he calleth hell because it warreth all for hell and the devill is the prince of it Eph. 6.11 2 Cor. 10.4 The gates of hell therefore do signifie those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those fortresses munitions and strong holds which the powers of hell do hold against the Church and from whence they assault it in all her members by force or fraud All which is meant by gates because the gates of castles and of strong holds are wont to have the best munition and to be most strongly fenced So that the gates of hell are not only heresies although heresies are of them as Saint Epiphanius lib. Anchor and Saint Augustine De symb ad Catechum do note but also persecutions in name in goods in liberty or in life and specially sins with all manner of evills which seek to subdue us to everlasting death As is well observed by Origen Saint Chrysostome Saint Gregory and others The gates of hell therefore may assault but they shall not prevail against the Church catholick utterly to extinguish it nor against any sound member of the same who is an homogeniall part of the whole rightly built and abiding upon the rock Psal 139.1 2 3 4. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth may Israel now say Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth yet they have not prevailed against me The plowers plowed upon my back they made long furrowes The Lord is righteous he hath cut assunder the cords of the wicked And this is the first part of that retribution which the Apostle Saint Peter received from his Lord S. Mat. 16.18 upon his good confession Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it A second part of his retribution was in expectance and to be made good in the future The keyes of the kingdom of heaven promised and given that was the keyes of the kingdome of heaven then to be given when he shall be risen from the dead and shall have fully accomplished the work of mans redemption Saint Peter for the present was not in capacity and Christ himselfe was not yet fully manifested to be the Saviour and redeemer of all mankinde That promise therefore must be performed in its season after his resurrection and he performes it the same day The same day at evening being the first day of the week when the doors were shut S. Joh 20.19 where the Disciples were assembled for fear of the Jewes came Jesus and stood in the middest and saith unto them Peace be unto you And when he had so said he shewed unto them his hands and his side Then were the Disciples glad when they saw the Lord. 20 Then said Jesus unto them again Peace be unto you As my Father sent me even so send I you And when he had said this he breathed on them 21 22 and saith unto them Receive ye the holy Ghost Whosesoever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whosesoever sins ye retain they are retained 23. The power of Christ to give the keyes of the kingdome of heaven is three-fold 1. The power of the Creator By what power Christ gave the keyes S. Joh. 1.3 Eph. 1.7 All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made Heaven it self was his creature how shall he not dispose the work of his own hands 2ly The power of the Redeemer in whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace Is he the redeemer of that Church of his part whereof singeth the songs of victory in heaven and is called the triumphant Church part whereof lyeth in the camp of warfare upon earth and is called the militant Church and must not then the keyes be his to open the doors of heaven by himself and by his ministers unto whom he shall commit them 3ly He is the head of his Church Eph. 5.23 as the husband is the wives head Is that head of his Church the Lord of heaven and hath he not the keyes to open the doors of heaven to that mysticall body whereof he is the head To that little flock of his who are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones 30 The keyes of the kingdom of heaven were his to give and he gave them according to his word and promise he did not delay to give them but being risen from the dead he gave them the same day The kingdom of heaven in the scriptures is compared to a city therefore called the holy Hierusalem Reu. 21.10 12 having a great and high wall and twelve gates Man was a citizen of that city till he sinned but by sinne he lost his freedom there in as much as there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lye 27 For his sinne he was banished this city and the gates fast lockt and shut against him He was cast out of Paradise and God placed cherubims and a flaming sword which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life Gen. 3.24 So that there was found no way to return back into the city or into Paradise from whence man was expulsed But God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Him therefore did God give to open the gates of heaven which were shut and lock't by sinne and by the guilt thereof to bring in man and to open them to the faithfull S. Joh. 3.10 and to shut them against the unbelievers What keyes Christ had and what keys he gave to the Apostles Rev. 3.7 S. Mar. 2.7 S. Joh. 1.29 Who because he is the great King of this city he is said to have the key of David and openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth By a two-fold possession he is Lord of the keyes For 1ly As he is one God with the Father he hath the same keyes which the Father hath even the key of authority to forgive sinnes Who can forgive sins but God onely 2ly As he is the Son of the Father made man and by the merit of his death and passion is that very lambe of God which taketh away the sin of the world he hath the key of excellency and by a speciall prerogative doth open and shut the gates of heaven Neither of these keyes gave Christ to his Apostles the keyes which they had by his Donation were ministeriall keyes to the end that not by themselves but by the power of God and by the virtue of Christ his passion they might open and shut the gates of heaven These keyes as St. Chrysostome saith are the knowledge of the scriptures according to Tertullian the interpretation of the law and as Eusebius saith the
a blinde and dumbe devill By convincing the scribes and pharisees of the irremissible sin By promising the signe of the prophet Jonas By teaching the people in parables By sending forth his Apostles two and two By feeding five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes By walking upon the sea to his disciples By reproving the traditions of the pharisees By healing the daughter of the Canaanitish woman By healing him that was deaf and had an impediment in his speech By feeding foure thousand with seven loaves and a few little fishes By reproving the pharisees and sadduces By reprehending his disciples By healing the blinde man It became him who humbled himselfe and was made man for the redemption of all mankinde to do all these things And thus following herein my learned author late right Reverend Diocesan in his learned Theanthropicon our sacred history doth put an end to the third year after his Baptism which was the two and thirtieth year of his age The first occurrence of the next year is that Jesus with his disciples came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi not into Caesarea Philippi it selfe S. Mar. 8.27 S. Luc. 9.18 S. Mat. 16 13 Christ interrogateth his disciples but into the townes of Cesarea Philippi as St. Mark saith and in the way having prayed alone he asked his disciples saying Whom do men say that I the son of man am This question was propounded to them by the way as they went not out of ignorance as if he had not known what it was that the people said of him nor out of curiosity as if he were delighted to hear the rumours of the vulgar concerning himselfe but docendi gratiâ because he meant to teach and instruct them more perfectly He did not aske whom the Pharisees and Scribes did say him to be that was publickly and notoriously known for in the blindeness of their own minds and in the hardness of their hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Saint Epiphanius They knew not his Godhead and they supposed that he was no other but a meer man Lib. Anchor cap. 27. They knew nothing of his wonderfull conception which was by the holy Ghost nor of his wonderfull birth which was of a pure virgin nor of his speciall priviledge which was that he was without all sin nor of the hypostaticall union whereby the word was made flesh not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh but by taking of the manhood into God They did therefore notoriously defame him S. Joh 8.44 S. Joh. 10.20 said that he was a Samaritan and that he had a devill That he had a devill and was mad And because he came eating and drinking S. Mat. 11.19 they said Behold a man gluttonous and a wine-bibber a friend to publicans and sinners They undervalued all his miracles and look what they saw and knew to be done by the divine power and vertue of the holy Ghost they affirmed of the devill S. Mar. 3.22 saying He hath Beelzebub and by the prince of devills casteth he out devills Therefore he did not ask what they said him to be but whom do men the people the vulgar say that I the Son of man am The opinion of the people concerning Christ They told him according to the common opinion of the people of the Jewes in those dayes whereby it was believed that the souls of the defunct according to the merits of each person did commigrate into other bodies that some said that he was Saint John the Baptist some Elias others Jeremias or one of the prophets that is to say of the old Prophets and that he was such by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that the soul of Saint John the Baptist Elias or Jeremias or of one of the Prophets was transmigrated into him and that this was the vulgar errour concerning him Whereupon he demanded of them saying But whom say ye that I am Simon Peter the mouth of the Apostles replyeth both for himselfe and for all the rest Thou art Christ Saint Peters confession the son of the living God He pronounceth him blessed for his faiths-sake whereby he so believed affirming that this his answer was by divine revelation For flesh and blood saith he hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven And then admonisheth him of the retribution for his confession sake Thou art Peter and upon this rock will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Promising also unto him the keyes of the kingdome of heaven to the end that whatsoever he should binde on earth should be bound in heaven and whatsoever he should loose upon earth should be loosed in heaven His prerogative 1st He confers upon him this prerogative That he is Peter that is to say a stone for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the greek signifieth a stone And it was his prerogative that he was made a stone not by conversion of his nature into stone but by the gift of grace by his faith by his function For in this was Christ as good as his word and performeth that promise which he made when first he was presented to him by his brother Saint Andrew Thou art Simon the son of Jona S. Joh. 1.42 thou shalt be called Cephas which is by interpretation a stone And he did reserve the confirmation of his promise till Saint Peter had made this good confession The Church of God which is the whole number of those whom God hath elected to eternall life The Church compared to a materiall temple S. Mat. 21.13 1 Pet. 5.2 is often in the Scriptures resembled to a materiall temple and in particular to the temple of Hierusalem So that like as that temple was called an house the house of prayer in like manner is this called an house a spirituall house for distinction sake The materiall house was built of stones laid one upon another the spirituall house is likewise said to be builded but the edification is not of naturall and inanimate 1 Cor. 12.26 1 Pet. 2.5 but of spirituall and living stones The naturall stones of the materiall temple were joyned and cimented one unto another that so the building might rise to perfection Eph. 2.21 and the spirituall stones are in like manner fitly framed together that the building might grow unto an holy temple of the Lord. The materiall temple had a strong foundation that foundation was a rock upon which were superstructed great and mighty stones to support the whole fabrick which stones might not improperly be called the foundation and were indeed a second foundation most necessary for so great a structure which afterwards was raised with costly and curious stones such as Solomon made ready 1 King 6.7 and brought thither or such as those stones which the disciples did marvell at in the temple S. Mar. 13.1 S. Mat. 24.1 saying Master see wha◠manner of stones
