Iesus the King in their hearts his first comming had beene as dreadfull to the whole Land as the vnworthy receiuing of his body and blood was to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 11. God in his wisedome as some of the Fathers very well obserue had so ordained that the same Element by which the old world besides Noahs Family were destroyed should bee consecrated as an especiall meanes for preseruation of the new world The baptisme of water which Iohn administred was as a renouation or ratification of the promise which God had made to Noah a visible signe that GOD had freed the earth or Land of Iewry from that curse which Malachy speaks of and was withall a visible pledge or sacrament of a new blessing Whatsoeuer the curse or anger was which hanged at this time ouer the peoples head the Doue which descended vpon our Sauiour at his baptisme did bring to this generation a more expresse release from it and a more soueraigne pardon for all their sinnes than Noahs Doue did bring of Noahs and his families deliuerance from the curse of waters or from the danger of the Floud when she came with an Oliue branch in her mouth Now inasmuch as Iohns baptisme by water was as the medius terminus or as the way and passage betweene Noahs Arke and that holy Catholike Church which our Sauiour Christ was now to erect whereof Noahs Arke as you heard before was the expre type it is no maruell if that which was literally fulfilled or verefied in the dayes of Noah were fulfilled according to its emblematicall importance or mysticall sense in the dayes of Iohn or at his baptisme The congruity betweene Noahs Arke and the holy Catholike Church or new Ierusalem which was now to descend from heauen doth herein partly consist First not onely Noah and his Family but the Beasts as well cleane as vncleane which entred into the Arke were all preserued from bodily destruction So not onely the Off-spring of Abraham which was pre-figured by Noahs Family nor such Proselyâ—es onely of the Gentiles as were made visible members of the Iewish Church which answered in proportion to the cleane Beasts in Noahs Arke but euen the worst sort of the Gentiles such as had most oppugned the Children of Abraham in their Religion so they will be admitted into the Holy Catholique Church or mysticall body of Christ shall be as vndoubtedly preferued both in body and soule from the curse of Hell-fire as the vncleane Beasts which entred into Noahs Arke were from the curse of waters 58. That the admission of the Heathens which had been no Proselytes of the Iewish Church before into the Catholique Church now erected by Christ was prefigured by the vncleane beasts is more than probable vnto vs from the Vision which Saint Peter saw Acts 10. vers 10 11 12 13 14 15 16. Peter after his prayer became very hungry and would haue eaten but while they made readie he fell into a trance and saw Heauen opened and a certaine vessell descending vnto him as it had beene a great sheete knit at the foure corners and let downe to the earth wherein were all manner of foure-footed beasts of the earth and wilde beasts and creeping things and Fowles of the Ayre And there came a voyce to him Rise Peter kill and eate But Peter said Not so Lord for I haue neuer eaten any thing that is common or vncleane And the voyce spake vnto him againe the second time What GOD hath cleansed that call not thou common This was done thrice and the vessell was receyued vp againe into Heauen The opening of Heauen and the letting downe of the vessell wherein were all manner of beasts as well vncleane as cleane did signifie that the Kingdome of Heauen or gates of the new Ierusalem were now set open to all beleeuers and the way to true beliefe manifested to all of what Nation soeuer they were the one as open and the other as manifest to the Italians or Romanes which neuer had beene Proselytes as to the seed of Abraham or the Proselytes which they had made That matters of fact or emblematicall representations by vision or apparences are as truely doctrinall as words vttered and vnderstood according to the literall sense wee neede no further proofe than Saint Peters application of this vision vers 28. And hee said vnto them vnto Cornelius and his Italian friends and attendants Ye know how that it is an vnlawfull thing for a man that is a Iew to keepe company or come vnto one of another Nation but God hath shewed mee not in expresse words but by vision or representation emblematicall that I should not call any man common or vncleane Nor did Peter in expresse termes or conceit deem any man vnclean Onely hee had said whether in expresse words or in thought onely I haue neuer eaten any thing that is vncleane Yet when answere was made What God had cleansed that call not thou common hee knew by the circumstances of the time and by the tenor of Cornelius his message vnto him that God in this answer did not meane beasts or things edible but men represented by vncleane beasts whose vse the Lord at this time had sanctified vnto his people in token that men or Nations before vncleane were now capable of sanctification The mystery included in this vision was fulfilled in the baptisme with the Holy Ghost and was prefigured by the admission as well of Publicans Roman Souldiers as of Pharises Iewes or Proselytes vnto the Baptisme of Iohn Now S. Peters owne interpretation of this vision will warrant our former Interpretation of the Prophet Isay cap. 11. vers 6. as also of most other places in this Prophet which as you heard before were to bee vnderstood not according to the literall plaine and Grammaticall signification of the words but according to their poeticall or emblematicall importance Howbeit when we affirme that the aforesaid Prophesie Isay 11. vers 6. was specially fulfilled according to its poeticall parabolicall or emblematicall sense we no way deny that it might in part be verified or exemplified according to the plaine literall or historicall signification of the words Certainely it was so verified in our Sauiour whilest hee remained after his Baptisme in the Wildernesse And immediately after his Baptisme the Spirit driueth him into the Wildernesse And hee was there in the Wildernesse fortie dayes tempted of Satan and was with the wilde beasts and the Angels ministred vnto him Mark 1. ver 12 13. Wee doe not reade that any wilde beast or noysome creature of which the Wildernesse had plenty did eyther annoy our Sauiour or attempt any violence against him whilest hee was with them Wee doe not reade that Satan did euer tempt Him to encounter with a Lyon or a Beare as his Father Dauid had done or to tread on Serpents or Scorpions to see whether they would sting him or no because he saw by experience that this Iesus of
