purge his temple and he manifested that his commission by the miracle which he did For what greater miracle then that one man with a little whip should drive out so great a multitude with the sheep and the oxen poure out the changers money and overthrow the Tables A greater miracle it was saith Origen then that whereby the water was turned into wine for so much as the matter of that miracle was inanimate Christ promiseth a sign but here the wits of many thousands are subdued by miracle But seeing they would not see that which was done before their eyes he tells them that he would shew them the greatest signe namely that when they should dissolve that Temple in three days he would raise it up Which when the Jewes heard and thinking that he had spoken of the inanimate temple they derided him as Theophylact observes telling him that the Temple having respect unto that very Temple in which they then were yet not as it was lately raised into that magnificent structure by Herod but as builded and in building by Zorobabel was forty and six years in building Herod indeed finished his wotk almost in three years nay in a year and six months saith Josephus having provided the materialls in six years and an half before But the Temple of Zorobabel was forty and six years in building 2 Chr. 36.22 Ezr. 1.1 or thereabouts if you compute from the first year of Cyrus when he began first to raign over the Persians although he could then decree nothing concerning the Jewes but not if you compute from the one twentieth year which was the first year of his raign over the whole kingdome he having then taken in Babylon and added it to his own kingdom when he made the proclamation for so you shall find but twenty four years from the going forth of the decree in that one and twentieth year and the Jewes licensed to return who presently in the seventh moneth set the Altar upon his bases and offered thereon the daily sacrifices to the sixth year of the raign of Darius in which year notwithstanding the seventeen years interruption by Cambyses it was fully finished But he spake not of that Temple the matter whereof was wood and stone but of his own body which properly is that temple in which the divinity it self dwelleth by the hypostaticall union a figure whereof was that materiall temple which the Jewes had And indeed had they dissolved that temple he could have raised it up in less then three dayes he could have raised it in a moment only by his word But because they dissolved this Temple the temple of his body he could not by divine dispensation raise it but in three days For the types and prophecies of the scripture must be fulfilled in him It was a parable which the Disciples themselves to whom he did not then nor afterwards expound it understood not till after his resurrection How be it at that feast he did many miracles and for those miracles sake many believed on him to whom being perswaded but only by his miracles he did not commit himself because he knew their hearts and that they were not firmly rooted and would peradventure fall off again Then answered the Jewes S. Joh. 2.18 19 and said unto him what signe showest thou unto us seeing that thou doest these things Jesus answered and said unto them Destroy this temple and in three dayes I will raise it up Then said the Jewes forty and six years was this temple in building 20 21 and wilt thou reare it up in three dayes But he spake of the temple of his body When therefore he was risen from the dead his Disciples remembred that he had said this unto them and they believed the Scripture 22 and the word which Jesus had said Now when he was in Hierusalem at the passeover in the feast day many believed in his name 23 24 25. Nichodemus when they saw the miracles which he did But Jesus did not commit himself unto them because he knew all men and needed not that any should testifie of man for he knew what was in man Among these Nichodemus a Ruler of the Jewes and a Master in Israel being attracted by those miracles which yet are not written was one but was desirous to be further confirmed by his heavenly doctrine for as St. Chrysostome saith They who are more gross are drawne by signes but they who are more rationall by prophecies or by doctrine Apud Aquin. in Catena He therefore came unto Jesus by night acknowledgeth him to be a master and his master and that he had by his miracles approved himself to be a teacher come from God Him Christ instructeth wonderfully concerning the necessity of regeneration of faith in his death concerning the love of God towards the world condemnation for unbelief As it is in the third chapter of the Gospell by Saint Iohn from the beginning of the chapter to v. 21. But our sacred History leaveth those things to expositers The paschall solemnities being ended Iesus came from Hierusalem into Iudea Christ cometh from Jerusalem into Iudea and baptizeth together with his Disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and staying there some time with them but how long it is not mentioned he baptized saith the text as if it should say he baptized them For it is congruous that they who were to administer that great and venerable Sacrament unto others should first receive it themselves and how could they receive it but of Christ his own hands They being baptized by him baptized others for him and as his ministers in no other manner then they themselves had been baptized by him in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost