Besides the euident fulfilling of this Prophesie beyond the vtmost extent of its plaine Grammaticall sense the signes and circumstances of the time would much auaile Iohn or others then better acquainted with the Histories or customes of the Iewish Nations than now wee are Concerning the circumstances of the times wherein Isaias vttered this Prophesie thus much in generall is vndoubtedly true The Reuelation or Prophesie was first conceyued or vttred by Isaias at that very time wherein Sennacherib King of Assyria had layde the Land of Iudah waste and put Ierusalem vnto that great distresse whereof you may reade 36. Chapter of this Prophesie as also in the eighteenth and nineteenth of the second Booke of Kings Which desolation and distresse as also the deliuerance from it the same Prophet Isaias had fore-told as you may read Isa. 8 9 and 10. Chapâ—ers and the latter part of the seuenth chapter The History of Sennacheribs attempt against Ierusalem with his mighty ouer-throw and of Ezechias sicknesse and recouery arâ— inserted at large between the 35. and 40. Chapters of this Prophet not through negligence of the Collectors or Compilers of these sacred Volumes but by the speciall direction of the holy Spirit to the end that the Reader might compare the historicall euents with the Propheticall predictions and their Euangelical accomplishments with the historicall euents or portendments That these Prophesies of Isaias in particular although literally and historically verified in the dayes of Hezekiah did in the opinion of the ancient Iewes portend or prefigure some greater mysteries to be accomplished in latter ages wee need no further Testimony than that of the Sonne of Sirach chap. 48. vers 21 22 23 24 25. Hee smote the Hoast of the Assyrians and his Angell destroyed them For Ezechias had done the thing that pleased the LORD and was strong in the wayes of Dauid his Father as Isay the Prophet who was great and faithfull in his vision had commanded him in his time the Sunne went backward and hee lengthned the Kings life Hee saw by an excellent spirit what should come to passe at last and hee comforted them that mourned in Sion He shewed what should come to passe for euer and secret things or euer they came 71. That blasphemous message which Sennacherib sent to Hezekiah by Rabshakeh his Generall hapned in the beginning of the seuenth Sabbaticall yeere and Hezekiah and his peoples delmerance by Sennacheribs ouer-throw was accomplished in the yeere following which was the yeere of Iubile Thus much â—he lirerall sense and meaning of the Signe which the Propher Isay gaue to Hezekiah doth to my apprehension directly import Isay 37. vers 30. This shall bee a signe vnto thee Ye shall eate this yeere such as groweth of it selse this was the expresse Law of the Sabbaticall or seuenth yeere as you may reade Leuit. 25. vers 3 4 5 6 and the second yeere that which springeth of the same This is the expresse Law of the yeere of Iabile which did alwayes immediately follow the seuenth Sabbaticall yeere as you may reade Leuit. 25. vers 11 12. A Iubile shall that fiftieth yeere be vnto you yee shall not sow neyther reap that which groweth of it selfe in it nor gather the Grapes in it of thy Vineyard For it is the Iubile it shall bee holy vnto you yee shall eate the increase thereof out of the field How well or ill this people at other times did practise this precept whilest they liued vnder Kings which were of the Race of Dauid I now inquire not The Lord at this time had inforced them to make a vertue of necessitie and to rely mecrely vpon his extraordinary blessing vpon their Fields and Vineyards specially such as were within their walled Cities without their owne labour or husbandry eyther in sowing planting or reaping in all which although they had bin disposed to breake the Law of the Iubile yet the enemy had preuented them Howbeit at the end of two yeeres the Lord had promised deliuerance from the present siege and feare of their potent enemy as it followeth in the Prophet And in the third yeere sow yee and reape and plant Vineyards and eate the fruit thereof This signe was a signe of a Couenant betweene God and them a pledge or earnest that if they performed the precept of the Law concerning the Iubile and Sabbaticall yere he would performe the thing signified by the ceremony of the Iâ—bile that is ioyfull deliuerance from the oppressor This extraordinary blessing of God vpon their Plants and Vineyards during the time of the siege was a signe or pledge of Gods extraordinary blessings vpon the besieged as well Prince as people after the siege was broken vp and the mighty army of the Assyrians destroyed and scattered For so it followeth in the Prophet vers 31 32. And the remnant that is escaped of the House of Iudah shall againe take roote downeward and beare fruit vpward