what this Pentecost is it seemes not greatly materiall to enquire because every man thinks he hath the knowledge of it But if you should see the diversity of Writers and Interpreters you would wonder to see so much question about a thing that seemes so out of question For Erasmus and some others think that it signifies nothing but fifty dayes that S. Paul writ at a certaine time of the yeare not alluding to this that is that hee had no reference to this feast of Pentecost but onely that he purposed to stay fifty dayes at Ephesus and then to journey to Ierusalem But this cannot be for the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plainly proves that it was that feast that Pentecost that is that famous feast of the Iewes Others move the question whether it were the Christian Pentecost or the Iewish Pentecost for they will have the Christian Pentecost as soone as the holy Ghost came downe that it was kept ever after presently upon that day wherein I see many and great Writers and Interpreters doe much differ and I suppose indeed it is true that although the Apostles did keepe that Pentecost of the Iewes because that then the company met and assembled together and then it was the best time for them to worke yet I think the Apostles meaning in this place is not of any Iewish feast but of the Pentecost which the Christians used because it was coinsident happily with the Iewish Pentecost I shall intreat your patience a little in this point and although it bee somewhat troublesome yet it is good to know it You know the Pentecost of the Iewes was fifty dayes after the feast of Sweet bread or fifty dayes after the Passeover for the Passeover was then to be presented to God at the feast of Sweet bread when the corne was first ripe the first fruits of their corn The Iewes used to sprinkle their corne in the fire before it was ripe to broyle it in the fire and so to make a kinde of bread meale of that that was the beginning of their Harvest the time of first fruits was then come and that was that the Apostle alludes unto when he saith 1 Cor. 15. Our first fruits are raised from the dead and become the first fruits of them that sleepe because that hee was offered then at the feast of the Passeover now after that feast after the Passeover they were to number the feast of weekes that is they were to number 7. weeks or 50. dayes and then all their Harvest was come to be inned among the Iewes so that whereas before they offered sprinkled corne at Easter now they bring whole loaves at Whitsontide being made of the new corne of that yeare and so they presented it and an acknowledgement was made to God for the corne that hee had given them that yeare and this was the reason of it The word Pentecost signifieth 50. dayes called the feast of weekes Now it appeares in Acts 20. Act. 20. that the Apostle imbarked at Philippi presently after the Passeover after the day of Assum or the day of sweet bread that then hee tooke shipping at Philippi and sayled into Asia and that hee would not goe to Ephesus then for the reason before mentioned because of the treason of the Iewes This being a Iewish feast the feast of weekes or Pentecost which was 50. dayes after the Passeover when they offered of their new corne to the Lord Christ glorified it by sending downe the holy-Ghost upon that day as wee see Acts 2. Act. 2. when the Church was gathered together at the feast of Pentecost when the 50. dayes were ended after Easter there came a mighty noyse a mighty winde with cloven tongues and fire and sate upon the Apostles and gave them such evidence of the Spirit to speak in strange languages in strange tongues the great and wondrous things of God Now then I conclude that the Iewes Pentecost and the Christian Pentecost came altogether upon one day The Lord picking out that day that served most for his purpose for when there was most men gathered and assembled together a greater Harvest was like to be brought in to God when therefore they were met at the Iewish Pentecost which was now ended because the ceremoniall Law was abrogated yet the Lord so graced the time and the oportunity to work at that time as to send the holy Ghost upon that day Aug. And Austin gives the reason for saith he as the Law was given 50. dayes after the Passeover was eaten so 50. dayes after Christ our Passeover was offered the holy Ghost was given to write the Law of God in the hearts of all the faithfull people of God And I make no doubt but the Christians were possest with this that there was more glory in their Pentecost then in the Pentecost of the Iewes as being the summe of all things the sending of the holy Ghost And if the remembrance of their corne were so great a blessing that the feast of weekes must be celebrated for it the feast of Pentecost being a thing too which was given by Moses Law which is a killing letter Much more glorious must this feast be when God sent the holy Ghost into the hearts of men to inflame them well such heavenly qualities and such rare perfections as were never planted in the persons of any that were meere men so clearely as it was in them Quest But how could it be that the Iewes Pentecost and the Christians Pentecost could come both together to be observed upon one day Answ I beseech you observe a little About 190 yeares after Christ concerning the keeping of Easter there was great thundering and great excommunication Now observe 190 Yeares after Christ difference about keeping Easter I will tell you in a word how this came you know the feast of Whitsontide or Pentecost it is ruled according to the feast of Easter as Easter falls out so Pentecost