by the Reader who will think them rather too few than too many But considering that unless we well understand the design of our Saviours coming into the World we cannot read the History of his Life with any real advantage for since he did spake and suffered nothing but with a tendency to that end we can never have a true notion of them unless we know the true motive and the end which he himself aimed at I judged it necessary to propound a short History of the Fall of Man and the Wounds which Men have received by it before I present them with the Medicine to heal them and teach them in a few words the happiness of that Estate wherein God Created them the lamentable Miseries into which they have faln by Sin and the means which Gods infinite goodness makes use of to save them The Discovery of these Miseries will make them more desirous to know what Christ hath done to deliver them and by how much they perceive themselves more obnoxious to Gods Justice by so much they will the more eagerly lay hold upon Jesus by Faith to save them from it II. Mans Creation and Fall by Sin When God created the Heaven and the Earth in six days he being desirous not only to provide a Governour for all his Corporeal Creatures but to put some other Beings into the places of the faln Angels in Heaven Created a Man and Woman whom he called Adam and Eve which signifies the Mother of all Living God formed them in his own Image i. e. gave them an Immortal Soul endowed them with abilities to know and love him which are two of the most noble Actions of the Rational Creature which make up the whole Life and happiness of God which is to know and love himself from all Eternity Wherefore he filled their Minds with Knowledge and their Will with Love He Created them perfect and upright their Souls in perfect submission to God and their Body to their Soul There was no darkness or trouble in their minds because God was their Light and Peace and nothing in there Bodies which might make them ashamed because there was nothing disorderly for which reason it is that the Holy Scripture saith That they were Naked Gen. 2.25 and were not ashamed In this Holy and Happy Estate they had a sound Judgment and perfect freedom of Will furnished with all Graces necessary to do that good which God required of them and to purchase that Glory which should be the reward of their Virtue which is to have a clear Vision of God They knew so much of God as Creatures are capable of and if they made a good use of this knowledge upon Earth they should be Translated to the full fruition of God in Heaven Their Innocency exempted them from Death and all other Evils which are the effects of Sin And their privileges were not only for themselves but their Posterity to whom they should communicate not only their Nature but Innocency and all the priviledges of it For the continuance of all these Temporal favours and obtaining that eternal happiness which he hath promised them God required nothing but an entire submission to his Will which that he might have tryal of he gave them a Command to abstain from the Tree of knowledge of Good and Evil which was in the midst of Paradise threatning them with Death if they dared to Touch it Nothing was more easy than the observation of this Commandment but they kept it not long for the Devil envying their Happiness came to Eve under the Shape of a Serpent perswading her to Eat the Fruit which was forbidden and telling her that they should be so far from dying that they shall become as Gods By these promises she suffered her self to be seduced eat of the Fruit and gave it to her Husband who thro' a wicked Compliance made himself guilty of the Womans Sin As soon as they had thus broken the Command of their God they were made sensible of their Fault by the fearful Change in themselves for they perceived they were Naked and were filled with confusion because they felt in their Bodies the disorderly Motions of their Concupiscence God shewed himself to them no longer as a Father whose presence was their Joy and Happiness but as an offended Lord who reproved their disobedience and as a severe Judge to punish their Rebellion He Condemned the Man to Toil and Drudgery for his necessary Food the Woman to Pains in Child-bearing and drave them both out of the Terrestrial Paradise in which he had placed them he subjected them to all the miseries of this Life and passed the sentence of Death upon them which he had threatned condemning them not only to a Temporal Death of the Body but to the Second Death which is more terrible than the former the Death of the Soul which is to Live eternally with the Devils in Hell and be banished from the only cause and foundation of all Happiness God A just punishment saith St. Austin for their fault in disobeying so easy a Law of so great a God! All the Race of Adam being corrupted in him as in their Fountain and Root by his Sin was also lyable to the same punishment for as if he had continued in his Innocency all his Posterity had inherited it by their Birth and all the Advantages of it after the same manner since he hath sinned all Men naturally inherit his Crimes and all the Plagues which are consequent upon it This is the Sin which we call Original because we are guilty of it from our Original and Birth and this is the Sin which brings upon us all those Evils which we feel either in our Souls or Bodies for the darkness of the Understanding the corruption of the Heart the proneness of the Will to Evil and Opposition to Good the disorderly Motions of Concupiscence the turbulency of our Passions the excessive Love of our selves forgetfulness and Aversion to God all the Sins which we commit Hunger Thirst Weariness Griefs Death and Lastly Eternal Damnation are the sad Consequences and just punishments of this Sin which we come into the World with and which make us as St. Paul saith the Children of the Wrath of God Eph. 2.3 III. The Incarnation of Jesus Christ Out of the miserable condition into which Man had plunged himself and Posterity by Sin there was no way of Recovery had not God in his infinite Mercy been pleased to find out a way which none else could do He had compassion on his Creatures and contrived this means to save them the Word i. e. the Son of God the Second Person of the Holy Trinity was made Incarnate assuming a Body and Soul like us and united to his Divinity in his own person the Humane Nature which he intended to redeem He became Man still being God and took upon him all the weaknesses and Infirmities of Man Sin and Ignorance only excepted He undertook
because they knew it was their Master And Jesus having taken the Bread gave it them and likewise the Fish XLIX Jesus commits the care of his Sheep to St. Peter When they had eaten Jesus said to Peter Simon John 21 15-23 Son of Jonas Lovest thou me more than these do He answered him Yea Lord thou knowest I love thee Jesus saith unto him Feed my Lambs He asked him again a Second time Simon Son of Jonas Lovest thou me Yea Lord answered Peter thou knowest that I Love thee Jesus says again Feed my Lambs Jesus again the Third time put the same Question to him Peter was troubled that his Master seem'd to doubt of his Love and answered him Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I Love thee Our Saviour having made him thus make some amends for his Sin in denying him Thrice by giving a Triple Testimony of his Love committed the Care of his Sheep to him i. e. the Souls of his People saying to him again Feed my Sheep He adds Verily Verily I say unto thee when thou wast Young thou girdedst thy self and went whither thou pleasest but when thou shalt be Old thou shalt stretch forth thy Hands and another shall gird thee and carry thee whither thou wouldst not The Gospel saith that Jesus signified by these Words by what Death Peter should glorify God and they did indeed concur in the Martyrdom of this Apostle whom Tradition teacheth us to have been Crucified as his Master was Euseb Eccles Hist. lib. 2. c. 25. After this Jesus commanded Peter to follow him and Peter turning him seeth John the Beloved Disciple of Jesus following him and seeing him he saith unto Jesus Lord what shall become of this Man But Jesus checks his Curiosity by tclling him that he ought not to trouble himself with what shall befall others and orders him to mind nothing but to follow him And speaking of John he sayeth to him I will that he tarry till I come Or according to other Editions If I will that he tarry till I come what is that to thee These words seemed to intimate to the Apostles that John should not dye But this Evangelist who wrote these things himself observes that Jesus did not say that he should not dye and History indeed tells us That he is Dead But the sense of these Words of the Son of God perhaps signifies that that Disciple should continue as he was to his Death i. e. he should not dye a Violent Death as Peter should or that he should Live till the Destruction of Jerusalem for these words Vntil I come may signify according to the usual Language of Scripture Vntil I come to take him out of the World by Death Or till I come to punish and Chastize this People St. John did really live till after the Destruction of Jerusalem and dyed at last of his Natural Death L. Jesus Instructed the Apostles The Son of God shewed himself several times more to his Apostles during the Forty days Matth. 28 16-20 Mark 16 15-18 Luke 24 44-49 Acts 1.3 that he abode upon Earth after his Resurrection and he appeared so often saith St. Luke to give them ample Proofs that he was alive and to talk with them of the Kingdom of God And since he had determined to call Men by Preaching to the possession of that Kingdom he gave them necessary instructions to discharge their Functions well He explained to them all that was spoken of himself in the Law of Moses and in the Books of the Prophets and in the Psalms and opened their Understandings to understand the sense of Scripture He shews them that according as it is Written Christ must suffer Death and be raised the Third day and that Repentance and remission of Sins should be preached in all Nations beginning at Jerusalem He Communicates to them the Authority which he had received of his Father and saith to them All power is given to me in Heaven and Earth Go ye therefore into all the World and Preach the Gospel and Instruct all People Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and Teach them to observe all that I have commanded you He adds That they that believe not shall be Damned and on the contrary They that believe their Word by a lively Faith and are Baptized shall be saved and likewise shall do Miracles Casting out Devils Speaking with Tongues Drinking Poison without getting harm and Healing the Sick by laying their Hands on them Lastly since the Apostles had need of Power and Strength to exercise the Ministry which was entrusted to them he assured them of his protection telling them that he would be with them always to the End of the World and he promised them to endue them with power from above by the Holy Spirit which he would send from Heaven LI. The last Appearance of Jesus Christ Matth. 