For out of Ierusalem shall goe forth a remnant and they that escape out of Mount Sion the zeale of the Lord of Hoasts shall doe this 73. What question soeuer some curious Chronologer may moue concerning the computation of time as whether this deliuerance did precisely fall out in the yeere of Iubile by the Law appoynted or in some yere substituted in lieu of the Iubile before neglected sure I am that whatsoeuer this yeere of their deliuerance did want of the legall forme was abundantly supplyed in the reality or substance of the yeere of Iubile No seruant throughout all the Land of Iewry did euer reioyce more at the approch of any yeere of Iubile than all the Free-men and Masters in Ierusalem than all the Princes and Nobles of Iudah than the King himselfe did reioyce at their deliuerance from the yoke of the Assyrian whose ouerthrow the Prophet compareth vnto the ouerthrow of Pharaoh Isay 10. vers 26 27. And the Lord of Hoasts shall stirre vp a scourge for him according to the slaughter of Midian at the Rocke of Oreb and as his rod was vpon the Sea so shall hee lift it vp after the manner of Egypt And it shall come to passe in that day that his burthen shall bee taken away from off thy shoulder and his yoke from thy necke and the yoke shall bee destroyed because of the anoynting Of this strange deliuerance from Sennacherib the strange birth of the Emanuel mentioned Isay 7. 14. and of the Childe likewise mentioned Isay 8. 1. whether that were the same or some other were pledges or signes vnto this people So was the deliuerance of Hezekiah and his people a type or shaddow of a greater deliuerance from a greater enemy in the dayes of the Messias and all the ioy which was conceiued vpon the destruction of Sennacheribs Army was but a picture of that ioy which this people was to expect vpon the anoyntment of their Messias as may appeare from the ninth of Isay vers 3 4 5
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
what reason had Iohn to deny he was Elias when he was asked this Question seeing our Sauiour after his denyall hath twice affirmed it Non male respondit malè enim prior ille rogauit The fore-man or speaker of the Priests and Leuites did propound this Question amisse and in such a sence as Iohn could not answer affirmatiuely to it For the meaning of the Interrogatory was Whether he were that very Elias the Thisbite which was taken vp into Heauen in the fiery Charriot and Iohn knew himselfe not to be this Elias nor did our Sauiour euer affirme that he was this Elias 39. But some men happely will reply That albeit they were mistaken in this particular to which Iohn did well to giue a negatiue answer yet Iohn hauing so faire an occasion to rectifie the error of the Priests and Leuites might haue done better if hee had more fully expressed himselfe and answered with a distinction that he was not Elias the Thisbite but yet that Elias which the Prophet Malachy had fore-told the Lord would send chap. 4. For Iohn could not in all probability be ignorant of the Prophet Malachy his meaning seeing the Angell Gabriel had expresly expounded it to his Father Zachrias Luke 1. vers 17. Hee shall goe before him in the spirit and power of Elias to turne the hearts of the Fathers vnto the children and the disobedient to the wisdome of the iust to make readie a people prepared for the LORD But this perhaps was more than Iohn had occasion to call to minde He might be ignorant without offence whether Elias himselfe was not to come after him For euen the best of Gods Saints and Prophets as was obserued before knew no more of Gods will concerning things to come than it was his will and pleasure to impart vnto them Each of them knew his Cue the the signes of the time when hee was to begin and when to end each had the part which God had appoynted him to vtter or act perfectly by heart Each knew the tenor of his owne Commission but none or few of them did so well vnderstand anothers Commission vntill they had seene it sped or the meaning of it vnfolded by the euent Now although the words of Malachy were literally meant of Iohn Baptist yet were they a kinde of Riddle vntill our Sauiour did vnfold them And it seemeth by the phrase which our Sauiour vseth Matthew 11. vers 14. that their true meaning was a mystery which he himselfe or Iohn onely knew and was to bee reuealed onely to such as were already true Disciples For the word receiue is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a terme of art amongst the Hebrewes and imports some such mystery as the Iewes imagine to be contayned in their Cabalisticall art The like force hath the same word in that of the Apostle 1. Timoth. 1. 