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
present there is neither yesterday nor to morrow but onely today Apud Deum nunquam erastinus nunquam he lernus dies est sed semper bodie And in his Enchiridion cap. 49. Vbi dies nec heâ—ternisâ—â—e inchoatur nec initio era â—â—terminatur semper bodieraus est Hilary Eusebius Ambrose with other expound this of Christs resurrection as Paul here We declare to 〈…〉 the promise made to the fathers God hath fulfil 〈◊〉 vnto their children euen vnto vs in that her 〈◊〉 vp Iesus againe euen as it is written in the second Psalme thou art my sonne this 〈◊〉 haue I begotten thee For to 〈◊〉 vp againe from death vnto life euerlasting is a new begetting and in this sense Christ is called elsewhere the 〈◊〉 begotten and the 〈◊〉 borne of the deâ—â— Againe the circumstances of the place leade the Reader to this construction Why doe the heathen so furiouâ—â— rage together and why do the people imagine a vaine 〈◊〉 that is as Peter and Iohn haue well applied it Act. 4.27 Herâ—d and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel gathered themselues together against the Lord and against his Christ euen his holy son Iesus and when they had filled all things that were written of him as Paul in our text they tooke him downe from the tree and put him in a sepulchre rolling a great stone to the doore thereof and sealed it and making it sure with the watch In all which as the Prophet speakes their imaginations and actions were vaine for hee that dwelleth in heauen did laugh them to scorne the Lord had them in derasion he raised his Christ againe the third day making him a King ouer his holy 〈◊〉 of Sion that is absolute head oâ— his Church giuing him all the heathen for his inheritance and the vttermost parts of the earth for his possession And so God in raising Christ vp againe from the dead euidently shewed that he was his onely begotten sonne As if he should haue said thou wert euer my sonne before to day before there was any day but yet in this day of thy resurrection I haue most especially manifested vnto the world that thou art my son whom I haue begotten It is then an idle conceit to thinke that Paul is not author of that Epistle written to the Hebrewes because the words of Dauid vrged here to proue Christs resurrection are cited heere chap. 1. vers 5. to shew Christs eternall generation For as Paul in his Epistle to the Romans chap. 1. vers 4. Christ is declared mightily to be the sonne of God by rising againe from the dead His resurrection is an infallible demonstration of his diuinitie seeing none euer raised another from the dead but by God none euer raised himself from the dead but God I conclude this obseruation in the words of â—mbrose Pulchre pater dicit ad filium ego 〈◊〉 genui te hoc est quando redemisti populum quando ad caâ—ereâ—â—um vocasti quando implesti voluntaâ—em meam probâ— 1 meum te esse filium The next Scripture quoted heere by Paul is Esay 55.3 The 〈◊〉 of God made to Dauid concerning the sending of Israels Sauiour are sure mercies and faithfull woâ—â— he must of necessity therefore fulfill them in euery respect the which hee could not haue done but in raising vp Iesus againe for the resurrection of Christ is the complement and as it were Amen of all his promises according to that of Paul hee died for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification See conclusion of the Gospell on S. Thomas day The last authority cited in this place to proue Christs resurrection is taken out of the 16. Psalme verse 11. thou shalt not suffer thine holy one to see corruptioâ— The Iewes vnderstood this of Dauid but saith our Apostle Dauid albeit he was a King and a Prophet and a Partriarke a man according to Gods owne heart as it is recorded of him in this present chapter at the 22. verse yet after hee had in his time fulfilled the will of God he fell on sleepe and was laid vnto his fathers and saw corruption Earth he was and to earth hee returned againe But Christ Iesus although he was hanged on a tree and put in a sepulchre yet he saw no corruption Hee rose againe the third day triumphing ouer all his enemies openly saying O death I will bee thy death O graue I will be thy destruction And therefore this Iesus is he through whom is preached vnto you forgiuenesse of sinnes and by whom all that beleeue are iustified from all things from which ye could not be iustified by the law of Moses Mors mortis morti mortem nisi morte dedisset à nobis vitae Ianua clausa foret Beware therefore lest that fall on you which is spoken of in the Prophets This text is taken out of the first of Habakuk vers 5 but for as much as all the prophesies were collected together into one volume he saith in the Prophets Or according to the Hebrew phrase in the Prophets is as if he should haue said in one of the Prophets as Genes 23.6 In the chiefest of our sepulchres bury thy dead that is in one of the chiefe He doth alter the words of the Prophet according to the sound but not according to the sense Habaâ—uâ— saith behold among the heathen Paul heere behold ye despisers In which our Apostle doth expound and not confound the Prophet for whereas the Iewes despised the word of God hee sent them to be taught by the Caldeans as if Habakuk had said ye will not obey Gods voice ye will not learne any thing in his schoole wherefore yee shall ere it beelong bâ— made to know his iudgements among the heathen â—ee saith the Lord I will raise vp the Caldeans that better and hasty nation which shall march through the bredth of the land to possesse the dwelling places which are not theirs And this their ouerthrow was a type of their future reprobation and spirituall vastity for the contempt of the Gospell These things are ensamples and are written to admonish vs vpon whom the ends of the world are come Let vs therefore beware that these heauie iudgements fal not vpon vs as they did vpon the Iewes Videte aspicite admiramini admiramini take heed againe I say take heed quench not the spirit despise not prophesying receiue not the grace of God in vaine Nemo malus nisi stultus he that is a despiser of the sauing word is an arrant foole for if hee were wiser hee would kisse the sonne and beware lest that fall on his head which is spoken of in the Prophets behold ye despisers and wonder and perish The Gospell LVKE 24.36 Iesus stood in the middest of his Disciples c. COncerning the chiefe parts and passages of this Scripture See Gospell 1.
is ready to tell the Prophet as Ahab did Eliah Hast thou found me O mine enemy Then the whole rabble furiously raging together against the Lord against his annointed conclude peremptorily that apeece of a pulpit is enough halfe a benefice too much for such an vnquiet spirit S. Augustine sweetly Quiphreneticum ligat lethargicum excitat ambobus molestus ambos amat For the worke of the ministry The gifts of Christ here mentioned are not theoricall but practicall giuen vnto Pastors for the worke of the ministry the word worke forbids loytering and the word ministry lording I pray misconstrue not this glosse seeing I meane as Paul and speake as B. Latimer did almost in euery sermon Domabis lupos sed non dominaberis ouibus as Bernard told Eugenius For the edifying of the body of Christ The gift of the spirit is giuen to euery man to edifie withall hee therefore that is a non edificant is vnworthie to bee called an Apostle or Prophet or Euangelist Positiestis dispensatores sed in edificationem non in destructionem aliter non fidelis dispensatio sed crudelis dissipâ—tio The Doctors office is to teach and the Pastors calling to feed Our great Lord repeated this iniunction vnto Peter thrice feed my lambes feed my sheep feed my flock that is as Bernard excellently pasce mente pasce ore pasce opere pasce animi oratione verbi exhortatione exempli exhibitione And here the people likewise may learne to reuerence their Pastors and teachers as the Ministers of Christ sent from aboue to watch for their soules If they must honorare bonum dominum etiam in malo seruo respect euery Prophet and Euangelist and Pastor for his workes sake 1. Thessal 5.13 then vnto such as rule wel and labour in the word and doctrine they must as our Apostle speakes giue double honour The Gospell IOHN 15.1 I am the true vine and my Father is an Husbandman c. AS a kind friend loth to depart with his familiars in giuing a farwel often breakes off his speech and begins a new discourse so Christ heere being now to leaue the world after hee had ended one sermon vnto his Disciples in the chapter going before falleth into another of the like argument in this present wherein hee doth especially two things exhort and comfort He doth exhort all his followers 1. To continue stedfast in the faith and that vnder the parable of the vine intimating that as the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe except it abide in the Vine so they can doe nothing vnlesse they abide in him Vrging this one point by diuers reasons all which may be reduced vnto the punishment of such as abide not Poena damni they beare no fruite vers 4. Poenasensus they be taken away verse 2. withered gathered cast into the fire burnt v. 6. blessednesse of such as abide being Purged by God the father v. 2. Cleansed by God the sonne v. 3. CoÌ„forted by God the holy Ghost abide in mee and I will abide in you by my spirit vers 4. Relieued in whatsoeuer they shal aske vers 7. 2. To make demonstration hereof in workes of piety glorifying God and louing one another Hee comforts them against the worlds hatred 1. From his owne example vers 18.20 2. From the cause of this hatred ver 19. 3. From the cause of the cause vers 21.22.24 4. For that God and Christ suffer with them vers 23. 5. From the prediction of holy Scripture vers 25. 6. By promising to send the comforter vers 26. I am the true Vine Christ is called heere a Vine as else where a Lion a Sheepe a Lambe a corner Stone a Doore A true Vine by way of difference from the wilde vine or as Rupertus vpon the place to distinguish it from the Vines of Sodome and Gomorrah Whose grapes as Moses speaketh in his song are grapes of gall and their clusters are bitter their wine is the poyson of Dragons and the cruell gall of Aspes A true Vine not simply but in a simile not truly a Vine but like a true Vine Vera faith Augustine per similitudinem non per proprietatem a true Vine as in the first chapter of this Gospell at the ninth verse the true light Now the resemblances betweene Christ and a true Vine are manifold 1. A Vine is not sowne in the ground but planted a young slip of an old tree so Christ is a naturall branch of God the Father euen very God of very God but for vs men and our saluation hee was translated from heauen and planted on earth that is borne of the Virgin Mary of whom it is said Esay 45.8 Let the earth open and let saluation and iustice grow forth let it bring them forth together I the Lord haue created him A blessed earth in whole blessed fruit all the nations of the world are blessed 2. The Vine that it may beare the more fruit is cut and pruned and so Christ although he were conceiued of the holy Ghost and borne without all sinne yet for our sakes he was circumcised on the eight day wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities Againe Christ albeit hee were Lord ouer all things and heire of the whole world yet for our saluation he suffered his glory to be pruned by the knife of ignominie for whereas hee was the King of glory hee made himselfe of no reputation Philip. 2.7 Hee tooke on him the forme of a seruant and was made man as Dauid speakes of him a worme and no man a very scorne of men and outcast of the people Psalm 22.6 His wealth was pruned by the knife of pouerty Pauper in natiuitate pauperior in vita pauperimus in cruce So poore in his birth that hee was borne in another mans stable so poore in his life that he said of himselfe the Foxes haue holes and the birds of the heauen haue nests but the sonne of man hath not whereon to rest his head So poore when he was dead that he was buried in another mans tombe Matth. 27 60. His pleasure was pruned by the knife of sorrow Lament 1.12 Behold and see if there be any sorrow like vnto my sorrow His familiar acquaintance was also cut away from him by the knife of feare Iudaâ— betrayed him Peter denied him other forsooke him all were dispersed He did tread the wine presse alone and of all people there was none to helpe him as Hierome and Bernard apply that of the Prophet Esay chap. 63.3 3. The Vine is dugged and digged as wee reade in the fifth chapter of Esay So Christ was dugged when the soule-mouthed Iewes spit vpon him and he was digged on euery side when as his aduersaries by propounding captious questions had cast a trench round about
