full issue or product of all three dimensions we shall be everlastingly blessed in him For the first we may not so much as beg any blessing or good thing at God's hand but for his sake Hence it is that all our prayers are conceived in this forme either expressely or implicitely propter merita Iesu Christi Secondly of those blessings which it pleaseth God to grant for his sake wee may not entreat no not expect their conveyance should be made unto us by any other person or meanes then by him and the vertue of his sufferings And for this reason it is that we usually conclude our prayers Per Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum through Iesus Christ our Lord not propter Iesum Christum That is alway expressed or implyed in the body or beginning of the prayer It was the intention of the Ancients to instruct us by those two usuall clauses of our solemn prayers that whatsoever we aske for Christ's sake wee cannot otherwise obtaine then through him And though the Father be the first granter yet the Sonne immediately bestowes all blessings upon us as the places of Scripture late alleaged testify God's blessings descend to us only by him that they may draw us unto him in whom only we are blessed For that everlasting happinesse of the life to come formally consists in our union with him and cannot be manifested or imparted to us but by the participation of his blessed presence 6 Will yee have a more particular map in what manner the blessing of Abraham descends upon us by this our high Priest Then call to mind in what termes Melchisedech blessed Abraham They were these Blessed be Abraham of the most high God Possessor of heaven and earth Melchisedech if the same be Shem had by vertue of his Father Noah's blessings a manifest right unto the land of Canaan and had some part of it in possession and this right and title hee be queaths to Abraham The chiefe matter of his blessing is that Abrahams posteritie should be Kings and Priests in that land And albeit he were a Priest of the most high God yet his Kingdome was of this world and in this world though a type of the heavenly Kingdome But our Saviour's Kingdome was not of this world for since his Resurrection he hath taken possession of heaven as he is man but in the right and title of the eternall Sonne of God God the Father made all things by God the Sonne whom hee hath made Heire of all things as man which were made by him as God not as an heire in his nonage but as joynt Lord with his Father at whose right hand he is placed so that as man he hath more full and more immediate authoritie to dispose of heaven than Melchisedech had to dispose of Canaan for hee bestowed that upon Abraham by way of prayer as became a Priest of the most high God But this our high Priest who is also the most high God shall dispose of heaven to his servants by royall sentence and authoritie as King Then shall the King say unto them that sit on his right hand Venite benedicti patris mei possidete vobis paratum regnum à constitutione mundi Come ye blessed of my Father possesse yee the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world This is the accomplishment of that blessing which Melchisedech bestowed upon Abraham and the second part of his benediction must be the everlasting song of such as are blessed in Abraham's seed Blessed be the most high God who hath delivered our enemies into our hands who hath enabled us to overcome the world the Divell and the flesh And though Christ our high Priest were the Sonne of David and of Abraham as man according to the flesh yet as man hee is the first begotten from the dead and Father of the world to come Melchisedech himselfe in respect of the everlasting blessing is his Sonne and must have his portion in it at the last day For if all Nations if every one of any Nation that is truly blessed be blessed in Abraham's seed Melchisedech himselfe must be blessed in him not only by him And therefore hee is that most high God Possessor of heaven and earth in whose name Melchisedech blessed Abraham 7 But to return to our Apostles next passage He. 7. 11. c. If therefore perfection were by the Leviticall Priesthood for under it the people received the Law what further need was there that another Priest should arise after the order of Melchisedech and not be called after the order of Aaron For the Priesthood being changed there is made of necessitie a change also of the Law The full discussion of this twelfth verse because it containes matter of Controversie amongst us Christians and betweene severall profest members of reformed Churches as whether Christ were a Law giver or wherein the Law which hee gave did differ from or excell the Law of Moses whether Leviticall or Morall must be referred to another Treatise The Law saith our Apostle made no thing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did So our later English reads the Text yet proffers to us another reading in the margine which in mine opinion is more consonant to our Apostle's meaning to wit That the Law was an introduction of a better hope by which we draw neare to God And this drawing neare to God is that perfection which the Law could not effect But the principall point whereon our Apostle pitcheth forevincing the priesthood of Christ to be farre more excellent then the Leviticall Priesthood was was reserved to the last place and pathetically though briefly avouched v. 20. And in asmuch as not without an oath for those Priests to wit after the order of Aaron were made without an oath but this to wit Christ with an oath by him that said unto him The Lord sware and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech By so much was Iesus made the surety of a better Covenant And they truly were many Priests because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death But this man because hee continueth for ever hath an unchangeable Priesthood Wherefore hee is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing hee ever liveth to make intercession for them And againe v. 28. For the Law maketh men high Priests which have infirmities but the word of the oath which was since the Law maketh the Sonne who is consecrated for evermore These two last passages require a fuller discussion of a Point often touched upon in some printed Treatises and diverse Sermons A point much neglected by many good Divines and carped at by others through their ignorance in true antiquitie videlicet What the interposition of God's speciall oath doth import more then his largest promises without an oath SECT 3. Of the calling or destination of the Seede of Abraham and Sonne of
the world ever had besides the concurse and confluence of strangers at the time of our Saviour's Passion The manner of whose death and the signes and wonders then exhibited made the heathen Centurion a man altogether ignorant of these sacred mysteries to confesse that this Iesus whom he had seene crucified was the Sonne of God But the time the manner and consequence of his Resurrection most directly proves as well his Priesthood as his calling to it to have been from God both more excellent then Aaron's was 6 Wee see it experienced Numb 16. 17. that notwithstanding the publique solemnitie of Aaron's Consecration by Moses there wanted not such rebellious spirits then as the world is full of now which thought themselves altogether as holy and as â—it to be high Priests as he After the earth had swallowed up the principals in this conspiracy the â—eaâ—â—â—eâ—â—e multitude though â—eâ—â—â—â—ed for a while with the fearefull disaster of their ring-leaders conspire aâ—â—esh against Moses and Aaron and had utterly perished in this rebellion had not Aaron runne into the midst of the congregation which sought his life and stood with his center as with a shield of defence betwixt them and death But seeing neither the fearefull examples shewed upon Coreh Dathan and Abiram nor Aaron's late compassion towards them when wrath was gone out from the Lord against them and the plague was kindled amongst them were able to quell their jealousies or appease their murmurings the Lord lastly made the Rodde of Levy alone inscribed with Aarons name amongst all the roddes of the Tribes of Israel to bring forth branch leafe blossome and fruit in one night and thus beautified with flowre and fruit which were not to fade in so many yeares as they had been houres inspringing to be laid up in the Arke of the testimony to stay the murmurings of the children of Israel and to be as a witnesse against them whensoever they should question Aaron's calling 7 The Tribes of Israel were never so maliciously and stubbornly bent against Moses and Aaron as the Tribe of Levi and Aaron's successors with their complices were against the sonne of David to whom the Lord destinated the Priesthood after the order of Melchisedech by solemn oath Though the earth did quake and the rocks rent in sunder though the graves did open and give up their dead more desirous to swallow up these rebellious miscreants quick then to swallow up Coreh Dathan and Abiram as doubtlesse they had done unlesse this Priest of the most high God had made an Attonement for them saying Father forgive them for they know not what they doe yet their murmurings cease not with his life their malice pursues him into his grave 8 The last and peremptory signe reserved by the wisdome of God either to stay their murmurings or to condemne them with Coreh with Dathan and Abiram unto the everlasting pit was the causing of this Rodde of â—esse this branch of David whom these cruell and mercilesse men had quite stript of flower of leafe of branch bereft of sappe and as it were scorcht and beaked in the fire of affliction to recover sappe and leafe and flower againe to bring forth the fruit which never shall â—â—de now consecrated to be the tree of life to all the Nations enthronized in the heavenly tabernacle and planted at the right hand of God untill his enemies by the rodde of his power be made his footstoole We have seene in part how fitly that testimony of the Psalmist Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee beeing understood of Christ raised from the dead is avouched by our Apostle to prove Christs calling his Consecration and advancement to the Priesthood here mentioned to have been from God and from the event answering to the Psalmist's prophecy and from that other testimony of Psalme 110. often mentioned doth S. Peter cause the murmuring of the people of Israel to cease For from the two premises Act. 2. ver 36. he thus concludes Therefore let all the house of Israell know assuredly that God hath made the same Iesus whom yee have crucified both Lord and Christ that is as much as if he had said both King and Priest by these declarations he gained three thousand soules which otherwise had perished in their murmurings 9 So then the day of his Resurrection is the day wherein the dignity of everlasting Priesthood is actually collated upon him and as he himselfe testifieth All power is given unto mee both in heaven and earth And if all power then as well the power of Priesthood as the power royall And as high Priest he gives Commission to his Disciples to teach and baptize The day of his Ascension or placing at the right hand of God is the day of his solemne enthronization and immediately upon this hee sent forth the Rodde of his strength out of Sion For by this rodde fore-told by the Psalmist Psal 110. we are to understand that power wherewith his Disciples were to be endued from above which they were to expect in Ierusalem at the feast of Pentecost The effusion of the holy spirit and emplanting the Law of the Gospell in their hearts upon that day or the day following wherein the Law of Moses was proclaimed was as a proclamation to all the world that the Priesthood was translated or changed by this manifest translation or change of the Law SICT. 5. Of the Resurraction of the Sonne of God By what Prophets it was fore-told By what Persons or legall Rites it was fore-pictured or fore-shadowed CHAP. 29 In what high esteeme S. Paul did hold the Article of our Saviour's Resurrection and Ascension c. That the want of explicite beliefe to this grand Article of the Resurrection did argue rather a dulnesse or slownesse to believe the Scriptures then any infidelity or incredulity even in such as had seene his miracles and had heard him fore-tell his death and rising againe untill the event did manifest unto them the truth of his former Doctrine and predictions WHen the Doctor of the Gentiles saith He esteemed to know nothing amongst the great Masters of knowledge save Iesus Christ and him crucified this exception no way excludes the knowledge of his Resurrection from the dead or implies that he had not the knowledge of the Article in equall esteeme with the knowledge of his Crosse How highly soever he did esteeme both mysteries it doth not argue that hee did rate the knowledge of his Ascention into heaven his session at the right hand of God or his comming thence to judge the quick and the dead one mite lower The greatest blessing which hee could either praise God for or pray unto him for whether for himselfe or for his beloved Ephesians was the knowledge as he termes it of these grand mysteries Wherefore I also after I had heard of your faith in the Lord Iesus and love unto all the Saints cease not to give thankes for you making mention of you
so truly and sincerely Episcopari nolo as hee did or pray so earnestly that the charge of his Consecration might be mitigated whilst hee was in his agony But how deare soever his Consecration cost him the costs and charges of it though altogether unknown to us were recompenced by the purchase which he gained by it For as it followeth being thus consecrated he became the Author of everlasting salvation to all that obey him and their salvation was and is as pleasant to him as his sufferings whereby he was consecrated were for the present distastfull CHAP. 4. The Consecration of the Sonne of God was not finisht immediately after his Agony in the Garden nor was he then or at the time of his sufferings upon the Crosse an actuall or compleat high Priest after the Order of Melchisedech BVt was his Consecration finished immediately after hee had beene anointed with his owne blood in the Garden or assoone as his prayers and supplications which hee offered up with strong cryes and teares were heard No whatsoever else was required for his Qualification there could be no true and perfect Consecration to his Priesthood without a Sacrifice without a bloody Sacrifice This was one principall part of Aarons Consecration to his legall Priesthood and so of his Successors But here the Iew who is for the most part lesse learned then perverse and captious will in this particular shrewdly object if not thus insult over the negligence of many Christian teachers When your crucified God was convented by the high Priests and Elders when he was arraign'd before Pontius Pilate when he was sentenced to the death of the Crosse tell us plainly whether in any of these points of time mentioned he were truly a Priest or no Priest If no Priest at all what had hee to doe to offer any Sacrifice especially a bloody one For this was a service so peculiar to the legall Priests which were the sonnes of Aaron that it was sacriledge for the sonnes of David For the greatest Kings of Iudah to attempt it If you will say then he was a Priest you must acknowledge him either to have beene a Priest after the order of Melchisedech or after the order of Aaron If you say hee was a Priest after the order of Aaron you plainly contradict this Apostle whom you acknowledge to be the great Teacher of you Gentiles for he saith Chap. 7. v. 14. of this Epistle It is evident that our Lord sprang out of Iudah concerning which Tribe Moses spake nothing concerning the Priesthood And againe Chap. 8. v. 4. hee saith Hee were not a Priest if hee were earth seeing there are Priests which according to the Law offer gifts Now if he could be no Priest were he now on earth then certainly he could be no Priest after the order of Aaron nor did he offer any legall or bloody sacrifice whilst he lived as sometimes he did here on earth 2 Was he then whilst hee lived here on earth a Priest after the order of Melchisedech and by this title authorized to offer sacrifice This I presume you dare not avouch For Melchisedech was a Priest according to endlesse life his Priesthood was an immortall everlasting Priesthood Now although every man be not an high Priest yet every high Priest must be a man and a man taken from amongst ordinary men to offer gifts and sacrifices for sinne The Priesthood is an accident the humanitie or manhood is the subject or substance which supports it Dare you then say that a mortall man whilst he was such could possibly be an everlasting Priest or a Priest according to an endlesse life when he was to dye a miserable and ignominious death the very same day Durum esset hoc affirmare This indeed is a hard saying a point of Doctrine whose intimation did cause the Iews such as were in part our Saviours Disciples or very inclinable to his service to question the truth of his calling and of his sayings Iohn 12. v. 32. c. And I if I were lift up from the earth will draw all men unto me Now this he said saith S. Iohn signifying what death he should dye to wit the death of the Crosse And so his Auditors conceived his meaning and for this reason the people answered him We have heard out of the Law that the Christ abideth for ever and how sayest thou the sonne of man must be lift up Who is that son of man v. 34. This people at that time had a cleare prenotion or received opinion that their promised Messias or the Christ should be a Priest after the order of Melchisedech that is a Priest to endure for ever for the Lord had confirmed thus much by oath Psalme 110. And out of this common prenotion whether first conceived out of that place of David The Lord hath sworne and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech or from some other Scripture the people in the fore-cited place questioned whether it were possible hee should be the Christ seeing by his owne confession he was shortly after to dye the death of the Crosse 3 These objections I confesse could hardly be answered if wee should grant what many moderne Divines out of incogitancy have taught or taken upon trust without further examination to wit that the eternall Sonne of God our Lord and Saviour was an high Priest from eternitie or an high Priest from his birth as man or from his Baptisme when hee was anointed by the holy Ghost unto his Propheticall function or whilst he was upon the Crosse But not granting this as wee have no reason to admit any branch of it the answer to the former objection is clear and easie Betwixt a Priest compleat or actually consecrated and no Priest at all datur medium participationis there is a meane or third estate or condition to wit a Priest in fieri though not in facto or a Priest inter consecrandum that is in the interims of his Consecration before hee be actually and compleatly consecrated Such a man or rather such a Priest was Aaron during the first sixe or seven dayes of his Consecration yet dare no Iew avouch that after the first or second day of his separation from common men he was no more then an ordinary man no Priest at all nor that on the seaventh day he was a Priest actually consecrated but as yet in his Consecration He was not till the eight day qualified to offer up Sacrifices unto God but had peculiar Sacrifices offered for his Consecration by Moses 4 Briefly then the Sacrifice of the Sonne of God upon the Crosse whether we consider it as of fered by himselfe or by his Father as it is sometimes said in Scripture to be offered by both was the absolute accomplishment of all legall Sacrifices or services Aaronicall And yet but an intermediate though an especiall part of his Consecration to the Priesthood after the order of Melchisedech not the ultimum
