est ita magnum ut Latino unâ— verbo ex primi non possit l. 4. contra Verrem this word cannot be expressed by any single one in Latin It is certain that Servator which was a word then in use came short of it therefore Salvator hath been used by the Latin Fathers as a suller word and this hath generally obtained in the Church * De Resurrect carn c. 47. Adv. Marâ—ion l. â— Tertullian is pleased to render it Saluâ—ificator thinking this to be a more significant word But * In Matt. 1. 21. Grotius comes and produceth another word and makes bold to correct Tully as good a judge of Latin as he was and averreth that the single word Sospitator is of the same import with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is as full I think truly this great Man hath outdone the Orator in his own Tongue For from Tully's own account of the word * Is est nimirum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui salutem dedit ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we may gather that this Latin word fully answers to that Greek one which implies not only a Saving or Preserving from being destroyed but a Restoring to that Safety which was lost So that it is a conferring of some positive Benefit on a Person This is the very import of Sospitator it properly relates to those things or Persons that were lost and undone It respects the Condition of Men in Misâ—ry and it signifies a restoring them to their former haâ—py State and so is exactly applicable to the Redemption wrought for us by Jesus Christ. Thus the Tiâ—le of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saviour is very expressive and emphatical But to come to pâ—rticulars behoâ—d how our Shiloh our Saviour merits that name by all the ways imaginable He was a Bodily Saviour miraculously rescuing distressed People from their Diseases and Pains which they laboured under compassionately preserving many Thousands from perishing by Hunger powerfully ejecting the evil Spirit out of those that were possessed and tormented by him Yea he was infinitely beneficial and advantagious to the whole Race of Mankind by conferring on them all Temporal and offering all Spiritual Mercies to them so that he is most truly called * 1 Tim. 4. 10. the Saviour of all Men. But especially of those that believe in him and conform their Lives to his Holy Laws He is a Saviour and that in a more eminent manner viz. * Mat. 1. 21. To save them from their sins which is the grand reason assigned why this Name was given him * Acts 5. 31. Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance and Forgiveness of sins to save us from the Prince of Darkness and to bruise Satan under our feet For this Shiloh is the Seed of the Woman foretold in Gen. 3. 15. that was to break the Serpents head This Blessed Shiloh * 1 Thess. 1. 10. delivers us from the Wrath to come and frees us fom eternal Death which is the just Wages of sin And lastly he actually confers all Good upon us both here and hereafter He freely purchaseth for us the Favour of God he bestoweth Life and Happiness and is * Heb. 5. 9. the Author of eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him Thus he merits the Name of Shiloh or Saviour and therefore most justly ought we to value and reverence this Name The Iews indeed call our Lord by the Name Iesus but with some Diminution of it for as we are informed by * Elias Leâ—iâ—a Thiâ—b one that was well acquainted with the Jewiâ—h Writers instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they stile him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which curtailing of the word they let us understand that they do not own him as the Christians do for a Saviour But let us be sensible that this is the True Iesus the Saviour and that there is none else let us adore him as a Compleat and Perfect Saviour It is true we read in the ‖ In Pinda ro Sophocle Aeschilo Greek Poets and * Iul. Poll. Onomâ—st l. 6 c. 16. Atbenae l. 45. c. 20. others that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was Iupiter's Epithet And the Temple of Iupiter Servator is mentioned by ‖ Nat. Hist. â— 34. Pliny Bacchus likewise had this Title for Pausanias mentions an Altar to him with this Inscription And the Dioscuri were particularly called †Aelian var. Hist. l. 1. c. 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they were thought to deliver and save Men in Tempests at Sea And not only the Gods but great Men and Benefactors were honoured with this Appellation Thus ‖ Ioseph Antiq. Iud. l. 11. c. 6. Ahashuerus whom Iosephus names Artaxerxes caused Mordecai the Iew who had detected the Conspiracy of the Eunuchs against him to be proclaimed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Saviour and Deliverer So Antiochus Epiphanes had this Title given him in Flattery by the Samaritans saith the * Ioseph Antiq. Iud. l. 12. c. 7. same Author And this very Name was bestowed upon Demetrius one of the Grecian Monarchs But to go back to the times long before †Gen. 41. 