were scattered and all they that hated his word did flye before him like smoake For all those Gardiners and Bonners those Iehoiakims and Antiochusses that wrought despite to Gods word are dead and rotten and their names are perished with them sed verbum Domini manet in aeternum but the word of the Lord endureth for euer and this is that word that is preached among you this is that word that God hath appointed to be written for your sakes and hath preserved mightily unto these times wherein we inioy it in great puritie Onely let us remember to make good use of this loving kindnesse of the Lord to read in the booke of God continually to delight in it to meditate therein day and night as it is in the 1. Psalme There are none now debarred from reading we haue the free use of the Bible neither is the booke sealed but wide open and plaine enough in your owne Mother tongue It is not in the heaven in Gods bosome that you should say who will ascend up into heaven and fetch it downe thence that wee may know it For God hath revealed himselfe in the holy writings Neither is it beyond the Sea in the bosome of the Pope that you should say who will climbe over the Alpes and goe to Rome and bring it thence that we may know it and doe it but the word is neere unto you even at your doores in a manner nay it is in your mouthes and in your hearts to obserue it I shut up the point with that excellent exhortation of the blessed Apostle Let the word of Christ dwell in you plenteously in all wisdome Coloss. 3. The word of Christ is the holy Scripture this you must get to dwell in you you must not giue it lodging in your breasts as in a thorough-faire for a night and so farewell but you must get it to dwell in you and that not sparingly but plenteously and in all wisdome too Coloss. 3. 16. So from the Secretaries Commission I come to the Subscription of the letter which containes a description of the partie from whom the Epistle is sent These things saith he that hath the sharpe two edged sword The words in this description are very emphaticall It is clearely proved as the learned in the Greeke tongue know by the apposition of the article to every word for thus it runnes in the originall These things saith hee that hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that sword 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that two edged sword 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that sharpe two edged sword Of these in their order And first of the sword 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then of the two attributes giuen to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it is a two edged sword and that it is a sharpe sword By the sword here is ment the word of God which is called the sword of the spirit Ephes. 6. and compared to a sharpe two edged sword Heb. 4. Now the word of God is called a sword in a double relation 1. In relation to Christ 2. In relation to Christians First in relation to Christ the word that is the sword is an embleeme of his Majestie and authority in governing the Church and shewes him to be a King Kings and Princes you know haue the sword borne before them as an ensigne of their authority So Christ our blessed Saviour is no sooner made King of the Church but he hath this sword set up before him as a token of his Majestie as you shall finde in the 2. Psalme I haue set my King upon my holy hill of Sion I will preach the law whereof the Lord hath said c vers 6. I haue set my King there Christ is made an appointed King of the Church I will preach the law and there is the sword set up before him whereby he is to governe the Church unto the end and that is the preaching of the word And hereof you haue a most manifest proofe in that description of Christ Reuel 19. where he is set out in his full glory Upon a white horse with many crownes on his head and with his heavenly guard and attendants about him but where is the sword It is presently said in the next words that out of his mouth there came a sharpe sword that with it he might smite the Nations and rule them with an iron rod. This place consorts wholly with the 2. Psalme Yet that we might not at all doubt of whom this scripture is ment his name is called the Word of God that is the essentiall word of the Father vers 13. and verse 16. he is called King of Kings and Lord of Lords By which it is plaine that in relation to Christ this sword is an embleeme of his authority and dominion ouer the Church And let us make this use of it that seeing Christ hath set up the word in the Church for our gouerment let us learne like obedient Subjects to submit our selues to Gods ordinance and giue up our selues wholy to be guided and governed by the scepter of Christs word Let it haue such sway and authority in our hearts that whatsoever we finde therein condemned we may avoyd that and whatsoeuer we finde therein commended we may follow after that and be sure we doe nothing if it be possible for which we haue not some ground in the scripture II. In relation to Christians the word of God is called a sword and that in a twofold respect 1. In respect of that it worketh in them 2. In respect of that it worketh for them First for that it worketh in them so this appellation of a sword setteth out the vertue and power and efficacie of the word of God It is a powerfull word and lively in operation yea sharper then any two edged sword piercing even to the dividing a sunder of the soule and the spirit of the joynts and the marrow and is a discerner of the secret thoughts and intents of the heart Heb 4. 