15. This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all reception or Cabalisme Not that he approues that Art at least as since that time it hath beene vsed but rather that this was a mystery of greater worth and consequence than all the mysteries which the Cabalists can imagine to be in their Art contayned The manner of importance or the Apostles speech is much-what like to that answer of his in the Poet who when they sought to terrifie him from fight by the ill-aboding or sinister flying of Birds made answere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It was the best Augurium or south-saying for a man to fight for his Countrey 40. Finally although Malachy did prophesie of Iohn Baptists comming before Christ in the power and spirit of Elias yet Iohn Baptist did not receiue his instructions from this Prophet nor had hee his Commission for being Christs fore-runner or his warrant for baptizing from Malachy but from the Prophet Isay. And therefore when the Priests and Leuites prest him further saying Who art thou that wee may giue an answere to them that sent vs What sayest thou of thy selfe He said I am the voyce of one crying in the Wildernesse Make straight the way of the Lord as said the Prophet Esaias This was the peremptory answer which he meant to stand vnto This and other passages of the same Prophet being ioyned with the internall testimony of the Spirit which did interpret their true meaning vnto him was his warrant for doing what he did for baptizing or for preparing the way of the Lord which was to come But whether the Lord would send Elias or some other greater messenger than himselfe was more than he durst take vpon him to resolue the Priests and Leuites in specially seeing they were of the sect of the Pharises and more perhaps than hee in his religious modesty or sobriety did question or inquire after But when the same Priests and Leuites did by way of demand or Interrogation seeme to vpbraid him with arrogancy in taking more vpon him than was befitting him vnlesse he were eyther the Christ or Elias or the Prophet like to Moses to some of which so great a worke as the administration of baptisme did solely belong hee modestly answeres distinguende I baptize with water but there standeth one among you whom yee know not He it is who comming after mee is preferred before mee whose Shooes latchet I am not worthy to vnloose Ioh. 1. 26 27. In which words the Euangelist Saint Iohn doth intimate as much as is expressed by the Euangelist Saint Matthew to wit That Christ should baptize them after another manner than Iohn did that is with the holy Ghost and with fire chap. 3. 11. I will not trouble you but rather request you not to trouble your selues with that needlesse Question and for the most part as ill stated by such as haue most medled with it as it is needlesse how Iohns baptisme did differ from Christs baptisme or Whether they were two baptismes altogether distinct 41. Thus much you may euidently conceiue out of what hath beene now deliuered First that the Priests and Leuites at least the Sect of the Pharises of which Sect the Priests and Leuites which questioned Iohn concerning his Baptisme were did not erre in their prenotion or beliefe in generall that the Messias his comming or manifestation to the world should be solemnized by Baptisme nor did they fayle in their coniecture that the Christ or Messias himselfe was to baptize but with what baptisme hee was to baptize they were ignorant Secondly you may perceiue that Iohn Baptist had not onely a prenotion but a distinct beliefe or knowledge in particular that as he himselfe did baptize with water so the Christ or Messias whose fore-runner hee was should baptize with the holy Ghost and with fire The onely vsefull or pertinent questions which remaine to be resolued or discussed are but two The first 1. Whether the Priests and Leuites or the Pharises had their prenotions or beliefe in generall that the Messias his first manifestation to the world should be solemnized by baptizme from
that I will powre out my Spirit vpon all flesh and your Sonnes and your Daughters shall prophesie your old men shall dreame dreames your young men shall see visions And also vpon your seruants and vpon the hand-maides in those dayes will I powre out my Spirit And it shall come to passe that whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lord shall bee deliuered for in Mount Zion and in Ierusalem shall bee deliuerance as the Lord hath said and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call And againe Isaias 44. vers 3 4. I will powre water vpon him that is thirsty and Flouds vpon the dry ground I will powre my Spirit vpon thy Seed and my blessing vpon thine off-spring And they shall spring vp as among the grasse as Willowes by the Water-courses The first words of this later Prophesie were literally and historically fulfilled in the baptisme of Iohn the later part of it is as it were an Euangelicall explication of the mysticall sense of the former words And