The sower went out to sow vers 5.6 c. ConclusioÌ„ He y â— hath eares to heare let him heare v. 8. The peoples pressing occasioned Christ to deliuer this parable wherein obserue the diligence of the people in hearing care of Christ in instructing The peoples earnest desire to heare doth appeare in that they were a multitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a very great multitude as it is in our vulgar English much people gathered together many srom many cities in zeale so good in number so great that pressing vpon Christ by the sea side he was faine to leape into a ship and make that his pulpit as S. Matthew reports in his Gospell This peoples paterne condemnes our peoples practise who will not runne out of the citie into the countrey nor out of the countrey into the citie to heare Christ except it be vpon hatred or curiositie faction or affection Vnder the cruell persecution of Dioclesian twentie thousand Christians in Nicomedia were burned in the Temple being all assembled to celebrate the birth of Christ. And Hierom makes mention how that at Ments in Germany the citie being taken many thousands were slaine in the Church And what massacres haue lately been in England France Flanders is not vnknowne vnto such as haue had either open eyes or eares Happie then are the eyes which see the things that we may see for we liuing vnder the peaceable gouernment of a most religious Prince may come to Church in peace heare in peace depart in peace wee may come in our slippers and sit on our cushionâ— If then Christ doe not hold vs by the cares as Socrateâ— did Aâ—cibiades if we doe not presse to heare him as the people did here he will one day speak of vs as he did of Hiâ—rusalem How often would I haue gathered you together as the henne doth her chickens vnder her wings and yee would not I haue called and yee refused I haue stretched out mine hand and none would regard But because yee despised all my counsell and would none of my correction I will also laugh at your destruction and mocke when your feare commeth c. Happily some will obiect All the people whom yee commend came not vnto Christ with a good minde and honest heart to be taught it may be some came in malice to carpe at him other in curiositie to wonder at his miracles other vpon couetousnesse to reape some temporall benefit by him according to which seuerall humours our Sauiour was occasioned to propound this parable of the sower sowing his seed in diuers lands increasing diuersly Well how soeuer ye come yet come vnto Christ if ye come with an intent to carpe come for happily while ye thinke to catch the preacher he may catch you as Ambrose did Augustine if ye come with a minde to slâ—epe at the Temple yet come for it may be saith B. Laâ—â—â—â— Almightie God will take you napping if you come with a resolution to steale yet come for peraduenture the first word that yee shall heare will be Thou shalt not steale or Let him that hath stollen steale no more The word of God is pure and conuerteth the soule perfect and pure formaliter and effectiue both in it selfe pure and making other pure Come then howsoeuer ye stand affected euermore presse to Christ out of all cities and villages The care of Christ in instructing is seeâ—e 1. In that hee went out of his house saith Matthew to a more publike large sit place for teaching 2. For that he spake by a similiâ—â—de By y â— former alâ— Preacherâ— may learne to take their best hint and opportunitie for the propagating of the Gospell and instructiâ—g of Gods people leauing sometime their own liâ—â—lâ— cureâ— and vpon good occasion to preach vnto much people sowing their seede in a more large field and profiting euen so many as they can For the second point Diuines haue rendred sundrie reasons why Christ vsed to speake by parables as first that the Scripture might bee fulfilled I will open my mouth in a parable Psal. 78.2 Secondly that wee might know that Christ spake with the same spirit by which all Godâ— holy Prophets in old time spake whose writings are full of parables Thirdly that â—ee might descend vnto the capacitie of the most simple who best vnderstand and remember â—omely comparisons as the Poet truly Segâ—â—s iâ—ritâ—nt aniâ—os dâ—â—ssâ—â—er â—ureâ— Quam qâ—â—sâ—ns ocâ—lis subâ—◠〈◊〉 â—idelibus Fourthly that his auditors might hereby take occasion to moue doubts and aske questions as the Disciples in the 9. verse iâ— hâ—t manner of â—â—â—litude is this Fiftly that the mysteries of Gods heauenly kingdome might not be râ—uealed vnto the scornefull as Christ himselfe teacheth in the tenth verse To you it is giuen to know the secrets of the kingdome but to other