Exposition of the Apostles Creed, Part 2 · Sermon 16
Of Christs Circumcision, and the Imposition of his Name Jesus.
LUKE 2.21.
And when eight dayes were accomplished for the circumcising of the childe, his Name was called Jesus, which was so named of the Angel, before he was conceiv'd in the womb.
Nazianz.foreign. Behold I once more present you with my Jesus, and once more with salvation: And if Jesus the person, and if Salvation the favour be not glad and welcome tidings to you, I know not how to choose a Text. Brethren, as sometimes Saint Paul told the Philippians, Phil. 3.1.To write the same things to you, to me is not grievous, but to you safe: So say I, To preach the same things unto you, I shall not think it troublesome, when it may concern your profit and your safety.
Before, you have heard the earnest desire of the old Church, That God would make good his promise for the Redemption of the world: That the Patriarchs and Prophets desired to see that day. Heard you have also of his Eternal Generation, and of that in time, that he was from everlasting the Son of God; and that he was borne in the fulness of time the Son of a Virgin, and as such the Messiah, anointed to be King, Priest, and Prophet to his Church. It remaines only, that I acquaint you how he became under the Law; for till that be done, we cannot have any solid comfort from him. 'Tis not the unity of his Nature that can sufficiently secure us; for so he is united to all mankind. There must be an unity of person also, which only can be beneficial to us. And so it was upon this day of his Circumcision; then he personally became our Surety, submitted himself to the Law, undertook for us to pay both debt and penalty, and so was in as deep as we were, since in Law the Debtor and Surety make but one person. Now this is the day when he went under the Knife, engaged himself for our Debt, and had the Name above every Name, that Name Jesus imposed upon Him.
In this Gospel there be very many memorable things, all worthy of a serious consideration. First an Army of Angels that sung the Antheme. Then the diligence of the Shepherds in seeking, their gratitude in praising God. Lastly, the carefulness of Mary the Virgin; who as a Mother, kept him in her armes; as an hand-maid kept him in her lowly heart.
But at this time I pass by these, and will insist upon these three particulars clearly set forth in this verse.
1. The Circumcision of Christ.
2. The time, the eighth day.
3. The Imposition of his Name J…sus.
1. When they came to circumcise, &c.
I presume I shall not need to Catechise you about the Sacrament of Circumcision; when, why, and to whom given;Gen. 17.10, 11 &c. as that it was the first Sacrament of the old Law: that it was instituted by God: that given to Abraham as a signe, a seale. A signe, that whatsoever is begotten and proceedeth of the seed of man, is originally corrupt and sinful. And a Seale also, that as the praepu…ium, or foreskin was cut away, so was there a discharge of that original pollution. Yea, and a farther assurance, that now God and man were entred into a closer and nearer Covenant; He to be their God, and they his people; He to bless them, they to serve him.
But what do you now circumcising this Child? that all other children, nay men, Abraham, and all be circumcised, there is great reason; but why this Child? Abraham, and all the posterity of Abraham are subject to many foolish and noysome lusts; which of the Saints did you ever yet reade of,1 Tim. 6.9. who in something was no sinner?Isa. 64.6. Jer. 2.22. Their best righteousness is but pannus m…nstruatus, a homely cloth; nor much Nitre, nor the herb Borith will be able to clense it. Necessary then it is, that not faex populi, the dregs the worst, but flos populi, the flowre, the best of the people be cut. And this reason is binding for Infants also; for being conceiv'd of unclean seed,Psal. 51.5. Ez. 16.3, 4, 5. and warm'd in a sinful womb, at their birth polluted no less in sin than in blood, they also must go under the Knife.
But what do you now Circumcising him in whom there was nothing superfluous? how comes this about? Go and circumcise your own corrupt and sinful flesh; never make him bleed for it, qui nec peccatum admisit, Bern.nec contraxit. That he committed none, his age is a certain evidence; that he contr…cted none is manifest; for which way should he contract any, who had God for his Father, a Virgin for his Mother, whose womb was sanctified by the Holy Ghost? He did, he knew no sin; why then must he as other infants undergo this pain?
There was no absolute necessity in it, that's certain; but yet very great convenience. Since it pleased him to be the Saviour of the world, convenient it was to take those wayes as he judg'd most fit to save.
1. It became him to be obedient who would be a Saviour; for how should a disobedient person satisfie for our disobedience? How should he pay for the breach of the Law, that would not himself keep the Law?Gen. 17.12, 14 Now a Law there was, That every male which was eight dayes old, must be circumcised, or else be cut off from Gods people. Gal. 4.4.That then he might make it evident that he was now, as other, under the Law, and bound no less than any other to obey, content he was to bleed as other Males.Mat. 23.23. We make light of all Gods Commands, be they the greater matters of the Law, judgement, and mercy; or be they the less, Mint, Annice, Cummin, all's one with us, for we break all. And if we be scrupulous in any, it is about the Mint, and Annice; to disobey in judgement and justice we stick but little: Whereas our Saviour would be subject even to a Ceremony; rather smart, than have one Title of the Law not fulfilled.
