had in his Heart some Time before Jesus then said unto him That thou dost do quickly whereupon Judas went out But the rest of the Apostles knew not whither he went supposing that Jesus had sent him to buy something or bestow some Mony on the Poor because it was he that carried the Purse As soon as he was gone out Jesus considering the Glory which his Father would gain by his Death and which he himself should receive as the Reward of his humble Obedience faith unto his Disciples Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him and if God be glorified in him God will also glorify him in himself and will streightway glorify him Then they sung an Hymn and rose from the Table to go to the Mount of Olives where we have seen that Jesus went usually at Night XXV Jesus foretells S. Peter's Denial and the Apostles Flight Jesus having thus discoursed of his Glory Matth. 26 30-35 Mark 14 27-31 Luke 22.31 38. John 13 33-38 raised a fresh Contention among his Disciples Who of them shall be accounted greatest and have the greatest Share in it Jesus checks their Ambition by repeating what he had said to them long before That it shall not be so with you as it is with Kings who rule over their Subjects with Authority but that the greatest among them should be as the least just as he who was their Master had been among them little not as he that sits at Table but as he that serveth He then tells them That since they had held firm to him in all his Persecutions he would prepare for them a Kingdom as his Father had prepared one for himself But he adds That Satan had desired to sift them as Wheat is sifted i. e. to tempt them that he may make them fall And he said to Peter I have prayed for you that your Faith fail not and when thou art converted i. e. recovered from thy Fall strengthen thy Brethren Then turning to them all he tells unto them That he had but a little Time to be with them That he went whither they could not come but he commanded them to love one another as he had loved them because by this Love they should be known to be his Disciples Hereupon S. Peter asked him Whither he would go Jesus answered Whither I go thou canst not follow me now but thou shalt follow me afterwards He replyed Lord why cannot I follow thee now Jesus explains himself further saying to his Apostles All of you shall be offended because of me this Night for it is written I will smite the Shepherd and the Flock shall be scatter'd but after that I am risen again I will go before you into Galilee Peter answered him Although all Men should be offended yet will not I be offended for I am ready to go with thee into Prison and unto Death yea I will lay down my Life for thy Sake Jesus answered Wilt thou lay down thy Life for me Verily verily I say unto thee That this Night before the Cock crows twice thou shalt deny me thrice Peter asserted it more passionately That he would not deny him though he dyed for him And all the Disciples said the same consulting the present Sentiments of their Hearts more than their own Weakness which was throughly known to Christ Jesus then ask'd them Whether they wanted any thing when he sent them without Purse or Scrip or Shoes And when they answered him No he said to them But now he that hath a Purse or a Scrip let him take it and he that hath no Sword let him sell his Garment and buy one In which figurative Language he describes the Greatness of the Persecution which they must shortly undergo that it should be so violent that if they fly to such ordinary means as are usually made use of they must sell their very Garments to provide Arms for their Defence For I say unto you adds he that this must be accomplished Isai 53. â—2 which is written of me He was reckoned among the Transgressors They who took his Words in the literal Sense That they must sell their Garments and buy one said unto him We have here Two Swords but because he understood them in another Sense he answered 'T is enough XXVI Jesus comforts his Apostles It was almost impossible but that all these Predictions of his approaching Death would much trouble his Apostles which when he saw John 14 1-31 he comforted them saying That they should not be troubled but believe in him That they knew that if he went before them to prepare a Place for every one of them in his Fathers House he would come again and take them to himself Then he says Whither I go ye know and the way ye know Thomas saith unto him Lord we know not whither thou goest and how should we know the Way Jesus replyed That he himself is the Way the Truth and the Life that they must go to God by him and that if they knew him they would know his Father also Upon this Philip saith unto him Lord shew us the Father and it sufficeth us But Jesus answered him Have I been so long with thee and hast thou not known me And then adds That in seeing him we see the Father because he is in the Father and the Father in him which they might have discerned by the Miracles which they had seen him do assuring them at the same time That they that believe in him shall do the same Wonders and greater than they because whatsoever they ask of God his Father in his Name it shall be done to them Then he promises them that he will by his Prayers obtain another Comforter for them which should be the Spirit of Truth which the World cannot receive because it knoweth him not That he will not leave them Comfortless but will come unto them That they shall see him when the World seeth him not which happened after his Resurrection for he appeared to none but own Disciples That he will one Day shew them that he is in his Father because he will discover himself to those that love him and shew evident Signs of his Love by receiving and keeping his Commandments Judas ask'd him Why he would discover himself to them and not unto the World He answered him If any Man love me he will keep my Commandments and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our Abode with him He that loveth me not keepeth not my Commandments He enlarges no farther upon Judas's Question but leaves us to infer from his Answer That the Reason why he doth not discover himself to the World i. e. the Lovers of the World is because the World neither loves nor keeps his Commandments He adds That the Doctrin which he had taught them was his Fathers and that the Holy Spirit would make them understand and remember all the Truths which he had taught them Lastly
