that according to the multitude of his rich mercies hee would pardon all our old sinnes and then put into our mouth a new song that as the seruice is holie the time holie the place holie so we likewise the persons holie who sing Holy holy holy c. Deus faciat tâ—m commodum quà m Ecclesia fecit accommodum Our fathers in this imitated the learned Hebrew Doctors inioyning that this verse should be said at the beginning of euery prayer in tractatu Berachoth that is their Liturgie being the first part of the Talmud as Pet. Galatinus lib. 1. cap. 5. do Arcanis Saxtus Seneâ—sis Bibliothec. lib. 2 pag. 121. My lips A part for the whole sufficient abilitie to praise God Ex abundantâ—a cordis os loquitur He doth intreate God then as before for a cleane hart and a right spirit that his old ioyes of conscience may bee renued and all the whole man throughly repaired a good desire to begin a ready will to continue a constant resolution to end in Gods holie seruice The key of the mouth ought not to stand in the doore of the lippes but to be kept in the cabinet of the minde For the heart of fooles is in their mouth but the mouth of the wise is in their heart Dauid therefore doth desire first a new soule then a new soâ—g The tongue is ambassadour of the minde as often as we speake without meditation before so often the messenger runneth without his errand And idle words are not little sinnes of which one day wee shall giue great account The mind then and the mouth must goe together in ciuill communication hee that will not speake idlely must thinke what he speakes and he that will not speake falsely must speake what he thinks In holy deuotion God must be praised vpon wâ—ll tuned Cymbals and loud Cymbals in his quier first tune well a prepared heart then â—ound well a cheerfull tongue like the pen of a ready writer Albeit mentall praier at sometime and in some place be sufficient yet vocall in Gods publike worship is necessary to stir vp and blow the coales of zeale both in our selues and others Open lips in open seruice Why 3. part That my mouth may shew thy praise That as of thee and through thee and for thee are all things so to thee may be praisâ— for euermore See Pater Noster God is of himselfe and in himselfe so great so good as that we cannot any way detract or adde to his glory Nec â—elior si 〈◊〉 nec deterior si vituperaueriâ— I answere though we cannot make Gods praise greater in it selfè yet we may make it sâ—eme greater vnto other it is our duâ—ie to sheâ—forth his praise in all our words and actions too for albeit we cannot make a new God and a new Christ as the Papists dâ—e yet oâ—r good example and gratious speech may make lâ—tâ—le Christ a greaâ— Christ occasion all those with whom we conuerse to magnifie the Lord now who little regarded him before See the 〈◊〉 This annunciation of praise consists of often repetition and particular enumeration of Gods especiall goodnesse towards vs. Augustine therefore doth glosse the text thus Laâ—dem tuam quâ—a creatus sâ—m Laudâ—m tâ—am quia vt consiâ—erer iam monitus sum Laâ—dem tuam quia peccans non derelictus sum Laudem tuam quia vt securâ—s essem mundatus sum Hugo câ—mprehends all which concernes vs all in foure words God is to be praised qui Creator 〈◊〉 esse Conseruator in esse Recreator in 〈…〉 Glorificator in optimo esse qui non reddit Deo faciendo quod debet reddet ei patiendo quod debet The whole text doth teach all men generally the language of Canaâ—n that is what and how to speake that their moutâ— may glorifie God and edifie their brethren Especiallâ— Pastors to minister a word in time to the weary so to tune their notes as that they may be like apples of gold 〈…〉 of â—iluer In all their sermons to preach Iesus for Iesus hunting not after their owne but his glory Lord open my lips that my mouth may shew not My praise but Thy praise saith Dauid Gloria Patri THis Hymne is of good credit and great antiquity Ramus acknowledgeth ingenuously both It is a paraphrastticall exposition of that excellent speâ—ch Rom. 11. 36. Of him and through him and for him are all things to him be glory for euer Amen vsed in the Church to manifest our sound iudgement in matter of doctrine concerning the sacred Trinitie We must saith Basil as we haue receiued euen so baptize and as we baptize euen so beleeue and as we belieue euen so giue glory Baptizing we vse the name of the Father of the Sonne of the holy Ghost confessing the Christian faith we declare our beliefe in the Father and in the Sonne and in the holy Ghost ascribing glory to God we giue it to the Father and to the Sonne and to the holie Ghost And howsoeuer Anabaptisticall Antipodes out of their ambitious humour to contradict all other and heare themselues only speak would haue thrust out of the Church all solemne set formes of holy seruice yet Gloria Patri stands still and like a true Martyr doth shew the greatest counteuance in lowest estate For antiquitie such as looke lowest affirme that it was ordained first by Damasus ann Dom. 376. Others that it was enacted in that famous Councell of Nice consisting of 318. Bishops vnder Constantine the Great an 320. â—aebadius in lib. aduersus Arrian insinuates that it was vsed in the Church long before The curious in this point may further examine Bellarmine and that Oxenford of learning Master Richard Hooker Venite exultemus Domino IT is euident not only by Church history but also by the Scripture that Psalmes haue alwaies taken vp a great roome in diuine seruice Mat. 26. 30. 1. Cor. 14. When you come together as euery one of you hath a Psalme Let not any then wonder at our often Psalmodie both after and before the word expounded and read and sometime interlaced betweene both A custome continued in all other reformed Churches of Scotland France Flanders c. Aboue all other Psalmes our Church hath fitly chosen this as a whetstone to set an edge vpon our deuotions at the very beginning of publike praiers in the Temple teaching plainly for what matter and after what maner it behoueth vs to serue God in his Sanctuary For it consists of two parts 1. An exhortation to praise God in the 1. 2. 6. verses 2. An allegation of causes why we should doe this and they bee taken either from his Mercies In generall for creating and ruling the whole world 3. 4. 5. In particular for electing his Church 7. IudgemeÌ„ts in the 8. 9. 10. 11. setting before their eies a
faith Other Confessions as the Nicene and Athanasian are receiued of the Church not as new but rather as expositions of this old For as the foure Gospels are indeed but one Gospell so the three Creeds are in substance but one Creed And therefore I thought good in my passage thorow the whole Seruice booke to touch vpon it a little giuing you rather a briefe resolution then a full absolution thereof Obserue then in it the Title The Creed of the Apostles Text I belieue in God c. In the title note the Worke Creed Authors Apostles It is called in English Creed of the first word Credo as the Pater Noster is of the two formost words Our Father in other languages Symbolum the which hath three significations 1. A shot 2. A badge 3. A ring A shot because euery particular Apostle conferred his particular article to this spiritual banquet at least the whole doth arise out of their common writings 2. A badge For as a souldier is knowne in the field by his colours and coate to what Captaine he doth belong so the Christian is distinguished by this Creed from all vnbeleeuers and misbeleeuers In token hereof by good order of the Church wee stand vp at the Creed openly to manifest our faith and allegiance to Christ Iesus our Generall 3. A ring The mettall whereof is digged out of the rich mines of the Bible refined with the fire of Gods holie spirit and accurately framed by the blessed Apostles It is the very wedding ring wherewith the Minister in our Baptisme married vs vnto Christ when as in the publike congregation Christ for his part solemnely protested by the mouth of his Minister that he would be our God and we likewise vowed for our part by Godfathers and Godmothers that wee would bee his people The Creede then ought to be respected as the signet on our right hand and as the mariage Ring on our Loues finger Now for the authors it is said to be the Apostles as some thinke made by themselues after they had receiued the holy Ghost and that before they departed out of Ierusalem to preach the Gospell vnto all nations Anno Christi 44. Imperatoris Claudij 2. Iulij 15. Other that it is the Apostles as being consonant to their doctrine their 's for the matter but not for the manner All agree that it is the Gospels abrigement which Christ taught his Apostles the Apostles the Church and the Church hath deliuered vnto vs in all ages and therefore though it be not the scripture of God yet it is the word and truth of God of greater authoritie then other Ecclesiasticall traditions whether they be Confessions of particular Churches or writings of priuate men The Text. The text hath two parts Articles Assent Amen Articulus ab arctando Passiue quia quiddam est arctatum in se. Actiue quia alios arctat ad credenduÌ„ In the profession or whole bodie of articles two points are remarkable The Act Obiect of faith Act I beleeue Where note the Personalitie I. Formalitie of faith beleeue in Howsoeuer one must pray for another saying Our Father yet euery one must beleeue for himselfe I beleeue Habacuck 2. 