libris gentium inveniri testimonia veritatis that there were such testimonies of the Truth found in the books of the GeÌ„tiles And again alittle after In literis GentiuÌ„ superstitiosae idololatriae plenissimis aliquid quod ad ChristuÌ„ pertinet invenitur There is something found coÌ„cerning Christ theÌ„ in the most superstitious Idolatrous books of the Gentils Norknew the GeÌ„tiles something only concerning Christ For they had knowledge also of this Word even as he was the Word as appeareth by that of Serapis vnto Thulis king of Aegypt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Lactantius in his 4 th booke of Divine Institutions the 9. Chapter saith That the Philosophers were not ignorant of this VVord and alleageth there to that purpose Zenon predicating this word Hermes often describing virtutem maiestatemque verbi the vertue and maiestie of this word Besides Eusebius and Cyrill write and the like is also shewed by S. Chrysostome S. Basill That Amelius a Platonist and Heraclitus approved it to bee well said of that Barbarian so called they S. Iohn because he was a Iew In the beginning was the Word and the word was with God and that word was God S. Austin also affirmeth that he had read this beginning of S. Iohns Gospell in the bookes of some of the Platonists And in his teÌ„th booke de civitate dei cap. 29. he saith That a certaine Platonist as Simplictanus a reverend old man and which was afterwards Bishop of Myllane was wont to tell him said That that beginning of S. Iohns Gospell was worthy to be writteÌ„ in Golden Letters and to be set vp and published in everie Church and Congregation and that in the most eminent and conspicuous places Out of all which wee gather still more and more how inexcusable the Infidels and vnbeleevers are for not Beleeving this word of God yea and for not Beleeving in him of whom by every Dayes Report they had heard so much And so much of the first thing here observed touching this most honorable most pretious VVord of God 2 The other and last thing is That the Dayes by recouÌ„ting this word doe most of all recount Gods Glory The Reason hereof is plaine For God speaking diverse and sundry waies vnto vs that we may see him and there being Three miroirs in which God sheweth him selfe and his Glory vnto vs to be knowne to wit his word by his works his word by the Scriptures his word Christ Iesus by this last word only is God best known shineth perfectly vnto vs In as much as t' is by him too that God is by those other two waies or anie way whatsoever revealed vnto vs. And in as much as he is the Best word of all as S. Iohn laboureth to proue both in his Gospell and in his Epistles in both which he calleth him The word of life atque in vita concludit omnia Dei beneficta vnder Life he compriseth all Gods Benefites saith one there Among the which the chiefest redouÌ„ding most to GODS Glory is our RedemptioÌ„ both promised performed So here we haue a word out of whose IncarnatioÌ„ asof the most rare excellent most Divine woÌ„derful Babe Suckling the Praise of God is best perfited Out of whose Nativity but much more out of the effusion of his Bloud as of the Best wine Reserved to the last and the infusion thereof into our wounds out of the aspersion and inspersion thereof and out of the vertue of his most Glorious Resurrection doe the Sparkles of Gods Glory arise and mount vp into the Highest Hereof and how Sweete how Gracefull and how Glorious the Speech is the Hearing the Report hereof hath in this poore speech of mine already beene reported to your hearing In Respect of all which yea All Gods Benefites towards vs Christ is most worthily called Omer a word A word in Deed or a Doing word A word of Greatest Power to Doe Such things A word of most Faithfulnesse to Doe what was said in Things of so hard Beliefe and for Those who were so Vnfaithfull in their Deedes and Sayings A word of Greatest Comfort a true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Homer vnto vs according to all Greekish Derivations A word a pledge of Gods Good will towardes vs. A word our true Hermes and Interpreter by whoÌ„ GOD and Man came to parle to together A word by whose wordes we must be Guided and all our wordes workes must be Directed Yea and to say it againe A word of most True DirectioÌ„ which we must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Follow as the Guide of our feete into the way of peace A word whereby GOD did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Follow after man that had Forsaken him Seeke him that was Lost vntill hee Found him Made him and after he was Marred did Remake him And therefore too A word for vs to put our Trust Confidence in aboue all Things Works in the world According as David often saith In thy word not In my VVorkes is my Trust A word to whom hauing hidden in him all the Treasures of VVisdome and Knowledge Col. 2. 