offended in Christ than the fore-mentioned Iewes or Pharises were is to compare our liues conuersations and practice with our Sauiours doctrinall precepts especially with those fundamentall ones solemnely vttered by him in the Sermon vpon the Mount Matth. 5. Amongst which this is a principall and peremptory one I say vnto you that except your righteousnesse shall exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises yee shall in no case enter into the Kingdome of Heauen vers 20. Now from entring into the Kingdome of heauen which is the Kingdome of happinesse nothing can barre vs vnlesse wee be offended in Christ who is the way and doore vnto it Is there any amongst vs that seeketh as earnestly after the prayse of men or after any honour that commeth not from GOD alone as the Iewes mentioned Ioh. 12. Ioh. 5 Is there any amongst vs as couetous as the Pharises were mentioned Luke 16 If any such there be eyther in this or any other Christian Congregation be they many or few all and euery of them are as farre from the Kingdome of Heauen altogether as much offended in Christ as the fore-mentioned Rulers Iewes and Pharises were Is there any amongst vs of disposition towards his Brother or Neighbour or towards any professing the name of Christ as implacable or irreconcileable as the Scribes and Pharises were towards Publicans and sinners Let such a man if any such there be know and remember that whilest hee continueth in this mood he is as much offended in Christ as they were and if hee so continue our Sauiour Christ will bee as much offended at him in the last Day as at those that crucified him Is any man as carefull for the things of this life as these Iewes were Hee is as farre from the Kingdome of Heauen and the happinesse here promised as the Iewes yea as the Heathen were It is our Sauiours inference not mine Take no thought saying What shall wee eate or What shall wee drinke or Wherewith shall wee bee cloathed For after all these things doe the Gentiles seeke For your heauenly Father knoweth that yee haue need of all these things Matth. 6. 31 32. His Precept for our direction followeth But seeke yee first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall bee added vnto you Take therefore no thought for the morrow for the morrow shall take thought for the things of it selfe vers 33 34. This is the perpetuall Law of the Euangelical Iubile whose obseruance was prefigured in the legall obseruation of the seuenth yeere of rest or the yeere of Iubile In both which yeeres as you heard before the Iewes were forbidden to sow or reape commanded to rely vpon Gods extraordinary blessing in the sixth yeere and to rest contented with such things as should grow of their owne accord in the seuenth yeere of rest or yeere of Iubile Not to sow at all or not to reape in these two yeeres was a temporary Law meerely legall or ceremoniall The morall Law hereby prefigured and perpetually to bee obserued by vs Christians is That wee buy so as if wee possessed not that in sowing or reaping or in whatsoeuer other businesse concerning this life wee vse the world as if wee vsed it not That our prime and chiefe care bee in seeking the Kingdome of God or matters of the life to come That euery present day wee take more payne and care in imploring Gods blessings vpon our present and future labours than in contriuing meanes or disposing of labours in worldly coniecture most auaileable for procuring our ends or that good which wee seeke This practice and method our Sauiour had inioyned vs in that prayer which hee hath taught vs. First wee pray that Gods name may bee sanctified and that his Kingdome may come that his will may be done in earth as in heauen and in the next place that he would giue vs bread this day for to morrow and the dayes following that is as the Apostle saith to cast all our care on him who careth for vs all But what auayles it vs to know by how many wayes and meanes wee may bee offended in Christ vnlesse wee know withall by what meanes possible these or the like offences may be auoydable It is true and therefore our Sauiour teacheth a compendious way or meanes for auoyding offences As first in this very Chapter Matth. 11. vers 29. Learne of mee for I am meeke and lowly in heart and yee shall finde rest vnto your soules To the same end or purpose are all those places of Scripture addressed which exhort vs to humility to deny our selues to take vp our Crosse and follow Christ. Of these and other good rules to this purpose you may reade at large Luke 14. 90. But others happely will say What auayleth it to propose these good rules vnto vs vnlesse it bee in our power to practise them Wee beleeue it as a dictate or maxime of faith that God giues grace vnto the humble or vnto such as for sake all and deny themselues but what is this to vs vnlesse wee may likewise be assured that God will eyther giue vs grace or some free-will or naturall power to deny or humble our selues Here indeed were the true and fruitfull issue of all these intricate controuersies which in later yeres haue much troubled the peace of the Church as well the Romish as the Reformed The controuersies I meane of Election and Reprobation betweene the Lutherans and the Caluinists betweene the Arminians and the Gomarists as also the controuersie concerning concurrence of Grace and Free-will prosecuted with eager and bitter contention for these many yeeres betweene the Iesuites and the Dominican Friers But of this radicall controuersie about Free-will a poynt necessary to be knowne and yet inwrapped with as many vnnecessary intricate disputes and on all parts as illâ—stated and handled for the most part as any other question whatsoeuer I shall haue fitter occasion to speake at large when I come to handle that argument concerning our seruitude to sin which must be the entrance vnto our knowledge concerning Iesus Christ and him crucified vnto both which these discussions vpon this Text haue beene premised 91. At this time I will onely acquaint you with that which I haue elsewhere deliuered as the true meane betweene the contrary opinions of the Lutherans and the Caluinists betweene the Iesuites Dominicans betwixt the Stoickes and the Pelagians in the poynt of free-will or power of man to worke or not to worke his owne saluation The meane is that albeit man hath no freedome of will or ability to doe that which is good or to dispose his heart for the better receiuing of Grace yet hee hath a true possibility or freedome of will to doe or not to doe something required by God which thing being done by man God will dispose his heart and make it fit for his grace The same thing not being done or neglected
