dogmaticall conclusions appertaining to beliefe The residue containe morall instructions of honest conuersation and loue wherein our Apostle teacheth how wee should behaue our selues to God and man and that by precept and paterne By precept in the 12 13 14 15. Chapters by paterne in the 16. Chapter This scripture shewes how we must demeane our selues to God in Body vers 1. Make your bodies a quicke sacrifice c. Soule vers 2. Fashion not your selues like vnto this world but be yee changed by the renewing of your mind I beseech you brethren Two things induce men especially to suffer the words of exhortation opportunity and importunity The worth of the matter and zealous affection of the speaker Saint Paul makes his louing affection manifest in these sweet termes I beseech you brethren by the mercifulnesse of God He might haue commanded as he told Philemon but for loues sake he doth rather intreat God the Father appeared in a still and soft voice God the Sonne was not a tiger but a lambe God the holy Ghost came downe not in the forme of a vulture but in the shape of a doue signifying hereby that Preachers ought to vse gentle meanes in winning men vnto God herein resembling the good mother which hath vbera and verbera a teat so well as a rod a dug to restore such as feele their sinne with the spirit of meeknesse Gal. 6.1 but a rod to whip the carelesse and senslesse lest they grow too wanton And therefore Saint Paul who doth heere beseech the Romans out of his loue doth adiure them also by the mercifulnesse of God that is as some construe it I beseech you by mine Apostolical authority committed vnto me by Gods especialll mercy 1. Cor. 7.25 as himselfe expounds himselfe in the third verse of this Chapter I say through the grace that is giuen to me where the Greeke verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be translated I command or By the mercifulnesse of God shewed vnto you for as God is more bountifull so you must bee more dutifull We may not sinne that grace may abound but on the contrary because the grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared it teacheth vs to denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and that wee should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world The mercies of God to me the mercies of God to you be many and manifest I beseech you therefore by the riches of his abundant mercy make your bodies a quicke sacrifice c. Thus you see the zealous earnestnesse of the speaker I come now to the worthinesse of the matter concerning the Romans and in them our selues as much as the saluation of our soules I beseech you therefore marke what the Spirit writeth and first obserue Pauls order After iustification hee speakes of sanctification herein intimating that good workes as Augustine said Non praecedunt iustificandum sed sequuntur iustificatum Not goe before but after iustification As the wheele turneth round not to the end that it may be made round but because it is first made round therefore it turneth round so men are sanctified because first iustified not iustified because first sanctified As Aulus Fuluius when he tooke his sonne in the conspiracie with Catiline said Ego te non Catilinae genui sed patriae So God hath not begotten vs in Christ that wee should follow that archtraitor Satan but serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our life making our selues a quicke sacrifice c. There are two kinds of sacrifices Expiatory for sinne which we cannot offer See epist. Dom. 3. Quadragesimae Gratulatory of thanks and praise which wee can and must offer and hereof there are three kinds according to the three sorts of goods of the World hereof there are three kinds according to the three sorts of goods of the Mind hereof there are three kinds according to the three sorts of goods of the Body 1. We must offer our goods of the world Heb. 13.16 To doe good and distribute forget not for with such sacrifices is God pleased He that hath mercy vpon the poore lendeth vnto the Lord. 2. Wee must offer to the Lord the goods of our mind by deuotion and contrition Psal. 51.17 The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit a broken and contrite heart O God shalt thou not despise When by diuine meditation and deuote praier we beat downe the proud conceits of our rebellious hearts we kill and offer vp as it were our sonne Isaac that which is most neere most deere to vs. 3. We must offer to the Lord the goods of our body which are done Patiendo by dying for the Lord. Faciendo by doing that which is acceptable to the Lord. Martyrdome is such a pleasing sacrifice that as Ambrose said of his sister Appellabo martyrem praedicabo satis I will call her Martyr and then I shall bee sure to commend her enough See Epist. on Saint Steuens day S. Paul here meanes a sacrifice by doing Giue your members as weapons of righteousnesse to God For as Christ offered vp himselfe for vs so wee made conformable should offer vp our selues vnto him Interpreters obserue a great Emphasis in the word hostia deriued as Ouid noteth ab hostibus Victima quae dextra cecidit victrice vocatur Hostibus à domitis hostia nomen habet And therefore seeing Christ hath deliuered vs from the hands of all our enemies it is our dutie to sacrifice perpetually to him our selues and our soules and so liue to him who died for vs. Lest we should erre in our offering Saint Paul shewes all the causes Efficient our selues Materiall our bodies Formall quicke and holie Finall acceptable to God Or as other obserue S. Paul sets downe foure properties of a sacrifice 1. Sound and quicke 2. Sanctified and holie 3. Pleasing 4. Reasonable First our sacrifice must be sound and quick not blind not lame not seeble Malach. 1.8 Wee must not offer to the diuell our youthfull yeares and lay our old bones vpon Gods altar his sacrifice must bee the fattest and the fairest he must haue both head and hinderparts hereby signifying that we must remember our Creator in the daies of our nonage so well as in the daies of our dotage for if wee deferre our offering till the last houre when sicknes the bailiffe of death hath arrested vs and paine sicknes attendant dulled our senses it cannot be called a quicke but a sicke not a liuing but a dead offering That our sacrifice therefore may bee quicke let vs I beseech you begin quickly to dedicate our selues vnto God Or quicke That is willing for those things are said to be quicke which moue of themselues and those dead which doe not moue but by some outward violence we may not then be stockes and blockes in Gods holie seruice doing no good
