resorting to him as also Philip and Nathanael Galileans We find also Acts 19.3 some Brethren living at Ephesus and Apollo of Alexandria to have received Johns Baptism which argues also a resort to him from forraign parts unless we imagine an authority of Baptizing either commited by him to or at least assumed by some of his more eminent Disciples Hither also came the Publicans and the Soldiers and those that were esteemed the most notorious sinners to hear his Sermons made of Repentance and remission of sin which seemed to concern such persons most These therefore terrified with his words made humble confessions of their former sins to him Mat. 3.6 Mark 1.5 as those other Converts in the Acts did to S. Paul Acts 19.18 promised amendment of their lives were baptized by him in order thereto Lastly asked his advice and directions concerning their Duty in their several Vocations and Employments where the Gentleness and tenderness wherewith he treats the Soldiers and the Publicans yet the instruments of sustaining the Roman Power is very notable not bidding them presently to desert or change their Profession or proposing to them any high perfections as he did to some others but admonishing them according to their present capacity of avoiding those faults to which their employments more tempted them the Soldier to do no violence to any nor falsly accuse them to make way for plunder but to be content with that gain their wages afforded them and the Publicans that they should not enhance the Taxes upon the People nor require more than was appointed them instructing them first in acts of Justice and doing no wrong to their Neighbour whilst he exhorted others to acts also of charity § 133 And lastly hither also came the learned and highly-esteemed Scribes and Pharisees Many of them as appears by what our Lord saith Luk. 7 30. though perhaps not all moved with curiosity to see and observe the strangely habited person and not with compunction for their sins as others or the believing what he was or said no more than they did afterward our Lord himself to verify our Lords speech Pauperes evangelizantur These bearing a show of sanctity and accordingly reverenced among the people so soon as the Baptist beheld seeing and knowing all their interiour by the Holy Spirit he entertained not them with the same mansuetude and indulgence as the poor Publicans and Soldiers as the one appearing to him interiorly clothed with humility and Contrition the other with Pride and Hypocrisy but presently fell into a sharp reprehension of them before all the people knowing this the proper way if any for their cure calling them a generation of Serpents which was also our Lords language afterwards denouncing to them the Novissima the great wrath to come and such fruitless Trees and chaff their being cast into an unquenchable fire unless a speedy repentance for their sins and reformation of their manners prevented it And seeing them from the approaching Messiah he foretold expecting much contrary to what he said at his coming as heirs of the promises made to their Father Abraham all Glory and prosperity and Dominion over the Gentiles he fore-signified to them by using a similitude from the Rocks and Stones that lay about him that God upon their incredulity and impenitency abandoning them could raise unto Abraham another seed i. e. out of the yet stony-hearted and unbelieving Gentiles As indeed not long after he did § 134 The Baptist thus had for some time executed his Office and made a preparatory commencement of the Gospel according as our Lord saith Mat. 11.13 that the Law and the Prophets were till John but that from his daies the Kingdom of Heaven or of the Gospel suffered violence i. e. whilst whole multitudes and crowds of people Soldiers Publicans Sinners came flocking in to it Though indeed the Apostles of our Lord consummating the preaching of this Evangelium with the Holy Ghost descending on the people baptized with it by them and doing of all sorts of Miracles in confirmation of what they divulged far transcended the beginnings of the Baptist and so the least of them in this respect was greater than he as our Lord saith Matt. 11.11 John then was a prodromus preaching so as our Lord afterward the Kingdom of Heaven at hand and judgment and wrath to come on the impenitent and unbelieving Confession repentance and so remission of sin not by Johns Baptism this being only with water and to be consummated in the other but by the Baptism of him that was to come after him who should baptize them with the Holy Ghost Jo. 1. and who was the Lamb of God that should take away the sins of the world and in whom they were to believe Act. 19.4 § 135 Whereby it appears that there was an obligation also remaining on all who possibly could procure it after Johns Baptism of receiving Christs which effected a perfect regeneration by conferring the Holy Ghost and that whatever assistance also of the Holy Ghost may be supposed in those predispositions to this perfect regeneration effected by the same Spirit as in Confession of sins repentance and bringing forth the fruits thereof and believing on the Messias Act. 19.4 which things were caused in the people by Johns preaching this also we have from the power and virtue only of him that was to come after him And that those true penitents who died under Johns baptism only and without our Lords became partakers of the Holy Spirit and of salvation in the same manner as all the righteous deceased under the Law i. e. through the merits of Christ in their using the typical Ceremonies relating thereto whatever they were according to the divine appointment § 136 John therefore told them that our Lord who came after not he should baptize them with this Holy Ghost and St. Luke adds baptize them also with fire Where fire may be taken in a double sense either for the fire of the Holy Spirit