Calender to find out the true seat of Easter when Hyppolitus the Martyrs Prime for now we so commonly call it was found erroneous Dionysius also a Martyr and Bishop of Alexandria was ready to mend it and as farther processe of time discouered any sensible difference there wanted not care and study to set all right againe so Eusebius corrected Dionysius Theophilus of Alexandria Eusebius Prosper Theophilus Victor of Aquitaine Prosper Victor Capuanus and Dionysius Exiguus the former Victor And when about the yeare 454. neere vpon the Councell of Calcedon Easter fell so high in Aprill that that they doubted they were in the wrong what adoe keepes Leo in his Epistles to Paschasinus of Lilibaeum in Sicily to Iulian Bishop of the I le of Coos to the Emperour Martian himselfe and his wife Eudoxia to solicit Proterus Bishop of Alexandria to set all right againe Where I enquire not why the Popes infallibility should not serue him to keepe a true account in Ecclesiasticall matters as well as others The like thing fell out in Saint Ambrose's dayes and likewise in the time of Innocent the first Vpon which occasion we haue that Fathers 83. Epistle to the BB. of Aemilia and Innocents letter to Aurelius Bishop of Carthage intreating him to call a Synode that the matter might be more fully bated So highly they valued this times solemnity in regard of the first fruits consecrated in Christs Resurrection that they held the fayling in the smallest circumstance a note of ingratitude and a kinde of sacriledge To prevent therefore such inconveniences in calculation the taske at length was layd on those of Alexandria as held the best Mathematicians after Ptolemies time And hence we haue the Paschales as yearely Almanackes sent abroad by them to informe all other Churches and mainetaine vniformitie Eusebius mentioneth some of these Epistles sent first by Dionysius even vnder the persecution Three of that kinde are now extant vnder the name of Theophilus Alexandrinus translated into Latine by Saint Hierome and lastly reprinted in the last Bibliotheca Patrum at Colen containing besides the evidence of the custome of keeping Easter matter well worth the reading And to intimate that onely which time will not suffer mee farther to enlarge a man shall hardly turne ouer the Ancients but euer and anon hee shall fall vpon Sermons or Homilies for Easter questions and answers concerning the exact forme of keeping Easter Hymnes and Anthems composed for the celebration of Easter Facts of greatest consequence reserued as Baptizing of the Catechumeni Absoluing of the Excommunicated Receiuing of the Lords Supper in most solemne manner and all for the honour of this great Day The feast of first fruits this rosh hashanah containing many mysteries besides common solemnities this holy time of Easter It is strange to obserue how many bookes wee finde written together by the most devout men even in times of persecution by Anatolius Bishop of Laodicea Theophylus of Caesarea Baccillus of Corinth Meliâ—o of Sardis Irenaeus of Lions Hyppolitus the Martyr and the great Doctour Clemens Alexandrinus and all for the due maintaining of this custome of keeping Easter Chrysostome deposed and Athanasius wanting a fit place would needs notwithstanding keepe Easter the one in a spacious roome built for the publike Baths of Constantinople the other in a Church at Alexandria not consecrated So hainous a matter they thought it to neglect the due obseruing of Easter 12 And to come at length to our owne selues and customes derived from sacred antiquity what meanes our preparation by a Lent-fast the solemne repetition of these Easter Sermons rather then any other the extraordinary concourse to the Lords supper at this time of the yeere especially but to draw vs by all circumstances to reckon with him for our Easter duties that hath so effectually payed our first fruits for vs at this holy time of Easter What these duties are our Apostle elsewhere sheweth As Christ was raised vp by the Glory of the Father Rom. 6.4 so wee also should walke in newnesse of life And if wee bee risen with Christ why seeke we not those things which are aboue Col. 3.1 Our dulnesse in our vocations deadnesse in our devotions faintnesse at the approach of death and the graue are arguments that these Resurrection Sermons cannot be too often repeated Wherefore brethren be ye stedfast and immoveable alwaies abounding in this worke of the Lord for as much as you know that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. For what crosse or temptation can amaze a Christian soule that can make but the true vse of this short text Christ is risen againe and become the first fruits of them that slept Turne such a man to fight with beasts after the manner of men present before him the stake or torture the assurance of his restoring by the Resurrection is a Supersedeas to him in all his trials Vpon this affiance he will professe with old Ignatius that it belongeth to Gods wheate to be ground with beasts teeth he will resolutely with Saint Laurence on the Gridiron offer both sides to bee broyled In Iosses in sicknesse in disgraces in all assaults of Satan in the pangs of death hee will bee alwaies repeating with Iob I know that my redeemer liueth Iob. 19. and that he shall stand at the latter day vpon the earth and though after my skin wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God Last of all in the death of our parents and children brethren sisters or friends or any other who are neere and deare vnto vs what comfort so present as this so surely grounded so fit to be applyed That Christ is risen from the dead hath satisfied the vtmost farthing hath broken vp the prison turned the death of the faithfull into a sleepe out of which by vertue of his Resurrection they are to awake againe vnto a farre more happy estate Seeing therefore that Christ our Passeover hath beene thus sacrificed for vs and payed the first fruits whereby wee are restored and reconciled to God the Father let vs keepe this feast not with old leaven neither with the leauen of malice and wickednes nor dicing nor absurd dancing or ridiculous legendpreaching to make the people laugh which Durand and Beleth commend in their popish Bishops as Hospinian at large declareth but with the vnleauened bread of sincerity and truth This is the day which the Lord hath made let vs reioyce and be glad in it Let our hearts dance for ioy and in our songs let vs praise him Tell it out among the heathen and when our children or Iuniors shall aske what meane these solemnities at this time that the Church is so carefull to obserue before any other let vs amply relate vnto them how we were vtterly lost in Adam and became the prisoners of sinne death and hell but now is Christ risen againe the first fruits of them that sleepe for their everlasting recovery the benefit
