his father primarily not for hiding these things from the wise that is wise in their owne eyes or wise men after the flesh endued with a wisedome which is earthly sensuall diuellish Iames. 3.15 but because though he suffer the prince of darkenesse to blind the mindes of the worldly wise yet he doth openly shâ—w the glorious light of the Gospell vnto babes that is vnto such as became fooles that they may be wise wholly renouncing their owne wit and solely submitting themselues vnto Gods will If Iesus reioyced in the spirit and magnified the Lord of heauen and earth for vs O what thankes ought our selues to present vnto God for our selues Praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within me praise his holy name For mine eyes haue seene thy saluation and mine heart hath often endited a good matter and my pen sometimes is the pen of a readie writer O father of mercie whereas these things are yet hid from the Iewes and from the Turkes and from the superstitious Heathen and from carnall Christians I haue to the great refreshing of my soule through thy grace sweet Iesu both heard by the Gospell and imbraced the Gospell and preached the Gospell and in some measure practised also the Gospell O my soule praise the Lord and forget not all his benefits I will sing vnto the Lord as long as I liue I will praise my God while I haue any being Psal. 104.33 The sweetest of honie lieth in the bottome I passe therefore from Christs inuocation to the latter part of his Gospell his inuitation In which obserue the mouer Iesus moued all that labour and are laden motion Come take my yoke vpon you learne of me motiues I will ease you yee shall finde rest vnto your soules for my yoke is easie and my burthen light The person inuiting is Iesus he saith heere come not to mine but to me not to my Saints or Angels or Martyrs or Mother but to my selfe Send not other it is my pleasure that ye come seeke not for helpe from other I will ease you Come vnto me for I am the way the truth and the life The way by which and the tâ—uth in which and the life for which all of you come None can come but by me none finde ease but in me none rest in ease but with me Come therefore for I am the way learne of me for I am the truth and ye shall find rest vnto your soules for I am the life Come to me for I am as you see willing in saying come and able to relieue you for that all things are giuen vnto me So that aske and ye shall haue seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you None can come to the Father except it bee by the Sonne for no man knoweth the Father saue the Sonne and he to whomsoeuer the Sonne will open him In saying saue the Sonne he doth not exclude the holy spirit being the third person in Trinitie for it is a good conclusion in Diuinitie dictio exclusiua siue exceptiua addita termino personali in essentialibus non excludit ab altera persona diuina God the Father and God the holy Ghost as being all one with the Sonne are in the words nisi filius included and onely the Creator excluded For none know the Father by nature but by the reuelation of the Sonne Wee speake the wisedome of God in a mystery saith Paul which none of the Princes of this world knew hunc magnus Plato nesciuit eloquens Demosthenes ignorauit It is true that wee may know by the light of humane discourse that there is a God for the Godhead is seene by the creation of the world The heauens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handie woâ—ke Psalm 19.1 Yet none know the Father that is a distinction of the persons in sacred Trinity but by the spirit of him in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Coloss. 2.3 And 〈◊〉 our reuealed knowledge is but imperfect in this life They who saw most of God obtained onely the sight of his hinder parts And in the kingdome of glory when as we shall enioy the beholding of his fore-parts also seeing him euen face to face our knowledge shall not be comprehensionis cognitio sed apprehensionis an apprehending rather then a comprehending of his infinite Maiesty Wee shall not euen in that day know so much of the Father as the Father knoweth of himselfe Sola quippe trinitas in vnâ—atis diuinitate seipsam nouit In this life we shall attaine by Christs grace to such an vnderstanding 〈◊〉 God as is fit and in the world to come we shall â—aâ—e so much as is full euen so much as any created vessel is able to containe yet none shall euer 〈◊〉 comprehend that incomprehensible Trinitie none can as it selfe know it selfe Hâ—â—herto concerning the party calling I am now to speake of the persoâ—s inuited All ye that labour and are lader He doth exâ—â—â—â— â—one who came to bring all vnto the knowledge of the truth â—â—al that lâ—â—our then all that liue For man borne of a woman is full of troubâ—e Iob 14.1 Come therefore all ye that labour in your actions and are laden in your passions All ye Iewes who labour vnder the yoke of the law and all ye Gentiles oppâ—essed with the burthen of your sinnes All yee â—hat labour where 〈◊〉 and whensoeuer and howsoâ—â—er afflicted or affâ—â—â—â—d 〈◊〉 misery For these two labâ—ur and lâ—dâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—one conceiue simply the â—â—me signâ—fâ—ing all kind â—f â—â—efe sâ—res and sorrow â—hatsoeuer As in the 6. and 9 Psalmes 〈◊〉 weary of my greamâ—g I am weary of my 〈◊〉 c. To speake more distinctly there is a threefold burthen namely the burthen of â—â—ffliction the law 〈…〉 Christ easeth all such as come to him of all these Concerning the sirâ— great trauâ—ile saith the sonne of Sirach is created for all men and a heaâ—ie yoke vpon the sonnes of Adam euen from the day that they goe out of the mothers wombe till the day that they returne to the mother of all things But Christ a refuge in due time of trouble yea a present helpe doth either take away this burthen froÌ„ our shoulders or else giueth vnto such as come to him abundant strength and patience to beare it Art thou crossed in thy goods it is the Lord who giueth and the Lord who taketh away Cast all your care vpon him and hee will so care for you that this burthen shall be made light and this yoke easie Art thou wronged in thy good name say with Dauid it may bee the Lord will looke vpon mine affliction do me good for Shemi his cursing me this
the Virgins wombe as a bridegroome out of his chamber the Godhead was ioyned vnto the flesh and the flesh vnto the Godhead and these two were coupled together and after an ineffable manner in an ineffable marriage made one Beleeue this and thou shalt haue power to be Gods owne sonne as it is in our text My beloued if thou put on this wedding garment thy soule shall be Christs own spouse so nere so deare to him as that he will say to it I am thy saluation and it may also tell him I am my welbeloueds and my welbeloued is mine For if Pilate by wearing Christs coate without a seame did appease the wrath of angry Caesar how much more shall euery true beleeuer please God our heauenly King if he put on Christ himselfe O the blessed crying of a blessed babe by which euery faithfull seruant and sonne of God escapeth eternall howling in hell O glorious manger in which our soules Manna lay the bread of life that came down from heauen on which if a man feede hee shall not hunger againe O how rich are the ragges which haue made plaisters for our sores for our sinnes I conclude with an hymne of Prudentius Mortale corpus sumpsit immortalitas Vt dum caducum portat aeternus Deus Transire nostrum posset ad coelestia The Epistle Act. 7. 55. And Steuen being full of the holy Ghost looked vp stedfastly with his eyes into heauen c. YEsterday you heard how Christ was borne to day you shall vnderstand how Steuen died In Christs natiuitie who was borne in a little village and in an Inne of that village and in a stable of that Inne and laid in a cratch of that stable wee may learne humilitie not to boast of our great birth In S. Steuens martyrdome wee may behold an excellent patterne how to behaue our selues at our death hauing faith in God and loue toward our neighbours the which assuredly will breed such a Christian resolution in vs as that wee shall depart this life cheerefully lying downe in our graues as in a bed to sleepe for so the text here when hee had thus spoken be fell a sleepe The Church then in ioyning these two festiuals is desirous that wee should learne to liue well as Christ and dye well as Steuen In the words of Augustine Celebraâ—imus hester na die natalem quo rex marâ—yrum natus est in â—â—â—ndo hodie cel bramus natalem quo primicarius martyrâ—um migraâ—â—â— ex mundo Oportebat enim vâ— priâ—â—um immortalis pro mortalibus susciperet carnem sie mortalis pro immortals contemneret mortem Et ideo natus est Dominus vt moreâ—etur pro seruo ne serâ—â—â— timeret mori pro domino Naâ—â—â— est Christus in terris vt Stephanuâ— nasceretur in câ—lis c. And I pray with the same Father hartily donet mihi dominus pâ—â—ca dicere salubriter qui doâ—â—uit