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
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
custodie seeing I am now to leaue this life receiue my spirit Heere then against the Sadduces in Christs age and Atheists in our time we may note the soules immortalitie for God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing Again that al soules departed are in certaine receptacles vntill the generall iudgement they do not obambulate and wander vp and downe but remaine in places and states of happinesse or vnhappinesse either in the hands of God or in the Deuils prison and therefore all the daies of our life but especially at the houre of our death it behooueth vs to say and pray with S. Steuen O Lord Iesu receiue my spirit My. Charitie begins with it selfe malice with another in our idle busie time men are very sollicitous lest God lay this or that sinne to their enemies charge but wee may tell them as Christ did other in another cause Wâ—epe not for me but for your selues If your deuotion be so great and your praiers so good pray first for your selues for you peraduenture haue more need and then wish well and do well vnto your enemies as Steuen here first Lord Iesus receiue my spirit and then Lord Iesus forgiue their sinne Spirit Most men are all for the bodie nothing for their soule but S. Stephen is all as it should seeme for the soule and nothing for the bodie For what is a man profited if he should gaine the whole world and lose his owne soule saith our blessed Sauiour by which Apophthegme it doth appeare that euery soule in it selfe is of greater price then a whole world but thy soule vnto thy selfe ought to be of greater account then a million of worlds if as Empedoiles and Demâ—critus imagined there were so many saue this and saue all lose â—his and lose all and therefore let thy whole life be nothing else but a meditation of death and that thou maist die well as Steuen endeuour to liue well as Steuen Howsoeuer it goe with thy goods or good name be sure to looke well vnto thy soule that whether thou die for the Lord or in the Lord thou maist cheerfully deliuer it vp vnto the Lord as Steuen here Lord Iesu receiue my spirit Vnto faith in God he doth adioine loue to men without which all his praying and kneeling and crying yea dying had been but as a sounding braise and a tinckling Cimball Of loue there be two principall offices one to giue another to forgiue S. Steuen is an excellent patterne of both of the latter especially praying for his hatefull enemies euen at that houre when hee could scarce gaine time to thinke on his friends It is said 1. Peter 2.21 That Christ suffered for vs leauing vs an example Now Christ on the Crosse praied for his persecuâ—ors earnestly Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe Pendebat samen patebat a Augustine sweetly S. Steuen followed his masters example Lord lay not this sinne to their charge The which praier is clothed with two circumstances hee kneeled downe shewing his reuerence to God and cried with a loud voice manifesting his vnfained affection toward them Vnto the top of which exceeding great charitie there are three degrees 1. He praied for enemies 2. For mortall enemies who stoned him 3. In hot bloud at that time when they did wrong him most as being more sory for their riot then for his owne ruine For eternall death is the wages of such a sinne but euerlasting life the Crowne of such a suffering Hee kneeled downe God is the Lord of the body so well as of the soule and therefore challengeth as well reuerent gesture as inward deuotion in praying then either stand as a seruant before thy Master or kneele as a subiect to thy Prince Daniel prayed kneeling Peter prayed kneeling Paul prayed kneeling Christ himselfe kneeling and the Magdeburgenses acknowledge this gesture to be most ancient and most vsuall among the children of God in all ages and therefore not to kneele in the congregation argueth either ignorance or arrogancei For seeing all of vs are Gods adopted sons and not borne to the good we possesse it behoueth vs when we come before our Father especially to craue his blessing to be dutifull and humble in our cariage Concerning kneeling at the Lords Supper if the Church haue power and authority to change the time commanding vs to receiue the Communion in the morning whereas Christ administred it in the night to change the place for whereas Christ ordained his Supper in a priuate house wee communicate in a Temple to change the number and qualities of the persons deliuering the Sacrament vnto more then twelue and to women as well as men I see no reason but it hath authoritie likewise to change the gesture The time was altered because for this sacrifice the morning is the most fit time the place was altered because the Church is the most fit place The gesture was altered also being a matter not of the Sacraments essence but