word of God The matter of them is a double act Keyes of two sorts of knowledge and of execution from whence also the keyes are of two sorts the key of knowledge whereby the man of God doth judge rightly to whom the gates of heaven are to be opened and against whom they are to be shut like a wise door-keeper in the Lords temple well knowing whom to admit and whom to repell And the key of power whereby accordingly he putteth the matter in execution opening the doors of heaven to those that are worthy and shutting them against those that are unworthy This judgement of discerning the worthy from the unworthy had the Apostle Saint Peter Act. 8.23 for he perceived and affirmed Simon the Sorcerer to be in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity And therefore he did not open the gates of heaven unto him but shut him out Act. 10.48 How the keys are to be administred and bound him as an unclean thing But when Cornelius the Centurion had sent for him he found him worthy and therefore opened the gates of heaven unto him and baptized him The manner also how these keyes are to be administred is to be respected For the ministerial function is either common to the whole priesthood 1 Cor. 4.1 so far forth as all the priests are ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God And are by their function obliged to preach the word to administer the Sacraments of the Church 2 Tim. 4.2 to be instant in season out of season to reprove rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine Or else it is peculiar to the Bishops and goverours of the Church who because they are ordained not only to administer in holy things but to bear rule in the Church of Christ S. Mat. 18.17 and to preside therefore the keyes are again to be distinguished For there is the key of Order which doth belong to the inward court of conscience and by the ministery of the Gospell doth immediately open and shut the gates of heaven and is the common key of every priest rightly and lawfully ordained to his office and function by imposition of sacred haâ—â—s of what degree or title soever he be by that authority which is delivered unto him to preach the Gospell and to administer the Sacraments And there is the key of jurisdiction whereby Ecclesiasticall censures as publick pennance for publick crimes admonitions suspensions excommunications and such like are enjoyned and inflicted which is not the common key of every priest but doth belong only to the Bishops and governours of the Church to whom it belongeth to bear rule and to preside as before is said Nor yet is this key adminâ—stred in the inner court of conscience but in the outward court of jurisdiction Neither doth it open and shut heaven gates immediately but before the militant Church And hence it is that the Apostle Saint Paul instructeth Timothy not only as a Priest how to administer his key of order in the inward court and to open and shut the gates of heaven immediately by administration of the Gospell but also as a Bishop how to administer his key of jurisdiction as a Bishop in the outward court and to open and shut heaven gates in the consistory and before the militant Church as is plainly to be seen 1 Tim. 5. But these keyes were not promised unto Saint Peter only and excusively as to the other Apostles but omnibus cum Petro quia Petrus pro omnibus loquutus est Apostolis To whom the keys were prom sed and given to all the rest with Saint Peter because that like as Christ demanded of them all saying Whom say ye that I am even so by the revelation of the father Saint Peter answered for them all saying Thou art Christ the son of the living God Like as he demanded so was he answered as he was answered so did he promise as he promised so did he perform for between these four things a question an answer a promise and the performance there is mutuall reference Christ demanded of them all saying Whom say ye that I am They all answered by the mouth of Saint Peter as a jurie of sworn men giving up their verdict by their foreman Thou art Christ the son of the liâ—ing God Like as the tongue speaketh on the behalf of all the body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Even so was Saint Peter the tongue of the Apostles and he alone made the answer for them all Christ therefore maketh his promise to all by replying to St. Peter only because only St. Peter had spoken for them all and given up their answer And finally as the truth it self what he had promised to all he performed to all For he gave them all his peace He breathed on them all the Holy Ghost S. Joh. 20.19 20 21 22 23 S. Mat. 28.19 20. S. Mar. 16.15 He gave them all the same power of remitting and of retaining sins that is to say the power of the keyes promised before He sendeth them all forth with one and the same commission to preach and to baptize all the world over And this is the doctrine of the catholique Fathers and was of the Bishops of Rome themselves in purer times for said Leo The jurisdiction of this power passed over unto all the Apostles Ser. de Apost And when Christ saith he said unto Peter I will give unto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heaven the right of this power passed over unto others and that which is commended in express termes unto one is intimated unto all and Christ said it unto Peter singularly because the form of Peter is propâ—sed to all the governors of the Church And so Pope Anacletus also The rest of the Apostles saith he together with the like fellowship received both honour and power Ad Epis Ital. Ep. 2. Saint Cyprian The other Apostles were the same thing that Peter was endowed wiâ—h the like or equall fellowship pari consortio both of honour and power Lib. de unit eccles And finally among many other St. Augustine who speaking of the keyes and of the power of binding and loosing saith plainly thus Hoc Petrus pro omnibus tanquam personam unitatis accepit This hath Peter received for all as it were the person of unity Ser. 10. The use of the keyes super Johan The use of the keyes was from the beginning of the world And God himself did then first administer them by his own authority by making unto Adam the original promise It succeeded in all ages before the resurrection of Christ Gen. 3.15 in that ministery which God gave unto his Church But Christ would abolish the old Testament and legall worship therefore must he transfer the keyes to another priest-hood And this was it which he promised St. Peter to do and performed it after his resurrection as before is said Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jona for
flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee S. Mat. 16.17 but my Father which is in heaven And I say also unto thee that thou art Peter And upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it 18 And I will give unto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven whatsoever thou shall loose on earth 19. shall be loosed in heaven No doubt but the Apostles did highly rejoyce and were exceedingly glad to receive such a promise frâ—m Christ and began also to think of the performance of it The keyes to be transfer'd from the legall to the Evangelical priesthood and when and when it should be that such keyes with such power should be confer'd upon them But they must not expect the accomplishment till after his resurrection for till then he might not by divine dispensation transfer the keys of the kingdom of heaven with that power of binding and loosing from the legall to the Evangelicall priesthood Therefore saith St. Matthew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From that time forth when he had first straightly charged them that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ least his passion should be hindred for had they known him to have been Jesus Christ indeed they would not have crucified him he began to shew unto his Disciples how that he must go to Hierusalem and suffer many things of the Elders 1 Cor. 2.8 and chiefe priests and Scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day As if he should say He foretelleth his passion death and resurrection when I I have been at Hierusalem and when I have suffered and when I shall be risen again from the dead upon the third day then will I make good my promise by giving unto you the keys of the kâ—ngdom of heaven At this all the Apostles being over-charged with sorrow and because he spoke it openly so that the people also too notice of his words Saint Peter the mouth of the Apostles the second time came unto him privately and began to rebuke him saying Be it far from thee Lord this shall not be unto thee At this he is offended reproves him sharply calleth him Satan commands him to get behinde him for that by giving him such counsell he savoured not the things that be of God but those that be of men For what if the counsell that Saint Peter gave proceeded from that love and affection that he did bear unto his Lord who knew also that he did love him yet by giving him such counsell which was against the determinate counsell and fore-knowledge of God for the redemption of all mankinde by his death upon the crosse he was Satan and an adversary who must get behinde him viz. cease to withstand the will of God by carnall counsell From thence therefore he taketh occasion to admonish his disciples and the people how to follow him in persecutions and to bear his cross S. Mat. 16 24 25 26 27 28. S. Mar. 8.34 35 36 37 38. S. Luc. 9.23 24 25 26 27. valuing their precious souls above their temporall lives or the whole world telling them also that there were some standing amongst them who should not taste of death till they should see the son of man comming in his kingdomâ— intimating thereby that glimpse of his glory vvhich he would shew unto some of them by his transfiguration if not rather the destruction of Hierusalem which Saint John lived to see And after six daies saith Saint Matthew and with him Saint Mark but Saint Luke About an eight daies after these sayings S. Mat. 17.1 S. Mar. 9.1 S. Luc. 9.28 That is to say six compleat daies after he had so said not accounting the day that he spake nor the day that he ascended into