upon them the waters of the rivers strong and many even the King of Assyria and all his glory and he shall come up over all his channels and goe over all his banks Againe that the name Emmanuel did literally import Gods peculiar presence at that time with his people not only to deliver them from Rezin and Pekah but from the potencie of the Assyrian in future times is evidently included in the 9 and 10 verses Associate your selves O yee people and yee shall be broken in pieces and give eare all yee of farre Countries gird your selves and yee shall be broken in pieces gird your selves and yee shall be broken in pieces Take counsell together and it shall be brought to naught speake the word and it shall stand for God is with us The strange defeat of the confederacie here foretold was not to be expected in the dayes of Ahaz in whose times the Assyrian did attempt no great matters against them but in the dayes of Hezekiah Thus much the Prophets words in the verses following import ver 16. 17. Binde up the testimony seale my law among my Disciples And I will waite upon the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Jacob and I will looke for him This binding up of the Testimony and sealing of this Law doth argue both the Law and testimony to have beene of speciall moment yet not to be put in execution or fully accomplished for the present Of the accomplishment of both whether wholly or in part the Prophets sonnes in the interim were signes and pledges as is imported ver 18. Behold I and the Children whom the Lord hath given mee are for signes and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of Hoasts which dwelleth in Mount Sion This last passage is alledged by the Apostle amongst others to prove that the Lord of Hoasts himselfe who in the 14. verse of the 8. of Isaiah had promised to be a Sanctuary to his people was to participate with them of flesh and bloud Hee that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one For which cause hee is not ashamed to call them brethren saying I will declare thy name unto my brethren in the midst of the Church will I sing praise unto thee And againe I will put my trust in him And againe Behold I and the Children which God hath given me Yet that the 18. verse of Isaiah the 8 to which our Apostle in this place referres us was literally meant of the Prophet and his Children is too apparent to be denied nor will it be safe to stand upon termes of contradiction thus farre with the moderne Jew One of the Prophets sonnes was called Shear-iashub which by interpretation is The remnâ—nt shall returne and of this returne or restauration hee was the signe or pledge The other was called Emmanuel which being interpreted is God with us a name portending or foretokening Gods speciall presence with his people at more times than one The imposition of both names and their importance were literally fulfilled in the age immediatly following but mistically fulfilled only in Christ whose comming to visit his people was prefigured by both of them The full importance or abode of the name Emmanuel was fulfilled in our Saviours conception and birth the true importance of Shear-iashub shall be mystically fulfilled when the fulnesse of the Gentiles is come or when the Jew shall be called to be againe the seede of Abraham according to promise 9. Two points only remaine The first how the prophecie concerning Emmanuel was fulfilled according to the literall sense in the Prophets time and our resolution in this point wee must take from the sacred records of this theame in the old Testament The second how this prophecie was fulfilled according to the mysticall sense and this wee must learne from the Evangelists which alledge the fulfilling of it and other unpartiall Writers which relate either circumstances or signes of those times in which they wrote Out of these two points the parallel betweene the Prophet and Evangelists will of its owne accord without any anxious inquirie or further discussion result 10 The Histories of the old Testament by which Isaiahs literall meaning may be best interpreted are in the 2 of Kings 17 18. 2 Chron. 28. 16 17 c. We have a constat from the prophet Isaiah himselfe Chap. 7. 1 2. That this prophecy concerning Emmanuel was uttered by him in the dayes of Ahaz King of Judah and of Pekah the sonne of Remaliah but in what certaine yeare of either of these two Kings raignes this revelation was made to Isaiah and the matter of it instantly imparted unto King Ahaz is not so certaine Most certaine it is that Isaiah delivered this message from the Lord to Ahaz before the twelfth yeare of his raigne for in that yeare Hoshea the sonne of Elah begun to raigne in Samaria over Israel 2 Kings 17. 1. and this was after Pekah the sonne of Remaliah was dead And though it be not so certaine yet most probable it is that the former prophecy was uttered about the 8 or 9 yeare of Ahaz or about 3 yeares or somewhat more before Pekah the sonne of Remaliah was slaine One yeare or somewhat under we must allow for the conception and birth of the Emmanuel or Maher-Shalal-hash-baz and some two yeares after untill he were upon the point or period of time wherein ordinary Children in those dayes were enabled to know how to refuse the evill and choose the good that is to distinguish between other meats besides milke butter and honey and betweene his parents and other persons Before this Emmanuel or Maher-Shalal-hash-baz were thus enabled to distinguish betweene meate and meat or his parents and other persons but how long before this time it is uncertaine both Pekah sonne of Remaliah and Rezin King of Syria according to the tenour of Isaiahs prophecy and the astipulation made by him upon the signe profered to Ahaz were to be deprived of their Kingdomes or rather their Land and Kingdomes to be quitted of them Isaiah 7. 16. Chap. 8. ver 4. But before their ruine and before this revelation concerning their ruine was made unto the Prophet Isaiah they had brought Judah and the house of David exceeding low 2 Chron. 28. 5 6 7 8. Wherefore the Lord his God delivered him into the hand of the King of Syria and they smote him carryed away a great multitude of them Captives and brought them to Damascus And hee was also delivered into the hand of the King of Israel who smote him with a great slaughter For Pekah the sonne of Remaliah slue in Iudah an hundred and twentie thousand in one day which were all valiant men because they had forsaken the Lord God of their Fathers And Zichri a mightie man of Ephraim slue Maaserah the Kings sonne and Azrikam the governour of the house and Elkanah that was next to the King And the Children of Israel caryed away captive
The birth of Iesus Christ saith S. Mathew chap. 1. ver 18. c. was on this wise When as his mother Mary was espoused to Ioseph before they came together shee was found with child of the holy Ghost Then Ioseph her husband being a just man and not willing to make her a publique example was minded to put her away privily But while he thought on these things behold the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dreame saying Ioseph thou sonne of David feare not to take unto thee Mary thy wife for that which is conceived in her is of the holy Ghost And shee shall bring forth a sonne and thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall save his people from their sinnes In this narration some speciall passages are expressely the same with the former related out of S. Luke as that our Saviour was conceived by the holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary or in the Virgin Mary So S. Matthew to denote that the blessed Virgin was no agent in this conception saith that which is conceived in her is of the holy Ghost Chap. 1. ver 20. This I take it is of the same character with that message of the Angel unto the blessed virgin her selfe in S. Luke 1. chap. ver 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt be with child and bring forth a sonne as the Angel said unto the wife of Manoah Iudges 13. 