elegantly opposed by John to his water or as some rather understand it the fire of the Divine wrath For S. John's Spirit had some of that of Elias and the context seemeth to favour this sense for there it follows Luk. 3.17 whose fan is in his hand and the chaff he will burn with fire the one or the other baptism shew that of the Holy Ghost or of fire was to be received by every one Thus after John had began first the preaching of the Gospel and using the new Ceremony thereof Baptism but deferred all the power and virtue thereof to Christ that was then at hand And great multitudes from all parts were now gathered unto him and a very great number as appears by the expression Luk. 3.21 at least of the common sort were baptized by him and were in great expectation what would be the end of these things since he plainly and often told them that himself was not this Christ nor shewed he any miracle at
her water-pot behind her ran presently into the City which also was the intent of our Lords talking with her Viz. to communicate the Gospel also to these first fruits of the Samaritans who were half Israelites and Midlings between the Jews and Gentiles And told them that surely the Messias was come and was in the field or at least some great Prophet that had told her all things that ever she had done upon which the men of the City also hasted and came forth unto him § 202 Mean while his Disciples were returned from the Town with provision for dinner and as they came near perceiving his familiar discoursing with the Samaritan woman wondred not a little at it from the strangeness they knew was between the Jew and Samaritan and perhaps from the little converse our Lord had formerly used with wemen especially so alone and commonly his discourse only of the kingdom of God and spiritual matters which to a Samaritan seemed impertinent and such a one little capable thereof But standing in great reverence durst not ask him concerning it but when she was now gone away invited him to take his dinner To which well knowing this their wonder and so intimating to them what he had bin doing he told them transferring the discourse to higher matters as he did that with the woman concerning her water that he had meat to eat that they knew not of that it was his meat to do the will of him that sent him and in all places to finish his work toward those to whom he was sent Signifying to them that he was also among others to intend the conversion and salvation of these poor and despised Samaritans and of that foolish people in Sychem as they are called Ecclesias 50.26 that whereas they reckoned yet fower months unto harvest there appeared a great harvest every where to be gotten in as it were prenoting to them the conflux that would be made to him presently out of this City that the feilds were white already and the world prepared for the reapers the same Metaphor he used again afterwards when in Galilee great multitudes flocked unto him Mat. 9.37 sorry the labourers in this harvest were so few He proceeded also to tell them that they were chosen to be the reapers thereof and to enter upon the former labours and tillage of the Prophets and to gather much fruit to be stored up in life eternal where also both the former sowers and they the latter reapers should at last receive their full wages and rejoyce together in those Heavenly Treasuries § 203 By this time the woman was returned out of the City and a multitude of people with herto see our Lord the Prophet she told them of and to hear his further discourses concerning their Religion To whom our Lord in great compassion having preached as he did formerly in Judea the Gospel and Kingdom of heaven and remission of sins through belief in him the Saviour of the world with such his speeches he so opened their hearts for these were a part of these fields he spoke of that were already white unto harvest that the men overjoyed gratefully cold the woman that they had now received much more satisfaction from our Lord himself than from her relation concerning him and so much importuned him for a longer stay with them where having spent two daies more for their confirmation in the faith he thought fit to depart lest by such his longer conversation with them some scandal might be given to the Jews Among whom also as being the former Church of God the Gospel was in the first place to be published and therefore in sending his Disciples abroad he commanded them not to enter into any Towns of the Samaritans though himself was pleased in passing as it were to reap this first fruits thereof As also elsewhere he healed and converted to believe in him some other Gentiles and not Israelites Mat. 15.26 8.10 whom he saw extraordinarily prepared thereto And it is very observable for a further conviction of the ingrateful obstinacy of the Jews that this poor despised people were the first of his Auditors we read of that after his first called Disciples without also any Miracles of his shewed among them made such a noble confession of him saying We know that this is indeed the Christ and the Saviour of the world Which conversion of the Samaritans our Lord perfected some three or four years after as our Lord was now ascended into heaven by sending his Apostles thither before their spreading further to the Gentiles See Act. 8.5 6. At which time also we find the same credulity and alacrity in this people as is here And the people saith the Text with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake as commonly those more grosly erring are sooner convinced thereof and reduced to truth § 204 After two daies stay in this place Our Lord went on his journey for Galilee and returned to Cana where he had formerly done the Miracle of changing the water into Wine the Fame of which as also the Galileans in their going to the Paschal feast there having seen the great miracles he had also done