of Christ and of his benefits by the instrument of faith which is the hand of the soul for the nourishing and feeding thereof to salvation and everlasting life is visibly shewed and made good 2ly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For eating and drinking is the externall use and end of the sacrament ordained by Christ whereby according to divine institution the eating and drinking of his body and blood which is internall and spirituall is assured and made good Like as Saint Augustine saith concerning the holy sacrament of Baptisme that Water exhibiting the sacrament of grace without and the spirit working the benefit of grace within loosing the bond of sin reconciling the good of nature do regenerate a man in one Christ who was generated of one Adam Ad. Bonifac. Epist 23. Even so in this blessed sacrament of the Supper Two persons there are two persons by whom it is administred Christ and his minister his minister which is to do all that which is to be done externally and without by designing preparing and consecrating the bread and the wine by prayers and benedictions to become a sacrament by divine institution by breaking of the bread and by taking of the cup by delivering the bread and the cup thereby to set forth and represent his death and in by and with the bread and cup to deliver Christ himselfe with his most pretious body and blood But it is Christ by the gracious and efficatious operation of his most holy and most blessed spirit who must do all that which is to be done internally and within and make it to be his body and blood to the worthy receiver For the whole action of the sacrament consisteth of two things Two severall sorts of food or two severall sorts of food the one is earthly corporeall and sensible to be seen tasted and discerned by the senses and that is the food which the minister doth deliver and every priest is sufficiently qualified to deliver that food But the other is heavenly spirituall and intelligible to be understood by the minde which food none can deliver but only Christ Likewise there be two parts of man the body and the soul and accordingly there be two severall sorts of taking Two sorts of taking eating and drinking eating and drinking the one is externall and sacramentall pertaining to the body the other is internall and spirituall belonging to the soul The externall and sacramentall being a visible representation of that which is spirituall and internall 24. Both Element make but one Sacrament The elements of bread and wine are distinguished materialiter in respect of matter for the matter of the bread and of the wine is not the same but divers yet formaliter perfectivè formally and perfectively they make but one and the same sacrament 1. Because these two elementary signs not more nor fewer bread and wine and nothing else but bread and wine are required to the inâ—â—egrity and perfection of the Sacrament Not more because the bodily refection is perfected in these two and the spirituall refection in Christ by his blessed body and blood perfectly represented Not fewer because if either of these be wanting the Sacrament which is the sacramenâ— of perfect refection will be defective 2ly Because that our blessed Lord to testifie that he took the whole human nature into the unity of his own most sacred person and was the word made flesh perfect man of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting as St. Athanasius saith in his Creed and also to testifie that he is the redeemer both of body and soul instituted this Sacrament in these two elements For the bread saith St. Peter Lombard is referred to the fâ—esh the wine to the soul because wine operateth blood in which the Philosophers do say that the soul is seated lib. 4. dist 11. Lastly a mutilaâ—ed sacrament is no sacrament at all nor hath it the promise nor can it signifie assure or deliver the thing of the sacrament Nor will it be made a sacrament by concomitancy a new doctrine not heard of in the Church till after a thousand two hundred and twenty years nor will it consist with the commandment which is as well concerning the administration as also concerning the participation of it in both the species both of bread and wine The words of the promise I said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 definitive or indicative they define or declare the things Concerning the promise they set forth the inâ—ernall matter or thing signified affirming it either of the bread or the cup sacramentally Of the bread Hoc est corpus meum quod pro vobis datur frangitur This is my body which is given and is broken for you Of the cup Hic est sanguis meus qui est novi testamenti qui pro vobis pro multis effunditur in remissionem pecca orum This is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins Which words must be considered two ways in the incomplex How to be considered taken severally and by themselves and in the complex put altogether Take them in the incomplex severally and by themselves then there is the subject the praedicatum and the copula or bond whereby the thing affirmed is knit or coupled unto that whereof it is affirmed The subject or matter is the pronoun demonstrative Hoc but not hoc adjectively but hoc substantively this thing as if he had said This thing which I hold in my hand What was that It was bread and nothing else but bread accepit Jesus paâ—em Jesus took bread The praedicatum is corpus meum my body what body not his mysticall body for that is his Church It was therefore his naturall true and proper body Eph 4.11.12 Eph. 5.30.32 Quod pro vobis datur frangitur which is given and is broken for you and quâ tale upon that respect that it was that naturall true and proper body given and broken Sanguis meus my blood what blood His naturall true and proper blood qui pro vobis pro multis effunditur which is shed for you and for many and quâ talis upon that respect that it was that natural true and proper blood so shed The copula or bond whereby the praedicatum or thing affirmed is knit or coupled to the subject or thing whereof it is affirmed is the verb substantive est This is my body this is my blood Which verb est must not be taken pro esse naturali vel substantiali that it is so naturally or substantially but pro esse mystico vel sacramentali that it is so mystically or sacramentally whereby the name of the thing signifying hath the name of the thing signified by reason of the analogy or similitude which the one hath unto the other He did not tell them what the bread and wine were by nature and substance but what they were made
be it the words signifie splendors and perfections vvhich thing hath given occasion to some to think that by the urim and thummim nothing else was meant but the forementioned rowes of pretious stones in the breast of the High priest they being the most splendent bright and perfect of all other But I rather think the Urim and Thummim vvhatsoever they were to be inserted within the pectorall which therefore and not to keep it from rending was duplicate and that they were placed in the pectorall over against the heart of the high priest for hitherto make the words of the text Exod. 28.30 Thou shalt put in the breast-plate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim and they shall be upon Aarons heart when he goeth in before the Lord. 4ly The plate of gold The plate of gold vvhereupon was engraven Holinesse to the Lord Saint Hierom thinks that nomen tetragrammaton which was ineffable to the Jewes to be graven upon that plate Epist 128. this was put upon a blew lace whereby it vvas made fast unto the mitre or cap upon the fore-front of the same So that although the mitre or cap were common to all the Priests yet was it the peculiar ornament of the High priest to be mitred with that mitre upon whose front was fastned by the blevv lace the golden plate with that mysterious inscription All the sacerdotall garments vvere made for glory and for beauty Exod. 28.2 namely to adorn and beautifie his priests in glorious splendent and beautious habit that so the people might have a more reverent regard of their persons whom God had honoured with so many peculiar vestes so rich so precious and think with themselves in vvhat Veneration they ought to have those holy things about vvhich their ministry vvas conversant But the mysterie was Christ The Mysterie of the garments of the high Priest there might they see him habited as his brethren in the same feminalls linnen coat girdle and cap and girded about with the same linnen Ephod All vvhich things did foretell him to be a proper or particular man and a perfect or very man They did preach Christ and that he should not take unto him the generall form or Idea of mans nature conceived in the minde nor the common nature of man as it is existing in every man but that he should assume the whole nature of man viz. a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting in one particular subject that he should be a true and perfect man in every thing that concerneth mans nature like unto his brethren that he should have the substance of a true body and of a reasonable soule that he should have all the proprieties of body and soul In body length breadth thickness circumscription dimensions in soul the understanding the will the affections also the faculties of seeing hearing smelling tasting feeling likewise of moving growing eating digesting sleeping all which was meant and intended by the parability of those garments whereby the Priest was nothing at all hindred from doing the duties of his function That such a Priest should come who should offer up the eternall sacrifice a full perfect and sufficient sacrifice oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world That like as the Priests were girded about with the white linnen Ephod even so tâ—at such a priest should be girded about with the generall infirmities of mans nature yet without the least spot of sinne And this with much more Mysterie was preached by those garments which the High priest had in common with the other priests But his peculiar Ornaments did set forth Christ in a more peculiar manner The rich and glorious robe of the Ephod did set forth Christ enrobed in the riches of all graces and of all vertues pomegranates and the bels the sweet sound of his Gospell and the precious fruit thereof The Ephod or superhumerall girt about him with the curious girdle and the two onyx stones upon his shoulders that it is he who is girt about with power that the government is upon his shoulder that he is able to save his people to the uttermost who are elect and precious as the precious onyxstones that he would bear them upon his shoulders and present them to his Father by making an eternall a gracious and efficacious intercession for them The rationall or breast-plate of judgement that it is he to whom it belongeth to give the righteous judgement the twelve precious pearls set in four distinct rows that he should be the God of order who would bear all his people in his breast and have the names of them there to remember every one of them to love and to cherish them as his own heart and to judge and avenge them in righteousnesse that like as the Urim and Thummim was put into the duplicate and thereby hidden so that it could not be seen Even so that the brightness and perfection of his Deitie should not be discerned by human eye being over-shadowed and obscured by his humanity And because inquisition was made at God by the Urim and Thummim thereby was most excellently set forth his propheticall office Finally the plate of gold whereupon was graven holinesse to the Lord did set forth his Kingly office and that such a one should be made of God both Lord and Christ that in his person the kingly and the priestly offices should be so consistent as to be bound together with such a bond of mediatorship betwixt God and Man as might never be dissolved 3ly Therefore to the Evangelical part of the Testament belonged all the Leviticall consecrations especially that of the High Priest Consecration of the high Priest who was annointed and consecrated with the holy annointing oyl and thereby set apart to his office and function The oyl was a most sweet confection of divers principall spices pure Myrrhe sweet Cinamon sweet Calamus Cassia and oyl Olive all pure and sweet it was reserved onely for Consecrations it was not lavvfull for any man to poure it out after the manner of other oyl upon his ovvn flesh in his frequent unctions neither might any one make or compound the like With this holy annointing oyl were the Tabernacle of the Congregation and the Arke of the Testimony and the Table and all his Vessels and the Candlestick and his Vessels and the Altar of incense and the Altar of burnt-offerings vvith all his Vessels and the Laver and his foot annointed and thereby consecrated to the end that after such an annointing they might be vvholly set apart to Gods worship and never return any more to common or ordinary use With the same oyl were Aarons Sons the Priests and Aaron himself the high priest annointed and consecrated as is fusely set down Exod. 29. 30. Levit. cap. 8. But Aarons consecration and therefore the consecrations of all the high priests in their several successions was in a more excellent manner for having on all the forementioned
