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
salutations as sent from God and not according to the worlds fashion only For some speake friendly to their neighbors but imagine mischiefe in their hearts Iudas had an hade master as well as Gabriel an haile Mary Christians in their complements ought to be hearty not hollow See Gospell Sund. 4. after Trinity Haile the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth as Erasmus obserues gaudere saluere valere If wee take it in the first acception it is Gabriels giuing of the ioy to Mary Teaching vs to wish much ioy to the good and to labour for true ioyes in our selues alway reioycing in the Lord Philip. 4.4 If in the two latter health is a good blessing of the Lord to bee desired in our owne selues and for our other selues in this world without which all our whole life is but a lingring death O Lord grant thy seruant health and heauen It was good for Dauid that he was in trouble so likewise it is good for the health of our soule that our body bee sometime sicke Affliction is the true purgatorie of the flesh infirmit as carnus vigoremmentis exacuit Vpon this ground Plato scared his Academie at Athens in an vnhealthy place We must especially wish haile to the soule praying alwaies Vi sit mens sâ—na in corpore sano The Lord with thee Some construe this clause by way of enunciation affirmatiuely the Lord is with thee Other imprecatorâ—e by way of a good wish or salutation the Lord be with thee They who take this affirmatiuely make it a reason of Maries haile reioyce Mary because full of grace because the Lord is with thee because blessed among women God is in beat is per gloriam in electis per gratiam in assumpta carne per vnionem in omnibus per prouidentiam sed in virgine per supereminentem quandam opâ—ratiouem As if Gabriel should haue said I am sent from God and so the Lord is with me but he is with thee much more The Lord is in mee because hee made mee but with thee because within thee because he shall bee borne by thee Is a domenies est secum â—t is in corde tuo sit in vtero tuo adempleat mentem tuam adempleat carâ—â—m 〈◊〉 God the son is with thee for thou shalt conceiue him in thy wombe God the holy Ghost is with thee for the holy Ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of the most highest all ouershadow thee God the father is with thee making his sonne thy sonne Demmus silim tecum quem câ—t ne tua induâ—â— dominus spiritus sanctus de quo concipis dominus pater qui genuit quem concipis But I follow their iudgement which vnderstand this imprecatorie because the blessed Virgin her selfe tooke it so vers 29. She cast in her mind what manner of salutation that should bee ergo all the words spoken by Gabriel vnto her hitherto were salutatorie Blessed art thou among women In comparison or aboue other women happie The like phrase is vsed Iudg. 5.24 Iael the wife of Heber the Kenite shall be blessed aboue other women It doth insinuate that Mary was highly fauoured of God as also that she shall be praised of men throughout all generations Elizabeth expounds Gabriel in this present chapter at the 4â— verse Blessed art thou among women because the fruit of thy wombe is blessed and Bernard expounds Elizabeth Non quia tu benedicta ideo benedictus fructus ventris â—â—i sedâ—yâ—tia ille te praeuenit in benedictionibus dulcedinis ideo â—ubenedâ—cta Mary was blessed of God in that she was chosen to bee the mother of God Other women haue bin and are the daughters of God but Mary was both a daughter and a mother The one is a speciall fauour the other a singular honour and Mary was blessed in respect of both Albeit we doe not beare Christ bodily yet if wee spiritually beare him in our heart by faith it is a great mercy which wee must acknowledge both in our selues and others For he that doth the will of God is a brother and a sister and a mother vnto Christ. As Mary was highly graced of God so she was and is and shall bee magnified of men And from hence we may learne that there is a time to commend so well as to condemne namely 1. when the party praised needeth encouragement 2. when his gifts extolled are most excellent and eminent as in Mary fulnesse of grace 3. When he that is commended hath the grace to giue the glory to God acknowledging himselfe to be freely beloued therfore blessed 4. When the party praising doth it as Gabriel heere not to flatter men but to magnifie God I haue spoken of three remarkeable persons in this Gospell of the party sending God of the party sent Gabriel and Angel of the party to whom he was sent A Virgin whose name was Mary full of grace blessed among women It remaineth I should now treate of the partie to whom all this annunciation was and that is man For all this was said and all that followeth in our text was done for vs men and our saluation I will heere briefly glosse this Gospell in the words of Bernard Felix est qui mittiter felix à quo mittitur felix ad quam mittitur vt home fiat felix pro quo mittitur Wee beseech thee Lord powre thy grace into our hearts that as we haue knowne Christ thy sonnes incarnation by the message of an Angel so by his Crosse and passion wee may bee brought vnto the glory of his resurrection through the same