day Againe this sentence Christ is the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles ouerthroweth as Interpreters obserue Marcion and other heretickes affirming that two sundrie disagreeing Gods are Authors of the two Testaments As if one God were preached in the Gospell and another in the Law whereas one and the same Christ is the very center of both at which all the Prophets and Apostles aime principally The builders of Gods house are the Prophets and Apostles and all their lawfull successours the Ministers and Preachers of the word Behold saith the Lord to Ieremie the Prophet I haue put my woreis in thy mouth I haue set thee euer the nations and ouer the kingdomes to plucke vp and to roote out and to destroy and throw downe to build and to plant That is to roote out vice to plant vertue to destroy the dens of Sâ—tan and build vp Gods remple to throw downe the kingdome of Antichrist and to set vp the kingdome of Christ. And so Paul cals himselfe a skilfull Architect or a cunning master builder laiing the foundation and hee faith of other Preachers of the word that they build vpon his foundation gold siluer precious stones c. that is doctrines and exhortations answerable to the foundation and worthie of Christ. In a word that the Pastors are Gods labourers and the people God building 1. Cor. 3 9. it is true that Christ himselfe is the chiefe builder as hee saith in the Gospel vpon this rocke will I build my Church he builds as it is in our text through his holy spirit vers 22. yet hee doth vse Prophets and Apostles and Euangelists and Pastors and Teachers as vnder-workmen for the gathering together of his saints and edification of his Church Ephes. 4. 11.12 The tooles or instruments which Apostles and Preachers vse toward this worke are the Word and the Sacraments especially For so the Lord of these labourers hath appointed Goe teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost His word iâ— his power to bring his elect to the foundation and to build them vpon the foundation His Sacraments are fastnings as it were to strengthen and confirme them after they be laid in the building that they fall not away but grow to an holy temple of the Lord. Our doctrine must be according to the analogie of faith our exhortation according to the rules of good life the Bible which is our lanterne and our guide furnisheth vs with both and therefore wee must euer build vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Beside these tooles a Minister ought to further Gods building with heartie praiers and good example Bellarmine said of Erasmus falsely that he was but halfe a Christian but it may be said of a lewd Pastour truly that he is but halfe a Preacher he may peraduenture pull downe more building in one weeke with his bad life then he can set vp againe in a whole yeere with his great learning Seneca thought it impossible that any body should at onetime be both a good man and a good captaine but a Clergie man is not a good Pastor vnlesse he be a good paterne God defend me and mine from a mangie Physitian a ragged Alchimist and a dissolute Diuine If thou be a president of godlinesse to thy people pray to the God of all grace that you may so remaine if you sometime were and are now fallen returne if you neuer were repent if you neuer will be perish Nam à Deo separabitur qui à diabolo superabitur Concerning the properties of the Church it is built together in such a due proportion and concinne symmetrie that euery part is content to keepe his ranke and performe his function without any faction It is a body fitly ioined together and compacted by that which euery ioint supplieth c. Ephes. 4.16 See Epistle 2. Sund. after Epiphanie It is built together in respect of her vnion with Christ the head corner stone and coupled together in respect of her communion with the members See Communion of Saints in the Creed And being thus inserted and built on Christ it liueth and groweth from grace to grace till it become an holy Temple to the Lord. The which Interpreters vnderstand of euery singular part so well as of the whole body for euery Christian is an habitation of God If thou be then a consecrated Chappell vnto the Lord how darest thou commit Idolatrie which is against the first table What agreement hath the temple of God with Idols Or how dinest thou commit adulterie which is against the second table Know yee not that your body is the temple of the holy Ghost and that God is to bee glorified in your spirit and in your body will you then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid Euery liuing stone that is built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles is holy Lapides in templo sancto non possunt esse non sanctificati The temples of God are holy both in regard of their righteousnesse imputed in that their vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen and Christ himselfe made their holinesse and in regard of sanctification and righteousnesse in herent for that being deliuered out of the hands of all their enemies they serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life The Gospell IOHN 20.24 Thomas one of the twelue which is called Didymus was not with them when Iesus came c. THis Scripture consists of a Dialogue Thomas one of the twelue c. Epilogue Many other signes truly did Iesus c. The Dialogue is between a weake sinner and a meeke Sauiour And according to these two principall persons it hath also two principall parts one concerning Thomas and another touching Christ. In Thomas obserue his Faults which are two 1. His absence from the meeting of the other Apostles 2. His incredulitie not beleeuing the resurrection of Christ occasioned by that absence Faith My Lord and my God That other part concerning Christ is a relation of his second appearing vnto the blessed Apostles after his rising againe from the dead And heerein is set down 1. What he did After eight daies he came againe c. 2. What he said 1. To the whole companie Peace be to you 2. To Thomas in particular Bring thy finger hither c. 3. In conclusion to him and them and vs and al Blessed are they that haue not seen and yet haue beleeued In that our Euangelist hath set downe the fall of Peter and fault of Thomas wee may learne that euen the most holy men are but imperfectly perfect in this life The Pontificians are true Donatists and as it were the very spawne of the Cathari For is any man so great a Puritan as the Papist highly conceiting that he can obserue all
as God saying my Lord and my God acknowledging the diuinitie which he did not see by the wounds he did see So that Christ here commends the faith of Thomas in saying thou hast beleeued and reprehends only his slacknesse of faith in adding because thou hast seene me First handling the wounds of Christ afore hee would credit the words of his Apostleâ— Quid enim est fides nisi credere quod non vides eo plus habit merui quo nanus argumenti Thomas in beleeuing after he saw Christ is a type of the Iewes and the rest of the Disciples in beleeuing afore they saw Christ a figure of the Gentiles Augustin tract 121. in Ioan circa sin Blessed are they that haue not seene and yet haue beleeued He denieth not Thomas to be blessed in this sentence but only preferreth other Apostles and all other Christians afore him in that they haue not seene and yâ—t haue beleeued For if thou knowledge with thy mouth that Iesus is the Lord and beleeue in thine heart that God hath raised him vp from the dead O well is thee and happie shall thou be So blessed as Iohn whose head lay neere his Masters heart so blessed as Ioseph of Arimathea who buried his bodie so blessed as old Simeon who lulled his Sauiour in his armes yea so blessed as the Virgin her selfe that bare him in her wombe for thee was more blessed in being the daughter then in being the mother of Christ. Here the Gospel and Epistle meet all they that haue not seene and yet haue beleeued are fellow citizens with the Saints and of Gods house built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ himselfe being the head corner stone in whom they grow to be an holy temple of God hauing the promises of the life present and of that which is to come See Gospell Sunday 13. after Trinitie By this it doth appeare that the resurrection of Christ is the chiefe obiect of a blessed faith as also the maine subiect of all this out present Gospell And it is exceeding profitable for confutation and instruction As first it doth ouerthrow the wicked error of Corinthus who taught Christ should not rise againe till the generall resurrection of whom Epiphanius worthily Stolâ—dus est stolidorum magister Secondly Apelles heresie who said Christ rose againe but not in his owne flesh or as Augustine reports his opinion without any flesh Thirdly that of Cerdon and the Passionists affirming that Christ ascended into heauen in soule only Fourthly that assertion of Eutychian heretikes holding that Christs humane nature was deiâ—ied after his resurrection and made not glorious only but meerely diuine also Againe the doctrine of Christs rising againe from the dead serues for instruction in matters of holy faith and good manners In articles of beâ—iefe concerning Christ and our seâ—ues First touching Christ whereas he did abide among the dead at least thirtie three or thirtie foure houres as he continued among the liuing thirtie three or thirtie foure yeeres I say whereas Christ being starke dead raised himselfe to life by his owne power it is a manifest demonstration of his Godhead as Paul disputes Rom. 1.4 and God said in the second Psalme Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee The which text ought to be construed not so much of Christs eternall generation afore all worlds as of the manifestation therof in time This day that is at the time of thine incarnation but at the day of thy resurrection especially haue I begotten thee that is I haue made knowne vnto the world that thou art my sonne as Paul expounds it Acts 13.33 for none euer raised another from the dead but by God none euer raised himselfe from the dead but God Secondly this doctrine proues euidently that Christ was a perfect Priest and that his passion was an omnisufficient sacrifice for the sinnes of the whole world For if hee had not fully satisfied for them all if there had remained one little sinne only for which he had made no satisfaction he could not haue risen againe for death and the graue which came into the world by sinne and are daily strengthened by sinne would haue held him in bondage To this purpose Paul saith If Christ be not risen againe your faith is vaine and you are yet in your sinnes That is Christ had not answered fully for your sins or at least you could not possibly know that hee had made satisfaction for any of them if he had not risen againe As for points of faith appertaining to thy selfe more neerely the resurrection of Christ is a demonstration of our resurrection according to that of Paul If it be preached that Christ is risen againe from the dead how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead 1. Cor. 15.12 Behold saith the Lord I kill and giue life I wound and I make whole that is as Tertullian aptly killing by death and giuing life by resurrection If a man be cast into the sea though all his bodie sinke vnder the water yet there is hope of recoueâ—ie so long as his head is aboue the waues in like manner if wee beleeue that Christ our head is the first fruits of those that sleepe let vs not doubt but vnfainedly beleeue that we which are his members in our due time shall be raised out of the dust also Moreouer the resurrection of Christ is a proofe of our iustification before God he was deliuered for our offences and raised againe for our iustification As in his death he stood in our place wounded for our transgressing and broken for our iniquities and bearing our sinnes in his body on the tree so likewise in his resurrection he is not to be considered as a priuate but as a publike person representing the whole Church making his righteousnesse a cloke to couer all our vnrighteousnesse If death could not keepe Christ fettered in his prison it is euident that his power was ouercome Now then if death be conquered it followeth necessarily that sinne the wages of death is also destroied If death and sinne be vanquished then the tyrannous kingdome of Satan is subdued who had the power of death and was author of sinne and ruler of hell So that euery true Christian may reioice with Paul O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie the sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law but thankes be to God which hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. And lastly concerning matters of honest and holy conuersation this doctrine teacheth vs to seeke those things which are aboue where Christ sitteth as the right hand of God and to rise from dead workes vnto newnesse of life See Epistle on Easter day and Epistle Sunday 6. after Trinitie Touching our Euangelists
readeth often and seeth almost daily the seuere iudgments of God vpon sinners and yet himselfe continueth in the same sinne deserues worthily to be punished with as many stripes as he neglected examples He that knowes how Cain was a runagate on earth and how the clamour of his brother Abels bloud entred into the eares of God in heauen and how this cry was a voice vox sanguinum a voice of bloods in the plurall namely the voice of the bloud shed and of all the bloud which might haue come of that bloud if it had not been shed Againe hee that heaâ—e of the lamentable destruction of Ierusalem how her magnificent Temple was made dâ—selate and the glorious Towers of her Citie were laid euen with the ground and all this for that shee killed the Prophets and stoned such as were sent vnto her Hee that reads and beleeues theâ—e things and yet is an obstinate despiser of prophecie killing crucifying securâ—â—â— persecuting the mâ—ssengers of the Lord from City to City shall receiue greater damnation then either Cain or Ierusalem as hauing negleâ—â—ed greater mâ—â—nes of saluation For all things are written for our learning but these things I meane Gods extraordinarie iudgments vpon notorious sinners are written more principally for our examples vpon whom the ends of the world are come See Epist 9 Sund. after Trinitie How often would I haue gathered thy children How often by the mouth of my Prophets how often by mine Apostles how often by mine owne selfe as the louing Hen is alway caring for her chickins alway clucking and calling them if they wander out of her â—ight neuer so little that she may gather them vnder her wings and so guarde them from the mischiefe of the Kite euen so Ierusalem I would haue gathered thy Children vnder the wings of my protection I would haue kept thee and thine from the iawes of thy rauenous enemie Sathan and from the hands of all such as hate you but yee would not O Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe but in me is thine helpe now this ought to be construed either of Christs humane will as he was man or else of his conditionall and reuealed will as he was God otherwise Gods absolute will is effected alway both in heauen and earth and hell it was the conditionall will of God the Iewes resisted according to that of Saint Steuen in the second Lesson allotted for euensong this day Yee stiffe-necked and of vncircumcised hearts and eares ye haue alwâ—y resisted the holy Ghost aâ— your Fathers did so doe you this I would of Christ is voluntae signi not voluntas beneplaciti See Melanct. Câ—ietan Pâ—scator Marlorat in loc Iansâ—n Concord cap 41. 