vnwritten traditions of the Ancients onely or whether it were grounded vpon the expresse testimony of Scripture or the written Word of God The second 2. Whether Iohn Baptists firme beliefe of Christs baptizing with the holy Ghost and his owne baptizing with water were grounded onely vpon the internall reuelations made to him in priuate by him that sent him to baptize with water or whether they were grounded likewise vpon expresse testimonies of the written Word interpreted and made knowne vnto him by the same spirit by which the Word was written To both these Questions the answere must be affirmatiue as well the ones prenotion as the others distinct beliefe were both grounded vpon the expresse testimonies of the written Word The onely search or inquiry then to be made is vpon what expresse testimony the one or other was grounded and how our beliefe may be grounded vpon the same testimonies 42. I must request you to remember that God in the Old Testament did fore-shew things to come two wayes eyther by expresse testimony or prediction or by matter of fact or reall representation One and the same future euent is oft times declared or fore-signified both wayes Now predictions merely propheticall are of two sorts Sometimes the Prophets fore-tell things to come in proper and literall termes so as euery man at the first hearing may vnderstand their meaning As the Prophet spake to Ahab 1. Kings chap. 20. vers 42. Because thou hast let goe out of thy hand a man whom I appoynted to vtter destruction therefore thy life shall goe for his life and thy people for his people Sometimes they fore-tell future euents of greater consequence as truely as certainely but by way of parable embleme or allegory Now this kind of prediction and the types or figures of the Law or reall euents haue the same proportion as Poetry and painting It was wittily said Poema est pictura loquens pictura est Poema silens Euery Poem is a kind of speaking picture and euery artificiall picture a kinde of mute and silent Poem And so likewise euery type or ceremony of the Law euery historicall euent portending mysteries Euangelicall is a tacit and silent prophesie and euery propheticall parable was a kind of speaking type or picture of the like euents The euents fore-told or represented by Gods Prophets are alwayes reall and substantiall more than morall more than naturall mysteries truely celestiall and supernaturall Howbeit the representation of such euents or mysteries is oft times merely literall or verball but conceyued in such termes as suppose a feigned metamorpâ—osis in the workes of nature to make the picture more fresh and liuely And this kinde of propheticall expression of things to come we call the emblematicall sence or literall Allegory so that although euery Poet bee not a Prophet yet euery Prophet of the Lord was a true Poet not in faigning euents which neuer were nor neuer should be but in framing pictures of future euents in themselues contingent as exact and fresh as any Painter can make of the man whom hee seeth with his eyes or whose picture hath beene drawne to his hand Now if a Painter could make exact pictures of Children which shall not bee brought forth till the next yeere following we would say he wrought by inspiratioÌ„ of his spirit in whose bookes all their members are written or that his pencill was guided by his hand who found out the birth of man 43. The Prophesies in speciall concerning the manifestation of the Messias and Iohns office or attendance are for the most part conceiued in termes not proper but parabolical or Emblematical that is consisting of literall or verball Allegories Howbeit some of these Prophesies perhaps some passages in all of them point out future euents in literall proper and historicall termes And of euents thus literally and punctually fore-shewed some came not to passe vntill the Messias was reuealed Others were historically verefied long before yet so as the euents which then hapned were by Gods institution true types or shaddowes of mysteries reuealed in the Gospell or to bee reuealed during the time of grace So that one and the same Prophesie is sometimes or in respect of some part of its totall obiect fulfilled according to the plaine literall sense sometimes or in respect of other parts of its obiect it is fulfilled according to the literall Allegory sometimes or in some respect it is fulfilled according to the mystical sense or reall Allegory Amongst other sacred passages which by the confession of the Ancient and moderne malignant Iew haue speciall reference to the dayes of their Messias his reuelation these following are more remarkable Isay cap. 35. cap. 40. of which hereafter And againe I will open riuers in high places and fountaines in the middest of the valleys I will make the wildernesse a poole of water and the drie land springs of water I wil plant in the wildernesse the Cedar the Shittah tree and the Myrtle and the Oyle tree I will set in the desart the Firre tree and the Pine and Boxe tree together That