3. and to others which beyond expectation or course of nature did conceive and bring forth sonnes of promise Both Evangelists againe expressely tell us that the virgin Mary was espoused to Ioseph the sonne of David before the Angel Gabriel did bring this message unto her hereby giving us to understand that the works which the Divell had wrought in our nature should in this particular as in many others be undone by God after the same way and method that they were done by this his enemie The first woman we know did conceive sinne whilest shee was a virgin at least before shee knew her husband Adam who was the onely man then on Earth for she was a virgin espoused from her first Creation This first woman conceived death by beleeving the Serpent and practising according to his Counsaile before shee had consulted her husband The blessed virgin did conceive the Lord of life by beleeving the Angel Gabriels message without consent or advise of her betroathed Husband who at the first suspected her loyaltie but afterwards admonished by the holy Ghost did admit of her as his lawfull consort did permit her to enjoy all the priviledges of a wife and her sonne the priviledges of his only sonne and heire without any further knowledge of her as his wife 3 S. Luke gives us the Chronologie of our Saviours birth more distinctly then S. Mathew doth It came to passe saith he in those daies that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed or booked Chap. 2. ver 1. The exact year frō the giving of the law or from the return of Judah from Captivitie neither of the Evangelists do meddle with in the story of our Saviours birth and for this reason I omit them The other circumstances concerning the time wherein according to the Romane account hee was borne with the place were more usefull for us because these were or might have beene knowne to all other Nations not to the Jews only out of the Roman Annals It is agreed by all that Jesus was borne in the time of Augustus and in the dayes of Herod the King If any be desirous to know the exact yeare wherein he was borne the best rule for his direction in this search must be to find out the time of that taxe or inrolement mentioned by S. Luke Chap. 2. ver 1 2 c. Now this taxing or inrolling was first made when Cyrenius was Governour of Syria and that as all agree was either in the beginning of the 42 or in the latter end of the 41 of Augustus Yet whether this taxing or inrollement of every person capable of such inrollement were not decreed or intended before by Augustus though first put in execution whilest Cyrenius was Governour of Syria may admit some doubt or question however wee are to calculate the time of our Saviours birth from the time in which this decree was put in execution throughout Judea not from the time of the first designe or intention of Augustus to have such a taxe or inrolement of all that were Subjects to the Romane Empire 4 The Spanish Nation as well for their civil as Ecclesiastick Acts did for a long time after they became Christians use a Computation of yeares different from all other Christian States or Kingdomes For all besides them as farre as I have observed begin their Computation from our Lords incarnation or birth which was at the same time that this decree of Augustus was put in execution through Judea The Spaniards begun their Aera so they call their computation somes 27 yeares more or lesse before this time and as sundry of their ancient writers think from that time wherein Augustus did first resolve upon this taxing and inrolling of all the families under his jurisdiction and that as they alleage was first thought on and ingrossed at Tarracone in Spaine after he had fully subdued the Cantabrians and others which had revolted from him in Spaine 5 But this most probable opinion of many ancient writers as others of like nature usually do suffers some praejudice by impertinent and disprovable allegations sought out for the confirmation of it First the writers take it as granted that the decree set forth by Augustus in Spaine was for raising a generall taxe or tribute throughout all his Dominions that this tribute was to be paid in brasse a currant coine amongst the Romanes aswell for the payment of Soldiers as for the discharge of civil contracts or mulcts wherein they were condemned And from this supposition which will not be granted them these writers conjecture that the word Aera tooke its originall Hence they call this decree of Augustus aerea constitutio as if the word Aera which in their language is the computation of times or yeares were the plurall though not warrantable by Priscian of the Latine Aes afterwards by common use made a noune singular But this supposition it selfe that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof S. Luke speakes should import as much as a generall taxe or tribute is confuted by Sepulveda a professed Spanish Antiquarie and Chronicler unto Charles the fift And if his observations faile not the Romanes did not receive their Tribute or Taxes either in brasse or gold but in silver only And because the imposition of Tribute or Taxe is alwayes ungratefull to conquered Provinces or people it is an opinion in Sepulveda his judgement voyd of probability that the Spaniards should begin their computation of time
or finisher that they could have desired This saith he was even then acknowledged not to fall out by meer chance or without some further portending meaning or signification The exceptions taken against this tradition avouched by this Author Petrus Comestor are to men acquainted with the manner of sacred expressions of things to come so weake that they adde strength unto it But whatsoever the historicall event were at which these words in the literall sense immediately point wee Christians know that in the Symbolicall or spirituall sense they referre to Christ His exaltation unto Majestie and glory after the chiefe Rulers of the Temple had cast him aside and rejected him as not fit to be entertained amongst Gods people was mystically foreshadowed by that matter of fact or historicall event whereof the Psalmist speakes whatsoever that were yet not expresly foretold according to the direct literall sense of his words but onely signified according to the Symbolicall importance After the same manner the forecited words of the Prophet Isa 22. 23. The key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder so he shall open and none shall shut and hee shall shut and none shall open doe in their literall and native sense immediately point at Eliakim of whose office in the house of David a materiall and visible key was the ensigne or pledge as the like is of some great offices in moderne Princes Courts But according to the emblematicall or symbolicall importance both key and office both inscription and matter of fact referre unto the spirituall invisible power of the sonne of David Who hath the keyes of Hell and of death Rev. 1. The keyes likewise of the Kingdome of Heaven and where he openeth no power in heaven or earth can shut nor open where he is pleased to shut That which some call the morall sense of scriptures is alwayes reducible to this generall branch last mentioned to wit to the emblematicall or symbolicall importance of the words expressed as they concurre with matter of fact or reall representation Only there may be a morall sense where there is no prophecy no representation truly mysticall As when it is written Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe which treadeth out the Corne this law was to be observed according to the plaine literall sense And yet both the law it selfe and its observance from the first date of the letter had that morall which the Apostle makes That such as serve at the Altar should live by the Altar 5. To this branch likewise belong all the significations of legall ceremonies which doe not immediately point at Christ in whom they were exactly fulfilled but at morall duties to bee performed as well by us Christians as by the ancient Jews Christ our Passeover saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 5. 