of outward order onely because kneeling is the most fit gesture for Protestants especially who deny the grosse reall presence and hold the Lord Supper an Eucharist or thanksgiuing vnto God for the redemption of the world by the death of his Sonne giuing of thankes is a part of prayer and in prayer no gesture so fit as kneeling Deuout Asella did vse geniculation in prayer so much as that her knee were made brawnie like the knees of a Camel See Step durant de ritibus Eccles. lib. 3. cap. 24. It is very remarkeable that Steuen here stood when he prayed for himselfe but kneeled when he prayed for his enemies hereby shewing the greatnesse of their impiety which easily could not be forgiuen as also the greatnesse of his piety Qui plus illorum dolebat peceasa quam sua vulnera For this end hee cryed also with a loud voice magnus clamor magnus amor Or as Caietan he cryed with a loud voice for others instruction and example that we might be followers of him as hee was a follower of Christ. Lay not this sin to their charge The Scribes in their glosses on the Law said expresly thou shalt loue thy neighbour and hate thine enemie Some Papists also thinke that the words of our Sauiour resist not euill and loue your enemies are not absolute precepts but onely counsels according to this doctrine the Castilians as I haue read since the battell of Alijabarto would not suffer any to preach vpon the friday in the first weeke of Lent because the Church on that day sings inimicos diligite loue your enemies And Iustinian being restored againe to his Empire shewed extreame crueltie toward his aduersaries and their allies for as often as he moued his hand to wipe the filth from his nose which was cut off hee commanded one of his enemies to bee put
when he found them vpon conference to be dullards in his schoole he chides them O fooles and slow of heart c. fooles in vnderstanding slow in affecting the truth Arguit eos amentiae in parte cognoscitiua tarditatis in parte affectiâ—a But yet in calling them fooles he brake not his owne law whosoeuer shall say foole to his brother is worthie to be punished with hell fire because this rebuke proceeds out of a spirituall zeale for their good and not out of any carnall hatred for their hurt And such a reproofe is not a reproch it is officium and not conuitium a worke of charity and not a marke of malice So Paul called his Galathians foolish and hee gaue this precept vnto Timothie improue rebuke but with all long suffering and doctrâ—ne for Christ here did not only correct his diâ—ciples â—â—â—our but also direct them in the truth and that by words and deeds By words vrging the truth of his death and resurrection First by reason ought not Christ to haue suffered these things and to enter into his glory 2. From authority hee began at Moses and all the Prophets and interpreted vnto them in all Scriptures which were written of him Here first note the sweet harmonie betweene the two Testaments in that both agree together and meet together in Christ as being alpha and omega the beginning of the Gospell and the end of the Law 2. That the grounds of all our sermons are to be taken out of holy writ the Ministers and messengers of God ought o deliuer the words of God 3. That in our preaching we should vse such scriptures as are most apt and fit for our present occasion as Christ heere cited not all the Scriptures in all the law but onely such as were written of him euen those which euidently proued his death and resurrection He did interpret vnto them in all Scriptures and yet named none that hee might incite vs hereby to the diligent searching and examination of them Secondly Christ instructed his Disciples in this present controueâ—sie with his actions for as it is said at the 19. verse hee was a Prophet mighty in deed and word That is in soundnesse of docâ—rine and sanctity of life First as Theophylaâ—t obserues powerfull in deed and then powerfull in word For he perswadeth vnto vertue most who liueth best As in this place Christ himselfe was knowne by breaking of bread sooner then by preaching of the word Or as other powerfull in his miracles and powerfull in his teaching His actions here mentioned concerning the bread are foure He tooke it and blessed it and brake it and gaue to them Among all which he was onely knowne in breaking of bread for that hee did miraculously breake bread with his hands as other cut it with a knife The which hee did often in his life and so by this easily knowne after his rising from death By this dialogue you may see that Christ is especially knowne in the Scriptures and yet not in the Scriptures except he first open our eyes and breake and giue to each one the bread of life And in the conclusion or epilogue following you may see likewise the fruit of interpreting Scriptures how the ministry of the word maketh the fire of Gods spirit to burne first in our selues