Father Jesus having given his Disciples all these Instructions John 17 1-26 lift up his Eyes to Heaven and praying to his Father said My Father the hour is come glorify thy Son that thy Son may glorify thee And as thou hast given him power over all flesh so he hath given to as many as thou hast given him Eternal Life which consists in the knowledge of thee the true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent I have glorified thee on Earth I have finished the Work which thou hast given me to do And now O Father glorifie me with thy self with that Glory which I had with thee before the World was He then prays for the Apostles which his Father had given him and who having received his Word had believed that he came from God and that he had sent him and since he left them in the World he commends them to his Father not to take them out of the World by Death but to preserve them from Sin He had kept them all in his Fathers Name and had lost but One viz. Judas He had separated them from the World and because they had not the Spirit of the VVorld the VVorld hated them wherefore he prays his Father to keep them and Sanctify them by his VVord which is Truth it self offering himself a Sacrifice for them that he might obtain that favour for them He also recommedns all those to God who should believe in his Name thro' the Preaching of his Apostles and prays for such an Admirable Union among them as makes all Christians One being united together in God by his Charity as the Father who is in the Son and Son who is in the Father are by one Nature O Father adds he I pray that where I am those whom thou hast given me may also be that they may behold my Glory And he concludes this Admirable Prayer with these words Holy Father the World hath not known thee but I have known thee these have known that I have sent thee I have declared unto them thy Name and will declare it that they may have that love among them with which thou hast loved me and that I may be also my self among them XXIX The Agony of Christ in the Garden upon the Mount of Olives Jesus having finished the former Prayer Matth. 26 36-46 Mark 14 26-42 Luke 22 39-46 Jo. 18.1 went on his Journey towards the Mount of Olives and passing over the Brook Cedron which runs between Jerusalem and this Mountain went with his Disciples into a Garden called Gethsemani Here he commanded them to stay till he went and Prayed a little distance from it and in the mean time to pray themselves that they be not delivered over to temptation Jesus then taking with him Peter and James and John began to be seized with fear trouble and grief and said unto them My Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto Death tarry ye here and watch with me Then departing from them about a Stones cast he threw himself upon the Earth and as he was willing for the Consolation of his Disciples to endure all the Passions which Nature ordinarily stirs up at the approaches of Death so he was desirous by his Example to teach them what to do in that Estate Thro' the voluntary perception of the infirmities of the flesh he Prayed his Father to save him from that Hour wherein he had declared him to suffer Death but thro' the Motion of a Spirit full of Submission and Charity he corrected those first Motions and yielded entirely to the Will of his Father saying My Father My Father all things are possible with thee remove this Cup from me nevertheless not mine but thy Will be done Having thus prayed he arose and went to his Disciples whom he found asleep their Hearts being filled with sorrow wherefore speaking to Peter he reproved him Simon sleepest thou and then he said to all of them What could ye not Watch one hour with me Watch and Pray that ye enter not into Temptation The Spirit is ready but the flesh is weak As if he had said The Spirit would not be afraid of Death and ye believe that ye have strength enough to contemn it but the weakness of the flesh makes such a strong resistance against the Spirit that it will easily conquer it unless you beg the Divine grace to support you against the fears of Death Having said thus he returned again to his Prayers and said to God My Father If this Cup may not pass from me unless I drink it Thy Will be done Then he returned again to his Disciples and finding them so sleepy that they knew not what to answer him he went again to his Prayers a Third time St. Luke tells us that there came an Angel from Heaven to him to strengthen him and that the Agony in which he was i. e. the conflict that he had in himself between the Flesh which dissuaded him from suffering and the Spirit which was willing to submit to the Will of God caused such a violent disturbance in his Body that there issued from it a Swet which fell down to the Earth like drops of Blood Then he went a Third time to find his Apostles and saying unto them by way of Reproof and Irony That they might now sleep on and take their rest because his time was come He tells them in good earnest That the time was come that the Son of Man shall be delivered into the Hands of Sinners Arise therefore saith he Let us go hence behold he that betrayeth me is at hand XXX The Apprehension of Jesus Jesus had scarcely said these words Matth. 