for the plaine literall sense accords with the Prophet Isaias words He turneth the wildernesse into a standing water and dry ground into water springs And there hee maketh the hungry to dwell that he may prepare a City for habitation Psalm 107. vers 35 36. Yet because this is but probable or coniecturall wee will make it no ground of our intended inference Supposing then that these predictions were as meerely figuratiue or metaphoricall as the former they might not withstanding truely and prophetically prefigure or by way of Embleme fore-shaddow aswell the internall comfort of the Spirit wherewith Christ baptizeth vs as the externall baptisme of water which Iohn administred The water you know hath two naturall properties from which many metaphors vsuall in sacred Writers are borrowed by which the true intent and meaning of the Prophet Isaias figuratiue or emblematicall expressions of the waters in the wildernesse is to be valued The first naturall property of water specially in hotter countries where thirst is more vehement and waters more pleasant is to refresh or comfort the wearie soule The second to bee the Nurse or Mother of fruitfulnesse aswell in the trees or grasse of the Field as in plants hearbes or flowres of the garden According to this latter property the Prophets prediction of springs bursting out in the wildernesse was a true Poeticall Embleme or shaddow of Iohns baptizing with water who was to be by his office as the Gardiner to water and cherish those fruitfull trees and plants of righteousnesse with which God had promised to adorne the wildernesse For euen the Publicans and sinners Aliens by nature from the Common-wealth of Israel beeing made partakers of the baptisme of Iohn were ingrafted into Abrahams stocke made fruitfull branches of that Vine which GOD had planted in Iewrie and heyres of that heauenly Kingdome which Iohn did preach whilest Abrahams seede according to the flesh were dis-inherited All the people that heard him and the Publicans iustified God being baptized with the baptisme of Iohn But the Pharises and Lawyers reiected the counsell of God against themselues beeing not baptized of him Luk. 7. ver 29 30. vide Matth. 8. ver 11 12. According to the first naturall property of water which is to refresh the weary or such as are ready to faint for thirst the same predictions of springs or waters bursting forth in the wildernesse did prefigure the internall comfort of the spirit wherewith Christ alone baptizeth vs. For though Iohn did plant and water those plants of righteousnesse yet was it Christ alone that gaue the increase And this internall baptisme was really fore-shaddowed not onely by figuratiue or Propheticall manner of speech but by historicall and reall matter of fact And so likewise was the externall baptisme by water literally foretold by the Prophet Isaias that it should be a type or signe of Christs baptisme with the Spirit This internal baptisme to omit other instances was really fore-shaddowed by the waters which issued out of the rocke in the Wildernesse when the people murmured against Moses Aaron as if they had brought thē forth out of Aegypt to haue killed them with thirst in the desart Now this wee take as granted that euery miracle which God wrought in the Old Testament was a true shaddow or picture of some great mystery to bee fulfilled in the New Testament or after the manifestation of Christ. In this the Iewes agree with vs onely they expect that the miracles which their Messias should worke should be more glorious to the eye of sense than those which Moses wrought But wee say they are not onely greater but of another kinde otherwise they shold not be true miraculous mysteries but meer miracles Now that the waters issuing out of the rock were a type or shaddow of this mystical baptisme of the Spirit wee haue the testimonies of the Prophet Esay Chap. 48. verse 28. before cited and of the Apostle 1. Cor. 10. vers 1 2 3 4. Brethren I would not that you should be ignorant how that all our Fathers were vnder the cloud and all passed thorow the Sea and were all baptized vnto Moses in the cloud and in the Sea and did all eate the same spirituall meate and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke For they dranke of that spirituall rocke that followed them and that Rocke was Christ. How was it Christ not literally not identically Christ according to the God-head was not so present in or so vnited to the rocke as he is now to our flesh yet was it Christ the second person in Trinity the Sonne of God which made the water wherewith the Israelites his people were comforted and refreshed in the extremity of their bodily thirst to issue out of the rocke when Moses smote it The mystery portended or fore-shaddowed by this miracle herein consists That the same Sonne of God who was truely God which gaue them plenty of water out of the rock should afterwards become the Rocke of our saluation the Fountaine of life vnto the thirsty and weary soule This internall baptisme which was thus really fore-shaddowed by the waters in the rocke was literally fore-told Psalm 36. vers 8 9. They shall bee abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house and thou shalt make them drinke of the Riuers of thy pleasures For with thee is the Fountaine of life in thy light shall wee see light 46. Amongst other senses in which the Scriptures of the Old Testament are said to bee fulfilled in the New one and that an especiall one as is elsewhere obserued is when such speeches as are by the Prophets most of all by the Psalmist indefinitely vttered of God but cannot be attributed to the Diuine nature otherwise then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by manner of speech borrowed from the customes or fashions of men doe imprint their strict and proper character vpon God made man and fit his actions as the Seale doth the print in Waxe The Diuine nature is life it selfe an Ocean of liuing waters which we cannot approch but the Diuine nature in Christ is as a Fountaine or Well of life from which euery thirstie soule may draw the water of life without stint without any danger of drowning himselfe or drawing it dry For it is more calme and placid than any Fountaine or Spring though more inexhaustible than the Sea According to this sense is that other place of the Psalmist fulfilled in Christ that is in God made man The Lord shall reigne for euer euen thy God O Sion vnto all Generations Psal. 146. v. 10. That the God of Sion as God should reigne for euer was no new thing no matter of wonder or worth notice-taking to any Inhabitant of Ierusalem or man of Iudah All of them from the least vnto the greatest knew well that Hee which had made the World had no beginning no end of dayes or soueraignety But that this God of Sion who was Lord likewise of
12 13. 44. From these the like particulars in this Prophet we may obserue this generall That in all or most places wherein the manifestation of the Messias or propagation of his Kingdome is mentioned there is still foretold some strange miracle or wonder to be wrought in the desart and in particular the bursting out of waters The question is in what sense these and like places haue beene fulfilled or whether the predictions were plainely literall or rather by way of Parable or Allegory Whatsoeuer may bee said or thought of some of these predictions certaine it is that others of them were neuer verefied or fulfilled according to the literall plaine or natural sense of the words either before or about our Sauiours manifestation in the wildernesse That is as much as to say The mysteries heere truely foretold vpon Iohns baptisme were not fore-shaddowed or prefigured by matter of deed or fact or by any such reall representation as these words properly imply or by any naturall or visible alteration of the soyle or trees in the wildernesse Onely the manner of the Prophesie or prediction is Emblematicall or Allegoricall that is the mysteries heere fore-told were such in respect of mens soules bodies or affections as these alterations in the soile or trees of the wildernesse if they had literally falne out might haue beene true shaddowes or pictures of them To begin with that place whence Iohns Commission tooke his beginning Isaiah 40. vers 3 4. The voyce of him that cryeth in the wildernesse Prepare yee the way of the Lord make straight in the desart a high way for our God Euery Valley shall bee exalted and euery Mountaine and Hill shall be made low and the crooked shall