Christ our Lord. Amen The Epistle ACTS 10.34 Peter opened his mouth and said of a truth I perceiue that there is no respect of persons with God c. THe summarie pith in this accurate speech of saint Peter vnto Cornelius is that all men indifferently whether they be Iewes or Gentiles haue remission of their sinnes by faith in Christ which is Lord ouer all things and ordained of God to bee the iudge of all men quicke and dead The whole sermon is diuided into three parts A Proeme vers 34.35 wherein obserue what is said for the matter there is no respect of persons with God c. how it is said for the manner Peter opened his mouth and said of a truth I perceiue Narration ye know the preaching c. Wherein S. Peter catechizeth his auditour Cornelius in the chiefe points of holy beleefe concerning the doctrine verse 36.37 of Iesus Christ. miracles vers 38. of Iesus Christ. life vers 39. of Iesus Christ. death ibid. of Iesus Christ. resurrection vers 40.41 of Iesus Christ. comming to iudgement v. 42. of Iesus Christ. Confirmation by production of witnesses new the blessed Apostles v. 39. Wee are witnesses of all things which he did c. and such witnesses as were chosen before of God vers 41. old the holy
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
as God saying my Lord and my God acknowledging the diuinitie which he did not see by the wounds he did see So that Christ here commends the faith of Thomas in saying thou hast beleeued and reprehends only his slacknesse of faith in adding because thou hast seene me First handling the wounds of Christ afore hee would credit the words of his Apostleâ— Quid enim est fides nisi credere quod non vides eo plus habit merui quo nanus argumenti Thomas in beleeuing after he saw Christ is a type of the Iewes and the rest of the Disciples in beleeuing afore they saw Christ a figure of the Gentiles Augustin tract 121. in Ioan circa sin Blessed are they that haue not seene and yet haue beleeued He denieth not Thomas to be blessed in this sentence but only preferreth other Apostles and all other Christians afore him in that they haue not seene and yâ—t haue beleeued For if thou knowledge with thy mouth that Iesus is the Lord and beleeue in thine heart that God hath raised him vp from the dead O well is thee and happie shall thou be So blessed as Iohn whose head lay neere his Masters heart so blessed as Ioseph of Arimathea who buried his bodie so blessed as old Simeon who lulled his Sauiour in his armes yea so blessed as the Virgin her selfe that bare him in her wombe for thee was more blessed in being the daughter then in being the mother of Christ. Here the Gospel and Epistle meet all they that haue not seene and yet haue beleeued are fellow citizens with the Saints and of Gods house built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ himselfe being the head corner stone in whom they grow to be an holy temple of God hauing the promises of the life present and of that which is to come See Gospell Sunday 13. after Trinitie By this it doth appeare that the resurrection of Christ is the chiefe obiect of a blessed faith as also the maine subiect of all this out present Gospell And it is exceeding profitable for confutation and instruction As first it doth ouerthrow the wicked error of Corinthus who taught Christ should not rise againe till the generall resurrection of whom Epiphanius worthily Stolâ—dus est stolidorum magister Secondly Apelles heresie who said Christ rose againe but not in his owne flesh or as Augustine reports his opinion without any flesh Thirdly that of Cerdon and the Passionists affirming that Christ ascended into heauen in soule only Fourthly that assertion of Eutychian heretikes holding that Christs humane nature was deiâ—ied after his resurrection and made not glorious only but meerely diuine also Againe the doctrine of Christs rising againe from the dead serues for instruction in matters of holy faith and good manners In articles of beâ—iefe concerning Christ and our seâ—ues First touching Christ whereas he did abide among the dead at least thirtie three or thirtie foure houres as he continued among the liuing thirtie three or thirtie foure yeeres I say whereas Christ being starke dead raised himselfe to life by his owne power it is a manifest demonstration of his Godhead as Paul disputes Rom. 1.4 and God said in the second Psalme Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee The which text ought to be construed not so much of Christs eternall generation afore all worlds as of the manifestation therof in time This day that is at the time of thine incarnation but at the day of thy resurrection especially haue I begotten thee that is I haue made knowne vnto the world that thou art my sonne as Paul expounds it Acts 13.33 for none euer raised another from the dead but by God none euer raised himselfe from the dead but God Secondly this doctrine proues euidently that Christ was a perfect Priest and that his passion was an omnisufficient sacrifice for the sinnes of the whole world For if hee had not fully satisfied for them all if there had remained one little sinne only for which he had made no satisfaction he could not haue risen againe for death and the graue which came into