to be with mâ— she gaue me of the tree and I did eat Eua must needs be a virgin because so soone as she was made she was maried and yet the text calles her woman at that time when there could bee no time for man to corrupt her On the right hand we must shun the rockes of Valentinus and Nestorius of Valentinus who taught Christ had not his body from Mary but that he brought it with him from heauen and passed thorow the wombe of the virgin as water thorow a conduit pipe contrary to the text here made of a woman Ex muliere non in muliere not in a woman but of a woman And the preposition ex notes the matter as an house is made of timber and stone bread is made of wheat wine of grapes and therefore Christ had the materials of his body from Mary so some copies haue it here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet Christ had not his formale principium of Mary for the holy Chost was agent in his wonderfull conception and therefore fitly said here to be borne or as we reade to be made not begotten of a woman By this also we may shun Nestorius his rocke who thought Mary might not be called the mother of the Sonne of God for the text is plaine God sent his Sonne made of a woman Ergo the Sonne of God was the sonne of Mary For the confutation of this error the famous Councell of Ephesus was assembled wherein it was concluded and that in the first canon that Mary should be called the mother of God See before the Creed Art Borne of the virgin Mary Bond to the law Though he were Lord of the law yet made he himselfe subiect to the law circumcised according to the law and presented in the Temple according to the law yea it executed vpon him all the iurisdiction it had ouer vs. It doth by good right accuse conuince condemne vs. For alas all of vs are sinners and by nature the children of 〈◊〉 but Christ did no sinne neither was there guile fâ—und in his mouth yet notwithstanding the law was no lesse cruell against this innocent and blessed lambe then it was against vs cursed and damnable sinners yea much more rigorous For it made him guilty before God of all the sinnes of the whole world It terrified and oppressed him with such an heauinesse of spirit that he sweat blood and in fine condemned him to death euen the death of the Crosse. Thus Christ was made bond vnto the law to redeeme them which were bond vnto the law for hee died for our sinnes and indured all this for our sakes and so being vnder the law conquered the law by a double right first as the Sonne of God and Lord of the law secondly in our person which is as much as if our selues had ouercome the law for his victory is ours And therefore remember alway this sweet and comfortable text in the midst of all dangers all assaults of tyrants all temptations of Satan in the houre of death especially saying to the law Thou hast no power ouer me for God the Father hath sent his Sonne to redeeme mee from thy bondage thou dost accuse terrifie condemne in vaine for I will creepe into the hole which bloudy Longinus made with his speare in my Sauiours side There will I hide my selfe from all my foes I will plunge my conscience in his wounds death victorious resurrection glorious ascension besides him I will see nothing I will heare nothing The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law But thanks be vnto God which hath giuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. The Nouelists exception against our translating naturall sonnes is idle for our Communion booke doth not call vs naturall sonnes as Christ is Gods naturall Sonne by eternall generation but as it were naturalized by spiritual regeneration adopted through election and grace so Paul elsewhere termeth vs Coheâ—res with Christ. Neither doth this paraphrase wrong the Patriarks before the law nor the Prophets vnder the law for as I haue noted out of Martin Luther Chirst who came in the flesh once comes in the spirit daily crying Abba Father as it followeth in the text he is one yesterday and to day and shall be the same for euer Yesterday before the time of his comming in the flesh today now he is reuealed in fulnesse of time For euer the same lambe of God slaine from the beginning of the world The Fathers then had Christ in spirit which holy spirit made them free from the bondage of the law so that they and we are saued by one and the same grace by one and the same faith in one and the same Christ. How the blessed Spirit crieth in our hearts assuring our spirit that we are the children of God helping our infirmities and making request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed see before The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ c. This Epistle doth accord with the Gospell which intimates in particular how Christ became the Sonne of man that hee might make vs the sonnes of God how Christ is Iesus and Emmanuel Both fit the time that in the midst of Christmas our soule might magnifie the Lord and our spirit reioice in God our Sauiour who was made of a woman and made bond vnto the law to redeeme those who were bound vnto the law that wee might bee sonnes and heires of God through him The Gospel MATTH 1.1 Liber generationis Iesu Christi filij Dauid filij Abraham SVmma Theologiae Scriptura summa scripturae Euangelium summa Euangelij 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 summa summarum Iesus Christus filius Dauid filius Abraham ille primus ille postremus Alpha legis Omega Euangely principium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amen Velatus in veteri Testamento reuelatus in nouo in illo praedictus in isto praedicatus Vno spiritu dicam breuissimè nihil aliud continet verbum Domini nisi verbum Dominum Innuit hoc in praesentiâ—itulo Matthaeus annuit Paulus ad Corinthios primâ— Non statui quicquam inter vos scire nisi Iesum Christum crucifixum Apertiùs ait Augustinus confessionum quinto cap. 4. Infoelix homo qui scit caetera omnia te autem nescit beatus autem quite scit etiamsi illa omnia nesciat qui verò te illa nouit non propter illa beatior sed propter te solum beatissimus Est ars artium scientia scientiarum ea legere agere quae narrantur in hoc libro generationis filij Dauid filij Abraham Cuius frontispicij duo sunt luminae Inscriptio Euangelij Descriptio Christi Inscriptionis vt ita loquar duo praecipus sunt radij respâ—cientes Euangelium 1. Quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Quòd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Descriptionis item duo
