men in all things for all times In it obserue Prefaces One of the Law writer God spake all these words c. Another of the Law-giuer I am the Lord thy God c. Precepts of the First table coÌ„cerning our loue to God Second touching our loue to man In the former preface note the Matter all these words Manner When. Who. The matter is these words that is these sentences and all these for Almightie God spake not the first Commandement only nor the second or third and left there but hee spake them all and therefore the Pope proues himselfe Antigod in leauing out one and dispensing with many God gaue so strict a charge to keepe euery one as any one but the Vicar of God abounding with vnlimitted authoritie doth first publish what he list and then expound them as he list To leaue them who thus leaue God is our dutie because God spake them all to beg of him obedience and make conscience to keepe them all as one wittily Totus Tota Totum The whole man The whole law The whole time of his life In the manner I note first the circumstance of time when God spake namely when all the people were gathered together aud sanctified as appeareth in the former Chapter then God spake Whereupon it is well obserued that all men ought to take notice of the law whether they be Commoners or Commanders high or low none so mighty that is greater or so meane that is lesse then a subiect to God and his ordinances and therefore Martin Luther hath worthily reprehended Antinomian preachers who teach that the Law need not be taught in the time of the Gospell Indeed Christ is the end of the Law but as Augustine construes it finis perficiens non interficiens an end not consuming but consummating for as himselfe said I came not to destroy the law but to teach it and doe it Secondly we may learne by this circumstance due preparation when wee come before God either to speake or heare his word Auenzoar vsed to say that hee neuer gaue purgation but his heart did shake many daies before Let the Physition of the soule then tremble to thinke what hurt bad physicke may doe when it is administred abruptly corruptly without either paines in reading or reuerence in speaking Vnto the vngodly said God Why doest thou preach my lawes and takest my couenant in thy mouth when as thou hatest to be reformed and hast cast my words behind thee If hearers of the Law much more Preachers of the Gospell ought to be throughly sanctified In the Millers hand wee lose but our meale in the Farriors hand but our mule in the Lawyers hands but our goods in the Physitians hand but our life but in the hands of a bad Diuine wee may lose that which surpasseth all our soule Hearers also being of vncircumcised hearts and eares ought to fit and prepare themselues as Moses and Iosua were commanded in disburdening their mind when they come to Gods house to heare God speake not only from vnlawfull but also from all lawfull worldly busines presenting themselues and their soules in the righteousnes of Christ a liuing holy acceptable sacrifice to God and it is the dutie both of speaker and hearer to desire the Lord that he would forgiue our want of preparation and so to assist vs with his holy spirit in handling of his holy word as that the whole businesse may be transacted for our good and his glory The second circumstance noted in the manner is the person and that is God Then God spake these words in his owne person attended vpon with millions of glorious Angels in a flame of fire so that there is neuer an idle word but all full of wonderful wisdome so perfect a law that it proues it selfe to be Gods law For the lawes of men albeit they fill many large volumes are imperfect some statutes are added daily which were not thought vpon before many repealed which after experience taught not to be so profitable but this law continueth the same for euer comprehending in a few words all perfection of dutie to God and man inioyning whatsoeuer is good and forbidding whatsoeuer is euill God is author of all holy Scripture but the ten Commandements are his after a more peculiar sort first because himselfe spake them and said in a sound of words and a distinct voice that the people both heard and vnderstood them in which sâ—nse S. Stephen happily calleth them oracula vina liuely oracles not that they did giue life for Paul sheweth that the Law was the ministration of death but liuely words as vttered by liuely voice not of men or Angels as other Scripture but immediatly thundred out by God himselfe Secondly because God himselfe wrote them after a more speciall maner hee did vse men and meanes in penning the Gospels and Epistles and other parts of sacred writ for holy men of God wrote as they were moued by the spirit of God as the Fathers obserue they were the pennes of Gods owne finger but in setting downe the Decalogue Gods owne finger was the pen hee made the tables also wherein they were first written that there might be nothing in them but only Gods immediate worke Since then God had such speciall regard in deliuering the Law wee must hence learne with all humble reuerence to receiue the same If King Eglon a barbarous tyrant respected Ehud a man of meane qualitie when he brought a message from the Lord how much more should we with awfull respect embrace the Decalogue which God in his owne person vttered and it should make vs exceeding zealous also notwithstanding the scoffes of Atheists and carelesse worldlings in obseruing and maintaining the same For what need any feare to defend that