Saviour suffer not them to perish which do hang on thee Thou art the Lord and owner challenge thy possession Thou art the head helpe thy members Thou art the King give us a reverence of thy Lawes Thou art the Prince of peace breathe upon us brotherly love Thou art the God have pity on thy humble beseechers be thou according to Pauls saying all things in all men to the intent the whole quire of thy Church with agreeing mindes and consonant voyces for mercy obtained at thy hands may give thanks to the Father Sonne and holy Ghost which after the most perfect example of concord be distincted in property of persons and one in nature to whom be praise and glory eternally Amen FINIS A CATALOGVE OF the severall Treatises heretofore published by the Author THe Eternall Truth of Scriptures and Christian beliefe in two Books of Commentaries upon the Apostles Creed The third Book of Commentaries upon the Apostles Creed containing the blasphemous positions of Iesuits and other later Romanists concerning the authoritie of their Church Iustifying Faith or the faith whereby the just doe live being the fourth Book upon the Creed A Treatise containing the originall of unbeliefe misbeliefe or misperswasions concerning the Verity Vnity and Attributes of the Deity with directions for rectifying our beliefe or knowledge in the forementioned points being the fifth Book upon the Creed A Treatise of the Divine Essence and Attributes the first and second parts being the sixth Book upon the Creed The knowledge of Christ Iesus or the seaventh booke of Commentaries upon the Apostles Creed containing the first and generall principles of Christian Theologie with the more immediate principles concerning the knowledge of Christ divided into foure Sections The humiliation of the Sonne of God or the eighth Book of Commentaries upon the Apostles Creed A Treatise of the holy Catholick Faith and Church Christs answer to Iohns question or an Introduction to the knowledge of Iesus Christ and him crucified delivered in certaine Sermons Nazareth and Bethlehem or Israels portion in the sonne of Jesse And mankinds comfort from the weaker sex in two Sermons preached at S. Maries in Oxford FINIS * Phil. â— ver 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. * Psal 40. ver 6 7 8. * See the seventh book cap. 17. §. 5. * In the 7. Book and 28. Chap. * See the 7 book cap. 26. § 34. * In the 5th book of Commentaries upon the Apostles Creed or a Treatise containing the originall of unbeliefe c. See the former Treatise chap. 44.45 c. a Mihi verò ratio cur ita sese vocaverit duabus ex rebus pâ—tenda esse videtur altera quòd solus ipse Ezechiel imo Daniel etiam aliquando ita vocetur ut Irenaeus lib. 3. cap. 18 notavit altera quòd solus ipse se ita vocet Nam alij in novo Testamento nunquam cum filium hominis appellant Ex priore re intelligimus posse eâdem aut simili de causâ quà Ezechielem filium hominis appellari Cur autem Ezechiel ita vocatus sit cum multas illic opiniones reconsuerimus illam R. Abraham maximè probavimus vocari â—um filium hominis quia semper cum Angelis lâ—quebatur qui eum ut a se qui homines non erant sed videbantur distinguerent fiâ—um hominis appellabant Nec enim ipse sed cum Angeli ita vocant Simili fortasse ratione Christus quia Deus erat filius Dei quasi aâ—itâ—esi quadam cum de se ut homine loquitur fiâ—ium hominis vocat Non quod alâ—uâ— sed quod aliter filius Dei quia Deus filiâ—s hominis quia homo esset quemadmodum Augustinus indicavit Exposteri reprobabilem conjecturam ducimus â—um se non honoris sed abjectionis caâ—á◠ita vocare sicut apud Prophetam vermem opprobrium hominum appellat Psal 21. ver 7. Nisi enim nomen abjectionis esset alij etiam eum aliquando eodem modo vocavissent Sed observamus Ezechielem nunquam a se sed abalus Christum nunquam ab aliis sed a se filâ—um hominis appellari Ideo ergo se filium hominis appellat ut significet se cum in forma Dei esset nec rapinam arbitraretur se esse aequalem Deo exinaâ—â—sse tamen semetipsum formamque servi accepisse habitu inventum ut hominem Phil. 2.6 7. Maldonat in cap. 8 Matthaei ver 20. The 7. book of the Commentaries upon the Creed cha 25. §. 3 4 c. The 7. book of Commentaries upon the Creed Chap. 30. § 10. c. * Deut. 8.3 * Psal 91.11 12. * Ioh. 12.27 * Heb. 5.8 * Matt. 16.22 * Curaeus * Capta Dragonera Magio negotiuÌ„ datum ut Montemmarinum munitissimuÌ„ locum aggrederetur Igitur secuÌ„ ducto Augusto SaluciaruÌ„ principis notâ—o filio eò tendit evocatoque quasi ad colloquium praesidiariorum duce ab Augusto quîcum arctissima intercedebat amicitia Magius ex compacto superveniens eum comprehendi jussit ut locum dederet hortatus cum nihil proficeret postremo minas addidit ipsum vinctum quasi ad supplicium in oppidi conspectum deduci imperavit tam miserabili spectaculo victi oppidani ut ducem suum periculo eximerent deditioneÌ„ fecere 0bservatuÌ„ tam indignae mortis vehementi metu adeo concussum animo eum suisse ut sanguineum sudoreÌ„ toto corpore funderet Thâ—an lib. 10. pag. 221.1 * Cusanus * 2. Sam. 24.17 * Psal 40. Heb. 10.5 6 7. * 1. Pet. 2.18 19. * In his Paradoxes * Mark 14.35 c The 7. book of these Commentaries upon the Creed chap. 36. par 3 4 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Ioh. 20.28 * Or sayed himselfe c. * The 7. Book of Commentaries ca. 6. c That is it should be a quiet habitation for bordering Nations or a mixt people * zach 9.9 * Vide Riberam in secundum Haggaei * Nunquam cohabites impiis eò quòd fieri non possit ut non ex illorum conversatione tu impius evadas Quod si mâ—raris Considera quid acciderit Iiphtah Gileaditae qui licet iustus esset tamen quia habitavit in tribu Epharaijm ipse ab eis ad impietatem pertractus fuit Cum enim videret quòd filios filias suas idolo Baal comburereÌ„t inde quoque ipse abiit similique modo filiam suam occidit Item cum videret eos operam dare homicidiis factus est ipse homicida abiens interficiens 40. duo millâ—a ob quod facinus tanquam impius punitus non meruit sepulturam juxta id quod dicituâ— Et sepultus est in civitatibus Gilead Iudic. 