A Complete and Compendious Church History, Chapter 21
The Twenty-Firſt Plot in the New-Teſtament; againſt the Church, in Chriſt, Defeated by God.
CHAP. XXI.
VVHEN the Bleſſed Meſſiah (foreign, God-Man,) was Born into the World, he found his Brethren (the Church) as Joſeph did his, Gen. 37. 17. Indeed in Dothan, Hebr. in Defection, as the Word Signifies: The Devil had Debauched the Jews moſt Deſperately, ſo that ſcarce were there Four or fewer that Waited for the Conſolation of Iſrael, to wit, the Birth of Chriſt, which was ever the beſt Cordial that the Lords Prophets propos'd to the Church in her moſt Diſconſolate Condition in foregoing Ages, as Iſa. 9. 6. and Zech. 9. 9. and Mal. 4. 2. &c. That Chriſt is given to the World, is the Summ of all the good News in the World, and affordeth ſuch Joy as ſurpaſſeth the Three Grand Worldly Joys, the Joy of Marriage, the joy of Harveſt, and the Joy of Victory, Iſa. 9▪ 3, 5, 6. yet the Jewiſh-Church was at that time in ſuch a State of Defection, that they Generally minded it not, though then a very plentiful Harveſt, a great Number of Elect among the poor Gentiles were Ready Ripe, Matth. 9. 37. Luk. 10. 2. Joh. 4. 35. This Defection of the Jews was foretold by Daniel, (that Iſh-Chamudoth or greatly Beloved Prophet) Speaking of moſt Sad Calamities that ſhould befall them (both before and after the comming of Chriſt) for the over-spreading of Abomination, Chap. 9. 24, 27. with Ch. 8. 23. When the Tranſgreſſions are come to the full, that is, when the Iews were notoriouſly Degenerated, then did God ſett that Breathing-Devil (Antiochus) over them, as a puniſhment of their publique Impiety, and prophane Apoſtacy: This was that which procured a Commiſſion to this Fierce-Countenanc'd, or Hebr. Brazen-Fac'd) King for Deſtroying Wonderfully the Holy and the Mighty People (who while they were Holy, were ſo Mighty as to be Inconquerable, but now being Revolted from God, as Weak as Water) both by Power and Policy, Chap. 8. 24, 25. Then was the Glorious Land, Judea, (as Daniel calls it, Ch. 11. 16. for its having the Service of God ſett up in it above all Lands) cruſhed aſunder, as Corn lying betwixt Two heavy Milſtones, that is, betwixt the King of the South, Ptolomy, and this King of the North, Antiochus, called a vile Perſon, v. 21. though he affected the Name of Epiphanes, or Famous, yet this was his true Title with God, Pſal. 15. 4. and though he be an Abominable vile Perſon, when Gods Juſtice Required ſuch a Scourage to his People, His Heart muſt be ſett againſt the Holy Covenant, v. 28. to wit, againſt the Jews, Gods Covenanters; and againſt the True Religion, which made that Land more Beautiful and Glorious than all other Lands, Ezek. 20. 6. He ſhall enter into the Glorious Land, Dan. 11. 41. and ſhall make Havock of Gods people, (Revelling in their Ruines) and ſhall ſet up the Abomination of Deſolation (to wit, the Abominable Idol of Jupiter Olympius) in the Holy Temple: Yea, and the Renegado Jews (which firſt forſake the Covenant, then do Wickedly againſt it,) Comply privily with him in all this Wickedneſs, v. 30, 32. & 2 Macca. 4. He (by their Aſſiſtance) practices and proſpers, till the Indignation be Accompliſhed, v. 36. in Gods revengeing the Quarrel of his Covenant: notwithſtanding this vile Villain, this Turbulent and Truculent Tyger, God had turn'd looſe upon his People to puniſh their ſins, and though he practic'd and prosper'd ſo far in his prodigious Prophanity, as to caſt the Truth down to the Ground, both the Profeſſion of Truth, and its profeſſours, Dan. 8. 12. yet the Devil loſes this Game alſo with all the other his Games aforeſaid in the Old Teſt. Hiſtory: For the moſt great and gracious God comes in with moſt Comfortable Allays. (ſo Spoils the Devils Deſign.) The 1ſt. Allay is, the Palmoni Hamadabbar, Hebr. or moſt Excellent Speaker or Numberer Chriſt, Numbers the Time how long this Scourge ſhould continue upon Gods People, concerning their loſs of the dayly Sacrifice, &c. to wit, onelyonly Five or Six Years or thereabout, Dan. 8. 