away of Aarons priest-hood CHAP. 5. BVt this was more plainely spoken vnto Heli the priest by a man of God a whose name we read not but his ministery proued him a Prophet Thus it is written There came a man of GOD vnto Heli and said vnto him Thus saith the Lord did not I plainely appeare vnto the house of thy father when they were in Egiptin Pharaos house and I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel to bee my priest to offer at mine Altar to burne incense and to weare b an Ephod and I gaue thy fathers house al the burnt offrings of the house of Israel for to eate Why then haue you looked in scorne vpon my sacrifices and offrings and c honored thy children aboue me to d blesse the first of all the offrings of Israell in my sight wherefore thus saith the LORD GOD of Israell I said thy house and thy fathers house shall walke before mee for euer nay not so now for them that honour me saith the Lord will I honour and them that despise me will I despise Behold the daies come that I will cast out thy seed and thy fathers seed that there shall not bee an e old man in thine house I will destroy euery one of thine from mine Altar that thine eyes may faile and thine heart faint and all the remainder of thy house shall fall by the sword and this shal be a signe vnto thee that shall befall thy two sonnes Ophi and Phinees in one day shall they both die And I wil take my selfe vppe a faithfull Priest that shall doe according to mine heart I will build him a sure house and hee shall walke before mine Annointed for euer And the f remaines of thy house shall come and bow downe to him for an halfe-penny of siluer saying Put mee I pray the in some office about the priest-hood that I may eate a morsell of bread We cannot say that this prophecy plainely denouncing the change of their old priest-hood was fulfilled in Samuel g for though Samuel were of that tribe that serued the Altar yee was he not of the sons of Aaron to whose progeny God tied the priest-hood and therefore in this was that change shadowed that Christ was to perfome and belonged to the Old Testament properly but figuratiuely vnto the New beeing now fulfilled both in the euent of the prophecy and the historie that recordeth these words of the Prophet vnto Heli. For afterwardes there were Priests of Aarons race as Abiathar and Zador in 〈◊〉 reigne and many more for the time came wherein the change was to bee effected by Christ. But who seeth not now if hee obserue it with the eye of faith that all is fulfilled the Iewes haue no Tabernacle no Temple no Altar nor any Priest of Aarons pedegree as GOD commanded them to haue Lust as this Propâ—… said Thou and thy fathers house shall walke before mee for euer Nay not so now for them that honour mee will I honour c. By his fathers house hee meaneth not Eli his last fathers but Aarons from whom they all descended as these words Did I not appeare to thy fathers house in Egipt c. Doe plainely prooue Who was his Father in the Egiptian bondage and was chosen priest after their freedome but Aaron of his stocke then it was here said there should bee no more priests as wee see now come to passe Let faith bee but vigilant and it shall discerne and apprehend truth euen whether it will or no. Behold saith he the daies doe come that I will cast out thy seed c. T' is true the daies are come Aarons seede hath now no Priest and his whole off-spring behold the sacrifice of the christians goriously offered all the world through with fayling eyes and fainting hearts but that which followeth All the remainder of thine house 〈◊〉 fell by the sword c. belongs properly to the house of Heli. And the death of his sonnes was a signe of the change of the Priest-hood of Aarons house and signified the death of the Priest-hood rather then the men But the next place to the priest that Samuel Heli his successor prefigured I meane Christ the Priest of the New Testament I will take mee vp a faith-full Priest that shall do all according to mine heart I will build him a sure house c. This house is the heauenly Ierusalem and he shall walke before mine annoynted for euer that is hee shall conuerse with them as hee said before of the house of Aaron I sayd thou and thine house shall walke before mee for euer Behold mine annointed that is 〈◊〉 annointed flesh not mine annointed Priest for that is Christ himselfe the Sauiour So that his house and flocke it is that shall walke before him it may bee meant also of the passage of the faithfull from death vnto life at the end of their mortality and the last iudgement But whereas it is said He shall doe all according to mine heart wee may not thinke that GOD hath any heart beeâ—… 〈◊〉 hearts maker but it is figuratiuely spoaken of him as the scripture doth 〈◊〉 â—…er members the hand of the LORD the finger of GOD c. And least 〈◊〉 should thinke that in this respect man beareth the Image of GOD the â—…re giueth him wings which man doth want Hide mee vnder the shadow of 〈◊〉 â—…gs to teach men indeed thaâ—…â—…hose things are spoken with no true but a â—…ll reference vnto that ineffable essence On now and the remaines of 〈◊〉 â—…use shall come and bow downe vnto him c. This is not meant of the 〈◊〉 of Heli but of Aarons of which some were remayning vntill the comming 〈◊〉 â—…RIST yea and are vnto this day For that aboue the remaynder of thy 〈◊〉 shall fall by the sword was meant by Heli his linage How then can both 〈◊〉 places bee true that some should come to bow downe and yet the sword 〈◊〉 deuoure all vnlesse they bee meant of two the first of Aarons linage and 〈◊〉 â—…cond of Helies If then they bee of those predestinate remainders whereof 〈◊〉 â—…ophet saith The remnant shal be saued and the Apostle at this present time is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remnant through the election of grace which may well bee vnder-stood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remnant that the man of GOD speakes off heere then doubtlesse they 〈◊〉 in Christ as many of their nations Iewes did in the Apostles time and 〈◊〉 though very few do now fulfilling that of the Prophet which followeth 〈◊〉 downe to him for an halfe penny of siluer to whom but vnto the great 〈◊〉 who is God eternall For in the time of Aarons Priest-hood the people 〈◊〉 â—…ot to the temple to adore or bow downe to the priest But what is that 〈◊〉 halfe pennie of siluer Onely the breuity of the Word of â—…aith as the Aâ—… saith The Lord will make a short accompt in the earth that siluer is put for â—…ord the Psalmist proueth saying