CHRISTS ANSVVER VNTO IOHNS QVESTION OR An Introduction to the knowledge of Iesus Christ and him crucified Deliuered in certaine Sermons in the famous Towne of New-castle vpon Tine By THOMAS IACKSON Dr. of Diuinitie Vicar of Saint Nicolas Church there and Fellow of Corpus Christi Colledge in Oxford IOHN 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for in them yee thinke yee haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of mee LONDON Printed by G. P. for Iohn Clarke and are to be sold at his Shop vnder Saint Peters Church in Corne-hill 1625. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER in God Richard by Diuine prouidence Lord Bishop of Durham my very honourable good LORD and Diocesan Right Reuerend and Honourable BEing here detayned vpon occasions made knowne in part vnto your Lordship I thought my selfe bound in duety and conscience to render an account as well of my time spent in this my absence as whilest I was present at my charge Though this I cannot for this time performe saue onely in part These papers which I now consecrate to your Honours protection containe onely the first-fruits of my Labours in that worthy and famous Congregation which it pleased your Lordship about a yeere agoe for which I euer rest yours bounden to commit vnto my trust Yet these being all that I took with me to peruse in my absence which I well hoped should haue beene much shorter these are all that I could at this time present your Lordship withal humbly beseeching they may bee accepted as an vndoubted pledge of my duty and obseruance to your Lordship and of my vnfaigned desire and resolution to set forward that worthy and religious Congregation from which I haue receiued much true comfort and many kindnesses in the wayes of truth as well by my pen in my absence as by my voyce whilest I am present So commending this Introduction to your Lorshippes patronage and your Lordship to the gracious patronage and protection of the Lord Iesus I humbly take my leaue From my Study in Corpus Christi Colledge in Oxon. Decemb. 20. 1624. Your Lordships in all duety and seruice THOM. IACKSON A briefe view of the principall parts of the Discourse following I. The meaning or purport of Iohns Question Art thou He that should come or doe we looke for another Math. 11. ver 3. Pag. 2 3 4. II. What did moue Iohn to make this Question Pa. 5 6 7 8. III. What satisfaction the answere heere made by our Sauiour might giue 1. To ordinary or indifferent Auditors Wherein are discussed Pag. 10. to the 19. 1. Wherein true blessednesse which our Sauiour here promiseth to all doth consist Pag. 20. Parag. 14. to Pag. 30. Parag. 19. 2. How the miracles heard and seene by Iohn◠Disciples doe prooue that IESVS who wrought them was the Author and Donor of all these good things or degrees of goodnesse wherein true blessednesse in the opinion and iudgement aswell of Heathen Philosophers as of Christians doth consist pag. 30. parag 19. to pag. 40. parag 22. 2. Vnto Iohn Wherein are discussed 1. The manner how the faith of the Patriarches of the Prophets themselues was grounded vpō diuine predictions ratified by the euents answering vnto them That euen the Patriarchs and Prophets themselues might erre in their apprehensions or applications of Gods Word reuealed vnto thē vntill their apprehensions were rectified by new Reuelations or their applications corrected by the exhibition of the euent or effect fore-told pag. 43. parag 24. to pag. 66. parag 34. 2. The particular places of Scriptures from whence the Pharises had their prenotions concerning Baptisme and on which Johns faith or beliefe concerning our Sauiours person or office or his owne ministery was grounded with the signes of the time that did expound them pag. 75. para 37. to pag. 145. parag 66. 3. What correspondencie the two places of Scripture to which our Sauiour in this answer referreth Iohn haue with the former places wherein Johns faith was grounded and with the signes of the time or miraculous euents here related pag. 145. parag 65. to pag. 178. parag 81. III. How the generall Conclusion Blessed is he who soeuer shall not be offended in mee is inferred from the premisses What it is to bee offended in Christ. Which be the speciall rootes of this offence and how they may he auoyded Pag. 178. parag 81 to the end CHRISTS ANSWER vnto IOHNS QVESTION OR An Introduction to the knowledge of Iesus Christ and him crucified MATHEVV 11. VER 4 5 6. Goe and shew Iohn againe those things which ye doe heare and see The blinde receiue their sight and the lame walke the Lepers are cleansed and the deafe heare the dead are raysed vp and the poore haue the Gospell preached vnto them And blessed is hee whosoeuer shall not be offended in mee THis is life eternal saith our Sauiour Ioh. 17. v. 3. that they may know thee the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent The knowledge of the only true God and of Iesus Christ whom hee hath sent are so inwrapt and linked together that he which hath the later hath the former according to the saying of our Sauiour Hee that hath seene me hath seene my Father Ioh. 14. 9. This knowledge of Christ and of him crucified was all that our blessed Apostle Saint Paul esteemed or determined to know amongst the Corinthians and all that I shall desire to know amongst you and is as I hope if not the onely yet the speciall poynt which any of you desire to bee made knowne vnto you by my Ministery whether publike or priuate What it is to know Christ and the vertue of his Crosse which be the speciall or most vsefull branches of this knowledge and in what ranke or order the seuerall branches grow shall by Gods assistance and your desired patience be discussed at large hereafter in vnfolding of that fore-cited saying of our Apostle to the Corinthians in his first Epistle cap. 2. vers 2. Which if God permit shall be the maine subiect or theame of my meditations in this place You will giue mee leaue to make my entry or passage into a subiect so large so ample and so vsefull by degrees and leysure Now ere wee can attaine vnto the true knowledge of Iesus Christ whom God hath sent and of him crucified wee are to inquire vpon what grounds wee beleeue or know that the man Iesus whom the Iewes did crucifie whom wee preach and on whom we beleeue was hee whom God hath sent or he whom God before all Worlds had ordayned to send into the world For albeit God in sundry ages sent many messengers vnto his Church though such as he sent did come in person and discharge their function yet when we reade of Him that was to be sent or of him that was to come without further addition circumlocution or paraphrase we must take these as titles which may not be communicated vnto many as being truely
