here handleth before the humane Harmony and Explanation FRom Gen. 1. 1. the Evangelist sheweth that the redemption was to bee wrought by him by whom the Creation was namely by the Word or the second Person in the Trinity as being fittest for that great worke as whereby coâ—fusion both in the externall workes of the Trinity as also in the terme of Sonship might bee avoided In the externall workes of the Trinity when the Creator of man became his Redeemer and in the terme of Sonship when the Son of God and the Sonne of Man were but one and the same person Ver. 1. The Word Hee is so called in the Old Testament First as the Authour of the Creation Psal. 33. 6. Secondly as the Authour of the promise 2 Sam. 7. 2. compared with 1 Chron. 17. 19. Thirdly as the very Subject of the Covenant and promise it selfe Hag. 2. 5. Deut. 30. 12. compared with Rom. 10. 6 7. So that these things being laid together and well considered they shew why John calleth the Son of God the Word rather then by any other name First because hee would shew that as the world was created by the Son so it was most fit it should bee redeemed Secondly that as in him the promise was given so in him was fit should bee the performance Thirdly that as hee was the Subject of the Covenant in the Old Testament so also was hee the Substance of it in the New From such places as these forenamed where the Son of God is called the Word in the Old Testament it became most familiar and ordinary among the Jewes to use this title personally for him And this may bee a second reason deduced from that that was named before why the Evangelist here useth it namely as a name most familiarly and commonly known amongst his own people Examples hereof might bee alledged out of the Chaldee Paraphrasts even by hundreds It will suffice to alledge some few Gen. 28. 20 21. If the word of the Lord will bee my helpe c. The word of the Lord shall bee my God Exod. 19. 17. Moses brought forth the people to meet the word of the Lord Esai 1. 14. Your appointed Feasts my word abominateth and ver 16. Put away the evill of your doings from before my word and Chap. 45. 2. My word shall goe before thee c. So Esay 48. 11. 49. 5. 15. 51. 5. Jer. 24. 6. 27. 5. 18. 29. 14. 23. Hos. 1. 7. 9. Zach. 2. 5. and in hundreds of other places And so likewise in some of the writings of the Talmudists and Philo Judaeus in lib. De mundi opificio explaineth this title This terme and in this sense also was got even among the Heathen for so Mercury Trismegistus useth it often in Pimandro as The will of God contained his word And God with his word produced another intellect which is a fiery God and a Divine Spirit And againe The word of God compacted the pure workmanship of nature And The working intellect together with the Word So likewise Orpheus as hee is alledged by Justin Martyr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But Mahomet in his Alcaron goeth yet further Eise or Jesus saith hee is the word of God and this being the word of God is reputed among the Saracens as the proper name of Jesus Christ so that no other man is called by this name but Jesus onely whom in Arabick they call Eise Sam. Maroch lib. de advent Messiae cap. 27. Drus. in praeter in loc And the word was with God c. The Evangelist goeth not about so much immediately to shew the eternity of the word or of the second Person in the Trinity as hee doth to declare how requisite it was that that Person should bee incarnate rather then the first or the third because by him the Creation was wrought and answerably by him it was fittest should bee the redemption c. Therfore the words in the beginning have not reference to the words eternall being but to his giving of being to the Creature For as they are Moses his owne phrase Gen. 1. 1. so are they to bee taken in his sense and further back then the Creation it is not possible to bring his words and by those of his must these bee understood They trace not therefore his Divinity beyond the Creation nor yet doe they find it to have begun there but this they say onely that then the word was and by him were all things made And this was enough for the answering of Ebion and Cerinthus which held that Christ was not before the Virgin Mary And this being concluded that the word was in the beginning and created all things his eternall being before the Creation will readily inferre it selfe The Evangelist useth this manner of speech The word with God First to shew the subsistence of the Son of himselfe and his co-existence with the Father his subsistence hee was his co-existence Hee was with God Secondly the distinction of the persons Hee was with God and the unity of Essence hee was God Thirdly the relation between the Father and the Son The Son is said to bee with the Father as children are apud Patrem but not è contra Fourthly the Phrase Hee was with God is in Antithesis or opposition to that that is said afterward The word dwelt among us And this doth illustrate the doctrine and benefit of the incarnation the more when it shall bee observed that hee that in the beginning was the word and was with God and was the Creator did in the fulnesse of time become flesh and dwell with men and became their Redeemer And the word was God God in the clause next preceding is taken personally for God the Father but here essentially for the Godhead Moses all along the Story of the Creation called God Elohim by a word plurall to denote the distinction of Persons but at last in Gen. 2. 4. hee calleth him Jehovah Elohim to signifie also the unity of Essence So David when hee had spoken of the Lord and his word 2 Sam. 7. 21. amd the Lord and his Servant 1 Chron. 17. 19. Hee presently concludeth that there is but one God though those titles might seem to make them more There is none like thee neither is there any God besides thee ver 22. So the Evangelist here when hee hath named The Word and God and the word being with God as two persons distinct one from another lest this distinction should breed the supposall of difference and the mention of more persons the surmisall of more Gods hee preventeth betimes and stoppeth all such misconstructions by saying The word was God Ver. 2. The same was in the beginning with God Hee had said the same thing immediately before but not in the same respect For there hee spake of the words co-existency with the Father as hee explaineth himselfe after it The word was God but here
descending of the Holy Ghost was first partly for the sake of John for this token had been given him when hee first began to preach and baptize whereby to know Christ when hee should come Joh. 1. 33. Secondly partly for Christ that hee might thus receive his consecration and institution for the Office that hee was now to enter upon the preaching of the Gospell This was as his anointing to install him into his function as Aaron and his Sonnes were with materiall oyle to enter them into theirs as Isa. 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord is upon mee therefore hath hee anointed mee hee hath sent mee to Preach the Gospel And Thirdly partly for the businesse and matter that was now to goe in hand namely Christ beginning to preach accordingly For First the Gospel is the Spirituall Kingdom and Scepter of Christ in and by which hee was to rule all Nations for ever and therefore it was agreeable that the Spiritualnesse of that should bee sealed and confirmed by the holy Spirits shewing himselfe even in the beginning of it The carnall rites of Moses were now to vanish and his corporall and ceremoniall observances to bee changed into a spirituall worship and neither at Jerusalem nor at mount Gerizim nor elsewhere must there bee any more adoration with fleshly and earthly Ceremoniousnesse but hee that will worship God must worship him in spirit as Joh. 4. 21. Therefore it is no wonder if the Holy Ghost do now reveale himselfe now when his sway of spirituality and dominion by sanctification is to begin Secondly The Holy Ghost was departed from Israel after the death of the last Prophets as was observed before and now hee is to bee restored againe therefore himselfe commeth visibly and apparently at this his restoring and lighteth upon him to whom it belonged to give and distribute the gifts of the Spirit to whom hee pleased For as John had told that Christ should baptize with the Holy Ghost so is that power and priviledge now sealed unto him in the sight of John when the Holy Ghost commeth down upon him and there abideth SS Descended in a bodily shape God is said to descend not that hee moveth from place to place or commeth where hee was not before for hee is incircumscriptible and every where and filleth all places but in that hee sheweth this his presence upon earth in such or such a place by some externall sign and visible apparence And so hee is said to come downe to see whether the wickednesse of Sodome were according to the cry that was come up unto him because hee revealed himselfe to Abraham Lot and the Sodomites in the visible and conspicuous representation of men So is hee said to have come down upon Mount Sinai because of the outward revealing and expression of his presence there And so the Chaldee Paraphrast understandeth the Trinities descending Gen. 11. 5. for a conspicuous appearance of it for hee translateth The Lord revealed himself to take vengeance c. And so is the Holy Ghost said to descend in this story and in that in Act. 2. not but that hee was present in the same places before by his power and Godhead but that hee revealed and expressed his presence by so sensible an evidence and by and in so revealed a worke SS In a bodily shape First It was convenient that the Holy Ghost should reveale himselfe at this time First for the sake of John who was to have a sensible signe whereby to informe him which was the Messias as Joh. 1. Secondly In regard of the Holy Ghost himselfe whose worke in the Church was now in a more speciall and frequent manner to bee shewed under the Gospel namely that hee might bee expressed and revealed to bee a personall substance and not an operation of the Godhead onely or qualitative vertue For qualities operations and acts cannot assume bodily shapes nor ought but what is in it selfe substantiall Thirdly That a full and cleere yea even a sensible demonstration of the Trinity might bee made at this beginning of the Gospel For it may bee observed in Scripture that the Holy Ghost hath a speciall regard to expresse this mystery upon singular occasions that we might learne to acknowledge the three Persons in one Godhead as hee also doth the two natures of Christ that wee might acknowledge them in one person So the very first thing that is taught in all the Bible is this very mystery For when Moses beginneth the story of the creation hee beginneth also to teach that the three Persons in the Trinity were co-workers in it God Created there is the Father God said there is the Word or the Sonne And the Spirit of God moved there is the Holy Ghost And the very same mystery is intimated by the Prophet treating upon the very same Subject Isa. 42. 5. Thus saith God the Lord hee that created the Heavens and they that stretched them out That wee might learne that Of him through him and to him the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost are all things Rom. 11. 36. So Moses also when hee is to teach concerning the creation of man hee first teacheth that it was the Trinity that created him Gen. 1. 26. And God said Let us make man after our Image Hee saith Let us to shew the Trinity of Persons and hee saith In our Image not in our Images to shew the unity of essence That every man even from the reading of the story of his Creation might learn to remember his Creators in the dayes of his youth as Solomon with the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Boraiecha answereth the same mystery Eccles. 12. 1. So likewise at the confusion of tongues the Trinity is expressed Gen. 11. 7. Let us goe down and confound their language as it is also at the gift of tongues I will send the Comforter from the Father Joh. 15. 26. Act. 1. 4. Such a one also was the blessing pronounced by the Priest upon the people when hee dismissed them from the daily service of the Temple in the name of the Trinity Num. 6. 24 25 26. the name Jehovah or the Lord three times repeated for denotation of the three Persons as Paul explaineth it 2 Cor. 13. 13. When Moses also beginneth to rehearse the Law to Israel and to explaine it the first thing hee teacheth them is the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity Deut. 6. 4. Heare O Israel the Lord our God the Lord is one Three words answering the three Persons and the middle word our God deciphering fitly the second who assumed our nature as is well observed by Galatinus To these may bee added the entrance of Moses his revelation with the name of the Lord three times rehearsed Exod. 34. 6. The Vision of Esay with three Holies Isa. 6. 3. The beginning of Psal. 50. and of Psal. 136. and many again of the like nature which the heedfull reader will observe himself How fitting then was it that at the beginning of
