name Catholike my surname So Rome was England is a Catholike Church But it properly signifieth vniuersall as here because extended to all places and all times and all persons not only those who are now liuing but also those who haue been from the beginning and shall be to the end of the world So that to say the Roman Catholike Church is like the by-word of Kent and Christendome all one as to say the particular or the speciall generall Church From this naturall acception ariseth that other borowed as in the Creed of Athanasius Haec est fides Catholica that is quod vbique quod semper quod ab omnibus creditum est The Catholike faith is that which is taught all men Matth. 28. 19. Mark 16. 15. in all places Rom. 10. 18. at all times 2. Cor. 1. 19. And Psal. 119. Thy word O Lord indureth for euer and thy truth also from generation to generation Fides est vides in vs quae non vides an euidence of things not euident So that the Church we must beleeue is Catholike not sensible subiect to view but inuisible an object of faith Communion of Saints The Churches third propertie which expoundeth the two former I beleeue the Catholike Church to wit the communion of Saints If a communion then Catholike if Saints then holy This communion hath two parts fellowship Of the members with the head because euery Christian hath interest in all the benefits of Christ who is not a garden flower priuate for a few but the Rose of the field common to all and therefore S. Iude calles his grace the Common saluation Of the meÌ„bers one with another and it is either of the Liuing with the liuing Dead with the liuing As in the naturall body so in the Church Christs mysticall body there is a peâ—petuall sympathie betwen ethe parts if one member suffer all suffer with it if one be had in honour all reioice with it Martin Luther said well and wittâ—â—y that a Christian is a freeman and bound vnto none And againe that he is a diligent seruant and vassall vnto all Vere vir omnium hâ—rarum omnium operum omnium personarura becoming all things vnto all men that he may winne them vnto Christ. As that Antichristian in stile so the Christian is in deed Serâ—us seruorum Dei There is a knot of fellowship also betweene the dead Saints and the liuing They pray to God for our good in generall and we praise God for their good in particular I say we praise God in his Saints particularly for giuing Mary Peter Paul such eminent graces on earth and now such vnspeakable glory in heauen In affection and heart we conuerse with them alway desiring to be dissolued and to be with Christ. Remission of sinnes All of vs are borne in sinne orius damnati quam nati saith Bernard and after increasing we grow from euill to worse vntill our sinnes are remitted by Gods grace conueied vnto vs in the Church by his holy word and Sacraments it is a remission not a satisfaction a worke not of our merit but of Gods mercy who beholding vs in Christ reputes our sinnes as no sinnes I haue put away thy transgressioÌ„s as a cloud thy sins as a mist so remitted as if they neuer were committed Agaus Dâ—i qui tollit peccata mundi dimittendo quae facta sunt adiuuando ne fiant perducendo ad vitam vbi emnino fieri non possunt Sinnes in the plurall be they neuer so many for quantitie neuer so grieuous for qualitie Say not with Caiâ—e My sinne is greater then can be pardoned but with Paul All things worke for the best vnto them who loue God Remember saith Luther the speech of God to Rebecca Maior seruiet minori The greater shall serue the lesser Our spirituall enemies are stronger and our sinnes are greater then we yet they shall serue for our good the greater shall serue the lesser I beleeue the râ—mission of sinnes A very great benefit because this pardon is our soules life Where the wages of sin is death of Bodie which is the temporall Soule which is the â—â—â—rituall Body soule which is eternall death See the Epistle Dom. 7. post Trinit Resurrection of the bodie The whole Creed in grosse and euery parcell argueth a resuâ—rection as Erasmus aptly This one article is the Basis of all the rest for if there be a God almightie then hee is iust and if iust then another reckoning in another world where good men shall be rewarded and euill condignely punished If a Iesus Christ who is our Sauiour then hee must dissolue the workes of Satan which are sinne and death if an holy Ghost then all his hallowed temples who did glorifie him heere shall bee glorified of him hereafter If a Church which is holy then a remission of sinnes a resurrection of the bodie a life euerlasting that all such as haue been subiects in his kingdome of grace may likewise bee Saints in his kingdome of glory for as God is principium effectiuum in creatione refectiuum in redemptione so perfectiuum in retributione Life euerlasting The chiefe good and last end which we gaine by being in the