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
it abode upon him And I knew him not 32 but he that sent me to baptize with water the same said unto me upon whom thou shalt see the spirit descending and remaining on him the same is he which baptizeth with the holy Ghost And having such infallible assurance 33 he gave testimony to his divinity teaching them to know Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and man for saith he I saw and bear record 34. that this is the son of God Thus began he to be manifested to the people by the ministery of St. John the Baptist St. John testifieth Christ to two of his Disciples and the next day after Jesus walking that way to the end that he might receive another testimony from him St. John stood and two of his Disciples with him to whom he said Behold the lambe of God Whereupon the two disciples went after him Which when Jesus perceived he turned towards them and demanded of them what it was that they sought They intimate unto him that their desire was to be his Schollars and to hear his divine Doctrine Wherefore they call him Master and desire to know the place of his present abode Iesus inviteth them home with him and they went and abode with him that day for it was too late for them to return back it being then about two hours before night One of these two Disciples who followed Iesus but not with intent to desert their master the Baptist as indeed they did not at that time neither did Christ then call them to be his Disciples was Andrew the brother of Simon Peter the other not improbably conjectured to be St. John himself who wrote the story They departing from him after they had for that day been entertained by him Andrew carefully seeks his brother Simon finds him tells him where and with whom he had been assuring him by the testimony of St. Iohn and by the gracious words which they had heard that he whom they had found was indeed the Messiah Upon his invitation Simon goes with him whom when Jesus saw he entertained him with the promise of a future benefit told him that he was Simon the son of Iona but that he should hereafter have another name and should be called Peter Which promise in time convenient he performed And so we return again to our Evangelist Again the next day after Iohn stood S. Joh. 1.35 and two of his Disciples and looking upon Jesus as he walked he saith Behold the lambe of God And the two Disciples heard him speake 36 and they followed Jesus Then Jesus turned and saw them following and saith unto them What seek ye they said unto him 37 Rabbi which is to say being interpreted Master where dwellest thou He saith unto them Come and see they came and saw where he dwelt 38 and abode with him that day for it was about the tenth hour One of the two which heard Iohn speake and followed him 39 40 was Andrew Simon Peters brother He first findeth his own brother Simon and saith unto him We have found the Messias which is being interpreted the Christ 41 And he brought him to Iesus And when Jesus beheld him he said Thou art Simon the son of Iona thou shalt be called Cephas which is by interpretation a stone 42. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The day following that is to say the day next following after that St. Peter had been so brought unto Christ by St. Andrew his brother and been entertained with such a promise which was on the fourth day after that he came to his servant St. Iohn and had been first proclaimed by him to be the lambe of God which taketh away the sin of the world Christ goeth into Galilee Jesus purposed to go forth into Galilee and whether there or upon the way whether casually or because he sought him that is not determined he found Philip a Citizen of Bethsaida whom he called to be his disciple Saint Phi ip first called to be Christs disciple Bethsaida saying Follow me Bethsaida was a town scituated upon the west-side of the Galilean sea in the tribe of Issachar fiftie six miles from Hierusalem towards the north which was at that time built into a fair city by Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis of which city were also Saint Andrew and Saint Peter who had been with Christ but were not yet called by him to be his disciples Saint Andrew was the disciple of Saint John so was Saint Peter too in all probability whom Saint Andrew found so readily in or nigh unto Bethabara and brought him unto Christ neither of whom he then commanded to follow him as disciples although he entertained them at the place of his abode where they heard such gracious words as it ravished Saint Augustine to think what it was that they might hear What a blessed day did they passe what a blessed night said he who is able to tell us what things they were which they heard of the Lord In Iohan. Tract 8. Saint Philip therefore had the honour and prerogative to be first called by Christs own mouth immediately to be his disciple The history of Nathaniel he diligently sought and found Nathaniel whose name by interpretation is donum Dei the gift of God And because there is no further mention made of him under that name in the new Testament but only here and in St. Ioh. 21.2 where it is said that he was of Cana in Galilee it is diversly conjectured who he might be whether Simon called also the Cananite Act. 7.56 or Saint Stephen the protomartyr because that Christ promised that he should see heaven open which Saint Stephen did in the act of his Martyrdome or some master in Israel such a one as Nichodemus was learned in the law and in the prophets who being a Rabbi was not chosen an Apostle although he alwaies continued a disciple because that he would not make choice of the learned but of the unlearned to convert the world as Aquinus saith S. Mat. 10.3 S. Mar. 3.18 S. Luc. 6.14 or not rather Saint Bartholomew because that Saint Philip and Saint Bartholomew are coupled together so often as the Apostles are recited by name Whatsoever he was it seemes he was not altogether ignorant of the Scriptures as neither was Saint Philip himselfe And therefore he told him that they had found him the Messiah of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write and that the same was Jesus of Nazareth the son of Joseph No doubt but they were both of them in expectation of the Messiah and had often reasoned together concerning him consulting the law and the prophets Nathaniel denies not that the Messiah was then to be found and might then also be found according to Moses and the prophets but he diffideth the person of him whom they had found Not in respect of his condition whom it is likely that he knew but
them the Gospell by bringing unto them good tidings of great joy which should be to all people for that which they had long expected was that day brought to passe Unto you said he speaking with a lively and audible voyce is born this day in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord And this shall be a signe unto you ye shall finde the babe wrapped in swadling clothes lying in a manger Then immediately appear in the like glory and brightnesse and with the divine glory of him that was born shining round about them a multude of other Angels not seen to the shepheards at the first by the like lively and audible voice pronouncing the doxologie and declaring the fruits of the Gospell That God would by this wonderfull incarnation procure his owne glory and give peace to the earth making by that Saviour so born peace between heaven and earth peace betwixt God and man peace betwixt men and angells peace betwixt man and man peace betwixt men and the creatures and peace of men with themselves And finally that from hence is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that good pleasure of the will of God that good will towards men whereby the Father is well pleased with them in Christ his son For so saith the Evangelist Saint Luke S. Luc. 2.8 9 And there were in the same country shepheards abiding in the field keeping watch over their flock by night And lo the Angell of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them 10 and they were sore afraid And the Angel said unto them Fear not for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people 11 12 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a signe unto you ye shall finde the babe wrapped in swadling clothes lying in a manger And suddenly there was with the Angell a multitude of the heavenly hoste 13 14. praising God and saying Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace good-will towards men He that was born was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a shepheard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the good shepheard Why the Gospel first preached to the shepheards 1 Pet. 5.4 St Joh. 10.14 he was the great shepheard of the sheep Heb. 13.