his soule Againe if one man giue another poyson the other may be said to haue poyson giuen him or to be Grāmatically passiue But it is one thing to haue poyson giuen him another to be poysoned This latter includes a real passion or bodily mutation though from better to worse from life to death He that hath a medicine giuen him is in common speech termed a Patient and is Grammatically passiue But euery one that is thus farre passiue as to haue a medicine giuen him is not instantly medicined cured or healed for this includes a reall operation or amendment of that which was amisse in the body In like manner in as much as our Sauiour preached the Gospell equally and indifferently to all all that heard him might bee alike truely and literally said to haue had the Gospell preached vnto them if wee respect onely the Grammatical sense and signification of the word But it is one thing to say that all had the Gospell preached vnto them and another thing to say all were Euangelizati For this latter was peculiar only to the poore in spirit They only tooke this stampe or impression of the Gospell which was preached to all Briefely the originall phrase doth literally and naturally import as true or reall an alteration or transmutation in the soules of such as were poore in spirit as the former miracles heere mentioned did in the bodies of the blinde the lame the deafe the Leprous or dead Now it is not said that the blind had their sight proffered or promised vnto them or that the lame were onely made to walke or the Leapers cleansed onely in hope or by way of promise But all of them were truely and actually cured of their infirmities of body and so no question were the poore in spirit as truely cured as truely healed of their infirmities of their soules They had beene as truely dead vnto the life of the spirit as those whom Christ is heere said to haue raised vp were vnto the life of the body But now they are raised vp to newnesse of life enlightened to see the truth and enabled to walke not after the flesh but after the spirit And whereas before they had beene the bond slaues of sinne wherewith their soules were more foulely stained or tainted than these Leapers bodies were with leprosie they are now freed and cleansed from the guilt and raigne of sinne and made the seruants of righteousnes Thus much is included in these last words Pauperes euangelizantur and this transmutation of their soules was or might haue bin as conspicuous or obseruable to Iohns Disciples as the changing of Sauls mind or spirit was vnto the Israelites after Samuel had anoynted him King 1. Sam. cap. 10. ver 9. This Interpretation of this place is made vnto our hands by our Sauiour himselfe the best Interpreter of his owne words for so hee saith Luke 6. ver 20. Blessed be yee poore setting his eyes on his Disciples for yours is the Kingdome of God This blessing of Interest in the Kingdom of God here bequeathed by our Sauiour vnto the poore is in effect the same with these words in my Text Pauperes euangelizantur of which their Interest in the Kingdome of God is the true reall and formall effect For the Gospell is called the Kingdome of God because it instateth such as receiue the impression of it that is the Euangelizati in the Kingdome of God or of heauen The Kingdome of God in Scriptures is twofold and hath two importances Sometimes it importeth the Kingdome of Grace which the poore in spirit attaine vnto it in this world Somtimes it importeth the Kingdome of Glory which no man shall attaine vnto but in the world to come The Kingdome of Grace there bequeathed had two parts the one ordinary to continue throughout all ages which did consist in the raigne or soueraignty of the spirit ouer the flesh the other extraordinary yet vsuall in that time and did consist in the raigne or soueraignty of such poore men as Christs Disciples were ouer Satan and his angels And this part of the Kingdome of grace or this effect of it was more conspicuous and visible vnto others and was one of those workes or miracles which Iohns Disciples might heare and see and make faith or true relation vnto their Master Now the blessednes heere promised by our Sauiour or so much of it as men are capable of in this life consisteth in the former part of the Kingdome of Grace that is in the soueraignty of the spirit ouer the flesh Both parts of this obseruation are set forth vnto vs by our Sauiour Luk. 10. vers 17 18 19. The Seuentie returned againe with ioy saying Lord euen the Diuels are subiect vnto vs through thy name And hee said vnto them I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heauen Behold I giue vnto you power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions and ouer all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any meanes hurt you Notwithstanding in this reioyce not that the Spirits are subiect vnto you but rather reioyce because your names are written in heauen All the poore which are heere said to be Euangelizati were thereby instated in the Kingdome of Grace and made the sonnes of God as it is written Ioh. 1. ver 12. As many as receiued him to them gaue hee power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a priuiledge or faculty to be the sonnes of God and heyres apparent vnto the Kingdome of Glory This is all one as to haue their names written in the Booke of life 21. But heere the Iesuite at least the Moncke or begging Fryer who takes the pouerty which he voweth to be an Euangelicall perfection containing in it a title of merit to the blessednesse heere mentioned would reply that by the poore mentioned Lu. 6. v. 20. the poore in spirit only are to be vnderstood though not expressed because the poore in spirit are expressed by Saint Matthew who relates the selfe-same story Chap. 5. which Saint Luke doth in that 6. Chap but in as much as the story or relation heere in my Text is not the same with either of the former two it will not so cleerely follow that the poore in spirit are here onely to be vnderstod Yet it is a rule in Logicke and it is a rule of reason Quaecunque conueniunt in al◠quo tertio conueniunt etiam inter se. From which rule it will cleerely follow that if as well these words of my Text as those of Saint Luke chap. 6. vers 20. be but Euangelicall expressions of one and the same Propheticall prediction in which the poore in spirit are to be vnderstood this my Text must be meant of the poore in spirit as well as those other words of Saint Luke or Saint Matthew But of the consonancy of the Euangelist and the Prophet by Gods assistance hereafter 22. You haue heard and I make no question but you doe beleeue That whatsoeuer your