he had not commanded them upon his Altar And seeing that although they had put off all the respect of the obedience of his sonnes yet could he not put off the affection of a loving Father towards them or suddenly cease to mourne for their untimely death whereas to have eaten the Sacrifices in the holy place with a sad countenance or heavy heare had been to pollute it So that this sad and ivofull accident made the eating of the sinne-offring in the holy place unlawfull or unexpedient to him and his sonnes which ordinarily or in case no such accident had befallen them had not only been lawfull but necessary But seeing the blood of the Bullock offered for Aaron's sinne-offering at his CoÌ„secration had not been brought into the Sanctuary and seeing no such wofull accident or legall impediment had at this time befallen Aaron and his sonnes it may justly be questioned what was the reason they did not eate the flesh of this their sinne-offring or Attonement It was a sufficient warrant unto them not to eat it because the Lord had forbidden it Exod. 29. 14. But if it be demanded what was the reason or intent of this Law or rather of this particular exception from the generall Law by which they were commanded to eate it Some make answer that Aaron and his sonnes were not as yet compleat Priests or Priests already consecrated but in their Consecration only and therefore were not comprehended under the generall Law which commanded the Priest forbidding all others to eate the flesh of the sinne-offering whose blood was not brought into the Sanctuary But this reason concludes only in probability against Aaron and his sonnes who did now attend their Consecration it no waies concludes against Moses who did consecrate them who was not only permitted but commanded by God to eate of all the Sacrifices or offrings which Aaron's sonnes or Successors might lawfully eate yet did not Moses eate any part of the Bullock offered at Aaron's Consecration for a sinne-offring or Attonement for God had expressely commanded it to be burnt without the Campe. Their answer therefore to that former demand is more pertinent who say that no high Priest whether ordinarily called or extraordinarily as Moses was for the Consecration of Aaron and his sonnes might eate of any sacrifice which was offered for a sinne-offring or Attonement for the Priests themselves although the Blood of it were not brought into the Sanctuary Of the Sinne-offrings for the people whose Blood was not brought into the Sanctuary the Priests might eate they were to eate 2. This commandement for them to eate of the peoples sinne-offring argues the sinnes of the people were to be borne or taken away by the Priest The prohibition for the Priests to eat the Sinne-offrings made for themselves argues the sinnes of the Priest could not be borne or taken away by the Priests of the Law or their sacrifices but were to expect a better sacrifice of a better high Priest The legall sacrifices in the meane time were to be offered in a place prefiguring the place wherein this better Sacrifice was to be offered a place without the gates of Ierusalem Whiles the people wandred in the wildernesse without any setled habitation or City to dwell in the Sacrifice or substance of the Sinne-offring was to be consumed with fire without the trenches or bounds wheresoever they did encampe as Souldiers doe in the open field neere unto the Arke of the Testament But after the Arke had found a setled habitation or resting place in the Temple which Salomon built the City of Ierusalem in which the Temple stood became the Campe of Israel And this and other like sodeiâ—â—ties and services which were commanded to be performed without the Campe whiles the people wandred in the wildernesse were to be performed without the gates of Ierusalem albeit the Sacrifice was to be offered in the Temple whence seeing our Saviour's Body was the offring for sinne or the Sacrifice of Attonement by which the mysteries imported by all other Sacrifices were fulfilled it was to be consumed or brought into the dust of death in Mount Calvary or Golgotha or some place without the City So that the Apostle's argument Heb. 13. drawne from the annuall Sacrifices of Attonement concludes as punctually for this Sacrifice of Aâ—â—onement or Sinne-offring at Aaron's Consecration We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eate which serve at the Tabernacle for the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the Sanctuary by the high Priest for sinne as also of those beasts which were offered for the Priests Sin-offring at the Consecration albeit their Blood were not brought into the Sanctuary are burnt without the Campe. Wherefore Iesus also that he might sanctifie the people with his owne Blood suffered without the gate Now this sanctification of God's people by Christ's Blood was their Consecration with him to be Kings and Priests as he was now made King and Priest that is a Priest after the order of Melchisedech and as he himselfe saith Iohn 17. 29. For their sakes I sanctifie my selfe that is I undergoe the rites of Consecration prefigured by the Law that they also may be sanctified through the truth or truly sanctified that is after a better manner then they could be sanctified or consecrated by the legall Sacrifices ceremonies or services of the Law 3 The second sort of bloody Sacrifices offered by Moses at the Consecration of Aaron and his sons were two Rammes the one for a burnt offring to the Lord for a sweet Savour and offring made by fire unto the Lord. Exod. 29. 18. The mystery hereby fore-signified at our Saviour's Confecration is expressed by the Apostle Ephes 5. 1. 2. Be yee therefore followers of God as deare Children and walke in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himselfe for us an offring and a Sacrifice to God for a sweete smelling savour The other Ramme was to be offered as a peace offring and is called by Moses Exod. 29. the Ramme of Aaron's Consecration ver 26. because Aaron and his sonnes were to be annointed with the Blood of it CHAP. 27. In what respects the Ramme of the Consecration and the Ramme which God did provide for a burnt offring instead of Isanck did prefigure the sacrifice of the Son of God Of other speciall rites wherein Aaron at his Consecration and in the function of his Priesthood did prefigure the Consecration and Priest hood of the Son of God NOw if we consider the speciall references of the Aaronicall Priesthood there could no fitter Sacrifice be offered for Aaron and his sonnes at their Consecration then the Sacrifice of Rammes no other Sacrifices used in the Law could be so fit an embleme or representation of our high Priest's Sacrifice at his Consecration The points whereto the Aaronicall Priesthood whether during the time of their Consecration or after Aaron and his sonnes were consecrated Priests had peculiar reference
that obey him And is called of God from the time of his Resurrestion or exaltation an high Priest after the order of Melchisedech CHAP. 10. Wherein the Priesthood of Melchisedech did differ from the Priesthood of Aaron That Melchisedech did not offer any sacrifice of bread and wine unto God when he blessed Abraham THe office of Aaron and of his Sonnes wee have described Deuteron 10. 8. At that time the Lord separated the Tribe of Levi to beare the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord to stand before the Lord to minister unto him and to blesse in his name unto this day And againe Deut. 18. 3. This shall be the Priests duty c. For the Lord thy God hath chosen him out of all thy Tribes to stand and minister in the name of the Lord him and his Sonnes for ever ver 5. Could Melchisedech's office be greater or his patent ampler especially for duration For sacrifice prayer and blessing are the trinall dimensions of the Priesthood howsoever taken This difficultie perhaps did occasion a foule error in the Romish Church or encourage her followers to maintaine this error brought forth it may be upon other occasions to wit that the office of Melchisedech should properly consist herein especially differ from the Priesthood of AaroÌ„ For that when he met Abraham he offered up bread wine by way of proper sacrifice unto God as a type or pledge of the unbloody sacrifice of the masse unto which the Romanists for the most part restraine the exercise of Christ's Priesthood after the order of Melchisedech 2 To omit their chymicall conceits who labour in vaine to extract some act of sacrificing out of the originall word hotsi Maldonate the most zealous and laborious pleader in this argument because Calvin had held the monkish allegorizars to the literall and gramaticall sense of Scriptures holds it no sin to put a trick of Grammar so they would admit it upon Calvin's followers upon the very text it self For whereas the Romish Interpreters who went before him admit the vulgar edition Et erat Sacerdos Dei altissimi This Critick to despite Calvin will correct Magnificat and renders it thus Et erat sacrificans Deo altissimo His reason for this innovation is because the hebrew Cohen is for it's form a participle of the present tense but surely he was better read in his Gramar then in his Lexicon although better read in that then in the Hebrew Text for although the Hebbrew Cohen be usually taken for a Priest yet to sacrifice is no part of the proper formal signification of the radicall verb Cahan That directly imports no more then ministravit or Sacerdotem egit Whence though it be most true that every Sacrificer is a CoheÌ„ is a Priest or Minister of God yet is not this truth simply convertible that is Every Cohen Priest or Minister of God is a Sacrificer specially if we speak of times before the Law was given or since it expired much lesse will it follow that every act or function which the Minister of God performs should be a sacrifice So that albeit we should give the Criticall Iesuit leave to degrade the Hebrew Cohen and turne it out of a noun in which form and habit it was taken by all his Predecessors into the nature and value of a Participle the Grammaticall sense will amount to no more then this Et erat Ministrans or Sacerdotio fungens Deo altissimo and all this Melchisedech might doe and this he verily did in blessing Abraham not in bringing forth or offering bread and wine The letter of the Text runnes thus And Melchisedech King of Salem brought forth bread and wine and hee was a Priest of the most high God Suppose a man should here interrupt the Reader or relater of this History thus What if hee were a Priest of the most high God To what purpose is this clause inserted The holy Ghost in the next words clears the doubt or rather prevents the Question And he blessed Abraham In what forme or sort Blessed be Abraham of the most high God! So then Melchisedech is instiled a Priest of the most high God to shew his warrant to blesse in the name of the most high God And for this interpretation I have the warrant or confirmation from Cyril of Alexandria 3 As for his bread and wine hee offered these to Abraham and not to God as Philo Iudaeus a competent witnesse in this Controversie hath informed us For this good Author opposeth Melchisedech's hospitalitie towards Abraham unto Amalech's niggardly and uncharitable disposition towards Israel comming out of the house of affliction Amalech saith hee was excluded from the congregation of the Lord because hee met not Israel with bread and water whereas Melchisedech had met our father Abraham laden with the spoâ—â—es of his enemies with bread and wine He hath not in my opinion erred much in taking the symboles or elements of bread and wine for emblemes of that true pabulum animae which consists in contemplation of heavenly things And yet I am perswaded hee had no expresse knowledge of the true object of such contemplation to wit the body and blood of Christ or of the benefit conveyed to us from them since they were offered in sacrifice unto God by the elements of bread and wine not as mere signes but as undoubted pledges of his body and blood to be communicated to us 4 And although Suidas in his second Paragraph on the word Melchisedech will have our Saviours Priesthood after the order of Melchisedech to take beginning from the night before his passion wherein he tooke bread and wine and blessed them yet in his third Paragraph upon the same word he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Melchisedech brought forth bread and wine unto Abraham But let us suppose what the Text will not support that Melchisedech did offer up a sacrifice of bread and wine to the most high God thus much being granted wee may draw that net which the Romanist sets for others upon himselfe for our next interrogatory should be this Of what sacrifice may we by any analogie of faith imagine this supposed sacrifice of Melchisedech to be the type of the dayly reiterated sacrifice of the masse or of the one only sacrifice of the Sonne of God Surely if Melchisedech be a true type of the everlasting Priest his sacrifice must be a type of this Priest's everlasting sacrifice Now as we read not though Maldonate's reading of the former pâ—â—â—e were true that Melchisedech did offer any sacrifice besides this supposed sacrifice of bread and wine so wee must undoubtedly beleeve that the Sonne of God did offer no more sacrifices then one and that one never to be reiterated because the value of it being truly infinite the efficacy of it must needs be absolutely everlasting If otherwise wee should with the Romanists admit of a sacrifice by succession or multiplication as everlasting as this transitory
c. Yet these were directly formally rather imprecations then oaths yet obliquè or implicit è iuramenta as the Lawyers speak collaterall or connotative imprecations of divine power to whom the execution of vengeance upon themselves or upon the parts of their bodyes if they swore falsly did in their opinion properly belong But whatsoever was the direct and formall object of Iudiciall oaths their outward forme of solemnity was alwaies or for the most part accomplished tagendo altaria or elevatis manibus or both wayes Praesentitibi maturos largimur honores Iurandasque tuum per nomen ponimus ar as saith the Poet of Augustus And the Grecian which gave first occasion to the Pproverbe Amicus usque ad ar as implyed his readinesse to tell some such smooth tale or officious lye for his friend 's good as he durst not avouch if hee were called to touch the Altar This was the custome it seemes in those ancient times wherein Moses lived Moses built an Altar and called the name of it Iehova Nissi for hee said because the Lord hath sworne or as some read it because hee hath lift up his hand he will have war with Amalech from generation to generation To lift up the hand or touch the Altar one or both of them at least was asmuch as the kissing of the Booke is to us the principall formalitie or externall character of a solemne oath Ergo is qui si aram tenens juraret crederet nemo per Epistolam quod volet iniuratus probabit Shall we then take his testimony by a letter without an oath for a just proofe whose oath though he laid hold upon the Altar no man would trust To sweare by the name or power of God as a profound Civilian instructs us is de essentia iuramenti the essence or forme of an oath but to kisse the Booke c. is de consuetudine a matter of custome Intrepidos altaria tangere in Iuvenal's construction is all one as to make no conscience of an oath the essentiall propertie of Epicurean Atheisme 2 Wee must not thinke our Apostles rule that an oath is to make an end of all strife to be defective or lesse universall then it makes shew of although it cōprehend not Epicures nor take fast hold of Atheists because these are but equivocally men or at the best they can be no better parts of any civill body or humane society then a broken linke is of a chain He that makes no conscience of an oath may make better assurance of his lands and estate then of his internall thoughts or affections without which assurance there can be no true society amongst the sonnes of men Nullum vinculum ad astringendum fidem Maiores nostri iureiurando arctius esse voluerunt saith Tully But an oath assertory not by Roman constitutions only but by divine Law is a kind of civill rack to constraine men to confesse the truth concerning matters present or past in cases expedient for the maintenance of humane society And an oath promissory or de futuro is God's wrest to fasten our soules unto the truth professed by us for the performance of good duties With this later use the usuall etymologie of the word oath in Greek hath some affinitie For they would have the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be of the same progenie with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he that sweareth is tyed or bound to those points which he acknowledgeth or confesseth Yet many of the ancient Etymologers would have the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Grecian language derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 terminus unto which derivation our Apostle as some Divines conjecture doth allude when he saith that an oath is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an end or terme of all Controversies This as I dare not deny so I would not nor perhaps would the Authors or Abettors of this opinion ground the strength of our Apostles argument so much upon the the grammaticall signification or etymology of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as upon the reall exposition or civill use of it in legall customes and constitutions of most Nations concerning like cases to that mentioned by him as in matters of trust or contract betwixt man and man without any other witnesse then themselves For so the Lord by whom we ought to swear had enacted it Exod. 22. 10. If a man deliver unto his neighbour an asse or an oxe or a sheep or any beast to keep it die or be hurt or driven away no man seeing it then shall an oath of the Lord be between them both that he hath not put his hands unto his Neighbours goods and the owner of it shall accept thereof and hee shall not make it good The like Law or constitution was sometimes of like force in Egypt Bochoridis leges saith Diodorus mandabant ut si quis pecuniis mutuò acceptis absque syngraphe se debere neget interposito juramento a debito absolvatur That if mony 's committed to trust without specialty or mutuall writings should be denied the Controversy should be ended by the Defendant's oath And he gives this reason for the equitie of this Law Why should not the Iudge or Law give as much credit to any man's oath for asmuch as another commits to his trust without any assurance at all or without any better assurance then the Creditors's oath The like esteeme did the Grecians make of the pretended debtor's oath in like Controversies When Psidias an hoast of Tenedos denied the charge of money delivered unto him by Archetimus of Erythraea his ancient friend and guest the matter after some altercation of words was referred to oath Now albeit Psidias his conscience did serve him to deale unjustly yet it grudged to sweare directly a grosse untruth and to stay the muttering of it with some shadow of truth that is with plaine equivocation he feignes himselfe so sicke and crazie against the day of finall hearing as if hee stood in need of a staffe into which being made hollow on purpose hee cunningly stuffed up the gold about which the Controversie grew Being called to his oath which was to be elevat is manibus with hands lifted up hee committed his staffe to the custodie of Archetimus the plantiffe and thus proceeds It is true saith he that my friend Ahchetimus delivered so much gold unto me but by the oath which I have taken I have delivered the same summe unto him againe This oath though to Archetimus his knowledge altogether false had by the customes of that time and place made a full end of the Controuersie to his losse which he perceiving threw downe the staffe with such indignation to the ground that the handle bursting the gold which hee trusted unto him fell out And thus the providence of God saith mine Author saved Archetimus harmelesse but Psidias as men say came to a fearfull end CHAP. 14. Of Oaths promissorie specially for