but vpon constraint of law and penaltie of statute such oblations are not acceptable because they bee not quicke The Lord loueth a cheerefull giuer and thanksgiuer Nothing is done well but that only which is done with our will freely readily liuely Or quicke That is quickned through faith for as the soule is the life of the body so faith is y e life of the soule without which he y t liueth is dead for the iust doth liue by faith Hâ—e situs esâ— Vacia said Seneca when he passâ—d by the ground of that voluptuous Epicure Vacia lieth here dead and buried and so Paâ—l of a widow liuing in pleasure She is dead euen while she doth liue That our sacrifice therefore may bee liuing it must proceede from a faith that is liuely Or liuing That is a continuall sacrifice The sacrifices of the Iewes haue now their end but the sacrifices of Christians are without end We must 〈◊〉 giue thanks and alâ—aies pray The fire on our altar must neuer goe out our sacrifice neuer die In the Law beasts appointed for sacrifice were first slaine and then offered and that for two causes especially first as Ambrose notes to put the sacrificer in mind what hee deserued by sinne namely death and secondly because those bloodie sacrifices were types of Christs death on the crosse which is the propitiation for our sinnes In like manner euery Christian sacrifice must bee dead to the world that he may liue to God mortifying his earthly members and crucifying his carnall affections that he may become a new creature in Christ. As death depriues a man of naturall life so mortification destroyes the bodie of sinne which is the sensuall life Moriatur ergo ne moriatur mutetur homo ne dâ—mnetur quoth Augustine We must die for a time in this life lest wee die for euer in the next life Wee must rise againe with Christ saith Paul Now a man must be dead before hee can rise againe first grafted with Christ to the similitude of his death and after to the similitude of his resurrection Hee that liued ill and now demeanes himselfe well is risen againe from the death of sinne to the life of grace mortified and yet a liuing sacrifice the more mortified the more liuing Rom. 8.13 If ye mortifie the deedes of the bodie by the spirit ye shall liue This killing of our beastly desires is verie fit whether we consider our selues as Men. This killing of our beastly desires is verie fit whether we consider our selues as Ciuill men This killing of our beastly desires is verie fit whether we consider our selues as Christian men This killing of our beastly desires is verie fit whether we consider our selues as Eminent men As men that we may leade our life not according to sense but according to reason otherwise wee should be rather sensuall beasts then reasonable men As ciuill men that we may not liue according to lust but according to law though not according to conscience yet according to custome that wee breake not the statutes and disturbe not the common-wealth wherein we liue The Philosophers in old time comprehended all points of mortification in these two words sustine abstine As Christian men for he that will be Christs disciple must deny himselfe abnegare suos sua se. The kingdome of heauen suffereth violence and the violent take it by force that is by mortification and daily fighting against the lusts of the flesh as Basil Chrysostome Augustine Hierome Gregoriâ— Theophylact Euthymius expound it Last of all yet most of all mortification is necessarie for eminent persons either in the Ministerie or Magistracie For great ones ought especially to be good Their sacrifice must be most quicke that they may be paternes vnto other as it were walking statutes and talking lawes to the people Holy The second thing required in our sacrifice so we reade Leuit. 22. that vnhallowed and vncleane persons ought not to touch the things of the Lord. Ye shall be holy for I the Lord am holy this is the will of God euen our sanctification The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is deriued as Plato notes of the priuatiue particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying that holie things are not infected with the corruptions and filth of the world when our throte is an open sepulchre when our mouth is full of cursing and bitternes when our feete are swift to shed blood when our bodies are sinkes of sinne wee cannot be an holie sacrifice for the law is plaine Yee shall not offer any thing that hath a blemish not a beast that is scabbed not a bullocke nor a sheepe that hath a member lacking The drunkard then that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without his head as Clemens Alexandrinus termed him and the coward who wants an heart and the rotten adulterer whose bodie is neither holie nor whole is no sacrifice for the Lord. The Latines haue deduced the word sanctum of sancire quasi sancitum hereby teaching vs that our sacrifice must be constant and continuall That by-word A yong Saint an old Diuell is a wrie word for wee must be good in our