12 13. 44. From these the like particulars in this Prophet we may obserue this generall That in all or most places wherein the manifestation of the Messias or propagation of his Kingdome is mentioned there is still foretold some strange miracle or wonder to be wrought in the desart and in particular the bursting out of waters The question is in what sense these and like places haue beene fulfilled or whether the predictions were plainely literall or rather by way of Parable or Allegory Whatsoeuer may bee said or thought of some of these predictions certaine it is that others of them were neuer verefied or fulfilled according to the literall plaine or natural sense of the words either before or about our Sauiours manifestation in the wildernesse That is as much as to say The mysteries heere truely foretold vpon Iohns baptisme were not fore-shaddowed or prefigured by matter of deed or fact or by any such reall representation as these words properly imply or by any naturall or visible alteration of the soyle or trees in the wildernesse Onely the manner of the Prophesie or prediction is Emblematicall or Allegoricall that is the mysteries heere fore-told were such in respect of mens soules bodies or affections as these alterations in the soile or trees of the wildernesse if they had literally falne out might haue beene true shaddowes or pictures of them To begin with that place whence Iohns Commission tooke his beginning Isaiah 40. vers 3 4. The voyce of him that cryeth in the wildernesse Prepare yee the way of the Lord make straight in the desart a high way for our God Euery Valley shall bee exalted and euery Mountaine and Hill shall be made low and the crooked shall be made streight and the rough places plaine We are not hence to beleeue as some later Iewes foolishly dreame that all the Hils in the wildernesse or place where the Messias was to be maÌ„ifested were to be leuelled with the Valleys or lower ground or that all the high-waies for men to come vnto him should be made as plaine smooth as a bowling-Alley or Garden walke The intent or purport of the Prophet was that this Cryer in the wildernesse was so to prepare the hearts the affections and dispositions of mens minds that they should not bee offended in Christ or the Messias when he should be reuealed that they should remoue all stumbling blockes of pride arrogancy couetousnesse peruersnesse hypocrisie or the like which did hinder them from comming vnto him with all their soules and all their hearts So when it is said The Lord would turne the thorne into the Firre tree or the bryer into the Myrtle tree in the wildernesse we must not imagine such a reall or corporeall transmutation vpon our Sauiours approach For if this Metamorphosis had bin made Iohn should not haue been a Cryer in the wildernesse but in the garden What then doe the words according to the Prophets naturall meaning and intention import As true as reall and strange an alteration in mens soules and affections which thus harkned to the Cryers voice as the supposed change of the thorne into the Firre tree or the bryer into the Myrtle tree or the change of the wildernesse it selfe into a garden if that had beene really and miraculously wrought could haue fore-pictured or fore-shaddowed The Metapâ—â—â— or Aâ—â—gory is no other then that of the same Prophet Isaiah 5. vers 7. The Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel and the men of Iudah his pleasant Plant and hee looked for Iudgement but behold oppression for righteousnesse but beheld a cry Thaâ— this is the intent and meaning of Isaiahs poeticall manner of prediction or figuratiue kinde of speech on the fore-cited places may bee gathered from Iohn Baptist himselfe whose Interpretation of them in this place is liâ—erall though his speech be metaphoricall and suteable to the former Allegorie For the tenour of his proclamation or crying in the wildernesse was Repent for the Kingdome of God is at hand Now Repentance according to the strict and proper sense of the originall imports a mutation of the mind And Iohn in the very next words expresseth wherein this change of mind whereto he exhorts them doth consist Bring foorth fruites worthy repentance Math. 3. vers 8. This he spake vnto the Pharises and Sadduces when they came vnto his baptisme whom he termeth a generation of vipers more barren vnto all good workes or fruits of the Spirit then the thornes in the wildernesse or the Brambles in the desart and yet as proud that they were Abrahams sonnes as the bramble in the parable of Iotham Iudges 9. vers 15. which sought to bee anoynted King ouer the trees of the Forrest All of them expected to bee heires of the Kingdome of Heauen which they rightly beleeued should bee established in the dayes of the Messias or Christ. Howbeit they thought the chiefe glory of this Kingdome should consist in their tyrannizing or domineering ouer the Gentiles like Lords and Kings For quelling this humour and working that change of mind wherein true repentance consists Iohn admonisheth them Thinke not to say within your selues We haue Abraham for our Father This proud conceit was as a Mountaine which was to be remoued ere they could come to Christ For I say vnto you that God is able out of these stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham Matth. 3. This last clause in its literall and proper sense imports a more miraculous change than the turning of the bramble into the Myrtle or the thorne into the Firre tree than the exalting of valleyes into mountaines And yet rather then Gods promise should not haue beene accomplished this speech of Iohn must haue been fulfilled in its strict and proper sense Howeuer literally fulfilled it was in the adoption of Publicans and sinners of whom it was meant by Iohn to be Abrahams seede and heires of promise But the Baptist continueth his former Allegory or parabolicall speech according to the Prophet Esaiah's intent and meaning Now also the Axe is laid to the roote of the trees therefore euery tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewne downe and cast into the fire vers 10. None are excepted no not the Of-spring of Abraham for vnlesse vpon the baptisme of water which Iohn administred they become fruitfull like the Vine or Oliue they must be accounted amongst the thornes and brambles and be sentenced vnto the fire 45. But what shall we say of the waters bursting forth in the Wildernesse so often mentioned by the Prophet Isaias Were these predictions as meerely figuratiue as the former and not at all fulfilled according to the literal plaine historicall sense It is probable that they were thus fulfilled and that God had shewne some wonders in the wildernesse in causing springs of water to burst forth in dry and barren places betweene Isaias and Iohn Baptists dayes perhaps before the 107. Psalme was penned which