12. Qui locus Scripture docet di pâ—sa sinâ—e â—ossa ejus in omnibus civitatibus Gilead In quocunque enim loco videbant ejus ossa sepeâ—â—ebant ea Ben. Syrae Sentent Mor. 6. * Marke Luke in the forecited places and S. Ioh. chap. 12. ver 14. * Zach. 9.9 * Statius * Vide Hebraicum contextum Prov. 19.21 Quòd verò ponderibus resistat in adversuÌ„ incurvetur facere idem Iudices debent atque reluctabundi seductores pellacesque omnes detrectare neque mulieribus neque vioâ—etiae ced re Pierius in initio sui lib. I. de hierog inquit Aristot Si super arboris ejus lignum magnum quantumlibet pondus imponas Palma minime deorsum cedit nec infra flectitur sed adversus pondus â—esuâ—git sursum nititur in adversum fornicata Marke 10.48 * See Christs answere to Iohn In the 7. Booke last Chapter of the last section * Chap. 26. * Vide Genebrardum in Psal 3. * See Cap. 15. par 3. 4. * Ver. 69. * Matth. 26.64 * Sect. 3. Chap. 11. par 9 10. c. * See Jer. 45. ver 5. 39 Vide Nebrisensis quinquagenam C. 14. * Chap. 26 parag 4. * Zach. 11.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Septuagint * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gloriosum pretiuÌ„ quo appretiatus sum Zach. 11.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See the 7. book of CommeÌ„ts on the Creed S. Matthew addes and saith it was called the field of blood unto this day which argues that he wrote his Gospel a long time after S. Peter made his Comment upon the Psalmist See Psal 55.16 * See the 7. book of these Commentaries sect 3. cap. 28. sect 5. Mat. 27.50 Mat. 15.37 Gen. 22. * Ier. 32.42 * Scilicet in 3. Cap. ejus libelli * See Christs answer to John * Vide Chytraeism in hoc caput Sect. 2. * Vide Petrum RamuÌ„ in Commentariis de side Capite 130. de Christi sepulturâ Et Tremellium in editione Syriaci Testamenti See the 2. page of this Treatise
Saviour was crucified at what houre taken downe from the Crosse and of the mysteries ensuing his death 370 FINIS PErlegilibrum hunc cuì titulus est The humiliation of the Son of God c. in quo nihil reperio quo minus summâ cum utilitate imprimatur Ex Aedibus Fulham June 22. Sa Baâ—â—er R. P. Episc Lond Cap. domest Errata Page 27. line 7. for else be read else there be p. 60. l. 4. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 70. l. 24. for the first way r. the fittest way p. 95. l. 27. for nor r. not p. 283. l. 21. for unto by him r. unto him by THE HVMILIATION OF THE SONNE OF GOD OR The eighth Booke of Commentaries upon the Apostles CREED THat the man CHRIST JESUS was truely and properly the Sonne of God not from his conception birth or circumcision but from eternitie That the Sonne of God was so made man in time that whilst the man Christ Iesus was conceived borne and circumcised He who was the Sonne of God and God our Lord from eternity was conceived borne and circumcised in our flesh hath been though not the entire subject yet the maine scope of a former Treatise Unto which by the assistance of this JESUS and his holy Spirit we now endeavour to annexe this present Treatise or Eighth Book of Commentaries upon the Apostles Creed the subject and scope whereof is to shew that the same God and our Lord who was conceived by the holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary c. did according to the Scripture afore extant suffer under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buryed c. Besides that which hath been delivered concerning this Iesus and our Lord all that we are in these Comments to prosecute or meddle with untill wee come unto the article of his comming to judge the Quick and the Dead and the accomplishment of a Treatise already begun concerning the Holy Catholique Church will fall under these generals The Humiliation The Exaltation And Consecration of the Sonne of God to the everlasting Priesthood Of his Humiliation his death and sufferings Of his Exaltion his resurrection from the dead his ascension into heaven and sitting at the right hand of God were the periods or accomplishments Of his CoÌ„secratioÌ„ to his everlasting Priesthood his Agony and bloudy death his rest three dayes and three nights in the grave and resurrection thence were the principall though not the onely parts To begin with his Humiliation SECTION I. Of the Humiliation of the Sonne of God and the end why he did so humble himselfe in the generall CHAP. I. In what sense the Sonne of God is said to have humbled himselfe 1 ALbeit the humiliation of the Son of God our Lord be not expresly mentioned in the Apostles Creed yet is it so emphatically exprest in Canonicall Scriptures whence the Articles of our Creed are taken by whose rules they are to be interpreted that no man which admits the Scripture to be a rule of Christian faith and practice can deny this humiliation of the Sonne of God to be a fundamentall point of beleefe and rule of manners and practice truely Christian As to omit other Texts for the present that one of our Apostle S. Paul shall suffice Let nothing be done through strife or vaine glory but in lowlinesse of minde let each esteeme others better than themselves Looke not every man on his owne things but every man also on the things of others Let this minde be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the forme of God thought it not robbery to be equall with God But made himselfe of no reputation and took upon him the forme of a servant and was made in the likenesse of men And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himselfe and became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse If we consider this humiliation of Christ our Saviour in its generall or abstract notion not as restrained unto particular circumstances of his death and sufferings it is in some sort more peculiar to him as hee was and is the Son of God than the matter of any other article following in this Creed For when wee say as we must beleeve that the onely Son of God was borne was circumcised did suffer under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried these and the like speeches can