mystery that he will have them directed into the house by the pitcher of water Paschae celebrandae locum de signo aquae ostendit sath Tertullian He sheweth the place where he would celebrate the passeover by the sign of water De Bap. cap. 19. For in one house his Church he will have both these great and venerable Sacraments even the Sacrament of water and the Sacrament of his most blessed body and blood The Sacrament of water must bring us in S. Mat. 26.17 18 19. S. Mar. 14.12 13 14 15 16 S. Luc. 22.7 8 9 10 11 12 13. the Sacrament of his body and blood must feed and nourish us when we are there That Sacrament is meat for the houshold none must eat of it but they that are brought into the house by the pitcher of water the holy Sacrament of baptism The Disciples went forth in the morning because the passeover must be killed that day that it might be eaten in the evenning and found as he had said unto them and they made ready the passeover Now when the even was come he cometh with the twelve and when the hour was come the hour of the night wherein they accustomed to eat the passeover he sate down and the twelve together with him I will not dispute concerning the manner of their sitting Theodoret moves the question How is it saith he that the Lord is said to sit downe when as the Jewes did stand when they did eat the passeover The Jewes indeed did eat the passeover standing in great haste having their loyns girt their shooes on their feet and their staves in their hands for so God ordained it to be eaten No question therefore to be made Exod. 12.11 but that Christ and his Disciples did eat it in that manner But after the passeover was eaten it was no where forbidden in the law to feed upon other meats and it is said to be in common use among the Jewes after the passeover was eaten to have the table plentifully furnished with other foods Christ therefore did first eat the passeover with his Disciples standing having his loyns girded his shooes on his feet and his staffe in his hand and he did eat it hastily and having so eaten it he then sate down to feed upon other meats wherewith the table was furnished either then or presently after And from that supper which was then upon the table he arose washed his Disciples feet and preached unto them humility in such manner as is set downe more at large St. Joh. 13. v. 2. to 21. This being done he sate down again to eat and to finish his supper Then was he troubled in spirit as Saint John saith It was for Judas Iscariot as Saint Augustine judgeth whom he did pitty and for whom he was sorry as he was also sorry for Hierusalem and wept over it in Johan tract 60. He foresaw his eternall perdition did inwardly bewaile him He told them that one of them should betray him they are exceeding sorrowfull S. Mat. 26.21 22 23 24 25 S. Mar. 14.18 19 20 21. S. Joh. 13.21 22 23 24 25 26. they demand who it should be and every one for himself saying Lord Is it I He giveth them a sign and curseth the traytor then did he institute the Sacrament of his supper and when Iudas had unworthily eaten of that bread and drank of that cup then was he fit for the devill and then he gave him the sop and after the sop Satan entred into him as St. Iohn saith And as they were eating that is to say the supper Iesus tooke bread and blessed it Christ instituteth the sacrament of his supper So the Evangelists go on setting down the divine institution of that great and mysterious Sacrament which is the Sacrament of his body and blood from the time called the Lords supper because it was instituted at supper time and while they were eating the forementioned supper In the Historicall narration whereof they relate both what he did and what he said That he did three things 1. That he blessed and gave thanks 2ly That he brake the bread and took the cup. 3ly That he did give and distribute unto them the bread which he had broken and the cup which he had taken That he likewise said three things That he gave a commandment That he made a promise That he explicated them both The commandment is two-fold as well concerning the administration of it to those that are to administer it as also concerning the participation of it to those that are to receive it The words of promise are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 definitive or indicative they define or declare the thing they set forth the inward matter or thing signified affirming it either of the bread or of the cup sacramentally Of the bread This is my body which is given and is broken for you Of the cup This is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins The explication of them both is S Mat. 26.27 28 29 30. S. Mar 14.22 23 24.25 S. Luc. 22.19 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in remembrance of me Whereunto is added the attestation Verily I say unto you I will drink no more of the fruit of the Vine untill the day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God