his return being known the life of the young child might be sought for but by divine admonition turned aside into the parts of Galilee and dwelt in Nazareth and so was fulfilled the prediction of the Prophets but what Prophets we have not to say Isa 11.1 60 21. Zech. 3.8 6.12 for though both the Prophets Isaiah and Zechariah do style him Netzer a branch yet none of all the Prophets which we now have doe style him a Nazarene doubtless some of those Prophets whose prophesies are not come to our hands who had said that he should be called a Nazarene But when Herod was dead behold an Angell of the Lord appeared in a dream to Ioseph in Egypt S. Mat. 2.19 saying Arise and take the young childe and his mother and go into the land of Israel for they are dead which sought the young childes life 20 And he arose and tooke the young childe and his mother and came into the land of Israel But when he heard that Archelaus did raigne in Iudea 21 in the roome of his father Herod he was afraid to go thither Notwithstanding being warned of God in a dream he turned aside into the parts of Galilee And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth 22 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophets 23. He shall be called a Nazarene Being returned out of Egypt and brought to Nazareth there to inhabit with his parents Christ grew the childe Jesus grew having been nourished it seemes before by his mothers milk as other children in their infancy S. Luc. 11 27 and more especially as Isaac was who was a type of Christ Gen. 21.7 he was in time convenient taken from his mothers breasts and accustomed to stronger meats as the prophet Isaias before had prophesyed Butter and hony shall he eat Isa 7.15 As if he should say The ordinary food of the land for the land Canaan was a land flowing with milk and honey Exod. 3.8 Being so fed and nourished in his infancy and in his childehood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he grew aetate corporis quantitate saith Stella in age and in quantity of body quatenus homo as being man the solid parts of his body as he grew in age were ampliated in longitude latitude and profundity This will prove the verity of his body therefore his flesh was not fantasticall nor made of the stars and celestiall bodies it was humane flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He waxed strong in spirit his soul as he grew in body did more and more exert and manifest the powers and faculties of the same therefore he had a soule not the divinity in stead of a soule nor a soul converted into flesh nor yet mixed and mingled with his divinity but a distinct soul a reasonable soul He was true man consisting of body and soul for he was filled with all wisdome therefore with acquisite or experimentall wisdom whereby nothing was wanting to him which might conduce to the perfection of the humane nature And the grace of God was upon him for all his words and actions were gracious no inordinate childish mirth or foolish pastimes were seen in him by all that he said by all that he did every man had to observe the grace of God If he had no liberall education and at the schooles S. Joh. 7.15 for he needed not to be taught by man according to that which is objected St Joh. 7.15 How knoweth this man letters having never learned Yet no question but he had religious education by his parents which he accepted by divine dispensation who instructed him privately and at home in the mysteries of religion Christ brought up to Hierusalem when he was twelve years old brought him unto the Synagogues upon the Sabbath-daies and when he was twelve years old they brought him up to Hierusalem to the temple to the end that he might behold the worship of God in his Sanctuary that he might worship in that place which God had chosen to put his name there that he might hear the learned doctrines and expositions of the Scribes who taught and expounded the law that he might bring his gift unto God according as it was required by the law and finally that he might manifest his obedience to the law which required that all the males should appear before the Lord ter in anno thrice every year According to which law Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord God Joseph peradventure Exod. 23.17 S. Mat. 1.19 Phil. 3.6 who was a just man and as Saint Paul saith of himselfe touching the righteousnesse which is in the law blamelesse after his return out of Egypt and when he dwelt in Nazareth went up to Hierusalem three times a year Although they say that there was an indulgence granted to them that dwelt more remotely and that it was sufficient for them if they went up once a year at the feast of the Passeover from which none might be excused but only by invalidity of body The law concerned Joseph not the blessed virgin Saint Mary Omne masculinum tuum all thy males The Evangelist therefore doth commend the piety and fervent zeal of the blessed virgin in that she also took the paines to go up to Hierusalem with Joseph her husband at the feast of the passeover sixty foure miles whereas by the law she might have stayed at home Christ being twelve years old went up with his parents for the causes before expressed Why Christ went up to Hierusalem being twelve years old Whether he had been there before or not the Evangelist doth not determine I do rather think that he had not been brought up before for fear of Archelaus and that this was the first time that he came up from Nazareth to Hierusalem his parents who before were afraid to return vvith him to Bethlehem because they heard that Archelaus did raigne in Judea being then confident to bring him up thither because they heard that Archelaus had now lost his Ethnarchie being also exiled to Vienna in France When the solemnity of the feast was ended his parents departed but Jesus himselfe tarried behinde in Hierusalem He tarried behinde that he might be about the businesse of his heavenly Father in yielding obedience to his divine will and that by hearing of the Doctours and asking them questions he might manifest his divine wisdome for the honour of God shew the zeal of Gods glory which he had even in his childhood and give example unto others And it was not without mystery that he would be pleased so to do being twelve years old for it was he that would send forth his twelve Apostles to preach his Gospell all the world over Again the age of twelve years saith Stella is intelligendi percipiendi aetas the age or time wherein children come to a ripe understanding or perception therefore not before because he
I shall give a sop when I have dipped it and when he had dipped the sop he gave it to him and then the Devill entred into him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 took his heart into his own possession S. Joh. 13.23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30. saith Theophylact and he went imediately out it being night Christ also saying unto him That thou dost do quickly which words to what end they were spoken none of the Disciples then knew After he was gone forth he discourseth to his Disciples of many things fusely set down by the Evangelists foretelling them the offence that they should take at him He foretelleth the offence of his disciples and S. Peters denyall and to St. Peter his denyall of him Saint Peter was fervent in his love to Christ and was ready upon all occasions to lay down his life for him Christ tells him that Sathan had desired to have them that he might sift them as wheat but that he had prayed for him and in him for all them that his faith should not fail He replies presently Lord I am ready to go with thee both into prison and to death But Christ answereth I tell thee Peter the cock shall not crow this day S. Luc. 22.31 32 33 34. before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me Again he told them that he had but a little while to be with them that they should seek him but said he As I said unto the Jewes whither I go ye cannot come so now I say unto you Saint Peter said Lord whither goest thou Jesus answered him whither I go thou canst not follow me now but thou shalt follow me afterwards Saint Peter would know the reason Why not now S. Joh. 13.33 34 35 36 37 38. I will lay down my life for thy sake Jesus answered him Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake Verily verily I say unto thee the cock shall not crow untill thou hast denyed me thrice Finally which seems to be spoken not in the chamber but as they were going towards the mount of Olives he premonisheth them that they should all be offended because of him that night and that it must be so because the scritpure must be fulfilled I will smite the shepheard and the sheepe shall be scattered which thing was prophesied by Zechariah c. 13.7 Saint Peter had recourse again the third time to his former confidence Although all should be offended yet will not I. Christ replies again Verily I say unto thee That this day even in this night before the cock crow twice thou shalt deny me thrice S. Mat. 26.31 32 33 34 35. S. Mar. 14 27 28 29 30 31 But he spake the more vehemently If I should die with thee I will not deny thee in any wise Which was also that which they all said Ecce avis sine pennis in altum volare nititur sed corpus aggravat animam ut timore humanae mortis timor Domini superetur See saith St. Hierome a bird without wings strives to fly aloft but the body doth overburthen the soul that the fear of the Lord should be praeponderated by the fear of human death His will was good and his love was highly to be commended but he had not rightly considered his owne humane imbecillitie The words which Christ spake made them exceedingly sorrowfull and more especially because he had said that he must go from them Wherefore Judas being gone before that he would go out to be betrayed he spake unto them all those sweet words which are recorded by the blessed Apostle and Evangelist Saint John Christ's farewell Sermon to his Apostles a Sermon of valediction set down verbatim in the fourteenth fifteenth and sixteenth chapters of his Gospell of which briefly this is the summe He comforteth them with the hope of heaven his Fathers house in which are many mansions assuring them that he is going before to prepare a place for them that he will come again and bring them thither professing himselfe to be the way thither according to his humanity and the end according to his divinitie the truth and the life and consubstantiall with the Father Assureth their prayers put up to the Father in his name to be effectuall Thereupon requesting love and obedience he promiseth to send unto them and in them to his Church the holy Ghost the comforter to be with them for ever leaving unto them and to his Church his peace So he concludeth the first part of his Sermon cap. 14. Bidding them to arise and to go from thence leading them it seems to another place where he continues his divine doctrine There under the parable of the Vine he setteth forth the consolation and mutuall love betwixt him and his members shewing how he accounreth of them by this that he dyeth for them Also what must be their comfort in the hatred and persecution of the world likewise shewing what the holy Ghost the comforter will do on his part when he is come and that both he and they must testifie of him cap. 15. Now he fortelleth them of persecution to come to the end that they should not be scandalized thereat when it is come And because that sorrow had filled their heart therefore he proposeth the advantage which they should have by his departure from them for by that means the holy Ghost would come who should testifie against his enemies and guide them into all truth and the inestimable joy that shall be unto them by his resurrection That the prayers which they make to the Father in his name shall be accepted That he came down from the Father and that he would go unto him again Wherefore when they all professed that they did believe that he came forth from God he replyeth that presently when he shouldbe apprehended they would all forsake him And when he had promised them his Peace against the afflictions of the world he endeth his Sermon in these words Be of good cheare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be confident I have overcome the world ca. 16. Having ended his Sermon he then addresseth himselfe to his holy and heavenly Father by prayer that seeing he had now finished his work he would give him his appointed glory to preserve his Apostles his Church for ever in unity against schism in verity against heresie Finally to glorifie them all for ever in heaven together with him And then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they had sung an hymne or the hymne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Saint Gregory Nyssen An hymn is a benediction ascribed to God for the benefits which he hath done unto us in Psal lib. 2. which was accustomed to be sung at that feast S. Mat. 26.30 S. Mar. 14.26 peradventure the great Halalujah as hath been intimated before they went out into the mount of Olives Nigh unto Jerusalem was the valley of Jehosaphat through which ran with great swiftnesse The brook Cedron a certain
