such as our Apostle meaneth in his Epistles often I say for such as haue an especiall gift in interpreting the Scripture whether in vnfolding the deepe mysteries thereof vnto the learned or in expounding the plaine sense thereof vnto the people then it must of necessity be granted that they be perpetuall officers in the Church as Pastors and Doctors Saint Ambrose therefore construeth our text thus Apostles are Bishops Prophets are Interpretours of the Scriptures Euangelists are Deacons And Hyperius saith that God will alwayes haue these degrees in the Church and Peter Martyr in his Commentaries vpon the 12. to the Romanes is of opinion that our Apostle describeth in that place such gifts as are necessarie for the Church at all times among which hee mentioneth as a chiefe one prophesying To be short Bullinger vpon this text obserues that the words Apostle Prophet Euangelist are confounded and the Pastors of Zurich in the latter confession of Heluetia chap. 18. write thus the mâ—nisters of the new testament are termed by diuerse names for they be called Apostles Prophets Euangelists Bishops Elders Pastors and Doctors And here Protestant Diuines haue well obserued against the Church of Rome that Paul among all these degrees of the ministry names not the Popes office the which he would not haue forgotten if it had bin so necessary for the deciding of controuersies and preseruation of vnity in truth as our aduersaries pretend And whereas the Rhemists reply that Bishops Elders Deacons are not mentioned in this catalogue Answere is made that the functions of Bishops and Priests as they respect the externall gouernment and policie of the Church are named elsewhere generally and particularlie but in respect of teaching which is intended here more principally they are contained vnder Pastors and Doctors If the Pope will be reputed an Apostle then as Cardinall Caietane notes he must also be both a Prophet and an Euangelist and a Pastor and a Teacher for as he saith an Apostleship eminently comprehendeth all these graces it may be granted as I conceiue which Anselme collecteth here that Archbishops and Primates haue the roomes of Apostles in the Church but yet I see not how the Pope can be crouded into the text for if this absolute supremacie were necessary then assuredly Paul would not haue said Christ made some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists c. But rather Christ gaue to the Church one Apostle some Prophets and many teachers The fourth and last obserueable point in our text is for what end Christ ascending vp on high gaue gifts vnto men and that is threefold Namely the Perfecting of the Saints the Worke of the Ministry the Edifying of the body of Christ. The first concernes such as are called already Saints The second such as are to cal exercising the worke of the ministry to wit Apostles Prophets Euangelists c. The third such as are yet to be called and to bee built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Or the first concernes the people the second the Pastour and the third both For the edifying of the Saints I finde diuerse readings of this clause Some reade ad constitutionem or ad condendos sanctos agreeable to the present text of our Communion book here The Saints are of Gods houshold and the Church is Gods house Hebr. 3.6 The chiefe builders where of vnder Christ are Apostles Prophets Pastours and Teachers as I haue shewed Epist. on Saint Thomas day Other reade ad instaurationem for the repairing of such as are decayed in Gods building The iust man falleth seuen times in many things we sinne all eum dicimus optimum qui peccat minimum And therefore that we may not fall from grace finally wee need daily to be repaired and vnderpropt in Gods house by the powerfull exhortations of Pastors and teachers Our new translation herein agreeing with the Syriae and vulgar Latine reades for the perfecting of the Saints And it may be so construed in two respects first in regard of their daily growing from strength to strength vntill they bee perfect men in Christ for the word is profitable to teach improue correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may bee perfected throughly furnished vnto all good works 2. For that their number is fully perfected and accomplished by the preaching of Apostles Prophets Euangelists Pastors Teachers According to this exposition the Geneua bible hath it for the gathering together of the Saints All of vs are by nature like sheepe which haue gone astray wherefore Christ as being the chiefe sheepheard gaue some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists to gather vs together from East and West and to bring vs vnto his flocke that there may bee but one sheepfold and one sheepheard His sheepe heare his voice Pastors and teachers vttering his words are his voice he made therefore for the gathering together of his elect some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists c. Other reade ad coagmentationem sanctorum for the ioyning and ioynting of the Saints He speaketh of the Church as of a body consisting of Gods elect as of many members a body coupled and knit together by euery ioynt vers 16. And therfore whereas the Saints through Adams originall transgression and their owne actuall offences are many times out of ioynt disunited from their head Christ and diuided also from his members it pleased the Lord out of his infinite wisedome and goodnes to giue some Apostles Prophets and Euangelists c. As Chirurgions and Physitians of the soule who might by the preaching of faith vnite them againe to their head and by the preaching of good workes knit them together among themselues in the bond of peace And here you may note the true cause why the worst men and members of a parish euermore regard a good Pastor least It is because they bee feet and legs and thighs and hands out of ioynt so cannot endure the touch of the Chirurgions hand whose chiefe care is to worke their cure He that is sicke of a lethargie desires to sleepe although he die for it and hee that is lulled asleepe in sinne cannot away with the watchman of God If a Minister shall either out of weaknesse suffer his drowsie people to snore stil in their vncleannesse or out of wickednesse sleepe with them a little himselfe then hee may peraduenture for a while bee reputed a good shepheard among those scabbie sheepe but if he shall once rouze them and raise them out of their security saying with Paul awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead then instantly the wit-foundred drunkard cryeth out â—way with such a fellow from the earth it is not meet hee should liue for hee subuerts the state of the world and troubleth our city Then the couetous oppressor
day Againe this sentence Christ is the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles ouerthroweth as Interpreters obserue Marcion and other heretickes affirming that two sundrie disagreeing Gods are Authors of the two Testaments As if one God were preached in the Gospell and another in the Law whereas one and the same Christ is the very center of both at which all the Prophets and Apostles aime principally The builders of Gods house are the Prophets and Apostles and all their lawfull successours the Ministers and Preachers of the word Behold saith the Lord to Ieremie the Prophet I haue put my woreis in thy mouth I haue set thee euer the nations and ouer the kingdomes to plucke vp and to roote out and to destroy and throw downe to build and to plant That is to roote out vice to plant vertue to destroy the dens of Sâ—tan and build vp Gods remple to throw downe the kingdome of Antichrist and to set vp the kingdome of Christ. And so Paul cals himselfe a skilfull Architect or a cunning master builder laiing the foundation and hee faith of other Preachers of the word that they build vpon his foundation gold siluer precious stones c. that is doctrines and exhortations answerable to the foundation and worthie of Christ. In a word that the Pastors are Gods labourers and the people God building 1. Cor. 3 9. it is true that Christ himselfe is the chiefe builder as hee saith in the Gospel vpon this rocke will I build my Church he builds as it is in our text through his holy spirit vers 22. yet hee doth vse Prophets and Apostles and Euangelists and Pastors and Teachers as vnder-workmen for the gathering together of his saints and edification of his Church Ephes. 4. 11.12 The tooles or instruments which Apostles and Preachers vse toward this worke are the Word and the Sacraments especially For so the Lord of these labourers hath appointed Goe teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost His word iâ— his power to bring his elect to the foundation and to build them vpon the foundation His Sacraments are fastnings as it were to strengthen and confirme them after they be laid in the building that they fall not away but grow to an holy temple of the Lord. Our doctrine must be according to the analogie of faith our exhortation according to the rules of good life the Bible which is our lanterne and our guide furnisheth vs with both and therefore wee must euer build vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Beside these tooles a Minister ought to further Gods building with heartie praiers and good example Bellarmine said of Erasmus falsely that he was but halfe a Christian but it may be said of a lewd Pastour truly that he is but halfe a Preacher he may peraduenture pull downe more building in one weeke with his bad life then he can set vp againe in a whole yeere with his great learning Seneca thought it impossible that any body should at onetime be both a good man and a good captaine but a Clergie man is not a good Pastor vnlesse he be a good paterne God defend me and mine from a mangie Physitian a ragged Alchimist and a dissolute Diuine If thou be a president of godlinesse to thy people pray to the God of all grace that you may so remaine if you sometime were and are now fallen returne if you neuer were repent if you neuer will be perish Nam à Deo separabitur qui à diabolo superabitur Concerning the properties of the Church it is built together in such a due proportion and concinne symmetrie that euery part is content to keepe his ranke and performe his function without any faction It is a body fitly ioined together and compacted by that which euery ioint supplieth c. Ephes. 4.16 See Epistle 2. Sund. after Epiphanie It is built together in respect of her vnion with Christ the head corner stone and coupled together in respect of her communion with the members See Communion of Saints in the Creed And being thus inserted and built on Christ it liueth and groweth from grace to grace till it become an holy Temple to the Lord. The which Interpreters vnderstand of euery singular part so well as of the whole body for euery Christian is an habitation of God If thou be then a consecrated Chappell vnto the Lord how darest thou commit Idolatrie which is against the first table What agreement hath the temple of God with Idols Or how dinest thou commit adulterie which is against the second table Know yee not that your body is the temple of the holy Ghost and that God is to bee glorified in your spirit and in your body will you then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid Euery liuing stone that is built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles is holy Lapides in templo sancto non possunt esse non sanctificati The temples of God are holy both in regard of their righteousnesse imputed in that their vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen and Christ himselfe made their holinesse and in regard of sanctification and righteousnesse in herent for that being deliuered out of the hands of all their enemies they serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life The Gospell IOHN 20.24 Thomas one of the twelue which is called Didymus was not with them when Iesus came c. THis Scripture consists of a Dialogue Thomas one of the twelue c. Epilogue Many other signes truly did Iesus c. The Dialogue is between a weake sinner and a meeke Sauiour And according to these two principall persons it hath also two principall parts one concerning Thomas and another touching Christ. In Thomas obserue his Faults which are two 1. His absence from the meeting of the other Apostles 2. His incredulitie not beleeuing the resurrection of Christ occasioned by that absence Faith My Lord and my God That other part concerning Christ is a relation of his second appearing vnto the blessed Apostles after his rising againe from the dead And heerein is set down 1. What he did After eight daies he came againe c. 2. What he said 1. To the whole companie Peace be to you 2. To Thomas in particular Bring thy finger hither c. 3. In conclusion to him and them and vs and al Blessed are they that haue not seen and yet haue beleeued In that our Euangelist hath set downe the fall of Peter and fault of Thomas wee may learne that euen the most holy men are but imperfectly perfect in this life The Pontificians are true Donatists and as it were the very spawne of the Cathari For is any man so great a Puritan as the Papist highly conceiting that he can obserue all
