Christ once for all Hebr. 10. 10. Every Priest standeth dayly ministring and offering oftimes the same sacrifices which can never take away sinnes but this man or rather this Priest after he had once offered one sacrifice for sinnes for ever sate downe on the right hand of God and henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool For by one offering he hath consecrated for ever them that are sanctified ver 11. 12. 13. 5 As many as have reaped or hereafter shall reape any benefit either from Gods's Oath to Abraham concerning his seede in whom all the Nations of the earth were to be blessed or from the Renewing of this Oath to David concerning his son which was to be the Dispenser of this blessing and to be made a Priest after the order of Melchisedech who blessed Abraham all and every one of them are consecrated to the patticipation of this blessing by the Consecration of this our high Priest the Sonne of God The Law saith the Apostle makes men high Priests which have infirmity but the word of the Oath which was since the Law maketh the Sonne high Priest who is consecrated for evermore and by this his Consecration wee even all the Israel of God are consecrated by an everlasting Consecration So saith the Apostle Revel 1. 5. Iesus Christ the first begotten of the dead and Prince of the Kings of the earth hath washed us from our sins in his owne Blood and hath made us Kings and Priests that is Priests after the order of Melchisedech unto God and his Father By this his Consecration likewise to his everlasting Priesthood we are hallowed and consecrated as Temples to our God so saith S. Peter 1. Pet. 2. v. 4. 5. To whom comming as to a living stone disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious yee also as lively stones are built up a spirituall house an holy Priesthood to offer up a spirituall sacrifice acceptable to God by Iesus Christ 5 But to take the severall bloody sacrifices which were offered at the Consecration of Aaron and his sonnes into more particular consideration Albeit these sacrifices were all imperfect not only absolutely or in respect of our high Priest's everlasting sacrifice but even in respect of these spirituall sacrifices mentioned by S. Peter which wee are to offer unto God yet were they all in their kind most perfect The best and chiefest in the whole ranke of legall or Aaronicall sacrifices they are as so many lineaments pourtraying in part or fore-shadowing that body or accomplishment not of them only but of all other sacrifices All meet in it as so many lines in their Center The first bloody sacrifice that was offered at the Consecration of Aaron was a Bullock The Priests might offer no other sacrifice then this for their owne sinne-offering because this was of all other the best and yet in comparison of this saith the Psalmist in the Person of this our high Priest in his affliction I will praise the name of God with a song and will magnifie him with thanksgiving this alâ—o shall please the Lord better then a bullock which hath hornes and hoofes that is beginning to spread the horne and hoofe for at that time they were most fit for sacrifice Psal 69. ver 30. 31. His meaning was that this sacrifice of thanksgiving should be more acceptable unto God then the very best sacrifice of the Law and so it was especially whilst offered by our high Priest even when he offered his bloody sacrifice upon the Crosse and after his enemies had given him vineger in his thirst to drink For after he had uttered that pittifull Song of the Psalmist Psal 22. whether only out of his griefe or anguish or upon other respects and intentions My God my God why hast Thou for saken Me he finally commends his soule his spirit unto his Father in the words of the Psalmists Song Ps 35. Father into thy hands I coÌ„mend my spirit The uttering of both these Songs in this anguish of soule argues hee lov'd his God and our God his Father and our Father with all his soule with all his heart with all his strength and his performance of this great Commandement as the Scribe which approved his answer to the Pharisees to the Herodians and the Sadduces had a litle before confest upon his answer to his Question was more then all whole burnt offrings and sacrifices Mat. 12. from v. 12. to 34. CHAP. 26. In what respects the Bullock offered at the Consecration of Aaron c. and the rites of offering â—â— did prefigure the bloody sacrifice of the Sonne of God especially the circumstances of the place wherein it was offered BVt you will aske wherein did the Sacrifice of the Bullock which was offered for a sinne-offering or Attonement at Aaron's Consecration or the circumstances in offering it punctually fore-shadow the bloody Sacrifice which our high Priest offered at his Consecration or the manner or circumstance of his offering it It did in circumstance at least prefigure the Sacrifice of our high Priest after the same manner or in respect of the same circumstance that the annuall sacrifices of Attonement did prefiure it of which hereafter Inasmuch as the head and flesh c. of the Bullock for sinne-offering or Attonement for Aaron at his Consecation was to be offered or burnt without the campe not to be burnt upon the Altar It fell under the same Law and undergoes the same considerations which the annuall-Sacrifices in the feast of Attonement did For so it is expressely commanded Exod. 29. 14. That the flesh of the Bullock and his skinne should be burnt without the Camp because it was a sin-offering Now it was an universall and peremptory Law that no flesh of any Sacrifice whose Blood was brought into the Sanctuary to make Attonement should be eaten by the Priests in the Sanctuary 2 It was againe a Law as peremptory that the Priests especially the high Priests might that is had power to eat the flesh of any Sacrifice whose Blood was not brought into the Sanctuary For to this purpose Moses Levit. 10. 17. expostulateth with Aaron's sonnes which were left after the death of Nadab and Abihu Wherefore have yee not eaten the sinne-offering in the holy place for it is the holy of holies and it vz. the flesh of the sin-offring he hath given to you to beare the iniquity of the Congregation to make Attonement for them before the Lord Behold the Blood of it was not brought in behold indeed you should have eaten it in the holy place as I commanded you Aaron in his Apologie for his sonnes against this accusation of Moses in no case questions the truth or extent of this commandement but rather excuseth himselfe and his sonnes for not observing the purport of the Law as the case stood with them his two sonnes Nadab and Abihu being lately consumed with fire issuing out from before the Lord for offering strange fire which
upon the tip of the right eare of Aaron and upon the tip of the right eares of his sonnes and upon the thumbe of their right hand and upon the great toe of their right foot and sprinkle the blood c. This ceremony or service was literally and punctually fulfilled in the Consecration of our high Priest The high Priest of the Law was consecrated with forreigne blood with the blood of Rammes The high Priest of the New Testament was consecrated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with his owne blood and in this blood not only his hands his feet or eares were sprinkled or annointed but his whole body was annointed or bathed For though he was alwaies internally sanctified and though this his internall sanctification was most absolute and perfect from the wombe yet would the Lord have him thus visibly and externally consecrated with his owne blood that we by the same blood might be sanctified and consecrated after a better manner then Aaron was by the blood of the Ramme of Consecration The morall implyed in sprinkling of Aaron's right eare the thumbe of his right hand and the great toe of his right foot is this Our eares which are the sense of discipline and the gate by which faith entreth into our hearts must be consecrated and hallowed by the blood of our high Priest that wee may know God's will our hands and feet likewise which are the instruments of service are hallowed and sanctified by his blood that we may walke in his wayes and doe his will Finally as both our bodyes and soules have beene redeemed by his blood so both must be consecrated in it and enabled by it unto his service 7 Another ceremony or service at Aaron's Consecration was the offering up of one loaf of bread one cake of oyled bread and one wafer wherewith Aaron's and his sonnes hands were first to be filled and afterwards to be burnt upon the Altar for a burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the Lord. Exod. 29. ver 23. 