therefore He was ordered to appear not in feasting or in glorious array or in some rich and stately Court or populous City or Pallace but in that most rigid fasting and in rough apparel and in an uncultivated desert Thus was he sent before to baptize and clense the whole Nation and to purge them from their former sins by repentance that they might be rendred a people fit to entertain so Holy a Prince and capable to receive the large effusions of his Spirit And so we find Mat. 3.7 the whole Nation as it were upon his appearing and telling them that One followed who brought his Faun in his hand to purge his Floor and who would burn the chaff with fire unquenchable Mat. 3.11 12. flocking unto him confessing sins especially the meaner people Publicanes Soldiers and such as had no high opinion of their own righteousness and receiving baptism and inquiring of him concerning their several duty and amendment of life See Luk. 3.10 c. 7.29 And among others we find also repairing to this forerunner out of the remoter parts of Galilee several of those whom our Lord afterward entertained for his Disciples learning as it were their first rudiments from this Baptist As Andrew John Peter Philip Nathanaiel Jo. 1. c. and not unlikely Matthew also amongst other Publicans Luk. 7.29 Only the Pharisees and Lawyers much conceited of their own Holiness frustrated the Counsel of God against themselves and would not come to confession to or receive baptism from Him Luk. 7.30 and as they first refused John's principles and discipline so afterward they profitted as little under that of the Messias 3. Lastly this Sacred person was ordained to proclaim and bear witness of the Messias before his face to all the people so soon as he should appear and with his finger to point out unto them his very Person Jo. 1.26 Only because he came so near the time of our Lord no miracles were to be wrought by him lest he should turn mens eyes upon himself from him that followed Him to whom these were reserved as a Royal prerogative and therefore our Savior enumerated these to Johns Disciples questioning who he was Mat. 11.5 6. to shew them that he was the Messias and a greater Person then their Master See Mat. 11.5 § 4 St. John Baptist being designed to so high an imployment all things suitably in him were very extraordinary and transcending the common condition of other men His Parents were chosen by God persons eminently holy and near akin to the Mother of the Messias Luke 1.6 36. He was conceived miraculously as Isaac had bin formerly when concupiscence and lust was now ceased in his Parents being very old and past procreation of children as if he was not to be a child of the flesh but of the Spirit Gal. 4.29 He was sanctified and filled with the Holy Ghost even in the womb leaping there for joy saith S. Luke 1. c. 44. v. three Months before his Nativity at the approach of our Saviors presence as it were indicating thus early the Messias to his Mother His conception was first foretold to his parents by an Angel and that the same Angel Gabriel who six Months after annunciated our Lords conception to the blessed Virgin and who being singularly admitted into the secrets of God and one of the Angels of special presence Luk. 1.19 had long before those times revealed to the greatly beloved Daniel the punctual time of our Lords coming â—an 9.24 24. The Baptist thus miraculously entred into the world lived also such a life here as never any man lived before him after his infancy as one who was not like other Prophets taken for Gods service from leading a common life but from the womb filled with the Spirit He left his Fathers house who lived in a City in the Mountains of Judah and retired into the Wilderness was never corrupted with any acquaintance with men nor interessed in any affairs of human life nor learned at all the sinfully-compliant acts of ordinary society that so he might afterward as an equal stranger to all and independent on any for the necessaries of his life more freely reprehend the faults of every one whilst none could tax any in himself He lived in a remote Desert where doubtless he had much converse with God and holy Angels for what can we less imagine of him who was from the womb so singularly sanctified He used not at all the ordinary food of men at least after his sojourning in the Wilderness neither eating any Bread nor drinking any Wine so that the Jews seeing such abstinence affirmed he was possessed See Luk. 7.33 His raiment rough and suitable to his diet and such as he might receive from any dead beast for it was but Leather and woven Hair Of both which his diet and his Apparel our Savior pleased to take particular notice to the people as betokening an extraordinary person Mat. 11.8 Luk. 7.33 from whose unerring mouth he received such a testimony as never any had the like See Mat. 11.9 11 14. where tho the 11th verse there seems to intimate that the least of our Saviors disciples or followers should be made greater than he 1. in some sort more happy in hearing and seeing our Saviors words and works in enjoying clearer manifestations of the Gospel lastly in doing greater things than he namely all sorts of Miracles by the power of our Lord yet might they be notwithstanding and were most of them much inferior to him in the eminency of a continued Sanctity from his birth and the dignity of his office Who was chosen to be the first Minister of the Gospel and whose hallowed Tongue first shewed to the world the person of the Messias and whose Sacred hands baptized Him Elias the most eminent of all the Prophets as I said was his Type who prefigured him in his rough apparel and solitary abode and silvestrian fare living for the most part in the Forrest of Mount-Carmel as may be gathered from 1 King 18.19 42. comp 2 King 4.25 the habitation of his successor Elisha fed by Ravens in solitude and drinking of the Brook fasting beyond all others save Moses and Jesus typifying in his passing thro the divided waters of Jordan the baptism there of this his successor Bold in rebuking vice in Ahab as John in Herod and persecuted by Jezebel as he by Herodias § 5 And as the great Elias was the type of John so was John Baptist the most express and near Pattern and Semplar of the Messias both in the course of his life and in the manner of his doctrine and in his sufferings and death Miraculously conceiv'd in one kind as our Savior was in another and both foretold by the same Angel reserved in privacy and solitude all his younger years tho full of the Holy Ghost till about the 30th year of his age then beginning to preach and baptize as afterward did our Savior and preaching in the same new manner
him issue in such an old age and lastly after he had issue in that most transcendent effect of his faith the oblation and slaughter of his onely Son in whom were made the promises To him therefore more expressly than formerly God renewed his promise as he did afterward again to David that this promised seed should descend from him in which seed all both he and the rest of his seed i. e. so many as were sons of his faith even amongst all nations as well as the Hebrews should be blessed i. e. should obtain redemption remission of former sin a new sanctification by Gods spirit and ability to observe his laws and lastly the inheritance of the heavenly Canaan See Gen. 22.28 compared with Galat. 3d Chapter which latter may serve for a comment upon the former § 47 This Covenant God made with Abraham's faith And then for the time preceding the coming of this Seed even of this Blessed Infant Jesus who should accomplish this Redemption he instituted for a Seal of this Covenant between them and that as well for all Proselytes of the Gentiles as for Abraham's carnal posterity Gen. 17.12 23. Instituted I say the Circumcision and cutting-off of the prepuce of that member in which after mans fall first appeared the effect of sin and the rebellion of the flesh against the Spirit Of which rebellion our first Parents in the beholding it were so much ashamed which shame also hath adhered to all their posterity By which Circumcision of Abrahams flesh were signified to Him the very same things through this seed then promised as are now to us by baptism through the seed now exhibited namely his renouncing cutting off and mortifying the former lusts of the flesh and of sin in his members and becoming a reformed and new Creature to walk thereafter by grace conferred through this seed in all purity and righteousness at which time God therefore also as to new Creatures gave to him and his wife new names Gen. 17. changing them from Abram and Sarai to Abraham and Sarah § 48 Now in this sacred Ceremony as God engaged on his part of the Covenant redemption from sin and Grace restored through the promised Seed to Abraham and to all those who were his spiritual Sons and who walked in the faith of the Gospel I mean the faith concerning the seed and the means of their Salvation which faith was preached unto them more or less clearly according to the several degrees in different ages of the manifestation thereof so Abraham Gen. 17.1 12. and his Sons on their part engaged the sincere observance of all Gods Commandements so far as in this Covenant was required of them Where also it came to pass but by their own fault that so many of Abrahams natural Children as received Circumcision by which they engaged themselves to the observance of Gods law and yet were not also children of the faith of Abraham according to the revelation of redemption through this seed by which faith they might become partakers of remission of their former sin and of the return of Grace through the same seed so many I say were put in a much worse condition by their Circumcision than they were in formerly contracting by this a new obligation to Gods law without ability by reason of their want of faith to perform it and without a partaking of the merit of this seed whereby to be pardoned their transgressions against it Of which Circumcision therefore may be said the same which the Apostle saith of the Promulgation of the law in the 7th Chapt. to the Romans And the same thing still happens in baptism to so many as receive it without a due faith and without any donation of Grace they making therein a new engagement to the observance of Gods Commandements without ability to perform them § 49 This being the story of Circumcision which was a seal we see of the Evangelical Covenant made in the promised seed and presupposed former sin and through this seed effected a purgation from it this eternal Son of God therefore who came from heaven and who was conceived in the Virgins womb not of the seed of man but by the Holy Ghost and who was this very promised seed that was to redeem Abraham and his posterity needed not at all to be circumcised both because not guilty of sin and because himself was the redeemer and seed promised from whom Circumcision received its efficacy And what greater indignity could happen to his sanctity and purity than to be circumcised in his flesh who never knew any rising or rebellion of the flesh nor contracted from our first Parents any stain thereof For though our Lord was by the flesh taken of his mother a Son of Abraham and Gods law was very strict that every Male of his posterity should be circumcised or else cut off Gen. 17. Lev. 12 yet seeing such a law was prescribed to Abraham's posterity with reference to sin as also most of the laws Ceremonial were such law extended not to any of Abrahams seed that should be without all sin as our Holy Lord was § 50 But though this spotless babe was free from any obligation to Circumcision in this respect yet many other reasons and motives there were for which his divine wisdom chusing such a way as he did for mans redemption thought meet to undergo it as also in like manner he received and passed through all the other Sacraments of general obligation that were appointed by God his Father in the Church both old and new the one as a Son born under the law and all its Ceremonies the other as a Father and founder of the Gospel and all its Rites As for his Circumcision then besides those reasons ordinarily given for it that he admitted it to shew the truth of his human flesh against those Heresies that afterwards arose contending that he had only a fantastical and apparent or if a true a celestial Body Again least that by not receiving it he might seem to disallow of Circumcision or also might appear a breaker of the law to those who knew him not to be pure and exempt from original sin likewise that thus he might bear the true mark and badge of Abrahams seed and not be rejected by them as none of the true Messias on this account who was sent in the first place to the house of Israel Mat. 10.6 and a Minister of Circumcision Rom. 15.8 the defect of which surely would have bin a greater accusation than his Original out of Galilee Again that he might practice an obedience and conformity for peace-sake though in a matter not obliging as he did afterward in paying tribute Mat. 17.27 ut non scandalizemus eos I say besides these reasons sufficient for his non-omission of that sacred Ceremony there seem to be others yet more considerable § 51 For first Circumcision as also baptism afterward was not administred only in relation to sins past as an expiation