13, 14. this was a ſweet Cordial to them, that it ſhould be for no longer time, much leſs, not for Ever: * Now if the proper and genuine Senſe of that Text and Type be Applyed to Antichriſt, typified by Antiochus, (as moſt Learned Men Concurr) then it may be as comfortable for us to conſider how Chriſt, the Meſſias, moderates the Matters of the Romiſh-Antichriſt, (though his Wicked practiſes do proſper for a time, as Act. 12. 1, 2, 3.) yet due Bounds He ſets to his proud Waves, Job 38. 10, 11. as to the Sea or Ocean, ſo to the See of Rome, as he did in the Marian Days, (of Abhorred memory) which laſted no longer than thoſe of Antiochus, to wit, about Five or Six Y. and as he promiſed to do, Revel. 2. 10. The 2d. Allay, was, Chriſt comforts the Church with telling her, not onelyonly, that her Trouble under Antiochus ſhould not laſt Seven Y. much leſs Seventy Y. (as it laſted in Babyloniſh Bondage) but alſo that from the end of thoſe Seventy Y. they ſhould have Seven Seventies of Years in the enjoyment of their own Country, out of which they had been carry'd Captive, Dan. 9. 24. maugre the malice of Men and Devils: wherein behold how moſt marvellouſly the Mercy of God doth bear the ſame proportion to his Puniſhments, which Seven (a compleat Number) carries to an Unit, or One: Thus his Mercy to his Church Triumphs over his Juſtice, Jam. 2. 13. and over all his Works are his Tender Mercies, Pſal. 145. 9. The 3d. Allay of this troubleſome Interſpace of 490 Y. was Chriſts caſting in that Signal Cordial, in the Days of Jaddus or Jadduah, (whom Neh. 12. 10, 11. mentions the High-Prieſt Deſcended from Jehoſhuab) who met Daniels Capering Goat (Alexander the Great) in all his Pontificalibus or High-Prieſts Formalities, which ſtruck ſuch a Veneration upon him, that he whom all the World adored, falls down to Adore Jaddus, or rather (as he told Parmenio) Jaddus's God, who in ſuch a like Apparition had encourag'd him to Undertake his Wars againſt Asia: Hereupon he was eaſily prevailed with (the People of the Jews praying all the while for their High-Prieſts good Succeſs) to ſpare Jeruſalem, (which he came to Plunder) eſpecially when Walking in Jaddus's Hand to the Temple, and ſeeing what Daniel had foretold of him, Writing rather an Hiſtory than a Prophecy, even an Abridgement of all his Victories; hereby he was not onelyonly pacified, but alſo offer'd Sacrifices to the True God according to the High-Prieſts Direction, and beſtowing upon the Iews many Favours and Freedoms, he went away much encourag'd in his Enterprize, not doubting but (according to Dan. 8. 3, to 8. the Graecian Goat would overcome the Perſian Ram: 'Twas a marvellous Providence, that God ſhould preſerve the High-Prieſt-hood all the Captivity to this time, (as Neh. 12. 11.) but more to have this Pledge of Gods Grace in Jaddus time. The 4th. Allay was, though Antiochus (who ſprung out of Alexanders Succeſſors) became a fierce Fiend to the Iews, yet God told them by Daniel, that his ſtanding up againſt the Prince of Princes, (to wit, God Almighty, in Deſtroying the Dayly Sacrifice, and in ſetting up Idolatry in the Temple) would quickly bring Gods Vengeance upon him, He ſhall be broken without Hand, Dan. 8. 25. and though for a few Y. (as above) he ſhall do according to his wicked Will in the Holy Land, Dan. 11. 36. not Regarding any God, v. 37. yet ſhall he come to his end, v. 45. a loathſome and lamentable end, a Viſible Hand of God laid upon him a loathſome Diſeaſe, and wrapt him up in the Sheet of Shame, 1 Macc. 6. 8. and 2 Macc. 9. 5. not ſo much becauſe he would have ſpoiled the Temple of Diana, but becauſe he did Spoil the Temple at Jeruſalem. The 5th. Allay was that Spirit of God and of Glory which Reſted upon the Godly Jews, both for Doing Gods Work, and for Suffering Gods Will, 1. In Doing, Oh what a Bleſſed Zeal did blow up Matthias, the Father, and Judas Maccabeus, his Son, who with the Help of his Brethren and other Iews, drove the Enemy out of the Countrey, and cleanſed the Land of all the Uncleanneſs which had been brought into it; Yea, and with a very ſmall Handful of Men, did mighty Exploits againſt this Vile Antiochus's great Armies, ſo that the Church was (in thoſe Worſt of Times) moſt Graciouſly Holpen with a little Help, Dan. 11. 