Fathers the diligent Reader may find in their Comments upon those places of Scriptures wherein God's oath is mentioned but especially in their Cōments upon the 110 Psalme from which place and the like not they only but our Apostle to my apprehension in the sixt and seventh Chapters to the Hebrewes tooke his directions The Lord saith David Psalme 110. v. 4. hath sworne and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever c. This in the language of Canaan and by consent of many fathers is as much as if hee had said The Lord will not repent or reverse his promise to mee and my seed because hee hath sworne that hee should be a Priest forever after the order of Melchisedech 4 That God doth repent him either of the evill which he denounceth or of the good which he promiseth is a phrase most usuall in Scripture the true and punctuall meaning of which phrase is that God did change or revoke either his sentences of calamity or of good which hee in both cases truly intended and irresistibly meant to put in execution And all this hee might doe and often did without any change or alteration in his will or intention but alwaies upon some change or alteration in the parties either truly interessed in his promises or lyable to his heavy judgments when the one party did change from good courses to evill hee was immutably free to reverse his promise as hee himselfe somewhere speaketh to breake his Covenant And when wicked men did turne from their wicked wayes he was as free and more willing to reverse sentences of woe not only threatned but decreed against them This freedome in God is perpetually presumed or taken as granted by his Prophets whensoever the promise decree or Covenant is not revealed unto them with the seale of an Oath But the sentence whether for good or evill being revealed under Oath was in their judgment fully declared to be irreversible For this reason the Prophet sometimes wished the speedy execution of plagues threatened by God unto their owne Nation or kindred as knowing it bootlesse either to intreat God's favour after his wrath against them was denounced by oath or to sollicite the fulfilling of his gracious promises towards their posteritie untill his wrathfull sentences confirmed by oath were put in execution In one and the same Chapter it is said oftner then once that God did repent him of making Saul King of Israel What is the reason Hee was made King without an oath yet with sincere promise of continuing the Kingdome to himselfe and to his seede with this condition in the Prophet's construction implyed though not expressed Si bene se gereret But when the Prophet Samuel denounceth the sentence of deposition upon him 1. Sam. 15. 29. The strength of Israel will not lie nor repent for hee is not a man that he should repent The meaning is that the strength of Israel will not revoke his sentence denounced by oath against Amaleck and his Associates and Saul by sparing Amaleck incidit in hanc sententiam doth fall under this sentence though not as principall yet as an accessory 5 A true parallel to the history concerning the anointing and deposition of Saul had beene exhibited before by the same Prophet in the election and deposition of Eli who was possessed of the Priesthood by legall title under divine promise to himselfe and to his house The promise we have 1. Sam. 2. 30. and the reversing of the promise or blessing promised in the same verse and verses following Wherefare the Lord God of Israel saith I said indeed that thy house and the house of thy Father should walke before me for ever but now the Lord saith be it farre from me For them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed Behold the daies come that I will cut off thine arme and the arme of thy Fathers house that there shall not be an old man in thy house c. This lamentable message was sent unto him by the Man of God mentioned v. the 27. The same sentence or curse upon him his house is afterwards denounced by Samuel under oath And the Lord said to Samuel behold I will doe a thing in Israel at which both the eares of every one that heare it shall tingle And in that day I will performe against Eli all things which I have spoken against his house when I begin I will also make and end For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity that hee knoweth because his sonnes made themselves vile and he restraied them not And therefore I have sworne unto the house of Elie that the iniquity of Elie's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever verses 13. 14. 15. c. Now when Samuel had imparted this fearefull sentence unto Eli being thereunto adjured he replied no more then this It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good v. 18. Had this message beene delivered by that man of God which brought the former not ratified by oath unto this good old man though an impotent Governour haply he would have sleighted it as 't is probable he did the former or have called the messenger's Commission in question But this later and more terrible doome being delivered to him by a child who for his maintenance and being did depend upon him as upon his foster-Father by a child so farre from secular cunning or sophismes of corrupt Priests or Levites that hee knew not the voice of the Lord from the voice of his Tutor untill he was instructed by him his Commission was to Eli more authentique and his message both for matter and tenour more free from all suspicion of imposture The ananswer of Eli is of the same alloy with Iob's reply unto the sad newes which his servants brought to him The Lord saith Iob hath given and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord Iob. 1. 21. Thus he spake after hee had seene himselfe and his familie utterly undone for worldly substance deprived of all earthly contentment Eli knew this sentence against him being denounced by oath as certaine and impossible to be reversed as if it had been already put in execution For this reason I take it the old man did thinke upon a more submissive answer unto Samuel then he had vouchsafed unto the Man of God who was sent unto him upon the same errand The humility and modesty of his answer perswades me that the fearefull sentence denounced against him did extend no further then to the irreversible deposition of him and his family from the legall or temporarie Priesthood unto the poore and meane estate wherein his posteritie after the disaster of his two sonnes were to live here on the earth Nor have I nor any man for ought I know any warrant from God's word to say and Christian charity forbids me to thinke or from this
returned safe from Babylon was the type of Christ as King In respect of their deliverance from Babel or safe conduct in the way Zerubbabel had the precedency of Iesus the high Priest as Moses had the precedency of Iesus the sonne of Nun in respect of the peoples deliverance from Egypt But as Iesus the sonne of Nun was God's principall instrument in planting this people in the land of promise so Iesus the high Priest the sonne of Iehosadeck is the principall Saviour of this people after their safe returne from Babel into their native land the principall type or shadow of Iesus Christ our Saviour as he is consecrated by God to be the Author of everlasting salvation Zerubbabel the chiefe Prince of Iudah and Iesus the sonne of Iehosadech the high Priest and for his time the sole successor of Aaron in his office joyne both together the one a lively type of Christ Iesus the sonne of David as he was King the other a lively Type of Christ Iesus as hee was ordained to be our high Priest in the building of the materiall Altar which was to be erected unto the Lord in the City of Ierusalem after their returne from Babylon But whether of these two to wit Zerubbabel the sonne of David or Iesus the sonne of Iehosedech Aaron's successor had precedency in this great worke of erecting the Altar unto God the first worke of difficulty or moment to be undertaken by God's Servants upon their returne unto Ierusalem the City of God were hard to determine by any rule of sacred heraldry Ezra the scribe and sacred historian of this businesse gives Iesus the Sonne of Iehosedeck the precedency in stile Ezra 3. 2. Then stood up leshua the son of Iozadak and his brethren the Priests and Zerubbabel the sonne of Shealtiel and his brethren and builded the Altar of the God of Israel to offer burnt offrings thereon as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God But in the second of Haggai verse 4. Zerubbabel the sonne of David hath the like precedency of stile Now be strong ô Zerubbabel saith the Lord and be strong ô Ieshua the sonne of Iosedech the high Priest and be strong all yee people of the land saith the Lord and work for I am with you saith the Lord of hoasts 4 Yet that Iesus the Sonne of Iosedech was the more illustrious and principall Type of Iesus Christ our Saviour and Redeemer as he is the builder and founder of God's spirituall Temple Gods holy Catholique Church is most apparent from the prophecies of Zachary a Prophet in those times extraordinarily rais'd up by God to encourage lesus the high Priest and his fellow-Priests to goe forward in building the materiall Temple in Ierusalem specially if we compare Zachary the third and part of Zachary the sixt with the Prophecies of Ieremy Chap. 23. verse 33. To begin with Zachary Chap. 3. Iesus the Sonne of Iosedesk by progeny the sonne of Aaron is solemnly enthronized as deputy or Proxie for the sonne of David the promised and long-expected high Priest after the order of Melchisedech This story or true legend of the installment or enthronization of Iesus the Sonne of Iosedech as in the right and interest of Iesus Christ the Sole Founder and Builder of the holy Catholique Church whereof the visible and materiall Temple of Ierusalem was but a type or shadow is very remarkably set out unto us as in a Map Zach. 3. The whole Chapter as also the 2. Chap. from the 6. verse unto the end is worth our perusall as most pertinent to this argument First Sathan that is the adversary of Iesus the high Priest waxed bold to resist him in the building of the materiall Temple being encouraged thereunto partly because the remnant of ludah then returning from captivity was but as a brand pluck't out of the fire the light whereof in the eyes of Sathan their adversary might easily have been extinguished unlesse the Lord had rebuked Sathan as the Lord there by his Angell doth and his rebuke was an Authentique prohibition Secondly Sathan was the bolder to resist this worke because Iesus the high Priest appointed by God and encouraged by his Prophets for accomplishing of it was for his bodily presence but weake and would quickely have beene daunted by his potent adversary unlesse the Lord by his Angell had rebuked and prohibited him Thus Sathan himselfe in person resisted our Lord and Saviour after his baptisme when hee first begun to lay the foundation of his Church and to erect the Kingdome of God being thereto emboldened by the weaknesse of his bodily presence and appearance in the fashion of man and forme of a servant untill the Lord himselfe rebuked him as the Angell in the name of the Lord did the adversary of of Ieshua saying avoid Sathan for 't is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve And upon this rebuke Sathan immediately left him and the Angels came and ministred unto him Math. 4. This is the Evangelicall accomplishment of the vision which Zachary saw as in the type or map Zach. 3. v. 1. 2. But here it will bee demanded whether the verses following v. 3. 4. which were literally historically meant of Iesus the Son of Iehosedech can be applied to Iesus our high Priest either according to the literall or mysticall sense Iesus saith the Text was cloathed with filthy garments and stood before the Angel and hee answered and spake unto those that stood before him saying take away the filthy garments from him and unto him he said Behold I have caused thine iniquity to passe from thee and I will cloath thee with change of rayment v. 4. Iesus his outward habit or rayment was sordid and unsightly Qualem decet exulis esse Such as well became a man as yet retainer to the house of mourning not fully absolved from the house of his prison or not yet admitted unto the house of his freedome 5 This Iesus in this habit was a true picture of Iesus our high Priest whilst hee continued in the forme and conditiion of a servant or whilst arraigned before the high Priests or Pontius Pilat and although in this estate he knew no sin yet as the Apostle saith 2. Cor. Chap. 5. v. last He was made sinne for us that we might be made the rigteousnesse of God in him Hee is said to be made sinne for us because hee bare the punishment due to our sinnes And this sinne or iniquity God did truly cause to passe from him because our sinnes were never inherent in him but made his by imputation only The punishment likewise due unto our sinnes did passe from him at his departure out of this world unto his Father The new rayments wherewith Iesus the high Priest was cloathed are emblemes or shadowes of that glory and immortality wherewith Iesus our high Priest since his Resurrection is invested The faire Mitre which was put upon Iesus
the Sonne of Iehozadeck's head was the modell of the Crowne of David which was to flourish upon Iesus the Sonne of David's head as it is Psalme 132. v. 18. But upon himselfe shall his Crowne flourish 6 Briefly the protestation which the Angell in the verses following makes to Iesus the Son of Iosedech is but a renewing or repetition of the promise which God had made unto Abraham and David concerning their seede The tenour of God's promise here renewed or repeated unto Iesus the high Priest is the same And the Angell of the Lord protested unto Ieshua saying thus saith the Lord of boasts if thou wilt walke in my wayes and if thou wilt keepe my charge then thou shalt also judge my house and shalt also keepe my Courts and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by These words containe as ample a patent for the temporall or legall Priesthood unto Iesus the Sonne of Iosedech and his posteritie as David had for continuation of the temporall Kingdome in his race or progeny both the promises and patents were conditionall But that there should arise an everlasting Priest as well as an everlasting King one in whom God's promises should not be conditionall but yea and amen that is absolute and irrefragable the Prophet Zachary addes Heare now O Ieshua the high Priest thou and thy fellowes that sit before thee for they are what are they monstrous persons saith our former English or men wondred at saith the later Viri portendentes saith the vulgar The Prophets meaning is that they are men set for types or signes of great matters to come The word in the originall is the same Ezech. 12. 11. Say I am your signe like as I have done so shall it be done unto them that is to the Princes of Ierusalem and house of Israel they shall remove and goe into captivity As Ezechiel his digging through the wall in the peoples sight and carrying forth his stuffe upon his shoulders in twilight with his face covered that hee should not see the ground was a signe or prognostication of Zedechiah's stealth or flight from the Chaldeans army which besieged him So Ieshua the high Priest and all his fellowes in all this action or solemnity specially in laying the foundation of the Altar and Temple were prognosticke signes or prefigurations of Iesus the everlasting high Priest and of the spirituall Temple the holy Catholique Church which he was to build by the ministry of the Apostles So it followeth for behold I will bring forth my servant the branch For behold the stone that I have laid before Ieshua upon one stone shall be seven eyes behold I will engrave the graving thereof saith the Lord of hoasts and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day CHAP. 22. Of the harmony betweene the Prophet Ieremy and the Prophet Zachary concerning the man whose name is the branch How his growth or springing up was prefigured by Zerubbabel the sonne of David His name and title as our high Priest fore-pictured by the name and title of Iesus the Sonne of Iosedech That he was as truly the Son of God before all time as the sonne of David in time THat this man whose name was the Branch was to build the Temple of the Lord that he was to take his investiture unto his priestly dignity by Iesus the Sonne of Iehosadech as by his proxie is apparent from the sixt Chapter of the Prophet Zachary 11. Take silver and gold and make Crownes and set them upon the head of Ieshua the Sonne of Iosedech the high Priest and speake unto him saying thus speaketh the Lord of hasts saying Behold the man whose name is the Branch and hee shall grow up out of his place hee shall build the Temple of the Lord even hee shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall beare the glory and shall sit and rule upon his throne and he shall be a Priest upon his Throne and the counsell of peace shall be betweene them both 2 This place and the former are pregnant that the Servant of the Lord whose name was Zemah the Branch whose office was to build up the Temple of God should be a Priest and should sit upon his Throne as Priest But it cannot from either place be gathered it is not so much as intimated that hee should either be a Priest after the order of Aaron or of Melchisedech or of the seede of Aaron as Iesus or Ioshua the Sonne of Iehosedech was But as the Prophet affirmeth not that hee was to be Priest after the order of Aaron or Melchisedech so neither in plaine termes doth hee deny it true but as every Prophet of God speakes nothing but the truth so neither doth one of them speake all the truth or all that is requisite for us to believe concerning Iesus our Saviour That the man whose name was the Branch the same party of whom Zachary here speakes should not be of the seed of Aaron or a Priest after the order of Aaron is evident from the prophecy of Ieremiah Ier. 23. 5. uttered more then seventy yeares before Zachary began to prophecy Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch and a King shall raigne and prosper and shall execute judgment and justice upon the earth In his dayes Iudah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is his name whereby he shall be called the Lord our righteousnesse It is plaine then out of the fore cited prophecy of Zachary that God's servant the righteous Branch was to be a Priest It is evident againe out of Ieremiah that he was to spring out of the seede of David and to raigne as King over Iudah and Israel as David had done And these two put together will directly conclude that this Branch of David was to be that sonne of David concerning whom the Lord had sworne and would not repent that hee should be a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech who was both King and Priest and by interpretation the King of righteousnesse and King of peace both which titles are expressely given to this Servant of God and Branch of David the one by the Prophet Zachary the other by the Prophet Ieremiah 3 But is it intimated or fore-told by either of them that he should be as truly David's Lord as David's Sonne Yes Ieremy implies this in fuller termes then David himselfe doth Psalm 110. for David saith the Lord said unto my Lord Adonai not Iehovah whereas the Prophet Ieremy tells us that the supreame style or title of this Branch of David should be not Adonai Tzadkenu but Iehova Tzadkenu Iehovah our righteousnesse So that hee whom David in spirit calleth his Lord was to be as essentially Lord and God as he that said unto him sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy foot stoole But was he according unto this name or title