Our sacred History doth require that we should insist upon these things particularly He blessed and he gave thanks that is to say he designed prepared He blessed and he gave thanks and consecrated the bread and the wine by prayers and benedictions to become a Sacrament the blessed Sacrament of his body and blood not of their own nature but by divine institution Benè antequam tantum tam magnum sacramentum institueret gratias egit saith Stella well did he give thanks before he would institute such and so great a Sacrament in Luc. cap. 22. For if when he would raise up Lazarus from the dead he gave thanks saying Father I thank thee that thou hast heard me S Joh. 11.41 how much more now ought he to give thanks in that by this wonderfull Sacrament he would raise up from the dead not one man out of his grave to the bodily life for a short time upon earth but innumerable souls from the death of sin to everlasting life we must not descant upon the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that when he took the bread he blessed it and that when he took the cup he gave thanks as if it were one thing to bless and another thing to give thanks As if he did somewhat else or somewhat less or somewhat more when he took the bread than when he took the cup for these two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are in the meaning signification oft times in the scriptures more especially in the divine institution of this Sacrament one the
of heaven It is a deliverance that must never be forgotten and lest it should be forgotten he will have the memoriall of it continued in his Church by the frequent celebration of so great a sacrament When our children shall say unto us What mean you by this service we must say unto them that it is the blessed sacrament of the Lords supper which he hath instituted to that end that we being continually fed and nourished by his most precious body and blood should never forget him nor the benefits which we have received by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Do this in remembrance of me Yet not to a bare remembrance of him for verba notitiae in sacris etiam sequentes motus significant words in the scriptures that import knowledge do also imply the motions consequent Therefore though we must remember the whole history of Christ and of his passion and death and it is highly commendable in a Christian to know and remember the whole history of Christ of his passion and death yet must we not sit down there we must have a faithfull remembrance of him and we must have a thankfull remembrance of him We must have a faithfull remembrance of him to believe that what Christ did and what Christ suffered he both did and suffered for us we must make a particular application of his merits and of his sufferings to our selves that we may say every one of us faithfully for himself with Saint Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cal. 2 20. I am crucified with Christ We must have a thankfull remembrance of him for this Sacrament is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grata beneficiorum recordatio a gratefull remembrance of benefits received it is grata animi significatio a thankfull signification of the mind for benefits received In which Sacrament we do commemorate Christ and his benefits in a speciall manner testifying our gratitude lauding praysing and magnifying the holy name of God therefore for it is by way of excellency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus having instituted and administred this great and mysterious Sacrament which hath obtained to be styled his body and blood and is so indeed unto every faithfull receiver of it and is to be seen and discerned not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not with the eyes of the body but with the eyes of the mind Christ his protestation he addeth a protestation that he will no more drink of the fruit of the Vine untill the day that he shall drink it new with them in the kingdom of God his father This protestation is remembred by all the three Evangelists S Mat. 26.29 S. Mar. 14.25 S. Luc. 22.18 and was made after the Sacrament instituted and administred according to St. Matthew and St. Marke but before the divine institution of it according to Saint Luke and either before they did eat the Passeover or immediately after as they sate at the supper The difference is but seeming Utrumque dictum sed non utrumque ab utroque dictum Saint Matthew doth not say that which Saint Luke saith Saint Luke doth not say that which Saint Matthew saith and yet both Saint Matthew and Saint Luke do say what Christ said Saint Luke saith what he said at supper and before he administred Saint Matthew and Saint Marke what he said after supper and after that he had instituted and administred this Sacrament He was serious in his protestation he spake it twice and once at least confirmed it by his usuall attestation observed