34. in which Weaker Means God Manifeſted to them his Greater Strength, In whoſe name, and by whoſe Conduct, the People that knew their God, were ſtrong to do Exploits, and to out-doe thoſe Exploits of Antiochus, Dan. 11. 28, 32. The Apoſtle ſeemeth to ſpeak of theſe Maccabees, who wrought Righteouſneſs, (both Civil and Military) Obtained Promiſes, (of Glorious Victories) and Eſcaped the edge of the Sword, (of their Curſed Enemies) which ſometimes Conquerours do not, but purchaſe their Conqueſts with the loſs of their own Lives, as it happened to thoſe brave Brethren at laſt, Hebr. 11. 32, 33. and 2ly. in Suffering, and no leſs Glorious Spirit did Act the Godly Jews in their Undergoing Cruel Mockings, and moſt exquiſite Torments, they were Tempted, and they were Tortured too, yet being got above both the Allurements and Affrightments of the World, they would not Accept of Deliverance, upon Sordid and ſinful terms, but as willing to Dye as to Dine, they commit themſelves to their God in their Martyrdom, That they might obtain a better Reſurrection, Hebr. 11. 35, 37. Where that time ſeems to be Related to; God had (even then) an Holy Remnant, whereof the World was not Worthy: They were fitter to ſhine as Stars in Heaven, than to be torn in pieces by thoſe Dogs and Hogs on Earth, as Joſephus, the Book of Maccabees, and of Martyrs tell us. The 6th. Sweet Allay the Church had in this Doleful Day, was that miracle of the Pool of Betheſda, graciouſly granted by God to corroborate Her in the True Worſhip of God, under the ſad perſecutions of Antiochus and other Tyrants, until the days of John Baptiſt, and of the Lord Chriſt, Joh. 5. 2, 3, 4. This held up the fainting Spirits of the good people in thoſe bad Times, when Prophecy failed, and Proſperity too, Yea, and in the general all true Piety, Prophaneneſs comming in its ſtead, as Malachi (their laſt Prophet) declares at large: The Rabbins indeed tell us of a Bath-Kol, (or Eccho) that was heard in the Temple, which ſerv'd them for an Oracle, &c. but waving Jewiſh Fancies and Fables, the Scripture of Truth tells us how an Angel went at certain times to give Healing Vertue to that Water (wherein their Sacrifices were waſhed) Here many Impotent Folk lay Languiſhing at Hopes Hoſpital, and looking (after all other means had been ineffectual) for God to ſay to them, In the Houſe of Mercy (as the Word Betheſda ſignifies) I am thy God that Healeth thee, Exod. 15. 26. Jehova Ropheka, a Gyant-like Healer, Omnipotenti Medico nullus Inſanabilis Occurit Morbus: No Diſeaſe is, but God can Cure it. This Beneficial Pool was ſupplyed with Water from the Fountain of Siloam, which Repreſented the Kingdom of Chriſt, Iſa. 8. 6. The 7th. and laſt Allay, was the Promiſe of the Meſſiah, (that Mercy of Mercies) who was to be a more Soveraign Bath than this of Betheſda, or Houſe of Bounty: Chriſt is the Royal Fountain, or Kings Bath, Zech. 13. 1. ever-flowing and over-flowing, ſuch as Waſh herein Believingly ſhall be both Clean and Whole, not Healing at the times of the Iewiſh Feaſts onelyonly, as that Pool did, but all times of the Year, and not one at once, (as if one only had Suck'd up all the Healing Vertue from all others there) but here 3000 perſons were Healed together at one Sermon, Act. 2. 41. when the Angel of the Covenant Deſcended to move the Waters that were drawn out of the Wells of Salvation, Iſa. 12. 3. for no other moving but that of an Angel (who are Miniſtring Spirits to heirs of Salvation, Hebr. 1. 14.) could Diſpence to the Diſeaſed any ſuch powerful and immediate Cure, the Waters were at all times of a cleanſing Property, (as to their Sacrifices) but onelyonly at that time had they a Cureing Power, as to themſelves. When this Beneficial Vertue began in this Pool, is uncertain: 'tis ſuppoſed to begin when Eliaſhib (Joſhua's Grand-Child) with the godly Prieſts, Built the Sheep-gate, and Beautify'd it, then Conſecrated it with their godly Prayr, Neh. 3. 