to death Wherefore seeing to loue our enemies in the iudgment of some men is against Gods law and of other beside the law seeing many men in their precepts and most men in their practise manifestly shew that it is an hard saying Saint Steuens charity doth appeare to be great in blessing such as cursed him and in praying for such as did hurt him Iob renowmed in holy Scripture for his patience said If mine aduersarie should write a booke against me would I not take it vpon my shoulder and binde it as a crowne vnto me But Steuen surpassing Iob as Gregorie Nyssen obserues esteemed the very ring of his persecutors wherewith he was enclosed on euery side his crown and euery stone flung at his head a pretious diamond so that it might haue beene said of him as it was of Dauid The Lord preuented him with the blessings of goodnesse and set a crowne of pretious stones vpon his head Our goods are sweet vnto vs and therefore wee can hardly forgiue the theese our good name sweeter and therefore wee doe more hardly forgiue the slanderer but our life most sweet Skinne for skinne and all that euer a man hath will he giue for it and therefore most hardly doe we forgiue murtherers and martyrers in hot blood especially while they wring vs and wrong vs and yet Steuen full of the holy Ghost and therefore full of loue in persecutione positus pro persecutoribus orabat in the middest of his persecution heartily praied for his persecutors O Lord Iesu lay not this sinne to their charge Our sinnes not forgiuen are set before vs and as enemies in battell fighting against vs a pillar of infamie to disgrace the wicked in this and the next life the which as Basil thinkes is more grieuous to their soule then hell fire So that the meaning of S. Steuen is in saying lay not this sinne to their charge that God would giue them a better minde and not impute this offence but rather to burie this and all other their sinnes in his death and graue that they neuer rise vp againe to worke desperation in this world or destruction in the world to come S. Augustine brings in Steuen speaking thus vnto God Ego patior ego lapidor in me sauiunt in me fremunt sed ne statuas illis hoc peccatum quia vt dicamtibi à te primo audiui Ego seruus tâ—us patior sed muleum interest inter me te tu dominus ego eruus tu verbum ego auditor verbi tu magister ego discipulus tu Creator ego creatus tu Deus ego homo multum interest inter peccatum istorum qui lapidant me illorum qui crucifixerunt te quando ergo dixisti Pater ignosce illis quia nesciunt quid faciunt pro magno peccato petisti me pro minimo petere docuisti domine ne statuas illis hoc peccatum ego patior in carne isti non pereant in mente Now the Lord heard his praier and granted his request in that Saul had not this sinne said to his charge as himselfe witnesseth I was a blasphemer and a persecutor and an oppressor but I was receiued to mercy for I did it ignorantly through vnbeleefe So that Augustine is bold to say Si Stephanus non sic orasses ecclesia Paulum non haberet And Fulgentius Quo pracessis Stephanus trucidatus lapidibus Pauli illuc sequutus est Paulus adiutus orationibus Stephani When hee had thus spoken Vttering such excellent words and with such a resolute spirit and in such a reuerent fashion after he had thus spoken for the matter and thus for the manner giuing vnto God the life of his soule forgiuing his persecutors the death of his bodie hee sweetly slept in the Lord. Christus pro nobis hominem induit Stephanus pro Christo hominem exuit as Gregorie Nyssen elegantly Christ became man for Steuen and Steuen became no man for Christ hominem exuit he so willingly put off his flesh as a man would put off his clothes at night and so death as welcome to him as steepe to the wearie when he had thus spoken hee fell asleepe To mitigate deaths horror it is called often in holy Scripture sleepe So the text saith of Dauid and of Salomon and of other Kings of Israel and Iuda that they slept with their fathers In the new Testament also such as are dead in the Lord are said to sleepe in Christ. I would not haue you saith Paul ignorant concerning them which are asleepe c. For this cause many are weake and sicke among you and many sleepe 1. Cor. 11.30 For man in his graue sleepeth and waketh not againe till the heauen be no more Iob 14.12 So great a resemblance the Gentiles acknowledged between dying and sleeping that Ouid cals sleepe mortis imago deaths image Virgil consanguineus lathi the kinsman of death Seneca the brother of death and Hesiode the sister of death Among infinite comparisons I finde that death is principally likened vnto sleepe In respect of the Rest of the dead Resurrection of the dead Concerning the first it is said by the spirit Blessed are the dead in the Lord for they rest from their labore and so God giueth his beloued sleepe The coffin is a couch in que mollius ille dormit quisquis durius in vit a se gesserit I finde in the records of antiquitie that a Sepulchre is called requietorium a bed of sacred rest and securitie which Valerius Probus expressed in these letters H.R.I.P. Hic requiescet in pace and Pet. Diaconus in other D.M.S. Dormiunt mortus securi Hic mortuius requiescit semel Qui viuus requieuit nunquam But here we must obserue that our soule sleepes not in the dust as our body till our last dome For the soules of the reprobate at their death are fetched away from them and carried into hell But the soules of such as die in the Lord instantly liue with the Lord conueied by the glorious Angels into Abrahams bosome Luk. 16. 22. So Christ expresly to the theese on the Crosse Verily I say to thee this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Anima absoluitur corpus resoluitur quae absoluitur gaudet quod resoluitur in terram suam nihil sentit And so the Saints departed are dead in their worst part onely but liuing in their best euen in that wherein they desire to liue most as an Heathen Poet diuinely Sed lugere nefas nam quite Prisce reliquit Vâ—â—â—t qua volnit viuere partemagis And therefore though the dead bodies of Gods seruants haue beene giuen as meat to the sowles of the aire and their flesh vnto the beasts of the land yet right deare in the sight of the
epilogue see Gospell on S. Iohns day The Epistle Heb. 1.1 God in times past diuersly and many waies spake vnto the Fathers by Prophets but in these last daies he hath spoken to vs by his owne sonne c. THE whole world in old time was distinguished by three principall languages as it appeares in Pilates inscription or title written on Christs Crosse Latine Greeke Hebrew The Latine tongue was famous in regard of the Romane Empire which ouerspread and ouertopt all other kingdomes on earth according to that of Virgil Romanos rerum Dominos c. or as another Poet wittily Roma tibi quondam suberant domini dominorum Seruorum serut nunc tibi sunt domini The Greeke tongue was especially regarded because Greece was the worlds Vniuersitie the seat of Wisdome the mint of Arts and as it were the common Nurserie of all humane learning In which respect one commending Paris in France called it Graeca libris and Attica philosophis rosa mundi Balsamus orbis The Hebrew most honoured in that it is Gods owne language wherein his owne law was written and wherewith it was expounded vnto his owne people Now Paul preached sermons and penned Epistles in all these languages as being a chosen vessell of the Lord to beare his name before the Gentiles and Kings and children of Israel He preached and wrote to the Romanes and so he did beare Christs name before Kings for they were Lords of the world He preached and wrote to the Grecians as to the Church of Corinth Ephesus Philippi Thessalonica c. and so he did beare the name of Christ before the Gentiles He preached and wrote to the faithfull Hebrewes as S. Peter telleth vs and so he did beare the name of Christ before the children of Israel I say Paul wrote to the Iewes holding with the most and best expositors that he was author of this excellent Epistle Now the reasons are man fold why Paul did not heere set downe his name First because hee was not an Apostle of the Iewes but of the Gentiles as he saith himselfe Galat. 2.7 The Gospell ouer the vncâ—rcumsision was commaunded vnto me as the Gospell ouer the circumcision was vnto Peter Secondly for that his name was odious vnto the leâ—ses as we reade in the 21. and 22. Chapter of the Acts often crying out against him away with such a fellow from the earth for it is not meet hee should liue Thirdly Paul was an Hebrew 2. Corinth 11.22 They are Hebrewes so am I. He therefore concealed his name because a Prophet is not honoured in his owne countrey But whether Barnabas or Clemâ—ns or Luke wrote it as many thinke or Paul as most affirme the matter is not great for if the name had beene here what had it shewed but that God vsed the ministerie of such a man and no the name is not knowne it teacheth vs expresly the doctrine is of God And for this cause to the bookes of holy Scripture names are sometime prefixed sometime not that we might not haue the faith of our glorious Lord Ieâ—us Christ in respect of persons Whether it be Paul or Apollos or Cephas all are yours happily Paul first planted it in Hebrew then Luke watered and translated it into Greeke but God giue the grace to both And therefore we must not attend who but what For whatsoeuer is written afore time is written for our learning especially this Epistle penned of purpose to maintaine the chieâ—e point of holy beleefe namely that forgiuenesse of sinnes is by Christ only These Hebrewe had ioined the ceremonies of the Law with the Gospell of Christ as the Christians in the kingdomes of Pâ—â—stâ—r Iohn at this houre retaine Circumcision and Baptisme For albeit many thousands of the Iewes beleeued yet were they still zealous of the Law not enduring to heare of the abrogation of it in so much that they made this a point of faith and it is the ninth article of their Creed at this day God gaue his Law to Moses his faithfull seruant and he will neuer change nor alter it for another Now true Christianitie reades a contrary lecture namely that the ceremonies of the law were primò mortales postea mortuae postremò mortiferae So that to leaue Christ for them or to ioyne Christ with them is the plaine way to destruction Augustine excellently Legalia fuerunt ante passionem Domini viua statiâ— post passionem mortua hodie sepulta That is the Iewish ceremonies afore Christ came were aliue when hee suffered on the Crosse they were dead and now they be buried And so by consequent they may not rise vp againe to be put in the ballance with his glory for the gold siluer precious stones and all other ornaments of the magnificent Temple compared with his rich mercies are but beggerly rudiments as our Apostle speakes Galat. 