1 IT is the observation of a most ancient Father. Irenem. Om­nis Prophetia priusquā im­pleatur aenigma est. Every prophecy before it be fulfilled is a riddle. And amongst prophecies the latter part of this Text not the least aenigmatical. For our better vnderstanding the true meaning of these words in themselues, their coherence with the former, and my Prophets drift or scope in all: may it please you (Men, Fathers, and Brethren) to con­sider the time was now come, wherein the Lord had put Iudah also out of his sight, and cast of Ierusa­lem the citie which he had chosen. Beniamin was be­come Ben-oni, a sonne of sorrow vnto his mother. Chap. 31. vers. 15. For a voice was heard in Ramah mourning and bit­ter weeping, Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted because they were not, in the land of her buriall & their fathers birth. But the Lord alwaies [Page 2] more tender and compassionate towards his chi­dren, then a woman towards the children of her wombe, yea then tender hearted Rahel her selfe to­wards her dearest sonne, whose birth had cost her life, in the midst, yea even in the first beginning of these his iudgements remembers mercy. He now sends Iudah into captivitie after Israel, but as a se­cond arrow to finde out a former lost. And Ben­iamin must goe, though as sore against his owne will into Chaldaea, as hee had done sometimes a­gainst his Fathers into Egypt; yet in the Almigh­ties determination as well now as then to redeem his brother from that thraldome, wherein he had been long detained. For the Lord had put vp Ephraims lamentation, with Rahels teares for Ben­iamin, disirous, as he himselfe in the verses follow­ing protests, to prepare one & the same medicine for both their maladies. Chap. 31. vers. 18. Refraine thy voice from weeping Rahel, and thine eies from teares, for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord. And they shall come againe from the land of the enemie: and there is hope in thine end, saith the Lord, that thy children shal come againe to their owne borders. I haue heard Ephraim bemoaning himselfe thus, thou hadst corrected me, and I was chastised, &c.

2 But as Ephraims intemperancie had beene greater, more wilfull, and of longer continuance, then Iudahs or Beniamins had beene, to his recove­rie was now more difficult, and put his heavenly physitian to a greater plunge then whē it enforc'd [Page 3] him to cry out, Hos. 6. v. 4. O Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee? He was become as a man whose nature is so farre spent that no physicke can be safely admini­stred to him. Long calamitie and distresse brings oftimes the soules of Gods children so farre out of rast with his sweetest mercies, that they loath their very proffer no lesse then sicke men doe the sight of meat. Iudges 6. ver. 12. The Lord is with thee thou valiant man, saith the Angel of the Lord to Gedeon: But he replies. Ah my Lord, if the Lord be with vs, why then is all this come vpon vs? and where be all his miracles, which our fathers told vs of and said. Did not the Lord bring vs out of Aegypt? but now the Lord hath for­saken vs, and deliuered vs into the hands of the Mi­dianites. More wayward & diffident, my Prophet fore saw, Ephraim or Israel, for the most part, would bee. The best of them albeit they mistrust not the truth of Gods promises vnto Abraham; yet doubt whether theirs and their fathers sinnes haue not forfaited their interest in thē. If they ac­knowledge Gods summons for Iudahs returne & theirs to be the same, yet with old Anchises in like case, they finde a difference in their estates,

Such as bad fresh and liuely spirits to weild their strong and able limmes, seeing their armes could not defend their country from the violence of their enimies, might vse the benefit of their legs [Page 4] to escape their buriall in her ruines.

But sure, if the Gods intended Anchises any lon­ger lease of his life, they would allow house-rome to his aged bones in Troy. Thus why Iudah and Beniamin should returne vnto their borders, distrustfull Ephraim could conceaue these or like reasons. The time of their captivitie is not set so long▪ but many which haue seene Ierusalem in her glorie, may liue to see the Ier. 30. v. 18. citie built vp vpon her owne heape, and her palaces remaining after their wonted maner. Vers. 21. Their children shall be as aforetime, their noble ruler shall be of themselues, their gouernour shall proceed from among them. But as for Ephraim, our fathers said it in their hast and furie, and we their posteritie must for ever bee bound vnto the bar­gaine. 1. Kings, ch. 12. vers. 16. What portion haue we in Dauid? we haue no inheritance in the sonne of Iesse. Many of his good­ly stemms, now planted by the palmes of Babel, may take root againe in their natiue soile, and bee as a shelter to the tender graffes that must sprout out of the lower shrubs of Iudah: but he that shall looke vpon the remedilesse spoile and wast, long since made throughout all the mountaines of Sa­mariah; will he not take vp his parable and say, E­phraim is as a wood destroyed, wherein is never a Samplar left? The youngest sprig that was remo­ved thence, is now doated or withered with Eld in a strange and wearyish soile. How many of our [Page 5] fathers, which had never seene the light in the land of their conception, being brought captiues hither in the wombe, haue wee seene, (after their sight had failed them, for very age and long expec­tation of returne) enclosed in the bowels of a for­raigne earth; yet now no more a stepmother to vs their children that are left behind. An hundred yeares are past and gone, since our fathers were rooted out of their natiue land, & seaventie more are yet to come before our promised deliverance be accomplished. And what comfort can it bee to any of Ephraims race, to returne after so long time, into the land of Israel, now as strange and vncouth vnto vs, as Media and Assyria were to our fathers.

3 That Ephraim was thus affected, the issue did too well proue; for few, if any of this tribe did returne with the captivitie of Sion, & such of them as afterwards return'd; did, for the most part, inha­bit Galilie, or regions allotted to other tribes. This backwardnesse, whether general in Israel, or more particular in Ephraim, was portended in the omi­nous character of this prophecie: wherein that God, which was a louing father to all the sonnes of Abraham, appeares more anxious and sollici­tous for Ephraim, then for Iudah and Beniamin, whose returne from captivitie was more speedie and entire. And my Prophet from foreknowledge of this distrustfull temper in Ephraim, makes triall of so many courses to make him rellish Gods pro­mises, [Page 6] which he condites of purpose for his palate in sweetest tearmes of dearest loue; sometimes in­treating him vnder the name of Ephraim, some­times vnder the name of Israel, as if hee would trie whether the one were not more luckie then the other. Sometimes wooing him with fairest pro­mises of gratious favours to come. Ier. 31. v. 4. I will build thee and thou shalt bee builded ô virgin Israel: thou shalt still be adorned with thy timbrels, and goe forth in the daunces of them that be ioyfull. Thou shalt yet plant vines vpon the mountaines of Samaria, and the planters that plant them shall make them common. Sometimes recounting his former kindnesse. Ver. 9. Why Ephraim is called Gods first. borne. I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first borne: for when I shared Rubens dignitie amongst his brethren, did I not so esteeme of Ephraim? Levi had his priesthood, and Iudah his kingdome; but the double portion was reserued for Ioseph: and the lot, whose disposition belongs to mee, fell to Ephraim, though the younger brother; in the fai­rer and larger ground. Sometimes againe, like a pensiue father iealous of every occasion that might scarre a fugitiue, wild vntamed sonne from approaching his presence, he protests his sorrow for his severe chastisements past. Ier. 31. v. 20. Is Ephraim my deare sonne? is hee my pleasant child? Should I tell him so, his bitter correction would not suffer him to beleeue it. Yet since I spake vnto him, I still remem­bred him, my bowels are troubled for him. I will surely haue mercy on him, saith the Lord. If the difficultie of [Page 7] the way deterre thee, thou shalt not wander as thy fathers did in the wildernesse: whiles the paths by which the spoilers led thee are in fresh memo­ry, Vers. 21. set thee vp way-markes, & make thee high heapes for thy direction, and set thine heart towards the path­way that thou hast walked. Thy returne shall bee as quicke and speedie as thy departure. Or if the mountaines of Ephraim bee polluted, Tabor and Hermon are not so. Zabulon and Nepthalim must yet see a wondrous light. Let Ephraim, if hee loath his owne inheritance as vncleane, take possession among his brethren; or in case he linger behind, as disdaining that Iudah should be his leader, let not his bad example entice the other sonnes of Iacob to drawe backe, as it sometimes did them to revolt from David. Turne againe O virgin Israel (for thou shalt no more be obbraided with the adulteries of Samariah) turne againe to these thy cities my beloued daughter, my pleasant child only refractorie and rebel­lious in this, that thou wilt not hasten thy retire, when as the Lord hath purposed to create a new thing in thy territorie, there the woman shall incompasse the man. This is the vpshot of all my Prophets sweet and patheticall invitations of Israel to returne from captivitie. This new and strange event of a woman incompassing a man is as a peerelesse garland, prof­ferd, first to Ephraim as the head of his brethren, or in the second place, vnto such of the ten Tribes as would bee most forward to vndertake the course. Wee must needs then with venerable antiquitie, [Page 8] and some most Pomeranus. ancient reformers of the religi­on, which we professe, acknowledge some ex­traordinarie matter to be here promised. Howso­ever sundry learned interpreters of latter times seeme not to account it such: but as if they had be­gon to slumber, when they came to the words of my text, (disposed to take a nap with my Prophet, or with him of whom he spake v. 26. Vpon this I awaked and beheld, and my sleepe was sweet vnto mee) they passe over this mysterie as in a dreame.

4 For the right vnfolding whereof, foure words there be in the originall of remarkable vse, and we may well dispence with ordinarie transla­tions, for not fully expressing them, when as ma­ny learned Commentators otherwise very skilful in the Hebrew, scarce deigne to take notice of their true and proper grammaticall value, much lesse of their prophetical references or importan­ces. The first [...] translated as you haue heard, in the earth, which phrase in our English is vsually as much as if he had said, in orbe terrarū, in the world; whereas by the circumstances of the place, and consonancie to the Hebrew dialect (most frequēt in propheticall writings) it must be restrained vn­to that part of the earth, wherevnto hee sollicits these Israelites, returne. I create a new thing in the land, to wit, of Israel, or the kingdome of Ephraim, as it is opposed vnto the two other Tribes: as Po­meranus hath learnedly obserued. The second ori­ginall word is here rendred (as well as convenient­ly [Page 9] it could be in one word) by woman: yet is it not [...] or [...] but [...] as if he had said, THE FEMALE SHALL COMPASSE THE MALE; though some what more bee included in the word [...] then a male, or man.

5 The sacred mysterie of this speech may best appeare by comparing this new creation of the second Adam in the Virgins wombe, with the creation of the first woman in Adam: with re­ference wherevnto this is called a new creation, wherein the order of the former is inverted. It is said Genes. 1. Gen. 1.27. In his image created he him, he created them male and female. The reason of which aenig­maticall speech (whence Plato, as I thinke, took his fable of Androgyni) is because Moses there speakes of Adams creation onely, in whom notwithstan­ding Eue was in a sort created or enclosed as bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh: Hee speakes of him in both numbers, as of vnum actu, which was potentia plura. The like manner of speech he vseth in the first verse. In the beginning God created the heauen, and the earth. Yet neither, was then distinct­ly created but the masse, whence both were after­wards distinguished as it were into male and fe­male: that is, into such heavens, as now are the a­gents, and such an earth, as now is the mother, whence all earthly creatures are produced. In this new creation the Lord encloseth not Zakor Ish or Adam, not masculus only but Gever (i) vir fortis, the valiant or strong man, the grand heroicke of [Page 10] the world, in the female or weaker vessell. The fe­male shall incompasse the male, not after the vsuall manner of childrens enclosure in the wombe, but as Evah was enclosed in Adam, or as the shell en­closeth the kernell; whose first root of existence is from within, not from without; whose enclosure every way is entire, never opened to receiue what it encloseth, but only to haue it taken forth. This, I take it, is the naturall and true meaning of these words in this subiect, whereof wee speake, consi­dered, with such references as haue beene specifi­ed.

6 Our small acquaintance, whether with the peculiar signes of these ancient times, or with ma­ny common prenotions (concerning the manner of Messiahs birth or conception) which either my Prophet might presuppose as sufficiently knowne to them for whose good hee wrote, or this pro­phecie occasion their successors to enquire after against the time appointed, will not suffer vs to apprehend, either the appositenesse, or efficacie of these breefe perswasions, so fully as the observant Israelites, before, or about our Saviours comming might easily haue done. Yet, if we may gesse at the force of his argument, by such references and cir­cumstances, as haue left some print behind them in the revolutions of times vnfolding this predic­tion, which hee had wrapt vp in aenigmaticall ge­neralities, it is more fully thus.