12. No wonder then as it hath beene observed that in some congregations whilest the Minister was speaking in the Pulpit there appeared compunction in the hearts teares in the eyes blushes in the cheekes feare in the consciences and a kinde of horror over all the body of the auditorie For why it was not the power of him that spake but the power and efficacie of the word that he spake which wrought all those passions and strange motions in the hearers Ense velut stricto quotiens Lucilius ardens Infremuit rubet auditor cut frigidamens est Criminibus tacitâ sudant praecordia culpâ Iuvenal a Poet spake it of Lucilius another Poet. I may more truely affirme of a Preacher that brandisheth this glittering Sword and layeth about him manfully to strike downe sinne and impietie that he makes men sometime to wax red sometime to grow pale sometime to swet and fret and scratch where it doth
take it this is a difference between an Apostle and a Byshop or ordinarie Pastor that the Apostles were not confined to any set place but were appointed to goe into all the world and to preach the Gospell to every creature but Byshops and Pastors are confined to their owne Circuites and Churches To the Angell of the Church of Pergamos I haue done with the Superscription I come now to the Secretaries Commission in this word Write It is the voyce of Gods spirit to Saint Iohn A word much used in scripture but especially in this booke of Revelation very frequently Cap. 1. 19. Write the things that thou hast seene Cap. 14. 13. And I heard a voyce from heaven saying vnto mee Write And in this and the next chapter often Write Hence wee gather divers things The first thing wee gather hence is the divine authority of this booke ot Iohn is not the Author of it but the instrument onely to convey it unto vs. The holy Ghost is the inditer Iohn is but the writer of it So that what S. Paul saith of the whole Scripture we may truly affirme it of this booke that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 given from God by inspiration Which I note against the errour of all such as haue either doubted or denyed this booke to be in the Canon of scripture or of authenticall authority Secondly Write I know and confesse that God might haue written this booke and the whole scripture with his owne finger as he did the ten commandements they were written with the finger of Gods owne hand or God might haue spoken these things himselfe to the Churches as he delt with Moses to whom he talked as one friend to another face to face but it hath not pleased him to deale with us after such an immediate manner least we might bee too much daunted with his glory And therefore because he would graciously descend to our weakenesse he hath used the Ministerie of his servants to deliver unto vs his holy Oracles not that he needed their helpe at all as Kings and great men neede their Secretaries but onely to remember us of these 2. short instructions 1. To let us see our owne weakenesse that we are not able to sustaine Gods immediate presence and 2. to teach vs a necessary and most excellent use of the ministerie which God hath established in the Church meerely for our benefit Thirdly Write And why must these things be written was it not enough to haue them delivered over by word of mouth from the father to the sonne and so haue remained as a Tradition perpetually in the Church but they must be written But who is this that calls Gods actions into question Wee see it was his will to haue these things written and let us rest in that and know that it was not expedient for vs that it should be otherwise If they had not beene written peradventure nay without all peradventure they would haue beene corrupted and received addition or diminution according either to the over-quick or over-dull capacities of men in the long line of succession but being once written that feare is past The text will not admit of any addition but it will plainely appeare to be interlined and their can nothing now be taken from the text but it will plainely appeare to be blotted out The Papists may tell us that the Canon of the Scripture is not perfect unlesse we adde thereunto unwritten Traditions But we know the Canon is perfect Adoroplenitudinem Scripturarum saies Tertullian I adore the perfection of the scripture and we dare not adde any thing to it Wee feare the curse denounced in the last of this booke which is set downe with earnestnesse a solemne protestation I protest unto every one that shall adde any thing to this booke God will also adde unto him the plagues that are written in this booke Revel 22. 