Northward to and beyond Jerusalem having the flat or the plaine of Jordan skirting up all along upon their Eastside till Samaria and Galilee brought in another denomination 13 Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same to some with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which with Physitians importeth the childs stirring in the wombe as every live child doth more or lesse but this is a word of an higher activity and motion Plato in Pol. 9. useth it to expresse the â—â—ascivious fancies of men or women in their dreams when that part of the soule saith hee which is rationall gentle and master of reason is laid asleep then the other which is bestiall and brutish being puffed up with meats and drinks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 leapeth or frisketh and putting away sleepe from it doth seeke to satisfie its owne desires 14 The Messias shall be blessed with six blessings viz. with the spirit of wisdome understanding counsell strength knowledge and feare of the Lord R. Solom on Ruth 3. 15. and the Chaldee Paraph. there 15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this here translates not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Psal. 110. 1. 16 Vulg. lat Blessed art thou that didst beleeve mistaking as lansenius conceiveth the Grammaticall spirit in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and reading it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 17 Or That there shall be a performance for so doth the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also signifie as Job 3. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That I might sucke so Psal. 11. 3. The wicked bend their bow c. That the foundations may bee destroyed which the righteous hath made 18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes is used for setting apart to holy use as in the Lxx Exod. 29. and christian Writers use it sometimes for Baptisme and Martyrdome because they consecrate men to God It is used of Christ Heb. 2. 10. 19 Ludolphius upon this place observeth to little purpose that the Virgin is found in Scripture speaking but seven times 20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The mighty one A full and proper sense of the word Elohim which the Lxx indeed and the New Testament after them have constantly expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of the mystery of the Trinity included in it Gibbor applyed to God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Lxx Psal. 24. 8. * Psal. 103. 17. 21 Psal. 8. 10. 13. and 98. 1. and 136. 12. Esa. 53. 1. 22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Job 5. 13. 1 Cor 3. 10. Gen. 11. 8. 23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Lxx Isa 41. 9. from which verse this seemeth to be taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an Arme Psal. 83. 9. and a Shield Psal. 89. 18. 24 Greek To remember Syr. and Arab. And remembred his mercy 25 This hath so good dependance upon severall words that it is hard to fix it First as he spake for ever or in all ages to our Fathers Secondly to the seed of Abraham which shall last for ever Thirdly He hath for ever remembred his mercy Fourthly that mercy which is for ever Fifthly which is to bee shewed to Abraham and to his Seed for ever and this last or the two last together are most proper †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Lxx 1 Chro. 9. 33. to translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chambers of the Temple if it be not mis-written * On Gen. 7. The first Moneth The second Moneth From the middle of our September to the middle of October Part of October part of November The third Moneth The 〈◊〉 Moneth Part of December part of January Part of November part of December The fifth Moneth The 〈◊〉 Moneth Part of February part of March. Part of January and part of February Tâ—â— first Moneth stilo novo The 〈◊〉 Moneth stilo 〈◊〉 Part of Aprill 〈◊〉 of May. Part of March and part of Aprill The third Moneth stilo novâ— The fourth Moneth stilo novâ— Part of June part of July Part of May part of June The fifth Moneth stilo novo The sixth Moneth stilo novo Part of August part of September Part of July and part of August †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Lxx for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 7. 1 and for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Job 1. 1. Thus Emphaticall and giveth a cleere resolution of this place which hath scrupled many into strange and harsh expositions for not observing it as that she should hide her selfe for feare that she should not prove with childeâ— Otherâ— that she did it for shame lest she should be reputed lascivious for being with childe c. Judicet lector a Gen â— 1. b It might be understood The Booke of the History as geâ—â—neration is taken Gen. 2. 4. and 37. 2. and so it might beâ— the title not of this Chaptâ—â— onely but oâ— the whole booke But since the Evangelists intention is to set downe Christs alliance to the Royall line by his Father Iyseph the phrase must be understood accordingly and so the Chaldee useth the very Grecke word to translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Family of Râ—m Job 32. 2. See a third sense of 〈◊〉 in Jam. 1. 23. 3. 6. c Judas for 〈◊〉 in Hebrew For the Greeke cannot utter â— before a vowest in the middle of a word nor after one in the end therefore in the middle it leaveth iâ— our as in Jofaphaâ— Joram and thâ—s word Judâ— and in the end it changeth it in â— as in this and many other words in this Chapter d Or Ram. 1 Chron. 2. 8â— Ruth 4. 19. e called Salma Ruth 4. 20. f He is hâ—ld by the â—ewes to be Ipsan Judg. 12. 8. g David in the Arabick signifieth a worme to which he may seeme to allude Psal. 22. 6. h Rehobâ—am in naming this his Son Abi-jah which signifieth God is my father seemeth to have had his eye upon the promise to David I will be his father 2 Saâ— 7. 14. which Because hee imbraced not 〈◊〉 lively faith but challenged onely by a pâ—esumptuous 〈◊〉 patioâ— for hee walked not in the wayes of David therefore doth the reâ—â— elsewhere conceale the name of God in the name of his Son and calleâ—â— him Abâ—â—â—â— My father is a Sea For so unconstant in good was Reâ—obâ—am as Jam. 1. 6. being a child at forty yeeres old 2 Chron. 13. 17. i The Arabick reaâ—eth â— Asaph k Called Conias Jer. 22. 24. For God by taking away the first syllable of his name sheweth that he will notestablish the throne or race of Solomon any more upon it as his Father lehojakim belike is so naming him had presumed The Jewes delighted to joyn the name Jehovah to their owne Names but somewhat shoâ—med For in the beginning of the name it was but Jeho as Jeho-shaphat Jeho-ram c. And in the end it was Jahu as Mica-jahu Eli-jahu And sometime in the very same name it was set
did bend their eyes and expectation and a time from which all the Christians that have lived since have dated their Chronicall accounts and computation And yet how unfixed is this time and age of the world in which so great a mysâ—ery came to passe and upon which so generall accounting doth depend in the various reckonings of learned and industrious men It is not onely to bee seen in their writings wondered at in regard of the great difference at which they count but the fixed time is the more to bee studied for upon this very reason because such men do so greatly differ among themselves The onely way to settle in such variety is to take the plain and cleere account and reckoning of the Scripture which hath taken a peculiar care to give an exact and most certain Chronicle to this time and not to rely upon the computation of Olympiadeâ— Consuls or any other humane calculation which it cannot bee doubted must of necessity leave the deepest student of them in doubting and uncertainty Now the Scripture carrying on a most faithfull reckoning of the times from the beginning of time to this fulnesse of it hath laid this great wondrous and happy occurrence of the birth of the Redeemer in the yeere of the world three thousand nine hundred twenty and eight Which that wee may make good and fixed among so much variety and difference may the Reader gently have the patience to see and to examine the particular summes by which the Scripture accounteth to make up this totall and to study upon those scruples in the severall parcells where they come that make the account intricate and doubtfull and to judge upon those resolutions and satisfactions that shall bee tendered for the cleering and untying of those scruples And surely though the businesse may bee something long and difficult which wee shall propose and lay before him yet doubt I not but the profit will fully countervaile his labour when hee shall not onely bee resolved of the certainty of the time which wee now have occasion and every Christian hath cause to looke after but when hee shall also see and that I suppose not without admiration the wondrous and mysterious and yet alwayes instructive stile and manner of accounting used by the Holy Ghost in most sacred Majesticknesse and challenging all serious study and reverence And though also this businesse may seem to bee something too Parergon and excentrick to the main work that wee have before us the Harmonizing of the Evangelists yet since a prime thing that wee are to inquire after in the very entrance of this story of our Saviours life is the fixed and certain time of his birth the Reader will bee pleased to excuse a fault on the right hand rather then on the left and to dispense with too much desire to give satisfaction rather then too little or with none at all Sect. I. From the Creation to the Flood were 1656. yeeres as appeareth Gen. 5. 6. 7. by these parcels Adam at 130 yeeres old hath Seth ver 3. Seth at 105 yeeres old hath Enosh ver 6. Enosh at 90 yeeres old hath Cainan ver 9. Cainan at 70 yeeres old hath Mahalaleel ver 12. Mahalaleel at 65 yeeres old hath Jared ver 15. Jared at 162 yeeres old hath Enoch ver 18. Enoch at 65 yeeres old hath Methuselah ver 21. Methuselah at 187 yeeres old hath Lamech ver 25. Lamech at 182 yeeres old hath Noah ver 28. 29. Noah at 600 yeeres old seeth the Flood Gen. 7. 11. Totall 1656. which whole yeere of the world was taken up with the Flood viz. from the 17 day of the second Moneth or Marheshvan Gen. 7. 11 to the 27 day of the same moneth come twelve-moneth Gen. 8 14. Sect. II. From the Flood to Terahs death and the Promise then given to Abram were 427 yeeres as appeareth Gen. 11. by these particulars Sem at 2 yeeres after the Flood begat Arphaxad ver 10. Arphaxad at 35 yeeres old begat Salah ver 12. Salah at 30 yeeres old begat Eber ver 14. Eber at 34 yeeres old begat Peleg ver 16. Peleg at 30 yeeres old begat Reu ver 18. Reu at 32 yeeres old begat Serug ver 20. Serug at 30 yeeres old begat Nachor ver 22. Nachor at 29 yeeres old begat Terah ver 24. Terah at 130 yeeres old begat Abram Abram at 75 yeeres old hath the Promise Gen. 12. 4. Totall 427. Which summe being added to 1656 which was the age of the world at the Flood amounteth to 2083. and it resulteth that the promise was given to Abram in the yeere of the world two thousand eighty three But here is the great question moved Whether Abram were the eldest son of Terah yea or no If hee were then was hee born when Terah was 70 yeeres of age Gen. 11. 26. and not as this Table layeth it at his 130. And if hee were not his eldest son why hath Moses named him first of all his sonnes Answer First Hee was not his eldest Sonne for 1. Hee marryed his brother Harans daughter for so all men hold Sarah to have been and shee was but ten yeeres younger then himself Gen. 17. 17. which was impossible if her Father were younger then hee 2. Hee is said to bee but 75 yeeres old when hee departed out of Hanan Gen. 12. 4. And this was after his Fathers death Act. 7. â— Now had hee been born at Terahs 70 he had been 135 yeeres old when his Father dyed Wee must therefore compute and reckon backward thus that since hee was but 75 yeeres old when his Father dyed it must needs bee concluded that hee was born when Terah was 130. as is laid down in the Table Answer Secondly Hee is reckoned first of Terahs sonnes as Sem is of Noahs not because hee was the first in time but the first in dignity For that Sem was not the eldest sonne of Noah is cleere by comparing these places Gen. 5. 32. Noah was 500 yeeres old when hee begat his first sonne and Gen. 7. 11. when Noah was fix hundred yeeres old was the Flood of waters upon the earth and then was one of his sonnes an hundred yeeres old But Sem was not so till two yeeres after Gen. 11. 10. And yet is hee ever named the fiâ—â—t of his sonnes Gen. 5. 32. 6. 10. 7. 13. 9. 18. 10. There are some that not content with this plain necessary and undenyable explication of the difficulty do hold that Abram took two journeys into Canaan one before his Fathers death and another after whereas Moses and Steven well compared together do plainly shew the contrary and fully and sufficiently cleere the matter under scruple That which hath made men to fall into the mistake of his two journies into Canaan hath been this that they have taken the words of God in Act. 7. 3. Get thee out of thy Countrey c. and his words in Gen. 12. 1. Get thee