49 Zaphnath Paaneah Saviour of the World as St. Ierom interprets it who had been in Egypt and had it is likely learnt the Interpretation of that Egyptian Name was the Title conferred on Ioseph by Pharaoh because he had saved not only Egypt but other Countries from perishing by Famine But it is our Iesus our Shiloh alone that iâ— worthy of that Name in the full extent of it and accordingly he is stiled the Saviour of the World 1 Iohn 4. 14. And you may observe that this Appellative is given him by the Samaritans that came to him Iohn 4. 42 We know say they that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the World Which Title they had learnt I conceive from this very Prophesie concerning the Messias where he is called Shiloh For the Samaritans owned the Pentateuch in which this Prediction of the Holy Patriarch Iacob was very eminent and much observed by them Wherefore they could not but enquire into the true meaning of this Name and they found it to signifie a Saviour and thence knew and were assured that Christ was the Saviour of the World Thus you see the reason why this good Patriarch gave the Nâ—me Shiloh to the Messias viz. Because it is of the same import with JESUS or Saviour But II. This Title of the Messias signifies not only Salvation but Peace And indeed these two are nearly allied to one another and accordingly are joyned together by the Apostle Rom. 5. 8 c. While we were yet sinners Christ died for us Much more being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him For if when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life These two Salvation and
Entrails are broken and displaced was as wide from the purpose as Bath is from Ierusalem What is this to the bursting asunder in the midst and all the Bowels gushing out and that by falling head long Was it ever known that the stopping of the Breath the mere hindring of Respiration procured such an Effect as this viz. A total Exenteration No. It is to be ascribed to another Cause and I have assigned what it is Thus the seemingly different Accounts of Iudas's Death are reconciled which could not possibly be done in that way which Expositors generally have taken 2. This Exposition which I have presented you with is an undeniable Proof and Demonstration of that which I suggested in the entrance into this Discourse viz. The Remarâ—abâ—eness and Singularity of this Execrable Traytor 's End Of all the Criminals Recorded either in Sacred or Prophane Story there is none equal to this Iudas and therefore it was fitting that the Recompense of his black and foul Demerit should be as Matchless as that it self And this we see accomplish'd in the Wonderful Manner of his Death Or rather it was not a Single Death but a Complicated one which is the thing that makes it so Strange and Observable The first thing he attempted was to abandon himself to excessive Melancholy When he reflected on his Fact he was overwhelmed with Vexation and Despair It is impossible to relate or to imagine the Horrours of his Soul and the Tortures of his Conscience which he underwent on this occasion This only we can say That this Load was so Great and Pressing that it even choak'd and smother'd his Vitals it strangled and stifled his Spirits and almost bereav'd him of Life To compleat this fully he proceeded yet farther and willfully hanged himself that he might be freed from his present Misery although this did but let him into greater The Memory of this more effectual Strangling of himself the everlasting Badge and Infamous Memorial of his Guilt remains still in his Name * From Iscarab Strangulatio Lud. de Dieu in Matt. 10. 4. Dr. Lightfoot Hor. Hebraic in eund loc Iscariot which was given him as our Learned English Rabbi thinks after his Death or as others Conjecture before it with a Prospect of this direful Fact It is farther remarkable in this Singular Instance of Gods Vengeance that this Traytor 's hanging himself was not as he intended it his last Punishment This Miserable Criminal fell head-long before he was altogether deprived of Life and Sense from the place of his Suspension and his almost Breathless Carcass shook out his loathed Soul and his Bowels together by a Fall This Evisceration is very remarkable for 't is emphatically said his Bowels yea all his Bowels gushed out St. Luke speaks here like a Physician as he was and means by * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesych 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the usual Acception of that word among those of that Faculty all the Viscera of the middle and lower Ventricles the Heart and all the other Inwards belonging to both these This sets forth the Rarity and Wonderfulness of this Judgment this calls upon us to take special notice of iâ— Let me observe to you that in his being thus wholly disbowelled we may plainly read the Punishment of a Traytor For not only with us but other Nations Eviscerating hath been part of the just Penalty inflicted on such Malefactors Moreover I might take notice of St. Luke's other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we