which we have not done but the good works we have done and wholly relie upon the mercies of God in Christ who once for all suffered for our sinnes and daily absolves us from them so oft as in sincerity of heart wee confesse our sinnes and implore his propititation for them Unlesse we knew the fulfilling of the Law whether by habituall or actuall righteousnesse or by doing those things which wee ought to doe or leaving those things undone which we ought not to doe to be impossible for us in this life our reliance on God in Christ could not be so firme or so perpetually constant as the doctrine of our Church so it be rightly imbraced will make it 3. The Socinians wandâ—r in the like but much grosser â—â—st of errours wounding one another whilest they shoot at us who are sufficiently armed against their poysoned arrowes by the armour of God on the right hand on the left to wit the distinction of persons in the blessed Trinity Indeed were there but one party or capacity in the divine nature which were the only party or person offended their arguments for remission of sinnes after their way would conclude against us who presse a necessity or convenience of satisfaction unto God But their strongest Arguments fall either wide or short of all such as maintaine this distinction of parties or persons in the divine nature For if the sonne of God or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were truely God from eternity and remained God after man did make himselfe the servant of Satan he might without wrong to any man to any party without wrong to himselfe for volenti non sit injuria voluntarily take the forme of a servant upon him and in that forme or low condition of man make perfect satisfaction per translationem paenae for all our debts for all our sinnes and our debts being fully paid restore us to the liberty and priviledge of the sonnes of God He both might and did truly purchase that peculiar dominion over us which he hath over all men an absolute dominion of punishing all Gods ungracious and of crowning all his thankfull and faithfull servants This dominion as it is peculiar to Christ was purchased by true and reall satisfaction made unto God 4. But what it was for Christ the sonne of God to take upon him the forme of a servant or wherin this condition or forme of a servant did properly consist are points which neither the Arian nor the Socinian did ever take into serious consideration If the Socinian would yet doe so he might clearely see that his former objections could not reach us but must rebound upon himselfe For the man Christ Jesus being so just a man as we beleeve and he grants he was unlesse he had been more then man truly God and truly a servant withall it could not have stood with the goodnesse of God nor with any rule of justice divine or humane either to have punished him for our sakes as we say God did or to have suffered him to undergoe such hard and cruell usage at the hands of wicked and sinfull men as the Socinians confesse he did undergo without murmuring or complaint But this is a point which cannot be orderly handled untill we come to the death and passion of our Lord and Saviour which was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or period rather of his servitude or of being in the forme of a servant which was the Basis of his humiliation And albeit I purpose not in that place to dispute whether God could possibly have freely remitted our sinnes without any satisfaction a question to which no wise men will take upon them to give a peremptory answer whether negative or affirmative yet I shall by Gods assistance there make it cleare that no other meanes of manner of remitting out sinnes of absolving or justifying us or of bringing us to glory which either the Socinian or the wit of man can imagine could have been so admirable to sober capacities as that way and manner which the Scripture plainly teacheth and that in briefe is this 5. The divine nature in the person of the Father requires satisfaction for the transgressions of man against the eternall Law and unchangeable rule of goodnesse or those positive Lawes which he had given in speciall to man The same divine nature in the person of the sonne undertooke to make satisfaction for us in taking our nature upon him and Hee having by right of consanguinity the authority and power of redeeming us the same divine nature in the person of the holy Ghost doth approve and seale this happy and ever blessed compromise This ineffable accord betweene the divine persons in the unity of the Godhead concerning the great worke of mans redemption is most exactly parallel to that accord which some of the Ancient have excellently observed betwixt them in that work of creation as hath beene before expressed in that article Not to repeat nor to adde to that which was there delivered but to continue these present discussions concerning the eternity and person of the sonne of God 6. Some there have beene and are who granting all that wee have said or can desire to bee granted concerning the incarnation of God or Trinity of persons in the unity of the Godhead further demand why God rather in the person of the sonne then in the person of the father or of the holy Ghost should bee incarnate or made flesh But might not these men some perhaps will say as well have demanded why God the Father did make the world rather by the sonne then by himselfe or by the holy Ghost Or why this title of Him by whom all thing were made should be peculiar to God the sonne And to this question it would be a satisfactory answer to say that we must believe that the world was so made because the Scripture which is the only rule and guide of faith doth so instruct us or because the persons of the blessed Trinity for reasons best knowne unto themselves alone would have it to be so and so to be written But many arguments there be well observed by the ancient and better explicated by moderne Divines some of whose works are extant in print others worthy of the presse unto which I shall be as farre from adding as from detracting These reasons alone abundantly satisfie all the desires which I ever had to be informed in this point First seeing the blessed Trinity was pleased to have satisfaction made for the sinnes of mankinde and by this satisfaction to exhibit an exquisite paterne of justice and equitie Secondly seeing mans sinne did especially consist in rebellion the satisfaction was according to the rule or paterne of equitie and justice to be made by most exquisite obedience Now the most exquisite obedience that can bee performed is from a sonne unto his father or from a servant unto his Lord. Hence it pleased the eternall wisedome and sonne of God to take not the
THE KNOWLEDG OF CHRIST JESUS OR THE SEVENTH BOOK OF COMMENTARIES VPON THE APOSTLES CREED CONTAINING The first and generall PRINCIPLES of CHRISTIAN THEOLOGIE With the more immediate Principles concerning the true Knowledge of CHRIST Divided into foure Sections CONTINVED BY THOMAS JACKSON DR. in Divinitie Chaplaine to his Majestie in ordinarie and President of Corpus Christi Colledge in OXFORD LONDON Printed by M. F. for JOHN CLARKE under S. Peters Church in Cornhill MDCXXXIV REcensui hunc tractum cui titulus est The knowledge of Christ Jesus or the seaventh booke of Commentaries upon the Apostles Creed in quo nihil reperio sanae doctrinae aut bonis moribus contrarium quò minús cum utilitate Publica imprimatur modò intra tres menses proximè sequentes typis mandetur Ex Aedibus Lambethanis Octob. 10. 1633. Guil. Bray A TABLE OF THE PRINCIPALL Arguments of the severall Sections and Chapters contained in this BOOKE SECTION I. OF the beleefe or knowledge of Christ in generall and whether Theologie be a true Science or no. Page 2 CHAP. 1. Of the principall points that Christians are bound to beleeve 3 2. Of Historicall beleefe in generall and how it doth variously affect Beleevers according to the variety of matters related the severall esteeme of the Historians 5 3. Whether such knowledge of God and of Christ as the Scriptures teach be a science properly so called 11 4. Of the agreements and differences between Theologie and other sciences in respect of their subjects that the true historicall beleefe of sacred Historians is equivalent to the certaintie or evidence of other sciences 18 SECTION II. OF the severall wayes by which the mysteries contained in the knowledge of Christ were foretold prefigured or otherwise fore-signified Of the divers senses of holy Scriptures how they are said to be fulfilled with some generall rules for the right interpretation of them Page 25 CHAP 5. Containing the generall division of testimonies or fore-significations of Christ ib. 6. Of the first rank of testimonies concerning Christ that is of testimonies merely propheticall Page 27 7. What manner of predictions they be or of what matters the predictions must be which necessarily inferre the participation of a divine Spirit 30 8. Of the Sibylline Oracles whether they came originally from God or no that the perspicuity of their predictions doth not argue them to be counterfait or forged since the incarnation of the Sonne of God 38 9. Answering the Objections against the former resolutions that God did deale better with Israel then with other nations although it were granted that other nations had as perspicuous predictions of Christ and of his Kingdome as the Israelites had 46 10. Of Testimonies in the old Testament concerning Christ merely typicall and how they do conclude the truths delivered in the New Testament Page 53 CHAP. 11. Of testimonies concerning Christ typically propheticall or prophetically typicall and of their concludent proofe 58 12. Of the severall senses of Scripture especially of the literall and mysticall 67 13. Of the literall sense of Scripture not assertive but merely charactericall 77 14. That the Scripture is said to be fulfilled according to all the former senses that one the same Scripture may be oftner than once fulfilled according to each severall sense 87 15. Whether all Testimonies alledged by the Euangelists out of the old Testament in which it is said or implyed this was done that the Scripture might be fulfilled be concludent proofs of the Euangelicall truths for which they are alledged 106 16. Whether the Prophets did alwayes foresee or explicitely beleeve whatsoever they did foretell or fore-signifie concerning Christ 126 17. Whether divine prophecies or predictions concerning Christ may admit amphibologies or ambiguous senses 139 18. Containing the generall heads or topicks for finding out the severall senses of Scripture especially for the just valuation of the literall sense whether in the old Testament or in the new 160 19. Of the use of sacred or miscellane Philology for finding out as well the literall as the mysticall or other senses of Scripture 179 SECTION III. That the incarnation of God and of God in the person of the Son instiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word