communicated vnto Salomon with Christ differs as much as homo and homo pictus as a man and a painted man Some euents there are concerning our Sauiour or his actions which were not at all foretold by expresse word of Prophesie but only foreshaddowed by deed or fact or by some reall type or representation at the least they are not literally foretold in the same places in which they are really fore-shaddowed Thus was his death vpon the Crosse really represented by lifting vp the brazen Serpent in the wildernesse yet not litterally foretold by Moses so was his imprisonment or abode in the graue really foreshaddowed by Ionas imprisoned in the Whales belly but Ionas did not expres thus much by word or Prophesie But of these the like types we shall haue occasiō to speak hereafter Of all the testimonies or fore-significations of Christ or him crucified those testimonies wherein is a concurrence of fore-significations aswell by fact as by word are the most pregnant and most concludent against the Iewes and therefore the furest grounds of our beliefe in Christ. Of the particular manner how Arguments for confirming our faith are to be drawne from this kind of testimony especially God willing hereafter Whether of these or other Testimonies concerning Christ but of these especially the beliefe or knowledge of the faithfull hath been or may be either confused and indefinite or explicit and distinct 31. The first prediction which God reuealed vnto man was concerning the forbidden fruite In that day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye This prediction our first Parents did not beleeue vntill wofull experience had sealed the truth of it vnto their and our irrecouerable losse for any thing that they knew or could doe But the truth of the Diuine prediction in threatning euill being fully experienced ratified by their losse was by Gods Prouidence wisedome and mercy an especiall inducement vnto them for establishing their faith vnto his prediction concerning the womans seede which was to bruise the Serpents head I will put enmity betweene thee and the Woman and betweene thy seede and her seede it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heele Gen. 3. ver 15. In this prediction there is a concurrence of the literall and mysticall sense A true enmity between the seed of the naturall Serpent and the naturall seed of the woman Howbeit this enmity is but a type o◠Embleme of that supernatural enmity which the spirituall Serpent beareth vnto the seede of the woman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was the originall and fountaine of all ensuing Prophesies or predictions concerning Christ and yet euen this prediction it selfe as most other Prophesies was in respect of the particular manner or circumstanstances which were to accompany the fulfilling of it a kind of riddle vntill the euent or other declarations of Prophesies vpon it and facts answerable vnto them did vnfold it Our mother Eua no doubt did in the generall beeleue that as by man death came into the world so the deliuerance from death should come by man which was to be borne of a woman but whether she did in particular beleeue that this man or seed of the woman which was to deliuer her and her Husband from the curse of death should bee borne of a Virgin or of a woman without the consort of man is more then the Analogie of faith or Christian Charity binds vs to beleeue of her Their opinion is very probable who thinke shee mistooke Cain her first borne to be the promised seed and that out of this too ioyfull apprehension she vttered these words I haue gotten or possessed a man of the Lord. So the most translations read it but as the authors of this opinion which I now recite translate I haue possessed a man euen the Lord to wit the Lord which shee expected should redeeme them I know this Interpretation is reiected by Caluiu and Mercer two most iudicious Interpreters of the true literall meaning of Scripture the latter especially a most exquisit Hebrician But to counteruaile their authority the same Interpretation is well approued by Paulus Fagius who for ought I can perceiue was amongst Christiā Writers the first Author of it for whose authority and excellent skill in the Hebrew tongue and Iewish antiquities as I will not peremptorily auouch it so I dare not reiect it The Authors of this opinion concerning our Mother Euahs mistaking her first borne sonne for the promised seed haue attributed the like errour though not altogether so grosse vnto Lamech the Father of Noah Lamech had as