was eclipsed at the time when Nicias was General for the Athenians against the Syracusians Or when Columbus made first discoverie of America are questions which may be scientifically resolved by astronomicall calculations But whether Nicias through ignorance of naturall causes and grosse superstition committed that intolerable oversight which as Plutarch relates occasioned the overthrow of the Athenian forces by Sea Land or whether Columbus made that witty advantage of the like eclipse which Benzo in his history of America mentions cannot be known by any computation Astronomicall or Chronologicall This wholly depends upon the authority of the Historians Yet if by calculations astronomicall compared with the Annales of those times it should appeare that there were no such Eclipses in the yeares pretended for these practices this would convince these historians and those whom they follow of errour if not of forgerie On the other side if Astronomers should make it cleare that in the points of time assigned by these Historians there did fall out such Eclipses of the Moone this would free them from suspition of fiction so much the more by how much they were lesse skilfull or lesse observant of the coelestiall motions or revolutions of times wherein Eclipses happen 2. But sometimes the sensible events or experiments may square so well with historicall relations as to leave no place for curiosity it selfe to suspect either fiction or falsehood in the Historian As who could suspect the truth of the Roman Histories which mention the subjection of this Iland to their Empire for divers successions if he had seene their coynes lately digged out of the earth bearing the inscriptions of twenty severall Emperours Or who could suspect the historicall truth of their progresse into the Northerne parts of this Kingdome that have observed the ruines of that wall which they built and other monuments as sutable to their Narrations as the seale is to the signet The best is that the experiments which suite unto the histories of the old and new Testaments are more plentifull and and more pregnant then any externall ratifications of any other historicall narrations can be For of sacred historicall truth besides the legible testimonies of the great book of the creatures every little world may have a world of witnesses in himselfe Now if our beliefe of the histories concerning Christ and him crucified be but equall to our beliefe of other histories yet their authority or esteeme will be much greater because we cannot believe this truth but we must withall believe it to be divine and every man by nature hath a more sacred esteeme of matters which hee conceives to be divine then hee can have of things meerely mundane or humane 3. But where the truth of historicall beleefe is to our apprehension the very same and the degrees of our assent unto it equall yet the estimate of the same truth or its impression upon our affections is not the same These vary according to the severall waight of matters related though by the same Author and beleeved by equall degrees of the same kinde of beleefe Of Edward the seconds strange defeate by Robert de Bruce King of Scotland and of Edward the third and the black Prince his sonne or Henry the fifth their successe against the French wee have but one and the same historicall beleefe whether for degree or quality yet are wee not the same way or in the same degree affected with the one story as with the other The reading of Edward the third of Henry the fifts successe delighteth us English with the ancient honour of our Nation The remembrance of Edward the seconds defeate doth so disaffect us that wee could wish this story were not so true as the other But how unpleasant soever the annales of Edward the second be to some English yet wee never observed any of this age to weepe at the reading of them whereas in some provinces of this Kingdome the battaile of Pannierehugh the rebellion in the North and that lesse disaster in the yeare following that rebellion upon the English borders could not have beene mentioned or seriously related within our memory without many teares of such Auditors as had no other knowledge of the events save onely from histories or from traditions which can produce no better beleefe than historicall 4. Some cases then there be in which although the authority of the Historian be the same and albeit the matters related by them be for weight or substance the same yet shall they not make the same impression upon our hearts or affections Yea matters in themselves considered of small moment will sometimes sway double as much as others of more then double waight unto them although the historicâ—ll beleife of both be equall The circumstances from which historicall truths of lesser waight simply considered receive these extraordinary degrees of gravitation are specially three Vicinity of place Recencie of time and Peculiar references to our Selves to our Country to our Friends or Allies The true reason why the historie of Christs death in some degree I suppose beleeved by all doth worke so little or so successelesly upon most mens affections is because they consider his death though in it selfe a matter of greatest consequence yet as a matter past a thousand and some hundred yeares agone or as a matter done by the Jewes more then two thousand miles from our coast And thus they consider it without any peculiar reference to themselves as the cause of it or no more concerning themselves then as they are Pars quota humani generis some little parcells or graines of mankinde or of the humane nature which he redeemed these being more innumerable than the sand on the Sea shore 5. But how firmely soever we apprehend the truth of Christs death and passion for the substance yet this apprehension cannot produce a true compleate historicall beleife of his death unlesse our apprehension of the substance be seconded with the like apprehension of such circumstances as are peculiar to this history above others What circumstances are these Although he suffered but once and that farre off and long agoe yet whatsoever he then suffered or did doth as neerely as immediately concerne every man this day living in what place soever as it did those that were living when he dyed either such as were sorrowfull spectators of his death or Actors in it For albeit he were offred but once and that but in one place without the gates of Jerusalem yet this one offering was of value truely infinite and for efficacy everlasting And being such it must be equally applyable to all persons times and places In his death in his infinite and everlasting sacrifice every one hath a peculiar interest not Pro ratâ but in solidum by vertue of that atonement which he made by that redemption which he purchased once for all he hath an entire absolute right of dominion over every one of us and every one of us hath
as entire an interest in his death as if what soever he did or suffered in the daies of his humiliation he had done and suffered all for us alone But this last consideration perhaps is more pertinent to the knowledge of Christ and of him Crucified then unto the historicall beliefe of his death or Crosse CHAP. 3. Whether such knowledge of God and of Christ as the Scriptures teach be a science properly so called ADmitting the objects of our beleife might bee as certainely and as evidently knowne at least by some as the subjects of sciences properly so called are Whether this knowledge and our beleife of the same objects may be coincident that is whether it be all one so to know them and to beleeve them I will not dispute for this would occasiō a controversie about the use of words unfitting for a professed Divine to entertaine much more to invite But that there is a knowledge of Christ even in this life which if not for perspicuity or evidence of truth yet for the excellencie of the truths knowne exceeds all other knowledge we have our Apostles peremptory sentence for us For writing to his Converts of Corinth which then abounded with all kinde of knowledge secular he saith I esteemed or determined to know nothing amongst you save Iesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. He therefore determined to know nothing besides because he had no other knowledge in any esteeme in comparison to this And what good Christian would desire any other but as it is subservient to this knowledge This