thereof but also as a door of entrance into the Church family and houshold of God and into a new Covenant with God for the time to come by which from Abrahams daies till the accomplishment of our redemption this family was distinguished from all the rest of the world and a strict pact and Covenant passed between God and all such persons for the future whereby they engaged themselves on their parts to walk sincerely in his laws in newness of life as his obedient Children receiving then as it were a new nature as well as a name and God engaged on his part to be their Father and protector and exceeding great reward in bestowing upon them the inheritance and possession of an heavenly Canaan Now as to such significations of Circumcision and the other Church Sacraments though not as to the real effect of them upon him as the effect of the Sacrament is also by others many times had before the receit thereof these were more compleatly fulfilled in our Lord than in any other For he entred into the Church and houshold of God not as a simple member but as the Father and Head thereof not as a Son of God by Adoption but as that true natural Son and seed through whose merits all others entred into this Covenant of Grace As for the performance of the Condition of this Covenant never any undertook and walked therein in such perfect obedience and new life and circumcision of all carnal and rebellious lusts as himself Nor ever any received so high an eternal inheritance from God by vertue of this Covenant observed as his Humanity did § 52 But 2ly yet further as Circumcision hath relation to fin so the humility of our Lord also entertained both it and all other sacred expiations of guilt in the disguise of a sinner For his eternal wisdom thought meet for the more proper and satisfactory destroying of sin to cloth himself in the likeness of sin and to take all the appurtenances and shames thereof save only the very guilt it self which his purity could not admit and being without sin to suffer to the utmost what to other sinners was due and to perform to the utmost what of others as sinners was required That he might thus as it were in their stead give all satisfaction to his Fathers justice in his sufferings and to his laws in his obedience to his laws not only the Moral first given to man in innocence but also the Ceremonial prescribed to sinners for remission of guilt in observing which Ceremonies they also a second time failed and so these also as well as the Moral were a hand-writing against them Coloss 2.14 Eph. 2.16 There therefore he also undertook that by the merit of his exact observing these laws and satisfying his Fathers justice therein he might remove also this second hard and unsupportable yoke from off their necks Act. 15.10 and purchase for them the perfect spiritual effects thereof So by Christs Circumcision saith the Apostle Col. 2.14 Eph. 2.15 Gal. 3.24 25. Gal. 4.3 4.9 we are circumcised with the Circumcision made without hands in out putting off the body of the sins of the flesh which cleansing from carnal lusts is the Spiritual Grace of the carnal Circumcision § 53 Again the Ministry of the Baptist succeeding that of the law who was sent to sinners with a baptism of repentance to prepare them for receiving afterward from our Lord the baptism of the Spirit our Lord hasted now again among other sinners to receive from John this baptism of repentance and to fulfil this righteousness or duty of sinners as if he had bin a sinner too to the wonder of the Baptist to whom God then revealed him and his all-sanctity and after it he betook himself to a long penance of solitude in a desert of fasting and praier accompanied also with strong temptations from Satan for six weeks and afterward all his life long he endured reproaches as a sinner Rom. 15.3 and though the Holy one of God he sequestred not himself from the more publick offenders but conversed freely with them not out of love to sin but to the sinners though it turned much to his disesteem and prejudice with those who pretended more sanctity among the people § 54 Thus he not only as the second Adam descending from heaven entred upon the first Covenant of works Hocfac vives and fully performed the natural or moral law in all the points thereof but also as a Son of Adam faln and taking upon him the curse of his sin though not deriving from him the guilt of it he entred upon the Covenants of Grace and expiations of sin made with Abraham and the Patriarks and in the stead of sinners performed exactly all the Ceremonial Law as it related to sin and thus by his perfect obedience became heir of the Promises of the eternal inheritance made first to Adam for his works and then to Abraham for his faith and by these his merits whilst he owed nothing of what he did and suffered for himself became also the purchaser of mercy and of remission of sin and of the Spirit for all other sinners believing in him by which Spirit they are also enabled to keep the Covenant of Grace and to inherit the promises made to it Rom. 8.3 4. Gal. 3.14 â—4 6 § 55 This Digression perhaps not unprofitably made to shew to them more clearly the motives or reasons of the Circumcision of our Lord. Now I proceed Next At the Circumcision as being the Sacrament of Regeneration and admission into Gods Covenant family and Son-ship under the law accordingly a new name was given to the circumcised imposed by the Parents or more usually by the Mother See Gen. 4.1.25 16.11 29.32 1 Sam. 4.21 Esai 7.14 a name which ordinarily signifyed something that related to piety and Religion in reviving the memory of some former holy Person or thing in acknowledging some special favour or Grace received from the divine Majesty in devoting the circumcised to some virtues or qualities acceptable to God or also when the name was imposed by God or persons directed by his Spirit foretelling the nature actions and successes of the person circumcised God also many times by his secret providence guiding the Parents though knowing nothing to give such names as do correspond to future events Hence also as was said in the first institution of Circumcision were two new names given by God to Abraham and to his wife § 56 n. 1. When therefore this Son of God came to be circumcised God his Father appointed his name to be Jesus or Jeshua as he was called in the Syriack the language which the Jews then ordinarily spake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or us being the Greek and Latine terminations thereof i. e. Saviour God signifying this before-hand by an Angel first to his Mother at his Conception and afterward to Joseph her husband upon his first discerning her to be with Child specifying then
attendance they departed praising and glorifying God that a new Saviour was born to Israel and divulging abroad the Vision of the Angels and the wonderful things they had heard and seen concerning this child Luk. 2.17 These poor Shepheards being chosen for the first preachers of the coming of the Kindom of God as afterward were the poor Fisher-men and begetting a great wonder saith the Evangelist Luk. 2.18 in the Bethleemites with their story Yet probable it is according to the poor and unknown condition of life that the son of God had chosen that their wonder by his secret influence upon them was so restrained as not to proceed to any farther inquiry after these Holy persons and that the child and his Mother receiv'd no visits upon it nor better entertainment and accommodation there And this noise that was made upon the jealousy raised afterward in King Herod served only to involve this Infant-Prince and his small family in much greater perils and the peoples present admiration was more unsafe to him then their former neglect Nor did the Bethleemites enjoy the Honour of having this Saviour of Israel born amongst them without their bearing also his Cross and that a heavy one not long after it After this early Predication of the new Messias the poor Shepheards return'd to their flocks rejoycing as for the mercy shewed to Israel in general so for the great favour done them in particular that they should be the first besides his parents that should behold the Messias and hear the Musick of Angels and divulge this good news to the great and to the wise ones of this world § 39 Where I may not pass further without pausing a little to contemplate the ordinary course of Gods wisdom in this matter For many great men doubtless there were Digress of the tribe of Judah at this time in this City who probably would have entertained with joy such a revelation concerning the birth of the Messias who might also with their riches have maintained or with their power protected him Yet God did not think fit to send an Angel with this joyful news to any of them but only to the poor Shepheards from whom the great and learned ones were to receive it As likewise from the very conception of this Prince God had hitherto dealt with low people and the honours done to our Saviours person and to his relatives in the frequent descent and visits of Angels were invisible to the world and communicable to it only upon their relations whom their mean condition made less authentick And we see in this infancy of the Gospel the truth of those scriptures fulfilled Not many mighty not many worldly-wise not many noble are called God hath chosen the weak and base things of this world to confound the mighty Blessed are the poor for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven And our Saviours message to the Baptist Pauperes evangelizantur to the poor the Gospel is preached as if as he came poor so he came only to the poor For which good pleasure of his Father S. Luke chap. 10.21 expresseth upon a certain time a great exultation in our Saviours spirit breaking out into this expression I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth and so a free and absolute disposer of all his favours that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them unto Babes Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight By which we may gather how welcome to his infancy was this visit of these poor sent to him by his Father § 40 And why such thing seems good in his sight our weakness may discover many reasons 1. Because it is said that he hateth the proud and giveth Grace and favour to the humble Now riches and honour are seldome severed from pride and humility more often accompanieth meanness and poverty An hungry Shepheard trembling with cold in an open feild and over-watched is in a more humble and mortified posture for receiving visits and revelations from heaven then one that is full of all good things well attended delicatly lodged and taking his ease tho elation or demission of the mind commonly rising and falling with the indulgences or sufferings of the body and the flow or ebb of our fortunes But 2ly were all conditions equally disposed for such favours yet he delights as is said before to chuse the meaner and weaker Agents for his instruments in great affairs the more to shew his omnipotency whilst out of these babes mouths he perfects his praise and by the feible things of the world confounds the mighty 3ly He doth this also to imploy and heighten the dignity of mens faith in matters of religion which when it believes only what it sees or is clearly demonstrated to it must needs be of very little esteem and reward with God But great faith is where little sight or conviction and where love and the Will have the greatest hand in the Composition of it To such believers God counts himself exceedingly indebted and wherever our Saviour met with any such faith in the Gospel he fell a-magnifying it very highly and granted presently whatever it desired Great is thy Faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt For the growth therefore of these great faiths it is that God discovers only to a few and those of less authority what he would have to be believ'd by all that so he might rest more engaged to their submission who have the weaker perswasives or impulses to it Or 4ly Had he no other motive at all thus to distribute his favours yet this he may do to have the return of a greater measure of praise and thanks for them from such receivers For God receives the greater acknowledgment for his gifts the more mean and unworthy the persons see themselves to be on whom he bestows them More when he gives them to a poor Shepheard then when to a great Rabbi which commonly whilst they render the one grateful make the other proud But lastly the Kingdom of this new born-Prince was to be quite another and a contrary thing to the Kingdoms of this world It was to be a spiritual and a celestial one and so founded in great humility and mortifications of the flesh and of this worlds lusts founded in denying mens-selves and forsaking all things that are dear unto them and taking up several sorts of crosses and those that enter into this Kingdom are to be only the poor poor one way or other either in estate or at least in spirit so that in this Kingdom wherein those of low degree are exalted Jam. 1.9 the rich and Honourable are to be made low that they may be exalted Let the rich rejoyce in that he is made low Jam. 1.10 And in their affections at least to become another thing then they are in their fortunes They that rejoyce to be as tho they rejoyced not they that purchase as tho they possessed not they