7 8. it sacrificed for us Therefore let us keepe the feast not with old leaven neither with the leaven of malice and wickednesse but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth This was the true morall of that legall observance of the feast of unleavened bread which was to be kept according to the strict letter of the law whilest the law of ceremonies was in force Concerning this symbolicall or morall sense especially when it is not propheticall Maldonats advise is very good He that will search after such senses must hold close to the letter Propiùs mihi Rupertus videtur in quaerendo morali sensu ad literalem accessisse quod semper faciendum esse ei qui ridiculus esse nolit saepe monumus And of allegoricall mysticall or symbolicall senses which are propheticall or prefigurative none are current or concludent but such as hold exact proportion with the sense historicall 6. Some good Divines there be which would have an anagogicall sense distinct from all these mentioned The Allegoricall Spirituall or Mysticall sense is by them limited to matters already accomplished in the Gospell whereas the Anagogicall reacheth to matters of the world to come But this difference in the subject or time unto which whether words or matters sacred referre makes no formall difference in the sense or manner of the prediction or prefiguration Whatsoever is in Scripture foresignified or intimated concerning the state and condition of the life to come is either literally foretold by expresse words or mystically foreshadowed by matter of fact or notified by some concurrence of prediction and representation and so may be reduced to one or other of the senses mentioned either to the meere literall or to the meerely mysticall or to the literally or symbolically mysticall or spirituall sense CHAP. 13. Of the literall sense of Scripture not assertive but meerely charactericall BUt divine mysteries as was intimated before are sometimes neither notified by expresse prediction or words assertive nor by matter of fact historicall event or type nor by the persons actions or offices of men but represented onely by words or names by notes or letters or other secret characters of speech Now this manner of representing mysteries divine produceth a sense of Scripture distinct from all the former which can hardly be comprehended under one certaine denomination unlesse it be under this negative the literall sense not assertive Or if the Reader desire a positive expression of it he may terme it the charactericall sense To beginne with the first words of Scripture In the beginning saith Moses Bara Elohim The Lord created c. Although these words be assertive yet the mystery of the Trinity is not avouched in Logicall assertion or proposition but only represented or insinuated in the peculiar forme or character of the grammaticall construction if happily it be here either represented or intimated at all For some both judicious Divines and great Hebricians there be as well in the Romish as in the reformed Churches who will acknowledge no intimation of any mystery in this conjunction of a noune plurall with a verbe singular but tell us this forme of speech is usuall in the Hebrew dialect as the like is in some cases in the Greeke For the Graecians as every grammar Scholar knowes joyne nounes of the neuter gender plurall with verbes of the singular number as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These mens authority would sway much with me if I did not finde it counterpoised by observation of Wolphgangus Capito an exquisite Hebrician and discreet searcher of the mysticall sense of Scriptures Now if his observation doe not faile him the construction of verbes singular with nounes plurall is never used amongst Hebrew writers unlesse the noune doe want the singular number In this case alone they doe not extend the signification of the verb into such plurality as is in the noune Contrary to the use of the Latines who to make the adjective and substantive agree in number stretch Vnum one or unity it selfe into a plurall forme as unae literae una maenia which would be a harsh kind of speech in our English or other modern tongues But
had walked conferred and conversed with all the children of Israel that would come unto him in a more familiar manner then he had done with Moses himselfe in Egypt and in the wildernesse And though his body bee removed out of their sight and ours yet he dwelleth in his Church and walketh in it by his spirit These things saith hee that holdeth the seven starres in his right hand who walketh in the middest of the seaven golden Candlesticks Revel 2. 1. and 21. 3. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himselfe shall be with them and be their God God was said to walk with the children of Israel whilest the Tabernacle did remove or wander with them but not to dwel with them untill the building of the Temple Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt even to this day but have walked in a Tent and in a Tabernacle 2 Sam. 7. 6. But the same God doth now walk in the Church and dwell in his Church by his spirit and the Church shall dwell with him in his heavenly Temple 6. This prophecy of Ezekiel is one of that sort and rank before rehearsed Chapter 14. par 6 7. to wit a prophecy which was oftner to be fulfilled then once and after different measures in severall times It was to be fulfilled according to the ordinary scale of the literall sense and in the intention of the holy Ghost at this peoples returne from the Babylonish captivitie From that time Judah and Israel or Ephraim were not to strive or contend and thus we see it fulfilled unto the destruction of the Temple For though many of the severall Tribes of Israel did returne to their owne land successively or now and then yet al were instyled or indigitated by the name of Iudaei or Jews a good name untill they forfeited their interest in this promise And God did upon their returne◠〈…〉 amongst them that is his Temple wherein he did dwell as hee formerly had done in 〈◊〉 Temple Now this covenant which God did promise to make with Israel and Judah upon the delivery from the North Countrey and from all the Countryes wherein he had scattered them was to exceed the former covenant which he had made with their fathers when he brought them out of Egypt as appeareth Ier. 23. 5 6 7 8. And to exceed it not only in respect of benefits spirituall or the matter promised but in respect of the very forme and tenure of the Covenant it selfe Not that this deliverance was either in it selfe or in the Nations eyes greater then the former but that this covenant after it once beganne to be in esse was to continue for ever without interruption whereas the former Covenant was broken did expire or determine For during the time of the Babylonish Captivitie neither Judah nor Israel had either a wandring Tabernacle or standing Temple God did not dwell amongst them according to the native and literall meaning of that promise Levit. 26. 1◠But according to this Prophecy of Ezekiel God even their God was to dwell amongst them to have his Sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore But did this Sanctuary or Tabernacle there promised continue in the midst of them since that time yes it hath so continued and shall continue for evermore though not in the same kinde or quoad materiam yet by an aequivalency or more then aequivalency or by a spirituall and supereminent manner For when the second Temple begun to decay or become as a Carkasse or body without a soule the body of our Lord and Saviour Christ which he tooke from Abraham and David became the Temple of God and continueth to this day our Sanctuary or Sanctification it selfe And wee Heathens or Gentiles doe now know that the Lord hath sanctified Israel and that his Sanctuary is in the midst of them for evermore 7. All those places wherein God promised to be their God all those sacred hymnes and prophecies which enstile him God even our God in the exquisite or sublime literall sense referre or drive to that point which we Christians make the foundation and roofe of our faith to wit that he was to be God with us or God in our nature or flesh God made man of the seed or stock of Abraham like us in all things sin excepted This new glorious Tēple was according to strict proprietie erected in medio Israel or in interiore Israel that is in one that was truely an Israelite the very Center or Foundation of Abrahams seed or of Iacobs posterity But being erected in the midst of Israel or in the seed of Abraham after this sense it was not erected only for the sonnes of Abraham or of Israel by bodily descent but all were to become true Israelites that should be united to this seed and worship God in this Sanctuary For in that Christ Jesus was the sonne of God he was more truely the Israel of God then Iacob had beene and all that are ingraffed into this Temple of God all that receive life from him are more truely the