hast believed for the Things which have been told thee from the Lord shall be accomplished These Commendations did not at all puff up the Virgin 's Heart with Pride she could not be unsensible of the Favours which God had bestowed on her but being desirous to give him all the Glory and not daring to attribute any thing that the Lord had wrought in her to her Faith she referr'd all to the Mercy of her Creator saying My Soul doth magnify the Lord and my Spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour for he hath regarded the lowliness of his Handmaid She adds That God is pleased when he sees fit to do great Things for his mean Creatures That he loves to exalt the Humble and debase the Proud and that lastly He is faithful to his Promises because he made her the Mother of his Son That he might perform the Promises which he had made to Abraham and the other Patriarchs IV. The Nativity of S. John Luke 1. 56-80 Mary continued Three Months with her Cousin and then returned to her own House In the mean while Elizabeth's Time of Delivery came and her Relations and Cousins met together to rejoyce with her concerning the Birth of her Son On the Eighth Day when he was to be circumcised and named they all gave him the Name of Zachary as his Father was called but Elizabeth opposed them desiring he should be named John as God had commanded by the Angel They answered her That there was none of her Family called by that Name and made Signs to his Father that he should shew them his Will about it And he required Writing-Tables and wrote thereon His Name must be called John and immediately his Tongue was loosed and his Speech being restored to him he made use of it to praise God But all that had been Witnesses of these Miracles and all that heard him speak were astonished and said one to another What manner of Child shall this be How great how holy a Man But that which they were ignorant of was revealed to Zacharias who being filled with the Holy Spirit understood the Mystery of the Incarnation and the part his Son was to have in that Mystery whereupon he prophesied and said Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his People He adds as the Virgin had done in her Song That God hath raised out of the House of David a Saviour of the World to perform the Promises which he had made to Abraham and renewed often by the Mouth of his Prophets And then he sums up all the Benefits of the Incarnation in a few Words he hath promised us That we being delivered from the Power of our Enemies might serve him by walking before him in Holiness and Righteousness all the Days of our Life Then he speaks these Words to his Son And thou Child shalt be called the Prophet of the most high for thou shalt go before the Face of the Lord to prepare his Ways and to give Knowledge of Salvation to his People for the Remission of their Sins And indeed God did fulfil what Zachary had foretold of his Son and that he might fit this Infant for the great Office he designed him he made him eminent in all Spiritual Gifts and kept him in the Deserts till the Time of his appearing to his People Israel V. God reveals the Conception of Jesus Christ to Joseph While the Fame of those Miracles which happened at the Birth of John Matth. 1 18-25 spread it self over all the Hill-Country of Judea the Holy Virgin being returned to Nazareth meditated in deep Silence upon the Mystery which God had wrought in her She had not told Joseph what had befaln her but her Bigness discovered it and he perceived she was with Child But being an Holy and Pious Man he was not willing to disgrace her publickly whereupon he resolved to put her away privately And in this Purpose he continued till an Angel appearing to him in a Dream said unto him Joseph thou Son of David fear not to take unto thee Mary thy Wife for the Child that is conceived in her is the Work of the Holy Ghost She shall bring forth a Son and thou shalt call his Name Jesus because he is the Person which shall save his People from their Sins Joseph submitted to this Command and remained with his Wife both of them living in perfect Chastity And so that which God had long before foretold by the Prophet Isaiah was fulfilled A Virgin shall conceive and bring forth a Son Isai 7.14 which shall be called Immanuel which being interpreted is God with us VI. The Divine Generation of Jesus Christ The Time being come when the Virgin should be delivered she brought forth Jesus Christ in the manner which we shall hereafter speak of But before we relate the History of this Birth it is necessary to give an account of the Person who was born Men describe the Genealogies of the Grandees of the World that they may make them honourable by the Nobility of their Parentage and great Actions of their Ancestors who have no Worth of their own to render them remarkable Matth. 1 1-17 Luke 3. 23-38 Mary brought forth a Son of whom the Gospel recites Two Pedigrees and Two Births because he had Two Natures Jesus Christ is both God and Man and hath united in one Person the Divine and Human Nature As he is Man he is descended of a numerous Succession of Ancestors As he is God he hath only God for his Father as Man he was born in Time but as God he was born and is from all Eternity What S. John in the beginning of his Gospel teaches us concerning his Divine and Eternal Generation and for what Reasons he became Incarnate is this He says That Jesus Christ as God is the Word John 1 1-14 i. e. the Thought or Speech of God When a Man thinks he forms an Idea or Spiritual Image of the Thing he thinks of and this Image is called the Word i. e. the Speech of the Mind for it is by the Thoughts that the Mind reasons with and speaks to it self God is a pure Spirit who knows himself most perfectly and that from all Eternity He thinks then in knowing himself and forms an exact Image of himself and this Image is his Word But this Word infinitely excels all the Thoughts of Men in this That he is a Thought subsisting by himself and a distinct Person from him that formed it but yet the same God with him The Two Persons love each other infinitely from all Eternity and this Eternal Love is a Third Person called the Holy Spirit who is also the same God and of the same Nature with the Two other Persons from whom he proceeds This is what the Holy Scripture teaches us of the Holy Trinity which is nothing else but the God which we worship One in Three Persons of which the Second is called not
is an Hebrew and Christ a Greek Word and signify both of them Anointed the Jews calling him so because they expected He should be a great King consecrated to God by a special Unction of which the Anointing of their Kings and Prophets was but a Figure Four thousand Years being at last expired and spent in waiting for him the Time appointed by God and foretold by the Prophets for the Deliverance of Mankind came The Roman Empire enjoyed a profound Peace under the Reign of Augustus and the Jews were governed by Herod whom the Romans had made King over them being some Years before become subject to their Power This Government by a Foreign Prince was an Evident Sign that the Coming of the Messiah drew near according to the Prophesy of Jacob Gen. 49.10 The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his Feet until Shiloh he that is sent do come This was the Time which God from all Eternity had prefixed for the Execution of his gracious Design That Jesus Christ the Saviour both of the Jews and Gentiles should be born in Judea and by him hath he accomplish'd the great Work of Man's Salvation in such a manner as the Gospel relates and which we are about to give an account of in this History of which I shall make Four Parts containing so many Periods of our Saviour's Life and shew what passed I. From the Conception of John the Baptist to his entrance upon his Ministry II. In the first Two Years of his Preaching III. In the Third Year of his Ministry IV. From his triumphant going up to Jerusalem to his Ascension into Heaven BOOK I. An Account of what passed from the Conception of John the Baptist to the Entrance of Jesus Christ upon his Ministerial Function I. The Conception of S. John the Baptist Book I. Luke 1 5-22 THere was among the Jews a certain Priest named Zacharias who with his Wife Elizabeth kept all the Commandments of the Lord blameless They were both of them very old and God that he might at length reward their Patience and contentedness in a signal manner having given them no Child but laid upon them the Disgrace of Barrenness which at that Time was accounted a great Curse inflicted by God It came to pass as Zachary ministred in the Temple according to his Course and offered the Incense commanded by the Law to God the Angel Gabriel appeared to him and told him from God That he should have a Son whom he should call John That this his Son should be great in the Sight of God and be filled with the Holy Spirit from his Mother's Womb That he should convert many Israelites