by Saint Marke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verily I say unto you Two things he protesteth 1. That he would no more eat the passeover in that manner nor drink any more wine with them so as he had done this was the last that he would eat or drink therefore that he would dye He himself was the true passeover he would offer up himself and thereby antiquate the lesser passeover 2ly That he would eat it when it should be fulfilled in the kingdom of God that he would drink of the fruit of the Vine when the kingdom of God should come that he would drink it new with them in the kingdom of God his father therefore that he would not be long dead he would surely and certainly rise again After the passeover should be fulfilled in the kingdom of God that is to say after his resurrection for by his death the true paschall lambe was offered up and by his resurrection the passeover was fulfilled the old passeover that was then abolished the new passeover that was then offered up when the kingdom of God should come when he should manifest his glory after his resurrection then would he drink it new with them novo modo in a new manner in the kingdâ—m of God his Father the Church of the new Testament confirmed by his blood He did eat and drink with them after his resurrection but novo modo in a new manner for before he dyed his body was passible and he stood in need of food but after he was risen his body was impassible and he stood in no need of food it was novo modo in a new manner propter resurrectionis certitudinem for the certitude of his resurrection He doth eat the passeover and drink the new wine with his Church militant novo modo in a new manner whiles that he is incorporated into us and we into him by faith in the mysticall eating and drinking of this Sacrament and he will eat and drink with his Church triumphant novo modo in a new manner in the kingdom of heaven by communication of his glory All this while Judas was present and sitting at the table together with them he had eaten the passeover but he had not purged out the old leaven The impudency of Judas He had his feet washed but he was not clean because his conscience was defiled He was as St. Augustine saith admitted by Christ unto the same banquet in which he commended the figure of his body and of his blood Cont. Adimant Therefore did he receive the visible signs the bread and the cup but he did not receive the invisible grace the body and blood in a mystery because he did not discern it He knew his treason and he knew that his Lord also knew it He dipped his hand with him in the dish a sign given to all the Disciples whereby to discover him and Christ also told him plainly though it seems he ask't the question last of all that he was the traytor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Mat 26.25 Thou hast said Wherefore he complains of his impudency But behold the hand of him that betrayeth me S. Luc. 22.21 22 23. is with me on the table At this word they make a new enquiry among themselves who it was that should do this thing St. Peter beckoneth to St. John that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake he demanded Lord who is it Jesus answered He it is to whom
of Christ and of his benefits by the instrument of faith which is the hand of the soul for the nourishing and feeding thereof to salvation and everlasting life is visibly shewed and made good 2ly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For eating and drinking is the externall use and end of the sacrament ordained by Christ whereby according to divine institution the eating and drinking of his body and blood which is internall and spirituall is assured and made good Like as Saint Augustine saith concerning the holy sacrament of Baptisme that Water exhibiting the sacrament of grace without and the spirit working the benefit of grace within loosing the bond of sin reconciling the good of nature do regenerate a man in one Christ who was generated of one Adam Ad. Bonifac. Epist 23. Even so in this blessed sacrament of the Supper Two persons there are two persons by whom it is administred Christ and his minister his minister which is to do all that which is to be done externally and without by designing preparing and consecrating the bread and the wine by prayers and benedictions to become a sacrament by divine institution by breaking of the bread and by taking of the cup by delivering the bread and the cup thereby to set forth and represent his death and in by and with the bread and cup to deliver Christ himselfe with his most pretious body and blood But it is Christ by the gracious and efficatious operation of his most holy and most blessed spirit who must do all that which is to be done internally and within and make it to be his body and blood to the worthy receiver For the whole action of the sacrament consisteth of two things Two severall sorts of food or two severall sorts of food