Stephane tanto dicere fartiter In the whole text two points are to be considered especially the bloudy behauiour of the Iewes in martyring Steuen godly behauiour of Steuen in his martyrdome toward God in generall hee stedfastly looked vp into heauen and called vpon God particular Lord Iesus receiue my spirit Men heartily praying for his enemies on his knees with a loud voice Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Himselfe vndergoing his martyrdome so comfortably that giuing vp the ghost hee laid downe his head vpon the hard stones as vpon a soft pillow to slâ—epe The Iewes in their blind zeale were so furious and mercilesse that they put Steuen to death who sought to bring them to eternall life stoning him as a blasphemer against God and his law who was a man full of faith and power and the holy Ghost An harsh and an hard fact of a stonie people saith Augustine ad lapides currebant duri ad duros Petris 〈◊〉 qui pro Petra qui Christus est moriebatur Lapides Indaearebellis In Stephanum lymphata rapis quae crimine duro saxeâ— semper eris But of their crueltie toward Steuen and other Prophets of God in the Gospell appointed for this day more copiously The most obseruable point in our present text is the godly behauiour of Steuen in his martyrdome 1. to God he looked vp stedfastly with his eyes into heauen c. As to the place where his treasure was his conuersation was his helpe was Hereby teaching vs whether we should flie for succour in aduersitie not vnto men here below but vnto God in heauen aboue so Dauid When I was in trouble I called vpon the Lord and hee heard me my helpe commeth euen from the Lord. So Iob my witnesse is in heauen and my record is on high And so S. Iames euery good gift is from aboue Calling vpon God and saying Lord. Thomas Becket a renowned Martyr and Saint among the Papists at his death earnestly commended himselfe and his cause to the protection of S. Mary but our protomartyr heere knowing that shee was neque magistra neque ministra neither mistresse of his soule nor yet a ministring spirit to his soule forgetting our Lady calleth vpon our Lord only saying Lord Iesu receiue my spirit the which is not an invocation of God the Father as Fran. Dauid impiously taught making Iesu the Genitiue case and the meaning thus O Father in heauen which art the Lord of thy sonne Iesu but as Ambrose notes a prayer vnto God the Sonne for besides infinite places of holy Scripture wheâ—e Christ is called Lord and called vpon as the Lord. S. Iohn Apocalips 22.20 vseth as Steuen here Iesu in the vocatiue Case etiam veni Domine Iesu euen so come Lord Iesus Where Domine Iesu cannot bee construed the Lord of Iesus but the Lord Iesus See Lorin in loc Bellarmine de Christo lib. 1. cap. 8. If the Lord be considered without Iesus howsoeuer in regard of his power he is able yet in regard of his iustice not willing the good Angels and blessed Saints in heauen are willing but not able wretched vncharitable men on earth are neither able nor willing onely Christ the Mediator betweene God and man is both able and willing to heare vs and helpe vs able because Lord willing because Iesus And therefore Steuen here doth not inuocate the Lord but in the name of Iesus neither doth he call vpon any Iesus but the Lord Iesus he lookes not for any succour either from men on earth or blessed spirits in heauen onely hee poureth out his soule to the redeemer of his soule Lord Iesu receiue my spirit Receiue He knew that his life was hid with Christ in God and therefore commendeth his soule to him alone who created it and redeemed it and iustified it and sanctified it and will in his good time glorifie it O Lord Iesu take thine owne into thine owne
rest as being the tying knot on which all other linkes of holy beleefe depend as I haue shewed often elsewhere but especially Gosp. on S. Thomas and Epist. on S. Andrewes day And they appointed two They nominated more then one that the Lord who knew the hearts of all men might chuse the party that should take the roome of the miniâ—tration and Apostleship from which Iudas by transgression fell And that Matthias might acknowledge that he receiued it as Paul speakes not of man but by the reuelation of Iesus Christ Galath 1.12 The world is a circle God is as it were the center of this circle the waies of men are lines deduced from this center If then euent of the Lotterie hee not expected of diuels nor of the starres nor of any force of fortune but looked and prayed for to be directed by God it is lawfull to vse lots in temporall things as in diuision of lands and inheritance Prou. 18.18 The lot causeth contentions to cease and maketh a partition among the mighty And in spirituall affaires also for it is reported of Zacharias the Priest that his lot was to burne Incense Luk. 1.9 And though ordinary chusing of Prelates and Preachers ought not to be by lots as both Heathens and Christians in this agree yet in some cases extraordinarie to wit if two or three shall happen to stand in election of such equall holinesse and other sufficiency that humane wisedome cannot any waies discerne and so decide which is most fit it is lawfull according to the president in our text to cast lots and so commit the disposition of the choice to God In the lawfull vsing of a Lottery then obserue these remarkeable caueats 1. We must expect the lots euent from God onely Prou. 16.33 The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposition thereof is of the Lord. 2. We may not vse lots in affaires ordinarie but in cases of necessity when as the businesse cannot otherwise be transacted 3. Wee must abandon all vncharitable conceits and all dishonourable deceits Psalm 5.6 The Lord will abhorre the deceitfull man and destroy such as speake leasing 4. We must before we cast lots as the blessed Apostle heere call vpon God in hearty prayer for a blessing on our endeauours I could adde easily more but I remember Augustines rule Secundas habeat partes modestiae quae primas non potuit habere sapientiae If any know lesse then I they may be bold to peruse this and such as vnderstand more then I may read Augustin epist. 180. de doct Christ. lib. 1. cap. 28. con 2. in Psalm 30. Thomas 22 ae quaest 95. art 8. Bellarmin lib. de clericis cap. 5. Sixt. senen vbi supra in marg Aretius Marlorat Kilius in loc And the lot fell on Matthias In the Tabernacle the curtaines of fine twined linnen and blew silke and purple were couered with curtaines of Goats haire Some men are great ornaments in the Church and yet vnfit to gouerne the Church Ornent Ecclesiam qui solis rebus spiritualibus vacant regant Ecclesiam quos labor rerum corporalium non grauat c. It may bee Ioseph as being iust was a fine curtaine in Gods Tabernacle but Matthias a couering as being apt and actiue for gouerment Alia ratio boniciuis boni viri quoth Aristotle euery good man is not a good magistrate Are all Apoâ—â—les are all Prophets are all teachers There be diâ—â—rsities of gifts and diuersities of administrations and diuersities of operations Happily Ioseph excelled in one kind and Matthias in another He who kâ—ew to iudge best of the best for this ministration in his â—ecret wisedome cast the lot on Matthias Or in electing Matthias hee did insinuate that his waies are not as our waies and that hee iudgeth according to the heaâ—ts of all men and not after the flesh or titles or â—uâ—side Ioseph is called Barsabas that is the sonne of rest and innocency surnamed also for his singular honesty â—uâ—tus And yet Matthias is chosen of God howsoeuer not adorned with such commendations before men Here the Gospell and Epistle meet I thanke thee Father Lord of heauen and earth because thou haâ— hâ—d these things from the wise and prudent and hast shewed them vnto babes euen so was â—t thy good pleasure The lot falleth on the sonne of labour afflicted with the load of sinne not on the iust or on the sonne of rest on Matthias and not on Barsabas The Gospell MATTH 11.25 In that time Iesus answered and said I thanke thee O Father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast had these things from the wise and prudent and hast shâ—wed them vnto babes c. CHrists exceeding rich mercy toward vs is manifested in this Scripture by two things especially to wit his inuocation of God I thanke thee O father c. And his inuitation of men Come vnto mee all ye that labour c. In both ioyned together hee that hath an eye to see may behold the chiefe causes of our effectuall vocation Efficient the good pleasure of God the father Lord of heauen and earth c. Materiall babeâ— and all such as labour and are heauie laden Instrumentall Iesus vnto whom all things are giuen Finall refreshing and rest in soule I thanke thee Prayer and thankesgiuing vnto God for benefits obtained in prayer ought alwaies to concurre Christ had often heretofore prayed for the gathering together of the Church as it was prophesied of him in the second Psalme Desire of me and I will giue thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the vttermost parts of the earth for thy possession And now his prayer being heard he rendreth vnto God his praise Father I thanke thee Lord of heauen and earth In which one line three wicked errours are consuted first the words I thanke thee consound the Iewes assuming that Christ was a blas 〈◊〉 Secondly father ouerthroweth Arrians an 〈◊〉 â—ch as deny Christ to bee Gods eternall sonne Thirdly heauen crosseth the Manicheans opinion holding God to bee Creator of visible things onely but not of inuisible Because thou hast hid those things from the wise Hee did not absolutely thanke his father for hiding the mysteries of his sauing grace from the wise but for that be reuealed them vnto babes You may reade the like phrase Rom. 6.17 God be thanked that ye haue been the seruâ—nts of inne but ye haue obtained from the heart vnto be forme of the doctrine which was deliuered vnto you 〈◊〉 blessed Apostle did not giue thankes vnto God for that the Romans had made their members as weapons of iniquitie but because they who sometime were the seruants of sinne through his grace were now the seruants of righteousnesse as Primasius vpon the place Gratias Deo quia fuist is sed ipso liberatore iam non estis Euen so Christ heere thankes