the beginning of the world from Tisri or September so that that yeere was his first yeere and 3929. his second yeere at the which the wise men came to visit him 3930. his third yeere and so 3960. halfe passed or at Easter his two and thirtyeth and an halfe at which age hee dyed And now hee that desireth to know the yeere of the world which is now passing over us this yeere 1644. will finde it to bee 5572. yeeres just now finished since the Creation and the yeere 5573 of the worlds age now newly begunne this September at the Aequinox THE HARMONY OF THE FOVRE EVANGELISTS SECTION I. S. LVKE CHAP. I. The Preface or Epistle Dedicatory The occasion and warranty of Lukes writing the Gospel FORASMVCH as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely beleeved among us 2 Even as they delivered them unto us which from the beginning were eyewitnesses and Ministers of the Word 3 It seemed good to mee also having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first to write unto thee in order most excellent Theophilus 4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed Reason of the Order FOrasmuch as none of the Evangelists have made a Preface to their story but onely Luke this of his may serve as a generall one for all the rest And like the beautifull gate of the Temple may bee as an entrance or inlet into the glorious and royall Fabrick of the Gospels Harmony and Explanation Ver. 1. Many have taken in hand HEE condemneth not the undertakings of these men as very many Expositors hold hee doth for first hee saith they had taken in hand a declaration of those things which were most surely beleeved Secondly Hee saith they had done it even as the eye-witnesses and Ministers had delivered it Thirdly Hee maketh his own undertaking of the like nature with theirs when hee saith It seemed good to mee also But hee mentioneth these their writings as only humane Authorities undertaken without the injunction of the Holy Ghost which his divine one was to exclude So the Books of Jasher of Gad of Iddo of the warres of the Lord c. are cited by the Old Testament neither as altogether disapprooved nor yet approoved above humane In the losse of them there perished none of the Canonicall Scriptures but onely the works of men no more did there in the losse of these Vers. 2. Eyewitnesses these were the twelve Apostles Ministers these were the 70 Disciples From their Sermons and Relations many undertook to write Gospels of a godly intention and holy zeale Of which the Evangelist here speaking aimeth neither at the Gospel of Matthew nor Marke though they were written when hee thus speaketh for the first was an eyewitnesse and one of the twelve and the other it is like a Minister or one of the 70◠and so wrote not from the intelligence of others as those did of whom the Evangelist speaketh but by their owne Vers. 3. It seemed good to mee also having had perfect understanding of all things from above For so might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bee best translated And so it signifieth John 3. 3. 31. 19. 11. James 1. 17. c. And thus taken it sheweth Lukes inspiration from heaven and standeth in opposition to the many Gospels mentioned ver 1. which were written from the mouthes and dictating of men ver 2. but his intelligence for what hee writeth was from above Most excellent Theophilus In most probability a Nobleman of Antioch and fellow Citizen with Luke converted by Paul at his Preaching there Act. 11. 26. Luke adhered to his Master and forsook him not 2 Tim. 4. 11. but Theophilus staying at Antioch after Pauls departure what hee wanted in verball instructions from the mouth of his Master when hee went away Luke doth in this his Gospel supply by writing that so hee might know the certainty of these things wherein hee had been Catechized Theophilus in Greek is the same in signification with Jedidiah in Hebrew the name of Solomon the Lords Beloved or with glorious title of Abraham the Friend of God And thus was that Prophecy most sweetly fulfilled Esai 60. 14. The sonnes of the afflicters shall come bending to thee c. when in that Town which had been the residence and bare the name of Antiochus the sharpest enemy that ever Israel groaned under the professors of the Gospel were first named Christians and such an Evangelist hath his Originall SECT II. S. JOHN CHAP. 1. The fitnesse and necessity of the second Person in the Trinity his being incarnate and his being the Redeemer rather then either of the other asserted and prooved by his being the Creator the given of the promise and substance and tenor of the types and Prophecies of the Old Testament IN the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God 2 The same was in the beginning with God 3 All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made 4 In him was life and the life was the light of men 5 And the light shined in darknesse and the darknesse comprehended it not 6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John 7 The same came for a witnesse to beare witnesse of the Light that all men through him might beleeve 8 Hee was not that Light but was sent to beare witnesse of that light 9 That was the true Light which lighteth every man that commeth into the world 10 Hee was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not 11 Hee came unto his own and his own received him not 12 But as many as received him to them gave hee power to become the Sons of God even to them that beleeve on his name 13 Which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God 14 And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us and wee beheld his glory the glory as of the onely begotten of the Father full of grace and truth Reason of the Order THe Preface being made the story is to begin and that it doth here from Christs Divinity most Divinely For whereas the other Evangelists begin their relations no further back then from the birth or conception of our Saviour or at the furthest of his forerunner John draws the Reader back to behold him in the Old Testament in the Creation of the world and in the promises to the Fathers And therefore this portion is first to bee begun withall and of it selfe will justifie its own order Especially it being considered that the person of Christ is first to bee treated of before his actions and in his person the divine nature which John
hee speaketh of the words co-working with the Father in the workes of the Creation and accordingly explaineth himselfe after also By him were all things made Ver. 3. By him were all things made Not as an instrumentall cause onely as the Arians pleaded but as the efficient For so the word By often importeth 1 Cor. 1. 9. 1 Thes. 5. 24. 2 Cor. 1. 1. Prov. 8. 15 16. Ephes. 1 1. Col. 1. 1. And so may i◠bee understood Col. 1. 16. And without him was nothing made that was made In this place there hath been great difference of readings as was observed before as see Chrys. in loc Vulg. lat Alcum. in loc c. but Ignatius Martyr Epist. ad Antioch Tatianus in Harmon Chrysostome in loc and other of the ancients and the Arbick Syriack Italian Spanish French Dutch and all Latin◠translations that are not wedded to the vulgar read as wee doe and so the very sense of the place requireth to read And so some of the Romanists themselves read forsaking their own vulgar as the Rhemists in margin Maldon it c. For how crabbed harsh and strained a sense the best is that can bee made of their reading see in Alcuin in loc Victorin adversus Arium lib. 3. Aquin. par 1. quaest 18. art 4. Concerning the repetition of this it being the same in effect with that before All things were made by him observe that first it is to heighten the expression or to inforce the sense for so the Hebrewes usually doe by an affirmative and negative in the same sentence as 2 King 20. 15. Jer. 38. 25. Lam. 3. 2. Secondly that the two distinct clauses may seem to distinguish of the Creatures and in the affirmative to understand the visible Creatures which Moses had taught evidently were made by the Word and in the negative the invisible of which there might bee the more doubt whether they were made by him or no because Moses hath made no such plain expression Or thirdly that the affirmative may meane the Words creating of all things and the negative his disposall and ordering of all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without him was nothing that hath been either created or disposed as Joh. 5. 17. Ver. 4. In him was life This hath allusion to Adams naming his wife Eve or life upon the apprehension of the promise given him after his fall Gen. 3. 15. And the Evangelist having considered the Word in the former verse as the Authour of Nature hee commeth now to treat of him as the Authour of Grace there as the Creator here as the Redeemer For having related there that by him all things were made and amongst all things man received his naturall life and being hee goeth on now to shew that by the same Word also man when hee was falne and perished and had incurred the penalty of dying the death hee re-obtained a new and a better life namely by faith and laying hold upon him in the promise as Heb. 2. 4. And the life was the light of men The life of the promise was the light that shone in the world and to which all the Patriarchs and Prophets and all the holy Men of God that lived before the fulfilling of it had an eye and respect as to a light shining in a darke place and whereby they guided all their devotione and whereto they aimed all their actions And this light then shone and yet shineth in all the types shadowes figures and predictions of the Law and of the Prophets as wee daily read them and that darknesse and mysticall cloudinesse which lay over them did not comprehend it but that it gave some shine in that obscurenesse And yet did they not reach to that brightnesse of revealing of Christ but that it was necessary that the Gospell should bee Preached the beginning of which is mentioned in the very next verse namely the Preaching of John Ver. 6. There was a man sent c. Here may the Reader looke backe and see the method and intention of the Evangelist and the reason why hee calleth him by this name the Word rather then any other For first hee was the Word by whom all things and among them man were created Secondly The Word by which man being falne was recovered and obtained life Thirdly The Word of light direction and consolation to the holy Patriarchs Fourthly The Word of promise in the darknesse of the Law and Prophets And hee is now come to bee the Word incarnate and the publisher of the Gospel which began from John Mark 1. 