90. didac Aluarez de anxilys diuinae gratiae lib. 5. dâ—â—putat 33.34 O Father of mercies increase our faith and graunt vnto vs in this thy day of our visitation vnfained repentance that howsoeuer England hath equalled Ierusalem in being dissolute yet shee may not parallell Ierusalem in being desolate The Epistle 1. IOHN 1.1 That which was from the beginning which we haue heard which we haue seene with our eyes c. SAint Iohn euer like himselfe that his Gospell and generall Epistle might be sutable confirming each other in the maine scope makes in the beginning was the word the beginning of words vnto both omitting here an ordinarie salutation that hee might at the very first entrance treate of more necessary points of saluation and yet this exordium à re ipsa preamble raised from the matter it selfe is agreeable to the rules of arte wherewith he makes his readers attentiue docile beneuolous attentiue for that he writes not of a trifle but of Christ Iesus the word of life who cleanseth vs from all sinne docile for that the subject of his doctrine is neither new nor vncertaine not new for we shew vnto you that which was from the beginning not vncertaine for we preach vnto you that which we haue heard which we haue seene with our eyes which wee haue looked vpon and our hands haue handled Beneuolus for that hee penned this Epistle for their good namely that they might haue fellowship with the Saints and that their ioy might be full I finde the whole tract diuided into three parts answerable to the three chiefe christian vertues Faith Hope Charitie but for as much as our Apostle writes of these promiseuously without distinction and order I rather amit of Aquines plaine partition Into a Commendation of the Gospell Chap. 1. Exhortation â—o the fruitfull and faithfull obseruing of the same Chap. 2.3 Disswasion from the contrarie Doctrine Chap. 4.5 In the present text there be two descriptions One of Christ in respect of his Natures As God that which was from the beginning As man which we haue heard and seene c. Office being our light and life cleansing vs from all sinne Another of a Christian hauing fellowship with God his Saints and his Sonne in whom are Two remarkeable properties 1. A studiousnesse to doe good Ergo not a carnall Epicure For if we say we haue fellowship with God who is light and walke in darknesse we lie and doe not the truth 2. A sorrowfulnesse when hee doth ill Ergo not a spirituall Puritane For if we say wâ— haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. I haue spoken enough of the first description in my notes vpon the Gospell on Christmas day the pith of it is that Christ Iesus eternally God in the fulnesse of time made man is our only mediator and aduocate with God the Father insomuch as our fellowship with God in this world and fulnesse of ioy in the next is attained by faiâ—h alone first apprehending and after applying his merits Here then our Apostle commends the doctrine of the Gospell in three respects especially First in regard of the subiect as being most ancient and excellent euen that which was in the beginning Godâ— owne sonne the word of life yea that eternall life which was with the father afore all worlds Secondly in regard of the certainty that which wee haue heard which we haue seen with our eyes which we haue looked vpon and our hands haue handled declare wee vnto you For Christ who was in the beginning that eternall word with the Father in these last daies appeared vnto vs. And as S. Paul expounds S. Iohn he was manifested in the flâ—sh Or as S. Iohn in his Gospell expounds himselfe hee became flesh and dwelt among vs. And so wee haue seene and heard him immediatly speaking in the world as well as mediately speaking in his word For he spake to the Fathers by the mouth of all his Prophets euer since the beginning but in our daies he hath spoken with his owne mouth vnto vs our eares haue heard him in his Sermons our eyes haue seene him in acting of his miracles our hands haue
with God hee did ascend farre aboue all heauens and is saith our text on the right hand of God To sit as Ardens vpon the place pithily quiscentis regnantis Iudicantis est ergo bene redemptor noster post passionem ascensionemg suam sedere describitur quia post laborem requiescit post pralium regnat postquam indicatus est iudicat Is Christ ascended on high then let vs seeke those things which are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Albeit our bodies be tied with the fetters of flesh on earth yet let our soules ascend with the winges of faith into heauen euen to the place from whence commeth al our helpe and hope Saluator noster ascendit in coeluÌ„ non ergo turlemur in terra ibi sit mens hic erit requies as Augustine sweetly The way to make a ladder vp to heauen as the same father teacheth in his 3. sermon preached on this day is to trample sin vnder our feet de vitiâ—s nostris scalum nobis facimus si vitia calcamus tread pride vnder thy feet and thou shalt instantly passe one step he that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted tread couetousnes vnder thy feet and it will proue another step how hard is it for them who trust in riches to enter into the kingdome of God tread maliciousnes vnder thy feet and thou shalt approach as yet neerer vnto heauen for God is loue and hee that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him Grant we beseech thee almighty God that like as we doe beleeue thine only begotten sonne our Lord to haue ascended into the heauen so wee may also in heart and mind thither ascend and with him continually dwell Amen The Epistle ACTS 10.34 Then Peter opened his mouth c. THe former part of this text is expounded on Easter Mâ—nday the contents of the latter on Whitsunday The Gospell Iohn 3.16 So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life c. IT is reported of a noble Lantgraue Fredericke by name that the very gingling of his spurre was a terrour to his foes And so the very repeating of this sweet text is able to make Satan our greatest enemy to quake for it is as one calleth it a common armory for the Christian as it were the tower of Dauid a thousand shields hang therein and all the targets of the strong 〈◊〉 Apply this one sentence to thy soule and thou shalt in thy most grieuous agonie quench all the fiery darâ—s of the deuill It brancheth it selfe into 3. considerations especially who God loued what the world how so that hee gaue his only begotten sonne c. Ambitious men in the court loose their time their liberty their estate yea sometime with Iscariot they sell vnder hand their owne soule their owne Sauiour to gaine the Princes respect or else some fauour of his chiefe Fauourite But behold a greater then Salomon in all his royalty higher then the highest immortall almighty without beginning or end loued vs and his loue must of necessity bee greater then others loue for that himselfe is the greatest of all God loued and herein heâ— neither expected any correspondence of loue for saith our text hee loued the world That hee should loue the glorious Angels is not strange because they be his messengers ministers executing his pleasure That he should loue good men is not strange because they loue him O thou whoÌ„ my soule loueth Cant. 1.6 That he should loue both his witlesse and his senselesse creatures is not strange because fire and haile snow and vapours wind and storme fulfill his word But herein appeares the greatnesse of his loue that he loued the world mundum immundism the worthlesse world lying in wickednesse casting out its malice saith the Prophet as the fountaine casteth out her waters A world as Augustine describeth impuris vâ—lupratibus illerebosies nefandis c udelitatibus furiosus 〈◊〉 bus terroribus inimieus A bad world a mad world a deceiving world a blind world that knew him not Ioh 1.10 A bloody world that hated him and all his Herein God setteth out his loue toward vs for that he reconciled vs to himselfe euen while we were his enemies Rom. 5.10 he loued vs first euen before wee would yea before we could loue him He that is most high and most holy debtor vnto no man and wenting no thing loued vs which are but dust and ashes conceiued in sinne and brought forth in iniquity corrupt in ouâ— conuersation and abominable doing no good and inâ—ected with euery kind of euill euen from the sole of the foot vnto the head there was in vs nothing whole but wounds and swelling and sores full of putâ—ifâ—tion Esay 1.6 But how did hee loue so loued that is so fatherly so freely so fully that he gaue Hee did not sell or let or lend but giue Not in Angell or a Prophet or any seruant but a sonne And that not anothers but his and his sonne not adoptiue but naturall his begotten sonne and further not one among many but his onely begotten sonne If a man had 32. sonnes as Babo or seuenty sonnes as Gideon Iudg 8.30 Or 80. sonnes as Scilurus or if a man had as many sons as a woman in Paris called Yoland Baillie from whose body while shee liued as we read issued 295. children yet he would hardly part with any to his friend much lesse to his foe When the Patriarke Iacob had conceiued that Ioseph his sonne was deuoured of some wilde beast he rent his cloathes and put sakcloath about his loines and sorrowed for him a long season And when his other sonnes and his daughters rose vp to comfort him he would not bee comforted but said I will surely go downe into the graue vnto my son mourning How bitterly did Dauid lament the death of a rebellious sonne O my sonne Absalon my sonne my sonne Absalon would God I had died for thee O Absalon my sonne my sonne How did an harlot pitie the fruit of her wombe before King Salomon 1. King 3. Oh my Lord giue her the liuing child and slay him not Almighty God then manifested the riches of his mercy toward vs in giuing his onely sonne not onely to bee borne but also to die for vs and that vpon the Crosse most ignominiously So Christ in the words immediately going before this our present text as Moses lift vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man bee lift vp probatio dilectionis exhibitio operis his exceeding great gift is a demonstration of his exceeding great loue Thus in briefe you see the fact let vs examine now the fruit for what end God gaue his onely begotten sonne That whosoeuer beleeueth in him
In which obserue two things especially The Felicity gained by this gift a deliuerance from damnation he shall not perish a possession of saluation hee shall haue life euerlasting Facility how to get it whosoeuer beleeueth Almighty God requires not at thy hands An exact obseruation of his law but onely that thou beleeue in his sonne whom he gaue to die for thy sinnes and to rise againe for thy iustification Hee did abundantly satisfie the law for thee making thy sinnes his sinnes and on the contrary making his righteousnesse thy righteousnesse couering all thine iniquities and healing all thine infirmities This one sentence doth afford many profitable lessons appertaining to doctrine and exhortation 1. It sheweth our dignity though a man be dust dung fading like grasse fickle like glass like a thing of naught Psal. 1.44 4. Yet God so much honoured him as that hee gaue his onely begotten sonne to be life vp as Moses life vp the Serpent in the wildernesse that is to bee crucified for him O Lord what is man that thou hast such respect vnto him or the sonne of man that thou so regardest him 2. It doth administer comfort in temptation if the diuell obiect against thy sinne Gods seuere iustice thou maist answere that God is also rich in mercy louing vs in his best beloued and that with an euerlasting loue Ierem. 13.3 If thy cunning aduersary make reply that these sweet texts onely concerne the iust and godly thou hast here Christ on thy side saying God loued the world reconciling sinners his enemies vnto himselfe by the death of his sonne Rom. 5.10 3. It proues euidently that Christ is very God of very God against Arrius as being not onely Gods son but his onely begotten for a sonne begotten is a naturall and a true sonne 4. It confutes the Nouatian heresie denying repentance to such as after Baptisme fall into grieuous sinnes If we must be so mercifull as our father in heauen is mercifull how shall we deny repentance to those whom God so loued as that he gaue his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life 5. This confoundeth all merit-mongers ascribing iustification and saluation vnto their owne good workes He that beleeues shall not perish but haue euerlasting life We are saued by grace thorough faith apprehending and applying the mercies of God the father and the merits of Christ his sonne He that beleeueth in him shall not be condemned but he that beleeueth not is already condemned as it followeth in our text Quare saluator dictus est mundi nisivi saluet mundum non vt iudicet mundum saluari non vis ab ipso exte ipso iudicaberis As for exhortation iâ— God so loued vs let vs also loue one another if he spared not his owne and only sonne but gaue him for vs it is meet that we should expend our substance for the good of his Church and children in need It is an olde prouerbe loue me loue my friend Let vs then manifest our loue to Christ in louing his members and in cherishing such as mourne in Sion his first comming as it followeth in our text was not to condemne but saue the world He came to call sinners vnto repentance to seeke the lost sheepe to bind vp the broken hearted to refresh the weary to giue rest vnto the laden soule His second comming shall be to iudge the world and then there shall be iudgement mercilesse to him that shewed no mercy but vnto those which haue bin mercifull as his father in heauen is mercifull he shall say come ye blessed inherit ye the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world for I was hungrie and ye gaue me meat I thirsted and ye gaue me drinke c. If any shall aske why this text is allotted for a Whitsun holy day which is a memoriall of the Gospell and of Christs sending downe the holy Ghost answere may be that the spirit of truth teacheth vs all things according to Christs owne doctrine preached in the world the summe whereof is this one little line so God loued the world c. The Epistle Acts. 8.14 When the Apostles which were at Hierusalem had hear a say that Samaria had receiued the word of God they sent vnto them Peter and Iohn c. THe blessed Apostles inioyned by Christ at his last appearing to goe into the whole world and to teach all nations hearing now that Samaria had receiued the word of God they sent vnto them Peter and Iohn to build vp the Churches of Samaria whose foundation had bin laid afore by Philip in this embassage two points are more chiefly regardable namely The vigilant care of the whole Colledge in sending verse 14. The diligent faithfulnes of Peter and Iohn that were sent executing their charge By prayer verse 15. By imposition of hands verse 17. When the Apostles of Hierusalem heard They shew their sollicitous care for the Churches in hearking after their good and in affording their helping hand of their owne accord readily when any fit occasion was offred For we read not heare that the brethren of Samaria wrote to the Colledge to send them an Apostle yet they did send two and those two which of all their company were of the most eminent note Peter and Iohn Euery Bishop as more properly succeeding Apostles in office is taught from hence to be non tam celer ad cathedram quam vigil ad curam If any congregation in his Dioces need confirmation he must either send those Suffraganes which are fit like to Peter and Iohn or else come himselfe to pray for them and to lay his hands on them Protestant Diuines vrge this example to proue that Saint Peter was not head of the Apostle or absolute soueraigne because the text is plaine Iohn 13.16 The messenger is not greater then he that sent him I know the foure great Cardinals of Rome Turrecremata Caietan Baronius Bellarmine which vpon the point are the foure cheife supporters of Saint Peters chaire of estate haue found out many shifts how to decl ine the heauy blow of this weighty reason and they who gathâ—â—itickes vnder these Cardinals hedge report and repeat their distinctions as vnanswerable But examine them and you shall instantly see that they be like Hercules tragicall club in shew massie but in substance nothing else but shreds and straw as the Poet speakes an affrighting vanity To their first example God the sonne is sent into the world by God the father and yet in the Trinity none is greater or lesse then another Answere is made that Christ was sent into the world as he was in the forme of a seruant according to that of Paul Galat. 4.4 God sent forth his sonne made of a woman and