in parables that when they see they should not see c. Sixtly that euery man in his occupation and ordinarie vocation might be taught those things which concerne his soules health as this parable may bee termed the ploughmans Gospell The seed is the word of God c. He that meditates on it when he plougheth his ground may haue a sermon alway before him euery furrow being a line euery graine of corne a lesson bringing foorth some fruite The sower went out to sow his seede S. Augustine writing vpon the words Aperiam in parabolis os meum eloquar propositiones ab initio wisheth vtinam qui dixit aperiam os meum in parabolis ita aperiret etiam ipsas parabolas sicut eloquitur propositiones ita etiam eloqueretur earum expositiones Here S. Augustines prayer is heard for Christ giues an exposition of his proposition and therefore we must take heede that wee neither detract nor adde any thing to it Opus habet lectore non interprete And as he said these things he cried he that hath eares He cried to manifest his affection and our dulnesse excepting this occasion he did not cry aboue three or foure times in all his life He cried as he taught in the Temple Ioh. 7.28 He cried when he raised vp Lazarus from the dead Ioh. 11.43 Hee cried Ioh. 12.44 He cried on the Crosse Matth. 27 at all which times he deliuered matter of great consequence This sentence then He that hath eares to heare let him heare being vttered vpon a crie must not lightly be respected of vs. All men for the most part haue both their eares but not to heare The man sicke of the gowt hath both his feete but not to walke Hee that is purblind hath both his eyes but not to see cleerely he that is manicled by the Magistrate for some fault hath both his hands but so long as they are bound they cannot doe their office So most men haue eares but few men haue eares to heare namely to heare that
which is good to heare y â— which is good well Aures audiendi sunt aures meÌ„tis scilicet intelligeÌ„di facieÌ„di quae iussa sunt A good eare saith the Wiseman will gladly hearken vnto wisedome where note two lessons as concerning hearing first that wee hearken vnto nothing but that which is good vnto wisedome Secondly that we hearken vnto it gladly with a great desire to learne for in Scripture phrase obaudire is obedire so Christ in the Gospell Hee that heareth you heareth mee that is he that obeyeth you obeyeth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me If thy brother heare thee thou hast wonne thy brother that is if thy brother follow thy counsell and will be content to be ruled by thee We reade in the law that if a bond seruant will not be made free but stay still with his master hee shall bee brought before the Iudges and set to the doore or the post and his master shall boare his eare thorow with an aule and so he shall serue him for euer Euery sinner is the diuels vassall and therefore if hee refuse to be free when libertie and free grace of the Gospell is offered ere it be long the diuell will so boare his eares as that they shall be made vnfit to heare and then hee shall serue his old master for euer Hee may peraduenture come to Church and heare the sermon but hee shall be like the man that beholds his face in a glasse for when he hath considered himselfe he goeth his way and forgets immediatly what manner of one he was Wherefore when yee come to Christ bring your eares with you eares to heare so to heare that ye may vnderstand so vnderstand that ye may remember so remember that ye may practise so practise that ye continue so Gods seede shall be sowen in good ground and bring foorth fruite in some thirtie in some sixtie in some an hundred fold c. The parables exposition is occasioned by the Disciples question vers 9. What manner of similitude is this Where note their carefulnesse in asking Christs readinesse in answering For the first the Sabbath is aptly termed a schole day wherein all Gods people must come to the Temple which is the schoole to learne his word their lesson In this seminarie Christ is the chiefe seedman stiled in the beginning of this parable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sower In this Vniuersitie Christ is the prime Doctor Vnus est doctor vester e cuius schola in terris cathedra in coelis His Apostles sowed as vnder-bailiffes in his field and his Preachers in our time teach as vnder-vshers in his schoole As then in the schooles of humane knowledge so soone as the lecture is read it is the schollers dutie to question among themselues how to parse construc it and when they doubt to haue recourse to their Grammar rules by which all construction is examined and when they doe not