25. The mystery signified by this and the other bloody sacrifice may best be gathered from that which hath afore been said concerning the circumcision of Isaack and of Abraham's seed or concerning God's demanding Isaac for a burnt offering which was then observed out of Rupertus an ancient Writer God did demand at Abraham's hands that he might thereby tye himselfe to give his own sonne unto Abraham and his seed To which may now be added the testimony of S. Chrysostome in his comments upon our Saviours words to the Woman of Samarin Da mihi bibore give mee to drink The Fountaine of life sitting besides the Fountaine calls for drink not that he was desirous to take but rather to give drink Give me to drink saith he that I may make thee drink the water of immortality I thirst after the salvation of mens soules not that I might drink but that I may give them salvation to drink I imitate my Father who said to Abraham offer me up thy Sonne thy only Sonne Isaac whom thou lovest for a burnt offering this he said not as if he had desired to accept Abraham's sonne but that he determined to give his owne Sonne for the sinnes of the world as S. Iohn saith Chap. 3. ver 16. In like manner God required the flesh and blood of Bullocks and of Rammes with unleavened bread to be offered up in sacrifice unto him at the Consecration of Aaron not that he stood in need to eate the flesh of Bulls or bread of wheat or drink the blood of Rammes but that he then purposed to consecrate for us and to give unto us his only Sonne whose flesh is meat indeed whose blood is drink indeed whose body is the bread of life which commeth downe from heaven which who so eateth shall live for ever for he that truly eateth is consecrated by it to be a King and Priest for ever unto God the Father CHAP. 28. A briefe Recapitulation of what hath been said in this parallel between the Consecration of Aaron and the Consecration of the Sonne of God the conclusion of the whole Treatise concerning it TO recapitulate what hath been said before The beginning of the everlasting Priesthood according to the order of Melchisedch is the determining of the Aaronicall Priesthood unlesse we shall say as perhaps we ought that this Priesthood with the legall rites and sacrifices did expire with the last mortall breath of him who is now immortall 2 The everlasting sacrifice whereby he is consecrated an everlasting Priest was then accomplished and the cessation of the Aaronicall Priesthood proclaimed when hee said consummatum est and commended his spirit unto God Yet is it not probable that his Consecration or the Consecration of the everlasting Sanctuary were at the same instant accomplished His sacred soule perfumed with the fresh odour and fragrancy of his sweet smelling sacrifice annointed with his most precious blood into whatsoever other place it afterwards went instantly repaired into the Holiest of Holies into Paradise it selfe This is the accomplishment of our Attonement prefigured by the high Priest's entring into the holy place with blood and the period of all sacrifices for his owne or our Consecration 3 That the vale through which the high Priest after the order of Aaron did enter into the most holy place should rend asunder at the very instant wherein the soule and spirit of this our high Priest did passe through the vale of his flesh rent and torne into his coelestiall Sanctuary was a lively embleme to all observant spectators that hee was no intruder but called by God And reason they had to observe this signe or accident in that hee had promised to one of them that were crucified with him Hedie mecum erit in Paradiso 4 The publike solemnitie of Consecration hath ever been a speciall testimony or adjunct of lawfull calling and Christ's Consecration was more solemne and publique then Aaron's was Such it was as flesh and blood could not affect such as nothing but filiall obedience to his heavenly Father could have moved this our high Priest to admit because it was to be accomplished by a lingring and a bloody death Moses at the Consecration of Aaron is commanded to gather all the congregation together unto the doore of the tabernacle Levit. 8. Ad tria voluit Dominus populum congregart Primum ut pro eo sacerdos offerret eumque expearet Secundum ad instituendum sacerdotem ut sciret populus Aaron filios ejus praefici sibi in sacerdotes mediatores de caeterâ— commendavit se illi Tertione esset inter eos aliquis qui postea sacerdotium ambiret postquam omnes sciebant Aarâ—nem à Deo sacerdotem institutum Oleaster 5 For the like reasons God would have the Consecration of his Son accomplished at the Passeover that is as a Father speakes at the Metropolis of Iewish feasts the most solemne publique and universall meeâ—ing that any one People or Nation in
which word for word is neither more nor lesse then to be made perfect 2 But many words there are in all the learned tongues whose prime signification every ordinary Grammar Scholar may know whil'st hee reades them onely in Historians or Rhetoricians And yet the best Grammarian living so he be no more then a GraÌ„marian may be altogether ignorant of their true meaning oâ— importance whilest they are used in legall or solemne Instruments or as termes of some speciall art or faculty Every schooleboy knowes the ordinary signification of Possum whilest he reads it in his Grammar rules or in such Authors as he is acquainted with and yet his master how good a Grammarian soever unlesse hee bee a Philosopher withall shall hardly be able to render the true notion or expression of Potentia in naturall Philosophy And a naturall Philosopher may bee sometimes as sarre to seeke in the use of the same word Potentia or Potestas in the faculty of the Civill Law Lastly he that hath his senses exercised in all these Faculties or Sciences mentioned would be a meer stranger to the notion of the same word in the Mathematicks as unable to expresse what Posse or Aequiposse imports in the Science of Geometry as a meer rustick is to understand the terms of Law Such a word or terme is this first word in my text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For it is more then a word of art verbum Jolenne used by the LXX Interpreters to expresse the legall and formall consecration of Aaron his sonnes and their successors to their Priestly function And in this sense it is to be taken in this place and is so rendred in our former English And being consecrated he was made the Author of salvation And so is the very same word rendred by our later English Heb. 7. and the last The word of the oath which was since the law maketh the Son Priest who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consecrated for evermore The Authours of both Translations if so it had pleased them might have given better content and satisfaction to their readers if they had constantly so expressed the same word with it's allies in most places of this Epistle That in this place the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports as much as we have said that is the formall and solemne consecration of the Son of God unto his everlasting Priesthood needes no farther proofe or declaration then the matter or subject of his discourse from the 14 th v. of the 4 th Chap. unto the 11. v. of this 5. Now the onely subject of his discourse aswell in these places now cited as through the whole 7. Chap. is the Consecration of the Sonne of God to his everlasting Priesthood and the super-excellency of the Priesthood aswell as of the CoÌ„secration to it in respect of legall Priesthoods or consecrations 3. This is the profoundest mystery in Divinity or rather the main foundation of all Evangelicall mysteries treated off by our Apostle unto the end of this Epistle But this profound mystery it selfe hath the same hap which other deepe foundations have that is to be least seen or sought into by such as are otherwise exact surveyors of superstructures or buildings raised above ground The summe of my present search or survey after this great mistery is this How the everlasting Priesthood of the Sonne of God and his consecration to it were prefigured foreshadowed or foretold either in the law or before the law Of the eternity