falls out just 7. weekes after Now Easter it selfe was moveable also and came upon the 14. day of the first Moone after the Equinox after the Sunne hath bin in the Equinox of Aries the next full Moone of that new that came after was the day of the Passeover when the Passeover was offred As suppose I say that we should joyne March and April into one moneth as the computation of the Iewes is suppose it should be the 24. of March Now the Iewes whensoever it fell to be the 14th day of the Moone that is when it was full Moone for the course of the Moone is 28 dayes and it is full in 14. whensoever that day came it was kept precisely whether it were upon Tuesday or Wednesday after our calculation But now the Church of God thought fit to keepe it back till Sunday The Iewes and the Easterne Church that followed the Iewes they kept it upon the weeke day if so be that the 14. day fell
hee was come there hee teacheth and converseth with the people hee goes not about his work upon the sudden The newes comes he is dead and buried Let him lie in his grave a long time that the glory of God may the more appeare Let him lie the first second and third day and the Lord comes not Upon the fourth day when all men gave him for stinking and desperate and that there was no hope of any good to bee done upon him then the Lord comes to work When Martha his sister had given over all hope and told Christ shee knew that hee should rise againe at the resurrection but for any other rising she never dreamed of or imagined that Well then when all things seemed to be senslesse and against reason and possibility then the power of God began to work And because Lazarus was so strongly held by death foure dayes therefore the stronger was the hand of God upon him in raysing him from death That the strength of death might be encountred and overcome and countermanded by the higher strength and arme of the Almighty it now gave way and made a passage to the arme of the Lord to work a mighty deliverance So still the misery of the child of God works for good and all things work for the best to those that love God Rom. 8.28 Therefore as we have borne the image of the earthly so we shall beare the image of the heavenly This is a great incouragement to us to beare Vse Wee are impatient we cannot endure any thing but we see that wee must beare and if wee looke for the image of the heavenly we must be content to beare the image of the earthly We must be content to be sick we must be content to be poore to be persecuted to be every way miserable and wretched We must be content to be tempted by the tempting devill and oft times to be foiled by him and to bee overcome in sinne and shamefull actions and courses We must be content with the Christian agony and the bloody sweat that Christ had in the garden at his passion We must beare these things it is the image of the earthly It is the condition of the other life the bearing of the heavenly And except wee have the one we cannot have the other except we beare the image of the earthly we shall not beare the image of the heavenly But here it may be objected that Infants have not this image Yes reason tells us they doe For in their death in their sicknesse in their distractions and strange convulsions to which they are subject they beare the image of the earthly although not in so great a measure as men of groweth doe yet they have for their tender yeares a fearefull yoake laid upon them which is mortality and all the wayes that tend to death To conclude this first point the proposition Let us mingle the one with the other and beare both If thou bee troubled in this world in any sort inwardly or outwardly If thou be troubled in conscience for sinne if thou bee troubled with enemies art thou troubled in thy fortunes in thy state in the world art thou troubled with sicknesse of body remember it is nothing but thine owne image Thus thou art made wilt thou deny thine owne face wilt thou deny thy owne name wilt thou not take that which thou art borne unto art thou ashamed of thine inheritance it is that which thy Father hath left thee therefore beare it And withall to comfort thy selfe beare it with this hope and lively assurance that thou shalt beare a better image one day The galley-slaves that serve the Turks in their galleys if they could but think that at seven yeares end some Christian would come and deliver them they would be the better affected and would cheare their mindes especially if they could be assured of it If Iacob serve the churle Laban seven yeares Gen. 29. if he think he shall have Rachell at the end of it hee thinks it but like unto seven dayes and with patience he comforts himselfe in the Lord and staies his leisure and is content that God shall use him unto his hand as it pleaseth him This is the true constitution of a pure mind therefore let us sweeten these outward worldly miseries with the expectation of future joy and the promises which God hath made to us in his holy Word There is no griefe so great but if wee tie heaven unto the end of it it is light As the Apostle saith This short moment any affliction Rom. 8.18 is not worthy of the glory that shall bee revealed Let us put them together and the one will bee swallowed up in the other For as we have borne the image of the earthly so shall wee beare the image of the heavenly Oh! when shall that blessed day appeare So must the Christian man aspire and hunger and thirst after the righteousnesse of God and after his blessed kingdome Wee mourne saith the Apostle as long as we are from Christ in this body we would faine see the consummation of the promise Why