of Remaliahs sonne For albeit they determine to depose thee and to dispose of thy Kingdome purposing to set vp in thy throne the sonne of â—abeal vers 6 Yet thus saith the Lord God their counsell shall not stand neither shall it bee for the head of Aramis Damascus and the head of Damascus is Rezin and within threescore and fiue yeeres Ephraim shall be broken from being a people As if he should say these two kingdomes shall haue their limits and their two Kings must be content with their owne greatnesse they both aspire to the Crown but I haue set them their bounds which they shall not passe Beleeue my words and it shall goe well with you but if ye will not beleeue surely ye shall not bee established vers 9. And therefore that Ahaz and his people might giue credit to this promise the Lord saith our text spake once more to Ahaz Where note Gods long suffering and patience toward an Idolatious and a wicked King who did not vprightly in the sight of the Lord his God 〈◊〉 Dauid his father â— but made his sonne goe thorow the fire after the abominations of the Heathen whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel and offered and burnt incense in the high places and on the hilles and vnder euery greene tree The Lord desired not the death of a sinner but that he may turne from his euill waies and liue speaking to him as heere to Ahaz againe and againe turne you turne you for why will ye die O yee house of Israel He doth inuite to mercie not onely such as are godly men according to the prayer of Dauid Do well O Lord vnto those that be good and true of heart But he maketh his Sunne to rise on the euill and sendeth his raine on the iust and on the vniust Matth. 5.45 Hee is not slacke faith Peter in comming to iudgement as some men count sâ—â—icknesse but is patient toward vs and would haue no man to perish but would all men to come to repentance Wherefore thou whosoeuer thou bee which art in the gall of bitternesse selling thy selfe to worke wickednesse nay giuing thy selfe to wantonnesse to commit all vncleanenesse euen with greedinesse How dost thou thinâ—e thou shalt escape the iudgement of God or despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience and long sufferance not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance The Lord spake to Ahaz againe yet not onely for his sake nor for the wicked alone but rather to prouide for the weake which had some seeds of Godlinesse For albeit they did offend the Lord very much in their distrust and Idolatrie yet God as being the father of mercies in wrath remembers mercy Habac. 3.2 Compassion and forgiuenesse is in the Lord our God albeit wee haue rebelled against him Dan. 9.9 Require a token of the Lord thy God As if Esay should haue said I perceiue you giue credit to my report entertaining my speech as the words of a meere man and not as the word of God Wherfore to demonstrate that I come not in mine owne name but from the Lord of Hosts Aske a signe not of Idols or of strange gods vnable to helpe thee but of thy God Aske a signe not of me but of the Lord which onely doth wondrous things Aske of him Ahaz and thou shalt vnderstand that it is the Lord who speakes vnto thee God for the confirmation of our faith addeth vnto his promises as proppes of our infirmitie signes and tokens which Augustine calles aptly visible words And these signes are of two sorts extraordinarie whereof the Prophet in our present text and that which was giuen to Hezekiah in the 38. chapter of this prophesie vers 7. Ordinarie in daily vse as Baptisme and the Lords Supper the which are signes and seales of Gods holy couenant with vs. And wee must so ioyne faith vnto the word that wee despise not the Sacraments which Almighty God offereth as helps for the strengthening of of our faith It is a true saying that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners And this saying ought by all meanes to bee receiued and one chiefe meane is the ministration of the Sacraments and therefore the frantick spirits in our time who make no reckoning of Baptisme nor of the blessed Eucharist but esteeme them abces onely for little children are worthily censured by reuerend Caluin to separate those things which God hath ioyned together Whether it be toward the depth beneath or toward the height aboue The Prophet prescribes not what token Ahaz should aske lest happily the truth of the miracle might be suspected but hee leaueth it to the Kings owne free choice whether hee will haue it toward the depth or height that is in earth or heauen Or it may be the word depth is of some deeper signification as if Esay should say God will openly shew thee that his dominion is farre aboue all the world yea that it reacheth euen from the heauen of heauens to the very depth of depthes insomuch as hee can at his good