which God himselfe spake and whereof Christ said He that is ashamed of me and my words in this world I will be ashamed of him before my father in the world to come As a liuely faith is the best glosse vpon the Gospell so dutifull obedience is the best Commentarie vpon the Law To conclude with Augustine Faciemus iubente imperatore non faciâ—mus iubente creatore Yes Lord speak for thy seruants herare Thus much concerning the first preface The second is of the Law-giuer I am the Lord c. Containing two sorts of arguments to proue that hee may giue a law and that his people are bound to keepe it The first kind of reason is taken from his essence and greatnes in himselfe I am Iehoua The second from his effects and goodnes towards Israel In Generall Thy God More speciall Which haue brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage Now whatsoeuer is said vnto them is said vnto all Almightie God is euer the same which is which was and which is to come who being Iehoua the Lord made vs
Psalme 18. 47. Matth. 22. 39. So that Zacharias here remembring a great benefit begins his Hymne with thanks Benedictus Dominus Hereby signifying that it is our first and chiefe duty to be thankfull to blesse God who doth so wonderfully blesse vs in all the changes and chances of this mortall life to say with Iob The Lord giueth and the Lord taketh blessed be the name of the Lord. God be praised and the Lord be blessed is the language of Canaan whereas vnthankfulnesse is the diuels text and the blasphemies of wicked men are Commentaries vpon it The Lord For as Aristoâ—le said Praise is onely vertues due but none is good except God Other are to be praised in him so faâ—re forth as they haue receiued any gift or good from him onely the Lord worthy to be praised in and for himselfe God of Israel So called in two respects first in regard of his loue towards them as being his peculiar incloser out of the Commons of the wholeworld Deut. 7. 6. Psalme 76. Esay 5. Secondly in regard of their seruice to him hee is God of other will they nill they Psal. 99. 1. The Lord is King be the people neuer so impatient he sitteth betweene the Cherubims be the earth neuer so vnâ—uiet but Israel willingly submitted her selfe to serue him cheerefully with all her heart The Diuell is prince of the world because the wicked of the world be ready to giue place to his suggestions but the Lord is God of Israel that is of all good men because they resist Satan and yeeld to his gouernment desiring daily that his kingdome may come and his will be done in earth as it is in heauen He doth vse this title rather then another in generall to describe the true God and to distinguish him from the gods of the Gentiles who were not gods but 〈…〉 that is Diuels as Euthymâ—â—s obserues In particular this title did best fit his occasion because Christ the redeemer of the world was promised vnto the Iewes Abraham and his seed for euer and therefore blessed be the Lord God of Israel Why First for promising then for performing The promises of God touching the Messias are twofold 1. Made by himselfe to Adam Abraham Isaac vers 72. 73. 2. Made by his seruants As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which haue been since the world began vers 70. He spake The Prophet is but the voice God himselfe is the speaker as Iohn Baptist said I am the voice of him that crieth in the wildernesse By thâ— mouth In the singular number for albeit they were many yet they spake but one thing from one spirit as it were with one mouth Which haue been since the world began For all the Prophets haue foretold of these daies In the transfiguration Moses and Elias are said to talke with Christ signifying hereby saith Origen that the Law and the Prophets and the Gospell agree all in one And therefore Peter was vnwise to make three Tabernacles for one Holy Prophets holy by Place separated froÌ„ the prophane vulgar and consecrated to this high calling Grace for being hallowed and elected to this office they spake by the holy Ghost endued also with gifts of sanctification in so much that Prophets and holie men heretofore were voces conuertibiles as it is obserued out of the old Testament Gen. 20. 7. and new Luk. 7. 16. Ioh. 9. 17. This may teach the Prophets in our time to be walking Sermons Epistles and holy Gospels in all their cariage toward the people Praedicat viua voce qui praedicat vita voce He doth preach most that doth liue best As it is said of Iohn the Baptist Cum miraculum nullum fecerit perpetuum fuit ipse miraculum So a good man doth alway preach though hee neuer comes in pulpit Whereas such a Minister as is no where a Minister but in the Church is like Achitophel who set his house in order and then hanged himselfe The word preached is as Aarons rod if in the Preachers hand it is comely but if he cast it from him it will happily proue a Serpent That which God hath ioyned together let no man put asunder Holinesse and Prophecie O Lord indue thy Ministers with righteousnesse that thy chosen people may be ioyfull As God is mercifull in making so faithfull in keeping his promise for he visited and redeemed his people Visited In the better part for visitation in mercie not in iudgement as Psal. 8. 4. Gen. 21. 