children of Israel than any of Iacobs sonnes were which refuse to be united to him CHAP. 21. That this peculiar manner of Gods presence with his people by signes and miracles was punctually foreprophecyed by the Psalmists BUt for God to dwell with this people or in the midst of them is a phrase not unbeseeming God even in their judgement who hold the Divine Majestie to be altogether incorporeall immaterially immense as many of the wiser and more sober Heathens did But in most of the Prophets in the booke of Psalmes especially many characters there be of the divine Majesties peculiar presence in his Church with this people or in the world which to any heathen either accurate Philosopher or elegant Poet would seeme more unseemely then a poore country mans petition of his owne drawing and penning to his Soveraigne Lord would be or then his speech would be if he were sent Embassador to a forraigne Prince Both speech and behaviour would in this case be rustick and his salutations such as would onely befit his honest or worshipfull Neighbours And thus most Prophets in the descriptions or displayes of Gods attributes speak of him if wee looke onely in the vulgar literall sense at the best but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scarce observing that decorum which an ordinary Courtyer would use to any greater Prince Yet may we not think that God did send such Embassadours to his people or appoint such Orators from him to them and from them to him as he had not enabled to speake in such manner as did become both himselfe and them And surely it is the fault or imperfection not of the Psalmists or other Prophets but of their Interpreters to make them speake of God
Jews disprove that blinde mans testimony of whom wee read Iohn 9. 32. Although he◠exposed himselfe to great disadvantage in undertaking an universall negative since the world beganne saith he was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was borne blinde What then was he bound in conscience to think of Jesus who had newly opened his eyes which had beene shut up from the womb The least he could think of him was that which in plaine termes he avoucheth against the Pharisees If this man were not of God he could do nothing But if no man since the world beganne had done the like why should he not beleeve that this Jesus was more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more then a man sent from God even God himselfe Why did he not acknowledge that the clay which Iesus made to open his eyes had beene tempered by the finger of that God which had made the earth it selfe of nothing by whom all things were made and without whō nothing was made unto this point of beleefe he came by degrees and our Saviour from this experiment begets beleefe in him unto the maine point of Christianity and workes his soule unto confession that he was the sonne of God Iesus heard that they had cast him out and when he had found him he said not unto him doest thou beleeve on the Prophet that is to come into the world on the Messias or King of Israel but doest thou beleeve on the sonne of God He answered who is he Lord that I might beleeve on him And Iesus said unto him thou hast both seene him and it is he that talketh with thee And he said Lord I beleeve and he worshipped him Iohn 9. 35 36 37 38. With what worship with which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only Doubtlesse with that worship which was due only unto God Thus you see that Jesus by feeding the hungry with his owne hand by opening the eares of the deafe with the breath of his mouth and the eyes of the blinde with his finger doth prove him to be that very Lord and God in whose praises that excellent hymne the 146 Psalme was written and daily sung by the Iews and Pharisees although their eyes because they winked with them and hated the light were not open to understand the meaning of it 4. But were there no other Prisoners besides the deafe and the blind which the Psalmist foretells the Lord in whose praise that Psal was conceived sung would unloose no other whom Iesus during the time of his propheticall function did unloose Sure all were prisoners that were bound by Satan and so bound were most of these lame and diseased which our Saviour cured more particularly that poore woman mentioned Luke 13. 15 16. was Satans prisoner as wee may gather from our Saviours reply unto the ruler of the Synagogue whose heart was inflamed with distempered zeale and indignation aswell against our Saviour for healing as against the people for bringing their sicke to bee healed upon the Sabbath day The Lord then answered him and said thou Hypocrite doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his Oxe or his Asse from his stall and lead him away to watering And ought not this woman being a daughter of Abraham whom Satan hath bound loe these eighteene yeares be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath-day And when he had said these things all his adversaries were ashamed and all the people rejoyced for all the glorious things that were done by him Luke 13. 15 16 17. Not only the cure it selfe but his manner of working it manifestly witnesseth that he which wrought it was that Lord in whose praise the Psalmist conceived that song For he did not cure her as a messenger sent from God or as a minister of delegated power or authority but by word of majestie as Lord and Author of the health which hee bestowed upon her Woman saith he thou art loosed from thine infirmitie And he laid his hands upon her and immediatly shee was made straight and glorified God Besides the exact correspondence between the Psalmists words The Lord raiseth up them that are bowed downe and the Evangelists description of the party cured and the cure as that shee was bowed together and could in no way lift her selfe up there is another point very remarkable in the character or phrase of the Evangelist For in the beginning of this relation he saith when Iesus saw her he said unto her this was before shee was healed but when hee relates our Saviours reply unto the Ruler of the Synagogue after she was healed he doth not say Iesus then answered him and said but the Lord then answered him and said as if he himselfe had conceived and would lead us into the same truth that this very fact had sufficiently manifested that Iesus whom the people tooke for a Prophet to be that very Lord of whom that Psalme was literally meant and in whom this clause of raising up those that were bowed downe was at this time and not before punctually fulfilled For conclusion I would request the Reader to observe that our Saviours answer unto Iohn Matt. 11. 5. hath as speciall and peculiar reference unto this 146. Psalme as it hath unto those places in the 35 and 61 of Isaiah which have been expounded elsewhere All three places but the 35 of Isaiah and this 146 Psalme especially evidently prove Jesus to be not only the Messias or him that was to come but to be the Lord God of Iacob whose praises this Psalmist and other Prophets sought to set forth 5. The difference betweene the Evangelists relation and the Psalmists prediction of Christs miracles Matt. 11. 5. is very little or to speake properly is no difference or a difference implying such exact correspondency as is betwixt the character and the letter or impression which it makes The verball difference and reall correspondencie is this The Evangelist from our Saviours mouth in the first place relates the miracles tbe blinde receive their sight and the lame walke the Lepers are cleansed and the deafe heare c. and from these particulars makes up this generall principles Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me The Psalmist contrariwise first sets downe the same principle and afterwards foretells the miracles which were to be as so many proofes or experiments whereby this people might know the God of Iacob when hee should come in person to make them happy Happy is he saith the Psalmist that hath the God of Jacob for his help whose hope is in the Lord his God Why are they happy which trust in him or would not be offended in him when he came unto them Because he made heaven and earth the Sea and all that therein is which keepeth truth for ever which executeth judgement for the oppressed which giveth food to the hungry the Lord looseth the Prisoners c. Psal 146. 5
