Galilee and again Luk. 9.10 Such a desert near to Bethsaida whither he retired with his Disciples returned from their preaching and where also he fed the five thousand with five loaves and two fishes and also where he is said to have bin alone praying Luk. 9.18 which seems to be the desert wherein was this Mountain And Rogier in his Terre Sancte L. 1. c. 10. saith the Oriental Christians conceive the same Desert to have bin the place of our Lords miracle of the five loaves viz. some where between Bethsaida and Tiberias And indeed many texts seem to confirm it not easily explained otherwise For Luk. 9.10 It is said to be a Desert near Bethsaida John 6.23 Tiberias to have bin near to the place and Boats to come from thence that carried away the people perceiving our Lord gone thence to Capernaum Mat. 14.13 The people said to have followed him from the cities on foot i. e. by fetching a compass whither he was departed by ship Jo. 6.14 Our Lords return to have bin first to Capernaum and after passing to Genezareth Mat. 14.34 which is called a transfretation because made over a great Bay of the Lake though not crossing it As for the 30 furlongs mentioned Jo. 6.19 these may be understood of their rowing to and fro against a contrary wind The latter feeding also of the four thousand Mat. 15.21 seems to have bin in the same desert the place being said to be near the Sea of Galilee at his return from the Coasts of Tyre and Sidon he not taking ship first but going there into a Mountain Mat. 15.29 And in the same mountain seems to have bin our Lords Transfiguration if we well compare the Context and our Lords motions before and after it His being in the Town of Cesarea Philippi or Decapolis lying North of the inferior Galilee see Mark 5.20 7.31 Mat. 4.25 a little before and returning to Capernaum after it See Mark 8.22 27. -9.2 30 Mat. 17.22 24. and the multitudes and Scribes there following and attending on him as usually about Capernaum Mark 9.14 well considering these I say Our Lords Transfiguration seems to have bin also in this Mountain And this from our Lords so much frequenting it as well as from his glory manisted there to have bin called by S. Peter the Holy Mount which hill also standing in the midst the chief habitation of his Galilean Disciples and Converts seems also to be the appointed place of his apparition to them after his Resurrection § 252 In this Mountain saith the Evangelist before the Election of his twelve Apostles our Lord continued all night in prayer leaving herein to us an example of our like preparation by much prayer before actions of any great consequence The matter of his prayer not expressed may partly be gathered from that most passionate one he made for these Apostles also a little before his passion for the conservation of them after his departure set down John 17. and from that at the same time made for the Head of them S. Peter that his faith might not fail Recommending these much to his Fatherly Benediction who were to be the twelve Foundations whereon his new Church was to be built for perpetuity maugre all the Gates of Hell Eph. 22.20 Mat. 16.18 who were to be the salt for seasoning and preserving eternally from corruption the putrifyed world ever since Adams fall and the Tapers to enlighten it sitting hitherto in the darkness of Heathenism and vain and uncertain Philosophy who were to suffer all the world over such hardships and persecutions and at last most cruel death for his Name and who were to have their twelve Names written on the twelve Foundations of the Golden Celestial Jerusalem Apoc. 21. Namely praying that these might be furnished and fortifyed with all Graces worthy so high a Profession but also herewith a most admirable resignation of our Lord to his Fathers good pleasure in the election of Judas Iscariot and in the entrusting him afterward with the common purse of his maintenance and charities which Judas however at the time of his Election he might seem in a capacity for such office preferrable before others yet our Lord then well foreknew his future ill correspondence with it and it seems from our Lords words Jo. 6.70 that a whole year before our Lords passion and this servants betraying of him he had then much of the Devil in him unless these words be to be understood prophetically and relating to his future Treason And for-as-much as these his twelve Apostles are a type of his Church this example of a Judas a thief and traytor found among them and yet so patiently admitted and tolerated by our Lord shews that it is not to be expected or exacted that his Church here on earth as to the external members thereof should ever be in a better condition but Tares mingled with the Wheat in this field and bad fish with the good in this Net And it is a note of S. Austin De Civ Dei lib. 18. cap. 49. making much against the Puritan Donatists Habet saith he inter â—os unum Judam quo malo utens bene passionis suae dispositum impleret ecclesiae suae tolerandorum malorum praeberet exemplum § 253 The Morning come he calleth up to him his disciples who it seems attended near hand and took their rest the night before at the foot of the Hill and out of them being a great number Luk. 6.17 that were his more constant followers and Auditors out of which number also he is said after this to have made a second election of 70 or 6 times 12 Luk. 10.1 answerable to the 70 chosen by Moses for his assistance Numb 11.16 He chose 12 persons according to the number of the 12 Tribe of Israel that they should continually wait on him hear all things he taught and bear witness afterward to the world of whatever passed and whom he might send abroad as he thought fit after first well instructed by him for it by two and two together to preach the Gospel as the harvest still encreased to whom also for this reason he gave the name of Apostles These were all Galileans and five of them his Kinsmen viz. 1. and 2. James and John sons to Salome according to the common opinion daughter to Alpheus or Cleophas brother to Joseph and 3ly James the less the 4th Simon of Cana one of James his brothers being called Simon and our Lord having kindred at Cana on which account was the invitation of his Mother to the marriage there and therefore is this Simon of Cana conjectured to be one of the Brothers and a Kinsman of our Lords And the 5th Judas Thadeus James Simon and Judas being suppose sons of Alpheus or Cleophas and of Mary his wife stiled therefore a Sister to our Lords Mother Jo. 19.15 because her husband was brother to Joseph and brother of Salome and called our Lords brethren Which Brethren it seems
