a blinde and dumbe devill By convincing the scribes and pharisees of the irremissible sin By promising the signe of the prophet Jonas By teaching the people in parables By sending forth his Apostles two and two By feeding five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes By walking upon the sea to his disciples By reproving the traditions of the pharisees By healing the daughter of the Canaanitish woman By healing him that was deaf and had an impediment in his speech By feeding foure thousand with seven loaves and a few little fishes By reproving the pharisees and sadduces By reprehending his disciples By healing the blinde man It became him who humbled himselfe and was made man for the redemption of all mankinde to do all these things And thus following herein my learned author late right Reverend Diocesan in his learned Theanthropicon our sacred history doth put an end to the third year after his Baptism which was the two and thirtieth year of his age The first occurrence of the next year is that Jesus with his disciples came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi not into Caesarea Philippi it selfe S. Mar. 8.27 S. Luc. 9.18 S. Mat. 16 13 Christ interrogateth his disciples but into the townes of Cesarea Philippi as St. Mark saith and in the way having prayed alone he asked his disciples saying Whom do men say that I the son of man am This question was propounded to them by the way as they went not out of ignorance as if he had not known what it was that the people said of him nor out of curiosity as if he were delighted to hear the rumours of the vulgar concerning himselfe but docendi gratiâ because he meant to teach and instruct them more perfectly He did not aske whom the Pharisees and Scribes did say him to be that was publickly and notoriously known for in the blindeness of their own minds and in the hardness of their hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Saint Epiphanius They knew not his Godhead and they supposed that he was no other but a meer man Lib. Anchor cap. 27. They knew nothing of his wonderfull conception which was by the holy Ghost nor of his wonderfull birth which was of a pure virgin nor of his speciall priviledge which was that he was without all sin nor of the hypostaticall union whereby the word was made flesh not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh but by taking of the manhood into God They did therefore notoriously defame him S. Joh 8.44 S. Joh. 10.20 said that he was a Samaritan and that he had a devill That he had a devill and was mad And because he came eating and drinking S. Mat. 11.19 they said Behold a man gluttonous and a wine-bibber a friend to publicans and sinners They undervalued all his miracles and look what they saw and knew to be done by the divine power and vertue of the holy Ghost they affirmed of the devill S. Mar. 3.22 saying He hath Beelzebub and by the prince of devills casteth he out devills Therefore he did not ask what they said him to be but whom do men the people the vulgar say that I the Son of man am The opinion of the people concerning Christ They told him according to the common opinion of the people of the Jewes in those dayes whereby it was believed that the souls of the defunct according to the merits of each person did commigrate into other bodies that some said that he was Saint John the Baptist some Elias others Jeremias or one of the prophets that is to say of the old Prophets and that he was such by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that the soul of Saint John the Baptist Elias or Jeremias or of one of the Prophets was transmigrated into him and that this was the vulgar errour concerning him Whereupon he demanded of them saying But whom say ye that I am Simon Peter the mouth of the Apostles replyeth both for himselfe and for all the rest Thou art Christ Saint Peters confession the son of the living God He pronounceth him blessed for his faiths-sake whereby he so believed affirming that this his answer was by divine revelation For flesh and blood saith he hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven And then admonisheth him of the retribution for his confession sake Thou art Peter and upon this rock will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Promising also unto him the keyes of the kingdome of heaven to the end that whatsoever he should binde on earth should be bound in heaven and whatsoever he should loose upon earth should be loosed in heaven His prerogative 1st He confers upon him this prerogative That he is Peter that is to say a stone for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the greek signifieth a stone And it was his prerogative that he was made a stone not by conversion of his nature into stone but by the gift of grace by his faith by his function For in this was Christ as good as his word and performeth that promise which he made when first he was presented to him by his brother Saint Andrew Thou art Simon the son of Jona S. Joh. 1.42 thou shalt be called Cephas which is by interpretation a stone And he did reserve the confirmation of his promise till Saint Peter had made this good confession The Church of God which is the whole number of those whom God hath elected to eternall life The Church compared to a materiall temple S. Mat. 21.13 1 Pet. 5.2 is often in the Scriptures resembled to a materiall temple and in particular to the temple of Hierusalem So that like as that temple was called an house the house of prayer in like manner is this called an house a spirituall house for distinction sake The materiall house was built of stones laid one upon another the spirituall house is likewise said to be builded but the edification