the way with him Agree as becommeth a man with thine Adversary as it behooueth a Christian Quickly to shewe thy willingnes whilest thou art in the way to expresse thy carefull providence For by Agreeing thou imitatest thy Saviour with thine adversarie thou excellest the Scribes and Pharisees quickly thou out-strippest the sluggard and whilest thou art in the way thou preventest the danger that is to come And therefore giue me leaue once more to inculcate and repeate againe Agree to saue thy selfe with thy Adversary to winne thy brother quickly to redeeme the time and whilest thou art in the way to speed the better at thy journies end 4 Agree The originall hath it in two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which translators contend who should expresse most significantly The vulgar Latine giveth it this sense a Esto consentiens Consent or thinke the same things with thine adversary Erasmus b Habeto beneâ—olenÌ„tiam Beare him good will Castalion c Gompone Compound Vatablus d Fac convenias See thou come to an agreement The Syriaok e Bee desirous of his friendship An old Translation which Saint Augustine seemeth to approue f Esto coÌ„cors accord compound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or make a full atonement which is also liked by Beza and in effect is the same with his g Esto amicus Nec monet taÌ„tum vt animo benè velimus adversario sed vt cum eo transigamus c. bee friends let there be a perfect reconciliation see there be an end of all brabbles betwixt you For wee are not onely advised saith he to wish well to our adversary and there let it rest but to goe to him talke with him conclude with him and as Saint Luke hath it Chapter 12.58 Luk. 12.58 Deliuer our selues from any thing hee hath against vs. All which is included in this one word Agree and yeeldeth this maine doctrine besides many other That it is a necessary duty for every true Christian to seeke reconciliation A necesary dutie I say of every true Christian not onely coldly to admit or to bee content it should be so but also earnestly to seeke faithfully to bring about and joyfully to embrace an absolute hearty and brotherly reconciliation 5 The proofes whereof are so many and pregnant throughout all the Booke of God that whatsoever is there written may serue for a testimonie All the long Art of Divinitie is comprised in this one short word Loue. As the Apostle obserueth Gal. 5.14 Gal. 5.14 Loue the Lord thy God is the first and great commandement and loue thy neighbour is the second likevnto this vpoÌ„ which two hang the whole Law and the Prophets Mat. 22.40 In regard whereof Mat. 22.40 the chiefe subiect of our Saviours prayer Ioh. 17.21 was vnity Ioh. 17.21 his chiefest Legacy peace Ioh. 14.27 Ioh. 14.27 And by this shall all men knowe saith he that you are my Disciples Ioh. 13.35 if you loue one another Ioh. 13.35 For as there is one body one spirit one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and Father of all Ephes 4. ver 4.5.6 who is aboue all and through all and in you all so it behooueth the members of this body the guided by this spirit the servants of this Lord the partakers of this faith and Baptisme the worshippers of this God and children of this Father Ib. vers 2. with all humblenesse of minde meeknesse and long suffering as the Apostle exhorteth to support one another through loue endeuoring to keepe the vnity of the spirit in the band of peace Chap. 25.1 Three things saith the wise son of Syrach reioyce me and by them am I beautified before God and men the vnity of Brethren the loue of Neighbours and a man and his wife that agree together And therefore ever will be remembred that good minde of faithfull Abraham Gen. 13.8 who to cut off all debate betwixt his heardmen and Lots Gen. 13.8 disdained not to goe the elder to the younger the Vncle to the Nephew the worthier to the inferior in this kindest maner Let there be no strife I pray thee betweene thee and me neither betweene mine heardmen and thy heardmen for we are brethren Gen. 45.24 Act. 4.32 The like was Iosephs counsel to his departing brethren Gen. 45.24 Fall not out by the way And the multitude of the first Christians Act. 4.32 are said to be of one heart and one soule in regard of the faithfull agreement which was betweene them Wherevpon the Author of the Sermons ad fratres in Eremo Ser. 2. Qui pacem cordis oris operis non habet Christianus dici non potest c. sticketh not to inferre That he that in heart and word and worke contendeth not for this agreement cannot be called a Christian. He that resteth not on this foundation setteth his life and foot in slippery places sayleth in a tempest walketh in a ruinous cliffe soweth on the sand the new Ierusalem being not a place for quarrellers as S. Basil grauely obserueth but an inheritance and reward for gentle natures 6 A lesson Beloued for these contentious times and dog-daies of ours to remember vs what wee are whom wee serue what is expected of vs and how little we performe The mercilesse debtour in the Gospell should bee a patterne vnto vs all Who for taking his brother by the throat and exacting as it should seeme no more but his owne receaued this doome of his Master O evill servant Mat. 18.32 I forgaue thee all the debt because thou prayedst me shouldst not thou also haue had compassion on thy fellow servant even as I had pitty on thee But wee are so farre either from fearing such Iudgements or imitating this pitty that like Ishmael almost wee are become Wild men Gen. 16.12 his hand against every man and every mans hand against him So farre from seeking this brotherly reconciliation that being sought vnto wee will scarce heare of it But alas selfe wild and inconsiderate men little dost thou marke the steps thou treadest or the downefall of this way wherein thou postest Shall thy God bee called the Author of peace and wilt thou continue a maintainer of dissention shall he receaue thee who rejectest thy Brother or suppose thou wilt agree with him who quarrellest with his and thine owne fellow members No no Beloued hee hath taught vs otherwise Our trespasses are forgiuen vs but with this condition as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs. Where is thine adversary saith hee whose injuries like the blood of Abel cry vnto mee for vengeance never looke mee in the face except your brother bee with you Gen. 43.3 So true is that which Pellican hath on this place obserued Non experieris Deum tibi propitiuÌ„ nisi proximus sentiet te sibi placatum Thou shalt not finde that God is pleased with thee before thy neighbour perceaue