Dost thou therefore stand off, and disdaine thy [Page 11] returne to these thy cities, O thou Virgin, but haughtie and rebellious Israël because the glo­ry of Shiloes birth shall be thy sister Iudahs and not thine? Doth it greiue thee that Bethlem Ephratah sometimes so little amongst the thousands of Iu­dah, should now overtop the chiefe cities of Sama­ria? A Prophet from the mouth of the Lord hath said it, and it must of necessitie come to passe, Micah. 5. v. 2. that out of Bethlem, he shal come forth that shal beare rule in Israel; whose goings forth haue beene from the beginning, and from everlasting. Ephratah it was rightly called of old, and it happily height Bethlem since, ordein'd from eternitie to bring forth the bread of life: but neither hath Israel born Ephraims name for naught. Fruitfulnesse also is with thee. These thy Cities, though little and barren in thy sight, are not forsaken of thy God: thou hast like­wise a Prophets word for thy assurance, that albe­it Iudah must bring him forth, yet Israel shall bee the land of his conception, of whose kingdome there shall be no end. Account it not blind chance but thy good hap, that thy name is first mentio­ned in the reestablishing of my ancient grant. Ier. 33. vers. 14.15. Be­hold the daies come (saith the Lord) that I will per­forme that good thing which I haue promised vnto the house of Israel, and to the house of Iudah. In those daies and at that time will I cause the branch of Righteous­nesse to growe vp vnto David, and hee shall execute iudgement and righteousnesse in the land, Ierem. 33. v. 14, 15. Search the Prophets at the time appoin­ted, [Page 12] and it shall be shewed thee, that whilst one of them made this glorious promise, in my name, to Bethlem, Esa. 11. v. 1. another (no enemie to the house of Iu­dah) did foretell thy fathers, that the root of Iesse should recover his sap, and giue first beginning of life to the branch of Righteousnesse, within thy bor­ders. Though by birth hee must bee a Bethlemite, and of Davids linage, yet the name by which hee must be best knowne shall bee taken from one of thy Cities, wherein Esa. 53. v. 2. being first conceiued, he shall growe vp as a branch out of a decayed trunke, or as a root out of a dry ground, not as a young plant from the liue seed of a former tree: That this place of his conception is not so cleerely named by Isaiah, as the place of his birth by Micah; doth this dismay thee? The greater secrecie is a signe of a greater mysterie. I knowe thee of old, thou art coy, thou art strange, and must bee wooed with rarities and new wonderments. And what wonder since the world began hath beene heard of like to this new thing which I create in these thy Cities, that a woman (without the consort of man) should enclose him in her wombe, whose outgoings haue beene from euerlasting. The creation of heauen and earth may in compa­rison of this new creation be held stale and triviall.

7 Of this Aenigma in my text, & that other forementioned Chap. 33. we may say as Ioseph did of Pharaohs dreames both are one. So is that nurse­rie of mysteries Isaiah, 11. v. 1. wherein the place of his conception & education is secretly named: [Page 13] and the like Isaiah. 53. of a root growing vp out of a drie ground. This metaphor of the root, as also the emphasis of that speech deliuered in Gods own person: I will cause the branch of righteousnesse to growe vp, aenigmatically fore-shadowe, Ier. 33. v. 15. that this grouth should not be by ordinarie generation, but by Creation; that as trees and plants in the first creation did meerely growe vp out of their mo­ther earth, without seed precedent; so should this branch of Righteousnesse, this root of Life, take his whole substance from his earthly mother by the sole immediate power of his heavenly father.

Thus much of the coherence of these words with the former, the true meaning of this aenig­ma, and of the Prophets drift and scope in this place: which is to assure Ephraim or Israel that he should share with Iudah in the glory of their Mes­siah, as after he did in his conception and educati­on. It remaines that wee prosecute the manner how this prophecie was fulfilled in the mystery of our Saviours conception, & other such accidents as fell out in Israel, well deseruing their speedie re­turne.

8 The Iewish Rabbins haue a tradition, that God before he made this great world, did trie his skill in making many lesser. But this, I am sure, you al detest as a fable in it selfe most impious, because it impeacheth Gods omnipotencie: most frivo­lous, because preiudiciall to his wisdome, which worketh all things for testification of his glory, or [Page 14] confirmation of his creatures faith; neither of which could haue any place before men & Angels were created. But it is a point well fitting our me­ditations at this season, to consider how the Lord in sundrie ages, since the first promise of mans re­demption by the womans seed, did giue illustrious documents as of his power, so of his purpose to effect this NEW CREATION: delighting to raise strength out of weaknesse, and by knowne effects of this nature, to purchase vnto himselfe that title (often inserted amongst his most glorious attri­butes) of making the barren wombe to beare, and become a ioyfull mother of children. He foresaw as his Prophet Isaias complaines, with what dif­ficultie the world would beleeue his Prophets re­ports of their Messias growing vp as a branch out of a drie ground: and for this purpose he sought by fa­mous experiments of their conceptions, that were most liuely types of Him, to traine vp his peoples hearts to firme beleefe of his future strange miraculous conception.

Gen. 18. v. 109 I will come vnto thee (saith the Angell of the Lord to Abraham) according to the time of life, and loe Sarah thy wife shall haue a sonne; This message seem'd so strange to Sarah, who overheard it, that shee shewes by her laughing how glad shee could be if it might bee so, rather then apprehend any probabilitie that so it should bee. Hence the An­gell reproues her slownesse to beleeue. Shall any thing be hard to the Lord? Vers. 14. And as if it had beene a [Page 15] matter of greater difficulty to rowse her dul faith, then to quicken her dead wombe, he reiterates his message againe, At the time appointed I will returne vnto thee, euen according to the time of life, & Sarah shall haue a sonne. This strange worke of the Lord once accomplished, was to bee as a perpetuall signe for confirmation of his peoples faith in the expectation of a farre stranger, in due time to bee effected. For this vse Isaiah made of it. Esa. 51. v. 2. Heare me, yee that follow after righteousnesse, and yee that seeke the Lord, looke vnto the rocke whence yee were hewen, & ad cisternam perforatam vnde excisi estis: alluding vnto the dead wombe of Sarah, as hee expounds himselfe in the next words; Consider Abraham your father, and Sarah that bare you, for I called him a­lone, and encreased him. The end which the Prophet aimes at throughout that Chapter, is to rectifie and establish their conceipt of Gods power, who was able even of stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham: intimating withal that Christs Church, though farre surpassing the amplitude of Abra­hams present seed, was to bee raised, from materi­als more weake and slender in the sight of man.

10 Againe, Manoahs wife had as little hopes to conceaue a sonne as Sarah had, much lesse to conceaue such a child or Geber as should beginne that which the Geber here mentioned in my text, was to finish, that is, to redeeme Israel from the oppression of their enemies. And the Angell of the Lord, desirous to avert such a mistrustfull re­ply [Page 16] as Sarah had given, prevents it by insinuating his knowledge of what she could pretend: for so he begins his message. Iudg. 13.3. Behold now thou art barren and bearest not, but thou shalt conceaue & beare a son, the child shall be a Nazarite to God from his birth; and he shall begin to saue Israel out of the hand of the Phi­listines.

As little hope was there of Hannahs barren wombe, vntill out of the fulnesse of sorrowe for her forlorne estate, she conceaues faith, that God was able (as in her song shee expresseth) to make the barren beare seauen children. Perhaps she meant Benshebang, septenarium filium, one that should bee of better steed to Israël then any other seaven; a governour of Gods people, a liuely type of her long expected redeemer.

11 But least these examples of Isaacs, Samp­sons, and Samuels birth, all sonnes of barrennesse, might in the fulnesse of time, haue lesse force vp­on mens hearts, by reason of their distance: the Lord will haue Christs forerunner Iohn Baptist to be conceaued of a woman more vnlikely to beare, in their sight that measure all things by humane probabilitie or experiments of present times. So strange these newes did seeme to Zacharie his Fa­ther, that when the Angell told him his prayers were heard, and his wife Elizabeth should con­ceaue and beare a sonne, one that should bee filled with the holy Ghost from his mothers wombe, he is not yet satisfied but demands. Luk. 1.18. Whereby shall [Page 17] I knowe this for I am an old man, and my wife is of a great age. This distrustful demand, was, at this time, (wherein God had determined to exact of all his people, great and small, outward confession of in­ward beleefe vnto a farre more strange and mira­culous conception) so vnseasonable and preposte­rous, that in signe of his power to take away the barrennesse of Elizabeths wombe, hee seales vp the priests lips, disenabling him to bring forth one word, vntill his wife, according to the word of the Lord, had brought forth her promised sonn. Now the famousnesse of this event throughout Iurie should haue serued for a signe, to confirme mens faith of Christs conception.

12 If one of Ierusalems devoutests Priests, come so farre short of Abrahams readinesse to be­leeue Gods promises: no marvel if the best of wo­men bewray some spice of her mother Sarahs mistrust. But it is farre from my disposition at any time, or my purpose at this, to vrge, farther to ag­gravate the infirmitie of a vessell so sanctified, e­lect, and pretious. And I am perswaded the Euan­gelist did not so much intend to disparage hers, as to confirme our beleefe, by relating her doubtfull question, and the Angels reply; the one being but Sarahs mistrust refined with maidenly modestie, the other Sarahs check mitigated and qualified by the Angell. Gen. 18. v. 12 After I am waxed old and my Lord also shall I haue lust? saith Sarah! as you heard before: thus checked by the Angell, Wherefore did Sarah [Page 18] laugh: shall any thing be hard to the Lord? The blessed Virgin, vpon a more strange salutation, onely de­mands of the Angell. Luk. 1. v. 34 How shall this bee, seeing I knowe not a man? And the Angell answered her, not by way of reproofe or interrogation, but for her instruction, Vers. 36. giuing her a further signe. Behold thy Cousin Elizabeth, she hath also conceaued a sonne in her old age, and this is her sixth month, which was called barren: for with God nothing shall bee impossi­ble. This heavenly dialogue was first vttered, and in such particular sort related by S ^t Luke, to instruct vs, that as the Virgin did now with better grace and decency act that part, which Sarah had before somewhat misacted: so this her sonne, was that promised seed, whereof Isaac was but the type, & his strange and vnvsuall conception as it were a praeludium to this miraculous conception of our Saviour, foretold by Ieremie, and thus related by the Evangelist.

Insteed of an exhortation or applicatorie vse (which my text being it selfe an exhortation dire­cted to another people, and out of date in these our daies, will hardly yeeld without wringing) giue me leaue to spend the short remainder of time in proposing matter of admiration, especi­ally to yonger students, happily not so well ac­quainted with the manner of our Saviours con­ception, birth, and education, or how farre Israël shared with Iudah, or Nazareth with Bethlem in these circumstances or the like.