is not of naturall and inanimate 1 Cor. 12.26 1 Pet. 2.5 but of spirituall and living stones The naturall stones of the materiall temple were joyned and cimented one unto another that so the building might rise to perfection Eph. 2.21 and the spirituall stones are in like manner fitly framed together that the building might grow unto an holy temple of the Lord. The materiall temple had a strong foundation that foundation was a rock upon which were superstructed great and mighty stones to support the whole fabrick which stones might not improperly be called the foundation and were indeed a second foundation most necessary for so great a structure which afterwards was raised with costly and curious stones such as Solomon made ready 1 King 6.7 and brought thither or such as those stones which the disciples did marvell at in the temple S. Mar. 13.1 S. Mat. 24.1 saying Master see wha◠manner of stones
flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee S. Mat. 16.17 but my Father which is in heaven And I say also unto thee that thou art Peter And upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it 18 And I will give unto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven whatsoever thou shall loose on earth 19. shall be loosed in heaven No doubt but the Apostles did highly rejoyce and were exceedingly glad to receive such a promise frâ—m Christ and began also to think of the performance of it The keyes to be transfer'd from the legall to the Evangelical priesthood and when and when it should be that such keyes with such power should be confer'd upon them But they must not expect the accomplishment till after his resurrection for till then he might not by divine dispensation transfer the keys of the kingdom of heaven with that power of binding and loosing from the legall to the Evangelicall priesthood Therefore saith St. Matthew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From that time forth when he had first straightly charged them that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ least his passion should be hindred for had they known him to have been Jesus Christ indeed they would not have crucified him he began to shew unto his Disciples how that he must go to Hierusalem and suffer many things of the Elders 1 Cor. 2.8 and chiefe priests and Scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day As if he should say He foretelleth his passion death and resurrection when I I have been at Hierusalem and when I have suffered and when I shall be risen again from the dead upon the third day then will I make good my promise by giving unto you the keys of the kâ—ngdom of heaven At this all the Apostles being over-charged with sorrow and because he spoke it openly so that the people also too notice of his words Saint Peter the mouth of the Apostles the second time came unto him privately and began to rebuke him saying Be it far from thee Lord this shall not be unto thee At this he is offended reproves him sharply calleth him Satan commands him to get behinde him for that by giving him such counsell he savoured not the things that be of God but those that be of men For what if the counsell that Saint Peter gave proceeded from that love and affection that he did bear unto his Lord who knew also that he did love him yet by giving him such counsell which was against the determinate counsell and fore-knowledge of God for the redemption of all mankinde by his death upon the crosse he was Satan and an adversary who must get behinde him viz. cease to withstand the will of God by carnall counsell From thence therefore he taketh occasion to admonish his disciples and the people how to follow him in persecutions and to bear his cross S. Mat. 16 24 25 26 27 28. S. Mar. 8.34 35 36 37 38. S. Luc. 9.23 24 25 26 27. valuing their precious souls above their temporall lives or the whole world telling them also that there were some standing amongst them who should not taste of death till they should see the son of man comming in his kingdomâ— intimating thereby that glimpse of his glory vvhich he would shew unto some of them by his transfiguration if not rather the destruction of Hierusalem which Saint John lived to see And after six daies saith Saint Matthew and with him Saint Mark but Saint Luke About an eight daies after these sayings S. Mat. 17.1 S. Mar. 9.1 S. Luc. 9.28 That is to say six compleat daies after he had so said not accounting the day that he spake nor the day that he ascended into the mount The transfiguration of Christ but only the six intervening daies Jesus taketh Peter James and John his brother and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart supposed to be the mount Thabor a mountain in Galilee of which something hath been said before where also it is thought as hath been before observed that he preached that famous Sermon unto his Apostles before the multitude repeated by the Evangelist Saint Matthew cap. 5.6.7 And was transfigured before them But why these three and none but these I can give no reason but the speciall favour and familiarity which they had with their Lord above the rest and why that he only knoweth But his speciall favourites he had in every degree He had many disciples multitudes of disciples but out of the whole number he made a more speciall choice of seventy that they might be more conversant with him than the rest S. Luc. 10.1 And them he sent two and two before his face into every city and place whither he himselfe would come There was a more speciall choice of twelve Apostles S. Mar. 3.14 that they should be with him and that he might send them forth to preach Of which twelve also he admitted three to a more intimate familiarity these were Saint