youth better in our manhood best of all in our old age wee must grow from grace to grace till wee bee of full growth in Christ dedicating all that is within vs all that is without vs all that is about vs vnto the seruice of God Seruius expounding the words of Virgil Qui foedera numine sancit affrmes that sanctum is sanguine consecratum and so must our sacrifice be consecrated and dipped in Christs blood in whom only God is well pleased and therefore as it followeth in the text if holie then acceptable Now that it may bee well accepted of God two things are required especially 1. That it bee grounded vpon his word 2. That it be performed in faith Obedience is better then sacrifice no sacrifice then is pleasing to God except it bee done according to his will inuocation of Saints adoration of the consecrated host administration of the Sacraments vnder one kinde diuine seruice in an vnknowne tongue praying to the dead mumbling of Masses iumbling of beades worshipping of Images and other like trash which are the very Diana of the Romisâ— religion haue no foundation in holie Scripture not built vpon the rocke Christ but vpon the sands of humane braines and therefore not acceptable but abominable to the Lord. A new religion is no religion To deuise phantasies of God is as bad as to say there is no God Againe courses of life not warranted by Gods owne booke such as are rather auocations from God and goodnesse then vocations as ordinarie cheating brotheldrie coniuring and all other vnlawfull occupations or professions are not a sweete fauour to God but altogether stinking in his nostrels If we
like Dauids vine doth couâ—r the mountaines with her boughes and stretcheth her branches vnto the sea extending it selfe to God Angels men in men to our selues and other in other vpward to supeâ—iours downward to inferiours on the right hand to friends on the left to foes Loue theÌ„ in respect of other is of greater vse but if we consider a man in himselfe priuâ—tly faith is more needfull then loue as wherein originally stands our communion and fellowship with God by which Christ dwels in our hearts into which as an hand Almightie God powreth all the riches of his grace for our saluation and by which only whatsoeuer else is in vs is accepted of God as Saluâ—anus excellently Omnibus semper ornatibus ornamento est quiae sine hac nihil tam ornatum quod ornare possit See Epist. Dom. 17. post Trinit Againe charitie is greater in latitude of continuance faith apprehends the Lords gratious promise concerning eternall saluation and hope doth expect it with patience When God then shall haue fulfilled his word and filled vs with vnspeakable ioy when in that other life we shall see God face to face faith is at an end hope is at an end their vse cease but loue shall continue betweene God and vs an euerlasting bond So the fathers expound it only loue saith Chrysostome is eternall in this respect the greatest is charitie because they passe away but charitie continueth alway So Saint Augustine Loue is the greatest of the three because the other two departing it shall continue more increased and better assured auctior certior permanebit In this pâ—esent life there are three but in the life to come loue remaineth onely therefore that is greater which is euer needfull then that which once shal haue an end And so Gorran and other popish writers heretofore construed this text I conclude to saue a man faith is greater in a man saued charitie is the greater vntill faith haue finished our saluation loue must yeeld to faith but when faith hath fully saued vs it shall haue an end and so must yeeld to loue which is without end The Gospel LVKE 18.31 Iesus tooke vnto him the twelue and said vnto them Behold we goe vp to Ierusalem and all shall be fulfilled c. IN this Gospell our Sauiour Christ the true light of the world doth illuminate two sorts of blinde the disciples who were spiritually blind and a poore beggar who was corporally blind The disciples vnderstood not as yet the mysteries of our redemption wrought by Christs humiliation and exaltation by the one taking from vs all euill and by the other giuing all that is good Hee died for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification Christ therefore doth open their eies and instruct them in these two points exactly First generally vers 31. Behold we goe vp to Ierusalem and all things c. Secondly more particularly declaring the maner of his death and resurrection in the 32.33 verses Concerning his passion fiue things are deliuered traditio that hee shall be betraied illusio that hee shall be mocked conspuitio that hee shall be spitted on flâ—gellatio that hee shall be scourged occisio that hee shall be put to death For truth it selfe was betraied wisdome it selfe mocked glory it selfe spitted on innocencie it selfe scourged and life it selfe killed Concerning his resurrection hee sets downe two points especially 1. that he shal rise 2. that hee shall rise the third day Iesus tooke vnto him the twelue Reuealing to them the secrets of his kingdome foretelling his passion for two causes especially 1. that they might beare it more patiently praemoniti praemuniti 2. to signifie that hee suffered willingly Ioh. 10.18 See Gosp. dom 10. post Trin. Behold This word of attention is like the sounding of a trumpet before some waighty proclamation or like the ringing of a great bell before the sermon of a famous Preacher And therefore let vs heare this doctrine with an especiall care which Christ hath commended vnto vs here by such a remarkable note We goe vp Christs passion is called an exaltation or ascending For albeit he could not ascend higher as God yet he was exalted by his humiliation as man and had a name