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefe shepheard it was he who had honoured the shepheards life in the persons of the righteous Abel of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and especially of David himself the head of his family who had fed kept the sheep of Jesse his father in the same place The pastoritial life was simple innocent and harmlesse such were the shepheards usually therefore the shepheards according to the divine wisdome which reacheth from one end to another mightily and doth order all things sweetly were the fittest persons to be brought first of all to the chiefe shepheard Wisd 8.1 by the preaching of the Gospell But this is not all for he had promised to his Church pastours according to his own heart which should feed them with knowledge and understanding Now he shewes what he will do with those pastours or shepheards and what the shepheards themselves must do Jer. 3.15 For it was not without great mystery The mystery that the shepheards were Evangelized by an angell from heaven to teach us to know that the divine revelations are first made manifest to the shepheards of the Church It was not without great mystery that the shepheards so soon as the Angells were gone up into heaven consulted what was best to be done and then went unanimously to Bethlehem to teach us to know that the affairs of the Church and of religion must be managed by the shepheards of the Church who being led by one and the same spirit must go hand in hand for the preservation of truth peace and unity It was not without great mystery that they went thither with haste for this was to teach the shepheards of the Church to use no delay when there shall be cause to enquire about matters of religion It was not without great mystery that the shepheards made known abroad every where the things wherewith they were Evangelized for this was to teach the shepheards of the Church to hide nothing from the people which shall be necessary for them to know that they may be saved and to teach the people also in matters of religion to hearken to the shepheards of the Church Therefore the blessed Virgin who had read the Scriptures diligently and was not ignorant of what was figured in the law and foretold by the prophets concerning Christ conferred and compared the things which she had seen and heard to be done and said concerning that blessed Babe with those things which she had learned out of the law and the prophets and pondered them in her heart for the confirmation of her faith upon every respect S. Luc. 2.15 And it came to passe as the Angells were gone away from them into heaven the shepheards said one to another Let us now go even unto Beth-lehem and see this thing which is come to passe which the Lord hath made known unto us And they came with haste and found Mary 16.17 and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger And when they had seen it they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this childe And all they that heard it 18 19. wondered at those things which were told them by the shepheards But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart as the text saith Christ was factus sub lege made under the law as Saint Paul saith therefore was it necessary for him to receive the signe or mark of Circumcision in the flesh of his fore-skin Gal. 4.4 Christ circumcised and why S. Joh. 7.22 For although that circumcision according to the primary institution of it was not of Moses but of the Fathers as Christ saith in the Gospell yet the law required circumcision that so the circumcised party might become a debtor to do the whole law Levit. 12.3 Gal. 5.3 What hath been already declared in the former book of this our Sacred History concerning circumcision the mystery and the use of it may suffice for that matter the question now is concerning Christ his obedience to the law whereunto he was obliged by his circumcision wherein I suppose the reader will desire to be satisfied in two things viz. 1st Why he was made under the law subject or obedient to the law and therefore a debtor to it by his circumcision 2ly In what manner he became obedient to it and was therefore circumcised Great and weighty are the reasons of Christ his subjection and obedience to the Law Why Christ was made subject or obedient to the Law For first He was obedient to the Law that so he might give approbation thereunto For
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
a Sacrament the first sacrament of the new Testament for the mysticall washing away of sin I shall not doubt but that he did pray that those who are baptized might in that Sacrament receive the holy Ghost Therefore as he was praying the holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him That Dove was not the holy Ghost himself it was but a visible testification of the speciall presence of the holy Ghost But it descended to bear witness unto Christ and to his Baptisme a baptism not of water onely as St. Johns was but of water and of the holy Ghost It descended upon him S. Joh. 1.33 to the end that St John himself might know him to be that Baptizer And it descended upon him as he was praying to the end that his Church may know that his prayers were heard and that by his prayers he obtained that in his baptism we may receive the holy Ghost as St. Augustine saith 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 doe regenerate a man in one Christ that was generated of one Adam ad Bonifac. Epist 23. I will not dispute what grace it is which is conferred in Baptisme it sufficeth me to know that it is the grace of regeneration whereby we are born again and do rise again with Christ unto newness of life Rom. 6.3 Gal. 3.27 and of justification whereby we put on Christ It sufficeth me to know that it is the grace of sanctification whereby those that are baptized are purged and cleansed and made holy to the Lord. And therefore Faelix sacramentum aquae nostrae saith Tertullian Eph. 6.23 A happy Sacrament of our water because the sins of our pristine blindness being washt away we are made free to everlasting life De Bapt. cap. 1. And Jesus when he was baptized went up straight way out of the water and loe the heavens were opened unto him and he saw the spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him S. Mat. 3.16 17. And loe a voice from heaven saying This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased Christ goeth into the wilderness to be tempted Having ended his prayers after that the holy Ghost had descended upon him visibly and his Father had proclaimed him his beloved son and therefore the Messiah from heaven wherein the sacred und undivided Trinity was most apparently manifested for the Father spake from heaven the son was there presently baptized the holy Ghost visibly descended a mystery not observed by the multitude he was directly and immediately led or driven by the Spirit into the wilderness that is to say he went thither by divine impulsion and by the motion and instinct of the holy Ghost that he might there be tempted of the Devill What wilderness that was it is not mentioned further then that St Mark saith that he was there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the wild beasts And therefore in all probability that great wilderness the wilderness of Arabia Petraea through which he led the wandering Israelites by the space of forty years S. Mar. 1.13 Wilderness of Arabia Petraea a wilderness incult dry barren without inhabitants frequented by wild beasts A great and terribâ—e wilderness saith Moses wherein were fiery Serpents and Scorpions and drought where there was no water Such there were none in Judea Deut. 8.15 or in all the land of Canaan though yet we read of many deserts there it is consequent therefore that this was that wilderness into which he went where he might be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the wild beasts For this wilderness extendeth it self from the borders of Egypt and the red sea to Jordan and to the place where St. Iohn baptized and from thence by the country of Trachonitis to the mountain of Libanus Itinerar Scrip. 