at that time in Jerusalem made this people to entertain and welcome him with very great applause and concourse and much better prepared for receiving his Heavenly doctrine and counsels the chief business for which he descended from heaven And by the Divine providence so ordering it that our Lord also might be the more welcome and secure among the Capernaites in particular where he designed his chief Residence it then so happened that the Son of a Noble man and Royal Officer in Capernaum fell sick and his life at last utterly despaired of Whereupon his Father hearing of our Lords miracles and of his return into those quarters hasted to Cana and there humbly besought him that he would vouchsafe to come down speedily to Capernaum and heal his Son who lay at the point of Death which also afforded our Lord an occasion of declining Nazareth where he knew his former mean education would render the function of his office less beneficial and the miracle might make also his return to Capernaum much more acceptable and desired § 205 Our Lord making some delay and reprehending his Auditors that without miracles they were so slow to believe the Noble-man again importuned him to make some hast before his Son was dead Whereupon he presently dismissed him with this answer that his Son lived signifying to him that he would heal him as well without going to him Which thing as he believed so he found most true when taking leave of our Lord and departing presently upon it meeting his Servants the next day he perceived from them his Son 's perfect recovery punctually at the time our Lord spoke these words and so he and his whole family were converted to the faith of the Gospel some imagining him to have bin Cusa an Officer of Herod's
their Disciples see Mat. 23.5 and intended only the advancement of their own honour with men which they saw our Lords eclypsed They sought to justifie themselves before men saith S. Luke 16.15 and they did their works that they might have glory of men Mat. 6.2 and they loved the praise of men saith S. John more than the praise of God Jo. 12.42 and this ruined their faith founded on humility and obedience sancta stultitia ut sapiens fiat 1 Cor 3.18 that therefore whilst now they thus rejected him who coming in great humility spake all things unto them in the name of God his Father and no way magnifyed himself nor sought as they his own Glory Jo. 7.18 8.50 by Gods just judgment upon them they should hereafter be given up to follow others who came to them in their own name many seducers and false Prophets neither by true miracles or other testimony shewing their Commission from God as he did Which things were eminently fulfilled by this nation prone to follow those who pretended themselves Prophets not long after our Lords ascent into heaven by many Heads of their factions provoking the Roman Armies and the destruction of the Nation following upon it § 247 Our Lords Sermon being ended occasioned by the Jews accusing him first for a breach of the Sabbath in his curing the Paralytick and then again of Blasphemy in the defence he made for himself In which discourse of his they and said only truth in it said he made himself equal with God A new Controversy concerning the Sabbath happened again not long after on this manner On the first Sabbath succeeding the Paschal feast as S. Lukes word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is commonly understood in reckoning in the seven Sabbaths till Pentecost from the second day of the Paschal-feast On this or some other so called Our Lord with his disciples perhaps in his removal now towards Galilee after the feast ended or as some think in his going from Mount Olivet through the vale to Jerusalem passed through some corn-fields probably in going to some Synagogue there to instruct the people as was his ordinary practice on the Sabbath and as may be conjectured from the multitude of people that followed him and among them some Pharisees who quitted him not watching most narrowly all his waies words and actions for materials of accusation against him Now some shorter journeys on the Sabbath were not disallowed because of repairing to the publick places of Gods service when at some distance from mens habitations In this field the Disciples or some of them at least being much an hungred began as they passed to pluck the eares of corn and so rubbing them in their hands to eat it a thing indulged by the law to any travellers through their Neighbours corn Deut. 23.25 and a thing commonly done had it not bin on the Sabbath and so this labour done in it Viz. of rubbing the eares in their hands For it seems on other Festival daies besides the seventh day of the week which festivals were also called Sabbaths See Lev. 23.11 15.24 32. though in these also they were prohibited the doing of any servile work yet they might then do any thing relating to preparing their diet see Exod. 12.16 But on the seventh day they were prohibited any work whatever See Levit. 23.7 comp 3. even in order also to their daily food as to making any fire for dressing it c. Exod. 35.3 Though this again could not be so strictly understood as that no motion might be used on that day in order to our diet as the carrying or setting it on a Table the cutting of it into pieces or putting it in their mouths And the Disciples food here seems to be a provision ready-dressed there only remaining their picking it out of the ear to put it in their Mouths The Pharisees streight observing this their rubbing of the eares instead of any Compassion toward the poor disciples who endured much hardship both as to diet and lodging in this ambulatory life of the Lord they waited on fell on quarrelling again at their breach herein of the Sabbath and hereof made their complaint to our Lord. To whom he answered but out of the Scriptures several things all intimating that these zelots