〈◊〉 And the 〈◊〉 in ourage who following the 〈◊〉 He 〈◊〉 hold it lâ—â— full to distemble their faith 〈◊〉 the Magistrate As also the Nicodemâ—â—es ashamed of Christ and expâ—â—â—cating 〈◊〉 forswerring their Pâ—ieâ—hood and the Pope their holy father vpon eâ—eâ—y pretended occasion of danger In a word all weather â—ise professors adueâ—tring no more for the glorious Gospell then one â—â—tely did for his horrible blasphemie who being bound to the stake suffered only the lingeing of his beard This open acknowledging of Christ is necessaâ—ieâ— not only 〈◊〉 morris at the point of deâ—h as Liraâ—us or in the daie of persecution as Lombard but at all time and in euery place when occasion is offered lustly â—aith 〈◊〉 Forseeing it is an afâ—â—rmâ—tâ—ue prâ—cept 〈…〉 As Christ in his Gospel expresâ—ely 〈…〉 Whereas 〈…〉 〈…〉 the faith not sufficient vnto 〈…〉 mouth and other â—odâ—◠〈◊〉 as efficient cause concure with it in the 〈…〉 may be taken out of his old Schoole 〈…〉 and Cardinall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth af 〈…〉 confession 〈◊〉 act of faith according to that of the Pâ—â—miâ—â— I 〈…〉 haue I spoken And in his second 〈…〉 this Chapter he that is 〈◊〉 by faith ought to be filled with the fruit of righteousnesse Postquam homo per fide mest instificatus oportet quod eius fides per dilectionem operatur ad consequendam salâ—tem And Cardinall Tolet in plaine termes Oris confessio nâ—s non iustificat à peccato c. sed iustificati tenemur eam palà m profiteri c. Confession of the mouth doth not iustifie vs but being iustified wee are bound publikely to professe it afore we can attaine to saluation Herein agreeing with our Protestant Interpreters affirming that good workes are consequents and effects of a true faith as if Paul should haue said here we are iustified by faith onely but yet this faith is operatiue bringing foorth liuely fruits as the confession of the mouth and the profession of the life for they be necessarie to saluation albeit faith alone be sufficient in the act of iustification as you may see further Epist. Quinquages and Sund. 2. in Lent In the words and beleeue in thine heart that God hath raised him vp from the dead three points are considerable namely Faiths Act Obiect Subiect Faiths act is to beleeue and to beleeue hath these degrees as the Schoole teacheth out of Augustine Credere Deo credere Deum credere in Deum A wicked man and a wretched deuill may so farre proceed in faith as to beleeue there is a God and in grosse to beleeue God but a true Christian endued with a sauing faith ascends higher and beleeueth in God also That is he knowes God as hee hath reuealed himselfe in his word acknowledging him onely for his God and thereupon put his whole trust in him applying to himselfe Gods mercifull promise made to father Abraham and his seed with the heart vnto iustification and confessing the same with the mouth vnto saluation He disclaimes not his part in Christ as the deuils Ab what haue we to doâ— with thee thou Iesus of Nazareth art thou come to torment vs before the time but he challengeth his portion in the bloud of his Sauiour saying with the Church in her loue-song My welbeloued is mine and with Paul Christ is become to vs wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Hâ—s bodie is in heauen there shall I finde it mine his diuinitie is on earth and heere doe I feele it mine his word is in mine eare to beget him mine his Sacrament is in mine eie to confirme him mine his spirit is in mine heart to assure him mine Angels are mine to fight for mee Prince mine to rule for mee Church mine to pray for me Vniuersitie mine to studie for me Pastour mine to pâ—each for me all mine whether it be Paul or Cephas or the world or life or death whether they be things present or things to come euen all are mine I am Christs and Christ is Gods Faiths obiect is all holy scripture the summe whereof is the Creed and this one point how God raised vp Iesus from the dead is nexus articulorum omnium as it were the bond or tying knot on which all other linkes of our beleefe depend For if it were not true that Christ is risen againe then were it neither true that hee did ascend vp to heauen nor that hee sitteth at the right hand of his father in heauen nor that he sent downe the holy spirit from heauen nor that hee shall come from thence to iudge the quicke and the dead In a word the matter of the whole Creed concerneth either God or the Church his spouse Now the raising of Christ from â—he dead is the worke of God the Father Acts 2.32 of himselfe being God the Sonne Iohn 10 18. of God the holy Ghost also Rom. 1.4 Christ as God only raiseth and is not raised as man he is onely raised and raiseth not as the Sonne of God or second person in the blessed Trinitie both the Father raiseth him and he raiseth himselfe The Father raiseth the Sonne by the Sonne â—nd the Sonne raiseth himselfe by the spirit of holinesse by which he was declared to be the Sonne of God As for the Church our Apostle sheweth elsewhere that Christ died for her sinnes and rose againe for her iustification and that ascending vp on high he bestowed on her gifts as to be Catholike holy knit in a communion and prerogatiues in her soule namely remission of sinnes in the body resurrection of the flesh in both euerlasting life Wherefore Paul here mentioneth only the resurrection of Christ from the dead not exclusiuely but synecdâ—checally because this one article presupposeâ—h all the rest and takes them as granted as if hee rose from the graue then he died and his death is a consequent of his birth Or because this article was and is most doubted in the world for the Iewes and Gentiles acknowledge the death of Iesus whereas the Christians only confesse his resurrection Or because the rest vnlesle Christ had risen againe would haue profited vs little for he triumphed in his resurrection ouer death hell damnation opening the kingdome of heauen to all beleeuers And so the meaning of our text is plaine If thou confesse with thy mouth that Iesus is the Lord that is that Lord of whom all the Prophets inquired as being the desire of all Nations euen the light of the Gentiles and consolation of Israel And if thou beleeue in thine heart that this Iesus whom almightie God hath made both Lord and Christ offered himselfe a sacrifice to purge thy conscience from dead workes and take away thy sinnes putting out and fastening vpon the Crosse the Lawes obligation against vs and that hauing ouercome death and the deuill he
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
Christ as man acknowledgeth himselfe to be lesse then his father Iohn 14.18 my father is greater then I But Christ if you consider him in the forme of God filled heauen and earth and so he may bee said to send himselfe as elsewhere to giue himselfe for vs. See Saint Augustine vbi sup in margin Lombard seâ—t lib. 1. dist 15. Thomas part 1. quast 43. art 8. Touching that eternal sending of the holy spirit from the father and the sonne we say that the mysteries of the sacred Trinity being ineffable the words are almost all borowed that are vsed to shew the distinct operations of the same Saint Augustine speaking of the generation of the sonne and proceeding of the holy Ghost ingeniously confessed his want of wit and wordes Inter illam generationem hanc processionem distinguere nescio non valeo non sufficio quid illis â—sta est inefabilis But here the Apostles in proper phrase of speaking sent Peter and Iohn ergo they were subiect to their authority Thirdly whereas they say that there is a twofold sending one which is amoris and another which is impery for an equall or an inferiour may perswade his friend to doe his busines for him a body politike may send their head to the Parliament and a common weale â— their Prince to the warres our answere is ready that an inferiour intreating his friend can not truely say that he sent his peere much lesse his superiour neither can a corporation that is vnder a soueraigne head such as the Church of Rome would haue Peter to be choose him to be their foot to goe for them he may peraduenture goe by his owne consent or desire but hee can not bee sent neither can a common weale thrust their absolute King into the danger of warre Sponte hoc ille faciendums indicat sed ab illis ad bellum gerendum extrudi non potest Lastly we say that Peter here was sent not as a Prince but as a peere for Iohn was ioyned with him in the mission and commission as a copartner in his office so the text they sent Peter and Iohn And Peter being sent into Samaria by his brethren repined not as holding himselfe their gouernour but went his way as their messenger and elsewhere being questioned by the Apostles for going to Cornelius and eating with vncircumcised heathens he forthwith excused himselfe and came to his answere Fourthly wheras they be driuen here to confesse that the Colledge of Apostles comprising Peter was greater then Peter their head alone Wee say this being granted that Peters Popedom was not the â—oueraigne power of Christ neither was Peter head of the Apostles as Christs Vicar for the whole Church comprising Christ the head thereof is not of greater authority then Christ himselfe Againe it is a receiued opinion among moderne Iesuited Papists that the Church is nothing else but the Pope so that the Successor of Peter is now farre greater then Peter himselfe for hee will bee tied neither to Councell nor Canon nor custome more then himselfe liketh Who when they were come downe prayed for them that they might receiue the holy Ghost It is probable that Peter and Iohn did preach as well as pray but S. Luke reporteth onely what new thing happened to Samaria by their comming namely the receiuing of the holy Ghost through imposition of hands and prayer Here S. Augustine Lombard and other obserue that Christ is God in giuing the holy spirit quantus deus est qui dat deum His Apostles did not giue the holy Ghost at Samaria they prayed for them that they might receiue the holy Ghost and they laid thir hands on them and they receiued the holy Ghost euery good gift is from aboue Samaria then had extraordinarie gifts of the spirit By Peter and Iohn not from Peter and Iohn and Simon Magus insinuates so much in his offer of money to to them at the 19. verse giue mee this power that on whomsoeuer I lay the hands hee may receiue the holy Ghost He did not say that I might giue but onely that he may receiue Happily some will obiect that Paul gaue the spirit to the Galathians as it may seeme wher hee saith he that ministreth vnto you the spirit and worketh miracles among you doth hee it through the workes of the law or by the hearing of faith preached Our answere may be gathered out of the text that hee gaue not the spirit by his proper power but onely that they receiued the spirit through his preaching and ministry They were baptized onely in the name of Christ Iesus You must here referre the word onely to baptized and not to the clause following in the name of Christ Iesus It is not the meaning of S. Luke that they were baptized in the name of God the Sonne onely for it is Christs owne Canon Matth. 28.29 That all the three persons of the blessed Trinity must expresly bee named in Baptisme Goe teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost See Bellarm. de Baptismo lib. 1. cap. 3. Suarez in Thom. 3. part tom 3. disput 21. Caluin Lorin in act 2.38 So that to bee baptized in the name of Iesus Christ in this and other like place of this booke is to be baptized in the faith of Iesus Christ or in the power of Iesus Christ or according to the prescript of Iesus Christ. Here then a question is moued how the faithfull in Samaria were baptized and yet the holy Ghost was come on none of them Hee that is baptized must acknowledge that Christ is the Lord and no man as Paul telleth vs can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost All that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ and are buried with him in his death that like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glory of the Father so they likewise should walke in newnesse of life Answere is made that the Samaritans had already receiued inuisible graces of the sanctifying spirit which are common vnto all such as truly beleeue but as yet Samaria had not any singular and extraordinarie miraculous gifts as in Christs name to cast out diuels and to speake with new tongues and to heale the sicke c. the which in the Primatiue time was conferred vpon certaine persons according to the will of the spirit for the confirmation of the Gospell It is apparant that the Apostles had the sanctifying and illuminating spirit for their guide from the very beginning of their preaching Matth. 10.20 It is not ye that speake but the spirit of your father which speaketh in you Yet wee reade Iohn 7.38 that the holy Ghost was not yet giuen because Iesus was not yet glorified For they receiued not those miraculous gifts of healing and speaking with
Flecte quod est rigidum fone quâ—d est frigudum rege quod est deuium The next circumstance to be considered is the time when and that as our Euangelist in the 17. verse was so soone as Iesus began to preach For as a King who resolues to make warre against an enemie Prince chaseth his Captaine and musters his souldiers and in euery point fits himselfe for the present action euen so Christ Iesus the King of the Church intending to cast out of his hold Satan the Prince of this world calleth his followers and out of them electeth his Apostles as chiefe Commanders and Coronels in the very beginning of his preaching that being trained vp in his schoole seeing his wonders and hearing his wisedome they might bee made fit for that excellent and eminent calling They were first as S. Iohn reports acquainted with Christ afterward made Disciples and last of all Apostles And therefore Christ here saith I will make you to become fishers of men He saith not I doe now make you but hauing instructed them all his life and breathing on them the Holy Ghost after his resurrection hee speakes in the present as my father sent me so send I you goe teach all nations baptising them in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the Holy Ghost And that they might be powerfull and profitable teachers of other he filled them also with the gift of the Spirit after such a manner and in so great a measure that they could not but speakâ— the things which they had heard and seene of Christ. And that not in one corner or in a few countries onely but as it is in the selected Epistle for this day their sound went out into all lands and their words into the ends of the world In the beginning they were rude first Disciples afterward Doctors a great while learners afore they were leaders Hence fathers of the Church are taught not to haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hastie hands and ouer easie for admittance into sacred orders without tryall and testimonie 1. Tim. 3. and the children of the Prophets also may learne to be swift to heare slow to speake neuer affecting much lesse ascending Moses chaire before God makes them apt and able to teach as well by their holy conuersation as wholesome doctrine For as the weights and measures of the Sanctuarie to wit the sicle talent and cubite were of a double bignes to those for common vse so should the vertues in the Ministers of the Sanctuarie be of a sutable size The which as some Diuines imagine is implied in the sacrifice for their sâ—nâ—es appointed Leuit. 