to be their enemie and he fought against them And so it is said that he was grieved forty yeares with that generation which he had delivered out of Egypt And both places were they to be limited only with reference to times past could not be meant of God otherwise then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in a metaphoricall sense But as well that complaint of the Psalmist as this of the Prophet Esay were not meerely historicall but propheticall both to be fulfilled after a more exquisite sense in later ages For all Gods mercies and loving kindnesse to their Fathers were but as pledges or talents given by way of earnest for greater goodnesse and more tender mercies towards later generations so they would be thankfull for the former God whilest he was onely in the forme of God could not in strict proprietie of speech be troubled could not be grieved with compassion could not be wearied All those are passions or accidentall affections incident only to flesh and bloud or at least to natures subject to servitude and punishment But of God in our nature and forme of a servant all these patheticall complaints were most exactly accomplished Who was weake amongst his people and he not weakned by their weakenesse who amongst them did mourne and he not mourne with them who was afflicted in body or soule and he not partaker of their afflictions Of all those duties of Christian charitie or fellow-feeling of others infirmities practised by his Apostles and commended to us by them he by his practise and conversation set the most exquisite patterne more exquisite then any who was but man could have set For he was a man of sorrowes and infirmities to beare all our grievances He cured no bodily infirmitie though he cured many whose griefe untill the cure was wrought he did not suffer by exact and perfect sympathy And only by the anguish of his soule and spirit not Israel alone but all people throughout the world whoever found or hope to finde any must find rest and comfort to their soules and consciences Yet all this the wicked posterity of that wicked generation whose ingratitude towards the God of their Fathers did minister both matter of complaint and of prophecy to the Prophet Esay and the Psalmist no way regarded but requited all the paines trouble and affliction which he had undertaken for their poore brethrens bodily good and the comfort of all their soules with superaddition of those deadly griefes and sorowes which by the Romans help they brought upon him This God of Israel in former times had fought for them and had conducted them in the form of an Angell Ioshuah himselfe being but his deputy or under Cōmander But now that they have thus ungratefully requited him for all his loving kindnesse towards their Fathers whilst he was onely in the forme of God or did appeare in the garb or figure not in the substance of an Angell and for all the troubles and grievances undertaken by him for their good whilest he was in the substance of man and forme of a servant he at length became their Enemie and fought against them For as Visitors though farre absent do yet visite by their Commissaries so this God of Israell that Jesus whom the Jews had crucified being made King of Kings and Lord of Lords did judge Ierusalem and the Nation of the Iews by Vespasian and Titus as by his deputies It was he not they that in that great warre did overcome them As they had grieved him more then their Forefathers had done with whom he was grieved forty yeares in the wildernesse so they did remaine in the Land of their promised rest but forty yeares after his death and so they remained in farre worse case then their forefathers had done in the wildernesse and their posterity since have wandred throughout the world as unwelcome guests for almost these sixteene hundred yeares CHAP. 23. That God was to visite his Temple after such a visible and personall manner as the Prophet Ieremy in his name had done THe moderne Iew cannot deny that of the Prophet Ieremy chap. 7. ver 3 4. c. to be meant of God alone nor is he able to shew us how it was or could be otherwise fulfilled then of God incarnate or of God in the visible nature and substance of man-comming to visite his Temple Thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel Amend your waies and your doings and I will cause you to dwell in this place Trust yee not in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord are these And againe ver 8. Behold yee trust in lying words that cannot profit Will yee steale murther and commit adultery and sweare falsly and burne incense unto Baal and walk after other gods whom yee know not and come and stand before me in this house which is called by my name and say We are delivered to doe all these abominations Is this house which is called by my name become a denne of Robbers in your eyes Behold even I have seen it saith the Lord. To have denyed that God at this time did truly heare what this people said did truely see what they did did perfectly understand their secret thoughts had beene an errour much grosser and more dangerous then the errour of the Anthropomorphitae that is of such as imagined God by nature to have eyes eares and heart like man For that was but an heresie or transformation of the Deity the other was Epicurisme the worst and grossest errour wherewith the very heathen or Infidels were possest And so the Psalmist describeth it Psal 94. 7. Yet they say the Lord shall not see neither shall the God of Iacob regard it Vnderstand yee brutish among the people and yee fooles when will yee be wise He that planted the eare shall he not heare he that formed the eye shall he not see c. 2. Sight and hearing were in those times as truly attributed to God as now they can be yet in a generall or transcendent not so exquisite so proper and formall a sense as the patheticall expression which the Prophet there used doth literally imply Behold even I have seene it saith the Lord. For certainely that implies a great deale more then by ordinary Catechismes or domestique instructions they could have learned thus much at the least that the Lord God himselfe who sent the Prophet to deliver this message The Lord God of Israel who neither slumbreth nor sleepeth would watch his oportunity unlesse they did amend these misdemenors to visit them and his temple not by a Prophet or deputed Commissary but in person and after as evident and visible a manner to flesh and blood as the Prophet had done but with farre greater power The Prophet had only meere spirituall power to protest against them no coërcive authority to punish the delinquents or to banish these abuses out of the Temple This case was
manifestation of the sonnes of God Rom. 8. 19. That of the Psalmist Psal 97. 1. fals under the same line of observation The Lord reigneth let the earth rejoyce let the multitude of the Isles rejoyce This literally implies that the earth whether generally taken or restrained to the Land of Jewry should have better cause to rejoyce and the multitude of the Iles new occasions of greater gladnesse then in former times they had knowne When then was this new matter of joy and gladnesse there promised to all the earth and her inhabitants to begin to beare date or bee in esse From that point of time wherein the Lord began to raigne after another manner then before he had done The raigne of the Lord over all the earth and over all the Ilands of the earth if wee consider him only as God was from the beginning of the world and so shall continue without change or alteration World without end The raigne of the Lord then in this place foretold must be the raigne of God incarnate or of Gods being made King And those holy men of God which thus speake did by the spirit of prophecie foresee those dayes which Abraham saw and rejoyced to see Now the beginning of these joyfull dayes was from the time wherein the Lord did loose the Prisoners did deale his bread unto the hungry did open the eyes of the blinde and raysed them that were bowed downe with his owne hands or with his owne voice For so the Author of the 146. Psalme a little before paraphrased doth conclude that admirable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or triumphant song of the God of Israel The Lord shall raigne for ever even thy God O Sion unto all generations All the former workes of mercy and piety towards miserable men were but