were too strict and scrupulous in this matter He represented to them then that David in a kind of necessity was excused in eating of the Proposition Bread and prohibited to any save the Priests That the Priests in the Temple on the Sabbath-daies for the necessary performance of their office profaned the Sabbath Viz. in the work of repairing the fire on the Altar killing and preparing the Sacrifices c. and were blameless herein whence the Jewish proverb that In Templo non est Sabbathum which Temple if it excused them that there was here one greater than the Temple the attendance on whom and the wanting of other necessary provision might excuse the Disciples in this fact That himself was Lord and Author also of the Sabbath as also of the whole law and a Judg of the true observance or breach thereof our Lord taking occasion every where to let them know who he was that so they might believe in and have salvation by him And that the Sabbath being made for the benefit of man the rest thereof was not extended to deprive him of any necessaries And besides these he pressed them again with that place in Hosee I will have mercy and not Sacrifice Herein upbraiding their hypocritical pretences of sacrifice religious ceremonies and the worship of God to discountenance works of mercy and charity which on this day as to others so much more may be performed to our selves and this in particular of repairing our bodies therein with necessary sustenance that therefore if they had well known what that saying meant they would not have condemned the guiltless Thus our Lord where his urging misericordiam volo non sacrificium and Davids and the Priests fact in a case of necessity argues his disciples though t is probable in a morning as his own hungring was Mat. 21.18 much pinched with hunger and that in this ambulatory and Pilgrim life they made many poor meals and missed many and so their Master too And that the same happened to them for lodging And therefore he forewarned the Scribe that would attend on him Mat. 8.19 what he must expect § 248 To this Quarrel concerning the Sabbath the Evangelist adds another happening on another Sabbath perhaps the next Our Lord now returned into Galilee and probably to Capernaum went as usually into their Synague and taught Now there stood before him a man that had his right hand withered And the Pharisees observing it and nothing bettered by our Lords late answer to them watched him whether he would heal him on the Sabbath that they might have saith the Text still more accusation against him Our Lord perceiving their wicked thoughts having first called forth the
with our persons Heb. 10.19 § 109 Together with this stream of blood gushed out also another very Miraculous stream of water distinct from it for otherwise by reason of the strong tincture of blood this water could not have bin discerned if mingled with it A Type of which was Moses his smiting the rock and the water gushing out whereof the Apostle also speaking saith the rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10.4 And these two the water and blood lively represented the two Sacraments left by our Lord to the Church for the cleansing of sin and commemoration of his death the Sacrament of Baptism and of the Eucharist And thus as out of Adams side when lying a sleep was formed his Wife Eve so by the water and blood issuing out of Christs lying in the sleep of his death was formed in these two Sacraments his Spouse the Church regenerated in the one by Christs Spirit and nourished in the other with his grace redeemed by the shedding of blood and cleansed by the water § 110 St. John a spectator all this while and diligent observer of all that passed takes great notice of this with these words concerning it And he that saw it bare record and knoweth that he saith true that we might believe By which he saith the Prophecies were fulfilled that the Executioners should pierce his Sacred body but not break a bone and saith that this water and blood in the two Sacraments and the plentiful effusion that was not long after accomplish'd at Pentecost of the Holy Ghost and which also continues to the end of the world begetting and nourishing children to God joined with them are the three Witnesses that here on Earth give testimony continually of this redemption which the same Evangelist that saw this prosecutes also thus in one of his Epistles 1 Jo. 5.6 8. This is he that came by water and blood Jesus Christ not in watâ—r only but in water and blood and in these it is the Spirit that testifyeth that Christ is the Truth For there be three that give testimony in Earth the Spirit Water and Blood Thus S. John Meanwhile abstracting from this contemplation we may imagine what a ruful Spectacle this was to our Blessed Lady and the women with her in beholding such barbarous cruelty used to her Son even after his death and his most precious blood so spilt on the ground § 111 Whilst these things passed Joseph of Arimathea a noble Senator and one of the great Council of the Sanedrim a good man and a just saith S. Luke chap. 23.50 of him one who had not consented to their Counsel and doings but expected the Kingdom of God formerly a Disciple also of our Lord but secretly as also was another great man Nicodemus for fear of the Jews their estates and their Esteem lest either should be lost making them more timorous this Nobleman residing constantly in Jerusalem and rich had in a garden of his close by the place of our Lord's execution newly caused to be hewed out of the soft rock of the hill a Monument or Sepulcher for himself but ordained by the divine predesignment for the interring of our Lord's body near hand so that all things might the better serve for the evidence of his ensuing Resurrection He therefore though so timorous before and who had now also a special reason of not touching or coming near a dead corps because