2. This first; the next might be to set us an example of great humility,Luke 18.11. that we be not spiritually proud, that we set not up our wheele with the Pharisee, and boast we are not like other men, not as the Publican, when perhaps we are farre worse. This did not he,Phil. 2.7. Isa. 53.12. who made himself of no reputation, who was content to be numbred among sinners, and take upon him the mark and note of sinners, and to beare it about him all his life long: Though he had not so much as the least impurity of a wound, yet he was content to carry in his flesh the scarres and Ligatures of a wounded man. Which of us, were he conscious to himself, I say not of so much glory, but so much innocency, would willingly be put to paine and shame, and receive into his body the brand of a Malefactour?Jer 6.15. 1 Pet. 1.19. We sinne and blush not; nay, we sinne, and take it ill to be esteemed sinners: But so great was his humility, though a Lamb without spot, yet non dedignatus, thought it no dishonour to be numbred among the transgressors.
3. Farther, the vaine assertions of many Hereticks are silenc'd by this one Act;Epiphan. lib. 1. Tom. 2. and hence Epiphanius fetcheth Arguments to confute three grand Heresies. Manes held Christ had no true body; as if his being made flesh, had been only a mockery. Apollinaris, that his flesh was consubstantial with the Deity. Ʋalentinus, that it was celestial and spiritual.
But how fond these fancies are, the blood of this his Circumcision evinceth; for had he not been truly made flesh, he could not bleed; had the substance of his body naturally been, or else by conversion turn'd into his Deity, there had not been any thing superfluous to cut off. That then he was true man,Gal. 4.4. made of a woman, this one Act, were there no other, would demonstrate.
4. But to be made of a woman, as I hinted in the beginning, is not that we must trust to. This very Incarnation will not make him Jesus to us. How many are there who are borne of women, that yet cannot save? He that will save by justice, must come under the Law, submit himself to all such duties and penalties as the Law exacts of those he means to save, or else it is in choice of the Superiour, whether they be the better for him.
By a strong hand or power he intended not to save; it was by payment, and making full satisfaction to justice; which that he might do, he was content to come under the Law; and to give assurance that it was so, he received the Seale of Circumcision in his flesh. Then instantly he became a Debtor of the whole Law; then bound to observe every foreign, or tittle; then bound to answer for our enormities;Mat. 5.17. and that it might be known, that he intended not to start or shrink from what he undertook, he received the seale in his flesh, and subscribed his Name Jesus in blood at his Circumcision. Then, even then he shed some few drops as a pawn, that he would, when time was, shed all the rest for us: as this in the stable, so that in the Hall and Garden; as this in the Cratch, so that on the Cross.
Look on Christ then as our Surety, as one that stood in our place, and then very just it is, that he go under the stone-knife. 'Tis now no courtesie, but justice. Pity indeed it is to see a poor innocent put to paine, and lie weltring in his blood: but if this innocent person will put himself into the place of the guilty, bring himself under the Law, and subject himself to the penalty of the Law, no remedy, the Law must take its course, and justice proceed.
Mat. 3.15.Oportet implere justitiam, It behoves us to fulfill all righteousness, was his own words at Jordan; He would be there baptiz'd to satisfie justice; and he would be here Circumcis'd to satisfie justice. Justice that he fulfil the old Law; and Justice that he begin by the Seale and Engagement of a Sacrament.
1 Cor. 15.45.To give you a little more light about this matter; in Christ there be two capacities. It was so in the first Adam; it may as easily be conceiv'd in the second. The first Adam was a person of himself; and he was againe the Authour of a race, or Head of a Society. And so Christ the second Adam is a single and individual person existent of himself; or else a part of that visible body called the Church.Eph. 5.23. A part I say, though the chief part, the Head, and all Christians besides; some more noble, some inferiour parts of his body.
Take Christ then now by himself as a person existent without any relation ro us, so he is an innocent person, a Lamb without spot, Sanctified from the womb; no reason or justice at all that you circumcise him.1 Tim. 1.9. For the Law was not given for a righteous man. But take him againe as joyn'd with us, and part of us, and then there is all the justice in the world, that he do as we do, and suffer what we suffer, and bleed as we bleed. Since he took our Nature, nay more, our person, and put himself into the hand of Law, Law might take its course. In our bodyes parts there be, that, as I may so say, undertake for the whole; as the arm very often is let blood for the whole body. Put then Christ in that very place and case that the Prophet doth,Isa. 53.6. 2 Cor. 5.21. Posuit super eum, God hath laid upon him the iniquities of us all; put him as the Apostle sets him, Factus p ccatum, Made sinne for us; put all our debts, all our sinnes, all our errours upon him, and then he will deserve to bleed for them. Then he will need that for me and thee, which for himself he needed not. Need though a child, to be circumcised the
2. Eighth day.
That was the time. You see how at unawares I am fallen upon it, and do not think but there be good reasons for this very circumstance, as for the Act. As he would be Circumcised, so also he would on the eighth Day.