3. doe most truely and principally belong those exceeding high Elogies or Reports of Commendation which very many haue giuen vnto Homer Among the rest That of King Alexander calling him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Kingly Poët That of Aristotle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He only of all Poëts or Word-Works contrivers is so wise and wittie to Know what is Fit for him to Doe and to obserue a Decorum in every thing And that of Velleius Magnitudine Operum fulgore CarminuÌ„ Solus appellari Poët a mer uit He only for the Greatnesse of his Works and Resplendent Glory of his Words hath deserued the name of a Poët or a Word-Work Maker In the Words of the Lord are his Workes Ecclus 42. 15. By the Word of the Lord were the Heauens Made c Hee spake the word and it was Done Hee spake the Word and they were Made he Commanded and they were Created Yea He Spake the Word too Men they were Remade he said Amen and Men they were Recreated Amended Who ever Spake as This Word Speaketh Who ever Writ or Wrought as This Word Worketh Yea writeth too in the Tables of our Hearts and writeth â—ookes too of GODS Glory of larger volume then the Heavens and of more contenting Contents then the Creation One Day Telleth another This Word to be Their Maker And more then that This VVord to be Mans Maker and Remaker Word worth His word for worke of Day of worlds RedeÌ„ptioÌ„ Worthy Worlds All-Dayes words and workes of Redamation More worthy word of words and workes of Commendation Then All-Dayes Glory-words and workâ—s can make Râ—lation And no marveile For here we haue a Day Telling and Told of of Ioy vnspeakeable The Day or
VERBA DIERVM OR THE DAYES REPORT OF GODS GLORY As it hath beene delivered some yeeres since at Foure Sermons or Lectures vpon one Text in the Famous Vniversity of OXFORD And since that time somewhat Augmented And is now commended vnto All Times to be Augmented and Amended By EDWARD EVANS Priest and Minister of The Lord Our God PSAL 8. ver 2. Out of the Mouth of Babes and Sucklings c. HAS 2. 24. The Earth shall be or is filled with the Knowledge of the Glory of God as the Waters cover the Sea BERNARD Siquis torpet de Dei Laude certissimum vabetin se experimentum quòd non habeat in se Spiritum Sanctum AT OXFORD Printed by Ioseph Barnes 1615. TO THE HONOVR AND GLORY OF THE HOLIEST OF ALL THE ALMIGHTIE AND MOST HIGH KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS SVPREAME HEAD OVER ALL EMPEROVR OF HEAVEN LIGHTS FATHER DAYES PROGENITOR AND THE INVISIBLE FOVNTAINE OF ALL GLORY In Endevoured Return◠of Thankfulnes For All His Glory Conferred Revealed Exhibited Declared Proffered Promised Expected by to or vpon Any of his reatures Particularly for the Knowledge of Salvation by through the Day-Springs Visitation from on High The Divine VVords Mediation conveighed from Divine to Humane Enunciation and by the Instruments of All kinde of VVords and of any Speech or Language derived vnto people of All Tongues and Languages Especially to the Gentiles and to the Poore People of the Yles and of the North among the rest to vs Britaines English-Saxons Scots and Irish HIS MOST VNWORTHY AND VNPROFITABLE SERVANT POORE WORME OF HIS CREATION SLAVE OF HIS REDEMPTION BABE OF HIS INSTRVCTION EARTH OF HIS EXALTATION AND DVST AND ASHES OF HIS GLORI FICATION BY HIS ASSISTANCE MOST HVMBLY CRAVING MERCIFVLL ACCESSE AND ACCEPTATION DOETH DEDICATE AND CONSECRATE THIS DAYES REPORT AND DECLARATION Faults of Omission and Commission Pag. 31. lin 1. For tations which may not c Read tations which are brought vpon these few words Because I see none of them which may not c. p. 32. l. vlt. p. 33. l. 1. blot out these wordes Et quod visum est in vna aestate principiū est ad sciendum in alia p. 33. l. 25. For their read the. p. 71. l. 15. 