18. They may tell vs of a twofold word of God Scriptum non Scriptum the one written the other unwritten But we cannot admit of this distinction If it be the the word of God it is written as Saint Ambrose saith excellently Quod non legi usurpare non debeo I dare not make use of any thing as authentique proofe that I read not written in the scriptures Write Fourthly Write Words you know are but a winde and they quickly vanish in the aire with the sound sed littera scripta manet if they be once put in writing then they stand upon a sure record both for our owne present use and the benefit of all posterity And therefore when the Lord had wrought a great deliverance for his people the Prophet saith This shall bee written for them that come after and the people which are yet unhorne shall praise the Lord. They are not content to praise God themselues for his deliverance but they will haue it written downe for them that come after that they also may haue occasion thereby to praise the Lord. These things then must be written both for their use that then lived and also for our benefit that by this excellent meanes they might the better be preserved in the Church to be read and learned of us For whatsoever was written afore time was written for our learning that we through patience c. Rom. 15. 4. And hath God taken such care to haue these things written for our learning What shall we thinke then of the folly shall I say or the madnesse of Popish Bishops and Prelates which strike the Bible out of Lay mens hands and will not suffer the common people to haue or use the holy Scriptures least forsooth they should turne heretiques and Apostates from the faith Was not the world trow you come to a faire passe when the Bible was not onely put into the Index of prohibited bookes and the people interdicted and debarred utterly from once peeping into it but when it was accounted a capitall crime for a man to haue the New Testament in his house or any English Scripture about him yea such a crime that Gods booke it selfe shall be cast into the fire to bee burnt and Gods Servant that used it shall fry at the stake for it as is happened in our forefathers dayes good Lord No wonder if thou Iohn Husse poore goose of Bohemia bee'st derided and thy Monuments blackt over with dust and cast behinde the screene to be meate for moathes when the Monuments of Gods sacred word are so sleighted and disgraced cast sub scamnum under the bench as Luther complained No wonder Luther if thou bee'st condemned for an heretique and thy workes burnt at Rome by the Pope when the sacred word of God is condemned for making men heretiques and burnt in England in the open market places was it now not high time thinke you for the Lord to lay to his hand for they had destroyed his law Yes the Lord arose and his enemies
but contemne them Bern. de Consid. ad Eugen lib 4. c. 6. And I haue learned a good Collect out of our Common prayer booke which I shall ever put up to God in the behalfe of my selfe and the rest of my brethren in the ministerie That God would grant unto his servants with all courage to deliver his word and according to the example of St. Iohn Baptist constantly to speake the truth boldly to reproue vice and patiently to suffer for the truths sake through Iesus Christ our Lord I haue done with the text and each particular thereof I proposed to speake of I must now intreate leaue of you to run over it againe not any more as an Interpreter but as an Herald For the Byshops armes of this Diocesse grounded in this text gaue me first occasion to fasten on these words as a fit theame to be intreated on in this Synodicall assembly And I will now for a Conclusion before we part blazon those Armes I doe not professe any great skill in that honorable science of Heraldrie I am but a novice and of small understanding in it And therefore if my termes be not so jump proper to Armorie as they should I must intreat your patience and pardon who are better seene in the Art then my selfe In every Coate or Escutcheon and so in this there are two things observeable The field and the charge The field here is azure or sky-coloure which is supposed to be the coloure of the heaven if there be any coloure in it Azure in blazoning moralized signifies puritie and sinceritie This is a fit field to place Christ in And it doth teach vs thus much that the Byshops conuersation must be in heaven as St. Paul saith Our conuersation is in heaven whence we looke for a Saviour c. Philip. 3. 20. We haue done with the field for I will but touch upon every point because I know before whom I speake I come to the charge For order sake we will make this partition of it The charge is either maine and principall or it is circumstantiall The maine or principall charge is Christ who is described in this text Lord what a great honour it is for a man to carrie Christ in his shield But yet is it a farre greater grace to carry Christ in his heart This doth teach that the Byshop must be an imitator and follower of Christ as he hath him in his shield so to hold him still in his heart to expresse him throughout the course of his life and to resemble him in all his actions Now it is written expresly of Christ that he went about into all the Townes and villages Preaching and doing good among the people And I haue heard it of Richard Byshop of this See who for his sanctitie and holy life had the title of Saint put upon him I haue heard it I say of him that in everie three yeare