and then ofterwards to shine towards other As the two Disciples heere so soone as their eyes were opened to see Christ instantly the same houre they rose vp and returned to Hierusalem and found the eleuen gathered together and they told what things were done in the way and how they knew him in breaâ—ing of bread the circumstance of the time and distance of the place manifestly shew their â—ealous affection in relating these newes vnto the brethren Emmaus as our Euangelist in the 13. verse was about threescore furlongs from Hierusalem eight furlongs make an ordinary mile and so threescore furlongs are about seuen miles and an halfe Some Diuines affirme that it was a iourney of three or foure houres on foot If then it were towards night when Christ vpon their importunity sat at table with them as we read at the 29. verse then it was as we may coniecture probably midnight before they could come to Hierusalem and yet saith our text they went the same houre neither deferring the time nor preferring their priuate businesse before the publike good Howsoeuer they were doubtlesse after trauell wearie and after meate in the night sleepie yet they would not suffer their eyes to sleepe nor their eye lids to slumber nor the temples of 〈◊〉 head to take any rest vntill they had published vnto the brethren how Christ was risen againe from the dead and how they knew him in breaking of bread That we may performe the like diligence toward Gods people as occassion is offered in our seuerall estaâ—es and callings let vs pray with our mother the Church Almighty God which through thy onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ hast ouercome death and opened vnto vs the gate of euerlasting life wee humbly beseech thee that as by thy speciall grace preuenting vs thou doest put in our minds good desires so by thy continuall helpe we may bring the same to good effect through Iesus Christ our Lord c. The Epistle ACTS 13.26 Yee men and brethren children of the generation of Abraham c. THis text is part of that excellent sermon made by the blessed Apostle S. Paul at Antioch a City of Pisidia to the Iewes assembled together in their Synagogue on the Sabbath day The maine scope whereof is that Iesus Christ is the Sauiour of Israel and Messias of the world promised vnto the fathers and exhibited in the fulnesse of time to their children euen vnto vs as being by faith a generation of Abraham and that through him all that feare God and beleeue receiue forgiuenes of their sinnes and are iustified from all things from which they could not be iustified by the law of Moses The whole sermon hath especially two parts Explication from the 16. verse to the 26. intimating that Iesus Christ is the blessed seed promised in old time by the Prophets and preached in these last daies by Iohn the Baptist who was more then a Prophet Application in the words allotted for our present text wherin three points are principally regardable to wit an insinuation ye men and brethren c. preoccupation for the inhabitors of Hierusalem c. commination beware therefore lest that fall vpon you c. The Gospell of Christ is a proclamation in writing common to all and the Preacher is the voice of a cryer euen the mouth of God to giue notice to the people that the contents of the proclamation concerne them and euery one of them As Act. 2.39 The promise is made to you and to your children and to all that are a farre off euen as
worke For assuredly such as croud into the Clergie without performance of their office either through ignorance that they cannot or secular emploiment that they may not or negligence that they will not or feare of trouble that they dare not preach the word of God are aduersaries vnto the doctrine of the Church of England and enemies of the Crosse of Christ Philip. 3.19 See further in the Gospell ensuing The Gospell MATTH 4.18 As Iesus walked by the sea of Galile he saw two brethren Simon which was called Peter and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea for they were fishers c. IN this Gospell is set downe the Calling of four Apostles Comming of foure Apostles In their calling these circumstaÌ„ces are cosiderable Who Iesus Where By the sea of Galile When At the beginning of his preaching Whom in Name Peter Andrew Iames. Iohn Number two and two Nature Brethren Fishers Why That they might become fishers of men How He saw them and said vnto them follow me and I will make you c. As Iesus walked There be foure sorts of Apostles as Hierome and Luther obserue some be sent only from God and not by men immediatly from God the Father as the Prophets vnder the Law Iesus Christ and Iohn Baptist in the beginning of the Gospell immediately from God the Sonne in his state mortall as the twelue Apostles in his stare glorious or immortall as S. Paul Acts 9.15 Other are sent by men and not by God as they who being vnworthie both in respect