baptize others with the holy Ghost These generals he beleeued and knew from the predictions of the Prophet Isay expounded to him by the internall reuelation of the Spirit and the signes of the time immediately preceding But of these particulars following he was ignorant vntill the euent and the signes immediately following did vnfold them 1. The day and houre wherein the Messias was first to be manifested when he first begun to baptize he distinctly knew not 2. The day and houre of the Messias comming vnto him being knowne yet he knew not how to distinguish the Messias from other men by face or sight 3. After he had knowne seene him face to face yet he knew not whether he should baptize him with others or no but rather presupposed it as a matter vnfitting that the messenger whose Commission onely was to baptize with water should baptize his Lord and Master whom he knew to be sent of purpose to baptize others with the holy Ghost This last point is euident from Saint Matthew chap. 3. vers 13 14 15. When Iesus came from Galilee to Iordane vnto Iohn to be baptized of him Iohn forbade him saying I haue neede to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me And Iesus answering said vnto him Suffer it to be so now for thus it becommeth vs to fulfill all righteousnes Then he suffered him 49. That Iohn Baptist before this time did not know our Sauiour by face is euident from Saint Iohn chap. 1. vers 29 30 31 32. The next day not the next day after our Sauiours baptisme but the next day after the Priests and Leuites had questioned Iohn or the next day after our Sauiours returne from the wildernesse Iohn seeing Iesus comming vnto him saith Behâ—ld the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinne of the world This is he of whom I said After me commeth a man which is preferred before me for he was before me And I knew him not but that he should be made manifest to Israel therefore am I come baptizing with water And Iohn bare record saying I saw the Spirit descending from heauen like a Doue and it abode vpon him And further to preuent all suspition of compact or collusion betwixt them or rather to stirre vp the people to admire with him the sweet dâ—sposition of the Diuine prouidence in all this businesse He repeateth againe what he said before And I knew him not but he that sent me to baptize with water the same said vnto me Vpon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him the same is hee which baptizeth with the holy Ghost And I saw and beare record that this is the Sonne of God But whilest I am a twisting these two Euangelicall narrations together you haue perhaps already espied or may hereafter espie a knot or riuell where with your beliefe one time or another may bee entangled specially if the Iew Atheist or Libertine should draw it faster or a weake Interpreter of Scriptures haue the handling of it That you may the better know whensoeuer occasion shall be offered how to loose or vntwist the knot giue mee leaue first to cast it For as the great Philosopher telleth vs No man knoweth rightly how to assoile or resolue a question vnlesse he first know how to frame it The right making of any obiection as the same Philosopher tels vs is more then halfe the solution of it The doubt or knot which ariseth out of the two narrations of the Euangelists Saint Matthew and Saint Iohn is framed thus First it is euident out of them both as also out of the other two Euangelists that the Holy Ghost did not descend vpon our Sauiour vntill Iohn had baptized him It is euident againe out of Saint Iohns words fore-cited cap. 1. ver 33. That the descending of the Holy Ghost vpon our Sauiour and his resting vpon him was giuen by God himselfe vnto Iohn Baptist for a signe whereby to know or distinguish the Messias or him that was to baptize with the holy Ghost from all other men Now if Iohn knew him by face from all other men before the Spirit did descend and rest vpon him what needed this signe And if he knew him not by face before the descending of the holy Ghost what construction can we make of Saint Matthews words before recited chap. 3. ver 13 14. where he saith That when Iesus came to be baptized of him Iohn replyed I haue need to be baptized of thee and commest thou to me For to whom could the Baptist himselfe in good earnest say I haue need to be baptized of thee saue onely vnto him whom hee knew could baptize him with the holy Ghost and with fire And if Iohn Baptist knew Iesus of Nazareth at his first comming to him to be the man which was to baptize with the holy Ghost before he had seene the holy Ghost descending vpon him as out of Saint Matthew it plainly appeareth that he did so know him How is it true which Saint Iohn saith in the person of Iohn the Baptist I knew him not that is in ordinary construction as if he had said I had not knowne him but by the descending and resting of the holy Ghost vpon him 50. The seeming contradiction betwixt these two Euangelists hath occasioned some of the Ancients to conceite that the Holy Ghost did twice descend vpon our Sauiour once before his baptisme of which descension Iohn onely or some few more were spectators and by this signe in priuate Iohn did know him before hee came in publike to bee baptized of him and againe immediately after his baptisme But a man cannot more strengthen or confirme a weake crasie or vnsound obiection than by giuing it a lame vnsolid or vnsatisfactory answere The one part of this distinction consisting meerely in imagination would serue as a foile to giue some tincture or colour of truth vnto the obiected Contradiction which if it be well examined and better looked into consists onely in appearance Iansenius seekes to salue this obiected contradiction in this manner The Baptist in the words fore-cited saith no that hee did not know our Sauiour before the Holy Ghost did point him out by descending vpon him but that he had receiued a reuelation from God concerning the holy Ghosts descending vpon him The solution is borrowed in part from Saint Chrysostome perhaps sufficient enough to blanke a forward disputant that would vndertake to prooue a plaine contradiction betweene the Baptists Words as they are related by Saint Matthew chap. 3. and by Saint Iohn But many speeches which cannot legally be conuinced of falshood are often apparently delusory or impertinent and imply some morall inconuenience albeit they cannot easily be drawne to a Logicall impossibility or irreconcileable repugnancie If we take the Baptists words as Saint Iohn relateth them chap. 1. ver 33. And I knew him not c. according to the ordinary standerd of Ciuill Dialect in matters