comprehends all that wee can desire either to know or to enjoy all that wee can esteeme or love even eternall happinesse it selfe as the author and fountaine of all happinesse instructs us John 17. ver 3. This is life eternall to know thee the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent But whether our Saviour in this speech or his Apostle in the former do use the word knowledge in a strict or in a vulgar sense may be questioned And this question resolves it selfe into another more generall as whether Theologie that is knowledge of God be a science properly so called or whether many conclusions of faith may bee clearely demonstrated 2. Two sorts of men there be who for the support or securing of their unreasonable conclusions have some reason to deny this Queene of sciences this Mistresse of Arts and supreame Governesse of all good faculties to be a science properly so called The Agents for the Romish Church and their extreame opposites whether mere Enthusiasts such as deny al use of scriptures or mixt Enthusiasts men that acknowledge the use of Scriptures but abuse them more then such as reject them by using them too much or to no good purpose or mingle them with the secret inspirations of their private spirits or wrest them to their owne fancies First if the conclusions controverted betwixt us and the Romane Church may be one way or other demonstrated as either to be altogether true or altogether false or so sublime that in this life they cannot be punctually or absolutely determined then are wee not absolutely bound to beleeve every proposition which that Church shall commend unto us as a doctrine of faith with the same confidence as if it were expresly delivered in Scripture or in the Articles of our Creed Nor should every applauded booke or Sermon albeit their bulke or substance consists for the most part of Scripture sentences be acknowledged to be that word of God to which all owe obedience if once it were acknowledged that there is a facultie or science of Divinitie which hath the same authority to approve or disprove doctrinall conclusions or their uses which other Arts or sciences have to examine the workes of all pretenders to them If Divinity be a science then he which is a Divine or a master of his profession might censure the Professors of other Arts faculties or sciences which take upon them to resolve Theologicall controversies or to teach doctrines which the Church wherein they live never avouched with the selfe same libertie which the Professors of other Arts usually doe Divines if they take upon them to teach or practise within the precincts of their profession Besides these two sects of men and some other men which cannot be comprehended under any sect or faction but have the same temptation to desire that there might be no true knowledge of God or of Christ or no demonstration of the Spirit that the Atheist or desperate sinner hath to wish there were no God or no Judge of quick and dead I cannot conceive what reason any man or any sort of men have to deny Theologie to be a true and proper science Yet to give the ingenuous Reader if not full satisfaction yet some Hints at least whereby hee may satisfie himselfe it will be no digression from our present argument at least no long digression briefely to shew wherein that knowledge of God and of Christ which may in this life be obtained doth differ from sciences properly so called and wherein they doe agree Now all the differences or concordance that can be betwixt any sciences Arts or faculties do either concerne the Maxims and Principles or the conclusions and the subjects of such faculties 3. The Maximes or Principles of all other sciences may be clearely apprehended and firmely assented unto by the industrious search and light of common reason without illuminations supernaturall so cannot the principles or Maxims of Divinity there must be a light or illumination more then naturall before wee can have either a cleare and undoubted apprehension of their truth or a just valuation of their worth Yet this difference is not much materiall neither part of it positive or negative is any way formall or essentiall to the constitution of a science properly so called For by what meanes soever the Principles of any science become manifest and certaine unto us whether by our owne industry or by the teaching of others or whether wee bee taught them immediately from God either by the admirable disposition of his extraordinary Providence or by speciall infused grace is meerely accidentall to the constitution or nature of a science properly so called Hee that sees the deduction of Mathematicall conclusions from the uncontrovers'd Maximes of the same Art as clearely as another doth is never a whit the lesse skilfull Mathematitian although perhaps he learned the Principles by the helpe of an Extraordinary teacher which the other attained unto by the industrious exercise of his owne wit Now if it be meerely accidentall to the nature of a science whether a man be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his owne Master or anothers Scholar whether in learning the principles or conclusions it can be no prejudice either to his knowledge or proficiency in such knowledge that he hath beene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immediatly taught by God at least for the Maximes And I make no
the water or as Eagles soare in the aire or whether the whole firmament from the Region wherein the fixed starres doe move unto this lower region of the aire wherein we breath be at all times so uniforme for the transmission of light or for the true representation of the exact distance whether of the altitude or latitude of the starres from us as at sometimes it is or as glasse or the cleare aire is with us This last Quaere were it agitated and discussed as it might be would I am perswaded shake many Astronomicall suppositions or presumed Notions concerning motum trepidationis that is of the supposed reciprocall motion of those which they call fixed starres from South to North from North to South Great expences without hope either of gaine or of recovering the principall spent in trying Chymicall conclusions by many in the former age will not to this day give satisfaction to some moderne Naturalists whether the conversion of other metalls or materialls into Gold be atchievable Many like problemes there be in other secular sciences which will never be fully resolved untill wee shall not need their resolution Yet were the number of insoluble problemes in every one of these sciences mentioned or in all that can be mentioned much greater then it is this could be no prejudice to them so long as the deduction of many usefull conclusions from cleare undoubted principles may be made evident to men which have their wit and senses exercised in such subjects That the number then of insoluble Problemes is in Divinitie much greater then in any other facultie this only argues the subject of it to be more admirable then the subjects of other faculties In other faculties or sciences wee are bound to give our absolute assent to no more principles or conclusions then are cleare and evident But in Divinitie we must absolutely beleeve many conclusions which we cannot hope in this life absolutely to know or that they should be made evident unto us For we must beleeve the finall judgement with the joyes of the life to come which no man can know till he enjoy them and we must beleeve the everlasting paines ordained for the Devill and his Angels which no man hopes ever to know Many matters of fact likewise there be related by the Prophets Evangelists other sacred writers of which there can be no ungainesayable proofe or demonstration no other ground or reason of our assent unto them besides the authoritie of the Relator Howbeit no man can rightly acknowledge such authoritie as may command his assent without further proofe unlesse there be better grounds or motives then the bare proposall or assertion of the Author That we are thus bound to beleeve many sacred truthes which cannot in this life possibly be knowne doth no way argue our beleefe of them to be lesse rationall then our assent unto other truthes which may be proved by reason but rather supposeth that the true historicall beleefe of Relations sacred doth parallel the truth or evidences of sciences properly so called No evidence of any science doth so farre exceed true