Heauen and Earth should be as visibly enthronized in Sion as Dauid had beene and that hee should begin to erect a Kingdome which was neuer to haue an end this was a wonder worthy to bee taken notice of by all the world Now that this God of Sion by whose protection Moses had led Israel out of Aegypt vnder whose conduct Iosuah brought them into the Land of Promise that hee who had anoynted Dauid King should himselfe be anoynted King ouer Sion was the true and literall meaning of the Psalmist in this and the like places of which hereafter Of this ranke is that Prophesie of Isaias chap. 40. vers 5. with which Iohn Baptist was well acquainted for hee had his Commission from it The glory of the Lord shall be reuealed and all flesh shall see it together for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Such an open distinct and full sight as these words literally import supposeth an obiect truly visible and within ken of ordinary and common sight God in his glory is altogether inuisible to flesh and bloud and though he had taken visible shape vpon him in the Heauens yet so hee had still remayned inuisible to men that haue their habitation here on earth That vnto them hee might become visible and that they might see his glory together so see it as they were seene of it that hee might see them and they see Him with the eyes of flesh He tooke vp our flesh for his Tabernacle and walked and talked amongst vs in more visible and audible manner than Hee did in the Campe of Israel than He did with Moses in the Tabernacle of the Congregation This which Isaias heere speaketh from the mouth of the Lord the Lord himselfe did after vtter with his owne mouth and yet with the mouth of man to wit that hee which had seene him had seene his Father because the glory of God was manifested in Him And when the Prophet saith That the glory of the Lord should bee reuealed and that all flesh shall see it together it is in this speech included that this glory of God should bee reuealed or manifested in the flesh The best interpretation of the Prophets words that I can commend vnto you must bee from Saint Iohn chap. 1. v. 1 14. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God And the Word was made Flesh and dwelt amongst vs and wee beheld his glory the glory as of the onely begotten of the Father full of grace and truth This blessed Apostle might perhaps say of himselfe and some few others in a peculiar sort Wee saw his glory and the glory which wee saw was as the onely begotten Sonne of God for hee with Peter and Iames had seen him transfigured on the Mount But all that saw the man Christ Iesus at his Baptisme with their bodily eyes did so see the glory of God reuealed from Heauen And he was so seene of all flesh Some of all sorts though not all of euery sort did see him baptized and heard him declared from Heauen to be the Sonne of God Some then present were Pharises others Sadduces some Iewes others Gentiles some Publicanes some Priests and Leuites some Samaritanes others Galileans Not at that time onely though the Prophets words be especially meant of that time but euer after all flesh might haue seene the liuely characters of those glorious attributes of Saluation which the Prophets and Psalmist had appropriated to the God of Sion to make distinct and reall impression in the man Christ Iesus These two attributes of glory and saluation are of so neere alliance of such equiualent vse that whereas the Prophet had said All flesh should see the glory of God Saint Luke expressing his meaning saith All flesh shall see the saluation of God chap. 3. vers 6. He supposeth as the Prophet meant that the glory of GOD should bee manifested in the saluation of men This glory or saluation of God was then reuealed and became visible to flesh and bloud when God became man and tooke his generall attribute of saluation as his proper name being called Iesus Finally that saluation of God which Simeon saw with such delight at our Sauiours Circumcision all flesh did or might haue seene at his Baptisme 47. But to returne vnto the Testimony of the Psalmist With thee is the Fountaine of life which containeth the mysticall signification of the waters which miraculously issued out of the rocke The best Interpretation of both places is deliuered by Saint Iohn by way of Comment vpon our Sauiours words Iohn 7. 38 39. Hee that beleeueth on mee as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow Riuers of liuing water This intersertion or parenthesis as the Scripture hath said stands like the tongue in a ballance doubtfull to whether part of the Sentence wherein it is contayned it inclineth Some Interpreters would draw it to the first part Hee that beleeueth in mee as saith the Scripture that is in such wise such sort and measure as the Scripture requireth out of his belly shall flow Riuers of liuing water Others would draw it to the later part and render it thus Hee that beleeueth in mee out of his belly shall flow Riuers of liuing water as the Scriptures hath fore-told Though both interpretations may be true though both may stand with the generall Analogy of faith yet the later in my opinion is more pertinent and more consonant to the true intention of this place But then it will be questioned What Scripture hath said that which our Sauiour here doth to wit that riuers of liuing water should flow from such as beleeued in him The very expresse words are no where else to be found in Scripture for they are as most of our Sauiours are when hee speakes of greatest mysteries parabolicall Their importance or reall sense is expressed by Saint Iohn in the same place This hee spake of the Spirit c. Now if by the riuers of liuing water our Sauiour meant as Saint Iohn telleth vs hee did this plentifull effusion of his Spirit the same Scriptures which fore-tell the plentifull effusion of the Spirit whether in termes plainely literall or emblematical fore-tell likewise the riuers of Liuing water which were to flow from true beleeuers The manner of our Sauiours expression of the Spirits effusion by riuers flowing out implyeth it should be powred out in such a plentifull measure as would be not onely sufficient to satiate the soules of them that thirsted after it but in a measure ouer-flowing to the Saluation of others And such were these admirable gifts of the Holy Ghost which after our Sauiours Ascension were bestowed vpon his Apostles and Disciples The Scriptures which particularly fore-tell this plentifull effusion of the Spirit are many these following are if not the principall yet the most apposite to our present Argument Ioel 2. vers 28 29 and 32. And it shall come to passe afterward