4. where the Priests offering is commanded to be as much as all the congregations a young bullocke without any blemish for the Priest alone ver 3. and no more for all the people vers 14. See Benedictus in the Liturgie Gospell on Trinitie Sunday and 8. after Trinitie The names of the Disciples heere called are Simon Andrew Iames and Iohn insinuating thaâ— a Preacher of the word must be Simon that is obedient to the will of God Andreâ—s a stout man in executing his offâ—ceâ— Iacobus a supplanter of vises in hâ—s aâ—ditorie last of all a Iohn aâ—cribing all these good gifts in him vnto the Father of mercies and God of all grace viâ—a merito magnus humilitate infimus Other assume that the some cardinall vertues are designed by these foure chiefe Apostles referring Prudence in Peter Iâ—stice to Andrew Fortitude to Iames and Temperance to Iohn For their number it is said heâ—e that Iesus called them two and two first he saw two then other two signifâ—ing that as the binarie number is the least euen so the Church of little beginnings increaseâ—h vntill her number be without number as a graine of mustard seede when it is sowen is the least of 〈…〉 but when it is growâ—n it is the greatest among herbâ—s and it is a tree so that the kâ—â—ds of heauen build iâ— the 〈…〉 Oâ— two and two because they were Christs instruments in â—â—ming together two people the 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 and so making of â—â—th one Or Christ happily would neither elect nor send his Apostles one by one because 〈…〉 him that is alone Ecclesiast 4.10 but by two and two and those breâ—hren hereby teaching that Preachers of the word must accord as brethren of one heart and one souls Act. 4 â—2 hauing one minde in many bodies inter multacorporanoâ—â— mulâ—a câ—rda Saâ—rimentes in vnuâ—â—â— at 〈◊〉 hominem faciant as Augustine sweetly For a brother helping a brother is a very strong castle and they that hold together are like the barre of a palace For their condition our blessed Sauiour in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge did not chuse the disputants of the world whose wit was great nor the nobles whose petigree was great nor the Pharisies whose credit was great nor the Priests whose authoritie was great but he called ignorant and ignoble fishers of little worth and lesse learning to be the trumpetters of his Gospel and bel-weathers of his flocke that the foolish things of the world might confound the wise things and the weake things ouerthrow the mightie things and things that are not bring to nought the things that are Sampson in slaying a thousand Philistines with the iaw-bone of an asse was a type hereof as Prosper obserues insinuating that Christ by the foolishnesse of preaching should confound his enemies and saue such as beleeue Nay Christ chose some notorious sinners for his Apostles as bloudie Saul and couetous Matthew that his abundant grace might be manifested in their persons as well as in their preaching demonstrating that in themselues which is the summe of all their sermons namely that Iesus Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance This is a true saying and by all meanes worthie to be receiued that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners of whom I am chiefe 1. Tim. 1.15 The greatest Apostle whilome was the greatest oppressor of the Church a blasphemer a persecutor breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord and therefore his auditors might well cedere credere grant and beleeue that Iesus is a sauiour of his people But this extraordinary calling and singular action of Christ is no patterne for Prelates as phantasticall spirits imagine to send into the Ministerie leud and ignorant persons as if the more faultie were the more fit and the more sillie the more sufficient for the same Christ by the pen of his Apostle Paul in that excellent Epistle to Timothy which Hierom calles speculuâ—â— Sacerdony as the whole Scripture is speculum Christâ—â—niâ—â—â— sets downe these directions for the choice of a Pastoar hâ—e must be well reported of euen
vexed with all these kindes of cruelties as S. Steuen on this day They gnashed at him with their teeth Act. 7.54 and scourged him with their tongues suborning men which said we haue heard him speake blasphemous words against Moses and God Act. 6.11 They brought him to the Councell and cast him out of the Citie They persecuted him in words disputing against him and in deed despighting him vntill in fine they stoned this holy Prophet sent vnto them In a word they made such hauocke of the Church as that the messengers of God complained out of the bitternesse of their spirit For thy sake are wee killed all the day long and are counted as sheepe appointed to be slaine Sanguine fundata est ecclesia sanguine creuit Sanguine decresâ—it sanguine finis erit Yet for all this let no Preacher or professor discourage himselfe for S. Steuen in the middest of his afflictions as it is recorded in this daies Epistle saw the heauens open and Iesus standing at the right hand of God It is said in the Creed that Christ sitteth at the right hand of God but when his faithfull seruant Steuâ—n was martyred hee was standing Now then if Christ stand with vs who can withstand vs happily we may weepe for a time but all teares shall be wiped away from our eies the Father of mercies and God of all comfort shall assist vs in our tribulation so gratiously that aâ— the sufferings of Christ abound in vs euen so our consolation shall abound through Christ. 2 Cor. â— 3.5 Mystically heretick scourge Catholicks with their venomous tongues by labouring to thrust them out of their holds built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostle into new found habitations raised vpon the sands of humane philosophie what doe they but persecute them as it were from Citie to Citie The Pagans first and the Papists afterward did actually kill and crucifie and scourge and persecute the Saints of God in this Iland as well Abel as Zachary that is the laymen and the Clergie the lowest of the people so well as the highest of the Priests And albeit in our time wee need not happily feare their murthering yet wee still feele their murmuring against vs. And with them are ioyned another generation of Vipers I meane the schismaticall brood whipping vs in their words and scourging vs in their writings according to their will and wit hourely killing the Prophets and stoning such as are sent vnto them For whereas there be two kinds of death one naturall another ciuill If any discredit the good life or discountenance the sound doctrine of his Pastor by raising false tales and suborning false witnesses against him as the Iewes against Steuen what doth hee but ciuilly or rather indeed vnciuilly like a Iew murther his Preacher And such a Minister as patiently beares these wrongs and suffers these dilapidations in his credit is a very Steuen a meere Martyr For as Gregory notes there bee three kinds of martyrdome without any shedding of blood 1. To be patient in our owne misery 2. To bee compassionate in anothers aduersitie 3. To loue our enemies hartily Thus in the second part of our text also touching ingentia peccatae the Iewes and English are parallels That vpon you may come all the righteous blood which hath been shed vpon earth from the blood of the righteous Abel vnto the blood of Zacharias Here two questions are moued First who was this Zacharias Secondly how all the righteous bloud shed vpon earth is required of this generation Concerning the first it is thought by some that this Zacharias is that Zacharie numbred among the twelue lesser Prophets in that his fathers name well agrees with this historie But that opinion is censured as improbable because the Scripture saith not any where that this Prophet was slaine between the Temple and the altar Other affirme that this Zacharias is the father of Iohn the Baptist mentioned Luk. â— 5 of whom it is reported by tradition that the Iewes â—lew him betweene the Temple and the Altar for that as hee was a Priest he did ranke Mary the mother of Christ after she had conceiued and brought forth her sonne with vnspotted Virgins in the Temple But saith Hierom◠〈…〉 de scripturis non habet 〈◊〉 â—oâ—itatem eadem facilitate câ—â—temnitur quâ— probatur Other hold that this Zacharias is that zealou Zacharias the sonne of Iehoâ—ada who for that hee did openly rebuke the Iewes for their abominable Idolatrie was stoned by them in the court of the house of the Lord 2. Chro. 24.21 Neither is their any contradiction between the sonne of Barachâ—as and the sonne of 〈◊〉 seeing Iehoâ—â—â—a might haue two names or else called Barâ—chiâ—â— in the Hebrew signifying blessed of the Lord because 〈◊〉 the Priest had done good in Israel and toward God and his house For mine owne part I coniecture that this Zacharias is hee who was martyred at the beginning of the siege of Ierusalem in the daies of Vespasian the Romane Emperour For the story saith expresly that he was the sonne of Baruch or â—arachias and that hee was slaine by the Iewes in the miâ—â—est of the Temple The clause whom yee 〈◊〉 serueâ— to crosse this exposition a little but it is auoided easily because Christ here speaking prophetically reports that to be done which was yet to come This interpretation of all the rest amplifieth most as well the sinne as the punishment of the Iewes in that all the righteous blood from the first Martyr among them vnto the last euen from 〈◊〉 vnto 〈◊〉 while theâ— City was 〈◊〉 is laid vnto their chaâ—ge Touching the second doubt wee read in holy Bible that there be two generations one good another bad a blessed generation of the faithful eâ—en of such as feare God and a generation of 〈◊〉 as Christ in thiâ— present chapter As then the generation of such as obey their ouerseers and kisse the feet of such as bring glad tidings of peace shall receiue the reward of a Prophet euen so the generation of such as kill the Prophets and â—one such as are sent vnto them if they fulfill the measure of their fathers sinne they shall haue their portion and proportion in their fathers punishment also For albeit the sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the father neither shall the father beare the iniquitie of the sonne yet if the sonneâ— are partners with their parents in imitation the children of such as murthered the Prophets as the Iewes were the sons of Cain in slaying the righteous Abels If Cain and all the bloudy Iewes aâ— well after as vnder the Law make the same generation vnited in fact and faction it is in God very good iustice that all the righteous bloud shed from the foundation of the world should be required of this generation For he who
in the world to come when all superfluity shall be cut off vtterly when as wee shall appeare before Gods throne without any spot in our soule or corruption in our body Now the circumcision of Christ heere mentioned is that of the flesh for Almighty God before mans fall and after is fall before the Law vnder the Law and after the Law certified his will vnto man especially by two things an vnderstanding minde and a perceiuing sense When God had created Aâ—â—m hee put him in Paradise giuing him his â—ord as a witnesse of hiâ— will and vnto the word hee did adde a twofold outward signe namely the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and euill After Adâ—â—ous fall he gaue him a promise touching the blessed seede Gen. 3.15 and added thereunto sacrifices as outward signes of his worde When the floud was ouerpast hee made a promise neuer to destroy the world againe with water and hee made the Rainbow a signe of the same Hee promised deliuerance from the bondage of Egypt which hee performed also but he sealed the promise with the Paschal Lambe Exod. 12. To father Abraham hee gaue his promise that his seed should be multiplied and in perpetuall remembrance thereof hee did institute Circumcision Gen 17. At the length in the fulnesse of time he giueth his owne Sonne and by him he promiseth euerlasting life to such as beleeue the which hee confirmes with two Sacraments as seales of his grace Baptisme and the Lords supper Thus the father of mercies in all ages euermore prouided for our weaknesse that wee might as it is in the Psalme taste and see how gratious the Lord is and therefore such as are so spirituall as that they cannot endure significant ceremonies and outward rites in the Church haue runne a violent course quite contrary to the goodnesse of God and meeknesse of his holy spirit who doth instruct the conceiuing minde by the perceiuing sense For the Sacraments as Augustine speakes are visible words and Circumcision in the iudgment of Chrysostome was a Preacher of the righteousnesse of faith I confesse that the Iewish ceremonies are now no more necessarie then a token left in remembrance of a bargaine is necessarie when the bargaine is fulfilled but christian rites ordained by lawful authority for outward comelinesse in the Church ought to be retained as hauing more in weight then in sight In the Câ—râ—â—â—â—tiâ—â—on of â—hâ—â—â—t obâ—â—eâ—ue these â— poâ—nâ—s 1 Theâ—iâ—e when the eâ—ghth day 2 Theâ—â—â—e â—heâ—e implyed here for that Câ—â—â—i but expâ—essed in the first Lesson aâ—â—oâ—â—eâ— for this aâ—â— nin â—â—rayer â—en 17.11 to be the 〈…〉 3 The eâ—â—se â—hy 〈…〉 that is â— in the woâ—dâ— foâ—â—o 〈◊〉 â—â—â—r the Lâ—â—â— When the eighth 〈…〉 Châ—â—e en were circumeâ—sed on the eâ—ghth day foâ—thâ—â— in this tender age they coâ—â—d more eâ—stly bâ—â—re the gâ—â—ese of circumcision or eâ—reâ—meised on the eâ—â—ghâ—h dâ—y hâ—â—â—use thaâ— is the day â—hâ—rein our bleâ—sed Sauiour â—â—ofe â—â—â—m the dead Seuen daie signifie the time oâ— this â—â—efeâ—e worâ—d and the â—â—ghâ—h dâ—y the reâ—â—â—eâ—â—ion when alâ—coâ—uption of the â—eth shall he eâ—â—oâ—â— accordâ—â—g to that oâ— Paulâ— Câ—r 15 5â— Tâ—â—s 〈…〉 〈…〉 For thâ—s end â—he circumciâ—â—on kniâ—e 〈◊〉 mâ—de of 〈◊〉 Exod 4.25 Iâ—â—a 5.2 To siâ—nitiâ—â—hâ—â—â—â—eceâ—e 〈◊〉 Câ—â—cumcâ—â—on is by Chriâ—t the â—ocke â—nd â—hâ—ad coâ—eâ—â—â—enâ— Câ—â—cumciâ—â—on â—â—s placed in the generatiue pâ—â—t for thâ—eereâ—â—on eâ—â—â—â—â—ally First for that it â—as a seâ—â—e of Gâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—e thâ—â— Câ—â—â—â—t hâ—â—â—d â—e â—oâ—ne of Abâ—â—â—â—m◠〈◊〉 Seâ—â—nd â—â—â—eeâ—â—e the propâ—â—â—tion of originalâ—â—â—nne 〈…〉 Thiâ—dly Qâ—â—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 coâ—ciâ—iâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 O◠〈◊〉 oâ—heâ—â—oâ— thaâ— i◠〈◊〉 â—â—â—ne of Gâ—◠〈…〉 the â—â—ent and hâ—â—â—eâ—◠〈◊〉 Gen. 17.7 〈…〉 Thâ—â—â—â—â—â—nsâ— hâ— Câ—â—◠〈◊〉 â—eceiâ—ed and bâ—rne 〈…〉 are â—â—niâ—â—â—â—â— 1 To shew that he was of the seede of Abrahamâ— Heb. â— 16 2 To declare himselfe a member of the Iewish Church in which euery man child was circumcised 3 To demonstrate that hee had true flesh against 〈◊〉 and such a flesh as was not of the same substance with his deitie Co◠〈…〉 corpus against Apolâ—naris or fetched from heauen as Valâ—ntinus imagined hee was I say circumcised to shew that he was made of the seede of 〈◊〉 accorâ—â—â—â— to the 〈◊〉 Rom. 12. 4 For that he was the truth of which Circumcision was a type Vâ—â—â—â—ramiâ—â—â—â—ritas â—â—irâ—â— But the principall reason iâ— inâ—â—nuated in the text for that theiâ— required that eueâ—y man child should be cirâ—â—â—â—s sâ—d He therefore was circumcised to â—â—e â—hiâ— obediâ—nce to the lâ—w Wâ—â—â— the â—alâ—es of ume waâ— come God 〈◊〉 â—â—th his 〈◊〉 mâ—â—e oâ— a â—oman make vnder the Law tâ—at â—e â—â—iâ—â— reâ—â— mâ—tâ—â—m thâ—t were vâ—der the Law As then he â—aâ— borne for â—s Esay 9.6 Puer natus â—st neâ— is And Luk 2.11 Vâ—â—â—s nâ—tuâ—â— Vnto you is borne that iâ— vnto yoâ— a men aâ— an Angeâ—l expounds the Prophet euen fâ—â—â—â— hee â—â—â—â—â—mâ—sed for yâ— hâ—reby giuing a publike â—y â—â—noâ—iâ—â—hâ—â— he would fuâ—fill all the whole Law for vs foâ— eueâ—y 〈◊〉 iâ— circumcâ—sâ—d â—s bâ—â—â—d to keep the whole Lâ—w. Hoâ— the consâ—laâ—orie name Ieâ—â—us inuented by God 〈◊〉 pâ—â—ed bâ— the Angâ—â—l invocated by men is proper to Châ—iâ—t 〈◊〉 Sâ—e Gospell on the Sunday next after 〈◊〉 And how his named aboue all name Epist. 〈…〉 will end here with a diuine 〈…〉 â—ccurate Poet. 〈…〉 〈…〉 of content 〈…〉 rent 〈…〉 pâ—â—ne O take thy crosse and naiâ—es and therewith straine My hearts desire to his full extent That thy â—eaâ—e loue therein may not be â—ent But thoughts man haue free scope thy loue t'explaine Ah new my heart more pâ—uneth then before Because it can receiue and hath no more O filâ— this emptinesse or 〈◊〉 â—â—â—e Now stretch my heart againe and now supply Now I want â—pace now grace to end aâ— smart Since my heart 〈◊〉 not thee hold thou my heart Almighty God which madest thy blessed sonne to he circumcised and obedient to the Law for man granâ— vs the true circumcision of the spirit that our hearts and all our members being mortified from all worldly and carnall lusts may in all things obey thy blessed will through the same thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen The Epistle EPHES. 3.1 For this cause I Paul am a prisoner of Iesus Christ for you heathen c. THE maine drift of all this exceeding profound Epistle written vnto the Saints of the Church of Ephesus is to confirme their in the word of truth euen the Gospell of their saluation and faith in the Lord Iesus And this our Apostle doth in the present text by two reasons especially 1. From his owne ministery in respect of the Bonds or disgrace hee suffered of men I Paul am a prisoner c. Boon or grace he receiued of God If yee haue heard of the ministration of the grace of God which is giuen mee to you-ward 2. Fom the Gospels mystery which hee