The persons The Persons that were to eat it were all the congregation of Israel even every one that was circumcised of whom such a number was to meet together in one house as might suffice to eat a whole Lambe at one meal No foreyner or hired servant nor slave might eat of it but yet if they were first circumcised they might come unto this Sacrament neither was any difference at all to be made betwixt them Exo. 12.49 and the native circumcised seed 3ly The ceremonies The Ceremonies were stated that they must choose a Lambe it must be taken out from the Sheepe or from the Goats This choice must be made upon the tenth day upon the fourteenth day in the evening they must kill it they must take the blood in a Bason they must take a bunch of Hysop and dip it in that blood and strike the lintell and the two side-posts of the doore of the house where it was eaten neither must they go forth untill the morning The Lambe it selfe must not be eaten raw nor sodden but rosted it must be all rosted whole with the head the legs and purtenance It must be eaten with bitter herbs and with unleavened bread it must be all eaten nothing of it must remaine until the morning and if any part of it should remaine untill the morning it must be burnt with fire It must be all eaten in one house none of it must be carried out neither must a bone of it be broken All the while that they did eat it they must stand upon their feet for they must eat it with their loyns girded their shooes on their feet and their staffe in their hand and they must eat it in haste And all this is luculently prescribed Exod. 12. By all this God would perpetuate the memorial of that great deliverance wrought for his people The Meaning when he brought them out of the land of Egypt and from the cruelty and oppression of Pharoah and of the Egyptians It was not enough that such a deliverance should be preached but he will have it to be visibly represented in his Church by the anniversarie celebration of a solemne Sacrament of which the parents must carefully teach the meaning unto their Children And it shall come to passe when your children shall say unto you what meane you by this service That ye shall say it is the sacrifice of the Lords passover Exo. 12.26 who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when he smote the Egyptians and delivered our houses 27. But by all this a further and greater mysterie The Mysterie was meant and intended For their deliverance out of the land of Egypt was a type of that deliverance which all the Israel of God hath by the redemption of Iesus Christ That was a deliverance out of a temporall bondage this is a deliverance out of an eternall bondage that was a deliverance of the body this is a deliverance of body and soule that was a deliverance from Egypt and from the heavy burthens of it this a deliverance from hell it selfe and from the eternall torments of it By that deliverance the carnall seed were brought into the land of Canaan by this deliverance the spirituall seed are brought into the kingdome of heaven That lamb was Christ it was Christ in mysterie and signification for Saint Paul affirmeth it in plain termes 1 Cor. 5.7 Christ our passeover is sacrificed or slaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for us That lamb was without blemish and a male of the first year or of a year old to signifie Christ conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of a pure Virgin in whom there was not the least blemish or spot of sin either originall or actuall and to signifie Christ sacrificed in the full perfection of the human nature That lamb was taken out from the sheep or from the goats to signifie Christ according to the flesh descended both of righteous and unrighteous parentage as is to be seen in his genealogy St. Mat. 1. St. Luc. 3. That blood of the lamb which was shed and was with a bunch of hysope stricken upon the lintell and upon the two side-postes which God looked upon to the end that he might not suffer the destroyer to destroy them did signifie the blood of Christ who like as the hysope which is a low and contemptible herbe should come in a low and contemptible condition that he would look upon his blood and for that blood-sake spare his whole Church by delivering it from the destruction of the wicked world That lamb is eaten for sustentation of the body when Christ crucified is believed for the nutriment of the soul for S. Joh. 6.51 to eat Christ is a work of faith That lamb rosted whole upon the spit did signifie whole Christ made a sacrifice upon the crosse That lamb wholly eaten did signifie Christ wholly to be believed the divinity the humanity the hypostaticall union A bone of that lamb was not to be broken and that St John saith plainly to be meant of Christ S. Joh. 19.36 that not a bone of him should be broken wherein also is to be observed that although this lamb of God did suffer according to all that wherein it was possible for him to suffer in the flesh and was broken yet his Divinity could not suffer That lamb was to be eaten in haste because it was the Lords passover to signifie that all they who eat the true passeover which is Christ the Lord by faith must use no procrastination or delay but must make all the haste they can to come to a full fruition of him That lamb was to be eaten with unleavened bread and with bitter herbes to signifie that they who eat the true passeover must purge out the old leaven of malice and wickednesse and keep the feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth nothing abhorring poverty and all manner of afflictions which attend them in this present world for that lamb's sake That lamb was eaten standing with their loines girt their shooes on their feet and their staves in their hands to signifie that in this world we are pilgrims and strangers here we have no abiding place we must go forth to seek another and a better Country whose builder and founder is God Finally the use The use of this Sacrament was to admonish them of repentance and â—o teach them to amend their lives therefore the beginning of the year was changed to teach them to live no more after the old year in their former conversation but to become new creatures in Christ No uncircumcised person was to eat of it for this was a Sacrament of the â—â—visible Church and served to congregate the members of the same into communion and into one and the same visible profession of the true Religion and was therefore a distinctive signe whereby the professors of the true Religion might be knowne
Gentiles and the glory of Israel his people Finally having blessed them if not as a priest according to the set form of the sacerdotall benediction prescribed in the law Num. 6.24 25 26. for it is not said whether he were a priest or no and as well they who affirm it as they who deny it have no ground at all either for the affirmation or negation of it yet with a christian benediction he did pray to God to bless them by multiplying his blessings upon them in body in soul in goods and fortune blessings temporall eternall blessings Prophesying of Christ and foretelling to the Virgin her selfe that which Saint Bernard calleth her martyrdome a martyrdome by the sword that sword which should pierce through her soul a sword of bitter griefe and anguish when she should see him hanging upon the cross and hear him calling unto her and saying Woman behold thy son S. Joh. 19.26 Ser. de beaâ—a virg Maria. At the same time also Anna a prophetesse a woman of great piety and devotion who had lived a long and a vertuous life came into the temple into that place where it was permitted the women to be and she also gave thanks to God and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Hierusalem For so saith the history observing every circumstance according to the effect and substance of that which hath been related S Luc. 2.22 thus And when the daies of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished they brought him to Hierusalem to present him to the Lord As it is written in the law of the Lord Every male that openeth the wombe shall be called holy to the Lord. And to offer a sacrifice 23 according to that which is said in the law of the Lord a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons And behold there was a man in Hierusalem 24 whose name was Simeon and the same man was just and devout waiting for the consolation of Israel and the holy Ghost was upon him 25 And it was revealed unto him by the holy Ghost that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ And he came by the spirit into the temple 26 and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him after the custome of the law Then took he him up in his armes 27 and blessed God and said Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace 28 29 30 31 32 33 according to thy word For mine eyes have seen thy salvation Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel And Joseph and his Mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him And Simeon blessed them and said unto Mary his mother Behold this childe is set for â—he fall and rising again of many in Israel and for a signe which shall be spoken against 34 yea a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed 35 And there was one Anna a Prophetesse the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asser she was of a great age and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity 36 37 And she was a widow of about fourescore and foure years which deparâ—â—d not from the Temple but served God with fasting and prayer night and day And she comming in at that instant 38. gave thanks likewise unto the Lord and spake of him to all that looked for redemption in Hierusalem Such was the wonderfull birth of Christ his circumcision and presentation in the temple and so was the first year of his age transacted Whether his parents returned back immediately from Hierusalem to Bethlehem and there abode either in the Inne Hâ—story concerning the comming of the wise men where they had lodgings after the taxing ended and the great concourse of those of their tribe and family who came up to be inrolled was dissolved Or else in some house which they hired or otherwise obtained where they continued till the comming of the wise men Or whether they did not go presently so soon as they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord from Hierusalem into Galilee and to their own city Nazareth returning from thence to Hierusalem at the feast of the Passeover and then went when that feast was ended to Bethlehem again and there abode either in the Inne or in some other house where they made their habitation till the wisemen came our sacred history will not determine Certain it is that when they dwelt in Nazareth they went up yearly to Hierusalem as Saint Luke saith at the feast of the passeover S. Luc. 2.41 And certain it is that when the wise men came they went not to Nazareth but to Bethlehem came unto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not into the cave where the stable and manger was but into the house where they saw the young childe with Mary his mother and fell down and worshipped him S. Mat. 2.11 as Saint Matthew saith Most likely it is that they dwelt not in Nazareth till after their return out of Egypt although Saint Luke who was a gentile by birth a proselyte of Antioch thought himselfe more specially concerned to make narration of those things which pertained to the law and to the Jewes omitteth the story wholly of the wise men and of his slight into Egypt and respecting only the time that they dwelt in Nazareth which was after their return out of Egypt saith not saying what passed in the mean time that when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord S. Luc. 2.39 they returned into Galilee to their own City Nazareth Yet Saint Matthew who was a Jew born thought himselfe more properly engaged to narrate those things which set forth in a more peculiar manner Gods great grace and mercy to the Gentiles and therefore declareth both the history of the wise men and Christ his flight into Egypt Much adoe there is concerning the time of the arrivall The time of their arrival of these wise men at Bethlehem Also concerning their persons what they were from whence they came how they came thither upon whose motion and finally as touching the star it self what it was It will be sufficient to our History omitting all disputes to set down the truth of our opinion as plainly and briefly as we can First therefore we cannot assent unto those who think the accesse of those wise men to be the twelfth day after the blessed nativity within six daies after the circumcision and therefore antecedaneus to his presentation in the temple this had been too great a festination they had need of wings to have fled especially if they came from the extreamest parts of the East as some have lightly believed and fabulously reported We cannot assent unto them
