to the humane nature of Christ from the Godhead or Divine person of the Sonne rather all indignities and harmes which were done unto the man CHRIST JESUS by Satan and his instruments did redound unto the Sonne of God The humane nature was the onely subject of the wound and paine The Sonne of God was the onely subject if wee may so speake of the wrong the onely party or person wronged by Satan and his instruments but no way wronged by the Father much lesse by himselfe as having free power to put that part of our nature which he assumed unto what service soever his Father would require Concerning this last qualification of the Sonne of God I have nothing more to say in this Treatise save onely how it was foretold or foreshadowed The predictions that the Sonne of God or the Messias should become a servant are frequent in the old Testament and will here and there interpose themselves in some ensuing discussions of his undertakings for dissolving the works of Satan The next inquirie is how it was foreshadowed or typically foretold CHAP. IX Gods servant Job the most illustrious Type of the Sonne of God as hee was invested with the forme of a servant 1 THe forme of a servant which the Sonne of God did take upon him was foreshadowed by all those holy men Prophets or other which are by sacred Writers instiled the Servants of God A title not usually given to many Kings or Priests not once I take it by God himselfe unto Abraham though he were the greatest of holy men which were but men the father of the faithfull whether Kings Priests or Prophets the onely Prophet Priest or other which to my remembrance was instiled the friend of God Moses Aaron and David are sometimes instiled the servants of God by God himselfe Yet were these three respectively more illustrious types of the Sonne of God as he was to bee made King Priest and Prophet than of him as hee tooke the forme of a servant upon him Of CHRIST JESUS as hee was in a peculiar sort the servant of God Iob the most remarkable paterne of patience before this Son of God was manifested in the flesh is the most exact type or shadow not for his qualifications onely but in his undertakings Iobs conflicts with Satan and wrestlings with temptations are more expresly recorded and more emphatically exprest than any mans besides before the onely Sonne of God became the Sonne of man and servant to his heavenly Father Satan by speciall leave obtained from God but so obtained by God as challenger did combat or play his prizes with this servant of God at two the most prevalent weapons which his cunning and long experience upon all aduantages which the weaknesse of men from the fall of Adam did afford him could make choise of And these two weapons were hope of good things and feare of evills temporall which this great usurper did presume were at his disposall either by right of that conquest which hee had gotten over the first man or could obtaine by Gods permission to ensnare the first mans posterity The direct and full scope of all our hopes is felicitie and so is misery the period of all our feares Unto felicity three sorts of good things are required Bona animae bona fortunae bona corporis The endowments and contentments of the reasonable soule health with ability and lawfull contentments of the body competency of meanes or worldly substance which are subservient to both the former endowments and contentments of soule and body No misery can befall man but either from the want of some one or more of these three good things which are required to happinesse as the Philosophers conceived it or from their contraries All the evills which men naturally feare are either evills incident to the body as sicknesse paine torments death want or losse of goods or worldly substance losse of good name disgrace or ignominy imputation of folly which are no lesse grievous to the rationall part of man than paine or griefe are to the part sensitive more grievous by much to ingenuous men than losse of goods than want or penury For as an heathen Satyrist well observed Nil habet infoelix paupertas durius in se Quam quòd ridiculos homines facit The shrewdest turne that poverty can doe to any mortall creature is to expose him unto contempt or scorne By feare of all these three evills Satan driveth most men into his snare of servitude as many if not more as hee drawes into the same snare by hope of good things By every one of these three evills by the very least of them if we take them single hee had caught so many as hee thought sufficient to make up this generall induction That none could escape his snares or springes so hee might be permitted by God to take his opportunities for setting them 2. Iob was a man as happy as any man before him had been according to that scale of happinesse which Philosophers could hope for in this life or could make any probable ground of better hopes for the life to come There was a man saith the Text in the land of Vz whose name was Iob and that man was perfect and upright and one that feared God and eschewed evill This is a fuller expression than any Philosopher could make of the principall part of happinesse that is of a minde richly endowed with all kinde of vertues moral and more than so with spirituall graces And there were borne unto him seven sons and three daughters these were more than bona corporis more than parts of his personall constitution which besides these was exceeding good His substance also was seven thousand sheepe and three thousand Camels and five hundred yoke of Oxen and five hundred shee Asses and a very great houshold or husbandry great store no doubt of servants which were part of his worldly substance so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the East Here was a great measure of those things which Philosophers call bona fortunae goods of fortune or as we now say goodly meanes faire revenues Iob was a richer man for those times in respect of others than any man this day living is in respect of our times Yet this goodly Cedar in his full height was sound within and straight without unshaken by any blasts of former temptations untill the Lord himself appointed him to bee a Dueller with Satan The challenge made by Satan is very remarkable There was a day when the sonnes of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan came also among them And the Lord said unto Satan whence commest thou Then Satan answered the Lord and said From going to and fro in the earth and from walking up and downe in it And the Lord said unto Satan Hast thou considered my servant Iob that there is none like him in the earth a perfect and upright man one that feareth God and