Sund after Easter and Gospell on Saint Thomas day Here pause and pray Almighty father which hast giuen thine onely sonne to die for our sinnes and to rise againe for our iustification grant vs so to put away the leauen of malice and wickednesse that we may alway serue thee in purenesse of liuing and truth through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen The Epistle Eâ—HES 4.7 Vnto euery one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ c. SAint Paul doth especially two things in all his Epistles 1. treate 2. entreate Hauing sufficiently treated in the former Chapters of doctrinals he commeth in this present to morals entreating his Ephesians in generall to walke worthy of the vocation whereunto they were called in more particular to support one another thorough loue keeping the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace pressing this one point with arguments of two sorts The first of which epist. 17. Sund. after Trin. is taken from such things as are common vnto the whole Church as being in all the faithfull one and the same there is one body and one spirit and one hope one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and father of all which is aboue all and through aâ— and in you all As if he should argue thus if the Church your mother bee but one God your father but one Christ your Lord but one the holy spirit your comforter but one if ye haue but one hope one faith one baptisme I see no cause why ye should not liue together and loue together as all one labouring to keepe the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace The second contained in our present text is taken from such graces as are in euery one diuerse shewing that this inequality of gifts is not an hindrance but rather a furtherance to vnitie for asmuch as all of them are giuen by the same author for the same end Vnto euery one of vs is giuen some gift vnto none all he that hath most hath but a measure As then in the naturall body the eye can not say to the hand I haue no need of thee nor the hand againe to the feet I haue no need of you but euery part seeketh anothers and not his owne good Euen so in the Church which is Christs mysticall body God made not all Apostles or all Prophets or Euangelists c. but some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists c. There be diuersities of gifts and diuersities of administrations and diuersities of operations 1. Cor. 12. euery one standeth in need of anothers gift and thereupon is occasioned to support one another in loue preseruing the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace See epist. 2. Sun after Epiphan and 10. after Trinity In the whole 4. points are to be considered especially 1. Who Christ and that is proued out of the 68. Psal. verse 18. hee led captiuitie captiue and gaue gifts vnto men 2. When when hee ascended vp on high euen aboue all heauens to fulfill all things 3. What hee made some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists c. 4 Why for the perfiting of the Saints for the worke of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ. Concerning the first in that our Apostle doth auowe here that the diuersity of grace bestowed on the Church is the gift of Christ whereas he saith elsewhere that God the father ordained Apostles and Prophets and teachers and that the spirit worketh ad these things vnto euery one seuerally distributing as he will we may learne two conclusions in diuinity 1. That all the workes of the sacred Trinity quoad extra without it selfe are common and communicable to euery person of the three 2. That God the sonne is equall in might and mercy to God the father he being ascended aboue all heauens is the giuer of gifts vnto men and here we must accord the Prophet and our Apostle The one saith he receiued gifts for men the other he gaue gifts vnto men and these two seeme to contradict each other Answere is made that Dauid speakes of this deuotion in time to come but Paul of thiâ— donation already past and accomplished Dauid of the promise Paul of the performance Or Christ as he was God gaue gifts in heâ—â—â—n and as man he reâ—â—â—ed gifts on earth or he receiued in that his members receiued according to his owne saying Mat. 25.40 â—n as much as ye haue done it vnto one of the leastâ— these my brethren yee haue done it vnto mee or he receiued to giue as Exod. 25.2 Speake to the children â—f â—srael that they receiue an offering for me that is according to the translation of our present Church bible â—â—at they bringâ— where reioycing as Abbâ—n Ezâ—a notes is giuing and so Paul alluding rather to the sense then to the words of Dauid saith he 〈…〉 Touching the second point it is demanded how Christ is said here to haue made some Apostles and some Prophets c. When he went 〈…〉 and led captiuity â—aptiue seeing wee reade in the Gospels history that he chose his Apostles and Disciples and gaue them a commission to preach in his life time and that after his resurrection he confirmed them in his office by breathing on them and giuing the holy Ghost and saying as my father sent mee euen so send â—y â—â— goe teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the father and the sonne 〈◊〉 the holy ghost Answere may bee that Christ is reported in this Scripture to haue giuen Apostles vnto the Church after he went vp on high in respect of their gifts extension and 〈◊〉 Extension as hauing after Christs ascensâ—ou receiued the gifts of the holy ghost after a more glorious manner and in a farre greater measure So the text the â—â—ly ghost was not yet giuen because that Iesus was not yet glorified and If I goe not away the comforter will not come vnto you but if I depart I will send him vnto you And Christ at his ascension also charged them to waite for this promised power of the holy ghost See gosp Sun after ascension day Oâ—tension and that 1. in respect of the solemne inauguration into their Apostleship on the feast of Pentecost in the sight of Gods people gathered together at Hierusalem out of euery nation vnder heauen It is reported of Dauid that he was first annointed King of Israel in the middest of his brethren 1 Sam. 1.10 and afterward in Hebron 2. Sam. 2. But hee was not called King vntill he was annoynted solemly before all the tribes of Israel 2. Sam. 5. Euen so though it bee granted that the Apostles were nominated and elected to their office before Christs death and confirmed in their calling after Christs resurrection yet they were not apparantly knowen vnto Gods people to bee so till he went vp on high and gaue
day Againe this sentence Christ is the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles ouerthroweth as Interpreters obserue Marcion and other heretickes affirming that two sundrie disagreeing Gods are Authors of the two Testaments As if one God were preached in the Gospell and another in the Law whereas one and the same Christ is the very center of both at which all the Prophets and Apostles aime principally The builders of Gods house are the Prophets and Apostles and all their lawfull successours the Ministers and Preachers of the word Behold saith the Lord to Ieremie the Prophet I haue put my woreis in thy mouth I haue set thee euer the nations and ouer the kingdomes to plucke vp and to roote out and to destroy and throw downe to build and to plant That is to roote out vice to plant vertue to destroy the dens of Sâ—tan and build vp Gods remple to throw downe the kingdome of Antichrist and to set vp the kingdome of Christ. And so Paul cals himselfe a skilfull Architect or a cunning master builder laiing the foundation and hee faith of other Preachers of the word that they build vpon his foundation gold siluer precious stones c. that is doctrines and exhortations answerable to the foundation and worthie of Christ. In a word that the Pastors are Gods labourers and the people God building 1. Cor. 3 9. it is true that Christ himselfe is the chiefe builder as hee saith in the Gospel vpon this rocke will I build my Church he builds as it is in our text through his holy spirit vers 22. yet hee doth vse Prophets and Apostles and Euangelists and Pastors and Teachers as vnder-workmen for the gathering together of his saints and edification of his Church Ephes. 4. 11.12 The tooles or instruments which Apostles and Preachers vse toward this worke are the Word and the Sacraments especially For so the Lord of these labourers hath appointed Goe teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost His word iâ— his power to bring his elect to the foundation and to build them vpon the foundation His Sacraments are fastnings as it were to strengthen and confirme them after they be laid in the building that they fall not away but grow to an holy temple of the Lord. Our doctrine must be according to the analogie of faith our exhortation according to the rules of good life the Bible which is our lanterne and our guide furnisheth vs with both and therefore wee must euer build vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Beside these tooles a Minister ought to further Gods building with heartie praiers and good example Bellarmine said of Erasmus falsely that he was but halfe a Christian but it may be said of a lewd Pastour truly that he is but halfe a Preacher he may peraduenture pull downe more building in one weeke with his bad life then he can set vp againe in a whole yeere with his great learning Seneca thought it impossible that any body should at onetime be both a good man and a good captaine but a Clergie man is not a good Pastor vnlesse he be a good paterne God defend me and mine from a mangie Physitian a ragged Alchimist and a dissolute Diuine If thou be a president of godlinesse to thy people pray to the God of all grace that you may so remaine if you sometime were and are now fallen returne if you neuer were repent if you neuer will be perish Nam à Deo separabitur qui à diabolo superabitur Concerning the properties of the Church it is built together in such a due proportion and concinne symmetrie that euery part is content to keepe his ranke and performe his function without any faction It is a body fitly ioined together and compacted by that which euery ioint supplieth c. Ephes. 4.16 See Epistle 2. Sund. after Epiphanie It is built together in respect of her vnion with Christ the head corner stone and coupled together in respect of her communion with the members See Communion of Saints in the Creed And being thus inserted and built on Christ it liueth and groweth from grace to grace till it become an holy Temple to the Lord. The which Interpreters vnderstand of euery singular part so well as of the whole body for euery Christian is an habitation of God If thou be then a consecrated Chappell vnto the Lord how darest thou commit Idolatrie which is against the first table What agreement hath the temple of God with Idols Or how dinest thou commit adulterie which is against the second table Know yee not that your body is the temple of the holy Ghost and that God is to bee glorified in your spirit and in your body will you then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid Euery liuing stone that is built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles is holy Lapides in templo sancto non possunt esse non sanctificati The temples of God are holy both in regard of their righteousnesse imputed in that their vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen and Christ himselfe made their holinesse and in regard of sanctification and righteousnesse in herent for that being deliuered out of the hands of all their enemies they serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life The Gospell IOHN 20.24 Thomas one of the twelue which is called Didymus was not with them when Iesus came c. THis Scripture consists of a Dialogue Thomas one of the twelue c. Epilogue Many other signes truly did Iesus c. The Dialogue is between a weake sinner and a meeke Sauiour And according to these two principall persons it hath also two principall parts one concerning Thomas and another touching Christ. In Thomas obserue his Faults which are two 1. His absence from the meeting of the other Apostles 2. His incredulitie not beleeuing the resurrection of Christ occasioned by that absence Faith My Lord and my God That other part concerning Christ is a relation of his second appearing vnto the blessed Apostles after his rising againe from the dead And heerein is set down 1. What he did After eight daies he came againe c. 2. What he said 1. To the whole companie Peace be to you 2. To Thomas in particular Bring thy finger hither c. 3. In conclusion to him and them and vs and al Blessed are they that haue not seen and yet haue beleeued In that our Euangelist hath set downe the fall of Peter and fault of Thomas wee may learne that euen the most holy men are but imperfectly perfect in this life The Pontificians are true Donatists and as it were the very spawne of the Cathari For is any man so great a Puritan as the Papist highly conceiting that he can obserue all
knowledge then his application the which are the two principall parts of faith As for his knowledge Thomas confessed here not only that Christ is a Lord and a God for there be many Gods and many Lords in opinion analogie title But to distinguish Christ from all these kindes of Lords and Gods he doth affirme that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord and the God that is the Lord of Lords and God of Gods Psal. 50.1 Here then is a pregnant text against vnbeleeuing Iewes and misbeleeuing Arians If Christ had not been very God of very God euen one substance with the Father he would haue condemned and not commended this confession of Thomas If any shall aske why Thomas is not content with one word but vseth two Lord and God and why first hee calls Christ Lord and then God Answere may be that he called him Lord in that he conquered hell and death and God in that hee knew the very secrets of his heart For when Christ had said put thy finger hither and see mine hands and reach foorth thine hand and put it into my side Thomas instantly remembring what hee had fondly thought and foolishly said confesseth his fault in confessing his faith my Lord and my God The Disciples vsually termed him Lord in his life to signifie therefore that it was the same Christ hee first according to his accustomed manner calleth him Lord and then after hee proceedes further then he was wont and calleth him also God In the word Lord acknowledging his humanitie in the word God his diuinitie Faiths obiect is the reuealed will and word of God and the summe of his word is the new Testament and the summe of the new Testament is Iesus Christ God and man In that therfore Thomas confessed his Lord to be crucified dead and buried as a man and that he did againe raise himselfe and loose the bonds of death as God hee did vtter that in two words which is the contents of the two Testaments and summe of all summe of faith and holy beliefe Now for application hee saith my Lord and my God Not onely God in generall but my God in particular mine by promise mine by stipulation mine by oath mine by free gift mine by purchase mine by participation of grace my Emmanuel my Shilo my Iesus Of this particular faith Isaiah the Prophet spake wheÌ„ he said Secretum meum mihi secretum meum mihi My secret to my selfe my secret to my selfe The Papists indeed terme this personall and particular assurance presumption but the children of God in all ages haue thus applied the medicine to the maladie saying with Dauid O God thou art my God and with Mary my Sauiour For as their owne Frier notes vpon my text it is not sufficient to