Anoynted or him that was to be anoynted with the holy Ghost 55. The greatest offence which the Iewes tooke at our Sauiour was that hee came not forth of Bethlem the City of Dauid but from Nazareth a Towne in Galilee that his education was so meane and his parentage so poore Now this offence the Prophet Isaias so they would haue vnderstood him had fully preuented fore-telling that hee should grow vp as a Rod out of the stemme of Iesse and as a Branch out of his roote This did truely fore-picture that hee should bee of meaner parentage than Dauid himselfe had beene as being to spring out of the decayed stem or root of Iesse Againe the very word in the Originall Netser signifying a Rod did picture out vnto vs the very place wherein hee was to grow vp as a Rod vntill hee came to be declared vnto Israel by the Spirit of God descending vpon him For the Towne of Nazareth hath its very name from the word heere vsed by the Prophet Isaias Netser and is as much in English as the Towne of Rods or Grafts Now albeit Iohn did not know this Rod or Branch of Iesse before hee came vnto him to be baptized yet his very name being IESVS which is a Sauiour and the name of the place whence hee came Natzareth a Towne of Rods could not but suggest thus much to Iohn That seeing the holy Ghost or Spirit of God was to descend vpon some one that came vnto his Baptisme and to rest vpon him there was none amongst all the multitudes that came vnto him in whom this prediction or signe which God had giuen him could be so fulfilled as in this Iesus of Nazareth and thus certainely expecting that the Spirit of God would descend vpon him he refused as Saint Matthew telleth vs to baptize him saying I haue need to be baptized of thee c. Now this very signe which God gaue to Iohn how to know him was giuen before by the Prophet Isay in the place fore-cited For in that he is termed a Rod or Branch on which the Spirit of the Lord should rest it is imported that the maner of his resting should be as a Bird or Fowle doth vpō a stemme or branch So that all which God in the signe giuen to Iohn doth adde vnto the Prophesie is a distinct expression of the Bird or Fowle in whose shape or bodily likenesse the Spirit was to descend and rest vpon him and that was in the shape or bodily likenesse of a Doue So then Iohn before our Sauiours baptisme had the Testimony of the Prophet that the Spirit of the Lord would descend and rest vpon the man whom he then first knew onely by the name of Iesus of Nazareth that is of Iesus the Rod or Branch of Iesse After our Sauiours baptisme he had this testimony or assurance of the Prophet and his own Interpretation of it when our Sauiour first came vnto him fully sealed and warranted by the euidence of his bodily senses by the visible experiment of the holy Ghost descending in the likenesse of a Doue by the voyce which he heard from Heauen This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased 56. That this Prophesie of Isaias hath speciall reference to the time of our Sauiours baptisme and to the Kingdome of heauen which Iohn proclaimed and into which his baptisme by water was as the doore or entrance the very ceremonie or solemnity of mens admission vnto it doe testifie and so doe the effects and fruites of the Spirits descending and resting vpon the Rod or Branch of Iesse which fruits and effects are in the same Chapter at large described and are of two sorts The first sort concernes the Rod or Branch of Iesse himselfe and these are set foorth in the 11. Chapter of Isaias vers 3 4 5. The Spirit of the Lord saith the Prophet shall make him of quicke vnderstanding in the feare of the Lord and he shall not iudge after the sight of his eyes neither reproue after the hearing of his eares But with righteousnes shall he iudge the poore and reproue with equitie for the meeke of the earth and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked And righteousnesse shall be the girdle of his loynes and faithfulnesse the girdle of his reines All these are heroicall endowments or qualifications for gouerment of so great a Kingdome as the Prophet foretold this Rod of Iesse or Branch of Dauid was to erect And of these qualifications here mentioned the best gifts which the Lord bestowed on Dauid on Saul or Salomon or vpon other Kings of Iudah at their anoyntments or inaugurations were but shadowes or prefigurations Now the descending of the Spirit of God here fore-told by the Prophet and resting vpon our Sauiour was his anoyntment and solemne inauguration or designement to his Kingdome Not that he was instantly to enter into his Kingdome of glory or take possession of his heauenly Inheritance but for a time to expect such troubles and persecutions in the attainement of it as his father Dauid had suffered betweene the time wherein Samuel had anoynted him King in his Father Iesses house at Bethlem and the time wherein hee was publikely anoynted King after Sauls death in Hebron That our Sauiours anoyntment or designement to be King and Lord ouer Israel doth beare date from the time that he was baptized by Iohn in Iordane Saint Peter testifies Acts 10. vers 37 38. That word you know which was published throughout all Iudea and began from Galilee after the baptisme which Iohn preached how God anoynted Iesus of Nazareth with the holy Ghost and with power who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the diuell for God was with him The voice which at his anointment was heard from heauen did plainely and openly declare him to be that sonne of Dauid of whom alone it was truely fulfilled which Dauid by his spirit of Prophefie had foretold That God should be vnto him a Father and he should be vnto him a Sonne And vpon this declaration made at his baptisme the diuell vnto whom some scattered sound of it happely came might collect that he was Dei Filius The first memorable Act his Father Dauid after Samuel had anointed him did vndertake was his conflict with Goliah and the first Act this Rod of Iesse after his anoyntment vndertaketh was his encounter with Satan in single combate The other part of the fruites or concomitances of this our Sauiours anoyntment by the holy Ghost is described at large in the 11. Chapter of Isaias vers 6 7 8 9. The Wolfe also shall dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard also shall lye downe with the Kid and the Calfe and the young Lyon and the fatling together and a little Child shall leade them And the Cow and the Beare shall feede their young ones shall lye downe
