because They haue or should haue a tongue of the learned and should knowe to minister a word in due time to him that is wearie They haue or should haue the balm of Gilead wherewith the sores and wounds of Gods people should be cured and healed They haue or should haue in store Vinum merentibus the wine of comfort and consolation for them that mourne and are heauie hearted And therefore to end this point my exhortation shall bee this vnto you When you read any thing that is hard which you desire to vnderstand but cannot When any great grieuous crosse calamity befalleth you and you are ignorant of the meanes and knowe not how to be eased When you groane vnder the burthen of your sinnes and finde the hand of God heauy vpon you so that you find not in your selues the groūds of sound comfort When any great and violent temptation which you cannot encounter taketh fast holde vpon you so that you finde it too strong for you To conclude when feare and anguish afflict your soules your consciences be troubled so that you know not how to lay your selues downe in peace Then desire some Philip that hee will come sit with you desire some of Gods learned and faithfull Ministers that they will abide with you and conferre with you that so they may resolue your doubts and ease your griefes But heere I might take vp a iust complaint and lament the state of these times wherein there is so little or almost no vse at all of conference either in secular learning wherein men are loath to conferre with such as are more learned then themselues least they should bewray their owne ignorance or in points of faith and cases of conscience with Gods Ministers least they should thereby discouer to them their errors and imperfections But this complaint may sooner bee made than it can bee remedied The second thing I noted in these later words is Philips readinesse and his godly discretion his readinesse in that hee presently followed the direction and appointment of the Spirit in respect whereof it is here said that he came to his chariot His godly discretion in that hee tooke the present occasion and began at that very Scripture which the Eunuch then read and preached Christ vnto him From hence we that are Ministers may learne this lesson To take all occasions that are offered vnto vs speedily to doe good to cut-off long and vnnecessarie prefaces and discourses and to go roundly and directly to the matter not to holde our Auditors in the Church porch when wee should bring them into the Church it selfe not to stay them in atrio templi in the outwarde court of the Temple but speedily to leade them in sanctum sanctorum into the holiest of holies where the Mercy seate standeth not to lead them along by tedious wearisome paths but to bring them the straightest nearest way to Christ to take all opportunities of doing them good And you also that are Auditours may from hence learne with the like alacritie and speed to heare and to receiue those good tidings and doctrines which are preached vnto you and to striue euen at the first hearing of them to embrace and lay hold of them with the hand of faith as here this Eunuch did The third thing I noted in these later words is what it was that he vttered and spake when hee opened his mouth He preached vnto him Iesus In these wordes I obserue two things first here is not set downe at large the Sermon which Philip made to this Eunuch neither are the words of that discourse which Philip had with him at that time here mentioned Indeede it is true that all the Sermons and exhortations of the Apostles and disciples of Christ are not verbatim word for word set downe in the Scripture but onely per summa capita the chiefe points only and such generall and chiefe heads as the Spirit of God thought meete they are remembred and set downe vnto vs. Paul and Silas preached to the keeper of the prison and to all his househould the word of the Lord Act. 16.32 but his Sermon is not set down at large but the summe and substance of it is set downe in the verse going before namely the 30. verse Beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saued and thine houshould In the 2. of the Acts when they mocked and saide that the Apostles were full of new wine what time they being full of the holy Ghost beganne to speake with diuers tongues Peter when he had reprooued them and instructed them what they should think of that miracle and exhorted them to haue a care of themselues and their owne soules so that they began to be pricked in their hearts and said Men and brethren what shall we doe then he said vnto them Amend your liues and be baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins And then it followeth verse 40. And with many other words he besought and exhorted them Which many other words are not set downe in that place or there mentioned yet the summe and substance the principall scope of them and the maine drift of Saint Peter is set downe and