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
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
Prouerbs 24.23 The Thebans hereupon vsually pourtraied their Prince blinde with eares and the Iudges assisting him in Iustice without hands Blinde lâ—st he should haue respect of persons with eares that hee might heare both parties indifferently the Iudges without hands lest otherwise they might be corrupted with bribes for the gift blindeth the wise and peruerteth the words of the righteous and for this end our forefathers ordayned wisely that euery Iudge should ride his circuit in a Countie farre distant from his owne home whereby he might administer iustice freely without any fauour or feare It was an olde complaint of Diogenes that the greater theeues of the state did ordinarily punish the lesser and another after him that secret pillers of the Common-weale sit on the bench to condemne open robbers standing at the barre Magistrates in our dayes haue their houses seated so neare to Saint Bribes as that few can say with Iob I put on iustice and it couered me my iudgement was a robe and a crowne I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame feuer with Samuel whose oxe haue I taken or whose asse haue I taken or to whom haue I done wrong or whom haue I hurt or of whose hand haue I receiued any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith and I will restore it you None I feare with Nerua who was so good a Prince that hee did auow boldly se nihil fecisse quo minus possit imperio depostio priuatus iuto viuere Some Magistrates vse the lawes as cobwebs only to catch little flies other as fox-nets only to take great ones in a trap and so the statutes of our kingdome as a reuerend father of our Church once said haue a good prologue but bad epilogue their inuention is wise their intention honourable but we saile in execution and a law without execution is as a bell without a clapper A Iudge must haue two kindes of salt in him as Baldus truely the salt of science to know the law and the salt of conscience to determine according to the same neither respecting the person nor expecting the gifts of any himâ— To feare God and to keepe his commandements is the whole duty of man Ecclesiast 12.13 and therefore these two the fearing of God and working â—f righteousnes comprehend our whole duty The first all religious offices of piety toward God the second all righteous offices of charity toward our neighbour Cornelius feare was not seruile but filial he feared God as an obedient child feareth a kind father and God is not our father after this sort but in Christ in whom he is well pleased and in whom he doth adopt vs his children giuing vs his spirit whereby we cry Abba father in a word Cornelius feare was â—aith and by this faith he was accepted with God and this faith openly shewed it selfe in working righteousnesse toward men And therefore such aâ— build vpon this exam â—e free will and iustification by workes are deceiued exceedingly for Cornelius is said here first to feare God and then afterward to worke righteousnes Hee had heard among the Iewes of Gods holy promise concerning the sending of his sonne our Sauiour the which hee beleeued as the Patriarkes and the Prophets and other of Gods people who liued before Christs comming into the world and this faith as Paul speakes wrought by loue Galat. 5.6 It is worth obseruing that this commendation of Cornelius is remembred often in holy Scriptures as a speciall infallible marke of Gods children Iob a iust man and one that feared God Simeon was a iust man and feared God but euermore the fearing of God as being the beginning of wisedome is mentioned as the chiefe note Father Abraham a man who feared God Gen. 22.12 Ioseph a man who feared God Gen. 42.18 The Midwiues in Egypt feared God Exod. 1.17 If the fearing of God once goe before working of righteousnesse will instantly follow after according to that of the wiseman hee that feareth the Lord will doe good If thou seest a man in a desperate course selling himselfe as it is said of Ahab to worke wickednes rising vp early to follow drunkennes and continuing at the â—auerne till it bee night drawing iniquitie with cordes of vaâ—ity and sin as it were with cartropes it is a sure signe that the true feare of God is not rooted in his soule for whosoeuer hath a caâ—â— to liue religiously toward God will also so farre as humane frailtie will suffer liue soberly toward himselfe and righteously toward his neighbour Yee know the preaching The narration and confirmation ensuing are a little creed containing the