1. If Christ did visit vs in our person let vs visit him in his members All of vs are his stewards and the good things he hath lent vs are not our owne but his either the goods of the Church and so wee may not make them Impropriations or else the goods of the Common-wealth and wee may not inclose them He is the best subiect that is highest in the Subsidie booke so he the best Christian that is most forward in subsiaijs in helping his brethren with such gifts as God hath bestowed vpon him The whole world saith S. Iohn lieth in wickednes sicke very sicke vnto death All wickednesse is weaknes euery sinne is a sore Couetousnes an insatiable dropsie Pride a swelling tympanie Lasinesse the Gentlemans gout Christ therefore the great Physition of the world came to visit vs in this extremitie we did not send for him hee came of his owne loue to seeke and saue that which was lost It is a great kindnes for one neighbour to visit another in sicknes but a greater kindnes to watch and pray with the comfortlesse yet the greatest kindnesse of all is to helpe and heale him Euen so and much more then so Christ loued y e world he came not only to see it but to saue it not only to liue among men but also to die for men as to visite so to redeeme The Lord did endure the crosse that the seruant might enioy the crowne the Captaine descended into hell that the souldier might ascend into heauen the Physition did die that the patient might liue Bernard pithily Triplici morbo laborabat genus humanum principio medio fine idest natiuitate vita morte Venit Christus contra triplicem hunc morbum attulit triplex remediuÌ„ Natus est vixit mortuus est eius natiuitas purgauit nostram mors eius destruxit nostram vita eius instruxit nostram As S. Paul in two words He died for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification that is saith Aquinas he died to remoue from vs all that which was euill and rose againe to giue vs all that which was good All is infolded in the word Redeeme the which as Interpreters obserue generally doth implie that wee are deliuered from the hands of all our enemies and they be principally foure The World Flesh.
Diuell Death Christ ouercame the world on earth the flesh on the Crosse the diuell in hell death in the graue now being the Churches head and husband hee tooke her dowrie which was sinne for she had nothing else of her owne and indowed her with all his goods I am my welbeloueds and my welbeloued is mine So that Christ was borne for vs and liued for vs and died for vs rose againe for vs and therefore though the diuell cry ego decipiam the world cry ego deficiam the flesh cry ego inficiam death cry ego interficiam it makes no matter in that Christ crieth ego reficiam I will ease you I will comfort you I will visit and redeeme you See Gospell on whit sonday His people The Iewes as sent to them first and principally whom he did visit in his own person whereas all other diocesses of the world were visited by Commissaries I say first for afterward all people were hiâ—â—â—ople Visitaâ—it omnes gentes quomam omnes egentes In 〈◊〉 we are all one there is neither Iew nor Grecian neither bond nor free neither male nor female Gal. 3. 28. Augustine sweetly The belieuing Gentiles are more Israel then Israel it selfe for the Iewes are the children of Abraham according to the flesh only but we are the children of Abraham after the spirit they be the sonnes of Abraham who doe the works of Abraham But what was Abrahams chiefe worke The Scripture tels vs Abraham belieued and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnes So that as Paul concludes all belieuers are true Israelites Abrahams seed and heires by promise See Nunc dimittis But shall we now sinne because grace doth abound God forbid He hath deliuered vs from the hands of all our enemies that we might serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnes all the daies of our life Sine timore inimici non sine timore domini Behauing our selues in this present world religiously towards God righteously towards our neighbor soberly towards our selues Examine these fiue circumstances exactly 1. Who did redeeme The Lord God of Israel factor â—errae factus in terra yea fractus in terra 2. Whom Such as sate in darknes and in the shadow of death His enemies aliants from his common wealth and open traitors to his kingdome 3. From what From the hands of all our enemies 4 With what With his owne pretious bloud the least drop whereof had bin meriti infiniti yet his death only was meriti definiti 5. For what That being deliuered from sinne we should liue in righteousnes Consider these points and thinke not this Hymne too much vsed in our Liturgie but sing with Zacharias daily Benedictus Dominus and say with Dauid Quid retribuam domino pro omnibus quae tribuit mihi Primò nihil eram fecit me perâ—eram quaesiuit me quaerens inuenit me captiuum redemit me emptum liberauit me de seruo fratrem fecit me We owe our soules our selues to God for creating vs more then our selues for redeeming vs. Concerniâ—g Iohn Baptist and his office which is the second generall part of this excellent song see the Gospell Dominic 3. 