vnto the Lord speaking as he doth at this time to vs by his Word and Ministers who ought not in that regard to bee lightly esteemed of you howsoever vnworthy in themselues for their Masters sake Hee speakes to vs in this point that notwithstanding hee often threaten and sometime strike yet place is left for mercy where it is sought accordingly Vse but Hezekiah's teares and prayers and he is the same God that will not only speake but giue comfortable signes of his favour which is the vpshot of my text and a signe that I shall not hold you long And he gaue him a signe Signes and miracles were frequent among the old Patriarchs Prophets and the Apostles with some of their successors in the Primitiue Church for the confirmation of their vocation faith and doctrine But the Gospell once fully receiued we are left to the text to arme our selues against Antichrist who comes with signes and miracles And not to rake vp old sores who knowes not of late the practices of Father Edmonds and Darrell with their complices to iustify Popery and Puritanisme by the casting out of Devils In which kinde of imposture some French Monkes were put of late to a hard exigent when Verrine the Devils discourse must be put in print to make good their exorcismes and superstitions But aboue all I marvaile why Bellarmine and Gretser should so strangely vpbraid our Church for the defect of miracles the first in these termes Haereticos non potuisse extorquere miracula neque à Deo neque à Diabolo ad confirmandam realem praesentiam in his 3. booke de Eucharistia and 8. Chap. The latter in the like Diabolum puduisse Lutheri doctrinam miraculis confirmare in his defence of the 2. Chap. of Bellarmines first Booke de verbo Dei Doe they take a pride that the Devill is so forward to advance their cause by miracles and so backward to doe vs any kindnesse If this be the issue wee shall rest content with such miracles as our Saviour and the Apostles wrought at the first propagating of the Gospell and when wee teach any new doctrine dissenting from this then to cast about for new miracles to confirme it But here a signe was necessary as Saint Augustine obserueth that of the two messages the Prophet brought to Hezekiah in shew contradictory he might bee assured on which to depend The signe that is here onely mentioned in the generall 2. Kings 20.11 is another-where particularly set downe to bee the going backe of the Sunne or at least the shadow ten degrees in King Ahaz Diall where no doubt can be among Interpreters whether it were done or no but of the manner how it might possibly bee accomplished Of the standing still of the Sunne some instances are given one was at the request of Father Mutius an Hermite who going to visit a sicke person was like to be benighted had not the Sunne halfe only aboue the Horizon for divers houres stayed his leasure till he came to his patient as 't is told vs in vitis Patrum lib. 1. cap. 16. Another is brought by Turpine in the life of Charles the Great the 28. Chap. for a more notable stay of the Sunne in one place for aboue three daies together to gratify that Emperour in the pursuite of his enemies A third is out of the first booke of Chron. 4. chap. 22. made good only by the vulgar Latine edition which readeth Et qui stare fecit solem This last much troubled Torniellus otherwise a diligent Historian so that he professeth ingeniously in his Annals that he knowes not what to make of it But the first Serrarius the Iesuite will scarce admit for a truth The second Baronius reiects for a lye and the third all may see depends on a false translation For whereas our English Doway Bibles render word for word out of the vulgar Latine And Hee that made the Sunne to stand The Originall hath nothing but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our English all other that I haue seene And Iokim the proper name of a mā one of Iudah's posterity And therefore they must needs bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men of Lying as corruptly almost they render the very next words who would make that to signify the standing still of the Sunne Whence wee may obserue by the way what pure Text the Councell of Trent would put vpon vs for authenticall if we would take it in grosse And how palpably our peeuish Recusants in such cases are abused in depending on such men who care not with what huskes they feed them Once this is certaine that both Sunne and Moone stood still together for a whole daies space in Ioshua's time But here the Miracle seemes greater in going backe of the same tenne degrees especially as it is by most Interpreters expressed 10 For they suppose the Sun had then passed forward tenne degrees in the Diall before the miracle began so that two onely wanted for his setting Tenne then spent in the going backe to the point of his rising and tenne to returne to the point where it was first makes that one artificiall day aboue thirty houres whereas that of Ioshuah for ought we finde and of which the text saies there was never the like before or after could not be aboue 24. Now if the Sunne were here posted forth and backe in an instant as some would salue the matter how could the motion of the shadow in the Dyall be distinctly discerned And to put halfe degrees for whole as others would mend the reckoning the text will hardly beare To let passe then what explication here might arise from Copernicus mouing of the earth or Tycho Brahe's fixing of the Sunne as the center of motion to the rest of the Planets or Fracastorius multitude of Homocentricks take but the old receiued grounds either of eight Orbes with Aristotle or nine with Ptolemy or tenne with Alphonsus or now at the last of eleven with Maginus and Clavius not excluding their Excentricks Concentrickes Epicycles yea and Excentrepicycles which they make belonging vnto them to salue all appearances and a world of difficulties would follow if with this Sunnes retrogradation all the heavenly Orbes according to the same proportion moued not backward Besides the disordering of the Starres aspects distances one vnto the other those that take away all Orbes and leaue the starres to flye like birds in the ayre without the same miracle wrought likewise in all will not bee able to avoid To bee quitted therefore from this trouble Burgensis thinkes it safer with Abarbinel to affirme that the Sunne kept his course the heauens their order and the day his length but the shadow contrary to his nature was miraculously brought back With those accord Arias Montanus Bullinger and some others And their reasons are first Otherwise the miracle would haue beene as conspicuous in other Dyals as in that of Ahaz And the whole
