yet a while to Open your cares in attention whilst I lay Open vnto you the meaning of this word Open. A word it is of liberty and of liberall signification yet all that in this place it imports may be reduced to two actions Something that she is to doe to her children Something that her children are to do to themselues That which the Church is to doe to her Children is to Preach Christ vnto them n Isa 1.1 which is an opening of the prison dore and setting the prisoner at liberty Isa 61. 1. Thus Augustin vnderstands the place o August in Iohan. tract 57. Aperi mihi id est praedica me Open vnto me that is Open me Preach and declare me p Id. ibid. Ad cos quippe quiclauserunt contra me quomo do intrabo sine aperiente For vnto such as haue shut me out how shall I enter without an opener How shall they heare without a q Rom. 10.14 Preacher This thing Christ else-where desires of his Church Cant. 2.10 r Cant. 2.10 Arise my loue my faire one and come thy way Arise out of thy bed of contemplation Come away looke about and s Ioh. 4.35 behold the regions white vnto haruest Ioh. 4.35 Make hast and be quicke in preaching A businesse indeede of important celerity in respect whereof wee must passe by men t Luc. 10.4 vnsaluted Luc. 10 4. And leaue euen our father u Math. 8.12 vnburied Mat. 8.22 And it may be Christ therefore a little before his death washed his disciples v Iohn 13.15 feete that they might be nimble and expedite in preaching that others seeing them might cry out in admiration x Rom. 10.15 How beautifull are the feete of them that bring glad tydings of peace and glad tidings of good things Rom. 10.15 Vndoubtedly a most worthy worke of the Church as can be Lord Iesus let mee euer preach and declare thy name among men that thou mayst purge and cleare my name before thy father in heauen Seeing then this businesse of preaching is committed to the Church it is her duetie to chuse men that can and men that will vndertake so weighty a businesse as preaching is Men that can For euery blocke is not apt for a Mercury nor euery honest man to be a teacher It is y Nazi Apol. pag. 6. ars artium et scientiarum regere hominem saith Nazianzen an Arte of all Artes and sciences to be a teacher and ruler of men Therefore Paul saith he must nor be a z 1 Tim. 3.6 Neophyte a young Scholler 1 Tim. 3.6 a Cyprian exhortat ad marty Neque enim idoneus potest esse miles qui non exercitatus prius in campo fuerit saith Cyprian He can neuer be a fit Soldiour in Christs campe that was neuer exercised in the field before Which made Nazianzen so pittifully to complaine that some in his time did b Figulinam in dolio discere Gilber Cog. paraem 2.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the prouerbe saith that is as he expounds it learne knowledge of CHRIST by the destruction of soules like vnto bad Phisitians who learne skill by hurting their patients For my part saith hee I haue euer preferred it as a point of wisedome c Nazian apol candidam potius aurem submittere quam stolidam linguam mouere Rather to vse an ingenuous eare in hearing then to moue a blockish tongue in speaking Againe it is the Churches duety to chuse men that will Preach For as good be silent with ignorance as with idlenesse And it is no lesse impietie not to be willing to Preach when we can then not to be able to Preach when we should d Exod. 28.34 Moyses commanded Aaron the high Priest to make him a coate at the skirts whereof were to be pomegranates of blew silke and bels of Gold that his sound might bee heard when hee went into the holy place and when hee went out that he might not dye Exod. 28.34 Hereupon e Greg. Past lib. 2. cap. 14. et Epist lib. 1. ep 24. Gregory Moysi praecipitur c. Moyses is commanded that the Priest going into the Tabernacle should be compassed with bels that is vt voces praedicationis habeat that hee should haue the voyce of preaching and so not dye f Idem vt sup Sacerdos quippe ingrediens vel egrediens moritur si de eo sonitus non audiatur For the Priest going in and comming out dyeth if there be no sound of preaching nor no sound preaching come from his mouth Wherefore let vs bee continually following our businesse Let vs saith Origen g imitate Moyses and Aron Orig. in Leuit. hom 6. What is said of them That they departed not out of the Tabernacle day nor night What did they there Aut à Deo aliquid discere aut populum à ocere Either learne something of God or teach something to the people And Haec duo sunt pontificis opera These two things are the whole businesse of a Church-man either by reading the Scriptures to learne something to himselfe or by expounding the Scripture to teach something to the people And thus much of this The other action I take it is chiefly intended heere which each faithfull soule that is a member of the Church is to doe for it selfe viz. to Open to Christ. A speech indeed metaphoricall And that you may the better conceiue the Metaphor wee must call to minde that man before his fall being made after the Image of God had God remayning and abiding in him as another soule to his soule quickning him with another life which Paul cals h Ephes 4.