was foretold prefigured c. in the writings of Moses Of the hypostaticall union betweene the Son of God and seed of Abraham Pag. 201 CHAP. 20. That God according to the literall sense of Scriptures was in later ages to be incarnate and to converse with men with the seede of Abraham especially here on earth after such a peculiar manner as we Christians beleeve Christ God and man did 201 21. That this peculiar manner of Gods presence with his people by signes and miracles was punctually foreprophecyed by the Psalmists 211 22. That the God of Israel was to become a servant and a subject to humane infirmities was foretold by the Prophets according to the strictest literall sense 228 23. That God was to visite his Temple after such a visible and personall manner as the Prophet Jeremie in his name had done 232 24. That the God of Israel was to be made King and to raigne not ever Israel only but over the Nations in a more peculiar manner than in former ages hee had done 241 25. That the former Testimonies doe concludently inferre a pluralitie of persons in the unitie of the Godhead and that God in the person of the Son was to be incarnate and to be made Lord and King 249 26. That by the Sonne of God and the Word we are to understand one and the same partie or person that the Word by whom S. John saith the World was made is coeternall to God the Father who made all things by him 262 27. Why S. John doth rather say the word was made flesh then the sonne of God was made flesh albeit the sonne of God and the word denote one and the same person 281 28. That the incarnation of the Word or of the sonne of God under this title was foreprophecyed by sundry Prophets with the exposition of some peculiar Places to this purpose not usually observed by Interpreters 299 29. Of the true meaning of this speech the word was made flesh Whether it be all one for the Word to be made flesh to be made man or whether he were made flesh and made man at the same instant 320 30. Of the hypostaticall and personall union betwixt the Word and the flesh or betwixt the Sonne of God and the seed of Abraham 330 SECTION IIII. Of the conception and birth of our Lord and Saviour the sonne of God of the circumcision of the sonne of God and the name JESUS given him at his circumcision and of the fulfilling of the types and prophecyes concerning these mysteries Pag. 347 CHAP. 31. The aenigmaticall predictions concerning Christs conception unfolded by degrees ibid. 32. S. Lukes narration of our Saviours conception and birth and its exact concordance with the Prophets 354 33. S
as entire an interest in his death as if what soever he did or suffered in the daies of his humiliation he had done and suffered all for us alone But this last consideration perhaps is more pertinent to the knowledge of Christ and of him Crucified then unto the historicall beliefe of his death or Crosse CHAP. 3. Whether such knowledge of God and of Christ as the Scriptures teach be a science properly so called ADmitting the objects of our beleife might bee as certainely and as evidently knowne at least by some as the subjects of sciences properly so called are Whether this knowledge and our beleife of the same objects may be coincident that is whether it be all one so to know them and to beleeve them I will not dispute for this would occasiō a controversie about the use of words unfitting for a professed Divine to entertaine much more to invite But that there is a knowledge of Christ even in this life which if not for perspicuity or evidence of truth yet for the excellencie of the truths knowne exceeds all other knowledge we have our Apostles peremptory sentence for us For writing to his Converts of Corinth which then abounded with all kinde of knowledge secular he saith I esteemed or determined to know nothing amongst you save Iesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. He therefore determined to know nothing besides because he had no other knowledge in any esteeme in comparison to this And what good Christian would desire any other but as it is subservient to this knowledge This comprehends all that wee can desire either to know or to enjoy all that wee can esteeme or love even eternall happinesse it selfe as the author and fountaine of all happinesse instructs us John 17. ver 3. This is life eternall to know thee the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent But whether our Saviour in this speech or his Apostle in the former do use the word knowledge in a strict or in a vulgar sense may be questioned And this question resolves it selfe into another more generall as whether Theologie that is knowledge of God be a science properly so called or whether many conclusions of faith may bee clearely demonstrated 2. Two sorts of men there be who for the support or securing of their unreasonable conclusions have some reason to deny this Queene of sciences this Mistresse of Arts and supreame Governesse of all good faculties to be a science properly so called The Agents for the Romish Church and their extreame opposites whether mere Enthusiasts such as deny al use of scriptures or mixt Enthusiasts men that acknowledge the use of Scriptures but abuse them more then such as reject them by using them too much or to no good purpose or mingle them with the secret inspirations of their private spirits or wrest them to their owne fancies First if the conclusions controverted betwixt us and the Romane Church may be one way or other demonstrated as either to be altogether true or altogether false or so sublime that in this life they cannot be punctually or absolutely determined then are wee not absolutely bound to beleeve every proposition which that Church shall commend unto us as a doctrine of faith with the same confidence as if it were expresly delivered in Scripture or in the Articles of our Creed Nor should every applauded booke or Sermon albeit their bulke or substance consists for the most part of Scripture sentences be acknowledged to be that word of God to which all owe obedience if once it were acknowledged that there is a facultie or science of Divinitie which hath the same authority to approve or disprove doctrinall conclusions or their uses which other Arts or sciences have to examine the workes of all pretenders to them If Divinity be a science then he which is a Divine or a master of his profession might censure the Professors of other Arts faculties or sciences which take upon them to resolve Theologicall controversies or to teach doctrines which the Church wherein they live never avouched with the selfe same libertie which the Professors of other Arts usually doe Divines if they take upon them to teach or practise within the precincts of their profession Besides these two sects of men and some other men which cannot be comprehended under any sect or faction but have the same temptation to desire that there might be no true knowledge of God or of Christ or no demonstration of the Spirit that the Atheist or desperate sinner hath to wish there were no God or no Judge of quick and dead I cannot conceive what reason any man or any sort of men have to deny Theologie to be a true and proper science Yet to give the ingenuous Reader if not full satisfaction yet some Hints at least whereby hee may satisfie himselfe it will be no digression from our present argument at least no long digression briefely to shew wherein that knowledge of God and of Christ which may in this life be obtained doth differ from sciences properly so called and wherein they doe agree Now all the differences or concordance that can be betwixt any sciences Arts or faculties do either concerne the Maxims and Principles or the conclusions and the subjects of such faculties 3. The Maximes or Principles of all other sciences may be clearely apprehended and firmely assented unto by the industrious search and light of common reason without illuminations supernaturall so cannot the principles or Maxims of Divinity there must be a light or illumination more then naturall before wee can have either a cleare and undoubted apprehension of their truth or a just valuation of their worth Yet this difference is not much materiall neither part of it positive or negative is any way formall or essentiall to the constitution of a science properly so called For by what meanes soever the Principles of any science become manifest and certaine unto us whether by our owne industry or by the teaching of others or whether wee bee taught them immediately from God either by the admirable disposition of his extraordinary Providence or by speciall infused grace is meerely accidentall to the constitution or nature of a science properly so called Hee that sees the deduction of Mathematicall conclusions from the uncontrovers'd Maximes of the same Art as clearely as another doth is never a whit the lesse skilfull Mathematitian although perhaps he learned the Principles by the helpe of an Extraordinary teacher which the other attained unto by the industrious exercise of his owne wit Now if it be meerely accidentall to the nature of a science whether a man be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his owne Master or anothers Scholar whether in learning the principles or conclusions it can be no prejudice either to his knowledge or proficiency in such knowledge that he hath beene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immediatly taught by God at least for the Maximes And I make no