or metonymically vnderstanding by the world men of the world Mundus non capit idest non intelâ—git the world cannot comprehend that is apprehend the bookes that should be written A very lanke conceit for the world in this sense cannot vnderstand so much as one line of the Gospell according to that of Paul The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God Other take these words as spoken hyperbolically for the spirit of God accommodating it selfe to the rudenesse of men vseth elsewhere this kind of figure Deut. 1.28 The Cities of the Canaanites are said to haue been walled vp to heauen Exod. 3.17 The land of the same Canaanites is tearmed a soyle flowing with milke and honie Psal. 107. The men who goe downe into the sea in ships and occupie their businesse in great waters are so tossed in the deepe by the stormie winds and waues as that Dauid saith in the 26 vers They mount vp to the heauen and are carried downe againe to the depths And so S. Iohn in auowing the world could not containe c. doth intimate that if all the things which Iesus did should bee written euery one the number of the bookes in folio would be without number As high walles and huge waues are said to reach heauen euen so these bookes hyperbolically to be greater then all the world Other construe this verse literally Iesus is that eternall word in the beginning by whom all things were made Iohn 1.3 and by whose mighty word all things are sustained Heb. 1.3 working from the foundation of the world hitherto Iohn 5.17 So that if euery thing which Iesus did as God both afore the world and in the world should be registred all this huge vniuerse though it be Gods faire library could not containe the bookes that should be written And thus as you see the conclusion of this Gospell is answerable to the beginning both intimating Christs incomprehensible diuinitie Hee made the whole world at the first and hee gouernes all things in the world euer lithens and therefore most impossible that all his words and works and wonders should bee recorded in bookes albeit euery plant were a pen euery drop of water inke euery foot of land paper and euery liuing creature a ready writer The Disciplethen who wrote these things as Horace said of Homer hath so fitly disposed of his whole storie The Epistle APOCAL. 14.1 I looked and loe a Lambe stood on the mount Sion c. THis text is nothing else but a description of Christ a Lambe sitting on mount Sion The Church in quantitie an hundreth fortie and foure thousand qualitative for Faith in that her coÌ„fession is Open hauing his name and his fathers name written in their foreheads a voice like the sound of many waters and great thunder Harmonicall singing a new song of diuerse parts and yet all agreeing as the voice of harpers harping with their harps Good workes in that her children are not defiled with women and in their mouthes is no guile for they follow the Lambe whithersoeuer he goeth and the reason of all is because they were redeemed from the earth and from men that they might be the first fruits vnto God and to the Lambe A Lambe stood on the mount Sion Christ the Sonne of God is the Lambe of God euen the Lambe here mentioned as it is apparant by his correlatiue father For so the text hauing his name and his fathers a Lambe in figure and a Lambe in fact In figure for Christ Iesus is our Pascall Lambe 1. Cor. 5.7 slaine from the beginning of the world Apocal. 13.8 prefigured in the sacrifices of the Law so well as now presented in the Sacraments of the Gospell As one pithily Prius profuit quà m fuit A Lambe indeed so meeke as a Lambe Like a Lambe dâ—â—â—be before his shearer A Lambe for that hee feedeth all his with his flesh and clotheth all his with his white robe of righteousnesse whereby wee stand as it is in our text without spot before the throne of God And this Lambe sits not idle nor lieth asleepe but standeth alwaies in a readinesse to protect his followers He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleepe Psalm 121.4 Hee standeth not as the beast in fickle sand or sea but on mount Sion which cannot be remoued Psal. 125 1. In the middest of his inheritance the Church against which hell gates shall not preuaile For Sion is a type of Christs Kingdome called often in holy Scripture Ierusalem aboue prepared in the top of the mountaines and exalted aboue the hils He stands on a mount higher then either earth or sea from whence the two beasts his opposites arise So that he is willing to defend his followers as standing and able for that he stands on a mount and left any should doubt of this our Apostle saith I looked and loe Two words of attention assuring vs hereby that the woman persecuted in the wildernesse that is the Church afflicted in the world shall at the last haue the victorie though all the red Dragons on earth and al the blacke deuils in hel furiously rage together against the Lord and against his anointed And here giue mee leaue to remember an obseruable note touching the writings of S. Iohn how that in his Gospell he teacheth especially faith in his Epistles especially loue in his Apocalyps especially hope This booke being as reuerend Bellinger censure h Euangeliâ—â—ssineâ—ss liber of all holy Scripture the fullest of consolation And with him an hundred fortie and foure thousand This affoords comfort that the Lambe stands not alone but hath on his side many from East and West as well Gentiles as Iewes hauing his fathers name written in their foreheads It is thought by some that this number is mysticall insinuating the perfection of Gods elect because both the duodenarie number and millinarie are numbers of perfection It is a certaine number because the Lord knoweth who are his 2. Tim 2.19 as hauing their names written in his booke yet a definite for an infinite as almost all haue noted in that the number of such as are with the Lambe is a multitude which no man is able to number Apocalyps 7.9 it is in it selfe a very great number but in comparison of the company fauouring lies and following Antichrist it is a little flocke a few people which are redeemed from the earth selected out of those innumerable troops of small and great rich and poore bond and free whose names are not written in the booke of life of the Lambe Apoc. 13.8 16. Hauing his name and his fathers name written in their foreheads The vulgar Latine Aretas Ardens and other reade as the translation of Hen. 8 and our Communion booke His name and his fathers name the which is more significant then
Sund after Easter and Gospell on Saint Thomas day Here pause and pray Almighty father which hast giuen thine onely sonne to die for our sinnes and to rise againe for our iustification grant vs so to put away the leauen of malice and wickednesse that we may alway serue thee in purenesse of liuing and truth through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen The Epistle Eâ—HES 4.7 Vnto euery one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ c. SAint Paul doth especially two things in all his Epistles 1. treate 2. entreate Hauing sufficiently treated in the former Chapters of doctrinals he commeth in this present to morals entreating his Ephesians in generall to walke worthy of the vocation whereunto they were called in more particular to support one another thorough loue keeping the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace pressing this one point with arguments of two sorts The first of which epist. 17. Sund. after Trin. is taken from such things as are common vnto the whole Church as being in all the faithfull one and the same there is one body and one spirit and one hope one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and father of all which is aboue all and through aâ— and in you all As if he should argue thus if the Church your mother bee but one God your father but one Christ your Lord but one the holy spirit your comforter but one if ye haue but one hope one faith one baptisme I see no cause why ye should not liue together and loue together as all one labouring to keepe the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace The second contained in our present text is taken from such graces as are in euery one diuerse shewing that this inequality of gifts is not an hindrance but rather a furtherance to vnitie for asmuch as all of them are giuen by the same author for the same end Vnto euery one of vs is giuen some gift vnto none all he that hath most hath but a measure As then in the naturall body the eye can not say to the hand I haue no need of thee nor the hand againe to the feet I haue no need of you but euery part seeketh anothers and not his owne good Euen so in the Church which is Christs mysticall body God made not all Apostles or all Prophets or Euangelists c. but some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists c. There be diuersities of gifts and diuersities of administrations and diuersities of operations 1. Cor. 12. euery one standeth in need of anothers gift and thereupon is occasioned to support one another in loue preseruing the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace See epist. 2. Sun after Epiphan and 10. after Trinity In the whole 4. points are to be considered especially 1. Who Christ and that is proued out of the 68. Psal. verse 18. hee led captiuitie captiue and gaue gifts vnto men 2. When when hee ascended vp on high euen aboue all heauens to fulfill all things 3. What hee made some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists c. 4 Why for the perfiting of the Saints for the worke of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ. Concerning the first in that our Apostle doth auowe here that the diuersity of grace bestowed on the Church is the gift of Christ whereas he saith elsewhere that God the father ordained Apostles and Prophets and teachers and that the spirit worketh ad these things vnto euery one seuerally distributing as he will we may learne two conclusions in diuinity 1. That all the workes of the sacred Trinity quoad extra without it selfe are common and communicable to euery person of the three 2. That God the sonne is equall in might and mercy to God the father he being ascended aboue all heauens is the giuer of gifts vnto men and here we must accord the Prophet and our Apostle The one saith he receiued gifts for men the other he gaue gifts vnto men and these two seeme to contradict each other Answere is made that Dauid speakes of this deuotion in time to come but Paul of thiâ— donation already past and accomplished Dauid of the promise Paul of the performance Or Christ as he was God gaue gifts in heâ—â—â—n and as man he reâ—â—â—ed gifts on earth or he receiued in that his members receiued according to his owne saying Mat. 25.40 â—n as much as ye haue done it vnto one of the leastâ— these my brethren yee haue done it vnto mee or he receiued to giue as Exod. 25.2 Speake to the children â—f â—srael that they receiue an offering for me that is according to the translation of our present Church bible â—â—at they bringâ— where reioycing as Abbâ—n Ezâ—a notes is giuing and so Paul alluding rather to the sense then to the words of Dauid saith he 〈…〉 Touching the second point it is demanded how Christ is said here to haue made some Apostles and some Prophets c. When he went 〈…〉 and led captiuity â—aptiue seeing wee reade in the Gospels history that he chose his Apostles and Disciples and gaue them a commission to preach in his life time and that after his resurrection he confirmed them in his office by breathing on them and giuing the holy Ghost and saying as my father sent mee euen so send â—y â—â— goe teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the father and the sonne 〈◊〉 the holy ghost Answere may bee that Christ is reported in this Scripture to haue giuen Apostles vnto the Church after he went vp on high in respect of their gifts extension and 〈◊〉 Extension as hauing after Christs ascensâ—ou receiued the gifts of the holy ghost after a more glorious manner and in a farre greater measure So the text the â—â—ly ghost was not yet giuen because that Iesus was not yet glorified and If I goe not away the comforter will not come vnto you but if I depart I will send him vnto you And Christ at his ascension also charged them to waite for this promised power of the holy ghost See gosp Sun after ascension day Oâ—tension and that 1. in respect of the solemne inauguration into their Apostleship on the feast of Pentecost in the sight of Gods people gathered together at Hierusalem out of euery nation vnder heauen It is reported of Dauid that he was first annointed King of Israel in the middest of his brethren 1 Sam. 1.10 and afterward in Hebron 2. Sam. 2. But hee was not called King vntill he was annoynted solemly before all the tribes of Israel 2. Sam. 5. Euen so though it bee granted that the Apostles were nominated and elected to their office before Christs death and confirmed in their calling after Christs resurrection yet they were not apparantly knowen vnto Gods people to bee so till he went vp on high and gaue
the gifts of the holy Ghost vnto them in the visible formes of clouen and fierie tongues Acts 2.3 see epist. on Whiâ—sunday 2. Ostension in regard of execution of their office for albeit they had a commission before to preach first vnto the lost sheepe of Israel and then vnto all nations in the world Mat. 28.19 yet they did not execute this commission in gathering together a Church out of both vnto God vntill Christ had ascended farre aboue all heauens to fulfill all things and the reason hereof is rendred in our text because Dauid had so prophesied of him in the 68. Psalme when hee went vp on high he led captiuity captiue and gaue gifts vnto men And in deed it was at this time most fit for him and best also for his to giue gifts it was exceeding fit for himselfe because glorious conquerours in their solemne triumphes vsually lead their chiefe enemies settered either in iron chaines as Paulus Aemilius triumphed ouer Persius or in iron cages as Tamberlane the great vsed proud Batazet king of the Turkes And so leading captiuity captiue they deuided the spoile to their friends and followers as it is in the Psalme Christ ascending on high led captiuity captiue that is the diuell and all his complices hell death and the graue triumphing ouer them openly Giuing also gifts vnto the Church as Apostles and Prophets and Euangelists and Pastors and Teachers who might loose such as Satan bindes and it was at this time 〈◊〉 for his followers as not depending any longer vpon his bodily presence See Gospell 4. Sun after Easter The 3. remarkable point in this Scripture is what he gaue to men vnto euery one is giuen grace according to thâ— measure of the gift of Christ c. He doth vnderstand by grace not liuing grace for that as he shewed in the former â—art of this Chapter is in all the members of the Church one and the same one faith one hope one baptisme c. But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken here for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namely for the diuers gifts of the holy Ghost as interpretation of tongues and discerning of spirits and the gifts of healing propheâ—ie the word of knowledge and the like of which hee disputeth at large 1. Cor. 12. and so Paul expoundeth himselfe in our present text at the 11. verse the same made some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists c. Apostles were such as he called himselfe either in his state moâ—â—all as the 12. disciples or in his state glorious as Paul Acts 9.15 and Matthias Acts 1.16 to preach his Gospell and to plant his Church in euery nation of the world Prophets were such as interpret the scripture of the Prophets 1. Cor. 14.4 He that propheseth 〈◊〉 the Church and Mat. 23.34 I â—hold I send vnto Prophets that is preachers Or Prophets were such as had marueâ—lous wisdome and could foretell things to come as Agabus Acts 11.28 signified by the spirit that there should be great famine thorough oâ— all the worldâ— which also came to passe vnder Claudus Caesar. Euâ—ngeliâ—ts are so called either of preaching the Gospell and so Paul exhorted Timothie to doe the worke of an Euangelists or else of writing the Gospell and so there â—ee but 4. Euangelists