consolatarie sermoÌ„ to his Disciples before his passion this being his Primum salue or first welcome to his Apostles after their election to the Apostleship and that his vltimum vale or last Farewel vnto them immediately before his passion 1. Praef. Conc. How excellent a sermon this was it is euident First by the Preface or exordium thereunto for it was deliuered In a selected place (k) Mat. 5.1 namely a mountaine that the sublimitie of the place might shew the excellencie of the matter Ver. 2. 2. To selected auditors namely his twelue Apostles and the choisest Disciples and in an especiall and singular manner intimated First by his preparation thereunto (l) Luc 6.12 for he spent the whole night before in prayer which must needs imploy some consequence of great importance Secondly By his gesture of sitting (m) Aug de Ser. Dom. in Monte. Quod pertinet ad dignitatem magisterij implying both the dignitie of the speaker who is (n) Mat. 23.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great Doctor of his Church and the weight of the matter Thirdly by the Euangelists phrase of opening his mouth which implies not onely our Sauiours earnestnesse intention both of heart and voyce in speaking but the excellency and diuine perfection of his doctrine He who is 1. f Ier. 24.6 The eye of God by which he looks downe vpon his Church for good and not for euill 2. g Esay 53.1 The Arme of God whereby hee doth both sustaine and imbrace it 3. h Esay 48.13 1 Pet. 5.8 The hand of God whereby he hath laid the foundation of the earth in the worke of Creation and pluckt his sheep out of the mouth of that roaring Lyon the Diuell as Dauid did his fathers sheepe out of the iawes of the Lyon i 1 Sam. 17.35 paw of the beare in the worke of Redemption 4. The Face of God in whom as in a Christall glasse we may behold a Heb. 1.3 the brightnesse of his fathers glory and â—xpresse Character of his person b Ioh. 14.9 He that hath seene me hath seene the father 5. The mouth of God whereby hee doth both c Cant. 1.2 kisse his Church with the kisses of his loue and instruct it with his heauenly Doctrine heere opens his mouth as a fountaine of liuing waters to refresh the thirsting soules of his Disciples as earst hee opened the rocke of stone for the refreshing of the fainting bodies of his Jsrael d Psal 105.31 so that the walles gushed out and riuers ran in drye places 2 Materia conc 2 By the substance or matter of this Sermon which whosoeuer shall considerately read and marke shall finde therein e Aug. in loc perfectum vitae Christianae modum a perfect rule or direction for a Christian life tending to true happinesse and perfection f Mat. 5.48 Analisis Conc V. 3. A. v. 3. ad 13. Be yee perfect c. For therein Christ shewes vs first the Marke at which wee must ayme namely true blessednesse in Gods Kingdome 2. The Steps or Degrees whereby wee must ascend vnto it namely humility mourning for sin meeknes c. for the eight beatitudes are as so many steps of that g Gen. 28.12 mysticall Ladder of Jaacob whereby we must climbe vp vnto Heauen 3. The Guides to conduct vs thither namely A. v. 1. ad 17. the Ministers of the Gospell who are both the Salt of the earth to season vs with the heauenly Salt of Grace and the Light of the World to guide our feete into the way of peace that we may make straight steps to the h Apoc. 21.2 new Ierusalem and heauenly Sion 4 The Norme or Squire to rule out this way vnto vs namely the Law of God the rule of Charity and i Col 3.14 band of perfection which our Sauiour by his diuine exposition cleeres from Pharisaicall glosses and corruptions A. v. 17. ad finâ—m Cap. 5. 5 The crooked by-pathes which wee must shunne if wee will keepe vs in the right way to true blessednesse and not turne to the right hand or the left and thâ—se are many as tâ—ere is but one right way to a place but many by-waâ—es namely Cap. 6. a. v. ad 19. A. v. 19. ad finem cap. 6. 1. Hypocrisie in doing our good workes to be seene of men 2. Worldly Sollicitude in laying vp our treasure in Earth not in Heauen preferring the seruice of man before the seruice of God and caring more for the perishing vanities of this life then the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse C 7 a. v. 1. ad 6. 3. Vncharitable censuring of our Brethren and ouercurious prying into their motes V. 6. whilst we see not our owne beames 4 Prophane trampling vnder our feet like dogs and Swine the precious pearles of Gods holy word and Sacraments and rending those that bring them vnto vs with the cruell teeth of malicious obloquy A. v. 15. ad 21. 