faith that God was able as in her song shee expresseth to make the barren beare seauen children Perhaps she meant Benshebang septenarium filium one that should bee of better steed to Israël then any other seaven a governour of Gods people a liuely type of her long expected redeemer 11 But least these examples of Isaacs Sampsons and Samuels birth all sonnes of barrennesse might in the fulnesse of time haue lesse force vpon mens hearts by reason of their distance the Lord will haue Christs forerunner Iohn Baptist to be conceaued of a woman more vnlikely to beare in their sight that measure all things by humane probabilitie or experiments of present times So strange these newes did seeme to Zacharie his Father that when the Angell told him his prayers were heard and his wife Elizabeth should conceaue and beare a sonne one that should bee filled with the holy Ghost from his mothers wombe he is not yet satisfied but demands Whereby shall I knowe this for I am an old man and my wife is of a great age This distrustful demand was at this time wherein God had determined to exact of all his people great and small outward confession of inward beleefe vnto a farre more strange and miraculous conception so vnseasonable and preposterous that in signe of his power to take away the barrennesse of Elizabeths wombe hee seales vp the priests lips disenabling him to bring forth one word vntill his wife according to the word of the Lord had brought forth her promised sonn Now the famousnesse of this event throughout Iurie should haue serued for a signe to confirme mens faith of Christs conception 12 If one of Ierusalems devoutests Priests come so farre short of Abrahams readinesse to beleeue Gods promises no marvel if the best of women bewray some spice of her mother Sarahs mistrust But it is farre from my disposition at any time or my purpose at this to vrge farther to aggravate the infirmitie of a vessell so sanctified elect and pretious And I am perswaded the Euangelist did not so much intend to disparage hers as to confirme our beleefe by relating her doubtfull question and the Angels reply the one being but Sarahs mistrust refined with maidenly modestie the other Sarahs check mitigated and qualified by the Angell After I am waxed old and my Lord also shall I haue lust saith Sarah as you heard before thus checked by the Angell Wherefore did Sarah laugh shall any thing be hard to the Lord The blessed Virgin vpon
and Israël bee more stupid then the Oxe or Asse yet even in this humilitie of his birth Arabia and Sheba shall bring gifts to him as to their king Yet so provident is the Lord least any hand of man should shew it self in his exaltation that these forraigne Princes opeÌ„ profession of allegiance to this new borne child indangers his innocent and harmlesse life But what wil the Atheist say Cannot God protect his sonne from all likelyhood or approach of danger yes he could but his purpose was now to shewe his wisdome not his power in defeating great Herods vigilant and anxious care and all the subtilest proiects of his cunningst polititians by the couÌ„terplots of a poore dreaming man Rahel must haue cause againe to weep for her children about the borders of Beniamin and Herod by striking at the sonne of God must kill his owne sonne whilst hee that was indeed a father to all the sonnes of men because the true and naturall sonne of God he in whose right Israel inioy'd the promises and had an adoptiue title to bee called the son of God must in part of his nonage be sustain'd in Aegypt as Israël had beene by a Ioseph that so what was verified of the one as in the type might be fulfilled in the other as the substance Out of Aegypt haue I called my sonne 18 But whither did God cal his sonne sure if his supposed father Ioseph do not with yong Samuel mistake the callers voice he was to returne into Iudaea the fittest place in his apprehension for the education of him that was borne vnto the crown of David a place wherein if Herods first designes had stood firme and sure hee might haue liued securely But God that directed Iacobs right hand to the head of Ephraim contrary to his father Iosephs expectation hath turned the heart of Herod on a suddaine to affect him most in the last draught of his will and testament whom hee had respected but in the second place in the former And Ioseph approaching the Coasts of Iury advertised that Herod had a successour there not Antipas as hee perhaps with others had expected but Archelaus as bloodie a villaine as the Father suspects as it seemes either the truth of his admonition by a dreame in Aegypt or his construction of it Hee doubts whether they be dead that sought the life of the child for as the Evangelist saith Hee was afraid to goe into Iudaea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet seeing he had beene warned in a dreame or perhaps being warned againe though he avoid Iudah he will at least goe into some part of Israël If he had two warnings this latter was to instruct him in the true meaning of the former whereby he was not directed to Iudaea in particular but into the land of Israël as I take it with opposition to the land of Iudaea And so saith the Evangelist he left his purpose for Iudaea and turned aside into the parts of Galilâ— to the place of Christs conception And thus by his doubtfull resolution the will of the Lord which he had spoken by the Prophet is vndoubtly fulfilled to wit that Christ from the place of his conception and education should be called Nazaraeus A name in their intendment that sought to fasten it first vpon him of disgrace and scorne but by the disposition of the Almightie a knowne title of greatest