rose againe leading captiuitie captiue that hee might heereby deliuer thee from the bands and hands of all thine enemies I may tell thee from Paul and Paul here from God vnto the comfort of thy soule that thou art now presently iustified and shalt be hereafter eternally saued For the Scripture saith whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not bee confounded That is whosoeuer hath a sure trust in God that he will euen for his Christ sake pardon all his sinnes and blot out all his offences and out of this assurance calleth on the name of the Lord he shall be safe For the two testimonies of the two Prophets answere the two clauses of Paul Esay speaking of the beleeuing in the heart and Ioel of acknowledging with the mouth And in these texts of the Prophets obserue their vniuersal note whosoeuer for God is no respecter of persons he puts no difference betweene the Iew and the Gentile but being Lord ouer all is rich vnto all that call vpon him Other Lords cannot reward all their followers as being Poore many will not as being illiberall and sordide but our God is able because Lord of all and willing because rich vnto all of whatsoeuer condition or countrey Poore Bartimeus begging rich Zacheus climing old Simeon in the Temple young Iohn in the wombe couetous Matthew grinding his neighbour at the receit of Custome the louing Centurion building his nation a Synagogue the people watching vnder the Crosse the theefe hanging on the Crosse confessing the Lord Iesus and walking in the sonneshine of his Gospell in differently finde refreshing in the conscience rest in the soule For whosoeuer beleeueth on him shall not be confounded and whosoeuer calleth on his name shall be saued As for the subiect or seate of faith it is said here with the heart man beleeueth Ergo faith as many Protestant authors haue noted is not placed in the minde or vnderstanding only but in the will and affections also For faith as it is notitia resides in the minde but as fiducia feared in the will Other Interpretors etiam note purioris and no way branded with the markes of Antichrist hold it noâ— greatly to stand with reason that one particular and single grace should bee placed in diuers parts and faculties of the soule It is true that faith is not a meere prattle of the tongue nor a floting opinion of the braine but a certaine perswasion of the heart Yet notwithstanding this perswasion or particular knowledge whereby a man is resolued that the promises of saluation appertaine to him is wrought in the minde by the holy Ghost 1. Cor. 2.12 A sure trust and a stedfast hope of all good things to bee receiued at Gods hand is not happily faith if wee speake properly but rather a fruit of faith in that no man hath aâ—fiance in God vntill he be first of all perswaded of his mercy toward him in Christ Iesu. For mine owne part I confesse with Luther ingenuously that it is exceeding hard to distinguish exactly between faith hope there is so great aâ—finitie between them one hauing respect to the other as the two Cherubins on the Mercy-seate Exod. 25.20 Faith engendreth hope and from hope proceeds affiance which is nothing else but hope strengthned For whereas an hypocrites confidence shall be like the house of a spider he that putteth his trust in the Lord shall be euen as the mount Sion which may not be remooued but standeth fâ—st for euer And for as much as the word heart in my text as is agreed on all sides is put for the wholesoule without limitation to any part all that I will obserue from hence shall be that as wee must loue God euen so beleeue in God with all our heart and soule and minde For hypocrites haue forged faith and deuils haue forced faith acknowledging against their will out of horror vnto their condemnation and not out of loue from their heart to their iustification that Iesus is the Lord. A Recusant may be brought vnto the Church against his will and compelled in despight of his teeth also to receiue the Sacraments Bread and Wine but none can beleeue that Iesus is their Iesus but with the heart only See Gospell Sund. 8. and Epistle Sund. 10. after Trinitie How shall they call on him on whom they haue not beleeued A plaine text against the Gentiles idolatrie praying vnto gods vnknowne As Hecuba in Euripides O Iupiter quic quid es siue hoc coelum siue mens in coelo quanquam din iam ignauos opituiatores inuoco And it is a pregnant euidence to confute the Papists in their inuocation of Saints also for if they trust in S. Martin or Mary S. Catherin or Clare they rob the Creator to clothe his creature and cursed be man that puts his confidence in man and makes flesh his arme If they trust not how doe they call on him in whom they beleeue not Our heauenly Father saith in his word Call vpon me Christ our aduocate with the Father in like fort Come vnto me for I am the way the truth and the life Iohn 14.6 Non est qua eas nist per me non est quô eas uisi ad me No way to God but by mee no light but from mee no life but in mee Christ is a mutuall helpe to the Father one to vs another An hand to the Father by which hee reacheth vs an hand to vs by which wee reach him The Fathers mouth by which he speaketh vnto vs our mouth to the Father by which wee speake to him Our eye to see by footway to goe by the piller of fire by night and cloud by day guâ—ding his Israel in the wildernes of this world Wherefore let vs call on him in whom alone we beleeue which is our strength and refuge in the time of trouble promising in his Gospell aske and yee shall haue seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you See Gospell on the 5. Sund. after Easter How shall they heare without a Preacher Heere you may behold the Ministers Dignitie in respect of their Commission as being sent of God Errand as being ambassadours of good things euen such as bring tidings of peace between God and man Man and man Man and himselfe Wherefore desire the Lord to send forth labourers into his haruest honouring such Elders as rule well and labor in the word euen with double honour 1 Timoth 5.17 receiuing them as Angels yea as Christ himselfe Galat. 4.14 Dutie for if faith come by hearing and hearing by preaching so that the word of God vnto faith is as oile to the lampe such as will haue their feet kissed ought to bring tidings of good things If they will haue the worthie good reason they should doe the
â—f them whiâ—h are wâ—thout vnreproneable watching sober â—â—est barberous apt to teach And albeit at their first comming aâ—d haue shewed a little before these fishermen were rude yet afterward they were so furnished with all parts of knowledge and varietie of language that their heaven exceedingly wondred at their wisdome and knew that they had beene with Iesus Other haue rendred other reasons why Christ in the beginning of his preaching chose fishermen for his Apostles As namely to them that God is no respecter of persons as also for that he knew the poore would follow him immediately whereas it is easier for a camelâ—â—o goeâ—â—orow thâ—eis of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdomâ— of God For being inuited to the great Supper he saith I haue bought a farme and I must needs goâ— to see it or I haue bought fiue yoke of ouen and I goe to proâ—ise them c. Let vs examine now why Iesus called them and â—ha is that they might be made 〈◊〉 of mâ—n not hunters but fishers In old time the Prophets and Apostles were fishers in our time more like hunters according to that of the Prophet â—eremy 16.16 Bâ—hold 〈◊〉 the Lord. I will â—end out many fishers an 〈…〉 them and 〈…〉 I will end out many 〈…〉 they sâ—â—ll 〈◊〉 them c Hereâ—ofore the Preachers as fishers inclosed many fish in their net aâ— one draught but in our age â—â—e resemble hunters of erâ—a great noâ—â— long and loud crying 〈◊〉 catch either noâ—hâ—ng or else very little Ioâ—â—â— was but one man and he preached vnto 〈◊〉 but one sermon and that a short seâ—mon as coaching the number of words and yet he turned all â—he whole Citie rich and poore prince and people Wee God be praised are many preachers and we preach many sermons and such as haue a tall bite nipping inuecâ—iues against â—nne yet England repents not in sackcloth and ashes Iohn Baptists sermon was short Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinne of the world S. Andrews sermon shorter We haue found the Messias and yet as wee read in the first chapter of Saint Iohns Gospell Andrew was caught by the one and Peter by the other The sermon of S. Peter Acts 2 was exceeding briefe yet it caught about threâ— thousand soules in our time scarcely one soule taken in many sermons And the fault is partly the fishers and partly the fishes as I haue shewed at large Gospell 5 Sund. after Trinitie I will make you fishers of men Not of money as if the sharing of the sheep and fish were the white they should aime at Antichrist of Rome was not in a pulpit these nine hundred yeares and so by consequence succeeds not Peter in fishing with his net but onely in fishing with his hooke Matth. 17. where it is said that Peter cast an angle into the sea and tooke a fish in whose mouth he found a piâ—ce of twenty pence Such a kinde of fishing the Romane Peters vse for Pope Leo the tenth exacted so much of the lay-men and wasted so much of the Churches treasure that whereas other were Popes no longer then they liâ—ed hee was said to be pope many yeeres after he was dead Which occasioned a learned Poet to write thus of him Sacra sub extremâ si furiè requiritis horâ Cur Leo non â—otuit sumere vendiderat Iohn 22. left behind him as Petrarcha reports two hundred and â—â—ftie tunne of gold in so much that an odde feâ—low made this iest of him Erat Pontisex maxi 〈◊〉 si non viâ—tute pecunia tamen maximus Pope Sixtus Quintus called of Englishmen in a by-word for selling ouâ— kingdome to Philip of Spaine Six Cinque througâ— his intoâ—lerable couetousnesse left in his exchequer fiue millions his successor Gregory the 14. wasted foure of them in tenne moneths and lesse beside his ordinarie reuenewes in riot and pompe The pontificians exceedingly condemne the Protestant Preachers because being maried hauing children they take care to prouide for their familie but their own Popes and Prelates are more greedie to scrape for their bastards and minions then our men haue bin to prouide for their honest wiues and legitimate issue Happily some men of corrupt mindes among vs as most among them enter into the Ministerie as Stratocles and Dromoclidas into the Magistracie tanquam ad aure am messem and so they be fishers of money not of men or if they fish after men it is to finger their meanes As the Friers in old time professed wilfull pouertie so long vntill they robbed the whole world and became Lords of all And at this houre the Iesuites are so couetous that they maligne all other orders except the Capuâ—hiâ— And the reason hereof is plain because the Capuchin saith hee would haue nothing and the Iesuite would haue all A wittle Libeller in Spaine described the Capuchin Friers shooting from the purse the Franciseanes aiming wide of it and the Iesuites hitting it in the very middest I haue read of Vrbane the fifth how that when hee was a poore Chaplaine in the Court of Rome he should vpon a time say to a familiar friend If all the Churches in the world should fall at once 〈◊〉 of them I thinke verily would light on my head After being elected Pope his old acquaintance told him at his inâ—hronization Once holy father you complained that you were Parson of no Church and now behold God hath out of the riches of his wisedome and mercie so disposed as that all the Churches in the world are committed only to your charge Let vs be faithfull in a little casting our care on God who careth for vs. If any forsake with these Discipleâ— his nets and ship suos â—uâ— to follow Christ hee shall receiue an hundred fold at this present houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions and in the world to come eternall life Mark 10.30 auarice is a sinne in any man heresie in a Clergie man Fishers of men in generall as Musculus obserues not of great men and learned men onely for that is Peters fault to neglect his cure that hee may follow the Court as if the â—oules of poore men in the country were not worthie to be fished for Not of good men and brethren only for that is a schismaticall tricke such I trow be caught already we should therefore rather cast how to cast our net for other A scabbie sheepe is of the flocke so well as the bell-weather and because scabbie wants our helping hand more then the whole Fishers of men not of women only for that is an hereticall tricke 10 leade captiue simple women laden with sins and led with diuers lusts As Simon Maguâ— the first heretike broched his dangerous opinions by the helpe of the strumpet Helena Nicolas the founder