28 16-18 It is probable that Jesus gave them the greatest part of these Instructions at the Famous Apearance p. 217. The Ascension of Jesus Christ which he made to them upon the Mountain of Galilee where he appointed to meet them Here he promised them before he dyed to shew himself to them And on the day of his Resurrection the Angels and He himself commanded the Holy Women to tell his Disciples that he would meet in Galilee They went thither they saw him as he had promised and they Worshipped him 1 Cor. 15.6 It is credible that all his Disciples met him there as the Apostles and that it is of the Appearance that St. Paul speaks who saith That Jesus appeared to more than Five Hundred Brethren at once The same Apostle tells us that he also appeared to James but doth not relate in what manner Luke 24.49 Acts â—1 4-8 Lastly He shewed himself the Last time to his Apostles at Jerusalem where he commanded them to abide till they should receive the Holy Spirit which he promised them in these words John Baptized with Water but ye shall be Baptized i. e. Washed and Sanctified by the Holy Ghost not many days hence They asked him Lord wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom of Israel He answered them That it is not for them to know the Times and Seasons which God hath put in his own absolute Power But ye shall receive saith he to them the power of the Holy Spirit which shall come down upon you and ye shall be witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judaea and Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the Earth LII The Ascension of Jesus Christ These were the last Words according to S. Luke Mark 16.19 20. Luke 24 50-53 Acts 1 9-12 which Jesus spake upon the Earth if they were spoken immediately before he left his Apostles it was at Bethany whither he led them upon the Day of his Ascension or upon the Mount of Olives From which it appears he ascended as S. Luke relates He
lifted up his Hands to bless his Disciples and as he blessed them he was parted from them who saw him ascend up towards Heaven till a Cloud into which he entred took him out of their Sight They still looked after him with earnestness and as soon as they had lost the Sight of him Two Men cloathed in White presented themselves to them on a suddain and said unto them Ye Men of Galilee why stand ye looking up towards Heaven This Jesus who hath left you and is gone up into Heaven shall come again in the same manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven Then the Apostles ador'd him who had left the Earth to be seated in Heaven at the Right Hand of God i. e. to receive in his Sacred Humanity the Rest and Glory which was the Reward of his Labour and Sufferings They departed full of Joy from the Mount of Olives and returned to Jerusalem where Ten Days after they received the Holy Ghost Then they went and preached every where according as their Master had commanded them and the Lord confirmed the Word which he had put in their Mouth by Miracles LIII The Glorious Life of Jesus Christ in Heaven John 20.30 31. This is a full account of all the Gospel teacheth us of the Life which Jesus Christ lived upon the Earth He did indeed many other Things and wrought a great number of Miracles which are not written these that are written being sufficient for our Salvation if by reading them we believe That Jesus is the Son of God that by Faith we may have Life in his Name This is the Life which he hath promised us and into which he is entred by his Ascension for he told his Apostles That he went to prepare a Place for them John 14.3 And S. Paul assures us That he is entred into Heaven for us as our Fore-runner Heb. 6.19 20. that we may follow him now in Hope which serveth us as an Anchor sure and stedfast in the various Disturbances and Troubles of this Mortal Life As to the Life which Jesus Christ now liveth in Heaven the Gospel tells us That he sits there Mark 16.19 at the Right Hand of God He siteth i. e. is at perfect Ease and Rest having no more Trouble or Sufferings in his Sacred Humanity to which he is united for our Salvation He sitteth at the Right Hand of God i. e. is made equal with the Father being God of like Nature with him and is raised up above all Creatures This Rest Acts 7.56 which Jesus Christ enjoys for himself hinders him not from acting for us and altho he sits at the Right Hand of God S. Stephen saw him there standing indeed since he came to the Earth not only to purchase the Glorification of that Body and Soul which he assumed in the Womb of the Virgin but also to obtain Salvation for all that believe on him If he hath nothing else to do with his Sacred Humanity yet it is his business to intercede for the Salvation of his Saints till they shall come to be Partakers of his Glory He there finishes the great Work of Man's Redemption which he began upon Earth in Heaven Eph. 1.22.4.15 'T is there as Head of the Church as the Apostle calls him he governs it by his Pastors which he hath appointed enlightens it by her Doctors sanctifies it by his Sacraments protects it by the Help of his Grace and quickens it by his Spirit 'T is there that he prays without ceasing for us and we use him as our Advocate to defend our Cause before his Father as our Mediator to offer our Prayers to him and obtain the Mercies and Graces we petition as High Priest and Sacrifice by offering always the same Blood which he poured out upon the Cross once for all for the Salvation of the whole World Hence it was that S. John saw him in Heaven in the Figure of a Lamb slain and laid upon the Altar which is before the Throne of God Rev. 5.6 7. Heb. 4.16 't is there that he sits upon a Throne of Grace and Mercy where we may go in a Time of Need to obtain Pardon of our Sins before he appears upon his Throne of Justice to judge the World 1 Joh. 2.1 Lastly 't is there that he calls us and invites us to consider upon him in his Glory which he hath merited both for himself and us by the Effusion of his Blood that by the Prospect of that Eternal Happiness which he hath prepared for us he may make us contemn all earthly Things and stir us up to follow him in the Way he is gone before us i. e. to imitate the Examples he hath given us in this Mortal Life of which we have related the History in this Book For this Reason it is that S. Paul exhorts us by these Words which include all the Benefit we ought to make of all that is said of the Life of Jesus Christ Heb. 10 19-31 We have freedom to enter with Boldness into the Heavenly Sanctuary by the Blood of Jesus Christ going after him in that new Way which he hath trodden out for us in his own Flesh And since he is in Heaven an High Priest set over the House of God let us draw near to him with a truly sincere Heart and full of Faith with a Soul purified from the Filth of an Evil Conscience and a Body preserving the Purity which it hath received from the pure Water of Baptism let us remain firm and stedfast in our Faith and in the Hope of that Glory which he hath promised to us for he is faithful who hath promised And to obtain it let us provoke one another to Love and to good Works and let us encourage our selves so much the more as we see the last Day draweth nigh for if we sin wilfully after we have received the Knowledge of Truth we must expect nothing but the terrible Judgments and the Flame of that Revenging and Rageing Fire which shall consume the Enemies of God He that despised Moses 's Law was condemned to Death without Mercy how much greater Punishment doth he deserve think ye who hath trodden under Foot the Son of God and hath counted the Blood of the Covenant by which we are sanctified an Vnholy and Prophane Thing i. e. who hath profaned by Sin the Blood of Jesus Christ by which he hath been purified in Baptism and who hath abused and affronted the Spirit of Grace for we know him that hath said Vengeance is reserved for me and I know how to repay it It is a terrible Thing to fall into the Hands of the Living God LIV. The Conclusion This Living God which S. Paul speaks of is the very same Person which we have seen in this History dying for the Salvation of Men upon the Cross He was judged but he shall judge us and that by the Rules which he hath given us and the Examples
which he left us in the Time of his Mortal Life He lived subject to our Calamities and suffered Death which is the Punishment of Sin but he was raised in a State of Glory and entred into the Possession of Eternal Felicity He was first of the same Nature with us that we might one Day be as he is If we imitate him in his Life and Death we shall be like him in his Resurrection and Glory but we must not pretend to that Happiness he now enjoys if we do not go in the same Path he did to attain it By disobeying his Laws and not imitating his Actions we not only renounce the Glory to which he invites us but bring upon our selves inexpressible as well as everlasting Torments for there are but Two Ways the one leads to Life and the other to Death and he that walks not in the first must necessarily go into the second Jesus Christ is himself the Way that leads to Heaven and we go by him when we practise those Truths which he hath taught and regulate our Lives by the Pattern of his To live otherwise than he lived is not to follow him but to wander and destroy our selves which we do not seriously enough consider of We do not examine our selves in which Way we are we go on every Day in Ignorance and when we come to the End of our Race we find our selves on a Precipice because we have followed the Multitude which securely went before us and guided us Christians therefore cannot do any thing more important and conducing to their Salvation than to meditate continually upon the Life of Jesus Christ and to look upon it as a Mirror to discover the Blemishes and Faults of their