432. And in this wilderness were the mountains Sinai and Horeb two tops of one and the same mountain where Moses and Elias types of Christ fasted by the space of forty dayes Into this wilderness he came and there fasted forty dayes and forty nights abstaining totally from all manner of sustenance and during all that time he did eat nothing as St. Luke saith By fasting he fitted and prepared himself to the conflict which he was to have with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the tempter S. Luc. 4.2 S. Mat. 4.3 And by compleating the number of forty dayes he answered the Types Therefore went he fasting from Jordan in all likelihood towards mount Horeb one hundred thirty and six miles that so he might terminate his fast in that place where Moses and Elias the one being the law-giver the other the renewer of the law suppressed had terminated theirs The forty dayes being expired and he remaining in the same place the tempter the Devill the Prince of Devils who no doubt had tempted him before at severall times in his childhood and in his youth and in the wilderness for the whole forty dayes of his abode there as St. Mark S. Mar. 1.13 Luc. 4.2 and St. Luke do both of them expresly say came unto him thither to tempt him in a new manner and with stronger temptations then ever before the strongest of all that he could devise He saw that it was in vain for him to suggest sinfull thoughts or otherwise to attempt which way to creep into his heart by unlawfull desires by those waies he had alwaies received the repulse and fallen off with loss He must batter this fort with other manner of Engines if he mean to take it Wherefore he assumes a visible shape and tempeth him face to face comming unto him with the greater confidence in such a desolate place Christ did not provoke the Devill to this combat he sent him no challenge he was led or driven to it by the spirit when the Devill came he gave not the onset but the Devill assailed him and then he received him with divine resolution and fortitude threw him prostrate and trode upon him It was fore-seen and fore-told by the Prophet in the spirit of prophecie Thou shalt tread upon the Lyon and Adder Psal 91.13 the young Lyon and the Dragon shalt thou trample under feet That therefore he might trample under foot this Lyon this Adder this young Lyon this Dragon Then was Jesus led up of the spirit inâ—o the wilderness S. Mat. 4.1 to be tempted of the devill Never was the like combat never were the like combatants never such a brabium or reward fought for The combat was not corporall but spirituall The combatants the prince of Devils and chief captain of all the hellish army and the captain of the host of the Lord. The first temptation The prize or reward for which the combat was the precious souls of all mankind The Devill gives the onset for knowing him to be hungry he first
Ghost The benefit of our regeneration For being ingraffed into Christ by baptisme 2 Pet. 1.4 we are made pertakers of the divine nature not the divine essence but divine qualities those supernaturall graces lost by the fall of Adam being restored in us and we are born again of water and of the holy Ghost that so we may enter into the kingdom of God S. Joh 3.5 Gal. 3.27 S. Mat. 28.19 2 Cor. 1.12 13. Rom. 6.3 4. Our union with Christ For we are baptized into Christ and into the name of Christ and by baptism are buried with Christ and are baptized into the death resurrection of Christ as the Scripture speaketh 2ly The Sacrament of baptisme was instituted and ordained secundarily and consequently To be a testimony of our piety and obedience due to God together with the greatest gratitude for his mercy communicated to us in and by that Sacrament To be a distinctive signe whereby the Church in all her members may be visibly distinguished from the idolatrous heathen and unbelieving Jewes and as Tertullian saith the fishes from the Vipers Apes and Serpents De Bapt. cap. 1. Finally to be a strong bond of that communion and fellowship which the Church hath and of that mutuall love and charity which all the members of the same spirituall brethren and sisters by baptisme are obliged to conserve among themselves 1 Cor. 12.13 But having observed thus much briefly concerning baptisme we will now proceed with our Sacred History Christ having baptized his Disciples did then baptize others by their ministery St. Iohn the Baptist goeth into Galilee and great multitudes resorting unto his baptisme this was reported to St. John the Baptist in such manner and upon such occasion as hath been said before whereupon St. John when that he had given ample testimony to the person merits and office of Christ did then presently or not long after leave off to baptize any longer at Aenon for it became him to give place to his Lord and departed into Galilee where he was imprisoned by Herod the Tetrarch as shall be shewed more at large when the order of the History shall lead us to his decollation But Jesus abode still in Judea and his Disciples baptized He abode there till within four months before harvest and then to decline the malice of the Pharisees who maligned his baptism and the Disciples which he made and baptized S. Joh. 4.35 in the month of November he departed to go into Galilee For saith the text When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized mee Disciples then John Though Iesus himselfe baptized not but his Disciples He left Iudea S. Joh. 4.1 2 3. Christs departure out of Iudea into Galilee and departed againe in o Galilee But his way lay directly thorow the country of Samaria Now the Samaritans were not Iewes nor did they worship or consent in religion with the Iewes but were the stock and off-spring of those whom Salmaneser king of Assyria having caried away the old inhabitants captive which were Iewes brought from Babylon and from Cutha and from Ava and from Hamath and from Sepharvaim and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel In this Province was the ancient town of Sichem then corruptly called Sichar 2 Kin. 17.24 which name it got as some think from the drunkenness and deboistness of the inhabitants for Sichar being derived of Schachar signifieth to be drunk Nigh to this place was that parcell of ground which Iacob gave unto Ioseph his son Gen. 48.22 Jos 24.32 a portion above his brethren there was Ioseph himself buried And nigh to this place was Iacobs well a well which Iacob made and left to the inhabitants of the place To that Well the people of Sichar resorted for water and Christ being wearied with his journey comes thither and sate upon the well about noon tide the usuall time of refection his Disciples being gone into the city to buy meat for their dinners Mean while a certain woman comes from the city thither to draw water The History of the Samâ—ritan woman of her he asketh water to drink She perceiving him to be a Iew demanded of him why he would aske drink of her that was a Samaritane seeing that the Iewes and Samaritanes had no converse Christ hereupon taketh occasion expresly to preach himself to be the Messiah For said he If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith unto thee Give me to drink thou wouldst have asked of him S. Joh. 4.10 and he would have given thee living water The woman objected not knowing what it was that he thirsted namely her faith nor what water it was that he had to give namely his Spirit but knowing that the Jewes did not would not use the same vessells with the Samaritans that he had nothing of his own