Baalamite to be hired to blesse where the Lord hath cursed Num. 23.1 Kings 22.6 and to say with Ahabs Prophets Goe vp and prosper when Gods Word hath told vs wee shall surely fall But Bellarmine hath devised certaine shifts Lib. 1. de Amiss grat statu peccat cap. 12. to delude all these evident places as first properly and of themselues These are not mandates saith hee but degrees of the same Commandement Secondly such places are not to bee interpreted of veniall sinnes but of mortall onely where finding in his owne conscience these Fig-leaues too narrow to couer such apparent nakednesse he addeth thirdly that we must not so strictly vrge whatsoeuer the Law hath enacted against veniall sins because which is his fourth extraction out of the Schoole limbiques these are not against but besides the law and lest all this should faile hee strikes it dead at the last with such a qualification Though these veniall faults may bee absolutely called sinnes Quamvis peccata venialia fi cum mortalibas conferantur non sunt perfectè peccata absolutè tamen peccata nominari possunt vt in sacris literis nominantur lib. 1. de Amiss grat statu peccat cap. 12. and are so tearmed in holy scripture yet perfectly they are not so being conferred with mortall sinnes idcirco ex solis istis vocibus derebus ipsis non est pronunciandum And therefore wee must not speake of such matters as the Word of God directs vs but attend as it should seeme such circumstances as the Consistory of Rome shall prescribe vs. But can such huskes satisfie any one that hath a father to goe vnto The Iewes Massoreth are thought too saucy for disliking some words in the old Testament as offensiue to modest eares and adding their corrections in the margent as though the holy Ghost had not knowne how to expresse his minde But these are pidling criticismes to the Cardinals animadversions With him mandates must be degrees of mandates and contra shall be praeter hee will haue a milder censure for veniall sinnes or the text shall stretch for it God saith plainly yea he saies expresly no. But if such chaffe hold out waight in the ballance of the Sanctuary what proofes may Scripture yeeld to convince heretiques or heretiques not pervert to maintaine their owne fancies The Arke and Dagon Christ and Belial Bethel and Bethaven may bee so vnited together Antiquity I am sure was little acquainted with such subtilities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who dares to tearme saith a Regul Brevior ad Interrog 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Interrog 293. Basil any fault little v◠vniversae nostrae iustitiae saith b Confess lib. 9. c. vlt. S. Augustine woe to our best works or righteousnesse if without Gods mercy they come to a scanning Every offence according to Gregory Nazianzen is the death of the soule clippeth it in the Latine Gregories opinion from soaring aloft And howsoever Bellarmines former shift may winde from these also yet his own men in reason should sit neerer to him Gerson de vita spirituali Anim. Lect. 1 a opposeth himselfe purposely against this absurd distinction of the Schoolemen Richardus seconds him Almaine thinkes no otherwise 2. Sent. dist 42. q. 6. Roffensis ioynes with them both Durand so proueth that every sinne in his owne nature is not only besides but against Gods Law that Caietane is faine to come with this old Catholicon simplicitèr Caietan in Aq. 1a 2◠q. 88. art 1. and secundum quid to helpe out Thomas his Master 1a. 2ae q 88. ar 1. and yet all will not serue To hasten to a more profitable vse Michael Baius not long sithence professor of Divinity in Lovaine acknowledgeth just so much that every sinne is mortall in its owne nature as we contend for And all the world may see that these Taske-masters can shew no other warrant for gathering this stubble of veniall sinnes in the sense they vrge it but only from the Romane Pharaoh to make bricke in Purgatory But this availes not in Gods Court Beloued and therefore our plea must be cleane altered For his thoughts are not our thoughts nor his waies our waies Esay 55.8 Behold saith Bildad in the Booke of Iob the Moone hath no light Chap. 25.5.6 and the Starres are vncleane in his sight and will a worme or a shadow a bottle in the smoake stand vp to try titles with him in judgement If thou Lord wilt be extreame Psal 130.3 to marke what is done amisse O Lord who may abide it That which vineger is to the teeth smoake to the eyes a carcasse-smell vnto the nose a naked dagger to the heart more is the smallest faultring of mortall man to the infinite iustice of Almighty God Never can there be the like antipathie or deadly feud betwixt the most hostile creatures that ever were created as betwixt the Author of all goodnesse Iude. 6. Gen. 3.24 Gen. 19.24 1. King 15.29 1. King 16.12 2. King 10.11 and this Divels brat sinne It crosseth his very nature and he must needs crush it it contemneth his prerogatiue and therefore may not be tolerated It threw the Angels out of heauen Adam out of Paradise burned Sodom disinherited Sauls posterity plagued David rooted out the whole families of Ieroboam Baasha and Ahab plucked at length the most beloued Son out of the bosome of his Father to dye ignominiously in the habit of a servant And yet such is our sensles stupidity and vngratefull perversnes we drinke iniquity like water and distaste it not acknowledge Gods heauy indignation against it and regard it not see the dungeon ready to receiue vs the scourges to torment vs the plagues to befall vs and yet by any manner of repentance shunne them not Who presumeth not on Gods mercy as though hee were not just and is not bolder to offend this King of Kings then the meanest neighbour or friend he hath what examples terrify vs or terrours effect or effects declare that wee incline not to the position of Davids foole Psalm 14.1 who hath said in his heart that there is no God After so long teaching and often hearing many threats and often punishments by famine pestilence waters remaine there not Chams amongst vs who dishonour their parents Ismaels that mocke Esaus that vow revenge against their fellow members and naturall brethren Ioabs to kisse and stab Absolons to flatter rebell Pharisees for outsides Sadduces for beliefe that rate at a messe of pottage their heauenly birth-right Iudas once sold his Master for thirty peeces of silver but we often part with him and commonly for halfe the mony What sophistications vse wee not to gild over and extenuate sinnes not only to poyson our selues but also to draw on others To be drunke and frequent lewd company is now to be sociable and Iovial swearing a note of resolution gulling of a good wit cheating of