historicall beleefe of matters sacred as it doth all historicall beleefe of matters secular and it incomparably exceeds all other historicall beleefe not only in respect of the worth or just estimate of matters related but even for the rationall evidence of the abstract or speculative truth What esteeme soever we make of Xenophons stories this participates no authoritie no credit to Plutarch or other Graecian writers of later times We may give deserved credit to Plutarch to Tacitus and yet iustly suspect Herodotus Livie in many particulars All the credit which secular historians that live in or write of severall ages can expect of us must grow from their owne rootes The consent of many writers in severall ages may serve to underprop a generall or common truth which happily would decline or fall if it were supported by the credit of one alone But naturall propagation of truth from one secular historian to another is not to be expected And without such propagation some addition may be made to our beleefe of one by reading others but there can be no true growth or augmentation of our beleefe of matters secular by comparing divers Historians Farre otherwise it is in the right historicall beleefe of matters sacred 4. The seed of Divine mysteries which are sowne in Mosaicall writings shoot out their branches in the ensuing historians the Prophets and beare flower and fruit in the Evangelicall stories So that he that rightly beleeves the truth of Mosaicall histories cannot distrust the Prophets or suspect the Evangelists in their relations This is a truth supposed by the Author of Truth himselfe Had yee beleeved Moses you would have beleeved me For he wrote of me Joh. 5. 46. that is Christ was if not the sole subject yet the onely scope of Moses his writings Now to beleeve the histories of Moses or matters related by him we have inducements many no lesse binding then the experiments or inductions which winne and tie our assent unto the Principles of Arts or Sciences These inducements are partly from the visible booke of the Creatures partly from the estate of the Jewes sufficiently known to all Nations from time to time Of these inducements somewhat hath beene said in the first booke of these Comments somewhat likewise in the Treatise of Creation Now the contemplation of that most exact harmonie between Mosaicall or Propheticall delineations of Christ and that liue image of him which the Evangelists by his Spirit have exhibited unto our view is no lesse rationall then the contemplation of connexion betweene the Principles of other Sciences and their conclusions The progresse in this contemplation of the Harmony betwixt the severall passages of sacred stories is not the same that is betweene Mathematicall principles or Theorems and their conclusions The point then next to be enquired is how the mysteries concerning Christ and his Kingdome which have been revealed unto us in the new Testament were delivered by Moses by the Prophets or other Canonicall writers of the old Testament SECT 2. Of the severall wayes by which the mysteries contained in the knowledge of Christ were foretold prefigured or otherwise fore-signified Of the divers senses of holy Scriptures and how they are said to be fulfilled with some generall rules for the right interpretation of them CHAP. 5. Containing the generall division of testimonies or fore-significations of Christ ALL the prenotions or fore-significations which the Patriarchs had or their posterity might have had concerning Christ have been elsewhere reduced to these three generall rootes To testimonies meerely Propheticall meerely typicall and Typically Propheticall The division though no way misliked by us now may notwithstanding upon the revise be somewhat amended or further explained All the prenotions or overtures of Him that was to come were either by word or matter of fact either Enunciative and assertive or representative or partly
face whilest he talked with the people who were not able to behold the glory But this vaile as our Apostle tels us 2 Cor. 3. 14. is put away in Christ It is true Yet this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the word was not the Christ to doe away this vaile till he put on the vaile of flesh The flesh then was a vaile to him but as a glasse or mirrour to us Wee may in Christ with open face behold that glory of God whose reflexe on Moses face the Israelites could not behold but through a vaile Christ then is that glasse or mirrour wherin the brightnesse of Gods glory which the Israelites could not then behold may now be seene But did the Iews or Israelites in the time of the old Testament or in that time wherein the Author of the booke of Wisdome wrote conceive any such matter as our Apostle here inferres that the glory of God should be more fully revealed or that men should be more capable of the participation of his presence in later ages then they had beene in former Some of them did others did not all of them ought even by their owne prenotions or interpretations of Scriptures so to have conceived and beleeved For thus some moderne Iews conceive of Moses his request What was that saith a great Rabbin amongst them which Moses our Master sought to attaine unto when he said I pray thee shew me thy glory 9 He requeged to know the truth of the being or essence of the holy blessed God untill that he were knowne in his heart like as a man is knowne whose face is seen and whose forme is ingravē in ones heart so that man is distinguished or separated in his knowledge from other men So Moses requested that the Essence of God might be distinctly knowne in his heart from the essence of other things so that he might know the truth of his Essence as it is But God answered him that the knowledge of living man who is compounded of body and soule hath no ability to apprehend the truth of this thing concerning his Creator That knowledge of God or sight of his glory whereof Moses was uncapable was truely ingraven in the heart of the man Christ Iesus and in his light wee see light He that saw him with the eyes of faith did see the father he did see the glory of the Godhead The brightnesse of the divine glory is alike inaccessible alike incommunicable in the Sonne as in the Father if we consider them in their divine nature alone but in the man Christ Iesus and in him alone wee may behold the brightnesse of the Divine glory which neither eye nor heart of man could behold in it selfe or in any divine person alone but only in the divine person which was incarnate 10 And it is not here to be omitted that the forecited 29. of Exodus ver 45 I will dwell among the Children of Israel is thus translated by Onkelus in his paraphrase ponam praesentiam divinitatis meae in medio filiorum Israel So Fagius with some others render it and why he so renders it gives the reason And the later Rabbines as one well conversant in their writings saith generally observe that whensoever it is said in the person of God that I will dwell amongst them this may not be understood but of the Majestie of the holy and blessed God To this purpose they alleage the 9. verse of the 8 Psalme His salvation is neere them that feare him that glory may dwell in our Land And Simeon in his dying song doth testifie that Jesus the sonne of Mary whom he imbraced when he was presented in the Temple was the salvation of God Lord now lattest thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy Word For mine eyes have seene thy Salvation And although our Saviour whilest hee lived here on earth had no constant dwelling no place of inheritance yet at this time the Godhead or that glory of the Godhead of which the Psalmist speaketh was incorporated in him These and the like Scriptures S. Iohn did see fulfilled in Christ when he said the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us and wee saw his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father that is such glory as could not bee communicated to any but to him who was by nature the sonne of God such glory as no flesh could behold otherwise then as it was in Christ or in the word made flesh such a declaration of the divine Majestie as none besides the sonne of God could declare So the Apostle saith ver 18. No man hath seene God at any time but the only begotten sonne who is in the bosome of the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath declared or expounded him But wherein doth this declaration consist or how was it made by the sonne Not by word only or by declaration of his will but by matter of fact or reall representation But of this point more fully in the exposition of the name Iesus Seeing Moses had said that no flesh could see God and live it may seeme strange to men which have not their senses exercised in the search of Scriptures that the Prophet Isaiah should avouch the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together Isay 40. 