4 9. Nothing in earth or vnder earth or in heauen or in the heauen of heauens is so glorious as he no name else that is named in which or by which we can be saued but onely the name of Iesus Christ. The whole tract is diuided in two parts The first is concerning Christs excellencie shewing in the ten first Chapters what he is in respect of his Nature Diuine cap. 1. Humane cap. 2. Offices Propheticall in the third and fourth chapter Sacerdotall chap. 5.6.7.8 9.10 Regall of which our Apostle writes not as of the former two purposely and copiously but incidently and briefly chap. 1. vers 2 3 8 13. chap. 2. vers 9. chap. 7. vers 2. chap. 8. vers 1. The second how saluation is onely through him in the residue The Law was ordained by glorious Angels written by Moses obserued by the Priests expounded by the Prophets In the first and second chapter Paul compares our Sauiour with Angels and Prophets In the third with Mosâ—s In the 4 5.6.7.8.9.10 with the Priests and their ceremonies intimating in all that the Law is deficient and that Christ in the worke of our saluation is only sufficient and efficient Our only Prophet in whole word we must rest our onely Priest in whose sacrifice we must rest our only King vnder whose protection wee must rest who with his blessed Spirit leadeth vs in waies of eternall life working in vs all in all Quemadmodum enim membrum ipsius corporis recipit ab epate humores à corde vitam à capite sensum motum sic homo recipit ab homne carnem à Deo animam à Christo homine Deo sensum motum id est totum bene esse gratiam sicat membrum habet duos motus vnum de natura sua cadere deorsum alium à capite sâ—ilicet motum sursum iste motus est supra naturam membri conformiter homo quoad amimam habet duos motus vnum de natura sua
brickes in a fiery furnace that they shall not bee able to wrinch hauing not so much as a chinke where any winde may enter to refresh them in this lake of fire burning with brimstone Their sight is affrighted with vgly diuels and darkenesse their hearing with odious and hideous outcries their smelling with noysome stinkes and insupportable sweat reaking from the filthie bodies vnder torture their cast with a raging thirst and a rauening hunger tasting such things as are more bitter then gall or wormewood the feeling afflicted in euery part with intollerable flames in comparison whereof our earthly fire is no more then as if it were but painted The least of these torments named and infinite moe not named is more grieuous then the greatest either sicknesse or sorrow they suffered on earth and yet all these shall eternally continue without either ease or end See Gospell 1. Sund. after Trinity Lombard sent lib. 4. distalt sententiarios ibidem A quin in additionibus adtertiam suae summae partem quaest 97.98.99 Io. de combis compend Theolog. lib. 7. cap. 21.22 Dion carthusian de quatuor nouissimis part 3. The meditations of Luys de la puente Iesuite translated out of Spanish into English by Ric. Gibbons of the same society meditat 15.16 Euery branch that beareth fruit will he purge Wee collect here first that our Purgatorie is in this life while we goe from strength to strength and grow from fruit to fruit in the vineyard that is in the Church planted in this world 2. That the word and affliction are this our Purgatorie The word vers 3. Ye are cleane through the word which I haue spoken vnto you Cleane not by the water in Baptisme but by the word For saith Augustine Detrahe verbuÌ„ quid est aquae nisi aqua sed ascedit verbum adelementum fit sacramentum Cleare by the word non quia dicitur sed quia creditur The Pharifies and other hypocrites heard the word of Christ but they were not hereby purged because they did not beleeue the word of Christ. Our fruit then ariseth from faith it is faith as S. Peter telleth vs expresly that purifieth our hearts And so Rupertus expounds the words of Christ here you are cleane because you beleeue that which I haue said vnto you concerning my death and resurrection how I must die for your sinnes and rise againe for your iustification and goe away to prouide a place for you But because the flesh is so fraile that we cannot doe that good we would but the euill we would not Almighty God hath appointed for vs another Purgatorie to wit affliction and the Crosse the which is Gods rod where with he scourgeth euery sonne he receiueth and purgeth euery branch that beareth fruite that it may bring forth more fruit The branch of the Vine that is cut vntill it bleed and weepe beares the greater grapes and so the good man is best vnder the crosse tribulation bringeth forth patience and patience experience experience hope c. tanta summi patris est pietas vt etiam ira eius ex misericordiasit Our heauenly father is so good to vs his children that euen his anger is out of mercy destroying the flesh to saue the spirit 1. Cor. 5.5 3. We note from hence that no man in this world is throughly perfect euen the best of the Saints haue need to bee purged that they may bring forth more fruit They be saith Augustine Mundi mundandi not so pure but that they must encrease more and more Mundat it aque mundos hoc est fructuosos vt tanto sint fructuosiores quant to fuerint mundiores See Epist. 2. Sund. in Lent The Epistle IAMES 1.1 Iames the seruant of God and of the Lord Iesus Christ c. THis Epistle consists of 3. parts a Subscription Iames the seruant of God and of the Lord Iesus Christ. Inscription to the twelue tribes that are scattered abroad greeting Prescription My brethren count it exceeding ioy when ye fall into diuers tentations Iames Here two questions are moued ordinarily The first concerning this Epistles authority The second concerning this Epistles author As for the first I refer you to S. Hierom. Catalog script eccles in vita Iacobi Iusti. Sixt. senen bibliothec lib. 1. pag. 25. Bellarm. de verbo dei lib. 1. cap. 18. Dr. Whitaker respon ad Campian rat 1. Tyndal Prologue vpon S. Iames. Doctor Hanmer obseruations vpon Euseb. Eccles. hist. in English lib. 2. cap. 23. Rogers explanat of the confession of England art 6. Aretius Caluin Marlorat argument prolegom in epist. Iacob As for the second quare there were two blessed Apostles of this name Iames the sonne of Zebedeus and Iames the sonne of Alpheus Now this Epistle was not penned as herein the most and best Diuines accord by Iames the sonne of Zebedeus so hee was slaine by cruell Herod about the beginning of the preaching of the Gospell Act. 12. But by Iames the sonne of Alpheus called else where Iames the lesser and Iames the Lords brother this Iames was the first Bishop of Hierusalem of such vpright carriage toward men as that hee was surnamed Iustus and of such indesatigable deuotion in his prayers vnto God that as Hegesippus reportes his knees were like a Cammels knee benummed and made hard by reason of his continuall kneeling And S. Chrysostome further addeth that his forehead also became brawnie through his daily prostrating himselfe vpon the pauement in the Temple The which I note to condemne the proud and irreuerent behauiour of many who comming into the Temple to pray neither cast downe themselues as the Publican not yet stand vp as the Pharisee but they sit on their cushions I feare in the feate of the scornfull as if they were to blesse God and not God to blesse them Seruant of God Hee that serueth himselfe serueth a foole hee that serueth the diuell serueth his enemie he that serues the world serues his seruant the perfect and onely true freedome is to serue the Lord. Wherefore this stile is no way base but exceeding honourable desired euen of the best ambitiously Samuel was Gods seruant speake Lord saith he for thy seruant heareth thee Iob the greatest of all the men of the East was Gods seruant haâ—â— thus not considered my seruant Iob said the Lord to Satan Iob 1.8 Dauid stiled in holy Scripture for his excellency the King boasted notwithstanding of this title Behold O Lord how that I am thy seruant I am thy seruant and the sonne of thine handmaid Psalm 116.14 All the Patriarkes and Prophets and Apostles haue gloried in this seruice For if it bee reputed honourable to serue the King it is assuredly greater preserment to serue the King of Kings and Lord of Lords It is more credit to be a doorekeeper in the house