be made streight and the rough places plaine We are not hence to beleeue as some later Iewes foolishly dreame that all the Hils in the wildernesse or place where the Messias was to be maÌ„ifested were to be leuelled with the Valleys or lower ground or that all the high-waies for men to come vnto him should be made as plaine smooth as a bowling-Alley or Garden walke The intent or purport of the Prophet was that this Cryer in the wildernesse was so to prepare the hearts the affections and dispositions of mens minds that they should not bee offended in Christ or the Messias when he should be reuealed that they should remoue all stumbling blockes of pride arrogancy couetousnesse peruersnesse hypocrisie or the like which did hinder them from comming vnto him with all their soules and all their hearts So when it is said The Lord would turne the thorne into the Firre tree or the bryer into the Myrtle tree in the wildernesse we must not imagine such a reall or corporeall transmutation vpon our Sauiours approach For if this Metamorphosis had bin made Iohn should not haue been a Cryer in the wildernesse but in the garden What then doe the words according to the Prophets naturall meaning and intention import As true as reall and strange an alteration in mens soules and affections which thus harkned to the Cryers voice as the supposed change of the thorne into the Firre tree or the bryer into the Myrtle tree or the change of the wildernesse it selfe into a garden if that had beene really and miraculously wrought could haue fore-pictured or fore-shaddowed The Metapâ—â—â— or Aâ—â—gory is no other then that of the same Prophet Isaiah 5. vers 7. The Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel and the men of Iudah his pleasant Plant and hee looked for Iudgement but behold oppression for righteousnesse but beheld a cry Thaâ— this is the intent and meaning of Isaiahs poeticall manner of prediction or figuratiue kinde of speech on the fore-cited places may bee gathered from Iohn Baptist himselfe whose Interpretation of them in this place is liâ—erall though his speech be metaphoricall and suteable to the former Allegorie For the tenour of his proclamation or crying in the wildernesse was Repent for the Kingdome of God is at hand Now Repentance according to the strict and proper sense of the originall imports a mutation of the mind And Iohn in the very next words expresseth wherein this change of mind whereto he exhorts them doth consist Bring foorth fruites worthy repentance Math. 3. vers 8. This he spake vnto the Pharises and Sadduces when they came vnto his baptisme whom he termeth a generation of vipers more barren vnto all good workes or fruits of the Spirit then the thornes in the wildernesse or the Brambles in the desart and yet as proud that they were Abrahams sonnes as the bramble in the parable of Iotham Iudges 9. vers 15. which sought to bee anoynted King ouer the trees of the Forrest All of them expected to bee heires of the Kingdome of Heauen which they rightly beleeued should bee established in the dayes of the Messias or Christ. Howbeit they thought the chiefe glory of this Kingdome should consist in their tyrannizing or domineering ouer the Gentiles like Lords and Kings For quelling this humour and working that change of mind wherein true repentance consists Iohn admonisheth them Thinke not to say within your selues We haue Abraham for our Father This proud conceit was as a Mountaine which was to be remoued ere they could come to Christ For I say vnto you that God is able out of these stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham Matth. 3. This last clause in its literall and proper sense imports a more miraculous change than the turning of the bramble into the Myrtle or the thorne into the Firre tree than the exalting of valleyes into mountaines And yet rather then Gods promise should not haue beene accomplished this speech of Iohn must haue been fulfilled in its strict and proper sense Howeuer literally fulfilled it was in the adoption of Publicans and sinners of whom it was meant by Iohn to be Abrahams seede and heires of promise But the Baptist continueth his former Allegory or parabolicall speech according to the Prophet Esaiah's intent and meaning Now also the Axe is laid to the roote of the trees therefore euery tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewne downe and cast into the fire vers 10. None are excepted no not the Of-spring of Abraham for vnlesse vpon the baptisme of water which Iohn administred they become fruitfull like the Vine or Oliue they must be accounted amongst the thornes and brambles and be sentenced vnto the fire 45. But what shall we say of the waters bursting forth in the Wildernesse so often mentioned by the Prophet Isaias Were these predictions as meerely figuratiue as the former and not at all fulfilled according to the literal plaine historicall sense It is probable that they were thus fulfilled and that God had shewne some wonders in the wildernesse in causing springs of water to burst forth in dry and barren places betweene Isaias and Iohn Baptists dayes perhaps before the 107. Psalme was penned which
answer For cleering this difficulty or exception we are to examine these two poynts 1. First what the particulars heere auouched by Christ and solemnly testified by Iohns Disciples might naturally and litterally import to any indifferent vnderstanding Auditor 2. Secondly what they might intimate or suggest vnto Iohn as no question but this answere did giue more full satisfaction vnto Iohn than it could doe to any other for that time without his Paraphrase or Comment vpon it 9. Touching the former poynt wee say The very particulars thus solemnely auouched and authentically testified include in them euen vnto ordinary sence and reason as much as could be expected in the promised Messias or long-expected Redeemer of Israel Thus much they manifestly include if wee rightly make the deductions according to the true Logicall extent of their naturall sence For although it bee a rule most infallible that the truth of an indefinite proposition may be salued or supported by the truth of one particular as if a man should bargaine with a day-laborer promising him in these indefinite termes to giue him so much for his worke as other neighbours did though some of them gaue twelue pence some tenne pence and others but eight pence the Law would vpon these termes or agreements award him no more than eight pence because it can constraine the hyrer onely to make good his couenant to the hyred and his couenant is performed if he make his promise true Now if but one or two Neighbours giue but eight pence and he giueth as much it is euident he giueth as much as his Neighbours do this is enough to salue the truth of his promise according to Law and Logicke although to vse the benefit of eyther to a poore mans preiudice would ill beseeme a man of better note and fashion In like manner although our Sauiour had only raysed the Widdowes Son of Naim froÌ„ death or at least if he had giuen sight to one or two blind men only or if he had cleansed but one or two Lepers and made only one or two lame men to goe this indefinite answere to Iohns question The blind receiue their sight and the lame walke the lepers are cleansed the deafe heare and the dead are raysed vp Mat. 11. v. 5. had beene so true as no Grammarian or Logician had beene able to impeach it of falshood But though it be certaine that an indefinite proposition is oft-times true if one or two particulars be true yet oft-times such indefinite speeches include a multitude of particulars and sometimes an vniuersality or the whole number of all the particulars which the words can litterally comprehend or signifie As for example if a man should bid his friend take heed how he deals for the world is naught and men are cunning no man would coÌ„ceiue his meaning to be that there were but one or two naughty or cunning men in the world but rather that the world were in a manner full of them and that no Society or Corporation were free from such men Againe if a man should aduise his friend not to rely vpon mens words in matters of great consequences without some reall assurance because men are mortall no man would conceiue his meaning to bee that this or that man were mortall but that all were mortall 10. That this indefinite speech of our Sauiour The blinde receiue their sight and the lame walke c. did as wee say de facto include not onely some few but a mulâ—itude