giuen him aboue euery name Phil. 2.8.9 Lucifer and Adam by climbing vp were cast downe but Christ by casting himselfe downe went vp Or We goe vp insinuating that his iourney was not easie Facilis descensus Auerni Men go sooner downe hil then vp hill yet he that hath a good horse can ride faster vp hill then downe hill So the charets and horsemen of Israel assisted by Gods especiall grace lifting them vp aboue the base vallies of the world runne faster and are more delighted in heauens vp hill then the wicked iâ— hels downe hill To Ierusalem Interpreters haue rendred sundry reasons why Christ was crucified at Ierusalem especially two First because there was not enough malice in any other Citie to kill the Lord of life none but the holy could enuie the most holy The prophane Gentiles ignorant Iewes elsewhere did not maligne Christ in his words and wonders Ierusalem onely the Prophet-killer could not indure the Prophet His holinesse and wisdome was the fittest obiect for the Scribes and Pharises enuie That vpon them might come all the righteous blood shed vpon earth euen from Abel the shadow to Christ the substance whose bloud speakes better things vnto vs and cries â—owder against them then that of Abel Here note by the â—ay that as the Sonne of God was crucified in the Citie of God so by good correspondence the members of Christ are persecuted most by the vicar of Christ. Secondly Christ suffered in that eminent place that his passion and patience might be renowned in the whole world There was not another stage fit for his tragedie which is our comedie In a mysticall sense Christ and his Apostles ascend to Ierusalem euen to Ierusalem aboue the new Ierusalem prepared as a bride trimmed for her husband but the god of this world with his company descend to Iericho to the lowest hell Hee that followes not Christ in his course goes from Ierusalem to Iericho from heauenly paths vnto the by-waies of destruction and so he falles among theeues that is as the fathers expound it among many diuels and euils who rob him and wound him and in fine will leaue him dead except Christ the true Samaritan relieue him and set him in his right way againe And all shall be fulfilled that are written by the Prophets of the Sonne of man As the Painter at the first drawes his picture with a coale roughly then with an accurate pensill and orâ—ent colours exactly so the holy Ghost in the Prophets and old Testament shadowed Christs passion obscurely but in the new paints it as it were to life perspicuously
saith Hebr. 1.1 that God the Father in olde time spake by the Prophets Esay doth ascribe this vnto the Sonne My people shall know my name in that day they shall know that I am he who sent to them and the reason hereof is plaine because all the workes of the sacred Trinitie quoad extra be common vnto all the three persons and so God the Father and God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost send The persons diuersitie then alters not the sacred Identitie but as Interpreters obserue that text of Malachie compared with this of Matthew proues notably that God the Father and God the Sonne are all one their power equall their maiestie coeternall My messenger In the vulgar Latin Angelum meum Origen therefore thought Iohn was an Angell but other expositours more fitly that the Baptist was Angelus officioÌ„ non naturâ so Malachie cals other Prophets Angels in his 2. Chapt. 7. The Priests lips shall preserue knowledge and they shall sâ—eke the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts Angelus Domini so Preachers are called Angels in the new Testament that is messengers and ambassadours of God and here the Gospell agrees with the Epistle This is a paterne of S. Pauls precept Preachers are to be respected as the Ministers of Christ and stewards of God for God saith of Iohn the Baptist Behold I send my messenger c. Happily some will obiect if ordinarie Prophets are called Angels how doth this testimonie proue Iohn to be more then a Prophet Answere is made by Zacharie that Iohn is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prophet here by Matthew that Angell as it were bedell or gentleman vsher vnto Christ. As then in a solemne triumph they be most honoured who goe next before the king so Iohn being next vnto Christ euen before his face is greater then they who went farre off he was the voice Christ the word now the word and the voice are so nâ—ere that Iohn was taken for Christ. Againe Iohn may be called that Angell in regard of his carriage so well as his calling for albeit he did no miracle yet as one said his whole life was a perpetuall miraâ—le first his conception was wonderfull begotten saith Ambrose with prayer Non tà m complexibus quà m orationibus An Angell from heauen auoucheth as much in the first of Luke verse 13. Feare not Zacharie for thy prayer is heard and thy wife Elizabeth shall beare thee a Sonne and thou shalt call his name Iohn It was another miracle that a babe which could not speake yea that was vnborne began to execute his angelicall office and to shew that Christ was neere that dumbe Zacharie should prophesie was a third wonder at his circumcision and so the whole life of Iohn was very strange liuing in the wildernes more like an Angell then a man and in a word those things which are commendable in other seuerally were found in him all ioyntly being a Prophet Euangelist Confessor Virgin Martyr liuing and dying in the truth and for the truth I know not as Ambrose speakes whether his birth or death or life was more wonderfull How Iohn doth prepare the way before Christ is shewed in the Gospell on next Sunday yet obserue this much in generall that it is the Ministers office to shew men the right way to