4. Aduent Iubilate Deo Psal. 100. THe Church doth adioine this Psalme to the Benedictus as a parallel and that not vnfitly for as the one so the other is a thanksgiuing vnto God inforced with the same reasons and arguments in so much as Zacharias is nothing else but an expounder of Dauid or Moses As Augustine wittily The new Testament heth hidden in the old and the old is vnclasped in the new Lex antiqua nouam firmat veterem noua complet in veteri spes est in nouitate fides O be ioyfull in the Lord saith the Prophet blessed be the Lord God of Israel saith our Euangelist Why because the Lord hath made vs and not we our selues we are his people and the sheepe of his pasture That is he hath visited and redeemed his people For Augustine Hierome Caluin Turrecrematensis other old and new writers interpret this of our Regeneration rather then of our Creation According to that of S. Paul We are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good works c. The Lord is gratious his mercy is euerlasting That is he promised euermore by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began that wee should be saued from our enemies and from the hands of all that hate vs. His truth indureth from generation to generation That is hee did in due time performe the mercie promised to our forefathers he remembred his holy couenant and kept that oth which hee swore to our father Abraham and his seed for euer To what end That we might serue God with gladnesse as Dauid in his text that is serue him all the daies of our life without feare as Zacharias in his glosse God insinuated himselfe to the Iewes as a Lord Exod. 20. 2. but to the Christians as a father Mat. 6. 9. And therefore seeing wee are translated from the bondage of seruants vnto the liberty of sonnes hauing in stead of the Law which was exceeding grieuous a burthen which is light and a yoke which is easie let vs serue the Lord with gladnes and come before his presence with a song Non in amaritudine murmurationis sed in iocunditate dilectionis as Augustine vpon the place The whole Psalme doth afford many profitable doctrines and vses in that the Prophet doth double and treble his exhortation O be ioyfull in the Lord serue him with gladnesse with a song Go into his gates with thanksgiuing into his courts with praise be thankfull speake good of his name he doth insinuate our sloth and dulnes in that behalfe and therefore it behoueth all men especially teachers of men in season and out of season to presse this duty It teacheth all people to praise God with a good heart cheerfully vers 1. Not in priuate onely but in the publike assembly also for publike benefits receiued of the Lord vers 3. Our bodily generation and ghostly regeneration are not of our selues but only from God vers 2. See Epist. Dom. post Pasc. Who is alway the same in his truth and goodnesse towards vs abeit we be variable in our loues and promises one to another vers 4. See Nunc Dimittis The Creed THis Apostolicall Creed is pronounced after the Lessons and the Nicene Confession after the Gospell and Epistle because faith as Paul teacheth is by hearing and hearing by the word of God We must first heare then confesse for which cause the Churchâ— of Scotlana also doth vsually repeate the Creed after the Sermon I beleeue in God c. Albeit the Creed be not protocanonicall Scripture yet as Ambrose speakes it is the key of the Scriptures and as Augustine a plaine short absolute summe of all holie
peace in earth towards men good will a song which the world neuer heard before that the seede of the woman should bruse the Serpents head is an old song the first that euer was sung but this was no plaine song till Christ did manifest himselfe in the flesh In the old Testament there were many old songs but in the new Testament a new song That vnto vs is borne a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord in many respects a new song for whereas Christ was but shadowed in the Law he is shewed in the Gospell and new because sung of new meÌ„ of all men For the sound of the Gospell is gone through all the earth vnto the ends of the world whereas in old time Gods old songs were sung in Iury his name great in Israel at Salem his Tabernacle and dwelling in Sion Psal. 76. 3. Whereto To the Lord. See before Psalme 95. 4. Wherefore For he hath done maruellous things he hath opened his greatnes and goodnesse to the whole world in his creation and preseruation in his redemption especially being a worke of greater might and mercie then all the rest for in the creation he made man like himselfe but in the redemption he made himselfe like man Illic participes nos fecit bonorum suorum hîc particeps est factus malorum nostrorum In making the world hee spake the word onely and it was done but to redeeme the world dixit multa fecit mira saith the text Passus est dura verba duriora verbera The creation of the world was a worke as it were of his fingers Psal. 8. 3. When I consider the heauen euen the work of thy fingers But the redemption as it is here called is the worke of his arme With his owne right hand and with his holy arme hath he gotten himselfe the victorie So that if the Iewes obserued a Sabbath in honour of the worlds creation how many festiuals ought we to keepe in thankfull remembrance of our redemption As Diogenes said euery day was an holy day to a good man so euery day should be a Sunday to the Christian man Aquinas excellently Bonum gratiae vnius maius est quà m bonum naturae totius vniuersi The sauing of one soule is a greater work then the making of a whole world 12. quaest 113. art 9. 5. Wherewith in a literall sense with all kinde of musicke Vocall Sing to the Lord. Chordall Praise him vpon the Harpe Pneumatical With trumpets c. In an allegoricall exposition as Euthymius interpretes it we must praise God in our actions and praise him in our contemplation praise him in our words praise him in our workes praise him in our life praise him at our death being not only temples as Paul but as Clemens Alexandrinus calles vs Timbrels also of the holy Ghost Nunc dimittis or the song of Simeon Luke 2. 29. Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace Sic vbi fâ—ta vocant vdis abiectus in herbis Ad vada Maeandri conciâ—it albus olor As the Swanue so Simeon in his old age readie â—o leaue the world did sing more sweetly then euer he did before Lord now lettest c. The which Hymne is a thanksgiuing to God for giuing his Sonne to redeeme his seruants And it hath two principall parts in the 1. He reioyceth in regard of his owne particular vers 29. 30. 2. In regard of the generall good our Sauiour Christ brought to y e whole world vers 31. 32. In the first note 2. things especially 1. His willingnes to die Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace 2. The reason of this willingnes For mine eyes haue seene thy saluation Lord The Papists often in their life specially at their death vse to commend themselues and their soules vnto the protection of the blessed Virgin Maria mater gratiae tu nos ab hoste protege horamortis suscâ—pe This is their doctrine Bellarmine auoweth it this is their practise Father Garnet at his execution vsed this forme of praier twice publiquely But old Simeon heere forgetting our Lady though she were present commends his soule to the Lord who redeâ—med it Lord now lettest thou c. Now Simeon assuredly was not afraid to die before but because a reuelation was giuen vnto him from the holie Ghost that he should not see death vntill he saw the Messias he was exceeding desirous to liue that he might see the word of the Lord fulfilled And therefore men abuse this example saying they will be contented to die when such and such things come to passe when all their daughters be well married and all their sonnes well placed Old Simeon had a reuelation for that he did whereas we haue no warraÌ„t from God for many things we fondly desire so that whether God grant them or not we must submit our selues vnto his good pleasure Now and euer ready to depart in peace when he doth call taking vnto vs the resolution of Iob The Lord giueth the Lord taketh blessed be the name of the Lord. Lettest thou We may not our selues loose our soules but let God let them out of prison We must seeke to mortifie the flesh and to cast the world out of vs but to cast our selues out of the world is an offence against God Our neighbour Our selues Against God who saith Thou shalt not kill if not another much lesse thy selfe For thou must loue thy neighbor as thy selfe first thy selfe then thy neighbour as thy selfe The neerer the deerer I kill and giue life saith the Lord we are not masters of our life but only stewards and therefore may not spend it or end it as we please but as God who bestowed it will Agâ—inst our neighbours because men are not borne for themselues alone but for other also being all members of one common-weale and politike body so that as Paul saith if one member suffer all suffer with it Homo quilibet est pars communitatis Euery particular person is part of the whole State This is the true reason why the King doth take so precise an account of the death euen of his basest subiect because himselfe and the whole kingdome had interest in him Against our selues Because by naturall instinct euerie creature labours to preserue it selfe the fire striueth with the water the water fighteth with the fire the most sillie worme doth contend with the most strong man to preserue it selfe and therefore we may not butcher our selues but expect Gods leasure and pleasute to let vs depart in peace Thy seruant It is not a seruile seruice but a perfect freedome to serue the Lord. And therefore as the good Empetour Theodosius held it more noble to be membrum Ecclesis qâ—â—â—â—caput Imperij so may we resolue that it is better to be a seruant of God then Lord of all the world For while we serue him all other
creatures on earth and in heauen too serue vs Heb. 1. 14. In chusing a master euery man will shun principally three sorts of men his Enemie Fellow Seruant He serueth his greatest enemie who serueth the Diuell his fellow who serueth the lust of his flesh his seruant who serueth the world It is a base seruice to serue the world for that is to become a vassall vnto our seruant It is an vncertaine seruice to serue the flesh this master is so cholericke so weake so sickly so fickle that we may looke euery day to be turned out of his doores and that which is worst of all he is least contented when he is most satisfied Like to the Spaâ—â—ard a bad seruant but a worse master It is an vnthriftie seruice to serue the Diuell all his wages is death the more seruice we doe him the worse is our estate But he that serues God hath the greatest Lord who is most able and the best Lord who is most willing to prefer his followers and therefore let vs say with Simeon and boast with Dauid O Lord I am thy seruant I am thy seruant See the Epistle on Simons and Iudes day Depart Here first note the soules immortalitie Death is not exitus but transitus not obitus but abitus not a dying but a departing a transmigration and exodus out of our earthly pilgrimage vnto our heauenly home Fratres mortui non sunt amissi sed praemissi profectio est quam pâ—tas mortem A passage from the valley of death vnto the land of the liuing Dauid said of his dead child I shall goe to him but he shall not returne to mee Christ confirmes this Haue you not read what is spoken of God saying I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isack and the God of Iacob Now God saith Christ is not the God of the dead but of the liuing Abraham then