then there is no meanes but one that is by incessant prayer by continuall clamours to call upon God to crie unto him for it The cries and clamours of Gods Saints must bring Christ from heaven againe unto earth to make up the fulnesse of the promise which he hath condescēded unto in his holy Word This must be the use we must make of this doctrine That as wee are patiently to endure the image of the earthly man to endure the misery that sinne hath contracted and brought upon us that we also be faithfull and hopefull to cry and to call unto God for the sweet things that are reposed and laid up for us in the glory of the Gospel So much for the Proposition Now for the explanation in verse 50. Verse 50. This I say brethren that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdome of heaven neither can corruption inherit incorruption In these words the Apostle doth prevent those questionings and objections that simple men might make against this doctrine They might say that he taught in the cloudes that hee spake so as that they knew not what hee meant What doe you meane by the image of the earthly and the image of the heavenly we have heard of no such words we know no such matter For this the Apostle tells them that hee speaks out of the phrase of Scripture hee speaks it out of Genesis For hee had said before that Adam was made a living soule and that Christ was made a quickening spirit and so following the course of the creation he saith there was an image which at the first was heavenly but it was defaced by mans fault and so it became earthly and by consequence all of Adams blood were like their progenitor they all tooke part of the inheritance although it were against their will and they bore the image of
to worke then the labour of love which is alway working like the soule in the bodie The soule and life it is in every part of the bodie and where any part is out of temper or sick there is heat and anguish there every member condoles with that member that is affected and out of place So it is with the labour of love among Gods children 2 Cor. 11.29 Who is offended and I burne not who is weak and I am not weak The passion of Gods Church is as combustible matter when it once takes hold it runs over all this labour of love is the work here spoken of Now he shewes the reason it is a comfortable and sweet speech It is not in vaine The word properly signifieth a thing where there is nothing where there is a vacuum They say in nature there is no vacuum or void place but still there is something every where and rather then there should not bee something things would forget their owne nature the aire will descend to fill up the roome If a man should dig to the Antipodes the aire which is a light thing will descend downe like a heavy body rather than it shall be empty and the water which is a heavy body will ascend up if a man draw with his breath in a conduit or pipe it will mount to the top of a house rather than there shall be a vacuum Now the Lord as hee fills all things with substance so he shall fill your labours also hee shall give it substance and being there is nothing vain in his creation much lesse shall there be any thing in vaine in the regeneration It is a great incouragement for a man to worke when hee is sure of his wages for it not like that foolish saying among foolish men that take up their money before hand and when they have drunke it out and spent it then they say they worke for nothing But hee that works for the Lord he never works for nothing but he is ever sure of his recompence Apoc. 22.12 Behold I come and my reward is in my hand and plentifull is your reward in heaven be glad and rejoyce for copious and great is your reward in heaven Because therefore your labour hath a reward it is a great incouragement to you to the worke The children of God work not for a blind day for a blind purpose but they are sure of the consequent they are sure of a copious reward in heaven But what is this to a Christian he should doe it for Gods cause although there were no reward a christian is bound to doe good although there were no heaven nor no hell It is true I cannot stand upon it at this time but onely to shew the principle of it when the Apostle saith Be abundant because you know your labour is not in vaine This is not a prime argument but a secondarie argument indeed it is a good incouragement It is true we should love the Lord it is due debt we are his creatures we depend upon him and hee may conclude of us as it pleaseth him to make us vessels of wrath or vessels of honour and wee should doe good workes for his sake without any reference to wages God must be loved without any cause and without any measure hee must be loved above all things with all our heart with all our soule and with all our strength Saith Saint Austin We worke not for God as a meane but as the end the maine and chiefe end of all things If wee should love God for some other thing then we should think some other thing better than God and then wee should make God inferiour to another we should make him inferiour to our owne desires which we must not doe Saith Saint Austin Aug. It is a foolish thing for a man to use that which hee should enjoy and to enjoy that which he should use for the things of this world are but the things that wee use and our owne salvation is a thing that wee use in comparison of God It is God that wee enjoy and nothing else there is nothing else that can be enjoyed and wee must not love our salvation it selfe in respect of God hee is the price of all things all things else are of no price but drosse and dung in comparison The