Roman Governour of Syria for a punishment of this Fact caused two thousand more of them to be crucified And Archelaus going to Rome there to solicit an establishment of his Kingship from the Emperour tho the Jews there also supplicated against him for the liberty of their Nation at least to be freed from any particular King and to be subjected only to the Roman President of Syria and also the more to promote their sute displayed before the Emperour and his Court the divine hand being in it all the tyrannical and luxurious life of Herod his Father yet their designs were totally frustrated And so were Archelaus his too For Augustus saith Josephus Antiq. l. 17. c. 17. Archelaum quidem Regem non pronunciavit Dimidiae vero Judeae regionis quae Herodi tributa reddebat Toparcham constituit Spondens et Regiam quoque dignitatem si laboribus favoribus circa semetipsum meritus appareret But the issue concerning him was that after about nine years continuance in this Dignity upon a new complaint of the Jews for his crimes he was deposed and banished and his Estate confiscated by Augustus and the like was the fate of his Brother Herod the Tetrarch of Galilee And the Jews still became more immediatly subject to the Roman Yoke § 99 It is also observed by some for the perfect fulfilling of the prophecy of Esay chap 7.14 15 16. which is expressly applyed to the Blessed Virgin Mary and our Lord Mat. 1.23 That as there before Esaiah's child the type of our Lord Esai 8.18 and born of a Prophetess and Holy-woman Esai 8.4 5 representing our Blessed Lady was two years old so as to discern food grateful from ungrateful or so as plainly to speak my Father and my Mother the two Kings of Samaria and Damascus that were enemies to Gods Church were to be taken away by the Executioner of the Divine Justice the King of Assyria so before our Lord came to the same age Herod who was King of Samaria as well as Judea and Oboda the King of Damascus some few months before Herod see Josephus Antiq. l. 16. c. 10. were removed by death and their Kingdomes also by Augustus the King then also of Assyria taken away so as that their posterity did not succeed in the same Title or extent of Power The Mystical signification of all which is that the former Kingdom of Satan should now be destroyed and he cast out upon the coming and Birth of our Lord. At this very time also One Judas in Galilee under pretence of recovering liberty gathered forces and pillaged the Country against whom Varus the Roman Prefect of Syria sent part of his Army thither besieged and took Sephoris and subdued the Rebels See Antiq. l 17. c. 15. Josephus also mentions many others every where raising tumults in the absence of Archelaus during all which frights and the sword travelling through the coasts of Judea to revenge their contempt of the new-born Messiah the Blessed Virgin with our Lord and S. Joseph enjoyed in Egypt a peaceful security § 100 Herod in being thus taken away who was the last King of the Nation of the Jews for Archelaus as is said was not admitted to the same Dignity nor had the same extent of Dominion being made by Augustus Toparcha or chief Governour of Judea not Galilee all tumults there quieted and Joseph and Maries country now under anothers command the news thereof was brought by the Angel to Joseph that he should return into the land of Israel with this Child that was the true King thereof for that they were dead now that sought his life And this return of our Lord we find lively prefigured in Moses Exod. 4.19 a Deliverer also of Gods people and a Type of our Lord who when Pharaoh as here Herod a little before this deliverance had taken order for all the Male-children of the the Israelites to be put to death miraculously escaped and who afterward for his safety had fled to Midian from whence God commanded him to return unto his people for that they were now dead that sought his life Where also we may observe the way by which God usually delivers and provides for his Servants when in any strait Viz. not on a suddain and in hast and by main strength and force when as indeed all things are alwaies universally subject to his power but tacitly and without any disturbance of the course of other human affairs and as it were attending an opportunity by a secret but effectual flection and winding of these not so easily discernable by men in all things to serve his designs § 101 Joseph also retaining some dread of Archelaus one who had already shed much blood in quelling an Insurrection of the Jews was also admonished by the Angel Matt. 2.22 not to return again to Bethleem tho perhaps he might have had some thoughts thereof as imagining it Gods pleasure that this child should be educated in that honourable City of David where he was born and which was so near to the Royal City of Jerusalem but rather to his own City Nazareth where also the strange occurrences in our Lord's birth were utterly unknown And indeed this obscure and rude place in the out-skirts of the Nation was preordained by the Divine wisdom for the place of our Lords Education as necessary for the accomplishing of his sufferings and the redemption of the world by his Death that the grosly-unbelieving Jews and obstinate Pharises notwithstanding all the wisdom and mighty works that appeared in him might be the more blinded and our Lord less suspected for what he was For so still sometimes by good men it was argued against him Num ex Nazareth potest aliquid boni esse Jo. 1.46 and Jo. 7.52 Scrutare vide said the High Priest and Pharisees to Nicodemus quia à Galilea Propheta non surget § 102 Yet S. Matthew Mat. 2.23 observes First that the Prophets also have given some prenotice of this his Habitation and Title chap. 2.23 that he should be called a Nazareen perhaps alluding to Esai 11.1 calling him Nazar Flos surculus or Germen de radice Isai exurgens with which agrees Zech. 3.8 6.12 Behold the Lord whose name is the Branch Whence also Nazareth is supposed to take its Name the territory there being observed to abound exceedingly with variety of odoriferous Plants and Flowers to this day Of which thus Eugen. Rogerus in his Description of the Holy-Land who lived at Nazareth for some time in an house of his Order there This City is well called a Flower for I might aver saith he that having run through many Realms and viewed many Provinces as well of Asia as Africk and Europe I never saw any comparable to this of Nazareth for the great number of fair and pleasant Odoriferous Flowers and Plants which grow there through all the seasons of the year For from the Month of December even to April all the little Hills Fields
envious rivals in the by-standing people's much admiring his discoveries of their ignorance that they could not discern him When-as indeed his mean parentage if known to them should rather have caused a more diligent inquisition the more they saw no human means either in so young an age of his attaining such science or in a mean education such confidence But this unworthy Generation was to be as enlightened in some things so blinded in others that what was decreed might be done unto Him § 117 Of the life and conversation our Lord from the 12th to the 30th year of his Age the appointed time of the third and yet more solemn manifestation to Israel we find only this short account given by S. Luke who yet was more punctual than the other Evangelists in relating the passages of our Lords Nonage that he was subject to his parents and that he increased in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and Man that is with those few with whom he had some familiar acquaintance and else-where that he assisted Joseph his reputed Father in his Trade and manual Emploiments And from this our Lord 's permitting that so much of the story of his life in whose both words and actions to those who were witnesses thereof must needs appear infinite wisdom and sanctity and charity should be so unknown to the world we may learn the little account we ought to make of our own fame or Reputation therein and to content our selves as our Lord herein did with the approbation and acceptance which our good works or Virtues if we have any find with God and the everliving and only right-judging world of his the innumerable Angels and Saints that are above For He only hath true Glory and Honour not whom men but whom the Lord valueth and esteemeth and Tantus quisque only quantus apud Deum § 118 But yet from some passages in Scripture some other things concerning our Lord's life and Conversation in this time may rationally be collected For first it may be gathered from S. Lukes words chap. 2.44 where his parents missing our Lord are said to have sought him among their Kinsfolks and acquaintance that as in the time of his manifestation and preaching his conversation was free and common with all sorts and conditions of men so that in his youth as to those who had any nearer relation or neighbourhood to him he carried himself with much familiarity and affability for he being in no peril of temptation or contagion of sin what needed he the relief of a more strict solitude when the case is much otherwise with any of us Again from S. Lukes saying as chap. 2. vers 40 that he waxed strong in Spirit and was filled with Grace and wisdom so vers 52 that he increased in favour with God and man i. e. as he grew elder he more and more did things acceptable both to God and men Non quod sanctior aut gratior saith Cardinal Tolet progressu temporis fuerit sed quod pro aetatis incremento perfectioribus gratiae sanctitatis operibus incubuerit or sapientiora verba opera proferret apud or coram Deo hominibus as the Sun alwaies equally full of light and heat yet is said to increase them as it draweth nearer to us and we more partake them I say from vers 52 compared with vers 47. that in the 12th year of his age the Doctors and people in the Temple were astonished at his understanding and answers may be gathered that during this time of his minority in his words and actions he discovered and sent forth continually many raies of his infinite prudence Sanctity and charity not only before his Mother and S. Joseph but among his other Kindred and familiar acquaintance and that for this he was exceedingly loved and admired by them and they clearly saw concerning him as it is said of the Baptist Luk. 1.66 that the hand of the Lord was with him Out of which great admiration of him we find those called his Brethren to have followed him afterwards as well as his Mother But yet from Matt. 13.54 c. and Luk. 4.16 amp c. it also appears that he cast such a veil over these his divine Excellencies and was so reserved in his Conversation that no great reputation or fame of him was spread abroad not so much as in his own City And hence the most of them wondred afterwards at the first appearance of these Divine Graces in his preaching at Nazareth they excepting though not against any delinquency or deficiency in his manners yet the meanness of his condition the common object of contempt and his illiterate Education § 119 2ly From the words his Mother spake to him privatly at the Marriage at Cana in Galilee where also our Blessed Lady shewed her charity and pitty to her poor friends or also kinsfolks upon their wanting Wine which words imply her desire that our Lord should furnish them therewith and upon his demur yet her speaking also to the servants to do whatsoever be should bid them it may be rationally collected that he had done privatly many miracles before-time in his youth in some domestick necessities in the like manner or also in some matters belonging to his Trade Tho this miracle in Cana may notwithstanding still be said the first i. e. publick one done by him after his beginning when Baptized to manifest himself unto the world unless here we will say the Blessed Virgin had some particular Revelation before-hand of this first miracle of her Son Nor may such Domestick Miracles in his youth be thought to anticipate the time appointed by his Father for shewing such works any more then his disputes and answers to the Doctors at 12 years old the constituted season of his Publick preaching The answer also then made to his Mother that his time was not yet come perhaps is not to be taken so in general that his time of doing any Miracles was not yet come which was already commenced upon his Baptism but rather that his time of doing that miracle was not yet fully seasonable till the failing of the wine more appeared or not now seasonable to do it in such a publick manner as she expected our Lord to shew who he was should have done it before all the Guests see the like expression Jo. 7.6 about our Lords going up to the feast For our Lord thought fit to do it more privatly none knowing thereof but the Servants upon which also perhaps intimated to her it was that she spake to them to do what he appointed But however if this be here understood of publick Miracles it opposeth not his doing them privatly and within his own family even from and in his Infancy upon necessary occasions § 120 3ly From other Texts it sufficiently appears that after our Lord was of a competent growth he assisted with his own corporal labour his parents Domestick necessities and wrought at his reputed-Fathers trade with
to begin his Office and the business on which his Father sent him in his Fathers house now in the conflux thither of the whole Nation which the Baptist his Forerunner was appointed to do only afar off in the skirts of the wilderness All this according to the prophecy of Malachy chap. 3.1 2. Behold I send my Angel and he shall prepare the way before my face And forthwith the Dominator whom you seek and the Angel of the Testament whom you desire shall come to his Temple And who shall be able to abide the day of his Advent and who shall stand to see him For he is as it were purging fire and as the Herbe if Fullers c. § 180 Entring then into the Temple and seeing it prophaned though this was only in some part of the outer Court thereof with Oxen and Sheep and Doves brought thither to be sold for Sacrifices the place defiled with their Dung and disturbed with their lowing and God also offended with the ordinary frauds and lying that used to be in bargaining Bankers also having brought in their Tables and Baggs hither for changing of forraign Coyne in a place appointed for silent Devotions and Praier and for the Priests reading to and instructing the People perhaps also a greater value set on this Cattel from the sanctity of the place and their being there as it were already set aside for Sacrifice our Lord seized with a great zeal for this dishonouring of his Fathers house first went about to purge it of these and making a whip of small cords perhaps such as was there used about this merchandise with this he drives out the Oxen and Sheep and their sellers and commanded the other to remove their Doves with a Majesty none of them durst to gainsay or oppose but fled away from him The Bankers also for hast leaving their money which he as if this in such place were more offensive than the rest poured out and threw down their Tables telling them all that they were not to make his Fathers house herein declaring himself to be the Son of God an house of Merchandice But there seems more to be mystically signified in this action Viz. Our Lord the Truth and the reality now come into the world and his driving out of Gods worship all the former Types and Figures of him all the Legal Sacrifices and Ceremonies as also instead of the material Temple setting up the living Temple of his own Body now to be sanctified and filled with the residence therein of the Holy Ghost Gods dwelling in the Manual Temple being also a type of the Deity dwelling in our Lords Humanity See Col. 2.9 § 181 In doing this he was attended with his Disciples calling to mind that saying of the Psalmist The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up and with a multitude of People beholding this action and wondring at so strange a Courage and attempt and the success One of the greatest miracles faith S. Jerome In Mat. 21.12 c. that ever our Lord did and which must needs raise great expectation in the people what things would follow such a beginning And there appears an extraordinary hand of Gods providence and protection in it that our Lord should suffer no molestation for the damages those persons must suffer hereby or stop by the Gards of the Temple at such great Feasts very vigilant and how equitable soever the fact yet being Censurable in that it did not appear done by the ordinary hand of authority No sooner was this done also but that the persons thus ejected by him had soon acquainted the publick Officers and Magistrates with the fact and this joyned with the Testimony of John concerning our Lord and the fame that was already spread abroad of him laid the Foundation of that jealousy and hate toward him envying the greatness of any besides themselves which at last ended in their killing him The Court of the Temple thus cleansed our Lord began therein to preach to the people the Gospel and so declare his authority and Mission from God and to do Miracles that sufficiently attested the truth of his words And among these his Auditors was Nicodemus a chief Magistrat among the Jews and a Pharisee who presently upon sight of such miracles became his Convert But those other among them that already envied and had conceived a prejudice against him through very hard heartedness not satisfied with what strange things they saw desired upon so high pretensions of his he would shew them some sign i. e from heaven to confirm them the Jews require a sign saith S. Paul 1 Cor. 1.22 as they did often afterward notwithstanding the Miracles they beheld at the same time wrought by him which miracles our Lord on the contrary used to plead as a sufficient testimony from God of the truth of these things he delivered Our Lord though he might now as elsewhere have urged to them the Signs i. e the miracles they already saw done yet here took occasion presently to declare to them but somewhat parabolically and obscurely as their perversness well deserved that great and most admirable of all his works that he would perform for the salvation of the world see Rom. 1.4 Act. 2.36 namely the raising up again of his sacred Body from the Dead after they had slain him By which Resurrection of our Lord He and his Father confirmed to the world the truth of his person and doctrine and he also shewed the first Experiment in himself of what he promised to us § 182 This further sign therefore he then promised them not satisfied with his miracles using only these few words Destroy ye this Temple and in three daies I will raise it up Speaking of his Body saith the Evangelist which he might well call a Temple since the Deity inhabited it See Col. 2.9 as also S. Paul calls the Saints Bodies the Temples of the Holy Ghost They were already Tempters and Hypocrites requesting a sign of him not to see one but he who for ostentation did nothing not giving them one to decry him and he knowing their thoughts answered them accordingly with a Parabolical speech exceeding their understanding not worthy to be plainlier dealt with Mat. 13.10 11. And thus at the first in this speech our Lord laid a Foundation as it were seeing how they would misconstrue his words for his future passion So afterward at Capernaum when he had done before them such miracles as the people saith the Text were amazed at being impudently asked by the cavilling Pharisees that he would shew them some sign he answerd them to the same purpose that there should be no sign given to that evil Generation but that of Jonah his being three daies and three nights in the Whales belly and afterward coming forth from it Now foretelling them of the great design of his Death and Resurrection In Galilee again after the Miracle of the Loaves Jo. 6. they desired also at that very time