Church All men on earth haue life but not euerlasting the damned in hell endure that which is euerlasting yet not a life but an eternall death as being perpetually tied vnto torments enforced euer to suffer that they would not neither can they doe any thing that they would only the Church elected by the Father redeemed by the Sonne sanctified by the holy Ghost shall enioy life euerlasting not by purchase or inheritance but by donation and franke almaine The spirituall hand which apprehends this deede of gift is faith and therefore begin well with I beleeue in God and continue well in being a member of his Holy Catholike Church and thou shalt be sure to end well with euerlasting life Amen Our assent to the Creed signifying hereby that all which we haue said is true and certaine O Lord increase our faith Ruth 2. 4. THe Nouelists haue censured this and other like Suffrages as short cuts or shreddings rather wishes then prayers A rude speech which sauoureth of the shop more then of the schoole for our Church imitated herein the meeke Publicane O God be mercifull to me a sinner and the good womaÌ„ of Cannan Haue mercie on me O Lord and deuout Bartiâ—â—us O sonne of Dauid take pitie on me These short shreddings and lists are of more value then their Northren broad cloath the which as wee see shrinkes in the wetting whereas our ancient custome hath continued in the Church aboue 1200 yeeres for Augustine writes epist. 121 that the ChristiaÌ„s of Egypt vsed in their Liturgy many prayers euery one of theÌ„ being very short raptim quodammodo
is not only present with his elect but also makes them sensibly perceiue it as Simeon here did and therefore his mourning was turned into mirth and his sobs into songs Againe sometime God is present but not felt and this secret presence sustaines vs in all our troubles and temptatations it intertaineth life in our soules wheÌ„ as to our iudgment we are altogether dead as there is life in trees when they haue cast their leaues And therefore let no man bee dismaied howsoeuer dismaied for God doth neuer leaue those whom he doth loue but his comfortable spirit is a secret friend and often doth vs most good when wee least perceiue it Esay 41. 10 c. 43. 2. According to thy word If God promise we may presume for he is not like man that he should lie neither as the sonne of man that he should repent This should teach vs to be hoiie as God our Father is holy being followers of him as deare children As he doth euer keepe his word with vs so let vs euer keepe our othes and promises one with another It is well obserued that aequinocation and lying is a kind of vnchastitie for the mouth and minde are coupled together in holie mariage Matth. 12. 34. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh And therefore when the tongue doth speake that which the heart neuer thought our speech is conceiued in adulterie and hee that breedes such bastard children offends not only against charity but also against chastitie Men say they must lie sometime for aduantage but it is a good conclusion both in religion and common experience that honestie is the best policie and truth the only durable armour of proofe The shortest way commonly the foulest the fairer way not much about Lord who shall dwell in thy tabernacle or who shall rest vpon thine holy hill euen he that speaketh the truth from his heart he that vseth no deceit in his tongue hee that sweareth vnto his neighbour and disappointeth him not For mine eyes haue seene thy saluation I haue seene the Messias in whom and by whom thy saluation is wrought and brought vnto vs. As Simeon saw Christs humanitie with the eies of his body so he saw Christs Diuinity long before with the pearcing eies of faith He knew that the little babe which he lulled in his armes was the great God whom the heauen of heauens could not containe and therefore beleeuing in the Lord of life hee was not afraid of death but instantly breakes forth into this sweete song Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace for mine eyes haue c. Death is vnwelcome to carnall men as Aristotle said Of all Terribles the most Terrible They crie out vpon the miseries of life and yet when death commeth they doe as little children who all the day complaine but when the medicine is brought them are nothing sicke as they who all the weeke runne vp and downe the house with paine of the teeth and seeing the Barbor come to pull them out feele no more torment as tender bodies in a pricking plurisie call and cannot stay for a Surgeon and yet when they see him whetting his lancet to cut the throte of the disease pull in their armes and hide them in the bed And the true reason hereof is want of faith because they doe not vnfainedly beleeue that Christ Iesus hath led captiuitie captiue that he hath swallowed vp death in victorie by his death and opened