heart that yee may prooue what is the good-will of God and what is good acceptable and perfect Wherefore seeing the workes of mercy being referred vnto God bee they done to our selues or our neighbors are true sacrifices and that their end is nothing but to free vs from misery and make vs happy by that God and none other of whom it is said It is good for mee to adhere a vnto the Lord Truely it followeth that all the whole and holy society of the redeemed and sanctified Citty bee offered vnto God by that b great Priest who gaue vp his life for vs to become members of so great an head in c so meane a forme this forme he offered herein was he offered in this is he our priest or mediator and our sacrifice all in this Now therfore the Apostle hauing exhorted vs to giue vp our bodies a liuing sacrifice pure acceptable to God namely our reasonable seruing of God and not to fashion our selues like this â—…orld but bee changed in newnesse of heart that d wee might prooue what is the will of God and what is good acceptable and perfect all which sacrifice wee â—…re For Isay quoth hee through the grace that is giuen to mee to euery one among yoâ—… that no man presume to e vnderstand more then is meete to vnderstand but that hee vnderstand according to sobrietie as GOD hath dealt to euery man the measure of faith for as wee haue many members in one body and all members haue not onâ—… office So wee beeing many are one body in Christ and euery one one anothers members hauing diuers gifts according to the grace that is giuen vs c. This is the christians sacrifice wee 〈◊〉 one body with Christ as the church celebrateth in the sacrament of the altar so well knowne to the faithfull wherein is shewed that in that oblation the church is offered L. VIVES ADhere a It is the greatest good b Great priest Christ of Melchisedeochs order not of Aarons Hee went but once to sacrifice that with onely to wit his crucified body bought our peace of God c So meane Christs man-hood is the churches head his Godhead the life soule d We might proue So Augustine vseth this place wholy Epist. 86. which Erasâ—…s wonders at the greeke referring good and acceptable and perfect all to the will of God Bâ—…t Augustine referreth them either to the sacrifice or vseth theÌ„ simply without respect And in the later sence Ambrose also vseth it e Understand Or thinke of himselfe his breâ—…hren or other matters f Sobriety 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A mediocrity of the whole life is Sobriety 〈◊〉 Tully Offic. 1. out of Plato Some-time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Tully else-where is translated tempâ—…e moderation and sometimes modesty but hee doubts whether he may call it frugality Tâ—…sc 3. That the good Angells doe so loue vs that they desire we should worship God onely and not them CHAP. 7. WOrthily are those blessed immortals placed in those celestial habitations reioyeing in the perticipation of their Creator being firme certaine and holy by his eternity truth bounty because they loue vs mortall wretches with aâ—…alous pity and desire to haue vs immortally blessed also and will not haue vs sacrifice to them but to him to whom they know both vs and themselues to bee sacrifices For we both are inhabitants of that in the psalme Glorious things are spoken of thee thou City of GOD part whereof is pilgrime yet with vs and part assisâ—…th vs with them From that eternall citty where Gods vnchanging will is all their-law and from that a supernall court for their are wee cared for by the ministery of the holy Angells was that holy scripture brought downe vnto vs that sayth Hee that sacrificeth to any but God alone shal be rooted out This scripture this precept is confirmed vnto vs by so many miracles that it is plaine inough to whom the blessed immortalls so louing vs and wishing as themselues would haue vs to offer sacrifice L. VIVES THat supernall a Court Whence the Angels descend and minister vs safety protection Of the Miracles whereby God hath confirmed his promises in the mindes of the faithfull by the ministery of his holy Angells CHAP. 8. I Should seeme tedious in reuoluing the Miracles of too abstruse antiquity with what miraculous tokens God assured his promises to Abraham that in his seed should all the earth be blessed made many thousand years ago Is it not miraculous for Abrahams barren wife to beare a son she being of age both past child-birth conception that a in the same Abrahams sacrifices the fire came down from heauen betweene them as they lay diuided that the Angells fore-told him their destruction of Sodome whom he entertained in mens shapes from them had Gods promise for a sonne and by the same Angells was certefied of the miraculous deliuery of his brother Lot hard before the burning of Sodome whose wife being turned into a statue of salt for looking backe is a great mistery that none beeing in his way of freedome should cast his eyes behinde him And what stupendious miracles did Moyses effect in Egipt by Gods power for the freedome of Gods people Where Pharaos Magicians the Kings of Egipt that held Gods people in thrall were suffered to worke some wonder to haue the more admired foile for they wrought by charmes and enchantments the delights of the deuills but Moyses had the power of the God of heauen earth to whom the good Angells doe serue and therefore must needes bee victour And the Magicians fayling in the third plague strangely mistically did Moyses effect the other 7. following and then the hard hearted Egiptians Pharao yeelded Gods people their passage And by and by repenting and persuing them the people of God passed through the waters standing for them as rampires and the Egiptians left al their liues in their depth being then re-ioyned Why should I reherse the ordinary miracles that God shewed them in the desert the sweetning of the bitter waters by casting wood therein the Manna from heauen that rotted when one gathered more then a set measure yet gathering two measures the day before the Saboath on which they might gather none it neuer putrified at all how their desire to eate flesh was satisfied with fowles that fell in the tents sufficieÌ„t O miracle for al the people euen til they loath theÌ„ how the holding vp of Moyses hands in forme of a crosse and his praier caused that not an Hebrew fell in the fight how the seditious seperating them-selues from the society ordained by God were by the earth swallowed vp quicke to inuisible paines for a visible example How the rocke burst forth into streames being strucke with Moyses rodde and the serpents deadly bytings being sent amongst them fâ—…r a iust plague were cured by beholding a brazen serpent
LORD shall weaken his aduersaries and make them be conquered by those whom Hee the most Holy hath made holy also i and therefore let not the wise glory in his wisdome the mighty in his might nor the ritch in his ritches but let their glory be to know God and to execute his iudgements and iustice vpon earth Hee is a good proficient in the knowledge of God that knoweth that God must giue him the meanes to know God For what hast thou saith the Apostle which thou hast not receiued that is what hast thou of thine owne to boast of Now hee that doth right executeth iudgement and iustice and hee that liueth in Gods obedience and the end of the command namely in a pure loue a good conscience and an vnfained faith But this loue as the Apostle Iohn saith is of God Then to do iudgement and iustice is of God but what is on the earth might it not haue beene left out and it haue only bin said to do iudgement and iustice the precept would bee more common both to men of land and sea but least any should thinke that after this life there were a time elsewhere to doe iustice and iudgement in and so to auoide the great iudgement for not doing them in the flesh therefore in the earth is added to confine those acts within this life for each man beareth his earth about with him in this world and when hee dieth bequeaths it to the great earth that must returne him it at the resurrection In this earth therefore in this fleshly body must we doe iustice and iudgement to doe our selues good hereafter by when euery one shall receiue according to his works done in the body good or bad in the body that is in the time that the body liued for if a man blaspheme in heart though he do no â—…urt with any bodily meÌ„ber yet shal not he be vnguilty because though he did it not in his body yet hee did it in the time wherein hee was in the body And so many we vnderstand that of the Psalme The Lord our King hath