contained in these few words which go immediately before Amend your liues and bee baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes And so in this place it is saide that Philip preached to this Eunuch the words of which Sermon with all the parts and passages thereof are not set down as may be euidently discerned in that no mention being made in this chapter of baptisme or of water yet this noble Eunuch when hee saw water saide to Philip See here is water what doth hinder me to be baptized And yet this proueth not the Scriptures to be maimed or vnperfect as our Aduersaries would willingly haue the world beleeue forasmuch as there is so much set downe in Scripture as is any way needfull and necessarie for our saluation So that although we haue not all the Sermons which the Prophets Apostles of Christ preached word by word and at large set downe and deliuered vnto vs in Gods booke yet it may and ought to suffice vs to know that God in his wisedome hath so disposed that so much of their heauenly discourses and Sermons is set downe vnto vs as might serue to direct vs in the knowledge and worship of God and might further Gods glorie in vs and our saluation And therefore there is no cause at all why wee should listen to the enchantments of Rome or giue any care of credite and beleefe to our Aduersaries the Papists when they tell vs that in som things the Scriptures come short in some things they are silent and say nothing in many things they are doubtfull and vncertaine and in most things hard and full of obscurity With all which and many more the like imputations
of the like blessing And although it bee not enough onely to reade the booke or worde of God but that there bee more required at our hands euen to beleeue it and to frame our liues according to the prescript forme and rules thereof yet shall wee finde by Gods blessing that the frequent and diligent reading thereof shall be in good time the beginning of better things vnto vs. A small wedge though it cannot cleaue great logges and such as bee hard and knotty yet may it and doth it often serue to make way for greater and stronger wedges by which they may bee clouen So your often reading of the word only may make way in you to some greater more powerful operation of Gods Spirit by which your knotty and hard hearts may bee clouen asunder and so made woode fit for sacrifice fit to be laid and vsed vpon the Lords Altar I knowe right well that Cathedram habet in coelo qui docet corda in terris that he hath his seat in heauen which teacheth mens hearts on earth That it is our Sauiour Christ that opened the vnderstanding of his disciples that they might vnderstand the Scriptures Luke 24.45 That of him and of him onely it is said Reuel 5.9 Thou art worthy to take the booke and to open the seales thereof That he and he onely hath the key of of Dauid which openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth Reuel 3.7 And therefore except hee open the doore of the Scriptures they shall be shut vnto you notwithstanding you doe often reade them Yet if you doe often reade them you do stare in via qua trāsit Dominus you doe stand in the way by which the Lord passeth and if you doe but stand in the way by which the Lord often passeth it may be he will at one time or other turne in vnto you as he did to Abraham Lot as they stood in the way by which he passed And as the Prophet Elisha turned into the the house of the Shunamite when she had prepared a chamber for him and a bed and a table and a stoole 4. King 4.10.11 So I say if the Lord shall see that you stand in the way by which he passeth and that by your often reading his most sacred word you haue prepared a chamber in your hearts with conuenient furniture therein to receiue him and to entertaine him it may be he will turne in vnto you and so open vnto you the hidden mysteries of those Scriptures which you read to your euerlasting comfort And as here to this noble Eunuch after he had worshipped God at Ierusalem and was now in his returne home-warde reading of the Prophet Esay the Lord sent Philip who ioyned himselfe to his Chariot expounded that Scripture and preached Iesus vnto him baptized him and so left him a most faithful and most ioyfull seruant and professor of Christ So if we frequently reade the worde and meditate therein though therein wee meete with many things we vnderstand not the Lord in his good time will send some Philip that shall ioyne himselfe vnto vs some godly and faithfull Pastor and Minister that shall open and expound either priuately or publickly so much thereof vnto vs as shal beget a liuely and true faith in vs and shall bee needfull and helpfull to our saluation But here exception may be taken and it may bee obiected that as hee read the Prophesie of Esay but vnderstood it not and Legere non intelligere negligere est so to reade as wee doe not vnderstand is but in vaine lost labour The answer may be that although