Anoynted or him that was to be anoynted with the holy Ghost 55. The greatest offence which the Iewes tooke at our Sauiour was that hee came not forth of Bethlem the City of Dauid but from Nazareth a Towne in Galilee that his education was so meane and his parentage so poore Now this offence the Prophet Isaias so they would haue vnderstood him had fully preuented fore-telling that hee should grow vp as a Rod out of the stemme of Iesse and as a Branch out of his roote This did truely fore-picture that hee should bee of meaner parentage than Dauid himselfe had beene as being to spring out of the decayed stem or root of Iesse Againe the very word in the Originall Netser signifying a Rod did picture out vnto vs the very place wherein hee was to grow vp as a Rod vntill hee came to be declared vnto Israel by the Spirit of God descending vpon him For the Towne of Nazareth hath its very name from the word heere vsed by the Prophet Isaias Netser and is as much in English as the Towne of Rods or Grafts Now albeit Iohn did not know this Rod or Branch of Iesse before hee came vnto him to be baptized yet his very name being IESVS which is a Sauiour and the name of the place whence hee came Natzareth a Towne of Rods could not but suggest thus much to Iohn That seeing the holy Ghost or Spirit of God was to descend vpon some one that came vnto his Baptisme and to rest vpon him there was none amongst all the multitudes that came vnto him in whom this prediction or signe which God had giuen him could be so fulfilled as in this Iesus of Nazareth and thus certainely expecting that the Spirit of God would descend vpon him he refused as Saint Matthew telleth vs to baptize him saying I haue need to be baptized of thee c. Now this very signe which God gaue to Iohn how to know him was giuen before by the Prophet Isay in the place fore-cited For in that he is termed a Rod or Branch on which the Spirit of the Lord should rest it is imported that the maner of his resting should be as a Bird or Fowle doth vpō a stemme or branch So that all which God in the signe giuen to Iohn doth adde vnto the Prophesie is a distinct expression of the Bird or Fowle in whose shape or bodily likenesse the Spirit was to descend and rest vpon him and that was in the shape or bodily likenesse of a Doue So then Iohn before our Sauiours baptisme had the Testimony of the Prophet that the Spirit of the Lord would descend and rest vpon the man whom he then first knew onely by the name of Iesus of Nazareth that is of Iesus the Rod or Branch of Iesse After our Sauiours baptisme he had this testimony or assurance of the Prophet and his own Interpretation of it when our Sauiour first came vnto him fully sealed and warranted by the euidence of his bodily senses by the visible experiment of the holy Ghost descending in the likenesse of a Doue by the voyce which he heard from Heauen This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased 56. That this Prophesie of Isaias hath speciall reference to the time of our Sauiours baptisme and to the Kingdome of heauen which Iohn proclaimed and into which his baptisme by water was as the doore or entrance the very ceremonie or solemnity of mens admission vnto it doe testifie and so doe the effects and fruites of the Spirits descending and resting vpon the Rod or Branch of Iesse which fruits and effects are in the same Chapter at large described and are of two sorts The first sort concernes the Rod or Branch of Iesse himselfe and these are set foorth in the 11. Chapter of Isaias vers 3 4 5. The Spirit of the Lord saith the Prophet shall make him of quicke vnderstanding in the feare of the Lord and he shall not iudge after the sight of his eyes neither reproue after the hearing of his eares But with righteousnes shall he iudge the poore and reproue with equitie for the meeke of the earth and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked And righteousnesse shall be the girdle of his loynes and faithfulnesse the girdle of his reines All these are heroicall endowments or qualifications for gouerment of so great a Kingdome as the Prophet foretold this Rod of Iesse or Branch of Dauid was to erect And of these qualifications here mentioned the best gifts which the Lord bestowed on Dauid on Saul or Salomon or vpon other Kings of Iudah at their anoyntments or inaugurations were but shadowes or prefigurations Now the descending of the Spirit of God here fore-told by the Prophet and resting vpon our Sauiour was his anoyntment and solemne inauguration or designement to his Kingdome Not that he was instantly to enter into his Kingdome of glory or take possession of his heauenly Inheritance but for a time to expect such troubles and persecutions in the attainement of it as his father Dauid had suffered betweene the time wherein Samuel had anoynted him King in his Father Iesses house at Bethlem and the time wherein hee was publikely anoynted King after Sauls death in Hebron That our Sauiours anoyntment or designement to be King and Lord ouer Israel doth beare date from the time that he was baptized by Iohn in Iordane Saint Peter testifies Acts 10. vers 37 38. That word you know which was published throughout all Iudea and began from Galilee after the baptisme which Iohn preached how God anoynted Iesus of Nazareth with the holy Ghost and with power who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the diuell for God was with him The voice which at his anointment was heard from heauen did plainely and openly declare him to be that sonne of Dauid of whom alone it was truely fulfilled which Dauid by his spirit of Prophefie had foretold That God should be vnto him a Father and he should be vnto him a Sonne And vpon this declaration made at his baptisme the diuell vnto whom some scattered sound of it happely came might collect that he was Dei Filius The first memorable Act his Father Dauid after Samuel had anointed him did vndertake was his conflict with Goliah and the first Act this Rod of Iesse after his anoyntment vndertaketh was his encounter with Satan in single combate The other part of the fruites or concomitances of this our Sauiours anoyntment by the holy Ghost is described at large in the 11. Chapter of Isaias vers 6 7 8 9. The Wolfe also shall dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard also shall lye downe with the Kid and the Calfe and the young Lyon and the fatling together and a little Child shall leade them And the Cow and the Beare shall feede their young ones shall lye downe