over come for this is the price that our Saviour here proposeth to them that persevere to retaine their first loue O Lord thou art acquainted with our backslidings and seest the rubbes that are cast athwart vs Draw vs therefore wee beseech thee that we may follow thee turne our brawny hearts and wee shall bee converted that acknowledging our many imperfections and the necessity of reproouing them wee may shake off all worldly incumbrances to recouer imbrace our first loue through thee the best-beloved our only Saviour and Redeemer to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour and glory both now and for evermore Amen A CHRISTIANS FREE-WILL OFFERING AS IT WAS DELIVERED IN A SERMON ON Christmasse day at Christ-Church in Oxford By IOHN PRIDEAVX Doctor of Divinity Regius Professor and Rector of Exeter Colledge OXFORD Imprinted by LEONARD LICHFIELD Anno Salutis 1636. A CHRISTIANS FREE-WILL OFFERING AS IT WAS DELIVERED IN A SERMON ON Christmasse day at Christ-Church in Oxford PSALME 110.3 In the day of thy Power shall the people offer thee free-will Offerings with an holy worship the dew of thy birth is of the wombe of the Morning THis Psalme is an evident prophecy of our Saviour Christ our Sauiour himselfe so interpreting it Mat. 22. Marke 12. and Luke 20. Some Iewes would make it to bee Eliezers gratulation for his master Abrahams victory against the fiue Kings Gen. 14. Others Davids thankesgiuing for his escaping Saul setling in the kingdome But the wiser Rabbins referre it no otherwise then we doe to the Messias alone as Lyra on this Psalme noteth and that Calvin ever went about to wrest or apply it to David is a malicious slander of Hunnius and Gesner as Pareus sheweth at large in his second booke Calvini orthodoxi cap. 41. Now this Prophecy fore-describeth first the calling of the Messias to the office of the Mediatorship both Kingly and Priestly in the foure first verses and secondly the administration of his Kingly Office in the three following verses to the end of the Psalme His calling to this Kingly office is solemnized first by a Commission Secondly by a promise The Commission graceth him first with Title my Lord secondly with Peace Sit thou on my right hand The Promise assureth Him first of the crushing and trampling of his enemies vnder foot in the residue of the first verse Then of the generall spreading of the Gospell from whence and among whom verse 2. Lastly of the condition of the beleeuers who should be willing in their offrings holy in their worship innumerable for their multitude verse 3. The Priestly Office succeedeth confirmed first by an oath The Lord hath sworne and farther illustrated by the type of Melchisedech verse 4. on which the Author to the. Hebrewes at large commenteth chap. 7. To this the administration of his Kingly office is annexed and farther amplified first by the successefull onset The Lord shall wound Kings iudge the Heathen fill places with dead bodies smite in sunder the heads of divers Countries verse 5.6 Then by his triumphant victory in lifting vp the Head to raigne after he had passed the brooke of all tribulations and crosses with resolute expedition according to his Fathers appointment verse the last Thus we haue the generall view of the whole Psalme which according to Cassiodore is the absolute summe and comprisall of the Messias doings suffrings manifested at large in the Old New Testament Totum hic summatim dicitur quicquid in vtroque Testamento continetur so that this third verse falleth out to be a particular touch of the Beleeuers application the former exhibiting the Kings Due this the Subiects Duty In which may it please you to obserue the circumstances 1. Of the time In the day of thy Power 2. of the Persons amplified by their 1. Devotion The people shall offer thee free-will offerings with an holy Worship 2. Hidden increase and innumerable multitude The dew of thy Birth is of the Wombe of the Morning The first may bee referred to the solemnity of this Time the second may minde vs of our duties in celebrating this Times solemnity The third may rest as a comfort to the afflicted Church whose lot though it sometimes fall as a Lilly among Thornes Esay 1.8 or as a Lodge in a Garden of Cucumbers or as a besieged City Yet it will prooue at length to bee a goodly heritage through the good will of him that dwelt in the Bush Deut. 23.16 who shall water her Furrowes with the dew of heauen lead her forth by the rivers of comfort The points therefore I am to stand vpon may be reduced to these three heads 1. The Incarnation of Christ. 2. The duty of Christians 3. The hidden and fruitfull propagation of the Church of Christ Which may bee connected thus for our better memory and more ready practice The Sonne of God as vpon this day of his Power manifested himselfe in our flesh for our Redemption therefore let vs offer vnto him freewill-offerings with an holy worship that so amongst vs the multitude of the faithfull may increase as the numberlesse droppes of dew from the mornings wombe Of which high mysteries if my discourse come short as needs it must of your expectation I trust my knowne distractions in another kinde and small time allotted for a businesse of this consequence may be in stead of an apologie That which shall be now defectiue in mee may be made vp hereafter when God shall giue leaue by * him whose turne in a cafe of necessity I now supply Dr Godwin the Reverend Deane of Christ-Church For the present I shall bee forced from my wonted method of Doctrines and Vses to propose what I haue to say by way of explication and application which experience will reach a man to bee the readiest course though both in effect come to one First then of the Incarnation of Christ manifested to the world especially vpon this day and here foretold in generall in these words of my Text In the day of thy power 2. The exception that may here hee taken to the reading which is according to the most common Translation of our Church Bookes will prooue vpon scanning to bee nothing materiall The originall indeed hath it in this order as our last Translation sets it Thy people shall bee willing in the day of thy Power But no man I trust wil be so Criticall to put any great difference betwixt In the day of thy power shall thy people offer thee free will offrings and The people shall bee willing in the day of thy Power In the day of thy strength saith the vulgar of thy force and valour In die virtutis fortitudinis exercitus say Tremellius and Iunius Of the Assemblies say they of Geneva of the Armies saith Munster at such times as thou shalt bring thy bands and joyne battell as Vatablus Castalio and the Chaldy Paraphrase haue it All which the