is aliue Isack aliue Iacob aliue they cannot be said truly dead but as Simeon here departed The two receptacles of all soules after this life Hell and Heauen infallibly demonstrate this point Lazarus dieth and his soule is presently conueied by blessed Angels vnto the bosome of Abraham vnhappy Diues dieth and his soule is setcht and snatcht away by foule fiends vnto the bottomlesse pit of hell As Gods eternall decrees haue an end without a beginning so the soules of men haue a beginning without an end The soule and body part for a time but they shall meete againe to receiue an irrâ—uocable doome either of Come yee blessed or Goe ye cursed Secondly note that dying is the loosing of our soule from her bonds and fetters our flesh is a sinke of sinne the prison of the mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui gloriatur in viribus corporis gloriatur in viribus carceris And therefore when Plato saw one of his schoole was a little too curious in pampering his body said wittily What do you meane to make your prison so strong So that a soule departed is set at libertie like a bird that is escaped out of a cage The world is so full of euils as that to write them all would require another world so great as it selfe Initium vitae caecitas obliuio possidet progressum labor dolor exitum error omnia Childhood is a foolish simplicitie youth a rash heate manhood a carking carefulnesse old age a noisome languishing Diu viuendo portant funera sua quasi sepulchra dealbata plena sunt ossibus mortuorum It may bee said of an old man as Bias of the Marriner Nec inter viuos nec inter mortuos and as Plutarch of Sardanapalus and S. Paul of a widow liuing in pleasure that he is dead and buried euen while hee liueth and so passing from age to age we passe from euill to euill it is but one waue driuing another vntill we arriue at the hauen of death Epictetus spake more like a Diuine then a Philosopher Homo calamitatis fabula infoelicitatis tabula Though a King by warre or wile should conquer all the proud earth yet hee gets but a needles point a mote a mite a nit a nothing So that while we striue for things of this world wee fight as it were like children for pins and points And therefore Paul desired to be loosed and to be with Christ and 〈◊〉 as some Diâ—â—nes obserue praieth here to be dismissed as Ambrose doth read Dimitte Lord let loose Cyprian and Origen dimâ—â—tes in the future as if he should say Now Lord I hope thou wilâ— suffer me to depart Howsoeuer the word in the present imports that death is a goale-deliuery Nunc dimiâ—â—isseruum Now Lord thou settest free thy seruant as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vsed Act. 16. 35. Luke 23. 17. Nam quid longa dies nobis nisâ— longa dolorum Colluuies longs patientia carceris aets In peace There are three kinds of peace Externall Internall Etâ—rnall Peace of World Mind God Or more plainly peace between Man and man God and man Man and himselfe The last kind is meant here though assuredly Simeon had all three for our peace with God and so farre as is possible loue toward all men breedes in vs a third peace the which is the contentation of our minde and peace of conscience for which euery man ought to labour all his life but at his death especially that comfortably departing he may sing with old Simeon Lord now lettest c. I know many men haue died discontent and rauing without any sentiment of this comfortable peace to mans imagination and yet notwithstanding were doubtlesse Gods elect children For as Augustine many works of God concerning our saluation are done in and by their contraries In the creation all things were made not of something but of nothing cleane contrary to the course of nature In the worke of redemption he doth giue life not by life but by death and that a most accursed death Optimum fecit instrumentum vitae quod erat pessimum mortis genus In our effectuall vocation he calles vs by the Gospell vnto the Iewes a stumbling block vnto the world meere foolishnes in reason more likely to driue men from God then to winne and wooe men to God And when it is his pleasure that any should depend vpon his goodnesse and prouidence he makes them feele his anger and to be nothing in themselues that they may relie altogether vpon him And thus happily the child of God through many tribulations and to our thinking through the gulfe of desperation enters into the kingdome of heauen The loue of God is like a Sea into which when a man is cast he neither seeth banke nor feeleth bottome For there is a two-fold presence of God in his children 1. Felt and perceiued 2. Secret and vnknowne Sometime God
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth properly to take with the hand Secondly it is against the rules of common ciuilitie that men of discretion such as Communicants ought to be should be fed like children hauing their meate put into their mouth Thirdly if this taking be not construed of the hand but of the mouth there is an idle repetition and plaine Tautologie in the words of Christ for eating notes orall receiuing and therefore taking must imply manuall receiuing Fourthly it was the custome of the Primitiue Church as we reade in Eusebius and Cyril How wilt thou saith Ambrose to Theodosius receiue the Lords body with a bloudy hand The Papists answere that the Church altered this custome because some reserued the bread for magicall spels and superstitious vses A sillie shift for no abuse can take away the vse of that which is simply