peace in earth towards men good will a song which the world neuer heard before that the seede of the woman should bruse the Serpents head is an old song the first that euer was sung but this was no plaine song till Christ did manifest himselfe in the flesh In the old Testament there were many old songs but in the new Testament a new song That vnto vs is borne a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord in many respects a new song for whereas Christ was but shadowed in the Law he is shewed in the Gospell and new because sung of new meÌ„ of all men For the sound of the Gospell is gone through all the earth vnto the ends of the world whereas in old time Gods old songs were sung in Iury his name great in Israel at Salem his Tabernacle and dwelling in Sion Psal. 76. 3. Whereto To the Lord. See before Psalme 95. 4. Wherefore For he hath done maruellous things he hath opened his greatnes and goodnesse to the whole world in his creation and preseruation in his redemption especially being a worke of greater might and mercie then all the rest for in the creation he made man like himselfe but in the redemption he made himselfe like man Illic participes nos fecit bonorum suorum hîc particeps est factus malorum nostrorum In making the world hee spake the word onely and it was done but to redeeme the world dixit multa fecit mira saith the text Passus est dura verba duriora verbera The creation of the world was a worke as it were of his fingers Psal. 8. 3. When I consider the heauen euen the work of thy fingers But the redemption as it is here called is the worke of his arme With his owne right hand and with his holy arme hath he gotten himselfe the victorie So that if the Iewes obserued a Sabbath in honour of the worlds creation how many festiuals ought we to keepe in thankfull remembrance of our redemption As Diogenes said euery day was an holy day to a good man so euery day should be a Sunday to the Christian man Aquinas excellently Bonum gratiae vnius maius est quà m bonum naturae totius vniuersi The sauing of one soule is a greater work then the making of a whole world 12. quaest 113. art 9. 5. Wherewith in a literall sense with all kinde of musicke Vocall Sing to the Lord. Chordall Praise him vpon the Harpe Pneumatical With trumpets c. In an allegoricall exposition as Euthymius interpretes it we must praise God in our actions and praise him in our contemplation praise him in our words praise him in our workes praise him in our life praise him at our death being not only temples as Paul but as Clemens Alexandrinus calles vs Timbrels also of the holy Ghost Nunc dimittis or the song of Simeon Luke 2. 29. Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace Sic vbi fâ—ta vocant vdis abiectus in herbis Ad vada Maeandri conciâ—it albus olor As the Swanue so Simeon in his old age readie â—o leaue the world did sing more sweetly then euer he did before Lord now lettest c. The which Hymne is a thanksgiuing to God for giuing his Sonne to redeeme his seruants And it hath two principall parts in the 1. He reioyceth in regard of his owne particular vers 29. 30. 2. In regard of the generall good our Sauiour Christ brought to y e whole world vers 31. 32. In the first note 2. things especially 1. His willingnes to die Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace 2. The reason of this willingnes For mine eyes haue seene thy saluation Lord The Papists often in their life specially at their death vse to commend themselues and their soules vnto the protection of the blessed Virgin Maria mater gratiae tu nos ab hoste protege horamortis suscâ—pe This is their doctrine Bellarmine auoweth it this is their practise Father Garnet at his execution vsed this forme of praier twice publiquely But old Simeon heere forgetting our Lady though she were present commends his soule to the Lord who redeâ—med it Lord now lettest thou c. Now Simeon assuredly was not afraid to die before but because a reuelation was giuen vnto him from the holie Ghost that he should not see death vntill he saw the Messias he was exceeding desirous to liue that he might see the word of the Lord fulfilled And therefore men abuse this example saying they will be contented to die when such and such things come to passe when all their daughters be well married and all their sonnes well placed Old Simeon had a reuelation for that he did whereas we haue no warraÌ„t from God for many things we fondly desire so that whether God grant them or not we must submit our selues vnto his good pleasure Now and euer ready to depart in peace when he doth call taking vnto vs the resolution of Iob The Lord giueth the Lord taketh blessed be the name of the Lord. Lettest thou We may not our selues loose