had fore-determined to be done Those things saith Peter Acts 3. 18. which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his Prophets that Christ should suffer hee hath so fulfilled Yet saith S. Paul Acts 13. 27. They that dwell at Ierusalem and their rulers because they knew him not nor yet the voice of the Prophets which are read every Sabboth day they have fulfilled them in condemning him So then God is said to fulfill all things which were written of Christ because he did order and direct all the counterplots and malicious intentions of his enemies according to the models and inscriptions which had been exhibited in the old testament Iudas his treachery against his Lord and Master with its accursed successe was exactly forepictured by Achitophels treason against David The malice of the high Priest and elders was foretold and forepictured by the like proceeding of their predecessors against Jeremie and other of Gods Prophets which were Christs forerunners and types and shadowes of his persequutions They then fulfilled the Scriptures in doing the same things that their predecessors had done but in a worse manner and degree albeit they had no intention or ayme to worke according to those models which their predecessors had framed nor to doe that unto Christ which the Prophets had foretold should be done unto him For so S. Peter Acts 3. 17. Now Brethren I wote that through ignorance yee did it as did also your Rulers 5. But here I must request all such as reade these and the like passages of Scriptures not to make any other inferences or constructions of the holy Ghosts language or manner of speech then such as they naturally import and such as are congruous to the rule of faith If wee say no more then this God did order or direct the avarice of Iudas the malice of the high Priest the popularity of Herod and ambition of Pilat for accomplishing of that which he had fore-determined concerning Christ wee shall retaine the forme of wholsome doctrine In thus speaking and thinking wee think and speake as the Spirit teacheth vs. But if any shall say or think that God did ordaine either Iudas to be covetous or the high Priests to be malicious or Herod and Pilat to be popular and ambitious to this end and purpose that they might respectively be the betrayers and murtherers of the sonne of God this is dangerous The orthodoxall truth and wholsome forme of expressing it in this and the like point is acutely set downe in that distinction which for ought I find was unanimously embraced by the Anciēts and by all at this day that be moderate acknowledged to be true Deus ordinavit lapsū Adami non ordinavit ut Adamus laberetur God did dispose or order Adams fall for by his all-seeing providence and all ruling power he turn'd his fall into his owne and our greater good but he did not decree ordaine or order that Adam should fall or commit that transgression by which hee fell For so hee should have beene the Author both of Adams first sinne and of all the sinnes which are necessarily derived to us from him For no man I think will denie that God is the sole Author of all his owne ordinances and decrees or of whatsoever hee hath fore-decreed or fore-determined us for to doe CHAP. 12. Of the severall senses of Scripture especially of the literall and mysticall WIthout knowledge of Scriptures there can be no true knowledge of Christ and to know the Scriptures is all one as to know the true sense and meaning of them intended by the holy Spirit I will not here dispute whether every portion of Scripture in the old Testament admit more senses intended by the holy Spirit than one or whether in some sense or other every passage in Moses writings in the Prophets in the booke of Psalmes or sacred Histories doe point either immediatly or mediatly at Christ or at Him that was to come But that divers places alledged by the Evangelist out of the old Testament to prove that Jesus whom the Jewes did crucifie was their expected Messias admit more senses I take as granted The question is how many senses either the places alledged by the Evangelists or Apostles or other passages in the old Testament may respectively admit And in this Quaere I will not be contentious but onely crave that liberty which I willingly grant to others in all like cases that is to make mine owne division and to follow mine owne expressions of every severall sense or branch of this division that so I may referre the particular explication of every type of every Prophecie or other praenotion of Christ which hath beene fulfilled without perplexity or confusion to its proper or generall head That sense of Scripture in my expression may happily be referred unto the literall which in some other mens language would be accounted figurative or Allegoricall That sense againe according to my division may be reduced unto the literall mysticall or morall which some great Divines make a distinct sense from all these to wit Anagogicall Or admitting all these and more senses of Scriptures I may perhaps sometimes touch upon another sense which is not to my apprehension reducible to any of these 2. The severall senses of Scriptures especially such as more immediatly point at Christ cannot be better notified or more commodiously reduced to their severall heads then by a review of the severall wayes by which God from the beginning did intimate or manifest his will his good will towards mankinde in him and through him which was to come And the wayes by which God did manifest Christ to come were in the generall two either by words assertive and expresse prediction or by way of picture and representation or by a concurrence of both which third way is no way opposite to the two former but rather a friendly combination of them The second branch of this division to wit praenotions of Christ representative may as heretofore it hath beene be subdivided into representations reall as by type historicall event or other matter of fact or into representations meerely literall verball or nominall The first generall branch of this division that is prenotions of Christ delivered in words expresly assertive exhibit to us that which wee commonly call the literall or grammaticall sense For that as best Divines agree is the literall sense or meaning of the holy Spirit which is immediatly signified by words assertive whether legall propheticall or historicall without any intercourse or intervention of any type or matter of fact Whether the words be logicall proper allegoricall or otherwayes figurative skills not much The variety of expressions by words assertive if so the words immediatly expresse the matter foretold without intervention of type or matter of fact doth not divide or diversifie the literall sense As when God foretold that the wildernesse should be planted with pleasant trees Isa 41. 19 c. That the Wolfe should
the Scripture as S. Iames tells us was fulfilled when Abraham offred up his sonne Isaac why was not this testimony of God concerning Abraham reserved to that fact or at least to Abrahams obedience in circumcising himselfe and his sonne Isaac Both these facts include a greater measure of beleife in Gods promises than Abraham gave proofe of in the forecited place and was therefore more capable of that praise or approbation But if that approbation of Abrahams faith had beene deferred untill the Covenant of circumcision had beene subscribed unto by Abraham the Jews might with more probabilitie have conceived that this righteousnesse which God imputes to Abraham had come by the deeds of the Lawes that none but such as are circumcised could be partakers of it Whereas on the contrary this testimony being given unto Abraham before hee was circūcised cuts off the Jews title of boasting in circumcision This is the ground of the Apostles reason Rom 4. 9 10. For wee say that faith was reckoned unto Abraham for righteousnesse How was it then reckoned When he was in circumcision or in uncircumcision Not in circumcision but in uncircumcision And he received the signe of circumcision a seale of the righteousnesse of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised that hee might be the Father of all them that beleeve though they be not circumcised that righteousnesse might be imputed unto them also And againe Gal. 3. 8. And the Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen through faith preached before the Gospel unto Abraham saying In thee shall all Nations be blessed So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham 4 Againe God in so disposing of times and seasons that his onely sonne should be circumcised upon the first of January did signifie that interest which the Gentiles or Heathens were to have in this Covenant For this was the day wherein the Romanes in whose dominions and under whose government he was borne did consecrate to Ianus to them a God of peace and prosperitie the day wherein they did mutually present their solemne salutations or good wishes for a happy yeare and for good luck sake as wee say did send gifts one to another as honey and other like sweet meats and coyne ut dulces dies anni à dulcibus rebus auspicarentur as Emblemes of their good wishes for many pleasant and happy dayes And whilest they were thus imployed in preventing each other with gifts and mutuall precations of peace and many happy dayes God gives his only Sonne unto them and to them all who was the Prince of that peace the common fountaine of all that happinesse which they could wish one to another Albeit the Sonne of God were borne eight dayes before yet he was given unto us upon the day of his circumcision His circumcision was the designement or dedication of him for the salvation of mankinde Behold saith the Angel Luke 2. 10 I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people The Prophet Isay foretold this joy not only with reference to the birth but to the circumcision also of the true Emmanuel They joy before thee according to the joy in Harvest and as men rejoyce when they divide the spoile Isa 9. 3. For unto us a Childe is borne unto us a Sonne is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder c ver 6. But some there be who will either denie or not beleeve that our Saviour was circumcised upon the first of January because we have no better warrant for this opinion than the tradition of the church But some of the ancient learned Fathers did think they had the testimony of Scripture besides the tradition of their Ancients For so they interpret those words of S. Iohn Baptist Iohn 3. 30. He must encrease but I must decrease as if they did containe a secret character of the time wherein Iohn Baptist and our Saviour were borne the one upon the longest the other upon the shortest day in the yeare And by this account our Saviour was circumcised upon the eighth day of January For my part I dare not contradict this kinde of interpretation of the Fathers being fully perswaded that the holy Ghost doth oft-times fore-signifie greatest mysteries as well by meere character of words as by words assertive or matter of fact CHAP. 36. Of the name JESVS and the title LORD THE meaning of the name Iesus is expounded by the Angel Math. 1. 11. Shee shall bring forth a sonne and thou shalt call his name Iesus for hee shall save his people from their sinnes But this title of Saviour may admit many degrees partly in respect of the name it selfe in the originall tongue whence it descends unto the Greeke and Latine but more principally in respect of the matter that is the distresse or danger whence men are saved In respect of this later at least Iesus the sonne of Mary far exceeds all others that have beene or hereafter may be termed Saviours But of the danger or misery from which he saved his people there will be better opportunity to speake at large in the Article of his Crosse The explication of the name it selfe is the worke of this time and place Some there be which think this name Iesus must necessarily be derived from the essentiall and proper name of God a name never rightly pronounced by the Jews or by any other as some learned Hebricians think before our Saviours birth but then made effable or utterable as the Authors of this opinion would perswade us who derive this word Iesus from Iehovah by intersertion of one Hebrew letter to wit Shin which is as much as Sh. According to this derivation they would make the compound name to be an Emblem or type of the two natures in Christ Iehovah bearing the type of the divine nature and the letter Shin interserted into this name to be an Emblem of the incarnation or humane nature assumed into the unity of the person of the sonne of God This Etymologie or derivation as the Authors of it imagin best agrees with the Angels interpretation of the name Iesus before cited because Iehovah himselfe saith Isay 45. 21. There is no Saviour besides me If this be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 currant Cabbalisme wee are in speciall beholding to Osiander for it If by sager judgements it happen to be censured for a fancie Iacobus Naclantus a Romish Bishop must share with Osiander in the censure Whatsoever the opinion be in it selfe the allegation for confirmation of it is not concludent For that rightly examined only inferres that Iehovah himselfe hee that was essentially God and none besides him was to be our Saviour or the Saviour of the world This is a truth unquestionable yet a truth which will not conclude that whilest he became the Saviour of the world he was to take no other name or title upon him besides the proper and essentiall name of God only