of all or most particulars specified is apparent from the 7. of Luke vers 21. At the same houre when Iohns Disciples came vnto him hee cured many of their infirmities and plagues and of euill spirits and vnto many men that were blinde hee gaue sight As this indefinite speech did de facto include a multitude so it did de potentiâ include an vniuersality that is as there were many blinde men receiued their sight many sicke that were cured so all of euery sort here specified might haue beene partakers of the like benefit if the default had not beene in themselues or in their friends There was not a man throughout all the Tribes of Israel so blinde but might haue had his perfect sight restored vnto him so hee had demeaned himselfe towards Christ as these other blinde men did Not one man throughout all the Land so deafe so dumbe or lame but that if their friends would haue brought them vnto him and haue supplicated for them being not able to supplicate for themselues they might haue had their perfit hearing their speech or limbes restored vnto them All the Lepers might haue beene cleansed all possessed with Deuils might haue beene dispossessed and freed from their tyranny so they would haue but humbled themselues vnder Gods hands and sincerely acknowledged their imperfections and infirmities to haue bin the fruits of their sinne or offences against God their Creator and Redeemer for thus to be humbled was to become poore in spirit 11. What is it then which Iohn or his Disciples or the whole Nation of the Iewes could expect of Him that was to come their promised and long-wished-for Messias whereof these good beginnings related were not sure pledges and full assurances Most of this people and with them Iohns Disciples were sicke of their fore-fathers disease they desired in their hearts a King to fight their battels a man of as goodly presence as Saul was for personage as louely as Ionathan a man as valiant in battaile as Iudas Maccabaeus as victorious as Dauid as Samson or Gideon But what King of Iudah or Israel did euer Ieuy an Army without ingrateful exactions from his people Which of them did euer inrich himselfe or the State by forreine spoyles without impouerishing many of his natiue subiects Whilest some of them might sing these or like publike songs Saul hath slaine his 1000. and Dauid his 10000. many a poore widow in priuat laments the losse of her dearest husband with sighs and teares many Rachels mourne for their children and cannot be comforted because the Conquerour cannot restore them to life againe Finally the whole glory and pompe of warre when they are at the height and at the best are but like a bright and furious flame which must be continually nourished with mans bloud as a Lampe is with Oyle or the Fire with Wood. The best warre that euer was vndertaken was but malum necessarium It was well obserued by the wiser sort of Heathen that no warre was euer iust but when it was necessary And as another saith Bellum gerimus vt pace fruamur The only right vse and end of warre is to procure an honourable and secure peace If such peace may be had without warre they are but fooles and vnhappy men vnfit members of the world that will vndertake warre and kindle dissentions betwixt Nation and Nation Yee haue heard perhaps of the Philosophers Dialogue with Pirrhus that great warrier to this purpose
resist the greatnesse whereto the Kingdome of Babylon within three or foure discents was growne For Nabuchadnezzar had made himselfe Lord of Iewry of Aegypt and the Empire of Assyria The same Prophet which is more remarkeable and more admirable about the same time foretels the sudden desolation of the Babylonian Empire before it was growne to halfe its height or greatnes and names the Party which was to accomplish the worke of the Lord more than an hundred yeeres before he was borne Isai. 45. vers 6 7. 29. The accomplishment of this Prophesie by Cyrus the Lord would haue aswell the Gentile as the Iew to take speciall notice of as an impregnable argument or irrefragable testimony of his power in raysing vp Cyrus to take vengeance on the Babylonians in the height of thier pride for the wrongs which they had done to Iudah his Sanctuary an impregnable argument likewise of his exceeding mercy and louing kindnesse towards his people whom Cyrus after hee had conquered Babylon did set at liberty and gaue them Licence to re-edifie the City and the Temple Thus saith the Lord to his anoynted to Cyrus whose right hand I haue holden to subdue Nations before him and I will loose the loynes of Kings to open before him the twoleaued Gates and the Gates shall not be shut c. to vers 17. The manner of Cyrus his suddaine surprizing Babylon in that night wherein they celebrated the Feast of their Idol Bell is recorded at large by two heathen Writers Herodotus and Xenophon as long after this Prophesie was fulfilled as the prediction was before it Their Relations of it are so plaine and constant vnto the predictions of Isay and Ieremie and specially to the Relation which the Prophet Daniel hath made who was in Babylon when Cyrus tooke it that the incrediblest Gentiles of that age were inexcusable Now the reason why the Lord seekes to win credit to his Prophet in these his strange predictions of alterations in States and Kingdomes was that neither Iew nor Gentile should haue any pretence to distrust the same Prophets more admirable predictions concerning the Messias which was to come in which predictions this Pophet aboue others is so plaine and so plentifull that he was enstiled by the Ancient Fathers the Euangelicall Prophet 30. Heere I must request you to obserue what I must often inculcate or repeate vnto you heereafter That the Spirit of God did from the beginning vse a peculiar kind of fore-shewing all euents which properly concerned the promised Messias either in his birth conception baptisme or principall actions in his death and passion or in his resurrection and ascension The alterations of States or Kingdomes were for the most part fore-signified or declared before-hand onely by meere words by meere Prophesie or prediction But such things or euents as concern'd our Sauiour Christ were fore-signified as well by deede and fact as by word as well by reall representations as by meere Prophesie or predictions From this twofold fore-signification of things to come which concerne the Messias the Ancients haue rightly obserued two senses of Scripture the literall and the mysticall The literall sense is that which the words vpon their first vttering or writing whether in termes proper or borrowed directly and immediately import without interposition of reall euent or representation of the mystery foretold by matter of fact So that the branches of the literall sense taken according to its full latitude as it is oposed to the mysticall or meerely typicall sense may be as many as there bee tropes or figures of speech whether Rhetoricall or Poeticall besides the proper plaine Grammaticall or Historicall expression of things to come The mysticall sense or meaning is that which is portended by some deede or fact as by some Legall type instituted by Moses or by some reall euent which the sacred Historians or other faithfull Writers according to their predictions relate For Heathen Historians oft-times make historicall Relations of the euents which the Prophets fore-told And the euents so related foretold become reall Prophesies of other like euents to come as Isayes predictions concerning Cyrus and Zacharias predictions concerning Alexanders victories being both accomplished diuers hundred yeeres before Christ was incarnate did mystically fore-shaddow such euents as the Euangelists haue historically related concerning Christ and the successe of his Gospell Whether the allegoricall sense bee a branch of the literall or of the mysticall or whether sometimes of the one and sometimes of the other and sometimes of both according as the nature of the Allegorie is or whether sure Arguments for confirming our faith may be drawne aswell from the allegoricall as from the plaine literall and mysticall sense are points else-where discussed It shall suffice heere to admonish you that our beliefe especially as it concernes the mysticall sense of Scriptures must be alwayes grounded on the intention and meaning of the holy Ghost or of God speaking in Scriptures not on the Prophets present apprehensions of what he speakes vnto whom perhaps part of the holy Ghosts intention was reuealed the rest