have not fully translated when we English it he burst asunder for it properly signifies such a Rupture as is accompanied with a Noise and therefore in the Vulgar Latin Version 't is rightly rendred crepuit This Terrible Crack which attended Iudas's Fall was so loud that it was heard at a great distance And accordingly we read in the next Verse That this was known unto all the Dwellers in Jerusalem It is no wonder saith our * Hâ—â— Hâ—bâ— in 〈◊〉 Christian Rabbi that this sudden and violent Explosion of all his Entrails made such a mighty and horrid Sound for the Devil who had entred Bodily into him and had inhabited there three days now broke forth And upon this violent Eruption of that Evil Spirit a great and amazing Noise was heard such as must needs affright the Neighborhood For though â— do not approve of the Learned Doctor 's Interpretation of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he takes in a Passive Signification wholly and tells us that Iudas was snatch'd up by the Devil into the Air and there strangled by him whereas 'tis expresly said he went which is an Active word and shews that what immediately follows was a proper act of his own whence I have reason to gather that he strangled and hanged himself that he was a Felon of himself that he willfully procured his own Death yet I do verily believe that the other Act of the Tragedy was immediately by the Devil's Procurement This Infernal Daemon struck him down to the Earth and Hell together whither his Body was enclining And truly he might justly have his last and fatal end from the Devil 's own Hand who was immediately stirred up by this Diabolick Spirit to commit that cursed Fact Thus all the Circumstances of this Miserable Caitiff's End make it Stupendious that we may be convinced of this Great Truth that this was a Notorious and Exemplary Punishment and designed by God to be Peculiar and Remarkable Here were several Deaths met together in this One Horrid Example that we may be invited to observe and admire the Extraordinary Hand of Providence in it and that we may take notice how God hath inflicted a Judgment worthy of such a Miscreant that this Unusual and Unheard of Manner of his Death may appear to be the just Desert of his unparallelled Villany namely his Betraying of Innocent Blood even that of the Lord of Life and Glory One way of Death was not thought sufficient for him and therefore his cursed Life was torn from him by many viz. by Macerating Grief by Violent Hanging and Strangling himself by a sudden Precipitation by a Disruption of his whole Body and by an Effusion of all his Entrails As to what is suggested by a * Gronov. Exercit. Academ late Writer that he was not buried but cast into the place destined for the Carkasses of Beasts and all manner of Filth and Dung and that the throwing his Dead Body into this Barathrum where he was burst asunder is meant by his falling head long I cannot apprehend any ground for this Conjecture and therefore I cannot insert it as a Remarkable Attendant of his Death and as part of that Severe Judgment which befell him here I have gone as far as the words of the Evangelists have authorized me in explaining of which I have fully set forth the Tragical End of this Hypocritical Actor in Religion this Mock-Disciple this Apostle in Masquerade this Execrable
Tradition of Men i. e. it is the result of Humane Wit only it is the meer Institution of Man and hath nothing Divine and Heavenly i. e. of supernatural Revelation in it And therefore this Clause cannot be understood as it is by most Expositors of the Legal and Mosaical Ceremonies which we know were instituted by God himself The Apostle adds that it is after the Rudiments of the World i. e. it is a meer doâ—ing on the Custom and Prescription of the Men of the World It is an adhering to the Opinions of the chief part of Mankind who are pleas'd with the Philosophy as well as the Religion of their Country It is true the Rudiments of the World in 2 Cor. 2. 20. and in Gal. 4. 3. are the Ceremonial Law which was as the first Rudiments or Alphabet in which the World was instructed at first and train'd up and taught a Religion which was to make way for a more perfect One. Or the Jewish Rites and Ceremonies are call'd the Elements or Rudiments of the World saith * In Galat. 4. 