fulfilled to stand silent by and hear his sweet colloquies with his Bride Jo. 3.29 § 7 2 Lastly after the like vertues and actions to our Saviors John also run before him in the like sufferings Persecuted by the Pharisees and call'd by them a Demoniack as our Savior was Luk. 7.30 34 persecuted by Herod and ungratefully imprisoned by him at the solicitation of his Wife whom before he had heard gladly and in many things obeyed his Holy Counsel Mark 6.20 and afterward kill'd by him only for bearing witness unto the truth a year before our Savior a well-dancing Girle being preferred before this great Prophet Kill d whilst Herods conscience pleaded for him as Pilat's did for Jesus and both were by both out of a base fear destroyed Kill'd at a solemn Feast in Galilee that was kept on Herods birth day as our Savior was at the Pascal feast none of the many great Guests there opening their mouth for him beheaded in prison privatly and unheard condemn'd without witnesses as Jesus by false ones Put to death by Herod partly out of religion too to keep his oath forsooth as Jesus was by the Jews to preserve their Law And then his Reverend Head and countenance which living none beheld without a religious awe and respect not committed to a decent Grave but carried away in triumph and serv'd up in a dish at Herods bloody Table who now feared no more his righteous Tongue there rejoiced over and made merry with the fate of great Saints Rev. 11.10 and exposed to the derision and abuse of his malicious enemies as also our Saviors sacred Head and countenance was treated but this when alive both by his blind folders and his Crowners hands knocked spit on peirced by them at pleasure and lastly as it was exposed to derision also for many hours upon the Cross With such sufferings God here rewards his worthiest Servants And thus much being said in honour of this great I know not whether I may say in some manner the greatest excepting the Blessed Virgin of Saints the Baptist Now let us turn our eyes toward our Blessed Lord that followed him § 8 Six months after the conception of the Baptist the same glorious Angel Gabriel was sent to an opposite side of Palestine far distant from the country of the Baptist that the validity of his testimony concerning Jesus might not be weakned by any acquaintance between these two Kinsmen to Nazareth a small and contemptible City see Jo. 1.46 of Galilee by the Jews a much despised Country see Jo. 7.41 52. a place the farthest remote from the Royal City and the Temple and from the noble Tribe of Judah and the Linage of David from which was expected the Messias and a place of extraordinary darkness and ignorance as we may gather from Mat. 4.15 16. a people that sat in darkness and in the region and shadow of death bordering upon and being it self half Gentile And this remote ignoble Region Gods wisdom chose for the habitation and education of his own Son and the Lord of all the Earth For which country of his our Savior suffered much mortification and scorn all his life from the great ones of the Jews saying that the Messias could not come from such a place and was also afterward by the enemies of Christianity Julian and others reproachfully call'd the Galilean And this we may imagine done by the Divine Wisdom for many reasons First that his own Son might here in all things represent to us the greatest humility and man might hereafter be ashamed to be proud and boast himself of the Nobleness of his City or Country And secondly that he might here the better be concealed and live in obscurity who was to suffer death from sinners before his publick exaltation and glory 3ly Again that where more darkness was there they might enjoy the more light and the efficacy of the Divine Grace more manifest it self in Mans weakness much of our Saviors teaching being spent amongst this dull and ignorant people and that the more to exalt Gods power from this dark region those persons should cheifly be taken by our Savior being his own Country-men who should enlighten the whole world 4ly And lastly that by this Countries confinment upon and mixture with the Gentiles God might shew his Son a common Savior coming to all not only the Jew but us Gentiles § 9 Hither was this great Angel sent from God in his name to salute and in a special manner espouse unto Him if I may use the expression of the Prophets Ezech. 16. Hos 2.19 that holy Virgin Mary a Daughter of David found out in this obscure corner so far removed from the Tribe and house of her progenitors and kindred a person singled and chosen out of all the daughters of Adam of all generations curiously viewed by his all-searching eies whom he thought the most worthy to make the Holy Mother of his only Son and the second Eve to bring salvation to mankind as the first had caused their ruin Which person since she was thus singularly gratious in Gods eies above all mortals that ever were and destined to that high honor as never any other creature was to have a God to be her Son and cloth himself with part of her substance to be nourished with her milk to hang on her Brests and to be carried about in her armes And since God makes all things proportionable and fit for the ends he designs them to we may justly imagine her purity and cleanness from sin her graces and perfections in all vertues to have surpassed those of the greatest Saints whatever And all those enamoured praises which God giveth in the Canticles to his Spouse the Church Behold thou art fair my Love behold thou art fair thou hast Doves eies Thou art all fair my Love there is no spot in thee A garden inclosed is my Spouse A spring shut up a Fountain sealed How fair and how pleasant art thou O Love for delights looking-forth as the morning fair as the Moon and clear as the Sun c. Cant. 4.1 7 12. 7.6 We may conceive in a singular manner to be verified above all other faithful in this Blessed Virgin the most high and the most elevated amongst all the members of this his Spouse the Church If therefore the Baptist who was to be but our Saviors Messenger was for this office filled with the Holy Ghost from the womb Luk. 1.15 Surely so was she who was to be his Mother and probably this is the reason that when as the Evangelist saith of Elizabeth and of Zacharie before their Doxologies and Hymns and of Peter and others before their Sermons that they were filled with the Holy Ghost yet no where is such expression used of this Blessed Virgin either before her Magnificat or on any other occasion because she from her very beginning was so § 10 And then she being supposed so sanctified from the womb First what holy stories see
