est ante annum D C C C. quod sanctus Augustinus loco citato sibi faciundum proposuit scilicet ut per singulos annos secundum omnes Evangelistas Passio Domini legeretur Liquet id non solum ex ordine Romano Amalario Ruperto Hug. de Sanct. Vict. caeterisque Ecclesiasticis Scriptoribus verum etiam è missalibus antiquissimis Latinis nostratibus e. g. Romano Eboracensi Sarisbutiensi S. Augustine is a witnesse for the Latine and Westerne Church that she did it in the Resurrection of CHRIST and that himselfe thought it likewise fit and attempted it in the Passion Vt per singulos annos secundum omnes Evangelistas Passio legeretur And indeed he did but propound to himselfe the example of the Easterne and Mother Church of whom * Chrysost Tom. de Divers Nov. Test Hom. 63. Cur in Pentechoste Acta Apostol legerentur his verbis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apud Graecos Passionem Christi ipsā Passionis die quod loco citato S. Chrysostomus duodecem perlectis Evangelii lectionibus recitant totum diem illis recitandis insumentes nisi quod meditationes nonnullae hinc inde sparfim sint adjectae elegantes admodum divinaeque Vid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et Graecorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod c. S. Chrys testifieth saying that at the time of Christs suffering that is this taking away of the Bridegroome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We reade saith he in that day all concerning the Crosse S. Chrys ubi supra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. This he telleth us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was an ancient Order of the Church long before his time even from the beginning for this very reason that all Scripture being written for our instruction this History above all related by all might sink deeper into us stick faster affect us neerer wring us and sting us more strongly to make us mourne and lament fast and pray and weepe in our Prayers as the Bridegroome did in His for His Spouse So likewise she for her Bridegroom * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bloudy teares bloud and water in abundance both from heart and eyes at this very time and for this very cause because the Bridegroome was taken away And surely this is the Precept this is our Duty this is his Command and therefore as that which concerneth us most is most now to be stood upon That the Church and all her Children the Spouse and all her followers must mourne because the Bridegroome is taken away from them which is the Third Proposition Ratio and the Reason of all our Fasting Proposition III That They must they shall fast Because the Bridegroome is taken away 1 Fasting is a signe of mourning 1 Because Hee is Taken away Our Text so explaineth it selfe How can the Children of the Bride Chamber mourne so long c. but the dayes will come when the Bridegroome shall be taken away then shall they fast that is therefore mourne 1 King 21.4 Ahab shewed it in his ill mourning for Naboths Vineyard No bread would downe with him he was so vexed David also maketh it manifest in his bitter complaint Psal 102.4 My heart is withered saith hee and smitten like grasse so that I forget to eate my bread As also more particularly when he was in feare to have his Childe taken away he lay upon the earth 2 Sam. 12.16 and fasted for his Childe For his Childe but one Childe and but for the feare of his being taken away But what saith Elkanah to Hannah the Husband to the Wife 1 Sam. 1.8 Am not I better to thee then ten Sons The better any thing the greater the losse the greater the losse the more just the cause of mourning 1 Sam. 1.8 The losse of the Husband the taking away of him what is it lesse then the rending of the Soule from the body the pulling of one member from another It cannot be without great sorrow 2 But here is more The losse of the Bridgroome that is 2 Taken away whilst a Bridegroome whilest he was a Bridegroome in the height of joy If from the marriage Chamber it must needs be a degree beyond sorrow Our SAVIOUR was the desire of all Nations He telleth His Disciples Luke 10. Blessed are the eyes that see those things that ye see c. For I say unto you Luk. 10.23 24 many Prophets and Kings have desired c. For foure thousand yeares this Bridegroome was expected as a Bridegroome out of his Chamber and came not when He came He continued but thirty foure yeares or thereabout upon Earth but three of these yeares or little more did He shew Himselfe as a Bridegroome A short time you will say for so great Nuptialls All times before without this joy All times after abridged of this joy Even in the day of the Nuptialls the joy of the Nuptialls was taken away by this taking away of the Bridegroome Then they must needs mourne 3 Taken away for them 3 But if this taking away be for them in their behalfe through their meanes then they have yet more cause to mourne You heard that the