5. Listning to false Prophets which are rauening wolues in sheepes clothing sâ—eking vnder the faire pretences of humility truth simplicity and sincerity to prey vpon deuoure the soules of Christs sheepe 6. Omission of holy duties namely of feruent prayer whereby wee should aske A. v. â— ad 13. seeke and knocke at the gate of mercy and a serious endeuour to enter in at the straight gate and goe on in the narrow way that leads vnto saluation v. 21. c. for as much as a bare verball profession will not serue the turne at the last day Not euery one that saith vnto mee Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heauen but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heauen c. 3 Conclus conc 3 By the conclusion wherein there is an Emphaticall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seeming to limit these words of my Text to this Sermon onely as containing the summe and substance of the whole Bible but they may fitly haue a more generall reference to all the words of Christs heauenly doctrine deliuered to his Church and recorded in the sacred Scriptures And the Euangelist addes V. 28.29 when Iesus had ended these sayings the people were astonished at his Doctrine c. for hee was the true Orpheus who by the melodious harmoâ—y of his heauenly Doctrine drew the rocks woods and wilde beasts after him that is men of rocky and hard hearts as the Pharisies and as sauage in sinfulnesse as the wilde beastes namely Sadduces and Publicans a Luk. 6.17 Ioh. 6.2 who flocked from all quarters of Iudea Samaria Galile c. to heare his diuine doctrine and behold his Almighty miracles which they saw and heard with astonishment and admiration saying neuer man spake like this man b Cap. 7.46 These words are the conclusion and application of this diuine Sermon for this wise master builder doth not onely lay the foundation
that is the Pope and Popish Prelates whereas the Scriptures are written but with inke and paper These traditions they make of three sorts e D. Bysb contra Pâ—rk de Trad. 1. Diuine deliuered by Christ himselfe 2. Apostolicall deliuered by the Apostles 3. Ecclesiasticall deliuered by the Church 1 Diuine 1. Concerning diuine traditions if they bee truely such we most reuerently and religiously receiue them but wee acknowledge none for such but onely those doctrines of faith of Gods worship which are either expresly or by necessary coÌ„sequence contained in the old new TestameÌ„t For although we know and acknowledge that f Bulling de ver Dei the substance of the old Testament was deliuered among the Patriarches from hand to hand by tradition from Adam to Moses and of the new till it was penned by the Apostles and Euangelists g D. Abbot cont Bysh de Trad. as some thinke for eight as others for twenty as others for fourescore yeares yet wee teach that when God had taken the custody of his owne tradition to himselfe by selecting and inspiring choise vessells of grace to commit them to writing least the streames of truth should haue beene polluted by running through the muddy channells of mens mouths then the Church was bound to receiue nothing for diuine truth but what is contained in the Scriptures or necessarily deduced therefrom and firmely grounded thereupon As when God had conueighed the whole light of the world h Gen. 1.3 which before was dispersed in the first dayes creation into the body of the Sunne i v. 14. c. created the fourth day then he would haue the Moone and Starres to deriue their light from thence and the whole earth to be therewith enlightened so though in his first plantation of his Church God did for a time continue the knowledge of his truth by immediate reuelation thereof vnto some chosen men which might deliuer it to his Church from hand to hand yet now since he hath conueighed the whole light of diuine truth into the Canon of the Scripture hee will haue all the Pastors and members of the Church to deriue their light of sauing knowledge and true faith from thence onely so that the doctrine of the Scriptures is now the onely diuine Tradition 2. Touching Apostolicall Traditions wee acknowledge them likewise for diuine if they vnderstand thereby 2 Apost Trad. that diuine doctrine which the Apostles first preached then wrot in the Scriptures as the pillar and foundation of our faith of which S. Paul speakes a Cor. 11.23 Accepi a Domino quod tradidi vobis I haue receiued of the Lord that which I haue also deliuered vnto you c. b Gal. 1.11 12. for the Gospell which was preached of me I receiued it not of man nor was taught it by man but by the reuelation of Iesus Christ And this is the holy and diuine Tradition which c Iren. li. 3. c. 1. Ireneus d Cypr. Epist 74. c. Script est Cyprian and other auncient Fathers speake of contained in the Euangelists Apostolicall Epistles and Acts of the Apostles all which are written Scriptures of the new Testament This diuine and Apostolicall Tradition we call with Tertullian The rule of truth 1 Regula veritatis Tertul. 