26 47-56 Mark 14 43-52 Luke 22 47-53 John 18 2-11 but Judas Iscariot came with a Band of Soldiers and Officers which the Priests Scribes Pharisees and Rulers had sent to take him They were Armed with Swords and Staves and had Lanthorns and Torches with them because it was Night and because they knew not him whom they had Orders to Seize Judas told them That it is he whom he shall Kiss Take him and carry him away safely He then came to Jesus and saying to him Hail Master he gave him a Kiss which was the Sign he had given them to make him to be taken by them Jesus said no more to him but these words Friend why are you come hither What Judas Dost thou betray the Son of Man with a Kiss Jesus then immediately goes to the Soldiers whom Judas had brought and asked them Whom they sought They answered Jesus of Nazareth He saith to them I am He And immediately they went back and fell to the Earth Then again he asked them Whom seek ye They answered again Jesus of Nazareth he said I have told you already That I am He and if ye seek me Let these Men go which he spoke of his Disciples that he might fulfil his Words spoken in his Prayer to his Father of them which thou gavest me have I
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
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
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
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
would accept such a piece of Service from her who was a Samaritan for the Jews abhor the Samaritans and will have no commerce with them because they being Strangers had possessed themselves of part of their Country and had changed the Laws of Moses by several Pagan Superstitions which they mixed with it This her surprize she discovered to Jesus who said unto her If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that desires drink of thee thou wouldest have asked of him thy self and he would have given thee Living Water The VVoman understood these words in the literal sense Jo. 4 12.-18 and not knowing but he would draw the Living VVater either out of that or some other VVell She replyed Master thou hast nothing to draw with and the Well is deep how then wilt thou get this Living Water Art thou greater than our Father Jacob who gave us this Well and drank of it himself and all his Family Jesus answered He that drinks of this Water shall thirst again but he that shall drink of the Water that I will give him shall never thirst but it shall become a Well in him springing up unto eternal Life which he meant either of that Grace which quenches all humane desires of Earthly and Carnal Enjoyments or else of his Celestial glory which shall perfectly satisfie all our Appetites But the Samaritan VVoman understood it of Corporeal VVater which made her to say to Jesus Christ with great earnestness Lord give me this Water that being a-thirst no more I may not be forced to come hither to draw Jesus said to her Go call thy Husband She answered that she had no Husband whereupon Jesus reply'd Thou hast good cause to say so for thou hast had five Husbands and he that thou now hast is not thy Husband in this thou hast said truly By these words she perceived that he knew how she had lived and she said unto him Jo. 4 19.-26 either to divert his discourse to a more pleasing Subject or that she might get some Advantage and Instruction from a Person so knowing Lord I am sensible that thou art a Prophet I pray resolve me this controversie Our Fathers worshipped upon this Mountain and ye say that Jerusalem is the place where Men ought to Worship VVhich of us are in the Right Jesus takes an occasion to tell this VVoman that God being a Spirit and the Truth he will be adored in Spirit and Truth and be known by those that worship him that this VVorship depends not upon Places and the time is coming when he shall be worshipped in that manner only She replyed I know that Messias will come and when he is come he will Instruct us throughly in these matters Whereupon Jesus said unto her I am the very Messias that thou speakest of In the mean time his Disciples who were gone into the City to buy Food Jo. 4 27.-34 came and wondred to see him Discourse so freely with the VVoman but the respect which they had for him hindred them from demanding the Reason of it Nevertheless she left her Pitcher there and went into the City and said to the Inhabitants Come and see the Man who hath told me all that ever I did Is not this the Christ Jesus remained still at the Well And when his Disciples earnestly desired him to eat he said unto them I have meat to eat which ye know not of and then he explains to them what sort of meat he meant in these Words My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his Workâ— This Work was the Salvation of Man and his Meat was the Faith of those who were converted by his Preachings Soon after these things the Woman with whom Jesus had talked Jo. 4 39.-42 returned with the Inhabitants of Sychar who believing on him already because of the Womans words came to desire him to abide with them He stayed with them two days and by his Discourses much confirmed them in the Faith and increased the number of those that believed in his Name Insomuch that they said unto the Woman Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and we know that this is certainly the Christ the Saviour of the World The End of the First Book BOOK II. The History of what Jesus Christ Did and Taught in the First two Years of his Preaching I. His Preaching in Galilee WHEN the two days were expired Matt. 4 12.