of this our high Priests person that is the person of the Sonne of God Melchizedech long before the law was the most illustrious type or picture So was his order or Sacerdotall function the most exact shadow of the Sonne of Gods everlasting Priesthood Of the qualification of the Sonne of God for this everlasting Priesthood and of the manner of his Consecration to it Aaron and other legall Priests his lawfull Successors and the legall rites or manner of their Consecration were the most lively pictures First of the parallel betweene Aaron and his Successors lawfully ordained and the high Priest of our soules for their qualifications required by the Law of God and by the Law of nature Secondly of the parallel betweene Melchisedech and the Sonne of God aswell for their persons as for sacerdotall functions or exercises of them The parallel betweene Aaron and other Priests of the Law and the Sonne of God for their qualification to their different Priesthoods is as was but now intimated the subject of our Apostles discourse from the beginning of the fifth Chapter unto the tenth verse Wee are then in the first place to search out the true sense and meaning of our Apostle by tracing his steps from the first verse unto the ninth verse Secondly to shew in what sense the Son of God by his Consecration became the Author of everlasting salvation to all that obey him and to them only For so our Apostle saith being consecrated he became the Author or cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of everlasting salvation to all that obey him CHAP. 2. Of the Separation of the high Priest from men and of the compassionate temper which was the speciall Qualification of every high Priest Heb 5. v. 2. EVery high Priest is taken from among men so that every high Priest must be a man so separate or set apart from ordinary men for offering gifts or sacrifices unto God as that which wee call consecrated or hallowed ground is from common soile or places of secular use or commerce But albeit the Priests of the Law were by Consecration separated from ordinary men yet could they not be separated from their owne sinnes so long as they carried this body of death about them But such an high Priest saith our Apostle Chap. 7. v. 27. it behoved us to have as is harmelesse holy and separated from sinners Hee was so separated from sinners that hee could take no infection from them or their sinnes whilst hee lived and conversed amongst them Another special Qualification required in such as were appointed to the legall Priesthood we have verse the second of this fiâ—ft Chapter And that was to be able sufficiently to have compassion on them that were ignorant and out of the way and for this reason though God be not the Author of sinne in any yet he made an especiall use of the sinnes whereunto legall Priests were subject to teach them thereby to be compassionate towards others more compassionate then they would or could have beene if they had not beene conscious of their owne infirmites and grievous offences against God for which they were to offer sacrifices aswell as for the sinnes of the people And the more deepely they were touched with the consciousnesse of their owne sinnes or with Gods displeasure which they had incurred by them the more devoutly they prayed for the people the more diligent and carefull they were in their office of Attonement for them Every godly or considerate high Priest
7. were heard to the full For so it is said He was heard in that which he feared So both our English translations read it The later with this variation in the margine Hee was heard for his pietie Neither expression is altogether untrueâ— yet neither of them full or both put together not much ad apposituÌ„ litle pertinent to our Apostles intent or meaning How then are they to be amended By a more full explication of the severall acceptions of the words in the originall 3 This latter word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred by feare or piety imports in its prime or proper signification as much as a wary or cautelous feare And if good Interpreters doe not faile us it is alway taken in the better sense that is as we say for a filiall or pious not for a base or servile feare Whence seeing he only is pious or godly who is wary or circumspect not to offend God nor to wound his owne conscience the same word in the secondary or consequentiall sense doth signifie piety or godlinesse But whether in one or both of these two compatible senses we take this word in this place the construction which either the vulgar Latine or our English makes of the whole originall clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exanditus est ob reverentiam hee was heard in that he feared or for his piety or reverence will be very harsh For the Greeke proposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot by analogy either to the Greeke or Hebrew be rendred by the Latine ob or propter or as our English doth in or for or in that he feared or for his pietie or reverent feare We are therefore to consider a twofold Hebraisme in this passage The one in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a generall rule in the Hebrew Dialect that not only Participles but Noune Substanstives or abstract formes are aswell passive as active According to this analogy unto the Hebrew the word Hope aswell in the Greek as in the Latine and many other like are sometimes to be construed actively sometimes passively Spes quâ speramus spes quae speratur And so likewise promissio qua Deus promittit promissio quae promittitur This is the promise which he hath promised even eternall life And so is the word feare whether wee take it in the worse or better sense as for a naturall or servile fear or for a pious and religious fear there is timor quo timemus a feare by which we seeke to eschew evill and timor qui timetur which is no other then the evill feared Now the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must in this place of necessitie be taken in the passive signification not in the active that is for the evil which our Saviour so much or so piously feared Againe in asmuch as God alwaies delivered them from danger or dread whose prayers he heares hence it is that to be exauditus truly heard of God in prayers and supplications is as much as to be delivered from the dread or danger which we pray against So that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in true English all one as if he had said And he was delivered from that which he so piously or mightily feared 4 The Apostles words containe a full expression of the Psalmists speech or rather a record of the fulfilling of his prophecy Psalm 22. 21. Save me from the Lyons mouth for thou hast heard that is thou hast delivered me from the hornes of the Vnicorne God had delivered his Sonne whose part in all his sufferings this Psalmist did respectively act or represent from the first temptation in the wildernesse and now he prayes he would deliver him from this farre greater temptation in the Garden when the whole hoast of darknesse had inviron'd him with strong cryes and teares Father if it be ' possible let this Cup passe from me And so S. Luke instructs us He was heard and delivered from that houre of temptation which hee did so much dread For in the second pang of that bitter agony an Angell was sent to comfort him and within the space of an ordinary houre this Cup which was ten thousand times more bitter then the death of the Crosse or any paines which he suffered upon it was â—ttely removed from him And after this houre was ended wee doe not read nor is there any circumstance in holy writ to enduce so much as a conjecture that he stood in fear of any evill that could befall him by the Iewes or Roman Souldiers but most patiently as our Apostle speaks endured the Crosse and despised the shame Of what kind soever the paines which hee suffered in the Garden were a point in the former Book discussed at large the suffering of them was neither necessary or requisite for making satisfaction to God the Father for the sinnes of the world For such satisfaction was abundantly made by the meere death of the Crosse Yet were these his unknowne or unexperienced sufferings in the Garden either necessary or most expedient for his Qualification and Consecration to his everlasting Priesthood that he might be a mercifull and faithfull high Priest able to compassionate and succour all such as are in any kind tempted Briefly seeing one speciall part of his Priesthood is to make intercession and supplication for us in all our distresses it was in the wisdome of God expedient that he should haue just occasion to offer up prayers and supplications with strong cryes for himselfe And in asmuch as these his supplications were heard of his Father we have assurance that he will not cease to make intercession for us untill God grant us deliverance from temptations so we pray unto him in such feare and reverence as he in his agony did unto his Father He will in this case doe for us as he desired his Father to doe for him 5 It seemeth the Consecration of legall high Priests so long as they accurately observed the rites and manner prescribed by Moses did one way or other cost them so deare that no man which duly weighed the charge laid upon them would be very ambitious of the office Hence saith our Apostle Heb. 5. 