from their Sins and should go before the Lord in the Spirit and Power of Elias preparing his Ways for him and disposing p. 5 The Anunciation of the Blessed Virgin Men to receive him Zachary doubting of the Truth of these Promises answered the Angel How shall I be assured of the Truth of thy Words for I am Old and my Wife is well stricken in Years The Angel reproving his Unbelief told him That from that Moment he should be dumb and not be able to speak till the Things which he had spoken of should come to pass And in that very instant he lost his Speech and the People who could not understand him but by Signs perceived by his Silence that he had seen a Vision The Days of his Ministration being accomplish'd he returned to his own House at Hebron Luke 1 23-25 a City in the Tribe of Judah and God performed that which he had foretold by the Angel for Elizabeth conceived and hid her self Five Months that she might between God and herself raise in her Heart a more perfect Sense of his Favour in taking away from her the Reproach of Barrenness and giving her a Son of whom she might hope for so great things II. The Conception of Jesus Christ. Six Months after the Conception of Elizabeth the same Angel Luke 1 26-38 which had foretold the Birth of S. John to Zachary was sent by God into a City of Galilee called Nazareth to foretel the Nativity of Jesus Christ to her who was chosen from all Eternity to be his Mother It was an Holy Virgin of the House of David named Mary who was espoused to a Man of the same Family called Joseph and living in perfect Chastity had her Spouse for a faithful Witness and Guardian of her Purity The Angel being come to her said Hail O thou that art highly favoured the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among Women Her Modesty raised in her a great Disturbance at the unusual Appearance of the Angel and she was surprized at this kind of Salutation But the Angel bid her not be troubled telling her That she should have a Son who should be great and be called the Son of the Most High to whom God would give the Throne of his Father David i. e. an Eternal Kingdom and that she should call his Name Jesus which signifies a Saviour She reflecting upon her way of living with Holy Joseph and not understanding how she could preserve her Virginity and yet become a Mother said unto the Angel How shall this be seeing I know not a Man The Angel answered her That this Holy Child which shall be called the Son of God shall be born by the invisible Operation of the Holy Ghost and to shew her that God to whom nothing is impossible would work this great Miracle in her by his Almighty Power he tells her what had befallen her Cousin Elizabeth who having been barren for many Years was Six Months since with Child Being satisfied by this Instance that she might bear a Child and yet continue a Virgin she humbly submitted her self to the appointment of God and said to the Angel Behold the Handmaid of the Lord be it unto me according to thy Word Then the Angel departed from her but the Holy Spirit wrought this great Mystery in her for which she had been fitted and disposed a great while before by the plentiful effusion of his Graces She conceived the Son of God the Second Person of the Holy Trinity who was incarnate i. e. became Man by taking on him a Body and Soul like us in the Womb of this chast and humble Virgin III. The Visitation of the Holy Virgin As soon as Mary had heard that her Cousin was with Child she went with haste to see her Luke 1. 39-55 and entring into her House saluted her which when Elizabeth heard she felt the Infant leaping in her Womb for Joy and being filled with the Holy Ghost she spake out with a loud Voice and said Blessed art thou among Women and blessed is the Fruit of thy Womb How great a Felicity is this to me that the Mother of my Lord should come unto me And having inform'd the Virgin That her Child leaped in her Womb she added Blessed art thou because thou
he prayed for S. Peter's Faith 179. For his Apostles and all the World 186. for his Elect ibid. in the Garden to avoid Death 188. upon his Cross for the Persecutors 201. commending his Soul to God 204. his Prayer was always heard 205. he promises to pray for the Holy Spirit 181. Prodigy The Jews desire one 68. several appeared at Jesus Death 204. Prodigal The Parable of him 128. Prophet Prophecy a Prophet is without Honour in his own Countrey 75. Caiphas Prophecy concerning Christs Death 143. Prophets Explained by Christ 210. the Prophets end at John 63 who was more than a Prophet Ibid. Zachary's Prophecy 8. Publicans Instructed by St. John 22. received by Jesus 46. more just than the Pharisees 61. hated by the Jews 46. the Parable of the Pharisee and Publican 135. a Publican made an Apostle 46. and another a Child of Abraham 147. Purification Whom the Law obligeth in that case 16. the Virgins Purification 17. Q. QVeen of Sheba shall condemn the Jews 69. R REconciliation Necessary before we Sacrifice to God 56. as also before prayer 158. Redemption Jesus Christ shed his Blood for the Redemption of Souls 145. Reward Shall be great to those that suffer for Righteousness sake 56. Hypocrites receive their Reward here 57. the VVorkman is worthy of his Hire 77. Repentance Preached by St. John 21. and Jesus Christ 35. by the Apostles 76. Repentance of the Ninivites 68. in Sackcloath and Ashes 65. of a Sinner causeth Joy in Heaven 129. necessity of it 121. Baptism of Repentance 21. Fruits worthy of Repentance 22. it ought to be Preached every where 144. the Repentance of a Woman that was a sinner 66. God expects Repentance 121. Jesus Christ receives sinners upon their Repentance 128. reproves the impenitent Cities 65. Judas's false Repentance 194. Reproof Given by Jesus Christ to the Apostles 42. Pharisees 64. Scribes 16. Impenitent Cities of Galilee Ibid. Simon the Pharisee 66. Resurrection Jesus Christ hath all the Power to raise the Dead 51. he is the Resurrection and the Life 141. he will raise them that eat his Flesh 85. the Dead shall rise 163. there shall be no Marriage after the Resurrection Ibid. Christ raised from the Dead Jairus's Daughter 49. The Widows Son of Nain 62. Lazarus 142. the dead Bodies of many Saints at his own Resurrection 204. Retreat Jesus retires into the Desert where he is tempted 5. he retreated from Judaea after the Imprisonment of John 33. into a Desert to pray 39. to the Sea-side 54. into a Mountain to pray before he chose his Apostles Ibid. into the Desert after he had healed the Leper 60. after his Fame was spread in Herods Court 80. into a Mountain when they would have made him a King 82. into the Coasts of Tyre and Sidon 88. Into the City of Ephrem after the Resurrection of Lazarus 143. Riches Rich-men a Wo pronounced against them 65. the Covetous Rich-man 119. the VVicked Rich-man 131. Rich toward God Ibid. Riches Are Thorns 119. why Jesus calls Riches the Mammon of unrighteousness 130. rich Men hardly saved 136. the good use to be made of Riches 119. S SAbboth-day A day of Rest 51. Jesus Christ often accused of breaking the Law of the Sabboth because he did Miracles on it Ibid. justifies himself 52. and his Apostles Ibid. it is lawful to do well on the Sabboth-day Ibid. it is for Man Ibid. Jesus Christ is Lord also of the Sabboth Ibid. Sadducees Who they were 22. Johns saying to them Ibid. they desire a Sign of Jesus Christ 90. their Doctrin called Leaven 91. they Question with Jesus 163. he proves the Resurrection to them Ibid. Salome The Wife of Zebedee prayeth Jesus for her Children 145. stood by the Cross 203. went to the Sepulchre 206. Salomon Visited by the Queen of Sheba 69. Jesus Christ greater than he Ibid. Samaria Samaritans Enemies of the Jews 33. the Samaritan Woman converted by Jesus Christ Ibid. the Samaritans believed on him 34. they would not let him pass thro' their City 77. the Good Samaritan 114. the thankful Leper of Samaria 10. Scandal The necessity of Scandals 100. the World is full of them Ibid. Wo to the causes of them by their Faults Ibid. the Eye to be plucked out and Hand to be cut off that offend Ibid. Jesus Chtist a Scandal to the Nazarenes 74. to the Pharisees 87. Apostles 180. he is happy that is not offended in him 63. Jesus Christ slights the offence of the Pharisees 84. he pays Tribute to avoid Scandal 98. Servant We cannot serve two Masters 58. the Servant is not Greater than his Master 77. all are unprofitable Servants 120. the first among Christians must be Servant of all as Christ himself was 146. Christs Servants must follow him 187. Sidon A Heathen City 64. Simeon An Old Man full of the Spirit 17. saw and embraced Christ Ibid. his Hymn and Prophecy 18. Simon The Pharisee made a feast for Jesus Christ 65. offended at him for suffering a sinful Woman to kiss his Feet Ibid. reprov'd by Jesus 66. Simon The Leper Jesus Christ Supped at his House at Bethany 90. Simon Of Cyrene bears Jesus 's Cross before him 200. v. Sinn Sin Against the Holy Ghost 67. God