-17 Mar. 1.14 15. Lu. 4.14 15. Jo. 4.43 -45. Jesus went on his intended Journey into Galilee being filled with the power of the Spirit and was joyfully received by the Galileans because they had seen the Miracles which he did at Jerusalem at the Feast of the Passover Here he began to Preach the Gospel that is to say the Joyful news of the Kingdom of God which he came to publish to the World saying The time is come The Kingdom of God is at hand Repent ye and believe the Gospel And this he taught in all the Synagogues of this Province with great success for he was highly esteemed with all Men and his Fame went abroad into all that Country Jesus being again at Cana of Galilee where he made the Water VVine Jo. 4.46 -53. there came a certain Noble Man to him who desired him to go down with him to Capernaum to heal his Son who was at the Point of Death Jesus knowing the thoughts of his Heart and the Imperfections of his Faith Book II. said unto him Except ye see Signs and Wonders ye shall not believe But this Lord wheâ— was one of Herod's Courtiers being very earnesâ— with him to go down before his Child dyed he answered him Go thy way thy Son liveth And he believed Jesus's words and returning home his Sarvants met him and brought him the Newâ—s of his Sons recovery He then inquired of them what hour he began to amend and they told him yesterday about One a Clock in the Afternoon the Fever left him which was the very same hour in which Jesus said unto him Thy Son iâ— well This Miracle converted the Noble Man and all his Family and they believed on Jesus Christ II. The Calling of Four Apostles Matt. 4 18.-22 Matt. 8.24 On the East side of Galilee there was a great Lake which the Gospel calls a Sea according to thâ— usual manner of speaking among the Jews and sometimes it is called the Sea of Galilee because some part of this Province adjoyns to this Lake and sometimes the Lake or Sea of Gennesareth of Tiberias Lu. 5.1 Jo. 21.1 from a City of these two Names which stood upon the Shore of it Jesus walking by the side of this Lake saw two Fishermen casting their Nets into the Water The one of them was Simon and the other Andrew his Brother who being one of John's Disciples and hearing his Master say that Jesus was the Lamb of God followed
him and brought his Brother to him the next day But they did not at that time go along with him but returned again to their Employment of Fishing Not far from these there were two other Brothers named James and John who were vvith their Father Zebadee in a Ship mending their Nets These four Fishermen were of Bethsaida in a City of Galilee situated on the South-side of the Lake where Jesus first saw them He called all these Four to him and by his Spirit made them to forsake all and follow him But 't is probable that they were moved to it by a Miracle which Jesus then did which is related by St. Luke after this manner Jesus standing by the Lake of Gennesareth Lu. 5.1 -11. and being much crowded by the People who pressed upon him to hear the Word of God saw two Ships out of which the Fishermen were gone to wash their Nets He entred into one of them which was Simons and having caused him to thrust out a little from the Land he sat down and taught the People out of it When he had done speaking he said unto Simon Launch out into the Deep and let down your Nets to get some Fish Simon answered him Master we have Toiled all Night and have taken nothing yet at thy Word I will let down the Net Having cast the Net they took so great a number of Fish that their Net breaking they were forced to call their Companions who were in another Ship to come and help them They came and filled both their Ships so full that they could hardly get ashore without sinking Simon and his Companions being greatly amazed at this Miracle cast himself dovvn at Jesus's feet saying Lord depart from me for I am a sinful Man Jesus said unto him Be not afraid hereafter thou shalt be a Fisher of Men. It is plain that it was after this Miracle that Jesus said to Simon and Andrew Follow me And at the same time it is likely that John Mar. 1.16 â—0 and James were called who left their Father Zebedee in the Ship with his hired Servants and all four of them left their Nets and forsook all and became continual followers of Jesus III. He healed a Man possessed at Capernaum Matt. 4.13 -16. Mar. 1.21 -28. Lu. 4.14 15. Jesus having thus gotten four Disciples went and dwelt for some time at Capernaum a City of Galilee standing upon the Banks of Jordan just at the mouth where that River empties it self into the Lake of Gennesareth In this City he preached on the Sabbath days and was much admired for his Doctrin by all his Hearers for he spake with great Cogency and Authority On a certain Sabbath as he was instructing the People in the Synagogue there came a Man to him who was possessed with a Spirit of an unclean Devil and cryed out Let us alone what have we to do with thee thoâ— Jesus of Nazareth art thou come to destroy us I know thee who thou art the holy one God But Jesus rebuking the Devil said unto him Hold thy tongue and come out of the Man The Devil seeing himself forced to leave his Prey racked him with most violent Convulsions threw him down upon the ground and made him cry out with a loud Voice but at last left him safe and sound The Spectators of this Miracle were seized with very great amazement and said one to another What thing is this What new Doctrin is this surely it comes from Heaven since the Teacher of it hath such Power and Authority over the unclean Spirits i. e. the Devils that when he commands them they obey him going out of those that are possessed tho' against their Wills IV. Jesus Christ heals Peter's Wife's Mother and several other Sick Persons Matt. 8.14 15. Jesus departing out of the Synagogue went with the Two Sons of Zebadee to Andrew and Simon 's House where he found Peter's Mother-in-Law sick of a dangerous Fever Mar. 1 29-31 Luke 4.38 39. His Disciples besought him for her and he went to her Bed and took her by the Hand and lifting her up commanded the Fever to leave her And the Fever departed from her the same istant and her Disease was perfectly cured so that rising from her Bed she ministred unto them and provided them some Victuals to eat This with the Miracle which Jesus did in the Synagogue at Capernaum Matth. 