being wrapt vp and hidden vntill the euent or signes of time which it concerned did more fully vnfold it The mysticall and literall sense oft-times concurre sometimes so as the same words may be vniuocally verefied of the type and of the mystery portended by it As for example in the 12. of Exodus vers 26. not a bone of it shall be broken This was literally meant of the Paschall Lambe which these words immediately and directly point at for this was the Law of the Paschall Lambe that not a bone of it shall be broken And all Lawes are to be conceiued and interpreted according to the plaine literall and Grāmaticall sense of the words But inasmuch as the Paschall Lambe it selfe was a reall type or shadow of the Lambe of God which was to take away the sins of the world by his bloody death vpon the Crosse the selfesame words which were literally and historically verefied of the Paschall Lambe were as truely and more exactly fulfilled of Christ according to their mysticall and yet vniuocall sense And the fulfilling of this mystery was the cause as I doubt not but you all know why our Sauiours bones were not broken vpon the Crosse when the bones of the other two which were crucified with him were broken GOD in his wisedome had preuented all occasion of breaking his bones by hastening his death before the other dyed which were crucified with him Sometimes the same words may be verefied of the type and of the body not according to their vniuocall sense or importance but aequiuocally or analogically properly verefied of the body catachrestically of the type As for instance these words I will be to him a father and he shall bee to me a sonne are truely meant both of Salomon and of Christ but not secundùm vniuocam rationem The title of the Sonne of God as it is
communicated vnto Salomon with Christ differs as much as homo and homo pictus as a man and a painted man Some euents there are concerning our Sauiour or his actions which were not at all foretold by expresse word of Prophesie but only foreshaddowed by deed or fact or by some reall type or representation at the least they are not literally foretold in the same places in which they are really fore-shaddowed Thus was his death vpon the Crosse really represented by lifting vp the brazen Serpent in the wildernesse yet not litterally foretold by Moses so was his imprisonment or abode in the graue really foreshaddowed by Ionas imprisoned in the Whales belly but Ionas did not expres thus much by word or Prophesie But of these the like types we shall haue occasiō to speak hereafter Of all the testimonies or fore-significations of Christ or him crucified those testimonies wherein is a concurrence of fore-significations aswell by fact as by word are the most pregnant and most concludent against the Iewes and therefore the furest grounds of our beliefe in Christ. Of the particular manner how Arguments for confirming our faith are to be drawne from this kind of testimony especially God willing hereafter Whether of these or other Testimonies concerning Christ but of these especially the beliefe or knowledge of the faithfull hath been or may be either confused and indefinite or explicit and distinct 31. The first prediction which God reuealed vnto man was concerning the forbidden fruite In that day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye This prediction our first Parents did not beleeue vntill wofull experience had sealed the truth of it vnto their and our irrecouerable losse for any thing that they knew or could doe But the truth of the Diuine prediction in threatning euill being fully experienced ratified by their losse was by Gods Prouidence wisedome and mercy an especiall inducement vnto them for establishing their faith vnto his prediction concerning the womans seede which was to bruise the Serpents head I will put enmity betweene thee and the Woman and betweene thy seede and her seede it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heele Gen. 3. ver 15. In this prediction there is a concurrence of the literall and mysticall sense A true enmity between the seed of the naturall Serpent and the naturall seed of the woman Howbeit this enmity is but a type o◠Embleme of that supernatural enmity which the spirituall Serpent beareth vnto the seede of the woman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was the originall and fountaine of all ensuing Prophesies or predictions concerning Christ and yet euen this prediction it selfe as most other Prophesies was in respect of the particular manner or circumstanstances which were to accompany the fulfilling of it a kind of riddle vntill the euent or other declarations of Prophesies vpon it and facts answerable vnto them did vnfold it Our mother Eua no doubt did in the generall beeleue that as by man death came into the world so the deliuerance from death should come by man which was to be borne of a woman but whether she did in particular beleeue that this man or seed of the woman which was to deliuer her and her Husband from the curse of death should bee borne of a Virgin or of a woman without the consort of man is more then the Analogie of faith or Christian Charity binds vs to beleeue of her Their opinion is very probable who thinke shee mistooke Cain her first borne to be the promised seed and that out of this too ioyfull apprehension she vttered these words I haue gotten or possessed a man of the Lord. So the most translations read it but as the authors of this opinion which I now recite translate I haue possessed a man euen the Lord to wit the Lord which shee expected should redeeme them I know this Interpretation is reiected by Caluiu and Mercer two most iudicious Interpreters of the true literall meaning of Scripture the latter especially a most exquisit Hebrician But to counteruaile their authority the same Interpretation is well approued by Paulus Fagius who for ought I can perceiue was amongst Christiā Writers the first Author of it for whose authority and excellent skill in the Hebrew tongue and Iewish antiquities as I will not peremptorily auouch it so I dare not reiect it The Authors of this opinion concerning our Mother Euahs mistaking her first borne sonne for the promised seed haue attributed the like errour though not altogether so grosse vnto Lamech the Father of Noah Lamech had as true a prenotion or stedfast beliefe in this generall as Euah had that mankind should bee comforted concerning their labours that they should bee freed from the curse which the first man had brought vpon the earth vpon himselfe and his posterity and that this freedome or comfort should bee brought vnto them by man by one that was borne of a woman And yet out of his ouer-reioycing at the birth of the first sonne which God had sent him hee did as these Authors thinke mis-apply his generall prenotion or beliefe concerning the promised seed to his new and first borne sonne Lamech saith Moses Gen. 5. v. 28. liued 182. yeeres and begate a sonne And he called his name Noah saying This same shall comfort vs concerning our worke and toyle of our hands because of the ground which the Lord had cursed But to waue this question Whether Lamech did imagine this his sonne to be him that was to come or whether besides him he looked for another it is questionlesse that he vttered this speech by the spirit of Prophesie and as the speech it selfe was verified or fulfilled of Noah according to its plaine Grammaticall literall sense so it was exactly fulfilled or accomplished in Christ according to the full importance of its mysticall sense that is Christ and his office was as truely and really foreshadowed by Noah himself or by his office qualification or actions as Noahs office or qualifications were literally fore-told or prophesied of in this speech of Lamech Noah after the Floud offered a Sacrifice vnto the Lord and the Lord smelled a sweet sauour or a sauour of rest and vpon this Sacrifice engaged himselfe by promise not to curse the ground againe for mans sake Genes 8. vers 21. Here you see Lamechs Prophesie literally verified in Noah howbeit the Sacrifice of Noah was but a smokie shaddow of that reall and substantiall Sacrifice which was offered by the Sonne of GOD vnto his Father The comfort which Noah afforded vnto the World concerning the worke and toyle of their hands or the ground which the Lord had cursed was but a slight surface or liuelesse picture of that glorious blessing of life which Christ hauing freed vs from Adams curse hath by his death bequeathed vnto vs. I heard a voyce from hence saying vnto mee Blessed are the dead which dye in the LORD from henceforth yea saith the Spirit