vnderstand an hard rule to come for a resolution vnto their master who is as it were a liuing Grammar and a walking booke So likewise in Gods Academy in the Diuinitie schoole when either the lecture of the Law is read or sermon on the Gospell ended it is your part to reason among your selues as you walke abroad in the fields or talke at home in your house how this and that may be construed and when you cannot resolue one another with the men of Beroea to search the Scripture daily whether those things are so to trie the spirits of men by the spirit of God for the Bible is our Diuinitie Grammar according to which all our lessons ought to bee parsed and construed And if yee meete with a difficult place repaire to Gods Vsher the Priest whose lippes should presâ—rue knowledge Demand of your pastor as the Disciples of Christ here What manner of parable is this It is apparent in the Gospell that the Disciples euer tooke this course when Christ had deliuered any deepe point first they disputed among themselues and then after came to him and asked his resolution Why say the Scribes that Elias must first come How can these things be Declare vnto vs the parable of the tares In our daies if the pastor be learned in the lawes of the land and well acquainted with businesse of the world his house shall be reputed oraculum totius ciuitatis as Tully speakes all his neighbours will haste vnto him for aduice in law but few for counsell in religion Indeed they come to schoole but like truants onely for feare of punishment and when they come they care nâ—â— how little learning they haue for their money Bâ—t let me tell them of another schoole tricke at the worlds end there is a black friday a generall examination at which time Conscience the monitor 〈…〉 her bookes and bils of all our faults and our 〈◊〉 Schoolmaster in his owne person shall reward euery 〈◊〉 according to his worke It behoueth euery one therefore to be diligent in comming to schoole to be carefull in hearing painfull in examining fruitfull in practising And he said Christs readinesse in answering teacheth all Preachers his Vshers and Curates not only to preach in publike but also to catechise their auditors as occasion is offered in priuate especially such as hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for vnto them it is giuen to know the secrets of Gods kingdome The which words containe Gods donation vnto his elect and it is cum priuilegiô gratiâ with priuiledge to you but vnto other in parables cum gratiâ it is giuen Consulas Augustin de praedestinat Sanctorum cap. 8. lib. de bono perseuerantiae cap. 8.9 11. lib. de correp gratiâ cap. 4.6.7.8 Sauing knowledge of God is a gift and grace for the naturall man vnderstands not the things of God hee beleeues oculô magis quà m oraculo trusting his fiue senses more then the foure Gospels It is a mysterie reuealed vnto you but hidden vnto many whose eyes the god of this world hath darkened that seeing they should not discerne and hearing they should not vnderstand O father saith Christ thou hast hid these things from the wise and hast opened them vnto babes It is so because thy good pleasure was such As it is our fathers will alone to giue vs a kingdome so likewise his good will alone to make vs know the secrets of his kingdome There are mysteria regis which may not be knowne and there are mysteria regâ—i which must be knowne many mysteries of our heauenly king are knowne onely to himselfe Canst thou saith Iob finde out God canst thou finde out the Almightie to his perfection The heauens are high what canst thou doe it is deeper then the hell how canst thou know it The measure thereof is longer then the earth and it is broader then the sea God therefore requires rather we should remember what hee
hath been to vs then curiously to seeke what he is in himselfe But as for the secrets of his kingdom he reueales them vnto the heires of his kingdome these mysteries may yea must be knowne and therefore Christ cried He that hath eares let him heare Teaching hereby that in making our election sure we must not begin à priori but à posteriori such as with a good heart heare the word and keep it and bring foorth fruite through patience shall inherit the kingdome of God but the kingdom of God shall be taken away from such as are fruitlesse from such as are faithlesse This is the parable Bare reading without vnderstanding is bare feeding the true meaning of the Scripture is the true Manna for as a man so the Bible consists of a bodie and a soule The sound of the letter is the bodie but the sense is the soule this indeed is the scripture this is the parable The seede is the word of