prefigured or fore-shadowed either by Zerubbabel the Prince of Iudah or by his associate Iesus the high Priest in conducting Gods people from the land of their captivity into the land of promise Yes there is not one title or attribute mentioned in either prophecy but it is fore-shadowed either joyntly both by Zerubbabel Iesus the high Priest or severally by one of them 4 As he is the Branch of David fore-prophecied by Esaiah Chap. 11. 1. where to both these prophecies of Ieremiah and Zachary have reference hee is more exquisitely prefigured by Zerubbabel then by David himselfe or any other Prince of David's Line The Branch which God had promised to raise up unto David almost an 110 yeares before Ieremiah had uttered his prophecies was to grow up out of the stemme or roote of Iesse as it is Esay 11. 1. that is he was to be a man of meaner parentage then Iesse the Father of David was a man more unlikely to become a Prince or Ruler of God's people then David was when hee kept his Father's sheepe Of David's linage many after the captivity were poore and of as meane ability as Iesse David's Father was Zerubbabel was borne unto Salathiel in captivity and Salathiel himselfe the sonne of Ieconiah a poore captive Prince but whâ—-Salathiel was the sonne of Ieconiah's body or rather his sonne by adoption I have no more to say then was said before Whether this way or that way hee were his sonne if wee consider the potency of the Chaldean Empire when he was borne or the Chaldeans generall aversnesse from the Iewes or their jealousie of the royall race it was more unlikely that any of David's line should be released from captivity or be suffered to returne from Babylon unto their native land then that Israel should be delivered from the Egyptian thraldome by Moses But the same God which had shewed his mighty power in the overthrow of Pharaoh and his powerfull host did as miraculously shew both his power and wisdome in the suddaine surprisall of Babylon and overthrowing the Babylonian Empire by Cyrus Of these two wonderfull deliverances of his people the later in the Prophet Ieremy his esteeme is the greater therefore he saith Ierem. 16. 14. 15. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that it shall no more be said the Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt but the Lord liveth that brought up the Children of Israel from the land of the North and from all the lands whither hee had driven them and I will bring them againe into their land that I gave unto their Fathers The like you may read Ierem. 23. 7. 8. Cyrus after his strange conquest of Babylon sets Gods people free and authorizeth Zerubbabel the next heire then left unto the Crown of Iudah to conduct them unto Ierusalem there to serve their God as he in his Lawes had prescribed But after their safe arrivall there they are molested by their malicious enemies the building of the City and Temple is after Cyrus his death for divers yeares hindred untill Zerubbabel by his favour and potency with Cyrus his successors procures the revivall of the charter which Cyrus granted and frees himselfe and God's people from further molestation by their enemies as you may read it at large in the Booke of Ezra So that part of Ieremiah's prophecy is verified of him for in his dayes and by his meanes under God Iudah was saved and Israel did dwell securely Though hee were not in name or title a Saviour yet is hee indeed the Saviour of his people from present distresse and danger And thus farre this poore revived Branch of David is a true and lively Type of that Branch of David in whom all the promises of God made unto Abraham and David were fulfilled who was to be a Saviour not in realty only but in name or title and called especially Iesus because hee was to save his people not from bodily distresse or captivity but from their sinnes And as he is in this sensea Saviour Iesus the Sonne of Iehosadech is the lively Type or shadow of him as well in office or function as in expresse name or title for hee being their high Priest and Aaron's successor did make legall attonement for their sinnes did sanctify the Temple Altar and their offerings and performed all legall righteousnesse for theâ— insigne of greater righteousnesse and salvation by that high Priest which was to come whose supreame title was the Lord our righteousnesse 5 But did either Zerubbabel or this Iesus the high Priest and his associates prefigure or fore shadow our high Priest in this royall name or title of being the Lord our righteousnesse Certaine it is that Zerubbabel did not for neither his owne name nor his Fathers nor any of his Progenitors names since Iehosaphat's dayes had any reference to this title nor import the thing signified by it in their grammaticall significations But the Father of this Iâ—shua or Iesus the high Priest was named Iehosadech which signifies as much as the righteousnesse of the Lord or the righteous Lord. 6 But here wee must consider that names are of two sorts Some names agree to the things named substantially and directly Others accidentally or in obliquâ— The former fort expresse the condition and nature of the thing named As the name of Adam which God imposed upon the first man did expresse his nature or substance to wit the red earth out of the which he was framed So the name which Adam gave unto the first woman did truly expresse the nature and condition of the Sex to wit that she was made of man that shee was of his flesh and of his bones so likewise is the name of Eveh a true expression of her nature for she was the Mother and Fonntaine of life unto all posteritie 7 Names otherwhiles though solemnely given expresse or import some circumstance or relation unto the nature or thing it selfe which they primarily and properly signifie So Gideon was called Ierub-baal not that ever he did plead for Baal but in remembrance of his fathers answer unto them which had expostulated with him for cutting downe Baal's grove 8 So Moses called the Altar which he erected Exod. 17. 14. Iehovah-Nissi the Lord my banner Not thereby intending to occasion us to think that the Altar so named was either Iehovah or his defence but only to import or signifie that in that place wherein hee built the Altar and at the time of this inscription Iehovah his God had been the defender and protectour of Israel in miraculous manner against the Amalekites So likewise when our Saviour called Simon Cephas or Petros the name imports not that he was either the rocke it selfe or Corner-stone whereon Christ's Church is founded But only that he had some speciall reference or relation unto the rock or foundation Stone which God had laid in Sion or which is all one that hee was the first which
did solemnely confesse and acknowledg Christ Iesus to be as truly God as man The matter or object directly signified by these words is the only true and reall Foundation of faith as Christian of the Catholique Church it selfe Of this ranke or sort of names is the name Iehosadech as it was given unto the Father of Iesus the high Priest but this doth no way import that he was either Iehovah or a man more righteous thē other high Priests had beene and yet so called not by chance or out of vain ostentation of his parents but by divine instinct or appointment of God Or whatsoever intent his parēts might have in giving him this name God did so direct their intentiōs as he did Caiphas his speech to be a kind of prophecy of what was to come We may say of Iehosadech as the Angell said of Iesus and his fellow-Priests that hee was vir portendens his very name and office did portend or bode that Iehovah himselfe the righseous Lord should become our high Priest And in as much as the Sonne of Iehosadech was the first high Priest the first of all the sonnes of Aaron that was called Iesus that is a Saviour this likewise did portend or fore-shadow that the Saviour of God's people the high Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech should be the son not of David only but of Iebovah the righteous Lord or Lord of righteousnesse And if he were to be as truly the Sonne of Iehovah the righteous Lord as he was to be the sonne of David then questionlesse hee was to be as truely Iehovah that is as truly and essentially God as hee is truly and essentially man For the relation betwixt the Father and the Sonne is much more strict in the Divine nature then it can be amongst men 9 Amongst men it will follow that if the Father be a man the Sonne must be a man if the Father be mortall the Sonne must be mortall but it will not follow that if the Father be a righteous or potent man the Sonne likewise must be a righteous or potent man The reason is because they are divided in substance But in as much as the Sonne of God is of the same substance or essence with his Father it will directly follow not only that if the Father be God the Sonne is God but also that if the Father be Lord of righteousnesse the Sonne also must be Lord of righteousnesse Yet in as much as not Iehosadech the Father but Iesus the Sonne became legall righteousnesse or a temporall Saviour to God's people in captivity this truly fore-shadoweth this truth unto us that although God the Father be as truly the Lord of righteousnesse as God the Sonne both being of one substance yet is Iehovah become our righteousnesse and our salvation not in the person of the Father but in the person of the Son CHAP. 23. The obiection of the Iewes against the interpretation of the former Prophecy Ierem. 23. answered In what sense Iudah is truly said to be saved and Israel to dwell in safety by Iesus the Sonne of God and Sonne of David YEt here the Iew will object that this prophecy is not yet fulfilled because Iudah is not fully saved nor Israel planted in their owne land But the Apostle hath fully answered this objection if wee could as rightly apply his solution All saith he are not Israel that are called Israel Rom. 9. 6. Yet many are true Israelites indeed which are not so in name Nor is he a Iew that is one outwardly but that is one inwardly The Apostle in the same place gives us to understand that many are Iewes or of Iudah inwardly which are not of Iudah outwardly or so called by name Whosoever is inwardly or in heart that which the name of Iudah importeth he is truly of Iudah though not the seede of Iudah or of Abraham concerning the flesh Now the name of Iudah or Iew importeth as much as a confessor or true professor of Abraham's faith and every one is a true Israelite that is so qualified as Nathaniel was one in whose spirit there is no guile unto all such and only unto such the Lord imputeth no sinne and all they unto whom the Lord imputeth no sinne all such as truly confesse Christ to be the Sonne of God and promised Branch of David are saved by him whether they be the somes of Iacob or of Abraham or Gentiles according to the flesh So that in conclusion all ludah and all Israel according to the full extent of this prophecy are saved by this Iesus for all of them dwell in safety they are not become afraid of themselves but possesse their soules with patience To become Iewes or Israelites in this sense is the first degree of salvation and this degree they likewise have from Iesus through whom and in whom they are to expect the accomplishment of their salvation Christ then first saves us from our sins that are inherent in us or as the Apostle speaks hee first sets us free from the Law of sinne by the spirit of life which is in him and finally exempts us from the wages of sinne which is everlasting death And thus much is contained in that fore-cited promise Ierem. 16. and in the close and conclusion of that prophecie Ierem. 23. concerning the saving of Iudah and Israel by the branch of David whose name or title is The Lord our righteousnesse Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that they shall no more say the Lord liveth which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt but the Lord liveth which brought up and which led the seede of the house of Israel out of the North country The Hebrew phrase Meeretz zaponah according to the usuall and ordinary rate of that language signifies indeed from the North-land yet the originall of this signification or importance of these words was from a conceit which the Iews or such as had their habitation neere unto the Aequinoctiall line had That those parts of the world which were more remote from the Aequinoctiall or Southerne climes were hidden from the sun and were at least in respect of their Country lands of obscurity and darknesse The very prime and native signification of the originall words in the Prophet rendred by our English from the North land or Country is verbatim from the land of obscurity or darknesse And whatsoever the land of Chaldea whereof Babylon was the chiefe City or Metropolis was unto others it was unto the captive Iewes a country of darknesse a land of obscurity the very shadow of death And their deliverance from it was a true type or shadow of our deliverance from the region or land of darknesse it selfe The full importance of the Evangellicall mystery included in the fore-cited passage of the Prophet Ieremy according to the most proper and most exquisite literall sense is expounded unto us by our Apostle S. Paul Coloss 1. 12. 13. God the
were two The first the solemne memorial the commeration or reiteration of God's Covenant made with Abraham and with his seede or the continuall acceptance of it by performing the obedience which God required at their hands in all their sacrifices The second was a perpetuall representation of the accomplishment of this Covenant on God's part in and by the promised Seede or Messias God had promised by oath to Abraham that in his seede not only Abraham's seede after the flesh but all the Nations of the earth that follow the steps of Abraham should be blessed And in this promise confirmed by oath it was implied as hath beene often mentioned before that the Sonne of God should become Abraham's seede and that the seede of Abraham thus made the Sonne of God should be offered up to God in such a manner as God required Abraham to offer up his sonne Isaac that is in a true and bloody sacrifice Isaac's approach to death was a type a figure or representation of our Saviour's bloody death Isaac's strange deliverance from this bloody death menaced by his Fathers outstretehed hand armed with a bloody knife was a type or shadow of our Saviour's Resurrection from death which God his Father had not only threatned but inflicted upon him Now as that which Abraham intended to have done to his sonne Isaac was accomplished by God upon his only sonne so Abraham's words to Isaack when hee intended to offer him up in bloody sacrifice became a true prophecy of our Saviour's bloody sacrifice Isaac bearing the wood of the burnt offering upon his back and observing his Father to cary fire in the one hand and a knife in the other no creature in the world besides themselves being present moved this question Behold the fire the wood but where is the Lamb for the burnt offring And Abraham answers God will provide himselfe a Lambe for a burnt offering my Sonne Gen. 22. 7. 