beleeue that he is the Lord except thou beleeue likewise that he is thy Lord as Didymus here not only once but twice my Lord my God doubling as it were his faith as he had before doubted his fall O the deepnesse of the riches of Gods mercie Who would haue thought that Thomas who beleeued least and last of all his fellowes vpon so short a conference should thus equall if not excell them all in his abrupt yet absolute confession And therefore let not any man either discomfort himselfe or condemne his brother afore the time for no man hath so weake a faith or so wicked a life but that one day Christ out of his infinite goodnesse may call him and heale him as he did S. Thomas making him who did not beleeue so soone as the rest to become notwithstanding in his beleefe so sound as the rest apprehending and applying the merits of his Sauiour to his soule my Lord my God After eight daies againe his Disciples were within and Thomas with them then came Iesus Hee came before hee was vp sought and that to seeke one lost sheepe only Teaching vs heereby to recall such as are in errours and to beare the infirmities of the weake But hee deferred his comming a whole weeke that Thomas in the meanewhile might be better instructed and induced to beleeue the resurrection Or happily for the greater manifestation of his goodnesse in tolerating such incredulitie so long Or as other to trie the faith of the rest and to shew that humane reason is not able to perswade this article The translation of Gods holy day from the Saturday to the Sunday is not by patent in the Bible but only by paterne because the blessed Apostles vsually met together on this day The which assuredly they did by the direction of Gods holy spirit and as it may seeme heere by Christs approbation at the least if not institution againe and againe manifesting himselfe to be risen on the eighth day So that albeit happily some will grant that the Church assembled in a generall Councell hath authoritie to constitute another day for the Sabbath as the second or third of the weeke yet I am sure wee can neuer haue so good a patterne nor yet so great a reason for altering this our day as was heere for the changing of that other day The patterne is Christ and his Apostles and the reason is the resurrection of Christ euen that exceeding wonderfull worke of our redemption Againe Christs appearing on the eighth day is not without a mysterie wee labour six daies in this life the seuenth is the sabbath of our death in which we rest from our labours and then being raised from the dead on the eighth day Christ in his owne body the very same body that was crucified dead and buried shall reward euery man according to his worke When the doores were shut Papists vrge this place to prooue the carnall and grosse presence of Christ in the Sacrament extremely condemning our incredulitie who will not beleeue that Christs body and blood is vnder the formes of bread and wine seeing his whole body heere perfect in all his lineaments length bredth and thicknes distinct and diuers from the substance and corpulence of the wood was in the same proper place the wood was in and passed thorow the same To this obiection our Diuines answer diuersly some that the doore opened of it selfe to let him in other that the doore was vnbarred by some of the house within vnknowne to the Disciples other that to come in the doores being shut is no more but that hee came in late in the euening at what time men vse to shut their doores but most acknowledge that he came in miraculously not thorow the wood and iron of the doores as the Papists absurdly conceiue but through his omnipotent and al-commanding power the dooâ—es were opened to him aâ— they were to Peter Acts 12 9. and to some other Apostles Acts 5.19 Creatur acessit Creators Hieron epist. ad Pammac tom 1. fol. 178. Or
Christe motus est cadere deorsum ad nihil ad non esse ad preprum voluntatem elongari à Deo alium habet à Christo solicet moueri sursum ad Deum c. In this text appointed fitly for this time Christ is first conferred and then preferred before the Prophets and Angels In the comparison betweene Christ and the Prophets obâ—erue the consent and dissent between the old Testament and the new The consent and agreement is in that one God spake in both in the one by his seruants in the other by his Sonne The same God is author of both and the same Christ is subiect of both in so much that each Testament is in other in the Law there is an hidden Gospell and in the Gospell a reuealed Law So like as the two Cherubins on the mercy seat whose faces looked one to another And like the Seraphims Esay 6.3 one crying to another holy holy holy both hauing one voice saith Augustine Or resembling each other as Iesus and Iames who were so like that they were one anothers glasse God in times past and God in these last daies hath spoken to vs. And whosoeuer hee be to whom this ministry shall bee committed if hee will be numbred with Patriarkes and Prophets Apostles and Pastors and with our Sauiour Christ himselfe whatsoeuer hee speake let him speake as the word of God For this couenant hath God made with his seruants Esay 59.21 My spirit that is vpon thee and my words which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of the seed of thy seed from henceforth euen for euer And indeed whose word else should discerne the thoughts of the soule but his onely who is the searcher of the heart and whose word should kill our carnall affections but his onely who giues the sword of the spirit God spake The word God here may be taken either essentially for the whole Trinity because God the sonne being a crier in the wildernesse spake by the Prophets as well as God the Father and God the holy Ghost as well as either of them according to that of S. Peter Prophecie came not in olde time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost Or it may be construed in respect of Christs office personally God that is God the Father spake to the fathers by Prophets and by his owne sonne to vs. The dissent and difference betweene the two Testaments is in regard of the manner for Time sundry times Fashion many waies men Vnto whom vnto the fathers in times past but in these last daies vnto vs. In whom or by whom God spake by the Prophets in the one by his owne sonne in the other The first dissent is in respect of time the times of the Fathers are olde and past but the time of Christs preaching passeth not it is for euer alway continuing rew Iesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same 〈◊〉 for euer The doctrine taught by the Prophets in old time was reuealed multis vicibus as Beza translates at sundry times as our English Bible But that which Christ himselfe deliuered is reuealed but once The which is inâ—inuated heere but expressed else where by this author as in chap. 9. vers 26. But now in the end of the world hath Christ beene once reuealed And in chap. 12. vers 26. Yet once will I strike not the caâ—th onely but also heauen And this it is which Iude saith of the Christian faith that it was once giuen vnto the Saints Once that is perfectly so that wee need not another Gospell Almightie God hath spoken last in his sonne that is in the fulnesse of time so fully that we may not expect hee should vent in time to come any new doctrine For albeit the spirit was giuen after Christs ascension yet the same spirit taught that onely which Christ had taught afore See Gospell 4. Sunday after Easter From hence we may learne boldly to refuse whatsoeuer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an after or another doctrine sprung vp since Aâ— the new Gospell of Anabaptists and idolatries of Mahomet and the reuelations of S. Briget and all superstitious positions and expositions of Papists In a word whatsoeuer bastard religion is contrary to Christs once preaching vpon earth which because it was once confutes all after it and abrogates all afore it which had diuersitie of time as our Apostle gathereth in the 12. chapter of this Epistle vers 27. The second difference betweene the two Testaments is that God in the one spake many waies and diuersly either by Angel or by the Cloud or betweene the Cherubins or by visions or by dreames after sundry kindes of speech and diuers kindes of actions but the doctrine of the other is taught after one sort euen by preaching of the Gospell which is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth and it worketh more mightily then all those kinds of reuelations and pierceth into he heart of man more deepely then any manner of perswasion yea though one should rise from the dead and seeke to vs. The third dissent is that God in old time spake only to the Fathers Abraham Isaac Iacob vnto some few men and one nation He shewed his word vnto Iacob his staâ—â—â—es anâ— ordinances vnto Israel hee dealt not so with any people neither had the heathen knowledge of his Lawes But in these last daies he hath spoken vnto vs indefinitely to Iew to Gentile to bond to free to male to female being aâ—one in Christ Iesus hauing all through faith one entrance vnto the throne of grace Heb. 4 16. So that I need not say now Lord remember Dauid or the couenant made with Abraham but in time of need I may go boldly to the throne of grace saying Lord remember me O God be mercifull to me Iesus haue pitie on me For vnto those that are nigh and vnto those that are farre off there is but one couenant in Iesus Christ Eph 2.13.17 The fourth difference betweene the two Testamâ—nts is that God in the one spake by Prophets his seruants in the other by Christ his owne sonne by meere men in times past vnto the fathers but vnto vs hee hath spoken by that eternall word which is God whom hee hath made heire of all things by whom also hee hath made the world c. The maine proposition of this chapter is that Christ who reuealed the Gospell is the sonne of God yea God himselfe Now the first part namely that Christ is he who brought into the world the Gospell is concessum confessum The faithlesse Hebrew complained of it and the faithful Hebrew beleeued it And therfore taking this as
the Virgins wombe as a bridegroome out of his chamber the Godhead was ioyned vnto the flesh and the flesh vnto the Godhead and these two were coupled together and after an ineffable manner in an ineffable marriage made one Beleeue this and thou shalt haue power to be Gods owne sonne as it is in our text My beloued if thou put on this wedding garment thy soule shall be Christs own spouse so nere so deare to him as that he will say to it I am thy saluation and it may also tell him I am my welbeloueds and my welbeloued is mine For if Pilate by wearing Christs coate without a seame did appease the wrath of angry Caesar how much more shall euery true beleeuer please God our heauenly King if he put on Christ himselfe O the blessed crying of a blessed babe by which euery faithfull seruant and sonne of God escapeth eternall howling in hell O glorious manger in which our soules Manna lay the bread of life that came down from heauen on which if a man feede hee shall not hunger againe O how rich are the ragges which haue made plaisters for our sores for our sinnes I conclude with an hymne of Prudentius Mortale corpus sumpsit immortalitas Vt dum caducum portat aeternus Deus Transire nostrum posset ad coelestia The Epistle Act. 7. 55. And Steuen being full of the holy Ghost looked vp stedfastly with his eyes into heauen c. YEsterday you heard how Christ was borne to day you shall vnderstand how Steuen died In Christs natiuitie who was borne in a little village and in an Inne of that village and in a stable of that Inne and laid in a cratch of that stable wee may learne humilitie not to boast of our great birth In S. Steuens martyrdome wee may behold an excellent patterne how to behaue our selues at our death hauing faith in God and loue toward our neighbours the which assuredly will breed such a Christian resolution in vs as that wee shall depart this life cheerefully lying downe in our graues as in a bed to sleepe for so the text here when hee had thus spoken be fell a sleepe The Church then in ioyning these two festiuals is desirous that wee should learne to liue well as Christ and dye well as Steuen In the words of Augustine Celebraâ—imus hester na die natalem quo rex marâ—yrum natus est in â—â—â—ndo hodie cel bramus natalem quo primicarius martyrâ—um migraâ—â—â— ex mundo Oportebat enim vâ— priâ—â—um immortalis pro mortalibus susciperet carnem sie mortalis pro immortals contemneret mortem Et ideo natus est Dominus vt moreâ—etur pro seruo ne serâ—â—â— timeret mori pro domino Naâ—â—â— est Christus in terris vt Stephanuâ— nasceretur in câ—lis c. And I pray with the same Father hartily donet mihi dominus pâ—â—ca dicere salubriter qui doâ—â—uit Stephane tanto dicere fartiter In the whole text two points are to be considered especially the bloudy behauiour of the Iewes in martyring Steuen godly behauiour of Steuen in his martyrdome toward God in generall hee stedfastly looked vp into heauen and called vpon God particular Lord Iesus receiue my spirit Men heartily praying for his enemies on his knees with a loud voice Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Himselfe vndergoing his martyrdome so comfortably that giuing vp the ghost hee laid downe his head vpon the hard stones as vpon a soft pillow to slâ—epe The Iewes in their blind zeale were so furious and mercilesse that they put Steuen to death who sought to bring them to eternall life stoning him as a blasphemer against God and his law who was a man full of faith and power and the holy Ghost An harsh and an hard fact of a stonie people saith Augustine ad lapides currebant duri ad duros Petris 〈◊〉 qui pro Petra qui Christus est moriebatur Lapides Indaearebellis In Stephanum lymphata rapis quae crimine duro saxeâ— semper eris But of their crueltie toward Steuen and other Prophets of God in the Gospell appointed for this day more copiously The most obseruable point in our present text is the godly behauiour of Steuen in his martyrdome 1. to God he looked vp stedfastly with his eyes into heauen c. As to the place where his treasure was his conuersation was his helpe was Hereby teaching vs whether we should flie for succour in aduersitie not vnto men here below but vnto God in heauen aboue so Dauid When I was in trouble I called vpon the Lord and hee heard me my helpe commeth euen from the Lord. So Iob my witnesse is in heauen and my record is on high And so S. Iames euery good gift is from aboue Calling vpon God and saying Lord. Thomas Becket a renowned Martyr and Saint among the Papists at his death earnestly commended himselfe and his cause to the protection of S. Mary but our protomartyr heere knowing that shee was neque magistra neque ministra neither mistresse of his soule nor yet a ministring spirit to his soule forgetting our Lady calleth vpon our Lord only saying Lord Iesu receiue my spirit the which is not an invocation of God the Father as Fran. Dauid impiously taught making Iesu the Genitiue case and the meaning thus O Father in heauen which art the Lord of thy sonne Iesu but as Ambrose notes a prayer vnto God the Sonne for besides infinite places of holy Scripture wheâ—e Christ is called Lord and called vpon as the Lord. S. Iohn Apocalips 22.20 vseth as Steuen here Iesu in the vocatiue Case etiam veni Domine Iesu euen so come Lord Iesus Where Domine Iesu cannot bee construed the Lord of Iesus but the Lord Iesus See Lorin in loc Bellarmine de Christo lib. 1. cap. 8. If the Lord be considered without Iesus howsoeuer in regard of his power he is able yet in regard of his iustice not willing the good Angels and blessed Saints in heauen are willing but not able wretched vncharitable men on earth are neither able nor willing onely Christ the Mediator betweene God and man is both able and willing to heare vs and helpe vs able because Lord willing because Iesus And therefore Steuen here doth not inuocate the Lord but in the name of Iesus neither doth he call vpon any Iesus but the Lord Iesus he lookes not for any succour either from men on earth or blessed spirits in heauen onely hee poureth out his soule to the redeemer of his soule Lord Iesu receiue my spirit Receiue He knew that his life was hid with Christ in God and therefore commendeth his soule to him alone who created it and redeemed it and iustified it and sanctified it and will in his good time glorifie it O Lord Iesu take thine owne into thine owne