blessed Apostles meaning therefore is not that hee would have us labour as hirelings to give a mercenarie love to God but to love God for his owne sake Hee disputes as a man because it is a fit argument to stir men up to labour because they shall have a recompence for it the greatest argument to encourage a man to worke to worke abundantly as the Apostle saith here is to set before him the copiousnesse of the reward it will make him worke plentifully not for the rewards sake but chiefly for the love of God and in the second place for the other Therefore it is unlawfull which the Popish Doctors say for a man to work simply upon the sight of divine wages but a man must worke first and chiefly for God and then in the second respect for the reward And that a man may thus doe for his incouragement it is plaine in the Scriptures The blessed man of God Moses Heb. 11.26 he rather desired to suffer affliction and persecution with the children of GOD than to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season Why Because hee had respect to the recompence of reward So Christ incourageth us in this that hee saith Verily I say unto you the more troubles you have in this life the greater shall be your reward in heaven And Saint Matthew speaking of the great blessings that are laid up for the godly he saith Those that have borne part with Christ in the doctrine of his regeneration they shall sit upon twelve thrones and judge the twelve Tribes of Israel Aug. The reward saith Saint Austin is that that sets a man in spirit and if wee would sustaine our labours and troubles let us look to the recompence of reward as Moses did And as St. Paul saith These momentany afflictions they worke unto us an eternall weight of glorie And as Calvin Calvin saith well when the Apostle saith So run that ye may receive 1 Cor. 9.24 saith hee If you take away the hope of the reward all the hopefulnesse and alacrity in running the race it doth not onely waxe cold but it falls downe and failes for the hope of a reward from the Lord it sets us up to make us worke chearefully because wee serve not a churlish Laban but a chearefull God wee serve not as Iacob did a long time to little purpose for two wives and two maids and a little flock but wee serve the blessed God that gives an infinite reward for a cup of cold water hee gives a glorious Kingdome for ever and ever Your labour is not in vaine Why Because it is for the
point for it the first day of the weeke were the Lords day when Sermons and prayer and communicating in the Sacrament were made and received It follows that the Church had changed the Sabbath day from the seventh day unto the eight and so we are to resolve our selves against these innovators how this might be done for assure your selves although we be well resolved in the thing and long experience hath taught us to be quiet and to settle our selves in the authoritie of the Church yet there is nothing that is of weaker authoritie then the change of the Sabbath and if these new Hereticks can prevaile with us in other things it is no marvell if they prevaile in this for there is nothing that is left upon so weake a foundation that hath so slender proofe as this which makes them to get ground upon unstable soules that are their hearers being a multitude of men where there is varietie of affections and imbecillitie of judgement and every man is carried away with every blast of doctrine as children to and fro no marvell if they have sowne such seeds of pestilent schisme by these contrary blasts which are every where studied Therefore you shall understand that the holy Apostles presently after our Lords ascention into heaven The Sabbath changed by the Apostles they did ordaine that the meetings of Christians for the Sabbath that those exercises should be upon the eight day of the weeke I meane upon the eight day from the creation upon the Iews Munday which now is called Sunday or our Lords day and those feasts that formerly were wont to fall upon any day of the weeke as Easter day which was kept according to the course of the Moone and if it fell upon a Wednesday or a Thursday or the like still it was Easter day the Passeover day the feast of sweet bread when the paschall Lambe was offered But the Apostles changed it that it should alwayes be on the Sunday upon the day of our Lords resurrection and Whitsuntide which followes after Easter being a moveable Feast and as Easter was still that was to be referred to it now the feast of Pentecost was referred by the Apostles to the Lords day the day of our Lords resurrection our Sunday And this was not the devise of Pius Pius the first Pope or Dicta the first Pope as some have imagined which was many yeares after our Lords ascention but it is certaine it was the ordinance of the Apostles themselves as we may see in two famous places for we have but two as Beza Beza saith well in Acts 20.10 Act. 20 10. and in this place In these two places we observe that liberty that the Lord gave to his Church 1 Cor. 16.2 to change the seventh day to the eighth And whereupon upon what ground did they take this liberty for we have no direct word from the mouth of our Saviour for it but they did it onely upon the revelation of the spirit of God and they had such firme arguments and reasons as might sway them against the common tenents of the Iewish slavery and bondage whereby they were tyed and bound to the observation of their Sabbath The first maine reason that the Church had for the changing of the Sabbath 1 To shew the prerogative of Christ it was to shew the prerogative of the Sonne of God which saith of himself The sonne