Flecte quod est rigidum fone quâ—d est frigudum rege quod est deuium The next circumstance to be considered is the time when and that as our Euangelist in the 17. verse was so soone as Iesus began to preach For as a King who resolues to make warre against an enemie Prince chaseth his Captaine and musters his souldiers and in euery point fits himselfe for the present action euen so Christ Iesus the King of the Church intending to cast out of his hold Satan the Prince of this world calleth his followers and out of them electeth his Apostles as chiefe Commanders and Coronels in the very beginning of his preaching that being trained vp in his schoole seeing his wonders and hearing his wisedome they might bee made fit for that excellent and eminent calling They were first as S. Iohn reports acquainted with Christ afterward made Disciples and last of all Apostles And therefore Christ here saith I will make you to become fishers of men He saith not I doe now make you but hauing instructed them all his life and breathing on them the Holy Ghost after his resurrection hee speakes in the present as my father sent me so send I you goe teach all nations baptising them in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the Holy Ghost And that they might be powerfull and profitable teachers of other he filled them also with the gift of the Spirit after such a manner and in so great a measure that they could not but speakâ— the things which they had heard and seene of Christ. And that not in one corner or in a few countries onely but as it is in the selected Epistle for this day their sound went out into all lands and their words into the ends of the world In the beginning they were rude first Disciples afterward Doctors a great while learners afore they were leaders Hence fathers of the Church are taught not to haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hastie hands and ouer easie for admittance into sacred orders without tryall and testimonie 1. Tim. 3. and the children of the Prophets also may learne to be swift to heare slow to speake neuer affecting much lesse ascending Moses chaire before God makes them apt and able to teach as well by their holy conuersation as wholesome doctrine For as the weights and measures of the Sanctuarie to wit the sicle talent and cubite were of a double bignes to those for common vse so should the vertues in the Ministers of the Sanctuarie be of a sutable size The which as some Diuines imagine is implied in the sacrifice for their sâ—nâ—es appointed Leuit. 4. where the Priests offering is commanded to be as much as all the congregations a young bullocke without any blemish for the Priest alone ver 3. and no more for all the people vers 14. See Benedictus in the Liturgie Gospell on Trinitie Sunday and 8. after Trinitie The names of the Disciples heere called are Simon Andrew Iames and Iohn insinuating thaâ— a Preacher of the word must be Simon that is obedient to the will of God Andreâ—s a stout man in executing his offâ—ceâ— Iacobus a supplanter of vises in hâ—s aâ—ditorie last of all a Iohn aâ—cribing all these good gifts in him vnto the Father of mercies and God of all grace viâ—a merito magnus humilitate infimus Other assume that the some cardinall vertues are designed by these foure chiefe Apostles referring Prudence in Peter Iâ—stice to Andrew Fortitude to Iames and Temperance to Iohn For their number it is said heâ—e that Iesus called them two and two first he saw two then other two signifâ—ing that as the binarie number is the least euen so the Church of little beginnings increaseâ—h vntill her number be without number as a graine of mustard seede when it is sowen is the least of 〈…〉 but when it is growâ—n it is the greatest among herbâ—s and it is a tree so that the kâ—â—ds of heauen build iâ— the 〈…〉 Oâ— two and two because they were Christs instruments in â—â—ming together two people the 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 and so making of â—â—th one Or Christ happily would neither elect nor send his Apostles one by one because 〈…〉 him that is alone Ecclesiast 4.10 but by two and two and those breâ—hren hereby teaching that Preachers of the word must accord as brethren of one heart and one souls Act. 4 â—2 hauing one minde in many bodies inter multacorporanoâ—â— mulâ—a câ—rda Saâ—rimentes in vnuâ—â—â— at 〈◊〉 hominem faciant as Augustine sweetly For a brother helping a brother is a very strong castle and they that hold together are like the barre of a palace For their condition our blessed Sauiour in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge did not chuse the disputants of the world whose wit was great nor the nobles whose petigree was great nor the Pharisies whose credit was great nor the Priests whose authoritie was great but he called ignorant and ignoble fishers of little worth and lesse learning to be the trumpetters of his Gospel and bel-weathers of his flocke that the foolish things of the world might confound the wise things and the weake things ouerthrow the mightie things and things that are not bring to nought the things that are Sampson in slaying a thousand Philistines with the iaw-bone of an asse was a type hereof as Prosper obserues insinuating that Christ by the foolishnesse of preaching should confound his enemies and saue such as beleeue Nay Christ chose some notorious sinners for his Apostles as bloudie Saul and couetous Matthew that his abundant grace might be manifested in their persons as well as in their preaching demonstrating that in themselues which is the summe of all their sermons namely that Iesus Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance This is a true saying and by all meanes worthie to be receiued that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners of whom I am chiefe 1. Tim. 1.15 The greatest Apostle whilome was the greatest oppressor of the Church a blasphemer a persecutor breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord and therefore his auditors might well cedere credere grant and beleeue that Iesus is a sauiour of his people But this extraordinary calling and singular action of Christ is no patterne for Prelates as phantasticall spirits imagine to send into the Ministerie leud and ignorant persons as if the more faultie were the more fit and the more sillie the more sufficient for the same Christ by the pen of his Apostle Paul in that excellent Epistle to Timothy which Hierom calles speculuâ—â— Sacerdony as the whole Scripture is speculum Christâ—â—niâ—â—â— sets downe these directions for the choice of a Pastoar hâ—e must be well reported of euen
Christe motus est cadere deorsum ad nihil ad non esse ad preprum voluntatem elongari à Deo alium habet à Christo solicet moueri sursum ad Deum c. In this text appointed fitly for this time Christ is first conferred and then preferred before the Prophets and Angels In the comparison betweene Christ and the Prophets obâ—erue the consent and dissent between the old Testament and the new The consent and agreement is in that one God spake in both in the one by his seruants in the other by his Sonne The same God is author of both and the same Christ is subiect of both in so much that each Testament is in other in the Law there is an hidden Gospell and in the Gospell a reuealed Law So like as the two Cherubins on the mercy seat whose faces looked one to another And like the Seraphims Esay 6.3 one crying to another holy holy holy both hauing one voice saith Augustine Or resembling each other as Iesus and Iames who were so like that they were one anothers glasse God in times past and God in these last daies hath spoken to vs. And whosoeuer hee be to whom this ministry shall bee committed if hee will be numbred with Patriarkes and Prophets Apostles and Pastors and with our Sauiour Christ himselfe whatsoeuer hee speake let him speake as the word of God For this couenant hath God made with his seruants Esay 59.21 My spirit that is vpon thee and my words which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of the seed of thy seed from henceforth euen for euer And indeed whose word else should discerne the thoughts of the soule but his onely who is the searcher of the heart and whose word should kill our carnall affections but his onely who giues the sword of the spirit God spake The word God here may be taken either essentially for the whole Trinity because God the sonne being a crier in the wildernesse spake by the Prophets as well as God the Father and God the holy Ghost as well as either of them according to that of S. Peter Prophecie came not in olde time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost Or it may be construed in respect of Christs office personally God that is God the Father spake to the fathers by Prophets and by his owne sonne to vs. The dissent and difference betweene the two Testaments is in regard of the manner for Time sundry times Fashion many waies men Vnto whom vnto the fathers in times past but in these last daies vnto vs. In whom or by whom God spake by the Prophets in the one by his owne sonne in the other The first dissent is in respect of time the times of the Fathers are olde and past but the time of Christs preaching passeth not it is for euer alway continuing rew Iesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same 〈◊〉 for euer The doctrine taught by the Prophets in old time was reuealed multis vicibus as Beza translates at sundry times as our English Bible But that which Christ himselfe deliuered is reuealed but once The which is inâ—inuated heere but expressed else where by this author as in chap. 9. vers 26. But now in the end of the world hath Christ beene once reuealed And in chap. 12. vers 26. Yet once will I strike not the caâ—th onely but also heauen And this it is which Iude saith of the Christian faith that it was once giuen vnto the Saints Once that is perfectly so that wee need not another Gospell Almightie God hath spoken last in his sonne that is in the fulnesse of time so fully that we may not expect hee should vent in time to come any new doctrine For albeit the spirit was giuen after Christs ascension yet the same spirit taught that onely which Christ had taught afore See Gospell 4. Sunday after Easter From hence we may learne boldly to refuse whatsoeuer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an after or another doctrine sprung vp since Aâ— the new Gospell of Anabaptists and idolatries of Mahomet and the reuelations of S. Briget and all superstitious positions and expositions of Papists In a word whatsoeuer bastard religion is contrary to Christs once preaching vpon earth which because it was once confutes all after it and abrogates all afore it which had diuersitie of time as our Apostle gathereth in the 12. chapter of this Epistle vers 27. The second difference betweene the two Testaments is that God in the one spake many waies and diuersly either by Angel or by the Cloud or betweene the Cherubins or by visions or by dreames after sundry kindes of speech and diuers kindes of actions but the doctrine of the other is taught after one sort euen by preaching of the Gospell which is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth and it worketh more mightily then all those kinds of reuelations and pierceth into he heart of man more deepely then any manner of perswasion yea though one should rise from the dead and seeke to vs. The third dissent is that God in old time spake only to the Fathers Abraham Isaac Iacob vnto some few men and one nation He shewed his word vnto Iacob his staâ—â—â—es anâ— ordinances vnto Israel hee dealt not so with any people neither had the heathen knowledge of his Lawes But in these last daies he hath spoken vnto vs indefinitely to Iew to Gentile to bond to free to male to female being aâ—one in Christ Iesus hauing all through faith one entrance vnto the throne of grace Heb. 4 16. So that I need not say now Lord remember Dauid or the couenant made with Abraham but in time of need I may go boldly to the throne of grace saying Lord remember me O God be mercifull to me Iesus haue pitie on me For vnto those that are nigh and vnto those that are farre off there is but one couenant in Iesus Christ Eph 2.13.17 The fourth difference betweene the two Testamâ—nts is that God in the one spake by Prophets his seruants in the other by Christ his owne sonne by meere men in times past vnto the fathers but vnto vs hee hath spoken by that eternall word which is God whom hee hath made heire of all things by whom also hee hath made the world c. The maine proposition of this chapter is that Christ who reuealed the Gospell is the sonne of God yea God himselfe Now the first part namely that Christ is he who brought into the world the Gospell is concessum confessum The faithlesse Hebrew complained of it and the faithful Hebrew beleeued it And therfore taking this as
salutations as sent from God and not according to the worlds fashion only For some speake friendly to their neighbors but imagine mischiefe in their hearts Iudas had an hade master as well as Gabriel an haile Mary Christians in their complements ought to be hearty not hollow See Gospell Sund. 4. after Trinity Haile the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth as Erasmus obserues gaudere saluere valere If wee take it in the first acception it is Gabriels giuing of the ioy to Mary Teaching vs to wish much ioy to the good and to labour for true ioyes in our selues alway reioycing in the Lord Philip. 4.4 If in the two latter health is a good blessing of the Lord to bee desired in our owne selues and for our other selues in this world without which all our whole life is but a lingring death O Lord grant thy seruant health and heauen It was good for Dauid that he was in trouble so likewise it is good for the health of our soule that our body bee sometime sicke Affliction is the true purgatorie of the flesh infirmit as carnus vigoremmentis exacuit Vpon this ground Plato scared his Academie at Athens in an vnhealthy place We must especially wish haile to the soule praying alwaies Vi sit mens sâ—na in corpore sano The Lord with thee Some construe this clause by way of enunciation affirmatiuely the Lord is with thee Other imprecatorâ—e by way of a good wish or salutation the Lord be with thee They who take this affirmatiuely make it a reason of Maries haile reioyce Mary because full of grace because the Lord is with thee because blessed among women God is in beat is per gloriam in electis per gratiam in assumpta carne per vnionem in omnibus per prouidentiam sed in virgine per supereminentem quandam opâ—ratiouem As if Gabriel should haue said I am sent from God and so the Lord is with me but he is with thee much more The Lord is in mee because hee made mee but with thee because within thee because he shall bee borne by thee Is a domenies est secum â—t is in corde tuo sit in vtero tuo adempleat mentem tuam adempleat carâ—â—m 〈◊〉 God the son is with thee for thou shalt conceiue him in thy wombe God the holy Ghost is with thee for the holy Ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of the most highest all ouershadow thee God the father is with thee making his sonne thy sonne Demmus silim tecum quem câ—t ne tua induâ—â— dominus spiritus sanctus de quo concipis dominus pater qui genuit quem concipis But I follow their iudgement which vnderstand this imprecatorie because the blessed Virgin her selfe tooke it so vers 29. She cast in her mind what manner of salutation that should bee ergo all the words spoken by Gabriel vnto her hitherto were salutatorie Blessed art thou among women In comparison or aboue other women happie The like phrase is vsed Iudg. 5.24 Iael the wife of Heber the Kenite shall be blessed aboue other women It doth insinuate that Mary was highly fauoured of God as also that she shall be praised of men throughout all generations Elizabeth expounds Gabriel in this present chapter at the 4â— verse Blessed art thou among women because the fruit of thy wombe is blessed and Bernard expounds Elizabeth Non quia tu benedicta ideo benedictus fructus ventris â—â—i sedâ—yâ—tia ille te praeuenit in benedictionibus dulcedinis ideo â—ubenedâ—cta Mary was blessed of God in that she was chosen to bee the mother of God Other women haue bin and are the daughters of God but Mary was both a daughter and a mother The one is a speciall fauour the other a singular honour and Mary was blessed in respect of both Albeit we doe not beare Christ bodily yet if wee spiritually beare him in our heart by faith it is a great mercy which wee must acknowledge both in our selues and others For he that doth the will of God is a brother and a sister and a mother vnto Christ. As Mary was highly graced of God so she was and is and shall bee magnified of men And from hence we may learne that there is a time to commend so well as to condemne namely 1. when the party praised needeth encouragement 2. when his gifts extolled are most excellent and eminent as in Mary fulnesse of grace 3. When he that is commended hath the grace to giue the glory to God acknowledging himselfe to be freely beloued therfore blessed 4. When the party praising doth it as Gabriel heere not to flatter men but to magnifie God I haue spoken of three remarkeable persons in this Gospell of the party sending God of the party sent Gabriel and Angel of the party to whom he was sent A Virgin whose name was Mary full of grace blessed among women It remaineth I should now treate of the partie to whom all this annunciation was and that is man For all this was said and all that followeth in our text was done for vs men and our saluation I will heere briefly glosse this Gospell in the words of Bernard Felix est qui mittiter felix à quo mittitur felix ad quam mittitur vt home fiat felix pro quo mittitur Wee beseech thee Lord powre thy grace into our hearts that as we haue knowne Christ thy sonnes incarnation by the message of an Angel so by his Crosse and passion wee may bee brought vnto the glory of his resurrection through the same Christ our Lord. Amen The Epistle ACTS 10.34 Peter opened his mouth and said of a truth I perceiue that there is no respect of persons with God c. THe summarie pith in this accurate speech of saint Peter vnto Cornelius is that all men indifferently whether they be Iewes or Gentiles haue remission of their sinnes by faith in Christ which is Lord ouer all things and ordained of God to bee the iudge of all men quicke and dead The whole sermon is diuided into three parts A Proeme vers 34.35 wherein obserue what is said for the matter there is no respect of persons with God c. how it is said for the manner Peter opened his mouth and said of a truth I perceiue Narration ye know the preaching c. Wherein S. Peter catechizeth his auditour Cornelius in the chiefe points of holy beleefe concerning the doctrine verse 36.37 of Iesus Christ. miracles vers 38. of Iesus Christ. life vers 39. of Iesus Christ. death ibid. of Iesus Christ. resurrection vers 40.41 of Iesus Christ. comming to iudgement v. 42. of Iesus Christ. Confirmation by production of witnesses new the blessed Apostles v. 39. Wee are witnesses of all things which he did c. and such witnesses as were chosen before of God vers 41. old the holy
Sund after Easter and Gospell on Saint Thomas day Here pause and pray Almighty father which hast giuen thine onely sonne to die for our sinnes and to rise againe for our iustification grant vs so to put away the leauen of malice and wickednesse that we may alway serue thee in purenesse of liuing and truth through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen The Epistle Eâ—HES 4.7 Vnto euery one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ c. SAint Paul doth especially two things in all his Epistles 1. treate 2. entreate Hauing sufficiently treated in the former Chapters of doctrinals he commeth in this present to morals entreating his Ephesians in generall to walke worthy of the vocation whereunto they were called in more particular to support one another thorough loue keeping the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace pressing this one point with arguments of two sorts The first of which epist. 17. Sund. after Trin. is taken from such things as are common vnto the whole Church as being in all the faithfull one and the same there is one body and one spirit and one hope one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and father of all which is aboue all and through aâ— and in you all As if he should argue thus if the Church your mother bee but one God your father but one Christ your Lord but one the holy spirit your comforter but one if ye haue but one hope one faith one baptisme I see no cause why ye should not liue together and loue together as all one labouring to keepe the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace The second contained in our present text is taken from such graces as are in euery one diuerse shewing that this inequality of gifts is not an hindrance but rather a furtherance to vnitie for asmuch as all of them are giuen by the same author for the same end Vnto euery one of vs is giuen some gift vnto none all he that hath most hath but a measure As then in the naturall body the eye can not say to the hand I haue no need of thee nor the hand againe to the feet I haue no need of you but euery part seeketh anothers and not his owne good Euen so in the Church which is Christs mysticall body God made not all Apostles or all Prophets or Euangelists c. but some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists c. There be diuersities of gifts and diuersities of administrations and diuersities of operations 1. Cor. 12. euery one standeth in need of anothers gift and thereupon is occasioned to support one another in loue preseruing the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace See epist. 2. Sun after Epiphan and 10. after Trinity In the whole 4. points are to be considered especially 1. Who Christ and that is proued out of the 68. Psal. verse 18. hee led captiuitie captiue and gaue gifts vnto men 2. When when hee ascended vp on high euen aboue all heauens to fulfill all things 3. What hee made some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists c. 4 Why for the perfiting of the Saints for the worke of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ. Concerning the first in that our Apostle doth auowe here that the diuersity of grace bestowed on the Church is the gift of Christ whereas he saith elsewhere that God the father ordained Apostles and Prophets and teachers and that the spirit worketh ad these things vnto euery one seuerally distributing as he will we may learne two conclusions in diuinity 1. That all the workes of the sacred Trinity quoad extra without it selfe are common and communicable to euery person of the three 2. That God the sonne is equall in might and mercy to God the father he being ascended aboue all heauens is the giuer of gifts vnto men and here we must accord the Prophet and our Apostle The one saith he receiued gifts for men the other he gaue gifts vnto men and these two seeme to contradict each other Answere is made that Dauid speakes of this deuotion in time to come but Paul of thiâ— donation already past and accomplished Dauid of the promise Paul of the performance Or Christ as he was God gaue gifts in heâ—â—â—n and as man he reâ—â—â—ed gifts on earth or he receiued in that his members receiued according to his owne saying Mat. 25.40 â—n as much as ye haue done it vnto one of the leastâ— these my brethren yee haue done it vnto mee or he receiued to giue as Exod. 25.2 Speake to the children â—f â—srael that they receiue an offering for me that is according to the translation of our present Church bible â—â—at they bringâ— where reioycing as Abbâ—n Ezâ—a notes is giuing and so Paul alluding rather to the sense then to the words of Dauid saith he 〈…〉 Touching the second point it is demanded how Christ is said here to haue made some Apostles and some Prophets c. When he went 〈…〉 and led captiuity â—aptiue seeing wee reade in the Gospels history that he chose his Apostles and Disciples and gaue them a commission to preach in his life time and that after his resurrection he confirmed them in his office by breathing on them and giuing the holy Ghost and saying as my father sent mee euen so send â—y â—â— goe teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the father and the sonne 〈◊〉 the holy ghost Answere may bee that Christ is reported in this Scripture to haue giuen Apostles vnto the Church after he went vp on high in respect of their gifts extension and 〈◊〉 Extension as hauing after Christs ascensâ—ou receiued the gifts of the holy ghost after a more glorious manner and in a farre greater measure So the text the â—â—ly ghost was not yet giuen because that Iesus was not yet glorified and If I goe not away the comforter will not come vnto you but if I depart I will send him vnto you And Christ at his ascension also charged them to waite for this promised power of the holy ghost See gosp Sun after ascension day Oâ—tension and that 1. in respect of the solemne inauguration into their Apostleship on the feast of Pentecost in the sight of Gods people gathered together at Hierusalem out of euery nation vnder heauen It is reported of Dauid that he was first annointed King of Israel in the middest of his brethren 1 Sam. 1.10 and afterward in Hebron 2. Sam. 2. But hee was not called King vntill he was annoynted solemly before all the tribes of Israel 2. Sam. 5. Euen so though it bee granted that the Apostles were nominated and elected to their office before Christs death and confirmed in their calling after Christs resurrection yet they were not apparantly knowen vnto Gods people to bee so till he went vp on high and gaue
〈◊〉 And the 〈◊〉 in ourage who following the 〈◊〉 He 〈◊〉 hold it lâ—â— full to distemble their faith 〈◊〉 the Magistrate As also the Nicodemâ—â—es ashamed of Christ and expâ—â—â—cating 〈◊〉 forswerring their Pâ—ieâ—hood and the Pope their holy father vpon eâ—eâ—y pretended occasion of danger In a word all weather â—ise professors adueâ—tring no more for the glorious Gospell then one â—â—tely did for his horrible blasphemie who being bound to the stake suffered only the lingeing of his beard This open acknowledging of Christ is necessaâ—ieâ— not only 〈◊〉 morris at the point of deâ—h as Liraâ—us or in the daie of persecution as Lombard but at all time and in euery place when occasion is offered lustly â—aith 〈◊〉 Forseeing it is an afâ—â—rmâ—tâ—ue prâ—cept 〈…〉 As Christ in his Gospel expresâ—ely 〈…〉 Whereas 〈…〉 〈…〉 the faith not sufficient vnto 〈…〉 mouth and other â—odâ—◠〈◊〉 as efficient cause concure with it in the 〈…〉 may be taken out of his old Schoole 〈…〉 and Cardinall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth af 〈…〉 confession 〈◊〉 act of faith according to that of the Pâ—â—miâ—â— I 〈…〉 haue I spoken And in his second 〈…〉 this Chapter he that is 〈◊〉 by faith ought to be filled with the fruit of righteousnesse Postquam homo per fide mest instificatus oportet quod eius fides per dilectionem operatur ad consequendam salâ—tem And Cardinall Tolet in plaine termes Oris confessio nâ—s non iustificat à peccato c. sed iustificati tenemur eam palà m profiteri c. Confession of the mouth doth not iustifie vs but being iustified wee are bound publikely to professe it afore we can attaine to saluation Herein agreeing with our Protestant Interpreters affirming that good workes are consequents and effects of a true faith as if Paul should haue said here we are iustified by faith onely but yet this faith is operatiue bringing foorth liuely fruits as the confession of the mouth and the profession of the life for they be necessarie to saluation albeit faith alone be sufficient in the act of iustification as you may see further Epist. Quinquages and Sund. 2. in Lent In the words and beleeue in thine heart that God hath raised him vp from the dead three points are considerable namely Faiths Act Obiect Subiect Faiths act is to beleeue and to beleeue hath these degrees as the Schoole teacheth out of Augustine Credere Deo credere Deum credere in Deum A wicked man and a wretched deuill may so farre proceed in faith as to beleeue there is a God and in grosse to beleeue God but a true Christian endued with a sauing faith ascends higher and beleeueth in God also That is he knowes God as hee hath reuealed himselfe in his word acknowledging him onely for his God and thereupon put his whole trust in him applying to himselfe Gods mercifull promise made to father Abraham and his seed with the heart vnto iustification and confessing the same with the mouth vnto saluation He disclaimes not his part in Christ as the deuils Ab what haue we to doâ— with thee thou Iesus of Nazareth art thou come to torment vs before the time but he challengeth his portion in the bloud of his Sauiour saying with the Church in her loue-song My welbeloued is mine and with Paul Christ is become to vs wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Hâ—s bodie is in heauen there shall I finde it mine his diuinitie is on earth and heere doe I feele it mine his word is in mine eare to beget him mine his Sacrament is in mine eie to confirme him mine his spirit is in mine heart to assure him mine Angels are mine to fight for mee Prince mine to rule for mee Church mine to pray for me Vniuersitie mine to studie for me Pastour mine to pâ—each for me all mine whether it be Paul or Cephas or the world or life or death whether they be things present or things to come euen all are mine I am Christs and Christ is Gods Faiths obiect is all holy scripture the summe whereof is the Creed and this one point how God raised vp Iesus from the dead is nexus articulorum omnium as it were the bond or tying knot on which all other linkes of our beleefe depend For if it were not true that Christ is risen againe then were it neither true that hee did ascend vp to heauen nor that hee sitteth at the right hand of his father in heauen nor that he sent downe the holy spirit from heauen nor that hee shall come from thence to iudge the quicke and the dead In a word the matter of the whole Creed concerneth either God or the Church his spouse Now the raising of Christ from â—he dead is the worke of God the Father Acts 2.32 of himselfe being God the Sonne Iohn 10 18. of God the holy Ghost also Rom. 1.4 Christ as God only raiseth and is not raised as man he is onely raised and raiseth not as the Sonne of God or second person in the blessed Trinitie both the Father raiseth him and he raiseth himselfe The Father raiseth the Sonne by the Sonne â—nd the Sonne raiseth himselfe by the spirit of holinesse by which he was declared to be the Sonne of God As for the Church our Apostle sheweth elsewhere that Christ died for her sinnes and rose againe for her iustification and that ascending vp on high he bestowed on her gifts as to be Catholike holy knit in a communion and prerogatiues in her soule namely remission of sinnes in the body resurrection of the flesh in both euerlasting life Wherefore Paul here mentioneth only the resurrection of Christ from the dead not exclusiuely but synecdâ—checally because this one article presupposeâ—h all the rest and takes them as granted as if hee rose from the graue then he died and his death is a consequent of his birth Or because this article was and is most doubted in the world for the Iewes and Gentiles acknowledge the death of Iesus whereas the Christians only confesse his resurrection Or because the rest vnlesle Christ had risen againe would haue profited vs little for he triumphed in his resurrection ouer death hell damnation opening the kingdome of heauen to all beleeuers And so the meaning of our text is plaine If thou confesse with thy mouth that Iesus is the Lord that is that Lord of whom all the Prophets inquired as being the desire of all Nations euen the light of the Gentiles and consolation of Israel And if thou beleeue in thine heart that this Iesus whom almightie God hath made both Lord and Christ offered himselfe a sacrifice to purge thy conscience from dead workes and take away thy sinnes putting out and fastening vpon the Crosse the Lawes obligation against vs and that hauing ouercome death and the deuill he