work any As indeed hee did worke no miracles besides the turning of water into wine at the marriage feast at Cana in Galilee which as Saint Iohn the Euangelist â—elleth vs was the beginning of miracles or as a proofe or assay of his ability to worke miracles when his houre was come which was not till Iohn was imprisoned But immediately after Herod had imprisoned Iohn our Sauiour left Iudea and went into Galilee where by Gods appointment the Kingdome of heauen whose approach Iohn at his baptisme had fore-told was to bee proclaimed and established The matter of fact to wit his going into Galilee vpon Iohns imprisonment is expressely related by Saint Iohn cap. 4. vers 1 2 3. When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharises had heard that Iesus made and baptized moe Disciples than Iohn though Iesus himselfe baptized not but his Disciples he left Iudaea and departed againe into Galilee not so much for feare of the Iewes as to accomplish that for which he was sent into the world The end of his going into Galilee at this time after Iohn had performed his office of baptizing and was now to decrease is more expressely noted by Saint Matthew chap. 4. vers 11 12 13 14 15 16. Then the Diuell leaueth him aâ—d behold Angels came and ministred vnto him Now when Iesus had heard that Iohn was cast into prison hee departed into Galilee And leauing Nazareth hee came and dwelt in Capernaum which is vpon the Sea-coast in the borders of Zabulon and Napthaly That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaias the Prophet saying The Land of Zabulon and the Land of Napthaly by the way of the Sea beyond Iordane Galilee of the Gentiles The people which sate in darknesse saw great light and to them which sate in the Region and shaddow of death light is sprung vp In particular to shew you the whole manner how this Prophesie was fulfilled by our Sauiours going out of Iudaea into Galilee by his leauing Nazareth and repairing to Capernaum would require a longer discourse than is fitting for the Pulpit Some touch of it perhaps I shall giue you in the conclusion of our Sauiours answere to Iohn as it concernes the first place of Isay whereto he referreth him That which I would now haue you to obserue out of the Euangelist Saint Matthew is this First that this Prophesie was fulfilled in our Sauiours promulgation of the Gospell in those places Secondly albeit our Sauiour was anoynted King of Iudah and inaugurated to the Kingdome of heauen at his baptisme yet hee did not take actuall possession of his Kingdome or giue Lawes vnto his subiects he did not fully exercise his Regall authority ouer Satan and the vncleane spirits his angels nor establish the Kingdome of Grace by signes or wonders vntill the time of Iohns imprisonment Thus much is euident from the words of Saint Matthew Chap. 4. vers 17. From that time to wit from Iohns imprisonment Iesus began to preach to say Repent for the Kingdome of Heauen is at hand From the same time he did choose his twelue Apostles and gaue Authority to them and to the seuentie Disciples to preach the Kingdome to heale all manner of diseases and to deliuer the people from the tyranny of Satan From the same time our Sauiour began to make that excellent Sermon vpon the Mount whereof you may reade Matth. 5 6. which is the fundamentall Charter by which the Kingdome of Heauen heere on earth is established Now albeit Iohn did worke no miracles himselfe nor had seene our Sauiur worke any before his imprisonment yet hee had ingaged his credit and reputation with the people who tooke him for no lesse than a Prophet that Iesus of Nazareth whom he baptized in Iordane should worke such miracles as Isaias the Prophet had foretold the Rod or Branch of Iesse should worke and accomplish all which the said Prophet had foretold should ensue vpon the voice crying in the wildernesse That Iohn had thus far ingaged himselfe for winning reputation to his Lord and Master is euident from the fruites or effects of this his ingagement manifested in the people Iohn 10. v. 39 40 41 42. After our Sauiour had escaped out of the hands of the Iewes hee went away againe beyond Iordane into the place where Iohn at first baptized and there hee abode And many resorted vnto him and said Iohn did no miracle but all things that Iohn spake of this man were true And many beleeued on him there Now albeit Iohn after hee had seene the holy Ghost descend vpon our Sauiour did neuer doubt whether he was the promised Messias or no yet what greater comfort or satisfaction could Iohn receiue being now imprisoned than to haue an acquittance from his former Ingagement for our Sauiour sealed by such visible and sensible euents as are heere related and solemnly acknowledged and deliuered by him for whom Iohn stood ingaged who had fully discharged whatsoeuer Iohn had promised on his behalfe That this answer of our Sauiour did really discharge Iohn of his former ingagement and fully acquit him from all suspition of collusion or compact with Iesus of Nazareth whom he baptized and proclaimed to be the Messias might easily haue appeared to the most malicious Iewe then liuing that would but haue compared the miracles heere related with the predictions of the Prophet Isay laying both of them to heart and weighing them with the circumstances of the seuerall times The testimonies are two The first prediction of the Prophet Isay whereto our Sauiour in this answere referreth Iohn and all such as should seeke satisfaction from him is Isay 35. but especially vers 3 4 5 6 7. Strengthen yee the weake hands and confirme the feeble knees Say to them that are of a fearefull heart Bee strong feare not behold your God will come with veâ—igeance euen God with a recompence he will come and saue you Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the eares of the deafe shall bee vnstopped Then shall the lame man leape as an Hart and the tongue of the dumbe shall sing for in the Wildernesse shall waters breake out and streames in the desart And the parched ground shall become a poole and the thirstie Land springs of water in the habitation of dragons where each lay shall bee grasse with reedes and rushes 69. The Testimonies before cited out of Isay albeit they were abundantly sufficient to beget faith in Iohn himselfe and others that did vnpartially consider and compare them with the signes of the time and other circumstances of which you haue heard yet were they not so apt or effectuall to conuince the froward and partiall hearers as this last cited Testimony was and is Against the former places and the expositions which Iohn made of them to himselfe and to his Disciples pride malice or fretting iealousie might haue made these or the like exceptions plausible enough to discontented minds or