8. Whatsoever the naturall construction of Abraham's answer in these words might import Abraham at this time had no other intention then to offer up his son Isaack for a burnt offering Howbeit his words without wrong to their grammaticall construction in the originall might imply as much and as the Hebrewes conceive they did to Isaac's apprehension imply as much as if hee had said God will provide himselfe a Lambe for a burnt offering even thee my Sonne or God will provide theâ— my Sonne for a burnt offering And from this apprehension or construction of Abraham's words Isaac as the Hebrewes have a tradition forthwith became willing to be offered up in sacrifice for a burnt offering suffering himselfe to be bound upon the Altar by his Father being able if he had been so disposed to make resistance as being now at least 25 years of age 2 However it were Isaac was as willing to be offered as Abraham was to offer him And yet Abraham's former words are more exactly fulfilled even for the present then if Isaac had been then offered upon the Altar For though God had commanded Abraham to offer his only begotten sonne Isaac for a burnt offering yet hee had been a burnt offering of Abraham's providing but the Ramme which was caught by the hornes in the thicket was a burnt offering of God's provision meerly It was no part of Abraham's store of Abraham's provision fore-cast or fore-sight The Ramme questionlesse came not thither from any neighbour place by chance God did provide it for a burnt offering by a manner extraordinary and miraculous For if David would not offer a sacrifice to God of that which cost him nothing or of that which was another mans by former possession untill he had made it his owne by a better title then by free donation or his owne by a just price or valuable consideration Abraham doubtlesse would not have offered a sacrifice unto the Lord of that which he might justly suspect to be the goods of another man untill he had bought it of the known owner But knowing this Ramme to have been of God's own or meere provision by meanes miraculous or extraordinary hee forthwith offered it for a burnt offring instead of his son So then the League or Covenant betwixt God and Abraham is concluded and subscribed unto on Abraham's part with the sacrifice of a Ramme and was to be continued or accepted of by Abraham's posterity with continuation of like sacrifices The high Priests themselves who were in their ranke and order mediators or intercessors for continuing and establishing this Covenant between God and Abraham's seede were to be solemnely consecrated by the sacrifice of Rammes And in memoriall or commemoration of Isaac's deliverance from death the Iewes did celebrate that day wherein God provided this sacrifice instead of Isaac that was according to their Kalendar the first of September or feast of Trumpets with the sacrifice of Rammes But they considered not that in the words of God's oath to Abraham it was implyed that God would give his Sonne his only Sonne for such a bloody sacrifice or burnt offering as Abraham intended to have made of his sonne Isaac They considered not that in Abraham's answer to Isaac The Lord would provide himselfe of a burnt offering and in the miraculous provision of the Ramme for a burnt offering instead of Isaac it was implyed or fore-signified as well by matter of fact as by expresse word of prophecy that God would provide matter of sacrifice when he should offer his only Sonne after a more excellent miraculous manner then he had now done the Ramme instead of Isaack For seeing the Sonne of God as God could not dye he therefore provides him a mortall body taken from the seede of Abraham the substance of the blessed Virgin and so unites it to his divine person that whilst this seede of Abraham was offered in sacrifice the Sonne of God was likewise offered that whilst Abraham's seede was thus consecrated by bloody sacrifice the Sonne of God was likewise consecrated to be the high Priest after the order of Melchisedech that is to be the Author Donour and Dispenser of that blessing which Melchisedech in the name of the most high God whose Priest he was bestowed on Abraham and which God upon Abraham's readinesse to offer Isaac did by solemn oath bind himselfe to perform and to performe it in Abraham's seede The necessary consequence or abstract of which oath as it is before manifested was this that Abraham's seede should be that most high God in whose name Melchisedech had blessed Abraham 3 The unusuall and unexpected fulfilling of Abraham's words to Isaac Gen. 22. 8. Iehovah lireh the Lord will see or the Lord will provide himselfe a Lambe for a burnt offering gave Abraham occasion to name that place Iehovah â—ireh as also to a common Proverbe taken up from the name of this place and from the event In the Mount of the Lord it shall be seene Gen. 22. 14. or as the originall without straining will more
naturally beare In the mountain the Lord or Iehovah will be seene And this Proverbe taken up upon these occasions in whether sence or construction you list to take it was more then a Proverbe a true mystery or mysticall prophecy exactly fulfilled in the crucifying of our Saviour The Lord in the Mount did see and was seene by his speciall providence when hee provided the Ramme for a sacrifice instead of Isaac The mountaine whereon Abraham purposed to have offered Isaac as he was commanded by God for a burnt offering was one of the mountaines in the land of Moriah and that as all interpreters agree was about the place wherein Ierusalem was afterwards built most are of opinion that it was that part of mount Sion wherein the Temple was afterwards built wherein the threshing-floore of Arauna stood which David consecrated for the Altar of God But whether it were this mountaine or mount Calvary I will not dispute Mount Calvary likewise was in the land of Moriah and in this mountaine Iehovah did see and was seene he did in this mountain provide himselfe of a Lambe for a burnt offering he himselfe became a Lambe or visible sacrifice for our sinnes by whose blood he himselfe and wee in him were consecrated Priests to God the Father The other circumstances whether concerning Isaac or the Lambe were visibly and remarkably accomplished in the sacrifice of the Sonne of God Isaac did beare wood for the sacrifice up into the mountaine where Abraham intended to sacrifice him The Sonne of God did bear the wood of the Crosse whereon he was sacrificed at least part of it up to mount Calvary The Ramme which God provided instead of Isaac was caught by the hornes in the thicket of brambles or thornes and the Lambe of God the Sonne of God marched to his Crosse with a Crowne of thornes and brambles upon his head as most of the Fathers and best moderne interpreters collect from the Evangelists story For where it is said that they tooke off the purple robe and other royall ensignes wherewith they had in mockery invested him it is not mentioned that they tooke off this Crown of thornes this was the thicket wherein the murtherers caught him For as yee know he was condemned upon pretence that he affected the Crowne of David and suffered himselfe to be entitled and saluted the King of the Iewes and in derision of this great mystery which they understood not they put a Crowne of thornes upon his head and crucify him in it 4 But whilst the Princes of the earth and the Rulers take counsell against him while the heathen-Souldiers and Iewish pepole doe rage and make a mock of him hec that sate in the heavens laught them to scorne what they did act in jest or scorne here on earth he turnes into earnest and ratifies by an everlasting decree in heaven They cloath the Sonne of God with a purple or royall robe and bowing their knees thus they salute him Haile King of the Iewes unwittingly fore-prophecying as Caiphas did as well by matter of fact as by word that God would now annoint the Sonne of David to be that King over Sion to whom all knees should bow of things in heaven of things on the earth of things under the earth They in despite and bitter scoffes wreath a Crown of thornes or brambles about his head and fastened it on with a reede or mock-scepter which they had put into his hand litle considering that hee which sate in the heavens did consecrate him here by this part of his afflictions to the wearing of that everlasting Crowne of glory which David Psal 132. had fore-told should flourish upon him whilst his enemies were cloathed with shame ver 18. And of this Crowne of Glory as well the royall Diadem or Crowne of David wherein his Successors were enthronized as the Crowne of holinesse wherein Aaron and his Successors the high Priests were consecrated were but the shadowes or models and so no question was the Crowne upon the Arke or Mercy-seat And it is a point which I will commend unto the serious reader's observation specially in the reading of the apocalyps or the Revelation that in all or most part of the visions made to S. Iohn the Disciple whom hee loved of Christ in his glory he still appeares and his appearance is still emblazoned by this Disciple in some one or other of the robes which Aaron used at his Consecration Sometimes he appeares with a garment downe to the foot and girt about the paps with a golden girdle Such were the robes and girdle of Aaron the high Priest and to shew that his Saints were consecrated likewise in his Consecration his Saints or Angels appeared thus cloathed unto Iohn Rev. 15. ver 5. 6. And after that I looked and behold the Temple of the Tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened and the seven Angels came out of the Temple having the seven plagues cloathed in pure and white linnen and having their brests girded with golden girdleâ— Sometimes he appears with a Crown upon his head 5 His Pallace or Kingdome likewise his walke or verge is emblazoned or set forth by the materiall Temple the ministerie likewise of his glorified Saints and Angels But of this hereafter 6 Those temporary flashes of Royall salutations and greetings which the multitude tendred unto him when hee came into Ierusalem to be consecrated were ratified by an everlasting decree in heaven So 't is said Revel 7. 9. 10. And after this I beheld and loe a great multitude which no man could number of all Nations and kindreds and people and tongues stood before the Throne and before the Lambe cloathed with white robes and palmes in their hands and cried with a loud voice saying Salvation unto our God which sitteh upon the throne and unto the Lambe This was the accomplishment of the multitude's crying Hosanna to the sonne of David with palme branches in their hands and those which thus cryed in heaven are they as the Angell instructs S. Iohn which came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lambe therefore are they before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his Temple and hee that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them Revel 7. 14. 15. c. This washing of their garments in the blood of the Lambe was likewise prefigured in the Consecration of Aaron Exod. 29. 21. Thou shalt also take of the blood that is on the Altar and of the anointing oile and sprinkle it upon Aaron and upon his garments and upon his sonnes and upon the garments of his sonnes with him and hee shall be hallowed and his garments and his sonnes and his sonnes garments with him This blood wherewith their garments were sprinkled was the blood of the Ramme of the Consecration whose blood likewise Moses as it is in the 20 th verse was commanded to take and put it
upon the tip of the right eare of Aaron and upon the tip of the right eares of his sonnes and upon the thumbe of their right hand and upon the great toe of their right foot and sprinkle the blood c. This ceremony or service was literally and punctually fulfilled in the Consecration of our high Priest The high Priest of the Law was consecrated with forreigne blood with the blood of Rammes The high Priest of the New Testament was consecrated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with his owne blood and in this blood not only his hands his feet or eares were sprinkled or annointed but his whole body was annointed or bathed For though he was alwaies internally sanctified and though this his internall sanctification was most absolute and perfect from the wombe yet would the Lord have him thus visibly and externally consecrated with his owne blood that we by the same blood might be sanctified and consecrated after a better manner then Aaron was by the blood of the Ramme of Consecration The morall implyed in sprinkling of Aaron's right eare the thumbe of his right hand and the great toe of his right foot is this Our eares which are the sense of discipline and the gate by which faith entreth into our hearts must be consecrated and hallowed by the blood of our high Priest that wee may know God's will our hands and feet likewise which are the instruments of service are hallowed and sanctified by his blood that we may walke in his wayes and doe his will Finally as both our bodyes and soules have beene redeemed by his blood so both must be consecrated in it and enabled by it unto his service 7 Another ceremony or service at Aaron's Consecration was the offering up of one loaf of bread one cake of oyled bread and one wafer wherewith Aaron's and his sonnes hands were first to be filled and afterwards to be burnt upon the Altar for a burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the Lord. Exod. 29. ver 23. 25. The mystery signified by this and the other bloody sacrifice may best be gathered from that which hath afore been said concerning the circumcision of Isaack and of Abraham's seed or concerning God's demanding Isaac for a burnt offering which was then observed out of Rupertus an ancient Writer God did demand at Abraham's hands that he might thereby tye himselfe to give his own sonne unto Abraham and his seed To which may now be added the testimony of S. Chrysostome in his comments upon our Saviours words to the Woman of Samarin Da mihi bibore give mee to drink The Fountaine of life sitting besides the Fountaine calls for drink not that he was desirous to take but rather to give drink Give me to drink saith he that I may make thee drink the water of immortality I thirst after the salvation of mens soules not that I might drink but that I may give them salvation to drink I imitate my Father who said to Abraham offer me up thy Sonne thy only Sonne Isaac whom thou lovest for a burnt offering this he said not as if he had desired to accept Abraham's sonne but that he determined to give his owne Sonne for the sinnes of the world as S. Iohn saith Chap. 3. ver 16. In like manner God required the flesh and blood of Bullocks and of Rammes with unleavened bread to be offered up in sacrifice unto him at the Consecration of Aaron not that he stood in need to eate the flesh of Bulls or bread of wheat or drink the blood of Rammes but that he then purposed to consecrate for us and to give unto us his only Sonne whose flesh is meat indeed whose blood is drink indeed whose body is the bread of life which commeth downe from heaven which who so eateth shall live for ever for he that truly eateth is consecrated by it to be a King and Priest for ever unto God the Father CHAP. 28. A briefe Recapitulation of what hath been said in this parallel between the Consecration of Aaron and the Consecration of the Sonne of God the conclusion of the whole Treatise concerning it TO recapitulate what hath been said before The beginning of the everlasting Priesthood according to the order of Melchisedch is the determining of the Aaronicall Priesthood unlesse we shall say as perhaps we ought that this Priesthood with the legall rites and sacrifices did expire with the last mortall breath of him who is now immortall 2 The everlasting sacrifice whereby he is consecrated an everlasting Priest was then accomplished and the cessation of the Aaronicall Priesthood proclaimed when hee said consummatum est and commended his spirit unto God Yet is it not probable that his Consecration or the Consecration of the everlasting Sanctuary were at the same instant accomplished His sacred soule perfumed with the fresh odour and fragrancy of his sweet smelling sacrifice annointed with his most precious blood into whatsoever other place it afterwards went instantly repaired into the Holiest of Holies into Paradise it selfe This is the accomplishment of our Attonement prefigured by the high Priest's entring into the holy place with blood and the period of all sacrifices for his owne or our Consecration 3 That the vale through which the high Priest after the order of Aaron did enter into the most holy place should rend asunder at the very instant wherein the soule and spirit of this our high Priest did passe through the vale of his flesh rent and torne into his coelestiall Sanctuary was a lively embleme to all observant spectators that hee was no intruder but called by God And reason they had to observe this signe or accident in that hee had promised to one of them that were crucified with him Hedie mecum erit in Paradiso 4 The publike solemnitie of Consecration hath ever been a speciall testimony or adjunct of lawfull calling and Christ's Consecration was more solemne and publique then Aaron's was Such it was as flesh and blood could not affect such as nothing but filiall obedience to his heavenly Father could have moved this our high Priest to admit because it was to be accomplished by a lingring and a bloody death Moses at the Consecration of Aaron is commanded to gather all the congregation together unto the doore of the tabernacle Levit. 8. Ad tria voluit Dominus populum congregart Primum ut pro eo sacerdos offerret eumque expearet Secundum ad instituendum sacerdotem ut sciret populus Aaron filios ejus praefici sibi in sacerdotes mediatores de caeterâ— commendavit se illi Tertione esset inter eos aliquis qui postea sacerdotium ambiret postquam omnes sciebant Aarâ—nem à Deo sacerdotem institutum Oleaster 5 For the like reasons God would have the Consecration of his Son accomplished at the Passeover that is as a Father speakes at the Metropolis of Iewish feasts the most solemne publique and universall meeâ—ing that any one People or Nation in