worke For assuredly such as croud into the Clergie without performance of their office either through ignorance that they cannot or secular emploiment that they may not or negligence that they will not or feare of trouble that they dare not preach the word of God are aduersaries vnto the doctrine of the Church of England and enemies of the Crosse of Christ Philip. 3.19 See further in the Gospell ensuing The Gospell MATTH 4.18 As Iesus walked by the sea of Galile he saw two brethren Simon which was called Peter and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea for they were fishers c. IN this Gospell is set downe the Calling of four Apostles Comming of foure Apostles In their calling these circumstaÌ„ces are cosiderable Who Iesus Where By the sea of Galile When At the beginning of his preaching Whom in Name Peter Andrew Iames. Iohn Number two and two Nature Brethren Fishers Why That they might become fishers of men How He saw them and said vnto them follow me and I will make you c. As Iesus walked There be foure sorts of Apostles as Hierome and Luther obserue some be sent only from God and not by men immediatly from God the Father as the Prophets vnder the Law Iesus Christ and Iohn Baptist in the beginning of the Gospell immediately from God the Sonne in his state mortall as the twelue Apostles in his stare glorious or immortall as S. Paul Acts 9.15 Other are sent by men and not by God as they who being vnworthie both in respect of their bad learning and worse liuing croud notwithstanding into the Ministerie through alliance fauour or simonie Which occasioned one to say that horses are more miserable then asses in that horses did post ordinarily to Râ—me to get asses preferment Cum Iesu Iudas cum Simone fur Ananias In templo Christs semper sunt quatuor ists Other are neither chosen of God nor called by men as the false Prophets of whom it is said in holy scripture that they runne without a warrant euill workers enemies of Christs Crosse theeues climing into the Church at the window not entring in at the doore rauening wolues in sheepes clothing See Gospell on the 2. Sunday after Easter and 8. after Trinitie Other are both elected of God and ordained by men as the Bishops of Ephesus Acts 20.28 and other Elders in the Primitiue Church Acts 14.23 and all orthodoxe Preachers of the word in our age For as the Gospell and Epistle well accord how shall they preach vnlesse they be sent No man although he were more wise then either Salomon or Daniel ought to take this honour vnto himselfe except hee be called of God I say called of God either immediatly by himselfe so Christ here called his Apostles or else mediatly by such as haue pub-like authoritie giuen vnto them in the congregation to call and send Ministers into the Lords vineyard and so Christ at this houre calleth Apostles in our Church in that the conformable Ministers of England are chosen according to his word as we teach against the Brownists and Baâ—rnists as also canonically consecrated as wee prooue to the proud pontifician aduersarie See Doctor Fulke Wâ—â—r in Rom. 10. Perkins Treatise of Callings Râ—g rs â—a Anglican Confâ—ss art 23. proposition 1. 5. Sâ—â—lâ—â—s is moâ—iuâ— obseruant of pontifician spirits pa. 17. And surely God hath as it were set his hand and seale to the full approbation of our callings in that hee blesseth our labours in the ministerie for the conuersion of many soules in England For euery learned and industrious Pastor may tell his people which he begets vnto God in Christ as Paul once told the Corinthians If I be not an Apostle to other yet doubtlâ—sse I am vnto you for ye are the â—â—al of mine Apostleship in the Lord. By the 〈◊〉 of Galile This as Interpreters obserue was not the maine seâ— but a little creeke only The lake Gemzâ—eth as wee reade Luke 5.1 but it is called a sea for thaâ— the Scripture termeâ—h all gathering together of waâ—eâ—s â—eas and the sea of Galile for that it bounded vpon the borders of the two Galilees Consule Plin. hist. lib. 5. cap. 15. Ioseph de bello Iudairo lib. 3. cap. 18. Strab. 〈◊〉 lib. 16. 〈◊〉 504. In this lake Peter and Andrew were fishing Iames and Iohn mendâ—â—â— their nets Here I noâ—e with Arctius and other vnto your comfort that almightie God is wont to blesse men especially when they be busied in their proper element and 〈◊〉 in their owne vocations An Angell being a messenger of gladnesse appeared vnto 〈◊〉 〈…〉 the Priests office before God and is 〈…〉 order An Angell also deliuered the first 〈◊〉 of Christs birth vnto shepheards are wha◠〈…〉 night in the field While Saul ac 〈…〉 fâ—â—hers expresse commandement sought for 〈…〉 found a kingdome 1. Sam. 9. so Christ here seâ—ing Peter and Andrew not idle but casting a net into the 〈◊〉 nor yet ouer-haste medling in other men trade but only labouring in their owne calling for they were fishers he saith vnto them instantly follow me and I will make you to become fishers of men A laste person is vnâ—it for the Clergie for none but labourers are sent into the Lords haruest On the contrary the curious and ouer actiue spirit is vnprofitable for he will haue one foot in the Church another in the Court and if God had made him a Tripos he would haue had a third in the Campe. Miles equi◠〈…〉 c. an hammer is for the Smith an Homer for the Schoole Let the shoemaker attend his boot and the fisher his boat He that comes to the corne heape the more he openeth his hand to receiue the lesse he doth hold so he that in largeth himself to beare the most office in a State these wer shall he sufficiently discharge The worme 〈…〉 or 〈…〉 though it haue many feet is of a very slow pase So Luther said of Erasmus Quiâ—t â—ust in omnibus sapere sespsum decipit And Mâ—lancâ—hon of 〈◊〉 â—â—itaries in arts in omnibus aliqaâ—â— in 〈…〉 The wittie Poet trimly Omnia cuÌ„mfacias miraris cur facias nil Posthâ—nâ— rem solam qui sacit â—lle facit Againe Christ called his Apostles in the midst of their fishing that wee might heereby learne to preferre the following of him before the businesse of the world or Iesus happily walked by the sea for that he did intend to chuse fishers Hereby teaching vs not to shunne but rather to seeke those places where â—e may doegood As the poore cottage that we may releeue the needie the house of mourning that wee may binde vp the broken hearted and remooue the spirit of heauinesse the dungeon of Ioseph and Daniel preaching libertie to the captiues and opening of the prison vnto them that are bound
that in other copies hauing only his fathers name And the meaning is that they professe themselues openly to be Christians acknowledging aperto fronte that God is their father in his sonne lesuâ— in their deeds and doctrine appearing outwardly to the world what they are inwardly to themselues according to that of Paul We beleeue and therefore speake Faith in the soule breaking forth into confession with the mouth is the note whereby the friends of Christ are distinguished from the followers of Antichrist He that dependeth vpon Saints as much as vpon his Sauiour and trusleth in the pardon of the Pope more then in the merits of Christ hath in his forehead the marke of the beast and not the seale of God If Christ once dwell in our hearts by faith his name will instantly be written in our forehead And I heard a voice from heauen The militant Church on earth is called often in holy writ heauen as being the way to the kingdome of heauen and as hauing her conuersation in heauen and her affections set on things aboue This heauen hath a voice for the Church is not mute but vocall openly professing her faith and praising God before the seat and the foure beasts and the elders Hauing a voice like the sound of many waters and of great thunder and of harpers harping with their harpes Some by these three kindes of voices vnderstand three degrees of the Churches progresse persecuted by the Dragon in the wildernesse First in the daies of Athenasuâ—s Basile Chrysostome Ambrose Hierome Augustine c. Her voice say they but how truly iudge yee was indistinct and confused For albeit the learned writings of these most accurate Doctors in their age made a great noise in the world like the sound of many waters yet many points of doctrine were not so well explicated vnto the common people then as afterwards they were Secondly in the daies of Wickliffe and Husse and other Boâ—â—â—ges her voice resembled the voice of great thunder But now since her deliuerance from the wildernesse and her comming out of Babylon her voice in the harmony of confessions is like the consent of harpers harping with their hâ—rpes Other say that the Scriptures voice speaking by the Church is like to waters in that it refresheth all such as hunger and thâ—rst after righteousnesse and like to great thunder in being terrible to the â—icked and like to the mâ—â—iâ—ke of hâ—rpers in being dâ—leâ—table to the godly The Preachers of the word are vnto God the sâ—reet sauâ—ur of Christ is thâ— nâ— that are sâ—â—ed and in them that perish to the ouâ— the sauour of death vnto death and to the other the sauour of lifâ— vnto life 2. Cor. 2 15 16. Other thinke that many â—â—sers are mâ—ny nations as in the 17. chapter of this bâ—oke vers 15. The 〈◊〉 which thou â—â—wâ—st are people and muâ—â—udes and nations and tongues And the great thunder is nothing else but the thundring voices of zealous and holy Preacherâ— And the harpers hâ—mâ—â—â— doth intimate spirituall reioicing together in the Lord. The Church then hâ—th a voice which is much a being of mâ—ny yet muâ—icall in that those many concord in the maine likâ— hâ—rpers hâ—râ—ing with their â—â—râ—â—s It is Mâ—â—â—avâ—xex pâ—allâ—ntium mulâ—â—tudine sed delâ—ctâ—bâ—lâ—â— excoâ—son â—â—â—â—suâ—â—itâ—te And they sung as it wâ—re a new song In regard of the matter a new song it was Adams old song before his fall to praise God for his creation in holinesse and righteousnesse but meeting a new song to the Lord for our redemption and regeneration whereby Gods image loâ—t by sinne is restored in vs againe Oâ— in regard of the manner a new song for whereas the leweâ— in â—he old Testament expâ—cting the consolation of Israel sung praises vnto God â—or that their Messias Sauiour shoâ—ld come Christians in the new Testament magnife the Loâ—d for that Christ iâ— come Blâ—ssed â—â—e the Lord God of Iâ—raâ—l for he hath vâ—â—â—ed and râ—deâ—mâ—d hâ—â— people for that theâ—r eies haue seene his saluation and their hands haue hâ—ndled the word of life Or in regard of the men a nâ—w song being sung by such as haue put off the old man and are new creatures in Christ 2. Cor. 5.17 a new song for that it makes the partie who sings it a new man Or a new song in that it seemeth vnto the world new for Christ crucified the chiefe subiect of their new song seemeth vnto the worldly wise meere foolishnesse as it followeth in our text No man could learue the song but the hundred fortie foure thousand which were redeemed from the earth As our Popish aduersaries hauing the beasts marke both in their forehead and in their right hand impudently call our most ancient and apostolike faith a new Gospell and our diuines Euangelij quinti professores But as learned Scaliger answered them acutely Nos nouatores non sumus sed vos estie veteratores A Monke devoted to his superstitious order and trusting in his owne merits is neuer able to learne how faith only iustifieth A carnall man