they may see and know and consider and vnderstand together that the hand of the Lord hath done this and the Holy one of Israel hath created it Isaiah 41. vers 18 19 20. Remember yee not the former things neither consider the things of old Behold I will doe a new thing now it shall spring forth shall yee not know it I will euen make a way in the wildernesse and riuers in the desart The beast of the Field shall honour mee the dragons and the owles because I giue waters in the wildernesse and riuers in the Desart to giue drinke to my people my chosen This people the seede of Abraham according to promise haue I formed for my selfe they shall shew foorth my praise But thou hast not called vpon mee O Iacob but thou hast beene weary of mee O Israel That is the seed of Abraham according to the flesh or such as gloried in their carnall prerogatiues of their birth or progeny Isaiah 43 vers 18 19 20 21 22. Goe ye forth of Babylon flee yee from the Caldeans with a voyce of singing declare ye tell this vtter it euen to the end of the earth say ye The Lord hath redeemed his seruant Iacob And they thirsted not when he led them through the desarts he caused the waters to flow out of the rocke for them he claue the Rocke also and the waters gushed out Isaiah 48. vers 20 21. For yee shall goe out with ioy and be led forth with peace the mountaines and the hills shall breake forth before you into singing and all the trees of the Field shall clap their hands Instead of the thorne shall come vp the Firre tree and instead of the bryer shall come vp the Myrtle tree and it shall be to the Lord for a name for an euerlasting signe that shall not be cut off Isaiah 55. ver
of serious conference or commerce they import thus much at least That all the knowledge which Iohn Baptist had of our Sauiour before he baptized him was suggested from consideration of the signe which God had giuen him not from any new internall reuelation of the Spirit altogether distinct from that reuelation by which the signe was giuen vers 33. But he that sent me to baptize with water the same said vnto me Vpon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him the same is he which baptiseth with the holy Ghost And I saw and bare record that this is the Sonne of God His record had not been authentique vnlesse hee had seene the Spirit descend vpon him And his coniecturall knowledge of him as of the Sonne of God before the Spirit did descend vpon him had beene altogether groundlesse without some iust presumption that this was the man vpon whom the Spirit was to descend 51. Maldonat hauing framed the like answer in effect as Iansenius doth seekes to illustrate it thus by example Albeit Iohn Baptist did no more know our Sauiour by face from other men than Samuel did the sonnes of Iesse one of which he was appointed to anoynt King in Sauls stead ouer Israel yet when our Sauiour came to bee baptized he might know him to be the Messias by some such Diuine instinct or reuelation as Samuel knew Dauid whose face he had neuer seene before to be the man whom God had appointed him to anoynt King ouer Israel But of this otherwise iudicious Commentator in his expositions of Prophesies or of the manner how Scriptures are said to be fulfilled that may bee truely said which the French Mathematician did of Cardanus his writings Ingeniose semper rarò perfectè His Expositions in this kind are alwayes acute and witty seldome exact or fully satisfactory And the very instance which he bringeth for illustratiō of this point is very vnfitting very vnlike For it is euident out of the Historie mentioned 1. Sam. cap. 16. ver 3. That although Samuel knew none of Iesse's sonnes by face yet he had distinct reuelations from God some negatiue and expresse Looke not on his countenance nor on the height of his stature because I haue refused him vers 7. Others againe as expressely assertory For when Dauid was brought before him The Lord said Arise anoynt him for this is hee vers 12. Samuel had no visible signe giuen from God whereby to know the man whom he was to anoynt from his brethren but was meerely to rely vpon such reuelations or instructions as God had promised to giue vnto him in the very act or businesse Call Iesse to the Sacrifice and I will shew thee what then shalt doe and thou shalt anoynt vnto mee him whom I name vnto thee 1. Sam. 16. 