This indeed is not expressed in the Scripture and I know that many grave and learned Authors both ancient and modern do dissent from this some thinking that he baptized none with his own hands some that he baptized only the Apostle St. Peter and by him the other Disciples some that he baptized all the Apostles but most probably after his resurrection our History is not to dispute these things severally I think it rightly deduced from the text that he baptized with his own hands his Disciples at that time in Judea where he then was though it be not literally expressed that he did baptize them no more then it is said particularly where whom or how he did baptize And this I thought good for the order of our History to premonish the Reader The Apostles themselves or as many of them as were called to be his Disciples for as yet they were not made his Apostles being first baptized then did he dispence his Baptism by their ministery unto others baptizing them also in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost Whereupon much people came and were baptized of them in this manner And because the people magnified his
mean while the Centurion for the love he bare unto his servant came unto him in his own person and made supplication unto him saying Lord my servant lyeth at home sick of the Palsie grievously tormented And Jesus said unto him S. Mat. 8.6 7 v. 8 9. I will come and heale him For he was then going to heal him The Centurion replyed as it is in the two verses next following When Jesus heard it he marvelled and said the second time to them that followed averring the truth of it by his usuall asseveration which he had not done before and enlarging himself further Verely I say unto you I have not found so great faith no not in Israel And I say unto you 10 that many shall come from the East and West and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdome of heaven 11. But the children of the kingdome shall be cast out into outer darknesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth And then said he to the Centurion Go thy way 12 and as thou hast believed so be it done unto thee and his servant was healed in the selfe same hour Having so cured the Centurions servant the next day after he went into a certain city called Naim it was scituated in the north side of mount Hermon the lesser in the tribe of Issachar The widows son raised from the dead two miles off the mount Thabor or there about And when he came nigh to the gate of the city behold there was a dead man carried out the onely sonne of his mother and she was a widow and much people of the city was with her All which circumstances are diligently observed by St. Gregory Nyssen he was a young man S. Luc. 7.12 therefore his death the more deplorable he was the son of a widow therefore the loss irreparable he was her onely sonne therefore the stock of the family that branch by which posterity should have been propagated the prop also of her old age in him extinguished These were the causes of her griefe and of Christs compassion whom first he comforted by counsell Weep not Then raised him from the dead by the power of his word so turning her grief into joy and her mourning into gladness And he came and touched the beere and they that bare him stood still And he said 14 young man I say unto thee arise And he that was dead sate up and began to speak and he delivered him to his mother 15. Now the Disciples of St. John the Baptist hearing of this and of other miracles which he did came unto him in the prison and told him of them Whereupon St. John who before had testified of him The legation of St. John the Baptist to Christ S Joh. 1.29.33 saying Behold the lambe of God which taketh away the sin of the world and came to the knowledge of him by the holy Ghost And had stated the former controversie betwixt some of his Disciples and the Iewes and had preached unto them that most excellent Sermon concerning the person merits and office of Christ the Gospell epitomized as it is repeated by St. John cap. 3. from the 27. v. to the end he to take away all occasion of doubting from his Disciples and because he would surrender his Disciples to Christ having prepared them for him by his preaching and baptism delegated two of them to go unto Christ to ask him this question saying Art thou he that should come or look we for another They come and deliver unto him their ambassage accordingly John Baptist said they hath sent us unto thee saying Art thou he that should come or look we for another But Christ who knew of their legation S. Luc. 2 19 S. Mat. 11.3 and understood St. Johns mind did in the same hour cure many of their infirmities and plagues and of evill spirits and to many that were blind he gave sight It was to the end that he might answer them rather by his workes then by his words Therefore said he Go your way and tell John what things ye have seen and heard how that the blind see the lame walk the lepers are cleansed the deafe heare the dead are raised to the poore the Gospell is preached S. Luc. 7.22 23. And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me They being gone Christ giveth his testimony concerning St. John Simon the Pharisee inviteth Christ to his house 36. as it followeth in both the Evangelists St. Matthew and St. Luke At that time as it should seem by the story a certain Pharisee whose name was Simon invited him to take an entertainment in his house where by occasion of St. Mary