the one is earthly corporeall and sensible to be seen tasted and discerned by the senses and that is the food which the minister doth deliver and every priest is sufficiently qualified to deliver that food But the other is heavenly spirituall and intelligible to be understood by the minde which food none can deliver but only Christ Likewise there be two parts of man the body and the soul and accordingly there be two severall sorts of taking Two sorts of taking eating and drinking eating and drinking the one is externall and sacramentall pertaining to the body the other is internall and spirituall belonging to the soul The externall and sacramentall being a visible representation of that which is spirituall and internall 24. Both Element make but one Sacrament The elements of bread and wine are distinguished materialiter in respect of matter for the matter of the bread and of the wine is not the same but divers yet formaliter perfectivè formally and perfectively they make but one and the same sacrament 1. Because these two elementary signs not more nor fewer bread and wine and nothing else but bread and wine are required to the inâ—â—egrity and perfection of the Sacrament Not more because the bodily refection is perfected in these two and the spirituall refection in Christ by his blessed body and blood perfectly represented Not fewer because if either of these be wanting the Sacrament which is the sacramenâ— of perfect refection will be defective 2ly Because that our blessed Lord to testifie that he took the whole human nature into the unity of his own most sacred person and was the word made flesh perfect man of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting as St. Athanasius saith in his Creed and also to testifie that he is the redeemer both of body and soul instituted this Sacrament in these two elements For the bread saith St. Peter Lombard is referred to the fâ—esh the wine to the soul because wine operateth blood in which the Philosophers do say that the soul is seated lib. 4. dist 11. Lastly a mutilaâ—ed sacrament is no sacrament at all nor hath it the promise nor can it signifie assure or deliver the thing of the sacrament Nor will it be made a sacrament by concomitancy a new doctrine not heard of in the Church till after a thousand two hundred and twenty years nor will it consist with the commandment which is as well concerning the administration as also concerning the participation of it in both the species both of bread and wine The words of the promise I said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 definitive or indicative they define or declare the things Concerning the promise they set forth the inâ—ernall matter or thing signified affirming it either of the bread or the cup sacramentally Of the bread Hoc est corpus meum quod pro vobis datur frangitur This is my body which is given and is broken for you Of the cup Hic est sanguis meus qui est novi testamenti qui pro vobis pro multis effunditur in remissionem pecca orum This is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins Which words must be considered two ways in the incomplex How to be considered taken severally and by themselves and in the complex put altogether Take them in the incomplex severally and by themselves then there is the subject the praedicatum and the copula or bond whereby the thing affirmed is knit or coupled unto that whereof it is affirmed The subject or matter is the pronoun demonstrative Hoc but not hoc adjectively but hoc substantively this thing as if he had said This thing which I hold in my hand What was that It was bread and nothing else but bread accepit Jesus paâ—em Jesus took bread The praedicatum is corpus meum my body what body not his mysticall body for that is his Church It was therefore his naturall true and proper body Eph 4.11.12 Eph. 5.30.32 Quod pro vobis datur frangitur which is given and is broken for you and quâ tale upon that respect that it was that naturall true and proper body given and broken Sanguis meus my blood what blood His naturall true and proper blood qui pro vobis pro multis effunditur which is shed for you and for many and quâ talis upon that respect that it was that natural true and proper blood so shed The copula or bond whereby the praedicatum or thing affirmed is knit or coupled to the subject or thing whereof it is affirmed is the verb substantive est This is my body this is my blood Which verb est must not be taken pro esse naturali vel substantiali that it is so naturally or substantially but pro esse mystico vel sacramentali that it is so mystically or sacramentally whereby the name of the thing signifying hath the name of the thing signified by reason of the analogy or similitude which the one hath unto the other He did not tell them what the bread and wine were by nature and substance but what they were made
