gave unto him was delivered in terminis Of every tree of the Garden thou maiest freely eate But of the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eate of it for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die This was the primordiall law The primordiall Law and as Tertullian saith in this law given unto Adam we acknowledge to be laid up all those precepts which afterwards delivered by Moses sprouted forth young That is to say Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all soule and thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy selfe And Thou shalt not kill and Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not steale Honour thy father and thy mother and Thou shalt not covet that which is another mans For saith he the primordiall law was given to Adam and Eve in Paradise as the wombe of all the commandements of God Advers Judaeos cap. 2. He had no need of further grace for the observation of this law because hee might if he would have kept it by the liberty and freedome of his owne will left unto him in the custody of pure nature For which cause the breach thereof made him a transgressor to all the commandements if as Saint Augustine saith Adam's sin it be divided into its severall members For pride is there saith he for as much as man delighted to be rather in his owne power then in the power of God And Sacriledge or Infidelity because he did not give credence to God And murther because he killed himselfe And Spirituall fornication because the virginity of the humane minde was deflowred by the Serpents perswasion And theft because hee usurped that foode which was prohibited And covetousnesse because he desired more then ought to have sufficed him And whatsoever else by diligent consideration may be found to be in this one act of his transgression Wherefore by one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne and death passed upon all men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that or in whom namely in that one man all have sinned Thus was the deadly wound given by Adam The propagation of Adams sinne through the abuse of his free will to himselfe and unto all his posterity who were then in him tanquam in radice as in the root of mankind Aug. Enchir. cap. 26. whereby both hee and they who were to descend of and from him by ordinary generation were the same day made obnoxious or subject both to the Spirituall or supernaturall and to the bodily or naturall death with all the dreadfull precedents concomitants and consequents of them both For this and to the end that hee might restore that creature whom he had made to immortality God by his infinite wisedome and of his great mercy manifested unto man that expedient which he had foreseen and determined from eternity that he would redeeme and save him Gods Covenant of grace by the seede of the woman whom the Serpent had seduced which seede should breake the Serpents head that is to say overthrow the Devill and all his power And therefore after Adam had sinned and in him all his posterity God maketh his covenant with him and with them and requireth both of him and them that they should on their parts performe the conditions of it by beleeving and applying it every one of them particularly to himselfe and to know no other Redeemer by whom to be redeemed from sinne and death brought upon them all by Adams transgression but onely that blessed seede The first saving grace therefore that man received after his Fall whereby he might rise againe from sinne and death into which he was fallen was faith even faith in Christ for the promised seede was Christ Here therefore siste gradum for the order of this our historie doth require that I should adnote some thing by the way concerning that first and most necessary grace The old Romans held and worshipped faith for a goddesse and Numa Pompilius is first said to have dedicated a Temple to Faith Concerning Faith whether because in all the actions of life and more specially in contracts bargaines and covenants there is an urgent use and necessity of faith Or whether because traditions streaming down even from Adam unto those dayes had greatly manifested among the heathen themselves that faith which is towards God as that onely thing whereby God is moved to grant all the requests of men and by which every man may and must attaine unto true happiness it is more then I will take upon me to determine Probable it is that Numa was not altogether ignorant of that which was taught in the Church concerning faith for the Temples which he built are said to be without Images and his Bookes upon Livies report being found a long time after his death viz. Anno Urb. Cond 573. Genebr Chron. lib. 2. p. 411. were burnt as not holding correspondence with the heathenish superstition of those Idolatrous times There is faith towards Men and there is faith towards God for so speakes the Scripture I will restore thy Judges as at the first and thy Counsellors as at the beginning Isa 1.26 afterwards thou shalt be called the city of Righteousness the faithfull city Faithfull towards God in believing all his promises faithfull towards God in keeping all his commandments Faithfull towards Men in all distributive and commutative justice But concerning that faith which is towards men Faith towards men and is nothing else but a certaine veracitie or truth of mind whereby men approve themselves constant in their words in their promises and in all their contracts bargaines and covenants to performe them and is politicall active or mercatorious it pertaineth not to this our History to discourse at large Faith towards God Faith towards God is that faith whereby a man doth believe in God and apprehend and apply the Covenant of Grace first made with Adam and his posterity and all the promises of God thereupon depending to the saving of his soule So that howsoever the name or word faith be copiously and variously accepted in the Scriptures yet as now we are to speak of Faith S. Mat. 13.20 21. Heb. 6.4 5 6. Jac. 8.13 Act. 2.19 S. Mat. 17.20 1 Cor. 13.2 Tit. 1.1 we do not intend either the externall profession of Christian Religion onely Or any temporall assent or bare knowledge of the grace of God Nor yet any certaine perswasion conceived by Revelation or by particular promise concerning the working of miracles But it intends that faith which is properly and theologically styled Faith which pertaineth onely to Gods Elect and to all of them which is passive and is called by Divines the justifying or saving faith because that thereby a man is justified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the sight of God or with God as the Scripture speaketh Gal. 3.11 It is a gift of God or an holy habit wrought by the
how shall it be known that the Law was holy and just and good and necessary for those times and for that people Was it so because that Abraham and his seed who had need of circumcision and were bound in duty to keep the Law were circumiised and did keep the Law Or was it because the word made flesh who had no need of circumcision nor was obliged by any duty to be circumcised and to keep the Law was yet circumcised and did keep the law Certainly a man cannot but rationally conclude that Law in every part thereof to be holy and just and good and most necessary for those to whom it was commanded whereunto the sonne of God himself by voluntary dispensation became obedient 2ly He became obedient to it that by the observation of it he might consummate S. Mat. 5.17 and finish it in himselfe for the whole law was ordinated unto him 3ly That by his voluntary obedience he might remove all occasion of scandall from the Jewes to the end that they might neither complain of the hardness of their own condition as being obliged to bear the yoke and burthen of the Law nor yet refuse to be saved by that Messiah who submitted himself to the like condition with them And finally that by his obedience to the law Gal. 4.5 6. In what maner Christ became obedient to the Law he might purchase true liberty and an eternall redemption to them that were under the law Therefore his obedience to the law was double active and passive His active obedience was his full absolute and perfect fulfilling of the law to the least jot or tittle of the same so that look what obedience soever the law required Christ performed Three things there were which did require of Christ such a perfect obedience to the works of the law 1. The justice of God and that whether we look upon the nature of God himself who is infinitely just For how can it stand vvith the infinite justice of God to save a man but by such a justice either proper to himself or imputed to him by some other or if peradventure we look upon the will of God revealed in his lavv an everlasting rule of righteousness for vvhat other vvay hath God opened to everlasting life by that everlasting rule Exo. 20.6 but obedience I shew mercy unto thousands saith he of them that love me and keepe my commandements It vvas Gods justice vvhich exacted Christ his active obedience in fulfilling the lavv for mans redemption Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 2ly His mediatorship vvhereby he became our surety or pledge therefore of his ovvn free vvill must he do and suffer for us men Heb. 7.22 and for our salvation all those things vvhich all mankind vvere necessarily obliged both to do and to suffer For vvhich cause it vvas not only necessary that he should die for all mankind but that he should also fulfill the vvhole lavv for them for both these things vvere laid as a due debt upon all the sonnes of Adam Gal. 4.4 5. namely to fulfill the law to die because they had not fulfilled it 3ly The salvation of all mankind by a deliverance from death by a donation of life both vvhich can no othervvise be obtained but by his active obedience The first by the expiation of sin the second Rom. 3.24 25. by the gift of righteousness And such vvas the active obedience of Christ His passive obedience was his sacrifice or passion whereby he suffered in his own person all those punishments and indignities which God in his wisdom had decreed to be laid upon his person for satisfaction to divine justice Which passive obedience was necessary upon three respects 1. In respect of God for his law was transgressed and therefore his justice would not be satisfied but by punishments answerable to the same the blood of the Redeemer therefore must be had for satisfaction to divine justice For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goates Heb. 10.4 should take away sinnes 2ly In respect of Christ for he being our surety and pledge did suffer for us Isa 53.4 so that look what we should have suffered for our sins the same according to an absolute quantity was laid upon him Lastly In respect of our selves Rom. 4.25 who by death were to be delivered from death This was shewed by all those beasts that were killed by the Leviticall law and expresly affirmed by the Apostle St. Peter 1 Pet. 1.19 that out redemption is by the precious blood of Christ So then there is a double debt of all mankind that they should fulfill the law every moment from their first beginning in a double puritie a purity of nature and a purity of workes which debt was primordially imposed upon mankind in the creation and is exacted by the law of God The second debt is due satisfaction for the transgression of it For this double debt Christ was the surety and because none of the sons of Adam could pay it for themselves Christ hath paid it for them all and God accepteth his obedience as a full satisfaction according to the tenour of his own law effectuall unto all those who by a true justifying and saving faith do render him up unto the Father for their surety having onely to plead the satisfaction made by him Upon this respect that neither God in the first institution of it By whom it was that Christ was probably circumcised nor the law which afterward confirmed and required the use of it to the end that the party circumcised might become a debtor to the whole law ordained or said any thing concerning the minister of circumcision by whom and by whose hand the prepuce should be cut off although I should think it convenient and answerable to the dignity of that Sacrament that such an office should be performed by the Priests or Levites as by sacred persons yet because I find no such thing by divine institution or legall precept and do find that not only Zipporah the wife of Moses did circumcise her son Exod. 4.25 but that in all probability those callimartyrs who were put to death for doing contrary to the Edict of Antiochus 1 Mac. 1.6 had circumcised their children with their own hands I shall easily be induced to assent unto those who think that office to be most probably performed by the holy hands of the most blessed virgin but because it is no matter of faith I shall not be positive in defining of it I find nothing ordained neither by divine institution nor by legall injunction nor yet from the example of Joshuah who circumcised the people in Gilgal Jos 5. for imposing of names in circumcision The custom no doubt vvas most ancient and commendable having its originall from Abraham who had his name changed the day that he was circumcised Gen. 17.