wrought 〈◊〉 in the midest of the earth before the beginning of the world that is the Lord Iesus our God before the beginning for he made the beginning hath wrought saluation in the midst of the earth namely then when the word became flesh and 〈◊〉 corporally amongst vs. But on Annah hauing shewen how each man ought to glory viz. not in himselfe but in God for the reward that followeth the great iudgement proceedeth thus l The Lord went vp vnto heauen and hath thundred he shall iudge the ends of the worlds and shall giue the power vnto our Kings and exalt the horne of his annoynted This is the plaine faith of a Christian. Hee 〈◊〉 into heauen and thence hee shall come to iudge the quicke and dead for who is â—…ded saith the Apostle but he who first descended into the inferiour parts of the earth Hee thundred in the clouds which hee filled with his holy spirit in his â—…ntion from which clouds he threatned Hierusalem that vngratefull vine to 〈◊〉 no rayne vpon it Now it is said Hee shall iudge the ends of the world that is the ends of men for he shall iudge no reall part of earth but onely all the men thereof nor iudgeth hee them that are changed into good or bad in the meane 〈◊〉 but m as euery man endeth so shall he beiudged wherevpon the scripture 〈◊〉 He that commeth vnto the end shall be safe hee therefore that doth iâ—…ce in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the earth shall not be condemned when the ends of the earth are 〈◊〉 And shall giue power vnto our Kings that is in not condemning them by â—…gement hee giueth them power because they rule ouer the flesh like Kings 〈◊〉 â—…quer the world in him who shed his blood for them And shall exalt the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his anoynted How shall Christ the annoynted exalt the horne of his anâ—… It is of Christ that those sayings The Lord went vp to heauen c. are all 〈◊〉 so is this same last of exalting the horne of his annoynted Christ thereâ—… exalt the horne of his annoynted that is of euery faithfull seruant of his as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first my horne is exalted in the Lord for all that haue receiued the vncâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace may wel be called his annoynted al which with their head make 〈◊〉 annoynted This Anna prophisied holy Samuels mother in whome the 〈◊〉 of ancient priesthood was prefigured and now fulfilled when as the woâ—… 〈◊〉 many sonnes was enfeebled that the barren which brougt forth seuen 〈◊〉 â—…eceiue the new priesthood in Christ. L. VIVES SHâ—… that a had Multa in filiis b Nor had she The first booke of Samuel agreeth with 〈◊〉 but Iosephus vnlesse the booke be falty saith she had sixe three sons and three 〈◊〉 after Samuel but the Hebrewes recken Samuels two sonnes for Annahs also being 〈◊〉 â—…dchildren and Phamuahs seauen children died seuerally as Annahs and her sonne 〈◊〉 â—…ere borne c And my horne Some read mine heart but falsely the greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preachers there are Or nor in such as are bound by calling to bee his preachers the 〈◊〉 â—…py readeth but in his called prechers e No man knoweth Both in his foreknowledge 〈◊〉 â—…owlege of the secrets of mans heart f Are hired out The seauenty read it are 〈◊〉 g For the begger It seemes to be a word of more indigence then poore the latine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ops or helpelesse hauing no reference in many places to want of mony but of 〈◊〉 Gâ—…rg 1. Terent. Adelpe Act. 2. scena 1. Pauper saith Uarro is quasi paulus lar c. 〈◊〉 â—…gens h The Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is both his and his owne the Greekes do not distinâ—… two as we doe i Let not the. This is not the vulgar translation of the Kings but 〈◊〉 cha 9. the 70. put it in them both but with some alteration It is an vtter subuersion 〈◊〉 God respects not wit power or wealth those are the fuell of mans vaine glory but let 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…th as Paule saith glory in the Lord and by a modest and equall thought of himselfe continually For so shall he neuer be pride-swollen for the knowledge of God that charity seasoneth neuer puffeth vp if we consider his mercies and his iudgements his loue and his wrath togither with his maiesty k And to doe iudgement The seauenty read this one way in the booke of Samuel and another way in Hieremy attributing in the first vnto the man that glorieth and in the later vnto God l The Lord went vp This is not in the vulgar vntill you come vnto this and he shall iudge Augustine followed the LXX and so did all that age almost in all the churches m As euery man As I finde thee so will I iudge thee The Prophets words vnto Heli the priest signifying the taking
The words of the Lord are pure words as sil â—…ied in the fire what is his words now that boweth to this Gods Priest and 〈◊〉 â—…od and Priest place me in some of fice about the Priest-hood that I may eate a morâ—… bread I will not haue my fathers honours they are nothing but place me any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy Priest-hood I would faine be a dore keeper or any thing in thy seruice and 〈◊〉 thy people for Priest-hood is put heere for the people to whom Christ the â—…or is the high Priest which people the Apostle called an holy nation and a royall Priest-hood Some read k Sacrifice in the former place for Priest-hood all is one both signifie the christian flocke Whereof S. Paul saith Being many 〈◊〉 are all one bread and one body and againe l Giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice So then the addition that I may eate a morsel of bread is a direct expression of the sacrifice whereof the Priest himselfe saith the bread which I will giue is my flesh c. This is the sacrifice not after the order of Aaron but of Melchisedech hee that readeth let him vnderstand So then these words Place me in some office about thy priest-hood that I may eate a morsell of bread are a direct and succinct confession of the faith this is the halfe penny of siluer because it is briefe and it is Gods word that dwelleth in the house of the beleeuer for hauing said before that hee had giuen Aarons house meate of the offring of the house of Israel which were the sacrifices of the Iewes in the Old Testament therefore addeth hee the eating of bread in this conclusion which is the sacrifice of the New Testament L. VIVES HIs a name It was Phinees â—…ay the Iewes or Helias Hierome b An Ephod Of this read Hierome Ad Marcellam Contra Iouinian Ad Fabiolam The Greekes called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioseph de Antiq. Iud. lib. 3. So do the LXX Ruffinus translateth it Superhumerale and it was open at the sides from the arme-pits downe-wards The high Priest onely wore such an one and it was embrothered with gold and silke of diuers collours The Leuits had a garment like it but that was of linnen Such an one did Anna make for Samuel and such an one did Dauid dance in before the Arke And herevpon I thinke our Rabbines or most Doctor-like sort of Friers haue got the tricke of wearing such â—…esture hanging loose from the shoulders as a badge of their super-eminent knowledg and then your Ciuilian and Pâ—…isitian in emulation of them got vp the like But the Seauenty call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Honorest So was it in the time when the Iewes priests grew wealthy and so is it now with vs for who seeketh into the priest-hood for Godlinesse rather then gaine as the world goeth now and what sonne is perswaded by the father vnto an ecclesiasticall habite but onely in hope of ritches what â—…est thinketh he doth not well to sit and spend the churches goods as they call them frankly with his sonnes if he haue them and haue them hee will vnlesse he bee an Eunuch his brethren his sisters and his cousins let the poore goe shift where they can Thus thus will it bee whilest ritches rule in the hearts of men d To blesse The vulgar is not so read it each one hath the bookes I must proceed e An old man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an high priest saith Hierome f Romaines A diuersity of reading but nihil ad rem g Though Samuel His father was a leuite Chron. 