20 for That which we falsly call c read That which foolish Io in Plato soone confuted by wise Socrates would haue to be the Subiect of his Rapsodian Art that which we falsly call c. p. 82. l. 9. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in some copies read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 84. l 6. for Nomanclator read Nomenclator p. 87. l. 26. for who as read who as p. 89. l. 1. for thee read the. p. 92. l. 26. for persectiō read perfection p. 126. l. 1. for And read As. p. 129. l. 24. for Christ Crucified read Christ was Crucified p. 135. l. 9. blot out such ib. l. 10. for Light-Angels read Light Angels p. 162. l. 3. for acquinted read acquainted p. 169. l. 23. for then read even p. 30. l. 11. for Night Issue read Night-Issue THE DAYES REPORT OF GODS GLORY PSALM 19. VERSH 2. One Day Telleth another c. IT is GOD saith the Prophet David that teacheth mā knowledge knowledge of GOD and of himselfe This lesson of Knowledge did man then first begin to take whē he was first taken out of the dust of the earth and began to be a Living Soule Siquidem à primordio reram conditor earum cum ipsis pariter compertus est ipsis ad hoc prolatis vt Deus cognosceretur saith Tertullian For that which was forbidden man in the beginning was not knowledge simply but Knowledge of Good and Evill that which was a privation rather of his knowledge in causing a deprivation of his happie estate This lesson of Knowledge begun to bee taught man in the beginning and yet not as yet ended when the end of all things is at hand hath beene by GOD divers sundry waies delivered vnto man as he that knoweth all things and knoweth all things best knewe it to be most convenient for that Scholler whom hee had made by his word and his commandment yet hath much adoe to make him a Scholler for all his worde and all his commandements First GOD dealt with man as with a child of small capacitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. Chrysostome speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First GOD spake vnto vs by the world by The Booke of the world or The Booke of Nature by all the workes which he had made This maner of GODS teaching of vs and speaking vnto vs the Prophet David here declareth in the six first verses of this Psalme So then these words of my Text are some part of The Booke of the World where Nights are as it were the Blacke Inkie Lines of learning Dayes the White Lightsome Spaces betweene the Lines where GOD hath Imprinted a very legible Delineation of his Glory And whereby GOD teacheth mā knowledge evē now too after that Knowledge Cognitio Sancta the Knowledge the Holy Knowledge of the Lord is encreased according to the prophecy of Daniel Dan. 12. 4. and that Act. 2. the seaventeenth and the eighteenth verses alleaged out of the Prophet Ioel. Yea even very now doth GOD teach man knowledge by the Booke of the World when as the Booke of his Word lyeth before vs. This booke directing vs vnto that booke and that booke leading vs vnto to this and all to make Good Schollers of vs if such rare and excellent Bookes may beget any learning in vs. It is written then in the booke of GOD wrought by GOD in the booke of the world One Day Telleth another So that whether we wil learne it by wrote or else by the Booke the booke of GOD or the booke of the world we haue our choice Thinke not then my deere Brethren either this or the knowledge of GOD to bee any hard lesson for you to learne and take it not for any Eleophuge or Bricke wall For as yee haue heard it is written not onely in the Bible but in the booke of the world too where are no Turkish Characters no Hebrew points no Greeke manuscript Abbreviations to trouble you much lesse any multitude of Lines or Angles to disharten you Only One Day Telleth another Of which that we may the better bee informed our liues thereby if it please GOD to dispense vnto vs so large a measure of his grace amended and reformed May it please you to obserue with me but two or three things First what is The meaning of these words One Day Telleth another where yee shal perceaue what is meant by The Daies and what by their Telling one another Or if yee list to divide this First Generall Part into two The First shall be of the Meaning of the words The Second of The Maner of the Daies Telling one another The Maner of their Speech