the mount The transfiguration of Christ but only the six intervening daies Jesus taketh Peter James and John his brother and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart supposed to be the mount Thabor a mountain in Galilee of which something hath been said before where also it is thought as hath been before observed that he preached that famous Sermon unto his Apostles before the multitude repeated by the Evangelist Saint Matthew cap. 5.6.7 And was transfigured before them But why these three and none but these I can give no reason but the speciall favour and familiarity which they had with their Lord above the rest and why that he only knoweth But his speciall favourites he had in every degree He had many disciples multitudes of disciples but out of the whole number he made a more speciall choice of seventy that they might be more conversant with him than the rest S. Luc. 10.1 And them he sent two and two before his face into every city and place whither he himselfe would come There was a more speciall choice of twelve Apostles S. Mar. 3.14 that they should be with him and that he might send them forth to preach Of which twelve also he admitted three to a more intimate familiarity these were Saint Peter Saint James and Saint John his brother These only were permitted to be present when he went in S. Mar. 5.37 and raised up Jairus his daughter and these only he taketh with him into the mountain and was transfigured before them Not presently so soon as he had ascended but as he prayed or was praying He did not change the nature of his body but only the externall forme into a greater glory for his face did shine as the Sun and his raiment was white as the light white and glistering saith Saint Luke exceeding white as snow so as no fuller upon earth can white them saith Saint Mark. And so each Evangelist hath his owne expression It was for his disciples sake to whom he would shew a glimpse of his glory to the end that the humility of his passion might not offend them And it was for his servants Moses and Elias sake S. Mat. 17.4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. S. Mar. 9.5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. S. Luc. 9.32 33 34 35 36. whom he would entertain in robes of glory For Moses and Elias talked with him appearing in glory and speaking of his decease which he should accomplish at Hierusalem And so the other passages follow as they are set down by the Evangelists Of the motion made by Saint Peter as touching three tabernacles to be built there Of the Fathers testimony from heaven Of the disciples question concerning the comming of Elias and of Christ his answer thereunto And that first as he came down from the mountain he charged them to conceal the vision till after his resurrection which also they did questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean He abode with his three Apostles all night upon the mount and the next
and distinguished In one house it must be eaten neither must any part of it be carried out of the house to teach them to know that the Church which is that house in which the Lamb is is but one they must therefore keep themselves in the unity of that Church and not go forth of it nor think to finde the true Lamb of God in the fraternities of Hereticks Schismaticks and Sectaries who depart from the communion of the Church for among such he will not be found neither will he be eaten there This great Sacrament being thus instituted ordained then God proceedeth for he disposeth expoundeth The Covenant disposed into the form of a testament The legal part Levit. 18.5 Gal. 3.19 and confirmeth his covenant into the forme of a Testament having two parts the one legal conditionall requiring perfect obedience and under that condition promising eternall life Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments which if a man do he shall live in them And that legall part of the covenant was added that is to say further expounded put into a better method and written as Saint Paul saith because of transgressions How so Why first to discover sins and transgressions for by the law is the knowledge of sin Rom. 3.20 Rom. 7.7 I had not knowne sin but by the law for I had not knowne lust except the law had said Thou shalt not covet 2ly To punish sins and transgressions for the punishment is prescribed by the law the punishment prescribed by the law is the curse of the law Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law Deut. 27.26 to do them 3ly To smite the conscience and to make a man to condemn himselfe for the sins and transgressions which he hath done as Saint Paul saith We know that what things soever the law saith Rom. 3.9 it saith to them that are under the law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God In the confession of sins saith Saint Jerome upon the place 4ly To shew unto the people by whom sins and transgressions are to be expiated viz. not by those Leviticall Ordinances but by him who was set forth in the Leviticall Priesthood and by all the sacrifices of the Law that is Jesus Christ Eph. 1.7 In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgivenesse of sins according to the riches of his grace For the law saith the Apostle having a shadow of good things to come Heb. 10.1 and not the very image of the things can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the commers thereunto perfect The other part of that Testament was Evangelicall The Evangelicall part setting before their eyes the Redemption of Jesus Christ and giving them to understand that man should be reconciled unto God and delivered out of all miserâ—â— by his death Upon which part of the testament he putteth a most rich and sumptuous robe whereunto belonged 1st that Tabernacle or portable Temple which Moses at Gods commandment made in the Wildernesse the pattern whereof was shewed unto him in the Mount Exod. 25.40 Act. 7.44 Heb. 8.5 with all the sacred utensills thereunto belonging the Arke of the covenant the golden table the shew-bread the golden candlestick the altar of incense the altar of burnt offerings the brasen laver all which are to the life set forth as God commanded and as Moses made them in the book of Exodus Cap. 25 26 27 30 36 37 38 40. The Tabernacle The mystery of the Tabernacle as it was the house of divine worship did represent the Church for in his Church and only in his Church is the true worship of God The Pillars were types of the Apostles Bishops and other Ministers of the new Testament by whose faith and function the Church is upheld Their sockets of brasse the faith of Christ in which they stand strongly grounded and rooted immoveable as pillars in their sockets The golden boords with their sockets and bars did represent the faithfull far more pretious then gold who like gold do shine and glister in all holy conversation The curtains of fine twined linnen and blew and purple and scarlet with cherubims of cunning work coupled together with loops and taches of gold did signifie that the members of the Church adorned with the severall graces of the Holy Ghost are knit and joyned together in the unity of one and the same Spirit by the bond of peace The Rams skins died red and the Badgers skins for the covering aloft did mean the Gentiles made partakers of the same redeeming blood and their faith and fortitude in withstanding the violent stormes of persecution The other vailes namely that of the outward court and that which was betwixt the outward court and the holy place did shew forth the humility of Christ wherewith the Divinity as with a vail was shaddowed and through which the Godhead entred in to be sacrificed and to make an attonement for the sins of men But the inward vail which was hung up before the holy of holies or the holiest of all which was inaccessable to all and a type of heaven into which only the high Priest entred and that but once a year upon the great day of expiation according to our accompt the tenth day of September did import that the way into the Holiest of all was not made manifest while the first Tabernacle was yet standing Heb. 9.8 The High Priest must go in making the attonement that so heaven gates may be opened unto the sons of Adam who were shut out by sin When thou hadst overcome the sharpnesse of death singeth the Church thou didst open the kingdome of heaven to all believers But who is sufficient to declare the mysterie of all these things The matter and form of the Ark The Ark. is luculently set forth in the book of Exodus Cap. 25. 37. It was placed in the most holy place impervious unto all save only to the high Priest called in the Scripture the Arke of the covenant of the Lord Num. 10.33 Josh 3.6 because the tables of the covenant were laid up there together with the golden pot of Manna and Aaron's budding Rod. It was a visible testification of Gods divine presence from whence he gave Answers where God did as it were make his habitation and therefore called also the Arke of the Lord God of hosts 1 Sam. 4.4 that dwelleth between the Cherubims It was a type of Christ for the gold of the Ark did signifie the Divinity of Christ the wood of the Ark did signifie the humanity of Christ the crown environing did signifie the hypostatical union whereby was shewed what Christ must be in his own person viz. God man hypostatically united in one person It was a symbol of Religion for what else meant the tables of the ten commandements which were laid
them the Gospell by bringing unto them good tidings of great joy which should be to all people for that which they had long expected was that day brought to passe Unto you said he speaking with a lively and audible voyce is born this day in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord And this shall be a signe unto you ye shall finde the babe wrapped in swadling clothes lying in a manger Then immediately appear in the like glory and brightnesse and with the divine glory of him that was born shining round about them a multude of other Angels not seen to the shepheards at the first by the like lively and audible voice pronouncing the doxologie and declaring the fruits of the Gospell That God would by this wonderfull incarnation procure his owne glory and give peace to the earth making by that Saviour so born peace between heaven and earth peace betwixt God and man peace betwixt men and angells peace betwixt man and man peace betwixt men and the creatures and peace of men with themselves And finally that from hence is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that good pleasure of the will of God that good will towards men whereby the Father is well pleased with them in Christ his son For so saith the Evangelist Saint Luke S. Luc. 2.8 9 And there were in the same country shepheards abiding in the field keeping watch over their flock by night And lo the Angell of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them 10 and they were sore afraid And the Angel said unto them Fear not for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people 11 12 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a signe unto you ye shall finde the babe wrapped in swadling clothes lying in a manger And suddenly there was with the Angell a multitude of the heavenly hoste 13 14. praising God and saying Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace good-will towards men He that was born was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a shepheard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the good shepheard Why the Gospel first preached to the shepheards 1 Pet. 5.4 St Joh. 10.14 he was the great shepheard of the sheep Heb. 13.