his return being known the life of the young child might be sought for but by divine admonition turned aside into the parts of Galilee and dwelt in Nazareth and so was fulfilled the prediction of the Prophets but what Prophets we have not to say Isa 11.1 60 21. Zech. 3.8 6.12 for though both the Prophets Isaiah and Zechariah do style him Netzer a branch yet none of all the Prophets which we now have doe style him a Nazarene doubtless some of those Prophets whose prophesies are not come to our hands who had said that he should be called a Nazarene But when Herod was dead behold an Angell of the Lord appeared in a dream to Ioseph in Egypt S. Mat. 2.19 saying Arise and take the young childe and his mother and go into the land of Israel for they are dead which sought the young childes life 20 And he arose and tooke the young childe and his mother and came into the land of Israel But when he heard that Archelaus did raigne in Iudea 21 in the roome of his father Herod he was afraid to go thither Notwithstanding being warned of God in a dream he turned aside into the parts of Galilee And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth 22 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophets 23. He shall be called a Nazarene Being returned out of Egypt and brought to Nazareth there to inhabit with his parents Christ grew the childe Jesus grew having been nourished it seemes before by his mothers milk as other children in their infancy S. Luc. 11 27 and more especially as Isaac was who was a type of Christ Gen. 21.7 he was in time convenient taken from his mothers breasts and accustomed to stronger meats as the prophet Isaias before had prophesyed Butter and hony shall he eat Isa 7.15 As if he should say The ordinary food of the land for the land Canaan was a land flowing with milk and honey Exod. 3.8 Being so fed and nourished in his infancy and in his childehood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he grew aetate corporis quantitate saith Stella in age and in quantity of body quatenus homo as being man the solid parts of his body as he grew in age were ampliated in longitude latitude and profundity This will prove the verity of his body therefore his flesh was not fantasticall nor made of the stars and celestiall bodies it was humane flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He waxed strong in spirit his soul as he grew in body did more and more exert and manifest the powers and faculties of the same therefore he had a soule not the divinity in stead of a soule nor a soul converted into flesh nor yet mixed and mingled with his divinity but a distinct soul a reasonable soul He was true man consisting of body and soul for he was filled with all wisdome therefore with acquisite or experimentall wisdom whereby nothing was wanting to him which might conduce to the perfection of the humane nature And the grace of God was upon him for all his words and actions were gracious no inordinate childish mirth or foolish pastimes were seen in him by all that he said by all that he did every man had to observe the grace of God If he had no liberall education and at the schooles S. Joh. 7.15 for he needed not to be taught by man according to that which is objected St Joh. 7.15 How knoweth this man letters having never learned Yet no question but he had religious education by his parents which he accepted by divine dispensation who instructed him privately and at home in the mysteries of religion Christ brought up to Hierusalem when he was twelve years old brought him unto the Synagogues upon the Sabbath-daies and when he was twelve years old they brought him up to Hierusalem to the temple to the end that he might behold the worship of God in his Sanctuary that he might worship in that place which God had chosen to put his name there that he might hear the learned doctrines and expositions of the Scribes who taught and expounded the law that he might bring his gift unto God according as it was required by the law and finally that he might manifest his obedience to the law which required that all the males should appear before the Lord ter in anno thrice every year According to which law Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord God Joseph peradventure Exod. 23.17 S. Mat. 1.19 Phil. 3.6 who was a just man and as Saint Paul saith of himselfe touching the righteousnesse which is in the law blamelesse after his return out of Egypt and when he dwelt in Nazareth went up to Hierusalem three times a year Although they say that there was an indulgence granted to them that dwelt more remotely and that it was sufficient for them if they went up once a year at the feast of the Passeover from which none might be excused but only by invalidity of body The law concerned Joseph not the blessed virgin Saint Mary Omne masculinum tuum all thy males The Evangelist therefore doth commend the piety and fervent zeal of the blessed virgin in that she also took the paines to go up to Hierusalem with Joseph her husband at the feast of the passeover sixty foure miles whereas by the law she might have stayed at home Christ being twelve years old went up with his parents for the causes before expressed Why Christ went up to Hierusalem being twelve years old Whether he had been there before or not the Evangelist doth not determine I do rather think that he had not been brought up before for fear of Archelaus and that this was the first time that he came up from Nazareth to Hierusalem his parents who before were afraid to return vvith him to Bethlehem because they heard that Archelaus did raigne in Judea being then confident to bring him up thither because they heard that Archelaus had now lost his Ethnarchie being also exiled to Vienna in France When the solemnity of the feast was ended his parents departed but Jesus himselfe tarried behinde in Hierusalem He tarried behinde that he might be about the businesse of his heavenly Father in yielding obedience to his divine will and that by hearing of the Doctours and asking them questions he might manifest his divine wisdome for the honour of God shew the zeal of Gods glory which he had even in his childhood and give example unto others And it was not without mystery that he would be pleased so to do being twelve years old for it was he that would send forth his twelve Apostles to preach his Gospell all the world over Again the age of twelve years saith Stella is intelligendi percipiendi aetas the age or time wherein children come to a ripe understanding or perception therefore not before because he