only Mathew Marke Luke Iohn And here we may note the reason why the Church appointed this scripture to be read at this time namely because Saint Marke was an Euangelist Pastours are such as are placed ouer a certaine cure whereas Apostles had the whole Church for their charge So Paul speakes vnto the Elders of the Church at Ephesus take heed to your selues and to all the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you ouer seerâ— And so Bishops in their dioces and Priests in their parishes are Pastors Or as Theophylact Pastors and Doctors are Presbyters and Deacons Or as some late Diuines obserue Pastors are rectors of the whole congregation Doctors are catechists and teachers of the youth and other new comes into Christs schoole Pastors are such as feed Christs sheepe and Doctors are such as feede Christs lambes or as Beza Pastors are they who gouerne the Church and Doctors are they who gouerne the schooles But I rather embrace their opinion who think Pastorâ— Doctors are diuers names of one office euen as feeding and teaching are all one for otherwise Paul as Hierome Lombard Anselmo haue noted vpon the place would haue distinguished them as he did the rest and haue said he gaue some Pastors some Teachers as well as some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists c. but he ioyneth them together Pastors and Teachers insinuating that Pastors should teach and that as our Church speakes both by their preaching and liuing ensamples in word in conuersation in loue in spirit in faith and purenes 1. Tim. 4 12. Some Diuines obserue that these functions are partly temporall and extraordinary as Apostles Prophets Euangelists and partly continual and ordinary as Pastors and Teachers but herein I tread in the steps of that holy father my most honoured and honorable master Archbishop Whitgift who writing against the schismatickes of his age saith and proueth out of this our present text also that all these degrees of ministers remaine still in some sort vntill the worlds end For first as Nouelists acknowledge Paul in this place maketh a perfite platforme of a Church and a full rehearsall of all offices therein contained and he saith expresly that Christ ascending vp on high gaue them for the gathering together of the Saints and for the worke of the ministry c. tell we all come to the vnity of the faith and knowledge of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man vnto the measure of the full age of Christ. That is as Caluin Zanchius and other vntill wee meet in that other world to come I know there were certaine things in the blessed Apostles which were proper vnto themselues as their immediate calling from God the power of working miracles and their commission to goe into the whole world c. but to preach the Gospell of Christ in places where need requireth although it be not peculiarly committed to them or to gouerne the Churches already planted I see no cause why it should not be perpetuall among the Ministers of the word Likewise the function of an Euangelist if it be taken for the writing of the Gospel it was temporal and hath his ende But if it be taken for preaching to the people plainely and simply as Bullinger thinketh or generally for preaching the Gospell as Musculus supposeth in which sense Paul said vnto Timothie do the worke of an Euangelist or for preaching more zealously then other as Bucer imagineth I make no doubt but that it still remaineth in the Church Moreouer Prophets if they bee taken for
Vt distinctio perspicuitatem afferret breuit as taedium eximeret varietas voluptate afficeret They be parted indeed yet so neerely linked together that the first words of our text are nothing else but a transition or as it were a bridge between both In this context or preamble three persons are to be considered especially By whom the former treatise was written To whom the former treatise was written Of whom the former treatise was written The party writing the Gospell of all that Iesus did and taught was Luke by birth as Eusebius and Hierome report of Antiochia by profession as Paul writes Coloss. 4.14 a Physitian Luke the beloued Physitian greets you by calling as some thinke one of those seuentie Disciples our blessed Sauiour appointed Luk. 10.1 the which is gathered by Gregorie the great and other out of the 24. chapter of S. Luke vers 13. but Irenaeus Tertullian and the most ancient Doctors affirme that he was not Christs immediate Disciple but onely sectator Discipulus Apostolorum a follower and a Disciple of his Apostles And this Saint Luke testifieth of himselfe in the first chapter of his Gospell at the second verse sicut tradiderunt nobis c. as they haue deliuered them vnto vs which from the beginning saw them themselues Insinuating that hee wrote his Gospell according to that which he heard of other but this tract of the acts of the Apostles according to that which he had seene himselfe This man is made by Gods appointment an Euangelist before Peter and Iames who were counted to bee pillars of the Church and seemed to be great nay ten Apostles being passed by this poore Physitian a companion of persecuted Paul and at the best but a Disciple was preferred to set downe the Gospels history for so he saith I haue made the former treatise of all that Iesus began to doe and teach Here then obserue that God is tyed to no man he calleth whomsoeuer he will vnto whatsoeuer office pleaseth him hee made seely fishermen fishers of men and of Paul who was sometime a rauenous wolfe first a milde sheep and then a diligent shepheard of Amos an heardman a Prophet of Peter a water man a chiefe Apostle of Luke the physiâ—ian a great Euangelist And therefore let vs not ascribe to much vnto secondarie causes but rather attribute all to God who doth often greatest acts by weakest agents And let vs bee so much the more ready to beleeue this because Luke wrote this I haue made c. He was not principall author but instrumentall actor in composing this Treatise for the Gospell is Gods-pel or the ghosts-spell euen the word of the spirit as Saint Peter teacheth vs holy men of God in olde time spake not according to the will of men but as they were moued by the holy Ghost ipse haec scripsit quihaec scribenda dictauit The party to whom our Euangelist inscribed his Gospell is Theophilus and here the Doctors doubt whether this name be common or proper Cardinall Baronius hath vndergone some paines in discussing this point but like himselfe leaues it as he found it vncertaine If we take it for a common appellatiue then vnderstand that the Gospell is written vnto such as are Theopbils that is louers of God The word is a peerelesse pearle and may not be cast vnto swine who despise it but opened vnto the louers of God which are ready to sell all that they haue to buy it euery true Christian is a Theophilus and euery Theophilus hath a Gospell dedicated to him as Saint Ambrose sweetly Si Deum diligis ad te scriptum est si adte scriptum est suscipe munus Euangelistae pignus amici in penetralibus animi diligenter asserna Seing this inestimable Iewell is sent vnto thee keepe that which is committed to thy care lay it vp in the treasure house of your heart where neither the moath and canker corrupt and where theeues neither digge thorough nor steale Consumit tinea si quod bene legeris male credas Arrius is a moath and Photinus a moath euery hereticke is a moath as it were fretting the garment of our blessed Sauiour But two reasons induce me to thinke that Theophilus is a proper name 1. Saint Luke saith It seemed good to me to write vnto thee from point to point that thou mightest acknowledge the certainty of those things where of thou halt been instructed By which he doth insinuate that he wrote to some one particular person whom hee had heretofore catechized by word of mouth 2. The title giuen vnto Theophilus Luke 1.3 maketh Interpretors conceiue that hee was a certaine man of eminent quality some therefore say that hee was a Bishop of Antiochia but other that he was some chiefe gouernor in his common wealth because the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsed by Saint Luke which we traslate most excellent or most noble is the same which is ascribed elsewhere to men of great command So Paul to Festus Acts 26.25 I am not mad O noble Festus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Tertullus an Orator and a great master of words vnto Felix Acts â—43 We acknowledge it wholy and in all places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most noble Felix with â—all thankes So Claudius in his subscription to the same Felix Acts 23.26 Claudius Lysias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the most noble gouernour Felix greeting and the title optimus of all other was most acceptable to Traian the great Emperor as Xiphilinus out of Dio reports in his life Hence then obserue 1. That rich men and great men are not excluded from Gods kingdome S. Paul saith in deed not many mightie not many noble are called yet some mightie some noble as the noble Ioseph of Arimathea the noble Chamberlain and Treasurour of Candaces Queene of Ethiopia the noble men of Berea and here noble Theophilus of Antiochia 2. Note by this example that Christians ought to speake and write courteously giuing titles of due respect vnto men of worth and worship feare to whom feare honour to whom honour belongeth Rom. 13.7 3. Learne from hence that godly men ought to bee religiously politicke so wise saith our Sauiour as serpents in enlarging Gods kingdome It is likely Saint Lâ—ke dedicated this present and that former history to noble Theophilus not so much out of any priuate consideration as for the publike good of the whole Church for if a great man in authority receiue the word other instantly wil embrace the same This vndoubtedly was our Euangelists policie and till it be our practise the walles of Iericho will neuer bee thoroughly pulled downe for so long as the Chaplaines are of the closer flattering and fostering Nobles in their sin no maruaile if the whole world lieth in wickednes Citharaedo principe minus est nobilis
world their Dioces Euntes in mundum oniner sum praedicate c. Hee being the true Samaritane powred into their wounds oyle and wine first vinum tribulationis and then â—leum consolationis he chasteneth all such as he loueth and he scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth In Christs commission or grant to his Apostles obserue two things especially 1. Their warrant goe and preach for how shall they preach except they be sent hee that runneth of his owne accord without a calling is a false Prophet Ier. 23.21 See Gospell 1. Sund. after Easter and 8. after Trinitie 2. Theâ—â— worke in respect of their Dioces where they must preach in the whole world to eâ—ery creature Doctrine what they must preach and that is said expresly to be the Gospell Concerning their Dioces it is not the meaning of our blessed Sauiour that his Apostles should preach vnto liuelesse stones or senselesse plants or witlesse beasts but he doth vnderstand by all creatures onely men as being an abridgement of all the creatures Stones haue a being but not a life plants haue both a being and a life but not sense beasts haue being life sense but they want vnderstanding Angels haue being life sense vnderstanding Now man as being a little world and as it were the compendious Index of Gods great booke in folio participates a being with stones life with plants sense with beasts vnderstanding with Angels and therefore fitly called euery creature as hauing the chiefe perfections of euery creature Or man may bee called all creatures as being that excellent câ—eature for whom all other creatures were made Psalm 8.6 Thou makeâ—t him to haue dominion ouer the workes of thine hands and thou hast put all things in subiection vnder his feet Or preach the Gospell vnto all creatures vnderstanding onely such as are capable to receiue the Gospell So Christ elsewhere said all things that I haue heard of my father haue I made knowne vnto you that is all things which are necessary for your saluation and are fit for you to know And Ioh. 12.17 If I were lifâ— vp from the earth I will draw all men vnto mee that is all which are to be drawne So Paul Loue suffereth all things beleeueth all thiâ—gs hopeth all things that is all which are to be suffered and beleeued and hoped Or preach the Gospell vnto all creatures that is all nations for so Saint Marke may be well expounded by S. Matthew who relating this commission saith Euntes ergo docete omnes gentes goe and teach all Nations Hereby repealing a former edict Matth. 10.5 Goe not into the way of the Gentiles and into the Cities of the Samaritans enter ye not That commission is determined now therfore goe into all the world and preach the Gospell vnto all creatures to men of all countries and conditions whatsoeuer This vnlimited extraordinarie commission is expired and hath his end for now the successors of the Apostles as Bishops and Pastors haue their peculiar prouinces and proper Paâ—ishes assigned for their cure yet so â—hat they may preach the Gospell of Christ in other places also where need requireth albeit the same be not particularly committed vnto them And therefore the Church of England enioyneth euery learned Pâ—stor sometime to preach in Chapels and Chuâ—câ—es râ—ioyning neare to his benefice Aâ— for their wâ—â—ke they must employ their time 〈◊〉 in secular actions of the world nor yet in idle speculaâ—ions of the S. hoole but apply themselues vnto preâ—â—hing goe ye into the world and preach And they 〈◊〉 not their owne wisedome but the Gospel it 〈◊〉 man speake let him deliuer oracles of God consenting to the wholesome words of our Lord Iesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlines And for as much as the the Law the Psalmes and the Prophets are nothing else but as it were a preface to the booke of the generation of Iesus Christ I say for as much as Christ is the supplement of the Prophets and end of the Law they must especially preach vnto the world the glad tidings of saluation making this sentence the period of all their Sermons vnto vs a child is borne vnto vs a son is giuen or that of Christ himselfe So God loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life To the preaching of the Gospell administration of the Sacraments is adioyned and enioyned also Matth. 29.19 Go teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost The which our Euangelist implieth here when hee saith hee that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued but he that beleeueth not shall bee damned Concerning Baptismes necessity see Gospell on Trinity Sunday And these tokens shall follow them that beleeue These words are to bee digested with a little salt to bee construed with a great deale of caution otherwise the simple soule will obiect how shall I know that I beleeue seeing I worke no miracles If wee take them as many learned and ancient Diuines haue done mystically then euery true beleeuer in Christs name casteth out of his heart diuels that is euils for euery foule sinne is a foule fiend to man and then his soule being sound his mouth ex abund intia cordis out of the hearts abundance speakes with new tongues His communication heretofore was im â—ious toward God and vncharitable toward his neighbour his throte an open sepulchre his tongue d e ceiuing his lips flattering his mouth full of cursing and bitternesse But now hauing put on the new man he speakes in a new language words of truth and sobernes Acts 16.25 Words of meekenesse and courtesie Titus 3.2 Words agreeable to the wholsome words of our Lord Iesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlines 1. Tim. 6.3 After this compunction in his heart and confession of his mouth if any venemous temptation be suggested he shall haue power to driâ—e away serpents and if he drinke any deadly thing it shall not hurts him although he taste of it a little yet he shall not in any case swallow it downe to his vtter destruction And lastly he shall impose his hands vpon the sicke and they shall recouer that is he shall out of his loue beare the infirmities of his weake brethren and hide a multitude of their sinnes his exhortation and doctrine the Lord worâ—ing with them as it is in the last words of our text shall heale the sicke yea raise the very dead in sinne to newnes of life If we take Christs promise these signes shall follow them that beleeue literally then it must of necessity bee construed with a few limitations and exceptions As first in respect of the time miracles are not necessarie for a Church already planted but only for a Church in planting So Paul