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 4.18 the life of God And so for that time the state of man in paradise was like the happy condition that shall be to Gods children in heauen when i 1 Cor. 15.28 GOD shall be all in all 1 Cor. 15.28 But when by the subtiltie of the Diuell it was mans vnhappy case to fall from God then did hee banish and expell that sweet guest out of his soule and was himselfe expelled and banished out of Paradise And looke how God in Iustice then shut the gate of Paradise against man that hee should not any more come thither so hath man by sinne euer since shut the dore of his heart against God that hee cannot lodge there Hence it is that God who doth neuer cease to seeke and to saue doth beg and craue of vs as in this place Open vnto mee desiring that wee againe would entertaine him that by receiuing him into our soules againe on earth we may come to be receiued by him into his celestiall Paradise in heauen Now the dores by which hee is to enter in to vs are the dores of our senses and the dores of our vnderstanding By the one wee heare and see him by the other wee loue and beleeue in him And because there is nothing in the vnderstanding
which is not first in the sense therefore as I take it we must first Open the dore of our senses heare him in the Word see him in the Sacrament and then the dores of our vnderstanding apprehend him by Faith and retayne him by Loue. First then Open vnto him that is Open thine eares to heare him preached a most necessary worke for a Christian for k Rom. 10.17 Faith come by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10.17 Yea euen such as haue seene Christ and seene him crucified yet haue not beleeued in him by seeing but by hearing The Centurion that watched him at his death l Mark 15.36 hearing him with a cry giue vp the Ghost said Truely this was the Sonne of God m Bern. super Cant. ser 28. Auditus inuenit quod non visus saith Bernard Oculum species fefellit veritas auri se infudit His hearing found out that which his seeing could not prie into and Truth shewed her selfe to his care that could not be perceiued with his eye Therefore God saith to his Church Psal 45.11 n Audi filia vide Heare ô Daughter and see Psal 45.11 o Bern. vbi sup Quid intendis oculum aurem para Why dost thou bend thine eye rather prepare thine care that thou maist say with them in the Psalme p Psal 48.8 Sieut audiuimus sic vidimus c. As wee haue heard so haue wee seene in the Citie of the Lord of Hoasts in the Citie of our God Psal 48 8. Then Open vnto him that is open thine eyes to see him crucified Looke on him in the Sacraments in Baptisme washing and purging thee in the Lords Supper feeding and nourishing thee For these are the signes which hee desires to be shewed by and which will make vs with Moyses q Heb. 11.26 to see him that is inuisible But rest not in the signe that is but earth aspire to that which is signified which is in heauen To conclude as r Dan. 6.10 Daniel set his windowes open to Ierusalem so set thou thine eyes open to heauen s Hieron ad Eustoch vnde lumen introeat saith Ierome vnde vide as ciuitatem Domini from whence thou maist see the light of grace and behold the Citie of God It is said of God that t Psal 34.15 his eyes are ouer the righteous and his eares open to their prayers Let thine eyes be toward God as his are toward thee Say with Dauid v Psal 123.2 Behold as the eyes of seruants looke vnto the hand of their Master and as the eyes of a Mayden vnto the hand of their Mistresse so waite our eyes vpon thee O Lord. When thou hast thus heard him thus seene him let him passe from thy sense to thine vnderstanding There open thine heart to beleeue in him and thy affections to loue him Thine heart to beleeue in him for x Rom. 10.10 With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnes Rom. 10.10 And y Ephes 3.17 Christ doth dwell in the heart by Faith Ephes 3.17 Ianua nostrafides est saith z Ambr. in Psal 118. serm 12. Ambrose quae totam domum sifuerit robusta communit Faith is the dore which letteth Christ into the soule which if it be strong all the house is the stronger And strong it is if any vertue be strong a