of eating the Paschal Lamb at even prohibited to any unclean as those were to be for seven daies that touched a dead body Numb 19.14 yet probably much animated both by our Lords patient and innocent sufferings and besides his former Doctrine and Miracles the many signs he saw now from Heaven and Earth of the transcendent dignity of his person and that he was what he believed him to be having heard also of the order of the persons executed their being presently taken down or perhaps being one of them also that procured it boldly saith the Text went in to Pilat to beg our Lord's Body of him though well foreseeing he must incur a great hatred from the cheif of the Jews his acquaintance herein Pilat after he had called the Centurion and certainly informed himself of his being already dead and no design herein of saving his life freely gratified him with it and commanded it should be delivered him not prohibiting him a decent Burial whom he had alwaies esteemed an innocent person That Joseph might not undergo this sad office alone without a companion and for the greater honour of our Lords funeral the time of whose humiliation was now expired with his death Nicodemus another great person one that had formerly by night conversed with our Lord and also in the Council spoken in his defence John 7.51 and probably more familiarly acquainted with Joseph by reason of their condiscipleship joined with him in this service mutually encouraging one another against the Priests and Elders of the Jews who must needs be much displeased with this fact as upbraiding them with the Murther if not of the Messias or a Prophet yet of a just person Joseph therefore suddenly prepared fine linnen for a Syndon and Nicodemus a great quantity of Spices about an hundred pound weight saith the Text and so coming to Calvary by the Governours authority took down the naked body from the Cross and removing it into Joseph's Garden close by probably there performed to it all the usual Ceremonies before burial washing his stripes and wounds and cleaning it from all those indignities the malitious Jews and Soldiers had done to it anointing it with sweet Oyles and wrapping it in the linnen filled with the spices and sweet odours and binding a Napkin about his head used for hindring the falling of the Jaws all to make good that in the Prophet Esay 11.10 Et erit Sepulchrum ejus gloriosum In which office we may imagine these great persons were assisted as with their Servants so with the help of the blessed Mother of our Lord and S. John more punctually relating this story than the rest who we may not think left our Lord after expired but waited still in the same place to observe how God would dispose of his Sacred Body and no doubt were much comforted in seeing that authority committed into the hands of those honourable persons our Lords Devotes and formerly known to them as such § 112 The Body thus decently and sumptuously accommodated was presently carried by this small train of Mourners and laid in the new hewn Sepulcher near at hand a place as convenient for the future events of our Lords Resurrection so a Monument durable and not subject to ruin as other the noblest Sepulchers ordinarily are For what more permanent than a Cave made in a Rock but such as also the place wherein he first lay when he came into the world the Manger that might continue to all posterity and such as remains to this day and is continually visited by a great confluence of devout
ship hazarded sinking by them no tempest rising as formerly in St. Peters passing thro the Sea to our Lord All things now made ready before hand here by our Lord for the Apostles Entertainment and they here feasted by him and eating of the fruit of their labours c The first of these therefore seeming more generally to represent in the present Sea of this world the gathering of Nations by the Net of the Preachers of the Gospel into the external profession of the Christian Faith where some also break these Nets and are lost and by their factions also hazard the Church the Ship that carries them c. But the latter seeming to represent at the end of the world when our Lord is on the shore the collection of the Elect the children of the right hand whereof there is a certain number none lost out of the Net all great and considerable the number of which also exprest viz. 153. which number as St. Austin observes is the summ of a computation of all the numbers from 1. to 17 and as S. Gregory the product of 17. multiplied by 9. or 3 times 3. contains in it some mystical signification which whether relating to the several Nations or to the most eminent Saints converted by them or to some other thing remains to be manifested hereafter where it is observed that the number of people of the Nations that were found in Israel in Salomons daies and by him made Labourers in the building of the Temple came to 153. thousand see 2 Chron. 2.17 not reckoning the Fraction Lastly after all follows our Lords entertaining these his Servants with eternal Joyes and Festivals prepared by him for them See such a fishing alluded to by our Lord Mat. 13.47 in his comparing the Kingdom of Heaven to a Net which at last is drawn to shore and the good gathered into Vessels but the bad cast away And see such an Entertainment mentioned Mat. 12.37 The Lord of the Feast ministring to his Guests Mat. 26.29 8.11 Apoc. 19.9 Assoon as landed they all saw clearly it was our Lord but in great reverence and fear perhaps his appearance being also more full of Majesty than formerly durst not ask him any curious questions who he was where he abode from whence he came thither concerning his stay with them his kingdom c. There also they saw a fire already kindled on the shore and fish of our Lords own providing laid thereon and bread all things miraculously prepared for their entertainment without any necessity of their provision or assistance and that our Lord could feast them from his own store and called to them from the shore to supply their wants not his But also he bad them to bring some of the fish they had taken that they might partake of their own labours and he also receive an Entertainment from them so after his usual Benediction he took the bread and fish and divided and distributed these unto them sitting with him in very great reverence and silence And of this taking their repast with him or that on the night after his Resurrection it seems to be that St. Peter speaks to Cornelius and his company Act. 10.41 That they did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead § 137 After Dinner and our Lord 's thus by a Miracle feeding of them as it was his usual manner to transfer the Discourse to spiritual matters see Jo. 4.10 6.27 7.37 8.34 38. 