[Page 19]13 I knowe by the folly of my youth, how ready yong wits, against this good time would be to see Menechmus or some more queint comoedie of like errors acted: wherein no one particular, considered alone, is worth the noting; onely the dependance of one vpon another, being vnvsuall, makes the whole contrivance pleasant: yet such as can breed no firme perswasion of anie historicall truth, but rather bewraies it selfe to bee a fiction. And no fiction can yeeld delight or pleasure, saue only ex hypothesi, in as much as our imagination supposeth that as true, wherein there appeareth no repugnancie or impossibilitie why it might not bee such as the representation makes shew of. As poems vsually delight more then true stories, only because the Poets faigne a likenesse or image of more amiable and admirable truths, then can ordinarily bee found or obserued in the common course of life. Yet even in their rarest inventions, the Orators argument holds still true of the spec­tators. If they can afford applause in re ficta, how would the like reall truth it selfe affect them? what would they doe if they should see a solide and sub­stantiall edifice, more beautifull and proportionall in every part, then the superficiall platforme or draught which they so liked. Shall wee then ap­plaud the curious fictions of humane fancie, and not be ravisht with admiration at the reall & most truely admirable effects of the Almighties provi­dence in our Saviours conception? This would be [Page 20] infinitely more preposterous and phantastique, then if you should loath or scorne the rarest liue-beautie of most amiable reasonable creatures, such as your selues, and runne madde with loue of Ba­bo [...]nes shadowes, or for an Ape or Monkies pic­ture. What effect either so admirable in it selfe, or of such vnspeakable consequence for our good, was ever presented on the stage of earth, seene, or heard within the circumference of this mightie amphitheatre, or is possible to bee conceaued by the heart of man, as the birth and conception of our Saviour Christ? yet is the concurrence or con­trivance of all circumstances precedent or conse­quent, so vnusuall, so farre surpassing humane ex­pectation, that if we compare their whole frame, with the most curious forme of any humane in­vention extant: Illam homines dicas, hanc posuisse Deum: you will say that the one might easily bee invented by such as your selues, but that the other could not be forecast, contriued, and acted with­out the all seeing wisdome of the Almighty God. And I am fully perswaded that if either Iewe or Atheist would but search the Scriptures with harts as devoid of preiudice, and mindes as free from o­ther thoughts and cares, as most men bring to fa­mous plaies or Comoedies: this contemplation would enforce the one to acknowledge, that pro­phecies in old time came not by the will of man: the other, that Iesus the sonne of Marie was he, of whom Moses and all the Prophets spake.

[Page 21]14 First Isaiah foretells the condition or e­state of his mother: Micah the place of his nativi­tie; Ieremie the place and manner of his concepti­on; the two former more then six, the last fiue hū ­dred yeares, before, hee was conceiued or borne. What hopes could the blessed Virgin haue either in her owne, or others sight to bee the mother of so great a Monarch? you will say she was of the li­nage or stocke of David: so were many more of farre greater place and dignitie then she, all seated in Iurie about Bethlem or Hierusalem, the supposed places of his conception and education, vntill the event did proue the contrarie. Suppose old Sama­el had beene then liuing, and the governours of Iu­dah should haue presented such of the daughters of Iesse as they thought most likely, to see whome he would nominate to bee their Messias mother: the election doubtlesse would haue beene farre longer then Davids was to the crowne of Israël. To haue fought the blessed amongst women in Galile, would haue seem'd more strange to the mē of Iudah, thē the seeking out of their king amongst the sheepfolds, did to Iesse and the men of Bethle­hem. But God who sees not as man seeth, vsually delighteth to crosse our expectation whether of good or bad, by contrarie successe. It was the abso­lute nullitie rather then improbability of any such hopes as are now suggested, which had excluded Marie from the princely tribe, contented to liue an obscure life with her husband in Nazareth a [Page 22] poore Cittie of Zabulon, as most thinke, or as o­thers, bordering on Zabulon in the tribe of Neph­thalie; however within the kingdome of Ephraim, or Israel. And thither the Angell of the Lord re­paires vnto her. The effect of his embassage being to vnfold this aenigmaticall prophecie, which had beene sealed vp vntill this time appointed, for the fulfilling of it. Luk. 1. v. 26. In the sixth month (saith the Evan­gelist) the Angell Gabriel was sent from God, vnto a Citie of Galile named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man, whose name was Ioseph of the house of David. Here some profane companions captiously de­mand, seeing it was Gods will to haue his sonne, (as Isay had foretold) borne of a pure virgin, why would hee not make choice of a maid or woman vnbetroathed, of whom there could be lesse suspi­cion? As passengers of good respect, would oftē passe by vnregarded by poore Cottagers, did not ill nurtured curres notifie their approach by bark­ing: so many divine mysteries would bee lesse ob­serued then they are, did not prophane obiectors become our remembrancers. As the former cap­tious demand, to what intent soever conceiu'd by vnbeleeuers, doth but sollicite this answer from the Orthodoxe. The first promise was made vnder this stile; Semen mulieris: The seed of the womā espou­sed, though a virgin (such as Eue was when she sin­ned) shall crush the serpents head. Yet the mouth of prophanes not herewith stopt is more ready to quarrell with the message it selfe, as too vulgar [Page 23] for an embassadour of such state as the Angel Ga­briel▪ Behold: what should shee behold? thou shalt con­ceaue in thy wombe and bring forth a sonne. Why? doe not all women conceiue before they bring forth children, or, doe others conceaue in their a­prons? But to dismisse this audience of the Atheists false descant, or division vpon this plaine song, as he esteemed it. Is the phrase in many profest in­terpreters iudgement any better, then a tautolo­gie, or, at the best, then an Hebrew Pleonasme? yet even tautologies in sacred language, seldome want their weight, or observation. And Hebrew Pleonas­mes, in Propheticall or Evangelicall writings, are oft times full of mysteries. Or what if this phrase be sometimes vulgarly vsed in vulgar narrations? yet in extraordinarie subiects, it may, and by the analogie of orthodoxall interpretation, ought to bee taken in the most proper & remarkable sence, whereto it can literally be extended. The expresse mention of the vsuall place [...] excludes the ordinarie cause▪ and implies an vnusuall maner of conception. The interposition of the primitiue [...] which was emphatically exprest in the salutati­on [...], and must here bee repeated [...], will much alter the sence or importance of the phrase. So doth the dependance which the demonstratiue ecce hath with the words which went before. Feare not Mary for thou hast found fa­vour with God, [...] Behold thou shalt cō ­ceaue in thy wombe, [not from without.] The impor­tance [Page 24] is fully aequivalent to the Hebrew Tes [...]beb in my Text, (thy fruit shall be enclosed in thy womb▪ yet shalt thou not bee lesse fruitfull then shee that conceaueth by a consort. For thou shalt bring forth not a daughter, not a male child only, but such a sonne as may well brooke the name of Sa­viour for he shall be great, Vers. 32. and be called the sonne of the most high. And is not this as much as Geber?

15 And yet God in his wisdome would haue the blessed virgin her selfe to be, for a while, igno­rant of this construction, that her doubtfull reply might occasion the Angell to enlarge his Com­ments vpon my Prophets riddle. Vers. 34. Then said Mary vnto the Angell how shall this be, seeing I knowe not a man? And the Angell answered and said vnto her the holy Ghost shall come vpon thee, and the power of the highest shall over shadowe thee. As if he had said, what hast thou to doe with a man? who hast found this favour with God, that it shall not bee with thee, as with other women? thy conception of this thy sonne is a worke new and vnheard of hetherto in Israel: a worke not of generation but of creation; it must be wrought by the immediate hand of God. But let it not seeme so impossible, as new and strange, seeing he hath foretold it by his Prophets, who is able to bring to passe what ever he fortells. Nor would the Evangelist in my opi­nion haue beene so carefull to specifie the Angels name, in these two stories of Iohn Baptists, & our Sauviours conceptions, without reference to his [Page 25] principall message or office; which was to annun­ciate his birth, to whom this name Gabriel did best agree; one that should bee Geber-ell, the strong God, or the strength of God.

Thus you see how this prophecie of the Fe­males enclosing the mightie man, or heroick, by way of creation, not of generation, in the land of Israël is in due time fulfilled, beyond her expectation that did conceaue him, vntill the Angell did in­struct her.

16 And now it seemes shee apprehends as much, as the Angell had told her and no more, That the Lord would giue the throne of David to her sonne; and whether from expresse notice of Eze­chiels words, or rather from the same spirit, wher­by he spake: She makes part of his menacing pro­phecie a straine of her ioyfull song, so inverting his words, as the Lord had done the line of David; making first, last; and last, first. Ezek. 21.26. Exalt him that is low (saith the Prophet) and abase him that is high. Luke. 1. v. 52▪ He hath put downe the mightie from their seat (saith the blessed Virgin) and exalted them of lowe degree. The abasing of the high and mightie was verified, whilst Ezechiel liued, in the sodaine deposition of Zedechiah: so, perhaps, was the exalting of him that was lowe, historically experienced in the ex­altation of 2. kings. 25. v. 27. Iehoiakin, but not fulfilled vntill this time, wherein God, from the wombe of his poore handmaid, raised vp this light to Dauid, vnto whō the Ezek. 21. v. 27. Diadem of right belonged. Yet all this time [Page 26] she thinkes as little how Micahs prophecie should be fulfilled, as shee had done before of Ieremies or Isaies: she had gone indeed, not long after this cō ­ception, into Iury, to conferre with her Cousin Eli­zabeth; but as the Evangelist tells vs, she was returned againe to Nazareth, whence shee and her hus­band departed a little after, against their wills. For, vnlesse Augustus at this very time, had giuen out his commandment, for taxing al that were subiect to the Romane Empire, there is no intimation of any purpose either in Mary or Ioseph to repaire to Bethlehem Ephrata the Citie of David. But the lesse they minded it before, the more they are confir­med by the experience of the event, and the man­ner how Gods prophecies are fulfilled.

17 Thus by the disposition of the Almighty, not by any purpose of Augustus, or consultation of man, the sonne of God is come first into his owne Citie, but his owne receaue him not; hee hath not so much as house roome fit for man; an ill omen that his subiects will not acknowledge their allegiance to him. For as the Lord long since had complained of their more then brutish igno­rance and stupiditie. Isaiah. 1. v. 3. The Oxe knoweth his owner, and the Asse his masters cribbe, but Israël hath not knowne, my people hath not vnderstaod. What did not Israël knowe? or what would not his people vnderstand? It is the note of a iudicious convert Hebrew (and I now remember not wether he giue any further reason of it) that the verbs [...] and [...] [Page 27] there vsed, are transitiues, and must bee referred to that, which went before, Israël hath not knowne his owner, my people will not acknowledge him for their master, that lies swadled in a cratch or manger. This is a stumbling blocke to the prowd & haugh­tie Iew, that fixeth his eies on loftie towers, and stately palaces, as if these were the places of his Messiahs birth; who in his prime, must come to Zion, as one too meeke and humble to minde such matters; as one that would testifie the place of his birth by Zach. 9. v. 9. riding vpon an Asse, and vpon a colt, the foale of an Asse. But though Iudah and Israël bee more stupid then the Oxe or Asse, yet even in this humilitie of his birth Arabia and Sheba shall bring gifts to him, as to their king. Yet so provident is the Lord, least any hand of man should shew it self in his exaltation, that these forraigne Princes opē profession of allegiance to this new borne child, indangers his innocent and harmlesse life. But what wil the Atheist say? Cannot God protect his sonne from all likelyhood or approach of danger? yes he could, but his purpose was now to shewe his wisdome, not his power, in defeating great Herods vigilant and anxious care, and all the sub­tilest proiects of his cunningst polititians, by the coūterplots of a poore dreaming man. Rahel must haue cause againe to weep for her children about the borders of Beniamin: and Herod by striking at the sonne of God, must kill his owne sonne: whilst hee that was indeed a father to all the sonnes of [Page 28] men, because the true and naturall sonne of God, he, in whose right, Israel inioy'd the promises, and had an adoptiue title to bee called the son of God, must in part of his nonage be sustain'd in Aegypt, as Israël had beene, by a Ioseph; that so, what was verified of the one, as in the type, might be fulfilled in the other, as the substance. Hosea. II.VI Out of Aegypt haue I called my sonne.