true a prenotion or stedfast beliefe in this generall as Euah had that mankind should bee comforted concerning their labours that they should bee freed from the curse which the first man had brought vpon the earth vpon himselfe and his posterity and that this freedome or comfort should bee brought vnto them by man by one that was borne of a woman And yet out of his ouer-reioycing at the birth of the first sonne which God had sent him hee did as these Authors thinke mis-apply his generall prenotion or beliefe concerning the promised seed to his new and first borne sonne Lamech saith Moses Gen. 5. v. 28. liued 182. yeeres and begate a sonne And he called his name Noah saying This same shall comfort vs concerning our worke and toyle of our hands because of the ground which the Lord had cursed But to waue this question Whether Lamech did imagine this his sonne to be him that was to come or whether besides him he looked for another it is questionlesse that he vttered this speech by the spirit of Prophesie and as the speech it selfe was verified or fulfilled of Noah according to its plaine Grammaticall literall sense so it was exactly fulfilled or accomplished in Christ according to the full importance of its mysticall sense that is Christ and his office was as truely and really foreshadowed by Noah himself or by his office qualification or actions as Noahs office or qualifications were literally fore-told or prophesied of in this speech of Lamech Noah after the Floud offered a Sacrifice vnto the Lord and the Lord smelled a sweet sauour or a sauour of rest and vpon this Sacrifice engaged himselfe by promise not to curse the ground againe for mans sake Genes 8. vers 21. Here you see Lamechs Prophesie literally verified in Noah howbeit the Sacrifice of Noah was but a smokie shaddow of that reall and substantiall Sacrifice which was offered by the Sonne of GOD vnto his Father The comfort which Noah afforded vnto the World concerning the worke and toyle of their hands or the ground which the Lord had cursed was but a slight surface or liuelesse picture of that glorious blessing of life which Christ hauing freed vs from Adams curse hath by his death bequeathed vnto vs. I heard a voyce from hence saying vnto mee Blessed are the dead which dye in the LORD from henceforth yea saith the Spirit
that they may rest from their labours and their workes doe follow them Reuel 14. 13. Againe Noah was a Preacher of righteousnesse Christ was more c. Noah built an Arke into which whosoeuer entered not did perish into which likewise whosoeuer did enter were saued from the Deluge so did Christ build one holy Catholique and Apostolique Church without which none can be saued in which whosoeuer is found shall be vndoubtedly saued from those euerlasting flames wherewith the World shall be destroyed 32. So then our beliefe that Christ the Son of Mary was the promised Seed which was to come and that he was in part prefigured by Noah may be rightly grounded on the diuine prediction or Prophesie vttered by Lamech it cannot be safely grounded on Lamechs apprehension or application of this prediction Herein perhaps he might erre and so might the best of Gods Prophets erre in the particular determination of time wherein their Prophesies were to be fulfilled or in their applications of them to the persons in whom they might coniecture they should bee fulfilled Nor is error in particulars of this nature so long as men stedfastly beleeue the generall altogether so dangerous as some men thinke it vnlesse it be accompanied with wilfulnesse or obstinacy for that is it which turnes errors into Heresies Abraham himselfe after his beliefe in Gods promises concerning the promised Seed was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse did commit a greater errour in misapplication of that very promise whose beliefe was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse then Euah or Lamech did in misapplying Gods promise concerning the Womans Seed vnto their First-borne if happely they did so misapply it For Abraham by Sarahs perswasion thought Gods promise or prediction concerning his Seed should be fulfilled in the seed or off-spring of Hagar Sarahs hand-maid and continued in this perswasion vntill the Lord rectified it and set his beliefe aright by expresse promise of Isaacs strange and miraculous birth And the euent answering to this promise or prediction was a reall fore-signification or prefiguration of the more strange and more miraculous birth of our Sauiour So likewise was the strange birth