to be worshipped with divine honour Again the devill taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain and sheweth him all the kingdomes of the world and the glory of them 9 10. And saith unto him All these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me Then saith Jesus unto him Get thee hence Satan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve The devill departeth for a season Then the devill leaveth him being driven away from him by the power of his most mighty word but he went from him animo revertendi with a full purpose and resolution to return again as he should finde opportunity For Saint Luke saith that when the devill had ended all the temptation S. Luc. 4.13 he departed from him for a season He tempted him no more in that manner but he tempted him by his agents and instruments upon every occasion and most probably came again in his own person to tempt him at his passion Which thing Christ seemeth to intimate by those words This is your houre S. Luc. 22.53 S. Joh. 14.30 and the power of darknesse And again in Saint John The prince of this world commeth and hath nothing in me He came in Judas who betrayed him in Pilat who condemned him in the Iewes that crucified him but this was not temptatio propriè dicta properly temptation which is the suggestion of the devill whereby he prompteth a man to do evill but rather open persecution whereby he stirred up his enemies to kill him Therefore ge came again to tempt him in his own person The tempter being departed from him the Angels who are ministring spirits Heb 1.14 and as the Apostle saith sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation having beheld all this conflict but came not unto him before lest they should seem to assist him by their presence came and ministred unto him who is the author and prince of our salvation By comforting him by counselling him by rejoycing with him by administring food to flake and satisfie his hunger and what else might be requisite to and consisting with his present condition So he departed out of the desart and from the place of his last temptation but whither he went or what he did during the remainder of that year it is not said It is but conjectured by some that probably he returned to Nazareth to his former habitation and abode with his mother remained there and wrought at his fathers trade as before yet so as that he also taught and preached privately By which means he began to be knowne and famed in Nazareth and in the adjacent places though for the present he wrought no miracles Which conjecture may not inaptly consist with that of Saint Luke where he saith that the devill being departed from him for a season S. Luc. 4.14 Iesus returned in the power of the spirit into Galilee and there went out a fame of him thorow all the region round about It is less consisting with the truth which is affirmed by others that after the devill had left him and the angells also had ministred unto him he came down from the top of Pisgah and went to Bethabara where Saint Iohn was baptizing eight miles and then Saint Iohn seeing him comming unto him said to his disciples Behold the lamb of God S. Joh 1.29 which taketh away the sins of the world But how well this will stand with the consequence and connexion of things our sacred history will shew hereafter In the mean time we have to take notice how the covenant was administred by him for the space of these twenty and eight years for the abolishing of the old testament that is to say from the expiration of the second year to the expiration of the thirtieth year of his age By his return out of Egypt By his habitation in Nazareth By growing up in age and quantity of body The Recapitulation By waxing strong in spirit By manifesting his obedience in going up to Hierusalem at the passeover according to the law By doing his Fathers businesse there at twelve years old By returning with his parents and by being subject to them in his great humility By proclaiming the acceptable year of the Lord. By sending his messenger before his face in the spirit and power of Elias and to be that Elias which was for to come By the preparatory Baptisme of Saint Iohn By being himself baptized by Saint Iohn By praying and by being testified from heaven by the Father and by the holy Ghost By going into the wildernesse and by fasting there forty daies and forty nights By submitting himselfe to be tempted by divine dispensation By vanquishing the prince of devills By accepting the ministery of his Angells It became him who humbled himselfe and was made man for the redemption of all mankinde to be brought again out of Egypt to dwell in Nazareth with his parents to grow up in age and quantity of body to wax strong in spirit to manifest his obedience by going up to Hierusalem at the passeover according to the law to do his Fathers businesse there