lust thereof being onely certaine in being vncertaine Secondly things of this world are not satisfactory they doe not fill and content the mind of man The eye cannot be satisfied with seeing nor the eare filled with hearing all things haue an emptinesse and extreme vanity purchasing vnto the possessors nothing but anguish and vexation of spirit and the reason hereof as Viâ—aldus obserues is because the heart of man is made like a triangle and the world round as a circle Now a circle cannot fill a triangle but there will be some corner empty There is nothing can fill the mind of man but the blessed Trinitie when God the Father the most ancient of daies shall fill our memory God the Sonne who is wisdome it selfe shall fill our vnderstanding God the holy Ghost who is contentation and loue shall sit in our will then all the powers of our mind will be at rest when as they shall inioy him who made them But the things of this world afford no perfect and absolute contentment and therefore ne vos configurate seculo isto fit not your selues according to the worlds figure which is a circle but be ye renewed in your mind which is a triangle representing the sacred Trinitie Take a view with the Wise man of all worldly things in briefe doth any pleasure satisfie No pleasure is like lightning Simul oritur moritur it is sweet but short like hawking much cost and care for a little sport The prodigall child wasted both goods and body yet could not haue enough at the lest not enough hogs meat Virgo formosa supernè Desinit in turpem piscem malesuada voluptas Doth learning that incomparable treasure of the mind satisfie No The more a man knoweth the more hee knoweth that hee doth not know so that as Salomon said Hee that increaseth knowledge doth increase sorrow Doth honour content a man No The poore labourer would be written Yeoman the Yeoman after a few deare yeeres is a Gentleman the Gentleman must bee Knight the Knight a Lord the Baron an Earle the Count a Duke the Duke a King the King would Caesar bee and what then is the worlds Emperour content No. Vnus Pellaeo iuueni non sufficit orbis Aestuat infoelix angusto limine munde One world is not enough for Alexander and therefore he weepes and is discontent as if hee wanted elbow roome In the state Ecclesiasticall the begging Frier would be Prior the Prior an Abbat the Lord Abbat a Bishop the Bishop an Archbishop the Metropolitane a Cardinall the Cardinall Pope the Pope a God nay that is not enough aboue all that is called God 2. Thes. 2.4 This made Bernard wonder O ambitio ambientium crux how dost thou paine yet pleasure all men Doe riches content No the more men haue the more men craue and that which is worst of all they are the greatest beggers when they haue most of all He that loueth siluer shall not bee satisfied with siluer As the poore man crieth out Quid faciam quia non habeo so the couetous wretch as fast complaineth Quid faciam quia habeo Luke 12.17 Those drinks are best that soonest extinguish thirst and those meates which in least quantity doe longest resist hunger but here the more a man doth drinke the more thirstie so strange in some is this thirst that it maketh them dig the pits and painfully draw the water and after wil not suffer them to drinke This saith Salomon is an euill sicknesse and a great vanity when a man shall haue riches and treasure and honour â—nd want power and grace to ioy in them Thus you see the world is like a butterflie with painted wings vel sequendâ— labâ—mur vel assequendo laedimur either we faile in pursuing it or else wheÌ„ we haue caught it it is so vaine that it giueth no contentment Herein is the true difference betweene earthly things heauenly things the one are desired much but being obtained they content little the other are desired little but once gained satisfie much and therefore Lay not vp treasure vpon earth where the moth and canker corrupt and where theeues dig thorow steale for these things are neitheâ— vera nor vestra but lay vp treasure for your selues in heauen If ye will not heare the words of Scripture behold the works of nature mans heart is broad aboue narrow beneath open at the top close below to signifie that we should inlarge and spread our affections toward heauen and heauenly things and draw them to as narrow a point as possibly we can concerning earth and earthly things and so by the fashion of our heart we may learne not to follow the fashion of the world Be ye changed by the renewing of your mind We are formed by God deformed by Satan transformed by grace 1. Sacramentally by baptisme 2. Morally by newnesse of life which our Apostle meanes in this place That which followes in the text is expounded Epist. for the next Sunday The Gospel LVKE 2.42 The father and mother of Iesus went to Hierusalem after the custome of the feast day c. THis Gospell is a direction how parents ought to carrie themselues toward their children and how children also should demeane thâ—mselues toward their parents the one by the practise of Ioseph and Mary the other by the paterne of our Sauiour Christ. Parents care touching their children concernes their Soule Bodie Their soule that they bee brought vp in instruction and information of the Lord that is in godlinesse and ciuilitie by the one they shall keepe a good conscience before God by the other they shall obtaine a good report among men the which two conscience and credit must chiefly be sought after in this life For the bodie Parents ought to prouide competent sustenance and maintenance guarding their persons and regarding their estates all which is performed here by Ioseph and Mary toward Christ. First for the soules institution they did instruct him by precept and example precept bringing him to the Temple that he might be taught and that not only this once but often as often as law did require So Iuuencus expressely Ad Templum laetis puerum perducere festis Omnibus annorum vicibus de more solebant This should teach al parents how to teach their children especially that they send them vnto the publike Catechising in the Church and that according to Canon and custome for the common Catechisme which Authoritie commands is fit and full as containing all the vertues necessarie to saluation and the meanes whereby those vertues are receiued and conserued The principal vertues of a Christian are Faith Hope Charitie The Creede is necessarie for faith as teaching vs what wee haue to beleeue The Pater noster is necessarie for hope teaching vs what we are to desire The ten Commandements are necessary for charitie teaching vs what we
and haue not charitie I am nothing gather two conclusions against vs the first is thâ—t true faith may bee without loue the second that faith alone without good workes is nothing worth in the businesse of our iustification To the first answere is made that the speech of Paul is not a categoricall proposition but an hypotheticall supposition if it were possible that all faith should be without good workes it were nothing Secondly Paul here speakes not of a iustifying saith of that faith of beleeuers which is common and generall but of the speciall gift of faith to worke miracles of which our Sauiour in the Gospell If yee had faith aâ— much as a graine of mustard seâ—de and should say vnto this mulbery tree Pluck thy selfe vp by the rootes and plant thâ— selfe in the sea it should euen obey you This hee said vnto the beleeuing Apostles and therefore cannot bee construed of a sauing faith but of a miraculous faith and so S. Ambrose notes vpon this text to doe wonders and to cast out diuels by faith is nothing worth except a man be an earnest follower of good conuersation Our Diuines acknowledge that euery kind of faith is not ioyned with loue for there is a dead â—aith and there is a liuely whereby Christ liueth in vs we in Christ. There is a faith of diuâ—ls and a faith of Gods elect There is a faith whereby the beleeuer shal neuer perish and there is a faith whereby some beleeue for a time and in the day of temptation fall away There is a faith which the world destroyeth and a faith which is our victorie by which a Christian ouercomes the world There is a faith whereby wee beleeue there is a God and there is a faith whereby we