addicted onely to naturall reason is not able to discerne the things of God A lew relying altogether vpon his Circumcision is not able to sing another note No maruell then if the song of Sion seemes new to them all These arâ— they which were not defiled with women This clause makes not any thing against honourable marriage for how can that be truly called a defiling when as the bed is vndefiled Hebr. 13.4 and therefore Paphnutius openly pronounced in the Councell of Nice Castâ—tatem esse cum vxore propria concubitum And Chrysostome though a great admirour of Virginitie saith also primus graaus castitatis est syncera virgimt as secundus fidele coniugium And so married couples are virgins as well as single persons and ordinarily more chaste in hauing Gods appointed remedie for auoyding fornication Before the Law the Patriarkes had wiues vnder the Law the Priestâ— had wiues after the Law to wit in the daies of the Gospell as Ambrose peremptorily writes all the twelue Apostles except Saint Iohn had wiues And it was euer thought commendable for the Preachers of the word to marrie at their owne discretion as they did iudge the same to serue better vnto godlinesse vntill Pope Nicholas the first Hildebrand alias Hel-â—rand and Innocentius the third forbad Priests marriage Wheâ— upon a witty fellow made this od old time Pri ciâ—nire gula penuâ—â—s cassatur Sacâ—rdos per hic hec olâ—n decliâ—atur Sed perhiâ— soluâ—â—â—mâ—do 〈◊〉 articulatur Cum per nostrum â—raâ—â—â—lens 〈◊〉 amo â—eatâ—r Non est Inâ—â—censius iâ—oâ—ocâ—rs 〈◊〉 Qui qâ—od fâ—cto docâ—â— verbo 〈…〉 Eâ— quo â— oâ—m iuâ—â—eâ—is â—â—lâ—t habere Moâ—â—â—â—tus poâ—â—fex stuâ—â—prohibere What kind of Virgins Popes and
vnto the sonne of men as it is now declared by the spirit Read ser. 2.4.6 7 of Augustine de Epiphania Dom. And herein appeares the goodnesse and vnsearchable riches of Christ in that he manifested himselfe to the shepheards albeit ignorant and to the Wise-men 〈◊〉 impious In rusâ—â—citate pastorum imperitia praeualet in sacrilâ—gâ— imagorum impietas and yet he who chose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance appeared vpon Christmas day to shepheards and on this day to wise but wicked Astrologers Vt nullus magnus 〈◊〉 nullu infirmâ—u desperaret as Augustine and Aquine sweetly To Ierusalem As to the Citie of God acquainted with the diuine oracles hauing Moses and the Prophets which witnesse of the Messias And here they did learnâ— that Christ should be borne at Bethlehem in Iurie for 〈◊〉 it is written by the Prophet and thou Bethlehem in the land of Iurie are not the least among the Princes of Iuda for out of thee shall come vnto me the Captaine that shall gouerne my people Israel And so hauing the light of Gods holy word added to the starre they went on their iourney with cheerefulnesse vntill they came to the place where the childe was Or to the Scribes and Pharisies at Ierusalem to condemne their â—â—â—ggishnesse and carnalitie who standing hard by saw not so much as they who came from farre Verâ—â—s ill minat magus insiâ—â—litas obâ—â—â—at magistros Carnales 〈…〉 quod 〈…〉 veâ— 1. quod oftendet vâ—â—tur paginis quarum non ere dis eloquâ—â— In which respect Augustine compared the Iewish Doctors vnto stenes erected in common passages that teach other how to walke in the right way but themselues stand still And he 〈◊〉 vs vpon bowed knees intreat the Father of mercies and God of all grace so to lighten our darke vndeâ—â—â—â—â—ng with his heauenly starâ—e that wee may 〈◊〉 and spiritually discâ—â—ne the things of the Scriptures 〈◊〉 the Lord as Augustine prophecied a great while 〈◊〉 four our 〈…〉 and carnalitie take his word from vs Christians as hee did his kingdome from the Iewes and giue it to such as wee thinke to bee most alien from God and his Gospell Examine the cited passages and passions of that holy Father againe and againe Decies repetita placebunt and then in thy serious meditations apply them vnto the present Romish Synagogue and thou shalt easily find that the Protestants estate in respect of the Papists is very like to this of the Wise men in respect of the Iewes For as the Iewes euer boasted of the Temple so the Papists of the Church as the Iewes and onely the Iewes in times past had Gods Law so the Papists in latter ages and if you will beleeue themselues onely the Papists imbrace the Catholike faith As the Iewes were magnificent in their Ceremonies euen so the Papists exceeding glorious in their ornaments orders outsides of the Church And yet such as are Wise-men and haue wit to count the number of the Beast know that Antichrists seate is the Romane sea Hee whose pencill is not inferiour to many standing in so fit a place as any to take Romes picture portrayeth her thus Roma in Hebrew Signifieth Height Roma in Greeke Signifieth Strength Roma in Latine Signifieth Loue if it bee read backward Roma in English Signifieth Roome or place Foure tongues like trumpets Rome doe sound thy name In Hebrew thou art Height in Greeke a power And Loue in Latine speech-and Place in our Foure squares of hundred yeeres doe sit the same The first in Height exalted Christ his name The next in Strength augmented worldly power The third Gods loue cast Backward on thy flowre The fourth in empty place hath shewed thy shame And now foure waies thou wouldest fall conceale With Scriptures vpper Height and strength of schooles And forme of Zeale and Rome the head of fooles The Height mants ground to reason truth to zeale Sâ—â—ente and Roome cone cyueth 〈◊〉 no grace Thy height of strength is backward loue of place We haue seen his sâ—arre Cardinal Abacus and Albertus haue written that these Wise men endowed with extraordinary skill in Astrologie might foreknow the time when our blessed Sauiour should be borne by the position of starres and constitution of the planets But this assertion is vtterly condemned by S. Augustine and other holy Fathers of the Church as you may finde in Beauxanis Har. Tom. 1. fol. 60.61 Sixt. sinen bibliothec lib. 6. annot 10. It is apparent that this starre was not ordinarie but in many properties especially three differing from all other in the skie to wit In Place for it could not haue shewed the direct way to such as trauelled by it vnlesse it had been in the lowest region of the aire Mouing for it moued not circle wise but went right forward as a guide of the way none otherwise then the cloud and piller of fire went before the people of Israel at their going out of Egypt Brightnesse for whereas other starres appeare to shine by night onely this gaue light euen in the broad day Hac stella quae solis votam Vinest decore ac lmiue Gregorie Nissen and Aquine thinke that it was a new hure created onely for this purpose Theophylact and â—uthymiue that it was an Angel or fome other heauenly power appearing not in the nature but in the figure of a starre S. Augustine saith it was manifica liagaacali the stately tongue of heauen Other coniecture that it was the holy ghost appearing in the likenesse of a starre at Christs birth as in the likenesse of a Doue at Christs baptisme For as Baronius out of the great opinion of his owne reading is bold to write all the Fathers agree that these Magi were lead to Christ here by an inward light of the spirit so well as with an outward light in the skies Agente hoe sine dubio in corum cordibus inspinui we drâ—ina vt costantae vâ—sionis mysterium non laterei quod oculic estendebatur insolitum animis non set obsceromâ— And therefore when they found the babe Iesus in a seely cottage they were not any whit discouraged at his contemptible pouertie but instantly they saw non terra portante sed caelo narrante magnum aliquid in parne latere that this little childe was a great King yet a great God and a great King aboue all Gods And hereapon aâ— followeth in our text They fell doâ—â— slat and worshipped him and opened their treasures and offered vnto him gifts gold frankincense myrrhe That is as Augustine glosseth A dorant corporious honorant mu neribus venerantur officijs oculis hominem vident deum abseguijs consiuentur Christ as being the word in the beginning by whom all things were made bestowed on these Wise-men euery good
they beget children vnto God and not to themselues or Satan and therfore they must bee forward in bringing their children to holy Baptisme as Ioseph and Mary were in presenting Christ consecrating them in their infancie to God that afterward they may serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life that the ground may bring forth fruit in due time you must haue both a good feedsman and good seed in education of children a good instructor is the seedsman and good discipline the seed For as base sluggishnes corrupts the best nature so liberal instruction is able to correct â—he worst Inuidus iracundus iners vinosius amator Nemo adeo ferus est vt non 〈…〉 Si modo cultarâ— patientem coâ—modit aurem It is reported of Sulpho Megareus a great Philosopher in his age that hee was exceedingly giuen by nature to women and wine but hee so â—amed his vnbridled affections by good discipline vinemo vnquam 〈…〉 Now for as much as children are taught more by patterne then by precept by that they see men doe rather then by that they heare men say parents ought in their priuate families especially to be lights and ensamples in all holinesse and honestie For as it is in the prouerbe 〈…〉 the colt will not amble You desire that your children may haue strength and beautie yet both are suddenly consumed either through ache or age You purchase titles of honour for your posterity yet blood corrupted by treason or felonie cannot bee restored againe by the Kings bare grant without authoritie of Parliament You rise vp early and goe to bed late that you may leaue wealth enough vnto your babes and yet one sparke of fire may deuoure all their houses and one quirke of law carry from them all their lands at a trice Manners onely makes a man if thou shalt afford thy sonne religious and ingenuous education it will euer sticke by him among all the changes and chances of this mortall life no sicknes can blast this beautie no malice blot out this honour no fire consume this tenement no law wrest this inheritance from him It will bee his comfort vntill he die that you brought him vp in instruction and information of the Lord. 