5. Moses speech and that conceipt which the ancient had that man could not see God and live was universally true untill the word or brightnesse of Gods glory was made flesh But this was the very mysterie which Isaiah in that chapter foretold as elsewhere hath beene declared in part and shall be as it comes in order to be handled more fully a little after this Chapter 11 That the moderne Iews can expect the God of their Fathers should dwell with them should walk with them should manifest his glory unto them after such a manner as their owne Doctors interpret his promise made to Moses to al these purposes after any other way or manner then the Evangelist witnessed he did walk with and manifest his glory unto his Disciples This to us Christians is an evident demonstration that the vale which their Forefathers put before their faces when they could not behold the brightnesse of Gods glory which shone on Moses face after he had seene God and talked with him is to this day put before their hearts when they read Moses and the Prophets For this glorious Majestie of God the very expresse or graven Image of his substāce which they say Moses desired to see but could not did so personally dwell in the man Christ Jesus that whilest he walked with his people God did walke with thē whilest he remayned within the territories of Iudah or Galilee salvation glory did dwell in their Land And to this day in whomsoever he dwelleth by faith in him God dwelleth by faith As he is the expresse image of the person of his Father so every one in whom he thus
Matthews relation of the manner of our Saviours conception and birth and of the harmony betwixt it and the prophecyes 370 34. The manner of our Saviours conception and birth as it was foretold by the Prophet Isaiah exactly fulfilled The Iews exceptions against S. Matthewes allegation of the prophet Isaiahs testimony with the full answer unto them 383 35. Of the circumcision of our Saviour 418 36. Of the name Jesus 〈◊〉 the title Lord. 428 FINIS THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST IESVS OR The Seventh Booke of Commentaries upon the APOSTLES CREED HOW Evill should mingle it selfe with the workes of God seeing every thing made by him and he made all was good How that evill which wee call sinne should finde entrance into and hold possession of the heart of man who was the accomplishment of all Gods visible workes and upon whose creation it is said that God saw every thing that hee had made and it was very good What kinde of being this evill hath whether meerely privatiue or onely positive or partly both Wherein that servitude which Sinne did bring upon us doth consist What freedome of will is compatible with our naturall servitude unto Sathan for without some freedome of will wee might bee Sathans instruments his slaves or servants unto sinne we could not be These and the like Quares with their severall branches in the first project of this long work had their place allotted betweene the Article of Creation and the Articles concerning Christ or in the intended Seaventh booke of Commentaries upon the Creed But the method then intended I have now altered not out of forgetfulnesse but out of 〈◊〉 and upon these considerations especially First in that the doctrine concerning sinne originall or actuall is not expresly mentioned in the Creede Secondly because the most pleasant and most fruitful branches of divine providence whose generall stemmes have beene in the Article of Creation handled are no where so conspicuous or so admirable as in the evangelicall historie of the conception birth life death resurrection and ascension of Iesus Christ our Lord and Saviour And pitty it were to sever them in place which accord so well in nature Lastly I considered it could no way be harmefull to have the plaister ready before I adventured to lance the sore specially in that I am likely to search somewhat deeper than I have found it searched by others The onely sore of the humane soule whose scarres cannot in this life be perfectly healed is sinne originall and the wounds thereof are sinnes actuall and habituall the onely medicine or salve for both is the knowledge of Christ and him crucified for hee is the onely tree of life whose leaves are appointed to heale the Nations SECT 1. Of the beleefe or knowledge of Christ in generall and whether Theologie be a true science or no. CHAP. 1. Of the principall points that Christians are bound to beleeve THat all wee which beare the name of Christians did take the name originally from Christ the heathen historian did acknowledge He did beleeve that Christ the author and finisher of our faith did suffer under Pontius Pilate yet this beleefe was farre from making him a Christian That which wee Christians are in the first place to beleeve is that the man Christ Iesus whom the Iewes by the helpe of Pontius Pilate did crucify was truely the Sonne of God his onely Sonne so truly and indissolubly the Sonne of God as well as of man that whilest this man was conceived by the holy Ghost the Sonne of God was likewise conceived by the holy Ghost whilest this man was borne of a pure Virgin the true and onely Sonne of God was borne of the same Virgin whilest this man was put to death crucified dead and buried the Sonne of God was likewise crucified dead buried whilst this man Christ was raised againe from the dead the true and onely Sonne of God was so raysed whilest this man ascended into Heaven the Sonne of God ascended into Heaven whilest this man sitteth at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for us the Sonne of God there sits and makes the same intercession that when wee expect the same Iesus whom the Iews did crucifie shall come in visible manner to judge the quick and the dead wee beleeve and expect that the Sonne of God shall come to judge the quick and the dead Of the first points wee ought to have at the least a true historicall beleefe Our beleefe of that article concerning Christs comming to judgement and of our resurrection from the dead is more propheticall than historicall 2. Is then an historicall beleefe of Christs conception birth death and resurrection sufficient for us Sure it is not unlesse withall it be salvificall No faith can save unlesse it be a saving faith but no faith can be salvificall vnlesse it be historicall For hee that doth not beleeve the history of Christs death and passion can have no Christian faith at all Now the utmost effect whereunto the endeavours of Gods Seedsmen are immediately terminated is to plant in the hearts of their hearers a firme perswasion of the divine truth of the sacred Histories or Prophecies concerning Christ In respect of this perswasion they are said to plant and water and to be Coworkers with Gods Spirit But to make this perswasion to bee salvificall this is the worke of God alone For unlesse hee give this increase to what wee plant and water all our labours are lost our best endeavours are to no purpose Yet as we are to beleeve that without God wee can doe nothing so are wee bound to hope that in him and by him wee may doe all things or have all things done in us and for us which can be needfull or conducent to our Salvation No if such as are bound to teach and such as are bound to learne would daily season their endeavours their prayers especially with serious consideration of this twofold truth wee could have no just occasion either of doubt or feare but that if our beleefe of the rehearsed Articles of Christ were once truly historical it would certainely become rightly salvifical For to be historicall to be salvifical are not mēbra opposita no such opposite members as divide beleefe into two parts or kindes they are as subordinate one to the other as naturall wit and artificiall improvement of it CHAP. 2. Of Historians beleefe in generall and how it doth variously affect Beleevers according to the varietie of matters related the severall esteeme of the Historians THat wee call historicall beleefe which hath no other ground besides the authority of the Historian or relater or at the most experiments sutable to things related And such experiments may be knowne sometimes by sense sometimes by reasons demonstrative And yet all the credit which they can give to the historian or all the additions they can make unto historicall beleefe formerly planted will be but probabilities or presumptions Whether the Moone