of the Church by the seede of the Word Of which two things are here intimated first their secret increase as the Morning deaw which is found vpon the grasse though no vapour or cloud appeares from whence it hath discended and secondly their multitude which as the morning drops in euery age more multiply then man can take notice of The Spirit of God therefore never ceaseth from the propagating Christs Church though men neglect their duties and all the world oppose it And here I might take occasion to discourse how the Church is sometimes invisible and yet ever fruitfull sometimes personated by Hypocrites and yet springing still as the Corne among the Weeds in persecution flourishing in exile from one place entertayned ever in another knowne still to bee by her members but onely knowne to God how many the members be But I perceiue the time hath prevented me The application of the whole is This is the day of Christs power wherein we are to tender our free-will offerings prayers praise thankesgiuing vnto the Lord of Hostes in the beauties of holinesse now he cometh downe vnto vs as our Prophet speaketh like the raine into a fleece of wooll even as the droppes that water the earth Let vs conclude therefore with the end of that same 27. Psalme Blessed bee the Lord our God even the God of Israel which only doth wondrous things And blessed bee the name of his Maiesty for ever and let all the earth be filled with his Maiesty Amen Amen THE FIRST FRVITS OF THE RESVRRECTION A SERMON PREACHED ON EASTER DAY AT St PETERS in the East in Oxford By IOHN PRIDEAVX Doctor of Divinity Regius Professor and Rector of Exeter Colledge OXFORD Imprinted by LEONARD LICHFIELD Anno Salutis 1636. THE FIRST FRVITS OF THE RESVRRECTION 1. COR. 15.20 But now Christ is risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept THis day is this Scripture fulfilled in our eares B. and containeth the happiest tidings that ever was imparted to flesh and blood For fiducia Christianorum as Tertullian begins his booke de Resurrectione carnis is resurrectio mortuorum The chiefest string that Christians haue to their bow is their vndoubted perswasion that the dead shall rise againe This the truth saith he constraines vs to beleeue this truth is revealed in Gods Word this Revelation is no where exprest in shorter and plainer tearmes then in these words of the blessed Apostle which now I haue read vnto you I shall not need to wast time or suspend your patience with an over-logicall demonstration of the coherence with that which went before It may suffice by the way only to take notice of First the Apostles auditory Secondly his manner of proceeding His Auditors were the Corinthians great Critikes prone to factions and emulations standing much vpon their Philosophy and straines of subtilities whereby the Apostles plaine course of teaching was contemned as vulgar his person vnderualued his Followers esteemed weake and simple as his apology discouereth in the foure first chapters Besides this they had gotten a tricke to bolster out one another for what misdemeanour soever and to vndergoe rather the frowne of any forraine iurisdiction then quietly to haue matters composed among themselues chap. 5. and 6. And now could this chuse but draw on greater scandals as quarrelling about Virginity and marriage which should haue the preeminence chap. 7. Abuse of Christian liberty to the overthrow of their weaker brethren chap. 8. and 9. Irreverent behaviour both of men and women at Prayers Sermons and receiuing of the Sacraments chap. 10. and 11. Odious comparisons betweene Preachers and Linguists tongues and miracles miracles and other spirituall gifts as if any of these were our owne or if other vse then to edify one another from the beginning of the 12. to the end of the 14. chapter No marvaile then if in a Church so tainted some fell out of their presumptuous profanenesse to question also the Resurrection which how the Apostle here meets within this 15. chapter may be noted farther as a patterne for disputants in divinity to imitate For first hee comes not vpon them with Philosophicall Quiddities or apocryphall fragments to justify an article of such consequence Nay saith he I haue deliuered vnto you first of all that which I also haue receiued how that Iesus Christ died for our sinnes according to the Scriptures and that he was buried and that he rose againe the third day according to the Scriptures verse 3.4 The Scriptures therefore are the grounds foundation of Apostolike building And that according to the Scriptures all things came to passe hee bringeth in eye-witnesses verse 5.6 Cephas the Foreman and if his word would not bee taken an eleuen more of the same ranke to justify it And in case also that these should bee excepted against vpon a suspition of partiality there are ready fiue hundred brethren besides which all saw Christ at once after his Resurrection and divers were aliue at that time to witnesse it And least our Apostle might bee noted as too confident vpon heare-say last of all hee was seene of mee also saith hee as of one borne out of due time the last and the least but all comes to one for whether it be I or they so we preach and so yee beleeued But here the Corinthians might except admitting these proofes as strong for the Resurrection of Christ Doth it thereupon also follow that our bodies shall likewise bee raised Yes saith the blessed Apostle otherwise there were no avoiding of those prodigious absurdities preaching and faith should bee vaine the Apostles found false witnesses the liuing in their sinnes the dead perished Christians of all professions the most miserable Let a Scholler then gather the arguments and he shall finde the first fairely categoricall That which the Scripture hath expressedly delivered and so many eye-witnesses beyond exception are ready to avouch must needs bee true without contradiction and cannot bee denied without impiety But Scriptures and witnesses are cleare for Christs resurrection therefore that is an argument beyond all exception The second is Hypotheticall forcing a number of intolerable absurdities If Christians are not to rise againe by vertue of Christs Resurrection as Christ did then the Preaching of the Apostles is a foppery the faith of Christians vaine the forgiuenesse of their sinnes a fancy the hope of their dead a delusion their estate in this life beyond all others the most wretched but such inferences are no way to bee indured therefore it must be ever firmely held that not onely Christ rose againe but that Christians by vertue of his Resurrection are also to be raised Vncontroleable therefore is this minor proposition which the Apostle here assumeth But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept I could not passe along this goodly Field of Corne B. without plucking some eares which were eminent aboue the rest for where may a man