God The sower is Christ who went out ab occultô Patris in mundum à Iudaeá in Gentes à profundô sapientiae in publicum doctrinae The Preacher is not properly the sower but the seedcod at the most an vnderseed man The sower went out to sow Not to reape Now many goe out into Gods field only to gather in haruest tâ—nquam Stratocles Dromoclidâ—s ad auream messem intending to reape things carnall more then sowing things spirituall The sower sowed his seede for the seed is the word of God not of Angell or man and this seede hath in it generatiue power in it selfe it is liuely yea the word of life So that if it bring not forth fruit the fault is not in the seed but in the grouÌ„d being either vnplowed or stony or thorny The seed is the word of God And therefore such as corrupt it as heretikes or choke it as hypocrites or keepe it downe from growing by force as tyrants or thrust oâ—her seed into it as Papists doe shall one day feele the 〈◊〉 wrath of God for as he gaue pure seed so will he requâ—re pure câ—rne He left this in the Church euen in the garners of the Prophets and Apostles and therefore whosoeuer adulterate iâ— before it be sowen or nip it when it doth spring or cut it downe before the Lord haruest are not Gods husbandmeâ— but Satans hirelings and you may know them saith Christ by their fruit that is by their doctrine For Gods husbandmen sow Gods seed but the diuels factors as Saint Paul plainly the doctrines of diuels As for example this is pure seed Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue But to worship Angels and Saints and to giue the same kind of worship to the crucifix which is due to Christ is sophisticate seed This was not at the first sowen by the sower but ouersowen after by the malitious enemie while men slept Those that are bâ—â—â—de the way Three parts of foure are bad yea the most of such as heare the word confesse Christ are vnprofitable Striue then to enter in at the strait gate Remember that couetous cares and voluptuous liuing are the thornes which vsually choke Gods seed in our heart riches vnto the couetous are thornes in this and the next life their pricks are threefold in this life namely punâ—tura lâ—boris in acquisitione timoris in possessione doloris in amissione The true reason why so many men are delighted with them is because they put on wants or tiâ—ning gloues and so their hearts and hands being hardened they feele not their pricking but in the next world they will bee thornes againe when Christ shall say to the couetous Hence from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire for I was an hungred and ye gaue me no meat I thirsted and ye gaue me no drinke c. Here pause good Reader and pray with Ludolphus O Domine Iesufac me de veteri vita exire ne semen verbi tui quod in meô intellectu boni propositi quod in meô affectu boni operis quod in meô actu seminâsti comedatur à volucribus inanis gloriae ne conculcetur in viâ assiduitatis ne areat in petrâ durae obstinationis ne suffocetur in spinis solicitudinis sed potiùs in terra bonâ cordis humilimi centesimum fructum edat in patientiâ fac etiam me haec omnia intelligere facere ac verbô vel saltem exemplô alios docere Amen The Epistle 1. COR. 13. Though I speake with tongues of men and Angels c. THe Bible is the body of all holy religion and this little Chapter is as it were an abridgement of all the Bible for it is a tract of loue which is the complement of the law and supplement of the Gospell All the scripture teaching nothing else saith Augustine but that we must loue our neighbour for God and God for himselfe Nihil praecipit nisi charitatem nec culpat nisi cupiditatem it forbids nothing but lust and inioines nothing but loue for without loue there is no true faith and without faith all our righteousnesse is sinne S. Paul therefore doth extoll in this Chapter aboue all other this one vertue 1. largely shewing that it surpasseth al other graces in two things Vse vers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Continuance ver 8 9 10 11 12 13. 