therefore He was ordered to appear not in feasting or in glorious array or in some rich and stately Court or populous City or Pallace but in that most rigid fasting and in rough apparel and in an uncultivated desert Thus was he sent before to baptize and clense the whole Nation and to purge them from their former sins by repentance that they might be rendred a people fit to entertain so Holy a Prince and capable to receive the large effusions of his Spirit And so we find Mat. 3.7 the whole Nation as it were upon his appearing and telling them that One followed who brought his Faun in his hand to purge his Floor and who would burn the chaff with fire unquenchable Mat. 3.11 12. flocking unto him confessing sins especially the meaner people Publicanes Soldiers and such as had no high opinion of their own righteousness and receiving baptism and inquiring of him concerning their several duty and amendment of life See Luk. 3.10 c. 7.29 And among others we find also repairing to this forerunner out of the remoter parts of Galilee several of those whom our Lord afterward entertained for his Disciples learning as it were their first rudiments from this Baptist As Andrew John Peter Philip Nathanaiel Jo. 1. c. and not unlikely Matthew also amongst other Publicans Luk. 7.29 Only the Pharisees and Lawyers much conceited of their own Holiness frustrated the Counsel of God against themselves and would not come to confession to or receive baptism from Him Luk. 7.30 and as they first refused John's principles and discipline so afterward they profitted as little under that of the Messias 3. Lastly this Sacred person was ordained to proclaim and bear witness of the Messias before his face to all the people so soon as he should appear and with his finger to point out unto them his very Person Jo. 1.26 Only because he came so near the time of our Lord no miracles were to be wrought by him lest he should turn mens eyes upon himself from him that followed Him to whom these were reserved as a Royal prerogative and therefore our Savior enumerated these to Johns Disciples questioning who he was Mat. 11.5 6. to shew them that he was the Messias and a greater Person then their Master See Mat. 11.5 § 4 St. John Baptist being designed to so high an imployment all things suitably in him were very extraordinary and transcending the common condition of other men His Parents were chosen by God persons eminently holy and near akin to the Mother of the Messias Luke 1.6 36. He was conceived miraculously as Isaac had bin formerly when concupiscence and lust was now ceased in his Parents being very old and past procreation of children as if he was not to be a child of the flesh but of the Spirit Gal. 4.29 He was sanctified and filled with the Holy Ghost even in the womb leaping there for joy saith S. Luke 1. c. 44. v. three Months before his Nativity at the approach of our Saviors presence as it were indicating thus early the Messias to his Mother His conception was first foretold to his parents by an Angel and that the same Angel Gabriel who six Months after annunciated our Lords conception to the blessed Virgin and who being singularly admitted into the secrets of God and one of the Angels of special presence Luk. 1.19 had long before those times revealed to the greatly beloved Daniel the punctual time of our Lords coming â—an 9.24 24. The Baptist thus miraculously entred into the world lived also such a life here as never any man lived before him after his infancy as one who was not like other Prophets taken for Gods service from leading a common life but from the womb filled with the Spirit He left his Fathers house who lived in a City in the Mountains of Judah and retired into the Wilderness was never corrupted with any acquaintance with men nor interessed in any affairs of human life nor learned at all the sinfully-compliant acts of ordinary society that so he might afterward as an equal stranger to all and independent on any for the necessaries of his life more freely reprehend the faults of every one whilst none could tax any in himself He lived in a remote Desert where doubtless he had much converse with God and holy Angels for what can we less imagine of him who was from the womb so singularly sanctified He used not at all the ordinary food of men at least after his sojourning in the Wilderness neither eating any Bread nor drinking any Wine so that the Jews seeing such abstinence affirmed he was possessed See Luk. 7.33 His raiment rough and suitable to his diet and such as he might receive from any dead beast for it was but Leather and woven Hair Of both which his diet and his Apparel our Savior pleased to take particular notice to the people as betokening an extraordinary person Mat. 11.8 Luk. 7.33 from whose unerring mouth he received such a testimony as never any had the like See Mat. 11.9 11 14. where tho the 11th verse there seems to intimate that the least of our Saviors disciples or followers should be made greater than he 1. in some sort more happy in hearing and seeing our Saviors words and works in enjoying clearer manifestations of the Gospel lastly in doing greater things than he namely all sorts of Miracles by the power of our Lord yet might they be notwithstanding and were most of them much inferior to him in the eminency of a continued Sanctity from his birth and the dignity of his office Who was chosen to be the first Minister of the Gospel and whose hallowed Tongue first shewed to the world the person of the Messias and whose Sacred hands baptized Him Elias the most eminent of all the Prophets as I said was his Type who prefigured him in his rough apparel and solitary abode and silvestrian fare living for the most part in the Forrest of Mount-Carmel as may be gathered from 1 King 18.19 42. comp 2 King 4.25 the habitation of his successor Elisha fed by Ravens in solitude and drinking of the Brook fasting beyond all others save Moses and Jesus typifying in his passing thro the divided waters of Jordan the baptism there of this his successor Bold in rebuking vice in Ahab as John in Herod and persecuted by Jezebel as he by Herodias § 5 And as the great Elias was the type of John so was John Baptist the most express and near Pattern and Semplar of the Messias both in the course of his life and in the manner of his doctrine and in his sufferings and death Miraculously conceiv'd in one kind as our Savior was in another and both foretold by the same Angel reserved in privacy and solitude all his younger years tho full of the Holy Ghost till about the 30th year of his age then beginning to preach and baptize as afterward did our Savior and preaching in the same new manner
six or seven miles distant from Jerusalem 't is no way imaginable that these Strangers in the Country travelled thither by night And now the Star became their Guide and went before them till they coming near our Lords secret Hermitage the Stable where He lay which poorer lodging now had its conveniencies the Enrolment perhaps being not yet finished in the better securing of his life it descended lower and stood just over it Which thing as it was necessary for the transaction of this visit with the more privacy and happily prevented their asking again the same question at Bethleem as they did at Jerusalem which might have discovered this Infant to some who might have told Herod so the Glory and splendor it cast upon this Grot served well to remove any scandal they might receive from the poverty of the persons they found within it And probably all this passed without the unworthy Bethleemite's either seeing the Star like the cloudy pillar in die wilderness that was darkness to the Egyptians whilst light to the Israelites or taking any notice of the new and strange habited Guests Which Bethleemites also before this had bin as stupid to the Relations of the good Shepheards as the Hierosolymites were but now to these Sages § 66 The Magi having entred the Grot what now might seem mean and vile to them of or in the house was abundantly recompensed in the sanctity and innocency of the persons they saw in it not like to other Mortals And so strong in faith and filled by their near approach to this Infant God with his Holy Spirit and struck with a due fear and reverence and spiritual discovery and Revelation of his Majesty they presently fell prostrat on the Ground Mat. 2.11 before the Babe held in his Mother's Armes and after worshipping for some time opened their Treasures and made their Presents to Him full of silence and respect and testifying their duty more in their actions and humble postures than in their words Behaving themselves rather as in a Temple than in a lodging § 67 The Gifts they presented were Gold Frankincense and Mirrhe the most precious things of their Country and usually offered to great persons see Gen. 37.25 and 43.11 But as is observed more especially proper offerings to this Person Aurum regi Thus Deo Myrrha morituro It being as of a fragrant smell so very exficcative and preservative from Putrefaction and hence much used in the embalming of the Dead Of which mingled with Aloes another Gumm very odoriferous an hundred pound weight was bestowed by Nicodemus on our Lord at his burial with which the linnen cloths wherein his Body was wrapped were besmeared And one of the principal Ingredients this was of the Holy ointment appointed for anointing the Priests and Sanctuary Exod. 30.23 Thy Garments smell of Mirrhe Aloes and Cassia saith the Psalmist of our Lord. And A bundle of Mirrhe is my well-beloved unto me saith the Spouse in the Canticles chap. 1. v. 13. of the same person Such Presents these great Persons for such both their Gifts and their Title of Magi intimate them to be This being a science studied only by the Nobility in those Countries and the skill thereof rewarded with the highest Honours brought to this Infant-Prince as the first Tribute of the Gentiles And so begun to be fulfilled those Prophecies which have not as yet received their compleat accomplishment in Psal 71. Coram Illo procedent Aethiopes inimici ejus terram lingent Reges Tharsis Insulae munera offerent Reges Arabum Saba dona adducent Et adorabunt eum omnes Reges omnes Gentes servient ei And in Esai 60. Surge Illuminare Jerusalem quia venit lumen tuum Et ambulabunt Gentes in lumine tuo Reges in splendore ortus tui Inundatio Camelorum operiet Te Dromedarri Madian Epha Omnes de Saba venient Aurum Thus deferentes laudem Deo annunciantes Madian and Sheba being in Arabia Felix East from Jerusalem from which Sheba came the Queen with such presents to King Salomon and the Sabeans that took away Jobs Cattel Job 1.15 And so was the title of Ethiopia common also to Arabia Numb 12.1 as well as to the Ethiopia lying West of it and further off § 68 Their gifts accepted with smiles after some further devotions and Contemplation made on their knees whilst their hearts were filled and ravished with a supernatural joy or perhaps Extasie they received a smile and Benediction from this Omnipotent Babe and so retired Infinitly satisfied for the long journey they had taken and their illuminated Reason nothing a mated but much edifyed with the mean accomodations they had seen and the humble entrance of this Lord of the Universe into the World to cure its Pride and lastly ready now to invite Herod and all the Jewish Nobility to the enjoyment of that spiritual and sublime Happiness of which they had the honour to be the first tasters not to be found in the Pallaces of Kings § 69 And now whilst they take their rest that night in the Town and are thinking of communicating to the World and especially to the pious King Herod as they had promised the happy success of their journey and the celestial Treasure they had found fit to be removed presently by Him from so mean a lodging into the sumptuous Temple he had newly built for Him Behold in their sleep the 〈◊〉 Lord that had thus far discovered his Son unto them further commands that they should by no means return to Herod as was purposed whose Counsels were treacherous but secretly and speedily depart to their own Country another way which also they successfully performed § 70 Meanwhile what great Consolation may we imagine did the neglected Virgin Mother and her devout Husband receive next to the enjoyment of our Lord in such their desolate lodging from the unexpected appearance of these Royal Guests from a forraign land conducted to that obscure place by a light from Heaven from their suddain prostration and Adoration in their first approach as subjects also of this new-born Prince and from those rich presents an opportune supply of their poverty What admiration and praise of the infinite bowels of the Divine mercy when enlightned with the Holy Spirit of Jesus they understood by this homage paid by these Gentile-Princes that this Babe was to be King of and rule over not only Israel but the whole earth Which thing also they heard afterward from Simeon at his Presentation in the Temple Lumen ad Revelationem gentium as if he had known of this meeting and the Star So God is wont still to mix hardships with Favours and recompence any sufferings of his Saints with double Consolations But in this present satisfaction and repose little did they know that their poor Babe so meanly lodged was the talk of all Jerusalem and envy of Herod or foresee the terrible storm that would shortly arise from thence §
and Devotion all the Desarts also thereof being filled with multitudes of persons who having cast-off all secular cares and having all things common were wholly employ'd in the Divine service and Contemplation From which the rest of Christianity derived the first pattern after that exercised in the Acts Act. 2.44 and Rules thereof And thus the Divine Majesty the more fully to shew himself now by his Son reconciled to the whole world sent him so soon as born to that Country especially toward which of all others he had formerly shewed his greatest wrath and displeasure and on which formerly he had powred out so many plagues § 85 Of this gracious visitation of Idolatrous Egypt by our Lord much is foretold by the Prophet Esay chap. 19. where it is said vers 1. That the Lord shall come thither on a Cloud in corpore quasi in nube vectus and the Idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence and the heart of Egypt shall be melted tn the midst of it And vers 18. That the Cities thereof shall speak the Language of Canaan Of which Cities one mentioned is Heliopolis in or near which our Lord is supposed to have sojourned there And in that day that there shall be an Altar unto the Lord in the midst of the Land of Egypt and Sacrifices offered and vowes made to him In that day that Israel shall be the third with Egypt and Assyria and a blessing in the midst between them whom all which three the Lord of hosts shall bless saying Blessed be Egypt my people and Assyria the work of my hands and Israel my inheritance This Blessing and pitty and reconciliation purchased by himself this Infant now rejoyced to carry to them and to make them capable also of Altars and Sacrifices before the Gospel restrained to Jerusalem § 86 By our Lords removing also thither and leaving his own Country so early was presignified the course and progress of the Gospel that it should pass first to the Body of the Gentiles and so when their fulness come-in return to the whole Body of the Jews when Antichrist of whom Herod was a type should be first destroyed and then be a third fulfilling of the prophecy of Hosea Out of Egypt have I called my Son For these joyes set before him this Royal Infant despised this cross so early laid upon his tender shoulders and took so long a journey with as much jubilation in obedience to his Father as his Parents with compassion of him § 87 S. Joseph being summoned for his and the Blessed Virgins appearance at Bethleem when she very great with Child and unfit for travelling on foot probably had procured an Asse to carry her thither and kept him there till their shortly-intended return home And so by the service of this poor beast which was very ready at hand as lodging in the same Roome this long journey was some-what eased the Holy Virgin riding thereon and carrying our Lord in her lap and S. Joseph leading him perhaps laden also with some tooles proper to his trade wherewith he was to get his and their living and very opportunely had the Magi presented them with a little gold to defray the charges of the way till somewhere settled in Egypt he might subsist by his labours § 88 And now leaving these holy travellers on their way making all possible speed the childs age could suffer and such a beast perform and S. Joseph using the greatest diligence and fidelity toward such a double treasure he had care of the Child and his Mother and He and She passing their time partly in a reverend silence and Devotions to God partly in discoursing and calling to mind all the wonderful things they had hitherto heard and seen concerning their litle one which afforded them great consolations in the treading those tedious Desarts Let us now return to Herod He seeing the Eastern strangers had thus deceived him and being yet more incensed by reflecting on the former Labours of his new-gotten Kingdom not being of the race of the Jews On his vast expences on many Sumptuous buildings and especially on their Temple the more to ingratiate himself with that Nation On the Title of the Messias which some of his flatterers had already conferred upon himself and besides this being made very jealous by many former conspiracies for which he had also already put some of his own children and wives to death much disgusted also with the chief Priests who asked by him where the Messiah should be born instead of naming him to this honour and disclaiming any other answered without studying in Bethleem and produced the clear words of the Prophet concerning it § 89 All these things I say rowling in his mind removed from him all humanity or demur touching his intended slaughter And therefore without any inquisition first that is mentioned either to what place or house the Magi when come thither repaired Or what Nobility there of Davids race by having a Son lately born was more liable to such a suspition tho had such a quest bin made Our Lords Stable and Cratch were now very advantagious to have escaped such a search and none was conscious of the motions of the Wise-Men but the Star he sent his souldiers all on a suddain to sorround and surprise the Bethleemites when expecting or fearing no such thing and who had they fore-known of such a body of armed men coming against them yet could not have imagined this to be intended only against such persons as were not yet capable of being accused of any fault and therefore had none provided for their safety and die slaughter was yet more cruel being done by a multitude of Soldiers every where dispersed as it were all at once A cruelty surpassing all belief had not Herod bin the Actor famous also for the killing of his own children and of whom Josephus relates not long after this a like inhumanity Viz. his designing the murther and Destruction of all the Jewish Nobility of which more hereafter To make also the surer work which was but necessary against a down-right prophecy he caused not only those born a litle before the Sages arrival at Jerusalem but all whatever born within two years before to be slain and that not only of those born in the Town but in the territories or Coasts of Bethleem having asked and learnt from the wise-men punctually at what time the Star first appeared to them From which we may collect the Star to have bin observed and admired by them for some two years before as Comets use to precede for some time the events they signify but the certain indication and design thereof to have bin only then revealed to them when the child was already born § 90 The cry and lamentation of the poor Bethleemites and especially of the Mothers all so suddainly bereft of their children was so great that S. Matthew declares it to have bin specially foretold by the Prophet Jeremy in