to men possessed with a preiudicate opinioÌ„ either of Iohn or of Iesus of Nazareth whom Iohn proclaimed for the Messias Thus might such men as I now spake of haue obiected It is true which Iohn alledgeth for his Commission out of Isay That there shall a voice be heard crying in the wildernesse to prepare the wayes of the Messias whom wee expect that the Lord will worke strange wonders in the desart vpon the Messias his declaration vnto Israel But who shall assure vs that this Iohn is to be the Cryer or Herald which Isay fore-told should vsher the Messias into his Kingdome or that this Iesus whom he proclaimeth should bee the Branch of Iesse the Sonne of Dauid and that Christ or Anoynted of the LORD whom wee expect The Prophet doth not so plainely describe the voyce of one crying in the wildernesse either by name by parentage or by dwelling but that it is possible for some other man to come after Iohn which may haue better right to that Office which hee takes vpon him than for ought that yet appeares he hath It is no miracle for a man of better note than Iohn is to pretend or counterfet such reuelations or expositions of the Prophets as hee maketh shew of for as yet hee hath giuen vs no reall proofe of his extraordinary calling by any euident miracle or vndoâ—bred wonder without some apparent miracle his testimony of himselfe or of Iesus of Nazareth is not concludent Nor do we in thus saying any way question the truth of Isaiahs predictions but onely whether this man which takes vpon him to be a Cryer in the wildernes be the very man whom Isay meant in the Prophesie alledged by Iohn or no. What if many of such as repaired to this Iohn in the wildernes haue vpoÌ„ his baptisme the doctrine of repentance which he taught become new men nothing like to the men they had beene What if some of them beeing before more barren than the Bramble haue since his baptisme shewed themselues more fruitfull then the Fig-tree or the Oliue What if others of men more rauenous then Wolues haue become as moderate in their desires and as harmlesse in their actions as the silly Lambe What if others heeretofore as fierce and cruell as the Leopard and the Lyon are now become to most mens seeming as tame and gentle as the Oxe the Asse or other like domesticke creature What if thâ—rs heeretofore noted to bee as venemous as the Aspe or Cochatrice haue now gotten an opinion in 〈…〉 since they were disciplined by Iohn for 〈…〉 and placable as the sucking Infant or the new wearned child Yet who knows whether this seâ—â—â—ing Sanctity or change of minde may not bee counterferted or pretended only or whether these men may not within short space returne againe vnto their former temper and appeare in their in-bred natiue likenesse 70. These and the like exceptions might malice pride enuious icalousie or preiudâ—caâ—e opinions haue made with some colour of probability vnto men offended with Iohn Baptists person specially if they had made them immediately after hee began to baptize And it would haue beene an hard taske for Iohn to haue refused the obiections or conuinced the Obiectors out of the testimonies of the Prophet Isay before cited But now that pride and malice it selfe might see the blinde restored vnto their perfect sight the Lame vnto their right vse of limbes now that men happely heretofore offended with Iohn Baptists person or our Sauiours might perfectly know such as they had formerly knowne to be altogether truely deaâ—e to be as well able to heare as to bee heard in that they might heare such as werâ— perfectly dumbe to speake distinctly in that they might see lare nastie and â—othsome Leapers become as cleane and comely of body as themselues nor pride nor malice it selfe so they would suffer themselues to be throughly informed these matters of fact could moâ—e any question whether these and the like were the very men or â—o whom Isay the Prophet meant in the Propheâ—â—â— last cited Chap. 35. And being once truely informed in matters of fact to wit that these miracles were truely wrought and wrought by that Iesus of Nazareth whom Iohn proclaimed to be the Messias they could not question whether the same God which had sent Isaias the Prophet to foretell these strange wonders had not also seat this Iesus of Nazareth to accomplish that in deed and truth which Isaias had fore-told and which was in part fore-shaddowed in the dayes of Ezechtah and the Prophet Isay. For albeit the malicious Pharises or other Iewes whom God had giuen ouer to a reprobate sense might haue calumniated our Sauiour as if he had wrought these miracles heere mentioned by the power of Satan as they said sometimes that he did cast out Diuels by the power of Beelzebub Prince of Diuels yet could not calumnie nor malice it selfe entertaine a suspicious thought that the Prophet Isay should foretell the working of these miracles by the sprit of Iyes or of Satan For Isaias plainely affirmeth that their GOD should bring this saluation which hee promiseth Of which saluation the miracles wrought in my Text are the vndoubted pledges or rather the first beginnings So it is said Then the eyes of the blind shall bee opened This word Then presupposeth a time when those miracles should be wrought and this time was when God should come to saue his people God did often saue his people But it is one thing for God to saue his people and another that God should come to saue his people It is one thing that God should come to saue his people another that God the Auenger that God the Recompencer or Rewarder their God in speciall should come to saue them Yet are all these branches emphatically contained in the literall sense or Grammaticall construction of the former words Behold your God will come with vengeance euen God with a Recompence he will come and saue you Isay 35. vers 4. This argueth a speciall manner and an extraordinary measure of Saluation In briefe the summe or extract of the whole Chapter is this The miraculous alterations in the Wildernesse as of waters breaking out c. mentioned in the beginning of this Chapter elsewhere so often inculcated by the Prophet and fulfilled vpon Iohns Baptisme were sure prognosticks or presages of Gods comming to saue his people and the particular miracles fore-told vers 4. now wrought by our Sauiour were infallible signes or demonstrations from the effect that the Lord whose wayes the Cryer in the Wildernesse was sent to prepare that very God of whom Isaias heere speakes was come in person to saue his people And it is probable that Iohns Question Art thou hee that should come c had peculiar reference vnto this place at least our Sauiours referring Him to this place would giue him full satisfaction that hee was to expect no other to come 71.
