hearts can desire euen the fulnes of that true happines which is all that you or any man can desire is only to be sought in Christ in whom it may be found by all For confirming your particular Interest in him and in the blessednes which heere he promiseth the right receiuing of this blessed Sacrament is of all other meanes most effectuall For your better preparation to the due receiuing of it it will bee auaileable to consider the doctrine which my Text affoords that although Christ be a fountaine of happines infinite and inexhaustible although his death whose memory we celebrate whose vertue in this Sacrament we seeke be as it were the opening of this fountaine yet are the streames of blisse and happines which issue from him by his death deriuable onely vnto such as are not offended in him Though the Gospell as our Apostle speaketh Rom. 1. ver 16. be the power of God vnto saluation yet as my Text saith the poore in spirit only take the impression of it Euen power it selfe and goodnesse infinite sufficient in it selfe to saue all though in number infinite is effectuall only in such as are of an humble and contrite heart Of their humiliation or contrition or their poorenes in spirit which is heere mentioned in my Text that might be truely said which our Sauiour doth of Thomas the Apostle his faith Thomas thou beleeuest because thou hast seene happy are they which haue not seene and yet beleeue The most of these men were therefore poore and humble in spirit because the Lord had humbled broken or chastised them some with bodily blindnes others with lamenes some with deafenes others with leprosie or like grieuous sicknes some with death Howeuer becōming once truely humble and poore in spirit though by these and like meanes all of them were truely happy in Christ but much happier and more blessed shall they be whom the Lord hauing not so grieuously chastised in body yet doe become as humble and poore in spirit as they were The best consideration I can commend vnto you for working this humiliation and contrition of spirit is this that as the Ceremonies of the Law were but shaddowes of these things which are now fulfilled in Christ so all the bodily calamities which Christ heere cured in so many seuerall bodies were but as so many sensible types or shaddowes of more grieuous maladies in euery mans soule although by nature wee doe not feele them Some of them were dead in body and all of vs as our Apostle saith are by nature dead in trespasses Now if we doe as truely and heartily bewayle this deadnes of our soules as the poore Widdow of Naim did the bodily death of her onely sonne then as our Apostle saith in the same place Wee are quickned in Christ and he will deliuer our soules vnto vs safe and sound as he did him vnto his mother Some of those were blind in body all of vs were darke in mind euen from the wombe and if we supplicate vnto him with like earnestnes to enlighten our minds as these poore men did to receiue their bodily sight wee shall bee as happy in this cure as they were in the other Some of them were halt and lame and not able to go and we after we haue seene and knowne the wayes of God are more vnable to walke in them than they were to runne a race Some of them were Leapers in body so are we all by nature Leapers in soules But whatsoeuer lamenes infirmitie or disease hath befalne our soules by Adams transgression or by our owne corruption he is both able and willing to worke more miraculous cures vpon our soules than hee did vpon these pooremens bodies so we intreat him as earnestly and heartily as they did 23. None of you I hope conceiueth Christs bodily presence to be either necessary or expedient for curing or healing your soules No mans faith in Scripture is more commended than the Centurions which did not desire our Sauiours bodily presence when he offered it for the healing of his seruant His answere was Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst come vnder my roofe but speake the word onely and my seruant shall be healed Matth. 8. 8. If this acknowledgement were a document of liuely faith and Christian modesty in this Centurion what can it be but arrogancy and vnbeliefe in the Romanist to thinke himselfe worthy not only of Christs bodily presence vnder the roofe of his house but vnder the roofe of his mouth yea in his stomach But farre bee all such vncleane and carnall thoughts from any heere present Let vs stedfastly belieue that Christs Word is now as powerfull in heauen as it was on earth yet haue wee not onely his Word but the visible pledges of his body and blood for the healing of our soules Whateuer other defect there may be in our preparation for receiuing these pledges of his passion let vs be sure that our intention to humble our selues and amend our liues be sincere and without hypocrisie The second Member of the generall diuision proposed in the former Discourse Parag. 8. What satisfaction this Answere of our Sauiour did giue to Iohn § 24. VErbum sapienti sat est A man of vnderstanding and experience in part acquainted with any businesse on foot perceiueth more by a word or Hint than another of lesse vnderstanding or experience altogether vnacquainted with the same busines would doe by instructions giuen in Folio Now Iohn we know was a man of extraordinary vnderstanding and experience in matters spirituall specially such as concerned Christ to whom hee was the immediate fore-runner vnto which office he was qualified or set apart from the wombe yea sanctified vnto it euen in the wombe as you may reade Luke 1. verse 41. As this qualification made him more docile or capable of good instructions than other children were so his father Zacharias was better able to instruct him in the knowledge of Christ of whose Kingdome and Office he had prophesied than any other Priest or sonne of Aaron could For Zacharias was for ought that wee can gather the onely Prophet then in Israel at least the spirit of Prophesie which for a long time had bin as a fountaine dryed vp did first breake forth in him After that Iohn himselfe came to maturitie of age and vnderstanding he was directed by speciall commission from his God to vsher Christ into the world to induct him into his Propheticall function to declare him to be the Redeemer of Israel to proclaime him to be the high Priest of our soules that was to make the full atonement for the sinnes of the whole world Now vnto Iohn thus well qualified and instructed in matters concerning Christ and in particular acquainted with the carriage of all businesses concerning Christs baptisme or other actions vntill his imprisonment this Answere of our Sauiour Christ especially being framed out of that Prophets words which had penned Iohns Cōmission for being
