magnifie the Lord. THis Hymne is nothing else but a grace for grace great thankes for great things receiued of the Lord. Wherein obserue the manner and matter of the Virgins exultation or a thanksgiuing in the two former verses and a reason in the rest For he hath regarded c. I purpose to â—ift euery word of the former part seuerally and because there is as Luther saith great Diuinitie in pronounes I will first examine the pronoune My my soule my spirit my Sauiour It is not enough y t other pray for vs except our selues praise God for our selues He that goeth to Church by an attorney shal go to heaueÌ„ also by a proxie There is an old Legend of a Merchant who neuer would go to Masse but euer when he heard the Saints bell he said to his wife Pray thou for thee and me Vpon a time hee dreamed that hee and his wife were dead and that they knocked at heauen gate for entrance S. Peter the porter for so goeth the tale suffered his wife to enter in but thrust him out saying Illa intrauit pro se te as thy wife went to Church for thee so likewise she must goe to heauen for thee The morall is good howsoeuer the storie be bad insinuating that euery one must haue both a personalitie of faith my Sauiour and a personalitie of deuotion my soule my spirit Officium is efficium it is not enough that the master enioyne his familie to pray or the father heare his child pray or the Teacher exhort his people to pray but as euery one hath tasted of Gods bountie so euery one must performe this dutie hauing oyle of his owne in his owne lampe saying and praying with the blessed Virgin My soule my spirit Soule As if she should thus speake Thy benefits O Lord are so good so great so manifest so manifold that I can not accord them with my tongue but only record them in my heart It is truly said he loues but little who tels how much he loues and so surely hee praiseth God but little who makes it a tongue-toile and a lip-labor only Mark 7. 6. This people honoureth me with their lips but their heart is farre from me God who gaue all will haue all and yet aboue all requireth the soule Sonne giue me thy heart for that alone commands all other members as the Centurion did his souldiers It saith to the foote goe and it goeth vnto the hand come and it commeth vnto the rest doe this and they doe it It doth bend the knees and ioyne the hands and lift vp the eye composeth the countenance disposeth of the whole man and therefore as that other Mary chose the better part so this Mary bestowed vpon God her best part her soule did magnifie her spirit reioyced Some Diuines expound these words ioyntly some seuerally The word spirit is vsed in the holie Scripture sometime for the whole soule 1. Cor. 7. 34. The woman vnmaried careth for the things of the Lord that she may be holy both in body and in spirit that is in soule So S. Augustine thinks that these two words here signifie the same because the latter phrase my spirit reioiceth in God my Sauiour is nothing else but an exegesis of the former my soule doth magnifie the Lord insinuating by this repetition my soule my spirit that her deuotion was not hypocriticall but cordiall and vnfained It is obserued in nature that the Fox doth nip the necke the Mastiue the throat the Ferret the liuer but God especially careth for the heart being as Ambrose speakes excellently Non corticis sed cordis deus And therefore Mary was not content to praise the Lord from the rine of her lips only but also from the roote of her heart So Dauid did pray Praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within mee praise his holy name So Paul would haue vs pray Sing to the Lord with a grace in your hearts And so the Church doth desire that the Priest who is the mouth of the people should pray The Lord be with you saith the Minister and the whole congregation answereth And with thy spirit Heereby signifying that this holy businesse ought to be performed with all attention and intention of spirit Diuines interpreting these two seuerally distinguish betweene soule and spirit and so doth the Scripture 1. Cor. 15. 45. The first man Adam was made a liuing soule the last Adam a quickening spirit Soule is that by which we liue naturally spirit is that by which we liue through grace supernaturally Or as other soule signifieth the will and spirit the vnderstanding as Heb. 4. 12. The word of God is liuely and mighty in operation and sharper then any two edged sword and entreth thorow euen vnto the diuiding asunder of the soule and spirit that is of the will and vnderstanding So that Mary saying here my soule and my spirit doth intimate that she did praise the Lord with attention in her vnderstanding and deuotion in her affection They praise God with halfe an heart who either hauing deuotion want vnderstanding or else indued with vnderstanding want deuotion and so while men pray with the soule without a spirit or with the spirit without a soule their heart is diuided as the Prophet Ose Diuisum est cor eorum and God hath but one part happily the least peece The line then to be drawne from this example is first that we pray with our heart secondly with our whole heart with all our soule with all our spirit Doth In the present For as a gift to man so glory to God is most acceptable when as it is seasonable not deferred but conferred in time Gratia quae tarda est ingrata est gratia Proprium est libenter facientis citò facere Magnifie The word signifieth highly to commend and extoll Magnum facere to make great Now God is optimus maximus already most great and therefore cannot be made more great in regard of himselfe but all our vilifying and magnifying the Lord is in respect of others onely When wee blasheme the most holy name of God as much as in vs lieth we lessâ—n his greatnes when we blesse his name so much as in vs is we magnifie his glory making that which is great in it selfe to be reputed great of other As one fitly Magnificare nihil aliud est nisi magnum significare This magnifying consists in our conuersation especially Noli saith Augustine gloriari quia lingua benediâ—is si vita maledicis Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which speake euill of you may by your good works which they shall see glorifie God in the day of the visitation God is magnified of vs as Ambrose and Origen note when as his image is repaired in vs. He created man according to his likenes that is
in his hand Totum hoc saith Augustine fide tenemus oculis cordis intuemur dominus ascendit in coelum ascendat cum illo cor nostrum His bodie must bee contained in heauen vntill the time that all things are restored it cannot descend downe to vs we must ascend vp to it So Nicolaus Cabasila writes in his exposition of the Liturgie the Priest after some speech to the people doth erect their mindes and lift vp their thoughts and saith Sursum corda let vs thinke on things aboue not on things below They consent and say that they lift vp their hearts thither where their treasure is euen to heauen where Christ sits at the right hand of his Father Luke 2. 14. Glorie be to God on high THe Lords Supper is called an Eucharist because it is a thanksgiuing to God for giuing his Sonne to die for vs and therefore this Hymne is so fitly sung by men on earth at the commemoration of his death as it was by the quier of heauen at the celebration of his birth for our reconciliation and peace with God is ascribed in holy scripture to Christs passion especially Rom. 5. 10. Heb. 9. 12. 15. Some make three parts of this song which if you please call the Trebble Glory to God on high Busse Peace on earth Meane Good will toward meÌ„ Other haue diuided it into two The first concerning Gods glorie The second touching our good For peace on earth and good will toward men are both one because our peace with God is not from our good will toward him but altogether from his good will toward vs. It is God saith Paul that maketh in you both the will and the worke and therefore the Rhemish translation In earth peace to men of good will and the Romish Glosse that Christ brings no peace but to such as be of goodwill are insufficient and condemned euen by their owne mouth as we may reade in the Commentaries of Arboreus Caietan Iansenius Maldonatus vpon the place Concerning other scholiall or scholasticall obseruations vpon the text I referre the reader vnto Beauxamis Erasmus Caluin and other learned expositors especially to Iacobus Perez de Valentia who compiled a whole treatise on this Hymne It was first vsed in the Communion as it is thought by Thelesphorus a good man and a glorious Martyr anno 254. Iaâ—uar 5. That which followeth in our Communion book We praise thee we blesse thee was added by that famous Bishop Hilarie singing it first in his owne Church anno 340 and after brought into other Churches by Pope Symmachus aâ— 510 the Churches of Scotland vse the like forme of thankes at their Communion And therefore the Nouelist can mislike nothing in this Hymne but that which all other like most Antiquitie 2. Cor. 13. 13. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ THe two fiends that torment vs are sinne and a bad conscience grace releaseth sinne peace doth quiet the conscience Paul therfore begins his epistles with grace and peace and the Church ends her deuotions either with the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ c. or with the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding c. But because there can bee no peace with God except wee haue the grace of Christ first and chiefly Paul desireth grace then peace Rom. 1. 7. Grace be with you and peace Because I say grace comprehends in it euery good and perfect gift by which only we are whatsoeuer we are Paul doth not only begin but end his writings also with this one clause specially Grace be with you c. But aboue the rest the conclusion of this excellent epistle is most full and therefore worthilie receiued of our and other Churches as the fittest close to shut vp our publique prayers In it obserue Pauls affection towards the Corinthians amplified With Extention in regard of the Thing The grace of Christ the loue of God the communion of the holy Ghost Persons With you all Intention Amen The worke of our saluation is ascribed in our Election to the loue of the Father RedeÌ„ption to the grace of the Son Sanctification to the communion of the holy Ghost So S. Ambrose doth expound this text pithily Dilectio dei misit nobis Saluatorem Iesum cuius gratia saluati sumus vt possideamus hanc gratiaÌ„ communicatio facit spiritus sancti God the Father so loued the world that hee sent his only begotten Sonne to die for our sinnes and to rise againe for our iustification and God the Sonne from God the Father sent God the holy Ghost which crieth in our hearts Abba father applying to our comfort both the loue of God and the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ. The word God is vsed here personally not essentially for the Fathers on this text note the blessed Trinitie that God is Trinus in numero vnus in numine S. Hierom thinkes that Paul foreseeing the blasphemous Arrian heresie placed the second person in the first roome God the Son before God the Father Other affirme that the grace of Christ is named first because it concernes vs most For albeit the loue of God in it owne nature goe before the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ chusing vs before the foundation of the world Ephes. 1. 4 yet in our view the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ goeth before the loue of God Rom. 5. 10 We are reconciled vnto God by the death of his Sonne we feele the mercies of the one in the merits of the other It is a fruitfull obseruation of Martin Luther that Christian religion beginneth not at the highest as other religions doe but at the lowest it will haue vs to climbe vp to heauen by Iacobs ladder whose feete touch the very earth And therefore when thou art occupied in the matter of thy saluation setting aside all curious speculations of Gods vnsearchable counsels all cogitations of workes of traditions of Philosophie yea and of Gods law too runne straight to the manger embrace the little babe Christ in thine armes and behold him as hee was borne sucking growing vp conuersant among men teaching dying rising againe ascending aboue the heauens and hauing power aboue all things This sight will make thee shake off all terrors and errors as the Sunne driueth away the cloudes In a disputation with a Iew Turke Papist Heretike concerning Gods infinite wisedome Maiestie power imploy all thy wit and industrie to be so profound and subtill as thou canst but in the matter of Iustification wherein thou doest wrestle with the law sinne death and other spirituall enemies it is the best course to looke vpon no God but Christ incarnate and cloathed with thine owne nature to fixe thine eyes vpon the man Iesus only who setteth himselfe foorth vnto thee to be a Mediatour and saith Come vnto me all â—ee that labour and are heauie laden and I will refresh
both assent and assurance that our requests shall be granted And therefore as one notes aptly this â—men is of more value then all the rest by how much our faith is more excellent then our desire for it is a testification of our faith whereas all the petitions are only testifications of our desire Ludolphus hath comprised all in this short paraphrase PAter noster Excelsus in creatione suauis in a more diues in haereditate qui es in coelis speculum aeternitatis corona iucunditatis the saurus felicitatis Sanctificetur nomen tuum vt nobis sit mel in ore melos in aure iubilum in corde Adueniat regnum tuum non illud modò potentiae quod nunquam euertitur sed istud gratiae quod saepius auertitur adueniat ergo iucundum sine permixtione tranquillum sine perturbatione securum sine amissione Fiat voluntas non nostra sed tua sicut in Coelis ab Angelis sic etiam in terra ab hominibus vt omnia quae non amas odio habeamus quae diligis diligamus quae tibi placent impleamus Panem doctrinalem sacramentalem victualem nostrum sed ne putetur a nobis dicimus da nâ—bis quotidianum qui sufficiat nobis Et dimitte nobis debita nostra Quae cunque contra te commiâ—â—â—mus aut contra proximos aut contra nosmet ipsos Sicut nos â—â—â—â—ttimus debitoribus nostris qui nos offendeâ—unt vel in verbis vel in personis vel in rebus Et ne nos inducas in tentationem mundi carnis Diaboli Sed libera nos à malo praesenti praeterito futuro Haec potes quia tuum est regnum potentia haec vis quia tua gloria nunc in secula Amen Psalm 51. 15. Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise AS man is a little world in the great so the tongue a great world in the little Nihil habet medium aut grande malum est aut grande bonum If good as Eunapius said of that famous Rhetorician a walking librarie a whole Vniuersitie of edifying knowledge but if bad as S. Iames doth tell vs a world of wickednesse No better dish for Gods publike seruice when it is well seasoned againe none worse when ill handled So that if we desire to be doore-keepers in Gods house let vs intreat God first to be a doore-keeper in our house that he would shut the wicket of our mouth against vnsauory speeches and open the doore of our lippes that our mouth may shew forth his praise This was Dauids praier and ought to be thy practise wherein obserue three points especially Who the Lord. What open my lippes Why that my mouth may shew thy praise For the first man of himselfe cannot vntie the strings of his own stammering tongue but it is God only which openeth a doore of vtterance When we haue a good thought it is as the schoole doth speake gratia infusa when a good word gratia effusa when a good worke gratia diffusa Man is as a locke the spirit of God as a key which openeth and no man shutteth againe shutteth and no man openeth He did open the heart of Lydia to conceiue well Acts 16. the eares of the Prophet to heare well Esay 50. the eies of Elishaes seruant to see well 2. Kings 6. and here the lips of Dauid to speake well And therefore whereas in the former verse he might seeme too peremptory saying my tongue shall sing of thy righteousnesse he doth as it were correct himselfe by this latter edition and second speech O Lord I finde my selfe of my selfe most vnable to sing or say but open thou my lips and touch thou my tongue and then I am sure my mouth shall shew thy praise This doctrine sheweth in generall our dependance on God in whom we liue and moue and haue our being from whom only commeth euery good and perfect gift Man is Gods image Gen. 1. 26. Some translators vse the word which signifieth a shadow Now as an image or a shadow doth onely mooue as the bodie whereof it is a likenesse when the body doth stretch forth an arme the shadow presently hath an arme when the bodie doth put foorth a legge the shadow hath a legge So man in all his actions as a shadow depends on God as the sole foundation of all his being In more particular this ouerthroweth all workemongers and if I may so speake babling word-mongers If a man cannot open his owne lips to praise God much lesse direct his owne heart to please God if not able to tune his tongue let him not presume to turne his soule And if a man cannot open his mouth aright let him not picke it with a false key but rather pray with Dauid in the 141. Psalme Set a watch O Lord before my mouth and keepe the doores of my lips As it is absurd in building to make the porch bigger then the house so monstrous in nature when wee commit burglarie breaking the doores and pulling downe the barres of our mouth that the narrow passage may be made wide for our bigge words and high conceits A foule fault when our words are either too many or too mightie Ecclesiastes 5. 1. 