1 Cor. 14.22 Strange tongues are for a signe not to them that beleeue but to them that beleeue not a yong plant must often be watered at the first setting but after it is once thoroughly rooted in the ground it will easily sprout and spring without irrigation euen so the Church primitiue was a while watered by signes and tokens in those who did beleeue but being now perfitly grounded in Christ it may nor say thy wonders O Lord but thy word O Lord is a lanterne vnto my sect and a guide to my pathes The second limitation is in respect of the persons all beleeuers in the primitiue time were not workers of wonders but only some few whereof euery one had a seuerall gift as S. Paul teacheth expresly 1. Cor. 12. â—0 Are all doers of miracles haue all the gifts of healing do â—ll speake with tongues it is said indefinitly them that beleeue because these tokens were wrought at the first preaching of the Gospell vnto euery creature for the common good of such as beleeue but euery true beleeuer was not endued with a gift actually to worke these signes himselfe Iohn the Baptist albeit he was more then a Prophet yet he did no miracle Iohn 10.41 Hee had as one distinguisheth vpon this text potestatem faciendi miracula sed non actum a power to haue done many wonders if need had bin but hee did act none The meaning then of these comfortable words vttered by Christ vnto his Apostles are plaine though I goe now to my father and so leaue you yet in executing your ministry ye shall haue power to worke signes and tokens your preaching of my Gospell vnto the world shall euery where be confirmed with miracles I haue done many strange things among you yet I say vnto you verily verily he that beleeueth in me the workes that I doe he shall doe also yea greater then these shall he doe And he did performe so much as he did promise for we reade that his Apostles in his name did cast out deuils Acts 16.18 And spake with new tongues Acts 2.4 And driue away serpents as Paul Act. 28.5 shooke off a viper from his hand into the fire and felt no harme and heale the sicke as Peter Acts 9.34 There was a certaine man at Lydda named Aeneas which had kept his bed eight yeares and was sicke of the palsie to whom Peter said Aeneas Iesus Christ maketh thee whole arise and make vp thy bed and he arose immediatly Yea they did greater signes in Christs name then Christ himselfe greater in number for whereas Christ wrought all his workes either about the borders or else within the boundes of Iudea his Apostles preached vnto all the world and had the word confirmed euery where with miracles Other thinke that they did greater workes in nature maius est enim vt sanet vmbra quam fimbria saith Augustiâ—e it was a greater miracle that the very shadow of Saint Peter as hee walked in the streete should heale many sicke Acts 5.15 Then that the hem of Christs vesture should heale one woman who hauing an issue of blood Mat. 9.22 But here you must obserue that Christ said not hee that beleeueth in me shall doe greater workes then I can or then I will doe but only greater then these which I haue done Hereby signifying that they should not doe greater workes out of thir owne power but only thorough his helpe Hoc saith Euthymius est demonsiratio potentiae eius qui signa dedit non eius qui signa edit And Augustin tract 72. in Ioan. Maiora quam ipse fecit dicit eosesse facturos sed in eis vel per eos se faciente non ipsis tanquam ex seipsis He saith elsewhere without me can ye do nothing but in my name they shall cast out deuils and speake with new tonques c. The seruant is not greater then his Lord nor the disciple greater then his master nor man greater then his maker In the beginning he made the world without them and hee made them also without them and in vouchsafing to be man he made himselfe without them ipse sine ipsis fecit hunc mundum ipse sine ipsis fecit eos ipse sine ipsis fecit seipsum but alas what haue they without him excepting sinne Christ then in saying he that beleeueth in me shall doe greater workes then I doe meaneth vndoubtedly this if our heart be so troubled that ye can not now beleeue that I am in the father and the father in me yet when I am gone to the father and shall in his kingdome sit at his right hand ye shall euidently see that I am God and that I and my father are one for I will in my corporall absence from you doe greater workes in you and by you then euer I did hitherto before you So himselfe doth interpret himselfe in the words immediatly following whatsoeuer ye aske in my name that will I doe that the father may bee glorified in the sonne and againe if ye shall aske any thing in my name I will doe it The which is agreeable to the tenour of our text verse 17. In my name they shall cast out deuils c. and vers 20. The Lord wrought with them and confirmed the word with miracles following He was receiued into heauen Saint Augustine Gregorie the great and other Diuines obserue that the foure beasts mentioned Ezechiel 1. Apocalyps 4. mystically represent the 4. chiese actions of Christ in his working of our redemption The 1. beast had a face like a man the 2. like a bullocks the 3. like a lyon the 4. like a flying Eagle So Christ in his incarnatioÌ„ was found as a man in his passion as a sacrificed Bullocke in his resurrection like a lyon in his ascension as a flying Eagle mounting aboue the cloudes and sitting at the right hand of God in the highest heauens And therefore S. Marke relating here the glorious ascension of Christ addes to the name Iesus the title Dominus so when the Lord had spoken vnto them hee was receiued into heauen hereby shewing that he was Lord of all things able to command the cloudes in heauen as well as the cloddes on earth He manifested himselfe to be Lord of the seas in walking on the water without a ship and in calming the stormy waues when he was in a ship He manifested himselfe to be Lord of the land in commanding the graue to giue forth her prisoner Lazarus which had bin dead foure dayes He manifested himselfe to be commander of hell in casting out Deuils and when he did ouercome Sathan in his temptations and take from him all his armour wherein he trusted and diuided his spoiles openly triumphing ouer him and his on the crosse Coloss. 2.15 And now to shew that he was Lord of heauen and equall
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
〈◊〉 And the 〈◊〉 in ourage who following the 〈◊〉 He 〈◊〉 hold it lâ—â— full to distemble their faith 〈◊〉 the Magistrate As also the Nicodemâ—â—es ashamed of Christ and expâ—â—â—cating 〈◊〉 forswerring their Pâ—ieâ—hood and the Pope their holy father vpon eâ—eâ—y pretended occasion of danger In a word all weather â—ise professors adueâ—tring no more for the glorious Gospell then one â—â—tely did for his horrible blasphemie who being bound to the stake suffered only the lingeing of his beard This open acknowledging of Christ is necessaâ—ieâ— not only 〈◊〉 morris at the point of deâ—h as Liraâ—us or in the daie of persecution as Lombard but at all time and in euery place when occasion is offered lustly â—aith 〈◊〉 Forseeing it is an afâ—â—rmâ—tâ—ue prâ—cept 〈…〉 As Christ in his Gospel expresâ—ely 〈…〉 Whereas 〈…〉 〈…〉 the faith not sufficient vnto 〈…〉 mouth and other â—odâ—◠〈◊〉 as efficient cause concure with it in the 〈…〉 may be taken out of his old Schoole 〈…〉 and Cardinall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth af 〈…〉 confession 〈◊〉 act of faith according to that of the Pâ—â—miâ—â— I 〈…〉 haue I spoken And in his second 〈…〉 this Chapter he that is 〈◊〉 by faith ought to be filled with the fruit of righteousnesse Postquam homo per fide mest instificatus oportet quod eius fides per dilectionem operatur ad consequendam salâ—tem And Cardinall Tolet in plaine termes Oris confessio nâ—s non iustificat à peccato c. sed iustificati tenemur eam palà m profiteri c. Confession of the mouth doth not iustifie vs but being iustified wee are bound publikely to professe it afore we can attaine to saluation Herein agreeing with our Protestant Interpreters affirming that good workes are consequents and effects of a true faith as if Paul should haue said here we are iustified by faith onely but yet this faith is operatiue bringing foorth liuely fruits as the confession of the mouth and the profession of the life for they be necessarie to saluation albeit faith alone be sufficient in the act of iustification as you may see further Epist. Quinquages and Sund. 2. in Lent In the words and beleeue in thine heart that God hath raised him vp from the dead three points are considerable namely Faiths Act Obiect Subiect Faiths act is to beleeue and to beleeue hath these degrees as the Schoole teacheth out of Augustine Credere Deo credere Deum credere in Deum A wicked man and a wretched deuill may so farre proceed in faith as to beleeue there is a God and in grosse to beleeue God but a true Christian endued with a sauing faith ascends higher and beleeueth in God also That is he knowes God as hee hath reuealed himselfe in his word acknowledging him onely for his God and thereupon put his whole trust in him applying to himselfe Gods mercifull promise made to father Abraham and his seed with the heart vnto iustification and confessing the same with the mouth vnto saluation He disclaimes not his part in Christ as the deuils Ab what haue we to doâ— with thee thou Iesus of Nazareth art thou come to torment vs before the time but he challengeth his portion in the bloud of his Sauiour saying with the Church in her loue-song My welbeloued is mine and with Paul Christ is become to vs wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Hâ—s bodie is in heauen there shall I finde it mine his diuinitie is on earth and heere doe I feele it mine his word is in mine eare to beget him mine his Sacrament is in mine eie to confirme him mine