and words comp Mat. 3.2 with 4.17 declaring unto them a Kingdom in Heaven which the Lord that followed him would confer on the worthy and the everlasting torments of Hell-fire which he would inflict on the rebellious telling them of a kingdom of God to be erected not abroad but within them and of the Holy Spirit which this King would baptize them with upon their repentance preached by Him freeing them from the thraldom not of the Romans but of sin nor from their servitude under Herod or Tiberius but under the great Prince of all this lower world Satan their spiritual and only dangerous enemy whose captives and children and not Abrahams they unknowingly were till by this Prince delivered This was the great deliverance to come by Jesus which both Holy Zachary spake of in his Benedictus Luk. ◠77 To give knowledg of Salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins and the Angel in his message to Joseph telling him why he should be called Jesus or Savior Matt. 1.21 because he should save his people from their sins Such punishments and rewards liberty and royalty as the Baptist preached being the only that were here worth the speaking of or looking after Thus was the Baptist appointed to be the beginner of the Gospel and the first open promulgator of this new Spiritual Kingdom The Prophets saith our Savior Mat. 11.12 13. prophecied until John 1. of such a thing to come but from the daies of John the kingdom of heaven began to suffer violence people by troopes now pressing into it and every one striving to gain for himself a share thereof whilst they crowded in such multitudes to Johns Mat. 3.5 and our Saviors baptisms Joh. 3 26. Only John began the publishing of this Gospel afar off as it were not coming into the Temple or the cheif Cities to preach it but staying a loof off in the Wilderness and near Jordan leaving these honors to the Lord who followed Him by whom the Gospel was brought still nearer till it visited at last every small Town and Village § 6 And as John preceded our Savior in his new and Spiritual doctrine so he resembled him much what in his Heroical vertues Both in his magnanimity and courage and in his mansuetude and clemency and in his humility and self-denial which was never in any man so great as in our Savior 1 Using the same boldness toward Herod Luk. 3.19 20 as our Savior afterwards did Luk. 13.32 reproving him for all the evil he had done saith the Evangelist Luke 3.19 and particularly concerning his Wife not fearing the implacable wrath of a woman and a Queen tho this cost him his life Again treating the Scribes the Pharisees and Sadduces whose manners he knew by the Spirit and Revelation not having learnt them by experience at the first sight roughly and severely as their incorrigible Hypocrisy and malice deserv'd reproving them in the very same terms as our Savior comp Mat. 3.7 with 23.33 and calling them Generation of Vipers or Serpents they being the brood of the old Serpent the Devil in the resemblance of their manners see Jo. 8.44 in opposition to their boasting of their being Abrahams seed to whom they were nothing like in their lives 2 Meanwhile toward the soldiers the publicans and others notorious but relenting sinners using the same mansuetude as Christ teaching them their duty for the future without upbraiding their former faults This great Saint not bred in the Court or in ceremonial Society but in retiredness and solitude neither reverencing the secular porte and state of the Pharisee nor despising the meanness and low esteem of the Publican Only in general the Baptist seems to personate a greater austerity then our Lord both in his conversation and his preaching pressing mainly the discipline of repentance and threatning much the wrath to come hell-fire and damnation to the disobedient having something more herein of the Spirit of his type Elias whereas our Saviors language was more benign and indulgent publishing remission of sin and promising a Kingdom to the obedient and also telling his Disciples that the Spirit of Elias did not so well befit them Yet were both our Saviors and Johns dispensations suitable to their seasons the one answering to the beginning of an holy life the other to the end and consummation thereof the one laying the foundation with threats and terrors the other building it up with consolations and mercies the Lord doing the rough part by his servant the gentle and mild by himself 3 Again much resembling our Savior also in his great humility accompanied with such eminency of Sanctity He that was so far above the Prophets yet when the Jews sent to him and asked him whether he was Elias or whether he was a Prophet which is to be understood here as in Mat. 16.14 the Jews then holding a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He answered No without telling them that he was that typified Elias which was for to come or that he was more then a Prophet and expressed himself meanwhile by the most diminutive term that could be thought on that he was only Vox clamantis c. before a greater Person that was then coming after him He stood exceedingly upon his guard of lowliness and disparaged himself upon all occasions as the Jews and his Disciples magnifyed him Being conjectured by them for the Messias he nourished not the mistake for his own honor but saith the Evangelist Jo. 1.20 he confessed and denied not i. e. to speak this truth against his own reputation but confessed that he was not He. And Jo. 3.28 he takes solemn witness of such his confession In comparing himself with him he useth an expression to debase himself beneath the lowest of his servants that he was not worthy stooping to untie the latchet of his shoe Mar. 1.7 and Jo. 3.31 he saith that he being earthly did but loqui de terra speak of the Earth i. e. low and mean rudiments for which S. John useth this phrase see Jo. 3. v. 12. in comparison of Jesus who coming from Heaven above spoke of the greater misteries which he had there heard and seen He every where gave place to our Savior left Bethabara in Judea the more publick place of concourse for our Saviors disciples some of whom had formerly bin his to baptize in and retired himself North-ward toward Galilee to Enon near to Salim Jo. 3.23 He transmitted his Disciples to him Jo. 1.35 and resign'd his former Auditors and the multitudes to his conduct and when the people so soon as they saw his great Miracles and heard his divine words now admired and flockt after Jesus much more then they did after John He rejoiced to hear it with an humble acknowledgment Oportet illum crescere me minui and when his ambitious disciples made a complaint to him of it he answered them that he was but a waiter on this Bridegroome of the Church and his joy was
and way-sides are enameld with to give you them in his own language Anemones Calcedoines Ranuncules Narcissus Cyclamens d Iris de toutes especes de couleurs de Moly de Lavende Stecas Ambroise Serpolet Mariolene Origan Nepeta Scordium and many other little Flowers intermingled with Trees and Shrubs that are alwaies green so that the sight of the one and fragrancy of the other makes it seem an Earthly Paradise with an air also so well tempered that little sickness happens there Thus he This of Nazar flos or Surculus a Name in the Prophets applyed to our Lord and this City perhaps having its name from these so plentiful about it § 103 But some Allusion here also may be made for the likeness of the Sound to the Nazarites tho this word not written with a Tsade â— as our Lords name Nazar is but a Zain â— being persons in a singular manner separated and devoted to God And the famous Nazarite Judg. 13.5 Sampson is observed by the Fathers in ortu in pueritia nuptiis suis Leone apibus asini maxilla fonte ex ea prognato Gazae portis coma detonsa exoculatione pistrina Templi Dagon eversione maxime ultranea stupendaque morte Christum praefigurasse being a great Deliverer of Gods people and Conquering their Enemies all alone without Armies or Armes Obtaining the greatest Victory over them by and at his death after their Bonds and fetters triumphantly rising up and carrying away the Gates from their City by his locks cut becoming weak his eyes put out buffetted and made a common mocking-stock but after this avenging himself of all his enemies Out of the dry Jaw-bone issuing a fountain and out of the dead Lyon meat and sweetness Fons Baptismatis regenerationis Mel redemptionis Cibus Eucharistiae Such a Nazarite then also was our Lord. 2. Besides this said of our Lords Name again the same Evangelist observes chap. 4.14 the Prophet Esay's plainly foretelling our Lord's residence in Galilee of the Gentiles and in the land of Zabulon where Nazareth was Esay 9.1 and a great light springing up there to those that sate in darkness This his Habitation then in Galilee at Nazareth was also sufficiently foretold but they not worthy to understand it § 104 Our Lord and his Parents are now arrived and settled at Nazareth Where it is conjectured by some that the Blessed Virgin was an Heiress because S. Matthew hath related the Genealogy of Joseph her husband to shew hers when-as except in such a case it was not necessary that one should match into the same Tribe And from this again it is collected that as their condition as appears from Josephs trade was not very rich so neither very necessitous How our Lord here spent his childhood and youth and indeed much the greatest part of his life as also before of the Employment of the Baptist in the Desart till the thirtieth year of his age very little is expresly mentioned in the scripture And herein me-thinks appears the greatness of our Lord's humility and design to give our ambition and vain-glory an example of imitating him that he should so little value or also ordain it that all those admirable vertues of his and effects of the Divine wisdom and Grace that appeared in all his words and actions and which saith the Evangelist Luk. 2. â—â— were so grateful to those with whom he conversed should during so long a time be save one passage in the twelfth year of his age utterly lost if I may so say and concealed and unknown to the world and only manifest to his Father above and the inhabitants of Heaven When as had it bin his pleasure there were so many that might have delivered this story from the mouth of his Holy Mother who let nothing pass unobserved but was a faithful measures from his first infancy saith S. Luke 2.19 51 of all she saw and heard in or concerning him Little I say is expresly delivered But notwithstanding from the consequences of several texts much may be learned § 105 To attain then a more perfect Notion and Idea hereof we are first to know That our Lord from his very birth as to the perfections of his soul had nothing of a child in him but that he was as full of all light and knowledge of wisdom and of all the Graces and powers of the Holy Ghost of the zeal of his Fathers honour and salvation of man-kind at his Nativity as afterward in the time of his Man-hood and of his preaching and working Miracles In whom wore hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledg saith the Apostle Col. 2.3 And all the fulness of the Divinity dwelling bodily vers 9. And the word was made flesh full of grace and truth saith S. John c. 1. Nor did God give the Spirit by measure unto him Jo. 3.34 All which texts must be verifyed at the Union of his man-hood to the Divinity sutable to the supreme Dignity thereof which Union was at his Conception Nor is there any reason for a temporary suspension of these as of some perfections of the Body in order to our Redemption but rather of the contrary And that the increase in them which S. Luke speaks of chap 2 was only of the more manifestation of the effects thereof in the progress of his Age as also sufficiently appears in that without any the least former application of him to learning or studies or solitude of life like the Baptists when the sacred number of twelve years of his childhood were compleated in going as usually with his parents to the solemn feast he secretly quitted his parents and entring into the Temple Luk. 2.46 47. sate him down in the midst of the Doctors disputing and as king them questions and astonishing them saith the Text with his understanding and answers § 106 This then laid as a foundation 2ly We ought to conceive That he was subject to none of those infirmities of mind usual to children levity and inconstancy love of play and being delighted with toyes peevishness against Superiors and those who take most care of them longing and desiring things hurtful and procuring them when with-held by crying foolish and silly prattle c or also any other which though involving no sin in them yet are the effects of want of knowledg and experience but that all was contrary in him Sweetness modesty gravity seriousness quiet reposed ever well pleased observant and obliging of those to whom was committed his Education And Here we may also the more admire in so great perfections of his Soul his divine patience for our sakes of so many debilities and infirmities of the Body for so long a time enduring them when he perfectly apprehended and was sensible-of them all and when hindred by them from speaking or acting things sutable to his understanding As we may imagine what an affliction it would be for a person that is already in his man-hood and of a wise