of their bad learning and worse liuing croud notwithstanding into the Ministerie through alliance fauour or simonie Which occasioned one to say that horses are more miserable then asses in that horses did post ordinarily to Râ—me to get asses preferment Cum Iesu Iudas cum Simone fur Ananias In templo Christs semper sunt quatuor ists Other are neither chosen of God nor called by men as the false Prophets of whom it is said in holy scripture that they runne without a warrant euill workers enemies of Christs Crosse theeues climing into the Church at the window not entring in at the doore rauening wolues in sheepes clothing See Gospell on the 2. Sunday after Easter and 8. after Trinitie Other are both elected of God and ordained by men as the Bishops of Ephesus Acts 20.28 and other Elders in the Primitiue Church Acts 14.23 and all orthodoxe Preachers of the word in our age For as the Gospell and Epistle well accord how shall they preach vnlesse they be sent No man although he were more wise then either Salomon or Daniel ought to take this honour vnto himselfe except hee be called of God I say called of God either immediatly by himselfe so Christ here called his Apostles or else mediatly by such as haue pub-like authoritie giuen vnto them in the congregation to call and send Ministers into the Lords vineyard and so Christ at this houre calleth Apostles in our Church in that the conformable Ministers of England are chosen according to his word as we teach against the Brownists and Baâ—rnists as also canonically consecrated as wee prooue to the proud pontifician aduersarie See Doctor Fulke Wâ—â—r in Rom. 10. Perkins Treatise of Callings Râ—g rs â—a Anglican Confâ—ss art 23. proposition 1. 5. Sâ—â—lâ—â—s is moâ—iuâ— obseruant of pontifician spirits pa. 17. And surely God hath as it were set his hand and seale to the full approbation of our callings in that hee blesseth our labours in the ministerie for the conuersion of many soules in England For euery learned and industrious Pastor may tell his people which he begets vnto God in Christ as Paul once told the Corinthians If I be not an Apostle to other yet doubtlâ—sse I am vnto you for ye are the â—â—al of mine Apostleship in the Lord. By the 〈◊〉 of Galile This as Interpreters obserue was not the maine seâ— but a little creeke only The lake Gemzâ—eth as wee reade Luke 5.1 but it is called a sea for thaâ— the Scripture termeâ—h all gathering together of waâ—eâ—s â—eas and the sea of Galile for that it bounded vpon the borders of the two Galilees Consule Plin. hist. lib. 5. cap. 15. Ioseph de bello Iudairo lib. 3. cap. 18. Strab. 〈◊〉 lib. 16. 〈◊〉 504. In this lake Peter and Andrew were fishing Iames and Iohn mendâ—â—â— their nets Here I noâ—e with Arctius and other vnto your comfort that almightie God is wont to blesse men especially when they be busied in their proper element and 〈◊〉 in their owne vocations An Angell being a messenger of gladnesse appeared vnto 〈◊〉 〈…〉 the Priests office before God and is 〈…〉 order An Angell also deliuered the first 〈◊〉 of Christs birth vnto shepheards are wha◠〈…〉 night in the field While Saul ac 〈…〉 fâ—â—hers expresse commandement sought for 〈…〉 found a kingdome 1. Sam. 9. so Christ here seâ—ing Peter and Andrew not idle but casting a net into the 〈◊〉 nor yet ouer-haste medling in other men trade but only labouring in their owne calling for they were fishers he saith vnto them instantly follow me and I will make you to become fishers of men A laste person is vnâ—it for the Clergie for none but labourers are sent into the Lords haruest On the contrary the curious and ouer actiue spirit is vnprofitable for he will haue one foot in the Church another in the Court and if God had made him a Tripos he would haue had a third in the Campe. Miles equi◠〈…〉 c. an hammer is for the Smith an Homer for the Schoole Let the shoemaker attend his boot and the fisher his boat He that comes to the corne heape the more he openeth his hand to receiue the lesse he doth hold so he that in largeth himself to beare the most office in a State these wer shall he sufficiently discharge The worme 〈…〉 or 〈…〉 though it haue many feet is of a very slow pase So Luther said of Erasmus Quiâ—t â—ust in omnibus sapere sespsum decipit And Mâ—lancâ—hon of 〈◊〉 â—â—itaries in arts in omnibus aliqaâ—â— in 〈…〉 The wittie Poet trimly Omnia cuÌ„mfacias miraris cur facias nil Posthâ—nâ— rem solam qui sacit â—lle facit Againe Christ called his Apostles in the midst of their fishing that wee might heereby learne to preferre the following of him before the businesse of the world or Iesus happily walked by the sea for that he did intend to chuse fishers Hereby teaching vs not to shunne but rather to seeke those places where â—e may doegood As the poore cottage that we may releeue the needie the house of mourning that wee may binde vp the broken hearted and remooue the spirit of heauinesse the dungeon of Ioseph and Daniel preaching libertie to the captiues and opening of the prison vnto them that are bound