chiefe articles of holy beliefe but the point vrged by the blessed Apostle most is the resurrection of Christ expresly setting downe 1. The author of his resurrection him God raised vp 2. The time when the third day 3. Before what witnesses openly shewing him vnto vs witnesses chosen before of God 4. What he did after he rose froÌ„ death he did eate and drinke with as 5. What he said he commanded vs to preach vnto the people to testifie that it is he which was ordained of God to be the iudge of the quicke and the dead In this argument of Christs resurrection the Gospell and Epistle meet and both are full and fit for the present feast of Easter In that S. Peter maketh Apostles and Prophets ioynt witnesses of all these things he doth insinuate that Christ is the beginning and end of the whole Scripture qui in lege velatur in euang◠〈…〉 See Gospell 1. Sun in aduent The Gospell LVK. 24.13 Behold two of the Disciples wâ—nt that same day to a towne called Emmaus c. THis Scripture containeth a sweet conference betweene Christ and two Disciples as they iourneyed in the way from Hierusalem to a townâ— called Emmaus The summe whereof is that Christ Iesus is truly risen agâ—â—ine from the dead as hauing 〈◊〉 all things which Moses anâ— the Prophets haue spoken of him The whole may be diuided into three parts A Prologue which occasioned the conference verse 13.14 wherein these circumstances are considerable Who two of the Disciples When that same day Where in the way betweene Hierusalem and Emmaus What they talked together of all the things that had happened Dialogue or the conference it selfe wherin Christ sheweth his tender care toward his Disciples in drawing neere to them vers 15. walking talking with theÌ„ v. 17.19 correcting them for their errour v. 25 directing them in the truth and that by words arguing froÌ„ reason v. 26. authority v. â—7 deeds hee sâ—t at table with them hee tooke bread c vers 30. Epilogue declaring what ensued vpon the conference to wit an ingenuous confession of the faith in the two Disciples did not our harts burne within vs c. earnest desire to confirme the same truth in other and they
in the world to come when all superfluity shall be cut off vtterly when as wee shall appeare before Gods throne without any spot in our soule or corruption in our body Now the circumcision of Christ heere mentioned is that of the flesh for Almighty God before mans fall and after is fall before the Law vnder the Law and after the Law certified his will vnto man especially by two things an vnderstanding minde and a perceiuing sense When God had created Aâ—â—m hee put him in Paradise giuing him his â—ord as a witnesse of hiâ— will and vnto the word hee did adde a twofold outward signe namely the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and euill After Adâ—â—ous fall he gaue him a promise touching the blessed seede Gen. 3.15 and added thereunto sacrifices as outward signes of his worde When the floud was ouerpast hee made a promise neuer to destroy the world againe with water and hee made the Rainbow a signe of the same Hee promised deliuerance from the bondage of Egypt which hee performed also but he sealed the promise with the Paschal Lambe Exod. 12. To father Abraham hee gaue his promise that his seed should be multiplied and in perpetuall remembrance thereof hee did institute Circumcision Gen 17. At the length in the fulnesse of time he giueth his owne Sonne and by him he promiseth euerlasting life to such as beleeue the which hee confirmes with two Sacraments as seales of his grace Baptisme and the Lords supper Thus the father of mercies in all ages euermore prouided for our weaknesse that wee might as it is in the Psalme taste and see how gratious the Lord is and therefore such as are so spirituall as that they cannot endure significant ceremonies and outward rites in the Church haue runne a violent course quite contrary to the goodnesse of God and meeknesse of his holy spirit who doth instruct the conceiuing minde by the perceiuing sense For the Sacraments as Augustine speakes are visible words and Circumcision in the iudgment of Chrysostome was a Preacher of the righteousnesse of faith I confesse that the Iewish ceremonies are now no more necessarie then a token left in remembrance of a bargaine is necessarie when the bargaine is fulfilled but christian rites ordained by lawful authority for outward comelinesse in the Church ought to be retained as hauing more in weight then in sight In the Câ—râ—â—â—â—tiâ—â—on of â—hâ—â—â—t obâ—â—eâ—ue these â— poâ—nâ—s 1 Theâ—iâ—e when the eâ—ghth day 2 Theâ—â—â—e