his spirit is in mine heart to assure him mine Angels are mine to fight for mee Prince mine to rule for mee Church mine to pray for me Vniuersitie mine to studie for me Pastour mine to pâ—each for me all mine whether it be Paul or Cephas or the world or life or death whether they be things present or things to come euen all are mine I am Christs and Christ is Gods Faiths obiect is all holy scripture the summe whereof is the Creed and this one point how God raised vp Iesus from the dead is nexus articulorum omnium as it were the bond or tying knot on which all other linkes of our beleefe depend For if it were not true that Christ is risen againe then were it neither true that hee did ascend vp to heauen nor that hee sitteth at the right hand of his father in heauen nor that he sent downe the holy spirit from heauen nor that hee shall come from thence to iudge the quicke and the dead In a word the matter of the whole Creed concerneth either God or the Church his spouse Now the raising of Christ from â—he dead is the worke of God the Father Acts 2.32 of himselfe being God the Sonne Iohn 10 18. of God the holy Ghost also Rom. 1.4 Christ as God only raiseth and is not raised as man he is onely raised and raiseth not as the Sonne of God or second person in the blessed Trinitie both the Father raiseth him and he raiseth himselfe The Father raiseth the Sonne by the Sonne â—nd the Sonne raiseth himselfe by the spirit of holinesse by which he was declared to be the Sonne of God As for the Church our Apostle sheweth elsewhere that Christ died for her sinnes and rose againe for her iustification and that ascending vp on high he bestowed on her gifts as to be Catholike holy knit in a communion and prerogatiues in her soule namely remission of sinnes in the body resurrection of the flesh in both euerlasting life Wherefore Paul here mentioneth only the resurrection of Christ from the dead not exclusiuely but synecdâ—checally because this one article presupposeâ—h all the rest and takes them as granted as if hee rose from the graue then he died and his death is a consequent of his birth Or because this article was and is most doubted in the world for the Iewes and Gentiles acknowledge the death of Iesus whereas the Christians only confesse his resurrection Or because the rest vnlesle Christ had risen againe would haue profited vs little for he triumphed in his resurrection ouer death hell damnation opening the kingdome of heauen to all beleeuers And so the meaning of our text is plaine If thou confesse with thy mouth that Iesus is the Lord that is that Lord of whom all the Prophets inquired as being the desire of all Nations euen the light of the Gentiles and consolation of Israel And if thou beleeue in thine heart that this Iesus whom almightie God hath made both Lord and Christ offered himselfe a sacrifice to purge thy conscience from dead workes and take away thy sinnes putting out and fastening vpon the Crosse the Lawes obligation against vs and that hauing ouercome death and the deuill he
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
que creata sâ—nt non pervenires 〈◊〉 pâ—r quem facta sunt omnie For as an Eagle so Iohn remaineth vpon the top of the rocke and tower from thence hâ—e spieth his meate and his eyes behold a farre off He was aptly called the sonne of thunder for in saying in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God hee seemes to speake not words but wonders yea thunders as Ardens excellently filius tontruiest qui loquitur tenitruum est quod loquitur a preamble so strange and stately that some Christians in olde time which had happily zeale but not according to knowledge hung it about their necke as an amulet or as other as a Symbole to distinguish them from Arâ—ans And a certaine Plâ—tonist as Augustine reports in lib. 10. de ciuitate dei cap. 29. reading this one line said it was worthy to be written in letters of gold and to be represented in the most eminent places of all Churches in the world In the text allotted for this day two points are remarkable 1. What Christ is in himselfe God In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God c. Man the same word became flesh and dwelt among vs c. 2. What Christ is vnto vs openly reuealed by the witnesse of Iohn the Baptist and his owne dwelling among vs in the world to be 1. Our Creator ad esse for all things were made by him 2. Our preseruer in esse for he is our life vpholding all things in their being 3. Our Redeemer in bene esse for he gaue power to them that beleeue in his name to bee the sonnes of God In the beginning The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is potestatiuum as well as ordinatiuum in which acception higher powers especially Princes are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so some take this in principio to be nothing else but in principatu because Christ the word hath vpon his garment and vpon his thigh a name written The King of Kings and Lord of Lords Apoc. 19.16 Origen Cyril Augustine Gregor Nyssen and many moe construe it thus in the beginning that is in the Father according to that of the Schoole Pater est principium sine principio silius est principium de principio The Father is of none the Sonne is of the Father alone not made nor created but begotten Beleeue mee saith our blessed Sauiour that I am in the Father and the Father in me Iohn 14.11 I am in the Father as the riuer in the fountaine the Father in me as in his ingraued image Heb. 1.3 God the Sonne then is de principio principium as lumen de lumine lighâ— of light and very God of very God Other expound in the beginning of eternitie for the word being the true Melchisedec is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hauing neither bâ—ginning of daies nor end of life Heb. 7.3 The Lord saith he hath possessed me in the beginning of his way I was before his workes of old when there were no depths I was begotten when he prepared the heauens I was there when he gaue his decree to the sea that the water should not passe his commandement then was I with him c. Insinuating that he was in the beginning without any beginning in a time when there was no measured time Principio rutih cùm nondum luminâ— coeli Et nondum grauides extarent lumina terris I am tum patris er at sanctain venerabile verbum Other vnderstand by beginning the beginning of the world as if our Euangelist had said in the beginning when all things were made the word was and therefore not made but all things on the contrarie were made by it and without it was made nothing that was made The creatures are from the beginning but Christ who made the world was in the beginning before there was a beginning This exposition is agreeable to the plaine words as also most answerable to S. Iohns intent For if hee penned his Gospell as the Fathers haue noted against Eâ—ion and Corinthus he confounds them in one word and that the very first in principio for that had no beginning which was in the beginning Ergo Christ had not his first being from his mother Mary nam quod ante omnia erat semper erat quoth Augustine hee was alwaies who was before all workes Was. It is probable that Saint Iohn in this exordium alludes per antithesin vnto Moses preface Genes 1. In the beginning God created heauen c. hereby shewing the difference betweene the Creator and the creature For whereas Moses wrote in the beginning God made heauen and earth and all that in them is our Euangelist on the contrary saith in the beginning was the word not in the beginning God made the word Insinuating that the word had his being already when other creatures of what sort soeuer had but their beginning And here diuines haue distinguished acutely between fuit and erat affirming that fuit imports a thing that once was and is not now so Scaliger in his Motto suimus Troes whereas erat implyeth eternitie which was and which is and which is to come Apocal. 4.8 Saint Ambrose notes excellently that this one verbe erat is repeated heere foure times in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and that word was God the same was in the beginning c. Erat erat erat erat vbi impius invenit quod non erat The word He saith not in the beginning was the son lest his reader should dreame of a carnaâ— generation but in the beginning was the word Holy Scriptures or speeches of the Prophets and Apostles vttered by Gods appointment for the reuealing of his diuine will towards man are called Gods word but to distinguish God the Son from these words hee is termed after a more eminent sort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word or that excellent word from whom euery diuine truth issueth and in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Coloss. 2.3 Christ is not a vocall word verbum eò quod verberato aâ—re plectroque linguae formetur for hee was in the beginning before there was any sound or aire But Christ is the mentall and substantiall word of hiâ— father verbum non sonus auribus strepens sed imago mentibus innotesceus As our Epistle for this day doth vnfold the Gospell the brightnesse of his glory and expresse image of his person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ipse paterni pectoris essigies lumenque à lumine vero And the word was with God Concerning the diuerse significations of the preposition apud I referre you to Thomas Beauxamis and Maldonat in their commentaries vpon this text It imports here
not a locall but a personall distinction I and my Father saith Christ are one Ioh. 10.30 vâ—um of one substance not vâ—â—â— one person and therefore he saith not in the singular I and my father aâ— one but in the plural are onâ— The Sonne is alius then the Father not uliud and her person albeit not another essence non alius in natura sed alter in persona for it is written here the word was so with God as that it was God first said to be with God and then to be God signifying that the word was the same God with whom it was in the beginning Semper cum patre semper in patre semper apud patrem semper quoad pater Here then obserue concerning the word three points especially 1 When it was in the beginning 2 Where it was with God 3 What it was and the word was God The pith of all is that God the Son is a distinct person from God the Father and yet of the same substance with the Father equall in glory coeternall in Maiesty This one verse then ouerthroweth many blasphemous hereticks in the beginning confureth Ebimites and Cerinthians The clause was with God Sabellians and other denying a Trinitie in vnâ—â—ie that is a distinction of persoâ—s in the deity was God confoundeth Arians and all such as with 〈…〉 affirme that Christ was a meere man in the beginning with God all Ennemians and such as hold Christ to be but a temporall God by grace and not an eternall God by nature All thâ—ngs were made â—y it and without it was mâ—de no 〈…〉 made As the epistle doth expound the Gospell he â—â—d the 〈◊〉 of the earth and the hâ—auens are the works of his hands all things as well invisible as visible were created by him and for him he made whatâ—â—euer was made and it was exceeding good Genes 1.31 But Satan as hee is a deuill and sinne which came into the world by the suggestion of the deuill and and death also which is brought vpon man as a curse by sinne are not his