resorting to him as also Philip and Nathanael Galileans We find also Acts 19.3 some Brethren living at Ephesus and Apollo of Alexandria to have received Johns Baptism which argues also a resort to him from forraign parts unless we imagine an authority of Baptizing either commited by him to or at least assumed by some of his more eminent Disciples Hither also came the Publicans and the Soldiers and those that were esteemed the most notorious sinners to hear his Sermons made of Repentance and remission of sin which seemed to concern such persons most These therefore terrified with his words made humble confessions of their former sins to him Mat. 3.6 Mark 1.5 as those other Converts in the Acts did to S. Paul Acts 19.18 promised amendment of their lives were baptized by him in order thereto Lastly asked his advice and directions concerning their Duty in their several Vocations and Employments where the Gentleness and tenderness wherewith he treats the Soldiers and the Publicans yet the instruments of sustaining the Roman Power is very notable not bidding them presently to desert or change their Profession or proposing to them any high perfections as he did to some others but admonishing them according to their present capacity of avoiding those faults to which their employments more tempted them the Soldier to do no violence to any nor falsly accuse them to make way for plunder but to be content with that gain their wages afforded them and the Publicans that they should not enhance the Taxes upon the People nor require more than was appointed them instructing them first in acts of Justice and doing no wrong to their Neighbour whilst he exhorted others to acts also of charity § 133 And lastly hither also came the learned and highly-esteemed Scribes and Pharisees Many of them as appears by what our Lord saith Luk. 7 30. though perhaps not all moved with curiosity to see and observe the strangely habited person and not with compunction for their sins as others or the believing what he was or said no more than they did afterward our Lord himself to verify our Lords speech Pauperes evangelizantur These bearing a show of sanctity and accordingly reverenced among the people so soon as the Baptist beheld seeing and knowing all their interiour by the Holy Spirit he entertained not them with the same mansuetude and indulgence as the poor Publicans and Soldiers as the one appearing to him interiorly clothed with humility and Contrition the other with Pride and Hypocrisy but presently fell into a sharp reprehension of them before all the people knowing this the proper way if any for their cure calling them a generation of Serpents which was also our Lords language afterwards denouncing to them the Novissima the great wrath to come and such fruitless Trees and chaff their being cast into an unquenchable fire unless a speedy repentance for their sins and reformation of their manners prevented it And seeing them from the approaching Messiah he foretold expecting much contrary to what he said at his coming as heirs of the promises made to their Father Abraham all Glory and prosperity and Dominion over the Gentiles he fore-signified to them by using a similitude from the Rocks and Stones that lay about him that God upon their incredulity and impenitency abandoning them could raise unto Abraham another seed i. e. out of the yet stony-hearted and unbelieving Gentiles As indeed not long after he did § 134 The Baptist thus had for some time executed his Office and made a preparatory commencement of the Gospel according as our Lord saith Mat. 11.13 that the Law and the Prophets were till John but that from his daies the Kingdom of Heaven or of the Gospel suffered violence i. e. whilst whole multitudes and crowds of people Soldiers Publicans Sinners came flocking in to it Though indeed the Apostles of our Lord consummating the preaching of this Evangelium with the Holy Ghost descending on the people baptized with it by them and doing of all sorts of Miracles in confirmation of what they divulged far transcended the beginnings of the Baptist and so the least of them in this respect was greater than he as our Lord saith Matt. 11.11 John then was a prodromus preaching so as our Lord afterward the Kingdom of Heaven at hand and judgment and wrath to come on the impenitent and unbelieving Confession repentance and so remission of sin not by Johns Baptism this being only with water and to be consummated in the other but by the Baptism of him that was to come after him who should baptize them with the Holy Ghost Jo. 1. and who was the Lamb of God that should take away the sins of the world and in whom they were to believe Act. 19.4 § 135 Whereby it appears that there was an obligation also remaining on all who possibly could procure it after Johns Baptism of receiving Christs which effected a perfect regeneration by conferring the Holy Ghost and that whatever assistance also of the Holy Ghost may be supposed in those predispositions to this perfect regeneration effected by the same Spirit as in Confession of sins repentance and bringing forth the fruits thereof and believing on the Messias Act. 19.4 which things were caused in the people by Johns preaching this also we have from the power and virtue only of him that was to come after him And that those true penitents who died under Johns baptism only and without our Lords became partakers of the Holy Spirit and of salvation in the same manner as all the righteous deceased under the Law i. e. through the merits of Christ in their using the typical Ceremonies relating thereto whatever they were according to the divine appointment § 136 John therefore told them that our Lord who came after not he should baptize them with this Holy Ghost and St. Luke adds baptize them also with fire Where fire may be taken in a double sense either for the fire of the Holy Spirit elegantly opposed by John to his water or as some rather understand it the fire of the Divine wrath For S. John's Spirit had some of that of Elias and the context seemeth to favour this sense for there it follows Luk. 3.17 whose fan is in his hand and the chaff he will burn with fire the one or the other baptism shew that of the Holy Ghost or of fire was to be received by every one Thus after John had began first the preaching of the Gospel and using the new Ceremony thereof Baptism but deferred all the power and virtue thereof to Christ that was then at hand And great multitudes from all parts were now gathered unto him and a very great number as appears by the expression Luk. 3.21 at least of the common sort were baptized by him and were in great expectation what would be the end of these things since he plainly and often told them that himself was not this Christ nor shewed he any miracle at
most unreasonably a further sign from him and urged that Moses had given them Manna from Heaven and there also in like manner our Lord presently told them of his Death and his feeding them with his Flesh and Blood and then of their having everlasting life by it and his raising them up at the last day things at which some of them also then took great offence So here also they whether misconstruing his words as if he had said first that he would destroy their Temple for this at his Death they urged against him and the false witness Mark. 14.5 to speak home interposeth that he said he would destroy the Temple made with hands and in three daies raise up another made without hands and then that he in three daies would build it again a Temple that they said was forty six years in building in the one made him impious in the other ridiculous and so turned his mention of this his greatest work for the salvation of mankind into a great scorn and flighting of him and into the cause of a quarel against him till at last they contrived his Death the destroying of the Temple he here speaks of and brought these his words against him to justify it and so He in raising up again this Temple of his Deity thus destroyed exhibited to the World this great Sign which at this beginning of his preaching he engaged here This was the success of our Lords first Sermon and appearance amongst them as to the Pharisees and their followers already much degusted with him and filled with envy § 183 Yet many others there were that seeing his Miracles believed on him at least that he was some great Prophet sent from God among whom was Nicodemus But our Lord saith the Evangelist did not commit himself unto them admitting them not into his familiar society nor relied on their fidelity for he knew well what was in them and that several of them would fall away and especially in his last tryal most unworthily desert him Therefore our Lord usually when at Jerusalem after his publick teaching them in the Temple and his daies work there done withdrew himself and had no private meetings and conferences as he said at his tryal that in secret he had said nothing and many times at night removed with his Disciples out of the City neither though several in the Country are mentioned do we hear of our Lords admitting any entertainments in the City though we may presume he wanted not some Invitations And all this was but necessary for deferring the Conspiracies of his enemies till the due time of his offering-up appointed by his Father § 184 Our Lord continuing his publick teaching in the Temple and doing Miracles during the Paschal feast Nicodemus a Pharisee a ruler of the Jews as he is stiled here vers 1. One of the Sanedrim and a person studied in the law for our Lord chap. 3. vers 10. stiles him a Master in Israel shewing also herein to him that he knew who he was and on that account blames his ignorance being already a Convert as it is said Jo. 12.42 many other among the chief Rulers were afterward but timorous to confess him came privatly to our Lord by night for fear of losing his Reputation with his fellow-Rulers which shews a great envy and hatred toward our Lord already kindled in them to be farther instructed of him in the matters of the Kingdom of God and life eternal confessing to him that his Miracles had convinced him that he was an extraordinary Teacher sent from God Our Lord very courteously received him and in a few words manifested to him fully who himself was and the whole substance of the Gospel At the first he began to acquaint him with the first Foundation of the Christian Religion Regeneration which at the beginning he proposed some what obscurely perhaps to humble Nicodemus his too much conceit of his own knowledg telling him that to enter into the Kingdom of God one must necessarily be born again which word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated here again signifies also from above which Nicodemus much wondring at and speaking of entring again into our Mothers womb our Lord graciously explained it to him that he must be born again not of a woman or the flesh which would produce nothing but flesh but of water the external Ceremony appointed by God to be used in the new birth signifying a being cleansed and purifyed from former sin and of the Spirit which might render a man spiritual and enabled therewith to bring forth good works which spirit inspires as it pleaseth 1 Cor. 12.4 Mark 4.27 unperceived by sense and being as the wind of which we know not whence or whither it goes but by its effects do discern the presence thereof and then gently reflected on Nicodemus his ignorance so to render him more docible and humble that he being a Master in Israel should know nothing of this For this Holy Spirit and our Renovation by it is frequently spoken of in the Old Testament and so also many types of Baptism and of the Sacraments of the new Testament found there See Psal 50.12 13 14 9. 142.10 11. Ezec. 11.36 1 Cor. 10.2 3 4. Further told him that these things he now spake to him were the lowest matters but that there was much higher that he came to reveal to mankind from Heaven and from God his Father For that he was the only begotten Son of God descended from Heaven and again ascendeth thither and which also according to his Divinity remains alwaies there who spake nothing but what he knew and had seen with the Father See the like vers 32. and Jo. 8.38 5.19 30. Because God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that men might not perish but have everlasting life i. e so many as believed in him and that as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness so he was to be lifted up See the like Jo. 8.28 So acquainting him but obscurely with his death sufferings That whosoever stung with sin beheld and believed on him might not perish but that those whoso did not believe on him were already condemned by occasion of his preaching to them not for their former sins which he came to take away but for their disbelief See Jo. 9.39 12.47 48. without which belief in him no forgiveness of Sin That he was the Light that was come into the world avoided only by those whose works were evil and so who feared the discovery of them by it and therefore made such opposition to him But that he that did truth would come to it as not fearing the manifesting of his deeds by it § 185 All these things he gratiously revealed to Nicodemus which delivered with his accustomed Majesty and Power must needs elevate Nicodemus into the highest admiration and reverence of his person love and gratitude towards his mercy and familiar condescendence especially having already seen his mighty