4. See Gospell on S. Thomas day Formalitie Beleeue in For as Augustine and Lombard teach there is great difference betweene Credere deum to beleeue there is a God Credere deo to beleeue God Credere in deum to beleeue in God Multi mali many bad men yea the Diuell himselfe doth beleeue that there is a God but a Christian ought to beleeue in God that is Credendo amare credendo in eum ire credendo ei adhaerere Confessing God to be his God in whom he puts all his trust and confidence manifesting his faith in deedes as well as in words according to that of Irenaeus To beleeue is to doe as God will The matter or obiect of the Creede concerneth God Essentially in Name God Attributes Almighty Maker of heaueÌ„ and earth Personally Father Sonne Holy Ghost Church Concerning the name Augustine saith it is impossible that foure letters and two syllables Deus should containe him whom the heauen of heauens could not containe Dei nomen mirabile nomen super omne nomen sed sine nomâ—â—e For if all the land were paper and all the water inkeâ— euery plant a pen and euery other creature a readie writer yet they could not set downe the least peece of his great greatnes De Deo cum dicitur non potest dici No name can expresse his nature fully yet he doth vouchsafe to be praised in our words and by our mouthes or rather indeed by his owne words and owne spirit for he must be called and called vpon as he hath reuealed himself in Scripture where hee is knowne by the name Iehoua or God and therefore this name is not properly communicable to any creature though analogically giuen to many In God Not gods as the Nicene Creed in one God For God as Bernard said is vnissimus the most one si non est vnus non est either one or none Attributes Almightie Maker of Heauen Earth God is able to doe whatsoeuer he will and more then hee will too more by his absolute power then hee will by his actuall Matth. 3. 9. â—6 53. He can neither lie nor die Dicitur enim omnipotens faciendo quod vult non patiendo quod non vult Creator His almightines doth proue that he is God and the creation of the world that he is almighty Ierem. 10. 11. Let any make a world saith Augustine and hee shall bee God Angels men and diuels can make and vnmake some things but they cannot make them otherwise then of some kinde of matter which was before neither can they vnmake them but by changing them into some other thing which remaineth after Only God made all things of nothing and can at his good pleasure bring them againe to nothing Nothing but nothing had this Lord almightie whereof wherewith whereby to build this Citie Of heauen and earth And all that therein is Exod. 20. 11. Heauen is threefold where Soules are the glorious or heauen of heauens 1. Kings 18. 27. Fowles are the airy heaueÌ„ Gen. 1. 30. Stars are the firmament Gen. 1. 17. Earth containeth land and sea Psal. 24. 1. Nam omnipotens van eademque manus dei creaâ—â—t in coelo angelos in terra vermiculos non superior in illis non inferior in ist is Thus as one said almightie God is knowne ex postico tergo licâ—et non ex antica facie by his effects ad extra though not in his essence ad intra Seculum est speculum The creation of the world is a glasse wherein saith S. Paul wee may behold Gods eternall power and Maiestie which the diuine Poet paraphrastically The
name Catholike my surname So Rome was England is a Catholike Church But it properly signifieth vniuersall as here because extended to all places and all times and all persons not only those who are now liuing but also those who haue been from the beginning and shall be to the end of the world So that to say the Roman Catholike Church is like the by-word of Kent and Christendome all one as to say the particular or the speciall generall Church From this naturall acception ariseth that other borowed as in the Creed of Athanasius Haec est fides Catholica that is quod vbique quod semper quod ab omnibus creditum est The Catholike faith is that which is taught all men Matth. 28. 19. Mark 16. 15. in all places Rom. 10. 18. at all times 2. Cor. 1. 19. And Psal. 119. Thy word O Lord indureth for euer and thy truth also from generation to generation Fides est vides in vs quae non vides an euidence of things not euident So that the Church we must beleeue is Catholike not sensible subiect to view but inuisible an object of faith Communion of Saints The Churches third propertie which expoundeth the two former I beleeue the Catholike Church to wit the communion of Saints If a communion then Catholike if Saints then holy This communion hath two parts fellowship Of the members with the head because euery Christian hath interest in all the benefits of Christ who is not a garden flower priuate for a few but the Rose of the field common to all and therefore S. Iude calles his grace the Common saluation Of the meÌ„bers one with another and it is either of the Liuing with the liuing Dead with the liuing As in the naturall body so in the Church Christs mysticall body there is a peâ—petuall sympathie betwen ethe parts if one member suffer all suffer with it if one be had in honour all reioice with it Martin Luther said well and wittâ—â—y that a Christian is a freeman and bound vnto none And againe that he is a diligent seruant and vassall vnto all Vere vir omnium hâ—rarum omnium operum omnium personarura becoming all things vnto all men that he may winne them vnto Christ. As that Antichristian in stile so the Christian is in deed Serâ—us seruorum Dei There is a knot of fellowship also betweene the dead Saints and the liuing They pray to God for our good in generall and we praise God for their good in particular I say we praise God in his Saints particularly for giuing Mary Peter Paul such eminent graces on earth and now such vnspeakable glory in heauen In affection and heart we conuerse with them alway desiring to be dissolued and to be with Christ. Remission of sinnes All of vs are borne in sinne orius damnati quam nati saith Bernard and after increasing we grow from euill to worse vntill our sinnes are remitted by Gods grace conueied vnto vs in the Church by his holy word and Sacraments it is a remission not a satisfaction a worke not of our merit but of Gods mercy who beholding vs in Christ reputes our sinnes as no sinnes I haue put away thy transgressioÌ„s as a cloud thy sins as a mist so remitted as if they neuer were committed Agaus Dâ—i qui tollit peccata mundi dimittendo quae facta sunt adiuuando ne fiant perducendo ad vitam vbi emnino fieri non possunt Sinnes in the plurall be they neuer so many for quantitie neuer so grieuous for qualitie Say not with Caiâ—e My sinne is greater then can be pardoned but with Paul All things worke for the best vnto them who loue God Remember saith Luther the speech of God to Rebecca Maior seruiet minori The greater shall serue the lesser Our spirituall enemies are stronger and our sinnes are greater then we yet they shall serue for our good the greater shall serue the lesser I beleeue the râ—mission of sinnes A very great benefit because this pardon is our soules life Where the wages of sin is death of Bodie which is the temporall Soule which is the â—â—â—rituall Body soule which is eternall death See the Epistle Dom. 7. post Trinit Resurrection of the bodie The whole Creed in grosse and euery parcell argueth a resuâ—rection as Erasmus aptly This one article is the Basis of all the rest for if there be a God almightie then hee is iust and if iust then another reckoning in another world where good men shall be rewarded and euill condignely punished If a Iesus Christ who is our Sauiour then hee must dissolue the workes of Satan which are sinne and death if an holy Ghost then all his hallowed temples who did glorifie him heere shall bee glorified of him hereafter If a Church which is holy then a remission of sinnes a resurrection of the bodie a life euerlasting that all such as haue been subiects in his kingdome of grace may likewise bee Saints in his kingdome of glory for as God is principium effectiuum in creatione refectiuum in redemptione so perfectiuum in retributione Life euerlasting The chiefe good and last end which we gaine by being in the Church All men on earth haue life but not euerlasting the damned in hell endure that which is euerlasting yet not a life but an eternall death as being perpetually tied vnto torments enforced euer to suffer that they would not neither can they doe any thing that they would only the Church elected by the Father redeemed by the Sonne sanctified by the holy Ghost shall enioy life euerlasting not by purchase or inheritance but by donation and franke almaine The spirituall hand which apprehends this deede of gift is faith and therefore begin well with I beleeue in God and continue well in being a member of his Holy Catholike Church and thou shalt be sure to end well with euerlasting life Amen Our assent to the Creed signifying hereby that all which we haue said is true and certaine O Lord increase our faith Ruth 2. 4. THe Nouelists haue censured this and other like Suffrages as short cuts or shreddings rather wishes then prayers A rude speech which sauoureth of the shop more then of the schoole for our Church imitated herein the meeke Publicane O God be mercifull to me a sinner and the good womaÌ„ of Cannan Haue mercie on me O Lord and deuout Bartiâ—â—us O sonne of Dauid take pitie on me These short shreddings and lists are of more value then their Northren broad cloath the which as wee see shrinkes in the wetting whereas our ancient custome hath continued in the Church aboue 1200 yeeres for Augustine writes epist. 121 that the ChristiaÌ„s of Egypt vsed in their Liturgy many prayers euery one of theÌ„ being very short raptim quodammodo