beleeue in God according to these differences of faith in Scripture there is a faith without workes and there is a faith which worketh by loue We say then of the faith of Gods elect whereby we beleeue in God to which the promise of iustification and eternall saluation is made that is a faith which cannot be separated from charity but wheresoeuer it is there is loue ioyned with it bringing forth the fruites of righteousnesse which are by Iesus Christ vnto the glorie and praise of God Inseparabilis est bona vita à sidâ— qua per dâ—â—e iionem operatur imò verò ea iâ—sâ— est bona vâ—â—â— saith Aâ—gustine according to that of Irenaeus to beleeue is to doe as God will and therfore Beza translates here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not omnem fidem but toâ—â—m â—idem implying not all kinde of faith but all faith of this kinde to worke miracles as if Paul should argue thus If a man could worke neuer so many miracles and faile in his morals he should be nequâ—m nequam is nequiâ—quam as our Apostle speakes a nothing The second conclusion gathered out of these words against vs is that faith alone without charitie nothing auaileth to iustification Our answere is that albeit faith is not solitaria yet in our iustification it is sâ—la euen as the eye in regard of being is neuer alone from the head yet in respect of seeing it is alone for it is the eye onely that doth see So saith subsists not without other graces of God as hope loue c. yet in regard of the act of iustification it is alone without them all For the further opening of this hard point you must vnderstand that separating of things one from another is either real in the subiect or mental in the vnderstanding real separation of faith and charitie wee wholly denie For Bellarmine confesseth expressely that Luthâ—r Melanâ—thon Chemnitius Caluin and other learned Protestants haue taught that good workes in sâ—me sort be necessarie to saluation and that there is no true â—aith vnlesse it bring forth good workes and be conioyned with charitie Separation mental in vnderstanding and consideration is either negatiue or priuatiue Negatiue when in the vnderstanding there is an affirming of one and denying of another Priuatiue when of things that cannot be separated indeed yet a man vnderstands the one and omitteth to vnderstand the other As for example though light and heate cannot be sepaâ—ated in the fire yet a man may consider the light and not the heate so then in our iustification wee doe not negatiuely separate other graces from faith as if faith existed alone without hope and loue but priuatiuely making them effects and consequents not concurâ—ing causes of our iustification Our assertion is faith considered without hope and charitie that is hope and charitie not considered with it doth iustifie Christ Iesus is our husband and we are his spouse now the Bridegroome must bee â—lone with the Bride in his secret chamber all the seruants and the familie being put apart afterward when the doore is opened and he commeth foorth into the waiting roome then let all the seruants and handmaids attend then let hope doe her office let loue doe the duties of loue then as S. Peter exhorts ioyne vertue with faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance c. The Papists obiect that loue is the life of faith All faiths actiuitie proceedes only from charitie and without which our â—aith is dead So the Scripture plainly that in Christ neither is circumcision any thing neither vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue Cardinall Bellarmine reades 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 passiuely wrought by loue disagreeing herein from all the Fathers and that which becomes him worse from the vulgar Latine to which all Papists are tied by the Councell of Trent as also from the Rhemish translation in Enlish which hath as our Testament worâ—eth actiuely for they foresaw this absurditie that if they should haue translated faith wrought by loue then it would haue followed that loue must needs be before faith whereas all of them acknowledge faith to be before loue according to that of Augustine Faith is giuen first by which wee obtaine the rest and Altissiodorensis in his golden Summe saith that faith hope and charitie are a created trinitie resembling the three diuine persons vncreat For the Sonne is begotten of the Father and the holy Ghost proceeds from both so stedfast hope is bred of faith and loue doth issue from them both And Bellarmine cites often in his workes out of Augustine Domus Deicredendo fundatur sperando erigitur diligendo perficitur The foundation of Gods house in our soules is faith the walles hope the roofe charitie The Prophet in a vision saw the transgressor against the transgressor and the destroyer against the desâ—royer So the schoolmen oppose the schoolmen and their Champion Bellarmine fights against Bellarmine For if faith be the foundation of all other vertues as himselfe writes lib. 1. de Rom. pont cap. 10. then it is not as hee
an heretike Not to presse this place nor vrge any other scripture we may beate the Rhemish and Romish in this controuersie with their owne weapons Antiquitie and Custome For it is acknowledged that the Christians in old time read the Bible to their great edification and increase of faith in their mother tongue The Armenians had the Psalter and some other peeces of Scripture translated by S. Chrysostome The Sclauonians by S. Hierome the Goths by Vulpilas and that before he was an Arian The Italians three hundred yeers since by Iames Archbishop of Genua and the Bible was in French also two hundred yeeres agoe Beside these the Syrians Arabians Aethioptans had of ancient time the Scriptures in their seuerall languages as it is manifest by those portions of them which are at this day brought from their countries into this part of the world To speake of our owne countrey venerable Beda did translate the whole Bible into the Saxon tongue and the Gospel of S. Iohn into English K. Alfred also considering the great ignorance that was in his kingdome translated both the Testaments into his natiue language Queene Anne wife to Richard the second had Scriptures translated in the vulgar as Thomas Arundel then Archbishop of Yorke and Chancellor of England mentioned at her funerall sermon anno 1394. Moreouer in a Parliament of this King Richard there was a bill put in to disanull the Bible traÌ„slated into English vnto which Iohn Duke of Lancaster answered and said We will not be the refuse of al men other Nations haue Gods lawes in their owne language Thomas Arundel as we reade in the constitutions of Linwood being translated vnto the sea of Canterburie made strait prouision in a Councell holden at Oxford that no version set out by Wickliffe or his adherents should be suffered being not approued by the Diocesan It is apparent then out of our owne Chronicles that the Bible was turned into the mother tongue before and after the Conquest before and after the time of Wickliffe before and after the daies of Luther and all this paine was vndertaken by good and holie men that the people of God reading and vnderstanding the Scripture through patience and comfort of the Sonne might haue certaine hope of another life As then I condemne the malice of Papists in forbidding so likewise the negligence of carnall Gospellers in forbearing to reade those things aforetime written