Peter Saint James and Saint John his brother These only were permitted to be present when he went in S. Mar. 5.37 and raised up Jairus his daughter and these only he taketh with him into the mountain and was transfigured before them Not presently so soon as he had ascended but as he prayed or was praying He did not change the nature of his body but only the externall forme into a greater glory for his face did shine as the Sun and his raiment was white as the light white and glistering saith Saint Luke exceeding white as snow so as no fuller upon earth can white them saith Saint Mark. And so each Evangelist hath his owne expression It was for his disciples sake to whom he would shew a glimpse of his glory to the end that the humility of his passion might not offend them And it was for his servants Moses and Elias sake S. Mat. 17.4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. S. Mar. 9.5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. S. Luc. 9.32 33 34 35 36. whom he would entertain in robes of glory For Moses and Elias talked with him appearing in glory and speaking of his decease which he should accomplish at Hierusalem And so the other passages follow as they are set down by the Evangelists Of the motion made by Saint Peter as touching three tabernacles to be built there Of the Fathers testimony from heaven Of the disciples question concerning the comming of Elias and of Christ his answer thereunto And that first as he came down from the mountain he charged them to conceal the vision till after his resurrection which also they did questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean He abode with his three Apostles all night upon the mount and the next
uttermost part of the earth 8. So when he had spoken all these things and was come unto the place where he would ascend up from them into heaven which was the mount of Olives upon the confines of Bethany while he blessed them S. Luc. 24.51 S Mar. 16.19 Act. 1.9 he was parted from them and carried up into heaven and sate on the right hand of God He ascended and they looked after him and a cloud received him out of their sight And now finally we must take notice how the covenant was further administred by him this year also The Recapitulation for the breaking of the serpents head and for the abolishing of the old Testament By going to Hierusalem to suffer By exhorting to enter in at the straight gate By blessing the children By disallowing the petition of Salome and her sons By restoring sight to the blind men as he went in and as he departed out of Jericho By dining with Zacheus By putting forth the parable of the pounds By raising up Lazarus from the dead By leaving the chief Priests and Pharisees to consult his death By comming to Bethany six dayes before the passeover By being first annointed to his burying By his triumphant riding into Hierusalem By cursing the fruitlesse fig-tree By refusing to shew his authority to the chief Priests By parables signifying the reprobation of the Jews and vocation of the Gentils By avoiding the snare of the Pharisee By confuting the Sadduces By analysing the law By questioning them concerning Christ By foretelling the destruction of the Temple By foretelling persecution to the Gospel calamities to the Jews and the signs of his second comming By being annointed to his buriall the second time By being to be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver By eating his last passeover By directing them to the house by the pitcher of water By instituting the Sacrament of his supper By foretelling the offence that his Disciples should take at him and S. Peters denyal of him By his farewell Sermon By being sorrowfull in soul By beginning his passion in the garden By his apprehension By being bound and brought to Annas first and from him to Caiaphas By being examined by the high Priests By permitting false witnesses to be produced against him By being adjured By being brought before Pilate By being examined by him By answering fully By being sent to Herod By being condemned to be crucified By being twice scourged By bearing his own cross By refusing the wine mingled with myrrhe By being fastened to the Cross By the superscription of his accusation By being stripped of his garments By being mocked of all sorts of people By crying out upon the cross By complaining of thirst By giving up the ghost By the time of his abode upon the cross By the darkness and by other miracles By his buriall By going in soul into Paradice By descending in soul into hell By his blessed Resurrection upon the third day By his first apparition to St. Mary Magdalen By his second apparition to the other women By his third apparition to St. Peter By his fourth apparition to the two Disciples By his fifth apparition to all the other Apostles in the absence of St. Thomas By transferring the keyes from the legall to the Evangelicall priesthood By his sixth apparition to Saint Thomas with the other Apostles By his seventh apparition at the sea of Tiberias By his conference with St. Peter By his eighth apparition upon a mountain in Galilee By his ninth apparition to St. James By his tenth apparition to all his Apostles as they sate at meat It became him who humbled himself and was made man for the redemption of all mankind to do and to suffer all these things and then to ascend into his glory carrying up with him our flesh which he hath fully glorified and placed at the right hand of God There sitteth he highly exalted and far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come Eph. 1.21 making intercession for us as God and man exhibiting his infinite merit and the sufferings of his humanity by shewing of his bloody wounds and