Iohn Baptist might from this place alone easily collect that although hee might powre water vpon mens bodies though hee did plunge or wash such as are compared to dry Land in the waters and by this externall Sacrament ingraft them in the stocke of Abraham yet he could not powre out the Spirit of God or bestow the blessing of increase vpon them This hee knew must be the worke of him that sent him who had bestowed some portion or measure of the Spirit or blessing here mentioned vpon him as a sure pledge or experiment of the like blessing to bee bestowed on others specially on such as had beene partakers of his Baptisme From the same place likewise Iohn might easily gather that the baptisme of water wherewith hee himselfe baptized was in order of time to goe before the baptisme of the Spirit which was mystically prefigured by it and fore-told by our Sauiour in the fore-cited place Iohn 7. vers 38. though as we said before in a figuratiue or allegoricall sense which Saint Iohn in the next words after vers 39. hath expounded vnto vs This spake hee of the Spirit which they that beleeue on him should receiue For the Holy Ghost was not yet giuen because that Iesus was not yet glorified Iohns meaning is the Spirit was not powred out in such plentifull measure as this place of Isay and that other of the Prophet Ioel did import For after our Sauiours glorification all such as were baptized with water were likewise baptized with the Holy Ghost most of them filled with the Spirit of Prophesie or gift of tongues enabled to conuey the words and waters of life vnto the soules of others All this was fore-signified by the holy Ghosts descending vpon our Sauiour at his comming out of the water For his baptisme was a prefiguration of his death and resurrection and by his resurrection he was really declared to be the Sonne of God and fulfilled the Psalmists prediction Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee Psal. 2. Which prediction was further ratified and the meaning of it determined by the voyce from heauen This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased The same truth thus often declared aswell by predictions as by matters of fact or reall euent was finally testified by the descending of the holy Ghost vpon his Apostles and Disciples So that another Branch of Saint Iohns meaning or if you will another shoote of the former branch is That the holy Ghost at the time when our Sauiour vttered those words Hee that beleeueth in me c. did not appeare as an authentique witnesse to ratifie his Doctrine His testimony concerning our Sauiour was reserued till our Sauiours glorification after which it was publique frequent and visible Iesus saith Saint Peter whom ye slew and hanged on a tree Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Sauiour for to giue repentance to Israel and forgiuenes of sins Act. 5. v. 30 31 32. And we are his witnesses of these things and so is also the holy Ghost whom God hath giuen to them that obey him This giuing of the holy Ghost in visible maner was that baptisme of Christ which was opposed to the baptisme of Iohn and that the world might know and beleeue it came immediately from Christ and not from Iohn nor from the Apostles or from the Sacrament which they administred it was giuen to some and these by condition Gentiles before they had beene partakers of Iohns baptisme or any Mosaicall rite or Sacrament Act. 10. 44 47. While Peter yet spake these words the holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word Whence he concludeth Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized which haue receiued the holy Ghost aswell as we Saint Peter tooke more special notice of our Sauiours words from this experiment in Cornelius and his family than hee did from the holy Ghost descending in clouē tongues vpon himselfe and his fellow Apostles which had beene baptized And as I began to speake the holy Ghost fell on them as on vs at the beginning Then remembred 1 the Word of the Lord how that hee said Iohn deed baptized with water but yee shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost Acts 11. 