2. Point what Open my lips Dauid elsewhere thinkes our mouth too much open and S. Iames that our tongue is too glib and vnrulie Lingua facilè volat ideo facile violat saith Bernard In old age when all other members are dull and stiffe the tongue notwithstanding is quicke and nimble What neede any then pray for opening their lippes I answere with the Prophet Ieremie chap 4. vers 22. They are wise to doe euill but to doe well they haue no knowledge Men haue tongue enough to speake ill an open mouth to blaspheme God and slander their neighbour but like Plinies Astomi no mouth no lippes no tongue possessed with a dumbe diuell when they should speake well Hierome Basil Euthymius and other ancient Doctors obserue that naturall corruptions and actuall sinnes are the very rampiers which stop this free passage So Dauid himselfe doth expound himselfe vers 14. Deliuer me from blood guiltinesse O God and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousnesse His vnthankfulnesse did crie his adulterie crie his murther crie vnto the Lord for reuenge but alas himselfe was mute till God in exceeding great mercie did stop the â—outhes of his clamorous aduersaries and gaue him leaue to speake Here we note the great wisedome of the Church assigning this place to this versicle in this booke namely before the Psâ—â—â—es Lessons and Collects and yet after the Confession and absolution of our sinnes insinuating that our mouthes are silenced only by transgression and opened only by God and therefore when wee meete together in the Temple to bee thankfull vnto him and to speake good of his name wee must craue first
fearefull example and that in their owne Fathers for omitting this excellent dutie In the first part two points are remarkable Who must praise Let vs sing let vs come let vs worship How Where Before his presence Whereto Sing to the Lord. Wherewith with our voice Let vs sing with our heart heartily with hands and knees O come let vs worship and fall downe and kneele before the Lord our maker For the 〈◊〉 〈…〉 content alone to praise God but exciteth all other about him to doe the â—ame O come let vs sing Now Dauid may be considered As a Priuate man Publike person Prince Prophet Here then is a threefold paterne in one An example for Masters to stir vp their â—amilie an example for Preachers to exhort their people an example for Princes to prouoke their subiects vnto the publike worship of the Lord. It becommeth great men especially to be good men as being vnprinted statutes and speaking 〈◊〉 vnto the rest This affection was in Abraham Paul Iosua and ought to be in all exhorting one another while it is called to daâ— You hold it a good rule in worldly businesse not to say to your seruants Come ye goe ye arise ye but let vs come let vs goe let vs arise Now shall the children of this world be wiser in their generation then the children of light Do we commend this course in mundane affaires and neglect it in religious offices Assuredly if our zeale were so great to religion as our loue is towards the world Masters would not come to Church as many doe without their seruants and seruants without their masters parents without their children and children without their parents husbands without their wiues and wiues without their husbands but all of vs would call one to another as Esay prophecied O come let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob hee will teach vs his waies and wee will walke in his paâ—hs And as Dauid here practised O come let vs sing to the Lord let vs heartily reâ—oice in the strength of our saluation How First where before the Lord before his presence vers 2. 6. God is euery where Whither shall I goe from thy spirit or whither shall I goe from thy preâ—ence True God is a circle whose Center is no where Circumference euery where yet is he said in holy Scâ—ipture to dwell in heauen and to be present in his Saâ—ctuarie more specially manifesting his glorie from heauen his grace in the Church principally For hee said in the Law In all places where I shall put the remembrance of my name I will come vnto thee and in the Gospell Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them Albeit euery day be a Sabbath and euery place a Sanctuarie for our priuate deuotions according to the particular exigence of our occasions yet God hath allotted certaine times and certaine places for his publike seruice Leuit. 19. 30. Ye shall sanctifie my Sabbaths and reuerence my Sanctuarie God is to be worshipped euer and euery where Yet the seuenth of our time and the tenth of our liuing must more specially be consecrated to that honour which hee requires in the Temple And therefore Caluin is of opinion that Dauid vttered this speech vpon the Sabbath as if hee should say Come let vs sing to the Lord not in priuate only but let vs come before his presence with thanksgiuing As in the 100. Psalme Goe your way into his gates and into his courts with praise The consideration of this one point that God is in euery place by his generall presence in this holie place by his especiall presidence may teach all men to pray not hypocritically for fashion but heartily for conscience not only formally to satisfie the law but also sincerely to certifie our loue to the Lord our maker giuing vnto Caesar the things which appertaeine to Caesar and vnto God the things which belonâ— to God That we may not only praise where we should but as it followeth in the diuision Whereto Let vs sing to the Lord let vs reioyce in the strength of our saluation let vs shew our selues glad in him Euery one in his merrie mood will say Come let vs sing let vs heartily reioyce But as good neuer a whit as neuer the better Silence is a sweeter note then a loud if a leaud sonnet If we will needs reioyce let vs saith Paul reioyce in the Lord if sing saith Dauid let vs sing to the Lord. Vaine toyes are songs sung to the world lasciuious balads are songs sung to the flesh Satyricall libels are songs sung to the Diuell onely Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs are melodie for the Lord. Pâ—e debes Domino exultare si vis securus mundo insultare saith Augustine vpon this text we may not exalt but insult ouer the world the flesh the diuell our exaltations and exultations are due to God only Venite exultemus Domino LEt vs worship and fall downe and kneele before the Lord our maker not before a Crucifix not before a rotten Image not before a faire picture of a foule Saint these are not our makers we made them they made not vs. Our God vnto whom we must sing in whom wee must reioyce before whom we must worship is a great King aboue all gods hee is no god of lead no god of bread no brazen god no wooden god we must not fall downe and worship our Ladie but our Lord not any Martyr but our Maker not any Saint but our Sauiour O come let vs sing vnto the Lord let vs heartily reioyce in the strength of our saluation Wherewith with voyce Let vs sing with soule let vs heartily reioyce with hands and knees let vs fall downe and kneele with all that is within vs with all that is without vs he that made all must be worshipped with all especially when we come before his presence Here let vs make a stand and behold the wise choice of the Church assigning this place to this Psalme which exciteth vs to come to the Temple quietly and ioyntly Come let vs sing and when wee are come to demeane our selues in this holie place cheerefully heartily reuerently I would faine know of those who despise our Canons as not agreeable to the Canon of holy Bible whether their vnmannerly sitting in the time of diuine seruice be this kneeling whether their standing bee this falling downe whether they giue God their heart when as they will not affoord him so much as their hat whether their lowring vpon their brethren bee singing to the Lord whether their dutie required here bee to come in to goe out to stay in the Temple without any respect of persons or reuerence to place I would such as doe imitate the Turks in habite would likewise follow them in