his soule Againe if one man giue another poyson the other may be said to haue poyson giuen him or to be Grāmatically passiue But it is one thing to haue poyson giuen him another to be poysoned This latter includes a real passion or bodily mutation though from better to worse from life to death He that hath a medicine giuen him is in common speech termed a Patient and is Grammatically passiue But euery one that is thus farre passiue as to haue a medicine giuen him is not instantly medicined cured or healed for this includes a reall operation or amendment of that which was amisse in the body In like manner in as much as our Sauiour preached the Gospell equally and indifferently to all all that heard him might bee alike truely and literally said to haue had the Gospell preached vnto them if wee respect onely the Grammatical sense and signification of the word But it is one thing to say that all had the Gospell preached vnto them and another thing to say all were Euangelizati For this latter was peculiar only to the poore in spirit They only tooke this stampe or impression of the Gospell which was preached to all Briefely the originall phrase doth literally and naturally import as true or reall an alteration or transmutation in the soules of such as were poore in spirit as the former miracles heere mentioned did in the bodies of the blinde the lame the deafe the Leprous or dead Now it is not said that the blind had their sight proffered or promised vnto them or that the lame were onely made to walke or the Leapers cleansed onely in hope or by way of promise But all of them were truely and actually cured of their infirmities of body and so no question were the poore in spirit as truely cured as truely healed of their infirmities of their soules They had beene as truely dead vnto the life of the spirit as those whom Christ is heere said to haue raised vp were vnto the life of the body But now they are raised vp to newnesse of life enlightened to see the truth and enabled to walke not after the flesh but after the spirit And whereas before they had beene the bond slaues of sinne wherewith their soules were more foulely stained or tainted than these Leapers bodies were with leprosie they are now freed and cleansed from the guilt and raigne of sinne and made the seruants of righteousnes Thus much is included in these last words Pauperes euangelizantur and this transmutation of their soules was or might haue bin as conspicuous or obseruable to Iohns Disciples as the changing of Sauls mind or spirit was vnto the Israelites after Samuel had anoynted him King 1. Sam. cap. 10. ver 9. This Interpretation of this place is made vnto our hands by our Sauiour himselfe the best Interpreter of his owne words for so hee saith Luke 6. ver 20. Blessed be yee poore setting his eyes on his Disciples for yours is the Kingdome of God This blessing of Interest in the Kingdom of God here bequeathed by our Sauiour vnto the poore is in effect the same with these words in my Text Pauperes euangelizantur of which their Interest in the Kingdome of God is the true reall and formall effect For the Gospell is called the Kingdome of God because it instateth such as receiue the impression of it that is the Euangelizati in the Kingdome of God or of heauen The Kingdome of God in Scriptures is twofold and hath two importances Sometimes it importeth the Kingdome of Grace which the poore in spirit attaine vnto it in this world Somtimes it importeth the Kingdome of Glory which no man shall attaine vnto but in the world to come The Kingdome of Grace there bequeathed had two parts the one ordinary to continue throughout all ages which did consist in the raigne or soueraignty of the spirit ouer the flesh the other extraordinary yet vsuall in that time and did consist in the raigne or soueraignty of such poore men as Christs Disciples were ouer Satan and his angels And this part of the Kingdome of grace or this effect of it was more conspicuous and visible vnto others and was one of those workes or miracles which Iohns Disciples might heare and see and make faith or true relation vnto their Master Now the blessednes heere promised by our Sauiour or so much of it as men are capable of in this life consisteth in the former part of the Kingdome of Grace that is in the soueraignty of the spirit ouer the flesh Both parts of this obseruation are set forth vnto vs by our Sauiour Luk. 10. vers 17 18 19. The Seuentie returned againe with ioy saying Lord euen the Diuels are subiect vnto vs through thy name And hee said vnto them I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heauen Behold I giue vnto you power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions and ouer all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any meanes hurt you Notwithstanding in this reioyce not that the Spirits are subiect vnto you but rather reioyce because your names are written in heauen All the poore which are heere said to be Euangelizati were thereby instated in the Kingdome of Grace and made the sonnes of God as it is written Ioh. 