pleasure fetch Angels out of heauen and also raâ—e the very dead out of their graues Here then obserue Gods omnipotencie who can doe whatsoeuer hee will in heauen and in earth and in the sea and in all deepe places Psal. 135.6 O God the great and mighty great in Counsell and mighty in worâ—e Behold thou hast made the heauen and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arme and there is nothing hard vnto thee This doctrine is comfortable to the godly who dwell vnder the defence of the most high and abide vnder the shadow of his wings hauing his spirit for their guide and his Angels for their guard But it is very terrible to the wicked in that all the creatures in heauen in earth and vnder earth attend the Lord of Hosts euenmore readie to fight against such as fight against him noneâ— This argueth his pride rather then humblenesse Or as other his trust in the strength of the King of Ashor rather then his affiance in the King of Kings And yet hee colours his foule contempt hypocritically with a faire pretence saying I will not tempt the Lord alluding doubtlesse to the text Deut. 6.16 ye shall not tempt the Lord your God He forgate the words in the some chapter a little before yee shall not walke after other gods c. and only wrested that clause which he thought would fit his turne wrest I say for to require a signe when God inuiteth and inioyneth vs is not to tempt the Lord but to trust and obey which is better then sacrifice Gedeon is commended for asking signes of the Lord Iudges 6. the Pharities on the contrary condemned euen by Christ himselfe the wicked generation and adulterous seeketh a
not a locall but a personall distinction I and my Father saith Christ are one Ioh. 10.30 vâ—um of one substance not vâ—â—â— one person and therefore he saith not in the singular I and my father aâ— one but in the plural are onâ— The Sonne is alius then the Father not uliud and her person albeit not another essence non alius in natura sed alter in persona for it is written here the word was so with God as that it was God first said to be with God and then to be God signifying that the word was the same God with whom it was in the beginning Semper cum patre semper in patre semper apud patrem semper quoad pater Here then obserue concerning the word three points especially 1 When it was in the beginning 2 Where it was with God 3 What it was and the word was God The pith of all is that God the Son is a distinct person from God the Father and yet of the same substance with the Father equall in glory coeternall in Maiesty This one verse then ouerthroweth many blasphemous hereticks in the beginning confureth Ebimites and Cerinthians The clause was with God Sabellians and other denying a Trinitie in vnâ—â—ie that is a distinction of persoâ—s in the deity was God confoundeth Arians and all such as with 〈…〉 affirme that Christ was a meere man in the beginning with God all Ennemians and such as hold Christ to be but a temporall God by grace and not an eternall God by nature All thâ—ngs were made â—y it and without it was mâ—de no 〈…〉 made As the epistle doth expound the Gospell he â—â—d the 〈◊〉 of the earth and the hâ—auens are the works of his hands all things as well invisible as visible were created by him and for him he made whatâ—â—euer was made and it was exceeding good Genes 1.31 But Satan as hee is a deuill and sinne which came into the world by the suggestion of the deuill and and death also which is brought vpon man as a curse by sinne are not his workes And the reason is plaine because that which is euill is a nothing mali nutta natura est sed amissio boni quoth Augustine mali nomen accepit And Gregorie Nyssen Mali essentia in eo posita quod essentiam non habet euery good and perfect gift is from aboue comming downe from the father of lights and with him is no variablenesse neither shadow of ruâ—ning It a confert bâ—na quod non infert mala See S. Augustine tract 1. in Ioan Bibliothec. Sixt. Senen lib. 6. annot 174. Mclanâ— postil Eras. câ—nnot in loc The clause more proper to this Festiuall and most profitable for vs to be further examined is that the word became flesh and dwelt among vs c. And this was not by conuersion of the God head into flesh but by taking the manhood into God Naturam suscipiendo nostram non mutando suam Homo quippe Deo accessit non Deus à se recessit For in the word made flesh all the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth as the Scripture speaks bodily Col. 2.9 that is personally For albeit he be God and man yet is he not two but one Christ one not by confusion of substance but by vnitie of person For as the reasonable soule and flesh is one man so God and man one Christ. See Epist. Sund next before Easter The first newes of Christs actuall natiuitie was broached and brought into the world