8.16 17. Mark 1 32-34 Luke 4.40 41. being immediately known in the adjacent Towns and Villages as well as in the City it self after the Sun was set a great Multitude assembled to the House where he was for all that had any Persons Sick of any Distemper carried them to him and he healed them all by laying his Hands upon them He also cured many that were possessed with Devils by his Word and the Devils leaving them cryed out with a loud Voice Thou art the Son of God But he rebuked them and would not suffer them to discover that he was the Christ either because he would not receive any Commendations from the Mouth of unclean Spirits or thought it not convenient to have the Truth published by the Father of Lies or because he would shew the World that he had no Commerce with Devils foreseeing the Calumny that the Pharisees invented against him That he did not cast out Devils Matth. 12.24 but in the Name of the Prince of the Devils V. Jesus Christ's Progress through Galilee The next Day very early in the Morning Mark 1 35-39 Jesus went out alone and gat himself into a Solitary Place that he might make his Prayers to God Simon and they that were with him followed him and finding him said unto him All Men seek for thee being desirous of thy Company and Preaching He answered them Come then Let us go into the Neighbouring Villages and Towns and preach among them Luke 4 42-44 for this is the main Employment my Father sent me about But the People that sought after him coming to the Place where he was would have forced him to stay there with them but he said the same to them that he had done to his Disciples before I must preach the Gospel also to other Cities as well as unto you for therefore am I sent Matth. 4 23-25 Then went Jesus throughout all Galilee preaching in their Synagogues and healing all that were Sick Insomuch that his Fame being dispersed through all Syria they brought to him from all Quarters those that were possessed with Devils and such as were afflicted with divers Diseases so that he was continually followed by a great number of People Matth. 9 18-20 Jesus seeing himself thus thronged by the People gave order to his Disciples to go over to the other Side of the Lake of Gennesareth When a certain Scribe perceived that Jesus was about to leave them he came to him and said Master I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest Our Saviour answered him Foxes
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
his Disciples could not cure him This Child was a Lunatick and possessed with a Devil which made him Dumb and grievously tormented him for when it seized upon him it threw him down upon the Ground cast him often into the Fire or Water and racked him with such violent Convulsions that he cryeth out fomes gnashes with his Teeth and pineth away and much bruising him hardly departeth from him The Unbelief of the Jews who did not as yet firmly believe in Jesus Christ though they had seen so many Miracles was a greater and more dangerous Disease than this of the Lunatick and was often an Impediment to the Miracles which Jesus would have done For this Reason it is that he would cure that before he drive out the Devil and therefore smartly touched that Wound that the Men afflicted with it might feel it saying O faithless and perverse Generation how long shall I be with you to convince you how long shall I suffer your Infidelity will you never believe Bring him hither to me The Child no sooner saw him but the Devil began to tear him with fierce Convulsions and threw him down where he rowled foaming Jesus asked his Father How long it was since his Son began to be vexed after this manner His Father answered him From his Childhood and added If thou canst do any thing have Pity on us and help us Jesus saith unto him If thou canst believe all things are possible to him that believeth Immediately the Father of the Child cryed out with Tears Lord I believe help thou my Vnbelief i. e. supply all the Defects of my Faith to make it worthy to obtain a Cure for my Child Then Jesus rebuked the Devil saying to him Thou Dumb and Deaf Spirit I command thee to depart out of this Child and to enter no more into him Then the Spirit cryed out and much tore and rent the Child and left him almost dead but Jesus taking him by the Hand lifted him up and delivered him to his Father perfectly cured And all that were present beheld it with Admiration and were amazed at the mighty Power of God When Jesus was come into the House his Diciples asked Why they could not cast out this Devil He answered them Because of your Vnbelief adding Luke 17 6 That if they had but one Grain of Syncere and Sound Faith they might by their mere Word remove both Trees and Mountains And then he says further That this kind of Devil goeth not out but by Prayer and Fasting The Apostles did without doubt profit by these Instructions for S. Luke teacheth us elswhere That they addressed themselves to their Master Luke 17.5 and said Lord increase our Faith XIV Jesus foretels his Death and pays Tribute While the Multitude was in Admiration of the great things Matth. 