of the filthie Familists had troupes of women euer accompanying him Apelles had Philomene for his mate Montanus had Prisea and Maximilla women of great birth and opulent estate Donatus had Lucilla for his mistresse Arius the Princes owne daughter for his Patronesse as S. Hierome notes in his Epistle to Cresiphon against the Pelagians Postelliu the lesuite had an old beldame called mother Iane and the rest of that ranke as the Quodlibeticall discourse auoweth haue deluded many young gentlewomen and deuoured many widowes houses And this kinde of fishing they learned from Satan himselfe who did first attempt the woman and then tempt the man vsing the wife as a trap to catch her husband And the reason why the deuil and his agents are fishers of women rather then of men is because they be lesse able to resist and more willing to repoâ—â— a new fangled opinion in one word for that their â—its are shorter and their tongues longer Fishers of men not of children as Seruetus absurdâ—y cauillesh Ergo saiâ—â—h he Pâ—eâ—â—hers may not baptise little infants Answer is made by Caluin and other that men heeâ—e signifieâ—h all mankinde of whâ—tsoeuer age or sex Christs commandement is expresse reach all nations baptising them c. and Mark 10.14 suffer the little children to come vnto me There be young Lambes in his fold so well as old sheepe it is not his Fathers will that one of these little ones should perish for of such is the kingdome of heauen See Melancthon loc com tit baptis infant Caluin vbiâ—up in margin Master Iohn Philpots letter concerning this argument apud Fox in his martyrdome Bucan loc com â—it baptis quest 35. Little children must be caught and brought vnto Christ and after these minumes are baptised in the sacred font they must be catechised and further instructed in the principles of holy religion that they may know what a solemne vow they haue made by their godfaâ—hers and godmothers And forasmuch as euery man is a Priest and a Prince in his owne house you must bring vp your childâ—en in instruction and information of the Lord drawing them vnto God while they be young lest afterward being past correction they say with the wicked in the second Psalme Let vs breake their bonds asunder and cast array their cords from vs. Niâ— fundamenta stirpis lâ—cta sint probe Miseroâ— necesse est esse deinceps posteros The draw-net of the Church incloseth all kinde of fish and therefore the Preachers are fishers of all sorts of men None is too good or too bad or too rich or too poore or too young or too old to be brought vnto God I will make you fishers of men indefinitely not of this or that man in particular Andrew must fish for all especially for such as are committed vnto his peculiar charge Acts 20.28 Take heed to your selues and to ak't he flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers Our principall care must be to reduce such as are vnder our proper cure from the linke and seas of their sin to righteousnesse and holinesse by preaching of the word to draw them out of the shadow of death out of the pit of ignorance to the maruellous light and sunne-shine of the Gospell And that we may performe this it is required on our part that we be painfull either casting our nets into the sea or else mending them in our ship and skilfull also that we may know to cast our nets on the right side of the ship Omnis ignorantia mala Sacerdotis autem pessima The blinde leading the blinde drawes him not out of the puddle but rather hurleth him into the ditch Matth. 15.14 Now the fishers of men for the catching of soules ought to preach and presse two points especially repentance and faith Almightie God himselfe the first fisher of men in his very first draught when the worlds sea was not so tempestuous as it is now stood vpon these two principally First hee rebuked Adam for his sinne that he might repent and then he shewed how Christ is the propitiation for his sinne the seed of the woman shall breake the serpents head that he might beleeue The Patriarkes and Prophets vrged these points vnto the men of their age Iohn Baptist the last of the Prophets and first of Apostles a midling as it were betweene both inculcated often these two repent and behold the lambe of God All the sermons of Christ as our Euangelist reports in the verse before my text consisted of these two likewise from that time Iesus began to preach and say amend your liues for the kingdome of heauen is at hand If any then desire to know whether the fishers of men haue caught him or no let him examine his owne heart whether he be repentant and faithfull If he feele sorrow for his sin and comfort in his Sauiour if he confesse his fault as the Publican O God be mercifull to mee a sinner and confesse his faith as Andrew Wee haue found the Messias if crying with teares hee can vnfainedly say Lord I beleeue helpe mine vnbeleefe it is a manifest argument that the fishers of men haue drawne him out of the dead sea into the land of the liuing out of the darke waters into the glorious light of the Sun of righteousnesse Heere the Gospell and Epistle meet againe Preachers are fishers of men because men are iustified by faith and faith commeth by hearing of the word and the word is brought vnto you by the mouth of the Preachers And therefore you must honour their holy function as Gods ordinance for the gathering together of the Saints and edifying of the body of Christ. Abhorre the positions of Stenckfeldius Anabaptists Familists holding that the word is not taught by the sermons of Peter and Andrew c. but only by the reuelation of the Spirit As also the practises of vncharitable Martinists Barrowists Brownists openly breathing out slander secretly threatning sâ—aughter against the Disciples of the Lord making it their greatest vertue to meddle with the Preachers vice so that whereas Andrew should catch them it is apparant that they labour principally to catch Andrew But the best is in the meane while they lose themselues among themselues hauing almost as many factions as there be fractions in their seuerall inuectiues In isâ—a Babylons sectae dissectae their sects are now so diuers and aduerse that as one said Luigando res non dirâ—mitur sed perimitur The last of all the remarkable circumstances in our text is how Iesus called his Disciples and that is hee saw them and saith vnto thens follow me and I will make you c. that is as Ardens in a short glosse pithily Vidit per electionem vocanit per fidem iussit se sequi per obedientiam pramium promisit per obâ—dientie reminerationem According to that
the Virgins wombe as a bridegroome out of his chamber the Godhead was ioyned vnto the flesh and the flesh vnto the Godhead and these two were coupled together and after an ineffable manner in an ineffable marriage made one Beleeue this and thou shalt haue power to be Gods owne sonne as it is in our text My beloued if thou put on this wedding garment thy soule shall be Christs own spouse so nere so deare to him as that he will say to it I am thy saluation and it may also tell him I am my welbeloueds and my welbeloued is mine For if Pilate by wearing Christs coate without a seame did appease the wrath of angry Caesar how much more shall euery true beleeuer please God our heauenly King if he put on Christ himselfe O the blessed crying of a blessed babe by which euery faithfull seruant and sonne of God escapeth eternall howling in hell O glorious manger in which our soules Manna lay the bread of life that came down from heauen on which if a man feede hee shall not hunger againe O how rich are the ragges which haue made plaisters for our sores for our sinnes I conclude with an hymne of Prudentius Mortale corpus sumpsit immortalitas Vt dum caducum portat aeternus Deus Transire nostrum posset ad coelestia The Epistle Act. 7. 55. And Steuen being full of the holy Ghost looked vp stedfastly with his eyes into heauen c. YEsterday you heard how Christ was borne to day you shall vnderstand how Steuen died In Christs natiuitie who was borne in a little village and in an Inne of that village and in a stable of that Inne and laid in a cratch of that stable wee may learne humilitie not to boast of our great birth In S. Steuens martyrdome wee may behold an excellent patterne how to behaue our selues at our death hauing faith in God and loue toward our neighbours the which assuredly will breed such a Christian resolution in vs as that wee shall depart this life cheerefully lying downe in our graues as in a bed to sleepe for so the text here when hee had thus spoken be fell a sleepe The Church then in ioyning these two festiuals is desirous that wee should learne to liue well as Christ and dye well as Steuen In the words of Augustine Celebraâ—imus hester na die natalem quo rex marâ—yrum natus est in â—â—â—ndo hodie cel bramus natalem quo primicarius martyrâ—um migraâ—â—â— ex mundo Oportebat enim vâ— priâ—â—um immortalis pro mortalibus susciperet carnem sie mortalis pro immortals contemneret mortem Et ideo natus est Dominus vt moreâ—etur pro seruo ne serâ—â—â— timeret mori pro domino Naâ—â—â— est Christus in terris vt Stephanuâ— nasceretur in câ—lis c. And I pray with the same Father hartily donet mihi dominus pâ—â—ca dicere salubriter qui doâ—â—uit Stephane tanto dicere fartiter In the whole text two points are to be considered especially the bloudy behauiour of the Iewes in martyring Steuen godly behauiour of Steuen in his martyrdome toward God in generall hee stedfastly looked vp into heauen and called vpon God particular Lord Iesus receiue my spirit Men heartily praying for his enemies on his knees with a loud voice Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Himselfe vndergoing his martyrdome so comfortably that giuing vp the ghost hee laid downe his head vpon the hard stones as vpon a soft pillow to slâ—epe The Iewes in their blind zeale were so furious and mercilesse that they put Steuen to death who sought to bring them to eternall life stoning him as a blasphemer against God and his law who was a man full of faith and power and the holy Ghost An harsh and an hard fact of a stonie people saith Augustine ad lapides currebant duri ad duros Petris 〈◊〉 qui pro Petra qui Christus est moriebatur Lapides Indaearebellis In Stephanum lymphata rapis quae crimine duro saxeâ— semper eris But of their crueltie toward Steuen and other Prophets of God in the Gospell appointed for this day more copiously The most obseruable point in our present text is the godly behauiour of Steuen in his martyrdome 1. to God he looked vp stedfastly with his eyes into heauen c. As to the place where his treasure was his conuersation was his helpe was Hereby teaching vs whether we should flie for succour in aduersitie not vnto men here below but vnto God in heauen aboue so Dauid When I was in trouble I called vpon the Lord and hee heard me my helpe commeth euen from the Lord. So Iob my witnesse is in heauen and my record is on high And so S. Iames euery good gift is from aboue Calling vpon God and saying Lord. Thomas Becket a renowned Martyr and Saint among the Papists at his death earnestly commended himselfe and his cause to the protection of S. Mary but our protomartyr heere knowing that shee was neque magistra neque ministra neither mistresse of his soule nor yet a ministring spirit to his soule forgetting our Lady calleth vpon our Lord only saying Lord Iesu receiue my spirit the which is not an invocation of God the Father as Fran. Dauid impiously taught making Iesu the Genitiue case and the meaning thus O Father in heauen which art the Lord of thy sonne Iesu but as Ambrose notes a prayer vnto God the Sonne for besides infinite places of holy Scripture wheâ—e Christ is called Lord and called vpon as the Lord. S. Iohn Apocalips 22.20 vseth as Steuen here Iesu in the vocatiue Case etiam veni Domine Iesu euen so come Lord Iesus Where Domine Iesu cannot bee construed the Lord of Iesus but the Lord Iesus See Lorin in loc Bellarmine de Christo lib. 1. cap. 8. If the Lord be considered without Iesus howsoeuer in regard of his power he is able yet in regard of his iustice not willing the good Angels and blessed Saints in heauen are willing but not able wretched vncharitable men on earth are neither able nor willing onely Christ the Mediator betweene God and man is both able and willing to heare vs and helpe vs able because Lord willing because Iesus And therefore Steuen here doth not inuocate the Lord but in the name of Iesus neither doth he call vpon any Iesus but the Lord Iesus he lookes not for any succour either from men on earth or blessed spirits in heauen onely hee poureth out his soule to the redeemer of his soule Lord Iesu receiue my spirit Receiue He knew that his life was hid with Christ in God and therefore commendeth his soule to him alone who created it and redeemed it and iustified it and sanctified it and will in his good time glorifie it O Lord Iesu take thine owne into thine owne
custodie seeing I am now to leaue this life receiue my spirit Heere then against the Sadduces in Christs age and Atheists in our time we may note the soules immortalitie for God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing Again that al soules departed are in certaine receptacles vntill the generall iudgement they do not obambulate and wander vp and downe but remaine in places and states of happinesse or vnhappinesse either in the hands of God or in the Deuils prison and therefore all the daies of our life but especially at the houre of our death it behooueth vs to say and pray with S. Steuen O Lord Iesu receiue my spirit My. Charitie begins with it selfe malice with another in our idle busie time men are very sollicitous lest God lay this or that sinne to their enemies charge but wee may tell them as Christ did other in another cause Wâ—epe not for me but for your selues If your deuotion be so great and your praiers so good pray first for your selues for you peraduenture haue more need and then wish well and do well vnto your enemies as Steuen here first Lord Iesus receiue my spirit and then Lord Iesus forgiue their sinne Spirit Most men are all for the bodie nothing for their soule but S. Stephen is all as it should seeme for the soule and nothing for the bodie For what is a man profited if he should gaine the whole world and lose his owne soule saith our blessed Sauiour by which Apophthegme it doth appeare that euery soule in it selfe is of greater price then a whole world but thy soule vnto thy selfe ought to be of greater account then a million of worlds if as Empedoiles and Demâ—critus imagined there were so many saue this and saue all lose â—his and lose all and therefore let thy whole life be nothing else but a meditation of death and that thou maist die well as Steuen endeuour to liue well as Steuen Howsoeuer it goe with thy goods or good name be sure to looke well vnto thy soule that whether thou die for the Lord or in the Lord thou maist cheerfully deliuer it vp vnto the Lord as Steuen here Lord Iesu receiue my spirit Vnto faith in God he doth adioine loue to men without which all his praying and kneeling and crying yea dying had been but as a sounding braise and a tinckling Cimball Of loue there be two principall offices one to giue another to forgiue S. Steuen is an excellent patterne of both of the latter especially praying for his hatefull enemies euen at that houre when hee could scarce gaine time to thinke on his friends It is said 1. Peter 2.21 That Christ suffered for vs leauing vs an example Now Christ on the Crosse praied for his persecuâ—ors earnestly Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe Pendebat samen patebat a Augustine sweetly S. Steuen followed his masters example Lord lay not this sinne to their charge The which praier is clothed with two circumstances hee kneeled downe shewing his reuerence to God and cried with a loud voice manifesting his vnfained affection toward them Vnto the top of which exceeding great charitie there are three degrees 1. He praied for enemies 2. For mortall enemies who stoned him 3. In hot bloud at that time when they did wrong him most as being more sory for their riot then for his owne ruine For eternall death is the wages of such a sinne but euerlasting life the Crowne of such a