by signification office and use By nature and substance they were bread and wine still by signification office and use they were his body and his blood Now put all the words together and consider them in the complex This is my body this my blood they make indeed a proposition but not according to the rules of logick the praedication is not orderly for so much as the body and blood is no predicable neither the genus species differentia proprium or accidens of the bread and wine Neither is it an identicall praedication as when we say bread is bread wine is wine What is it then It is a figurative or sacramentall proposition For the thing which is affirmed is affirmed figuratively and sacramentally figuratively that is to say metonymically whereby the name of the thing is affirmed of the signe a figure frequently used in the scripture Christ our passeover Circumcision the covenant 1 Cor. 5.7 Gen. 17.10 And as St. Paul saith concerning that rock which gave drink to the people of Israel in the wilderness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That rock was Christ and there is an emphasis in the article ille Christus 1 Cor. 10.4 that Christ Sacramentally for the thing which is affirmed is also assured and made good by that whereof it is affirmed whereby it comes to pass that the body and blood of Christ is verily and indeed taken and received of the faithfull in the Lords supper The words of the promise so considered do lead us to the great benefit procured to mankind by the merit of his body and blood so broken so poured out and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the remission of sins Remission of sins therefore is the sweet fruit and effect of the death of Christ Remission of sinnes through the effusion of his blood and is an act of grace and mercy in God whereby he esteems of sinne as no sin or as not committed The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remission is properly the sending of a thing back again to its right owner for remittere is retrò mittere to send back When God forgiveth sins he doth send them away like as the scape goat was sent away into the wilderness he doth return them as it were in full waight and measure to the proper owner which is the Devill The price The price of this grace on Christ his part was his precious body and blood given broken shed to merit and to procure it One drop of that redeeming blood according to the dignity and worthiness of the person had been sufficient to have redeemed a thousand worlds and yet no less price must be given then all that which he suffered in the humanity for the remission of sins When the Gentiles scoffed at that article of the Creed wherein the Church acknowledgeth to believe remission of sins and said that by this means the multitude of sinners would easily be augmented if remission of sinnes might freely be expected and so easily be obtained Arnobius answered Non emitur ista venia à nobis ut à vobis solet de vestris dijs sed magno constat nempe sanguine Christi proprium est numinis non emptitius sed gratutitas liberales habere peccatorum venias lib. 7. This remission ir not of our purchasing like as you are wont to purchase of your gods but the price was great even the blood of Christ and it is Gods propriety not to sell but freely and liberally to forgive sins The purchase therefore was on Christ his part and magno constat the price given for it was the greatest price that ever was to us it is a free grace without any price or merit on our parts Concerning which grace divers questions are to be demanded 1. To whom doth it belong to collate it Answer To God The grace and to his Ministers To God himself properly and authoritatively to his Ministers declaratively ministerially and by application I say first to God himself properly and authoritatively for to him it belongs to remit sins by his own authority Sins remitted by God authoritatively He against whom sins are committed to him it doth belong to forgive sins properly and by his own authority but this is God and none but God the breach of whose laws and commandments are properly sins for as much as the offence done to any man or to any other creature is no more but an offence or injury nay for as much as the breach of any mans commandment is no sin unless it imply with all the breach of the commandment of God Therefore to God and to none but God doth it belong to forgive sins properly and by his own authority This is clearly evinced by the Prophet David who although he had trespassed highly against Uriah in that he had defiled his wife and caused him to be done to death Psal 51.4 Ex. 34.6 7. Psal 32.5 Isa 43.25 Mich. 7.18 S. Mar. 2.7 yet he acknoweldgeth the sin to be against God and against him only Tibi soli peccavi against thee thee onely have I sinned And the whole scripture is clear in this point Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity who can forgive sinnes but God onely 2ly I say that remission of sins doth belong to the ministers of God declaratively