the commandements of God and more then euer he commanded as the precepts of the Church and Euangelicall counsels and so do works of supererogation or is any so great a Puritan as the Pope who maketh himselfe a God in greatnesse and a God in goodnesse a God in greatnesse in that his vnlimited authoritie doth dispence with the lawes of God in this world and alter his iudgements in another hauing power terrestriall in vsurping the whole world for his Diocesse vsupernâ—d extended to heauen in canonizing Saints infernall extended to hell in freeing soules out of Purgatorie a God in goodnesse for he cannot as Pope quateâ—us Papa erre in doctrine and hee may not be told of his errors in manners his holinesse is holy si non sanctitâ—ate propria sanctus tamen sanctitate officij Whether the Pope be Iudas or Peter or Paul thereof God neuer bade vs be carefull onely this that he sitteth in Peters Chaire shall be sufficient for vs. If wee say wee haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and truth is not in vs. Euen the iust faâ—leth often and the godly Fathers euermore complained of the corruptions in their age Tertuâ—â—â—in said O not miseros qui Christiani dicimur loc tempore gentes agimus sub nomine Christi Gregorie Nazianzâ—ne speaketh thus of the pitifull estate of his owne time Wee that are Christians are hated of the Heathen for our owne vices sake we are now become a wonder not onely to men and Angels but euen to all the wicked and vngodly More lately Gueuara The Philosophers beleeued as Paganes but liued as Christians whereas we quoth he beleeue like Christians but liue like Paganes Honoured Whitaker examining the dissolutenesse of al degrees in England cried out in exceeding great passion Aut hoc non est euangelium aut nos non sumus euangelici The reuerend Deane of Worcester as yet more fully The fatall miserie of these latter daies hath made nothing good but in shew nothing true bâ—t in opinion when for iustice betweene kingdome and kingdome the longer sword hath eaten vp the law of nations and for iustice betweene subiects vnder the same gouernment lawes are lost in the cases of the law and for the preseruer of all both truth and iustice religion it selfe is in a manner lost in the questions of religion Of all men Christians are the best of all Christians vndoubtedly the primitiue professors of all the primitiue professors Christs owne Disciple of all the Disciples his chosen Apostles and yet these men were but men subiect to manifold sinnes albeit they were Saints and their infirmities are recorded in holy Bible partly for the glorie of God and partly for our good For Gods honour that his sauing health might be knowne vpon earth and the riches of his mercie shewed in pardoning offences according to that of Dauid Against thee my God haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight that thou mightest be iustified in thy saying In what saying I pray but in this and the like where sinne abounded there grace superabounded Againe the sinnes of the blessed Apostles are registred in the Gospels historie for our good that wee might neither presume nor yet despaire not presume for we may feare falles if these had their slips not despaire because Christ forgot and forgaue Peters blasphemie the proud ambition of the sonnes of Zebedâ—us and heere Thomas his incredulitie speaking so mildly working so mercifully with him as that his sore was made his salue his vnbeleeuing at the first occasioning greater faith in him afterward Memento peccati vt dole as Memento mortis vt desinas Memento diuinâ— iustitiae vt time as Memento miscricordiae ne desperes Hitherto concerning the sinnes of godly men in generall I come now to Thomas his faults in particular and they be principally two First his absence from the meeting of the Disciples according to the tenour of our Text Thomas one of the twelve was not with them when Iesus came Christ had often foretold his Apostles that he should be put to death and that he should rise againe the third day from the dead and therefore a little before his passion he made promise to them â—fter I am risen againe I will goe before you into Galile Now then according to this word as wee read in the former part of this Chapter euen the same day wherein hee rose againe hee came when the doores were shut into the place where the Disciples were gathâ—red together and stood in the middes and said to them peace be vnto you But Thomas either vpon supine negligence or cowardly feare being absent from their assembly lost the sight of his Sauiour Wherefore let vs I beseech you be diligent in frequenting the congregation of the faithfull especially on the Lords day for where two or three are gathered together in Christs name there Christ is in the mids of them and faith as here peace be vnto you They who gathered Manna alone lost their labour and found nothing Falleris sancte Thoma falleris si videre dominum â—peras ab apostolorum Collegio separatus non â—mat veritas angulos sed stat in mediâ— c. saith Bernard Thou art deceiued Thomas exceedingly deceiued if thou thinke to see Christ out of the Church and Colledge of Apostles He lurkes not in the dennes of the wicked but stands in the mids of the godly appearing in holy ground found in the Temple seen among the Disciples The second fault of Thomas arising from the former is incredulitie for his absence from the Disciples assembly was the cause hee saw not Christ his not seeing of Christ occasioned vnbeliefe and then his vnbeleeuing heart breakes forth into malapert words except I see in his hands the print of the nailes c. I finde that some Writers haue much excused this fact of Didymus as Cyril who thought he spake not thus out of incredulitie but out of a sudden passion as being extremely greeued for that he lost the sight of his Sauiour and almost out of hope that hee should euer see him againe because Christ had said a little while and ye shall not see me for I goe to my Father And S. Augustine saith also that these words of Thomas argue not a denying but a doubting only Vox inquirentis est non negantis dum hoc dicit docerivoluit confirmarâ— desiderauit And S. Ambrose most expresly that Thomas doubted not of Christs resurrection but of the manner of his resurrection onely Non de resurrectione Domini sed de resurrectionis qualitate videtur dubitasse This I confesse is a charitable construction of those holy Fathers extenuating rather then aggrauating the sinnes of others especially the godly But Christ himselfe being truth it selfe reprehends in our Text Thomas incredulitie be not faithlesse but faithfull and therefore
that which is crooked can none make strait This fact then of Thomas is a fault and it is amplified heere by three circumstances especially 1. That he was one of the twelue Not to beleeue the resurrection of Christ is a sinne in an ordinary Christian in a Disciple yet greater but in an Apostle so well instructed and so well beloued it was greatest of all 2. For that hee gaue no credit to the report of his fellow Disciples although his Master had often said hee that despiseth you despiseth mee Moreouer they were the greater part of the companie tenne against one and each of those tenne had receiued afore the Holy Ghost Ver. 22. and concerning the present businesse had heard and seene more then he Ver. 20.21 3. For that hee did vent his incredulous thought in such a bold and peremptorie stile except I see in his hands the print of the nâ—ilâ—s nay that is not enough except I feele the print except I put my finger into the print of the nailes euery one being so bigge as my finger except I thrust mine hand into his side and search his wound so great as mine hand except with hand and finger I measure both and finde by due proportion that they are the same I cannot beleeue nay the truth is I will not beleeue From hence then obserue that the naturall man if Christ once leaue him is not able to discerne the things of God especially that hard article concerning the resur rection it seemeth as a fained thing to such as with their senses only seeke their Sauiour Thus much of the fault I proceed now to the faith of Thomas And heere the Doctors haue moued a double doubt 1. Whether Thomas did touch the wounds of Christ or no. 2. Whether his speech my Lord and my God were an exclamation or an acclamation For the first it is thought by some that hee did not touch the wounds of Christ and that for these two reasons especially First because Christ saith in the 29 verse Thom is because thou hast seene me thou hast beleeued and not because thou hast touched me Secondly for that it is probable that Thomas hearing his masters voice and seeing his countenance was abundantly satisfied without any further enquirie But these obiections in the iudgement of the most ancient and best learned expositors are very weake because Christ in the 27. verse saith expresly put thy finger hither and see mine hands c. What as Augustine disputes in 121. tract in Ioan. had Thomas hâ—s eies in his fingers if not then seeing in that text is nothing else but touching put thy finger and see For seeing is attributed to all the senses Audi vide quâ—m bene sonet Heare and see how trimly the bels ring Olfac vide quâ—m bene cleat Smell and see how sweet the flower is Gusta vide quâ—m bene sapiat Taste and see the pleasantnesse of the fruit And so Tange viâ—e touch and see reach hither thine hand and christ it into my side For the second arguments albeit happily Thomas at the very sight of his master instantly became satisfied in himselfe yet that euery scruple might be remoued out of his and our minde our blessed Sauiour suffered his glorious bodie to be touched as S. Iohn in his first Epistle That which was from the beginning which wee haue heard which we haue seene with our eies which we haue looked vpon and our hands haue handled of the word of life Yea but Christ said in this Chapter at the 17. verse to Mary Magdalene Touch me not for I am not yet ascended to my Father is it likely that Thomas obtained more fauour then Mary so dearely beloued of the Lord Diuines answer this obiection diuersly First our Sauiour did not forbid all touching simply but immoderate embracing only for Mary Magdalene and other holy women with her touched his feet Matth 28.9 They tooke him by the feet and worshipped him It is plaine then that Mary was suffered to touch and onely forbidden when she did it too much Secondly Mary beleeued the resurrection of Christ and therefore had no such need to touch him as Thomas had Thirdly Christ did intimate that his body being now glorified he was not any longer to be respected carnally but onely to be touched spiritually with the finger of faith according to that of Paul If ye be risen with Christ set your affections on things which are aboue not on things which are on the earth And lastly there is an euasion in the text Touch me not for I am not yet ascended to my Father but goe to my brethren and say to them c. As if Christ should say you need not be so fond and forward in touching mee nowfor I meane not as yet to depart from you but goe tell my brethren that I am risen againe from the dead and then both they and you shall further handle and see me For so we finde Luk. 24.39 Behold mine hands and my feet for it is I my selfe handle me and see palpet videte see with your fingers that it is I. This exposâ—tion is proper and pertinent and therfore notwithstanding the former obiections I conclude if not demonstratiuely yet probably that Thomas did actually touch Christs wounds according to Christs words bring thy finger hither and see mine hands and reach hither thine hand and thrust it into my side The next qâ—ere to be discussed is whether the words of Thomas my Lord and my God are an exclamation or an acclamation Arius and his brood who denie Christ to be very God of very God make them an exclamation as if Thomas should haue said O Lord God what is it that I touch and see I not an acclamation or acknowledgement that Christ is the Lord God Answere is made first that the text hath not any note of exclamation it is â— not â— which is prefixed to the two Greeke words Secondly Thomas acknowledged something which he did not afore beleeue but he knew before thâ—â— the Father was God and therefore this speech of his concerned God â—he Sonne Lastly Christ commended his faith in confessing the sonne to be the Lord Thomas because thou hâ—st seene me thou hast beleeued hee did reprehend Thomas for the manner but yet approoue him for the matter of hiâ— beleefe So that the words my Lord and my God are a plaine confession of Didymus his faith touching Iesus Christ the Sauiour of the world He saith not thou art my Lord and my God but as if he had not time enough to put in Creed enough hee brake foorth into this abrupt and impeâ—fect speech as being of greater force my Lord and my God And it is so sweet as it is short v◠〈◊〉 sie 〈◊〉 confâ—ssioâ— quoth Bullinger a very briefe yet a most absolute Creed For the further examination whereof obserue first his
his father primarily not for hiding these things from the wise that is wise in their owne eyes or wise men after the flesh endued with a wisedome which is earthly sensuall diuellish Iames. 3.15 but because though he suffer the prince of darkenesse to blind the mindes of the worldly wise yet he doth openly shâ—w the glorious light of the Gospell vnto babes that is vnto such as became fooles that they may be wise wholly renouncing their owne wit and solely submitting themselues vnto Gods will If Iesus reioyced in the spirit and magnified the Lord of heauen and earth for vs O what thankes ought our selues to present vnto God for our selues Praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within me praise his holy name For mine eyes haue seene thy saluation and mine heart hath often endited a good matter and my pen sometimes is the pen of a readie writer O father of mercie whereas these things are yet hid from the Iewes and from the Turkes and from the superstitious Heathen and from carnall Christians I haue to the great refreshing of my soule through thy grace sweet Iesu both heard by the Gospell and imbraced the Gospell and preached the Gospell and in some measure practised also the Gospell O my soule praise the Lord and forget not all his benefits I will sing vnto the Lord as long as I liue I will praise my God while I haue any being Psal. 104.33 The sweetest of honie lieth in the bottome I passe therefore from Christs inuocation to the latter part of his Gospell his inuitation In which obserue the mouer Iesus moued all that labour and are laden motion Come take my yoke vpon you learne of me motiues I will ease you yee shall finde rest vnto your soules for my yoke is easie and my burthen light The person inuiting is Iesus he saith heere come not to mine but to me not to my Saints or Angels or Martyrs or Mother but to my selfe Send not other it is my pleasure that ye come seeke not for helpe from other I will ease you Come vnto me for I am the way the truth and the life The way by which and the tâ—uth in which and the life for which all of you come None can come but by me none finde ease but in me none rest in ease but with me Come therefore for I am the way learne of me for I am the truth and ye shall find rest vnto your soules for I am the life Come to me for I am as you see willing in saying come and able to relieue you for that all things are giuen vnto me So that aske and ye shall haue seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you None can come to the Father except it bee by the Sonne for no man knoweth the Father saue the Sonne and he to whomsoeuer the Sonne will open him In saying saue the Sonne he doth not exclude the holy spirit being the third person in Trinitie for it is a good conclusion in Diuinitie dictio exclusiua siue exceptiua addita termino personali in essentialibus non excludit ab altera persona diuina God the Father and God the holy Ghost as being all one with the Sonne are in the words nisi filius included and onely the Creator excluded For none know the Father by nature but by the reuelation of the Sonne Wee speake the wisedome of God in a mystery saith Paul which none of the Princes of this world knew hunc magnus Plato nesciuit eloquens Demosthenes ignorauit It is true that wee may know by the light of humane discourse that there is a God for the Godhead is seene by the creation of the world The heauens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handie woâ—ke Psalm 19.1 Yet none know the Father that is a distinction of the persons in sacred Trinity but by the spirit of him in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Coloss. 2.3 And 〈◊〉 our reuealed knowledge is but imperfect in this life They who saw most of God obtained onely the sight of his hinder parts And in the kingdome of glory when as we shall enioy the beholding of his fore-parts also seeing him euen face to face our knowledge shall not be comprehensionis cognitio sed apprehensionis an apprehending rather then a comprehending of his infinite Maiesty Wee shall not euen in that day know so much of the Father as the Father knoweth of himselfe Sola quippe trinitas in vnâ—atis diuinitate seipsam nouit In this life we shall attaine by Christs grace to such an vnderstanding 〈◊〉 God as is fit and in the world to come we shall â—aâ—e so much as is full euen so much as any created vessel is able to containe yet none shall euer 〈◊〉 comprehend that incomprehensible Trinitie none can as it selfe know it selfe Hâ—â—herto concerning the party calling I am now to speake of the persoâ—s inuited All ye that labour and are lader He doth exâ—â—â—â— â—one who came to bring all vnto the knowledge of the truth â—â—al that lâ—â—our then all that liue For man borne of a woman is full of troubâ—e Iob 14.1 Come therefore all ye that labour in your actions and are laden in your passions All ye Iewes who labour vnder the yoke of the law and all ye Gentiles oppâ—essed with the burthen of your sinnes All yee â—hat labour where 〈◊〉 and whensoeuer and howsoâ—â—er afflicted or affâ—â—â—â—d 〈◊〉 misery For these two labâ—ur and lâ—dâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—one conceiue simply the â—â—me signâ—fâ—ing all kind â—f â—â—efe sâ—res and sorrow â—hatsoeuer As in the 6. and 9 Psalmes 〈◊〉 weary of my greamâ—g I am weary of my 〈◊〉 c. To speake more distinctly there is a threefold burthen namely the burthen of â—â—ffliction the law 〈…〉 Christ easeth all such as come to him of all these Concerning the sirâ— great trauâ—ile saith the sonne of Sirach is created for all men and a heaâ—ie yoke vpon the sonnes of Adam euen from the day that they goe out of the mothers wombe till the day that they returne to the mother of all things But Christ a refuge in due time of trouble yea a present helpe doth either take away this burthen froÌ„ our shoulders or else giueth vnto such as come to him abundant strength and patience to beare it Art thou crossed in thy goods it is the Lord who giueth and the Lord who taketh away Cast all your care vpon him and hee will so care for you that this burthen shall be made light and this yoke easie Art thou wronged in thy good name say with Dauid it may bee the Lord will looke vpon mine affliction do me good for Shemi his cursing me this
him as in asking Is it lawfull that tribute be giuen to Caesar or no If hee should haue disputed against the tribute he had offended the Prince if for the tribute displeased the people who did beare this heauie burthen against their wils See Gospell Sund. 2◠after Trinity Againe they digged a pit round about him in bringing the woman taken in adultery before him and demanding what sayest thou for if he should haue condemned her hee might seeme to contradict his owne sayings I will haue mercy not sacrifice learne of me for I am humble and meeke If acquit her he should contrary Moses law Leuiticus 20.10 The adulterer and adulteresse shall die the death See Bernard de passione domin cap. 3. Moreouer Christ on the crosse was digged his side with a speare his hands and feet with nailes and those so bigge that as Socrates reporteth in his ecclesiasticall history Constantine made thereof an helmet and a bridle for his owne vse in warre 4. The Vine is bound vnto the wood and fastened vnto the wall on which it groweth euen so Christ was led away bound vnto Pontius Pilate and nailed vnto the wood of the crosse so fettered and fastened with bonds as that the Church saith of him in the Canticles my well beloued is as a bundle of myrrhe vnto mee Myrrhe being bitter and sharpe doth insinuate the grieuousnes of his passion and a bundle the multitude of his sorrowes And so Christ is vnto the Church a bundle of myrrhe when as shee meditateth on his death and passion how he was bound that shee might be made free how he was beaten that she might escape punishment how hee was broken that she might be healed with his stripes Esay 53.5 5. The Vine being thus planted pruned cut bound digged dunged spreades her branches farre and wide So Christ as calling his followers from East and West hauing the heathen for his inheritance and the vttermost parts of the earth for his possession extends and stretcheth out his branches vnto the sea and this boughes vnto the riuer Christ is the Vine and all Christians are his branches All of vs are by nature drie and fit for nothing but the fire therefore that wee may be fruitfull and liue we must first be grafted into Christ as into a Vine by the fathers hand without his grace we can do nothing and thorough his helpe able to doe all things Philip 4.13 now the diuine vnion is threefold Essential and so God the father is all one with God the sonne and God the holy Ghost personal and so God the sonne being made flesh is vnited to the humaine nature spiritual and so such as abide in Christ and are ioyned in spirit to the Lord are one with Christ the Lord 1. Cor. 6.17 My father is an husbandman The blasphemous Arians obiect here that Christ and God as the vine and husbandman are of diuers natures and that Christ as the vine must of necessity be subiect and inferiour to God which is an hunsbandman Answere is made that a similitude runs not on foure feet but that it standeth vpon one legge principally now the maine drift of this comparison is not to shew what care this husbandman hath ouer the root of the vine but what he doth vnto the branches Euery branch that beareth not fruit he will take away and euery branch that beareth fruit will he purge c. Christ vttered this parable as our mediatour and head of the Church and hee could not haue bin the Churches head except he had bin God and man Christ then as touching his manhood was inferiour to the father Iohn 14.28 My father is greater then I yet equal as touching his Godhead Ioh. 10.13 I and my father are one coequal in might and mercie So the text here God the father as an husbandman purgeth euery branch that beareth fruit vers 2. and God the sonne likewise doth the same vers 3. now are yee cleane thorough the words which I haue spoken vnto you So that Christ as God is an husbandman so well as his father he purgeth and pruneth the boughes of the vine so well as he vna enim operatio patris filij Ioh. 5.19 Whatsoeuer the father doth the same things doth the sonne also Euery branch that beareth not fruit in me he taketh away Christ exhorting his followers to continue stedfast in the faith argueth a paena praemio from the punishment of such as abide not in him and from the reward of such as abide the punishments of hypocrites and false Christians which abide not in him are Seuen Seuen 1. They beare no fruit 2. Bearing no fruit they bee cut away from the Vine 3. Being cut away from the Vine they bee cast out of the Vineyard 4. Being cast out of the Vineyard they wither 5. Being withered men gather and fagot them 6. Being made fagots they bee cast into the sire 7. Being cast into the fire they burne in that vnquencheable flame where the worme dyeth not and the fire neuer goeth out First they beare no fruit for saith our Sauiour as the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe except it abide in the vine no more can yee except yee abide in mee for without me can you do nothing The Pelaegian hereticks affirmed à Deo habemus quod homines sumus à nobis ipsis autem quod iusti sumus that we are men we receiue from God that we are good men commeth from our selues but truth it selfe here contradicit dicit a branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe c. This one clause saith Augustine corda instruit humilium ora obstruit superborum it comforts a poore publicane but it confounds a proud Pelagian And that other sentence without me can ye do nothing confuteth also the Semipelagian I meane the Papist auowing that a man hath a power of free will in his owne nature which once being stirred and helped can and doth of it owne selfe cooperate with grace The word nothing makes very much against this opinion as Augustine noteth vpon the place For Christ said not sine me parum potestus facere sed sine menihil now that wee may the better vnderstand this controuersie man is to be considered in a foure-fold estate to wit Instatu In statu Confectionis as hee was created In statu Infectionis as he was corrupted In statu Refectionis as he was renewed In statu Perfectionis as he shall be glorified In the first estate we giue to the will of man a liberty of nature Adamus enim acceperat posse si veller sed non habuit velle quod posset In the third we grant a libertie of grace for if the sonne make you free ye shall be free indeed Iohn 8.36 The spirit of Christ which is free Psalm 51.12 giueth liberty to the captiues and openeth the prison to
Christ as man acknowledgeth himselfe to be lesse then his father Iohn 14.18 my father is greater then I But Christ if you consider him in the forme of God filled heauen and earth and so he may bee said to send himselfe as elsewhere to giue himselfe for vs. See Saint Augustine vbi sup in margin Lombard seâ—t lib. 1. dist 15. Thomas part 1. quast 43. art 8. Touching that eternal sending of the holy spirit from the father and the sonne we say that the mysteries of the sacred Trinity being ineffable the words are almost all borowed that are vsed to shew the distinct operations of the same Saint Augustine speaking of the generation of the sonne and proceeding of the holy Ghost ingeniously confessed his want of wit and wordes Inter illam generationem hanc processionem distinguere nescio non valeo non sufficio quid illis â—sta est inefabilis But here the Apostles in proper phrase of speaking sent Peter and Iohn ergo they were subiect to their authority Thirdly whereas they say that there is a twofold sending one which is amoris and another which is impery for an equall or an inferiour may perswade his friend to doe his busines for him a body politike may send their head to the Parliament and a common weale â— their Prince to the warres our answere is ready that an inferiour intreating his friend can not truely say that he sent his peere much lesse his superiour neither can a corporation that is vnder a soueraigne head such as the Church of Rome would haue Peter to be choose him to be their foot to goe for them he may peraduenture goe by his owne consent or desire but hee can not bee sent neither can a common weale thrust their absolute King into the danger of warre Sponte hoc ille faciendums indicat sed ab illis ad bellum gerendum extrudi non potest Lastly we say that Peter here was sent not as a Prince but as a peere for Iohn was ioyned with him in the mission and commission as a copartner in his office so the text they sent Peter and Iohn And Peter being sent into Samaria by his brethren repined not as holding himselfe their gouernour but went his way as their messenger and elsewhere being questioned by the Apostles for going to Cornelius and eating with vncircumcised heathens he forthwith excused himselfe and came to his answere Fourthly wheras they be driuen here to confesse that the Colledge of Apostles comprising Peter was greater then Peter their head alone Wee say this being granted that Peters Popedom was not the â—oueraigne power of Christ neither was Peter head of the Apostles as Christs Vicar for the whole Church comprising Christ the head thereof is not of greater authority then Christ himselfe Againe it is a receiued opinion among moderne Iesuited Papists that the Church is nothing else but the Pope so that the Successor of Peter is now farre greater then Peter himselfe for hee will bee tied neither to Councell nor Canon nor custome more then himselfe liketh Who when they were come downe prayed for them that they might receiue the holy Ghost It is probable that Peter and Iohn did preach as well as pray but S. Luke reporteth onely what new thing happened to Samaria by their comming namely the receiuing of the holy Ghost through imposition of hands and prayer Here S. Augustine Lombard and other obserue that Christ is God in giuing the holy spirit quantus deus est qui dat deum His Apostles did not giue the holy Ghost at Samaria they prayed for them that they might receiue the holy Ghost and they laid thir hands on them and they receiued the holy Ghost euery good gift is from aboue Samaria then had extraordinarie gifts of the spirit By Peter and Iohn not from Peter and Iohn and Simon Magus insinuates so much in his offer of money to to them at the 19. verse giue mee this power that on whomsoeuer I lay the hands hee may receiue the holy Ghost He did not say that I might giue but onely that he may receiue Happily some will obiect that Paul gaue the spirit to the Galathians as it may seeme wher hee saith he that ministreth vnto you the spirit and worketh miracles among you doth hee it through the workes of the law or by the hearing of faith preached Our answere may be gathered out of the text that hee gaue not the spirit by his proper power but onely that they receiued the spirit through his preaching and ministry They were baptized onely in the name of Christ Iesus You must here referre the word onely to baptized and not to the clause following in the name of Christ Iesus It is not the meaning of S. Luke that they were baptized in the name of God the Sonne onely for it is Christs owne Canon Matth. 28.29 That all the three persons of the blessed Trinity must expresly bee named in Baptisme Goe teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost See Bellarm. de Baptismo lib. 1. cap. 3. Suarez in Thom. 3. part tom 3. disput 21. Caluin Lorin in act 2.38 So that to bee baptized in the name of Iesus Christ in this and other like place of this booke is to be baptized in the faith of Iesus Christ or in the power of Iesus Christ or according to the prescript of Iesus Christ. Here then a question is moued how the faithfull in Samaria were baptized and yet the holy Ghost was come on none of them Hee that is baptized must acknowledge that Christ is the Lord and no man as Paul telleth vs can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost All that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ and are buried with him in his death that like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glory of the Father so they likewise should walke in newnesse of life Answere is made that the Samaritans had already receiued inuisible graces of the sanctifying spirit which are common vnto all such as truly beleeue but as yet Samaria had not any singular and extraordinarie miraculous gifts as in Christs name to cast out diuels and to speake with new tongues and to heale the sicke c. the which in the Primatiue time was conferred vpon certaine persons according to the will of the spirit for the confirmation of the Gospell It is apparant that the Apostles had the sanctifying and illuminating spirit for their guide from the very beginning of their preaching Matth. 10.20 It is not ye that speake but the spirit of your father which speaketh in you Yet wee reade Iohn 7.38 that the holy Ghost was not yet giuen because Iesus was not yet glorified For they receiued not those miraculous gifts of healing and speaking with