suffering Hee kneeled downe God is the Lord of the body so well as of the soule and therefore challengeth as well reuerent gesture as inward deuotion in praying then either stand as a seruant before thy Master or kneele as a subiect to thy Prince Daniel prayed kneeling Peter prayed kneeling Paul prayed kneeling Christ himselfe kneeling and the Magdeburgenses acknowledge this gesture to be most ancient and most vsuall among the children of God in all ages and therefore not to kneele in the congregation argueth either ignorance or arrogancei For seeing all of vs are Gods adopted sons and not borne to the good we possesse it behoueth vs when we come before our Father especially to craue his blessing to be dutifull and humble in our cariage Concerning kneeling at the Lords Supper if the Church haue power and authority to change the time commanding vs to receiue the Communion in the morning whereas Christ administred it in the night to change the place for whereas Christ ordained his Supper in a priuate house wee communicate in a Temple to change the number and qualities of the persons deliuering the Sacrament vnto more then twelue and to women as well as men I see no reason but it hath authoritie likewise to change the gesture The time was altered because for this sacrifice the morning is the most fit time the place was altered because the Church is the most fit place The gesture was altered also being a matter not of the Sacraments essence but of outward order onely because kneeling is the most fit gesture for Protestants especially who deny the grosse reall presence and hold the Lord Supper an Eucharist or thanksgiuing vnto God for the redemption of the world by the death of his Sonne giuing of thankes is a part of prayer and in prayer no gesture so fit as kneeling Deuout Asella did vse geniculation in prayer so much as that her knee were made brawnie like the knees of a Camel See Step durant de ritibus Eccles. lib. 3. cap. 24. It is very remarkeable that Steuen here stood when he prayed for himselfe but kneeled when he prayed for his enemies hereby shewing the greatnesse of their impiety which easily could not be forgiuen as also the greatnesse of his piety Qui plus illorum dolebat peceasa quam sua vulnera For this end hee cryed also with a loud voice magnus clamor magnus amor Or as Caietan he cryed with a loud voice for others instruction and example that we might be followers of him as hee was a follower of Christ. Lay not this sin to their charge The Scribes in their glosses on the Law said expresly thou shalt loue thy neighbour and hate thine enemie Some Papists also thinke that the words of our Sauiour resist not euill and loue your enemies are not absolute precepts but onely counsels according to this doctrine the Castilians as I haue read since the battell of Alijabarto would not suffer any to preach vpon the friday in the first weeke of Lent because the Church on that day sings inimicos diligite loue your enemies And Iustinian being restored againe to his Empire shewed extreame crueltie toward his aduersaries and their allies for as often as he moued his hand to wipe the filth from his nose which was cut off hee commanded one of his enemies to bee put
to death Wherefore seeing to loue our enemies in the iudgment of some men is against Gods law and of other beside the law seeing many men in their precepts and most men in their practise manifestly shew that it is an hard saying Saint Steuens charity doth appeare to be great in blessing such as cursed him and in praying for such as did hurt him Iob renowmed in holy Scripture for his patience said If mine aduersarie should write a booke against me would I not take it vpon my shoulder and binde it as a crowne vnto me But Steuen surpassing Iob as Gregorie Nyssen obserues esteemed the very ring of his persecutors wherewith he was enclosed on euery side his crown and euery stone flung at his head a pretious diamond so that it might haue beene said of him as it was of Dauid The Lord preuented him with the blessings of goodnesse and set a crowne of pretious stones vpon his head Our goods are sweet vnto vs and therefore wee can hardly forgiue the theese our good name sweeter and therefore wee doe more hardly forgiue the slanderer but our life most sweet Skinne for skinne and all that euer a man hath will he giue for it and therefore most hardly doe we forgiue murtherers and martyrers in hot blood especially while they wring vs and wrong vs and yet Steuen full of the holy Ghost and therefore full of loue in persecutione positus pro persecutoribus orabat in the middest of his persecution heartily praied for his persecutors O Lord Iesu lay not this sinne to their charge Our sinnes not forgiuen are set before vs and as enemies in battell fighting against vs a pillar of infamie to disgrace the wicked in this and the next life the which as Basil thinkes is more grieuous to their soule then hell fire So that the meaning of S. Steuen is in saying lay not this sinne to their charge that God would giue them a better minde and not impute this offence but rather to burie this and all other their sinnes in his death and graue that they neuer rise vp againe to worke desperation in this world or destruction in the world to come S. Augustine brings in Steuen speaking thus vnto God Ego patior ego lapidor in me sauiunt in me fremunt sed ne statuas illis hoc peccatum quia vt dicamtibi à te primo audiui Ego seruus tâ—us patior sed muleum interest inter me te tu dominus ego eruus tu verbum ego auditor verbi tu magister ego discipulus tu Creator ego creatus tu Deus ego homo multum interest inter peccatum istorum qui lapidant me illorum qui crucifixerunt te quando ergo dixisti Pater ignosce illis quia nesciunt quid faciunt pro magno peccato petisti me pro minimo petere docuisti domine ne statuas illis hoc peccatum ego patior in carne isti non pereant in mente Now the Lord heard his praier and granted his request in that Saul had not this sinne said to his charge as himselfe witnesseth I was a blasphemer and a persecutor and an oppressor but I was receiued to mercy for I did it ignorantly through vnbeleefe So that Augustine is bold to say Si Stephanus non sic orasses ecclesia Paulum non haberet And Fulgentius Quo pracessis Stephanus trucidatus lapidibus Pauli illuc sequutus est Paulus adiutus orationibus Stephani When hee had thus spoken Vttering such excellent words and with such a resolute spirit and in such a reuerent fashion after he had thus spoken for the matter and thus for the manner giuing vnto God the life of his soule forgiuing his persecutors the death of his bodie hee sweetly slept in the Lord. Christus pro nobis hominem induit Stephanus pro Christo hominem exuit as Gregorie Nyssen elegantly Christ became man for Steuen and Steuen became no man for Christ hominem exuit he so willingly put off his flesh as a man would put off his clothes at night and so death as welcome to him as steepe to the wearie when he had thus spoken hee fell asleepe To mitigate deaths horror it is called often in holy Scripture sleepe So the text saith of Dauid and of Salomon and of other Kings of Israel and Iuda that they slept with their fathers In the new Testament also such as are dead in the Lord are said to sleepe in Christ. I would not haue you saith Paul ignorant concerning them which are asleepe c. For this cause many are weake and sicke among you and many sleepe 1. Cor. 11.30 For man in his graue sleepeth and waketh not againe till the heauen be no more Iob 14.12 So great a resemblance the Gentiles acknowledged between dying and sleeping that Ouid cals sleepe mortis imago deaths image Virgil consanguineus lathi the kinsman of death Seneca the brother of death and Hesiode the sister of death Among infinite comparisons I finde that death is principally likened vnto sleepe In respect of the Rest of the dead Resurrection of the dead Concerning the first it is said by the spirit Blessed are the dead in the Lord for they rest from their labore and so God giueth his beloued sleepe The coffin is a couch in que mollius ille dormit quisquis durius in vit a se gesserit I finde in the records of antiquitie that a Sepulchre is called requietorium a bed of sacred rest and securitie which Valerius Probus expressed in these letters H.R.I.P. Hic requiescet in pace and Pet. Diaconus in other D.M.S. Dormiunt mortus securi Hic mortuius requiescit semel Qui viuus requieuit nunquam But here we must obserue that our soule sleepes not in the dust as our body till our last dome For the soules of the reprobate at their death are fetched away from them and carried into hell But the soules of such as die in the Lord instantly liue with the Lord conueied by the glorious Angels into Abrahams bosome Luk. 16. 22. So Christ expresly to the theese on the Crosse Verily I say to thee this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Anima absoluitur corpus resoluitur quae absoluitur gaudet quod resoluitur in terram suam nihil sentit And so the Saints departed are dead in their worst part onely but liuing in their best euen in that wherein they desire to liue most as an Heathen Poet diuinely Sed lugere nefas nam quite Prisce reliquit Vâ—â—â—t qua volnit viuere partemagis And therefore though the dead bodies of Gods seruants haue beene giuen as meat to the sowles of the aire and their flesh vnto the beasts of the land yet right deare in the sight of the
of the sunne dasleth our eyes if they gaze too much vpon it euen so the Diuine Maiestie dwelling in the light which no man can approach vnto confoundeth all such as curiously pry too much into it according to that of Salomon in the vulgar latine qus serutator est maiestatis epprsmetur à gloria But God is called here light as expelling all darknesse of sin ignorance being in himselfe pure sinceâ—e righteous in al his waies holy in al his works Our Apostle then argueth against hypocrites and tale gospellers often and openly boasting of their Communion with God à natura Des from the properties of God after this sort God is light Ergo none can haue fellowship with him except they walke in the light If we say we haue communion with him and walke in darknesse we lie and doe not the truth Our wilfull ignorance and sinnes vnrepented are called in holy Scripture darknesse as hauing their beginning from Satan the Prince of darknesse and their end in hell which is the pit of darknesse and therefore though hypocrites out-mouth as it were true Christians in bragging of their familiaritie with God and his Sonne yet the truth is as long as they walke in darknes it is impossible they should be children of God for in him is no darknesse nor so much as a shadow Iam. 1.17 What communion hath light with darknesse or what concord hath Christ with Belial or what fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse God is without wickednesse himselfe and hateth all manner of wickednesse in other according to that of the Prophet in the fifth Psalme Thou art the God that hath no pleasure in wickednesse neither shall any euill dwell with thee Such as be foolish shall not stand in thy sight for thou hatest all them that worke vanitie Thou shalt destroy them that speake leasing the Lord will abhorre both the bloudthirstie and deceitfull man I conclude this point in the words of our Apostle Little children let no man deceiue you he that doth righteousnesse is righteous It is not sufficient to say that hee is righteous for if wee say we haue fellowship with God and walke in darkenesse we lie and doe not the truth that is we lie to our selues and doe not the truth vnto other because they be missed through our example mentimur commissione ver itatem non facimus omissione If we walke in the light An argument from the effect to the cause for our studiousnesse to walke in the light and to doe good in our caliings is not the cause of our fellowship with God and of the remission of our sinne by the bloud of Iesus Christ his sonne but an effect or consequent It is a signe that we are the sonnes of God if wee bee followers of God as deare children if wee walke in the light euen as he is light It is a seale to my soule that the bloud of Christ hath purged mee from all sinne if I doe but hunger and thirst after righteousnesse if I feele but an vnsained desire to put off the workes of darknesse and to put on Gods armour of light I know that I shall sinne still as long as I carrie this flesh about me for if we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs but I am sure so long as I walke in the light that I shall not commit any sinne which is impardonable so long as I haue communion with God I cannot commit the sinne against the holy Ghost as long as I am in Christ his bloud elâ—◠〈◊〉 me from all sinne from all sinne originall and actuall à culp 1 pun 1 from the fault and from the paine due to the same From all sinne not only committed before baptisme but also from all sinne committed of frailtie since baptisme For as Cardinall Caâ—etan notes impiuâ—â— est dâ—mâ— learn â— Deo per are veniam and therefore Poâ—ish satisfactions either by workes done or paines suffered in this life or in purgatorie after this life to purgemen of their sinnes haue no firme ground in Gods holy word they be works of supererogation or if you will happily workes of superarrogation It is not said here the blood of Christ hath cleansed in time past or wâ—â— cleanse in time to come but in the present it cleanseth Hereby signifying that it daily purgeth all the sinnes of all such as truly beleeue who walke in the light and haue felowship with God If we say we haue no sinne Some say let vs continue still in sinne that grace may abound seeing the bloud of Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne let vs walke in darknesse working all vncleannesse euen with greedinesse Other on the contrary side say we haue no sinne whose puritane pride S. Iohn opposeth heere shewing plainly that the Caâ—hari both iniurie God and deceiue themselues in aâ—firming that they he without any sinne they wrong God because so much as in them is they make God a lier and his truth a lie for his word expresly concludeth all vnder sinne Rom. 3.9 Galath 3.22 reporting that all men haue gone astray like lost sheepe Esay 53.6 And that there is none that doth good no not one Psal. 14.2 In many things all offend and who can say mine heart is cleane Prou. 20.9 It is true that our Apostle saith in the third chapter of this Epistle vers 9. Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not that is the regenerate man as hee is regenerate sinnes not obstinately with a plenarie consent he suffers not sinne to raigne in him as it is in our text he walkes not in darknesse yet he may stumble yea sometime fall through infirmitie while he walketh in the light and therefore such as auow that they haue no sin giue the lie to God and the truth is not in them that is God who is truth is not in them and the reason hereof is euident because God resisteth the proud Iam. 4.6 and so neither God nor his word is in them as Aquine pithily neither Christ his eternall word nor the Scripture his created word dwelleth in them Againe Puritans who say wee haue no sinne deceiue themselues according to that of Paul If any man seeme to himselfe that he is somewhat when he is nothing he deceiueth himselfe in his imagination or they deceiue themselues because Christ easeth onely such as feele their heauie load and groane vnder the burthen of their sins and therefore the true Christian as our Apostle teacheth here first makes a confession and then he seekes for an absolution In confession obserue these circumstances 1. Who we 2. What sinnes and our sinnes 3. To whom to God If we acknowledge our sins he is faithfull c. 4. How acknowledge and say In absolution 1. Of whom an absolution is to bee got of God for his