4. No man taketh this honour unto himselfe but he that is called of God as Aaron was So likewise Christ tooke not to himself this honour to be made an high Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my sonne this day have I begotten thee put this charge or honour upon him against his will questionlesse as man albeit hee most obediently submitted himselfe to his Fathers will because hee had taken the forme of a Servant upon him His Consecration we may safely avouch cost him dearer then the Consecration of all the legall Priests that had been before him or of all the Christian Bishops or Prelates which have lived since did or doth them whether severally or joyntly Never did any man utter those words
God's name for ever And what more could be said in the assertive sence of our high Priest Or what argument can there be drawne from sacred authority that the Priesthood of Aaron should not be that the Priesthood of the sonne of David should be everlasting and unchangeable The only sure ground of this inference is that mentioned by our Apostle because Aaron and his sonnes were made Priests were destinated and authorized to their function without an Oath whereas the sonne of David was destinated and assigned to his Priesthood after the order of Melchisedech by solemne Oath interposed by him that said Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech which words are three or foure times reiterated in this Chapter The contents or importances of the Oath are most divinely expressed by the Apostle from v. 23. to the end of the Chapter And they truly were many Priests because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death but this man or rather this Priest because he continueth for ever hath an unchangeable Priesthood wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing hee ever liveth to make intercession for them for such an high Priest became us who is holy harmlesse undefiled separate from sinnes and higher then the heavens who needeth not dayly as those high Priests to offer up sacrifice first for his owne sinnes and then for the peoples for this he did once when hee offered up himselfe For the Law maketh men high Priests which have infirmitie but the word of the Oath which was since the Law maketh the Sonne who is Consecrated for evermore Christ the sonne of David was a mortall man before hee was consecrated to be an immortall Priest for his very death was a part of his Consecration And after the accomplishment of his Consecration the Priesthood of Aaron became void as being never confirmed by Oath For all things not so confirmed are at the best but commensurable to time or succession and time it selfe shall be abolished by oath Rev. 10. 6. Iuravit per viventem tempus non fore amplius That opinion of some heathen Philosophers as of Hierocles concerning the endlesse succession of time or perpetuall continuance of all things according to the course of nature which now they hold is probable did take its originall from a mistake or misapplication of the tradition or prenotion concerning the stabilitie or everlasting condition of things confirmed by Oath He with some others apply this undoubted rule unto things temporall or to this present world which holds true only of the world to come SECT 4. By what Persons and in what manner the Consecration of Iesus Christ the Son of God to his Priesthood was prefigured CHAP. 21. That Iesus or Iehoshua the sonne of Nun Zerubbabel the sonne of Shealtiel and Iesus the sonne of Iehosadeck were speciall Types of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God respectively as he was to be made and now is both King and Prâ—est SOme good Historians have observed that many famous Kingdomes have been ruinated or extinguished under Princes of the same name with those that first did erect or advance them Darius the first King of that name in Persia made his Country famous and the Persians Lords of the best part of the inhabited world Another Darius makes Alexander famous by his mighty overthrow and raiseth up the Monarchy of Macedon by the fall of the Persian Augustus was the second great Caesar and the first perpetuall Roman Emperour and in Augustulus the very â—â—le of Emperour did die not so much as a shadow of the Roman Empire remained after him Constantine the great did first erect the Easterne Empire and founded the City of Constantinople the first of all Emperours that did publikely defend the Christian faith Another Constantine was the last Emperour of Constantinople leaving the Empire to the disposall of the Turke Baldwin Compeere of Godfrey of Bulloigne in the conquest of the Holy land and after his death created King of Ierusalem established this new King dome in peace which hee had wonne by warre Another of the same name and race leaves the Holy land it selfe for a prey unto the superstitious Mahumetan not repossest since his death by any Christian Prince 2 Nor doe humane stories only though many besides these alleadged might be produced afford us instances or observations in this ranke The visible Kingdome or Common-wealth of Israel taking Israel for the whole race of Iacob was first establish't and setled in peace by Hosea the son of Nun whom Moses upon fore-sight of this his good successe in planting the people of God in the land of their promised rest named Iehoshua that is to say a Savior In the dayes of Hosea the son of Elah did Israel as opposed unto the Kingdome of David that is tenne Tribes of twelve utterly cease to be a Nation Both King and people were led captives by Shalmanezar King of Assyria The Kingdome likewise or Common-wealth of Iudah did finally expire and determine under Iesus the sonne of David but altogether through this peoples fault hee never ceast to be a Saviour a greater Saviour of his people then Iesus the sonne of Nun had beene for hee was Salus ipsa Salvation it selfe But his people was become so wicked that salvation it selfe could not save them or preserve their common-wealth from ruine Howbeit to speake the truth this Iesus our Lord and Saviour did rather translate the Kindome of Iudah and David from earth to heaven then suffer it utterly to perish He still remaines a King and of his Kingdome there shall be no end though his Kingdome be not of this world nor over Israel or Iacob according to the flesh yet hee still ruleth in Iacob unto the ends of the world and so shall rule world without end This translation of the Kingdome of Iudah and David from earth to heaven or this new erection of this heavenly Kingdome by Iesus Christ our Savior was prefigured by onother Iesus as lively a Type or shadow of Christ as Iesus the sonne of Nun had been 3 For after Iudah through her riot and intemperancy had procured her bane as her sister Samaria had done and was carried for dead out of the dwellings wherein Iesus the sonne of Nun had first seated her the Lord in his all-foreseeing providence and in signe what was after to be accomplished and fulfilled concerning the Kingdome of David would have another Iesus the sonne of Iehosedeck to let Iudah after her recovery from captivity or civill death on her feet againe So it is specified 2. Esdras 3. Zach. 3. Haggai 2. that at this peoples returne from Babylon into their land Ieshua or Iesus the sonne of Iehosedeck was their high Priest and herein a Type of Christ as hee is our high Priest and Saviour Zerubbabel a Prince of the Tribe of Iudah and one of David's Line under whose conduct this people