their comming to know who he was And because the people were in expectation of the Messiah then to come and all mused in their hearts of Iohn S. Luc. 3.15 whether he were the Christ or not to examine him strictly whether he would profess himselfe to be the Christ Which when Saint Iohn had absolutely and flatly denyed then they ask him a second question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what then art thou Elias an impertinent question for how could he be Elias whom they knew to be the son of Zacharias and Elizabeth whose birth was so famous But it seemes by this that they held a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the soul passing out of one body into another a doctrine fetch'd out of the school of Pythagoras and so thought that the soul of Elias being entred into him he might be the Elias who according to the doctrine of the Scribes should personally precede the Messiah Saint Iohn therefore who was Elias S. Mat. 17.10 S. Mat. 11.14 S. Luc. 1.17 that Elias which was for to come who went before him in the spirit and power of Elias denyed himselfe to be Elias and answered I am not because he was not Elias in the sense of their question and opinion This begat a third question for they were likewise in expectation of a great Prophet to be raised up among them like unto Moses Deut. 18.15 to whom they should all hearken therefore they enquire concerning that Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Art thou that Prophet And when St. John who was a Prophet S. Mat. 11.9 and more then a Prophet had denyed himself to be that Prophet for that Prophet was Christ They persist to demand who he was to the end that they might give an answer unto them by whom they were sent and desire to know from his own mouth whom he would set forth himself to be He tells them who by person even he whose comming was prophesied by the Prophet Isaiah Isa 40.3 And when they demanded further why he took upon him to Baptize seeing he had confessed himself to be none of those who only as they thought might take upon them to Baptize by their own authority he setteth forth his office and baptism preaching Christ and that he had been present among them at his baptism for I collect that these Pharisees were of those that came before unto his baptism when Christ was baptised and had been baptized by him though then they did not know him And this is the record of John when the Jewes sent Priests and Levites from Hierusalem to ask him who art thou S. Joh. 1.19 20 And he confessed and denyed not but confessed I am not the Christ And they asked him what then art thou Elias and he saith I am not Art thou that Prophet and he answered No. Then said they unto him Who art thou 21 that we may give an answer to them that sent us what sayest thou of thy selfe He said I am the voyce of one crying in the wildernesse 232 23 24 make straight the way of the Lord as said the Prophet Esaias And they which were sent were of the Pharisees And they aked him and said unto him why baptizest thou then if thou be not that Christ nor Elias neither that Prophet John answered them saying I baptize with water but there standeth an incogitancie of the Translators the word in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and accordingly the vulgar Latine medius autem vestrûm stetit there stood one among you whom ye know not He it is who comming after me is preferred before me whose shooes latchet I am not worthy to unloose This memorable occurrence was at Bethabara for saith the text These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan where John was baptizing Chirst cometh to Jordan the secod time to receive the testimony of St. Jhon The messengers being so answered and departed the next day St. John seeth Jesus himself comming unto him not from the wilderness but rather from Nazareth Chirst cometh to Jordan the secod time to receive the testimony of St. Jhon where he had contained himself privately with his mother from the time of his temptation to the end and expiration of his baptismall yeare not doing any miracles nor teaching unless privately And then at the latter end of December which was the beginning of the one and thirtieth year of his age he commeth to Bethabara again where St. John remained all this time and baptized that so having received the testimony of his servant before all the people he might begin to make himself more publiquely known and by his divine doctrine and miracles manifest himself to be the son of God and the promised Messiah St. John no sooner seeth him comming but he cryed out in the audience of all the people bidding them to see and observe that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 demonstratively that lambe of God that taketh away or beareth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 demonstratively again as if he should say who onely beareth the sin of the world the whole body of sin as well originall sins as also all actuall sins of the whole world and of every particular person descending from Adam for he is the Redeemer of all mankind It is not that lambe which is offered twice every day at morning and at evening it is not the paschall lambe solemnly eaten by all the congregation of Israel once a year that can take away or bear the sinne of the world but this is that lambe of God slain from the foundation of the world who taketh away saith he or beareth the sin of the world By laying it on himself to bear it in his own person by taking away the dominion of sin to the end that it should not raign in our mortal bodies in this life by taking away the imputation of sin to the end that it should not condemn us in the life to come And to the end that all the people should the better understand who he was he recollecteth what he had told them before concerning him adding withall that he knew him not then according to his bodily presence notwithstanding that his preaching and baptisme had no other end but to manifest him But now that he could confidently averre that this is he because he had seen the holy Ghost to descend upon him and because that he who sent him to baptize had given it unto him for a token whereby he should know him S. Joh. 1.29 30 The next day John seeth Jesus comming unto him and saith Behold the lambe of God which taketh away the sin of the world This is he of whom I said After me commeth a man which is preferred before me for he was before me And I knew him not but that he should be made manifest unto Israel therefore am I come baptizing with water 31 And Iohn bare record saying I saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove and
multitude saw it they marvelled and glorified God S. Mat. 9.8 which had given such power unto men Certainly Maldonats note upon the place is not amiss Observation That like as the divinity of Christ communicated to his humanity the power of doing miracles Even so the power is dirived from Christ the head unto the ministers of his Church to forgive sins Christ is the Lord he as God hath the key of authority to remit sins tum quod culpam tum quod poenam as well in respect of the fault and guiltiness of sin as also of the consequent punishment due unto the same as God and man he hath the key of excellency to remit sins upon his own merit His ministers have a ministeriall key to remit sins in the name and by the power of Christ For was this spoken by Christ and written by St. Matthew for our Instruction Hath God given such power unto men as to pronounce the pardon of sin to the sick man in his bed Is the doctrine of confession and absolution agreeable as well to the Scriptures as also to the practice of the Church both present and primitive then may every one who is a minister of the word and sacraments a priest in sacred orders rightly and duly ordained to his office and function upon good information of faith and repentance say to the sick sinner in his bed thy sins are forgiven thee Or by his authority committed unto me I absolve thee from all thy sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost For absolution as well private as publick belongeth principally yea properly and by vertue of his office to the minister as Christ his Ambassadour in his ministeriall function But of this we dispute no farther but return again to the matter Christs his miracles for the glory of God upon three respects Christ his miracles were wrought for the glory of God more particularly upon three respects 1st Because that Christ is thereby mightily declared to be the son of God and the promised Messiah Saint John the Baptist did no miracles therefore when he sent two of his disciples unto Christ to aske him this question saying S. Mat. 11.3 Art thou he that should come or do we look for another he pleadeth his miracles in evidence of his divinity The blind saith he receive their sight and the lame walk the lepers are clensed the deaf hear the dead are raised up and the poor have the Gospell preached unto them As if he should say I who do all these things and am preached to be him who else am I but the son of God and the promised Messiah 2ly Because the doctrine of the gospell is thereby confirmed Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me S. Joh. 14.11 or else believe me for the very works sake We read that when God offered a signe or miracle unto king Ahaz to the end that he might believe the words which were spoken unto him by the mouth of the prophet Isaias he refused saying I will not ask Isa 7.12 Judg. 6.17.37 39. S. Mat. 16.4 neither will I tempt the Lord. Gideon required a signe or miracle and he had it more then once or twice The Pharisees required a signe and are sharply reproved and the signe denyed Thus their actions agreed not unto their ends Ahaz out of pride 2 King 16. or peradventure out of that trust and confidence which he reposed in the strength and power of Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria refused the miracle and to contemn or refuse a signe or miracle when God shall offer it is a sin The Pharisees were a generation of proud hypocrites who had before hand set up a resolution not to believe on him whatsoever he should say or whatsoever he should do therefore when they require a miracle out of pride and curiosity they are condemned and rejected But Gideon in his humility did aske a signe for the confirmation of his faith in the promise of God It is no example for us now for the gospell is sufficiently confirmed by miracles we must believe and have recourse unto the ordinary signes the sacred and mysterious sacraments To refuse or contemn them is the sin of Ahaz Lastly they make for the glory of God because thereby he breaks the serpents head and destroyes his kingdom Sathan erecteth his kingdome among men by his works When the Jewes boasted that they were the seed of Abraham and the sons of God Christ told them that the devill was their father S. Joh. 8.48 1 Joh. 3.8 because they did their father's lusts The lusts of the devill are his works but Christ hath destroyed them He destroyed them by his miracles for he cast out devills he purified the minds of men he remitted sins he raised the dead nay he himselfe dyed and rose again Rom. 6.9 10 11. to the end that we also should die unto sin by vertue of his death and rise again unto newnesse of life by vertue of his most blessed and glorious resurrection So the glory of God was the primary and more principall end of his Divine miracles But the Secundary and lesse principall end was the utility and profit of men 1st and more specially of those men The secundary or lesse principall end who had the present benefit were healed and cured and were raised from the dead for sicknesse and death being the effects of sin they were hereby taught to believe and to hope for greater mercies The wages of sin is death the bodily death the spirituall death with all manner of sicknesses and diseases of the body tending to the bodily death and with all manner of sicknesses and diseases of the soule as griefe anger anguish horrour dread presumption desperation tending to the spirituall death Adde here all those evills in the city which the Lord hath done by war by pestilence by famine also all private crosses and losses in the particular goods and estates of men But the gift of God is eternall life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 2ly For the Church Rom. 6.23 and for all her members generally and that first to the end that if any man be sick or diseased he may look up unto Christ the true physician He that hath wrought all his Divine miracles immediately and mediately He that hath wrought his miracles in all the miseries and calamities of men He that hath wrought all his miracles by his own divine power and vertue He that wrought his miracles to destroy the kingdome of Sathan and did remit the sins of men He that wrought his miracles by his word only to them that were present to them that were absent He that wrought his miracles by his word together with a touch of his hand or by permitting the sick and diseased to touch him He that wrought his miracles sometimes by means and things naturall sometimes by means and things not naturall or