15 16. Saint Peters beliefe in this point was grounded vpon our Sauiours words and confirmed by this experiment Iohn Baptists beliefe of the same conclusion was grounded vpon the Prophet Isaias predictions Iohn did foretell the same truth which our Sauiour did before he was acquainted with him or knew him by face and yet Iohns knowledge or beliefe of this mysterie was confirmed by a visible signe by the descending of the holy Ghost Concerning which and the maner how Iohn came to know our Sauiour before he baptized him with the signes of the time that did accompany or ensue vpon his baptisme we are in the next place to make enquirie 48. From the former Dialogue betweene the Priests and Leuites and Iohn Baptist concerning his office and ministery of Baptisme you may obserue that Iohn was carefull to preuent two inconueniences First the false opinion which the people had conceiued of him as if he had bin the Messias himselfe and secondly to preuent all suspition of compact or collusion betweene Iesus of Nazareth whom he afterward proclaimes to be the Messias and himselfe And vnto this suspition both parties had beene more lyable if they had beene aswell acquainted before our Sauiours baptisme as afterward they were Not to speake of our Sauiours knowledge who knew all things for Iohn the Baptist hee had a true prenotion or distinct beliefe of these generals or indefinites 1. That the time wherein the Messias was to bee manifested vnto Israel was now approaching 2. That the Messias was to repaire vnto the place where hee baptized there to bee declared or manifested vnto Israel 3. That the Messias after his manifestation was to
together and the Lion shall eate straw like the Oxe And the sucking Child shall play on the hole of the Aspe and the weaned Child shal put his hand on the Cockatrice den They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy Mountaine for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters couer the Sea The exact fulfilling of this Prophesie in its literall sense that is according to the strict propriety of natiue or vnborrowed signification of words credat Iudaeus let it bee expected by the vnbeleeuing Iew whose too much credulity to the letter hath brought forth an absolute infidelity concerning the mysteries of his saluation But whilest he expects such a league and amity betwixt the creatures heere mentioned as the words literally import he plainely declares himselfe to be more cruell more rancorous vntamed than the most rauenous beast or most venemous creature heere mentioned For neither the sweet inuitation of our Sauiour nor all the good deeds which he wrought amongst this people whilest he liued on earth nor the punishing hand of God which hath bin alwayes heauy vpon them since his death hath to this day wrought such a placable or reconcileable disposition toward vs Gentiles or toward their owne brethren which trust in Christ as they expect in the dayes of their Messias should be wrought in the Wolfe towards the Lambe or in the Aspe or Cockatrice towards the Child or sucking Infant We may take this amongst others as a sure Argument of our Interest in the Womans Seede in that this generation of Vipers or Serpents as Iohn Baptist termes them haue exercised the venemous enmitie of Serpents against all that haue professed the name of Christ since his death But the greater their enmity is vnto the profession of Christianity or the longer it hath continued the more strange and admirable will that reconciliation or agreement seeme which the Euangelist records to haue falne out at the time of our Sauiours baptisme or anoyntment not only betweene the Iew and the Gentile but between the Pharisee and Publicane betweene the Sadduce and the Roman Soldier all of them communicating together in the solemnity or Sacrament of baptisme For many of euery sort here mentioned were baptized 〈◊〉 in Iordane confessing their sinnes This sudden and vnexpected obedience of all sorts vnto the Summons of Iohns calling to repentance and the strange alteration which followed vpon the sacrament of baptisme and the repentance which Iohn preached aswell in the Iew as in the Gentile is the mystery of the new Testament which the Prophet fore-pictures in the Parable of the Wolfe agreeing with the Lamb of the Leopards reconciliation with the Kid and of the Lions neere familaritie with the Oxe or Asse The Publicanes which before the preaching of baptisme and repentance by Iohn were as rauenous as the euening Wolues became as innocent as the Lambe The soldiers likewise which had bin formerly as fierce and cruell as the Lyon became as tame and gentle as the Oxe or Cow and submitted their necks vnto the yoke of the Gospell Such of the Phaâ—ises likewise as before their baptisme had beene as venemous as the Aspe or Cockatrice did by the worthy receiuing of this baptisme and the grace which God did giue them become as mild and gentle as the sucking Infant or weaned Child 57. This I take to bee the true interpretation and natiue meaning though not of these words which he vseth yet of the Prophet himselfe and that which the holy Ghost did purposely intend to expresse in the fore-cited place But may not the prediction though meerely or for the most part as was obserued parabolical haue some speciall reference to the daies of Noah wherein the like reconciliation of hostile antipathizing natures was literally and historically verefied and experienced Yes doubtlesse the signes of that old world and the signes of the time wherein our Sauiour was baptized doe as exactly resemble