1. And thus hath the Evangelist made the whole Old Testament no other then availed Gospel speaking of Christ though somewhat obscurely from the beginning to the end As in the Creation ver 3. In the promise ver 4. In the expectation of the Fathers ibid. Fifthly In the darknesse of the Law and Prophets ver 5. And sixthly in the necessity of a clearer revelation of him by his owne comming ibid Ver. 7. To beare witnesse of the light c. The light in this verse and those that follow is taken personally for Christ himselfe whereas in ver 4 5. it was taken vertually onely there for the light that flowed from Christ and therefore it is said that light was in him here for Christ the light it selfe for so is hee called ver 9. See Isai. 10. 17. and 42. 6. 49. 6. Mic. 7. 6. Num. 24. 17. Psal. 84. 1. Mal. 4. 2. c. For first Christ revealeth the Father and his will Joh. 1. 18. 16. 25. and whatsoever maketh manifest is light Ephes. 5. 13. Secondly Hee is the brightnesse of the glory and expresse image of the Father Heb. 1. 3. who is a light without any darknesse at all 1 Joh. 1. 5. Thirdly Hee inlightneth the hearts of his by Faith Ephes. 5. 14. Fourthly Christ held out in the Gospel filled the world full of the light of knowledge in comparison of what it was under the Law Isai. 11. 9. Psal. 19. 3. That all might beleeve The word All joyneth the Gentiles with the Jewes which hitherto had been secluded And in the same sense is Christs Lightning of every one that commeth into the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 9. to bee understood for his generall and universall inlightning of the world with the shining of the Gospel For there is a comparison made here by the Evangelist betwixt the light of the promise under the Law and the light of the Gospel and Christ in it Ver 10. Hee was in the world Not vertually and invisibly onely in his power and providence but even visibly sensibly and apparently in audible voyce and conspicuous shape before hee came in humane nature as Gen. 15. and 18. and 32. Exod. 3. Josh. 6. yea even to the sight and hearing of wicked and heathen men 〈◊〉 4. and 20. and 21. and 31. Dan. 3. 24 25. Exod. 14. Ver. 11. Hee came among his 〈◊〉 This speaketh
the more visible in them it might prepare beliefe the better for this As these two types and fore-runners of those two great mysteries were exhibited so often in the Old Testament that they might prepare credit and entertainment for the other when they should bee exhibited in the birth of Christ so was it most fit that they should bee declared in the birth of him that was to be Christs forerunner indeed and when the mysteries they aimed at were so neere to bee revealed On the right side of the Altar of Incense On the north side of it On Zacharies right hand and on the right side of the house as Ezek. 10. 3. compare Zach. 3. 1. Psal. 109. 6. 31. and 142. 4. The appearing of an Angel in the Sanctuary with a message from God was a thing ever hardly seen or heard of before and it sheweth how Vrim and Thummim the ordinary way of Gods revealing his mind in that place was now ceased For God used to reveale his will to the Priest by a soft voice from off the Arke but now both Arke and Oracle were quite gone and the losse the lesser when the true Arke of the Covenant and the Oracle of the will of God our Saviour Christ was so neere at hand The second Temple wanted five things which were in the first as the Jewes observe upon the want of the Letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hag. 1. 8. namely First The Arke Secondly Vrim and Thummim Thirdly the 〈◊〉 from Heaven Fourthly the divine presence or cloud of glory And fifthly the holy Ghost or the spirit of Prophecy and power of miracles Masseâ— Iâ—m Yet was the glory of that house to be greater then the glory of the first because of the presence of Christ in it Vers. 13. Thy prayer is heard c. Not that hee was now praying for a child for his age made him incredulous of having a child when the Angel told him of one and then it is not like hee would pray for one and in this place and at this time hee was a person representative of the whole people and therefore was not to make a private prayer for himselfe but either the prayers which he had before made to that purpose were now come into remembrance or rather he was now praying for the delivery of Israel the remission of their sinnes and the comming of Christ in which they without were joyning with him and this his prayer the Angell tells him is so ready to bee answered that his wife should presently conceive a Sonne that should preach remission convert the people and goe before the face of Christ. And now O yee Priests beseech God that hee will bee gracious unto you Mal. 1. 9. And so was Zacharias the Priest at this time doing And the Angel said unto him Thy prayer is heard and thy wife shall beare a Sonne and thou shalt call his name John this Name being interpreted importeth gracious as Esa. 30. 18 19. Vers. 16. And many of the Children of Israel shall bee turne Many of Israel shall returne when they shall see signes of redemption Whereupon it is said He saw that there was no man c. Esa. 59. 16. D. Kimchin loc Vers. 17. In the power and spirit of Elias John the Baptist did so neerely represent Elias that hee beareth his very name Mal. 4. Mat. 11. 14. First they both came when Religion was even perished and decaying Secondly they both restored it in an excellent measure Thirdly they were both persecuted for it Elias by Ahab and Jezabel John by Herod and Herodias Fourthly they both conversed much in the Wildernesse Fifthly they agreed in austerity of life Sixthly in the wearing of a hairy garment and a Leatherne girdle 2 King 1. 8. Mat. 3. 4. Seventhly both of them had Heaven opened to them neere Jordan To which two parallels more might bee added if these two opinions of the Jewes concerning Elias might bee beleeved First that hee was of the Tribe of Levi for they take him to bee Phinâ—has as see R. Lev. Gersh on 1 King 17. Secondly That hee restored circumcision when it was decayed from those words in 1 King 19. 14. They have forsaken thy Covenant To turne the hearts of the fathers to the children That is The hearts of the Jewes to the Gentiles For first the hatred of a Jew against a Gentile was deadly and it was a speciall worke of the Gospel and consequently of John that began to Preach it to bring both these to imbrace Christ and for and in him to imbrace one another Secondly Experience it selfe confirmeth this exposition for as the Gospel belonged to the Gentiles as well as the Jewes and as John came for a witnesse that all through him might beleeve so did hee convert and baptize Roman Souldiers as well as Jewish Pharisees Thirdly Baptisme at its first institution was the Sacrament for admission of Heathens onely to the Church and true Religion when therefore the Jewes also begin to desire it and to consent to the Heathens in the undertaking of it then was the heart of the fathers turned to the children Fourthly It is the common and constant use of the Prophets to stile the Church of the Gentiles by the name of children to the Church of the Jewes as Isa. 54. 5 6. 13. and 60. 4. 9. and 62. 5. and 66. 12 13. Fifthly the Talmud expounding these words in Malachi seemeth to understand them of such a communion or reconciliation as is spoken of Vid. R. Sol. in loâ— Malach. Herod saith Josephus Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 7. slew John the Baptist being a good man and injoyning the Jewes that exercising vertue and using right dealing one towards another and piety towards God they should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 convene or knit together in Baptisme And the disobedient c. In Malachi it is And the hearts of the children to the fathers But first the Holy Ghost is not so punctuall to cite the very letter of the Prophet as to give the sense Secondly it was not very long after the Baptizing and Preaching of John that the Jewes ceased to bee a Church and Nation nay even in the time of John himselfe they shewed themselves enemies to the Gospel and the professors of it as concerning the generall or the greatest part of them therefore hee saith not that the heart of the children the Gentiles should bee turned to their Fathers the Jewes which should cease to bee fathers and should cease to bee a people but to the wisdome of the righteous ones The disobedient As in this clause hee refuseth to use the tearme of Fathers for the reason mentioned so doth hee also of the correlative children because of his refusing that And yet hee coucheth the sense of that title under the word disobedient which word in its most proper and naturall signification reflecteth upon untowardly children disobedient to their parents As therefore by his omitting to
in her Cosin Elisabeth Thirdly confirming her from the power of God to which nothing is impossible Now whereas this unrestrained power of God was the onely cause of such examples as the childing of Elisabeth and other barren women in this birth of the Virgin something more and of more extraordinarinesse is to bee looked after In it therefore two actions are expressed to concurre First The Holy Ghost his comming upon the Virgin Secondly The power of the most High overshadowing her and two fruits or consequents of these two actions answerable to them First The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee therefore that that is borne of thee shall bee holy Secondly The power of the most High shall overshadow thee therefore that that is borne of thee shall bee called the Son of God The comming of the Holy Ghost upon her was First In the gift of Prophecy whereby shee was both informed of the very instant when the conception was wrought and also more fully of the mystery of the Incarnation then before Secondly Hee did prepare and sanctifie so much of her flesh and blood or seed as to constituâ—â— the body of our Saviour The worke was the worke of the whole Trinity but ascribed more singularly to the Holy Ghost first because of the sanctifying of that seed and cleering it of originall taint for sanctification is the worke of the Holy Ghost Secondly for the avoiding of that dangerous consequence which might have followed among men of corrupt minds who might have opinionated if the conception of the Messâ—as in the wombe had been ascribed to the Father that the Sonne had had no other manner of generation of him The power of the most High His operating power supplying the want of the vigour and imbraces of the masculine Parent For to that the word overshadow seemeth to have aliusion being a modest phrase whereby the Hebrews expressed the imbraces of the man in the act of generation as Ruth 3. 9. Spread the skirt of thy garment over thine handmaid Therefore that holy thing This title and Epithet first not onely sheweth the purity and immaculatenesse of the humane nature of Christ but also secondly it being applyed to the preceding part by way of consequence as was touched before it sheweth that none ever was borne thus immaculate but Christ alone because none had ever such a way meanes of conception but onely hee Ver. 36. Thy Cosin Elisabeth hath conceived a Son As hee had informed the Virgin of the birth of the Mâ—ssiâ—â— of her selfe so doth he also of the birth of his fore-runner of her Cousin Elisabeth For that hee intended not barely to informe her onely that her Cousin had conceived a Childe but that hee heightens her thoughts to think of him as Christs fore-runner may bee supposed upon these observations First that hee saith A Son and not a Childe Second that such strangely borne Sonnes were ever of some remarkable and renowned eminency Thirdly that if hee had purposed onely to shew her the possibility of her conceiving by the example of the power of God in other women hee might have mentioned Sarah Hannah and others of those ancient ones and it had been enough Ver. 39. And Mary arose c. And went with haste into the hill Country into a City of Juda. This City was Hebron For unto the sons of Aaron Joshua gave the City of Aâ—ba which is Hebron in the hill countrey of Judah Josh. 21. 