shewes to bee most excellent in regard of Himselfe Vnto mee the least of all Saints is this grace giuen Other God Vnsearchable riches of Christ â—idde in God c. Angels Vnto rulers and powers in heauenly things c. Men to make all mensee what the fellow shippe of the mystery is and that by Christ wee might haue boldnesse c. The summe of all which is seeing I haue receiued so much good and endured so much euill for your sake seeing the great mystery concerning the common saluation as S. Iude speakes in his Epistle was not in times past opened vnto the ionnes of men on earth or to the blessed Angels in heauen as it is now declared by the spirit seeing I say yee may see what is the fellowshippe of the mysterie which euen from the beginning hath 〈◊〉 hid in God I desire you not to faint in your course but to continue stedfast in the profession of this holy faith vnto your liues end For this cause Some Diuines haue troubled themselues and other in examining the context heere but it is among words as among men affinnity which is neerest ought to be dearest and therefore seeing the first words of this chapter agree very well with the last of the former I take the coherence to b◠〈◊〉 â—â—uer preached that you Gentile in 〈…〉 〈…〉 are noâ— citizens with the Saints 〈◊〉 together in Christ the châ—â—â— corner stone to be the 〈…〉 And for th◠〈◊〉 namely for that I have together that you Gentiles are 〈…〉 I 〈◊〉 hated of my countrimen accused in their Synagogue 〈◊〉 â—â— their councels iniured by their offâ—cer◠〈…〉 appeale to Casar I was sent to 〈◊〉 where I am apâ—â—â—â—er as you may reade at large in the fast eight chapâ—â— of the Acts of the Apostles A priâ—â—ner of Iesus Câ—râ—â— He was the prisoner of Caâ—ar but Caesâ— had his authoritie from aboue for there is no power but of God Whoâ—oeuer then is in prison is â—â—â—tâ—s Ieâ—u Christs though otherwise libâ—â—â—â—â—eâ—u Christs suffering by Gods power and permittance â—ho can whâ—n he wâ—ll and will as shall make moâ—t for â—â— glorie proclame libâ—rtie to the captues and oâ—â—niâ—g â—â— the prison vnto them that are â—â—â—â—d Or he was â—â—e priâ—oâ—eâ— Châ—â—â—â— as enduring his â—ond for Christs faith and seruice Vâ—â—â—â—s noâ—â— Chrs to â—eâ—pro Christo. Namely for preaching among the Gentiles the eâ—searchable â—â—hes of Chrâ—st as it is in the S. verse So that whereas two thing especially commend a Maâ—tyr saith in Christ and loâ—e to the Church boâ—h are meâ— in the Apostle Hee suffeâ—ed for the true faith a pâ—iâ—onâ—r of Ieâ—â—s Christ and out of vnfained loue to Godâ— people Fâ—r â—â—u Gentiles as it iâ— in the hitteenâ—h verse â—or your sakeâ— euen for your good and example thaâ— yee likewise may conâ—â—nue conâ—tant in the sincere pâ—â—feâ—â—ion of Christianitie Fâ—â—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 is your glorie that ye hâ—â—e such â—n inâ—truâ—tor as is Christâ—n â—n boâ—d noâ— for any faction of yourâ— or fault of his oâ—ne but â—â—r confeâ—ence toâ—â—â—d God euen for the â—â—â—irâ—â—â—n â—f the grâ—â—e whâ—â—h â—s â—â—â—en â—ee to you-ward See Epistle Sâ—nday 16. after Trinitie Hitherto concerning the griefe which our Apostle suffered in Christs cause for the Gentiles I come now to treate of the grace which he receiued In respect of his knowledge being Certaine By reuelation shewed he the mysterie to me Full euen so perfectly reuealed that in a few words you may read and vnderstand â—y knowledge in the mysterie of Christ. Excellent which in other ages was not made knowne vnto the sonnes of men as it is now declared c. Practise whereof I am made a Minister according to the gift of the grace of God which is giuen vnto me c. If you haue heard of the ministration of the grace The calling of ' aul to be the Doctor of the Gentiles as it was knowne vnto himselfe by reuelation so to them by report If yee haue heard c. As if he should haue said if ye doubt not of my calling ye may be well assured of my doctrine But ye cannot doubt of my calling as hauing often heard how Christ in a vision appeared to me saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou me And when I had answered Lord what wilâ— thou haue mee to doe Iesus told Ananiâ—â—s in another vision Hee is a chosen vessell vnto mee to beare my name before the Gentiles and Kings and the children of Israel And so God separated mee from my mothers wombe and called me by his grace to reueale his sonne among the Gentiles as the Gospell ouer the circumcision was committed to Peter so the Gospell ouer the vncircumcision was committed vnto me being an Apostle not of men or by man Galat. 1.1 Or after man Gal. 1.11 but the ministration of Gods grace was giuen vnto me by the reuelation of Iesus Christ. The word mimstration or dispensation may bee construed either passiuely being a grace giuen and dispensed to Paul or actiuely for that Paul was dispenser of it vnto other 1. Cor 4.1 Let a man so thinke of vs as of the ministers of Christ and disposers if the secrets of God His office then is called a dispensation For that it consisteth in the dispensing of Christs vnsearchable riches And the Gospell is called here Gods grace for that it is faithfully deliuered and fruitfully receiued nor by mans merit but onely through Gods free grace Preaching in the teacher and beleeuing in the hearer are both the faire gifts of God Or the Gospell is called Gods grace because the summe thereof is nothing else but the preaching of Gods exceeding rich mercies in Christ intimating that our iustification is not by the workes of the Law but freely by grace through faith As I wrote afore in few words I finde that some construe this of that which is written in other Epistles vnto other men as to Philemon and other Churches as to that of Colossus and Philippi Marlorat is of opinion that our Apostle wrote another Epistle though it bee not extant vnto the Church of Ephesus Other referre this clause to that which is deliuered in this present Epistle to wit vnto that which is sayd in the two former chapters Or to that in chap. 1. vers 9. or chap. 2. vers 14. He is our peace which hath made of both one and hath broken the step of the partition wall In this little briefe is contained all that great mysterie which in times past was not opened vnto the sonnes of men as it is now declared by the spirit that the Gentiles should bee fellow heires and of the same body and partakers of the same promise in Christ by the Gospell Which mysterie in times past was not opened vnto the sonnes of men This verse cannot easily bee digested as one sayd without a graine of
salt for if wee shall vnderstand this of the whole mystery of Christ manifested in the flesh it is certaine that Abraham with faiths eye saw Christ and was glad and the Prophets enquired and searched when or what time the spirit which was in them should declare the sufferings that should come to Christ and the glorie that should follow Nay the very common people did expect the consolation of Israel as it is apparant by that of the Samaritane woman I know well that Messias shall come which is called Christ. Or if we construe this of that part of the mysterie which onely concernes the vocation of the Gentiles it is as plaine that Abraham beleeued all the families of the earth should be blessed in his seed And the Prophet Haggai calâ— the Messias expresly the desire of all nations And in the first lesson allotted for euening praier on this day Thus saith the Lord Behold I will lift vp mine hands to the Gentiles and set vp my standard to the people c. Kings shall be their nursing fathers and Queenes their nursing mothers c. Answer then is made that this mysterie was opened in times past vnto the sonnes of God but not as it is in the text here to the sonnes of men It was knowne vnto the spirituall lew but not vnto the carnall For the Prophers spake not as the sonnes of men but as they were moued by the spirit of God 1. Pet. 2.21 Other thinke this mysterie was opened vnto the lewes as hauing the Law and the Prophets testifying of Christ and that it was hidden onely to the Gentiles as wanting the light of Gods word to direct them in their night of ignorance Other say that the Prophets in old time knew that the Gentiles should be partakers of Gods promise concerning the blessed seed but they did not vnderstand how this could be without circumcision because God said Euery person which is not circumcised should be cut off from his people Yea the knowledge in this mysterie was hidden vnto the chiefe Apostle till it was in a vision reuealed vnto him as we reade Act. 10. Other finde a direct answer couched in the words of Paul here which mysterie was not in times past opened vnto the sâ—aues of 〈◊〉 as it is now declared vnto his holy Apotles and Prophets by the spirit It was opened before but not as now not so fully manifested vnto the Paâ—â—iarkes and Prophets in the old Testament as in the light of the Gospell vnto blessed Apostles and Preachers in which respect Iohn the Baptist is said to be greater then a Prophet For whereaâ— they shadowed out Christ in figures obscurely he shewed our Christ with his finger openly 〈…〉 of God which taketh away the sinne of the world So Christ himselfe to his Disciples Blessed 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 that 〈…〉 you that many Prophets and Kings haue desired to see those things which ye see in 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 them and to heare those things which yee heare and haue not heard them The blessed Apostles are called in the fifth verse Prophets as propheeying in their Creed of things to come to wit of the resurrection of the 〈◊〉 and euerlasting life or Prophets as being expounders of the Prophets as the word is vsed elsewhere Rom. 12.6 Ephes. 4.11 1. Cor. 14.1 See Epistle second Sunday after the Epiphanie That the Gâ—ntâ—les should be follow-heires and of the same body and partakers of the same promise The Gentiles are said to bee follow-heires in respect of future glorie repectulum futuri because they shall be heires of saluation and inheâ—itors of the kingdome of heauen so well as the Iewes euen heires of God and ioint heires with Christ Rom. 8.17 Of the same body in respect of present grace respectu boni praesentis as being built together in Christ and made one Church and habitation of God Ephes. 2.14.22 Partakers of the same promise in respect of mercie 〈◊〉 die respectu boni praeriti forasmuch a Gods Couenant made to father Abraham apparantly concerned all the nations of the world Genes 12.3.18 18 22.18 Heere the Gospell and Epistle meet and both are well accommodated vnto Christs Epiphanie for the Wisemen shewed that in deed which our Apostle heere saith in word Vnto the rulers and powers in heauenly things Whether this ought to be construed of damned deuils or blessed Angels I referre you to S. Ambrose Erasmus Marlorat Or if spoken of the good Angels onely whether it concernes all at all times or in times past only such as were not imploied in the publishing of Christs incarnation I desire you to reade the Commentaries of Hierome and Haymo vpon this text Lombard sent lib 2. distinct 11. Alussiodorensis Aur. sum lib. 2. Tracti 5. quaesi â— 6. Sixtus senensis bibliothec lib. 6. annot 165 182.29â— And whether this knowledge be reuealed or experimentall only Thomas part 1. quast 117. art 2. Lexicon Theolog Astenstanc verb. Angelus Perkins exposit Creed art 1. Tit. Creation of Angels Aretius Marlorat Zanch. in loc For mine owne part where I see not my selfe I loue not to leade other If these cited Authors afford your vnderstanding good paiment I shall be so well pleased as when I borrow ready coine of one friend to lend it vnto another If not I say with Hierome Non parum est scire quid nesâ—as and with Augustine Non videtur mihi quisquam errare cum aliquid nescire se scit sed cum putat scire quod nescit The Gospell MATTH 2.1 When Iesus was borne in Bethlehem a Citie in Iurie in the time of Herod the King behold there came Wise-men from the East to Ierusalem saying who is he that is borne King of the Iewes c. AFter the celebration of Christs birth and circumcision it seemed good vnto the Church to constitute a Feast in honour of his Epiphanie that his glory might be manifested in the flesh so well as his infirmitie Now this Feast is called by three sundry names according to the three principall appearings of our Lord in this kinde on this day 1. Epiphania because Christ as this day did appeare to the Wisemen that sought him by the leading of a starre 2. Theophania for that as vpon this day 29. yeeres after his birth his glorie appeared in his baptisme by the witnesse of the Father speaking from heauen this is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased and by the descending of the holy Ghost vpon him in a visible shape like a done 3. Bethphania for that on the same day twelue moneth after his baptisme his glorie appeared at the marriage in Cana by turning water into wine Iohn 2.11 We must according to the present text onely treat of his appearing to the Wisemen in whom I note These 7. circumstances 1. At what time they came to
to himselfe godly For his workes he was iust 〈◊〉 dealing with men for his faith he was dexout in the seruice of God These two deuotion and iustice comprehend all the whole law deuotion all the duties of the first table iustice all the duties of the second Deuotion is the mother Iustice the daughter because the true feare of God bringeth forth alwaies vpright cariage toward men It is not reported here that he was so righteous as that he needed not another righteousnesse for he looked for the consolation of Israel acknowledging in his song Christ for his sauiour but that he liued as it is said of Zacharias and Elizabeth in the former Chapter vnblameable before men The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is translated pius religiosius rimoratus one who feared God and this feare was not seruile but siliall Hee did not feare God as a bad seruant fearing the stripes of his great master but as a louing sonne fearing to displease his good father â—â—imâ—bat cumdilectione diligebat cum timore He was in his course so carefull to doe the will of our heauenly father as that he feared with a pious loue and loued with a reuerent feare Solicite pius omnia timens ne non satis pius sit in doing good a iust man in eschewing euill one that feared God And looked for the consolation of Israel Hee was a Iust man in deed giuing euery one his right vnto God as being deuout vnto himselfe as expecting the consolation of Israel vnto other in preaching Christ openly to be both a light to the Gentiles and a glory to the Iewes all the chiefe Christian vertues appeared in him eminently Faith hope loue faith as fearing God hope as looking for the Messias of the world loue as being Iust communicating his gifts of prophecie to the benefit of the the Church in singing his nunc dimittis and in saying mine eyes haue seene thy saluation My corporal eyes thy manhood my spiritual eyes thy Godhead the coniunction of which is Salutare titum thy saluation as giuing it and Salutare â—rism our saluation as receiuing it And this Salutare is not singulare but as Saint Iude tearmeth it a Common saluation and as old Simeon in his Hymne prepared before the face of all people The Epistle ACTS 1.15 In those daies Peter stood vp in the middlest of the Disciples and said c. THis Epistle containeth a short yet a sweet narration how Matthews a Disciple was elected into the traitor Iudas Apostleship and Bishopricke Wherein three things are more principally remarkeable 1. His Conge de leâ—re deliuered in an eloquent speech in which obserue the Time In whose daies Orator Peter stood up Auditorie Disciples and brethren about an hundred and twentie Oration partly hortatorie perswading that one must bee chosen verse 16 17 18 19 20. doctrinall intimating what an one must be chosen vers 21 22. 