own they ought to account Jesus Christ conversing on Earth as our Guide and Light and comparing what they do with what he hath done and taught to acknowledge themselves in a lost Estate and in Darkness so long as our Conversation is not conformable to his Examples and Precepts In Heaven they ought to esteem Jesus Christ as the End to which they continually aspire and which they labour daily to attain that they may support themselves in all the Troubles and Difficulties which they met with in their Way thither by the Contemplation of the Glory which he hath promised them They should in the last Place think always upon his First and Second Coming They are instructed by his First what they must do to fit themselves for his Second and they shall be judged at his Second Coming by the Precepts which they have received at his Second They will have no Excuses to make for following the corrupt Customs and Examples and false Errors of the Ages they have lived in when they come before that Judge who hath told them that he will judge them by the Doctrin he hath taught them himself and by the Life he lived here upon Earth to be a Model of theirs That then we may appear before him with Boldness in that Great Day when he will judge all Men let us take the Advice which S. John the beloved Disciple gives us My little Children 1 John 2.28 abide in him that when he shall appear we may have Confidence before him and may not be ashamed at his Coming And that we may know what it is to abide in Jesus Christ let us meditate upon these Words of the same Apostle 1 Joh. 2.6 He that saith that he abideth in him ought himself to walk as Jesus Christ hath walked FINIS INDEX A ABraham saw Christs coming with Joy 109. the Jews boast themselves his Children 22. Abraham's Bosom what 131. Adultery forbidden by the Law 57. punished with Death 40. The Adulteress 105. he that Marrys another Woman while his Wife is alive is an Adulterer 132. Aegypt Christs flight into 18. Agony of Christ 188. Ambition Of the Disciples reproved by Christ 98. 145 179. Almsgiving The necessity of it 119. how it must be given 58 it purifies all things to us 155. Christ commends it in a poor Widow 165 St. Andrew was John's Disciple 26. Brother of Peter ibid. goes to Christ ibid. brings his Brother 36. leaves all at Christs Call 37. made an Apostle 54. Angels Watch over Men 99. foretel the Nativity of J. Baptist and Christ 2. move the Pool of Jerusalem 50. comfort Christ in his Agony 188. open the Sepulchre 201. declare his Resurrection 208. Anointing Diseases cured by it 78. Christs Feet and Head Anointed 152. Apostles What it signifies 58. Christ chose Twelve ibid. one proves a Devil 86. their Mission and Instructions given them 76. cure Diseases 77. continue with Christ in all his temptations 179 forsake him 190. believe not his Resurrection 208. receive the Holy Spirit and a power to bind and loose 212. sent into all the World to Preach 316. and for this end are enabled to work Miracles 218. Appearances of Christ 1. to Mary Magd. 208. 2d to the Women 209. 3d. to St. Peter 211. 4th to the Disciples going to Emmaus 210. 5th to all the Apostles 213. 6th to some of them going to the Lake of Gennesareth ibid. 7th to more than 500 Brethren ibid. 8th to St. James ibid. 9th his last appearance before his Ascension ibid. Augustus's Edict which he published about the Taxing 13. B BAptism of St. John with Water 21. his Baptism does not pardon Sins ibid. a figure of Christ 14. slighted by the Scribes and Pharisees 64. Jesus receives it 23. asks the Jews whether it was from Heaven 158. Baptism of Jesus Christ with Water 31. with the H. Ghost and with Fire 23. no Salvation without it 29. the Apostles sent to Baptize all Nations with it 216. Barrabbas The great Thief preferred before Jesus Christ 196. Beatitudes The Eight Beatitudes 55. Blessing Jesus Blesseth Infants 135. breaks Bread 81. the Sacrament 177. he is blessed and praised by the People of Jerusalem 151. Simeon blesseth the H. Virgin and Joseph 18. Bethany The place where Lazarus and his Sisters dwelt 140. Jesus Christ raised Lazarus there 142. Supped with Simon the Leper 149. went thither every Night in the Week of passion 156. he carryed his Apostles thither at his Ascen 218. Bethlehem The City of David 13. Jesus Chr. born there 15. Worshipped the Magi 16. the Children of Bethlehem slain 18. Bethsaida A City of Galilee of which Peter and other Apostles were 26. Cursed by Jesus 24. there he Cursed a Blind Man 18. Blasphemy Against the Holy Ghost 67. against Jesus Christ at the Crucifixion 202. he is called a Blasphemer 45. Blind-men Jesus Healed two at Capernaum 49. another at Bethsaida 91. a blind Man Possessed and Dumb 67. two at Jericho 148. several in the Temple of Jerusalem 157. spiritually blind 87. Blood Christs Blood drink indeed 85. the Blood of the Galilâ—eans mingled with their Sacrifices 121. the VVoman with a bloody-flux 48. Jesus sweat Blood 188. out of his Side came VVater and Blood 204. the Jews wish his
to satisfie Justice for the Sin of Men and to pacifie God for the offence committed against him by suffering himself for it He condescended to be conceived by a Virgin Born in a Stable become an Infant converse with Men and live among them such a Life as we shall hereafter relate He preached did Miracles suffered Affronts and Injuries endured an Infamous and painful Death was Buryed in a Tomb rose again and Lastly ascended into Heaven After he commanded his Disciples to go and Preach in his Name thro' all the World and all this to perform and Compleat the Great Work of our Salvation Behold how great Love God hath shewed to Rebellious Man The Father hath given his only Son and this Son gave himself for them Let no Man ask the reason why God did not make choice of some easier way to save us which might cost him less It is certain that the Almighty could have found out some other means but it is also certain that we ought to look upon this which God hath made use of as the most advantageous for us and most agreeable to our needs since that God hath preferred it before all others who is not only the most Powerful but Wise Being who cannot be mistaken in the fittest means for attaining the End he aims at Let us not then examine what other ways God might have taken to effect this Great Work but let us devoutly consider how Glorious to himself and how profitable to us that way is which he hath taken And 1st God in the Incarnation of his Son hath magnified his Power and Goodness for he hath demonstrated to Man that tho' he is pleased to permit the Evils which he could hinder he can produce great good out of them and make those very Sins which dishonour him to be serviceable for his glory in it He hath shewed his Mercy and his Justice for he pardons the Guilty and at the same time he received a satisfaction equivalent to the Offence committed By it he hath discovered to us the admirable and unsearchable strength of his Wisdom which hath found out a way to satisfy at once both his Justice and his Love and hath so ordered it that the Criminal may be saved and yet God who hath been offended not be dishonoured for by the Death of Jesus Christ God is revenged and Mans Sin punished He bore our grief in his own Body and offered such a Sacrifice to his Father as could not but be accepted because it was Pure and Innocent and which payd him as great honour as he had received affront by Man's Sin for it was of infinite value being united to the God-head The perfect submission of the Son of God even to the Death of the Cross hath made sufficient amends for the Disobedience of a mere Man Men are saved because another hath undergone the punishment due to them and God hath lost nothing of his Honour since he was offended by a mere Creature but hath been infinitely Honoured by a God And as it is glorious to God so also is 2. The Incarnation of Jesus Christ as advantageous to Man by the wonderful fitness which it hath to all the defects and evils from which the Divine Wisdom hath thought fit to deliver him for Gods anger was not only to be appeased but Man who was diseased was to be cured Now as the perfection of Man consisted in knowing and loving God so the disease of Man was to be stripped of these so that he neither knew God nor loved him but laboured under blindness of Mind and corruption of Heart which Christ by his Incarnation hath removed and cured For 1. He hath restored Man to the knowledge of God He hath opened the Eyes of Man to make him know the true God for the Word who is the Light of the Soul John 1.14 was made flesh and dwelt among us The Light which we shut our Eyes against came down from Heaven to present it self to us accommodating it self to the weakness of our sight and because we were able to discern nothing but Corporeal things he cloathed himself with a Body that so by our Senses he might insinuate himself into our Souls and disperse our darkness and blindness Jesus Christ being thus become visible he conversed sometime with Men did Miracles to make them believe on him and by sensible benefits healing the Sick freeing the Possessed drawed them to him and so having insensibly link'd them to his Human Nature which he assumed to work out Salvation for them he Preached the Truth to them They heard his Word with pleasure and this Word purifying their Hearts by Faith which they had in this Man who Preached to them prepared them by little and little and at last led them insensibly to the knowledge of the-God-head which was hidden under the Vail of the Humanity 2. But since it is not enough for Man to know God unless he Love him Jesus Christ by his Incarnation hath healed our corruption of Heart and hath drawn our Affections off from the Love of the Creature to that of the Creator for being Cloathed with a Body he placed his God-head among those Objects which the Soul in the State of Corruption doth naturally fix its Love upon and by sensible benefits and kindnesses endeavoured to bring it to the Consideration and Love of Invisible and Eternal good things He shewed it what it ought to love as its true Happiness and not only raised its hopes to attain it but Taught it the proper means of arriving at it Lastly He convinced it of the great Love God had for it and consequently how much it ought to love him for what greater sign of love could he have given us than in sending his only begotten Son to Dye for us who were his Enemies And what more effectual Attracture to oblige us to love him again who hath thus loved us first What Heart is so hard as not to be melted with such immense kindness A slight reflection upon it will make us resolve with the beloved Disciple and say Let us Love God for he hath first Loved us 1 Jo. 4 19. And as the Incarnation of Christ gives us an ample proof of Gods love to us so also it shews us the greatness of the Crime with which we have offended him The greatness of the Satisfaction discovers the greatness of our Guilt Man could never have conceived the heinousness of his Sin if God had not required so great a satisfaction We usually look upon Adam's sin as a small sin and are apt to accuse God of injustice for punishing a momentary Action with eternal Torments not considering that the Person who was threatned with eternal Torments for his Rebellion might have enjoyed an eternal Happiness for his Obedience But the Incarnation of the Son of God hath justified the Justice of God for his Blood which was shed for the expiation of our Sin is a faithful Mirrour to represent the greatness of