he had not commanded them upon his Altar And seeing that although they had put off all the respect of the obedience of his sonnes yet could he not put off the affection of a loving Father towards them or suddenly cease to mourne for their untimely death whereas to have eaten the Sacrifices in the holy place with a sad countenance or heavy heare had been to pollute it So that this sad and ivofull accident made the eating of the sinne-offring in the holy place unlawfull or unexpedient to him and his sonnes which ordinarily or in case no such accident had befallen them had not only been lawfull but necessary But seeing the blood of the Bullock offered for Aaron's sinne-offering at his CoÌ„secration had not been brought into the Sanctuary and seeing no such wofull accident or legall impediment had at this time befallen Aaron and his sonnes it may justly be questioned what was the reason they did not eate the flesh of this their sinne-offring or Attonement It was a sufficient warrant unto them not to eat it because the Lord had forbidden it Exod. 29. 14. But if it be demanded what was the reason or intent of this Law or rather of this particular exception from the generall Law by which they were commanded to eate it Some make answer that Aaron and his sonnes were not as yet compleat Priests or Priests already consecrated but in their Consecration only and therefore were not comprehended under the generall Law which commanded the Priest forbidding all others to eate the flesh of the sinne-offering whose blood was not brought into the Sanctuary But this reason concludes only in probability against Aaron and his sonnes who did now attend their Consecration it no waies concludes against Moses who did consecrate them who was not only permitted but commanded by God to eate of all the Sacrifices or offrings which Aaron's sonnes or Successors might lawfully eate yet did not Moses eate any part of the Bullock offered at Aaron's Consecration for a sinne-offring or Attonement for God had expressely commanded it to be burnt without the Campe. Their answer therefore to that former demand is more pertinent who say that no high Priest whether ordinarily called or extraordinarily as Moses was for the Consecration of Aaron and his sonnes might eate of any sacrifice which was offered for a sinne-offring or Attonement for the Priests themselves although the Blood of it were not brought into the Sanctuary Of the Sinne-offrings for the people whose Blood was not brought into the Sanctuary the Priests might eate they were to eate 2. This commandement for them to eate of the peoples sinne-offring argues the sinnes of the people were to be borne or taken away by the Priest The prohibition for the Priests to eat the Sinne-offrings made for themselves argues the sinnes of the Priest could not be borne or taken away by the Priests of the Law or their sacrifices but were to expect a better sacrifice of a better high Priest The legall sacrifices in the meane time were to be offered in a place prefiguring the place wherein this better Sacrifice was to be offered a place without the gates of Ierusalem Whiles the people wandred in the wildernesse without any setled habitation or City to dwell in the Sacrifice or substance of the Sinne-offring was to be consumed with fire without the trenches or bounds wheresoever they did encampe as Souldiers doe in the open field neere unto the Arke of the Testament But after the Arke had found a setled habitation or resting place in the Temple which Salomon built the City of Ierusalem in which the Temple stood became the Campe of Israel And this and other like sodeiâ—â—ties and services which were commanded to be performed without the Campe whiles the people wandred in the wildernesse were to be performed without the gates of Ierusalem albeit the Sacrifice was to be offered in the Temple whence seeing our Saviour's Body was the offring for sinne or the Sacrifice of Attonement by which the mysteries imported by all other Sacrifices were fulfilled it was to be consumed or brought into the dust of death in Mount Calvary or Golgotha or some place without the City So that the Apostle's argument Heb. 13. drawne from the annuall Sacrifices of Attonement concludes as punctually for this Sacrifice of Aâ—â—onement or Sinne-offring at Aaron's Consecration We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eate which serve at the Tabernacle for the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the Sanctuary by the high Priest for sinne as also of those beasts which were offered for the Priests Sin-offring at the Consecration albeit their Blood were not brought into the Sanctuary are burnt without the Campe. Wherefore Iesus also that he might sanctifie the people with his owne Blood suffered without the gate Now this sanctification of God's people by Christ's Blood was their Consecration with him to be Kings and Priests as he was now made King and Priest that is a Priest after the order of Melchisedech and as he himselfe saith Iohn 17. 29. For their sakes I sanctifie my selfe that is I undergoe the rites of Consecration prefigured by the Law that they also may be sanctified through the truth or truly sanctified that is after a better manner then they could be sanctified or consecrated by the legall Sacrifices ceremonies or services of the Law 3 The second sort of bloody Sacrifices offered by Moses at the Consecration of Aaron and his sons were two Rammes the one for a burnt offring to the Lord for a sweet Savour and offring made by fire unto the Lord. Exod. 29. 18. The mystery hereby fore-signified at our Saviour's Confecration is expressed by the Apostle Ephes 5. 1. 2. Be yee therefore followers of God as deare Children and walke in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himselfe for us an offring and a Sacrifice to God for a sweete smelling savour The other Ramme was to be offered as a peace offring and is called by Moses Exod. 29. the Ramme of Aaron's Consecration ver 26. because Aaron and his sonnes were to be annointed with the Blood of it CHAP. 27. In what respects the Ramme of the Consecration and the Ramme which God did provide for a burnt offring instead of Isanck did prefigure the sacrifice of the Son of God Of other speciall rites wherein Aaron at his Consecration and in the function of his Priesthood did prefigure the Consecration and Priest hood of the Son of God NOw if we consider the speciall references of the Aaronicall Priesthood there could no fitter Sacrifice be offered for Aaron and his sonnes at their Consecration then the Sacrifice of Rammes no other Sacrifices used in the Law could be so fit an embleme or representation of our high Priest's Sacrifice at his Consecration The points whereto the Aaronicall Priesthood whether during the time of their Consecration or after Aaron and his sonnes were consecrated Priests had peculiar reference
the world ever had besides the concurse and confluence of strangers at the time of our Saviour's Passion The manner of whose death and the signes and wonders then exhibited made the heathen Centurion a man altogether ignorant of these sacred mysteries to confesse that this Iesus whom he had seene crucified was the Sonne of God But the time the manner and consequence of his Resurrection most directly proves as well his Priesthood as his calling to it to have been from God both more excellent then Aaron's was 6 Wee see it experienced Numb 16. 