the world by sinne and are daily strengthened by sinne would haue held him in bondage To this purpose Paul saith If Christ be not risen againe your faith is vaine and you are yet in your sinnes That is Christ had not answered fully for your sins or at least you could not possibly know that hee had made satisfaction for any of them if he had not risen againe As for points of faith appertaining to thy selfe more neerely the resurrection of Christ is a demonstration of our resurrection according to that of Paul If it be preached that Christ is risen againe from the dead how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead 1. Cor. 15.12 Behold saith the Lord I kill and giue life I wound and I make whole that is as Tertullian aptly killing by death and giuing life by resurrection If a man be cast into the sea though all his bodie sinke vnder the water yet there is hope of recoueâ—ie so long as his head is aboue the waues in like manner if wee beleeue that Christ our head is the first fruits of those that sleepe let vs not doubt but vnfainedly beleeue that we which are his members in our due time shall be raised out of the dust also Moreouer the resurrection of Christ is a proofe of our iustification before God he was deliuered for our offences and raised againe for our iustification As in his death he stood in our place wounded for our transgressing and broken for our iniquities and bearing our sinnes in his body on the tree so likewise in his resurrection he is not to be considered as a priuate but as a publike person representing the whole Church making his righteousnesse a cloke to couer all our vnrighteousnesse If death could not keepe Christ fettered in his prison it is euident that his power was ouercome Now then if death be conquered it followeth necessarily that sinne the wages of death is also destroied If death and sinne be vanquished then the tyrannous kingdome of Satan is subdued who had the power of death and was author of sinne and ruler of hell So that euery true Christian may reioice with Paul O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie the sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law but thankes be to God which hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. And lastly concerning matters of honest and holy conuersation this doctrine teacheth vs to seeke those things which are aboue where Christ sitteth as the right hand of God and to rise from dead workes vnto newnesse of life See Epistle on Easter day and Epistle Sunday 6. after Trinitie Touching our Euangelists
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
touched his pretious body both afore his death and after his resurrection and so that which wee so many waies assuredly know to be true declare we vnto you For albeit the word of life being very God of very God is neither visible nor palpable yet in respect of the personall vnion of the two natures in him it may be safely said againe and againe that which we haue seen and heard And we saw the glory of it as the glory of the onely begotten sonne of the Father full of grace and truth Iohn 1.14 And in this sense the word of life yea the Lord of life is said elsewhere to be killed and crucified Thirdly in regard of the profit because Christ is the word of life not onely formaliter in respect of himselfe but in respect of vs effectiue being authour of our naturall life for in him we liue and mooue and haue our being Aâ—t 17.28 Of our spirituall life Thus I liue yet not I now 〈◊〉 Christ liueth in mee saith Paul Galath 2.20 Of our eternall life for he is the way the truth and the life Iohn 14.6 The resurrection and the life Iohn 11.25 yea that eternall life 〈◊〉 it is in our present text So that if weâ— will embrace the Gospell and receiue these glad tidings of peace we shall haue fellowship with the blessed Apostles and in conclusion it will bring vs vnto fulnes of ioy The which is not in this life for here many sorrowes are mixed with a few ioyes Hee was a blessed man who said O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death Our reioycing is in part as our knowing is in part and our prophecying in part Here God giueth his children sometimes a good measure of ioy shaken together and pressed downe but hereafter in his kingdome of glory when all teares shall be wiped from our eyes and all cares from our heart then onely our ioy shall be full and as Christ speakes elsewhere running ouer Let all Doctors of Diuinitie learne by this Diuine to shun new dubious vnprofitable quirkes of learning and to deliuer vnto Gods people that which was from the beginning a true Gospell and a certaine procuring an happy communion with God and a fulnesse of ioy God is light Almighty God is compared vnto light in many respects As first for that all things are naked and open vnto his eyes as to the light Secondly as wee cannot see things earthly without lighâ— so wee cannot discerne things heauenly vnlesse the father of lights illuminate our minde and giue vs an vnderstanding heart Thirdly for that as the light of the sunne dasseth our eyes if they gaze too much vpon it euen so the Diuine Maiestie dwelling in the light which no man can approach vnto confoundeth all such as curiously