Deeds confirming his words who henceforth continued his faithful though secret Disciple and in the Council when our Lord was spoken against Jo. 7.51 desired they would but hear him what he might say for himself thinking that thus themselves might be as much taken with him as was their Officers in Jo. 7.46 and himself here This of our Lords gratious discourse with Nicodemus but whether all that is said in S. John chap. 3. from vers 10. to the 22. be our Lords words or part thereof from vers 16. be S. Johns dilating upon them is uncertain And the like happens in many other discourses found in the Evangelist much resembling one another § 186 The Paschal feast ended our Lord not trusting himself to the Hierosolymites Jo. 2.24 Jo. 2.24 where the Pharisees that had already conceived so much hatred against him in seeing his boldness and spirit far beyond the Baptists and the great concourse of the People to hear him had so much power and followers departed thence and went into the Country and the other Cities of Judea where he was also followed by very great multitudes as appears Jo. 3.27 and preached to them we may presume such things as before to Nicodemus concerning repentance and the washing away their former sins by Baptism and their Regeneration of the Spirit concerning his Passion and Mission from God his Father and belief in him for remission of sin All which he confirmed also every where with charitable miracles among them in ejecting Devils and healing their Infirmities which miracles the Baptist did not therefore his Brethren afterward Jo. 7.3 making mention of the Disciples and followers he had in Judea advise his return to them and the shewing his mighty works among them § 187 Here also he caused such as were his Penitents for he and his also in the first place preached Repentance as well as John See Mark 1.15 6.12 Luk. 10.13 Act. 2.38 and Converts to be baptized probably many of them together in places convenient to be baptized by his Disciples saith S. John himself not baptizing except those his Disciples that baptized others Epist 108. or some one of them to administer it to the rest For as S. Austin he that descended to the Humility of washing their feet would much more to the ministring of baptism but yet if the Apostle saith he was sent to preach not baptize much more might our Lord busied in greater affairs in teaching and relieving the peoples necessities delegate this inferior office to his Apostles as a thing which was to be continued after his departure in the succession of them to the end of the world whereas we do not find that the Baptist committed or propagated this Office to any of his Disciples but continued it only himself till it utterly ceased after that our Lord became more publickly known at the time of Johns imprisonment which followed shortly after For Johns Baptism was only preparatory to that of our Lords his signifying remission and cleansing from former sins through faith in him that came after him Act. 19.4 Our Lords conferred an ability also to live holily for the future by giving the Holy Spirit and planting Gods Grace in the Baptized for newness of life and bringing forth good works Though those extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit also was not as yet conferred as were after our Lords Ascention and sending down the Holy Ghost at Pentecost in all its miraculous and Stupendious operations and effects Of which effects it is that the Evangelist speaks when he saith chap. 7.39 That the Spirit was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified Such a difference therefore being between John's and our Lords Baptism S. Johns hindred not but that those baptized by him came and received it afterward from our Lord by the hands of his Disciples as we see S. Paul meeting at Ephesus with some that had received Johns Baptism yet rebaptized them in the name of the Lord Jesus Act. 19.5 and it cannot be thought but that many of those thousands of Penitents Act. 2.41 and 4.4 that were Baptized by the Apostles had received it formerly from John § 188 The Baptist also to give way to our Lord so soon as he began to make his peragrations in the Country and Cities of Judea had removed farther off toward Galilee and so nearer also to the Court of Herod He having often changed his station to communicate his Ministry during his time appointed more freely to several parts of the Nation Who at the first preached on the West or hither side of Jordan in the wilderness of Judea where he had formerly spent his life not very remote from his Fathers house after removed to Bethabara beyond Jordan in Peraea belonging to Herods Jurisdiction where our Lord was baptized by him Hence also departed further from Jerusalem left as I said to our Lord and from the Pharisees his great Enemies into the more Northern parts baptizing now not in Jordan but in Enon upon the coasts of Galilee not far from Jordan and where was a River flowing into it Whence probably King Herod also hearing of his Fame sent for him heard his Sermons and consulted him also in his Affairs But of this more hereafter § 189 Whilst our Lord thus preached in Judea and John in the Borders of Galilee the self same Doctrine and Gospel Repentance and the Kingdom of Heaven and Salvation brought into the world by the Son of God Jesus to whom John bare witness as such and whilst both were frequented by much people but our Lord by many more than John as for other reasons his great Majesty and authority in Teaching his Miracles of all sorts so for Johns sending and referring all men to Jesus and Johns Baptism also relating to his for compleating it Satan upon this begun to stir up some emulation and controversy between their followers and also concerning the dignity of their persons as appears by John's answer to them which was to be preferred the Disciples of John having a zeal for their Master strangely severe and mortified in his diet apparel fasts retreats and one from whom our Lord also received his Baptism and yet seeing a much greater concourse of people after our Lord one more free and popular in his Conversation and many more receiving Baptism from him than from John and on the other side our Lords followers among the Jews justly and that from the Baptists own mouth and frequent confession preferring both the Baptism and Person of Jesus This then doubtless was some ground of their Contest but some think there might be some disputation also between the Disciples of John and of the Pharisees concerning the Virtue of the former Mosaical Purification and cleansing viz. whether those not equal or much preferrable with this new Rite introduced by the Baptist and afterward continued by Jesus Hence S. John's Disciples came to him and told him complainingly that the person who came to him for
baptism and to whom his commendation and testimony had procured so much reputation for which they thought he should have had the more respect for John fell on Baptizing also and gathering Disciples and that all people repaired unto him they meanwhile making no mention also of his miracles § 190 To whom the humble Baptist as one over-joyed to hear this news to allay their murmurings answers on this manner and took this occasion to make them a Sermon on this subject the last of his that the Gospel mentions wherein he first told them that no man could advance himself any higher than he had received favours from above to be Jo. 19.11 that they themselves could witness the witness which he had alwaies born to our Lord and how he taught that himself was not the Christ but one sent before to make way for him as a paranymphus to go before him that this indeed was the true Bridegroome of the Church and himself only the Bridegroomes friend who rejoyceth in seeing the Bridegroomes caressing of his Bride and in hearing all the sweet and gracious words he speaks to her and in her amorously gathering and adhering to and panting after him and that in this now his joy was compleated That himself was to decrease and cease this his office after a little time but not so the other but his Kingdom to be dilated and encreased more and more that he being an earthly man could of himself speak only low and earthly things to them but that this was the Son of God to whom his Father gave not the Spirit by measure as to others Col. 2.3 1.19 1 Cor. 12.11 1 Pet. 4.10 Jo. 5.19 20 30. Apoc. 1.1 but that he perfectly knew all his Fathers secrets and was now descended from him and from Heaven to reveal to the world what he had there heard and seen 1 Jo. 5.10 and that whosoever believed his words only set his seal to the truths of God but yet that many were so hard-hearted as not to receive his Testimony finally that God loveth this his Son and hath given all things especially touching mans salvation into his hands and that the whole world being sinners and lâ—ing under the wrath of God he came hither that so many as believed on him should not perish but have remission of their sin and eternal life Jo. 17.2 3. but for those who did not so Gal. 3.10 the wrath of God still remained upon them § 191 Much mitigated and lenifyed with this Sermon somewhat contrary to their expectation Johns Disciples acquiesced in their Masters Testimony Nor had any more contention in this matter But yet after this some scruples and controversy we find made by them concerning our Lords Disciples their non-observing some solemn times or hours of falling as they and those reputed the holyest persons among the Jews the Pharisees did they not knowing that our Lord the Bridegroomes Gracious presence and Virtue supplied to these his attendants all proficience in spiritual matters without the usual preparations and helps belonging thereto By which we see how prone men are even in spiritual things to partiality and siding and factions effects of some relicks of self-love in those who seem most perfect And lastly John after he was imprisoned thought fit to send some of them to our Lord himself to see and so report to the rest his great works for the more confirming their faith of his being the Messias § 192 The Baptist meanwhile a burning and shining light as our Lord calls him continued his preaching in the coast of Galilee not to draw men from but to send them in faster to the Saviour of the world Nor had he long remained in those parts nearer the Kesidence of Herod but that He being though an Idumean by his descent yet a Proselite of the Jews Religion and hearing of his same esteemed by all the people as a Prophet Mat. 21 26. 14 5. either came to his Sermons in the place where John taught and Baptized or which is more probable sent for him to his Court. Of whom the Evangelist further saith Mark 6.20 that he feared John knowing him to be a just and Holy man and that he heard him gladly and did many things according to his advice and directions § 193 Now Herod having bin very faulty in his manners and Government for our Lord calls him a Fox and at last he was for his crimes ejected out of it by the Emperour and died in Banishment the Baptist having access to him and being a preacher of penance and doubtless illuminated by the Holy Spirit to know those affairs and faults of his with which his Education in the Desart could have bin little acquainted freely reproved him for his many evil deeds and among other for his taking his Brother Philips wife contrary to Gods express command Levit. 18.16 20 21. and that whether his Brother were alive or deceased for that his Brother had had a child by her the Daughter that danced so well before Herod And in this thing Herod was still the more guilty because he had already a former wife the Daughter of Aretas King of Arabia whom in his falling in love with Herodias upon a new compact made with her he put away and so provoked Aretas in revenge of his Daughter to make war upon him wherein he was deservedly very unfortunate Josephus imputes the cause of such his ill success Antiq. Judaic l. 18. c. 10. chiefly to his slaughter of the Baptist but however this war happened very opportunely for affording Herod less leasure to look after the motions of our Lord or giving any disturbance to them But returning to the Baptists reproof we find by the words in the Text It is not lawful for thee c. that this was not spoken of Herod in his absence but made to himself whether publickly or in private or the one after the other both being lawful according to several circumstances and the former sometimes necessary 1 Tim. 1 20. is uncertain § 194 This reproof of Herod for marrying her soon came to the ears of Herodias who perceiving Herods good inclinations to John and his obsequiousness in several matters to follow his Admonitions from which she might have some fears of her being removed from his bed and so the troubles of the war also with Aretas declined was fill'd with an implacable wrath and hatred against the Baptist Who coming in the Spirit of Elias and shewing the same zeal tor observance of Gods laws to Herod as the other to Ahab found a like persecution from her as Elias from Jezabel when as the two Husbands were more indulgent Herod overcome with her importunity and the power she had over Him sent his officers and took John and bound him Matt. 14.3 saith S. Matthew and cast him into prison For which imprisonment he wanted not a more specious pretence of fearing from the concourse of people made to him some sedition and tumults
to which the Pharisees also were not wanting to give their assistance in representing John the Author of a new Sect and acting without and against authority which though this crafty man knew to be envy in them yet he made use of this colour to cover the true Cause of this imprisonment and therefore this reason thereof is given by Josephus Antiq Judaici l. 18. c. 12. Veritus saith he cum ad audiendum cum quamplurima multitudo concurreret ne forte doctrinae ejus persuasione populi a suo regno discederent c. and our Lord also intimates the Pharisees and Governours of the Jews to have had a hand in this restraint Mat. 17.12 where he saith that they knew him not but did to him whatever they listed as they should afterward do to himself Thus cast in prison Herodias not appeased or secured herewith next solicits Herod also for the speedy taking away his life but both the fear of the people esteeming John a Prophet and his own reverence of him as yet with-held him from it For which cause also in prison he laying the blame thereof upon his wife indulged him so much liberty as to have some converse with his friends and his Disciples there to come to and attend upon him and so neither here as also afterward S. Paul was he an useless servant to our Lord. § 195 Leaving the Baptist now a Prisoner and an end put to his publick preaching after that our Lord was sufficiently manifested to the people of Israel and begun to be assisted in his work by other new Disciples let us return to our Lord. He had now continued preaching and baptizing in Judea after the Paschal Feast for about some eight Months for when removing hence he came into Samaria it is said Jo. 4.35 that it wanted but foure months to the next harvest and so to the next Pasch which Feast was celebrated at the beginning of the harvest at which time was offered a sheaf of the first fruits of their Corn Lev. 23.10 Deut. 16.9 as at Pentecost the first loaf of bread after Harvest gotten in between these two feasts In this time our Lord converting to the Gospel and faith in him as the Saviour of the world and so baptizing by his Disciples such multitudes of people far beyond the actings of John and this so near to Jerusalem had already alarm'd the Pharisees and rulers of the Jews and more and more incensed their wrath against him who could not rest from devising some way for his death or restraint especially after they had bin so succesful against the Baptist and we find afterward in Jo. 7.1 the reason more plainly given of our Lords residing no more in Judea but in Galilee because the Jews i. e these chief Governours and Leaders of them sought already to kill him By which we see also that our Lord for most of his time after he appeared once went in great danger of his life for in flying from the Pharisees in Judea in Galilee also there was an Herod Therefore Our Lord saith S. John Jo. 4.1 knowing the Pharisees had heard of his making and baptizing more disciples than John Matt. 4.12 and having heard also the severity used toward the Baptist purposed to leave Judea and return into Galilee so to decline for the present the evil designs of the Pharisees a gainst him and also to carry the light or the Gospel into those remoter places where it had not yet appeared and where John was interrupted in his Ministery For though Herod lived in the same quarters yet was he by the Divine providence so diverted by other affairs and especially the new dissentions between him and Aretas and his mind also so much afflicted with the unjust imprisonment of John as that he had little inclination to persecute any more Prophets and when at last after his murthering of John our Lords same from every side sounded in his ears his guilt presently imagined him John reviv'd and so rendred him less inquisitive after matters that would little redound to his Honour § 196 Our Lord thus removing with his Disciples out of Judea into Galilee came in his way hither to a City of Samaria situate in Mount Ephraim called Sychar but the same with the Ancient Schechem or Sychem of which see Gen. 33.18 c. the place where Jacob returning into Palestine from Laban purchased a field of the Children of Hamor Father to Sechem that afterward defloured Dinah and there first erected an Altar probably on Mount Garizim or Ebal since Altars used to be erected on the most eminent places and nearest to Heaven being two tops of the same Hill near one another where also viz. on Mount Ebal God commanded the Israelites that soon after their entrance into Canaan they should erect an Altar See Deut. 27 4. c. and Josh 8.30 c. and also should set up some great Stones on which plaistered over should be written the law and also on these two tops of the Hill one o're against another that there should be solemnly pronounced by the Levites the Benedictions and Curses the people saying Amen Which twelve Curses are there set down the matter of Benedictions being supposed to be the observing the Contrary to these Maledictions of which see more in Deut. 28. Hereabouts also and perhaps in the same place Abraham at his first entrance into Canaan upon Gods appearing to him in that place built an Altar see Gen. 12.6 7. At this place also Joshua assembled Israel before his Death and made a Covenant with them before the Lord c. See Josh 24.1 26. And this Hill Garizim was so near to this City that Jotham is said from the top or side of it to have spoken to the Sychemites Judg. 9.7 and the Samaritan woman calls it this Hill Jo. 4.20 as a place very near to her This City also was the first place as it were for a preludium taken possession of by armes by the seed of Abraham the Sons of Jacob in revenge for dishonouring their Sister Of which see what Jacob saith Gen. 48.22 Afterward being destroyed by Abimeleck Judg. 9.45 it was reedifyed by Jeroboam and made his regal seat Antiq. l. 11. cap. 7.8 and so it was saith Josephus in Sanballats time a Gentile Governour of Samaria under Darius Whose daughter being married to Manasses a Son of the High Priest and he for it ejected out of the Priesthood Sanballet calling him into Samaria by Alexander the Great 's leave who had then conquered those Provinces built a Temple for the worship of the God of Israel on Mount Garizim in emulation of that of Jerusalem in the rebullding of which the Samaritans before had offered their concurrence but was rejected Ezra 4.2 3. wherein Manasses his Son-in-law should officiate This was done some three hundred years before our Lords Incarnation which occasioned a Schism between the Samaritans and the Jews like to that former of Jeroboam Part