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefe shepheard it was he who had honoured the shepheards life in the persons of the righteous Abel of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and especially of David himself the head of his family who had fed kept the sheep of Jesse his father in the same place The pastoritial life was simple innocent and harmlesse such were the shepheards usually therefore the shepheards according to the divine wisdome which reacheth from one end to another mightily and doth order all things sweetly were the fittest persons to be brought first of all to the chiefe shepheard Wisd 8.1 by the preaching of the Gospell But this is not all for he had promised to his Church pastours according to his own heart which should feed them with knowledge and understanding Now he shewes what he will do with those pastours or shepheards and what the shepheards themselves must do Jer. 3.15 For it was not without great mystery The mystery that the shepheards were Evangelized by an angell from heaven to teach us to know that the divine revelations are first made manifest to the shepheards of the Church It was not without great mystery that the shepheards so soon as the Angells were gone up into heaven consulted what was best to be done and then went unanimously to Bethlehem to teach us to know that the affairs of the Church and of religion must be managed by the shepheards of the Church who being led by one and the same spirit must go hand in hand for the preservation of truth peace and unity It was not without great mystery that they went thither with haste for this was to teach the shepheards of the Church to use no delay when there shall be cause to enquire about matters of religion It was not without great mystery that the shepheards made known abroad every where the things wherewith they were Evangelized for this was to teach the shepheards of the Church to hide nothing from the people which shall be necessary for them to know that they may be saved and to teach the people also in matters of religion to hearken to the shepheards of the Church Therefore the blessed Virgin who had read the Scriptures diligently and was not ignorant of what was figured in the law and foretold by the prophets concerning Christ conferred and compared the things which she had seen and heard to be done and said concerning that blessed Babe with those things which she had learned out of the law and the prophets and pondered them in her heart for the confirmation of her faith upon every respect S. Luc. 2.15 And it came to passe as the Angells were gone away from them into heaven the shepheards said one to another Let us now go even unto Beth-lehem and see this thing which is come to passe which the Lord hath made known unto us And they came with haste and found Mary 16.17 and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger And when they had seen it they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this childe And all they that heard it 18 19. wondered at those things which were told them by the shepheards But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart as the text saith Christ was factus sub lege made under the law as Saint Paul saith therefore was it necessary for him to receive the signe or mark of Circumcision in the flesh of his fore-skin Gal. 4.4 Christ circumcised and why S. Joh. 7.22 For although that circumcision according to the primary institution of it was not of Moses but of the Fathers as Christ saith in the Gospell yet the law required circumcision that so the circumcised party might become a debtor to do the whole law Levit. 12.3 Gal. 5.3 What hath been already declared in the former book of this our Sacred History concerning circumcision the mystery and the use of it may suffice for that matter the question now is concerning Christ his obedience to the law whereunto he was obliged by his circumcision wherein I suppose the reader will desire to be satisfied in two things viz. 1st Why he was made under the law subject or obedient to the law and therefore a debtor to it by his circumcision 2ly In what manner he became obedient to it and was therefore circumcised Great and weighty are the reasons of Christ his subjection and obedience to the Law Why Christ was made subject or obedient to the Law For first He was obedient to the Law that so he might give approbation thereunto For
ever was committed to mortall men and were sent forth by him immediately even as the Father had sent him They were the Patriarks of the spirituall seed The number of the Apostles which is the Israel of God therefore fitly according to the number of the sons of Iacob twelve They were the pillars of religion and of divine worship therefore fitly according to the number of those pillars Gen. 35.22 Exod. 24.4 which supported the Altar built by Moses twelve They were wells to supply the world with the spiritual water of divine doctrin therefore fitly according to the number of the wells in Elim Exo. 25.27 twelve They were radiant pearles in the Church which is the robe of Christ therefore fitly according to the number of those precious stones which were in the Rationall or breast-plate of judgement twelve They did communicate the spiritual food Exod. 39.14 that bread which came down from heaven unto all nations therefore fitly according to the number of the proposition cakes twelve They were Princes of Israel in a spirituall and Evangelicall sense and meaning Exod. 24.5 therefore fitly according to the number of the Princes of Israel twelve Num. 1.44 They were officers to whom pertained the stewardship of the mysteries of God therefore fitly according to the number of Solomons officers 1 King 4.7 twelve They were sent all the world over to baptize all nations Therefore fitly according to the number of the oxen which supported that sea which Solomon made whereof three looked toward the North and three toward the West and three toward the South 1 King 7.25 and three toward the East twelve They did support the kingdom of Christ by their doctrin by their miracles by their sufferings therefore fitly according to the number of the lyons that stood upon the steps of Solomons throne twelve 1 King 10.20 Upon them the fire of Gods Spirit came down from heaven therefore fitly according to the number of those stones with which Elijah built the altar 1 King 18.38 upon which the fire of the Lord fell twelve Whatsoever the reason was why he made choice of twelve only to be his Apostles Adeò numerus iste sacratus est ut in locum unius qui exciderat non posset nisi alter nominari saith Saint Augustine divinely In Psal 103. So sacred is this number that into the place of one who had fallen away it could not be but that another must be named S. Mar. 3.13 And he goeth up into a mountain and calleth unto him whom he would and they came to him And he ordained twelve that they should be with him 14 15 and that he might send them forth to preach And to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out devills All the Apostles were Israelites descended from Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and the patriarchs none of them strangers The Apostles what they were Idumeans or Samaritans Nor yet were any of them born in Iudea or at Hierusalem but all of them Galileans by birth and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men of Galilee Act. 1.11 Act. 2.7 Are not all these which speak Galileans But although none of them were born in Iudea yet were some of them of the tribe of Iuda as the brethren of our Lord and the sons of Zebedaeus Saint Iames and Saint Iohn the rest probably supposed to be of the tribes of Zabulon and Nephthali unlesse peradventure Iudas the traitour were of Issachar which hath been thought by some Search and look said the chiefe Priests and Pharisees to Nichodemus for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet S. Joh. 7.52 But it was that transcendent honour that he would do unto Galilee to make it his owne country to be incarnate in the wombe there to dwell there to do his most mighty works there and that all his Apostles should be of Galilee The names of which twelve Apostles according to Saint Matthew are set down thus The first Simon who is called Peter S. Mat. 10.2 and Andrew his brother Iames the son of Zebedee and Iohn his brother Philip and Bartholomew Thomas and Matthew the publican 3 4. Iames the son of Alpheus and Lebbeus whose surname was Thaddeus Simon the Canaanite and Iudas Iscariot who also betrayed him But this order is not kept neithrr in the Evangelists Saint Mark and Saint Luke neither doth Saint Luke in the acts of the Apostles S. Mar. 3.16 S. Luc. 16.14 Act. 1.13 nominate them in the same order as in his gospell notwithstanding in every one of these Saint Peter is named first to him therefore is given priority but not majority Simon the Canaanite was he who is also called Zelotes and Lebbeus whose surname was Thaddeus he whom Saint Luke calleth Iudas the brother of Iames. With these he came down from the mountain and stood in the plain there being much people assembled from many places to hear and to be healed in the presence of whom having first cured the diseased he preacheth to his disciples of blessings and curses How we must love our enemies and do them all the good that we can Not to judge rashly or uncharitably That the masters must first mend themselves That we must joyne the obedience of good works to the hearing of the word S. Luc. from v. 17. to v. 49. lest in the evill day of temptation we fall like an house built upon the face of the earth without any foundation at all He did not presently send forth his Apostles to preach so soon as they were elected but so soon as he had sufficiently prepared and instructed them by his divine doctrine and precepts Christ his Sermon upon the mount whereunto pertaineth that famous Sermon of his preached unto his Apostles after their election before the multitude upon the mount repeated by the Evangelist Saint Matthew Cap. 5.6.7 There were some brethren in Saint Hieroms time who were of those that vvere more simple who thought that Sermon to have been preached by Christ to his disciples before the multitude upon mount olivet but they were merely deceived for all circumstances both antecedent and subsequent do plainly evince it to have been preached in Galilee upon mount Thabor saith Saint Hierom or upon some other mountain there Mount Thabor Thabor was a round high hill in Galilee upon the borders of Issachar and Zebulon fifty and six miles they say from Hierusalem towards the north of a pure aire and wonderfully fertile and I am easily induced to think that his concio ad clerum to have been preached to his elected Apostles and other disciples upon that mountain It was not the former sermon mentioned by Saint Luke to have been preached in the plain standing but rather that sermon enlarged and preached at another time to his Apostles upon a mountain sitting which posture of sitting as Saint Augustine saith did pertain ad dignitatem magistri to the dignity of