the vote of the Scribes and said even as they did This fellow doth not cast out Devils but by Beelzebub the prince of Devils Hereupon others of their consorts S. Mat. 12.24 seeing that the Scribes and Pharisees had condemned this signe to be from hell tempted him and sought of him a signe from heaven They would have had him peradventure as St. Hierome also saith to have brought fire from heaven as Elijah did 2 King 1.10 1 Sam. 12.18 or to have caused it suddainly to thunder and rain as the prophet Samuel did But he apologizeth and recriminateth By the apologie he maintaineth his divine power whereby that and all other his divine miracles were effected By the recrimination he convicteth them of that irremissible sin which is against the holy Ghost The Scribes and Pharisees convinced of the irremissible sin in that they saw and knew his divine power in the works which he did and yet blasphemed The apologie is grounded upon two arguments whereof the first is taken from the absurdity of the consequence as if he should say how irrationall is this How doth Sathan cast out Sathan is his kingdom divided or doth he himself seek the ruine of his own kingdom or must it not needs be so if he will cast himself out where he hath once gotten quiet possession This is true of every kingdom S. Mat. 12.25 26 27 28. S. Mar. 3.23 24 25 26. S. Luc. 11.17 18 19 20. and of every house therefore of Sathans kingdom and of Sathans house how then do I by Sathan cast out Devills or by whom doe your children cast them out The second is taken from the manner of ejection which is the necessity of the consequence How can I cast out Sathan against his will were I not stronger then he can any man enter into a strong mans house and spoil his goods if he be not stronger then that strong man first to bind him and then to spoil his goods If I therefore have entred into Sathans house If I have bound him S Mat. 12.29 30. S Mar. 3.27 S Luc. 11.21 22 23. S Mat. 12.31 32. S Mar. 3.28 29 30. The irremissible sin against the holy Ghost if I have cast him quite out of his house and despoyled him of his goods as you may see in this demoniak am I not then stronger then Sathan And if stronger then Sathan who else but God and the son of God The recrimination followeth and is this therefore you Scribes and Pharisees because you have said that I have an unclean spirit and do cast out Devils by the Prince of Devils have sinned against the Holy Ghost to your own damnation The irremissible sin therefore is not blasphemy against the nature or person of the holy Ghost if a man shall deny that there is an holy Ghost or third person as did the Photinians or if he shall deny him to be God or more then a creature as did the Macedonians Quid ergo fiet de his quos lucrari cupit ecclesia saith St. Augustine What shall then become of those whom the Church desireth to acquire De verb. Dom. Ser. 11. cap. 4. The Church desireth to gaine and hath gained such But that irremissible sin is blasphemy against the works of the holy Ghost and is when he that is illuminated shall against his own knowledge and conscience slander and blaspheme the holy Ghost in his works by a malicious obtrectation by a wilfull repudiation and by an envious persecution of those that work them So the Scribes and Pharisees blasphemed the holy Ghost by affirming those works to be done by Beelzebub which they saw and knew to be done by the finger of God and by persecuting Christ for his works sake Saint Matthew and St. Luke proceed in the recrimination and both of them do say S Mat. 12.39 40. S Luc. 11.29 30. The signe of the Prophet Ionah that he denyed them a signe from heaven that is to say such a signe and in such a manner as they desired But yet promised the signe of the Prophet Ionas by the resurrection of his body upon the third day Indeed Jonah was an excellent type of the resurrection of Christ and of his resurrection upon the third day For like as Jonah for three dayes was in the Whales belly and during that time no better then dead but then the fish could hold him no longer for then the Lord spake unto the fish Jon. 2.10 and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land And Jonah is sent a Prophet to preach to Nineveh that they should repent Piscis qui Ionam devoravit in pelago significat mortem quam Christus passus est in mundo saith one of the Fathers The fish which devoured Jonah in the sea signifieth the death which Christ suffered in the world For even so was Christ in the grave as Jonah in the Whales belly till the third day but then the earth could hold him no longer God speaks unto the grave and the grave must surrender his blessed body and he ariseth and preacheth to the Ninevites for he sendeth his Apostles with ample commission Rom. 10.18 And their sound went into all the earth and their words unto the ends of the world In amplifying of which recrimination while he insisteth more sharply he telleth them that the Queene of the south and the Ninevites shall rise up in judgement against them for their unbelief and hardness of heart to their condemnation S Mat. 12.43 44 45. S. Luc. 11.24 25 26. which he affirmeth to be just for as much as the Devill whom he would cast out of the world by the power of his Gospell should in a worse manner than ever enter again into their nation And as he insisted upon these things a certain woman that heard him and was in the company be it Marcella or whosoever it were Blessedness of Christs mother cryed out as in a divine rapture Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the paps which thou hast sucked Indeed the wombe was blessed the paps were blessed the body was blessed the soul was blessed S. Luc. 1.48 yea and all generations shall call her blessed but that blessedness came not to her by bearing of Christ but by believing in Christ S. Luc. 11.28 and therefore he replyeth saying yea rather blessed are they that heare the word of God and keep it So having pronounced his mother blessed blessed in bearing more blessed in believing she together with his brethren arriveth there S. Luc. 8.19 desiring to speak with him and because they could not come at him for the preass they sent unto him calling him as Saint Mark saith The cause of her comming to Christ as he was preaching No doubt but the cause of their comming was good and as they thought at that time necessary peradventure to perswade him to take some pitty upon himselfe considering his long fasting and continuall pains which also
a blinde and dumbe devill By convincing the scribes and pharisees of the irremissible sin By promising the signe of the prophet Jonas By teaching the people in parables By sending forth his Apostles two and two By feeding five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes By walking upon the sea to his disciples By reproving the traditions of the pharisees By healing the daughter of the Canaanitish woman By healing him that was deaf and had an impediment in his speech By feeding foure thousand with seven loaves and a few little fishes By reproving the pharisees and sadduces By reprehending his disciples By healing the blinde man It became him who humbled himselfe and was made man for the redemption of all mankinde to do all these things And thus following herein my learned author late right Reverend Diocesan in his learned Theanthropicon our sacred history doth put an end to the third year after his Baptism which was the two and thirtieth year of his age The first occurrence of the next year is that Jesus with his disciples came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi not into Caesarea Philippi it selfe S. Mar. 8.27 S. Luc. 9.18 S. Mat. 16 13 Christ interrogateth his disciples but into the townes of Cesarea Philippi as St. Mark saith and in the way having prayed alone he asked his disciples saying Whom do men say that I the son of man am This question was propounded to them by the way as they went not out of ignorance as if he had not known what it was that the people said of him nor out of curiosity as if he were delighted to hear the rumours of the vulgar concerning himselfe but docendi gratiâ because he meant to teach and instruct them more perfectly He did not aske whom the Pharisees and Scribes did say him to be that was publickly and notoriously known for in the blindeness of their own minds and in the hardness of their hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Saint Epiphanius They knew not his Godhead and they supposed that he was no other but a meer man Lib. Anchor cap. 27. They knew nothing of his wonderfull conception which was by the holy Ghost nor of his wonderfull birth which was of a pure virgin nor of his speciall priviledge which was that he was without all sin nor of the hypostaticall union whereby the word was made flesh not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh but by taking of the manhood into God They did therefore notoriously defame him S. Joh 8.44 S. Joh. 10.20 said that he was a Samaritan and that he had a devill That he had a devill and was mad And because he came eating and drinking S. Mat. 11.19 they said Behold a man gluttonous and a wine-bibber a friend to publicans and sinners They undervalued all his miracles and look what they saw and knew to be done by the divine power and vertue of the holy Ghost they affirmed of the devill S. Mar. 3.22 saying He hath Beelzebub and by the prince of devills casteth he out devills Therefore he did not ask what they said him to be but whom do men the people the vulgar say that I the Son of man am The opinion of the people concerning Christ They told him according to the common opinion of the people of the Jewes in those dayes whereby it was believed that the souls of the defunct according to the merits of each person did commigrate into other bodies that some said that he was Saint John the Baptist some Elias others Jeremias or one of the prophets that is to say of the old Prophets and that he was such by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that the soul of Saint John the Baptist Elias or Jeremias or of one of the Prophets was transmigrated into him and that this was the vulgar errour concerning him Whereupon he demanded of them saying But whom say ye that I am Simon Peter the mouth of the Apostles replyeth both for himselfe and for all the rest Thou art Christ Saint Peters confession the son of the living God He pronounceth him blessed for his faiths-sake whereby he so believed affirming that this his answer was by divine revelation For flesh and blood saith he hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven And then admonisheth him of the retribution for his confession sake Thou art Peter and upon this rock will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Promising also unto him the keyes of the kingdome of heaven to the end that whatsoever he should binde on earth should be bound in heaven and whatsoever he should loose upon earth should be loosed in heaven His prerogative 1st He confers upon him this prerogative That he is Peter that is to say a stone for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the greek signifieth a stone And it was his prerogative that he was made a stone not by conversion of his nature into stone but by the gift of grace by his faith by his function For in this was Christ as good as his word and performeth that promise which he made when first he was presented to him by his brother Saint Andrew Thou art Simon the son of Jona S. Joh. 1.42 thou shalt be called Cephas which is by interpretation a stone And he did reserve the confirmation of his promise till Saint Peter had made this good confession The Church of God which is the whole number of those whom God hath elected to eternall life The Church compared to a materiall temple S. Mat. 21.13 1 Pet. 5.2 is often in the Scriptures resembled to a materiall temple and in particular to the temple of Hierusalem So that like as that temple was called an house the house of prayer in like manner is this called an house a spirituall house for distinction sake The materiall house was built of stones laid one upon another the spirituall house is likewise said to be builded but the edification is not of naturall and inanimate 1 Cor. 12.26 1 Pet. 2.5 but of spirituall and living stones The naturall stones of the materiall temple were joyned and cimented one unto another that so the building might rise to perfection Eph. 2.21 and the spirituall stones are in like manner fitly framed together that the building might grow unto an holy temple of the Lord. The materiall temple had a strong foundation that foundation was a rock upon which were superstructed great and mighty stones to support the whole fabrick which stones might not improperly be called the foundation and were indeed a second foundation most necessary for so great a structure which afterwards was raised with costly and curious stones such as Solomon made ready 1 King 6.7 and brought thither or such as those stones which the disciples did marvell at in the temple S. Mar. 13.1 S. Mat. 24.1 saying Master see wha◠manner of stones