Magdalen who came with an Alabaster box of oyntment and stood behind at his feet weeping and did wash them with her teares and wipe them with the hairs of her head and kissed them and annointed them with oyntment he declared himself to be a friend to sinners yet not to maintain them in sin but to forgive them their sins S. Luc. 7.44 45 46 47.48 49.50 upon their faith and true repentance St. Mary Magdalen was a true penitent and as St. Bernard saith by compunction and tears she obtained that Christ should say unto her Thy sins are forgiven thee De compunct cord ser 10. These occurrences were probably at Naim and when he was departed thence the multitude commeth together again so that they could not so much as eat bread S. Mar. 3 20 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a Devill blind and dumbe and he healed him in so much that the blind and dumbe both spake and saw S. Mat. 12 22 A blind and dumbe devil dispossessed 23. By occasion whereof he incurs a fourfold censure for first the multitude was amazed and by the miracle that he had wrought they concluded for certain that he was the son of David 2ly His friends and kindred being well affected towards him and considering the great concourse of people that came unto him and that he neglected to take his food thought him not well advised and went out and sought to lay hold on him not to bind him as a demoniak but to bring him home to refresh himself and that he might take his food for said they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is beside himselfe non est apud se He is not in a right mind that he should thus macerate himself S. Mar. 3 21 3ly The proud Scribes could not but perceive the power of his Divinity by the words that he spake by the works that he wrought and yet through pride and envy they condemned him as one that wrought by the Devil The Scribes which came from Hierusalem said he hath Beelzebub and by the prince of Devills casteth he out Devills 4ly The Pharisees willfully blind and willingly ignorant S. Mat 3.22 notwithstanding the conviction of their own consciences assented to
the Master For he taught them as one having authority as one who had the reseration and understanding of all the scriptures and of all the prophets by whose power saith Bede the secrets of the divine law of God panduntur fidelibus clauduntur infidelibus are opened to the faithfull are shut up unto the unbelievers In Apoc. cap. 2. S. Mat. 7.29 and not as the Scribes 1st He promiseth blessednesse as his own reward to them that follow him in true piety and a virtuous life 2ly He admonisheth his Apostles what he had made them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the salt of the earth and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the light of the world That therefore they must diligently preach the word of God and abound in good works 3ly He tells them he came to fulfill the law and from thence takes occasion to expound divers precepts of the law perverted and obscured by the impious glosses and traditions of the scribes and pharisees as touching murther adultery divorce swearing revenge and then setteth down divers practick rules of charity and commendeth perfection with which that Chapter is concluded In the sixth Chapter he goeth on condemning the feigned righteousness of the scribes and pharisees who did play the hypocrites in their almes prayers and fastings instructing them now to give their almes to pray and to fast And because the pharisees were covetous envious and distrustfull of the providence of God that therefore they must beware of covetousness an evill eye and not to be solicitous of things pertaining to this present life In the seventh chapter because the pharisees were uncharitable judgers of others therefore they must take heed that they judge not any rashly or uncharitably And because they were contumaciously wicked and would surely persecute them that therefore they should not expose the holy things of religion to their scorn and contempt But because that they are not able to performe these things of themselves that therefore they must be instant in prayer for God will give them either the things which they pray for or some other things which shall be better and more convenient for them Then gives he a generall rule of righteousnesse as well distributivè as commutativè which is the law and the prophets admonishing them of the way to heaven and premonishing them of false prophets who would seek to divert them from it Finally not to be hearers of the word only but doers of it like houses builded on a rock and not on the sand And so concludeth his Sermon to the admiration and astonishment of all the hearers Having ended his Sermon he came down from the mountain The leper cured S. Mat. 8.2 S. Mar. 1.40 S. Luc. 5.12 followed by great multitudes of people And behold there came a leper and worshipped him saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean Saint Mark saith that he came beseeching him and kneeling downe to him Saint Luke that he was full of leprosie and that seeing Jesus he fell on his face And both Saint Matthew Saint Mark and Saint Luke do say that he made his supplication saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean Therefore have we to note the humility of this leper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he worshipped him he worshipped him with bowing of his body and holding up his hands to make supplication But this was not a