to draw the water with and that the well was deep from whence then could he have that living water 11 That the water of any other fountain could not be better nor more abundant seeing that for the goodness of it Jacob himself and his children drank thereof and were well content therewith and for the abundance he had enough there for all his cattel From whence she inferreth that he who will pretend to have any such living water must make himself to be greater then Jacob. Christ did not say in express terms that he was greater then Jacob 12 but infers it from the womans own argument because he had better water to give For saith he whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst againe But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him 13 shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life 14 The woman thinking that he had spoken of some materiall water which he had to give doth now her self thirst for that water 15 16 saying Sir give me this water that I thirst not neither come hither to draw Jesus saith unto her Go call thy husband and come hither as if he should say that I may give it unto you both 17 The woman told him that she had no husband He tells her that she said truly for she had five husbands before but this with whom she did now cohabit 18 19 was not her husband The woman thereupon affirms him to be a Prophet Sir I perceive that thou art a Prophet questions him concerning divine things and first of all concerning the peculiar place of divine worship whether the temple at Hierusalem where the Iews still worshipped or the Anti-temple which had been upon mount Garizim where the Samaritans worshipped in times past before that temple was destroyed by Iohn called Hircanus high Priest of Hierusalem Vid. Ioseph antiq lib. 11. 20. were that proper place where men ought to worship He
answered the question aenigmatically reproveth the ignorance of the Samaritan-worship tells her that salvation is of the Iewes and what is the true Evangelicall worship The woman telleth him v. 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 v. 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 that the things concerning Gods worship shall be fully regulated by the Messiah Christ telleth her plainly that he is the Messiah Then came the Disciples and they marvelled that he talked with a woman The woman leaves her water pot and goes into the city to call her neighbours to come forth and to see the Messiah mean while the Disciples pray him to eat he eateth not but declareth unto them his zeal to Gods glory The woman made relation to the Samaritans of what Christ had told her 38 39. and many of them believed on him before they saw him But when they were come unto him they besought him that he would tarry with them and he abode with them two dayes And many more believed because of his own word commended the woman highly v. 40 41 42 and make a lively confession of their faith A most remarkable History wherein the learned Fathers do find many excellent and most profound mysteries Christ was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel S. Mat. 15.24 therefore might he not abide altogether among the Samaritans it was his great grace that he vouchsafed to abide with them two days which being expired he left them by his bodily but not by his spirituall presence and went into Galilee Iesus cometh into Galilee but not to Nazareth at that time for he had testified S. Mat. 4.13 S. Joh. 4.44 that a Prophet hath no honour in his own country Then when he was come into Galilee the Galileans received him having seen all the things that he did at Hierusalem at the feast for they also went unto the feast And first he goeth directly to Cana of Galilee 45 where he made the water wine During the time of his abode there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 46. Healeth the Rulers son by his word St. Luc. 8.3 a certain noble man ruler or courtier probably Chuza Herods steward whose wife Joanna was one of those believing women who ministred unto him of their substance when he heard that Jesus was come out of Iudea in to Galilee came unto him and invited him to come unto Capernaum and to heal his son who was sick there and at the point of death He went not presently down with him but cured his son who was dangerously sick of a feaver by the power of his word whereupon the ruler believed and his whole house as the story is reported at large by St. Iohn cap. 4. which was not the second miracle that he did but the second miracle which he did in Galilee and was done when he was come thither out of Iudea Shortly after he went down to Capernaum v. 54. and dwelt or made some longer abode there as St. Matthew saith who makes no mention of his going to Cana first in the mean time preaching the Gospell wheresoever he came he went first to Nazareth which was but eight miles from Cana in which city he had been brought up And as his custom was went into the Synagogue on the sabbath day and stood up to read S Luc. 4.16 And there was delivered unto him the book of the Prophet Isaias out of which he read a Text expounding the same to the admiration of all that heard him and although they could not deny the verity of his doctrine but bare witness to it wondring at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth yet hecause he did not speak placentious things they were all filled with wrath and thrust him out of the city and would have brake his neck as St. Luke saith cap. 4. The Synagogues therefore were publique Congregations and places consecrated for religion and for the publique worship and service of God whither the people resorted every sabbath day to hear the law and the Prophets read and expounded and the Rector or Ruler of the Synagogue was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 15.21 S. Mar. 5 22 Christ therefore being come from Nazareth into Capernaum straight way on the sabbath day entred into the Synagogue and taught S. Mar. 1.21 And they were astonished at his doctrine for he taught them as one that had authority and not as the Scribes And there was in their Synagogue 22 a man with an unclean spirit who hearing him to teach with authority as being the Lord of Moses and of all the Prophets 23 Christ known of the Devils to be the Messiah 24 and he who put his word into their mouth cryed out saying let us alone what have we to do with thee thou Iesus of Nazareth art thou cone to destroy us I know thee who thou art The holy one of God The Devills therefore knew him to be the Messiah though not certainly and without doubting the knowledge which they had of him they had from him Tantum verò iis innotuit quantum voluit tantum autem voluit quantum oportuit saith St. Augustine Civit. Dei lib. 9. cap. 22. He was so much known of them as he pleased and he was pleased to be known by them so much as it was fit for them to know him That is to testifie of him so far as he pleased that they should and to obey his word 25 And Iesus rebuked him saying hold thy peace and come out of him And when the unclean spirit had torne him and cryed with a loud voice 26 he came out of him And they were all amazed insomuch that they questioned among themselves saying What thing is this what new doctrine is this for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits 27 and they do obey him And immediately his fame spread abroad therefore would he that they should obey his word throughout all the region round about Galilee As soon as he had wrought the miracle upon the daemoniak man and was come forth of the Synagogue Saint Peters wives mother healed to the end that he might refresh himselfe he entred into a certain house which was the house of Saint Peter and Saint Andrew who dwelt together at Capernaum and had with him his disciples Saint James and Saint John There Saint Peters wives mother lay sick of a feavour and anon they tell him of her and besought him for her saith Saint Luke And he came and stood by or over her S. Luc. 4.38 and took her by the hand and lift her up and immediately the feavour left her and she ministred unto them S. Mar. 1.31 She did wash their feet and served at supper And at even when the sun did set they brought unto him all that were diseased and them that were possessed with devills And all the city was gathered together at the dore 32