3. But God as you heard before had giuen to Iohn Baptist an expresse visible signe whereby to distinguish the Messias or him that was to baptize with the Holy Ghost from all other men God did not promise him any such new reuelations or instructions whereby to know him before his Baptisme or in the act of baptizing as he expresly promised to Samuel Nor doth the Euangelist eyther mention or intimate any such reuelations as the History saith were giuen to Samuel to haue beene giuen or made vnto Iohn Baptist before the Holy Ghost did descend vpon our Sauiour So that such reuelations or instructions as Maldonat supposeth were on Samuels part altogether necessary because hee had no visible signe giuen him but in this businesse of Iohn Baptist altogether superfluous The exhibition or production of the visible signe which God had promised him was the onely new reuelation which he was to rely vpon 52. I will not trouble you with the variety of opinions or expositions of seuerall Commentators from none of which I haue receyued any full satisfaction my selfe All of them haue omitted one poynt which in euery controuersie ought in the first place to be enquired after And it is this Whether there be not a Meane betweene the opposite or controuerted opinions The opposite opinions in this argument are two The one That the holy Ghost did descend vpon our Sauiour in Iohns presence before he was baptized by Iohn The other That Iohn did know our Sauiour before his baptisme by some speciall immediate reuelation of the Spirit Now it is not necessary that Iohn should know him by eyther of these two waies There is an apparant meane or middle way betwixt them by which Iohn might come to such knowledge as he had of our Sauiour before the Holy Ghost did in the sight of the people descend vpon him And this meane wee may suppose to bee the opening or vnfolding of some Propheticall passage whose meaning before Iohn had neyther occasion in particular to obserue nor opportunity to discerne Howbeit this knowledge of Scriptures may be called a reuelation but ordinary and mediate such as the Ministers of the Gospell may at this day haue by the helpe of Commentaries by collation of Scripture with Scripture or of historicall euents with Prophesies precedent the signes of the time being in all ages the best Commentators and as it were substitutes to the spirit of Prophesie or Reuelation Now although the Euangelist neyther mention any speciall reuelation made vnto Iohn after God had giuen him a signe whereby to know our Sauiour nor intimate any probable ground for such coniectures yet they Saint Marke especially relate such circumstances of our Sauiours comming to Iohn as might well occasion him to call to minde a peculiar passage concerning Christs Baptisme mentioned by the Prophet Isay which otherwise perhaps had not beene thought of or whose meaning although hee had thought of it Iohn could not for the present haue vnderstood without such Comments or Expositions as the manner of our Sauiours comming to Baptisme did make vpon it Now the testimonies of the Scripture long before written especially the Propheticall testimonies or predictions of things to come are no way superfluous eyther where new reuelations though made by God to following Prophets viua voce or visible signes are giuen or promised but rather subordinate and concurrent that is to speake more plainely as well all new reuelations made by the Spirit whether viua voce or otherwise as all visible signes or wonders which God doth promise or worke are to be examined and authorised by his Word already written specially by the predictions of the Prophets And all new reuelations or visible signes or wonders which haue beene are or shall be if they proceed from God or the spirit of Truth are alwayes true Commentaries or expositions of some part or other of the written Word and pledges withall of some greater Mystery to come afterwards to bee fulfilled for their good to whom such reuelations or signes are giuen and made 53. The historicall relation of Saint Marke whose circumstances might leade Iohn and now may leade vs vnto
his soule Againe if one man giue another poyson the other may be said to haue poyson giuen him or to be Grāmatically passiue But it is one thing to haue poyson giuen him another to be poysoned This latter includes a real passion or bodily mutation though from better to worse from life to death He that hath a medicine giuen him is in common speech termed a Patient and is Grammatically passiue But euery one that is thus farre passiue as to haue a medicine giuen him is not instantly medicined cured or healed for this includes a reall operation or amendment of that which was amisse in the body In like manner in as much as our Sauiour preached the Gospell equally and indifferently to all all that heard him might bee alike truely and literally said to haue had the Gospell preached vnto them if wee respect onely the Grammatical sense and signification of the word But it is one thing to say that all had the Gospell preached vnto them and another thing to say all were Euangelizati For this latter was peculiar only to the poore in spirit They only tooke this stampe or impression of the Gospell which was preached to all Briefely the originall phrase doth literally and naturally import as true or reall an alteration or transmutation in the soules of such as were poore in spirit as the former miracles heere mentioned did in the bodies of the blinde the lame the deafe the Leprous or dead Now it is not said that the blind had their sight proffered or promised vnto them or that the lame were onely made to walke or the Leapers cleansed onely in hope or by way of promise But all of them