ministerially and by application for saith our Church in the Absolution He ha h given power and commandement to his ministers Sins remitted by the ministers declaratively to declare and pronounce to his people being penitent the absolution and remission of their sins For the ministers of the Church have the keyes of the kingdom of heaven by the donation of Christ whose right it was to transfer them from the legall to the Evangelicall priesthood which was first promised to St. Peter and with him to all the other Apostles quia Petrus pro omnibus loquutus est Apostolis S. Mat. 16.19 S. Mat. 18.18 because he made answer for them all Afterwards renewed to them all And finally performed to them all after his resurrection at what time he breathed on them the holy Ghost and said Whosesoever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whosesoever sins ye retain S. Joh. 20.23 they are retained But this power was not to dye with them but according to his own promise to remain with his Church to the end of the world S. Mat. 28.20 The meanes And consisteth in application of the meanes whereby God doth remit sinnes Which meanes are the word of God the Sacraments of the Church the relaxation of Ecclesiastical censures and prayer I find this no where better set forth then in the form of our generall absolution He pardoneth and absolveth not we pardon and absolve all them which truly repent and unfeignedly believe his holy Gospell In quo non est peccatum ipse venit auferre peccatum Nam si esset in illo peccatum auferendum esset illi
Gen. 22. In the same place David having purchased the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite 2 Sam. 24. built an Altar for the pacifying of Gods wrath when he had slain in three daies space from Dan to Beersheba no lesse then seventy thousand with the plague of pestilence There also King Solomon built his most sumptuous and most magnificent Temple This city was first built as it is most probably affirmed by Melchisedec supposed by divers of the ancients to have been Sem the son of Noah not long after the flood and was by him called Salem But afterwards the Jebusites had it in possession and called it Jebus after their own name Josh 18.28 Jud. 19.10 which name it held a long time as it may be seen in the bookes of Ioshua and Iudges But when that King David had gotten it he expelled the Iebusites from thence and called it Ierusalem Salem signifieth peace and Ierusalem doth signifie a sight or vision of peace It hath other names in the Scripture for the prophet Isaiah peradventure therein respecting the scituation and strong habitation of the same peradventure the vertue and valour of the inhabitants thereof calleth it Ariel Isa 29.1 17. that is to say the lion of God And Lebanon because it was much built of Cedar trees brought from mount Libanus And the valley of vision because there the prophets prophesyed Isa 21.1 Ezech. 23.4 The prophet Ezechiel calleth it Aholibah My fixed tent or pavilion because God had chosen it before all the nations and places of the earth to put his name there In that city stood the throne of David called in the book of Psalmes the thrones of the house of David Ps 122.5 through the succession of one and twenty Kings of himselfe and his sons It was often assailed before the finall surprisall of it Neither is it altogether impertinent to this our sacred history to continue a briefe and succinct narration of it 1st Therefore it was assailed by Shishack King of Egypt in the fifth year of the raigne of Rehoboam who took away the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the Kings house viz. all the riches of Solomon and all those spoiles which David had gotten from Hadadezer the Moabites the Ammonites and other nations 2 Sam. 8.11 12. 1 King 14.26 together with the presents of Toi which David had dedicated to God and all the shields of gold which Solomon had made 2ly By Iehoash King of Israel in Amaziah's raigne who being provoked by Amaziah king of Iudah came up against him and took him prisoner at Bethshemesh and then went to Hierusalem and brake down foure hundrâ—d cubits of the wall having taken away all the gold and silver and all the vessells that were found in the house of the Lord and the treasures of the Kings house he received hostages and then returned to Samaria 3ly It was besieged by Rezin king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel in the raigne of king Ahaz 2 King 14.14 2 King 16.5 Isa 7.1 but God kept it so that they could not prevail against it 4ly By Zenacherib king of Assyria in the fourteenth year of the raigne of king Hezechiah but the Lord kept it and sent his Angel who made a great slaughter in the camp of the Assyrians 2 King 19.34 5ly By Pharaoh Necho who carried away Iehoahaz prisoner into Egypt and condemned the land in an hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold Finally by Nebuchadonozer king of the Caldees 2 Chron. 