to them and to be an accidentary diminution of their present pains Yet again the absence of good Angels from the Court of Heaven and the glorious appearance of Gods Majesty there when they sent hither is recompensed with the joy they have in doing Gods will and succouring his Servants here below so the relaxation the Devils have from their low imprisonment seems counterpoised in their ascent with the gnawing grief they have here by reason of their malice its being so frequently defeated and the good Angels and also Holy men ruling over them and Gods continually bringing his greater good and Glory out of their evils and by their punishment after the last day to be increased according to the evil also they have done on earth As for souls departed hence the return of them hither out of those places of joy and repose above or of torment below wherein they are received till the last day is much more uncertain especially concerning the damned And the frequent apparitions that are made here of Saints departed or if any such have bin of some souls that are in hell all these may be represented by the ministery of Angels good or evil Pardon this digression Now to go on § 212 The Devil thus supplicating our Lord not to destroy them adds further that he well knew him who he was the holy one of God as the Devils did frequently at other times See Mark 3.11 where they also fell down before and worshipped him and Luk. 4.41 the Devils saith the Evangelist came out of many crying out and saying Thou art Christ the Son of God for they saith he knew that he was Christ See also Acts 16.17 18. He being either made to speak this truth out of constraint and against his will or out of flattery hoping so to find some favour from him who was neither able to carry his prey away or himself to quit the place Our Lord first commands him silence as elsewhere Luk. 4.41 and as also the Apostles Acts 16.18 not accepting any such testimony from the Father of lies which Author also might render it suspicious and therefore speak it that it might not be believed and charged him also to leave the person So roaring out again amain as if dreading those greater sufferings to which he was remitted or at least the loss of his prey he threw down the person in the midst of the people and so left him without any further hurt This is the first Devil that is mentioned to have bin cast out by our Lord as still greater works by degrees are shewed by him and the first Confession made by them of his person and of their subjection to him upon which the people much admiring cryed out what virtue and power hath this man that the Devils streight obey his commands § 213 After this our Lord departing from the Synagogue with his four Disciples entred into the house of Simon Peter at noon there to take his dinner See Luk. 14.1 where it seems was his ordinary abode when in Capernaum Here Simon Peters wives mother lay sick of a Feavor probably seizing on her but the night before otherwise our Lord would have bin importuned for her sooner whom he presently healed with only touching her with his hand and rebuking and commanding the feavor to depart from her who presently arose and helped to provide necessaries for them For the rest of the day being the Sabbath he was free from the multitude till the evening after sun set But then saith St. Mark all the City were gathered about the door bringing their sick to be cured as also several possessed with Devils whom trembling and confessing him as the former had done in the Synagogue that he was Christ the Son of God he presently silenced them both as unwilling to borrow any testimony from such vile and detestable wights and as these unseasonable now discovering the Dignity of his person which tended to the prevention of his sufferings and contradictions he was to undergo as also proposing himself in a pattern to us of modesty and humility in not permitting any thing to our own praise to be said in our presence § 214 All people thus flocking after him the next morning for preventing the like concourse and likewise for preparing himself for his intended journey and circuit about Galilee he arose a great while before day and before the Disciples were awake or aware of it and departed into a solitary place and there betook himself to prayer probably giving thanks here to God his Father for the gracious benefits afforded to mankind by his ministery and petitioning for his Auditors their bringing forth worthy fruits thereof and also for the future like success thereof in those other parts of Galilee of which he now intended a visitation And here in such his retiring into solitude and that by night a time not encombred with other employments giving us also an example how we may best perform our devotions without distraction by night-watching and retirements S. Peter and the other Disciples when risen and missing him in the house went out after him and having found told him that all men sought for him And by this time also the people had discovered where he was and so importuned him for a longer stay and that he would not depart so soon from their City But he answered them that he must preach the Kingdom of God also to other Cities and people for therefore was he sent § 215 So leaving Capernaum for a time Our Lord departed to preach the Kingdom of God in the other Cities and Towns of lower Galilee doing this especially in their Synagogues on the Sabbaths And then after his Sermons and cures applyed to their souls ordinarily healing their sick and freeing the possessed attended meanwhile with his Disciples and followed by great multitudes of people and by several of the Scribes and Pharisees some as his Converts others as spies upon his words and actions their envy toward him increasing with his fame and applause As for the following History of our Lords Travels Sermons and Miracles in Galilee which are more fully related by the three first Evangelists there seems a great uncertainty as to the time and place of several of them these all endeavoring brief relations and chiefly intending the matter but not the Order as a thing of less consequence Nor is the contexture of these stories in the Harmonists though gathered by them with a most diligent and scrupulous observation of the circumstances and of any necessary connection expressed in any one of the Evangelists yet so evident or agreeing with one another as that there doth not remain probable arguments of ranging several of them otherwise Therefore I shall without much solicitude or anxiety in a matter which seems by no industry clearly decidable nor an errour therein much damagable chuse to follow that Method wherein the most of them do consent and have already pitched on § 216 Our Lord then
in this his travelling through these Cities and Coasts bordering on the west side of the Lake having made himself so publickly known was by the concourse of people still increasing forced frequently to change his place and at last saith the Evangelist absent himself from the Cities and repair into solitudes and desarts where company if not wholly prevented yet was somewhat lessened and so he might communicate his doctrine and mighty works more freely to new Auditors which excessive concourse of people we may imagine he avoided upon many other reasons not only for procuring hereby some time of necessary rest both to himself and his Disciples but also for the not giving any jealousy to Herod and for preventing any disturbance from his Officers for declining the suspition of affecting popularity and applause and for remedying the inconveniences such great multitudes of men women and children remote from Cities might suffer for want of provisions § 217 After some time thus spent in Galilee for the further spreading still of his new Gospel he gave order to his Disciples to pass over to the other side of the Sea of Galilee Mat. 8.18 Upon which a Scribe came to him and offered his service to attend upon him whithersoever he went his intentions herein are not mentioned but by our Lords answer it may be suspected that upon seeing such wonderful works of our Lord and such a fame of and concourse to him he hoped like Simon Magus the purchase of some great reputation or gain to himself also thereby Our Lord the better to inform him of the hardship and poverty of such a service told him that the Foxes perhaps intimating therein the cunning and wise men of this world had provided themselves holes and the wandring birds nests where to repose and retire themselves but the Son of man had not where to lay his head For our Lord had no house no possessions of his own even in Capernaum was only a sojourner in anothers house probably Peters and in his travels and peragrations it seems by Mark. 1.45 took up his lodgings on nights sub dio in desart places His great fame also and conflux of people to him hindring saith the Evangelist that he could no more openly enter into the Cities Which desarts in any remission of business and vacancy from the crowds of people he made use of for praier Luk. 16. So Mark. 6.46 at night after he had miraculously fed such a multitude he went higher into the Mountain and there taking up his lodging and it seems by what happened to his Disciples in a very tempestuous night continued in praier till the fourth watch or the third hour in the morning And again Mat. 15.32 he is said to have remained three daies together in a desart Mountain and many thousands with him among which many women also and children whom it seems much transported with his discourses and having taken little care of themselves he miraculously fed that they might not be famished And the like was his practice at Gethsemane at the foot of Mount Olivet at the times when he preached in Jerusalem Yet surely such hardships our Lord underwent not necessitated thereto either for want of friends and benefactors who had obliged so many with his miracles or also of an inheritance though this small from his parentage but such poverty and dereliction of all things he rather chose for a single attendance without any other solicitudes or embarrasments whatever on the Gospel because the labourer he knew at least from the Divine provision could not want his salary viz. necessaries and also for a recommendation of the like condition to others that desired to be more perfect And some such thing we see he proposed to the young rich man upon the account of attaining perfection Mat. 19.21 with which answers of our Lord it is probable the Scribe here as that young man disheartned cooled-in and receded from his former purpose and pretentions § 218 Upon this free offer of the Scribe S. Matthew infers another and S. Luke a third though perhaps not all occurring at the same time of two other persons who offered their constant attendance upon our Lord either freely on their own accord or also by him invited to it only requested his leave to dispatch one business first and this in order thereto the one of them the burying of his Father news being supposed to have come then suddainly to him of his death a matter seemingly of great piety and capable also of no long retardment or delay though some other Commentators think that his Father being aged and near his Grave the Disciple desired to be dispenced with till after his death The other desired his permission only first to shew the civility to his friends and kindred at home of bidding them Adieu a thing of less stay or demur than the other Yet our Lord to shew us the great importance of immediatly prosecuting good purposes and especially the things belonging to the Kingdom of God and the nothingness of and danger of temptation by such secular diversions and Ceremonies franckly denies both these seeming small and reasonable requests Answering them in Parables or Metaphors § 219 To the one he said let the Dead bury their Dead shewing what esteem our Lord had of the men of this world viz. as of dead in it as on the other side the Apostle makes Gods Saints dead to it and intimating the nobleness of this mans present calling in respect of his former sad condition Coloss 3.2 and of those of his Relations dead to God and spiritual things and that there was enow of them to do this office to his Father and that the employment he was graciously invited to was not to bury but raise the Dead to newness of life To the other that whoso puts his hands once to the Plow and looketh back is not fit for the Kingdom of God for if the Plow-man looks back but for a minute his plow cannot go right Signifying in both his answers great intentiveness and diligence without any distractions required in prosecuting that only business our Salvation and especially such as are imployed in the procuring also the salvation of others and seeing much better then they the harm to their new good resolutions that might be incurred by these impediments that the one in burying his Father would next be ingaged about settling the inheritance too and the other by his kindred disheartned in his present good purposes and allured by some other baits from further pursuing them Which answers of our Lord call to mind the Lesson elsewhere to his Disciples Matt. 6. Quaerite regnum Dei reliqua adjicientur and to Martha concerning unum necessarium and his Admonition Luk. 17.31 non descendat in domum tollere vasa sua memores estote uxoris Lot and S. Pauls practices Phil. 3.13 Quae retro sunt obliviscens ad priora contendo § 220 When our Lord was entered into the
the custome of the Jews See Jer. 9.17 2 Chron. 35.25 were called thither and by their doleful Notes and Voices according to the design of these excited the grief of all those friends and acquaintance that came to lament with the Parents of the deceased Our Lord commanded their silence and slighted the matter to do this great miracle with the more privacy so the less as yet to provoke the envy and persecution of the Pharisees as also to be a pattern herein to us of avoiding applause He excluded all others and took only into the roome the parents of the Damsel and three of the Disciples a competent number for witnesses and taking the deceased maid by the hand bid her arise which she presently did her soul returning to her and walked before them Our Lord to shew the cure perfect bidding them to give her some food the parents and Disciples must needs be much astonished hereat This being for the Rulers honour and rewarding of his patience the first of the only three persons our Lord raised from the dead during his whole life time And therefore this as the first done with more secrecy the raising of the widows Son more openly and of Lazarus again more publickly than that And his power herein also was manifested by several degrees First this maid was raised not long after deceased and whilst yet lying in her bed but the widows Son when already carried forth to be buried And lastly Lazarus after his having bin buried and lain four daies in his Grave The Parents then being enjoyned secrecy but no way perswaded thereto thinking it a part of their gratitude to divulge it Our Lord departed toward his own lodging in Capernaum § 241 In the way two blind men followed him desiring testorement of their sight and stiling him the Son of David i. e the promised Son to whom the Kingdom of David should be restored see Luk. 1.32 and see the like of other blind men Mat. 12.23 and Mark 10.47 52. which was an act of great faith in them Our Lord took no notice of them in publick but when come into the house he first to try and strengthen their faith asked them whether they believed that he was able to do such a thing and then touching their eyes with his hands imputed the cure to their faith enjoyning them also secrecy but in vain to men so overjoyed As these cured blind men went out from our Lord they brought to him one possessed with a Devil that rendred him dumb and speechless Which Devil being cast out the dumb presently had his speech restored to him the people wondring and praising God the Pharisees raging and blaspheming and divulging among the people when their mouths were stopt as to his other miracles that for his ejecting Devils he did it by the power of the Prince of the Devils with whom he was in league over the rest his Subjects perhaps by them now at first in our Lords absence but afterward in his presence too where we shall also meet with our Lords answer to it § 242 After our Lords residence for some four months at Capernaum and elsewhere in Galilee as appears by Jo. 4.35 42. and his visiting all the Cities and Villages thereof teaching in their Synagogues preaching the Gospel