our Crimes By it we see how much our Offences displeased God since he punisheth it with Eternal Death and for the Pardon of it requires no less satisfaction than the abasing Tortures and Death of the Son of God Nor let us say that if God loved Men so tenderly he might have saved them without exacting of them so great a Satisfaction as Jesus Christ made but let us think rather that if God notwithstanding the love he hath for Man would not save Man any other way than by the Death of his Son God-Man he must need have an irreconcilable hatred to Sin and of all Evil that is most odious to him This is none of the least advantages which we may gain by the Incarnation of the Son of God to raise in our selves a hatred of Sin and a fear of losing the benefit of our Reconciliation with God by our fresh Sins by considering what it cost to redeem us viz. as the Apostle St. Peter says We are not redeemed with Corruptible things as Silver and Gold 1 Pet. 18. but with the precious Blood of the Lamb of God without spot i. e. by the Blood of the only begotten Son of God IV. Of the Life of Jesus Christ Heb. 12.14 Since without Holiness no Man shall see the Lord we cannot reasonably desire that God should make us happy So long as we remain in our Sins enemies to him by our wicked Works it is absolutely necessary in Order to salvation that Men should be converted from their Sins and return to him by a sincere and unfeigned Love of him Now to effect this great Work saith S. Austin God thought not fit to make use of Violence and Force Aug. de ver Rel. c. 16. but rational inducements and perswasions and of all those gentle Methods which could be possibly made use of by infinite Wisdom for that end as fit and proper for effecting this design none was thought so suitable as the Life and Converse of Jesus Christ with the Sons of Men by which not only all the obstacles of our Conversion are removed but all the sweetest allurements imaginable are tendred to us We are ignorant what we ought to do to please God and being blinded with the false Idea's of Good and Evil are not sensible that the only real Good of the Rational Soul is the enjoyment of God and the only real Evil is the loss of this Chief Good All Men are involved in this Error and therefore 't was in vain to expect a better information from any mere Man or if any had those true notions of Mans happiness yet either Mans natural pride or the differences of the Wise about it would make us either slight our Teachers or deny our assent to what they Instruct us in as dubious and uncertain That therefore we might be Instructed in this Truth without fear of being deceived the Truth it self came to dispel our Darkness and enlighten our Ignorance and hath tendred himself to us as a Master whose Disciples we need not be ashamed to own our selves because this Master is our God He was made Man and dwelt among us He hath proved to us by his admirable Miracles That he was a Teacher sent from God to Instruct us that he is Gods only Son Lastly that he is Wisdom Light and Truth and having proved himself to be God he hath dispersed the Rays of his Doctrin and Taught by his Preaching what is our true Happiness and what we must do to attain it But he did not content himself to teach us but joyned Example to his Instruction He perswaded us to the practise of those Truths by his Actions which he delivered in his Sermons He prescribed them fit Remedies for their Distempers but because they were bitter and unpleasant troublesome and nauseous for Men to take he first took them himself altho' he had no need of them that the sick person might be more willing to take them after their Physician We must be humble that we may be saved and this was the way he took to perswade the Proud to it God might have commanded his Creatures to be humble crying out from his Caelestial Throne Matth. 18.3 in Jesus 's Words Except ye humhle your selves and be converted ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven But God did not make choice of this way to bring Men to embrace this Virtue Aug. Ep. 42. but made use as St. Austin saith of a more effectual and taking way more sweet and pleasant he had rather root Pride out of our Hearts by perswasion than force and invite us to Humility by the example of the Son of God who being humble and of no Reputation saith unto us Learn of me Matth. 11.29 for I am meek and lowly in Heart What arrogance can withstand such words as these supported by infinite Dignity and profound Humility of the Speaker And who will not think it now a greater shame for him to be elevated with Pride after the manner of Men than to be humble and meek in imitation of the Son of God And the same may be said of all the Virtues necessary for Mans Conversion which I have said of Humility for whereas there is nothing more prevalent with Men than Example Jesus Christ hath made himself an exact Pattern for them and for this cause hath propounded his Life to us that he lived upon Earth as an exact Pattern of our matters Sin hath separated us from God and setting us at a distance from him puts us out of a possibility of returning to him We are carryed by our Affections which are so far from leading us to Happiness as we suppose that they hurry us headlong into our own Ruin and Destruction Who can discover the Depth of Gods admirable Wisdom in making choice of Christs Incarnation and Life to redeem Man out of this miserable condition God who is the end at which we ought to aim and from which we naturally go farther and farther is come himself to seek us We had lost the sight of him he hath made himself visible He thought it not sufficient to propose the most absolute and compleat good to their sight in his own Person as the only fit object of their Love but he would shew them the way they should go in to come to the full possession of it He became himself their Fellow-Traveller and Guide and appeared himself as a Person at a distance from God that he might carry us to God with him He went before us and restored all our Defects by his perfections i. e. he hath reform'd all our Sentiments and all the affections of our Souls by the affections and motions which he shewed in the Human Narure which he assumed for our Salvation We were not sensible what we ought to Love or Hate Desire or Fear Follow or eschew but he hath Instructed us by his Example to Order and regulate the whole course of our Lives with a
reference to that ultimate End For as St. Austin saith Aug. de cat rud c. 22. Jesus Christ our Lord who is the Son of God and was made Man hath contemned the good things of this World to Teach us to contemn them suffered many Sorrows to give us Courage to endure them was Poor that we might not glory in Riches would not be made a King to teach us to be Humble suffered Hunger and Thirst to teach us Contentment In fine Dyed and Rose again that we might learn to contemn Death in hopes of a Glorious Resurrection Thus hath the Son of God given us an Example of managing our Words Actions and Sufferings and in so doing we shall be saved V. Some directions how we may read the Life of Jesus Christ with advantage The Life of Christ being intended as we have already shewed as the Universal Remedy of all the Distempers of Mans Soul deserves our daily reading and serious Meditation upon it All Arguments to perswade Men to it come far short of this very consideration That 't is the Life not of a Man but of a God so that it is in vain to propound any other All that I shall add shall be only some directions to the Reader in perusing it which may help him to make it as Beneficial as it is design'd and ought to be to us 1. One of the most Important is that we should always keep it in our minds whose Life it is we are Reading of that we may not be offended at his Infirmities and Sufferings by looking upon them as Involuntary Jesus Christ is God and by consequent Almighty and therefore nothing could befal him against his Will nor could he suffer any thing but what he would and so long as he pleased When we see him dying upon the Cross let us remember what he hath said That he lay'd down his Life of himself John 10.18 Luke 4.30 John 18.6 and no Man was able to take it from him When he falls into the hands of his Enemies let us consider that before this he had often withdrew himself Miraculously from the Fury of his Enemies and before he suffered himself to be taken he threw them down on the Earth at his Word alone If at any time the Evangelists who have undertaken to describe exactly what Jesus did as a Man here upon Earth do sometimes represent him to us under such Troubles and Passions as happen to Men involuntarily let them know that the Evangelist who hath written on purpose to prove his Divinity teaches us That all these Motions were voluntary in him and that he troubled himself But let no Man say That these Troubles and Infirmities though voluntary were unbecoming God but on the contrary let us honour him the more for them since he made choice of them who is the Wisdom and Power of the Father Let us consider the Design why he underwent our Weaknesses and Miseries and be so far from being ashamed of his Humiliation that we should admire the wonderful propriety and fitness to bring about the End Proposed which is the Salvation of Man The Mockings which the Gentiles treated him withal were a necessary Remedy to cure our Pride and our Physician was willing to take this Medicine himself that he might make it more