occasions which moved the whole multitude of his Disciples that is such as for the present did beleeve in him to entertaine and did occasion others to entertaine him with those extraordinary acclamations or other expressions of joy exultation recorded by all the Evangelists are most punctually expressed by S. Luke Chap. 19. ver 37 38. And when hee was come nigh even now at the descent of the Mount of Olives the whole multitude of the Disciples began to rejoyce and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seene saying Blessed be the King that commeth in the Name of the Lord peace in heaven and glory in the Highest These acclamations of his followers and Disciples were so loud and their exultation in such sinister construction as Michal made of Davids dancing before the Ark so lavish that they exasperated the Pharisees who were but a small part of the multitude who did attend or observe his approch unto more uncivill behaviour towards this their King than Michal did use towards David her Lord and husband Luke 19.39 And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him Master rebuke thy Disciples As if they had said Thy Disciples play the fooles and unlesse thou inhibit their folly they will make thee a laughing stock to wise men But his reply unto them for this their advise though for termes and language more milde and gentle yet for the matter or mystery implied was more sharpe than Davids was to Michal Verse 40. He answered and said unto them I tell you that if these should hold their peace the stones would immediatly cry out For this was the time wherein Jerusalem and the daughter of Sion had been commanded some hundreds of yeares before to rejoyce after an unusuall maner And the just occasions of this extraordinary point of time above all others did require such a solemne and publike testification that if men women and children had been silent the very stones in the street the edifices and pavements in Jerusalem and Sion must have supplied their defect For these were appurtenances of the Citie which had been peremptorily injoyned to shout for joy whensoever their promised and long expected King should come unto her As the occasions of this extraordinary concourse of people and of their unusuall exultation are most fully exprest by S. Iohn and S. Luke so the finall cause of both or sweet disposition of Divine providence in this whole businesse is most punctually exprest by S. Matthew Chap. 21. ver 4 5. All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet saying Tell yee the Daughter of Sion Behold thy King commeth unto thee meeke and sitting upon an Asse and a Colt the foale of an Asse The Prophet or one of the Prophets at least which did foretell all that now hapned was Zachariah Chap. 9.9 whose words are more full than the Evangelists Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Sion shout O daughter of Ierusalem Behold thy King commeth unto thee he is just and having salvation lowly and riding upon an Asse and upon a Colt the foale of an Asse So our ordinary English Translations render the place word for word but whether this Translation or others Greek or Latin doe fully and punctually expresse the Prophets meaning is in the next place to be discussed CHAP. XVII A Comment or Paraphrase upon the first eight verses of the ninth of Zachary And of the connexion betwixt them and the ninth verse in which the manner of our Saviours comming to Ierusalem was most expresly foretold 1 THis testimony of the Prophet Zachary as was observed before is meerely propheticall that is was literally meant of the Messias alone never verified much lesse fulfilled of any King or Prophet it was a mystery without a type Other passages in this ninth Chap. such especially as come after this ninth ver may admit a mysticall or allegoricall sense and I should like well of that allegorie which Ribera and Rupertus have made upon the former verses if they had first given us the true and literall sense But setting aside such passages as the Evangelists or Apostles have expounded unto us the best Comments which are extant upon this or most other Prophecies revealed or written since the building of the second Temple by Zerubbabel are for the most part made to our hands by unpartiall unsuspected Historians that is by Jews or Heathens so wee Christians would take the paines to peruse and diligently compare their narrations of matter of fact with sacred Propheticall predictions For the true and literall sense of this whole ninth Chapter of Zacharias besides the ninth verse an ordinarie Scholler may better informe himselfe from Arrianus Quintus Curtius and Iosephus or others which write of Alexanders warres than from Ribera Rupertus or all the professed Christian Commentators which have not had the hap to consult these Heathenish or Jewish Historians And some passages in the later part of this Chapter there bee unto which the History of the Maccabees though Apochrypha for matter of faith may give great light for the right understanding of them My purpose is onely to touch upon some few such passages in the first part of this Chapter as are conducent to the point in hand that is to make a