First, In the prime institution of this Sacrament, the Law was,Gen. 17.12. Lev. 12.2. That every male which was eight dayes old should be circumcised, which Law is revived in Leviticus. Time is but a circumstance of action, and yet not in this our Saviour would be deficient; as he was under the Law, so also he tyed himself to the Circumstances of the Law, and would not so much as transgress this. This was the time set by God, reviv'd by Moses, observ'd by the Jews, and was to continue till Christ by his death abolished the whole Law of Ceremonies. And this institution of God was without question the true reason why Christ would not be circumcised nor before nor after the Eighth Day.
But why, you'le say, was it deferr'd so long, since the Law was so strict, that an uncircumcised man was to be cut off from his people? by the Sword,Godw. Antiq. lib. 6.1. say some; but others, to be esteemed as one who was without the Covenant, and therefore to have no benefit at all by it, no more than a leg or an arme that is cut off from the body.
It is presumption to give a peremptory reason of Gods Commands: So it pleased him, should conte…t a sober minde. But the curious will not be so satisfied. Ye shall heare therefore what the Jews said to it, and then the Christians. The Jews superstitiously conceiv'd, that each creatures perfection depended upon the Sanctification of one Sabbath day at least; and therefore they tell us, that God enjoyn'd the day, that one Sabbath might pass over each male, before he should be admitted into the Covenant.
But the Christians more probably conceive: First,Lev. 22.27. & 12.2, 3. That in this time of the Mosaical Paedagogy there was a legal uncleanness, in which the creatures were rhought to be as remaining in their blood. Secondly, To shew that God in matters of salvation, neithe… was, nor is tyed to Sacraments; for then there had been no less cruelty in forbidding Circumcision till the eighth day, than there was love in permitting it upon the eighth, when the Parents received comfort by the mature initiation of their children.
And now I shall tell you why I mov'd this Question. It was to comfort and inform some ignorant people, and to confute some Heretical, both which conceive that the Sacrament is absolutely necessary to salvation; so that if without that, even children depart this life, they are not sav'd.
But how vain and cruel this Assertion is, appears even by the delay of Circumcision. For can any conceive that God would have deferr'd it for eight dayes (in which intervall of time many millions dyed) had it been absolutely necessary to salvation? It is the contempt of the Sacrament, this same nolle circumcidi, and that which answers to it, Nolle Baptizari, to be against Infants Baptism, that God takes ill, to cast off the means, which he hath ordained, when it may be had: For when it cannot be, and yet is desired, he will not impute it. Though God hath tyed us, yet he hath not tyed himself; the grace of God may be imputed without the Sacraments; and I nothing doubt but it was extended to many Infants whose foreskin was not cut, and to some of those who dyed in the wilderness, when Circumcision was omitted for fourty years.John 5.5.
2. But I return to these eight dayes. Musick they say consists in numbers; and most true it is, that all voyces or instruments tun'd, by their parity or imparity, produce a Symphony; you shall hear then what Descant the gravest Divines have run upon this Diapason, this Eight. For some apply it Morally, some Mystically.
First, That this eight day falls out to be the first of the year, it teacheth what we are to have in mind all the year. viz. The blood of Christ this day shed as a pledge, that he would shed all the rest for us. For there was a double effusion of his blood; First at his Circumcision; the other at his Passion. Now an Infant,Luke 21.2. he shed a few drops, as it were the two mites, and cast them into the treasury of the Church; little they appear to be, but they are of infinite vallue and comfort; for they are a pawn, that by the stream to follow, all our debts shall be paid, we shall be enriched, we shall be saved, we shall live for ever.
Secondly, That this Circumcision followed so quickly upon his Birth; it shews that mortification of our fleshly members, and the Cross of Christ is not to be deferred to our old age,Stella in Luc. Lam. 3.27. but that the yoke of God is to be borne even from our youth. And these Morals Stella finds in it.
Bede, Hierom, Nazianzene, Augustine, find in the eighth day a great Mystery. They tell us first, that the number of eight is numerus salutis, a number of salvation, because that eight persons only were saved in the Ark from perishing in the water.
Secondly, That this is Novi Testamenti numerus, the number of the New Testament. For that our Lord rose out of the grave the next day after the Sabbath,Hierom. in Ezek. 20. & 40. August. de civit. Dei. 16. cap. 26. August. in Ps. 6. which was the eighth day from the first of the Creation. The Jews kept holy the seventh, but we under the New Testament the eighth in memory of our Saviours resurrection on that day.
Thirdly, That it is numerus aeternitatis, a number that puts us in mind of eternity. In the six dayes whatsoever was made, must also perish; the seventh day itself was not to continue, no nor the service done in it. The day was but a shadow that must give way to our Lords day,Joh 4.23. and the service meere Ceremony, that must yield to our worship in Spirit and Truth. The eighth day, the day we now keep must last, and the honour of it to continue to the worlds end. After which there remains Sabbatismus, a rest to the people of God, an eternal Sabbath in heaven. This must be after the resurrection, of which this Sabbath,Nazian. orat. 43. Hug. Victor. lib. 1. de Sacram. part. 12. c. 3. this eighth day I mean kept to the honour of Christ rising from the grave, is but a Type; when all corruption of the flesh shall be cut off, and this mortal shall put on immortality, 1 Cor. 15.53.