the Prophet Esay hath the same place and bee the same in respect of other Prophets as Saint Iohn is in respect of the other Euangelists like an Eagle that flieth an high pitch and soareth and pearcheth aboue the other birds that is bee full of high and heauenly mysteries which the eye of reason naturall vnderstanding cannot pierce or attaine vnto Yet are there many things both in Esay and so also in the whole bodie and all the seuerall parts of the holy Scripture that are plaine and easie to be vnderstood in which are contained and expressed the power the wisedome the goodnesse of God together with that dutie and obedience that feare and reuerence which all creatures doe owe and ought to performe to his most heauenly Maiesty as also such things as inuite men to faith and exhort to holinesse of life And these things and the like this Eunuch did without doubt both often read and well vnderstood Howsoeuer he doth most freely ingenuously confess that he could not vnderstand that place or passage of the Prophet which he then read vvhich was prophetically and mystically deliuered concerning the person of Christ and the saluation of mankinde by his death and passion which is indeed a mysterie which no eye but the eye of faith can pearce and looke into And from hence we may learne this point of Christian wisedom Not to neglect or carelesly to passe by those parts and passages of holy Scripture which when we read wee doe not vnderstand as if they either appertained not vnto vs or it concerned vs not at all to search out the sense and meaning thereof whereas by often reading searious meditating and frequent and deuout praying wee might many times with comfort vnderstand the same Chrysostome vpon the 16. of Luke hath this saying Etiamsi non intelligas illic recondita c. Although thou vnderstand not the mysteries that are hidden in the Scripture yet of the very reading of them great holinesse groweth And Ierom in his fourth booke vpon Esay and eleuenth chapter saith Frequenter euenit c. It commeth often to passe that lay men beeing ignorant of the mysticall sense are yet fed with the plaine and simple reading of the Scriptures To this exhortation of mine for the frequent reading of holy Scripture and by the example of this noble Eunuch for the reading of thē though perhaps some part of them be not vnderstood by vs to this exhortation I say giue me leaue I pray you before I shut vp this poynt to adde or vse a reprehension also I loue not I confesse to be ful of reprehensions I delight not in publick reproofes neither take I pleasure in searching the wounds or ripping vp the soares and faults of others and yet that vvoe which the Prophet Esay denounceth against them that call good euill and euill good maketh mee afraid to acquire offenders and maketh mee also bold to call error by it owne name and to tell them plainly which misse the right path that they are out of the way and are deceiued Let not my meaning be misconstrued neither let that which is well meant be ill taken The testimonie of mine owne conscience shall sufficiently witnesse to my selfe my good meaning and the iudgement of charitie should hold you frō misconceiuing or misreporting of that vvhich shall be by
precepts and rules of religion and all the directions and counsels which in our Sermons and preaching either are or can be deliuered vnto you they haue all of them relationem ad subiectum a most direct aspect and necessary reference to Iesus Christ who is primum et primarium subiectum Euangelij the first and primarie subiect of the Gospel Saint Paul as he esteemed to know nothing saue Iesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 as he reioyced in nothing else but onely in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby the world was crucified to him and he to the world Gala. 6.14 so in substance and in effect he preached nothing but Iesus Christ and him crucified Super hanc Petram vpon this Rock that is vpon Christ The Rock is Christ saith S. Paul 1 Cor. 10.4 Vpon this Rock I say did it please God not onto build his whole Church but also euery particular euery true and liuing member of his Church Wee are Gods labourers saith S. Paul and you are Gods building and according to the grace of God giuen vnto vs some of vs as skilfull Master-builders others lesse skilfull wee lay the foundation that is wee build you vpon Christ For other foundation can no man lay than that vvhich is laid vvhich is Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 Who is rightlie tearmed a foundation because he supporteth and beareth vp all the building As in a great house or building the roofe thereof is supported and borne vp by the walls the walls by the beames and timber thereof and both roofe and walls and beames timber and all other parts are borne vp and supported by the foundation so in the spirituall building vp of our soules into a holy temple to God the roofe the walls the beames