world is a schoole where in a generall storie God alwaies reades dumbe lectures of his glorie Plato called it Gods epistle the renowned Hermite Antonius a booke wherein euery simple man who cannot reade may notwithstanding spell that there is a God It is the Shepheards Kalender and the Ploughmans Alphabet This appertaineth essentially and generally to the whole Trinitie for the Father is not onely Creator and Almightie but the Sonne and holy Ghost The creation in the masse of the matter is attributed to God the Father in the disposition of the forme to God the Sonne in the preseruation of both to God the holy Ghost It is said of God personally Father Sonne Holy Ghost The Father is the first not in any prioritie of nature or honour or time but order or as the schoole Prioritate originis according to that of Athanasius in his Creed The Father is of none the Sonne is of the Father alone the holy Ghost of both I will send saith Christ from the Father euen the Spirit of truth Ego mittam à Patre spiritum Ostendens quòd pater est totius diuinitatis vel si mâ—lius dicitur deitatis principium Adore simply rather then explore subtilly this ineffable mysterie Scrutari temeritas est credere pietas est nosse vitaest Bernard de considerat ad Eugenium lib. 5. He is father of Christ by nature singulariter Good men by adoption specialiter All men and all things by creation generaliter as y â— worke is appropriated vnto him in regard of his power And in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord. That which concerneth the second person is more largely set downe then all the rest teaching vs hereby that as we should respect other doctrine so this in more speciall sort as being the center of all the Creed and Scriptures circumference 1. Cor. 2. 2. This person is described by his Titles 1. Iesus 2. Christ. 3. His onely Sonne 4. Our Lord. Estate of Humiliation Incarnation Passion Exaltation 1. Iesus is his proper name giuen him by the Angell Other if any haue the very name were typicall Sauiours only Iesus Naue the figure of Christ as a King Iesus Sydracke the figure of Christ as a Prophet Iesus Iosedecke the figure of Christ as a Priest Augustine Eusebius and generally all expositors vpon the 3. of Zucharie This sweet name containes in it a thousand treasuries of good things in delight whereof S. Paul vseth it fiue hundred times in his Epistles as Genebrardus obserueth 2. Christ His appellatiue title of office and dignitie Concerning these two titles Iesus and Christ see the Gospell Dom. 1. post Natiuit 3. His only Sonne which implieth that he is God Iohn 1. 1. A distinct person from the Father Mat. 28. 19. God because he is a son not as other by fauor but by nature whatsoeuer the Son receiueth of y e Father he receiueth it by nature not by grace he receiueth not as other apart but all that the Father hath sauing the personall proprietie Only sonne Called the first begotten in respect of his mother and humane nature onely begotten in respect of his Father and diuine nature For the holy Spirit is not begotten but proceeds as the Scripture doth distinguish Nasci est à potentia intelligente quia filius cogitatione nascitur est â—mago patris at procedere est à voluntate quia spiritus sanctus est amor c. I belieue Lord helpe mine vnbeliefe The coniunction And prooueth that the Sonne is equall with the Father as concerning his Godhead and yet a distinct person Alius personaliter nowaliud essentialiter I beleeue in God the Father And in Iesus Christ. Our Lord as our Creator Redeemer Gouernor as head of the Church Eph. 4. 5. Suetonius obserueth that Augustus refused the name of Lord. Orosius notes that it was at that time when Christ was borne that all Lordship might be giuen vnto him See Epistle Dom. 17. post Trinit Christs incarnation is Israels consolation for all sound comfort stands in happinesse all happinesse in fellowship with God all fellowship with God is by Christ who for this cause being very God became very man that he might reconcile God to man and man to God he became little that we might be great the Sonne of man that we might be the sonnes of God His incarnation hath two parts Conception Birth Conceiued by the holy Ghost Works of power are attributed to the Father of wisdome to the Sonne of loue to the holy Ghost Wherefore because this was a worke of highest loue in God toward mankind it is ascribed especially to the holy Spirit Luke 1. 35. The holy Ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of the most high shall ouershadow thee Signifying hereby that this mystery cannot be seene cleerely therefore not to be examined curiously S. Augustine calles it a sweet coniunction where speech is husband and eare wife Meaning that as soone as the blessed Virgin assented to the Angels message she conceiued Birth I make Christs incarnation a part of his humiliation because there can be no greater abasement then that hee who thundred in the cloudes should cry in the cradle swadled in a few ragges whom the heauen of heauens could not containe that the eternall Word should become an infant that he who was the father of Mary should be now the sonne of Mary The Scripture tels vs how man comes foure waies into the world 1. By the helpe of man and woman as all are vsuallie borne 2. Without any man or woman and so the first man was created 3. Of a man without a woman and so was Eua made 4. Of a woman without a man and so was Christ borne Of the Virgin Mary Where the mother of Christ is described by her Name Mary Surname Virgin The new Iesuits and old Friers haue many wonderfull extrauagant conceits of this name let it suffice that it is added in the Gospell and Creed to shew that Christ came of the linage of Dauid and that therefore he was the true Messias as God had promised and prophecied by the mouthes of all his holy seruants Virgin A perpetuall Virgin Before In After Christs birth Before his birth against 1. Iewes 2. Gentiles 3. Cerinthians Vnto the first we say with Cyril Pariet Aaronis virga sine semine non pariet virgo sine semine aut vtrumque negate aut vtrumque concedite Against the second we haue Ficta Qui enim è Iouis cerebro Mineruam ex eiusdem femore Bacchum falsò prognatum esse fabulamini quomodo ex vtero virginali Christum nasci dicitis impossibile Facta Quoniam animalia multa sine commistione generantur And Plutarch in the life of Numa spake like an Angell Incredibilo non est vt
spiritus Dei cum muliere coeat eique sobolis quaedam principia ingoneret 3. The Cerinthians Ebionits and Carpocratian Heretikes held that Christ was the naturall sonne of Ioseph verus merus hâ—mâ— Contrary to text Mat. 1. 25. Luk. 3. 23. See the Gospell Dom. 1. post Epiphan In his birth against Iouinian Durandus Vnto these that of Esay 7 is opposed Ecce 〈…〉 pariet filium The which words are to be construed in censu composito non diuiso scilicet integra permanâ—eâ—â— conceptura paritura nam quale signum vel prodigium esset vt quae fuit virgo conciperet corrupta pareret Hic si ratio quaeritur non erit mirabile Si poscitur exemplum non erit singulare Demus Deum aliquid posse quod nos fateamur inuestigare non posse Fides adsit nulla quaestio remanebit See the Gospell of the purification After his birth against the Old Heluidians New Antidicomarianits holding it a point of zeale to disgrace this holy Virgin whereas it is our dutie rather highly to reuerence her as being the Mother of our Lord a Prophetesse on earth a Saint in heauen as the Fathers vsually the window of heauen through which it pleased the light of the world to illuminate such as fit in darknesse and in the shadow of death Of such estimation in the Church that whereas the first generall Councell was assembled against Arrius to maintaine the honour of the Sonne and so by consequence of the Father The second against Macedonius to maintaine the honour of the holy Ghost The third was assembled against Nestorius to maintaine the dignitie of the blessed Virgin And therefore let not vs giue her too little though the Papists haue giuen her too much See Gospell on the Annunciation Passion Christs passion is set downe First summarily Suffered vnder Pontius Pilat Then particularly Crucified Dead Buried All which our Sauiour did not endure for himselfe but for vs. He was wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities In me pro me doluit qui pro se nihil habuit quod doleret O Domine Iesu doles non tua sed vâ—laera mea He suffered for vs leauing vs an example that his passion might deliuer vs from sinne and his actions direct vs to vertue teaching patience humilitie obedience charitie Greater patience cannot bee found then for the author of life to suffer an ignominious death iniustly no greater humilitie then for the Lord of all Lords to submit himselfe to be crucified among theeues nor greater obedience then to be willing rather to die then not to fulfill the commandement of his Father nor greater charitie then to lose his life to saue his enemies For loue is more shewed in deedes then in words and more in suffering then in doing See Gospell on Sunday before Easter and Epistle 2. Sunday after Easter Nos immortalitate malè vsi sumus vt moreremur Christus mortalitate bene vsus vt viueremus Exaltation Note the Creeds order answerable to the Scripture For Christ first suffered and then entred into glorie Teaching vs hereby that we must first beare with him the Crosse before wee can weare with him the Crowne Christianus as Luther said is Crucianus As a lilie among the thornes so is my loue among the daughters Cant. 2. 