by signification office and use By nature and substance they were bread and wine still by signification office and use they were his body and his blood Now put all the words together and consider them in the complex This is my body this my blood they make indeed a proposition but not according to the rules of logick the praedication is not orderly for so much as the body and blood is no predicable neither the genus species differentia proprium or accidens of the bread and wine Neither is it an identicall praedication as when we say bread is bread wine is wine What is it then It is a figurative or sacramentall proposition For the thing which is affirmed is affirmed figuratively and sacramentally figuratively that is to say metonymically whereby the name of the thing is affirmed of the signe a figure frequently used in the scripture Christ our passeover Circumcision the covenant 1 Cor. 5.7 Gen. 17.10 And as St. Paul saith concerning that rock which gave drink to the people of Israel in the wilderness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That rock was Christ and there is an emphasis in the article ille Christus 1 Cor. 10.4 that Christ Sacramentally for the thing which is affirmed is also assured and made good by that whereof it is affirmed whereby it comes to pass that the body and blood of Christ is verily and indeed taken and received of the faithfull in the Lords supper The words of the promise so considered do lead us to the great benefit procured to mankind by the merit of his body and blood so broken so poured out and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the remission of sins Remission of sins therefore is the sweet fruit and effect of the death of Christ Remission of sinnes through the effusion of his blood and is an act of grace and mercy in God whereby he esteems of sinne as no sin or as not committed The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remission is properly the sending of a thing back again to its right owner for remittere is retrò mittere to send back When God forgiveth sins he doth send them away like as the scape goat was sent away into the wilderness he doth return them as it were in full waight and measure to the proper owner which is the Devill The price The price of this grace on Christ his part was his precious body and blood given broken shed to merit and to procure it One drop of that redeeming blood according to the dignity and worthiness of the person had been sufficient to have redeemed a thousand worlds and yet no less price must be given then all that which he suffered in the humanity for the remission of sins When the Gentiles scoffed at that article of the Creed wherein the Church acknowledgeth to believe remission of sins and said that by this means the multitude of sinners would easily be augmented if remission of sinnes might freely be expected and so easily be obtained Arnobius answered Non emitur ista venia à nobis ut à vobis solet de vestris dijs sed magno constat nempe sanguine Christi proprium est numinis non emptitius sed gratutitas liberales habere peccatorum venias lib. 7. This remission ir not of our purchasing like as you are wont to purchase of your gods but the price was great even the blood of Christ and it is Gods propriety not to sell but freely and liberally to forgive sins The purchase therefore was on Christ his part and magno constat the price given for it was the greatest price that ever was to us it is a free grace without any price or merit on our parts Concerning which grace divers questions are to be demanded 1. To whom doth it belong to collate it Answer To God The grace and to his Ministers To God himself properly and authoritatively to his Ministers declaratively ministerially and by application I say first to God himself properly and authoritatively for to him it belongs to remit sins by his own authority Sins remitted by God authoritatively He against whom sins are committed to him it doth belong to forgive sins properly and by his own authority but this is God and none but God the breach of whose laws and commandments are properly sins for as much as the offence done to any man or to any other creature is no more but an offence or injury nay for as much as the breach of any mans commandment is no sin unless it imply with all the breach of the commandment of God Therefore to God and to none but God doth it belong to forgive sins properly and by his own authority This is clearly evinced by the Prophet David who although he had trespassed highly against Uriah in that he had defiled his wife and caused him to be done to death Psal 51.4 Ex. 34.6 7. Psal 32.5 Isa 43.25 Mich. 7.18 S. Mar. 2.7 yet he acknoweldgeth the sin to be against God and against him only Tibi soli peccavi against thee thee onely have I sinned And the whole scripture is clear in this point Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity who can forgive sinnes but God onely 2ly I say that remission of sins doth belong to the ministers of God declaratively ministerially and by application for saith our Church in the Absolution He ha h given power and commandement to his ministers Sins remitted by the ministers declaratively to declare and pronounce to his people being penitent the absolution and remission of their sins For the ministers of the Church have the keyes of the kingdom of heaven by the donation of Christ whose right it was to transfer them from the legall to the Evangelicall priesthood which was first promised to St. Peter and with him to all the other Apostles quia Petrus pro omnibus loquutus est Apostolis S. Mat. 16.19 S. Mat. 18.18 because he made answer for them all Afterwards renewed to them all And finally performed to them all after his resurrection at what time he breathed on them the holy Ghost and said Whosesoever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whosesoever sins ye retain S. Joh. 20.23 they are retained But this power was not to dye with them but according to his own promise to remain with his Church to the end of the world S. Mat. 28.20 The meanes And consisteth in application of the meanes whereby God doth remit sinnes Which meanes are the word of God the Sacraments of the Church the relaxation of Ecclesiastical censures and prayer I find this no where better set forth then in the form of our generall absolution He pardoneth and absolveth not we pardon and absolve all them which truly repent and unfeignedly believe his holy Gospell In quo non est peccatum ipse venit auferre peccatum Nam si esset in illo peccatum auferendum esset illi
circumcise the hearts of men according to that of Moses Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy Seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul that thou maist live 6ly The drops of blood that were shed in circumcision did give them to understand the blood of the Messiah who was to be of the circumcised Seed and that his blood it was which should be shed for the remission of sins 7ly The great paines and forenesse of circumcision did represent as well the sufferings of Christ for us as also that they who will be his servants must be nothing curious to suffer all paines and persecutions and if need be to shed their blood for the name of Christ 8ly The day of circumcision which was the eighth day did set forth in a mystery the Resurrection of Christ for like as Christ rose again from the dead upon the eighth day according to the Jewes account who begin to reckon their week upon the Sunday even so that they who were circumcised had an eight day to look for the day of his Resurrection by vertue whereof they should rise again from the dead being first risen with him unto newnesse of life that is to say from a death of sin to a new and spirituall life Lastly that same opprobrium circumcisionis that shame and disgrace which the Jew had by reason of his circumcision among the Gentiles for which he was mocked despised reproached and scornfully termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apella Verpus c. did set forth the shame and scandall of the Crosse giving the People of God to understand thereby that the way to Heaven is not a way of popularity and honour but rather of ignominy reproach and worldly contempt Moses had learned that lesson by his circumcision Esteeming saith the Scripture the reproach of Christ greater riches Heb. 11.26 then the treasures in Egypt So great and excellent was the Mystery Most important was the use of this great Sacrament For The use of Circumcision first it was sigillum foederis the seal of the Covenant which God had renewed unto Abraham and to his Seed and did therefore serve greatly to confirm their faith for in that God had set to such a seal they needed not to doubt the performance thereof on his part Once God did make his covenant with Mankinde and with all his creatures that he would no more destroy them from off the face of the Earth by the Waters of a flood for confirmation whereof he placed his Rain-bow in the cloud as the seal of that covenant concerning which seal he speaketh and promiseth saying It shall come to passe when I bring a cloud over the earth that the Bow shall be seen in the cloud Gen. 9.14.15 and I will remember my covenant which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh that the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh Such was the use of Circumcision when God should see the circumcision in the flesh of the fore-skin then would he remember the covenant that he had made with Abraham and with Abraham's seed to be the God of Abraham and of his seed after him And so was circumcision signum confirmationis Circumcision signum confirmationis a signe or seal of confirmation as well of the covenant it selfe on God's part as also of their faith in that covenant on their part 2ly It served to admonish them of their duties all their lives to the end that as often as they should look down upon them selves and see the signe or mark of circumcision in the flesh of their foreskin they might remember their covenant with God to be an holy and a peculiar people unto him and to serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life They did wear Gods badge or mark in their flesh whereby he had set his stamp or mark upon them for his own people to give them to understand that they must not defile themselves or suffer themselves to be defiled according to all the abominations of the wicked Heathen nor lead an unclean life according to the fleshly lusts of their owne heart And for this cause God was pleased that they should receive names in circumcision so when Abraham was circumcised Gen. 17.5 his name was changed from Abram into Ahraham And Saint John the Baptist S. Luc. 1.63 S. Luc. 2.21 though sanctified from his Mothers wombe and our blessed Lord himselfe because he would fulfill all righteousnesse had their names in their circumcision It was a note of that subjection and perfect obedience which they did owe unto the whole Law and so it was signum admonitionis Circumcision Signum admonitionis Jer. 4.4 a sign of admonition giving them alwaies to understand their duty and that they must on their part performe the conditions of the Covenant to God-ward Circumcise your selves to the Lord and take away the fore-skins of your heart 3ly It was a meanes ordained by God wherein and whereby to conferre his grace upon them and to conveigh his grace unto them For God doth not jest or toy with men in the outward signes but like as he doth make a sure performance of all that which he promiseth in his vocall word the Scriptures even so doth he make a sure performance of all that which he promiseth and setteth before the eyes of men in his visible word the sacred Rom. 4.11 and mysterious Sacraments And therefore St. Paul saith That Abraham received the signe of circumcision a seale of the righteousness of faith which he had yet being uncircumcised to what purpose that he might be the Father of all them that believe though they be not circumcised Circumcision Signum praebitionis that righteousness might be imputed to them also And thus it was signum praebitionis a signe of praebition wherein he performed that which he had promised Lastly Circumcision was an externall signe of the visible Church and made that outward distinction whereby the servants of God were to be known and distinguished from the idolatrous Heathen so that they who were not circumcised had not the visible character nor were to be reputed as visible members of the visible Church And unto this alludeth St. Paul when he saith Phil. 3.2 Beware of Dogs beware of evill workers beware of the concision The Dogs were the unbelieving Heathen the evill workers were the miss-living Christians the concision were those Iewes who after the abolition of circumcision by some instrument which they had did draw up the prepuce as men ashamed of their circumcision But the true circumcision is of the Christian For saith the Apostle We are the circumcision which worship God in spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh And thus was it signum distinctionis 3. Circumcision Signum distinctionis a