for our learning Our forefathers heretofore spared neither cost nor paine they ventred their crownes and their heads too for the new TestameÌ„t in English translated by Master Tyndall and when they could not heare the Gospell in the Church publikely they receiued much comfort by reading it in their houses priuately the very children became fathers vnto their parents and begat them in Christ euen by reading a few plaine Chapters vnto them in a corner but in our time when euery shop hath Bibles of diuers translations editions volumes annotations the number of those who can readâ— is but small the number of those who doe reade is lesse the number of those who reade as they should least of all If a learned Clerk should â—en a treatise for thy particular instruction thou wouldest instantly with all diligence peruse it If a Nobleman should send thee gracious letters concerning thy preferment thou wouldest with all dutifull respect entertaine theÌ„ If thy father or some other friend taking a iourney into a farre countrey should penne his Will and leaue it in thine hands and custody thou wouldest hold it as a great token of his loue Behold the Bible is written by Wisedome it selfe for our learning that we may be perfect vnto all good workes It is Gods Epistle and Letters patent wherein are granted vnto vs many gracious immunities and priuiledges it is his Testament wherein all his will is reuealed whatsoeuer hee would haue done or vndone and therefore let vs pray with the Church that wee may in such wise reade holie Scriptures heare mark learne and inwardly digest them that by patience and comfort of Gods holie word wee may embrace and euerhold fast the hope of euerlasting life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen The Gospel LVKE 21.25 There shall be signes in the Sunne c. THe Sunne of righteousnesse appeareth in three signes Leo. Virgo Libra First roring as a Lion in the Law so that the people could not endure his voyce Then in Virgo borne of a Virgin in the Gospell in Libra weying our workes in his ballance at the last and dreadfull audite Or there is a three-fold comming of Christ according to the three-fold difference of time Past. Present Future Which Bernard hath vttered elegantly venit ad homines in homines contra homines He came among men in time past when as the Word was made flesh and dwelt among vs hee comes into men in the present by his grace and holie Spirit Apoc. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the doore and knocke He shall in the future come against men to iudge both the quicke and the dead but the Sonne of man hath but two commings in the forme of man his first comming in great meeknes his second in exceeding maiestie At his first comming he rode vpon an asse in his second as it is here said he shall ride vpon the clouds In his first comming he came to be iudged in his second he comes to iudge In his first comming the people did triumph and reioyce crying Hosanna but in his second comming the people shall bee at their wits end for feare and for looking after those things which shall come on the world In that therefore the Church hath adioyned this Gospell of his second comming vnto that other of his first comming it doth teach all Teachers this lesson that their song be like Dauids of iudgement and mercie that in all their sermons they mingle faith and feare that they preach Christ to be a Iudge so well as an Aduocate This method Christ himselfe did vse who did as well expound the Law as propound the Gospell who denounced woe to the proud Pharisies and pronounced blessednesse to the poore in spirit who powred wine and oyle into the wounds of him that was halfe dead oyle which is supple wine which is sharpe and when he departed he gaue to the host two pence that is to the Preachers who take charge of him the two Testaments and willed them to temper and applie these two till hee come againe that thinking on the Gospell we might neuer despaire and thinking on the Law wee might neuer presume that looking vpon Christs first comming wee might reioyce and expecting his second comming wee might feare because there shall be signes in the Sunne and in the Moone c. In handling whereof I will not trouble you with idle curiosities only note two plaine points Especiallie to wit the Certaintie Of Christs second comming Especiallie
Gods vnspeakable loue who sent his Sonne his first begotten onely begotten Sonne whom he loued as himselfe The very character and brightnes of his glory to deliuer vs his seruants vndutifull as vnprofitable from the hands of all our enemies If thou hast any feeling of these mysteries any faith be it so small as a graine of mustard seed euermore reioice in the Lord. For thy sanctification also many men in a reprobate sense doe not call vpon God cannot call vpon God Whereas he hath giuen thee grace to pray with the congregation publikely with thine owne family priuatly with thy selfe secretly giuing thee grace to feele thy sinnes and to be sorie for the same reioice for these good benefits in possession and againe reioice for those mercies of God in expectation for that most excellent and etâ—rnall weight of glory which he hath laid vp and in that day will giue to such as loue his appearing Let vs euermore reioice in this hope saying with Habacuk I will reioice in the Lord I will ioy in the God of my saluation Faith is the mother of our reioicing in the Lord for Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith and faith is by hearing of the word spirituall ioy then is increased by reading hearing meditating on holy Scriptures I haue spoken vnto you these things that my ioy might remâ—â—ne in you Luke 24.32 Did not our hearts burne within vs while he talked with vs and opened vnto vs the Scriptures It is increased also by good life For as sin doth grieue the spirit so good workes on the contrary cheere the soule Prouerbs 21.15 It is ioy to the iust to doe iudgement Here the Gospell and Epistle parallell for the way of the Lord is prepared especially by faith and repentance Now poenitens de peccato dolet de dolore gaudet He that is a good man sorroweth in his sinnes and reioiceth in his sorrow and that he may doe this he must reioice in the Lord wherefore be not carefull for that which is worldly but make your patient mind knowne vnto men and let your petitions bee manifest vnto God And the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding keepe your hearts and minds through Christ giuing you many ioyes in this life to the end and in the next his eternall ioy without end Amen The Gospel IOHN 1.19 This is the record of Iohn When the Iewes sent Priests and Leuites from Ierusalem to aske him What art thou THis Gospell is a dialogue betweene certaine Priests and Iohn the Baptist. The Priests inquire after his person and place cariage and calling Their interrogatories are fiue the which are answered by S. Iohn seuerally shewing and that directly both what he was not as also what he was not Christ not Elias not the Prophet but the voice of a Crier in the wildernesse The first question is Who art thou Quis ego sum is the question of a good man Tu quis es of an enuious He that hath a bad house gads abroad The wicked are busie Bishops in other meÌ„s diocesses A true saying in it selfe but vpon this text a false glosse for it belonged vnto the Priests office to mannage the businesse of the Church and exactly to know