13.55 are said to be James and Joses and Simon and Judas besides Sisters there also mentioned See Hegesippus apud Eusebi m l. 3. c. 10 26. and these are thought to be the sons of Alpheus supposed brother to S. Joseph and elsewhere called Cleophas and of Mary his wife See Matt. 10.3 compared with Matt. 27 56. called Mary Mother of James Mat. 27.56 Mark 16.1 and called Mary of Cleophas i. e as some suppose wife of Cleophas Jo. 19.25 and called there Sister to the Blessed Virgin i. e a near Kinswoman Unless we will suppose her to be wife of Alpheus brother to S. Joseph and Father of our Lords brethren and daughter to Cleophas a person distinct from Alpheus and Brother to Joachim the Blessed Virgins Father or to her Mother Anna. But if Cleophas be supposed Brother to S. Joseph then Alpheus may be brother to the Blessed Virgins Father or Mother and thus our Lords brethren will be his nearer Kindred Salome also wife to Zebedee is supposed a daughter of Alpheus and so her sons James and John our Lords Kinsmen I say these brethren of our Lord seem to have removed their habitation to Capernaum For they made not only this journey with him thither but here we find them again Mat. 12.47 compare 13.1 and Mark 3.20 21 31. comp 2.1 13. and 3.1 7. where the Synagogue is that in Capernaum And it seems their so solicitous looking after our Lord Mat. 12.46 was for his taking some refection the importunity and pressing of the multitude disturbing the due times of his repast Mark 3.20 and excluding his nearest friends from him and his zeal also of instructing the people and bringing them into the Kingdom of Heaven whom he campassionately beheld Matt. 9.36 as Sheep having no Shepherd which zeal some of his unbelieving Kindred thought mingled with some excess Mark 3.21 making him neglect his sustenance and the care of his Body Here it was also Jo. 7.3 as appears by the context that his Brethren perhaps having also some little touch of ambition spake to him that he would go and shew himself rather in Judea some of them having as yet some distrust of his Messiasship and high pretences when they saw him keep so much in Galilee though this necessary for prolonging his life till the time was come of his being offered up and far from Jerusalem and the Highest Court of the Nation there as also from the Court of Herod It is most probable also that these his Brethren attended on him in most of his peragrations and excursions through the other Cities and Towns of Galilee and elsewhere they and our Lords Mother are mentioned Act. 1.14 among the attendants of our Lord at his Ascencion and if they had not bin part of his ordinary Train and Auditors he would not have called two of them Viz. James and Jude to have bin of the number of the twelve And it appears that our Lord had many as it were constant followers of him besides the twelve by those 70 that besides the 12 were sent abroad by him by two and two to preach the Gospel Luk. 10.1 and by what S. Peter saith Act. 1.21 § 178 As for his Holy Mother also we cannot think but that she preferred the hearing of his Sermons the beholding of his wonderful works and the consolation of his ordinary Conversation beyond all other things of this world but by which also she became a great fellow-sufferer in all the affronts and reproaches given him in the most of his life time as well as at his death For we find many other women also as well as men that were his usual followers and every where provided necessaries for him and his Apostles As also afterward some of the Apostles in their Peregrinations had the attendance of women for providing them necessaries see 1 Cor. 9.5 And such of these as were rich ministred to him also of their substance Many women were there by the Cross Mat. 27 55 56. saith S. Matthew which followed Jesus from Galilee ministring unto him Among which saith he was Mary Magdalen Mary the mother of James and Joses our Lords Brethren and so she the wife of Alpheus And the Mother of Zebedees children Salome The same is said by S. Luke 23.55 24.10 he adding there Joanna the wife of Herods Steward And chap. 8.1 2 3. the same Evangelist saith that as our Lord went throughout every City and Village preaching c. the twelve were with him and certain women Mary called Magdalen Joanna Susanna and many others which ministred to him of their substance And we find Salome's request to our Lord for her two Sons was not made at Capernaum but some where upon the way in his last journey to Jerusalem wherein she with many other women waited on him as hath bin said See Mat. 20.20 comp 17. 29. So that I may say our Lord had an Holy Court of pious men and women following and attending on him in most of his travels Among these therefore was our Lords Blessed Mother and she most diligent in the same offices and contributing also the little she had to the common charges or supposing she had nothing was by the other more wealthy supplyed with necessaries as our Lord was Yet I say not this of a perpetual but of a frequent attendance whilst they sometimes also were absent and ordered other necessary affairs but then the residence of our Blessed Lady seems to be not at Nazareth but at Capernaum whither our Lord made frequent returns from his journeys about the Country As for the Nazaren's words Mat. 13.56 His Sisters are they not all with us This may be said only of his Sisters exclusively to his Mother or Brethren or may be understood of their ordinary former abode there § 179 Our Lords staying at Capernaum was not long the great solemn Paschal feast of the Jews now approaching He is commonly said to have received Baptism from John January the sixth after which having spent six weeks in the wilderness and some time afterward with the Baptist in collecting some Disciples and then making some little stay at Cana with his kindred and the Paschal Feast being celebrated at the full Moon it March accordingly our Lords abode in this City was not above a fortnight or three weeks In which time is no mention of any publick Predication of his the entrance upon which perhaps was intended to be rather at Jerusalem and in his Fathers house there mean while employed in more private Discourses and instructions of his Disciples and others Though his Miracle done at Cana having so many witnesses must needs be much talked of there and the Dignity of his person and the Baptist's Testimony of him by his Disciples communicated to many others and the same thereof also gone before him to Jerusalem At the great Feast of the Pasch he went up thither accompanied with his Disciples as for the observance of the Feast so there solemnly