overreach or fall awry of it none of them doe punctually fall upon it For no Christian or Heathen Writer whether ancient or moderne hath hitherto made question whether the fourth Eclogue of Virgil were penned by this Heathen Poet or composed by some which lived after our Saviours death in favour of the Christians Now if wee had the notes of that plaine song on which this Prince of latine Poets runnes such curious descant in the very characters wherein Sibylla Cumaea left it for Virgil as he himselfe professeth was but a Commentator upon this one among many other heathen Prophetesses intitled to this name of Sibyll I do not see nor can I conjecture what passages in the old testament doe more literally and plainely expresse the sacred mysteries concerning Christ and his Kingdome which the Evangelists have unfolded unto us then that one Sibylla did on whose writings Virgil comments in lofty and curious verse 3. The Law and Prophets saith our Saviour continued unto Iohn the Baptist His meaning is not that the matter of those writings did then expire or determine or that the writings themselves should then become obsolete or out of use But rather that John should take the lampes which they had lighted and deliver them to such as were to pursue the same course which hee after the law and Prophets had undertaken Hee was Lucerna ardens lucens a bright and a burning Lampe to enlighten such as lived with him or came after him to follow his steps with zeale and devotion towards him whom he did usher into the world As Johns entrance upon his office was a kinde of period to the Law and Prophets after which there was a new Epocha or distinction of times to follow so there was to be a determination of Sibylls Oracles about that time wherein Virgil wrote that fourth Eglogue Vltima Cumaei venit jam carminis aetas Virgil did grossely erre in the person or party of whom this prophecy of Sibyll was literally meant according to the intention of the spirit of divination by which it was first conceived and erre he did though not so grossely in the circumstances of the time wherein it was to be accomplished But these two errors and other circumstances being pardoned the substance of his discourse or descant upon Sibylla Cumaea's verses is Orthodoxall and such as concludently argues the text whereon he Comments to have beene originally more then humane truly divine 4. For however wee have learned long agoe that all the gratious promises made by God unto the ancient Israelites for continuation of the Aaronicall Priesthood and other like prerogatives peculiar to that Nation under the style or tenure of Legnolam for ever were to determine at the revelation of their long expected Messias and although many Christian writers well versed in Hebrew Antiquaries assuredly informe us this was an unquestionable tradition amongst the ancient Hebrew Rabbins though now denied yet no writer either Jewish or Christain give me so full satisfaction in this point as Virgil in the forecited Eglogue doth For after he had said Vltima Cumaei venit jam carminis aetas He addeth immediately Magnus ab integro saeclorum nascitur ordo This implies that as there was then an end of that age or world wherein Sibylla Cumaea lived so there was another age or world to begin at the accomplishment of her prophecy which was to have no period but to be as we say Saecula Saeculorum a world of worlds or a world without end Such wee Christians beleeve the Kingdome of Christ to be which was to take its beginning here on earth at the accomplishments of the prophecies concerning his resurrection and exaltation With his Crosse or humiliation Virgil meddles not having transformed all that Sibylla prophecied of Him into the similitude of the Romane Empire as then it stood goodly and glorious and so to continue as he hoped with perpetuall increase of strength and happinesse If wee had all the single threds as Sibylla left them which this Heathen Poet hath twisted into these and the like strong lines Iam redit virgo redeunt Saturnia regna Iam nova progenies caelo demittitur alto 5. Me thinkes they might lead us by a compendious and gaine way unto a clearer view of many divine mysteries recorded by sacred writers concerning our Saviours eternall generation incarnation nativity and propagation of his Kingdome then wee can hope to approach unto by the perplexed Labyrinths of many moderne Interpreters of divers Schoolemen or by any tradition of the ancient Hebrewes as now they are extant But the exact parallel betweene the undoubted Oracles of Gods Prophets and such hints as Virgil descants upon from Sibylla Cumaea I leave to yonger Academick Divines or Moralists It shall suffice my present purpose to adde some one or two more unto the former The first Revelation concerning Christ and his Kingdome which is extant upon sacred record is That Gen. 3. ver 15. I will put enmitie saith God to the Serpent betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seed and her seed It shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heele That this womans seed was to be a man all that beleeved the truth of Moses writings did know but that he was to be the sonne of a pure virgin was more as is most probable then our Mother Evah more then the father and mother of Noah at the birth of their first borne did apprehend and perhaps more then some Prophets and many godly men after them did explicitely beleeve Yet of this mysterie that Sibylla whom Virgil followes had certainely a prenotion though transformed by Virgil into Poeticall fictions of Astraea For it is likely by Iam redit virgo c. he meant her returne unto the Earth The accomplishment of that first prophecy Gen. 3. ver 15. by our Saviours victory gotten over Satan upon the Crosse was first declared by himselfe after his resurrection to his Disciples Marke 16. 17 18. And these signes shall follow them that beleeve In my name shall they cast out Devills they shall speake with new tongues they shall take up Serpents and if they drinke any deadly thing it shall not hurt them c. Of all this the Heathen Sibylla had a prenotion expressed by Virgil in few yet pithy words Occidet Serpens fallax herba veneni Occidet 6. The wildernesse saith the Prophet Isaiah cap. 35. 1 2. shall be glad for them and the desart shall rejoyce and blossome It shall blossome abundantly And againe cap. 41. 19. I will plant in the wildernesse the Cedar the Shittah tree and the myrtle and the oyle tree I will set in the desart the firre tree and the pine and the boxe tree together All these and the like expressions of matter of joy in these two chapters and elsewhere in this Prophet have their parallel in that fore-cited Eglogue And as if he had foreseene that which the Apostle tells