Debts of the Wife are charged upon the Husband What then if for the Wives debt the Husband nay the Bridegroome in the midst of joy even upon his marriage day If for the Brides cause he be haled to prison to judgment If for her haynous crimes He must answere If all we have gone astray and the Lord hath layd on Him the iniquity of us all Then Esa 53.6 good reason for us also to share and partake in this sorrow good reason then for the Bride to lay aside her attire to goe forth of her closet to lay from her the voice of eating and drinking to forget to eate her bread to forbid the voice of joy and mirth and to begin to mourne and lament because the Bridegroome for her sake is taken away 4 But yet further what 4 By them if as for the Spouses debt so by the Spouses hand he were thus taken away Was it not so When Iudas one of His own betrayed Him When Peter a chiefe amongst his owne denyed Him When His Disciples all of them fled from Him When His followers on all hands forsooke Him Dost thou thinke that thou couldest have stood in this tryall When the whole Church the Bride forsooke Him how wouldest thou have defended the Bridegroome Verily I say unto you All you shall be offended because of me this night So farre from defending Him that they were offended at Him Matth. 26.31 As we all in Peter and the Apostles received the name power and priviledges of the Spouse so we all may confesse wee did or would have done no lesse then with Peter denyed Him with His Disciples forsooke Him with His nearest followers fled from Him And therefore as Saint Peter the chiefe Apostle comming to Himselfe wept bitterly for his sinne
every yeare if neede required at least once the Church should have her solemne meetings So the Councills of Toledo Tours and the rest And they shew it to have beene the practice of the Eldest times imitated as appeares by b Nicol. de Cusa Card. l. 3. de Concord Cathol c. 25. f. 809. Cusanus by the Civill State that as in the Naturall body there being an evill feared from without the spirits forthwith assemble and gather to the heart as it were to fortifie it and secure themselves So also in the Body Ecclesiasticke c Concil Milevitan 2. Can. 9. qui lib. Afric cap. 95. 73. Quoties communis necessitas cogit saith the Councill of Milevis As oft as the common cause required there were common assemblies Generall Councills all meeting on all hands to advise for the common good d Concil Toletan 4. cap. 3. Si vero nec de fide nec de communi Ecclesiâ tractabitur saith the fourth of Toledo if the businesse were not concerning faith and the common cause if the Occasion be but as here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the murmuring of the Hellenists at Hierusalem and the End as now to provide for their Widowes then Erit speciale Concilium say the same Fathers the Synod shall be speciall or particular onely for those times and parts the Rule to reach no farther And so have we here a President for such as this But neverthelesse whatsoever the occasion be their Resolution here is Generall Catholike and Oecumenicall They were for the Persons Apostles immediatly sent from Christ the first founders and planters of our Christian faith their Commission as larg as the whole world therfore their Conclusion able and such as ought indeed to conclude all us All us who have received the faith from their mouths All us Christians All us yet more particularly who have received either our mission from them or like commission with them All us of the Clergy We all to minde the same Duties in the same Order and manner with the same hight or rather fulnesse and fervour of Resolution as they here But we say they will give our selves continually to Prayer and the Ministration of the Word The Division In which words you have three things principally to be considered 1 The Persons We. 2 The Duties Prayer and the Ministration of the Word 3 Their Resolution for these Duties and the manner of performance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is more in this word then we are aware of We translate it We will give our selves continually to c. Or if you please you have them thus 1 The Officers We. 2 The Offices Prayer and the Words Ministration 3 The Officiating We will give our selves In the Persons or Officers consider 1 Their Quality 2 Their Dignity 3 Their Vnity 4 Their Imparity Of these two last chiefly and of the two other in them In the Duties consider 1 Their Number Two though including and comprehending many particulars 2 Their Necessity comparatively in respect of persons and time 3 Their Order in respect of each other First and principally to Prayer as to the maine to the Ministration of the Word as to the meanes To the one namely Prayer as to the End To the other as the Way conducing and leading to this End To the one as to the proper and peculiar Service of GOD absolutely necessary for all men and times To the other as the Service of