Resurrection of the Bodie with such a clause that after it had risen once and so flourished for certaine ages it should againe bee dissolued and brought to nothing but Epiphanius cleareth Origen for this burthening him with the flatte deniall of the Resurrection of the body In regard whereof Alphonsus will credit neither of the relators because their testimonies saith hee concerning Origen doe not agree As little heede is to bee giuen to the imputations of Guido Garmelitanus against the Arminians putting on them that they hold Christ rose vpon the Saturday which Alphonsus makes the fourth Heresie For who findes not by Fryer Waldensis and Widdiford against Wickliffe Peter Cluniacensis against the Petrobrusians Bernard of Lutzenburg and others against the Waldenses what small trust is to be giuen to such relators when the Authors cannot be had to speake for themselues Last of all there wanted not those who affirmed that in the Resurrection no women should bee found but all then should bee turned into men abusing that place of the Apostle Ephes 4.13 of the growing of al vnto a perfect man vnto the measure of the fulnesse of the stature of Christ But Saint Augustine elegantly refutes them Decivitate Dei lib. 22. cap. 17. interpreting man in that place to include as homo both sexes and wittily concluding out of the 22. of Matthew where our Saviour tells vs that in the Resurrection they neither marry nor are giuen in marriage erunt ergo qui vel nubere hîc solent vel ducere vxores sed ibi hoc non faciunt Therefore shall then saith he bee the parties which on earth were married or marriageable but there they shall bee freed as the Angels from any such relations of man and wife Now partly to giue some satisfaction to curious demanders but more I thinke out of their itching humours to make worke for their wit the Schoolemen haue presumed to define of the qualities of those that shall rise againe of their stature age place appearance crownes and coronets more then our Apostle after his returne from the third heauen ever thought fit to acquaint vs with To better purpose a great deale the Fathers presse this point Iustine Martyr Athenagoras Tertullian to cōvince the Gentiles Irenaeus Ephrem and Augustine to stop the mouthes of Heretikes Gregory Nissene Chrysostome Cyprian and Ambrose labour especially in a concionatory and Paraeneticall kinde of straine wherein they were excellent to settle the conscience perswade the will and strongly to worke vpon the affection Saint Hierome binds himselfe against the particular errours of Iohn Bishop of Ierusalem Damascen the Greeke master of the sentences is full of collections out of the Ancients Lactantius Prudentius Hilarie and Paulinus tooke a delight to hallow their divine straine in Poetrie with so sacred a subject Sedulius though it not enough to intitle the memorable Story of the Bible which he had comprised in verse in foure bookes O pus Baschale Easter worke but needes hee must repeate the same againe in prose vnder the same title which the last Bibliotheca Patrum hath now also taken in from the Library of Peter Pithaeus The time allotted will scarce giue leaue to point but at the scope of each of them They never thought this doctrine of the Resurrection enough repeated or sufficiently taught or learned Their Philosophicall answeres out of the grounds of the Physickes to shew the possibilitie of it their reasons borrowed from the Ethickes to proue how it stands with conveniency and iustice and their excellent similitudes of the Phoenix corne corne the rifing of the Sunne after his setting and the like to illustrate the same are testimonies of their extraordinary learning paynes and piety and patternes for vs to follow in the due consideration of so Sacred a Mystery 11. But alas B. our thoughts for the most part are taken vp with other matters the commonnesse of this great treasure maketh vs all to vnder-value it wee can talke of it vpon occasion acknowledge it to bee an especiall Article of our Creede brand with the deserued note of Infidell him that in any sort should question it and yet come too short God wot in the due esteeme of our Saviours conquest of death the primarie and meritorious cause of it or of the vertue of the first fruits whereby the whole masse is hallowed or the happy condition of those who are not dead but sleepe and reposed in their graues as in a bed at the voyce of the last Trumpe to awake againe Surely our Apostle accounted all things but drosse and dung in regard of this Knowledge of Christ and the power of his Resurrection Philipp 3.10 But our aversnesse and neglect is such in this behalfe that I feare me such spiritual themes are least studied vpon and the Apostles price of this knowledge amongst the wittes of this age held somewhat too deare The consideration of our Forefathers devotion should set an edge on our dulnesse Good God! what adoe there was betweene the East Church and the West about the precise time of this solemnitie All were for the thing but the emulation was about the time who in every circumstance should be most exact Pope Victor and his adherents were for the Sunday in regard that it was the day of the weeke that our Lord rose from the dead Polycarpus and those of the East Church tyed themselues to the time of the Iewish Passeouer which might fall vpon any day of the weeke besides These pretended traditions from Iames and Iohn the other from Saint Peter and Saint Paul And when Irenaeus and other good men that interposed were not able to take vp the matter the Councell of Nice became so farre Vmpyre for the Sunday as wee finde related by Athanasius and Eusebius and Constantine the Emperour so strongly backed it with his Imperiall letter which is yet to shew in Socrates and Theodoret that the not-conforming to the Councels ordering in that behalfe was made abranch of the Quarto-desimanian heresie How justly this was done and vpon what grounds I censure not those that desire to bee farther informed in the point may read what Hospinian de origine Festorum Bellarmine in his 3d booke de cultu Sanctorum cap. 12. Morney in the beginning of his booke of the mysterie of iniquity haue gathered out of the Ancients only I may not omit that which a Reuerend Bishop of our Church hath farther obserued Should wee esteeme so highly of every Lords day that it may not be prophaned or because it is de iure divino by the Church altered And should Easter day which containeth the ground of the change from the Iewish Sabbath to our Sunday the archetype as he calls it or the prototype of all Sundaies in the yeere bee in any sort scanted of its due celebration What should I speake of the Cycli Paschales or the golden number sent by the Alexandrians to the Romans as a rare invention in golden letters for a directiue