17.22 27. Mark 9 30-32 Luke 9 43-45 that Jesus did in all Places where he went his Thoughts were mainly employed in fitting his Disciples for the Disgraces and Contempt of his Death He tells them a second Time of it and desires them to hearken with Attention to him and think seriously of these Words in their Hearts The Son of Man shall be delivered into the Hands of Men who shall put him to Death and he shall rise again the Third Day But they understood not that Saying and yet this Prediction which they could not fully comprehend made them very sorry and cast them into such a Consternation that they durst not ask him to explain it to them They went through Galilee and returned to Capernaum Here the Receivers of a certain Tribute of Two Drachma's i. e. Fifteen Pence an Head asked Peter whether his Master did not pay Tribute To whom the Apostle answered That he did As soon as he came into the House Jesus prevented him by asking him Whether the Kings of the Earth exact Tribute of their own Children or of Strangers Peter answers Of Strangers Then Jesus concludes That the Children are exempted leaving it to him to infer from thence That he being the Son of God was not obliged to pay Tribute to Men Nevertheless saith he that we may not offend them Go thou and cast an Hook into the Sea and take the Fish that shall be first catched and open his Mouth and thou shalt find a Piece of Mony of Four Drachma's or half a Crown 's Value which give to them for thy self and me XV. Jesus checks the Ambition of his Disciples Matth. 18 1-14 Mar. 9 23-50 Luke 9 46-50 About the same Time it came into the mind of the Disciples of Jesus Who of them should be greatest and they disputed about it in the Way to Capernaum Jesus knowing the Thoughts of their Hearts asked them when they came into the House What they disputed about in the Way but they durst not answer him But when he had called his Twelve Disciples to him they asked him in general Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven He answered them If any Man desire to be first he shall be the last of all and Servant of all And having called a little Child to him he took him and set him by him and taking him up in his Arms he said unto them Except ye become as little Children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of God and that whosoever shall so humble himself that he makes himself small as the little Child before them he shall be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven And then adds That who so shall receive one such little Child in his Name receiveth him and he that receiveth him received him that sent him Hereupon John the Son of Zebedee saith unto him Master we saw a Man casting out Devils in thy Name and we forbad him because he would not joyn himself and associate with us But Jesus reproved this Action and told him That this Man would not readily speak ill of him in whose Name he did Miracles and that they ought not to look upon him as their Enemy since he did not engage in any thing against them Jesus then turns his Discourse to these little ones i. e. to the humble to whom he would have them make themselves like and pronounces a Wo against those who should be an occasion of Falling or Scandal to them declaring That whosoever shall offend one of these little ones which believe in him and whose Angels continually behold the Face of God in Heaven it were better for him to be cast into the Depth of the Sea with a Milstone about his Neck He adds That the World is full of Offences which will necessarily happen but Wo unto him by whom they come That to avoid them we must lay before Men the Torments of Hell where the Worm that gnaws the damned never dies and the Fire that burns them is never quenched yea is so far from consuming them that on the contrary 't is like Salt to them which preserves them from consuming that they may be
they are indeed but a small number but notwithstanding that they should not be afraid since it is their Fathers good will to give them the Kingdom He tells them further that they should always be in a readiness to appear before God who will come at an Hour when they least expect him as Servants who watch all Night waiting for the return of their Master from the Wedding That being made Stewards of Gods House to distribute to his People the Food of his Word they should discharge their Duty faithfully not doing as the Foolish Steward who seeing his Lord to delay his coming consumed the Goods he had been Trusted withal in Debaucheries made use of his Authority to abuse his fellow Servants and deserved for his irregular Management to be cast with Hypocrites and Unbelievers into that place of Torment where there is nothing but wailing and gnashing of Teeth That since the Son of Man will come in a Day and Hour which they know not of to require an Account of their Management they should always watch as a Master of an House would do if he knew what Night the Thief would come to Rob and Plunder his House That knowing the Will of their Master they are so much the more to blame if they do not obey it and the more they are trusted withall the greater their account will be And we see that elsewhere he gives them this important Instruction Luke 17.10 That after that they had done all that they are commanded they should be so far from being proud of it that they ought to look upon themselves as unprofitable Servants and acknowledge that they have done no more than what they