1. ver 12. As many as receiued him to them gaue hee power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a priuiledge or faculty to be the sonnes of God and heyres apparent vnto the Kingdome of Glory This is all one as to haue their names written in the Booke of life 21. But heere the Iesuite at least the Moncke or begging Fryer who takes the pouerty which he voweth to be an Euangelicall perfection containing in it a title of merit to the blessednesse heere mentioned would reply that by the poore mentioned Lu. 6. v. 20. the poore in spirit only are to be vnderstood though not expressed because the poore in spirit are expressed by Saint Matthew who relates the selfe-same story Chap. 5. which Saint Luke doth in that 6. Chap but in as much as the story or relation heere in my Text is not the same with either of the former two it will not so cleerely follow that the poore in spirit are here onely to be vnderstod Yet it is a rule in Logicke and it is a rule of reason Quaecunque conueniunt in al◠quo tertio conueniunt etiam inter se. From which rule it will cleerely follow that if as well these words of my Text as those of Saint Luke chap. 6. vers 20. be but Euangelicall expressions of one and the same Propheticall prediction in which the poore in spirit are to be vnderstood this my Text must be meant of the poore in spirit as well as those other words of Saint Luke or Saint Matthew But of the consonancy of the Euangelist and the Prophet by Gods assistance hereafter 22. You haue heard and I make no question but you doe beleeue That whatsoeuer your
the sonne of Nun was to be finally accomplished The opening of the heauens and the emission of that voice from Gods presence This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased was a full and satisfactory answere vnto all the prayers which the high-Prists did annually make when they went into the most holy place But in what sort Iesus the sonne of Nun or that other Iesus the sonne of Iosedech did fore-shaddow the Son of God will come into more particular consideration in a fitter place Thus far of the Prophesies on which Iohn Baptists beliefe or warrant for baptizing was grounded and of the signes of the time expounding the meaning of these Prophesies vnto him or his attentiue Auditors before his imprisonment The third Branch of the second Member The consonancy betweene those Scriptures whereunto our Sauiour in this answer referreth Iohn and the former Prophesies on which Iohns faith was grounded with the congruity of time and other circumstances or occurrences which vnfold their meaning IIsdem alimur ex quibus constituimur As euery thing 's first breeding or beginning hath beene such commonly is the manner of its nourishment or feeding Bodies or creatures meerely vegetable as Trees Plants Herbes Corne Grasse and the like seeke after no other nutriment than the iuyce or moysture of the fatned earth with which kinde of nutriment Creatures indued with sense cannot thriue or prosper The meanest food that can giue satisfaction to the meanest of them is vegetable as Grasse Corne Herbes or other fruits of the Fields or Trees Some kinde of creatures indued with sense there be which must bee nourished with others of the same but of inferiour kinde As the Lyon will not feed on straw with the Oxe or Asse but feedeth on these and other like Creatures consisting of flesh and bloud as these doe on vegetables So that there bee almost as many seuerall sorts of nutriment or feeding as there bee seuerall or distinct kindes of creatures nourished and fed And not so onely but euen creatures of the same kinde haue their variety of nutriment Though all receiue their nutriment from the fatnesse of the earth yet is not euery vegetable alike content with euery soyle Hîc segetes illic veniunt foelicius vuae Some soyles yeeld plentifull nutriment to Vines or Plants but are not so kinde Nurses vnto Corne or Herbes Some kinde of mould is good for Corne not altogether so good for Grasse And in the same mould wherein Rie or Oates grow vp and prosper Wheate or Barly thriue not so well Now albeit God allowed greater variety of food or nourishment to mankinde than to all other kindes of Creatures besides for most creatures vegetable or such as feed on vegetables are giuen by expresse Charter vnto man for food yet wee see by experience that some men either by peculiar constitution of body or by long accustoming themselues vnto some special kind of food are more delighted like better with that than with any other And albeit a man by ill dyet whereunto hee hath beene long accustomed shall contract any disease or distemperature yet a skilfull Physician will be as careful to giue some contentment vnto custome as to correct the present distemper The vse or end of all nutriment in what body soeuer is to continue life and health and to augment strength And our seuerall refections should bee as so many seuerall inuitations or entertainements of the soule or spirit of life that it would be pleased to reside where now it doth vntill God prouide it of a better residence Now as euery vegetable or sensitiue body liueth by its soule so the reasonable soule of man liueth by faith The first originall or seed of faith is the Word of God The onely nutriment of faith or of the soule which seekes to liue by faith is experiment or obseruation of euents whether in our selues or without vs answerable to the Word of God from which faith had its first seeds or beginning Againe as euery man is most bound to obserue those rules of Scripture which most concerne himselfe or his profession so those experiences or tastes of Gods blessings which sute best with his peculiar kinde of life yeeld best nutriment vnto faith once begotten Euery mans growth in faith is then most firme and solid when it proceedeth from a perfect growth in those Scriptures from which it took first roote and from whose experienced truth