pleasant and tolerable to the Sick whom he intended to save He sometimes acted as God and sometimes as Man but managed all his Actions both Human and Divine for our Benefit If he manifests his Glory by Miracles it is to make us believe on him and to perswade us that when he suffers 't is not out of Necessity but Love to us And if he conceal the Glory of his Divinity under the Vail of our Infirmities 't is that he may gain our Love and Service as a Guide to us teaching us by his Example what we should do and suffer If he opposes his Enemies till they are ready to stone him but yet cannot 't is that when they shall put him to Death we may be thankful for the Death which he suffered to redeem us He submitted to Death in Obedience to the Command of his Father to teach us a patient Submission to all Afflictions God shall please to lay upon us He was seized with Fear and Sorrow at the Approaches of Death which yet he endured voluntarily and had long desired and which he knew was the Cup given him to drink by his Father not that we should think that he drank it unwillingly but to comfort and instruct those that are obliged to dye either through Force or by Necessity of Nature Thus like a good Physician he subjected himself to all our Weaknesses that he might make us couragious and strong to take the wholsome but bitter Potion which he offered to us Who could have been perswaded of the necessity of suffering and bearing the Cross if Jesus Christ had not suffered and been crucified for us Who would think himself able to endure Crosses when Nature makes so strong an Opposition if Jesus Christ had not Suffered it himself Who of us would not tremble at the Efforts which we must sustain in encountring the horrible Terrors of Death had not our Spiritual Physician swet Blood and Water in the same Combat These voluntary Sufferings of Jesus Christ are our Consolation under our involuntary Afflictions teaching us that they are no sins since the Son of God was contented to endure them and shewing us the Way how to engage God's Love to us by them saying to God as his Son did Not mine Luke 22.42 but thy Will be done Thus the Infirmities of our Saviour though they seem unbecoming a God yet are evident Demonstrations of the Infinite Mercy by which he desired to save us His Humiliations are all our Honour since he was humbled for us only Let us adore his Condescension and judge with ourselves that all our Love is due to that God who abased himself suffered and dyed for our Salvation 2. Another Direction how we should read the Life of our Saviour with Advantage is to read it with a Design of conforming our selves to it All the Holiness of Men consisteth in the Imitation of Jesus Christ Rom. 8.2 for according to S. Paul's Words God hath predestinated us to be conformed to the Image of his Son 1 Cor. 15.49 And the same Apostle teaches us elswhere as we have born the Image of the Old Man by following the irregular Desires of our Flesh we must bear the Image of the New Man which is Christ Jesus by regulating our Lives by his Wherefore we ought not to be lead by mere Curiosity to the Reading of this History nor to know his Actions only but to learn by what he hath done what we ought to do He said to the Jews long since Joh. 5.35 who had heard John's Sermons with Pleasure John was a Burning and Shining Light and ye were willing for a Season to rejoyce in his Light But it is
He foretells his Death to his Disciples Ibid XII He is Tranfigured p 93 XIII He heals a Lunatick p 95 XIV He foretells his Death and pays Tribute p 97 XV. He checks the Ambition of his Disciples p 98 XVI He gives rules for Correcting and Pardoning p 100 XVII He goes to Jerusalem at the feast of Tabernacles p 101 XVIII He heals Ten Lepers p 103 XIX He teacheth in the Temple Ibid XX. He saves the Life of an Adulteress p 106 XXI He teaches in the Temple and they go about to Stone him p 107 XXII He restores sight to a Man born blind p 109 XXIII He proves himself the good Shepherd p 112 XXIV He chuseth 72 Disciples p 113 XXV He teacheth a Lawyer how to love his Neighbour p 114 XXVI He lodges with Martha and teaches his Disciples to Pray p 115 XXVII He reproves the Pharisees and Lawyers for their faults p 116 XXVIII He gives his Disciples several Instructions p 118 XXIX He shews the necessity of Repentance p 121 XXX He heals a Crooked Woman Ibid XXXI The Jews seek to Stone him p 122 XXXII He teaches them to enter in at the straight Gate and foretells the destruction of Jerusalem p 123 XXXIII He heals a Man of a Dropsie and confounds the pride of the Pharisees p 125 XXXIV He teaches that he came to call Men to his Kingdom p 126 XXXV He tells us what we must do to be saved p 127 XXXVI He receives Sinners to Repentance p 128 XXXVII He commends Alms-giving and reproves the Pharisees covetousness p 129 XXXVIII He shews the strict conjunction of Marriage and praises Virginity p 132 XXXIX He speaks of his Kingdom and concerning the true hour to pray p 133 XL. He teaches Men to be humble p 135 XLI He blesses Infants Ibid. XLII He shews that it is hard for rich Men to be saved p 136 XLIII He teaches that the first shall be last in the Kingdom of Heaven p 138 XLIV He raiseth Lazarus p 139 XLV The Jews hold Council against him p 142 XLVI He is rejected by the Samaritans p 143 XLVII He foretells his Death a Third time p 144 XLVIII He reproves the Ambition of his Apostles p 145 XLIX He Lodges with Zacheus p 146 L. They thought he would make the Kingdom of Heaven to appear p 147 LI. He heals two blind Men. p 148 LII He Sups at Bethany p 149. BOOK IV. Containing the History of what Jesus did after his Triumphant entring Jerusalem to his Ascension I. HE goes in triumph to Jerusalem p 151 II. He laments the Destruction of Jerusalem p 152 III. He foretells his Death again p 153 IV. He curses the Fig-tree p 156 V. He drives the Traders out of the Temple Ibid. VI. His Discourse with the Priests and Lawyers p 158 VII The Parable of the Husbandmen p 159 VIII The Parable of the Marriage-feast p 160 IX He confounds the Pharisees p 162 X. He confounds the Sadducees p 163 XI He teaches which is the grrat Commandment Ibid. XII He discovers the Vices of the Scribes and Pharisees p 164 XIII He commends the Alms of a poor Widow p 165 XIV He foretells the Destruction of Jerusalem Ibid. XV. He foretels his Second coming p 167 XVI He teaches to Watch. p 168 XVII The Parable of the Ten Virgins p 169 XVIII The Parable of the Servants p 170 XIX A description of the last Judgment p 171 XX. The Jews hold Council against him p 172 XXI What was the Jews Passover p 173 XXII Jesus made a Supper p 175 XXIII He washes his Disciples Feet p 176 XXIV He appoints the Eucharist and foretels Judas Treachery p 177 XXV He foretels Peters Denial and his Apostles flight p 179 XXVI He comforts his Apostles p 181 XXVII Instructions given to his Apostles p 183 XXVIII Jesus 's Prayer to God p 186 XXIX Jesus Agony in the Garden p 187 XXX Jesus apprehension p 189 XXXI He is carryed to Caiaphas's House p 190 XXXII Peter denies Jesus Christ p 192 XXXIII Judas's despair p 193 XXXIV Jesus is accused before Pilate p 194 XXXV He is set at naught by Herod p 195 XXXVI A Thief preferred before Jesus Christ p 196 XXXVII Jesus is Scourged and Crowned with Thorns p 198 XXXVIII Pilate condemns Jesus p 199 XXXIX They Crucified Jesus p 200 XL. Jesus words on the Cross p 201 XLI Jesus 's Death p 203 XLII Jesus 's Burial p 205 XLIII Jesus 's Resurrection p 206 XLIV Jesus 's appearance to Mary Magdalen p 207 XLV His appearance to the other Women p 208 XLVI He appears to two Disciples and Peter p 209 XLVII He appears to his Apostles p 211 XLVIII The Miraculous Fishing 213 XLIX Jesus commends his Sheep to St. Peter p 214 L. He instructs his Apostles p 215 LI. The last apparition of Jesus Christ p 216 LII The Ascension of Jesus Christ p 217 LIII The Glorious Life of Jesus Christ in Heaven p 218 LIV. The Conclusion p 221 THE HISTORY OF THE LIFE Of our Saviour Jesus Christ FOR about Four thousand Years Book I. after the Creation of the World Man lay groaning under the Power and Tyranny of Satan to whom he had sold and enslaved himself by Sin The greatest part of the World was involved in Ignorance and Idolatry and the Jews only had the Knowledge of the true God and lived in the Expectation of the promised Messiah For Man had no sooner subjected himself to the Decree of Death through the seducements of the Devil but God threatned him to raise up a Child of the Woman which should maintain a continual War with that Wicked Spirit And to this end it was that he discovered himself and his Worship to a certain Number of Men from whose Posterity he designed to raise this Conqueror of the Serpent and Deliverer of Mankind Abraham was the first to whom God promised That all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed in his Seed which he repeated to Isaac the Son of Abraham and Jacob the Son of Isaac and after explained more clearly to the Jews who were the Posterity of Jacob's Twelve Sons wherein this Blessing did consist by giving them Hopes of a Saviour whose Birth Life and Death he foretold in all their Circumstances For he so contrived it that all that befel them should be a continued Figure of this Saviour He appointed them such Sacrifices as represented the great Sacrifice which should expiate and atone for the Sins of Men and for their sakes wrought such Miracles as were nothing else but Shadows and Signs of what he would do for the Salvation of the whole World So that all things did as it were foreshew this Holy Redeemer The Prophets which God sent them from time to time put them in Mind of his Coming and the Calamities which Divine Justice inflicted upon them for their Irregularities and Sins did raise their Minds to a more ardent and earnest Expectation of him as their Messiah or Christ Messiah