workes And the reason is plaine because that which is euill is a nothing mali nutta natura est sed amissio boni quoth Augustine mali nomen accepit And Gregorie Nyssen Mali essentia in eo posita quod essentiam non habet euery good and perfect gift is from aboue comming downe from the father of lights and with him is no variablenesse neither shadow of ruâ—ning It a confert bâ—na quod non infert mala See S. Augustine tract 1. in Ioan Bibliothec. Sixt. Senen lib. 6. annot 174. Mclanâ— postil Eras. câ—nnot in loc The clause more proper to this Festiuall and most profitable for vs to be further examined is that the word became flesh and dwelt among vs c. And this was not by conuersion of the God head into flesh but by taking the manhood into God Naturam suscipiendo nostram non mutando suam Homo quippe Deo accessit non Deus à se recessit For in the word made flesh all the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth as the Scripture speaks bodily Col. 2.9 that is personally For albeit he be God and man yet is he not two but one Christ one not by confusion of substance but by vnitie of person For as the reasonable soule and flesh is one man so God and man one Christ. See Epist. Sund next before Easter The first newes of Christs actuall natiuitie was broached and brought into the world as we read in the second lesson appointed for this morning praier by the tongues of Angels and that with an ecce behold I bring you tidings of great ioy that shall be to all the people that is that vnto you is borne this day in the Citie of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord. Reioice grandfather Adam for on this day according to the word of thy gratiou Creator the seed of thy wife Eua hath bruised the serpent-head reioice father Abraham for on this day in thy seed all the nations of the earth are blessed Ge. 22.18 Reioice King Dauid for on this day God hath fruit of thy body set a King vpon thy throne Reioice ye Prophets of the Lord for all your prophecies on this day were fulfilled Reioice yee that are sicke for on this day the Physitian of the world was borne Reioice yee Virgins for a Virgin on this day brought forth a sonne Reioice ye children for on this day the great God became a little babe Let all people reioice for that he who was in the beginning and as it is in the former lesson appointed for this morning praier an euerlasting father in the fulnesse of time was made of a women and wrapped in swadling clothes For that he who was the word became an infant not able to speake one syllable For thâ—t hee who was with God did vouchsafe to dwell among vs appearing in the shape of a man Philip. 2.7 For that hee who was God and therefore most mightie became flesh and so most weake for all flesh is grasse and the grace thereof as the flower of the field Esay 40.6 Saint Bernard preaching on this day said the shortnes of the time constrained him to shorten his Sermon and let none quoth hee wonder if my words be short seeing on this day God the Father hath abbreuiated his owne word for whereas his word was so long as that it filled heauen and earth it was on this day so short that it was laid in a manger I wish vnfainedly with the same deuout Bernard that as the word was made flesh so my stonie heart might be made flesh also that it might alway meditate on this heauenly Gospell Vnto you is borne this day in the Citie of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord For all our sound comfort stands in happinesse and all our happinesse is in fellowship with God and all our fellowship with God is by Christ. For God the Father if wee consider him in his iustice heares not sinners Iohn 9.31 He therefore remembring his mercie got as it were new eares and set them on our head Iesus Christ who being flesh of our flesh is such an high Priest as is touched with the feeling of our infirmities openly professing that hee came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Come to me all yee that are laden and I will ease you Mat. 11.28 Whatsoeuer yee shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you Iohn 16.23 If thou wert invited to some great wedding thou wouldest I am sure be very carefull what apparell to put on but if thou wert to be maried thy selfe thou wouldest be very curious in thine attire behold saith Augustine all of vs are bidden on this day to a marriage for Christ came out of
readeth often and seeth almost daily the seuere iudgments of God vpon sinners and yet himselfe continueth in the same sinne deserues worthily to be punished with as many stripes as he neglected examples He that knowes how Cain was a runagate on earth and how the clamour of his brother Abels bloud entred into the eares of God in heauen and how this cry was a voice vox sanguinum a voice of bloods in the plurall namely the voice of the bloud shed and of all the bloud which might haue come of that bloud if it had not been shed Againe hee that heaâ—e of the lamentable destruction of Ierusalem how her magnificent Temple was made dâ—selate and the glorious Towers of her Citie were laid euen with the ground and all this for that shee killed the Prophets and stoned such as were sent vnto her Hee that reads and beleeues theâ—e things and yet is an obstinate despiser of prophecie killing crucifying securâ—â—â— persecuting the mâ—ssengers of the Lord from City to City shall receiue greater damnation then either Cain or Ierusalem as hauing negleâ—â—ed greater mâ—â—nes of saluation For all things are written for our learning but these things I meane Gods extraordinarie iudgments vpon notorious sinners are written more principally for our examples vpon whom the ends of the world are come See Epist 9 Sund. after Trinitie How often would I haue gathered thy children How often by the mouth of my Prophets how often by mine Apostles how often by mine owne selfe as the louing Hen is alway caring for her chickins alway clucking and calling them if they wander out of her â—ight neuer so little that she may gather them vnder her wings and so guarde them from the mischiefe of the Kite euen so Ierusalem I would haue gathered thy Children vnder the wings of my protection I would haue kept thee and thine from the iawes of thy rauenous enemie Sathan and from the hands of all such as hate you but yee would not O Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe but in me is thine helpe now this ought to be construed either of Christs humane will as he was man or else of his conditionall and reuealed will as he was God otherwise Gods absolute will is effected alway both in heauen and earth and hell it was the conditionall will of God the Iewes resisted according to that of Saint Steuen in the second Lesson allotted for euensong this day Yee stiffe-necked and of vncircumcised hearts and eares ye haue alwâ—y resisted the holy Ghost aâ— your Fathers did so doe you this I would of Christ is voluntae signi not voluntas beneplaciti See Melanct. Câ—ietan Pâ—scator Marlorat in loc Iansâ—n Concord cap 41. 90. didac Aluarez de anxilys diuinae gratiae lib. 5. dâ—â—putat 33.34 O Father of mercies increase our faith and graunt vnto vs in this thy day of our visitation vnfained repentance that howsoeuer England hath equalled Ierusalem in being dissolute yet shee may not parallell Ierusalem in being desolate The Epistle 1. IOHN 1.1 That which was from the beginning which we haue heard which we haue seene with our eyes c. SAint Iohn euer like himselfe that his Gospell and generall Epistle might be sutable confirming each other in the maine scope makes in the beginning was the word the beginning of words vnto both omitting here an ordinarie salutation that hee might at the very first entrance treate of more necessary points of saluation and yet this exordium à re ipsa preamble raised from the matter it selfe is agreeable to the rules of arte wherewith he makes his readers attentiue docile beneuolous attentiue for that he writes not of a trifle but of Christ Iesus the word of life who cleanseth vs from all sinne docile for that the subject of his doctrine is neither new nor vncertaine not new for we shew vnto you that which was from the beginning not vncertaine for we preach vnto you that which we haue heard which we haue seene with our eyes which wee haue looked vpon and our hands haue handled Beneuolus for that hee penned this Epistle for their good namely that they might haue fellowship with the Saints and that their ioy might be full I finde the whole tract diuided into three parts answerable to the three chiefe christian vertues Faith Hope Charitie but for as much as our Apostle writes of these promiseuously without distinction and order I rather amit of Aquines plaine partition Into a Commendation of the Gospell Chap. 1. Exhortation â—o the fruitfull and faithfull obseruing of the same Chap. 2.3 Disswasion from the contrarie Doctrine Chap. 4.5 In the present text there be two descriptions One of Christ in respect of his Natures As God that which was from the beginning As man which we haue heard and seene c. Office being our light and life cleansing vs from all sinne Another of a Christian hauing fellowship with God his Saints and his Sonne in whom are Two remarkeable properties 1. A studiousnesse to doe good Ergo not a carnall Epicure For if we say we haue fellowship with God who is light and walke in darknesse we lie and doe not the truth 2. A sorrowfulnesse when hee doth ill Ergo not a spirituall Puritane For if we say wâ— haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. I haue spoken enough of the first description in my notes vpon the Gospell on Christmas day the pith of it is that Christ Iesus eternally God in the fulnesse of time made man is our only mediator and aduocate with God the Father insomuch as our fellowship with God in this world and fulnesse of ioy in the next is attained by faiâ—h alone first apprehending and after applying his merits Here then our Apostle commends the doctrine of the Gospell in three respects especially First in regard of the subiect as being most ancient and excellent euen that which was in the beginning Godâ— owne sonne the word of life yea that eternall life which was with the father afore all worlds Secondly in regard of the certainty that which wee haue heard which we haue seen with our eyes which we haue looked vpon and our hands haue handled declare wee vnto you For Christ who was in the beginning that eternall word with the Father in these last daies appeared vnto vs. And as S. Paul expounds S. Iohn he was manifested in the flâ—sh Or as S. Iohn in his Gospell expounds himselfe hee became flesh and dwelt among vs. And so wee haue seene and heard him immediatly speaking in the world as well as mediately speaking in his word For he spake to the Fathers by the mouth of all his Prophets euer since the beginning but in our daies he hath spoken with his owne mouth vnto vs our eares haue heard him in his Sermons our eyes haue seene him in acting of his miracles our hands haue