at twelve years old to return with his parents and to be subject to them in his great humility to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord to send his messenger before his face in the spirit and power of Elias who was also that Elias which was for to come to prepare the people to entertain him by the preparatory Baptisme of Saint Iohn to be himselfe baptized by Saint Iohn to sanctifie the element of water and to be testified from heaven by the Father and by the holy Ghost to go into the wilderness and to fast there forty daies and forty nights to submit himselfe to be tempted by divine dispensation to vanquish the prince of devills to accept the ministery of his Angells And thus our sacred history doth put an end to his baptismall year which was the thirtieth year of his age 54. The Jewes send Priests and Levites to St. John After that Saint Iohn had preached and baptized by the space of a year and was had in great admiration among the people for the severity of his life the excellency of his doctrine and the rarity of his Baptisme and with great success in his ministry had brought great numbers of people to repentance and to his baptisme The supream councill at Hierusalem to whom it belonged to take the care of religion and things pertaining thereunto and that nothing should be innovated sent unto him priests and Levites who were of the sect of the Pharisees with commission to examine his doctrine and authority to inform themselves who he was that took upon him so to do without the approbation of their Synedrion They being come declare their commission they first examine what he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who art thou It was the principall cause of
of Christ and of his benefits by the instrument of faith which is the hand of the soul for the nourishing and feeding thereof to salvation and everlasting life is visibly shewed and made good 2ly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For eating and drinking is the externall use and end of the sacrament ordained by Christ whereby according to divine institution the eating and drinking of his body and blood which is internall and spirituall is assured and made good Like as Saint Augustine saith concerning the holy sacrament of Baptisme that Water exhibiting the sacrament of grace without and the spirit working the benefit of grace within loosing the bond of sin reconciling the good of nature do regenerate a man in one Christ who was generated of one Adam Ad. Bonifac. Epist 23. Even so in this blessed sacrament of the Supper Two persons there are two persons by whom it is administred Christ and his minister his minister which is to do all that which is to be done externally and without by designing preparing and consecrating the bread and the wine by prayers and benedictions to become a sacrament by divine institution by breaking of the bread and by taking of the cup by delivering the bread and the cup thereby to set forth and represent his death and in by and with the bread and cup to deliver Christ himselfe with his most pretious body and blood But it is Christ by the gracious and efficatious operation of his most holy and most blessed spirit who must do all that which is to be done internally and within and make it to be his body and blood to the worthy receiver For the whole action of the sacrament consisteth of two things Two severall sorts of food or two severall sorts of food the one is earthly corporeall and sensible to be seen tasted and discerned by the senses and that is the food which the minister doth deliver and every priest is sufficiently qualified to deliver that food But the other is heavenly spirituall and intelligible to be understood by the minde which food none can deliver but only Christ Likewise there be two parts of man the body and the soul and accordingly there be two severall sorts of taking Two sorts of taking eating and drinking eating and drinking the one is externall and sacramentall pertaining to the body the other is internall and spirituall belonging to the soul The externall and sacramentall being a visible representation of that which is spirituall and internall 24. Both Element make but one Sacrament The elements of bread and wine are distinguished materialiter in respect of matter for the matter of the bread and of the wine is not the same but divers yet formaliter perfectivè formally and perfectively they make but one and the same sacrament 1. Because these two elementary signs not more nor fewer bread and wine and nothing else but bread and wine are required to the inâ—â—egrity and perfection of the Sacrament Not more because the bodily refection is perfected in these two and the spirituall refection in Christ by his blessed body and blood perfectly represented Not fewer because if either of these be wanting the Sacrament which is the sacramenâ— of perfect refection will be defective 2ly Because that our blessed Lord to testifie that he took the whole human nature into the unity of his own most sacred person and was the word made flesh perfect man of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting as St. Athanasius saith in his Creed and also to testifie that he is the redeemer both of body and soul instituted this Sacrament in these two elements For the bread saith St. Peter Lombard is referred to the fâ—esh the wine to the soul because wine operateth blood in which the Philosophers do say that the soul is seated lib. 4. dist 11. Lastly a mutilaâ—ed sacrament is no sacrament at all nor hath it the promise nor can it signifie assure or deliver the thing of the sacrament Nor will it be made a sacrament by concomitancy a new doctrine not heard of in the Church till after