Iesus the King in their hearts his first comming had beene as dreadfull to the whole Land as the vnworthy receiuing of his body and blood was to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 11. God in his wisedome as some of the Fathers very well obserue had so ordained that the same Element by which the old world besides Noahs Family were destroyed should bee consecrated as an especiall meanes for preseruation of the new world The baptisme of water which Iohn administred was as a renouation or ratification of the promise which God had made to Noah a visible signe that GOD had freed the earth or Land of Iewry from that curse which Malachy speaks of and was withall a visible pledge or sacrament of a new blessing Whatsoeuer the curse or anger was which hanged at this time ouer the peoples head the Doue which descended vpon our Sauiour at his baptisme did bring to this generation a more expresse release from it and a more soueraigne pardon for all their sinnes than Noahs Doue did bring of Noahs and his families deliuerance from the curse of waters or from the danger of the Floud when she came with an Oliue branch in her mouth Now inasmuch as Iohns baptisme by water was as the medius terminus or as the way and passage betweene Noahs Arke and that holy Catholike Church which our Sauiour Christ was now to erect whereof Noahs Arke as you heard before was the expre type it is no maruell if that which was literally fulfilled or verefied in the dayes of Noah were fulfilled according to its emblematicall importance or mysticall sense in the dayes of Iohn or at his baptisme The congruity betweene Noahs Arke and the holy Catholike Church or new Ierusalem which was now to descend from heauen doth herein partly consist First not onely Noah and his Family but the Beasts as well cleane as vncleane which entred into the Arke were all preserued from bodily destruction So not onely the Off-spring of Abraham which was pre-figured by Noahs Family nor such Proselyâ—es onely of the Gentiles as were made visible members of the Iewish Church which answered in proportion to the cleane Beasts in Noahs Arke but euen the worst sort of the Gentiles such as had most oppugned the Children of Abraham in their Religion so they will be admitted into the Holy Catholique Church or mysticall body of Christ shall be as vndoubtedly preferued both in body and soule from the curse of Hell-fire as the vncleane Beasts which entred into Noahs Arke were from the curse of waters 58. That the admission of the Heathens which had been no Proselytes of the Iewish Church before into the Catholique Church now erected by Christ was prefigured by the vncleane beasts is more than probable vnto vs from the Vision which Saint Peter saw Acts 10. vers 10 11 12 13 14 15 16. Peter after his prayer became very hungry and would haue eaten but while they made readie he fell into a trance and saw Heauen opened and a certaine vessell descending vnto him as it had beene a great sheete knit at the foure corners and let downe to the earth wherein were all manner of foure-footed beasts of the earth and wilde beasts and creeping things and Fowles of the Ayre And there came a voyce to him Rise Peter kill and eate But Peter said Not so Lord for I haue neuer eaten any thing that is common or vncleane And the voyce spake vnto him againe the second time What GOD hath cleansed that call not thou common This was done thrice and the vessell was receyued vp againe into Heauen The opening of Heauen and the letting downe of the vessell wherein were all manner of beasts as well vncleane as cleane did signifie that the Kingdome of Heauen or gates of the new Ierusalem were now set open to all beleeuers and the way to true beliefe manifested to all of what Nation soeuer they were the one as open and the other as manifest to the Italians or Romanes which neuer had beene Proselytes as to the seed of Abraham or the Proselytes which they had made That matters of fact or emblematicall representations by vision or apparences are as truely doctrinall as words vttered and vnderstood according to the literall sense wee neede no further proofe than Saint Peters application of this vision vers 28. And hee said vnto them vnto Cornelius and his Italian friends and attendants Ye know how that it is an vnlawfull thing for a man that is a Iew to keepe company or come vnto one of another Nation but God hath shewed mee not in expresse words but by vision or representation emblematicall that I should not call any man common or vncleane Nor did Peter in expresse termes or conceit deem any man vnclean Onely hee had said whether in expresse words or in thought onely I haue neuer eaten any thing that is vncleane Yet when answere was made What God had cleansed that call not thou common hee knew by the circumstances of the time and by the tenor of Cornelius his message vnto him that God in this answer did not meane beasts or things edible but men represented by vncleane beasts whose vse the Lord at this time had sanctified vnto his people in token that men or Nations before vncleane were now capable of sanctification The mystery included in this vision was fulfilled in the baptisme with the Holy Ghost and was prefigured by the admission as well of Publicans Roman Souldiers as of Pharises Iewes or Proselytes vnto the Baptisme of Iohn Now S. Peters owne interpretation of this vision will warrant our former Interpretation of the Prophet Isay cap. 11. vers 6. as also of most other places in this Prophet which as you heard before were to bee vnderstood not according to the literall plaine and Grammaticall signification of the words but according to their poeticall or emblematicall importance Howbeit when we affirme that the aforesaid Prophesie Isay 11. vers 6. was specially fulfilled according to its poeticall parabolicall or emblematicall sense we no way deny that it might in part be verified or exemplified according to the plaine literall or historicall signification of the words Certainely it was so verified in our Sauiour whilest hee remained after his Baptisme in the Wildernesse And immediately after his Baptisme the Spirit driueth him into the Wildernesse And hee was there in the Wildernesse fortie dayes tempted of Satan and was with the wilde beasts and the Angels ministred vnto him Mark 1. ver 12 13. Wee doe not reade that any wilde beast or noysome creature of which the Wildernesse had plenty did eyther annoy our Sauiour or attempt any violence against him whilest hee was with them Wee doe not reade that Satan did euer tempt Him to encounter with a Lyon or a Beare as his Father Dauid had done or to tread on Serpents or Scorpions to see whether they would sting him or no because he saw by experience that this Iesus of