that in other copies hauing only his fathers name And the meaning is that they professe themselues openly to be Christians acknowledging aperto fronte that God is their father in his sonne lesuâ— in their deeds and doctrine appearing outwardly to the world what they are inwardly to themselues according to that of Paul We beleeue and therefore speake Faith in the soule breaking forth into confession with the mouth is the note whereby the friends of Christ are distinguished from the followers of Antichrist He that dependeth vpon Saints as much as vpon his Sauiour and trusleth in the pardon of the Pope more then in the merits of Christ hath in his forehead the marke of the beast and not the seale of God If Christ once dwell in our hearts by faith his name will instantly be written in our forehead And I heard a voice from heauen The militant Church on earth is called often in holy writ heauen as being the way to the kingdome of heauen and as hauing her conuersation in heauen and her affections set on things aboue This heauen hath a voice for the Church is not mute but vocall openly professing her faith and praising God before the seat and the foure beasts and the elders Hauing a voice like the sound of many waters and of great thunder and of harpers harping with their harpes Some by these three kindes of voices vnderstand three degrees of the Churches progresse persecuted by the Dragon in the wildernesse First in the daies of Athenasuâ—s Basile Chrysostome Ambrose Hierome Augustine c. Her voice say they but how truly iudge yee was indistinct and confused For albeit the learned writings of these most accurate Doctors in their age made a great noise in the world like the sound of many waters yet many points of doctrine were not so well explicated vnto the common people then as afterwards they were Secondly in the daies of Wickliffe and Husse and other Boâ—â—â—ges her voice resembled the voice of great thunder But now since her deliuerance from the wildernesse and her comming out of Babylon her voice in the harmony of confessions is like the consent of harpers harping with their hâ—rpes Other say that the Scriptures voice speaking by the Church is like to waters in that it refresheth all such as hunger and thâ—rst after righteousnesse and like to great thunder in being terrible to the â—icked and like to the mâ—â—iâ—ke of hâ—rpers in being dâ—leâ—table to the godly The Preachers of the word are vnto God the sâ—reet sauâ—ur of Christ is thâ— nâ— that are sâ—â—ed and in them that perish to the ouâ— the sauour of death vnto death and to the other the sauour of lifâ— vnto life 2. Cor. 2 15 16. Other thinke that many â—â—sers are mâ—ny nations as in the 17. chapter of this bâ—oke vers 15. The 〈◊〉 which thou â—â—wâ—st are people and muâ—â—udes and nations and tongues And the great thunder is nothing else but the thundring voices of zealous and holy Preacherâ— And the harpers hâ—mâ—â—â— doth intimate spirituall reioicing together in the Lord. The Church then hâ—th a voice which is much a being of mâ—ny yet muâ—icall in that those many concord in the maine likâ— hâ—rpers hâ—râ—ing with their â—â—râ—â—s It is Mâ—â—â—avâ—xex pâ—allâ—ntium mulâ—â—tudine sed delâ—ctâ—bâ—lâ—â— excoâ—son â—â—â—â—suâ—â—itâ—te And they sung as it wâ—re a new song In regard of the matter a new song it was Adams old song before his fall to praise God for his creation in holinesse and righteousnesse but meeting a new song to the Lord for our redemption and regeneration whereby Gods image loâ—t by sinne is restored in vs againe Oâ— in regard of the manner a new song for whereas the leweâ— in â—he old Testament expâ—cting the consolation of Israel sung praises vnto God â—or that their Messias Sauiour shoâ—ld come Christians in the new Testament magnife the Loâ—d for that Christ iâ— come Blâ—ssed â—â—e the Lord God of Iâ—raâ—l for he hath vâ—â—â—ed and râ—deâ—mâ—d hâ—â— people for that theâ—r eies haue seene his saluation and their hands haue hâ—ndled the word of life Or in regard of the men a nâ—w song being sung by such as haue put off the old man and are new creatures in Christ 2. Cor. 5.17 a new song for that it makes the partie who sings it a new man Or a new song in that it seemeth vnto the world new for Christ crucified the chiefe subiect of their new song seemeth vnto the worldly wise meere foolishnesse as it followeth in our text No man could learue the song but the hundred fortie foure thousand which were redeemed from the earth As our Popish aduersaries hauing the beasts marke both in their forehead and in their right hand impudently call our most ancient and apostolike faith a new Gospell and our diuines Euangelij quinti professores But as learned Scaliger answered them acutely Nos nouatores non sumus sed vos estie veteratores A Monke devoted to his superstitious order and trusting in his owne merits is neuer able to learne how faith only iustifieth A carnall man addicted onely to naturall reason is not able to discerne the things of God A lew relying altogether vpon his Circumcision is not able to sing another note No maruell then if the song of Sion seemes new to them all These arâ— they which were not defiled with women This clause makes not any thing against honourable marriage for how can that be truly called a defiling when as the bed is vndefiled Hebr. 13.4 and therefore Paphnutius openly pronounced in the Councell of Nice Castâ—tatem esse cum vxore propria concubitum And Chrysostome though a great admirour of Virginitie saith also primus graaus castitatis est syncera virgimt as secundus fidele coniugium And so married couples are virgins as well as single persons and ordinarily more chaste in hauing Gods appointed remedie for auoyding fornication Before the Law the Patriarkes had wiues vnder the Law the Priestâ— had wiues after the Law to wit in the daies of the Gospell as Ambrose peremptorily writes all the twelue Apostles except Saint Iohn had wiues And it was euer thought commendable for the Preachers of the word to marrie at their owne discretion as they did iudge the same to serue better vnto godlinesse vntill Pope Nicholas the first Hildebrand alias Hel-â—rand and Innocentius the third forbad Priests marriage Wheâ— upon a witty fellow made this od old time Pri ciâ—nire gula penuâ—â—s cassatur Sacâ—rdos per hic hec olâ—n decliâ—atur Sed perhiâ— soluâ—â—â—mâ—do 〈◊〉 articulatur Cum per nostrum â—raâ—â—â—lens 〈◊〉 amo â—eatâ—r Non est Inâ—â—censius iâ—oâ—ocâ—rs 〈◊〉 Qui qâ—od fâ—cto docâ—â— verbo 〈…〉 Eâ— quo â— oâ—m iuâ—â—eâ—is â—â—lâ—t habere Moâ—â—â—â—tus poâ—â—fex stuâ—â—prohibere What kind of Virgins Popes and
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
and perfect gift corporall spirituall temporall And therefore they did honour him as interpretors obserue with all these kinds of goods In falling downe slâ—t they did honour him with the good of the bodie in adoring him with the goods of the minde in offering to him gold frankincense mirrhe with the goods of the world They did offer gold to relieue Maries necessitie frankincense to sweeten the stable myrrhe to comfort the swadled babe In offering frankincense they confounded Arius holding that sacrifices are onely due to God the Father In offering myrrhe they confounded Manichaeus who denied that Christ truly died for our sinnes In offering gold they confounded them both as denying that Christ is our King In offering all these they confounded Nestorius diuiding Christ into two persons one diuine another humane for the Magi gaue not here some gifts vnto God and other vnto man but all vnto one Christ. Ergo non diuidatur in personis qui non invenitur diuisus in donis as Pulgentius excellently Or as other they did offer gold to Christ as being a King Frankincense as being God myrrhe as being man according to that of the Christian Poet. Auruen Thus Myrrhem regique deo hominique Dona ferunt It is an idle conceit that one did offer gold another myrrhe and the third frankincense for seeing each of them acknowledged Christ to bee a King and God and a passible man it is more probable that all of them offered all these gifts euery one three singuliaria They returned into their owne country another way The grace of God appearing teacheth vs that wee should deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and that wee should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world Wherefore the Wise-men hauing found Christ and being taught of God not to returne againe to Herod that is any longer to serue the deuill they renounce their owne wills and their olde waies and walke according to Gods will in new waies Immutatio via emendatio vitae quoth Euseb. Emisen Heretofore they walked in errour but now they walke in truth Heretofore they went a whoring after their owne inuentions but now they follow the word and warning of God The summe then of all this Gospell is that wee must seeke Christ by the guiding of a starre that is by the light of his word and when wee haue found Christ it is our duty to manifest our faith by good workes in presenting vnto Christ our King gold that is a pure confession of a true beleefe frankincense that is humble prayer and inuocation myrrhe that is a chast and a mortified life Wee must also giue to Mary that is to the Church vnto the Preachers of the word and all other members of Christ in want a part of our temporal estate And all this ought to be done cheerefully for the Wisemen opened their treasures and our heart is our treasure Matth. 12.35 So that wee must euen with exceeding gladnesse from our heart offer gold frankincense myrrhe That is almes praier fasting Praier respects God almes our neighbours fasting our selues And thus hauing changed the whole course of our inordinate conuersation in time past and walking in another way which is the path of Paradise wee shall in fine returne to our owne Countrey which is Heauen in Heauen and there wee shall enioy Christ our King God and man in eternall happinesse euermore There be many points in this text as yet vntouched and I might as Ruth happily gleane after such as haue reaped before me but I am so deuoted to breuitie that I rather chuse to wonder a little with another then to write any more my selfe vpon this Gospell O strangest thing that God doth now begin In being which he hath no godheads grace O strangest Roome this subiect takes his place In want of Roome for none was in his Inne O strangest colour to be viewed in For humane darknesse vailed hath his face O strangest middle of respectiue space Where as a starre more then the sunne could win O strangest starre that must reueale this sight That by disorder from the rest giues light O strangest eies that saw him by this starre Who when by-standers saw not saw so farre And since such wonders were in seeing him No wonder if my wondring thought grow dim O God which by the leading of a starre diddest manifest thine only begotten Sonne to the Gentiles mercifully grant that we which know thee now by faith may after this life haue the fruition of thy glorious God-head through Christ our Lord. Amen FINIS THE PVRIFICATION OF SAINT MARIE THE VIRGINE The Epistle being the same which is appointed for the Sunday is expounded among the Dominicals in due place The Gospell is written LVK. 2.22 When the time of their purification after the Law of Moses was come c. IT is the saying of S. Bartholmew reported by Dionysius Areopagita that the Gospell is little yet large If we consider only the syllables it is a very small booke but if we examine the profound sense mundus non capit it is so great that as S. Iohn speakes the world cannot containe it Example hereof is found in this present Chapter abounding with as many wonders almost as words Here you may reade that Marie was at once both a wife and a maide at once both a wife and a midwife bringing forth a sonne who was her father by whom all things were made swadling him in cloutes and laying him in a cratch who filled heauen and earth Here you may reade how the Word in the beginning infinite and incomprehensible was not onely circumscribed but also circumcised Here you may reade that the pure was purified God offered and the Redeemer redeemed Here you may reade that a glorious Angell attended silly shepheards and that a child of twelue yeeres old confounded the Doctors in his disputations and that a dying man vttered songs in stead of sobs In the words allotted for our text 3. points are to bee considered especially the Purification of Marie When the time of her purification was come Christ They brought him to Hierusalem to present him to the Lord c. Simeon Behold there was a man in Heirusalem whose name was Simeon and the same was iust and godly c. Presentation of Marie When the time of her purification was come Christ They brought him to Hierusalem to present him to the Lord c. Simeon Behold there was a man in Heirusalem whose name was Simeon and the same was iust and godly c. CommeÌ„ndation of Marie When the time of her purification was come Christ They brought him to Hierusalem to present him to the Lord c. Simeon Behold there was a man in Heirusalem whose name was Simeon and the same was iust and godly c. And this feast hath accordingly three names as the Masters of ceremonies obserue 1. The