the water or as Eagles soare in the aire or whether the whole firmament from the Region wherein the fixed starres doe move unto this lower region of the aire wherein we breath be at all times so uniforme for the transmission of light or for the true representation of the exact distance whether of the altitude or latitude of the starres from us as at sometimes it is or as glasse or the cleare aire is with us This last Quaere were it agitated and discussed as it might be would I am perswaded shake many Astronomicall suppositions or presumed Notions concerning motum trepidationis that is of the supposed reciprocall motion of those which they call fixed starres from South to North from North to South Great expences without hope either of gaine or of recovering the principall spent in trying Chymicall conclusions by many in the former age will not to this day give satisfaction to some moderne Naturalists whether the conversion of other metalls or materialls into Gold be atchievable Many like problemes there be in other secular sciences which will never be fully resolved untill wee shall not need their resolution Yet were the number of insoluble problemes in every one of these sciences mentioned or in all that can be mentioned much greater then it is this could be no prejudice to them so long as the deduction of many usefull conclusions from cleare undoubted principles may be made evident to men which have their wit and senses exercised in such subjects That the number then of insoluble Problemes is in Divinitie much greater then in any other facultie this only argues the subject of it to be more admirable then the subjects of other faculties In other faculties or sciences wee are bound to give our absolute assent to no more principles or conclusions then are cleare and evident But in Divinitie we must absolutely beleeve many conclusions which we cannot hope in this life absolutely to know or that they should be made evident unto us For we must beleeve the finall judgement with the joyes of the life to come which no man can know till he enjoy them and we must beleeve the everlasting paines ordained for the Devill and his Angels which no man hopes ever to know Many matters of fact likewise there be related by the Prophets Evangelists other sacred writers of which there can be no ungainesayable proofe or demonstration no other ground or reason of our assent unto them besides the authoritie of the Relator Howbeit no man can rightly acknowledge such authoritie as may command his assent without further proofe unlesse there be better grounds or motives then the bare proposall or assertion of the Author That we are thus bound to beleeve many sacred truthes which cannot in this life possibly be knowne doth no way argue our beleefe of them to be lesse rationall then our assent unto other truthes which may be proved by reason but rather supposeth that the true historicall beleefe of Relations sacred doth parallel the truth or evidences of sciences properly so called No evidence of any science doth so farre exceed true historicall beleefe of matters sacred as it doth all historicall beleefe of matters secular and it incomparably exceeds all other historicall beleefe not only in respect of the worth or just estimate of matters related but even for the rationall evidence of the abstract or speculative truth What esteeme soever we make of Xenophons stories this participates no authoritie no credit to Plutarch or other Graecian writers of later times We may give deserved credit to Plutarch to Tacitus and yet iustly suspect Herodotus Livie in many particulars All the credit which secular historians that live in or write of severall ages can expect of us must grow from their owne rootes The consent of many writers in severall ages may serve to underprop a generall or common truth which happily would decline or fall if it were supported by the credit of one alone But naturall propagation of truth from one secular historian to another is not to be expected And without such propagation some addition may be made to our beleefe of one by reading others but there can be no true growth or augmentation of our beleefe of matters secular by comparing divers Historians Farre otherwise it is in the right historicall beleefe of matters sacred 4. The seed of Divine mysteries which are sowne in Mosaicall writings shoot out their branches in the ensuing historians the Prophets and beare flower and fruit in the Evangelicall stories So that he that rightly beleeves the truth of Mosaicall histories cannot distrust the Prophets or suspect the Evangelists in their relations This is a truth supposed by the Author of Truth himselfe Had yee beleeved Moses you would have beleeved me For he wrote of me Joh. 5. 46. that is Christ was if not the sole subject yet the onely scope of Moses his writings Now to beleeve the histories of Moses or matters related by him we have inducements many no lesse binding then the experiments or inductions which winne and tie our assent unto the Principles of Arts or Sciences These inducements are partly from the visible booke of the Creatures partly from the estate of the Jewes sufficiently known to all Nations from time to time Of these inducements somewhat hath beene said in the first booke of these Comments somewhat likewise in the Treatise of Creation Now the contemplation of that most exact harmonie between Mosaicall or Propheticall delineations of Christ and that liue image of him which the Evangelists by his Spirit have exhibited unto our view is no lesse rationall then the contemplation of connexion betweene the Principles of other Sciences and their conclusions The progresse in this contemplation of the Harmony betwixt the severall passages of sacred stories is not the same that is betweene Mathematicall principles or Theorems and their conclusions The point then next to be enquired is how the mysteries concerning Christ and his Kingdome which have been revealed unto us in the new Testament were delivered by Moses by the Prophets or other Canonicall writers of the old Testament SECT 2. Of the severall wayes by which the mysteries contained in the knowledge of Christ were foretold prefigured or otherwise fore-signified Of the divers senses of holy Scriptures and how they are said to be fulfilled with some generall rules for the right interpretation of them CHAP. 5. Containing the generall division of testimonies or fore-significations of Christ ALL the prenotions or fore-significations which the Patriarchs had or their posterity might have had concerning Christ have been elsewhere reduced to these three generall rootes To testimonies meerely Propheticall meerely typicall and Typically Propheticall The division though no way misliked by us now may notwithstanding upon the revise be somewhat amended or further explained All the prenotions or overtures of Him that was to come were either by word or matter of fact either Enunciative and assertive or representative or partly
as impossible for any Painter or Limmer to attaine as it is for an Astrologicall Physitian to describe the nature complexion or disposition of men that shall have no actuall being or existence till hee be dead Now Christs acts and offices his humiliation and exaltation were not more exactly fore-described or displayed by the Prophets then they were fore-pictured or fore-shadowed by Historicall events or legall types Every such type or event was a reall or substantiall though a silent Prophecie and the most expresse prophecie concerning Christ was but a speaking type or vocall shadow The spirit of God did speake by the one and signifie his purpose by the other his wisdome in both is alike admirable The most exquisite Artist living cannot take so true a proportion of a mans face as it selfe without any art or invention will draw in a true glasse yet this wee admire not because it is ordinary But to make as perfect a resemblance of a mans visage by a chaos of Chymaera's or painted devises which represent no visible creature if you looke upon them single or transmit their shapes into a plaine glasse might well seeme an invention surpassing all skill of Art if a late Artist had not given us an ocular demonstration of this skill in thus representing the perfect visage of that great and famous Prince Henry the fourth of France however there be no resemblance of any humane face or of any part thereto belonging in the painted Base yet the reflection of such incondite figures or confused fancies as are thereon painted falling upon a Columne of brasse or Bell mettle glazed with latten placed in the centre or point assigned in the plaine table by the Author of this invention doth effigiate this great Princes visage and countenance as perfectly as any picture which hath beene taken of him in his life time The skill in this devise is so admirable as it would require but a very little skill in Rhetorick to perswade an illiterate man which hath seene him living that his Ghost were present though invisible to by standers looking upon it selfe in this artificiall visible glasse yet all this skill exhibited in this masterpiece of modern inventions how admirable soever it may seeme to men not exercised in the like is comprehensible to accurate Artists in this kinde and can afford no true illustration of the incomprehensible wisedome of God in forepicturing Christ with his Acts and offices Of this incomprehensible wisedome wee have a better model by adding this supposition or fiction to the former invention that an hundred picture-makers or more having had free libertie one after another to draw their lines and postures upon the same table none of them acquainting another with his intention or worke should have framed such a true representation as this now extant is of Henry the fourth French King in the age before he was borne But after a more admirable manner then this fiction supposeth were Christ and his Crosse c. forepictured by matters of fact by