An EXPOSITION OF THE FESTIVALL EPISTLES AND Gospels vsed in our English Liturgie Together with a reason why the Church did chuse the same By IOHN BOYS Doctor of Diuinitie The first part from the Feast of S. ANDREVV the Apostle to the Purification of blessed MARY the Virgin Psalme 151.1 Laudate Dominum in Sanctis eius LONDON Printed by EDVVARD GRIFFIN for William Aspley 1615. TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD GEORGE BY the diuine prouidence Lord Archbishop of CANTERBVRIE Primate of all England and Metropolitane c. My very good Lord. I Finde three sundrie readings of the first words in the last Psalme Praise God in vis Saints praise God in his sanctitie praise God in his Sanctuarie God is to be praised in his Saints as hauing out of the riches of his mercie bestowed on them eminent gifts of grace the which as their bequeathed legacies and onely true reliques are to be remembred often in Gods Church vnto Gods people that as B. Latimer speakes wee may worship the Saints in following their good examples And so these three lines meeting in one center intimate that the most holy being donor of euery good and perfect gift ought to be magnified in his Sanctuarie for his sanctitie conferred vpon his Saints whereby they shined as lights in this heauen on earth and now shine like starres in heauen of heauen For this end I haue begun and I hope to finish an exposition of the Festiuall Epistles and Gospels vsed in our English Liturgie The which howsoeuer herein I may seeme bold yet am I bound to dedicate vnto your Grace for many respectiue considerations especially for this one because your honourable disposition in the middest of a crooked nation is euermore to be both a patron and a paterne of vnfained sanctitie Thus humbly beseeching the Lord to blesse and your Grace to sauour these my labours I rest Your Graces seruant in all dutie IOHN BOYS S. ANDREVVES DAY The Epistle ROM 10.9 If thou knowledge with thy mouth that Iesus is the Lord and beleeue in thy heart that God raised him vp from death thou shalt be safe c. THE Gospell and Epistle chosen for this Fesâ—iuall intimate the true reason of our Church in celebrating the memories of the blessed Apostles and Euangelists vnto Gods honour namely because they were fishers of men ambassadours of peace preachers of good tidings euen the disposers of the riches of God in Christ indiffâ—rently to men of all sexes and sorts in that their sound went out into all lands and their words into the ends of the world and so by consequent principall instruments of God in the worke of our saluation and eternall happinesse Which our Apostle sheweth heere by this Sorites or gradation Whosoeuer â—allâ—th on the name of the Lord shall be saued Inuocation is by faith Faith is by hearing of the word Hearing is by the Preachers And Preachers are sent of God c. Ergâ— such as haue learned Christ in their minde beleeuing vndoubtedly with their mouth acknowledging him vndauntedly for their Iesus ought to praise God in his Apostles as being after Christ immediately the first and vnder Christ absolutely the chiefe Trumpetors of the Gospell which is the power of God vnto saluation In the whole text two points are remarkable Cansa causatâ— the means of our iustification and herein a Proposition If thou knowledge c. verse 9. Proofe 1. From a sufficient enumeration of the principall heads of Christianitie Faith for to belâ—eue with the heart instifieth Good works to knowledge with the mouth c. vers 10. 2. From the testimonie of the Prophets Esay Whosoeuer beleeueth on him c. vers 11. Ioel Whosoeuer doth call c. vers 13. Causa causae the meane for these meanes and that is the preaching of the Gospell in this respect aptly termed the word of faith vers 8. If thou knowledge S. Paul hauing in the Chapter afore sufficiently discoursed of the reâ—ection of the Iewes A priore from Gods absolute decree shewing mercie on whom he will and whom he will hardening he commeth in this present to demonstrate the same point â— postâ—riore from their obstinate incredulitie stablishing their owne righteousnesse and not submitting themselues vnto the righteousnesse of God in Christ apprehended and applied by faith only declaring it selfe in a twofold act one which is outward to confesse with the mouth another which is inward to beleeue with the heart Some confesse but beleeue not as hypocrites other beleeue but confesse not as timorous and Peter-like professors in the daies of persecution other doe neither confesse nor beleeue on Christ as Atheists other both confesse and beleeue and they be true Christians A bare confessing with the mouth is not enough except thou beleeue with thine heart Esay 29.13 This people come neere to mee with their mouth and honor me with their lips but haue remoued their heart farre from me c. Neither is it sufficient vnto saluation only to beleeue with the heart vnlesse thou confesse with the mouth according to that vnauoidable sentence Math. 10.33 Whosoeuer shall denie me before men him also will I denie before my father which is in heauen Now though in nature beleeuing with the heart preceed confessing with the tongue yet Paul mentioneth acknowledging in the first place for that wee doe not know the faith of such as beleeue but by their confession according to that of S. Iames I will shew thee my faith by my workes Heere then obserue that to confesse the Lord Iesus is necessary both in respect of other and our selues In respect of other as being herewith armed in the times of persecution and instructed in the daies of peace Christ is the fountaine of the waters of life faith in the heart is as the pipes and cesterne that receiue in and hold the water and confession with the mouth as the cocke of the Conduit that lets out the water vnto euery commer And therefore let your light so shine before men as that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen Againe to confesse that is to praise Christ in thy words and to doe whatsoeuer appertaineth vnto his worship is needfull in regard of our selues in that a true faith is neuer idle but alway working by loue Galath 5.6 For although it iustifieth alone yet is it no more alone then the heat of the Sâ—nne which alone warmes the earth is seuered from light â—or then Christ is diâ—â—oined from his spirit Calâ—â—â— apud 〈◊〉 de Iustist at lib. 1 cap. 15. § Caluinus or men a hand when it alone doth apprehend any thing is separated from the bodie Luther apuâ—â— Sanderâ—m de Iustis◠〈…〉 4 cap. 4. This doctrine makes against the 〈◊〉 in o'd time defending this 〈◊〉 Iura peruira secretum
worke For assuredly such as croud into the Clergie without performance of their office either through ignorance that they cannot or secular emploiment that they may not or negligence that they will not or feare of trouble that they dare not preach the word of God are aduersaries vnto the doctrine of the Church of England and enemies of the Crosse of Christ Philip. 3.19 See further in the Gospell ensuing The Gospell MATTH 4.18 As Iesus walked by the sea of Galile he saw two brethren Simon which was called Peter and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea for they were fishers c. IN this Gospell is set downe the Calling of four Apostles Comming of foure Apostles In their calling these circumstaÌ„ces are cosiderable Who Iesus Where By the sea of Galile When At the beginning of his preaching Whom in Name Peter Andrew Iames. Iohn Number two and two Nature Brethren Fishers Why That they might become fishers of men How He saw them and said vnto them follow me and I will make you c. As Iesus walked There be foure sorts of Apostles as Hierome and Luther obserue some be sent only from God and not by men immediatly from God the Father as the Prophets vnder the Law Iesus Christ and Iohn Baptist in the beginning of the Gospell immediately from God the Sonne in his state mortall as the twelue Apostles in his stare glorious or immortall as S. Paul Acts 9.15 Other are sent by men and not by God as they who being vnworthie both in respect of their bad learning and worse liuing croud notwithstanding into the Ministerie through alliance fauour or simonie Which occasioned one to say that horses are more miserable then asses in that horses did post ordinarily to Râ—me to get asses preferment Cum Iesu Iudas cum Simone fur Ananias In templo Christs semper sunt quatuor ists Other are neither chosen of God nor called by men as the false Prophets of whom it is said in holy scripture that they runne without a warrant euill workers enemies of Christs Crosse theeues climing into the Church at the window not entring in at the doore rauening wolues in sheepes clothing See Gospell on the 2. Sunday after Easter and 8. after Trinitie Other are both elected of God and ordained by men as the Bishops of Ephesus Acts 20.28 and other Elders in the Primitiue Church Acts 14.23 and all orthodoxe Preachers of the word in our age For as the Gospell and Epistle well accord how shall they preach vnlesse they be sent No man although he were more wise then either Salomon or Daniel ought to take this honour vnto himselfe except hee be called of God I say called of God either immediatly by himselfe so Christ here called his Apostles or else mediatly by such as haue pub-like authoritie giuen vnto them in the congregation to call and send Ministers into the Lords vineyard and so Christ at this houre calleth Apostles in our Church in that the conformable Ministers of England are chosen according to his word as we teach against the Brownists and Baâ—rnists as also canonically consecrated as wee prooue to the proud pontifician aduersarie See Doctor Fulke Wâ—â—r in Rom. 10. Perkins Treatise of Callings Râ—g rs â—a Anglican Confâ—ss art 23. proposition 1. 5. Sâ—â—lâ—â—s is moâ—iuâ— obseruant of pontifician spirits pa. 17. And surely God hath as it were set his hand and seale to the full approbation of our callings in that hee blesseth our labours in the ministerie for the conuersion of many soules in England For euery learned and industrious Pastor may tell his people which he begets vnto God in Christ as Paul once told the Corinthians If I be not an Apostle to other yet doubtlâ—sse I am vnto you for ye are the â—â—al of mine Apostleship in the Lord. By the 〈◊〉 of Galile This as Interpreters obserue was not the maine seâ— but a little creeke only The lake Gemzâ—eth as wee reade Luke 5.1 but it is called a sea for thaâ— the Scripture termeâ—h all gathering together of waâ—eâ—s â—eas and the sea of Galile for that it bounded vpon the borders of the two Galilees Consule Plin. hist. lib. 5. cap. 15. Ioseph de bello Iudairo lib. 3. cap. 18. Strab. 〈◊〉 lib. 16. 〈◊〉 504. In this lake Peter and Andrew were fishing Iames and Iohn mendâ—â—â— their nets Here I noâ—e with Arctius and other vnto your comfort that almightie God is wont to blesse men especially when they be busied in their proper element and 〈◊〉 in their owne vocations An Angell being a messenger of gladnesse appeared vnto 〈◊〉 〈…〉 the Priests office before God and is 〈…〉 order An Angell also deliuered the first 〈◊〉 of Christs birth vnto shepheards are wha◠〈…〉 night in the field While Saul ac 〈…〉 fâ—â—hers expresse commandement sought for 〈…〉 found a kingdome 1. Sam. 9. so Christ here seâ—ing Peter and Andrew not idle but casting a net into the 〈◊〉 nor yet ouer-haste medling in other men trade but only labouring in their owne calling for they were fishers he saith vnto them instantly follow me and I will make you to become fishers of men A laste person is vnâ—it for the Clergie for none but labourers are sent into the Lords haruest On the contrary the curious and ouer actiue spirit is vnprofitable for he will haue one foot in the Church another in the Court and if God had made him a Tripos he would haue had a third in the Campe. Miles equi◠〈…〉 c. an hammer is for the Smith an Homer for the Schoole Let the shoemaker attend his boot and the fisher his boat He that comes to the corne heape the more he openeth his hand to receiue the lesse he doth hold so he that in largeth himself to beare the most office in a State these wer shall he sufficiently discharge The worme 〈…〉 or 〈…〉 though it haue many feet is of a very slow pase So Luther said of Erasmus Quiâ—t â—ust in omnibus sapere sespsum decipit And Mâ—lancâ—hon of 〈◊〉 â—â—itaries in arts in omnibus aliqaâ—â— in 〈…〉 The wittie Poet trimly Omnia cuÌ„mfacias miraris cur facias nil Posthâ—nâ— rem solam qui sacit â—lle facit Againe Christ called his Apostles in the midst of their fishing that wee might heereby learne to preferre the following of him before the businesse of the world or Iesus happily walked by the sea for that he did intend to chuse fishers Hereby teaching vs not to shunne but rather to seeke those places where â—e may doegood As the poore cottage that we may releeue the needie the house of mourning that wee may binde vp the broken hearted and remooue the spirit of heauinesse the dungeon of Ioseph and Daniel preaching libertie to the captiues and opening of the prison vnto them that are bound