2. Christs exaltation hath foure parts his 1. Triumph in hell 2. Resurrection 3. Ascension 4. Session I make Christs descending into hell a part of his aduancement rather then abasement because this generall Creed of the whole Church and the particular confession of our Church make it a distinct article following Christs Suffering Death Buriall and therfore cannot aptly be construed of his agonie in the garden before his death nor of his tortures on the Crosse at his death nor yet of his buriall after his death Ergo Credendum est Christum ad inferos in genere credibile ad inferos damnatorum in specie triumphandi gratia secundùm animans realiter localiter descendisse That as hee did ouercome the world on earth and death in the graue so likewise he did triumph ouer Satan in the courts of hell his owne kingdome For my owne part I rest my self in the iudgement of the Church wherein I liue and hold it enough to beleeue that Christ did so much and suffered so much as was sufficient for all efficient for me praying with the Greeke Fathers in their Liturgie By thine vnknowne sorrowes and sufferings felt by thee but not distinctly manifest to vs haue mercie on vs and saue vs. O gracelesse peeuishnes we scantly follow Christ to heauen albeit wee beleeue that he went for vs into hell Christs resurrection is the locke and key of all our Christian religion and faith on which all other articles hang. See the Gospell on S. Thomas and Easter day In Christs ascension 3. points obseruable Place Mount Oliuet Time When hee had taught his Disciples and while they beheld him Manner A cloud tooke him vp out of their sight Act 1. 9. See the Epistle for Ascension day Christs Session is set foorth by the Place Heauen that is Heauen of heauen Effect Comming to Iudgement To iudge the quick the dead Spiritually The good which liue with the spirituall life of grace The bad which are spiritually dead in sinne Corporally Because at that day most shall be dead and many shall be found aliue who in the twinckling of an eye shall suddenly be changed as S. Paul tels vs. Origen thinketh that the Priest had bels in the lower part of his roabe to put vs in minde of the end of the world Our good God hath prepared such things for vs as eye hath not seene neither eare hath heard neither came into mans heart Si in cor hominis non ascendit cor hominis illuc ascendat Seeing the Iudge shall come from heauen let vs before send thither our hearts to meete him and in the meane while thence to looke for him Philip. 3. 20. He hath said it who is truth it selfe Surely I come quickly Amen euen so come Lord Iesus I beleeue in the holy Ghost The Godhead of the Father is especially manifested in the Law the Godhead of the Sonne especially manifested in the Gospell the Godhead of the holy Ghost especially manifested in the Creed intimating so much in foure words as the whole Bible containes of this argument namely first that the holy Ghost is God otherwise we might not beleeue in him Secondly that hee is a distinct person from the Father and the Sonne I beleeue in the Father in the Sonne in the holy Ghost And thirdly that he proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne infolded in the Title holy Ghost For albeit the Father is holie the Sonne holie the Father a Spirit and the Sonne a Spirit
in respect of their nature yet only the third person is the holy Spirit in regard of his office The holy because beside the holinesse of nature his speciall office is to make the Church holy The Father sanctifieth by the Sonne and by the holy Ghost the Sonne sanctifieth from the Father by the holie Ghost the holie Ghost sanctifieth from the Father and the Sonne by himselfe immediatly As wee beleeue that the Father is our Creator the Sonne our Redeemer so likewise that the holie Ghost is our Sanctifier Againe the third person is termed the Spirit not onely in regard of his nature which is spirituall but because hee is spired or breathed from the Father and the Sonne in that he proceeds from them both How I cannot say you need not search only beleeue For as the Prophet said of the Sonne Who shall declare his generation so the most iudicious Doctor Augustine of the holie Ghost Who shall declare his procession Inter illam generationem hanc processionem distinguere nescio non valeo non sufficio Quia illa ista est ineffabilis And therefore as the same Father in the like case Dum sibi haec dicit humana cogitatio conetur eam vel nosse ignorando vel ignorare noscendo See the Gospell Dom. post Ascension The holy Catholike Church The second part of the Creed concernes the Church for as Augustine obserueth the right order of a Confession did require that after the Trinitie should be ioyned the Church as the house for the owner and citie for the founder Againe the Creede doth end with the Church as it did begin with God to put vs in minde that except we haue the Church for our mother we neuer shall haue God for our father The Church is described heere by properties and prerogatiues Her properties are three 1. Holy 2. Catholike 3. Knit in a communion Her prerogatiues are likewise three 1. In the soule remission of sinnes 2. In the body resurrection of the flesh 3. Both in bodie and soule life euerlalasting The word Credo must be repeated in this article but the preposition In omitted by which the Creator is distinguished from the creatures and things pertaining to God from things pertaining to men It is said I belâ—eue in God in the Sonne in the holie Ghost but in all the rest where the speech is not of the Godhead In is not added I beleeue there is an holy Church as a companie gathered to God not in the Church as God So the best copies and the worst too reade Church is vsed in a sense Ciuill for an ordinarie assemblie Acts 19. 32. 39. Ecclesiasticall for Holy places 1. Cor. 14. 34. 〈◊〉 Holy persons Seueraâ—â— for euery faithful persoÌ„ is the Church of God 1. Cor. 3. 16 loyntly gathered together In One house Rom. 16. 5. One eitie or countrie the Church of Sardi Ephesus Apocal. 3. The whole world as in this article 〈…〉 For all men and Angels elected to life euerlasting and made one in Christ. It hath the name both in Greeke and Latine of calling out and seuering from other as being indeed a chosen and peculiar people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not Churches but Church Because all the congregations of the faithfull in the whole world make but one onely Church For as a kingdome diuided into many shires and more townes is called one because it hath one and the same King one and the same law so the Church is one because it liueth by one and the same spirit and is ruled by one and the same Lord and professeth one and the same faith not one as tied vnto one place much lesse vnto one person as the Papists iniuriously confine it for as all of them make the Catholike Church to be nothing else but the Roman Church so some of them haue made the Roman Church nothing else but the Pope Papa virtualiter est tota ecclesia saith Haruaeus in lib. de potestate Papae cap. 23. As the tumultuous Anabaptists had framed a Church like Plinies Acephali all body and no head so the Romish parasites haue built a Church like the Toadestoole all head and no body See Epistle Dom. 17. post Trinit Holy There are many wicked in the Church and the best men haue some faults how then is it holy Luther answereth in a word If I looke vpon my selfe or my neighbour I cannot perceiue that the Church is holy but if I loooke vpon Christ who tooke away the sins of the world then I see it all holy It is said well I beleeue for we cannot see this holinesse ouershadowed with manifold infirmities outwardly though the Kings daughter is all glorious inwardly Sanctified by the washing of water through the word that is made cleane from all sinne by the precious bloud of Christ which is daily presented vnto vs both in the Word and in the Sacraments The Church then is holie three waies in respect 1. Of her head which is most holie like as one that hath a faire face is said to be a faire man albeit hee haue some crooked finger or goutie toe 2. Of her faith which is holy formaliter effectiue an vndefiled law conuerting the soule in it selfe holy which forbids nothing but that which is euill and doth not inioine any thing but that which is good and making other holy being the power of God vnto saluation 3. In regard of her life which is holy free from sin raigning and condemning euen in this world made holy by sanctification partially by imputation of righteousnesse perfectly This must be construed of the Church inuisible the triumphant part whereof is most holy the militant more holie then Infidels Iewes Turkes Heretikes and other out of the Church who cannot inioy the gift of sanctification I say more holy because in this life we receiue saith Paul but the first fruits of the spirit not the tenths of the spirit saith Luther and therefore Christianus non est in facto sed in fieri not so perfect but that hee neede to stoope vnder mercie Now for the Church visible that is a field wherein are Tares as well as wheate and both must grow together vntill the great haruest Matth. 13. compared to the Moone Reuel 12. 1. sometime decreasing sometime increasing but when it is in the full it hath some spots and therefore Brownists and Anabaptists obtrude more perfection vpon the Church then God requires Heauen hath none but good Hell none but bad Earth both good and bad Cum subspecie sâ—udij perfectionis imperfectionem nullam tolerare possamus aut in corpore aut in membris ecclesiae tunâ— di ibolum nos tumefacere superbia â—â—â—poerisi seducere moneamur Catholike This word is vsed some for Orthodoxall in which sense Pacianus said Christian is my