only forgives Sins 45. the Church hath Power to pardon Sin 100. Servant of Sin 108. Sin forgiven to the Man sick of the Palsy 45. and Woman that was a Sinner 66. Sinner Jesus Christ called a Sinner 110. eats with Sinners 46. came down from Heaven for Sinners 128. Sodom A City punished for her Sinns 50. less Guilty than the Impenitent Cities of Galilee Ibid. Soldiers Johns Instructions to the Soldiers 22. Guard the Cross of Christ 204. the Sepulchre 206. Holy Spirit John Baptist filled with the Spirit 4. Jesus Christ Conceived by the Operation of the Holy Spirit 6 9. it proceedeth from the Father and Son 11. discovered Jesus Christ to Simeon 17. came down from Heaven upon Jesus in the form of a Dove 23. carryed him into the Desert 24. Inspired whom it pleaseth 29. to be Born of Water and of the Spirit Ibid. Baptism with the Holy Ghost and with Fire 23. Blaspheming against the Holy Ghost 67. it was given after Christ was Glorified 184. the Spirit of Truth Ibid. Condemns the World Ibid. promised to the Apostles 181. given them 212 216. Star A Miraculous Star conducted the Magi to Christ 15. Steward The unjust Steward 119. Sun Darkned at Christs passion 203. and so it shall be at Christs Coming 168. T TAbernacles The Feast of Tabernacles one of the Great Feasts of the Jews 102. why Instituted Ibid. Jesus came to Jerusalem in the midst of this Feast Ibid. Temple Christ drove the Traders out of it Twice 28 156. the House of God and of Prayer Ibid. the Destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem 153. the Vail Rent from the top to the bottom 204. Temptation Of Christ by the Devil 24. by a Scribe 164. by the Pharisees 162. by the Sadducees
which God hath appointed for the Exercise and Execution of them And because Jesus Christ was not to appear till John had preached him therefore God brought him first out of his Retreat This Holy Fore-runner of Christ therefore in the Fifteenth Year of Tiberius Caesar by the Divine Order did go into the Wilderness of Judea and into all the Country round about Jordan preaching the Baptism of Repentance not that which procures Remission of Sins Mar. 1.4 but which disposes Men to receive Pardon and was a Figure of the Baptism which Jesus Christ afterward appointed This Office and Ministry of S. John was foretold by Two Prophets which are cited by the Evanlists Mal. 3.1 the one calls him the Messenger or Angel of God which should go before Jesus Christ to prepare his Ways before him The other saying Isai 40.3 That they shall hear the Voice of him that cryeth in the Wilderness Prepare ye the Way of the Lord and then every Valley shall be filled and every Mountain and Hill shall be made low the crooked Paths shall be made streight and the rough Places plain Which figurative Expressions import nothing but that a thorough Reformation of Mens Manners shall then begin and be compleated by the Preaching of Christ He began his Preaching with these Words Matth. 3 1-6 Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand and to gain the greater Authority to his Sermons he preached Repentance as well by his Example as Words for he was cloathed with Camel's Hair and wore a Leathern Girdle about his Loyns and lived upon Locusts and wild Honey a course Garb and Food suitable for a Penitent And certainly such a Preacher as first practises what himself teaches must needs be extraordinarily followed And so indeed he was for all Jerusalem and all the Country round about Jordan and all Judea flocked to him and confessing their Sins were baptized of him in Jordan Among the great Multitude that followed him there came also certain of the Pharisees Matth. 3 7-10 and of the Sadduces to be baptized of him The Pharisees were a Sect among the Jews who professed a more perfect Knowledge and exact Observation of the Law and by that means had gotten themselves a great Veneration and Authority among the People but as we shall see in the sequel oâ— this History they were great Hypocrites whâ— under the outward Varnish of Vertue and Religion concealed intolerable Pride and Arrogancy The Sadduces were another Sect which did not believe the Immortality of the Soul or the Resurrection they were not so numerous a Party as the former but the Persons of the First Rank were generally of it To those Persons of these Two Sects who came to be baptized by him S. John speaks thus O Generation of Vipers full of the Poison and Venom of Hypocrisy and Sin whâ— hath fore-warned you of the Wrath and Vengeance which shall shortly fall upon your Heads and taught you that Wisdom to avoid it by coming to me by Repentance Bring forth therefore Fruitâ— worthy of Repentance And think not to say within your selves that you are secure because you have Abraham to your Father for God can out of these Stones raise up Children unto Abraham And indeed the Ax is now laid to the Root of the Tree therefore every Tree which bringeth not good Fruit shall be cut down and cast into the Fire Luke 3 10-14 The People the Publicans i. e. the Farmerâ— and Receivers of the Tribute and the Soldiers asked him What they should do He answereâ— the People He that hath Two Coats and Food let him impart to him that hath none He admonishes the Publicans to exact no more than what is appointed them and the Soldiers To be content with their Pay and not to do Violence nor Cheat or Plunder any Man Luke 2 15-17 Matth. 3.11 12. These wise Answers being accompanied with so innocent and austere a Life begat so great an Opinion of John in the Minds of the People that they generally believed that he was the Christ i. e. the Messias so long expected To remove this Prejudice concerning himself he told them That he baptized them with Water only but there cometh another adds he who is mightier than I whose Shoes I am not worthy to bear or unty he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire He hath a Fan in his Hand and he shall throughly cleanse his Floor He will gather the Wheat into his Garner and shall burn up the Chaff with unquenchable Fire XIV Jesus Christ is baptized by John At the same Time that all Judea went to be baptized by S. John in Jordan Jesus Christ Matth. 3.13 17. Mark 1 9-12 Luke 3.21 22. being about Thirty Years of Age departed from Nazareth where he had patiently waited for the Time of exercising his Ministry which he came into the World to perform and therefore went to Jordan to be baptized by his Fore-runner among others But S. John not being able to endure this great Humility opposed his Desire with all earnestness saying to him I ought to be baptized by thee and comest thou to me But Jesus answered him Suffer it to be as I will for this Time for so it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness S. John then submitted to this Command and baptized Jesus who being baptized went out of the Water and betook himself to Prayers And as he was praying the Holy Ghost descended upon him in a bodily Shape like a Dove and remained on him and a Voice from Heaven uttered these Words Thou art my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Then Jesus being full of the Spirit returned from Jordan and the same Spirit conducted him and drave him immediately into the Wilderness XV. Jesus Fasting and Temptation Mat. 4 1.-11 Lu. 4.2.13 Mar. 1.12.13 Jesus having passed fourty days without eating or drinking in the VVilderness whither the Spirit had conducted him that he might be tempted of the Devil was contented after so long a Fast to undergo the pressures of hunger that he might give the Devil an opportunity to tempt him Then the Devil came unto him and said unto him If thou be the Son of God command that these Stones be made Bread Deut. 8.3 But Jesus answered him Man doth not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the Mouth of God Then the Devil carries him up to the top of the Temple of Jerusalem and enticeth him to cast himself down from thence that he might prove that he was the Son of God for it is written saith he to him Ps 91.11 That God will give his Angels charge concerning thee to keep thee and in their hands they shall bear thee that thou do not hurt thy self Jesus answered this place of Scripture by another Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God Deut. 6.16 After this the Devil setteth him upon a high Mountain from
