This increase (say Physicians) is when the symptoms more manifestly appear either of life or death; and no sooner was our Saviour born, but he had manifest tokens evidently showing that for us he must die. If you run through his life, what was it but a sickness and a purge? Consider his parcitie in abstinence, his constancy in watching, his frequency in prayer, his assiduity in labour. But how soon, and Herod makes him flee into Egypt, and live an exile in a strange land? At his return he dwells at Nazareth, and there is accounted Jesus the carpenter. 1When he enters into his Ministry, he hath no house to repose him, no money to relieve him, no friends to comfort him. See him first set on by Satan, then by men; he is led into the wilderness by the spirit, and there he fasts forty days and forty nights, without bit of bread, or drop of water. The devil (seeing this opportunity) begins his temptation, who presently overcome, the Jews follow after him with hue and cry: mark but their words and works: In word they call him a glutton, a drunkard, a deceiver, ⟨p. 158⟩a sinner, 2a mad-man, a Samaritan, and one possessed with a devil. Good words I pray! is not he the anointed of God? the Saviour of men? yes, but they rendered me evil for good, and hatred for my good will, said the Psalmist in his person. When therefore he did miracles, he was a sorcerer; when he reproved sinners, he was a seducer; when he received sinners, he was their favourer; when he healed the sick, he was a breaker of the Sabbath; when he cast out devils, it was by the power of devils; what and how many unjust contumelies endured he of the Pharisees, who sometimes cast him out of the city, accused him of blasphemy, cried Out upon him, he was a man not worthy to live. And as they say, they do; observe but their works: First they send officers to apprehend him, but they being overcome with the grace of his speeches, return only with this answer,3 Never man spake like this man. Then took they up stones to stone him, but by his miraculous passage (whiles they are a conspiring his death) he escapes out of their hands: 4then lead they him to an hill, thinking to throw him down headlong, and yet all would not do for ere they are aware of it,5 he fairly passeth through the midst of them all.
This increase (say Physitians) is when the symptomes more manifestly appear either of life or death; and no sooner was our Saviour born, but he had manifest tokens evidently showing that for us he must die. If you run through his life, what was it but a sicknesse and a purge? Consider his parcitie in abstinence, his constancie in watching, his frequencie in prayer, his assiduity in labour. But how soon, and Herod makes him flee into Egypt, and live an exile in a strange land? At his return he dwels at Nazareth, and there is accounted Jesus the carpenter. 1When he enters into his Ministerie, he hath no house to repose him, no money to relieve him, no friends to comfort him. See him first set on by Satan, then by men; he is led into the wildernesse by the spirit, and there he fasts fourty dayes and fourty nights, without bit of bread, or drop of water. The devil (seeing this opportunitie) begins his temptation, who presently overcome, the Jews follow after him with hue and cry: mark but their words and works: In word they call him a glutton, a drunkard, a deceiver, ⟨p. 158⟩a sinner, 2a mad-man, a Samaritane, and one possessed with a devil. Good words I pray! is not he the anointed of God? the Saviour of men? yes, but they rendred me evil for good, and hatred for my good will, said the Psalmist in his person. When therefore he did miracles, he was a sorcerer; when he reproved sinners, he was a seducer; when he received sinners, he was their favourer; when he healed the sick, he was a breaker of the Sabbath; when he cast out devils, it was by the power of devils; what and how many unjust contumelies indured he of the Pharises, who sometimes cast him out of the citie, accused him of blasphemy, cryed Out upon him, he was a man not worthy to live. And as they say, they do; observe but their works: First they send officers to apprehend him, but they being overcome with the grace of his speeches, return onely with this answer,3 Never man spake like this man. Then took they up stones to stone him, but by his miraculous passage (whiles they are a conspiring his death) he escapes out of their hands: 4then lead they him to an hill, thinking to throw him down headlong, and yet all would not do for ere they are aware of it,5 he fairly passeth through the midst of them all.
- 1Mark 6.3.
- 2Matt. 11.19.27.63. John 9.24.10.20.8.48. Psal. 35.12.
- 3John 7.46.
- 4John 10.39.
- 5Luke 4.30.