9.5 he began to speak of their feeding his sheep as also after their former great and miraculous draught of fishes Luk. 5 he discourseth of their catching of men and here he addressed his speech also particularly to Simon Peter as he did after the other miraculous draught Luk. 5.10 Simon fear not from henceforth thou shalt catch men and frequently elsewhere see Luk. 22.31 32. Mat. 26.40 Simon Peter being both the cheif of them and also one who now had shewed an extraordinary love and devotion to him when being as yet hardly discovered by him he threw himself into the Sea not minding his fish for hast to come to him Him then he kindly bespake on this manner Simon Bar-Jona lovest thou me more than these As thou hast often Mark. 14.30 31 Luk. 22.33 and now particularly by this last action of thine made great profession of it To whom the Apostle modestly answered passing by any companion with others That our Lord well knew he loved him If thou dost saith he now I the chief Pastor am quitting this world and leaving them to others feed my Lambs these little ones who as yet are but Neophytes in and newly acquainted with the Christian Faith our Lord shewing herein the bowels of his affection not only to the twelve but also those others formerly instructed by him And Qui redempti sunt pretio magno 1 Cor. 6.20 Now to St. Peter our Lord commits here more particularly the feeding of them because he was ordained by God his Father to be the chief and prime Pastor of them under Christ And therefore elsewhere at the first sight of him no doubt from the divine ordination he gave him the name of Cephas Stone or Foundation Jo. 1.42 though Andrew the first called and some say the Elder Brother And again upon the Catholick Confession he made by God the Fathers revealing it to him Mat. 16 17. of our Lords Divine person he further expounded the reason of this name that upon this Cephas he would build his Church And again at his Passion Satan being permitted by God to tempt our Lords Disciples he made some particular intercession for the not failing of S. Peters Faith in such temptation For though Satan laying his closest siege to this cheif Apostle he failed in his confession of our Lord out of fear which was a great fault yet not in his heart out of any infidelity and his conversion from this fault immediatly followed with bitter weeping And as here he enjoines him the feeding of his sheep so there also he recommends to him the confirmation of this faith in the other his Fellow-shepheards of these sheep Tu conversus confirma fratres And to this special Commission here given to Peter over our Lords Flock S. Paul seems to relate Gal. 2.7 where he saith that the Apostles saw the Gospel of the Circumcision committed to Peter which we see it was in this place our Lord then having no sheep or flock when he said this to Peter save the Circumcision in which respect also our Lord himself is stiled by the Apostle signifying his first employments Mat. 25.24 the Minister of the Circumcision Rom. 15.9 and God also more eminently wrought by St. Peter than by the rest the great signs and wonders in converting of the Circumcision as appears in the Acts as he did by S. Paul more than by any other for the conversion of Gentiles Tho for the Gentiles also the honour of the first conversion of them was given to S. Peter
and words comp Mat. 3.2 with 4.17 declaring unto them a Kingdom in Heaven which the Lord that followed him would confer on the worthy and the everlasting torments of Hell-fire which he would inflict on the rebellious telling them of a kingdom of God to be erected not abroad but within them and of the Holy Spirit which this King would baptize them with upon their repentance preached by Him freeing them from the thraldom not of the Romans but of sin nor from their servitude under Herod or Tiberius but under the great Prince of all this lower world Satan their spiritual and only dangerous enemy whose captives and children and not Abrahams they unknowingly were till by this Prince delivered This was the great deliverance to come by Jesus which both Holy Zachary spake of in his Benedictus Luk. ◠77 To give knowledg of Salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins and the Angel in his message to Joseph telling him why he should be called Jesus or Savior Matt. 1.21 because he should save his people from their sins Such punishments and rewards liberty and royalty as the Baptist preached being the only that were here worth the speaking of or looking after Thus was the Baptist appointed to be the beginner of the Gospel and the first open promulgator of this new Spiritual Kingdom The Prophets saith our Savior Mat. 11.12 13. prophecied until John 1. of such a thing to come but from the daies of John the kingdom of heaven began to suffer violence people by troopes now pressing into it and every one striving to gain for himself a share thereof whilst they crowded in such multitudes to Johns Mat. 3.5 and our Saviors baptisms Joh. 3 26. Only John began the publishing of