Flecte quod est rigidum fone quâ—d est frigudum rege quod est deuium The next circumstance to be considered is the time when and that as our Euangelist in the 17. verse was so soone as Iesus began to preach For as a King who resolues to make warre against an enemie Prince chaseth his Captaine and musters his souldiers and in euery point fits himselfe for the present action euen so Christ Iesus the King of the Church intending to cast out of his hold Satan the Prince of this world calleth his followers and out of them electeth his Apostles as chiefe Commanders and Coronels in the very beginning of his preaching that being trained vp in his schoole seeing his wonders and hearing his wisedome they might bee made fit for that excellent and eminent calling They were first as S. Iohn reports acquainted with Christ afterward made Disciples and last of all Apostles And therefore Christ here saith I will make you to become fishers of men He saith not I doe now make you but hauing instructed them all his life and breathing on them the Holy Ghost after his resurrection hee speakes in the present as my father sent me so send I you goe teach all nations baptising them in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the Holy Ghost And that they might be powerfull and profitable teachers of other he filled them also with the gift of the Spirit after such a manner and in so great a measure that they could not but speakâ— the things which they had heard and seene of Christ. And that not in one corner or in a few countries onely but as it is in the selected Epistle for this day their sound went out into all lands and their words into the ends of the world In the beginning they were rude first Disciples afterward Doctors a great while learners afore they were leaders Hence fathers of the Church are taught not to haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hastie hands and ouer easie for admittance into sacred orders without tryall and testimonie 1. Tim. 3. and the children of the Prophets also may learne to be swift to heare slow to speake neuer affecting much lesse ascending Moses chaire before God makes them apt and able to teach as well by their holy conuersation as wholesome doctrine For as the weights and measures of the Sanctuarie to wit the sicle talent and cubite were of a double bignes to those for common vse so should the vertues in the Ministers of the Sanctuarie be of a sutable size The which as some Diuines imagine is implied in the sacrifice for their sâ—nâ—es appointed Leuit. 4. where the Priests offering is commanded to be as much as all the congregations a young bullocke without any blemish for the Priest alone ver 3. and no more for all the people vers 14. See Benedictus in the Liturgie Gospell on Trinitie Sunday and 8. after Trinitie The names of the Disciples heere called are Simon Andrew Iames and Iohn insinuating thaâ— a Preacher of the word must be Simon that is obedient to the will of God Andreâ—s a stout man in executing his offâ—ceâ— Iacobus a supplanter of vises in hâ—s aâ—ditorie last of all a Iohn aâ—cribing all these good gifts in him vnto the Father of mercies and God of all grace viâ—a merito magnus humilitate infimus Other assume that the some cardinall vertues are designed by these foure chiefe Apostles referring Prudence in Peter Iâ—stice to Andrew Fortitude to Iames and Temperance to Iohn For their number it is said heâ—e that Iesus called them two and two first he saw two then other two signifâ—ing that as the binarie number is the least euen so the Church of little beginnings increaseâ—h vntill her number be without number as a graine of mustard seede when it is sowen is the least of 〈…〉 but when it is growâ—n it is the greatest among herbâ—s and it is a tree so that the kâ—â—ds of heauen build iâ— the 〈…〉 Oâ— two and two because they were Christs instruments in â—â—ming together two people the 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 and so making of â—â—th one Or Christ happily would neither elect nor send his Apostles one by one because 〈…〉 him that is alone Ecclesiast 4.10 but by two and two and those breâ—hren hereby teaching that Preachers of the word must accord as brethren of one heart and one souls Act. 4 â—2 hauing one minde in many bodies inter multacorporanoâ—â— mulâ—a câ—rda Saâ—rimentes in vnuâ—â—â— at 〈◊〉 hominem faciant as Augustine sweetly For a brother helping a brother is a very strong castle and they that hold together are like the barre of a palace For their condition our blessed Sauiour in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge did not chuse the disputants of the world whose wit was great nor the nobles whose petigree was great nor the Pharisies whose credit was great nor the Priests whose authoritie was great but he called ignorant and ignoble fishers of little worth and lesse learning to be the trumpetters of his Gospel and bel-weathers of his flocke that the foolish things of the world might confound the wise things and the weake things ouerthrow the mightie things and things that are not bring to nought the things that are Sampson in slaying a thousand Philistines with the iaw-bone of an asse was a type hereof as Prosper obserues insinuating that Christ by the foolishnesse of preaching should confound his enemies and saue such as beleeue Nay Christ chose some notorious sinners for his Apostles as bloudie Saul and couetous Matthew that his abundant grace might be manifested in their persons as well as in their preaching demonstrating that in themselues which is the summe of all their sermons namely that Iesus Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance This is a true saying and by all meanes worthie to be receiued that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners of whom I am chiefe 1. Tim. 1.15 The greatest Apostle whilome was the greatest oppressor of the Church a blasphemer a persecutor breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord and therefore his auditors might well cedere credere grant and beleeue that Iesus is a sauiour of his people But this extraordinary calling and singular action of Christ is no patterne for Prelates as phantasticall spirits imagine to send into the Ministerie leud and ignorant persons as if the more faultie were the more fit and the more sillie the more sufficient for the same Christ by the pen of his Apostle Paul in that excellent Epistle to Timothy which Hierom calles speculuâ—â— Sacerdony as the whole Scripture is speculum Christâ—â—niâ—â—â— sets downe these directions for the choice of a Pastoar hâ—e must be well reported of euen
of Paul whom he did predestinate them he called and whom he called them also hee iustified and whom hee iustified hee also glorified For faith is a consequent of election obedience of faith and remuneration of obedience He called his Apostles here by word only follow me Goe not before me nor beside me but come after me for I am the way the truâ—h and the life Where note the power of his word hee spake and it was done he called and they came immediately But we reade in the 5. of Luke that he called these by working a wonder also for whereas they laboured all night and caught nothing he commanded them to let down their net and they tooke such a multitude of fish that they filled two ships vntill they did sinke Where Diuines obserue that Christ accommodates himselfe euermore to his present auditors as hee called the wise men of the East addicted vnto the studies of Astrologie by a starre and conferring with a woman of Samaria who came to draw water at Iacobs Well hee tooke occasion to speake of the water of life saying Whosoeuer drinketh of the water that I shall giue him shall neuer â—e more a thirst and in the 6. chapter of S. Iohns Gospell hee did instruct the Capernaits who followed him only for loaues by a similitude taken from bread and meat willing them to labour for the true bread of heauen and for the meat that endureth vnto euerlasting life By whose example fishers of men are taught to become as weake to the weake that they may winne the weake being all things to all men that by all means they may saue some Hitherto concerning the calling of Simon Andrew Iames and Iohn Let vs now come to their comming Simon and Andrew straight way lest their nets Iames and Iohn immediately lest their ship and their father and followed him They came straight way without inquisition or delay considering only who called and not disputing why hee called And they came willingly without any grudging or griefe leauing nets and ship and father and all things or the world to follow Iesus whose kingdome was not of this world whose pouertie was so great that hee was borne in another mans house and buried in another mans tombe as not hauing wherein to rest his head They forsooke all that little they had and all the great things they desired to haue They did not abandon vtterly their estate for S. Peter afterward vsed his neâ—s and followed his trade Iohn 21.3 but they so subdued their will vnto Gods will as that they counted all things losse to winne Christ. Apostoli quoth Hierome quantum ad dâ—uâ—â—s nibil quantum ad voluntatem totum mundum pariâ—er reliquerunt Iesus euery day calleth vs vnto him either by the good motions of his spirit or by his word in the mouth of his Preachers or else by strange iudgements or extraordinarie mercies And therefore let vs I beseech you forsake the vaine pompe of the world the carnall desires of the flesh and all other nets and lets whatsoeuer hindering our comming that wee may follow him immediately For if the Disciples heere followed him in his humiliation and pouertie what a sinne yea what a shame will it be not to follow him now sitting at the right hand of God in the heauen of heauens a Lord of Lords higher then the highest a King of glorie rich vnto all that call vpon him able to doe for his followers exceeding abundantly aboue all that they can aske or thinke These followed him in Bodie being conuersant with him and witnesses of all hee did and said Minde for nothing could separate them from the loue of Christ. Life learning of him to bee meeke and mercifull as he was mercifull exhorting their auditors to be followers of them as they were followers of Christ. Death for as he suffred on the Crosse to make their peace so Peter and Andrew were crucified and Iames slaine with the sword in his quarrell and Iohn as wee finde in Ecclesiasticall historie was by the commandement of the tyrant Domitian cast in feruent is olei dolium or as other solium into a vessell or bath of hot boiling oile from which he was notwithstanding by Gods hand deliuered miraculously without any hurt Though happily neuer occasion shall be giuen vs to die for the Lord yet let vs so follow him in our liues and in our loues as that we may die in the Lord. Let vs mortifie our earthly members our feet that we stand not in the way of sinners our eies that wee may not delight in vanities or wantonly behold a woman our hands that we may labour and worke the thing which is good our mouth that it bee not full of cursing and bitternesse our hearts that they be not exercised with auarice that forsaking our selues to follow him only which is our saluation as we suffer with him euen so wee may be glorified together with him Amen Almightie God which didst giue such grace vnto thy holy Apostle S. Andrew that hee readily obeied the calling of thy sonne Iesus Christ and followed him without delay grant vnto vs all that wee being called by thy holy word may foorthwith giue ouer our selues obediently to follow thy holy commandements through the same Iesus Christ our Lord. The Epistle EPHES. 2.19 Now are ye not strangers nor forreiners but citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God c. THis Epistle sets down the most happy condition of all such as truly beleeue 1. Priuatiuely shewing what they are not in the 19. verse Now are yee not strangers nor forreiners 2. Positiuely describing in the rest of the text what they are namely Gods Citie House Temple Of which heauenly building the Materials are liuely stones all Gods elect built together to be an habitation of God Foundation is Iesus Christ himselfe Builders Apostles and Prophets Properties are to be built together c. answering the three properties of the Church in the Creed Holy a temple of the Lord an habitation of God Catholique all the building c. knit in a communion coupled together and built together Now ye are not strangers As Augustine said it is one thing to walke in the law another thing to liue vnder the law so likewise there is difference between being in grace and vnder grace Many men in our time who receiue the Gospell of God in vaine liue vnder grace but not in grace many Prophets and holy Fathers in old time liued in grace but not vnder grace For properly to liue vnder grâ—ce is opposed vnto the state of the law to liue in grace is opposed vnto the state of sinne The men of Ephesus and other Gentiles in time past vnbeleeuing were neither in grace nor vnder grace not in grace for in walking according to the