saluation and to bring them vnto God our Sauiour hath promised to come vnto men it is our dutie therefore to knocke at the doores of your heart by preaching faith and repentance to prepare the way for our master that when himselfe knocks he may be let in and so sup with you and dwell with you and you with him euermore Amen The Epistle PHILIP 4.4 Reioyce in the Lord alwaies againe I say reioyce A Text of reioycing against the time of reioycing whereby the Church intimates how wee should spend our Christmas ensuing not in gluttonie and drunkennesse in chambâ—ring and wantonnesse doing the diuel more seruice in the twelue daies then in al the twelue moneths but rather in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs making melodie in our hearts vnto the Lord I say the Church allotting this scripture for this Sunday teacheth vs how this holy Time should be well imploied not in vnholinesse and mad meriments among Lords of misrule but in good offices of religion as it becomes the seruants of him who is the God of order obseruing this festiuall in honour of Iesus not Iacchus alway praising our heauenly Father in louing vs so well as to send his Sonne to saue his seruants and lest we should erre in our spirituall reuels obserue in this Epistle both The Matter Of our ioy The Manner Of our ioy The matter and obiect of our ioy reioyce in the Lord. The manner how Long alway reioyce The manner how Much againe and againe reioyce It is an old rule in Philosophie and it is true in Diuinity y t affections of the mind as anger feare delight c. are in their own nature neither absolutely good nor simply euill but either good or bad as their obiect is good or bad As for exaÌ„ple to be angry or not angry is indifferent Be aâ—grie and sin not saith Paul there is a good anger Whosoeuer is angrie with his brother vnaduisedly saith Christ is in danger of iudgement there is a bad anger So Matth. 10.28 Feare not them that kill the body and are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him which is able to destroy both soule and body in hell So likewise to reioyce or not to reioyce in it selfe is neither absolutely disgracefull nor altogether commendable we may not reioyce in the toyes of the world in frowardnes or doing euill faith Salomon Non in vitijs non in diuitijs saith Bernard Woe bee to you that thus laugh for yee shall waile and weepe but wee may delight in the Lord saith Dauid Reioyce in Christ saith Mary then our ioy is good when as our ioyes obiect is good yea God as Paul here Reioyce in the Lord. As sorrow is a straitning of the heart for some ill so ioy the dilating of the heart for some good either in possession or expectation Now Christ is our chiefe good as being author of all grace in this life and all glorie in the next and therefore we must chiefly reioyce in him and in other things only for him in him as the donor of euery good and perfect gift for him that is according to his will as the phrase is vsed 1. Cor. 7.39 If her husband be dead sâ—ee is at libertie to marrie with whom shee will only in the Lord. So then we may reioyce in other things for the Lord as in the Lord we may reioyce in our selues as being the Lords and in other because they reioyce in the Lord. Psal. 16.3 All my delight is vpon the Saints that are in the earth
wicked in the darke conceit euery thistle to be a tree euery tree a man euery man a diuell afraid of â—uery thing they see yea many times of that they doe not see Polydore Virgil writes that Richard the 3. had a most terrible dreame the night before Bosworth field in which hee was slaine hee thought all the diuels in hell halled and pulled him in hideous and vgly shapes Id credâ— non fuit somnium sed conscientia scelerum I suppose saith Polydore that was not a fained dreame but a true torture of his conscience prâ—saging a bloodie day both to himselfe and all his followers The penner of the Latine Chronicle de vitis Archiepiscoporum Cantuariensium in the life of Archbishop Hubert records a will of a couetous oppressor in this forme Lego omnia bona mea domino regi corpus sepulturae animam diabolo The godly mans will alway runnes in this stile Terram terra tegat daemon peccata resumat Mundus res habeat spiritus astra petat I bequeath my bodie that is earthly to the earth my sins which are diuellish vnto the diuell my goods that are worldly to the world my soule that is heauenly to heauen but this vnhappie wretch in great despaire yeelded vp his coyne to the King whom hee had deceiued and his soule to the diuell whom he had serued It is written by Procopius that Theodoricus as he was at supper imagined he saw in a fishes head the visage of Symmachus a Noble man whom hee had vniustly slaine with which imagination he conceiued such terror as that he neuer after enioyed one good houre but pining away ended his vnfortunate daies Cardinall Crescentius the Popes Vicegerent in the Chapter of Trent on a time writing long letters vnto Rome full of mischiefe against the Protestants and cause of Religion had a sudden conceit that the diuell in the likenesse of a huge dogge walked in his chamber and couched vnder his table the which affrighted him so much as that notwithstanding the counsell and comfort both of friends and Physitians hee died a disconsolate death To conclude this argument the diuell Iudas out of the hell of his conscience was Bailiffe Taylor witnesse Iurie Iudge Sheriffe deaths-man in his owne execution Thus as you see the wicked haue no peace with man no peace with God no peace with themselues The very name of peace betweene man and man is sweete it selfe more sweete like the pretious ointment vpon the head of Aaron that ranne downe vnto his beard and from his beard to the skirts of his