Now how fitly doth this Salutis numerus, this number of salvation ag…e to him, who was the Saviour of all! How aptly the number of the New Testament to him, who abbrogated the Old, and made this New Will! The number of Eternity to the Father of Eternity, and of the future world!
What should I tell you that Bede findes a multiplyed Ogdoas in the Name of Jesus. Thus he writes it, and out of the numeral letters put together,Bede in Luc. 2. casts the product 888.
| Ι | η | σ | ο | υ | ς | Which being added together, make 888. |
| 10 | 8 | 200 | 70 | 400 | 200 |
The number of the Beast runs all upon sixes. So is his name 666.Rev. 13.18. The number of all things which fade and faile, being created in the six dayes. About these fading vanities was the work of Antichrist; nor he, nor they must continue, for they shall be destroy'd by the Spirit of Christs mouth. But the Name of Jesus was founded upon eights, that number of Eternity,2 Thes. 2.8. Rev. 14.6. Heb. 5.9. and 9.12. that number of Salvation, to teach us that his Gospel was to be an Eternal Gospel; his Redemption an Eternal Redemption, farre beyond any work done upon the six dayes; that, and the fruit of it to remain for ever.
3. His Name was called Jesus.
Salvation is the fruit, salvation is the end; for that end he was born, for that end circumcised. The Obligation he entred into at his Circumcision was to save, and therefore then, and not till then he had his Name given him, Jesus a Saviour. A wonderful and strange thing, Circumciditur puer & vocatur Jesus, he is circumcised, and yet called Jesus. He is circumcised, and that makes him a Servant, for by this sign he was mark'd to be one of Gods people under the Law, and bound to service. And yet this servant (for so Isaiah, Isa. 49.6. Phil. 2.7.so St. Paul calls him) is more then a servant, for he is Jesus, and must save, which alone belongs to God.
Abram at his Circumcision received a new name, that honourable name of Abraham, because he should be the Father of many Nations,Gen. 17.5. who should believe and obey, as he did: So Christ at his Circumcision, who, as a man, became now one of the people of God, dedicated to his service and honour, took this wonderful Name of Jesus, because he was to be the Saviour of all those Nations of which Abraham was to be the Father according to the Covenant of Grace.
In this one verse then, we have Law and Gospel; The Law observ'd by the sharp knife of Circumcision; the Gospel preach'd under the Name of Jesus. One of Abrahams Children in that he bled; more than Abrahams Childe in that he was Jesus. Majesty and weakness, God and man, Heaven and earth are in this place met together. His Circumcision is an undeniable Argument of his Humanity; The Name given him above every Name,Phil. 2.9. an evidence of his Majesty: what means this connexion? what is the purpose of this great Saviour to conjoyn heights and depths, humane things and Divine together? was it to give us a taste, that he could not be Jesus, a Saviour, without shedding of blood? or was it not rather to inform us, that it is peculiar to God to exalt the obedient? To my understanding,Isa. 62.2. Piscator in loc. Cyrill. lib. 5. de Trinit. the Prophet Isaiah insinuates some such thing, when he foretells, Thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name; or as Piscator reads it, prefixerit, and paraphraseth it, determinaverit, designarit, definierit; or according to the propriety of the Heb. perforabit, shall bore.Vegetius. Chrysost. Prudent. After the same manner as we cut notes and letters which we desire to be lasting, in some soft matter, such as slaves and souldiers were wont to have burnt in their flesh or faces, which shew'd that they were no longer in their own power,Phil. 2.7. Joh. 4.34. but at the command of another. So was this Name of Jesus, perforatum, cut into his flesh, and by the edge of this shar… knife at his Circumcision impress'd in him, to shew that he became a servant for us, was no more at his own dispose, but wholly bent to do the will of him that sent him.
But it is worth your observation, that God never forgot his servant. For in his humility his judgement was exalted; when he was at the weakest, then to a diligent eye, he was at the strongest; when so low that he might give an offence, then was there some sign from heaven which might wipe away the scandal. Offend it might, that he should be conceived of menstruous blood; for nine moneths continue in the womb of a woman. But that this woman was a Virgin, that her concepion was from the Holy Ghost, that this was declared by an Angel,Mat. 1. Luc. 1. that her Sonne was foreign, a holy thing, makes a full amends for that. Look on his Birth, therein lies the Lord of glory without all glory, his Palace a stable, his Cradle a cratch, his Pillow, God knows what, the hangings of that room, for ought we know, dust, and cobwebs, his attendants beasts, or shepherds at the best: Audistis vilia, audietis mirifica. Ambros.Were these things base and mean? an offence, a scandal? you may turn then here and see what will make you wonder. That contemptible Cratch is honoured with the report and musick of Angels: The little Babe in his clouts is made known by a Star in the Clouds: For the poor shepherds you have great wise men, to fall down to him, to adore him even then, and offer their gifts.
Offend again it may, to see him like any other Jewish Male, to bleed under this sharp and shameful knife; but then call to mind his Name then given, and you have an ample amends made; a Name that is above every Name.Phil. 2.9. A Name above to him, above to us. To us, For there is no other Name given by which we can be saved: And above to him, for that he would purchase it twice with his blood, now in his Cradle, after on his Cross, when also he would have this Name written in fair Characters over his head, in three known Lnaguages for all to read,Joh. 19.19. Isa. 43.11. as if then he intended to proclaim in Hebrew, Greek, and Latine, I am, and besides me there is no Jesus.