Christs sake whose bloud cleanseth vs from all sinne 2. Why because God is faithfull and iust so forgiue vs our sinnes 3. What a plenarie not a partiall absolution a pardon for all vnrighteousnesse 4. When in this present life while wee walke in the light Our selues must acknowledge for our selues and not another we must indeed confesse one to another but not one for another wee must also confesse sinnes and not vertues as the proud Pharisie Luk. 18. I fast twice in their 〈◊〉 I pay tithes of all that eâ—â—r I possesse and our owne sinnes not our neighbours offences as the same Pharisie who did accuse the Publican and in comparison of his faults excuse himselfe This confession is to be made to God as being the searcher of our hearts vnderstanding all our secret sinne so well yea better then our selues O Lord who can tell how ofâ— he offendeth O cleanse me from my secret faules and to God as being very willing and mostable to purge vs from all vnrighteousnesse It is true that we must acknowledge our faults one to another as hauing trespassed one another and in some cases it is expedient also that wee resort to deuour learned discreet pastors for the releefe of our distressed conscience yet by Bellamines leaue this our text is not a pregnant Scripture for popish auricular confession vsed in the Church of Rome For the Ministers of the word may both openly pronounce absolution vnto true penitents and in secret also when occasion is offered iustly Though annuall and auricular confession of euery singular and single sin were thrust out of the Church as it was for twelue hundred yeeres after Christ See Gospell 3. Sund. after Epiphanie Wee must acknowledge that is say with our mouth and acknowledge in our heart that wee haue sinned in Adam and doe sinne for the present and may sinne hereafter as long as we liue For faith Augustine Iderat peccatum insanabilius quo me peccatorem esse non arbitrabar it is our dutie to feele sinne to feare sinne to flie sinne so farre as wee can in one word soundly and seriously to repent vs of all vnrighteousnesse Non fit satis quod doleamus sed ex side doleamus non semper doluisse doleamus de dolore gaudeamus Wee must hartily griue for our offences and grieue for that we grieue no more and ioy for that we grieue so much After such a confession a penitent ought to seeke for an absolution of God as being faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes Happily some will obiect God if wee consider him as iust is more ready to punish then to pardon for the wages of sinne is death and the Church hath taught vs euery day to pray with the Psalmist enter not into iudgement with thy seruants O Lord for no flesh is righteous in thy sight For answere to this obiection I find the word iust expounded diuersly Somesay God is iust as being able to iustifie sinners Other thinke that God is called iust in forgiuing our sinne because Christ hath paid a iust and sufficient price for the sinnes of the whole world Other construe iust here to bee nothing else but a comely thing or a propertie besitting the goodnesse of God according to that of Anselme Iustum est oÌ„ Deus vt parcas malis And so some read God is faithfull and facile ready to forgiue But I follow their Glosse who thinke that faithfull and iust in this place signifie the same God is faithfull in his promise iust in his word to forgiue Now God saith in his word though their sins were as crimson they shall be made white as snow though they be red like scarlet they shall be as wooll I am not come to call the righteous but the sinners to repentance Wherefore come to me all yee that labour and are laden and I will ease you yea that which is more then his word if any thing can be greater his oath is As I liue saith the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue Now God euer dealeth with his seruants according to his word and hauing bound his word with an oath it is due debt and then it is iustice to pay debts he is faithfull and therefore can no more deny his promise then himselfe who saith at what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne from the bottome of his heart I will put all his wickednesse out of my remembrance Wherefore let vs boldly come to the throne of grace let vs agree with our aduersary quickly while wee are in the way while wee walke in the light while it is called to day for after this life there is no purgatorie for sinne in another And let vs aske not onely some parcell of a pardon but an absolute absolution and a plenarie discharge from all vnrighteousnesse Larga Dei piet as veniam non dimidiabit aut 〈◊〉 ant totum se lachrymante dabit The Gospell IOHN 21.19 Iesus said vnto Peter Follow thou me c. THis Scripture containeth a Correction of Peters curiositie What is that to thee Follow thou mee The disciples error touching the death of Iohn yet Iesus said not vnto him he shall not die c. Commendation of Iohn in respect of his Grace with Christ the Disciple whom Iesus loued which also learned on his breast at supper c. Place in the Church as being an Apostle that testified of these things an Euangelist who wrote these things Conclusion of the Gospell intimating that so much is written as is necessarie to saluation and other things omitted and those many for that if they should bee written euery one the world could not containe the bookes that should bee written Our blessed Sauiour in the words immediately going afore shewed Peter in what vocation hee should liue Feed my sheepe as also by what death he should die When thou shalt be old thou shalt stretch forth thine hands and another shall gend thee and leade theâ— whither thou wouldest not And when hee had spoken thus alluding to both especially to the latter he said vnto Peter follow me that is be thou such a Pastor in feeding my sheepe and such a Pastor in suffering for my sheepe as I haue giuen example Christ said vnto Peter in the 13. chapter of this Gospell at the 36. verse Whither I goe thou caust not follow me now but thou shalt follow me afterwards Vnto whom Peter answered Lord why can I not follow thee now I will lay downe my life for thy sake Iesus replied wilt thou lay downe thy life for mysake Verily vâ—rily I say vnto thee the Cocke shall out crowâ—â— thou haue deared me thrice Now Iesus remembring this conflict and conference with his Disciple said vnto him in the words a little before our tex
the shooes of Christ and Mary thought herselfe blessed in annoynting the feet of Christ and Thomas only desired to touch the side of Christ oâ—r Apostle Iohn is said here to haue leaned on his breast at supper as being best acquainted with the secrets of his Sauiour For when Peter and all other his fellowes were silent onely he dâ—rst aske Lord which is he that betrayeth thee When the Eagle broodes as Plutarch reports the chicke that comes of the egge lying nearest her heart is best beloued of her and so S. Iohn leaning on that breast in which are hâ—d all the treasures of wiâ—edome and knowledge is the beloued Disciple so much honoured that Christ his Sauiour which had not in the world whereon to reâ—t his head did notwithstanding dwell in his heart by faith and leane saith Ambrose in his bosome Siâ—â—â— in quo Christ 〈◊〉 equi seiâ— erat tripl◠〈◊〉 in Eâ—anâ—â—lista leanne sides iâ— paire 〈◊〉 in Maria matre virginitas It is said Ephes. 4 11 that Christ ascending vp on high gaue some to â—â—e Apostlâ—s and some Prophets and â—ome Euangelâ—â—â— and some Pastors and Doctors according to his will distributing to euery man a seuerall gift Peter was an Apostle but not an Euangelist Marke an Euangelist but not an Apostle Matthew both an Euangelist and Apostle yet not a Prophet Augustine a Doctor but not a Martyr Lâ—urence a Martyr but not a Doctor But behold the beloued Disciple was all these In his Epistles an Apostle in his Apocalyps a Prophet in his Gospell an Euangelist in his faith a Confessor in his preaching a Doctor in his chasliâ—ie a Virgin in his readinesse to suffer for the truth a very Martyr yea the protomartyr suffering for Christ vnder the crosse when hee saw Christ suffer on the crosse aâ—â—ns quippe plus 〈◊〉 amato quam in seipâ—â— patitur all which are so many reasons why wee should praise God in this holy Saint but especially because the same Diâ—ciple is hee that testifieth of these things and wrote these things I say for that hee penned this heauenly Gospell that wee might beleeue that 〈◊〉 Christ is the sonne of God and that in beleeuing wee might haue life through his name For as Aristotle said it timotheus had not been we had not had so much sweet musicke but it 〈◊〉 timotheus his master had not been we had not had timotheus Euen so beloued if S. Iohn had not beene wee might haue wanted happily such an Euangelicall harmonie but if Iesus the master of Iohn had not beene gratious vnto the Church it should not haue had such a Iohn It is an argument of S. Iohns humilitie that hee tearmeth himselfe not a master in Israel or a Doctor but a Disciple and that fiue times in this one Gospell as cap. 13.23 cap. 19.26 cap. 20.2 cap. 21.7 20. yet it winnes honour to his historie for that the beloued Disciple penned it euen hee who leaned on his masters bosome restifiâ—th of these thnâ—gs Among all his honourable titles hee mentioneth in the first place that hee was beloued of Iesus acknowledging it onely to be the fountaine from which all other his grace originally were deriued For hee was not beloued of Iesus for that hee leaned on his breast or for that hee durst aske himany question or for that he was the penman of this historie but on the contrarie he therefore leaned on his masters bosome and was acquainted with his secrets and testifieth of these thingâ— for that he was the Disciple whom Iesus loued It is Christs grace by which alone we are whatsoeuer we are 1. Cor. 15.20 There are also many other things which Iesus did Euery thing that Iesus did is not recorded in the Gospels historie but only so much as is necessarie for vs to know namely that wee might beleeue that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God and that in beleeuing wee might haue life through his name for so S. Iohn expounds himselfe chap. 20. at the last verse The Scripture then is written principally for this end that wee might vnderstand the mysterie of our saluation consisting in two points especially First in beleeuing that Iesus is the Christ that is the Messia promised vnto the Fatherâ— euer since the world began Secondly that this Messias albeit hee were the seed of Dauid is not a meere Terence Iesus but the sonne of God and so being both God and man he is our onely Mediator through whose name we must be saued The Gospell hath abundantly both affirmed and confirmed these points and therefore we need not any further reuelations of the spirit in the businesse of our saluation Men talke much of the Philosophers stone that it turneth copper into gold of Cornu-copia that it had all things necessarie for food in it of Panaces the hearbe that it was good for all diseases of Catholicon the drug that it is instead of all purges of Vulcans armour that it was an armour of proofe against all thrusts and blowes c. Well that which they did attribute vainly to these things for bodily good we may with ful measure ascribe iustly to the Scripture for spirituall It is not an armour onely but an whole armorie of weapons as well offensiue as defensiue whereby we may saue our selues and put the enemie to flight It is not an hearbe but a tree or rather a complete paradise of trees of life which bring forth fruit euery moneth and the fruit thereof is for meat and the leaues for medicine In a word it is a panarie of wholesome food against fenowed traditions a physitians shop of preseruatiues against poisoned heresies a pandect of profitable lawes against rebellious spirits a treasurie of most costly iewels against beggerly rudiments Euery thing indeed that Iesus did is not set downe yet so much is written as is sufficient for our learning so much as may serue for a lanterne to our feet and a light vnto our paths able to teach improue correct instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect thorowly furnished vnto all good workes 2. Tim. 3.16 I will end this obseruation in the words of Augustine Tanta facta sunt quantatunâ— furs debâ—erunt tanta scripta sunt quanta nune legi debuerunt His salubriter praâ—â— corriguntur parua nutriuntur magna obâ—â—ct intur in â—â—niâ— Nay saith hee the Scriptures are so fit and full Vâ—â—â—eis quotidie proficerem sicas solas abincunte pueâ—â—tia â—â— que ad dâ—repitam sâ—necturem maximo otio summo studiâ— mâ—â—â—reingeniâ— coâ—arer ad discere The whiâ—h if they should be written euery one I suppose that the world could not containe the bookes that should bee written I finde three diuers constructions of this one verse The first is metaphoricall the second hyperbolicall and the third literall Augustine Theophylact Beda Rupert metaphorically