out of the Temple cast the Changers Mony on the Ground and overthrew their Tables and said unto those that Sold Doves Ps 69.9 Take these things hence make not my Fathers house an house of Merchandize This Action of Jesus brought to the Disciples minds these words of Scripture The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up but it surpriz'd and incensed the Jews who required of him a Miracle to prove his Authority of acting in that manner To whom he said Destroy this Temple and in three days I will rebuild it They understood it of the Temple out of which he had driven the Traders but he meant it of his Body which should be destroyed by Death and raised again the third day He did many Miracles at the Passover in Jerusalem which continues seven days and many Persons believed in his Name but he would not trust himself with those who were won only by Miracles because he knew the bottom of their hearts and exactly discerned what was unsound and imperfect in their Faith XX. The Discourse between J. Christ and Nicodemus VVhile Jesus was at Jerusalem Jo. 3 1.-12 a Jewish Ruler of the Sect of the Pharisees came to him by night and said unto him Master We know that thou art a Teacher come from God for no man can do those Miracles that thou dost except God be with him From hence Jesus takes an Occasion to teach this Pharisee the necessity of Baptism in order to Salvation saying unto him Except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God To which he adds these important Truths That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit and that the Spirit inspires whom it pleaseth Nicodemus being surpriz'd asked him how can this be Jesus reproving his Ignorance that he was a Doctor and knew not these things saith unto him We testify what we have seen and ye receive not our Witness He then discovers these Mysteries of our Religion to him Jo. 3 13.-20 That no Man hath ascended up to Heaven but the Son of Man that came from Heaven That the Brazen Serpent which Moses put upon a Pole in the VVilderness that all those who were bitten by the fiery Serpents by looking upon it might be healed of their VVounds was but a Figure of him who was fixed unto the Cross for the deliverance of all those that believe in him from Eternal Death That he was sent into the World not to condemn the World but to save it That so great was the love of God towards Men that he gave them his only begotten Son to dy for them but this Love will be a just cause of Condemnation to all those that believe not in this Son and receive not this Light that is come to enlighten them loving rather to continue in darkness because they will not bring their VVorks to the Light of Truth lest they should be convinced thereby that the Actions which they so much delight in are criminal and sinful XXI St. Johns second Testimony concerning Jesus Jo. 3 23.-27 Jesus being come from Jerusalem after the Feast tarryed in Judea with his Disciples and there Baptized at the same time that John administred his Baptism in Jordan Here the Disciples of John had a dispute with the Jews about Baptism And they came to their Master and spake to him concerning Jesus Saying He to whom thou bearest Witness doth now Baptize and all men flock to him St. John who would not have gathered Disciples but that he might resign them to the Son of God answered them A man can receive nothing except it be given him from Heaven signifying by this answer that he acted in his Ministry only by the power and command of him who had called him to it Jo. 3 28.-36 He then puts them in mind of the Protestations which he had made before them That he was not the Christ He tells them that he is not the Bridegroom of the Church but the Bridegroom's Friend only And in that Quality 't was his only Joy and delight to hear the Bridegroom's Voice He goes on and says He must increase but I must decrease He adds that Jesus Christ came from above and therefore is above all that he speaks what he hath seen and heard and that he that receiveth his Testimony acknowledgeth that God is true because God hath sent him and hath not given his Spirit by measure to him but because he loveth him he hath given all things into his hands That Jesus Christ is the Son of God and he that believeth in him hath eternal Life and on the contrary he that believeth not shall not see Life but is an Object of the Wrath of God which shall not depart from him XXII John 's Imprisonment St. John did not think he had discharged his Office sufficiently Mat. 14 3.-5 Mar. 6 17.-20 Lu. 3.19 20. in discovering Jesus to be the Messiah at the River Jordan but he went to the Princes Court to Preach true Morality and Piety Herod Antipas the Son of Herod the Great in whose Reign Jesus Christ was Born and his Successor in one fourth part of his Kingdom from whence he is called Herod the Tetrarch had Marryed contrary to all Laws Herodias his Brother Philips Wife John went to reprove him for this Crime and for all the other evils which he had done and told him confidently that it was not Lawful for him to have her for his Wife who was his Brothers Wife Herod was not presently angry with this Holy Man but on the contrary believing him to be a Just Man and an Holy he had a great Respect and Veneration for him yea he feared him was a diligent Hearer of him and followed his advice in many things But Herodias was not so well affected to John for she hated him Mortally and sought all Occasions to destroy him By her instigation Herod became every day more averse to him and at length to please her apprehended him and put him into Prison He had at that time put him to Death but that he feared the People who accounted of and reverenced John as a Prophet VVhen Jesus knew that John was put into Prison and that the Pharisees had heard that he made and Baptized more Disciples than John tho' he Baptized no Man himself Jo. 4 1.-4 but by his Disciples he left Judea and returned into Galilee through Samaria XXIII The Samaritan Woman Jo. 4 5.-11 About noon Jesus came to a City of Samaria named Sychar and being wearied with his Journey he sat down on the brink of a Fountain called Jacob's VVell in a parcel of Ground which that Patriarch gave long since to his Son Joseph A certain VVoman of this Countrey came to fetch VVater at this VVell and Jesus saith unto her Give me to drink This VVoman who thought him to be a Jew wondred that he
the Multitude That if the Devils who are Man's irreconcilable Enemies should thus cast out one another their Kingdom would not stand long that there were some Persons among the Jews who cast out Devils whom yet the Pharisees did not accuse of casting them out by the Prince of the Devils That an armed Man will not be put out of his own House but by a stronger than himself so that he did not cast out Satan but by the Power of a Spirit stronger than Satan i. e. by the Spirit of God which ought to be a convincing Proof that the Kingdom of God is come unto them that in opposing such manifest Works of the Holy Spirit as they had done they had made themselves guilty of an unpardonable Blasphemy that since we judge of a Tree by its Fruits they ought to judge of him by his Works and not condemn him as a wicked Man whenas he doth nothing but good Actions that the Calumnies which they so rashly spoke against him proceeded from the evil Treasure of their Hearts and should not escape unpunished since at the Day of Judgment we must give an account of every evil Word and be condemned for them as we are justified by good XXIV The Pharisees desire a Sign of him Matth. 12 38-46 Luke 11 29-32 Then certain of the Scribes and Pharisees said unto him Master we desire that thou wouldst shew us some Sign of thy Mission They had been Witnesses of a great Number of Miracles which they cryed down for Cheats and Impostures and as if all that he had done already were not enough to convince them that he wrought them by the Spirit of God they desired to see some new thing But Jesus gave them no other Answer but this An evil and an adulterous Generation seeketh after a Sign and no other Sign shall be given them but that of the Prophet Jonas Jonas was a Prophet who being sent by God to foretel and Threaten to the Inhabitants of Ninive the Destruction of their City within Forty Days instead of obeying this Command took Ship to go to another Place but a Tempest arising in his Voyage he confessed that it was a Punishment of his Disobedience and to appease it bid them cast him into the Sea He was immediately devoured by a great Fish which at the end of Three Days cast him upon the Shore from whence he went to Ninive and preached as God had commanded him The Ninivites believed his Words proclaimed a solemn Fast and so by their Repentance escaped the Punishment which God had threatned them Jesus propounds this Sign of Jonas to the Pharisees and makes a double Application of it the one to himself the other to them for he says That as this Prophet was Three Days in the Belly of the Fish which devoured him so should the Son of Man be Three Days in the Heart of the Earth By which he signifies That he should be buried in a Tomb and should rise from the Dead the third Day He adds for a second Reflection That as Jonas was a Sign to the Ninivites so should he be to the Pharisees which he explains in this manner The Men of Ninive shall rise up in the Judgment against this Generation and shall condemn them because they repented at the Preaching of Jonas but a Person greater than Jonas is here He says further to them That the Queen of Sheba shall also condemn them in the Day of Judgment because she came from a far Country to hear the Wisdom of Solomon which Princess they are so far from imitating that they despise his Words and Miracles who manifested more Divine Wisdom than Solomon ever did Lastly He threatens them with such Fury as the Devil exercises over those Persons from whom they have been once forced to go out but have found out a way to enter again which are therefore the more enraged Teaching us at the same Time That we ought to be always upon our Guard when we are delivered from an unclean Spirit because the Devil doth not wholly abandon us but if we are not watchful against him will return with Seven Spirits more wicked than himself and by this second Possession make the Condition of that Soul more miserable a great deal than it was by the first As Jesus was thus confuting the Pharisees Malice a certain Woman of the Company lift up her Voice and said Blessed is the Womb that bare thee and the Paps that thou hast sucked But he answered her Yea rather blessed are they that hear the Word of God and practise it At the same Time it was told him That his Mother and his Brethren Matth. 