a thousand two hundred and twenty years nor will it consist with the commandment which is as well concerning the administration as also concerning the participation of it in both the species both of bread and wine The words of the promise I said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 definitive or indicative they define or declare the things Concerning the promise they set forth the inâ—ernall matter or thing signified affirming it either of the bread or the cup sacramentally Of the bread Hoc est corpus meum quod pro vobis datur frangitur This is my body which is given and is broken for you Of the cup Hic est sanguis meus qui est novi testamenti qui pro vobis pro multis effunditur in remissionem pecca orum This is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins Which words must be considered two ways in the incomplex How to be considered taken severally and by themselves and in the complex put altogether Take them in the incomplex severally and by themselves then there is the subject the praedicatum and the copula or bond whereby the thing affirmed is knit or coupled unto that whereof it is affirmed The subject or matter is the pronoun demonstrative Hoc but not hoc adjectively but hoc substantively this thing as if he had said This thing which I hold in my hand What was that It was bread and nothing else but bread accepit Jesus paâ—em Jesus took bread The praedicatum is corpus meum my body what body not his mysticall body for that is his Church It was therefore his naturall true and proper body Eph 4.11.12 Eph. 5.30.32 Quod pro vobis datur frangitur which is given and is broken for you and quâ tale upon that respect that it was that naturall true and proper body given and broken Sanguis meus my blood what blood His naturall true and proper blood qui pro vobis pro multis effunditur which is shed for you and for many and quâ talis upon that respect that it was that natural true and proper blood so shed The copula or bond whereby the praedicatum or thing affirmed is knit or coupled to the subject or thing whereof it is affirmed is the verb substantive est This is my body this is my blood Which verb est must not be taken pro esse naturali vel substantiali that it is so naturally or substantially but pro esse mystico vel sacramentali that it is so mystically or sacramentally whereby the name of the thing signifying hath the name of the thing signified by reason of the analogy or similitude which the one hath unto the other He did not tell them what the bread and wine were by nature and substance but what they were made
down into the place of the damned really and by locall motion so that he descended not onely by effect and virtue but by actuall descent the divinity being also present therewith by the hypostaticall union Which thing is no less no otherwise nor by any other faith to be believed but in the same measure in the same manner and by the same faith by which we believe his death and buriall For saith the Church of England As Christ dyed for us and was buried so also is it to be believed that he went down into hell Art 3. It is to be believ'd because it was predicted and foretold by the spirit of prophecie in the old Testament Thou wilt not leave my soule in hell It is to be believed because it was typed by Sampson and by Jonah the prophet It is to be believed because it pertained to his triumph over principalities and powers Psal 16.10 Jud. 16.3 Jon. 1.17 to spoile them utterly of all that they had and to enter as a conqueror into their strong city there to triumph over them and to spoile them of that dominion which they had there seeing that he was made not in his divinity for that he was before but in his humanity wherein he was crucified and wherein he conquered Lord of hell and of all infernall things It is to be believed because Saint Peter saith expresly That he went and preached unto the spirits in prison which sometimes were disobedient 1 Pet. 3.19 when once the long sufferings of God waited in the dayes of Noah while the Ark was a preparing wherein few that is eight soules were saved by water 20. He sealed up their just condemnation for their incredulity by exhibiting himself there who would not believe in him the seed of the woman who should break the Serpents head whom Noah had preached unto them that they might be saved Finally it is to be believed because this Creed and all other creeds are to be understood onely in the literall sense and without tautalogies which while some have not observed they have been put to miserable shifts and have thereby fallen into divers errours while some by hell understand the grave others those sufferings wherewith his soul was afflicted upon the cross others his captivity in the grave whereby his body lay in bondage under death till the third day some have flatly denyed the article it self and have not spared to style it a fiction some think the Creed to be corrupted and that the words in time got in by negligence Some have translated hell to the garden of Gethsemane and to mount Calvary and said that there he descended into hell both in soule and body by his sufferings in both and that he suffered there the torments of hell rejection desperation the second death Some also do describe as perfectly as if they had been there and do say that in hell there be four receptacles the one where the souls of the righteous Fathers who departed this life before the comming of Christ in the flesh and before his death were kept and thither went the soul of Christ say they by actual reality and brought them out from thence and this they call limbus patrum Another receptacle they say there is where the soules of penitent Christians are kept which have not