is not only present with his elect but also makes them sensibly perceiue it as Simeon here did and therefore his mourning was turned into mirth and his sobs into songs Againe sometime God is present but not felt and this secret presence sustaines vs in all our troubles and temptatations it intertaineth life in our soules wheÌ„ as to our iudgment we are altogether dead as there is life in trees when they haue cast their leaues And therefore let no man bee dismaied howsoeuer dismaied for God doth neuer leaue those whom he doth loue but his comfortable spirit is a secret friend and often doth vs most good when wee least perceiue it Esay 41. 10 c. 43. 2. According to thy word If God promise we may presume for he is not like man that he should lie neither as the sonne of man that he should repent This should teach vs to be hoiie as God our Father is holy being followers of him as deare children As he doth euer keepe his word with vs so let vs euer keepe our othes and promises one with another It is well obserued that aequinocation and lying is a kind of vnchastitie for the mouth and minde are coupled together in holie mariage Matth. 12. 34. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh And therefore when the tongue doth speake that which the heart neuer thought our speech is conceiued in adulterie and hee that breedes such bastard children offends not only against charity but also against chastitie Men say they must lie sometime for aduantage but it is a good conclusion both in religion and common experience that honestie is the best policie and truth the only durable armour of proofe The shortest way commonly the foulest the fairer way not much about Lord who shall dwell in thy tabernacle or who shall rest vpon thine holy hill euen he that speaketh the truth from his heart he that vseth no deceit in his tongue hee that sweareth vnto his neighbour and disappointeth him not For mine eyes haue seene thy saluation I haue seene the Messias in whom and by whom thy saluation is wrought and brought vnto vs. As Simeon saw Christs humanitie with the eies of his body so he saw Christs Diuinity long before with the pearcing eies of faith He knew that the little babe which he lulled in his armes was the great God whom the heauen of heauens could not containe and therefore beleeuing in the Lord of life hee was not afraid of death but instantly breakes forth into this sweete song Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace for mine eyes haue c. Death is vnwelcome to carnall men as Aristotle said Of all Terribles the most Terrible They crie out vpon the miseries of life and yet when death commeth they doe as little children who all the day complaine but when the medicine is brought them are nothing sicke as they who all the weeke runne vp and downe the house with paine of the teeth and seeing the Barbor come to pull them out feele no more torment as tender bodies in a pricking plurisie call and cannot stay for a Surgeon and yet when they see him whetting his lancet to cut the throte of the disease pull in their armes and hide them in the bed And the true reason hereof is want of faith because they doe not vnfainedly beleeue that Christ Iesus hath led captiuitie captiue that he hath swallowed vp death in victorie by his death and opened vnto vs the gates of eternall life The blessed theefe vpon the Crosse died ioyfully because hee saw Christ and beleeued also that he should passe from a place of paine to a paradise of pleasure S. Stephen died ioyfully because he saw the heauens open and Christ standing at the right hand of the Father Here Sâ—meon departed ioyfully because his eyes saw the saluation of the Lord. As there are two degrees of faith so two sorts of Christians one weake another strong The weake Christian is willing to liue and patient to die but the strong patient to liue and willing to die That a man may depart in peace two things are requisit 1. Preparation before death 2. A right disposition at death Both which are procured onely by faith in Christ. If a man were to fight hand to hand with a mightie Dragon in such wise that either he must kill or be killed his best course were to bereaue him of his poison and sting Death is a Serpent and the sting wherewith he woundeth vs is sinne so saith S. Paul The sting of death is sinne Now the true beleeuer vnderstands and knowes assuredly that Christ Iesus hath satisfied the law and then if no law no sinne and if no sinne death hath no sting well may death hisse but it cannot hurt when our vnrighteousnes is forgiuen and sinne couered Christ both in life and death is aduantage Philip 1. 21. Faith also procureth a right disposition and behauiour at death for euen as when the children of Israel in the wildernes were stung with fierie Serpents and lay at the point of death they looked vp to the Brasen Serpent erected by Moses according to Gods appointment and were presently cured so when any feele death draw neere with his fiery sting to pearce the heart they must fixe the eye of a true faith vpon Christ exalted on the Crosse beholding death not in the glasse of the Law which giueth death an vglie face but in the Gospels glasse setting foorth death not as death but as a sleepe only Faith is the speare which killeth our last enemie for when a man is sure that his redeemer liueth and that this corruptible shall put on incorruption and this mortall immortalitie well may he sing with old Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace and triumph ouer y e graue with Paul O death where is thy sting O hell where is thy victory The sting of death is sin the strength of sin is the law but thanks be giuen vnto God which giueth vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. And thus much of the reason why Simeon was not afraid of death namely for that he did hold in his armes and behold with his eyes the Lord Christ who is the resurrection and the life he could say with a true heart vnto God thou art my God and his soule did heare God saying vnto him by his word I am thy saluation Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people The second part of this Hymne concerning the generall good our Sauiour brought to the whole world Wherein two points are to be noted especially 1. What are his benefits 2. To whom they belong The benefits are saluation light and glorie So that the world without Christ lieth in damnation darknesse and shame Iesus is a Sauiour neither is there saluation in any other he is the light
Heauen Strength commeth from heaueâ— 1. Macchab. 3. 19. So that if we aske we shall haue if seeke we shall finde if knocke it shall be opened vnto vs because God is a father Our father our father in heauen Our Admonisheth vs of mutual loue for without loue there is no true faith and without true faith no true prayer Rom. 14. 23. As the Serpent doth cast vp all his poyson before he drinke so wee must degorge our malice before wee pray Father Vsed heere rather essentially then personally So God is a father in creation Deut. 32. 6. In education Esai 1. 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 happilie more fitly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In instruction Inwardly by his Spirit Rom. 8. 26. Outwardlie by his Preachers Matth. 10. 20. In compassion Psal. 103. 13. In correction Heb. 12. 6. Quiexcipitur è numero flagellatorum excipitur è numero filiorum In yeeres Dan. 7. 9. But a father in respect of his adoption more principally Rom. 8. 15. 16. In Heaueâ— Mysticall as Augustine and Ambrose construe it in holy men of heauenly conuersation Who are his proper temples and houses in whom hee will dwell Ioh. 14. 23. Materiall as other generally for albeit hee be present euere where yet hee doth manifest himselfe to blessed soules and Angels in heauen and to vs in glory from heauen especially Psal. 19. 1. Gen. 19. 24. 1. Thess. 4. 16. Petition THe petition in the iudgements of neotericall authors hath sixe branches whereof three concerne our loue wherewith wee loue God in himselfe and three wherewith wee loue our selues in God in signe whereof the pronowne Thy is affixed to the three first thy name thy kingdome thy will but the pronownes Vs and Ours to the rest Our bread our trespasses leade vs not c. Or as other diuide the petition is Precatio bonorum Deprecatio maloruÌ„ A request for good things whereof the First concernes Gods glorie Hallowed be thy name Rest our good of Glorie Thy kingdome c. Grace Thy will c. Nature Giue vs this day our dailie bread A deprecation of euill which is of two sorts Malum culpae an euill which is sin Past Forgiue vs our trespasses c. To come Leade vs not into temptatioÌ„ Malum poena an euill which is a punishment for sinne Deliuer vs from euill Internall and hellish conscience Externall bodilie dangers Eternall euerlasting death In one word from all that thou seest euill for vs be it prosperitie or aduersitie so wee pray in the Letanie Good Lord deliuer vs in all time of our tribulation in all time of our wealth c. Nondum enim sumus in eo bono vbinullum patiemur malum Other affirme that the first three petitions are concerning the life to come the last three concerning the life present that which is in the middle Giue vs this day our daily bread concerning both These seuen if wee make so many petitions are correspondent to the seuen gifts of the blessed spirit Esai 11. 2. and seuen beatitudes Matth. 