this Gospel afar off as it were not coming into the Temple or the cheif Cities to preach it but staying a loof off in the Wilderness and near Jordan leaving these honors to the Lord who followed Him by whom the Gospel was brought still nearer till it visited at last every small Town and Village § 6 And as John preceded our Savior in his new and Spiritual doctrine so he resembled him much what in his Heroical vertues Both in his magnanimity and courage and in his mansuetude and clemency and in his humility and self-denial which was never in any man so great as in our Savior 1 Using the same boldness toward Herod Luk. 3.19 20 as our Savior afterwards did Luk. 13.32 reproving him for all the evil he had done saith the Evangelist Luke 3.19 and particularly concerning his Wife not fearing the implacable wrath of a woman and a Queen tho this cost him his life Again treating the Scribes the Pharisees and Sadduces whose manners he knew by the Spirit and Revelation not having learnt them by experience at the first sight roughly and severely as their incorrigible Hypocrisy and malice deserv'd reproving them in the very same terms as our Savior comp Mat. 3.7 with 23.33 and calling them Generation of Vipers or Serpents they being the brood of the old Serpent the Devil in the resemblance of their manners see Jo. 8.44 in opposition to their boasting of their being Abrahams seed to whom they were nothing like in their lives 2 Meanwhile toward the soldiers the publicans and others notorious but relenting sinners using the same mansuetude as Christ teaching them their duty for the future without upbraiding their former faults This great Saint not bred in the Court or in ceremonial Society but in retiredness and solitude neither reverencing the secular porte and state of the Pharisee nor despising the meanness and low esteem of the Publican Only in general the Baptist seems to personate a greater austerity then our Lord both in his conversation and his preaching pressing mainly the discipline of repentance and threatning much the wrath to come hell-fire and damnation to the disobedient having something more herein of the Spirit of his type Elias whereas our Saviors language was more benign and indulgent publishing remission of sin and promising a Kingdom to the obedient and also telling his Disciples that the Spirit of Elias did not so well befit them Yet were both our Saviors and Johns dispensations suitable to their seasons the one answering to the beginning of an holy life the other to the end and consummation thereof the one laying the foundation with threats and terrors the other building it up with consolations and mercies the Lord doing the rough part by his servant the gentle and mild by himself 3 Again much resembling our Savior also in his great humility accompanied with such eminency of Sanctity He that was so far above the Prophets yet when the Jews sent to him and asked him whether he was Elias or whether he was a Prophet which is to be understood here as in Mat. 16.14 the Jews then holding a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He answered No without telling them that he was that typified Elias which was for to come or that he was more then a Prophet and expressed himself meanwhile by the most diminutive term that could be thought on that he was only Vox clamantis c. before a greater Person that was then coming after him He stood exceedingly upon his guard of lowliness and disparaged himself upon all occasions as the Jews and his Disciples magnifyed him Being conjectured by them for the Messias he nourished not the mistake for his own honor but saith the Evangelist Jo. 1.20 he confessed and denied not i. e. to speak this truth against his own reputation but confessed that he was not He. And Jo. 3.28 he takes solemn witness of such his confession In comparing himself with him he useth an expression to debase himself beneath the lowest of his servants that he was not worthy stooping to untie the latchet of his shoe Mar. 1.7 and Jo. 3.31 he saith that he being earthly did but loqui de terra speak of the Earth i. e. low and mean rudiments for which S. John useth this phrase see Jo. 3. v. 12. in comparison of Jesus who coming from Heaven above spoke of the greater misteries which he had there heard and seen He every where gave place to our Savior left Bethabara in Judea the more publick place of concourse for our Saviors disciples some of whom had formerly bin his to baptize in and retired himself North-ward toward Galilee to Enon near to Salim Jo. 3.23 He transmitted his Disciples to him Jo. 1.35 and resign'd his former Auditors and the multitudes to his conduct and when the people so soon as they saw his great Miracles and heard his divine words now admired and flockt after Jesus much more then they did after John He rejoiced to hear it with an humble acknowledgment Oportet illum crescere me minui and when his ambitious disciples made a complaint to him of it he answered them that he was but a waiter on this Bridegroome of the Church and his joy was