2. briefly by way of recapitulation in the last verse Now abideth faith hope and loue euen these three but the chiefe is loue Charity doth excell in vse for all other gifts without it are nothing auaileable to saluation as Paul proues by this induction If I speake with tongues of men and Angels c. All vertues are either Intellectuall in accurate speech vers 1. other knowledg vers 2. Morall in doing v. 3. Though I feed the poore with al my goods suffering Though I giue my body to be burned c. Though I speake with the tongues of men That is of all men If I had vnderstanding in all languages and Art to parle in them all if a man could speake so many tongues as our late Soueraigne of blessed memory Queene Elizabeth of whom the diuine Poet as a Diuine truly not as a Poet flatteringly That Rome Rheine Rhone Greece Spaine and Italy Plead all for right in her natiuity If a man could discourse in so many languages as Mythridates of whom Volaterane reports that he well vnderstood 22. sundry tongues or as other 25. If a man could thunder in an Oration as Aristophanes said of Pericles or tune his note so sweetly that hee could moue mountaines and stony rockes with Orpheus or feâ—ch soules out of hell as fabulous antiquity fained of Mercury Though a man could hold the people by the â—ares and cary them vp and downe the Country like pitchers as Socrates did
but vpon constraint of law and penaltie of statute such oblations are not acceptable because they bee not quicke The Lord loueth a cheerefull giuer and thanksgiuer Nothing is done well but that only which is done with our will freely readily liuely Or quicke That is quickned through faith for as the soule is the life of the body so faith is y e life of the soule without which he y t liueth is dead for the iust doth liue by faith Hâ—e situs esâ— Vacia said Seneca when he passâ—d by the ground of that voluptuous Epicure Vacia lieth here dead and buried and so Paâ—l of a widow liuing in pleasure She is dead euen while she doth liue That our sacrifice therefore may bee liuing it must proceede from a faith that is liuely Or liuing That is a continuall sacrifice The sacrifices of the Iewes haue now their end but the sacrifices of Christians are without end We must 〈◊〉 giue thanks and alâ—aies pray The fire on our altar must neuer goe out our sacrifice neuer die In the Law beasts appointed for sacrifice were first slaine and then offered and that for two causes especially first as Ambrose notes to put the sacrificer in mind what hee deserued by sinne namely death and secondly because those bloodie sacrifices were types of Christs death on the crosse which is the propitiation for our sinnes In like manner euery Christian sacrifice must bee dead to the world that he may liue to God mortifying his earthly members and crucifying his carnall affections that he may become a new creature in Christ. As death depriues a man of naturall life so mortification destroyes the bodie of sinne which is the sensuall life Moriatur ergo ne moriatur mutetur homo ne dâ—mnetur quoth Augustine We must die for a time in this life lest wee die for euer in the next life Wee must rise againe with Christ saith Paul Now a man must be dead before hee can rise againe first grafted with Christ to the similitude of his death and after to the similitude of his resurrection Hee that liued ill and now demeanes himselfe well is risen againe from the death of sinne to the life of grace mortified and yet a liuing sacrifice the more mortified the more liuing Rom. 8.13 If ye mortifie the deedes of the bodie by the spirit ye shall liue This killing of our beastly desires is verie fit whether we consider our selues as Men. This killing of our beastly desires is verie fit whether we consider our selues as Ciuill men This killing of our beastly desires is verie fit whether we consider our selues as Christian men This killing of our beastly desires is verie fit whether we consider our selues as Eminent men As men that we may leade our life not according to sense but according to reason otherwise wee should be rather sensuall beasts then reasonable men As ciuill men that we may not liue according to lust but according to law though not according to conscience yet according to custome that wee breake not the statutes and disturbe not the common-wealth wherein we liue The Philosophers in old time comprehended all points of mortification in these two words sustine abstine As Christian men for he that will be Christs disciple must deny himselfe abnegare suos sua se. The kingdome of heauen suffereth violence and the violent take it by force that is by mortification and daily fighting against the lusts of the flesh as Basil Chrysostome Augustine Hierome Gregoriâ— Theophylact Euthymius expound it Last of all yet most of all mortification is necessarie for eminent persons either in the Ministerie or Magistracie For great ones ought especially to be good Their sacrifice must be most quicke that they may be paternes vnto other as it were walking statutes and talking lawes to the people Holy The second thing required in our sacrifice so we reade Leuit. 