and distinguished In one house it must be eaten neither must any part of it be carried out of the house to teach them to know that the Church which is that house in which the Lamb is is but one they must therefore keep themselves in the unity of that Church and not go forth of it nor think to finde the true Lamb of God in the fraternities of Hereticks Schismaticks and Sectaries who depart from the communion of the Church for among such he will not be found neither will he be eaten there This great Sacrament being thus instituted ordained then God proceedeth for he disposeth expoundeth The Covenant disposed into the form of a testament The legal part Levit. 18.5 Gal. 3.19 and confirmeth his covenant into the forme of a Testament having two parts the one legal conditionall requiring perfect obedience and under that condition promising eternall life Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments which if a man do he shall live in them And that legall part of the covenant was added that is to say further expounded put into a better method and written as Saint Paul saith because of transgressions How so Why first to discover sins and transgressions for by the law is the knowledge of sin Rom. 3.20 Rom. 7.7 I had not knowne sin but by the law for I had not knowne lust except the law had said Thou shalt not covet 2ly To punish sins and transgressions for the punishment is prescribed by the law the punishment prescribed by the law is the curse of the law Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law Deut. 27.26 to do them 3ly To smite the conscience and to make a man to condemn himselfe for the sins and transgressions which he hath done as Saint Paul saith We know that what things soever the law saith Rom. 3.9 it saith to them that are under the law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God In the confession of sins saith Saint Jerome upon the place 4ly To shew unto the people by whom sins and transgressions are to be expiated viz. not by those Leviticall Ordinances but by him who was set forth in the Leviticall Priesthood and by all the sacrifices of the Law that is Jesus Christ Eph. 1.7 In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgivenesse of sins according to the riches of his grace For the law saith the Apostle having a shadow of good things to come Heb. 10.1 and not the very image of the things can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the commers thereunto perfect The other part of that Testament was Evangelicall The Evangelicall part setting before their eyes the Redemption of Jesus Christ and giving them to understand that man should be reconciled unto God and delivered out of all miserâ—â— by his death Upon which part of the testament he putteth a most rich and sumptuous robe whereunto belonged 1st that Tabernacle or portable Temple which Moses at Gods commandment made in the Wildernesse the pattern whereof was shewed unto him in the Mount Exod. 25.40 Act. 7.44 Heb. 8.5 with all the sacred utensills thereunto belonging the Arke of the covenant the golden table the shew-bread the golden candlestick the altar of incense the altar of burnt offerings the brasen laver all which are to the life set forth as God commanded and as Moses made them in the book of Exodus Cap. 25 26 27 30 36 37 38 40. The Tabernacle The mystery of the Tabernacle as it was the house of divine worship did represent the Church for in his Church and only in his Church is the true worship of God The Pillars were types of the Apostles Bishops and other Ministers of the new Testament by whose faith and function the Church is upheld Their sockets of brasse the faith of Christ in which they stand strongly grounded and rooted immoveable as pillars in their sockets The golden boords with their sockets and bars did represent the faithfull far more pretious then gold who like gold do shine and glister in all holy conversation The curtains of fine twined linnen and blew and purple and scarlet with cherubims of cunning work coupled together with loops and taches of gold did signifie that the members of the Church adorned with the severall graces of the Holy Ghost are knit and joyned together in the unity of one and the same Spirit by the bond of peace The Rams skins died red and the Badgers skins for the covering aloft did mean the Gentiles made partakers of the same redeeming blood and their faith and fortitude in withstanding the violent stormes of persecution The other vailes namely that of the outward court and that which was betwixt the outward court and the holy place did shew forth the humility of Christ wherewith the Divinity as with a vail was shaddowed and through which the Godhead entred in to be sacrificed and to make an attonement for the sins of men But the inward vail which was hung up before the holy of holies or the holiest of all which was inaccessable to all and a type of heaven into which only the high Priest entred and that but once a year upon the great day of expiation according to our accompt the tenth day of September did import that the way into the Holiest of all was not made manifest while the first Tabernacle was yet standing Heb. 9.8 The High Priest must go in making the attonement that so heaven gates may be opened unto the sons of Adam who were shut out by sin When thou hadst overcome the sharpnesse of death singeth the Church thou didst open the kingdome of heaven to all believers But who is sufficient to declare the mysterie of all these things The matter and form of the Ark The Ark. is luculently set forth in the book of Exodus Cap. 25. 37. It was placed in the most holy place impervious unto all save only to the high Priest called in the Scripture the Arke of the covenant of the Lord Num. 10.33 Josh 3.6 because the tables of the covenant were laid up there together with the golden pot of Manna and Aaron's budding Rod. It was a visible testification of Gods divine presence from whence he gave Answers where God did as it were make his habitation and therefore called also the Arke of the Lord God of hosts 1 Sam. 4.4 that dwelleth between the Cherubims It was a type of Christ for the gold of the Ark did signifie the Divinity of Christ the wood of the Ark did signifie the humanity of Christ the crown environing did signifie the hypostatical union whereby was shewed what Christ must be in his own person viz. God man hypostatically united in one person It was a symbol of Religion for what else meant the tables of the ten commandements which were laid
of some benefit received or for prevention of some eminent danger and the rite thereof is prescribed Levit. cap. 3. There were many other offerings which the law had to be made upon all occasions all which were either propitiatory which were to reconcile God and to satisfie for sin or Eucharisticall for praise and thanksgiving and were either ordinary or extraordinary But our sacred history shall crave pardon of the reader not to enlarge it selfe too far Only this it hath to observe in generall concerning the Leviticall offerings General Observations concerning the Levitical offerings 1. That they were not offered except by speciall dispensation but only in one place that was 1st where the tabernacle was 2ly where the temple was 2. That they were all offered according to a prescript form of liturgie 3. That they were to be offered with no other fire but with the holy fire the fire which came out from before the Lord which he ordained to be kept upon the Altar continually-burning so that it might never go out Levit. 6.4 That no beast or bird of prey or any unclean thing must be brought unto him for sacrifice 5. That his offerings must be of the best and finest of all kinds nothing blinde lame torn deformed the sweetest oyle the finest flower the strongest wine the purest franckincense and of every thing that which was most choise Lastly that hony and leaven were utterly banished from all his sacrifices All the Leviticall offerings did relate to Christ and did set forth the redemption of mankind by him The mystery The holocaust or whol burnt-offering did signifie Christ our holocaust or whole burnt offering who in the fire of his love hath offered himselfe up wholly unto God the father and hath shed his blood for the remission of sins The continuall or daily burnt offering S. Joh. 1.29 did set forth Christ the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world The offering of that sacrifice in the morning and at even did set forth the efficacy of his death for remission of sins to all them that believe from the beginning of the world unto the end That to all the righteous faithfull whether in the morning or in the evening of the world there is no other lamb but that lamb which was slain from the foundation of the world Rev. 13.8 The meat offering did set forth Christ that bread of life the bread which commeth down from heaven that a man may eat thereof and not die That the bread which he would give is his flesh S. Joh. 5.50 51. which he would give for the life of the world The drink offering did set forth Christ that true wine which maketh glad the heart of man without whom there is no true joy or gladnesse to be had that wine poured out was his blood shed for the remission of sins The sacrament of which meat and drink offering he hath instituted to be in the elements of bread and wine The sin offering did set forth Christ an expiatory sacrifice for sin and did preach unto them no other doctrine but that of the blessed Apostle and Evangelist Saint John If any man sin 1 Joh. 2. â—1 2 we have an Advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous And he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world The peace-offering did preach peace unto the world by Christ who is our peace and that it is he that delivereth us from the wrath to come So that there is now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 That whereas all the offerings were made in that place where first the Tabernacle afterwards the Temple was it intended Christ the great sacrifice to be offered up at Hierusalem That they were all offered according to a prescript form or liturgy it intended the orderly worship of God which Christ would establish in his Church in the new Testament That they were offered with no other fire but the holy fire it meant that all the spirituall sacrifices of his Church should be sent up to the Father by the fire of his blessed Spirit and that his spirit should remain in his Church perpetually to sanctifie and clense it That no unclean thing must be offered for sacrifice it did set forth the purity of Christ his sacrifice who is clean of himselfe and the cleanser of all that are clean Who is offered up unto God by all the faithfull who crave remission of sins for his sake and offer unto God his sacrifice as a full satisfaction for all their transgressions having nothing of themselves worthily to offer That his offerings must be of the best and finest of all kinds nothing blinde lame torn deformed the sweetest oyle the finest