work any As indeed hee did worke no miracles besides the turning of water into wine at the marriage feast at Cana in Galilee which as Saint Iohn the Euangelist â—elleth vs was the beginning of miracles or as a proofe or assay of his ability to worke miracles when his houre was come which was not till Iohn was imprisoned But immediately after Herod had imprisoned Iohn our Sauiour left Iudea and went into Galilee where by Gods appointment the Kingdome of heauen whose approach Iohn at his baptisme had fore-told was to bee proclaimed and established The matter of fact to wit his going into Galilee vpon Iohns imprisonment is expressely related by Saint Iohn cap. 4. vers 1 2 3. When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharises had heard that Iesus made and baptized moe Disciples than Iohn though Iesus himselfe baptized not but his Disciples he left Iudaea and departed againe into Galilee not so much for feare of the Iewes as to accomplish that for which he was sent into the world The end of his going into Galilee at this time after Iohn had performed his office of baptizing and was now to decrease is more expressely noted by Saint Matthew chap. 4. vers 11 12 13 14 15 16. Then the Diuell leaueth him aâ—d behold Angels came and ministred vnto him Now when Iesus had heard that Iohn was cast into prison hee departed into Galilee And leauing Nazareth hee came and dwelt in Capernaum which is vpon the Sea-coast in the borders of Zabulon and Napthaly That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaias the Prophet saying The Land of Zabulon and the Land of Napthaly by the way of the Sea beyond Iordane Galilee of the Gentiles The people which sate in darknesse saw great light and to them which sate in the Region and shaddow of death light is sprung vp In particular to shew you the whole manner how this Prophesie was fulfilled by our Sauiours going out of Iudaea into Galilee by his leauing Nazareth and repairing to Capernaum would require a longer discourse than is fitting for the Pulpit Some touch of it perhaps I shall giue you in the conclusion of our Sauiours answere to Iohn as it concernes the first place of Isay whereto he referreth him That which I would now haue you to obserue out of the Euangelist Saint Matthew is this First that this Prophesie was fulfilled in our Sauiours promulgation of the Gospell in those places Secondly albeit our Sauiour was anoynted King of Iudah and inaugurated to the Kingdome of heauen at his baptisme yet hee did not take actuall possession of his Kingdome or giue Lawes vnto his subiects he did not fully exercise his Regall authority ouer Satan and the vncleane spirits his angels nor establish the Kingdome of Grace by signes or wonders vntill the time of Iohns imprisonment Thus much is euident from the words of Saint Matthew Chap. 4. vers 17. From that time to wit from Iohns imprisonment Iesus began to preach to say Repent for the Kingdome of Heauen is at hand From the same time he did choose his twelue Apostles and gaue Authority to them and to the seuentie Disciples to preach the Kingdome to heale all manner of diseases and to deliuer the people from the tyranny of Satan From the same time our Sauiour began to make that excellent Sermon vpon the Mount whereof you may reade Matth. 5 6. which is the fundamentall Charter by which the Kingdome of Heauen heere on earth is established Now albeit Iohn did worke no miracles himselfe nor had seene our Sauiur worke any before his imprisonment yet hee had ingaged his credit and reputation with the people who tooke him for no lesse than a Prophet that Iesus of Nazareth whom he baptized in Iordane should worke such miracles as Isaias the Prophet had foretold the Rod or Branch of Iesse should worke and accomplish all which the said Prophet had foretold should ensue vpon the voice crying in the wildernesse That Iohn had thus far ingaged himselfe for winning reputation to his Lord and Master is euident from the fruites or effects of this his ingagement manifested in the people Iohn 10. v. 39 40 41 42. After our Sauiour had escaped out of the hands of the Iewes hee went away againe beyond Iordane into the place where Iohn at first baptized and there hee abode And many resorted vnto him and said Iohn did no miracle but all things that Iohn spake of this man were true And many beleeued on him there Now albeit Iohn after hee had seene the holy Ghost descend vpon our Sauiour did neuer doubt whether he was the promised Messias or no yet what greater comfort or satisfaction could Iohn receiue being now imprisoned than to haue an acquittance from his former Ingagement for our Sauiour sealed by such visible and sensible euents as are heere related and solemnly acknowledged and deliuered by him for whom Iohn stood ingaged who had fully discharged whatsoeuer Iohn had promised on his behalfe That this answer of our Sauiour did really discharge Iohn of his former ingagement and fully acquit him from all suspition of collusion or compact with Iesus of Nazareth whom he baptized and proclaimed to be the Messias might easily haue appeared to the most malicious Iewe then liuing that would but haue compared the miracles heere related with the predictions of the Prophet Isay laying both of them to heart and weighing them with the circumstances of the seuerall times The testimonies are two The first prediction of the Prophet Isay whereto our Sauiour in this answere referreth Iohn and all such as should seeke satisfaction from him is Isay 35. but especially vers 3 4 5 6 7. Strengthen yee the weake hands and confirme the feeble knees Say to them that are of a fearefull heart Bee strong feare not behold your God will come with veâ—igeance euen God with a recompence he will come and saue you Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the eares of the deafe shall bee vnstopped Then shall the lame man leape as an Hart and the tongue of the dumbe shall sing for in the Wildernesse shall waters breake out and streames in the desart And the parched ground shall become a poole and the thirstie Land springs of water in the habitation of dragons where each lay shall bee grasse with reedes and rushes 69. The Testimonies before cited out of Isay albeit they were abundantly sufficient to beget faith in Iohn himselfe and others that did vnpartially consider and compare them with the signes of the time and other circumstances of which you haue heard yet were they not so apt or effectuall to conuince the froward and partiall hearers as this last cited Testimony was and is Against the former places and the expositions which Iohn made of them to himselfe and to his Disciples pride malice or fretting iealousie might haue made these or the like exceptions plausible enough to discontented minds or