mean while the Centurion for the love he bare unto his servant came unto him in his own person and made supplication unto him saying Lord my servant lyeth at home sick of the Palsie grievously tormented And Jesus said unto him S. Mat. 8.6 7 v. 8 9. I will come and heale him For he was then going to heal him The Centurion replyed as it is in the two verses next following When Jesus heard it he marvelled and said the second time to them that followed averring the truth of it by his usuall asseveration which he had not done before and enlarging himself further Verely I say unto you I have not found so great faith no not in Israel And I say unto you 10 that many shall come from the East and West and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdome of heaven 11. But the children of the kingdome shall be cast out into outer darknesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth And then said he to the Centurion Go thy way 12 and as thou hast believed so be it done unto thee and his servant was healed in the selfe same hour Having so cured the Centurions servant the next day after he went into a certain city called Naim it was scituated in the north side of mount Hermon the lesser in the tribe of Issachar The widows son raised from the dead two miles off the mount Thabor or there about And when he came nigh to the gate of the city behold there was a dead man carried out the onely sonne of his mother and she was a widow and much people of the city was with her All which circumstances are diligently observed by St. Gregory Nyssen he was a young man S. Luc. 7.12 therefore his death the more deplorable he was the son of a widow therefore the loss irreparable he was her onely sonne therefore the stock of the family that branch by which posterity should have been propagated the prop also of her old age in him extinguished These were the causes of her griefe and of Christs compassion whom first he comforted by counsell Weep not Then raised him from the dead by the power of his word so turning her grief into joy and her mourning into gladness And he came and touched the beere and they that bare him stood still And he said 14 young man I say unto thee arise And he that was dead sate up and began to speak and he delivered him to his mother 15. Now the Disciples of St. John the Baptist hearing of this and of other miracles which he did came unto him in the prison and told him of them Whereupon St. John who before had testified of him The legation of St. John the Baptist to Christ S Joh. 1.29.33 saying Behold the lambe of God which taketh away the sin of the world and came to the knowledge of him by the holy Ghost And had stated the former controversie betwixt some of his Disciples and the Iewes and had preached unto them that most excellent Sermon concerning the person merits and office of Christ the Gospell epitomized as it is repeated by St. John cap. 3. from the 27. v. to the end he to take away all occasion of doubting from his Disciples and because he would surrender his Disciples to Christ having prepared them for him by his preaching and baptism delegated two of them to go unto Christ to ask him this question saying Art thou he that should come or look we for another They come and deliver unto him their ambassage accordingly John Baptist said they hath sent us unto thee saying Art thou he that should come or look we for another But Christ who knew of their legation S. Luc. 2 19 S. Mat. 11.3 and understood St. Johns mind did in the same hour cure many of their infirmities and plagues and of evill spirits and to many that were blind he gave sight It was to the end that he might answer them rather by his workes then by his words Therefore said he Go your way and tell John what things ye have seen and heard how that the blind see the lame walk the lepers are cleansed the deafe heare the dead are raised to the poore the Gospell is preached S. Luc. 7.22 23. And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me They being gone Christ giveth his testimony concerning St. John Simon the Pharisee inviteth Christ to his house 36. as it followeth in both the Evangelists St. Matthew and St. Luke At that time as it should seem by the story a certain Pharisee whose name was Simon invited him to take an entertainment in his house where by occasion of St. Mary Magdalen who came with an Alabaster box of oyntment and stood behind at his feet weeping and did wash them with her teares and wipe them with the hairs of her head and kissed them and annointed them with oyntment he declared himself to be a friend to sinners yet not to maintain them in sin but to forgive them their sins S. Luc. 7.44 45 46 47.48 49.50 upon their faith and true repentance St. Mary Magdalen was a true penitent and as St. Bernard saith by compunction and tears she obtained that Christ should say unto her Thy sins are forgiven thee De compunct cord ser 10. These occurrences were probably at Naim and when he was departed thence the multitude commeth together again so that they could not so much as eat bread S. Mar. 3 20 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a Devill blind and dumbe and he healed him in so much that the blind and dumbe both spake and saw S. Mat. 12 22 A blind and dumbe devil dispossessed 23. By occasion whereof he incurs a fourfold censure for first the multitude was amazed and by the miracle that he had wrought they concluded for certain that he was the son of David 2ly His friends and kindred being well affected towards him and considering the great concourse of people that came unto him and that he neglected to take his food thought him not well advised and went out and sought to lay hold on him not to bind him as a demoniak but to bring him home to refresh himself and that he might take his food for said they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is beside himselfe non est apud se He is not in a right mind that he should thus macerate himself S. Mar. 3 21 3ly The proud Scribes could not but perceive the power of his Divinity by the words that he spake by the works that he wrought and yet through pride and envy they condemned him as one that wrought by the Devil The Scribes which came from Hierusalem said he hath Beelzebub and by the prince of Devills casteth he out Devills 4ly The Pharisees willfully blind and willingly ignorant S. Mat 3.22 notwithstanding the conviction of their own consciences assented to
to their lord who expostulateth his cruelty and because he had forgiven him that great debt but upon condition that he should shew the like mercy to his fellow servant which because he had not shewed he cast him into prison till he should pay it 31 32 33 34 35. Such is the case betwixt God and us So likewise shall my heavenly Father doe also unto you if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses When Jesus had finished these sayings he departed from Galilee and came into the coasts of Judea beyond Jordan And he preached to the people who followed him in great multitudes and healed the sick S. Mat. 19.1 S. Mar. 10.1 Concerning divorcement S. Mat. 19.3 S. Mar. 10.2 So go on St. Matthew and St. Marke with the story Thither came the Pharisees tempting him with a question which they moved concerning the solubility or insolubility of marriage Is it lawfull said they for a man to put away his wife for every cause or to put her away at all Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife Christ his answer is negative and for this cause he alledgeth the originall institution and concludeth with an Epiphonema What God hath joyned together let not man put asunder As if he should say S. Mat. 19.6 because that God made them at the beginning male female because he said that a man shall leave Father and Mother and cleave to his wife and they twain shall be one flesh and because they are no more twain but one flesh therfore that it is not lawful for a man to put away his wife They interrogate