it was formerly nourished and increased 67. Seeing then Iohns faith in Iesus of Nazareth as in the Messias then reuealed did spring from Gods Word vttered by Isaias the Prophet as from its first root and had been nourished by sensible experiments and manifest signes of the time answerable to the Prophet Isaias predictions concerning Iohns office for this reason it is that our Sauiour who best knew what answere would be most fitting and most satisfactory to Iohns demand returneth him no other answere than you often haue heard read vnto you The blinde receiue their sight the halt goe c. The summe of the answer is a brief rehearsall of the various miracles which our Sauiour had lately wrought and continued to worke when Iohns Disciples came vnto him Now all the miracles here recited are but so many sensible experiments of those predictions wherin Iohns faith concerning the discharge of his office was first grounded experiments of the very selfe-same kinde by which his former faith had been nourished and confirmed Such experiments they are as could not but strengthen his faith although it had beene weakned by doubt or distrust experiments in themselues able to reuiue his faith although it had bin more than halfe stifeled by despaire 68. The speciall places of the Prophet Isay by which Iohn was directed in the execution of his office of preaching Repentance or baptizing and whereon his faith or beliefe of the Messias which was to come was grounded haue beene alledged and expounded to you before They were for the most part such as did fore-tell strange wonders to bee wrought in the desart as the bursting out of waters in dry places turning of Valleyes into Mountaines planting of the Wildernesse with pleasant Trees All which predictions were onely or especially to be fulfilled in their allegoricall or parabolicall sense that is in the strange alterations of mens affections and dispositions which did follow vpon Iohns Baptisme yet not wrought by Iohn but by him that came after him which was to baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire Iohn before his imprisonment had seene good fruits of his Baptisme and preaching of Repentance hee had seene the holy Ghost likewise descend in miraculous manner vpon our Sauiour whereby he knew him to be the Anoynted of the Lord and that righteous Branch of Dauid which was to accomplish whatsoeuer the Prophet Isay or Iohn out of him had foretold But as for miracles Iohn himselfe wrought none before his imprisonment nor had he seen or heard our Sauiour
answer For cleering this difficulty or exception we are to examine these two poynts 1. First what the particulars heere auouched by Christ and solemnly testified by Iohns Disciples might naturally and litterally import to any indifferent vnderstanding Auditor 2. Secondly what they might intimate or suggest vnto Iohn as no question but this answere did giue more full satisfaction vnto Iohn than it could doe to any other for that time without his Paraphrase or Comment vpon it 9. Touching the former poynt wee say The very particulars thus solemnely auouched and authentically testified include in them euen vnto ordinary sence and reason as much as could be expected in the promised Messias or long-expected Redeemer of Israel Thus much they manifestly include if wee rightly make the deductions according to the true Logicall extent of their naturall sence For although it bee a rule most infallible that the truth of an indefinite proposition may be salued or supported by the truth of one particular as if a man should bargaine with a day-laborer promising him in these indefinite termes to giue him so much for his worke as other neighbours did though some of them gaue twelue pence some tenne pence and others but eight pence the Law would vpon these termes or agreements award him no more than eight pence because it can constraine the hyrer onely to make good his couenant to the hyred and his couenant is performed if he make his promise true Now if but one or two Neighbours giue but eight pence and he giueth as much it is euident he giueth as much as his Neighbours do this is enough to salue the truth of his promise according to Law and Logicke although to vse the benefit of eyther to a poore mans preiudice would ill beseeme a man of better note and fashion In like manner although our Sauiour had only raysed the Widdowes Son of Naim froÌ„ death or at least if he had giuen sight to one or two blind men only or if he had cleansed but one or two Lepers and made only one or two lame men to goe this indefinite answere to Iohns question The blind receiue their sight and the lame walke the lepers are cleansed the deafe heare and the dead are raysed vp Mat. 11. v. 5. had beene so true as no Grammarian or Logician had beene able to impeach it of falshood But though it be certaine that an indefinite proposition is oft-times true if one or two particulars be true yet oft-times such indefinite speeches include a multitude of particulars and sometimes an vniuersality or the whole number of all the particulars which the words can litterally comprehend or signifie As for example if a man should bid his friend take heed how he deals for the world is naught and men are cunning no man would coÌ„ceiue his meaning to be that there were but one or two naughty or cunning men in the world but rather that the world were in a manner full of them and that no Society or Corporation were free from such men Againe if a man should aduise his friend not to rely vpon mens words in matters of great consequences without some reall assurance because men are mortall no man would conceiue his meaning to bee that this or that man were mortall but that all were mortall 10. That this indefinite speech of our Sauiour The blinde receiue their sight and the lame walke c. did as wee say de facto include not onely some few but a mulâ—itude of all or most