he was wont to goe over all his Diocesse Preaching I wish the Byshop that now is had as good meanes to doe this as he had then I am sure there wants no good affection And the desire of performing this businesse if strength and meanes were answerable to the minde and intention is as full and perfect in our present Diocesan as ever it was in S. Richard I haue done with the principall charge the Circumstantiall followes which is nothing else but a description of the maine charge that is of Christ. Now Christ here is set out unto our eyes in these three things 1. in respect of the positure of his bodie 2. in respect of the habit 3. in respect of an adjunct The site and position of his body is sitting upon a bench Sitting in blazoning moraliz'd signifies gravitie and constancie and therefore you haue Kings and judges and other princes pourtraited for the most part Sitting in the place of judicature See King Iames his Paterne for a Kings inauguration Pag. 33. sequ There is one thing more which Sitting imports which is so well practised by our Diocesan that I cannot slip it over in silence and that is his residence and living upon his Charge And indeed where should a Byshop liue saue in his Diocesse He must be no flitter he must be a sitter there I am sure that the Angell brought that good newes of Christs birth unto the shepheards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they were watching and attending their flock Luke 2. and assure your selues that then shall a man meete with the best newes and receiue the greatest comfort when he is in his proper place and busied about the workes of his owne calling See Didac Stella in Luke 1. verse 11. The second thing in this description is the habit and that is a long glittering garment of beaten gold Here are many observations I will point onely at this one It is of pure beaten gold and it is also a glittering garment The life of the Byshop as it must be pure in it selfe without blot so it must appeare pure in the eyes of men without blemish Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes Math. 5. The third thing in the description is the adjunct and that is a sword in his mouth What is ment by the sword I haue told you aboue here onely obserue that it is in his mouth Not in his hand but in his mouth The sword in the hand doth import Temporall power but the sword in the mouth Spirituall The Pope of Rome doth indeed challenge to himselfe both swords applying that of the Apostles when they said to Christ Ecce duo glady loe there be two swords most foolishly to the maintenance of his Spirituall swaggering in the Church and his secular dominering over the whole world But questionlesse he is but a meere usurper and so we leaue him But for our Byshops now who are Lords also Ba-according to the Statutes of this Realme they haue Temporall jurisdiction wee grant it and a sword put into their hands but whence had they it Surely not from Christ but from the Prince Christ it was that put the sword in their mouthes and if they haue at any time as they haue and that worthily too an other sword put into their hands this is not the guist of Christ they lay no claime unto it so but the grace of the Prince and so they acknowledge it Secondly the sword here is in Christs mouth as you see I told you that by the sword was ment the word This then teacheth that the Byshop is not to deliver any doctrine unto the people that he hath not fetched from Christs mouth What I haue received from Christ that I haue delivered unto you 1. Cor. 11. There is but one thing behinde and that is the colour of the sword It is gules that is red Red in blazoning doth signifie blood This is then a bloody sword and it doth teach that the Byshops doctrine must be so piercing and sharpe that it draw blood upon offenders I haue spoken fully to this already I will therfore cease to prosecute it any further I will adde this one thing onely that the sword both of Byshop and Minister must be like to the sword of Saul and Ionathan which never returned emptie from the slaughter of the mighty and most happie of all other Byshops and Ministers shall he be at the last judgement whose sword shall be found the most red of all by the blood that he hath drawne with it upon sinne and Sathan I haue said Consider what I haue said and the Lord giue you a right understanding in all things AMEN O LORD that givest thy holy Word send Preachers plenteously That in the same wee may accord and therein liue and die O holy Spirit direct aright the Preachers of thy Word That thou by them mayest cut downe sinne as it were with a Sword FINIS Praeloqu Gregor Alstedius Lipsius Partition I. Interpretation Beza Calvin Obseruation Explication Probation Lyra. Use I. Use II. Observat. Proleps II. Observat. 1. Use. Observat. 2. Use. Observat. 3. Use. Observat. 4. Use. Apostrophe * Hus significas anserem III. Interpretation Observat 1. Probation Use. Observat. 2. Probation Iuvenal Use. Observat. 3. Probetion Use. Observat. 4. Probation Greg. Nyssen Use. I. Use. II. Observat. 5. Probation Use. I. Zanchius Proleps Philo. Augustine Use. II. Bernard Appendix Observat. Observat. Observat. 1. Observat. 2. Stella Observation Observat. 1. Observat. 2. Observat. 3.