and conception of Samson of Samuel and of Iohn Baptist for God in his wisdome did dispence these miraculous blessings of fruitfulnesse vpon Woman by naturall disposition of body or of age altogether barren that they might serue as inducements for establishing the beliefe of posterity concerning the most miraculous conception of the womans Seed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which had beene promised from the beginning And albeit an Angell from Heauen might in reason at least with better reason than any mortall man can pretend exact beliefe vnto his solemne message or predictions without further proofe or experiment yet the Angel Gabriel himselfe the great Embassadour of the blessed Annunciation would haue the blessed Virgin to ground her beliefe not only vpon his sole prediction but withall vpon the fresh and reall experiment of her Cousin Elizabeths strange conception of a sonne in her old age For after the deliuery of his message and his reioynder to her modest reply How shall this be seeing I know not man He finally concludes the Dialogue on his part Behold thy Cousin Elizabeth shee hath also conceyued a sonne in her old age and this is the sixt moneth with her who was called barren for with God nothing shall be impossible Luke 1. 36 37. Nor did the blessed Virgin refuse to make tryall of the signe which hee had giuen her for immediately after the Angels departure from her shee repayred vnto her Cousin Elizabeth as the Text saith in haste where shee found the Angels prediction fully ratified by the euent or fact For vpon the first salutation of Elizabeth the Childe whose conception the Angell told her of did spring for ioy in Elizabeths wombe and for a pledge or token that shee had conceyued by power and vertue of the Holy Ghost her Cousin Elizabeth vpon her salutation was filled with the Holy Ghost in her heart and out of the abundance of her heart thus filled her mouth did speake and vtter that propheticall salutation which the Angell had vsed vnto her with a loud voyce Blessed art thou amongst Women and blessed is the fruit of thy wombe vers 42. And by this spirit of prophesie Elizabeth did then know that that blessed Virgin had conceyued by the Holy Ghost and that then the Childe conceyued by her should bee her Lord and Redeemer the blessed Virgin againe vpon fresh experiments of these facts fully answerable to the Angels prediction was filled with the Holy Ghost and the spirit of prophesie by which shee vttered that excellent saying My soule doth magnifie the Lord c. Now the very Embassage of the Angell Gabricl was really fore-shaddowed or prefigured by the sending of Esaiah the Prophet vnto Ahas the King of Iudah whereof we reade Esay the 7. vers 3. The tenor of the Angels message vnto the blessed Virgin was literally and expresly fore-told by the Prophet vnto Ahas vers 14. Behold a Virgin shall conceyue and beare a Sonne and shall call his name Emanuel Howbeit euen in this Prophesie or testimony of our Sauiours birth and conception there was an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a full concurrence of Prophesie and Type an expresse prediction or fore-telling of what should afterwards come to passe and a reall ouershaddowing or representation of what afterwards did come to passe by matter of present fact or deed that is this Prophesie was truly verified in the Prophets time according to its literall or historicall sence and yet againe exactly and exquisitely fulfilled according to the literall and mysticall sence in our Sauiours birth and conception The signes of both times concerning the estate of Iudah were in proportion the same But the particular and full explication of this Prophesie will come more fitly to bee discussed hereafter 33. For conclusion of the first generall poynt proposed I would request you to note that of such fore-significations concerning our Sauiour Christs conception his birth his baptisme his death his passion as consist in matter of fact or type some are direct others are indirect and signifie by contraries As for example The first Woman was made of Adam by Gods immediate hand not begotten by man and being thus made shee was an inuerted type or shaddow that the second Adam who was to bruise the Serpents head was to be made of a Woman by the immediate hand of GOD not begotten by man Thus much was expresly fore-told by the Prophet Ieremie chap. 31. v. 22. Behold I create a new thing in the Land the female shall compasse or enclose a man or the female shall enclose Geuer But of this poynt you may be satisfied if it please you elsewhere more at large I onely instance in this particular for this time to giue you notice that some things may bee really fore-shaddowed as well by contraries or inuersion of the