purification of Marie 2. The presentation and induction of Christ into the Temple 3. Saint Simeons holy day When the time of their purification Some reade â—â— his purification our latter English Bibles and old Latine 〈◊〉 her purification Origine Theophilact Enthymius and many moe 〈◊〉 as the text of our Communion booke here their purification And the reason hereof is plaine because Christ is presented in the Temple so well as Marie purified both vndergoe the Law though in equitie neither of them are bound to the rites of the Law concerning purification After the Law of Moses The Law saith Luther is not adius orium sed monitorium it takes not away sin but only bringeth vs to the knowledge of sinne and to the remedie for sinne vnto the knowledge and true feeling of sinne Rom. 3.20 Gallathâ— 19. because God wrote the Law not so much to forbid offences to come as to make vs acknowledge our sinnes alreadie past and now present that considering our owne miserie wee might flie to his mercie By the Law wee know sinne by sinne we learne to know our selues and in knowing our selues wee renounce our selues and come vnto Christ the salue for sinne being the lambe of God who taketh away the sinnes of the World refreshing all such as groane vnder the burden of their offences Mat. 11.28 and thus as Paul speakes the Law is our schoolemaster vnto Christ and Christ is the ende of the Law Finis perficiens non interficiens quoth Augustine not the destruction of the Law but the consummation as being the very marke at which all the ceremonies of Moses aimed as in this rite concerning the purifying of women almighty God insinuated to the Iewes his people their originall corruption how they were conceiued in sinne and borne in iniquitie prius damnati quam nati being the sonnes of wrath afore they were seene in the world vncleane in their conception vncleane in their birth vncleane in their life and so consequentlie that they need the blood of Christ prefigured in their daily sacrifice to cleanse them from all sinne both originall and actuall 1. Iohn 1.7 The children of Israel had continued among the superstitious Egiptians a long time without any Law of God written and therefore being now deliuered from them and yet inclined to their idolatrie God out of his admirable wisdome as most interpretours auow did so charge them with a multitude of sacrifices and ceremonies in his written word as that they should neither haue leisure to make new of their owne not yet lust to to follow the fashions of other And in this almost infinite number of Iudicials and Ceremonials euery one though in appearance neuer so little hath a moral as thou shalt not take the dam with the young Deut. 22.6 thou shalt not seeth a kid in his mothers mâ—lke Exod. 23. 19. moueth vs to compassion and pitie Thou shalt not muzel the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne Deut. 25.4 teacheth in Paules exposition this lesson that the labourer is worthie of his wages especially the Preachers of the Word for that law was not written out of Gods care for oxen but altogether for our sakes insinuating thingâ—â— So likewise in the ceremonie touching purification Leuil 12. there is something moral as namely that the wâ—â—â—nes of women after their childbirth might be reliued and the lust of intemperate husbands a while restrained Now that which is ceremoniall is abrogated vâ—erly but the moral is perpetual and ought to continue still in the Church vntill the worlds end and therefore howseeuer women in our age bee not tied either by the law Common or Cannon much lesse by the Gospell is selfe to the precise number of daies and particular oblations of the Iewes yet it is meet I might say more necessarie that they should keepe in a conuenient time for the recouering of their strength and when they come to the Church in â—â—eaâ— of the Iewish offering to present vnto the Lord Christian sacrifices of prayer and praise for preseruing them in the great danger of child-birth as also for their deliuerance by Christ from that sinne where of that infinnitie is an euerlasting â—â—â—linonie and assuredly whoseouer shall our of insolent contempt neglect this dutie sinneth against the rules of nature yea the God of grace For it is a conclusion orthodoxall in Diuinity that the politicall and ceremoniall lawes of the Iewes are abrogated in the particular only not in the generall in the circumstance not in the substance quoâ—d and speâ—â—em non quod geneus as in obseruing the sabbath in paying of tiches in purifying of women and the like Or as other abolished as concerning the letter but in force concerning the spirit Whereas it is obiected If there should bee solemne and expreâ—â— giuing of thankes in the congregation for euery benefit either equall or greater then this which any singular person in the Church doth receiue we should not onely â—â—â—ise no preaching of the word nor ministring of the Sacraments but we should not haue so much leisure as to doe any corporall or bodilie worke but should bee like the Messalian heretikes who did nothing else but pray answere is made that these schismaticall opposâ—rs are to themselues opposite Elsewhere they mislike the booke of Common Prayer for want of thankesgiuing for benefits receiued and heere they condemne it for appointing thankes to bee giuen for deliuerance from sinke from manifold perils and dangers and for the encrease of Gods people the which are publike blessings though a priuate person more particularly giue the thankes Againe it would trouble their heads exceedingly to find out so many benefits greater or equiualent to the goodnesse of God toward women in child-bed for as Melaâ—â—hon is bold to write Child-bearing is magnum miraculum a miracle so great that the Prophet faith in consideration hereof I will giue thankes vnto thee for I am surefully and wonderfully made But howsoeuer it be this one thing is certaine that it is better to be like suâ—â— heretikes as doe nothing else but pray then to be such schismatikes as doe nothing else but pratâ— Concerning the wearing of the vaile we say that it is not an ecclesiasticall Canon but a ciuill custome not an iniunction of the Church but the fashion of our countrie as wearing of new gloues at mariages and blackes at funerals An attire for such a time not onely decent and graue but also most viefull and conuenient As for the name of offring applied to the Curates accustomed dutie wee say that as the life of the Clergie is spent in the seruice of God so it is sustained with his reuenew Nothing therefore more proper then to giue the name of oblations vnto such payments in token that we offer vnto God whatsoeuer his Ministers receiue In a word the thanksgiuing of women
day Come to Christ and he will bring it to passe that thy greatest enemy shall if he haue any sparke of grace confesse ingeniously to thee as Saul once to Dauid thou art more righteous then I for thou hast rendred me good and â— haue rendred thee euill Hee shall make thy righteousnesse as cleare as the light and thy iust dealing as the noone day Psalm 37.6 Art thou much afflicted with sicknesse I saith the Lord am he who kill and giue life wound and make whole bring downe to the graue and raise vp againe I am the resurrection and the life hee that beleeueth in me though he were dead yet shall he liue Ioh. 11.25 The 2 burthen is that â—f the law a yoke which neither our fathers nor we were able to beare saith S. Peter Act. 15.10 a yoâ—e of bondage a heauie burthen and grieuous to be borne Now Christ easeth vs of this burthen also being made vnder the law to redeeme them vnder the law He blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against vs which was contrary to vs and tooke it out of the way nailing it to hiâ— crâ—ssâ— So that if Satan that informer and common accuser of vs all obiect the lawes obligation against vs our answere may be that the debt is payed and the bond cancelled If his euidence be good let him if he can shew it in the court Christ is the end of the law Rom. 10.4 For the law was added because of the transgression vntill the blessed seed came to the which the promise was made Galath 3.19 The Prophets and the law did endure till Iohn but since the kingdome of heauen suffereth violence and the violent take it by force The blessed seed is come when once Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith and then it is time for the law to bee paâ—king out of the conscience then her kingdome is at an end Come therfore to Christ all ye that labour vnder the yoke of the law written and all ye which are laden with the burthen of pharisaicall traditions vnwritten and yee shall finde rest vnto your soules The third burthen is of sinne the which is so weighty that Zecharias calles it a talent of lead and Dauid who felt the load himselfe saith of it expresly there is no health in my flesh because of thy displeasure neither is there any rest in my bones by reason of my sinne for my wickednesses are gone ouer my head and are like a sore burthen too heauie for me to beare And heere let vs obserue with Euthymius that sinne is first a labour in accomplishing and then a load when it is accomplished The couetous incontinent ambitious exceedingly labour to compasse their vnlawfull desires and yet when all is done they remaine still as men vndone For no man is more beggerlike then a couetous wretch in an opulent fortune nor more base then a proud man in the midst of his honour There is a labour in geering these things and when once they be got a load All is but â—â—nity and vexation of spirit They who truely repent them of their sin feele this burthen in this world and they who being irrepentant are in a reprobate sense shall at the last day notwithstanding confesse to their endlesse shame We haue wearied our selues in the waies of wickednesse and destruction Now Christ saith vnto such as grieue and groane vnder the burthen of their sinnes I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance the spirit of the Lord is vpon mee that I should preach the Gospell vnto the poore he hath sent me that I should heale the broken hearted that I should preach deliuerance to the captiues and recouering of sight to the blind He calleth all that labour siue secundum naturam in qua nascimur siue secundum culpaem qua transgredimur siue poenam in qua morimur All men as you haue heard sufficiently yet onely such as labour and are laden with the burthen of their sinnes efficiently The carnall and carelesse haue eyes and see not eares and heare not hearts and vnderstand not How often would I saith hee who calleth all haue gathered you together as the hen gathereth her chickins vnder her wings and ye would not And in this present chapter at the seuenteenth vers We haue piped vnto you and ye haue not danced we haue mourned vnto you and ye haue not lamented That is as Ambrose construeth it we haue preached vnto you the sweet comforts of the Gospell and ye haue not reioyced in spirit we haue denounced vnto you the terrible iudgements of God contained in the law and yee haue not trembled at our words O thinke on this all yee that forget God all yee that stop your eares and harden your hearts at his voice repent and exhort one another while it is to day seeke the Lord while hee may bee found and call vpon him and come vnto him while he is neare Esay 55.6 Yea but where shall wee find thee sweet Iesus I am saith he found in my workes and in my words and in my Sacraments In my workes for they beare witnesse of me they shew that by me the blind receiue sight and halt go and the leapers are cleansed and the dead are raised vp Matth. 11.5 In my word for the Scriptures are they which testifie of me There you shall reade how God so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten Son that whose euer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Iohn 2.16 in my sacâ—arâ—â—is he that eare 〈…〉 blood dwelleth in me and 〈◊〉 ye come to my table ye shall be refreshed 〈…〉 my blood refâ—â—teris 〈◊〉 necesseris de 〈…〉 〈…〉 to the comming or motion and that is by 〈◊〉 and not by feet moribus non pedibus by loue not by leggs come to me then in saith and 〈…〉 yoke 〈…〉 to hope and learne â—f me meekâ—es and lowlinesse in â—one he that comes to God must beleeue that God is and that he is a rewarder of such as seeke him hee must in hâ—pe beare Christs yoke the which in respect of the present labour is heauen but in respect of the â— fâ—ture retribution hope 〈◊〉 to saith he must adioyne loue whereof there be two principall obiects and two principall offices the principall obiects of our loue are God and our neighbours lowlinesse in heart disposeth aright of our loue toward God and meeknes sheweth how wee should demeane our selues in our cariage toward our neighbours the two principall offices of our loue are to giue and to forgiue lowlinesse is ready to giue euery man his due meeknesse to forgâ—ue euery man his debt or we must be mites 〈◊〉 humiles mentibus in our outward behauiour toward other meeke in our inward conceit of our selues humble lowly not in
wall and to make the Iewes and the Gentiles both one Ephes. 2.14 or Galilee signifieth an end or confine so Christ a Galilean is the end of the law Rom. 10.4 See this and many moe like this apud pont in sed annun To a Virgin espoused to a man whose name was Ioseph Mary though a Virgin was affianced to Ioseph of the house of Dauid for sundry causes â— left her selfe should be iudged an adulteresse and so stoned to death according to Moses law 2. Left her sonne should be reputed a bastard and so consequently not admitted for the Messias He who came into the world not to destroy the law but to fulfill all righteousnesse Matth. 3.15 would not himselfe be borne vnlawfully 3. That Christ heereby might honour both estates of maiden head and marriage of maiden head in that shee was a Virgin of marriage because she was espoused 4. That Ioseph might be to her selfe and her sonne a curator and a guardian in the time of trouble for so we reade in the second chapter of S. Matthew that the Angell of the Lord appeared to Ioseph in a dreame saying Arise and take the babe and his mother and flee into Egypt c. Againe arise and take the babe and his mother and goe into the land of Israel c. 5. That her husband might witnesse her virginity Sicut Thomas dubitando palpando constantissimus factus est Dominicae confessor resurrectionis Ita Ioseph Mariam sibi desponsando eiusiâ— conuersationem in tempâ—re cuiodie sindiosius comprebando factus est pudicitiae fidelissimus testos Pulchra viriusque rei conuenientut dubitatio Thomae desponsaâ—ia Mariae See Bernard vbi in marg Beauxam har Tom. 1. fol. 22. Maldonat in Mat. 1. Sixt. seuen Bib. lib. 6. annot 64. Of the house of Dauid S. Luke sets downe the names of so many places and persons exactly that wee might attend his relation more diligently Noluit nos negligenter audire quod tam diligenter sinduit enarrare Because Christ is the promised seed and sonne of Dauid Mary was espoused to Ioseph of the house of Dauid Hereby shewing her owne petegree by her husbands genealogie for the Iewes according to Gods law were to take wiues out of their owne tribes Dauid is â—iled a man according to Gods owne heart Act. 13.22 And so Ioseph a man of Dauids house was a man according to Gods owne hart to whom he did reueale Secret◠〈◊〉 atque sacratisimum sui cordis arcanum a mysterie which none of the Princes of this world vnderstood And Mary being thus affianced to Ioseph she proue in good housewife being in this respect like the Snaile which this 〈◊〉 She was not of the tribe of 〈◊〉 busy gossip â—â—ing about from house to house proâ—ing and speaking things which are not comely 〈◊〉 as almost all 〈…〉 vpon the words of our text 〈…〉 thee was within either at her holy deuotion or at her daily worke I come now to the salutation it selfe Haile Mary c. the which as Luther said of the Pater noster is made by the Papists a very great Martyr I purpose therefore to demonstrate these two points especially First their foule abuse secondly the true vse of Aue Maria. The Papists iniurie this angelicall salutation in Groce by misconstruing the whole sentence ioyntly in Parcell abusing euery particular word seuerally For the first they patch it vp together by fetching in other stitches out of other places as blessed is the fruit of thy wombe and adding the name Maria Iesus amen And all this that it may be repeated often vpon their beades as a maine point of holy deuotion and why so because forsooth it was vsed by the Greeke Church in their Masse daily for so they find it recorded in the Liturgies of S. Iames and Chrysostome Our answere is that those Liturgies are counterfeit the one being a sufficient consutation of the other For if the Greeke Church had a Liturgie written by S. Iames the blessed Apostle who would imagine that Chrysostome would haue made a new and if Chrysostome had penned a Liturgie he would not haue made a prayer for Pope Nicholas who liued almost fiue hundred yeeres after him and for the Emperour Alexius who liued seuen hundred yeeres after him It were very much as B. Iewell obiected against D. Harding to say Chrysostome prayed for men by name so many hundred yeeres before they were borne But to trace the Papists a little neerer euen from step to step if Aue Maria bee a prayer it must either bee a prayer for Mary or to Mary It cannot be a prayer for Mary whether wee consider the words as vttered by Gabriel while shee liued or as babled by them now shee is dead If in her life shee was full of grace and free from all sinne as they teach impiously then assuredly she did not need any prayer of man or Angell as abounding with all mercy and abandoning all misery much lesse now being a Saint in heauen and as they would haue vs to beleeue a queen of heauen ouerruling and commanding Christ himselfe to shew mercy on such as she will haue mercy As Aue maria could not be a prayer for Mary so it should not be a prayer to Mary because praying to Saints hath in Gods holy bible neither precept nor praise nor paterne Not to dispute this point Eckius a â—ancke payâ—st acknowledgeth in his Enchiridon that innocation of Saints is not inioyned in the Scriptures expresly not in the old Testament because the Patriarkes and the Prophets afore the comming of Christ as the Church of Rome beleeues were not in heauen but in limbo Not in the new testament least happily the Gentiles lately conuerted vnto the faith of one God should instantly returne to the worshipping of many Gods as the men of Lycaonia would haue sacrificed vnto Paul and Barrabas Acts 14 Petrus Asoto likewise and other Romanists of most eminent note for learning confesse that praying vnto Saints is not taught in Gods booke plainly but insinuated only So that as Melancthon obserues the Papists are saine to ride post vnto the Court for an example We cannot come to the Princes presence but by the mediation of some fauourite in like sort say they we must exhibite our petitions vnto Peter or Paul especially to Mary that she may commend them vnto Christ her sonne God himselfe hath answered this idle conceit for vs Osea 11.9 I am God and not man the holy one in the mids of thee and Esay 55.8 My wayes are not as your wayes c. Earthly princes out of necessity must employ many mediatours and officers about them as tongues and eares and eyes vnto them but the King of heauen is all eye and all eare seeing hearing vnderstanding all things euen the very secrets of our hearts afore we speake your heauenly father saith our