Bernard sup Cant. serm 76. Attingit inaccessa deprehendit ignota comprehendit immensa apprehendit nouissima It toucheth things inaccessible findes out things vnconceiueable apprehends things invisible comprehends things vnmeasurable Yea it closeth within the spheare thereof euen eternitie it selfe for that most blessed and glorious Trinitie which wee cannot conceiue in our hart by knowledge wee doe receiue into our soules by faith Per istam ianuam Christus ingreditur b Amb. in Psal 118. ser 12. saith Ambrose By this gate Christ enters into the soule and there rests as in his holy temple Finally faith is c Lud. Viu com in Aug. de ciu dei lib. 1. cap. 1. huius vitae viaticum Our whole prouision for this life without which a man can neither d Heb. 11.6 please God nor e Nam qui non placeat deo non potest illi placere deus Bern. in Cant. ser 24. God him When thou hast thus got him by faith hold him by Loue For else hee will soone be gone from thee againe The two f Rib. de templ lib. 1. cap. 21. dores which lead into the Sanctum Sanctorum had sides round or folding and were g 1 King 6.24 se inuicem tenentia holding or clasping each other to teach vs that the two dores of Faith and loue by which Christ Iesus goes into the soule as into his holy Temple must neuer be separate nor diuided but must se inuicem tenere claspe hands together because h Leo de collect eleemos ser 5. Sicut in fide est operum ratio sic in operibus fidei fortitudo saith Leo Euen as in Faith is the order of our workes so in workes is the life of Faith And thus haue wee heard how wee must open to him that we may the better doe it let vs see how he knockes for enterance and why For the first vnderstand that God knockes at the gate of our heart for lodging there diuers wayes First i 2 Cor. 5.20 by the open voyce of the ministerie 2 Cor. 5.20 We pray you euen as if God did beseech you through vs that yee be reconciled vnto God Secondly by wholesome inspiration Reu. 3.20 k Reu. 3.20 Behold I stand at the doore and knocke if any man will heare my voyce and open vnto mee I will come in to him and sup with him Domine saith l Aug. confess lib. 10. cap. 6. Augustine amo te percussisticor meū amaui te Lord I loue thee thou hast knocked at my heart and I haue set my minde on thee And m Acts 17.27 doubtlesse he is not farre from euery one of vs. Not farre no n Senec. epist 41 Prope est à te Deus tecum est intus est saith diuine Seneca God is neere thee with thee within thee Ita dico Lucili sacer intra nos Spiritus sedet Yea it is as I say there is an holy spirit resting in vs or rather not resting but stirring moning vs to holy actions o Idi bid Bonus vir sine deo nemo est so impossible is it for any man to be good without God Thirdly by the Creatures the world is a Booke Heauen and earth opened leaues each creature a letter to teach vs to know and to loue God p Aug. confess lib. 1. cap. 6. Domine saith Augustine coelum terra omnia quae in eis sunt ecce vndique mihi dicunt vt te amem nec cessant dicere omnibus vt sint inexcusabiles Heauen and earth and all things therein lo ô
Lord they all speake to me to loue thee and so they doe to all other men to make them without excuse Lastly by afflictions And then God knockes vs somewhat hard indeed For as Iob saith q Iob 33.15.16 God speakes once or twice one seeth it not in dreames and visions of the night Then he openeth their eares euen by their corrections which he hath sealed So that God Opens mens eares to heare his call and then men Open their harts to let him in But why Lord why dost thou beg thus of vs to let thee in Art not thou able to make enterance thy selfe Is our heart harder then that r Act. 12.10 Iron gate of the Citie which opened vnto Peter of its own accord And art not thou our Sampson able to breake vp and breake downe the s Iudg. 16.3 gates of our Azzah and to carry them with thee into thy holy mountaine Lastly hast not thou the Key of Dauid which t Reuel 3.7 openest and no man shutteth which shuttest and no man openeth Why dost thou then beg so much to haue vs Open to thee thou being so well able to Open to thy selfe Yes my deare brethren God desires of vs to let him in because his presence is not pleasing to himselfe if it be not pleasing vnto vs. Therefore he would haue vs Open to him receiue him willingly entertaine him ioyfully that so hee may ioy to remaine with vs. For it is his v Prou. 8.31 delight to be with the sonnes of men especially if they againe delight to be with him And hence it is that wee haue so many sweet exhortations u Eph. 4.30 not to grieue his spirit x 1 Thes 5.19 not to quench the spirit but to y Psal 31.23 loue the Lord and to z Psal 