1. Hereupon (as Tremellius ſaith) probably followed that Miracle of an Angels Deſcending into the Pool there, (at their ſeveral Solemn Feaſts) and Healing all Diſeaſes, how old, great or Deſperate ſoever, and that immediately and in a moment: 'tis as Uncertain likewiſe when this Miracle of Healing Ceaſed, 'tis ſuppoſed, not till the Deſtruction of Ieruſalem, which did fall out about Forty Y. after Chriſts Healing this Cripple at Betheſda, it being ſo many Y. 'twixt this Paſſeover, Ioh. 5. and that Paſſeover when Titus Veſpaſian laid Siege to the City: yet this is more than probable, that this Miraculous Gift of Healing was given to this Pool before the Comming of Chriſt, as a foreign, or famous fore-Runner of him who was to be the Opened Fountain, Zech. 13. 1. for Healing all Diſeaſes, and Cureing all Sins, Matth. 1. 21. even Jeſus, the Greek Word comes of foreign Sano, to Heal, as the Hebr. Word, of Jaſhang, to Save; and this is moſt certain that the time when this Famous Fountain was opened, is well known (though concerning the Pool (aforeſaid) the Beginning of its Miracle be unknown) to wit, to be about the four Thouſand Y. of the World, according to the Latitude of Time, and lateſt (therefore exacteſt) Computations: The Temple of Solomon was Erected about the 3000 Y. of the World, (as above) and the Temple of Chriſts Body, Joh. 2. 19. 21. (whereof Solomons Temple was a Type) was Reared up a 1000 Y. after, about the 4000d. Y. of the World, after 2000 more (ſay the Rabbins) comes the Sabbatical 1000, See before of Solomons Temple; Chriſt calls his moſt Exquiſitely Framed (foreign. Hebr. 10. 5. Epheſ. 4. 9. Pſa. 139. 14, 15.) Body a Temple, wherein the God-head dwelt Bodily, Col. 2. 9. that is Perſonally, (as God dwelt in the material Temple, Sacramentally, and in our Hearts Spiritually, Eph. 3. 17.) to mind the Iews there, that their Second Temple wanted the Ark, Ʋrim, and Thummim, which the firſt Temple had; therefore they muſt look for another Temple, that would correſpond in all things to that Compleat Temple of Solomon, and that was the Temple of his Body. No ſooner was this Fountain opened, this Temple Erected, but the Devil begins to play his pranks in plotting how to Stop up this Well of Salvation, as the Philiſtims (at his Inſtigation) had done the Wells of the Patriarch Iſaac. Gen. 26. 15. one of thoſe Wells is call'd Sitnah, of Satan, v. 21. for Satan Hindred it, (as he did the Word, (that Well of Salvation) 1 Theſſ. 2. 18. and this Prince of the Power of the Ayr, Epheſ. 2.2. and 6. 12. (and ſo hath a power to move the Ayr, and to raiſe Storms, as he did to Blow the Feaſting-Houſe of Jobs Children down, and to Sink the Ship wherein Chriſt was Embarqued, Matth. 8. 24.) Doth now Raiſe foreign a mighty Storm wherewith to Blow down this Temple as ſoon as ever it was Reared, and Herod the Askalonite or curſed Edomite, was a fit Tool for the Devil to Work this Wicked Will and Wile with. This Herod was Troubled at the Birth of Chriſt, Matth. 2. 3. whereat the Sages and the Shepheards (with ſundry Saints) ſo much Rejoyced; hereupon he pretends to go and Worſhip him, when as he Intends to go and Worry him; but God did marvelouſly Baſſle and Befool this Fox, ſo that with all his Craft and Cruelty he could not Worry the Holy Child Jeſus, for he was Over-Witted by the All-Wiſe, and over-powr'd by the All-powerful God in thoſe following Reſpects. (1.) Though Herod wrought Wilily with the Wiſe-men, Tranſacting all privately with them, that his purpoſe of Killing Chriſt might not be prevented, Matth. 2. 7, 8. yet all his Wicked Wiſdom prevails not againſt God, Prov. 21. 30. becauſe his Wiſdom was but Folly, otherwiſe 'tis a Wonder he went not himſelf with the Wiſe-men, or ſent ſome cruel Cut-Throat along with them privily. (2.) Though Herod had charg'd the Wiſe-men to bring him Word again, v. 8. yet after the Payment of their Homage to this Holy Babe and little King, v. 9, 10, 11. They being Warned of God, (an Higher power than that of Herods) Returned not to Herod. Thus God Kept them from Betraying Chriſt, and themſelves (as well as Chriſt) were pull'd out of the Mouth of this Lyon by this ſweet and marvellous providence. (3.) Though he ſent forth Souldiers which Slew all the Male-Children in all the Coaſts about, (as well as in Bethlehem) from Two Y. Old and Ʋnder, &c. Matth. 