in such a manner as is convenient for the Son making request to the Father for us Rom. 8.34 that the satisfaction made by him to divine justice may be accepted on our behalfe And because all power is given to him in heaven and in earth S Mat. 28.18 there sitteth he administring of that kingdom which he hath purchased with his blood by gathering his subjects together into the unity of a Church-catholique through the Gospell externally dispensed in the word and sacrament and internally by his blessed spirit enlightning the mind mollifying the heart and converting the whole man to God By shewing them the way which leadeth to everlasting happiness and by conducting them therein by the scriptures and by his Spirit By experimenting the graces which he hath conferred on them through many and manifold temptations and afflictions whereby they are taught to know the sufficiency of his grace and to live a new and spirituall life by faith By saving and defending them against all their enemies ghostly and bodily in limiting their power so that they shall not be able to do unto them the hurt that they intend in giving to his people faith patience and spirituall fortitude to resist and withstand them in moderating their sufferings and in causing all things to work together for their good By bringing all his enemies to confusion in permitting them to go on in unbelief and hardness of heart not to understand not to repent not to believe the Gospell that so their damnation may be just And having administred his kingdom in this manner till the Gospell shall be preached unto all nations till Antichrist shall be revealed the Jews converted and the whole number of his elect compleated 1 Thes 4.16 Then shall the Lord Jesus descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the aire 17. and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Thus endeth the Sacred and most mysterious History of Mans Redemption to the praise and honour of our Lord Jesus Christ Amen FINIS AN Alphabeticall Index setting forth the heads of things chiefly insisted upon The figures direct to the Folio A. ADAM's sin 1. The Ark 19. history of it 22. Altar of Incense 20. brazen Altar 21. Aenon 132. Apostles Ordained why so called the number of them 156. What they were 157. sent forth two and two 166. how laid into the foundation 178. petition for increase of faith 198. Annas sendeth Christ to Caiaphas 239. Acceptable year of the Lord begun 97. Angells Angells tutelary 189.
the vote of the Scribes and said even as they did This fellow doth not cast out Devils but by Beelzebub the prince of Devils Hereupon others of their consorts S. Mat. 12.24 seeing that the Scribes and Pharisees had condemned this signe to be from hell tempted him and sought of him a signe from heaven They would have had him peradventure as St. Hierome also saith to have brought fire from heaven as Elijah did 2 King 1.10 1 Sam. 12.18 or to have caused it suddainly to thunder and rain as the prophet Samuel did But he apologizeth and recriminateth By the apologie he maintaineth his divine power whereby that and all other his divine miracles were effected By the recrimination he convicteth them of that irremissible sin which is against the holy Ghost The Scribes and Pharisees convinced of the irremissible sin in that they saw and knew his divine power in the works which he did and yet blasphemed The apologie is grounded upon two arguments whereof the first is taken from the absurdity of the consequence as if he should say how irrationall is this How doth Sathan cast out Sathan is his kingdom divided or doth he himself seek the ruine of his own kingdom or must it not needs be so if he will cast himself out where he hath once gotten quiet possession This is true of every kingdom S. Mat. 12.25 26 27 28. S. Mar. 3.23 24 25 26. S. Luc. 11.17 18 19 20. and of every house therefore of Sathans kingdom and of Sathans house how then do I by Sathan cast out Devills or by whom doe your children cast them out The second is taken from the manner of ejection which is the necessity of the consequence How can I cast out Sathan against his will were I not stronger then he can any man enter into a strong mans house and spoil his goods if he be not stronger then that strong man first to bind him and then to spoil his goods If I therefore have entred into Sathans house If I have bound him S Mat. 12.29 30. S Mar. 3.27 S Luc. 11.21 22 23. S Mat. 12.31 32. S Mar. 3.28 29 30. The irremissible sin against the holy Ghost if I have cast him quite out of his house and despoyled him of his goods as you may see in this demoniak am I not then stronger then Sathan And if stronger then Sathan who else but God and the son of God The recrimination followeth and is this therefore you Scribes and Pharisees because you have said that I have an unclean spirit and do cast out Devils by the Prince of Devils have sinned against the Holy Ghost to your own damnation The irremissible sin therefore is not blasphemy against the nature or person of the holy Ghost if a man shall deny that there is an holy Ghost or third person as did the Photinians or if he shall deny him to be God or more then a creature as did the Macedonians Quid ergo fiet de his quos lucrari cupit ecclesia saith St. Augustine What shall then become of those whom the Church desireth to acquire De verb. Dom. Ser. 11. cap. 4. The Church desireth to gaine and hath gained such But that irremissible sin is blasphemy against the works of the holy Ghost and is when he that is illuminated shall against his own knowledge and conscience slander and blaspheme the holy Ghost in his works by a malicious obtrectation by a wilfull repudiation and by an envious persecution of those