37.4 delight in him And all for this end that hee might please himselfe in the kinde entertainment that comes from vs. For hee tarryes with no man against his will nor remaines in any place where he is not welcome Therefore he is not more ready to demaund entertainment of vs then hee is forward to giue abilitie of the thing vnto vs. For a Iohn 15.5 without him can wee doe nothing As no man but Christ could b Reu. 5.5 Open the clasped Booke that Gods counsels might be deliuered to vs so none but Christ can Open our closed heart that Gods counsels might be receiued of vs. Euen he which bids vs Open to him must Open for himselfe Our heart as hee did the c Acts 16.14 hart of Lydia Acts 16.14 Our d Luke 24.31 wits as the two Disciples that went to Emmaus Luke 24.31 Our eyes as the e Mar. 10.47 eyes of blinde Bartimaus Marke 10.47 Our eares as the eares f Mar. 7.34 of the deafe and dumbe man Marke 7.34 Domine saith g Aug. confess lib. 10. cap. 27. Augustine vocasti clamasti rupisti sur ditatâ—m meam Lord thou hast called thou hast cryed and beate through my deafnesse h Id. ibid. Coruscasti splenduisti fugasti cacitatem meam Thou hast glittered thou hast shined and driuen away my blindnesse Then Lord giue what thou commandest and command what thou wilt Wherefore to draw to a conclusion and to shut vp this word Open remember what Christ saith vnto you here Open vnto mee Remember what you must say to Christ hereafter Open vnto vs that which you shall desire of him then that doe whilst hee requests it of you now Gouernours and Rulers heare what is said of Hezekiah 2 Chro. 29.3 i 1 Chron. 29.3 Hee opened the dores of the house of the Lord which k 2 Chr. 28.24 Ahaz had shut in the first yeere of his raigne and the first moneth of the yeere Hee began to settle his owne kingdome with the setting vp Gods Kingdome and so fulfilled the request of each faithfull soule that had cryed out with Dauid l Psal 118.19 Open me the gates of righteousnesse that I may goe in and praise the Lord. Yee Reuerend Fathers and Pastors of the Church remember what is said of Christ m Mat. 5.2 He opened his mouth and taught Mat. 5.2 which signifies eyther that hee spake of n Apertio oris profunditatem significat sacramenti Strab. in Gloss ad loc high matters according to that of Mat. 13.35 o Mat. 13.35 I will open my mouth in Parables I will declare hard sentences of old or else that hee spake boldly and confidently accordng to that of Ezeck 29.21 In that day I p Ezek. 29.21 will giue thee an open mouth in the midst of them And this being remembred will vntie the strings of their tongues whose mouthes seeme to be coped vp like Ferrets and can say nothing at all or whose practise is q Origen in Gen. hom 10. Linire parietem lapsantem as Origen speakes to daube a tottering wall and colour ouer their sinnes with silent ouer-passing which they should rub out with sharpe reprouing Ye worshipfull Magistrates and Iudges Heare what Bethsheba saith to her sonne Prou. 31.8 r Prou. 31.8 Open thy mouth for the dumbe in the cause of all the children of destruction Remember that ye be liuing lawes to teach men by your actions as vvell as by your counsailes And one day we shall all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ s Bern. Epist Vbi plus valebunt pura corda quam astuta verba conscientia bona quam marsupia plena When a pure heart shall do more then a subtile tongue and a good conscience preuaile aboue a full purse Ye rich men Remember what God saith to his people Deut. 15.8 t Deut. 15.8 Thou shalt not shut thy hand from thy brother but thou shalt Open thy hand vnto him And to conclude all you that are tradesmen as you Open you shops to men for gaine so Open your hearts to Christ for godlinesse v Heb. 9.8 Christ hath Opened to vs a way into the holy of holies Heb. 9.8 Shall Christ Open a way for vs in heauen and shall not we Open a way for him on earth Yes As u Gen. 8.9 Noah Opened the window of his arke and tooke in the Doue that came flying to him with an Oliue leafe in her mouth so let vs Open the dore of our heart and receiue Gods Doue his blessed spirit that brings the Oliue of peace vvith him Finally let me say to each mans heart which is the gate of his soule as Dauid doth to the gates of the Temple Psalm 24.9 x Psal 24.9 Lift your heads O ye gates and be ye lift vp ye euerlasting dores and the King of Glory shall goe in Let the King of glory come into our soules now that wee may come into his kingdome of glory hereafter To which King of glory One eternall and euer-liuing God and three persons the father sonne and holy Ghost be all glory might Maiesty power and dominion for euer and euer Amen FINIS