the one the other as the shape or image of the face in the glasse doth the picture that produceth it or the picture doth the liue body which it represents And besides the power of God which is able to effect all things without secondary causes or meanes subordinate we cannot imagine any other cause or reason that should moue the Iew and Gentile the Pharise Publican to coÌ„municate together in Iohns baptisme beside that which moued the beasts of euery kind herementioned by the Prophet and others beside them to hold better consort in Noahs Arke or at their entrance into it than they had done whilest they enioyed their naturall liberty in the Fields and open ayre The true reason of both these strange reconciliations coÌ„posals of these inbred fohoods was that which the great Philosopher tels vs will vnite the deadliest enemies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. The sudden approch or ioynt apprehension of dread or danger alike common and alike imminent to both Now the strange and vncouth dread of this vniuersall deluge could not choose but compell all the Land creatures to keepe the peace of nature before they entred Noahs Arke to forbeare the exercise of wonted hostility whilest they were in it and to entertaine a generall truce whilest the deluge lasted But what feare or dread of danger alike imminent to all could the Pharisee and Publican the Sadduces and the Heathen Soldiers ioyntly apprehend that might mooue them to like peace or consort during the time of Iohns baptisme or before hee was to baptize our Sauiour The Prophet Malachy to my apprehension in the conclusion of his Prophesie intimateth some great plague or curse ready to fall either vpon the whole world or at least vpon the Land of Iewry vnlesse it were preuented by such meanes as the floud might haue beene or as the destruction of Niniueh in the dayes of Ionas was preuented that is by humiliation and true repentance And this humiliation of the people or turning to the Lord by true repentance was to be wrought as Malachy speaketh by the Prophet Eliah that is as you heard before by Iohn the Baptist. The Prophets words are these Behold I will send you Eliah the Prophet before the comming of the great and dreadfull day of the Lord. And he shall turne the heart of the Fathers vnto the children and the heart of the children vnto the Fathers lest I come and smite the earth with a curse Malac. 4. vers 5 6. The best interpretation of this place is made by the Angell Gabriel Luk. 1. vers 16 17. And many of the children of Israel shall he turne to the Lord their God And hee shall goe before him in the Spirit and power of Elias to turne the hearts of the Fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisedome of the Iust to make ready a people prepared to the Lord. Vnlesse some competent multitude had beene thus prepared to entertaine the Kingdome of grace or the Gospell or Christ
with him and shall returne vnto his owne Family and vnto the possession of his Fathers shall hee returne 77. If you desire to knowe the Euangelicall mysteries prefigured by these Legall priuiledges of the Iubile or fiftieth yeere and the manner how all these prefigurations were fulfilled by our Sauiour at the time when he sent this answere vnto Iohn you must consider that no seruant throughout the Land of Iewrie whether an hyred seruant of the seed of Abraham or a bond-man of the Nations was euer in so great a bondage or hard seruitude vnto his master as all the sonnes of Abraham yea of Adam were vnto Satan This acceptable yeere of the Lord in number the thirtieth Legall Iubile being first proclaimed by Iohn afterwards by a voice from heauen at our Sauiours baptisme and lastly by our Sauiour himselfe after Iohns imprisonment was the time appointed by God for the manumission or setting free of his people and all mankinde from the bondage and seruitude to Satan Nor did our Sauiour onely proclaime this acceptable yeere of the Lord but did by deed and fact declare himselfe to be that Lord which had giuen the Law of Iubile vnto the Iewes and was now come in person to put the true intent and full meaning of it in execution which was to set free all such as did hearken vnto his voice and sought to be eased from their slauerie and thraldome Of this present freedome or manumission euen these bodily miraculous Cures heere mentioned in my Text were vndoubted effects and so many ocular or sensible demonstrations All these defects or imperfections of body as blindnesse lamenesse deafenesse dumbnesse crookednesse and the like were as the bonds and chaines of Satan Thus much is euidently proued by our Sauiours Argument against the Ruler of the Synagogue which was displeased because our Sauiour had healed a poore woman vpon the Sabbath day whose body was bowed together Thou hypocrite saith our Sauiour doth not