cleare and ocular demonstration how this Prophecie avouched by S. Matthew and others in this ninth Chapter of Zachary were fulfilled 2. The burden of the word of the Lord in the Land of Hadrach and Damascus shall bee the rest thereof when the eyes of man as of all the Tribes of Israel shall bee toward the Lord. And Hamah also shall border thereby Tyrus and Zidon though it bee very wise And Tyrus did build her selfe a strong hold and heaped up silver as the dust and fine gold as the mire of the streets Behold the Lord will cast her out and hee will smite her power in the Sea and shee shall be devoured with fire Zechariah 9.1 2 3 4. Iosephus in his booke of Jewish Antiquities briefly relating the swift successe of Alexander in his warre relateth the events in the same order and method which the Prophet Zachariah had foretold them in That he first over-ran Syria took Damascus and afterward besieged Tyre which held out nine moneths against those forces which had conquered the Persians Syrians and other Easterne parts in lesse space As for the Writ drawen for the execution of Tyre you see it is punctually drawen by the Prophet Zachary but who shall assure us that it passed the Seale or was executed according to the tenor of his Commission By her power in the Sea the Prophet meant as the Oracle in like case did her woodden walls or multitude of ships and these as Curtius tells us being almost all sunck or taken their chiefe Fort was surprized by the Macedonian Army After her walls were scaled the greatest part of her defendants summa tectorum obtinebant
Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plaine and he shall bring forth the head stone thereof with shoutings crying Grace grace unto it Zach. 4.6 7. Some parts of the forecited Prophecy there be which were not to be fulfilled in the exquisit literall but especially in the mysticall or spirituall sense untill our Sauiours resurrection from the dead or the accomplishment of his consecration to bee King Priest and Temple to all the Israel of God But of these by Gods assistance in the Article of his Resurrection That which we are now to follow is the fulfilling of the ninth verse of the Prophet Zachariah CHAP. XVIII The fulfilling of Zachariah his Prophecy Cap. 9. ver 9. recorded by all the Evangelists but most fully and most punctually by S. Matthew 1 THere was not any sacred prediction from the first promise of the womans seed untill this time more capable of being counterfeited by subtile pretēders to the Crowne of David than this particular was and yet the fulfilling of it so we would take all circūstances related by the Evangelists into serious consideration or scan the true Grammaticall sense of the Prophets words aright is as concludently punctuall as the accomplishing of any Prophecy besides any passage in the 53. of Isaiah or the 22. Psalme not excepted God by his all-seeing providence did prevent the reduction of that possibility or facility rather of imposture whereunto this Prophecie above others was exposed into act For from the day of our Saviours triumphant comming into Jerusalem neither City nor people had any just occasion of such joy or exultation as now they exprest scarce any quiet houre from this neglect of that great salvation which now was profered untill the destruction of the Citie and Temple and the dispersion of the Jewish Nation throughout the world Among many other circumstances related by the Evangelists all worthy of our serious consideration this one in my minde is most remarkable that the Owners of the Asse and of the Colt or the neighbourhood then present should suffer them to be untied and carried away before they saw the Disciples warrant so to doe subscribed by their Masters hand But warrant they had none save onely Parroll And if any ask why you doe so say The Lord hath need of them c. Matt. 21.3 and Mark 11.3 Had not this Lord whose authority they avouched been a greater King than his Father David had not his power and authority not over their goods onely but over their mindes and consciences been more than Monarchicall hee could not so plainely and so peremptorily have fore-prophecied de futuris contingentibus or given his Disciples full assurance that the Owner of these juments should do as hee foretold they would doe This was an Oracle of the same God of the same power and authority which informed David that the men of Keilah would betray him into Sauls hands if he did commit himselfe to their trust The men of Keilah were prevented from doing that which the Searcher of all hearts saw they were intended or bent to doe But these men did as the Lord foretold they should doe when they intended no such matter 2. If wee compare the Evangelicall relations concerning the maner of our Saviours comming to Jerusalem with the Prophets predictions they agree so well that Zachariah in this particular may share well with Isaiah in that title of the Evangelicall Prophet Yet in the maner of the Evangelicall Stories concerning this point there is some variation in words but no contradiction or contrariety in sense Goe unto the village saith S. Matthew over against you And straight you shall finde an Asse tied and a Colt with her loose them and bring them unto me Matt. 21.2 S. Mark relateth the same story thus Yee shall finde a Colt tied whereon neuer man sate loose him and bring him Mar. 11.2 See Luke 19.30 This variation of words hath raised a doubt amongst Interpreters as well of the Prophet as of the Evangelists whether our Saviour did ride part of the way upon the Asse and part upon the Colt or all the way upon the Colt alone Such as think our Saviour did ride onely upon the Colt labour to salve the truth of the Propheticall prediction and S. Matthews relation how it was fulfilled by a Synecdoche usuall as they alledge in the Hebrew Dialect To say the King of Sion should come riding upon an Asse and upon the foale of an Asse is