particulars specified is apparent from the 7. of Luke vers 21. At the same houre when Iohns Disciples came vnto him hee cured many of their infirmities and plagues and of euill spirits and vnto many men that were blinde hee gaue sight As this indefinite speech did de facto include a multitude so it did de potentiâ include an vniuersality that is as there were many blinde men receiued their sight many sicke that were cured so all of euery sort here specified might haue beene partakers of the like benefit if the default had not beene in themselues or in their friends There was not a man throughout all the Tribes of Israel so blinde but might haue had his perfect sight restored vnto him so hee had demeaned himselfe towards Christ as these other blinde men did Not one man throughout all the Land so deafe so dumbe or lame but that if their friends would haue brought them vnto him and haue supplicated for them being not able to supplicate for themselues they might haue had their perfit hearing their speech or limbes restored vnto them All the Lepers might haue beene cleansed all possessed with Deuils might haue beene dispossessed and freed from their tyranny so they would haue but humbled themselues vnder Gods hands and sincerely acknowledged their imperfections and infirmities to haue bin the fruits of their sinne or offences against God their Creator and Redeemer for thus to be humbled was to become poore in spirit 11. What is it then which Iohn or his Disciples or the whole Nation of the Iewes could expect of Him that was to come their promised and long-wished-for Messias whereof these good beginnings related were not sure pledges and full assurances Most of this people and with them Iohns Disciples were sicke of their fore-fathers disease they desired in their hearts a King to fight their battels a man of as goodly presence as Saul was for personage as louely as Ionathan a man as valiant in battaile as Iudas Maccabaeus as victorious as Dauid as Samson or Gideon But what King of Iudah or Israel did euer Ieuy an Army without ingrateful exactions from his people Which of them did euer inrich himselfe or the State by forreine spoyles without impouerishing many of his natiue subiects Whilest some of them might sing these or like publike songs Saul hath slaine his 1000. and Dauid his 10000. many a poore widow in priuat laments the losse of her dearest husband with sighs and teares many Rachels mourne for their children and cannot be comforted because the Conquerour cannot restore them to life againe Finally the whole glory and pompe of warre when they are at the height and at the best are but like a bright and furious flame which must be continually nourished with mans bloud as a Lampe is with Oyle or the Fire with Wood. The best warre that euer was vndertaken was but malum necessarium It was well obserued by the wiser sort of Heathen that no warre was euer iust but when it was necessary And as another saith Bellum gerimus vt pace fruamur The only right vse and end of warre is to procure an honourable and secure peace If such peace may be had without warre they are but fooles and vnhappy men vnfit members of the world that will vndertake warre and kindle dissentions betwixt Nation and Nation Yee haue heard perhaps of the Philosophers Dialogue with Pirrhus that great warrier to this purpose
mentioned Againe happier they were than such men as neuer had beene blinde or lame or leprous or deafe or neuer had tasted of bodily death For albeit the blessings of life of health of strength of soundnesse of limmes were in themselues if wee measure them by themselues the selfe-same in both yet these mentioned in my Text knew much better how to value or prize these bodily blessings aright or how to vse them to their right end by their former long want or absence than others could doe by their continuall presence or fruition of them Againe happy they were in respect of themselues or their former estate much happier in that they were now able to walke whereas before they had beene lame much happier in that whereas now they see they had sometimes bin blinde that whereas now they are cleansed they had sometimes bin Lepers in that such of them as now liue had beene sometimes dead For although the habit be in it selfe much better than the priuation as sight is much better than blindnesse health much better than sicknesse soundnesse of limbes much better than lamenesse life much better than death vet sometimes the sufferance of want or priuation of things in their nature good and pleasant may be more profitable or vsefull for attayning some greater good than the present possession or fruition of good things Now it was not the habit or present fruition of life and health not the right vse of limbes and bodily sences but the former want or priuation of them which was as the root or stock wherein the third part of that happinesse which consists in the health or welfare of the soule was ingrafted If some of these men had alwayes inioyed their perfit sight it is more than twenty to one but that their owne right eyes had offended them and better it were they should haue beene plucked out than haue offended them but best of all that they had none to offend them or draw them from Christ the Fountaine of happinesse vnto other vanities If others of them had beene alwayes sound of body and limbes their owne right hands or feet would haue bin as a stumbling-blocke to them in the way of life and haue hindered them from comming to Christ. If others of them had not bin smitten with leprosie or other like grieuous diseases they had not sought to Christ as to their Physician and not finding him so happy a Physician as they found him for the body they would not so earnestly haue sought vnto him as the only Physician of their soules although he be vsually found of none but such as seek him Finally vnlesse the Lord had humbled all of them with some