flower the strongest wine the purest franckincense It signified that God would accept him only for that sacrifice for the dignity and worthinesse of whom and in whom as in the all-sufficient sacrifice he is well pleased in whom only should be found the integrity and perfection of the human nature And that hony and leaven were utterly banished from all his sacrifices It was to shew that in Christ should be found neither leaven of hypocrisy nor hony of voluptuousnesse and that they who will sacrifice unto the Father by him must utterly put away spirituall pride which is the leaven of hypocrisie and all sensuall lusts which are the hony of voluptuousnesse By all which things we may observe that all the sacred rites of the sacrifices and oblations as well those that we have mentioned as those also which for brevities sake our sacred history must omit were no other but as it were visible homilies divinity lectures and catechisms whereby the faithfull were shewed taught to know and to understand the mystery of the redemption of mankind by Jesus Christ 5ly To the Evangelicall part of the Testament belonged those Concerning those dayes and months and times years which the Jews had daies and months and times and years which the Jewes had and were commanded to observe these are distinguished into profests and feasts The profests were minor holy daies wherein it was permitted unto them to work the offering up of the morning and evening sacrifice notwithstanding But the feasts or major holy daies were such as upon which it was not permitted unto them to work at all Every day the sacrifice vvas to be offered morning and evening as before is said But a peculiar sacrifice was ordained to be made the first day of every month as you may read Numb 28. The profests therefore were the new moones The new moones that is to say the first day of every month upon which daies they were not forbidden to labour in their ordinary professions although a peculiar sacrifice vvas appointed for those daies It is said that they were solemnized in memory of the creation of light and in acknowledgment of
was come the sabbath of the seventh day which was the sabbath signifying must vanish away That Sabbath of the seventh day did therefore teach the people of God to expect the true sabbath in whom all must cease from the unclean works of sin and every one must submit himself to him and suffer him to have and sanctifie a sabbath in him by his most holy and most blessed spirit so to cease from their own works not doing thine own waies nor finding thine own pleasure Isai 58.13 nor speaking thine own words saith the Prophet Isaiah as to do all the workes of his law by faith For he that is entred into his rest which is Christ the true sabbath He also hath ceased from his own workes Heb. 4.10.11 as God did from his Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest lest any man fall after the same example of unbeliefe The feast of Easter did set forth Christ the true paschall Lambe who should be killed that so he might be made the food of the faithfull unto everlasting life who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood S. Joh. 6.54 hath eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day And because that Christ is that feast and is our passeover that therefore we must purge out the old leaven for so S. Paul himself sets forth the Mysterie Purge out therefore saith he the old leaven that ye may be a new lumpe as ye are unleavened For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us 1 Cor 5.7 Therefore let us keep the feast not with the old leaven neither with the leaven of malice and wickednesse but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth The feast of Pentecost did set forth Christ conferring the gifts of the Holy Ghost upon his Church and was a type of that day wherein the Holy Ghost was sent under the outward visible signes of fierie cloven tongues Act. 2. The feast of Trumpets did signifie Christ publishing his Gospell by the mouthes of his Apostles and Disciples whose sound went into all the earth Rom. 10.18 and their words unto the ends of the world The day of attonement or yearly feast of the expiations did set forth the expiation of sins by Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse Rom. 3.25 for the remission of sins Upon which day the passion and death of Christ and mans Redemption by him was so plainly shewed that nothing could be more lively acted or represented The day it selfe was a day of a general and universal expiation of sins by sacrifice wherein the attonement was made for the holy Sanctuary and for the tabernacle of the congregation for the Altar for the Priests and for all the people of the congregation Therefore the great expiatory sacrifice Christ crucified upon the Cross must be offered up for all the sins of all man-kind as well for the most holy who may be compared to the Sanctuary to the Tabernacle to the Altar to the Priests all consecrated unto God by his mysterious Sacraments as also for all sorts of sinners to be understood by all the people of the congregation For what other thing is the world but a congregation of all sorts of people all sinners all standing in need of the generall and universall expiation That generall and universall expiation must be made by no other person but by the High Priest therefore an High Priest must be expected who must make the great attonement for the sins of the whole world The High Priest did make an attonement for himself and it was needfull for him so to do because he was a sinner therefore he was not the true high priest but a type of him who had no need to make an attonement for himselfe because he had no sin That high priest did make the attonement every year and did admit of a successor by reason of death therefore he was not the true high priest but a type of him who should make the attonement once for all made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec Heb. 6.20 That high priest had none to accompany him when he made the attonement therefore this high priest must himselfe be the propitiation for the sins of the whole world That high priest did put on those garments which were common to the other priests to wit the linnen coat the linnen breeches the linnen girdle and the linnen mitre he did also bring his own sacrifice a young bullock for a sin-offering and a ram for a burnt offering and did receive of the congregation two kids for a sin-offering and a ram for a burnt-offering therefore this high priest should put on the whole human nature and should receive that of us which he would sacrifice for us as namely the substance of our flesh But as those garments are said to be holy so must they understand the humanity of Christ to be without sin The young bullock which the high priest brought for a sin offering and the ram which he brought for a burnt offering was his humble acknowledgment that he was not that High priest but a type of him that should make the great attonement for all mankinde Heb. 7.26 Seeing as the Apostle saith such an high priest became us who is holy blamlesse undefiled separate from sinners and made higher then the heavens Who needeth not daily as those high priests 27. to offer up sacrifice first for his own sins and then for the peoples for this he did once when he offered up himselfe Such a one therefore were they admonished by that his sacrifice to look for The two goats upon which the high priest cast lots did signifie Christ in two natures and that in one of those natures namely the humanity he should be killed and die but yet by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God for that was signified by the lots that were cast seeing as Solomon saith in the book of Proverbs The lot is cast into the lap Prov. 16.33 but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. The blood of the bullock and the blood of the goat which the high priest brought successively within the vail and did with his finger sprinckle the mercy seat and before the mercy seat seven times did in the mystery instruct them to know that not by the blood of goats and calves but by his own blood should Christ the true high priest enter in once into the holy place having obtained eternall redemption for us Heb. 9.12 And that seven-fold aspersion made by the finger of the high priest did signifie the fulnesse and perfection of the propitiation to be made by Christ The incense which was offered by the high priest within the vail in the most holy place the cloud whereof did arise and cover the mercy seat did shew forth the prayers and supplications with strong crying
multitude saw it they marvelled and glorified God S. Mat. 9.8 which had given such power unto men Certainly Maldonats note upon the place is not amiss Observation That like as the divinity of Christ communicated to his humanity the power of doing miracles Even so the power is dirived from Christ the head unto the ministers of his Church to forgive sins Christ is the Lord he as God hath the key of authority to remit sins tum quod culpam tum quod poenam as well in respect of the fault and guiltiness of sin as also of the consequent punishment due unto the same as God and man he hath the key of excellency to remit sins upon his own merit His ministers have a ministeriall key to remit sins in the name and by the power of Christ For was this spoken by Christ and written by St. Matthew for our Instruction Hath God given such power unto men as to pronounce the pardon of sin to the sick man in his bed Is the doctrine of confession and absolution agreeable as well to the Scriptures as also to the practice of the Church both present and primitive then may every one who is a minister of the word and sacraments a priest in sacred orders rightly and duly ordained to his office and function upon good information of faith and repentance say to the sick sinner in his bed thy sins are forgiven thee Or by his authority committed unto me I absolve thee from all thy sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost For absolution as well private as publick belongeth principally yea properly and by vertue of his office to the minister as Christ his Ambassadour in his ministeriall function But of this we dispute no farther but return again to the matter Christs his miracles for the glory of God upon three respects Christ his miracles were wrought for the glory of God more particularly upon three respects 1st Because that Christ is thereby mightily declared to be the son of God and the promised Messiah Saint John the Baptist did no miracles therefore when he sent two of his disciples unto Christ to aske him this question saying S. Mat. 11.3 Art thou he that should come or do we look for another he pleadeth his miracles in evidence of his divinity The blind saith he receive their sight and the lame walk the lepers are clensed the deaf hear the dead are raised up and the poor have the Gospell preached unto them As if he should say I who do all these things and am preached to be him who else am I but the son of God and the promised Messiah 2ly Because the doctrine of the gospell is thereby confirmed Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me S. Joh. 14.11 or else believe me for the very works sake We read that when God offered a signe or miracle unto king Ahaz to the end that he might believe the words which were spoken unto him by the mouth of the prophet Isaias he refused saying I will not ask Isa 7.12 Judg. 6.17.37 39. S. Mat. 16.4 neither will I tempt the Lord. Gideon required a signe or miracle and he had it more then once or twice The Pharisees required a signe and are sharply reproved and the signe denyed Thus their actions agreed not unto their ends Ahaz out of pride 2 King 16. or peradventure out of that trust and confidence which he reposed in the strength and power of Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria refused the miracle and to contemn or refuse a signe or miracle when God shall offer it is a sin The Pharisees were a generation of proud hypocrites who had before hand