why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement and to put her away Moses indeed did permit the men to put away their wives for uncleanness and the woman divorced to be married to another man this was but a temporall permission to them only Deut. 24.1 2. and for the hardness of their hearts it must not be so now for from the beginning it was not so S. Mat. 19.8 9. S. Mar. 10.11 12. That therefore now neither must the man divorce his wife nor the wife her husband but for fornication onely This seemed to his Disciples an hard saying If the case be so of the man with his wife said they it is not good to mary He tells them that continency is a peculiar gift of God rarely given and that there be three sorts of Eunuches or continent men for that some are born Eunuches and are without natural ability some castrated and made Eunuches by men the antiquity of which injury done to nature Ammianus Marcellinus lib. 14. refers to Semiramis the wife of Ninus Queen of the Assyrians who did first of all as he saith cause it to be done others who have made themselves Eunuches to live chastly and unmarried the better to serve God in a chast and single life by the grace of God S. Mat. 19.11 12. subduing the flesh with the affections and lusts for the kingdom of heavens sake This last is the expetible gift and He that is able to receive it let him receive it The time approaching that he should be received up he stedfastly set his face to go up to Hierusalem and his way from Galilee was through the country of Samaria He is denyed entertainment by the Samaritans Wherefore he sent certain messengers before him to one of the villages of the Samaritans to provide for his comming but they hating the Jewes as the Jews also did them declining to have commerce one with another refused to entertain him upon no other reason but because his face was as though he would go up to Hierusalem Whereupon two of his Disciples S. James and S. John would by his leave have called fire from heaven to consume them as Elias did those two captains of the fifties with their fifties who were sent by king Ahaziah to apprehend him 2 King 1. But Christ rebuked them S. Luc. 9.51 52 53 54 55 56. told them that they did not know what spirit they were of for that his comming was not to destroy any but to save all And so they went into another village which entertained them Ten lepers cleansed At that time it should seem as he went to Hierusalem passing through the midst of Samaria and Galilee as he entred into a certain village there met him ten men that were lepers which stood afar off and cryed out unto him to heal them of their leprosie Jesus master have mercy on us The leprosie was a foul disease pertinacissimae scabiei genus a kind of scab most hard and difficult to be cured Some think it to be that disease which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it breaketh out in hard scabs or scales white and black making the skin harsh and rugged like the Elephants Of all other diseases it was most infectious for it did infect the apparell and the walls of the house were sometimes infected with leprosie Therefore were the lepers to be put apart lest they should infect others and to give warning of their uncleanness by wearing a covering upon their upper lippe and by crying out and saying uncleane uncleane having also their clothes rent Levit. 13.45 and their head bare This was the reason why he found these lepers without the village and why also they stood afar off And when he saw them he said unto them go shew your selves unto the priests namely that the priests might see and pronounce the cure which part of their office he would not anticipate S. Mat. 8.4 S. Mar. 1.44 S. Luc. 5.14 neither did he at all cure any of that disease that we read of but he sent them to the priests And it came to passe that as they went they were cleansed Whereupon one of them who was a Samaritane returned back to express his gratitude for the cure which he had received which he did most humbly giving glory to God A duty which he rightly judged meet to be performed in the first place approved accepted and rewarded with a further benefit the spirituall sanitie of his soule for when he lay prostrate at his feet ex procubitu supplicatione fidem suam simul cum benevolentia pandens by prostration and supplication laying open his faith and devotion He bad him to arise saying Arise go thy way thy faith hath made thee whole S. Luc. 17.14 15 16 17 18 19. As for the other nine although they did hold on their way to go to the Priest as they were commanded yet because they did not first return to give glory to God they were justly blamed So he comes to the feast of Tabernacles of which feast and for what cause it was instituted we have spoken before He goeth to the feast of Tabernacles Howbeit he came not up till the midst of the feast which continued for the space of eight daies
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
his body was gone indeed â—leophas having related these things he reproved them sharply for that they did not understand the Scriptures of the prophets concerning him And beginning at Moses and all the prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himselfe Which vvhile they heard their hearts did burn within them for he did touch them with the fire of his most holy Spirit So they came nigh unto Emaus where three severall waies vvere whereof two vvent on either side of the towne and one thorough it for so the scituation of the tovvne is described But he made as if he would have passed by the tovvne to have gone further whereupon they constrained him saying Abide with us for it is towards evening and the day is far spent and he went in probably into the house of Cleophas who is said to have dwelt there to tarry with them And it came to passe as he sate at meat with them he took bread and blessed it and brake v. 25 26 27 28 29 30 31.32 and gave to them By his ordinary benediction and usuall manner of breaking bread they knew him who yet had not knowne him had he not opened their eyes that they might know him And so he vanished out of their sight or ceased to be seen of them he vvas suddenly gone out of their sight so that they did not see nor observe when he went such therefore are the supernaturall proprieties of a glorified body His fifth apparition was to all the other Apostles in the absence of Saint Thomas His fifth apparition to his Apostles the doores â—eing shuâ— and in the night following the day of his Resurrection For the disciples who had entertained him at Emaus in the evening so soon as they knew him and that he was vanished out of their sight they rose up and made towards Hierusalem with speed but they had about eight miles to go therefore before they could come thither it was late in the evening And at their comming they found the eleven Apostles gathered together who so soon as they were come unto them told them of Christ his resurrection and that he had appeared to Saint Peter Then began they to reply and to tell what things were done to them in the way and how he was knowne of them in breaking of bread But Saint Thomas who did not believe regarded not to hear but withdrew himselfe from the company So Saint Augustine will reconcile Saint Luke vvith Saint John Aug. de concord Evang. And so as they continued the narration vvhich they made Jesus himselfe stood in the midst of them and saith unto them S. Luc. 24.36 37. Peace be unto you But they were terrified and affrighted and supposed that they had seen a spirit It was his suddain appearance and because they knevv that the dores vvere safely shut for fear of the Jewes that did terrifie and affright them And indeed he came in the dores being shut he did not knock to be let in Act. 12.16 as St. Peter did nor did any one open for him the doors as for Saint Peter He did not cause them by the power of his Divinity to open of their own accord as the iron gate of the city did v. 10. vvhen the Angell brought Saâ—â—t Peter out of prison much lesse did he come in at the window or chimney or by altering the substance of the doores that so his body might penetrate or pierce