healing their sick and doing many miracles among which was the raising of the Rulers young daughter deceased to life the next Paschal feast of the Jews now approached being the second of those feasts succeeding his baptism and he now in the thirty second year of his age For the Celebration whereof our Lord together with his Disciples went up to Jerusalem whose words and actions there are delivered to us by S. John writing after the rest of the Evangelists and supplying many things omitted by them who declareth chiefly these his words and actions transacted in Galilee the place of our Lords ordinary residence for declining the fury of the Pharisees and Rulers of the Jews till the appointed time of his Death was at hand § 243 Here then S. John first relates a Miracle done at Jerusalem by our Lord upon a much-known Paralytick Done on the Sabbath day and further the man bid by him to take up his bed and walk contrary as it seemed to their law forbidding them the doing any work Exod. 20.10 and particularly bearing of any burdens Jer. 17.21 22 which thing when discovered by the great ones among the Jews to have bin done by our Lord so highly enraged them saith the Text as instead of magnifying him for so great and charitable a Miracle they not only persecuted but thought to stay him for causing such a breach of the Sabbath Jo. 5.16 The Story is this Near the Sheep-or beast-Gate and not far from the Temple was a great pool said to have bin made first by Solomon where the Sacrifices were to be washed and made clean before they were carried into the Temple This pool serving for such an Holy use an Angel of God at certain times but uncertain when or how often or whether more usually at the feasts descended and moved or troubled and muddied or ruffled the waters thereof After which motion discerned the first person any way infirm of his limbs lame blind withered paralytical c. that could get into the water was immediatly and perfectly cured which curing of one only shews it to proceed from a peculiar divine dispensation and not any natural cause and this because rarity recommends and sets a great value on Gods works as we see our Lord also of many infirm that then lay here cured only one In the five porches thereof built for this purpose and the place therefore called Bethesda i. e. Domus misericordiae lay a multitude of infirm people waiting for the troubling of the water Among these was a poor man lying on a bed that had laboured under his infirmity thirty-eight years inveterate and incurable who also had lain there a long time by reason of his poverty having no help and still prevented by others stepping into the moved water before him § 244 Our Lord visiting this Hospital if I may so call it on the Sabbath made choice of this man on whom to shew his mercy restrained here in order to his passion from such universal benefactions as he wrought in Galilee both as being a greater object of charity and his long infirmity well known abroad and as one having a bed the carrying away of which bed on the Sabbath he knew would give the Jews much occasion of inquiring after him that commanded it and by which he might shew to them more publickly his authority and commission and whence he was and that he was both Master of the most veteran and incurable diseases and Lord also of the Sabbath After his having asked him first to excite his faith and expectation whether he had a desire to be cured and heard his doleful complaint who hoped it only from the waters he bad him presently
their Disciples see Mat. 23.5 and intended only the advancement of their own honour with men which they saw our Lords eclypsed They sought to justifie themselves before men saith S. Luke 16.15 and they did their works that they might have glory of men Mat. 6.2 and they loved the praise of men saith S. John more than the praise of God Jo. 12.42 and this ruined their faith founded on humility and obedience sancta stultitia ut sapiens fiat 1 Cor 3.18 that therefore whilst now they thus rejected him who coming in great humility spake all things unto them in the name of God his Father and no way magnifyed himself nor sought as they his own Glory Jo. 7.18 8.50 by Gods just judgment upon them they should hereafter be given up to follow others who came to them in their own name many seducers and false Prophets neither by true miracles or other testimony shewing their Commission from God as he did Which things were eminently fulfilled by this nation prone to follow those who pretended themselves Prophets not long after our Lords ascent into heaven by many Heads of their factions provoking the Roman Armies and the destruction of the Nation following upon it § 247 Our Lords Sermon being ended occasioned by the Jews accusing him first for a breach of the Sabbath in his curing the Paralytick and then again of Blasphemy in the defence he made for himself In which discourse of his they and said only truth in it said he made himself equal with God A new Controversy concerning the Sabbath happened again not long after on this manner On the first Sabbath succeeding the Paschal feast as S. Lukes word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is commonly understood in reckoning in the seven Sabbaths till Pentecost from the second day of the Paschal-feast On this or some other so called Our Lord with his disciples perhaps in his removal now towards Galilee after the feast ended or as some think in his going from Mount Olivet through the vale to Jerusalem passed through some corn-fields probably in going to some Synagogue there to instruct the people as was his ordinary practice on the Sabbath and as may be conjectured from the multitude of people that followed him and among them some Pharisees who quitted him not watching most narrowly all his waies words and actions for materials of accusation against him Now some shorter journeys on the Sabbath were not disallowed because of repairing to the publick places of Gods service when at some distance from mens habitations In this field the Disciples or some of them at least being much an hungred began as they passed to pluck the eares of corn and so rubbing them in their hands to eat it a thing indulged by the law to any travellers through their Neighbours corn Deut. 23.25 and a thing commonly done had it not bin on the Sabbath and so this labour done in it Viz. of rubbing the eares in their hands For it seems on other Festival daies besides the seventh day of the week which festivals were also called Sabbaths See Lev. 23.11 15.24 32. though in these also they were prohibited the doing of any servile work yet they might then do any thing relating to preparing their diet see Exod. 12.16 But on the seventh day they were prohibited any work whatever See Levit. 23.7 comp 3. even in order also to their daily food as to making any fire for dressing it c. Exod. 35.3 Though this again could not be so strictly understood as that no motion might be used on that day in order to our diet as the carrying or setting it on a Table the cutting of it into pieces or putting it in their mouths And the Disciples food here seems to be a provision ready-dressed there only remaining their picking it out of the ear to put it in their Mouths The Pharisees streight observing this their rubbing of the eares instead of any Compassion toward the poor disciples who endured much hardship both as to diet and lodging in this ambulatory life of the Lord they waited on fell on quarrelling again at their breach herein of the Sabbath and hereof made their complaint to our Lord. To whom he answered but out of the Scriptures several things all intimating that these zelots were too strict and scrupulous in this matter He represented to them then that David in a kind of necessity was excused in eating of the Proposition Bread and prohibited to any save the Priests That the Priests in the Temple on the Sabbath-daies for the necessary performance of their office profaned the Sabbath Viz. in the work of repairing the fire on the Altar killing and preparing the Sacrifices c. and were blameless herein whence the Jewish proverb that In Templo non est Sabbathum which Temple if it excused them that there was here one greater than the Temple the attendance on whom and the wanting of other necessary provision might excuse the Disciples in this fact That himself was Lord and Author also of the Sabbath as also of the whole law and a Judg of the true observance or breach thereof our Lord taking occasion every where to let them know who he was that so they might believe in and have salvation by him And that the Sabbath being made for the benefit of man the rest thereof was not extended to deprive him of any necessaries And besides these he pressed them again with that place in Hosee I will have mercy and not Sacrifice Herein upbraiding their hypocritical pretences of sacrifice religious ceremonies and the worship of God to discountenance works of mercy and charity which on this day as to others so much more may be performed to our selves and this in particular of repairing our bodies therein with necessary sustenance that therefore if they had well known what that saying meant they would not have condemned the guiltless Thus our Lord where his urging misericordiam volo non sacrificium and Davids and the Priests fact in a case of necessity argues his disciples though t is probable in a morning as his own hungring was Mat. 21.18 much pinched with hunger and that in this ambulatory and Pilgrim life they made many poor meals and missed many and so their Master too And that the same happened to them for lodging And therefore he forewarned the Scribe that would attend on him Mat. 8.19 what he must expect § 248 To this Quarrel concerning the Sabbath the Evangelist adds another happening on another Sabbath perhaps the next Our Lord now returned into Galilee and probably to Capernaum went as usually into their Synague and taught Now there stood before him a man that had his right hand withered And the Pharisees observing it and nothing bettered by our Lords late answer to them watched him whether he would heal him on the Sabbath that they might have saith the Text still more accusation against him Our Lord perceiving their wicked thoughts having first called forth the
person and set him in the midst of the Assembly as an object of great pity before he cured him and that he might do it as it were with their good leave and consent or with the more shame and confusion to them asked them what they thought of it whether it was lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil to save life or to destroy it there being no medium between bene male facere in any necessity of our neighbour the non-releiving of which if in our power is a sin to which they being silent not only to let him go forward in his purpose but because they knew not what safely to answer he demanded further who among them having one Sheep faln into a pit would not streight go lay hold of it and pull it out on the the Sabbath and then how much a man better than a sheep and a greater charity this where less our own interest And thus saith the Text when he had looked round about on them with anger being grieved for the hardness of their hearts upon his only bidding the man stretch forth his hand and his doing so it was restored whole as the other Where it seems somewhat hard to find a breach of the Sabbath as to any corporal work Our Lord held his hands still touched him not only spake to him the man stretched out his hand and who doth not this on the Sabbath without guilt yet it appears they were though silenced not satisfied but rather more filled with madness § 249 So that they went presently upon it and joyned themselves with the Herodians whom we find also Mat. 22.16 combining with the Pharisees and questioning our Lord about the lawfulness of paying tribute And in Mark 8.15 Our Lord warns his Disciples to be-ware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod i.e. of the Herodians where S. Mat. c. 16.6 saith of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Saducees It seems then they were a looser and more prophane Sect much what of the Saducee-opinions much more addicted to and complying with Herod and the present Roman Government than the Pharisees were and so sufficiently odious to them but yet these as siding with the Secular state able to do more mischief and so they were made use of by the Pharisees in the persecution of our Lord. With these then the Pharisees consulted how they might destroy our Lord and that presently as appears by his suddain removal out of that place which probably was Capernaum From whence he went as he used to the Sea of Tiberias giving order to his disciples that a small ship should wait upon him so to avoid the press of the people and more commodiously to teach them out of the ship For an infinite multitude of them from all Quarters from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon and of the other side of Jordan and from Idumea as well as Judea and Galilee followed him what way ever he moved Partly for hearing his most admirable and ravishing discourses and prudent answers partly for having their sick cured by him cured without suffering any repulse or delay and all diseases whatever equally remedied and no more necessary for it than only the touching of him Which thing also caused the greater press upon him and forced him to the help of a ship As for the possessed the unclean Spirits presently fell down and adored and with loud cryes confessed him to be the Son of God though rebuked by him for it and silenced Where S. Matthew who beheld these things in writing his Gospel takes occasion to set forth the meekness charity patitience humility and complyance of our Lords compassionate carriage towards every ones infirmity in the words of the Prophet Esay foretold concerning him Esay 42.1 Behold my Servant whom I have chosen my beloved in whom my Soul delighteth I will put my Spirit upon him and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles He shall not contend or use rigor or violence in his Office nor imperiously command and cry ou ts nor shall any man hear his voice aloud in the streets A bruised reed shall he not break and the smoaking flax shall he not extinguish but treats his infinite supplicants with incredible tenderness and meekness and against his as weak adversaries no way shews his power until by his own patience and sufferings he send forth judgment unto victory and perfectly establish righteousness in the earth and in his name the Gentiles received to mercy shall also trust and believe and become Subjects to his Scepter § 250 In those daies not long after our Lords return into Galilee from the second Paschal feast and about a year of his preaching being in all about three years and an half Or half a week of years now run out and as some conjecture now about the time of Pentecost at which time also God promulgated his law on Mount Sinai to the children of Israel as appears in Exod 19.1 and 11. compared with chap. 12.18 from the 14th day of the first Month to the 3d day of the 3d Month being just 50. daies and at which very time also our Lord afterward sent his Holy Spirit upon his Apostles enabling them to keep the law formerly delivered and lastly when now also our Lord saw the multitudes that flowed to him from all Quarters still greatly increasing and more labourers necessary for so great an harvest at this time I say and on such a necessity our Lord thought fit to make a Solemn Election out of the number of his Disciples and followers of 12 persons according to the number of the 12 Tribes to whom they were to be sent that they might assist him in his Ministry and whom after some time of their instruction he might disperse abroad to preach the new Kingdom of the Gospel concerning him in the several Cities of that Nation and for giving the more authority to their Doctrine to cure all diseases and eject Devils but this not in theirs but in his Name that so all might believe in this their new Saviour and obey his Doctrine and Commands § 251 On the Night therefore preceding this his Election when in the Evening the people with whom he spent the day were departed to take their rest he retired into a Mountain probably not far distant from Capernaum for in the context Mark chap. 3. Luk. 6. chap. we find our Lord after his departing from their Synagogue by the Lake teaching the people out of a ship because they thronged him immediatly before this And there is an high hill a few miles distant from Capernaum westward towards Bethsaida described in Eugene Rogiers Terre Sancte Lib. 1. chap. 10. that is called to this day Mons Beatitudinum On the top of which was anciently built a Church the ruines whereof still remain We find also in Mark 1.35 mention of a Desert not far from Capernaum into which our Lord retired for prayer and so from thence went into