set up a resolution not to believe on him whatsoever he should say or whatsoever he should do therefore when they require a miracle out of pride and curiosity they are condemned and rejected But Gideon in his humility did aske a signe for the confirmation of his faith in the promise of God It is no example for us now for the gospell is sufficiently confirmed by miracles we must believe and have recourse unto the ordinary signes the sacred and mysterious sacraments To refuse or contemn them is the sin of Ahaz Lastly they make for the glory of God because thereby he breaks the serpents head and destroyes his kingdom Sathan erecteth his kingdome among men by his works When the Jewes boasted that they were the seed of Abraham and the sons of God Christ told them that the devill was their father S. Joh. 8.48 1 Joh. 3.8 because they did their father's lusts The lusts of the devill are his works but Christ hath destroyed them He destroyed them by his miracles for he cast out devills he purified the minds of men he remitted sins he raised the dead nay he himselfe dyed and rose again Rom. 6.9 10 11. to the end that we also should die unto sin by vertue of his death and rise again unto newnesse of life by vertue of his most blessed and glorious resurrection So the glory of God was the primary and more principall end of his Divine miracles But the Secundary and lesse principall end was the utility and profit of men 1st and more specially of those men The secundary or lesse principall end who had the present benefit were healed and cured and were raised from the dead for sicknesse and death being the effects of sin they were hereby taught to believe and to hope for greater mercies The wages of sin is death the bodily death the spirituall death with all manner of sicknesses and diseases of the body tending to the bodily death and with all manner of sicknesses and diseases of the soule as griefe anger anguish horrour dread presumption desperation tending to the spirituall death Adde here all those evills in the city which the Lord hath done by war by pestilence by famine also all private crosses and losses in the particular goods and estates of men But the gift of God is eternall life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 2ly For the Church Rom. 6.23 and for all her members generally and that first to the end that if any man be sick or diseased he may look up unto Christ the true physician He that hath wrought all his Divine miracles immediately and mediately He that hath wrought his miracles in all the miseries and calamities of men He that hath wrought all his miracles by his own divine power and vertue He that wrought his miracles to destroy the kingdome of Sathan and did remit the sins of men He that wrought his miracles by his word only to them that were present to them that were absent He that wrought his miracles by his word together with a touch of his hand or by permitting the sick and diseased to touch him He that wrought his miracles sometimes by means and things naturall sometimes by means and things not naturall or
proper It is he who forgiveth all thine iniquities Psal 103.3 who healeth all thy diseases 2ly To the end that if any man would have a strong faith not to faint or waver in the day of temptation if he would believe all the articles of the faith and all the mysteries of christian religion faithfully he should then come to the miracles of Christ He hath wrought all his miracles for the glory of God By these he was manifested to be the son of God and the promised Messiah By these the doctrine of the gospell is confirmed By these the kingdome of Sathan is destroyed Who shall doubt who shall waver who shall faint having his faith confirmed by so many wonderfull miracles 3ly To the end that if any man would clense his waies as holy David counselleth his young man to do by taking heed thereto according to the word of God he should then have before his eyes the miracles of Christ To pray to him that opened the blinde eyes that he would open the eyes of his understanding to behold the wonderfull things of his law that he may see his own sinfull condition which is by nature the mercie of God and the merits of Christ to the end that he may know him Phil. 3.10 and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable to his death For the excellency of which knowledge-sake Saint Paul accounted all things but losse To pray to him that restored feet to the lame that he would turn his feet out of every evill way lest he walk in the counsell of the ungodly to tread in the paths of pride with the proud of covetousnesse and voluptuousnesse with the covetous and voluptuous To pray to him that opened the deafe ears thar he would open his ears so as that he may hear and be obedient unto his most holy and most blessed word Seeing not the hearers only Rom. 2.13 but they that hear it and do it shall be justified To pray to him that cast out devills that he would cast out the suggestions and first motions of sin whereby the devill is in every one of us for that all they who receive those first motions and suggestions with delight and consent unto them and reduce them into act and persevere in the act without repentance have fulfilled the lusts of the flesh having nothing else to expect in their hardness and impenitent heart but that dreadfull doom denounced by Saint Paul Gal. 5.21 They which do such things shall not inherit the kingdome of God Finally to pray to him that raised the dead to life again S. Joh. 11.43 and called Lazarus out of his grave saying Lazarus come forth that he would so raise him from the death of sin unto a life of righteousness in this world that when the trump shall blow and the graves shall open and the earth surrender and the vast and huge seas yield forth those whom they have devoured he may then see God in the land of the living being raised to life immortall by him S. Joh. 11.25 who is the resurrection and the life This great miracle so wrought in Cana of Galilee and the nuptiall solemnities being ended Jesus went directly to Capernaum Jesus goeth to Capernaum It was a great mart town pleasantly scituated by the sea of Tiberias and was the metropolis of Galilee having commerce with Tyrus and Zidon which were distant from it about forty and foure miles and Capernaum it selfe was from Hierusalem about fifty and six miles in the tribe of Issachar being supposed to be the meditullium of the twelve tribes S. Mat. 9.1 and is said to be his owne city because he came often thither preached and did many great works there Hither he came accompanyed with his mother his brethren and his disciples And because the feast of the passeover drew near and he himselfe intended to go up to Hierusalem and to be there at that feast to the end that he might manifest himselfe there by his divine doctrine and by his miracles he stayed not many daies in Capernaum at that time but departed from thence with his disciples They were yet his disciples but by agnition and familiarity he intended to have them to be his disciples by vocation and by adhaesion A three-fold admâ—ssion of the disciples and then to go up to Hierusalem attended by them The order of the Evangelists therefore must be observed Saint John saith After this this his first miracle so wrought and the nuptiall solemnities ended he went down to Capernaum he and his mother and his brethren and his disciples who were admitted to be his disciples by knowledge of him and by acquaintance and familiarity with him and they continued there not many daies And the Jewes passeover was at hand and Jesus went up to Hierusalem S. Joh. 2.12 13. But first his disciples were gone to employ themselves in their own profession for they were fishers S. Mar. 1.16 17 18 19 20. S. Mat. 1.18 19 20 21 Therefore Jesus as Saint Matthew saith and with him Saint Mark almost totidem verbis walking by the sea of Galilee saw two brethren Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea for they were fishers And he saith unto them Follow me and I will make you fishers of men And they straight-way left their nets and followed him And going on from thence he saw other two brethren James the son of Zebedee and John his brother in a ship with Zebedee their father mending their nets and he called them And they immediately left the ship 22. and their father and followed him They followed him yet not so but that they returned again to their ships and nets to fish and to acquire a livelyhood for themselves and for their families though he had called them to be his disciples S. Luc. 5 1 And it came to passe after this that as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God he stood by the lake of Genezareth 2 And saw two ships standing by the lake but the fishermen were gone out of them and were washing their nets 3 And he entred into one of the ships which was Simons whom before he had called to the discipleship and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land and he sat downe and taught the people out of the ship Now when he had left speaking 4 he said unto Simon Lanch out into the deep and let down your nets for a draught And Simon answering said unto him Master 5 we have toiled all the night and have taken nothing neverthelesse at thy word I will let down the net And when they had this done they inclosed a great multitude of fishes and their net brake 6 And they beckoned unto their partners which were in the other ship that they should come and help them 7 8 And
he calleth hell because it warreth all for hell and the devill is the prince of it Eph. 6.11 2 Cor. 10.4 The gates of hell therefore do signifie those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those fortresses munitions and strong holds which the powers of hell do hold against the Church and from whence they assault it in all her members by force or fraud All which is meant by gates because the gates of castles and of strong holds are wont to have the best munition and to be most strongly fenced So that the gates of hell are not only heresies although heresies are of them as Saint Epiphanius lib. Anchor and Saint Augustine De symb ad Catechum do note but also persecutions in name in goods in liberty or in life and specially sins with all manner of evills which seek to subdue us to everlasting death As is well observed by Origen Saint Chrysostome Saint Gregory and others The gates of hell therefore may assault but they shall not prevail against the Church catholick utterly to extinguish it nor against any sound member of the same who is an homogeniall part of the whole rightly built and abiding upon the rock Psal 139.1 2 3 4. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth may Israel now say Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth yet they have not prevailed against me The plowers plowed upon my back they made long furrowes The Lord is righteous he hath cut assunder the cords of the wicked And this is the first part of that retribution which the Apostle Saint Peter received from his Lord S. Mat. 16.18 upon his good confession Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it A second part of his retribution was in expectance and to be made good in the future The keyes of the kingdom of heaven promised and given that was the keyes of the kingdome of heaven then to be given when he shall be risen from the dead and shall have fully accomplished the work of mans redemption Saint Peter for the present was not in capacity and Christ himselfe was not yet fully manifested to be the Saviour and redeemer of all mankinde That promise therefore must be performed in its season after his resurrection and he performes it the same day The same day at evening being the first day of the week when the doors were shut S. Joh 20.19 where the Disciples were assembled for fear of the Jewes came Jesus and stood in the middest and saith unto them Peace be unto you And when he had so said he shewed unto them his hands and his side Then were the Disciples glad when they saw the Lord. 20 Then said Jesus unto them again Peace be unto you As my Father sent me even so send I you And when he had said this he breathed on them 21 22 and saith unto them Receive ye the holy Ghost Whosesoever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whosesoever sins ye retain they are retained 23. The power of Christ to give the keyes of the kingdome of heaven is three-fold 1. The power of the Creator By what power Christ gave the keyes S. Joh. 1.3 Eph. 1.7 All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made Heaven it self was his creature how shall he not dispose the work of his own hands 2ly The power of the Redeemer in whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace Is he the redeemer of that Church of his part whereof singeth the songs of victory in heaven and is called the triumphant Church part whereof lyeth in the camp of warfare upon earth and is called the militant Church and must not then the keyes be his to open the doors of heaven by himself and by his ministers unto whom he shall commit them 3ly He is the head of his Church Eph. 5.23 as the husband is the wives head Is that head of his Church the Lord of heaven and hath he not the keyes to open the doors of heaven to that mysticall body whereof he is the head To that little flock of his who are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones 30 The keyes of the kingdom of heaven were his to give and he gave them according to his word and promise he did not delay to give them but being risen from the dead he gave them the same day The kingdom of heaven in the scriptures is compared to a city therefore called the holy Hierusalem Reu. 21.10 12 having a great and high wall and twelve gates Man was a citizen of that city till he sinned but by sinne he lost his freedom there in as much as there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lye 27 For his sinne he was banished this city and the gates fast lockt and shut against him He was cast out of Paradise and God placed cherubims and a flaming sword which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life Gen. 3.24 So that there was found no way to return back into the city or into Paradise from whence man was expulsed But God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Him therefore did God give to open the gates of heaven which were shut and lock't by sinne and by the guilt thereof to bring in man and to open them to the faithfull S. Joh. 3.10 and to shut them against the unbelievers What keyes Christ had and what keys he gave to the Apostles Rev. 3.7 S. Mar. 2.7 S. Joh. 1.29 Who because he is the great King of this city he is said to have the key of David and openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth By a two-fold possession he is Lord of the keyes For 1ly As he is one God with the Father he hath the same keyes which the Father hath even the key of authority to forgive sinnes Who can forgive sins but God onely 2ly As he is the Son of the Father made man and by the merit of his death and passion is that very lambe of God which taketh away the sin of the world he hath the key of excellency and by a speciall prerogative doth open and shut the gates of heaven Neither of these keyes gave Christ to his Apostles the keyes which they had by his Donation were ministeriall keyes to the end that not by themselves but by the power of God and by the virtue of Christ his passion they might open and shut the gates of heaven These keyes as St. Chrysostome saith are the knowledge of the scriptures according to Tertullian the interpretation of the law and as Eusebius saith the
mystery that he will have them directed into the house by the pitcher of water Paschae celebrandae locum de signo aquae ostendit sath Tertullian He sheweth the place where he would celebrate the passeover by the sign of water De Bap. cap. 19. For in one house his Church he will have both these great and venerable Sacraments even the Sacrament of water and the Sacrament of his most blessed body and blood The Sacrament of water must bring us in S. Mat. 26.17 18 19. S. Mar. 14.12 13 14 15 16 S. Luc. 22.7 8 9 10 11 12 13. the Sacrament of his body and blood must feed and nourish us when we are there That Sacrament is meat for the houshold none must eat of it but they that are brought into the house by the pitcher of water the holy Sacrament of baptism The Disciples went forth in the morning because the passeover must be killed that day that it might be eaten in the evenning and found as he had said unto them and they made ready the passeover Now when the even was come he cometh with the twelve and when the hour was come the hour of the night wherein they accustomed to eat the passeover he sate down and the twelve together with him I will not dispute concerning the manner of their sitting Theodoret moves the question How is it saith he that the Lord is said to sit downe when as the Jewes did stand when they did eat the passeover The Jewes indeed did eat the passeover standing in great haste having their loyns girt their shooes on their feet and their staves in their hands for so God ordained it to be eaten No question therefore to be made Exod. 12.11 but that Christ and his Disciples did eat it in that manner But after the passeover was eaten it was no where forbidden in the law to feed upon other meats and it is said to be in common use among the Jewes after the passeover was eaten to have the table plentifully furnished with other foods Christ therefore did first eat the passeover with his Disciples standing having his loyns girded his shooes on his feet and his staffe in his hand and he did eat it hastily and having so eaten it he then sate down to feed upon other meats wherewith the table was furnished either then or presently after And from that supper which was then upon the table he arose washed his Disciples feet and preached unto them humility in such manner as is set downe more at large St. Joh. 13. v. 2. to 21. This being done he sate down again to eat and to finish his supper Then was he troubled in spirit as Saint John saith It was for Judas Iscariot as Saint Augustine judgeth whom he did pitty and for whom he was sorry as he was also sorry for Hierusalem and wept over it in Johan tract 60. He foresaw his eternall perdition did inwardly bewaile him He told them that one of them should betray him they are exceeding sorrowfull S. Mat. 26.21 22 23 24 25 S. Mar. 14.18 19 20 21. S. Joh. 13.21 22 23 24 25 26. they demand who it should be and every one for himself saying Lord Is it I He giveth them a sign and curseth the traytor then did he institute the Sacrament of his supper and when Iudas had unworthily eaten of that bread and drank of that cup then was he fit for the devill and then he gave him the sop and after the sop Satan entred into him as St. Iohn saith And as they were eating that is to say the supper Iesus tooke bread and blessed it Christ instituteth the sacrament of his supper So the Evangelists go on setting down the divine institution of that great and mysterious Sacrament which is the Sacrament of his body and blood from the time called the Lords supper because it was instituted at supper time and while they were eating the forementioned supper In the Historicall narration whereof they relate both what he did and what he said That he did three things 1. That he blessed and gave thanks 2ly That he brake the bread and took the cup. 3ly That he did give and distribute unto them the bread which he had broken and the cup which he had taken That he likewise said three things That he gave a commandment That he made a promise That he explicated them both The commandment is two-fold as well concerning the administration of it to those that are to administer it as also concerning the participation of it to those that are to receive it The words of promise are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 definitive or indicative they define or declare the thing they set forth the inward matter or thing signified affirming it either of the bread or of the cup sacramentally Of the bread This is my body which is given and is broken for you Of the cup This is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins The explication of them both is S Mat. 26.27 28 29 30. S. Mar 14.22 23 24.25 S. Luc. 22.19 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in remembrance of me Whereunto is added the attestation Verily I say unto you I will drink no more of the fruit of the Vine untill the day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God Our sacred History doth require that we should insist upon these things particularly He blessed and he gave thanks that is to say he designed prepared He blessed and he gave thanks and consecrated the bread and the wine by prayers and benedictions to become a Sacrament the blessed Sacrament of his body and blood not of their own nature but by divine institution Benè antequam tantum tam magnum sacramentum institueret gratias egit saith Stella well did he give thanks before he would institute such and so great a Sacrament in Luc. cap. 22. For if when he would raise up Lazarus from the dead he gave thanks saying Father I thank thee that thou hast heard me S Joh. 11.41 how much more now ought he to give thanks in that by this wonderfull Sacrament he would raise up from the dead not one man out of his grave to the bodily life for a short time upon earth but innumerable souls from the death of sin to everlasting life we must not descant upon the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that when he took the bread he blessed it and that when he took the cup he gave thanks as if it were one thing to bless and another thing to give thanks As if he did somewhat else or somewhat less or somewhat more when he took the bread than when he took the cup for these two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are in the meaning signification oft times in the scriptures more especially in the divine institution of this Sacrament one the
non ipse auferret saith St. Augustine In whom sinne is not he came to take away sin For if sin had been in him it must have been taken away from him he himself should not have taken it away Tract 4. in 1. Johan 3. For who can remit sins but God onely who doth also remit them by those to whom he hath given the power to remit them S. Amb. lib. 5. com in Luc. 5. The second is What is the subject who are they upon whom this grace is to be collated Answ Every one that stands in need of it The subject and there are none to be found on earth who doe not need it For saith Mr. Calvin be the children of God never so holy yet in this condition are they alwaies that without remission of sins they cannot stand before God We must every day pray for our daily bread and we must every day pray for remission of sins No man is too rich to pray for daily bread no man is too righteous Object 1 to pray for remission of sins Against this it will be objected 1. That sins are remitted in baptism and not only Originall but also actuall sins now it is needless to pray for that which is forgiven already therefore that it is needless to pray for remission of sins Answ Sins are remitted in Baptisme and not only originall but also actuall sins therefore the Novatians the Melitians and the Donatists did deny remission of sins to those who had sinned after that grace received and in Baptisme we covenant with God to forsake the Devill and all his works the pomps and vanities of the wicked world and all the sinful lusts of the flesh In Baptisme we covenant to believe all the articles of the Christian faith and we also covenant to keep his holy will and commandements and to walk in the same all the daies of our life But because the best and most righteous of those that are baptized do not perfectly keep the conditions of this covenant for in many things we all offend therefore even the very best and most righteous of those that are baptized Jam. 3.2 must pray for remission of sins 2. It will be objected that sin perisheth so soon as the act is committed for sins are transient and vanish with the act How Object 2 can