Christs sake whose bloud cleanseth vs from all sinne 2. Why because God is faithfull and iust so forgiue vs our sinnes 3. What a plenarie not a partiall absolution a pardon for all vnrighteousnesse 4. When in this present life while wee walke in the light Our selues must acknowledge for our selues and not another we must indeed confesse one to another but not one for another wee must also confesse sinnes and not vertues as the proud Pharisie Luk. 18. I fast twice in their 〈◊〉 I pay tithes of all that eâ—â—r I possesse and our owne sinnes not our neighbours offences as the same Pharisie who did accuse the Publican and in comparison of his faults excuse himselfe This confession is to be made to God as being the searcher of our hearts vnderstanding all our secret sinne so well yea better then our selues O Lord who can tell how ofâ— he offendeth O cleanse me from my secret faules and to God as being very willing and mostable to purge vs from all vnrighteousnesse It is true that we must acknowledge our faults one to another as hauing trespassed one another and in some cases it is expedient also that wee resort to deuour learned discreet pastors for the releefe of our distressed conscience yet by Bellamines leaue this our text is not a pregnant Scripture for popish auricular confession vsed in the Church of Rome For the Ministers of the word may both openly pronounce absolution vnto true penitents and in secret also when occasion is offered iustly Though annuall and auricular confession of euery singular and single sin were thrust out of the Church as it was for twelue hundred yeeres after Christ See Gospell 3. Sund. after Epiphanie Wee must acknowledge that is say with our mouth and acknowledge in our heart that wee haue sinned in Adam and doe sinne for the present and may sinne hereafter as long as we liue For faith Augustine Iderat peccatum insanabilius quo me peccatorem esse non arbitrabar it is our dutie to feele sinne to feare sinne to flie sinne so farre as wee can in one word soundly and seriously to repent vs of all vnrighteousnesse Non fit satis quod doleamus sed ex side doleamus non semper doluisse doleamus de dolore gaudeamus Wee must hartily griue for our offences and grieue for that we grieue no more and ioy for that we grieue so much After such a confession a penitent ought to seeke for an absolution of God as being faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes Happily some will obiect God if wee consider him as iust is more ready to punish then to pardon for the wages of sinne is death and the Church hath taught vs euery day to pray with the Psalmist enter not into iudgement with thy seruants O Lord for no flesh is righteous in thy sight For answere to this obiection I find the word iust expounded diuersly Somesay God is iust as being able to iustifie sinners Other thinke that God is called iust in forgiuing our sinne because Christ hath paid a iust and sufficient price for the sinnes of the whole world Other construe iust here to bee nothing else but a comely thing or a propertie besitting the goodnesse of God according to that of Anselme Iustum est oÌ„ Deus vt parcas malis And so some read God is faithfull and facile ready to forgiue But I follow their Glosse who thinke that faithfull and iust in this place signifie the same God is faithfull in his promise iust in his word to forgiue Now God saith in his word though their sins were as crimson they shall be made white as snow though they be red like scarlet they shall be as wooll I am not come to call the righteous but the sinners to repentance Wherefore come to me all yee that labour and are laden and I will ease you yea that which is more then his word if any thing can be greater his oath is As I liue saith the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue Now God euer dealeth with his seruants according to his word and hauing bound his word with an oath it is due debt and then it is iustice to pay debts he is faithfull and therefore can no more deny his promise then himselfe who saith at what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne from the bottome of his heart I will put all his wickednesse out of my remembrance Wherefore let vs boldly come to the throne of grace let vs agree with our aduersary quickly while wee are in the way while wee walke in the light while it is called to day for after this life there is no purgatorie for sinne in another And let vs aske not onely some parcell of a pardon but an absolute absolution and a plenarie discharge from all vnrighteousnesse Larga Dei piet as veniam non dimidiabit aut 〈◊〉 ant totum se lachrymante dabit The Gospell IOHN 21.19 Iesus said vnto Peter Follow thou me c. THis Scripture containeth a Correction of Peters curiositie What is that to thee Follow thou mee The disciples error touching the death of Iohn yet Iesus said not vnto him he shall not die c. Commendation of Iohn in respect of his Grace with Christ the Disciple whom Iesus loued which also learned on his breast at supper c. Place in the Church as being an Apostle that testified of these things an Euangelist who wrote these things Conclusion of the Gospell intimating that so much is written as is necessarie to saluation and other things omitted and those many for that if they should bee written euery one the world could not containe the bookes that should bee written Our blessed Sauiour in the words immediately going afore shewed Peter in what vocation hee should liue Feed my sheepe as also by what death he should die When thou shalt be old thou shalt stretch forth thine hands and another shall gend thee and leade theâ— whither thou wouldest not And when hee had spoken thus alluding to both especially to the latter he said vnto Peter follow me that is be thou such a Pastor in feeding my sheepe and such a Pastor in suffering for my sheepe as I haue giuen example Christ said vnto Peter in the 13. chapter of this Gospell at the 36. verse Whither I goe thou caust not follow me now but thou shalt follow me afterwards Vnto whom Peter answered Lord why can I not follow thee now I will lay downe my life for thy sake Iesus replied wilt thou lay downe thy life for mysake Verily vâ—rily I say vnto thee the Cocke shall out crowâ—â— thou haue deared me thrice Now Iesus remembring this conflict and conference with his Disciple said vnto him in the words a little before our tex
the righteousness of faith in his heart And here we may learne the true doctrine of the Sacraments against Anabaptists ascribing too little to them and Papists attributing too much Anabaptists affirme that Sacraments are bare badges of Christianity distinguishing a Christian from an Infidell as a gowne did a Romane from a Grecian But we teach out of our Apostle that the Sacraments are not onely signa but also signacula certaine sure witnesses and seales of grace whereby God inuisibly worketh in vs and doth not only quicken but also strengthen our faith in him And against our aduersaries of Rome wee conclude from hence that the Sacraments iustifie not ex opere operato for if they bee the seales of the righteousnesse of faith how can they saue by the bare worke done without faith Ista non tribuunt quod per ista tribuitur in the wordes of reuerend Hooker they bee not physicall instruments of our saluation as hauing in themselues any vitall efficacy but onely morall instruments of Gods grace the vse whereof is in our hands the effect in his according to that of Augustine Multi nobiscum manducant bibunt temporaliter sacramenta qui bababunt in fine aeterna tormenta Touching Circumcision see further in the Gospell ensuing and concerning the second argument vsed here taken from Gods promise made to father Abraham Epistle 13. Sund. after Trinity The Gospell Lvke 2.15 And it fortuned assoone as the Angels were gone away from the shepeards into heauen c. ALâ—eit this text commend vnto your consideration a great many of remarkeable vertues of the glorious Angels in preaching Christ of the good sheepheards in seeking Christ of blessed Mary the Virgine in keeping Christ as his mother in her louing armes as his handmaid in her lowly heart yet the more proper and proportionable parts accommodated vnto the present feast are principally two 1 The Câ—câ—â—ciâ—ion of Christ. 2 The imposition of his name Iesuâ— Of these first I purpose to speake ioyntly then seuerally These two were ioyned together to thevv that Christ our Mediatour betweene God and man was both a man in beâ—ng circuâ—â—â—d and God in being Iesius that is a Sauâ—â—r of his people from thâ—◠〈◊〉 or Christ happily was called Iâ—sus and 〈◊〉 at the â—aâ—â—â—me to â—â—gnitie that there is no remission of sinne 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 of blood Heb. 9. â—1 Hee could not therefore become Iesus vntill hee had giuen vs a taste of his blood for wee haue redemption through his blood euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to his rich grace â—â—pheâ— 1.7 or the dolorous Circumcision and sauing Iesus are coupled together insinuating that there should be persecution and bloodshed in the world for the preeching of this name So Christ in the Gospell assured his Apostles expresly Yee shall â—â—â—â—ted of â—â—men â—â— my name And Paul saith of himselfe while hee was an oppressour of the Church I â—â—râ—ly thought in my selfe that I ought to doem 〈…〉 or these two were conioyned to put vsin minde hoâ— God doth exalt the humble and mecke Christ humbled himselfe quoth Paul and became obedient Wâ—â—efore Go I hath also highly exalted him and gâ—uen him a nâ—me â—houe euery name that at the name of Ieâ—us euery â—nee should bow both of things in â—â—â—â—en and things in earth and things vnder earth Or it may be that these were both at once to witnesse that Christ is the true Physition of the world For when all mankinde was exceeding sicke in head and heauy in heart when from the sole of the foot vnto the head there waâ— nothing whole but wounds and swellings and sores full of corruption as it is in the Prophet then our blessed Sauiour came to visit his people binding vp their wounds on this day Pelaculae carnis and powring in oile and wine washing them euen with the wine of his blood and mollifying them also with the sweet oile of his sauing name Iesus For some deriue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or as almost all Interpreters obserue these two went together for that it was vsuall among God people the Iewes to giue names vnto children in their circumcision as it is among vs in Baptisme So wee reade in the first lesson appointed to be read this morning praier that God altered Abrams name when he did institute Circumcision Thy name shall not any more be called Abram but Abraham for a father of many nations haue I made thee Now the reason hereof is plaine that as often as we heare our selues named we might instantly call to minde the Couenant betweene God and vs in holy Baptisme to wit how God on his part promised to be our God and we vowed on our part by Godfathers and Godmothers that wee would forsake the deuill and all his workes the vaine pompe of the world the carnall desires of the flesh and continue Christs faithfull souldiers and seruants vntill our liues end Hitherto concerning Circumcision and the name Iesus iointly let vs now treate of these parts apart and first of Circumcision which is Threefold Carnall vnder the Law Threefold spirituall vnder grace Threefold Celestiall in the kingdome of glorie The first is Sâ—cramâ—ntum â—acrâ—res the second sacra 〈…〉 the third res sacramenti The first in it due time was good the second at all timeâ— is better the third in eternitie best of all The first is nascen 〈◊〉 euery manchild of eight dâ—ies old among you shall â—he circumcised Geneâ— 17.12 The second is renascentiâ—â— a circumcision of the heart in the spirit Rom. 229. when as the regenerate by the sword of the spirit which is sharper then the sharpe kniues vsed in circumcision yea sharper then any two edged sword as being a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart doe not onely circumcise the fore kinne but all the power of the soule and all the parts of the body Circumcising their eye 〈◊〉 they looke vpon a damseâ—â— or behold vanitie Circumcising their eares and their lips hedging their possessions â—rit â— tâ—ornes and making doores and bars for their mouth Ecclesiast 28.24 Hedging their eares again't heresie backbiting â—ttery barring their mouth against lying blasphemie foolish â—â—lking Circumcising their hands that they steale no more but worke the thing that is good Ephes 4.28 Circumcising their feet that they be not swift to shed blood Circumcising their very thoughts Esay 1.16 Wash you make you cleane put away your â—â—â—â—tents out of my sight as our olde English translation according to the vulgar Latine In a word cutting of all superfluous lusts of the flesh and all superfluous cares of the world casting off all the old man which is corrupt and putting on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Ephes. 4.22 The third kind of circumcision is resurgentium
shewes to bee most excellent in regard of Himselfe Vnto mee the least of all Saints is this grace giuen Other God Vnsearchable riches of Christ â—idde in God c. Angels Vnto rulers and powers in heauenly things c. Men to make all mensee what the fellow shippe of the mystery is and that by Christ wee might haue boldnesse c. The summe of all which is seeing I haue receiued so much good and endured so much euill for your sake seeing the great mystery concerning the common saluation as S. Iude speakes in his Epistle was not in times past opened vnto the ionnes of men on earth or to the blessed Angels in heauen as it is now declared by the spirit seeing I say yee may see what is the fellowshippe of the mysterie which euen from the beginning hath 〈◊〉 hid in God I desire you not to faint in your course but to continue stedfast in the profession of this holy faith vnto your liues end For this cause Some Diuines haue troubled themselues and other in examining the context heere but it is among words as among men affinnity which is neerest ought to be dearest and therefore seeing the first words of this chapter agree very well with the last of the former I take the coherence to b◠〈◊〉 â—â—uer preached that you Gentile in 〈…〉 〈…〉 are noâ— citizens with the Saints 〈◊〉 together in Christ the châ—â—â— corner stone to be the 〈…〉 And for th◠〈◊〉 namely for that I have together that you Gentiles are 〈…〉 I 〈◊〉 hated of my countrimen accused in their Synagogue 〈◊〉 â—â— their councels iniured by their offâ—cer◠〈…〉 appeale to Casar I was sent to 〈◊〉 where I am apâ—â—â—â—er as you may reade at large in the fast eight chapâ—â— of the Acts of the Apostles A priâ—â—ner of Iesus Câ—râ—â— He was the prisoner of Caâ—ar but Caesâ— had his authoritie from aboue for there is no power but of God Whoâ—oeuer then is in prison is â—â—â—tâ—s Ieâ—u Christs though otherwise libâ—â—â—â—â—eâ—u Christs suffering by Gods power and permittance â—ho can whâ—n he wâ—ll and will as shall make moâ—t for â—â— glorie proclame libâ—rtie to the captues and oâ—â—niâ—g â—â— the prison vnto them that are â—â—â—â—d Or he was â—â—e priâ—oâ—eâ— Châ—â—â—â— as enduring his â—ond for Christs faith and seruice Vâ—â—â—â—s noâ—â— Chrs to â—eâ—pro Christo. Namely for preaching among the Gentiles the eâ—searchable â—â—hes of Chrâ—st as it is in the S. verse So that whereas two thing especially commend a Maâ—tyr saith in Christ and loâ—e to the Church boâ—h are meâ— in the Apostle Hee suffeâ—ed for the true faith a pâ—iâ—onâ—r of Ieâ—â—s Christ and out of vnfained loue to Godâ— people Fâ—r â—â—u Gentiles as it iâ— in the hitteenâ—h verse â—or your sakeâ— euen for your good and example thaâ— yee likewise may conâ—â—nue conâ—tant in the sincere pâ—â—feâ—â—ion of Christianitie Fâ—â—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 is your glorie that ye hâ—â—e such â—n inâ—truâ—tor as is Christâ—n â—n boâ—d noâ— for any faction of yourâ— or fault of his oâ—ne but â—â—r confeâ—ence toâ—â—â—d God euen for the â—â—â—irâ—â—â—n â—f the grâ—â—e whâ—â—h â—s â—â—â—en â—ee to you-ward See Epistle Sâ—nday 16. after Trinitie Hitherto concerning the griefe which our Apostle suffered in Christs cause for the Gentiles I come now to treate of the grace which he receiued In respect of his knowledge being Certaine By reuelation shewed he the mysterie to me Full euen so perfectly reuealed that in a few words you may read and vnderstand â—y knowledge in the mysterie of Christ. Excellent which in other ages was not made knowne vnto the sonnes of men as it is now declared c. Practise whereof I am made a Minister according to the gift of the grace of God which is giuen vnto me c. If you haue heard of the ministration of the grace The calling of ' aul to be the Doctor of the Gentiles as it was knowne vnto himselfe by reuelation so to them by report If yee haue heard c. As if he should haue said if ye doubt not of my calling ye may be well assured of my doctrine But ye cannot doubt of my calling as hauing often heard how Christ in a vision appeared to me saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou me And when I had answered Lord what wilâ— thou haue mee to doe Iesus told Ananiâ—â—s in another vision Hee is a chosen vessell vnto mee to beare my name before the Gentiles and Kings and the children of Israel And so God separated mee from my mothers wombe and called me by his grace to reueale his sonne among the Gentiles as the Gospell ouer the circumcision was committed to Peter so the Gospell ouer the vncircumcision was committed vnto me being an Apostle not of men or by man Galat. 