miraculously fed the Multitudes Mat. 15.29 and which was more convenient for the assembling of his Converts of which see what is said before § 251. P. 1. And such a place our Lord seems to have chosen for the greater Eminency Solitude and Privacy thereof free from Buildings High-waies or Passengers he purposing no general manifestation of himself to the Jews or to the World but only to some chosen Witnesses that some contradiction might add the more virtue to the Christian Faith Here then were assembled with many others the eleven Apostles with the Mother of our Lord and doubtless the other Galilean women who carried the first message both from the Angel and afterwards from our Lord himself to the Apostles of his meeting them in this place To whom our Lord first shewed himself at some distance from them upon which they presently fell down and adored him Mat. 28.17 but some of them saith the Evangelist unless he intimates here the doubt not that was then but had bin formerly viz. not of the Eleven but of the company had some doubt whether it was he i. e. at the first yet which by his nearer approach and discourse with them was presently after removed Our Lord then approaching told them that the time of his Exinanition being now finished all Power the exercise of which was suspended before see Mat. 11.27 Jo. 3.35 was given to him by his Father in Heaven and in Earth and upon this he renewed his charge unto his Apostles that they should go forth in his name and by his authority and proclaim him Lord of all and deliver his Laws and Commandements taught to them not only to the Jews but all other Nations that they should baptize Believers in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost declaring to them that such as believed and were baptized should be saved but the unbelieving damned then further promising them That he though corporally departing yet in his Grace and Holy Spirit would remain with and assist them and their Successors to the end of the world that he also gave them Authority over all the Power of the Enemy of mankind and in his name to do all sorts of wonderful works repeating here again what he had formerly said to them in his first Apparition at Jerusalem which see before Sect. 127. P. 11. Lastly commanding them to bid an Adieu to their country and return to Jerusalem in which place they were first to begin their work Where they should also after a few daies re-enjoy his presence and take their last leave of him his so often-foretold Ascension into Heaven to his Celestial Father being now at hand and necessary as for his own Glory so for the further promoting with him the business of their's and the world's salvation § 141 After this publick manifestation of our Lords Resurrection made not only to the Apostles but to the general Body of his former Converts and Believers most dwelling in Galilee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.7 afterward our Lord appeared singly to St. James i. e. our Lord's Brother shortly after made Bishop of Jerusalem perhaps out of a singular honour to him or also for negotiating something with him relating to his office whose constant residence was to be at Jerusalem and who was a Person of special Eminency among the Apostles as appears Gal. 1.19 2.9 and Acts 15.13 19. But the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Apostle perhaps may not signify afterward in that Text as denoting a Posteriority of time to the appearance in Galilee But only besides as it is used by him 1 Cor. 12.28 and the apparition to James be rather in some part of the day of his Resurrection see St. Jerome de viris Illust in Jacobo between whom as being a Domestick in the same family and our Lord passed a more intimate familiarity and from his appearance to James we may also much more presume of his frequent particular apparitions to the Blessed Virgin his Mother though none mentioned § 142 Forty daies was the time predesigned of our Lord's stay upon Earth for the manifestation of his Resurrection and for the preparing of his Apostles for their future employment of propagating the Gospel and advancing the Kingdom of Christ in mens hearts over all the world A number frequently observed in Scripture for the accomplishing of any great work made up of six the number of the daies God spent in creating the world seven times multiplied as the number of 7. is a number of perfection and rest after the finishing such a work answering to the 7th day the Sabbath only in 42. the last two are usually cut off to make it a round number So Gen. 7.4 in the flood the rain descended for forty daies and after the abating of it Noah stayed forty daies and opened the window of the Ark Gen. 8.6 For thrice forty years God had patience with the old world before he destroyed it with the flood Ten times forty years the children of Israel were to sojourn in Egypt Forty two Generations were to pass between the coming of the Messias and the promise made to Abraham thereof of which forty two generations two sevens were to run out before the Kingdom of David and two sevens again in this Kingdom before the captivity and two sevens till the coming of Christ See Mat. 1.17 Acts 7.23 Moses when forty years old visited his Brethren and would have undertaken their protection and ibid. vers 30. after forty years more was sent by God to them for this purpose Again forty daies he stayed in the Mount for receiving the Law and for this time was continued his fast as also that of Elias and of our Lord. During forty daies were the persons deputed to view the land of Canaan Numb 13.25 and during forty years were the children of Israel appointed to do penance and bear their Iniquity for the Evil account given of it and murmuring concerning it Numb 14.33 34. Forty daies were allowed to the Ninevites for a time of Repentance before their City was to be destroyed Forty daies after the womans bearing of a Male child and twice forty daies after a Female were to be accomplished before their coming into or presenting their Son in the Sanctuary In the Judges we find whether rest or troubles given to the land of Israel ordinarily for the space of forty years The Prophet Ezekiel Ezek. 4.5 6. is appointed to do penance by lying on his side for forty daies for so many years of God's patient suffering the iniquities of Judah and for so many years again God forbare the wickedness of the Jewish Nation after their crucifying our Lord and persecuting Christianity until the destruction of Jerusalem And forty two Months i. e seven sixes of Months is the time prescribed for the duration of Antichrist and the last great affliction of Gods Church This to shew that all Gods works are pondered before hand and contrived in