of man is Lord of the Sabbath also he is Lord even of the Sabbath Mark 3. Mark 3. Now therefore if he were Lord of the Sabbath then it lay in his power to change the time of the Sabbath the morall action he changed not that alway continueth we must have a day to worship God in we should worship God alway but the publique worship of God is the proper end and office of the Sabbath I but for the time why it should be upon the seventh day or on the eight day this was left in the Lordship of Christ being the Lord of the Sabbath which therefore could tell what he did when hee would rejourne the Sabbath to some other time where it might be a figure of some better signification therefore to shew the glory of the sonne of man the Church thought good to change the time of the Sabbath to another time 2 In remembrance of the work of redemption Secondly there was another reason as Athanasius Athanasius observeth upon those words of Christ All things are given to me of my Father he extends it thus far even to the change of the Ceremonies of Moses Law now saith he there are two great workes of God which are to be considered in their substance and in their ceremony The first is the worke of creation And the second is the worke of redemption wherin the world was recreated and made anew For the first the worke of creation the old Sabbath was instituted and ordained of God in remembrance of his worke for God rested the seventh day from all the worke that he had wrought and created in the sixe dayes before he rested the seventh day and blessed it and hallowed it for man to remember the workes he had created in the sixe working dayes and that man should also worke in sixe dayes as he had done and rest upon the seventh day for as the Lord had wrought sixe dayes so he saith sixe dayes shalt thou labour for all the life of man must be conformed to the example of Almighty God so now there being these two great workes the one of creation the other of redemption wee are to consider whether of these two are the greater and surely we shall finde the worke of redemption is a greater matter then the worke of creation When the Lord created the world by his omnipotent power he did but speake the word and it was done The Lord did but say let there be light and there was light Let there be a firmament and there was a firmament Let there be sea and land and there was presently sea and land and every thing else necessary But when he wrought redemption it was not done by a word but it cost the bloud it drew the bloud from the heart of his deare Sonne for it could not be done by way of omnipotency because it must be done by way of justice the justice of God must be satisfied which could not be satisfied but the sinner must loose his life which he had forfeited to God and God himselfe must doe it the person of God must take upon him the nature of man to suffer death for sinfull man that had deserved death everlasting this is the worke of recreation and redemption Now saith Athanasius these workes had their severall ages the worke of the creation was to be remembred untill Christ came to worke the worke of redemption and when he was come then the age of that was to passe away it was determined and terminate in Christ And now
is but an appendix but a reference but a consequence for that it is a limited ordinance and is not to have a continuall succession and perpetuitie no more then circumcision and the rest of the figures of the law And for that they say Ans to Ob. 3. The Sabbath not said to be everlasting property that God made an everlasting covenant of the Sabbath you must understand that word there Legnolam it signifieth not that eternitie that never ceaseth but a diuturnitie a long time so it was for the law it continued 2000. yeares which is said in Scripture to bee eternall and those things which exceed the age of a man which passe the conceit and opinion of man that no mans memory can extend so farre they are called eternall many times in Scripture It is said of the kingdome of David that it should last unto eternitie and yet we know it lasted but five hundred yeares which is farre short of eternitie So for the land of Israel it is said the people of Israel should inhabite it for eternitie and yet in a thousand yeares they were outed and expelled But the word signifieth that which is of long induring of long continuance such a thing was the Sabbath for the testimony and covenant of God in ceremoniall things they were long but they were not eternall Ans to Ob. 4. All laws before Moses not immutable And then where it is said that those lawes that were before Moses those lawes that were in the state of paradice they are unchangeable and immutable because there is no imperfection in them First of al I denie their ground that the law of the Sabbath was given in Paradise And secondly that such lawes as were before Moses as onely thus farre immutable unlesse they may be otherwise better supplyed for it was Gods will that those things that were before should be types and figures and shaddowes of things that were to come after Now when the perfect body was once come in place all those figures and shaddowes were to be removed So was circumcision foure hundred yeares before Moses yet we see it is abrogate and ceaseth by the comming of our Lord and Saviour Christ So was the Sabbath the Lord Christ being the summe of circumcision and also being the summe of the Sabbath day being our rest in God and assuring us of our rest from all sinne from all torment from all feare and all paine which our nature is subject unto it was needfull therefore that he should come in the