worke For assuredly such as croud into the Clergie without performance of their office either through ignorance that they cannot or secular emploiment that they may not or negligence that they will not or feare of trouble that they dare not preach the word of God are aduersaries vnto the doctrine of the Church of England and enemies of the Crosse of Christ Philip. 3.19 See further in the Gospell ensuing The Gospell MATTH 4.18 As Iesus walked by the sea of Galile he saw two brethren Simon which was called Peter and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea for they were fishers c. IN this Gospell is set downe the Calling of four Apostles Comming of foure Apostles In their calling these circumstaÌ„ces are cosiderable Who Iesus Where By the sea of Galile When At the beginning of his preaching Whom in Name Peter Andrew Iames. Iohn Number two and two Nature Brethren Fishers Why That they might become fishers of men How He saw them and said vnto them follow me and I will make you c. As Iesus walked There be foure sorts of Apostles as Hierome and Luther obserue some be sent only from God and not by men immediatly from God the Father as the Prophets vnder the Law Iesus Christ and Iohn Baptist in the beginning of the Gospell immediately from God the Sonne in his state mortall as the twelue Apostles in his stare glorious or immortall as S. Paul Acts 9.15 Other are sent by men and not by God as they who being vnworthie both in respect of their bad learning and worse liuing croud notwithstanding into the Ministerie through alliance fauour or simonie Which occasioned one to say that horses are more miserable then asses in that horses did post ordinarily to Râ—me to get asses preferment Cum Iesu Iudas cum Simone fur Ananias In templo Christs semper sunt quatuor ists Other are neither chosen of God nor called by men as the false Prophets of whom it is said in holy scripture that they runne without a warrant euill workers enemies of Christs Crosse theeues climing into the Church at the window not entring in at the doore rauening wolues in sheepes clothing See Gospell on the 2. Sunday after Easter and 8. after Trinitie Other are both elected of God and ordained by men as the Bishops of Ephesus Acts 20.28 and other Elders in the Primitiue Church Acts 14.23 and all orthodoxe Preachers of the word in our age For as the Gospell and Epistle well accord how shall they preach vnlesse they be sent No man although he were more wise then either Salomon or Daniel ought to take this honour vnto himselfe except hee be called of God I say called of God either immediatly by himselfe so Christ here called his Apostles or else mediatly by such as haue pub-like authoritie giuen vnto them in the congregation to call and send Ministers into the Lords vineyard and so Christ at this houre calleth Apostles in our Church in that the conformable Ministers of England are chosen according to his word as we teach against the Brownists and Baâ—rnists as also canonically consecrated as wee prooue to the proud pontifician aduersarie See Doctor Fulke Wâ—â—r in Rom. 10. Perkins Treatise of Callings Râ—g rs â—a Anglican Confâ—ss art 23. proposition 1. 5. Sâ—â—lâ—â—s is moâ—iuâ— obseruant of pontifician spirits pa. 17. And surely God hath as it were set his hand and seale to the full approbation of our callings in that hee blesseth our labours in the ministerie for the conuersion of many soules in England For euery learned and industrious Pastor may tell his people which he begets vnto God in Christ as Paul once told the Corinthians If I be not an Apostle to other yet doubtlâ—sse I am vnto you for ye are the â—â—al of mine Apostleship in the Lord. By the 〈◊〉 of Galile This as Interpreters obserue was not the maine seâ— but a little creeke only The lake Gemzâ—eth as wee reade Luke 5.1 but it is called a sea for thaâ— the Scripture termeâ—h all gathering together of waâ—eâ—s â—eas and the sea of Galile for that it bounded vpon the borders of the two Galilees Consule Plin. hist. lib. 5. cap. 15. Ioseph de bello Iudairo lib. 3. cap. 18. Strab. 〈◊〉 lib. 16. 〈◊〉 504. In this lake Peter and Andrew were fishing Iames and Iohn mendâ—â—â— their nets Here I noâ—e with Arctius and other vnto your comfort that almightie God is wont to blesse men especially when they be busied in their proper element and 〈◊〉 in their owne vocations An Angell being a messenger of gladnesse appeared vnto 〈◊〉 〈…〉 the Priests office before God and is 〈…〉 order An Angell also deliuered the first 〈◊〉 of Christs birth vnto shepheards are wha◠〈…〉 night in the field While Saul ac 〈…〉 fâ—â—hers expresse commandement sought for 〈…〉 found a kingdome 1. Sam. 9. so Christ here seâ—ing Peter and Andrew not idle but casting a net into the 〈◊〉 nor yet ouer-haste medling in other men trade but only labouring in their owne calling for they were fishers he saith vnto them instantly follow me and I will make you to become fishers of men A laste person is vnâ—it for the Clergie for none but labourers are sent into the Lords haruest On the contrary the curious and ouer actiue spirit is vnprofitable for he will haue one foot in the Church another in the Court and if God had made him a Tripos he would haue had a third in the Campe. Miles equi◠〈…〉 c. an hammer is for the Smith an Homer for the Schoole Let the shoemaker attend his boot and the fisher his boat He that comes to the corne heape the more he openeth his hand to receiue the lesse he doth hold so he that in largeth himself to beare the most office in a State these wer shall he sufficiently discharge The worme 〈…〉 or 〈…〉 though it haue many feet is of a very slow pase So Luther said of Erasmus Quiâ—t â—ust in omnibus sapere sespsum decipit And Mâ—lancâ—hon of 〈◊〉 â—â—itaries in arts in omnibus aliqaâ—â— in 〈…〉 The wittie Poet trimly Omnia cuÌ„mfacias miraris cur facias nil Posthâ—nâ— rem solam qui sacit â—lle facit Againe Christ called his Apostles in the midst of their fishing that wee might heereby learne to preferre the following of him before the businesse of the world or Iesus happily walked by the sea for that he did intend to chuse fishers Hereby teaching vs not to shunne but rather to seeke those places where â—e may doegood As the poore cottage that we may releeue the needie the house of mourning that wee may binde vp the broken hearted and remooue the spirit of heauinesse the dungeon of Ioseph and Daniel preaching libertie to the captiues and opening of the prison vnto them that are bound
â—f them whiâ—h are wâ—thout vnreproneable watching sober â—â—est barberous apt to teach And albeit at their first comming aâ—d haue shewed a little before these fishermen were rude yet afterward they were so furnished with all parts of knowledge and varietie of language that their heaven exceedingly wondred at their wisdome and knew that they had beene with Iesus Other haue rendred other reasons why Christ in the beginning of his preaching chose fishermen for his Apostles As namely to them that God is no respecter of persons as also for that he knew the poore would follow him immediately whereas it is easier for a camelâ—â—o goeâ—â—orow thâ—eis of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdomâ— of God For being inuited to the great Supper he saith I haue bought a farme and I must needs goâ— to see it or I haue bought fiue yoke of ouen and I goe to proâ—ise them c. Let vs examine now why Iesus called them and â—ha is that they might be made 〈◊〉 of mâ—n not hunters but fishers In old time the Prophets and Apostles were fishers in our time more like hunters according to that of the Prophet â—eremy 16.16 Bâ—hold 〈◊〉 the Lord. I will â—end out many fishers an 〈…〉 them and 〈…〉 I will end out many 〈…〉 they sâ—â—ll 〈◊〉 them c Hereâ—ofore the Preachers as fishers inclosed many fish in their net aâ— one draught but in our age â—â—e resemble hunters of erâ—a great noâ—â— long and loud crying 〈◊〉 catch either noâ—hâ—ng or else very little Ioâ—â—â— was but one man and he preached vnto 〈◊〉 but one sermon and that a short seâ—mon as coaching the number of words and yet he turned all â—he whole Citie rich and poore prince and people Wee God be praised are many preachers and we preach many sermons and such as haue a tall bite nipping inuecâ—iues against â—nne yet England repents not in sackcloth and ashes Iohn Baptists sermon was short Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinne of the world S. Andrews sermon shorter We haue found the Messias and yet as wee read in the first chapter of Saint Iohns Gospell Andrew was caught by the one and Peter by the other The sermon of S. Peter Acts 2 was exceeding briefe yet it caught about threâ— thousand soules in our time scarcely one soule taken in many sermons And the fault is partly the fishers and partly the fishes as I haue shewed at large Gospell 5 Sund. after Trinitie I will make you fishers of men Not of money as if the sharing of the sheep and fish were the white they should aime at Antichrist of Rome was not in a pulpit these nine hundred yeares and so by consequence succeeds not Peter in fishing with his net but onely in fishing with his hooke Matth. 17. where it is said that Peter cast an angle into the sea and tooke a fish in whose mouth he found a piâ—ce of twenty pence Such a kinde of fishing the Romane Peters vse for Pope Leo the tenth exacted so much of the lay-men and wasted so much of the Churches treasure that whereas other were Popes no longer then they liâ—ed hee was said to be pope many yeeres after he was dead Which occasioned a learned Poet to write thus of him Sacra sub extremâ si furiè requiritis horâ Cur Leo non â—otuit sumere vendiderat Iohn 22. left behind him as Petrarcha reports two hundred and â—â—ftie tunne of gold in so much that an odde feâ—low made this iest of him Erat Pontisex maxi 〈◊〉 si non viâ—tute pecunia tamen maximus Pope Sixtus Quintus called of Englishmen in a by-word for selling ouâ— kingdome to Philip of Spaine Six Cinque througâ— his intoâ—lerable couetousnesse left in his exchequer fiue millions his successor Gregory the 14. wasted foure of them in tenne moneths and lesse beside his ordinarie reuenewes in riot and pompe The pontificians exceedingly condemne the Protestant Preachers because being maried hauing children they take care to prouide for their familie but their own Popes and Prelates are more greedie to scrape for their bastards and minions then our men haue bin to prouide for their honest wiues and legitimate issue Happily some men of corrupt mindes among vs as most among them enter into the Ministerie as Stratocles and Dromoclidas into the Magistracie tanquam ad aure am messem and so they be fishers of money not of men or if they fish after men it is to finger their meanes As the Friers in old time professed wilfull pouertie so long vntill they robbed the whole world and became Lords of all And at this houre the Iesuites are so couetous that they maligne all other orders except the Capuâ—hiâ— And the reason hereof is plain because the Capuchin saith hee would haue nothing and the Iesuite would haue all A wittle Libeller in Spaine described the Capuchin Friers shooting from the purse the Franciseanes aiming wide of it and the Iesuites hitting it in the very middest I haue read of Vrbane the fifth how that when hee was a poore Chaplaine in the Court of Rome he should vpon a time say to a familiar friend If all the Churches in the world should fall at once 〈◊〉 of them I thinke verily would light on my head After being elected Pope his old acquaintance told him at his inâ—hronization Once holy father you complained that you were Parson of no Church and now behold God hath out of the riches of his wisedome and mercie so disposed as that all the Churches in the world are committed only to your charge Let vs be faithfull in a little casting our care on God who careth for vs. If any forsake with these Discipleâ— his nets and ship suos â—uâ— to follow Christ hee shall receiue an hundred fold at this present houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions and in the world to come eternall life Mark 10.30 auarice is a sinne in any man heresie in a Clergie man Fishers of men in generall as Musculus obserues not of great men and learned men onely for that is Peters fault to neglect his cure that hee may follow the Court as if the â—oules of poore men in the country were not worthie to be fished for Not of good men and brethren only for that is a schismaticall tricke such I trow be caught already we should therefore rather cast how to cast our net for other A scabbie sheepe is of the flocke so well as the bell-weather and because scabbie wants our helping hand more then the whole Fishers of men not of women only for that is an hereticall tricke 10 leade captiue simple women laden with sins and led with diuers lusts As Simon Maguâ— the first heretike broched his dangerous opinions by the helpe of the strumpet Helena Nicolas the founder
of Paul whom he did predestinate them he called and whom he called them also hee iustified and whom hee iustified hee also glorified For faith is a consequent of election obedience of faith and remuneration of obedience He called his Apostles here by word only follow me Goe not before me nor beside me but come after me for I am the way the truâ—h and the life Where note the power of his word hee spake and it was done he called and they came immediately But we reade in the 5. of Luke that he called these by working a wonder also for whereas they laboured all night and caught nothing he commanded them to let down their net and they tooke such a multitude of fish that they filled two ships vntill they did sinke Where Diuines obserue that Christ accommodates himselfe euermore to his present auditors as hee called the wise men of the East addicted vnto the studies of Astrologie by a starre and conferring with a woman of Samaria who came to draw water at Iacobs Well hee tooke occasion to speake of the water of life saying Whosoeuer drinketh of the water that I shall giue him shall neuer â—e more a thirst and in the 6. chapter of S. Iohns Gospell hee did instruct the Capernaits who followed him only for loaues by a similitude taken from bread and meat willing them to labour for the true bread of heauen and for the meat that endureth vnto euerlasting life By whose example fishers of men are taught to become as weake to the weake that they may winne the weake being all things to all men that by all means they may saue some Hitherto concerning the calling of Simon Andrew Iames and Iohn Let vs now come to their comming Simon and Andrew straight way lest their nets Iames and Iohn immediately lest their ship and their father and followed him They came straight way without inquisition or delay considering only who called and not disputing why hee called And they came willingly without any grudging or griefe leauing nets and ship and father and all things or the world to follow Iesus whose kingdome was not of this world whose pouertie was so great that hee was borne in another mans house and buried in another mans tombe as not hauing wherein to rest his head They forsooke all that little they had and all the great things they desired to haue They did not abandon vtterly their estate for S. Peter afterward vsed his neâ—s and followed his trade Iohn 21.3 but they so subdued their will vnto Gods will as that they counted all things losse to winne Christ. Apostoli quoth Hierome quantum ad dâ—uâ—â—s nibil quantum ad voluntatem totum mundum pariâ—er reliquerunt Iesus euery day calleth vs vnto him either by the good motions of his spirit or by his word in the mouth of his Preachers or else by strange iudgements or extraordinarie mercies And therefore let vs I beseech you forsake the vaine pompe of the world the carnall desires of the flesh and all other nets and lets whatsoeuer hindering our comming that wee may follow him immediately For if the Disciples heere followed him in his humiliation and pouertie what a sinne yea what a shame will it be not to follow him now sitting at the right hand of God in the heauen of heauens a Lord of Lords higher then the highest a King of glorie rich vnto all that call vpon him able to doe for his followers exceeding abundantly aboue all that they can aske or thinke These followed him in Bodie being conuersant with him and witnesses of all hee did and said Minde for nothing could separate them from the loue of Christ. Life learning of him to bee meeke and mercifull as he was mercifull exhorting their auditors to be followers of them as they were followers of Christ. Death for as he suffred on the Crosse to make their peace so Peter and Andrew were crucified and Iames slaine with the sword in his quarrell and Iohn as wee finde in Ecclesiasticall historie was by the commandement of the tyrant Domitian cast in feruent is olei dolium or as other solium into a vessell or bath of hot boiling oile from which he was notwithstanding by Gods hand deliuered miraculously without any hurt Though happily neuer occasion shall be giuen vs to die for the Lord yet let vs so follow him in our liues and in our loues as that we may die in the Lord. Let vs mortifie our earthly members our feet that we stand not in the way of sinners our eies that wee may not delight in vanities or wantonly behold a woman our hands that we may labour and worke the thing which is good our mouth that it bee not full of cursing and bitternesse our hearts that they be not exercised with auarice that forsaking our selues to follow him only which is our saluation as we suffer with him euen so wee may be glorified together with him Amen Almightie God which didst giue such grace vnto thy holy Apostle S. Andrew that hee readily obeied the calling of thy sonne Iesus Christ and followed him without delay grant vnto vs all that wee being called by thy holy word may foorthwith giue ouer our selues obediently to follow thy holy commandements through the same Iesus Christ our Lord. The Epistle EPHES. 2.19 Now are ye not strangers nor forreiners but citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God c. THis Epistle sets down the most happy condition of all such as truly beleeue 1. Priuatiuely shewing what they are not in the 19. verse Now are yee not strangers nor forreiners 2. Positiuely describing in the rest of the text what they are namely Gods Citie House Temple Of which heauenly building the Materials are liuely stones all Gods elect built together to be an habitation of God Foundation is Iesus Christ himselfe Builders Apostles and Prophets Properties are to be built together c. answering the three properties of the Church in the Creed Holy a temple of the Lord an habitation of God Catholique all the building c. knit in a communion coupled together and built together Now ye are not strangers As Augustine said it is one thing to walke in the law another thing to liue vnder the law so likewise there is difference between being in grace and vnder grace Many men in our time who receiue the Gospell of God in vaine liue vnder grace but not in grace many Prophets and holy Fathers in old time liued in grace but not vnder grace For properly to liue vnder grâ—ce is opposed vnto the state of the law to liue in grace is opposed vnto the state of sinne The men of Ephesus and other Gentiles in time past vnbeleeuing were neither in grace nor vnder grace not in grace for in walking according to the
day Againe this sentence Christ is the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles ouerthroweth as Interpreters obserue Marcion and other heretickes affirming that two sundrie disagreeing Gods are Authors of the two Testaments As if one God were preached in the Gospell and another in the Law whereas one and the same Christ is the very center of both at which all the Prophets and Apostles aime principally The builders of Gods house are the Prophets and Apostles and all their lawfull successours the Ministers and Preachers of the word Behold saith the Lord to Ieremie the Prophet I haue put my woreis in thy mouth I haue set thee euer the nations and ouer the kingdomes to plucke vp and to roote out and to destroy and throw downe to build and to plant That is to roote out vice to plant vertue to destroy the dens of Sâ—tan and build vp Gods remple to throw downe the kingdome of Antichrist and to set vp the kingdome of Christ. And so Paul cals himselfe a skilfull Architect or a cunning master builder laiing the foundation and hee faith of other Preachers of the word that they build vpon his foundation gold siluer precious stones c. that is doctrines and exhortations answerable to the foundation and worthie of Christ. In a word that the Pastors are Gods labourers and the people God building 1. Cor. 3 9. it is true that Christ himselfe is the chiefe builder as hee saith in the Gospel vpon this rocke will I build my Church he builds as it is in our text through his holy spirit vers 22. yet hee doth vse Prophets and Apostles and Euangelists and Pastors and Teachers as vnder-workmen for the gathering together of his saints and edification of his Church Ephes. 4. 11.12 The tooles or instruments which Apostles and Preachers vse toward this worke are the Word and the Sacraments especially For so the Lord of these labourers hath appointed Goe teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost His word iâ— his power to bring his elect to the foundation and to build them vpon the foundation His Sacraments are fastnings as it were to strengthen and confirme them after they be laid in the building that they fall not away but grow to an holy temple of the Lord. Our doctrine must be according to the analogie of faith our exhortation according to the rules of good life the Bible which is our lanterne and our guide furnisheth vs with both and therefore wee must euer build vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Beside these tooles a Minister ought to further Gods building with heartie praiers and good example Bellarmine said of Erasmus falsely that he was but halfe a Christian but it may be said of a lewd Pastour truly that he is but halfe a Preacher he may peraduenture pull downe more building in one weeke with his bad life then he can set vp againe in a whole yeere with his great learning Seneca thought it impossible that any body should at onetime be both a good man and a good captaine but a Clergie man is not a good Pastor vnlesse he be a good paterne God defend me and mine from a mangie Physitian a ragged Alchimist and a dissolute Diuine If thou be a president of godlinesse to thy people pray to the God of all grace that you may so remaine if you sometime were and are now fallen returne if you neuer were repent if you neuer will be perish Nam à Deo separabitur qui à diabolo superabitur Concerning the properties of the Church it is built together in such a due proportion and concinne symmetrie that euery part is content to keepe his ranke and performe his function without any faction It is a body fitly ioined together and compacted by that which euery ioint supplieth c. Ephes. 4.16 See Epistle 2. Sund. after Epiphanie It is built together in respect of her vnion with Christ the head corner stone and coupled together in respect of her communion with the members See Communion of Saints in the Creed And being thus inserted and built on Christ it liueth and groweth from grace to grace till it become an holy Temple to the Lord. The which Interpreters vnderstand of euery singular part so well as of the whole body for euery Christian is an habitation of God If thou be then a consecrated Chappell vnto the Lord how darest thou commit Idolatrie which is against the first table What agreement hath the temple of God with Idols Or how dinest thou commit adulterie which is against the second table Know yee not that your body is the temple of the holy Ghost and that God is to bee glorified in your spirit and in your body will you then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid Euery liuing stone that is built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles is holy Lapides in templo sancto non possunt esse non sanctificati The temples of God are holy both in regard of their righteousnesse imputed in that their vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen and Christ himselfe made their holinesse and in regard of sanctification and righteousnesse in herent for that being deliuered out of the hands of all their enemies they serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life The Gospell IOHN 20.24 Thomas one of the twelue which is called Didymus was not with them when Iesus came c. THis Scripture consists of a Dialogue Thomas one of the twelue c. Epilogue Many other signes truly did Iesus c. The Dialogue is between a weake sinner and a meeke Sauiour And according to these two principall persons it hath also two principall parts one concerning Thomas and another touching Christ. In Thomas obserue his Faults which are two 1. His absence from the meeting of the other Apostles 2. His incredulitie not beleeuing the resurrection of Christ occasioned by that absence Faith My Lord and my God That other part concerning Christ is a relation of his second appearing vnto the blessed Apostles after his rising againe from the dead And heerein is set down 1. What he did After eight daies he came againe c. 2. What he said 1. To the whole companie Peace be to you 2. To Thomas in particular Bring thy finger hither c. 3. In conclusion to him and them and vs and al Blessed are they that haue not seen and yet haue beleeued In that our Euangelist hath set downe the fall of Peter and fault of Thomas wee may learne that euen the most holy men are but imperfectly perfect in this life The Pontificians are true Donatists and as it were the very spawne of the Cathari For is any man so great a Puritan as the Papist highly conceiting that he can obserue all
as Malchus eare was so soone healed that an incredulous lew would not beleeue that Peters sword euer went betweene it and his head so the place thorow which his body passed might be shut and whole before and after he passed but not in the instant of his passing because that is contrary to the nature of a true body such as his was I know God can doe whatsoeuer he will but his word is his reuealed will and that telleth vs expresly that Christs body was like our body in all things only sinne excepted And if it be like our body then it cannot be without distance of space and place for saith Augustine That is no body which is no where Lastly the plaine text is against them for it doth not say that Christ came thorow the boords and barres of the doore but only that he came and stood in the midst after or when the doore was shut not determining the manner how he came but only reporting the matter that he came and the time when he came So that hauing so many and those so manifest euasions otherwise we need not say that Christ came in at the window that is a Popish forgerie crept into the Rhemists annotations thorow the wicket of our aduersaries owne mouth For the conclusion it selfe wee teach as the Scriptures and holy Fathers that the sacrament all bread and wine are signes and seales of Christs body and blood and we receiue them in thankfull remembrance he died for vs. As for his crucified body it is now in heauen a glorified body where it shall remaine till hee come in the last day to iudge and end this and all other controuersies In the meane while wee must as Eagles flie to the place where the dead body lieth ascending vpon the wings of faith vnto it and not expecting that it should locally descend vnto vs. See Sursum corda in the Liturgie And stood in the middest We reade in the Gospels historie that Christ was often in the midst In the midst of the Doctors in the midst of his Apostles in the midst on the Crosse betweene two theeues and shall at the last day be likewise in the midst betweene the sheepe and the goats In his natiuitie life death resurrection and comming to iudgement in the midst Heereby signifiing that he is our Messias and medius like Moses standing in the gap betweene God and vs. Hee stood in the midst here that all might the better heare him and see him as the Sunne in the midst of the firmament and the heart in the midst of the members affoording his comfort indifferently to the whole company for hee came not only for the benefit of Thomas but for the common good of other And this may teach all Pastors and parents to seeke the good of all that are committed vnto their charge Christ standing in the midst of his Apostles openly rebuked Thomas for two causes especially first that as Thomas had offended afore them hee might also be reprehended afore them all A priuate fault is to be censured priuatly but a publike scandall openly them that sinne rebuke publikely that the rest also may feare Secondly that Thomas his vnbeleefe might strengthen others faith that his doubt might put all other out of doubt So infinite is God in greatnes and goodnes that he can bring light out of darknes and vse the weaknes yea the wickednes of other for our good and his glorie Vnius interrogatio vniuersitatis instructio saith Augustine Ones ignorance was all others instruction for except Thomas had doubted so much other should neuer haue knowne so much and seene so many demonstrations of Christ his resurrection as the Church in the Collect Almightie God which for the more confirmation of the faith didst suffer for the holy Apostle Thomas to be doubtfull in thy Sonnes resurrection c. Peace be vnto you This salutation was vsuall among the Iewes and at this instant of all other vndoubtedly most fit For hereby Christ did insinuate that howsoeuer in the world they had trouble yet hee had made their peace with God as also that they need in their troubled estate to pray for peace of Church O pray for the peace of Hierusalem and peace of conscience for that is a continuall feast Or happily that they might the better know him after his resurrection heespeakes vnto them as a little before his death I leaue peace with you my peace I giue vnto you let not your hearts be troubled nor feare Christ is our peace preaching peace in his life making peace in his death assuring peace in his resurrection and consummating our peace in his comming againe to iudge the quicke and the dead when he shall say to the sonnes of peace Well done good seruants and faithfull enter into your masters ioy Now the Lord of peace giue you peace alwaies by all meanes Bring thy finger hither After Christ had saluted the whole Colledge of Apostles in generall he turnes himselfe to Thomas in particular repeating euery word Thomas had vttered in his absence Teaching him hereby that he was risen againe through his omnipotencie for the dead haue no sense much lesse reason and least of all vnderstanding the secrets of anothers heart And teaching vs hereby not to commit any sinne though it may be done neuer so closely for he seeth all our workes heareth all our words and knoweth all our thoughts aperta operta Remember the speech of God vnto Dauid Thou didst it secretly but I will doe this thing before all Israel and before the Sunne Our Sauiour did neither reiect Thomas finally nor yet correct him fiercely for his incredulitie but accommodating himselfe to Thomas infirmitie seeks to winne him and to bring him home to his sheepfold O Thomas thou hast thy faith at thy fingers end seeing that thou wilt beleeue no more then thou feelest I pray thee therefore bring thy finger hither and see my hands c. Heere then is a paterne whereby Paul might giue his precept We that are strong ought to beare the infirmaâ—es of the weake that we may make them as Christ did Thomas of faithlesse faithfull And this supporting is by Patience for bearing them Pitie weeping with them that weepe Pietie relieuing them as well with our counsell if they want wit as with our almes if they want wealth Thomas because thou hast seene me thou hast beleeued Faith is an euidence of things not seene how then did hee beleeue that which he saw can you touch God as the wicked Arians obiect and feele him with a finger Answere is made by the Fathers that Thomas touched one thing and beleeued another Videbat hominem confitehatur Deum as Augustine vpon my text He touched Christ as man but beleeued in him