were truely and actually cured of their infirmities of body and so no question were the poore in spirit as truely cured as truely healed of their infirmities of their soules They had beene as truely dead vnto the life of the spirit as those whom Christ is heere said to haue raised vp were vnto the life of the body But now they are raised vp to newnesse of life enlightened to see the truth and enabled to walke not after the flesh but after the spirit And whereas before they had beene the bond slaues of sinne wherewith their soules were more foulely stained or tainted than these Leapers bodies were with leprosie they are now freed and cleansed from the guilt and raigne of sinne and made the seruants of righteousnes Thus much is included in these last words Pauperes euangelizantur and this transmutation of their soules was or might haue bin as conspicuous or obseruable to Iohns Disciples as the changing of Sauls mind or spirit was vnto the Israelites after Samuel had anoynted him King 1. Sam. cap. 10. ver 9. This Interpretation of this place is made vnto our hands by our Sauiour himselfe the best Interpreter of his owne words for so hee saith Luke 6. ver 20. Blessed be yee poore setting his eyes on his Disciples for yours is the Kingdome of God This blessing of Interest in the Kingdom of God here bequeathed by our Sauiour vnto the poore is in effect the same with these words in my Text Pauperes euangelizantur of which their Interest in the Kingdome of God is the true reall and formall effect For the Gospell is called the Kingdome of God because it instateth such as receiue the impression of it that is the Euangelizati in the Kingdome of God or of heauen The Kingdome of God in Scriptures is twofold and hath two importances Sometimes it importeth the Kingdome of Grace which the poore in spirit attaine vnto it in this world Somtimes it importeth the Kingdome of Glory which no man shall attaine vnto but in the world to come The Kingdome of Grace there bequeathed had two parts the one ordinary to continue throughout all ages which did consist in the raigne or soueraignty of the spirit ouer the flesh the other extraordinary yet vsuall in that time and did consist in the raigne or soueraignty of such poore men as Christs Disciples were ouer Satan and his angels And this part of the Kingdome of grace or this effect of it was more conspicuous and visible vnto others and was one of those workes or miracles which Iohns Disciples might heare and see and make faith or true relation vnto their Master Now the blessednes heere promised by our Sauiour or so much of it as men are capable of in this life consisteth in the former part of the Kingdome of Grace that is in the soueraignty of the spirit ouer the flesh Both parts of this obseruation are set forth vnto vs by our Sauiour Luk. 10. vers 17 18 19. The Seuentie returned againe with ioy saying Lord euen the Diuels are subiect vnto vs through thy name And hee said vnto them I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heauen Behold I giue vnto you power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions and ouer all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any meanes hurt you Notwithstanding in this reioyce not that the Spirits are subiect vnto you but rather reioyce because your names are written in heauen All the poore which are heere said to be Euangelizati were thereby instated in the Kingdome of Grace and made the sonnes of God as it is written Ioh. 1. ver 12. As many as receiued him to them gaue hee power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a priuiledge or faculty to be the sonnes of God and heyres apparent vnto the Kingdome of Glory This is all one as to haue their names written in the Booke of life 21. But heere the Iesuite at least the Moncke or begging Fryer who takes the pouerty which he voweth to be an Euangelicall perfection containing in it a title of merit to the blessednesse heere mentioned would reply that by the poore mentioned Lu. 6. v. 20. the poore in spirit only are to be vnderstood though not expressed because the poore in spirit are expressed by Saint Matthew who relates the selfe-same story Chap. 5. which Saint Luke doth in that 6. Chap but in as much as the story or relation heere in my Text is not the same with either of the former two it will not so cleerely follow that the poore in spirit are here onely to be vnderstod Yet it is a rule in Logicke and it is a rule of reason Quaecunque conueniunt in al◠quo tertio conueniunt etiam inter se. From which rule it will cleerely follow that if as well these words of my Text as those of Saint Luke chap. 6. vers 20. be but Euangelicall expressions of one and the same Propheticall prediction in which the poore in spirit are to be vnderstood this my Text must be meant of the poore in spirit as well as those other words of Saint Luke or Saint Matthew But of the consonancy of the Euangelist and the Prophet by Gods assistance hereafter 22. You haue heard and I make no question but you doe beleeue That whatsoeuer your