â—heâ—e implyed here for that Câ—â—â—i but expâ—essed in the first Lesson aâ—â—oâ—â—eâ— for this aâ—â— nin â—â—rayer â—en 17.11 to be the 〈…〉 3 The eâ—â—se â—hy 〈…〉 that is â— in the woâ—dâ— foâ—â—o 〈◊〉 â—â—â—r the Lâ—â—â— When the eighth 〈…〉 Châ—â—e en were circumeâ—sed on the eâ—ghth day foâ—thâ—â— in this tender age they coâ—â—d more eâ—stly bâ—â—re the gâ—â—ese of circumcision or eâ—reâ—meised on the eâ—â—ghâ—h dâ—y hâ—â—â—use thaâ— is the day â—hâ—rein our bleâ—sed Sauiour â—â—ofe â—â—â—m the dead Seuen daie signifie the time oâ— this â—â—efeâ—e worâ—d and the â—â—ghâ—h dâ—y the reâ—â—â—eâ—â—ion when alâ—coâ—uption of the â—eth shall he eâ—â—oâ—â— accordâ—â—g to that oâ— Paulâ— Câ—r 15 5â— Tâ—â—s 〈…〉 〈…〉 For thâ—s end â—he circumciâ—â—on kniâ—e 〈◊〉 mâ—de of 〈◊〉 Exod 4.25 Iâ—â—a 5.2 To siâ—nitiâ—â—hâ—â—â—â—eceâ—e 〈◊〉 Câ—â—cumcâ—â—on is by Chriâ—t the â—ocke â—nd â—hâ—ad coâ—eâ—â—â—enâ— Câ—â—cumciâ—â—on â—â—s placed in the generatiue pâ—â—t for thâ—eereâ—â—on eâ—â—â—â—â—ally First for that it â—as a seâ—â—e of Gâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—e thâ—â— Câ—â—â—â—t hâ—â—â—d â—e â—oâ—ne of Abâ—â—â—â—m◠〈◊〉 Seâ—â—nd â—â—â—eeâ—â—e the propâ—â—â—tion of originalâ—â—â—nne 〈…〉 Thiâ—dly Qâ—â—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 coâ—ciâ—iâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 O◠〈◊〉 oâ—heâ—â—oâ— thaâ— i◠〈◊〉 â—â—â—ne of Gâ—◠〈…〉 the â—â—ent and hâ—â—â—eâ—◠〈◊〉 Gen. 17.7 〈…〉 Thâ—â—â—â—â—â—nsâ— hâ— Câ—â—◠〈◊〉 â—eceiâ—ed and bâ—rne 〈…〉 are â—â—niâ—â—â—â—â— 1 To shew that he was of the seede of Abrahamâ— Heb. â— 16 2 To declare himselfe a member of the Iewish Church in which euery man child was circumcised 3 To demonstrate that hee had true flesh against 〈◊〉 and such a flesh as was not of the same substance with his deitie Co◠〈…〉 corpus against Apolâ—naris or fetched from heauen as Valâ—ntinus imagined hee was I say circumcised to shew that he was made of the seede of 〈◊〉 accorâ—â—â—â— to the 〈◊〉 Rom. 12. 4 For that he was the truth of which Circumcision was a type Vâ—â—â—â—ramiâ—â—â—â—ritas â—â—irâ—â— But the principall reason iâ— inâ—â—nuated in the text for that theiâ— required that eueâ—y man child should be cirâ—â—â—â—s sâ—d He therefore was circumcised to â—â—e â—hiâ— obediâ—nce to the lâ—w Wâ—â—â— the â—alâ—es of ume waâ— come God 〈◊〉 â—â—th his 〈◊〉 mâ—â—e oâ— a â—oman make vnder the Law tâ—at â—e â—â—iâ—â— reâ—â— mâ—tâ—â—m thâ—t were vâ—der the Law As then he â—aâ— borne for â—s Esay 9.6 Puer natus â—st neâ— is And Luk 2.11 Vâ—â—â—s nâ—tuâ—â— Vnto you is borne that iâ— vnto yoâ— a men aâ— an Angeâ—l expounds the Prophet euen fâ—â—â—â— hee â—â—â—â—â—mâ—sed for yâ— hâ—reby giuing a publike â—y â—â—noâ—iâ—â—hâ—â— he would fuâ—fill all the whole Law for vs foâ— eueâ—y 〈◊〉 iâ— circumcâ—sâ—d â—s bâ—â—â—d to keep the whole Lâ—w. Hoâ— the consâ—laâ—orie name Ieâ—â—us inuented by God 〈◊〉 pâ—â—ed bâ— the Angâ—â—l invocated by men is proper to Châ—iâ—t 〈◊〉 Sâ—e Gospell on the Sunday next after 〈◊〉 And how his named aboue all name Epist. 〈…〉 will end here with a diuine 〈…〉 â—ccurate Poet. 〈…〉 〈…〉 of content 〈…〉 rent 〈…〉 pâ—â—ne O take thy crosse and naiâ—es and therewith straine My hearts desire to his full extent That thy â—eaâ—e loue therein may not be â—ent But thoughts man haue free scope thy loue t'explaine Ah new my heart more pâ—uneth then before Because it can receiue and hath no more O filâ— this emptinesse or 〈◊〉 â—â—â—e Now stretch my heart againe and now supply Now I want â—pace now grace to end aâ— smart Since my heart 〈◊〉 not thee hold thou my heart Almighty God which madest thy blessed sonne to he circumcised and obedient to the Law for man granâ— vs the true circumcision of the spirit that our hearts and all our members being mortified from all worldly and carnall lusts may in all things obey thy blessed will through the same thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen The Epistle EPHES. 3.1 For this cause I Paul am a prisoner of Iesus Christ for you heathen c. THE maine drift of all this exceeding profound Epistle written vnto the Saints of the Church of Ephesus is to confirme their in the word of truth euen the Gospell of their saluation and faith in the Lord Iesus And this our Apostle doth in the present text by two reasons especially 1. From his owne ministery in respect of the Bonds or disgrace hee suffered of men I Paul am a prisoner c. Boon or grace he receiued of God If yee haue heard of the ministration of the grace of God which is giuen mee to you-ward 2. Fom the Gospels mystery which hee
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