merality in this shortest peece of my Text for this ingenious simplicity in Christian conversation then may bee met with in most Libraries of other voluminous Authors For marke I beseech you as the Text leadeth 1. he spareth not his owne person but vpon consciousnes that he had gone too farre I 2. He stands not vpon his abilities but prosesseth he might be in an error as well as other men I wist not 3. He complies with those that justly reproued him and louingly bespeaks them though he knew them to be his mortall enemies I wist not Brethren 4. He balkes not the flaw they taxed him for but comes home to giue them satisfaction I wist not Brethren that hee was the High Priest Whence we may distinctly gather that 1. Impartiality in first censuring our selues 2. Humility in not standing vpon but acknowledging our fayling disabilities 3. A fayre and Christian-like carriage to them that meane vs no good especially when they tell vs right 4. A full disclaiming the very thing without any shifts or tergiversations wherein we are delinquents are the foure branches of this ingenuous simplicity here practized by our Apostle and effectually put in vse by vs would make all our actions more pleasing to God and reviue that Christian charity which should bee more heartily amongst our selues A world of matter is here offered Beloued if I should stand to amplifie vpon all these severalls But I consider to whom I speake where a touch sufficeth For the first It is the Divels title to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ap. 12. an Ochel cartzo as the Syriac hath it a Spreader of calumnies vpon which hee feeds But Iustus prior est accusator sui A just ingenious man Prov. 18.17 will sooner acknowledge his fault then his eager Adversary shall take notice of it Prov. 18.17 Or if that rendring of the vulgar be excepted against as I thinke it may justly I am sure our Saviours rule will not fayle Math. 7. Thou Hypocrite first cast out the beame of thine owne eye and then shalt thou see cleerely to cast out the mote of thy brothers eye Est quidem huius dulcedo vitij saith Calvin vt neminem ferè non titillet cupiditas in aliena vitia inquirenda Most men as it were make a practise and take a pleasure in it to finde a hole in another mans coat but our best way is to judge our selues as our Church booke exhorts vs that we be not iudged of the Lord. So David I said it was mine owne infirmity so foolish was I and as it were a beast before thee I said in my hast all men are lyers Which hastinesse our Apostle here excuseth not in himselfe but exposes his reputation to the censure of those which tooke exceptions against him that God might be glorified and men though his enimies receaue meet satisfaction Where his humility is most eminent in the second circumstance It is a noted humour especially amongst Schollers that qui vult ingenio cedere nu llus erit to bee taxed for loytering couetousnesse luxurie pride ambition dissembling faction intrusion into matters that belong not vnto vs or the like are gnats amongst the most of vs easily to be swallowed or brusht away with these put offs or the like 't is the fashion of the world our betters doe it and 't were pride or Stoicisme in vs to be singular But when once our parts discretion or learning shall bee called in question when our ignorance is laid open before vs and mistakes and errours must come to bee recanted how loath are wee with S. Augustine to write retractatiōs or to be brought to this our Apostle's I wist not Brethren Nay wee shall hardly terme them Brethren that presse vs to any such exigent The more therefore is to bee marked the third peece of our Apostles ingenuitie There is a kinde of Christian and winning complement which insensibly makes much for the abating of exasperations amongst enemies and the establishing of the Saints Communion amongst Christian societies For it is not Courtship onely but Christianity to giue faire language to all men in their places provided alwaies that a heart and a heart by double dealing doe not marre the harmonie Gen. 19. So Lot called the Sodomites brethren when they came to force his house and abuse his guests Our Saviour vouchsafed Iudas the Traytor the title of friend Mat. 26. A soft answere saith the wise man turneth away wrath Prov. 15.1 but grieuous words stir vp anger What an excellent vse doth Abraham make of this one word Brethren here vsed by our Apostle Let there bee no strife saith he to Lot J pray thee betweene thee and me and betweene thy herdsmen and my herdsmen for we are Brethren Surely Abrahams Logicke a Father of learning as well as of the faithfull would here haue fayled him if this argument might not haue passed for currant Brethren must haue no strife betweene them Wee are Brethren ergo there should be no strife betweene vs. To put a period to some vsuall and scandalous Ianglings that much distracted the new converted Corinthians our Apostle takes vp the same medium with a kinde of indignation I speake this to your shame is it so 1. Cor. 6.5 that there is not a wise man amongst you not one that shall be able to iudge betweene his brethren but a brother goeth to law with a brother Now therefore there is vtterly a fault amongst you why doe you not rather take wrong why doe you not rather suffer your selues to be defrauded Nay you doe wrong and defraud and that your Brethren These are all the Apostles words and his practise here seconds it in the fourth place He knew well enough that there might be a question whether that this Ananias were truely high Priest or no Iosephus leaues it wonderfull ambiguous and others plainely deny it but S. Paul found him here in the place he knewe whatsoeuer the person were the dignity was not to bee vilified Jt was not then a time to dispute the right but to giue example of syncere obedience due to Superiors 6. This he did then and this now all inferiours should doe But alas Beloued selfe loue puts vs all in these times out of this best course we can hardly be brought to acknowledge that we are or haue ever beene in fault wee stand so much vpon our policies learning and abilities that our Apostles ingenious I wist not is thought a disparagement in these daies There is little respect had to Brethren in the violence of our passions Prince or high Priest or whatsoeuer Superior shall not scape our lash if they once crosse our humours or doe not as we would haue them It hath beene thought by the religiously iudicious heretofore that plaine honesty was the best policy plaine dealing the greatest credit plaine apparell the best weed plaine and constant fare the best dyet plaine falling vpon the point the best oratory and