should bee much better in later times then in his age or any age before it was At what time then was this comfort actually exhibited to all flesh which before was but grasse and as the flower of grasse that fadeth Then assuredly when the word of the Lord which endureth for ever did become flesh or was incorporated in our flesh For the life and efficacy of this word as the text literally imports was to be manifested by its admirable effects or operations upon the mortality or weaknesse of flesh Our mortality or miserable condition as the Prophet presumes could not weaken the immortall efficacy of the Word whereas the Word might give life and immortality to all flesh which should see the glory the tast the goodnesse of it By the Word of the Lord then which endureth for ever we are to understand not Verbum Domini not onely the word of the Lord as it is daily preached but the Lord himselfe who if he speake the word great shall be the number of the Preachers of the word both of Prophets and of Prophetesses 2. The best interpretation of the prophet Isa is already made unto our hands partly by S. Peter partly by S. Iohn in the beginning of his Gospell Wee are brone againe saith S. Peter not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever 1. Pet. 1. 23. By corruptible seed he meanes our corruptible nature as we are the sonnes of Adam For so he expounds his owne meaning in the words of the Prophet before mentioned For that all flesh is as grasse all the glory of man as the flower of grasse the grasse withereth and the flower thereof falleth away Now that which it selfe withereth and falleth away can yeeld no seed of life can minister no comfort unto misery or mortality The antithesis then or opposition requires that by the incorruptible seed of which wee are borne againe we must understand the word of God which endureth for ever or somewhat into which that word doth in speciall manner infuse life or verbum caro factum the eternall word as it is invailed in flesh but in flesh exempted or priviledged from all corruption For it is called the word of God which liveth for ever not so much in respect of its owne life but in regard of its communication of life to such as are destitute of life That this is the true scale of S. Peters meaning we may gather from S. Iohns parallel paraphrase upon the same words of the Prophet Isaiah In the beginning was the word and the word was God c. And hee came unto his owne and his owne received him not but as many as received him to them he grave power or right to become the sonnes of God even to them which beleeve on his name But who are they that rightly beleeve on his name Such as are borne not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man this is that which S. Peter saith not of corruptible seed but are borne of God And whosoever is borne of God is questionlesse borne of that immortall seed wherof S. Peter speakes The further explication of this point will much depend upon the solution of these two questions The first in what sense we are said to be borne of God The second when miserable and corruptible men were first so borne To assoile the later question in the first place Flesh and blood were not capable of this new birth whereof S. Iohn and S. Peter speake untill that word of God which endureth for ever that word which was with God and was God by whom the world also was made came into the world and being made man was borne of a woman The holy Patriarks Prophets were true heires of this glorious promise but could not be reall possessors of the blessing promised before this time But was the incarnation of the eternall word to this purpose concludently foreprophecyed by Isaiah in that 40. chapter Yes this was the principall part of those glad tidings which the voice of him that cried in the wildernesse was to proclaime as it is expressed ver 5. The glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together The sight of it was to bee a sight of life and comfort to all flesh and this was the height of that comfort which the sight of this glory exhibited that as they had beene the miserable sonnes of mortall men so they should become the sons of God blessed for ever Now it is evident out of other Scriptures that no flesh could see the glory of God and live save only as the brightnesse of it was to bee alloyed by a vaile a flesh through which the Apostles themselves not all but Peter Iames and Iohn did behold it as weakesighted men do the splendour of the sunne through a cloud Hence saith S. Iohn by way of comment or paraphrase upō the forecited 40. of Isaiah ver 5. The word was made flesh and wee beheld his glory to wit the glory of the word of God which endureth for ever the glory as of the only begotten son of God full of grace and truth And of his fulnesse all that beleeve receive grace for grace When it is said that the sonne of God was made man of a Woman this implies that he was as truely flesh of the womans flesh and bone of her bones as the first woman was flesh of the first mans flesh and bone of his bones But in this the mysteries of the first womans creation is not finally accomplished How was it then so accomplished In this that no sonnes of men none that are borne of women can truely and really become the sonnes of God untill they become flesh of his flesh and bones of his bones who was not made the son of God but was the sonne of God by nature his only begotten sonne before all worlds the light and life of men As thē the word which in the beginning was with God and the sonne of God are but titles of one and the same person so the word of life and the word of God which endureth for ever are but Synonymall expressions of one and the same mystery to wit of the word being made flesh or become visible and sensible unto flesh That saith S. Iohn which was from the beginning which we have heard which wee have seene with our eyes which wee have looked upon and our hands have handled of the Word of life that wee declare unto you For the life was manifested and we have seen it and beare witnesse and shew unto you even that eternall life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us 1 Iohn 1. 1 2. This life was alwaies with God but came not into the world was not manifested to flesh and bloud untill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word and son of God was incarnate 3. The same Antithesis or opposition which the
not a principall and an Analogicall sense The true reason that may be given for it is that the wisedome of God did thus fore-ordaine it that so this great mystery of the eternall Word 's becomming flesh might bee foreshadowed as well by verball character as foretold by expresse propheticall testimonies delivered by way of propositions or prefigured by reall types in the Law or in matter of facts in sacred history CHAP. 29. Of the true meaning of this speech the word was made flesh Whether it be all one for the Word to be made flesh and to be made man or whether He were made flesh and made man at the same instant BUt it being granted and I hope sufficiently proved that the incarnation of the Word is the very life and kernell of the Gospell that the Patriarchs and Prophets did solace themselves and taught their childrens children to doe the like in all their perplexities by assured hope of this great mystery in the Lords good time to be revealed yet the curious fancies of captious wits have been and will bee ready to question though not the matter or mystery it selfe yet the manner of our Evangelists expression of it the Word was made flesh To be made flesh is to be made a substance and the Word which is said to be made flesh was more then a substance the everliving essence the life and light of men before he was manifested in the flesh Doth he still remaine so So we Christians are bound to beleeve Yet might the Jew or meere heathen artist have liberty to oppose us they would find matter of argument to this or like purpose whensoever one substance is truly made another the former substance ceaseth to be what it was before For the truth of this generall rule instances are plentifull in all sorts of substances which are said to be made what they were not before when one simple Elements is made another when the water becomes a vapour it ceaseth to be water when the Vapour is made a cloud it is no longer a vapour when the cloud resolves into raine it is no more a cloud when of the Elements any third body is made whether perfectly or imperfectly mixt they cease to be what they were they lose both their forme and names Nor skils it whether one substance be made or becomes another which before it was not by course of nature or immediately by the finger of God or by the exercise of his miraculous power For it was a true miracle and a great one that pure water should be immediately made perfect wine and yet the water being made wine did cease to be what it was before it was no longer a simple Element but a true mixt body Now the Word as all Christians grant was an everlasting Essence more then a substance before it was made or became flesh How then can wee Christians mainteyne that it still remaines the same it was without any reall alteration or change whether substantiall or accidentall To this objection wee reply as before wee have done in other cases that multitude of instances how many soever cannot make up a perfect induction if in any one pretended for grounding a rule or proposition absolutely universall there be the least diversitie or dissimilitude of reason Every such diversity or disparity acquits the instance in which it is found for being comprehended under the rule or law otherwise universall