praeludia or portending documents of his future raigne or oecumenicall Kingdome shortly after to be established CHAP. 25. That the former Testimonies do concludently inferre a pluralitie of persons in the unitie of the Godhead and that God in the person of the sonne was to be incarnate and to be made Lord and King BUt if the Lord God of Israel were to serve under the sins of this people or to bee made a servant for their sinnes if he were to be annointed King not over them only but over all the earth besides it will bee demanded unto whom he was to be a servant and who after this his service was to make or Crowne him King Surely being God he was not to be a servant unto man or Angell if he that was God must be a servant he must be a servant to him who is and truly was God If he that was truly God were to be annointed King and to be enthronized hee must be annointed by him alone who was as truly God These considerations enforce us and when God shall give them hearts to take these and the like into serious consideration will perswade the Jews that however the God of Israel be one yet in this unity of the Godhead or divine Majestie they and wee must acknowledge more then an unity or identity of persons What it is to be a person and what manner of distinction is betweene the persons in the blessed Trinity are points which I never had minde to dispute More Scholarum since I first knew the Schooles or bent my studies to know Christ but was alwayes ready to admire what I knew not to expresse Nor could I ever well understand the language of such as thought themselves able to instampe these high mysteries with Scholastick formes of words but have taken more delight and comfort for these thirtie yeares and more in rehearsing daily as I am bound by oath evening and morning the Collect appointed by our Church for Trinity sunday with the Hymne annexed unto it in the ancient liturgies then in all the varietie whether of Schoolemen or of such polite writers as seeke to adorne and beautifie their ruder expressions of this great mystery And I have ingaged my selfe not to meddle with this point untill by Gods assistance I have finished the rest of these Comments and then by way of meditation or devotions only Thus much notwithstanding the former considerations and the very fundamental grounds of true Christianity inforce us to grant that in the divine nature though most indivisibly one there is an eminent ideall paterne of such a distinction as we call betweene party and party a capacity to give a capacity to receive a capacity to demand and a capacity to satisfie Capacities sufficiently different for the exercise of justice and love not ad extra only but within the divine nature it selfe If there were but one party or person in the divine nature the remission of mens sinnes without satisfaction had beene more proper and pertinent then remitting of them upon satisfaction For one and the selfe same party to demand satisfaction of himselfe and to make it to himselfe especially by way of punishment or disgracefull affliction is so unconceivable to reason it selfe that it is altogether uncapable of admiration to reason sanctified or enlightned by grace 2. But this is that which some moderne heretiques labour to prove to wit That God did not exact satisfaction for our sinnes of our Saviour Christ Iesus that it had beene exact cruelty in God to have laid the burthen of all our sinnes upon him who knew no sinne But how then is Christ said to have taken away our sinnes God say these man did freely remit them without satisfaction and Christ did take them away by setting us a paterne of holinesse and of patience in affliction That is in such sort as a Physitian might be said to have taken away an epidemicall disease by prescribing a recipe which every one after might make for himselfe and be his owne Apothecary Briefly they thinke that God cannot be excused from cruelty but by denying all true and proper satisfaction made to him by Christ But it is an oversight usually incident to men enclouded in grosser errours to object that unto their Adversaries as an inconvenience or absurd consequence which is such only according to the objecters owne tenets but most true and consonant to their principles whom they oppugne if these might be taken into due consideration Thus some greate Clearks in the Romish Church but none of their wisest men object against us that we make God a Tyâ—anâ— by teaching that he hath given us a Law which is impossible for us to fulfill The objection is unanswerable according to their principles who teach that a man cannot be justified or absolved from the sentence of death denounced by the Law without perfect inherent righteousnesse or fulfilling of the Law But the same objection no way toucheth us who teach that albeit we must still be doing that which is good yet after we have done all we can suppose much better then either they or we doe we must still deny our selves and renounce not the works
and before her did conceive and bring forth a sonne This in no wiâ—e may be granted nor any interpretation of any place admitted from which such impious conclusions as this may be inferred To conceive a sonne whilest shee was a virgin was the incommunicable prerogative of the mother of our Lord. Yet will it not hence follow that the Prophet by the emphaticall character of a virgin Hagnalma might not designe some virgin then present not the Prophets wife but rather some virgin of Ahaz kinred or of the house of Iudah for whom hee astipulates that within the compasse of the yeare following shee should conceive and bring forth a sonne not whilst shee was a virgin but by becomming a lawfull wife beyond or before her expectation 7. But here such as are otherwise minded or take this passage to be literally meant of the blessed virgin alone will reply What wonder was it or what matter worthy the ushering in with an Ecce or other like injunction of attention for her who was now a virgin to conceive and bring forth a sonne after the manner that other women within a yeare after they are maried usually do But they who thus object facilè pronunciant quia ad pauca respiciunt they give sentence upon the view of one circumstance only when as they should take a great many more into their consideration The virgin thus particularized according to the literall sense of the Prophet whether then present as is most probable or otherwise so famously knowne that his words in all mens apprehension then present had reference to her might be either for want of yeares or for some other defects as unlikely to bring forth a sonne within the time limited as Sarah after 90 yeares age was more unlikely than the wife of Manoah or Zacharias However it farre surpassed the skill of Astrologers Physitians of men expert in naturall Magick or other kinde of divination whatsoever besides the divination which proceedes from the Father of lights to give such full assurance as the Prophet there doth that any woman should conceive within such a compasse of time or that shee should conceive a sonne not a daughter least of all that shee should conceive and bring forth a Sonne who should deservedly brooke the name and title of Emmanuel that is to be a pledge of Gods speciall presence to the house of David or land of Iudah or to protect them against their potent enemies or to be a demonstrative signe or hostage that before hee could know how to refuse the evill and choose the good the Land which Ahaz abhorred should be forsaken of both their Kings who were now ready and able without Gods speciall ayde to devoure the Land of Iudah Yet for all these and other like consequences of Emmanuels birth the Prophet confidently astipulates in the name of his God which without a speciall warrant from him had beene an intolerable presumption But as for Ahaz himselfe his house and people because they would not beleeve this prediction according to the literall tenour they were to be plagued by that Nation in whose potencie they put their trust by the same enemie which the Prophet had foretold should by Gods appointment defeat the present mischievous designe of Syria and Samaria against Iudah And all this they should have done without any future harme or danger to the house of David by them so Ahaz and his people would have relyed entirely upon Gods promise or faithfully accepted of the signe