1. 6. his mother of the tribe of Iudah This place Augustine recalleth thus whereas I said hee was not of the sons of Aaron I should haue said hee was none of the priests sonnes And they most commonly succeeded their fathers in the Priest-hood but Samuels father was of Aarons seede but he was no Priest nor of his seed otherwise then all the Iewes were the seed of Iacob Retractation lib. 2. h Prophecy and history And though these words seemed to another purpose yet aimed they at Christ. i We should thinke So thought by the Anthropomorphites k Sacrifiâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is both but rather Priest-hood l Giue vp This is not in some copies yet is it befitting this place The promise of the Priest-hood of the Iewes and their kingdome to stand eternally not fulfilled in that sort that other promises of that vnbounded nature are CHAP. 6. ALthough these things were theÌ„ as deeply prophecied as they now are plainly fulfilled yet some may put this doubt how shall we expect all the eueâ—… therein presaged when as this that the Lord said thine house and thy fathers 〈◊〉 shall walke before me for euer can bee no way now effected the priest-hood being now quite abolished nor any way expected because that eternity is promised to the priest-hood that succeded it hee that obiecteth this conceiueâ—… not that Aarons priesthood was but a type shadow of the others future priesthood and therfore that the eternity promised to the shaddow was due but vnto the substance onely and that the change was prophecyed to auoyde this supposition of the shadowes eternity for so the kingdome of Saul the reprobate was a shadow of the kingdome of eternity to come the oyle where-with he was annoynted was a great and reuerend mistery which Dauid so honored that when hee was hid in the darke caue into which Saule came to ease himselfe of the burden of nature he was affraid and onely cut off a peece of his skirt to haue a token whereby to shew him how causelesse he supected him and persecuted him hee feared I say for doing thus much least he had wronged the mistery of Sauls being annoynted Hee was touched in heart saith the Scripture for cutting off the a skirt of his rayment b His men that were with him perswaded him to take his time Saul was now in his hands strike sure The Lord kepe me saith he from doing so vnto my maister the Lords annoynted to lay mine hands on him for he is the annointed of the Lord. Thus honored hee this figure not for it selfe but for the thing it shaddowed And therefore these words of Samuel vnto Saule The Lord had prepared thee a kingdome for euer in Israel but now it shal not remaine vnto thee because thou hast not obayed his voyce therefore will he seeke him a man according to his heart c. are not to be taken as if Saul himselfe shold haue reygned for euermore and then that his sinne made God breake his promise afterwards for hee knew that he would sinne when hee did prepare him this kingdome but this hee prepared for a figure of that kingdome that shall remaine for euer-more and therefore he added it shall not remaine vnto thee it remaineth and euer shall in the signification but not vnto him for neither he nor his progeny
God So did Christ found her in his Patriarchs 〈◊〉 â—…hets before he tooke flesh in her from the Virgin Mary Seing therefore 〈◊〉 Prophet so long agoc said that of this Citty which now we behold come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In steed of fathers thou shal haue children to make them Princes ouer all the 〈◊〉 so hath shee when whole nations and their rulers come freely to conâ—… 〈◊〉 proffesse Christ his truth for euer and euer then without all doubt there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ope herein how euer vnderstood but hath direct reference vnto these 〈◊〉 stations L. VIVES 〈◊〉 a generation So read the 70. whom Augustine euer followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this reduplication is very emphaticall in the Hebrew b To those that hee neuer Christ while hee was on the earth neuer came nor preached in any nation but Israell Nor matterâ—… 〈◊〉 thaâ—… some few Gentiles came vnto him wee speake here of whole nations c Men shall call it The seauenty read it thus indeed but erroneously as Hierome noteth In Psalm 89. for they had written it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what is Sion which reading some conceyuing not reiected and added 〈◊〉 reading it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an other Siâ—…n and that the rather because it followeth hee was made man therein But the vulgar followeth the Hebrew and reads it with an interrogation Of the references of the 110. Psalme vnto Christs Priest-hood and the 22. vnto his passion CHAP. 17. FOr in that psalme that as this calleth Christ a King enstileth him a priest beginning The Lord said vnto my Lord sit thou at my right hand vntill I make thine enemies thy foote-stoole we beleeue that Christ sitteth at Gods right hand but we see it not nor that his enemies are all vnder his feete which a must appeare in the end and is now beleeued as it shall hereafter bee beheld but then the rest the Lord shall send the rod of thy power out of Sion be thou ruler amidst thine enemies This is so plaine that nought but impudence it selfe can contradict it The enemies themselues confesse that the law of Christ came out of Sion that which we call the Ghospell and auouch to be the rod of his power And that he ruleth in the midst of his enemies themselues his slaues with grudging and fruitlesse gnashing of teeth doe really acknowledge Furthermore the Lord sware and will not repent which proues the sequence eternally established thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech The reason is Aarons priest-hood and sacrifice is abolished and now in all the world vnder Christ the priest wee offer that which Melchisedech brought forth when hee blessed Abraham who doubteth now of whom this is spoken and vnto this manifestation are the other Tropes of the psalme referred as wee haue declared them peculiarly in our Sermons and in that psalme also wherein CHRIST prophecieth of his passion by Dauids mouth saying they perced my hands and my feete they counted all my bones and stood gazing vpon me These words are a plaine description of his posture on the crosse his nayling of his hands and feete his whole body stretched at length and made a rufull gazing stock to the beholders Nay more they parted my garments among them they cast lots vpon my vesture How this was fulfilled let the Ghospell tell you And so in this there are diuers obscurities which not withstanding are all congruent with the maine and scope of the psalme manifested in the passion chiefly seeing that those things which the psalme presaged so long before are but now effected as it fore-told and euen now are opened vnto the eyes of the whole world For it saith a little after All the ends of the world shall remember themselues and turne vnto the Lord all the kindreds of the earth shall worship before him for the kingdome is the Lords and he ruleth among the nations L. VIVES VVHich a â—…st apeare In the end but now is onely beleeued Saint Paul writeth much of it vnto the Corynthians and Hebrewes Christs death and resurrection prophecied in psalme 3. 