1.1 Or after man Gal. 1.11 but the ministration of Gods grace was giuen vnto me by the reuelation of Iesus Christ. The word mimstration or dispensation may bee construed either passiuely being a grace giuen and dispensed to Paul or actiuely for that Paul was dispenser of it vnto other 1. Cor 4.1 Let a man so thinke of vs as of the ministers of Christ and disposers if the secrets of God His office then is called a dispensation For that it consisteth in the dispensing of Christs vnsearchable riches And the Gospell is called here Gods grace for that it is faithfully deliuered and fruitfully receiued nor by mans merit but onely through Gods free grace Preaching in the teacher and beleeuing in the hearer are both the faire gifts of God Or the Gospell is called Gods grace because the summe thereof is nothing else but the preaching of Gods exceeding rich mercies in Christ intimating that our iustification is not by the workes of the Law but freely by grace through faith As I wrote afore in few words I finde that some construe this of that which is written in other Epistles vnto other men as to Philemon and other Churches as to that of Colossus and Philippi Marlorat is of opinion that our Apostle wrote another Epistle though it bee not extant vnto the Church of Ephesus Other referre this clause to that which is deliuered in this present Epistle to wit vnto that which is sayd in the two former chapters Or to that in chap. 1. vers 9. or chap. 2. vers 14. He is our peace which hath made of both one and hath broken the step of the partition wall In this little briefe is contained all that great mysterie which in times past was not opened vnto the sonnes of men as it is now declared by the spirit that the Gentiles should bee fellow heires and of the same body and partakers of the same promise in Christ by the Gospell Which mysterie in times past was not opened vnto the sonnes of men This verse cannot easily bee digested as one sayd without a graine of
of God then to command in the Courts of other Princes Now God as earthly Kings hath some seruants in ordinary and other extraordinary All Christians are his sworne seruants extraordinary for they vowed in holy Baptisme to fight vnder Christs banner against the world the flesh and the diuell and to continue his faithfull souldiours and seruants vntil their liues end The true profession of the true saith is Christs liuerie and loue is the cognisance of his liuery for faith working by loue is the wedding garment with Christs badge by this saith he shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye loue one another Princes and Prophets are the seruants of God in ordinary so neere to God in ordinary so neare to God in office that they are called Gods A Magistrate is a singer as it were of Gods owne hand a Preacher is a steward in Gods owne house So Saint Iames as being an Apostle was in this sense the seruant of Iesus Christ and therefore such are deceiued greatly who thinke that this author was not an Apostle because hee calles not himselfe an Apostle for first Iude being an Apostle doth vse the same subscription in this Epistle Iudas the seruant of Iesus Christ. 2. Seruant in his acception is nothing else but an Apostle wherefore many Greeke copies and the Syriac and the vulgar Latine make this title to this Epistle the generall Epistle of S. Iames the Apostle Here theÌ„ obserue that to be called a Minister of Iesus Christ is not as the Papists obiect against our reformed Churches any contemptible stile seeing Saint Iames here doth afford vs a paterne and S. Paul 1. Cor. 4.1 a patent sic nos aestimat homo vt ministros Christi so the Romish translation in Latine and the Rhemish in English lei a man esteeme vs as the Ministers of Christ. Of God and of the Lord Iesus Christ These words are to be construed copulatinely Iames a seruant of Iesus Christ which is God and Lord as Tit. 2.13 looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Sauiour Iesus Christ. For the mediator betweene God and man is perfect God and perfect man and yet not two but one Christ one not by confusion of substance but by vnity of person as Athanasius in his Creed To the twelue tribes which are scattered abroad The Iewes were led captiue to Babylon other countries out of which it is apparant that some neuer returned into Iurie for Paul as wee reade in the storie of the Acts found almost euery where both in Europe and in Asia Synagogues of the Iewes Now this dispersion of Gods owne people for their ingratitude toward him is a manifest argument of his wrathfull indignation against sinne and it is written for our instruction vpon whom the ends of the world are come for if God spared not his naturall branches his peculiar enclosed plant take heed left he also spare not thee which art but a wild Oliue by nature Remember the words of Azariah vnto King Asa the Lord is with you while yee are with him and if ye seeke him hee will bee found of you but if ye for sake him he will for sake you Yet God in his wrath remembers mercy for among these scattered people some were gathered to the Church and truly conuerted vnto Christ vnto whom our Apostle wrote this excellent letter Vt qui dispersicrant corpore congregarentur mente S. Iames I say sent not this instruction vnto Iewes vnconuerted for then hee would haue proued that Iesus was the sonne of Mary the Messias of the world promised to the fathers If he had written vnto the Iewes in generall hee would as S. Matthew did haue penned a booke of the generation of Iesus Christ the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham c. But his greeting is vnto such Iewes as were turned Christians exhorting them to make demonstration of their faith out of their workes leading a life answerable to their profession for the light of the Gospell appearing teacheth vs that we should denie vngodlines and worldly lusts and that we should liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world To conuert Iewes he wrote principally but that which is said vnto them is said vnto vs and all in which respect this letter is entituled the generall or Catholike Epistle of S Iames. Greeting This kind of salutation hath occasioned some to doubt of this Epistles authority Saint Peter and S. Paul in their inscriptions haue grace and peace Saint Iude mercy and peace and loue bee multiplied vnto you But this as they thinke is prophane taken rather out of Platoes Academie 〈◊〉 out of Christs schoole For Plato reports that in Greece the Physitians salutation is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Philosophers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the vulgars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Answere is made that this forme of saluting although it were common among the Heathens is notwithstanding apostolicall and that a paterne hereof is found Act. 15.23 The Apostles and the Elders and the brethren vnto the brethren of the Gentiles in Antiochia and in â—â—ria and in Cicilia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 greeting 2. Saint Iames being a spiritual Physitian wisheth here perfect health of the soule so well as the body 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to reioyce considering he wrote to people dispersed and distressed vnder the Crosse is both as sit and as full as the salutation of peace for there is no true ioy in the spirit without peace of conscience Rom. 14.7 The kingdome of God is not meate nor drinke but righteousnes and peace and â—oy in the holy Ghost an vpright life breedes in the iustified peace of conscience and peace of conscience makes a ioyfull heart temptationsâ— Wee reade Acts 8. that there was a great persecution against the Church at Hierusalem and that all the conuerted Iewes were scattered abroad thorow the regions of Iudea and of Samaria Now for the comfort of these distressed professours as some coniecture S. Iames wrote this instruction and because their condition vnder the crosse was vnto flesh and blood exceeding grieuous he beginneth ire ipsâ— with this exhortation aptly count it all ioy when ye fall into diuerse temptations He that suffers as a murtherer or as a theefe or as an euill doer hath hereby griefe of heart but blessed is the man that endureth temptation in Christs cause To cast our selues into temptation affordes matter of sorrow but if we for righteousnes sake by Gods appointment fall into sundry temptations our sorrow shall be turned into ioy Iohn 16.20 Here the Gospell and Epistle meet our Apostle count it for exceeding ioy when ye fall into diuers temptations is answerable to Christ let not your heart be troubled and both are fitly read on this day which is
his workes of creation and redemption and preseruation of his people though he may not read Gods priora yet he may know Gods poâ—teriora beholding him in his wonders in his words in his sacraments in his sonne principally being the brightnes of his glory and expresse character of his person as Christ in our text he that hath seene mee hath seene also my father I am in the father and the father in mee Hereby prouing himselfe to be God 1. For that we must only beleeue in the Creator and not in any creature 2. Because God only knowes the secret perturbation of the heart and if ye beleeue that I am God ye must also confesse that I am a present helpe in trouble willing and able to relieue you for if God be with you who can stand against you Why then are your hearts troubled as if he should haue said albeit I am to suffer death as man yet I will on the third day raise my selfe againe from the dead as God it is expeâ—hent for you that I dye for your sinnes and rise againe for your iustification and so prepare a place for you in my fathers house that where I am there you may be also mansionsâ— Saint Paul hauing at large disputed of the resurrection in his first Epistle to the Corinthians 15. Chapter prouing that the dead shall rise againe by manifest and manifold arguments taken out of the bookes as well of nature as of Scripture concludeth in fire therefore my beloued brethren 〈…〉 sumoutable 〈…〉 alwayes in the 〈◊〉 of the Lord for as much as we know that your labour is not in vaine So Christ in the Gospell vnto his â—ollowers In the 〈…〉 and all the wicked of the world â—all hate you for my names sake they shall scourge you in their Synagogues and persecute you from City to City not affording to much as an hole Wherein to rest your head in peace yet let not your hearts be troubled as long as in my fathers house there be mansions and I goe to prepare a place for you The Church militant on earth is often called in holy Scripture Gods house wherein he hath a great many mansions as dwelling in our hearts by faith and we likewise haue many places of preferment some being Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and Teachers Ephes 4.11 It is true that God and we too dwell here but it is saith Iob in houses of clay whose foundation is in the dust or as Paul speakes in earthly tabernacles set vp to day and pulled downe to morrow non habemus hic manentem ciuitatem in this world we haue no continuing City For our kingdome which cannot be shaken Heb. 12.28 Our habitation which is euerlasting Luke 16.9 Our inheritance that fades not away 1. Pet. 1.4 Our dwelling place mentioned in our text by Christ is not made with hands but eternall in the heauens 2. Cor. 5.1 Our best houses on earth albeit neuer so gorgeous and neuer so glorious hauing if it be possible walles of gold and windowes of Saphire are not withstanding no better then Innes for strangers and pilgrimes 1. Pet. 2.11 Our mansions and places of abode for euer are in Hierusalem aboue which is without either death or danger Apocalyp 21.4 Wherefore seeing we beleeue in God and looke for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our Sauiour Christ who when he commeth againe shal reciue vs vnto himselfe that where he is in his fathers house there we may be also let vs say with Dauid â—â— by art thou so heauie O my soule and why art thou so disquieted within mee O put thy trust in God and hee shall one day satisfie thee with the plenteousnes of his house for there is not only roome for Christ in Gods house but also place for all his followers the mansions of heauen are many the least of all his souldiers if they fight a good fight and continue faithfull vnto death is rewarded with an incorruptible crowne of glory hauing for his inheritance no lesse then a whole kingdome Againe these mansions are many because the Saints in heauen haue diuerse degrees of glory So Paul 1. Cor. 15.41 There is another glory of the Sunne and another glory of the Moone and another glory of the Starres for one Starre differeth from another in glory so likewise in the resurrection of the dead A great vessell and a little dipped in the same well hold notwithstanding diuers measures according to their capacity so in Gods house euery chosen vessell of honour is filled vp to the brim with the water of life but the better hath vndoubtedly the bigger mansion he that held more charity here shall haue more clarity hereafter Yet as Au gustine notes vpon our text Non erit aliqua inuidra imparis claritatis quoniem regnab it in omnibus vnit as charitatis I goe to prepare a place for you It is said Matth. 25. 34. That the mansions in Gods house were prepared before the foundation of the world how then is it true that Christ at this time goeth to prepare a place Answere is made that the mansions indeed are prepared from all eternity but the men who shall inhabit them as yet were vnprepared It was expedient therefore that the redeemer of the world should die for their sinnes and rise againe for their iustification and ascend into heauen to take possession of this kingdome and to set open the doores of these prepared mansions vnto his followers as also to send vnto them a conforter and a conductor euen the spirit of truth who might leade them in the right way to this place So Saint Augustine acurely Parat quodammando mansiones mansionibus parands mansores Hee prepareth a place by making men sit for the place For election is in Christ and through Christ and so consequently none come to the Father but by the Sonne wee passe by the kingdome of grace to the kingdome of glory for without holinesse it is impossible to see God Touching other readings I referre you to lansen concord cap. 134. and Erasmus annot in loc Lord we know not whether thou goest S. Thomas and S. Philip were so good proficients in Christs schoole that their master in the former chapter at the 10. verse said of them and of the resâ— of their fellowes excepting Iudas the traitor ye are cleane and Saint Peter as the mouth of the company professed openly to whom shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life and we beleeue and know that thou art the Christ the sonne of the liuing God And yet their faith in the houre of tentation as you see was so weake that Saint Thomas said Lord we know not whither thou goest And Saint Philip Lord shew vs thy Father and it sufficeth vs. Now these things