be no other wayes verified of him as he is God than per communicationem idiomatum That is the matters signified by these and the like speeches had their beginning and reall existence in his humane nature For that alone was really capable of weaknesse sorrow infirmity and of death Yet in as much as the whole humane nature it selfe was but an Appendix of his divine person no person distinct from it whatsoever Christ Jesus did doe or suffer in this nature was done and suffered by the eternall Sonne of God The Sonne of God was truely humbled in and according to this nature in all his naturall and more than naturall sufferings from his birth to his death Yet may we not say that this Son of God did humble himselfe onely in these or the like undertakings whereof the humane nature alone was really capable That exinanition or nullifying of himselfe mentioned by our Apostle Phil. 2.7 did not take its beginning from or in the manhood but in and from the divine person of the Sonne of God For it was no physicall passion or naturall affection no passion at all either naturall or supernaturall yet a true and proper humiliation more than civill though better resembled by humiliation civill than by naturall His obedience did not meerely consist in his patient suffering but in the submission of himselfe to his Fathers will before he suffered Most willing he was to take upon him the forme of a servant before hee actually tooke our nature upon him for our redemption before the Angell Gabriell was sent unto the blessed Virgin before the Psalmist had said on his behalfe Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not but a bodie hast thou prepared me in burnt offerings and sacrifice for sinne thou hast had no pleasure then said I loe I come in the volume of the book it is written of me I delight to doe thy will O God This unconceiveable manner of his unexpressible willingnesse to doe his Fathers will was the very life and soule of that most admirable obedience of his humane will to doe and suffer whatsoever hee did or suffered in our flesh That which gave the infinite value and everlasting efficacy to his everlasting sacrifice which was offred once for all 2. For taking a true though an imperfect scale for such is the best that man can take of his humiliation and obedience wee are to scan the meaning of our Apostle in the forecited place more particularly Hee was saith our Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
righteously who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his owne body on the tree 2. By this unspeakeable obedience of the Son of God in vouchsafing to suffer for us with unimitable patience what hee had in no degree deserved wee who were by naturall condition slaves to Satan were fully redeemed unto the liberty of the sonnes of God Of what kinde soever his sufferings were such and so many they were and all so patiently sustained by him that hee made a full and perfect satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole world as the ancient and our English Liturgie expresseth And that hee made a full and perfect satisfaction for all the sinnes whether of disobedience or impatience in sufferings of all those men who are in any degree redeemed by him is not questioned by any Christian whether in truth or profession onely who grant that the Sonne of God did make any true and proper satisfaction for the sonnes of men Concerning the extent of mans redemption by the Sonne of God or for his full satisfaction for their sinnes wee shall if God give leave discourse hereafter But whether unto this full and perfect satisfaction which hee undertook to make for men if not universally as our Church teacheth yet as all reformed Churches agree indefinitely taken it were necessary requisite or expedient that the Sonne of God should in our nature undergoe the same penalties or sufferings in kinde which without his satisfaction for them all mankinde should have suffered is a question which of late yeares hath troubled even those reformed Churches which agree upon this generall that his satisfaction was most full and all-sufficient The heat of this contention is unto this day rather abated than extinguished Now the paines which all the sonnes of Adam and Adam himselfe without full satisfaction made by the Sonne of God should in justice have suffered were the paines of Hell perpetuall durance in that unquenchable fire which was of old prepared for the Devill and his Angels Whether this fire be it materiall or immateriall or more then equivalent perhaps unto materiall fire did seize upon the humane soule or body of the Son of God or upon both either in his Agony in the garden or upon the Crosse is the point or probleme now in question The affirmative part of this probleme hath been averred by some in their publike writings under the title of the Holy Cause so dignified for no other reason as I conceive but because it was in those daies maintained stiffly by such as deemed thēselves more holy than other men at least more Orthodoxall in points of sacred doctrine than their Fathers in Christ and by confession of their owne consciences more learned than themselves Others taking this for granted that Christ did suffer all the pains of the damned have been so farre overswaid with their adherence unto this doctrine as to misdeem that Article in the Apostles Creed concerning Christs descending into Hell or ad inferos to incline this way as if to beleeve Christ did descend into hell had been all one as if he had suffered the paines of hell in his Agony in the garden or upon the crosse But if this had been any part of the true meaning of that Article the Apostles or whosoever were the first Composers of the Apostolique Creed as we now have it in the Latin especially in the English would haue exprest thēselves in plainer termes For if by Hell in that Article the paines of Hell had been by them meant or intended they would not have said that the Son of God descended into hell but rather that hell had ascended up unto him whether in the garden