to whom he said That if they would continue firm in the Observation of his Word then they should be his Disciples indeed That they should know the Truth and the Truth should make them free The Jews reply'd that they never were Servants but free as being the Children of Abraham He answers them That every one that commits Sin is the Servant of Sin and that they could not be truly free unless he made them free That they were indeed Abrahams Children according to the flesh but that in rejecting the Truth and seeking to Kill him who had told them the Truth they did not do like Abraham but made themselves the Children of another Father by following his Example and imitating him They maintain'd that in that sense they had no other Father but God but Jesus tells them again That if they were the Children of God they would hear God's Word and Love his only begotten Son whom he hath sent That Murther and Lying being the Works of the Devil those People who sought to destroy a Man whom they could not prove Guilty of any Crime and who had told them the Truth had the Devil for their Father They made no reply to this but by railing at him Calling him a Samaritan that hath a Devil Jesus answered them plainly I have not a Devil but honour my Father adding that there is another that will do him Justice because he seeketh not his own Glory Afterwards he saith That he that keeps his Word shall never dye which he means of Eternal Death But the Jews who understood it of the Death of the Body took occasion to insult over him asking him Whether he was greater than Abraham and the Prophets that he could preserve them from Death that keep his Commandments which these great Men could not avoid and therefore desire him to tell them what manner of Man he would have them to take him for He answers them again That he honoured not himself but derived all his Honour from his Father whom they worshipped as their God but know him not That as for Abraham whom they were always bragging of he had earnestly desired to see the Coming of him whom they contemned which he saw and was filled with great Joy They replyed Thou art not yet Fifty Years Old and hast thou seen Abraham He answered them Verily verily I say unto you before Abraham was I am Upon this they took up Stones to cast at him but he hid himself and went out of the Temple escaping the Fury of his Enemies for that time that he might expose himself to all their Malice and Rage when his time appointed by his Father for him to suffer was come XXII Jesus gives sight to a Man born Blind Jesus as he passed the Streets of Jerusalem John 9 1-41 saw a Man sitting in the Streets who was Blind from his Birth and his Disciples asked him whether it was his own or his Parents Sin that was the cause of his Blindness He answered them that he was not made Blind for any Sin that either himself or his Parents had committed but that God might manifest the more the wonderful Works of his Power He adds that it is his Office to do these Works in the time allowed him for it and that so long as he is in the World he is the Light of the World After this answer He spat on the Ground and having made Clay with the spittle he rubbed the eyes of the Blind Man with it and sent him to wash them to the Pool called the Pool of Silom where as soon as he had washed he saw clearly His Neighbours and all those that knew him when he was Blind and sat in the Streets begging could not believe what they saw but doubted whether he was the same Man or one like him But he told them all that it was he himself And further related to them That a Man called Jesus had restored his sight They asked him where he was but he saying that he could not tell they carryed him to the Pharisees who also themselves examined him and he related to them how the thing happened It was the Sabboth-day on which Jesus healed this Blind Man which was the cause that some of the Pharisees said This Man is not of God because he keepeth not the Sabboth But others could not believe that a Wicked Man could do so great Miracles so that there was a great Division among them Then they asked the Blind Man what he thought himself He answered that he looked upon Jesus as a Prophet All these things much astonished the Jews and they would not believe it till they had called the Father and Mother of the Blind Man of whom they enquired Is this your Son whom ye say was born Blind how then doth he see clearly But they fearing the Jews and knowing the Resolution that they had made to put every Man out of the Synagogue who should acknowledge that Jesus was Christ answered freely We know that this is our Son and that he was born Blind but we are ignorant by what means he seeth or who hath opened his Eyes He is of Age ask him he shall answer for himself Wherefore they called the Blind Man the second time and said unto him Give God the Glory we know that this Man is a Sinner and a Wicked Man He answered them I cannot tell whether he be a sinner but this I know that whereas I was Blind I now see clearly They asked him again how he had received his sight And he answered them I have already told and ye did not mind it why would you hear it again Are you desirous to be his Disciples Then were they enraged against him and reproaching him said unto him Thou art one of his Disciples but we are Moses 's Disciples For we know that God spake to Moses but as for this Man we knew not whence he is The Blind Man reply'd That it was very strange that they should not know that a Man who hath so Miraculously opened the Eyes of one Born Blind a thing the like to which was never heard of since the World began must needs be from God At this they cast him out of their Assembly with disgrace saying Thou wast altogether born in Sin and dost thou undertake to teach us Jesus heard that they had thus expelled him and meeting him he said unto him Dost thou believe on the Son of God He answered him Who is he Lord that I may believe on him Jesus saith unto him Thou hast seen him and it is he that speaketh to thee He answered him Lord I believe and immediately fell down at his Feet and Worshipped him as the Messias Jesus adds that he came into the World to exercise an amazing Judgment that the Blind may see and they that see may become Blind i. e. that they whose Pride hinders them from acknowledging their Spiritual Blindness may be blinded so as not to see the Truth for some
others in the middle-age of it and others shall enter at the end of the World There are some that begin to live well in their Infancy others in their Youth others in their Riper-age and some are not converted till just before their Death But so great is the Mercy and Goodness of God that they shall all go to Heaven and shall be rewarded for their Good Works which they have done since their Conversion with the Beatifick Vision of God himself But we ought well to consider upon these Words Many are called but few are chosen that we may not content our selves to be in the Church into which God hath called us but may be diligent 1 Pet. 2-10 as St. Peter teaches us To make our calling and election sure by Good Works and to fit our selves for the Kingdom promised to the Elect. XLIV Jesus raiseth Lazarus from the Dead As Jesus was thus instructing his Disciples on this side Jordan the two Sisters abovementioned John 11 1-45 Martha and Mary sent him word of the sickness of their Brother Lazarus by certain Messengers who spake to him in these words Lord He whom thou Lovest is sick for indeed he loved these Persons and therefore having heard this News he said This sickness is not unto Death but is only inflicted on him to gain Glory to God and that the Son of God may be Glorified thereby Nevertheless he tarryed two days still in the same place and then said to his Apostles Let us go into Judea for Bethany where the House of Lazarus and his two Sisters was was in Judea about two Miles distant from Jerusalem to which he must go by crossing the River Jordan The Apostles said unto him Master The Jews there were lately about to Stone thee and dost thou think of venturing among them again He answers them That he must discharge his Ministry while God gives him Time and Opportunity let what dangers will stand in the way And then he adds Our Friend Lazarus sleepeth but I will go to awake him His Disciples understanding his words literally said unto him Lord if he sleep he will grow well Then he told them plainly That Lazarus was Dead and that for the kindness he had for them he was glad that he was not present with him to prevent his Death because that which he intended to do for him would be of great use to increase and confirm their Faith Thomas one of the Twelve seeing his Master resolv'd to go into Judea said to his fellow Disciples Let us also go with him It is indeed dangerous but we ought rather to dy with him than forsake him or leave him so they accompanyed him They got not to Bethany till Lazarus had been Buryed Four Days and when they came to the House of Martha and Mary they found many Jews there which were come to comfort the two Sisters for the Death of their Brother Martha hearing that Jesus was coming went a little way out of the Town to meet him and said unto him Lord if thou hadst been here my Brother had not dyed But I know that even now God will grant thee whatsoever thou askest of him Jesus answered her Thy Brother shall rise again She replyed I know that he shall rise again at the last Day Jesus says again I am the Resurrection and the Life i. e. I am able to raise the Dead to Life at any time as well now as hereafter he that believeth in me as thy Brother did altho' he be dead shall if I please live again and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never dye if I please to preserve him Believest thou this She answered him Yea Lord I believe that thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God which should come into the World After this Discourse she went and called her Sister to tell her privately that the Master was come and asked after her Mary arose immediately and went to Jesus out of the Town to the place where Martha met him The Jews who were with her when she arose to go to the Son of God seeing her go out so hastily followed her thinking that she went to the Grave of her Brother to Weep there As soon as she came to Jesus she fell down at his Feet and said unto him Weeping Lord if thou hadst been here my Brother had not Dyed Her Tears and Sorrow accompanyed with the Lamentations of the Jews that came with her affected the Son of God so that he groaned in himself and was troubled i. e. he stirred up in his own heart a Voluntary Motion of Compassion and Tenderness which appeared outwardly by the same signs which discover the involuntary passions and affections of Men. Hereupon he demanded where they had Buryed him they said unto him Lord come and see He went along with them Weeping which made some of the Jews to say See how he loved him while others said Could not this Man who openeth the Eyes of the Blind have prevented Lazarus 's Death Jesus still shewing the same disturbance of mind came to the Grave which was a Pit with a Stone lay'd at the