been perfectly cleansed from the blemish of sinne in this life and this they call Purgatory A third wherein are kept the soules of children departing this life before baptisme which they call limbus puerorum or infantium And the fourth into which the damned are sent to suffer eternally by a double penalty of the loss and of the sense And this they call the hell of the damned into which if we will believe them Christ descended not by actuall reality as neither did he into purgatory and the limbus puerorum but only by a virtuall and operative descent But the Creed having told us what became of his body after death and that he was buried doth likewise tell us what his soul did after it was departed from his body and that he descended into hell so that his descending into hell did not pertain to his humiliation but to his glorification inchoated and begun which was manifested by his glorious resurrection whereby he was declared to be the Son of God with power Rom. 1.4 as Saint Paul saith but was fully consummated by his ascension into heaven When the third day was come after that his soul had done all those things in the heavenly paradise The history of Christ his blessed resurrection and in hell which he in his soul by divine dispensation was first to do and after that his blessed body had rested in the grave about the space of thirty six or thirty eight hours from the friday at what time he was laid into his sepulchre by Joseph of Arimathea and Nichodemus before the sun went down to the morning of the first day of the week to the end that he might fulfill the types and prophecies of the scripture Gen. 22. Gen. 41. Jon. 2. 3. S. Mat. 16.21 and also his Evangelicall word whereby he had promised his resurrection upon that day And that his Church in all her members might know and believe that he had fully conquered and subdued death And that he might fully manifest himselfe to be the Son of God S. Joh. 10.17 18. and Lord of life and that he dyed not by compulsion but of his own free will And to the end that he might make a gracious and effectuall application of his obedience and of his sufferings and of his death to all true believers by ascending into heaven Heb. 9.24 Rom. 8.34 S. Joh. 2.1 2. to appear in the presence of God and to make intercession for them and to be their advocate with the Father Upon all these respects and for all these great waighty causes he delayed no time but early in the morning somewhat before day and to that end that he might with all speed comfort his sorrowfull Disciples who as yet believed not that he would rise againe by his own power and virtue S. Joh. 20.9 he arose from the dead and went out of the sepulchre leaving behind him the linnen clothes and the napkin wrapped together in a place by it selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the stone which was rolled S. Jo. 20.6 7. yet remaining upon the door of the sepulchre Theoph. in Mat. 28. Then was there a great earthquake S. Mat. 28.2 for the Angell of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sate upon it His countenance was like lightning 3 and his raiment white as snow And for feare of him the keepers did shake and became as dead men Such was the cause of the earthquake 4. and of the comming of the Angell It was not to role back the stone to the end that his body might come forth
his body was gone indeed â—leophas having related these things he reproved them sharply for that they did not understand the Scriptures of the prophets concerning him And beginning at Moses and all the prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himselfe Which vvhile they heard their hearts did burn within them for he did touch them with the fire of his most holy Spirit So they came nigh unto Emaus where three severall waies vvere whereof two vvent on either side of the towne and one thorough it for so the scituation of the tovvne is described But he made as if he would have passed by the tovvne to have gone further whereupon they constrained him saying Abide with us for it is towards evening and the day is far spent and he went in probably into the house of Cleophas who is said to have dwelt there to tarry with them And it came to passe as he sate at meat with them he took bread and blessed it and brake v. 25 26 27 28 29 30 31.32 and gave to them By his ordinary benediction and usuall manner of breaking bread they knew him who yet had not knowne him had he not opened their eyes that they might know him And so he vanished out of their sight or ceased to be seen of them he vvas suddenly gone out of their sight so that they did not see nor observe when he went such therefore are the supernaturall proprieties of a glorified body His fifth apparition was to all the other Apostles in the absence of Saint Thomas His fifth apparition to his Apostles the doores â—eing shuâ— and in the night following the day of his Resurrection For the disciples who had entertained him at Emaus in the evening so soon as they knew him and that he was vanished out of their sight they rose up and made towards Hierusalem with speed but they had about eight miles to go therefore before they could come thither it was late in the evening And at their comming they found the eleven Apostles gathered together who so soon as they were come unto them told them of Christ his resurrection and that he had appeared to Saint Peter Then began they to reply and to tell what things were done to them in the way and how he was knowne of them in breaking of bread But Saint Thomas who did not believe regarded not to hear but withdrew himselfe from the company So Saint Augustine will reconcile Saint Luke vvith Saint John Aug. de concord Evang. And so as they continued