Glory knowne to the whole world by so so preserving vs that Day The like may be said of all the Beauty and Comely ornaments which God hath bestowed not on vs only but vpon all other nations To whoÌ„ he giveth godly Kings and Queenes for Nurses and such like as before out of Ezech. for all which more particularly I referre you to every Dayes Relation To which also and to the Bookes that thereof are written I must for brevitie sake remit you touching the manifold Discoveries of new Countries and People to the vnspeakeable Advancement of Gods Glory and that by One Dayes telling Another whence the Psalter of the Nebiense Bishop hath to the words of my Text and the verses next following especially the fourth verse Apponed a long Annotation of Columbus his voyage and Discovery of the New World or VVest Indies And where wee also may Obserue concerning many other Countries and People besides our owne among them all Virginia how One Day already Telleth and shall still Tell more and more GODS Glory God grant it may vnto another And so much of the Dayes Beautie and Perfection to shew how thereby they shew forth and that most excellently the Glory of GOD. For Omnis causa in sui perfectione effectus maximè honoratur Every Cause is most of all honoured or glorified by the Effects perfection Whence the workemans cunning is most seene and most commended in an absolute peece of worke according to that Ecclesiastic 9. 19. And all this is to learne vs a good lesson by the example of the Dayes and other of Gods creatures to doe but as they doe in setting forth GODS Glory That is to hold vs to our Owne Glory and by that which is our Beautie and Perfection to endeauour to demonstrate vnto all the world what a Beautifull Perfect Creatour We all haue Our best way of Glorifying GOD being even by that wherein our chiefest Perfection doth consist Hence are we by the Scripture so often put in mind of Perfection Mat. 5. 48. Ye shall therefore be Perfect c. Heb. 6. Let vs be led on forwards vnto PerfectioÌ„ Mat. 19. If thou wilt be Perfect c. Luk. 6. 40. Whosoever will bee a Perfect disciple c. Col. 1. 28. That wee may present every man Perfect c. Col. 3. 14. Loue which is the bond of Perfectnesse Col. 4. That yee may stand Perfect c. 2. Tim. 3. 17. That the man of God may be made Absolute being made Perfect And â—am 1. 4. That yee may be Perfect Now wherein this our Perfection consisteth as it is pointed out vnto vs by those places of holy Scripture which suggest vnto vs our Perfection so will it not be vnprofitable to vnfold Ipsius Hominis vera perfectio in subijciendo se Deo ineo venerando potissimum consistit The true Perfection of man himselfe resideth in mans submitting himselfe vnto God in due Obedience in worshipping of him In worshipping of him And indeed To worship GOD what else is it but To Turne vnto God To call vpon him To subiect our selues wholy vnto him To desire endeavour to become as like vnto him as is possible to be made Perfect by him Againe there being a twofold worship of God Externall and Internal and the Outward being ordained for the Inward as an handmaide to atteÌ„d it so the Internall being the chiefest It must needs be that our Chiefest perfectioÌ„ must be included within the Inward worship of GOD. Interiorem autem verum Dei cultum dicimus esse rectitudinem ac perfectionem vitae hominis interioris And the true inward worship of God wee call Vprightnesse and Perfection of life in the inward man So The holier a mans life is the Perfecter is he Sanctitas verò est interioris hominis perfectio qua etiam totus homo perficitur And Holinesse is the Perfection of the inward man whereby is made perfect the whole man And therefore by Holinesse and Perfectnes of life is God best Glorified and most syncerely worshipped The Reason here of is plaine as in the Perfection of other Creatures For this Inward and Chiefe Perfection standing in Holinesse and in all kinde of Vertue and Godlinesse sheweth that much more Holinesse all kinde of Goodnesse belongeth vnto GOD as a neere Attribute who hath attributed so much thereof vnto men as we see shining in their good life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 1. Pet. 2. 