that work them So the Scribes and Pharisees blasphemed the holy Ghost by affirming those works to be done by Beelzebub which they saw and knew to be done by the finger of God and by persecuting Christ for his works sake Saint Matthew and St. Luke proceed in the recrimination and both of them do say S Mat. 12.39 40. S Luc. 11.29 30. The signe of the Prophet Ionah that he denyed them a signe from heaven that is to say such a signe and in such a manner as they desired But yet promised the signe of the Prophet Ionas by the resurrection of his body upon the third day Indeed Jonah was an excellent type of the resurrection of Christ and of his resurrection upon the third day For like as Jonah for three dayes was in the Whales belly and during that time no better then dead but then the fish could hold him no longer for then the Lord spake unto the fish Jon. 2.10 and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land And Jonah is sent a Prophet to preach to Nineveh that they should repent Piscis qui Ionam devoravit in pelago significat mortem quam Christus passus est in mundo saith one of the Fathers The fish which devoured Jonah in the sea signifieth the death which Christ suffered in the world For even so was Christ in the grave as Jonah in the Whales belly till the third day but then the earth could hold him no longer God speaks unto the grave and the grave must surrender his blessed body and he ariseth and preacheth to the Ninevites for he sendeth his Apostles with ample commission Rom. 10.18 And their sound went into all the earth and their words unto the ends of the world In amplifying of which recrimination while he insisteth more sharply he telleth them that the Queene of the south and the Ninevites shall rise up in judgement against them for their unbelief and hardness of heart to their condemnation S Mat. 12.43 44 45. S. Luc. 11.24 25 26. which he affirmeth to be just for as much as the Devill whom he would cast out of the world by the power of his Gospell should in a worse manner than ever enter again into their nation And as he insisted upon these things a certain woman that heard him and was in the company be it Marcella or whosoever it were Blessedness of Christs mother cryed out as in a divine rapture Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the paps which thou hast sucked Indeed the wombe was blessed the paps were blessed the body was blessed the soul was blessed S. Luc. 1.48 yea and all generations shall call her blessed but that blessedness came not to her by bearing of Christ but by believing in Christ S. Luc. 11.28 and therefore he replyeth saying yea rather blessed are they that heare the word of God and keep it So having pronounced his mother blessed blessed in bearing more blessed in believing she together with his brethren arriveth there S. Luc. 8.19 desiring to speak with him and because they could not come at him for the preass they sent unto him calling him as Saint Mark saith The cause of her comming to Christ as he was preaching No doubt but the cause of their comming was good and as they thought at that time necessary peradventure to perswade him to take some pitty upon himselfe considering his long fasting and continuall pains which also
and what buildings are here Which stones as Josephus faith were tvventy and five cubits long eight cubits high and tvvelve cubits broad Isa 28.16 In like manner this spirituall structure is built on Christ vvho is the rock the strong and sure foundation the prophets and Apostles great and mighty stones a second foundation necessary for the spirituall structure upon vvhom the members of the Church as fair stones are built for an habitation of God through the spirit Eph. 2.22 Saint Peter a stone of the spirituall building and how as Saint Paul saith Of this spirituall building vvas Saint Peter a stone by his faith and by his function By his faith he vvas made an elect and pretious stone by his function he vvas made a great and mighty stone a second foundation a necessary foundation stone By his faith he vvas laid into the building by his function he vvas laid into the foundation of the building By his faith he had fellovvship vvith the Saints by his function he had equality and copartnership vvith the Apostles His function what it was His function vvas the office of his Apostleship vvhereby he vvas made a strong foundation stone upon whom other stones in the building are fitly placed Eph. 4.11 For Christ gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists 12. and some Pastours and teachers For the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ The Apostles the Prophets the Evangelists the Pastours and Teachers therefore are necessary stones for the building of the Church that it might be raised But the greatest of all these were the Apostles whose function none could attain unto but those twelve elected first by Christ and after his resurrection Saint Matthias Act. 1.6 Act. 9.15 who succeeded in the place of Judas the traitor And Saint Paul that chosen and elect vessell the Apostle of the gentiles last called These are great foundation stones of the Church which is now in the time of the new testament sure foundations upon Christ the rock or first foundation Of whom they obtained commission to teach all nations S. Mat. 28.19 and to baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost Which commission of theirs they faithfully executed Rom. 10.18 for their sound went out into all the earth and their words unto the ends of the world They had gifts and graces answerable to such a function and by their ministry The Lord added to the Church dayly such as should be saved These great stones upon divers respects are said to lie Acts. 