the narration vvhich they made Jesus himselfe stood in the midst of them and saith unto them S. Luc. 24.36 37. Peace be unto you But they were terrified and affrighted and supposed that they had seen a spirit It was his suddain appearance and because they knevv that the dores vvere safely shut for fear of the Jewes that did terrifie and affright them And indeed he came in the dores being shut he did not knock to be let in Act. 12.16 as St. Peter did nor did any one open for him the doors as for Saint Peter He did not cause them by the power of his Divinity to open of their own accord as the iron gate of the city did v. 10. vvhen the Angell brought Saâ—â—t Peter out of prison much lesse did he come in at the window or chimney or by altering the substance of the doores that so his body might penetrate or pierce throughe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Justine Martyr or whosoever else vvas the author of those questions and ansvvers ad Orthodoxos which go under his name Q. 117. Things aequipotentiall are alike to be believed whether they be granted or denyed To be born of a pure virgin and to come forth of her wombe without violation of her virginity to walk upon the sea to come forth of the sepulchre the stone remaining still upon the door of it and to come in vvhen the doors vvere shut are things aequipotentiall and are alike to be believed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that the things which in nature are done above nature by divine virtue cannot possibly be apprehended or asserted according to any naturall reason He appeared naked Curiosity enquires whether he shewed himselfe unto his Apostles naked or apparelled And because they knew that the soldiers had stripped him of all his garments and that the linnen cloaths vvherewith he was buried were 〈…〉 chre therefore I shall not think that he made or assumed clothes but that he appeared naked wherein he answered to the condition of Adam in the state of innocency shewed ours also in the resurrection It was not needfull for him to be apparelled who would presently convince them of the verity and truth of his naturall body by permitting them to feel it and by shewing them the wounds which had been made in it Therefore I conclude that as he ascended into heaven so was he conversant with them after his resurrection that is to say naked to the end that he may so come again even as he ascended naked that they who pierced him may see and behold his wounds Zech. 12.10 S. Joh. 19 37 Rev. 1.7 as the scripture speaketh He therefore seeing them terrified and affrighted comforteth and confirmeth them divers wayes 1. By telling them that there was no reason of their present trouble for that it was he that was come in who was God and knew their hearts S. Luc. 24.38 Why are ye troubled and why do thoughts arise in your hearts 2ly By shewing them his hands and his feet whereby they might well know that it was no other but even he who had been nayled to the cross 3ly By inviting them to handle him and to look upon him that so they might well perceive that it was his own body and not the airy apparition of a Spirit as they supposed 4ly By eating in their presence a further proof of his humanity although otherwise a glorified body stands in no need of food 5ly By recollecting to them what he had formerly taught them which when he had done he opened their understanding that they might understand the scriptures v. 39 40 c. proving by them the necessity of his passion and of his death and of his resurrection upon the third day and of the Gospell to be preached and testified by them unto all nations beginning at Hierusalem Having thus evidenced the verity and truth of his resurrection and their understanding being opened to understand the scriptures then were they glad He transferreth the keys from the legall to the evangelicall priesthood their sorrow was turned into joy For then was it done unto them according as he had said I will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce and your joy no man taketh from you By all which preparatives they being rightly disposed and the time being come when according to divine dispensation he would transfer the keyes of the
should overthrow the Devill and all his power purchasing for him salvation and everlasting life Finally the finall cause The finall cause of their faith for the first and principall end of it was the glory of God the Author of their faith and the Redeemer of their soules But the next or secundary end was their own salvation which they even as we did work out with fear and trembling And in this manner was the Covenant barely administred under the form of that blessed promise from Adam to Abraham as hath been said before But God reneweth his Covenant with Abraham The Covenant renewed with Abraham c. Rom. 4.16 Gal. 3.9 and with his Seed generally with all the Faithfull for Abraham is set forth to be the Father of us all that is of all us that believe Abraham was blessed by Faith in Christ And all they which be of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham for they are the spirituall Seed Specially with the People and Nation of the Jews the carnall Seed He draweth his Covenant into Articles indenteth it Gen. 17.11 12 13 14 and setteth his Signe or Seal unto it the Signe or Seal of Circumcision Ye shall circumcise saith God the flesh of your foreskin and it shall be a token of the Covenant between me and you He setteth downe what he will do on his part and what he expecteth that his People should do on their part and he sealeth it with his Seal Circumcision And of all this you may read at large Gen. 17. Circumcision Concerning Circumcision was a sacred action wherein the