many as the Lord our God shall call And Act. 3.26 Vnto you hath God raised vp his sonne Iesus and him hee hath sent to blesse you in turning euery one of you from your iniquities And here Ye men and brethren children of the generation of Abraham and whosoeuer among you feareth God to you is the word of this saluation sent And vers 38. Be it knowne vnto you that thorough the man Iesus is preached vnto you the forgiuenesse of sins Now that our Apostle might the better insinuate himselfe into the minds of his hearers and thereby more powerfully perswade the truth of his doctrine hee cals them brethren children of the generation of Abraham and such as feare God The first title was among the Iewes held gratious the second and third glorious esteeming it euer the greatest honour to be the seruants of God and sonnes of Abraham And whereas Christ crucified is vnto the Iewes a stumbling blocke for what Iew will out of his owne iudgement admit him for the Sauiour of Gods people who was condemned by the chiefe Priests and rulers and inhabitors of Gods owne City Hierusalem of which it is said the law shall goe forth of Sion and the word of the Lord from Hierusalem our Apostle remoues the scandall of Christs crosse retorting and answering this obiection in his ensuing discourse First hee retorteth it and maketh it aduantage in his present businesse As if hee should say ye men of Antioch children of the generation of Abraham especially such as feare God among you I say ye should the rather embrace the word of saluation sent vnto you because the men of Hierusalem and their rulers killed the Lord of life condemning him in whom they found no cause of death Hierusalem vnderstood not the things appertaining to her peace but murthered the Prophets and stoned such as were sent to her Take heed therefore ye men of Antioch that ye commit not the like sinne and ingratitude lest that fall on you which is spoken of in the Prophets behold ye despisers and wonder and perish Secondly S. Paul heere giueth answere to this obiection It is true that the men of Hierusalem and their rulers haue crucified the Lord of glory but it was out of their ignorance because they knew him not nor yet the voices of the Prophets which are read euery Sabbath day They killed him indeed but heerein they fulfilled all the Scriptures that were written of him especially that Scripture the same stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner And lastly though it be granted vnto you that the Sauiour Iesus through whom is preached vnto you forgiuenesse of sins had a death full of ignominy for that hee was hanged on a tree yet his rising againe from the dead the third day was exceeding glorious in that hee lead captiuity captiue triumphing ouer death hell and the graue Now that Christ is risen againe from death he proues by the witnesse Of Apostles himselfe we declare c. For Christ after his resurrection was seene of Paul 1. Cor. 15.8 Other who went with him from Galilee to Hierusalem of whom hee was seene many daies as being witnesses chosen of God for the same purpose Act. 10.41 Prophets Esay chap. 55.3 Dauid Psal. 2.7 16.11 The first testimonie cited by Paul is in the second Psalme thou art my sonne c. the which I finde expounded of Dauid and of Christ. If we take this spoken of Dauid he may be called the sonne of God as A King for Princes haue their power from God and so stiled the children of the most high Psalm 82.6 Man for we are the generation of God it is he who made vs and not our selues Psal. 100.2 and is not hee thy father that made thee Deut. 32.6 Regenerate man for euery one that is new borne is borne of God adopted his sonne and made his heire Rom. 8.15.17 Thus it may be said by God vnto Dauid in type this day haue I begotten thee but onely to Christ in truth And therefore Rabbi Solomon and other Doctors among the Iewes vnderstand this of the Messias and assuredly Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrewes chap. 1. vers 5 did the rather cite this text to proue that Christ is God for that hee knew their Rabbines vsually constâ—ued it of Israels Sauiour The maine proposition of the second Psal. is thâ— the Messias is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords euen Gods onely begotten sonne very God of very God The which is concluded in this argument Hee that is to bee worshipped and kissed of all Princes on earth is doubtlesse the King of Kings but the Messias ought to be worshipped of all other Kings and Rulers and Iudges of the earth ergo the Messias seated vpon Gods holy hill of Sion is the King of Kings euen the Lord who dwelleth in heauen If the Princes of the world stand vp and take counsell together against the Lord and against his anointed it is but in vaine For if his wrath be kindled yea but a little they shall instantly perish hee shall bruise them with a rod of iron and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell On the contrary blessed are they who kisse the sonne and put their trust in him happie men and wise Kings are they who serue the Lord in feare and reioyce before him in reuerence God onely killeth and maketh aliue bringeth downe to the graue and raiseth vp Ergo the Messias hauing his absolute power of life and death is vndoubtedly Gods onely begotten sonne whom he hath made heire of all things and iudge of all men And therefore Diuines interpret the cited words as properly spoken of Christ and that in respect of his generation temporall eternall Resurrection Some construe this of his temporary birth in saying thou art my sonne God sheweth his diuine generation and in saying this day haue I begotten thee his humaine natiuity For hodie signifieth in holy Scripture the present life Heb. 3.7 Psalm 95.8 to day if ye will heare his voice So that I haue begotten thee this day as if he should haue said I haue brought my first begotten sonne into the world I haue caused thee to become flesh and in the fulnesse of time to be borne of a woman Other vnderstand this of Christs eternall generation As if God should haue said other are my sonnes improperly but thou art my sonne properly filius meus naturalis singularis substantialis A sonne not by creation as the whole world nor through adoption as the whole Church but a sonne by nature my begotten and onely begotten sonne Iohn 3.16 The very brightnesse and expresse character of my person Hebr. 1.3 Whereas Arrians and other obiect against this interpretation the word hodie Saint Augustine answereth appositly that with God vnto whom all things are
world their Dioces Euntes in mundum oniner sum praedicate c. Hee being the true Samaritane powred into their wounds oyle and wine first vinum tribulationis and then â—leum consolationis he chasteneth all such as he loueth and he scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth In Christs commission or grant to his Apostles obserue two things especially 1. Their warrant goe and preach for how shall they preach except they be sent hee that runneth of his owne accord without a calling is a false Prophet Ier. 23.21 See Gospell 1. Sund. after Easter and 8. after Trinitie 2. Theâ—â— worke in respect of their Dioces where they must preach in the whole world to eâ—ery creature Doctrine what they must preach and that is said expresly to be the Gospell Concerning their Dioces it is not the meaning of our blessed Sauiour that his Apostles should preach vnto liuelesse stones or senselesse plants or witlesse beasts but he doth vnderstand by all creatures onely men as being an abridgement of all the creatures Stones haue a being but not a life plants haue both a being and a life but not sense beasts haue being life sense but they want vnderstanding Angels haue being life sense vnderstanding Now man as being a little world and as it were the compendious Index of Gods great booke in folio participates a being with stones life with plants sense with beasts vnderstanding with Angels and therefore fitly called euery creature as hauing the chiefe perfections of euery creature Or man may bee called all creatures as being that excellent câ—eature for whom all other creatures were made Psalm 8.6 Thou makeâ—t him to haue dominion ouer the workes of thine hands and thou hast put all things in subiection vnder his feet Or preach the Gospell vnto all creatures vnderstanding onely such as are capable to receiue the Gospell So Christ elsewhere said all things that I haue heard of my father haue I made knowne vnto you that is all things which are necessary for your saluation and are fit for you to know And Ioh. 12.17 If I were lifâ— vp from the earth I will draw all men vnto mee that is all which are to be drawne So Paul Loue suffereth all things beleeueth all thiâ—gs hopeth all things that is all which are to be suffered and beleeued and hoped Or preach the Gospell vnto all creatures that is all nations for so Saint Marke may be well expounded by S. Matthew who relating this commission saith Euntes ergo docete omnes gentes goe and teach all Nations Hereby repealing a former edict Matth. 10.5 Goe not into the way of the Gentiles and into the Cities of the Samaritans enter ye not That commission is determined now therfore goe into all the world and preach the Gospell vnto all creatures to men of all countries and conditions whatsoeuer This vnlimited extraordinarie commission is expired and hath his end for now the successors of the Apostles as Bishops and Pastors haue their peculiar prouinces and proper Paâ—ishes assigned for their cure yet so â—hat they may preach the Gospell of Christ in other places also where need requireth albeit the same be not particularly committed vnto them And therefore the Church of England enioyneth euery learned Pâ—stor sometime to preach in Chapels and Chuâ—câ—es râ—ioyning neare to his benefice Aâ— for their wâ—â—ke they must employ their time 〈◊〉 in secular actions of the world nor yet in idle speculaâ—ions of the S. hoole but apply themselues vnto preâ—â—hing goe ye into the world and preach And they 〈◊〉 not their owne wisedome but the Gospel it 〈◊〉 man speake let him deliuer oracles of God consenting to the wholesome words of our Lord Iesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlines And for as much as the the Law the Psalmes and the Prophets are nothing else but as it were a preface to the booke of the generation of Iesus Christ I say for as much as Christ is the supplement of the Prophets and end of the Law they must especially preach vnto the world the glad tidings of saluation making this sentence the period of all their Sermons vnto vs a child is borne vnto vs a son is giuen or that of Christ himselfe So God loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life To the preaching of the Gospell administration of the Sacraments is adioyned and enioyned also Matth. 29.19 Go teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost The which our Euangelist implieth here when hee saith hee that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued but he that beleeueth not shall bee damned Concerning Baptismes necessity see Gospell on Trinity Sunday And these tokens shall follow them that beleeue These words are to bee digested with a little salt to bee construed with a great deale of caution otherwise the simple soule will obiect how shall I know that I beleeue seeing I worke no miracles If wee take them as many learned and ancient Diuines haue done mystically then euery true beleeuer in Christs name casteth out of his heart diuels that is euils for euery foule sinne is a foule fiend to man and then his soule being sound his mouth ex abund intia cordis out of the hearts abundance speakes with new tongues His communication heretofore was im â—ious toward God and vncharitable toward his neighbour his throte an open sepulchre his tongue d e ceiuing his lips flattering his mouth full of cursing and bitternesse But now hauing put on the new man he speakes in a new language words of truth and sobernes Acts 16.25 Words of meekenesse and courtesie Titus 3.2 Words agreeable to the wholsome words of our Lord Iesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlines 1. Tim. 6.3 After this compunction in his heart and confession of his mouth if any venemous temptation be suggested he shall haue power to driâ—e away serpents and if he drinke any deadly thing it shall not hurts him although he taste of it a little yet he shall not in any case swallow it downe to his vtter destruction And lastly he shall impose his hands vpon the sicke and they shall recouer that is he shall out of his loue beare the infirmities of his weake brethren and hide a multitude of their sinnes his exhortation and doctrine the Lord worâ—ing with them as it is in the last words of our text shall heale the sicke yea raise the very dead in sinne to newnes of life If we take Christs promise these signes shall follow them that beleeue literally then it must of necessity bee construed with a few limitations and exceptions As first in respect of the time miracles are not necessarie for a Church already planted but only for a Church in planting So Paul