as we read in the second lesson appointed for this morning praier by the tongues of Angels and that with an ecce behold I bring you tidings of great ioy that shall be to all the people that is that vnto you is borne this day in the Citie of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord. Reioice grandfather Adam for on this day according to the word of thy gratiou Creator the seed of thy wife Eua hath bruised the serpent-head reioice father Abraham for on this day in thy seed all the nations of the earth are blessed Ge. 22.18 Reioice King Dauid for on this day God hath fruit of thy body set a King vpon thy throne Reioice ye Prophets of the Lord for all your prophecies on this day were fulfilled Reioice yee that are sicke for on this day the Physitian of the world was borne Reioice yee Virgins for a Virgin on this day brought forth a sonne Reioice ye children for on this day the great God became a little babe Let all people reioice for that he who was in the beginning and as it is in the former lesson appointed for this morning praier an euerlasting father in the fulnesse of time was made of a women and wrapped in swadling clothes For that he who was the word became an infant not able to speake one syllable For thâ—t hee who was with God did vouchsafe to dwell among vs appearing in the shape of a man Philip. 2.7 For that hee who was God and therefore most mightie became flesh and so most weake for all flesh is grasse and the grace thereof as the flower of the field Esay 40.6 Saint Bernard preaching on this day said the shortnes of the time constrained him to shorten his Sermon and let none quoth hee wonder if my words be short seeing on this day God the Father hath abbreuiated his owne word for whereas his word was so long as that it filled heauen and earth it was on this day so short that it was laid in a manger I wish vnfainedly with the same deuout Bernard that as the word was made flesh so my stonie heart might be made flesh also that it might alway meditate on this heauenly Gospell Vnto you is borne this day in the Citie of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord For all our sound comfort stands in happinesse and all our happinesse is in fellowship with God and all our fellowship with God is by Christ. For God the Father if wee consider him in his iustice heares not sinners Iohn 9.31 He therefore remembring his mercie got as it were new eares and set them on our head Iesus Christ who being flesh of our flesh is such an high Priest as is touched with the feeling of our infirmities openly professing that hee came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Come to me all yee that are laden and I will ease you Mat. 11.28 Whatsoeuer yee shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you Iohn 16.23 If thou wert invited to some great wedding thou wouldest I am sure be very carefull what apparell to put on but if thou wert to be maried thy selfe thou wouldest be very curious in thine attire behold saith Augustine all of vs are bidden on this day to a marriage for Christ came out of
seeke Christ in the time of Herod the King 2. From what part of the world from the East 3. To what Citie to Ierusalem 4. By what guide by the leading of a star 5. For what end to worship him 6. What gifts they presented vnto him gold frankincense myrrhe 7. What way they returned home after they were warned of God in a sleepe that they should not goe againe to Herod they returned into their owne country another way In the time of Herod the King The Patriarke Iacob prophecied of the Messiah that the kingdom should not depart from Iuda not a langiner from his feâ—t vntill Sâ—â—lo come Now Herod was not a branch of the Kings of Iuda but an alien from their Common-wealth a stranger and a tyrant crept in by the fauour of the Romane Emperour and therefore the Wisemen enquiring after the birth of Christ in the daies of Herod the King obserued their right quando because now the scepter had departed from Iuda The which as it confutes the Iewes expecting as yet that Christ should come so it confirmes the faith of Christians assuring vs vndoubtedly that this same whom the Wise-men sought is the very Sauiour of the world and as the Wise-men in seeking euen so Christ in comming kept his right quando For when Herod was King and sinne most abounded Iesus was borne in Bethlehem a Citie of Iurie when his Israel sate in darknesse and in the shadow of death then he visited and redeemed his people Luk. 1.68.79 according to that of Dauid Thou shalt arise and haue mercy vpon Sion for it is time that thou haue mercy vpon her yea the time is come and why Thy seruants thinke vpon her stones and it pittieth them to see her in the dust Some thinke these Wise-men came to Ierusalem about two yeeres after Christs birth and the ground of