historicall events by types and ceremonies and by the concurrence with these of mens free actions intentions which knew not one another much lesse had notice of their purposes the last of thē living more then 400. years before Christ was cōceived For the right apprehension or imblazoning these meerely typicall representations of Christ no artificiall skill is more usefull then the true Art of Heraldy or skill in Hieroglyphicks And no kinde of learning more usefull for the right apprehension of the third kinde of testimonies or prenotions concerning Christ then the insight in Emblemes devises or impreses CHAP. 11. Of testimonies concerning Christ typically propheticall or prophetically typicall and of their concludent proofe MEere types are true Hieroglyphicks and Hieroglyphicks are as bodies without soules that is Pictures without inscriptions Emblemes or Impreses must have both body and soule a devise with its inscription or motto And so doe testimonies of the third ranke proposed concerning Christ consist of a Type as the body or devise and have words propheticall annext as the soule or breath And this kinde of testimonie or prenotion of Christ is of two sorts either typicall and propheticall or Propheticall and typicall That some difference there was betwixt these two expressions not only in the order or placing of the words but in the matter also thus transplaced was intimated before Chapter 5. Wheresoever the type hath precedence or is concomitant to the inscription annext unto it yet so as both point at Christ to come there the testimony or proofe is typicall propheticall Where the words or prophecie have precedence of the type and both referre unto Christ the proofe or prenotion is prophetically typicall That the ceremony of the paschall Lambe was instituted by God himselfe to prefigure or forepicture our Saviour Christ no Christian denies And one Law concerning the Paschall Lambe was that not a bone thereof should be broken Exod. 12. 46. The words of this Law were no prediction in respect of the first institution of the passeover but an appendix or concomitant and yet a most remarkable prophecie in respect of our Saviour Christ in the manner of whole death both the type and the Law of the type were by Gods admirable providence exactly fulfilled Then came the soldiers saith St. John and brake the legs of the first and of the other which was crucified with him But when they came to Iesus and saw that he was dead already they brake not his legges but one of the soldiers with a speare pierced his side That our Apostle Saint John did take both these events as a concludent proofe that Christ was the true Lambe of God foreshadowed by the Paschall is apparent from his emphaticall expression of his observation upon it He that saw it bare record and his record is true and he kneweth that he saith true that hee might beleeve For these things were done that the scripture should be fulfilled A bone of him shall not be broken And againe Zach. 12. 10. They shall looke on him whom they have peirced John 19. 32. 37. 2. Those words of the Prophet Hosea cap. 11. 1. according to their literall sense referre to an historicall event forepast When Israel was a child then I loved him and I called my sonne out of Egypt They beare no semblance of prophecy in respect of the Israelites deliverance out of Egypt by Moses but both this deliverance the prophets observation upon it have a peculiar aspect unto Christ who was by divine appointment to sojourne a while in Egypt but to be called thence So as the same words which are an historicall narration in respect of the type to wit Israel or the sonnes of Jacob brought out of Egypt by Moses are an expresse prophecy of Christs comming thence with Joseph and his mother into the Land of promise That speech of the Psalmist likewise Psal 118. 22. The stone which the builders refused is become the
the plurall Elohim as Capito well observes doth not want its proper singular Eloah Therefore unlesse the holy Ghost had intended the notification of some mystery in the forme or character of his speech Moses would rather have said Barah Eloah then Barah Elohim 2. I am the more inclined to this opinion because many of the ancient and most orthodoxall writers observe a more distinct expression of the blessed Trinity throughout divers places of the first chapter of Genesis from the repetition of the name of God or Elohim in the more perfect workes of severall dayes as in the workes of the fourth day ver 14. And God said Let there be lights in the firmament of the Heavens This is the voice of God the Father giving out his fiat and it is repeated againe ver 16. And God made two great lights This referres to God the Sonne by whom all things were made and by whom these lights were set in the firmament ver 17. It is lastly added ver 18. And God saw that it was good The note or character of the holy Ghost approving what was made by the Sonne from the authoritie of the Father So Moses againe describes the workes of the first day And God said let the waters bring forth abundantly ver 20. And in the 21. he repeates againe And God created great Whales c. And againe God saw that it was good When it is said ver 22. of the same dayes worke And God blessed them saying Be fruitfull and multiply this may referre unto the three persons joyntly So in the workes of the sixt day ver 24. God said Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kinde c. And it is repeated againe ver 25. And God made the beast of the earth after his kinde c. And God saw that it was good But when Moses comes to the accomplishment of the sixt dayes worke ver 16. hee alters the forme or character of speech and makes the Verbe as well as the noune plurall And God said Let us make man in our Image after our likenesse This order observed by the ancients in the first creation of all things is admirably exemplified in the manner of mans redemption wrought by the Father Sonne and holy Ghost joyntly yet not without distinction of order in their joynt working in their undivided worke But of this by the assistance of this blessed Trinity hereafter 3. But however the Ancients or such as follow them may faile in this or the like particular search of mysteries from no better hint then the repetition of the same words or matter Yet their endeavour in the generall to finde out deepe hidden mysteries from these or the like superficiall or charactericall prenotions is warranted by the word of God according to its literall or assertive sense For so we are taught by Moses that such repetition of the same things as in secular sciences would incurre suspition of tautology or superfluity of words may be the undoubted character of some matter more then ordinary and more observable then if it had beene represented but once or after one manner onely A secular Southsayer or professed Interpreter of nocturnall representations would have sought after more interpretations than one of Pharaohs two dreames especially seeing the matter represented to him in the first vision was so unlike to the matter represented in the second Yet Ioseph by the guidance of Gods Spirit discovers these two dreames though distinct in time and manner of representation to be for substance but one And Ioseph said unto Pharaoh The dreame of Pharaoh is one God hath shewed Pharaoh what hee is about to doe The seaven good Kine are seaven yeares and the seaven good eares are seaven yeares the dreame is one And the seaven thin and ill favoured Kine that came up after them are seaven yeares and seaven empty eares blasted with the East winde shall be seaven yeares of famine Gen. 41. 25 26 c. And for that the dreame was doubled unto Pharaoh twice it is because the thing is established by God and God will shortly bring it to passe 4. When we say an honest mans word should be as good as his oath wee suppose that this morall integrity or perfection in man hath a farre more exquisite patterne in God Hee is no lesse immutable in his promises than in his oath It is impossible for him to change his minde or to deceive men in the one as in the other To what end then doth hee so often interpose his oath sometimes when hee denounceth judgement otherwhiles for the consolation of men and confirmation of their beliefe in his gracious promises Sure it is one thing to say Gods purpose will or promise is immutable another that the thing purposed will'd or promised by him is immutable The absolute immutability of his purpose or promise can yeeld us no full assurance that the things promised or purposed by him are unchangeable or that sentence denounced though in terms peremptory is irreversible But unto whatsoever promise or sentence wee finde his oath annexed it is an undoubted character a not most infallible that the thing promised is unalterable that the sentence so denounced is irreversible This is one of the most Catholique rules for the right interpreting of many and for the reconciliation of divers Scriptures which otherwise seeme most opposite But the proofe and use of this rule will come under a more full examination in the treatise of our Saviours consecration to his everlasting Priesthood and in some other discussions in what sense God is said to repent in what cases not to repent For both assertions are frequent in Scriptures 5. Sometimes divine mysteries are represented not in some one word or name but in the very character or frame of some one letter or in the addition of a letter or point There is no question amongst us Christians but that he who called unto Moses Levit. 1. 1. from the mercy seat as we gather from Numb 7. was the sonne of God the eternall word who since hath taken our nature upon him and calleth unto us with a voice and mouth truly humane though the voice and mouth of God But at that time he called to Moses not in a loud and thundring voice like that in Mount Sinai but with a soft and gentle voice And this gentlenesse of the voice as the Hebrew Doctors observe and some good Christian Hebricians approve their observation with the mystery foreshadowed by it is charactered unto us by the extraordinary smallnesse of one letter in the originall word 6. The like mystery is represented unto us after the same manner Isa 9. 7. c. The Prophet displaying the titles of the Messias and his kingdome contrary to the rules of ordinary Orthography mutat quadrata rotundis beginnes the Hebrew word rendred by our English of the increase with Mem rotundum with a round letter instead of a square And this unusuall character the Jewes