So was the Scripture fulfilled They parted my raiment among them S. Joh. 19.24 and for my vesture they did cast lots He was broken and poured out in his soul by fear By fear of that bitter cup which he was to drinke he feared it and did pray against it O my Father S. Mat. 26.39 if it be possible let this cup passe from me He feared hell and the judgment of God due to mankinde for sin made his by imputation by such a fear as was possible for him to fear them And there is a fourfold fear of hell A foure-fold fear of hell and of the judgment of God There is a fear whereby a man doth carefully decline it such a fear is in all the Saints and servants of God and was in Christ in a speciall manner who is the Lord of all the Saints There is a fear whereby a man doth anxiously or carefully conflict with it such a fear none of all the saints could avoid nor would Christ avoid it as my learned author saith in that he was to be made a sacrifice for us whose prayers and supplications vvere therefore offered up with strong crying and tears Heb. 5.7 unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared Ne absorberetur that he should not be svvallovved up by it There is a fear vvhereby a man despaireth utterly it is the fear of those that cannot truely repent Gen. 4.13 S. Mat. 27.4 and vvas in Cain and in Judas Iscariot but such a fear is never to be found in any of all the Saints nor vvas it possible to be in Christ vvho had no sin There is a fear of hell in hell vvhich the damned retain as a part of their punishment S. Mar. 9.44 never dying worme and inextinguishible fire He vvas broken and poured out in his soul by griefe for he was a man of sorrowes Isa 53.3 4 5. and acquainted with griefe He did bear our griefs and carry our sorrowes he was stricken smitten of God and afflicted yet not for his owne but for our transgressions Lam. 1.12 Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger He was broken and poured out in soul by heavinesse It was a grievious dump and heavinesse that was over his soul wherewith he was amazed and very heavy as Saint Mark noteth when he said unto his disciples that his soul was exceeding sorrowfull unto death S. Mar. 14.34 Finally he was broken and poured out in soul byshame The death of the crosse was a most shamefull and a most ignominious death being therefore affected as a man he could not but shame to have that his chast body exposed naked all bloody at midday to the view of his blessed mother his disciples kindred acquaintance and to be made a scorn and greedy spectacle to his wicked enemies But he endured the crosse Heb. 12.2 and despised the shame as the Scripture noteth We cannot tell how many and how great his sufferings in soule were who knowes the number or extent of them therefore have we to make it in our prayers as the Greeks do in their Liturgies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By thy unknown sufferings O Christ deliver us He was broken and poured out in his body and that in all the parts of it In his hands and in his feet by the tearing nails in his head by the wounding thornes in his side by the piercing spear in his face by the unclean spittings and cruell buffetings and all over by the mercilesse whip Not from his side alone but from all the parts of the body of this true Pelican spouted forth unto us his reviving blood wherein he was similis factus Pelicano Ps 102.6 like unto the Pelican He was broken and poured out in all his senses In his feeling saith Mr. William Austen by the blowes bloody thornes nails and scourges In his taste by vinegar In his smell by hanging in a filthy stinking place of rotten dead mens skulls In his hearing by their base taunts and blasphemies In his sight by seeing those for whom he dyed and dearly loved doing all this and those that dearly loved him his mother and Saint John stand by weeping The feeling of all which was so sensible unto him that in Ieremy he calls from his crosse to all that go by the way to consider it Lam. 1.12 and see if there were any pain like his And now after all upon an Attendite and a Videle on a sufficient view and enquiry a non sicut is returned And that upon good reason For none ever suffered for such a cause therefore none ever felt such pains Excessere saith Thomas for their extent Par. 3. 46. art 6. Excessere omnes dolores quos homines pati possunt in hac vita When God will suffer pain to make him die in all that wherein it was possible for him to die what pain must that be Certainly as much as humanity could bear so much did he endure till sense of pain made him past sense and his noble soul expired suffering in the mean time the violence of his passion by the fortitude of his patience Medit. for good friday He brake the bread and he took the cup. He did give and distribute unto them the bread which he had broken and the cup which he had taken He gave unto them the bread which he had broken and the cup which he had taken And not the bread and the cup only but in by and with that bread and cup he gave his most precious body and blood For the res sacramenti the thing of the sacrament is generally all that which faith doth apprehend to salvation and everlasting life Now that next and immediately is Christ himselfe who is the thing of the sacrament three manner of waies by his person by his merits and by his benefits By his person for whole Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and man is exhibited therein as well in respect of his Divinity as also in reguard of his humanity although in the divine institution of it mention be made more specially of the human nature and a peculiar regard be had thereunto 1st Because in that nature he is consubstantiall with us and that blessed Seed in whom all the families of the earth are blessed 2ly Because in that nature he merited for us 3ly Because by that nature we come to his Divinity and do obtain grace with God By his merit for both the verity and utility of the death of Christ by which he purchased life for us is propounded and confirmed thereby By his benefits for look what Christ had and what Christ did he testifieth by his sacraments that he had them and did them for us men and for our salvation Which benefits Saint Paul reduceth to foure heads wisedome 1
Cor. 1.30 1 Cor. 2.7 and righteousness and sanctification and redemption Wisedome to know God in Christ which is that hidden wisdome which God ordained before the world unto our glory Righteousness the righteousness which is of God by faith Phil. 3.9 the imputed righteousness of Iesus Christ apprehended and applyed by faith to justification with God or in the sight of God Gal. 3.11 Sanctification whereby we are renewed in the spirit of our minde and do put on that new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Eph. 4.23 24. Redemption whereby we are delivered from all evills and are saved from our enemies and from the hand of all that hate us from the devill and from death and are finally and eternally glorified There is therefore a wonderfull difference and a wonderfull convenience to be observed as touching the matter of the sacrament Difference in nature the signe is visible the thing of the signe is invisible Difference in the object the one is the object of the body the other is the object of the soul Difference in manner of communication the one is communicated corporally the other is communicated spiritually Yet is there a wonderfull convenience for though nothing can be more different then the signe and the thing of the signe yet are they joyned together in a sacramentall bond Such is the wonderfull wisdome of Almighty God who by such weak elements doth vouchsafe to give unto every faithfull receiver his son Christ with all his merits and with all his benefits The words of the commandement concerning the administration of it to those who are to administer it Commanâ—ement for the aâ—ministration and to his Apostles first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this do are to be understood thus That like as he their Lord had blessed and given thanks and by prayers and thanksgivings had prepared designed and consecrated the bread and the wine to become a sacrament the sacrament of his blessed body and blood not of their owne nature but by divine institution Even so must they Like as he did break the bread and take the cup not so much to divide and distribute it among them as that thereby he might signifie set forth and represent his death even so must they Like as he had given unto them the bread which he had broken and the cup which he had taken to the end that they should eat the bread and drinke the wine Even so must they also give to those to whom they should administer the sacrament the bread which they should break and the cup which they should take to be eaten and drank Like as he gave unto them not the bread and the cup onely but in by and with the bread and the cup himselfe with his most pretious body and blood even so in like manner that they should give unto those to whom they should administer it the same and no other thing but what he had given unto them that is to say not the bread and the cup only but by in with the bread and the cup himself Two loves in Christ tâ—wards his Church with his most precious body and blood There were in Christ two speciall loves towards his Church and chosen people The one urged him to be gone and to lay down his life for an effectuall redemption the other urged him to stay still and to be with them unto the end of the world He must go from them by laying down his life for them or else it was not possible for him to redeem them expedit vobis ut ego vadam S. Joh. 16.7 it is expedient for you said he that I go away He was willing to have stayed if it had been possible and therefore he prayed saying O my Father S. Mat. 26.42 if this cup may not pass away from me except I drink it thy will be done He found an expedient for both he would go away and yet he would stay he would go away by his bodily presence but he vvould stay still by his sacramentall presence It is not enough for the spouse if the bridegroom bestovv on her many rare and rich jevvells as pledges of his love it is his presence which to her is more expetible then gold or fine gold Christ the bridegroome when he ascended into heaven gave unto his spouse the Church many rare and rich jewells vvherein his Church also rejoyceth highly esteeming them for the bridegrooms sake Eph. 4.11 12. He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some pastours and teachers for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministery and for the edification of the body of Christ But all this is not enough his Church doth desire his presence Cant. 3.11 it is that vvherein she gloryeth Go forth O ye daughters of Zion and behold king Solomon with the crowne wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousalls and in the day of the gladness of his heart She cannot have his bodily naturall or locall presence and yet such a presence she hath His presence in the Eucharist as vvhereby she doth behold him in the most sacred and mysterious Eucharist It is a presence vvhereby he is believed and acknovvledged by his Church to be truly and really present in respect of the signes and in respect of the worthy receivers In respect of the signes for the body and blood of Christ are present vvith the bread and vvine vvhich are the sacramentall signes although not by coexistency and place yet by a sacramentall and relative presence In respect of the worthy receivers for Christ is indeed present in their hearts by the same presence altogether as the communion of his body and blood is exhibited unto them in that sacrament This is a true reall though not a corporall presence Touch me not S. Joh. 20.17 said he unto Saint Mary Magdalen for I am not yet ascended to my Father Touch me not saith he to his Church for I am ascended to my Father S. Mat. 28.9 And yet we do touch him daily though not as the woman did who held him by the feet yet in that vve touch the visible signes vve touch all that vvhich is signified assured and delivered by them Affectu non manu voto non oculo fide non sensibus But this touching is by affection not by the hands by desire not by the eye by faith not by the senses But the commandement is not only concerning the administration of it to those that are to administer it Commandement for the participation but also concerning the participation of it to those that are to receive it And the duty enjoyned is two-fold the first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is a sacramentall ceremony for he that commeth to the Lords table must take and receive the Elements of bread and wine at the hand of the minister by which taking a spirituall reception