with him and shall returne vnto his owne Family and vnto the possession of his Fathers shall hee returne 77. If you desire to knowe the Euangelicall mysteries prefigured by these Legall priuiledges of the Iubile or fiftieth yeere and the manner how all these prefigurations were fulfilled by our Sauiour at the time when he sent this answere vnto Iohn you must consider that no seruant throughout the Land of Iewrie whether an hyred seruant of the seed of Abraham or a bond-man of the Nations was euer in so great a bondage or hard seruitude vnto his master as all the sonnes of Abraham yea of Adam were vnto Satan This acceptable yeere of the Lord in number the thirtieth Legall Iubile being first proclaimed by Iohn afterwards by a voice from heauen at our Sauiours baptisme and lastly by our Sauiour himselfe after Iohns imprisonment was the time appointed by God for the manumission or setting free of his people and all mankinde from the bondage and seruitude to Satan Nor did our Sauiour onely proclaime this acceptable yeere of the Lord but did by deed and fact declare himselfe to be that Lord which had giuen the Law of Iubile vnto the Iewes and was now come in person to put the true intent and full meaning of it in execution which was to set free all such as did hearken vnto his voice and sought to be eased from their slauerie and thraldome Of this present freedome or manumission euen these bodily miraculous Cures heere mentioned in my Text were vndoubted effects and so many ocular or sensible demonstrations All these defects or imperfections of body as blindnesse lamenesse deafenesse dumbnesse crookednesse and the like were as the bonds and chaines of Satan Thus much is euidently proued by our Sauiours Argument against the Ruler of the Synagogue which was displeased because our Sauiour had healed a poore woman vpon the Sabbath day whose body was bowed together Thou hypocrite saith our Sauiour doth not each one of you on the Sabbath day loose his Oxe or his Asse from the stall and leade him away to watering Luk. 13. vers 15. And ought not this woman being a daughter of Abraham whom Satan hath bound lo these eighteene yeeres be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day vers 16. Saint Peters words are more generall for he saith He healed all that were oppressed of the diuell Act. 10. v. 38. But the speciall document and the fullest assurance of this present freedome or manumission by our Sauiour was the often-mentioned Euangelization of the poore in spirit that is their participation of that Oyle of gladnesse wherewith he was anoynted aboue his Fellowes or adherents This includeth as well terminum ad quem as terminum à quo that is it includeth not onely a manumission or deliuerance from the seruitude of Satan but withall an accomplishment or fulfilling of that which was prefigured in the second priuiledge of the Legall Iubile and this priuiledge was that euery man might returne vnto his possession or to the inheritance of his Fathers although he had formerly pawned or mortgaged it Now Paradise you know was the possession which all of vs lost in our first Parents from entering into it we were all excluded so long as wee continued the seruants of sinne and Satan And vnto this possession did the Womans Seed or second Adam the Anoynted of the Lord whereof the Prophet Isay speakes Chap. 61. actually restore the poore in spirit that liued and conuersed with him This restauration or returning to the possession or inheritance of their first parents was first proclaimed and the possession it selfe in part first giuen or bequeathed to his Disciples a little before Iohn sent vnto our Sauiour this message whereto my Text containes the answere The Proclamation was our Sauiours Sermon vpon the Mount 78. It is a point worth your obseruatioÌ„ that our Sauiour beginneth that Sermon which as wee said before was the fundamentall Charter of the Kingdome of God or Euangelicall Law from the beginning of the fore-cited 61. Chapter of Isay. The Spirit of the Lord is vpon mee saith the Prophet therefore hee hath anoynted mee to euangelize the poore or meeke in spirit He opened his mouth saith the Euangelist Matth. 5. vers 3. that is after long silence and expectation hee began to proclaime the acceptable yeere Blessed are the poore in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of Heauen Thus our Sauiour expressed the meaning of this Phrase in my Text paâ—peres euangelizantur for the poore in spirit are therefore blessed because instated in the Kingdome of Heauen and instated they were in the Kingdome of Heauen by beeing euangelized Another part of his Embassage or effect of his anoyntment was to comfort all that mourne to giue to them that mourne in Sion beauty for Ashes and the oyle of ioy for sorrow Esay 61. The second Branch of his Embassage or Proclamation was Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted Matth. 5. vers 4. Saint Luke Chap. 6. addeth which is not expressed in Saint Matthew that at the same time he pronounced a woe vnto the rich a woe vnto the full a woe vnto such as laughed to wit in an vnseasonable time when God had called to fasting and mourning and a woe vnto the vain-glorious or men-pleasers v. 24 25 26. As well the woes as the blessings here solemnely pronounced were expresly fore-told by the Prophet Isay chap. 61. vers 2. So it is said That the Lord had sent him to proclaime the acceptable yeere of the LORD and the day of vengeance of our God This powerfull denunciation of woe and blessing was that Fanne wherof Iohn Baptist speaketh Matt. 3. vers 12. His Fanne is in his hand and hee will thorowly purge his floore and gather his Wheate into his Garner but will burne vp the chaffe with vnquenchable fire Both our Sauiours Sermon and Iohn Baptists description of his Fanne as also that of Malachy 3. vers 2 3 4. are but exegeticall expressions of that fundamentall Prophesie Isay 35. vers 4. wherein it is implyed that when GOD should come to saue his people hee should come as well Deus vltor as Deus remunerator as well God the Reuenger as God the Rewarder But did our Sauiour giue any document of this his power at the vttering of this Sermon It came to passe saith the Euangelist when Iesus had ended these sayings of woe and blessing of vengeance and recompence the people were astonished at his doctrine For hee taught them as one hauing authoritie and not as the Scribes Matth. 7. vers â—8 29. Thus when our Sauiour expounded the for 〈◊〉 Prophesie Isay 61. vers 1. in the Synagogue at Nazareth All bare him witnesse and wondred at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth 79. The precise time of the yere or moneth wherein our Sauiour made this Sermon or returned this answer here in my Text vnto Iohn or whether it were