writers in the literall and proper sense As when Saint Matthew to use his instance saith Chap. 1. 22. That which was spoken by the Prophet behold a Virgin shall conceive and beare a sonne and shall call his name Emanuel was fulfilled in the blessed virgin The rule is true and without exception but the illustration of it is not so fit as Maldonat supposed For that saying of the Prophet Isaiah was fulfilled more wayes than one perhaps according to all the foure severall wayes which he conceived in the conception birth and name of our Saviour Jesus Christ Secondly the scripture is said to be fulfilled when that comes to passe which was foreshadowed by the proper and immediate subject of the Prophets speech As that saying Exod. 12. 46. Yee shall not breake a bone of it was properly and immediately meant of the paschall Lambe yet fulfilled in our Saviour Christ of whom the paschall Lambe was the type or shadow Unto this second rule or branch hee likewise referres that prophecy 2 Sam. 7. 14. I will be to him a Father and he shall be to me a sonne This was fulfilled in Christ as the Apostle teacheth Heb. 1. 5. though properly meant of Salomon as Maldonat takes it for granted although some judicious Commentators of the Romane Church in his time doe question or rather peremptorily yet too boldly deny it However this second rule of Maldonat is good and acknowledged by all only his expression of the two instances needs some correction for the first place alleaged by him was as literally and as properly meant of Christ as of the Paschall Lambe and the second more properly meant of Christ than of Salomon though literally and properly meant of Salomon and fulfilled in him The truth is that both places were two wayes fulfilled both in the literall and mysticall sense and the second twice fulfilled once in the literall and againe both in the literall and mysticall sense 3. Thirdly saith the same Author the Scripture is said to be fulfilled when neither that which was literally and properly pointed at by the Prophet nor that which was fore-shadowed by it comes to passe but some other thing which is so like unto it that the same speech may as aptly and as handsomely be applyed unto it as unto that which was properly and literally meant For illustration of this third rule he alleageth that of the Prophet Isaiah cap. 29. 13 14. For as much as this people draw neere unto me with their mouth and with their lippes doe honour me but have removed their heart farre from me and their feare toward me is taught by the precept of men Therefore behold I will proceed to doe a marvellous worke amongst this people even a marvellous worke and a wonder For the wisedome of their wise men shall perish and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid This saith Maldonat was properly meant of the Jewes which lived in Isaiahs time and yet our Saviour Matt. 15. 7 8. gives us to understand that this was fulfilled of the Jewes which conversed and disputed with him Yet Hypocrites well did Isaiah prophecy of you saying This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth and honoureth mee with their lips but their heart is farre me Unto this third rule or observation Maldonat would draw that other saying of the Prophet Isaiah cap. 6. 10. Make the heart of this people fat and make their eares heavy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and heare with their eares and understand with their heart and convert and be healed Yet this prophecy as our Saviour expresly tells us Mat. 13 14. was fulfilled in the Jewes to whom he spake Ore tenùs in parables And so doth S. Paul Acts 28. 26. where he expounds the Orthodoxall meaning both of our Saviours the Prophets words The truth of this third rule will come in some question in the next chapter but admitting it for the present to be orthodoxall and true yet the instances or illustrations are impertinent For all the passages alleaged by him were more literally and more properly meant of the incredulous Jewes which conversed with our Saviour than of those Jewes which were the Prophet Isaiahs coëvalls as the understanding Reader will easily collect from the 12. of Iohn 41. being compared with the forecited 6 of Isaiah The fourth way by which in Maldonats observation the scripture is said to be fulfilled is when that which was foretold or prefigured though already done in part or begunne to be done is afterwards more constantly and more fully done The observation or rule is unquestionably true but it is not a rule or branch distinct from the two first but rather a transcendent to all the wayes according to which the scriptures may be rightly said to be fulfilled 4. And these wayes can be neither more nor fewer then are the ways by which God did either foretell or prefigure things to come and to be accōplished in Christ Some predictions were meerly prophetical some prefigurations were meerely typical other meerly literal or charactericall And unto these their commixtures all the Testimonies or prenotions cōcerning Evangelical mysteries have bin reduced Now according to all these wayes the scripture is said to be fulfilled Where the testimony is meerly propheticall that is such as is literally applyable to Christ alone the scripture is said to be fulfilled only in the literall sense When the testimony or prenotiō is only typicall as when the representation is made by matter of fact or historicall evēt in this case the Scripture is fulfilled only according to the mysticall sense and after this maner most of the legall ceremonies are said to be fulfilled in Chr. The history of the brasen Serpēt was mystically fulfilled in his death upon the crosse the story of Ionas his imprisōmēt in the whales belly was thus fulfilled in his buriall 3 dayes abode in his grave the Ceremony or rite of offering the first fruits was thus fulfilled in his resurrectiō Where the testimony prenotion is both typical prophetical as is that of the Paschal Lamb of the stone which the builders refused there the Scripture is fulfilled both according to the literall the mysticall sense whether the words as they are referred to Chr. be logicall proper or whether they be allegori or symbolicall yet can we not say that these Scripture were fulfilled as well in the type as in Christ but in Christ alone For neither of these passages Yee shall not breake a bone of it the stone which the builders refused were propheticall in respect of the type but only in respect of the mysteries typified And no Scripture is said to be fulfilled otherwise then as it is either a prediction or prefiguration of somewhat to come But where the testimony is prophetically typicall there one and the same Scripture is twice fulfilled both in the type and in the antitype as that 2 Sam. 7. I will be
practises as they prescribe Consider him saith our Apostle that endured such contradiction of sinners against himselfe lest yee be weary and saint in your mindes yee have not yet resisted unto blood striving against sinne Heb. 12. 3 4. The words are metaphoricall or Verbo tenùs Allegoricall and allude unto those strivings or conflicts which seldome were determined without blood wherein it was a shame to yeeld before any blood was drawne Such was the law or practise of those games which the Latines call Pugilatus wherein manus demittere to let downe the hands was an acknowledgment of victory which happily might have been recovered by the party wounded or remitting his hands unlesse his heart had beene weaker then his hands To this purpose that exhortation Heb. 12. 12. Wherefore erect the hands which hang downe and the feeble knees The duty whereto he exhorts them was no practise of almes or charity towards impotent or feeble men but that the Pastors whom this precept doth especially concerne should encourage their flock to strive against sinne with as great courage and resolution as the Olympick or other Gamesters did against their Antagonists not to let downe their hands or give over after many wounds or resistance unto blood as being sure though they dyed in fight to be better rewarded then the Victors were in these bodily fights Unto the same courage and resolution the Prophet Isaiah had exhorted the people of God in his age though not them onely but all succeeding generations For his words are typically propheticall point directly to the time of our Saviours comming to visite and redeeme his people and yet allusive withall unto the bodily strivings or wrestlings of those ancient times Isa 35. 34. Strengthen yee the weake hands and confirme the feeble knees say to them that are of a fearefull heart Bee strong feare not behold your God will come with vengeance even God with a recompence he will come and save you The end and scope as well of the Prophet as of our Apostle was to inspire such life and courage into Gods people in their heaviest pressures as that Caesarcan soldier did into his mates when Pompeyes followers in Caesars absence had almost beaten them out of their trenches Peterem faelicior umbras Caesar is aspectu testem hunc fortuna negavit Pompeio laudante cadam c. Vicimus O Socij veniet qui vindicet arces 12. If we knew the true importance of manus remissas wee might know withall the true importance of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by our Apostle in the same place which sometimes signifies a profane person but so it signifies by consequence onely the punctuall meaning of it in this chapter ver 16. if I be not mistaken is better exprest by the Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by the Latine remissus then by profanus that is such a one as is ready to yeeld rather then to endure any hard conflict or such as Esau was who did choose rather to relinquish his inheritance then to suffer a sharpe hunger or thrist for a season Usuall it was with S. Paul and with other whether sacred writers or writers of sacred mysteries to draw arguments à minore ad majus that is from the practise of such as were disposed to try masteries for temporary Crownes or Garlands to perswade such abstinence or other observances requisite for all who seeke after the incorruptible Crowne of glory which cannot bee taken from them for the winning or wearing whereof no man can be prevented so he strive for it lawfully Witnesse that one place for this present 1 Cor. 9. 