one or other bodily grieuance or with want and pouerty they had not become so humble in minde or poore in spirit as now they are and not being such they had not beene capable of the greatest miracle or best blessing heere bestowed that is they had not beene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so it is remarkeably said in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dead are raysed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the poore as our later English translatiō readeth it haue the Gospel preached vnto them much better I must confesse than some of the ancient Fathers which expound the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being as the Latines say a Verbe cōmon or as the Grecians say verbum medium that is sometimes actiue sometimes passiue according to its actiue signification in this place and render it thus the poore preach the Gospel But as Maldonate well obserueth for the poore to preach the Gospel was neuer any matter of wonder and therefore no part of our Sauiours message vnto Iohn as being no poynt worthy so great a Master as our Sauiour was solemnely to teach or so great a Scholler as Iohn was solemnely to learne And howsoeuer the word in the Originall be rendred by Interpreters the thing signified by it is the greatest miracle in this Catalogue That the Gospell should be preached vnto the poore as Maldonate would haue it was valdè mirum a great and reall wonder And why so great or reall a wonder Because saith he to haue the Gospell preached vnto them was as much as to haue a promise to be made Kings as he rightly proues from diuers places of this Gospell by Saint Matthew Quid autem admirabilius quà m pauperem Regem fieri What more admirable or wonderfull than for poore men and beggers to be made Kings He further addeth that although the Gospell were equally and indifferently preached to all yet it pleased our Sauiour onely to mention the poore both because that was most strange and vnusuall according to the custome of the world that the poore should haue the promise to bee made Kings and withall that hee might shew himselfe to be the Messias or the Anoynted of the Lord who as the Prophet Esay had fore-told should preach the Gospell to the poore Thus farre Maldonate But vnder correction the originall phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports a great deale more than eyther Maldonate expresseth in Latine when he saith Euangelium praedicatur pauperibus or than is expressed in our latter English the poore haue the Gospell preached vnto them Our former English cometh somewhat neerer the Originall when it saith the poore receiue the Gospell But the vulgar Latine though it misse it many yet in this particular best expresseth the meaning of the Euangelist if the Romish Priests and Iesuites which hold it to be Authentique did vnderstand the meaning of it or improue it to the best sence for so it renders the Originall verbatim Pauperes Euangelizantur For right vnfolding the contents of this speech or taking the full value of the Originall we are to obserue that Verbes passiue whether in the Hebrew Greeke Latine or English may include or import a two-fold passion the one meerely Grammaticall or intentionall the other reall eyther naturall or supernaturall One and the same Verbe may sometimes include the former onely sometimes the latter according to the diuersity of the matter or subiect whereunto it is applyed To giue instance in that speech of Melchizedeck Genes 14. 19. Blessed be Abraham of the most high GOD possessor of heauen and earth And blessed be the most High God which hath deliuered thine enemies into thine hand Now though the word in the Originall be the same though it be for signification as truely passiue when it is said Blessed be the most High God and when it is said Blessed be Abraham of the most High God yet wee must alwayes note this difference in the thing it selfe that whensoeuer God is blessed by man as here he was by Melchizedeck mans blessing can produce no reall passion or alteration in God it can adde no degree of blisse or happinesse to him But whensoeuer man is blessed by GOD his blessing alwayes addeth some increase of blessednesse eyther in his goods in his body or in
Christs messenger or preparing his wayes more then 600. yeeres before either of them was borne would suggest or imply a great deale more then it could do vnto any other man not so well qualified or instructed as Iohn was and not so well acquainted with the particular passages of Scripture whereon Iohns faith was grounded nor with the signes of the time by which his faith in the Messias was confirmed Now for your better edification in this poynt giue mee leaue to breake this portion of the Bread of life which I haue in hand into three parts The first The generall meanes by which euery mans faith or beliefe in Christ is wrought or grounded or by which it is or may be confirmed The second shall be the vnfolding of those particular places of Scripture on which Iohns beliefe was grounded as also the signes of the time by which his faith before his imprisonment or before the framing of this question was ratified and confirmed The third What correspondency concord or consonancy the particulars heere mentioned and those places of Scripture whereunto our Sauiour in this answer referres Iohn or the signes of this very time wherein this answere was made haue vnto the other parts of Scripture or signes of the time by which Iohns former faith had beene established and confirmed Of these three in their order by Gods assistance 25. Concerning the first poynt we all beleeueand know that Gods Word is the only rule on which our faith must be grounded by which wee must be builded vp as the house by line or leuell In this generall we and the Church of Rome agree The first breach or poynt of difference betwixt vs and them is Whether this Word of God by which