or on the Crosse That the Son of God our Saviour Christ did truely descend into the nethermost Hell may with greater ease and more probability bee proved out of the Canonicall Scriptures as well of the old Testament as of the New than his suffring the pains of hell can be inferred from either Testament or from the Apostles Creed That Christ did after his death or dissolution of body and soule descend into hell such as maintain his suffering the very paines of Hell do generally deny But to omit this incongruous paradox or this preposterous expression of it that Christs descention into hell should intimate his suffering of Hell-paine before his death it shall suffice to examine the reasons which have been or may be brought that hee did or was to suffer such paines whensoever or in what place soever All the reasons which can bee alledged that hee did suffer such pains must either be drawen from the event or some experiments recorded in the new Testament or from some predictions in the Old or from a necessity or expediencie whether in justice in equity or out of his abundant love to mankinde that he was to suffer them 3. No necessity or expediency of such sufferings can bee as I conceive pretended but either for satisfying Gods justice or for his full and absolute conquest over Satan or for his consecration to his everlasting Priesthood that hee might bee a mercifull and faithfull high Priest in things concerning God or a sweet comforter of all such as suffer whether in body or soule for his sake The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the former question that hee did suffer the very paines of Hell must bee proved or attempted from his speeches gesture or other experiments related by the Evangelists in their accurate descriptions of his Agony and sufferings upon the Crosse To begin then with the relation of his Agony That is related at large by S. Matthew and S. Luke which is scarce mentioned by S. Iohn whose speciall part in penning this sacred tragedie it was to remember that divine discourse with his Disciples being at his last Supper with them and his repaire to the garden beyond Cedron which he had so often frequented before that the opportunity of this place made Iudas of a secret thiefe an open Traytor 4. The maner circumstances of the Agony it self are most fully related by S. Luk. cap. 22. ver 39 c. And he came out and went as he was wont to the mount of Olives and his disciples also followed And when he was at the place he said unto thē Pray that ye enter not into temptation And he was withdrawn from thē about a stones cast and kneeled down prayed c. Not to dispute about the phrase here used by S. Lu. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as whether it imports some violent withdrawing by impulsion or some extraordinary instinct or whether in true construction it be no more than thus he did voluntarily withdraw himselfe questionlesse he was by the one meanes or other now led the second time to be tempted The temptation was grievous and more extraordinary then his former temptation in the wildernesse Thus much is intimated by that peremptory monition to his Apostles Pray that yee enter not into temptation partly from the maner of his
little before his death My God my God why hast thou forsaken me The collections which many learned writers of the Romish Church have drawen from Calvins Comments upon these words are too plentifull to be here inserted and the imputations which they lay upon him and his followers unanswerable if he meant or spake as they expresse his meaning to wit that these words should argue a sensible experience of Hell paines or the worst symptomes of such paines as either despaire distraction of minde or discontent I should be very sory to reade them in Calvin or in any other writer of the reformed Churches very unwilling distinctly to call to memory some passages in late English Writers which to my remembrance incline too much this way All I can say in Calvins defense if hee peremptorily affirme that our Saviour did suffer the paines of Hell upon the Crosse is this If it be an heresie as the Romish Church doth make it and I cannot gainesay them if it bee stifly maintained the heresie was broached by a great and learned Romish Cardinall before Calvin wrote And when the Pope who is the pretended Judge of all heresies shall condemne his books for hereticall or his opinion in this particular for an heresie I shall be ready to perswade the Church of England as farre as I am able to doe the like The true importance of our Saviours exclamation or proclamation rather upon the Crosse for hee uttered it voce magna with a proclamatory voice will come to bee scanned in the next Treatise But if Satan either by his owne strength or by speciall permission from God the Father did tempt our Saviour upon the Crosse whether immediatly or mediatly by the malicious stratagems of the Jews and by the prophanesse of the Roman Souldiers so farre as to proclaime his owne despaire or diffidence of Gods favour towards him or to the least degree of impatience or discontent it would bee hard to make any construction of our Saviours prediction Ioh. 14.30 The Prince of this world commeth and hath nothing in me or as some have more fully exprest the Hebraisme nothing against mee As certainly he had no matter to work upon no occasion of solace either to himselfe or to his infernall associats as if they had moved him to the least degree of diffidence or impatience For our Saviour questionlesse was more then certaine by a more excellent certainty than the certainty of faith that he should be saved from the second death that he should never fall away from Gods favour nor be for a moment forsaken of him Otherwise he had been a lesse faithfull servant of God lesse mindfull of speciall revelations made to him as man then they are who beleeve their owne speciall election or predestination onely upon application of Gods generall promises to themselves in particular For besides the internall revelations made to him as man