An EXPOSITION OF THE FESTIVALL EPISTLES AND Gospels vsed in our English Liturgie Together with a reason why the Church did chuse the same By IOHN BOYS Doctor of Diuinitie The first part from the Feast of S. ANDREVV the Apostle to the Purification of blessed MARY the Virgin Psalme 151.1 Laudate Dominum in Sanctis eius LONDON Printed by EDVVARD GRIFFIN for William Aspley 1615. TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD GEORGE BY the diuine prouidence Lord Archbishop of CANTERBVRIE Primate of all England and Metropolitane c. My very good Lord. I Finde three sundrie readings of the first words in the last Psalme Praise God in vis Saints praise God in his sanctitie praise God in his Sanctuarie God is to be praised in his Saints as hauing out of the riches of his mercie bestowed on them eminent gifts of grace the which as their bequeathed legacies and onely true reliques are to be remembred often in Gods Church vnto Gods people that as B. Latimer speakes wee may worship the Saints in following their good examples And so these three lines meeting in one center intimate that the most holy being donor of euery good and perfect gift ought to be magnified in his Sanctuarie for his sanctitie conferred vpon his Saints whereby they shined as lights in this heauen on earth and now shine like starres in heauen of heauen For this end I haue begun and I hope to finish an exposition of the Festiuall Epistles and Gospels vsed in our English Liturgie The which howsoeuer herein I may seeme bold yet am I bound to dedicate vnto your Grace for many respectiue considerations especially for this one because your honourable disposition in the middest of a crooked nation is euermore to be both a patron and a paterne of vnfained sanctitie Thus humbly beseeching the Lord to blesse and your Grace to sauour these my labours I rest Your Graces seruant in all dutie IOHN BOYS S. ANDREVVES DAY The Epistle ROM 10.9 If thou knowledge with thy mouth that Iesus is the Lord and beleeue in thy heart that God raised him vp from death thou shalt be safe c. THE Gospell and Epistle chosen for this Fesâ—iuall intimate the true reason of our Church in celebrating the memories of the blessed Apostles and Euangelists vnto Gods honour namely because they were fishers of men ambassadours of peace preachers of good tidings euen the disposers of the riches of God in Christ indiffâ—rently to men of all sexes and sorts in that their sound went out into all lands and their words into the ends of the world and so by consequent principall instruments of God in the worke of our saluation and eternall happinesse Which our Apostle sheweth heere by this Sorites or gradation Whosoeuer â—allâ—th on the name of the Lord shall be saued Inuocation is by faith Faith is by hearing of the word Hearing is by the Preachers And Preachers are sent of God c. Ergâ— such as haue learned Christ in their minde beleeuing vndoubtedly with their mouth acknowledging him vndauntedly for their Iesus ought to praise God in his Apostles as being after Christ immediately the first and vnder Christ absolutely the chiefe Trumpetors of the Gospell which is the power of God vnto saluation In the whole text two points are remarkable Cansa causatâ— the means of our iustification and herein a Proposition If thou knowledge c. verse 9. Proofe 1. From a sufficient enumeration of the principall heads of Christianitie Faith for to belâ—eue with the heart instifieth Good works to knowledge with the mouth c. vers 10. 2. From the testimonie of the Prophets Esay Whosoeuer beleeueth on him c. vers 11. Ioel Whosoeuer doth call c. vers 13. Causa causae the meane for these meanes and that is the preaching of the Gospell in this respect aptly termed the word of faith vers 8. If thou knowledge S. Paul hauing in the Chapter afore sufficiently discoursed of the reâ—ection of the Iewes A priore from Gods absolute decree shewing mercie on whom he will and whom he will hardening he commeth in this present to demonstrate the same point â— postâ—riore from their obstinate incredulitie stablishing their owne righteousnesse and not submitting themselues vnto the righteousnesse of God in Christ apprehended and applied by faith only declaring it selfe in a twofold act one which is outward to confesse with the mouth another which is inward to beleeue with the heart Some confesse but beleeue not as hypocrites other beleeue but confesse not as timorous and Peter-like professors in the daies of persecution other doe neither confesse nor beleeue on Christ as Atheists other both confesse and beleeue and they be true Christians A bare confessing with the mouth is not enough except thou beleeue with thine heart Esay 29.13 This people come neere to mee with their mouth and honor me with their lips but haue remoued their heart farre from me c. Neither is it sufficient vnto saluation only to beleeue with the heart vnlesse thou confesse with the mouth according to that vnauoidable sentence Math. 10.33 Whosoeuer shall denie me before men him also will I denie before my father which is in heauen Now though in nature beleeuing with the heart preceed confessing with the tongue yet Paul mentioneth acknowledging in the first place for that wee doe not know the faith of such as beleeue but by their confession according to that of S. Iames I will shew thee my faith by my workes Heere then obserue that to confesse the Lord Iesus is necessary both in respect of other and our selues In respect of other as being herewith armed in the times of persecution and instructed in the daies of peace Christ is the fountaine of the waters of life faith in the heart is as the pipes and cesterne that receiue in and hold the water and confession with the mouth as the cocke of the Conduit that lets out the water vnto euery commer And therefore let your light so shine before men as that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen Againe to confesse that is to praise Christ in thy words and to doe whatsoeuer appertaineth vnto his worship is needfull in regard of our selues in that a true faith is neuer idle but alway working by loue Galath 5.6 For although it iustifieth alone yet is it no more alone then the heat of the Sâ—nne which alone warmes the earth is seuered from light â—or then Christ is diâ—â—oined from his spirit Calâ—â—â— apud 〈◊〉 de Iustist at lib. 1 cap. 15. § Caluinus or men a hand when it alone doth apprehend any thing is separated from the bodie Luther apuâ—â— Sanderâ—m de Iustis◠〈…〉 4 cap. 4. This doctrine makes against the 〈◊〉 in o'd time defending this 〈◊〉 Iura peruira secretum