each one of you on the Sabbath day loose his Oxe or his Asse from the stall and leade him away to watering Luk. 13. vers 15. And ought not this woman being a daughter of Abraham whom Satan hath bound lo these eighteene yeeres be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day vers 16. Saint Peters words are more generall for he saith He healed all that were oppressed of the diuell Act. 10. v. 38. But the speciall document and the fullest assurance of this present freedome or manumission by our Sauiour was the often-mentioned Euangelization of the poore in spirit that is their participation of that Oyle of gladnesse wherewith he was anoynted aboue his Fellowes or adherents This includeth as well terminum ad quem as terminum à quo that is it includeth not onely a manumission or deliuerance from the seruitude of Satan but withall an accomplishment or fulfilling of that which was prefigured in the second priuiledge of the Legall Iubile and this priuiledge was that euery man might returne vnto his possession or to the inheritance of his Fathers although he had formerly pawned or mortgaged it Now Paradise you know was the possession which all of vs lost in our first Parents from entering into it we were all excluded so long as wee continued the seruants of sinne and Satan And vnto this possession did the Womans Seed or second Adam the Anoynted of the Lord whereof the Prophet Isay speakes Chap. 61. actually restore the poore in spirit that liued and conuersed with him This restauration or returning to the possession or inheritance of their first parents was first proclaimed and the possession it selfe in part first giuen or bequeathed to his Disciples a little before Iohn sent vnto our Sauiour this message whereto my Text containes the answere The Proclamation was our Sauiours Sermon vpon the Mount 78. It is a point worth your obseruatioÌ„ that our Sauiour beginneth that Sermon which as wee said before was the fundamentall Charter of the Kingdome of God or Euangelicall Law from the beginning of the fore-cited 61. Chapter of Isay. The Spirit of the Lord is vpon mee saith the Prophet therefore hee hath anoynted mee to euangelize the poore or meeke in spirit He opened his mouth saith the Euangelist Matth. 5. vers 3. that is after long silence and expectation hee began to proclaime the acceptable yeere Blessed are the poore in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of Heauen Thus our Sauiour expressed the meaning of this Phrase in my Text paâ—peres euangelizantur for the poore in spirit are therefore blessed because instated in the Kingdome of Heauen and instated they were in the Kingdome of Heauen by beeing euangelized Another part of his Embassage or effect of his anoyntment was to comfort all that mourne to giue to them that mourne in Sion beauty for Ashes and the oyle of ioy for sorrow Esay 61. The second Branch of his Embassage or Proclamation was Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted Matth. 5. vers 4. Saint Luke Chap. 6. addeth which is not expressed in Saint Matthew that at the same time he pronounced a woe vnto the rich a woe vnto the full a woe vnto such as laughed to wit in an vnseasonable time when God had called to fasting and mourning and a woe vnto the vain-glorious or men-pleasers v. 24 25 26. As well the woes as the blessings here solemnely pronounced were expresly fore-told by the Prophet Isay chap. 61. vers 2. So it is said That the Lord had sent him to proclaime the acceptable yeere of the LORD and the day of vengeance of our God This powerfull denunciation of woe and blessing was that Fanne wherof Iohn Baptist speaketh Matt. 3. vers 12. His Fanne is in his hand and hee will thorowly purge his floore and gather his Wheate into his Garner but will burne vp the chaffe with vnquenchable fire Both our Sauiours Sermon and Iohn Baptists description of his Fanne as also that of Malachy 3. vers 2 3 4. are but exegeticall expressions of that fundamentall Prophesie Isay 35. vers 4. wherein it is implyed that when GOD should come to saue his people hee should come as well Deus vltor as Deus remunerator as well God the Reuenger as God the Rewarder But did our Sauiour giue any document of this his power at the vttering of this Sermon It came to passe saith the Euangelist when Iesus had ended these sayings of woe and blessing of vengeance and recompence the people were astonished at his doctrine For hee taught them as one hauing authoritie and not as the Scribes Matth. 7. vers â—8 29. Thus when our Sauiour expounded the for 〈◊〉 Prophesie Isay 61. vers 1. in the Synagogue at Nazareth All bare him witnesse and wondred at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth 79. The precise time of the yere or moneth wherein our Sauiour made this Sermon or returned this answer here in my Text vnto Iohn or whether it were