to which the Pharisees also were not wanting to give their assistance in representing John the Author of a new Sect and acting without and against authority which though this crafty man knew to be envy in them yet he made use of this colour to cover the true Cause of this imprisonment and therefore this reason thereof is given by Josephus Antiq Judaici l. 18. c. 12. Veritus saith he cum ad audiendum cum quamplurima multitudo concurreret ne forte doctrinae ejus persuasione populi a suo regno discederent c. and our Lord also intimates the Pharisees and Governours of the Jews to have had a hand in this restraint Mat. 17.12 where he saith that they knew him not but did to him whatever they listed as they should afterward do to himself Thus cast in prison Herodias not appeased or secured herewith next solicits Herod also for the speedy taking away his life but both the fear of the people esteeming John a Prophet and his own reverence of him as yet with-held him from it For which cause also in prison he laying the blame thereof upon his wife indulged him so much liberty as to have some converse with his friends and his Disciples there to come to and attend upon him and so neither here as also afterward S. Paul was he an useless servant to our Lord. § 195 Leaving the Baptist now a Prisoner and an end put to his publick preaching after that our Lord was sufficiently manifested to the people of Israel and begun to be assisted in his work by other new Disciples let us return to our Lord. He had now continued preaching and baptizing in Judea after the Paschal Feast for about some eight Months for when removing hence he came into Samaria it is said Jo. 4.35 that it wanted but foure months to the next harvest and so to the next Pasch which Feast was celebrated at the beginning of the harvest at which time was offered a sheaf of the first fruits of their Corn Lev. 23.10 Deut. 16.9 as at Pentecost the first loaf of bread after Harvest gotten in between these two feasts In this time our Lord converting to the Gospel and faith in him as the Saviour of the world and so baptizing by his Disciples such multitudes of people far beyond the actings of John and this so near to Jerusalem had already alarm'd the Pharisees and rulers of the Jews and more and more incensed their wrath against him who could not rest from devising some way for his death or restraint especially after they had bin so succesful against the Baptist and we find afterward in Jo. 7.1 the reason more plainly given of our Lords residing no more in Judea but in Galilee because the Jews i. e these chief Governours and Leaders of them sought already to kill him By which we see also that our Lord for most of his time after he appeared once went in great danger of his life for in flying from the Pharisees in Judea in Galilee also there was an Herod Therefore Our Lord saith S. John Jo. 4.1 knowing the Pharisees had heard of his making and baptizing more disciples than John Matt. 4.12 and having heard also the severity used toward the Baptist purposed to leave Judea and return into Galilee so to decline for the present the evil designs of the Pharisees a gainst him and also to carry the light or the Gospel into those remoter places where it had not yet appeared and where John was interrupted in his Ministery For though Herod lived in the same quarters yet was he by the Divine providence so diverted by other affairs and especially the new dissentions between him and Aretas and his mind also so much afflicted with the unjust imprisonment of John as that he had little inclination to persecute any more Prophets and when at last after his murthering of John our Lords same from every side sounded in his ears his guilt presently imagined him John reviv'd and so rendred him less inquisitive after matters that would little redound to his Honour § 196 Our Lord thus removing with his Disciples out of Judea into Galilee came in his way hither to a City of Samaria situate in Mount Ephraim called Sychar but the same with the Ancient Schechem or Sychem of which see Gen. 33.18 c. the place where Jacob returning into Palestine from Laban purchased a field of the Children of Hamor Father to Sechem that afterward defloured Dinah and there first erected an Altar probably on Mount Garizim or Ebal since Altars used to be erected on the most eminent places and nearest to Heaven being two tops of the same Hill near one another where also viz. on Mount Ebal God commanded the Israelites that soon after their entrance into Canaan they should erect an Altar See Deut. 27 4. c. and Josh 8.30 c. and also should set up some great Stones on which plaistered over should be written the law and also on these two tops of the Hill one o're against another that there should be solemnly pronounced by the Levites the Benedictions and Curses the people saying Amen Which twelve Curses are there set down the matter of Benedictions being supposed to be the observing the Contrary to these Maledictions of which see more in Deut. 28. Hereabouts also and perhaps in the same place Abraham at his first entrance into Canaan upon Gods appearing to him in that place built an Altar see Gen. 12.6 7. At this place also Joshua assembled Israel before his Death and made a Covenant with them before the Lord c. See Josh 24.1 26. And this Hill Garizim was so near to this City that Jotham is said from the top or side of it to have spoken to the Sychemites Judg. 9.7 and the Samaritan woman calls it this Hill Jo. 4.20 as a place very near to her This City also was the first place as it were for a preludium taken possession of by armes by the seed of Abraham the Sons of Jacob in revenge for dishonouring their Sister Of which see what Jacob saith Gen. 48.22 Afterward being destroyed by Abimeleck Judg. 9.45 it was reedifyed by Jeroboam and made his regal seat Antiq. l. 11. cap. 7.8 and so it was saith Josephus in Sanballats time a Gentile Governour of Samaria under Darius Whose daughter being married to Manasses a Son of the High Priest and he for it ejected out of the Priesthood Sanballet calling him into Samaria by Alexander the Great 's leave who had then conquered those Provinces built a Temple for the worship of the God of Israel on Mount Garizim in emulation of that of Jerusalem in the rebullding of which the Samaritans before had offered their concurrence but was rejected Ezra 4.2 3. wherein Manasses his Son-in-law should officiate This was done some three hundred years before our Lords Incarnation which occasioned a Schism between the Samaritans and the Jews like to that former of Jeroboam Part