18 But whither did God cal his sonne? sure if his supposed father Ioseph do not with yong Samu­el mistake the callers voice, he was to returne into Iudaea, the fittest place, in his apprehension, for the education of him, that was borne vnto the crown of David; a place, wherein if Herods first designes had stood firme and sure, hee might haue liued se­curely. But God that directed Iacobs right hand to the head of Ephraim, contrary to his father Iosephs expectation; hath turned the heart of Iosephus. lib. 17. c. 10. Herod on a suddaine to affect him most in the last draught of his will and testament, whom hee had respected but in the second place in the former. And Ioseph approaching the Coasts of Iury, advertised that Herod had a successour there, not Antipas, as hee perhaps with others had expected, but Archelaus as bloodie a villaine as the Father, suspects (as it seemes) either the truth of his admonition by a dreame in Aegypt; or his construction of it. Hee doubts whether they be dead, that sought the life of the child: for as the Evangelist saith. Mat. 2. v. 22. Hee was afraid to goe into Iudaea. [...], Yet see­ing [Page 29] he had beene warned in a dreame, (or perhaps be­ing warned againe) though he avoid Iudah, he will at least goe into some part of Israël. If he had two warnings, this latter was to instruct him in the true meaning of the former, whereby he was not directed to Iudaea in particular▪ but into the land of Israël, as I take it, with opposition to the land of Iudaea. And so saith the Evangelist, he left his pur­pose for Iudaea, and turned aside into the parts of Galil [...], to the place of Christs conception. Ibid. And thus by his doubtfull resolution; the will of the Lord, which he had spoken by the Prophet is vn­doubtly fulfilled; to wit, that Christ from the place of his conception and education should be called Nazaraeus. A name (in their intendment that sought to fasten it first vpon him) of disgrace and scorne, but by the disposition of the Almightie, a knowne title of greatest honour, convicting such as vsed it otherwise, even whilst they spake it, of blasphemie; which way soever wee interpret the meaning of it. For if this Cities name, whose Ety­mologie is hardly found in the old Testament, were Natsoreth, or Natzareth, or as Dicunt Chri­stiani Iesum na­tum esse in Beth­lehem & educa­tum fuisse in ci­vitate, quae in lingua eorum Nazareth in no­stra vero Nezer vocatur. Elias Leuita saith, Netzer (t [...] word which Isaias vseth) it is by interpretatiō the City of plants or grafts; in plain english Graftowne. Whence if the Iew captiously demand: was it ever heard that any Prophet should arise out of Nazareth? Wee may answere (as our Sauiour did Pilate) Infidell, thou hast said it, though vnwittingly, as Caiphas thy predecessour [Page 30] did foretel his dying for the people. For didst thou never heare of a man, whose name was the branch; never of a plant Netzer that should growe out of the root of Ishai? What if thou canst not revile this Iesus, whom we preach, but thou must ac­knowledge him Hanotzeri surculus ille, or surculari­us ille, or germen illud; The PLANT, THE BRANCH. For though the obiectour mean to disgrace him, yet God had ordained his glorie as well out of his enemies mouths that meant him mischiefe, as out of the mouthes of silly babes, that meant him nei­ther good nor ill. And it is very suitable to the waies of Gods providence, to suggest, by ambigu­ous words or speeches, vnto the attentiue hearer, conceipts quite contrary to their meaning that vtter them. Appian. So Crassus in his Parthian voyage, wills his souldiers (disheartned with a dismall way, which Abgarus had led thē) to be of good cheere; they should not come that way backe againe: his meaning was they should returne a better, but they take this as the sentence of death from their Generals mouth; and so march on drouping, in such dead silence to their miserable disastre, as mē condemned doe to the place of [...]ecution. This speech of Crassus was worse taken, then it was meant: but many of like observation I could here alleage, which ill meant by such as vttered them, haue beene well interpreted by the parties whom they concern'd: Val. Max. lib. 1. c. 5. as the Apollonians, solliciting aid of the Epidamnians against the Illyrians, finally, [Page 31] put off with this flowting answere. VVee will send [...] (so was the river call'd which ranne by their Citie) to your succour: cheerefully accept the offer, and take heart and courage at the very mention of [...], as if Aiax (who height so in Greeke) had bin reviu'd to bee their leader. And their confident hopes, conceiu'd vpon the imaginarie conduct of such a noble Generall, did, by divine providence, bring forth reall successe, and vnexpected victory. And so no doubt the faithfull Hebrewes, as oft as they heard the Iewes call our Saviour in contempt, Hanotzeri, did interpret their speech, otherwise then they meant it, as S. Iohn did that of Caiaphas. And this was the Evangelists meaning, when hee saith, our Saviour went to Nazareth, that he might be knowne by this name, vsed both by his follow­ers and his enemies.

19 Yet doe I no way reiect, but most willing­ly embrace their interpretation of this place, who thinke that speech of the Angell vnto Sampsons mother. Iudg. 13. v. 5. And he shall be a Nazarite from his birth was fulfilled of Christ, who was the true Nazarite indeed. Nor is this interpretation, (as most think) incompatible with the former: both are branches of the tree of life, in both shine most glorious rayes of the divine providence, would not men be more contradictious then their opinions. For, first it is a needlesse doubt moued by the one, whe­ther this Cities name in Hebrew were writtē with Z.TS. Zaiin, or with Tsadhi; and it is an impertinent [Page 32] observation of the other, to tell vs that Nazaraeus or Nazarenus for a Nazarite, comes not from the Hebrew Natzar, but from Nazar: for the Evange­lists and Greek writers of the new Testament, not our of ignorance, but by the direction of the holy Ghost, and of purpose, vse the Hebrew names as they are mollified by the Septuagints, for the more facile pronunciation of the Gentiles: as the famous Rainolds wisely admonished Iunius, for this reason to vse Samaria for Someron; & the like; seeing the holy Ghost had so spoken. It will suffice then, for our purpose, that the words signifying an inhabitant of this Citie and a Nazarite, such as Sampson was, are one and the same in the Greeke and Latine. As for that different character, which some obserue by writing the one Naziraeus, and the other Nazaraeus, or Nazarenus, I haue iust rea­son to suspect it for Criticks coyne; first invented, and since obserued by such as had better marked the different character of the Hebrew words, whence they are deriued, then the disposition of the divine providence in suffering no difference betwixt them in the Greeke and Latine. It is a point (I knowe) very behoofful in arts, or sciences, or humane histories to distinguish such aequivoca àcasu, as often fall out in translations, or corrupti­on of speech, by some note of difference in the o­riginall character. But these words Nazaraeus or Nazaraenus we suppose to be aequivoca, not àcasu, but à consilio divino, by the divine providence, [Page 33] which oftimes in the ambiguity of speeches, hath intendments quite contrary to the ill meaning of such as speake them; as in bad actions hee vsually hath an end much different from the purpose of the doer. And for mine owne part, I never could more fully comprehend how incomprehensible God was in his wisdome, nor how inscrutable in his wayes, then whilst I consider, how foresee­ing from al eternities, that the cheife thing which either the proud or stubborne Iewe, the curious Graecian, the haughtie and statelie politique Ro­mane, could obiect against his sonne, exhibited in the infirmitie of our flesh would be the meanesse of his parentage and education; hee could yet so dispose that he should bee conceiu'd and brought vp in such a Citie, as if his adversaries would vp­braid him with the basenesse of it in Hebrew, they should withall, though vnwittingly, enstile him by that glorious name, which Isay, Ieremie, and Za­cbarie had appropriated to the Messias: that is, hee should bee publikely knowne by the name of the branch, or plant of Iesse. Or if they would nickname him from it in Greeke, or Latine, they should with­all, though vnwittingly, acknowledge him to bee that Nazarite of God, of whome Sampson was but the type▪ or to vse his owne words, Ioh. 10.36. [...] illum, quem pater sanctificauit, thus turning the note, or article of disgrace, to signifie the quite contrary [...]. And for this purpose the Lord in his divine providence, would haue as well this [Page 34] title of Nazarite. Iesus Nazarenus, written in He­brew, Greeke, and Latine capitall letters, vpon the Crosse, as the title of King. Now we all know that even the title of King, was, by such as procured the inscription, intended by way of scorne, or con­tempt: but yet in the Almighties disposition; this inscription in these three famous tongues, was as a publike authentique proclamation of his right vnto the Crowne of David: such a testimonie that he was heire of all things in heaven and earth, as shall condemne all such, throughout the world, of rebellion, as haue not vnfainedly acknowledg­ed allegiance to him, as to their supreame Lord & King. In like sort, whatsoever they intended by this title of Nazarenus, vnto the faithfull it must serue, as a publique and authentique testimonie, that Christ Iesus was the man, which was to bee knowne by the name of branch, the branch of righ­teousnesse, the Netzer of Iesse, the Nazarite, the holy one of God. The cheefe reason that moues mee to embrace this interpretation, is, because these two words Natzar and Nazir, with their derivatiues, or words of aequivalent signification, are the very titles, wherein the holy Ghost seemes to delight, when he describes the kingdome of Christ. His very Crowne is called by a word of the same Roote with Nazaraeus or Nazarenus the Nazarite, as Ps. 132. Vpon him shall his Crowne flourish. Nor doe I see what can be obiected against vs, saue only this. If what was said of Sampson as the type, bee fulfil­led [Page 35] in Christ, as in the body or substance: then Christ should haue been a true Nazarite as Samp­son was. Out of doubt hee was so; but as hee was a true and perfect Priest, though no legall Priest af­ter the order of Aaron, but according to the or­der of Melchisedeek, which was more eminent and excellent: so he was a true and perfect Nazarite (though no legall Nazarite from his birth) or ra­ther the perfection or Idaea of Nazarites, & there­fore to be separated from that concretion of ce­remoniall matters, wherein the forme and essence of legall Nazarites devotion did consist. And yet, as it became the Prince and crowned King of Na­zarites the [...] and [...] of Nazarites [...], or him, on whose head the Nazarites crown was to flourish, he performed the legall rites of Naza­ritisme by his Embassadour Iohn Baptist, in whom he set an end to those legall rites. As for the man­ner of their birth, and the Angelicall predictions, with other occurrences; no type in Scripture a­grees better with the Idaea or prototypon, then Samp­son, and Iohn Baptist, with our Saviour: How that which was litterally meant of Sampson, may bee said to bee principally meant of Christ, shall else­where (God willing) appeare. I would now onely request you to obserue that in some Copies of the 70, it is said that Sampson should be [...], in others (retaining the sence or exposition, not the Etymologie) it is said he should be [...], or san­ctificatio Domini (i) Domino sanctificatus. And so [Page 36] the holy Ghost, when he giues vs the true exposi­tion of the Greeke [...] as by the disposition of the divine providence it should sound to vs, ex­torts this confession from the vncleane spirit. What haue we to doe with thee Iesus Nazarene, I know thee who thou art, Luk. 4. v. 34. If the wicked spirit did speak this in Greeke he spake according to the vse of the word Nazarenus in the Septua­gint not simply [...] as it was said of Sampson, but [...], that holy one, of whome Sampson, and legall Nazarites were but types. A­gaine, where it is foretold by the Angell, that Sampson should beginne to saue Israël out of the hands of the Philistins, this speech, mee thinkes, should implie a relation to some greater Saviour, that was ro accomplish this salvation of Israël frō the hands of their enemies. And besides the spiri­tuall redemption of them and vs, (of all the Israël of God) accomplished by Christ, and prefigured by Sampsons temporall saving of them from the Philistines: to my simplicitie, it seemes not altoge­ther void of observation, that as Sampson was borne when the Israelites were first oppressed by the Philistins, so Christ likewise was then borne, when Herod an aliant, and a Philistin by birth, was tyrant as well of Iudaea as Palastina.

20 That I may conclude in one word, as I intended, with you noble stemmes, or other hopefull plants here seated in this famous nur­serie of arts; whose grouth I wish in all the knowledge of forraigne nations; onely, in the bowels of Christ Iesus our Saviour, let me be­seech you, and in his name, as his vnworthy Mini­ster, [Page 37] charge you: that neither out of phantasticke doating loue, to forraigne nations, or naturall pride of your hearts, you ever say with that Syrian Courtier. Are not Isther Po and Maeander, the beau­tified subiects of delicate Graecian or Italian wits, better then Iordan or Kedron, then all the waters of Israël? Slander not the mountaines of Samaria (no not in your secret thoughts) for dry and barren in respect of Parnassus or Cythaeron: but though with Ephraim, you wander to view the glorious sights, or learne such choice experience, as the famous monarchies of Assyria, Babylon, Greece, or Italy can afford you: yet let not your soules, which God by Christ doth wooe more earnestly, then hee did E­phraim by my Prophet, bee ever affianced to these Aliants: but returne at length to these your Ci­ties of Israël; and visite Nazareth wherein the Lord hath wrought his wonders, wherein the rod of Iesse sprung vp. And what way soever you bend your course, take Gods providence for your pilot, and let Iesus of Nazareth, the starre of Iacob, the branch of David, and Nazarite of God, in whom all the Prophecies of different ages meet as lines in their center; for the making vp of whose glory, as well the scurrilous appellations of his deadly enemies, as the glorious salutations of his follow­ers, concurre as the diverse Meridians, of distant Regions, or opposite hemispheares in the pole; be alwaies Load-starre of your thoughts.