11. And Zacharias being a sonne of Aaron and dwelling in the hill Countrey of Judâ—â—â— it were senselesse to seek for his house in any other place then Hebron This place had been excellently renowned in ancient time Here was the promise given of Isaac here was the institution of Circumcision here Abraham had his first land and David his first Crowne and here lay interred the three couples Abraham and Sarah Isaac and Rebecca Jacob and Leah and as antiquity hath held Adam and Eve Now there are many reasons given by Expositors of Maries hasting hither after the Message of the Angel As either to know the truth of what was told her about Elisabeth or to congratulate and rejoyce with her or to minister to her in her great bellyednesse or that the Baptist in Elisabeths wombe might bee sanctified by the presence of Christ in hers c. But I cannot but conceive this to bee the very reason indeed That shee might there conceive the Messias where so many types figures and things relating to him had gâ—â—e before namely in Hebron For First this suited singularly with the Harmony and Consent which God useth in his workes that the promise should begin to take place by the conception of Messias even among those Patriarchs to whom the promise was first given Secondly A kind of necessity seemeth to lie upon it that this Shiloh of the Tribe of Juda and the seed of David should bee conceived in a City of Juda and of David as hee was to bee borne in another City that belonged to them both Thirdly the Evangelists so punctually describing this City seemeth rather to referre to Christ then John who being of the Priests might indifferently have been born in any of the Tribes whatsoever Only the Holy Ghost giveth us to observe this which may not bee passed That John that should bring in Baptisme in stead of Circumcision was borne in that very place where Circumcision was first ordained in the City Hebron It is generally held indeed that the Virgin conceived in Nazaret and in the very instant of the Angels talking with her but whether there bee not as much probability for this opinion as for that I referre to the equall and judicious Reader Ver. 40. And saluted Elisabeth This seemeth to have beene at some distance and a wall or floore between as consider seriously on ver 42. 44. Ver. 41. The babe leaped 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word is used by the Lxx. for Jacobs and Esaus stirring in the wombe Gen. 25. 22. And the leaping of the mountains at the giving of the Law Elisabeth in ver 44. addeth The babe leaped 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not that hee knew what hee did when hee leaped any more then they but that either this was the first time or this time was extraordinary The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth outward gesticulation or exultation as well as inward joy yea though there bee no inward joy at all as Psal. 65. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the little hils shall bee girded with exultation And so is it to bee understood here The babe in my wombe leaped with extraordinary gesticulation or exâ—ltation and 〈◊〉 to signifie the manner of the thing done and not the cause of the doing Ver. 45. And blessed is shee that beleeved Elisabeth in this clause seemeth to have an eye to her owne husbands unbeleefe and the punishment that befell him for the same Hee a Man a Priest aged learned eminent and the message to him of more appearing
it is generally construed another way Chizgner havetha leithmannaah And thou Bethlehem Ephratah art within a little to bee superiour or perfect among the thovsands of Judah c. As let the learned in the language judge whether the words in the Chaldee will not beare that sense especially the sense of the first word Chizgner being looked into in the Chaldee in Psal. 2. 12. and 73. 2. Hos. 1. 4. and in other places The Text of the Prophet then being rendred in this interpretation this allegation of the Evangelist will bee found not to have any contrariety to it at all but to speake though not in the very same words yet to the very same ten or and purpose For while the one saith It is a small thing that thou art among the Princes of Judah and the other Thou art not the least amng them they both fall into the same sense or at least into no disagreement of sense at all For if it were to bee reputed a small honour to Bethlehem to bee reckoned in equality with the other Princes of Judah in comparison of a greater honour that shee was to have in the birth of the Messias it must readily follow what this quotation of the Evangelist inferreth namely that shee was not the least among them And thus doth the Evangelist expresse the Prophets mind though he tie not his expression to his very words alledging his Text to its cleerest sense and to the easier apprehension of the hearer It is a just exception indeed thaâ— Jansenius taketh at this interpretation because that the Scripture useth not to expresse this sense It is a small thing by the word Tsagnir but by Megnat as Esa. 7. 13. Gen. 30. 15. and in other places But as it is true that it often useth Megnat for that expression so it is most true that 〈◊〉 useth not that word alone but others also As Tikton in 2 Sam. 7. 19. and Nakel in Esa. 49. 6. and why not Tsagnir then as well here SS Among the Princes of Juda. In Micah it is among the thousands of Juda and so is it translated by the Lxx the Chaldee the Vnlgar and uninamously by all other Translators so that here is yet another difficulty and difference in this allegation the Evangelist still swerving from the Text he citeth By the thousands of Juda 〈…〉 understandeth the families and Dav. Kimchi the Cities The word is once used in the very propriety of that sense in which the Prophet taketh it here Judg. 6. 15. My thousand saith Gedeon is poore in Manasseh which St. Austin and R. Esaiah expound that he was Captaine of a thousand Levi Gershom that his father was Captain but the Chaldee and other Rabbines understand it of the thousand in which his amily was numbred and inrolled Howsoever it is understood it is apparent by this and other places laid unto it that the severall Tribes of the children of Israel were divided into their severall thousands and that these thousands were inrolled to this or that City to which they had relation by habitation or by inheritance Villages that were not so populous were reduced into hundreds but Cities into one or more thousands according as they were in bignesse and multitude Amos 5. 3. The City that went out by a thousand shall leave an hundred and that which went out by an hundred shall leave ten The Villages were justly reputed of an inferiour ranke but the Cities that afforded their thousands were accounted Princes and so may the Prophet bee understood and so the Evangelist reconciled to him Now the reason of their difference in words though they both redound to the same sense may be given these First because the question in agitation was about the birth of a King and the place where now in answer to such a Quaere it was fitter to speake of Princes then thousands for where should a King bee looked for but among Princes Secondly the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Prophet doth signifie both thousands and Princes indifferently and so David Kimchi upon that place in the booke of Judges cited even now alledgeth There are saith he that interpret Aâ—phi which our English readeth my thousand as it were my Father even as the word Alluph whose signification is a Prince or Lord. The Evangelist therefore finding the word in the Prophet of this indifferency useth it in that sense which best suited with the present occasion both in regard of the question proposed as also thirdly in regard of the manner of Christs comming For it was both the expectation of the Jews and the feare of Herod that hee would come with a conquering and victorious temporall Sword and restore them to a pompous Earthly State and expell him out of his Kingdome Now for the Evangelist to have directed in this quotation to looke for Christ among the thousands of Juda had backed these Opinions for the terme soundeth of Warre and it had been a direction where likelier to find an earthly Warrier then the Prince of Peace among the thousands or among the Militia And therefore hee qualifieth the terme to the best satisfaction of Herod and the People Among the Princes There is that saith it might be construed In Princes and not among them and the meaning to bee this Thou Bethlehem art not the hast in the Princes of Juda that is in breeding or bringing them forth but this relisheth more of wit then solidity and agreeth better with the Latine then with the Greeke Originall SS For out of thee shall â—ome a Governour The Chaldee readeth it in the Prophet Out of thee shall come Messias and so is it expounded by Rabbi Solomon and David Kimchi And therefore that is most true which is inferred by Lyranus that those Catholikes that interpret it of Ezekiah do more judaize then the lews themselves Some Jews indeed saith Theephylact doe apply this to Zorobabel but as he answereth it is like that Zorobabel was born in Babel and not in Bethlehem And St. Matthew hath plainly taught both Jewes and Gentiles to understand it in another sense But here again doth he differ from the Letter of the Prophet but commeth so neere the sense that the difference is as no difference at all Vers. 7. Herod privily called the Wisemen Privily For had the Jewes heard of his pretences they had so long been acquainted with his policy tyranny and ambition they could readily have descried his mischievousnesse and spoiled his bloody contrivall by better information given to the wisemen SS Enquired diligently of them the time when the Star appeared Had they taken their journey instantly upon the Starres appearing Herod could easily have computed the time by the length of their journey but by this his enquiry it is apparent that they had told him of its appearance at some good space before which in ver 16. is plainly resolved to be two yeeres by the Wisemens owne acknowledgement and resolution Vers. 11. Gold and
very well bee beleeved that hee would bloodily stirre against this new King of the Jewes that the wisemen spake of for feare of interception of the Crown as wel as his Father Hee dyed but five daies before his fathers death as it was touched before out of Josephus and thus God brought this bloodinesse of the Father and the Son and the rest of their cruelties to an end and upon their own heads at once and in a manner together and thus may the words of the Angel bee very fairely understood Take the childe and return to the Land of Israel for Herod and Antipater are dead that sought his life Ver. 22. Archelaus did reigne in Iâ—dea in the roome of his Father Herod Herod had first named Antipater for his Successor in the Throne of Judea but upon detection of his conspiracy against him hee altered his minde and his will and nominated Antipas and changing his minde yet againe hee named Archelaus and hee succeeded him a man not likely to prosper in a Throne that was so bebloodyed His conclusion was that in the tenth yeere of his reigne hee was accused by the Nobles of Judea and Samaria to Augustus banished to Vienna and his estate confiscate Jos. Ant. lib 17. cap. 15. Ver. 23. Hee shall bee called a Nazarene From Isai. 11. 