from out Lords first coming from the Baptist to Cana in Galilee did together with his Holy Mother never part from him See before § 177. § 254 The particular calling of 7 of these 12. i. e. to our Lords attendance though now first to their Apostleship hath bin mentioned before in the Gospels Namely of Peter and Andrew James and John Philip and Bartholomew for him I take for Nathanael these called in Jo. 1. and Matthew to whom we add also hit three Brethren James Judas and Simon his constant followers and companions from his first residence in Capernaum So that there remain only two Thomas and Judas Iscariot of the time of whose beginning to be his Auditors and Disciples we are uncertain § 255 Among these to Simon Bar-jona he gave the priviledg to be the first and chief leader and President of this Sacred Colledg Foretelling at the very first sight of him Jo. 1.42 as foreknowing his Fathers good pleasure herein and the particular Revelation he would honour him with Mat. 16.17 as also foreseeing his extraordinary Love towards himself though not he but his Brother Andrew was his first follower and James and John were his Kinsmen foretelling I say this his pre-election and then changing his name which also he now reiterates Luk. 6.14 into Cephas a Stone or Foundation the meaning of which he expounds Mat. 16.18 to him also in a more particular manner Ibid. v. 19. committing the keyes of the Church and more specially praying Luk. 22.32 for the not failing of his faith The two next Disciples that were most intimate with him were James and John the Sons of Zebedee whom he sur-named Boanerges sons of Thunder or Thunderers probably from an extraordinary Valour appearing in their Spirit striking terrour into their Auditors Which mettal and forth-putting beyond others perhaps was discerned by their Mother when that confident request was presented by her or also by them to our Lord concerning their sitting next to himself in his Kingdom and when also asked whether for sharing with him in his honours they were able first to undergo his sufferings they returned that confident answer we are able And indeed one of them was he that first drank of our Lords cup and suffered Martyrdom the first of all the Apostles which seems to have happened from his great forwardness and fervid zeal in his Sermons against the murtherers of our Lord. Something also of S. John's but just severity towards Hereticks and Seducers and refractory seems to appear in his 2 Epist v. 9.10 and 3d. v. 10. and in our Lords Epistles penned by him Apoc. 2. and 3. chapters And his confident behaviour in the High Priests Pallace pressing in there after our Lord and introducing Peter then more timorous shews him a person of much spirit and courage Lastly that speech of these two brothers Luk. 9.54 where saith he When James and John saw this they said Lord wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them as Elias did and in the same place v. 49. Johns hasty forbidding one that cast out Devils in our Lords name to forbear it for the future shews such appellation of Boanerges not given by our Lords omniprescience without just ground And indeed an extraordinary valour and height of spirit appears in all these three Disciples chosen for a nearer attendance on our Saviour which valour also S. Peter the third of them manifested on many occasions To these three our Lord gave honorary Names to none of the rest § 256 The order wherein they are ranked by the several Evangelists is much what the same Simon Peter alwaies retaining the first place and our Lords three Kinsmen being put last except Judas Iscariot And among them there being two having the name of James and of Simon and of Judas for distinction sake the latter James is called Jacobus Alphei as is supposed brother to S. Joseph viz. his Son and Mark. 15.40 called James the less son to Mary i. e. Alpheus or Cleophas his wife Jo. 19.25 who is said therefore to be our Lords Mothers sister So the latter Simon is called the Cananite or Cananean or of Cana it seems from his living there formerly which Hebrew word signifying zeal in the Greek he was also called Zelotes See Mat. 10.4 and Luk. 6.5 Jude also the brother of James is called Thaddeus Mark 3.18 and Lebbeus Mat. 10.3 for variety of names to the same person was very usual with the Jews so Matthew had another name of Levi and Thomas is called also Didimus this Greek word signifying the same as the Hebrew Thomas viz. Geminus As for Judas Iscariot he is thought to be called so from the Town where he was born But Issachar signifying Merces see Gen. 30.18 seems also in this sense a name very proper to him After the Election of these twelve out of the turba discipulorum all the rest of his Disciples who were also as appears in the History of the Gospel to stay with him yet for some time to be better instructed before their Mission abroad and the multitudes also now again gathered about him he preached unto them that famous Sermon in the Mount delivered in Mat. 5th 6th and 7th Chapters and in Luk. 6.20 containing all the most high and noble precepts and Counsels of Christianity and his new Gospel which it is said the people heard with much admiration and astonishment Mat. 7.29 far transcending all those of former Philosophy or also many of those expresly and explicitly delivered in the former Law of Moses and these new Evangelical Commandements given as I have said much what at the same time as the law before was and as the Holy Spirit was to be viz. about Pentecost and in a Mountain also as was the Law and this his Sermon also vindicating the Law to a tittle and being a most perfect Exposition of it which was then in many things much misunderstood and the true sense thereof much relaxed This his speech he directed more chiefly to his new chosen Apostles to whom some part of it and especially the begining is more particularly applyed First acquainting them in what things for the present consisteth their true felicity much contrary to the imagination and designs of the world and prearming them to the Hardships and sufferings to be met with in their Office from which they were not therefore to withdraw or desist they being the light and salt of the world and a City set on an Hill but were publickly to appear against all opposition especially giving every where good example exhorting them to dependance as to all temporal necessities without taking thought for them on the Divine providence Then in the next place expounding to them but so also to all the multitude the true sense of the law much contrary to the then ordinary Glosses of the Pharisees and which law unless his Disciples kept and observed better than the other they should not enter into the