knowledge of it was improv'd or enlarg'd is most punctually and cleerely related by S. Iohn Chap. 20. This blessed Apostle and S. Peter did at the first believe Mary Magdalen's report more distinctly and expressely then they did the propheticall predictions The first day of the weeke commeth Mary Magdalen early when it was yet dark unto the Sepulchre and seeth the stone taken away from the Sepulchre Then shee runneth and commeth to Simon Peter and to the other Disciple whom Iesus loved and saith unto them they have taken away the Lord out of the Sepulcher and we know not where they have laid him Peter therefore went forth and that other Disciple and came to the Sepulcher So they runne both together and the other Disciple did out-runne Peter and came first to the Sepulcher And he stooping downe and looking in saw the linnen cloathes lying yet went he not in Then commeth Simon Peter following him and went into the Sepulcher and seeth the linnen cloathes lie And the Napkin that was about his head not lying with the linnen cloathes but wrapped together in a place by it selfe Then went in also that other Disciple which came first to the Sepulcher and he saw and believed for as yet they knew not the Scripture that he must rise againe from the dead Such knowledge or beliefe of the Scripture as for this time S. Iohn had was farther improved by Christ's apparition unto them upon the same day in the evening Then the same day at evening being the first day of the weeke when the doores were shut where the Disciples were assembled for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stood in the midst and saith unto them Peace be unto you And when he had said so hee shewed unto them his hands and his side Then were the Disciples glad when they saw the Lord. Then said Iesus unto them againe Peace be unto you As my Father hath sent me even so send I you And when hee had said this he breathed on them and saith unto them receive yee the holy Ghost Whosoever sinnes yee remit they are remitted and whosoever sinnes ye retaine they are retained But Thomas one of the twelve which was called Didymus was not with them when Iesus came The other Disciples therefore said unto him we have seene the Lord But he said unto them except I shall see in his hands the print of the nailes and put my finger into the print of the nailes and thrust my hand into his side I will not beleeve and after eight daies his Disciples were within and Thomas with them Then came Iesus the doores being shut and stood in the midst and said Peace be unto you Then saith he to Thomas Reach hither thy finger and behold my hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithlesse but believing And Thomas answered and said unto him My Lord and my God Iesus saith unto him Thomas because thou hast seene me thou hast believed blessed are they that have not seene and yet have believed Vnto some it may seeme questionable in what sense or how farre that of S. Paul is true faith commeth by hearing seeing S. Thomas professeth that he would not and S. Iohn in this place of himselfe confesseth that hee did not believe one of the fundamentall Articles of Christian faith to wit Christ's Resurrection from the dead untill they had seene what they had to believe Yet if we could accurately sist the internall sense or kernell from the huske or shell of words wherein it is contained it will inferre no more then this that the sight of the eye or miracles seene may be an inducement or introduction unto true beliefe they cannot be the true ground or anchor-hold of Christian faith Such faith must be grounded and hope truly Christian must be pitched upon the testimony of Moses or the Prophets or other sacred and Canonicall writings The reason why S. Iohn did not believe our Saviour's Resurrection before he saw his empty tombe and the linnen cloathes wherein he had been wrapped was because before this sight he knew not the Scripture which hee had often heard read or avouched The sight then of this or of other miracles did but open an entrie or passage unto the true knowledge of that which hee had formerly heard But more strange it may seeme to all of us that two so great Apostles as S. Peter and S. Iohn which had been for three yeares and a halfe together perpetuall auditors of such a Master as spake as never man spake and often eye-witnesses of such workes done by him as no man besides him could doe should now be ignorant of that fundamentall Article of faith whereof at this day to doubt were heresie which now to deny were infidelity For if Christ be not risen from the dead then the dead shall not arise and if the dead doe not arise then were both preaching and hearing vaine our faith were vaine both Priest and people were in a worse case then infidels and we Christians should be of all men most miserable 6 Yet farre be it from us to say or think that either of these two Apostles were at this time in the state of Heretiques or that either of their cases were no better then the cases of Infidels rather it would be a branch of infidelity in us to think that at this time they had no faith The roote of their beliefe in Christ as in their Messias and Redeemer was intire and incorrupt the stemme of it was â—ound although untill this time it had not shut out into this particular branch of faith This was the time wherein the actuall and expresse beliefe of Christ's Resurrection from the dead was to blossome and beare fruit even in these two Apostles That it did now breake forth in them and bear fruit was the work of God that before this time it should keepe in and be in some sort snipt was the ordinance and dispensation of the same God for if the knowledge of our Saviour's Resurrection had beene as expresse as explicite and distinct before his death as it was after his rising from the dead neither had their love either been so hearty in it selfe or so manifest to themselves nor their faith so lively and cheerfull as in the issue both did prove The heartinesse of their love unto him whilst hee lived was manifested even unto themselves by their sorrow for his death which doubtlesse had beene much lesse if in the interim they had actually and expressely believed to have seene him againe within three dayes The strength the livelyhood or cheerfulnesse of their faith was truly manifested and experienced in their joyfull entertainment of the glad tidings which were brought unto them by Mary Magdalen and whereof their outward senses were in part witnesses Their joy could not have been so great nor their embracement of his Resurrection so cheerfull and hearty if it had been expressely and confidently expected by
Chapter no literall circumstance or meaning doth lead or direct us this way but the contrary to wit to his generation or off-spring to such a generation but farre more ample as the Israeliteâ— were of Abraham for so it followeth in the Prophet Hee was out off from the land of the living for the transgression of my people was hee striken And hee made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death because he had done â—â—â—â—â—lence neither was any deceit in his mouth and ver 10. When thou shalt make his soule an offering for sinne he shall see his seed hee shall prolong his dayes and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand He shall see of the travell of his soâ—le and be satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall be are their iniquities v. 10. 11. They whose iniquities he did beare and whom hee justified are his seed or that Generation whereof the Prophet doth speake Vnto this purpose our Saviour himselfe doth speak Ioh. 12. ver 23. 24. When Andrew and Philip came unto him a litle before his Passion and told him certaine Greekes desired to see him he answered them saying The houre is come that the Sonne of man should be glorified Verily verily I say unto you except a corne of wheat fall into the ground and die it abideth alone but if it die it bringeth forth much fruit 12 In respect of this his Resurrection out of the grave he is called the first begotten from the dead for the Father of whom hee was begotten before all worlds from all eternities did now beget him as man unto glory and immortality According to his first birth as man by the blessed Virgin he was truly called the seed of Abraham the sonne of David According to the second birth or begetting him from the grave he is called the Father of the world to come and as man the Father of Abraham the Father of David yea and of Melchisedech himselfe who blessed Abraham For the life of glory and immortality doth descend to all that ever shall be partakers of it from the man Christ Iesus now possest of glory and immortality as truly and really as his mortality or life in the flesh did descend from Abraham from David or from his Mother the blessed Virgin 13 Isaac as all have knowne it was the true picture and shadow of our Saviour's death and deliverance from it The mighty increase likewise of Isaac and Iacob's seed was the embleme or pledge of our Saviour's seed or generation which cannot be numbred or declared 14 But the circumstances of our Saviour's selling of his betraying of his cruell persecutions by Priests and people the ungracious offspring of Israel or Iacob the whole legend of his humiliation unto death and exaltation after his Resurrection are more exactly fore-shadowed by the cruell persecutions of Ioseph procured by his brethren by his calamitie and advancement in Egyyt Their persecutions by the sonnes of Iacob doe in a manner parallel themselves Both of them were sold by a Iudas more for hope of gaine then desire of blood on their parts that sold them 15 The pit whereinto Ioseph's brethren cast him as also the pit or dungeon wherein hee lay in fetters after his comming into Egypt were true pictures of our Saviour's grave or of the pit whereinto his soule descended So was Ioseph's deliverance out of them a true shadow or resemblance of Christ's Resurrection Ioseph's high advancement by Pharaoh an exquisite Type or mappe of our Saviour's glorious Kingdome after his Resurrection or birth from the dead so Ioseph complains unto Pharaoh's butler Gen. 40. v. 15. I was stollen away out of the land of the Hebrewes and here also have I done nothing that they should put mee into the dungeon 16 The whole story of Ioseph's depression and advancement is set downe Psal 105. v. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. He sent a man before theÌ„ even Ioseph who was sold for a servant whose feet they hurt with fetters He was laid in iron until the time that his WORD came the WORD of the Lord tried him The King sent and loosed him even the Ruler of the people and let him goe free Hee made him Lord of his house and Ruler of all his substance To bind his Princes at his pleasure and teach his Senators wisedome 17 A more expresse draught or mappe as well of our Saviour's humiliation as of his exaltation is Gen. 39. ver 20. 21. and Gen. 41. ver 39. Instead of the prison or dungeon wherein Ioseph lay he is raised to the highest place in the Kingdome under Pharaoh Thou shalt be over my house saith Pharaoh to Ioseph and according to thy word shall all my people be ruled only in the throne will I be greater then thou See I have set thee over all the land of Egypt and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt So was our Saviour after his Resurrection made chiefe Ruler over the house of God Every house is builded by some man But he that built all things is God And Moses verily was faithfull in all his house as a servant for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after but Christ as a Sonne over his owne house whose house are wee The amplitude of Christ's Kingdome as man foreshadowed by Ioseph's advancement under Pharaoh over all the land of Egypt is described Psal 2. ver 10. specially Psal 8. ver 5. 6. Thou hast made him a litle while lower then the Angels and hast crowned him with glory and honour Thou mad'st him to have dominion over the workes of thy hands thou hast put all things under his feete Yet saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 15. 27. It is manifest that hee is excepted which put all things under him And when it is said that he sits at the right hand of God untill his enemies be made his footstoole it is included that hee at whose right hand hee sits is in throne or seate of dignity above him Againe Ioseph instead of the iron wherein he was bound hath the Kings ring put on his hand Instead of his ragged or squallid weeds hee is arayed in a vesture of fine linnen or silke Instead of his fetters and bonds hee hath a golden chaine put about his neck All these ornaments bestowed on Ioseph as the ancient and learned well observe were but resemblances of those glorious endowments wherewith our Saviour's Body or Humanitie hath since his Resurrection been invested 18 Ioseph was placed by Pharaoh in the second charriot and he made them cry before him Abrech that is as much as to say Lord or King to whom bowing of the knee was due All this and whatsoever more was done to Ioseph is but a model of that honour which as our Apostle tels us God hath commanded to be given to Christ Wherefore God hath highly exalted him and given
by the Church for the feast of the Resurrection The institution or occasion of it you have set downe from ver 2. unto the 12. The meaning of the word or quid nominis we have in the 12. v. It is the Lord 's Passeover for I will passe through the land of Egypt this night and will smite all the first borne in the land of Egypt both man and beast And against all the Princes of Egypt I will execute judgment I am the Lord. And the blood to wit of the paschal Lamb shall be to you for a token upon the houses where yee are and when I see the blood I will passe over you and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you when I smite the land of Egypt So then it is called the Passeover because the Lord when he passed through Egypt and visited every house with a fearfull visitation he passed over all the houses of the Israelites which lived amongst them upon whose door-poast the blood of the paschal Lambe was shed Whether this visitation of the Egyptians were held by some good Angell or by that spirit or Angell whom S. Iohn calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as Moses Exod. 12. 23. entitles this visitor the destroyer I will not dispute seeing it is certaine the visitation or judgment it selfe was the Lords And by his appointment the visitor or executioner whosoever hee were good Angell or bad one or more was to passe over the houses of the Israelites as being exempted from his commission whil'st he smote the first borne of man and beast that pertained to any house of the Egyptians But at this present Passeover wherein the Saviour of the world became a sacrifice hell as we say was broken up and let loose the powers of darknesse were become as a raging Sea or swelling tyde overflowing her bankes and had wrought a more ruefull desolation upon all mankind upon the face of the whole earth then the flood of Noah had done unlesse by God's providence they had been restrained The flood in the time of Noah was a flood of waters only this was a streame of fire and brimstone which the breath of the Lord had kindled unlesse his wrath had been appeased and the flame quenched by the blood of the paschall Lambe The commission of the destroying Angell throughout Egypt did extend no further then to the first borne of man and beast and was to endure but for one night the powers of darknesse did aime at all and lye in waite till the worlds end to devour all whose hearts are not sprinkled with the blood of this paschall Lamb which was shed not for a few houses but for all Every house in Israel was to have their severall Lambe or two houses at the most could be priviledged by the blood of one Lambe but our paschall Lambe as he was slaine by the whole congregation of Israel cryed down to death by the Priests the Scribes and Pharisees and the whole multitude so his blood was sufficient to redeeme all the Israel of God from the Destroyer even as many throughout all ages and Kingdomes as will submit themselves unto his Lawes and acknowledge him for their Redeemer And for this reason he was slaine without the City as a publique sactifice in the open aire The Crosse whereto he was nailed was as the doore-posts of that house of which hee is the Builder and Maker that is of the whole world it selfe Now it is to be presumed that the blood of that sacrifice which was to redeeme and sanctifie all unto the worlds end which seek Redemption and Sanctification by him should not be as blood spilt upon the earth which cannot be gathered up As hee was to give life to others by his blood so he was to give life to himselfe againe 3 But is it imported in the institution of the Passeover or in any solemnitie belonging unto it that the Lambe of God which was to take away the sinnes of the world by his Death should himselfe be restored unto life againe Yes This word Passeover besides the former signification of passing over the houses of the Israelites hath another fignification or importance to wit That all those families which were priviledged from the power of the destroying Angel which smote the Egyptians should passe out of the land of Egypt or house of bondage through the red sea into the land of their rest and liberty under the conduct of Moses who had the great Angell of the Covenant for his guide in this passage For the Reader 's better apprehension how the mysteries of the Gospell concerning our Saviour's Passion and Resurrection were fore-shadowed in the solemnitie of the Passeover we are to consider that there is a two-fold sense of Scripture the one literall the other mysticall The literall sense consists in the immediate or grammaticall sense or signification of the words The mysticall sense is that which the Facts or Persons immediately signified by the literall or grammaticall sense of the words doe fore-shadow Thus by Israel in the sacred story sometimes Iacob the Father of the twelve Tribes sometimes the twelve Tribes themselves are literally meant And Israel taken in this sense is literally called the Son of God but by this name Israel Christ Iesus is mystically meant He it is alone qui tanti mensuram nominis implet Hee it is which prevailed with God and is more properly called the Son of God then either Iacob or his posterity were And that which according to the literall sense was meant of Iacob's posteritie When Israel was a child then I loved him and called my Son out of Egypt Hos 11. 1. was literally fulfilled of Christin a more full and exquisite sense as the Evangelist instructs us Math. 2. 15. For God called this his only Son out of Egypt literally taken that is out of the same land or Kingdome wherein Iacob's seed had been sojourners into the selfe-same land of Canaan into which he had brought them so that every word in this prophecy is in the literall sense truly verified as well of Christ as of Iacob's seed But Egypt and Canaan besides this literall sense and signification have a further mysticall sense or importance The state of Israel or the Sons of Iacob in Egypt was a map or shadow of our slavery and bondage unto the powers of darknesse Their passage out of Egypt into the land of Canaan through the red sea was a type of our passage from the bondage of sinne into the Kingdome of light through the region of death it selfe Thus the paschall Lambe literally taken was a picture of Christ's sacrifice upon the Crosse and so was Moses which instituted the sacrifice and conducted God's people out of Egypt but a shadow of Christ Ioshuah or Iesus the Son of Nun which brought them into the land of Canaan was no more The great Angell of the Covenant which was with Moses and with Ioshuah as their guide and protector