12 47-50 Mark 3.31 35. Luke 8 19-21 i. e. his Kindred stood without because they could not get at him for the Press and desired to speak with him But he answered Who is my Mother and who are my Brethren Then looking upon those that were set about him and stretching forth his Hands towards his Disciples he said Behold my Mother and my Brethren for my Mother and my Brethren are they that hear the Word of God and do it and they that do the Will of my Father which is in Heaven XXV Jesus Christ delivers many Parables Matth. 13 1-23 Luke 8.4 15. Mark 4 1-20 The same Day Jesus went out of the House and came to the end of the Lake of Gennesareth but when he saw a great Multitude of People coming unto him from the neighbouring Towns he went into a Ship and instructed the People out of it who gave great Attention to him from the Shore He delivered many excellent and saving Truths to them in Parables which was his ordinary way of Teaching Parables in the Gospel are feigned Stories or Comparisons taken from Nature Things the Application of which being something hard to find out exercises the Attention of the Mind but being discovered opens some Mystery of Religion to us or makes known some important Maxim or Precept for the Government and Direction of our Manners As for Example this is a kind of Parable which Jesus speaks of the strong Man armed who keeps his House but is expelled by a stronger than he The Application of which is this as we have seen The strong Man is the Devil whom Jesus Christ drives out of Men's Souls by the Spirit of God which is stronger than the Devil The First Parable which the Son of God propounded to the People from the Ship where he sat was this A Man went out to sow and some of his Seed fell in the High-Way and it was trodden upon and devoured with Birds Another Part fell upon a Rock and was scorched by the Sun because it had no Root for want of Moisture Other fell among Thorns which chok'd it And other fell on good Ground and brought forth Fruit in abundance Now because the Application of this Parable which our Saviour intended by it was not easy to find out he added He that hath Ears to
hear let him hear i. e. let him understand the Sense and Meaning of what I say The Apostles themselves did understand it no more than others and therefore when they were alone with him they prayed him to tell them why he spoke to the People in Parables and to explain what he had already propounded to them In answer to the First Question he tells them How great an Happiness they enjoyed in being with him because they saw and heard those Things which many Righteous Men and Prophets desired to see and hear but could not obtain it And because he made them understand clearly those great Mysteries which he propounded to others in dark Similitudes and Parables only to punish the Blindness and Obstinacy of their Hearts which makes them unworthy and incapable of knowing the Truth Then he teaches them That by the Seed he spoke of he understood the Word of God They that after they have heard regard it not but immediately let themselves loose to their Sins are like the High-Way The Devil is figured by the Birds who are ready to take the Word out of their Hearts lest they believe and be saved Those that receive the Word with Joy but the first Temptation spoils all the Fruit because the Word has had no deep Root in the Soul are the Rock Others that choke the Word with Avarice love of Pleasures and other Passions are the Thorns which must be pulled up if we will have the heavenly Seed to thrive in our Hearts Lastly the good Ground signifies those well-disposed Souls which receive and retain faithfully the Word of God and through Patience and Constancy bring forth as much Fruit as they are able XXVI Other Parables Matth. 13 24.-35 Mark 4 26-34 Luke 13 18-30 He propounded also several other Parables He compares the World to a Field in which the Owner sowed good Seed but afterward discerned it to be mixed with Darnel which his Enemy had sown in the Night his Servants as soon as they saw it would have weeded it up but he hindred them lest they should root up the Corn with it and bad them let it grow with the Corn till the Harvest when he would have it separated from the Corn and burnt but gather the Corn into his Barn He compares the Kingdom of God to Seed which being cast into the Ground springs up and grows the Sower knows not how without any further Care Then to Mustard-Seed which being a very small Seed less than any other becomes the biggest among Herbs Lastly to Leaven which is put into the Dough till the whole is Leaven'd When he had spoken these things he sent the People away and returned to the House with his Disciples who prayed him to declare to them the Meaning of the Parable of the Darnel He tells them That it signifies That the Good ought to tolerate the Wicked with whom they are mixed till God shall separate them the one from the other at the End of the World for then the Sinners shall be cast into Hell-Fire and the Good shall shine as the Sun in the Kingdom of God He teaches them also the same Truth under the Parable of the Fishermen who catch all sorts of Fish in their Nets promiscuously but sitting upon the Bank separate the Good which they carry away and cast away the Bad. Lastly he makes them sensible that we ought to part with any thing to purchase Heaven by the Comparison of a Man who sold all he had to buy a Pearl of great Price or the Field in which he knew there was a great Treasure The Gospel gives us the Explication of none of the other Parables that by an Attentive Consideration of those which are explained we may find out the Sense of those that are not our selves having first begged of God that Spirit of Understanding which Jesus Christ requires of his Auditors when he says He that hath Ears to hear let him hear The Ignorant and Simple who have not Abilities to find out the Signification of those Parables which the Son of God hath not unfolded and who may justly fear mistaking by following their own Sense ought to consult their Pastors about such difficult Places and while we wait for the Resolution of what we demand practising the Truths they know which it is easy for an humble and teachable Soul to understand And for the help of these sort of Persons it is that I composed this Work chiefly and therefore shall give you the Sense of the Three following Parables to that of the Darnel out of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church All Three of them may signify the Preaching of the Gospel The Preacher disperses the Seed of the Word and this Seed groweth by little and little by the secret Operation of God's Grace in the Heart of him 1 Cor. 3.6 that receives it for the Preacher Soweth Planteth and Watereth There was nothing more contemned at first than the Doctrin of the Gospel but like a Grain of Mustard-Seed it hath grown and filled the whole Earth Lastly we must carefully keep and preserve the Word of the Gospel in our Hearts that the Sacred Leaven may leaven the whole Lump and by its secret Vertue reform all the Thoughts Desires and Actions of Man XXVII Jesus Christ goes to Preach at Nazareth Matth. 13 54-58 Mark 6 1-6 Luke 4 16-30 The Son of God after he had finished these Parables went to Preach in the City of Nazareth where he had been conceived and brought up His Disciples were also with him According to his usual Custom he went into the Synagogue on the Sabboth Day where standing up to read they gave him the Book of the Prophet Isaias He opened it and found the Place where the Prophet speaking of the Messias Isai 61.1 says That he was consecrated and sent by the Spirit of God to preach the Gospel to the Poor to heal the Sick to publish the Day of Grace from the Lord and declare the Day of Judgment When he had read this Text he shut the Book and gave it to the Minister Then sitting down he explained this Prophecy and shews that it was accomplished in himself All that were in the Synagogue fixed their Eyes on him while he spake and wondred so much at the gracious Words that proceeded out of his Mouth that they demanded one of another Whence hath this Man this great Wisdom which he shews Is not this the Son of the Carpenter called Joseph the Son of Mary and are not his Brethren i. e. Cousins James and Joses and Simon and Judas and are not his Kindred with us Whence then hath this Man all these thing The Gospel observes That he was not only a Subject of Astonishment but also of Scandal Whereupon Jesus knowing their Thoughts saith unto them Ye will surely apply this Proverb to me Physitian Heal thy self as a Reproach to him that he would not do as great Miracles in his own Country as he