9. That yee may shew forth the Vertues of him that called you And therefore they come short of most rightly Glorifying GOD by their Chiefe Perfection yea and of the true and entire Worship of GOD who more regard the Externall Service of him then this his Internall Worship their owne Perfection who care more to come to Church to heare Sermons to receaue the Sacraments and such like then to keepe themselues holy and blamelesse in life and conversation vntill the Day of the comming of our Lord Iesus Preferring therein the mother of pearle before the margarite the huske before the Diamond their own Outward Perfection before their Inward GODS Externall Worship before his Internall their own slender Glory before GODS and their owne true and perfect Glory And as if GOD were a Body and not a Spirit so they worship him only or else chiefly with Bodily Service which profitteth little And not alike in Godlinesse which is profitable vnto all things and in Spirit and in Truth as hee requireth to be worshipped For so by our Internall acts of Puritie and Righteousnesse we are made more like vnto GOD and therefore more Perfect and therefore better setters forth of GODS Glory by our neerer resembling of him then per actus exteriores by meere and precisely Externall acts of Service which are but dissembling with GOD. Dicet aliquis saith Athanasius Est ergo Gloriae cupidus Deus Nequaquam Nam nullius indiga est rei Divinitas sed vult sanè à nobis Gloriam consequi hoc est à nostris rectis operibus c. Some man will say why is God then desirous of Glory as of a thing which he waÌ„teth No saith he The Diuinity lacketh nothing He hath Glory enough in himselfe as being the Cause and FouÌ„tain of all Glory as before ye heard But t' is his will to be Glorified by vs that is by our good Workes According to that Mat. 5. 16. and the like is againe 1. Pet. 2. 12. That they may see your good workes and Glorifie your Father which is in heaven And this too for our owne good not for Gods For as the Sun hath no need of vs but we of him so God hath no need of our Glorifiyng of him but we haue all neede of the Glory of God of which we all come so short Rom. 3. 23. as Elihu speaketh Iob. 35. 6 7 8. If thou sinnest what doest thou against him Yea when thy
but a spanne long They are gon like a shadow and passe away like smoake Psa 102. The Dayes will last whē all Our Dayes are past they will line when we are dead and gone And why then Good GOD hast thou made Man that he of all others he rather then the Day should be the Speaker in the Parliament of thy Praises Hee in Words to Glorifie thy Name not onely for himselfe but for all other Creatures too tanquam nomine aliarum creaturarum omnium pro tot tantisque beneficiis c. as Zanchius speaketh and Epictetus hath the like in the name as it were of all other Creatures What and of the Day too which it selfe after his Manner speaketh so much in thy praise And must it not needs then be no more then One word of thy Praise and Glory of our Thankesgiving vnto thee for all thy Benefits which any of vs all can vtter all our life long in respect of thy Glorious Name how it excelleth aboue all Thankesgiving and Praise Nehem. 9. 5. One Day telleth a Word vnto another A Word and allwaies of GODS Glory The Subiect every Day and to every Day the same continually Yet never is any Day wearie of this every Dayes Subiect so shewing how the Glory of God is no more tedious for a continuall Subiect in this world then it will be for an everlasting Obiect in the world to come Then iudge you Beloued whether they bee not worthy of Reprehension who thinke it too much to haue the Gloria Patri c. so much repeated and would allow it but one place for many as my selfe haue seen in too many places of this Land where neglecting the Order prescribed by the Church by our Service Booke of concluding every Psalme with the Gloria Patri c. they and they too some of them who otherwise would seeme to be formall enough make hast to skipp over the often mention of that Glory for which they were created and vnto which they owe their chiefest service They that thus find fault with the so oftē together inculcating of Gods Glory why finde they not the like fault with the Seraphims Who in the sixth of Isay ver 2. 