a speech as justifiable in grammaticall sense as that Ionas should bee sleeping in the sides of the ship so are the words of the Prophecie whereas hee could not sleepe but in one side of the ship at one time But as for Synecdoches metonymies or other like words of Art grammar or rhetorique unlesse they bee reduced to some logicall or rational maxime they edifie no better in Divinity than an Allegory or mysticall interpretation which is not grounded upon some historicall relation of matter of fact according to the plaine literall or grammaticall sense The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the onely foundation of this Synecdoche here pretended must bee that logicall rationall maxime ad veritatem indefinitae propositionis sufficit veritas untus particularis Unto the truth of an indefinite proposition the truth of one particular is sufficient Hee that can prove Socrates to be a learned man may without impeachment affirme that man is learned or men are learned for the expression of any particulars indistinctly apprehended or confusedly knowen by the plurall is usuall not in the sacred onely but in moderne Languges Wee English men doe not commit any solecisme when wee say the Noble Sidney was slaine in the Low Countries albeit in strict propriety of speech hee was slaine but in one of those Countries or Provinces A man that had been present or had a distinct Geographicall apprehension of the place where he was wounded would have named it in the singular as at Zutphen So it was said Iudges 12.7 That Ieptha died and was buried in the Cities of Galead that is as our English very well renders it in one of the Cities of Galead but in which one of them that it seemes the Author of that sacred history did not thinke worthy to bee taken into particular consideration being a point wherein posterity without losse might bee altogether ignorant And certainely it was ignorance of their owne Dialect or the spirit of slumber which occasioned some Jewish Writers to gather from this plurall expression that Iephtha's bones were scattered throughout all the Cities of Galead or respectively intombed in many severall places The Evangelists use the like speech when they say The malefactors which were crucified with our Saviour did revile him whereas in such distinct apprehension as S. Luke had of this circumstance one of the two onely did revile him or at least continue in this wicked minde but the party reviling being not so distinctly known by name or by other circumstances as Barabbas was to
or saluificated whilest the multitude cried Hosanna or wished all health unto him as wee are said to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or saved by him And if Montanus had as fully exprest this whole phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as hee doth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 salvatus little could have been added to it by way of Comment 6. But to take the full importance of the whole phrase or matter signified according to the sublimitie of the Propheticall dialect or expression that I take it is thus However the promised King of Sion was to come unto her so lowly in person so poorely attired so meanely furnished of strength or visible pompe as might cause her Inhabitants rather to deride then respect him yet even in this plight or garb hee should bee entertained with generall applause with louder acclamations then had been used at the Coronation of David or of his Successors The ancient forme of such solemne acclamations had been Vivat Rex c. Let the King live but to our Saviour the multitude cry Hosanna Hosanna to the Sonne of David And this peculiar kinde of salutation or acclamation is punctually foretold by the Prophet and grammatically exprest by the Hebrew For Hosanna whether wee take it as precatory or congratulatory is an active which doth as exactly fit the passive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as ego saluto te doth tu es salutatus a me I salute you and you are saluted of me If Arias Montanus had said salvatus ille for salvatus ipse the Translation had been a more full expression of the Majestick originall phrase The full expression or Propheticall importance of the whole phrase if I mistake not the emphasis of the Hebrew pronoune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 especially when it comes in the reare or after the Substantive to which it referres will amount to this height and higher Ecce Rex tuus venit Rex ille justus c. Et pro justis celebrandus And I know not whether Castellio his version of this place doe not imply as much Ecce Rex tuus venit qui est justus victoriosus It had been an ancient tradition or common prenotion amongst this people before the Prophet Zachariah was borne that their King or Christ should bee the Sonne of David and Davids Lord A Priest after the order of Melchisedeck who was King of Salem by office and by title King of righteousnesse or the righteous King Now the Prophet forewarnes this people that the glorious King whom Melchisedeck did by office and title foreshadow should come to Sion and Jerusalem not attended with horses and chariots but as became the righteous and pacificall King for so much his other title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports riding on an Asse and the foale of an Asse and have both his titles proclaimed though not by expresse words yet by hieroglyphick or sacred heraldry His lowlinesse which is the onely ground of pacificall disposition was lively represented by the maner of his approach riding upon the foale of an Asse which in an instant had learned gentle conditions from his lowlinesse and peaceable temper who first did sit upon him His righteousnesse was really proclaimed by the congratulations and presents of the people Much people saith S. Iohn that were come to the Feast when they heard that Iesus was comming to Ierusalem tooke branches of