returned before hee preached the acceptable yeere of the LORD in Nazareth cannot so easily be gathered from the circumstances of the Euangelist but as all Interpreters I thinke agree this Answer was giuen within the compasse of that yeere wherein our Sauiour was baptized Now this was the last Legall Iubile which this people were to enioy and the first beginning of the Euangelicall Iubile which was to continue here on earth vntill the Worlds end to bee fully accomplished in the World to come So that this great mystery of our eternall Rest and Ioy in heauen had first a shaddow in the Law to wit the Legall Iubile Secondly a Picture in the Prophet Isay or in the History of Hezekias and his miraculous deliuery from the Assynians Thirdly a liue body in the Gospell or dayes of the Messias euery-way answerable to the picture drawne by the Prophet The first conception of this liue body or Euangelicall Iubile was from the day of our Sauiours Baptisme and the birth of it from the deliuery of our Sauiours Sermon vpon the Mount Fourthly the accomplishment ful growth or perfection of this liue body is to be expected onely in the life to come where our Ioy our Rest and Peace shall be for measure boundlesse and for terme endlesse Now according to these seuerall degrees of shaddow of picture of life and growth one and the same Scripture euen according to its natiue and literall sense may be often verified and fulfilled All the former Prophesies likewise concerning the planting of the Wildernesse with pleasant Trees though actually fulfilled according to the importance of the parabolicall or Emblematicall sense in that yeere of Iubile which Iesus of Nazareth did proclaime shall not bee finally accomplished vntill the beginning of that Iubile which shall haâ—e no end Thus much is specified Isay 60. vers 20 21 22. Thy Sâ—â—ne shall no more goe downe neyther shall thy Moone with-draw it selfe for the Lord shall bee thine euerlasting light and the dayes of thy mourning shall be ended Thy people shall bee all righteous they shall inherit the Land forâ—euer the Branch of my planting the works of my hands that I may bee glorified A little one shall become a thousand and a small one a strong Nation I the Lord will hasten it in his time This last verse though partly fulfilled in the conuersion of whole Nations by our Sauiours Apostles and Disciples made Citizens of the new Ierusalem descending from Heauen at our Sauiours Baptisme shall not be accomplished vntill these Trees of Righteousnesse be transplanted into the Heauen of Heauens and set there by the Tree of Life Then shall the least sprig that hath been truely ingraffed into the stock of Iacob the meanest â—â—â—ne of Abraham by faith become more fruitfull in himselfe than Abraham was in his posterity and a greater King and Lord of more than Dauid or Salomon in their prime Thus much is included in that saying of our Sauiour Marke 10. vers 29 30. There is no man that hath left house or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my sake and the Gospels but hee shall receiue an hundred fold now in this time houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions and in the world to come eternall life If the least of them that forsake all for Christs sake grow in this life into an hundred how great or strong a Nation euery small one that is not in this life offended in him shall after this life ended become is vnexpressable But we beleeue our Sauiour that the least and smallest of such as forsake all for him and the Gospell shall haue life eternall And wee beleeue Gods Word that life eternall is more than tenne thousand liues temporall though a thousand liues of a mans own be much more worth than a million of other mens liues whereof we might hope to be Lords and Disposers 80. That other Prophesie likewise before mentioned Isay 35. vers 4. though literally verified at Gods first comming into the World to be made man and then punctually fulfilled when IESVS of Nazareth GOD and MAN came to Iohns Baptisme is to be finally accomplished when the same Iesus shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead Then shall hee manifest himselfe to be God the Auenger and God the Recompencer by pronouncing that Sentence from which there shall be no appeale Come yee blessed of my Father possesse the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Deuill and his Angels The former part of this Sentence shall proceed from him as hee is God the Rewarder of all such as diligently seeke him The latter part of this Sentence Goe yee cursed c. proceedeth from him as hee is God the Auenger In that accomplishment of dayes which shall vtterly abolish all night and not before shal that other part of the same Prophesie Isay 35. vers 5 6. bee likewise finally accomplished Then the eyes of the blinde shall be opened and the eares of the deafe shall bee vnstopped c. The eyes of many blinde were opened at the time when this Answer was giuen yet not the eyes of all the blinde men then liuing which were not offended in Him but onely the eyes of all the blinde throughout Iudea and neighbour-Regions that came vnto him without offence At his second comming the eyes of all that after perpetuall darkenesse haue beene finally shut vp by death shall bee opened to see the glory of God so opened to see it without offence as they shall neuer be shut againe neuer bee depriued of this beautifull vision In that day shall all the halt and lame that haue not bin offended in him eâ—â—n such as neuer enioyed the vse of limbes from their coÌ„ming out of the wombe vnto their going vnto their graâ—e become more strong agile than the Hart and mâ—re swift and nimble than the Roe Then shall the eares and tongues of all that haue beene borne deafe and dumbe be so vnstopped and vnloosed as vpon the first opening they shall bee enabled to hold consort with the Quire of Angels to descant vpon those hidden mysteries and Prophetique Songs about whose literall sense or plaine Grammaticall meaning there hath beene much discord amongst greatest Criticks and amongst Schoole-men continuall iarres This is all which I haue at this time to say concerning the three particular Branches proposed in the beginning of the second generall Obseruation which was thus What satisfactioÌ„ this answer of our Sauior The blinde receiue their sight c. could giue to Iohn or his Disciples or to any that doubted whether Iesus of Nazareth was He that was to come Somewhat more is to be said concerning the Conclusion Blessed is he whosoeuer shall not be offended in mee MATTH 11. VERS 6. Blessed is hee whosoeuer shall not be offended in mee THe vniuersality