5. against the seuen capitall sinnes Ramus hath obserued that this prayer answereth the Decalogue God is our father Ergo we must haue no other gods In heauen Ergo no grauen Image c. Hallowed be thy name Ergo not take his name in vaine Thy kingdome come thy will be done Ergo wee must sanctifie the Sabbath and worship him according to his word Giue vs this day our daily bread that hauing sufficient we may be rather helpfull Honour thy father c. then hurtfull by wronging our neighbour in deed Thou shalt not kill not commit adultery not steale In word Thou shalt not beare false witnesse c. Leade vs not into temptation Ergo not couet our neighbours house nor his wife c. Forgiue vs our trespasses Ergo bound to keepe the whole law which occasioned Luther to say Docet oratio dominica nos esse quotidianos peccatores totam vitam esse poenitentiam all our life to be nothing else but a Lent to prepare our selues against the Sabbath of our death and Easter of our resurrection Conclusion SOme cauill at our Seruice book for omitting this clause yet Caluin doth acknowledge that it is not extant in any Latine copies of which Erasmus and other Diuines haue sundrie coniectures Howsoeuer the Church is blamelesse seeing our Bible which is Iudex quo receiueth it and the Minister which is Iudex qui the speaking booke doth vsually repeate it and so saying it in their opinion wee doe well and not saying it according to the paterne of all the Latine and some of the Greeke Fathers and of S. Luke himselfe not ill It containes A Reason of our prayer for thine is kingdome c. A testification of our assurance that God will heare our prayer Amen Thine is Earthlie Princes haue kingdome power and glorie from God Dan. 2. 37. but God hath all these from and in himselfe 1. Chron. 29. 11. Seeing he hath interest in all things it is our dutie to come vnto him for euery thing and as he hath right to all so power to dispose of all and therefore we cannot doe any thing we desire but by power receiued of him And if his be power and kingdome then it followeth necessarily that his is all glorie Therefore we must inuocate his holie name that hereby wee may giue him his due This one dutie is Alpha and Omega the first thing wee must beg hallowed be thy name and the last wee must performe Thine is glorie for euer It is a Rabbiâ—icall conceit that the last Psalme hath thirteene Halleluiahs answering thirteene properties in God specified Exod. 34. 6. 7. Now in that the Prophet doth begin and end with Halleluiah stirring vs vp in euery verse of that Psalme and in euery sentence of euery verse to praise the Lord hee doth insinuate that this one is our only seruice for whereas after twelue Halleluiahs a thirteenth is added it doth signifie that when wee haue done all wee must begin againe with Gods praise that as his mercie is from euerlasting to euerlasting from euerlasting predestination to euerlasting glorificatiâ—n so our praise for euer and euer here we must begin the Psalme of glorie but because God hath appointed in this short life that wee should not sing in Longs but as Musitians speake in briefes and semibriefes it must be continued in the quier of heauen heereafter or in this world for euer and euer intentionally though not actually For as the wicked if hee could liue for euer would sinne for euer so the good man if God should suffer him to breathe on earth for euer and euer hee would not cease to serue him euer and euer Amen The which word is the seale of all our petitions to make them authenticall importing
singulorum albeit not singuligenerum or as Euthymius all people who beleeue aright in the Sonne shall blesse the Mother not all liuing but all beleeuing for Iewes and Gentiles and Heretickes in stead of this honour reuile her Augustine mentioneth Antidicomarianites Heluidius in Hieromes age was as Roffensis termes him a Mariaemastix and in our time some are content to giue her lesse because the Papists haue giuen her more then is due Let vs not make the Spirit of truth a lier which saith All generations shall call her blessed This shall is officij not necessitatis all ought howsoeuer all doe not blesse this blessed Virgin For hee that is mightie hath magnified me Magna mihi fecit hath done maruellous things in me For it is wonderfully singular and singularly wonderfull that Mary should be both a virgin and a mother of such a sonne a mother as was her father hee that is mightie and none but the Almightie could thus magnfie Mary shee was blessed in bearing the most blessed in whom all nations of the earth are blessed Vnto this purpose Bernard excellently Non quia tu benedicta ideo benedictus fructus ventris tui sed quia ille te praeuenit in benedictionibus dulcedinis ideo tu benedicta Hitherto concerning the goodnesse of God toward her selfe now shee remembreth his mercie toward other His mercie is on theÌ„ that feare him c. Generally 1. In helping and comforting theÌ„ He exalteth the humblâ— and meeke filling them with all good things 2. In scattering and confounding their enemies He hath scattered the proud put doâ—n the mightie from their seate and sent the rich empty away More specially 1. In promising 2. In performing his gratious promise touching the Messias of the world Remembring his mercy hath holpen his seruant Israel as he promised to our forefathers Abraham and his seed for euer These points are flagons of wine to comfort the distressed soule For if God who promised in the beginning that the seed of the woman should bruse the Serpents head deferred his promise almost 4000. yeers and yet at length accomplished the same to the very full then no doubt God hauing promised the resurrection of the dead and euerlasting life will in his good time bring them to passe That which is past may confirme our hope touching things to come For he remembreth his mercie towards his seruant Israel and it is on them that feare him throughout all generations Cantate Domino Psalm 98. THe Church hath done well in ioyning to the Magnificat Psalme 98 for the one is a perfect eccho to the other all Interpreters agreeing that Dauids mystery and Maries historie are all one Whatsoeuer is obscurely foretold in his Psalme is plainly told in her Song as he prophecied O sing vnto the Lord a new song shew your selues ioyfull So she practised My soule doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit reioiceth in God my Sauiour And this as Christ teacheth is a new song The houre commeth and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth The voice doth say Magna fecit Hee hath done maruellous things and the Eccho Magna mihi fecit He hath magnified or done maruellous things in me For it is an exceeding wonder as Paul speaks a great mysterie that God should be manifested in the flesh that the father of all should bee the sonne of Mary Voice With his owne right hand and with his holy arme hath he gotten himselfe the victorie Eccho He hath shewed strength with his arme he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts Voice The Lord declared his saluation his righteousnesse hath hee openly shewed in the sight of the Heathen Eccho His mercie is on them that feare him throughout all generations he hath filled the hungrie with good things and the rich hee hath sent emptie away Gentiles esurientes Iudaeos diuites as Theophylact expounds it Voice Hee hath remembred his mercie and truth towards the house of Israel Eccho He remembring his mercie hath holpen his seruant Israel In the whole Psalme fiue circumstances are to be considered especially Who. What. Whereto Wherefore Wherewith 1. Who must sing All men all things For the Prophet in the latter end of the Psalme doth incite sensible men by directing his speech vnto insensible creatures Let the sea make a noise let the floods clap their hands and let the hils be ioyfull All which sing Psalmes and Hymnes in their kinde onely man for whom all these were made is vnkind The oxe knoweth his owner and the dull aâ—â—e his masters crib but Israel hath not knowne my people hath not vnderstood 2. What Sing a new song This is mans end to seeke God in this life to see God in the next to bee a subiect in the kingdome of grace and Saint in the kingdome of glorie Whatsoeuer in this world befalleth vs wee must sing be thankfull for weale for woe songs ought alwaies to be in our mouth and sometimes a new song for so Dauid heere sing a new song that is let vs put off the old man and become new men new creatures in Christ for the old man sings old songs onely the new man sings a new song hee speaketh with a new tongue and walkes in new waies and therefore doth new things and sings new songs his language is not of Babylon or Egypt but of Canaan his communication doth edifie men his song glorifie God Or a new song that is a fresh song noua res nouum canticum new for a new benefit Ephes. 5. 20. Giue thanks alway for all things It is very grosse to thanke God only in grosse and not in parcell Hast thou been sicke and now made whole praise God with the Leper Luke 17 sing a new song for this new salue Doest thou hunger and thirst after righteousnes whereas heretofore thou couldest not endure the words of exhortation and doctrine sing a new song for this new grace Doth almightie God giue thee a true sense of thy sinne whereas heretofore thou diddest draw iniquitie with cords of vanitie and sinne as it were with cartropes and wast giuen ouer to worke all vncleannes euen with greedinesse O sing sing sing a new song for this new mercie Or new that is no common or ordinarie song but as Gods mercie toward vs is exceeding maruellous and extraordinarie so our thankes ought to bee most exquisite and more then ordinarie not new in regard of the matter for we may not pray to God or praise God otherwise then he hath prescribed in his word which is the old way but new in respect of the manner and making that as occasion is offered wee may beate our wits after the best fashion to bee thankfull Or because this Psalme is propheticall a new song that is the song of the glorious Angels at Christs birth Glorie to God on high