Palme trees and went forth to meet him as yet not hearing whether hee came on foot or horsebacke and cried Hosanna blessed is the King of Israel that commeth in the Name of the Lord Iohn 12.12 c. And S. Mark telleth us Many spread their garments in the way and others cut downe branches of the trees And strawed them in the way And they that went before and they that followed cried saying Hosanna blessed is he that commeth in the Name of the Lord. Blessed bee the Kingdome of our Father David that commeth in the Name of the Lord Hosanna in the Highest Mark 11.8 9 10. Matt. 21.8 9. Now the Palme tree was as well in prophane as in sacred Heraldry as true an Embleme or hieroglyphick of righteousnesse or Justice as the sword is of Authority and power Hence saith the Psalmist Iustus ut palma florebit the just shall flourish like a Palme tree Why rather like this tree then any other then like the Oake or Cedar Pierius to my remembrance giveth us the ground or reason of this sacred allusion and it is this For that the Palme tree the more it is wronged or prest downe the lesse it is diverted from its naturall course but groweth higher and spreadeth the more And was for this reason a fit Embleme of this righteous and victorious King whose incomparable exaltation did grow from his unparalleld humiliation and depression CHAP. XIX Of the meaning or importance of Hosanna to the Sonne of David 1 THe diversity of Interpretations of many principall passages in Scripture is for the most part as great as the multiplicity or variety of importances or significations of some one single word in some large sentences and passages The best is that this word Hosanna hath but two importances which can breed any matter of difference betweene Interpreters of Scripture or any variety of Interpretations Yet discord betweene Interpreters usually arise without any difference onely from variety of significations in words more then compatible yea most consonant betweene themselves As some there be who would have this word Hosanna to be meerely precatory or optative as much as The Lord send help or salvation Others would have it to be meerely or especially congratulatory Whereas both opinions agree very well though their severall Authors or Abetters have censured each other That Hosanna in the intention of the Multitude which carryed or spread branches of Palmes or Olives in the way should at least in the direct sense be meerely congratulatory is probably alledged from the whole phrase or structure of speech for they did not cry as the blind man in the way did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Son of David have mercy upō me or save me but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hosanna to the Son of David in the Highest Both clauses import matter only of cōgratulatiō Caninius first after him Beza amongst others have out of their Rabbinicall learning well observed that the branches of Palmes of Olives or other trees which this people used in their solemne Feast of Tabernacles or the like in which they used the comprecations of the 118. Psalme came by custome and concurrence of time to bee called Hosanna by such a maner or trope of speech as the English and French doe call the buds or flowers of Hawthorne May. According to this importance or signification of the word Hosanna the meaning of the multitude or Disciples was that they did beare these boughes and use these congratulations in honour of the Sonne of David now comming unto them in
Ierusalem which killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thee c. Behold your house is left unto you desolate But of the full importance of these words I have delivered my opinion elsewhere more at large That Christ after the feast of the Dedication mentioned Iohn 10 did remain where Iohn at first baptized untill some few daies before the Passeover is cleare from that remarkeable story concerning the raising of Lazarus from death Iohn 11.1 c. When he had heard therefore that he was sick he abode two daies still in the same place where he was Then after that saith he to his Disciples Let us goe into Iudea againe His Disciples say unto him Master the Iews of late sought to stone thee and goest thou thither againe Iesus answered Are there not twelve houres in the day If any man walke in the day he stumbleth not because he seeth the light of the world But if a man walk in the night he stumbleth because there is no light in him 9 It is observable that immediately before or in the time of these great and solemne feasts his fame was published for some rare miracle When Christ commeth saith the people in the feast of Tabernacles will he doe more miracles then this man hath done Iohn 7.31 The late miracle which occasioned the contradiction or variety of opinion at the feast of the Dedication of the Temple was the restoring of one who had beene blind from his birth to perfect sight You have the story at large Iohn 9. The last and greatest miracle which he did about Jerusalem immediately before this last Passeover and that which occasioned him to be proclaimed the Christ not by himselfe as at other times nor by his Disciples onely but by the unanimous consent of that mighty Assembly besides the Priests and Scribes and Pharisees was the raising of Lazarus to life after he had beene foure daies dead And thus farre I can assent unto some moderne Writers that the Multitude then assembled especially the strangers did purposely seeke at this feast to redeeme their former contempt or sleight esteeme of him at the Feast of Tabernacles and Dedication before mentioned by their forwardnesse to entertaine and salute him as their glorious King the long expected Sonne of David CHAP. XXI That the Messias was to bee proclaimed King of Sion at some one or other of their great and solemne Feasts was a prenotion or received opinion amongst the Iews 1 FRom the Evangelicall history of our Saviours