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
she shall call his name Now the naming of children is an office properly belonging to fathers and not to mothers In that therefore this charge was wholly referred and transferred to Mary wee may note that Christ was so conceiued of his mother as that hee had no father on earth as also that Ioseph affianced to Mary was rather an helpe then an absolute head a wedded but not a bedded husband I say not a bedded husband after the birth of Christ as Hierome notablie proues in a tract of this argument against Heluidius And for the strengthening of this reuerent opinion I finde a tradition entertained by the most ancient Doctors Origine Basile Theophylast and other that whereas the married women had one seuerall in the Temple for their deuotions and the Virgins another Mary not onely before but after the birth of her sonne also did vsually troupe with the maidens and not with the married liuing and dying a Virgin This Epistle then is all one with the Gospell Esay and Gabriel are messengers of the same errand for that which Esay speakes of Mary Gabriel speakes vnto Mary Thou shalt conceiue in thy wombe and beare a sonne and shall call his name Iesus And they both are so fit for the present feast that he who runs and reades may see the reason why the Church allotted them for this day The Gospell Lvk. 1.26 And in the sixth moneth the Angel Gabriel was sent from God vnto a City of Galilee named Nazareth to a Virgin c. ALmighty God in the twelfth chapter of Exodus enioyned his people to eate the pascall lambes head and feet and purtenance Christ is our Pascal lamb 1. Cor. 5.7 Wherefore wee must as Mary did anoint Christs head feet that is meditate on his birth and death on his ingresse into the world and egresse out of the world This scripture principally speakes of his birth and of the purtenance thereof an euangelicall and angelicall annunciation of his admirable conception In which obserue these 4. circumstances especially When In the sixth moneth Where In a City of Galilee named Nazareth Who saluting Gabriel an Angel sent from God Who saluted A Virgin espoused c. What Haile full of grace c. In the sixth moneth That is as Gabriel expounds himselfe vers 36. in the sixth moneth from the conception of Elizabeth And it is an argument to perswade Mary that shee may haue a sonne for that her consin Elizabeth had conceiued a child in her old age by her old husband Iohn the Baptist as it is thought was conceiued about the latter end of September and Christ according to the Churches account about the latter end of March. In the very same moneth as some coniecture the world was created and so the second Adam was conceiued about the time the first Adam was deceiued For as in Adam all die euen so in Christ shall all bee made aliue The Poet saith of the spring which alwaies beginneth in this moneth Omnia tune florent tune est noua temporis atas noua de grauido palmite gemma tumet And so Christ incarnate making a new heauen and a new earth ecce ego facio noua Behold saith the Lord I make new things Esay 43.19 See Tho. Caten m. Moller in loc Ludolph de vita Christi part 1. cap. 5. Giron ser. 1. Raulin ser. 3. Ferus ser. 5. in annun The Iewes for religious vses and festiuall times counted Nisan the first moneth which for the most part answereth our March and so forward but for ciuill they counted the seuenth the first It is worth obseruing therefore that the Annunciation vnto Zacharie was in the beginning of the Ciuill and this Annunciation vnto Mary in the beginning of the religious or ecclesiasticall yeere Teaching vs hereby that our whole life is onely ciuill and not truly religious vntill Christ be conceiued and formed in vs vntill hee dwels in our heart who reneweth a right spirit within vs. The Angel Gabriel was sent from God Gabriel in Hebrew signifies the power of God a fit ambassadour for such an errand because the conception of Christ and through it the redemption of the world is called expresly the strength of Gods arme Luk. 1.51 Euery Preacher of the Gospell ought to follow this example for his commission he must bee sent from God and in execution of it hee must bee Gabriel that is a man of good courage powerfull in doctrine and exhortation An Angel was sent about this businesse and not a man for sundry reasons especially thice 1. That our humane nature might bee repaired after the manner it was ruinated as a serpent was sent by the diuell vnto Eua to worke our woe so Gabriel an Angel was sent from God vnto Mary to bring glad tidings of our weale Ad Euam angelus malus accessit vt per eam homo separaretur â— Deo ad Asariam angelus banus venit vt in ea Deus vmretur homini 2. An Angell sent vnto a Virgin because Virgins are as Angels according to that of 〈◊〉 Câ—elibatus qua i câ—lobeatus And Christ also saith in the resurrection when there shall be no more marrying that we shal be then as the Angels of God in heauen 3. To shew that Angels are ministring spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes who shall bee heires of saluation Heb. 1.14 and therfore seeing we haue such a guard attending vs on euery side we should do whatsoeuer we doe in a reuerent and seemely fashion alway remembring that wee are made a spectacle to men and Angels 1. Cor. 4.9 Vnto acity of Galilee named Nazaret The Iewes held this country and city so contemptible that the Pharisies said of the one out of Galilee ariseth no Prophet And Nathaniel of the other Can there any good thing come out of Nazaret Heere then obserue that euen Pharisies and learned men may be deceiued as also that God is not tied vnto any place but his spirit bloweth where it listeth And therefore we may not iudge of men either by then countrie or county Ioseph and Mary liued in Nazaret a city of Galilee good people though they dwell in bad parishes and places are the same Mytically Nazaret is by interpretation a flower it was fit therefore that he which is the lilie of the vallies and the rose of the wild should be conceiued in flore i. in Nazaret de flore i. de beata virgine cum floribus i. tempore florum in the spring or flower time Galilee was the marches of the Iewes abutting and adioyning neere to the countrie of the Gentiles and so Christs conception in Galilee doth insinuate that in him all the nations of the world shall be blessed Gen. 22.18 And that hee should breake downe the stop of the partition
his workes of creation and redemption and preseruation of his people though he may not read Gods priora yet he may know Gods poâ—teriora beholding him in his wonders in his words in his sacraments in his sonne principally being the brightnes of his glory and expresse character of his person as Christ in our text he that hath seene mee hath seene also my father I am in the father and the father in mee Hereby prouing himselfe to be God 1. For that we must only beleeue in the Creator and not in any creature 2. Because God only knowes the secret perturbation of the heart and if ye beleeue that I am God ye must also confesse that I am a present helpe in trouble willing and able to relieue you for if God be with you who can stand against you Why then are your hearts troubled as if he should haue said albeit I am to suffer death as man yet I will on the third day raise my selfe againe from the dead as God it is expeâ—hent for you that I dye for your sinnes and rise againe for your iustification and so prepare a place for you in my fathers house that where I am there you may be also mansionsâ— Saint Paul hauing at large disputed of the resurrection in his first Epistle to the Corinthians 15. Chapter prouing that the dead shall rise againe by manifest and manifold arguments taken out of the bookes as well of nature as of Scripture concludeth in fire therefore my beloued brethren 〈…〉 sumoutable 〈…〉 alwayes in the 〈◊〉 of the Lord for as much as we know that your labour is not in vaine So Christ in the Gospell vnto his â—ollowers In the 〈…〉 and all the wicked of the world â—all hate you for my names sake they shall scourge you in their Synagogues and persecute you from City to City not affording to much as an hole Wherein to rest your head in peace yet let not your hearts be troubled as long as in my fathers house there be mansions and I goe to prepare a place for you The Church militant on earth is often called in holy Scripture Gods house wherein he hath a great many mansions as dwelling in our hearts by faith and we likewise haue many places of preferment some being Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and Teachers Ephes 4.11 It is true that God and we too dwell here but it is saith Iob in houses of clay whose foundation is in the dust or as Paul speakes in earthly tabernacles set vp to day and pulled downe to morrow non habemus hic manentem ciuitatem in this world we haue no continuing City For our kingdome which cannot be shaken Heb. 12.28 Our habitation which is euerlasting Luke 16.9 Our inheritance that fades not away 1. Pet. 1.4 Our dwelling place mentioned in our text by Christ is not made with hands but eternall in the heauens 2. Cor. 5.1 Our best houses on earth albeit neuer so gorgeous and neuer so glorious hauing if it be possible walles of gold and windowes of Saphire are not withstanding no better then Innes for strangers and pilgrimes 1. Pet. 2.11 Our mansions and places of abode for euer are in Hierusalem aboue which is without either death or danger Apocalyp 21.4 Wherefore seeing we beleeue in God and looke for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our Sauiour Christ who when he commeth againe shal reciue vs vnto himselfe that where he is in his fathers house there we may be also let vs say with Dauid â—â— by art thou so heauie O my soule and why art thou so disquieted within mee O put thy trust in God and hee shall one day satisfie thee with the plenteousnes of his house for there is not only roome for Christ in Gods house but also place for all his followers the mansions of heauen are many the least of all his souldiers if they fight a good fight and continue faithfull vnto death is rewarded with an incorruptible crowne of glory hauing for his inheritance no lesse then a whole kingdome Againe these mansions are many because the Saints in heauen haue diuerse degrees of glory So Paul 1. Cor. 15.41 There is another glory of the Sunne and another glory of the Moone and another glory of the Starres for one Starre differeth from another in glory so likewise in the resurrection of the dead A great vessell and a little dipped in the same well hold notwithstanding diuers measures according to their capacity so in Gods house euery chosen vessell of honour is filled vp to the brim with the water of life but the better hath vndoubtedly the bigger mansion he that held more charity here shall haue more clarity hereafter Yet as Au gustine notes vpon our text Non erit aliqua inuidra imparis claritatis quoniem regnab it in omnibus vnit as charitatis I goe to prepare a place for you It is said Matth. 