and timber of that building our faith our hope our adoption the remission of our sinnes and lastly the beautifull glorious roofe and couering of all this building to wit the decking the couering and crowning of our soules with saluation in heauen euen all of these are supported and borne vp by the foundation which is Christ Iesus Excellent and to this purpose most pregnant is the beginning of the first chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians where the Apostle most plainly sheweth that our election our adoption our redemption the remission of our sinnes and our benediction and blessing in spirituall gifts and graces that all of these are founded and grounded vpon the person of Christ For our election Blessed be GOD that hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundation of the vvorld ver 4. For our adoption to be adopted through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe v. 5. For our redemption by whom wee haue redemption ver 7. For the remission of our sinnes by whose bloud wee haue the forgiuenesse of our sinnes ver 7. For our benediction and blessing in spirituall gifts graces Blessed be God vvhich hath blessed vs in all spirituall blessings in heauenly things in Christ. ver 3. Christ is made vnto vs saith the same Apostle vvisedome and righteousnes and sanctification redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 Runne if you please through the whole volume of Gods booke take a view and suruey of the whole summe and substance of our saluation and of all those spirituall graces that further the same and you shall finde all and euery of them wholly and onely in the person of Christ If wee seeke for innocencie it is to be found in his Natiuitie If for purity it is to be found in his Conception If for freedom from the Curse it is to be found in his Crosse If for satisfaction it is to be found in his Sacrifice If for absolution it is in his Condemnation If for purgation it is in his Bloud If for redemption it is in his Passion If for mortification it is in his Buriall If for newnesse of life it is in his Resurrection If for an inheritance in heauen it is in his Ascension If for security and safety at the day of Iudgement to him the Father hath committed all iudgement Lastly if for saluation it is in Christ in whom who-soeuer beleeueth shall not perish but haue euerlasting life In Christ by Christ for Christ through Christ so runneth the whole current and streame of the holy Scriptures So doe we confirme and strengthen our faith so doe we back and fortifie all our hopes so doe wee season and sweeten all our comforts so doe wee intermix and conclude all our prayers 5 In the fift or last place we haue to consider the effects which this Eunuch's own reading and Philips preaching of Iesus wrought in him And they are three 1. He beleeued 2. He was baptised 3. He reioyced or he went on his way reioycing That he beleeued appeareth by his answer to Philip for when Philip told him that If he belieued he might bee baptised hee answered and said I belieue that Iesus Christ is the sonne of GOD. ver 37. Prima vox Christiani est Credo The first word that euer any Christian man or woman speaketh or vttereth as a Christian is Credo I beleeue and till that word with the matter and substance thereof be bred and begotten in the soule and brought foorth vttered by the mouth tongue of man no man is or can be rightly tearmed a Christian man Till such time as we belieue Christ is not formed in vs and till such time as Christ be formed in vs we haue no part or portion in him wee haue no title to the couenant of God we haue no interest in the promises of grace we can lay no claime to Gods mercy Oleum misericordiae nisi in vase fiduciae Deus non ponit Ber. in vigilia natalis do Ser. 5. Fides est porta aurea per quam Rex gloriae mentem nostram ingreditur Faith is that goulden gate by which the King of glory entreth into our soules By this gate it was that the King of glorie entred into the heart and soule of this noble Eunuch and if euer hee enter into vs and our soules by this gate he must enter Let me therefore vse the words of Dauid vnto you Lift vp your heads ye gates be ye lift vp ye euerlasting doors and the King of glory shall come in 1. Effect Hee beleeued Faithfull and blessed Prince faithfull and blessed Eunuch great in thy birth and thy nobility but farre greater in thy regeneration and new birth in Christ great in the fauour countenance of thy Queene and Mistris beeing her chiefe Steward but farre greater in the fauour and countenance of thy heauenly King thy Master and Sauiour great in the imployments of thy place and office as beeing chiefe ruler and disposer of a Queenes treasure but farre greater in beeing of of Christs familie entrusted with the treasures of heauen How doest thou as one placed in some high and eminent seate aboue vs and aduanced to the highest honour now made a Saint in heauen preach