the commandements of God and more then euer he commanded as the precepts of the Church and Euangelicall counsels and so do works of supererogation or is any so great a Puritan as the Pope who maketh himselfe a God in greatnesse and a God in goodnesse a God in greatnesse in that his vnlimited authoritie doth dispence with the lawes of God in this world and alter his iudgements in another hauing power terrestriall in vsurping the whole world for his Diocesse vsupernâ—d extended to heauen in canonizing Saints infernall extended to hell in freeing soules out of Purgatorie a God in goodnesse for he cannot as Pope quateâ—us Papa erre in doctrine and hee may not be told of his errors in manners his holinesse is holy si non sanctitâ—ate propria sanctus tamen sanctitate officij Whether the Pope be Iudas or Peter or Paul thereof God neuer bade vs be carefull onely this that he sitteth in Peters Chaire shall be sufficient for vs. If wee say wee haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and truth is not in vs. Euen the iust faâ—leth often and the godly Fathers euermore complained of the corruptions in their age Tertuâ—â—â—in said O not miseros qui Christiani dicimur loc tempore gentes agimus sub nomine Christi Gregorie Nazianzâ—ne speaketh thus of the pitifull estate of his owne time Wee that are Christians are hated of the Heathen for our owne vices sake we are now become a wonder not onely to men and Angels but euen to all the wicked and vngodly More lately Gueuara The Philosophers beleeued as Paganes but liued as Christians whereas we quoth he beleeue like Christians but liue like Paganes Honoured Whitaker examining the dissolutenesse of al degrees in England cried out in exceeding great passion Aut hoc non est euangelium aut nos non sumus euangelici The reuerend Deane of Worcester as yet more fully The fatall miserie of these latter daies hath made nothing good but in shew nothing true bâ—t in opinion when for iustice betweene kingdome and kingdome the longer sword hath eaten vp the law of nations and for iustice betweene subiects vnder the same gouernment lawes are lost in the cases of the law and for the preseruer of all both truth and iustice religion it selfe is in a manner lost in the questions of religion Of all men Christians are the best of all Christians vndoubtedly the primitiue professors of all the primitiue professors Christs owne Disciple of all the Disciples his chosen Apostles and yet these men were but men subiect to manifold sinnes albeit they were Saints and their infirmities are recorded in holy Bible partly for the glorie of God and partly for our good For Gods honour that his sauing health might be knowne vpon earth and the riches of his mercie shewed in pardoning offences according to that of Dauid Against thee my God haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight that thou mightest be iustified in thy saying In what saying I pray but in this and the like where sinne abounded there grace superabounded Againe the sinnes of the blessed Apostles are registred in the Gospels historie for our good that wee might neither presume nor yet despaire not presume for we may feare falles if these had their slips not despaire because Christ forgot and forgaue Peters blasphemie the proud ambition of the sonnes of Zebedâ—us and heere Thomas his incredulitie speaking so mildly working so mercifully with him as that his sore was made his salue his vnbeleeuing at the first occasioning greater faith in him afterward Memento peccati vt dole as Memento mortis vt desinas Memento diuinâ— iustitiae vt time as Memento miscricordiae ne desperes Hitherto concerning the sinnes of godly men in generall I come now to Thomas his faults in particular and they be principally two First his absence from the meeting of the Disciples according to the tenour of our Text Thomas one of the twelve was not with them when Iesus came Christ had often foretold his Apostles that he should be put to death and that he should rise againe the third day from the dead and therefore a little before his passion he made promise to them â—fter I am risen againe I will goe before you into Galile Now then according to this word as wee read in the former part of this Chapter euen the same day wherein hee rose againe hee came when the doores were shut into the place where the Disciples were gathâ—red together and stood in the middes and said to them peace be vnto you But Thomas either vpon supine negligence or cowardly feare being absent from their assembly lost the sight of his Sauiour Wherefore let vs I beseech you be diligent in frequenting the congregation of the faithfull especially on the Lords day for where two or three are gathered together in Christs name there Christ is in the mids of them and faith as here peace be vnto you They who gathered Manna alone lost their labour and found nothing Falleris sancte Thoma falleris si videre dominum â—peras ab apostolorum Collegio separatus non â—mat veritas angulos sed stat in mediâ— c. saith Bernard Thou art deceiued Thomas exceedingly deceiued if thou thinke to see Christ out of the Church and Colledge of Apostles He lurkes not in the dennes of the wicked but stands in the mids of the godly appearing in holy ground found in the Temple seen among the Disciples The second fault of Thomas arising from the former is incredulitie for his absence from the Disciples assembly was the cause hee saw not Christ his not seeing of Christ occasioned vnbeliefe and then his vnbeleeuing heart breakes forth into malapert words except I see in his hands the print of the nailes c. I finde that some Writers haue much excused this fact of Didymus as Cyril who thought he spake not thus out of incredulitie but out of a sudden passion as being extremely greeued for that he lost the sight of his Sauiour and almost out of hope that hee should euer see him againe because Christ had said a little while and ye shall not see me for I goe to my Father And S. Augustine saith also that these words of Thomas argue not a denying but a doubting only Vox inquirentis est non negantis dum hoc dicit docerivoluit confirmarâ— desiderauit And S. Ambrose most expresly that Thomas doubted not of Christs resurrection but of the manner of his resurrection onely Non de resurrectione Domini sed de resurrectionis qualitate videtur dubitasse This I confesse is a charitable construction of those holy Fathers extenuating rather then aggrauating the sinnes of others especially the godly But Christ himselfe being truth it selfe reprehends in our Text Thomas incredulitie be not faithlesse but faithfull and therefore
granted hee doth insist in the latter part only prouing at large that Christ is God And that In respect of the Glorie of his name being Gods owne sonne and heire of all things Worthinesse of his person as being The brightnesse of the glorie of God and the very image of his person Greatnesse of his power vpholding all things by his mightie word Benefit purchased for vs hauing by himselfe purgedous sinnes Dignitie procured to himself in that he sitteth at the right hand of the maiesty on high In all which he doth excell Angels as first hauing obtained a more excellent name then they For albeit Angels are called sonnes of God in respect of their creation and Israel the first borne of God and all elect the children of God in respect of adoption and grace yet no man or Angell is the sonne of God by nature but Christ alone begotten of the substance of the Father as being the brightnesse of his glorie and expresse image of his person Of whom the Father said in the second Psal. Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee And in another text I will be his father and he shall be my sonne And when hee bringeth in the first begotten sonne into the world he saith and let all Angels worship him Insinuating that Christ is not onely greater then Angels but also God to be honoured of all Angels Againe whereas Christ is an eternall King whose scepter is a right scepter and whose throne is for euer and euer Angels are but subiects and seruants according to that of the Psalmist He maketh his Angels spirits and his ministers a flime of fire Moreouer Christ in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth and the heauens are the workes of his hands and all that in them is things visible and inuisible whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all were created by him and for him and therefore seeing Christ is Creator and Angels his creatures hee doth excell them as farre as things infinite can exceed things finite Lastly Christ sitteth at the right hand of the Maiestie on high heereby signifying that God hath giuen him all power in heauen and in earth and taken him into the fâ—llowship of his glorie for all things that the father hath are mine saith our Sauiour whereas Angâ—ls howsoeuer the he hold the face of our heauenly father and enioy his presence yet are they but mâ—ssâ—ngers and miâ—â—ters extending about his throne for the good of such as are â—eires of saluation as the Nightingale of Prince sweeâ—ty The sacred tutors of the Saints the guard of Gods elect the pursuiuants prepar'd To execute the counsels of the highest Gods glorious Heralds heauens swift harbingers Twixt heauen and earth the true interpreters And here let vs according to the present occasion of text and time magnifie the Father of mercy for that the Sonne of God on this day for our sake became the sonne of man yea seruant vnto men in that he came into the world not to be serued but to serue Matth. 