His Word properly belonging to us Clergy and chiefly necessary for those first times In their Resolution for these Duties Consider 1 Their Desire Purpose and intention 2 Their Solemne and publikely vowed Consecration and dedication of themselves We will c. 3 The Oppositions there against made weighed and considered in this particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But we c. 4 Their serious Execution carefull and industrious performance notwithstanding all dangers to be feared or difficulties to be expected in this most significant word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wee will not onely imploy or busie our selves but wholly continually perseverantly manger all lets dangers and disturbances We will give up our selves most stoutly and resolvedly to Prayer and the Ministration of the Word And thus you have the severalls Now wee come to each in order as far as the time will give us leave I. The Persons Their Vnity and agrement 1 ANd first of the Persons whom wee both heare and finde in this Word We. We. It is the voice of all the Apostles not of Peter alone They all in the first Synod chuse alike have equall voice and choice in the Substituting Matthias Acts 1. Acts 1. In that other about Circumcision All decree send and judge alike It seemed good to the HOLY GHOST and us Acts 15. Acts 15. Here they all pronounce and ordaine alike Neither was it ever otherwise in after Councills where all met the five Patriarch's were chiefe and as Saint Peter amongst the chiefe Apostles Romans 16. Rom. 16.5 So the Romane Patriarch had onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sit or speake first not power to rule or guid either all or any The Apostles as they were all sent together Iohn 20. Acts 1. Matth. 10. Matth. 10. So they were all inspired at once Iohn 20.22 To let us know that they and their Successors are Pari authoritate pari consortio as the * S. Cyprian l. de unitate Ecclesiae 3. Hoc crant utique caeteri Apostoli quod fuit Petrus pari consortio praediti honoris potestatis sed exordium ab unitate profici citur Fathers speake That Saint Peter spake first Acts 15. or was by our Blessed SAVIOUR spoken to alone was but as wee have elsewhere shewen because hee was with Andrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eldest Apostle they thence ascribing to him Primas sedes the first seates such were then Antioch Alexandria and Rome because he was thus the First Thereby teaching and signing the Churches unity which by one Spirit from one Head is but one in all and though many Members yet but one Body Wee Againe Wee Though the Apostles only speak 9 Their imparity though we heare them alone yet are there more in the worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But wee points us not only to the Apostles as chiefe Governours but also to the seventy Disciples yea these seven new Deacons also not excluded It is an errour of the a Can. 16. Synodi Constantinop in Trullo Sixth Synode and of sundry interpreters which is greedily layd hold on by the factious amongst us that these Deacons were only Lay-men when as we apparently see Stephen one of them busied in the Ministration of the word Vers 10. c. Acts 7. 8. and Philip in the office and duty of Prayer and Baptisme Surely as the Apostles did not shut themselves nor their successors the Bishops as Stories plentifully prove from the governing the Deacons care about
SAVIOUR of S. Peters tryall Satan in her adversaries did desire to sift her and yet as our SAVIOUR sayd of Himselfe he nor his could never finde or have any thing in her Witnesse the unpartiall judgment of all though strangers unto her who have so farre admired her so justly extolled her so gravely commended her to and above all others I might name many testimonies in this kinde I name but one for all Alexander Alesius a Scottish Doctor who so farre approved the Reformation of this Church of England and the Service-Booke thereof then as I may say but begun and unperfect that hee translated it into Latine and commended it as a Paterne to all Christian Churches The Booke is still to be seene printed in Lipsich in Germany Anno 1551. And indeed as I sayd at first Reformation being as the Civilian defineth it a Restitution of any thing to his pristin first and best estate we may well pronounce this Church a most true Reformed Church who hath so truly done this so fully performed it In all her Doctrine in all her Discipline she hath by following the steps of the Bridegroome manifested her selfe to be the very Spouse of Christ GOD grant us as truly by following her to shew our selves to be the children of the Bridechamber 2. Obedience generall The second Exhortation is for Obedience to this Spouse of CHRIST For we can never be thankefull to the Bridegroome unlesse we be obedient to the Bride wee shall never bee of His Chamber unlesse wee follow His Church The Church beloved is that which defendeth