Names if rightly imposed, are Notamina, short definitions that express to us the nature of the thing;Scaliger. whence the Ancients taught, foreign,Plato. he that will teach aright, must first search out the reason of the Name. Now all other Names of God, as El the strong God, or Shadai the All-sufficient God, or Adonai my Lord, or Elohim Governours, or strong Princes, are all Appellatives, and may be communicated: This One is Gods proper Name, litterally as some contend, never communicated to any other person, but I am sure in the energy and sense of it, never, never.
Great Clerks inform us, that the names of those in Scripture we usually call Jesus,Galatin. Pagnin. Jaersen. Suarez. Thomas. had not the same name secundum materiale, not in very letters and syllables. For their Names they say, was Jehoshua, Christs Jesua: Now Jehoshua signifies God will save, save by them: But Jesua in the present tense, he saves, or is a Saviour himself, which if true, then the Name litterally is proper to him quarto modo. It belongs to him uni soli & semper, to him,Isa. 45.21. to him only, and alwayes to him. Isaiahs words are verified in him alone, I am, and besides me there is no Saviour.
As for the sense of it, in others it was but Magni nominis umbra; for they were petty,Lucan. particular, temporal Saviours, but shadows only, and Types of him. The Angel might well proclaim at his birth, To day is b…rn to you a Saviour; Luc. 2.11.for never was there an Universal, Spiritual Saviour in the world till he was born.
Those might and did save the body: This Saviour body and soul together; They could save but from man and carnal enemies; He from the enemies of mankind, and from spiritual. They some one Nation, as put case the Jews: He the whole world. They from temporal calamities, as it were the branches; he from sin, as it were the root. They from enemies and miseries for a time onelyonly, for they came again; he from them, and so that they shall not return. He wrought eternal salvation; Eternal,Heb. 5.9. which never any Jesus or Jehoshua else did. Lastly, they all had need of a Saviour themselves, without whom they had been lost; but he for himself needed none, yet imparts of his salvation to all others who are saved; and if you are desirous to know how this is done,Mat. 1.21. it was by saving his people from their sin.
Yea but youle say, How are his people saved from their sins, when there is not one of his people who are not to this day sinners? Abraham a sinner, David a sinner, Peter a sinful man; And if any man say that he hath no sin, 1 Joh. 1.8.he deceives himself, and there is no truth in him. Can a man be said to be freed from that burden under which he yet suffers and groans?
But O happy sighs and groans! for these if constant and serious in any one of his people, shew evidently that the man is saved. Saved not so far from sin, that it shall not dwell in him and with him, but that it doth not reign in him,Rom. 6.12. Joh. 5.24. nor shall condemn him. In sin there is a double power, the one dominandi, of domineering; the other damnandi, of condemning; and from both he hath saved his people. First from that of reigning or domineering, whereby it commands, and men obey, drudge and droyl in its service;Rom. 8.1. and such a slave not one of his people can be; for they live not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. And then again from that power of condemning, because there is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus. Vers. 33.34.Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect? It is God that justifieth: Who is it that condemneth? it is Christ that dyed, yea rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
This name then is an ointment poured forth;Cant. 1.3. for at the imposition and manifestation it sends forth a most fragrant smell,Joh. 12.3. as Maries box of Spiknard when it was opened. For indeed it containes in it the vertue and power of all those other Names with which the Prophet Isaiah honors him:Isa. 9.6. How well doth the name of Wonderful agree to him who did such wonders to save us? He must needs be the best Counsellor, that directs a way to save a soul; no enemy can take us out of his hand, for he is the Mighty God;Psal. 27.10. Joh. 14.18. other fathers leave and forsake us; but he is the everlasting Father, and will not leave us Orphans. Without peace there can be no safety; Why he is the Prince of Peace. Let therefore Jesus be to thee wonderful, by whom thou maist do wonders, conquer sin, Satan, death, hell; let Jesus be thy Mighty God to whom being united thou shalt always overcome. Take Jesus for thy Counsellor, who will open unto thee the whole will of God; Choose Jesus for thy father, by and from whom thou shalt obtain an everlasting inheritance; acknowledge him to be the Prince of Peace, by whose aide thy enemies being conquered thou shalt enjoy eternal peace. O good Jesu, how truely is thy Name an ointment poured out, because from thee there was poured out upon us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, counsel,1 Cor. 1.30. strength, hope of eternal life, and peace which passeth all understanding!
4. Which was so named of the Angel before he was conceived in the wombe.
Now then since he was to be all this to us, no marvail if he had his Name from heaven; had he been to be named by his mother, from her he could not well have been called Jesus, because from her he was to have onelyonly his humane nature, he must be born under the law, was capable of Circumcision and pain; whence she might well have called him, as Rachel her son, Benoni, the son of sorrow.Gen. 35.18. Luc. 10.22. But because no man knows the Son but the Father, and he to whom the father will reveal him, therefore he alone imposed the Name, and to that purpose sent his messenger the Angel Gabriel, at the same time when he brought the good news of his Conception;Luc. 1 31. then, before he was conceived, enjoyned it was to Mary, Mat. 1.21.Thou shalt call his name Jesus; for this name was made known to Joseph by the same, or another Angel afterwards.