posture low enough for bodily reverence and for supplication to him that could cure him at his pleasure therefore he came down upon his knees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kneeling down to him saith Saint Mark and yet was he not low enough before he would tender his petition he would go as low as possibly he could even to the earth to manifest his humility by the lowest deportment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 falling down on his face as Saint Luke saith 2ly We have to observe his faith whereby he maketh a good confession acknowledgeth the power of Christ and consequently his Godhead that he was able to make him clean by the power of his word and with due submission unto his will he desired cure yet not absolutely but according to the good pleasure of his will Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean It was that which Christ willed And Jesus put forth his hand and touched him S. Mat. 8.3 saying I will be thou clean and immediately his leprosy was cleansed And Jesus saith unto him See thou tell no man but go thy way shew thy selfe to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded for a testimony unto them The gift commanded by Moses was to be offered by him that was to be cleansed and in the day of his cleansing Levit. 14. But Christ would have him that was cleansed to offer the gift for a testimony unto them that he came not to destroy but to fulfill the law as Tertullian observeth Lib. 4. cont Marcion cap. 9. That the priest also might pronounce him clean and testifie against themselves in that they would not believe in him who testified his Divinity by all the miracles that he did But he went out S. Mar. 1.45 and began to publish it much and to blaze abroad the matter insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city but was without in desart places and they came to him from every quarter He published that which he was forbidden but not in that sense in which he was forbidden to publish it he was forbidden to publish it for his owne sake for he must not boast of the benefit which he had received He was forbidden to publish it for Christ his sake so as to procure to him the vain praise of man which he sought not for but he was not forbidden to publish it for the glory of God And therefore he did publish it although he had been commanded to say nothing to any man and did blaze it abroad as Saint Mark saith Being departed from that city he came to Capernaum where he healed the Centurions servant who was sick of a palsey The Centurions servant cured of a palsey and ready to die The story is diversly reported by the Evangelists Saint Matthew and Saint Luke and must be reconciled thus This Centurion a foot-captain or commander of an hundred footmen but not an Israelite hearing of Jesus made means unto him on the behalfe of his servant by the Elders of the Jewes who having interceded effectually for him S. Luc. 7.2 3 4 5. v. 6 7 8 Christ went with them as Saint Luke saith But when he was not far from the house he sent friends to him with such a message as Saint Luke also delivers Which when Iesus heard he marvelled at him and turned him about and said unto the people that followed him I say unto you 9 10. I have not found so great faith no not in Israel And they that were sent returning to the house found the servant whole that had been sick In the
flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee S. Mat. 16.17 but my Father which is in heaven And I say also unto thee that thou art Peter And upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it 18 And I will give unto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven whatsoever thou shall loose on earth 19. shall be loosed in heaven No doubt but the Apostles did highly rejoyce and were exceedingly glad to receive such a promise frâ—m Christ and began also to think of the performance of it The keyes to be transfer'd from the legall to the Evangelical priesthood and when and when it should be that such keyes with such power should be confer'd upon them But they must not expect the accomplishment till after his resurrection for till then he might not by divine dispensation transfer the keys of the kingdom of heaven with that power of binding and loosing from the legall to the Evangelicall priesthood Therefore saith St. Matthew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From that time forth when he had first straightly charged them that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ least his passion should be hindred for had they known him to have been Jesus Christ indeed they would not have crucified him he began to shew unto his Disciples how that he must go to Hierusalem and suffer many things of the Elders 1 Cor. 2.8 and chiefe priests and Scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day As if he should say He foretelleth his passion death and resurrection when I I have been at Hierusalem and when I have suffered and when I shall be risen again from the dead upon the third day then will I make good my promise by giving unto you the keys of the kâ—ngdom of heaven At this all the Apostles being over-charged with sorrow and because he spoke it openly so that the people also too notice of his words Saint Peter the mouth of the Apostles the second time came unto him privately and began to rebuke him saying Be it far from thee Lord this shall not be unto thee At this he is offended reproves him sharply calleth him