Admitting it then to be universally true of all other substances or Essences in the World besides Whensoever one is made or becomes another which before it was not that substance which is made another doth lose it selfe or ceaseth to be what it was Yet this universall rule will not reach the instance now in debate concerning the Word 's being made flesh The reason is plaine not from the manner of this miraculous work but from the nature or supereminency of that everlasting substance or Essence which was miraculously made flesh All other Essences or substances which are capable of being made or becoming what they were not are capable of change or alteration in their substances They do not either lose their owne names or suffer the names of other substances to be put upon them untill they have put off their owne natures or lost possession of themselves The law of nature ties evē livelesse substāces more strictly not to change their names untill they be conquered or overcome by others then the laws of Heraldrie ties Nobles or Gentlemen not to alter their ancient Armes or names which they seldome do unlesse upon conquest or some marriage or alliance beneficiall or advantagious to their house or Family But the Word of God which endureth for ever was and is as unchangeable as God himselfe was and is from eternity more then all things Essence or being it selfe As all things were made by him so he might when he pleased bee made flesh or man without any change or alteration in himselfe either whilst all things were made by him or whilst hee were made this particular It is then the preheminence or superexcellency of his nature or Essence which exempts him from the former generall rule or pretended induction 2 For the more commodious expression as of divers other supernaturall mysteries or matters spirituall so of this great mysterie especially the the fittest resemblance which can be made of thē must be borrowed not from experiments or inductions in matters physicall but from cases of civill use or consequence Mutations accidentall there may be many physically accidentall in one and the same substance without any alteration in the substance in which such change is made Yet such changes of accidents properly inherent for the most part either adde some perfection to the substance or detract somewhat from it But for a person already invested with honourable names or titles and with realities answering to them to invest himselfe with realities or titles of an inferior rank is no disparagement to his former dignities Thus many Princes by birth and of great possessiōs sometimes take the names or titles of Knights are solemnely made Knights created Earles sometimes made Gentlemen of Venice and some Kings of this Land have beene made free of particular Companies or Corporations under their royall jurisdiction and so made without any impeachement or diminution of their royall titles but only to the grace or advancement of that order whereof they were made Knights or of those Societies and Corporations whereof they were made free And thus although the Word who before the beginning of time was with God was truely God was in the fulnesse of time made flesh this can be no impeachment to his Deitie or Divine person but an unspeakable exaltatiō or advancement of the humane nature which he took upon him And herein we poore miserable men so wee would be thankfull for it have a preheminence of the Angelicall nature in that the son of God God blessed for ever did vouchsafe to become one of our
Isaiah moveth a question neither so curious nor so dangerous as pertinent whether these words be the collections or interpretations of S. Matthew or whether in this historicall relation he were only the Register of the Angels speech to Ioseph as in the forecited testimony out of Micah he was of the chiefe Priests and Scribes answer unto Herods demand concerning the place where the Messias should be born This good writer is of opinion that the Angel himselfe did unfold the true intent and purpose of the holy Ghost in that prophecy unto Ioseph as a principall argument to perswade him not to put away Mary his espoused wife but entertaine her and her sonne with the same respect and loue as if the child conceived in her had been as well his only begotten sonne as hers But however the Angels presence and manner of speech did afford abundant satisfaction to Iosephs perplexed thoughts for the present yet to prevent all future regrettings after the Angels departure from them when haply the dreame or vision might be partly forgotten or the truth of it suspected it was convenient to acquaint him with the word of the Lord written long before to the same purpose for that was permanent and beyond all exception or suspition And seeing it was so clearely foretold by the Prophet that a Virgin should conceive and bring forth a sonne who should be a signe or pledge of comfort to the house of David it could not seeme strange or improbable to Ioseph that his espoused wife who as he himselfe also was of the lineage of David should be the virgin meant by the holy Ghost in that prophecy S. Matthew then did learne the true meaning of the Prophet by the Angel and this meaning of it being avouched by both there can be no question amongst Christians of the concludent proofe and efficacie of the prophecy it selfe as it is alleaged by S. Matthew Wee may not suspect or thinke that it was fulfilled onely by way of accommodation or allusion as in the judgment of some moderne Divines divers other Scriptures are which yet are said by our Evangelist to be fulfilled or for the fulfilling of which many events historically related by them are said to be done or come to passe 3 Yet even this most pregnant testimony of that grand mysterie of our faith that Christ was conceived by the holy Ghost and borne of the virgin Mary is shrewdly opposed by the moderne Jews and their oppositions to our usuall interpretations of this prophecy are more fiercely mainteyned by them because it is in it selfe so pregnant First they object that the originall word gnalma doth not alwayes import a virgin but sometimes a childbearing woman that in this place it points at the Prophets present wife who before this time had brought him forth Children one at least and was now to bring him forth another which was to be the Emmanuel here meant But this grammaticall exception against the originall word is the weakest they bring and is clearely refuted by Iunius and many others and were it granted that the originall word might sometimes import a childbearing woman which is a conceipt of theirs as foolish as impious yet could i◠not in this place denote the prophets present wife It is questioned whether the Prophet at this time had any wife at all though it be apparant that Isaias had been maried before this time from the third verse of the 7 Chapter Then said the Lord unto Isaias Goe forth now to meet Ahaz thou and Shear-iashub thy sonne a sonne no doubt lawfully begotten But if his mother had beene then living or if she had beene Hagnalma that virgin or woman in whom the prophet did meane to instance in particular there should have beene mention of her comming as well as of her sonnes Shear-iashub with Isaiah to meete Ahaz at the place appointed by the Lord himselfe for all things contained in his prophecie the very circumstances of time and place are particularized most exactly 4. Secondly the Jews object that if our Saviour Christ had beene the seede here promised or if the blessed Uirgin or Ioseph her husband had knowne thus much they would have called him Emmanuel not Jesus at his circumcision at least this should have been his usuall name For so the prophet expressely saith And thou shalt call his name Emmanuel whereas the Angel enjoyneth the virgin to call her sonne Iesus The third and maine exception which they presse most feircely is that the child here promised whosoever were to be his mother was to be a pledge of that strange deliverance of Ahaz and his people within some few yeares after from the confederacy of Syria and Ephraim who had then projected the utter extirpation of the house of David Now every signe is either of some future event to be exhibited after the signe is given or an assurance that those things which are said to be foretold in the name of the Lord were so foretold by God indeed not pretended only by the prophet If this Emmanuel were to be a signe