Hitherto concerning the greatnes and goodnes of God in generall Now Dauid in the seuenth verse proceedes intimating that the Lord of all in common is our God in speciall Hee is the Lord our God as being the people of his pasture and the sheepe of his hands that is himselfe doth feede and fauour the Church in a more particular sort committing this charge to none other See preface of the Decalogue The last reason is from iudgement for God vseth all meanes to winne men vnto him The summe whereof is that wee must not harden our hearts and obstinately settle our selues in sinne as our forefathers in the wildernesse but rather heare the voice of the Lord speaking vnto vs out of his word all the day long the whole time of our life generally but on the Sabbath day more specially leâ—t in his anger hee sweare that wee shall not enter into his rest Reade this historie Numb 14. Exod. 17 for as Paul doth teach these things are written for our ensample vpon whom the ends of the world are come Lege historiâ—m ne fias historia The iudgements of God are like thunder claps poena ad vnum terror adomâ—es As in a Common-weale places of execution are publike ad terrorem populi because as Plato said Nemo prudens punit quia peccatum est sed ne peccetur And another ancient Philosopher to the same purpose Malefici non pereunt vt pereant sed vt pereundo alios deterreant That the State which had no benefit by their life should make vse of their death In like manner almightie God in this huge Theater of the world doth make some spectacles vnto other all of vs being either actors or spectators and so by consequence must take example by other or else make example to other See Epist. Dom. 9. post Trin. Te Deum THat Hymnes accurately framed by deuout men according to the word may be sung in the Church with the Psalmes of Dauid and other spirituall songs taken out of the word we can alleage precept and example Precept Colos. 3. 16. Admonish your selues in Psalmes and Hymnes c. Marlorat doth construe this of singing in the Church and Haymo that Hymnes were godly songs inuented by the Christians of that age For Gods holy Church hath vsed this custome from the Primitiue times euen vnto this present day Concerning Te Deum in particular it is approued by Luther and held by our Martyrs a good Creed as it is thought generally composed by those two great lights of the Church Ambrose who was the most resolute Bishop and Augustine who was the most iudicious Doctor of all the Fathers It is reported by Dacius a reuerend Bishop of Millane that in his time who liued vnder Iustinian anno 538. this Hymne was receiued and vsed in the Church which argueth it of greater antiquity then vpstart Popery The Nouelist as Augustine writes of Faustus the Manichee Vel non intellâ—gendâ— repreâ—endit vel reprehendendo non intelligit Either too much passion or else too little knowledge Benedicite omnia opera THâ—â— Cantiâ—â—e is a rapsodie gathered here and there from diuâ—â—s Psalmes of Dauid as the marginall notes indigitate cited often by the learned and ancient fathers and not censured for it by the Lutheran Historiographers Cent. 5. colum 219. Imprinted at Mâ—â—elburgh with the Dauidicall Psalmes in English meeter an honour denied vnto the Church Psalter in prose In a word I finde this Hymne lesse martyred then the rest and therefore dimisse it as Christ did the woman Iohn 8. Where be thine accusers Hath no man condemned thee no more doe I goe thy way Benedictus LVKE 1. 68. THe Benedictus Magnificat and Nunc dimittis are said in the Church daily whereas other Psalmes of Dauid Asaph Moses are read but monethly The reasons hereof are manifest and manifold I will onely name two First these most excellent Hymnes as gratulations wherewith our Lord and Sauiour was ioifully receiued at his entrance into the world concerne vs so much more then the Psalmes of Dauid as the Gospell more then the Law and the new Testament more then the old For the one are but prophecies of Christ to come whereas the other are plaine discoueries of Christ already present Secondly these songs are proper onely to Christianitie whereas other Psalmes are common to the Iewes as well as to the Christians wherewith they praise God in their Synagogue so well as we praise God in our Church A Iew will sing with Asaph and Dauid that the Messias of the world shall come but he cannot he will not acknowledge with Zacharias and Simeon that he is come So that the Nouelist herein misliking the Churches custome doth seeme to play the Iew which I rather ascribe to the lightnes of his folly then to the waight of his malice Sententiam Ecclesiae non intelligit sedamat suam non quia vera est sed quia sua est It is fitly placed after the second Lesson as an Hymne of praise to magnifie God for the comfort we receiue by the sweet tidings of the Gospell Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for visiting and redeeming his people It hath two principall parts 1. Concerning Christ and his kingdome 2. Touching Iohn the Baptist and his office vers 76. c. It is very remarkable that Zacharias who was dumbe vers 20 doth now not onely speake but also prophecie He was made speechlesse because he was faithlesse but now belieuing his lips are opened and his mouth doth shew forth Gods praise saying Blessed be the Lord. Let no man in his affliction despaire for as Ambrose notes if we change our manners Almightie God will alter his mind Nec solum ablata restituit sed etiam insperatâ— concedit He will not onely restore that which was taken a way but also giue more then we can expect So he blessed the last daies of Iob more then the first for whereas he had but 7000 sheepe 3000 comels 500 yoke of oxen and 500 shee asses afterward the Lord gaue him 1400 sheep 6000 camels 1000 yoke of oxen and 1000 asses In the second of Ioel If you will turne to me saith the Lord with all your heart with fasting weeping and mourning I will render vnto you the yeeres which the grashopper hath eaten the canker worme and the caterpiller And moreouer I will powre out my spirit vpon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecie c. In the 9. of Matth. when Christ saw the faith of the palsie man he did not onely cure the sores of his body but also the sinnes of his soule Sonne be of good cheere thy sinnes are forgiuen thee In the first part two points are to be considered especially 1. Who to be blessed the Lord God of Israel 2. Why first for promising then for performing redemption vnto the world Blessed That is praised as
Psalme 18. 47. Matth. 22. 39. So that Zacharias here remembring a great benefit begins his Hymne with thanks Benedictus Dominus Hereby signifying that it is our first and chiefe duty to be thankfull to blesse God who doth so wonderfully blesse vs in all the changes and chances of this mortall life to say with Iob The Lord giueth and the Lord taketh blessed be the name of the Lord. God be praised and the Lord be blessed is the language of Canaan whereas vnthankfulnesse is the diuels text and the blasphemies of wicked men are Commentaries vpon it The Lord For as Aristoâ—le said Praise is onely vertues due but none is good except God Other are to be praised in him so faâ—re forth as they haue receiued any gift or good from him onely the Lord worthy to be praised in and for himselfe God of Israel So called in two respects first in regard of his loue towards them as being his peculiar incloser out of the Commons of the wholeworld Deut. 7. 6. Psalme 76. Esay 5. Secondly in regard of their seruice to him hee is God of other will they nill they Psal. 99. 1. The Lord is King be the people neuer so impatient he sitteth betweene the Cherubims be the earth neuer so vnâ—uiet but Israel willingly submitted her selfe to serue him cheerefully with all her heart The Diuell is prince of the world because the wicked of the world be ready to giue place to his suggestions but the Lord is God of Israel that is of all good men because they resist Satan and yeeld to his gouernment desiring daily that his kingdome may come and his will be done in earth as it is in heauen He doth vse this title rather then another in generall to describe the true God and to distinguish him from the gods of the Gentiles who were not gods but 〈…〉 that is Diuels as Euthymâ—â—s obserues In particular this title did best fit his occasion because Christ the redeemer of the world was promised vnto the Iewes Abraham and his seed for euer and therefore blessed be the Lord God of Israel Why First for promising then for performing The promises of God touching the Messias are twofold 1. Made by himselfe to Adam Abraham Isaac vers 72. 73. 2. Made by his seruants As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which haue been since the world began vers 70. He spake The Prophet is but the voice God himselfe is the speaker as Iohn Baptist said I am the voice of him that crieth in the wildernesse By thâ— mouth In the singular number for albeit they were many yet they spake but one thing from one spirit as it were with one mouth Which haue been since the world began For all the Prophets haue foretold of these daies In the transfiguration Moses and Elias are said to talke with Christ signifying hereby saith Origen that the Law and the Prophets and the Gospell agree all in one And therefore Peter was vnwise to make three Tabernacles for one Holy Prophets holy by Place separated froÌ„ the prophane vulgar and consecrated to this high calling Grace for being hallowed and elected to this office they spake by the holy Ghost endued also with gifts of sanctification in so much that Prophets and holie men heretofore were voces conuertibiles as it is obserued out of the old Testament Gen. 20. 7. and new Luk. 7. 16. Ioh. 9. 