fore-skin of the flesh of the Male kinde was cut off according to Gods Ordinance for the obsignation of his divine Covenant with men Who it was that was deputed to that Office the Scripture makes no mention probable it is the most antient or honourable of that House or Family of which the party to be Circumcised was descended especially before the Law given for God commanded Abraham to do it and Abraham at Gods commandement Gen. 17.23 Exod. 4.25 circumcised Ishmael his Son and his whole House Zipporah the Wife of Moses although we have but that one precedent did circumcise her Son When the People of Israel were arrived in the Land of Canaan then did Joshua Josh 5.3 circumcise them It is likely that under the Law that Office was to be performed by the Priests as being by their Function sacred to God and therefore the fittest persons to perform so divine a Ceremony The Day appointed for Circumcision was the eighth day for so did God ordain He that is eight daies old Gen. 17.12 shall be circumcised among you And it is plain that our Saviour Christ himself as being under the Law and Saint John the Baptist were circumcised the eighth day according to the Law But if a man had not been circumcised upon the eighth day according as God had appointed he might then be circumcised at any other time for it is never too late for a man to submit himself to the holy Ordinances of God And therefore the Children of Israel who travelled in the Wildernesse by the space of forty years were notwithstanding their age circumcised in the Land of Canaan Likely it is that they did not circumcise with Knives but with sharp Stones for Zipporah the Wife of Moses circumcised her Son with a sharp Stone Then Zipporah took a sharp stone Exod. 4.25 a sharp knife of stone and cut off the foreskin of her Son saith the story And God commanded Joshua saying Make thee sharp knives Josh 5.2 or knives of flints and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time Circumcision was not without the shedding of some blood and much pain For when Moses's Wife had cut off the fore-skin of her Son she cast it at his feet saying Exod. 4.26 Surely a bloody husband art thou to me She said a bloody Husband thou art because of the Circumcision And when the Shechemites were Circumcised it is said that the third day when they were sore sore of the wound of Circumcision Simeon and Levi took each man his sword Gen. 34.25 and came upon the City boldly and slew all the Males They were sore sore of the wound of Circumcision sore the third day after and so sore that they were not able to make resistance no not for their lives Circumcision was a great and venerable Sacrament it was the Sacrament of initiation or reception into the Covenant The mystery of Circumcision and the mystery of it was great For first whereas Circumcision was ordained to be made in that part or member of the body of Man which God would to be for the propagation of Seed it did fitly intimate man's uncleannesse by Nature and the propagation of Originall sin Every father stands in the place of Adam and conveigheth unto his Child besides the nature of Man the very guilt and corruption of Nature Eph. 2.13 We are by nature the children of wrath That naturall uncleannesse of ours must be taken away or we cannot be saved This is a second birth as Christ said to Nichodemus Marvell not that Isaid to thee Ye must be born again S. Joh. 3.7 2ly It did fitly give them to understand that that Seed in whom they believed Christ the Messiah should come of the circumcised seed of Abraham according to the flesh as God had promised Gen. 22.18 Lact. Instit lib. 4. cap. 17. saying In thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed 3ly The making bare of that part or member did as Lactantius observeth signifie in the mystery the true circumcision which is of the heart that the breast must be laid bare and that the spiritual Seed must be circumcised in heart to have their conversation with an open and simple heart I say nothing of that similitude which some have observed betwixt the heart and the prolifick member Rom. 2.28 He is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly 29. and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God 4ly That piece of skin which was cut off did signifie the uncleannesse of Nature in a state of sin And like as they cast the prepuce or piece of skin upon the ground at the feet of him that was circumcised Exod. 4.25 as may be conjectured by what Zipporah did when she circumcised her Son So that all uncleannesse of heart and action must be circumcised and cut off it must be cast away as the prepuce throwne upon the ground never to be reassumed 5ly The circumcision-knife was a type of Christ for that knife was of stone and did intimate Christ the Rock the foundation Stone the Stone of Sion elect and pretious the corner stone who by his Spirit doth