promised by his Prophet But not beleeving this they were not established ver 9. For so the Prophet immediatly after Ahaz refusall of this signe did threaten Ahaz and his people ver 17. The Lord shall bring upon thee and thy people and upon thy Fathers house dayes that have not come from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah even the Kings of Assyria And it shall come to passe in that day that the Lord shall hisse for the Flye that is in the uttermost part of the Rivers of Aegypt and for the Bee that is in the Land of Assyria And they shall come and shall rest all of them in the desolate valleyes and in the holes of the rockes and upon all thornes and upon all bushes The demerits of Ahaz and of his people which did deserve the denuntiation and execution of the plagues here threatned were their too much confidence in the King of Assyria and their distrust hence occasioned of what the Lord had promised by his Prophet Isaiah and would have performed by other meanes than by the ayde of the Assyrian so they would have relyed upon them Wee do not reade that either Ahaz or his people did distrust much lesse that they were punished for their distrust unto Gods promises concerning the comming of the Messias in the appointed time but for not accepting the signe or pledge as well of his comming as of their instant deliverance from the danger wherein then they stood 8. But what probabilities or just presumptions be there that any woman who was a virgin at the time when Ahaz and Isaiah met in the high way of the Fullers field should upon the occasion mentioned become a married woman and conceive a sonne according to the time intimated by the Prophet All this I take it is more then probable from the true and literall meaning of the 1 2 3 and 4 verses of the 8 Chapter which are no other then an exegeticall exposition of the former prophecie Chap. 7. vers 14 15 16. or a more legall ratification or new assumption of making good the assurance which in the former Chapter he had given Moreover the Lord said unto me take thee a great roule and write in it with a mans penne concerning Maher-shalal-hash-baz And I took unto me faithfull witnesses to record Vriah the Priest and Zechariah the sonne of Jeberechiah And I went unto the Prophetesse and shee conceived and bare a sonne then said the Lord to mee Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz For before the Child shall have knowledge to cry my father and my mother the riches of Damascus and the spoile of Samaria shall be taken away before the King of Assyria The Child promised Chap. 7. ver 14 and in this place according to the true connexion of the literall sense is in my apprehension one and the same though described by two names the one importing comfort to the house of David and the land of Iudah and this was given him before his conception the later importing the sudden execution of the woes denounced against Syria and Samaria and was given him after his conception And lest wee should doubt whether this Maher-shalal-hash-baz were the same with the Emmanuel promised in the former Chapter hee is instyled again by the very same name Chap. 8. unto ver 8. The Lord spake unto me againe saying Forsomuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that goe softly and rejoyce in Rezin Remaliahs sonne now therefore behold the Lord bringeth up
the sacred story For Pekah was slaine by Hoshea the sonne of Elah within two or three yeares after the signe was given and so was Rezin by Tiglath Pileser at Damascus Within the like compasse of yeares after the Evangelicall promise was made to the blessed Virgin that her sonne Iesus should sit upon her Father Davids throne Herod the great who had usurped it did die a miserable death so did his confederates against the house of Iudah as wee gather from Matthew 2. 20. Arise saith the Angel to Ioseph in a dreame and take the young Childe and his Mother and go into the land of Israel for they are dead which sought the young Childes life Now Ioseph returned from Egypt two yeares after our Saviour was borne Whom the Evangelist meanes beside Herod when hee saith they were dead which sought the Childes life is no where in sacred story expressed nor is it to mee certaine whether Syria at that time had a King of their own but it is probable they had seeing in S. Pauls time Aretas was King of Damascus 2. Cor. 11. 32. Some there be which mention the death of one Obedas whom they make King of Syria who died about the same time with Herod but from what authority they expresse not The Evangelist might meane the Roman Governour of Syria by whose favour and potencie Herod was emboldned to tyrannize over the Jews Nation and to worke his projects against the house of David Some have accused Quintilius Varus of this great sinne unto whom and to the Legions under his Governement the right hand of the Lord of Hoasts had reached a more terrible blow than Iudah had received from him or Herod within some few yeares after the butcherie of the Infants 14. The second blessing whereof the Emmanuel was a pledge whose conception had beene foretold by Isaiah was not exhibited till many yeares after and it was this that Judah and the house of David should be more admirably delivered from the Assyrian when he should besiege Ierusalem more fiercely then Rezin or Pekah had done And this was in the dayes of Hezekiah for so the Prophet assures the people that the rod of Ashur should be broken as in the day of Midian Isaiah 9. 4. Which is in effect as if he had said The Lord will be with us after as wonderfull a manner as he was with Gideon when Israel was oppressed by the Midianites And so it fell out in the dayes of Hezekiah that Senacheribs mighty Army was destroyed by a more fearefull destruction then the Midianites had beene by Gideon And unto this strange defeat of the Assyrian the Prophets words Isaiah 9. 4 5. do referre Thou hast broken the yoke of his burthen and the staffe of his shoulders the rod of his Oppressour as in the day of Midian For every battell of the Warrier is with confused noyse and garments rolled in bloud but this shall be with burning and fewell of fire Now of this disaster which befell Assyria and the strange deliverance of Iudah and the house of David by it the Emmanuel there promised by Isaiah was the pledge or assurance as the Prophet in the next word intimates For unto us a Childe is borne and unto us a little one is given c. Isaiah 9. 6. That by this Childe the Prophet meant the Emmanuel mentioned Chapter 7. is acknowledged by all even by such as admit of no more Emmanuels then one to wit our Saviour Christ But seeing the Emmanuel there literally meant was given as a pledge or comfort unto Iudah in this particular distresse certainely hee was borne before him though not borne only as a pledge of this deliverance but of a farre greater Deliverer or Saviour to come for whose sake alone this deliverance and all other of his people from their enemies both bodily and ghostly were sent from God And best Interpreters take those words of Isaiah 2. Kings 9. 34. I will defend this Citie to save it for mine owne sake and for my servant Davids sake to be literally meant not of David but of Davids sonne the true Emmanuel But to returne to the 9. of Isaiah upon that vision of that great overthrow of Senacheribs Armie the Prophet takes his rise to view a greater victory a more potent Enemie in the same place where Senacheribs Armie was overthrowne and that was not neere Ierusalem but in the borders of Zebulun and Napthali neere to Libanus in that Country whose Inhabitants Senacheribs predecessour Tiglath-Pileser had first captivated and in the same place our Saviour gave his Apostles power over Satan and his Angels who had his people in greater subjection then the Assyrians had them in the time of Isaiah For hee had possessed many of their bodies after another manner then any earthly Tyrant could have them in possession Now when the Prophet foretels as well the victory of the Angell of the Lord over the Assyrian as the victory of Christs Apostles over Satan he gives this one signe of both For unto us a Childe is borne and unto us a little one is given c. These words may referre both to the type and to the antitype in the literall sense but immediatly after the light of that great mysterie which all this while had beene under the cloude of the literall sense breakes forth in its proper native lustre For the words following can be meant of none but Christ And his name shall be called Wonderfull Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of peace Of the encrease of his governement and peace there shall be no end upon the throne of David and upon his Kingdome to order it and to establish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth even for ever the Zeale of the Lord of Hoasts will performe this As for the former passages concerning the Emmanuel and Mahar-shalal-hash-baz they are literally meant of Isaiah his sonne and yet are withall proofes no lesse concludent against the Jew no lesse pregnant testimonies of our beliefe concerning the miraculous birth of our Lord and Saviour Christ than the testimonies last cited out of Isaiah 9. 