20.28 For that the brightnesse of Gods glorie tooke vpon him the vilenesse of our nature being made a worme and no man a very scorne of men and outcast of the people For that he who was more excellent then Angels at this time became lesse then Angels that hee might make vs so great as Angels Vt not equaret Angelis minoratus est ab Angelis for that he who laid the foundation of the earth and made the world was himselfe now made Factor terra factus in terra Creator coeli creatus sub coelo being the childe of Mary who was the father of Mary Sine quo pater nunquam fuit sine quo mater nunquam fuisser so that whereas Dauid Psalme 118.24 This is the day which the Lord hath made we may say This is the day wherein the Lord was made wee will reioice and be glad in it For that he who sits on the right hand of the maiestie on high and measureth the waters in his fist and heauen with his spanne was now lodged in a stable crouded in a cratch and swadled in a few ragges O beloued if we were not in this great light of the Gospell almost so blinde as the Bat we would wish our selues all eie to behold the babe Iesus in the manger If wee were not as deafe as the stubborne Adder we would wish our selues all eare to heare the tidings of great ioy to all people namely that vnto vs is borne this day in the citie of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord. If we were not in some sort possessed with a dumbe spirit wee would wish our selues all tongue to chaunt that heauenly caroll of the glorious Angels Glory be to God on high and in earth peace and good will toward men It is the fashion of many men at this festiuall especially to boast of their rich attire great attendance good fire large cheere yet seeing Christ is heire of all things in the world they cannot in their owne right enioy so much as a Christmas log or a Christmas pye till they be first ingraffed in him I may haue from man my warrant on earth heere that my land is mine my benefice mine my coate mine house horse hose mine and he is a very theefe that taketh away these from me But all the men in the world cannot giue me my possession before the liuing God but his sonne Christ onely who is heire of all and therefore that our land may bee our owne our apparell our owne our meate our owne our men and money our owne let vs be Christs that in him wee may haue the good assurance of all our substance that I may pronounce that vnto you which our Apostle to the Corinthians All are yours and yee Christs and Christ Gods The Gospell IOHN 1.1 In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God c. SAint Peter was an Apostle but not an Euangelist S. Luke an Euangelist but not an Aposâ—le S. Matthew was both an Euangelist and an Apostle but not a Prophet but our S. Iohn was all these in his Epistles an Apostle in his Apocalyps a Prophet in compiling his Gospell an Euangelist In which as Interpretors haue with one consent obserued he moâ—nts as an Fagle for whâ—râ—as his felow Euangelists specially treat of the conception birth education and other points of Christâ— incarnation in the world Saint Iohn flying higher then these beginneth his hâ—storie with Christs eternall generation before the worlds in the beginning was the word c. aâ— Augustine vpon my text transcender at omâ—â— cacuminâ— moâ—tiâ—m terrarum transcender at omnes â—ampos â—eris transcender at omnes alâ—s â—dines syderum tranâ—câ—ndâ—rat omnes choros legiones Angelorum nisi enim transcenderet â—sta omnis
or metonymically vnderstanding by the world men of the world Mundus non capit idest non intelâ—git the world cannot comprehend that is apprehend the bookes that should be written A very lanke conceit for the world in this sense cannot vnderstand so much as one line of the Gospell according to that of Paul The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God Other take these words as spoken hyperbolically for the spirit of God accommodating it selfe to the rudenesse of men vseth elsewhere this kind of figure Deut. 1.28 The Cities of the Canaanites are said to haue been walled vp to heauen Exod. 3.17 The land of the same Canaanites is tearmed a soyle flowing with milke and honie Psal. 107. The men who goe downe into the sea in ships and occupie their businesse in great waters are so tossed in the deepe by the stormie winds and waues as that Dauid saith in the 26 vers They mount vp to the heauen and are carried downe againe to the depths And so S. Iohn in auowing the world could not containe c. doth intimate that if all the things which Iesus did should bee written euery one the number of the bookes in folio would be without number As high walles and huge waues are said to reach heauen euen so these bookes hyperbolically to be greater then all the world Other construe this verse literally Iesus is that eternall word in the beginning by whom all things were made Iohn 1.3 and by whose mighty word all things are sustained Heb. 1.3 working from the foundation of the world hitherto Iohn 5.17 So that if euery thing which Iesus did as God both afore the world and in the world should be registred all this huge vniuerse though it be Gods faire library could not containe the bookes that should be written And thus as you see the conclusion of this Gospell is answerable to the beginning both intimating Christs incomprehensible diuinitie Hee made the whole world at the first and hee gouernes all things in the world euer lithens and therefore most impossible that all his words and works and wonders should bee recorded in bookes albeit euery plant were a pen euery drop of water inke euery foot of land paper and euery liuing creature a ready writer The Disciplethen who wrote these things as Horace said of Homer hath so fitly disposed of his whole storie The Epistle APOCAL. 14.1 I looked and loe a Lambe stood on the mount Sion c. THis text is nothing else but a description of Christ a Lambe sitting on mount Sion The Church in quantitie an hundreth fortie and foure thousand qualitative for Faith in that her coÌ„fession is Open hauing his name and his fathers name written in their foreheads a voice like the sound of many waters and great thunder Harmonicall singing a new song of diuerse parts and yet all agreeing as the voice of harpers harping with their harps Good workes in that her children are not defiled with women and in their mouthes is no guile for they follow the Lambe whithersoeuer he goeth and the reason of all is because they were redeemed from the earth and from men that they might be the first fruits vnto God and to the Lambe A Lambe stood on the mount Sion Christ the Sonne of God is the Lambe of God euen the Lambe here mentioned as it is apparant by his correlatiue father For so the text hauing his name and his fathers a Lambe in figure and a Lambe in fact In figure for Christ Iesus is our Pascall Lambe 1. Cor. 5.7 slaine from the beginning of the world Apocal. 13.8 prefigured in the sacrifices of the Law so well as now presented in the Sacraments of the Gospell As one pithily Prius profuit quà m fuit A Lambe indeed so meeke as a Lambe Like a Lambe dâ—â—â—be before his shearer A Lambe for that hee feedeth all his with his flesh and clotheth all his with his white robe of righteousnesse whereby wee stand as it is in our text without spot before the throne of God And this Lambe sits not idle nor lieth asleepe but standeth alwaies in a readinesse to protect his followers He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleepe Psalm 121.4 Hee standeth not as the beast in fickle sand or sea but on mount Sion which cannot be remoued Psal. 125 1. In the middest of his inheritance the Church against which hell gates shall not preuaile For Sion is a type of Christs Kingdome called often in holy Scripture Ierusalem aboue prepared in the top of the mountaines and exalted aboue the hils He stands on a mount higher then either earth or sea from whence the two beasts his opposites arise So that he is willing to defend his followers as standing and able for that he stands on a mount and left any should doubt of this our Apostle saith I looked and loe Two words of attention assuring vs hereby that the woman persecuted in the wildernesse that is the Church afflicted in the world shall at the last haue the victorie though all the red Dragons on earth and al the blacke deuils in hel furiously rage together against the Lord and against his anointed And here giue mee leaue to remember an obseruable note touching the writings of S. Iohn how that in his Gospell he teacheth especially faith in his Epistles especially loue in his Apocalyps especially hope This booke being as reuerend Bellinger censure h Euangeliâ—â—ssineâ—ss liber of all holy Scripture the fullest of consolation And with him an hundred fortie and foure thousand This affoords comfort that the Lambe stands not alone but hath on his side many from East and West as well Gentiles as Iewes hauing his fathers name written in their foreheads It is thought by some that this number is mysticall insinuating the perfection of Gods elect because both the duodenarie number and millinarie are numbers of perfection It is a certaine number because the Lord knoweth who are his 2. Tim 2.19 as hauing their names written in his booke yet a definite for an infinite as almost all haue noted in that the number of such as are with the Lambe is a multitude which no man is able to number Apocalyps 7.9 it is in it selfe a very great number but in comparison of the company fauouring lies and following Antichrist it is a little flocke a few people which are redeemed from the earth selected out of those innumerable troops of small and great rich and poore bond and free whose names are not written in the booke of life of the Lambe Apoc. 13.8 16. Hauing his name and his fathers name written in their foreheads The vulgar Latine Aretas Ardens and other reade as the translation of Hen. 8 and our Communion booke His name and his fathers name the which is more significant then