40. 15. 67. CHAP. 18. NEither were the psalmes silent of his resurrectioÌ„ for what is that of the third psalme I laid me downe and slept and rose againe for the Lord susteined me wil any one say that the prophet would record it for such a great thing to sleepe and to rise but that he meaneth by sleepe death and by rising againe the resurrection things that were fit to bee prophecied of Christ this in the 41. psalme is most plaine for Dauid in the person of the mediator discoursing as hee vseth of things to come as if they were already past because they are already past in Gods predestination a and praescience saith thus Mine enemies speake euill of me saying when shall he die and his name perish and if he come to see he speaketh lies and his heart he apeth vp iniquity within him and hee goeth forth and telleth it mine eneâ—… whisper together against me and imagine how to hurt me They haue spoken an vniust thing vpon me shall not he that sleepeth arise againe this is euen as much as if he had said shall not he that is dead reuiue againe the precedence doth shew how they conspired his death and how he that came in to see him went for to bewray him to them And why is not this that traitor Iudas his disciple Now because hee 〈◊〉 they would effect their wicked purpose to kill him hee to shew the fondnesse of their malice in murdering him that should rise againe saith these words â—…ll not he that sleepeth arise againe as if hee said you fooles your wickednesse procureth but my sleepe But least they should do such a villany vnpunished hee meant to repay them at full saying My friend and familiar whom I trusted and who eate of my â—…ead euen he hath b kicked at me But thou Lord haue mercy vpon me raise me vp 〈◊〉 shall requite them Who is hee now that beholdeth the Iewes beaten out of 〈◊〉 â—…nd and made vagabonds all the world ouer since the passion of Christ 〈◊〉 â—…ceiueth not the scope of this prophecy for he rose againe after they had 〈◊〉 and repayed them with temporall plagues besides those that hee reâ—… for the rest vntill the great iudgement for Christ himselfe shewing his 〈◊〉 to the Apostles by reaching him a peece of bread remembred this verse 〈◊〉 â—…alm shewed it fulfilled in himself he that did eate of my bread eueÌ„ he hath 〈◊〉 â—…e the words in whom I trusted agree not with the head but with the â—…ts properly for our Sauiour knew him well before hand when he sayd c 〈◊〉 is a diuell but Christ vsed to transferre the proprieties of his members 〈◊〉 â—…mselfe as being their head body and head being all one Christ. And therâ—… 〈◊〉 of the Ghospell I was hungry and you gaue me to eate hee expoundeth afâ—… thus
dayes Hierome wonders that the seauenty would translate three for forty the Hebrew hauing no such similitude in figure or accent In these straites is the excellent witte of Saint Augustine now â—…n anglâ—…d nor can hee well acquit him-selfe of thâ—…m b At Niâ—…iuie A citty in Assyria built by Ninus Wee haue spoaken of it already The Iewes wanted Prophets euer after the repayring of the Temple and were afflicted euen from thence vntill Christ came to shew the Prophets spake of the building of the other Temple CHAP. 45. AFter the Iewes were left destitute of Prophets they grew dayly worse and worse namely from the end of their captiuity when they hoped to growe into better state vpon the repaying of the Temple For so that carnall nation vnderstood Agees Prophecie saying The glory of this last house shall bee greater then the first which hee sheweth that hee meant of the New Testament in the words before where hee promiseth CHRIST expressely saying I will mooue all nations and the desire of all nations shall come Where the LXX vsed a sence rather applyable to the members then the head saying And they that are GODS elect shall come out of all Nations to witte the men of whom Christ said in the Gospell Many are called but fewe are chosen For those chosen is the house of GOD built by the New Testament of liuing stones farre more glorious then that which was built by Salomon and repaired after the captiuity Therefore from thence had this nation no more Prophets but were sore afflicted by aliens euen by the Romaines them-selues to teach them that Agge meant not of that house which they had repayred For b Alexander came soone after that and subdued them who although hee made no massacre of them for they durst doe no other but yeeld at his first booke yet there was the glory of that Temple prooued inferiour to what it had beene in their owne free Kings times For in the Temple did Alexander sacrifice not in any true worship vnto GOD but giuing him a place in the adoration of his false deities c Then came the fore-named Ptolomey sonne to Lagus after Alexaâ—…ders death and hâ—…e lead many of them captiue into Egipt yet his sonne Philadelphus did courteouslie free them afterwards and had the seauentie to translate the Old Testament for him as I sayde before from whence it came to our hands After all this the warres mentioned in the Machabees lay vpon them And in d processe of time Ptolomy King of Alexandria sudbued them hee that was called Epiphanes and then were they extreamly plagued forced to offer to Idols and their Temple filled with sacriligious pollution by Antiochus King of Syria whose powers not-with-standing Iudas Machabeus vtterly subueâ—…ted and restored the Temple to the ancient dignity Within a while after did Alchimus a man borne out of the Priests bloud by ambition aspire to the Priest-hood and then about fifty yeares after all which were passed vnder the variable chance of warre did Aristobulus assume a diademe and became both King and Priest For all the time before euer since the captiuitie they had no Kings but Captaines and Generalls or Priâ—…ces though a King may bee called a Prince because of his preheminence but all that are Captaines and Princes f are not Kings as Aristobulus was To him g did Alexander succeed both in the kingdome and the Priesthood and is recorded for a tyrant ouer his people Hee left the regality to his wife Alexandra and from thence began the Iewes extremities of affliction For h her two sonnes Aristobulus and Hircanus contending for the Principalitie called the Romaine forces to come against Israell by the meanes of Hircanus demanding their ayde against his brother Then had the Romaine conquered all Affrick and Greece and hauing commanded ouer a multitude of other nations i the state seemed too heauie for it selfe and brake it selfe downe with the owne burden For now had sedition gotten strong hold amongst them breaking out into confederacies and ciuill warres where-with it was so maimed that now all declined vnto a Monarchike forme of gouernment But Pompey the great generall of Romes forces brought his powers into Iudaea tooke Hierusalem opened the Temple doores not to goe in to pray vnto God but to prey vpon God rather and not as a worshipper but as a prophaner entred the k sanctum sanctorum a place onely lawfull for the high Priest to bee seene in l And hauing seated Hircanus in the priest-hood and made Antipater prouost of the prouince hee departed carrying Aristobulus away with him prisoner Here began the Iewes to bee the Romaines tributaries Afterwards came Cassius and spoiled the Temple m And within a few yeares after Herod an Alien was made their gouernour and in his time was our Sauiour CHRIST borne For now was the fulnesse of time come which the Patriarch prophetically implyed saying The Scepter shall not depart from Iuda nor the law-giuer from betweene his feete vntill Shilo come and hee shall gather the nations vnto him For the Iewes had neuer beene with-out a Prince of their bloud vntill Herods time who was their first Alien King Now then was the time of Shiloh come now was the New Testament to bee promulgate and the nations to bee reconciled to the truth For it were vnpossible that the nations should desire him to come in his glorious power to iudge as wee see they doe vnlesse they had first beene vnited in their true beleefe vppon him when hee came in his humility to suffer L. VIVES THey that a are Gods elect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b Alexander came In the time of Dariuâ—… sonne to Arsamus Olymp. 