25. 34. That the mansions in Gods house were prepared before the foundation of the world how then is it true that Christ at this time goeth to prepare a place Answere is made that the mansions indeed are prepared from all eternity but the men who shall inhabit them as yet were vnprepared It was expedient therefore that the redeemer of the world should die for their sinnes and rise againe for their iustification and ascend into heauen to take possession of this kingdome and to set open the doores of these prepared mansions vnto his followers as also to send vnto them a conforter and a conductor euen the spirit of truth who might leade them in the right way to this place So Saint Augustine acurely Parat quodammando mansiones mansionibus parands mansores Hee prepareth a place by making men sit for the place For election is in Christ and through Christ and so consequently none come to the Father but by the Sonne wee passe by the kingdome of grace to the kingdome of glory for without holinesse it is impossible to see God Touching other readings I referre you to lansen concord cap. 134. and Erasmus annot in loc Lord we know not whether thou goest S. Thomas and S. Philip were so good proficients in Christs schoole that their master in the former chapter at the 10. verse said of them and of the resâ— of their fellowes excepting Iudas the traitor ye are cleane and Saint Peter as the mouth of the company professed openly to whom shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life and we beleeue and know that thou art the Christ the sonne of the liuing God And yet their faith in the houre of tentation as you see was so weake that Saint Thomas said Lord we know not whither thou goest And Saint Philip Lord shew vs thy Father and it sufficeth vs. Now these things
when princes are fidlers the people turne dancers The third person is of whom and that is Iesus in the former treatise we haue spoken of all that Iesus began to doe and teach c. Of all how then is it true which is deliuered by Saint Iohn in the conclusion of his Gospell there are many other things which Iesus did the which if they should be written euery one I suppose thâ— world could not containe the bookes that should be written Againe Saint Luke himselfe after hee had reported the birth of Christ and the purtenances thereof addes no more of him vntill he was twelue yeare olde disputing with the Doctors in the temple and then he relates not of any thing what he did for the space of eighteene yeare from twelue yeare to thirtie By which it doth appeare that all which Iesus did and taught neither is nor can bee written Answere is made by Chrysostome and other that Saint Luke said not I haue written all but of all unsinuating that he wrote all that Iesus did and taught as necessary to the worke of our redemption He did not iâ— his former treatise mention euery thing Iesus did and said but only so much or the chiefe heads of so much as was expedient to be said and done for the full accomplishment of our saluation all is to be referred ad genera singulorum and not ad singula generum Here then is a pregnant text against the Papists holding that beside the word written there be certaine traditions vnwritten which ought to be beleeued as necessarie to saluation See Gospell 1. Sun in Lent It is not said of all that Iesus did but of all that Iesus began to do and teach by which our Euangelist intimates that his Gospel is a story not of such acts as Christ did in the beginning as God but of that only which he did after hee was in the sulnes of time made man and dwelt among vs and became our Iesus And this history Saint Luke diuides into the doings and doctrines of Christ and by doings he doth vnderstand not his morals only but his miracles also yea whatsoeuer Iesus either did or suffered for vs men and our saluation recording his death as well as his life his passions as well as his actions and indeed they must goe together because Christs righteousnes consists in both in doing and in suffering for in suffering he obeyed and in obeying he suffered and the very shedding of his blood to which our redemption is ascribed more particularly must not only be considered as it is passiue that is a suffering but also as it is actiue that is an obedience in which hee shewed his eâ—â—eeding loue both to God and vs in fulfilling the law for vs. In this sense then all the sufferings of Christ are comprehended vnder the word doing his resurrection also from the dead and whatsoeuer else he wrought for our sake Thâ—s was Christs honour that hee was a Prophet mighty indeed and in word before God and all the people First he began to doe then to teach saying to his followers I hâ—ue giuen an example to you learne of me Euery Doctor in like sort must adorne the soundnes of his leaâ—ning with holines of life The present inscription of this booke doth admonish vs of action that a good Apostles dutie consiâ—â—s in doiâ—g as much as in teaching I will here confesse ingeniously with Ardens In hoc mea mei similiâ—m confunditur prisumptio qui multa vobis praedico quae tamen non facio Sed vtinam fratres perâ—eâ—ras orationes ipsa confusio generet in me pudnem pudor correctionem correctio emendationem vt quod prius non feci post quam praedicanerim facerâ— incipâ—am In the text following two points are chiefly considerable namely Christs holy conuersation with his Apostles after his resurrection for the space of 40. dayes verse 3.4.5.6.7.8 glorious ascenâ—ion ensuing that his conuersation verse 9.10.11 I haue spoken of the former often elsewhere the latter is only proper to this our present feast in which obserue three circumstances especially The place of Christs ascension time of Christs ascension manner of Christs ascension The place from whence Christ ascended as we may collect out of this Chapter at the 12. verse was the meâ—nt of Oliues neere Bethanie containing a Sabbath dayes to â—oâ—râ—ry from Ierusalem Hee did ascend from a mount an open high eminent place that he might as sure the certaine truth of his ascension If hee should haue withdrawne himselfe in secret happily the disciples would haue doubted of his ascension as they did a while of his resurrection but now beholding him openly publiquely mounting from a mount they could not but affirme it themselues and confirme it vnto other 2. Christ ascended from a mount rather then from a valley from an high place rather then from a low for that it was one step vnto his iournies ende hereby teaching vs not to looke for extraordinarie miracles so long as ordinarie meanes will serue he went so farre to heauen as he could on earth then being on a mount and so not able by naturall helpe to goe higher a cloud receiued him out of their sight 3. It may be Christ ascended from a mount for that he desired to stay so long and to spend so many houres as he conueniently could in instructing his followers before he departed Hereby demonstrating his exceeding great loue to the disciples in particular as also to the whole Church in generall as you shall heare â—urther in the discussing of the circumstances of time when Christ ascended The mount from whence hee did ascend was the mount of Oliues and it was the same place from whence he went to be crucified One place serued to be a passage both to his crosse and to his crowne signifying hereby that the way to heauen is by the gates of hell as Paul and Barnabas preach Acts 14.22 thorough many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of God A wicked man in prosperity walketh as in the day the Sunne is before but the shadow behind him a good man on the contrary walketh as in the night his shadow goes before but great light and ioy commeth afterward Diues and Lazarus exemplifie this in the 16. of Saint Luke Diues in his life was furnished with rich apparell and filled euery day with delicate fare there was his Sunne-shine but he died and was buried and was exceedingly tormented in hell there was his shadow nay that which is called in the Scriptures vtter darknes Lazarus on the contrary was an obscure base creature full of sorrowes in his soule and sores in his body there was his shadow but when he died hee was conueyed by glorious Angels into the bosome of blessed Abraham there was his light and glory It is an hard and almost impossible thing saith Hierome that any