Mouth of it He commanded them to take away the Stone but Martha told him that the Dead Man by this time stank because he had been Buryed Four Days But he answered Did not I tell you that if ye would believe ye should see the Glory of God magnified in raising him from the Dead They then removed the Stone and Jesus lifting up his Eyes to Heaven said these words Father I thank thee that thou hast heard me always As for me I know that thou always hearest me and thy Power is present with me but this I say because of the People which is about me that they may believe when they see thy Power granted to me by my Prayer that thou hast sent me Having spoken these words he cryed with a loud Voice Lazarus come forth And immediately the Dead Man came forth having his Hands and his Feet bound with grave Cloaths and his Head wrapped about with a Napkin Jesus then bid them loose him and several of the Jews who came to see the two Sisters believed on him having been Eye-witnesses of this Miracle XLV The Jews hold a Council against Jesus John 11 46-54 As soon as Jesus had wrought this Miracle some who saw it went to tell the Pharisees of it who were his Mortal Enemies Whereupon they immediately called a Council with the High-Priests and said Why do we lose time and do nothing This Man doth many Miracles and if we let him thus alone all Men will believe him to be the Messias and the Romans fearing lest he should set up for a King and withdraw the People from Obedience to them will come and destroy our City and Nation Caiphas who was High Priest that Year said unto them Ye understand nothing nor consider that it is better to put one Man to Death to secure all the People than that
receive the Fruits of it But the Husband-men beat the Servant and sent him back empty Then he sent another to them whom they Wounded and a Third whom they Killed others also he sent to them and they used them after the same manner so that he resolved to send his only Son whom he loved most tenderly being perswaded that they would reverence him But on the contrary when they saw him they said one to another Lo this is the Heir let us Kill him and so get his Inheritance So they seized upon him cast him out of the Vineyard and slew him Then Jesus said When the Lord of the Vineyard cometh what will he do unto these Husband-men Some of them answered He will destroy those wicked Men according to their deserts and let out his Vineyard to other Husband-men who shall render him the Fruits in due season He approved of their answer and assured them that they should be used in that manner But others who perceived perhaps that this Parable touched them said unto him God forbid But Jesus looking upon them said What is then the meaning of this Parable of Scripture The Stone which the Builders rejected is by the Miraculous Power of God become the head Stone of the Corner And to make a full Application of this Parable to them he added For this reason it is that I have told you That the Kingdom of Heaven shall be taken from you and be given to a People that shall bring forth the Fruits of it And this indeed happened for the Jews to whom Jesus Christ had trusted his Vineyard that is to say his Law and Church and who instead of making use of these advantages had cruelly handled the Prophets who admonished them of their Duty and have Crucified the only Son of God are no longer the Lords People but his Church is now made up of Gentiles who heretofore knew not God Wherefore it is our Wisdom to profit by the misfortunes of them into whose Place we are entred bringing forth Fruits i. e. faithfully performing what God expects of us The Priests and Scribes easily perceiv'd that Jesus spake of them and would then have laid their Hands on him but the fear which they had of the People kept them from attempting it tho' they were much troubled and ashamed to see themselves thus Painted out in this other Parable VIII The Parable of the Marriage Feast Matth. 22 1-14 To the same purpose Jesus spake another Parable saying A certain King having made a great invitation to the Marriage of his Son sent his Servants when all things were ready to call them to it but because they refused to come he sent other Servants to perswade them and give them notice what great preparations were made for them But this did not make any impression upon them they went one to his Farm another to his Merchandize and some layd hold upon his Servants and slew them after they had committed many outrages against them The King having heard of these ungrateful rudenesses sent forth his Armies to slay those Murtherers and burn up their Cities and in their stead brought all that he found in the Streets to the Marriage This being done the King came in to see the Guests and there perceiving a Man who had not a Wedding Garment he asked him how he dare come thither with such a Vestment Wherefore binding him Hand and Foot he cast him into outer Darkness where there is nothing but Weeping and gnashing of Teeth Jesus made the Application of this Parable saying Many are called but few are chosen It is easy to see that the Jews were the first Invited to the Marriage of the Kings Son i. e. to the Kingdom of Heaven Preached to them by Jesus Christ that they despised his Word and put him to Death that God hath rejected them as a punishment for their Sin and instead of them hath called the Gentiles into his Church who before had never heard of him It remains only for us to see whether we have a Marriage-Garment i. e. Charity which is the White Robe which is given us in Baptism that so if we have it not we may endeavour to get it on before the King comes to examine with the great rigour of his Justice the State of all those that are in his Church to condemn them to Infernal Darkness who imagine that it is enough to be called and will not be at the pains by an Holy Life to obtain the Reward promised to the Elect. IX Jesus Christ Silenceth the Pharisees Matth. 22 15-22 Mark 12 13-17 Luke 20 20-26 The Pharisees who had as great a share-in the Application of these Parables as any other went away with a firm resolution to search out all Opportunities of destroying him who thus confounded them They believed they had found out an infallible way to do it by entangling him in his talk and therefore made no delays to make use of it Whereupon they sent some of their Disciples to him who were as much Hypocrites as themselves and counterfeiting themselves to be Righteous with the Herodians i. e. probably some of Herods Officers to ensnare him and tempt him to speak something which might bring him under the stroke of Justice These Men therefore went to him and spake thus to him Master We know that thou art upright and true and teachest the way of God in Truth without regard to any Man or thing Give us thy Opinion in this matter Is it Lawful to pay Tribute to Caesar or no It is certain their design was in this Question to make him odious to the People who never could be brought to submit themselves to the Romans but by force if he should assert that they ought to do it but if he answered that 't was unlawful to pay they would have him punished as a Rebel against the Emperour But he knowing their malicious intentions asked them to shew him a piece of the Money they pay'd Tribute withal and when he had it in his Hands he said Whose Image and Superscription hath it They answered him Caesars Then he reply'd Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods In which answer since they could find no fault they went away full of disappointment and admiration X. Jesus Christ silenceth the Sadducees As soon as these Men were gone Matth. 22 23-33 Mark 12 18-28 Deut. 25.5 Luke 20 27-38 there came to Jesus the Sadducees i. e. a Sect of the Jews that do not believe the Resurrection of the Dead and put a Question to him about the Command of the Law of Moses which obliged a Man to Marry the Widow of his Elder Brother dying without Children They then put this Case to him That there was a Woman who was Marryed according to this Law to Seven Brethren one after another and they all Dyed without Children wherefore they asked him Whose Wife of the Seven she should be after
to confirm them afresh he tells them That he gives his Peace to them that they may not be troubled That if they loved him they would rejoce that he returned to his Father who is greater than himself as he was Man That he foretold them what should come to pass that when it comes to pass they may believe on him that hath foretold it That he will speak but little hereafter to them because the Prince of this World i. e. the Devil is coming i. e. is about to compass his Death by the Hands of the Jews tho' he had Power over him because he was guilty of no Sin but as he goes on That the World may know that I love my Father and do that which he hath commanded Arise and let us go hence XXVII Jesus gives his Apostles several Precepts Jesus knowing that his Death Jo. 15 1-27 which he was to suffer in Obedience to his Fathers Will was nigh was unwilling to lose that little time which he had with his Apostles and therefore made use of it in Instructing them and sowing that Seed in their Hearts which the Holy Spirit would make to increase in his due time He tells them therefore that they were Holy and Pure because they had receiv'd the Doctrin of the Gospel but that they may bring forth the Fruit which the Gospel requires of them that receive it they must abide in him as the Branches of the Vine abide in the Body of it without which they cannot bare Grapes That his Father is Glorified when his Disciples bring forth much Fruit and that he will one day cut and cast into the Fire those who bear no Fruit as the Vine-dresser cuts off and burns the dry and dead Branches of the Vine That the Fruit which he expected of them is the Love which they ought to have one for another imitating their Master who gave his Life for his Enemies themselves That they have not chosen him but he had chosen them to bring forth continuing Fruit and that he had not used them as Slaves but Friends in teaching them what he himself had learned from his Father That in choosing them to follow him he had taken them from the World and so not being of the World they must expect to be Hated and Persecuted as he himself was That they shall be cast out of the Synagogues John 16 1-33 yea men shall think they honour God and do a Work acceptable to him when they put them to Death and that they shall be thus treated by those that neither know the