Fifthly Where remission of sins is Where doth he remit them Answ Remission of sins is no where but in the Church of God Ipsa namque propriè Spiritum sanctum pignus accepit sine quo non remittuntur ulla peccata ita ut quibus dimitâ—untur consequantur vitam aeternam For the Church properly hath received the holy Ghost a pledge without whom no sins are remitted to the end that they to whom they are remitted may obtain everlasting life Isa 33.24 Aug. Enchir. cap. 65. The people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity It is a benefit so proper to the Church that as Master Calvin saith we cannot enjoy it upon any other termes then that we remain in the communion thereof Whether any sin be irremissible Sixthly Whether there be any sin which is irremissible Answ The sin against the holy Ghost is irremissible for the words of Christ are plain He that shal blaspheam against the holy Ghost hath never forgivenesse S. Mar. 3.29 Blasphemy against the holy Ghost but is in danger of eternall damnation Which blasphemy against the holy Ghost is both against knowledge and against conscience by abnegation of the knowne truth by universall apostacy from Christ and from Christian religion by rebellion arising from the hatred of Gods truth together with a tyrannicall sophisticall and hypocriticall impugnation of it Seventhly Whether any sinner may despair to be forgiven Answ No sinner is to despair of pardon and remission of sins Whether a sinner may despair be they never so great never so many for if he shall truly repent God will freely forgive Nemo post centum peccata nec post mille crimina de misericordia divina desperet saith Saint Augustine Let no man despair of the mercy of God neither after an hundred sins nor after a thousand crimes De temp ser 58. Repentance may be profitable unto every man at what time soever he shall do it and be he never so bad never so old saith the same Father Wash ye make you clean Isa 1.16 put away the evill of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evill Learn to do well seek judgment 17 18. relieve the oppressed judge the fatherlesse plead for the widow Come now and let us reason together though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool saith the prophet Isaiah Eightly Whether the force and effect of remission be more to be discerned c. Whether the force and effect of remission of sins be not more to be discerned in the world to come then in this present world Answ The force and effect of the grace of God in the free remission of sins is more to be discerned in the world to come then in this present world for in this world remission of sins doth not plainly and fully produce its effect neither is the fruit of it fully to be reaped till the day of judgment 1st Because that they whose sins are now remitted are yet notwithstanding oftentimes vexed and much afflicted in the world like as on the other side all sins are not punished in this life 2ly Because the Scripture ascribeth remission of sins to the day of judgment a day of refreshing namely to those who have obtained remission of sins when the troubles and calamities of this present life shall be at an end Repent ye therefore Act. 3.19 and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Ninthly Why God wil forgive sins Why will he forgive sins Answ God will forgive sins for his owne sake that he may be glorified in the pardon and remission of sins And God will remit sins for his elect and chosen sake that they may be glorified together with him in the pardon and remission of their sins As the Apostle Saint Paul saith Rom. 9.23 That he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory Thus the blessed Evangelists having observed both what Christ did and what Christ said Concerning the explication Saint Luke setteth down the explication which sheweth the cause or reason as well of the administration as also of the participation of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in remembrance of me It is to banish ingratitude from his Church for ever We are apt to forget the benefits which we have received at the hands of others and to bury our benefactours themselves in oblivion Who would have thought that Laban would so soon have forgotten the benefits which he received at the hands of Jacob who had served him so faithfully It was that which Jacob complained of to his wives Gen. 31.5 I see your fathers countenance that it is not towards me as before Who would have thought that Pharaohs chiefe butler would so suddainly have forgotten Joseph and the interpretation of his dream But it was his ingratitude that he did not remember Joseph Gen. 40.23 but forgat him Who would have thought that the kings of Egypt would ever have forgotten Joseph and the benefits which they received at his hands Exod. 1.8 Yet the Scripture saith that there arose a new king over Egypt which knew not Joseph Which remembered not Joseph nor all the benefits which he had done unto Pharaoh and to all the land of Egypt Who would have thought that the people of Israel would ever have forgotten their deliverance out of the land of Egypt Psal 78.42 and yet see what the Scripture saith They remembred not his hand nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy 43. How he had wrought his signes in Egypt and his wonders in the field of Zoan It was a deliverance that must never be forgotten and lest they should forget it he would have it to be remembered every year by the celebration of a solemn sacrament And it shall come to passe when your children shall say unto you Exod. 12.26 What mean you by this service That ye shall say It is the sacrifice of the Lords passeover who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when he smote the Egyptians and delivered our houses Our blessed Lord would not be forgotten the deliverance which he would work for his Church would be a far greater deliverance then that of the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt That was a deliverance out of a temporall bondage this is a deliverance out of an eternall bondage That was a deliverance of the body this is a deliverance of body and soul That was a deliverance from Egypt and from the heavy burthens of it this is a deliverance from hell it selfe and from the eternall torments of it By that deliverance they were brought into the land of Canaan by this deliverance we are brought into the kingdome
brook which sprang out of an hill not far off upon the south and so passed through the east part of the city betwixt Jerusalem and the mount of Olives from whence it held its course through the cliffs of that mount till it fell into the dead sea It had its name and was called Cedron from the blackness of the waters which were made black by the fertility of the soil through which it ran the valley of Jehosaphat being a very rich and fertile soile This brook was not great upon any great rain it would be very full as they say but was commonly drie in the summer time Over this brook as Saint John saith S. Joh. 18.1 The mount of Olives they passed to go to the mount of Olives which mount stood about halfe a mile from the city very fruitfull and pleasant abounding with many precious fruits especially with Olives from whence it was called the mount of Olives S. Mat. 26.36 S. Mar. 14 32 Gethsemane At the foot of this hill there was a village called Gethsemane scituate in a very pleasant and fruitfull place where it is said they used to press their oyle from whence it obtained to be so called for Gath signifieth a press schaemen oyle Nigh thereunto was a spacious and delightfull garden supposed to have been first planted by David and Solomon and afterwards encreased enlarged by the kings of Iuda for their delight and recreation to walk and to enjoy themselves Into that garden Christ often went with his disciples and Iudas knew it and knew the place Having therefore passed over the brook Cedron he came thither according to his wont and being come into the garden he assigned a place to the other disciples to sit and to remain saying Sit ye here while I go and pray yonder but took with him Sainâ— Peter and the two sons of Zebedee Saint James and Saint John and began to be sorrowfull and very heavy S. Mat. 26.37 38.8 Mar. 14.33 34. saith Saint Matthew to be sore amazed saith Saint Mark He telleth them whence that sorrow heavinesse and amazement proceeded it was from his soul which was exceeding sorrowfull unto death as if it had then been even in the pangs and pains Christ sorrowfull in soul and torments of death immediately to depart out of his body and to die the spirituall or supernaturall death Such and so great was the sorrow of his soul having before his eyes the bitternesse of that cup which he was to drink which he was amazed to behold looking upon Adam and upon all his posterity damned to the eternall torments of hell by the sentence of the law and not otherwise to be redeemed but by the merit of his passion only seeing and considering all the sins of men from the first disobedience of Adam in paradise unto the worlds end and every sin deserving eternall death to be imputed unto him and to be satisfied for by him seeing and considering that he must now conflict with the devill and with all the powers of hell to break the serpents head and to overthrow them utterly by a shamefull and ignominious death upon the crosse seeing and considering that he must conflict with the law and with the malediction and curse of the law to take it away and to nail it unto the crosse Thus began he his passion not by necessity but by voluntary dispensation He beginneth his passion He could presently have commanded all the joyes of heaven but he would not for the works sake which he was to do Having therefore bidden them to tarry in that place and to watch with him he went a little further about a stones cast he kneeled down and prayed saying Father if thou be willing remove this cup from me neverthelesse not my will but thine be done Then was he in an agony and prayed more earnestly falling flat to the ground upon his face saying O my Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me neverthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt Abba Father all things are possible unto thee take this cup from me neverthelesse not that I will but what thou wilt In this agony he fell into a sweating passion and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood He sweateth blood falâ—ing down to the ground And in this agony there appeared an angell unto him strengthening him The Divinity therefore had respect to the human nature so overcharged with fear sorrow heaviness and amazement that all the pores of his body were opened by which the blood issued by drops trickling down to the ground whereunto must be added his vehemency and ardency in prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that agony he prayed more earnestly Violent passions produce violent effects it was true naturall blood the pure blood of his blessed body which he did sweat but the manner of its emanation was marvellous and mysterious After he had prayed a while he ariseth from the ground goeth to his disciples and findeth them sleeping whom when he had gently reprehended but Saint Peter by name Simon sleepest thou couldst not thou waâ—ch one houre Watch ye and pray lest ye enter into temptation S. Mat. 26.39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46. the spirit is ready but the flesh is weak he goes away and prayeth again saying the same words and then commeth to them the second time and findeth them sleeping as before Wherefore he went away again and prayed and spake the same words S. Mar. 14.35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42. S. Luc. 22.41 42 43 44 45 46. and when he came the third time he told them that he was betrayed and that the traitour was at hand saying Rise let us be going not to flie from them but to meet them Behold he is at hand that doth betray me So went he forward to meet them marching as it were before his disciples as a Captain yet not to fight with the sword but to conquer by his death Judas also led up his company against him a band of men His apprehension and officers from the chiefe priests and pharisees accompanyed with some of the chiefe priests captains of the temple and Elders of the people armed with swords staves and other weapons against resistance and bringing lanthorns and torches lest he should hide himselfe from them in the garden and escape them by the darkness of the night Iudas also had given them a signe before to the end that they might not erre in the person and apprehend some other in stead of him which was his traiterous and perfidious kisse He thought by such a signe as Theophylact saith to delude him but Iesus knowing all things that should come upon him goes up close unto them and gives the onset saying Whom seek ye Thâ—y answered Iesus of Nazareth he replyeth I am he At which word they went backward and fell to the ground Tenere volentibus non valen ibus ostendit