1 ALL things naturally desire their preservation. There is as true a longing of bad humours, to feede and strengthen themselues by semblable nutriment, as of nature, to expell them. And since the corruption of nature, became, in a manner, naturall to the sonnes of Adam, it hath ever beene the property of it, if not altogether to loath the food of life; yet to mingle it with such sauces, as strengthen the flesh to resist the working of the spirit.

A dangerous spice of this intemperancie, you may behold in these Galatians, now seeking to al­lay [Page 39] the sweet promises of the Gospell, which their corrupt tast could not rellish, with the bitter threars and curses of the Law. The pretences, vsed by favorers of Circumcision, to colour this ill cō ­pounded receit, might bee more then can possibly come to this ages notice. Two more principal, are sufficiently, though implicitly, notefied vnto vs by our Apostles answers, or preventions. The former is drawne from the glorious testimonies, giuen by Gods Saints to the Law, before the revelation of the Gospell. For, taking these Iewes, as they were, many hundreds of yeares before Christ was born. Ps. 147. v. 20. The Lord had not dealt so with any nation, as for his iudgements they had not knowne them. And can these Galatians, by nature Gentiles, the ofspring of Heathens, excell Israël, without observation of that Law, by which Israël had so farre exceeded all the nations of the world?

2 But as the dawning, though in respect of former darknesse, it may seeme as day, compared to the bright sunshine following, is rather to bee reputed part of night: So the state of the Iewes vn­der the Law, although a freedome in respect of that thrall and ignorance, wherein they had liued in Aegypt, was but bondage and slaverie to the li­berty of the Gospell. And these Galatians, in tur­ning to the Law, after they had beene so well ente­red in the Gospell, renued the Israëlits sinne; who being on their way to Canaan, resolued to turne backe to the house of bondage, whence the Lord [Page 40] had freed them. Or, to make the best that may bee of their opinion; say they did not indeed (as in ex­presse words they did not) vtterly revoke the Gos­pell, but onely couple it with the Law: yet even t [...]is their errour and disobedience, is the very same as if the Israëlites should haue resolued not to vse Manna, which God sent them from Heauen, for bread, vnlesse they might haue Onions & Garlicke and the flesh-pots of Aegypt for their meat.

3 The second argument, wherewith these Iewish seducers had bewitched these foolish Gala­tians (as we may gather from our Apostles praeoc­cupation in this present Chapter) was much what the same with that maine charme, wherewith the Romane Sorcerers so mightily prevaile with the ignorant of our times.

These, or the like quaeries, you may imagine, were often propounded to these late converts, by the Iewes. Whose successours would Paul, would Apolloes, would others, which abandon Circum­cision, or the Ceremoniall Law, be reputed? Doe they not cal themselues the children of Prophets? Would they not bee accounted the sonnes of Gods chosen people? And what religion (I pray) did the Prophets, or their godly forefathers pro­fesse? Did they not all subscribe to the Ceremo­nies giuen by Moses? Did they not liue and die in these practises, which wee perswade you to? And so liuing, & so dying, did they liue or die like slaues or bondmen; or as free borne sonnes of Abraham; [Page 41] and heires of the everlasting promises?

4 To bring this controversie, betweene our Apostle and these seducers, to a more short and distinct issue. First, they agree, that only such, as liued vnder the Law, were the true Church and people of God. Secondly, that onely the true Church and people of God, were the sonnes of Abraham, and heires of the everlasting promises. But from these grants or suppositions, our Apo­stle thus inferres.

As every other heire, so the Church of God was to haue a time of non-age, before shee could come to her full age, or bee enstated in the inheri­tance bequeathed; that during this non-age, the state or condition of Gods Church and people, as of all other heires in their childhood, did nothing differ from the condition of servants. Whence a­gaine it will follow, that as the authoritie of Tu­tors, of Gardians, and Feoffees in trust (though, for the times being, most absolute) is vtterly to expire and determine, at the time, by the Testator or Doner appointed for the heire to enter vpon his inheritance: so the Law of ordinances, which God himselfe had given by Moses, though, during the time of the Churches non age, most absolute and soveraigne, was to be repealed and cancelled, at the fulnesse of time (i) at the time appointed by God for the full age of the Church. Where it wil be no digression by the way to obserue, that the period of other heires non age, was not alwaies [Page 42] precisely determined by humane Laws; but might be longer or shorter according to the appoint­ment of the Doner. Lastly, as secular heires, by not entring vpon their inheritance at the time ap­pointed, doe much preiudice their title, and de­serue (as wee say) to bee beg'd for fooles; so the Church and people of God, by not abandoning the yoke of the Law, at the time appointed by God for their full age, did thereby make them­selues vncapable of the blessing bestowed on thē in the Gospell.

5 This is the point most pressed by our Apo­stle in this and the Chapter following. Chap. 5. v. 1. Stand fast therefore in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made you free, and be not intangled againe by the yoke of bondage: behold, I Paul say vnto you, that if yee be cir­cumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing: for I testifie againe to every man, that is circumcised, that hee is a debter to doe the whole Law: Christ is become of no ef­fect vnto you, whosoeuer of you are iustified by the Law: yee are fallen from grace.

Now that which determined the Churches non age, and did ipso facto extinguish the soue­raigne authoritie of the Law, was the sending forth of the sonne of God, who was heire of all things. But when the fulnesse of time was come, God sent forth his sonne, made of a woman, made vnder the Law, to redeeme them that were vnder the Law, that we might receaue the adoption of sonnes. Or accor­ding to the dialect of our english Law, that the in­heritance [Page 43] of sonnes might be cōveied or made o­ver vnto vs (for so much the Greeke, [...], may import:) and it was to bee convaied vnto vs, not by right of birth (all of vs being children of wrath) but by adoption. Now, adoption is the in­graffing of a forrainer, into a better stocke or fa­milie. The only stocke whereinto we (which were not sonnes, but servants) could bee ingraffed, was the true and naturall sonne of God. He alone could set Gentiles free from the bondage of sinne, & Iews from the curse of the Law, which was added because of transgression. The summe then of our Apostles doctrine in this place, is the same with our Savi­ours. Verily, verily I say vnto you (that boast of A­brahams seed, Ioh. 8 v. 33. & never were in subiection to any) to you, I say, that whoeuer committeth sinne, is the ser­vant of sinne, and the seruant abideth not in the house foreuer, but the sonne abideth euer. If the sonne there­fore make you free, yee shall be free indeed.

6 Referring the act of redemption, and this glorious prerogatiue of being the sonnes of God vnto some better occasion; giue me leaue, first, to vnfold, what the sonne of God hath done for his part, that he might be a perfect and vnpartiall re­deemer: secondly what is on our parts required, that we might be capable of his redemption.

In the former I shall endeavour to stirre vp ad­miration at the wisdome and loue of God; the vse whereof shall be to kindle loue and thankfulnesse in our selues, and to incite our alacritie in perfor­ming [Page 44] such duties as are required at our hands.

The summe of that, which the sonne of God hath vndertaken for vs, is by our Apostle gathe­red to these three heads.

• 1 He was sent forth into the world.
• 2 He was made of a woman.
• 3 He was made vnder the Law.

Of these in their order: and of their severall necessities & con­veniences.

To bee a sonne, necessarily presupposeth a be­getting. If then we be the sonnes of God, we must be begotten by him; and of vs that are his childrē by adoption, Iam. 1. v. 18. saith S ^t Iames, He begate vs with the word of truth, that we should be the first fruits of his creatures. This word of truth, by which wee must be begotten, must first be conceaued by vs; and yet is it the principall of those good & perfect gifts, al & every one of which (as the Iame Apostle speaks) are from aboue, Vers. 17. and descend to vs from the father of light. But who shal ascend vp into heaven to fetch them thence? No man (saith our Saviour) ascendeth vp to heauen, Ioh. 3. v. 13. but he that descended from heauen, the sonne of man which is in heauen. When he discour­sed of heauenly mysteries: He spake what hee knewe, and testified what he had seene; others spake but by gesse or heare-say, as they had beene taught. No man (saith S ^t Iohn) hath seene God at any time, Chap. 1. v. 18. but the only begotten sonne, which was in the bosome of the fa­ther, he hath declared him. Being in the bosome of the Father from everlasting, hee could not but [Page 45] knowe him, and his will concerning man from e­verlasting. But so long as hee remained in the bo­some of God, not manifested to the world, wee could no more approach the place of his dwel­ling, then we could the dwelling of his father; we were as vncapable of his instructions, as of his fa­thers.

7 Requisite therefore it was hee should bee sent forth, that hee might bee our teacher; such a mature authenticke teacher, as sauing truth, able to beget sonnes vnto God, should issue as natural­ly frō his mouth, as ripe seed, apt for propagation, doth from fruitfull trees. From this his efficacie in teaching, did the people admire God, speaking in him, for hee taught not as the Scribes and Pharisees, Mat. 7. v. 29. but as one that had authoritie; being indeed the au­thor of that doctrine, which he taught; one from whose fulnesse all former teachers had receaued their measure of knowledge. Moses himselfe that gaue the Law, much more the Scribes and Phari­sees, the expounders of it, were but as ordinarie schoolemasters; their best auditors but as schoole­boyes, or grammar-schollers, labouring all their life times, to learne the first rudiments or elements of sauing knowledge. But after the DIVINE WORD had spoken to the world by the mouth of man, Great was the number of Preachers: Ephes. 4. v. 11. Hee gaue some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evange­lists, and some Pastours and Teachers: Of such myste­ries, as no secular Artists, nor children of Prophets, [Page 46] could ever attain vnto; nor did they which taught the world these mysteries, learne them by rule or method.

8 But you will say, all this might haue beene done, although hee had beene sent in the forme of an Angel, wherin he appeared vnto the Fathers. Hee that taught Moses without the substance of man, could haue taught the Apostles and Evange­lists, the whole doctrine of the Gospell, although he had not beene borne of a woman: he that over­threw Pharaoh and all his host in the red sea, put the Cananites, & other enemies of Is [...]aël to flight, by his sole invisible presence: could not hee haue vanquished sinne and Sathan without the assump­tion of our nature? doth the flesh adde strength vnto the spirit?

The question is not what he could haue done by his Almightie power, but what in his wisdome was most fit and convenient for our redemption. Now, this wee say, that by the eternall rules of e­quitie, which God obserues in all his waies, it was not onely convenient but necessarie (though not for our instruction, yet for our redemption & san­ctification) that his sonne should be not only man, but man made of a woman: and our Apostle in say­ing thus, saith a great deale more, then if hee had said, borne of a woman.

9 Every man, except the first man Adam, is borne of a woman, but no man besides the sonne of God, by whom man and all things were made, [Page 47] was made of a womā. The mysteries contained in this manner of speech, cannot bee duely valued or vnfolded, without some explication of that pecu­liar reference, which these words, in the Apostles intent and meaning, haue to the first creation of man and woman.

10 And here I must intreat you of the weaker sexe, to obserue with me, that our Apostle, aswell to put you in mind of that duty which you owe to your husbands, as also to stirre vp your thankful­nesse towards God, for your redemption; still re­ferres you to the maner of your mother Eues cre­ation, and transgression. Two testimonies shall at this time suffice, for the establishing of this truth; both taken from our Apostles writings. Of which the one best expounds the true force & meaning of this phrase; Made of a woman: The other vnfolds the mysterie therein contained.