2.47 The Apostles how laid into the foundatâ—on and to be laid in the foundation of the building for the supportation of other stones lesse in graces and lesse in office 1st Because they were called to that office and function not by the ministry of man but immediately by God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of men neither by man as Saint Paul saith of himselfe 2ly Because they first of all had commission to preach Christ crucified unto the gentiles to joyne both Jewes and Gentiles into one people that so the root of Jesse might stand for an Ensigne of the people Isa 11.10 and the Gentiles might seek unto it 3ly Because that other great officers in the Church Bishops Priests and Deacons were ordained by their ministery and consecrated by the hand of their Apostleship Act. 6.6 but they themselves were not so ordained but were chosen immediately by God and received their commission from Christ his owne mouth Lastly they ordained none to succeed in the fullnesse of their office and Apostleship viz. To go unto all nations S. Mar. 16.16 and to preach the Gospell unto every creature which was their immediate commission Apostolicall but they ordained proper Pastours unto particular Churches to whose care they recommended the flock of Christ in those places where they themselves had preached and prevailed reserving the oversight even of the Bishops and priests unto themselves And hence it is that Saint Paul directeth Timothy and Titus how to behave themselves in their function And that Saint Peter taketh upon him to instruct the elders of the Church And that Saint John counselleth reproveth and commendeth the Angells or Bishops of the seven Churches of Asia these things being branches of the Apostolicall dignity It was no small matter therfore that Christ performed unto Simon the son of Jona upon his confession Thou art Peter a stone a great foundation stone the chiefe and principall of all the foundation stones and as such a stone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Saint Basil hath it For the eminency of his faith such a stone as should receive upon himselfe the whole fabrick of the Church But if the house be built upon the sand or in a marish ground the foundation stones will not cannot assure the building from falling or sincking therefore 2ly having told him what he had made him to his Church a stone he proceedes to tell him what he himselfe is to his Church a rock for the supportation of all the foundation stones and of the whole superstructed building Upon this rock I will build my Church The Church built upon Christ the rock This rock which thou hast confessed saith Saint Augustine Upon this rock which thou hast known saying thou art Christ the son of the living God will I build my Church I will build thee upon me not me upon thee For men intending to build upon men said I hold of Paul I of Apollo I of Cephas that is Peter and others who would not be builded upon Peter but upon the rock said I hold of Christ For the rock was Christ upon which foundation Peter himselfe was builded De verb. Dom. ser 13. sith no man can lay another foundation besides that which is laid which is Jesus Christ And in the same sense have Saint Gregory Nyssen Saint Cyril Saint Chrysostome Saint Ambrose Saint Hilarie venerable Bede and many other holy Fathers and learned Divines understood this place for against the Church so built the gates of hell shall not prevail Upon this reason that the gates of cities are most strongly fortified The gates of hell and firmly bar'd and bolted by gates is to be understood as saith the new glosse omne robur omne munimentum every strength and every muniment And by hell omnem vim contrariam Satanicam omnem hostis impetum all contrary and Sathanicall power every incursion of the enemy viz. The devil himselfe and all his angells all the power that they have the wicked world all tyrants and seducers who are the devills instruments For the state of the faithfull and chosen of God in this present life is as it were a warfare whereof the Church is called militant The adversaies and enemies whom we must fight against our Saviour speaketh of them as of a strong kingdome which
mystery that he will have them directed into the house by the pitcher of water Paschae celebrandae locum de signo aquae ostendit sath Tertullian He sheweth the place where he would celebrate the passeover by the sign of water De Bap. cap. 19. For in one house his Church he will have both these great and venerable Sacraments even the Sacrament of water and the Sacrament of his most blessed body and blood The Sacrament of water must bring us in S. Mat. 26.17 18 19. S. Mar. 14.12 13 14 15 16 S. Luc. 22.7 8 9 10 11 12 13. the Sacrament of his body and blood must feed and nourish us when we are there That Sacrament is meat for the houshold none must eat of it but they that are brought into the house by the pitcher of water the holy Sacrament of baptism The Disciples went forth in the morning because the passeover must be killed that day that it might be eaten in the evenning and found as he had said unto them and they made ready the passeover Now when the even was come he cometh with the twelve and when the hour was come the hour of the night wherein they accustomed to eat the passeover he sate down and the twelve together with him I will not dispute concerning the manner of their sitting Theodoret moves the question How is it saith he that the Lord is said to sit downe when as the Jewes did stand when they did eat the passeover The Jewes indeed did eat the passeover standing in great haste having their loyns girt their shooes on their feet and their staves in their hands for so God ordained it to be eaten