throughe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Justine Martyr or whosoever else vvas the author of those questions and ansvvers ad Orthodoxos which go under his name Q. 117. Things aequipotentiall are alike to be believed whether they be granted or denyed To be born of a pure virgin and to come forth of her wombe without violation of her virginity to walk upon the sea to come forth of the sepulchre the stone remaining still upon the door of it and to come in vvhen the doors vvere shut are things aequipotentiall and are alike to be believed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that the things which in nature are done above nature by divine virtue cannot possibly be apprehended or asserted according to any naturall reason He appeared naked Curiosity enquires whether he shewed himselfe unto his Apostles naked or apparelled And because they knew that the soldiers had stripped him of all his garments and that the linnen cloaths vvherewith he was buried were 〈…〉 chre therefore I shall not think that he made or assumed clothes but that he appeared naked wherein he answered to the condition of Adam in the state of innocency shewed ours also in the resurrection It was not needfull for him to be apparelled who would presently convince them of the verity and truth of his naturall body by permitting them to feel it and by shewing them the wounds which had been made in it Therefore I conclude that as he ascended into heaven so was he conversant with them after his resurrection that is to say naked to the end that he may so come again even as he ascended naked that they who pierced him may see and behold his wounds Zech. 12.10 S. Joh. 19 37 Rev. 1.7 as the scripture speaketh He therefore seeing them terrified and affrighted comforteth and confirmeth them divers wayes 1. By telling them that there was no reason of their present trouble for that it was he that was come in who was God and knew their hearts S. Luc. 24.38 Why are ye troubled and why do thoughts arise in your hearts 2ly By shewing them his hands and his feet whereby they might well know that it was no other but even he who had been nayled to the cross 3ly By inviting them to handle him and to look upon him that so they might well perceive that it was his own body and not the airy apparition of a Spirit as they supposed 4ly By eating in their presence a further proof of his humanity although otherwise a glorified body stands in no need of food 5ly By recollecting to them what he had formerly taught them which when he had done he opened their understanding that they might understand the scriptures v. 39 40 c. proving by them the necessity of his passion and of his death and of his resurrection upon the third day and of the Gospell to be preached and testified by them unto all nations beginning at Hierusalem Having thus evidenced the verity and truth of his resurrection and their understanding being opened to understand the scriptures then were they glad He transferreth the keys from the legall to the evangelicall priesthood their sorrow was turned into joy For then was it done unto them according as he had said I will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce and your joy no man taketh from you By all which preparatives they being rightly disposed and the time being come when according to divine dispensation he would transfer the keyes of the
should overthrow the Devill and all his power purchasing for him salvation and everlasting life Finally the finall cause The finall cause of their faith for the first and principall end of it was the glory of God the Author of their faith and the Redeemer of their soules But the next or secundary end was their own salvation which they even as we did work out with fear and trembling And in this manner was the Covenant barely administred under the form of that blessed promise from Adam to Abraham as hath been said before But God reneweth his Covenant with Abraham The Covenant renewed with Abraham c. Rom. 4.16 Gal. 3.9 and with his Seed generally with all the Faithfull for Abraham is set forth to be the Father of us all that is of all us that believe Abraham was blessed by Faith in Christ And all they which be of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham for they are the spirituall Seed Specially with the People and Nation of the Jews the carnall Seed He draweth his Covenant into Articles indenteth it Gen. 17.11 12 13 14 and setteth his Signe or Seal unto it the Signe or Seal of Circumcision Ye shall circumcise saith God the flesh of your foreskin and it shall be a token of the Covenant between me and you He setteth downe what he will do on his part and what he expecteth that his People should do on their part and he sealeth it with his Seal Circumcision And of all this you may read at large Gen. 17. Circumcision Concerning Circumcision was a sacred action wherein the fore-skin of the flesh of the Male kinde was cut off according to Gods Ordinance for the obsignation of his divine Covenant with men Who it was that was deputed to that Office the Scripture makes no mention probable it is the most antient or honourable of that House or Family of which the party to be Circumcised was descended especially before the Law given for God commanded Abraham to do it and Abraham at Gods commandement Gen. 17.23 Exod. 4.25 circumcised Ishmael his Son and his whole House Zipporah the Wife of Moses although we have but that one precedent did circumcise her Son When the People of Israel were arrived in the Land of Canaan then did Joshua Josh 5.3 circumcise them It is likely that under the Law that Office was to be performed by the Priests as being by their Function sacred to God and therefore the fittest persons to perform so divine a Ceremony The Day appointed for Circumcision was the eighth day for so did God ordain He that is eight daies old Gen. 17.12 shall be circumcised among you And it is plain that our Saviour Christ himself as being under the Law and Saint John the Baptist were circumcised the eighth day according to the Law But if a man had not been circumcised upon the eighth day according as God had appointed he might then be circumcised at any other time for it is never too late for a man to submit himself to the holy Ordinances of God And therefore the Children of Israel who travelled in the Wildernesse by the space of forty years were notwithstanding their age circumcised in the Land of Canaan Likely it is that they did not circumcise with Knives but with sharp Stones for Zipporah the Wife of Moses circumcised her Son with a sharp Stone Then Zipporah took a sharp stone Exod. 4.25 a sharp knife of stone and cut off the foreskin of her Son saith the story And God commanded Joshua saying Make thee sharp knives Josh 5.2 or knives of flints and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time Circumcision was not without the shedding of some blood and much pain For when Moses's Wife had cut off the fore-skin of her Son she cast it at his feet saying Exod. 4.26 Surely a bloody husband art thou to me She said a bloody Husband thou art because of the Circumcision And when the Shechemites were Circumcised it is said that the third day when they were sore sore of the wound of Circumcision Simeon and Levi took each man his sword Gen. 34.25 and came upon the City boldly and slew all the Males They were sore sore of the wound of Circumcision sore the third day after and so sore that they were not able to make resistance no not for their lives Circumcision was a great and venerable Sacrament it was the Sacrament of initiation or reception into the Covenant The mystery of Circumcision and the mystery of it was great For first whereas Circumcision was ordained to be made in that part or member of the body of Man which God would to be for the propagation of Seed it did fitly intimate man's uncleannesse by Nature and the propagation of Originall sin Every father stands in the place of Adam and conveigheth unto his Child besides the nature of Man the very guilt and corruption of Nature Eph. 2.13 We are by nature the children of wrath That naturall uncleannesse of ours must be taken away or we cannot be