the Temple of God must be raysed be partly written and partly vnwritten Wee say that the whole rule or Canon of Faith is written or contayned fully in the Bookes of the Old and New Testament They grant these Bookes to contayne part of the rule but the other part which in effect they make the principall is as they say contayned in vnwritten traditions of whose truth or true meaning the visible Church for the time being is the sole Iudge This indeed is the roofe or couering of their Edifice which as elsewhere we haue shewed and by Gods assistance shall more fully shew hereafter doth vtterly raze or ouerthrow the foundation it selfe whereon they would seeme to put it to wit the written Word of God and the truthes concerning Christ contayned in it But our purpose is not at this time to shew you in what manner they ouerthrow the foundation of Faith or Word of God but rather the manner how our faith is grounded on it 26. Now though it be true which we lately said that faith must bee grounded onely on the written Word this saying notwithstanding must be restrayned vnto the time since GODS Word vnto his Church or people by his appoyntment was committed vnto writing Wherefore you must remember or take notice that there was a time wherein no part of Gods Word was written for Moses was the first that committed Gods Words to writing the first that made a Register or Record of what God had spoken vnto the Patriarkes Now the beliefe of the Patriarkes was grounded on Gods Word though then vnwritten after the same manner as ours is on the written Word For as you will easily conceiue it is not the writing of Gods Word which makes it to be the ground or rule of faith Yet heere happely you will demand To what other end then was it written To this we answer That the writing of it by such speciall Registers as God had appoynted for that purpose and the strange preseruation of the Records written by them is to vs an infallible argument that what they haue written is the Words of God not the words of men And this to know that the words which wee beleeue or giue credence vnto in matters concerning our happinesse or saluation are the words not of any mortall man but of the immortall God is the first ground of faith 27. Vnto the right grounding of our faith in this first poâ—nt two things were euer required The first prediction or fore-telling things to come The second was the euent or experiment answering to the prediction Yet is it not the prediction of any euent that shall fall out though for a long time after that can argue the prediction it selfe to haue beene Gods words or the fore-teller of such euents to bee a Prophet For the Astronomers can fore-tell you the Eclipses of the Sunne or Moone for many yeeres before they fall out or happen yet no man takes their skill as an argument that they are true Prophets or that they are enlightned by the Spirit of God by which the Scriptures were written or the mysteries contayned in them were fore-told But if an Astronomer could as distinctly fore-tell what kinde of weather euery moneth or euery day for two or three yeeres following should bring with it as hee can fore-tell what day or houre the Sunne or Moone shall be eclipsed or in what degree or measure eyther of their bodies should be obscured or hid from our sight you would conceiue of him as a man more than ordinary and that he could not know this by ordinary skill or art no not by the blacke art it selfe or by dealing with the Deuill He that could certainely fore-tell all the particular changes of weather or the alteration of States and Kingdomes or the seuerall Eclipses or illuminations of Gods true visible Church heere on earth for the next Generations that are to come might iustly challenge the reputation of a Prophet or Messenger sent from God at the hands of all such as had heard or read his predictions before the truth of them was sealed by their manifest vndoubted euents What then is the reason why the certaine and known prediction of some euents whose truth afterwards becometh visible and manifest vnto the world as the Eclipses of the Sunne and Moone or the coniunction of Planets which shall fall out some forty yeeres hence or more should not as infallibly argue the assistance of the diuine Spirit or reuelations immediately made from God as the fore-telling of all change of weather or matters of greater consequences doe as matters of States or Kingdomes or Gods visible Church The reason is because God by his euerlasting Decree hath appoynted the Sunne and Moone their constant and certaine course and priuiledged them from all impossibility of impediment or disturbance in their seuerall courses which eyther man or infernall spirits can attempt against them whereas by the same euerlasting Decree Hee hath ordayned such variety or inconstancy in the ayre or other inferiour Elements as no wit of Man or Deuill can comprehend all the possible changes of weather which may happen within some few yeeres following For though Satan and his angels be enstyled Prince of the Ayre
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