No question therefore to be made Exod. 12.11 but that Christ and his Disciples did eat it in that manner But after the passeover was eaten it was no where forbidden in the law to feed upon other meats and it is said to be in common use among the Jewes after the passeover was eaten to have the table plentifully furnished with other foods Christ therefore did first eat the passeover with his Disciples standing having his loyns girded his shooes on his feet and his staffe in his hand and he did eat it hastily and having so eaten it he then sate down to feed upon other meats wherewith the table was furnished either then or presently after And from that supper which was then upon the table he arose washed his Disciples feet and preached unto them humility in such manner as is set downe more at large St. Joh. 13. v. 2. to 21. This being done he sate down again to eat and to finish his supper Then was he troubled in spirit as Saint John saith It was for Judas Iscariot as Saint Augustine judgeth whom he did pitty and for whom he was sorry as he was also sorry for Hierusalem and wept over it in Johan tract 60. He foresaw his eternall perdition did inwardly bewaile him He told them that one of them should betray him they are exceeding sorrowfull S. Mat. 26.21 22 23 24 25 S. Mar. 14.18 19 20 21. S. Joh. 13.21 22 23 24 25 26. they demand who it should be and every one for himself saying Lord Is it I He giveth them a sign and curseth the traytor then did he institute the Sacrament of his supper and when Iudas had unworthily eaten of that bread and drank of that cup then was he fit for the devill and then he gave him the sop and after the sop Satan entred into him as St. Iohn saith And as they were eating that is to say the supper Iesus tooke bread and blessed it Christ instituteth the sacrament of his supper So the Evangelists go on setting down the divine institution of that great and mysterious Sacrament which is the Sacrament of his body and blood from the time called the Lords supper because it was instituted at supper time and while they were eating the forementioned supper In the Historicall narration whereof they relate both what he did and what he said That he did three things 1. That he blessed and gave thanks 2ly That he brake the bread and took the cup. 3ly That he did give and distribute unto them the bread which he had broken and the cup which he had taken That he likewise said three things That he gave a commandment That he made a promise That he explicated them both The commandment is two-fold as well concerning the administration of it to those that are to administer it as also concerning the participation of it to those that are to receive it The words of promise are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 definitive or indicative they define or declare the thing they set forth the inward matter or thing signified affirming it either of the bread or of the cup sacramentally Of the bread This is my body which is given and is broken for you Of the cup This is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins The explication of them both is S Mat. 26.27 28 29 30. S. Mar 14.22 23 24.25 S. Luc. 22.19 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in remembrance of me Whereunto is added the attestation Verily I say unto you I will drink no more of the fruit of the Vine untill the day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God Our sacred History doth require that we should insist upon these things particularly He blessed and he gave thanks that is to say he designed prepared He blessed and he gave thanks and consecrated the bread and the wine by prayers and benedictions to become a Sacrament the blessed Sacrament of his body and blood not of their own nature but by divine institution Benè antequam tantum tam magnum sacramentum institueret gratias egit saith Stella well did he give thanks before he would institute such and so great a Sacrament in Luc. cap. 22. For if when he would raise up Lazarus from the dead he gave thanks saying Father I thank thee that thou hast heard me S Joh. 11.41 how much more now ought he to give thanks in that by this wonderfull Sacrament he would raise up from the dead not one man out of his grave to the bodily life for a short time upon earth but innumerable souls from the death of sin to everlasting life we must not descant upon the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that when he took the bread he blessed it and that when he took the cup he gave thanks as if it were one thing to bless and another thing to give thanks As if he did somewhat else or somewhat less or somewhat more when he took the bread than when he took the cup for these two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are in the meaning signification oft times in the scriptures more especially in the divine institution of this Sacrament one the