unto him Of strangers 25 26 Jesus saith unto him Then are the children free Notwithstanding lest we should offend them go thou to the sea and cast an hook and take up the fish that first commeth up and when thou hast opened his mouth thou shalt finde a piece of money 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a stater which was two didrachmaes that take and give them for me and thee 27. Saint Peter having taken the fish paid the tribute money and being returned he demanded of them what it was that they disputed among themselves by the way and before they came to Capernaum But they held their peace being ashamed it seems to say what it was S. Mar. 9.33 34. S Luc. 9.46 for by the way they had disputed among themselves who should be the greatest They disputed which of them should be the greatest as St. Luke saith but being loath to say it in plain terms they came unto him as St. Matthew saith and asked him saying Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven S. Mat. 18 1. But he perceived the thought of their heart and therefore having answered the question briefly The most humble If any man desire to be first the same shall be last of all and servant of all He teacheth hit Apostles humility he brings forth and presents unto them a pattern of true humility a little child said to be St. Ignatius being then a little child whom he called unto him set him in the middest took him in his arms and as it were making him his text for as St. Chrysostome saith a little childe is void of envie and vain glory S. Mat. 18.3 4 5 6. S. Mar. 9.37 S. Luc. 9.48 nor doth it desire the primacy he preacheth unto them against ambition the mother of Schism warning them to be humble and harmless And when he had answered St. John who told him that they had forbidden one who cast out devils in his name because he followed not him together with them as a Disciple bidding them not to prohibite such as be not against them He prohibiteth scandal He denounceth a woe unto them that give scandall justly amplifying the greatness of the sin by the greatness of the punishment It were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea Teaching also how scandall must be avoided and enforcing the duty by divers arguments persued at large by Saint Matthew and by Saint Marke Tutelary Angels Whereof this is one which comes with a caveat Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones for I say unto you that in heaven their Angels do alwaies behold the face of my father which is in heaven S. Mat. 18.19 From whence though it cannot be concluded that every one hath his tutelary Angell assigned unto him in particular from the hour of his birth to the day of his death yet this will be inferred that his little ones who are his little ones by the grace of regeneration are not destitute of the care and custody of the good Angels from the first moment of their regeneration to the day of their death who also when they do dye are ready at hand to carry their souls up with them into heaven As it is plainly said of Lazarus that when he was dead S Luc. 16.22 he was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome But then the question is what we must do to them that offend us Concerning brotherly correption and remission Levit. 19.17 S. Luc. 17.3 and sin against us 1. We must admonish them privately according to the law for it is written Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sin upon him if they acknowledge the wrong and repent then must we forgive them 2ly If they will not acknowledge the wrong nor repent then must the injury be expostulated before one or two witnesses that so it may be made appear to be a sin and a wrong as the Gloss saith And before one or two witnesses because it is written in the law One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity or for any sin in any sin that he sinneth at the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses Deut. 19.15 shall the matter be established 3ly If they be obstinate and will not so be convinced then must we tell it to those who have the government of the Church and the keys of the kingdome of heaven to the end that they may be admonished by them and in case that they contumaciously persist be excommunicated By which sentence of excommunication The power of excommunication justly and lawfully inflicted they are bound in heaven and so long as they shall lie under that sentence perversly and of obstinate malice are to be unto us as heathen men or as publicans were unto the Jews A great and grievous sentence and as St. Augustine saith a greater punishment then if a man were executed by sword fire or wild beasts Wherein a man is more sharply S. Mat. 18.15 16 17 18 19 20. and pitifully bound then with any iron or adamantine manicles or fetters in the world Cont. adver leg lib. 1. cap. 17. But Christ had not said how often it is that we must forgive our brother and that was it which St. Peter would know fearing it should seem lest too much lenity and gentleness should give occasion and liberty unto others to offend us Remission how often it is to be done Therefore he came unto him and said Lord how oft shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him till seaven times he proposeth largely as he thought S. Mat. 18.21 neither did he imagine that beyond seaven times he should be bound to forgive Jesus saith unto him I say not unto thee untill seaven times but untill seaventy times seaven So he answereth both negatively and affirmatively negatively I say not unto thee 22 untill seaven times affirmatively untill seventy times seaven Which is numerus certus pro incerto finitus pro infinito a certain number for an uncertain a finite for an infinite and therefore his answer is So often as he shall sin against thee This he illustrateth by a similitude shewing thereby how the case standeth betwixt God and man Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certaine king 23 which would take account of his servants One of them was deeply indebted and did owe unto him ten thousand talents He had nothing to pay therefore is commanded to be sold with his wife and children and all that he had 24 25 He beseecheth patience his Lord is compassionate and remitteth the debt 26 27 28 29 30. The same servant useth a fellow servant with extremity for a small debt and casteth him into prison The fellow servants report this
his promise to Saint Peter By being himselfe the rock of the Church upon which the Apostles were to be laid as sure foundation stones By promising to assure his Church against the gates of hell By promising the keyes of the kingdom of heaven to be transferred to the Evangelicall priesthood By foretelling his passion death and resurrection By his Transfiguration By dispossessing a dumbe and deafe spirit By paying the Didrachma By teaching his Apostles humility By prohibiting scandall and laying down the doctrine of brotherly correption and remission By stating the question concerning Divorcement By passing by the injury done to him by the Samaritans By cleansing ten lepers By going up to the feast of Tabernacles By absolving the woman taken in adultery By curing the man that was born blind By setting himselfe forth to be the good shepheard By proposing the parable of the labourers By sending out his seventy Disciples By other things which he said and did there at that feast By abiding at Hierusalem the feast of dedication By preaching repentance By curing a crooked woman By curing an hydropick man By teaching his Disciples to beare their cross By proposing the parables of the lost sheepe of the lost drachma and of the prodigall son By proposing the parable of the unjust steward and the parable of the rich man and Lazarus By replying to his Apostles petition for augmentation of faith and to the Pharisees question concerning the kingdom of God By the parables of the importunate widow and of the Pharisee and publican It became him who humbled himself and was made man for the redemption of all mankinde to do all these things And thus with my late learned Diocesan our sacred History doth put an end to the fourth year after his Baptisme which was the three and thirtieth year of his age And this also shall be an end to the second booke of this our sacred History THE THIRD BOOK OF THE SACRED AND MOST MYSTERIOUS HISTORY OF MANS REDEMPTION NOW the great day of Attonement draweth nigh and Christ the high Priest will by the sacrifice of himselfe once offered make the attonement for all the people expiate all their sins and reconcile them to God Therefore went he through the cities and villages He journyeth towards Jerusalem S. Luc. 13.22 23. Exhorteth to enter in at the strait gate teacâ—ing and journeying towards Hierusalem And as he went one demanded this question saying Domine si pauci sunt qui salvantur Lord are there few that be saved He tells him not whether many or few but that the gate of heaven is a strait gaâ—e into which none can enter but they that strive as champions that it is yet open but it will be shut and then it will be too late for them to strive This will be when he shall come to judgment At which day it will wound their hearts to see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets in the kingdome of God the Gentiles also from all parts and quarters of the world v. 28 29 30. and themselves thrust out for their unbeliefe Proceeding onwards in his journey S. Mat. 19.13 S. Mar. 10.13 S. Luc. 18.15 there were some who brought unto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Saint Matthew and with him Saint Mark little children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 infants saith Saint Luke children lately born from their mothers vvombe to the end that he should put his hands upon them pray for them and blesse them Bâ—esseth the little children S. Mat. 9.18 S. Mar. 8.22 It vvas not unusuall vvith him to cure the diseased and to confer other graces by imposition of his blessed hands it vvas that vvhich the ruler petitioned for in behalfe of his daughter vvith the same ceremony he gave sight to the blinde man And vvhen they brought unto him many sick and diseased S. Luc. 4.40 he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them These things it is likely they had observed in him besides S. Mat. 19.13 14 15. S. Mar. 10.14 15 16. S. Luc. 18.15 16 17. they could not be ignorant that the patriarcks priests and Prophets did blesse and consecrate by imposition of hands Upon these grounds they brought their children to him that he should blesse them pray for them and consecrate them to God by imposition of his hands This offended the Apostles vvho therefore rebuked those that brought them but Christ approving the fact deferred nothing to satisfie their desires And they vvere in the vvay going up to Hierusalem and Jesus vvent before them and they vvere amazed and as they follovved they vvere afraid S. Mar. 10.32 For he had divers times before told them of his sufferings at Hierusalem being novv to go up thither they were amazed and afraid Ne vel ipsi cum eo occiderentur vel saltem ille cujus vi â magisterio gaudebant inimicorum manibus occumberet lest either they should be killed with him or he himselfe in whose life and magistery they rejoyced should die by the hands of his enemies as Bede observeth Therefore he took them to him privately and to the end that he might prepare and fit them for the temptation to come telleth them that he goes up voluntarily to Hierusalem well knowing what should befall him there He enumerates particularly what he will suffer that he shall be betrayed unto the chief Priests and Scribes that they shall condemn him to death S. Mat. 20.17 18 19. S. Mar. 10.32 33 34. S. Luc. 18.31 32 33. they shall deliver him to the gentiles to be mocked and scourged spit upon and crucified but yet that they should not have their wills of him for the third day he would rise again that these things were foretold of him by the prophets and must be accomplished accordingly To all this the Apostles replyed nothing and Origen thinks it was lest he should make the like reply unto them as he had done unto Saint Peter before but Saint Luke setteth down the reason plainly to be v. 34. that they understood none of these things and this saying was hid from them neither knew they the things which were spoken They heard them indeed and understood the words but the true sense and meaning of them was hidden from their understanding The petition of Salome and her sons Whence it came that the two sons of Zebedaeus taking Salome their mother also with them she for them they for themselves petitioned that they might sit the one on his right hand S. Mat. 20.20.21 S. Mar. 10.35 36 37. the other on his left hand in his kingdome in that earthly kingdome into which they thought he would presently enter so soon as he should be risen again upon the third day The reason of this petition as Saint Chrysostome hath observed was because they saw themselves honoured above others and had heard him also to say that his Apostles should sit upon twelve thrones in the