that they may rest from their labours and their workes doe follow them Reuel 14. 13. Againe Noah was a Preacher of righteousnesse Christ was more c. Noah built an Arke into which whosoeuer entered not did perish into which likewise whosoeuer did enter were saued from the Deluge so did Christ build one holy Catholique and Apostolique Church without which none can be saued in which whosoeuer is found shall be vndoubtedly saued from those euerlasting flames wherewith the World shall be destroyed 32. So then our beliefe that Christ the Son of Mary was the promised Seed which was to come and that he was in part prefigured by Noah may be rightly grounded on the diuine prediction or Prophesie vttered by Lamech it cannot be safely grounded on Lamechs apprehension or application of this prediction Herein perhaps he might erre and so might the best of Gods Prophets erre in the particular determination of time wherein their Prophesies were to be fulfilled or in their applications of them to the persons in whom they might coniecture they should bee fulfilled Nor is error in particulars of this nature so long as men stedfastly beleeue the generall altogether so dangerous as some men thinke it vnlesse it be accompanied with wilfulnesse or obstinacy for that is it which turnes errors into Heresies Abraham himselfe after his beliefe in Gods promises concerning the promised Seed was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse did commit a greater errour in misapplication of that very promise whose beliefe was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse then Euah or Lamech did in misapplying Gods promise concerning the Womans Seed vnto their First-borne if happely they did so misapply it For Abraham by Sarahs perswasion thought Gods promise or prediction concerning his Seed should be fulfilled in the seed or off-spring of Hagar Sarahs hand-maid and continued in this perswasion vntill the Lord rectified it and set his beliefe aright by expresse promise of Isaacs strange and miraculous birth And the euent answering to this promise or prediction was a reall fore-signification or prefiguration of the more strange and more miraculous birth of our Sauiour So likewise was the strange birth and conception of Samson of Samuel and of Iohn Baptist for God in his wisdome did dispence these miraculous blessings of fruitfulnesse vpon Woman by naturall disposition of body or of age altogether barren that they might serue as inducements for establishing the beliefe of posterity concerning the most miraculous conception of the womans Seed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which had beene promised from the beginning And albeit an Angell from Heauen might in reason at least with better reason than any mortall man can pretend exact beliefe vnto his solemne message or predictions without further proofe or experiment yet the Angel Gabriel himselfe the great Embassadour of the blessed Annunciation would haue the blessed Virgin to ground her beliefe not only vpon his sole prediction but withall vpon the fresh and reall experiment of her Cousin Elizabeths strange conception of a sonne in her old age For after the deliuery of his message and his reioynder to her modest reply How shall this be seeing I know not man He finally concludes the Dialogue on his part Behold thy Cousin Elizabeth shee hath also conceyued a sonne in her old age and this is the sixt moneth with her who was called barren for with God nothing shall be impossible Luke 1. 36 37. Nor did the blessed Virgin refuse to make tryall of the signe which hee had giuen her for immediately after the Angels departure from her shee repayred vnto her Cousin Elizabeth as the Text saith in haste where shee found the Angels prediction fully ratified by the euent or fact For vpon the first salutation of Elizabeth the Childe whose conception the Angell told her of did spring for ioy in Elizabeths wombe and for a pledge or token that shee had conceyued by power and vertue of the Holy Ghost her Cousin Elizabeth vpon her salutation was filled with the Holy Ghost in her heart and out of the abundance of her heart thus filled her mouth did speake and vtter that propheticall salutation which the Angell had vsed vnto her with a loud voyce Blessed art thou amongst Women and blessed is the fruit of thy wombe vers 42. And by this spirit of prophesie Elizabeth did then know that that blessed Virgin had conceyued by the Holy Ghost and that then the Childe conceyued by her should bee her Lord and Redeemer the blessed Virgin againe vpon fresh experiments of these facts fully answerable to the Angels prediction was filled with the Holy Ghost and the spirit of prophesie by which shee vttered that excellent saying My soule doth magnifie the Lord c. Now the very Embassage of the Angell Gabricl was really fore-shaddowed or prefigured by the sending of Esaiah the Prophet vnto Ahas the King of Iudah whereof we reade Esay the 7. vers 3. The tenor of the Angels message vnto the blessed Virgin was literally and expresly fore-told by the Prophet vnto Ahas vers 14. Behold a Virgin shall conceyue and beare a Sonne and shall call his name Emanuel Howbeit euen in this Prophesie or testimony of our Sauiours birth and conception there was an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a full concurrence of Prophesie and Type an expresse prediction or fore-telling of what should afterwards come to passe and a reall ouershaddowing or representation of what afterwards did come to passe by matter of present fact or deed that is this Prophesie was truly verified in the Prophets time according to its literall or historicall sence and yet againe exactly and exquisitely fulfilled according to the literall and mysticall sence in our Sauiours birth and conception The signes of both times concerning the estate of Iudah were in proportion the same But the particular and full explication of this Prophesie will come more fitly to bee discussed hereafter 33. For conclusion of the first generall poynt proposed I would request you to note that of such fore-significations concerning our Sauiour Christs conception his birth his baptisme his death his passion as consist in matter of fact or type some are direct others are indirect and signifie by contraries As for example The first Woman was made of Adam by Gods immediate hand not begotten by man and being thus made shee was an inuerted type or shaddow that the second Adam who was to bruise the Serpents head was to be made of a Woman by the immediate hand of GOD not begotten by man Thus much was expresly fore-told by the Prophet Ieremie chap. 31. v. 22. Behold I create a new thing in the Land the female shall compasse or enclose a man or the female shall enclose Geuer But of this poynt you may be satisfied if it please you elsewhere more at large I onely instance in this particular for this time to giue you notice that some things may bee really fore-shaddowed as well by contraries or inuersion of the
vnwritten traditions of the Ancients onely or whether it were grounded vpon the expresse testimony of Scripture or the written Word of God The second 2. Whether Iohn Baptists firme beliefe of Christs baptizing with the holy Ghost and his owne baptizing with water were grounded onely vpon the internall reuelations made to him in priuate by him that sent him to baptize with water or whether they were grounded likewise vpon expresse testimonies of the written Word interpreted and made knowne vnto him by the same spirit by which the Word was written To both these Questions the answere must be affirmatiue as well the ones prenotion as the others distinct beliefe were both grounded vpon the expresse testimonies of the written Word The onely search or inquiry then to be made is vpon what expresse testimony the one or other was grounded and how our beliefe may be grounded vpon the same testimonies 42. I must request you to remember that God in the Old Testament did fore-shew things to come two wayes eyther by expresse testimony or prediction or by matter of fact or reall representation One and the same future euent is oft times declared or fore-signified both wayes Now predictions merely propheticall are of two sorts Sometimes the Prophets fore-tell things to come in proper and literall termes so as euery man at the first hearing may vnderstand their meaning As the