continued until hee undertooke the Propheticall and Sacerdotall functions From which Towne he received this Title to be called Nazarenus Iesus of Nazareth This then is a Title given unto Iesus taken from the Towne or Village where the Angell Gabriel brought the message unto Mary and where Christ dwelt after his returne from Egypt and not from the order and Votary of Nazarites as some doe vainely imagine Neither is this Title without a Mystery For this word Nazarenus signifies three things Sanctified Separated and a Flower In all which sences Iesus may be truely tearmed Nazarenus First hee was sanctified not imperfectly and in part but perfectly and in whole And this was not by any external meanes after his Birth but onely by the Holy Ghost in his conception And therefore he was sanctified in utero in the wombe and ex utero Out of the wombe Hee was sanctified in the wombe the which Sanctification hath two parts First the stoppage in the propagation of Originall sin and of the guilt of Adams transgression which because Christ was from Adam as from a Root and not by Adam as by a Father is not derived unto him For man is originally sinfull not because of his substance but because of his Generation proceeding from a sinfull man For God at the beginning set downe this Order that what evill Adam had brought upon himselfe he should derive the same to every one of his posterity begotten by man Therefore when any Father begets a Child he conveyes into it besides humane nature the corruption of humane Nature Christ therefore for the preventing of this was not begotten by Man but conceived modo ineffabili by the Holy Ghost That so hee might take the substance of the Virgin without the corruption of that substance The second part of this Sanctification which is ex utero Out of the wombe is the perfect endowing of the Manhood of Christ with all purenesse and holinesse to make him a meete Mediatour Hee was sanctified out of the wombe for his whole Humane Nature was full of Grace and Truth Ioh. 1.14 Full of Grace in his works full of Truth in his words Holy in his Birth holy in his Life and holy in his Death Secondly as he was Nazarenus sanctified so is he Nazarenus separated He was that Scape-goat seperated from his fellows to make an Attonement for the sinnes of the World Lev. 16.10 He was seperated from his Fathers Court of Majesty by taking upon him the forme of a Servant Phil. 2.7 Phil. 2.7 He was separated from his owne Nation when he fled into Egypt for feare of Herod He was separated from his Brethren and Kinsfolke to doe his Fathers Will Hee was separated from his Disciples when he was hanging upon the Crosse Hee was separated from the Living when he dyed for our Redemption Hee was separated from the World when hee ascended into Heaven And thus was Iesus tearmed Nazarenus that is Separated Thirdly Iesus is Nazarenus That is Flos or floridus A Flower or flourishing for so is is hee called Esay 11. There shall come a Rod out of the stemme of Jesse and a branch or as the Vulgar Translation hath it Flos de radice ejus ascendet A Flower shall grow out of his roote Christ is more specially called Nazarenus a flower because as Protagoras observes Flowers Solem habent in Coelo Patrem Solum in terra Matrem That is Flowers have the Sunne in the Heavens for their Father and the soyle on the earth for their Mother So Iesus the Flower out of Iesse had in Heaven a Father without a Mother according to his God-head And in Earth a Mother without a Father according to his Manhood As he was God not differing from the Father but semper apud Patrem semper cum Patre temper de Patre semper in Patre Alwayes by the Father alwayes with the Father alwayes of the Father and alwayes in the Father Even so as he was Man he was Homo de homine propter hominem secundum hominem super hominem He was Man of Mankind according to his substance Man for mankind in regard of our Redemptihis Man according to mankind in regard of his Nature Man above mankind in regard of his Holinesse Sine quo Pater nunquam fuit sine quo Mater nunquam fuisset Without whom the Father never was and without whom the Mother never had beene Iesus is called here Nazarenus a Flower First because of the sweetnesse that is in him Secondly because of the sweetnesse he is to us That sweetnesse which is in him is expressed two wayes First in the sweetnesse of his Vertues manifested in his holy conversation wherein hee was a sweete-smelling Flower for imitation Secondly he was a sweet smelling Flower in his Passion when hee offered himselfe to God a Sacrifice of a sweete smelling savour for our Reconciliation Eph. 5.2 Eph. 5.2 Lastly he is the hope of that eternall sweetnesse which we shal enjoy hereafter in the Kingdome of Heaven For Dedit Humanitatem in terra praetium nostrae Redemptionis sed servat Divinitatem in Coelo praemium nostrae glorificationis Hee gave his Humanity upon the Earth the price of our Redemption but doth reserve his Deity in