appearances at the solemn Feast celebrated at Jerusalem and from the debates betweene his Auditors especially in the last yeere of his presence there the Intelligent Reader will easily collect without further aduertisment that it was a common prenotion or received opinion amongst this people that their expected Messias should bee manifested or acknowledged at some one or other of their anniversary Feasts of which the Passeover was the principall or as Chrysostome with some other of the Ancients instile it Metropolitan But in which of these three solemne Feasts the Sonne of David should be proclaimed King and made by God their Lord and Christ was if not to all yet to most of them even to his followers whether Apostles or Disciples uncertaine untill the event did determine the doubt unto such of them as God did grant eyes to see and eares to heare and hearts to understand the mysteries of salvation respectively prefigured by these three solemne Feasts and really accomplisht in this great Feast of the Passeover wherein they crucified JESUS of NAZARETH their late proclaimed King and in the Feast of Pentecost next following The full intent and purport of this last observation as well the affirmative as negative part to wit the certainetie that hee was to bee proclaimed King at some one of those Feasts and the uncertainety at which of those hee should be so proclaimed is included in those words of S. Iohn before cited to another purpose These things understood not his Disciples at the first that is they did not lay them to heart nor rightly apprehend the melodious harmony betweene the solemnity of that time and the events fore-pictured by that and other solemnities But when Iesus was glorified then remembred they that these things were written of him and that they had done these things unto him Chap. 12.16 that is they first considered and then remembred that his glorious exaltation was foretold typically prefigured by that solemne Feast and really acknowledged by the multitude 2. That the solemnity of dwelling in booths used in the Feast of Tabernacles or the exigence or occasion in whose remembrance that Feast was instituted which was their speciall reliefe from extremity of heat and thirst in the wildernesse had speciall reference to the Feast of Pentecost is too apparent to be contradicted by any good Christian from that of our Saviour Iohn 7.37 In the last day that great day of the Feast to wit of the Tabernacles Iesus stood and cried saying If any man thirst c. This spake hee of the Spirit which they that beleeve on him should receive For the holy Ghost was not yet given because that Iesus was not yet glorified But shortly after his glorification the Spirit of God the true water of life was powred out more plentifully upon all flesh capable of it then water had been unto Israel in their extremity of thirst in the wildernesse or then that water which was used I know not whether by precept or tradition to be powred out upon the Altar in the Feast of Tabernacles especially upon that great day of the Feast wherein our Saviour spake these words But in what place of Scripture it was foresignified that waters should flow out of their bellies that beleeved on him is not pertinent to our present purpose Gods speciall protection not of Israel onely according to the flesh but of his universall Church from spirituall enemies under the shadow of his wings was more peculiar then the Palme trees or Willows of the brook or boothes made of them could afford to the sonnes of Iacob against the parching heat of the Sunne after our Saviour was glorified As for those words forecited Levit. 23.43 I made the children of Israel to dwell in boothes when I brought them out of the land of Egypt they referre if good Writers be not mistaken to Exod. 12.37 The children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth that is a place of boothes or Tabernacles or as to a Northerne Borderer might be more fully exprest to a place of Shields or Summer houses Yet if I be not mistaken the forecited place of Leviticus concerning the occasion of instituting the Feast of Tabernacles or Shields hath reference also to that of Exod. 15.27 And they came to Elim where were twelve wells of water and seventie Palme trees and they encamped there by the waters 3. Out of the former discussion it is apparent that the
any man to death Iohn 18.31 How true or pertinent this answer was I will not here dispute But thus they answered as the same Evangelist there tells us that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled signifying what death he should die and by whom This saying or prophecy of our Saviour to which St. Iohn refers is punctually set downe by S. Matthew 20.17 18 Iesus going up to Ierusalem took the twelve Disciples apart in the way and said unto them Behold we goe up to Ierusalem and the Sonne of man shall be betrayed unto the chief Priests and unto the Scribes and they shall condemne him to death and shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucifie him Unto this death of the crosse they brought him by their importunate and subtill sollicitations of Pilat to proceed against him upon another capital crime then they by their pretended law had condemned him for For they pronounc'd him as worthy and guilty of death by their law for blasphemy whereas now before Pilat they frame a new accusation against him for rebellion against Caesar because he profest himself to be King of the Jews as in truth he was for royall pitty and compassion towards them but without any purpose to move the people to take armes or to exercise any royall authority over them or any others upon earth because his kingdome was not of this world 2 Whilest the high Priest and Elders sate as Judges in their owne Councell-house they suborn'd false witnesses against him but whilest they accuse him before Pilat they themselves become the most malicious and falsest