In which obserue two things especially The Felicity gained by this gift a deliuerance from damnation he shall not perish a possession of saluation hee shall haue life euerlasting Facility how to get it whosoeuer beleeueth Almighty God requires not at thy hands An exact obseruation of his law but onely that thou beleeue in his sonne whom he gaue to die for thy sinnes and to rise againe for thy iustification Hee did abundantly satisfie the law for thee making thy sinnes his sinnes and on the contrary making his righteousnesse thy righteousnesse couering all thine iniquities and healing all thine infirmities This one sentence doth afford many profitable lessons appertaining to doctrine and exhortation 1. It sheweth our dignity though a man be dust dung fading like grasse fickle like glass like a thing of naught Psal. 1.44 4. Yet God so much honoured him as that hee gaue his onely begotten sonne to be life vp as Moses life vp the Serpent in the wildernesse that is to bee crucified for him O Lord what is man that thou hast such respect vnto him or the sonne of man that thou so regardest him 2. It doth administer comfort in temptation if the diuell obiect against thy sinne Gods seuere iustice thou maist answere that God is also rich in mercy louing vs in his best beloued and that with an euerlasting loue Ierem. 13.3 If thy cunning aduersary make reply that these sweet texts onely concerne the iust and godly thou hast here Christ on thy side saying God loued the world reconciling sinners his enemies vnto himselfe by the death of his sonne Rom. 5.10 3. It proues euidently that Christ is very God of very God against Arrius as being not onely Gods son but his onely begotten for a sonne begotten is a naturall and a true sonne 4. It confutes the Nouatian heresie denying repentance to such as after Baptisme fall into grieuous sinnes If we must be so mercifull as our father in heauen is mercifull how shall we deny repentance to those whom God so loued as that he gaue his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life 5. This confoundeth all merit-mongers ascribing iustification and saluation vnto their owne good workes He that beleeues shall not perish but haue euerlasting life We are saued by grace thorough faith apprehending and applying the mercies of God the father and the merits of Christ his sonne He that beleeueth in him shall not be condemned but he that beleeueth not is already condemned as it followeth in our text Quare saluator dictus est mundi nisivi saluet mundum non vt iudicet mundum saluari non vis ab ipso exte ipso iudicaberis As for exhortation iâ— God so loued vs let vs also loue one another if he spared not his owne and only sonne but gaue him for vs it is meet that we should expend our substance for the good of his Church and children in need It is an olde prouerbe loue me loue my friend Let vs then manifest our loue to Christ in louing his members and in cherishing such as mourne in Sion his first comming as it followeth in our text was not to condemne but saue the world He came to call sinners vnto repentance to seeke the lost sheepe to bind vp the broken hearted to refresh the weary to giue rest vnto the laden soule His second comming shall be to iudge the world and then there shall be iudgement mercilesse to him that shewed no mercy but vnto those which haue bin mercifull as his father in heauen is mercifull he shall say come ye blessed inherit ye the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world for I was hungrie and ye gaue me meat I thirsted and ye gaue me drinke c. If any shall aske why this text is allotted for a Whitsun holy day which is a memoriall of the Gospell and of Christs sending downe the holy Ghost answere may be that the spirit of truth teacheth vs all things according to Christs owne doctrine preached in the world the summe whereof is this one little line so God loued the world c. The Epistle Acts. 8.14 When the Apostles which were at Hierusalem had hear a say that Samaria had receiued the word of God they sent vnto them Peter and Iohn c. THe blessed Apostles inioyned by Christ at his last appearing to goe into the whole world and to teach all nations hearing now that Samaria had receiued the word of God they sent vnto them Peter and Iohn to build vp the Churches of Samaria whose foundation had bin laid afore by Philip in this embassage two points are more chiefly regardable namely The vigilant care of the whole Colledge in sending verse 14. The diligent faithfulnes of Peter and Iohn that were sent executing their charge By prayer verse 15. By imposition of hands verse 17. When the Apostles of Hierusalem heard They shew their sollicitous care for the Churches in hearking after their good and in affording their helping hand of their owne accord readily when any fit occasion was offred For we read not heare that the brethren of Samaria wrote to the Colledge to send them an Apostle yet they did send two and those two which of all their company were of the most eminent note Peter and Iohn Euery Bishop as more properly succeeding Apostles in office is taught from hence to be non tam celer ad cathedram quam vigil ad curam If any congregation in his Dioces need confirmation he must either send those Suffraganes which are fit like to Peter and Iohn or else come himselfe to pray for them and to lay his hands on them Protestant Diuines vrge this example to proue that Saint Peter was not head of the Apostle or absolute soueraigne because the text is plaine Iohn 13.16 The messenger is not greater then he that sent him I know the foure great Cardinals of Rome Turrecremata Caietan Baronius Bellarmine which vpon the point are the foure cheife supporters of Saint Peters chaire of estate haue found out many shifts how to decl ine the heauy blow of this weighty reason and they who gathâ—â—itickes vnder these Cardinals hedge report and repeat their distinctions as vnanswerable But examine them and you shall instantly see that they be like Hercules tragicall club in shew massie but in substance nothing else but shreds and straw as the Poet speakes an affrighting vanity To their first example God the sonne is sent into the world by God the father and yet in the Trinity none is greater or lesse then another Answere is made that Christ was sent into the world as he was in the forme of a seruant according to that of Paul Galat. 4.4 God sent forth his sonne made of a woman and
Christ as man acknowledgeth himselfe to be lesse then his father Iohn 14.18 my father is greater then I But Christ if you consider him in the forme of God filled heauen and earth and so he may bee said to send himselfe as elsewhere to giue himselfe for vs. See Saint Augustine vbi sup in margin Lombard seâ—t lib. 1. dist 15. Thomas part 1. quast 43. art 8. Touching that eternal sending of the holy spirit from the father and the sonne we say that the mysteries of the sacred Trinity being ineffable the words are almost all borowed that are vsed to shew the distinct operations of the same Saint Augustine speaking of the generation of the sonne and proceeding of the holy Ghost ingeniously confessed his want of wit and wordes Inter illam generationem hanc processionem distinguere nescio non valeo non sufficio quid illis â—sta est inefabilis But here the Apostles in proper phrase of speaking sent Peter and Iohn ergo they were subiect to their authority Thirdly whereas they say that there is a twofold sending one which is amoris and another which is impery for an equall or an inferiour may perswade his friend to doe his busines for him a body politike may send their head to the Parliament and a common weale â— their Prince to the warres our answere is ready that an inferiour intreating his friend can not truely say that he sent his peere much lesse his superiour neither can a corporation that is vnder a soueraigne head such as the Church of Rome would haue Peter to be choose him to be their foot to goe for them he may peraduenture goe by his owne consent or desire but hee can not bee sent neither can a common weale thrust their absolute King into the danger of warre Sponte hoc ille faciendums indicat sed ab illis ad bellum gerendum extrudi non potest Lastly we say that Peter here was sent not as a Prince but as a peere for Iohn was ioyned with him in the mission and commission as a copartner in his office so the text they sent Peter and Iohn And Peter being sent into Samaria by his brethren repined not as holding himselfe their gouernour but went his way as their messenger and elsewhere being questioned by the Apostles for going to Cornelius and eating with vncircumcised heathens he forthwith excused himselfe and came to his answere Fourthly wheras they be driuen here to confesse that the Colledge of Apostles comprising Peter was greater then Peter their head alone Wee say this being granted that Peters Popedom was not the â—oueraigne power of Christ neither was Peter head of the Apostles as Christs Vicar for the whole Church comprising Christ the head thereof is not of greater authority then Christ himselfe Againe it is a receiued opinion among moderne Iesuited Papists that the Church is nothing else but the Pope so that the Successor of Peter is now farre greater then Peter himselfe for hee will bee tied neither to Councell nor Canon nor custome more then himselfe liketh Who when they were come downe prayed for them that they might receiue the holy Ghost It is probable that Peter and Iohn did preach as well as pray but S. Luke reporteth onely what new thing happened to Samaria by their comming namely the receiuing of the holy Ghost through imposition of hands and prayer Here S. Augustine Lombard and other obserue that Christ is God in giuing the holy spirit quantus deus est qui dat deum His Apostles did not giue the holy Ghost at Samaria they prayed for them that they might receiue the holy Ghost and they laid thir hands on them and they receiued the holy Ghost euery good gift is from aboue Samaria then had extraordinarie gifts of the spirit By Peter and Iohn not from Peter and Iohn and Simon Magus insinuates so much in his offer of money to to them at the 19. verse giue mee this power that on whomsoeuer I lay the hands hee may receiue the holy Ghost He did not say that I might giue but onely that he may receiue Happily some will obiect that Paul gaue the spirit to the Galathians as it may seeme wher hee saith he that ministreth vnto you the spirit and worketh miracles among you doth hee it through the workes of the law or by the hearing of faith preached Our answere may be gathered out of the text that hee gaue not the spirit by his proper power but onely that they receiued the spirit through his preaching and ministry They were baptized onely in the name of Christ Iesus You must here referre the word onely to baptized and not to the clause following in the name of Christ Iesus It is not the meaning of S. Luke that they were baptized in the name of God the Sonne onely for it is Christs owne Canon Matth. 28.29 That all the three persons of the blessed Trinity must expresly bee named in Baptisme Goe teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost See Bellarm. de Baptismo lib. 1. cap. 3. Suarez in Thom. 3. part tom 3. disput 21. Caluin Lorin in act 2.38 So that to bee baptized in the name of Iesus Christ in this and other like place of this booke is to be baptized in the faith of Iesus Christ or in the power of Iesus Christ or according to the prescript of Iesus Christ. Here then a question is moued how the faithfull in Samaria were baptized and yet the holy Ghost was come on none of them Hee that is baptized must acknowledge that Christ is the Lord and no man as Paul telleth vs can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost All that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ and are buried with him in his death that like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glory of the Father so they likewise should walke in newnesse of life Answere is made that the Samaritans had already receiued inuisible graces of the sanctifying spirit which are common vnto all such as truly beleeue but as yet Samaria had not any singular and extraordinarie miraculous gifts as in Christs name to cast out diuels and to speake with new tongues and to heale the sicke c. the which in the Primatiue time was conferred vpon certaine persons according to the will of the spirit for the confirmation of the Gospell It is apparant that the Apostles had the sanctifying and illuminating spirit for their guide from the very beginning of their preaching Matth. 10.20 It is not ye that speake but the spirit of your father which speaketh in you Yet wee reade Iohn 7.38 that the holy Ghost was not yet giuen because Iesus was not yet glorified For they receiued not those miraculous gifts of healing and speaking with