pry too much into it according to that of Salomon in the vulgar latine quâ— serutator est maiestatis epprimetur à gloria But God is called here light as expelling â—ll darknesse of sin ignorance being in himselfe pure sincere righteous in al his waies holy in al his works Our Apostle then argueth against hypocrites and tale-gospellers often and openly boasting of their Communion with God à natura Dei from the properties of God after this sort God is light Ergo none can haue fellowship with him except they walke in the light If we say we haue communion with him and walke in darknesse we lie and doe not the truth Our wilfull ignorance and sinnes vnrepented are called in holy Scripture darknesse as hauing their beginning from Satan the Prince of darknesse and their end in hell which is the pit of darknesse and therefore though hypocrites out-mouth as it were true Christians in bragging of their familiaritie with God and his Sonne yet the truth is as long as they walke in darknes it is impossible they should be children of God for in him is no darknesse nor so much as a shadow Iam. 1.17 What communion hath light with darknesse or what concord hath Christ with Belial or what fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse God is without wickednesse himselfe and hateth all manner of wickednesse in other according to that of the Prophet in the fifth Psalme thou art the God that hath no pleasure in wickednesse neither shall any euill dwell with thee Such as be foolish shall not stand in thy sight for thou hatâ—st all them that worke vanitie Thou shalt destroy them that speake leasing the Lord will abhorre both the bloudthirstie and deceitfull man I conclude this point in the words of our Apostle Little children let no man deceiue you he that doth righteousnesse is righteous It is not sufficient to say that hee is righteous for if wee say we haue fellowship with God and walke in darknesse we lie and doe not the truth that is we lie to our selues and doe not the truth vnto other because they be misled through our example mentimur commissione veâ—itatem nor facimus omissione If we walke in the light An argument from the effect to the cause for our studiousnesse to walke in the light and to doe good in our callings is not the cause of our fellowship with God and of the remission of our sinne by the bloud of Iesus Christ his sonne but an effect or consequent It is a signe that we are the sonnes of God if wee bee followers of God as deare children if wee will embrace the Gospell and receiue these glad ridings of peace we shall haue fellowship with the blessed Apostles and in conclusion it will bring vs vnto fulnes of ioy The which is not in this life for here many sorrowes are mixed with a few ioyes Hee was a blessed man who said O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death Our reioycing is in part as our knowing is in part and our prophecying in part Here God giueth his children sometimes a good measure of ioy shaken together and pressed downe but thereafter in his kingdome of glory when all teares shall be wiped from our eyes and all cares from our heart then onely our ioy shall be full and as Christ speakes elsewhere running ouer Let all Doctors of Diuinitie learne by this Diuine to shun new dubious vnprofitable quirke of learning and to deliuer vnto Gods people that which was from the beginning a true Gospell and a certaine procuring an happy communion with God and a fulnesse of ioy God is light Almighty God is compared vnto light in many respects As first for that all things are naked and open vnto his eyes to the light Secondly as wee cannot see things earthly without light so wee cannot discerne things heauenly vnlesse the father of lights illuminate our minde and giue vs an vnderstanding heart Thirdly for that as the light
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
doth not only subsist in his diuine nature but also by his diuine nature whereas hee doth not subsist at all by the manhood but in the manhood onely for the word was in the beginning when the manhood was not God of the subâ—tance of his Father begotten before the worlds man of the substance of his mother borne in the world as Athanasius in his Creed And therefore Christ alway was is and euer will be with vs in his spirit though absent in his body for a cloud on this day tooke him vpon high out of our sight whom the heauens must containe till the time that all things bee restored which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began I conclude this argument in S. Augustines glosse Videte ascendentem credite in absentem sperate venientem sed tamen per misericordiam occultam etiam sentite praesentem The Gospell MARK 16.14 Iesus appeared vnto the eleuen as they sat at meate c. ALbeit religion be not tied vnto time yet can it not be planted or exercised without a due diuiding and allotting out of time for it Euery Church therefore chuseth vnto it selfe a certaine time for publike prayers and for the preaching of the Gospell and for the celebration of the Sacraments And for as much as it is kindly to consider euery great blessing of God in the day wherein it was wrought it is well ordered by the true Churches as well ancient as moderne