saved This is a second birth as Christ said to Nichodemus Marvell not that Isaid to thee Ye must be born again S. Joh. 3.7 2ly It did fitly give them to understand that that Seed in whom they believed Christ the Messiah should come of the circumcised seed of Abraham according to the flesh as God had promised Gen. 22.18 Lact. Instit lib. 4. cap. 17. saying In thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed 3ly The making bare of that part or member did as Lactantius observeth signifie in the mystery the true circumcision which is of the heart that the breast must be laid bare and that the spiritual Seed must be circumcised in heart to have their conversation with an open and simple heart I say nothing of that similitude which some have observed betwixt the heart and the prolifick member Rom. 2.28 He is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly 29. and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God 4ly That piece of skin which was cut off did signifie the uncleannesse of Nature in a state of sin And like as they cast the prepuce or piece of skin upon the ground at the feet of him that was circumcised Exod. 4.25 as may be conjectured by what Zipporah did when she circumcised her Son So that all uncleannesse of heart and action must be circumcised and cut off it must be cast away as the prepuce throwne upon the ground never to be reassumed 5ly The circumcision-knife was a type of Christ for that knife was of stone and did intimate Christ the Rock the foundation Stone the Stone of Sion elect and pretious the corner stone who by his Spirit doth
circumcise the hearts of men according to that of Moses Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy Seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul that thou maist live 6ly The drops of blood that were shed in circumcision did give them to understand the blood of the Messiah who was to be of the circumcised Seed and that his blood it was which should be shed for the remission of sins 7ly The great paines and forenesse of circumcision did represent as well the sufferings of Christ for us as also that they who will be his servants must be nothing curious to suffer all paines and persecutions and if need be to shed their blood for the name of Christ 8ly The day of circumcision which was the eighth day did set forth in a mystery the Resurrection of Christ for like as Christ rose again from the dead upon the eighth day according to the Jewes account who begin to reckon their week upon the Sunday even so that they who were circumcised had an eight day to look for the day of his Resurrection by vertue whereof they should rise again from the dead being first risen with him unto newnesse of life that is to say from a death of sin to a new and spirituall life Lastly that same opprobrium circumcisionis that shame and disgrace which the Jew had by reason of his circumcision among the Gentiles for which he was mocked despised reproached and scornfully termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apella Verpus c. did set forth the shame and scandall of the Crosse giving the People of God to understand thereby that the way to Heaven is not a way of popularity and honour but rather of ignominy reproach and worldly contempt Moses had learned that lesson by his circumcision Esteeming saith the Scripture the reproach of Christ greater riches Heb. 11.26 then the treasures in Egypt So great and excellent was the Mystery Most important was the use of this great Sacrament For The use of Circumcision first it was sigillum foederis the seal of the Covenant which God had renewed unto Abraham and to his Seed and did therefore serve greatly to confirm their faith for in that God had set to such a seal they needed not to doubt the performance thereof on his part Once God did make his covenant with Mankinde and with all his creatures that he would no more destroy them from off the face of the Earth by the Waters of a flood for confirmation whereof he placed his Rain-bow in the cloud as the seal of that covenant concerning which seal he speaketh and promiseth saying It shall come to passe when I bring a cloud over the earth that the Bow shall be seen in the cloud Gen. 9.14.15 and I will remember my covenant which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh that the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh Such was the use of Circumcision when God should see the circumcision in the flesh of the fore-skin then would he remember the covenant that he had made with Abraham and with Abraham's seed to be the God of Abraham and of his seed after him And so was circumcision signum confirmationis Circumcision signum confirmationis a signe or seal of confirmation as well of the covenant it selfe on God's part as also of their faith in that covenant on their part 2ly It served to admonish them of their duties all their lives to the end that as often as they should look down upon them selves and see the signe or mark of circumcision in the flesh of their foreskin they might remember their covenant with God to be an holy and a peculiar people unto him and to serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life They did wear Gods badge or mark in their flesh whereby he had set his stamp or mark upon them for his own people to give them to understand that they must not defile themselves or suffer themselves to be defiled according to all the abominations of the wicked Heathen nor lead an unclean life according to the fleshly lusts of their owne heart And for this cause God was pleased that they should receive names in circumcision so when Abraham was circumcised Gen. 17.5 his name was changed from Abram into Ahraham And Saint John the Baptist S. Luc. 1.63 S. Luc. 2.21 though sanctified from his Mothers wombe and our blessed Lord himselfe because he would fulfill all righteousnesse had their names in their circumcision It was a note of that subjection and perfect obedience which they did owe unto the whole Law and so it was signum admonitionis Circumcision Signum admonitionis Jer. 4.4 a sign of admonition giving them alwaies to understand their duty and that they must on their part performe the conditions of the Covenant to God-ward Circumcise your selves to the Lord and take away the fore-skins of your heart 3ly It was a meanes ordained by God wherein and whereby to conferre his grace upon them and to conveigh his grace unto them For God doth not jest or toy with men in the outward signes but like as he doth make a sure performance of all that which he promiseth in his vocall word the Scriptures even so doth he make a sure performance of all that which he promiseth and setteth before the eyes of men in his visible word the sacred Rom. 4.11 and mysterious Sacraments And therefore St. Paul saith That Abraham received the signe of circumcision a seale of the righteousness of faith which he had yet being uncircumcised to what purpose that he might be the Father of all them that believe though they be not circumcised Circumcision Signum praebitionis that righteousness might be imputed to them also And thus it was signum praebitionis a signe of praebition wherein he performed that which he had promised Lastly Circumcision was an externall signe of the visible Church and made that outward distinction whereby the servants of God were to be known and distinguished from the idolatrous Heathen so that they who were not circumcised had not the visible character nor were to be reputed as visible members of the visible Church And unto this alludeth St. Paul when he saith Phil. 3.2 Beware of Dogs beware of evill workers beware of the concision The Dogs were the unbelieving Heathen the evill workers were the miss-living Christians the concision were those Iewes who after the abolition of circumcision by some instrument which they had did draw up the prepuce as men ashamed of their circumcision But the true circumcision is of the Christian For saith the Apostle We are the circumcision which worship God in spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh And thus was it signum distinctionis 3. Circumcision Signum distinctionis a