17. that notwithstanding the publique solemnitie of Aaron's Consecration by Moses there wanted not such rebellious spirits then as the world is full of now which thought themselves altogether as holy and as â—it to be high Priests as he After the earth had swallowed up the principals in this conspiracy the â—eaâ—â—â—eâ—â—e multitude though â—eâ—â—â—â—ed for a while with the fearefull disaster of their ring-leaders conspire aâ—â—esh against Moses and Aaron and had utterly perished in this rebellion had not Aaron runne into the midst of the congregation which sought his life and stood with his center as with a shield of defence betwixt them and death But seeing neither the fearefull examples shewed upon Coreh Dathan and Abiram nor Aaron's late compassion towards them when wrath was gone out from the Lord against them and the plague was kindled amongst them were able to quell their jealousies or appease their murmurings the Lord lastly made the Rodde of Levy alone inscribed with Aarons name amongst all the roddes of the Tribes of Israel to bring forth branch leafe blossome and fruit in one night and thus beautified with flowre and fruit which were not to fade in so many yeares as they had been houres inspringing to be laid up in the Arke of the testimony to stay the murmurings of the children of Israel and to be as a witnesse against them whensoever they should question Aaron's calling 7 The Tribes of Israel were never so maliciously and stubbornly bent against Moses and Aaron as the Tribe of Levi and Aaron's successors with their complices were against the sonne of David to whom the Lord destinated the Priesthood after the order of Melchisedech by solemn oath Though the earth did quake and the rocks rent in sunder though the graves did open and give up their dead more desirous to swallow up these rebellious miscreants quick then to swallow up Coreh Dathan and Abiram as doubtlesse they had done unlesse this Priest of the most high God had made an Attonement for them saying Father forgive them for they know not what they doe yet their murmurings cease not with his life their malice pursues him into his grave 8 The last and peremptory signe reserved by the wisdome of God either to stay their murmurings or to condemne them with Coreh with Dathan and Abiram unto the everlasting pit was the causing of this Rodde of â—esse this branch of David whom these cruell and mercilesse men had quite stript of flower of leafe of branch bereft of sappe and as it were scorcht and beaked in the fire of affliction to recover sappe and leafe and flower againe to bring forth the fruit which never shall â—â—de now consecrated to be the tree of life to all the Nations enthronized in the heavenly tabernacle and planted at the right hand of God untill his enemies by the rodde of his power be made his footstoole We have seene in part how fitly that testimony of the Psalmist Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee beeing understood of Christ raised from the dead is avouched by our Apostle to prove Christs calling his Consecration and advancement to the Priesthood here mentioned to have been from God and from the event answering to the Psalmist's prophecy and from that other testimony of Psalme 110. often mentioned doth S. Peter cause the murmuring of the people of Israel to cease For from the two premises Act. 2. ver 36. he thus concludes Therefore let all the house of Israell know assuredly that God hath made the same Iesus whom yee have crucified both Lord and Christ that is as much as if he had said both King and Priest by these declarations he gained three thousand soules which otherwise had perished in their murmurings 9 So then the day of his Resurrection is the day wherein the dignity of everlasting Priesthood is actually collated upon him and as he himselfe testifieth All power is given unto mee both in heaven and earth And if all power then as well the power of Priesthood as the power royall And as high Priest he gives Commission to his Disciples to teach and baptize The day of his Ascension or placing at the right hand of God is the day of his solemne enthronization and immediately upon this hee sent forth the Rodde of his strength out of Sion For by this rodde fore-told by the Psalmist Psal 110. we are to understand that power wherewith his Disciples were to be endued from above which they were to expect in Ierusalem at the feast of Pentecost The effusion of the holy spirit and emplanting the Law of the Gospell in their hearts upon that day or the day following wherein the Law of Moses was proclaimed was as a proclamation to all the world that the Priesthood was translated or changed by this manifest translation or change of the Law SICT. 5. Of the Resurraction of the Sonne of God By what Prophets it was fore-told By what Persons or legall Rites it was fore-pictured or fore-shadowed CHAP. 29 In what high esteeme S. Paul did hold the Article of our Saviour's Resurrection and Ascension c. That the want of explicite beliefe to this grand Article of the Resurrection did argue rather a dulnesse or slownesse to believe the Scriptures then any infidelity or incredulity even in such as had seene his miracles and had heard him fore-tell his death and rising againe untill the event did manifest unto them the truth of his former Doctrine and predictions WHen the Doctor of the Gentiles saith He esteemed to know nothing amongst the great Masters of knowledge save Iesus Christ and him crucified this exception no way excludes the knowledge of his Resurrection from the dead or implies that he had not the knowledge of the Article in equall esteeme with the knowledge of his Crosse How highly soever he did esteeme both mysteries it doth not argue that hee did rate the knowledge of his Ascention into heaven his session at the right hand of God or his comming thence to judge the quick and the dead one mite lower The greatest blessing which hee could either praise God for or pray unto him for whether for himselfe or for his beloved Ephesians was the knowledge as he termes it of these grand mysteries Wherefore I also after I had heard of your faith in the Lord Iesus and love unto all the Saints cease not to give thankes for you making mention of you
in my praiers that the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of Glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdome and revelation in the knowledge of him The eyes of your understanding being enlightened that yee may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the Glory of his inheritance in his Saints and what is the exceeding greatnesse of his Power to us ward who believe according to the working of his mighty Power which hee wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his owne right hand in the heavenly places farre above all principalities and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in the world which is to come Ephes 1. v. 15. 16. c. But the high price of the knowledge of these mysteries and the fervency of his prayers for attaining unto such knowledge are more pathetically exprest Phil. 3. v. 7. But what things were gaine to mee those I counted losse for Christ yea doubtlesse and I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the losse of all things and doe count them but dung that I may winne Christ and be found in him not having mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith that I may know him and the power of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death if by any meanes I might attaine unto the Resurrection of the dead 2 The considerations of these raptures of our Apostles joy and hope occasion or rather revive the reliques of my private sorrow and griefe even in this subject of publique joy and comfort For the bitterest and deepest sting which wordly crosses or multiplicitie of buisinesses or other vexations past have left in my thoughts is this That my portion for many yeares in all these respectively hath brought a necessity upon me either not at all or in my old and decaying daies to publish the fruits of my former labours in these great mysteries which to my apprehension had beene well set in my flourishing and vivid yeares or to borrow an expression from a more sacred and more authentique Author that the children of my desires should come now to the birth when there is least strength left to bring them forth yet was the Lord his comfort and strength who was the Author of this complaint and on the same Lords gracious goodnesse my weaknesse whether of memory judgment or expression shall repose it selfe As for the Articles of Christ's Resurrection and Ascention the ingenuous Reader cannot expect nor can I hope that I should say much which hath not been said before by many others especially in this ripe age of learning these being the theames or subjects of anniversary Sermons upon the solemne feasts unto which they properly belong as well in the Court as in the Vniversities and all other well ordered Churches throughout this Kingdome yet somewhat I must say concerning these two points as being ingaged to bring this long treatise concerning the knowledge of Christ and him crucified to some period 3 The true or Christian beliefe of any Article in the Creed includes somewhat more then an opinion more then a pious opinion or meere probability of its truth and the knowledge of the mysteries last mentioned in our Apostle's meaning or expression imports somewhat more then a meere