2. 16. yet he deferr'd his Murdering Work ſo long, until the Bird (he ſought to Kill) was flown into Aegypt by Gods Direction, v. 13, to 15. Thus though it was the Devil in Herod that ſought to Deſtroy the Young Child, Matth. 2. 13. Revel. 12. 4. yet God was aware of it, prevents it by providing a Sanctuary for his Son in Aegypt, which had been cruel to Gods firſt Born, even Iſrael, Exod. 4. 22, 23. There Chriſt was preſerv'd in Safety, (though the Crafty Fox (Herod) and the ſubtle Serpent (the Devil) Clubb'd their Wits together to contrive his Death) until God brought Word of Herods Death, v. 20. according to his promiſe, v. 13. ☞ And, ſome ſay, at Chriſts comming into Aegypt, all the Idols of the Land (which abounded with them) did fall flat to the ground: 'Twas not onelyonly this that enraged the Devil againſt Chriſt, but alſo, becauſe he had Silenc'd all his Oracles, as that at Delphos eſpecially, where Auguſtus Coeſar, urging the Devil for an Anſwer, was told, That an Hebrew Child had ſtop'd his Mouth, and ſent him with a Mittimus to Hell, and therefore he might ſpare both his Labour and Coſt to Conſult his Oracle any more. The like Lamentation was made for the Death of the great God Pan (as Plutarch relates) in Arcadia, which Ruſtick God and Hairy Satyr, (with his Horns) was no other but an Apparition of the Devil. And as the Cauſe of the Devils Rage was his feeling the loſs of his Kingdom, ſo the Cauſe of Herods Rage was his fearing the loſs of his Kingdom; for as ſoon as he had heard from the Wiſe-men of Chriſt, (Born King of the Jews,) he was Troubled, Matth. 2. 2, 3. fearing that he himſelf being a Stranger (of Idumea, not of Iſrael) might be Depoſed by the Iews, whom (he thought) would be glad enough to have a King of their own, to whom they would contribute their beſt Aſſiſtance, therefore he goes about to Murder the Meſſiah, before his time was come: 'Twas a marvellous providence that preſerv'd the Line of David in the Tribe of Judah all that Troubleſome time from the 2d. Temple to Chriſt, (as both Matth. 1. and Luk. 3. doth in their Genealogies Demonſtrate) the former by the Pedigree of Joſeph, the latter by that of Mary, (Maries Genealogy is put upon Joſeph, becauſe the Hebrews do reckon them not by Women, but by Men onelyonly.) Shewing that Chriſt was of the Line-Royal of David, (as well as that Seed of the Woman which ſhould break the Devils Head,) and though thoſe mentioned there, that lived in thoſe Calamitous Days, (after the Captivity) were not formal Kings, (being Subject to other Nations) yet were they Principal Men among their People and Law-givers, (as Iacob had Prophecyed, Gen. 49. 10) Ʋntil Shilo came; not a tittle of Gods Word can fail or fall to the Ground. In this Herod the Askalonite, (or Raskalonite) the Scepter departed from Iudah, and leaſt it ſhould depart from him, becauſe Shiloh was come, he Racks his Wit in Diveliſh Devices to ſecure himſelf, but at laſt he wracks his own Weal, for though he had eſcaped many Conſpiracies, yet ſoon after his Bloody Butchery in and about Bethlehem, the Hand of God ſeizes on him, ſo that he Dyes of an execrable and moſt loathſome Diſeaſe; And God (himſelf) takes care to ſend his Holy Angel to Chriſt and his Parents with thoſe glad Tydings of cruel Herods Death, and of all his curſed Complices and Conſpiratours too, for the merry Meſſage is Deliver'd in the plural Number, [They are Dead that ſought the Young Childs Life,] Mat. 2. 19, 20. * And the like good News God hath in ſtore to ſend his Diſtreſſed Church in due time, that all they which ſought to make the Church Dye, are themſelves Dead, and all their Diabolical Deſigns with them. The Devil being thus Defeated in the 1ſt. part of his Plot againſt Chriſt in the Infancy of his Manhood, (Chriſt ſtill Lives, grows up in Wiſdom and Stature, and in Favour with God and Man, Luk. 2. 52. and at twelve Y. Old able to Dispute with the Doctors, Yea, to non-plus them, v. 47.)