Deeds confirming his words who henceforth continued his faithful though secret Disciple and in the Council when our Lord was spoken against Jo. 7.51 desired they would but hear him what he might say for himself thinking that thus themselves might be as much taken with him as was their Officers in Jo. 7.46 and himself here This of our Lords gratious discourse with Nicodemus but whether all that is said in S. John chap. 3. from vers 10. to the 22. be our Lords words or part thereof from vers 16. be S. Johns dilating upon them is uncertain And the like happens in many other discourses found in the Evangelist much resembling one another § 186 The Paschal feast ended our Lord not trusting himself to the Hierosolymites Jo. 2.24 Jo. 2.24 where the Pharisees that had already conceived so much hatred against him in seeing his boldness and spirit far beyond the Baptists and the great concourse of the People to hear him had so much power and followers departed thence and went into the Country and the other Cities of Judea where he was also followed by very great multitudes as appears Jo. 3.27 and preached to them we may presume such things as before to Nicodemus concerning repentance and the washing away their former sins by Baptism and their Regeneration of the Spirit concerning his Passion and Mission from God his Father and belief in him for remission of sin All which he confirmed also every where with charitable miracles among them in ejecting Devils and healing their Infirmities which miracles the Baptist did not therefore his Brethren afterward Jo. 7.3 making mention of the Disciples and followers he had in Judea advise his return to them and the shewing his mighty works among them § 187 Here also he caused such as were his Penitents for he and his also in the first place preached Repentance as well as John See Mark 1.15 6.12 Luk. 10.13 Act. 2.38 and Converts to be baptized probably many of them together in places convenient to be baptized by his Disciples saith S. John himself not baptizing except those his Disciples that baptized others Epist 108. or some one of them to administer it to the rest For as S. Austin he that descended to the Humility of washing their feet would much more to the ministring of baptism but yet if the Apostle saith he was sent to preach not baptize much more might our Lord busied in greater affairs in teaching and relieving the peoples necessities delegate this inferior office to his Apostles as a thing which was to be continued after his departure in the succession of them to the end of the world whereas we do not find that the Baptist committed or propagated this Office to any of his Disciples but continued it only himself till it utterly ceased after that our Lord became more publickly known at the time of Johns imprisonment which followed shortly after For Johns Baptism was only preparatory to that of our Lords his signifying remission and cleansing from former sins through faith in him that came after him Act. 19.4 Our Lords conferred an ability also to live holily for the future by giving the Holy Spirit and planting Gods Grace in the Baptized for newness of life and bringing forth good works Though those extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit also was not as yet conferred as were after our Lords Ascention and sending down the Holy Ghost at Pentecost in all its miraculous and Stupendious operations and effects Of which effects it is that the Evangelist speaks when he saith chap. 7.39 That the Spirit was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified Such a difference therefore being between John's and our Lords Baptism S. Johns hindred not but that those baptized by him came and received it afterward from our Lord by the hands of his Disciples as we see S. Paul meeting at Ephesus with some that had received Johns Baptism yet rebaptized them in the name of the Lord Jesus Act. 19.5 and it cannot be thought but that many of those thousands of Penitents Act. 2.41 and 4.4 that were Baptized by the Apostles had received it formerly from John § 188 The Baptist also to give way to our Lord so soon as he began to make his peragrations in the Country and Cities of Judea had removed farther off toward Galilee and so nearer also to the Court of Herod He having often changed his station to communicate his Ministry during his time appointed more freely to several parts of the Nation Who at the first preached on the West or hither side of Jordan in the wilderness of Judea where he had formerly spent his life not very remote from his Fathers house after removed to Bethabara beyond Jordan in Peraea belonging to Herods Jurisdiction where our Lord was baptized by him Hence also departed further from Jerusalem left as I said to our Lord and from the Pharisees his great Enemies into the more Northern parts baptizing now not in Jordan but in Enon upon the coasts of Galilee not far from Jordan and where was a River flowing into it Whence probably King Herod also hearing of his Fame sent for him heard his Sermons and consulted him also in his Affairs But of this more hereafter § 189 Whilst our Lord thus preached in Judea and John in the Borders of Galilee the self same Doctrine and Gospel Repentance and the Kingdom of Heaven and Salvation brought into the world by the Son of God Jesus to whom John bare witness as such and whilst both were frequented by much people but our Lord by many more than John as for other reasons his great Majesty and authority in Teaching his Miracles of all sorts so for Johns sending and referring all men to Jesus and Johns Baptism also relating to his for compleating it Satan upon this begun to stir up some emulation and controversy between their followers and also concerning the dignity of their persons as appears by John's answer to them which was to be preferred the Disciples of John having a zeal for their Master strangely severe and mortified in his diet apparel fasts retreats and one from whom our Lord also received his Baptism and yet seeing a much greater concourse of people after our Lord one more free and popular in his Conversation and many more receiving Baptism from him than from John and on the other side our Lords followers among the Jews justly and that from the Baptists own mouth and frequent confession preferring both the Baptism and Person of Jesus This then doubtless was some ground of their Contest but some think there might be some disputation also between the Disciples of John and of the Pharisees concerning the Virtue of the former Mosaical Purification and cleansing viz. whether those not equal or much preferrable with this new Rite introduced by the Baptist and afterward continued by Jesus Hence S. John's Disciples came to him and told him complainingly that the person who came to him for
of these Samaritans being Israelites and many Jews also when obnoxious to the Laws or for some other secular advantages removing thither out of Judea After which times also another Anti-Temple about one hundred and fifty years before our Lords coming was erected in Egypt for the Jews flying together with Onias a Son of the High Priest when as persecuted by Antiochus Epiphanes which Temple perished as also the other near the time of the destruction of that in Jerusalem and both these forraign Temples seem preludiums of Gods worship shortly to be made common to the whole world This is premised for the better understanding of what follows § 197 Near to this City Sychem and this Mount was a Well digged by Jacob and then made use of by the City And here our Lord travelling on foot and wearied with his mornings journey it being now about noon and the heat of the day sat down on the side of the Well to rest himself it as a place of resort likely having some Trees and shade about it whilst the Disciples went into the Town to buy some meat for his and their dinner For the Jews had no commerce or conversation with the Samaritans when absolute necessity did not require it as this of travellers buying victuals of them so as to ear and drink and lodg with them being accounted by them Schismaticks and unclean which caused also the same enmity against and separation of the Samaritans at least some of them from the Jews see Luk. 9.53 the other Samaritans seem herein more remiss see vers 56. Whilst our Lord was here left alone a Samaritan woman came thither out of the City to draw water This happened also to be a woman that had had already five husbands either all already deceased or she by divorce separated from them for in latter times women also used to procure divorces from their husbands and that now lived incontinently with one not married to her § 198 Our Lord thirsty with his journey and desiring to entertain some further spiritual discourse with her concerning the salvation of this poor wretch requested of her some water to drink upon which she somewhat wondring asked him why he as appearing by his habit and perhaps his speech a Jew would receive water from her and out of her vessel being a Samaritan and one also it seems that for all the impurity of her life was a Zelot of the Samaritan Religion and way of Gods worship and of their separation from the Jews Here-upon our Lord moved with compassion took occasion to preach the new Gospel and to reveil himself to her and turning the mention of water with a Metaphor and to enter without force or abruption into pious discourse as usually and as we find he doth by and by concerning meat and again concerning harvest told her that he was a person from whom she might expect a greater curtesy and that if she had well known the Gift of God and who he was she would have begged water of him rather the true water quenching all thirst and in the receiving of it a Well continually abounding i. e springing up in all spiritual Graces to everlasting life conferred by it Our Lord here speaking as formerly in his discourse with Nicodemus of the Gift of the Holy Spirit which he came to bestow upon the world and which his Death procured of the Father which being conferred in our regeneration by the water of baptism cures all hunger and thirst after earthly things and fully satisfies and beatifies the Soul Consider Jo. 7.38 39. 6.35 Esai 44.3 § 199 The woman saying she should be glad to receive such water Our Lord the more to encrease her faith in him bad her to call her husband as if it were meet that he also with his wife should share thereof thus taking occasion to discover to her his knowledg of all her former life and condition and for the present of her living in secret concubinage She hereby discerning him to be a Prophet and perhaps to divert him from speaking more of her husband presently begun to consult him concerning Religion who in the present division were in the right the Samaritans or the Jews and where God was more acceptably worshipped in Mount Garizim where the Patriarchs Abraham and Jacob and afterward Joshua by Gods appointment and their fore-fathers that came out of Egypt built an Altar and offered Sacrifices as hath bin said or at Jerusalem a place of a latter consecration and sanctity the Samaritans also rejecting any testimonies produced out of the Prophets against them and see the vehement contest and dispute of the Samaritans and Jews that had bin before this in Alexandria before Ptolemeus Philometer made Judge in a cause Joseph Ant. l. 13. c. 4. § 200 Our Lord after he had first told her that the Samaritans not Jews for the time past were peccant and schismatical herein and the right way of salvation to be among the Jews and so also the Salvation through the Gospel first to be communicated to them proceeds to instruct her concerning the times of the Gospel now at hand wherein all such former Divisions and factions concerning the place of worship should be taken away that God was a Spirit not addicted or confined to Place nor taken with corporeal things and external Ceremonies but only as these were types and prefigurations of spiritual things to come and of his real service by and through Christ but that he expected those now who should worship him in what place soever in spirit and in truth intimating here the abrogation from henceforth of the former legal worship and Ceremonies which was accordingly established by the Apostles Act. 15. a thing that at this time the Samaritans would more willingly hear of than the Jews And he speaks also here to her of worshipping not God in general but the Father the true worshippers will worship the Father For that all worship of God now was to be through Christ his Son and by such as were also made his Sons through Christ Worshipping God also in Spirit seems to be the worship of him in and by the Holy Spirit given through Christ according to those expressions of our Lord to Nicodemus before Jo. 3.6 that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit and Mat. 22.43 David in Spirit called him Lord. And of S. Paul whom I serve in the Spirit Rom. 1.9 and Rom. 8.14 those who are led by the Spirit and vers 9. Ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit § 201 The woman upon our Lords saying the Hour cometh c. replyed that she believed when the Messias should come he would declare all Gods pleasure concerning his worship and remove all the present differences Our Lord told her that himself was the Messias She hearing this and much transported with his former discourse whose words were with authority and setting hearts on fire and bidden also by him to call her husband carelesly leaving