same thing S. Paul putteth it out of doubt for saith he The Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 11 123 the same night in which he was betrayd took bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And when he had given thanks he brake it Saint Matthew saith 24. S. Mat 26.26 S. Mar. 14.22 S Luc. 22.19 1 Cor. 11.24 that he blessed Saint Paul that he gave thanks Again Saint Mark saith that he blessed Saint Luke that he gave thanks Therefore according to St. Matthew St. Mark S. Luke and S. Paul it was one and the same thing that he did to the bread and to the cup and neither more less or otherwise to either But the question is What blessing or thanksgiving What was the blessing or thanksgiving by which he blessed or gave thanks he then used Some think it to have been some peculiar blessing or thanksgiving extemporarily conceived upon the present occasion and work in hand I rather think it to be his ordinary blessing or thanksgiving if not that very blessing or thansgiving which was in use among the Iewes They say that at every solemn feast the Father or Master of the family sitting down at the table took the cup in his right hand saying these words Blessed be thou O Lord our God the king of the world who createst the fruit of the Vine Then he drank and gave it to the guests Afterwards he took the bread pronouncing these words Blessed be thou O Lord our God which brings bread out of the earth Stella in Luc. 22.19 Then he brake the bread and gave it also to the guests sitting at the table together with him Christ was the feast-maker his Disciples were the guests and that he used no extraordinary form of blessing thereby to bless the bread and the cup I shew by these reasons following 1. The Evangelists speak of it S. Mat. 14.19 and 15.36 as of the common and ordinary blessing which they do call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessing and thanksgiving 2ly If it had been any extraordinary blessing which he had not been accustomed to use all the Evangelists doubtless would not have pretermitted it Saint Matthew and Saint Luke do both of them record that prayer which he left unto his Church St. Matthew as a rule or direction according to which all prayers publick or private must be composed After this manner therefore pray ye Saint Luke S. Mat. 6.9 S. Luc. 11.2 as a prayer to be used publickly in the Church and totidem verbis When we pray say Our father which art in heaven It was twice taught upon divers occasions and to divers ends Saint John setteth down the prayer verbatim which he made unto his father before he passed over the brook Cedron Joh. 17. It is therefore utterly improbable that they would all of them have omitted this benediction or thanksgiving had it been extraordinary and peculiar Lastly he did not dictate unto his Disciples any new Hymne but the hymne which they sung was that which was in use either the great Hallelujah viz. the hundred and thirteenth Psalm Praise ye the Lord. Praise O ye servants of the Lord c. with the five Psalms next following as Paulus Burgensis and with him Theodore Beza do tell us or some other Whatsoever it were it was the common and ordinary hymne accustomed to be sung at that feast S Mat. 26.30 S. Mar. 14.26 which thing is sufficiently intimated by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hymno dicto the hymne being said as the vulgar Latin renders it He sang no extemporary hymne afterwards for the Disciples sang with him in relation to the Sacrament which he had instituted Why then a peculiar extemporary benediction before in relation to that Sacrament which he would ordain He brake the bread and he took the cup that is to say he poured out wine into the cup which he took He brake the bread and he took the cup. or he took into his hand that cup into which the wine was poured out It was not so much that he might divide and distribute the elements of bread and wine unto them as that by breaking the bread and by taking of that cup he might set forth all his sufferings together with his death It is therefore a sacramentall and essentiall ceremony pertaining to the end and form of the sacrament Wherein the faithfull have to behold Christ broken and poured out for us men and for our redemption For like as the bread is broken and the wine poured out even so are we given to understand thereby that he was broken poured out and exposed as it were a prey to the teeth of his enemies those many dogs that came about him those strong bulls of Bashan that compassed him round about those lions among whom his soul was those unicorns upon whose horns he was tossed by whose hornes he was gored He was broken and poured out in his fame being laden with all manner of lies and slanders to wound him in his reputation and to make him odious among the people S. Joh. 10 20. S. Joh. 8.48 S Mat. 11.19 S. Luc. 23.2 that he had a devill and was mad that he was a Samaritan and had a devill or familiar spirit That he was a gluttonous man a wine bibber a friend to publicans and sinners That he perverted the nation forbad to give tribute to Caesar He was broken poured out in his honour while he was exposed to all manner of contempt and scorn For they crowned him with thornes they arrayed him in a purple robe they put a reed in his hand they bowed their knees before him in mockage abusing and dishonouring him in his kingly office They spit in his face they did beat and buffet him with their fists and the reed and with the palmes of their hands bidding him to prophesy who it was that smote stim so abusing contemning and dishonouring him in his priestly and propheticall offices When he was crucified upon the crosse then did they bid him to save himselfe and to come down so also blaspheming him as the saviour He was broken and poured out in his goods and estate for although he came into the world in a voluntary poverty S. Mat. 8.20 and had not where to lay his head For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 8.9 that though he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor that ye through his poverty might be made rich Yet when he was crucified they left him not so much as the cloaths that he did wear they divided all his garments among them and for that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his coat tunica à tuendo corpore which was without seam woven from the top throughout supposed to be made by the hands of his own blessed mother in that it would be to no profit for them if they should divide it they cast lots for it whose it should be
by signification office and use By nature and substance they were bread and wine still by signification office and use they were his body and his blood Now put all the words together and consider them in the complex This is my body this my blood they make indeed a proposition but not according to the rules of logick the praedication is not orderly for so much as the body and blood is no predicable neither the genus species differentia proprium or accidens of the bread and wine Neither is it an identicall praedication as when we say bread is bread wine is wine What is it then It is a figurative or sacramentall proposition For the thing which is affirmed is affirmed figuratively and sacramentally figuratively that is to say metonymically whereby the name of the thing is affirmed of the signe a figure frequently used in the scripture Christ our passeover Circumcision the covenant 1 Cor. 5.7 Gen. 17.10 And as St. Paul saith concerning that rock which gave drink to the people of Israel in the wilderness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That rock was Christ and there is an emphasis in the article ille Christus 1 Cor. 10.4 that Christ Sacramentally for the thing which is affirmed is also assured and made good by that whereof it is affirmed whereby it comes to pass that the body and blood of Christ is verily and indeed taken and received of the faithfull in the Lords supper The words of the promise so considered do lead us to the great benefit procured to mankind by the merit of his body and blood so broken so poured out and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the remission of sins Remission of sins therefore is the sweet fruit and effect of the death of Christ Remission of sinnes through the effusion of his blood and is an act of grace and mercy in God whereby he esteems of sinne as no sin or as not committed The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remission is properly the sending of a thing back again to its right owner for remittere is retrò mittere to send back When God forgiveth sins he doth send them away like as the scape goat was sent away into the wilderness he doth return them as it were in full waight and measure to the proper owner which is the Devill The price The price of this grace on Christ his part was his precious body and blood given broken shed to merit and to procure it One drop of that redeeming blood according to the dignity and worthiness of the person had been sufficient to have redeemed a thousand worlds and yet no less price must be given then all that which he suffered in the humanity for the remission of sins When the Gentiles scoffed at that article of the Creed wherein the Church acknowledgeth to believe remission of sins and said that by this means the multitude of sinners would easily be augmented if remission of sinnes might freely be expected and so easily be obtained Arnobius answered Non emitur ista venia à nobis ut à vobis solet de vestris dijs sed magno constat nempe sanguine Christi proprium est numinis non emptitius sed gratutitas liberales habere peccatorum venias lib. 7. This remission ir not of our purchasing like as you are wont to purchase of your gods but the price was great even the blood of Christ and it is Gods propriety not to sell but freely and liberally to forgive sins The purchase therefore was on Christ his part and magno constat the price given for it was the greatest price that ever was to us it is a free grace without any price or merit on our parts Concerning which grace