together and the Lion shall eate straw like the Oxe And the sucking Child shall play on the hole of the Aspe and the weaned Child shal put his hand on the Cockatrice den They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy Mountaine for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters couer the Sea The exact fulfilling of this Prophesie in its literall sense that is according to the strict propriety of natiue or vnborrowed signification of words credat Iudaeus let it bee expected by the vnbeleeuing Iew whose too much credulity to the letter hath brought forth an absolute infidelity concerning the mysteries of his saluation But whilest he expects such a league and amity betwixt the creatures heere mentioned as the words literally import he plainely declares himselfe to be more cruell more rancorous vntamed than the most rauenous beast or most venemous creature heere mentioned For neither the sweet inuitation of our Sauiour nor all the good deeds which he wrought amongst this people whilest he liued on earth nor the punishing hand of God which hath bin alwayes heauy vpon them since his death hath to this day wrought such a placable or reconcileable disposition toward vs Gentiles or toward their owne brethren which trust in Christ as they expect in the dayes of their Messias should be wrought in the Wolfe towards the Lambe or in the Aspe or Cockatrice towards the Child or sucking Infant We may take this amongst others as a sure Argument of our Interest in the Womans Seede in that this generation of Vipers or Serpents as Iohn Baptist termes them haue exercised the venemous enmitie of Serpents against all that haue professed the name of Christ since his death But the greater their enmity is vnto the profession of Christianity or the longer it hath continued the more strange and admirable will that reconciliation or agreement seeme which the Euangelist records to haue falne out at the time of our Sauiours baptisme or anoyntment not only betweene the Iew and the Gentile but between the Pharisee and Publicane betweene the Sadduce and the Roman Soldier all of them communicating together in the solemnity or Sacrament of baptisme For many of euery sort here mentioned were baptized 〈◊〉 in Iordane confessing their sinnes This sudden and vnexpected obedience of all sorts vnto the Summons of Iohns calling to repentance and the strange alteration which followed vpon the sacrament of baptisme and the repentance which Iohn preached aswell in the Iew as in the Gentile is the mystery of the new Testament which the Prophet fore-pictures in the Parable of the Wolfe agreeing with the Lamb of the Leopards reconciliation with the Kid and of the Lions neere familaritie with the Oxe or Asse The Publicanes which before the preaching of baptisme and repentance by Iohn were as rauenous as the euening Wolues became as innocent as the Lambe The soldiers likewise which had bin formerly as fierce and cruell as the Lyon became as tame and gentle as the Oxe or Cow and submitted their necks vnto the yoke of the Gospell Such of the Phaâ—ises likewise as before their baptisme had beene as venemous as the Aspe or Cockatrice did by the worthy receiuing of this baptisme and the grace which God did giue them become as mild and gentle as the sucking Infant or weaned Child 57. This I take to bee the true interpretation and natiue meaning though not of these words which he vseth yet of the Prophet himselfe and that which the holy Ghost did purposely intend to expresse in the fore-cited place But may not the prediction though meerely or for the most part as was obserued parabolical haue some speciall reference to the daies of Noah wherein the like reconciliation of hostile antipathizing natures was literally and historically verefied and experienced Yes doubtlesse the signes of that old world and the signes of the time wherein our Sauiour was baptized doe as exactly resemble the one the other as the shape or image of the face in the glasse doth the picture that produceth it or the picture doth the liue body which it represents And besides the power of God which is able to effect all things without secondary causes or meanes subordinate we cannot imagine any other cause or reason that should moue the Iew and Gentile the Pharise Publican to coÌ„municate together in Iohns baptisme