24 25 c Know yee not that they which runne in a race runne all but one receiveth the price So runne that yee may obtaine And euery man that striveth for the masterie is temperate in all things Now they doe it to obtaine a corruptible Crowne but wee an incorruptible I therefore so run not as uncertainly so fight I not as one that beateth the aire But I keepe under my body and bring it into subjection least that by any meanes when I have preached to others I my selfe should be a cast-away But if of all those which runne in secular races it bee not possible for more then one to receive the prize or as the originall word imports to snatch it from the blede or staffe whereto they runne we may be sure that not so many would offer themselves to try masteries in this kinde as otherwise would be forward if every one that did his devoire might be assured of some reward sufficient to acquit or countervaile his paines If then this similitude betweene such as seeke a corruptible and an incorruptible Crowne did run as we say quatuor pedibus few of our Apostles Auditors would have adventured their paines or endeavours in that Christian course to which he exhorred all Maldonats forementioned rule for the right interpretation of parables or similitudes of this kinde is as usefull for the right interpretation of this place as for any other parable or similitude in Scripture and his rule or rather the rule of Hugo Cardinalis from whom he borrowed his animadversions upon Matthew 1◠16. is thus We are not to compare persons with persons nor to be curious in suting particulars to particulars but to accord the whole businesses handled in grosse as when it is said The Kingdome of heaven is like unto a man that sowed good seed in his field wee are not to parallel the man but rather the seed sowne or the field where it is sowen with the kingdome of heaven or in this or the like generalitie It happeneth in the plantation of the kingdome of heaven as when a man hath sowne good seed in his ground the envious man comes and sowes tares 13. But what was S. Pauls meaning in the 24. of the forecited Chapter That every one which professeth Christianity must be more resolutely circumspect in his undertakings and their managings then those few in comparison are who enter the lists for a temporall prize or garland Otherwise they shall be sure to faile of their hopes to be in worse case then such as come only as spectators that purpose to be no actors in such prizes or then such Actors as doe nihil agere or after they have runne sit downe with losse To this effect he expresses himselfe in the verses following Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things c. But the very literall importance of those three words in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot bee so well learned from any dictionary or Lexicon as from such as write of the Olympick games or of that kinde of triall of masteries which in his time or before was in use The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is proper I take it unto Wrestlers whose practise it was to keep under other mens bodies not their own or to keepe their
then in the Hebrew But the Chaldee further instructs us that the object of this oath was the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which did not note only God himselfe but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mediator between God and man and the tenor or contents of the oath was that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who was God himselfe and the object of this oath should become the seed of Abraham and make mediation by such a sacrifice as God the Father for tryall only did require of Abraham The comming of the sonne of God or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the world which had long before beene promised was not newly ratified only by oath but from this time the son of God was truly predestinated to be the seed of Abraham or the seed of Abraham to be the sonne of God as afterwards the seed or sonne of David was to wit from that time wherein the Lord had sworne to David that his seed should endure for ever and his throne as the dayes of Heaven Psal 89. 29. It is not to be omitted that where the Hebrew Psal 110. hath it The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand c. the Chaldee hath it The Lord said unto his Word sit thou at my right hand untill I make thy enemies thy footstoole And this Word or this Lord for so the Hebrewes expresse it by Adonai was then destinated and declared by oath to become not only the sonne of David but to be a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech ver 4. All these three places will require some further consideration in the treatise of Gods Covenant with Abraham and with David or of our Saviours consecration to his everlasting Priesthood Thus much for the present may suffice that S. Iohn was nto the first which conceived the sonne of God God himselfe to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much lesse did he need to borrow his expressions from any Writers not truely Canonical For all this was conteyned in the places before alleaged as Ionathan and Onkelus interpret them and was likewise expressely conteyned in the Hebrew in sundry places of the Prophets of some of which God willing in the next Chapter 5 As little probabilitie there is either that S. Paul Heb 1. 1. should borrow his characters of the Sonne of God from the Author of the booke of Wisdome or that Author his though much what the same from S. Paul as that S. Iohn should take his expressions from the former Chaldee paraphrast or the later from S. Iohn Both S. Paul and the Author of the booke of Wisdome had their hints at least from such prenotions as the ancient Hebrews had of the wisdome or sonne of God or of their expected Messias when he should be revealed It is no way improbable much lesse incredible that such Interpreters or paraphrasers upon sacred writ as for ought we know did not expressely beleeve in the sonne of God either before his incarnation or since should have the forementioned prenotions concerning the promised Messias seeing the very Samaritans had the like which they could not gather from the ordinary reading of originall Scripture if at all they read them Such a prenotion that woman Iohn 4. had of the Messias before she did beleeve that Jesus was the promised Messias or Christ I know saith she that Messias commeth which is called Christ when he is come he will tell us all things ver 25. She had a prenotion and conceit that the Messias should tell them all things in a better manner then the prophets could do For shee had acknowledged our Saviour to be a Prophet ver 19 yet rested not satisfied with his answer to her question there made untill he had told her in expresse termes that hee was the promised Messias 6 But to compare S. Pauls characters of the son of God with the Authors of the booke of Wisdomes characters of the Wisdome of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the prophets Hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed heire of all things by whom also he made the Worlds Who being the brightnesse of his glory and the expresse image of his person and upholding all things by the word of the power when hee had by himselfe purged our sinnes sate downe on the right hand of the Majestie on high Being made so much better then the Angels as he hath by inheritance obteyned a farre more excellent name then they For she is the breath of the power of God and a pure influence flowing frō the glory of the Almighty therefore can no undefiled thing sal in to her For she is the brightness of the everlasting light the unspotted mirrour of the power of God and the image of his goodnesse And being but one she can do all things and remaining in her selfe shee maketh all things new in all ages entring into holy soules she maketh thē friends of God and Prophets For God loveth none but him that dwelleth with Wisdome For she is more beautifull then the sun above al the order of stars being compared with the light she is found before it For after this commeth night but vice shall not prevaile against Wisdome 7 There is not one proposition or character in all this passage which for ought I yet know is not Canonicall No attribute of wisdome which can fitly be applied to any person or substance save onely to the son of God or at least to the holy Ghost But whether this Author did so intend them or apply them or whether the holy Ghost did by his peculiar inspiration or God by his speciall providence direct him thus to speake or write after the same manner he did Moses and other Authors of Canonicall Scriptures is not to me so evident Nor is it probable that this booke was written by Solomon albeit the Author of it doth put upon him the person of Solomon and personate himselfe under the habit or Garb of the King of Israel The opinion is not improbable who think this book was written by Philo the Iew to solace himselfe and his Country men upon the ill successe of his Embassage unto Caius the Emperour which was not many yeares after our Saviours death nor many before S. Paul did write his Epistle or S. Iohn his Gospell The book it selfe whosoever was the Author of it is an excellent and a most elegant paraphrase upon many Canonicall Scriptures and conteynes many exquisite expressions of Gods special providence and infinite wisdome in governing the world and in over-ruling both the policie and the power of greatest Princes The same booke notwithstanding is for many reasons justly denyed by S. Ierome by our Church and by many grave
writers in other Churches reformed to be any genuine part of the old Testamēt to be any portion of the rule or Canon of the Hebrews faith received by them before our Saviours incarnation And being no portiō of their Catholique rule or Canon it is no way probable that our Apostle S. Paul when he wrote the divine Epistle directed in speciall to the Hebrews his countrymen would borrow his titles or Attributes of our Saviours glory from this Authors encomiasme of wisdome Nor can any convincing proofe be brought to perswade us that the Author of this booke whosoever he was did make application of these characters of wisdome in the abstract unto Christ or truely beleeve either that Iesus the son of Mary though living haply on earth before his time or that the promised Messias whose coming he did expect should be the wisdome of God which he so magnifies or God incarnate in whom all former Scriptures and his owne encomiasme of Divine wisdome should in particular and punctually be fulfilled That the commendations which he gives to wisdome at least the most of them can really and truely be applied to none but Christ who is the wisdome and sonne of God All this and more being granted will not conclude that he did intend or thinke of Christs birth or incarnation or apprehend the personall union betweene the sonne of God and the sonne of David For Tully and other Heathen writers have made such panegyricall descriptions of vertues morall and intellectuall of wisdome especially or of Philosophy in their abstract notion as can have no reall paterne save only in the divine incomprehensible essence and yet they themselves lived and for ought wee know dyed without any distinct knowledge or apprehension of the true God yea many times committed grosse Idolatry with those vertues whether morall or intellectuall which they so magnified in the abstract 8. Whilest we peruse Authors either Heterodoxall or not Canonicall this rule I take it is of generall good use that for matter of practise or application wee are specially to consider quà m benè not quam bona on the contrary in point of speculation not quà m benè sed quà m bona not how well or to what good end they speake but how good things they speake or write The writings of the moderne Jew are for the most part malicious and morally evill yet unto such as know to make right use of them in their speculations upon the old Testament even in such of them as are professed enemies to our Lord and Saviour and to the Evangelical story there be so many scattered characters or misplaced syllables