our soules but let God let them out of prison We must seeke to mortifie the flesh and to cast the world out of vs but to cast our selues out of the world is an offence against God Our neighbour Our selues Against God who saith Thou shalt not kill if not another much lesse thy selfe For thou must loue thy neighbor as thy selfe first thy selfe then thy neighbour as thy selfe The neerer the deerer I kill and giue life saith the Lord we are not masters of our life but only stewards and therefore may not spend it or end it as we please but as God who bestowed it will Agâ—inst our neighbours because men are not borne for themselues alone but for other also being all members of one common-weale and politike body so that as Paul saith if one member suffer all suffer with it Homo quilibet est pars communitatis Euery particular person is part of the whole State This is the true reason why the King doth take so precise an account of the death euen of his basest subiect because himselfe and the whole kingdome had interest in him Against our selues Because by naturall instinct euerie creature labours to preserue it selfe the fire striueth with the water the water fighteth with the fire the most sillie worme doth contend with the most strong man to preserue it selfe and therefore we may not butcher our selues but expect Gods leasure and pleasute to let vs depart in peace Thy seruant It is not a seruile seruice but a perfect freedome to serue the Lord. And therefore as the good Empetour Theodosius held it more noble to be membrum Ecclesis qâ—â—â—â—caput Imperij so may we resolue that it is better to be a seruant of God then Lord of all the world For while we serue him all other
The word originall signifieth rather fauour then pitie because pitie is shewed onely in aduersitie not in prosperitie whereas fauour in both and therefore the vulgar Latine Deus misereatur happily not so sufficient as Deus faueat Be fauorable O Lord and so mercifull as to blesse vs that is not only to deliuer vs from euill but also to giue whatsoeuer is good In more particular Shew vs the light of thy countenance Euery man doth desire blessing but the good man only this blessing all other are blessings of the left hand common to the wicked with the godly but this a blessing of the right hand which only belongs vnto Gods elect God lookes on the reprobate like an angry Iudge with a cloudie countenance but beholds all his adopted children in Christ as a mercifull father with a gratious aspect Shew vs thy countenance that is indue vs with true knowledge of thy word and a liuely faith in thy Sonne which is thine owne image and countenance where we may learne to confesse with Paul that all other things are but losse in comparison of the superexcellent knowledge of Christ Iesus for it is eternall life to know God and whom he hath sent Iesus Christ. That thy way may be knowne As light so the participation of Gods light is communicatiue we must not pray for our selues alone but for all other that Gods way may be known vpon earth and his sauing health among all nations Thy way that is thy will thy word thy works Gods will must be knowne on earth that it may be done on earth as it is in heauen Except we know our Masters will how shall we do it Ergo first pray with Dauid here Let thy way be knowne vpon earth and then let all the people praise thee Gods will is reuealed in his word and his word is his way wherein we must walke turning neither to the right hand nor to the left or thy way that is thy works as Dauid elsewhere Psalm 25. 9. All the waies of the Lord are mercie and truth Or as other most fitly Thy way that is thy Christ Thy sauing health that is thy Iesus for I am the way saith our Sauiour Iohn 14. 6. No man commeth to the Father but by me wherefore let thy sonne be knowne vpon earth thy Iesus among all nations At this time God was knowne in Iurie but saith Hierome Gods way was vnknowne his sonne was not as yet manifested in the flesh this as Paul speakes was his wisedome but now reuealed as S. Iohn in his first epistle Wee haue heard wee haue seene with our eyes and our haâ—ds haue handled of the word of life Blessed eyes happie eares for I tell you many Prophâ—â—â— and Kings haue desired to see the things which you see and haue not seene them and to heare the things which you heare and haue not heard them Let the people praise thee Marke the sweete order of the blessed Spiâ—it first mercie then knowledge last of all praising of God We cannot see his countenance except he be mercifull vnto vs and wee cannot praise him except his way be knowne vpon earth his mercie breeds knowledge his knowledge praise Wee must praise God alway for all things Ephes. 5. 