112. which is a little more then two hundred yeares after Fâ—…r Alexander besieging Tyre and sending for helpe to Iaddus the Priest commanding him as 〈◊〉 were Lord of Asia seeing he had now chased Darius thence the Priest answered that he ought him no seruice as long as Darius liued with whome hee was in league A wise answer and befitting an Israelites faith it enflamed the valarous young King who hauing taken Tyre made straight to Galilee through Palestina tooke Gaza and set forward to Hierusalem where the Priests mette him in all their ceremoniall robes and saluted him so hee was pacâ—…fied and adored the Priest saying that hee was the Priest of the God of Nature who had appeared vnto him in his sleepe at Macedon and tolde him hee should attaine this Empire So tooke hee Iudaea into his protection Ioseph lib. 11. Antiq. c Ptolomy sonne to Lagus Vnder colour of desiring to sacrifice in the Temple vpon a Sabboth hee tooke the towne Ioseph d Epiphanes That is Illustrious Hee succeeded his Father Philopater and warred with Antiochus Epiphanes vntill they boâ—… were wearied and then hee marryed Cleopatâ—… Antiochus his daughter and had Iudaea for his dowrie c. e Antiochus Of him read the Machabees 2. 7 and 8. and
other-wise called the Angel and held by some as Hierome saith and namely by the Hebrews b to bee Esdras the Priest that wrote some other parts in the Canon prophecied of the last iudgment in these words Behold hee shall come saith the Lord of Hoastes but who may abide the day of his comming and who shall endure when hee appeareth for hee is like a purging fire and like Fullers Sope and hee shall sit downe to trye and fine the siluer hee shall euen fine the sonnes of Leui and purifie them as golde and siluer that they may bring offrings to the Lord in righteousnesse Then shall the offerings of Iudah and Hierusalem bee acceptable vnto the Lord as in old time and in the yeares afore And I will come neere vnto you to iudgement and I will bee a swift witnesse against the Sooth-sayers and against the adulterers and against false swearers and against those that wrong fully keepe back the hirelings wages and vexe the vviddow and the fatherlesse and feare not mee saith the Lord of Hoastes for I am the Lord I change not These words doe seeme euidently to imply a purification of some in the last iudgement For what other thing can bee meant by this Hee is like a purging fire and like Fullers sope and hee shall sitte downe to trye and fine the siluer hee shall fine the sonnes of Leui and purifie them as golde or siluer So saith Esayas The Lord shall wash the filthinesse of the daughters of Zion and purge the bloud of Hierusalem on t of the middest thereof by the spirit of iudgement and by the spirit of burning Perhaps this burning may bee vnderstood of that seperation of the polluted from the pure in that paenall iudgement the good beeing to liue euer after with-out any commerce with the bad But these words Hee shall euen fine the sonnes of Leui and purifie them as gold and siluer that they may bring offrings to the Lord in righteousnesse doe intimate a purgation euen of the good who shall now be cleansed from that in-iustice wherein they displeased the Lord being cleansed and in their perfection of righteousnesse they shall bee pure offerings themselues vnto him their Lord. For what better or more acceptable oblation for him then them selues But let vs leaue this theame of paenall purgation vnto a more fitt oportunity By the sonnes of Leui Iudah and Hierusalem is meant the Church of God both of Hebrews and others but not in that state that it standeth now in for as we are now if wee say wee haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs but as it shall be then like a threshing-flore cleansed by the fan of the last iudgement all being penally purged that needed such a purification so that now there shall need no more sacrifice for sinne for all that offer such are in sinne for the remission of which they offer to bee freed from it by Gods gracious acceptance of their offring L. VIVES MAlachiel or a Malachi I neuer read that Malachi was euer called Malachiel Malachi is in Hebrew his Angel and therefore he was called Malachi for if it were Malachiel it should be interpreted the Angell of the Lord I thinke therefore it should be read here Malachi b To be Esdras Of this lib. 18. Of the Saints offerings which God shall accept of as in the old time and the yeares afore CHAP. 26. To shew that the Citty of God should haue no more such custome it is said that the sonnes of Leui shall bring offrings to the Lord in righteousnesse therefore not in sinne and consequently not for sinne wee may therefore gather by the words following viz. Then shall the offrings of Iudah and Ierusalem be acceptable vnto the Lord as in old time and in the yeares afore that the Iewes are deceiued in beleeuing the. restaurations of their old legall ceremonies for all the sacrifices of the old Instrument were offered in sinne and for sinne the priest him-selfe who wee must thinke was the holiest was expresly commanded by the Lord to offer first for his owne sinnes and then for the people wee must therefore shew how these words As in old time and in the yeares afore are to bee taken They may perhaps imply the time of our first parents being in paradice for they were then pure and offred them-selues as vnspotted oblations to the Lord. But they transgressing and being therefore thrust out and all mankind being depraued and condemned in them since their fall no a man but the worlds redeemer and little baptized infants were euer pure from sinne no not the infant of one daies age If it be answered that they are worthily said to offer in righteousnesse that offer in faith in that the iust liueth by faith though if he say hee hath no sinne hee deceiues him-selfe and therefore hee saith it not because he liueth by faith I say againe is any one so farre deceiued as to pararell these times of faith with those of the last iudgment wherein those that are to offer those oblations in righteousnesse are to bee purged and refined Nay seeing that after that purgation there shal be no place for the least imperfection of sin assuredly the time wherein there shal be no sinne is not to bee compared with any sauing with the time before our first parents fall in Paradise wherein they liued in spotlesse felicity So that this it is which is ment by the old time and the yeares afore for such another passage is there