all the Nation should perish Thus did this wretched Man express the cruel Motions of Hatred which he had against Jesus but God delivered by him who thought nothing less the Designs of his Wisdom for the Salvation of Men and honoured his Priesthood in the Person of his High-Priest Prophesying by his Mouth of the Death which the Saviour of the World should suffer to save not only the Jews but also to gather together into one Church the Children of God which are dispersed in all other Nations This advice so took with them that from that time the Priests and Pharisees sought all the ways they could think of to put him to Death and to this end gave order that if any Man knew where he was he should discover him that they might apprehend him But because his hour was not yet come altho ' it drew very near he escaped their Fury for a little time by not appearing in publick but going into a desert place near a City called Ephraim where he abode some time with his Disciples XLVI Jesus is rejected by the Samaritans The Feast of the Passover being the time wherein Jesus Christ was to consummate the great Work of our Redemption by the Sacrifice of his Blood when that Passover drew near Luke 9 51-56 wherein he was to suffer he prepared himself for Death and set forward in his Journey to Jerusalem with a stedfast Countenance signifying the firm Resolution he had taken up to lay down his Life for Men. It seemed good to him to go thro' Samaria but when he came into a City of the Province they would not entertain him because they knew he was going to Jerusalem for there was a great Contest between the Samaritans and Jews about the place where God ought to be Worshipped the first alledging that it was Mount Gerizim and the other the Temple of Jerusalem The reason then why the Inhabitants of this place thro' which Jesus passed rejected him was because he went to Solemnize the Feast and by consequent to Worship in a different place from them The two Sons of Zebedee James and John being incensed at the Injury which they had done to their Master said unto him Lord wilt thou that we command Fire to fall down from Heaven upon them and devour them But the Son of God willing to Teach them that the Spirit of his true Disciples is a Spirit of Love and Charity and not Revenge turned himself to the two Brethren and gave them this sharp reproof Ye know not by what Spirit ye are acted for the Son of Man is not come to destroy mens Lives but to save them And they went to lodge in another Village XLVII Jesus foretells his Death a Third time Matth. 20 17-19 Mark 10 32-34 Luke 18 31-34 This assurance and resolution of the Son of God which appeared even in his Face was not in the Heart of the Apostles who accompanyed him but on the contrary they were seized with terror and amazement and followed him with fear He takes them therefore apart and saith unto them Behold we go up to Jerusalem where all things that are Written concerning the Son of Man shall be accomplished For he shall be delivered to to the Chief Priests and Scribes who shall condemn him to Death and deliver him to the Gentiles who shall mock and spitefully entreat him Scourge and crucify him and he shall rise again the Third Day but they understood not this Third Prediction of his Death no more than the Two former and the Gospel assures us That this Discourse was concealed from them so that they knew not the Things that were spoken XLVIII Jesus reproves the Ambition of his Apostles At the same Time Salome the Wife of Zebedee Matth. 20 20-28 Mark 10 35-45 and the Mother of John and James came to him with her Two Sons and worshipped him as if she were about to pray unto him Jesus asked her what she would have and she answered him Command that these my Two Sons may sit the one on thy Right-Hand and the other on thy Left in thy Kingdom He returned her no answer but turning himself to her Children for whom she petitioned he said unto them Ye know not what ye ask Are ye able to drink of the Cup that I must drink of and to be baptized with the Baptism that I must be baptized with By this Cup and Baptism he understood his Death and he asked these Two Brethren Whether they were able to follow him and imitate his Sufferings They answered That they were able Then he tells them That they should indeed drink a part of his Cup but as for the chief Places in his Kingdom they are wholly at the Disposal of his Father to give them to whom he pleaseth As if he had said according to the Explication of the Fathers Do not think that my Kingdom shall be given for Human Motives and Respects it belongs to those for whom my Father hath appointed it and they are such as are qualified for it by their Lives and Sufferings Put your selves therefore into a Posture of Fighting and Conquering and you shall have the Reward which is promised to Conquerors bestowed on you The Ambition of these Two Disciples displeased the other Ten who were very angry with the Two Brethren Jesus who knew their Thoughts being desirous to cure that Pride which made the one ambitious and the other jealous calls them unto him and teaches them That they must not be like the Princes and Grandees of the World who rule with Tyranny over their Subjects but on the contrary he that will be great among them must be Servant of all according to the Example of the Son of Man himself who came not to be waited upon and served but to serve others for their Spiritual Good and redeem Souls by his Death XLIX Jesus lodges at Zaccheus's House Luke 19 1-10 They went on their Journey and came to Jericho In this City there was a certain Man named Zaccheus one of the chief Publicans and very rich who had a very great Desire to see Jesus But because the Multitude hindred him from it being a Man of a small Stature he went before and climbed up into a Sycamore Tree in a Place where he knew he was to pass Jesus accordingly came that way indeed and lifting up his Eyes he saw Zaccheus and said unto him Zaccheus make haste and come down for I must lodge at thy House to Day At this Zaccheus came down immediately and entertained him joyfully while others murmuring against him said He is gone to be a Guest with a Man of a wicked Life But Jesus made it appear by the miraculous Change which he wrought in the Heart of this Publican that he went as a Physician into a diseased Family to cure it for Zaccheus presenting himself before him said to him Lord the half of my Estate I will give unto the Poor and if I have done any
the Resurrection He answered them That they neither understood the sense of Scripture nor the Power of God that Marriage which is necessary in this World to raise up Children and posterity to Mortal Men is not at all so in another World where no Man shall dye but all shall be like the Angels being immortal Then he shews them by Scripture that the Dead are alive in respect of God who will one day raise them and consequently they were in a great error in denying a future Resurrection A Doctor of the Law who heard this answer could not but acknowledge that he had replyed well and all the People continued their admiration of his Doctrin XI He teaches which is the greatest Commandment of the Law A certain Scribe who was a Pharisee Matth. 22 34-40 Mark 12 28-34 and who had seen how Jesus had put the Sadducees to silence came to him and asked him tempting him Which is the first and great Commandment of the Law He answered him This Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy Soul with all thy Mind and with all thy Strength and that the Second which is like unto it is this Thou shalt Love thy Neighbour as thy self In these two are contained all the Law and the Prophets The Pharisee highly approved this answer of Jesus and confessed that he deservedly preferred Love above all other things for that is more acceptable to God than all Whole Burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices The Son of God for his part commended the Wisdom of this Doctor and assured him that he was not far from the Kingdom of God After this no Man durst ask him any more Questions but Jesus put one himself to the Pharisees for seeing them assembled about him in the Temple He said unto them What think ye of Christ whose Son is he They answered him The Son of David Whereupon Jesus objected these words of Ps 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou on my Right Hand c. And asked them how he could be Davids Son since he being inspired by the Holy Spirit called him His Lord This Question they could not resolve him because they would not acknowledge the Divine Nature of Jesus Christ whence it was that they were Ignorant that as God he was Lord of David tho' as Man he was his Son XII Jesus discovers the Vices of the Scribes and Pharisees Jesus then turning his Discourse to the People but chiefly to the Disciples Matth. 