epilogue see Gospell on S. Iohns day The Epistle Heb. 1.1 God in times past diuersly and many waies spake vnto the Fathers by Prophets but in these last daies he hath spoken to vs by his owne sonne c. THE whole world in old time was distinguished by three principall languages as it appeares in Pilates inscription or title written on Christs Crosse Latine Greeke Hebrew The Latine tongue was famous in regard of the Romane Empire which ouerspread and ouertopt all other kingdomes on earth according to that of Virgil Romanos rerum Dominos c. or as another Poet wittily Roma tibi quondam suberant domini dominorum Seruorum serut nunc tibi sunt domini The Greeke tongue was especially regarded because Greece was the worlds Vniuersitie the seat of Wisdome the mint of Arts and as it were the common Nurserie of all humane learning In which respect one commending Paris in France called it Graeca libris and Attica philosophis rosa mundi Balsamus orbis The Hebrew most honoured in that it is Gods owne language wherein his owne law was written and wherewith it was expounded vnto his owne people Now Paul preached sermons and penned Epistles in all these languages as being a chosen vessell of the Lord to beare his name before the Gentiles and Kings and children of Israel He preached and wrote to the Romanes and so he did beare Christs name before Kings for they were Lords of the world He preached and wrote to the Grecians as to the Church of Corinth Ephesus Philippi Thessalonica c. and so he did beare the name of Christ before the Gentiles He preached and wrote to the faithfull Hebrewes as S. Peter telleth vs and so he did beare the name of Christ before the children of Israel I say Paul wrote to the Iewes holding with the most and best expositors that he was author of this excellent Epistle Now the reasons are man fold why Paul did not heere set downe his name First because hee was not an Apostle of the Iewes but of the Gentiles as he saith himselfe Galat. 2.7 The Gospell ouer the vncâ—rcumsision was commaunded vnto me as the Gospell ouer the circumcision was vnto Peter Secondly for that his name was odious vnto the leâ—ses as we reade in the 21. and 22. Chapter of the Acts often crying out against him away with such a fellow from the earth for it is not meet hee should liue Thirdly Paul was an Hebrew 2. Corinth 11.22 They are Hebrewes so am I. He therefore concealed his name because a Prophet is not honoured in his owne countrey But whether Barnabas or Clemâ—ns or Luke wrote it as many thinke or Paul as most affirme the matter is not great for if the name had beene here what had it shewed but that God vsed the ministerie of such a man and no the name is not knowne it teacheth vs expresly the doctrine is of God And for this cause to the bookes of holy Scripture names are sometime prefixed sometime not that we might not haue the faith of our glorious Lord Ieâ—us Christ in respect of persons Whether it be Paul or Apollos or Cephas all are yours happily Paul first planted it in Hebrew then Luke watered and translated it into Greeke but God giue the grace to both And therefore we must not attend who but what For whatsoeuer is written afore time is written for our learning especially this Epistle penned of purpose to maintaine the chieâ—e point of holy beleefe namely that forgiuenesse of sinnes is by Christ only These Hebrewe had ioined the ceremonies of the Law with the Gospell of Christ as the Christians in the kingdomes of Pâ—â—stâ—r Iohn at this houre retaine Circumcision and Baptisme For albeit many thousands of the Iewes beleeued yet were they still zealous of the Law not enduring to heare of the abrogation of it in so much that they made this a point of faith and it is the ninth article of their Creed at this day God gaue his Law to Moses his faithfull seruant and he will neuer change nor alter it for another Now true Christianitie reades a contrary lecture namely that the ceremonies of the law were primò mortales postea mortuae postremò mortiferae So that to leaue Christ for them or to ioyne Christ with them is the plaine way to destruction Augustine excellently Legalia fuerunt ante passionem Domini viua statiâ— post passionem mortua hodie sepulta That is the Iewish ceremonies afore Christ came were aliue when hee suffered on the Crosse they were dead and now they be buried And so by consequent they may not rise vp againe to be put in the ballance with his glory for the gold siluer precious stones and all other ornaments of the magnificent Temple compared with his rich mercies are but beggerly rudiments as our Apostle speakes Galat. 4 9. Nothing in earth or vnder earth or in heauen or in the heauen of heauens is so glorious as he no name else that is named in which or by which we can be saued but onely the name of Iesus Christ. The whole tract is diuided in two parts The first is concerning Christs excellencie shewing in the ten first Chapters what he is in respect of his Nature Diuine cap. 1. Humane cap. 2. Offices Propheticall in the third and fourth chapter Sacerdotall chap. 5.6.7.8 9.10 Regall of which our Apostle writes not as of the former two purposely and copiously but incidently and briefly chap. 1. vers 2 3 8 13. chap. 2. vers 9. chap. 7. vers 2. chap. 8. vers 1. The second how saluation is onely through him in the residue The Law was ordained by glorious Angels written by Moses obserued by the Priests expounded by the Prophets In the first and second chapter Paul compares our Sauiour with Angels and Prophets In the third with Mosâ—s In the 4 5.6.7.8.9.10 with the Priests and their ceremonies intimating in all that the Law is deficient and that Christ in the worke of our saluation is only sufficient and efficient Our only Prophet in whole word we must rest our onely Priest in whose sacrifice we must rest our only King vnder whose protection wee must rest who with his blessed Spirit leadeth vs in waies of eternall life working in vs all in all Quemadmodum enim membrum ipsius corporis recipit ab epate humores à corde vitam à capite sensum motum sic homo recipit ab homne carnem à Deo animam à Christo homine Deo sensum motum id est totum bene esse gratiam sicat membrum habet duos motus vnum de natura sua cadere deorsum alium à capite sâ—ilicet motum sursum iste motus est supra naturam membri conformiter homo quoad amimam habet duos motus vnum de natura sua
granted hee doth insist in the latter part only prouing at large that Christ is God And that In respect of the Glorie of his name being Gods owne sonne and heire of all things Worthinesse of his person as being The brightnesse of the glorie of God and the very image of his person Greatnesse of his power vpholding all things by his mightie word Benefit purchased for vs hauing by himselfe purgedous sinnes Dignitie procured to himself in that he sitteth at the right hand of the maiesty on high In all which he doth excell Angels as first hauing obtained a more excellent name then they For albeit Angels are called sonnes of God in respect of their creation and Israel the first borne of God and all elect the children of God in respect of adoption and grace yet no man or Angell is the sonne of God by nature but Christ alone begotten of the substance of the Father as being the brightnesse of his glorie and expresse image of his person Of whom the Father said in the second Psal. Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee And in another text I will be his father and he shall be my sonne And when hee bringeth in the first begotten sonne into the world he saith and let all Angels worship him Insinuating that Christ is not onely greater then Angels but also God to be honoured of all Angels Againe whereas Christ is an eternall King whose scepter is a right scepter and whose throne is for euer and euer Angels are but subiects and seruants according to that of the Psalmist He maketh his Angels spirits and his ministers a flime of fire Moreouer Christ in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth and the heauens are the workes of his hands and all that in them is things visible and inuisible whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all were created by him and for him and therefore seeing Christ is Creator and Angels his creatures hee doth excell them as farre as things infinite can exceed things finite Lastly Christ sitteth at the right hand of the Maiestie on high heereby signifying that God hath giuen him all power in heauen and in earth and taken him into the fâ—llowship of his glorie for all things that the father hath are mine saith our Sauiour whereas Angâ—ls howsoeuer the he hold the face of our heauenly father and enioy his presence yet are they but mâ—ssâ—ngers and miâ—â—ters extending about his throne for the good of such as are â—eires of saluation as the Nightingale of Prince sweeâ—ty The sacred tutors of the Saints the guard of Gods elect the pursuiuants prepar'd To execute the counsels of the highest Gods glorious Heralds heauens swift harbingers Twixt heauen and earth the true interpreters And here let vs according to the present occasion of text and time magnifie the Father of mercy for that the Sonne of God on this day for our sake became the sonne of man yea seruant vnto men in that he came into the world not to be serued but to serue Matth. 20.28 For that the brightnesse of Gods glorie tooke vpon him the vilenesse of our nature being made a worme and no man a very scorne of men and outcast of the people For that he who was more excellent then Angels at this time became lesse then Angels that hee might make vs so great as Angels Vt not equaret Angelis minoratus est ab Angelis for that he who laid the foundation of the earth and made the world was himselfe now made Factor terra factus in terra Creator coeli creatus sub coelo being the childe of Mary who was the father of Mary Sine quo pater nunquam fuit sine quo mater nunquam fuisser so that whereas Dauid Psalme 118.24 This is the day which the Lord hath made we may say This is the day wherein the Lord was made wee will reioice and be glad in it For that he who sits on the right hand of the maiestie on high and measureth the waters in his fist and heauen with his spanne was now lodged in a stable crouded in a cratch and swadled in a few ragges O beloued if we were not in this great light of the Gospell almost so blinde as the Bat we would wish our selues all eie to behold the babe Iesus in the manger If wee were not as deafe as the stubborne Adder we would wish our selues all eare to heare the tidings of great ioy to all people namely that vnto vs is borne this day in the citie of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord. If we were not in some sort possessed with a dumbe spirit wee would wish our selues all tongue to chaunt that heauenly caroll of the glorious Angels Glory be to God on high and in earth peace and good will toward men It is the fashion of many men at this festiuall especially to boast of their rich attire great attendance good fire large cheere yet seeing Christ is heire of all things in the world they cannot in their owne right enioy so much as a Christmas log or a Christmas pye till they be first ingraffed in him I may haue from man my warrant on earth heere that my land is mine my benefice mine my coate mine house horse hose mine and he is a very theefe that taketh away these from me But all the men in the world cannot giue me my possession before the liuing God but his sonne Christ onely who is heire of all and therefore that our land may bee our owne our apparell our owne our meate our owne our men and money our owne let vs be Christs that in him wee may haue the good assurance of all our substance that I may pronounce that vnto you which our Apostle to the Corinthians All are yours and yee Christs and Christ Gods The Gospell IOHN 1.1 In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God c. SAint Peter was an Apostle but not an Euangelist S. Luke an Euangelist but not an Aposâ—le S. Matthew was both an Euangelist and an Apostle but not a Prophet but our S. Iohn was all these in his Epistles an Apostle in his Apocalyps a Prophet in compiling his Gospell an Euangelist In which as Interpretors haue with one consent obserued he moâ—nts as an Fagle for whâ—râ—as his felow Euangelists specially treat of the conception birth education and other points of Christâ— incarnation in the world Saint Iohn flying higher then these beginneth his hâ—storie with Christs eternall generation before the worlds in the beginning was the word c. aâ— Augustine vpon my text transcender at omâ—â— cacuminâ— moâ—tiâ—m terrarum transcender at omnes â—ampos â—eris transcender at omnes alâ—s â—dines syderum tranâ—câ—ndâ—rat omnes choros legiones Angelorum nisi enim transcenderet â—sta omnis
que creata sâ—nt non pervenires 〈◊〉 pâ—r quem facta sunt omnie For as an Eagle so Iohn remaineth vpon the top of the rocke and tower from thence hâ—e spieth his meate and his eyes behold a farre off He was aptly called the sonne of thunder for in saying in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God hee seemes to speake not words but wonders yea thunders as Ardens excellently filius tontruiest qui loquitur tenitruum est quod loquitur a preamble so strange and stately that some Christians in olde time which had happily zeale but not according to knowledge hung it about their necke as an amulet or as other as a Symbole to distinguish them from Arâ—ans And a certaine Plâ—tonist as Augustine reports in lib. 10. de ciuitate dei cap. 29. reading this one line said it was worthy to be written in letters of gold and to be represented in the most eminent places of all Churches in the world In the text allotted for this day two points are remarkable 1. What Christ is in himselfe God In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God c. Man the same word became flesh and dwelt among vs c. 2. What Christ is vnto vs openly reuealed by the witnesse of Iohn the Baptist and his owne dwelling among vs in the world to be 1. Our Creator ad esse for all things were made by him 2. Our preseruer in esse for he is our life vpholding all things in their being 3. Our Redeemer in bene esse for he gaue power to them that beleeue in his name to bee the sonnes of God In the beginning The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is potestatiuum as well as ordinatiuum in which acception higher powers especially Princes are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so some take this in principio to be nothing else but in principatu because Christ the word hath vpon his garment and vpon his thigh a name written The King of Kings and Lord of Lords Apoc. 19.16 Origen Cyril Augustine Gregor Nyssen and many moe construe it thus in the beginning that is in the Father according to that of the Schoole Pater est principium sine principio silius est principium de principio The Father is of none the Sonne is of the Father alone not made nor created but begotten Beleeue mee saith our blessed Sauiour that I am in the Father and the Father in me Iohn 14.11 I am in the Father as the riuer in the fountaine the Father in me as in his ingraued image Heb. 1.3 God the Sonne then is de principio principium as lumen de lumine lighâ— of light and very God of very God Other expound in the beginning of eternitie for the word being the true Melchisedec is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hauing neither bâ—ginning of daies nor end of life Heb. 7.3 The Lord saith he hath possessed me in the beginning of his way I was before his workes of old when there were no depths I was begotten when he prepared the heauens I was there when he gaue his decree to the sea that the water should not passe his commandement then was I with him c. Insinuating that he was in the beginning without any beginning in a time when there was no measured time Principio rutih cùm nondum luminâ— coeli Et nondum grauides extarent lumina terris I am tum patris er at sanctain venerabile verbum Other vnderstand by beginning the beginning of the world as if our Euangelist had said in the beginning when all things were made the word was and therefore not made but all things on the contrarie were made by it and without it was made nothing that was made The creatures are from the beginning but Christ who made the world was in the beginning before there was a beginning This exposition is agreeable to the plaine words as also most answerable to S. Iohns intent For if hee penned his Gospell as the Fathers haue noted against Eâ—ion and Corinthus he confounds them in one word and that the very first in principio for that had no beginning which was in the beginning Ergo Christ had not his first being from his mother Mary nam quod ante omnia erat semper erat quoth Augustine hee was alwaies who was before all workes Was. It is probable that Saint Iohn in this exordium alludes per antithesin vnto Moses preface Genes 1. In the beginning God created heauen c. hereby shewing the difference betweene the Creator and the creature For whereas Moses wrote in the beginning God made heauen and earth and all that in them is our Euangelist on the contrary saith in the beginning was the word not in the beginning God made the word Insinuating that the word had his being already when other creatures of what sort soeuer had but their beginning And here diuines haue distinguished acutely between fuit and erat affirming that fuit imports a thing that once was and is not now so Scaliger in his Motto suimus Troes whereas erat implyeth eternitie which was and which is and which is to come Apocal. 4.8 Saint Ambrose notes excellently that this one verbe erat is repeated heere foure times in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and that word was God the same was in the beginning c. Erat erat erat erat vbi impius invenit quod non erat The word He saith not in the beginning was the son lest his reader should dreame of a carnaâ— generation but in the beginning was the word Holy Scriptures or speeches of the Prophets and Apostles vttered by Gods appointment for the reuealing of his diuine will towards man are called Gods word but to distinguish God the Son from these words hee is termed after a more eminent sort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word or that excellent word from whom euery diuine truth issueth and in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Coloss. 2.3 Christ is not a vocall word verbum eò quod verberato aâ—re plectroque linguae formetur for hee was in the beginning before there was any sound or aire But Christ is the mentall and substantiall word of hiâ— father verbum non sonus auribus strepens sed imago mentibus innotesceus As our Epistle for this day doth vnfold the Gospell the brightnesse of his glory and expresse image of his person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ipse paterni pectoris essigies lumenque à lumine vero And the word was with God Concerning the diuerse significations of the preposition apud I referre you to Thomas Beauxamis and Maldonat in their commentaries vpon this text It imports here
not a locall but a personall distinction I and my Father saith Christ are one Ioh. 10.30 vâ—um of one substance not vâ—â—â— one person and therefore he saith not in the singular I and my father aâ— one but in the plural are onâ— The Sonne is alius then the Father not uliud and her person albeit not another essence non alius in natura sed alter in persona for it is written here the word was so with God as that it was God first said to be with God and then to be God signifying that the word was the same God with whom it was in the beginning Semper cum patre semper in patre semper apud patrem semper quoad pater Here then obserue concerning the word three points especially 1 When it was in the beginning 2 Where it was with God 3 What it was and the word was God The pith of all is that God the Son is a distinct person from God the Father and yet of the same substance with the Father equall in glory coeternall in Maiesty This one verse then ouerthroweth many blasphemous hereticks in the beginning confureth Ebimites and Cerinthians The clause was with God Sabellians and other denying a Trinitie in vnâ—â—ie that is a distinction of persoâ—s in the deity was God confoundeth Arians and all such as with 〈…〉 affirme that Christ was a meere man in the beginning with God all Ennemians and such as hold Christ to be but a temporall God by grace and not an eternall God by nature All thâ—ngs were made â—y it and without it was mâ—de no 〈…〉 made As the epistle doth expound the Gospell he â—â—d the 〈◊〉 of the earth and the hâ—auens are the works of his hands all things as well invisible as visible were created by him and for him he made whatâ—â—euer was made and it was exceeding good Genes 1.31 But Satan as hee is a deuill and sinne which came into the world by the suggestion of the deuill and and death also which is brought vpon man as a curse by sinne are not his workes And the reason is plaine because that which is euill is a nothing mali nutta natura est sed amissio boni quoth Augustine mali nomen accepit And Gregorie Nyssen Mali essentia in eo posita quod essentiam non habet euery good and perfect gift is from aboue comming downe from the father of lights and with him is no variablenesse neither shadow of ruâ—ning It a confert bâ—na quod non infert mala See S. Augustine tract 1. in Ioan Bibliothec. Sixt. Senen lib. 6. annot 174. Mclanâ— postil Eras. câ—nnot in loc The clause more proper to this Festiuall and most profitable for vs to be further examined is that the word became flesh and dwelt among vs c. And this was not by conuersion of the God head into flesh but by taking the manhood into God Naturam suscipiendo nostram non mutando suam Homo quippe Deo accessit non Deus à se recessit For in the word made flesh all the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth as the Scripture speaks bodily Col. 2.9 that is personally For albeit he be God and man yet is he not two but one Christ one not by confusion of substance but by vnitie of person For as the reasonable soule and flesh is one man so God and man one Christ. See Epist. Sund next before Easter The first newes of Christs actuall natiuitie was broached and brought into the world as we read in the second lesson appointed for this morning praier by the tongues of Angels and that with an ecce behold I bring you tidings of great ioy that shall be to all the people that is that vnto you is borne this day in the Citie of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord. Reioice grandfather Adam for on this day according to the word of thy gratiou Creator the seed of thy wife Eua hath bruised the serpent-head reioice father Abraham for on this day in thy seed all the nations of the earth are blessed Ge. 22.18 Reioice King Dauid for on this day God hath fruit of thy body set a King vpon thy throne Reioice ye Prophets of the Lord for all your prophecies on this day were fulfilled Reioice yee that are sicke for on this day the Physitian of the world was borne Reioice yee Virgins for a Virgin on this day brought forth a sonne Reioice ye children for on this day the great God became a little babe Let all people reioice for that he who was in the beginning and as it is in the former lesson appointed for this morning praier an euerlasting father in the fulnesse of time was made of a women and wrapped in swadling clothes For that he who was the word became an infant not able to speake one syllable For thâ—t hee who was with God did vouchsafe to dwell among vs appearing in the shape of a man Philip. 2.7 For that hee who was God and therefore most mightie became flesh and so most weake for all flesh is grasse and the grace thereof as the flower of the field Esay 40.6 Saint Bernard preaching on this day said the shortnes of the time constrained him to shorten his Sermon and let none quoth hee wonder if my words be short seeing on this day God the Father hath abbreuiated his owne word for whereas his word was so long as that it filled heauen and earth it was on this day so short that it was laid in a manger I wish vnfainedly with the same deuout Bernard that as the word was made flesh so my stonie heart might be made flesh also that it might alway meditate on this heauenly Gospell Vnto you is borne this day in the Citie of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord For all our sound comfort stands in happinesse and all our happinesse is in fellowship with God and all our fellowship with God is by Christ. For God the Father if wee consider him in his iustice heares not sinners Iohn 9.31 He therefore remembring his mercie got as it were new eares and set them on our head Iesus Christ who being flesh of our flesh is such an high Priest as is touched with the feeling of our infirmities openly professing that hee came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Come to me all yee that are laden and I will ease you Mat. 11.28 Whatsoeuer yee shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you Iohn 16.23 If thou wert invited to some great wedding thou wouldest I am sure be very carefull what apparell to put on but if thou wert to be maried thy selfe thou wouldest be very curious in thine attire behold saith Augustine all of vs are bidden on this day to a marriage for Christ came out of
the Virgins wombe as a bridegroome out of his chamber the Godhead was ioyned vnto the flesh and the flesh vnto the Godhead and these two were coupled together and after an ineffable manner in an ineffable marriage made one Beleeue this and thou shalt haue power to be Gods owne sonne as it is in our text My beloued if thou put on this wedding garment thy soule shall be Christs own spouse so nere so deare to him as that he will say to it I am thy saluation and it may also tell him I am my welbeloueds and my welbeloued is mine For if Pilate by wearing Christs coate without a seame did appease the wrath of angry Caesar how much more shall euery true beleeuer please God our heauenly King if he put on Christ himselfe O the blessed crying of a blessed babe by which euery faithfull seruant and sonne of God escapeth eternall howling in hell O glorious manger in which our soules Manna lay the bread of life that came down from heauen on which if a man feede hee shall not hunger againe O how rich are the ragges which haue made plaisters for our sores for our sinnes I conclude with an hymne of Prudentius Mortale corpus sumpsit immortalitas Vt dum caducum portat aeternus Deus Transire nostrum posset ad coelestia The Epistle Act. 7. 55. And Steuen being full of the holy Ghost looked vp stedfastly with his eyes into heauen c. YEsterday you heard how Christ was borne to day you shall vnderstand how Steuen died In Christs natiuitie who was borne in a little village and in an Inne of that village and in a stable of that Inne and laid in a cratch of that stable wee may learne humilitie not to boast of our great birth In S. Steuens martyrdome wee may behold an excellent patterne how to behaue our selues at our death hauing faith in God and loue toward our neighbours the which assuredly will breed such a Christian resolution in vs as that wee shall depart this life cheerefully lying downe in our graues as in a bed to sleepe for so the text here when hee had thus spoken be fell a sleepe The Church then in ioyning these two festiuals is desirous that wee should learne to liue well as Christ and dye well as Steuen In the words of Augustine Celebraâ—imus hester na die natalem quo rex marâ—yrum natus est in â—â—â—ndo hodie cel bramus natalem quo primicarius martyrâ—um migraâ—â—â— ex mundo Oportebat enim vâ— priâ—â—um immortalis pro mortalibus susciperet carnem sie mortalis pro immortals contemneret mortem Et ideo natus est Dominus vt moreâ—etur pro seruo ne serâ—â—â— timeret mori pro domino Naâ—â—â— est Christus in terris vt Stephanuâ— nasceretur in câ—lis c. And I pray with the same Father hartily donet mihi dominus pâ—â—ca dicere salubriter qui doâ—â—uit Stephane tanto dicere fartiter In the whole text two points are to be considered especially the bloudy behauiour of the Iewes in martyring Steuen godly behauiour of Steuen in his martyrdome toward God in generall hee stedfastly looked vp into heauen and called vpon God particular Lord Iesus receiue my spirit Men heartily praying for his enemies on his knees with a loud voice Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Himselfe vndergoing his martyrdome so comfortably that giuing vp the ghost hee laid downe his head vpon the hard stones as vpon a soft pillow to slâ—epe The Iewes in their blind zeale were so furious and mercilesse that they put Steuen to death who sought to bring them to eternall life stoning him as a blasphemer against God and his law who was a man full of faith and power and the holy Ghost An harsh and an hard fact of a stonie people saith Augustine ad lapides currebant duri ad duros Petris 〈◊〉 qui pro Petra qui Christus est moriebatur Lapides Indaearebellis In Stephanum lymphata rapis quae crimine duro saxeâ— semper eris But of their crueltie toward Steuen and other Prophets of God in the Gospell appointed for this day more copiously The most obseruable point in our present text is the godly behauiour of Steuen in his martyrdome 1. to God he looked vp stedfastly with his eyes into heauen c. As to the place where his treasure was his conuersation was his helpe was Hereby teaching vs whether we should flie for succour in aduersitie not vnto men here below but vnto God in heauen aboue so Dauid When I was in trouble I called vpon the Lord and hee heard me my helpe commeth euen from the Lord. So Iob my witnesse is in heauen and my record is on high And so S. Iames euery good gift is from aboue Calling vpon God and saying Lord. Thomas Becket a renowned Martyr and Saint among the Papists at his death earnestly commended himselfe and his cause to the protection of S. Mary but our protomartyr heere knowing that shee was neque magistra neque ministra neither mistresse of his soule nor yet a ministring spirit to his soule forgetting our Lady calleth vpon our Lord only saying Lord Iesu receiue my spirit the which is not an invocation of God the Father as Fran. Dauid impiously taught making Iesu the Genitiue case and the meaning thus O Father in heauen which art the Lord of thy sonne Iesu but as Ambrose notes a prayer vnto God the Sonne for besides infinite places of holy Scripture wheâ—e Christ is called Lord and called vpon as the Lord. S. Iohn Apocalips 22.20 vseth as Steuen here Iesu in the vocatiue Case etiam veni Domine Iesu euen so come Lord Iesus Where Domine Iesu cannot bee construed the Lord of Iesus but the Lord Iesus See Lorin in loc Bellarmine de Christo lib. 1. cap. 8. If the Lord be considered without Iesus howsoeuer in regard of his power he is able yet in regard of his iustice not willing the good Angels and blessed Saints in heauen are willing but not able wretched vncharitable men on earth are neither able nor willing onely Christ the Mediator betweene God and man is both able and willing to heare vs and helpe vs able because Lord willing because Iesus And therefore Steuen here doth not inuocate the Lord but in the name of Iesus neither doth he call vpon any Iesus but the Lord Iesus he lookes not for any succour either from men on earth or blessed spirits in heauen onely hee poureth out his soule to the redeemer of his soule Lord Iesu receiue my spirit Receiue He knew that his life was hid with Christ in God and therefore commendeth his soule to him alone who created it and redeemed it and iustified it and sanctified it and will in his good time glorifie it O Lord Iesu take thine owne into thine owne