Prophet spake to Ahab 1. Kings chap. 20. vers 42. Because thou hast let goe out of thy hand a man whom I appoynted to vtter destruction therefore thy life shall goe for his life and thy people for his people Sometimes they fore-tell future euents of greater consequence as truely as certainely but by way of parable embleme or allegory Now this kind of prediction and the types or figures of the Law or reall euents haue the same proportion as Poetry and painting It was wittily said Poema est pictura loquens pictura est Poema silens Euery Poem is a kind of speaking picture and euery artificiall picture a kinde of mute and silent Poem And so likewise euery type or ceremony of the Law euery historicall euent portending mysteries Euangelicall is a tacit and silent prophesie and euery propheticall parable was a kind of speaking type or picture of the like euents The euents fore-told or represented by Gods Prophets are alwayes reall and substantiall more than morall more than naturall mysteries truely celestiall and supernaturall Howbeit the representation of such euents or mysteries is oft times merely literall or verball but conceyued in such termes as suppose a feigned metamorpâ—osis in the workes of nature to make the picture more fresh and liuely And this kinde of propheticall expression of things to come we call the emblematicall sence or literall Allegory so that although euery Poet bee not a Prophet yet euery Prophet of the Lord was a true Poet not in faigning euents which neuer were nor neuer should be but in framing pictures of future euents in themselues contingent as exact and fresh as any Painter can make of the man whom hee seeth with his eyes or whose picture hath beene drawne to his hand Now if a Painter could make exact pictures of Children which shall not bee brought forth till the next yeere following we would say he wrought by inspiratioÌ„ of his spirit in whose bookes all their members are written or that his pencill was guided by his hand who found out the birth of man 43. The Prophesies in speciall concerning the manifestation of the Messias and Iohns office or attendance are for the most part conceiued in termes not proper but parabolical or Emblematical that is consisting of literall or verball Allegories Howbeit some of these Prophesies perhaps some passages in all of them point out future euents in literall proper and historicall termes And of euents thus literally and punctually fore-shewed some came not to passe vntill the Messias was reuealed Others were historically verefied long before yet so as the euents which then hapned were by Gods institution true types or shaddowes of mysteries reuealed in the Gospell or to bee reuealed during the time of grace So that one and the same Prophesie is sometimes or in respect of some part of its totall obiect fulfilled according to the plaine literall sense sometimes or in respect of other parts of its obiect it is fulfilled according to the literall Allegory sometimes or in some respect it is fulfilled according to the mystical sense or reall Allegory Amongst other sacred passages which by the confession of the Ancient and moderne malignant Iew haue speciall reference to the dayes of their Messias his reuelation these following are more remarkable Isay cap. 35. cap. 40. of which hereafter And againe I will open riuers in high places and fountaines in the middest of the valleys I will make the wildernesse a poole of water and the drie land springs of water I wil plant in the wildernesse the Cedar the Shittah tree and the Myrtle and the Oyle tree I will set in the desart the Firre tree and the Pine and Boxe tree together That they may see and know and consider and vnderstand together that the hand of the Lord hath done this and the Holy one of Israel hath created it Isaiah 41. vers 18 19 20. Remember yee not the former things neither consider the things of old Behold I will doe a new thing now it shall spring forth shall yee not know it I will euen make a way in the wildernesse and riuers in the desart The beast of the Field shall honour mee the dragons and the owles because I giue waters in the wildernesse and riuers in the Desart to giue drinke to my people my chosen This people the seede of Abraham according to promise haue I formed for my selfe they shall shew foorth my praise But thou hast not called vpon mee O Iacob but thou hast beene weary of mee O Israel That is the seed of Abraham according to the flesh or such as gloried in their carnall prerogatiues of their birth or progeny Isaiah 43 vers 18 19 20 21 22. Goe ye forth of Babylon flee yee from the Caldeans with a voyce of singing declare ye tell this vtter it euen to the end of the earth say ye The Lord hath redeemed his seruant Iacob And they thirsted not when he led them through the desarts he caused the waters to flow out of the rocke for them he claue the Rocke also and the waters gushed out Isaiah 48. vers 20 21. For yee shall goe out with ioy and be led forth with peace the mountaines and the hills shall breake forth before you into singing and all the trees of the Field shall clap their hands Instead of the thorne shall come vp the Firre tree and instead of the bryer shall come vp the Myrtle tree and it shall be to the Lord for a name for an euerlasting signe that shall not be cut off Isaiah 55. ver
Iesus the King in their hearts his first comming had beene as dreadfull to the whole Land as the vnworthy receiuing of his body and blood was to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 11. God in his wisedome as some of the Fathers very well obserue had so ordained that the same Element by which the old world besides Noahs Family were destroyed should bee consecrated as an especiall meanes for preseruation of the new world The baptisme of water which Iohn administred was as a renouation or ratification of the promise which God had made to Noah a visible signe that GOD had freed the earth or Land of Iewry from that curse which Malachy speaks of and was withall a visible pledge or sacrament of a new blessing Whatsoeuer the curse or anger was which hanged at this time ouer the peoples head the Doue which descended vpon our Sauiour at his baptisme did bring to this generation a more expresse release from it and a more soueraigne pardon for all their sinnes than Noahs Doue did bring of Noahs and his families deliuerance from the curse of waters or from the danger of the Floud when she came with an Oliue branch in her mouth Now inasmuch as Iohns baptisme by water was as the medius terminus or as the way and passage betweene Noahs Arke and that holy Catholike Church which our Sauiour Christ was now to erect whereof Noahs Arke as you heard before was the expre type it is no maruell if that which was literally fulfilled or verefied in the dayes of Noah were fulfilled according to its emblematicall importance or mysticall sense in the dayes of Iohn or at his baptisme The congruity betweene Noahs Arke and the holy Catholike Church or new Ierusalem which was now to descend from heauen doth herein partly consist First not onely Noah and his Family but the Beasts as well cleane as vncleane which entred into the Arke were all preserued from bodily destruction So not onely the Off-spring of Abraham which was pre-figured by Noahs Family nor such Proselyâ—es onely of the Gentiles as were made visible members of the Iewish Church which answered in proportion to the cleane Beasts in Noahs Arke but euen the worst sort of the Gentiles such as had most oppugned the Children of Abraham in their Religion so they will be admitted into the Holy Catholique Church or mysticall body of Christ shall be as vndoubtedly preferued both in body and soule from the curse of Hell-fire as the vncleane Beasts which entred into Noahs Arke were from the curse of waters 58. That the admission of the Heathens which had been no Proselytes of the Iewish Church before into the Catholique Church now erected by Christ was prefigured by the vncleane beasts is more than probable vnto vs from the Vision which Saint Peter saw Acts 10. vers 10 11 12 13 14 15 16. Peter after his prayer became very hungry and would haue eaten but while they made readie he fell into a trance and saw Heauen opened and a certaine vessell descending vnto him as it had beene a great sheete knit at the foure corners and let downe to the earth wherein were all manner of foure-footed beasts of the earth and wilde beasts and creeping things and Fowles of the Ayre And there came a voyce to him