and pledge to Ahaz and his people that the Lord would deliver them beyond their expectation from their present Enemies hee was according to the literall and historicall purport of the Prophets words to be borne before this deliverance was accomplished If he were onely to be a signe or assurance that the words which Isaias spake to Ahaz were spoken by the speciall command of the Lord this might be an undoubted signe to us or to such as lived about the time of his birth it could be no signe or assurance unto Ahaz or the people then living either of their deliverance from their Enemies or that Isaias had spoken to them in the name of the Lord if they did otherwise question his authoritie Or to say the very truth unlesse the Emmanuel there promised were borne at the time limited by the prophet his birth could yeeld no assurance unto us that Ahaz was delivered from the King of Syria and Ephraim or that these two Enemies were cut off within the time limited by the prophet All this wee are to beleeve from the historicall narration and literall sense of the Prophet not from the Evangelicall storie concerning the miraculous birth of our Saviour of which if we have a true historicall beleife wee must beleeve the Evangelist from the praediction of the Prophet or from the parallel betweene the Prophets and the Evangelists words This inference is good and sufficient to ground true beleife The prophet foretold the virgin should conceive and beare a sonne therefore the Evangelists allegation and historie is of divine truth but not è contra the Evangelist reports that a virgin did conceive and bring forth a sonne ergò that which the prophet had said of Ahaz his deliverance from his enemies is of like truth and authority Iunius therefore with some others consequently enough to their owne interpretations of this place deny that the birth of the
historicall event 15. To conclude this parallell betweene the Evangelist and the Prophet with the contrary demeanours of Ahaz and the blessed Virgin upon delivery of the like message from the Lord. The Lord proffers Ahaz a signe wheresoever or in what kinde soever he would aske it but he will not aske it nor will hee tempt the Lord. Isay 7. 11 12. As if not to rely upon the strength of Assyria had beene to tempt the Lord. Nor will hee beleeve the Prophet when hee gives him a signe most sutable to the signes of that present time For Ahaz and his people had a faire introduction to beleeve all that the Prophet had assumed to make good upon the conception and birth of Emmanuel from the experienced successe or happy Omen of Isaiah his former sonne whom he named upon the occasion fore-mentioned Shear-iashab The blessed Virgin after shee had seene the Angell of the Lord and talked with him did think it no tempting of the Lord to accept this signe which the Angel profered Behold thy Cousin Elizabeth shee hath also conceived a sonne in her old age and this is the sixth moneth with her who was called barren Luk. 1. 36. After her acceptance of this signe and solemne passing of her assent unto whatsoever the Angel said Behold the handmaid of the Lord be it unto me according to thy word ver 38. Shee thought it no tempting of the Lord to be further confirmed in the truth of this signe For shee arose in thâ—se dayes and went into the Hill Country with hast into a Citie of Iuda and entered into the house of Zacharias and saluted Elizabeth And it came to passe that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary the Babe leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the holy Ghost And shee spake out with a loud voyce and said Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb And whence is this to me that the Mother of my Lord should come to me For loe assone as the voyce of thy salutation sounded in mine eares the Babe leaped in my womb for joy And blessed is shee that beleeved c. Luke 1. 39 40 c. Vpon these lively experiments of the truth of the Angels words unto her the blessed Virgin immediately conceives that sweet and sacred Hymne My soule doth magnifie the Lord c. In her beliefe and acceptance of this signe or rather in her conception which did instantly follow upon it that signe which God had profered to Ahaz by Isaiah was most exactly accomplished Ahaz was willed to aske a signe either in the depth or height above Isai 7. 1â— Though Ahaz should have requested God that the Moone and Starres might descend out of the Spheres and become mountaines and rocks on earth or that the stones in the bowels of the earth or rocks in the sea might ascend into heaven and become glorious starres Neither of these nor both of them had beene so great a wonder as that which God now wrought upon the blessed Virgins beliefe unto his promise For now he who was higher than the Heavens who filleth both Heaven and Earth with his presence the true and only sonne of God comes downe from heaven is inclosed in the Virgins womb becomes her sonne and the fruit of her womb whose bodily originall was from the earth becomes the sonne of God the King of Heaven and yet still remaines the true Emmanuel God with us or more then so the Iesus the Saviour CHAP. 35. Of the Circumcision of our Saviour THE Angelicall hymne or testification of the birth of Iesus made unto the Shepherds by the coelestial Host is a subject more fit for Sermons then for these Comments at least the solemnity of that great Festivall would better become the Commemoration of those joyfull Ditties than a plaine historicall narration of them specially seeing it would require a long search and a large discourse to make it cleare where this sacred Hymne sung by Angels upon the birth day of Iesus was either foretold by any Prophet or foreshadowed by matter of fact Besides this Hymne the next Evangelicall narration to his birth was his circumcision imposition of the name Iesus Now albeit his circumcision be not mentioned in the Creed yet it is a point of beliefe not to be omitted in this place When eight dayes were accomplished for the circumcising of the Childe his name was called Jesus which was so named of the Angel before he was conceived in the womb Luk. 2. 21. But was it any where either expresly foretold or concludently portended by matter of fact that the Sonne of God God blessed for ever should be circumcised Yes all this was most concludently fore-signified and that in such a peculiar manner as cannot exactly be paralleld with any of the former generall wayes according to which the incarnation of the Word or other articles concerning the Sonne of God were either observed to be fore-shadowed or to be fulfilled Testimony expresse and direct there is none I know that the Sonne of God should be circumcised and yet the circumcision of God in the person of the Sonne was more then fore-pictured literally included in the Covenant betweene God and Abraham Gen. 17. 6 7. I will make thee exceeding fruitfull and I will make Nations of thee and Kings shall come out of thee And I will establish my Covenant betweene mee and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy seede after thee c. And God said unto Abraham Thou shalt keepe my Covenant therefore thou and thy seed after thee in their Generations This is my Covenant which yee shall keepe betweene me and you and thy seed after thee Every man childe among you shall be circumcised And yee shall circumcise the flesh of your fore-skin and it shall be a token of the Covenant betwixt me and you And he that is eight dayes olde shall be circumcised among you every man childe in your generations ver 9 10 11 12. Though Abraham himselfe and all his houshold were presently circumcised yet the Covenant whereof Circumcision was the pledg or token was to be established not in Abraham or in Ismael but in Isaac And God said Sarah thy wife shall beare thee a sonne indeede and thou shalt call his name Isaac and I will establish my Covenant with him for an everlasting Covenant and with his seed after him ver 19. Abraham feared lest Gods speciall favour to this sonne of promise might exclude Ismael from blessings ordinarie and hence he preferres this modest petition unto God ver 18. O that Ismael might live before thee To which hee receives this gracious answer ver 20. And as for Ishmael I have heard thee Behold I have blessed him and will make him fruitfull and will multiply him exceedingly twelve Princes shall he beget and I will make him a great Nation Lastly to shew