of the Evangelical Counsels but by the rigour of them if now unseasonably applyed some of them might rather be discouraged and apt to fall away from their new profession as also he told his disciples a little before his passion that he had many things to say to them which as yet at that time they could not bear Jo. 16.12 § 236 This was said by our Lord without the least disparagement as the Pharisees expected or rather with the great advancement of fasting compared here to new cloth and new wine and without any displaying to the people the Pharisees Hypocritical fasts least this Duty might seem to have bin any way aspersed by his mentioning the misbehaviour of the persons Neither doth he prejudice the fastings of the Disciples of John who had now bin under a longer discipline than our Lords and so were capable of higher undertakings But yet so far as their prayers or fastings were acceptable to God so far were these performed by the renovation of the same spirit in them which was also in their Master the Baptist and which Spirit flowed originally from our Lord the fountain thereof and which from this Lord was daily to be increased in them as in his new disciples As for the disciples practice of fasting after the Bridgroom's departure see Act. 13.3 17.22 27.21 2 Cor. 6.5 11.27 1 Cor. 7.5 9. ult And in all times from the beginning where was an absence of the Bridgroome and any adversity or distress fasting joyned with prayer was repaired to as a remedy publick 1 Esdras 8.21 Judith 4.8 2 Chron. 10.3 Jonah 3.5 Ester 4.16 Private 2 Sam. 12.6 1 King 21.17 Dan. 9 3. 10.3 c. § 237 This discourse and Apology of our Lord for his Disciples was interrupted by Jairus one of the Rulers of the Synagogue at Capernaum who had one only daughter about twelve years old and now entring upon the flower of her age lying at the point of death He came therefore in hast and fell down at our Lords feet and besought him that he would vouchsafe to come to his house and lay his hands upon her that she might be healed The divine Providence thus supporting our Lords authority by other great persons as this Ruler here and before the Regulus or noble man of Capernaum and afterward the Centurion obliged by our Lords favours to them against the envy and malice of the Pharisees Our Lord though he could presently with a word and without a journey have cured his daughter as he had done before the noblemans Son yet gratiously bearing with the infirmity of the Rulers faith who thought his coming to her and imposing his hands upon her necessary to her recovery and also the more to oblige him and heighten the miracle by the account which afterward happened went along with him together with his disciples and a crowd of people toward his house § 238 In his passing along a certain woman that had suffered a flux of her blood during twelve years and spent all her means on the Physitians without remedy not able for the press to get to prefer her request to our Lord or perhaps nor daring to appear and make known her malady to him which rendred her unclean and so all those whom she touched said to herself that if she could but come behind and secretly touch the fringe or hem of his garment she should be cured Matt. 9.20 For the fringe so it was that God would have his own people distinguished from the rest of the world as in their flesh by circumcision so externally and visibly by his appointing upon the border of their garment round about to be worn a blew or Heaven and Sky-coloured ruban which the Pharisees loved also to have broader than ordinary to the end saith the Text Numb 15.39 that they looking upon it both their own and that of anothers should remember all Gods commandments to do them and not seek after the lusts of their own hearts and eyes Some therefore think the womans devotion directed more particularly to the hem of our Lords vest as counted more sacred Of which see what is said Zachar. 8.23 But the other Evangelists express it more generally of her touching any part of his clothes which her desire as soon as the woman had attained she perceived her blood presently stopped So that afterward when this thing better known in their bringing to our Lord Mat. 14.37 36. very many sick they besought him for saving more trouble that they might only touch the Hem of his garment and so many as did it were cured This woman then according to her faith coming behind him and touching secretly his cloths had immediatly her blood stopped Only in this deficient that she thought this might happen without his knowledg § 239 Our Lord to manifest this womans great faith and the effect thereof and to propose it to the imitation of others and particularly to strengthen that of the Rulers standing by much inferiour to hers Lastly to shew himself omniscient of all that passed and that God might not lose the due glory thereof suddainly turning about asked who it was that had touched him Whereupon whilst the Disciples excused the matter from the pressing of the multitude the woman knowing what was done in her fearing and trembling faith the Text presented her self and fell down prostrate before him and confessed the fact Our Lord on the other side much comforting her recommending to the people the greatness of her faith and imputing to it her cure Hist 7. l. 14. c. Eusebius relates this woman to have bin an inhabitant of Cesarea Philippi and there in gratitude before her door to have erected a brazen statue of our Lord and another of hers prostrate at his feet and that under our Lords statue grew an unknown kind of herb which when so high as that it touched our Lords vest reaching to his ankles was medicinable and cured any disease This Statue Eusebius saith he had the curiosity to go to the city and there saw which Zozomen saith was afterward caused to broken by Julian the Apostate Lib. 5. cap. 20. and his own placed instead thereof But this by lightening to have bin cut in the middle and the upper part thrown down to the ground Ex quo quidem tempore saith he ad hodiernum diem atra tanquam fulminis ictu ambusta manet § 240 During this our Lords stay about the woman and Jairus still attending on him a sad message came to him that his daughter was already departed so that our Lord needed not to be troubled any further who though he had done many wonderful cures of several kinds yet is not related hitherto to have manifested his power in raising any from the dead Our Lord comforted the much-dejected Ruler bidding him not to be affraid only believe and went on his journey Come to the House all was found full of lamentation the minstrels and solemn Mourners according to