place of all these shaddows and that they should cease and have no further intelligence or operation And for the last Ans to Ob. 5. Meditation of Gods works not tyed to one day where they say the cause of the law continueth and therfore the law must continue but the cause of this law was the meditation of Gods works and that must be continuall therefore the Sabbath must be continuall It is true if the meditation of the works of God were of necessity put to one day then the argument were good and strong but because it may be done upon the eight or first or second as well as upon that the argument concludes not Indeed where the cause of the law and the end of it can be no otherwise attained but by the direct word and letter of the law there the law must continue as long as the end of it continueth But the end of the law of the Sabbath is the meditation of Gods creatures which may be attained unto another way for we see in Christ better then they could in Moses for we see the fulnesse of God the excellencie of the creation that cleare light of contemplation in the Sonne of God which was not to be discerned in the old Testament The grace of God hath appeared to all men 2. Tit. 11. and hath removed the clouds of darknesse that were before that we might walke in a new light that we might walk from glory to glory we see face to face 2. Cor. 3. as the Apostle saith I have beene too troublesome to you in this point to speake to them that are well setled but it is for this respect to cleare this point to make it appeare what phanaticall spirits these be that after so much and so long peace and quiet of the Church would begin to trouble the faith of Christians again by renewing the Iewish Sabbath For they go in effect to proove that there is no Christ come into the world for seeing their Sabbath was a type of Christs resting in the grave and that he should bury it in the grave with all other ceremonies they do in effect deny that Christ dyed and that he is risen againe they deny his resurrection by drowning the memory of that in remembring their Sabbath by obscuring our Lords day in keeping that Sabbath in which he lay in the grave and by keeping that they put a cessation to this But it is good also that we should understand the tenents of our faith upon firme and strong arguments that the powers of darknesse the gates of hell may have no prevailing against us in the time when they come to fight with us It is true this argument doth afford to wrangling spirits as much contradiction as any matter of Divinitie but we have the authoritie of the Church grounded upon good reasons and arguments why we do so to commemorate the glorious worke of the resurrection of our head To assure us that we which are his members shall rise with him Now follows to speake of the incentives and motives concerning this worke of charitie but I am afraid too much to oppresse your patience therefore I will conclude The third Sermon 1. Cor. 16.1.2.3 Now concerning the collection for the Saints as I have ordained in the Churches of Galatia even so do you In the first of the Sabbath let every one of you lay up by himselfe treasure of whatsoever God hath prospered him that there be no gathering when I come And when I come those whom you shall appoint and approve by your letters those will I send to carry your grace to Ierusalem THere are but two places in the Scripture that gives a powerfull warrant to the Church of God for the change of the Sabbath day from the seventh to the eighth day And therefore I thought it fit falling upon this Text not to leave that point negligently or sleightly handled but to regard it so farre as my weaknesse could attaine unto The last time I shewed the reasons of the change of it It was a thing that was partly ceremoniall and the Church of God is bound to it no further then it is morall It was a matter of distinction it made a separation betweene Iewes and Gentiles Christ came to take downe the wall of separation It was a memoriall of the Resurrection of Christ and the comfort of us all in that the root of life was raised therefore there
Plato that God would change the seventh day to the eighth to signifie thereby that God would bring a rest to all the world so that our change of the Sabbath day saith he it is not onely of us not onely manifested to us but it was opened to the Gentiles themselves they also acknowledged it Cyprian Diacon Epist 41. Cyprian the Deacon saith he shall reade the next Lords day wherein the Church must bring their accustomed sacrifice to God that is the sacrifice of Almes-deeds the treasure of life eternall and in his 41. Epistle saith he in the station that is in the Church where we meet and stand together before God let you almes be ready and let no man appeare empty before the Lord alluding to the law speaking of the change of the Sabbath and the collection for the poore Saints named in this place by the common state of the Church Basil Hexamer secund Basile in the second of his Hexameron saith he that the Lord might bring us from this present life to the thought of a better life of the life to come he hath appointed the first fruits of the Sabbath wherein the first fruits of the living rose again from the dead the Lord Christ which was dead did then live which was the beginner and continuer of light in his Church I meane saith he the holy Sabbath day glorified by the resurrection of Christ and commended to the Church to be alway fulfilled and kept Nazianzinus orat 43. Nazianzen saith he there were two Lords dayes the one for the Iewes the other for the Gentiles but ours that we have is more excellent than