what euery Prophet was And albeit Euthâ—mius is of opinion that the Iewes herein malitiously disabled their knowledge yet it is more probable that they made this question to see whether he was Christ. For as we readâ— Luke 3.15 All men mused in their hearts of Iohn if he were not the Christ and our Sauiour told the Iewes plainly that they for a time reioiced more in Iohn who was but a candle then in himselfe who was the Sunne of righteousnesse and light of the world and albeit these messengers vttered not so much in word yet assuredly they harboured such a conceit in their hearts therefore Iohn answering their intention rather then their question acknowledged ingenuously that he was not the Christ. In which answere obserue the matter and the manner In the matter he confessed the truth denying himselfe where note his modesty and acknowledging Christ to be the Messias where note his constancie Fortè saith Gregory graue non est gloriam honorem non petere sed valde graue est non eum suscipere cum offertur It was then great humility to refuse this honour which not onely the people but also the Priests as it should seeme were ready to cast vpon him hereby teaching vs in all our actions to seeke not our owne but Gods glory saying with this holy Baptist he must increase but we must decrease The constant resolution of Iohn is also remarkeable confessing Christ freely not only before the multitude but also before the Leuites and Pharisies men of great learning and no lesse place in the Church and such as he might well suspect would call his preaching into question But the maner of his confession exceeds far the matter hee confessed and denied not and said plainly I am not Christ. The which words are not superfluous and idle for euery tittle of the Scriptures hath his worth and weight Such repetitions are vsuall in the Bible to set out things more fully as vanity of vanities vanity of vanities and all is vanity Returne returne O Shulamite returne returne O earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord. By this iteration then of one and the same thing S. Iohn shewed how vnwilling hee was to rob Christ of that honour which onely belongâ—d vnto him When Cornelius fell downe at Peters feet and would haue worshipped him Peter instantly tooke him vp saying Stand vp for euen I my selfe am a man When the men of Lystra would haue sacrificed vnto Paul Barnabas they rent their clothes and ran in amóg the people crying We are euen men subiect to the like passions that yee be When that other Iohn would haue worshipped the glorious Angell who shewed him his reuelation he said vnto Iohn See thou do it not for I am thy fellow seruant so carefull are Gods children in all ages to giue God the things appertaining to God honour to whom honour feare to whom feare diuine worship to whom diuine worship belongeth Here wee may iustly condemne the Papists in giuing that kind of worship to the crosse which is onely due to Christ. If a man should aske them whether the crucifix were Christ I hope they would answer with Iohn and deny and confesse plainly that it is not the Christ. Giue then to the crucifix the respect due to the crucifix reseruing to the crucified that honour which onely belongs to the crucified If a man should aske the bread in the Sacrament What art thou it would answere plainly with Iohn in such language as it can I am not the Christ approuing it selfe to our sight and taste that it is a morsell of bread a
Alcibiades and steale away their harts as Absolon did in Israel If a man were so bewitching an Orator that he could pro arbitrio tollere extollere â—mplificare extenuare magicis quasi viribus eloquentiae in quam velit faciem habitumque transformare so subtill a disputer as that he could make quidlibet ex quólibet euery thing of anything yet without loue were he nothing Yea though a man could speake with the tongues of Angels that is of the learned Priests and Prophets who are Gods Angels and messengers If a man had the siluer trumpet of Hilary or the golden mouth of Chrysostome or the mellifluous speech of Origen cuius ex ore non tam verba quà m mella fluâ—re videntur If a man were so painfull in preaching that as Saint Peter he could adde to the Church with one sermon about three thousand soules or as it is recorded of venerable Beda fondly and falsly that he could make the very stones applaud his notes and say Amen Or as other expound it hyperbolically though a man should speake like the glorious Angels as Paul Gal. 1.8 Though an Angell from heauen should preach vnto you si quae sint Angelorum linguae Giue me leaue to adde one thing more to this hyperbolicall supposition If a man could speake like God as antiquity reports of Plato that if Iupiter himselfe should speake Greeke he would vse no other phrase but his And of Chrysippus that if the gods should speake logicke they would haue none but his Or as the people blasphemously of Herod Act. 12. The voice of God and not of man Though I say we could speake with tongues of men of Angels of God if it were possible and haue not loue we were but as a sounding brasse or as a tinckling cymball we might happily pleasure other but not profit our selues vnto saluation Herein resembling Balâ—ams Asse who by speaking bettered her Master not her selfe A plaine piece of brasse makes but a plaine noise Tinkers musicke but a tinckling cymball in regard of the concauity yeelds a various sound a more pleasant stroke So rude speakers are like sounding brasse but the Curious and Iudicious adorned with multiplicity of distinctions and variety of good learning are as a tinckling cymball or more tickling delight to their hearers and yet if they preach without loue their sound is without life Qui non diligit fratrem manâ—â— in morte saith S. Iohn Such fitly resemble the sermon bel which cals other to the Church but heares nothing it selfe it weares out to his owne hurt though others good Nay when Auditors are perswaded throughly that their Pastors instruct not out of charity their plaine doctrines are but as sounding brasse tedious as the Tinkers note their accurate sermons as a tinâ—kâ—ing cyâ—ball which onely pierce the eares and enter not into their hearts as the Prophet aptly Their admonitions are vnto them as a iesting song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can sing well for they heare their words but they doe them not As one that heares excellent musicke from out of the streetes in the night will instantly leape out of his bed and lend his care for a time but when the musitians are gone presently returnes to sleep againe so many delight to heare the sweet songs of Sâ—on but when the sermon is at an end they sleep in their old sinnes againe forgetting immediaâ—ly the good lesson as if it were but the drumming on a pan or scraping on a keâ—â—le And though I 〈◊〉 prâ—phâ—â—ie Prophecie then is nothing without loue For Balaam Caâ—pâ—â— and Sâ—ul propheciâ—d Vnderstanding of mysteries is nothing without loue for Iudas and Nicolas and Arius were wel acquainted with the scriptures All knowledge is nothing for the Scribes had the key of knowledge yet entred not in themselues And all knowledge Though a man were an Ocean of learning as Plutarch is called in so much that Theodoâ—â— Gaza said if he could reade but one mans bookes he would make choice of him Or if a man were so full as Plinie whose works are instar mille voluminum if a man were