circumcise the hearts of men according to that of Moses Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy Seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul that thou maist live 6ly The drops of blood that were shed in circumcision did give them to understand the blood of the Messiah who was to be of the circumcised Seed and that his blood it was which should be shed for the remission of sins 7ly The great paines and forenesse of circumcision did represent as well the sufferings of Christ for us as also that they who will be his servants must be nothing curious to suffer all paines and persecutions and if need be to shed their blood for the name of Christ 8ly The day of circumcision which was the eighth day did set forth in a mystery the Resurrection of Christ for like as Christ rose again from the dead upon the eighth day according to the Jewes account who begin to reckon their week upon the Sunday even so that they who were circumcised had an eight day to look for the day of his Resurrection by vertue whereof they should rise again from the dead being first risen with him unto newnesse of life that is to say from a death of sin to a new and spirituall life Lastly that same opprobrium circumcisionis that shame and disgrace which the Jew had by reason of his circumcision among the Gentiles for which he was mocked despised reproached and scornfully termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apella Verpus c. did set forth the shame and scandall of the Crosse giving the People of God to understand thereby that the way to Heaven is not a way of popularity and honour but rather of ignominy reproach and worldly contempt Moses had learned that lesson by his circumcision Esteeming saith the Scripture the reproach of Christ greater riches Heb. 11.26 then the treasures in Egypt So great and excellent was the Mystery Most important was the use of this great Sacrament For The use of Circumcision first it was sigillum foederis the seal of the Covenant which God had renewed unto Abraham and to his Seed and did therefore serve greatly to confirm their faith for in that God had set to such a seal they needed not to doubt the performance thereof on his part Once God did make his covenant with Mankinde and with all his creatures that he would no more destroy them from off the face of the Earth by the Waters of a flood for confirmation whereof he placed his Rain-bow in the cloud as the seal of that covenant concerning which seal he speaketh and promiseth saying It shall come to passe when I bring a cloud over the earth that the Bow shall be seen in the cloud Gen. 9.14.15 and I will remember my covenant which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh that the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh Such was the use of Circumcision when God should see the circumcision in the flesh of the fore-skin then would he remember the covenant that he had made with Abraham and with Abraham's seed to be the God of Abraham and of his seed after him And so was circumcision signum confirmationis Circumcision signum confirmationis a signe or seal of confirmation as well of the covenant it selfe on God's part as also of their faith in that covenant on their part 2ly It served to admonish them of their duties all their lives to the end that as often as they should look down upon them selves and see the signe or mark of circumcision in the flesh of their foreskin they might remember their covenant with God to be an holy and a peculiar people unto him and to serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life They did wear Gods badge or mark in their flesh whereby he had set his stamp or mark upon them for his own people to give them to understand that they must not defile themselves or suffer themselves to be defiled according to all the abominations of the wicked Heathen nor lead an unclean life according to the fleshly lusts of their owne heart And for this cause God was pleased that they should receive names in circumcision so when Abraham was circumcised Gen. 17.5 his name was changed from Abram into Ahraham And Saint John the Baptist S. Luc. 1.63 S. Luc. 2.21 though sanctified from his Mothers wombe and our blessed Lord himselfe because he would fulfill all righteousnesse had their names in their circumcision It was a note of that subjection and perfect obedience which they did owe unto the whole Law and so it was signum admonitionis Circumcision Signum admonitionis Jer. 4.4 a sign of admonition giving them alwaies to understand their duty and that they must on their part performe the conditions of the Covenant to God-ward Circumcise your selves to the Lord and take away the fore-skins of your heart 3ly It was a meanes ordained by God wherein and whereby to conferre his grace upon them and to conveigh his grace unto them For God doth not jest or toy with men in the outward signes but like as he doth make a sure performance of all that which he promiseth in his vocall word the Scriptures even so doth he make a sure performance of all that which he promiseth and setteth before the eyes of men in his visible word the sacred Rom. 4.11 and mysterious Sacraments And therefore St. Paul saith That Abraham received the signe of circumcision a seale of the righteousness of faith which he had yet being uncircumcised to what purpose that he might be the Father of all them that believe though they be not circumcised Circumcision Signum praebitionis that righteousness might be imputed to them also And thus it was signum praebitionis a signe of praebition wherein he performed that which he had promised Lastly Circumcision was an externall signe of the visible Church and made that outward distinction whereby the servants of God were to be known and distinguished from the idolatrous Heathen so that they who were not circumcised had not the visible character nor were to be reputed as visible members of the visible Church And unto this alludeth St. Paul when he saith Phil. 3.2 Beware of Dogs beware of evill workers beware of the concision The Dogs were the unbelieving Heathen the evill workers were the miss-living Christians the concision were those Iewes who after the abolition of circumcision by some instrument which they had did draw up the prepuce as men ashamed of their circumcision But the true circumcision is of the Christian For saith the Apostle We are the circumcision which worship God in spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh And thus was it signum distinctionis 3. Circumcision Signum distinctionis a