36.4 who made a great slaughter of the people carried away all the treasures and vessells of the temple all the treasures of the king and of the princes burnt the Temple and the city brake down the wall and carried away the people captive into Babylon 2 Chron. 36.18 19 20. where they remained in exile for the space of threescore and ten years And having first caused the sons of Zedechiah to be slain before his face he put out his eyes and bound him with fetters of brasse and carried him to Babylon A just reward for a perjur'd rebell 2 King 25.7 2 Chron. 36.13 which the Scripture observeth expresly saying He rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar who had made him swear by God After the return of the people both the city and the temple were re-built by the people that returned But the state of it was various For first Ptolemeus the son of Lagus took it by a stratagem which was this He entred the city upon a sabbath day pretending to offer sacrifice and while the Iewes suspected nothing but spent the day in idlenesse and quiet he surprised the city without resistance and oppressed the citizens with hatefull captivity 2ly Antiochus being brought thither by a faction received it by surrender where he committed great slaughters robbed the temple of all the pretious things thereof closed it up with high walls and towers planted a garrison therein caused swines flesh to be offered upon the altar interdicted Circumcision and the observation of the law and raised most grievious persecution against those that stuck fast to the religion of their country 3ly It was conquered by Pompey and made tributary to the Romans from whom Herod received the kingdome and then was Christ to come for then was the scepter departed from Judah according to the prophecy of Jacob Gen. 49.10 When Christ came he found it rather to be as the prophets said the valley of slaughter Jer. 19.6 Jer. 7.11 and a den of robbers than the royall seat of the King or the place of holy worship guilty of all the righteous blood shed upon the whole earth from the blood of the righteous Abel S. Mat. 23 35 to the blood of Zacharias the son of Barachias supposed to be the father of St. John the Baptist whom they slew between the temple and the altar for asserting it is said the perpetuall virginity of Christs blessed mother who also filled up the measure of their iniquity in the blood of the great one even Jesus the Lord of life who by his death therein suffered sealed the redemption of the world and put an end to the ceremonies and glory of the place Dan. 9.27 according to the prophecy of Daniel But it was that which the Iewes most wickedly imprecated upon themselves S. Mat. 27.25 saying His blood be on us and on our children Which wicked imprecation of theirs was neither forgotten nor forgiven in Gods most righteous judgment Therefore it came to passe that their city by their own seditions and by the Caesars cruelties was made so desolate that a stone was not left standing upon a stone but were all cast down as in the destruction of Sodom the walls removed mount Sion excluded and Calvary taken in the name of Jerusalem changed into Aelia an unclean swine set over the chief gate of entrance and the Iewes forbidden upon pain
Salome maried to Alexas and two wives Malthace a Samaritan and Mariamne who was niece to Hercanus by Alexandra his daughter and of the Assamonaean family By Malthace he had three sons Archelaus who raigned after him in Judea of whom St. Mat. 2.22 and Herod Antipas Tetrarch of Galilee and Philip Tetrarch of Iturea and of the region of Trachonitis of whom St. Luc. 3.1 By Mariamne the Assamonaean he had two sons Aristobulus and Alexander Aristobulus had to wife Bernice the daughter of Salome his fathers sister and of her he had a daughter whose name was Herodias But these were not all the wives that Herod had for he had also to wife another Mariamne the daughter of Simon Boethus the high priest born in Alexandria by whom he had also a son whose name was Herod this Herod married Herodias and had by her a daughter whose name was Salome and then he dyed After whose death Herodias married Philip Tetrarch of Iturea a second husband the brother of Herod Antipas by father and mother and both of them brethren to Herod deceased by the fathers side Herod Antipas falls in love with Herodias his brother Philips wife and she consenteth to forsake Philip her husband and did so Herod Antipas for so it was agreed betwixt them repuding his lawfull wife who was the daughter of Aretas king of Arabia took unto him this Herodias who was the wife of Philip his owne brother both by father and mother as is said before and had her home to his house together with Salome her daughter but Philip whom she had forsaken lived still and died not till in the twentieth year of Tiberius the Emperour after that he had governed his Province thirty and seven years as Josephus saith a good and quiet man