1. where the Messias is called by the title Nezer which indifferently signifieth A branch and the City Nazaret one and the same word denoting Christ and the place where hee should bee borne SECT VIII S. LUKE CHAP. II. Christ sheweth his wisedome at twelve yeeres old Ver. 40. ANd the Childe grew and waxed strong in spirit filled with wisdome and the grace of God was upon him 41 Now his Parents went to Jerusalem every yeer at the Feast of the Passeover 42 And when hee was twelve yeers old they went up to Jerusalem after the custome of the Feast 43 And when they had fulfilled the daies as they returned the Childe Jesus tarryed behind in Jerusalem and Joseph and his mother knew not of it 44 But they supposing him to have been in the company went a daies journey and they sought him among their kinsfolkes and acquaintance 45 And when they found him not they turned back again to Jerusalem seeking him 46 And it came to passe that after three daies they found him in the Temple sitting in the middest of the Doctors both hearing them and asking them questions 47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers 48 And when they saw him they were amazed and his mother said unto him Son why hast thou thus dealt with us Behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing 49 And hee said unto them How is it that yee sought mee wist yee not that I must bee about my Fathers businesse 50 And they understood not the saying which hee spake unto them 51 And hee went down with them and came to Narareth and was subject unto them but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart 52 And Jesus increased in wisedome and stature and in favour with God and men Reason of the Order THe Order of this Section dependeth so clearely upon the proper Order of that preceding that that being made good to lie where it doth as in the proper place the subsequence of this to it can nothing at all bee doubted of For whereas all the Evangelists have unanimously passed over in silence all those yeeres of Christs minority which intervened or passed between his return out of Egypt and this passage of his at twelve yeeres old there is nothing possible to bee found in the Gospels that can come between to interpose this order and connexion The carriage and demeanour of our Saviour in the time between is onely briefely comprised in the first verse of this portion And the childe grew and waxed strong in spirit filled with wisedome and the grace of God was upon him Harmony and Explanation Ver. 40. And the childe grew c. TWo yeeres Old hee was when hee went into Egypt and there hee abode in his Exile a very small time it may bee some two or three moneths about such a space as Moses had been hid in Egypt in his Fathers house from the fury of Pharaoh When hee returned to Narazeth his Mothers City being now about two yeers and a quarter old hee was not weaned if in this hee followed the use and custome of the Jewish children as it is like hee did but still sucked his Mothers breasts As hee grew in body hee grew much more in minde for so the phrase Hee waxed strong in Spirit seemeth to bee understood by the Evangelist taking Spirit not so much for the Holy Ghost though it is past question hee was filled with that as for his Soule or spirituall part of his humane nature And so hee describeth his growth in both parts in the two expressions The childe grew in body and waxed strong in intellect and soule filled with wisedome in an extraordinary manner above other children and a graciousnesse appeared in him both in person and actions Vers. 41. Now his Parents went to Jerusalem c. Joseph is called the Parent of Christ as Paul calleth preaching foolishnesse 1 Cor. 1. 21 23. because hee was so commonly reputed by men And as for Womens going up to this Festivall whereas the Law required onely the Males appearance before the Lord three times in the yeere wee shall have occasion to speake of it hereafter Ver. 42. And when hee was twelve yeeres old c. At what age our Saviour sheweth his admirable wisdome in the Temple among the Doctors in this Story at the same age had Solomon shewed his in the matter of the two Hostesses about the dead and living child 1 King 3. 25. â—8 For that hee was twelve yeers old at that time may be conceived upon these collections First Absolom began to rebell in the thirty seventh yeere of Davids Reigne or three yeeres before his death or thereabout This is to bee picked out of that datelesse reckoning of yeeres 2 Sam. 15. 7. And after forty yeeres Absalom said let mee goe pay my vow c. These forty yeeres are counted from the time that Israel asked a King three of Sauls Reigne 1 Sam. 13. 1. and seven and thirty of Davids and then began Absalom to challenge the Kingdome and the reckoning from that date giveth this hint and intimation that as their asking a King then did sore displease the Lord so now are they punished in the proper kind for it when they have so many Kings that they know not well which to follow and many of them perish in following the usurper Secondly before his open rebellion Absalom had been two yeeres in Jerusalem and not seen the Kings face 2 Sam. 14. 28. Thirdly before that time he had been three yeeres in deserved exile in Geshur 2 Sam. 13. 38. Fourthly and two yeeres had passed betwixt the rape of Tamar and
and usuall division of the Old Testament by the Hebrews into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Oraictha Nebbyim Chetubhim The Law the Prophets and the Holy writs approved and followed by our Saviour Luk. 24. 44. and alluded to by the Evangelist here Before thy face c. Thy way before thee The former is neither in the Hebrew nor in the Lxx at all the latter is in them both but clean contrary for they both have it The way before mee But First the Evangelists and Apostles when they take on them to cite any Text from the Old Testament are not so punctuall to observe the exact and strict forme of words as the pith of them or sense of the place as might bee instanced in many particulars so that the difference of the words would not prejudice the agreement in sense were there not so flat difference of person as mee and thee Secondly The Majesty of Scripture doth often shew it selfe in requoting of places in this that it alledgeth them in difference of words and difference of sense yea sometimes in contrarietie not to make one place to crosse or deny another but by the variety one to explaine and illustrate another as in corresponding places in the Old Testament might bee shewed at large as Gen. 10. 22 23. cited 1 Chron. 1. 17. Gen. 36. 12. compared with 1 Chron. 1. 36. 1 Sam. 25. 44. paralleled 2 Sam. 21. 8. 2 Chron. 3. 15. with Jer. 52. 21. and very many other places of the like nature wherein the Holy Ghost having penned a thing in one place doth by variety of words and sense inlarge and expound himselfe in another And the same divine authority and Majesty doth hee also use in the New Testament both in parallell places in it selfe and in citations in it from the Old So that this difference in hand betwixt My face in Malachi and thy face in Mark is not contradictory or crossing one another but explicatory or one explaining another and both together do result to the greater mystery For Christ is the face or presence of the Father and so is hee plainly called Exod. 33. 14. and in Christ the Father came and revealed himselfe among men and the words in both places both in the Prophet and in the Evangelist are to bee taken for the words of the Father in the one spoken of the Sonne and in the other to him In Malachi thus Behold I send my Messenger before mee to prepare the way before my face that is before the Sonne as hee is in his own nature the very brightnesse of the glory of the Father and the expresse image of his person Heb. 1. 3. and in Marke thus to prepare the way before thy face that is before thee O Sonne when thou commest to undertake the work of redemption and to publish the Gospel And this change of persons in Grammaticall construction is usuall in the Hebrews eloquence and Rhetorique as 1 Sam. 2. 23. My heart rejoyceth in the Lord I rejoyce in thy Salvation There is none holy as the Lord for there is none beside thee c. Zech. 12. 10. They shall look upon mee whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him and 14. 5. The Lord my God shall come and all the Saints with thee Luk. 3. ver 1. In the fifteenth yeere of Tiberius Caesar. This Tiberius was the third Emperour of the Romanes the son of Livia the wife of Augustus and by him adopted into the family of the Caesars and to the Empire A man of such subtilty cruelty avarice and bestiality that for all or indeed for any of these few stories can shew his parallell And as if in this very beginning of the Gospel hee were produced of such a constitution to teach us what to look for from that cruell and abominable City in all ages and successions Now Tiberius his fifteenth was the yeere of the world 3957. And the time of the yeere that John began to Baptize in it was about Easter or the vernall equinox as may bee concluded from the time of the Baptisme of our Saviour For if Jesus were baptized in Tisri or September as is cleered hereafter hee being then but just entring upon his thirtieth yeere as the Law required Numb 4. And if John being six moneths elder then our Saviour as it is plaine hee was did enter his Ministery at the very same age according to the same Law it readily follows that the time mentioned was the time when hee began to Preach It was indeed Tiberius his fifteenth when John began to baptize but it may very well bee questioned whether it were so when our Saviour was baptized by him For the exact beginning of every yeere of Tiberius his reign was from the fourteenth of the Kalends of September or the eighteenth of August at what time Augustus dyed Sueton in Aug. cap. 100. That fifteenth of the Emperour therefore in the Spring time of which John began to baptize was expired before September when our Saviour was baptized and so his baptisme is to bee reputed in the yeere of the world 3958. which was then but newly begunne and in the sixteenth yeere of Tiberius but newly begun neither unlesse you will reckon the yeere of the Emperour as the Romanes did the yeere of the Consuls from January to January But this wee will not controvert nor crosse the common and constant opinion of all times that holdeth our Saviour to have been baptized in Tiberius his fifteenth SS Pontius Pilate being governour of Judea Hee is called Procurator Judeae by Tacitus Annal. lib. 15. and hath this brand set upon him by Egisippus that hee was Vir nequam parvi facient mendacium De excid Jeruf l. 2. c. 5. A wicked man and one that made little conscience of a lie from which unconscionable disposition those words of his What is truth Joh. 18. 38. seem to proceed in scorn of truth and derision of it Hee succeeded Gratus in the government of Judea managed it with a great deale of troublesomenesse and vexation to the nation and at last was put out of his rule by Vitellius and sent to Rome to answer for his misdemeanours Joseph Antiq. lib. 18. c. 3 4 5. Philo in legatione SS Herod being Tetrarch of Galilee This was Antipas the sonne of Herod the great and called also Herod after his Father a man that after a long and wicked misdemeanour in his place was at last banished by Caius upon the accusation of his Nephew Herod Agrippa and Herodias his incestuous mate with him as shall bee shewed in a more proper place SS Tetrarch Some tying themselves too strictly to the signification of the Greek word understand by Tetrarch him that governeth the fourth part of a Kingdome for the Originall word includeth foure and accordingly have concluded that the Kingdome of Herod the great was divided by Augustus after his death into foure parts and given to his foure Sonnes Archelaus in whose roome they say succeeded