2 Doctrinae Cypr. 3 Rectitudinis Basil 4 CredendoruÌ„ agendorum Dyonis Carthus and with Cyprian The rule of doctrine and with Basill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The rule of right or straight rule of perfection and with their owne Carthusian The rule of faith and manners or of all things to be beleeued and practised for wee constantly auerre with Cyril e Cyril Catech. Hierosol That the securitie of our faith ariseth from the euidence and demonstration of the diuine Scripture so that no man presume aboue that which is written 1. Cor. 4.6 Also we reuerently receiue such Apostolicall Traditions as haue their ground in Scripture though not expresly f Act. 20.7 as the celebration of the Sabboth on the first day of the week g Apoc. 1.10 the Baptisme of Infants c. 3 Eccles Trad. 3. Touching Ecclesiasticall Traditions wee receiue for such First those doctrines of faith which the ancient Primitiue Counsailes haue determined against Haeretikes hauing their ground in Scripture as that there is a Trinitie of persons in the vnitie of the diuine essence and that the Sunne is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is consubstantiall and coaequall with the Father c. yet we dare not say with daring h Enchiâ— controv c. 1. Costerius That the first foure generall Counsailes are to bee receiued as we receiue the foure Gospells Secondly those rules which the Primitiue Church hath set downe for order and comelinesse in the seruice of God yea a Perk. de Trad. we acknowledge that the present Church hath power to make Canons to that purpose so they bee consonant to the generall Canons of the Scripture namely 1. That they tend to b 1 Cor. 14.26.40 decency and order 2. To aedification 3. That they be free from superstition 4. That the Church be not ouerburthened with the multitude of them Trad. Papist But if by the Churches Traditions they vnderstand the Canons of their latter Counsailes which were but conuenticles or confaederacies against Christ and his truth for the maintenance of Papall Hierarchy and wherein all the Bishops were the Popes sworne seruants and directed by him as by an Oracle what to doe and decree or the decrees of their Popes some of which haue beene Idolatrous some haereticall and some superstitious or if vnder that name they would thrust vpon vs euery Fryers dreame rotten reliques base costome and idle ceremony of the Romish Church then we reiect their vnwritten Traditions as sandy foundations to build our faith vpon and means to lead vs into a sea of errors and vncertaineties wherein there is neither banke nor bottome And such Traditions as these bee the sandy foundations whereon they build many articles of their Romish Creed namely priuate Masses halfe Communions Transubstantiation adoration of the host of Images and reliques Innocation of Saints and Angells Purgatory and the Popes transcendent authoritie in things Ecclesiastical and temporall For c Andrad in Orthodox Explicat Conc. Trident. li. 2. one of their owne plainly confesseth That many points of their Romish faith would reele and totter if they were not supported by Traditions And this is the reason why they refuse their triall by the Scriptures and thinke d Conference betweene Dr. Feately and M. Fisher. Christ and his Apostles both incompetent Iudges and partiall witnesses for the decision of their cause Yea Bellarmine their great Goliah saith peremptorily a Bell. li. 4. de ver dei non scripto c. 12. That it was not the proper end of the Scriptures to bee rule of our faith and that they are at the best but Regula partialis non
totally irrecouerably from Gods grace and glory into the bottomlesse pit of perdition and destruction But this difference seemes to me rather verball then reall because the Church is nothing els but a Mullarum vnita vel potius vnanimitas animarum Bern Serm 61 in Cant a collectiue consisting of many particular men conioyned in the generall Profession of the same Christian faith though some bee true Israelites some cursed Edomites some professing the truth in sincerity others in hypocrisie some constantly cleauing thereto euen in the mouth of danger others quickly startling aside from it like a broken bow This Text therâ—fore is Gods fanne to discerne this corne from that chaffe His true touchstone to trye this pure gold from that counterfeit copper and the iust ballance of his Sanctuary to discerne thâ— weight of a sound sollid and sincere profession of Christianity from that which is deceitfull vppon the weights and lighter then vanity it selfe Diuision For it doth expresse a threefold difference betweene wise and foolish builders First in the manner of their building for the wise builders perfect their building both by hearing and practising but the foolish builders leaue it vnperfect hearing but not practising Secondly in the foundation of their building the wise build vpon a sure and immooueable foundation namely a Rocke but the foolish either on none or a weake foundation namely the superficies of the earth or the sand Thirdly in the effect and issue of their building for whereas both buildings are violently assaulted and beat vpon by raine stormes and wind the one stands fast like Mount Sion b Psal 125.1 c. the other thereof falls downe flat and the fall thereof is great Both begin wâ—ll and consent in the first act namely of hearing Christs words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 V. 24. 