for seasoning the insipidness and unsavoriness thereof towards God and for preserving it eternally from corruption and that they were the light of the world for illustrating its darkness And lastly a City or Society in which all the world were to be joyned and collected and to become Subjects and members thereof and one Body or Corporation one Faith one Spirit c being therein Eph. 4.4 that therefore they were to provide that this Salt should not become unsavory or insipid for then wherewith could that which is to season all others be seasoned it self And that this light should not be put under a bushel nor this their City hid as it were in a vale or such which should not be eminently discovered for then how could the world know where to joyn themselves to the communion thereof Lastly that also their light and their doctrine were to be accompanied with their good works that people might see the one as well as the other though such good works not done to be seen of men nor that themselves but their heavenly Father working such Sanctification in them might be glorified thereby 2 Cor. 8.21 Rom. 12.17 Their example and practising of their doctrine being much the more difficult and this much more effectually converting others than teaching doth 1 Pet. 2.12 3.16 And that at the last day many of them should come unto him saying Lord Lord and telling what great matters their preaching and prophecying in his name had effected yet should they be rejected on this account that their works were evil And that every tree thus bringing forth ill fruit should surely be cut down and cast into the fire § 276 He told them likewise and herein also gave a precaution to the people that there should arise among them many false Prophets and Teachers who should come in sheep's clothing and counterfeit much Sanctity and use much fair language c. but yet within were very wolves 2 Cor. 11.3.13 and that there was one sure test by which they might know them Viz. by the fruits they bare for that as the tree was bad or good so would the fruit certainly be Which rule our Lord seems to have given them upon a double account Both because truth and goodness or Holiness proceed from the same Holy Spirit within us the fountain of both and are eternally linked together and so errour and vice So that all things truely weighed no true doctrine can ever tend to an evil life nor errour to a good and Holiness alwaies suffers not gains by a lye Therefore also are truth and iniquity frequently opposed -1 Cor. 13.6 Rom. 2.8 1.18 So that no mans wickedness can be the effect or consequent of any truth he holds though who holds the truth may still be wicked from another principle in him That therefore thus true and false teachers may be known by the fruit of their doctrines in their Auditors if these tend to the infusing into them higher degrees of all kinds of piety and charity Or on the contrary do infuse any seeds of impiety injustice uncharitableness sensual liberty uncleanness or sedition and disobedience to Dignities and Superiors This as to the fruit of their doctrines But secondly because as to their persons the root in such false teachers alwaies is evil i. e. their affections and intentions are perverted which perverse affections at last manifest themselves in their lives and practices these either for secular ends teaching doctrines not believed and known by them to be false purposely to deceive which ends and hypocrisy will certainly discover themselves in their works or tho the doctrines taught are also believed by them yet there are some vicious inclinations respecting secular interests which do induce such a beleif especially where they depart from the Traditions of the Church and former Superiours and such secular interests will appear in their works and manners and the heart bad in one thing will be so in another Therefore the Apostles do describe frequently such false teachers as vitious in their lives and seducing with their fair speeches when in their sheeps clothing See Rom. 16.17 18. Phil. 3.19 -2 Cor. 11.3 13. -1 Tim. 4.2 Tit. 3.11 -2 Pet. 2.3 10. c. in which texts they are represented as Sibi placentes gloriae sitientes assentatores invidi maledici obtrectatores ventri dediti suis temporalibus commodis avaritiae servientes suum negocium agentes some way or other non veritati noting them specially as covetous sensual speaking ill of Dignities But here note that by false Prophets are chiefly meant those who know their doctrines to be false and intend to deceive and teach in Hypocrisy and live in disobedience to a Superiour Church-authority Otherwise some good man may teach an errour and some bad truth But as these have or want the Grace of God in their heart and have their will and affections sincere or corrupt so will their fruit mostly be good or bad and among other things their teachings and instructions will have a relish thereof After this our Lord concluded his whole Sermon thus that the Foundation of Happiness was their good works and their not-hearing or teaching but doing what he taught which was laying the Foundation upon a sure rock so that no storms should shake the building raised upon it But that the Hearer of his words and not practicer was like a fool building his house on sand Upon which a time would be when the raines should come and the winds blow and the floods arise and the storms beat vehemently upon it and the fall thereof should be very great and terrible And thus ends our Lords great and famous Predication in the Mount to his Apostles and to all the People who saith the Evangelist were much astonished as at his doctrine so at the manner of his delivery thereof For he spake to them all these things with a kind of Majestical Authority and not as the Scribes An Historical Narration OF THE LIFE OF OUR LORD JESUS PART II. Beginning after the prayer recorded Joh. 17. § 1 GREAT was the present malice of the Devil in this hour of trouble approaching against the rest of his poor Disciples to gain possession of them also as he had already of Judas Jo. 13.27 and Satan had desired Luk. 22.31 32. c. concerning them as he did concerning Job That God who keeps a continual restraint upon this hater of mankind not only for his hurting us after sin but also for his tempting us unto it would but now let him have the sifting of them a little after all the great works they had seen done by this their Master and all the gracious words they had heard from him to try their fidelity to him Our Lord therefore foreseeing the great temptation that at this time they also foreseeing his Fathers permission to these Powers of Darkness were to undergo and how greivously they might otherwise miscarry in it interceded to his Father
by it on those who deprive themselves of their share in the sufferings of this Lamb of God Under the weight then of this heavy burden freely undertaken by him for love of us and our eternal safety he falls down on his knees and prayes on this manner Abba Father Mat. 26. peircing words like those of Isaac Gen. 22.7 from so innocent a person and also an onely Son going to the slaughter If it be possible as all things are possible unto thee Mark 14.36 let this cup pass from me And thus far as he being true man Nature for self-preservation presents to God its own innocent and harmless desires and inclinations but then as also being a most faithful Subject and servant obedient in all things to the will of God proceeds further in another Note Nevertheless Not what I will but what thou wilt And herein consisted his innocency not in wanting these natural desires of self-preservation for this would take away all merit of obedience but in submitting them Such desires of nature being sinful not wherever they are but onely where they rule contrary to what a Superiour power exterior or interior commandeth or requireth of them And to instruct us that no man ought to take such desires arising in him so long as the person thus concludes them in Not what I will to be sin the Son of God also for our consolation sheweth them in himself And from him we may also learn that he as we dayly had and underwent all those other harmless appetites and inclinations of Nature respecting food rest apparrel lodging society and other delights of the senses and that in the confining of these within their due limits in obedience to his Fathers commands consisted the merit of his innocency never any one of these appetites throughout all his life though from time to time motioning their natural contents yet having bin for once any way exorbitant or transgressed the bounds his Father and his God had prescribed it § 16 Therefore we find that two or three daies before as he was in the Temple upon the like natural sense of Death he made the like prayer set down by St. John chap 12. as it were in lieu of this in the Garden which that Evangelist wholly omits who it seems writ his Gospel upon occasion of some Hereticks so early denying our Lords Divinity chiefly to Register therein those discourses and works of our Lord which more manifested to the world his Divinity than those discovering his human infirmities In the Temple then certain devout Gentiles by the divine providence now desiring to be brought to him and to be made acquainted with him as it were already suing to be admitted into his fold which thing was only hindred by his death not as yet accomplished our Lord took great notice of it and upon this occasion foretelling the coming in of the Gentiles and how assoon as he was once lifted up upon the Cross assoon as this standard was erected and he displayed upon it he should draw all the world unto him Upon the mention of that cruel death he there also let fall this expression to them Jo. 12.27 Now is my soul troubled and what shall I say And there also first he makes his request as a man sensible of misery Father save me from this hour but then as a Son and a Servant perfectly obedient he with his Superior reason and the Spirit restrains these sensitive desires in their true bounds in saying to himself again But for this cause came I unto this hour and then adds an Act of Resignation Father Glorify thy name i. e. in any sufferings of mine whatsoever which may be for the enlarging of thy Glory even to the Gentiles and to all the world At which time also after his prayer his Father answered him with a voice from heaven which the People called an Angel's speaking to him Jo. 12.29 as here he sent an Angel to him to shew that he alwaies heareth and accepteth prayers joined with such a Resignation from all his sons See Jo. 12 30.-11.42 So again at the Table in looking upon the horrid design of his own Servant against him read in his heart it is said by the same Evangelist that he was troubled in Spirit chap. 13.21 But straight his absolute Resignation to his Fathers will appears in his permission of Satan to enter and act further against him in that malitious Soul and in his saying then That thou dost do quickly So in his last sufferings on the Cross wherein he seems to have undergone a second Desolation of Spirit when he began those words of the 21 Psalm composed by his Father David touching his Passion My God My God why hast thou forsaken me This also was then accompanied with a most placid Resignation of himself into his Fathers hand that smote him saying presently after these words Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit But to return This Request and perfect Resignation being offered together that Model that should be of all our prayers also he returns in this his Agony to receive the solace of the company of his three dearest Disciples left not far behind him as also like an ever-careful shepheard to look to his sheep and so afford them his company and assistance in this hour of their temptation as well as his And behold he finds them being stupified with sorrow Luk. 22.45 and amazement at such a fight of his sorrow and amazement and for the sad presage he had made to them of his approaching death Peter and all fallen a sleep Our Lord straight awakening them asks Peter who had but now made such great promises of going to Prison and dying with him how it chanced that he and his Followers could not for so little a time as he had now to spend with them even for one hour so much as watch a little with him And this for his own sake too to spend it in prayer to be delivered from that great temptation that was coming especially on Peter But this meek Lord what with one word he questioned presently with another he excuseth in saying with much compassion for them The Spirit indeed is willing but the Flesh is weak Upon which Flesh of theirs not onely their greif but Satan probably at this time was permitted to have some influence in this first degree of their desertion of our Lord Where also by his mentioning the weakness and infirmity of their Flesh which he now also felt extraordinarily in himself but without sin he excites them also to a stronger vigilancy over it Then repeating again to them the same charge of watching to praier in this dreadful hour of temptation which he gave them before He departs again to a certain distance sore prest with that great weight that lay upon him and on his knees made a second time the same request with an earnestness of Praier Luk. 22.24 increasing according to his Agony when also his innocent words conclude
too weak to do them any real mischeif or affront But indeed this only Son Isaac was bound by his Father not them in obedience to whom and thirst after the Redemption of mankind by it this Lamb of God offered himself to be Sacrificed on the Altar of the Cross the next morning and thus freely yeilded up his liberty into the hands of sinners § 26 With this rough usage of theirs the Disciples much dismayed and terrified now forgetting their resolute promises formerly made him all fled away for their safety at least to a competent distance from these Troops Jo. 16 32 And that prediction of our Lord but some hours before was fulfilled venit hora ut dispergamini unusquisque ad propria me solum relinquatis Onely a young man lodging in some house adjoining that awaked with the noise arose out of his bed and throwing a sheet loosely about him came forth to see what such tumult meant had the courage to follow our Lord and so was laid hold on by them who leaving his sheet in their hands escaped away naked a lively prerepresentation of our Lords escape from them after their stripping him of his Garments that was to be three dayes after at his Resurrection leaving his Syndon behind him § 27 Now it must needs be very late and drawing toward Midnight considering it was already night when Judas went forth from Supper to gather his body together Jo. 13.30 After which followed our Lords long Farewel Sermon made to his Disciples Jo. 13.31 c. to the chap. 17. and Prayer for them after it Jo. 17. his Journey to the Garden about a mile off his prayers and Agony there and his Disciples there falling a sleep and all the Circumstances of his Apprehension and the young mans rising out of his bed The night it seems though the Moon then at the full was much overcast and dark sutable to the work Thus bound they joyfully led away our Lord through the valley into the City now silent and quiet and carried him first to the house of Annas probably in the way to Caiphas his Pallace and he a great Encourager of the design and some think that Judas there received his reward his treason having now given them full Possession of his Master Annas also though some years before deposed from the office of High Priest by the Roman Governour who in those daies disposed of it yearly as seems to be implyed by those words Jo. 11.49 Caiphas being High Priest that same year and Luk. 3.2 Annas and Caiphas being the High Priests i. e. by turns or after what time he pleased yet still retained the title Luk. 3.1 and still had some special interest and sway in it from Caiphas's marrying his Daughter and from his having a son also Eleazer that had born the same office before Joseph Antiq. Jud. lib. 18. cap. 3. Who was also a cheif Member of the Council then met in Caiphas's Pallace and likely was called on to accompany them thither The officers also might have had order to House our Lord assoon as they could for prevention of any tumult or resistance § 28 None appearing without any longer stay made there Our Lord in the silent night was conveyed to Caiphas his Pallace where as hath bin said the Council the High Priests those being alwaies after stiled so who at any time bore that office frequently changed Scribes and Elders Mark 14.53 assembled together expected them Our Lord being set before them the High Priest instead of producing a charge against him and hearing his Defence and Answer to it fell on Questioning him about his Doctrine and his Followers whom as they had said elsewhere Mat. 22.16 they knew free to speak truth and as to this regarding or fearing no mans Person to see what he would confess and if confessing any thing liable to their censure thence to draw up an Indictment when as indeed this seemed very great oppression to apprehend bind make a man a Prisoner and bring him before the barr of Justice there to gain from him something for which to question him Our Lord having many times before bin thus examined by them or their order who he was who sent him what authority he had c. answered them briefly That both for Doctrine and Disciples they had seen who these and heard what that was and indeed if the latter his Doctrine good the more Disciples the better That he had taught publickly in the Temple and in their Synagogues and in private said nothing but what abroad That therefore if he were any way faulty in sowing Errors or plotting sedition they might have enough to bear witness of it and upon their legal testimony proceed to condemn or acquit him and therefore that they should not ask him but ask them that heard his words and saw his actions even amongst which were many of themselves that then sate on the Bench or stood before it and amongst these the very Officers sent formerly by them to apprehend him Who indeed throughly convinced of his Innocency and Sanctity had returned to them with a Never Man spake like that man § 29 Our Lord thus by a prudent declining any new account of himself whom his great thirst to dy for mankind made little sollicitous to plead for his life much disappointed the High Priests expectation and breifly thus referring his cause as was just to the testimony of others one of the officers which stood by him struck him over the face in the presence of all the Court for answering the High Priest in that manner To whom our Lord whose patience here none can rightly measure who doth not well consider his person and power meekly replyed That if he answered well there was no cause he should be strucken for it or if ill not strucken by him who was only to bear witness of the evil and leave the vindication of it to the Judge Thus when he suffered as S. Peter observes 1 Pet. 2.23 he threatned not and we may imagine with great charity said this to reduce that poor Wretch to a sence of his fault And it is a wonder that herein those Judges or some of the Assessors did not prevent our Lord in the censure and castigation of such a wicked and impudent act § 30 Our Lord having thus appealed to witnesses and the testimony of his Auditors concerning his Doctrine and conversation These were at that time of the night not prepared but looked for And many they found but as it ordinarily happens in lyes their witnessings did not agree well together nor inferred the Crimes to be Capital These standing up in the Court spake vehemently against our Lord and as fast as they spake contradicted one another and destroyed each others testimony Defecerunt scrutantes scrutinio mentita est iniquitas sibi as the Psalmist Our meek Lord continuing all the time with most profound silence enduring as the Apostle observes such contradictions of sinners unprovoked