22. that vnhallowed and vncleane persons ought not to touch the things of the Lord. Ye shall be holy for I the Lord am holy this is the will of God euen our sanctification The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is deriued as Plato notes of the priuatiue particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying that holie things are not infected with the corruptions and filth of the world when our throte is an open sepulchre when our mouth is full of cursing and bitternes when our feete are swift to shed blood when our bodies are sinkes of sinne wee cannot be an holie sacrifice for the law is plaine Yee shall not offer any thing that hath a blemish not a beast that is scabbed not a bullocke nor a sheepe that hath a member lacking The drunkard then that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without his head as Clemens Alexandrinus termed him and the coward who wants an heart and the rotten adulterer whose bodie is neither holie nor whole is no sacrifice for the Lord. The Latines haue deduced the word sanctum of sancire quasi sancitum hereby teaching vs that our sacrifice must be constant and continuall That by-word A yong Saint an old Diuell is a wrie word for wee must be good in our youth better in our manhood best of all in our old age wee must grow from grace to grace till wee bee of full growth in Christ dedicating all that is within vs all that is without vs all that is about vs vnto the seruice of God Seruius expounding the words of Virgil Qui foedera numine sancit affrmes that sanctum is sanguine consecratum and so must our sacrifice be consecrated and dipped in Christs blood in whom only God is well pleased and therefore as it followeth in the text if holie then acceptable Now that it may bee well accepted of God two things are required especially 1. That it bee grounded vpon his word 2. That it be performed in faith Obedience is better then sacrifice no sacrifice then is pleasing to God except it bee done according to his will inuocation of Saints adoration of the consecrated host administration of the Sacraments vnder one kinde diuine seruice in an vnknowne tongue praying to the dead mumbling of Masses iumbling of beades worshipping of Images and other like trash which are the very Diana of the Romisâ— religion haue no foundation in holie Scripture not built vpon the rocke Christ but vpon the sands of humane braines and therefore not acceptable but abominable to the Lord. A new religion is no religion To deuise phantasies of God is as bad as to say there is no God Againe courses of life not warranted by Gods owne booke such as are rather auocations from God and goodnesse then vocations as ordinarie cheating brotheldrie coniuring and all other vnlawfull occupations or professions are not a sweete fauour to God but altogether stinking in his nostrels If we
imploy them and so multiplie them vnto the Donors glorie who gaue some to be Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the ministerie and for the edificatioÌ„ of the bodie of Christ. If any giâ—â— lâ—t him doe it with singlenes With an vpright intention not to bee seene of men or to gaine much by giuing a little for that is not simplicitie but duplicitie Or because Paul speakes of Deacons publike guardians of the poore such as wee call Almoners and ouerseers he would not haue them deale subtilly for their own benefit but simply for the common good distributing the Churches beneuolence committed vnto their charge without respect of persoâ—s according to the seuerall necessities of the Saints Let him that ruleth doe it wiâ—â— diligence The slothfull and idle person is the diuels shop there he workes euer busie when men are lasie Wherefâ—re doe that which is in thine hand with all thy power especially take heed that thou doe not the worke of the Lord negligently That which Christ said of our redemption euery Christian must say of his particular vocation It is meate and drinke for me to doe my fathers will Vnto diligence there are two maine motiues 1. In regard of God who bestowes his gifts for this end that they may be well imployed in his holy seruice 2. In respect of our selues for vnto euery one that hath it shall be giuen and hee shall haue abundance and from him that hath not euen that hee hath shall be taken away The priuate duties are Generall Hate that which is euill cleane to that which is good Particular concerning our Faith Be feruent in spirit continue in prayer Hope Reioyce in hope be patient in tribulation Charitie in Giuing due respect to Superiours In giuing honor go one before another Equals Be kind one to another with brotherly loue Inferiours Distributing to the necessity of y e saints harboring the distressed equalling our selueâ— to theÌ„ of the lower sort Forgiuing Blesse them that persecute you