it be required of a man to pray for the remission of that which is not Ans The act of sin indeed is transient and passeth away but the guilt remaineth for sins transient in the act are permanent in the guilt Aug. lib. 1. de Nuptiis cap. 26. It is that guiltiness of sin for which we pray that it may be remitted 3. It Object 3 will be objected that the Church is holy 1 Cor. 1.2 Phil. 1.1 and the faithfull are called Saints Also that some have been found that have not stood in need to have their sins remitted Zacharias and Elizabeth were both righteous before God S. Luc. 1.6 walking in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord blamelesse 15. Saint John the Baptist was filled with the holy Ghost even from his mothers wombe Answ The Church is holy and the faithfull are Saints and yet as Fulgentius saith every one of the saints is perfect imperfect perfect by hope of glorification to come imperfect by the present burthen of corruption and mortality Perfect because that in minde he serveth the law of God imperfect because that in the flesh he serveth the law of sin Ad Monim Therefore are we called Saints in this world because in affection we hold and wish for sanctity saith the book de ecclesiasticis dogmat cap. 86. Then are we just when we confesse our selves to be sinners and our righteousnesse doth not consist of our own merit but of the mercy of God Hieron lib. 1. adver Pelag. Zacharias and Elizabeth were both righteous before God and Saint John the Baptist was filled with the holy Ghost even from his mothers wombe But they were righteous before God not by an inherent but by an imputed righteousnesse not by the righteousnesse of works but by the righteousnesse of faith not by the legall but by the Evangelicall justice the imputed righteousnesse of Jesus Christ for the justification of a sinner in the sight of God Saint John the Baptist was filled with the holy Ghost from his mothers wombe not that he should not sin but as God said to Jeremiah Jer. 1.5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee and before thou camest forth out of the wombe I sanctified thee and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations Even so was Saint John the Baptist filled with those graces of the holy Ghost from his mothers wombe which might best befit his wonderfull calling I do not deny but that many of the dear Saints of God even in this life do walk in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord blamelesse to the world and to men though not blamelesse to God Blamelesse to the world and to men because without crime not blamelesse to God because not without sin Excellently Saint Augustine in his Enchiridion to Laurentius Neque enim saith he quia peccatum est omne crimen ideo crimen est omne peccatum It doth not follow that because every crime is a sin that every sin is also a crime Therefore we do say that the lives of holy men so long as they do live in this death may be found without a crime Peccatum autem si dixerimus quia non habemus but if we say that we have no sin S. 1 Joh. 1.8 as the holy Apostle saith we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Cap. 64. The third question is How far doth God remit sins Answ God doth not forgive sins by halfes How far God doth remit sins Jer. 31.34 When God saith I will forgive their iniquities and I will remember their sin no more his meaning is not to forgive the sin and to remember the punishment he will remit both the culpa and the poena according to that old distich Larga Dei bonitas veniam non dimidiabit Aut nihil aut totum te lachrymante dabit The large bounty of God will not divide the pardon in the midst He will forgive all or nothing upon thy contrition After what manner Fourthly it is demanded after what manner he doth remit them Answ Remission of sins is an action of God whereby for the merit of Christ he esteemeth and accounteth sin as no sin or as if it had never been committed Therefore holy David Psal 32.2 Isa 44.22 Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity And the prophet Isaiah I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sins Like as when a cloud is dispersed and gone there is no signe or remembrance of it no more is there any signe or remembrance of sin when God hath forgiven it
brook which sprang out of an hill not far off upon the south and so passed through the east part of the city betwixt Jerusalem and the mount of Olives from whence it held its course through the cliffs of that mount till it fell into the dead sea It had its name and was called Cedron from the blackness of the waters which were made black by the fertility of the soil through which it ran the valley of Jehosaphat being a very rich and fertile soile This brook was not great upon any great rain it would be very full as they say but was commonly drie in the summer time Over this brook as Saint John saith S. Joh. 18.1 The mount of Olives they passed to go to the mount of Olives which mount stood about halfe a mile from the city very fruitfull and pleasant abounding with many precious fruits especially with Olives from whence it was called the mount of Olives S. Mat. 26.36 S. Mar. 14 32 Gethsemane At the foot of this hill there was a village called Gethsemane scituate in a very pleasant and fruitfull place where it is said they used to press their oyle from whence it obtained to be so called for Gath signifieth a press schaemen oyle Nigh thereunto was a spacious and delightfull garden supposed to have been first planted by David and Solomon and afterwards encreased enlarged by the kings of Iuda for their delight and recreation to walk and to enjoy themselves Into that garden Christ often went with his disciples and Iudas knew it and knew the place Having therefore passed over the brook Cedron he came thither according to his wont and being come into the garden he assigned a place to the other disciples to sit and to remain saying Sit ye here while I go and pray yonder but took with him Sainâ— Peter and the two sons of Zebedee Saint James and Saint John and began to be sorrowfull and very heavy S. Mat. 26.37 38.8 Mar. 14.33 34. saith Saint Matthew to be sore amazed saith Saint Mark He telleth them whence that sorrow heavinesse and amazement proceeded it was from his soul which was exceeding sorrowfull unto death as if it had then been even in the pangs and pains Christ sorrowfull in soul and torments of death immediately to depart out of his body and to die the spirituall or supernaturall death Such and so great was the sorrow of his soul having before his eyes the bitternesse of that cup which he was to drink which he was amazed to behold looking upon Adam and upon all his posterity damned to the eternall torments of hell by the sentence of the law and not otherwise to be redeemed but by the merit of his passion only seeing and considering all the sins of men from the first disobedience of Adam in paradise unto the worlds end and every sin deserving eternall death to be imputed unto him and to be satisfied for by him seeing and considering that he must now conflict with the devill and with all the powers of hell to break the serpents head and to overthrow them utterly by a shamefull and ignominious death upon the crosse seeing and considering that he must conflict with the law and with the malediction and curse of the law to take it away and to nail it unto the crosse Thus began he his passion not by necessity but by voluntary dispensation He beginneth his passion He could presently have commanded all the joyes of heaven but he would not for the works sake which he was to do Having therefore bidden them to tarry in that place and to watch with him he went a little further about a stones cast he kneeled down and prayed saying Father if thou be willing remove this cup from me neverthelesse not my will but thine be done Then was he in an agony and prayed more earnestly falling flat to the ground upon his face saying O my Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me neverthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt Abba Father all things are possible unto thee take this cup from me neverthelesse not that I will but what thou wilt In this agony he fell into a sweating passion and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood He sweateth blood falâ—ing down to the ground And in this agony there appeared an angell unto him strengthening him The Divinity therefore had respect to the human nature so overcharged with fear sorrow heaviness and amazement that all the pores of his body were opened by which the blood issued by drops trickling down to the ground whereunto must be added his vehemency and ardency in prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that agony he prayed more earnestly Violent passions produce violent effects it was true naturall blood the pure blood of his blessed body which he did sweat but the manner of its emanation was marvellous and mysterious After he had prayed a while he ariseth from the ground goeth to his disciples and findeth them sleeping whom when he had gently reprehended but Saint Peter by name Simon sleepest thou couldst not thou waâ—ch one houre Watch ye and pray lest ye enter into temptation S. Mat. 26.39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46. the spirit is ready but the flesh is weak he goes away and prayeth again saying the same words and then commeth to them the second time and findeth them sleeping as before Wherefore he went away again and prayed and spake the same words S. Mar. 14.35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42. S. Luc. 22.41 42 43 44 45 46. and when he came the third time he told them that he was betrayed and that the traitour was at hand saying Rise let us be going not to flie from them but to meet them Behold he is at hand that doth betray me So went he forward to meet them marching as it were before his disciples as a Captain yet not to fight with the sword but to conquer by his death Judas also led up his company against him a band of men His apprehension and officers from the chiefe priests and pharisees accompanyed with some of the chiefe priests captains of the temple and Elders of the people armed with swords staves and other weapons against resistance and bringing lanthorns and torches lest he should hide himselfe from them in the garden and escape them by the darkness of the night Iudas also had given them a signe before to the end that they might not erre in the person and apprehend some other in stead of him which was his traiterous and perfidious kisse He thought by such a signe as Theophylact saith to delude him but Iesus knowing all things that should come upon him goes up close unto them and gives the onset saying Whom seek ye Thâ—y answered Iesus of Nazareth he replyeth I am he At which word they went backward and fell to the ground Tenere volentibus non valen ibus ostendit