Heaven the reward of our glorification There are five principall Flowers in use with us Our Saviour is coÌ„pared unto five sorts of Flowers whereunto this our Nazarenus this our Iesus may bee fitly compared The Violet The Violet the Lilly the Saffron the Rose and the Marygold The Violet you know is little in quantity low in growth not raised farre from the earth signifying hereby the Humility of our Nazarenus the Lowlinesse of our Redeemer The which Humility of Christ was manifested in three particulars Nascendo In his Birth Vivendo In his life Morienâ—o In his death In his Birth he was humble For being the Creator of all things be disdained not to become a Creature Factor terrae factus in terra Creator Coeli creatus sub Coelo St. Aug. saith St. August Hee that made the Earth was borne upon the Earth Hee that created the Heavens was made under the Heavens He chose not to be the Son of some Great Empresse but of Mary a poore Virgin in Israel Hee was not borne in a Princely Palace but in a Stable not layd in a curious costly Cradle but in a silly Cratch Not attended on by Knights Potentates but by Oxen and Asses and such like creatures Such was our Saviours Humility in his birth In his Life He was content to worke at the Trade of his supposed Father Ioseph not affecting Lands Houses nor possessions For the Foxes had holes the Birds of the Ayre had nests but the Son of Man had not where to lay his Head Not abounding in worldly Treasure for the Fish of the Sea must pay Tribute unto Caesar Not ambitiously aspiring unto Rule and Government for when the people would have made
Judgement giving Praemium Paenam Punishment and Reward the recompense of Reward to a faithfull subject and the paine of Damnation to trayterous rebells For he is a just Judge whom neyther bribes can allure nor gifts entice nor threats can alter from doing right Oh then seeke this Iesus seeke this Nazarenus seeke this King of Iewes Seeke him for thy Lord and hee will finde thee for his inheritance install him for thy King and he will enfranchise thee for his subject admit him for thy Governour and hee will admit thee to glory and immortality For his Kingdome is not of this world below but of the world above as was typified by placing this Title above his Head not under his Feete Oh then deare Christian come out of the world and out of this dangerous and dreadfull security of the Flesh Whatsoever seemes glorious to the eye odoriferous to the smell harmonious to the eare delicate to the taste and soft to the touch O forsake them all to follow Christ Awake oh thou Soule that sleepest for the Lord is come Hee is come with Salvation he is come with Vertue hee is come with Glory For Iesus commeth not without Salvation nor Nazarenus without Vertue nor The King of the Iewes without Glory Bee of good comfort thou lost sheepe Iesus is come to seeke and to save that which was lost Bee of good comfort thou lamenting sinner Nazarenus is come to decke thee with ornaments of Grace Be of good comfort thou that aspirest to true Honour for The King of the Iewes will make thee partaker of his Kingdome If thou seeke this King of the Iewes thou must seeke him with Humility for hee was Humility it selfe Hee insteed of a Crowne of Gold was content for thy sake with a Crowne of Thornes for Regall attire with a Purple garment yea goary wounds for a Kingly Scepter a Reede in his hand for a Throne the Crosse for joyfull Acclamations blasphemous Exclamations for delicate dainties Vineger and Gall Oh seeke him then in Humility for pride ascendeth not with the King of Humility nor malice with the God of Mercy nor Lust with a Virgin-sonne of a Virgin-mother nor wickednesse with the Just one And if thou bee a subject of this Kingdome bee not like the Swine Qui Rosas projiciunt ut lutum quaerant Who reject the sweet Rose to accept the stinking mire Oh never conforme thy selfe to this world bee not of that durty generation but since thy King and Saviour is in Heaven let thy conversation be in Heaven also let the World and her brave vanities goe which way they will bee thou as Anselme sayes sweetly Corpore ambulans in Terra sed corde habitans in Coelo One that walkes on Earth with thy Body but dwellest in Heaven with thy Heart Get out from thine owne Countrey the World from thine owne Kinred the Flesh and from thy Fathers House the family of Satan unto the Land which the Lord hath shewen thee even that Kingdome which the King of the Iewes hath prepared for thee where thou shalt behold Pulchrum Senatum pulchrum Regnum Regem pulcherrimum A glorious Assembly of Saints a glorious Kingdome but a King most glorious where wee shall shine in Glory and Brightnesse with Albes of Innocency on our backes Palmes of Victory in our Hands Crownes of Glory on our Heads and Songs of Tryumph in our Mouthes then shall wee enter into Sanctum Sanctorum Into the Holy of Holies there shall wee celebrate Sabbatum Sabbatorum The Sabbath of Sabbaths Then shall wee