a treasure house of letters as Picus Mirandula writes of Hermolaus Barbarus a library for a whole nation as Baronius of Albinus as Erasmus of Bishop Tonstal a world of learning mundus eruditionis abounding with skill in all Arts theorical real metaphysical inspired as Diuinity contained in y e Bible acquired of w t Aristotle and Auicen write mathematical as Arithmetike Geometry Musicke Astronomie physical concerning the Principles Generation of naturall things rational Grammar Rhetoricke Logicke practical actiue Ethicks Oeconomicks Politicks factiue as skill in Nauigation Husbandry Hunting c. If a man vnderstand all mysteries in Scripture all secrets in nature â—f he had all faith that he could remoue mountaines in a literall sense moue that which cannot be moued high hils Imponere Pelion Ossae in an allegorical exposition cast out diuels If a man had all parts of all knowledge prophecie sapience prudence and had not loue he were nothing Nothing in esse gratiae though something in esse naturae dead spiritually though something some great thing in the naturall and ciuill life For great Clerkes haue long life on earth Albeâ—t Aquiras Iewel Picus Mirandula Whitaker died in the principall strength of their age yet in respect of honour and fame they liue with the longest Dum liber vllus erit dum scrinia sacra literarum Te leget omnis amans Christum tua Cypriane discet Knowledge is a good stirrup also to get aloft the hie way to much honor prefermeÌ„t in this world but without loue nothing auailable to glory eternall in the world to come Knowledge bloweth vp but charity buildeth vp If learning be taken without the true correctiue thereof it hath in it some nature of poison and some effects of that malignity which is a swelling If I speake with the tongues of men and Angels and had not charitie it were but as a tinckling câ—mball Not but that it is an excellent thing to speake with tongues of men and Angels and a far more noble treasure to possesse all knowledge For Christ said of his Apostles that they were the light of the world and the worthy Doctors succeeding were luminaria magna great starres in the firmament of the Church by whose light descending from the father of lights we finde out the truth hidden in many darke places of the scripture But the meaning of Pâ—â—â— iâ— if our knowledge be seuered from loue and not referred to the good of men and glory of God it hath rather a sounding glory then a meriting vertue though it seeme to be neuer so much it is a very nothing The Papists out of these words If I haue all faith so that I can remoue mountaines
disputes in lib. 1. de Iustificat cap. 4. wrought by charitie but contrariwise charitie doth arise from faith It is then an idle dreame to suppose that charitie is inclosed in faith as a diamond is in a ring for Christ is the pretious pearle which giues life and lustre to the ring The iust liue not by loue but by faith in him It is an improper speech as our Diuines obserue to say that faith worketh by loue as the bodie by the soule the matter by the forme for the soule rather worketh by the bodie then the bodie by the soule The matter is passiue the forme actiue Secondly we say that Paul in that text faith which worketh by loue doth not intend iustification but y e whole course of a Christian aftâ—r his iustification hee shuts out of Gods kingdome nullifidians and meritmongers on the left hand nudifidians and carnall Gospellers on the right In Christ neither circumcision auaileth any thing neither vncircumcision that is to say no merit nor worshipping No religious order in the world but faith alone without any trust in workes auaileth before God On the right hand he doth exclude slothfull and idle persons affirming that if faith only doe iustifie then let vs worke nothing but barely beleeue Not so yâ— carelesse generation enemies of grace for faith is operatiue working by loue Paul therefore sets foorth in that excellent sentence the whole perfection of a Christian in this life namely that inwardly it consists in faith toward God and outwardly in good workes and loue toward our neighbours so that a man is a perfect Christian inwardly through faith before God who hath no neede of our workes and outwardly before men whom our faith profiteth nothing by loue Faith is the Christians hand Now an hand hath a propertie to reach out it selfe and to receiue a gift but it can not cut a peece of wood without an hatchet or saw or some such like instrument yet by help of them it can either cut or diuide Such is the nature of faith it doth receiue Christ into the heart but as for the duties of the fiâ—st and second table faith cannot of it selfe bring them forth no more then the hand can cut of it selfe yet ioine loue to faith and then as our Apostle â—â—ith worketh through loue performing all duties so well to man as God The propertie of true faith is to receiue in to it selfe The nature of true loue is to lay out it selfe vnto other faith then alone iustifieth apprehending and applying Christs merits vnto it selfe but it cannot manifest it selfe to other except it be ioyned with loue Shew me thy â—â—ith out of thy workes And thus as you see that inward worke of iustification is ascribed in holy Scripture to faith onely but outward workes of sanctâ—fication holinâ—sse and righteousnesse to faith and loue ioyntly I refâ—â—re the distressed soule to the comfortable Commentaries of Mâ—rtin Lâ—â—â—er vpon the Galathians and the curious Diuine to Doâ—tor Abbot his Apologie for the reformed Câ—tholike Tiâ— Iâ—â—tiâ—ication For I will ingenuously confesse that my conscieâ—â—e was neuer quieted more then in reading the one and my curiositie neuer satisfied more then in examining the other Though I bestoâ— all my goods to â—eed the poore â— Mâ—rcifull workes are pro sacriâ—iciâ—s imâ— prae sacriâ—iciâ—s accepted of God as sacrifice Heb. 13.16 yea more then sacrifice Hosea 6.6 I will haue mercie not sacrifice To be mercifull is the sole worke common to man with God It is then an higher step of perfection to distribute goods vnto the poore then to spâ—ake with the tongues of men and Angels or to be furnished with all varietie of knowledge yet Paul saith If I bestow my goods all my goods not vpon the rich but vpon the poore to feede not to feast them and had not loue it profits me nothing Where note fiue degrees of this amplification the first is to giue for most men as it is in the prouerbe are better at the rake then at the pitchforke readier to pull in then to giue out The second is to giue not another mans but our owne goods If I bestow my goods According to that of Salomon Ecclesiastes 11.1 Cast thy bread vpon the waters Paâ—is si tuus qui tuus The third is all our goods not some small portion or great summe but all according to that of Christ If thou wilt be perfect sell all that thou hast and giue it to the poore The fourth is to giue not to the rich but to the poore Frange panem esurienti saith the Prophet Deale thy bread to the hungry The last is to giue to the poore not superfluously to feast but necessarily to feede them If a man performe this and more then this out of vaineglorious ostentation or idle prodigalitie not out of loue to Christ and compassion of his members it were but so much as nothing Though I gaue my bodie to be burned Loue is seene more in deedes then in words and in suffering more then in doing and of all suffering death