20. but especially for his sauing health among all nations And this is the true reason why the Church in her Liturgie doth vse so many Hymnes and giue so much thanks vnto God for the redemption of the world Wherein assuredly she did imitate the blessed Apostles in composing the Creed the greatest part whereof as hath been noted is spent in the doctrine which concerneth our Sauiour Christ. Let all the people Some mislike the Letanie for that it hath a petition for all men and all people yet wee haue both a precept and a precedent out of Gods owne booke the Commandement is 1. Tim. 2. I exhort that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giuing of thankes be made for all men The practise of Gods Church is apparent in this place let the people let all the people which the Psalmographer vttered from the spirit of God as the mouth of God and therefore let men construe the Church as the Scripture when as the Church doth speake Scripture lest they wipe out of the Bible many good lessons as Tertulli in said of Marcion if not with a spunge yet with a peeuish and ouerthwart interpretation And heere let the Nouelist also remember that both our English reformers and the Churches of Scotland vse the same petition for all men in their prayers after the Sermon O let the nations reioyce and be glad It is obserued to good purpose that this clause is inserted fitly between that doubled exclamation Let the people praise thee because none can praise God well except they doe it heartily with ioy and gladnesse For as the Lord loues a cheerefull giuer so likewise a cheerefull thanksgiuer God is terrible to the wicked but a God of gladnesse to such as haue seene the light of his countenance for being reconciled vnto God they haue such inward ioy and peace that it passeth all vnderstanding For thou shalt iudge the folke righteously The Psalmist here may seeme to contradict himselfe for if mercie make men reioyce then iudgement occasioneth men to tremble Answere is made that all such as haue knowne the waies of the Lord and reioyce in the strength of his saluation all such as haue the pardon of their sinnes assured and sealed feare not that dreadfull assise because they know the Iudge is their aduocate Or as Hierome let all nations reioyce because God doth iudge righteously being the God of the Gentiles as well as of the Iewes Acts 10. 34. Or let all nations reioyce because God doth gouerne all nations that whereas heretofore they wandred in the fond imaginations of their owne hearts in wrie waies in by-waies now they are directed by the spirit of truth to walke in Gods high way which leades vnto the celestiall Ierusalem now they shall know Christ the way the truth and the life For iudging is vsed often for ruling 1. Sam. 7. 15. 2. Cor. 1. 10. So Dauid here doth expound himselfe Thou shalt iudge that is thou shalt gouerne the nations Vpon earth Not excluding things aboue but openly meeting with their impietie who think God careth not for the things below for Epicurus in old time so taught Epicures in our time so liue as if almightie God did not marke what were done well or ill vpon earth O yee fooles when will ye vnderstand He that planted the eare shall he not heare or he that made the eye shall he not see Totus oculus est quia omnia videt totus manus est quia omnia operatur totus pes est quia vbique est as Seneca like a Diuine Prope à te est Deus
mutassediem vt oftenderent exemplum abrogationis legum ceremonialium in die septimo Melanct. tom 2. fol. 363. Whereas therefore the Iewes obserued their Sabbath on the seuenth day wee celebrate the eighth They gaue God the last day of the weeke but Christians better honour him with the first they keepe their Sabbath in honour of the worlds creation but Christians in memoriall of the worlds redemption a worke of greater might and mercie and therefore good reason the greater worke should carrie away the credit of the day See the Gospell on Saint Thomas day The particular rest of the Iewes is ceremoniall also for it is a type of our inward resting from sin in this life Exod. 31. 13. Ezek. 20. 