beside that which moued the beasts of euery kind herementioned by the Prophet and others beside them to hold better consort in Noahs Arke or at their entrance into it than they had done whilest they enioyed their naturall liberty in the Fields and open ayre The true reason of both these strange reconciliations coÌ„posals of these inbred fohoods was that which the great Philosopher tels vs will vnite the deadliest enemies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. The sudden approch or ioynt apprehension of dread or danger alike common and alike imminent to both Now the strange and vncouth dread of this vniuersall deluge could not choose but compell all the Land creatures to keepe the peace of nature before they entred Noahs Arke to forbeare the exercise of wonted hostility whilest they were in it and to entertaine a generall truce whilest the deluge lasted But what feare or dread of danger alike imminent to all could the Pharisee and Publican the Sadduces and the Heathen Soldiers ioyntly apprehend that might mooue them to like peace or consort during the time of Iohns baptisme or before hee was to baptize our Sauiour The Prophet Malachy to my apprehension in the conclusion of his Prophesie intimateth some great plague or curse ready to fall either vpon the whole world or at least vpon the Land of Iewry vnlesse it were preuented by such meanes as the floud might haue beene or as the destruction of Niniueh in the dayes of Ionas was preuented that is by humiliation and true repentance And this humiliation of the people or turning to the Lord by true repentance was to be wrought as Malachy speaketh by the Prophet Eliah that is as you heard before by Iohn the Baptist. The Prophets words are these Behold I will send you Eliah the Prophet before the comming of the great and dreadfull day of the Lord. And he shall turne the heart of the Fathers vnto the children and the heart of the children vnto the Fathers lest I come and smite the earth with a curse Malac. 4. vers 5 6. The best interpretation of this place is made by the Angell Gabriel Luk. 1. vers 16 17. And many of the children of Israel shall he turne to the Lord their God And hee shall goe before him in the Spirit and power of Elias to turne the hearts of the Fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisedome of the Iust to make ready a people prepared to the Lord. Vnlesse some competent multitude had beene thus prepared to entertaine the Kingdome of grace or the Gospell or Christ
yee offend eyther God the Father or Christ his Sonne the holy Spirit or your owne consciences To receiue this blessed Sacrament without some mentall prayer were to receiue it vnworthily To pray whilest you receiue it not to pray kneeling on your knees as your custome is at other prayers and as the Church your Mother vpon this particular occasion of praying in speciall inioyneth you were to be offended in Christ more offended in him for the Church your Mothers sake than the Iewes were for Galile or Nazareth his Country sake Nor are you onely offended in him by refusing to bow your knees when you come vnto him but you giue iust offence to the common Aduersary to whom Saint Paul aduiseth you to giue no offence much lesse to giue any aduantage against the truth for so you offend the pillar of truth the Church of God Now God of his infinite mercy remoue all needlesse scruples out of the phansies of the weake and all reall obstacles of offence out of the hearts of such as haue power to command their knees in this seruice FINIS Faults escaped in some Copies thus to be corrected PAg. 7. Lin. 1â— for prinpall reade principall Pag. 25. lin 1. vertues read vertuoâ—â— Pag. 73. l. 8. at any tempt you read at any time tempt you Pag. 74. li. 3. 4. Church elsewhere read Church is elsewhere Pag. 75. in Marg. Iesuites read Leuitâ— Pag. 80. li. â—â— the manner of importance or the Apostles speech read the manner or importance of the Apostles speech Pag. 107. l. 1. saith no read saith not * Hee which was to bee Sent or Hee which was to come were from the beginning knowne and proper attributes of the Messias Two generall Queries the one coÌ„cerning Iohns Question and the other coÌ„cerning Christs answere Which may be taken for the two generall parts of this ensuing Discourse a Vid. Maldonat in hunc locum The generall diuisioÌ„ of the second Quere proposed Parag. 