in Esaias After the promise of a new Heauen and a new Earth amongst the other allegoricall promises of beatitudes to the Saints which study of breuity enforced vs to let passe vnexpounded this is one As the daies of the of tree life shall the dayes of my people be This tree who is it that hath read the Scriptures and knowes not yâ— God planted it and where and how our first parents by sinne were debarred from eating of the fruit thereof and a terrible guard set vpon it for euer after some may say the Prophet by that meant the daies of Christ his Church that now is and that Christ is that tree according to that of Salomon concerning wisdome She is a tree of life to them that lay hold on her and againe that our first parents liued but a smal while in Paradise seeing that they had no children during that space and therefore when we speake of the time that they were there we can not speake of any yeares as this place doth In old time and in the yeares bofore well this question is too intricate to discusse at this time and therefore let it passe There is another meaning of these words also besides this which doth also exclude the interpretation of this place by the legall and carnall sacrifices as though the restoring of them were such a benefit for those offrings of the old law being made all of vnpolluted beasts
small that hee that discerneth them as they flie must haue a sharpe eye but when they alight vpon the body they will soone make them-selues knowne to his feeling though his sight discerne them not Super Exod. By this creature Origen vnderstands logick which enters the mind with such stings of vndiscerned subtlety that the party deceiued neuer perceiueth till he be fetched ouer But the Latines nor the Greekes euer vsed either Cynipes or Snipes nor is it in the seauentie eyther but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gnat-like creatures saith Suidas and such as eate holes in wood Psal. 104. The Hebrew and Chaldee Paraphrase read lice for this word as Iosephus doth also d Horse-flyes Or Dogge-flies the vulgar readeth flyes onely e Grashoppers The fields plague much endamaging that part of Africa that bordereth vpon Egipt Pliny saith they are held notes of Gods wrath where they exceed thus f Groned vnder Perfracti perfractus is throughly tamed praefractus obstinate g Passe-ouer Phase is a passing ouer because the Angel of death passed ouer the Israelites houses smote them not hence arose the paschall feast Hieron in Mich. lib. 2. not of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to suffer as if it had beene from the passion In Matth. h Whose name In Hebrew Iosuah and Iesus seemes all one both are saluation and Iesus the sonne of Iosedech in Esdras is called Iosuah i Whose sonne Mat. 1. an 〈◊〉 all the course of the Gospell Christ is especially called the sonne of two Abraham or Dauid for to them was hee chiefly promised k à non fando And therefore great fellowes that cannot speake are some-times called infants and such also as stammer 〈◊〉 their language and such like-wise as being expresse dolts and sottes in matter of learning will challenge the names of great Artists Philosophers and Diuines Finis lib. 16. THE CONTENTS OF THE seauenteenth booke of the City of God 1. Of the times of the Prophets 2. At what time Gods promise concerning 〈◊〉 Land of Canaan was fulfilled and Israell â—…ed it to dwell in and possesse 3. The Prophets three meanings of earthly â—…lem of heauenly Ierusalem and of both 4. The change of the kingdome of Israel Anâ—…â—…uels mother a prophetesse and a type 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Church what she prophecied 5. The Prophets words vnto Heli the priest â—…g the taking away of Aarons priestâ—… 6. The promise of the priest-hood of the 〈◊〉 and their kingdome to stand eternally â—…ed in that sort that other promises of 〈◊〉 â—…nded nature are 〈◊〉 kingdome of Israell rent prefiguring â—…all diuision betweene the spirituall â—…ll Israel 〈◊〉 â—…ises made to Dauid concerning his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fulfilled in Salomon but in Christ. 〈◊〉 â—…phecy of Christ in the 88. psalme 〈◊〉 â—…s of Nathan in the booke of Kings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diuers actions done in the earthly Ieâ—… 〈◊〉 the kingdome differing from Gods 〈◊〉 to shew that the truth of his word conâ—…â—…he glory of an other kingdome and anâ—…â—…g 11. The substance of the people of God who 〈◊〉 Christ in the flesh who only had power to 〈◊〉 â—…e soule of man from hell 12. â—…her verse of the former psalme and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to whom it belongeth 13. Whether the truth of the promised peace may be ascribed vnto Salomons time 14. Of Dauids endeauors in composing of the psalmes 15. Whether all things concerning Christ his church in the psalmes be to bee rehearsed in this worke 16. Of the forty fiue psalme the tropes and truths therein concerning Christ and the church 17. Of the references of the hundreth and tenth psalme vnto Christs priest-hood and the two and twentith vnto his passion 18. Christs death and resurrection prophecied in psalme 3. et 40. 15. et 67. 19. The obstinate infidelity of the Iewes declared in the 69. psalme 20. Dauids kingdome his merrit his sonne Salomon his prophecies of Christ in Salomons bookes and in bookes that are annexed vnto them 21. Of the Kings of Israel and Iudah after Salomon 22. How Hieroboam infected his subiects with Idolatry yet did God neuer failed them in Prophets nor in keeping many from that infection 23. The state of Israel and Iudah vnto both their captiuities which befell at different times diuersly altered Iudah vnited to Israell and lastly both vnto Rome 24. Of the last Prophets of the Iewes about the time that Christ was borne FINIS THE SEVENTEENTH BOOKE OF THE CITTIE OF GOD Written by Saint Augustine Bishop of Hippo vnto Marcellinus Of the times of the Prophets CHAP. 1. THus haue we attained the vnderstanding of Gods promises made vnto Abraham and due vnto Israel his seed in the flesh and to all the Nations of earth as his seed in the spirit how they were fulfilled the progresse of the Cittie of God in those times did manifest Now because our last booke ended at the reigne of Dauid let vs in this booke proceed with the same reigne as farre as is requisite All the time therefore betweene Samuels first prophecy and the returning of Israel from seauenty yeares captiuity in Babilon to repaire the Temple as Hieremy had prophecied all this is called the time of the Prophets For although that the Patriarch Noah in whose time the vniuersall deluge befel and diuers others liuing before there were Kings in Israel for some holy and heauenly predictions of theirs may not vndeseruedly be called a Prophets especially seeing wee see Abraham and Moses chiefly called by those names and more expressly then the rest yet the daies wherein Samuel beganne to prophecy were called peculiarly the Prophets times Samuel anoynted Saul first and afterwards he beeing reiected hee anoynted Dauid for King by Gods expresse command and from Dauids loines was all the bloud royall to descend during that Kingdomes continuance But if I should rehearse all that the Prophets each in his time successiuely presaged of Christ during all this time that the Cittie of God continued in those times and members of his I should neuer make an end First because the scriptures though they seeme but a bare relation of the successiue deeds of each King in his time yet being considered with the assistance of Gods spirit will prooue either more or as fully prophecies of things to come as histories of things past And how laborious it were to stand vpon each peculiar hereof and how huge a worke it would amount vnto who knoweth not that hath any insight herein Secondly because the prophecies concerning Christ and his Kingdome the Cittie of God are so many in multitude that the disputations arising hereof would not be contained in a farre bigger volume then is necessary for mine intent So that as I will restraine my penne as neare as I can from all superfluous relations in this worke so will I not ommit any thing that shall be really pertinent vnto our purpose L. VIVES CAlled a Prophets The Hebrewes called them Seers because they saw the Lord in his predictions or prefigurations of any thing with