Heauen and Earth should be as visibly enthronized in Sion as Dauid had beene and that hee should begin to erect a Kingdome which was neuer to haue an end this was a wonder worthy to bee taken notice of by all the world Now that this God of Sion by whose protection Moses had led Israel out of Aegypt vnder whose conduct Iosuah brought them into the Land of Promise that hee who had anoynted Dauid King should himselfe be anoynted King ouer Sion was the true and literall meaning of the Psalmist in this and the like places of which hereafter Of this ranke is that Prophesie of Isaias chap. 40. vers 5. with which Iohn Baptist was well acquainted for hee had his Commission from it The glory of the Lord shall be reuealed and all flesh shall see it together for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Such an open distinct and full sight as these words literally import supposeth an obiect truly visible and within ken of ordinary and common sight God in his glory is altogether inuisible to flesh and bloud and though he had taken visible shape vpon him in the Heauens yet so hee had still remayned inuisible to men that haue their habitation here on earth That vnto them hee might become visible and that they might see his glory together so see it as they were seene of it that hee might see them and they see Him with the eyes of flesh He tooke vp our flesh for his Tabernacle and walked and talked amongst vs in more visible and audible manner than Hee did in the Campe of Israel than He did with Moses in the Tabernacle of the Congregation This which Isaias heere speaketh from the mouth of the Lord the Lord himselfe did after vtter with his owne mouth and yet with the mouth of man to wit that hee which had seene him had seene his Father because the glory of God was manifested in Him And when the Prophet saith That the glory of the Lord should bee reuealed and that all flesh shall see it together it is in this speech included that this glory of God should bee reuealed or manifested in the flesh The best interpretation of the Prophets words that I can commend vnto you must bee from Saint Iohn chap. 1. v. 1 14. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God And the Word was made Flesh and dwelt amongst vs and wee beheld his glory the glory as of the onely begotten of the Father full of grace and truth This blessed Apostle might perhaps say of himselfe and some few others in a peculiar sort Wee saw his glory and the glory which wee saw was as the onely begotten Sonne of God for hee with Peter and Iames had seen him transfigured on the Mount But all that saw the man Christ Iesus at his Baptisme with their bodily eyes did so see the glory of God reuealed from Heauen And he was so seene of all flesh Some of all sorts though not all of euery sort did see him baptized and heard him declared from Heauen to be the Sonne of God Some then present were Pharises others Sadduces some Iewes others Gentiles some Publicanes some Priests and Leuites some Samaritanes others Galileans Not at that time onely though the Prophets words be especially meant of that time but euer after all flesh might haue seene the liuely characters of those glorious attributes of Saluation which the Prophets and Psalmist had appropriated to the God of Sion to make distinct and reall impression in the man Christ Iesus These two attributes of glory and saluation are of so neere alliance of such equiualent vse that whereas the Prophet had said All flesh should see the glory of God Saint Luke expressing his meaning saith All flesh shall see the saluation of God chap. 3. vers 6. He supposeth as the Prophet meant that the glory of GOD should bee manifested in the saluation of men This glory or saluation of God was then reuealed and became visible to flesh and bloud when God became man and tooke his generall attribute of saluation as his proper name being called Iesus Finally that saluation of God which Simeon saw with such delight at our Sauiours Circumcision all flesh did or might haue seene at his Baptisme 47. But to returne vnto the Testimony of the Psalmist With thee is the Fountaine of life which containeth the mysticall signification of the waters which miraculously issued out of the rocke The best Interpretation of both places is deliuered by Saint Iohn by way of Comment vpon our Sauiours words Iohn 7. 