of nothing and therefore wee being his creatures owe obedience to his commands in euery thing especially seeing he doth not only presse vs with his greatnes but allure vs also with his goodnes being our God by couenant in holie baptisme wherein hee tooke vs for his adopted children and we tooke him for our heauenly father he tooke vs for his spouse wee tooke him for our husband he tooke vs for his people wee tooke him for our God A some therefore must honour his father and a seruant his master If he be ours and we his as he doth prouoke vs in bountie so we must answere him in dutie In more speciall as God brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage so hath he deliuered vs from the seruitude of Satan and sinne prefigured by that bondage of Egypt and Pharao that being deliuered out of the hands of all our enemies we might serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our life Egypt was a countrie giuen exceedingly to superstition and Idolatrie worshipping the most base creatures as Rats Onyons and Garlike so that to live in such a place was very dangerous to the soule and bondage to natures ingenuous is an estate of all other most grieuous to the bodie Deliuerance then out of both as benefits in their owne nature very great and in memorie most fresh were good motiues vnto regardfull obedience The Lord hath done so and more then so for vs he hath freed vs from the Romish Egypt and Spanish bondage with lesse difficultie and more ease for we are translated out of Babel and Egypt without any trauell or iourney Rome is swept away from England and Ierusalem is brought home to our doores If arguments drawne either from Gods infinite might or mercie ought to preuaile let England shew the greatest obedience for England hath had the greatest deliuerance The Precepts LOue is the complement of the Law Christ therefore reduced all the ten Commandements vnto these two Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and thy neighbour as thy selfe The which as Tertullian obserues is not dispendium but compendium legis not a curtalling but a full abridgement of the whole law Yet I finde three sundrie partitions of the seuerals Iosephus and Philo part them equally making fiue Commandements in each table the curious and learned may peruse Sextus Senensis Bibliothec. sanct lib. 2. pag. 59. Gallasius annot in Irenaei lib. 2. cap. 42. Lombard out of Augustine and generally the schoole men out of Lombard in honour of the Trinitie diuide the first table into three Commandements and the second into seuen But all our new writers and most of the old Doctors ascribe foure to the first sixe to the second among the Hebrewes Aben Esra the Greekes Athanasius Origen Chrysostome the Latines Hierome Ambrose in epist. ad Ephesios cap. 6. Wherefore being compassed about with such a cloud of witnesses I follow the Churches order assigning foure concerning our dutie to God and sixe touching our dutie to man The first table then is a lanthorne to guide vs in the worship of God as some write The two first commandements concerne God the Father as our Creator the third God the Sonne as our redeemer the fourth God the holy Ghost as our sanctifier Yet so that we worship the Trinitie in vnitie and vnitie in trinitie neither confounding the persons nor diuiding the substance Or as other the two first Commandements intimate how we must worship God in our heart the third how we must worship God in our tongue the fourth how we must worship God with both in sanctifying the Sabbath Or the first table doth set down two points especially 1. The hauing of the true God for our God in the first Thou shalt haue no other gods but me 2. The worshipping of this one God in the other three The first Commandement is obserued in exercising the three theologicall vertues Faith Hope Charitie He that vnfainedly beleeueth in God hath God for his God because he taketh God for the chiefe veritie and in this vnbeleeuers and misbeleeuers offend Hee that hopeth in God hath God for his God in that hee takes him for most faithfull most pitifull and also most potent as being assuredly perswaded that hee can and will helpe him in all his necessitie And in this they sinne who despaire of the mercies of God or doe trust more in men then in God or so much in men as in God He that loueth God aboue all things hath God for his God in holding him for the chiefe good and in this they trespasse who loue any creature more then God or equall with God and much more they that hate God for it is a sound conclusion in Diuinitie that is our God which we loue best and esteeme most Concerning the worship of God note the Manner in the 2. Commandement End in the 3. Commandement Time and place in the 4. Com. The second doth describe the manner of his worship Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image c. forbidding all strange worship and inioyning pure worship according to his word for to deuise phantasies of God is as horrible as to say there is no God And therefore though wee should grant that Images and pictures of God are as it were the Laymans Alphabet and the peoples Almanacke yet forasmuch as these bookes are not imprinted Cum priuilegio but on the contrarie prohibited it is vnlawfull to learne what God is by them or to worship God in or vnder them And lest any should presume God hath fensed in this commandement with a very strong reason I am the Lord and therefore can punish a iealoâ—s God and therefore will punish grieuously such as giue that honour to another which only belongs vnto me The end of Gods worship is his glorie prouided for in the third Commandement Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine The which is done two waies in our Workes Words In our conuersation when as our leaud life doth occasion enemies of religion to reuile the Gospell and blaspheme God It is to take Christs name in vaine when wee play the Gentiles vnder the name of Christians as Paul to Titus professing God in word but denying him in our works Hoc ipso Christiani deteriores quô meliores esse deberent He that calles on the name of Christ must depart from iniquitie Secondly wee take Gods name in vaine by speech and that without an oath or with an oath without an oath when we talke of himselfe his essence titles attributes holie word wonderfull workes irreuerently and vnworthilie without any deuotion or awfull regard of his excellent Maiestie We blaspheme God with an oath by swearing either Idlely Falsly Idlely out of Weaknesse when in our ordinary talke through a
custome in sinne wee fill vp our periods with vnnecessarie oathes Wickednesse as when a wretch in his discontented humor shall binde himselfe with an oath to doe some notable mischiefe So certaine Iewes Acts 23. sware that they would neither eate nor drinke till they had killed Paul or when he shall despitefully sweare to vex the good spirit of God and to trample the bloud of Christ vnder his feet if cardes or bowles or dice runne against him he will make his tongue to runne so fast against God or when he doth sweare by heauen or earth or any other creature in stead of the Creator An oath is an inuocating of God he therefore that sweares by the light makes light his God hee that sweares by the Masse doth make that Idoll his God A man may forsweare himselfe three waies as Lombard out of Augustine whē he doth sweare 1. That which is false and hee knowes it false 2. That which is true but hee thought it false 3. That which is false but hee held it true The two first kinds are abominable namely when a man sweares either that hee knowes to be false or thinks to be false but the third in the Court of Conscience is no sinne because it is with forswearing as with lying Periurie is nothing else but a lie bound with an oath As then a man may tell an vntruth and yet not lie so likewise sweare that which is false and yet not sweare falsly Thou shalt sweare in truth that is as thou shalt in thy conscience and science thinke to be true for doubtlesse it is a lesser offence to sweare by a false god truly then to sweare by the true God falsly it is a sinne to lie but a double sinne to sweare and lie The 4. Commandement THe fourth Commandement doth set downe the time and place of Gods holy worship the time expresly Remember thou keepe holy the Sabbath day the which insinuates also the place for God was publikely worshipped in his Sanctuarie in his Tabernacle in his Temple Leuiticus 19. 30. Yee shall keepe my Sabbaths and reuerence my Sanctuarie The Sabbath as one calles it is Gods schooleday the Preachers are his Vshers and the Church is his open schoolehouse This Commandement is hedged in on euery side lest we should breake out from obseruing it with a caueat before Remember and two reasons after one drawne from the equitie of the law Six daies shalt thou labour As if God should speake thus If I permit thee sixe whole daies to follow thine owne businesse thou maiest well affoord one onely for my seruice but sixe daies shalt thou labour and doe all thine owne worke therefore hallow the seuenth in doing my worke Six daies shalt thou labour A permission or a remission of Gods right who might challenge all rather then an absolute commandement for the Church vpon iust occasion may separate some weeke daies also to the seruice of the Lord and rest from labour Ioel 2. 