our King the State our Countrey The Bride the Church is that which keepeth the Bridegroome with us the cause of all our joy It should bee therefore dearer unto us then our owne lives as deare as our owne soules Beloved give me leave which I intended more fully to give you some short rules of peace and Obedience You have heard reason and evidence alleaged for much of this Churches practice even now she may be as fully nay she hath beene more fully cleared in all others It is your part to judge the best of her who is indeed your Mother and seeing you have already seene reason for some it is your duty to thinke there is as good reason for all others though you see it not Bee not therefore forward to judge of those things which you have not knowledge for Remember you cannot attaine or understand the reason of many things and some things the most knowing of us knoweth not at all Every man hath his measure in which we must containe our selves We learne to know and know to doe and practise and if we have so much knowledge to know our duty what care we for any more Curiosity it is not Christianity that carryeth us farther Neverthelesse if any be curiously desirous to be satisfied in the Churches practice in any thing she either doth or teacheth it is my counsell that they repaire to those that are learned judicious obedient and moderate minded men Let them avoid Schismatickes and baulke them that are malecontent and factious And as if the Spaniard French or any other potent neighbour nation should which God of his mercy forbid invade this land it were the part of every good Patriot to oppose them and defend this countrey So much more is it the part of every good Christian to oppose them that oppose the Church and first of all our duty to frame arguments and to labour to defend that Church and truth which under God is the maine defence of us all Otherwise let us feare that if we live not with the Spouse we indeed forsake the Bridegroome If we deny our obedience to the one the other also for our disobedience be most deservedly taken away The third is of particular Obedience to this text to the Bridegroome And indeed 3. Obedience particular if wee obey not the Bridegroome as good never obey the Spouse if not Him none of Hers we My text telleth us The dayes will come c. But you have heard and seene and know it as well as I can tell you that The Dayes are come and now are and weekly come againe And will the Dayes never come for us to doe our Duty to shew our obedience It is a part of humanity to weepe with them that weepe Rom. 12.15 to mourne with them that mourne If wee cannot mourne you have heard what will make us mourne Fasting And indeed He that left all for us cannot wee leave a little for Him When Hee was taken away for us cannot we take for a time somewhat of our allowance from our belly for Him for His in almes for our selves our owne sinnes If there were no other reason wee ought even to sorrow with and for Him who sorrowed so much for us Wee of all ought to regard His sorrow You know whose lamentable complaint it is Lament 1.12 Have yee no regard all yee c. No regard doubtlesse if we regard not to shed a teare to let fall a drop to send forth a sigh for Him And what regard we should have of this His sorrow we may see and learne by His blessed Mother that ever blessed Virgin It is Simeons prophecie to her Luke 2.35 Yea a sword saith he shall pierce thorow thine owne soule also The sword of sorrow so they expound it No lesse weapon then a sword and this not to pierce into but to pierce thorow and that not to pierce thorow the body onely or the flesh but thorow and thorow Luke 23.27 and that thorow thine owne soule And good reason for it For if women and those strangers wept so sore as we reade Luk. 23. 27. for his taking onely before he came to the Crosse what sorrow doe we thinke becommeth the Mother or the Spouse of Christ when they see Him taken away lifted up hanging and bleeding on the Crosse If the Centurion and the Souldiers that crucified Him and all the people that reviled Him begin to returne and lament Luke 23.47 48. and to smite their brests as we read Luk. 23. How shall our hearts smite us that they smite us not that they smite us no more that they smit us not before Nay if the Thiefe on the Crosse forgetting his owne shame and paine and sorrow begin to lament for the Bridegroome if he begin to rebuke his fellow for not sorrowing what shall we doe how shall we sorrow Me thinkes I heare that blessed Thiefe speaking to every one of us Luke 23.40 41. as sometimes he spake to his fellow Dost not thou feare God seeing thou art in the same condemnation And wee indeed justly for we if we fast or mourne or sorrow nay should we die the death and ever mourne in endlesse sorrow yet we receive the due reward of our sinnes of our owne deeds for we have sinned all all kinde of sinnes But This man He hath done nothing amisse If any thing amisse