17. This may teach the Prophets in our time to be walking Sermons Epistles and holy Gospels in all their cariage toward the people Praedicat viua voce qui praedicat vita voce He doth preach most that doth liue best As it is said of Iohn the Baptist Cum miraculum nullum fecerit perpetuum fuit ipse miraculum So a good man doth alway preach though hee neuer comes in pulpit Whereas such a Minister as is no where a Minister but in the Church is like Achitophel who set his house in order and then hanged himselfe The word preached is as Aarons rod if in the Preachers hand it is comely but if he cast it from him it will happily proue a Serpent That which God hath ioyned together let no man put asunder Holinesse and Prophecie O Lord indue thy Ministers with righteousnesse that thy chosen people may be ioyfull As God is mercifull in making so faithfull in keeping his promise for he visited and redeemed his people Visited In the better part for visitation in mercie not in iudgement as Psal. 8. 4. Gen. 21. 1. If Christ did visit vs in our person let vs visit him in his members All of vs are his stewards and the good things he hath lent vs are not our owne but his either the goods of the Church and so wee may not make them Impropriations or else the goods of the Common-wealth and wee may not inclose them He is the best subiect that is highest in the Subsidie booke so he the best Christian that is most forward in subsiaijs in helping his brethren with such gifts as God hath bestowed vpon him The whole world saith S. Iohn lieth in wickednes sicke very sicke vnto death All wickednesse is weaknes euery sinne is a sore Couetousnes an insatiable dropsie Pride a swelling tympanie Lasinesse the Gentlemans gout Christ therefore the great Physition of the world came to visit vs in this extremitie we did not send for him hee came of his owne loue to seeke and saue that which was lost It is a great kindnes for one neighbour to visit another in sicknes but a greater kindnes to watch and pray with the comfortlesse yet the greatest kindnesse of all is to helpe and heale him Euen so and much more then so Christ loued y e world he came not only to see it but to saue it not only to liue among men but also to die for men as to visite so to redeeme The Lord did endure the crosse that the seruant might enioy the crowne the Captaine descended into hell that the souldier might ascend into heauen the Physition did die that the patient might liue Bernard pithily Triplici morbo laborabat genus humanum principio medio fine idest natiuitate vita morte Venit Christus contra triplicem hunc morbum attulit triplex remediuÌ„ Natus est vixit mortuus est eius natiuitas purgauit nostram mors eius destruxit nostram vita eius instruxit nostram As S. Paul in two words He died for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification that is saith Aquinas he died to remoue from vs all that which was euill and rose againe to giue vs all that which was good All is infolded in the word Redeeme the which as Interpreters obserue generally doth implie that wee are deliuered from the hands of all our enemies and they be principally foure The World Flesh.
Diuell Death Christ ouercame the world on earth the flesh on the Crosse the diuell in hell death in the graue now being the Churches head and husband hee tooke her dowrie which was sinne for she had nothing else of her owne and indowed her with all his goods I am my welbeloueds and my welbeloued is mine So that Christ was borne for vs and liued for vs and died for vs rose againe for vs and therefore though the diuell cry ego decipiam the world cry ego deficiam the flesh cry ego inficiam death cry ego interficiam it makes no matter in that Christ crieth ego reficiam I will ease you I will comfort you I will visit and redeeme you See Gospell on whit sonday His people The Iewes as sent to them first and principally whom he did visit in his own person whereas all other diocesses of the world were visited by Commissaries I say first for afterward all people were hiâ—â—â—ople Visitaâ—it omnes gentes quomam omnes egentes In 〈◊〉 we are all one there is neither Iew nor Grecian neither bond nor free neither male nor female Gal. 3. 28. Augustine sweetly The belieuing Gentiles are more Israel then Israel it selfe for the Iewes are the children of Abraham according to the flesh only but we are the children of Abraham after the spirit they be the sonnes of Abraham who doe the works of Abraham But what was Abrahams chiefe worke The Scripture tels vs Abraham belieued and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnes So that as Paul concludes all belieuers are true Israelites Abrahams seed and heires by promise See Nunc dimittis But shall we now sinne because grace doth abound God forbid He hath deliuered vs from the hands of all our enemies that we might serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnes all the daies of our life Sine timore inimici non sine timore domini Behauing our selues in this present world religiously towards God righteously towards our neighbor soberly towards our selues Examine these fiue circumstances exactly 1. Who did redeeme The Lord God of Israel factor â—errae factus in terra yea fractus in terra 2. Whom Such as sate in darknes and in the shadow of death His enemies aliants from his common wealth and open traitors to his kingdome 3. From what From the hands of all our enemies 4 With what With his owne pretious bloud the least drop whereof had bin meriti infiniti yet his death only was meriti definiti 5. For what That being deliuered from sinne we should liue in righteousnes Consider these points and thinke not this Hymne too much vsed in our Liturgie but sing with Zacharias daily Benedictus Dominus and say with Dauid Quid retribuam domino pro omnibus quae tribuit mihi Primò nihil eram fecit me perâ—eram quaesiuit me quaerens inuenit me captiuum redemit me emptum liberauit me de seruo fratrem fecit me We owe our soules our selues to God for creating vs more then our selues for redeeming vs. Concerniâ—g Iohn Baptist and his office which is the second generall part of this excellent song see the Gospell Dominic 3. 4. Aduent Iubilate Deo Psal. 100. THe Church doth adioine this Psalme to the Benedictus as a parallel and that not vnfitly for as the one so the other is a thanksgiuing vnto God inforced with the same reasons and arguments in so much as Zacharias is nothing else but an expounder of Dauid or Moses As Augustine wittily The new Testament heth hidden in the old and the old is vnclasped in the new Lex antiqua nouam firmat veterem noua complet in veteri spes est in nouitate fides O be ioyfull in the Lord saith the Prophet blessed be the Lord God of Israel saith our Euangelist Why because the Lord hath made vs and not we our selues we are his people and the sheepe of his pasture That is he hath visited and redeemed his people For Augustine Hierome Caluin Turrecrematensis other old and new writers interpret this of our Regeneration rather then of our Creation According to that of S. Paul We are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good works c. The Lord is gratious his mercy is euerlasting That is he promised euermore by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began that wee should be saued from our enemies and from the hands of all that hate vs. His truth indureth from generation to generation That is hee did in due time performe the mercie promised to our forefathers he remembred his holy couenant and kept that oth which hee swore to our father Abraham and his seed for euer To what end That we might serue God with gladnesse as Dauid in his text that is serue him all the daies of our life without feare as Zacharias in his glosse God insinuated himselfe to the Iewes as a Lord Exod. 20. 2. but to the Christians as a father Mat. 6. 9. And therefore seeing wee are translated from the bondage of seruants vnto the liberty of sonnes hauing in stead of the Law which was exceeding grieuous a burthen which is light and a yoke which is easie let vs serue the Lord with gladnes and come before his presence with a song Non in amaritudine murmurationis sed in iocunditate dilectionis as Augustine vpon the place The whole Psalme doth afford many profitable doctrines and vses in that the Prophet doth double and treble his exhortation O be ioyfull in the Lord serue him with gladnesse with a song Go into his gates with thanksgiuing into his courts with praise be thankfull speake good of his name he doth insinuate our sloth and dulnes in that behalfe and therefore it behoueth all men especially teachers of men in season and out of season to presse this duty It teacheth all people to praise God with a good heart cheerfully vers 1. Not in priuate onely but in the publike assembly also for publike benefits receiued of the Lord vers 3. Our bodily generation and ghostly regeneration are not of our selues but only from God vers 2. See Epist. Dom. post Pasc. Who is alway the same in his truth and goodnesse towards vs abeit we be variable in our loues and promises one to another vers 4. See Nunc Dimittis The Creed THis Apostolicall Creed is pronounced after the Lessons and the Nicene Confession after the Gospell and Epistle because faith as Paul teacheth is by hearing and hearing by the word of God We must first heare then confesse for which cause the Churchâ— of Scotlana also doth vsually repeate the Creed after the Sermon I beleeue in God c. Albeit the Creed be not protocanonicall Scripture yet as Ambrose speakes it is the key of the Scriptures and as Augustine a plaine short absolute summe of all holie