Satan commands him to get behinde him for that by giving him such counsell he savoured not the things that be of God but those that be of men For what if the counsell that Saint Peter gave proceeded from that love and affection that he did bear unto his Lord who knew also that he did love him yet by giving him such counsell which was against the determinate counsell and fore-knowledge of God for the redemption of all mankinde by his death upon the crosse he was Satan and an adversary who must get behinde him viz. cease to withstand the will of God by carnall counsell From thence therefore he taketh occasion to admonish his disciples and the people how to follow him in persecutions and to bear his cross S. Mat. 16 24 25 26 27 28. S. Mar. 8.34 35 36 37 38. S. Luc. 9.23 24 25 26 27. valuing their precious souls above their temporall lives or the whole world telling them also that there were some standing amongst them who should not taste of death till they should see the son of man comming in his kingdomâ— intimating thereby that glimpse of his glory vvhich he would shew unto some of them by his transfiguration if not rather the destruction of Hierusalem which Saint John lived to see And after six daies saith Saint Matthew and with him Saint Mark but Saint Luke About an eight daies after these sayings S. Mat. 17.1 S. Mar. 9.1 S. Luc. 9.28 That is to say six compleat daies after he had so said not accounting the day that he spake nor the day that he ascended into the mount The transfiguration of Christ but only the six intervening daies Jesus taketh Peter James and John his brother and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart supposed to be the mount Thabor a mountain in Galilee of which something hath been said before where also it is thought as hath been before observed that he preached that famous Sermon unto his Apostles before the multitude repeated by the Evangelist Saint Matthew cap. 5.6.7 And was transfigured before them But why these three and none but these I can give no reason but the speciall favour and familiarity which they had with their Lord above the rest and why that he only knoweth But his speciall favourites he had in every degree He had many disciples multitudes of disciples but out of the whole number he made a more speciall choice of seventy that they might be more conversant with him than the rest S. Luc. 10.1 And them he sent two and two before his face into every city and place whither he himselfe would come There was a more speciall choice of twelve Apostles S. Mar. 3.14 that they should be with him and that he might send them forth to preach Of which twelve also he admitted three to a more intimate familiarity these were Saint Peter Saint James and Saint John his brother These only were permitted to be present when he went in S. Mar. 5.37 and raised up Jairus his daughter and these only he taketh with him into the mountain and was transfigured before them Not presently so soon as he had ascended but as he prayed or was praying He did not change the nature of his body but only the externall forme into a greater glory for his face did shine as the Sun and his raiment was white as the light white and glistering saith Saint Luke exceeding white as snow so as no fuller upon earth can white them saith Saint Mark. And so each Evangelist hath his owne expression It was for his disciples sake to whom he would shew a glimpse of his glory to the end that the humility of his passion might not offend them And it was for his servants Moses and Elias sake S. Mat. 17.4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. S. Mar. 9.5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. S. Luc. 9.32 33 34 35 36. whom he would entertain in robes of glory For Moses and Elias talked with him appearing in glory and speaking of his decease which he should accomplish at Hierusalem And so the other passages follow as they are set down by the Evangelists Of the motion made by Saint Peter as touching three tabernacles to be built there Of the Fathers testimony from heaven Of the disciples question concerning the comming of Elias and of Christ his answer thereunto And that first as he came down from the mountain he charged them to conceal the vision till after his resurrection which also they did questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean He abode with his three Apostles all night upon the mount and the next
kingdome of his glory S. Mat. 19.28 judging the twelve tribes of Israel they feared also that Saint Peter should be prefer'd before them And I shall add that in respecâ—â—hat they did concern him by affinity they might peradventure think themselves more worthy then any other It was an ambitious petition therefore he told them plainly S. Mat. 20.22 23. S. Mar. 10.38 39 40. that they did ask they knew not what for could they drink of that cup that he should drink of could they be baptized with his Baptisme They said they could He told them they should and so they were for Saint James was slain with the sword and so was a blessed Martyr both in will and act Saint John was cast into a vessell of boyling oyle and though he did not die yet was he an holy Martyr in will though not in act When the ten heard his answer S. Mat. 20.24 25 26 27 28 S. Mar. 10.41 42 43 44 45 for they also had their ambitious thoughts they began to be much displeased at them but he doctrinateth them all with precepts of lowlynesse and humility Holding on his journey he