for seeing the first-lings of the heards though offered in sacrifice unto the Lord could not sanctify the use of their flocks unto them but the use of every dumbe creature was to be sanctified unto them by a sacrifice of one of the same kind As the use of their Lambes or Sheepe was to be hallowed by the sacrifice of a firstling-male Lambe and so the goates by the firstling-male kid and their oxen and cattell by the sacrifice of the firstling calves or bullocks who could in reason expect that the sacrifice of a Lambe of a Kid of a Bullock or any other dumbe creature should be a sufficient price for the Redemption of their first borne males or able to sanctifie or consecrate both male and female in their severall families unto the Lord Hee that sanctifies and they that are sanctified are all of one saith the Apostle Men were to be redeemed and sanctified by man and if the first borne male in every family had been sacrificed for the rest this would have made no satisfaction no sanctification seeing the first born was by nature as uncleane as the rest and every dumbe creature which was by Law uncleane and could not be sacrificed was to be redeemed by the sacrifice of a firstling-male which was by its kind cleane as the asse because it was by its kind unclean was to be redeemed that is the use of it was to be sanctified or made lawfull unto its owner by the sacrifice of a firstling Lambe 2 But who amongst all the first borne of women was in his kind or by nature cleane Not one besides the Sonne of the blessed Virgin who was likewise the only Son of God It is hee alone that was to redeeme and sanctifie the rest of mankind which were all by nature uncleane And with reference to the former Law our Apostle instiles him primogenitus omnis creatura the first borne of every creature Coloss 1. 15. Now though it be most true that Christ was before all things that all things were created by him whether visible or invisible that all things consist by him as hee is the only Son of God begotten of his Father before all Worlds yet this is not the true and full meaning of that most sacred maxime Est primogenitus omnis creature he is the first borne of every creature One part of the Apostle's meaning in that admirable passage 1. Coloss 13. to the 20. is that unlesse Christ had been the Son of God from eternity all fulnesse could not have dwelled in him nor could he have had preheminence in all things which the Apostle there mentions Another part of the Apostle's meaning there is that in the same Christ as man it pleased God that all fulnesse should dwell and that as man he should in all things have the preheminence and in as much as all fulnesse dwelleth in him as man and that in all respect he hath preheminence he is likewise as man the first-borne of every creature that is all the prerogatives which the first-borne males had before the after-borne or females are contained in his prerogative and fulnesse as man Now as the first-born males amongst the offsprings of dumbe creatures did sanctifie all the rest of the same kind So Christ as man doth sanctifie all things make all things acceptable unto God which are capable of sanctification or acceptance As man likewise hee had all the prerogatives of the first-borne in the families of the Patriarchs which were especially two The Priesthood and the principalitie or civill dominion over their brethren and posteritie For Christ as man is made both King and Priest and albeit Abraham Isaac and the Patriarchs and Melchisedech who blessed Abraham were both Kings and Priests over their families and children yet these prerogatives they had by a solemne right derived from him which was to come who was to be a Priest after the order of Melchisedech Againe in respect of the character of the first borne male or of that which gave it the prerogative of the after-borne he hath the preheminence for he opened the wombe or matrix in such a manner as no creature had done or shall doe after him for he was made true man and truly borne of a woman yet not begotten by any man And albeit Melchisedech Abraham and David were dead long before he was conceived by the holy Ghost long before he was born or made man of a woman though he be truly enstiled the seed of Abraham and the Sonne of David which for this reason were of necessity to be before him Yet this precedency was a precedency only of time a precedency in respect of this mortall and miserable life In respect of that better life he hath the precedency even of time for he is the Father of the World to come and as our Apostle hath it 1. Coloss 18. He is the first borne or first begotten from the dead that in all things hee might have the prehemi nence 3 Christ by his divine Power had raised the widowes sonne of Naim and his freind Lazarus the one some two yeares the other but a few dayes before from death to life but neither of them nor any before them which had been so raised could be truly said to be begotten from the dead but rather begotten to die againe for to be borne and begotten from the dead includes an everlasting freedome from the power or approach of death as it is in the hymne for the morning prayer upon Easter day Christrising againe from the dead now dyeth not death from henceforth hath no power upon him According to this notion or importance of primogenitus ex mortuis of being the first borne or first begotten from the dead Christ hath the prehe minence every way hee was the first in order of time and was raised from death to an endlesse life Hee was the only prime in respect of power or causalitie whosoever thus hath been or shall be raised or begotten from death to an immortall life is thus raised and begotten by vertue of Christ's Resurrection Albeit the soules of Abraham of Moses and David c. were before this time seated in blisse Yet were not their bodies so much as capable of dowry oâ— joynture with them in the state of blisse before such time as the Sonne of God was thus begotten from the dead yea might the soules of those and other righteous men have looked upon their bodies oâ— reliques in the dust they would have loathed their company and abhorred cohabiration with them as being things polluted and uncleane 4 How cleane or well winnowed soever the corne were before it was sowne yet the offspring of it after it dyed in the ground was uncleane The use of greene eares was not lawfull unto this people untill the first fruits were offered up unto the Lord. In like manner albeit Abraham Moses and David were justified whil'st they lived in the flesh even sanctified persons through beliefe in Christ which
darknesse made the morning of the first natural day God faith Moses divided the light from the darknesse and called the light day and the darknesse he called night and the evening and the morning were the first day As was the condition of this visible world or form lesse earth before the Creation of light or the division betwixt it and darknesse such altogether was the condition or state of the intellectuall world before it was new made or redeemed by the Son of God The corrupted masse of mankind was overspread with darknesse and covered with the mantle of Death but this long darknesse became more palpable then that of Egypt during the time of the Son of God's surprizall and his inclosure in the region of Death These were the houres wherein it was permitted the powers of darknesse to domineere but these powers were conquered and the darknesse dispelled by his Resurrection from Death which was on the same day and at the same houre wherein God the Father by him did first divide darknesse from light From this houre of his Resurrection the night is gone and the day is come as many as believe in him raised from death and adore the Son of righteousnesse who as the Apostle saith having abolished death brought life and immortalitie to light they are the Sons of God Heires of Glory but such as love darknesse more then the light of his gospel they must remaine the sons of darknesse and of death All this and more is implied in the circumstance of the time and place which the day and houre of his Resurection had in that holy weeke being the first houre of the first day The other mystery is implied in the circumstance of the time and place which the day of his Resurrection held in that solemne feast of unleavened bread 3 So it fell out by the sweet disposition of God's speciall providence that the day of our Saviour's Resurrection should for that yeare fall upon the second day of the Feast of unleavened bread or the morrow after the Sabbath of that great solemnity Now on that precise day the Israelites were peremptorily bound by a strict Law to offer up the first fruits as eares and blades of corne unto the Lord Lev. 23. 10. 11. When yee become into the land which I give unto you and shall reap the harvest thereof then ye shall bring a sheafe of the first fruits of your harvest unto the Priest and he shall wave the sheafe before the Lord to be accepted for you on the morrow after the Sabbath the Priest shall wave it From this peculiar reference or parallel of the circumstance of time between the day of our Saviour's Resurrection and the day appointed for this legall feast of offering the eares of corne The analogy or parallel between the Type and the substance is thus As the use of the corne was not allowable to the people untill some eares or blades of the same kind were offered up in sacrifice by the Priest unto the Lord So neither could the seed of Adam or of Abraham or of any man else seeing all had been sowen in corruption be either holy or acceptable to the Lord or partakers of his Table or prefence or put on incorruption untill the high Priest of our soules the Son of God had offered a sacrifice of the same kind to wit a body subject to like mortality as ours are untill it was consecrated to glory and immortality by the sufferings of Death 4 All were sanctified all were reconciled to God by this one oblation of himselfe as the first fruits of them that sleepe Yet even such as were upon the day of his Resurrection really sanctified and actually reconciled unto God the very Apostles themselves were not made up or wrought into one body or loafetill fifty daies after not until that very day wherein the new reaped corne made into bread was solemnly offered and presented to the Lord. Lev. 23. 15. 16. 17. And yee shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath from the day that yee brought the sheafe of the wave offering seven daies shall be compleat even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall yee number fifty daies and yee shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord yee shall bring out of your habitations two wave-loaves of two tenth deales they shall be of fine flowre they shall be baken with leaven they are the first fruits unto the Lord. The one holy Catholique Church and Communion of Saints which we professe in our Creed did not begin to be in esse as by God's helpe it shall appeare hereafter or heare true life untill the effusion of the holy Ghost which is the soule of the one holy Catholique Church or of the mystioall Body of Christ And that was upon the fiftieth day inclusively from the day whereon the eares of corne or sheafe of blades was offered unto the Lord. On that fiftieth day the holy Curch received the first fruits of the spirit it being likewise another solemne day appointed for the legall offering up of the first fruits 4 Thus much of the accomplishment of the Type of Ionas his imprisonment in the belly of the Whale and of the mysteries contained in those three speciall daies and nights or evenings and mornings wherein our Saviour was in the wombe of the earth and the time of his rising againe But the two former queries First what our Saviour's abode forty daies on the earth from his Resurrection to his Ascension or which is all one what the signe of Ionas did portend to this evill and adulterous generation of the Iewes Secondly how the space of his forty daies abode upon the earth after his Resurrection was prefigured are points worth the discussion and for ought I know will make the fittest Period of this long work concerning the knowledge of Christ and him crucified CHAP. 42. That the sentence proclaimed against Nineveh by the Prophet Ionas was in a full measure executed upon the adulterous Generation of the Iewes not believing or repenting at our Saviour's preaching THat a state so strong and mighty as Niniveh was then when Ionas was sent unto it should upon these or the like briefe Summons of a forrainer Yet fory daies and Niniveh shall be destroied be so deeply stricken on a suddaine with extreme feare of death and ruine Or that a Court so dissolute luxurious and proud as that Court was should so readily change their soft rayment into sackcloth and laying aside their perfumes and sweet odours as the Text saith the King himselfe did may well seeme a greater wonder to a Reader qui ad pauca respicit then God almost at any time had wrought in Israel But the strangenesse of the suddaine change perswades or rather assures me or any diligent Reader that the constant fame of Ionas his miraculous deliverance or escape out of the Whales belly had come before him into Niniveh and made way for the efficacy of
more then commendable arts or naturall skill could afford them either for astonishing or deluding their senses or surprizing their wits However this of the Prophet Ionas being the last signe or forewarning which this evill generation was to expect from our Saviour the consequence of their non-observance or not repenting after the exhibition of it was most contrary to this examplary patterne of the Ninivite's observance of Ionas embassage by turning to the Lord in sackcloth and ashes Iudah was now become more contrary to our God then either her sister Samaria or then Assiria or Niniveh had been and God's waies became more contrary unto her and to her children The Ninivites repenting within the forty daies limited for this purpose God repealed the sentence which he had pronounced against them although Ionas who proclaimed it did murmure or grumble at it For he expected that the Lord whose mouth and messenger he was should at the forty daies end declare him to be a true Prophet by putting his sentence in execution The Son of God expects as long for the repentance of these Iewes which doubtlesse would have pleased him much better then their destruction But seeing they would not repent within the forty daies between his Resurrection and Ascension the sentence proclaimed by Ionas against Niniveh proceeds in fullest measure against this wicked and adulterous generation or degenerate seed of Abraham 5 But shall we be concluded from these premisles to say that Ierusalem and Iudah were destroyed immediately upon our Saviour's Ascension No but this we may safely say that from the day of his Ascension which was the fortieth day after his Resurrection both the City and Nation did ipso facto jure incurre the sentence of woe denounced against Niniveh by Ionas And we may further adde that the destruction both of City and Temple the desolation of Iudea and miserable dispersion of the Iewes throughout the Nations became more necessary and more inevitable then heretofore they had been not for the indefinite substance only of the woe denounced but the very measure of their misery did dayly by the like necessity increase both for intensive decrees and for extension especially in respect of the number of persons which did incurre the sentence or decree pronounced against them and of the time ordurance of the matter of woe denounced in it Yet were none of these necessary but by their continuance in their fore-father's sins and by not repenting of them and by the dayly increase of their owne and their childrens sinnes 6 During the time of these forty yeares after our Saviour's Ascension the City and State had a possibility of being freed à tanto though not a toto though not simply from destruction yet from such fearfull desolation as afterwards befell them But continuing as impenitent all these forty yeares as they had done for the forty daies before his AscensioÌ„ the sentence within forty years after his Resurrection began to be put in execution according to the strict tenour of our Saviour's prediction Luk. 19. 41. 42. 43. 44. During the time of these forty daies God's Iudgments did lay seige against Ierusalem but the son of man Christ Iesus yet conversing as man here upon earth did bear off the punishments due to their iniquity as Ezechiel intitled and in Type the son of man had before prefigured Chap. 4. 6. Thou shalt beare the iniquitie of the house of Iudah forty daies I have appointed thee each day for a year see v. 1. 2. And thus at the end of forty yeares after our Saviour's Resurrection allotting a yeare for every day of his abode on earth the City and Temple were destroied This Calender of a day for a yeare was no new or uncouth account to this people either in the daies of Ezechiel or at the time of our Saviour's Ascension it was a Calender of God's owne making as we may read Numb 14. 33. 34. Your children shall wander in the wildernesse forty yeares and beare your whoredomes untill your Carkeises be wasted in the wildernsse after the number of the daies in which yee searched the land even forty daies each day for a year shall yee beare your iniquities even forty yeares and yee shall know my breach of promise I the Lord have said it I will surely doe it unto all this evill Congregâ—tion that are gathered together against me in this wildernesse they shall be consumed and there they shall die The people were gathered against God when they were gathered against Ioshuah and Caleb and bad stone them with stones ver 10. And the Glory of the Lord which then appeared in the Tabernacle of the Congregation before all the children of Israel had now more personally and visibly appeared in the man Christ Iesus and yet how oft were they ready to stone him to death The former people for their rebellion were to die in the wildernesse without hope of seeing the promised land 7 For the rebellion of this later generation specially after the Glory of God was now revealed by his Resurrection Ierusalem according to Micah's prophecy was to become an heape of stones and Sion the beauty of the whole Nation was to be plowed like a field and the mountaine of the house which was the glory of Sion was to become as the high places of the forrest a more gastly wildernesse then that wherein their Fathers wandred The cause of God's plague denounced Numb 14. was that generations credulity to believe the report of the other spies concerning the land of Canaan contrary to the good report which Caleb and Ioshuah had made of it And the cause why this generation were to die of a more fearfull plague in Ierusalem and why Ierusalem was to become an heape was their distrust unto the promise concerning the Kingdome of heaven whereof the land of Canaan in her highest prosperity was but the mappe avouched by Iohn Baptist the Preacher of Repentance and by Iesus the Son of David which had viewed it and presented the fruits of it unto them And for this their distrust as their Fathers had wandred forty yeares in the wildernesse and never admitted to the land of Canaan so this rebellious generation had forty yeares time before they were cast out of the earthly Ierusalem never to be admitted into new Ierusalem which came down from heaven CHAP. 43. That place of Zachary Chap. 14. v. 3. expounded shewing that God did fight with the Gentiles against the Iews as formerly he had done with the Iewes against the Gentiles How the forty daies of Christ's abode upon earth after his Resurrection was fore-told THis wath of God against Ierusalem was fore-told by the Prophet Zachary Chap. 14. ver 1. 2. 4. Behold the day of the Lord commeth saith the Prophet and the spoile shall be divided in the mid'st of thee that is her enemies should not come against her as rievers ' or boot-halers which dare not stay to divide the spoile where they catch it