3. burning with the loue of Gods Glory otherwise thē these fault-finders doe One cryed vnto another said Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of hostes the whole world is full of his Glory Why correct they not our Saviours Eli Eli vpō the crosse Or his praying the Third time saying the Same Words Mat. 26. 44. Why blame they not the Prophet David for that he would haue all those that loue the salvation of the Lord to lay alway the Lord bee praised Psal 40. 19. And for that same in one selfesame Psalme Foure times reiterated Psal 107. O that men would therfore praise the Lord for his goodnesse declare the wonders that he doth for the childrē of men And that as often in the same Psalme So whē they cryed vnto the Lord in their trouble he delivered thē out of their distress And that Thrice in one Psalme Psal 115. He is their helper and defender And that Psal 116. I will call vpon the name of the Lord And that Ps 118 In the name of the Lord will I destroy them As also for that so often together repeated Psalm 118. and 136. His mercy endureth for ever Lastly why blame they not the Prophet David for here avouching that One Day still telleth the Glory of God vnto another Nay and the Dayes themselues too for so doing For telling a word But a word and But one word of Gods Glory Alwaies of GODS Glory and yet alwaies telling that besides that doing nothing For Every Day vnto another vttereth the Same The Same what 's that same The Glory of God Nor every Day only insisteth only on this golden Matter but every Houre of the Day too yea and every Moment of an Houre according also to that Explication given in my first Sermō still dwelleth on this one Glorious Subiect vncessantly vrging the never ceasing Glory of the Highest Some man will say he disliketh not the often repetition of the Gloria Patri c quatenus for or in that it is the often mention of Gods Glory But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He may not so be gone For quatenus even in and for that it is the often mentioning of Gods Glory therefore he ought not at all to dislike it T' is as you haue heard the End wherevnto man is ordeined to shew forth GODS Glory both in word and deed t' is all his Vertue and Perfection He therefore that shall mislike the continuall doing thereof ether way doth as if he should picke a quarrell with a Rose because it never smelleth but sweet or with himselfe for being alwaies Reasonable and happily that maketh him in this thing so vnreasonable for t' is a shame Beloved that such Professours of the Service of GOD as we would seeme to be should yet come short of giving that Glory vnto GOD which even the whole world sticketh not to doe part-Christians as they are reckoned Turkes and Infidels and all Not any Tract in Arabian which is not begun with the name of God and of the Mercifull God prefixed to it In the End of the Lords Prayer though the Glory of GOD be there immediatly before mentioned as yee knowe in the Conclusiō yet there is annexed also to this sense Honour and Praise and Glory and Vertue and Power Iustice to God the only King everlasting for evermore In the beginning even of the Alcoran it selfe are put those three letters Eliph Lem Mim which they call the Seale of the Booke and by which as they say are meant the Name the Maiestie and high Commaunde of God It being a thing even by the Law of Nature written in mens hearts and vnto which the whole world is driven by words to magnifie GODS name by a verball predication to declare his Glory And doth it not then concerne vs more neere now that the Glory of God is every Day more and more made manifest to Seale vp every Psalme yea if it were possible every word every worke every thought every imagination of ours with some specification or else some intimation or other of that Great Glory T' was not the often repetition Beloved that made the First dislikers of the Gloria Patri c not to favour it No. the Arrians stucke at it because they stucke at Christs Divinity So did the Sabellians because they cōfoūded the Three Persons Wherfore the Church then wisely brought in the Gloria Patri c as to try who were such Heretikes so especially for the mainetaining of Gods Glory against them Yea but the Cause why it was so ordained is now ceased And how is that true Arrianisme as yet remaining among the Turks according to the first sowing therof among them by Sergius Monachus who was an Arrian Or say that this