to solemnize the memoriall of Christs natiuity circumcision passion resurrection assension and sending of the holy Ghost on certaine set holy daies euery yeere ne volumine temporum ingrata subrepat obliuio saith Augustine lest happily the maruelous workes of our gratious Lord should be forgotten in a while which ought to be had in a perpetuall remembrance Now Châ—ists assension is the consummation of all that which he did and taught whilest hee dwelt among vs aptly tearmed by Bernard Fâ—lix clausula totius lienerarâ— sily Dei the very Sabbath of all his labour in the working of our redemption He laboured six daies and then he rested on the seuenth His natiuity was the first his circumcision was the second his presentation in the Temple the third his baptisme the fourth his passion the fifth his resurrection the sixth and then followed his ascension in which hee was receiued into heauen and now sitteth at the right hand of God as hauing finished the whole worke for which hee came into the world Dauid saith of the naturall Sunne it reioyceth as a Grant to runne his course it goeth forth from the vtter most parts of the heauen and runneth about vnto the end of it againe and there is nothing hid from the heate thereof The which as Augustine and other haue noted may be well applied vnto the supernaturall Sunne Iesus Christ the sonne of righteousnesse As a Gâ—ant he did runne his course there you haue his incarnation and peregrination in the flesh his circuit was from the vttermost part of heauen vnto the end of it againe There you haue his resurrection and ascension nothing is hid from his beate there you haue his sending of the holy Ghost in the forme of fiery tongues Act. 2.3 As a Giant he ran his race for he first descended into the lowest parts of the earth and then ascended from aboue all heauens that he might fulfill all things Ephes. 4.9.10 Wherefore seeing Christs ascension is the complement of all his doings and of all his doctrines our Church is worthie to be honoured in making this festiuall one of the chiefe holidaies in the whole yeere In the Gospell allotted for this holy Thursday two points are most obseruable namely Christs goodnesse toward his Apostles in his Apparition Iesus appeared vnto the eleuen Correction and cast in their teeth c. Commission Goe ye into all the world c. Consolation These tokens shall follow c. Ascension So when the Lord had spoken vnto them hee was receiued into heauen c. The Apostles obedience toward Christ and they went forth and preached euery where c. Iesus appeared vnto the eleuen Hee had often appeared vnto his followers after his resurrection and now he manifested himselfe to the eleuen Apostles as they sat at meate Wherein hee did appeare like himselfe full of meekenesse and mercy giuing vs assurance that he will be present with vs orationi incumbentibus at our meetings in the Temple Quando nec recumbentibus quidem dedignatur adesse seeing he vouchsafed his companie to his Apostles in their meates at the table It is reported Luk. 24.43 that he did eate with them also now this comestion as the Schoolemen out of the Fathers haue disputed was not egestatis but potestatis He did eate to feed our soules and not to fill his owne bodie being after his resurrection immortall and impassible That which he did eate was not as Durandus imagined turned into the substance of his body for as Gregorie the great disputes out of S. Paul Rom. 6.9 Christ being raised from the dead dreth no more death hath no dominion ouer him his glorified body needed no sustenance to preserue life Neither was this eating as other thinke a seeming onely to take bread and fish and honie but it was a true comestion albeit assuredly there followed no digestion or ordinarie eiection And so by consequence he did not eate to nourish his owne flesh but onely to cherish our faith in that great article concerning the truth of his resurrection Or hee did in this appearing eate with his Apostles at the table familiarly that he might hereby the better imprint in their hearts a memoriall of his sweet loue toward them Or he did appeare to his Apostles at meate to signifie that he giueth our food in due season and that he filleth all things with his plenteousnesse Psal. 145.15 And cast in their teeth their vnbeleefe The Patriarks and Prophets and Apostles instruct vs not only by their vertues but also by their infirmities As there the Disciples vnbeleefe turned in fine to the confirmation of our Creed Dubitatum est ab illis ne dubitaretur à nobis vndoubtedly some did doubt the diuine prouidence sweetly so disposing that all other might bee put out of doubt And therefore Thomas in beleeuing Christs resurrection so flackly did vs hereby more good then Mary Magdalene in beleeuing so quickly because Christs correction of his fault occasioned further direction for our faith Infidelit as bona quae seculorum fidei militauit See Gospell on Saint Thomas day The world doth exalt first and then humble Prou. 14.13 The end of the worlds mirth is heauinesse But God on the contrary first humbleth and then exalteth As Christ here first humbled his Apostles in rebuking their vnbeleefe and hardnesse of heart and then he doth exalt them in making the whole