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
to death Wherefore seeing to loue our enemies in the iudgment of some men is against Gods law and of other beside the law seeing many men in their precepts and most men in their practise manifestly shew that it is an hard saying Saint Steuens charity doth appeare to be great in blessing such as cursed him and in praying for such as did hurt him Iob renowmed in holy Scripture for his patience said If mine aduersarie should write a booke against me would I not take it vpon my shoulder and binde it as a crowne vnto me But Steuen surpassing Iob as Gregorie Nyssen obserues esteemed the very ring of his persecutors wherewith he was enclosed on euery side his crown and euery stone flung at his head a pretious diamond so that it might haue beene said of him as it was of Dauid The Lord preuented him with the blessings of goodnesse and set a crowne of pretious stones vpon his head Our goods are sweet vnto vs and therefore wee can hardly forgiue the theese our good name sweeter and therefore wee doe more hardly forgiue the slanderer but our life most sweet Skinne for skinne and all that euer a man hath will he giue for it and therefore most hardly doe we forgiue murtherers and martyrers in hot blood especially while they wring vs and wrong vs and yet Steuen full of the holy Ghost and therefore full of loue in persecutione positus pro persecutoribus orabat in the middest of his persecution heartily praied for his persecutors O Lord Iesu lay not this sinne to their charge Our sinnes not forgiuen are set before vs and as enemies in battell fighting against vs a pillar of infamie to disgrace the wicked in this and the next life the which as Basil thinkes is more grieuous to their soule then hell fire So that the meaning of S. Steuen is in saying lay not this sinne to their charge that God would giue them a better minde and not impute this offence but rather to burie this and all other their sinnes in his death and graue that they neuer rise vp againe to worke desperation in this world or destruction in the world to come S. Augustine brings in Steuen speaking thus vnto God Ego patior ego lapidor in me sauiunt in me fremunt sed ne statuas illis hoc peccatum quia vt dicamtibi à te primo audiui Ego seruus tâ—us patior sed muleum interest inter me te tu dominus ego eruus tu verbum ego auditor verbi tu magister ego discipulus tu Creator ego creatus tu Deus ego homo multum interest inter peccatum istorum qui lapidant me illorum qui crucifixerunt te quando ergo dixisti Pater ignosce illis quia nesciunt quid faciunt pro magno peccato petisti me pro minimo petere docuisti domine ne statuas illis hoc peccatum ego patior in carne isti non pereant in mente Now the Lord heard his praier and granted his request in that Saul had not this sinne said to his charge as himselfe witnesseth I was a blasphemer and a persecutor and an oppressor but I was receiued to mercy for I did it ignorantly through vnbeleefe So that Augustine is bold to say Si Stephanus non sic orasses ecclesia Paulum non haberet And Fulgentius Quo pracessis Stephanus trucidatus lapidibus Pauli illuc sequutus est Paulus adiutus orationibus Stephani When hee had thus spoken Vttering such excellent words and with such a resolute spirit and in such a reuerent fashion after he had thus spoken for the matter and thus for the manner giuing vnto God the life of his soule forgiuing his persecutors the death of his bodie hee sweetly slept in the Lord. Christus pro nobis hominem induit Stephanus pro Christo hominem exuit as Gregorie Nyssen elegantly Christ became man for Steuen and Steuen became no man for Christ hominem exuit he so willingly put off his flesh as a man would put off his clothes at night and so death as welcome to him as steepe to the wearie when he had thus spoken hee fell asleepe To mitigate deaths horror it is called often in holy Scripture sleepe So the text saith of Dauid and of Salomon and of other Kings of Israel and Iuda that they slept with their fathers In the new Testament also such as are dead in the Lord are said to sleepe in Christ. I would not haue you saith Paul ignorant concerning them which are asleepe c. For this cause many are weake and sicke among you and many sleepe 1. Cor. 11.30 For man in his graue sleepeth and waketh not againe till the heauen be no more Iob 14.12 So great a resemblance the Gentiles acknowledged between dying and sleeping that Ouid cals sleepe mortis imago deaths image Virgil consanguineus lathi the kinsman of death Seneca the brother of death and Hesiode the sister of death Among infinite comparisons I finde that death is principally likened vnto sleepe In respect of the Rest of the dead Resurrection of the dead Concerning the first it