good The Bible must be read albeit some peruert it to their destruction the word of God must be preached howsoeuer it be vnto some the sauour of death vnto death and so the bread according to Christs institution must be taken albeit happily some keepe it to wicked and idolatrous purposes This bread The nice distinguishing of the Schoole is like the pilling of an onyon they pull off so many skinnes vntill at last there is no skinne They turne and tosse the words of Christs institution Hoc est corpus meum so long till they bring all that Christ said and did at his last Supper vnto nothing For so we reade in their Glosse that hoc doth signifie nothing Omnipotent creatures who make of something nothing and againe of this nothing something yea Christ who made all things for by pronouncing of these words hoc est corpus meum they make their Maker a dozen gods at once with one sentence This is a pronoune demonstratiue not indiuiduum vagum any thing or a nothing Stephen Gardiner herein forgat his Grammar and Logicke too For hoc doth determine and must as Paul teacheth and the circumstances of the Gospell import be restrained vnto the bread Iesus tooke the bread and when he had giuen thanks hee brake no doubt the bread that hee tooke and gaue to the Disciples the selfe-same that he brake saying Take ye eate ye this that I giue you this is my body What This could our Sauiour meane but This that he gaue This that hee brake This that hee tooke which by the witnesse of truth it selfe was bread If the Papists imagine that he tooke bread but brake it not or brake it but gaue it not they make the Lords Supper a merryiest where the latter end starteth from the beginning and the middle from them both Either they must dissent manifestly from the proposition of Christ and exposition of Paul from all the Fathers and some of their owne followers or else admit our interpretation This bread is my body and if we resolue the words of Christ so they cannot be proper but figuratiue This bread is the signe and seale of my body Bread It pleased our Sauiour to make bread the outward element in this holy Sacrament for the manifold analogies between it his body First as bread is the strength and state of our naturall life so Christ is for our spirituall being all in all Secondly as bread is loathed of the full stomacke but most acceptable to the hungry soule so Christ is most welcome vnto such as hunger and thirst after righteousnes Thirdly as bread is vsuall and daily so Christ should be to the Christian feeding on that bread which came downe from heauen should be the soules ordinary refection fourthly as bread is made one loafe of many graines so we that are many are one bread and one body because we all are partakers of one bread Vnus vbique calix domini cibus vnus vna mensa domusque deâ— Lastly as corne is cut downe with the sithe threshed in the barne with many stripes torne in the mil with much violence then boulted sifted last of all baked with extreame heate in the ouen and all this that it may be fit meate for our body so Christ in his ripe age was cut downe by cruell death his body was whipped his flesh rent asunder his soule was as it were melted in the fierie furnace of Gods anger and all this that he might become food for our soule that we might eate of this bread and drinke of this cup. The like resemblances are between the wine and his bloud For as wine doth make glad the heart of man Psal. 104. 15. so the pretious bloud of Christ as flagons of wine comforts the sicke soule Paulinus sweetly In cruce fixa caro est quo pascor de cruce sanguis Ille fluit vitam quo bibo corda lauo In this exhortation hauing S. Paul for our leader and the Church of Scotland for our follower I hope we need not any further examine why the Church doth vse this scripture for this purpose Augustines obseruation is good insolentissimae insaniae est disputare an â—d faciendum fit quod tota facit ecclesia Sursum corda SVrsum corda seemes to be taken out of the Lamentations of Ieremy cap. 3. vers 41. Leuemus corda nostra cum manibus ad dominum in coelos vsed in the Church at least 300 yeeres before Popery was knowne in the world For Augustine who liued within 400 yeeres after Christ and the blessed Martyr Cyprian who died an 259. make mention of it in their writings often Cyprian in serm de orat dominic Augustine de vera religione cap. 3. and epist. 156. and as Cassander obserues epist. ad Dardan lib. de bono perseuerantiae Sursum corda then is no rag of Rome no peece of Poperie but vsed in all Liturgies of the ancient Church and that which may content the Nouelist most it was borrowed as Master Fox thinks not from the Latine but from the Greeke Churches Howsoeuer it is exceeding fit for Almighty God in his holy seruice requires our heart principally Son giue me thine heart so that when we come to his Temple specially to his table euery one must say with Dauid I lift vp my soule to thee For as the Church of Scotland truly the onely way to receiue worthily the Lords Supper is to lift vp our mindes by faith aboue all things worldly and sensible and thereby to enter into heauen that we may finde and receiue Christ where he dwelleth a point well vrged also by our Church Hom concerning the worthy receiuing of the Sacrament part the first The Papists entertaine this clause still in the Roman Missale but it makes against their reall presence For if Christs body so large in quantity as it was on the crosse be present in the Sacrament what need any man lift vp his heart when as hee holds it