38 39. Hee that beleeueth on mee as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow Riuers of liuing water This intersertion or parenthesis as the Scripture hath said stands like the tongue in a ballance doubtfull to whether part of the Sentence wherein it is contayned it inclineth Some Interpreters would draw it to the first part Hee that beleeueth in mee as saith the Scripture that is in such wise such sort and measure as the Scripture requireth out of his belly shall flow Riuers of liuing water Others would draw it to the later part and render it thus Hee that beleeueth in mee out of his belly shall flow Riuers of liuing water as the Scriptures hath fore-told Though both interpretations may be true though both may stand with the generall Analogy of faith yet the later in my opinion is more pertinent and more consonant to the true intention of this place But then it will be questioned What Scripture hath said that which our Sauiour here doth to wit that riuers of liuing water should flow from such as beleeued in him The very expresse words are no where else to be found in Scripture for they are as most of our Sauiours are when hee speakes of greatest mysteries parabolicall Their importance or reall sense is expressed by Saint Iohn in the same place This hee spake of the Spirit c. Now if by the riuers of liuing water our Sauiour meant as Saint Iohn telleth vs hee did this plentifull effusion of his Spirit the same Scriptures which fore-tell the plentifull effusion of the Spirit whether in termes plainely literall or emblematical fore-tell likewise the riuers of Liuing water which were to flow from true beleeuers The manner of our Sauiours expression of the Spirits effusion by riuers flowing out implyeth it should be powred out in such a plentifull measure as would be not onely sufficient to satiate the soules of them that thirsted after it but in a measure ouer-flowing to the Saluation of others And such were these admirable gifts of the Holy Ghost which after our Sauiours Ascension were bestowed vpon his Apostles and Disciples The Scriptures which particularly fore-tell this plentifull effusion of the Spirit are many these following are if not the principall yet the most apposite to our present Argument Ioel 2. vers 28 29 and 32. And it shall come to passe afterward
Christs messenger or preparing his wayes more then 600. yeeres before either of them was borne would suggest or imply a great deale more then it could do vnto any other man not so well qualified or instructed as Iohn was and not so well acquainted with the particular passages of Scripture whereon Iohns faith was grounded nor with the signes of the time by which his faith in the Messias was confirmed Now for your better edification in this poynt giue mee leaue to breake this portion of the Bread of life which I haue in hand into three parts The first The generall meanes by which euery mans faith or beliefe in Christ is wrought or grounded or by which it is or may be confirmed The second shall be the vnfolding of those particular places of Scripture on which Iohns beliefe was grounded as also the signes of the time by which his faith before his imprisonment or before the framing of this question was ratified and confirmed The third What correspondency concord or consonancy the particulars heere mentioned and those places of Scripture whereunto our Sauiour in this answer referres Iohn or the signes of this very time wherein this answere was made haue vnto the other parts of Scripture or signes of the time by which Iohns former faith had beene established and confirmed Of these three in their order by Gods assistance 25. Concerning the first poynt we all beleeueand know that Gods Word is the only rule on which our faith must be grounded by which wee must be builded vp as the house by line or leuell In this generall we and the Church of Rome agree The first breach or poynt of difference betwixt vs and them is Whether this Word of God by which the Temple of God must be raysed be partly written and partly vnwritten Wee say that the whole rule or Canon of Faith is written or contayned fully in the Bookes of the Old and New Testament They grant these Bookes to contayne part of the rule but the other part which in effect they make the principall is as they say contayned in vnwritten traditions of whose truth or true meaning the visible Church for the time being is the sole Iudge This indeed is the roofe or couering of their Edifice which as elsewhere we haue shewed and by Gods assistance shall more fully shew hereafter doth vtterly raze or ouerthrow the foundation it selfe whereon they would seeme to put it to wit the written Word of God and the truthes concerning Christ contayned in it But our purpose is not at this time to shew you in what manner they ouerthrow the foundation of Faith or Word of God but rather the manner how our faith is grounded on it 26. Now though it be true which we lately said that faith must bee grounded onely on the written Word this saying notwithstanding must be restrayned vnto the time since GODS Word vnto his Church or people by his appoyntment was committed vnto writing Wherefore you must remember or take notice that there was a time wherein no part of Gods Word was written for Moses was the first that committed Gods Words to writing the first that made a Register or Record of what God had spoken vnto the Patriarkes Now the beliefe of the Patriarkes was grounded on Gods Word though then vnwritten after the same manner as ours is on the written Word For as you will easily conceiue it is not the writing of Gods Word which makes it to be the ground or rule of faith Yet heere happely you will demand To