The former is 1. Cor. 11. v. 7. &c. For a man in­deed ought not to couer his head, for asmuch as he is the image and glory of God, but the woman is the glory of the man; for the man is not of the woman, but the wo­man of the man; neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman for the man. Thus he deriues your subordination to your husbands, from the first originall of your sexe: this methode & man­ner of instruction hee learned from our Saviour, who resolued the difficultie proposed concerning divorce, from the Canon, or Institution of Matri­monie, enacted by God, with Adams consent, and [Page 48] voice, whilst Eue was formed. Neverthelesse, to qualifie and moderate this authoritie, which the man by priority of creation, hath over the womā, the Apostle adds; Vers. 11. Neither is the man without the woman, nor the woman without the man in the Lord: for as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God. The first woman then, was made of the first man; all men since haue come into the world by the woman: but the sonne of God came not only by the woman, but was made of the woman; as the first woman was of the first man. This great mystery was precisely, fore told by the Prophet Ieremie, though not so plain­ly, as many at the first sight would obserue it. The Lord hath created a new thing in the earth, a woman shall compasse a man, Ierem. 31. v. 22. or the female shall inclose the male, or man of strength. It is called a new creation, with reference to the first creation, wherein the woman was inclosed in the man; as here quite cō ­trary, the man is inclosed in the woman, by the im­mediate hand of God, conceau'd and borne with­out any concurrence of man; as the first woman was brought forth out of the substance of man, without the helpe or consort of a woman.

11 The second place in our Apostles wri­tings, which truliest explicates the meaning of the mysterie contained here in my Text, or in the place of Ieremie last cited; and best sets forth the incomprehensible wisdome of Gods proceedings in the admirable worke of mans redemption, is [Page 49] 1. Tim. 2.11. Let the woman learne in silence with all subiection, but I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to v­surpe authoritie over the man, but to bee in silence: Why is her vsurpation of authoritie over the mā, so insufferable? the reason in the next words is gi­ven, in part from the order of her creation, for A­dam was first formed then Eue. This proues that she should haue beene vnder mans authoritie, though neither he nor she had sinned. But the principall reason why shee is put to silence, especially in the Church, is from the manner of her transgression, in the verse following: And Adam was not decea­ved, but the woman being deceaued was in the trans­gressiō. Because she had boldly adventured to hold partly with the old serpent without her husbands leaue, and contracted with so great danger to all mankind, without his instructions; because this done she tooke vpon her to be the serpents agent to bring over her husband (whom shee was to counsell, when her advice was demanded, not to lead,) into the same combination; therefore is this modestie and silence which the Apostle speakes of, inioyned the whole sexe, by way of punishmēt, or at least, to put them in minde of their mothers first transgression. For Eues disease, or surfeit of the forbidden fruit (vntill God in his infinite wisdome found out a soveraigne remedie by the contrarie) was more dangerous & preiudicious to the whole sexe, then Adams was to his sonnes.

This truth is included in the last clause of our [Page 50] Apostles discourse, concerning this point, 1. Tim. 2.15. Neverthelesse she shall be saued. This adversa­tiue particle ( Neverthelesse) supposeth a tacite ob­iection; this or the like: But is there no meanes left for Eues salvation, as well as for Adams; though she only were seduced by the serpent? or shall not the woman which is in subiection, be saued as wel as the man, which hath authoritie over her? Yes, she shall be saued too; but by what meanes? [...], through child bearing: but alasse, what shall then become of the barren wombe, or of her that beareth no children?

12 Cornelius à lapide, a late Iesuite, would haue the paines of child birth, to be in this place establi­shed as a Purgatorie, without which this sexe could not enter into heauen. Must then the exces­siue, or extraordinarie sufferings of some mothers, supererrogate for other women that beare no children? I shall not need to trouble my selfe with remouing this stone of offence, which can stum­ble none but the daughters of the blind Church. I will passe over it, and proceed: As this place of Timothie best expounds the words of my Text, so may these words in it [...] best be expounded by another place in this Epistle, wherein the Apostle, Gen. 22.18. discoursing of that promise of God to Abraham, (In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;) excellently obserues (what the matter & circumstance of the text, not the gram­matical singularity of number doth necessarily in­ferre,) [Page 51] this is not spoken to his seed as of many, Gal. 3.16. but as of one and to thy seede, which is Christ; To com­ment therefore vpon S ^t Paule, by the analogie of his Comments vpon Moses; hee saith not in this place, the woman shall be saued through bearing of children, as speaking of many, but through her child­birth, as meaning one, which is Christ; the Sonne of God, made of a woman, without man.

13 It is vsuall with the Hebrewes, to put the abstract for the concrete, substantiues for adie­ctiues. Ps. 126. v. 4. Cause our captiuitie to returne like the Ri­vers in the South; (that is) bring home our captiues with speed: so Salvation is often put for Saviour; Glory for glorious, Iustice for iust, &c. Now by the same priviledge, which admitteth captivity for captiues, or sanctificatio domini, for domino sancti­ficatus; must [...], child-birth, go in this place for as much as [...] is all one with [...], shee shall be saued by her child. Briefly, the womans child-birth is as much as the womans child, & the womans child is somewhat more than the wo­mans seed. For, that the womans seed which was to crush the serpents head, should become a child and be brought forth by his mother, not concei­ued only, is no paradox of our invention. It was the meaning of Gods promise, when first he made it, that this seed should be such a child, so concei­ved and brought forth, as might truely call a wo­man his mother, but no man on earth his father.

[Page 52]14 To giue you a more distinct view of Gods wisdome, in contriuing the meanes of our salvation. The first woman, by yeelding her con­sent to the wicked spirit, eares of the forbidden fruit, in hope she and her husband should become Gods, and their ofspring like young Gods, know­ing good and evill. The issue of this adulterous compact with the serpent, was, that shee concea­ued sinne and brought forth death, before she was a mother of children. And her children with their posteritie, were by nature the sonnes of wrath, the serpents seed, and heires of his everlasting curse. To cure this maladie by the contrarie; God in his wisdome, so ordaines, that another of the weaker sexe, of a temper quite contrarie to her mother Eue; one as lowly as she was prowd, whom the old serpent had never tempted with dreames of being a Queene, much lesse of being a Goddesse on earth; one whose spirit reioyced in the lowly e­state of an handmaid, should, by yeelding consent to the blessed spirit, conceaue him that was the sonne of God, the tree of life, in whom as many as beleeue, receaue the adoption of sonnes, and are co-heires with him of everlasting blisse. No mar­vaile if the issues of their cōsents should be so cō ­trary, when as the principall agents, with whom they contracted, were such opposites; the one was the SPIRIT of TRVTH, the author of life, and GOD of LIGHT: the other the spirit of falshood, the father of lies, and prince of darknesse. Lastly, the first [Page 53] woman, did thus adulterate her soule, by contrac­ting with Satan without advice or consent of her husband: and this is that which made her estate, & the state of her sexe, farre more desperate then A­dams was. For, as Divines obserue, the wicked An­gels, because they sinned wittingly and willingly, without a tempter, are left without all meanes of a mediatour, or redeemer. Now the woman, in that she did partake more deeply of this their sin, (for being tempted by them, she forthwith turn'd tempter with them) was more liable to their re­medilesse punishments then the man: vntill the Lord in mercy, found out the meanes, here men­tioned by our Apostle to releiue her. The con­clusion intended by him in that discourse, is, to as­sure woman kinde, that Evahs assenting to Satan, without the advise of her husband, was not more available to condemne the sexe, then the blessed Virgins bringing forth of her first borne, whom she conceiu'd by meere reliance on Gods promise, without the concurrence or furtherance of man, was to redeeme it.

15 This exposition of the place in Timothie is so cleere and naturall, that not the meanest stu­dent here present (so hee will marke the former re­ferences to the first creation) but may well won­der how any professed interpreter could omit it. Imagine with me, that the whole tenour of this assurance, devised in tearmes most exquisite, for securitie and comfort of the weaker sexe; were to [Page 54] be pervsed by any ordinarie Lawier, but with halfe the diligence men vse to examine Leases, or other Evidences concerning their private commodities: The principall clause, or demise it selfe, would, at first sight, appeare to be contained in these words, [...]. It would likewise be as apparent, that faith, loue, holinesse, sobrietie, and tem­perance, did follow onely by way of condition or proviso. Or to speake in our owne dialect: Seeing faith, loue, &c. are added as cōditions, or qualifica­ons on the womans part, who is the subiect or pa­tient; the meanes or meritorious cause of salvati­on, being emphatically assigned vnder scholasticke character in the clause precedent, [...]: this hath alwaies seem'd to me, a demō ­stration as evident as any can be, ab effectu, that the principall obiect or foundation of sauing faith, (the promised womans seed) must needs bee compri­sed in the word [...]. Gal. 5.6. In Iesus Christ (saith the Apostle) neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor vncircumcision, but faith which worketh by loue. But neither loue, nor faith working by loue, can availe more without Christ Iesus, then circumcision in Christ Iesus. And bootlesse it had beene to haue added this cōditional, (if they continue in faith, &c) vnlesse the foundation of faith, and salvation had beene comprised in the former words, She shall bee saued by her child birth. Now as fidelitie, chastity, & practises of charitie, are necessarie to all, but in a peculiar and remarkable sort necessarie to those, [Page 55] whose forefathers haue beene perfidious, adulte­rours, and oppressors: so, albeit none can be saued without these virtues here mentioned, (faith, cha­ritie, holinesse, temperance) yet are these peculiarly necessarie to the weaker sexe, in respect of the first womans sinne: to the severall parts or degrees whereof they are most divinely and accurately sui­ted and ranked by our Apostle. One part of her transgression (perhaps the first) was infidelitie, or distrust to Gods threats and promises: therefore it is required as a condition necessarie to all wo­men, [...], that they be constant in faith. Another part of the first womans sinne, (besides disloialtie) was breach of that sociall loue, which by order of creation was due vnto her husband. For as shee had beginning of being from him, so she was not to haue contracted any businesse con­cerning her estate without him. Shee should haue knowne his consent, before shee had presumed to haue passed hers; and because shee did not so, but brake the bond of sociall loue; it is required of all women that they continue in loue.

16 Againe, the first womā polluted her soule with spiritual adulterie, by listning to Satans impi­ous suggestions. Hence it is required of the wea­ker sexe, that they continue in holinesse & chastity. The claspe that must keepe all these ornaments, or spirituall habits close about thē, is Temperance. For so the Apostle concludes; Notwithstanding they shall be saued, if they continue in faith & charity, [Page 56] and holinesse with temperance. As if hee had said, it was their mother Eues intemperate appetite of the forbidden fruit, faire in shew, which did quic­ken and giue life vnto the first transgression; whose first seed (perhaps) was pride; and for this reason continent eyes, and temperate appetites are on the womans part required in the last place, as sub­iection is in the first. For conclusion of this point. As this Catalogue of vertues in the last clause, hath expresse reference, to the severall parts of her transgression: so haue these words [...], as peculiar relation vnto the promise concerning the womans seed, Gen. 3. v. 15. which was to bruise the serpents head.

17 I shall not need to trouble this learned au­dience, with a doctrine very frequent, because most vsefull in the Primitiue Church. A necessitie was laid vpon the Reverend Fathers of those times, to vse this place, as one, amongst many, most pregnant, for refutation of such heretiques, as held our Saviour did take only the shape, and figure, not the true flesh and substance of man, from his mother. But seeing their herisies haue for these many yeares, slept with their bodies: I hold it a sin to awake them, by entertaining any solemne dis­pute with them, or making lowd declamation a­gainst thē. Taking the truth, which these men are not able now to contradict for vnquestionable (as being the principall subiect of all Christian know­ledge▪) Their observation is neither vnnecessarie [Page 57] for any time, nor impertinent to this present oc­casiō, who out of this phrase MADE OF A WO­MAN, would giue vs the true MEDIVM, or causall demonstration of another conclusion, essentially subordinate to the fore cited observation of the Ancient. The conclusion is, that our Saviour, did with the substance or flesh of man, take vpon him all the infirmities, and weaknesses of our mortall flesh.