this assertion is in the 16 verse of this present chapter Herode seeing that hee was mocked of the Wise-men was exceeding wroth and sent forth and slew all the male-children that were in Bethlehem and in all the coasts thereof from two yeeres old and vnder according to the time which hee had diligently searched out of the Magi. But the Wise-men had proued themselues none of the wisest men if they should at that time haue sought for Christ in Iurie when hee was in Egypt For so the text plainely Ioseph according to the direction of an Angell appearing to him in a dreame tooke the babe Iesus and his mother by night and departed into Egypt and was there vnto the death of Herod and that was in Nicephorus account 3 yeeres as Iansenius 5 yeeres as Sabellâ—câ—â— 7 yeeres I thinke therefore that the Wise-men came to Ierusalem according to the Churches institution of this feast vpon tht twelfth day after the birth of Christ. If any desire to bee satisfied how they could performe in so short a time so great a iourney let them at their leasure peruse the Commentaries of Maldonat vpon this text and Cardinall Baron annal Tom. ad an 1. fol. 53.54 From the East The first sinne committed by man in the world was eastward for Adam and Eua did eate of the forbidden fruit in Paradise planted Eastward Gen. 2.8 〈…〉 her Abel was an inhabitant of the East Gen 4. â—â— The builders of the Tower of Babel also came from the 〈◊〉 Gen. 11.2 And there 〈◊〉 Christ 〈…〉 that hee might 〈…〉 and take away the sinne of the world called at his 〈◊〉 appearing Wise-men from the East and hee was crucified 〈◊〉 toward the 〈◊〉 as hauing put all our sinnes behind his bâ—cke Eâ—a â—â— 17 And for this 〈◊〉 happily 〈◊〉 with other whereas the 〈…〉 toward the South and sectaâ—â—â— to the West 〈…〉 and thaâ— from the very time of theâ— Apostles vse to pray toward the 〈◊〉 And it 〈…〉 that such as were to bee baptized should in their renunciation of the deuill and all his workes euer turne their face toward the Wâ—â—l and on the contrary when they made their con 〈◊〉 of the faith of Christ 〈◊〉 the East as 〈…〉 and Cyrâ—l apud Baron 〈…〉 58 fol. 564. Our Sauiour said Matth. 8.11 that mary shall 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 and shall sit downe with 〈…〉 Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen These 〈◊〉 came from the East and 〈◊〉 from the West and 〈◊〉 knowledged Christ to bee King of the Iewes Magi ab 〈…〉 hoc est nasâ—ents the autem occidenti hoc est 〈…〉 regi Iudeorum That these Magi came from Persia most accord but whether they were Kings or Philosophers or both it is vncertaine It was a receiued opinion among the Popish Friers heretofore that these Magi were Kings and that Matthew in terming them Wise-men gaue them a title more honourable then that of Kings 〈…〉 A scepter may be put into the hands of a foole The name then of Magus in that age when Philosophers did raigne was of greater account then that of Magnus Other Papists of better note for their learning confesse that they were not reges but reguli not puissant Princes of a whole Country but pettie Lord of some little Towne aâ— Gen. 14. Bera King of Sodome Birsha King of Gomâ—rrah Shâ—â—ab King of Admâ—th But that these were crowned Kings and but three whose names are Melchior Gaspar Balthasar Const. 〈◊〉 pictura sed noâ— ex scriptura is a tale painted on a wall not written in the word That I say these were but three whereof one was an olde man another a yong man and the third of middle age whose dead bodies haue been translated first from India to Constantinople Secondly from Constantinople to Millane Thirdly from Millane to Colon and thereupon commonly called the three Kings of Colon is thought by Protestant Diuines a ridiculous fable better fitting the signe of a Tauerne then the wall or window of a Temple That they were Wise-men is said in this text and proued also for in seeking the Lord when and where hee was to be found they shewed themselues wisemen indeed according to that of the Prophet Let not the wise man glory in his wisedome but let him that gloâ—uth glory in this that hee vnderstandeth and knoweth mee that I am the Lord which exercise louing kindnesse iudgement and righteousnesse in the earth for in these things I deâ—â—â— saith the Lord. It is likewise consonant to the text that these Magi were aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel as the shepheard were the first fruits of the Iewes so these Wise-men the first fruits of the Gentile They were neere these came from farre both met in Christ the chiefe corner stone who made of both one that is of two walles one house for the Iewes and Gentiles are all one in Christ Galat. 3.28 A mysterie which in times past as you haue heard in this daie Epistle was not opened
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