clothing Yet the peace of conscience is farre sweeter a continual feast a daily Christmas vnto the good man as the rich Epicure Luke 16. so the godly fareth deliciously euery day The man that trusteth in the Lord is fat saith Salomon he feedes himselfe on the mercies of God and merits of Christ. And so the peace of God passeth all these for it passeth all vnderstanding without which one gift all other are rather curses then blessings vnto vs. As Cyril excellently Dominâ— priuante suo gaudio quod esse potest gaudium It is the consolation of Israel and solace of the Church Reioyce greatly ô daughter Sion shout for ioy ô daughter Hierusalem for behold thy King commeth vnto thee That God is our God that Christ is our Christ that the King of all Kings is our King that he is reconciled vnto vs and we to him is a ioy surpassing all ioyes a iubilation as the Scripture termes it which can neither be suppressed nor yet expressed sufficiently How wretched then are the wicked in being debarred of all this sweete of all this exultation of all these iubilees of ioy for if they can haue no peace abroad no peace at home no peace with themselues no peace with other no peace with man no peace with God assuredly the proposition is most true There is no peace to the wicked Yea but you will say there is none good except God all of vs are gone astray if we say wee haue no sinne the truth of God is not in vs. Of what kinde of wicked is this then vnderstood Answere is made that this onely concernes incorrigible malicious impenitent senselesse sinners For when once men feele their sinnes and repent for their sinnes grieuing much because they can grieue no more then in such as sinne aboundeth grace superaboundeth all things worke for their good euen sinne which is damnable to other is profitable to them occasioning repentance neuer to be repented Remember the speech of God to Rebecca The greater shall serue the lesser Albeit our spirituall enemies are stronger and our sinnes greater then we yet they shall serue for our good the greater shall serue the lesse God who can bring sweet out of sower and light out of darknesse shall likewise bring good out of euill Such offenders haue peace with men so far as is possible with all men indeuoring to keep the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace Secondly being iustified by faith they haue peace toward God in Christ Rom. 51. Lastly Christ dwelling in their heart they want not peace of conscience but abound with ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 When sinners are rather passiue then actiue in sinne when it is rather done on them theÌ„ of them albeit their conscience accuse them of the fact yet it doth not condemne them of the fault and so there is all kind of peace to the penitent no kind of peace to the wicked impâ—nitent saith my God Hitherto concerning the thing proclaimed I come now to the person proclaiming in these words saith my God The subordinate proclaimer is Esay the principall God himselfe As heretofore the Prophet so now the Preacher is not onely the mouth of God as Luther cals him but as Iohn Baptist said of himselfe The very voice of God For albeit we speake yet it is Christ who by vs and in vs calleth vnto you 2. Cor. 5.20 See Epist. dom 3. Gospel dom 1. and 4. in Aduent If then the Lord hath said it let no man doubt of it Heauen and earth shall passe but not a iot of his word shall passe he is not like man that he should lie or like the Sonne of man that he should deceiue Yea that we might the better obserue it Almighty God hath spoken once and twice as it is in the 62. Psalme For the Lord had made this proclamation once before in the 48. chapâ—er at the last verse So that as Augustine in the like case verba toties inculcata vera sunt viua sunt sana sunt plana sunt One text repeated twice pressed againe and againe must needs be plaine and peremptory And assuredly beloued if we further examine the person of this Chiefe we shall finde him able to make this war because God and willing to maintaine this war because My God
magnifie the Lord and our spirit must reioyce in God our Sauiour It is not enough that we come neere to God with our lips in chanting hymnes and psalmes except we make melodie to the Lord with the best member that wee haue Plus valet consonantia voluntatum quà m vocum How wee neglect this precept in singing when our hearts are on our haruest and our mindes on our meate I neede not say your domesticall Chaplane doth daily tell you To the Lord That as of him and through him and for him are all things so vnto him may be glorie for euermore Whatsoeuer yee doe in word or deede A generall rule extended to all men and all actions in all places at al times vno cumulo cuncta complectitur as Luther vpon the place Doe all Not say yee but doe Celsus and Antiphon writing against the truth intituled their treatise the book of truth and the Papists vnder the name of the Church ouerthrow the Church Ecclesiae nomiâ—ee armamini contra ecclesiam dimicatis Anabaptists are most carnall and yet they boast of the spirit Vnconscionable men in our time seeme to be all for conscience Iustice and Conscience are the greatest martyrs in the world For a great man in doing mischiefe pretends iustice and a meane man alway conscience so that as it is in the Prouerb In nomine domini incipit omne malum So soone as the malicious man had sowen his tares he went his way See the Gospell for this day In the name of the Lord Iesu Not in our owne name for there is no good in vs of our selues we cannot think so much as a good thought much lesse speake a good word or doe a good deede nor in Angels name nor in any Saints name for that is to mingle the blood of Thomas with Christs blood