to death Wherefore seeing to loue our enemies in the iudgment of some men is against Gods law and of other beside the law seeing many men in their precepts and most men in their practise manifestly shew that it is an hard saying Saint Steuens charity doth appeare to be great in blessing such as cursed him and in praying for such as did hurt him Iob renowmed in holy Scripture for his patience said If mine aduersarie should write a booke against me would I not take it vpon my shoulder and binde it as a crowne vnto me But Steuen surpassing Iob as Gregorie Nyssen obserues esteemed the very ring of his persecutors wherewith he was enclosed on euery side his crown and euery stone flung at his head a pretious diamond so that it might haue beene said of him as it was of Dauid The Lord preuented him with the blessings of goodnesse and set a crowne of pretious stones vpon his head Our goods are sweet vnto vs and therefore wee can hardly forgiue the theese our good name sweeter and therefore wee doe more hardly forgiue the slanderer but our life most sweet Skinne for skinne and all that euer a man hath will he giue for it and therefore most hardly doe we forgiue murtherers and martyrers in hot blood especially while they wring vs and wrong vs and yet Steuen full of the holy Ghost and therefore full of loue in persecutione positus pro persecutoribus orabat in the middest of his persecution heartily praied for his persecutors O Lord Iesu lay not this sinne to their charge Our sinnes not forgiuen are set before vs and as enemies in battell fighting against vs a pillar of infamie to disgrace the wicked in this and the next life the which as Basil thinkes is more grieuous to their soule then hell fire So that the meaning of S. Steuen is in saying lay not this sinne to their charge that God would giue them a better minde and not impute this offence but rather to burie this and all other their sinnes in his death and graue that they neuer rise vp againe to worke desperation in this world or destruction in the world to come S. Augustine brings in Steuen speaking thus vnto God Ego patior ego lapidor in me sauiunt in me fremunt sed ne statuas illis hoc peccatum quia vt dicamtibi à te primo audiui Ego seruus tâ—us patior sed muleum interest inter me te tu dominus ego eruus tu verbum ego auditor verbi tu magister ego discipulus tu Creator ego creatus tu Deus ego homo multum interest inter peccatum istorum qui lapidant me illorum qui crucifixerunt te quando ergo dixisti Pater ignosce illis quia nesciunt quid faciunt pro magno peccato petisti me pro minimo petere docuisti domine ne statuas illis hoc peccatum ego patior in carne isti non pereant in mente Now the Lord heard his praier and granted his request in that Saul had not this sinne said to his charge as himselfe witnesseth I was a blasphemer and a persecutor and an oppressor but I was receiued to mercy for I did it ignorantly through vnbeleefe So that Augustine is bold to say Si Stephanus non sic orasses ecclesia Paulum non haberet And Fulgentius Quo pracessis Stephanus trucidatus lapidibus Pauli illuc sequutus est Paulus adiutus orationibus Stephani When hee had thus spoken Vttering such excellent words and with such a resolute spirit and in such a reuerent fashion after he had thus spoken for the matter and thus for the manner giuing vnto God the life of his soule forgiuing his persecutors the death of his bodie hee sweetly slept in the Lord. Christus pro nobis hominem induit Stephanus pro Christo hominem exuit as Gregorie Nyssen elegantly Christ became man for Steuen and Steuen became no man for Christ hominem exuit he so willingly put off his flesh as a man would put off his clothes at night and so death as welcome to him as steepe to the wearie when he had thus spoken hee fell asleepe To mitigate deaths horror it is called often in holy Scripture sleepe So the text saith of Dauid and of Salomon and of other Kings of Israel and Iuda that they slept with their fathers In the new Testament also such as are dead in the Lord are said to sleepe in Christ. I would not haue you saith Paul ignorant concerning them which are asleepe c. For this cause many are weake and sicke among you and many sleepe 1. Cor. 11.30 For man in his graue sleepeth and waketh not againe till the heauen be no more Iob 14.12 So great a resemblance the Gentiles acknowledged between dying and sleeping that Ouid cals sleepe mortis imago deaths image Virgil consanguineus lathi the kinsman of death Seneca the brother of death and Hesiode the sister of death Among infinite comparisons I finde that death is principally likened vnto sleepe In respect of the Rest of the dead Resurrection of the dead Concerning the first it is said by the spirit Blessed are the dead in the Lord for they rest from their labore and so God giueth his beloued sleepe The coffin is a couch in que mollius ille dormit quisquis durius in vit a se gesserit I finde in the records of antiquitie that a Sepulchre is called requietorium a bed of sacred rest and securitie which Valerius Probus expressed in these letters H.R.I.P. Hic requiescet in pace and Pet. Diaconus in other D.M.S. Dormiunt mortus securi Hic mortuius requiescit semel Qui viuus requieuit nunquam But here we must obserue that our soule sleepes not in the dust as our body till our last dome For the soules of the reprobate at their death are fetched away from them and carried into hell But the soules of such as die in the Lord instantly liue with the Lord conueied by the glorious Angels into Abrahams bosome Luk. 16. 22. So Christ expresly to the theese on the Crosse Verily I say to thee this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Anima absoluitur corpus resoluitur quae absoluitur gaudet quod resoluitur in terram suam nihil sentit And so the Saints departed are dead in their worst part onely but liuing in their best euen in that wherein they desire to liue most as an Heathen Poet diuinely Sed lugere nefas nam quite Prisce reliquit Vâ—â—â—t qua volnit viuere partemagis And therefore though the dead bodies of Gods seruants haue beene giuen as meat to the sowles of the aire and their flesh vnto the beasts of the land yet right deare in the sight of the
vexed with all these kindes of cruelties as S. Steuen on this day They gnashed at him with their teeth Act. 7.54 and scourged him with their tongues suborning men which said we haue heard him speake blasphemous words against Moses and God Act. 6.11 They brought him to the Councell and cast him out of the Citie They persecuted him in words disputing against him and in deed despighting him vntill in fine they stoned this holy Prophet sent vnto them In a word they made such hauocke of the Church as that the messengers of God complained out of the bitternesse of their spirit For thy sake are wee killed all the day long and are counted as sheepe appointed to be slaine Sanguine fundata est ecclesia sanguine creuit Sanguine decresâ—it sanguine finis erit Yet for all this let no Preacher or professor discourage himselfe for S. Steuen in the middest of his afflictions as it is recorded in this daies Epistle saw the heauens open and Iesus standing at the right hand of God It is said in the Creed that Christ sitteth at the right hand of God but when his faithfull seruant Steuâ—n was martyred hee was standing Now then if Christ stand with vs who can withstand vs happily we may weepe for a time but all teares shall be wiped away from our eies the Father of mercies and God of all comfort shall assist vs in our tribulation so gratiously that aâ— the sufferings of Christ abound in vs euen so our consolation shall abound through Christ. 2 Cor. â— 3.5 Mystically heretick scourge Catholicks with their venomous tongues by labouring to thrust them out of their holds built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostle into new found habitations raised vpon the sands of humane philosophie what doe they but persecute them as it were from Citie to Citie The Pagans first and the Papists afterward did actually kill and crucifie and scourge and persecute the Saints of God in this Iland as well Abel as Zachary that is the laymen and the Clergie the lowest of the people so well as the highest of the Priests And albeit in our time wee need not happily feare their murthering yet wee still feele their murmuring against vs. And with them are ioyned another generation of Vipers I meane the schismaticall brood whipping vs in their words and scourging vs in their writings according to their will and wit hourely killing the Prophets and stoning such as are sent vnto them For whereas there be two kinds of death one naturall another ciuill If any discredit the good life or discountenance the sound doctrine of his Pastor by raising false tales and suborning false witnesses against him as the Iewes against Steuen what doth hee but ciuilly or rather indeed vnciuilly like a Iew murther his Preacher And such a Minister as patiently beares these wrongs and suffers these dilapidations in his credit is a very Steuen a meere Martyr For as Gregory notes there bee three kinds of martyrdome without any shedding of blood 1. To be patient in our owne misery 2. To bee compassionate in anothers aduersitie 3. To loue our enemies hartily Thus in the second part of our text also touching ingentia peccatae the Iewes and English are parallels That vpon you may come all the righteous blood which hath been shed vpon earth from the blood of the righteous Abel vnto the blood of Zacharias Here two questions are moued First who was this Zacharias Secondly how all the righteous bloud shed vpon earth is required of this generation Concerning the first it is thought by some that this Zacharias is that Zacharie numbred among the twelue lesser Prophets in that his fathers name well agrees with this historie But that opinion is censured as improbable because the Scripture saith not any where that this Prophet was slaine between the Temple and the altar Other affirme that this Zacharias is the father of Iohn the Baptist mentioned Luk. â— 5 of whom it is reported by tradition that the Iewes â—lew him betweene the Temple and the Altar for that as hee was a Priest he did ranke Mary the mother of Christ after she had conceiued and brought forth her sonne with vnspotted Virgins in the Temple But saith Hierom◠〈…〉 de scripturis non habet 〈◊〉 â—oâ—itatem eadem facilitate câ—â—temnitur quâ— probatur Other hold that this Zacharias is that zealou Zacharias the sonne of Iehoâ—ada who for that hee did openly rebuke the Iewes for their abominable Idolatrie was stoned by them in the court of the house of the Lord 2. Chro. 24.21 Neither is their any contradiction between the sonne of Barachâ—as and the sonne of 〈◊〉 seeing Iehoâ—â—â—a might haue two names or else called Barâ—chiâ—â— in the Hebrew signifying blessed of the Lord because 〈◊〉 the Priest had done good in Israel and toward God and his house For mine owne part I coniecture that this Zacharias is hee who was martyred at the beginning of the siege of Ierusalem in the daies of Vespasian the Romane Emperour For the story saith expresly that he was the sonne of Baruch or â—arachias and that hee was slaine by the Iewes in the miâ—â—est of the Temple The clause whom yee 〈◊〉 serueâ— to crosse this exposition a little but it is auoided easily because Christ here speaking prophetically reports that to be done which was yet to come This interpretation of all the rest amplifieth most as well the sinne as the punishment of the Iewes in that all the righteous blood from the first Martyr among them vnto the last euen from 〈◊〉 vnto 〈◊〉 while theâ— City was 〈◊〉 is laid vnto their chaâ—ge Touching the second doubt wee read in holy Bible that there be two generations one good another bad a blessed generation of the faithful eâ—en of such as feare God and a generation of 〈◊〉 as Christ in thiâ— present chapter As then the generation of such as obey their ouerseers and kisse the feet of such as bring glad tidings of peace shall receiue the reward of a Prophet euen so the generation of such as kill the Prophets and â—one such as are sent vnto them if they fulfill the measure of their fathers sinne they shall haue their portion and proportion in their fathers punishment also For albeit the sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the father neither shall the father beare the iniquitie of the sonne yet if the sonneâ— are partners with their parents in imitation the children of such as murthered the Prophets as the Iewes were the sons of Cain in slaying the righteous Abels If Cain and all the bloudy Iewes aâ— well after as vnder the Law make the same generation vnited in fact and faction it is in God very good iustice that all the righteous bloud shed from the foundation of the world should be required of this generation For he who
readeth often and seeth almost daily the seuere iudgments of God vpon sinners and yet himselfe continueth in the same sinne deserues worthily to be punished with as many stripes as he neglected examples He that knowes how Cain was a runagate on earth and how the clamour of his brother Abels bloud entred into the eares of God in heauen and how this cry was a voice vox sanguinum a voice of bloods in the plurall namely the voice of the bloud shed and of all the bloud which might haue come of that bloud if it had not been shed Againe hee that heaâ—e of the lamentable destruction of Ierusalem how her magnificent Temple was made dâ—selate and the glorious Towers of her Citie were laid euen with the ground and all this for that shee killed the Prophets and stoned such as were sent vnto her Hee that reads and beleeues theâ—e things and yet is an obstinate despiser of prophecie killing crucifying securâ—â—â— persecuting the mâ—ssengers of the Lord from City to City shall receiue greater damnation then either Cain or Ierusalem as hauing negleâ—â—ed greater mâ—â—nes of saluation For all things are written for our learning but these things I meane Gods extraordinarie iudgments vpon notorious sinners are written more principally for our examples vpon whom the ends of the world are come See Epist 9 Sund. after Trinitie How often would I haue gathered thy children How often by the mouth of my Prophets how often by mine Apostles how often by mine owne selfe as the louing Hen is alway caring for her chickins alway clucking and calling them if they wander out of her â—ight neuer so little that she may gather them vnder her wings and so guarde them from the mischiefe of the Kite euen so Ierusalem I would haue gathered thy Children vnder the wings of my protection I would haue kept thee and thine from the iawes of thy rauenous enemie Sathan and from the hands of all such as hate you but yee would not O Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe but in me is thine helpe now this ought to be construed either of Christs humane will as he was man or else of his conditionall and reuealed will as he was God otherwise Gods absolute will is effected alway both in heauen and earth and hell it was the conditionall will of God the Iewes resisted according to that of Saint Steuen in the second Lesson allotted for euensong this day Yee stiffe-necked and of vncircumcised hearts and eares ye haue alwâ—y resisted the holy Ghost aâ— your Fathers did so doe you this I would of Christ is voluntae signi not voluntas beneplaciti See Melanct. Câ—ietan Pâ—scator Marlorat in loc Iansâ—n Concord cap 41. 90. didac Aluarez de anxilys diuinae gratiae lib. 5. dâ—â—putat 33.34 O Father of mercies increase our faith and graunt vnto vs in this thy day of our visitation vnfained repentance that howsoeuer England hath equalled Ierusalem in being dissolute yet shee may not parallell Ierusalem in being desolate The Epistle 1. IOHN 1.1 That which was from the beginning which we haue heard which we haue seene with our eyes c. SAint Iohn euer like himselfe that his Gospell and generall Epistle might be sutable confirming each other in the maine scope makes in the beginning was the word the beginning of words vnto both omitting here an ordinarie salutation that hee might at the very first entrance treate of more necessary points of saluation and yet this exordium à re ipsa preamble raised from the matter it selfe is agreeable to the rules of arte wherewith he makes his readers attentiue docile beneuolous attentiue for that he writes not of a trifle but of Christ Iesus the word of life who cleanseth vs from all sinne docile for that the subject of his doctrine is neither new nor vncertaine not new for we shew vnto you that which was from the beginning not vncertaine for we preach vnto you that which we haue heard which we haue seene with our eyes which wee haue looked vpon and our hands haue handled Beneuolus for that hee penned this Epistle for their good namely that they might haue fellowship with the Saints and that their ioy might be full I finde the whole tract diuided into three parts answerable to the three chiefe christian vertues Faith Hope Charitie but for as much as our Apostle writes of these promiseuously without distinction and order I rather amit of Aquines plaine partition Into a Commendation of the Gospell Chap. 1. Exhortation â—o the fruitfull and faithfull obseruing of the same Chap. 2.3 Disswasion from the contrarie Doctrine Chap. 4.5 In the present text there be two descriptions One of Christ in respect of his Natures As God that which was from the beginning As man which we haue heard and seene c. Office being our light and life cleansing vs from all sinne Another of a Christian hauing fellowship with God his Saints and his Sonne in whom are Two remarkeable properties 1. A studiousnesse to doe good Ergo not a carnall Epicure For if we say we haue fellowship with God who is light and walke in darknesse we lie and doe not the truth 2. A sorrowfulnesse when hee doth ill Ergo not a spirituall Puritane For if we say wâ— haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. I haue spoken enough of the first description in my notes vpon the Gospell on Christmas day the pith of it is that Christ Iesus eternally God in the fulnesse of time made man is our only mediator and aduocate with God the Father insomuch as our fellowship with God in this world and fulnesse of ioy in the next is attained by faiâ—h alone first apprehending and after applying his merits Here then our Apostle commends the doctrine of the Gospell in three respects especially First in regard of the subiect as being most ancient and excellent euen that which was in the beginning Godâ— owne sonne the word of life yea that eternall life which was with the father afore all worlds Secondly in regard of the certainty that which wee haue heard which we haue seen with our eyes which we haue looked vpon and our hands haue handled declare wee vnto you For Christ who was in the beginning that eternall word with the Father in these last daies appeared vnto vs. And as S. Paul expounds S. Iohn he was manifested in the flâ—sh Or as S. Iohn in his Gospell expounds himselfe hee became flesh and dwelt among vs. And so wee haue seene and heard him immediatly speaking in the world as well as mediately speaking in his word For he spake to the Fathers by the mouth of all his Prophets euer since the beginning but in our daies he hath spoken with his owne mouth vnto vs our eares haue heard him in his Sermons our eyes haue seene him in acting of his miracles our hands haue
or metonymically vnderstanding by the world men of the world Mundus non capit idest non intelâ—git the world cannot comprehend that is apprehend the bookes that should be written A very lanke conceit for the world in this sense cannot vnderstand so much as one line of the Gospell according to that of Paul The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God Other take these words as spoken hyperbolically for the spirit of God accommodating it selfe to the rudenesse of men vseth elsewhere this kind of figure Deut. 1.28 The Cities of the Canaanites are said to haue been walled vp to heauen Exod. 3.17 The land of the same Canaanites is tearmed a soyle flowing with milke and honie Psal. 107. The men who goe downe into the sea in ships and occupie their businesse in great waters are so tossed in the deepe by the stormie winds and waues as that Dauid saith in the 26 vers They mount vp to the heauen and are carried downe againe to the depths And so S. Iohn in auowing the world could not containe c. doth intimate that if all the things which Iesus did should bee written euery one the number of the bookes in folio would be without number As high walles and huge waues are said to reach heauen euen so these bookes hyperbolically to be greater then all the world Other construe this verse literally Iesus is that eternall word in the beginning by whom all things were made Iohn 1.3 and by whose mighty word all things are sustained Heb. 1.3 working from the foundation of the world hitherto Iohn 5.17 So that if euery thing which Iesus did as God both afore the world and in the world should be registred all this huge vniuerse though it be Gods faire library could not containe the bookes that should be written And thus as you see the conclusion of this Gospell is answerable to the beginning both intimating Christs incomprehensible diuinitie Hee made the whole world at the first and hee gouernes all things in the world euer lithens and therefore most impossible that all his words and works and wonders should bee recorded in bookes albeit euery plant were a pen euery drop of water inke euery foot of land paper and euery liuing creature a ready writer The Disciplethen who wrote these things as Horace said of Homer hath so fitly disposed of his whole storie The Epistle APOCAL. 14.1 I looked and loe a Lambe stood on the mount Sion c. THis text is nothing else but a description of Christ a Lambe sitting on mount Sion The Church in quantitie an hundreth fortie and foure thousand qualitative for Faith in that her coÌ„fession is Open hauing his name and his fathers name written in their foreheads a voice like the sound of many waters and great thunder Harmonicall singing a new song of diuerse parts and yet all agreeing as the voice of harpers harping with their harps Good workes in that her children are not defiled with women and in their mouthes is no guile for they follow the Lambe whithersoeuer he goeth and the reason of all is because they were redeemed from the earth and from men that they might be the first fruits vnto God and to the Lambe A Lambe stood on the mount Sion Christ the Sonne of God is the Lambe of God euen the Lambe here mentioned as it is apparant by his correlatiue father For so the text hauing his name and his fathers a Lambe in figure and a Lambe in fact In figure for Christ Iesus is our Pascall Lambe 1. Cor. 5.7 slaine from the beginning of the world Apocal. 13.8 prefigured in the sacrifices of the Law so well as now presented in the Sacraments of the Gospell As one pithily Prius profuit quà m fuit A Lambe indeed so meeke as a Lambe Like a Lambe dâ—â—â—be before his shearer A Lambe for that hee feedeth all his with his flesh and clotheth all his with his white robe of righteousnesse whereby wee stand as it is in our text without spot before the throne of God And this Lambe sits not idle nor lieth asleepe but standeth alwaies in a readinesse to protect his followers He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleepe Psalm 121.4 Hee standeth not as the beast in fickle sand or sea but on mount Sion which cannot be remoued Psal. 125 1. In the middest of his inheritance the Church against which hell gates shall not preuaile For Sion is a type of Christs Kingdome called often in holy Scripture Ierusalem aboue prepared in the top of the mountaines and exalted aboue the hils He stands on a mount higher then either earth or sea from whence the two beasts his opposites arise So that he is willing to defend his followers as standing and able for that he stands on a mount and left any should doubt of this our Apostle saith I looked and loe Two words of attention assuring vs hereby that the woman persecuted in the wildernesse that is the Church afflicted in the world shall at the last haue the victorie though all the red Dragons on earth and al the blacke deuils in hel furiously rage together against the Lord and against his anointed And here giue mee leaue to remember an obseruable note touching the writings of S. Iohn how that in his Gospell he teacheth especially faith in his Epistles especially loue in his Apocalyps especially hope This booke being as reuerend Bellinger censure h Euangeliâ—â—ssineâ—ss liber of all holy Scripture the fullest of consolation And with him an hundred fortie and foure thousand This affoords comfort that the Lambe stands not alone but hath on his side many from East and West as well Gentiles as Iewes hauing his fathers name written in their foreheads It is thought by some that this number is mysticall insinuating the perfection of Gods elect because both the duodenarie number and millinarie are numbers of perfection It is a certaine number because the Lord knoweth who are his 2. Tim 2.19 as hauing their names written in his booke yet a definite for an infinite as almost all haue noted in that the number of such as are with the Lambe is a multitude which no man is able to number Apocalyps 7.9 it is in it selfe a very great number but in comparison of the company fauouring lies and following Antichrist it is a little flocke a few people which are redeemed from the earth selected out of those innumerable troops of small and great rich and poore bond and free whose names are not written in the booke of life of the Lambe Apoc. 13.8 16. Hauing his name and his fathers name written in their foreheads The vulgar Latine Aretas Ardens and other reade as the translation of Hen. 8 and our Communion booke His name and his fathers name the which is more significant then
that in other copies hauing only his fathers name And the meaning is that they professe themselues openly to be Christians acknowledging aperto fronte that God is their father in his sonne lesuâ— in their deeds and doctrine appearing outwardly to the world what they are inwardly to themselues according to that of Paul We beleeue and therefore speake Faith in the soule breaking forth into confession with the mouth is the note whereby the friends of Christ are distinguished from the followers of Antichrist He that dependeth vpon Saints as much as vpon his Sauiour and trusleth in the pardon of the Pope more then in the merits of Christ hath in his forehead the marke of the beast and not the seale of God If Christ once dwell in our hearts by faith his name will instantly be written in our forehead And I heard a voice from heauen The militant Church on earth is called often in holy writ heauen as being the way to the kingdome of heauen and as hauing her conuersation in heauen and her affections set on things aboue This heauen hath a voice for the Church is not mute but vocall openly professing her faith and praising God before the seat and the foure beasts and the elders Hauing a voice like the sound of many waters and of great thunder and of harpers harping with their harpes Some by these three kindes of voices vnderstand three degrees of the Churches progresse persecuted by the Dragon in the wildernesse First in the daies of Athenasuâ—s Basile Chrysostome Ambrose Hierome Augustine c. Her voice say they but how truly iudge yee was indistinct and confused For albeit the learned writings of these most accurate Doctors in their age made a great noise in the world like the sound of many waters yet many points of doctrine were not so well explicated vnto the common people then as afterwards they were Secondly in the daies of Wickliffe and Husse and other Boâ—â—â—ges her voice resembled the voice of great thunder But now since her deliuerance from the wildernesse and her comming out of Babylon her voice in the harmony of confessions is like the consent of harpers harping with their hâ—rpes Other say that the Scriptures voice speaking by the Church is like to waters in that it refresheth all such as hunger and thâ—rst after righteousnesse and like to great thunder in being terrible to the â—icked and like to the mâ—â—iâ—ke of hâ—rpers in being dâ—leâ—table to the godly The Preachers of the word are vnto God the sâ—reet sauâ—ur of Christ is thâ— nâ— that are sâ—â—ed and in them that perish to the ouâ— the sauour of death vnto death and to the other the sauour of lifâ— vnto life 2. Cor. 2 15 16. Other thinke that many â—â—sers are mâ—ny nations as in the 17. chapter of this bâ—oke vers 15. The 〈◊〉 which thou â—â—wâ—st are people and muâ—â—udes and nations and tongues And the great thunder is nothing else but the thundring voices of zealous and holy Preacherâ— And the harpers hâ—mâ—â—â— doth intimate spirituall reioicing together in the Lord. The Church then hâ—th a voice which is much a being of mâ—ny yet muâ—icall in that those many concord in the maine likâ— hâ—rpers hâ—râ—ing with their â—â—râ—â—s It is Mâ—â—â—avâ—xex pâ—allâ—ntium mulâ—â—tudine sed delâ—ctâ—bâ—lâ—â— excoâ—son â—â—â—â—suâ—â—itâ—te And they sung as it wâ—re a new song In regard of the matter a new song it was Adams old song before his fall to praise God for his creation in holinesse and righteousnesse but meeting a new song to the Lord for our redemption and regeneration whereby Gods image loâ—t by sinne is restored in vs againe Oâ— in regard of the manner a new song for whereas the leweâ— in â—he old Testament expâ—cting the consolation of Israel sung praises vnto God â—or that their Messias Sauiour shoâ—ld come Christians in the new Testament magnife the Loâ—d for that Christ iâ— come Blâ—ssed â—â—e the Lord God of Iâ—raâ—l for he hath vâ—â—â—ed and râ—deâ—mâ—d hâ—â— people for that theâ—r eies haue seene his saluation and their hands haue hâ—ndled the word of life Or in regard of the men a nâ—w song being sung by such as haue put off the old man and are new creatures in Christ 2. Cor. 5.17 a new song for that it makes the partie who sings it a new man Or a new song in that it seemeth vnto the world new for Christ crucified the chiefe subiect of their new song seemeth vnto the worldly wise meere foolishnesse as it followeth in our text No man could learue the song but the hundred fortie foure thousand which were redeemed from the earth As our Popish aduersaries hauing the beasts marke both in their forehead and in their right hand impudently call our most ancient and apostolike faith a new Gospell and our diuines Euangelij quinti professores But as learned Scaliger answered them acutely Nos nouatores non sumus sed vos estie veteratores A Monke devoted to his superstitious order and trusting in his owne merits is neuer able to learne how faith only iustifieth A carnall man addicted onely to naturall reason is not able to discerne the things of God A lew relying altogether vpon his Circumcision is not able to sing another note No maruell then if the song of Sion seemes new to them all These arâ— they which were not defiled with women This clause makes not any thing against honourable marriage for how can that be truly called a defiling when as the bed is vndefiled Hebr. 13.4 and therefore Paphnutius openly pronounced in the Councell of Nice Castâ—tatem esse cum vxore propria concubitum And Chrysostome though a great admirour of Virginitie saith also primus graaus castitatis est syncera virgimt as secundus fidele coniugium And so married couples are virgins as well as single persons and ordinarily more chaste in hauing Gods appointed remedie for auoyding fornication Before the Law the Patriarkes had wiues vnder the Law the Priestâ— had wiues after the Law to wit in the daies of the Gospell as Ambrose peremptorily writes all the twelue Apostles except Saint Iohn had wiues And it was euer thought commendable for the Preachers of the word to marrie at their owne discretion as they did iudge the same to serue better vnto godlinesse vntill Pope Nicholas the first Hildebrand alias Hel-â—rand and Innocentius the third forbad Priests marriage Wheâ— upon a witty fellow made this od old time Pri ciâ—nire gula penuâ—â—s cassatur Sacâ—rdos per hic hec olâ—n decliâ—atur Sed perhiâ— soluâ—â—â—mâ—do 〈◊〉 articulatur Cum per nostrum â—raâ—â—â—lens 〈◊〉 amo â—eatâ—r Non est Inâ—â—censius iâ—oâ—ocâ—rs 〈◊〉 Qui qâ—od fâ—cto docâ—â— verbo 〈…〉 Eâ— quo â— oâ—m iuâ—â—eâ—is â—â—lâ—t habere Moâ—â—â—â—tus poâ—â—fex stuâ—â—prohibere What kind of Virgins Popes and