Mark here how strict the words of the injunction are, Thou shalt call him, not by any Name, not as you please, but as I from God command: This name then was not imposed as other names on children by the will of their parents,Luc. 1.31, 32. but in a singular way, because the child that was to be called by it, was far to exceed all other children; which the Angel expresseth fully in the same place, He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Most High; And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. In which words the Angel sets down three excellent prerogatives of this Name, or of the person who bears this Name.
1. Erit magnus, he shall be great, not with any limitation or restriction, as of John Baptist, Luc. 1.15.great before the Lord, that is, a great Prophet, or servant; or as Joshua, Zach. 3.1.a great high Priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, but absolutely great, as being Dominus Dominantium, the Lord of Lords, as making all other great; and in whose presence it is the greatest honor to be great,Heb. 1.14. the very Angels themselves standing before his throne as Ministers.
2. He out of Humility calls himself the Son of man; and that he was so, were there no other reason,Mat. 8.20. that cauterium peccatoris, and effusion of blood at his Circumcision would sufficiently prove it; but the Angel calls him the Son of the most High, not the Adopted, but Natural, whose power is so great, that by this grace of adoption,Rom. 8.14, 15, 16, 17. he is able to make others also sons and heirs; and this is his second prerogative.
3. And yet there is a third, This Jesus is a King to succeed David, to reign over the house of Jacob for ever; which for ever, least it should be stinted to a set time, as it is sometime in Scripture, the Angel adds, Of his kingdom there shall be no end; Mic. 2.7. Ezek. 20.5.no end in time, nor no end for extent, for he is to raign in the house of Jacob, in the house of the faithful who are properly the seed of Jacob for ever; over all he doth and will reign by his Scepter of power, but over them by his Scepter of Grace.Psal. 45.6, 7. This, this is the Title over his head, Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews.
And now, O thou happy Christian, who hopest for salvation by this name Jesus, let this name be to thee an ointment poured forth, and carry in thyself the three powers of this Name. Be thou therefore by his Spirit great before God: be thou his son by adoption; be a King and reign over thy unruly affections and passions, and so hereafter thou shalt reign with him for ever. If thou shalt humble thy self with him as he did, thou shalt be exalted by him, Because every one that humbleth himself shall be exalted.Luc. 14.11.
The Application.
Thus have you the explication; I now descend to the Application of this text. Brethren, we have in the Circumcision of our Lord what to admire, what to imitate, and in his name what to reverence.
1. It must strike us into admiration to see God in our flesh, God suffering in our flesh, and bleeding in our nature; Was there ever the like heard, ever the like seem? When I look upon the person, I cannot comprehend the greatness of his Majesty; when I behold the blood,1 Pet. 2.22. & 3.18. Joh. 10.11. I am not able to express the greatness of his love. The Innocent would bleed for the sinful, the Judge for the Malefactor, the Physitian for his patient, the Shepherd for the sheep, the Creator for his creature, in a word, God for man.
Obstupescite coeli, Be amazed O heavens! behold at what rate he esteemed man, and be not like horse and mule, creatures without understanding, but get you to Bethlehem, and behold there the Lord of Angels,Psal. 32.9. Heb. 2.7, 9. not made onelyonly lower than Angels, but lower than an ordinary person, taking upon him not onelyonly the shape of man, but the form of a sinner, a wicked sinner,Luc. 19.7. for he is marked in his flesh quasi quodam cauterio latronis, burnt as it were and stigmatized with the mark of an evil doer. Behold this first, and wonder at it, and wondering love him, and loving rejoyce, and with greater joy be thankful to the head that would bleed for the members, to the head that would dye for the parts, to Jesus qui totus pro nobis datus, totus in usus nostros expensus, to Jesus I say who was wholly given for us, wholly expended and laid out for our use.
2. But to wonder is not much; seldom is there any strange thing which men will not gaze at; or to love and be glad is no hard motion to perswade, for naturally men do love and will joy in that which shall make for their good and benefit. We have then here somewhat more to admire, somewhat to set us to work; the Circumcision is for our imitation; we, even we, yet though the letter be gone, have what in this Ceremony to follow.
There is a Circumcision of the heart,Jer. 4.2. a cutting off of whatsoever is superfluous, whatsoever is sinful, and in this we must all be Jews. Cut off pride, that thou maist be vested with Christs humility; cut off thine own will, that thou maist put on his obedience; cut off thine anger and fury, that thou maist receive his patience. Cut off the love of thy self, that thou maist be marked with the love of God. Coveteousness must go under the knife; wantonness under the knife, gluttony under the knife, sacriledge under the knife, blasphemy under the knife; in a word all the lusts of the flesh under the knife, they must be cut off and cast away from us if we mean to receive the seal of Christ.1 Thess. 5.23. Mat. 6.22. Rom. 2.29. The Jew was circumcised in one part onelyonly, but the Christian is to be circumcised in the whole man; the Jew outwardly, the Christian within; the Jew in the flesh, the Christian in the heart; the Jew in the letter, the Christian in the Spirit; Ye are circumcised (saith the Apostle) not with circumcision made with hands, but with the circumcision made without hands, Col. 3.11.in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.