he had many publique assurances such as others besides himselfe did heare none of which hee did ever distrust or doubt much lesse could hee feare lest his Father should be so farre displeased with him as ever to forsake him Now his pains upon the Crosse were grievous and the indignities done unto him to flesh and blood intolerable yet his apprehension of celestiall joyes due unto him was never interrupted And out of this never interrupted apprehension or rather view of these joyes hee endured the Crosse and despised the shame as our Apostle tells us Hebr. 12.2 Not onely his apprehension of these but his most circumspect observance of all opportunities to doe his Fathers will and to see all the Scriptures concerning him fulfilled was neuer more conspicuously remarkable whilest hee was upon the Crosse than in his last conflict with death The fulfilling of the Prophecies concerning his sufferings requires a peculiar Treatise For his extraordinary circumspection about that very point of time wherein hee uttered these words Eli Eli lamasabacthani My God my God why hast thou forsaken me that is abundantly testified by S. Iohn who was an eare witnesse of his speeches Now there stood by the Crosse of Iesus his mother and his mothers sister Mary the wife of Cleophas and Mary Magdalene When Iesus therefore saw his mother and the Disciple standing by whom hee loved hee saith unto his mother Woman behold thy Sonne Then saith he to the Disciple Behold thy mother And from that houre that Disciple took her unto his owne home Joh. 19.25 26 27. CHAP. XIII The bloody Sacrifice of the Sonne of God was all sufficient to make full satisfaction for the sinnes of the world without his suffering of any supernaturall or unknowen paines 1 BUt however the former pretended conclusion concerning Christs suffering the paines of Hell or any of their symptomes cannot bee inferred either from his bloody sweat in the garden or from any speeches of his or any effect related by the Evangelists yet the favourers of this conclusion rather than they would give it over endeavour to prove it by reason drawen from the finall cause of all his sufferings The suffering of the paines of hell say they was necessarily required to the full satisfaction for all our sinnes which all good Christians confesse hee did beare both in his Agony and upon the Crosse But the very foundation of this assertion is very weak and the superstructive worse most derogatory to the infinite worth of Christs bloody Sacrifice First it is not required by the rules of equity whether Divine or humane that satisfaction for wrongs done should alwayes be made in kinde or by way of counterpassion It is in many cases more full and more sufficient when it is made by equivalencie than if it were made in kinde As in case a man in his rage should cruelly beate his neighbour or butcher his cattell to permit the party which suffered the wrong whether in his person or in his goods to exercise the like rage or cruelty upon his person or live-goods which did the wrong could be no true satisfaction either to the law or party wronged but rather beastly revenge The best satisfaction which in this case could be awarded to the party wronged would be to give him such contentment in one kinde or other as might in reason though not to passion be as beneficiall and usefull to him as the effects of his fury and rage which did the wrong were in just estimation hurtfull and yet such withall as should make the offender as unwilling to doe the like wrong againe as the party wronged or any in his case would be to suffer it This is the onely true satisfaction which in the same or like case could be justly made to the Law whose true intendment alwayes is to make all men willing to doe to others as they desire should bee done unto them unwilling to doe any thing to others which they would not have done unto themselves Our father Adam had wronged our common nature and all of us had offended
his Supper CHAP. XVI Of the King of Sions comming to Ierusalem and how the maner of his comming was for circumstance of time prefigured by the Law or rite of the Paschall Lamb and for other circumstances expresly foretold by the Prophet Zachary 1 AN Apostle hath said it and wee must beleeve him that our Saviour Christ was Agnus occisus ab origine mundi the Lamb slaine from the beginning of the world And other Scriptures abundantly testifie that he was to bee slaughtered in time to the end that hee might take away the sinnes of the world About the indefinite or illimited truth of both these propositions there is no controversie amongst good Christians The limitation notwithstanding of both these undoubted truths require some further disquisition the limitation of the later a larger Treatise The maine Quere concerning the former is briefly this From what beginning of the world our Saviour is said to be Agnus occisus the Lamb slaine as whether from the first beginning of time or from the first day of the Creation To stretch the beginning of the world thus farre is more than the rules of true Theologie will warrant For it was neither necessary or expedient that the Sonne of God should bee slaine or that any bloody sacrifice should have been offered if our first Parents had preserved or retained their originall integrity By the beginning of the world then in our Apostles meaning wee are I take it to understand the sinfull world as it is coevall or confederate with the flesh or the first entrance of sinne into it or rather into our nature From the fall of our first Parents at least from their convention before their Almighty Judge and Creator the Sonne of God was first destinated and afterwards consecrated to be the Lamb of God which was to take away the sinnes of the world And of his death and passion or other undertakings to this purpose as well the sacrifice which righteous Abel offered out of the flock as the bloody sacrifice of himselfe being butchered by his ungracious brother Cain were true types or shadows So was the Paschall Lamb which was solemnly