called in the old testament Ramathaim Zophim of mount Ephraim the city of Elkana the father of Samuel the prophet a rich man 1 Sam. 1.1 an honourable counsellor a disciple of Jesus but secretly for fear of the Jewes which also waited for the kingdom of God a good man and a just who had not consented to the counsell or deed of them who gave up Jesus to death consulted it should seem with Nicodemus who was a pharisee and a ruler of the Jewes who came to Jesus by night St. Joh. 3.1 2. and had formerly declared against them St. Ioh. 7.50 51. concerning his buriall to the end that he might not be laid or cast aside with the other malefactours but might have an honourable interment Whereupon Ioseph went in boldly unto Pilate and begg'd his body for it did belong unto him to dispose of it Pilate marvelling that he was so soon dead called unto him the Centurion and being certified by him that he was dead indeed he gave his body unto Ioseph who took it down from the crosse having first bought fine linnen to wrap it in Then came Nicodemus bringing a mixture of myrrhe and aloes about an hundred pound waight So they did unto the body according to the manner of the Iewes viz. they washed it for the Iewes did wash the bodies of the dead before they wrapped them up for the grave Act. 9.37 Then they wound it in the linnen clothes with the spices as the manner of the Iewes was to bury which being done they caused it to be carried into a garden neer at hand where was a new sepulchre wherein no man had ever been laid which Joseph had made for himselfe causing it to be hewen out of the rock intending it for himselfe when he should depart out of the world by death In that new sepulchre they disposed that blessed body and when they had rolled a great stone to the doore of it they departed S. Mat. 27.55 56 57 58 59 60 61. S. Mar. 15.40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47. S. Luc. 23.49 50 51 52 53 54 55. S. Joh. 19.38 39 40 41 42. All which things were observed by Saint Mary Magdalen and the other women mentioned by the Evangelists who saw what was done unto him and where they had laid him Nor were they much scanted of time to do all this and to bury him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before the sun went down as Saint Ignatius saith in that they had the whole Evening or the greatest part of it which was of the artificiall day from the ninth houre to the twelfth to do it In which pious act Ioseph and Nicodemus did wonderfully cooperate with the divine providence and will of God 1st To keep that sacred body from corruption with the myrrhe and aloes which must not have entered into the least degree of corruption 2ly That his resurrection might be the more apparent and undeniable for had his body been laid with the bodies of others they would have said that it was some other that was risen Or had he not been laid in a tombe hewen out in the rock but built of many stones they would have said that some one or other had undermined and taken him away So likewise had he been laid in a grave of earth that the earth had been removed and that he had been stollen For which cause God also would that a great stone should be rolled to the dore of the sepulchre which might not be removed but by the help of many Aquin. 3. q. artic 2 3 4. Thus did Joseph and Nichodemus testifie their love and affection towards him but they did not believe that he would rise again upon the third day for had they believed that they would have understood that it had been needlesse for them to wrap his body in such a quantity of myrrhe and aloes to keep it from putrifaction which God had promised not to see corruption But the Jewes thought they would make all safe enough therefore the next day that followed the day of the preparation the chiefe Priests and the Pharisees came together unto Pilate S. Mat. 27.62 63 saying Sir We remember that that deceiver said while he was yet alive After three daies I will rise again Command therefore that the sepulcher be made sure untill the third day lest his disciples come by night and steal him away and say unto the people He is risen from the dead 64 65 66. So the last errour shall be worse then the first Pilate said unto them Ye have a watch go your way make it as sure as you can So they went and made the sepulcher sure sealing the stone and setting a watch Thus did these sanguinarious hypocrites to satisfie their owne malice Prophanation of the sabbath most impiously prophane the great sabbath by going to Pilate an heathen man by setting the watch by sealing the stone especially if so much labour were bestowed about it as Nicephorus tells us by a nothing unlikely tradition Lib. 1. cap. 32. who had so often pretended against him the violation of the sabbath for the good which he did upon that day From the cross his soul went immediately into the heavenly paradise The state of his soul after death 1st Going into paradise S. Luc. 23.43 2ly Descending into hel to open the gates thereof to all believers and in particular to prepare a mansion for the penitent thiefe according to his own word and promise upon the crosse To day shalt thou be with me in paradise And having first opened the kingdome of heaven he then persues his victory against the enemy who had caused the gates of that kingdome to be shut against all mankinde by sin This he doth by descending into hell for that he did descend into hel it is an article of the christian faith believed and confessed all the world over which the Church of England constantly professeth and in terminis while the creed is repeated in the publick worship by the minister and by the people standing Also in the administration of the holy sacrament of Baptisme where the party baptized doth professe by the mouth of his sureties that he doth believe that he descended into hell Hell is the place of the damned not a purgatory a limbus patrum or a limbus infantium much lesse the grave or the pains and torments such as he suffered in his soul upon the crosse least of all a temporall captivity of his blessed body in the grave But he descended into hell therefore into the place of the damned into which he descended according to all that wherein it was possible for him to descend now God doth neither ascend nor descend nor is he moved from place to place he containeth heaven and earth but is not himself contained in heaven or earth 1 Kin. 8.46 His body was confined to the grave though not there to see corruption Therefore he descended in soul for his soul went
down into the place of the damned really and by locall motion so that he descended not onely by effect and virtue but by actuall descent the divinity being also present therewith by the hypostaticall union Which thing is no less no otherwise nor by any other faith to be believed but in the same measure in the same manner and by the same faith by which we believe his death and buriall For saith the Church of England As Christ dyed for us and was buried so also is it to be believed that he went down into hell Art 3. It is to be believ'd because it was predicted and foretold by the spirit of prophecie in the old Testament Thou wilt not leave my soule in hell It is to be believed because it was typed by Sampson and by Jonah the prophet It is to be believed because it pertained to his triumph over principalities and powers Psal 16.10 Jud. 16.3 Jon. 1.17 to spoile them utterly of all that they had and to enter as a conqueror into their strong city there to triumph over them and to spoile them of that dominion which they had there seeing that he was made not in his divinity for that he was before but in his humanity wherein he was crucified and wherein he conquered Lord of hell and of all infernall things It is to be believed because Saint Peter saith expresly That he went and preached unto the spirits in prison which sometimes were disobedient 1 Pet. 3.19 when once the long sufferings of God waited in the dayes of Noah while the Ark was a preparing wherein few that is eight soules were saved by water 20. He sealed up their just condemnation for their incredulity by exhibiting himself there who would not believe in him the seed of the woman who should break the Serpents head whom Noah had preached unto them that they might be saved Finally it is to be believed because this Creed and all other creeds are to be understood onely in the literall sense and without tautalogies which while some have not observed they have been put to miserable shifts and have thereby fallen into divers errours while some by hell understand the grave others those sufferings wherewith his soul was afflicted upon the cross others his captivity in the grave whereby his body lay in bondage under death till the third day some have flatly denyed the article it self and have not spared to style it a fiction some think the Creed to be corrupted and that the words in time got in by negligence Some have translated hell to the garden of Gethsemane and to mount Calvary and said that there he descended into hell both in soule and body by his sufferings in both and that he suffered there the torments of hell rejection desperation the second death Some also do describe as perfectly as if they had been there and do say that in hell there be four receptacles the one where the souls of the righteous Fathers who departed this life before the comming of Christ in the flesh and before his death were kept and thither went the soul of Christ say they by actual reality and brought them out from thence and this they call limbus patrum Another receptacle they say there is where the soules of penitent Christians are kept which have not been perfectly cleansed from the blemish of sinne in this life and this they call Purgatory A third wherein are kept the soules of children departing this life before baptisme which they call limbus puerorum or infantium And the fourth into which the damned are sent to suffer eternally by a double penalty of the loss and of the sense And this they call the hell of the damned into which if we will believe them Christ descended not by actuall reality as neither did he into purgatory and the limbus puerorum but only by a virtuall and operative descent But the Creed having told us what became of his body after death and that he was buried doth likewise tell us what his soul did after it was departed from his body and that he descended into hell so that his descending into hell did not pertain to his humiliation but to his glorification inchoated and begun which was manifested by his glorious resurrection whereby he was declared to be the Son of God with power Rom. 1.4 as Saint Paul saith but was fully consummated by his ascension into heaven When the third day was come after that his soul had done all those things in the heavenly paradise The history of Christ his blessed resurrection and in hell which he in his soul by divine dispensation was first to do and after that his blessed body had rested in the grave about the space of thirty six or thirty eight hours from the friday at what time he was laid into his sepulchre by Joseph of Arimathea and Nichodemus before the sun went down to the morning of the first day of the week to the end that he might fulfill the types and prophecies of the scripture Gen. 22. Gen. 41. Jon. 2. 3. S. Mat. 16.21 and also his Evangelicall word whereby he had promised his resurrection upon that day And that his Church in all her members might know and believe that he had fully conquered and subdued death And that he might fully manifest himselfe to be the Son of God S. Joh. 10.17 18. and Lord of life and that he dyed not by compulsion but of his own free will And to the end that he might make a gracious and effectuall application of his obedience and of his sufferings and of his death to all true believers by ascending into heaven Heb. 9.24 Rom. 8.34 S. Joh. 2.1 2. to appear in the presence of God and to make intercession for them and to be their advocate with the Father Upon all these respects and for all these great waighty causes he delayed no time but early in the morning somewhat before day and to that end that he might with all speed comfort his sorrowfull Disciples who as yet believed not that he would rise againe by his own power and virtue S. Joh. 20.9 he arose from the dead and went out of the sepulchre leaving behind him the linnen clothes and the napkin wrapped together in a place by it selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the stone which was rolled S. Jo. 20.6 7. yet remaining upon the door of the sepulchre Theoph. in Mat. 28. Then was there a great earthquake S. Mat. 28.2 for the Angell of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sate upon it His countenance was like lightning 3 and his raiment white as snow And for feare of him the keepers did shake and became as dead men Such was the cause of the earthquake 4. and of the comming of the Angell It was not to role back the stone to the end that his body might come forth