are obliged to do He advises them to be very careful in discharging their Ministry faithfully because in so doing they shall be dealt well withall by all the World whereas on the contrary he came to bring division upon Earth so that the Persons of the same Family shall be at enmity with one another some desiring to follow Jesus Christ others Persecuting those that adhere to him Lastly he tells them that he came to kindle a Fire upon Earth and that he had a Baptism to be Baptized with This Baptism is no other according to the Fathers than his Death and many understand by the Fire he came to kindle in the World that Love which the Holy Spirit would infuse into Mens Souls to inflame them devoutly with the Love of God XXIX Jesus shews the necessity of Repentance At the same time came certain Persons to tell Jesus Luke 13 1-10 that Pilate the Governour of Judea had slain certain Galileans as they were sacrificing so that their Blood was mingled with their Sacrifices Whereupon Jesus asks them whether they thought that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans because God had left them to suffer such cruel usage from Men He tells that it was not reasonable to think so but that the conclusion that they ought to make from that accident is this That unless they repented they should all come to as sad and untimely ends as those miserable Men. The same application he tells them they ought to make of the Death of those Eighteen upon whom the Tower of Siloam fell and crushed them to Death And that he might engage them to make a good use of the time that God gives them to compleat their Repentance in for their Crimes He compares them to a barren Fig-tree which the owner of the Vineyard would have had cut down but deferred it because the Gardiner desired to try by dunging and digging of it to make it Fruitful and if it still remained barren then to cut it down XXX Jesus cureth a Woman bowed together Jesus using always to Teach in the Synagogues on the Sabboth days Luke 13 11-17 there came thither a Woman possessed with a Devil who had been afflicted so Eighteen Years and so much bowed together that she could not look up He called her and laying his Hand upon her said unto her Woman thou art freed from thy infirmity and at the same instant she was restored and glorified God for her Cure The Ruler of the Synagogue being angry that Jesus had done this Miracle on the Sabboth Day said unto the People That there are Six Days in every Week allowed by God for labour in them let them come and be healed and not on the Sabboth Day which is a Day of Rest But Jesus answering him demanded of these Hypocrites Whether it were not as lawful to deliver from the Bonds of the Devil on the Sabboth Day a Daughter of Abraham whom he had kept a Captive Eighteen Years as it was for them to unloose his Ox or his Ass upon the same Day and lead them from their Stable to Watering This silenced his Adversaries while the People were astonished at his Actions which were so wonderful and made him so glorious XXXI The Jews go about again to Stone him John 10.22.42 A little after this happened the Feast of the Dedication of the Temple which was kept in Winter Two Months after the Feast of Tabernacles and by consequent towards the Beginning of December Jesus came to Jerusalem at this Feast and walked in a Porch of the Temple called Solomon's Porch till the Jews came about him and said unto him How long wilt thou hold our Soul in Suspence by thy obscure Expressions concerning thy self If thou art the Christ tell us plainly He answered them I have already told you and ye believe not the Works which I do in my Father's Name they bear Witness of me but ye believe not because ye are not of my Sheep And to shew them how great losers they are by not being of his Sheep he adds That his Sheep hear his Voice and follow him that he will give them Eternal Life and they shall never perish because no Man can pull them out of his Father's Hands nor his because he and his Father are one Upon this the Jews went about again to stone him but Jesus aked them For which of those many good Works which they had seen him do would they use him so cruelly They answered him That they did it not for a good Work but because he being a Man made himself a God He then proves to them by their own Scriptures That Men are sometimes called Gods so that he was not guilty of Blasphemy in giving himself that Name who was the only Son of God sent by his Father which he proved by so great a Number of Miracles as God had enabled him to do among them All this did not appease their Fury and Rage against him but they sought how they might take him but he escaped out of their Hands because his Hour was not yet come and having passed over Jordan he went along the Bank of the River to Bethabara the Place where John at first baptized and there he abode Hither he was followed by a great number of People
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