honour convicting such as vsed it otherwise even whilst they spake it of blasphemie which way soever wee interpret the meaning of it For if this Cities name whose Etymologie is hardly found in the old Testament were Natsoreth or Natzareth or as Elias Leuita saith Netzer tâ—â— word which Isaias vseth it is by interpretatioÌ„ the City of plants or grafts in plain english Graftowne Whence if the Iew captiously demand was it ever heard that any Prophet should arise out of Nazareth Wee may answere as our Sauiour did Pilate Infidell thou hast said it though vnwittingly as Caiphas thy predecessour did foretel his dying for the people For didst thou never heare of a man whose name was the branch never of a plant Netzer that should growe out of the root of Ishai What if thou canst not revile this Iesus whom we preach but thou must acknowledge him Hanotzeri surculus ille or surcularius ille or germen illud The PLANT THE BRANCH For though the obiectour mean to disgrace him yet God had ordained his glorie as well out of his enemies mouths that meant him mischiefe as out of the mouthes of silly babes that meant him neither good nor ill And it is very suitable to the waies of Gods providence to suggest by ambiguous words or speeches vnto the attentiue hearer conceipts quite contrary to their meaning that vtter them So Crassus in his Parthian voyage wills his souldiers disheartned with a dismall way which Abgarus had led theÌ„ to be of good cheere they should not come that way backe againe his meaning was they should returne a better but they take this as the sentence of death from their Generals mouth and so march on drouping in such dead silence to their miserable disastre as meÌ„ condemned doe to the place of â—â—ecution This speech of Crassus was worse taken then it was meant but many of like observation I could here alleage which ill meant by such as vttered them haue beene well interpreted by the parties whom they concern'd as the Apollonians solliciting aid of the Epidamnians against the Illyrians finally put off with this flowting answere VVee will send 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so was the river call'd which ranne by their Citie to your succour cheerefully accept the offer and take heart and courage at the very mention of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if Aiax who height so in Greeke had bin reviu'd to bee their leader And their confident hopes conceiu'd vpon the imaginarie conduct of such a noble Generall did by divine providence bring forth reall successe and vnexpected victory And so no doubt the faithfull Hebrewes as oft as they heard the Iewes call our Saviour in contempt Hanotzeri did interpret their speech otherwise then they meant it as S. Iohn did that of Caiaphas And this was the Evangelists meaning when hee saith our Saviour went to Nazareth that he might be knowne by this name vsed both by his followers and his enemies 19 Yet doe I no way reiect but most willingly embrace their interpretation of this place who thinke that speech of the Angell vnto Sampsons mother And he shall be a Nazarite from his birth was fulfilled of Christ who was the true Nazarite indeed Nor is this interpretation as most think incompatible with the former both are branches of the tree of life in both shine most glorious rayes of the divine providence would not men be more contradictious then their opinions For first it is a needlesse doubt moued by the one whether this Cities name in Hebrew were writteÌ„ with
why might not the Apostle vse the like language Yet in saying thus much and no more they make the maner of his speech more capable of excuse then meritorious of admiration whereas to my apprehension there lies a mysterie in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as here it is vsed by the Apostle which had not been so well exprest either by the common name of the sexe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foemina or by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 virgo For better notification of what I conceiue you are to consider that virgo and mulier as the words answering to them in the Greeke haue two significations or rather importances Virgo somtimes implies no more then foeminam intectam or viri ignaram a woman that knowes not a man somtimes it signifies foeminam intactam nec desponsatam a woman not betrothed Mulier likewise implies sometimes an opposition to the first importance or signification of virgo and signifieth as much as foeminam corruptam or viri gnaram sometimes it imports no more then foeminam viro desponsatam And this later vse or importance whether of the Latine mulier or of the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not opposite but coincident to the second vse or importance of virgo or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One and the same foemina may be intacta and yet desponsata a wife or woman betrothed vnto a man yet a virgin So Eue is called by the septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the originall Ishah a wife at her first creation Matrimonie it selfe was established in her extraction out of Adams side In this sense she was mulier a wife when she committed the first transgression and yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or foemina intacta a virgin too for shee did not knowe her husband before shee had contaminated her soule with lusting after the serpents bayts And for this reason would the wisdome of God be made man of a virgin and yet withall ex muliere of a virgin betroathed vnto an husband that Eues miscariage might be regaind in her Eue was created to be a helpe to Adam but proued his ruine The