18 The heathens although they feined Pal­las to be a Goddesse, yet conceiued her to bee of a masculine valour and true heroicall spirit, as being wholy conceiued and borne of Iupiters substance, not participating of Iunoes nature, or disposition. That wisdome in the Greeke tongue is of the fe­minine gender, was to them a sufficient Hint, thus to transforme the wisdome of God, into a Goddess of wisdome. What they spake of this Goddesse or daughter of Ioue, was most true of the wisdome and Sonne of God. He was begotten from all eternities of his Father without a mother, very God of ve­ry God, Geber el, or the strong God. And whilst He remained in the bosome of his Father onely, sending forth wise men & Prophets vnto his peo­ple, he did in no wise participate of any infirmitie. But that this wisdome and Sonne of God, should bee conceiued and borne of a mother, without a father, and sent forth into the world vpon the same embassage thar hee had sent his servants; was a ttuth farre remote from that hemisphere [Page 58] of darknesse wherein the heathen sat; yet a com­mon prenotion amongst Gods people. And what better proofe can bee desired for evincing him to be a man (as the Prophet tearmes him) of infirmi­ties, then his taking his whole substance from the infirmer and weaker sexe. Iob 14. v. 1. The man that is borne of a woman (saith Iob) is of few daies full of trouble; Inti­mating, as some thinke, that as life & strength are from the Father, so frailtie and mortality are from the Mother. It is not then strange, if He who took his whole substance from his mother, were pecu­liarly capable of infirmities. A drie and wearyish soile, cannot naturally send forth goodly Cedars, full of sap: nor could the incredulous Iew haue ex­pected, his promised Messias should bee a Giant, or man of strength, had hee but duly considered, that he was to be the womans seed, flesh of her flesh, and bone of her bone; not so of Mans. And more particularly of this sprig of Iesse, saith the Prophet, Isa. 53. v. 2. He shall growe vp before him, as a tender plant, & as a root out of a dry ground: hee hath no forme nor come­linesse, and when we shall see him, there is no beautie that we should desire him, hee is despised and reiected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with griefe.

19 Marriage well fitted is a kind of musicke, and consists in a true consort of the stronger and weaker sexe. But in this happie marriage betwixt HEAVEN and EARTH, betweene the Divine, & Humane Nature; the Sonne of God, and the Seed of Abraham, there is a consort of contrarieties (of [Page 59] strength and weaknesse) in their abstracts. He, that was Geber [...]el, the strength of God, is indissolubly linkt with the weaknesse of man, with the flesh and sub­stance of a womā. He, of whom God might haue said, as Iacob did of Reuben before his fall. Gen. 49. v. 3. My first borne, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellencie of dignitie, and the excellencie of pow­er, is become (sinne only excepted) like vnto Reu­ben, when his dignitie was gone, vnstable as water: The sonne of God, (not by adoption, but by eter­nall generation) is sent forth, made of a woman, and thereby subiected to more infirmities, then any man before him, had bin, or after can bee. Strength was thus to stoope to Weaknesse, that weaknesse might become strong; and Aeternitie to match with Mortalitie; that our mortall bodies might be immortall. For as Man and Wife are one flesh; so much more the Sonne of God, and the womans seed, make but one Christ. And in this consort, the Spouse, or weaker nature, Coruscat Mariti, Titulis is really dignified, with these late mentioned, or the like titles of her Lord and husband. Strength is now be­come her girdle, and immortalitie her wedding garment; freedome, ioy, & happinesse everlasting, are made her ioynter, whose former state was mortalitie, charged with servitude and infirmities.

20 The former observation concerning the importance of the word mulier here vsed, though (in my opinion) not impertinent to our Apostles meaning; may in better iudgements, seeme rather [Page 60] to increase then diminish, a common difficultie. First, were his meaning such as wee suppose it; hee had said better, [...] then [...], fa­ctum ex foeminâ, rather then ex muliere. For foeminâ being the proper name of the weaker sexe, seemes to import fragilitie, more directly then Mulier doth. Besides, this phrase factum ex foemine would haue well consorted with that principall article of our beleefe, Hee was made and borne of a Virgin: With which, this forme of speech in my text, fac­tum ex muliere, may seeme scarse compatible. For virgo and foemina are subordinate, every virgo is foemina; but virgo and mulier, or [...] and [...] are rather opposites. Some learned Interpreters, notwithstanding, haue obserued the Greeke [...], to be sometimes taken for [...], as mulier like­wise in the Latine is for virgo. And why might not the Apostle vse the like language? Yet in say­ing thus much and no more, they make the maner of his speech more capable of excuse, then merito­rious of admiration; whereas to my apprehensi­on, there lies a mysterie in the word [...] as here it is vsed by the Apostle, which had not been so well exprest, either by the common name of the sexe, [...], foemina, or by [...], virgo.

For better notification of what I conceiue; you are to consider, that virgo and mulier (as the words answering to them in the Greeke) haue two signi­fications, or rather importances. Virgo somtimes implies no more then foeminam intectam, or viri [Page 61] ignaram, a woman that knowes not a man: somtimes it signifies, foeminam intactam, nec desponsatam; a woman not betrothed. Mulier likewise implies some­times an opposition to the first importance or sig­nification of virgo, and signifieth as much as foemi­nam corruptam, or viri gnaram; sometimes it im­ports no more then foeminam viro desponsatam. And this later vse or importance whether of the Latine mulier, or of the Greeke [...], is not oppo­site but coincident to the second vse or impor­tance of virgo, or [...]. One and the same foemi­na, may be intacta, and yet desponsata, a wife or wo­man betrothed vnto a man, & yet a virgin. So Eue is called by the septuagint [...] (in the originall Ishah) a wife, at her first creation: Matrimonie it selfe was established, in her extraction out of A­dams side. In this sense she was mulier, a wife, when she committed the first transgression, and yet [...] or foemina intacta a virgin too; for shee did not knowe her husband, before shee had contami­nated her soule with lusting after the serpents bayts. And for this reason, would the wisdome of God be made man of a virgin, and yet withall ex muliere, of a virgin betroathed vnto an husband, that Eues miscariage might be regaind in her. Eue was created to be a helpe to Adam, but proued his ruine. The blessed virgin must likewise bee so­lemnly consecrated for an helpe to Man, but so consecrated, becomes a comforter, not to Ioseph only, but to all his bretheren, to all the Israel of [Page 62] God, whether they be Iewes or Gentiles.

21 For the wisdome of God, thus solicitous­ly and accurately to contriue and plot the meanes of mankinds redemption, it was expedient and ne­cessary, in respect of that inbred superstitiō, where­with both Iewes and Gentiles were deepely tainted. All of vs, from our cradle, from the wombe, are sicke of our mother Eues disease; prone, vpon every light accidentall circumstance, or want of cere­moniall references, to pick occasion when none is offered, to distrust Gods promises for our good. The subtletie of the old serpent, continues still the same, rather increast by long experience, then im­paired by age. No Sophister so captious, no Law­ier so cunning, as He, to misperswade men either that the instrumēts of their assurance want words to carry the inheritance vnto all, or that their Re­deemer is vnable or vnwilling to instate thē in it; or that some, at least in respect of their particular conditiō or state of life, are vncapable of the good intended. For prevēting this his cūning, hath God in his wisdome incompast and hedged in all mā ­kind with such a world of references, and admira­ble alliances vnto his Sonne made man of a woman, as no sort or condition of men, that frame their aspect aright, can suspect themselues to bee exclu­ded. Every circumstance of his person, concepti­on, birth and life, are suited, as it were of purpose, to giue checke vnto the vtmost curiositie of su­perstitious humane fancie.

[Page 63]22 Had our redeemer beene onely man, though a man much more after Gods own heart, then his father Dauid was; wee would haue said of him as we doe of a friend whose minde we knowe to be better then his meanes; Surely, hee wisheth me well, and would lay downe his life to doe mee good: but being once dead, what dominion can he haue over death? Or raised againe; yet being farr absent in the highest heavens; how shall he guard me against Sathan and his Angels, still present to assault me here on earth? Againe, had he been only the Sonne of God; wee would haue conceaued of him, as we doe of many great ones, whom we ac­knowledge to be honourably disposed, but not so tenderly compassionate of poore mens cases, as might bee wisht; because they haue no acquain­tance with povertie or the miseries that attend it. To prevent these temptations to distrust; God would haue his only Sonne to bee made a Man of sorrowes, and of entire acquaintance with greefe; a man subiect to greater bodily vexations then a­ny in this life can tast. And yet at last to be exalted according to his humane nature vnto glory, that we might haue a solicitour in the Court of Hea­ven, of our owne corporation and stocke: one that could pittie our wants, and compassionate our grievances, by the liuely experience, and never fa­ding memorie of his owne more grievous suffe­rings whilst he liued on earth; able withall to plead our deliverance from danger, out of that infinite [Page 64] wisdome which He is, and to procure it by that in­finite favour and respect, which hee hath with his father from everlasting.

23 Or if the sonne of God had beene made man, as Adam was of the earth, or not thus mira­culously made of a woman: the old serpent might easily haue brought the weaker sexe into a relaps of their natiue distrust vnto Gods promises. Feare, if not despaire, would in temptations haue over­taken them, least Christ had beene sent forth to redeeme the Man onely, whose sexe hee assumed, not silly woman, to whom hee had no speciall re­ference. Or had he beene made MAN of a Virgin onely, not of a wife or woman betroathed to an husband; married persons might haue mistrusted, least matrimonie had made them more capable of their first parents curse, then of the blessing made in the promised seed ▪ or least the coniunction of twaine in one flesh, might haue caused a di­vorce of both from him, vnto whom whosoever is conioyned, 1. Cor. 6. v. 17. is made one spirit w [...]h him. Now that the world might knowe marriage to bee honoura­ble among all men; and that the bonds of vndefiled wedlocke, are no setters to the soule: it pleased the wisdome of God to be conceiued in wedlocke, & borne of a virgin affianced to a man. On the con­trary, least the Eunuch, (Hee, I meane, that either by nature is vnfit for marriage, or out of iudicious resolution and discreet choice, holds marriage vnfit, or vnexpedient for him) should take vp his [Page 65] complaint, and say, alasse, I am a dry tree, and can bring forth no fruit vnto eternall life: it hath plea­sed the only begotten SONNE of God to grace & sanctifie single life, by his owne practise and ex­ample. For though he were made man of a woman, betroathed vnto an husband: yet was he never be­troathed vnto any woman: that no humane soule of what condition, or sexe soever, might haue oc­casion to dispaire of being eternally betroathed to him. The end and issue of his admirable chasti­tie, was to institute, that supernaturall and sacred Polygamie, which was (perhaps) by peculiar in­dulgence of divine dispensation legally foresha­dowed in the multitude of Davids wiues, or in the Polygamie of others, from whom he descended. Howsoever, Esay 54. v. 1. as the desolate hath more children then she that hath an husband, so are the spouses of this chast and holy one, more in number, then the wiues and concubines of luxurious Salomon. Hee is that everlasting bridegroome, whose Courts no multi­plicitie of consorts can pollute: there is no soule, so it bring faith for its dowrie, but may be assured­ly espowsed to him. What was spoken of Eue in respect of Adam is true of all (be they male or fe­male) that are once espowsed to him. They are mē ­bers of his bodie, (and therefore cannnot bee cut off) of his flesh, and of his bones: and being such, there is no danger of any Nullitie; they can never be di­vorced from him; there is nothing that can dimi­nish or estrange his loue. Barrennesse by one wo­mans [Page 66] child birth, is now no more a reproach vnto the rest: so they be not barrē in faith, the childlesse are more deare to him than was Hannah to her husband. Virginitie it selfe is become exceeding fruitfull, by the fruit of the Virgins wombe. And the Eunuch, which in time past, Deut. 23. v. 1 might not enter into the Congregation of the Lord, Isa. 56. v. 5. hath now gotten a place and name in the house of God better then of sonnes and daughters, for there is no name so deare and tender as the name of Spowse; none so capable of everlasting habitation with the immortal king.

24 But all this being granted, that our Re­deemer was made man of a woman, who was both wife and virgin, that hee himselfe made choice of single life: these circumstances only minister hope to both sexes, or states of life. But he that was thus made and thus lived, is the vndoubted heire and Lord of all things: And what comfort can the de­stressed captiue, the poore servant or bondslaue reape, from his incarnation, that is by nature the Sonne of God, King of this world, and Father of the world to come? Surely, as much as any other, if not more, so he brooke his estate with patience; for it followes: He was made vnder the Law, &c.