Rise Peter kill and eate But Peter said Not so Lord for I haue neuer eaten any thing that is common or vncleane And the voyce spake vnto him againe the second time What GOD hath cleansed that call not thou common This was done thrice and the vessell was receyued vp againe into Heauen The opening of Heauen and the letting downe of the vessell wherein were all manner of beasts as well vncleane as cleane did signifie that the Kingdome of Heauen or gates of the new Ierusalem were now set open to all beleeuers and the way to true beliefe manifested to all of what Nation soeuer they were the one as open and the other as manifest to the Italians or Romanes which neuer had beene Proselytes as to the seed of Abraham or the Proselytes which they had made That matters of fact or emblematicall representations by vision or apparences are as truely doctrinall as words vttered and vnderstood according to the literall sense wee neede no further proofe than Saint Peters application of this vision vers 28. And hee said vnto them vnto Cornelius and his Italian friends and attendants Ye know how that it is an vnlawfull thing for a man that is a Iew to keepe company or come vnto one of another Nation but God hath shewed mee not in expresse words but by vision or representation emblematicall that I should not call any man common or vncleane Nor did Peter in expresse termes or conceit deem any man vnclean Onely hee had said whether in expresse words or in thought onely I haue neuer eaten any thing that is vncleane Yet when answere was made What God had cleansed that call not thou common hee knew by the circumstances of the time and by the tenor of Cornelius his message vnto him that God in this answer did not meane beasts or things edible but men represented by vncleane beasts whose vse the Lord at this time had sanctified vnto his people in token that men or Nations before vncleane were now capable of sanctification The mystery included in this vision was fulfilled in the baptisme with the Holy Ghost and was prefigured by the admission as well of Publicans Roman Souldiers as of Pharises Iewes or Proselytes vnto the Baptisme of Iohn Now S. Peters owne interpretation of this vision will warrant our former Interpretation of the Prophet Isay cap. 11. vers 6. as also of most other places in this Prophet which as you heard before were to bee vnderstood not according to the literall plaine and Grammaticall signification of the words but according to their poeticall or emblematicall importance Howbeit when we affirme that the aforesaid Prophesie Isay 11. vers 6. was specially fulfilled according to its poeticall parabolicall or emblematicall sense we no way deny that it might in part be verified or exemplified according to the plaine literall or historicall signification of the words Certainely it was so verified in our Sauiour whilest hee remained after his Baptisme in the Wildernesse And immediately after his Baptisme the Spirit driueth him into the Wildernesse And hee was there in the Wildernesse fortie dayes tempted of Satan and was with the wilde beasts and the Angels ministred vnto him Mark 1. ver 12 13. Wee doe not reade that any wilde beast or noysome creature of which the Wildernesse had plenty did eyther annoy our Sauiour or attempt any violence against him whilest hee was with them Wee doe not reade that Satan did euer tempt Him to encounter with a Lyon or a Beare as his Father Dauid had done or to tread on Serpents or Scorpions to see whether they would sting him or no because he saw by experience that this Iesus of
Nazareth had power ouer all these and whatsoeuer other creature else that was at Satans command Hee had seene that of the Psalmist Psalm 91. vers 13. fulfilled in him Thou shalt tread vpon the Lyon and Adder the young Lyon and the Dragon thou shalt trample vnder feete yet he hoped our Sauiours confidence in the authoritie and power which hee exercised ouer wilde beasts and venemous creatures in the Wildernesse might animate him to try another conclusion which he thought had as faire and plausible premises in the Scriptures to inferre it Then the Deuill taketh him vp into the Holy Citie and setteth him on a Pinacle of the Temple and saith vnto him If thou be the Sonne of God cast thy selfe downe for it is written Hee shall giue his Angels charge concerning thee and in their hands they shall be are thee vp lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone Where was it written that the Angell should take charge of him lest he should dash his foot against a stone In the very same place and in the words immediately going before wherin it was said that he should tread vpon the Lyon and the Adder c. The Lyon the Adder and other noysome creatures would euer and anon bee in his way whilest his way was in the Wildernesse and to tread on them was no tempting of God The Angels of God in this case were to protect him but to cast himselfe head-long from the Pinacles of the Temple was no part of his way The Prophet had fore-told no such miraculous protection of him or his followers For him to haue tryed this conclusion had beene a tempting of God This and the like were feates better beseeming Simon Magus or others of Satans Schollers For this reason our Sauiour after his resurrection bequeatheth no such power or authority vnto his Disciples vnto whom notwithstanding he communicated the former power of treading vpon Serpents of conuersing with wild beasts or venemous creatures in such manner as the fore-cited place Isay the 11. vers 6 c. according to the plaine literall and natiue signification of the words importeth I beheld Satan saith our Sauiour as lightning fall from heauen Behold I giue vnto you power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions and ouer all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any meanes hurt you Luke 10. vers 18 19. This Commission beeing first drawne about the time that this answere was returned vnto Iohn by our Sauiour was more fully ratified vpon our Sauiours resurrection and as I take it before that time not put in execution by his Apostles or Disciples Thus much the literall meaning of Saint Markes words chap. 16. v. 16 17 18. to my vnderstanding doth import He that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued but hee that beleeueth not shall be damned And these signes shall follow them that beleeue In my name shall they cast out Deuils they shall speake with new tongues they shall take vp Serpents and if they drinke any deadly thing it shall not hurt them they shall lay hands on the sicke and they shall recouer He saith not that they should leape downe from the Pinacles of the Temple or from the tops of high Towers and not hurt themselues 59. Againe I would not deny but that the forementioned Prophesie Isay 40. 14. which was exactly fulfilled according to the literall Allegory or emblematicall sense might bee in part fulfilled according to the plaine literall and proper sense Not at the time of Iohns Baptisme but some yeeres before yet after Iohn was of age and experience to obserue the signes of the time and their prognosticks Amongst other symptomes of that terrible Earth-quake which ouerthrew twelue famous Cities in Asia about the sixth or seuenth yeere of Tiberius Tacitus relateth this for one sedisse immensos montes visa in arduâ— quae plana fuerint The Grammaticall sense of his words so farre as they reach is so exactly paralell to the plaine literall sense of Isaias Prophesie that I cannot English them better than by borrowing the English translation of the Prophet The Logicall extent of whose words is farre more ample than the others historicall relation Some valleyes according to Tacitus were exalted and some mighty Hills were brought low The Prophet saith Euery Valley shall bee exalted and euery Mountaine and Hill shall be brought low According to this Logicall extent or vniuersalitie this Prophesie neither hath been nor can bee fulfilled in its plaine literall and historicall sense Howbeit this and the like visible wonders wrought by the hand of God though answerable but in part to the plaine literall meaning of this Prophet were true and exact emblemes of that which the Prophet principally meant and which the mouth of the Lord since hath spoken Whosoeuer exalteth himselfe shall bee brought low and euery one that humbleth him selfe shall be exalted Luke 14. vers 11. The exact accomplishment of this sentence according to the vtmost extent of its vniuersality is not to bee expected