that for that was belonging to mans salvation but this was the very nativity of salvation the birth of our Saviour The Iewes Sabbath was the intermedium the passage betweene the buriall of Christ and his resurrection for Christ lay in his grave upon their Sabbath day and there he rested and with him rested all the ceremonies of the law never any more to revive but this of the resurrection of Christ is plainly and fully the day of the second generation and regeneration of all the Saints and he gives a reason for it For saith he even as the first creation of the world begun from the Sabbath day so we must imagine that God began to make the world upon the Munday as we call our weeke for in his eternall rest whereby he rested from all eternitie he began then to worke although it were no worke to God but a rest even the creation it was a rest to him he did not worke then more then before yet it is signified to us by worke in the Scripture and that he began in the beginning of the weeke to set himselfe to worke therefore as that worke of the creation began from the Sabbath so the worke of the recreation and redemption of man must begin from the Sabbath And although this be the eighth day yet it is the best day of all that were before it and of all that shall come after it being more high and glorious then that glorious day that was before and being more wonderful and admirable then that wondrous time that preceded it Saint Ierome in the second Epistle of his booke against Vigil The Apostle Paul saith he S. Hierom. contra Vigil Epist 3. Vigitantius I suppose commanded almost all Churches that there should be collections for the poore made upon the Lords day which is the first day of the weeke that is the first of the Iewish weeke And in his fourth question to Hibibbia How soone saith he did the Apostles of Christ turne and change the Iewish Sabbath to shew the libertie of Christians from the bondage of the law how soone did they turne it to the Lords day Aug. 10. Tom. Saint Austin in the tenth Tome of his Sermon upon these words of the Apostle saith he When the seventh day was fulfilled which is the consummation of the world we must come backe againe to the first and reckon from seven to seven and this first will be found the eight day the seventh day is ended and then the Lord is buried the eight day begins and then the Lord is raised for the raising up of the Lord Iesus hath promised unto us a day eternall and hath consecrated to us the Lords day which is the signe and note and assurance unto us of that eternall day of that everlasting Sabbath for now the rocke is raised up againe Let all our hearts be circumcised speaking of the manner of circumcision which was done with a knife of stone with a piece of a stone taken out of the rock out of the rock which is Christ Chrysost on 1. Cor. 16.2 Saint Chrysostome upon this place In one of the Sabbaths that is saith he upon the Lords day for the time it selfe was of sufficient force saith he to bring a man to bee liberall to give almes plentifully Oecumenius Oecumenius saith the same saith hee it should rouze us up this time the Lords day to do good to the Lords Saints Theophilact Theophilact being the first day of the weeke the time wherein we meet together before God they never saith he went without love to God and to the Saints upon the first day of the weeke which is the Lords day Theodoret Theodoret. saith he the day and the worke are met together a man should do the works of the time in his owne time a worke done in season is the more gratefull and acceptable Therefore saith he the day of the Lord wherein the resurrection of Christ is honoured is the fittest time to shew our bountifulnesse to God which hath beene so bountifull to us in giving us the memoriall of him that was Lord of his owne and of our resurrection Athanasius Athanasius upon that place All things are delivered to me of my Father which I stood on the last day and shewed his reasons for the change of the Sabbath Cirill of Ierusalem in the fourteenth of his Catechisme saith he Yesterday Cirill of Ierus Catech. 14. upon the Lords day in the congregation of the Saints and at the generall prayers of the people you heard me speak and discourse of these things where we may see that in that countrey also the same manner was retained Epiphanius in his second booke Epiph. lib. 2. The Sabbath of the Iewes remained in the law till the presence and comming of Christ but Christ dissolved the Sabbath and gave a Sabbath of his owne which is a type of that true rest of that sabbatism wherby the Saints rest from ceremonies and are come to the substance the Sonne of God as the Apostle speaks Heb. 4.7 Cirill of Alexandria in his seventh booke to Palladius We know saith he Cirill Alexand. l. 7. ad Pallad that the Lord Christ came to make us a perfect rest from sinne from death from miserie and to give us conquest over death