beliefe of them more then such a beliefe or the sight or experiment of greatest miracles could produce or establish in most docile Auditors whether of our Saviour Christ himselfe or of his Apostles for even the best most docile of the Disciples or Apostles which had been ear-witnesses of his heavenly Doctrine and eie-witnesses of all his miracles from his baptisme or temptation in the wildernesse unto his reposall in the grave did not know halfe so much concerning the mysteries of his Crosse of his passion and bloody death before his Resurrection as they did after it nor did they so well understand so much of the power and vertue of his Resurrection it selfe for many dayes after their experience of the truth of it as they did after his Ascention into heaven and the descension of the holy Ghost upon them by whose efficacious inspiration or operation in their hearts and soules the knowledge of all the fore-mentioned Articles was much increased and their beliefe of the meanest matters which did concerne Christ much better rooted and strengthened then it had been before his glorification His placing at the right hand of God in his throne of majesty did crowne their former beliefe and glorious hopes with fresh joy and comfort 4 Wherein the knowledge of Christ and the knowledge of other subjects whether philosophicall or mathematicall or in other termes wherein the faculty of Theology and sciences properly so called agree or differ hath been discust at large in the seventh Booke of these commentaries and in the fourth We are then properly said to know any effect or conclusion in sciences properly so called or so reputed when we discerne the true cause why it is so and are assured that it cannot be otherwise And we are then said to know Christ and him crucified according to the scale of speculative knowledge when we can discerne the sweet harmony betweene the evangelicall relations or matters related by the Apostles concerning Christ the predictions of the Prophets or prefigurations by matters of fact in the Law or legall services or in sacred histories Againe as in sciences properly so called there is a regresse or knowledge of the cause by the effect of the effect by the cause So there is a two-fold knowledge of Christ the one speculative such as hath beene described before the other which is the better practicall or experimentall which later is better resembled by morall philosophy then by naturall experiments or mathematicall conclusions 5 This experimentall knowledge of Christ and of the mysteries whereof we treate consists in that solid impression which the fore-mentioned speculative knowledge being liniamented in our brains doth by the finger of God that is by his holy spirit ingrave in our hearts and instampe upon our affections I must beginne with the speculative knowledge of these two Articles concerning the Resurrection and Ascention of the Sonne of God and conclude with the practicall or experimentall 6 The conclusions or declarations of these mysteries are set downe by the foure Evangelists didistinctly and accurately both for substance and historicall circumstances and their severall references to former Scriptures avouched not only by them but by other of the Apostles in their canonicall writings especially by S. Paul in his Epistles to the Ephesians Colossians Corinthians and to the Hebrewes The Evangelicall declaration of this great mystery with the manner how the beliefe or
and Embassadours not to the end of the earth but to the ends of the World 4 Some of the Ancients and among the rest S. Austin if my memory faile not thinke they have found out S. Paul charactered in the fore cited prophecy there was litle Beniamin their Ruler c. And assuredly 't was not a matter of meere chance or fancy that this great Apostle of the Gentiles should have his name changed from Saul unto Paul a name borrowed as some thinke from Sergius Paulus and Paulus in the Latine signifies a litle one And this was a name better be fitting this great Apostles disposition after his calling then the name of Saul which was the name of the first King of Israel and one of the greatest of his Tribe That Saul was litle in his owne eyes before hee was King but great after whereas this Apostle Paul was litle in his owne eyes but great in the eyes of the Lord after hee was made Ruler of the people but to wave this conjecture of the Ancients and not to dispute the reason why Beniamin should be called litle by David in that Catalogue wherein hee had the precedency in order of Iudah most other passages throughout this 68. Psal from the 19. ver are eminently propheticall Blessed be the Lord who dayly loadeth us with benefits even the God of our salvation Hee that is our God is the God of salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues of death ver 19. 20. These are characters of God incarnate or made man or of the man Christ Iesus made salvation it selfe and of this Iesus raised from death for from this title the issues of death or deliverance from it belong to him as his peculiar More apparently are those passages ver 31. c. literally meant at least exactly fulfilled of Iesus Christ after his Resurrection and Ascension to his holy hill or heavenly Sanctuary Princes shall come out of Egypt Ethiopia shall soone stretch out her hands unto God Sing unto God O yee Kingdomes of the earth O sing praises unto the Lord. To him that rideth upon the heaven of heavens which were of old Loe he doth send out his voice and that a mighty voice Ascribe yee strength unto God his excellency is over Israel and his strength is in the Clouds O God thou art terrible out of thy places the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people Bbessed be God ver 31. 32. c. 5 As for the prayer conceived first by Moses afterwards assumed by David after the removall of the Arke Let God arise let his enemies be scattered let them also that hate him flee before him and all those menaces of fearefull judgments upon God's enemies pronounced by David in this Psalme as appendices to it these were never so exactly fulfil'd either of the Cananites Moabites Philistims or other enemies of Israel whiles the materiall Arke did remove from place to place or setled in Ierusalem as they have been of the seed of Abraham and of Iacob since their God did arise from death in our nature which he consecrated to be the true and living Arke of God Nor can the truth of God's promises unto Abraham David or their seed no not according to the literall sense of the prophecies which concerne them be any way impeached by taking his punishing hand from their heads and laying it more heavily upon his sometimes-chosen people For seeing they became the sworne enemies of the God of their Fathers revealed in the Arke of his flesh the fore-mentioned prayer or imprecation of Moses and David was more literally and punctually directed against them then against Aâ—â—alek Moab Ammon c. For these whether we take them jointly or severally were no greater enemies of God then other heathen Nations were save only in this that they were greater enemies to his Chosen people the seed of Iacob by reason of their vicinity as bordering upon their costs which alwaies nurseth quarrels betweene Nations dis-united in soveraignty or forme of government whereas the Iewish seed of Abraham which had been sometimes God's Elect people without occasion given became the immediate enemies of their God and for his sake more bloody persecutors of the Gentiles yea of their owne brethren according to the flesh after they with the Gentiles had become his Chosen people Now Moses his prayer or David's imprecation did not aime at the persons of men of what Nation soever but at their malicious qualifications or enmities against God whether direct or indirect so that since the seed of Abraham became the enemies of God and his Christ they may be more truly said to have dashed against the Psalmists or Moses curse then it to have falled upon or overtaken them and yet for all this as wee learne from S. Paul Rom. 11. that other prayer of Moses when the Arke rested shall beare date againe shall be fulfilled for the good of these yet cast-awaies When the Ark rested Moses said returnè O God to the many thousands of Israel Numb 10. 