as Pilate did the blood of the Galileans with their owne sacrifice Christ is our only Sauiour and redeemer our only mediatour and aduocate This saith the Wiseman is the summe of all that he is all yea all in all and therefore good reason all should bee said all should bee done in his name that is as our Church in the Collect begun continued and ended in him he is Alpha therefore we must begin euery worke by calling vpon his name and squaring it according to his word he is Omega therefore all must be referred vnto him and end in him 1. Cor. 10.31 To God the Father Because God and because a father God for his greatnesse Father for his goodnesse By him Otherwise our spirituall sacrifices are not acceptable to God 1. Pet. 2.5 The Gospel MATTH 13.24 The kingdome of heauen is like vnto a man which sowed good seed in his field c. THis parable being explained by Christ vers 37. needs not any further exposition but our good disposition only to practice that hee taught it requires application rather then explication For application then vnderstand that it makes against 4. principal enemies of y e Church Carnall Gospellers Brownists Papists Atheists Against carnall Gospellers in that they neither watch ouer the Church nor pray for the Church as they should Satan is here called our enemie both ab affectu and effectu for his malice going about daily like a roring lion seeking whom he may deuoure For his successe ouercomming many for this cause called a man in 28. verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Scipio was called Africane for that hee conquered Africa or as other obserue there is such affinitie betweene Satan and the wicked as that mutually they be called one by anothers name The wicked man is called a diuell Haue not I chosen you twelue and one of you is a diuell and the diuell is here termed a wicked man This enuious aduersarie soweth alway tares among the wheate where God hath his Church he hath his chapell The diuell hath not any ground of his owne but he soweth in Gods field vpon Gods seede and so the corruption of the good is the generation of the bad heresie being nothing els but an ouersowing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an after teaching or another teaching Almightie God hath foure principall fields Heauen Paradise The Church Mans heart In heauen Lucifer ouersowed pride by which himself and his angels fell in Paradise Satan ouersowed disobedience by which he deceiued Adam and Eue God said in the day that thou eatest of the tree of knowledge thou shalt die the death Eua being corrupted by the Serpent said lest ye die Satan himselfe ye shall not die so Gods good seede moriemini was turned first to ne moriamini then vnto non moriemini Deus affirmat mulier dubitat diabolus negat In the Church as it is here shewed he doth ouersow schismes and heresies in such sort that tares ouertop the wheate at least they be so mingled together as that the one cannot bee rooted vp without hurt to the other In mans heart which is Gods especiall enclosure when the good seede is sowen Satan enters and endeuours to catch it away planting in stead thereof vnlawfull lust pride of life couetous desires He doth labour to blast our good workes either in the act or els in the end and all this is done saith the text while men sleepe The which I finde construed of Priests especially called in holy Bible the Watchmen of Israel but not onely for the Prince being a pastor of his people must watch also the flocke yea the shepheards ouerseeing the Seers and watching the watchmen that they doe not sleepe This also concernes the people for euery master hath charge of his house euery man of his soule The master doth sleepe when he doth not gouerne well his familie euery man doth sleepe when hee neglects Gods seede sowen in his heart That therefore which our Sauiour said vnto his Disciples he said vnto all Watch and so the Church expounds it of all idle persons insinuating that it is the best time for the diuell to worke his feate when men are negligent in their calling It is not Gods fault then that tares are mingled among wheate for he sowed none but good seede All that he made was good yea very good Neither can we iustly condemne the diuell for he doth but his part being a murderer from the beginning all the blame belongs vnto our selues in that we sleepe when we should watch Here the Gospell and Epistle parallel If the word of God dwell in vs plenteously with all wisedome then Sataâ— cannot sow tares in our soule If Ministers Magistrates and Mâ—sters as Gods elect put on tender mercie kindnes humblenes of minde loue toward their charge their compassionate bowels assuredly will pitie the dangerouâ— â—state of such as are tares vnder their gouernment endeuouring to make them wheate against the great haruest For the seruants here teach vs
men slept the malitious enemy sowed tares among the wheat And it was not discerned vntill the blade was sprung vp and had brought forth fruit When I see the finger of the diall remooued from one to two shall I be so mad as to thinke it standeth still where it was because I could not perceiue the stirring of it In the forehead of the whore of Babylon is written a mystery so Paul calles the working of Antichrist a mystery of iniquity because the man of sinne doth couertly and cunningly wind his abominations into the Church of Christ. Polititians obserue that corruptions are bred in ciuill bodies as diseases in naturall bodies at the first they be not discerned easily but in their growth insensibly they proceed often till it come to passe which Liâ—e said of the Roman State Nec vitia nostra nec remedia ferre possumus We can neither indure the malady nor the medicin Was it so in the Empire