is most terrible and of all kindes of death burning is most fearfull Here then are many degrees in this one speech as Interpreters obserue first si tradidero not if I be forced but if of mine owne accord I giue my bodie to be burned as it is said of Christ he gaue himselfe for vs a sacrifice Secondly si tradidero corpus if I suffer losse not of goods onely though that be very commendable Heb. 10.34 Ye suffered with ioy the spoiling of your goods But affliction in body which is far dearer then our wealth as the father of lies in this truly Skinne for skinne and all that euer a man hath will hee giue for his life Thirdly Sâ—traâ—â—dero corpus meum if I giue not onely the body of my child though a woman is highly magnified for such an act in the 2. of Maccabees 7. but my hod not onelie flesh of my flesh but flesh which is my flesh not onely to suffâ—r a naturall death but a violent and of all violent the most terrible to be rosted yea consumed in the fire If any suffer all this and want charity to particular persons espâ—cially toward the common body of the Church it is no better or rather indeed worâ—e then nothing I beseech you therefore by the mercifulnesse of Gâ—d whatsoeuer you speake whatsoeuer you study whatsoeuer you doe whatsoeuer you suffer let all be done in loue Vniuersa inutilitèr habet qui vnum illud quô vniuersis vtatur non hâ—bet Vnprofitably quoth Augustine hath he all who wants that one whereby he should vse all As the same father in another place QuaÌ„ta est charitas quae si desit frustrà habentur caetera si adsit rectè habentur omnia How great is loue for if it be wanting all other graces lose their grace but if present all are profitable So the text
here Loue suffereth long it is bountifull c. In this encomiasticall passage S. Paul sets downe loues operation in 3. points Imbracing that which is good Internall it is patient Externall it is courteous Eschewing that which is euill against our neighbour in thought it enuieth not deed loue doth not frowardly selues either out of passion it swelleth not dealeth not dishonestly seâ—keth not her owne it is not prouoked to anger election it thinketh no euill it râ—ioyceth not in iniquity Perseuering in both suffering belieuing hoping induring all things Loue suffereth long Saint Paul doth begin with patience because desire to reuenge is a vice most opposite to charitie Malitious impatient men are like the toad no sooner moued but they swell or like gunpowder no sooner touched with an hot word but instantly they are in your face Which accasioned Bion the Philosopher to say Magnum est malum ferre non posse malum For if â—hine enemie be little parce illi the best course is to spare him if great parce tibi the best counsell is to spare thy selfe Si turbet non perturbet as Bâ—â—narà in the like case Though he moue thee let him not remoue thâ—e froÌ„ that which is good from that which is thy good The discretion of a man deferreth his anger and his glory is to passe by an offence Better it is to suffer much and long then by courses of impatience to runne thy selfe out of all honest breath It is reported of the Philosophers that they had a sword and wanted a buckler but a buckler becomes a Christian better then a sword We must not beat euery dog that barks at vs in the way but run with patience the race that is set before vs Heb. 12.1 Loue is courteous or as other readâ— bountifull Amor si est operatur si non operatur non est As loue is patient in wrong so actiue in kindnesse doing good vnto all alway performing liberall and courteous offices euen to the greatest enemie So S. Steuen abounding with loue respected his accusers as brethren and saluted them as fathers Acts 7.2 So Ioseph vsed his brethren nobly who sold him for a slaue basely Loue enuieth not There are two parents of enuie highnesse nighnâ—sse For it is nothing else but a repining griefe for our neighbours happinesse An enuious man saith Saluianus esteemes anothers good his hurt parum est si ipse sit fâ—elix nisi alter fuerit infâ—elix And therefore when Bion saw such an one very sorrowfull asked him I pray thee whether hath some euill happened to thee or good to thy neighbour As high hils are most exposed to thunder fâ—riunt summos fulmine montes and as the fairest flowers are soonest nipt by the venemous Cantharides euen so the most eminent gifts in neighbors are the greatest griefes of enuious wretches In neighbours I say for as the basiliske doth kill none but such as he doth see so the malecontent enuious eye malignes none that are far off And this I take to be the true reason why the schismaticall Brownist and other of the like malitious humor hate the conformable Protestant more then either Turke or Pope because that which eye seeth not heart grieueth not But it hath been their hell to behold their neighbour Bishops and fellow Ministers in bâ—tter fâ—shion and among the best of greater account for iudicious preaching and writing then themselues It is wittily noted by Bonauentura that an enuious man is like Cam who said of himselfe Gen. 4.14 Whosoeuer sâ—â—deth me sâ—all slay me For either he seeth in a man that which is good and then he repineth or else that which is euill and so reioiceth and both these slay the soule Things amisse in our Church are the schismatikes may game but her glory their griefe her weale their woe Let them reade this Chapter often and marke this word especially Loue enuieth not Loue doth not frowardly Not ouerthwartly not insidiously quod est arte alios pellere aut tollâ—re by cunning to thrust men out of their preferments and others loue so Maximus expelled Gregorâ— Nazianzene Aeâ—chines wronged Deâ—osthenes and Mâ—rtin Makebate the Whitgifâ—s of our Church Loue swelleth not As loue doth not abuse good things in other so it makes men vse well their owne graces It swelleth not in any preferment it hath it is not ambitious for any which it hath not it is not querulous for any which it once had and is now lost it seeketh not her owne that is with others hinderance so to ioine house to house and field to field till there be no place for other in the land It doth not desire that oxen should labour and asses feed that one should take the paines and another reape the profit but is content that preferment be conferred vpon men of worth according to merit with equall proportion Or it seekes not her owne principally buâ— so far forth as shall be for the Churches good and Gods glory So faith our Apostle 1. Cor. 10. I seeke not mine owne profit but the profit of many that they might be saued And Philip. 2.21 he rebukes all such as seeke their owne and not that which is Iesus Christs Or it seekes no◠〈◊〉 that is to recouer her owne by law when it shaâ—â— be to the scandall of the Gospell as he sheweth in thâ—â—ixt Chapter of this Epistle It is not prouoked to anger That is rash and inâ—onsidâ—rate anger otherwise a man may be angry and sinne not as our Apostle elsewhere â—rasci hominis iniuâ—iâ—â— non facere Christiani It is the part of a man to be angâ—y but the duty of a Christian to doe no wrong in anger A louing man will chide his friend sweetly and a good man punish sinne according to his place sâ—uerâ—ly Quâ—â— te appellem amâ—r nescio bonum in malum â—â—or quippenâ—s facit nostros amare amor interdum cogit offenâ—â—re siâ— vâ—gilet tolerantia saith Augustine vt non doâ—miâ—t disciplinâ— Saint Pauls meaning then is that we must not be transported with heat so that we forget our friends and lose our selues in such sort that the ending of our anger proue the beginning of our sorrow It thinks no euill It is so far from doing wrong that it doth not so much as thinke euill A vertue compounded of truth and ingenuity Truth belieues onely that which is certaine ingenuity construeth in the better part that which is doubtfull whereas suspiciousnesse is misled often with false alway with vncertaine report Ielous yoke-fellowes and suspicious friends are both vncharitable For such as the Prophet aptly trauell with mischiefe and bring forth vngodlinesse vnquiet as the raging sea stirring vp strife all the day long It reioiceth not in iniquity Not â—n her owne fault not in anothers fall Not in her owne for albeit the