〈…〉 his age because they performed onely that kind of deuotion which is without cost as to pray for fashion and to saâ—t out of miserie but they would not afford one halfpenie to the poore So many men in our daies are content to heare Gods holy word read and preached with their elbowes on a cushion and hats on their heades and if need bee they will also make bitter inuectiues against Atheisme and Poperie but if the parish impose but an ordinarie charge toward the repairing of the Church or the Pastour require but accuâ—â—omed offrings for his necessary maintenance you shall haue them as the bulrush in a wet place so drie that an oblation is as hardly got from them as a sword from a souldiour or a new coat from a child Mary did offer according to her estate for whereas the law requireth of the rich a lambe but of the poâ—re two turtles or two young pigeons it is said heere that shee brought the poores offring And therefore the Papists vsually painting her in exceeding rich attire and in making her a great Ladie of stately port feed the peoples eyes with bables their eares with fables for to make theÌ„selues in this case Iudges of themselues it is not our obseruation onely but also their owne collection in their postils and sermons vpon this scripture Nay their famous Iesuite Maldonate doth affirme that all expositors haue this glosse further adding out of his owne coniecture that Marie did not offer two Turtles but two young pigeons quia saâ—lius reperiri quia minore pretio 〈◊〉 potucrum because young Pigeons are prouided more easily both in respect of paines and price Here then is matter of comfort for the poore of feare for the rich of instruction for all Of comfort against pouerty because the Lord of Lords hauing all things at his command vouchsafed to bee borne of a poore Virgin according to that of Paul he being rich for â—â—r sakes became poore that wee through his pouertie might be made rich Of scare for the wealthie because Mary descending of a noble line yea from princely loynes is said heere to bee so beggerly that shee was not able to buy a lambe for her offering It is the fashion of great men as the Prophet complained in his time to lay field to field and to ioyne house to house calling their lands after their owne names entailing their estate to childrens children making â—t as the lawyers speake a perpetuitie But one generation passeth and another generation succeedeth hee that is higher then the highest often puls downe the mighty from his â—eatâ— and exalteth the poore man out of the miâ—e that hee may set him euen with the Princes of his people For in one age you may behold the gentlemans heire serue his owne farmours issue Lastly this affords instruction for all intimating that wee must offer vnto God the sacrifice due to God If we cannot giue much he will accept of a little of the Virgins two pigeons of the widdowes one fasthing Wee may not spend all in our house much lesse in the top-house some thing is to be laid out vpon Gods house for his seruice for his honour if not a lamb yet a paire of Turtle doues or two young pigeons Mystically the blessed Virgin did offer a lambe but it was her owne sonne the Lambe of God Agnus que praesiguratus est ab origine 〈◊〉 blâ—tusest in fine mundâ— and she did offer a young pigeon but it was her owne sonne conceiued of the holy Ghost appearing in the likenesse of a doue Matth. 3.16 And shee did offer a Turtle but it was her owne sonne of whom â—â— is said the voice of the Turtle is heard in our land Our blessed Sauiour being sacerdos sacrificâ—â—â— victor victims the sacrificer and the sacrifice for the sinnes of the whole world was offered first by God his father secondly by the Virgin his mother thirdly by his 〈…〉 God sent him into the world the Virgin present and the legall sacrifice represent him in the Temple but himselfe did offer himselfe actually for our sinnes on the Crosse. And behold there was a man in Hierusalem whose name was Simeon Two things are requisite in a sufficient witnesse vnderstanding to know the truth and honestly to speake what he knoweth Old Simeon in testifying of Christ had both a good vnderstanding as hauing a reuelation giuen him of the holy Ghost that hee should not see death vntill hee first saw the Lord Christ and a great honesty being iust and godly or deuout outwardly to the world iust inwardly
rest as being the tying knot on which all other linkes of holy beleefe depend as I haue shewed often elsewhere but especially Gosp. on S. Thomas and Epist. on S. Andrewes day And they appointed two They nominated more then one that the Lord who knew the hearts of all men might chuse the party that should take the roome of the miniâ—tration and Apostleship from which Iudas by transgression fell And that Matthias might acknowledge that he receiued it as Paul speakes not of man but by the reuelation of Iesus Christ Galath 1.12 The world is a circle God is as it were the center of this circle the waies of men are lines deduced from this center If then euent of the Lotterie hee not expected of diuels nor of the starres nor of any force of fortune but looked and prayed for to be directed by God it is lawfull to vse lots in temporall things as in diuision of lands and inheritance Prou. 18.18 The lot causeth contentions to cease and maketh a partition among the mighty And in spirituall affaires also for it is reported of Zacharias the Priest that his lot was to burne Incense Luk. 1.9 And though ordinary chusing of Prelates and Preachers ought not to be by lots as both Heathens and Christians in this agree yet in some cases extraordinarie to wit if two or three shall happen to stand in election of such equall holinesse and other sufficiency that humane wisedome cannot any waies discerne and so decide which is most fit it is lawfull according to the president in our text to cast lots and so commit the disposition of the choice to God In the lawfull vsing of a Lottery then obserue these remarkeable caueats 1. We must expect the lots euent from God onely Prou. 16.33 The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposition thereof is of the Lord. 2. We may not vse lots in affaires ordinarie but in cases of necessity when as the businesse cannot otherwise be transacted 3. Wee must abandon all vncharitable conceits and all dishonourable deceits Psalm 5.6 The Lord will abhorre the deceitfull man and destroy such as speake leasing 4. We must before we cast lots as the blessed Apostle heere call vpon God in hearty prayer for a blessing on our endeauours I could adde easily more but I remember Augustines rule Secundas habeat partes modestiae quae primas non potuit habere sapientiae If any know lesse then I they may be bold to peruse this and such as vnderstand more then I may read Augustin epist. 180. de doct Christ. lib. 1. cap. 28. con 2. in Psalm 30. Thomas 22 ae quaest 95. art 8. Bellarmin lib. de clericis cap. 5. Sixt. senen vbi supra in marg Aretius Marlorat Kilius in loc And the lot fell on Matthias In the Tabernacle the curtaines of fine twined linnen and blew silke and purple were couered with curtaines of Goats haire Some men are great ornaments in the Church and yet vnfit to gouerne the Church Ornent Ecclesiam qui solis rebus spiritualibus vacant regant Ecclesiam quos labor rerum corporalium non grauat c. It may bee Ioseph as being iust was a fine curtaine in Gods Tabernacle but Matthias a couering as being apt and actiue for gouerment Alia ratio boniciuis boni viri quoth Aristotle euery good man is not a good magistrate Are all Apoâ—â—les are all Prophets are all teachers There be diâ—â—rsities of gifts and diuersities of administrations and diuersities of operations Happily Ioseph excelled in one kind and Matthias in another He who kâ—ew to iudge best of the best for this ministration in his â—ecret wisedome cast the lot on Matthias Or in electing Matthias hee did insinuate that his waies are not as our waies and that hee iudgeth according to the heaâ—ts of all men and not after the flesh or titles or â—uâ—side Ioseph is called Barsabas that is the sonne of rest and innocency surnamed also for his singular honesty â—uâ—tus And yet Matthias is chosen of God howsoeuer not adorned with such commendations before men Here the Gospell and Epistle meet I thanke thee Father Lord of heauen and earth because thou haâ— hâ—d these things from the wise and prudent and hast shewed them vnto babes euen so was â—t thy good pleasure The lot falleth on the sonne of labour afflicted with the load of sinne not on the iust or on the sonne of rest on Matthias and not on Barsabas The Gospell MATTH 11.25 In that time Iesus answered and said I thanke thee O Father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast had these things from the wise and prudent and hast shâ—wed them vnto babes c. CHrists exceeding rich mercy toward vs is manifested in this Scripture by two things especially to wit his inuocation of God I thanke thee O father c. And his inuitation of men Come vnto mee all ye that labour c. In both ioyned together hee that hath an eye to see may behold the chiefe causes of our effectuall vocation Efficient the good pleasure of God the father Lord of heauen and earth c. Materiall babeâ— and all such as labour and are heauie laden Instrumentall Iesus vnto whom all things are giuen Finall refreshing and rest in soule I thanke thee Prayer and thankesgiuing vnto God for benefits obtained in prayer ought alwaies to concurre Christ had often heretofore prayed for the gathering together of the Church as it was prophesied of him in the second Psalme Desire of me and I will giue thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the vttermost parts of the earth for thy possession And now his prayer being heard he rendreth vnto God his praise Father I thanke thee Lord of heauen and earth In which one line three wicked errours are consuted first the words I thanke thee consound the Iewes assuming that Christ was a blas 〈◊〉 Secondly father ouerthroweth Arrians an 〈◊〉 â—ch as deny Christ to bee Gods eternall sonne Thirdly heauen crosseth the Manicheans opinion holding God to bee Creator of visible things onely but not of inuisible Because thou hast hid those things from the wise Hee did not absolutely thanke his father for hiding the mysteries of his sauing grace from the wise but for that be reuealed them vnto babes You may reade the like phrase Rom. 6.17 God be thanked that ye haue been the seruâ—nts of inne but ye haue obtained from the heart vnto be forme of the doctrine which was deliuered vnto you 〈◊〉 blessed Apostle did not giue thankes vnto God for that the Romans had made their members as weapons of iniquitie but because they who sometime were the seruants of sinne through his grace were now the seruants of righteousnesse as Primasius vpon the place Gratias Deo quia fuist is sed ipso liberatore iam non estis Euen so Christ heere thankes