Kingdom of heaven which law also he told them he came not to destroy or to relax as he was traduced but to fulfil and vindicate even to the least tittle thereof Lastly He instructs them in their behaviour and in the right performance of the three great Christian Duties of Praier Almes and Fasting § 257 Concerning Beatitude thus he teacheth them that as to this present life It consisted 1 In Poverty poverty either outwardly in their Estate and temporal fortunes or at least in Spirit and without having joy and consolation in wealth and riches possessed which hath made many having in the reaping no benefit to quit also the trouble of them and to make his Disciples and other Auditors happy in this way tend those Counsels of his following in Mat. c. 6.11 19 24. c. to the end and chap. 7.11 The Beatitude of which poor he declares to be their enjoying hereafter a Kingdom in heaven 2 Again consisted in weeping and mourning for the present a beatitude opposed to sensual pleasures and delights as poverty is to riches the frequent occasion of which mourning in this world our Lord shews in his Relation of the eighth Beatitude because men good and virtuous and lovers of him the world will certainly hate and a thousand waies molest them and so for the prefent Job 16 20. Mundus gaudebit saith our Lord vos autem contristabimini And Omnis disciplina with which God exerciseth here his Servants in praesenti quidem saith the Apostle videtur non esse gaudii sed maeroris and lastly All being sinners it must be a continued penitential sorrow here Heb. 12 11. that shall attain Bliss hereafter Now the felicity of these present mourners is promised hereafter to be perpetual Consolations 3ly Consisted in Meekness humility and lowliness of mind a sure companion of poverty and mourning To which meekness appertain those lessons and Counsels of our Lord following in Mat. chap. 5. from vers 21. to 27. and from vers 38. to the end of that chapter and chap. 6.12.14 and chap. 7.1 the observance of these Counsels being an effect of lowliness of heart And as the reward in the other Beatitudes is said to be the Kingdom of heaven so of this the inheritance of the earth alluding to Psalm 36.11 Mansueti haereditabunt terram perhaps partly because the good things thereof are seldom gotten or at least not long preserved or quietly possessed by turbulent contentious and litigious spirits But the ultimate and eternal inheritance of these meek souls is the new Heaven and Earth spoken of Apoc. 21.1 2. to which this promise relates 4ly Consisted in hungring and thirsting after and pursuing with our whole design the Kingdom of God righteousness and Holiness Lessons and advices tending to the which happiness are those following chap. 6.19 c. and from vers 24. to the end of the Chapter and chap. 7.11 But yet by the woe in S. Luke that is opposed to this Blessed here Woe unto you that are full for ye shall hunger and thirst this beatitude like the former seems to include also a great temperance and abstinence and the not satiating themselves with or having any thirst after secular pleasures and contents These two hungers after earthly and after heavenly things not consisting well together For which see what our Lord saith Mat. 6.24 33. Now to this present hunger and thirst the felicity promised hereafter is a full satiety of all good things § 258 From these our Lord passeth to the Beatitudes attainable here in our behaviour toward our Neighbours and placeth the fifth Beatitude in shewing all mercifulness charity and compassion toward them in all their necessities further explained in his Lessons following in chap 5.44 -6.12 14. -7.1 12. viz. in performing such mercy to them as we in our needs would desire from them freely forgiving without wrath and expostulating which is a degree of revenge all their faults and trespasses toward us Nay even loving them when they hate us blessing when they curse us doing good to them when they evil to us The reward of which our mercy to others is promised hereafter Gods like mercy to us in pardoning all our trespasses against him that excludes us from his friendship and from Glory § 259 The sixth Beatitude consisteth in cleanness and purity not only of our actions abstaining from any wicked deeds against our Neighbour but also in heart opposed to the Pharisees munditia carnis abstaining from Lust and concupiscence and irregular passions there towards him explained in these following Lessons in his Sermon chap. 5.19 observing the little commandments again vers 22 28 29. chap. 6.22 -7.1 2 21. Keeping not only our hands from killing but hearts from any passion of anger against our neighbour not only from committing adultery or fornication with but lusting after a woman not only from accusing our neighbour falsly but making any sinister judgment in our hearts of him wherefore think ye evil in your hearts said our Lord to the Pharisees Mat. 9.3 4. when they said none of him And out of the heart proceed the things which defile us Mat. 15.18 19. For out of the heart saith he proceed because in the heart they are transacted murthers adulteries fornications thefts false-witness blasphemies and out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and how can ye being evil speak good things Mat. 12.34 and there begining every evil and good work And therefore it is on this part that God chiefly casts his eye 1 Sam 16.7 and there sees the breaches of both tables and the beauty or deformity of the soul And the happiness promised hereafter to such purity of heart is their eternal seeing and beholding of God according to Apoc. 22.4 for without such purity none may see him Heb. 12.14 Apoc. 21.27 And an extraordinary fruition and sense of his Divine presence in such pure hearts also here in this present life Jo. 14.23 § 260 The seventh is placed in the zeal on all occasions of making and preserving peace amongst all first negociating the peace of all men with God which was the Apostles employment 2 Cor. 5.10 to reconcile men to God and especially our own peace with him keeping all quiet and in due subordination within our selves in the obedience of the flesh and inferiour appetites to the Spirit 2ly Again procuring by all means the peace of men among themselves where either they have given us or we them any offence endeavouring a speedy reconcilement contributing here even so far as not to resist the evil received from them patiently to put-up quarrels and endure affronts suffer wrong from rather than go to law with them 1 Cor. 6.7 Taking all things said or done in good part and the best sense See 1 Cor. 7.15 Rom. 12.18 the likelyest waies surely to gain every ones peace with us and lastly making them also friends as much as we can one with another as Christ came down from heaven and shed
this he alfo assured them that tho they were not to do to others what others in any kind of evil did to them Yet that whatever they did to others the same should be done again to them and as they meted in their behaviour and carriage to others in good or evil in forgiving and giving to them or in smiting or robbing them it should be measured to them again Gods justice taking great care of it as he did before being complained-to of the mans paying the last farthing an exact measure full pressed down and shaken together and running over and this done to them by others Gods instruments therein though they saw no cause to expect or fear it from the same persons to whom themselves had formerly done good or harm that therefore on this account they should also forbear judging censuring or condemning others that themselves might not be so And that they should rather endeavour to see the greater faults in themselves than blame the smaller of their Neighbours and to cast the beam out of their own eye before they pick the motes out of other mens that otherwise in their attempting to rectify lead and guide others whilst themselves also are blinded the end thereof will only be their falling both into the pit § 272 Our Lord having thus expounded the true extent of several precepts especially if they would observe them in such a degree as might attain Christian perfection which precepts were formerly much mis-understood proceeds further to instruct them in the manner of their performance in general of their good works and of those three great Christian Duties the first relating to God the second to our Neighbour the third to our selves Prayer Almes and Fasting or mortification and subduing of the flesh to the Spirit of their performing these so as that they might be acceptable to and rewardable with God whilst the Pharisees in all these doing them with a wrong intention lost but their labour and charge Rewardable I say For as in Almes and charities to our neighbour God hath engaged to pay to us again and that pressed down what ever good we do to others So in Prayer he looks upon us as much honouring him thereby and in fasting as suffering something for his sake in order to better serving him by subduing of the flesh and so also for these in his great bounty provides a reward But in all these our Lord saw the vain-glorious Pharisees to loose their recompence with God by doing them to be seen of men as by their sounding a Trumpet for gathering together the poor when they had almes to bestow as is said also to be done in distributing the poors Tithes and as their standing in the market-place to perform their Devotions supposed to be made there for Gods rewarding their Benefactors and for averting his judgments from the people c. By this device gaining much charities from silly women and by their hanging down their heads and looking pittifully when they fast upon like occasions But our Lord told his that these duties to be recompenced by God were to be so cleansed from all applause from men as that in the distributing of their Almes if it were possible the left hand should not know what the right was doing and that in fasting they should rather disguise it by washing their face and anointing their Head and in their prayer that they should betake themselves to their Closet and shut the door after them for that thus the more they endeavoured to hide their work the more would God that seeth all secret things manifest it in a publick rewarding thereof § 273 That also in their prayers they should not use many vain repetitions like the heathen out of any diffidence in God as if he knew or understood not their wants before they asked him or was averse or careless in relieving them before with many words perswaded thereto For that if they so evil natured rejected not the prayers of their children but give all things necessary or good for them how much more would the infinite goodness and kindness of their Heavenly Father do the same § 274 Thus our Lord endeavours to arm them with much faith and confidence in their devotions knowing how necessary this is to the good success of their prayers and to fortify them against all distrust either of his divine omniscience or paternal compassion But here we must not forget that the same our Lord elsewhere much recommends assiduity and importunity in prayer as nâ—cessary to excite those holy affections in us which may render us more capable of his Favours Upon this account pist 121. St. Austine in his Epistle to the religious Lady Proba giving her directions concerning her prayer exhorteth her especially to the spending of much time therein instancing for it in the importunate widdow and neighbour Luk. 18. commended by our Lord. For that saith he there a nobler effect will follow where a more fervent affection goes before And That such importunity and perseverance is necessary that our desire faith hope may not in some manner grow cold For neither saith he is praying long time as some imagine to pray with much speaking Much discourse is one thing a continued affection another For it is written of our Lord himself that he continued all night in prayer and that he prayed longer or more vehemently where what did he but give us an example Luk. 6.12 22.43 c Thus he commending to us not many words but much affection praying long and saying little For their praier also he prescribed them that form full of Spirit but sparing in words Our Father c. where in the first place we give and offer up all Glory to this celestial Father desiring that every where and in all things his name may be Sanctified his Kingdom come and his will be done Then we petition for our selves viz. for the supply of our daily necessaries for the pardon and remission of our former sins and offences against God but for the obtaining of this engaging also the remission of other mens trespasses against us without which he tells us no pardon was to be expected of any from God he indeed remitting us pounds for our remitting pence then for the future his delivering us from any temptations that may hereafter induce us to offend him and from any evil punishment or misery deserved by our former having offended him Only for one of these Petitions the obtaining pardon of our offences against him he layes one burden upon us namely our engaging the remission of other mens trespasses against us and that so full as we desire his towards us without doing which he tells us no pardon is to be expected from him § 275 This of the contents of our Lords Sermon as it seems relating more generally to all Another part of his speech he applyed more particularly to his Disciples telling them that they were the Salt of the earth which he had provided