Resurrection did portend 5 The second was how these forty daies of his abode here on earth after his Resurrection were fore-pictured or fore-told 6 This second querie is in part already answered in the explication of the signe of Ionas for as he expected forty daies what should become of Nineveh so our Saviour did respite the solemne declaration of Ierusalem's doome as many daies Nor can I mislike their opinion who think that the forty daies intervenient betwixt the houre of his Resurrection and Ascension were prefigured by his forty daies fasting in the wildernesse after his Baptisme as that questionlesse was by Moses fasting forty daies and forty nights in the Mount Moses did then beare as himselfe doth witnesse the iniquities of the people to wit as in the Type but our Saviour as well in that long fast after his Baptisme as in the forty daies after his Resurrection did beare their and our sinnes really and according to the mysticall and compleat meaning of Moses words 7 But if wee should descend unto more exact search of the particular cricumstances of time as it includes the day of his Resurrection and Ascension with the other thirty eight daies intervenient these were most punctually and admirably fore-shadowed and represented by the day of his first birth from the wombe and by the day of his blessed Mothers Purification and his Presentation in the Temple in Ierusalem 8 Inasmuch as all the first-borne are called holy unto the Lord and God requires them expressely of his people Exod. 22. 29. The first-born of thy sons shalt thou give unto mee This did imply that there should be some one first-borne amongst them that were borne of women in whom the light and life of holinesse that holinesse it selfe of which all the legall titles of holinesse were but shadowes or glimmerings should reside or be incorporated as light in the body of the sun Now that Iesus the Son of Mary was this first-borne in whom the true and compleat holinesse did thus reside the holy Ghost did declare or proclaime by the mouth of Simeon at that very time wherein our Saviour according to the Law of the first-borne was to be presented unto the Lord in his Temple to wit the time of his Mothers Purification Simeon saith S. Luke came by the spirit into the Temple and when the Parents brought in the child Iesus to doe for him after the custome of the Law then tooke he him up in his armes and blessed God and said Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eies have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people a light to lighten the Gentiles and to be the glory of thy people Israel And Ioseph and his Mother marvailed at those things which were spoken of him And Simeon blessed them and said unto Mary his Mother Behold this child is set for the fall and rising againe of many in Israel and for a signe which shall be spoken against 9 They good soules came not to the Temple with any such intent or expectation but to observe the Law of the first-borne male as S. Luke tels us Chap. 2. 22. 23. 24. And when the daies of her Purification were accomplished according to the Law of Moses they brought him to Ierusalem to present him to the Lord as it is written in the Law of the Lord every male that openeth the wombe shall be called holy to the Lord and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the Law of the Lord a paire of turtle doves or two young pigeons The ordinary offering which the Law in like case did require was a Lambe as you may read Levit. 12. 6. yet with this expresse dispensation that if the party were not able to offer a Lambe two turtle doves or two young pigeons should suffice The Blessed Virgin whether by reason of her husband's poverty or as I rather think by reason shee was delivered of her Son in a strange place without the Country or Province wherein she dwelt was content to use the benefit of this dispensation 10 But though our Saviour had this peculiar prerogative of the first-borne that he was most holy unto the Lord and although as he said at his baptisme it became him to fulfill all legall righteousnesse yet it is questionable whether hee were redeemed at other first-borne were The sacrifice mentioned by S. Luke was ordinary at every womans Purification whether the child brought forth were male or female As for our Saviour of all first borne he only needed no legal Redemption because he was destinated from his birth not to be redeemed but to be offered up in sacrifice for the Redemption of others And in this he did fulfill that legall rite or shadow of redeeming those usefull creatures which were by the Law uncleane by the sacrifice of such as by the Law were accounted cleane 11 But was he exempted by any more peculiar right from the Law of Redemption then the blessed Virgin his Mother was from the Law of Purification To this demand it might be answered that the blessed Virgin was not free from all taint of originall sinne as he was But this reply or answer being admitted it would be a foule heresie or worse then so to say that she was either legally or naturally uncleane during all or any part of the time of her separation from the Sanctuary or holy assembly for she was free from any actuall sinne in the time or manner of her conception and from all legall uncleanenesse either in her travaile or for forty daies after it Otherwise that holy one which was borne of her might have been conceived or brought forth or nourished by her milk in her uncleannesse which to avouch or conceive were foule blasphemy Was her observation then of the Law concerning Purification either a will-worship or affected worke of supererogation Rather an excellent patterne or exemplary rule of obedience unto all the sons and daughters of Adam that desire or intend to be the sons and daughters of Abraham The rule is that even such of either sexe as know themselves not to be conscious of the occasions nor much lyable to the temptations which publique Lawes or sacred Canons seeke to prevent or restraine from bursting out into matter of fact shall doe both wisely and religiously if they submit themselves to the observance of such decrees or injunctions as are usefull or needfull for most other men to observe For it well becomes and behoves the most strong and sound members of any body naturall or civill of Christ's mysticall body especially to sympathize thus farre at least with unsound or decaying parts of the same body as to restraine themselves from using that liberty which they for their owne parts might safely enjoy were the object or matter prohibited void of danger unto other members of the same society which have more forcible temptations to the contrary or want skill
Christ once for all Hebr. 10. 10. Every Priest standeth dayly ministring and offering oftimes the same sacrifices which can never take away sinnes but this man or rather this Priest after he had once offered one sacrifice for sinnes for ever sate downe on the right hand of God and henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool For by one offering he hath consecrated for ever them that are sanctified ver 11. 12. 13. 5 As many as have reaped or hereafter shall reape any benefit either from Gods's Oath to Abraham concerning his seede in whom all the Nations of the earth were to be blessed or from the Renewing of this Oath to David concerning his son which was to be the Dispenser of this blessing and to be made a Priest after the order of Melchisedech who blessed Abraham all and every one of them are consecrated to the patticipation of this blessing by the Consecration of this our high Priest the Sonne of God The Law saith the Apostle makes men high Priests which have infirmity but the word of the Oath which was since the Law maketh the Sonne high Priest who is consecrated for evermore and by this his Consecration wee even all the Israel of God are consecrated by an everlasting Consecration So saith the Apostle Revel 1. 5. Iesus Christ the first begotten of the dead and Prince of the Kings of the earth hath washed us from our sins in his owne Blood and hath made us Kings and Priests that is Priests after the order of Melchisedech unto God and his Father By this his Consecration likewise to his everlasting Priesthood we are hallowed and consecrated as Temples to our God so saith S. Peter 1. Pet. 2. v. 4. 5. To whom comming as to a living stone disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious yee also as lively stones are built up a spirituall house an holy Priesthood to offer up a spirituall sacrifice acceptable to God by Iesus Christ 5 But to take the severall bloody sacrifices which were offered at the Consecration of Aaron and his sonnes into more particular consideration Albeit these sacrifices were all imperfect not only absolutely or in respect of our high Priest's everlasting sacrifice but even in respect of these spirituall sacrifices mentioned by S. Peter which wee are to offer unto God yet were they all in their kind most perfect The best and chiefest in the whole ranke of legall or Aaronicall sacrifices they are as so many lineaments pourtraying in part or fore-shadowing that body or accomplishment not of them only but of all other sacrifices All meet in it as so many lines in their Center The first bloody sacrifice that was offered at the Consecration of Aaron was a Bullock The Priests might offer no other sacrifice then this for their owne sinne-offering because this was of all other the best and yet in comparison of this saith the Psalmist in the Person of this our high Priest in his affliction I will praise the name of God with a song and will magnifie him with thanksgiving this alâ—o shall please the Lord better then a bullock which hath hornes and hoofes that is beginning to spread the horne and hoofe for at that time they were most fit for sacrifice Psal 69. ver 30. 31. His meaning was that this sacrifice of thanksgiving should be more acceptable unto God then the very best sacrifice of the Law and so it was especially whilst offered by our high Priest even when he offered his bloody sacrifice upon the Crosse and after his enemies had given him vineger in his thirst to drink For after he had uttered that pittifull Song of the Psalmist Psal 22. whether only out of his griefe or anguish or upon other respects and intentions My God my God why hast Thou for saken Me he finally commends his soule his spirit unto his Father in the words of the Psalmists Song Ps 35. Father into thy hands I coÌ„mend my spirit The uttering of both these Songs in this anguish of soule argues hee lov'd his God and our God his Father and our Father with all his soule with all his heart with all his strength and his performance of this great Commandement as the Scribe which approved his answer to the Pharisees to the Herodians and the Sadduces had a litle before confest upon his answer to his Question was more then all whole burnt offrings and sacrifices Mat. 12. from v. 12. to 34. CHAP. 26. In what respects the Bullock offered at the Consecration of Aaron c. and the rites of offering â—â— did prefigure the bloody sacrifice of the Sonne of God especially the circumstances of the place wherein it was offered BVt you will aske wherein did the Sacrifice of the Bullock which was offered for a sinne-offering or Attonement at Aaron's Consecration or the circumstances in offering it punctually fore-shadow the bloody Sacrifice which our high Priest offered at his Consecration or the manner or circumstance of his offering it It did in circumstance at least prefigure the Sacrifice of our high Priest after the same manner or in respect of the same circumstance that the annuall sacrifices of Attonement did prefiure it of which hereafter Inasmuch as the head and flesh c. of the Bullock for sinne-offering or Attonement for Aaron at his Consecation was to be offered or burnt without the campe not to be burnt upon the Altar It fell under the same Law and undergoes the same considerations which the annuall-Sacrifices in the feast of Attonement did For so it is expressely commanded Exod. 29. 14. That the flesh of the Bullock and his skinne should be burnt without the Camp because it was a sin-offering Now it was an universall and peremptory Law that no flesh of any Sacrifice whose Blood was brought into the Sanctuary to make Attonement should be eaten by the Priests in the Sanctuary 2 It was againe a Law as peremptory that the Priests especially the high Priests might that is had power to eat the flesh of any Sacrifice whose Blood was not brought into the Sanctuary For to this purpose Moses Levit. 10. 17. expostulateth with Aaron's sonnes which were left after the death of Nadab and Abihu Wherefore have yee not eaten the sinne-offering in the holy place for it is the holy of holies and it vz. the flesh of the sin-offring he hath given to you to beare the iniquity of the Congregation to make Attonement for them before the Lord Behold the Blood of it was not brought in behold indeed you should have eaten it in the holy place as I commanded you Aaron in his Apologie for his sonnes against this accusation of Moses in no case questions the truth or extent of this commandement but rather excuseth himselfe and his sonnes for not observing the purport of the Law as the case stood with them his two sonnes Nadab and Abihu being lately consumed with fire issuing out from before the Lord for offering strange fire which
in this businesse was with the man Christ Iesus in unity of person and Christ Iesus is with us unto the worlds end as the Arke of the Covenant was with Moses and Ioshuah or with the host of Israel to direct and support us in all our wayes 4 But is this passage from this vale of misery to a better life any where in Scripture called a Passeover Or is it any part of the true meaning or importance of this solemne feast This mystery is unfolded by S. Iohn 13. 1. Now before the feast of the Passeover and it was but a day before when Iesus knew that his houre was come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That hee should depart as our English renders it or rather that he should passe out of this world unto his Father having loved his owne which were in the world he loved them unto the end Some good Interpreters note an elegancy of speech in the originall or an allusion unto the etymologie of the Passeover in Hebrew as if in Latine he had said ante diem festum transitus sciens Iesus quia veniet hora ejus ut transeat But to my observation wheresoever there is the like elegancy of speech or allusion in the original the elegancy is not affected for it selfe as it usually is by secular artists but alwaies denotes some mystery or somewhat in the matter it selfe more usefull to sober minds then any artificiall elegancy of speech can be to curious Artists Now the mystery charactered unto us in that speech of S. Iohn of Christ's passing out of this world unto his Father is this to wit That the legall Passeover which was instituted in memory of the Lord 's passing ouer the houses of the Israelites and their passage out of Egypt through the red sea did fore-shadow the passage of the Son of God out of this world wherein he had lived in the state and condition of a servant unto the land of his rest and liberty he therefore passed out of this world unto his Father that in his sight and presence he might obtaine the liberty and prerogatives of the only Sonne of God begotten of his Father before all worlds but he therefore came into this world that by his death and manner of departing out of it hee might open and prepare a passage for us out of this vale of misery The land or inheritance into which he passed is the inheritance of everlasting pleasure but the passage was on his part bitter and full of sorrow yet this notwithstanding hee willingly endured for the love of his people having loved his owne which were in the world saith the Apostle he loved them to the end that is hee perfectly loved them which would not suffer him to forget them when the houre of his bitter Passion approached willing to suffer whatsoever was laid upon him for their sake And as Moses the night before the Israelites passage out of Egypt did institute the Passeover so our Saviour before his passage out of this world did institute this Sacrament or Supper not only as a memoriall of his passage but as a perpetuall pledge of his peculiar presence for conducting all such as believe on him and to be a vejand or viaticum to strengthen and comfort all such as resolv'd to follow him as the Israelites did Moses Againe as Moses instructed the Israelites in the Lawes and rites of the Passeover before they eate it so our Saviour gave instructions by precept and example for our due preparation unto this service The precepts are generally two Humilitie which he taught by his example in washing his Apostles feete ver 13. to the 17. The second Love ver 34. ver 35. A New Commandement I give unto you that yee love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another by this shall all men know that yee are my Disciples if ye love one another CHAP. 34. The Resurrection of the Son of God and the effects or issues of his birth from the grave were concludently fore-pictured by the Redemption of the firstlings of the flockes and of the first borne males and by the offerings of the first fruits of their corne BVt was the legall sacrifice of the Paschal Lambe the only solemne memoriall either of the Lord's passage over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt or of the Israelites passage out of Egypt through the red Sea Are all the mysteries of the Gospell which immediately concerne our Saviour's Resurrection and passage out of this mortall life to an immortall to be referred unto this one legall Type or modell Is this the only scale by which we are to measure it No the feast of the Passeover was an anniversary kept but once a year whereas the Lord would have as well the deliverance from the destroying Angell in Egypt as their deliverance from the host of Pharaoh to be often imprinted in their memories and their impressions to be renewed upon severall and frequent occasions To this purpose was that precept concerning the first borne directed to Moses before their passage out of Egypt Exod. 13. 1. The Lord spake unto Moses saying sanctifie unto me all the first borne whatsoever openeth the wombe among the children of Israel both of man and beast it is mine and againe ver 11. 12. of the same Chap. Every first-ling of their heards or flocks is expressely markt out for the Lord with the stampe or character of the Passeover And it shall be that when the Lord shall bring thee to the lands of the Canaanites that thou shalt cause to passe over unto the Lord all that open the matrix and every first-ling of the beast which thou hast the male shall be the Lords and every firstling of an asse thou shalt redeeme with a Lambe and if thou wilt not redeeme it then thou shalt breake his neck and aâ—â— the first borne of man amongst thy children thou shalt redeeme The reason of this Law is given ver 14. 15. to wit because the Lord by strength of hand had brought them out of Egypt after hee had slaine the first borne of Egypt both of man and beast therefore they were to sacrifice unto the Lord all that opened the matrix being males But the first-borne of their children they were to redeeme yet these as all other legall rites and sacrifices had a double aspect or reference The one to the first occasion of their institution which is here literally exprest the other to fore-shadow somewhat to come by the legall service or institution The mystery fore-shadowed by the legall sanctifying or sacrificing the first-borne males unto the Lord was the expectation of a first-borne male by whose Consecration or passing over unto the Lord all these and the like legall ceremonies should once for all be accomplished and their children fully sanctified and redeemed That these legall services taken at the best could be no more then shadowes of good things to come common reason might have taught this people