offered every yeare once in token afterwards in memory of the Israelites miraculous delivery out of Aegypt The first institution and observance of this solemnity was given as a pledge or assurance unto Gods chosen people that the destroyer should not hurt one of them when he smote all the first borne of Aegypt both of man and beast The same solemnity was afterwards continued in memory of that mighty deliverance which Israel had from Pharaoh and his hoast Howbeit even this miraculous deliverance was but a shadow or typicall assurance of that great deliverance which the Sonne of God in our flesh and all Gods people in him and by him had from the powers of Hell and darknesse in that great Passeover wherein this true Lamb of God predestinated to this purpose from the beginning of this world was actually consecrated and solemnly upon his consecration offered 2. A question there is but soberly handled by some good sacred Antiquaries whether the Law of the Paschall Lamb delivered by Moses were to bee solemnized according to all the rites and circumstances which were enjoyned and punctually to bee observed at the time of Israels departure out of Aegypt One branch of this Law it was that every houshold which was capable of eating it should take it from the flock foure dayes before the offering of it This separation was his consecration and this rite or ceremony as some good Writers tell us was observed throughout the generations if not in the Lambs offered by every private family yet in the Lamb designed or chosen for the publique sacrifice in that great Festivall which was brought into the City foure dayes before the offering of it with great pomp and solemnity But bee it that the solemnity of bringing the Lamb foure dayes before the Passeover was to bee observed onely in Aegypt this will no way impaire the sweet harmony betweene the Legall type and the Evangelicall mystery but rather give it a better lustre For that Passeover which was celebrated in Aegypt was the most illustrious peculiar type of this great Passeover wherein the Sonne of God was sacrificed for the sinnes of the world Other succeeding legall Passeovers were but remembrances of that great deliverance whereof the first Passeover in Aegypt was the pledge or pre-assurance And we in like sort were once for all delivered from the powers of Hell and darknesse by the visible blood of the new Covenant of which deliverance wee are more strictly enjoyned to continue a memoriall untill our Mediator and Redeemer come to judgement Now to declare unto the world that JESUS the Sonne of God and of David was the Lamb of God ordained from the beginning of the world to effect this mighty deliverance and to fulfill the mysteries forepictured by the Passeover in Aegypt He came unto Jerusalem the place appointed for this and other grand Festivalls foure dayes before the Passeover wherein hee was sacrificed and was brought in with greater pompe and solemnity than any Paschall Lamb than any Prince of Judah at any time before had been His attendants were more and their respects and salutations tendered in more submissive manner and the titles given to him much loftier than either David his father or Solomon in all his royalty had been accustomed unto The history of his comming is very remarkable of it selfe and the circumstances as they are variously related yet without clashing or contradiction by all the foure Evangelists most considerable 3. For the circumstance of time which was foure dayes before the Passeover that is determinately and punctually set downe by two Evangelists and may be evidently inferred out of all foure The speciall occasions of a great concourse of people out of severall Nations or Provinces which at this last Passeover did expect his comming or went out of Jerusalem to meet him or wait upon him after another guise than at any the three former Passeovers since his Baptisme had been seene are most fully exprest by S. Iohn Chap. 11. ver 45. Then many of the Iews which came to Mary and had seene the things which Iesus did beleeved on him But some of them went their wayes to the Pharisees and told them what things Iesus had done John 12.9 17 18. Much people of the Iews knew therefore that he was there and they came not for Iesus sake onely but that they might see Lazarus also whom hee had raised from the dead The people therefore that was with him when hee called Lazarus out of his grave and raised him from the dead bare record For this cause also the people met him for that they had heard that he had done this miracle c. The originall occasion of this great concourse as appeares in these passages was the irrefragable testimony of his raising Lazarus from the grave wherein he had laid foure dayes The speciall
eares so opened by the Lord God as this Lord God himself had a temper of body and mind not moveable to any passion either by indignitie of speeches which he heard or by the blows which he suffered CHAP. XXV The unjust proceedings of the high Priest and Elders against the Sonne of God were punctually foretold by the Prophets 1 BUt was it any where else foretold besides in those passages of the Prophet Isaiah and the Psalmes forecited that the Lord of glory or God the Redeemer of Israel should suffer all those indignities should bee despightfully arraigned unjustly examined and sentenced to death by his native subjects and by the Gentiles If thus much had not been both foretold and foreshadowed both by Moses and other Prophets our Saviour would not have censured those two Disciples whom hee did vouchsafe to accompany to Emaus saying Wee trusted that it had been hee who should have redeemed Israel His taxe of this their present distrust or dull beliefe is more sharpe then any reply or answere which hee made unto such malicious Infidels as from the time of his apprehension did deride beate scourge and crucifie him for avouching he was the God of Israel or King of the Jews For unto these two Disciples hee said O fooles and slow of heart to beleeve all that the Prophets have