like Dauids vine doth couâ—r the mountaines with her boughes and stretcheth her branches vnto the sea extending it selfe to God Angels men in men to our selues and other in other vpward to supeâ—iours downward to inferiours on the right hand to friends on the left to foes Loue theÌ„ in respect of other is of greater vse but if we consider a man in himselfe priuâ—tly faith is more needfull then loue as wherein originally stands our communion and fellowship with God by which Christ dwels in our hearts into which as an hand Almightie God powreth all the riches of his grace for our saluation and by which only whatsoeuer else is in vs is accepted of God as Saluâ—anus excellently Omnibus semper ornatibus ornamento est quiae sine hac nihil tam ornatum quod ornare possit See Epist. Dom. 17. post Trinit Againe charitie is greater in latitude of continuance faith apprehends the Lords gratious promise concerning eternall saluation and hope doth expect it with patience When God then shall haue fulfilled his word and filled vs with vnspeakable ioy when in that other life we shall see God face to face faith is at an end hope is at an end their vse cease but loue shall continue betweene God and vs an euerlasting bond So the fathers expound it only loue saith Chrysostome is eternall in this respect the greatest is charitie because they passe away but charitie continueth alway So Saint Augustine Loue is the greatest of the three because the other two departing it shall continue more increased and better assured auctior certior permanebit In this pâ—esent life there are three but in the life to come loue remaineth onely therefore that is greater which is euer needfull then that which once shal haue an end And so Gorran and other popish writers heretofore construed this text I conclude to saue a man faith is greater in a man saued charitie is the greater vntill faith haue finished our saluation loue must yeeld to faith but when faith hath fully saued vs it shall haue an end and so must yeeld to loue which is without end The Gospel LVKE 18.31 Iesus tooke vnto him the twelue and said vnto them Behold we goe vp to Ierusalem and all shall be fulfilled c. IN this Gospell our Sauiour Christ the true light of the world doth illuminate two sorts of blinde the disciples who were spiritually blind and a poore beggar who was corporally blind The disciples vnderstood not as yet the mysteries of our redemption wrought by Christs humiliation and exaltation by the one taking from vs all euill and by the other giuing all that is good Hee died for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification Christ therefore doth open their eies and instruct them in these two points exactly First generally vers 31. Behold we goe vp to Ierusalem and all things c. Secondly more particularly declaring the maner of his death and resurrection in the 32.33 verses Concerning his passion fiue things are deliuered traditio that hee shall be betraied illusio that hee shall be mocked conspuitio that hee shall be spitted on flâ—gellatio that hee shall be scourged occisio that hee shall be put to death For truth it selfe was betraied wisdome it selfe mocked glory it selfe spitted on innocencie it selfe scourged and life it selfe killed Concerning his resurrection hee sets downe two points especially 1. that he shal rise 2. that hee shall rise the third day Iesus tooke vnto him the twelue Reuealing to them the secrets of his kingdome foretelling his passion for two causes especially 1. that they might beare it more patiently praemoniti praemuniti 2. to signifie that hee suffered willingly Ioh. 10.18 See Gosp. dom 10. post Trin. Behold This word of attention is like the sounding of a trumpet before some waighty proclamation or like the ringing of a great bell before the sermon of a famous Preacher And therefore let vs heare this doctrine with an especiall care which Christ hath commended vnto vs here by such a remarkable note We goe vp Christs passion is called an exaltation or ascending For albeit he could not ascend higher as God yet he was exalted by his humiliation as man and had a name giuen him aboue euery name Phil. 2.8.9 Lucifer and Adam by climbing vp were cast downe but Christ by casting himselfe downe went vp Or We goe vp insinuating that his iourney was not easie Facilis descensus Auerni Men go sooner downe hil then vp hill yet he that hath a good horse can ride faster vp hill then downe hill So the charets and horsemen of Israel assisted by Gods especiall grace lifting them vp aboue the base vallies of the world runne faster and are more delighted in heauens vp hill then the wicked iâ— hels downe hill To Ierusalem Interpreters haue rendred sundry reasons why Christ was crucified at Ierusalem especially two First because there was not enough malice in any other Citie to kill the Lord of life none but the holy could enuie the most holy The prophane Gentiles ignorant Iewes elsewhere did not maligne Christ in his words and wonders Ierusalem onely the Prophet-killer could not indure the Prophet His holinesse and wisdome was the fittest obiect for the Scribes and Pharises enuie That vpon them might come all the righteous blood shed vpon earth euen from Abel the shadow to Christ the substance whose bloud speakes better things vnto vs and cries â—owder against them then that of Abel Here note by the â—ay that as the Sonne of God was crucified in the Citie of God so by good correspondence the members of Christ are persecuted most by the vicar of Christ. Secondly Christ suffered in that eminent place that his passion and patience might be renowned in the whole world There was not another stage fit for his tragedie which is our comedie In a mysticall sense Christ and his Apostles ascend to Ierusalem euen to Ierusalem aboue the new Ierusalem prepared as a bride trimmed for her husband but the god of this world with his company descend to Iericho to the lowest hell Hee that followes not Christ in his course goes from Ierusalem to Iericho from heauenly paths vnto the by-waies of destruction and so he falles among theeues that is as the fathers expound it among many diuels and euils who rob him and wound him and in fine will leaue him dead except Christ the true Samaritan relieue him and set him in his right way againe And all shall be fulfilled that are written by the Prophets of the Sonne of man As the Painter at the first drawes his picture with a coale roughly then with an accurate pensill and orâ—ent colours exactly so the holy Ghost in the Prophets and old Testament shadowed Christs passion obscurely but in the new paints it as it were to life perspicuously