which our Saviour himself doth when hee speaketh of the baptisme that they meane Joh. 3. 5. and in that hee saith personally that Christ should baptize which with water hee never did Joh. 4. 2. Secondly by the Holy Ghost wherewith Christ should baptize is not meant the grace concomitant to our Christian baptisme as they suppose but his sending down the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit as is plaine by our Saviours owne exposition Act. 1. 5. For John indeed baptized with water but you shall bee baptized with the Holy Ghost not many daies hence Where using the very same words with these of the Baptist and applying the baptizing with the Holy Ghost plainely and undenyably to his sending down of the Holy Ghost on Pentecost day hee hath given a sure plain and undoubted explanation of these words Thirdly neither if the baptisme of John and the baptisme used in the Christian Church bee well compared together will any such difference or diversity bee found betwixt them nay set the form of words aside no difference at all For first they both had the same institution from Christ for hee that sent the Apostles to baptize sent also the Baptist John 1. 33. Secondly they both had the same element water Thirdly they had both the same end repentance For though our Christian baptisme is called the Baptisme for remission of sins Act. 2. 38. c. and a great deale of preeminence of this above that of John picked as is thought out of that title yet is it no more then what is said of the baptisme of John Mark 1. 4. Fourthly whereas it is commonly said that one end of our Saviours being baptized was that hee might sanctifie our baptisme how can this bee supposed if hee received not our baptisme but one different from it Fifthly the Disciples were baptized with no baptisme but that of John for Christ baptized them not and who other should do it cannot bee imagined and therefore if this of ours bee more excelcent then Johns wee have a better baptisme then the Apostles that first administred it Sixthly and lastly howsoever the Schooles without any stumbling doe hold rebaptization of those that had received the baptisme of John this crosseth their own tenet that his was a degree above the washings under the Law for their imperfection was shewed by their reiteration and in this they make his to differ nothing at all And whereas it is said Act. 19. 5. that some that were baptized with the baptisme of John upon Pauls instruction of them were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus it was rather their renewing to their baptisme then their baptisme to them and not that they tooke any other then that of John but that they now began to entertaine and apply it to the right intent As it may bee exemplified in circumcision in any heathen son of Abraham as in Jethro for an instance Hee was circumcised while hee was an unbeleever because hee was a Midianite a childe of Abraham now when hee came to bee a convert and imbraced the true Religion hee was not to bee circumcised againe for that was to possible but hee then beganne to know and apply the right use and meaning of his circumcision and so was renewed to it and not it to him Or those words When they heard this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus may bee understood to bee the words of Paul and not of Luke as see Beza in loc This phrase of baptizing with the holy Ghost sheweth first the restoring of the holy Ghost which long agoe was departed from Israel and gone up Secondly the abundance and plenteousnesse of that gift when it should bee exhibited that it should bee as water powred upon them as the word is used Joel 2. 28. Thirdly it sheweth whither all the washings and purifyings of the Law aimed and had respect namely to the washing and purging of men by the holy Ghost SS You. That is some of you as 1 Sam. 8. 11. Hee will take your sonnes that is some of them or You that is the people as Deut. 18. 15. The Lord shall raise to thee a Prophet that is to thy people and unto him you shall hearken that is the Nation of your posterity SS And with fire From Isai. 4. 4. The Lord shall wash the filthinesse of the Daughter of Zion and purge the blood of Jerusalem out of the middest thereof by the spirit of Judgement and by the spirit of burning It is easily to bee resolved what John meaneth here by fire seeing our Saviour himselfe hath applyed the other part of his speech to the comming down of the Holy Ghost on Pentecost day when wee know hee appeared in the visible shape of tongues of fire Act. 2. Now Christs baptizing in this manner with fire was 1. That the giving of the holy Ghost might fully answer the giving of the Law both for time and manner for both were given at Pentecost and both in fire 2. To expresse the various operations of the holy Ghost which are fitly resembled and represented by the effects of fire As 1. To inlighten with knowledge 2. To inflame with zeale 3. To burne up corruption 4. To purifie the nature 5. To turne the man to its own qualification of sanctity as fire maketh all things that it seiseth like it selfe 3. To strike terrour in the hearts of men lest they should despise the Gospel and to win reverence to the holy Ghost for feare of the fire 4. Hereby was clearely and fully shewed the life and significancy of the sacrifices under the Law upon whom there came a fire from heaven intimating that they are lively sacrifices and accepted who are inflamed by the holy Ghost from above And thus the two elements that have and shall destroy the world water and fire hath God been pleased to use for the benefit and salvation of his chosen Ver. 17. Whose fanne is n his hand By the fanne in the hand of Christ the most Expositors understand the power of judgement that God the Father hath committed to him For the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to the Sonne Joh. 5. 22. And thus some take it for an argument against security to all and others against Apostasie to those that have been baptized with the holy Ghost and that as the Baptist in the former words hath told what Christ would doe at his first comming and appearance so in these what hee will doe at his second but I rather adhere to the interpretation of them that by the Fanne of Christ understand the Gospel and his preaching and publication of the same and that upon these reasons First because unlesse it bee thus taken wee have not here any testimony at all given by the Baptist to the people concerning that part of the Office of Christ. Now that being a matter of so great importance as that the Prophets do more insist upon the preaching of Christ and his power
also in the same fulfilling with him it is not safe to understand it of all the righteousnesse of the Law because it is not pious to hold John the accomplisher of it as well as hee Thirdly Theophylact and some others with him goe the same way with these Fathers named but they goe somewhat further for they adde that Christ had fulfilled all the Law already but onely in this one particular of being baptized and when hee had performed that hee had compleated all righteousnesse But the word us spoyleth this exposition as well as it did that before and it will bee some worke to prove that baptisme taken in its proper sense or as John administred it was any part of the Law that Christ was to fulfill Fourthly others descant upon the words literally and take righteousnesse for justice distributive and baptisme for a speciall part or act of it For hee that is baptized saith Ludolphus pleaseth God pittieth his own soule and edifieth his neighbour by his example and so fulfilleth all justice in that hee doth to God himselfe and his neighbour what hee ought An Encomion of baptisme and a new invention of fulfilling the Law which I suppose was never dreamed of before Fifthly to omit other expositions much like this which some have given not neere to the text nor truth Jansenius and some with him but not so largely as hee doe paraphrase it thus According as I by an humble submission desire to bee baptized by thee so it becommeth us because wee are sent of God the Father to call men away from all unrighteousnesse and to teach the people to fulfill and performe in worke whatsoever is right omitting nothing bee it never so little which wee know to bee agreeable to the will of God Therefore hee importeth not that by the receiving of baptisme all righteousnesse is fulfilled but that by them that are Masters and Teachers of all righteousnesse nothing is to bee passed over which is right although they bee not bound thereto by necessity and though the thing it selfe seeme never so small Which exposition though it bee good and sound in regard of the truth contained in it yet seemeth it not to be punctuall and seasonable for this place For whereas the very marrow and pith of it lyeth in this that Christ and John being teachers of the people must practice themselves what they teach others to practice and therefore must Christ bee baptized for example to others let the Reader judge whether the inference bee good by this that John himselfe was never baptized and consequently whether the application of such a sense to these words bee fitting and agreeable Sixthly Chemnitius yet goeth neerer the text and the marke and bringeth the word Righteousnesse to reflect upon men explaining it thus that since Christ came to conferre and apply righteousnesse to men and accordingly to sanctifie every thing and meanes that might conduce to convey the same unto them therefore would hee thus consecrate baptism by his own being baptized give vigor to it to be a seale and strengthener of righteousnesse and grace begun and in this sense he saith that it becommeth him to fulfill all righteousnesse or every thing whereby the righteousnesse of man may be forwarded and promoted and because John was the Minister of Baptism therefore in the word us he joyneth him also in the fulfilling with him To this purpose hee and farre more largely comming as close to the marke as any we meet with and yet if I judge aright not so close as to hit it in these two respects First in that hee seemeth to hold and so also doe many others with him that Christs performance of the severall parts of righteousnesse personally in himselfe was requisite to the sanctifying of such things to others whereas his very institution of any such a thing giveth validity sufficient to it without his owne actuall example As in this very thing in hand concerning baptisme if Christ instituted that in the hand of John for a Sacrament to continue in his Church for ever I cannot see what vertue vigor or efficacy his being baptized by John added to it more then his institution of it before had done save onely for the more sensible reverence of it in the eyes of the people Secondly and chiefly because it is harsh and bold to conceive that Christ in the performance of any thing that might tend to mans justification should take a man to bee a sharer and co-worker in such equality as the words thus and us do make the Baptist. By righteousnesse therefore in this place may rather be understood the equity and justice of the Law and Christs fulfilling of the same Not the morall for that opinion we refused before but the other parts of it which were either Propheticall or figurative and typicall Not denying his fulfilling the morall Law neither for that he performed to a tittle being without the least taint of finne either in thought word or deed but rather illustrating and setting forth his performance of that the more in that hee was also so punctuall to fulfill the other parts of the Law which were lesse materiall And to this exposition of righteousnesse namely for the equity of the Ceremoniall or typicall Law not onely the matter or thing in hand it selfe but even every word also that is in this clause doe give their consent and confirmation For first if we looke upon the Ceremoniall law it selfe and the reason why it was given we shall find that it was neither so exact and exquisite in regard of it's injunctions nor so strict or necessary to bee performed in it selfe according to the Letter as it was in regard of its significancy of good things to come the force and vertue of it consisting not so much in its very verball precepts and corporall observances as in its representative and typicall predictions and fore-shewing of some better things to come thereafter And howsoever those Rites and Ceremonies had their obedience in the practices of the Jewes yet their equity and very intent indeed they had not but in the fulfilling of Christ. Secondly if wee looke also upon baptisme which was the matter now in agitation and the baptisme of Christ also how they were both fully and plainely prefigured under legall Rites and Ceremonious observances was shewed before Thirdly it was requisite that Christ should fulfill the Ceremoniall Law as well as the morall in some kind of necessity though not as much for the one as for the other For as the Morall was a law of faith so also was the Ceremoniall a Law of hope as the judiciall was also of charity In the morall law it was shewed to man what he was to doe but withall he saw by the same Law his owne disability and impossibility of performing what was to bee done The sight of this driveth man to lay hold of Christ that performed that Law for him and thus the law though it be according to