Sauiour knoweth whereof ye haue need before ye aske of him Againe if a King appoint a master of Requests he wil not ordinarily receiue petitions from other and therefore seeing the King of Kings is pleased to make Christ our only mediatour and aduocate the sole master of the requests in heauen euer liuing to make intercession for vs it cannot bee but dishonourable to Gods choice and Christs office to substitute any other halfe mediatours either of redemption or intercession as Saint Ambrose com in Rom. 1. Misera vtantur excusatione dicentes per istos posse ire ad Deum sicut per comites peruenitur adregem Yea but although Aue Maria bee not a supplication it may be taken as a thankesgiuing and that is a kind of prayer according to that of Paul I exhort that supplications prayers intercessions and giuing of thanks bee made for all men c. Answere is made that it is not a thankesgiuing and if it were yet should it not bee babled vnto Mary but vttered vnto God as conteining his praise to whom all honour is due king dome power and glory Well Aue Maria notwithstanding all this may be vsed as a salutation our answere is noe for that a salutation is ciuil whereas the Papists appoint this to be said as a religious office 2. Salutations are to persons present but the vergine is absent and therefore the Papists may not nay the Papists indeed cannot vse these words in the same sense they were deliuered by Gabriel and Elizabet that there should bee ten Anemaries to one Pater noster and that 150. Auemaries with fifteene Pater nosters make a Ladies psalter and that after the Pater noster which Christ himselfe taught vs by his owne mouth Aue Maria is the most excellent prayer and that in it we speake with the mother of God as the Queene of heauen and our aduocate is now knowen in the world to be such intollerable soppery that as Hierome said of 〈…〉 heresies a repetition of it is a sufficient refutation I know that reuerend Foxe in his Calender of Saints annexed to his Martyrology cals the blessed Virgin our Lady and the Church of England also tenneth vsually this present feast our Ladies day but herein we doe not as the Papists ascribe to the Virgin any diuine honour making her our Lady as God is our Lord. It is a ciuill vse not a religious office for in a holy seufe to speake properly there is but one Lord and neuer a Ladye one Lord one faith one baptisme or the Virgine is stiled our Lady because she was as Elizabet cals her the mother of our Lord Luke 1.43 Hitherto concerning the wrong done by the Papists in grosse to the haile Mary let vs examine now their iniuting of euery word in particular the first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they transtate Aue turning vpside downe the letters of Eua the woman who did occasion the worldes woe was named Eua therefore it was fit that Mary who bare Christ the worlds ioy should be saluted with Aue being opposite in name so well as in nature this playing vpon the word is pretie but not pithie because Aue is latine whereas Eua is Hebrew and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 greeke so that the Fryars wit hath out runne the holy spirits wisedome in this exposition and transposition of Eua and Aue. The Greeke predicant Illephonso Giron obserues in the three letters of Aue the three persons in holy Trinity A altitudo patris V veritas filty E aeternitas spiritus sancti Some Fryers haue profoundly deriued Aue of A priuatiuely taken and ve quasi sine va that is without woe now there is a threefold woe denounced Apocalips 8.13 Vae vae vae ix colis terrae woe woe woe to the inhabitants of the earth and this woe is for sinne in the world as the lust of the flesh the lust of the eâ—es and pride of life Woe to the couetous woe to the luxurious woe to the proud all which Esay sets downe in his 5. Chapter expresly Woe to them that ioyne house to house and field to field till there be no more place for other in the mids of the land c. that is a woe to the couetous Woe to them that rise vp early to follow drunkennesse c. that is a woe to the luxurious woe to them that are wise in their own eyes c. that is a woe to the proud now the Virgin as being poore chast and humble was exempted from all these woes therefore worthily saluted by Gabriel with an Aue or as other popish expositors inhabitants of the earth haue deserued a woe for their originall sin and that is the woe which is in Limbus a woe for their venial sin and that is the woe which is in Purgatory a woe for their mortall sinne and that is the woe which is in hell but Mary the Virgine say they was free from all these kindes of sinne and so consequently free from all these kindes of woe the which assertion is contradictory to the text of holy scripture concluding all vnder sinne Rom. 3.9 Galat. 3.22 Yea but say Suarez and Bellarmine Mary was exempted ex speciali Dei priuilegio let them if they can shew her patent and wee will instantly beleeue it otherwise Gods word is a lanterne to our feet and a guide to our pathes if either man or Angell preach a new Gospell let him be accursed That Mary was a blessed Virgine and the mother of the worlds Sauiour we beleeue because we read so but that she was impeccabilis conceiued without sinne borne without sinne liuing without sinne dying without sinne we doe not beleeue because we do not read it in the Bible nay we reade the contrary for Mary saith in her hymne my spirit reioyceth in God my Sauiour c. If she needed a Sauior vndoubtedly she was a sinner for the whole need not a physitiaÌ„ Mat. 9.12 and therefore the popish annotation of Aue thus applied vnto the virgin is both vnlearned and vntrue The next word is Maria the which is so magnified and extolled by the Romanists as that King Alphonso the sixt would not haue his wife called by that high and venerable name Petrus de Palude whose wit as it should seeme dwelt in a sen hath this muddy conceit the fiue letters of Maria designe the fiue singular priuiledges almightie God granted vnto the Virgine M mater omnia sanctorum A aduocata omnium peccatorum R regula omnium morum virtutuos I interfectrix omnium vitiorum A harmonia spiritus sancti donorum The Portugal Frier and flower Philip Diez approued by Didacus Caro Dominicus Bannes and other great Clearkes of Spaine for an exquisite preacher affirmes that Maria is compounded of the first letters in the names of fiue most illustrious and holy
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
when he found them vpon conference to be dullards in his schoole he chides them O fooles and slow of heart c. fooles in vnderstanding slow in affecting the truth Arguit eos amentiae in parte cognoscitiua tarditatis in parte affectiâ—a But yet in calling them fooles he brake not his owne law whosoeuer shall say foole to his brother is worthie to be punished with hell fire because this rebuke proceeds out of a spirituall zeale for their good and not out of any carnall hatred for their hurt And such a reproofe is not a reproch it is officium and not conuitium a worke of charity and not a marke of malice So Paul called his Galathians foolish and hee gaue this precept vnto Timothie improue rebuke but with all long suffering and doctrâ—ne for Christ here did not only correct his diâ—ciples â—â—â—our but also direct them in the truth and that by words and deeds By words vrging the truth of his death and resurrection First by reason ought not Christ to haue suffered these things and to enter into his glory 2. From authority hee began at Moses and all the Prophets and interpreted vnto them in all Scriptures which were written of him Here first note the sweet harmonie betweene the two Testaments in that both agree together and meet together in Christ as being alpha and omega the beginning of the Gospell and the end of the Law 2. That the grounds of all our sermons are to be taken out of holy writ the Ministers and messengers of God ought o deliuer the words of God 3. That in our preaching we should vse such scriptures as are most apt and fit for our present occasion as Christ heere cited not all the Scriptures in all the law but onely such as were written of him euen those which euidently proued his death and resurrection He did interpret vnto them in all Scriptures and yet named none that hee might incite vs hereby to the diligent searching and examination of them Secondly Christ instructed his Disciples in this present controueâ—sie with his actions for as it is said at the 19. verse hee was a Prophet mighty in deed and word That is in soundnesse of docâ—rine and sanctity of life First as Theophylaâ—t obserues powerfull in deed and then powerfull in word For he perswadeth vnto vertue most who liueth best As in this place Christ himselfe was knowne by breaking of bread sooner then by preaching of the word Or as other powerfull in his miracles and powerfull in his teaching His actions here mentioned concerning the bread are foure He tooke it and blessed it and brake it and gaue to them Among all which he was onely knowne in breaking of bread for that hee did miraculously breake bread with his hands as other cut it with a knife The which hee did often in his life and so by this easily knowne after his rising from death By this dialogue you may see that Christ is