is said by the spirit Blessed are the dead in the Lord for they rest from their labore and so God giueth his beloued sleepe The coffin is a couch in que mollius ille dormit quisquis durius in vit a se gesserit I finde in the records of antiquitie that a Sepulchre is called requietorium a bed of sacred rest and securitie which Valerius Probus expressed in these letters H.R.I.P. Hic requiescet in pace and Pet. Diaconus in other D.M.S. Dormiunt mortus securi Hic mortuius requiescit semel Qui viuus requieuit nunquam But here we must obserue that our soule sleepes not in the dust as our body till our last dome For the soules of the reprobate at their death are fetched away from them and carried into hell But the soules of such as die in the Lord instantly liue with the Lord conueied by the glorious Angels into Abrahams bosome Luk. 16. 22. So Christ expresly to the theese on the Crosse Verily I say to thee this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Anima absoluitur corpus resoluitur quae absoluitur gaudet quod resoluitur in terram suam nihil sentit And so the Saints departed are dead in their worst part onely but liuing in their best euen in that wherein they desire to liue most as an Heathen Poet diuinely Sed lugere nefas nam quite Prisce reliquit Vâ—â—â—t qua volnit viuere partemagis And therefore though the dead bodies of Gods seruants haue beene giuen as meat to the sowles of the aire and their flesh vnto the beasts of the land yet right deare in the sight of the
the righteousness of faith in his heart And here we may learne the true doctrine of the Sacraments against Anabaptists ascribing too little to them and Papists attributing too much Anabaptists affirme that Sacraments are bare badges of Christianity distinguishing a Christian from an Infidell as a gowne did a Romane from a Grecian But we teach out of our Apostle that the Sacraments are not onely signa but also signacula certaine sure witnesses and seales of grace whereby God inuisibly worketh in vs and doth not only quicken but also strengthen our faith in him And against our aduersaries of Rome wee conclude from hence that the Sacraments iustifie not ex opere operato for if they bee the seales of the righteousnesse of faith how can they saue by the bare worke done without faith Ista non tribuunt quod per ista tribuitur in the wordes of reuerend Hooker they bee not physicall instruments of our saluation as hauing in themselues any vitall efficacy but onely morall instruments of Gods grace the vse whereof is in our hands the effect in his according to that of Augustine Multi nobiscum manducant bibunt temporaliter sacramenta qui bababunt in fine aeterna tormenta Touching Circumcision see further in the Gospell ensuing and concerning the second argument vsed here taken from Gods promise made to father Abraham Epistle 13. Sund. after Trinity The Gospell Lvke 2.15 And it fortuned assoone as the Angels were gone away from the shepeards into heauen c. ALâ—eit this text commend vnto your consideration a great many of remarkeable vertues of the glorious Angels in preaching Christ of the good sheepheards in seeking Christ of blessed Mary the Virgine in keeping Christ as his mother in her louing armes as his handmaid in her lowly heart yet the more proper and proportionable parts accommodated vnto the present feast are principally two 1 The Câ—câ—â—ciâ—ion of Christ. 2 The imposition of his name Iesuâ— Of these first I purpose to speake ioyntly then seuerally These two were ioyned together to thevv that Christ our Mediatour betweene God and man was both a man in beâ—ng circuâ—â—â—d and God in being Iesius that is a Sauâ—â—r of his people from thâ—◠〈◊〉 or Christ happily was called Iâ—sus and 〈◊〉 at the â—aâ—â—â—me to â—â—gnitie that there is no remission of sinne 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 of blood Heb. 9. â—1 Hee could not therefore become Iesus vntill hee had giuen vs a taste of his blood for wee haue redemption through his blood euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to his rich grace â—â—pheâ— 1.7 or the dolorous Circumcision and sauing Iesus are coupled together insinuating that there should be persecution and bloodshed in the world for the preeching of this name So Christ in the Gospell assured his Apostles expresly Yee shall â—â—â—â—ted of â—â—men â—â— my name And Paul saith of himselfe while hee was an oppressour of the Church I â—â—râ—ly thought in my selfe that I ought to doem 〈…〉 or these two were conioyned to put vsin minde hoâ— God doth exalt the humble and mecke Christ humbled himselfe quoth Paul and became obedient Wâ—â—efore Go I hath also highly exalted him and gâ—uen him a nâ—me â—houe euery name that at the name of Ieâ—us euery â—nee should bow both of things in â—â—â—â—en and things in earth and things vnder earth Or it may be that these were both at once to witnesse that Christ is the true Physition of the world For when all mankinde was exceeding sicke in head and heauy in heart when from the sole of the foot vnto the head there waâ— nothing whole but wounds and swellings and sores full of corruption as it is in the Prophet then our blessed Sauiour came to visit his people binding vp their wounds on this day Pelaculae carnis and powring in oile and wine washing them euen with the wine of his blood and mollifying them also with the sweet oile of his sauing name Iesus For some deriue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or as almost all Interpreters obserue these two went together for that it was vsuall among God people the Iewes to giue names vnto children in their circumcision as it is among vs in Baptisme So wee reade in the first lesson appointed to be read this morning praier that God altered Abrams name when he did institute Circumcision Thy name shall not any more be called Abram but Abraham for a father of many nations haue I made thee Now the reason hereof is plaine that as often as we heare our selues named we might instantly call to minde the Couenant betweene God and vs in holy Baptisme to wit how God on his part promised to be our God and we vowed on our part by Godfathers and Godmothers that wee would forsake the deuill and all his workes the vaine pompe of the world the carnall desires of the flesh and continue Christs faithfull souldiers and seruants vntill our liues end Hitherto concerning Circumcision and the name Iesus iointly let vs now treate of these parts apart and first of Circumcision which is Threefold Carnall vnder the Law Threefold spirituall vnder grace Threefold Celestiall in the kingdome of glorie The first is Sâ—cramâ—ntum â—acrâ—res the second sacra 〈…〉 the third res sacramenti The first in it due time was good the second at all timeâ— is better the third in eternitie best of all The first is nascen 〈◊〉 euery manchild of eight dâ—ies old among you shall â—he circumcised Geneâ— 17.12 The second is renascentiâ—â— a circumcision of the heart in the spirit Rom. 229. when as the regenerate by the sword of the spirit which is sharper then the sharpe kniues vsed in circumcision yea sharper then any two edged sword as being a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart doe not onely circumcise the fore kinne but all the power of the soule and all the parts of the body Circumcising their eye 〈◊〉 they looke vpon a damseâ—â— or behold vanitie Circumcising their eares and their lips hedging their possessions â—rit â— tâ—ornes and making doores and bars for their mouth Ecclesiast 28.24 Hedging their eares again't heresie backbiting â—ttery barring their mouth against lying blasphemie foolish â—â—lking Circumcising their hands that they steale no more but worke the thing that is good Ephes 4.28 Circumcising their feet that they be not swift to shed blood Circumcising their very thoughts Esay 1.16 Wash you make you cleane put away your â—â—â—â—tents out of my sight as our olde English translation according to the vulgar Latine In a word cutting of all superfluous lusts of the flesh and all superfluous cares of the world casting off all the old man which is corrupt and putting on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Ephes. 4.22 The third kind of circumcision is resurgentium
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
complement or habit only but in heart for as the wiseman telleth vs there be some that being about wicked purposes doe bow downe themselues and are sad whose inward parts burne altogether with deceit â— he looketh downe with 〈◊〉 face and fameth himselfe deafe yet before thou perceâ—â—◠〈◊〉 vpon thee to hurt thee Christ wouâ—d not haue vs imitate him in his mi 〈◊〉 as â—n walking vpon the waters in raising the dead â—n making a new world but in his morale in his meeknes and lowlines especially for these vertues are the lessons he â—eacheth in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome 2nd knowledge it is so great a thing in our owne eyes to be little that no man is able to learne it of any but of him only who being in the forme of God tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant and became man yea a worme and no man a very scorne of men and outcast of the people termed Apocalyp 1.8 the first and the last in maiestie the first in meeknes as the last his whole life being nothing else but an open booke or rather an open shop of humility descend then if thou wilt ascend if thou desire to build high and to seeke the things aboue lay thy foundation low humblenes of mind is schola and scala coeli the schoole teaching and the scale reaching heauen Quo minor est quisquis maximus est hominum I will ease you the world crieth ego deficiam I will leaue you the flesh crieth ego inficiam I will corrupt you the deuill crieth ego interficiam I will destroy you but he which is verax verus