hath revealed my secrets to the 〈◊〉 of men And when he went about to explaine the 〈◊〉 or the bookeâ— of Holy Writ there came a Bath Kol or a divine voyce againe 〈◊〉 said It is enough What is the reason Because in them it revealed the end of the Messias In Megillah Now here it may bee doubly questioned First why they called it Bath Kol The Daughter of a voyce and not a voyce it selfe And secondly whether this voyce that wee have in hand were such a voyce as that or no To the first if the strictnesse of the Hebrew word Bath bee to bee stood upon which it alwayes is not it may bee answered that it is called the Daughter of a voyce in relation to the Oracle of Vrim and Thummim for whereas that was a voyce given from off the Mercy Seate within the vaile and this upon the decay of that Oracle came as it were in its place it might not unfitly nor unproperly bee called a Daughter or successor of that voyce But to the second and which is more materiall and pertinent to the subject in hand it may bee answered that this voyce was not of the nature of their Bath Kol upon these two reasons First because this voyce came descendingly from heaven but their Bath Kol cannot bee proved to have descended or at least to have constantly come from heaven For the 〈◊〉 hinc which gave warning of the destruction of the City came not from above but from the Temple as Isa. 66. 6. And this can hardly bee denyed to have been one of their Bath Kol voyces And if wee will beleeve the Jewish Authours in every place where they give examples of this their Bath Kol it will appeare rather to bee such a voyce as came to Samuel which was so farre from a perpendicular descending that hee could not distinguish whether it were the call of â—li Secondly because whereas the Jewes repute their Bath Kol both the last and the lowest kind of divine revelation among them this kinde of a voyce from heaven was both ancient as Gen. 21. 17. and 22. 11. and also most honourable Exod. 20. 22. Deut. 4. 33. 36 SS From Heaven The opinion that these words were spoken by an Angell deputed by God for that purpose which some do hold is not onely improper but also dangerous improper because it crosseth a plain and facile Text and dangerous because it bringeth a created Angell into a kind of equality and compartnership with the sacred Trinity For First Why should there bee any surmise of such an Angell uttering these words unlesse it might bee thought that God could not utter them himselfe Secondly as Paul saith To which of the Angels said God at any time Thou art my Sonne so may it bee said much more which of the Angels ever durst or might call Christ his Sonne Thirdly Peter speaking of the Parallel or like voyce to this which was uttered at our Saviours transfiguration hee saith it came from the excellent glory which doubtlesse sheweth more then from an Angell 2 Pet. 1. 17. Mat. 3. Ver. 17. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased In Marke and Luke it is Thou art my beloved Son c. whereas Matthew expresseth it This is which though it shew some difference yet is it not materiall nor doth the difference breed so much difficulty as it doth satisfaction to the Reader and fulnesse to the story For the two Evangelists first named relate it as spoken to Christ for the sealing of his person and in answer to his prayer but the other expresseth it onely as spoken of Christ and not to him but pointing him out to the notice of John Now this whole speech is taken from 2 Sam. 7. 14. Psal. 89. 26 27. and Isa. 42. 1. and when it is uttered again from heaven at our Saviours transfiguration this addition Heare him is put to it Mat. 17. 5. Luk. 9. 35. sealing him then for the great Prophet of his Church whom all must heare Deut. 18. 15. as it sealeth him now for the high Priest of his Church being now to enter into his Ministery Luk. 3. Ver. 23. And Jesus himselfe beganne to bee about thirty yeeres of age Agreeable to this age of Christ when hee beganne his Ministery was the age of the Priests when they entred their Office Numb 4. 3. the age of Joseph when hee came to promotion Gen. 41. 46. and the age of David when hee began to Reigne 2 Sam. 5. 4. Now how this is to bee understood is some controversie Some there are that take it thus that Jesus was now fully and perfectly thirty Others thus that hee now beganne or drew on to bee full thirty and so preaching three yeeres and six moneth that hee dyed at thirty three yeeres old and an halfe But this interpretation the phrase used by the Evangelist and the common and ordinary manner of the Scriptures reckoning of the ages of men and of other things doth sufficiently contradict For First in that Luke saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee was baptized beginning to bee as it were thirty the word beginning to bee denyeth his being thirty compleat and the word as it were denyeth his drawing upon thirty compleate likewise For if hee were full thirty then hee beganne not to bee so and if hee were drawing on to full thirty then was hee not drawing to as it were thirty but to thirty indeed By the phrase therefore is to bee understood that hee was now nine and twenty yeeres of age compleat and just now entring upon his thirtieth and this the Evangelist hinteth so clearely that it needeth not much confirmation For that hee was in his thirty current and not compleated is plaine by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were thirty that is thirty yeeres old after a certain reckoning and that hee was but now entring upon this his thirty current is as plain by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee began but to bee so To which also secondly may bee added the common and current use of Scripture in reckoning of ages either of men or beasts to account the yeere which they are now passing for a yeere of their age bee it never so newly or lately begun Examples of this it is needlesse to give the thing is so usuall and obvious to every eye So that now to take up the times of the world and of our Saviour according to this computation they result to this First That since hee was borne in the yeere of the world 3928. stilo veteri but newly begunne hee was baptized in the yeere of the world 3957. but newly begunne by the same stile likewise Secondly That since hee was borne in Tisri hee was also baptized in Tisri Thirdly That since his last residence in Bethlehem to his first appearing publickly in the worke of the Gospell were full seven and twenty yeeres all which time hee had lived either in Nazareth the Town of his
18. * or Priviledge dignity or licence as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iâ— used 1 Cor. 8. 9. and 9. 5 6. 〈◊〉 5. 4. Mat. 7. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. Eâ—h 8. Apollinaris from this clause the word became flesh would wickedly conclude that the word assumed not an humane soule but onely humane flesh and that the Godhead served that flesh instead of a reasonable soule Confuted Luke 5. 52. Mat. 26. 38. †Herod written with Cheth in the beginning signifieth feare or trembling as the trembling cowardise of Gedeons souldiers named the well Harod Judg. 7. 1. c. But the Syr and Arab. write this with He. a John Baptist of the Priestly line both by Father and Mother b The Seventy call the wife of Aaron the first Priest by the same Name Exod. 6. 23. c Such couples were Abraham and Sarah Isaac and Rebeccah Elkâ—nah and Hannah both righteous and a long time childlesse d Throughout the Scripture want of Children is ascribed to the woman e An Hebraisme as Gen. 18. 11. 1 Kings 1. 1. c. f The Worship of God in the Temple was said to Hee before him Exod 23. 17. Lev. 1. 3. 11. And the ARke being the representation of Christ is called his face Psal 105. 4. yea even God himselfe Psalme 132. 5. ¶ Compare the appearing of the Angel Gabriel to Daniel about the time of Incense Dan. 9. 21. g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Lxx. to expresse Pharaohs trouble upon his dreame Gen. 41. â— and his Servants upon theirs Gen. 40. 6. Compare Judg. 6. 22. 13. 22. Dan. 8. 17. Job 4. 14. h As Gen. 15. 12. †John the same with Jochanan so frequent in the Old Testament 〈◊〉 Chron. 3. 19. 6 9. 12. 12. 26. 3. and 2 Chron 17. 15. 23. 1. and 28. 12. Jer. 40. 8. i As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Job 3. 12. The Arab. addeth thou shalt have great joy k As Gen. 21. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Lxx. for it Lev. 10. 9. Numb 6. 3. Esa. 5. 11. and 28 7. c. which sometimes signifieth Wine as Num 28. 7. but most commonly any thing that will cause drunkennesse Wine of fourty dayes old is called Shikar saith R. Menehem on Lev. 10. and so the Chaldee paraphraseth it Numb 6. 3. and 8. 7. Judg. 13. 4. But any thing that will make one drunke is called Shekar whether it bee made of Corne Honey or Fruits Ab. Ezr. on Lev 10. P. Kâ—â—nch in Miclol Brucioli his Italian and the French expresse it by Cerevisia Ale or Beere ¶ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Moses Act. 7. 20. Jer. 1. 5. m Heb. Elijahu 1 King 17. c. and there turned by the Lxx Eliâ—n but in Mal 4. 5. the Hebr. hath it Eliah and the Lxx. Elias ¶ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In or by the wisdome n As Gen. 18. 1. o Dan. 8. 2. 9. 21. p This â—elateth to his assuming a visible shape q So a signe is given to 〈◊〉 with a Behold Isa. 7. 14. compare Ezek. 3. 26. r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 2. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 8 23. * At the fist burning of Incense the Priests miscarried Lev. 10. and thus that rite which the Jews value for the highest of all legall offerings beginneth with ignorance and concludeth with unbeliefe Prophecy was struck dumbe a great while agoe and now is the Priesthood so as well as it ¶ Observe the same space Gen. 7. 24. if cast into moneths and Rev. 9. 5. * So read also the Syrian and Arab. though the words on me be not expressed in the originall unles included in the preposition in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 s See 1 King 9. 11. Isa. 9. 1. and in the Lxx in Joel 3. 4. Ezek 47. 8. †This dalleth to remembrance the old renowned Patriarch Joseph Gen. 37. both of them were sent into Egypt and both by dreames and there the one nourished his Father and the other his redeemer There were also of this name Joseph of Arimathâ—â— Joseph surnamed Justus * Gr Marriam by which word the Lxx render the name of Moses sister Exod. 15. c. The name plainly and properly signifieth both their rebellion and their bitter affliction for the wickednesse of Israel in Egypt had brought them into great misery when Miriam was so named v Gen. 6. 9. 1 He useth the common manner of speech among the Hebrews as Gen. 4. 1. c. to shew the true conception and reall birth of our Saviour Confuting that Heresie That hee came through the Virgins wombe as through a Conduit Pipe without partaking of her nature And that That he was not really borne but fanastically onely and in appearance These words referre to Isa. 7. 14. 2 Shall be called the Son of the Highest that is shall bee his Son as Isa. 1. 2. and 4. 3. and shall be so confessed 3 Gen. 14. 19. 4 Jehovah Elohim 5 Isa. 2. 5. 6 Isa. 9 7. Dan. 7. 14. Mic. 4. 7. Psal. 145. 14. Heb. 7. 17. 7 How in Scripture is sometime a strong asseveration or negation Lam. 1. 1. Gen. 39. 9. and 44. 34. sometime a question of doubting as Job 6. 52. and 3. 5. And sometime a question of ignorance onely without diffidence or a question desiring information or resolution as Joh. 7. 15. Luke 20. 44. And so is it here for the Virgin beleeveth the thing Verse 45. but desired to bee satisfied of the manner for she â—â—ith not How can 〈◊〉 How shall this be 8 A modest phrase for carnall copulation First used of Adam presently after the relation of his eating of the â—ee of knowledge Gen. 4. 1. as if it would shew that all the knowledge he gained by that was but carnall he knew his wife and experimental of misery they knew they were naked 9 Borne of thee so read the Syr. Arab. Justin Martyr in Dial. Nazianz. Orat. 59 Aponius in Cantic Titus in Loc. c. but some copies dangerously want it as the Text of Theophylact H. Steven 1604. of Amsterdam 1632 Erasmus c. 10 The certaine bond of their kindred cannot be determined but Elisabeth or her mother might be sister to Maries father or mother or Maries mothers might be so to hers or to Zacharie or his However it sheweth that Christ and John the Baptist were neerely allyed according to the flesh yet John knew him not till hee was revealed to him by the Spirit 11 Gen. 18. 11. 12 The division of Judea is famous and frequent into the mountaines the plaine and the South Numb 13. 30. Jer. 32. 44. c. The South lay towards Seir and Amalek from the inlets into the Land at the utmost part or the dead Sea having the Philistines upon the west This part reacht to the rising of the mountaines not farre below Hebron and there the mountaines began and ran along