blessed virgin must likewise bee solemnly consecrated for an helpe to Man but so consecrated becomes a comforter not to Ioseph only but to all his bretheren to all the Israel of God whether they be Iewes or Gentiles 21 For the wisdome of God thus solicitously and accurately to contriue and plot the meanes of mankinds redemption it was expedient and necessary in respect of that inbred superstitioÌ„ wherewith both Iewes and Gentiles were deepely tainted All of vs from our cradle from the wombe are sicke of our mother Eues disease prone vpon every light accidentall circumstance or want of ceremoniall references to pick occasion when none is offered to distrust Gods promises for our good The subtletie of the old serpent continues still the same rather increast by long experience then impaired by age No Sophister so captious no Lawier so cunning as He to misperswade men either that the instrumeÌ„ts of their assurance want words to carry the inheritance vnto all or that their Redeemer is vnable or vnwilling to instate theÌ„ in it or that some at least in respect of their particular conditioÌ„ or state of life are vncapable of the good intended For preveÌ„ting this his cuÌ„ning hath God in his wisdome incompast and hedged in all maÌ„kind with such a world of references and admirable alliances vnto his Sonne made man of a woman as no sort or condition of men that frame their aspect aright can suspect themselues to bee excluded Every circumstance of his person conception birth and life are suited as it were of purpose to giue checke vnto the vtmost curiositie of superstitious humane fancie 22 Had our redeemer beene onely man though a man much more after Gods own heart then his father Dauid was wee would haue said of him as we doe of a friend whose minde we knowe to be better then his meanes Surely hee wisheth me well and would lay downe his life to doe mee good but being once dead what dominion can he haue over death Or raised againe yet being farr absent in the highest heavens how shall he guard me against Sathan and his Angels still present to assault me here on earth Againe had he been only the Sonne of God wee would haue conceaued of him as we doe of many great ones whom we acknowledge to be honourably disposed but not so tenderly compassionate of poore mens cases as might bee wisht because they haue no acquaintance with povertie or the miseries that attend it To prevent these temptations to distrust God would haue his only Sonne to bee made a Man of sorrowes and of entire acquaintance with greefe a man subiect to greater bodily vexations then any in this life can tast And yet at last to be exalted according to his humane nature vnto glory that we might haue a solicitour in the Court of Heaven of our owne corporation and stocke one that could pittie our wants and compassionate our grievances by the liuely experience and never fading memorie of his owne more grievous sufferings whilst he liued on earth able withall to plead our deliverance from danger out of that infinite wisdome which He is and to procure it by that infinite favour and respect which hee hath with his father from everlasting 23 Or if the sonne of God had beene made man as Adam was of the earth or not thus miraculously made of a woman the old serpent might easily haue brought the weaker sexe into a relaps of their natiue distrust vnto Gods promises Feare if not despaire would in temptations haue overtaken them least Christ had beene sent forth to redeeme the Man onely whose sexe hee assumed not silly woman to whom hee had no speciall reference Or had he beene made MAN of a Virgin onely not of a wife or woman betroathed to an husband married persons might haue mistrusted least matrimonie had made them more capable of their first parents curse then of the blessing made in the promised seed or least the coniunction of twaine in one flesh might haue caused a divorce of both from him vnto whom whosoever is conioyned is made one spirit wâ—â—h him Now that the world might knowe marriage to bee honourable among all men and that the bonds of vndefiled wedlocke are no setters to the soule it pleased the wisdome of God to be conceiued in wedlocke borne of a virgin affianced to a man On the contrary least the Eunuch Hee I meane that either by nature is vnfit for marriage or out of iudicious resolution and discreet choice holds marriage vnfit or vnexpedient for him should take vp his complaint and say alasse I am a dry tree and can bring forth no fruit vnto eternall life it hath pleased the only begotten SONNE of God to grace sanctifie single life by his owne practise and example For though he were made man of a woman
betroathed vnto an husband yet was he never betroathed vnto any woman that no humane soule of what condition or sexe soever might haue occasion to dispaire of being eternally betroathed to him The end and issue of his admirable chastitie was to institute that supernaturall and sacred Polygamie which was perhaps by peculiar indulgence of divine dispensation legally foreshadowed in the multitude of Davids wiues or in the Polygamie of others from whom he descended Howsoever as the desolate hath more children then she that hath an husband so are the spouses of this chast and holy one more in number then the wiues and concubines of luxurious Salomon Hee is that everlasting bridegroome whose Courts no multiplicitie of consorts can pollute there is no soule so it bring faith for its dowrie but may be assuredly espowsed to him What was spoken of Eue in respect of Adam is true of all be they male or female that are once espowsed to him They are mēbers of his bodie and therefore cannnot bee cut off of his flesh and