25 If such as were vnder the Law, were (as the Apostle often inculcates) in bondage, or in the state and condition of pupils, or servants: then questionlesse the Sonne of God, in being made vnder the Law, became a servāt, for his present e­state and condition, that hee might make servants [Page 67] free men, and sonnes of God. And this reason is exprest by the Apostle, in my text: Besides this; vn­lesse the sonne of God had profest his obedience, and service vnto the Law, by being circumcised the eight day: Men of Iewish progeny, might haue beene tempted to doubt whether God had not set the badge or seale of circumcision vpon their nation, as hee did his marke vpon Cain, in token they should be vagabonds, and fugitiues from his presence. Indeed the greatest part of the circum­cision, proued Cains brethren in the event: but that God did not by circumcision marke them to exile and slaughter, is sufficiently manifested in that hee caused his only Sonne to be circumcised. So then he is circumcised & made vnder the law, that such as were of the circumcision and vnder the law, might haue full assurance he was sent forth to bee their redeemer. Yet had he been conceiued in the same province wherein he was borne and circumcised: the ten tribes, or kingdome of Israel, might well haue doubted, whether Gods promises had not beene entailed vnto the tribe of Iuda; whether their fore-Elders had not releast their interest in them, and forespoken all their posterities hopes, by that desperate and vnhappie speech, which fell from them when they first revolted from Rehobo­am: What portion haue we in David? 1. King. 12.16. neither haue wee inheritance in the sonne of Iesse.

26 This, or the like temptation, vpon what­soever ground conceiued, wrought strongly with [Page 68] this people whilst they remained in captivitie▪ and for this reason, when God perswades them to re­turne with Iuda into the land of promise, he is in­forced to promise them by the Prophet Ieremie, that the expected Messias (for whose birth Micah had taken vp Bethlehem) should be cōceiu'd & made of a woman in the land of Israel. To this purpose I haue heretofore, out of this place, expoūded that passage, Ier. 31. Turne againe ô virgin of Israël, &c. For the Lord hath created a new thing (not in the earth or wide world, at randome: but) in thy land; the female shall enclose the male. His speech is ful, and yet precise and warie: for he was onely inclosed in the land of Israël, and brought forth in Iuda.

27 But the better right or title these circum­stances of Christs conception, birth, or circumci­sion, convey either to the kingdome of Israël, or Iuda severally, or iointly to the whole seed of A­braham after the flesh: the lesse hope could wee Gentiles haue, of any portion in the sonne of Iesse, had not the Lord, out of his infinite mercy & wis­dome, made the covenant of life and blessing with Abraham, before he tooke vpon him the marke of circumcision; that is, before there was any legall distinction betweene the Iew and Gentile. This is a point so admirably prest, by the great Apostle of the Gentiles, for their comfort, that it shall suffice me, to quote some few passages of his comments vpon Moses narrations; which I can never read without admiration, and secret ioy of heart. And [Page 69] the Scripture foreseeing that God would iustifie the heathen through faith, Gal. 3. v. 8, 9. preached before the Gospell vnto Abraham, saying in thee shall all nations bee blessed. So then they which be of faith, shall bee blessed with faith­full Abraham. As hee had said to the like purpose before. Abraham beleeued in God, and it was counted to him for righteousnesse. Knowe yee therefore, Vers. 6.7. that they that be of faith, the same are the children of Abra­ham.

The true issue, or [...], of that great contro­versie between him & his countrymē, is, whether Circumcision and observance of that Law whereby the Iew was distinguished from the Gentile, or BELEEFE in Gods promises cōcerning the seed to come, did make men sonnes of Abraham & of blessing. Our Apostles plea for BELEEFE is vnanswerable, because Abra­ham by beleeuing God, receaued the promises in the name and behoofe of the nations, before he recei­ved the signe of circumcision: which may hence be argued to bee no infallible signe of blessing, in that it was imparted as well to Ismael, Abrahams sonne; according to the flesh, as vnto Isaac, who was the sonne of promise. Much lesse could the observance of the law, which was not giuen till foure hundred and thirtie yeares after the former couenant was established, make men sonnes of Abraham, and of blessing. Covenants which re­ceaue their whole strength and vertue from the will or purpose of men, being once confirmed, Gal. 3.15. no man may disanull, or adde ought to them. The contra­ctors [Page 70] themselues must change their minds, or revoke their mutual coments, before any other may correct or change their deeds. But Gods promise for mans good can neither change of it selfe, nor be changed by any. Yet had Abraham not Gods promise only, but his solemne oath to assure the in­heritance of blessing to him and his seed. There is no mention of any release on Abrahams part; and it were impietie to thinke, that God, without some release made by him whilst he liued, would bee so iniurious, as to retract, or alter the covenant after his death. Or shall a title immediatly grounded on his solemne oath, whose word alone giues strēgth & being to al things that are, (evē power & autho­ritie to lawes themselues) need the corroboration of any Law? To what end thē was the Law giuen so long after Abrahams death▪ that his posteritie might plead their title by it, to the inheritance be­fore promised? This is that which our Apostle prosecutes, with such deepe, but iust indignation, throughout this discourse. For this was in effect to distrust Gods oath, and for their parts, vtterly to renounce all interest in the covenant made to Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob; by seeking thus to drawe the free Doner into new legall bonds with Moses. Yet if the Law added nothing to their former as­surance, the question still remaines, why it was gi­uen? Gal. 3. v. 19. the Apostle resolues vs It was added because of transgression. In which words hee would giue vs to vnderstand, that the whole world was [Page 71] quoad rem, for its present estate or condition, vn­der the curse denounced against Adam: the best of whose children were heires of blessing, only quoad spem; the life of our hope or expectation, being in the promised seed, which was to come into the world. In the interim, till his comming, God gaue his Law to Abrahams seed after the flesh, that the threats and curses contained in it, might imprint a liuely sense and feeling of that first curse, vnder which the whole world stood; and that the sense or feeling hereof, might bring forth a more eager longing after the second Adam, or promised seed, who was to propagate the blessing vnto mankind: who being manifested in the flesh, was to redeem all from that curse which had befallen the whole nature in Adam; and being made vnder the Law, was to redeeme the seed of Abraham from the particular curses of the Mosaicall or ceremoniall Law. This Law then, whilst it lasted, concurr'd no otherwise to the adoption of sonnes then privati­on doth to the constitution of naturall bodies. It was principium transmutationis, non constitutionis: to vanish out of the world whiles the world was rege­nerated. The principall point whereat our Apo­stle aimes in this Epistle, is to ascertaine both Iew and Gentile, that their deliuerance from the fore­mentioned curses, was on their parts to be expec­ted, by the same meanes, and vpon the same condi­ons, that the promise of blessing had beene esta­blished with Abraham. This is the maine cōclusiō, [Page 72] Wherefore the Law was our schoolmaster to bring vs vnto Christ, Chap.3.23. &c that we might be iustified by faith. But af­ter that faith is come, we are no longer vnder a school­master. For yee are all the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus. For as many of you, as haue beene baptised into Christ, haue put on Christ. There is neither Iewe nor Greeke, there is neither bond nor free, there is nei­ther male nor female, for yee are all one in Christ Iesus. And if yee be Christs, then are yee Abrahams seed, and heires according to the promise.

28 Thus you haue heard rudely, and briefly, what the Sonne of God for his part hath done, that he might be a perfect Redeemer, and vnparti­all Mediator betweene God & man: & you know what on our part, is required, for the accomplish­ing of our redemption, Abrahams faith. Now were it as wel knowne, what it is truely to beleeue, as that true beleefe is on our parts only requisite, for attaining the blessing promised to Abraham, & to his seed; most of our ministeriall labours were at an end. But my time for provision hath been so short, and my opportunities for intentiue medita­tions in this short time so few, that I could not hope, either much to amend the characters of lar­ger Comments to this purpose; or that these vn­refined, should make any better impression, whiles I vtter them, in your eares; then they haue done, or may doe, whiles you read them, in your eies. I was the willinger to spend the whole time now allot­ted, in laying these foundations; because men vsu­ally [Page 73] expect strength rather then curiositie of workmanship in foundations scarce brought aboue ground. Howbeit, no man would willingly tharch vpon a strong foundation, though rude & plaine. And a better cover I could not in this exigence provide, if I should make vp the structure or appli­cation. All I haue to say vnto you, is by way of re­quest; that as often as you shall compare, or heare liuely faith compared vnto a tree, & good works vnto the fruit; you would vouchsafe to take this note of remembrance from me: Faith is a plant of Paradise, which comes not vp by generation, but is herein truely like to trees of the first creation, that it doth not send forth leaues before blossoms, nor blossome before it bring sorth fruit. For it hath his fruit created in it. If you further demande what be the proper fruits of true beleefe, as it is fixt on this peculiar obiect or article of faith, [ The sonne of God, Abrahams seed made of a woman:] Hee himselfe hath resolued you they are, Mat. 5. v 1, &c. Poverty in spi­rit, godly sorrow, meeknesse, hunger, and thirst after righteousnesse, mercifulnesse, puritie of heart, &c. For that blessednesse which God did promise, without a sequester or mediatour vnto faithful Abraham, and in him to all true beleeuers, is, by this sonne of God, & sole fountaine of al blessings promised, ex­presly bequeathed with the mouth of man, vnto the poore in spirit, to mourners, to the meeke, to the mercifull, and pure in heart. Albeit the deno­minations be much different, yet these qualificati­ons [Page 74] differ no more from Abrah [...] [...]aith, then fra­ctions or parcels doe from their proper inte­gr [...]ms. To beleeue in Christ made of a Virgin, is to haue him fashion'd in our hearts whose whole life and conversation was a patterne of such prac­tises, as he there commends vnto vs, in the begin­ning of the Evangelicall i [...]bilie. Now, did wee put Him on as truely in our daily conversation, as wee haue done by professiō ▪ at our baptisme: we might be as well knowne to bee sonnes of adoption by these Christian habits, as Academicks, or Gradu­ats by our weeds and ornaments. But if we should make enquirie after the first parcell or f [...]action of true faith in Christ (such [...] & spirit as was in the blessed virgin; which cōceaued him) amongst the rich and mightie: wee may perhaps finde some shadowe of it in their outward com­plement, like a begger at a potentates gate, within which he may not enter. To giue harbour or lodging to such a base gest in their harts, is a disparage­ment to their greatnesse. Even povertie her selfe, may bewaile the paucitie of the poore in spirit a­mongst her children. Such as haue beene mighte­ly humbled by potent adversaries, haue iuster oc­casiō to lament the want of true humilitie in their brests, then the abundance of grievances, or heavy burdens, which others lay vpō their back [...] ▪ For the most of vs, seeing we make our mouthes issues ei­ther of bitternesse, scarrility, corrupt communica­tiō, or of iesting which is nor comely▪ shall we not [Page 75] sinne against our own souls, and giue the spirit of God the lie; if we say we are pure in hart? Yet saith S ^t Iohn▪ Every one that hath this hope in him (of be­ing the sons of God by adoption in this life, 1 Ioh. 3. v 3. and of seeing God in the life to come) doth purifie himself as he is pure. What shall wee say then? Lord if thou wilt thou canst make vs cleane? but alas, how often wouldest thou haue purified vs, and we would not be purified? Yet grant, MOST GRATIOVS FA­THER, we beseech thee, that our particular wills & desires may evermore want successe, rather then their accomplishment should defeat or frustrate our generall Desire, of being blessed with faith­full Abraham. Accept This (good Lord) wee in­treat thee for our finall desire, and let it be regi­stred in everlasting Records, as our last wil and Te­stamēt, Not as we will, but as thou wilt, For our wils are tainted with corruptiō, & naturally [...]end vnto destructiō ▪ or though they be somtimes set aright, & freed from error in their actual choise; yet their choise is alwaies subiect to change; as variable as temptations are various. But as thou art, so is thy wil, most holy & righteous, without shadow of chāge, a will of life and saluation: Lord let not these our corruptible wils, but this thy everlasting will be fulfil­led in vs. AS thou hast promised blessednes to faith­full Abraham, & in him to all beleeuers: so, we be­seech thee, blesse vs with true beleefe, with lowli­nesse of spirit, with meeknes, with purity of heart, & with whatsoever other fruits of faith, to which thy Son our Saviour hath bequeathed his blessing.