sing Canticum Canticorum The Song of Songs which none can learne but those that are redeemed from the Earth Then shall we give eternall Honour Glory and Praise to him that was is and ever shall bee Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes Laus Deo The Authors Prayer to Iesus of Nazareth King of the Jewes collected out of the fore-going Discourse Jesus O Thou Sonne of God and sweete Saviour of the World Bone Iesu esto mihi Iesus Thou art made unto us of God Wisedome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption Wisedome by thy Word preached Righteousnesse by our sinnes pardoned Sanctification by thy grace infused and Redemption by thy paines sustained Have mercy upon us miserable sinners Oh our blessed Saviour who hast borne our sorrows shed our teares suffered our disgrace sustained our punishment and payd our debt inspire us with thy Holy Spirit that though the Iewes Turkes and Infidels revile thee wee may still honour thee though they blaspheme thy Name Iesus we may adore it though they persecute it we may make it our refuge For thy Name ô Iesus is a strong Tower the righteous flye unto it and are secured Though Iewes Turkes and Heathen disdaine thy Name yet give us Grace that we may estimate it to be a precious Oyntment powred out though they vilifie it let us sweet Iesu still glory in it for with the Lord there is Justice but with thee Oh Saviour there is plenteous Redemption Oh Lord what Pilate deem'd to be thy shame prooves to be thy glory he writes thee disgracefully Iesus with his hand whom he could not call faithfully Iesus with his heart Yet will we ever acknowledge Iesus to be thy Name and Iesus is thy Nature Iesus by Title a Saviour by Office With this Name Iesus thy Birth was honoured and with this Name Iesus thy Death was honoured What thou brought'st into the world by the Angels Direction thou carriedst out of the world by Pilates Inscription To thee therefore I say once more and will never cease saying and praying Bone Iesu esto mihi Iesus O good Iesu be thou to me a Saviour Nazarenus sanctified OH Holy Nazarenus who wast sanctified in the wombe and out of the wombe whose Humane Nature was full of Grace and Truth full of Grace in thy Workes full of Truth in thy Words holy in thy Birth holy in thy Life and holy in thy Death vouchsafe to looke upon us miserable sinners who were conceived in sinne and borne in iniquity Sanctifie us with thy holy Spirit that from thee wee may derive such holinesse of life and conversation that all our thoughts words and workes being through thy Grace sanctified may be pleasing and acceptable unto thee who hast commanded us to be holy as thou art holy Nazarenus separated O Loving Nazarenus thou who wert that Scape-goate separated from thy fellows to make an attonement for the sins of the world thou that wast separated from thy Fathers Court of Majesty by taking upon thee the forme of a Servant thou that wast separated from thine owne Nation when thou fleddest into Egypt for feare of Herod thou that wast separated from thy Brethren and Kinsfolke to doe thy Fathers Will thou that wast separated from thy Disciples when thou hungst upon the Crosse thou that wast separated from the living when thou dyedst for our Redemption thou that wast separated from the World when thou ascendedst into Heaven vouchsafe to
of Life the which the Lord hath promised to them that love him This was likewise promised by Christ to the Angell of the Church of Smyrna Rev 2.10 Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithfull unto Death and I will give thee the Crowne of Life The second is promised to Christs faithfull Ministers For St. Peter encourages them saying When the chiefe Shepheard shall appeare yee shall receive a Crowne of Glory which fadeth not away 1. Pet. 5.4 Of the third St. Paul assures himselfe I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth is layd up for mee a Crowne of Righteousnesse Thus as there is none crowned except they strive so there are none that strive aright and fight lawfully in Christs warefare but shal be crowned none shall be his Subjects but shall bee rewarded Iob shall not serve God for naught but if hee serve him he shall be recompensed Wherefore we cannot but truely confesse that he who is King of the Iewes is Rex liberalis A bountifull King Thirdly Christ is not onely a wise and a liberall but also a powerfull and a mighty King whose power is seene in two things especially confounding his enemies and in defending his Subjects The confusion of his Enemies is an essentiall part of his government for he could never have beene a sufficient Saviour if he had not and did not confound the enemies of his Kingdome But that he should so doe was prophesied by David Psal 2.9 Thou shalt bruise them with a rod of Iron and breake them in pieces like a Potters vessell And Psal 72.9 which was purposely penned for Solomon but typically describeth Christ He saith ver 4. He shall breake in