as being rightly put together and well ordered by some judicious Aristarchus or accurate composer would make up a more exact commentary upon most of those places in Moses and the Prophets which we Christians usually alleage for proving the truth of sundry articles in this Creed then can be gathered out of the Christian Interpreters of the old or new Testament which have not the care or skill to beat those enemies at their owne weapons or to retort those blowes which they offer at us upon themselves Those strange dreames or fancies which they have concerning mysteries to be revealed in the dayes of the Messias are evident signes that the Lord hath cast them into this long slumber for the instruction of us Christians And the right interpretation of their dreames or their application is one of the highest degrees of prophecy which in this later age can ordinarily bee expected And I would to God some sonnes of the Prophets would addresse their paines and studies to this purpose unto which according to our poore talent we shall have occasion to speake in some speciall articles following But to returne unto the point proposed in the beginning of this Chapter one speciall reason why S. Iohn instyles our Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word not the sonne was to make up a more exquisite resemblāce of his incōprehensible Essence of the eternity of his person and his eternall generation of his consubstantiality with God the Father then without this particular expression we could have had or perhaps would have sought for Every one of his severall titles whether given to him by S. Iohn or by S. Paul addes something to the better expression of his unexpressible excellence unto the raising of our apprehensions to a higher pitch of admiration of these incomprehensible mysteries then one or two or fewer then are made could have done To informe our understandings or rectifie our faith that the son of God is more exquisitely or more consubstantially like unto his Father then any sonne of man is unto the father of his body he is by the holy Ghost instyled the expresse Image or character of his Fathers person Heb. 1. 3. No man can be altogether so like another as the impression is to the print To instruct us againe that this absolute and perfect expression of the father in the sonne farre exceed any such expression as the Statue can make of man or such as the seale leaves in the waxe he is by S. Iohn instyled by the name of life being the living substantiall image of his Father Againe to rectifie our apprehensions that the sonne of God did not grow into this absolute live image of his Father by degrees after such a manner as the sonnes of men doe for no child is altogether like his father from his birth it hath pleased the holy Ghost further to emblazon his incomprehensible generation or begetting under the character of brightnesse or light He is the brightnesse of Gods glory saith S. Paul and by S. Iohn the light And this is the most exquisite of any resemblāce that can be taken frō things sensible The sunne and fountaine of visible light doth naturally without interposition of time without any labour or operation produce or beget brightnesse or splendour And this it doth so uncessantly so perpetually that if we could imagine there had beene a sunne or fountaine of light without beginning to continue without end of time or dayes we could not but imagine that there should be a brightnesse or splendour perpetually produced without beginning or without ending of such production or of the brightnesse so produced by this fountaine of light Yet this supposition being granted or admitted the resemblance would herein faile That this continual production of light without beginning without ending did yet admit a succession or continuitie of time which the eternall generation of the sonne of God doth not admit for that onely is truely eternall which is not onely without beginning or end of dayes but without all succession in duration without mensuration of dayes or yeares all which are conteyned in eternitie as this visible world and all the power in it are conteyned in his power who is invisible and incorporeall All these resemblances are taken from things sensible Lastly the eternall generation of the sonne of God as most Divines will
that the prerogative promised to Isaac was firme and not subject to contingencie it is further repeated ver 21. But my Covenant will I establish with Isaac which Sarah shall beare unto thee at this set time in the next yeare 2. It is very observable that whereas the Hebrew mentions only the Covenant betwixt God and Abraham and his seed after him the Chaldee paraphrase hath it expresly that God did make this Covenant betwixt his Word and Abraham as ver 2. Dabo foedus meum inter verbum meum et interte And ver 10. Hoc est foedus meum quod servabitis inter verbum meum et inter vos atque inter filios tuos post te ut circumcidatur in vobis omnis masculus What manner of Covenant or rather league this was betwixt God Abraham comes to be discussed in the unfolding of Gods oath to Abraham the consecration of Abrahams seed to his everlasting Priesthood of everlasting blessing The legal covenant afterwards cōfirmed by oath was now begun solemnized on Abrahams part as solemne leagues in those Easterne Countries usually were by effusion of blood his owne and his families and so to be continued in his posterity throughout their generations And in as much as circumcision was the signe or solemne ceremony of this mutuall league betweene God and Abraham and Abrahams seed it is necessarily implyed by the tenour of the same mutuall Covenant that God should subscribe or seale the league after the same manner and to receive the same signe of circumcision in his flesh which Abraham and his seed had done Againe in as much as this league was established with Isaac Abrahams sonne by promise this likewise includes that the only sonne of God who was to be Abrahams seed should be circumcised in his flesh as Isaac had beene And this part of the Covenant was performed on Gods part in the person of his Sonne at the circumcision of the childe Iesus It was impossible that the Covenant should be fully accomplished so long as Abrahams corruptible seede did only beare the seale or signe For it was to be an everlasting Covenant and to seale an everlasting Covenant with an everlasting seale in Abrahams seed or successour according to the flesh was a matter as difficult as to imprint a permanent stamp or character upon a streame of running water This Covenant could not begin to be in esse or beare a true and solid everlasting date untill it were sealed in the flesh of the promised seed As was his person in whom this Covenant was to be accomplished such was the seale and such did the Covenant thus sealed become truely immortall and everlasting never to be reiterated after it was once accomplished in him which was not done but begun upon the eight day after our Saviours birth That which was now begun by him and in part sealed by him by the seale of circumcision in his flesh was afterwards to be accomplished and finally sealed by his bloudy sacrifice upon the Crosse The continuall practise of circumcision by the Jew though he be senselesse and blinde and perceiveth it not is unto us a legible character and an undoubted visible pledge that God who made this Covenant with Abraham was to be incarnate or to assume flesh by assuming Abrahams seed to the end he might interchangeably seale this Covenant in his flesh But seeing as well Abrahams present seed as their Families were still subject to mortality it was most fitting requisite that circumcision should be continued throughout all their generations in testification of their hope and expectance of the promised seed unto whose flesh the seale of circumcision being once put the Covenant sealed was to stand fast for ever without reiteration or addition of any other seale In Him all Gods promises are yea and Amen Whilest hee was circumcised God was circumcised and man was circumcised and this Covenant or league betweene God and man was mutually sealed by God and man with one and the same numericall seale Howbeit as was intimated before this glorious Covenant thus joyntly sealed up in him was not to beare its everlasting date untill it were further ratified and finally sealed by his bloudy sacrifice upon the Crosse unto which service he was initiated by his circumcision The Sacrament of circumcision was not so properly abolished as changed into the Sacrament of Baptisme and so changed by that Commission which this our everlasting Priest gave to his Apostles and Ministers after his resurrection Go yee therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Math. 28. 19. It was by this new Commission so changed that he which now seekes to circumcise others or suffers himselfe to be circumcised doth but labour as much as in him lyes to dissolve and dissipate this glorious Covenant betwixt God and man thus joyntly sealed up in one and the same individuall person with one and the same numericall seale and afterwards authentiquely and finally sealed by the bloudy sacrifice of the same person God and man vpon the Crosse And however the Mahumetans the Sarazens and Persians with other preposterous imitatours of Abrahams faith have run mad with love of this ceremonie of circumcision sometimes most loathsome and odious to flesh and bloud whilest it was pleasing unto God yet the practise of it is now more abominable unto God that gave it for a signe of his everlasting Covenant than it was pleasing to him or displeasing to men whilest the Law of ceremonies was in force And for this reason S. Paul wisheth the same curse or punishment unto such as pressed the necessity of circumcision upon Christs Church which God himselfe had threatned unto such as during the time of the Law did neglect contemne or omit it The uncircumcised manchilde saith God to Abraham Gen. 17. 14. whose flesh of his fore-skin is not circumcised that soule shall be cut off from his people I would saith S. Paul Gal. 5. 12. or as some read I would to God they were even cut off that trouble you Such he meanes and such alone as did trouble them by pressing the necessity of circumcision upon them which had beene baptized in Christ 3 That the Heathens were concluded in this league the moderne Jew cannot deny For not only Abrahams sonnes but every Male in his Family though bought with money was to receive the signe of this Covenant in his flesh But saith the Jew seeing they came into this league by receiving circumcision what is this to you Gentiles which will not be circumcised The Apostle S. Paul hath most divinely dissolved this knot Rom. 4. 10. His words are so plaine that they need no Comment but onely to adde this circumstance which is likely S. Paul tooke for granted when he made that excellent Comment upon Moses his words Gen. 15. 6. Abraham saith Moses beleeved in God and it was imputed unto him for righteousnesse Seeing