lost his procuratorship and Caesars favour and fled to Vienâ—a in France where living in exile after he had sustained much misery he kill'd himselfe Euseb Ec. hist lib. 2. cap. 7. Neither did Annas and Caiaphas or the Scribes and Pharisees escape unpunished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Nicephorus Who also were deservedly and diversly punished for that they had unjustly promoted the death of Christ Lib. 2. cap. 10. No nor the whole nation upon whom the curse fell and is to this day according as they had most wickedly imprecated upon themselves Being led away to be crucified he did bear his own crosse through the streets of Hierusalem He beareth his own cross as vvas the manner of malefactours it should seem condemned by the Romans but vvas indeed to fulfill the type for Isaac did bear the vvood of the sacrifice and vvas sacrificed in the ram to shevv that Christ should bear his crosse but should only suffer and be made a sacrifice in the human nature He is led out of the city to be crucified as vvas the manner of the Jewes to do by those that vvere condemned to death but vvas foreshevved of Christ in the bodies of those beasts vvhich vvere burnt without the campe Heb 13.11 12. Thus having born his crosse some part of the vvay they encounter vvith one Simon a Cyrenian a Cyrenian by birth though othervvise a Jew the father of Alexander and Rufus Simon of Cyrene compelled to bear his crosse vvho are expresly named either because I suppose they vvere vvell knovvn in the city or else peradventure because they vvere of note among the disciples of Christ when Saint Mark wrote his evangelicall history Upon him comming out of the country at that instant they laid his crosse for that after his scourging and other injuries as bufferings and the effusion of his blood by the thornes wherewith he was twice crowned being also kept from sleep all that night the human nature by divine dispensation and to shew that he was very man fainted and sunk under the burthen of it So this Simon bare his crosse by compulsion following after him S. Mat. 27.32 S. Mar. 15.21 S. Luc. 23.26 27 28 29 30 31. S. Joh. 19.16 17. Mount Calvary There being also a great company of people which followed and women who bewailed and lamented him to whom he turned about foretelling the miseries and miserable destruction of that wicked city Hierusalem shortly to approach And in that manner they bring him to the place of execution which was an hill standing on the west side of the city being a part of the mount Gihon called Calvary but in the Hebrew tongue Golgotha the place of a skull Which name it had as many of the Fathers do probably affirme by occasion that Adam was buried there and his scull found in that place which was not without divine dispensation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as saith Theophylact That so death might be destroyed in the same place where it took its beginning in Mar. 15. Howsoever Bede thinketh that it took its name from the heads of malefactours condemned to die which were cut off in that place Some also will have it to be so called from the bones of the dead which were carried and heaped up there And possible it is that the malefactors might be executed and their heads cut off and the bones of the dead also be heaped up in that place where Adams skul was found Having brought him thither they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrhe but he received it not They give him wine mingled with myrrh S. Mar. 15.23 And in that he received it not I am easily induced to think that it was some potion which the Iewes were wont to give to those that were to be crucified to revive their spirits and that they might with the greater courage undergo their torments which he therefore would not receive a point to be specially observed in the Evangelist because he needed it not and because by divine dispensation he would admit no human help in any thing towards that work which he was to do Nor would he receive any potion to stupifie his senses or to revive or exhilarate his spirits He is fastened to the crosse Deut. 21.23 Having refused the wine he was fastned to the crosse that so he might die the cursed death and be made a curse in his death according to the Scripture Ipse habitus crucis fines summitates habet quinque duos in longitudinem duos in latitudine unum in medio ubi requiescit qui clavis affigitur Iren. lib. 2. cap. 42. The cross therefore was made of three pieces of wood The form of the cross the one was fastned upright in the ground to which the back was applyed the second was a crosse beam going overthwart to which the hands the armes being stretched out at length were nailed The third piece was sub-pedaneous upon which the party that vvas crucified did stand and vvas about the midst of the first vvhich stood upright in the ground to which he had his feet set close together and severally nailed In this manner vvas Christ crucified being nailed to the cross vvith foure nails vvhereof two did nail his hands to the crosse beam above and two his feet to that piece belovv 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as saith Iustine Martyr upon vvhich they that are crucified are carried or sustained Dialog cum Tryph. In the same manner also vvere the tvvo malefactours that vvere crucified vvith him nailed to the severall crosses upon vvhich they vvere crucified and such crosses vvere also called patibuli à patendo because the bodies that vvere crucified upon them vvere laid open and extreamly racked as Tertullian saith in patibulo corpore expanso the body expanded upon the cross lib de pudicitia cap. 22. Aloft upon that part of the cross which was super-eminent to his head was affixed as it should seeme a table wherein was written by Pilate that which Saint John calleth a Title St. Mark the Superscription of his accusation The superscription of his accusation that is to say a superscription setting forth the crime of which he was accused and for which he was condemned in these words Jesus of Nazareth king of the Jews For he was condemned because he affirmed himself to be a king a true king and king of the Jews This title was written in Hebrew Greek and Latin that so it might be read of all the people and that all that passed by might read and understand the cause of his crucifixion Which three tongues as St. Augustine observed had eminency above the rest the Hebrew for the Iews sake who gloryed in the law of God the Greek for the wise men of the Gentiles sake viz. for the Greeks or Gentiles sake who sought after wisdom worldly wisdome and humane learning The Latin for the Romans sake who then had the Empire over many 1 Cor.
1.22 and almost over all nations This title read many of the Jews and among the rest the chiefe priests themselves who disliked it and therefore expostulated with Pilate saying Write not The king of the Iewes but that he said I am king of the Iewes The titles of malefactors crucified were according to the manner of the Romans set up to the end that the people might know the crimes for the which they were crucified that justice might receive its due commendations and to warn others to take heed of the like offences I shall not doubt therefore but that the two malefactors which were crucified with him had also their titles set up and affixed to their crosses in the same manner shewing the crimes which they had committed and for which they suffered But Pilate by this title doth justifie him from murther and sedition and such like crimes objecting against the Iewes malice and envy in crucifying of their king which thing he did to be avenged of them for that their importunity whereby they had with an unsatiable blood-thirstiness urged in some sort compelled him to condemn him But the title preached the Gospel upon the cross and therefore though the chiefe priests take offence yet Pilate who neverthelesse knew not the verity of what he had written would not S. Mat. 27.33 37 38. S. Mar. 15.22 23 26 27 28 S. Luc. 23.32 33 38. S. Joh. 19.17 18 19 20 21 22. could not must not alter it Quod scripsi scripsi What I have written I have written So hung he upon the cross naked and all bloody for the souldiers had stripped him of his garments and the two malefactors in the like manner who were crucified with him the one on his right hand the other on his left Wherein the scripture was fulfilled whereby it was prophesied that he should be numbred with the transgressors Isa 53.12 Now as he hung upon the cross in that manner the souldiers divided his garments among themselves The Soldiers divide his garments and they being in number four divided them into four parts to every souldier a part and cast lots which part every man should take As for his coat because it was without seam and woven from the top throughout could not commodiously be rent into four parts and divided therefore they cast lots for it which of them should have it whereby the scripture was fulfilled Psal 22.18 which foretold that so it should be In this the Fathers with great piety do also find much mystery Quadripartitae autem vestis Domini nostri Iesu Christi quadripartitam figuravit ejus Ecclesiam quatuor scilicet partibus in orbe diffusam in eisdem aequaliter id est concorditer distributam The apparell of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ of which foure parts were made figured his quadripartite Church which is diffused by four parts in the world and in the same four parts equally that is concordantly distributed Tunica vero illa sortita omnium partium significat unitatem quae charitatis vinculo continetur But that vesture for which the lots were cast signifieth the unity of all the parts which is contained in the bond of charity He is mocked of all sorts of people So Saint Augustine Then was he mocked of all sorts of people and railed upon by the chief priests the scribes and elders by the standers by by the passers by by the souldiers S. Mat. 27.35 38 39 40 41 42 43 44. S. Mar. 15.24 27 28 29 30 31 32. S. Luc. 23.32 33 c. S. Joh. 19.23 24. and by the malefactors themselves which were crucified with him But he prayed for them all saying Father forgive them for they know not what they do He prayed for them all but they were not all forgiven because by unbeliefe and hardness of heart they refused the pardon which they might have had This is cleared by the two thieves that were crucified with him for they both mocked and reviled him at the first but one of them was not pardoned because he did not desire it He was so far from desiring it that even then when he hung upon the cross he railed on him saying If thou be Christ save thy self and us But the other thiefe repented of his railing and by the grace of him that was crucified upon the cross obtained that forgiveness which he had prayed for History of the penitent thiefe His repentance was hearty his conversion true and unfeigned his faith fully testified by the fruits of repentance an example unparalleld in the whole scripture 1. He reproves the other malefactor Dost thou not fear God seeing thou art in the same condemnation 2ly He confesseth his sin acknowledging the sentence given against him to be just We indeed justly for we receive the due reward of our deeds 3ly He justifieth Christ in his cause and therefore condemneth that unjust sentence by which he was most unjustly and injuriously put to death Lastly he makes confession of his faith in a word acknowledging him to be the Lord that he had power to forgive sins and to dispose of heaven in full assurance of whose power and of whose goodness he made his supplications saying Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome Faith is an immortall eye The mortall eye could see nothing in Christ at that time but ignominy contempt and reproach nakedness torment and the cursed death of the cross but the eye of faith seeth his kingdom beholds him crowned with glory and judging both quick and dead giving life and salvation as the onely true and proper Lord of life and of eternall glory No less to be admired was Christ his mercy whereby he granted him more then he desired for he should go with him from the Cross into Paradise as the first fruits of his triumph S. Luc. 23.39 40 21 42 43 so soon as he had merited to open the way into it by his death To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise That day was the way opened into Paradise the heavenly Paradise and by his conquest upon the cross So singeth the Church When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death thou didst open the kingdom of heaven to all believers The next act of grace was towards his own most blessed Mother He commendeth his mother to Saint John and his beloved Apostle Saint John for they standing by his cross together with his mothers sister Mary the wife of Cleophas and Saint Mary Magdalen he bequeathed his mother as a legacy to St. John and he bequeathed St. John as a legacy to his mother She must take St. Iohn for her Son to love him as a son he must take her for his Mother to reverence love and succour her as his mother S. Joh. 19.25 26 27. According to which bequest they went together from the cross so soon as he had expired to Saint Iohns house upon mount Sion where she lived with him by the