till the last Day Howbeit there was a true Crisis of it exhibited at the Baptisme of Iohn which was as Saint Luke telleth vs in the fifteenth yeere of Tiberius From that time the Publicans and Sinners were aduanced and the Children of Abraham which gloried in their birth-right debased Poore Fishermen became Heads of the Tribes of Israel greater men in the House of God than Moses and Aaron had beene whilest Moses successors the chiefe Priests and Doctors of the Law were infatuated and became like salt without taste or sauour Of this miraculous change the forementioned prodigies were as wee said before the types or emblemes As Mineralists vsually find some homogeneall earth or metall neerer the Day as they vse to speake which directs them vnto the metall or treasure which they seeke so before the exact accomplishment of diuers Prophesies God vsually giues his people a glimpse or hint by the signes of the time by some reall euent or matter of fact answerable in some measure to the plaine literall sense of the Prophet but true emblemes or more immediate prognosticks withall of greater mysteries approching That Earth-quake which happened in Iewry whilest Augustus Caesar and Anthony tryed their fortunes in that great and famous Sea-fight at Actium was in part an accomplishment of the Prophet Haggai his literall meaning chap. 2. vers 6 7. Yet once it is a little while and I will shake the Heauens and the Earth and the Sea and the dry Land And I will shake all Nations c. This shaking of the Nations and of the Earth at that time was a sure prognosticke of that mystery which the Prophet in the Verses following fore-telleth to wit that the glory of the latter Temple should be greater than the glory of the former and that the desire of all Nations who was the glory of both Temples the Prince of that peace which God had promised to giue in Ierusalem
returned before hee preached the acceptable yeere of the LORD in Nazareth cannot so easily be gathered from the circumstances of the Euangelist but as all Interpreters I thinke agree this Answer was giuen within the compasse of that yeere wherein our Sauiour was baptized Now this was the last Legall Iubile which this people were to enioy and the first beginning of the Euangelicall Iubile which was to continue here on earth vntill the Worlds end to bee fully accomplished in the World to come So that this great mystery of our eternall Rest and Ioy in heauen had first a shaddow in the Law to wit the Legall Iubile Secondly a Picture in the Prophet Isay or in the History of Hezekias and his miraculous deliuery from the Assynians Thirdly a liue body in the Gospell or dayes of the Messias euery-way answerable to the picture drawne by the Prophet The first conception of this liue body or Euangelicall Iubile was from the day of our Sauiours Baptisme and the birth of it from the deliuery of our Sauiours Sermon vpon the Mount Fourthly the accomplishment ful growth or perfection of this liue body is to be expected onely in the life to come where our Ioy our Rest and Peace shall be for measure boundlesse and for terme endlesse Now according to these seuerall degrees of shaddow of picture of life and growth one and the same Scripture euen according to its natiue and literall sense may be often verified and fulfilled All the former Prophesies likewise concerning the planting of the Wildernesse with pleasant Trees though actually fulfilled according to the importance of the parabolicall or Emblematicall sense in that yeere of Iubile which Iesus of Nazareth did proclaime shall not bee finally accomplished vntill the beginning of that Iubile which shall haâ—e no end Thus much is specified Isay 60. vers 20 21 22. Thy Sâ—â—ne shall no more goe downe neyther shall thy Moone with-draw it selfe for the Lord shall bee thine euerlasting light and the dayes of thy mourning shall be ended Thy people shall bee all righteous they shall inherit the Land forâ—euer the Branch of my planting the works of my hands that I may bee glorified A little one shall become a thousand and a small one a strong Nation I the Lord will hasten it in his time This last verse though partly fulfilled in the conuersion of whole Nations by our Sauiours Apostles and Disciples made Citizens of the new Ierusalem descending from Heauen at our Sauiours Baptisme shall not be accomplished vntill these Trees of Righteousnesse be transplanted into the Heauen of Heauens and set there by the Tree of Life Then shall the least sprig that hath been truely ingraffed into the stock of Iacob the meanest â—â—â—ne of Abraham by faith become more fruitfull in himselfe than Abraham was in his posterity and a greater King and Lord of more than Dauid or Salomon in their prime Thus much is included in that saying of our Sauiour Marke 10. vers 29 30. There is no man that hath left house or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my sake and the Gospels but hee shall receiue an hundred fold now in this time houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions and in the world to come eternall life If the least of them that forsake all for Christs sake grow in this life into an hundred how great or strong a Nation euery small one that is not in this life offended in him shall after this life ended become is vnexpressable But we beleeue our Sauiour that the least and smallest of such as forsake all for him and the Gospell shall haue life eternall And wee beleeue Gods Word that life eternall is more than tenne thousand liues temporall though a thousand liues of a mans own be much more worth than a million of other mens liues whereof we might hope to be Lords and Disposers 80. That other Prophesie likewise before mentioned Isay 35. vers 4. though literally verified at Gods first comming into the World to be made man and then punctually fulfilled when IESVS of Nazareth GOD and MAN came to Iohns Baptisme is to be finally accomplished when the same Iesus shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead Then shall hee manifest himselfe to be God the Auenger and God the Recompencer by pronouncing that Sentence from which there shall be no appeale Come yee blessed of my Father possesse the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Deuill and his Angels The former part of this Sentence shall proceed from him as hee is God the Rewarder of all such as diligently seeke him The latter part of this Sentence Goe yee cursed c. proceedeth from him as hee is God the Auenger In that accomplishment of dayes which shall vtterly abolish all night and not before shal that other part of the same Prophesie Isay 35. vers 5 6. bee likewise finally accomplished Then the eyes of the blinde shall be opened and the eares of the deafe shall bee vnstopped c. The eyes of many blinde were opened at the time when this Answer was giuen yet not the eyes of all the blinde men then liuing which were not offended in Him but onely the eyes of all the blinde throughout Iudea and neighbour-Regions that came vnto him without offence At his second comming the eyes of all that after perpetuall darkenesse haue beene finally shut vp by death shall bee opened to see the glory of God so opened to see it without offence as they shall neuer be shut againe neuer bee depriued of this beautifull vision In that day shall all the halt and lame that haue not bin offended in him eâ—â—n such as neuer enioyed the vse of limbes from their coÌ„ming out of the wombe vnto their going vnto their graâ—e become more strong agile than the Hart and mâ—re swift and nimble than the Roe Then shall the eares and tongues of all that haue beene borne deafe and dumbe be so vnstopped and vnloosed as vpon the first opening they shall bee enabled to hold consort with the Quire of Angels to descant vpon those hidden mysteries and Prophetique Songs about whose literall sense or plaine Grammaticall meaning there hath beene much discord amongst greatest Criticks and amongst Schoole-men continuall iarres This is all which I haue at this time to say concerning the three particular Branches proposed in the beginning of the second generall Obseruation which was thus What satisfactioÌ„ this answer of our Sauior The blinde receiue their sight c. could giue to Iohn or his Disciples or to any that doubted whether Iesus of Nazareth was He that was to come Somewhat more is to be said concerning the Conclusion Blessed is he whosoeuer shall not be offended in mee MATTH 11. VERS 6. Blessed is hee whosoeuer shall not be offended in mee THe vniuersality