represented by S. Iohn stiled the Diuine the Commonaltie or Infantrie represented by the sillie children Hâ—rod slew or intimating that Christ was borne for men of euery seueral age for men of perfect strength as Steuen for old men on their crouches as S. Iohn for Infants in their cradles a the blessed Innocents Or it may bee that these Saints are mentioned at Christmas rather then other because Christ faith in the Gospell If any man will follow me let him forsake himselfe and tâ—ke vp his crosse Mat. 16.24 the seruant is not greater thâ—n his Master if they haue persecuted me they will persecute you also Ioh. 15.20 Now there bee three kinds of suffering or martyrdome in Christs cause The first Voluntaâ—is operis in will and in act as that of S. Steuâ—n The second Voluntatis sed nâ—n operis in will but not in act as that of S. Iohn The third Operis sed non voluntatis in act but not in will as on this day the death of the Bethlemitills Innocents And for as much as S Steuens martyrdom comeâ— nee est vnto the suffeâ—ings of Christ his festiual is next to Christs in the first place S. Iohns in the second the blessed Innocents in the third And so Christ as it is Cant. 5.10 is white and ruddie the chiefest among ten thousand Candâ—dâ—â— in Ioâ—nne rubâ—â—undus in Stephano electus ex miâ—â—â—us in Innocentibus In the Gospell allotted for this â—ay Two points are more principally remarkable 1. Christs humanitie for that hee was a child and did siâ—e 2. Herods inhumanitie mâ—rthering Tâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. InnoceÌ„t babes who neither would nor could hurt him Haâ—â—us All the children that were in Bethlehem and in all the coasts thereof fâ—uâ— two â—eeâ—es oâ—d and vnder according to the â—â—me which hee had â—â—â—gently knowne of the Wisemeâ— All in euery place nere the place where Christ was borne not sparing his owne child flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone which occasioned Augustus Caesar tauntingly to say â—â— hiâ— este â—e Hâ—rodâ—s pâ—rcum quâ—m puerum It is better to bee Hâ—rod â—oâ— then his sonne The Aâ—gell of the Lord appeared vnto Ioseph in a sleepe Hence wee may learne what a tender care God hath ouer his children in their greatest affliction his Angell â—arrieth round about them that feare him and deliuers them and therefore let vs cast all our care vpon him for hee careth for vs as a father pitieth his owne children euen so the Lord is mercifull to them who feare him It may besaid of our heauenly Father as the Poet of an earthly parent Omnism Ascanio chari stat cura parentis Take the child and his mother He who was in the beginning that eternall word and euerlasting Father about this time for our sake came downe from heauen and became an infant and a childe Nobis puer natus Esay 9.6 Vnto vâ— a childe is borne and vnto vs a sonne is giuen a childe not in meeknesse only for so the greatest man ought to be as a little childe 1 Cor. 14 20. Concerning maâ—â—tiousnesse bee children and except yee become as little children â—â—e shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen bat a childe in weaknesse also wrapped in swadling clothes and laiâ—d in a cratch It is not said take thy childe and thy wife but the childe and his mother hereby signifâ—ing thâ—t Ioseph was not the naturall but onely the nursing father of Iesus It is true that this Angell appeaâ—ing to Ioâ—ph at another time before Marite was deliuered of her childe said vnto him expresly for auoyding suspition of inconâ—inencie feare not to take Mary for thy wife but after the birth of Christ as the Doctors â—bserâ—e â—o shew that hee was borne of a Virgine Mâ—iâ—sâ—â—le â—â—le is the mother of Iesus not the wife of Ioâ—epâ— Againe it is not take the mother and her childe but the châ—â—â—e and his mâ—thâ—r insinuating that his greaâ—eâ— care â—houâ—d be to pâ—ouâ—de for the babe both in reâ—â—eâ— of dâ—â—ger for Herod sought to destroy him and in respeâ—â— of dâ—rie because the child is greater then hi meâ—heâ— â—â—bâ—ing her Sauiour so well as her sonne And 〈…〉 Christs haâ—d enteâ—taâ—nment at 〈…〉 into the world â—â—ewes that hâ—â—â—ingdome was not of this world hee had as Bernard sweetly while hee liued passâ—uam aâ—tionem and when hee died actiuam passionem It is obserued by S. Luke Acts 1.1 that Christ alway first did and then taught hee that would haue vs to flee from Citie to Citie fleeth himselfe from Country to Country before hee grants the patent hee giues the paterne fleeing and that in the night warily or hee did flee now for that his houre was not yet come hee had not as yet done the worke and the will of his Father for which hee came into the world Christus enim â—otam causam nostra salutis occiderat sâ— se paruulum permisisset occidi But whether doth he flee into Egypt as being out of Herods iurisdiction or into Egypt to signifie that Gods kingdome should bee translated from the Iewes vnto the Gentiles and so Ioseph in carrying Iesus and his mother into Egypt represents liuely the blessed Apostles and Preachers in conueying the Gospell vnto nations in time past alians from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the couenants of promise without Christ and so without God in the world O the deepnesse of the riches of Gods mercy Babylon and Egypt whilome were malorum officine the very shops of all villanie but now behold the Wisemen come from the one and Christ here fleeth into the other Vâ— populus qui ante fuâ—rat persecutor populi primogeniti fier et custos fiâ—â— vnigeniti but what need wee such a quare seeing heauens messenger in the text hath vttered a quare namely that is might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet saying out of Egypt haue I called my Sonne How that word Numb 23.22 or Hosea 11.1 originally spoken of Israel his adopted sonne is well applied vpon this occasion vnto Christ his naturall sonne See Rupert Ribera Caluin in Hosea 11.1 Iaâ—sen Concord cap 11. Beaâ—xamis harmon Tom. 1. fol. 73. Caietan Arboreus Maldonat in loc Mystically God calleth his children out of the worlds Egypt deliuering vs from the power of darknesse and calling vs into maruellous light 1. Pet 2.9 or out of Egypt for that his children grow best in grace when they be taught in the schoole of affliction or as Rupert obserues it may be that Hierusalem is called here as it is elsewhere Egypt spiritually for that her Prince and people were so cruell as Egypt in seeking to destroy the childe Iesus Then Herod when hee saw that bee was mocked of the Wisemen It is
vsuall with God to take the wilie in their owne craftinesse and therefore seeing Herod mocked the Wisemen it pleased the Lord to direct the Wisemen in such a course that they likewise mocked Herod The craftie Fox deluded the Wisemen in telling them he would if after their diligent search hee should vnderstand where he was adore the babe for his intent was sauire non seruire to woorie not to worship that innocent Lambe And the Wisemen deluded Herod in returning to their Country not by Hierusalem as they went but another way Then Herod seeing hee was mocked of the Wisemen was exceedingly wroth and sent foorth men of warre c. for when once tyrants cannot preuaile with craft they come to crueltie when Politicians Rhetoricke failes Carters Logicke must doe the feat Great bodies are discerned easily with a little light but small things are not found in the darke without a great light God the Father in the Creation of the world is so glorious and so great that the little light of nature sheweth his handie worke Psalm 19.1 but God the Sonne in our Redemption is so little that we need a great starre to direct vs vnto the babe Iesus lying in a manger a large measure of faith and grace to finde the great God made a little childe No maruell then if Herod could not finde seeing he did seeke not in faith as hoping to be saued by Christ but in furie meaning to destroy Christ. And the reason heereof is rendrâ—d in this present Chapter at the 3. verse When Herod heard of Christs birth at Bethlehem hee was troubled and all Herusalem with him as fearing that this babe being lineally descended from the seed of King Dauid should in time challenging the Scepter of Iudea thrust him out of his kingdome Successor instat pellimur Satelles i fâ—rrum rape Perfunde Câ—nas sâ—nguine Mas omâ—is infans occâ—deâ— Scrutare nutricum â—inus Interâ— materna â—berâ— Ensem cruenter pusiâ— O foolish Herod wilt thou not suffer the King of heauen and earth and the whole world to reigne in â—uâ—ie wilt thou be so barbarous as fearing thy successour to kill thy Sauiour Well maiest thou seeke but thou thalt not see the destruction of his Kingdome for his Scepter is a right Scepter and his Trone is for euer and euer Well maiest thou destroy the bodies of poore children but their liues are hâ—d with the babe Iesus in God and â—o thy mischiefe shall turne to mercie Quoâ— Rex impius eximit maâ—do Christus inserit Carlo for they died for him who was to die for them and so death had no conquest ouer them Moriuntur propter Christum qui 〈…〉 facit vt ipsâ— miâ—â— morte teneri possent Herod represents the deuill who stands before the woman in the wildernesse great with childe readie to deuoure her babe Hee knew that the seed which should breake his head was to be borne of the Iewes and therefore caused Pharao to murther all the Hebrew males Exod. 1. and stirred â—p Haman to destroy the whole Nation of the Iewes Ester 3. and Athalia to kill all the sonnes of Dauid 2. Kings 1â— and here so soone as the noise was of Christs birth hee did cut the throats of all the children in Bethlehem and in all the coâ—sts thereof from two yeeres old and vnder Mystically Satan as soone as he seeth in anâ—â— any good motion he stands as Herod here ready to kill it although it be neuer so little a babe In Râ—man as there a voice heard That is in excelso for the voice of bloud is loud and câ—ieth euen from earth vnto heauen euery murther is sacriledge for that our bodie are the temples of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 Herod then at once committed many foâ—le sacriledges in slaying so many both in towne and countrey who were so great innocents in being so little children that as Prudentius excellently Locum minutis aâ—rubus Vix interemptor invenit Que plagade seendat patens Iugloque maior pâ—gio eâ—t This barbarous outrage caused lamentation weeping and mourning that is lamentation of the mothers weerâ—â—â— of the children and such a mourning on all sides as that the cry penetrating the clouds and knocking at heauen gate did enter into the cares of the Lord of hostes Horrendis grauiter Coelum pulsasse querelis The Epistle Rom. 4.8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sinne c. OVr Apostle conâ—â—mes in this Chapter that do 〈◊〉 which hee deliuered in the former namely 〈…〉 of the Law but freely 〈…〉 and this he prooues in our text by 〈…〉 â—â—pecially 1. From 〈◊〉 monie 〈◊〉 is the man c. 2. From 〈◊〉 example Wee say that faith was imputed vnto Abraham for righteousnesse c. Now Paul mentioneth Abraham and Dauid in this controuersie because their workes were most glorious among the Iewes in somuch as they called Abraham father and Dauid is stiled a man according to Gods owne heart The paterne then of Abraham accounted righteous before God by faith and the precept of Dauid affirming that our blessednesse consists in the remission of our sinnes and not in the perfection of our vertues are both exceeding fit and well accommodated vnto the present purpose Blessed is the man By blessed in the Psalme Paul vnderstands heere iustified for iustification is blessednes begun glorification blessednesse perfited In this life blessednesse is but begun and therefore Dauid faith in the cited Psalme For this shall euery one that is godly make his prayer vnto thee in a time when thou mayest bee found And Christinioyneth vs daily to pray for giue vs our trespasses in the world to come blessednesse is consummated for when we shall haue no more sinne then we shall haue no more sorrow Whose vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen Some distinguish thus iniquities are forgiuen in Baptisme couered in repentance not imputed in martyrdome Other thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are transgressions against the word written according to that 1 Iohn 3.4 and so the Iewes hauing Gods Law did offend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are trespasses against the rule of nature not ingrauen in stone nor written with inke but imprinted in the conscience and so the Gentiles hauing not the law were sinners Other thus originall iniquities are forgiuen in Baptisme quoad Culpam and actuall transgressions are couered in loue quoad pâ—nam or iniquitâ—tâ—t are faults of infidelitie called in holy Scripture sinne Catexâ—chen Iohn 16.8 He will reproâ—â— the world of sinne that â— as Christ expounds himselfe of vnbeliefe peccata are faults in manners as other our sins are forgiuen in respect of the wrong done to God and couered in respect of the shame due to vs vt sic velentur nâ— in indicio reuclentur For in sinne three things are to be
in the world to come when all superfluity shall be cut off vtterly when as wee shall appeare before Gods throne without any spot in our soule or corruption in our body Now the circumcision of Christ heere mentioned is that of the flesh for Almighty God before mans fall and after is fall before the Law vnder the Law and after the Law certified his will vnto man especially by two things an vnderstanding minde and a perceiuing sense When God had created Aâ—â—m hee put him in Paradise giuing him his â—ord as a witnesse of hiâ— will and vnto the word hee did adde a twofold outward signe namely the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and euill After Adâ—â—ous fall he gaue him a promise touching the blessed seede Gen. 3.15 and added thereunto sacrifices as outward signes of his worde When the floud was ouerpast hee made a promise neuer to destroy the world againe with water and hee made the Rainbow a signe of the same Hee promised deliuerance from the bondage of Egypt which hee performed also but he sealed the promise with the Paschal Lambe Exod. 12. To father Abraham hee gaue his promise that his seed should be multiplied and in perpetuall remembrance thereof hee did institute Circumcision Gen 17. At the length in the fulnesse of time he giueth his owne Sonne and by him he promiseth euerlasting life to such as beleeue the which hee confirmes with two Sacraments as seales of his grace Baptisme and the Lords supper Thus the father of mercies in all ages euermore prouided for our weaknesse that wee might as it is in the Psalme taste and see how gratious the Lord is and therefore such as are so spirituall as that they cannot endure significant ceremonies and outward rites in the Church haue runne a violent course quite contrary to the goodnesse of God and meeknesse of his holy spirit who doth instruct the conceiuing minde by the perceiuing sense For the Sacraments as Augustine speakes are visible words and Circumcision in the iudgment of Chrysostome was a Preacher of the righteousnesse of faith I confesse that the Iewish ceremonies are now no more necessarie then a token left in remembrance of a bargaine is necessarie when the bargaine is fulfilled but christian rites ordained by lawful authority for outward comelinesse in the Church ought to be retained as hauing more in weight then in sight In the Câ—râ—â—â—â—tiâ—â—on of â—hâ—â—â—t obâ—â—eâ—ue these â— poâ—nâ—s 1 Theâ—iâ—e when the eâ—ghth day 2 Theâ—â—â—e â—heâ—e implyed here for that Câ—â—â—i but expâ—essed in the first Lesson aâ—â—oâ—â—eâ— for this aâ—â— nin â—â—rayer â—en 17.11 to be the 〈…〉 3 The eâ—â—se â—hy 〈…〉 that is â— in the woâ—dâ— foâ—â—o 〈◊〉 â—â—â—r the Lâ—â—â— When the eighth 〈…〉 Châ—â—e en were circumeâ—sed on the eâ—ghth day foâ—thâ—â— in this tender age they coâ—â—d more eâ—stly bâ—â—re the gâ—â—ese of circumcision or eâ—reâ—meised on the eâ—â—ghâ—h dâ—y hâ—â—â—use thaâ— is the day â—hâ—rein our bleâ—sed Sauiour â—â—ofe â—â—â—m the dead Seuen daie signifie the time oâ— this â—â—efeâ—e worâ—d and the â—â—ghâ—h dâ—y the reâ—â—â—eâ—â—ion when alâ—coâ—uption of the â—eth shall he eâ—â—oâ—â— accordâ—â—g to that oâ— Paulâ— Câ—r 15 5â— Tâ—â—s 〈…〉 〈…〉 For thâ—s end â—he circumciâ—â—on kniâ—e 〈◊〉 mâ—de of 〈◊〉 Exod 4.25 Iâ—â—a 5.2 To siâ—nitiâ—â—hâ—â—â—â—eceâ—e 〈◊〉 Câ—â—cumcâ—â—on is by Chriâ—t the â—ocke â—nd â—hâ—ad coâ—eâ—â—â—enâ— Câ—â—cumciâ—â—on â—â—s placed in the generatiue pâ—â—t for thâ—eereâ—â—on eâ—â—â—â—â—ally First for that it â—as a seâ—â—e of Gâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—e thâ—â— Câ—â—â—â—t hâ—â—â—d â—e â—oâ—ne of Abâ—â—â—â—m◠〈◊〉 Seâ—â—nd â—â—â—eeâ—â—e the propâ—â—â—tion of originalâ—â—â—nne 〈…〉 Thiâ—dly Qâ—â—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 coâ—ciâ—iâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 O◠〈◊〉 oâ—heâ—â—oâ— thaâ— i◠〈◊〉 â—â—â—ne of Gâ—◠〈…〉 the â—â—ent and hâ—â—â—eâ—◠〈◊〉 Gen. 17.7 〈…〉 Thâ—â—â—â—â—â—nsâ— hâ— Câ—â—◠〈◊〉 â—eceiâ—ed and bâ—rne 〈…〉 are â—â—niâ—â—â—â—â— 1 To shew that he was of the seede of Abrahamâ— Heb. â— 16 2 To declare himselfe a member of the Iewish Church in which euery man child was circumcised 3 To demonstrate that hee had true flesh against 〈◊〉 and such a flesh as was not of the same substance with his deitie Co◠〈…〉 corpus against Apolâ—naris or fetched from heauen as Valâ—ntinus imagined hee was I say circumcised to shew that he was made of the seede of 〈◊〉 accorâ—â—â—â— to the 〈◊〉 Rom. 12. 4 For that he was the truth of which Circumcision was a type Vâ—â—â—â—ramiâ—â—â—â—ritas â—â—irâ—â— But the principall reason iâ— inâ—â—nuated in the text for that theiâ— required that eueâ—y man child should be cirâ—â—â—â—s sâ—d He therefore was circumcised to â—â—e â—hiâ— obediâ—nce to the lâ—w Wâ—â—â— the â—alâ—es of ume waâ— come God 〈◊〉 â—â—th his 〈◊〉 mâ—â—e oâ— a â—oman make vnder the Law tâ—at â—e â—â—iâ—â— reâ—â— mâ—tâ—â—m thâ—t were vâ—der the Law As then he â—aâ— borne for â—s Esay 9.6 Puer natus â—st neâ— is And Luk 2.11 Vâ—â—â—s nâ—tuâ—â— Vnto you is borne that iâ— vnto yoâ— a men aâ— an Angeâ—l expounds the Prophet euen fâ—â—â—â— hee â—â—â—â—â—mâ—sed for yâ— hâ—reby giuing a publike â—y â—â—noâ—iâ—â—hâ—â— he would fuâ—fill all the whole Law for vs foâ— eueâ—y 〈◊〉 iâ— circumcâ—sâ—d â—s bâ—â—â—d to keep the whole Lâ—w. Hoâ— the consâ—laâ—orie name Ieâ—â—us inuented by God 〈◊〉 pâ—â—ed bâ— the Angâ—â—l invocated by men is proper to Châ—iâ—t 〈◊〉 Sâ—e Gospell on the Sunday next after 〈◊〉 And how his named aboue all name Epist. 〈…〉 will end here with a diuine 〈…〉 â—ccurate Poet. 〈…〉 〈…〉 of content 〈…〉 rent 〈…〉 pâ—â—ne O take thy crosse and naiâ—es and therewith straine My hearts desire to his full extent That thy â—eaâ—e loue therein may not be â—ent But thoughts man haue free scope thy loue t'explaine Ah new my heart more pâ—uneth then before Because it can receiue and hath no more O filâ— this emptinesse or 〈◊〉 â—â—â—e Now stretch my heart againe and now supply Now I want â—pace now grace to end aâ— smart Since my heart 〈◊〉 not thee hold thou my heart Almighty God which madest thy blessed sonne to he circumcised and obedient to the Law for man granâ— vs the true circumcision of the spirit that our hearts and all our members being mortified from all worldly and carnall lusts may in all things obey thy blessed will through the same thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen The Epistle EPHES. 3.1 For this cause I Paul am a prisoner of Iesus Christ for you heathen c. THE maine drift of all this exceeding profound Epistle written vnto the Saints of the Church of Ephesus is to confirme their in the word of truth euen the Gospell of their saluation and faith in the Lord Iesus And this our Apostle doth in the present text by two reasons especially 1. From his owne ministery in respect of the Bonds or disgrace hee suffered of men I Paul am a prisoner c. Boon or grace he receiued of God If yee haue heard of the ministration of the grace of God which is giuen mee to you-ward 2. Fom the Gospels mystery which hee
salt for if wee shall vnderstand this of the whole mystery of Christ manifested in the flesh it is certaine that Abraham with faiths eye saw Christ and was glad and the Prophets enquired and searched when or what time the spirit which was in them should declare the sufferings that should come to Christ and the glorie that should follow Nay the very common people did expect the consolation of Israel as it is apparant by that of the Samaritane woman I know well that Messias shall come which is called Christ. Or if we construe this of that part of the mysterie which onely concernes the vocation of the Gentiles it is as plaine that Abraham beleeued all the families of the earth should be blessed in his seed And the Prophet Haggai calâ— the Messias expresly the desire of all nations And in the first lesson allotted for euening praier on this day Thus saith the Lord Behold I will lift vp mine hands to the Gentiles and set vp my standard to the people c. Kings shall be their nursing fathers and Queenes their nursing mothers c. Answer then is made that this mysterie was opened in times past vnto the sonnes of God but not as it is in the text here to the sonnes of men It was knowne vnto the spirituall lew but not vnto the carnall For the Prophers spake not as the sonnes of men but as they were moued by the spirit of God 1. Pet. 2.21 Other thinke this mysterie was opened vnto the lewes as hauing the Law and the Prophets testifying of Christ and that it was hidden onely to the Gentiles as wanting the light of Gods word to direct them in their night of ignorance Other say that the Prophets in old time knew that the Gentiles should be partakers of Gods promise concerning the blessed seed but they did not vnderstand how this could be without circumcision because God said Euery person which is not circumcised should be cut off from his people Yea the knowledge in this mysterie was hidden vnto the chiefe Apostle till it was in a vision reuealed vnto him as we reade Act. 10. Other finde a direct answer couched in the words of Paul here which mysterie was not in times past opened vnto the sâ—aues of 〈◊〉 as it is now declared vnto his holy Apotles and Prophets by the spirit It was opened before but not as now not so fully manifested vnto the Paâ—â—iarkes and Prophets in the old Testament as in the light of the Gospell vnto blessed Apostles and Preachers in which respect Iohn the Baptist is said to be greater then a Prophet For whereaâ— they shadowed out Christ in figures obscurely he shewed our Christ with his finger openly 〈…〉 of God which taketh away the sinne of the world So Christ himselfe to his Disciples Blessed 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 that 〈…〉 you that many Prophets and Kings haue desired to see those things which ye see in 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 them and to heare those things which yee heare and haue not heard them The blessed Apostles are called in the fifth verse Prophets as propheeying in their Creed of things to come to wit of the resurrection of the 〈◊〉 and euerlasting life or Prophets as being expounders of the Prophets as the word is vsed elsewhere Rom. 12.6 Ephes. 4.11 1. Cor. 14.1 See Epistle second Sunday after the Epiphanie That the Gâ—ntâ—les should be follow-heires and of the same body and partakers of the same promise The Gentiles are said to bee follow-heires in respect of future glorie repectulum futuri because they shall be heires of saluation and inheâ—itors of the kingdome of heauen so well as the Iewes euen heires of God and ioint heires with Christ Rom. 8.17 Of the same body in respect of present grace respectu boni praesentis as being built together in Christ and made one Church and habitation of God Ephes. 2.14.22 Partakers of the same promise in respect of mercie 〈◊〉 die respectu boni praeriti forasmuch a Gods Couenant made to father Abraham apparantly concerned all the nations of the world Genes 12.3.18 18 22.18 Heere the Gospell and Epistle meet and both are well accommodated vnto Christs Epiphanie for the Wisemen shewed that in deed which our Apostle heere saith in word Vnto the rulers and powers in heauenly things Whether this ought to be construed of damned deuils or blessed Angels I referre you to S. Ambrose Erasmus Marlorat Or if spoken of the good Angels onely whether it concernes all at all times or in times past only such as were not imploied in the publishing of Christs incarnation I desire you to reade the Commentaries of Hierome and Haymo vpon this text Lombard sent lib 2. distinct 11. Alussiodorensis Aur. sum lib. 2. Tracti 5. quaesi â— 6. Sixtus senensis bibliothec lib. 6. annot 165 182.29â— And whether this knowledge be reuealed or experimentall only Thomas part 1. quast 117. art 2. Lexicon Theolog Astenstanc verb. Angelus Perkins exposit Creed art 1. Tit. Creation of Angels Aretius Marlorat Zanch. in loc For mine owne part where I see not my selfe I loue not to leade other If these cited Authors afford your vnderstanding good paiment I shall be so well pleased as when I borrow ready coine of one friend to lend it vnto another If not I say with Hierome Non parum est scire quid nesâ—as and with Augustine Non videtur mihi quisquam errare cum aliquid nescire se scit sed cum putat scire quod nescit The Gospell MATTH 2.1 When Iesus was borne in Bethlehem a Citie in Iurie in the time of Herod the King behold there came Wise-men from the East to Ierusalem saying who is he that is borne King of the Iewes c. AFter the celebration of Christs birth and circumcision it seemed good vnto the Church to constitute a Feast in honour of his Epiphanie that his glory might be manifested in the flesh so well as his infirmitie Now this Feast is called by three sundry names according to the three principall appearings of our Lord in this kinde on this day 1. Epiphania because Christ as this day did appeare to the Wisemen that sought him by the leading of a starre 2. Theophania for that as vpon this day 29. yeeres after his birth his glorie appeared in his baptisme by the witnesse of the Father speaking from heauen this is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased and by the descending of the holy Ghost vpon him in a visible shape like a done 3. Bethphania for that on the same day twelue moneth after his baptisme his glorie appeared at the marriage in Cana by turning water into wine Iohn 2.11 We must according to the present text onely treat of his appearing to the Wisemen in whom I note These 7. circumstances 1. At what time they came to
vnto the sonne of men as it is now declared by the spirit Read ser. 2.4.6 7 of Augustine de Epiphania Dom. And herein appeares the goodnesse and vnsearchable riches of Christ in that he manifested himselfe to the shepheards albeit ignorant and to the Wise-men 〈◊〉 impious In rusâ—â—citate pastorum imperitia praeualet in sacrilâ—gâ— imagorum impietas and yet he who chose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance appeared vpon Christmas day to shepheards and on this day to wise but wicked Astrologers Vt nullus magnus 〈◊〉 nullu infirmâ—u desperaret as Augustine and Aquine sweetly To Ierusalem As to the Citie of God acquainted with the diuine oracles hauing Moses and the Prophets which witnesse of the Messias And here they did learnâ— that Christ should be borne at Bethlehem in Iurie for 〈◊〉 it is written by the Prophet and thou Bethlehem in the land of Iurie are not the least among the Princes of Iuda for out of thee shall come vnto me the Captaine that shall gouerne my people Israel And so hauing the light of Gods holy word added to the starre they went on their iourney with cheerefulnesse vntill they came to the place where the childe was Or to the Scribes and Pharisies at Ierusalem to condemne their â—â—â—ggishnesse and carnalitie who standing hard by saw not so much as they who came from farre Verâ—â—s ill minat magus insiâ—â—litas obâ—â—â—at magistros Carnales 〈…〉 quod 〈…〉 veâ— 1. quod oftendet vâ—â—tur paginis quarum non ere dis eloquâ—â— In which respect Augustine compared the Iewish Doctors vnto stenes erected in common passages that teach other how to walke in the right way but themselues stand still And he 〈◊〉 vs vpon bowed knees intreat the Father of mercies and God of all grace so to lighten our darke vndeâ—â—â—â—â—ng with his heauenly starâ—e that wee may 〈◊〉 and spiritually discâ—â—ne the things of the Scriptures 〈◊〉 the Lord as Augustine prophecied a great while 〈◊〉 four our 〈…〉 and carnalitie take his word from vs Christians as hee did his kingdome from the Iewes and giue it to such as wee thinke to bee most alien from God and his Gospell Examine the cited passages and passions of that holy Father againe and againe Decies repetita placebunt and then in thy serious meditations apply them vnto the present Romish Synagogue and thou shalt easily find that the Protestants estate in respect of the Papists is very like to this of the Wise men in respect of the Iewes For as the Iewes euer boasted of the Temple so the Papists of the Church as the Iewes and onely the Iewes in times past had Gods Law so the Papists in latter ages and if you will beleeue themselues onely the Papists imbrace the Catholike faith As the Iewes were magnificent in their Ceremonies euen so the Papists exceeding glorious in their ornaments orders outsides of the Church And yet such as are Wise-men and haue wit to count the number of the Beast know that Antichrists seate is the Romane sea Hee whose pencill is not inferiour to many standing in so fit a place as any to take Romes picture portrayeth her thus Roma in Hebrew Signifieth Height Roma in Greeke Signifieth Strength Roma in Latine Signifieth Loue if it bee read backward Roma in English Signifieth Roome or place Foure tongues like trumpets Rome doe sound thy name In Hebrew thou art Height in Greeke a power And Loue in Latine speech-and Place in our Foure squares of hundred yeeres doe sit the same The first in Height exalted Christ his name The next in Strength augmented worldly power The third Gods loue cast Backward on thy flowre The fourth in empty place hath shewed thy shame And now foure waies thou wouldest fall conceale With Scriptures vpper Height and strength of schooles And forme of Zeale and Rome the head of fooles The Height mants ground to reason truth to zeale Sâ—â—ente and Roome cone cyueth 〈◊〉 no grace Thy height of strength is backward loue of place We haue seen his sâ—arre Cardinal Abacus and Albertus haue written that these Wise men endowed with extraordinary skill in Astrologie might foreknow the time when our blessed Sauiour should be borne by the position of starres and constitution of the planets But this assertion is vtterly condemned by S. Augustine and other holy Fathers of the Church as you may finde in Beauxanis Har. Tom. 1. fol. 60.61 Sixt. sinen bibliothec lib. 6. annot 10. It is apparent that this starre was not ordinarie but in many properties especially three differing from all other in the skie to wit In Place for it could not haue shewed the direct way to such as trauelled by it vnlesse it had been in the lowest region of the aire Mouing for it moued not circle wise but went right forward as a guide of the way none otherwise then the cloud and piller of fire went before the people of Israel at their going out of Egypt Brightnesse for whereas other starres appeare to shine by night onely this gaue light euen in the broad day Hac stella quae solis votam Vinest decore ac lmiue Gregorie Nissen and Aquine thinke that it was a new hure created onely for this purpose Theophylact and â—uthymiue that it was an Angel or fome other heauenly power appearing not in the nature but in the figure of a starre S. Augustine saith it was manifica liagaacali the stately tongue of heauen Other coniecture that it was the holy ghost appearing in the likenesse of a starre at Christs birth as in the likenesse of a Doue at Christs baptisme For as Baronius out of the great opinion of his owne reading is bold to write all the Fathers agree that these Magi were lead to Christ here by an inward light of the spirit so well as with an outward light in the skies Agente hoe sine dubio in corum cordibus inspinui we drâ—ina vt costantae vâ—sionis mysterium non laterei quod oculic estendebatur insolitum animis non set obsceromâ— And therefore when they found the babe Iesus in a seely cottage they were not any whit discouraged at his contemptible pouertie but instantly they saw non terra portante sed caelo narrante magnum aliquid in parne latere that this little childe was a great King yet a great God and a great King aboue all Gods And hereapon aâ— followeth in our text They fell doâ—â— slat and worshipped him and opened their treasures and offered vnto him gifts gold frankincense myrrhe That is as Augustine glosseth A dorant corporious honorant mu neribus venerantur officijs oculis hominem vident deum abseguijs consiuentur Christ as being the word in the beginning by whom all things were made bestowed on these Wise-men euery good