36. This strange devolution of God's mercies and judgments from one people to another making the down-fall of one Nation to be the advancement of another to his free grace and mercy not the points of Election and reprobation as there hath been a mist cast upon them by unskilful Controversers whereas S. Paul had left them cleare enough was that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whose deeper consideration did extort that patheticall ejaculation from him O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God how unsearehable are his Iudgments and his waies past finding out c. CHAP. 38. That the manner of our Saviours Ascension was more clearly fore seen by Daniel then by David and most exactly fore-shadowed by matters of fact in Mosaicall and other sacred histories A parallel betweene SaloÌ„mon's Consecration of the Temple and our Saviour's Consecration or sanctisying of himselfe and his heavenly Sanctuary WHether David did distinctly apprehend the manner of our Saviour's Ascension and propagation of his dominion over all things in heaven and earth both which he did fore-tell and fore-shadow by matter of fact and service done to the Arke or whether he did at all fore-guesse or suspect the turning of God's heavy hand upon his seed and Iacob's seed according to the flesh is a point not altogether out of question were it fit to be inquired into But as hath been observed heretofore our beliefe or right apprehension of the truth of divine mysteries doth not depend upon their knowledge or appehension which did fore-tell or relate their prefigurations but on the contrivance of divine â—inerting all-seeing providence by whose inspiration and secret instinct both the Prophets and Evangelists did both speake and write But be the former doubt concerning David's apprehension of these mysteries waved or determined as it may be this wee know and may resolve whatsoever in the former Psalme was fore-told or
darknesse made the morning of the first natural day God faith Moses divided the light from the darknesse and called the light day and the darknesse he called night and the evening and the morning were the first day As was the condition of this visible world or form lesse earth before the Creation of light or the division betwixt it and darknesse such altogether was the condition or state of the intellectuall world before it was new made or redeemed by the Son of God The corrupted masse of mankind was overspread with darknesse and covered with the mantle of Death but this long darknesse became more palpable then that of Egypt during the time of the Son of God's surprizall and his inclosure in the region of Death These were the houres wherein it was permitted the powers of darknesse to domineere but these powers were conquered and the darknesse dispelled by his Resurrection from Death which was on the same day and at the same houre wherein God the Father by him did first divide darknesse from light From this houre of his Resurrection the night is gone and the day is come as many as believe in him raised from death and adore the Son of righteousnesse who as the Apostle saith having abolished death brought life and immortalitie to light they are the Sons of God Heires of Glory but such as love darknesse more then the light of his gospel they must remaine the sons of darknesse and of death All this and more is implied in the circumstance of the time and place which the day and houre of his Resurection had in that holy weeke being the first houre of the first day The other mystery is implied in the circumstance of the time and place which the day of his Resurrection held in that solemne feast of unleavened bread 3 So it fell out by the sweet disposition of God's speciall providence that the day of our Saviour's Resurrection should for that yeare fall upon the second day of the Feast of unleavened bread or the morrow after the Sabbath of that great solemnity Now on that precise day the Israelites were peremptorily bound by a strict Law to offer up the first fruits as eares and blades of corne unto the Lord Lev. 23. 10. 11. When yee become into the land which I give unto you and shall reap the harvest thereof then ye shall bring a sheafe of the first fruits of your harvest unto the Priest and he shall wave the sheafe before the Lord to be accepted for you on the morrow after the Sabbath the Priest shall wave it From this peculiar reference or parallel of the circumstance of time between the day of our Saviour's Resurrection and the day appointed for this legall feast of offering the eares of corne The analogy or parallel between the Type and the substance is thus As the use of the corne was not allowable to the people untill some eares or blades of the same kind were offered up in sacrifice by the Priest unto the Lord So neither could the seed of Adam or of Abraham or of any man else seeing all had been sowen in corruption be either holy or acceptable to the Lord or partakers of his Table or prefence or put on incorruption untill the high Priest of our soules the Son of God had offered a sacrifice of the same kind to wit a body subject to like mortality as ours are untill it was consecrated to glory and immortality by the sufferings of Death 4 All were sanctified all were reconciled to God by this one oblation of himselfe as the first fruits of them that sleepe Yet even such as were upon the day of his Resurrection really sanctified and actually reconciled unto God the very Apostles themselves were not made up or wrought into one body or loafetill fifty daies after not until that very day wherein the new reaped corne made into bread was solemnly offered and presented to the Lord. Lev. 23. 15. 16. 17. And yee shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath from the day that yee brought the sheafe of the wave offering seven daies shall be compleat even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall yee number fifty daies and yee shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord yee shall bring out of your habitations two wave-loaves of two tenth deales they shall be of fine flowre they shall be baken with leaven they are the first fruits unto the Lord. The one holy Catholique Church and Communion of Saints which we professe in our Creed did not begin to be in esse as by God's helpe it shall appeare hereafter or heare true life untill the effusion of the holy Ghost which is the soule of the one holy Catholique Church or of the mystioall Body of Christ And that was upon the fiftieth day inclusively from the day whereon the eares of corne or sheafe of blades was offered unto the Lord. On that fiftieth day the holy Curch received the first fruits of the spirit it being likewise another solemne day appointed for the legall offering up of the first fruits 4 Thus much of the accomplishment of the Type of Ionas his imprisonment in the belly of the Whale and of the mysteries contained in those three speciall daies and nights or evenings and mornings wherein our Saviour was in the wombe of the earth and the time of his rising againe But the two former queries First what our Saviour's abode forty daies on the earth from his Resurrection to his Ascension or which is all one what the signe of Ionas did portend to this evill and adulterous generation of the Iewes Secondly how the space of his forty daies abode upon the earth after his Resurrection was prefigured are points worth the discussion and for ought I know will make the fittest Period of this long work concerning the knowledge of Christ and him crucified CHAP. 42. That the sentence proclaimed against Nineveh by the Prophet Ionas was in a full measure executed upon the adulterous Generation of the Iewes not believing or repenting at our Saviour's preaching THat a state so strong and mighty as Niniveh was then when Ionas was sent unto it should upon these or the like briefe Summons of a forrainer Yet fory daies and Niniveh shall be destroied be so deeply stricken on a suddaine with extreme feare of death and ruine Or that a Court so dissolute luxurious and proud as that Court was should so readily change their soft rayment into sackcloth and laying aside their perfumes and sweet odours as the Text saith the King himselfe did may well seeme a greater wonder to a Reader qui ad pauca respicit then God almost at any time had wrought in Israel But the strangenesse of the suddaine change perswades or rather assures me or any diligent Reader that the constant fame of Ionas his miraculous deliverance or escape out of the Whales belly had come before him into Niniveh and made way for the efficacy of