the infinite Graces and love and sweetness he discovered in that look all which upbraided his unkindness the posture he left that innocent Lamb of God in sorrounded with and ready to be torn in peices by so many Wolves and also his leaving him so and hasting to save himself all these we may presume so galled and wounded him as that had not the High Priests Gate bin shut upon him he would now have reentred to recant there publickly his former act and run through all hazards whatever with his dear Lord. But the divine Providence had appointed this for one of our Lords sufferings the clear desertion of all his Followers and that he should tread the Wine-press alone § 41 Yet something may be said on the other side in the lessening of the lapse of this prime Apostle That his love and courage seems to be greater than most of the rest in his following his Master to his trial and venturing into the High Priests Pallace when it was he that just before had cut-off the ear of his servant In his denyal its being without any great scandal not in publick but to some idle people standing about a fire and medling with a matter of no concernment to them In that it was done upon a suddain surprisal not done with premeditation or put to any formal Trial of his fidelity and where perhaps hazarding also the reputation of the other Disciple that brought him in might run in his mind and much more his being questioned for Malchus And as it seemed a shame to deny our Lord at the accusation only of a poor Maid-servant so it might seem a thing of no great consequence to confess him before such a mean person But which is most to be noted he denyed not that Jesus was the Messias or the Son of God he renounced no part of his faith no such thing was he asked nor if put to it would he ever have denyed it but he denyed only his knowledg of or acquaintance with such a person Lastly the Fall of this great Apostle God permitted besides for the aggravation of our Lords sufferings by his cheifest Disciple denying as another of them betraying him for many other good ends As to beget a perfect humility in him a little before too confident of himself to shew us what frail things we are the best of us when our Lord leaves us a little to our selves and hath not his eye upon us To comfort poor sinners in their great miscarriages since the greatest Saints as David and Peter have had their falls To shew the infinitness of Gods mercy to Penitents in his pardoning such great offences and that to persons most obliged to him and from whom he had reason to expect the greatest fidelity Lastly to teach Peter the cheif Pastor of his sheep the more compassion to sinners in reflecting on his own infirmities and faults and to bear with those who are tempted and fall in as much as himself stood not when he was so § 42 What became of the other Disciple no mention is made T is probable that better acquainted with the house he went up into the Court and was present at our Lord's trial and seeing the severe proceedings against him after the Council rose quitted the Pallace with the rest where he saw was no safe staying any longer for any friends of Jesus when also he might take Peter presently after his third misadventure there along with him § 43 Now to return unto our Blessed Lord committed to the custody of the High-Priests Officers and Servants until the morning and the reassembly of the Council in the same place in a fuller body These Officers one would think since the time that being sent to apprehend him they returned to their Masters with a Nunquam sic locutus est homo sicut hic homo should now have treated him with some ordinary civility especially no final sentence being yet passed upon him and the Judges being to reexamine his cause the next morning The ear also our Lord restored but two or three hours before to Malchus and his reprehending Peter for his cutting it off might not have bin so soon forgotten by them But indeed now was the Power of Satan and of Darkness and his chain never so much loosened as at this time before the approaching ruin of his kingdom who therefore ceased not by all those his Instruments to act his utmost malice nor to suffer our Lord to rest one minute § 44 The Ministers therefore having as yet no order for the executing of any higher corporal punishment and because our Lord also was to proceed gradatim through all sorts of sufferings instead of indulging him or themselves any repose in which our Lords servant S. Peter was more civilly used Acts 12.6 after their watching all the fore-part of the night compass him about in a ring and notwithstanding his modest silence no way provoking them fall on abusing him both with their tongues and hands as far as was permitted They spit on his face being the greatest note of ignominy and disgrace that was amongst the Jews see Deut. 25.9 where the man was to be used so that would not raise up seed to his brother And they abhor me saith Job in his typical complaint Chap. 30.10 they forbear not to spit in my face when his tyed hands also could not cleanse it They smote him also on the face with the palmes of their hands They punched and thumped him with their fists and by the Prophecies Esay 50.6 it seems they also plucked off his hair being not tondentes but vellentes of this meek Lamb. These Jews also treated him this night as a Mock-Messias as the next day the Gentiles abused him as a Mock-King and after their cruelty wearied in this way and his rare faculty in Prophecying coming into their mind they remembred a Boys-play to this purpose and got a cloath and blindfolded him whereof the Philistines abusing blind Sampson was a Type and fall on beating him a fresh thus hood-winked that he being the Messias and the Christ and the great Prophet that was to come into the world should now so hooded prophecy and tell them who it was that smote him § 45 Cruel and causeless malice for which of his sweet words or mighty works as he once said to you Jo. 10.32 who left heaven to save you and in whom you never saw fault and who went about every where doing good for which of these do you thus treat him And how could the blessed Angels at least that waited on our Lord have the patience to suffer such vile wretches and the dregs of the people to strike and spit on their Creator the Lord of Heaven and Earth but that they well knew it was the pleasure of their great Master out of his infinite charity to suffer this even for the salvation of those his Tormentors and to receive these blows for the satisfaction of their fault that gave them
ordained this accident thus significative also of a greater matter viz. That our Lord would not bear his cross alone but that all his Followers for ever were to bear their parts of it § 92 Whilst our Lord passed along in this solemn Procession to his offering up the divine Majesty provided that amidst so many stony-hearted Jews that thirsted after his blood wherewith the Psalmist Psal 21.13.17 describes him compassed about with so many ravenous Dogs and fierce Bulls there should not want those that accompanied such sufferings with their tears and lamented and deplored these pittiless and undeserved cruelties for a testimony against the others as before Joseph and Nicodemus and Pilat's wife and Judas also when too late were Many persons there were of the more devout and compassionate Sex and more secure from the soldiers affronts that followed and lamented him Luk. 23.27 So holy and innocent a person from whom they had heard so many charming Sermons and in whom seen such mighty works Among whom we may imagine were those Galilean Women that in his former life time had waited on and ministred unto him and his beloved Mary and Martha All whose exceeding affection to our Lord doubtless had so conquered their fears as to run thither wherever they could have a sight of him of whom they were likely so soon to be totally deprived § 93 These probably before had stood with the rest of the people in the common Piazza before Pilats Tribunal and there saw and heard all that sad Tragedy that had passed between our Lords own people persecuting and the stranger-Govervour defending him whose miserable usage there still heightned their love and compassion and in them added to all the former endearments of him as it did in the people to their rage and fury Especially amongst these the Blessed Virgin his afflicted Mother who could not be absent from him in life or death where she could have any access and who here most diligently observed all her Son said or did or that was done to him as the Evangelist saith Luk. 2.19 she formerly did those even in his minority and childhood she I say especially may be supposed to be wounded at the heart not only when she stood by the Cross but during all this time with those Sword-points of most pungent Grief which Simeon foretold her of in her and the rest of her Friends hearing their away with this fellow and their crucifiges and their acclamations for Barabbas before the Son of God And the sight of him so used when Pilat cried Ecce Homo and again Ecce Rex Vester that had no operation of pity upon the hard-hearted Jews I may say had too much on them But that we are to believe his Holy Mother as being full of Grace and of the Holy Ghost to have bin indued with a most perfect patience and resignation and silence and her carriage also to have bin an edifying pattern to the rest Thus was our Lord in all those his former sufferings beheld and lamented by his Friends But now after his Condemnation and the Jew's cruelty according to the divine Will satisfied the tide in the people also began to turn and these of our Lords former acquaintance to have many Companions of their Grief and such a mind began to repossess some of them at least as they had had when but two daies before they heard and admired him in the Temple and as they had on Palm-Sunday and those also of the people who all this while retained the same affection toward him his safety now despaired of began more to shew it And thus a great multitude attended our Lord his death and Funeral full of bitter lamentation though amongst these the more or more open in their grief were those of the female Sex On whom our Lord lifting up his all-bloody and disfigured Countenance in great comiseration not of himself suffering nothing but what he pleased but of them being infinitly afflicted for the sins of his own people to whom he came in such love and they received him not but were now casting him the only Son and heir out of his Vineyard and killing him and for the unparallelled judgments of God that he saw now approaching upon them for this fact brake out into that passionate and prophetick speech ye Daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me but for your selves and your children telling them the daies were now at hand if their tears at least of their own particulars prevented them not wherein they should bless the barren that never had any children prepared for such a misery wherein they should wish the Mountains to fall on them and the Hills to cover and bury them deep from the face of the divine vengeance Hos 10.8 Is 2 10 19. Apoc 6.16 descending from above on that people For if the flames of Gods wrath meerly for their sakes and sins brake out now in such a manner upon him a Tree alwaies green and flourishing and fruitful and no way deserving or qualified with any cumbustible matter for them to feed on what would this fire do where their impenitence should make them unworthy of his blood to quench it upon their dry dead fruitless wood serviceable for nothing else and so well prepared for it The consideration of which had but a few daies before drawn tears also from himself when the Evangelist saith he in the midst of his triumph from Mount Olivet beholding the City wept over it saying with sobbs interrupting his speech If that thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day c. Luk. 19.41 This then our Lord in pity to them said to procure the application of their tears not to his sufferings but rather to the cause of them to their own sins and the sins of their people as doubtless from his powerful words many of them afterwards did apply themselves and found mercy obtaining salvation by his blood within the arms of the Church and so when the time came fled from the face of that fire and escaped in the time of that destruction when the Romans the same Instruments the Jews employed to consume this Green-wood were used afterwards by God to burn the dry For it is observed that those Jews of the christian Profession warned from our Lords prediction by their retiring betimes out of the City and out of Judea were generally preserved § 94 Thus this Anathema for us was conveyed out of the Holy City or that should have bin so as an accursed thing for as the devoted Goat laden with the iniquities of the children of Israel was carried out of the Holy Camp Lev. 16.10 and the bodies of those beasts which were offered for expiation of sins and whose blood was carried by the High Priest before God into the Sanctuary were burnt also without the Camp It is the Apostle's observation Heb. 13.11 12 13 so was it to be here in the prototype whose Blood was afterward carried into the Heavenly
relenting and change of mind was found afterward in many of those that stood by him in these sufferings seeing the strange things thereof not onely among the People but the Roman Soldiers and their Commander the Centurion whom the Gospel describes beating their breasts greatly fearing and glorifying God and confessing him not only a righteous man but the Son of God All effects doubtless of this our Lord's prayer on the Cross § 97 Next by Pilat's order and according to the custome of the Romans was fastned also to the Cross over our Lord's head a Title in great and legible Letters of the accusation or crime for which he suffered which Title that it might be understood in that great confluence of strangers to this Feast by all that looked on it the Governour which was very extraordinary caused to be written in the three most universal languages Hebrew Greek and Latin and it was this Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews Many came thither saith St. John it being so nigh the City for now this Sacred Hill of Calvary is taken into it and reading this Title thus exposed in so many tongues the chief Priests much resented it which in plain terms affirmed Jesus to be their King and made them the Betrayers and Crucifiers of him Which Kingship of his it is most probable from what hath bin said that Pilat verily believed in such a sense as our Lord had challenged it and as he had often confirmed it with Miracles of all sorts not unknown to Pilat and so indeed held them guilty of his blood whilst he thought himself by his open Declaration to have sufficiently cleansed his hands of it They therefore hast to Pilat to procure an alteration of the Title not to run that he was but that he said he was their King From whom they received only this sullen Answer that what he had written he had written tâ—â—t what he had written should stand so It being the Divine pleasure that without any of their false glosses it should now be published to their shame who he was and how unjustly betrayed by them viz. the King of Heavens only Son Jesus their Saviour sent with the Gospel of everlasting happiness and peace to reign over them for ever and by them thus deserted and rejected tortured and made away But Pilat also perhaps might reflect on the loyal service herein he might be thought to have done to the Roman state in a Nation noted for rebellion by his executing their Prince of the race of David And besides had he corrected the Title to their mind namely that he said he was so considering in what manner our Lord both said it and menaged it not intermedling at all with terrene powers he had but the more divulged his own injustice in taking away his life only for his saying so But what motives soever Pilat had of this he seems guided herein as Caiphas in his prophecying by the Divine hand that this title might be presented by this High Priest of the new covenant before the Lord as was that on Aarons Miter Sanctum Domino Exod. 28.36 38. whilst he thus bare the iniquity of the people and dyed for them and Pilat in some sense was thus the first Apostle declaring to the world his Sacred persons § 98 All thus prepared and our Lords naked body thus fastned the Soldiers raised up him and the Cross together and fastned the foot of it in the hole provided in the Rock And thus was this only Son of God and most innocent Lamb like the Serpent in the Wilderness lifted up upon a pole that as the peoples lives were saved by beholding the Serpent so what sinner soever should with the Eye of faith look on him thus lifted up should not perish but have eternal life as once comparing himself to this Serpent he said to Nicodemus Jo. 3.14 15. Thus out of too much love to us though equal with God he descended from his Throne above and emptied himself became a servant or slave so far as to be obedient to the death even this death accursed and stepping in between the Divine vengeance and us was voluntarily thus made an Anathema and Curse in our stead and hanged up before the Lord and before the Sun taking the malediction and the handwriting of the Decree that was gone forth against us away and fastning it with himself unto the Cross Col. 2 14 15. as the Apostle writes in contemplation of our Lords passion a thing that when preached was a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles and a thing strangely incredible at first to the Heathen also now whom the Churche's Missioners endeavour to convert to Christianity § 99 Our Lord thus secured the four Soldiers his Executioners went to divide the poor spoil they had taken from him his Garments which God his Father might now behold as Jacob that of his dearly loved Joseph all besmeared not with a counterfeit as Joseph's was but his own blood whilst he so also hung by them cruelly murdered His Garment we may imagine was such as the meaner people of Galilee and his Disciples wore An outer loose garment having at the bottom four skirts see Deut. 22.12 and a coat closer to his body and it seems his was made a knit one all in one piece as Wast-cotes use to be perhaps the work of his poor Mother the Blessed Virgin for securing him the more against cold who often lodged abroad a-nights not having where else to lay his head Whether our Lord had any linnen under this close cote either covering his whole body or at least the secret parts or whether this knit coat was next his body and another coat over it is somewhat uncertain His outer garment made of four pieces the Soldiers divided into four parts to share it equally but the coat not dividable without spoiling it they cast lots for and so fulfilled that prophecy Psal 21.19 very punctually as to all the circumstances of our Lords sufferings They divided my garments and on my vesture cast Lots Thus our Lord saw his poor goods all he had seized on and distributed before his face but as God would not suffer them to break a bone of him so neither to tear his coat a Type of his Church which will never admit any Schism and they that offer to tear it cease to be of it § 100 Whilst our patient Lord hung thus before them languishing in his mortal torments one of which was the perfect enjoyment in this manner of death of his senses hearing and seeing all the sad things that passed about him the Evangelists relate how by the Devils instigation all manner of persons when no other cruelty remained unexecuted fell on railing and insulting over him and shot out their arrows against him thus set up as a mark for them even bitter words and with these afflicted him whom God had thus wounded fulfilling herein punctually the many prophecies in the