c. All which offices are to be performed Freely Fully Fitly Freely with cheerefulnes and compassion Be merie with the merie weepe with such as weepe Fully without sloth or dissimulation Let loue be without dissimulation Fitly Applie your selues to the time for there is a time for all things and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth fit the place better then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Luther postil Erasm. Martyr in loc His meaning is not that we should alter our manners and religion according to the time like the Polypus and Camelion for in the beginning of this chapter hee doth aduise the contrarie Fashion not your selues according to to the world But that we should apprehend the best hint to doe good in the Church euermore redeeming the time Ephes. 5.16 so shall we be sure to serue God in obseruing the time The Gospel IOHN 2.1 There was a mariage in Cana c. MAriage is honorable saith Paul Honoured of God the Father Sonne Holy Ghost Father instituting it at the purest time in the best place for it was his first ordinance in Paradise when man was innocent Honoured of God the Sonne by his presence and first miracle wrought as the text saith at a wedding Honoured of God the holy Ghost who did ouershadow the betrothed virgin Mary Christs mother Honoured of the whole blessed Trinitie both in Deede for in the worlds vniuersall deluge maried persons and couples onelie were deliuered Gen. 7. Word comparing it to the kingdome of heauen and holinesse to a wedding garment calling it a great mysterie representing the spirituall vnion betweene Christ and his Church Honoured by the primitiue fathers as a fruitfull seminarie which fils earth with men and heauen with Saints Honoured of Iewes honoured of Gentiles honoured of all except heretikes and Papists herein appearing rather like diuels then Diuines as Paul tels vs 1. Tim. 4. The Papists in making mariagâ— a sacrament seeme to commend it more then wee but in affirâ—ing that holy Prâ—esthood is prophaned by this holy sacrament is to honour it as the Iewes honoured Christ in clothing him with a purple robe Mariage is a sacrament and yet a sacrilege So Bellarmin plainly Coniugia post solennia vota non coÌ„nubia sed sacrilegia so the rest of that vnchast generation generally such as vow first chastity then marry begin in the spirit and end in the flesh mad men saith Luther not vnderstanding what is the spirit or what is the flesh For in single life to burne with lust when one concubine wil not serue to commit villany with many strumpets are manifest workes of the flesh on the contrary for a man to loue his owne wife to gouerne his family to bring vp his children in instruction and information of the Lord are fruits of the spirit We might rather say that in heat of youth as Augustine speakes inquietâ adolescentia to vow single life were a sinne for whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Sed de talibus perpetuae virginitatis votis fides nulla nulla in sacris literis est litera Saint Ambrose writes peremptorily that all the twelue Apostles had wiues except Saint Iohn and almost all the Romish Postils obserue that Iohn was the bridegroome at this wedding If this annotation bee true why doe they condemne mariage in Priests If false why doe they suffer it for currant as well in their accurate new writers as in their olde fustie Friers If any desire to be further satisfied in this curiositie let him reade Maldonat vpon the first of Saint Iohn in the preamble and Cardinal Baronius annal Tom. 1. fol. 94. In this historie foure things are regardable 1. The occasioÌ„ of the miracle want of wine at a wedding described by circumstances of Time the third day Place in Cana a town of Galile Persons Guests inuited as Christ and his disciples Gossips comming of their owne accord to further and helpe the businesse 2. Certaine passages of speech vpon this occasion betweene Christ and his mother vers 3.4 3. The miracle it selfe vers 6.7.8.9 4. The consequent and effect of the miracle vers 11. And the third day These circumstances of time place persons are set downe to confirme the truth of the miracle The time was the third day mystically there are three daies of the world the first before the law the second vnder the law the third after the law The world was instructed before the law by the Patriarks example by the writings of the Prophets vnder the law but in the third day which is the gospels acceptable time by Christ and his miracles or literally the third day from his being in the wildernes as Euthymius or the third day after his conference with Nathaniel as Epiphanius or the third day after he