Father nor the Son that he hath sent That he hath told them these things before they come to pass that when they come to pass they may remember that he hath foretold them and by remembring them he might encourage and fortify them that they may not faint under the most Violent Persecution These Truths the Apostles heard with silence as if they were much afflicted and astonished at the loss of their Master Jesus Christ He told them that he was going to him that sent him and none of them asked whither he went but were only troubled at it He mildly reproves this their silence and to comfort them he tells them it was for their Interest that he should go away because he could not send the Spirit who is the Comforter till after his departure from them That when this Comforter is come he will convince the World and Principally the Jews of Sin in not believing in him whom God hath sent to save them of Righteousness and Justice either of Jesus Christ which was manifest by his Glorious Resurrection and Ascension or of the Faithful who have believed in him and have not seen him whom the Jews having seen have not believed on him That he will convince the World of the Judgment and Condemnation of the Prince of this World i. e. the Devil whose Kingdom hath been destroyed by Jesus Christ and of whose punishment all those shall fall into who will not free themselves from his Slavery and Bondage that they may submit to the Command and Power of Christ That this same Spirit of Truth shall make the Apostles understand all the Truths that they have heard and shall teach them those Doctrins which he could not instruct them in because they were not able to bear them Then he adds Yet a little while and ye shall see me no more and again a little while and ye shall see me because I go to my Father His Disciples did not understand the meaning of these Words but asked one another what he intended by them and were desirous to ask him himself Jesus perceiving this tells them that they shall weep but the World shall rejoyce But yet as a Woman who in the Time of her Travel hath great sorrow but forgetteth all her Trouble and Pains as soon as she is Delivered for Joy that a Man-Child is born into the World In like manner they shall be in Sorrow for a Time but he will soon return to them again and then their Sorrow shall be changed into Joy which no Man can take away from them The Apostles saw this prediction accomplished in a short time after for they bewailed his Death while his Enemies rejoyced at it but at the end of Three Days they were filled with Joy to see him risen from the Dead and the Jews were much ashamed and enraged to see him Worshipped as a God whom they had Crucified as a Vile Malefactor and whose Memory they had endeavoured to extinguish from the Sons of Men. After this he promises them two things The First was that after his Resurrection he would nor speak to them in Proverbs and Parables as he had done hitherto but would speak to them plainly of the Father that they should need no explication of what he should say to them The Second was That they should pray to the Father in his Name which they had not yet done and should obtain whatsoever they petition'd of him At that time saith he ye shall ask in my Name and I need not promise you that I will pray my Father for you for my Father himself Loveth you because ye have Loved me and have believed that I am come from God I am come i. e. born eternally of God and am come into the World again I leave the World and go unto my Father The Apostles thought that they understood these last words perfectly and therefore said unto him Now speakest thou plainly and speakest no Proverbs And for that reason believed that he was come from God He answered them Ye now believe but the Hour is coming yea is already come that ye shall be scattered and shall leave me alone but I am not alone for my Father is with me These things have I said unto you that ye might have Peace in me Ye shall have afflictions in the World but be of good chear I have overcome the World XXVIII Jesus 's Prayer to his
Father Jesus having given his Disciples all these Instructions John 17 1-26 lift up his Eyes to Heaven and praying to his Father said My Father the hour is come glorify thy Son that thy Son may glorify thee And as thou hast given him power over all flesh so he hath given to as many as thou hast given him Eternal Life which consists in the knowledge of thee the true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent I have glorified thee on Earth I have finished the Work which thou hast given me to do And now O Father glorifie me with thy self with that Glory which I had with thee before the World was He then prays for the Apostles which his Father had given him and who having received his Word had believed that he came from God and that he had sent him and since he left them in the World he commends them to his Father not to take them out of the World by Death but to preserve them from Sin He had kept them all in his Fathers Name and had lost but One viz. Judas He had separated them from the World and because they had not the Spirit of the VVorld the VVorld hated them wherefore he prays his Father to keep them and Sanctify them by his VVord which is Truth it self offering himself a Sacrifice for them that he might obtain that favour for them He also recommedns all those to God who should believe in his Name thro' the Preaching of his Apostles and prays for such an Admirable Union among them as makes all Christians One being united together in God by his Charity as the Father who is in the Son and Son who is in the Father are by one Nature O Father adds he I pray that where I am those whom thou hast given me may also be that they may behold my Glory And he concludes this Admirable Prayer with these words Holy Father the World hath not known thee but I have known thee these have known that I have sent thee I have declared unto them thy Name and will declare it that they may have that love among them with which thou hast loved me and that I may be also my self among them XXIX The Agony of Christ in the Garden upon the Mount of Olives Jesus having finished the former Prayer Matth. 26 36-46 Mark 14 26-42 Luke 22 39-46 Jo. 18.1 went on his Journey towards the Mount of Olives and passing over the Brook Cedron which runs between Jerusalem and this Mountain went with his Disciples into a Garden called Gethsemani Here he commanded them to stay till he went and Prayed a little distance from it and in the mean time to pray themselves that they be not delivered over to temptation Jesus then taking with him Peter and James and John began to be seized with fear trouble and grief and said unto them My Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto Death tarry ye here and watch with me Then departing from them about a Stones cast he threw himself upon the Earth and as he was willing for the Consolation of his Disciples to endure all the Passions which Nature ordinarily stirs up at the approaches of Death so he was desirous by his Example to teach them what to do in that Estate Thro' the voluntary perception of the infirmities of the flesh he Prayed his Father to save him from that Hour wherein he had declared him to suffer Death but thro' the Motion of a Spirit full of Submission and Charity he corrected those first Motions and yielded entirely to the Will of his Father saying My Father My Father all things are possible with thee remove this Cup from me nevertheless not mine but thy Will be done Having thus prayed he arose and went to his Disciples whom he found asleep their Hearts being filled with sorrow wherefore speaking to Peter he reproved him Simon sleepest thou and then he said to all of them What could ye not Watch one hour with me Watch and Pray that ye enter not into Temptation The Spirit is ready but the flesh is weak As if he had said The Spirit would not be afraid of Death and ye believe that ye have strength enough to contemn it but the weakness of the flesh makes such a strong resistance against the Spirit that it will easily conquer it unless you beg the Divine grace to support you against the fears of Death Having said thus he returned again to his Prayers and said to God My Father If this Cup may not pass from me unless I drink it Thy Will be done Then he returned again to his Disciples and finding them so sleepy that they knew not what to answer him he went again to his Prayers a Third time St. Luke tells us that there came an Angel from Heaven to him to strengthen him and that the Agony in which he was i. e. the conflict that he had in himself between the Flesh which dissuaded him from suffering and the Spirit which was willing to submit to the Will of God caused such a violent disturbance in his Body that there issued from it a Swet which fell down to the Earth like drops of Blood Then he went a Third time to find his Apostles and saying unto them by way of Reproof and Irony That they might now sleep on and take their rest because his time was come He tells them in good earnest That the time was come that the Son of Man shall be delivered into the Hands of Sinners Arise therefore saith he Let us go hence behold he that betrayeth me is at hand XXX The Apprehension of Jesus Jesus had scarcely said these words Matth. 26 47-56 Mark 14 43-52 Luke 22 47-53 John 18 2-11 but Judas Iscariot came with a Band of Soldiers and Officers which the Priests Scribes Pharisees and Rulers had sent to take him They were Armed with Swords and Staves and had Lanthorns and Torches with them because it was Night and because they knew not him whom they had Orders to Seize Judas told them That it is he whom he shall Kiss Take him and carry him away safely He then came to Jesus and saying to him Hail Master he gave him a Kiss which was the Sign he had given them to make him to be taken by them Jesus said no more to him but these words Friend why are you come hither What Judas Dost thou betray the Son of Man with a Kiss Jesus then immediately goes to the Soldiers whom Judas had brought and asked them Whom they sought They answered Jesus of Nazareth He saith to them I am He And immediately they went back and fell to the Earth Then again he asked them Whom seek ye They answered again Jesus of Nazareth he said I have told you already That I am He and if ye seek me Let these Men go which he spoke of his Disciples that he might fulfil his Words spoken in his Prayer to his Father of them which thou gavest me have I