should passe from great pleasures in this world to the greatest pleasures in the next vt quis hic ventrem ibi mentem impleat vt de delicys transeat ad delicias And as the same father told Heliodore Delicatus es si his vis gaudere cum seculo postea regnare cum Christo. Here then is comfort for the disconsolate many through lingring diseases as the dead palsie the gout and the like lâ—e bedrid and as it were buried long before their death insomuch as their beds which heretofore were places of rest and ease to them are now couches of teares and misery Yet these men hence haue great comfort if they make good vse of Gods visitation for their bed in their sicknesse on which they suffer so much heauinesse shall on their dying day be to them a Bethanie from which they shall ascend to the kingdome of eternall happinesse Or Bethanie signifies the house of obedience wherfore seeing Christ was obedient vnto God his father in all things vnto the death euen the death of the Crosse therfore God hath exalted him highly Phil. 2.8 Through disobedience we were cast our of Paradise and through obedience wee shall enter in againe sola obedientis accepit palmam inobedientiâ— pâ—nam I passe from the circumstances of place to the circumstances of time When is had spoken these things c. that is as you may reade vers 3. all those things which appertaine to the kingdome of God After hee had blessed them and as it is the Gospell allotted for this day giuen them a large commission to preach adorned with many singular priuiledges and promises assuring them and their posterity that hee would bee present in spirit with them alwaie till the end of the world when hee had spoâ—en all these things he was taken vp on high c. This sheweth euidently that hee is a most induâ—trious and vigilant Pastor of his Church affecting and effecting also the good thereof As the gouerment is on his shoulder so was hee more faithfull in Gods house then Moses was Heb. 3.5.6 He did not ascend and as it were breake vp schoole till hee had instructed his Disciples in all points appertaining to their calling and his kingdome Now looke what care Christ at his ascension had ouer his Church the same must euery Master haue ouer his houshold and euery Minister ouer his cure when it shall please God to take them out of this world A Prophet is sent to King Hezechia to bid him put his house in order for hee must die signifying hereby that it is the dutie of a good Master of a family to haue care not onely for the gouerment of his house whilest he is aliue but also that it may be well ordered when he is dead The same care must in like sort bee practised of Ministers according to the paterne of S. Paul I haue kept nothing backe but haue shewed all the councell of God vnto you take heed therefore c. for I know this that after my departing shall grieuous Wolues enter in among you not sparing the flocke So likewise S. Peter I know that the time is at hand that I must lay downe this my tabernacle I will endeauour therefore alwaies that yee may be able to haue remembrance of these things after my departure If it bee part of thy fidelity that Gods people committed vnto thy particular charge may be well instructed after thy death O how carefull oughtest thou to be for their good in thy life Rapite saith Augustine quos potestis hortando portando rogando disputando c. that is in the words of Paul Preach the word be instant in season and out of season improue rebuke exâ—ort with all long suffering and doctrine The second circumstance of time is while his Apostles beheld c. If any demand why he would not haue the whole nation of the Iewes see him ascend that so they might assuredly know that hee was risen againe from the dead and so beleeue in him Answere is made that it is Gods good pleasure that the mysteries of holy beleefe whereof Christs ascension is one should rather bee learned by hearing then by seeing according to that of Clemens Alexandrinus â—aith is the soules eare Christs owne Disciples indeed were taught his ascension by sight that they might the better teach other who did not see they were witnesses of these things chosen before of God for the same purpose Act. 10.39 41. Whereas therefore Paul had no witnesse of his being taken vp into the third heauen and Eliah one spectator onely who saw him as he went vp in a chariot of fieriâ— horses and a whirle wind into heauen Christ had many beholders of his ascension hee was taken vp on high uidentibus illis in the sight of all his Apostles assembled together He did ascend paulatim as Augustine speaks he was neither suddenly snatched away nor yet secretly stolne away but while they beheld hee was taken vp on high as it followeth in the manner of his ascending to be considered A cloud receiued him out of their sight Now whereas he caused a cloud to come betweene himselfe and their sight it signified vnto them that hereafter they must bee content with that which they had seene and not curiously to seeke to know further what became of him And the same thing is taught vs also wee must content our selues with that Almighty God hath in his holy word reuealed and enquire no further in things appertaining to God His word is a sufficient lanterne to our feet and a guide to our paths a perfect glosse yea glasse of his knowne will in which euery true beleeuer may see so much as hee need to search in this life For the like end in giuing the Law on mount Sinai God appeared in a thicke cloud and when hee did manifest his glory in Salomons Temple a darke cloud filled the same Happily some will obiect how Christ elsewhere promised he would neuer leaue his Church I am alway with you till the end of the world Matth. 28.10 Answere is made that these words are to bee construed of the presence of his Godhead or spirit not of the presence of his manhood and therefore two glorious Angels at the 11. verse chide the Disciples hanging on his bodily presence Why stand yee gazing into heauen It is true that Christ is to be found in heauen yet not with the gazing eyes of flesh but onely with the spirituall eyes of faith It may be further alleaged if the Godhead bee present on earth then the manhood must of necessity be present there because both are vnited together Our Diuines answere this argumeÌ„t that followes not Christs manhood subsists in that person which is euery where ergo his manhood is euery where The reason is plaine saith Aquine because the sonne of God
Christ as man acknowledgeth himselfe to be lesse then his father Iohn 14.18 my father is greater then I But Christ if you consider him in the forme of God filled heauen and earth and so he may bee said to send himselfe as elsewhere to giue himselfe for vs. See Saint Augustine vbi sup in margin Lombard seâ—t lib. 1. dist 15. Thomas part 1. quast 43. art 8. Touching that eternal sending of the holy spirit from the father and the sonne we say that the mysteries of the sacred Trinity being ineffable the words are almost all borowed that are vsed to shew the distinct operations of the same Saint Augustine speaking of the generation of the sonne and proceeding of the holy Ghost ingeniously confessed his want of wit and wordes Inter illam generationem hanc processionem distinguere nescio non valeo non sufficio quid illis â—sta est inefabilis But here the Apostles in proper phrase of speaking sent Peter and Iohn ergo they were subiect to their authority Thirdly whereas they say that there is a twofold sending one which is amoris and another which is impery for an equall or an inferiour may perswade his friend to doe his busines for him a body politike may send their head to the Parliament and a common weale â— their Prince to the warres our answere is ready that an inferiour intreating his friend can not truely say that he sent his peere much lesse his superiour neither can a corporation that is vnder a soueraigne head such as the Church of Rome would haue Peter to be choose him to be their foot to goe for them he may peraduenture goe by his owne consent or desire but hee can not bee sent neither can a common weale thrust their absolute King into the danger of warre Sponte hoc ille faciendums indicat sed ab illis ad bellum gerendum extrudi non potest Lastly we say that Peter here was sent not as a Prince but as a peere for Iohn was ioyned with him in the mission and commission as a copartner in his office so the text they sent Peter and Iohn And Peter being sent into Samaria by his brethren repined not as holding himselfe their gouernour but went his way as their messenger and elsewhere being questioned by the Apostles for going to Cornelius and eating with vncircumcised heathens he forthwith excused himselfe and came to his answere Fourthly wheras they be driuen here to confesse that the Colledge of Apostles comprising Peter was greater then Peter their head alone Wee say this being granted that Peters Popedom was not the â—oueraigne power of Christ neither was Peter head of the Apostles as Christs Vicar for the whole Church comprising Christ the head thereof is not of greater authority then Christ himselfe Againe it is a receiued opinion among moderne Iesuited Papists that the Church is nothing else but the Pope so that the Successor of Peter is now farre greater then Peter himselfe for hee will bee tied neither to Councell nor Canon nor custome more then himselfe liketh Who when they were come downe prayed for them that they might receiue the holy Ghost It is probable that Peter and Iohn did preach as well as pray but S. Luke reporteth onely what new thing happened to Samaria by their comming namely the receiuing of the holy Ghost through imposition of hands and prayer Here S. Augustine Lombard and other obserue that Christ is God in giuing the holy spirit quantus deus est qui dat deum His Apostles did not giue the holy Ghost at Samaria they prayed for them that they might receiue the holy Ghost and they laid thir hands on them and they receiued the holy Ghost euery good gift is from aboue Samaria then had extraordinarie gifts of the spirit By Peter and Iohn not from Peter and Iohn and Simon Magus insinuates so much in his offer of money to to them at the 19. verse giue mee this power that on whomsoeuer I lay the hands hee may receiue the holy Ghost He did not say that I might giue but onely that he may receiue Happily some will obiect that Paul gaue the spirit to the Galathians as it may seeme wher hee saith he that ministreth vnto you the spirit and worketh miracles among you doth hee it through the workes of the law or by the hearing of faith preached Our answere may be gathered out of the text that hee gaue not the spirit by his proper power but onely that they receiued the spirit through his preaching and ministry They were baptized onely in the name of Christ Iesus You must here referre the word onely to baptized and not to the clause following in the name of Christ Iesus It is not the meaning of S. Luke that they were baptized in the name of God the Sonne onely for it is Christs owne Canon Matth. 28.29 That all the three persons of the blessed Trinity must expresly bee named in Baptisme Goe teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost See Bellarm. de Baptismo lib. 1. cap. 3. Suarez in Thom. 3. part tom 3. disput 21. Caluin Lorin in act 2.38 So that to bee baptized in the name of Iesus Christ in this and other like place of this booke is to be baptized in the faith of Iesus Christ or in the power of Iesus Christ or according to the prescript of Iesus Christ. Here then a question is moued how the faithfull in Samaria were baptized and yet the holy Ghost was come on none of them Hee that is baptized must acknowledge that Christ is the Lord and no man as Paul telleth vs can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost All that are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ and are buried with him in his death that like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glory of the Father so they likewise should walke in newnesse of life Answere is made that the Samaritans had already receiued inuisible graces of the sanctifying spirit which are common vnto all such as truly beleeue but as yet Samaria had not any singular and extraordinarie miraculous gifts as in Christs name to cast out diuels and to speake with new tongues and to heale the sicke c. the which in the Primatiue time was conferred vpon certaine persons according to the will of the spirit for the confirmation of the Gospell It is apparant that the Apostles had the sanctifying and illuminating spirit for their guide from the very beginning of their preaching Matth. 10.20 It is not ye that speake but the spirit of your father which speaketh in you Yet wee reade Iohn 7.38 that the holy Ghost was not yet giuen because Iesus was not yet glorified For they receiued not those miraculous gifts of healing and speaking with