vnto vs the gates of eternall life The blessed theefe vpon the Crosse died ioyfully because hee saw Christ and beleeued also that he should passe from a place of paine to a paradise of pleasure S. Stephen died ioyfully because he saw the heauens open and Christ standing at the right hand of the Father Here Sâ—meon departed ioyfully because his eyes saw the saluation of the Lord. As there are two degrees of faith so two sorts of Christians one weake another strong The weake Christian is willing to liue and patient to die but the strong patient to liue and willing to die That a man may depart in peace two things are requisit 1. Preparation before death 2. A right disposition at death Both which are procured onely by faith in Christ. If a man were to fight hand to hand with a mightie Dragon in such wise that either he must kill or be killed his best course were to bereaue him of his poison and sting Death is a Serpent and the sting wherewith he woundeth vs is sinne so saith S. Paul The sting of death is sinne Now the true beleeuer vnderstands and knowes assuredly that Christ Iesus hath satisfied the law and then if no law no sinne and if no sinne death hath no sting well may death hisse but it cannot hurt when our vnrighteousnes is forgiuen and sinne couered Christ both in life and death is aduantage Philip 1. 21. Faith also procureth a right disposition and behauiour at death for euen as when the children of Israel in the wildernes were stung with fierie Serpents and lay at the point of death they looked vp to the Brasen Serpent erected by Moses according to Gods appointment and were presently cured so when any feele death draw neere with his fiery sting to pearce the heart they must fixe the eye of a true faith vpon Christ exalted on the Crosse beholding death not in the glasse of the Law which giueth death an vglie face but in the Gospels glasse setting foorth death not as death but as a sleepe only Faith is the speare which killeth our last enemie for when a man is sure that his redeemer liueth and that this corruptible shall put on incorruption and this mortall immortalitie well may he sing with old Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace and triumph ouer y e graue with Paul O death where is thy sting O hell where is thy victory The sting of death is sin the strength of sin is the law but thanks be giuen vnto God which giueth vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. And thus much of the reason why Simeon was not afraid of death namely for that he did hold in his armes and behold with his eyes the Lord Christ who is the resurrection and the life he could say with a true heart vnto God thou art my God and his soule did heare God saying vnto him by his word I am thy saluation Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people The second part of this Hymne concerning the generall good our Sauiour brought to the whole world Wherein two points are to be noted especially 1. What are his benefits 2. To whom they belong The benefits are saluation light and glorie So that the world without Christ lieth in damnation darknesse and shame Iesus is a Sauiour neither is there saluation in any other he is the light
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
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
The word originall signifieth rather fauour then pitie because pitie is shewed onely in aduersitie not in prosperitie whereas fauour in both and therefore the vulgar Latine Deus misereatur happily not so sufficient as Deus faueat Be fauorable O Lord and so mercifull as to blesse vs that is not only to deliuer vs from euill but also to giue whatsoeuer is good In more particular Shew vs the light of thy countenance Euery man doth desire blessing but the good man only this blessing all other are blessings of the left hand common to the wicked with the godly but this a blessing of the right hand which only belongs vnto Gods elect God lookes on the reprobate like an angry Iudge with a cloudie countenance but beholds all his adopted children in Christ as a mercifull father with a gratious aspect Shew vs thy countenance that is indue vs with true knowledge of thy word and a liuely faith in thy Sonne which is thine owne image and countenance where we may learne to confesse with Paul that all other things are but losse in comparison of the superexcellent knowledge of Christ Iesus for it is eternall life to know God and whom he hath sent Iesus Christ. That thy way may be knowne As light so the participation of Gods light is communicatiue we must not pray for our selues alone but for all other that Gods way may be known vpon earth and his sauing health among all nations Thy way that is thy will thy word thy works Gods will must be knowne on earth that it may be done on earth as it is in heauen Except we know our Masters will how shall we do it Ergo first pray with Dauid here Let thy way be knowne vpon earth and then let all the people praise thee Gods will is reuealed in his word and his word is his way wherein we must walke turning neither to the right hand nor to the left or thy way that is thy works as Dauid elsewhere Psalm 25. 