together and the Lion shall eate straw like the Oxe And the sucking Child shall play on the hole of the Aspe and the weaned Child shal put his hand on the Cockatrice den They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy Mountaine for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters couer the Sea The exact fulfilling of this Prophesie in its literall sense that is according to the strict propriety of natiue or vnborrowed signification of words credat Iudaeus let it bee expected by the vnbeleeuing Iew whose too much credulity to the letter hath brought forth an absolute infidelity concerning the mysteries of his saluation But whilest he expects such a league and amity betwixt the creatures heere mentioned as the words literally import he plainely declares himselfe to be more cruell more rancorous vntamed than the most rauenous beast or most venemous creature heere mentioned For neither the sweet inuitation of our Sauiour nor all the good deeds which he wrought amongst this people whilest he liued on earth nor the punishing hand of God which hath bin alwayes heauy vpon them since his death hath to this day wrought such a placable or reconcileable disposition toward vs Gentiles or toward their owne brethren which trust in Christ as they expect in the dayes of their Messias should be wrought in the Wolfe towards the Lambe or in the Aspe or Cockatrice towards the Child or sucking Infant We may take this amongst others as a sure Argument of our Interest in the Womans Seede in that this generation of Vipers or Serpents as Iohn Baptist termes them haue exercised the venemous enmitie of Serpents against all that haue professed the name of Christ since his death But the greater their enmity is vnto the profession of Christianity or the longer it hath continued the more strange and admirable will that reconciliation or agreement seeme which the Euangelist records to haue falne out at the time of our Sauiours baptisme or anoyntment not only betweene the Iew and the Gentile but between the Pharisee and Publicane betweene the Sadduce and the Roman Soldier all of them communicating together in the solemnity or Sacrament of baptisme For many of euery sort here mentioned were baptized 〈◊〉 in Iordane confessing their sinnes This sudden and vnexpected obedience of all sorts vnto the Summons of Iohns calling to repentance and the strange alteration which followed vpon the sacrament of baptisme and the repentance which Iohn preached aswell in the Iew as in the Gentile is the mystery of the new Testament which the Prophet fore-pictures in the Parable of the Wolfe agreeing with the Lamb of the Leopards reconciliation with the Kid and of the Lions neere familaritie with the Oxe or Asse The Publicanes which before the preaching of baptisme and repentance by Iohn were as rauenous as the euening Wolues became as innocent as the Lambe The soldiers likewise which had bin formerly as fierce and cruell as the Lyon became as tame and gentle as the Oxe or Cow and submitted their necks vnto the yoke of the Gospell Such of the Phaâ—ises likewise as before their baptisme had beene as venemous as the Aspe or Cockatrice did by the worthy receiuing of this baptisme and the grace which God did giue them become as mild and gentle as the sucking Infant or weaned Child 57. This I take to bee the true interpretation and natiue meaning though not of these words which he vseth yet of the Prophet himselfe and that which the holy Ghost did purposely intend to expresse in the fore-cited place But may not the prediction though meerely or for the most part as was obserued parabolical haue some speciall reference to the daies of Noah wherein the like reconciliation of hostile antipathizing natures was literally and historically verefied and experienced Yes doubtlesse the signes of that old world and the signes of the time wherein our Sauiour was baptized doe as exactly resemble the one the other as the shape or image of the face in the glasse doth the picture that produceth it or the picture doth the liue body which it represents And besides the power of God which is able to effect all things without secondary causes or meanes subordinate we cannot imagine any other cause or reason that should moue the Iew and Gentile the Pharise Publican to coÌ„municate together in Iohns baptisme beside that which moued the beasts of euery kind herementioned by the Prophet and others beside them to hold better consort in Noahs Arke or at their entrance into it than they had done whilest they enioyed their naturall liberty in the Fields and open ayre The true reason of both these strange reconciliations coÌ„posals of these inbred fohoods was that which the great Philosopher tels vs will vnite the deadliest enemies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. The sudden approch or ioynt apprehension of dread or danger alike common and alike imminent to both Now the strange and vncouth dread of this vniuersall deluge could not choose but compell all the Land creatures to keepe the peace of nature before they entred Noahs Arke to forbeare the exercise of wonted hostility whilest they were in it and to entertaine a generall truce whilest the deluge lasted But what feare or dread of danger alike imminent to all could the Pharisee and Publican the Sadduces and the Heathen Soldiers ioyntly apprehend that might mooue them to like peace or consort during the time of Iohns baptisme or before hee was to baptize our Sauiour The Prophet Malachy to my apprehension in the conclusion of his Prophesie intimateth some great plague or curse ready to fall either vpon the whole world or at least vpon the Land of Iewry vnlesse it were preuented by such meanes as the floud might haue beene or as the destruction of Niniueh in the dayes of Ionas was preuented that is by humiliation and true repentance And this humiliation of the people or turning to the Lord by true repentance was to be wrought as Malachy speaketh by the Prophet Eliah that is as you heard before by Iohn the Baptist. The Prophets words are these Behold I will send you Eliah the Prophet before the comming of the great and dreadfull day of the Lord. And he shall turne the heart of the Fathers vnto the children and the heart of the children vnto the Fathers lest I come and smite the earth with a curse Malac. 4. vers 5 6. The best interpretation of this place is made by the Angell Gabriel Luk. 1. vers 16 17. And many of the children of Israel shall he turne to the Lord their God And hee shall goe before him in the Spirit and power of Elias to turne the hearts of the Fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisedome of the Iust to make ready a people prepared to the Lord. Vnlesse some competent multitude had beene thus prepared to entertaine the Kingdome of grace or the Gospell or Christ