vsuall with God to take the wilie in their owne craftinesse and therefore seeing Herod mocked the Wisemen it pleased the Lord to direct the Wisemen in such a course that they likewise mocked Herod The craftie Fox deluded the Wisemen in telling them he would if after their diligent search hee should vnderstand where he was adore the babe for his intent was sauire non seruire to woorie not to worship that innocent Lambe And the Wisemen deluded Herod in returning to their Country not by Hierusalem as they went but another way Then Herod seeing hee was mocked of the Wisemen was exceedingly wroth and sent foorth men of warre c. for when once tyrants cannot preuaile with craft they come to crueltie when Politicians Rhetoricke failes Carters Logicke must doe the feat Great bodies are discerned easily with a little light but small things are not found in the darke without a great light God the Father in the Creation of the world is so glorious and so great that the little light of nature sheweth his handie worke Psalm 19.1 but God the Sonne in our Redemption is so little that we need a great starre to direct vs vnto the babe Iesus lying in a manger a large measure of faith and grace to finde the great God made a little childe No maruell then if Herod could not finde seeing he did seeke not in faith as hoping to be saued by Christ but in furie meaning to destroy Christ. And the reason heereof is rendrâ—d in this present Chapter at the 3. verse When Herod heard of Christs birth at Bethlehem hee was troubled and all Herusalem with him as fearing that this babe being lineally descended from the seed of King Dauid should in time challenging the Scepter of Iudea thrust him out of his kingdome Successor instat pellimur Satelles i fâ—rrum rape Perfunde Câ—nas sâ—nguine Mas omâ—is infans occâ—deâ— Scrutare nutricum â—inus Interâ— materna â—berâ— Ensem cruenter pusiâ— O foolish Herod wilt thou not suffer the King of heauen and earth and the whole world to reigne in â—uâ—ie wilt thou be so barbarous as fearing thy successour to kill thy Sauiour Well maiest thou seeke but thou thalt not see the destruction of his Kingdome for his Scepter is a right Scepter and his Trone is for euer and euer Well maiest thou destroy the bodies of poore children but their liues are hâ—d with the babe Iesus in God and â—o thy mischiefe shall turne to mercie Quoâ— Rex impius eximit maâ—do Christus inserit Carlo for they died for him who was to die for them and so death had no conquest ouer them Moriuntur propter Christum qui 〈…〉 facit vt ipsâ— miâ—â— morte teneri possent Herod represents the deuill who stands before the woman in the wildernesse great with childe readie to deuoure her babe Hee knew that the seed which should breake his head was to be borne of the Iewes and therefore caused Pharao to murther all the Hebrew males Exod. 1. and stirred â—p Haman to destroy the whole Nation of the Iewes Ester 3. and Athalia to kill all the sonnes of Dauid 2. Kings 1â— and here so soone as the noise was of Christs birth hee did cut the throats of all the children in Bethlehem and in all the coâ—sts thereof from two yeeres old and vnder Mystically Satan as soone as he seeth in anâ—â— any good motion he stands as Herod here ready to kill it although it be neuer so little a babe In Râ—man as there a voice heard That is in excelso for the voice of bloud is loud and câ—ieth euen from earth vnto heauen euery murther is sacriledge for that our bodie are the temples of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 Herod then at once committed many foâ—le sacriledges in slaying so many both in towne and countrey who were so great innocents in being so little children that as Prudentius excellently Locum minutis aâ—rubus Vix interemptor invenit Que plagade seendat patens Iugloque maior pâ—gio eâ—t This barbarous outrage caused lamentation weeping and mourning that is lamentation of the mothers weerâ—â—â— of the children and such a mourning on all sides as that the cry penetrating the clouds and knocking at heauen gate did enter into the cares of the Lord of hostes Horrendis grauiter Coelum pulsasse querelis The Epistle Rom. 4.8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sinne c. OVr Apostle conâ—â—mes in this Chapter that do 〈◊〉 which hee deliuered in the former namely 〈…〉 of the Law but freely 〈…〉 and this he prooues in our text by 〈…〉 â—â—pecially 1. From 〈◊〉 monie 〈◊〉 is the man c. 2. From 〈◊〉 example Wee say that faith was imputed vnto Abraham for righteousnesse c. Now Paul mentioneth Abraham and Dauid in this controuersie because their workes were most glorious among the Iewes in somuch as they called Abraham father and Dauid is stiled a man according to Gods owne heart The paterne then of Abraham accounted righteous before God by faith and the precept of Dauid affirming that our blessednesse consists in the remission of our sinnes and not in the perfection of our vertues are both exceeding fit and well accommodated vnto the present purpose Blessed is the man By blessed in the Psalme Paul vnderstands heere iustified for iustification is blessednes begun glorification blessednesse perfited In this life blessednesse is but begun and therefore Dauid faith in the cited Psalme For this shall euery one that is godly make his prayer vnto thee in a time when thou mayest bee found And Christinioyneth vs daily to pray for giue vs our trespasses in the world to come blessednesse is consummated for when we shall haue no more sinne then we shall haue no more sorrow Whose vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen Some distinguish thus iniquities are forgiuen in Baptisme couered in repentance not imputed in martyrdome Other thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are transgressions against the word written according to that 1 Iohn 3.4 and so the Iewes hauing Gods Law did offend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are trespasses against the rule of nature not ingrauen in stone nor written with inke but imprinted in the conscience and so the Gentiles hauing not the law were sinners Other thus originall iniquities are forgiuen in Baptisme quoad Culpam and actuall transgressions are couered in loue quoad pâ—nam or iniquitâ—tâ—t are faults of infidelitie called in holy Scripture sinne Catexâ—chen Iohn 16.8 He will reproâ—â— the world of sinne that â— as Christ expounds himselfe of vnbeliefe peccata are faults in manners as other our sins are forgiuen in respect of the wrong done to God and couered in respect of the shame due to vs vt sic velentur nâ— in indicio reuclentur For in sinne three things are to be
shewes to bee most excellent in regard of Himselfe Vnto mee the least of all Saints is this grace giuen Other God Vnsearchable riches of Christ â—idde in God c. Angels Vnto rulers and powers in heauenly things c. Men to make all mensee what the fellow shippe of the mystery is and that by Christ wee might haue boldnesse c. The summe of all which is seeing I haue receiued so much good and endured so much euill for your sake seeing the great mystery concerning the common saluation as S. Iude speakes in his Epistle was not in times past opened vnto the ionnes of men on earth or to the blessed Angels in heauen as it is now declared by the spirit seeing I say yee may see what is the fellowshippe of the mysterie which euen from the beginning hath 〈◊〉 hid in God I desire you not to faint in your course but to continue stedfast in the profession of this holy faith vnto your liues end For this cause Some Diuines haue troubled themselues and other in examining the context heere but it is among words as among men affinnity which is neerest ought to be dearest and therefore seeing the first words of this chapter agree very well with the last of the former I take the coherence to b◠〈◊〉 â—â—uer preached that you Gentile in 〈…〉 〈…〉 are noâ— citizens with the Saints 〈◊〉 together in Christ the châ—â—â— corner stone to be the 〈…〉 And for th◠〈◊〉 namely for that I have together that you Gentiles are 〈…〉 I 〈◊〉 hated of my countrimen accused in their Synagogue 〈◊〉 â—â— their councels iniured by their offâ—cer◠〈…〉 appeale to Casar I was sent to 〈◊〉 where I am apâ—â—â—â—er as you may reade at large in the fast eight chapâ—â— of the Acts of the Apostles A priâ—â—ner of Iesus Câ—râ—â— He was the prisoner of Caâ—ar but Caesâ— had his authoritie from aboue for there is no power but of God Whoâ—oeuer