what other end then was it written To this we answer That the writing of it by such speciall Registers as God had appoynted for that purpose and the strange preseruation of the Records written by them is to vs an infallible argument that what they haue written is the Words of God not the words of men And this to know that the words which wee beleeue or giue credence vnto in matters concerning our happinesse or saluation are the words not of any mortall man but of the immortall God is the first ground of faith 27. Vnto the right grounding of our faith in this first poâ—nt two things were euer required The first prediction or fore-telling things to come The second was the euent or experiment answering to the prediction Yet is it not the prediction of any euent that shall fall out though for a long time after that can argue the prediction it selfe to haue beene Gods words or the fore-teller of such euents to bee a Prophet For the Astronomers can fore-tell you the Eclipses of the Sunne or Moone for many yeeres before they fall out or happen yet no man takes their skill as an argument that they are true Prophets or that they are enlightned by the Spirit of God by which the Scriptures were written or the mysteries contayned in them were fore-told But if an Astronomer could as distinctly fore-tell what kinde of weather euery moneth or euery day for two or three yeeres following should bring with it as hee can fore-tell what day or houre the Sunne or Moone shall be eclipsed or in what degree or measure eyther of their bodies should be obscured or hid from our sight you would conceiue of him as a man more than ordinary and that he could not know this by ordinary skill or art no not by the blacke art it selfe or by dealing with the Deuill He that could certainely fore-tell all the particular changes of weather or the alteration of States and Kingdomes or the seuerall Eclipses or illuminations of Gods true visible Church heere on earth for the next Generations that are to come might iustly challenge the reputation of a Prophet or Messenger sent from God at the hands of all such as had heard or read his predictions before the truth of them was sealed by their manifest vndoubted euents What then is the reason why the certaine and known prediction of some euents whose truth afterwards becometh visible and manifest vnto the world as the Eclipses of the Sunne and Moone or the coniunction of Planets which shall fall out some forty yeeres hence or more should not as infallibly argue the assistance of the diuine Spirit or reuelations immediately made from God as the fore-telling of all change of weather or matters of greater consequences doe as matters of States or Kingdomes or Gods visible Church The reason is because God by his euerlasting Decree hath appoynted the Sunne and Moone their constant and certaine course and priuiledged them from all impossibility of impediment or disturbance in their seuerall courses which eyther man or infernall spirits can attempt against them whereas by the same euerlasting Decree Hee hath ordayned such variety or inconstancy in the ayre or other inferiour Elements as no wit of Man or Deuill can comprehend all the possible changes of weather which may happen within some few yeeres following For though Satan and his angels be enstyled Prince of the Ayre
stood and cryed saying If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke Our blessed Sauiour in this Proclamation acteth but that very part which he had penned for himselfe Hee had dictated it to the Prophet Isaiah as hee was the Wisedome and Sonne of GOD by whose spirit the whole body of Scriptures was written to whom all the Prophets and Euangelists were but Scribes or Amanuenses He now vttereth and acteth it with the voice and gesture of man But what date doth the penning and writing of it beare God himselfe had thus inuited them Isay 55. vers 1 2. Ho euery one that thirsteth come yee to the waters and hee that hath no money come ye buy and eate yea come buy wine and milke without money and without price Wherefore doe yee spend money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not hearken diligently vâ—to me and eate yee that which is good and let your soule delight it selfe in fatnesse Incline your eare and come vnto mee heare and your soule shall liue and I will make an euerlasting Couenant with you euen the sure mercies of Dauid But this Proclamation of our Sauiour fell out after Iohns death and was the last solemne inuitation which he made vnto the Iewes at Ierusalem of which by Gods assistance hereafter Another speciall signe of the time by which Iohns faith was confirmed is from the Circumstance of the time and place wherein our Sauiour was baptized by him 62. I am not ignorant that there hath beene an ancient tradition especially in the Westerne Church that our Sauiour was baptized vpon the sixth of Ianuary which wee call the Epiphany or the twelfth day And the Church of England not willing to dissent from the Romish Church saue onely in matters of