veritas euer speaking the truth as euer being the truth opposeth himselfe against all these mortall enemies and saith ego reficiam I will ease you this one clause then is the very close yea the very summe of the whole gospell in as much as all our learning and labouring is for this end that we may find refreshing and rest vnto our soules in the end the latine refâ—ciam hath three significations 1 Reficere is to repaire or renew Mat. 4.21 reficienres retia Iames and Iohn were mending their nets c and so Christ as being the brightnes of Gods glory and expresse character of his person restoreth againe Gods Image defaced in vs through Adams fall vt recreatio creationi responderet saith Aquine that the redemption of the world might answere the creation he who first made now mendeth vs all of vs being the workmanship of God in Christ as creatures and as new creatures as Creatures for in the beginning was the word all things were made by it and without it was made nothing that was made as new creatures for Christ Iesus is the new man we must put on of whom wee must learne meeknes and lowlines that we may walke in newnes of life Rom. 6.4 2. Reficere doth signifie to strengthen with meat in which acception a common hall in a colledge where the society meet and eat together is called a refectorie now Christ hath a twofold refectorie for all such as come vnto him one in his kingdome of grace when he prepareth a table for vs in despite of our foe refreshing vs with the food of his word of his supper of his examples vntil we are made fat Prouerb 28.25 euen so full and faire that the Church in admiration hereof asketh her best beloued shew me where thou feedest another refectorie Christ hath in his kingdome of glory Luke 22.30 Ye shall eate and drinke at my table in my kingdome there God hath prepared for those that loue him a banquet of such delicates as eye hath not seene neither eare hath heard neither heart of man able to conceiue 1. Cor. 2.9 Sentiri potest dici non potest Come then vnto me all ye that hunger and thirst after righteousnes and I will feed you feast you fill you feed you with the sincere milke of my doctrine feast you with a cheerefulnes of conscience which is a continuall feast fill you with an ouerflowing cup in the state of glory come to me nay if ye will open the wicket of your heart when I knocke and desire to come to you I will sup with you and you shall also sup with me Apocalip 3.20 3. Reficere signifieth as our text runneth here to refresh and to ease such as labour and are laden and this expresseth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 best and is most agreeable to the clause going afore labour and laden and the words following after rest easie light as if he should haue said I will ease such as labour and giue rest vnto such as are laden I will make their heauy burden light and their hard yoke easie so that they shall count it exceeding ioy to fall into diuers temptations Iames 1.2 as sorrowing and yet alway reioycing 2. Cor. 6.10 blessed in eating the labours of their hands as men of the world are infeliciter felices vnhappie in being so much happie so the children of God are feliciter infelices happie in feeling their load and vnderstanding their vnhappines for God is faithfull and will not suffer his children to be tempted aboue their ability but will euen with the temptation make away to escape that they may be able to beare it This ease Paul found vnto the rest of his soule 2. Cor. 4.8 We are troubled on euery side yet are we not in distresse perplexed but not in despaire persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but yet not cast away A Physitian albeit he be neuer so skilfull in his arte cannot absolutely promise that he will ease you his comforts are I will endeuour to giue you rest if I can I will helpe you neither inuention of wit nor intention of will I assure you shall be wanting but Christ heere saith I will I can as hauing all things giuen vnto me of my father and I will as being sent into the world to comfort such as mourne in Sion Ye shall finde rest vnto your soules some finde rest in their body but not in their soule as the glutton mentioned Luke 16. his body was richly clothed and deliciously pampered euery day but his soule so full of sores as Lazarus at his gate found no rest one drop of a bad conscience did drinke vp as it were the whole sea of his worldly delights some finde rest in their soule but not in their body so the seruants of God are said to reioyce in tribulations as the blessed Apostles Act. 5. afflicted in body reioyced in spirit because they were counted worthy to suffer for Christs name some neither in body nor soule as the damned in hell hauing poenarum diuersitatem vniuersitatem a fire to torment the body a worme to torture the soule Esay 66.24 some both in body and 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