spiritus Dei cum muliere coeat eique sobolis quaedam principia ingoneret 3. The Cerinthians Ebionits and Carpocratian Heretikes held that Christ was the naturall sonne of Ioseph verus merus hâ—mâ— Contrary to text Mat. 1. 25. Luk. 3. 23. See the Gospell Dom. 1. post Epiphan In his birth against Iouinian Durandus Vnto these that of Esay 7 is opposed Ecce 〈…〉 pariet filium The which words are to be construed in censu composito non diuiso scilicet integra permanâ—eâ—â— conceptura paritura nam quale signum vel prodigium esset vt quae fuit virgo conciperet corrupta pareret Hic si ratio quaeritur non erit mirabile Si poscitur exemplum non erit singulare Demus Deum aliquid posse quod nos fateamur inuestigare non posse Fides adsit nulla quaestio remanebit See the Gospell of the purification After his birth against the Old Heluidians New Antidicomarianits holding it a point of zeale to disgrace this holy Virgin whereas it is our dutie rather highly to reuerence her as being the Mother of our Lord a Prophetesse on earth a Saint in heauen as the Fathers vsually the window of heauen through which it pleased the light of the world to illuminate such as fit in darknesse and in the shadow of death Of such estimation in the Church that whereas the first generall Councell was assembled against Arrius to maintaine the honour of the Sonne and so by consequence of the Father The second against Macedonius to maintaine the honour of the holy Ghost The third was assembled against Nestorius to maintaine the dignitie of the blessed Virgin And therefore let not vs giue her too little though the Papists haue giuen her too much See Gospell on the Annunciation Passion Christs passion is set downe First summarily Suffered vnder Pontius Pilat Then particularly Crucified Dead Buried All which our Sauiour did not endure for himselfe but for vs. He was wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities In me pro me doluit qui pro se nihil habuit quod doleret O Domine Iesu doles non tua sed vâ—laera mea He suffered for vs leauing vs an example that his passion might deliuer vs from sinne and his actions direct vs to vertue teaching patience humilitie obedience charitie Greater patience cannot bee found then for the author of life to suffer an ignominious death iniustly no greater humilitie then for the Lord of all Lords to submit himselfe to be crucified among theeues nor greater obedience then to be willing rather to die then not to fulfill the commandement of his Father nor greater charitie then to lose his life to saue his enemies For loue is more shewed in deedes then in words and more in suffering then in doing See Gospell on Sunday before Easter and Epistle 2. Sunday after Easter Nos immortalitate malè vsi sumus vt moreremur Christus mortalitate bene vsus vt viueremus Exaltation Note the Creeds order answerable to the Scripture For Christ first suffered and then entred into glorie Teaching vs hereby that we must first beare with him the Crosse before wee can weare with him the Crowne Christianus as Luther said is Crucianus As a lilie among the thornes so is my loue among the daughters Cant. 2. 2. Christs exaltation hath foure parts his 1. Triumph in hell 2. Resurrection 3. Ascension 4. Session I make Christs descending into hell a part of his aduancement rather then abasement because this generall Creed of the whole Church and the particular confession of our Church make it a distinct article following Christs Suffering Death Buriall and therfore cannot aptly be construed of his agonie in the garden before his death nor of his tortures on the Crosse at his death nor yet of his buriall after his death Ergo Credendum est Christum ad inferos in genere credibile ad inferos damnatorum in specie triumphandi gratia secundùm animans realiter localiter descendisse That as hee did ouercome the world on earth and death in the graue so likewise he did triumph ouer Satan in the courts of hell his owne kingdome For my owne part I rest my self in the iudgement of the Church wherein I liue and hold it enough to beleeue that Christ did so much and suffered so much as was sufficient for all efficient for me praying with the Greeke Fathers in their Liturgie By thine vnknowne sorrowes and sufferings felt by thee but not distinctly manifest to vs haue mercie on vs and saue vs. O gracelesse peeuishnes we scantly follow Christ to heauen albeit wee beleeue that he went for vs into hell Christs resurrection is the locke and key of all our Christian religion and faith on which all other articles hang. See the Gospell on S. Thomas and Easter day In Christs ascension 3. points obseruable Place Mount Oliuet Time When hee had taught his Disciples and while they beheld him Manner A cloud tooke him vp out of their sight Act 1. 9. See the Epistle for Ascension day Christs Session is set foorth by the Place Heauen that is Heauen of heauen Effect Comming to Iudgement To iudge the quick the dead Spiritually The good which liue with the spirituall life of grace The bad which are spiritually dead in sinne Corporally Because at that day most shall be dead and many shall be found aliue who in the twinckling of an eye shall suddenly be changed as S. Paul tels vs. Origen thinketh that the Priest had bels in the lower part of his roabe to put vs in minde of the end of the world Our good God hath prepared such things for vs as eye hath not seene neither eare hath heard neither came into mans heart Si in cor hominis non ascendit cor hominis illuc ascendat Seeing the Iudge shall come from heauen let vs before send thither our hearts to meete him and in the meane while thence to looke for him Philip. 3. 20. He hath said it who is truth it selfe Surely I come quickly Amen euen so come Lord Iesus I beleeue in the holy Ghost The Godhead of the Father is especially manifested in the Law the Godhead of the Sonne especially manifested in the Gospell the Godhead of the holy Ghost especially manifested in the Creed intimating so much in foure words as the whole Bible containes of this argument namely first that the holy Ghost is God otherwise we might not beleeue in him Secondly that hee is a distinct person from the Father and the Sonne I beleeue in the Father in the Sonne in the holy Ghost And thirdly that he proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne infolded in the Title holy Ghost For albeit the Father is holie the Sonne holie the Father a Spirit and the Sonne a Spirit
singulorum albeit not singuligenerum or as Euthymius all people who beleeue aright in the Sonne shall blesse the Mother not all liuing but all beleeuing for Iewes and Gentiles and Heretickes in stead of this honour reuile her Augustine mentioneth Antidicomarianites Heluidius in Hieromes age was as Roffensis termes him a Mariaemastix and in our time some are content to giue her lesse because the Papists haue giuen her more then is due Let vs not make the Spirit of truth a lier which saith All generations shall call her blessed This shall is officij not necessitatis all ought howsoeuer all doe not blesse this blessed Virgin For hee that is mightie hath magnified me Magna mihi fecit hath done maruellous things in me For it is wonderfully singular and singularly wonderfull that Mary should be both a virgin and a mother of such a sonne a mother as was her father hee that is mightie and none but the Almightie could thus magnfie Mary shee was blessed in bearing the most blessed in whom all nations of the earth are blessed Vnto this purpose Bernard excellently Non quia tu benedicta ideo benedictus fructus ventris tui sed quia ille te praeuenit in benedictionibus dulcedinis ideo tu benedicta Hitherto concerning the goodnesse of God toward her selfe now shee remembreth his mercie toward other His mercie is on theÌ„ that feare him c. Generally 1. In helping and comforting theÌ„ He exalteth the humblâ— and meeke filling them with all good things 2. In scattering and confounding their enemies He hath scattered the proud put doâ—n the mightie from their seate and sent the rich empty away More specially 1. In promising 2. In performing his gratious promise touching the Messias of the world Remembring