witnesses that ever were produced or offered themselves voluntarily to testifie in open Court against any living man in a cause criminall or capitall All these malicious practices against him were clearly foretold by the Psalmist his forerunner in the like sufferings and in particular I take it by David himselfe Psalme 35. False witnesses did arise they laid to my charge things that I knew not They rewarded me evill for good to the spoyling of my soule But as for mee when they were sick my cloathing was sackcloth I humbled my soule with fasting and my prayer returned into mine owne bosome I behaved my selfe as though he had beene my friend or brother I bowed downe heavily as one that mourneth for his mother But in mine adversity they rejoyced c. ver 11 12 13. c. Thus did the Composers of this Psalme and of some others to the like effect complaine every man respectively in their owne persons and upon just occasions And however they did not in their murmuring complaints yet in the causes or occasions of the sufferings they did really prefigure juster occasions more grievous matter of complaint on the behalf of their expected Redeemer And he must have uttered the like complaints in a farre higher straine if he had beene but a meere man not armed with patience or long suffering truly divine The indignities done unto him by Pilat and the Roman Souldiers by Herod and his men of warre were perspicuously foretold by David Psal 2. Why do the Heathens rage and the people imagina vaine thing This parallel between the prophecy of David and the historicall events answering to it not the Apostles onely but other inferiour Disciples did unanimously acknowledge upon the deliverance of Peter and Iohn and the rest of the Apostles from such violence intended against them by the Rulers and Elders of the Jews as had been practised by them upon our Saviour for working of a miracle in his name When they had further threatned them they let them goe finding nothing how they might punish them because of the people for all men glorified God for that which was done For the man was above forty yeares old on whom this miracle of healing was shewne And being let goe they went to their owne company and reported all that the chief Priests and Elders had said unto them And when they heard that they lift up their voice to God with one accord and said Lord thou art God which hast made heaven and earth and the sea and all that in them is who by the mouth of thy Servant David hast said Why do the heathens rage and the people imagin vaine things The Kings of the Earth stood up and the Rulers were gathered together against the Lord and his Christ For of a truth against thy holy childe JESUS whom thou hast annointed both Herod and Pontius Pilat with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together for to doe whatsoever thy hand and thy Counsaile determined before to be done Acts 4.21 22. c. 3. All of our Saviours Persecutors whether Jews or Gentiles per dicta facta malè ominata did reade their own doome and the doome of all such unto the worlds end as shall continue the course that they begun The Roman Souldiers clothing him in a purple robe by putting a crown of thornes upon his head and by crying All haile unto the King of the Jews did act that part in jest or comicall merriment which they must one day act in earnest and more then tragicall sorrow For he had sworne it long before That all knees should bow unto him and in that day they which crowned him with thornes shall see him crowned with Majesty and glory Herod in sending him back to Pilat in a white or candid robe did beare witnesse of his innocency and integrity and withall of Herod his fathers scarlet sinnes in putting so many poore Innocents to a bloudy death upon the notice of his Nativitie And as for Pilat and the Roman state by whose authority he was scourged with rods here on earth hee whose seat is in the heavens did even then laugh them to scorne and since hath broken the whole race of Roman Caesars with a rod of iron and dasht them and their Monarchie to pieces like a Potters vessell What more shall be done against these cruell Actors or Abetters of their cruell practices against this King of Kings I leave it wholly with all submission to his sole determination But that the Indignities done unto him by the Jews by the Roman or other heathen Governors and the visible revenge which hath since befalne them were punctually foretold by David Psalme 2. the testimony before cited Acts 4. is a proofe most authentick and most concludent 4. Yet of all the sufferings which he suffered under Pontius Pilat besides the indignities done unto him in the extremities of his paines upon the Crosse at which Pilat was not present the rejection of him by the Jews when this heathen Governor out of a good nature or well meaning policy had proposed him with an infamous theef or murderer was far the worst and doth deserve the indignation of all that loved him And this circumstance is prest home to them by S. Peter Acts 3.13 14. The God of Abraham and of Isack and of Jaacob the God of our Fathers