26. c. Whosoeuer heareth c. but in the latter they differ as farrre as the East is from the West or the heauen from the earth for the one conioynes hearing and doing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heares and doth them v. 24. the other disioynes what God would haue conioyned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hearing but not doing v. 26. And this is that which makes such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or wide distance between them First in their properties the one sort being tearmed wise the other foolish builders Secondly in their worke the one building on the rocke the other on the sand Thirdly In the successe of both for the issue of the one building is firme stability but of the other vtter ruine The first difference betweene these wise and foolish builders is in the manner of their building the first by hearing onely the second by hearing and practising But both heare for the eares are the open doores by which the knowledge of those things entereth into the soule which haue no visible species for the eyes to apprehend a Rom. 10.17 faith comes by hearing which is the b Heb. 11.1 euidence of things not seene Insomuch as the Centurion who saw Christ crucified beleeued not on him by seeing but by hearing for hearing him giue vp the ghost with a loud cry contrary to the nature of that lingring death he concluded c Mar. 15.36 Surely this was the Sonne of God d Ber. Ser 28. in Cant. Auditus iuuenit quod non visus oculum species fefellit auri veritas se infudit His eyes saw him e Esa 53 2 3. despised and reiected of men a man full of sorrowes hauing no forme nor beautie that he should be desired but by his voice he beleeued and acknowledged to bee the Sonne of God not by his face being herein a patterne for all Christs sheepe and an Idea of them all f Ioh. 10.27 My sheepe heare my voice c. Aquin. 1.2 Q. 12. The Scholemen say there is a threefold booke wherein we know God First of nature secondly of Scripture thirdly of life By the two first we know him in this life but in part and as it were in a glâ—sse darkely but by the third we shall know him in the life to come when wee shall see him face to face g 1. Cor. 13.9 For the learning of the first booke wee neede vse nothing but our eyes h Rom. 1.20 for the inuisible things of God to wit his eternall power and Godhead are by the creation of the world made visible i Aug 5.55 in Joh Tom. 10. Aske the ornament of the heauens namely the brightnesse of the Sunne the beautie of the day and the eye of the world and the splendour of the Moone and order of the Starres the solace and ornament of the night aske the aire replenished with birds natures quiristers who by their pleasing notes and chirping voices dayly chaunt out the prayses of their Creator aske the earth adorned with trees and plants and replenished with foure-footed beasts and creeping things and made the'receptacle habitatioÌ„ of Man the litle world the epitom of Gods workmanship and idea of diuine section Lastly aske the sea the profound volume of Gods wonders swarming with admirable and innumerable sorts of Fishes aske them all and they will really answer thee The Almightie hath created vs a Vniuersus mundusnâ—l aliud est quam deus explicatus Athenag for the whole world is nothing els but a large booke wherein God is expressed whose creatures are such faire Characters that we may reade them running We need but looke and learne see and perceiue yea we may not onely see b Cypr. de card Câ—â— operibus smell tast and feele how gratious the Lord is when we smell taste and feele his creatures For the learning of the second booke we must vse both our eyes and eares in reading and hearing but especially our eares for although reading of the Scripture be no small edifying as appeares by the fruit thereof in the Israelites c 2. Reg 33.2 c when the booke of the law was read by Hilkiah the Priest in the dayes of Iosiah and d Neh. 8.31 c. by Ezra the Scribe in the time of Nehemia yet hearing of the Scriptures opened and applyed by preaching is a more powerfull meanes to aedification and saluation for many e Act. 8 3â— with the Eunuch may reade the Scriptures and not vnderstand them vntill the liuely voice of some Philip be as a key to open the closet of Gods hidden treasures that is the mysteries of the Gospell vnto them Dignum esset per superiores oculorum fenestras veritatem intrare in animam c. Ber. Ser. 38 in cant It were to be wished that the light of truth might enter into our soules by the windowes of our eyes but this is reserued for vs in the life to come when we shall with most pure and perfect eyes reade in the booke of life and see God face to face But now wee receiue the remedy as the disease first crept