9. All the waies of the Lord are mercie and truth Or as other most fitly Thy way that is thy Christ Thy sauing health that is thy Iesus for I am the way saith our Sauiour Iohn 14. 6. No man commeth to the Father but by me wherefore let thy sonne be knowne vpon earth thy Iesus among all nations At this time God was knowne in Iurie but saith Hierome Gods way was vnknowne his sonne was not as yet manifested in the flesh this as Paul speakes was his wisedome but now reuealed as S. Iohn in his first epistle Wee haue heard wee haue seene with our eyes and our haâ—ds haue handled of the word of life Blessed eyes happie eares for I tell you many Prophâ—â—â— and Kings haue desired to see the things which you see and haue not seene them and to heare the things which you heare and haue not heard them Let the people praise thee Marke the sweete order of the blessed Spiâ—it first mercie then knowledge last of all praising of God We cannot see his countenance except he be mercifull vnto vs and wee cannot praise him except his way be knowne vpon earth his mercie breeds knowledge his knowledge praise Wee must praise God alway for all things Ephes. 5. 20. but especially for his sauing health among all nations And this is the true reason why the Church in her Liturgie doth vse so many Hymnes and giue so much thanks vnto God for the redemption of the world Wherein assuredly she did imitate the blessed Apostles in composing the Creed the greatest part whereof as hath been noted is spent in the doctrine which concerneth our Sauiour Christ. Let all the people Some mislike the Letanie for that it hath a petition for all men and all people yet wee haue both a precept and a precedent out of Gods owne booke the Commandement is 1. Tim. 2. I exhort that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giuing of thankes be made for all men The practise of Gods Church is apparent in this place let the people let all the people which the Psalmographer vttered from the spirit of God as the mouth of God and therefore let men construe the Church as the Scripture when as the Church doth speake Scripture lest they wipe out of the Bible many good lessons as Tertulli in said of Marcion if not with a spunge yet with a peeuish and ouerthwart interpretation And heere let the Nouelist also remember that both our English reformers and the Churches of Scotland vse the same petition for all men in their prayers after the Sermon O let the nations reioyce and be glad It is obserued to good purpose that this clause is inserted fitly between that doubled exclamation Let the people praise thee because none can praise God well except they doe it heartily with ioy and gladnesse For as the Lord loues a cheerefull giuer so likewise a cheerefull thanksgiuer God is terrible to the wicked but a God of gladnesse to such as haue seene the light of his countenance for being reconciled vnto God they haue such inward ioy and peace that it passeth all vnderstanding For thou shalt iudge the folke righteously The Psalmist here may seeme to contradict himselfe for if mercie make men reioyce then iudgement occasioneth men to tremble Answere is made that all such as haue knowne the waies of the Lord and reioyce in the strength of his saluation all such as haue the pardon of their sinnes assured and sealed feare not that dreadfull assise because they know the Iudge is their aduocate Or as Hierome let all nations reioyce because God doth iudge righteously being the God of the Gentiles as well as of the Iewes Acts 10. 34. Or let all nations reioyce because God doth gouerne all nations that whereas heretofore they wandred in the fond imaginations of their owne hearts in wrie waies in by-waies now they are directed by the spirit of truth to walke in Gods high way which leades vnto the celestiall Ierusalem now they shall know Christ the way the truth and the life For iudging is vsed often for ruling 1. Sam. 7. 15. 2. Cor. 1. 10. So Dauid here doth expound himselfe Thou shalt iudge that is thou shalt gouerne the nations Vpon earth Not excluding things aboue but openly meeting with their impietie who think God careth not for the things below for Epicurus in old time so taught Epicures in our time so liue as if almightie God did not marke what were done well or ill vpon earth O yee fooles when will ye vnderstand He that planted the eare shall he not heare or he that made the eye shall he not see Totus oculus est quia omnia videt totus manus est quia omnia operatur totus pes est quia vbique est as Seneca like a Diuine Prope à te est Deus