rest as being the tying knot on which all other linkes of holy beleefe depend as I haue shewed often elsewhere but especially Gosp. on S. Thomas and Epist. on S. Andrewes day And they appointed two They nominated more then one that the Lord who knew the hearts of all men might chuse the party that should take the roome of the miniâ—tration and Apostleship from which Iudas by transgression fell And that Matthias might acknowledge that he receiued it as Paul speakes not of man but by the reuelation of Iesus Christ Galath 1.12 The world is a circle God is as it were the center of this circle the waies of men are lines deduced from this center If then euent of the Lotterie hee not expected of diuels nor of the starres nor of any force of fortune but looked and prayed for to be directed by God it is lawfull to vse lots in temporall things as in diuision of lands and inheritance Prou. 18.18 The lot causeth contentions to cease and maketh a partition among the mighty And in spirituall affaires also for it is reported of Zacharias the Priest that his lot was to burne Incense Luk. 1.9 And though ordinary chusing of Prelates and Preachers ought not to be by lots as both Heathens and Christians in this agree yet in some cases extraordinarie to wit if two or three shall happen to stand in election of such equall holinesse and other sufficiency that humane wisedome cannot any waies discerne and so decide which is most fit it is lawfull according to the president in our text to cast lots and so commit the disposition of the choice to God In the lawfull vsing of a Lottery then obserue these remarkeable caueats 1. We must expect the lots euent from God onely Prou. 16.33 The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposition thereof is of the Lord. 2. We may not vse lots in affaires ordinarie but in cases of necessity when as the businesse cannot otherwise be transacted 3. Wee must abandon all vncharitable conceits and all dishonourable deceits Psalm 5.6 The Lord will abhorre the deceitfull man and destroy such as speake leasing 4. We must before we cast lots as the blessed Apostle heere call vpon God in hearty prayer for a blessing on our endeauours I could adde easily more but I remember Augustines rule Secundas habeat partes modestiae quae primas non potuit habere sapientiae If any know lesse then I they may be bold to peruse this and such as vnderstand more then I may read Augustin epist. 180. de doct Christ. lib. 1. cap. 28. con 2. in Psalm 30. Thomas 22 ae quaest 95. art 8. Bellarmin lib. de clericis cap. 5. Sixt. senen vbi supra in marg Aretius Marlorat Kilius in loc And the lot fell on Matthias In the Tabernacle the curtaines of fine twined linnen and blew silke and purple were couered with curtaines of Goats haire Some men are great ornaments in the Church and yet vnfit to gouerne the Church Ornent Ecclesiam qui solis rebus spiritualibus vacant regant Ecclesiam quos labor rerum corporalium non grauat c. It may bee Ioseph as being iust was a fine curtaine in Gods Tabernacle but Matthias a couering as being apt and actiue for gouerment Alia ratio boniciuis boni viri quoth Aristotle euery good man is not a good magistrate Are all Apoâ—â—les are all Prophets are all teachers There be diâ—â—rsities of gifts and diuersities of administrations and diuersities of operations Happily Ioseph excelled in one kind and Matthias in another He who kâ—ew to iudge best of the best for this ministration in his â—ecret wisedome cast the lot on Matthias Or in electing Matthias hee did insinuate that his waies are not as our waies and that hee iudgeth according to the heaâ—ts of all men and not after the flesh or titles or â—uâ—side Ioseph is called Barsabas that is the sonne of rest and innocency surnamed also for his singular honesty â—uâ—tus And yet Matthias is chosen of God howsoeuer not adorned with such commendations before men Here the Gospell and Epistle meet I thanke thee Father Lord of heauen and earth because thou haâ— hâ—d these things from the wise and prudent and hast shewed them vnto babes euen so was â—t thy good pleasure The lot falleth on the sonne of labour afflicted with the load of sinne not on the iust or on the sonne of rest on Matthias and not on Barsabas The Gospell MATTH 11.25 In that time Iesus answered and said I thanke thee O Father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast had these things from the wise and prudent and hast shâ—wed them vnto babes c. CHrists exceeding rich mercy toward vs is manifested in this Scripture by two things especially to wit his inuocation of God I thanke thee O father c. And his inuitation of men Come vnto mee all ye that labour c. In both ioyned together hee that hath an eye to see may behold the chiefe causes of our effectuall vocation Efficient the good pleasure of God the father Lord of heauen and earth c. Materiall babeâ— and all such as labour and are heauie laden Instrumentall Iesus vnto whom all things are giuen Finall refreshing and rest in soule I thanke thee Prayer and thankesgiuing vnto God for benefits obtained in prayer ought alwaies to concurre Christ had often heretofore prayed for the gathering together of the Church as it was prophesied of him in the second Psalme Desire of me and I will giue thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the vttermost parts of the earth for thy possession And now his prayer being heard he rendreth vnto God his praise Father I thanke thee Lord of heauen and earth In which one line three wicked errours are consuted first the words I thanke thee consound the Iewes assuming that Christ was a blas 〈◊〉 Secondly father ouerthroweth Arrians an 〈◊〉 â—ch as deny Christ to bee Gods eternall sonne Thirdly heauen crosseth the Manicheans opinion holding God to bee Creator of visible things onely but not of inuisible Because thou hast hid those things from the wise Hee did not absolutely thanke his father for hiding the mysteries of his sauing grace from the wise but for that be reuealed them vnto babes You may reade the like phrase Rom. 6.17 God be thanked that ye haue been the seruâ—nts of inne but ye haue obtained from the heart vnto be forme of the doctrine which was deliuered vnto you 〈◊〉 blessed Apostle did not giue thankes vnto God for that the Romans had made their members as weapons of iniquitie but because they who sometime were the seruants of sinne through his grace were now the seruants of righteousnesse as Primasius vpon the place Gratias Deo quia fuist is sed ipso liberatore iam non estis Euen so Christ heere thankes
of Remaliahs sonne For albeit they determine to depose thee and to dispose of thy Kingdome purposing to set vp in thy throne the sonne of â—abeal vers 6 Yet thus saith the Lord God their counsell shall not stand neither shall it bee for the head of Aramis Damascus and the head of Damascus is Rezin and within threescore and fiue yeeres Ephraim shall be broken from being a people As if he should say these two kingdomes shall haue their limits and their two Kings must be content with their owne greatnesse they both aspire to the Crown but I haue set them their bounds which they shall not passe Beleeue my words and it shall goe well with you but if ye will not beleeue surely ye shall not bee established vers 9. And therefore that Ahaz and his people might giue credit to this promise the Lord saith our text spake once more to Ahaz Where note Gods long suffering and patience toward an Idolatious and a wicked King who did not vprightly in the sight of the Lord his God 〈◊〉 Dauid his father â— but made his sonne goe thorow the fire after the abominations of the Heathen whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel and offered and burnt incense in the high places and on the hilles and vnder euery greene tree The Lord desired not the death of a sinner but that he may turne from his euill waies and liue speaking to him as heere to Ahaz againe and againe turne you turne you for why will ye die O yee house of Israel He doth inuite to mercie not onely such as are godly men according to the prayer of Dauid Do well O Lord vnto those that be good and true of heart But he maketh his Sunne to rise on the euill and sendeth his raine on the iust and on the vniust Matth. 5.45 Hee is not slacke faith Peter in comming to iudgement as some men count sâ—â—icknesse but is patient toward vs and would haue no man to perish but would all men to come to repentance Wherefore thou whosoeuer thou bee which art in the gall of bitternesse selling thy selfe to worke wickednesse nay giuing thy selfe to wantonnesse to commit all vncleanenesse euen with greedinesse How dost thou thinâ—e thou shalt escape the iudgement of God or despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience and long sufferance not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance The Lord spake to Ahaz againe yet not onely for his sake nor for the wicked alone but rather to prouide for the weake which had some seeds of Godlinesse For albeit they did offend the Lord very much in their distrust and Idolatrie yet God as being the father of mercies in wrath remembers mercy Habac. 3.2 Compassion and forgiuenesse is in the Lord our God albeit wee haue rebelled against him Dan. 9.9 Require a token of the Lord thy God As if Esay should haue said I perceiue you giue credit to my report entertaining my speech as the words of a meere man and not as the word of God Wherfore to demonstrate that I come not in mine owne name but from the Lord of Hosts Aske a signe not of Idols or of strange gods vnable to helpe thee but of thy God Aske a signe not of me but of the Lord which onely doth wondrous things Aske of him Ahaz and thou shalt vnderstand that it is the Lord who speakes vnto thee God for the confirmation of our faith addeth vnto his promises as proppes of our infirmitie signes and tokens which Augustine calles aptly visible words And these signes are of two sorts extraordinarie whereof the Prophet in our present text and that which was giuen to Hezekiah in the 38. chapter of this prophesie vers 7. Ordinarie in daily vse as Baptisme and the Lords Supper the which are signes and seales of Gods holy couenant with vs. And wee must so ioyne faith vnto the word that wee despise not the Sacraments which Almighty God offereth as helps for the strengthening of of our faith It is a true saying that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners And this saying ought by all meanes to bee receiued and one chiefe meane is the ministration of the Sacraments and therefore the frantick spirits in our time who make no reckoning of Baptisme nor of the blessed Eucharist but esteeme them abces onely for little children are worthily censured by reuerend Caluin to separate those things which God hath ioyned together Whether it be toward the depth beneath or toward the height aboue The Prophet prescribes not what token Ahaz should aske lest happily the truth of the miracle might be suspected but hee leaueth it to the Kings owne free choice whether hee will haue it toward the depth or height that is in earth or heauen Or it may be the word depth is of some deeper signification as if Esay should say God will openly shew thee that his dominion is farre aboue all the world yea that it reacheth euen from the heauen of heauens to the very depth of depthes insomuch as hee can at his good pleasure fetch Angels out of heauen and also raâ—e the very dead out of their graues Here then obserue Gods omnipotencie who can doe whatsoeuer hee will in heauen and in earth and in the sea and in all deepe places Psal. 135.6 O God the great and mighty great in Counsell and mighty in worâ—e Behold thou hast made the heauen and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arme and there is nothing hard vnto thee This doctrine is comfortable to the godly who dwell vnder the defence of the most high and abide vnder the shadow of his wings hauing his spirit for their guide and his Angels for their guard But it is very terrible to the wicked in that all the creatures in heauen in earth and vnder earth attend the Lord of Hosts euenmore readie to fight against such as fight against him noneâ— This argueth his pride rather then humblenesse Or as other his trust in the strength of the King of Ashor rather then his affiance in the King of Kings And yet hee colours his foule contempt hypocritically with a faire pretence saying I will not tempt the Lord alluding doubtlesse to the text Deut. 6.16 ye shall not tempt the Lord your God He forgate the words in the some chapter a little before yee shall not walke after other gods c. and only wrested that clause which he thought would fit his turne wrest I say for to require a signe when God inuiteth and inioyneth vs is not to tempt the Lord but to trust and obey which is better then sacrifice Gedeon is commended for asking signes of the Lord Iudges 6. the Pharities on the contrary condemned euen by Christ himselfe the wicked generation and adulterous seeketh a
Prouerbs 24.23 The Thebans hereupon vsually pourtraied their Prince blinde with eares and the Iudges assisting him in Iustice without hands Blinde lâ—st he should haue respect of persons with eares that hee might heare both parties indifferently the Iudges without hands lest otherwise they might be corrupted with bribes for the gift blindeth the wise and peruerteth the words of the righteous and for this end our forefathers ordayned wisely that euery Iudge should ride his circuit in a Countie farre distant from his owne home whereby he might administer iustice freely without any fauour or feare It was an olde complaint of Diogenes that the greater theeues of the state did ordinarily punish the lesser and another after him that secret pillers of the Common-weale sit on the bench to condemne open robbers standing at the barre Magistrates in our dayes haue their houses seated so neare to Saint Bribes as that few can say with Iob I put on iustice and it couered me my iudgement was a robe and a crowne I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame feuer with Samuel whose oxe haue I taken or whose asse haue I taken or to whom haue I done wrong or whom haue I hurt or of whose hand haue I receiued any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith and I will restore it you None I feare with Nerua who was so good a Prince that hee did auow boldly se nihil fecisse quo minus possit imperio depostio priuatus iuto viuere Some Magistrates vse the lawes as cobwebs only to catch little flies other as fox-nets only to take great ones in a trap and so the statutes of our kingdome as a reuerend father of our Church once said haue a good prologue but bad epilogue their inuention is wise their intention honourable but we saile in execution and a law without execution is as a bell without a clapper A Iudge must haue two kindes of salt in him as Baldus truely the salt of science to know the law and the salt of conscience to determine according to the same neither respecting the person nor expecting the gifts of any himâ— To feare God and to keepe his commandements is the whole duty of man Ecclesiast 12.13 and therefore these two the fearing of God and working â—f righteousnes comprehend our whole duty The first all religious offices of piety toward God the second all righteous offices of charity toward our neighbour Cornelius feare was not seruile but filial he feared God as an obedient child feareth a kind father and God is not our father after this sort but in Christ in whom he is well pleased and in whom he doth adopt vs his children giuing vs his spirit whereby we cry Abba father in a word Cornelius feare was â—aith and by this faith he was accepted with God and this faith openly shewed it selfe in working righteousnesse toward men And therefore such aâ— build vpon this exam â—e free will and iustification by workes are deceiued exceedingly for Cornelius is said here first to feare God and then afterward to worke righteousnes Hee had heard among the Iewes of Gods holy promise concerning the sending of his sonne our Sauiour the which hee beleeued as the Patriarkes and the Prophets and other of Gods people who liued before Christs comming into the world and this faith as Paul speakes wrought by loue Galat. 5.6 It is worth obseruing that this commendation of Cornelius is remembred often in holy Scriptures as a speciall infallible marke of Gods children Iob a iust man and one that feared God Simeon was a iust man and feared God but euermore the fearing of God as being the beginning of wisedome is mentioned as the chiefe note Father Abraham a man who feared God Gen. 22.12 Ioseph a man who feared God Gen. 42.18 The Midwiues in Egypt feared God Exod. 1.17 If the fearing of God once goe before working of righteousnesse will instantly follow after according to that of the wiseman hee that feareth the Lord will doe good If thou seest a man in a desperate course selling himselfe as it is said of Ahab to worke wickednes rising vp early to follow drunkennes and continuing at the â—auerne till it bee night drawing iniquitie with cordes of vaâ—ity and sin as it were with cartropes it is a sure signe that the true feare of God is not rooted in his soule for whosoeuer hath a caâ—â— to liue religiously toward God will also so farre as humane frailtie will suffer liue soberly toward himselfe and righteously toward his neighbour Yee know the preaching The narration and confirmation ensuing are a little creed containing the chiefe articles of holy beliefe but the point vrged by the blessed Apostle most is the resurrection of Christ expresly setting downe 1. The author of his resurrection him God raised vp 2. The time when the third day 3. Before what witnesses openly shewing him vnto vs witnesses chosen before of God 4. What he did after he rose froÌ„ death he did eate and drinke with as 5. What he said he commanded vs to preach vnto the people to testifie that it is he which was ordained of God to be the iudge of the quicke and the dead In this argument of Christs resurrection the Gospell and Epistle meet and both are full and fit for the present feast of Easter In that S. Peter maketh Apostles and Prophets ioynt witnesses of all these things he doth insinuate that Christ is the beginning and end of the whole Scripture qui in lege velatur in euang◠〈…〉 See Gospell 1. Sun in aduent The Gospell LVK. 24.13 Behold two of the Disciples wâ—nt that same day to a towne called Emmaus c. THis Scripture containeth a sweet conference betweene Christ and two Disciples as they iourneyed in the way from Hierusalem to a townâ— called Emmaus The summe whereof is that Christ Iesus is truly risen agâ—â—ine from the dead as hauing 〈◊〉 all things which Moses anâ— the Prophets haue spoken of him The whole may be diuided into three parts A Prologue which occasioned the conference verse 13.14 wherein these circumstances are considerable Who two of the Disciples When that same day Where in the way betweene Hierusalem and Emmaus What they talked together of all the things that had happened Dialogue or the conference it selfe wherin Christ sheweth his tender care toward his Disciples in drawing neere to them vers 15. walking talking with theÌ„ v. 17.19 correcting them for their errour v. 25 directing them in the truth and that by words arguing froÌ„ reason v. 26. authority v. â—7 deeds hee sâ—t at table with them hee tooke bread c vers 30. Epilogue declaring what ensued vpon the conference to wit an ingenuous confession of the faith in the two Disciples did not our harts burne within vs c. earnest desire to confirme the same truth in other and they
many as the Lord our God shall call And Act. 3.26 Vnto you hath God raised vp his sonne Iesus and him hee hath sent to blesse you in turning euery one of you from your iniquities And here Ye men and brethren children of the generation of Abraham and whosoeuer among you feareth God to you is the word of this saluation sent And vers 38. Be it knowne vnto you that thorough the man Iesus is preached vnto you the forgiuenesse of sins Now that our Apostle might the better insinuate himselfe into the minds of his hearers and thereby more powerfully perswade the truth of his doctrine hee cals them brethren children of the generation of Abraham and such as feare God The first title was among the Iewes held gratious the second and third glorious esteeming it euer the greatest honour to be the seruants of God and sonnes of Abraham And whereas Christ crucified is vnto the Iewes a stumbling blocke for what Iew will out of his owne iudgement admit him for the Sauiour of Gods people who was condemned by the chiefe Priests and rulers and inhabitors of Gods owne City Hierusalem of which it is said the law shall goe forth of Sion and the word of the Lord from Hierusalem our Apostle remoues the scandall of Christs crosse retorting and answering this obiection in his ensuing discourse First hee retorteth it and maketh it aduantage in his present businesse As if hee should say ye men of Antioch children of the generation of Abraham especially such as feare God among you I say ye should the rather embrace the word of saluation sent vnto you because the men of Hierusalem and their rulers killed the Lord of life condemning him in whom they found no cause of death Hierusalem vnderstood not the things appertaining to her peace but murthered the Prophets and stoned such as were sent to her Take heed therefore ye men of Antioch that ye commit not the like sinne and ingratitude lest that fall on you which is spoken of in the Prophets behold ye despisers and wonder and perish Secondly S. Paul heere giueth answere to this obiection It is true that the men of Hierusalem and their rulers haue crucified the Lord of glory but it was out of their ignorance because they knew him not nor yet the voices of the Prophets which are read euery Sabbath day They killed him indeed but heerein they fulfilled all the Scriptures that were written of him especially that Scripture the same stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner And lastly though it be granted vnto you that the Sauiour Iesus through whom is preached vnto you forgiuenesse of sins had a death full of ignominy for that hee was hanged on a tree yet his rising againe from the dead the third day was exceeding glorious in that hee lead captiuity captiue triumphing ouer death hell and the graue Now that Christ is risen againe from death he proues by the witnesse Of Apostles himselfe we declare c. For Christ after his resurrection was seene of Paul 1. Cor. 15.8 Other who went with him from Galilee to Hierusalem of whom hee was seene many daies as being witnesses chosen of God for the same purpose Act. 10.41 Prophets Esay chap. 55.3 Dauid Psal. 2.7 16.11 The first testimonie cited by Paul is in the second Psalme thou art my sonne c. the which I finde expounded of Dauid and of Christ. If we take this spoken of Dauid he may be called the sonne of God as A King for Princes haue their power from God and so stiled the children of the most high Psalm 82.6 Man for we are the generation of God it is he who made vs and not our selues Psal. 100.2 and is not hee thy father that made thee Deut. 32.6 Regenerate man for euery one that is new borne is borne of God adopted his sonne and made his heire Rom. 8.15.17 Thus it may be said by God vnto Dauid in type this day haue I begotten thee but onely to Christ in truth And therefore Rabbi Solomon and other Doctors among the Iewes vnderstand this of the Messias and assuredly Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrewes chap. 1. vers 5 did the rather cite this text to proue that Christ is God for that hee knew their Rabbines vsually constâ—ued it of Israels Sauiour The maine proposition of the second Psal. is thâ— the Messias is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords euen Gods onely begotten sonne very God of very God The which is concluded in this argument Hee that is to bee worshipped and kissed of all Princes on earth is doubtlesse the King of Kings but the Messias ought to be worshipped of all other Kings and Rulers and Iudges of the earth ergo the Messias seated vpon Gods holy hill of Sion is the King of Kings euen the Lord who dwelleth in heauen If the Princes of the world stand vp and take counsell together against the Lord and against his anointed it is but in vaine For if his wrath be kindled yea but a little they shall instantly perish hee shall bruise them with a rod of iron and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell On the contrary blessed are they who kisse the sonne and put their trust in him happie men and wise Kings are they who serue the Lord in feare and reioyce before him in reuerence God onely killeth and maketh aliue bringeth downe to the graue and raiseth vp Ergo the Messias hauing his absolute power of life and death is vndoubtedly Gods onely begotten sonne whom he hath made heire of all things and iudge of all men And therefore Diuines interpret the cited words as properly spoken of Christ and that in respect of his generation temporall eternall Resurrection Some construe this of his temporary birth in saying thou art my sonne God sheweth his diuine generation and in saying this day haue I begotten thee his humaine natiuity For hodie signifieth in holy Scripture the present life Heb. 3.7 Psalm 95.8 to day if ye will heare his voice So that I haue begotten thee this day as if he should haue said I haue brought my first begotten sonne into the world I haue caused thee to become flesh and in the fulnesse of time to be borne of a woman Other vnderstand this of Christs eternall generation As if God should haue said other are my sonnes improperly but thou art my sonne properly filius meus naturalis singularis substantialis A sonne not by creation as the whole world nor through adoption as the whole Church but a sonne by nature my begotten and onely begotten sonne Iohn 3.16 The very brightnesse and expresse character of my person Hebr. 1.3 Whereas Arrians and other obiect against this interpretation the word hodie Saint Augustine answereth appositly that with God vnto whom all things are
present there is neither yesterday nor to morrow but onely today Apud Deum nunquam erastinus nunquam he lernus dies est sed semper bodie And in his Enchiridion cap. 49. Vbi dies nec heâ—ternisâ—â—e inchoatur nec initio era â—â—terminatur semper bodieraus est Hilary Eusebius Ambrose with other expound this of Christs resurrection as Paul here We declare to 〈…〉 the promise made to the fathers God hath fulfil 〈◊〉 vnto their children euen vnto vs in that her 〈◊〉 vp Iesus againe euen as it is written in the second Psalme thou art my sonne this 〈◊〉 haue I begotten thee For to 〈◊〉 vp againe from death vnto life euerlasting is a new begetting and in this sense Christ is called elsewhere the 〈◊〉 begotten and the 〈◊〉 borne of the deâ—â— Againe the circumstances of the place leade the Reader to this construction Why doe the heathen so furiouâ—â— rage together and why do the people imagine a vaine 〈◊〉 that is as Peter and Iohn haue well applied it Act. 4.27 Herâ—d and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel gathered themselues together against the Lord and against his Christ euen his holy son Iesus and when they had filled all things that were written of him as Paul in our text they tooke him downe from the tree and put him in a sepulchre rolling a great stone to the doore thereof and sealed it and making it sure with the watch In all which as the Prophet speakes their imaginations and actions were vaine for hee that dwelleth in heauen did laugh them to scorne the Lord had them in derasion he raised his Christ againe the third day making him a King ouer his holy 〈◊〉 of Sion that is absolute head oâ— his Church giuing him all the heathen for his inheritance and the vttermost parts of the earth for his possession And so God in raising Christ vp againe from the dead euidently shewed that he was his onely begotten sonne As if he should haue said thou wert euer my sonne before to day before there was any day but yet in this day of thy resurrection I haue most especially manifested vnto the world that thou art my son whom I haue begotten It is then an idle conceit to thinke that Paul is not author of that Epistle written to the Hebrewes because the words of Dauid vrged here to proue Christs resurrection are cited heere chap. 1. vers 5. to shew Christs eternall generation For as Paul in his Epistle to the Romans chap. 1. vers 4. Christ is declared mightily to be the sonne of God by rising againe from the dead His resurrection is an infallible demonstration of his diuinitie seeing none euer raised another from the dead but by God none euer raised himself from the dead but God I conclude this obseruation in the words of â—mbrose Pulchre pater dicit ad filium ego 〈◊〉 genui te hoc est quando redemisti populum quando ad caâ—ereâ—â—um vocasti quando implesti voluntaâ—em meam probâ— 1 meum te esse filium The next Scripture quoted heere by Paul is Esay 55.3 The 〈◊〉 of God made to Dauid concerning the sending of Israels Sauiour are sure mercies and faithfull woâ—â— he must of necessity therefore fulfill them in euery respect the which hee could not haue done but in raising vp Iesus againe for the resurrection of Christ is the complement and as it were Amen of all his promises according to that of Paul hee died for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification See conclusion of the Gospell on S. Thomas day The last authority cited in this place to proue Christs resurrection is taken out of the 16. Psalme verse 11. thou shalt not suffer thine holy one to see corruptioâ— The Iewes vnderstood this of Dauid but saith our Apostle Dauid albeit he was a King and a Prophet and a Partriarke a man according to Gods owne heart as it is recorded of him in this present chapter at the 22. verse yet after hee had in his time fulfilled the will of God he fell on sleepe and was laid vnto his fathers and saw corruption Earth he was and to earth hee returned againe But Christ Iesus although he was hanged on a tree and put in a sepulchre yet he saw no corruption Hee rose againe the third day triumphing ouer all his enemies openly saying O death I will bee thy death O graue I will be thy destruction And therefore this Iesus is he through whom is preached vnto you forgiuenesse of sinnes and by whom all that beleeue are iustified from all things from which ye could not be iustified by the law of Moses Mors mortis morti mortem nisi morte dedisset à nobis vitae Ianua clausa foret Beware therefore lest that fall on you which is spoken of in the Prophets This text is taken out of the first of Habakuk vers 5 but for as much as all the prophesies were collected together into one volume he saith in the Prophets Or according to the Hebrew phrase in the Prophets is as if he should haue said in one of the Prophets as Genes 23.6 In the chiefest of our sepulchres bury thy dead that is in one of the chiefe He doth alter the words of the Prophet according to the sound but not according to the sense Habaâ—uâ— saith behold among the heathen Paul heere behold ye despisers In which our Apostle doth expound and not confound the Prophet for whereas the Iewes despised the word of God hee sent them to be taught by the Caldeans as if Habakuk had said ye will not obey Gods voice ye will not learne any thing in his schoole wherefore yee shall ere it beelong bâ— made to know his iudgements among the heathen â—ee saith the Lord I will raise vp the Caldeans that better and hasty nation which shall march through the bredth of the land to possesse the dwelling places which are not theirs And this their ouerthrow was a type of their future reprobation and spirituall vastity for the contempt of the Gospell These things are ensamples and are written to admonish vs vpon whom the ends of the world are come Let vs therefore beware that these heauie iudgements fal not vpon vs as they did vpon the Iewes Videte aspicite admiramini admiramini take heed againe I say take heed quench not the spirit despise not prophesying receiue not the grace of God in vaine Nemo malus nisi stultus he that is a despiser of the sauing word is an arrant foole for if hee were wiser hee would kisse the sonne and beware lest that fall on his head which is spoken of in the Prophets behold ye despisers and wonder and perish The Gospell LVKE 24.36 Iesus stood in the middest of his Disciples c. COncerning the chiefe parts and passages of this Scripture See Gospell 1.