then is in prison is â—â—â—tâ—s Ieâ—u Christs though otherwise libâ—â—â—â—â—eâ—u Christs suffering by Gods power and permittance â—ho can whâ—n he wâ—ll and will as shall make moâ—t for â—â— glorie proclame libâ—rtie to the captues and oâ—â—niâ—g â—â— the prison vnto them that are â—â—â—â—d Or he was â—â—e priâ—oâ—eâ— Châ—â—â—â— as enduring his â—ond for Christs faith and seruice Vâ—â—â—â—s noâ—â— Chrs to â—eâ—pro Christo. Namely for preaching among the Gentiles the eâ—searchable â—â—hes of Chrâ—st as it is in the S. verse So that whereas two thing especially commend a Maâ—tyr saith in Christ and loâ—e to the Church boâ—h are meâ— in the Apostle Hee suffeâ—ed for the true faith a pâ—iâ—onâ—r of Ieâ—â—s Christ and out of vnfained loue to Godâ— people Fâ—r â—â—u Gentiles as it iâ— in the hitteenâ—h verse â—or your sakeâ— euen for your good and example thaâ— yee likewise may conâ—â—nue conâ—tant in the sincere pâ—â—feâ—â—ion of Christianitie Fâ—â—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 is your glorie that ye hâ—â—e such â—n inâ—truâ—tor as is Christâ—n â—n boâ—d noâ— for any faction of yourâ— or fault of his oâ—ne but â—â—r confeâ—ence toâ—â—â—d God euen for the â—â—â—irâ—â—â—n â—f the grâ—â—e whâ—â—h â—s â—â—â—en â—ee to you-ward See Epistle Sâ—nday 16. after Trinitie Hitherto concerning the griefe which our Apostle suffered in Christs cause for the Gentiles I come now to treate of the grace which he receiued In respect of his knowledge being Certaine By reuelation shewed he the mysterie to me Full euen so perfectly reuealed that in a few words you may read and vnderstand â—y knowledge in the mysterie of Christ. Excellent which in other ages was not made knowne vnto the sonnes of men as it is now declared c. Practise whereof I am made a Minister according to the gift of the grace of God which is giuen vnto me c. If you haue heard of the ministration of the grace The calling of ' aul to be the Doctor of the Gentiles as it was knowne vnto himselfe by reuelation so to them by report If yee haue heard c. As if he should haue said if ye doubt not of my calling ye may be well assured of my doctrine But ye cannot doubt of my calling as hauing often heard how Christ in a vision appeared to me saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou me And when I had answered Lord what wilâ— thou haue mee to doe Iesus told Ananiâ—â—s in another vision Hee is a chosen vessell vnto mee to beare my name before the Gentiles and Kings and the children of Israel And so God separated mee from my mothers wombe and called me by his grace to reueale his sonne among the Gentiles as the Gospell ouer the circumcision was committed to Peter so the Gospell ouer the vncircumcision was committed vnto me being an Apostle not of men or by man Galat. 1.1 Or after man Gal. 1.11 but the ministration of Gods grace was giuen vnto me by the reuelation of Iesus Christ. The word mimstration or dispensation may bee construed either passiuely being a grace giuen and dispensed to Paul or actiuely for that Paul was dispenser of it vnto other 1. Cor 4.1 Let a man so thinke of vs as of the ministers of Christ and disposers if the secrets of God His office then is called a dispensation For that it consisteth in the dispensing of Christs vnsearchable riches And the Gospell is called here Gods grace for that it is faithfully deliuered and fruitfully receiued nor by mans merit but onely through Gods free grace Preaching in the teacher and beleeuing in the hearer are both the faire gifts of God Or the Gospell is called Gods grace because the summe thereof is nothing else but the preaching of Gods exceeding rich mercies in Christ intimating that our iustification is not by the workes of the Law but freely by grace through faith As I wrote afore in few words I finde that some construe this of that which is written in other Epistles vnto other men as to Philemon and other Churches as to that of Colossus and Philippi Marlorat is of opinion that our Apostle wrote another Epistle though it bee not extant vnto the Church of Ephesus Other referre this clause to that which is deliuered in this present Epistle to wit vnto that which is sayd in the two former chapters Or to that in chap. 1. vers 9. or chap. 2. vers 14. He is our peace which hath made of both one and hath broken the step of the partition wall In this little briefe is contained all that great mysterie which in times past was not opened vnto the sonnes of men as it is now declared by the spirit that the Gentiles should bee fellow heires and of the same body and partakers of the same promise in Christ by the Gospell Which mysterie in times past was not opened vnto the sonnes of men This verse cannot easily bee digested as one sayd without a graine of
of Remaliahs sonne For albeit they determine to depose thee and to dispose of thy Kingdome purposing to set vp in thy throne the sonne of â—abeal vers 6 Yet thus saith the Lord God their counsell shall not stand neither shall it bee for the head of Aramis Damascus and the head of Damascus is Rezin and within threescore and fiue yeeres Ephraim shall be broken from being a people As if he should say these two kingdomes shall haue their limits and their two Kings must be content with their owne greatnesse they both aspire to the Crown but I haue set them their bounds which they shall not passe Beleeue my words and it shall goe well with you but if ye will not beleeue surely ye shall not bee established vers 9. And therefore that Ahaz and his people might giue credit to this promise the Lord saith our text spake once more to Ahaz Where note Gods long suffering and patience toward an Idolatious and a wicked King who did not vprightly in the sight of the Lord his God 〈◊〉 Dauid his father â— but made his sonne goe thorow the fire after the abominations of the Heathen whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel and offered and burnt incense in the high places and on the hilles and vnder euery greene tree The Lord desired not the death of a sinner but that he may turne from his euill waies and liue speaking to him as heere to Ahaz againe and againe turne you turne you for why will ye die O yee house of Israel He doth inuite to mercie not onely such as are godly men according to the prayer of Dauid Do well O Lord vnto those that be good and true of heart But he maketh his Sunne to rise on the euill and sendeth his raine on the iust and on the vniust Matth. 5.45 Hee is not slacke faith Peter in comming to iudgement as some men count sâ—â—icknesse but is patient toward vs and would haue no man to perish but would all men to come to repentance Wherefore thou whosoeuer thou bee which art in the gall of bitternesse selling thy selfe to worke wickednesse nay giuing thy selfe to wantonnesse to commit all vncleanenesse euen with greedinesse How dost thou thinâ—e thou shalt escape the iudgement of God or despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience and long sufferance not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance The Lord spake to Ahaz againe yet not onely for his sake nor for the wicked alone but rather to prouide for the weake which had some seeds of Godlinesse For albeit they did offend the Lord very much in their distrust and Idolatrie yet God as being the father of mercies in wrath remembers mercy Habac. 3.2 Compassion and forgiuenesse is in the Lord our God albeit wee haue rebelled against him Dan. 9.9 Require a token of the Lord thy God As if Esay should haue said I perceiue you giue credit to my report entertaining my speech as the words of a meere man and not as the word of God Wherfore to demonstrate that I come not in mine owne name but from the Lord of Hosts Aske a signe not of Idols or of strange gods vnable to helpe thee but of thy God Aske a signe not of me but of the Lord which onely doth wondrous things Aske of him Ahaz and thou shalt vnderstand that it is the Lord who speakes vnto thee God for the confirmation of our faith addeth vnto his promises as proppes of our infirmitie signes and tokens which Augustine calles aptly visible words And these signes are of two sorts extraordinarie whereof the Prophet in our present text and that which was giuen to Hezekiah in the 38. chapter of this prophesie vers 7. Ordinarie in daily vse as Baptisme and the Lords Supper the which are signes and seales of Gods holy couenant with vs. And wee must so ioyne faith vnto the word that wee despise not the Sacraments which Almighty God offereth as helps for the strengthening of of our faith It is a true saying that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners And this saying ought by all meanes to bee receiued and one chiefe meane is the ministration of the Sacraments and therefore the frantick spirits in our time who make no reckoning of Baptisme nor of the blessed Eucharist but esteeme them abces onely for little children are worthily censured by reuerend Caluin to separate those things