Be it that this be grievous to flesh and blood, yet so God will have it; there could be no cutting without pain, nor bleeding without incision; 'tis contrary to the nature of Circumcision, that the circumcised smart not. When you are then to be circumcised with Christ and for Christ, you must be content to smart, to suffer, to abide pain, or else you can never be within the Covenant; think not that God hath strewed your way to heaven with roses;Mat. 7.14. 'tis a sharpe way that leads thither, the way of mortification; the rough way of repentance, the strait gate of abstinence and fasting, and the bloody path of affliction tends to happiness; in one word, death is the gate of life, and these as so many circumcisions must be undergone by us, before we can wear a Crown;Rom. 6.6. Col. 3.9. the old man cannot be put off without trouble: ye have now what to imitate.
3. But in the last place once more be pleased to cast your ey upon the name Jesus, & you have a name to honor & worship. Humility it was in him to take the name, but greater humility to take it at a Circumcision; now because he thus humbled himself, Therfore hath God given him a name above every name, Phil. 2.8, 9, 10.that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in the earth, and things under the earth. Mat. 27.45, 51, 52.The Sunne saw this Name Jesus upon the Cross, and it withdrew its light, and so bow'd to it; The earth then saw it, and fell a tre…bling before it. The Saints in their graves heard of it, and rose in obeysance to it. And so was verified what he before said, I, if I be lifted up from the earth, Joh. 12.32.I will draw all unto me, all to bow their knee before me. Besides the Sun then things in heaven bowed; For Angels at his Resurrection (which was his foreign,Heb. 1.6. Chrys. Hom. 20. in Joan. John 1.51. his second bringing into the world) the Angels I say, descended to adore and honour him. Then, as Chrysostome hath it, was fulfill'd what our Saviour said to Nathaniel, You shall see the heaven opened, and the Angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of man. Then things in the earth bow'd, when some of all Nations, Jews and Gentiles being converted, confessed his Name, and fell low before him. These gladly, willingly, chearfully. But for things under the earth, Devils, and foul spirits fell low before him; when, though unwillingly, by this very name they were forced to depart from those they possessed, and put to silence in those Oracles, and compell'd to leave those Temples where they had been of old adored. All things then in heaven, in earth, and under the earth, bow'd to the Name; They that had knees bowed in kinde; but those that had none, did bow with the knee, as they did confess with the tongue, that is, their way, by something that is foreign, correspondent to both.
Bish. Andrews Serm. in Phil. 2.Look unto the Text then, and let no man perswade you, but that God requireth a reverent carriage even of the body it self. And namely, this service of the knee, and that to his Sonnes Name. What to the syllables? to the sound? I say it not; but to the person, whose name it is, yea, and that you take an occasion to do it, when this Name is with reverence brought to your eares. This is that Name above every name; above, as I but now said, to him, above to us. To him, for to purchase our Salvation (which was the joy that was set before him) he endured the Cross,Heb. 12.2. and despised the shame. No man cost him so deare; it cost him his honour, it cost him paine, it cost him blood, it cost him his life before he could be our Jesus; and that which cost him so dear, as it is dear to him, so it ought to be dearly respected by us.
So it ought: But alas, what is more cheap! we take it in our mouths as familiarly, as if it were some common name; we prophane it by a vaine and idle Oath. Many, who know not what manner of person he is, will yet have By Jesu in their mouths, more readily than Jesus Christ our Lord at the end of their prayers.
But this is the least injury, I feare me; the Name is become very cheap indeed, even by those who would be taken for his sole Servants; men, that vote it to be superstitious to bow at it;Vide Scult. in Isa. 45. & 23. Zanch. In loc. That it hath been used to superstition, I have read some that say; that upon some reasons it might be forborne, and for some reasons used, I reade also; but never did I heare or reade till this age, that it was unlawful to bow at it; never the reverence done at it, scorn'd for Jesu-worship.
Will you but with patience heare what may be said; the Text is known, At the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow; Phil. 2.10.and all Expositors, even they who are against bowing, profess, that with the Heart all veneration, reverence, fear, bowing may be done to the Name.
O gross stupidity, or wilfull blindness! shall we yield that the heart may bow, and not the knee? what grant the more, and yet deny the less? which I pray' is the greater service? that of the heart, or that other of the knee? the interiour, or the exteriour? Well now, put case there be superstition in the bowing at the Name, where lies the guilt? within, or without? in the heart, or in the knee? Within certainly, as well as without; either then let them both be allow'd to bow together, or both be denyed to bow; which yet I never met with any, who spoke of this Subject, durst affirme.
That men do it at the Name of God, Jehovah, Christ, I know not any deny; but that it be done at this Name especially, peculiar reasons there are.
1. Those Names never were in such disesteem as this. This was brought low by the Jews: This derided by the Gentiles: This scoffed at by Julian and all Apostates: This set upon the Cross in scorne: and then there is great reason, that all they who hope to have salvation by it, highly exalt it; and the next way to exalt any thing that is low, is to fall low before it.