of Rome and might it not be so in the Church of Rome The Rhemists acknowledge many barbarismes and incongruities in the vulgar Latine text Cardinall Caietan Sanctes Pagninus Franciscus Forerius Hieronymus Oleastrius Sixtus Senensis all learned Papists ingenuously confesse that beside solecismes in the vulgar translation of Rome there are many grosse faults additions transpositions omissions Isidorus Clauius a Spanish Monke professed that he found in it 8000. errors It is plaine they were so manifest and so manifold as that the Councell of Trent and after it Pope Sixtus Quâ—ntus aâ—d Clement 8. took order for the correcting of it I would know then of a Papist how this cockle was sowen among Gods seed in what yeere this that absurdity first crept into their text as Luke 15.8 domum eâ—ertit for domum euerrit and Exod. 34 29. Moses in stead of a bright countenance is said to haue cornutam faciem a face of horne whereupon the common painters among the Papists vsually paint Moses with two hornes as a cuckold to the great scandall of Christian religion as Augustinus Steuchus and Sixtus Senensis obserue The whole Rhemish Colledge cannot tell in what age confusus est in stead of confessus est entred in Marke 8.38 Pope Sixtus Quintus hath sundry coniectures in the preface prefixed to his Bible vel â—x â—niuriâ temporum vel ex librariorum inâ—uriá vel ex impressorum imperitiâ vel ex temerè emendantium licentiâ vel ex recentiâ—rum interpretum audaciâ vel ex haereâ—icorum scholijs ad marginem If the Pope cannot tell in whose head and hands is all the Churches treasure both for wit and wealth it is enough for the disciple to be as his Master is and the seruant as his Lord. The late Pope Clement 8. corrected the corrections of his predecessor Sixtus Quintus setting forth another Bible which one called vnhappily The new Transgression In these reformed editions of Rome there is such difference that we may say with the Prophet Egyptians are set against Egyptians and the destroier against the destroier one against another and all against the truth In the Roman Mâ—ssals and Breuiaries there were so many damnable blasphemies and superstitious errors that the late Popes euen for shame reformed them and yet they cannot tell in what yeere these corruptions first grew and therefore what need wee tell them at what time this and that popish nouelty was first sowen Is it not enough that we now discerne the tares among the wheat and prooue to the proudest of their side that there was no such darnell in Gods field for the space of six hundred yeeres after Christ I say no such stinking weeds as the single communion of the Priest halfe communion of the people worshipping of the bread creeping to the Crosse supremacie of the Pope which are the most essentiall points of all the Romish religion Secondly this parable makes against the Papists in the question of putting heretikes to death I confesse the words sinite vtraque simul crescâ—re teach not the Magistrates duty but rather shew Gods bounty towards heretikes It is the Princes office to banish imprison mulct and by all meanes possible to suppresse them and in no sort to suffer them as being so pâ—stilent as the plague For as the plague doth instantly strike the heart and by poisoning one infects many â—ic haeresis cor ipsum animae petit cùm vnum inâ—erficit centum alios inficit Heresie strikes at faith and so takes away the life of the Christian for the iust doth liue by faith and then it fretteth as a canker or gangren corrupting all other members of Christs mysticall body we may cry mors in illà as the children of the Prophets mors in â—llâ such cockle then ought to be cropt and topt but not vtterly rooted vp and burnt vntill the great haruest A murtherer and a traitor indued with faith and repentance may passe from the crosse to the crowne as the blessed theefe in the Gospell was instantly translated from his paine to Paradise but an heretike dying in his heresie cannot be saued He therefore that puts an heretike to death is a double murtherer as Luther thinks in destroying his body with death temporall in slaying his soule with death eternall Excommunication exile losse of goods imprisonment depriuation haue bin reputed euermore fit punishments for heretikes but fire and fagot is not Gods law but canon shot enacted first by Pope Lucius 3. An. 1184. and confirmed afterward by Innocentius 3. and Gregory 9. as it appeares in the Decretals and it was executed against the Waldenses and in latter times against the Protestants especially martyring the dead with the liuing the wife with the husband the new borne yea not borne infant with the mother whom they should haue cherished by all lawes and christened by their owne lawes and that not for the denying of any article of the Creed but onely for not beleeuing Transubstantiation and other new quirkes of the Schoole which the most iudicious among them as yet cannot explicate for as one wittilie Corpore de Christi lis est de sâ—nguine lis est deque modo lis est non habitura modum Scotus Cameracensis and other Papists of great note confesse plainly that transubstantiation cannot be inforced by the Gospell nor by any testimonies of the ancient Church And Bellâ—rmin Romes oracle doth acknowledge that it may well be doubted whether there be any place of scripture cleerly to proue transubstantiation otherwise then that the Church hath declared it so to be because many learned and acute men hold the contrary What hellish crueltie then was it in the Bonners of Queene Mary to make bonâ—fires of sillie women for not vnderstanding this their ineffable mystery wherein are nine miracles at the least as Ioannes de Combis affirmes If these gunpowder Priests and fagot Diuines