spoken Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets hee expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himselfe Luke 24.25 26. I can no way dislike but rather approve of Maldonats and other learned Commentators wishes upon this place that if so it had pleased the Lord the Evangelist had related unto us either the places which hee expounded to them or his expositions upon them But as I have heretofore advertised the Reader and shall take occasion hereafter to put him in mind it seemed not expedient to the wisdome of God to have the full exposition either of our Saviour or the Apostles themselves upon those Scriptures which they alledge extant upon undoubted record but rather to exhibit us certaine hints or just matter of sober and serious search of the Scriptures which they alledge Amongst other sacred passages which our Saviour expounded to those two Disciples I make no question but the eighty second Psalme was one To omit all enquiry who was the Author of the Psalme whether Asaph whose inscription it beares or David himselfe or what speciall occasions the Author of it whosoever he was had to compose it whether his owne experience in suffering wrong or some observation of grosse partiality or corruption in the course of Justice towards others the Psalme it selfe is Propheticall and was never so punctually verified at any time before or since as it was at our Saviours examination by the high Priest and Elders and at his arraignment before Pontius Pilate yet the full accomplishment of the last clause will not be untill the finall day of Judgement God standeth in the Congregation of the Mighty saith the Psalmist he judgeth among the Gods How long will yee judge unjustly and accept the persons of the wicked Defend the poore and fatherlesse doe justice to the afflicted and needy deliver the poore and needy rid them out of the hands of the wicked Psalme 82.1 2 3 4. Here was a faire caveat put into the Courts of Justice by the Psalmist not to passe sentence upon the Messias for saying hee was the Sonne of God or for making himselfe equall with God not to accept of the person of Barabbas before him who now as GOD did stand amongst them But besides this caveat of the Psalmist the circumstances of time and the manner of their owne proceedings against him did warne them as Pilats wife did him to beware how they had any thing to doe with that just and holy man And our Saviour himselfe vouchsafeth to bee the remembrancer that however hee now stood to bee Judged by them yet he was that very God which the Psalmist foretold should be their Judge and the Judge of the whole world For so the Psalmist concludeth Arise O God and judge the earth for thou shalt inherite all Nations verse 8. This universall Inheritance and power to judge the earth was bestowed upon our Saviour at his resurrection after they had judged him for saying he was the Sonne of God 2. After they had sought many false witnesses against him but could find none whose testimonies did agree or if they agreed did reach home to convince him of any capitall crime they sought to entrap him by his owne confession which being judicially made and taken they knew to be a full and legall conviction The high Priest failing in his intended subornations against him said unto him I adjure thee by the living God that thou tell us whether thou bee the Christ the Sonne of God Matth. 26.62 63. And unto this interrogatory ministred unto him by the high Priest ex officio not in a criminall cause but in a point of beliefe or doctrine hee vouchsafeth a full and punctuall answere as to his competent Judge quoad haec such an answere as he did not vouchsafe either to Herod when he was brought before him nor to the high Priest and Elders when they examined him before the two false witnesses which at the last cast were brought against him These circumstances wee have related in the forecited place of St. Matthew At the last came two false witnesses and said This fellow said I am able to destroy the Temple of God and build it in three dayes The high Priest said unto him Answerest thou nothing what is it which these witnesse against thee But Iesus held his peace Matth. 26.60 c. And S. Luke tells us Chap. 23.9 When Herod questioned him in many things hee answered him nothing But assoone as the high Priest adjured him by the living God to tell him the truth whether hee was the Christ the Sonne of the living God Iesus saith unto him thou hast said Neverthelesse I say unto you hereafter shall you see the Sonne of man sitting at the right hand of power and comming in the clouds of heaven Then the high Priest rent his clothes saying Hee hath spoken blasphemie what further need have wee of witnesses Behold now yee have heard his blaspemy what think yee They answered and said Hee is guilty of death Matth. 26.65 66. All these circumstances are related by S. Luke but not in the same order which S. Matthew doth for as hath been heretofore observed albeit wee are bound to beleeve that every Evangelist wrot nothing but divine truth yet every one of them did not record the whole truth with all its circumstances nor relate either our Saviours answers or his enemies practises against him in the same order of time in which they were made or exhibited St. Matthew referres or rather intermingles the fulfilling of Isaiahs Prophecy for spitting in his