6 7. or of his Godhead or everlasting Kingdome For however such immediate visions or unvailed revelations of Christ as Isaiah in these two verses and in the 53 Chapter or elsewhere addes were the most sublime kinde of prophecies such as few other Prophets besides David could ever attaine unto these having the like priviledges amongst the Prophets that Peter Iames and Iohn had amongst the fellow Apostles permitted to ascend the Mount with Christ and see the transfiguration or glory of his Kingdom Yet for our instruction predictions of Christ typically propheticall or prophetically typicall are most admirably concludent as was premised before especially when the same words according to the literall sense fit both the pledge and the mysterie pledged or the Evangelicall mysterie according to the improvement in a more exquisite sense then they did the type or
denote either the Father or the holy Ghost but the Sonne alone I durst not have beene so bold as to have gathered this generall rule from mine owne observation unlesse I had found it excellently observed and proved at large by Petruâ— Faber in his Dodâ—â—camenon Cha. 8. It much affected this learned man as it will do any that is wise unto sobriety to see how most of the Ancients as wel in the Greek as in the Latine Church albeit they tooke no notice at all of any difference betweene these two names of God in the originall did yet constantly appropriate the name of Lord to God the Sonne when hee is named in the same prayer or gratulatory Hymne with God the Father But this they might learne either from S. Paul or from the Apostles Creed For so the blessing is The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God not of the Lord God c. And so in the Apostles Creed the title of Lord is appropriated unto the Sonne of God not added either to the Father Almighty or to the Holy Ghost 7. But in many places of the olde Testament wherein both names of God are specified the name of Adonai is placed before the name of foure letters And thus it happens so farre as I can observe especially in the serious supplications or gratulatory expressions of Holy men as in that speech of Gideon Iudges 6. 13. Oh my Lord if God be with us why then is all this befallen us And againe Iosuah 7. 7. Ioshua said Alas O Lord God wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Iordan c The Evangelicall mysterie implyed in this forme of prayer or supplication is excellently deciphered by Masius in his Comments upon this place with whose words gathered from the tradition or lyturgie rather of the ancient Hebrewes of the Cabbalists I conclude this Treatise Ioshua saith he calls God by 2 names when as chiefe Commander he speaks in behalfe of all the rest The one is Adonai the other Iehova The former setteth out Gods ruling power the later hath respect as else where I have shewed to Gods Essence These 2. names often come together in the most fervent prayers of the Saints in the sacred Story as here they doe Namely they inspired with the Holy Ghost doe as I conceive the Holy Church doth praying for all things from the Father for the Sonnes sake For seeing Adonai as I said hath an eye to Gods ruling power it agrees manifestly to the Sonne and represents him to us by whom as God the Father made the World so hee ruleth it In this point the Diviner sort of Hebrew Authors called Cabbalists assent to us when they teach that the name Adonai is as it were the key by which entrance is opened to God Iehova that is to God as it were hid in his owne Essence and that it is the treasure in which these things bestowed on us by Iehova are all deposited And that moreover it denoteth the great Steward who disposeth of all and â—oâ—risheth and quickneth all things under Iehova And finally that no man can approach neere Iehova but by Adonai because there is no other way or course at all to come to him And that therefore the Church thus begins her holy prayers Adonai that is Lord open my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise These and such like passages are extant in the booke intituled Porta lucis the â—ate of light and in the book called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is The name explicated FINIS A CATALOGVE OF the severall Treatises heretofore published by the Author * ⎠* THe Eternall Trueth of Scriptures and Christian beliefe in two Bookes of Commentaries upon the Apostles Creed The third booke of Commentaries upon the Apostles Creed containing the blasphemous positions of Iesuits and other later Romanists concerning the authority of their Church Iustifying Faith or the faith whereby the just doe live being the fourth booke upon the Creed A Treatise containing the originall of unbeliefe misbeliefe or misperswasions concerning the Veritie Vnitie and Attributes of the Deitie with directions for rectifying our beliefe or knowledge in the forementioned points being the fifth booke upon the Creed A Treatise of the Divine Essence and Attributes the first and second parts being the sixth booke upon the Creed The Knowledge of Christ Iesus or the seaventh booke of Commentaries upon the Apostles Creed containing the first and generall principles of Christian Theologie with the more immediate principles concerning the knowledge of Christ divided into foure sections A Treatise of the holy Catholick Faith and Church Christs answer to Johns question or an Introduction to the knowledge of Iesus Christ and him crucified delivered in certaine Sermons Nazareth and Bethlehem or Israels portion in the sonne of Jesse And mankindes comfort from the weaker sex in two Sermons preached at S. Maries in Oxford Pag. lin Errata Sic corrige 5 15 historians beleefe historicall beleefe 60 31 typicall propheticall 115 26 upon dele 127 18 his assertion this assertion 140 16 violencence violence Ibi. 18 that it that is 166 23 its proper his proper 211 22 in on 214 21 exact expect 258 16 tooke looke 314 1 that but Ibi. 18 did perfectly did not perfectly Ibi. 19 as true a true 344 2 next annext 353 8 spoken were spoken 358 29 many as many 365 5 do to * Ergo abolendo rumori Nero subdidit reos et quaesitissimis poenis affecit quos per flaegitia invisos vulgus Christianos appellabat Auctor nominis ejus CHRISTVS qui Tiberio imperitante per Procurator 〈◊〉 Pontium Pilatum supplicio affectus est Tacit. Annal Lib. 15. Pag. 255. Sect. 1. Cap. 2. a But then it fel out unfortunately for Nicias who had no expert nor skilful Soothsayer for the partie which he was went to use for that purpose and which took away much of his superstition called Stilbides was dead not long before For this signe of the eclipse of the Moone as Philochorus saith was not hurtfull for men that would flie but contrarily very good for said he things that men doe in feare would be hidden and therefore light is an enemy unto theÌ„ But this notwithstanding their custome was not to keepe themselves close above three dayes in such eclipses of the Moone and Sun as Autoclides prescribes in a booke he made of such matters where Nicias bare them in hand that they should'then tarry the whole and full revolution of the course of the Moone as though he had not seene her straight cleare againe after she had once passed the shadow and darknesse of the earth But all other things laid aside and forgotten Nicias disposed himselfe to sacrifice unto the Gods untill such times as the enemies came againe as well to besiege their sorts and all their campe by land as also to occupy the whole haven by Sea Plutarch in vita Niciae infine b Almirans ob haec ingenti aninâ—