August in loc u 2. Cor. 5. 17. x Mark 16. 17. y Matth. 2. 12. z Hieron in loc a Caluin in loc b Augustin Turreâ—rematensis in loc c Luke 2. 14. d Rom. 10. 18. e Granatensis con 2. Dom. 1. aduent f Augustin in Psalmum vlt. g In locum h 1. Cor. 3 16. i In Protreptico k Ouid epist. Hero 7. epist. Lord. l Lib. de beatitudine Sanctorum cap. 17. m Luke 2. 26. n Caluin in loc Lettest thou o Thomas 22 ae quaest 64. aâ—t 5. p Luke 10. 27. q Deut. 32. 39. r 1. Cor. 12. 26. s Arist. Ethic. lib. 5. cap. vlt. Thy seruant t Psal. 116. 14. Depart u Cyprian serm de mortalitate x Ibidem August epist. 6. y Tertull. lib. de patientia z 2. Sam. 12. 23. a Matth. 22. 32. b Luke 16. 22. c Theophylact. d Plato in cratylo e Petrarcha de remedys lib. 1. dialog 5. f Ficinus in vita Platonis g Petrarcha praefat in lib. de remedijs vtriusque fortunae h Hieron epist. Paulino tom 1. pag. 102. i Plato in Axiocâ—o k 1. Tim. 5. 6. l Altercatio cum Hadriano Imperat m Phil. 1. 23. n Com. in Lucam lib. 2. cap. 2. o Ser. de mort p Hom. 15. in Lucam q Beauxamis in locum r Mantuan in 1. partâ—enic Marian. In peace s Lexicon Theolog verb. pax t De doctrina Christiana lib. 1. cap. 14. u 1. Cor. 2. 23. x Acts. 14. 22. According to thy word y Numb 23. 19. z Leuit. 19. 2. a Ephes. 5. 1. b Psal. 15. The reason why Simeon was willing to die c Arist. Ethic. lib. 3. cap. 9. d Philip Morney Treat of life and death e Ephes. 4 8. f 1. Cor. 15. 54. g Luke 23. 42. h Acts 7. 56. i 1. Cor. 15. 56. k Psal. 32. 1. l Numb 21. 9. m 1. Cor. 11. 30. n Iob 19. 25. o 1. Cor. 15. 54. p Iohn 11. 25. q Psal 31. 16. r Psal. 35. 3. s Acts 4. 12. t Iohn 1. 9. 8. 12. u Baruch 1. 15. x Psal. 111. 4. y Esay 52. 10. z Esay 11. 10. a Luke 2. 7. b 1. Epist. Iohn 1. 5. c Ephes. 6. 12. e 1. Thes. 5. 7. f Matth. 25. 30. g Ephes. 2. 12. h Esay 42. 6. i Ephes. 2. 14. k Matth. 5. 45. l Mal. 4. 2. m Rom. 9. 4. n Nazianzen ad Herenem o Baronius Annal tom 9. fol. 338. p Bucanus praefat loc com q Augustin Hieron Hilar. Euthym. c. r Hieron Euthym Interlinearis gloss s Bellarm. Cat. cap. 3. t Euthymius in locum u 2. Cor. 1. 3. x August in Psal. 58. y Hilar. Felinus in loc z Musculus in locum a Augustin in locum b Gloss. ordinar in locum c Phil. 2. 8. d Iohn 17. 3. e Hieron in locum f Deut. 5. 32. 33 g Felinus in locum h Aug. Hieron Hilar. i 1. Cor. 2. 7. k Cap. 1. vers 1. l Luke 10. 24. m Musculus in locum The reason why the Church doth vse so many Euangelicall Hymnes in our Lâ—turgie n Lib. 5. aduers. Marcion Sinon spongia lingua tamen peruersa interpretatione o Booke of the forme of Common prayer imprinted at Mâ—ddâ—churg 1586. p Calum in loc q 2. Cor. 9. 7. r Psal. 81. 1. s Musculus in locum t Philip. 4. 7. u Hieron Calu. Felinus x Acts 14. 16. y Cicero de naturâ— deorum lib. â— z Psal. 94. 8. a August ep 111 b Epist. 41. Lucilio c Master Perkins Treat how to applie Gods word sect 10. d Psal. 56. 14. e Psal. 144. 13. f Ioel 1. 12. g Psal. 129. 7. h Euthymius Genebrard in locum i Augustin in locum k Musculus in locum l Hieron Euthymius c. m 〈…〉 Tittelman c. n Esay 53. 4. o 1. Pet. 2. 24. p 1. Ep. Iâ—h â— 2. q Ephes. 2. 14. r Psal. 100. 1. s Philip. 2. 12. t Luke 2. 25. u Acts 10. 2. Iob. 1. 1. Letanie y Rom. 2. 15. z Iuuenal Satyr 13. a Epist. 97. b Loc. com tit de leg naturae tom 1. fol. 186. c Albinus quaest in Genesin Thom. 12 ae quaest 94. art 5. d Loc. com tit Antinomoi e Rom. 10. 4. f Contra aduersar legis lib. 2. cap. 7. g Matth. 5. 17. h Psal. 50. 16. i Acts 7. 51. k Exod. 3. 5. l Iosua 5. 15. m Rom. 12. 1. n Chron. 2. 30. 18. 19. o Acts 7. 53. Gal. 3. 9. p Exod. 19. 18. q Deut. 5. 24. r Acts 7. 38. s 2. Cor. 3. 7. t 1. Pet. 1. 21. u Theodoret praefat in Psal. Greg. praefat in Iob. x Iudges 3. 20. y Mark 8. 38. z 1. Sam. 3. 10. a Heb. 13. 8. b Apocal. 1. 4. c Calu. Instit. lib. 2. cap. 8. § 14 d Malac. 1. 6. e Caluin vbi supra §. 15. f Ezech. 20. 7. Rom. 13. 10. h Mat. â—2 37. 39. i Lib. 5. contra Marciou k Antiquit lib. 3. cap. 6. l Lib. de Decalogo m Quaest. 71. in Exod. epist. 119. cap. 11. n Lib. 3. sent dist 37. o Ramus de religion lib. 2. c. 3. p In Synopsi q Hom. 8. in Exod. r Hom. 49. in Matth. s Io. de Combis compend lib. 5. cap. 59. t Hermaâ— Colon Archiepis explicat decalog u Hilarius x Rom. 2. 24. y 1. Titus 16. z Saluianus de gubernatione dei lib. 4. a 2. Tim. 2. 19. b Basilicon Doron lib. 1. pag. 17 c Matth. 5. 37. d Deut. 6. 13. Matth. 5. 34. e Lib. 3. sent dist 39. f De verbâ— Apostoli serm 28. tom 10. fol. 264. g Aulus Gellius lib. 11. cap. 11. Augustin de mendat ad Consent cap. 11. h Ierem 4. 2. i August episâ— 154. k Ramus de relig lib. 2. cap. 6. l B. Babington Caluin Cat. m Perkins aurea Cat. cap. 23. n Perkins treat of callings o Gen. 3. 19. p 1. Cor. 7. 20. q 1. Sam. 21. 5. r Ier. 5. 8. s Rom. 12. 2. t Ephes. 5. 1. u Thoâ— 12â— quaest 100. art 5. x Apocal. 14. 13. y Apoc. 7. 17. z Iohn 19. 31. a Leuit. 25. b Mâ—lancthon tom 1. fol. 6. tom 2. sol 362. c Church hâ—m concerning the time and place of praier d B. Babington e Iob. 20. 19. 28. f Acts 20. 7. 1. Cor. 16. 2. Apocal. 1. 10. g Caluins Cat. Perkins aurea Caten cap. 23. Ram. â—ereligione lib. 2. c. 6. h Caluins Instit. lib. 2. cap. 8. §. 31. i D. Fulk vpon Heb. 4. 4. Master Deering lect 19. vpon Heb. k Vbi supra l Perkins vbi supra m 1. Mac. 2. 41. n Esday â—n the 4. Commandement o Ester 1. 21. p Augustine q Gen. 30. 27. r Gen. 39. 5. s Deut. 5. 15. t Iohn 17. 3. u Iohn 14. 6. x Macrob. saturnal lib. 1. cap. 11. Ambros serm 33. y Gal. 3. 28. z Caluin Cat.