especially knowne in the Scriptures and yet not in the Scriptures except he first open our eyes and breake and giue to each one the bread of life And in the conclusion or epilogue following you may see likewise the fruit of interpreting Scriptures how the ministry of the word maketh the fire of Gods spirit to burne first in our selues and then ofterwards to shine towards other As the two Disciples heere so soone as their eyes were opened to see Christ instantly the same houre they rose vp and returned to Hierusalem and found the eleuen gathered together and they told what things were done in the way and how they knew him in breaâ—ing of bread the circumstance of the time and distance of the place manifestly shew their â—ealous affection in relating these newes vnto the brethren Emmaus as our Euangelist in the 13. verse was about threescore furlongs from Hierusalem eight furlongs make an ordinary mile and so threescore furlongs are about seuen miles and an halfe Some Diuines affirme that it was a iourney of three or foure houres on foot If then it were towards night when Christ vpon their importunity sat at table with them as we read at the 29. verse then it was as we may coniecture probably midnight before they could come to Hierusalem and yet saith our text they went the same houre neither deferring the time nor preferring their priuate businesse before the publike good Howsoeuer they were doubtlesse after trauell wearie and after meate in the night sleepie yet they would not suffer their eyes to sleepe nor their eye lids to slumber nor the temples of 〈◊〉 head to take any rest vntill they had published vnto the brethren how Christ was risen againe from the dead and how they knew him in breaking of bread That we may performe the like diligence toward Gods people as occassion is offered in our seuerall estaâ—es and callings let vs pray with our mother the Church Almighty God which through thy onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ hast ouercome death and opened vnto vs the gate of euerlasting life wee humbly beseech thee that as by thy speciall grace preuenting vs thou doest put in our minds good desires so by thy continuall helpe we may bring the same to good effect through Iesus Christ our Lord c. The Epistle ACTS 13.26 Yee men and brethren children of the generation of Abraham c. THis text is part of that excellent sermon made by the blessed Apostle S. Paul at Antioch a City of Pisidia to the Iewes assembled together in their Synagogue on the Sabbath day The maine scope whereof is that Iesus Christ is the Sauiour of Israel and Messias of the world promised vnto the fathers and exhibited in the fulnesse of time to their children euen vnto vs as being by faith a generation of Abraham and that through him all that feare God and beleeue receiue forgiuenes of their sinnes and are iustified from all things from which they could not be iustified by the law of Moses The whole sermon hath especially two parts Explication from the 16. verse to the 26. intimating that Iesus Christ is the blessed seed promised in old time by the Prophets and preached in these last daies by Iohn the Baptist who was more then a Prophet Application in the words allotted for our present text wherin three points are principally regardable to wit an insinuation ye men and brethren c. preoccupation for the inhabitors of Hierusalem c. commination beware therefore lest that fall vpon you c. The Gospell of Christ is a proclamation in writing common to all and the Preacher is the voice of a cryer euen the mouth of God to giue notice to the people that the contents of the proclamation concerne them and euery one of them As Act. 2.39 The promise is made to you and to your children and to all that are a farre off euen as
present there is neither yesterday nor to morrow but onely today Apud Deum nunquam erastinus nunquam he lernus dies est sed semper bodie And in his Enchiridion cap. 49. Vbi dies nec heâ—ternisâ—â—e inchoatur nec initio era â—â—terminatur semper bodieraus est Hilary Eusebius Ambrose with other expound this of Christs resurrection as Paul here We declare to 〈…〉 the promise made to the fathers God hath fulfil 〈◊〉 vnto their children euen vnto vs in that her 〈◊〉 vp Iesus againe euen as it is written in the second Psalme thou art my sonne this 〈◊〉 haue I begotten thee For to 〈◊〉 vp againe from death vnto life euerlasting is a new begetting and in this sense Christ is called elsewhere the 〈◊〉 begotten and the 〈◊〉 borne of the deâ—â— Againe the circumstances of the place leade the Reader to this construction Why doe the heathen so furiouâ—â— rage together and why do the people imagine a vaine 〈◊〉 that is as Peter and Iohn haue well applied it Act. 4.27 Herâ—d and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel gathered themselues together against the Lord and against his Christ euen his holy son Iesus and when they had filled all things that were written of him as Paul in our text they tooke him downe from the tree and put him in a sepulchre rolling a great stone to the doore thereof and sealed it and making it sure with the watch In all which as the Prophet speakes their imaginations and actions were vaine for hee that dwelleth in heauen did laugh them to scorne the Lord had them in derasion he raised his Christ againe the third day making him a King ouer his holy 〈◊〉 of Sion that is absolute head oâ— his Church giuing him all the heathen for his inheritance and the vttermost parts of the earth for his possession And so God in raising Christ vp againe from the dead euidently shewed that he was his onely begotten sonne As if he should haue said thou wert euer my sonne before to day before there was any day but yet in this day of thy resurrection I haue most especially manifested vnto the world that thou art my son whom I haue begotten It is then an idle conceit to thinke that Paul is not author of that Epistle written to the Hebrewes because the words of Dauid vrged here to proue Christs resurrection are cited heere chap. 1. vers 5. to shew Christs eternall generation For as Paul in his Epistle to the Romans chap. 1. vers 4. Christ is declared mightily to be the sonne of God by rising againe from the dead His resurrection is an infallible demonstration of his diuinitie seeing none euer raised another from the dead but by God none euer raised himself from the dead but God I conclude this obseruation in the words of â—mbrose Pulchre pater dicit ad filium ego 〈◊〉 genui te hoc est quando redemisti populum quando ad caâ—ereâ—â—um vocasti quando implesti voluntaâ—em meam probâ— 1 meum te esse filium The next Scripture quoted heere by Paul is Esay 55.3 The 〈◊〉 of God made to Dauid concerning the sending of Israels Sauiour are sure mercies and faithfull woâ—â— he must of necessity therefore fulfill them in euery respect the which hee could not haue done but in raising vp Iesus againe for the resurrection of Christ is the complement and as it were Amen of all his promises according to that of Paul hee died for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification See conclusion of the Gospell on S. Thomas day The last authority cited in this place to proue Christs resurrection is taken out of the 16. Psalme verse 11. thou shalt not suffer thine holy one to see corruptioâ— The Iewes vnderstood this of Dauid but saith our Apostle Dauid albeit he was a King and a Prophet and a Partriarke a man according to Gods owne heart as it is recorded of him in this present chapter at the 22. verse yet after hee had in his time fulfilled the will of God he fell on sleepe and was laid vnto his fathers and saw corruption Earth he was and to earth hee returned againe But Christ Iesus although he was hanged on a tree and put in a sepulchre yet he saw no corruption Hee rose againe the third day triumphing ouer all his enemies openly saying O death I will bee thy death O graue I will be thy destruction And therefore this Iesus is he through whom is preached vnto you forgiuenesse of sinnes and by whom all that beleeue are iustified from all things from which ye could not be iustified by the law of Moses Mors mortis morti mortem nisi morte dedisset à nobis vitae Ianua clausa foret Beware therefore lest that fall on you which is spoken of in the Prophets This text is taken out of the first of Habakuk vers 5 but for as much as all the prophesies were collected together into one volume he saith in the Prophets Or according to the Hebrew phrase in the Prophets is as if he should haue said in one of the Prophets as Genes 23.6 In the chiefest of our sepulchres bury thy dead that is in one of the chiefe He doth alter the words of the Prophet according to the sound but not according to the sense Habaâ—uâ— saith behold among the heathen Paul heere behold ye despisers In which our Apostle doth expound and not confound the Prophet for whereas the Iewes despised the word of God hee sent them to be taught by the Caldeans as if Habakuk had said ye will not obey Gods voice ye will not learne any thing in his schoole wherefore yee shall ere it beelong bâ— made to know his iudgements among the heathen â—ee saith the Lord I will raise vp the Caldeans that better and hasty nation which shall march through the bredth of the land to possesse the dwelling places which are not theirs And this their ouerthrow was a type of their future reprobation and spirituall vastity for the contempt of the Gospell These things are ensamples and are written to admonish vs vpon whom the ends of the world are come Let vs therefore beware that these heauie iudgements fal not vpon vs as they did vpon the Iewes Videte aspicite admiramini admiramini take heed againe I say take heed quench not the spirit despise not prophesying receiue not the grace of God in vaine Nemo malus nisi stultus he that is a despiser of the sauing word is an arrant foole for if hee were wiser hee would kisse the sonne and beware lest that fall on his head which is spoken of in the Prophets behold ye despisers and wonder and perish The Gospell LVKE 24.36 Iesus stood in the middest of his Disciples c. COncerning the chiefe parts and passages of this Scripture See Gospell 1.