upon the weeke day for so indeed God directly said Doe it upon the 14. day of the first moneth c. But the Westerne Churches they thought that although the full Moone fell upon the Munday or the Tuesday yet they would not keep the feast of Pentecost upon that day but they would stay till the Lords day till the Sunday after because at the first institution they fell both together for the same day that was the Pentecost of the Iews the same day was the comming down of the holy Ghost sent froÌ„ the Son of God Now therefore sometimes they met together although sometimes they varied here was then the summe Whensoever the 14. day lighted upon the Lords day then the Iewes the Christians celebrated their Pentecost both at one time there was no difference between the Eastern Western Churches thâ—â— did all accord but when it fell out that the day differed the Churches of God in the West did think it convenient to reserve that honorable feast to an honorable time that is to the Lords day for they thought that God had truly cast all honor upon that day So I conclude this point that Paul when he speaks here of Pentecost he means the Pentecost of the Christians and I am not moved with any argument that they bring to the contrary for indeed they be childish and frivolous as that which neutaries novalists have devised as how there should come to be a falling out betweene the Churches if they certainly knew the day I gave you the reason before that the Iews alway kept it upon that day it fell and the Easterne Churches but the Western Churches reserved it to the glorious day the day of the Lord the Lords day I have troubled you too long in these thorny discourses but those that be of the best understanding they know that in these things also there is great profit and very great necessity the Scripture is not written for us to understand by piece-meale to take here a patch there another as the coÌ„mon fashion of men now is and as many of the ancient Writers in former time have done but if we read the Scriptures we must understand all or else wee must account our selves exceeding falling for the whole booke of God must be known in the parcels of time place and in all the circumstances as wel in the substance of it that this is the true meaning that it was the Christian Pentecost the Fathers make mention Justin Martyr Iustin Martyr in his 105 question he asks the reason Why doe we not kneele saith he at Pentecost as we doe at other times of the yeare and he answers againe Because saith he of the glorious descending of the holy Ghost wherein we shew forth the joy and comfort that the Comforter brought unto us therefore kneeling being an abasing of the body and an argument of mourning and humiliation but we must at that time shew forth joy and comfort therfore we kneele not so that the feast of Pentecost was kept in his time which was 104 yeares after Christ Tertullian Tertul. saith he this noble feast of Pentecost it is more noble then all the feasts of the Gentiles And in the Writings of Ignatius Ignatius and Polycarpus Polycarpus it is mentioned In the time of Victor Victor when it came to be a matter of controversie In the time of Anicetus Anycetus of Pius Pius this feast of Pentecost was observed and commanded to be observed all the Fathers that lived for three or foure hundred yeares after they still made Sermons of it Nazienzen Nazienzen Leo Leo Ierome S. Jerom. Austin S. Aug. Chrysostome Chrysost Ambrose Ambrose there is nothing more obvious wee see still their discourses and Sermons upon the feast of Pentecost which plainly proves that it is no new thing but that it was founded from the first and that Christians have as great reason to keepe a feast in remembrance of the comming downe of the holy Ghost which is the greatest blessing that ever was as the Iews have for the offering up of their corn and when their loaves of bread were brought into the Sanctuarie Now we come to the causes inducements wherfore the Apostle determined to be at Ephesus Part 3. The inducements of Pauls stay at Ephesus if it be Gods wil that he may be there till he may have convenient time to goe to Ierusalem and be there at the feast of Pentecost for saith he A doore is opened to me This similitude of a doore Doore what is very frequent in the Scripture it signifieth a plaine and easie way an easie path or oportunity where a man may suffer no impediment but goe on his way as the Lord Iesus saith Ioh. 10. Ioh. 10. I am the true Shepheard of the Sheepe hee that comes in by the doore comes in the true way hee is a true Shepheard but he that climbes up another way is a thiefe his meaning is if he come in at the doore it is an easie matter no man resists or hinders him but hee hath the way made plaine before his face Quest But how can this be when there were many adversarâ—es he saith there were many adversaries and yet a doore is opened to him Answ For this you must understand as afterward it appeares that the Lord opens a doore to men through the middest of danger and all the adversaries in the world cannot shut that doore which God hath once opened The Lord beares the keyes he shuts and no man opens he opens and no man shuts This doore the Apostle speakes of to the Colossians I beseech you saith hee pray for us that to mee may be given a doore of utterance to speake as I ought to speake Now the opening of this doore hee speakes of it in the passive voyce It is opened to mee a doore is opened to mee that is an occasion is ministred to mee hee doth not attribute it to himselfe to say I have made my selfe a way and by my preaching I have opened a doore that was shut to me before but hee referres it to God whose property alone it is It is opened to my hand by the mighty hand of the Almighty which hath the ruling of mens hearts and which flowes into their affections and guides and turnes them as it pleaseth him There is a doore opened to mee It is therefore God that openeth the door as it is the devils malice still to shut the door that there may be no passage betweene God and man and that Christ may knock at the doore and never be admitted nor heard as he saith Rev. 3. Rev. 3. Behold I stand at the doore and knock if any man open unto me I will come in and dwell with him c. So I say wee should still leave the praise where it is due and attribute the honour and glory of the fact to