great consequence or in points wherein that Church hath no shew of antiquity retaineth in part the Liturgy or Seruice which that Church had appointed for that day So you may find the second Lesson vsually read in our Churches vpon that day to bee the third Chapter of Saint Lukes Gospell wherein the History of our Sauiours baptisme is most expresly meÌ„tioned and at the end of the History concerning our Sauiours baptisme the second Lesson appointed by our Church for that day doth end But in a part of the Liturgie to this day vsed in the Romish Church to wit in the Antheme appointed for that very day it is in expresse termes auouched Hodie à Ioanne in Iordane Christus baptizari voluit This day our Sauiour pleased to be baptized of Iohn in Iordane Notwithstanding all this Iansenius that reuerend Bishop of Gant a most learned and ingenuous Interpreter of the soure Euangelists albeit hee dyed a member of the then visible Romish Church wherein hee liued did not thinke himselfe bound to beleeue either the practice or tradition of that Church because in his iudgement it was not warantable by Scripture specially if they tooke the words before cited in the strict and literall sense For beeing so taken it contradicts the words of Saint Luke chap. 3. ver 23. And Iesus himselfe when he was baptized of Iohn began to be about thirty yeeres of age Or as he reades was almost thirtie yeeres of age when he began to enter vpon his function which beares date from the day of his baptisme Now if he had bin baptized vpon the sixt of Ianuary or the Epiphany he must needs haue beene either 13. dayes aboue 30. yeeres old or but 13. dayes aboue 29. Some Romanists acknowledging our Sauiour to haue bin baptized before hee was 30. yeeres of age compleat account his age from his conception in respect whereof hee was almost thirty when hee was but some few dayes aboue 29. yeeres old if wee account his age from his Natiuity Others would haue him baptized in the 31. yeere of his age accounting his age from his Natiuity For suppose hee had beene baptized vpon the sixth of Ianuary after thirty yeers compleat he might as truely be said to haue been then about thirtie yeeres as if he had beene baptized some few dayes or weekes before he was thirtie But the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when it signifies about this or that time doth vsually signifie rather short then ouer And for this reason Iansenius although he poynt the Originall as the followers of this last opinion doe yet liketh much better of Epiphanius his opinion who was an ancient Writer and a professed Collector of ancient traditions or opinions and hee referreth the day of our Sauiours baptisme vnto the seuenth of Nouember So doth learned Chemnitius refer it to the feast of the Encenia or purification of the Temple But some other Chronologers of reformed Churches with more probability referre the day of his baptisme vnto the tenth of September which was the feast of the Atonement Vpon this day the Angell appeared vnto Zacharias whilest hee was burning Incense in the holy place and foretold the birth and conception of Iohn Baptist. 63. The consonancy of many types and signes of the time with this opinion is very great and very pleasant But if I should relate them all you would happely say they are but coniecturall because not grounded vpon testimony of Scripture Many of them I must confesse are neither expressely foretold by any Prophet nor really fore-shaddowed or prefigured for ought I knowe by any reall euent or matter of fact or by any solemnity commanded by the Law of Moses Yet one euent there is which followed immediately vpon our Sauiours baptisme so expressely related by three Euangelists that it doth necessarily argue some prefiguration or fore-shadowing in the Law or bookes of Moses for so euery remarkeable euent or action which concernes our Sauiour Christ was fore-shaddowed The euent wherof now I speake was his leading into the Wildernes by the Spirit to be tempted by the Diuell So saith Saint Marke expressely what the others intimate And immediately the Spirit driueth him into the Wildernesse Marke 1. 12. Now the end of his going or being led thither though few Interpreters haue obserued it was to fulfill the mystery fore-signified by the Scape-goate which vpon the day of Atonement as we reade Leuit. 16. 21. was to be led by the hand of a fit man into the Wildernesse after Aaron or his Successour the high-Priest had layde his hands vpon his head and confessed ouer him all the Iniquities of Israel and all the transgressions and all their sinnes putting them as the Text saith vpon the head of the Goate Now as it is euident out of Scripture that our Sauiour Christ was crucified at the time that the Paschall Lambe was killed to the end the World might take notice that hee was the Lambe of GOD whose sacrifice the Paschall Lambe did prefigure so by a certaine Analogie of faith wee may rightly gather that our Sauiour was led into the Wildernesse by the Spirit vpon the same day that the