15. Blow the trumpet in Sion sanctifie a fast call a solemne assemblie Daies of publique fasting for some great iudgement daies of publique reioicing for some great benefit are not vnlawfull but exceeding commendable yea necessarie Yet this permission is a commission against idlenesse because euery man must liue by the sweat of his browes or sweat of his braines hauing some profession or occupation or vocation wherein he must labour faithfully Another argument is taken from the Law-giuers example For in six daies the Lord made heauen and earth and rested the seuenth day God requires no more then himselfe performed his owne practise is a Commentarie vpon his law This may teach all Magistrates all masters all superiors who prescribe lawes vnto other to become first an vnprinted law themselues If the Prince will haue his Court religious himselfe must be forward in deuotion if the father will haue his children possesse their vessels in chastity then himselfe must not neigh after his neighbours wife When Sabbath breakers are rebuked all their answere is other and that the most doe so If they will follow fashion and example let them follow the best Fashion not your selues like the world but be ye followers of God who framed the whole world in six daies and rested the seuenth he rested from creating not gouerning from making of new kinds of creatures not singuler things he is not as Epicurus imagined idle but alway working Iohn 5. 17. My father worketh hitherto and I worke The Commandement it selfe is First propounded briefly Keepe holy the Sabbath day Then expounded more largely shewing 1. What is the Sabbath day namely the seuenth 2. How it must bee sanctified In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke Keepe holy This day hath no more holinesse in it selfe then other times only God hath appointed it to holy vses aboue other and therefore wee must keepe it more holy then other The Sabbath There is sabbathum Pectoris of the mind Temporis of time The sabbath of the mind is double Internall peace of conscience in the kingdome of grace Eternall rest of body and soule in the kingdome of glory When as we shall rest from our labors all teares shall be wiped from our eies and cares from our heart Among the Iewes the sabbath of time was of Daies Yeeres Daies Lesser euery seuenth day Greater as when the Passeouer fell on the Sabbath as it did when Christ suffered Yeeres Euery seuenth yeere a Sabbath of rest to the land Euery seuen-times seuen yeere which was 49. and then followed in the 50. yeere the Iubile This Sabbath is of daies expressely kept holie the seuenth day There is A naturall day which is the space of 24 houres a night and a day Gen. 1. 5. An artificiall day the space of 12. houres as Christ Iohn 11. 9. from the Sunne rising to the Sunne setting of which I thinke this Commandement is vnderstood For albeit the Iewes counted the Sabbath from euening to euening yet it was but as they reckoned other daies not to sit vp and watch all night but to spend in Gods seruice so much of the naturall day as may be spared without hurting the body The seuenth is the Sabbath It is the iudgement of the most and best Interpreters that the Sabbath is morale quoad genus but ceremoniale quoad speciem Ceremoniall for the manner albeit morall for the matter I say ceremoniall it regard of the particular as the strict obseruation of the same day and same rest precisely to keepe the Saturday and strictly to cease from all labour as the Iewes did was a shadow therefore abrogated by the comming of the body Christ. The blessed Apostles herein led by the spirit of truth and as some thinke by Christs owne example altered and so by consequence abrogated the particular day Consentaneum est Apostolos hanc ipsam ob causam
in his hand Totum hoc saith Augustine fide tenemus oculis cordis intuemur dominus ascendit in coelum ascendat cum illo cor nostrum His bodie must bee contained in heauen vntill the time that all things are restored it cannot descend downe to vs we must ascend vp to it So Nicolaus Cabasila writes in his exposition of the Liturgie the Priest after some speech to the people doth erect their mindes and lift vp their thoughts and saith Sursum corda let vs thinke on things aboue not on things below They consent and say that they lift vp their hearts thither where their treasure is euen to heauen where Christ sits at the right hand of his Father Luke 2. 14. Glorie be to God on high THe Lords Supper is called an Eucharist because it is a thanksgiuing to God for giuing his Sonne to die for vs and therefore this Hymne is so fitly sung by men on earth at the commemoration of his death as it was by the quier of heauen at the celebration of his birth for our reconciliation and peace with God is ascribed in holy scripture to Christs passion especially Rom. 5. 10. Heb. 9. 12. 15. Some make three parts of this song which if you please call the Trebble Glory to God on high Busse Peace on earth Meane Good will toward meÌ„ Other haue diuided it into two The first concerning Gods glorie The second touching our good For peace on earth and good will toward men are both one because our peace with God is not from our good will toward him but altogether from his good will toward vs. It is God saith Paul that maketh in you both the will and the worke and therefore the Rhemish translation In earth peace to men of good will and the Romish Glosse that Christ brings no peace but to such as be of goodwill are insufficient and condemned euen by their owne mouth as we may reade in the Commentaries of Arboreus Caietan Iansenius Maldonatus vpon the place Concerning other scholiall or scholasticall obseruations vpon the text I referre the reader vnto Beauxamis Erasmus Caluin and other learned expositors especially to Iacobus Perez de Valentia who compiled a whole treatise on this Hymne It was first vsed in the Communion as it is thought by Thelesphorus a good man and a glorious Martyr anno 254. Iaâ—uar 5. That which followeth in our Communion book We praise thee we blesse thee was added by that famous Bishop Hilarie singing it first in his owne Church anno 340 and after brought into other Churches by Pope Symmachus aâ— 510 the Churches of Scotland vse the like forme of thankes at their Communion And therefore the Nouelist can mislike nothing in this Hymne but that which all other like most Antiquitie 2. Cor. 13. 13. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ THe two fiends that torment vs are sinne and a bad conscience grace releaseth sinne peace doth quiet the conscience Paul therfore begins his epistles with grace and peace and the Church ends her deuotions either with the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ c. or with the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding c. But because there can bee no peace with God except wee haue the grace of Christ first and chiefly Paul desireth grace then peace Rom. 1. 7. Grace be with you and peace Because I say grace comprehends in it euery good and perfect gift by which only we are whatsoeuer we are Paul doth not only begin but end his writings also with this one clause specially Grace be with you c. But aboue the rest the conclusion of this excellent epistle is most full and therefore worthilie receiued of our and other Churches as the fittest close to shut vp our publique prayers In it obserue Pauls affection towards the Corinthians amplified With Extention in regard of the Thing The grace of Christ the loue of God the communion of the holy Ghost Persons With you all Intention Amen The worke of our saluation is ascribed in our Election to the loue of the Father RedeÌ„ption to the grace of the Son Sanctification to the communion of the holy Ghost So S. Ambrose doth expound this text pithily Dilectio dei misit nobis Saluatorem Iesum cuius gratia saluati sumus vt possideamus hanc gratiaÌ„ communicatio facit spiritus sancti God the Father so loued the world that hee sent his only begotten Sonne to die for our sinnes and to rise againe for our iustification and God the Sonne from God the Father sent God the holy Ghost which crieth in our hearts Abba father applying to our comfort both the loue of God and the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ. The word God is vsed here personally not essentially for the Fathers on this text note the blessed Trinitie that God is Trinus in numero vnus in numine S. Hierom thinkes that Paul foreseeing the blasphemous Arrian heresie placed the second person in the first roome God the Son before God the Father Other affirme that the grace of Christ is named first because it concernes vs most For albeit the loue of God in it owne nature goe before the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ chusing vs before the foundation of the world Ephes. 1. 4 yet in our view the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ goeth before the loue of God Rom. 5. 10 We are reconciled vnto God by the death of his Sonne we feele the mercies of the one in the merits of the other It is a fruitfull obseruation of Martin Luther that Christian religion beginneth not at the highest as other religions doe but at the lowest it will haue vs to climbe vp to heauen by Iacobs ladder whose feete touch the very earth And therefore when thou art occupied in the matter of thy saluation setting aside all curious speculations of Gods vnsearchable counsels all cogitations of workes of traditions of Philosophie yea and of Gods law too runne straight to the manger embrace the little babe Christ in thine armes and behold him as hee was borne sucking growing vp conuersant among men teaching dying rising againe ascending aboue the heauens and hauing power aboue all things This sight will make thee shake off all terrors and errors as the Sunne driueth away the cloudes In a disputation with a Iew Turke Papist Heretike concerning Gods infinite wisedome Maiestie power imploy all thy wit and industrie to be so profound and subtill as thou canst but in the matter of Iustification wherein thou doest wrestle with the law sinne death and other spirituall enemies it is the best course to looke vpon no God but Christ incarnate and cloathed with thine owne nature to fixe thine eyes vpon the man Iesus only who setteth himselfe foorth vnto thee to be a Mediatour and saith Come vnto me all â—ee that labour and are heauie laden and I will refresh