too weak to do them any real mischeif or affront But indeed this only Son Isaac was bound by his Father not them in obedience to whom and thirst after the Redemption of mankind by it this Lamb of God offered himself to be Sacrificed on the Altar of the Cross the next morning and thus freely yeilded up his liberty into the hands of sinners § 26 With this rough usage of theirs the Disciples much dismayed and terrified now forgetting their resolute promises formerly made him all fled away for their safety at least to a competent distance from these Troops Jo. 16 32 And that prediction of our Lord but some hours before was fulfilled venit hora ut dispergamini unusquisque ad propria me solum relinquatis Onely a young man lodging in some house adjoining that awaked with the noise arose out of his bed and throwing a sheet loosely about him came forth to see what such tumult meant had the courage to follow our Lord and so was laid hold on by them who leaving his sheet in their hands escaped away naked a lively prerepresentation of our Lords escape from them after their stripping him of his Garments that was to be three dayes after at his Resurrection leaving his Syndon behind him § 27 Now it must needs be very late and drawing toward Midnight considering it was already night when Judas went forth from Supper to gather his body together Jo. 13.30 After which followed our Lords long Farewel Sermon made to his Disciples Jo. 13.31 c. to the chap. 17. and Prayer for them after it Jo. 17. his Journey to the Garden about a mile off his prayers and Agony there and his Disciples there falling a sleep and all the Circumstances of his Apprehension and the young mans rising out of his bed The night it seems though the Moon then at the full was much overcast and dark sutable to the work Thus bound they joyfully led away our Lord through the valley into the City now silent and quiet and carried him first to the house of Annas probably in the way to Caiphas his Pallace and he a great Encourager of the design and some think that Judas there received his reward his treason having now given them full Possession of his Master Annas also though some years before deposed from the office of High Priest by the Roman Governour who in those daies disposed of it yearly as seems to be implyed by those words Jo. 11.49 Caiphas being High Priest that same year and Luk. 3.2 Annas and Caiphas being the High Priests i. e. by turns or after what time he pleased yet still retained the title Luk. 3.1 and still had some special interest and sway in it from Caiphas's marrying his Daughter and from his having a son also Eleazer that had born the same office before Joseph Antiq. Jud. lib. 18. cap. 3. Who was also a cheif Member of the Council then met in Caiphas's Pallace and likely was called on to accompany them thither The officers also might have had order to House our Lord assoon as they could for prevention of any tumult or resistance § 28 None appearing without any longer stay made there Our Lord in the silent night was conveyed to Caiphas his Pallace where as hath bin said the Council the High Priests those being alwaies after stiled so who at any time bore that office frequently changed Scribes and Elders Mark 14.53 assembled together expected them Our Lord being set before them the High Priest instead of producing a charge against him and hearing his Defence and Answer to it fell on Questioning him about his Doctrine and his Followers whom as they had said elsewhere Mat. 22.16 they knew free to speak truth and as to this regarding or fearing no mans Person to see what he would confess and if confessing any thing liable to their censure thence to draw up an Indictment when as indeed this seemed very great oppression to apprehend bind make a man a Prisoner and bring him before the barr of Justice there to gain from him something for which to question him Our Lord having many times before bin thus examined by them or their order who he was who sent him what authority he had c. answered them briefly That both for Doctrine and Disciples they had seen who these and heard what that was and indeed if the latter his Doctrine good the more Disciples the better That he had taught publickly in the Temple and in their Synagogues and in private said nothing but what abroad That therefore if he were any way faulty in sowing Errors or plotting sedition they might have enough to bear witness of it and upon their legal testimony proceed to condemn or acquit him and therefore that they should not ask him but ask them that heard his words and saw his actions even amongst which were many of themselves that then sate on the Bench or stood before it and amongst these the very Officers sent formerly by them to apprehend him Who indeed throughly convinced of his Innocency and Sanctity had returned to them with a Never Man spake like that man § 29 Our Lord thus by a prudent declining any new account of himself whom his great thirst to dy for mankind made little sollicitous to plead for his life much disappointed the High Priests expectation and breifly thus referring his cause as was just to the testimony of others one of the officers which stood by him struck him over the face in the presence of all the Court for answering the High Priest in that manner To whom our Lord whose patience here none can rightly measure who doth not well consider his person and power meekly replyed That if he answered well there was no cause he should be strucken for it or if ill not strucken by him who was only to bear witness of the evil and leave the vindication of it to the Judge Thus when he suffered as S. Peter observes 1 Pet. 2.23 he threatned not and we may imagine with great charity said this to reduce that poor Wretch to a sence of his fault And it is a wonder that herein those Judges or some of the Assessors did not prevent our Lord in the censure and castigation of such a wicked and impudent act § 30 Our Lord having thus appealed to witnesses and the testimony of his Auditors concerning his Doctrine and conversation These were at that time of the night not prepared but looked for And many they found but as it ordinarily happens in lyes their witnessings did not agree well together nor inferred the Crimes to be Capital These standing up in the Court spake vehemently against our Lord and as fast as they spake contradicted one another and destroyed each others testimony Defecerunt scrutantes scrutinio mentita est iniquitas sibi as the Psalmist Our meek Lord continuing all the time with most profound silence enduring as the Apostle observes such contradictions of sinners unprovoked