a certain number weight and measure and the precedent works exact patterns of the succeeding and nothing here casually hapning especially the numbers of six and seven have bin very mystical and Sacred ever since the work of the creation in six and rest on the seventh day § 143 Before this time then was expired the Eleven Apostles and some other Disciples also and the Galilean women with the Blessed Mother of our Lord and his Brethren were now returned to Jerusalem and there remained together probably in the place where our Lord had celebrated his last Supper and which our Lord had first made choice of in the house of some wealthier Disciple when he sent Peter and John to provide the Paschal Feast for the more commodious transacting of all these affairs And there our Lord the last time shewed himself unto them and having discoursed several things concerning the Kingdom of God and their publishing and proclaiming to all Nations the universal power and Glory that was now given by God to him he promised before their going abroad in his service to endue them also speedily after his Ascending with power from on high by sending upon them the promise of his Father he had so often told them of which you may see promised of old in Joel 2.28 cited for it by St. Peter Acts 2.17 Zach. 12.10 Ezec. 36.26 Telling them that John baptized only with water but that they not many daies thence should be baptized with the fire see Mat. 3.11 or flame of the Holy Ghost for so in the likeness of a flame at Pentecost it descended and was poured forth upon them and so charging them that they should remove no more from Jerusalem till this thing was accomplished § 144 The Disciples hearing our Lord speak of things pertaining to his kingdom Act. 1.3 as also before in Galilee that all power was given to him in Heaven and Earth of their receiving power also from on high and a charge not to depart as yet from the Royal City joined perhaps with what he had formerly said unto them of their sitting on twelve Thrones things not then understood so spiritually by them as they ought but they imagining some temporal dominion of the Jews now to be restored in our Lord to the race of David over all other Nations like to that of Solomon the quite contrary to which followed shortly after namely their utter ruine A thing that ran in the mind of these two Disciples also that went to Emaus Luk 24.21 presently asked our Lord whether now the time was come of his restoring the Kingdom to Israel This they inquired notwithstanding our Lord had so often told them the contrary and informed them that his Kingdom was not of this world and that as it had treated him their Master so should it them the servants that they should be persecuted banished killed for his name sake and for the Gospel preached by them Our Lord therefore not too much to contristate them and knowing them not well prepared as yet for the communicating of such secrets in which by the Descent of the Holy Spirit he more fully instructed them afterwards and at how great a distance his Kingdom was in such a sense as they meant it when the Twelve were to sit upon twelve thrones did with great prudence and as much meekness and supporting of their infirmities return them only this Answer That it was not for them to know the times or the seasons which his Father had put in his own power much what so as he had answered to the Mother of James and John concerning who should sit at his right hand Dabitur illis quibus paratum est a Patre meo Mat. 20.23 and to Peter inquisitive concerning John Si eum volo manere c quid ad te And indeed there are many futurities with which it is better that our human weakness be not preacquainted as perhaps fit here that hope deferred might not too much contristate them for the Disciples as yet to be ignorant of such a long revolution of many ages as was to be before the day of Doome and our Lords return to take possession of the kingdom or before that prosperous and flourishing condition of his Church which was at last to precede his Kingdom Which coming of his in Glory many as appears by St. Paul 2 Thes 2.1 2. 2 Pet. 3.4 9. perhaps by understanding Mat. 24.34 and 1 Thes 4.17 expected even in the Apostles daies and the great terror in those that heard St. Peters first Sermon in the Acts shews that they then apprehended it not far off But saith he ye shall receive power after this Holy Ghost promised is come upon you and shall be witnesses unto me and preach this my kingdom boldly to all the Nations of the world § 145 After such discourses past in that large Caenaculum at Jerusalem the time of his return to his Father being fully come he led them first out of the City through the plain about a mile in breadth as far as Bethany that was at the foot of the Mount of Olives his Friends of that place making also part of his Train and so ascended to the top of the Mount of Olives But we may imagine this their procession out of the city was by his miraculous power in such a manner ordered as that neither himself was seen by others save them at least in a known shape nor so great a company perhaps by dividing themselves much noted Arrived at the top of the Hill he lift up his hands which shewed in the midst of them the dear marks of his suffering for them towards heaven from whence all Blessing comes and therefore this an usual gesture in all Invocation and Prayer and gave them his Benediction after his redemption of man as God the Father also did after his Creation Gen. 1.28 And as Aaron the former legal High Priest according to the Divine command Numb 6.23 is said Levit. 9.22 to have lift up his hands toward the people and blessed them before his going into the Sanctuary when also the fire descending afterward from the Lord upon the Sacrifice typified the Descent of the Holy Ghost And so saith the Evangelist he was parted from them and ascended slowly and by degrees so as they might keep their eyes upon him and discern his Motion till at some height a Cloud received him out of their sight to put an End to their further gazing after him Thus our Lord who was clothed with so much Splendor and glory at his Transfiguration and who had Moses and Elias waiting upon him and a bright Cloud of rays compassing himself and his Disciples and who Acts 22.6 when he was afterwards seen by St. Paul Acts 22.6 11. appeared in such a glory at Noon-day transcending that of the Sun that the light thereof struck him blind yet now entring upon the real possession of this glory admitted no alteration at all in his external appearance
Christians being only six foot square and eight foot high and the entrance into it on the East-side about three foot high and three foot three inches broad On the right side of which Sepulcher from the entrance the Sacred body of our Lord was placed see Mark 16.5 compared Jo. 20.12 with his head toward the West After this the door or mouth of the Cave was shut up and fenced with a massy piece of rock cut out for the purpose not to be removed but by the help of many hands to hinder any violation of the Sepulcher or Body or robbing it of those costly linnen and spices that should be bestowed upon it Such a cave it was where Lazarus was buried Jo. 11.38 31 41. with a great Stone rolled upon the entrance into it which our Lord then commanded to be removed and our Lords raising of him a lively type of the same thing he would shortly after perform in raising himself Meanwhile those women our Lords former Disciples and Attendants that assisted not in this action keeping some distance perhaps in respect of these honourable persons with whom they had no acquaintance observed all that was done where their Lord was laid and how the Sepulcher made fast and it being now too late because night approached they intended after the Sabbath ended to express their last love and affection to ther dear Lord also in bringing some more sweet odours and spices for preserving and perfuming of his Sacred body and the narrow roome where it lay more to shew the honour and devotion they bare to it and once more to behold to touch and kiss those most holy Relicks than that there was now need of any more such cost § 113 Thus our so cruelly murthered Lord was now at rest whilst his glorious Soul meanwhile that was never separated from the Deity and now attended on with multitudes of Angels descended into Hell and the lowest parts of the Earth and of his Kingdom and there triumphed over the Powers of Darkness conquered as to their former Tyranny over man and over the lower part of this world by his late death and delivered also thence such imprisoned Souls as were capable of the mercy and favours of his Passion according to that of the Prophet Zee 9.11 Tu quoque in sanguine testamenti tui emisisti vinctos tuos de lacu in quo non est aqua and so with them entred into Paradise the place of joy and Repose for all happy souls till the resurrection of their bodies where he was adored by them as the Author of their Salvation and endless felicity and amongst the rest by the Soul of his late Fellow-sufferer though upon a just account the penitent Theif and so this its beatifical presence they there injoyed till the appointed time of its return to exalt also his crucified body to the state of glory Thus I say our so cruelly murthered Lord was now at rest but not so the consciences of the Pharisees and High Priests Whose seeing these two noble persons Joseph and Nicodemus thro so much popular hate to have so honourably interred his Body gave them a great jealousy and the predictions also about his rising again the third day much disturbed them Though a thing which was quite forgotten by our Lords Disciples and Followers who one would think had most cause to have remembred it and which he had so often told them of and they had upon hearing it from him also disputed amongst themselves what should be meant by it as they descended from the holy Mount after our Lord's Transfiguration and after this again were by him minded of it but the night before his passion as they went along to the Garden he telling them then also that when risen he would go before them into Galilee Mat. 26.32 I say this forgotten by them yet now very much troubled and disquieted the thoughts of the High Priests They could now call to mind how when they asked him a sign once and again Mat. 12.38.16.4 he alleged to them that of Jonah and that the Son of man as Jonah in the Whales belly should lye three daies in the heart of the earth and so be cast up again and the jaws of Death not be able to detain him And his saying that if they destroyed the Temple meaning his Body after three daies he would raise it up which speech of his though before they made it misconstrued by them an Article to condemn him yet now they could apprehend in another and its right sense and might thereby have condemned themselves Now also perhaps the words of our Lord spoken with so much Majesty before them at his arraignment ran in their mind that they should shortly see him sitting on the right hand of Power and lastly the obsequious respects they saw given to his body by those two eminent persons they conceived might arise from some such hopes and were performed from some such expectation Remembring therefore these predictions and perhaps not free from all fears of such an event after having beheld such wonderful things at and before his death they thought it meet at least to prevent any cheat in the business and to hinder that his Disciples might not upon such rumour of his rising again to deceive the credulous people remove secretly his body and so shew the empty Sepulcher and suborn some to say they had seen him though indeed no reason they had to suspect any such thing but rather that his Disciples if finding his words false would at least recant their former error and confess him an Impostor and a false Prophet Therefore they hasted again to Pilat for all that it was the Sabbath it being late over night before they were informed of his solemn and sumptuous Burial and relating to him these predictions and the bad consequence that might be of them importuned him that there might be set a watch before the Sepulcher till the third day and as if jealous also of the corruption of the Watch that the Sepulcher might be sealed besides But why this seal because if the body were taken away there must be a breach of the seal and so this theft discovered But so would there be a breach of it if the body risen again For how could they imagine that that power which raised the body might or would not also throw open the door for its passage But this Seal served well meanwhile to save it from the pillage of the Soldiers and to guard it from the Guards Some Antients say that the stone was by them fastned to the Sepulcher with iron These things were done accordingly by themselves the Governour leaving this wholly to their own ordering and doubtless much wondring at these their extravagant jealousies and fears So to the Monument they go set this Guard and seal the stone and this with no regret that it was on the Sabbath of the breach of which but by better works surely than these they had so
often so heavily accused our good Lord. But all this their diligence by the Divine providence was turned quite contrary to their intents and rendred our Lords Resurrection much more clear and evident whilst this very Guard were the first witnesses of it and that to the High Priests themselves and quite took away the pretence which else they might not only have reported but verily believed of his Disciples carrying away his body Which witness of the Watch doubtless confirmed the faith of many who would not give so easy credit to the Disciples Testimony of it and was a means of converting some of the High Priests also And their testifying likewise our Lords prediction of it before Pilat still added more to the truth and reputation of this Event Of all which Daniels being cast into the den of Lyons and the entrance into it being sealed by his Enemies that no fraud might be used in his deliverance out of it seems to have bin a prerepresentation and type § 114 The Sabbath the day of rest thus passed over the time was come that the grave the belly of the Whale that had swallowed him could detain our Lords body no longer nor the sealed Sepulcher or Guards hinder his Resurrection according to his many predictions early in the morning of the third day that is after the six daies wherein the world was created and the seventh wherein was to be its rest the eight day or the first day of the new Creation of all things the day wherein after a week of daies compleated all things shall be perfected in the general Resurrection that shall be A day advanced ever since this act into the solemn Festival of Christians in an eternal memory of the joy of this day Early on this day our Lord resumed and clothed with immortality that most Sacred body of his that had before so highly merited it by passing through so many cruel torments Here also great Multitudes of Angels attended on this our Lord in their white and shining Robes as may be gathered by their frequent apparitions within and without the Sepulcher and the women's discription of them And since a multitude of the heavenly Host appeared praising God at our Lords Nativity and the beginning of his Humiliation we cannot imagine less solemnities at the beginning of his Exaltation and triumph whom also we had found before waiting on him at his former conquest over Satan with prayer and fasting in the Desert And if they shew their Joy at the conversion of a sinner how much more now did they at the Redemption of the world And by these or by our Lord at his rising and for a clear argument also of it the linnen clothes wherein our Lord lay the only prey which a Robber would have looked after were decently folded up and the Napkin about his head as if taken off after them laid in a diverse place from the rest At the same time as before at our Lords death happened a terrible Earthquake And an Angel of great Majesty his countenance like lightning saith the Evangelist and his raiment white as Snow was seen by the astonished Guards to descend and roll away the stone so to expose the open Sepulcher to every ones view after our Lords glorious Body had already passed through it when yet shut up and sealed The All-glorious Angel when he had done this sitting down upon the stone that he had rolled away as if he would now be the sole Guarder of that place So terrible was this sight as also the Earthquake that the Soldiers though they fell not into a sleep as they afterward reported yet fell into a swoon and became for a while saith the Evangelist as dead men Mat. 28.4 After some time recovering a little strength and seeing the Sepulcher thrown open the body gone and only the linnen clothes and spices wrapt up and left behind which though it had bin much for their interest or excuse in raising a report of its being stolen away as well as profit to have taken and their necessity but two daies before had shared his former garments yet they durst not touch but from the Angel's presence speedily fled away and in a great fright some of them came to the chief Priests and related all that had hapned our Lords Body gone the Sepulcher empty the linnens and spices left behind touch them he that durst the terrible apparition of the Angel with an Earthquake breaking their seal and rolling away the stone and there staying and sitting upon it § 115 The chief Priests not a little concern'd in this news of our Lords being revived to which also his Predictions now added some credit who had their hands already embrewed in his blood now repent their late diligence to prevent it whereby the very Soldiers could witness it against them and presently assembled all the Ancients of the Jews before whom on this occasion the Guards relate the like things the Divine Providence thus effecting a great divulging of it and that by such Witnesses as they could not but believe The result of this consultation was that a large summ of mony probably taken out of the same Church-Treasury as also Judas his was should be given to them to report that in the night whilst they were asleep our Lords Disciples came and stole away his Body And because the negligence of these Guards confessing themselves to sleep when they should have watched if coming to the Governours ears was highly punishable the chief Priests engaged also that in any such accident they would satisfy the Governour and secure them considering well if they could not smother and hide the truth in this matter the publick odium and loss of reputation which they should incur both with the People and the Governour in their prosecuting so vehemently against the inclinations of both these the death to say no more of so just and innocent a person Thus one sin to justify it self where no repentance engageth us on another and still makes the sinners condition more desperate Thus were the wily taken in their own craftiness and by their setting the Watch those truths are now declared both to the people and themselves not by the Followers of our Lord but their own Officers and Servants which otherwise they might with some shew of a good conscience have disbeleived and endeavoured to suppress but now acted purely against it § 116 This of the Soldiers flying from the Sepulcher and testifying in the City our Lords Resurrection but besides these were also some other extraordinary witnesses thereof For in the great Earthquake and at the same time as our Lord's were other Sepulchers and graves about the city opened and out of them also by vertue and in honour of our Lords Rising came forth the revived Bodies of many other formerly deceased Saints That as his triumphant Soul entring into the innermost bowels of the Earth brought a multitude of other overjoyed Souls attendants upon it from thence