higher Degree were now by God or by our Lord himself withheld from his human nature or from his lower-self here in the Garden For had our Lord wanted these spiritual pangs and these anguishes of his soul he had wanted one of the greatest if not the very greatest sufferings of mankind besides which inward Anguish what external temptations also our Lords human Nature might suffer from Satan now in the greatest Relaxation also that ever was of the power or darkness Luk. 22.53 Jo. 14.30 12.31 immediatly forerunning the great conquest over it we know not § 12 Now therefore it pleased the divine Majesty to the End that his Son might pass through all our temptations and sorrows and suffer all manner of sufferings such as are innocent for and before us Tentatus per omnia ut possit compati infirmitatibus nostris Heb. 4.15 As also for our encouragement in the like It pleased him I say now so far to suspend from the humanity of our Lord the influences of the Divinity and so far to withdraw and Eclipse the consolations of the holy Spirit as that it is to be presumed by his unparallelled Agony that never any of his Followers have or can suffer the like without falling away from his innocence for through his strength it is that all they are valiant or do persevere And we see when some drops onely of the same storm fell on the Disciples how soon they shrunk under them not onely like us then he was in all our innocent infirmities even those of the soul and natural affections thereof as well as those of the body and senses thereof but far beyond us That in all things even in human miseries and in those miseries also spiritual desolations so far as innocent he might have the preeminence and that out of the depth of this his humiliation might be raised a greater exaltation and that also how much greater in him the natural fear and horrour of death seemed to be so much more his love to us might be demonstrated that notwithstanding for us he would so chearfully undergo it all And whereas his Divinity could so easily have hindered or mastered and diverted any such tender apprehension and sense of greif in the lower faculties which he doth also not unfrequently in his Martyrs the joyes of their spirit and superior part drowning and intercepting the Greif and Paines of the inferiour whilst the intensiveness of the soul to one act disenableth it as to all other yet he to march before us in all our greifs voluntarily admitted also our sorrows and anxieties of spirit to the highest Degree that might include no Rebellion in it against the subjection due to Reason and to God § 13 Which Greif of his upon another ground also became the more advanced by reason of his divine prescience of all future Events Whilst all those torments also which his innocent flesh was to undergo now presented themselves in their proper i. e. in a most bloody malitious cruel shape stood and passed before his all-foreseeing eyes of which no other sufferer ever had such a fore-sight as himself At this sight therefore being already a Spectator in Spirit of whatever he was to act or feel in his person His flesh began to have horror and a supernatural fear of death and a mortal sadness and amazement to seize upon him Mat. 26.37 Mark 14.33 He began 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the Evangelists coepit pavere taedere as the vulgar renders it And now the inferiour faculties of his soul as it were rose up to plead for the preserving of the life and liberty of an onely son from his fathers knife of such a Son as had never once offended his Majesty in all his life in any thing little or great Nor by any sin of his forfeited these especially when it may be presumed That that world also which had sinned might many other waies have found a redemption from the contrivance of the divine Wisdom rather than by his only Son's sufferings or if onely by these yet surely all the worlds guilt might have bin abundantly expiated by all those sufferings and straits and annihilations of his Glory undergon formerly or also if blood be necessary for remission by his blood shed for it already in his Circumcision or also here in the Garden § 14 To which quick sense of his own sufferings and cruel Death some imagine were added many other sad representations concerning others such as these His foresight that notwithstanding all his sufferings the most part of mankind by their own wilfulness and impenitency should be nothing benefited by them the approaching temporal and spiritual desolation for so long a time of his own Nation the Jews and the Apostacy also of so many Nations in later times from the faith after rooted among them the miseries of Judas his Disciple which troubled him not a little at the supper Jo. 13.21 Mat. 26.26 and heavy wrath of God that would pursue his Enemies cruelty and injustice not knowing what they did which also troubled him when on the Cross On another side the great sufferings which so many Martyrs and Confessors should undergo for his sake whose torments his infinite love of them made his own the scandal and Desolation also of his poor Disciples and Peters iterated denial of such a Master The afflictions of his dear Mother a Spectator of such cruelties to her innocent Son and so highly meriting from all the Nation All which and much more presenting it self to him whose omniscience suffered no human infelicities to be hid from him struck to the heart so passionate a Lover of all Mankind and one who had descended so low to make them happy now that he had suspended all those other thoughts and considerations which might easily counterpoise and weigh down these § 15 In this disconsolation voluntarily assumed by him for our sakes and example he reveals his present Anguish and distress to his three dearly beloved Servants tells them that his Soul was sorrowful even to the death and desires them but for one hour for so long he saw it was to the arrival there of his mortal Enemies to watch with him And then seeking further privacy and leaving them also as formerly the other eight to their devotions and prayers as it were a second Guard or Watch behind him he retires yet further from them about the distance of a stonescast And here we may look upon him as the forlorn and accursed Goat for he was made a curse for us saith the Apostle Gal. 3.13 that was turned away into the Wilderness going into this solitude with all the sins of all the world by the hands of all the congregation of mankind from the beginning thereof laid upon his head and all the vengeance or his Father's wrath due unto them as it were now pursuing him at the greatness of which wrath we may well Guess by the Eternity and extremity of those torments which are inflicted
the Paschal Lamb his Type without a bone of him being broken Of Moses his smiting of the rock and so water gushing out of it of his nailing a brazen Serpent on a Pole that all who looked with faith upon it might be healed as our Lord also came in similitudine peccati of Aarons dry and withered Rod afterwards rebudding and flourishing of Jonah lying three daies in the Whales belly and afterwards cast up now also he expounded to them Daniels weeks remembred them of Hosea's chap. 6.3 vivificavit nos post duas dies in die tertia suscitabit nos and of Davids Psal 15.10 Non dabis Sanctum tuum videre corruptionem And de torrente in via bibet propterea exaltabit caput Of Zachary's chap. 13.6 7. Quae sunt plagae istae in medio manuum tuarum and his Percutiam Pastorem dispergentur oves These and all the forementioned descriptions of his passion especially in the Prophet Esay chap. 5.3 and in the Ps 21. and 68. he set before them and many more in these Books than man's weak apprehensions hath bin able to discover the whole History and Prophecies of the Old Testament principally prefiguring and representing the great Mystery of the salvation of mankind that was in the latter daies to be wrought by the Son of God These things our Lord discoursed continuing his Speech till they were now arrived at the Village where their business called them whilst their hearts were all on fire in hearing what he said according to that of the Psalmist Ps 18.15 Ignitum eloquium tuum c. Our Lord making as though he would have gone further gave them occasion to shew their hospitality and so importuned by them to stay and eat with them or also to stay all night the day being near an end and they infinitly longing after more of his conversation and discourse he yeilded to their request and so sitting down at Table he took the bread blessed brake and gave it them suddainly appearing to them in his own likeness or also performing this Ceremony in some singular manner of benediction as was formerly his custome well known at least to Cleophas Josephs Brother used to the same table Or because we may imagine our Lords actions done in the most perfect manner in this breaking of bread celebrating with them the memorial of his Passion after his long discourse thereof in the holy Eucharist sometimes expressed by breaking of bread see Acts 20.7 2.46 after he had first sufficiently instructed them in this great Mistery wherein he now when personally departing yet would continue a miraculous presence of himself to his Church to the end of the world After which given them and their hospitality thus amply rewarded upon eating it their eyes also were no longer held but that they clearly discerned with great reverence his Sacred Majesty now in his own form and likeness and knew him and after this he suddainly departed out of their sight § 126 The two Disciples ravished with what they had seen and heard yet by our Lords suddain withdrawing himself their joy not unmixed with some sadness presently returned back that Evening to Jerusalem and told the company there assembled all that had hapned their being two together rendring their testimony more credible where they found the Disciples also relating our Lords appearance to Peter They reported also to them his Sermon and the types in the law and the Prophets presignifying such his sufferings before his entrance into his Kingdom notwithstanding which though many of them were much perswaded yet some others saith St. Mark chap. 16.13 still remained incredulous probably arguing from our Lord 's presently vanishing both from the women and from St. Peter and last from these two at Emaus that it was some Spirit only appearing in his likeness For the same conceit they had also by and by when our Lord appeared to themselves Luk. 24.37 § 127 After so many messages and ocular Witnesses of his Resurrection sent to them for the trial of their faith and all by some of them still discredited now late at night as they were after Supper sitting and debating these things and some it seems still contradicting the doors being fast shut for fear of the Jews who also had spread a report of them that they had stoln away our Lords Body our Lord himself suddainly appeared in the midst of them at which they were at first much affrighted thinking him some night-walking-Spirit knowing the doors to be firmly bolted and perceiving him descending rather then entring in among them But our Gracious Lord soon allayed this astonishment saluting them with a Pax vobis the usual and Antient salutation of the Jews but this pax of his extraordinary and not sicut Mundus Jo. 14.27 working in the Soul the effect whilst he spake with his mouth the words Then mildly reprehended them that they had remained so obstinatly incredulous to the Eye-witnesses that came to them in a matter also so often foretold them nor yet believed their own eyes at present but took him for a Spirit then proceeded to discover and shew them the scars of the wounds he had received in his hands feet and side those noble scars which his glorified Body in heaven still retains eternal Witnesses of his love to mankind and with which he will appear at his second coming for the greater confusion of his Enemies when saith S. John Apo. 1.7 they shall look on him whom they have pierced and whose tender of mercy after it they also rejected He bad them also to feel and handle his true flesh and bones different from Spirits therefore saith the Apostle not only Quod audivimus quod vidimus but manus nostrae contrectaverunt de verbo vitae Then what only remained for their satisfaction whilst the excess of their Joy and wonder still suspended their full assent and belief he called for meat and eat also before them of that poor fare which they were provided of though in this great Feast and to which our Lord also had bin most accustom'd a piece of a broild fish and of an hony-comb the one plentiful in the woods of this countrey and the other a common food among Fishermen perhaps the relicks of their Supper but now ended Of which after he had eaten he gave to them the remainder saith the vulgar in S. Luke chap. 24.43 Et cum manducasset coram eis sumens reliquias dedit eis To partake of what he Sanctified and that they might say they had eat and drunk with him as also those at Emaus See Act. 1.4 After he had thus eaten before them and by all these waies satisfied them excepting only Thomas absent of the truth and reality of that the Testimony of which they were to spread abroad through all the world and for which afterwards to lay down their lives he made much what to them the same Sermon or Discourse as to the two Disciples that went to Emaus instructing them in