ready to do justice to all men at all times he obtained a sumptuous funerall and was laid into a monument which himselfe had builded Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 6. Such were the incestuous marriages of the Herodian family But hinc illae lachrymae For Saint John the Baptist comming out of Judea into Galilee as before is said and having accesse unto Herods court was had in esteem by Herod himselfe S. Mar. 6.20 who observed him and when he heard him he did many things and heard him gladly But Saint Iohn knew not how to daube with untempered morter he could not dissemble the sins and vices of the court nor would he permit a sin so hainous to be unreproved but told Herod plainly It is not lawfull for thee to have her S. Mat. 14.4 Levit. 18.16 Levit. 20.21 Saint Iohn spake law for the law of God saith Thou shalt not uncover the nakednesse of thy brothers wife it is thy brothers nakednesse And if a man shall take his brothers wife it is an unclean thing he hath uncovered his brothers nakednesse they shall be childlesse Herodias the cause of her hatred against Saint John Hence sprung the hatred of Herodias against Saint John who for that cause had a quarrell against him and would have killed him if she could She was impudent and was not ashamed of her uncleannesse she was proud and obstinate so that she would not endure reproof Besides it is well observed by venerable Bede she did fear lest that Herod should at length repent or be reconciled to his brother whereby it would come to passe that this her incestuous mariage should be dissolved Therefore watched she all opportunities to destroy him and no doubt had counselled her daughter to do the like having by her importunity so far prevailed with Herod that he had laid hold on him and laid him a prisoner in bonds in the castle of Machaerun which was a frontire town betwixt his and Aretas king of Arabia Petraeaes country Herod also himselfe I suppose was not difficultly induced to imprison him whom he knew to be a just man and an holy justum quoad homines sanctum quoad Deum S. Mar. 6 20. just to men-ward holy to God-ward as the Glosse saith such is the rage of unlawfull lust He was vvilling but durst not put him to death and when he would have done it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he feared the multitude lest they should make insurrection and revolt from his government because they counted him as a prophet S. Mat. 14.5 But Herodias did neither fear nor care what would come after so that she might have her will to wash away her present fear in the innocent blood of the Baptist Therefore attending all seasons at length there came a convenient day It was the birth-day of this Herod Antipas which of custome he did solemnize anniversarily an old custome in the courts of princes especially pagan for the solemnity whereof he made a supper to his Lords high captains and chiefe estates of Galilee and then the foresaid Salome the daughter of Herodias by her first husband Herod came into the presence and danced before Herod Antipas and before all his guests Wherewith he was so much taken that he bad her to ask whatsoever she would swearing that whatsoever she should ask he would give it her to the halfe of his kingdom She who had been pre-instructed by her mother Herodias S. Mat 14.8 upon all occasions to work the destruction of St. John the Baptist went in presently and acquainted her mother how matters had passed betwixt the king and her demanding her advice what she should ask She counselleth that setting all other demands aside she should ask the head of the Baptist as being of more consequence to them both then any thing else which the Tetrarch could give And so it followeth in the Evangelist that she came in straight way with haste unto the King and asked saying I will that thou give me by and by in a charger S. Mar. 6.25 the head of John the Baptist And the King was exceeding sorry yet for his oath's sake and for their sakes which sate with him he would not reject her 26 And immediately the King sent not to the castle of Maehaerun which was in the confines of his countrey remote but to some neerer place whither he had removed him to another prison 27 and from whence he might presently send for his head an executioner and he went and beheaded him in prison 28. S. Mat. 14.9 10 11. And brought his head in a Charger and gave it to the damosell and the damosell gave it to her mother Thus was the blood of that righteous man most unjustly spilt but his body whether at Samaria then called Sebast The body buried by his Disciples in honour of Augustus Caesar or in what other place it is not mentioned was buried by his Disciples who so soon as they heard of it took it up and buried it and went and told Jesus But his head remained in the power of wicked Herodias S. Mat. 14.12 S. Mar. 6.29 by whom they say it was secretly buried 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