23 1-12 Mark 12 38-40 Luke 20 45-57 admonisheth them to observe and do those Truths which the Scribes and Pharisees taught them since they sat in Moses Chair and had right to instruct them But that they should take heed how they imitated their Actions for he tells them that they were guilty of Hypocrisy and commanded others to do what themselves would not do that they affected the highest places and sought after the greatest Honour that they used long Prayers indeed but 't was to devour Widows Houses He taught his Disciples not to desire to be called Masters but to acknowledge themselves to be all Brethren That they had but one Father who is God and one Master Jesus Christ. And then he repeats the words which he had often spoken He that is greatest among you let him be Servant of all for whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased but he that humbles himself shall be exalted XIII Jesus Christ commends the Alms of a poor Widow Jesus sitting over against the Treasury took notice of those that cast their Gifts into it Mark 12 41-44 Luke 21 1-4 and seeing a certain poor Widow casting in two Mites which make a Farthing of our Mony he called unto his Disciples and said unto them That this poor Widow hath given more then all the Rest because these Rich Men who have put much into the Treasury have given out of their abundance but this Woman on the contrary hath out of her want given all she had even all her Living XIV Jesus Christ foretells the Destruction of Jerusalem When Jesus was come out of the Temple to return to Bethany Matth. 24 1-20 Mark 13 1-23 Luke 21 5-24 his Disciples began a Discourse among themselves in the way about the Magnificence and Beauty of that Building and the large Gifts with which it was enriched and endowed And then came to their Master to shew him that which they so much admired and one of them said to him Master seest thou what Stones and Buildings here are But he answered them That the time shall come in which all this great Building which they see shall be so utterly destroyed that there shall not be left one Stone upon another that shall not be cast down When they came to the Mount of Olives Jesus sat over against the Temple and Four of his Apostles viz. Peter James John and Andrew prayed him to tell them When this Destruction of the Temple which he had foretold should happen when the World should end and he should come again in Glory and what shall be the Signs of these great events Jesus explained all these things to them and first advises them to beware of the Multitude of Impostors who should pretend themselves to be the Messias as also not to be troubled at the Wars Seditions Famines and other dreadful Signs which are nothing but many presages of the horrible Calamities which shall come upon the Earth He tells them that before these things come to pass they shall be Persecuted brought before Judges Scourged in Synagogues be delivered over to Punishments by their Parents hated of all Men for the Love they bear to Christ and many of them shall be put to Death But he comforts them at the same time by assuring them that he will give them such Wisdom to speak before their Judges as all their Adversaries shall not be able to gain-say or resist that they shall secure and save their Souls by Patience that in spite of all the Rage of their Persecutors there should not one Hair of their Heads perish and that his Gospel shall be Preached in all the World Lastly he tells them that he would raise up false Prophets which should deceive many that Persecutions should make many to fall away that they shall see Iniquity abound and Charity grow cold but they that hold out to the end shall be saved and so receive a sufficient reward for their Patience After he hath thus instructed them concerning what should befal themselves he then tells them what shall come upon the City Jerusalem the Temple and the Jews themselves He saith then That when they shall see Jerusalem invested and Gods Temple defiled with execrable abominations they may then assure themselves that the Desolation of them is nigh That they should only contrive to save themselves with all the care they can that they may not be involved in the Calamities of their Nation That this is the time that God will pour
out his Vengeance upon the Jews Who shall see their City trodden down by the Gentiles who shall slay them or carry them Captives into all Nations where they shall suffer all the Evils and Plagues which God hath threatned to bring upon them in Holy Scripture and to be brought into so great troubles and afflictions as never were nor ever shall be the like And indeed all these things happened to the Jews a little after in the same manner as the Son of God foretold his Disciples for about Forty Years after Jerusalem having filled up the Measure of her Sins by the Death of Christ and his Disciples was taken by the Romans after a long Siege and War wherein above Thirteen Hundred Thousand Jews perished in several parts of the World Eleven Thousand of which Dyed of Famine and Sword in the Siege of their City only XV. Jesus Christ foretells his second Coming Jesus having thus answered the first Question put to him by the Apostles Matth. 24 21-35 Mark 13 24-31 Luke 21 25-33 he passes to the two others which concern his Glorious coming and the end of the World He tells them that his Second coming shall be like Lightning which appears suddenly and in a moment flies from East to West i. e. he shall be manifested and known in all the Earth and not privately and be seen in one place only as several Seducers would perswade us of whom some will say that Christ is here and others that he is there That he will raise up also false Christs who shall do such astonishing Miracles that they shall deceive if it be possible even the Elect themselves But those Holy Souls shall acknowledge the true Messiah and gather themselves to him as the Eagles flock about a Dead Carkass for their Prey That to make his Coming the more Glorious several extraordinary and dreadful Signs shall go before it As the Sun and Moon shall be Darkned the Stars shall fall the Heavens shall be shaken the Waves of the Sea shall make a terrible Noise and Roaring and all Men shall be in a general Consternation and amazement That after this Universal change of Nature They shall see the Sign of the Son of Man first and then Himself coming in the Clouds with Power and Majesty and he shall send his Angels who shall utter a Voice like the Sound of a Trumpet and shall gather together his Elect from all parts of the World He adds That then his Faithful Servants may lift up their Heads with confidence because as we know that Summer is nigh when we see the Fig-trees and others Trees begin to Bud so shall they know by all these things that they shall then see his Glory and that the Kingdom of God is as it were at their Doors and nigh at Hand XVI Jesus Christ teacheth his Disciples to Watch. Mark 13 32-37 Luke 21 34-38 Jesus having said these things had only two things more to Teach his Apostles viz. the time when these things should happen and what the Son of Man should do upon the Earth when he should come as he had said of himself full of Majesty and Glory As to the first he tells them that no Creature knows the time but God only and that it is very convenient for them to be Ignorant of it that they may be watchful over themselves and not suffer their Hearts to be over-charged with Surfeiting and Drunkenness and cares of this Life That they should Watch and Pray always that they may make themselves worthy to appear with confidence before the Son of Man He foretells them what Signs should happen before his Second Coming that he may not surprize those who will not Watch for themselves and that the day of his Judgment shall be as a Snare which shall inclose in it all the Inhabitants of the World And after he hath propounded to them the example of certain good Servants who in the absence of their Master discharge their Trust which he hath committed to them faithfully and watch always for his coming because they knew not the time when he will return he concludes Watch ye therefore lest the Lord come on a sudden and find you sleeping And then adds what I say unto you I say unto all Watch. XVII The Parable of the Ten Virgins Jesus that he might impress this Truth more strongly upon their Spirits Matth. 