them that are bound Esay 61.1 and deliuereth vs from the power of darknes Coloss. 1.13 In the fourth estate we confesse a liberty of glory Al the doubt betweene vs and the Papists is of the second estate how man corrupted as renewed how he commeth vnto regeneration after degeneration And yet herein we consent that the will of man in turning vnto God and in doeing good is not a stocke or a stone in all and euery respect passiue for euery man is willingly conuerted and by Gods grace at the very time of his conuersion he willeth his owne conuersion and so the will of man is in some sort a coworker with grace For this end Paul exhorteth vs not to receiue the grace of God in vaine but to worke out our saluation in feare and trembling Philip. 2.12 To this purpose the saying of Augustine is very remarkeable qui fecit te sine te non iustificabit te sine te Fecit nescientem iustificat volentem He who made thee without thee will not iustifie thee without thee What theÌ„ is the maine difference between the Papists and vs in this question it is in one word this they write that our will is a coworker with grace by the 〈◊〉 of nature we say that it workes with grace by grace Thâ—y teach that grace doth enable the will of it selfe to doe good workes if it please but wee further adde that grace worketh in the will of man to please to do such offices as God requireth at our hands He doth not hang his worke vpon the suspended if of our will but he worketh in vs to will and causeth vs to do the things that he commandeth vs to doe We will in deed saith Augustine but God worketh in vs to will we worke but God worketh in vs to worke we walke but he causeth vs to walke we keepe his commandements but he worketh in vs to keepe his commandements In the words of Paul it is God that worketh in you both the will and the worke euen of his good pleasure Philip. 2.13 If God only made thee a man and thou thy selfe hast made thy selfe a good man thy worke of necessity must be greater then Gods worke Melius est enim iustum esse quam te hominem esse our bare being is not so good as our better being wherefore to stop thy presumptuous mouth and to beate the lie downe thy throate Christ here saith expresly ye can beare no fruite except ye abide in me without me can ye do nothing In naturall and humane actions it is true that your will is free yet see that your will is alway subordinate to my will in whom ye liue and moue and haxe your being but in spirituall things appertaining to the kingdome of heauen your selues are not sufficient as of your selues to thinke much lesse to speake least of all to doe that which is good Qui vires in folijs venit a raditibus humor The iuyce which is in the branch commeth originally from the root and so qui viret in folijs c. The graces eminent in the sonnes of God are from aboue proceeding from the father of mercies and fountaine of all grace qui a seipso se fructum existimat ferre in vite non est quiin vite non est in Christo non est qui in Christo non est Christianus non est August tract 81. in Euang. Iohan. Ser epist. Sun 11. 12. after Trinity The rest of the punishments here mentioned are very grieuous as to be cut away from the Viâ—e to be cast out of the vineyard to wither c. but the last of all is the greatest of all I meane the burning of fruitlesse branches in hell fire which is vnquencheable This of all terribles in the Scriptures is most terrible whether we consider in it the paine of the losse or the paine of sense the reprobate which abide not in Christ haue paine of losse for the Vine saith vnto such branches at the last day depart from mee from me that am your first beginning and last end from me that am your redeemer from me that made my selfe man for your sakes and receiued these wounds for your remedy from me that inuited you with pardon and ye would not accept it Wherefore depart for euer from my friendship from any protection from my kingdome from my paradice from my sight And because whatsoeuer is separated from Christ is also separated from those who goe with Christ in saying depart from me he saith likewise depart from mine from the quiers of my glorious Angels from the sweet company of my blessed mother and from all my most happy Martyrs Apostles Prophets Confessors in a word from all the holy Saints and host of heauen into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuest and his Angels For as in sinne there is an auersion from the creator and a conuersion vnto the creatures according to that of the Prophet they haue forsaken me the fountaine of liuing waters and haue diggedpits euen broken pits that hold no water so iâ— the punishment of sinners as diuines obserue there is not onely paena damiti which is answerable to their auersion from the creator but also paena sensiu which is answerable to their conuersion vnto the creatures and therefore such branches as beare no fruite are not only cast out of the sight of the Vine and the whole vineyard but also gathered together and made the fagots and fewell of hell fire the which in many respects is exceeding dreadfull especially because the torments of this Aetna neuer dying euer frying are both vniuersall and eternall Hell paine is vniuersall afflicting euery power of the soule euery part of the body Concerning the soule the imaginatiue faculty shall be tortured with horrid imaginations more terrible then those which a deepe melancholie man suffers in his dreames or then those the cruell Egyptians saw which as the Wiseman speakes were fearefull visions and sorrowfull sights affrighting visages of wild beasts and hissing of Serpents c. Thy will as hauing in nothing it owne will is an hell of it selfe to it selfe The memory shall be continually troubled with a fixed recordation of things passed that it once possessed and of the present which it now suffereth and of those which are to come in eternity So that it cannot thinke vpon any thing which in any sort should administer comfort for if it calles to mind the pleasures it had in the world it is for its greater torment Materia tristitiae non delectationis causa saith Aquine The vnderstanding shall bee so darkened as that it shall bee full of errours and illusions euen as a tumultuous sea with innumerable waues of imaginations more bitter then gall some going other comming all restlesse As for the body the damned are to bee bound hand and foot crouded together in the prison of vtter darkenesse like
women in all the Scripture Michel Abigail Rachel Iudith Abishag Hauing all their eminent qualities in her nature and all their prime letters in her name taking M from Michol A from Abigail R from Rachel I from Iudith A from Abishag I must here quit Philip Diez with an olde time which vndoeth his name with a great deale more wit Phi not a fetoris Lippus malus omnibus horis Phi malus Lippus tâ—tus malus ergo Philippus Saint Ambrose faith of the Diuel that hee is nox and Bernard of bad diuines that they be tenebrae munde I am vnwilling to lay the nox vpon Diez but his obscure foppery deserues I thinke verily Bernards tenebrae Well as the Friers haue taught vs how to spell Maria so let them informe likewise what it signifieth Aâ—gâ—â—in de Leoni â—a faith acutely Maria quasi Maria for as in the sea there is a gathering together of all waters euen so in the Vergine a congregation of all vertues Againe as all riuers come from the seas and returne to the seas againe so likewise all grace is deriued from Mary and ought to be returned againe to Mary for she for sooth if you will beleeue the Church of Rome in our publique deuotions is mater gratâ—e wisericorâ— the mother of mercies and goddesse of all grace Christ is the head but Mary saith Ozorius the Iesuit is the necke Now whatsoeuer descendeth into the whole body from the head is conueled by the necke so whatsoeuer blessing or fauour is conserred vpon other is conueied thorow the hands of the Virgin Vi si quid gratiae si quid spei si quid salut is in alias redundauerit non nisiper mamus Mariae transierit c. And therefore most of their schollers vsually begin their sermons and writings with an Aue Maria and end them with Iaus Virgini Their voluminous Historiographer Cardinall Baronius concludeth his 1. Tom. of Annales imprinted at Antwerp an 1597. Sanctissimae Virgini Mariae vt hae omnia accepta fecimus it a pariter osserimus That is as I haue receiued al from the most holy Virgin Mary so likewise I returne all to her againe Cardinall Bellarmine also doth annex this postscript vnto the 1. Tom. of his Controuersies imprinted Lugdun an 1587. and vnto Tom. 2. Ingolâ—tad 1591. laus deo virginique matri Mariae And other setting the cart before the horse laus beatae Virgini Iesu Christo. It is well if Christ haue the second place if any place when his mother Mary commeth in place These are the positions in some respects as blasphemous as the worst in the Turks Alcoran And these their practises as idolatrous as any we find in the Pagans schoole The third word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they translate gratia plena full of grace And hence they collect a threefold plenitude of grace in Mary to wit a fulnesse in regard of Multitude abounding with all kinds of grace Magnitude as hauing the greatest in the greatest measure Latitude exercising them in earth heauen hell All which is to shew that whereas other holy Saints and seruants of God had grace by measure Mary like to Christ was endued with grace beyond measure being medium causa gratiae as Antoninus and Albertus impiously teach Yet some popish interpretors as well as Protestants obserue that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth gratificata freely beloued as the Geneua translation Or as our new highly fauoured or much graced one which hath obtained and is adorned with grace Not one that giues grace but receiues as Gabriel in the 30. verse construeth himselfe thou hast found fauour with God And so Saint Paul expounds this word Ephes. 1.6 God hath predestinated vs to be adopted through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherewith he hath made vs accepted in his beloued And gratiosus in Latine doth import a fauorite which is graced out of his friends abundant loue rather then one who merits fauour out of his owne worth as Caluin and Erasmus in their annotations vpon this text accurately But suppose the translation be good and that we may reade as indeed our Communion booke doth here full of grace Yet the popish annotation is false for it is recorded in this present chapter that Iohn the Baptist Elizabeth and Zacharie were ful of the holy Ghost and elsewhere that S. Stephen was full of faith and of power and the seuen Deacons full of wisedome Act. 6.3 and that the blessed Apostles were filled with the holy Ghost Act. 2.4 All these were full of grace yet they receiued it by measure So that as their owne Iesuite obserues truly Maria suit gratia plena in se non à se Mary was full of grace in her selfe but not of her selfe Fountaines are full of water and riuers are full of water and brookes are full of water Christ is full of grace as the fountaine but Mary full of grace as a riuer issuing from the fountaine of grace Shee was a vertuous woman yet a woman a sinner not a sauiour one that was endued with excellent grace not by her owne merit but by Gods especiall mercy Therefore full of grace because the Lord is with thee The Papists abuse likewise dominus tecum in making it an extraordinary salutation vnheard in the world before Whereas Boaz vsed the same to the reapers the Lord be with you Ruth 2.4 And a glorious Angell to Gedeon Iudg. 6.12 The Lord is with thee thou valiant man And the Psalmographer insinuates the commonnesse of this phrase among Gods people Psal. 129.8 They which goe bye say not so much as the Lord prosper you But why should I fish any longer in the popish puddle you may see by that which I haue deliuered already that the Friers and Iesuites haue made merchandise of Aue Maria both in parcell and in groce Let vs now come out of Babell into Gods city from their foule abusing of this Scripture to the true construction of the same Note then in Gabriels saluting of Mary two things especially to wit his Formes Hale the Lord with thee Titles full of grace blessed among women And because both are double wee may learne that these Christian complements are not to be neglected or omitted A glorious Angell saluted a poore Virgin superiours ought to salute inferiours and inferiours to reuerence superiours and all out of loue to respect one another See Gosp. Sund. 6. after Trinity 2. This angelicall Aue teacheth vs to vse good formes in saluting not such as are idle prophane vnsauourie Not a pox instead of haile nor the diuell take you for the Lord be with you not a curse but a blessing Haile full of grace blessed art thou among women 3. We must vse