divers questions are to be demanded 1. To whom doth it belong to collate it Answer To God The grace and to his Ministers To God himself properly and authoritatively to his Ministers declaratively ministerially and by application I say first to God himself properly and authoritatively for to him it belongs to remit sins by his own authority Sins remitted by God authoritatively He against whom sins are committed to him it doth belong to forgive sins properly and by his own authority but this is God and none but God the breach of whose laws and commandments are properly sins for as much as the offence done to any man or to any other creature is no more but an offence or injury nay for as much as the breach of any mans commandment is no sin unless it imply with all the breach of the commandment of God Therefore to God and to none but God doth it belong to forgive sins properly and by his own authority This is clearly evinced by the Prophet David who although he had trespassed highly against Uriah in that he had defiled his wife and caused him to be done to death Psal 51.4 Ex. 34.6 7. Psal 32.5 Isa 43.25 Mich. 7.18 S. Mar. 2.7 yet he acknoweldgeth the sin to be against God and against him only Tibi soli peccavi against thee thee onely have I sinned And the whole scripture is clear in this point Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity who can forgive sinnes but God onely 2ly I say that remission of sins doth belong to the ministers of God declaratively ministerially and by application for saith our Church in the Absolution He ha h given power and commandement to his ministers Sins remitted by the ministers declaratively to declare and pronounce to his people being penitent the absolution and remission of their sins For the ministers of the Church have the keyes of the kingdom of heaven by the donation of Christ whose right it was to transfer them from the legall to the Evangelicall priesthood which was first promised to St. Peter and with him to all the other Apostles quia Petrus pro omnibus loquutus est Apostolis S. Mat. 16.19 S. Mat. 18.18 because he made answer for them all Afterwards renewed to them all And finally performed to them all after his resurrection at what time he breathed on them the holy Ghost and said Whosesoever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whosesoever sins ye retain S. Joh. 20.23 they are retained But this power was not to dye with them but according to his own promise to remain with his Church to the end of the world S. Mat. 28.20 The meanes And consisteth in application of the meanes whereby God doth remit sinnes Which meanes are the word of God the Sacraments of the Church the relaxation of Ecclesiastical censures and prayer I find this no where better set forth then in the form of our generall absolution He pardoneth and absolveth not we pardon and absolve all them which truly repent and unfeignedly believe his holy Gospell In quo non est peccatum ipse venit auferre peccatum Nam si esset in illo peccatum auferendum esset illi
of heaven It is a deliverance that must never be forgotten and lest it should be forgotten he will have the memoriall of it continued in his Church by the frequent celebration of so great a sacrament When our children shall say unto us What mean you by this service we must say unto them that it is the blessed sacrament of the Lords supper which he hath instituted to that end that we being continually fed and nourished by his most precious body and blood should never forget him nor the benefits which we have received by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Do this in remembrance of me Yet not to a bare remembrance of him for verba notitiae in sacris etiam sequentes motus significant words in the scriptures that import knowledge do also imply the motions consequent Therefore though we must remember the whole history of Christ and of his passion and death and it is highly commendable in a Christian to know and remember the whole history of Christ of his passion and death yet must we not sit down there we must have a faithfull remembrance of him and we must have a thankfull remembrance of him We must have a faithfull remembrance of him to believe that what Christ did and what Christ suffered he both did and suffered for us we must make a particular application of his merits and of his sufferings to our selves that we may say every one of us faithfully for himself with Saint Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cal. 2 20. I am crucified with Christ We must have a thankfull remembrance of him for this Sacrament is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grata beneficiorum recordatio a gratefull remembrance of benefits received it is grata animi significatio a thankfull signification of the mind for benefits received In which Sacrament we do commemorate Christ and his benefits in a speciall manner testifying our gratitude lauding praysing and magnifying the holy name of God therefore for it is by way of excellency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus having instituted and administred this great and mysterious Sacrament which hath obtained to be styled his body and blood and is so indeed unto every faithfull receiver of it and is to be seen and discerned not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not with the eyes of the body but with the eyes of the mind Christ his protestation he addeth a protestation that he will no more drink of the fruit of the Vine untill the day that he shall drink it new with them in the kingdom of God his father This protestation is remembred by all the three Evangelists S Mat. 26.29 S. Mar. 14.25 S. Luc. 22.18 and was made after the Sacrament instituted and administred according to St. Matthew and St. Marke but before the divine institution of it according to Saint Luke and either before they did eat the Passeover or immediately after as they sate at the supper The difference is but seeming Utrumque dictum sed non utrumque ab utroque dictum Saint Matthew doth not say that which Saint Luke saith Saint Luke doth not say that which Saint Matthew saith and yet both Saint Matthew and Saint Luke do say what Christ said Saint Luke saith what he said at supper and before he administred Saint Matthew and Saint Marke what he said after supper and after that he had instituted and administred this Sacrament He was serious in his protestation he spake it twice and once at least confirmed it by his usuall attestation observed by Saint Marke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verily I say unto you Two things he protesteth 1. That he would no more eat the passeover in that manner nor drink any more wine with them so as he had done this was the last that he would eat or drink therefore that he would dye He himself was the true passeover he would offer up himself and thereby antiquate the lesser passeover 2ly That he would eat it when it should be fulfilled in the kingdom of God that he would drink of the fruit of the Vine when the kingdom of God should come that he would drink it new with them in the kingdom of God his father therefore that he would not be long dead he would surely and certainly rise again After the passeover should be fulfilled in the kingdom of God that is to say after his resurrection for by his death the true paschall lambe was offered up and by his resurrection the passeover was fulfilled the old passeover that was then abolished the new passeover that was then offered up when the kingdom of God should come when he should manifest his glory after his resurrection then would he drink it new with them novo modo in a new manner in the kingdâ—m of God his Father the Church of the new Testament confirmed by his blood He did eat and drink with them after his resurrection but novo modo in a new manner for before he dyed his body was passible and he stood in need of food but after he was risen his body was impassible and he stood in no need of food it was novo modo in a new manner propter resurrectionis certitudinem for the certitude of his resurrection He doth eat the passeover and drink the new wine with his Church militant novo modo in a new manner whiles that he is incorporated into us and we into him by faith in the mysticall eating and drinking of this Sacrament and he will eat and drink with his Church triumphant novo modo in a new manner in the kingdom of heaven by communication of his glory All this while Judas was present and sitting at the table together with them he had eaten the passeover but he had not purged out the old leaven The impudency of Judas He had his feet washed but he was not clean because his conscience was defiled He was as St. Augustine saith admitted by Christ unto the same banquet in which he commended the figure of his body and of his blood Cont. Adimant Therefore did he receive the visible signs the bread and the cup but he did not receive the invisible grace the body and blood in a mystery because he did not discern it He knew his treason and he knew that his Lord also knew it He dipped his hand with him in the dish a sign given to all the Disciples whereby to discover him and Christ also told him plainly though it seems he ask't the question last of all that he was the traytor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Mat 26.25 Thou hast said Wherefore he complains of his impudency But behold the hand of him that betrayeth me S. Luc. 22.21 22 23. is with me on the table At this word they make a new enquiry among themselves who it was that should do this thing St. Peter beckoneth to St. John that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake he demanded Lord who is it Jesus answered He it is to whom
I shall give a sop when I have dipped it and when he had dipped the sop he gave it to him and then the Devill entred into him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 took his heart into his own possession S. Joh. 13.23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30. saith Theophylact and he went imediately out it being night Christ also saying unto him That thou dost do quickly which words to what end they were spoken none of the Disciples then knew After he was gone forth he discourseth to his Disciples of many things fusely set down by the Evangelists foretelling them the offence that they should take at him He foretelleth the offence of his disciples and S. Peters denyall and to St. Peter his denyall of him Saint Peter was fervent in his love to Christ and was ready upon all occasions to lay down his life for him Christ tells him that Sathan had desired to have them that he might sift them as wheat but that he had prayed for him and in him for all them that his faith should not fail He replies presently Lord I am ready to go with thee both into prison and to death But Christ answereth I tell thee Peter the cock shall not crow this day S. Luc. 22.31 32 33 34. before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me Again he told them that he had but a little while to be with them that they should seek him but said he As I said unto the Jewes whither I go ye cannot come so now I say unto you Saint Peter said Lord whither goest thou Jesus answered him whither I go thou canst not follow me now but thou shalt follow me afterwards Saint Peter would know the reason Why not now S. Joh. 13.33 34 35 36 37 38. I will lay down my life for thy sake Jesus answered him Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake Verily verily I say unto thee the cock shall not crow untill thou hast denyed me thrice Finally which seems to be spoken not in the chamber but as they were going towards the mount of Olives he premonisheth them that they should all be offended because of him that night and that it must be so because the scritpure must be fulfilled I will smite the shepheard and the sheepe shall be scattered which thing was prophesied by Zechariah c. 13.7 Saint Peter had recourse again the third time to his former confidence Although all should be offended yet will not I. Christ replies again Verily I say unto thee That this day even in this night before the cock crow twice thou shalt deny me thrice S. Mat. 26.31 32 33 34 35. S. Mar. 14 27 28 29 30 31 But he spake the more vehemently If I should die with thee I will not deny thee in any wise Which was also that which they all said Ecce avis sine pennis in altum volare nititur sed corpus aggravat animam ut timore humanae mortis timor Domini superetur See saith St. Hierome a bird without wings strives to fly aloft but the body doth overburthen the soul that the fear of the Lord should be praeponderated by the fear of human death His will was good and his love was highly to be commended but he had not rightly considered his owne humane imbecillitie The words which Christ spake made them exceedingly sorrowfull and more especially because he had said that he must go from them Wherefore Judas being gone before that he would go out to be betrayed he spake unto them all those sweet words which are recorded by the blessed Apostle and Evangelist Saint John Christ's farewell Sermon to his Apostles a Sermon of valediction set down verbatim in the fourteenth fifteenth and sixteenth chapters of his Gospell of which briefly this is the summe He comforteth them with the hope of heaven his Fathers house in which are many mansions assuring them that he is going before to prepare a place for them that he will come again and bring them thither professing himselfe to be the way thither according to his humanity and the end according to his divinitie the truth and the life and consubstantiall with the Father Assureth their prayers put up to the Father in his name to be effectuall Thereupon requesting love and obedience he promiseth to send unto them and in them to his Church the holy Ghost the comforter to be with them for ever leaving unto them and to his Church his peace So he concludeth the first part of his Sermon cap. 14. Bidding them to arise and to go from thence leading them it seems to another place where he continues his divine doctrine There under the parable of the Vine he setteth forth the consolation and mutuall love betwixt him and his members shewing how he accounreth of them by this that he dyeth for them Also what must be their comfort in the hatred and persecution of the world likewise shewing what the holy Ghost the comforter will do on his part when he is come and that both he and they must testifie of him cap. 15. Now he fortelleth them of persecution to come to the end that they should not be scandalized thereat when it is come And because that sorrow had filled their heart therefore he proposeth the advantage which they should have by his departure from them for by that means the holy Ghost would come who should testifie against his enemies and guide them into all truth and the inestimable joy that shall be unto them by his resurrection That the prayers which they make to the Father in his name shall be accepted That he came down from the Father and that he would go unto him again Wherefore when they all professed that they did believe that he came forth from God he replyeth that presently when he shouldbe apprehended they would all forsake him And when he had promised them his Peace against the afflictions of the world he endeth his Sermon in these words Be of good cheare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be confident I have overcome the world ca. 16. Having ended his Sermon he then addresseth himselfe to his holy and heavenly Father by prayer that seeing he had now finished his work he would give him his appointed glory to preserve his Apostles his Church for ever in unity against schism in verity against heresie Finally to glorifie them all for ever in heaven together with him And then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they had sung an hymne or the hymne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Saint Gregory Nyssen An hymn is a benediction ascribed to God for the benefits which he hath done unto us in Psal lib. 2. which was accustomed to be sung at that feast S. Mat. 26.30 S. Mar. 14.26 peradventure the great Halalujah as hath been intimated before they went out into the mount of Olives Nigh unto Jerusalem was the valley of Jehosaphat through which ran with great swiftnesse The brook Cedron a certain
1.22 and almost over all nations This title read many of the Jews and among the rest the chiefe priests themselves who disliked it and therefore expostulated with Pilate saying Write not The king of the Iewes but that he said I am king of the Iewes The titles of malefactors crucified were according to the manner of the Romans set up to the end that the people might know the crimes for the which they were crucified that justice might receive its due commendations and to warn others to take heed of the like offences I shall not doubt therefore but that the two malefactors which were crucified with him had also their titles set up and affixed to their crosses in the same manner shewing the crimes which they had committed and for which they suffered But Pilate by this title doth justifie him from murther and sedition and such like crimes objecting against the Iewes malice and envy in crucifying of their king which thing he did to be avenged of them for that their importunity whereby they had with an unsatiable blood-thirstiness urged in some sort compelled him to condemn him But the title preached the Gospel upon the cross and therefore though the chiefe priests take offence yet Pilate who neverthelesse knew not the verity of what he had written would not S. Mat. 27.33 37 38. S. Mar. 15.22 23 26 27 28 S. Luc. 23.32 33 38. S. Joh. 19.17 18 19 20 21 22. could not must not alter it Quod scripsi scripsi What I have written I have written So hung he upon the cross naked and all bloody for the souldiers had stripped him of his garments and the two malefactors in the like manner who were crucified with him the one on his right hand the other on his left Wherein the scripture was fulfilled whereby it was prophesied that he should be numbred with the transgressors Isa 53.12 Now as he hung upon the cross in that manner the souldiers divided his garments among themselves The Soldiers divide his garments and they being in number four divided them into four parts to every souldier a part and cast lots which part every man should take As for his coat because it was without seam and woven from the top throughout could not commodiously be rent into four parts and divided therefore they cast lots for it which of them should have it whereby the scripture was fulfilled Psal 22.18 which foretold that so it should be In this the Fathers with great piety do also find much mystery Quadripartitae autem vestis Domini nostri Iesu Christi quadripartitam figuravit ejus Ecclesiam quatuor scilicet partibus in orbe diffusam in eisdem aequaliter id est concorditer distributam The apparell of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ of which foure parts were made figured his quadripartite Church which is diffused by four parts in the world and in the same four parts equally that is concordantly distributed Tunica vero illa sortita omnium partium significat unitatem quae charitatis vinculo continetur But that vesture for which the lots were cast signifieth the unity of all the parts which is contained in the bond of charity He is mocked of all sorts of people So Saint Augustine Then was he mocked of all sorts of people and railed upon by the chief priests the scribes and elders by the standers by by the passers by by the souldiers S. Mat. 27.35 38 39 40 41 42 43 44. S. Mar. 15.24 27 28 29 30 31 32. S. Luc. 23.32 33 c. S. Joh. 19.23 24. and by the malefactors themselves which were crucified with him But he prayed for them all saying Father forgive them for they know not what they do He prayed for them all but they were not all forgiven because by unbeliefe and hardness of heart they refused the pardon which they might have had This is cleared by the two thieves that were crucified with him for they both mocked and reviled him at the first but one of them was not pardoned because he did not desire it He was so far from desiring it that even then when he hung upon the cross he railed on him saying If thou be Christ save thy self and us But the other thiefe repented of his railing and by the grace of him that was crucified upon the cross obtained that forgiveness which he had prayed for History of the penitent thiefe His repentance was hearty his conversion true and unfeigned his faith fully testified by the fruits of repentance an example unparalleld in the whole scripture 1. He reproves the other malefactor Dost thou not fear God seeing thou art in the same condemnation 2ly He confesseth his sin acknowledging the sentence given against him to be just We indeed justly for we receive the due reward of our deeds 3ly He justifieth Christ in his cause and therefore condemneth that unjust sentence by which he was most unjustly and injuriously put to death Lastly he makes confession of his faith in a word acknowledging him to be the Lord that he had power to forgive sins and to dispose of heaven in full assurance of whose power and of whose goodness he made his supplications saying Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome Faith is an immortall eye The mortall eye could see nothing in Christ at that time but ignominy contempt and reproach nakedness torment and the cursed death of the cross but the eye of faith seeth his kingdom beholds him crowned with glory and judging both quick and dead giving life and salvation as the onely true and proper Lord of life and of eternall glory No less to be admired was Christ his mercy whereby he granted him more then he desired for he should go with him from the Cross into Paradise as the first fruits of his triumph S. Luc. 23.39 40 21 42 43 so soon as he had merited to open the way into it by his death To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise That day was the way opened into Paradise the heavenly Paradise and by his conquest upon the cross So singeth the Church When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death thou didst open the kingdom of heaven to all believers The next act of grace was towards his own most blessed Mother He commendeth his mother to Saint John and his beloved Apostle Saint John for they standing by his cross together with his mothers sister Mary the wife of Cleophas and Saint Mary Magdalen he bequeathed his mother as a legacy to St. John and he bequeathed St. John as a legacy to his mother She must take St. Iohn for her Son to love him as a son he must take her for his Mother to reverence love and succour her as his mother S. Joh. 19.25 26 27. According to which bequest they went together from the cross so soon as he had expired to Saint Iohns house upon mount Sion where she lived with him by the