his mercy hath holpen his seruant Israel as he promised to our forefathers Abraham and his seed for euer These points are flagons of wine to comfort the distressed soule For if God who promised in the beginning that the seed of the woman should bruse the Serpents head deferred his promise almost 4000. yeers and yet at length accomplished the same to the very full then no doubt God hauing promised the resurrection of the dead and euerlasting life will in his good time bring them to passe That which is past may confirme our hope touching things to come For he remembreth his mercie towards his seruant Israel and it is on them that feare him throughout all generations Cantate Domino Psalm 98. THe Church hath done well in ioyning to the Magnificat Psalme 98 for the one is a perfect eccho to the other all Interpreters agreeing that Dauids mystery and Maries historie are all one Whatsoeuer is obscurely foretold in his Psalme is plainly told in her Song as he prophecied O sing vnto the Lord a new song shew your selues ioyfull So she practised My soule doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit reioiceth in God my Sauiour And this as Christ teacheth is a new song The houre commeth and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth The voice doth say Magna fecit Hee hath done maruellous things and the Eccho Magna mihi fecit He hath magnified or done maruellous things in me For it is an exceeding wonder as Paul speaks a great mysterie that God should be manifested in the flesh that the father of all should bee the sonne of Mary Voice With his owne right hand and with his holy arme hath he gotten himselfe the victorie Eccho He hath shewed strength with his arme he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts Voice The Lord declared his saluation his righteousnesse hath hee openly shewed in the sight of the Heathen Eccho His mercie is on them that feare him throughout all generations he hath filled the hungrie with good things and the rich hee hath sent emptie away Gentiles esurientes Iudaeos diuites as Theophylact expounds it Voice Hee hath remembred his mercie and truth towards the house of Israel Eccho He remembring his mercie hath holpen his seruant Israel In the whole Psalme fiue circumstances are to be considered especially Who. What. Whereto Wherefore Wherewith 1. Who must sing All men all things For the Prophet in the latter end of the Psalme doth incite sensible men by directing his speech vnto insensible creatures Let the sea make a noise let the floods clap their hands and let the hils be ioyfull All which sing Psalmes and Hymnes in their kinde onely man for whom all these were made is vnkind The oxe knoweth his owner and the dull aâ—â—e his masters crib but Israel hath not knowne my people hath not vnderstood 2. What Sing a new song This is mans end to seeke God in this life to see God in the next to bee a subiect in the kingdome of grace and Saint in the kingdome of glorie Whatsoeuer in this world befalleth vs wee must sing be thankfull for weale for woe songs ought alwaies to be in our mouth and sometimes a new song for so Dauid heere sing a new song that is let vs put off the old man and become new men new creatures in Christ for the old man sings old songs onely the new man sings a new song hee speaketh with a new tongue and walkes in new waies and therefore doth new things and sings new songs his language is not of Babylon or Egypt but of Canaan his communication doth edifie men his song glorifie God Or a new song that is a fresh song noua res nouum canticum new for a new benefit Ephes. 5. 20. Giue thanks alway for all things It is very grosse to thanke God only in grosse and not in parcell Hast thou been sicke and now made whole praise God with the Leper Luke 17 sing a new song for this new salue Doest thou hunger and thirst after righteousnes whereas heretofore thou couldest not endure the words of exhortation and doctrine sing a new song for this new grace Doth almightie God giue thee a true sense of thy sinne whereas heretofore thou diddest draw iniquitie with cords of vanitie and sinne as it were with cartropes and wast giuen ouer to worke all vncleannes euen with greedinesse O sing sing sing a new song for this new mercie Or new that is no common or ordinarie song but as Gods mercie toward vs is exceeding maruellous and extraordinarie so our thankes ought to bee most exquisite and more then ordinarie not new in regard of the matter for we may not pray to God or praise God otherwise then he hath prescribed in his word which is the old way but new in respect of the manner and making that as occasion is offered wee may beate our wits after the best fashion to bee thankfull Or because this Psalme is propheticall a new song that is the song of the glorious Angels at Christs birth Glorie to God on high
mentis not so toothsome as wholsome not corporall meate but spirituall Manna The Lords Supper in three respects 1. Because it was ordained by the Lord 1. Cor. 11. 23. 2. Because it was instituted in remeÌ„brance of the Lord Luk. 22. 19. 3. Because it was in the Primitiue Church vsuallie receiued on the Lords day Acts 20. 7. It is called a Communion in respect of the common vnion among our selues hauing at that time more specially perfect peace with all men or a Communion in respect of the publike participation as being a common messe not a priuate Masse proper to one as the Popish priests vse it or a Communion as being a signe and seale of our communion with Christ for his graces are conueied vnto vs by the preaching of the Word and administration of the Sacraments Hence the Sacraments as Paschasius obserues haue their name Sacramenta dicuntur à secreto eò quòd in re visibili diuinitas intus aliquid vlâ—ra secretius efficit In the words of our Church Sacraments are visible signes of inuisible grace ordained of God as badges and sure witnesses of his good will towards vs. It is meete euery Christian should vnderstand these and the like plaine principles of holy faith but exact knowledge to discusse controuerted points about the Sacraments is not required according to that of Chrysostome The table of the Lord is not prepared for chattering â—ayes but for high towring Eagles who flei thither where the dead bodie lieth It is not for subtle Sophisters but for simple beleeuers ascending vp to Christ vpon the wings of faith and therefore the Communicant must not only know but applie that in particular which he beleeueth in generall as that Christs body was crucified for him and his bloud shed for him Hee that vnderstands and beleeues and applies these things examineth his faith as he should In our repentance we must examine two points especially to wit our Contrition for sinne past Resolution to preuent so farre as we can all sinne to come For the first Poenitentia est quasi punientia Poenitere saith Augustine is poenam tenere Wee must therefore weepe with Peter and water our couch with Dauid and put on sackcloth with Nineueh nay we must rent our heart For a broken spirit is an acceptable sacrifice to the Lord. O magnum donum quod in poenam dedit in salutem vertit peccatum tristitiam peperit tristitia peccatum contriuit As the worme bred in the tree deuoures the tree so sorrow brought into the world by sinne doth ouerthrow sinne so good is God to turne curses into blessings and griefe into grace If thy heart be not throughly touched for sinne become sorrie because thou art no more sorrie resolue to be more resolued For as one wittily factum infectum si non sit cor affectum If Ioseph of Arimathea wrapped the bodie of Christ in cleane linnen how darest thou receiue it with an vncleane soule If thou wilt not kisse a Princes hand with a foule mouth eate not the Lords bodie with a foule minde Let a man therefore examine him selfe c. And so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this 〈◊〉 Hauing thus examined examination I come now to the participation And so let him eate c. Of which words I purpose to speake first ioyntly then seuerally Considered ioyntly they confute three popish conclusions as first the reseruation eleuation circumgestation adoration of the bread Our Apostle saith here plainly that the bread must be taken and eaten Ergo not to be reserued nor carried about not lifted vp nor kept in a box to be worshipped Secondly to take to eate to taste to drinke to doe this in remembrance of Christ are actions of the liuing only pertaining to the liuing and therefore the Papists are deceiued holding the Masse to bee a propitiatorie sacrifice both for the quick and the dead How can the dead eate or drinke taste or take Ergo neither the dutie nor the benefit belongs vnto them but only to those aliue who first examine themselues and after eate of this bread and drinke of this cup. Thirdly the coniunction of these two Let him eate of this bread and drink of this cup