which God hath ioyned together Whether it be toward the depth beneath or toward the height aboue The Prophet prescribes not what token Ahaz should aske lest happily the truth of the miracle might be suspected but hee leaueth it to the Kings owne free choice whether hee will haue it toward the depth or height that is in earth or heauen Or it may be the word depth is of some deeper signification as if Esay should say God will openly shew thee that his dominion is farre aboue all the world yea that it reacheth euen from the heauen of heauens to the very depth of depthes insomuch as hee can at his good pleasure fetch Angels out of heauen and also raâ—e the very dead out of their graues Here then obserue Gods omnipotencie who can doe whatsoeuer hee will in heauen and in earth and in the sea and in all deepe places Psal. 135.6 O God the great and mighty great in Counsell and mighty in worâ—e Behold thou hast made the heauen and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arme and there is nothing hard vnto thee This doctrine is comfortable to the godly who dwell vnder the defence of the most high and abide vnder the shadow of his wings hauing his spirit for their guide and his Angels for their guard But it is very terrible to the wicked in that all the creatures in heauen in earth and vnder earth attend the Lord of Hosts euenmore readie to fight against such as fight against him noneâ— This argueth his pride rather then humblenesse Or as other his trust in the strength of the King of Ashor rather then his affiance in the King of Kings And yet hee colours his foule contempt hypocritically with a faire pretence saying I will not tempt the Lord alluding doubtlesse to the text Deut. 6.16 ye shall not tempt the Lord your God He forgate the words in the some chapter a little before yee shall not walke after other gods c. and only wrested that clause which he thought would fit his turne wrest I say for to require a signe when God inuiteth and inioyneth vs is not to tempt the Lord but to trust and obey which is better then sacrifice Gedeon is commended for asking signes of the Lord Iudges 6. the Pharities on the contrary condemned euen by Christ himselfe the wicked generation and adulterous seeketh a
such as our Apostle meaneth in his Epistles often I say for such as haue an especiall gift in interpreting the Scripture whether in vnfolding the deepe mysteries thereof vnto the learned or in expounding the plaine sense thereof vnto the people then it must of necessity be granted that they be perpetuall officers in the Church as Pastors and Doctors Saint Ambrose therefore construeth our text thus Apostles are Bishops Prophets are Interpretours of the Scriptures Euangelists are Deacons And Hyperius saith that God will alwayes haue these degrees in the Church and Peter Martyr in his Commentaries vpon the 12. to the Romanes is of opinion that our Apostle describeth in that place such gifts as are necessarie for the Church at all times among which hee mentioneth as a chiefe one prophesying To be short Bullinger vpon this text obserues that the words Apostle Prophet Euangelist are confounded and the Pastors of Zurich in the latter confession of Heluetia chap. 18. write thus the mâ—nisters of the new testament are termed by diuerse names for they be called Apostles Prophets Euangelists Bishops Elders Pastors and Doctors And here Protestant Diuines haue well obserued against the Church of Rome that Paul among all these degrees of the ministry names not the Popes office the which he would not haue forgotten if it had bin so necessary for the deciding of controuersies and preseruation of vnity in truth as our aduersaries pretend And whereas the Rhemists reply that Bishops Elders Deacons are not mentioned in this catalogue Answere is made that the functions of Bishops and Priests as they respect the externall gouernment and policie of the Church are named elsewhere generally and particularlie but in respect of teaching which is intended here more principally they are contained vnder Pastors and Doctors If the Pope will be reputed an Apostle then as Cardinall Caietane notes he must also be both a Prophet and an Euangelist and a Pastor and a Teacher for as he saith an Apostleship eminently comprehendeth all these graces it may be granted as I conceiue which Anselme collecteth here that Archbishops and Primates haue the roomes of Apostles in the Church but yet I see not how the Pope can be crouded into the text for if this absolute supremacie were necessary then assuredly Paul would not haue said Christ made some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists c. But rather Christ gaue to the Church one Apostle some Prophets and many teachers The fourth and last obserueable point in our text is for what end Christ ascending vp on high gaue gifts vnto men and that is threefold Namely the Perfecting of the Saints the Worke of the Ministry the Edifying of the body of Christ. The first concernes such as are called already Saints The second such as are to cal exercising the worke of the ministry to wit Apostles Prophets Euangelists c. The third such as are yet to be called and to bee built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Or the first concernes the people the second the Pastour and the third both For the edifying of the Saints I finde diuerse readings of this clause Some reade ad constitutionem or ad condendos sanctos agreeable to the present text of our Communion book here The Saints are of Gods houshold and the Church is Gods house Hebr. 3.6 The chiefe builders where of vnder Christ are Apostles Prophets Pastours and Teachers as I haue shewed Epist. on Saint Thomas day Other reade ad instaurationem for the repairing of such as are decayed in Gods building The iust man falleth seuen times in many things we sinne all eum dicimus optimum qui peccat minimum And therefore that we may not fall from grace finally wee need daily to be repaired and vnderpropt in Gods house by the powerfull exhortations of Pastors and teachers Our new translation herein agreeing with the Syriae and vulgar Latine reades for the perfecting of the Saints And it may be so construed in two respects first in regard of their daily growing from strength to strength vntill they bee perfect men in Christ for the word is profitable to teach improue correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may bee perfected throughly furnished vnto all good works 2. For that their number is fully perfected and accomplished by the preaching of Apostles Prophets Euangelists Pastors Teachers According to this exposition the Geneua bible hath it for the gathering together of the Saints All of vs are by nature like sheepe which haue gone astray wherefore Christ as being the chiefe sheepheard gaue some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists to gather vs together from East and West and to bring vs vnto his flocke that there may bee but one sheepfold and one sheepheard His sheepe heare his voice Pastors and teachers vttering his words are his voice he made therefore for the gathering together of his elect some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists c. Other reade ad coagmentationem sanctorum for the ioyning and ioynting of the Saints He speaketh of the Church as of a body consisting of Gods elect as of many members a body coupled and knit together by euery ioynt vers 16. And therfore whereas the Saints through Adams originall transgression and their owne actuall offences are many times out of ioynt disunited from their head Christ and diuided also from his members it pleased the Lord out of his infinite wisedome and goodnes to giue some Apostles Prophets and Euangelists c. As Chirurgions and Physitians of the soule who might by the preaching of faith vnite them againe to their head and by the preaching of good workes knit them together among themselues in the bond of peace And here you may note the true cause why the worst men and members of a parish euermore regard a good Pastor least It is because they bee feet and legs and thighs and hands out of ioynt so cannot endure the touch of the Chirurgions hand whose chiefe care is to worke their cure He that is sicke of a lethargie desires to sleepe although he die for it and hee that is lulled asleepe in sinne cannot away with the watchman of God If a Minister shall either out of weaknesse suffer his drowsie people to snore stil in their vncleannesse or out of wickednesse sleepe with them a little himselfe then hee may peraduenture for a while bee reputed a good shepheard among those scabbie sheepe but if he shall once rouze them and raise them out of their security saying with Paul awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead then instantly the wit-foundred drunkard cryeth out â—way with such a fellow from the earth it is not meet hee should liue for hee subuerts the state of the world and troubleth our city Then the couetous oppressor