3. The first member oâ— the generall diuision what satisfaction our Sauiours answere might giue to any indifferent Auditor Mem. 1. Mem. 1. Mem. 1. Mem. 1. Wherein the blessednesse here promised doth consist Mem. 1. Mem. 1. Mem. 1. Mem. 1. Mem. 1. How the particular miracles here mentioned inferre this vniuersall conclusion Blessed is he whosoeuer shall not be ofâ—ended in mee Mem. 1. Mem. 1. Mem. 1. Mem. 1. Mem. 1. Mem. 2. Mem. 2. Mem. 2. Branch 1. Three branches of this second member The first Branch Concerning the manner how our beliefe in Gods Word or in Christ is grounded to the 36. parag Mem. 2. Branch 1. The prediction not of any but of some speciall euents argues the Authors of the Prediction to haue bin inspired by God Mem. 2. Branch 1. * Vide Acts 1. 6 7. Mem. 2. Branch 1. Mem. 2 Branch 1. Of the literall and mysticall sense of Prophesies Mem. 2. Branch 1. Mem. 2. Branch 1. * The word enmity here vsed is not a terme aequiuocall yet the thing signified by it is not vniuocally the same as it respects the naturall serpent the naturall man and the womans seed and the old Serpent but the same by Analogie only or proportion Mem. 2. Branch 1. Gen. 4. v. â— a Diuersae buic lectioni occasionem dedit vocula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae aequiuoca est ad omnia praememorata signifi cata Et quia quisque suo abundat sensu abundado ego quoque et meo simplicissimè accipiendo dictiunculam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vt siâ— nota articuli simulatque demonstrationis ipâ—â—ssimam rei substantiam cui iungitur denotans boc sensu Possedi siuâ— acquisiui virum nâ—mpe ipsum Adonai q. d. acquisiui illum ipsum virum qui est Adonai â—d est Deus siue Dominus quem scâ—licet pollicitus est mihi Dominus cum dixit Semen tuu conâ—eret caput Serpentis Quia enim Eua credidit promissioni de semine mulieris sine dubio existimauit hunc illud esse semen per quod caput Serpentis conculcandum Paul Fag in 4. cap. Genes Mem. 2. Branch 1. * Walke in loue as Christ also hath loued vs and hath giuen himselfe for vs an offering and a sacrifice to GOD for a sweet smelling sauour Ephes. 5. ver 2. Mem. 2. Branch 1 Mem. 2. Branch 1. The Scripture is the onely infallible Rule by which the â—â—ue Church can bee câ—sceâ—ned Mem. 2. Branch 1. Verbi praedicatio Sacramentorum administratio non tam sunt notae quibus distingui potest Orthodox a Ecclesia ab baeretica quà m formalis ratio seâ— differ entia constitutiua Ecclesiae visibilâ—s Mem. 2. Branch 1. Mem. 2. Branch 1 Mem. 2. Branch 1. Mem. 2. Branch 2. Of the prenotioÌ„s which Iohn or the Pharises had coÌ„cerning the time or maner of Christs comming or manifestation and of the Interrogatories propounded to Iohn by the Priests and Iesuites Mem. 2. Branch 2. * Ioh. 1. 20. * In the 3. Booke vpon the Creede §. 3. cap. 11. parag 7. * Matt. 11. 9 10. * Mal. 4. 5. Mem. 2 Branch 2. 1 Tim. 1. 15. a Homer Iliad μ. Mem. 2. Branch 2. Mem. 2. Branch 2. Two sorts or branches of the literall sence * Hence saith our Sauiour Mat. â— v. 13. That the Law as well as the Prophets prophesied vntill Iohn Mem. 2 Branch 2. Most of Jsaiabs Prophesies coÌ„cerning Iohns baptisme or our Sauiours manifestatioÌ„ were emblematicall * The Prophet emphatically implyes that the miracle which God had wrought for his people in the wildernesse after their deliueraÌ„ce out of Aegypt should be reiterated or emineÌ„tly accomplished vpon their returne from Chaldea Hee foresaw as Ieremie did that this second deliuerance should be more glorious then the former Vide Ier. 23. vers 27. Mem. 2. Branch 2. Mem. 2. Branch 2. The Prophet in the fist verse had allegorically pictured oppression by the wilde grape and righteousnes by the vsefull fruite of the true vine Mem. 2. Branch 2. The literall Allegorie or Emblematicall importance of waters bursting out in the wildernesse so often â—eÌ„tioned by the Prophets Mem. 2. Branch 2. A peculiar sense in which Prophesies the Psalmes especially are more frequently fulfilled than obserued to be fulfilled by most Interpreters Mem. 2. Branch 2. Mem. 2. Branch 2 Mem. 2. Branch 2. * The dry ground in this place supponit pro homine as some Logicians speake and is to be vnderstood of men so affected as Dauid was when he vttered that Song in the Wildernes of Iuda My soule thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty Land where no water is Psa. 63. v. 1. Compare this Testimony with the former Testimony Psalm 36. parag 45. Mem. 2. Branch 2. Matth. 3. vers 11. Mem. 2. Branch 2. Mem. 2. Branch 2. A seeming contradiction betwixt S. Matthew S. Iohn fully clcered * Quanquâ—a seâ—â—ndum probaâ—thoâ—â—m Chrysostomâ— sâ—nâ—etiaÌ„ vt prius dictuÌ„ est Ioannes aâ—te columbae desâ—â—nâ—uÌ„