Heauen and Earth should be as visibly enthronized in Sion as Dauid had beene and that hee should begin to erect a Kingdome which was neuer to haue an end this was a wonder worthy to bee taken notice of by all the world Now that this God of Sion by whose protection Moses had led Israel out of Aegypt vnder whose conduct Iosuah brought them into the Land of Promise that hee who had anoynted Dauid King should himselfe be anoynted King ouer Sion was the true and literall meaning of the Psalmist in this and the like places of which hereafter Of this ranke is that Prophesie of Isaias chap. 40. vers 5. with which Iohn Baptist was well acquainted for hee had his Commission from it The glory of the Lord shall be reuealed and all flesh shall see it together for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Such an open distinct and full sight as these words literally import supposeth an obiect truly visible and within ken of ordinary and common sight God in his glory is altogether inuisible to flesh and bloud and though he had taken visible shape vpon him in the Heauens yet so hee had still remayned inuisible to men that haue their habitation here on earth That vnto them hee might become visible and that they might see his glory together so see it as they were seene of it that hee might see them and they see Him with the eyes of flesh He tooke vp our flesh for his Tabernacle and walked and talked amongst vs in more visible and audible manner than Hee did in the Campe of Israel than He did with Moses in the Tabernacle of the Congregation This which Isaias heere speaketh from the mouth of the Lord the Lord himselfe did after vtter with his owne mouth and yet with the mouth of man to wit that hee which had seene him had seene his Father because the glory of God was manifested in Him And when the Prophet saith That the glory of the Lord should bee reuealed and that all flesh shall see it together it is in this speech included that this glory of God should bee reuealed or manifested in the flesh The best interpretation of the Prophets words that I can commend vnto you must bee from Saint Iohn chap. 1. v. 1 14. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God And the Word was made Flesh and dwelt amongst vs and wee beheld his glory the glory as of the onely begotten of the Father full of grace and truth This blessed Apostle might perhaps say of himselfe and some few others in a peculiar sort Wee saw his glory and the glory which wee saw was as the onely begotten Sonne of God for hee with Peter and Iames had seen him transfigured on the Mount But all that saw the man Christ Iesus at his Baptisme with their bodily eyes did so see the glory of God reuealed from Heauen And he was so seene of all flesh Some of all sorts though not all of euery sort did see him baptized and heard him declared from Heauen to be the Sonne of God Some then present were Pharises others Sadduces some Iewes others Gentiles some Publicanes some Priests and Leuites some Samaritanes others Galileans Not at that time onely though the Prophets words be especially meant of that time but euer after all flesh might haue seene the liuely characters of those glorious attributes of Saluation which the Prophets and Psalmist had appropriated to the God of Sion to make distinct and reall impression in the man Christ Iesus These two attributes of glory and saluation are of so neere alliance of such equiualent vse that whereas the Prophet had said All flesh should see the glory of God Saint Luke expressing his meaning saith All flesh shall see the saluation of God chap. 3. vers 6. He supposeth as the Prophet meant that the glory of GOD should bee manifested in the saluation of men This glory or saluation of God was then reuealed and became visible to flesh and bloud when God became man and tooke his generall attribute of saluation as his proper name being called Iesus Finally that saluation of God which Simeon saw with such delight at our Sauiours Circumcision all flesh did or might haue seene at his Baptisme 47. But to returne vnto the Testimony of the Psalmist With thee is the Fountaine of life which containeth the mysticall signification of the waters which miraculously issued out of the rocke The best Interpretation of both places is deliuered by Saint Iohn by way of Comment vpon our Sauiours words Iohn 7. 38 39. Hee that beleeueth on mee as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow Riuers of liuing water This intersertion or parenthesis as the Scripture hath said stands like the tongue in a ballance doubtfull to whether part of the Sentence wherein it is contayned it inclineth Some Interpreters would draw it to the first part Hee that beleeueth in mee as saith the Scripture that is in such wise such sort and measure as the Scripture requireth out of his belly shall flow Riuers of liuing water Others would draw it to the later part and render it thus Hee that beleeueth in mee out of his belly shall flow Riuers of liuing water as the Scriptures hath fore-told Though both interpretations may be true though both may stand with the generall Analogy of faith yet the later in my opinion is more pertinent and more consonant to the true intention of this place But then it will be questioned What Scripture hath said that which our Sauiour here doth to wit that riuers of liuing water should flow from such as beleeued in him The very expresse words are no where else to be found in Scripture for they are as most of our Sauiours are when hee speakes of greatest mysteries parabolicall Their importance or reall sense is expressed by Saint Iohn in the same place This hee spake of the Spirit c. Now if by the riuers of liuing water our Sauiour meant as Saint Iohn telleth vs hee did this plentifull effusion of his Spirit the same Scriptures which fore-tell the plentifull effusion of the Spirit whether in termes plainely literall or emblematical fore-tell likewise the riuers of Liuing water which were to flow from true beleeuers The manner of our Sauiours expression of the Spirits effusion by riuers flowing out implyeth it should be powred out in such a plentifull measure as would be not onely sufficient to satiate the soules of them that thirsted after it but in a measure ouer-flowing to the Saluation of others And such were these admirable gifts of the Holy Ghost which after our Sauiours Ascension were bestowed vpon his Apostles and Disciples The Scriptures which particularly fore-tell this plentifull effusion of the Spirit are many these following are if not the principall yet the most apposite to our present Argument Ioel 2. vers 28 29 and 32. And it shall come to passe afterward
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