to confirm them afresh he tells them That he gives his Peace to them that they may not be troubled That if they loved him they would rejoce that he returned to his Father who is greater than himself as he was Man That he foretold them what should come to pass that when it comes to pass they may believe on him that hath foretold it That he will speak but little hereafter to them because the Prince of this World i. e. the Devil is coming i. e. is about to compass his Death by the Hands of the Jews tho' he had Power over him because he was guilty of no Sin but as he goes on That the World may know that I love my Father and do that which he hath commanded Arise and let us go hence XXVII Jesus gives his Apostles several Precepts Jesus knowing that his Death Jo. 15 1-27 which he was to suffer in Obedience to his Fathers Will was nigh was unwilling to lose that little time which he had with his Apostles and therefore made use of it in Instructing them and sowing that Seed in their Hearts which the Holy Spirit would make to increase in his due time He tells them therefore that they were Holy and Pure because they had receiv'd the Doctrin of the Gospel but that they may bring forth the Fruit which the Gospel requires of them that receive it they must abide in him as the Branches of the Vine abide in the Body of it without which they cannot bare Grapes That his Father is Glorified when his Disciples bring forth much Fruit and that he will one day cut and cast into the Fire those who bear no Fruit as the Vine-dresser cuts off and burns the dry and dead Branches of the Vine That the Fruit which he expected of them is the Love which they ought to have one for another imitating their Master who gave his Life for his Enemies themselves That they have not chosen him but he had chosen them to bring forth continuing Fruit and that he had not used them as Slaves but Friends in teaching them what he himself had learned from his Father That in choosing them to follow him he had taken them from the World and so not being of the World they must expect to be Hated and Persecuted as he himself was That they shall be cast out of the Synagogues John 16 1-33 yea men shall think they honour God and do a Work acceptable to him when they put them to Death and that they shall be thus treated by those that neither know the Father nor the Son that he hath sent That he hath told them these things before they come to pass that when they come to pass they may remember that he hath foretold them and by remembring them he might encourage and fortify them that they may not faint under the most Violent Persecution These Truths the Apostles heard with silence as if they were much afflicted and astonished at the loss of their Master Jesus Christ He told them that he was going to him that sent him and none of them asked whither he went but were only troubled at it He mildly reproves this their silence and to comfort them he tells them it was for their Interest that he should go away because he could not send the Spirit who is the Comforter till after his departure from them That when this Comforter is come he will convince the World and Principally the Jews of Sin in not believing in him whom God hath sent to save them of Righteousness and Justice either of Jesus Christ which was manifest by his Glorious Resurrection and Ascension or of the Faithful who have believed in him and have not seen him whom the Jews having seen have not believed on him That he will convince the World of the Judgment and Condemnation of the Prince of this World i. e. the Devil whose Kingdom hath been destroyed by Jesus Christ and of whose punishment all those shall fall into who will not free themselves from his Slavery and Bondage that they may submit to the Command and Power of Christ That this same Spirit of Truth shall make the Apostles understand all the Truths that they have heard and shall teach them those Doctrins which he could not instruct them in because they were not able to bear them Then he adds Yet a little while and ye shall see me no more and again a little while and ye shall see me because I go to my Father His Disciples did not understand the meaning of these Words but asked one another what he intended by them and were desirous to ask him himself Jesus perceiving this tells them that they shall weep but the World shall rejoyce But yet as a Woman who in the Time of her Travel hath great sorrow but forgetteth all her Trouble and Pains as soon as she is Delivered for Joy that a Man-Child is born into the World In like manner they shall be in Sorrow for a Time but he will soon return to them again and then their Sorrow shall be changed into Joy which no Man can take away from them The Apostles saw this prediction accomplished in a short time after for they bewailed his Death while his Enemies rejoyced at it but at the end of Three Days they were filled with Joy to see him risen from the Dead and the Jews were much ashamed and enraged to see him Worshipped as a God whom they had Crucified as a Vile Malefactor and whose Memory they had endeavoured to extinguish from the Sons of Men. After this he promises them two things The First was that after his Resurrection he would nor speak to them in Proverbs and Parables as he had done hitherto but would speak to them plainly of the Father that they should need no explication of what he should say to them The Second was That they should pray to the Father in his Name which they had not yet done and should obtain whatsoever they petition'd of him At that time saith he ye shall ask in my Name and I need not promise you that I will pray my Father for you for my Father himself Loveth you because ye have Loved me and have believed that I am come from God I am come i. e. born eternally of God and am come into the World again I leave the World and go unto my Father The Apostles thought that they understood these last words perfectly and therefore said unto him Now speakest thou plainly and speakest no Proverbs And for that reason believed that he was come from God He answered them Ye now believe but the Hour is coming yea is already come that ye shall be scattered and shall leave me alone but I am not alone for my Father is with me These things have I said unto you that ye might have Peace in me Ye shall have afflictions in the World but be of good chear I have overcome the World XXVIII Jesus 's Prayer to his