2. H selection and in it the processe by nomination vers 23. prayer vers 24.25 lots vers 26. success the lot fell on Matthias 3. His installation hee was counted with the eleuen Apostles In those daies To wit in the space betweene Christs assension and his sending of the holy Ghost at that time the Disciples being gathered together at Hierusalem in an vpper parlour they continued with one accord not in supplication onely but in consultation also for the Gospels aduancement Hereby teaching all men especially preachers of the word to spend their houres profitably for the benefit of the Church in supplanting her foes and in supplying the number of her friends Peter stood vp in the middest of the Disciple and said Heere the Papists obserue Peters supreme power ouer the rest of the Disciples and Apostles and so by consequence though inconsequent the Popes absolute command ouer all other Bishops in the whole world But if we will exactly consider and examine his behauiour in this assembly wee shall vnderstand that he caried himselfe not as a Pope but as a peere toward them I. in calling them brethren and frater is fere alter as Lorinus vpon the place 2. for that he standeth vp in the middlest of the Disciples equally referring all things vnto their common consent and free choice terming himselfe a fellow pastour 1. Pet. 5.1 Whereas euery Bishop assembled in the Tridentine Conuenticle tooke a corporall oath that he would not dispute any point to preiudice the Romane sea nay there was nothing determined in that irregular meeting except it was first handled and hammered at Rome by the Pope for then it was ordinarily said in a by-word that the holy Ghost in a bull or Popes breue was sent from Rome to Trent as Chemnitius plainly told Andradius In illo concilio idem actor reâ—â—est 〈◊〉 Our Diuines therefore say that Peter was elected prolocutor of this connocation either by secret reuelation of the holy Ghost or else by expresse iudgement of the congregation or for that hee was vsually more seruent then the rest in such a busines ardentior rebus agendes aptior reliquis extiterat For it became â—im of all the Colâ—edge best as hauing deâ—ied Christ heretofore most He â—tood vp and spake as the mouth of the companie but hee played not the Pope but onely the perswader exercising not a supremacy of authoritie but a primacie of order as Chrysostome and other note See Gospell 1. Sund. after Easter The number of names that were together were about an hundred and twentie The vulgar Latine reading turba hominum answeres not the Greeke so well as our text turba nominum the number of names For in exquisite numbring vsually men are mustred by their seuerall names in Councels especially the names of such as giue voices are full enrolled in a bill or registers table But by names our Euangelist vnderstands men as the holy Ghost elsewhere â—hou hast a few names yet in Sardi which had not defiled their garments A few names that is as â—ullinger and other vpon the place a few persons And it may bee that the sacred spirit in vsing this phrase doth insinuate that they were men of eminent note as Gen. 6.4 The Gyants are called men of renoune that is as Munster translates according to the Hebrew viri nominate men of name Well howsoeuer their names were great their number was but small being about an hundred and twentie By which it doth appeare that the kingdome of heauen is like vnto a graine of mustard seed the which in sowing is indeed the least of all seeds but in growing it is the gâ—eatest among herbs euen a tree so that the birds of heauen come and build in the branches thereof Vnto these 1â—0 The Lord added daily such as should bee saued at one Sermon of Saint Peter Act. 2. The number of brethren was encreased about 3000. soules
his father primarily not for hiding these things from the wise that is wise in their owne eyes or wise men after the flesh endued with a wisedome which is earthly sensuall diuellish Iames. 3.15 but because though he suffer the prince of darkenesse to blind the mindes of the worldly wise yet he doth openly shâ—w the glorious light of the Gospell vnto babes that is vnto such as became fooles that they may be wise wholly renouncing their owne wit and solely submitting themselues vnto Gods will If Iesus reioyced in the spirit and magnified the Lord of heauen and earth for vs O what thankes ought our selues to present vnto God for our selues Praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within me praise his holy name For mine eyes haue seene thy saluation and mine heart hath often endited a good matter and my pen sometimes is the pen of a readie writer O father of mercie whereas these things are yet hid from the Iewes and from the Turkes and from the superstitious Heathen and from carnall Christians I haue to the great refreshing of my soule through thy grace sweet Iesu both heard by the Gospell and imbraced the Gospell and preached the Gospell and in some measure practised also the Gospell O my soule praise the Lord and forget not all his benefits I will sing vnto the Lord as long as I liue I will praise my God while I haue any being Psal. 104.33 The sweetest of honie lieth in the bottome I passe therefore from Christs inuocation to the latter part of his Gospell his inuitation In which obserue the mouer Iesus moued all that labour and are laden motion Come take my yoke vpon you learne of me motiues I will ease you yee shall finde rest vnto your soules for my yoke is easie and my burthen light The person inuiting is Iesus he saith heere come not to mine but to me not to my Saints or Angels or Martyrs or Mother but to my selfe Send not other it is my pleasure that ye come seeke not for helpe from other I will ease you Come vnto me for I am the way the truth and the life The way by which and the tâ—uth in which and the life for which all of you come None can come but by me none finde ease but in me none rest in ease but with me Come therefore for I am the way learne of me for I am the truth and ye shall find rest vnto your soules for I am the life Come to me for I am as you see willing in saying come and able to relieue you for that all things are giuen vnto me So that aske and ye shall haue seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you None can come to the Father except it bee by the Sonne for no man knoweth the Father saue the Sonne and he to whomsoeuer the Sonne will open him In saying saue the Sonne he doth not exclude the holy spirit being the third person in Trinitie for it is a good conclusion in Diuinitie dictio exclusiua siue exceptiua addita termino personali in essentialibus non excludit ab altera persona diuina God the Father and God the holy Ghost as being all one with the Sonne are in the words nisi filius included and onely the Creator excluded For none know the Father by nature but by the reuelation of the Sonne Wee speake the wisedome of God in a mystery saith Paul which none of the Princes of this world knew hunc magnus Plato nesciuit eloquens Demosthenes ignorauit It is true that wee may know by the light of humane discourse that there is a God for the Godhead is seene by the creation of the world The heauens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handie woâ—ke Psalm 19.1 Yet none know the Father that is a distinction of the persons in sacred Trinity but by the spirit of him in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Coloss. 2.3 And 〈◊〉 our reuealed knowledge is but imperfect in this life They who saw most of God obtained onely the sight of his hinder parts And in the kingdome of glory when as we shall enioy the beholding of his fore-parts also seeing him euen face to face our knowledge shall not be comprehensionis cognitio sed apprehensionis an apprehending rather then a comprehending of his infinite Maiesty Wee shall not euen in that day know so much of the Father as the Father knoweth of himselfe Sola quippe trinitas in vnâ—atis diuinitate seipsam nouit In this life we shall attaine by Christs grace to such an vnderstanding 〈◊〉 God as is fit and in the world to come we shall â—aâ—e so much as is full euen so much as any created vessel is able to containe yet none shall euer 〈◊〉 comprehend that incomprehensible Trinitie none can as it selfe know it selfe Hâ—â—herto concerning the party calling I am now to speake of the persoâ—s inuited All ye that labour and are lader He doth exâ—â—â—â— â—one who came to bring all vnto the knowledge of the truth â—â—al that lâ—â—our then all that liue For man borne of a woman is full of troubâ—e Iob 14.1 Come therefore all ye that labour in your actions and are laden in your passions All ye Iewes who labour vnder the yoke of the law and all ye Gentiles oppâ—essed with the burthen of your sinnes All yee â—hat labour where 〈◊〉 and whensoeuer and howsoâ—â—er afflicted or affâ—â—â—â—d 〈◊〉 misery For these two labâ—ur and lâ—dâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—one conceiue simply the â—â—me signâ—fâ—ing all kind â—f â—â—efe sâ—res and sorrow â—hatsoeuer As in the 6. and 9 Psalmes 〈◊〉 weary of my greamâ—g I am weary of my 〈◊〉 c. To speake more distinctly there is a threefold burthen namely the burthen of â—â—ffliction the law 〈…〉 Christ easeth all such as come to him of all these Concerning the sirâ— great trauâ—ile saith the sonne of Sirach is created for all men and a heaâ—ie yoke vpon the sonnes of Adam euen from the day that they goe out of the mothers wombe till the day that they returne to the mother of all things But Christ a refuge in due time of trouble yea a present helpe doth either take away this burthen froÌ„ our shoulders or else giueth vnto such as come to him abundant strength and patience to beare it Art thou crossed in thy goods it is the Lord who giueth and the Lord who taketh away Cast all your care vpon him and hee will so care for you that this burthen shall be made light and this yoke easie Art thou wronged in thy good name say with Dauid it may bee the Lord will looke vpon mine affliction do me good for Shemi his cursing me this
soule as Gods elect in heauen who rest from their labour Apocalyp 14.13 and from their griefe for God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall be no more dying or crying and from their feare Iob. 11.19 when thou takest thy rest none shall affright thee come then vnto me all ye that labour and are laden and ye shall find rest here begun hereafter accomplished fully ye shall find not by your owne industry but through my grace first I will ease you then ye shall find rest vnto your soules vnlesse I giue you meanes to seeke ye can not find if you will haue it I pray come to me for it For my yoke is easie and my burthen light Some construe this of Christs humility because meek and lowly persons haue more rest and ease then the proud and ambitious euer labouring for higher place per quot pericula peruenitur ad grandius periculum as Augustine sweetly The Courtier is in deed restie yet restlesse if he turne gallant he shall be condemned as vaine if otherwise disgraced with the titles of basenes if he follow his studies he shall be thought dangerous if not argued of ignorance it he haue traueiled his seruice will be questioned if not he shall be reputed vncapable of employment So miserable is his estate that his imperfections are hated his vertues suspected and either of them both alike able to barre him from preferment He must euer study not so much to haue friends as to beware of his enemies in a word there is lesse trauel in seruing of God then the King for the King hath only some few houres of audience whereas God saith at what time soeuer a sinner doth repent of his sinne from the bottom of his heart I will put all his wickednes out of my remembrance But most interpretors vnderstand this of Christs Gospell and doctrine for his burthen is light vnto such as hee refresheth and easeth from the burthen of sinne his commandements are not heauie to them whose faith ouercommeth the world 1. Iohn 5.3 A yoke when it is greene is heauie but when it is somewhat worne easie Now Christ himselfe did first weare this yoke that it might be seasoned and made light for vs. If he commanded other to fast himselfe fasted if he commanded other to pray himselfe prayed if he commanded other to forgiue himselfe pardoned if he commanded other to die himselfe also died c. And therefore saith he learne of me For this yoke will appeare to be sweet if once you bee well acquainted with it as I am It is my yoke not yours I put my shoulder vnto the burthen and beare more then you factus est principatus super humerum eius Esa. 9.6 Christ doth as Paul saith Who is weake and I am not weake who is offended and I burne not I beare the yoke when yee suffer Act. 9.4 Saul Saul why persecutest thou me To this purpose Paulinus excellently Christus patiens triumphans in sanct is suis in Abel occisus á fratre in Noe irrisus à filio in Abraham peregrinatus In Isaac oblatus in Ioseph venditus in Moyse fugatus in Prophetis lapidatus in Apostolis terra marique iactatus When as then ye labour and are laden heauily learne of me yea leane on me Psalm 55.23 Cast thy burden vpon the Lord and he shall nourish thee Come to me and I will ease you So S. Augustine doth expound this clause Christs burthen in it selfe saith he is exceeding troublesome for all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer perscution but his spirit helpeth our infirmities and sweetneth affliction for vs hee maketh vs willing and so by consequent able to beare his burthen and vndergoe his yoke For vbi amor est non est labor sed sapor vnto the willing all things are welcome The way to heauen is angusta paucis eligentibus facilis tamen omnibus diligentibus O come then vnto Christ and take vp his yoke Feare it not as being a yoke but beaâ—e it as being easie Respect not the present paine but expect the future pleasure For our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent and eternall waight of glory 2. Cor. 4.17 It is very remarkable that Christ saith in the singular yoke for hee doth not command vs to plough with many yokes The diuell enticeth vs to many vices which are contrary the world hath many troubles which are contrary the flesh also many desires which are contrary but God hath vpon the point but one commandement namely that we beleeue in his Sonne Iesus Christ and expresse this faith in louing one another All that Christ on our part requireth is that wee come to him and learne of him If thou shalt acknowledge with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt beleeue in thine heart that God hath raised him vp from the dead thou shalt bee saued The Gospell is called a burthen and a yoke lest we presume yet light and easie lest wee despaire By this one sentence two sorts of men are confuted especially the carnall Gospellers on the right hand who because iustification is by faith onely hold themselues free from all burthens and the superstitious Monkes and merit-mongers on the left hand loading the consciences of men with too many burthens O sweet Iesu so guide me with thy holy spirit that I may walke betweene these two rocks in thy mid way Thou â—o whom all things are giuen giue me thy grace that I may come to thee learne of thee rest in thee That I may so beare thy crosse on earth as that I may weare thy crowne in heauen Amen The Epistle ESAY 7.10 God spake once againe to Ahaz saying require a token of the Lord thy God c. IN this Scripture two things are more chieflie considerable namely the goodnesse of God particularly toward Ahaz King of Iuda God spake againe to Ahaz saying aske a signe c. generally toward all the house of Dauid euen the whole Church a Virgin shall conceine c. wickednesse of Ahaz Open vnthankfulnesse and insolent impiety then said Ahaz will aske none Secret hypocrisie couering his contempt and Atheisme with a cloake of deuotion and duty neither will I tempt the Lord. God spake againe to Ahaz In the daies of Ahaz the sonne of Iotham the sonne of Vzziah King of Iudah as wee read in the beginning of this present chapter Rezm the King of Aram and Peâ—ath the sonne of Remaliah King of Israel came vp and fought against Hierusalem Now God as being a present helpe in troubâ—e sent his Prophet Esay to comfort King Ahaz in this extremitie saying vers 4. Feare not neither be faint hearâ—ed for the two tailes of those smoâ—ing firebrands for the furious wrath of Rezin and
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
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.