pieces the oppressor and vers 9. And his enemies shall lick the dust whereby the Prophet would insinuate Christs power in the destruction of his Adversaries and in the confusion of his foes What greater Enemy than the Devill yet the God of peace shall shortly tread Satan under our feet sayes the Apostle Rom. 16.20 How strong an enemy is the World to Christs Kingdome yet be of good cheere I have overcome the World saith Christ to his Disciples Ioh. 16. ver the last How potent an enemy is Sinne against Christs Kingdome yet Christ came in the flesh that he might condemne sin in the flesh sayes the Apostle Rom. 8.3 And so likewise Rom. 6.6 Our old man which is sinne is crucified with Christ that the body of sinne might bee destroyed and therefore sinne hath no more dominion over us What is become of that Adversary which cut off all Christs Subjects namely Death St. Paul tels us plainely That Death is swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 15.54 And Christ rides tryumphantly saying O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory 1 Cor. 15.55 How hath Christ Iesus brought to confusion the Iewes and their Adherents which would not have him reigne over them Behold the power of this King of the Iewes in the subversion of Ierusalem the destruction of Herod the confusion of Iulian the Apostate the ruine of many Hereticks and their Heresies which were the Divels souldiers and foes unto Christs Kingdome Onely there remaines the fall of Babylon that Scarlet-coloured Whore and the destruction of Antichrist that sonne of perdition whom our Iesus shall destroy with the breath of his mouth so let all thine enemies perish O Lord. Secondly Christs power is manifested in the protection of his Subjects He is not onely Rex titularis but also Rex tutelaris Not onely a Titular but also a Tutelar King And as Iosua not onely destroyed the Canaanites but protected Israel all his dayes So Christ a Type of whom Iosua was doth not onely confound his foes but also confirme his friends destroying his enemies but protecting his Subjects For he is our Judge he is our Law-giver he is our King and he will save us It is hee that hath saved the children of the needy it is he that hath and will for ever deliver the poore that hath no helper It is hee that hath promised to bee with his Church unto the end of the World As to direct it by his Spirit so to protect it by his power It is hee that keepeth Israel and neither slumbreth nor sleepeth Hayle then O hayle thou victorious King both of Heaven and Earth that hast overcome the flesh within mee the world without me Death for me and the Devill against me That doest correct me in thy mercy direct me in thy truth and protect me by thy power from all my Adversaries Thou art the Lord the Lord strong and mighty thy Name is a strong Tower to which I flye and am secure therefore I will confesse thy power and acknowledge that the King of the Iewes is Rex potens A powerfull King Fourthly a good King must be an indifferent an impartiall King to judge the cause of the poore as well as of the rich of the weake as well as of the mighty respecting not the Condition of the person but the Equity of the cause not countenancing the rich man for his Wealth nor contemning the poore man for his poverty for it is an honour to a Prince to bee a poore mans King Such a one is our King of the Iewes who is not partiall in his temporall punishments nor will be partiall in his eternall Judgements Therefore is hee styled by Saint Paul The just Iudge that shall render unto every one according to his workes 2. Tim. 4.8 For of a truth God is no respecter of persons sayes the Apostle St. Peter Acts 10.34 For where sin is committed there is punishment inflicted bee it King or Beggar rich or poore Iew or Gentile Wherefore all the World may truely say that our King of the Iewes is Rex justus A righteous King Againe fiftly a good King must bee severe against such as are incorrigible and will not amend It is observed by Cicero That it is the ruine of a Common-wealth when Iudgement given is revoked and the execution of the Law stopped against Malefactors And the saying of Solomon is Because Sentence against evill doers is not executed speedily therefore the hearts of the sonnes of men are fully set to doe evill Eccles 8.11 Eccles 8.11 But Christ like a severe King will at the length judge and punish the wicked If Ierusalem will not bee gathered together under his wings she shall be at the last left desolate Luke 13. vers the last And if the Church of Ephesus wil not remember from whence she is falne and repent and doe her first workes hee will come against her shortly and remove away her Candlesticke Rev. 2.5 And at the last day what a just Sentence shall hee pronounce both to the godly and against the wicked seperating the Sheepe on the right hand and the Goats on the left when he shall say unto thâ— one Come yee blessed of the Father receive the Kingdome prepared for you from