the gifts of the holy Ghost vnto them in the visible formes of clouen and fierie tongues Acts 2.3 see epist. on Whiâ—sunday 2. Ostension in regard of execution of their office for albeit they had a commission before to preach first vnto the lost sheepe of Israel and then vnto all nations in the world Mat. 28.19 yet they did not execute this commission in gathering together a Church out of both vnto God vntill Christ had ascended farre aboue all heauens to fulfill all things and the reason hereof is rendred in our text because Dauid had so prophesied of him in the 68. Psalme when hee went vp on high he led captiuity captiue and gaue gifts vnto men And in deed it was at this time most fit for him and best also for his to giue gifts it was exceeding fit for himselfe because glorious conquerours in their solemne triumphes vsually lead their chiefe enemies settered either in iron chaines as Paulus Aemilius triumphed ouer Persius or in iron cages as Tamberlane the great vsed proud Batazet king of the Turkes And so leading captiuity captiue they deuided the spoile to their friends and followers as it is in the Psalme Christ ascending on high led captiuity captiue that is the diuell and all his complices hell death and the graue triumphing ouer them openly Giuing also gifts vnto the Church as Apostles and Prophets and Euangelists and Pastors and Teachers who might loose such as Satan bindes and it was at this time 〈◊〉 for his followers as not depending any longer vpon his bodily presence See Gospell 4. Sun after Easter The 3. remarkable point in this Scripture is what he gaue to men vnto euery one is giuen grace according to thâ— measure of the gift of Christ c. He doth vnderstand by grace not liuing grace for that as he shewed in the former â—art of this Chapter is in all the members of the Church one and the same one faith one hope one baptisme c. But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken here for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namely for the diuers gifts of the holy Ghost as interpretation of tongues and discerning of spirits and the gifts of healing propheâ—ie the word of knowledge and the like of which hee disputeth at large 1. Cor. 12. and so Paul expoundeth himselfe in our present text at the 11. verse the same made some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists c. Apostles were such as he called himselfe either in his state moâ—â—all as the 12. disciples or in his state glorious as Paul Acts 9.15 and Matthias Acts 1.16 to preach his Gospell and to plant his Church in euery nation of the world Prophets were such as interpret the scripture of the Prophets 1. Cor. 14.4 He that propheseth 〈◊〉 the Church and Mat. 23.34 I â—hold I send vnto Prophets that is preachers Or Prophets were such as had marueâ—lous wisdome and could foretell things to come as Agabus Acts 11.28 signified by the spirit that there should be great famine thorough oâ— all the worldâ— which also came to passe vnder Claudus Caesar. Euâ—ngeliâ—ts are so called either of preaching the Gospell and so Paul exhorted Timothie to doe the worke of an Euangelists or else of writing the Gospell and so there â—ee but 4. Euangelists only Mathew Marke Luke Iohn And here we may note the reason why the Church appointed this scripture to be read at this time namely because Saint Marke was an Euangelist Pastours are such as are placed ouer a certaine cure whereas Apostles had the whole Church for their charge So Paul speakes vnto the Elders of the Church at Ephesus take heed to your selues and to all the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you ouer seerâ— And so Bishops in their dioces and Priests in their parishes are Pastors Or as Theophylact Pastors and Doctors are Presbyters and Deacons Or as some late Diuines obserue Pastors are rectors of the whole congregation Doctors are catechists and teachers of the youth and other new comes into Christs schoole Pastors are such as feed Christs sheepe and Doctors are such as feede Christs lambes or as Beza Pastors are they who gouerne the Church and Doctors are they who gouerne the schooles But I rather embrace their opinion who think Pastorâ— Doctors are diuers names of one office euen as feeding and teaching are all one for otherwise Paul as Hierome Lombard Anselmo haue noted vpon the place would haue distinguished them as he did the rest and haue said he gaue some Pastors some Teachers as well as some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists c. but he ioyneth them together Pastors and Teachers insinuating that Pastors should teach and that as our Church speakes both by their preaching and liuing ensamples in word in conuersation in loue in spirit in faith and purenes 1. Tim. 4 12. Some Diuines obserue that these functions are partly temporall and extraordinary as Apostles Prophets Euangelists and partly continual and ordinary as Pastors and Teachers but herein I tread in the steps of that holy father my most honoured and honorable master Archbishop Whitgift who writing against the schismatickes of his age saith and proueth out of this our present text also that all these degrees of ministers remaine still in some sort vntill the worlds end For first as Nouelists acknowledge Paul in this place maketh a perfite platforme of a Church and a full rehearsall of all offices therein contained and he saith expresly that Christ ascending vp on high gaue them for the gathering together of the Saints and for the worke of the ministry c. tell we all come to the vnity of the faith and knowledge of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man vnto the measure of the full age of Christ. That is as Caluin Zanchius and other vntill wee meet in that other world to come I know there were certaine things in the blessed Apostles which were proper vnto themselues as their immediate calling from God the power of working miracles and their commission to goe into the whole world c. but to preach the Gospell of Christ in places where need requireth although it be not peculiarly committed to them or to gouerne the Churches already planted I see no cause why it should not be perpetuall among the Ministers of the word Likewise the function of an Euangelist if it be taken for the writing of the Gospel it was temporal and hath his ende But if it be taken for preaching to the people plainely and simply as Bullinger thinketh or generally for preaching the Gospell as Musculus supposeth in which sense Paul said vnto Timothie do the worke of an Euangelist or for preaching more zealously then other as Bucer imagineth I make no doubt but that it still remaineth in the Church Moreouer Prophets if they bee taken for
is ready to tell the Prophet as Ahab did Eliah Hast thou found me O mine enemy Then the whole rabble furiously raging together against the Lord against his annointed conclude peremptorily that apeece of a pulpit is enough halfe a benefice too much for such an vnquiet spirit S. Augustine sweetly Quiphreneticum ligat lethargicum excitat ambobus molestus ambos amat For the worke of the ministry The gifts of Christ here mentioned are not theoricall but practicall giuen vnto Pastors for the worke of the ministry the word worke forbids loytering and the word ministry lording I pray misconstrue not this glosse seeing I meane as Paul and speake as B. Latimer did almost in euery sermon Domabis lupos sed non dominaberis ouibus as Bernard told Eugenius For the edifying of the body of Christ The gift of the spirit is giuen to euery man to edifie withall hee therefore that is a non edificant is vnworthie to bee called an Apostle or Prophet or Euangelist Positiestis dispensatores sed in edificationem non in destructionem aliter non fidelis dispensatio sed crudelis dissipâ—tio The Doctors office is to teach and the Pastors calling to feed Our great Lord repeated this iniunction vnto Peter thrice feed my lambes feed my sheep feed my flock that is as Bernard excellently pasce mente pasce ore pasce opere pasce animi oratione verbi exhortatione exempli exhibitione And here the people likewise may learne to reuerence their Pastors and teachers as the Ministers of Christ sent from aboue to watch for their soules If they must honorare bonum dominum etiam in malo seruo respect euery Prophet and Euangelist and Pastor for his workes sake 1. Thessal 5.13 then vnto such as rule wel and labour in the word and doctrine they must as our Apostle speakes giue double honour The Gospell IOHN 15.1 I am the true vine and my Father is an Husbandman c. AS a kind friend loth to depart with his familiars in giuing a farwel often breakes off his speech and begins a new discourse so Christ heere being now to leaue the world after hee had ended one sermon vnto his Disciples in the chapter going before falleth into another of the like argument in this present wherein hee doth especially two things exhort and comfort He doth exhort all his followers 1. To continue stedfast in the faith and that vnder the parable of the vine intimating that as the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe except it abide in the Vine so they can doe nothing vnlesse they abide in him Vrging this one point by diuers reasons all which may be reduced vnto the punishment of such as abide not Poena damni they beare no fruite vers 4. Poenasensus they be taken away verse 2. withered gathered cast into the fire burnt v. 6. blessednesse of such as abide being Purged by God the father v. 2. Cleansed by God the sonne v. 3. CoÌ„forted by God the holy Ghost abide in mee and I will abide in you by my spirit vers 4. Relieued in whatsoeuer they shal aske vers 7. 2. To make demonstration hereof in workes of piety glorifying God and louing one another Hee comforts them against the worlds hatred 1. From his owne example vers 18.20 2. From the cause of this hatred ver 19. 3. From the cause of the cause vers 21.22.24 4. For that God and Christ suffer with them vers 23. 5. From the prediction of holy Scripture vers 25. 6. By promising to send the comforter vers 26. I am the true Vine Christ is called heere a Vine as else where a Lion a Sheepe a Lambe a corner Stone a Doore A true Vine by way of difference from the wilde vine or as Rupertus vpon the place to distinguish it from the Vines of Sodome and Gomorrah Whose grapes as Moses speaketh in his song are grapes of gall and their clusters are bitter their wine is the poyson of Dragons and the cruell gall of Aspes A true Vine not simply but in a simile not truly a Vine but like a true Vine Vera faith Augustine per similitudinem non per proprietatem a true Vine as in the first chapter of this Gospell at the ninth verse the true light Now the resemblances betweene Christ and a true Vine are manifold 1. A Vine is not sowne in the ground but planted a young slip of an old tree so Christ is a naturall branch of God the Father euen very God of very God but for vs men and our saluation hee was translated from heauen and planted on earth that is borne of the Virgin Mary of whom it is said Esay 45.8 Let the earth open and let saluation and iustice grow forth let it bring them forth together I the Lord haue created him A blessed earth in whole blessed fruit all the nations of the world are blessed 2. The Vine that it may beare the more fruit is cut and pruned and so Christ although he were conceiued of the holy Ghost and borne without all sinne yet for our sakes he was circumcised on the eight day wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities Againe Christ albeit hee were Lord ouer all things and heire of the whole world yet for our saluation he suffered his glory to be pruned by the knife of ignominie for whereas hee was the King of glory hee made himselfe of no reputation Philip. 2.7 Hee tooke on him the forme of a seruant and was made man as Dauid speakes of him a worme and no man a very scorne of men and outcast of the people Psalm 22.6 His wealth was pruned by the knife of pouerty Pauper in natiuitate pauperior in vita pauperimus in cruce So poore in his birth that hee was borne in another mans stable so poore in his life that he said of himselfe the Foxes haue holes and the birds of the heauen haue nests but the sonne of man hath not whereon to rest his head So poore when he was dead that he was buried in another mans tombe Matth. 27 60. His pleasure was pruned by the knife of sorrow Lament 1.12 Behold and see if there be any sorrow like vnto my sorrow His familiar acquaintance was also cut away from him by the knife of feare Iudaâ— betrayed him Peter denied him other forsooke him all were dispersed He did tread the wine presse alone and of all people there was none to helpe him as Hierome and Bernard apply that of the Prophet Esay chap. 63.3 3. The Vine is dugged and digged as wee reade in the fifth chapter of Esay So Christ was dugged when the soule-mouthed Iewes spit vpon him and he was digged on euery side when as his aduersaries by propounding captious questions had cast a trench round about
of God then to command in the Courts of other Princes Now God as earthly Kings hath some seruants in ordinary and other extraordinary All Christians are his sworne seruants extraordinary for they vowed in holy Baptisme to fight vnder Christs banner against the world the flesh and the diuell and to continue his faithfull souldiours and seruants vntil their liues end The true profession of the true saith is Christs liuerie and loue is the cognisance of his liuery for faith working by loue is the wedding garment with Christs badge by this saith he shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye loue one another Princes and Prophets are the seruants of God in ordinary so neere to God in ordinary so neare to God in office that they are called Gods A Magistrate is a singer as it were of Gods owne hand a Preacher is a steward in Gods owne house So Saint Iames as being an Apostle was in this sense the seruant of Iesus Christ and therefore such are deceiued greatly who thinke that this author was not an Apostle because hee calles not himselfe an Apostle for first Iude being an Apostle doth vse the same subscription in this Epistle Iudas the seruant of Iesus Christ. 2. Seruant in his acception is nothing else but an Apostle wherefore many Greeke copies and the Syriac and the vulgar Latine make this title to this Epistle the generall Epistle of S. Iames the Apostle Here theÌ„ obserue that to be called a Minister of Iesus Christ is not as the Papists obiect against our reformed Churches any contemptible stile seeing Saint Iames here doth afford vs a paterne and S. Paul 1. Cor. 4.1 a patent sic nos aestimat homo vt ministros Christi so the Romish translation in Latine and the Rhemish in English lei a man esteeme vs as the Ministers of Christ. Of God and of the Lord Iesus Christ These words are to be construed copulatinely Iames a seruant of Iesus Christ which is God and Lord as Tit. 2.13 looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Sauiour Iesus Christ. For the mediator betweene God and man is perfect God and perfect man and yet not two but one Christ one not by confusion of substance but by vnity of person as Athanasius in his Creed To the twelue tribes which are scattered abroad The Iewes were led captiue to Babylon other countries out of which it is apparant that some neuer returned into Iurie for Paul as wee reade in the storie of the Acts found almost euery where both in Europe and in Asia Synagogues of the Iewes Now this dispersion of Gods owne people for their ingratitude toward him is a manifest argument of his wrathfull indignation against sinne and it is written for our instruction vpon whom the ends of the world are come for if God spared not his naturall branches his peculiar enclosed plant take heed left he also spare not thee which art but a wild Oliue by nature Remember the words of Azariah vnto King Asa the Lord is with you while yee are with him and if ye seeke him hee will bee found of you but if ye for sake him he will for sake you Yet God in his wrath remembers mercy for among these scattered people some were gathered to the Church and truly conuerted vnto Christ vnto whom our Apostle wrote this excellent letter Vt qui dispersicrant corpore congregarentur mente S. Iames I say sent not this instruction vnto Iewes vnconuerted for then hee would haue proued that Iesus was the sonne of Mary the Messias of the world promised to the fathers If he had written vnto the Iewes in generall hee would as S. Matthew did haue penned a booke of the generation of Iesus Christ the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham c. But his greeting is vnto such Iewes as were turned Christians exhorting them to make demonstration of their faith out of their workes leading a life answerable to their profession for the light of the Gospell appearing teacheth vs that we should denie vngodlines and worldly lusts and that we should liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world To conuert Iewes he wrote principally but that which is said vnto them is said vnto vs and all in which respect this letter is entituled the generall or Catholike Epistle of S Iames. Greeting This kind of salutation hath occasioned some to doubt of this Epistles authority Saint Peter and S. Paul in their inscriptions haue grace and peace Saint Iude mercy and peace and loue bee multiplied vnto you But this as they thinke is prophane taken rather out of Platoes Academie 〈◊〉 out of Christs schoole For Plato reports that in Greece the Physitians salutation is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Philosophers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the vulgars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Answere is made that this forme of saluting although it were common among the Heathens is notwithstanding apostolicall and that a paterne hereof is found Act. 15.23 The Apostles and the Elders and the brethren vnto the brethren of the Gentiles in Antiochia and in â—â—ria and in Cicilia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 greeting 2. Saint Iames being a spiritual Physitian wisheth here perfect health of the soule so well as the body 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to reioyce considering he wrote to people dispersed and distressed vnder the Crosse is both as sit and as full as the salutation of peace for there is no true ioy in the spirit without peace of conscience Rom. 14.7 The kingdome of God is not meate nor drinke but righteousnes and peace and â—oy in the holy Ghost an vpright life breedes in the iustified peace of conscience and peace of conscience makes a ioyfull heart temptationsâ— Wee reade Acts 8. that there was a great persecution against the Church at Hierusalem and that all the conuerted Iewes were scattered abroad thorow the regions of Iudea and of Samaria Now for the comfort of these distressed professours as some coniecture S. Iames wrote this instruction and because their condition vnder the crosse was vnto flesh and blood exceeding grieuous he beginneth ire ipsâ— with this exhortation aptly count it all ioy when ye fall into diuerse temptations He that suffers as a murtherer or as a theefe or as an euill doer hath hereby griefe of heart but blessed is the man that endureth temptation in Christs cause To cast our selues into temptation affordes matter of sorrow but if we for righteousnes sake by Gods appointment fall into sundry temptations our sorrow shall be turned into ioy Iohn 16.20 Here the Gospell and Epistle meet our Apostle count it for exceeding ioy when ye fall into diuers temptations is answerable to Christ let not your heart be troubled and both are fitly read on this day which is
his workes of creation and redemption and preseruation of his people though he may not read Gods priora yet he may know Gods poâ—teriora beholding him in his wonders in his words in his sacraments in his sonne principally being the brightnes of his glory and expresse character of his person as Christ in our text he that hath seene mee hath seene also my father I am in the father and the father in mee Hereby prouing himselfe to be God 1. For that we must only beleeue in the Creator and not in any creature 2. Because God only knowes the secret perturbation of the heart and if ye beleeue that I am God ye must also confesse that I am a present helpe in trouble willing and able to relieue you for if God be with you who can stand against you Why then are your hearts troubled as if he should haue said albeit I am to suffer death as man yet I will on the third day raise my selfe againe from the dead as God it is expeâ—hent for you that I dye for your sinnes and rise againe for your iustification and so prepare a place for you in my fathers house that where I am there you may be also mansionsâ— Saint Paul hauing at large disputed of the resurrection in his first Epistle to the Corinthians 15. Chapter prouing that the dead shall rise againe by manifest and manifold arguments taken out of the bookes as well of nature as of Scripture concludeth in fire therefore my beloued brethren 〈…〉 sumoutable 〈…〉 alwayes in the 〈◊〉 of the Lord for as much as we know that your labour is not in vaine So Christ in the Gospell vnto his â—ollowers In the 〈…〉 and all the wicked of the world â—all hate you for my names sake they shall scourge you in their Synagogues and persecute you from City to City not affording to much as an hole Wherein to rest your head in peace yet let not your hearts be troubled as long as in my fathers house there be mansions and I goe to prepare a place for you The Church militant on earth is often called in holy Scripture Gods house wherein he hath a great many mansions as dwelling in our hearts by faith and we likewise haue many places of preferment some being Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and Teachers Ephes 4.11 It is true that God and we too dwell here but it is saith Iob in houses of clay whose foundation is in the dust or as Paul speakes in earthly tabernacles set vp to day and pulled downe to morrow non habemus hic manentem ciuitatem in this world we haue no continuing City For our kingdome which cannot be shaken Heb. 12.28 Our habitation which is euerlasting Luke 16.9 Our inheritance that fades not away 1. Pet. 1.4 Our dwelling place mentioned in our text by Christ is not made with hands but eternall in the heauens 2. Cor. 5.1 Our best houses on earth albeit neuer so gorgeous and neuer so glorious hauing if it be possible walles of gold and windowes of Saphire are not withstanding no better then Innes for strangers and pilgrimes 1. Pet. 2.11 Our mansions and places of abode for euer are in Hierusalem aboue which is without either death or danger Apocalyp 21.4 Wherefore seeing we beleeue in God and looke for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our Sauiour Christ who when he commeth againe shal reciue vs vnto himselfe that where he is in his fathers house there we may be also let vs say with Dauid â—â— by art thou so heauie O my soule and why art thou so disquieted within mee O put thy trust in God and hee shall one day satisfie thee with the plenteousnes of his house for there is not only roome for Christ in Gods house but also place for all his followers the mansions of heauen are many the least of all his souldiers if they fight a good fight and continue faithfull vnto death is rewarded with an incorruptible crowne of glory hauing for his inheritance no lesse then a whole kingdome Againe these mansions are many because the Saints in heauen haue diuerse degrees of glory So Paul 1. Cor. 15.41 There is another glory of the Sunne and another glory of the Moone and another glory of the Starres for one Starre differeth from another in glory so likewise in the resurrection of the dead A great vessell and a little dipped in the same well hold notwithstanding diuers measures according to their capacity so in Gods house euery chosen vessell of honour is filled vp to the brim with the water of life but the better hath vndoubtedly the bigger mansion he that held more charity here shall haue more clarity hereafter Yet as Au gustine notes vpon our text Non erit aliqua inuidra imparis claritatis quoniem regnab it in omnibus vnit as charitatis I goe to prepare a place for you It is said Matth. 25. 34. That the mansions in Gods house were prepared before the foundation of the world how then is it true that Christ at this time goeth to prepare a place Answere is made that the mansions indeed are prepared from all eternity but the men who shall inhabit them as yet were vnprepared It was expedient therefore that the redeemer of the world should die for their sinnes and rise againe for their iustification and ascend into heauen to take possession of this kingdome and to set open the doores of these prepared mansions vnto his followers as also to send vnto them a conforter and a conductor euen the spirit of truth who might leade them in the right way to this place So Saint Augustine acurely Parat quodammando mansiones mansionibus parands mansores Hee prepareth a place by making men sit for the place For election is in Christ and through Christ and so consequently none come to the Father but by the Sonne wee passe by the kingdome of grace to the kingdome of glory for without holinesse it is impossible to see God Touching other readings I referre you to lansen concord cap. 134. and Erasmus annot in loc Lord we know not whether thou goest S. Thomas and S. Philip were so good proficients in Christs schoole that their master in the former chapter at the 10. verse said of them and of the resâ— of their fellowes excepting Iudas the traitor ye are cleane and Saint Peter as the mouth of the company professed openly to whom shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life and we beleeue and know that thou art the Christ the sonne of the liuing God And yet their faith in the houre of tentation as you see was so weake that Saint Thomas said Lord we know not whither thou goest And Saint Philip Lord shew vs thy Father and it sufficeth vs. Now these things
world their Dioces Euntes in mundum oniner sum praedicate c. Hee being the true Samaritane powred into their wounds oyle and wine first vinum tribulationis and then â—leum consolationis he chasteneth all such as he loueth and he scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth In Christs commission or grant to his Apostles obserue two things especially 1. Their warrant goe and preach for how shall they preach except they be sent hee that runneth of his owne accord without a calling is a false Prophet Ier. 23.21 See Gospell 1. Sund. after Easter and 8. after Trinitie 2. Theâ—â— worke in respect of their Dioces where they must preach in the whole world to eâ—ery creature Doctrine what they must preach and that is said expresly to be the Gospell Concerning their Dioces it is not the meaning of our blessed Sauiour that his Apostles should preach vnto liuelesse stones or senselesse plants or witlesse beasts but he doth vnderstand by all creatures onely men as being an abridgement of all the creatures Stones haue a being but not a life plants haue both a being and a life but not sense beasts haue being life sense but they want vnderstanding Angels haue being life sense vnderstanding Now man as being a little world and as it were the compendious Index of Gods great booke in folio participates a being with stones life with plants sense with beasts vnderstanding with Angels and therefore fitly called euery creature as hauing the chiefe perfections of euery creature Or man may bee called all creatures as being that excellent câ—eature for whom all other creatures were made Psalm 8.6 Thou makeâ—t him to haue dominion ouer the workes of thine hands and thou hast put all things in subiection vnder his feet Or preach the Gospell vnto all creatures vnderstanding onely such as are capable to receiue the Gospell So Christ elsewhere said all things that I haue heard of my father haue I made knowne vnto you that is all things which are necessary for your saluation and are fit for you to know And Ioh. 12.17 If I were lifâ— vp from the earth I will draw all men vnto mee that is all which are to be drawne So Paul Loue suffereth all things beleeueth all thiâ—gs hopeth all things that is all which are to be suffered and beleeued and hoped Or preach the Gospell vnto all creatures that is all nations for so Saint Marke may be well expounded by S. Matthew who relating this commission saith Euntes ergo docete omnes gentes goe and teach all Nations Hereby repealing a former edict Matth. 10.5 Goe not into the way of the Gentiles and into the Cities of the Samaritans enter ye not That commission is determined now therfore goe into all the world and preach the Gospell vnto all creatures to men of all countries and conditions whatsoeuer This vnlimited extraordinarie commission is expired and hath his end for now the successors of the Apostles as Bishops and Pastors haue their peculiar prouinces and proper Paâ—ishes assigned for their cure yet so â—hat they may preach the Gospell of Christ in other places also where need requireth albeit the same be not particularly committed vnto them And therefore the Church of England enioyneth euery learned Pâ—stor sometime to preach in Chapels and Chuâ—câ—es râ—ioyning neare to his benefice Aâ— for their wâ—â—ke they must employ their time 〈◊〉 in secular actions of the world nor yet in idle speculaâ—ions of the S. hoole but apply themselues vnto preâ—â—hing goe ye into the world and preach And they 〈◊〉 not their owne wisedome but the Gospel it 〈◊〉 man speake let him deliuer oracles of God consenting to the wholesome words of our Lord Iesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlines And for as much as the the Law the Psalmes and the Prophets are nothing else but as it were a preface to the booke of the generation of Iesus Christ I say for as much as Christ is the supplement of the Prophets and end of the Law they must especially preach vnto the world the glad tidings of saluation making this sentence the period of all their Sermons vnto vs a child is borne vnto vs a son is giuen or that of Christ himselfe So God loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life To the preaching of the Gospell administration of the Sacraments is adioyned and enioyned also Matth. 29.19 Go teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost The which our Euangelist implieth here when hee saith hee that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued but he that beleeueth not shall bee damned Concerning Baptismes necessity see Gospell on Trinity Sunday And these tokens shall follow them that beleeue These words are to bee digested with a little salt to bee construed with a great deale of caution otherwise the simple soule will obiect how shall I know that I beleeue seeing I worke no miracles If wee take them as many learned and ancient Diuines haue done mystically then euery true beleeuer in Christs name casteth out of his heart diuels that is euils for euery foule sinne is a foule fiend to man and then his soule being sound his mouth ex abund intia cordis out of the hearts abundance speakes with new tongues His communication heretofore was im â—ious toward God and vncharitable toward his neighbour his throte an open sepulchre his tongue d e ceiuing his lips flattering his mouth full of cursing and bitternesse But now hauing put on the new man he speakes in a new language words of truth and sobernes Acts 16.25 Words of meekenesse and courtesie Titus 3.2 Words agreeable to the wholsome words of our Lord Iesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlines 1. Tim. 6.3 After this compunction in his heart and confession of his mouth if any venemous temptation be suggested he shall haue power to driâ—e away serpents and if he drinke any deadly thing it shall not hurts him although he taste of it a little yet he shall not in any case swallow it downe to his vtter destruction And lastly he shall impose his hands vpon the sicke and they shall recouer that is he shall out of his loue beare the infirmities of his weake brethren and hide a multitude of their sinnes his exhortation and doctrine the Lord worâ—ing with them as it is in the last words of our text shall heale the sicke yea raise the very dead in sinne to newnes of life If we take Christs promise these signes shall follow them that beleeue literally then it must of necessity bee construed with a few limitations and exceptions As first in respect of the time miracles are not necessarie for a Church already planted but only for a Church in planting So Paul
1 Cor. 14.22 Strange tongues are for a signe not to them that beleeue but to them that beleeue not a yong plant must often be watered at the first setting but after it is once thoroughly rooted in the ground it will easily sprout and spring without irrigation euen so the Church primitiue was a while watered by signes and tokens in those who did beleeue but being now perfitly grounded in Christ it may nor say thy wonders O Lord but thy word O Lord is a lanterne vnto my sect and a guide to my pathes The second limitation is in respect of the persons all beleeuers in the primitiue time were not workers of wonders but only some few whereof euery one had a seuerall gift as S. Paul teacheth expresly 1. Cor. 12. â—0 Are all doers of miracles haue all the gifts of healing do â—ll speake with tongues it is said indefinitly them that beleeue because these tokens were wrought at the first preaching of the Gospell vnto euery creature for the common good of such as beleeue but euery true beleeuer was not endued with a gift actually to worke these signes himselfe Iohn the Baptist albeit he was more then a Prophet yet he did no miracle Iohn 10.41 Hee had as one distinguisheth vpon this text potestatem faciendi miracula sed non actum a power to haue done many wonders if need had bin but hee did act none The meaning then of these comfortable words vttered by Christ vnto his Apostles are plaine though I goe now to my father and so leaue you yet in executing your ministry ye shall haue power to worke signes and tokens your preaching of my Gospell vnto the world shall euery where be confirmed with miracles I haue done many strange things among you yet I say vnto you verily verily he that beleeueth in me the workes that I doe he shall doe also yea greater then these shall he doe And he did performe so much as he did promise for we reade that his Apostles in his name did cast out deuils Acts 16.18 And spake with new tongues Acts 2.4 And driue away serpents as Paul Act. 28.5 shooke off a viper from his hand into the fire and felt no harme and heale the sicke as Peter Acts 9.34 There was a certaine man at Lydda named Aeneas which had kept his bed eight yeares and was sicke of the palsie to whom Peter said Aeneas Iesus Christ maketh thee whole arise and make vp thy bed and he arose immediatly Yea they did greater signes in Christs name then Christ himselfe greater in number for whereas Christ wrought all his workes either about the borders or else within the boundes of Iudea his Apostles preached vnto all the world and had the word confirmed euery where with miracles Other thinke that they did greater workes in nature maius est enim vt sanet vmbra quam fimbria saith Augustiâ—e it was a greater miracle that the very shadow of Saint Peter as hee walked in the streete should heale many sicke Acts 5.15 Then that the hem of Christs vesture should heale one woman who hauing an issue of blood Mat. 9.22 But here you must obserue that Christ said not hee that beleeueth in me shall doe greater workes then I can or then I will doe but only greater then these which I haue done Hereby signifying that they should not doe greater workes out of thir owne power but only thorough his helpe Hoc saith Euthymius est demonsiratio potentiae eius qui signa dedit non eius qui signa edit And Augustin tract 72. in Ioan. Maiora quam ipse fecit dicit eosesse facturos sed in eis vel per eos se faciente non ipsis tanquam ex seipsis He saith elsewhere without me can ye do nothing but in my name they shall cast out deuils and speake with new tonques c. The seruant is not greater then his Lord nor the disciple greater then his master nor man greater then his maker In the beginning he made the world without them and hee made them also without them and in vouchsafing to be man he made himselfe without them ipse sine ipsis fecit hunc mundum ipse sine ipsis fecit eos ipse sine ipsis fecit seipsum but alas what haue they without him excepting sinne Christ then in saying he that beleeueth in me shall doe greater workes then I doe meaneth vndoubtedly this if our heart be so troubled that ye can not now beleeue that I am in the father and the father in me yet when I am gone to the father and shall in his kingdome sit at his right hand ye shall euidently see that I am God and that I and my father are one for I will in my corporall absence from you doe greater workes in you and by you then euer I did hitherto before you So himselfe doth interpret himselfe in the words immediatly following whatsoeuer ye aske in my name that will I doe that the father may bee glorified in the sonne and againe if ye shall aske any thing in my name I will doe it The which is agreeable to the tenour of our text verse 17. In my name they shall cast out deuils c. and vers 20. The Lord wrought with them and confirmed the word with miracles following He was receiued into heauen Saint Augustine Gregorie the great and other Diuines obserue that the foure beasts mentioned Ezechiel 1. Apocalyps 4. mystically represent the 4. chiese actions of Christ in his working of our redemption The 1. beast had a face like a man the 2. like a bullocks the 3. like a lyon the 4. like a flying Eagle So Christ in his incarnatioÌ„ was found as a man in his passion as a sacrificed Bullocke in his resurrection like a lyon in his ascension as a flying Eagle mounting aboue the cloudes and sitting at the right hand of God in the highest heauens And therefore S. Marke relating here the glorious ascension of Christ addes to the name Iesus the title Dominus so when the Lord had spoken vnto them hee was receiued into heauen hereby shewing that he was Lord of all things able to command the cloudes in heauen as well as the cloddes on earth He manifested himselfe to be Lord of the seas in walking on the water without a ship and in calming the stormy waues when he was in a ship He manifested himselfe to be Lord of the land in commanding the graue to giue forth her prisoner Lazarus which had bin dead foure dayes He manifested himselfe to be commander of hell in casting out Deuils and when he did ouercome Sathan in his temptations and take from him all his armour wherein he trusted and diuided his spoiles openly triumphing ouer him and his on the crosse Coloss. 2.15 And now to shew that he was Lord of heauen and equall
In which obserue two things especially The Felicity gained by this gift a deliuerance from damnation he shall not perish a possession of saluation hee shall haue life euerlasting Facility how to get it whosoeuer beleeueth Almighty God requires not at thy hands An exact obseruation of his law but onely that thou beleeue in his sonne whom he gaue to die for thy sinnes and to rise againe for thy iustification Hee did abundantly satisfie the law for thee making thy sinnes his sinnes and on the contrary making his righteousnesse thy righteousnesse couering all thine iniquities and healing all thine infirmities This one sentence doth afford many profitable lessons appertaining to doctrine and exhortation 1. It sheweth our dignity though a man be dust dung fading like grasse fickle like glass like a thing of naught Psal. 1.44 4. Yet God so much honoured him as that hee gaue his onely begotten sonne to be life vp as Moses life vp the Serpent in the wildernesse that is to bee crucified for him O Lord what is man that thou hast such respect vnto him or the sonne of man that thou so regardest him 2. It doth administer comfort in temptation if the diuell obiect against thy sinne Gods seuere iustice thou maist answere that God is also rich in mercy louing vs in his best beloued and that with an euerlasting loue Ierem. 13.3 If thy cunning aduersary make reply that these sweet texts onely concerne the iust and godly thou hast here Christ on thy side saying God loued the world reconciling sinners his enemies vnto himselfe by the death of his sonne Rom. 5.10 3. It proues euidently that Christ is very God of very God against Arrius as being not onely Gods son but his onely begotten for a sonne begotten is a naturall and a true sonne 4. It confutes the Nouatian heresie denying repentance to such as after Baptisme fall into grieuous sinnes If we must be so mercifull as our father in heauen is mercifull how shall we deny repentance to those whom God so loued as that he gaue his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life 5. This confoundeth all merit-mongers ascribing iustification and saluation vnto their owne good workes He that beleeues shall not perish but haue euerlasting life We are saued by grace thorough faith apprehending and applying the mercies of God the father and the merits of Christ his sonne He that beleeueth in him shall not be condemned but he that beleeueth not is already condemned as it followeth in our text Quare saluator dictus est mundi nisivi saluet mundum non vt iudicet mundum saluari non vis ab ipso exte ipso iudicaberis As for exhortation iâ— God so loued vs let vs also loue one another if he spared not his owne and only sonne but gaue him for vs it is meet that we should expend our substance for the good of his Church and children in need It is an olde prouerbe loue me loue my friend Let vs then manifest our loue to Christ in louing his members and in cherishing such as mourne in Sion his first comming as it followeth in our text was not to condemne but saue the world He came to call sinners vnto repentance to seeke the lost sheepe to bind vp the broken hearted to refresh the weary to giue rest vnto the laden soule His second comming shall be to iudge the world and then there shall be iudgement mercilesse to him that shewed no mercy but vnto those which haue bin mercifull as his father in heauen is mercifull he shall say come ye blessed inherit ye the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world for I was hungrie and ye gaue me meat I thirsted and ye gaue me drinke c. If any shall aske why this text is allotted for a Whitsun holy day which is a memoriall of the Gospell and of Christs sending downe the holy Ghost answere may be that the spirit of truth teacheth vs all things according to Christs owne doctrine preached in the world the summe whereof is this one little line so God loued the world c. The Epistle Acts. 8.14 When the Apostles which were at Hierusalem had hear a say that Samaria had receiued the word of God they sent vnto them Peter and Iohn c. THe blessed Apostles inioyned by Christ at his last appearing to goe into the whole world and to teach all nations hearing now that Samaria had receiued the word of God they sent vnto them Peter and Iohn to build vp the Churches of Samaria whose foundation had bin laid afore by Philip in this embassage two points are more chiefly regardable namely The vigilant care of the whole Colledge in sending verse 14. The diligent faithfulnes of Peter and Iohn that were sent executing their charge By prayer verse 15. By imposition of hands verse 17. When the Apostles of Hierusalem heard They shew their sollicitous care for the Churches in hearking after their good and in affording their helping hand of their owne accord readily when any fit occasion was offred For we read not heare that the brethren of Samaria wrote to the Colledge to send them an Apostle yet they did send two and those two which of all their company were of the most eminent note Peter and Iohn Euery Bishop as more properly succeeding Apostles in office is taught from hence to be non tam celer ad cathedram quam vigil ad curam If any congregation in his Dioces need confirmation he must either send those Suffraganes which are fit like to Peter and Iohn or else come himselfe to pray for them and to lay his hands on them Protestant Diuines vrge this example to proue that Saint Peter was not head of the Apostle or absolute soueraigne because the text is plaine Iohn 13.16 The messenger is not greater then he that sent him I know the foure great Cardinals of Rome Turrecremata Caietan Baronius Bellarmine which vpon the point are the foure cheife supporters of Saint Peters chaire of estate haue found out many shifts how to decl ine the heauy blow of this weighty reason and they who gathâ—â—itickes vnder these Cardinals hedge report and repeat their distinctions as vnanswerable But examine them and you shall instantly see that they be like Hercules tragicall club in shew massie but in substance nothing else but shreds and straw as the Poet speakes an affrighting vanity To their first example God the sonne is sent into the world by God the father and yet in the Trinity none is greater or lesse then another Answere is made that Christ was sent into the world as he was in the forme of a seruant according to that of Paul Galat. 4.4 God sent forth his sonne made of a woman and