some reluctance we may conceive of his Parent 's inclinations and their greater admiration of such an humiliation considering his person but this inclination checked with a most exact observance of him in whatsoever he seemed addicted to I say this sufficiently appears from the words Mat. 13.55 56. and Mark 6.3 where upon our Lords entring upon his office and after some time coming also to his own Town Nazareth with a train of his Disciples and a great fame of his Miracles following him there to preach the Gospel among his Kindred and acquaintance it is said the Citizens wondred whence he should have that wisdom and knowledg and those mighty works considering his mean education and Kindred among them stiling him there the Carpenter's Son and in S. Marke plainly Maries Son and himself called the Carpenter for before that time it seems S. Joseph was deceased Wherein we see it was his Fathers good pleasure the more to shew Our Lords wisdom and knowledg to descend from above and to be infused by him that sent him that he should neither be sent to the famous School in Jerusalem for teaching and learning the Law as S. Paul was Act. 22.3 nor to any of those Synagogues mentioned Act. 6.9 Nor educated in the Temple among the Priests as Holy Samuel was being from a child dedicated to the Lord nor should retire into the Desart for Solitude and Contemplation as the Baptist Lives surely our Lord if indulging his own will would much sooner have chosen but in this his state of Exinanition should descend far below John and take on him not the form of an Hermit or Contemplatist but of a Servant and a poor Apprentice to an ordinary Trade and herein should earn his own victuals and serve his neighbours also as any had use of him for the greatest part of his life And as it was appointed that at 12 years of age before such Divine knowledg could be acquired by Industry he should make an admirable discovery thereof among the Doctors in the Temple tho this was then ungratefully or also enviously not taken any notice of by them so it was ordained also that all his youth should be spent in this laborious handycraft Whereby it might be most evident he stood in no need of human Arts or Sciences and also he might give the world an example after so great an humiliation of his being Gods only Son not to disdain to serve our neighbour in the lowest manual offices in any necessities concerning his Body or also Estate as well as Spiritual but whereby also he might the better disguise and hide the Dignity of his person till he had descended yet further to the lowest step of his Humiliation and accomplished his Passion on the Cross sect 121 For we find this education and mechanick trade of his to have bin a main scandal and after that his admirable doctrine and works had given an occasion of his being more enquired after to have bin spread all abroad and well known not only at Nazareth or in Galilee but at Jerusalem For Jo. 7.15 in the third year of his preaching as he taught in the Temple it is said the Jews marvelled and said How knoweth this man letters or learning having never learned From which also may be gathered that in his Sermons like to that discourse of his in going to Emaus were mixed many profound and convincing Expositions of the Law and Prophets and such as were not attainable by others if at all without much study therein To whom our Lords answer in the next verse giving this reason Viz. that they might know that his doctrine was not his acquired by any his industry or Art but his that sent him Learnt and revealed from above and brought out of the bosome of his Father Jo. 1.18 And his very kindred from this mean exercise of his youth when afterward he began to open and discover the hidden treasures of his wisdom not believing on him saith the Text Jo. 7.5 asked him why if he was such as he made himself he staid amongst them in Galilee and went not into Judea to shew himself there among the Learned when indeed our Lords usual abode in Galilee was for the safety of his Life Thus our Lords Carpentership was made no small mortification to him § 122 But yet this is imagined such Carpentors work as was exercised at home Some think that of a Wheel-wright and making Ploughs and Yokes and other instruments of husbandry for the service of his Neighbors Aratra conficiens Juga boum saith S. Justin Martyr Contra Tryphonem a very ancient Father this suting much better with the retirement and Devotions of so Holy a family and also with the privacy of our Lord's education than seeking here and there work abroad in other men's houses And this trade it is probable our Lord followed for some time after Josephs decease by those words in S. Marke Is not this the Carpenter the Son of Mary and so a little after our Lords Baptism mention is made of his Mother only none of Joseph as Jo. 2.1 Matt. 12.47 It seeming good to the Divine wisdom to leave our Lord for some time before his manifestation without any reputed Father here on Earth whose true Father was in Heaven Thus our Lord the second Adam eat his Bread for many years in the sweat of his browes subjecting himself herein to the curse laid upon the first his sinning fore-father in a Trade requiring much strength and force And his Trade an Emblem if happily an house-wright of his rebuilding that house of God which the other former had destroyed § 123 4ly It may further be gathered from the many hardships suffered even in our Lords tender Infancy his being born in a poor Stable carried away presently after in so weak an age some hundreds of miles into a strange Country and again brought back from thence as also from what is prophetically said of him by David In Laboribus a juventute mea Again from his many times professing that he came not to do his own will but the will of his Father where his own will denyed intimates natural inclinations different from his Fathers appointments concerning him but yet exactly subjected thereto and that he came not to be ministred to but to minister and when he had so many attendants that his behaviour amongst them was as of one that served and as one that waited on and provided for them whilst they sate at Table See Luke 22.27 spoken upon occasion of their striving among themselves for Honour and about that time also his washing their feet and lastly from the Apostle's expression that he took on him the form not of a man only but a servant From all these I say we may well argue that his youth was not passed without many mortifications and hardships such as poverty and handy-labour affords many great self-denials an exact obedience of his child-hood to his Superiours according to the flesh
such as a wise man suffers whose duty obligeth him to the service and sometimes undiscreet commands though in things lawful of a person of much less understanding unless we may rather think that the Holy Spirit by him guided his Parents in all those commands whereto it required his obedience § 124 And among such his mortifications this seems no small one that considering who he was the word and wisdom of God and by whom God formerly made the world he should have a law of silence for so long a time imposed upon him as to any function as yet of his ministry or discovery of his wisdom even when there was in his seeing the great follies of the world occasion shall I say or rather a great necessity thereof Nay in the Sabbaths when all frequented the Synagogues which were in every City and there the law and Prophets read to the people Act. 13.27 and among others his most devout Parents together with himself that after his forementioned dispute with the Doctors at Jerusalem and after he was now arrived to mans estate from 20 years old till 30 he should patiently stand there among the rest in the quality of a mean labourer and this the Law-giver himself in silence hear the expositions of it not alwaies free from errour by others which rendered his fellow-Citizens so astonisht when afterward he who had bin so long an Auditor with them now shewed himself a Doctor A stupendious Humility and Obedience this so long practised in so Soveraign a dignity and an hard lesson for those to imitate who have parts To our Lord therefore stooping by Obedience to such a condition seems principally to be applied that complaint of the Psalmist Psalm 38. Posui ori meo custodiam cum consisteret peccator adversum me Obmutui humiliatus sum silui a bonis sermonibus dolor meus renovatus est Concaluit cor meum intra me in meditatione mea exardescet ignis whilst he whom a fire of Zeal for his Fathers glory and for the salvation of mankind continually burnt and consumed See Jo. 2.17 Conversed among the ignorant and sinners without being permitted either to instruct the one or reprove the other whilst he who to use the expression of Elihu Job 32 was full of words and his belly as new Wine without vent and that breaketh new Vessels was so long to be dumb and as one that heareth not and in whose mouth are no reproofs No discourses I say saving such as did not transcend the appearance of his exteriour condition and manner of Education and emploiment and such conversation as in a private life gave good example to his few acquaintance and friends remaining so many years even whilst repairing in the State of his man-hood to Jerusalem and the Temple and the great Assemblies of the Nation at the publick feasts as it were a Candle hid under a Bushel and not suffered to diffuse its light walking in this most difficult obedience for so many years to the good pleasure of his heavenly Father as also the same obedience practised the like silence whilst he suffered so many false accusations before his Passion § 125 And the Nazarens rude and uncivil entertainment of him when visiting them afterward and his Brethren and kindred their not believing on him shew well how much he had in his youth ecclipsed and made himself of no account among them at least those that were not more intimately acquainted Wherein he gave the world a great lesson and example of trampling under foot any vain honour and Reputation save that with God and the Citizens of Heaven But indeed had our Lord sooner manifested himself to Israel supposed even from his youth we may conjecture such effect thereof either that the glory of his wisdom and mighty works with the envy of the Great ones accompanying these would have hastened his Death and brought it so much sooner Or such his Excellencies and Dignity of his person in a long time of Conversation with them better known to the Nation would have daunted his enemies and prevented his Death and deprived the world of the precious Benefits thereof and we may say his Father was pleased that he should be so long concealed to us that he might dye for us § 126 In this time of our Lords living at Nazareth and before the 30th year of his age is supposed to have happened the death of S. Joseph there being no more mention made of him as of his Mother and our Lord's Brethren after our Lords publick appearance either at the Marriage in Cana or else-where It seeming good unto his heavenly Majesty that after his Manifestation though a Mother did yet no Father real or reputed should appear that God might be the more looked-on as his Father who also was professed by him to be so no other being in sight nor receiving any honour as such Therefore also is our Lord in St. Mark probably after Josephs decease himself called the Carpenter and the Son of Mary But when ever S. Josephs Death happened doubtless it was undergone with great Resignation and content and after our Lord 's having first made known his heavenly Father's good pleasure both to him and his Mother in which all three most affectionately acquiesced though Joseph by his Death in some sense was to leave and lose his most beloved Jesus Viz. as to the presence of his Humanity wherein his Saints by death do now enjoy him § 127 Now that after so profound an Annihilation and latitancy of our Lord in so mean a fortune and obscure place the time drew near of his manifestation to Israel being God at last descended upon earth to reveal to men the whole Will of his Father and all the Secrets of Heaven A great person and one sanctified from the womb and Quo non major inter natos mulierum as our Lord saith of him was sent some time before to proclaim to the world the near approach and appearance of this heavenly Prince for begetting a greater reverence in them to his person And also to prepare all men by a due Confession of and repentance and doing penance for their sins and correction and amendment of their evil lives which is called the levelling Hills and filling Valleys and making the high waies streight and lastly by their being purified by Baptism for a more worthy and Honourable reception of this great Lord whose Kingdom was not temporal but Spiritual that so nothing in his Subjects at his coming might disgust or displease him And lastly was sent after his making such a proclamation of him before hand to shew also and demonstrate with the finger his very person to them for removing all possible mistake or just excuse § 128 The miraculous Nativity of this Forerunner of Christ in the old age of his Parents foretold by the same Angel as was our Lords and his being full of the Holy Ghost from his very first Being his leaping and