in his owne way and it is this what the Prophet had to doe with any Potter in the house of the Lord Some interpreters without any mention of this scruple give this reason why God commanded the Prophet to throw his stipend to the Potter because his person or profession was as contemptible as the stipend was But if this was the true reason the party to whom hee threw it was not contemptible onely for the meannesse of his person or profession but contemptible amongst others of his owne trade For the word in the Originall hath a note of demonstration prefixt unto it not a Potter but the Potter This scruple if I mistake not is already cleared in the former Book For as Vatablus with the consent of some ancient Hebrew Rabbins observe the ancient reading of the Hebrew was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto the Treasury or unto the Treasurer But in succession of time there hapned a variation in reading not by negligence of Transcribers or Translators but by Gods speciall providence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this substitution of one letter for another or alteration of the signification of the words did most divinely character the devolution of the thirtie pieces of silver designed by Iudas to the Treasurie or Corban unto the buying of the Potters field to bury strangers in it Both Iudas for casting them downe for the Temples use and the chief Priests in otherwise disposing of them did as the Lord had appointed them Neither of them did amisse in all this The height of their sinne was in buying and selling the Lord of life specially at so low a price This the Lord did not appoint or ordaine them to doe yet did he ordaine their most wicked deeds and direct their malicious intentions to an happy end to the redemption of all our soules and to the fulfilling of this Prophecy And so hee did ordaine Iudas his resolution to make away himself unto the confirmation of our faith and to the fulfilling of another Prophecie not much observed for ought I read by most Interpreters The first and last act that Iudas did after hee had cast downe the thirty pieces of silver in the Temple is recorded by S. Matthew 27.5 And he cast downe the pieces of silver in the Temple and departed and went and hanged himself 3. This last act was prefigured as most have observed by the fearefull end of Ahitophel But was the maner of his dying which was somewhat more fearefull then Ahitophels any where else foretold Yes it was most remarkably fore-prophecied Psalme 109. with its circumstances or sad consequences First that the imprecations throughout that Psalme were literally meant of Iudas though his name bee not exprest in it is cleare from St. Peters speach unto the Assembly of Christs Disciples for proceeding to the election of another Apostle in Iudas his place And in those dayes Peter stood up in the midst of the Disciples and said The number of the names together were about an hundred and twentie Men and Brethren this Scripture must needs have been fulfilled which the holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Iudas which was guide to them that tooke Iesus For he was numbred with us and had obtained part of this ministerie Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity and falling headlong hee burst asunder in the midst and all his bowels gushed out and it was knowen unto all the dwellers at Ierusalem insomuch as that field in their proper tongue is called Aceldama that is to say The field of blood For it is written in the Book of Psalmes Let his habitation be desolate and let no man dwell therein And his Bishoprick let another take Acts 1.15 16 17. Albeit the chief Priest did bargaine for the field to bury strangers in yet in asmuch as the money wherewith they bought it was Iudas his goods not theirs St. Peter held it no soloecisme to say that this man to wit Iudas did purchase a field with the reward of iniquity And seeing this field was purchased of a Potter it is but one and the same maner of speach which S. Matthew useth by way of paraphrase upon the Prophet Zachariah that Iudas did cast downe the thirty pieces of silver to the Potter in the house of the Lord. S. Matthew relates onely Iudas his hanging of himself S. Peter addes further that falling headlong hee burst asunder in the midst and all his bowels gushed out It seemes or rather it is evident that either the rope or the gallow tree did break the later is more probable if any heed bee to bee given to an old tradition that he made choise of an Elder tree for the gallows a very brittle wood and such as beares no good fruit unlesse it bee that which is called the Jews-eare But although we be bound to beleeve that most of the imprecations in this Psalme were literally and concludently meant of Iudas yet it may be questioned whether they were literally meant of him alone or directly intended against his person by the Prophet David And however it was lawfull for the Prophets to pray directly against particular persons living in their owne time which for any Christian living to doe is most abominable yet for the particular imprecations of this and some other Psalmists which were not fulfilled till after ages I cannot but highly approve of Genebrards resolution upon this Psalme The extract of his resolution is that however David might have just occasions to supplicat for revenge upon some enemies to him and to his Government and to the God of Israel whose Deputy he was Yet his direfull imprecations throughout this Psalme aimes at the whole hoast of impiety or the body of impious men And seeing Iudas was the chief or highest member of that huge body with whom hee fought the curses which he sent forth at randome in respect of future ages did fall perpendicularly and most punctually in fullest measure upon this eminent Traytor to his King and Countrey to his Lord God 4. All the imprecations throughout this Psalme are Propheticall and have been at least respectively long agoe fulfilled but in which of them the maner of this Traitors fearefull end was in particular punctually foretold is not so cleare as that the ordinary Reader will easily see it Nor can hee be much holpen by any discoveries of most Interpreters Many besides Iudas have hanged themselves many have been surprized by sudden death or smitten by Gods revenging arrow with sore diseases in a moment Yet have wee read of none in whose death self intentions and secret acute diseases did so concurre as they did in Iudas His owne intention was onely to hang himself and this he effected But certainely there was somewhat more in it then could naturally follow from this attempt as that hee should burst asunder in the middle that all his bowels should gush out and hasten his death