of his bones and being such there is no danger of any Nullitie they can never be divorced from him there is nothing that can diminish or estrange his loue Barrennesse by one womans child birth is now no more a reproach vnto the rest so they be not barrē in faith the childlesse are more deare to him than was Hannah to her husband Virginitie it selfe is become exceeding fruitfull by the fruit of the Virgins wombe And the Eunuch which in time past might not enter into the Congregation of the Lord hath now gotten a place and name in the house of God better then of sonnes and daughters for there is no name so deare and tender as the name of Spowse none so capable of everlasting habitation with the immortal king 24 But all this being granted that our Redeemer was made man of a woman who was both wife and virgin that hee himselfe made choice of single life these circumstances only minister hope to both sexes or states of life But he that was thus made and thus lived is the vndoubted heire and Lord of all things And what comfort can the destressed captiue the poore servant or bondslaue reape from his incarnation that is by nature the Sonne of God King of this world and Father of the world to come Surely as much as any other if not more so he brooke his estate with patience for it followes He was made vnder the Law c. 25 If such as were vnder the Law were as the Apostle often inculcates in bondage or in the state and condition of pupils or servants then questionlesse the Sonne of God in being made vnder the Law became a servāt for his present estate and condition that hee might make servants free men and sonnes of God And this reason is exprest by the Apostle in my text Besides this vnlesse the sonne of God had profest his obedience and service vnto the Law by being circumcised the eight day Men of Iewish progeny might haue beene tempted to doubt whether God had not set the badge or seale of circumcision vpon their nation as hee did his marke vpon Cain in token they should be vagabonds and fugitiues from his presence Indeed the greatest part of the circumcision proued Cains brethren in the event but that God did not by circumcision marke them to exile and slaughter is sufficiently manifested in that hee caused his only Sonne to be circumcised So then he is circumcised made vnder the law that such as were of the circumcision and vnder the law might haue full assurance he was sent forth to bee their redeemer Yet had he been conceiued in the same province wherein he was borne and circumcised the ten tribes or kingdome of Israel might well haue doubted whether Gods promises had not beene entailed vnto the tribe of Iuda whether their fore-Elders had not releast their interest in them and forespoken all their posterities hopes by that desperate and vnhappie speech which fell from them when they first revolted from Rehoboam What portion haue we in David neither haue wee inheritance in the sonne of Iesse 26 This or the like temptation vpon whatsoever ground conceiued wrought strongly with this people whilst they remained in captivitie and for this reason when God perswades them to returne with Iuda into the land of promise he is inforced to promise them by the Prophet Ieremie that the expected Messias for whose birth Micah had taken vp Bethlehem should be cōceiu'd made of a woman in the land of Israel To this purpose I haue heretofore out of this place expoūded that passage Ier. 31. Turne againe ô virgin of Israël c. For the Lord hath created a new thing not in the earth or wide world at randome but in thy land the female shall enclose the male His speech is ful and yet precise and warie for he was onely inclosed in the land of Israël and brought forth in Iuda 27 But the better right or title these circumstances of Christs conception birth or circumcision convey either to the kingdome of Israël or Iuda severally or iointly to the whole seed of Abraham after the flesh the lesse hope could wee Gentiles haue of any portion in the sonne of Iesse had not the Lord out of his infinite mercy wisdome made the covenant of life and blessing with Abraham before he tooke vpon him the marke of circumcision that is before there was any legall distinction betweene the Iew and Gentile This is a point so admirably prest by the great Apostle of the Gentiles for their comfort that it shall suffice me to quote some few passages of his comments vpon Moses narrations which I can never read without admiration and secret ioy of heart And the Scripture foreseeing that God would iustifie the heathen through faith preached before the Gospell vnto Abraham saying in thee shall all nations bee blessed So then they which be of faith shall bee blessed with faithfull Abraham As hee had said to the like purpose before Abraham beleeued in God and it was counted to him for righteousnesse Knowe yee therefore that they that be of faith the same are the children of Abraham The true issue or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of that great controversie between him his countrymē is whether Circumcision and observance of that Law whereby the Iew was distinguished from the Gentile or BELEEFE in Gods promises cōcerning the seed to come did make men sonnes of Abraham of blessing Our Apostles plea for BELEEFE is vnanswerable because Abraham by beleeuing God receaued the promises in the name and behoofe of the nations before he received the signe of circumcision which may hence be argued to bee no infallible signe of blessing in that it was imparted as well to Ismael Abrahams sonne according to the flesh as vnto Isaac who was the sonne of promise Much lesse could the observance of the law which was not giuen