25 1-13 upon which their Salvation depended propounds two Parables The First is of the Ten Virgins who took their Lamps and having lighted them went out to meet the Bridegroom and Bride and accompany them at their Marriage Five of them which the Son of God calls Fools were contented to have their Lamps light but the other Five wisely Foreseeing that the Bridegroom might tarry carryed Oyl along with them in their Vessels that they might put it into their Lamps if they were in danger of going out And thus it came to pass for the Bride groom delayed his Coming and they all slumbred and slept About midnight there was a great Cry heard Behold the Bridegroom cometh go ye out to meet him They arose immediately and trimmed their Lamps But the five foolish Virgins seeing their Lamps ready to go out desired some Oyl of the wise Virgins who sent them to the sellers and while they went to buy the Bridegroom came and the wise Virgins went in with him to the Marriage The other Virgins came afterward but the Door was shut and they were forced to knock saying Lord Open to us but he answered them I know you not The Application of this Parable is very easy and the conclusion which the Son of God hath drawn from it is plain Watch therefore for ye know neither the Day nor the Hour wherein the Son of Man cometh XVIII The Parable of the Servants Matth. 25 14-30 The second Parable is of a Man who being about to take a long Journey put his Estate into the Hands of his Servants and distributed to them several Sums of Money according to their several abilities to Trade with At his return he found them to have doubled what they had received and therefore said unto them one by one O good and faithful Servant because thou hast been faithful in a few things I will put many things into thy dispose enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. But finding among them one who hid his Lords Mony in a Pit he cast him out and put him into a dark Dungeon as a sloathful and unprofitable Servant We have already seen something like this in a Parable before Of the Servants who having also received a Sum of Mony had made different improvements of it Here the Sums are diverse but the Gain is equal and we are taught by both these Parables that to be saved we must make good Use of the Graces which God hath bestowed upon every one in such Measure as he pleaseth that we shall have the greater Rewards the greater Improvement we
only the Son because he is begotten of the Father to whom the Name of Father is given for that Reason but also the Word because he is the Thought or interior Speech of the First Person which begat him by knowing himself and that from all Eternity because he knoweth himself from all Eternity And upon this Ground it is that S. John says That in the Beginning i. e. when the World began the Word was and the Word was in or with God for the Thought is in the Mind that forms it and that he was God it being the Property of this Word as we have said to be the same thing with the Being that begets it p. 23 The Birth of JESUS CHRIST VII The Human Birth of Jesus Christ. Augustus the Roman Emperor Luke 2. 1-20 being desirous to know the Number of all his Subjects published an Edict commanding every Person to go and be registred in his Native City In Obedience to which Order Joseph went up from Galilee with the Holy Virgin to Bethlehem a City of Judah to have his Name enrolled there because he was of the House and Linage of David For this Prince was born at Bethlehem which is therefore called in the Gospel The City of David While they were there her Time came that the Holy Virgin should be delivered And she brought forth Jesus Christ wrapped him in Swaddling Cloaths and because there was no Room in the Inn laid him in a Manger Not far from thence there were certain Shepherds who kept their Flocks by Night these Men all of a sudden were encompassed with a great Light and saw an Angel which said unto them Fear not for I bring you good News which shall fill all People with great Joy which is that this Day there is born in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord and by this Sign ye shall know him ye shall find the Infant wrapped in Swaddling Cloaths and lying in a Manger As soon as they had received this Message from God they heard a great number of those blessed Spirits praising God and saying Glory be to God in the height of Heaven and on Earth Peace to the Men of his good-liking i. e. to all truly penitent Sinners and sincere new Creatures As soon as the Angels were departed the Shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem where they found Mary and Joseph with the Babe who was laid in a Manger and they acknowledged the Truth of what the Angel had said unto them Then they returned glorifying God published the Miracles which they had seen and raised an Admiration in all those that heard them But Mary seriously meditated upon all these Things in her Mind and was careful to keep a faithful Remembrance of them VIII The Circumcision of Jesus Christ. Luk. 2.21 Lev. 12.3 Gen. 17.12 By the Law of Moses every Male Child ought to be circumcised within eight Days after the Birth according to the Command which God had given to Abraham for God being about to give this Patriarch a Son of whose Posterity our Redeemer should be born and entring into a Covenant with him to be kept by all his Posterity he instituted Circumcision as a Seal and Sign of that Covenant threatning to cut off that Male Child from his People which shall not be Circumcised Abraham himself and all the Jews his Posterity did exactly observe this Law and Jesus Christ was willing to submit to it himself wherefore the Gospel observes That he was Circumcised the Eighth Day and that he was named JESVS which was the Name that the Angel had ordered to be given him before his Conception IX The Adoration of the Magi. Matth. 2 1-12 The Holy Virgin and Joseph continuing still at Bethlehem the Magi which were certain great Philosophers and Astronomers came from the East to Jerusalem and asked Where the Person was who was lately born King of the Jews saying Numb 24.17 That they had seen a Star in the East signifying his Birth and conducting them thither and were come to worship him This Question much surprized the People of Jerusalem and above all troubled Herod who was then King of the Jews Whereupon he assembled the Chief Priests and the most learned in the Law among the Jews to be informed of them Where the Messiah which they expected should be born for he believed that it was he that the Magi enquired after under the Name of the King of the Jews They answered him At Bethlehem according to the Prophecy of Micah And thou Bethlehem Mic. 5.2 in the Land of Judah art not the least among the principal Cities of that Tribe for out of thee shall come a Governour that shall rule my People Israel Herod as soon as he had received this Information sent for the Magi privately to him and enquired of them At what Time the Star they spoke of was seen by them and sending them to Bethlehem said unto them Go and search diligently for the young Child which ye desire to see and when ye have found him let me know it that I may also pay him the like Adoration Being just got into the Way to Bethlehem they saw the Star again which had appeared to them in the East and the Gospel says they were filled with exceeding great Joy for it went before them to conduct them to him and stood over the Place where Jesus Christ was They immediately entred into the House and falling down before him they worshipped him and offered to him for Gifts Gold and Frankincense and Myrrhe And thus having paid their Homage they returned into their own Country but did not go by Jerusalem because they had been admonished in a Dream not to return again to Herod X. The Presentation of Jesus Christ in the Temple The Holy Virgin and Joseph having so punctually observed the Law of Circumcision were not less exact in the performance of Two other Commandments of the Law the One of which concerned Mothers the other their First-born Children Lev. 12 2-8 The First of these obliges every Woman after her Delivery not to touch any hallowed Thing for a certain Time nor to go into the Temple for Forty Days after the Birth of a Son and Fourscore Days after the Birth of a Daughter and at the End of that Term the Mother shall go to the Temple to be purified for which end she must offer a Lamb for a Burnt-Offering and a Pigeon or a Turtle-Dove foâ— the Attonement of her Sins But if she be noâ— able to offer a Lamb she is allowed to offer â— Pigeon or a Turtle for it which being sacrificed by the Priest she is clean The Second Commandment of the Law which concerns the First-born Children enjoyns the Parents to present them to the Lord and to redeem them with Mony Exod. 13.2 15. Every First-born in Israel both of Man and Beast was consecrated to God bâ— a Command which God gave them when he slew the First-born