hath glorified his Sonne JESUS whom ye delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilat when he determined to let him goe But ye denyed the holy One and the lust and desired a Murderer to be granted unto you and killed the Prince of life whom God hath raised up from the dead c. In this preposterous and sacrilegious choise they did the Devill a more peculiar and more immediate service then their Idolatrous forefathers had ever done either in adoring the brazen Serpent which was the most perverse Idolatry that ever they committed or in sacrificing their sons daughters to the infernall spirits In those services they declare themselves to be servants to Devils In this sinister choise they prove themselves to be the Devils own sonnes and exactly fulfill our Saviours prophecy or discovery of their inclinations before they themselves did know them For when Jesus had told such Jews as did in a sort beleeve on him that they were servants to sinne and could not be made free but by the Sonne who abideth in the house for ever they cholerickly reply that they were the sonnes of Abraham Our Saviour rejoynes Yee are of your Father the Devill and the lusts of your Father you will doe hee was a murtherer from the beginning Iohn 8.30 c. and the 44. And so they now desire Barabbas one whose name imports the sonne of their father and by quality the sonne of the Devill an infamous murderer to be delivered unto them in memory of their deliverance out of Egypt and importunately sollicite the murder of the Sonne of God of that very God who had delivered them out of Egypt who spake to Moses in Mount Sinai that Lord God unto whom Ioshua and all the Judges that succeeded him were but Generals in the time of warre unto whom in time of peace or counsaile for direction of publick affaires the best of the Priests and Prophets unto the dayes of Samuel were but Deputies For the Lord God of Israel all that time was their immediat and proper King Governors and Deputies they had successively many but none endued with royall Authority besides him No matter of consequence whether of warre or peace was undertaken by their Governors without speciall revelation or answer from him by Vrim and Thummim untill Samuels old age Then all the Elders of Israel gathered themselves together and came to Samuel unto Ramah and said unto him Behold thou art old and thy sonnes walk not in thy wayes now make us a King to judge us like all the Nations But the thing displeased Samuel when they said give us a King to judge us and Samuel prayed unto the Lord 1. Sam. 8.4 5. This unseasonable ill aboding desire did displease the Lord unto whom they prayed as much as it did Samuel And yet so far is he from forcing obedience by irresistible coaction that hee perswades Samuel to descend to their importunat suit but first to make protestation against it Now therefore hearken to their voice howbeit yet protest solemnely unto them and shew the manner of the King that shall raigne over them ver 9. This protestation against their petition and his patheticall forewarning of them what hard usage they should find under the King whom they would choose are set down at full from the 10. of this Chap. unto the 19. Neverthelesse the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel and they said Nay but we will have a King to rule over us that we may be like all Nations and that our King may judge us and goe out before us and fight our battels And so after Samuel had rehearsed their resolution in the eares of the Lord their present King notwithstanding the protestation and their forewarning concerning their future Kings manner of government they are permitted for the hardnesse of their hearts to goe to a free Election of a new King Yet the calamities and oppressions which Samuel forewarnes would follow upon this their not approved Election was scarce so much as verified in the daies of Saul of David or Solomon never exactly fulfilled by any King of their owne nomination or by any King imposed upon them untill they solemnely and openly disclaime their Native King that very God whom Samuel in all this businesse had consulted and cryed We have no King but Caesar After this nomination of Caesar for their King whatsoever calamities foretold by Samuel were in any part verified by their owne unruly Kings were most exactly accomplisht by the race of Caesars unto whom they solemnely dedicated that allegiance which was due to Iesus their ancient Lord and King At the same time and not before were the words of the Lord unto Samuel Chap. 8.7 8. exactly fulfilled The Lord said unto Samuel hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee for they have not rejected thee but they have rejected me that I should not raigne over them According to all the works which they have done since I brought them out of Egypt even unto this day wherewith they have forsaken me and served other gods so do they also unto thee But of the fulfilling of this prophecy both according to the literall sense and prefigurations or matter of fact and how the Priests and Scribes with their projects against our Saviour did bring Iacobs dying curse or ominous predictions against Simeon and Levi upon themselves and their posterity more hath been said in the Commentaries of the first Book of the Creed then I now exactly remember more at least then I will trouble the Reader with a repetition of what he may find there published CHAP. XXVII Of such repentance as Judas found of his casting downe the thirty pieces of silver in the Temple and of the difficulties or varietie of opinions by which of the Prophets it was foretold 1 ONe historicall relation concerning Iudas and his fearefull end there is which is by S. Matthew who of all the foure Evangelists citeth the testimonie of the Prophecie wherein part of it was foretold left somewhat ambiguous for the circumstances of time wherein it happened Some perhaps would at the first sight conceive from St. Matthews words that Iudas did cast downe the hire of his treason in the Temple immediatly after the chief Priests and Elders had bound our Saviour and led him to Pontius Pilat the Governour But if wee consider other circumstances of time related by S. Iohn and S. Luke it is farre more probable that Iudas was not touched with sorrow or grief whether of mind or of body or of both untill our Saviour was sentenced to the death of the Crosse by Pontius Pilat For the first thing which the chief Priests and Elders did after they themselves had past sentence on our Saviour was the delivery of him to the Secular power and their importunat sollicitation of Pilat to put their sentence in execution It was a memorable document of deadly hypocrisie in the Priests and Elders that