approached Jericho a city pleasantly scituated in the tribe of Benjamin Concerning Hiericho and the blind man cured Deut. 34.3 distant from Jerusalem an hundreth and fifty stades saith Josephus the whole space betwixt both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 desert and stony which desert is now called Quarentena It is called in the Scripture the city of palme trees because there were those excellent palmes which being trodden or pressed did send forth honey It was first destroyed by Josuah Jos 6.26 and a curse denounced by him against the rebuilder of it Which curse long after fell upon the head of Hiel the Bethelite as we read in the book of Kings 1 Kin. 1634 As he came nigh to that city he gave sight to a certain blinde man as Saint Luke saith who sat by the way side begging And as he departed thence S. Luc. 18.35 he restored two blinde men to their sight who also sat by the way side as Saint Matthew saith S. Mat. 20.30 S. Mar. 10.46 one of which was Bartimeus the son of Timeus named by Saint Mark for that it seemes he was well knowne in the city and it is likely had fallen from some good estate not only to be blinde but also to be a beggar So do I reconcile the place with Saint Augustine De cons Evang. lib. 2. cap. 62. Utrumque factum sed non utrumque ab utroque dictum He did both though both the Evangelists do not say both And Jesus entred and passed through Iericho S. Luc. 19.1 The history of Zacheus therefore he made no stay there and as he went forwards upon the vvay a certain man named Zacheus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a chief publican or farmour of the tribute money having a great desire to see him and because he could not for the preasse and vvas little of stature he ran before and climbed up into a sycamor tree that so he might take a vievv of him from thence When he came to the place he call'd him dovvn v. 2 3 4 5 6. and told him that he vvould dine at his house that day He came dovvn hastily and entertained him joyfully He did not therefore dvvell in Iericho but either in the road or neer unto it vvhither he might easily go vvith some small diversion At this the people murmured saying that he vvas gone in to be a guest with a sinner for such they accounted the publicans vvhom they hated mortally But Zacheus vvho vvas rich as the text observeth vvould no longer be unjust but he vvould break off his sins by righteousnesse and his iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor it vvas the counsell vvhich the prophet Daniel gave to Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4.27 therefore vvithout delay he makes a present restitution as well for unknown as for known injuries For unknowne injuries which peradventure he had committed in exacting of tribute he gave the halfe of his goods to the poor and for known wrongs if any man could accuse him he tenders a fourefold restitution that is a perfect restitution according to the law That day salvation came unto his house that day was he made a son of Abraham and of his spirituall seed Christ also defendeth his going in thither from the end of his mission v. 7 8 9 10. The son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost And because they were nigh unto Hierusalem and the people that went with him thought that he would presently declare himselfe to be Messiah and erect the throne of a temporall kingdome in that place The parable of the pounds he put forth the parable of the pounds shewing thereby what he will do at his second comming as well to the servants as also to those his spitefull citizens the Jewes who would not that he should raigne over them from v. to v. 27. For he is that noble man who by his ascention must go into heaven to receive the kingdome and will return again in his bodily presence when he shall come to Judgment Bethany was a village or towne distant from Hierusalem about fifteen furlongs Bethany The history of Lazarus raised from the dead which is almost two miles towards the south-east In that place dwelt Mary Martha and Lazaâ—us their brother which Mary probably was Saint Mary Magdalen who being born at Magdala a city scituated upon the west side of the Galilean sea about fifty and two miles from Jerusalem was from the place of her nativity and former habitation called Magdalen She is particularly described to be that Mary which annoynted the Lord with oyntment and wiped his feet with her hair And we finde that Christ was three times anoynted 1st In the house of Simon the Pharisee at what time she came behinde him as he sat at meat brought an alabaster box of oyntment and did wash his feet with tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head S. Luc. 7.37 38. and kissed them and annoynted them with the oyntment 2ly In her owne house at Bethany six daies before the passeover as he sat at supper at what time she took a pound of oyntment of spiknard very costly annointed his feet and wiped them with her hair S. Joh. 12.3 3ly In the house of Simon the leper who dwelt also at Bethany two daies before the passeover at what time she brought an alabaster box of oyntment of spikenard very precious brake the box and powred the oyntment on his head S. Mar. 14.3 Now Lazarus the brother of this Mary was sick she understanding where Jesus was gave him notice of it by some messenger which she sent not requiring him to come nor yet to speak the word that he might be healed but only to plead unto him his love S. Joh. 11.1 2 3 4 5. Lord behold