be at his return from the Sepulcher whilst John as swifter on foot was then also gone before him to tell the Disciples the strange and joyful news For he doubtless together with John had much argued the case as knowing the Soldiers report of the Disciples a fable and that Enemies in spoiling the Tomb would in the chief place have taken the linnen and spices and friends not have stript the Body of them and from this also had called to mind the predictions of our Lord and of the Scriptures concerning his rising again intimated by St. John chap. 20.9 and so returned full of joy faith and hopes to see and reenjoy him But this appearance to Peter seems to have bin later being not known to the rest whom this Apostle would immediatly have acquainted with it when the women brought the same news nor yet when Cleophas and his companion took their journey to Emaus who knew nothing of it To this Apostle our Lord first appeared both as being the chief of them by whom he would have the rest confirmed in this faith before he further manifested himself to them and also as being one that more exceedingly loved him see John 21.15 and so more passionatly lamented the absence and loss of him as he also appeared to Mary Magdalen before the other women And also to him as one more dejected and disconsolate for so late and cowardly a denial of him at which also he might think our Lord having taken some great Displeasure withheld that gracious sight and fruition of him from him which he vouchsafed to the women for which denial so soon as our Lord was pleased to comfort his grief with this most beatifying sight we may imagine he straight fell down at his feet and with many tears begg'd pardon And so after our Lords suddain departure who now glorified entertained no long conversation with Mortals he hasted to the rest of the Society to confirm his Brethren herein as one of the greatest Authority with them and the first man that our Lord made choice of to preach the Resurrection to them But several of them still to force as it were our Lord to a more open and publick discovery of himself and not to entertain a joy hastily which defeated again would so much more deject them remained incredulous both after the testimony of Mary and of the women and of Peter see Mark 16.13 nor at first did they believe when he himself appeared to them For the apparition of spirits ran still in their mind see Luk. 24.37 and not seeing as too much of seeming human reason usually darkens-faith why our Lord if risen and having conquered Death should thus appear and disappear a sign the Apparition had no reality in it and should not come along with Peter to them and shew himself either to his friends or also to all the rest of the Jews to consolate the one and confound the other else who would credit a report of him risen that was not forth-coming or to be seen § 124 The same day two of the company in which were several other Disciples and Followers of our Lord besides the eleven Apostles consulting concerning the present affairs expecting no better news wept in the afternoon about some business into the Country to a Village called Emaus lying Westward some seven or eight miles from Jerusalem and not in the road towards Galilee One of these was Cleophas who was thought to be Brother to Joseph and so our Lords Uncle and his wife to be Mary of Cleophas Jo. 19.25 who is also called there sister to the blessed Mother of our Lord and who was one of the women that stood with the Blessed Virgin by the Cross and that this morning had visited the Sepulcher and brought the good news from thence who was also the Mother of James Jude Joses and Simon or Simeon All which were called our Lords Brethren and who probably all lived in the same family at least after the death of Joseph the Blessed Virgins Husband and lived at Capernaum after our Lords residence there see John chap. 2.22 Luk. 8.19 20. Mat. 12.46 of which sons of Cleophas and this Mary two James and Jude were chosen Apostles James in relation to the other Apostle James the Son of Zebedee being called James the less Mark 15.40 and Jude in the recital of the Apostles names Luk. 6.16 Jude 1. called his Brother so that those texts Mark 3.21 and John 7.3 5. are to be understood of his kindred or friends more remote or with exception at least to these only James there being called the son of Alpheus Alpheus is imagined to denote the same person with Cleophas or if this be not admitted we must stile this Mary not wife but Daughter of Cleophas and Alpheus to be Josephs Brother and her husband This Cleophas or Alpheus then we see had a near Relation to our Lord two of his sons being Apostles James and Jude and two of them afterwards Bishops of Jerusalem James first and after his Martyrdom his Brother Simeon § 125 He and his companion discoursing by the way of the things of which their hearts were full the merits of our Lord the Injustice and cruelty of the Jews and the defeatment of all their hopes by his death our Lord in the disguise of a Traveller overtook them and seeing them much dejected chearfully asked them what they were talking of that rendred them so disconsolate and sad upon which familiarity Cleophas thinking he could be no stranger to what had hapned nor to our Lords well known merits fell on deploring to him his cruel sufferings and all their hopes cut off by his death who had thought he a Prophet so mighty in word and deed should have bin the person that would have redeemed Israel Moreover that this was the third day after his sufferings on which formerly had bin some speech of his rising again that some women of theirs also going early to his Sepulcher there found not his Body and also said they had seen a Vision of Angels that told them he was alive and that some of their men also repairing thither found what they said true concerning the empty Sepulcher but no tidings or appearance to them of our Lord at all Whereupon our compassionate Lord representing himself also as a Disciple and great Admirer of Jesus freely and with a certain authority shewed them in running through the Books of Moses and the Prophets that those sufferings of the Messias and of his Death things which so startled them were necessary before his entring into his Glory and were every where presignified and foretold in the Scriptures Here he shewed them how all the legal Sacrifices were only Types of the killing and Oblation of the Messias and expiation of sin by his blood Here he remembred them of the representation of this only Son of God his being offered up by his Father by Abraham's offering of his only ion Isaac of the roasting of