the gifts of the holy Ghost vnto them in the visible formes of clouen and fierie tongues Acts 2.3 see epist. on Whiâ—sunday 2. Ostension in regard of execution of their office for albeit they had a commission before to preach first vnto the lost sheepe of Israel and then vnto all nations in the world Mat. 28.19 yet they did not execute this commission in gathering together a Church out of both vnto God vntill Christ had ascended farre aboue all heauens to fulfill all things and the reason hereof is rendred in our text because Dauid had so prophesied of him in the 68. Psalme when hee went vp on high he led captiuity captiue and gaue gifts vnto men And in deed it was at this time most fit for him and best also for his to giue gifts it was exceeding fit for himselfe because glorious conquerours in their solemne triumphes vsually lead their chiefe enemies settered either in iron chaines as Paulus Aemilius triumphed ouer Persius or in iron cages as Tamberlane the great vsed proud Batazet king of the Turkes And so leading captiuity captiue they deuided the spoile to their friends and followers as it is in the Psalme Christ ascending on high led captiuity captiue that is the diuell and all his complices hell death and the graue triumphing ouer them openly Giuing also gifts vnto the Church as Apostles and Prophets and Euangelists and Pastors and Teachers who might loose such as Satan bindes and it was at this time 〈◊〉 for his followers as not depending any longer vpon his bodily presence See Gospell 4. Sun after Easter The 3. remarkable point in this Scripture is what he gaue to men vnto euery one is giuen grace according to thâ— measure of the gift of Christ c. He doth vnderstand by grace not liuing grace for that as he shewed in the former â—art of this Chapter is in all the members of the Church one and the same one faith one hope one baptisme c. But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken here for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namely for the diuers gifts of the holy Ghost as interpretation of tongues and discerning of spirits and the gifts of healing propheâ—ie the word of knowledge and the like of which hee disputeth at large 1. Cor. 12. and so Paul expoundeth himselfe in our present text at the 11. verse the same made some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists c. Apostles were such as he called himselfe either in his state moâ—â—all as the 12. disciples or in his state glorious as Paul Acts 9.15 and Matthias Acts 1.16 to preach his Gospell and to plant his Church in euery nation of the world Prophets were such as interpret the scripture of the Prophets 1. Cor. 14.4 He that propheseth 〈◊〉 the Church and Mat. 23.34 I â—hold I send vnto Prophets that is preachers Or Prophets were such as had marueâ—lous wisdome and could foretell things to come as Agabus Acts 11.28 signified by the spirit that there should be great famine thorough oâ— all the worldâ— which also came to passe vnder Claudus Caesar. Euâ—ngeliâ—ts are so called either of preaching the Gospell and so Paul exhorted Timothie to doe the worke of an Euangelists or else of writing the Gospell and so there â—ee but 4. Euangelists only Mathew Marke Luke Iohn And here we may note the reason why the Church appointed this scripture to be read at this time namely because Saint Marke was an Euangelist Pastours are such as are placed ouer a certaine cure whereas Apostles had the whole Church for their charge So Paul speakes vnto the Elders of the Church at Ephesus take heed to your selues and to all the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you ouer seerâ— And so Bishops in their dioces and Priests in their parishes are Pastors Or as Theophylact Pastors and Doctors are Presbyters and Deacons Or as some late Diuines obserue Pastors are rectors of the whole congregation Doctors are catechists and teachers of the youth and other new comes into Christs schoole Pastors are such as feed Christs sheepe and Doctors are such as feede Christs lambes or as Beza Pastors are they who gouerne the Church and Doctors are they who gouerne the schooles But I rather embrace their opinion who think Pastorâ— Doctors are diuers names of one office euen as feeding and teaching are all one for otherwise Paul as Hierome Lombard Anselmo haue noted vpon the place would haue distinguished them as he did the rest and haue said he gaue some Pastors some Teachers as well as some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists c. but he ioyneth them together Pastors and Teachers insinuating that Pastors should teach and that as our Church speakes both by their preaching and liuing ensamples in word in conuersation in loue in spirit in faith and purenes 1. Tim. 4 12. Some Diuines obserue that these functions are partly temporall and extraordinary as Apostles Prophets Euangelists and partly continual and ordinary as Pastors and Teachers but herein I tread in the steps of that holy father my most honoured and honorable master Archbishop Whitgift who writing against the schismatickes of his age saith and proueth out of this our present text also that all these degrees of ministers remaine still in some sort vntill the worlds end For first as Nouelists acknowledge Paul in this place maketh a perfite platforme of a Church and a full rehearsall of all offices therein contained and he saith expresly that Christ ascending vp on high gaue them for the gathering together of the Saints and for the worke of the ministry c. tell we all come to the vnity of the faith and knowledge of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man vnto the measure of the full age of Christ. That is as Caluin Zanchius and other vntill wee meet in that other world to come I know there were certaine things in the blessed Apostles which were proper vnto themselues as their immediate calling from God the power of working miracles and their commission to goe into the whole world c. but to preach the Gospell of Christ in places where need requireth although it be not peculiarly committed to them or to gouerne the Churches already planted I see no cause why it should not be perpetuall among the Ministers of the word Likewise the function of an Euangelist if it be taken for the writing of the Gospel it was temporal and hath his ende But if it be taken for preaching to the people plainely and simply as Bullinger thinketh or generally for preaching the Gospell as Musculus supposeth in which sense Paul said vnto Timothie do the worke of an Euangelist or for preaching more zealously then other as Bucer imagineth I make no doubt but that it still remaineth in the Church Moreouer Prophets if they bee taken for
is ready to tell the Prophet as Ahab did Eliah Hast thou found me O mine enemy Then the whole rabble furiously raging together against the Lord against his annointed conclude peremptorily that apeece of a pulpit is enough halfe a benefice too much for such an vnquiet spirit S. Augustine sweetly Quiphreneticum ligat lethargicum excitat ambobus molestus ambos amat For the worke of the ministry The gifts of Christ here mentioned are not theoricall but practicall giuen vnto Pastors for the worke of the ministry the word worke forbids loytering and the word ministry lording I pray misconstrue not this glosse seeing I meane as Paul and speake as B. Latimer did almost in euery sermon Domabis lupos sed non dominaberis ouibus as Bernard told Eugenius For the edifying of the body of Christ The gift of the spirit is giuen to euery man to edifie withall hee therefore that is a non edificant is vnworthie to bee called an Apostle or Prophet or Euangelist Positiestis dispensatores sed in edificationem non in destructionem aliter non fidelis dispensatio sed crudelis dissipâ—tio The Doctors office is to teach and the Pastors calling to feed Our great Lord repeated this iniunction vnto Peter thrice feed my lambes feed my sheep feed my flock that is as Bernard excellently pasce mente pasce ore pasce opere pasce animi oratione verbi exhortatione exempli exhibitione And here the people likewise may learne to reuerence their Pastors and teachers as the Ministers of Christ sent from aboue to watch for their soules If they must honorare bonum dominum etiam in malo seruo respect euery Prophet and Euangelist and Pastor for his workes sake 1. Thessal 5.13 then vnto such as rule wel and labour in the word and doctrine they must as our Apostle speakes giue double honour The Gospell IOHN 15.1 I am the true vine and my Father is an Husbandman c. AS a kind friend loth to depart with his familiars in giuing a farwel often breakes off his speech and begins a new discourse so Christ heere being now to leaue the world after hee had ended one sermon vnto his Disciples in the chapter going before falleth into another of the like argument in this present wherein hee doth especially two things exhort and comfort He doth exhort all his followers 1. To continue stedfast in the faith and that vnder the parable of the vine intimating that as the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe except it abide in the Vine so they can doe nothing vnlesse they abide in him Vrging this one point by diuers reasons all which may be reduced vnto the punishment of such as abide not Poena damni they beare no fruite vers 4. Poenasensus they be taken away verse 2. withered gathered cast into the fire burnt v. 6. blessednesse of such as abide being Purged by God the father v. 2. Cleansed by God the sonne v. 3. CoÌ„forted by God the holy Ghost abide in mee and I will abide in you by my spirit vers 4. Relieued in whatsoeuer they shal aske vers 7. 2. To make demonstration hereof in workes of piety glorifying God and louing one another Hee comforts them against the worlds hatred 1. From his owne example vers 18.20 2. From the cause of this hatred ver 19. 3. From the cause of the cause vers 21.22.24 4. For that God and Christ suffer with them vers 23. 5. From the prediction of holy Scripture vers 25. 6. By promising to send the comforter vers 26. I am the true Vine Christ is called heere a Vine as else where a Lion a Sheepe a Lambe a corner Stone a Doore A true Vine by way of difference from the wilde vine or as Rupertus vpon the place to distinguish it from the Vines of Sodome and Gomorrah Whose grapes as Moses speaketh in his song are grapes of gall and their clusters are bitter their wine is the poyson of Dragons and the cruell gall of Aspes A true Vine not simply but in a simile not truly a Vine but like a true Vine Vera faith Augustine per similitudinem non per proprietatem a true Vine as in the first chapter of this Gospell at the ninth verse the true light Now the resemblances betweene Christ and a true Vine are manifold 1. A Vine is not sowne in the ground but planted a young slip of an old tree so Christ is a naturall branch of God the Father euen very God of very God but for vs men and our saluation hee was translated from heauen and planted on earth that is borne of the Virgin Mary of whom it is said Esay 45.8 Let the earth open and let saluation and iustice grow forth let it bring them forth together I the Lord haue created him A blessed earth in whole blessed fruit all the nations of the world are blessed 2. The Vine that it may beare the more fruit is cut and pruned and so Christ although he were conceiued of the holy Ghost and borne without all sinne yet for our sakes he was circumcised on the eight day wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities Againe Christ albeit hee were Lord ouer all things and heire of the whole world yet for our saluation he suffered his glory to be pruned by the knife of ignominie for whereas hee was the King of glory hee made himselfe of no reputation Philip. 2.7 Hee tooke on him the forme of a seruant and was made man as Dauid speakes of him a worme and no man a very scorne of men and outcast of the people Psalm 22.6 His wealth was pruned by the knife of pouerty Pauper in natiuitate pauperior in vita pauperimus in cruce So poore in his birth that hee was borne in another mans stable so poore in his life that he said of himselfe the Foxes haue holes and the birds of the heauen haue nests but the sonne of man hath not whereon to rest his head So poore when he was dead that he was buried in another mans tombe Matth. 27 60. His pleasure was pruned by the knife of sorrow Lament 1.12 Behold and see if there be any sorrow like vnto my sorrow His familiar acquaintance was also cut away from him by the knife of feare Iudaâ— betrayed him Peter denied him other forsooke him all were dispersed He did tread the wine presse alone and of all people there was none to helpe him as Hierome and Bernard apply that of the Prophet Esay chap. 63.3 3. The Vine is dugged and digged as wee reade in the fifth chapter of Esay So Christ was dugged when the soule-mouthed Iewes spit vpon him and he was digged on euery side when as his aduersaries by propounding captious questions had cast a trench round about
him as in asking Is it lawfull that tribute be giuen to Caesar or no If hee should haue disputed against the tribute he had offended the Prince if for the tribute displeased the people who did beare this heauie burthen against their wils See Gospell Sund. 2◠after Trinity Againe they digged a pit round about him in bringing the woman taken in adultery before him and demanding what sayest thou for if he should haue condemned her hee might seeme to contradict his owne sayings I will haue mercy not sacrifice learne of me for I am humble and meeke If acquit her he should contrary Moses law Leuiticus 20.10 The adulterer and adulteresse shall die the death See Bernard de passione domin cap. 3. Moreouer Christ on the crosse was digged his side with a speare his hands and feet with nailes and those so bigge that as Socrates reporteth in his ecclesiasticall history Constantine made thereof an helmet and a bridle for his owne vse in warre 4. The Vine is bound vnto the wood and fastened vnto the wall on which it groweth euen so Christ was led away bound vnto Pontius Pilate and nailed vnto the wood of the crosse so fettered and fastened with bonds as that the Church saith of him in the Canticles my well beloued is as a bundle of myrrhe vnto mee Myrrhe being bitter and sharpe doth insinuate the grieuousnes of his passion and a bundle the multitude of his sorrowes And so Christ is vnto the Church a bundle of myrrhe when as shee meditateth on his death and passion how he was bound that shee might be made free how he was beaten that she might escape punishment how hee was broken that she might be healed with his stripes Esay 53.5 5. The Vine being thus planted pruned cut bound digged dunged spreades her branches farre and wide So Christ as calling his followers from East and West hauing the heathen for his inheritance and the vttermost parts of the earth for his possession extends and stretcheth out his branches vnto the sea and this boughes vnto the riuer Christ is the Vine and all Christians are his branches All of vs are by nature drie and fit for nothing but the fire therefore that wee may be fruitfull and liue we must first be grafted into Christ as into a Vine by the fathers hand without his grace we can do nothing and thorough his helpe able to doe all things Philip 4.13 now the diuine vnion is threefold Essential and so God the father is all one with God the sonne and God the holy Ghost personal and so God the sonne being made flesh is vnited to the humaine nature spiritual and so such as abide in Christ and are ioyned in spirit to the Lord are one with Christ the Lord 1. Cor. 6.17 My father is an husbandman The blasphemous Arians obiect here that Christ and God as the vine and husbandman are of diuers natures and that Christ as the vine must of necessity be subiect and inferiour to God which is an hunsbandman Answere is made that a similitude runs not on foure feet but that it standeth vpon one legge principally now the maine drift of this comparison is not to shew what care this husbandman hath ouer the root of the vine but what he doth vnto the branches Euery branch that beareth not fruit he will take away and euery branch that beareth fruit will he purge c. Christ vttered this parable as our mediatour and head of the Church and hee could not haue bin the Churches head except he had bin God and man Christ then as touching his manhood was inferiour to the father Iohn 14.28 My father is greater then I yet equal as touching his Godhead Ioh. 10.13 I and my father are one coequal in might and mercie So the text here God the father as an husbandman purgeth euery branch that beareth fruit vers 2. and God the sonne likewise doth the same vers 3. now are yee cleane thorough the words which I haue spoken vnto you So that Christ as God is an husbandman so well as his father he purgeth and pruneth the boughes of the vine so well as he vna enim operatio patris filij Ioh. 5.19 Whatsoeuer the father doth the same things doth the sonne also Euery branch that beareth not fruit in me he taketh away Christ exhorting his followers to continue stedfast in the faith argueth a paena praemio from the punishment of such as abide not in him and from the reward of such as abide the punishments of hypocrites and false Christians which abide not in him are Seuen Seuen 1. They beare no fruit 2. Bearing no fruit they bee cut away from the Vine 3. Being cut away from the Vine they bee cast out of the Vineyard 4. Being cast out of the Vineyard they wither 5. Being withered men gather and fagot them 6. Being made fagots they bee cast into the sire 7. Being cast into the fire they burne in that vnquencheable flame where the worme dyeth not and the fire neuer goeth out First they beare no fruit for saith our Sauiour as the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe except it abide in the vine no more can yee except yee abide in mee for without me can you do nothing The Pelaegian hereticks affirmed à Deo habemus quod homines sumus à nobis ipsis autem quod iusti sumus that we are men we receiue from God that we are good men commeth from our selues but truth it selfe here contradicit dicit a branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe c. This one clause saith Augustine corda instruit humilium ora obstruit superborum it comforts a poore publicane but it confounds a proud Pelagian And that other sentence without me can ye do nothing confuteth also the Semipelagian I meane the Papist auowing that a man hath a power of free will in his owne nature which once being stirred and helped can and doth of it owne selfe cooperate with grace The word nothing makes very much against this opinion as Augustine noteth vpon the place For Christ said not sine me parum potestus facere sed sine menihil now that wee may the better vnderstand this controuersie man is to be considered in a foure-fold estate to wit Instatu In statu Confectionis as hee was created In statu Infectionis as he was corrupted In statu Refectionis as he was renewed In statu Perfectionis as he shall be glorified In the first estate we giue to the will of man a liberty of nature Adamus enim acceperat posse si veller sed non habuit velle quod posset In the third we grant a libertie of grace for if the sonne make you free ye shall be free indeed Iohn 8.36 The spirit of Christ which is free Psalm 51.12 giueth liberty to the captiues and openeth the prison to
solemnized to the praise of God in comme notation of the ioyous Martyrdome of two blessed Apostles Saint Philip who for the constant profession of the Christian faith as Hyppositus reported was vnder Domitian the cruell Emperour crucified with his head downeward and S. Iames euen for the same cause being Bishop of Hierusalem was cast downe headlong by the Scribes and Pharisees from the pinnacle of the temple and afterward stoned and finally brained with a Fullers club This exhortation to constant cheerefulnes vnder the crosse for the Gospell is pressed here by diuers and sundry reasons as expositions haue well obserued all which in breife may bee reduced either to the fruit or else to the root of this Christian vertue The fruit in this world knowing this that the trying of your faith gendreth patience and let patience haue her persit worke c. There is a twofold temptation as Augustine told Consentius vn a deceptionis alter a probat onis a temptation to deceiue which is from the diuell and our owne concupiscence verse 13.14 of this present Chapter Againe there is a temptation to proue and improue the which is from God and so suffering for the Gospell is termed here â—temptation and a triall of our faith The fruit in the world to come is eternall happines vers 12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receiue the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him See Gospell appointed for this day As for the root if any lacke wisedome that is true iudgement how to beare the crosse let him aske it of God he is a giuing God from him is euery good and perfect gift verse 17. Ergo he giueth also this he giueth vnto all indifferently without any respect of person exclude not thy selfe from an vniuersall number he liberally giueth and vpbraideth not after he hath giuen hee giues for the measure fully for the manner cheerefully Wherefore come to him and aske of him in saith and it shall be giuen vnto you See Gospell Sun 5. after Easter The Gospell Iohn 14.1 Iesus said to his disciples let not your hearts be troubled c. THe Prophet Dauid saith a troubled spirit is an acceptable sacrifice to God and it was good for me that I was in trouble How then is it true which is here said by the sonne of Dauid let not your hearts be troubled answere is made that the passions of the minde as anger feare delight and the like are in their owne nature neither simplie commendable nor yet absolutely vituperable but either good or bad as their obiects and endes are good and bad To bee troubled for sinne is a godly sorrow causing repentance to saluation not to bee repented of and therefore grieue for offending God and grieuing his spirit yea grieue much because thou canst grieue no more But an inordinate trouble for the things of this world arising either out of enuy sluggishnes or impatience is forbidden in this sentence let not your hearts be troubled The disciples as yet ambitiously sought after worldly honour conceiuing that Christ ere it were long would restore the kingdome of Israel and so prefer them in his kingdome on earth at his right hand and at his left as yet they did expect a crowne not a crosse Wherefore Christ vnderstanding that they were dismayed at his words in the former Chapter at the 43. verse little children yet a little while am I with you ye shall seeke me but whether I goe can ye not follow me now he commeth in this present vnto that which is Euangeliâ— caput summa the cheife part in the whole body of his Gospel namely to binde vp the broken hearted and to comfort such as mourne in Sioâ— Isaac the signe of Christ is interpreted laughter insinuating that Christ should be the consolation of Israel and great ioy to all his people Luke 2.10.25 scare not as one notes is the first word in the first annunciation of his conception and the first word in the first annunciation of his birth and the first word in the first annunciation of his resurrection and almost the last words in his last exhortation a little before his death are let not your hearts be troubled and be of good comfort strengthening his followers and sweetening his crosse by diuers forcible reasons in our text by two more principally The 1. Is taken from the buckler of faith ye beleeue in God beleeue also in me 2. From the holde of hope in my fathers house are many mansions c. meâ— Concerning the fourefold reading of these words examine Iansen concord cap. 134. Erasmus annot Maldonat com in loc I take them as I find them here ye beleeue in God c. the Saints in olde time thorough faith haue subdued kingdomes wrought righteousnes obtained the promises stopped the mouthes of Lyons quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword of weake were made strong waxed valiant in battell and turned to flight the armies of Aliants In a word faith is a shield where with ye may quench all the fiery darts of the diuell Ephes. 6.16 If ye beleeue them in God and cast all your care on him he that is the father of mercies and God of all comfort will assuredly so care for you that yre shall not any longer be troubled in your hearts a little faith euen so small as a graine of mustard seed is able to remoue mountaines of distrust out of your soule faith is a buckler and a buckler guarde th especially the head and the heart that is the vnderstanding and the will vt non turbetur intellectus non formidet affectus Here humane weaknes doth obiect as Philip at the 8. verse Lord shew vs the father and it sufficeth vs. It is true that we beleeue God and beleeue in God also but yet our hearts are troubled thirsting after his sight and sensible knowledge we would faine see that we beleeue so Moses in the 33. Chapter of Exodus I beseech thee shew me thy glory to whom answere was made by the Lord thou can't not see my face for there shall no man see my face and liue yet behold there is a place by me and thou shall stand and vpon the roâ—ke and while my glorie passeth by I will put thee in a cleft of the rocke and will couer thee with mine band whiles I passe by then I will take away mine hand and thou shalt see my backe parts but my face shall not be seene This rocke is Christ as Paul in another case 1. Cor. 10.4 and the Church is a dâ—ue in the holes of the rocke Caâ—t 2.14 Whosoeuer then is placed in Christs Church and hath faiths eye may see God in his hinder parts as in the world hee passeth by that is in
are written for our comfort for if these great pillars of the Church had such a shake let vs not despaire though happily sometime many mountaines of distrust arise in our troubled harts Assure thy selfe thou hast a good measure of faith if thou feele want of faith As a woman that seeleth the mouing of the child in her body though very weake assureth her selfe that she hath conceiued and goeth with child so if wee haue these good affections and vnfaigned desires of faith in our soule if hungring and thirsting after righteousnes wee say with the man in the Gospell I beleeue Lord help mine vnbeleefe let vs not in any case doubt but that we haue the holy spirit who is the giuer of these godly motions dwelling in vs and so consequently that wee haue true faith It is said Psalm 10.19 that the Lord heareth the desire of the poore yea that he fulfilleth the desires of all such as feare him Psalm 145.19 It is sufficient then in the middest of any grieuous tentation if thou truly desire to repent and beleeue For God accepting the will for the deed taketh a heart desirous to repent and beleeue for a penitent and a beleeuing heart indeed It is recorded in the 20. chapter of S. Iohns Gospell that Mary Magdalene seeking Christ at his sepulchre found afore the felt him He talked with her and stood high her and comforted her and yet the text saith at the 14 verse she knew not that it was Iesus In like fort the spirit of Christ is sometime present with vs and within vs helping our infirmities albeit we haue little sight or sense therof he is a secret friend and doth vs often most good when we least perceiue it Saint Thomas here said we know not the way nor whither thou goest and yet truth it selfe anowed the contrary whither I goe ye know and the way ye know They knew the way but they did not know that they knew saith Augustine Sciebant 〈◊〉 sed se scire nesciebant See the long of S. Simeon and the grace of our Lord c. in the Liturgie I am the way the truth and the life That is as Ferus Exorduins salutis ergo via medium salutis ergo veritas finis salut is ergo vâ—a The beginning of heauenly happinesse and therefore the way the meane and therefore the truth the end and therfore the life 〈◊〉 incipientium veritas â— oficientium vita perfectoruus Or as Euthymius if I am the way then I am able to bring you to the man ieâ—s in my fathers house if the truth I he not in sâ—ying I goe to prepare a place for your if the life then neither Angels nor principalities nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor death it selfe shall separate you from me but I will receiue you to my selfe that where I am there ye may be also Or as Leo the great The conuersations sancte veritas doctrine diuine vita beatiâ—udinis sempiterne The which is expressed by S. Bernard in these words elegantly Via in example verita promise vita in premio The 〈◊〉 in my workes and the truth in my words and the life in my rewards Via ducens veritas listens vita pascens With such as waÌ„der in a bie way I am the high way to such as are doubting in the way I am the truth vnto such as are wearied vnto heir heauie burthen in their courses I am the life Or as Cyril vpon the place for as much as we shall ascend to the mansions in Gods house by faith hope charity of all which onely Christ is the donor he may be tearmed the way for giuing vs an example that we should loue one another as he hath loued vs that truth in deliuering such infallible rules of faith the life by coÌ„forting vs with an assured hope that we shal one day raign with him in his fathers house for euermore Thus Christ is via in qua per charitatem ambulare veritas cui per sidem adhaerere vita ad quaÌ„ per speÌ„ attolli de bemus or as Aug. Christ is the truth the way qua itur the life quo itur And in another place Permi v nitur ad me prouenitur in me permanetur in me Other taking this phrase for an hebraisme construe it thus I am the true way leading to life which is euerlasting Or I am the way to truth and life making truth and life but Epitheta to way Or I am the way and the true light going before you in the way to life as hee doth expound himselfe in the words immediately following No man commeth to the father but by me called else where the light as well as here the life which occasioned Bernard to say Nos populus â—uas oues pascus tue sequamur te per te ad te I will end this obseruation with a meditation of S. Ambrose Ingrediamur banc viam reneamus veritatem vitam sequamur Via est que perducit veritas est que confirmat vita qua per se redditur Suscipe nos domine quasi via confirma quasi veritas vinifica quasi vita nam in te sumus vinimus mouemur mouemur quasi in via sumiu quasi in veritate viuimus quasi in vita eterna This one sentence doth afford many comforts vnto troubled hearts if Christ bee the way to life there is none other name whereby we must be saued Aliter qui vadit cadit If the truth all other religions opposite to the Christian faith are â—ither ignorant fantasies or else arrogant heresies It the life let vs nor despaire in death â—ur redeemer hueth he which is the resurrection and the life shall at the last day raise our vile bodie making it like his glorious body receiuing vs to himselfe that where he â— in his fathers house there wee may be also The Epistle Acts. 1.1 In the former treatise O Theophilus wee haue spoken of all that Iesus began to â—ive and teach IN this History of S. Luâ—e two points are more principally remarkeable namely the Context or connexion of this treatise with his Gospell vers 1.2 Text or narration it selfe throughout the rest of the whole booke diuided into two portions 1. Generall as setting downe the acts of all the blessed Apostles in the twelue former chapters 2. Particular as containing more specially the acts of S. Paul in the sixteene latter chapters In the former treatise Saint Luke hauing alreadie penned a tract of all that Iesus did and taught He commeth in this present history to shew what his Apostles did and taught declaring at large that their doings and doctrine were conformable to the workes and words of their master These two treatises howsoeuer dedicated vnto one man are notwithstanding parted into two volumes