abundantly proues that both parts of the Lords Supper ought to be ministred vnto all Ergo the Papists in denying the cup vnto the Laitie wrong both God and his people by defrauding them of this comfort As euery one must examine so euerie one both eate and drinke not onely drinke and not eate or eate and not drinke but both eate and drinke Christ foreseeing this Papisticall error said in his first institution Drinke ye all of it he tooke the bread and said only take eate indefinitely but when he tooke the cup he did adde an vniuersall note Bibâ—â—e omnes Drinke ye drinke all ye We conclude therefore with Cyprian Adulterum est impium est sacrilegum est quodcunque humano furore instituitur vt dispositio diuina violetur Christ is the truth and the way to the truth Ergo non aliud fiat à nobis quà m quod pro nobis prior fecit Thus much of the words iointly Now of euery one seuerally And so Let there be first preparation and then participation when a man is thus examined let him thus eate Let him eate The which are not words of permission only leauing it to his choice whether he will eate or not eate but they are words of Pauls commission insinuating that hee must eate necessarily not vpon custome but vpon conscience For it is not said here let him if hee haue no let at home or occasion of absence abroad if he be neither displeased with his Pastor nor angry with the people but let him without all let examine and then let him without all let eate of this bread Eate Christ in his first institution hath take and eate First take then eate take not onely into your mouthes but into your hands hereby representing the soule and faith for the taking of the bread and wine into our hand sealeth our apprehension of Christ by the finger of faith Ioh 1. 12. As many as receiued him to them he gaue power to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeued in his name Eating of the bread and drinking of the wine sealeth our application of Christ incorporated into vs mystically 1. Cor. 10. 16. For by the strength of faith wee chew the cud as it were and make Christ our owne Yet herein obserue a great difference betweene corporall food and this heauenly bread for the one digested is made like vs but the other receiued into our soule maketh vs like it This action then of taking is very significant and therefore I see no reason why the Priest altering Christs ordinance should giue the bread into the peoples mouth only not into their hand First the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth properly to take with the hand Secondly it is against the rules of common ciuilitie that men of discretion such as Communicants ought to be should be fed like children hauing their meate put into their mouth Thirdly if this taking be not construed of the hand but of the mouth there is an idle repetition and plaine Tautologie in the words of Christ for eating notes orall receiuing and therefore taking must imply manuall receiuing Fourthly it was the custome of the Primitiue Church as we reade in Eusebius and Cyril How wilt thou saith Ambrose to Theodosius receiue the Lords body with a bloudy hand The Papists answere that the Church altered this custome because some reserued the bread for magicall spels and superstitious vses A sillie shift for no abuse can take away the vse of that which is simply good The Bible must be read albeit some peruert it to their destruction the word of God must be preached howsoeuer it be vnto some the sauour of death vnto death and so the bread according to Christs institution must be taken albeit happily some keepe it to wicked and idolatrous purposes This bread The nice distinguishing of the Schoole is like the pilling of an onyon they pull off so many skinnes vntill at last there is no skinne They turne and tosse the words of Christs institution Hoc est corpus meum so long till they bring all that Christ said and did at his last Supper vnto nothing For so we reade in their Glosse that hoc doth signifie nothing Omnipotent creatures who make of something nothing and againe of this nothing something yea Christ who made all things for by pronouncing of these words hoc est corpus meum they make their Maker a dozen gods at once with one sentence This is a pronoune demonstratiue not indiuiduum vagum any thing or a nothing Stephen Gardiner herein forgat his Grammar and Logicke too For hoc doth determine and must as Paul teacheth and the circumstances of the Gospell import be restrained vnto the bread Iesus tooke the bread and when he had giuen thanks hee brake no doubt the bread that hee tooke and gaue to the Disciples the selfe-same that he brake saying Take ye eate ye this that I giue you this is my body What This could our Sauiour meane but This that he gaue This that hee brake This that hee tooke which by the witnesse of truth it selfe was bread If the Papists imagine that he tooke bread but brake it not or brake it but gaue it not they make the Lords Supper a merryiest where the latter end starteth from the beginning and the middle from them both Either they must dissent manifestly from the proposition of Christ and exposition of Paul from all the Fathers and some of their owne followers or else admit our interpretation This bread is my body and if we resolue the words of Christ so they cannot be proper but figuratiue This bread is the signe and seale of my body Bread It pleased our Sauiour to make bread the outward element in this holy Sacrament for the manifold analogies between it his body First as bread is the strength and state of our naturall life so Christ is for our spirituall being all in all Secondly as bread is loathed of the full stomacke but most acceptable to the hungry soule so Christ is most welcome vnto such as hunger and thirst after righteousnes Thirdly as bread is vsuall and daily so Christ should be to the Christian feeding on that bread which came downe from heauen should be the soules ordinary refection fourthly as bread is made one loafe of many graines so we that are many are one bread and one body because we all are partakers of one bread Vnus vbique calix domini cibus vnus vna mensa domusque deâ— Lastly as corne is cut downe with the sithe threshed in the barne with many stripes torne in the mil with much violence then boulted sifted last of all baked with extreame heate in the ouen and all this that it may be fit meate for our body so Christ in his ripe age was cut downe by cruell death his body was whipped his flesh rent asunder his soule was as it were melted in the fierie furnace of Gods anger and all this that he might become food for our soule that we might eate of this bread and drinke of this cup. The like resemblances are between the wine and his bloud For as wine doth make glad the heart of man Psal. 104. 15. so the pretious bloud of Christ as flagons of wine comforts the sicke soule Paulinus sweetly In cruce fixa caro est quo pascor de cruce sanguis Ille fluit vitam quo bibo corda lauo In this exhortation hauing S. Paul for our leader and the Church of Scotland for our follower I hope we need not any further examine why the Church doth vse this scripture for this purpose Augustines obseruation is good insolentissimae insaniae est disputare an â—d faciendum fit quod tota facit ecclesia Sursum corda SVrsum corda seemes to be taken out of the Lamentations of Ieremy cap. 3. vers 41. Leuemus corda nostra cum manibus ad dominum in coelos vsed in the Church at least 300 yeeres before Popery was knowne in the world For Augustine who liued within 400 yeeres after Christ and the blessed Martyr Cyprian who died an 259. make mention of it in their writings often Cyprian in serm de orat dominic Augustine de vera religione cap. 3. and epist. 156. and as Cassander obserues epist. ad Dardan lib. de bono perseuerantiae Sursum corda then is no rag of Rome no peece of Poperie but vsed in all Liturgies of the ancient Church and that which may content the Nouelist most it was borrowed as Master Fox thinks not from the Latine but from the Greeke Churches Howsoeuer it is exceeding fit for Almighty God in his holy seruice requires our heart principally Son giue me thine heart so that when we come to his Temple specially to his table euery one must say with Dauid I lift vp my soule to thee For as the Church of Scotland truly the onely way to receiue worthily the Lords Supper is to lift vp our mindes by faith aboue all things worldly and sensible and thereby to enter into heauen that we may finde and receiue Christ where he dwelleth a point well vrged also by our Church Hom concerning the worthy receiuing of the Sacrament part the first The Papists entertaine this clause still in the Roman Missale but it makes against their reall presence For if Christs body so large in quantity as it was on the crosse be present in the Sacrament what need any man lift vp his heart when as hee holds it