3. Grotius because the chief of those Ceremonies viz. Temples Altars Sacrifices First-Fruits c. were common to all the World But though the Rudiments of the World are to be understood in those fore-named places of the Iewish Ceremonies yet it doth not follow thence that those Expressions are to be understood so here for the same words may be diversly taken according to the different Matter they are applied to It is probable that the Rudiments of the World mention'd in the 20 and 22 Verses of this Chapter wherein this Text is are meant of the upstart Doctrines of some Heretical Christians If ye be dead with Christ from the Rudiments of the World i. e. if you have no regard to Errors and false Opinions which worldly Men hold in opposition to Christ's true Doctrine Why do ye dogmatize so it is in the Greek after the Commandments and Doctrines of Men The Mosaical Ordinances seem not to be intended here as our Translators import for the things which the Apostle speaks of are * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctrines of Men. This cannot be applied to the Ordinances and Rites appointed by God from Heaven as the Judaical Ceremonies were Therefore the Rudiments of the World here are the Inventions of worldly-minded Hereticks who were at that time crept into the Church and the Apostle smartly demands of the Colossians Why some among them did so stifly and dogmatically adhere to the Opinions of those Seducers who bid them touch not taste not handle not i. e. superstitiously forbad them to eat certain Meats and perswaded them to abstain from Marriage as a thing unlawful And as Heretical Opinions are referr'd to in this place so something else may be meant by these words in another and particularly in the Text where it is plain that the Rudiments or Elements of the World refer to the Philosophy just before mentioned the Apostle seeming to allude to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the four Elements of the World those simple Bodies of which all mundane Things consist and which are generally the Subject of Philosophers And thus the woâ—d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken in Wisd. 7. 17. where you read that Wisdom teacheth Men the knowledg of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Composition of the World and the Operation of the Elements It is likely then that the Apostle hath an Eye here to the Mundane Philosophy or to the Philosophers who doted on the several Elements as Thales on Water another on Fire and the rest on the other Elements as the first Principles of all things Thus you see how reasonable it is to apply the Rudiments of the World to the Philosophy here spoken of and not to the Mosaical Ceremonies as Expositors generally have done So that Ancient and Learned Father Clemens Alexandrinus declares that Philosophy and the Rudiments of the World are in this place the same But he gives this Reason why the Apostle * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 calls it the Elements of the World viz. because it teacheth the First Elements and is but a preparatory Discipline to Truth These first Rudiments and Elements are weak and beggarly as the †Gal. 4. 9. Apostle saith of the Jewish Institutions they are weak because they cannot throughly purge the Soul of Vice and teach it to master its evil Habits they arâ— poor and beggarly because they cannot enrich the Soul with any of those Graces which are requisite to Eternal Happiness In this respect they are not after Christ as 't is said here i. e. they are not like the Excellent Doctrine of Christ which was from Heaven and is ever accompanied with extraordinary Efficacy The Apostle goes on in the Verses after the Text to give the Reason of his Caution against Philosophy * V. 9. For in Him i. e. in Christ saith he dwelleth all the Fulness of the Godhead bodily As if he had said Let no Man impose upon you by a lame and imperfect Philosophy for now there is introduced an absolute and compleat Doctrine namely that of our Lord Jesus who hath the Fulness of all Wisdom incorporated into him Or the dwelling of the Fulness of the Godhead bodily in him may signify the perfect Glory and Majesty of the Divine Nature display'd in the Flesh when the Word became Incarnate when God was made Man Bodily denotes the Hypostatical Union whereby the Divine Nature is united to the Humane and both concur to make up one Person The Godhead dwells in Christ not only Spiritually as in all Saints and Believers but so that the Divine and Humane Nature are joined by a Personal Vnion Or you may consider that of our * Dr. Haâ—mond Learned Annotator who tells us that the word †Essentia substantia res ipsa idem ipse identitas Gnetzem which is the Hebrew word for Body signifies oftentimes no more than Being or Essence and imports the Existence and Reality of the thing spoken of And accordingly he saith that the Body of Sin and the Body of Death mention'd in the New Testament are no more than Sin and Death the real Being of them is denoted and nothing else Thus here also the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answers to the Hebrew one and is a kind of Expletive for nothing but the real Being of the thing here spoken of is to be understood by it But I conceive there is something more than this meant by the word Bodily for it signiâ—ies not only the Real but Substantial and Solid Fulness of Christ. The greatest Masters of Humane Wisdom attain'd to the Shadow only but he is the Body the Substance And so it follows * Ver. 10. Ye are compleat in him saith the Apostle you have all Things by Christ there is nothing wanting and defective in the Christian Doctrine it is an exact Model of Moral and Divine Wisdom But the Philosophy which