the eyes of the spirit though not of the dull flesh hence it is that scriptures call a prophecy a vision and Nathan is called the Seer 1. Kings The Greekes some-times vse the name of Prophet for their priests poets or teachers Adam was the first man and the first Prophet who saw the mistery of Christ and his church in his sleepe Then followeth Enoch Noah Abraham Isaac Iacob and his children Moyses c. Yet are not these reckned amongst the prophets for none of them left any bookes of the visions but Moyses whose bookes concerned ceremonies sacrifices and ciuill orders also But these were all figures of future things nor were those the propheticall times as those from Samuel were wherein there neuer were prophets wanting whereas before God spake but seldome and his visions were not so manifest as they were from the first King vnto the captiuity wherein were foure great bookes of prophecies written and twelue of the small At what time Gods promise concerning the Land of Canaan was fulfilled and Israell receiued it to dwell in and possesse CHAP. 2. VVEE said in the last booke that God promised two things vnto Abraham one was the possession of the Land of Canaan for his seed in these words Goe into the Land that I will shew thee and I will make thee a great nation c. The other of farre more excellence not concerning the carnall but the spirituall seed nor Israell onely but all the beleeuing nations of the world in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall all nations of the earth be blessed c. This we confirmed by many testiâ—… Now therefore was Abrahams carnall seed that is the Israelites in the 〈◊〉 promise now had they townes citties yea and Kings therein and Gods 〈◊〉 were performed vnto them in great measure not onely those that hee 〈◊〉 signes or by word of mouth vnto Abraham Isaac and Iacob but euen 〈◊〉 â—…so that Moyses who brought them out of the Egyptian bondage or any 〈◊〉 him vnto this instant had promised them from God But the proâ—…â—…cerning the land of Canaan that Israel should reigne ouer it from the 〈◊〉 Egipt vnto the great Euphrates was neither fulfilled by Iosuah that worâ—… of them into the Land of promise and hee that diuided the whole aâ—… the twelue tribes nor by any other of the Iudges in all the time after 〈◊〉 was there any more prophecies that it was to come but at this instant 〈◊〉 â—…ected And by a Dauid and his son Salomon it was fulfilled indeed and 〈◊〉 â—…gdome enlarged as farre as was promised for these two made all 〈◊〉 â—…ations their seruants and tributaries Thus then was Abrahams seed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so settled in this land of Canaan by these Kings that now no part of 〈◊〉 â—…ly promise was left vnfulfilled but that the Hebrewes obeying Gods â—…ements might continue their dominion therein without all disturâ—… in all security and happinesse of estate But God knowing they would 〈◊〉 vsed some temporall afflictions to excercise the few faithfull therein 〈◊〉 â—…ad left and by them to giue warning to all his seruants that the nations 〈◊〉 â—…erwards to containe who were to bee warned by those as in whom hee 〈◊〉 â—…llfill his other promise by opening the New Testament in the death of 〈◊〉 L. VIVES Bâ—…â—…id Hierome epist. ad Dardan sheweth that the Iewes possessed not all the lands 〈◊〉 promised theÌ„ for in the booke of Numbers it is sayd to be bounded on the South by the salt sea and the wildernesse of sinne vnto that riuer of Egypt that ranne into the sea by Rhinocorura on the west by the sea of Palestina Phaenicia Coele Syria and Cylicia on the North by Mount Taurus and Zephyrius as farre as Emath or Epiphania in Syria on the East by Antioch and the Lake Genesareth called now Tabarie and by Iordan that runneth into the salt sea called now The dead sea Beyond Iordan halfe of the land of the tribes of Ruben Gad lay and halfe of the tribe of Manasses Thus much Hierome But Dauid possessed not all these but onely that within the bounds of Rhinocorura and Euphrates wherein the Israelites still kept themselues The Prophets three meanings of earthly Ierusalem of heauenly Ierusalem and of both CHAP. 3. WHerefore as those prophecies spoken to Abraham Isaac Iacob or any other in the times before the Kings so likewise all that the Prophets spoke afterwards had their double refereÌ„ce partly to Abraháms seed in the flesh partly to that wherein al the nations of the earth are blessed in him being made Co-heires with Christ in the glory and kingdome of heauen by this New Testament So then they concerne partly the bond-woman bringing forth vnto bondage that is the earthly Ierusalem which serueth with her sonnes and partly to the free Citty of God the true Ierusalem eternall and heauenly whose children are pilgrims vpon earth in the way of Gods word And there are some that belong vnto both properly to the bond-woman and figuratiuely vnto the free woman for the Prophets haue a triple meaning in their prophecies some concerning the earthly Ierusalem some the heauenly and some both as for example The Prophet a Nathan was sent to tell Dauid of his sinne and to fortell him the euills that should ensue thereof Now who doubteth that these words concerned the temporall City whether they were spoken publikely for the peoples generall good or priuately for some mans knowledge for some temporall vse in the life present But now whereas wee read Behold the daies come saith the LORD that I will make a new couenant with the house of Israell and the house of Iudah not according to the couenant that I made with their fathers when I tooke them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Egipt which couenant they brake although I was an husband vnto them saith the Lord but this is the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those daies saith the LORD I will put my law in their mindes and write it in their hearts and I wil be their GOD and they shal be my people This without aâ—…l doubt is a prophecy of the celestiall Ierusalem to whom God himselfe stands as a reward and vnto which the enioying of him is the perfection of good Yet belongeth it vnto them both in that the earthly Ierusalem was called Gods Cittie and his house promised to bee therein which seemed to be fulfilled in Salomons building of that magnificent temple These things were both relations of things acted on earth and figures of things concerning heauen which kinde of prophecy compounded of both is of great efficacy in the canonicall scriptures of the Old Testament and doth exercise the readers of scripture very laudably in seeking how the things that are spoken of Abrahams carnall seed are allegorically fulfilled in his seed by faith In b so much that some held that there was nothing in the scriptures fore-told and effected or