same thing S. Paul putteth it out of doubt for saith he The Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 11 123 the same night in which he was betrayd took bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And when he had given thanks he brake it Saint Matthew saith 24. S. Mat 26.26 S. Mar. 14.22 S Luc. 22.19 1 Cor. 11.24 that he blessed Saint Paul that he gave thanks Again Saint Mark saith that he blessed Saint Luke that he gave thanks Therefore according to St. Matthew St. Mark S. Luke and S. Paul it was one and the same thing that he did to the bread and to the cup and neither more less or otherwise to either But the question is What blessing or thanksgiving What was the blessing or thanksgiving by which he blessed or gave thanks he then used Some think it to have been some peculiar blessing or thanksgiving extemporarily conceived upon the present occasion and work in hand I rather think it to be his ordinary blessing or thanksgiving if not that very blessing or thansgiving which was in use among the Iewes They say that at every solemn feast the Father or Master of the family sitting down at the table took the cup in his right hand saying these words Blessed be thou O Lord our God the king of the world who createst the fruit of the Vine Then he drank and gave it to the guests Afterwards he took the bread pronouncing these words Blessed be thou O Lord our God which brings bread out of the earth Stella in Luc. 22.19 Then he brake the bread and gave it also to the guests sitting at the table together with him Christ was the feast-feast-maker his Disciples were the guests and that he used no extraordinary form of blessing thereby to bless the bread and the cup I shew by these reasons following 1. The Evangelists speak of it S. Mat. 14.19 and 15.36 as of the common and ordinary blessing which they do call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessing and thanksgiving 2ly If it had been any extraordinary blessing which he had not been accustomed to use all the Evangelists doubtless would not have pretermitted it Saint Matthew and Saint Luke do both of them record that prayer which he left unto his Church St. Matthew as a rule or direction according to which all prayers publick or private must be composed After this manner therefore pray ye Saint Luke S. Mat. 6.9 S. Luc. 11.2 as a prayer to be used publickly in the Church and totidem verbis When we pray say Our father which art in heaven It was twice taught upon divers occasions and to divers ends Saint John setteth down the prayer verbatim which he made unto his father before he passed over the brook Cedron Joh. 17. It is therefore utterly improbable that they would all of them have omitted this benediction or thanksgiving had it been extraordinary and peculiar Lastly he did not dictate unto his Disciples any new Hymne but the hymne which they sung was that which was in use either the great Hallelujah viz. the hundred and thirteenth Psalm Praise ye the Lord. Praise O ye servants of the Lord c. with the five Psalms next following as Paulus Burgensis and with him Theodore Beza do tell us or some other Whatsoever it were it was the common and ordinary hymne accustomed to be sung at that feast S Mat. 26.30 S. Mar. 14.26 which thing is sufficiently intimated by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hymno dicto the hymne being said as the vulgar Latin renders it He sang no extemporary hymne afterwards for the Disciples sang with him in relation to the Sacrament which he had instituted Why then a peculiar extemporary benediction before in relation to that Sacrament which he would ordain He brake the bread and he took the cup that is to say he poured out wine into the cup which he took He brake the bread and he took the cup. or he took into his hand that cup into which the wine was poured out It was not so much that he might divide and distribute the elements of bread and wine unto them as that by breaking the bread and by taking of that cup he might set forth all his sufferings together with his death It is therefore a sacramentall and essentiall ceremony pertaining to the end and form of the sacrament Wherein the faithfull have to behold Christ broken and poured out for us men and for our redemption For like as the bread is broken and the wine poured out even so are we given to understand thereby that he was broken poured out and exposed as it were a prey to the teeth of his enemies those many dogs that came about him those strong bulls of Bashan that compassed him round about those lions among whom his soul was those unicorns upon whose horns he was tossed by whose hornes he was gored He was broken and poured out in his fame being laden with all manner of lies and slanders to wound him in his reputation and to make him odious among the people S. Joh. 10 20. S. Joh. 8.48 S Mat. 11.19 S. Luc. 23.2 that he had a devill and was mad that he was a Samaritan and had a devill or familiar spirit That he was a gluttonous man a wine bibber a friend to publicans and sinners That he perverted the nation forbad to give tribute to Caesar He was broken poured out in his honour while he was exposed to all manner of contempt and scorn For they crowned him with thornes they arrayed him in a purple robe they put a reed in his hand they bowed their knees before him in mockage abusing and dishonouring him in his kingly office They spit in his face they did beat and buffet him with their fists and the reed and with the palmes of their hands bidding him to prophesy who it was that smote stim so abusing contemning and dishonouring him in his priestly and propheticall offices When he was crucified upon the crosse then did they bid him to save himselfe and to come down so also blaspheming him as the saviour He was broken and poured out in his goods and estate for although he came into the world in a voluntary poverty S. Mat. 8.20 and had not where to lay his head For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 8.9 that though he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor that ye through his poverty might be made rich Yet when he was crucified they left him not so much as the cloaths that he did wear they divided all his garments among them and for that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his coat tunica à tuendo corpore which was without seam woven from the top throughout supposed to be made by the hands of his own blessed mother in that it would be to no profit for them if they should divide it they cast lots for it whose it should be