2. Nay, among Christians there were and are, that would not have it the Name of God. The Arrians did and do deny his eternal Generation;Zanch. in Phil. 2. and to confute these, it was a very Ancient and laudable custome in the Church to bow at his Name. The Lutherans to this day use it. Scultetus grants,Scult. in Isa. 45 Vorst. apol. per. Eccl. Belg. Si cum animi devotione id fiat, landandum; That if it be done with the devotion of the heart, it deserves praise; and more we require not. And Vorstius saith, That the Churches of the Low Countries have no Act, no Canon for it; but yet, Si quis velit, per nos licet; If any man be dispos'd to bow his knee at the Name, he may freely do it. With which moderation also Scultetus concludes his decision of this point.
3. I shall add these reasons, verbatim, Bish. Adrews Ser. in 2 Phil.taken out of that Worthy of our Church, whom I honour in his grave, Bishop Andrews. He moves the question, Why to this Name, more than to the Name of Christ? The reasons are,
1. Christ is not, cannot be the Name of God? God cannot be anointed. But Jesus is the Name of God, and the chief Name of God.
2. The Name of Christ is communicated by him to others:Isa. 43.11. So is not Jesus, that is proper, I am, and beside me there is no other; and ever that which is proper, is above that which is holden common.
3. Christ is Anointed to what end? to be a Saviour. Ever the end is above the means: Ever the name of health, above the name of the medicine. I add, that there be many now adayes that deny his foreign,Socinus. the price he laid down for our health, as the Socinians; good then to bow, to shew we are not of their judgement.
4. But when we finde expressely in this verse, this Name exalted above all names, and this Act limited to it in direct words, and so this Name above them in this very peculiar, why seek we farther?
Thus farre that Learned and Pious Bishop; now I proceed. Not to do it, to omit it, and leave it undone, is very doubtful: But to deny it, to forbid it to be done, to mock and scoff at those who do it, is methinks a kinde of Julianisme. Will you then take the safest way? To omit it, may be dangerous; to do it piously, cannot be sinful: and therefore, as I may, I must do reverence to the person of my Saviour, so will I take an occasion to do it upon the mention of his saving Name; and so much the rather,Zanchy, Hooker, Whitgift. because I have the Declaration of my Mother the Church of England to direct me, and an Universal practice of the most conscientious Christians for many Ages.
To Conclude, if Christ be Jesus, if Jesus God, all reverence, interiour, exteriour, is too little for him. The homage of the heart, the bowing of the knee, the confession of the tongue, are all his due. And if ye cannot be perswaded to yield it, yet be not of the number of those that do deny it, that do forbid it, that scoff at it, nay, that persecute and brand those that do it.
Therefore God hath exalted his person, that we should exalt his person; therefore God hath given him a Name above all names, that we above all names should honour it. Whatsoever good we can desire or expect, is to be found in this Name. Is life good? Jesus is the life. Is Resurrection good? Jesus is the Resurrection. John 11.25. Origen. pref. in Joannem. Joh. 8.12. & 14.6. Ambros. lib. 3. de Virgin. Zach. 13.1. Jer. 23.6.Is the light good? Jesus the light of the World. Briefly, He is the way, the truth, wisdome, power, righteousnesse, a full treasury of all good things. All good things we have in Christ, and Christ Jesus is all good things to us. If thou desirest to cure thy wounds, he is the Physician; if thou art fcorch'd with a feverish sinne, he is a Fountain; if loaden with a burden of iniquity, he is thy righteousness; if thou needst help, he is power; if thou fearest death, he is life; if thou desirest heaven, he is the way; if thou hatest darkness, he is light; if thou seekest meat, he is food and nourishment; O taste and see how gracious, how sweet this Name Jesus is! blessed is the man that hopes in him.
O blessed Jesus! thy Name truly to me is an ointment poured forth! thine shall I call it, or mine? Both I confess; thy name now and mine: Thine because thine is salvation, and it proceeds from thee: Mine, because it is wholly imparted to me, and imposed for me. The Name of Christ is precious, from which I have the anointing; but the Name of Jesus to me more proper and useful, by which I am saved. For the Name of Christ is partly his, and partly mine; mine for him, and his for me. But he was call'd Jesus, not for himself, but for me alone: For he needed no Saviour, that was no sinner. I was the sinner, and for me he took the Name; my Spirit therefore shall rejoyce in God my Saviour; my heart shall bow to God my Saviour; and my knee shall bend to God my Saviour; and my tongue shall confess God my Saviour; and my life shall express God my Saviour.
Because this Name of Jesus is for me, I will also be wholly for Jesus; no longer mine own, but his; his Disciple, his Servant, his follower; my Lords wholly to obey his Will, to do his Commands; that as from Christ the Lord I am called a Christian▪ so from Jesus the Saviour I may be Saved.
O deare and sweet Jesus! would I might be wholly thine, as thou art made wholly mine! Let thy Name be to me an Ointment poured forth, a fragrant smell and perfume, senting me with Blessing, Salvation, and life for ever and ever. Amen, Amen.