12. and a figure of our eternall Sabbath in the next as S. Paul disputes Heb. 4. Yet this Commandement is morall in the generall As for example wee must keepe one day in the seuen holie to the Lord wherein we must doe no manner of work which may let the ministerie of Gods word and other exercises of pietie We must leaue to doe our worke that the Lord may bring foorth in vs his worke The duties then required on the Lords day be principally two Rest. And a sanctification of this rest A double Sabbath rest from labour and rest from sinne for as our Church doth determine two sorts of people transgresse this Commandement especially 1. Such as will not rest froÌ„ their ordinary labour but driue carry row ferry on SuÌ„day 2. Such as will rest in vngodlines idlely spending this holy day in pampering pointing painting themselues So that God is more dishonoured and the Diuell better serued vpon Sunday then on all the daies of the weeke beside Thou shalt do no manner of worke That is no seruile work of thine ordinarie calling which may be done the day before or left well vndone till the day after But some workes are lawfull namely such as appertaine to the publike worship of God as painfull preaching of the sacred word reading of diuine prayers administring of the blessed Sacraments and euery worke subordinate to these as ringing of bels and trauelling to Church Acts 1. 12. 2. Kings 4. 23. And workes of mercie toward Our selues as prouision of meate and drinke Matth. 12. 1. Other Men our Sauiour healed the man with the dâ—ied hand on the Sabbath Mark 3. 5. Beasts in watering cattell and helping them out of pound and pit Luk. 14. 5. Workes of present necessitie Physitions on the Lords day may visit their patients Midwiues helpe women with child Shepheards attend their flock Mariners their voiage Souldiers may fight and messengers ride post for the great good of the Common-wealth Works of honest recreations also so farre as they may rather helpe then hinder our cheerefull seruing of the Lord and the reason of all this is giuen by Christ Mar. 2. 27. The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath Thou Thy wife is not named because she is presumed to be thy selfe that whatsoeuer is forbidden thy selfe must also be knowne to be forbidden thy second selfe Thy sonne and thy daughter Euery man is a gouernour in his owne house and therefore must take charge of such as are vnder him Adduc eos ad domum dei tecum qui sunt in domo tua tecum mater Ecclesia aliquos à te petit aliquos repetit petit eos quos apud te inuenit repetit quos per te perdidit Thy man seruant This is for Thy good Their good The common good Thy good For hee that on Sunday shall learne his dutie will be more fit all the weeke to doe his dutie such as obey God with a good conscience will serue their master with an vpright heart as Iacob serued Laban and Ioseph Pharaoh Againe it is for thy good often to remember with thankfulnesse that God hath made thee master and him seruant whereas hee might haue made thee seruant and him master For their good that they may know God and whom he hath sent Christ Iesus the way the truth and the life Thy seruants are men of the same mold with thee Iisdem constant nâ—triuntur elementis eundem spiritum ab eodem principio carpunt eodem fruun ur coelo aequa viuunt aeque moriuntur serui sunt imo conserui That is in the words of scripture Thy seruants are all one with thee in Christ made of the same God redeemed with the same price subiect to the same law belonging to the same master Ephes. 6. 9. Pitie then and pietie require that thou see them obserue the Lords day for the good as well of their bodies as soules For the common good For euery man hath iust cause to be ready willingly to labour all the weeke when as he is assured he shall rest on Sunday Thy cattell Hence we may gather much comfort for if God in his mercy prouide for the welfare euen of our brute beasts of which he hath made vs Lords he will assuredly much more respect vs his seruants and children he cannot be carelesse for men who is so carefull for oxen The Commandements are so well knowne and often expounded that as Augustine speakes in the like case Desiderant auditorem magis quà m expositorem I passe therefore from the first table containing all dutie to God vnto the second teaching all dutie to man I say to man as the proper immediat object of them Otherwise these Commandements are done vnto God also for he that clotheth the naked and visiteth the sicke doth it vnto Christ Matth. 25. 40. The law then concerning our neighbour is partly Affirmatiue teaching vs to do him all good Honour thy father and mother c. Negatiue teaching vs to doe him no hurt Thou shalt not kill c. This table begins with honour of our father First because next vnto God we must honour those who are in the place of God Secondly because the neglect of this one Commandement occasioneth all disorder against the rest for if superiours gouerne well and inferiours obey well how can any man be wronged in word or deed Thirdly because of all neighbours our parents are most neere to vs as being most bound to them of whom we haue receiued our life Thy parent is Gods instrument for thy naturall being thy Prince Gods instrument for thy ciuill being thy Pastor Gods instrument for thy spirituall being Wherefore as thou art a man thou must honour thy naturall father as a citizen honour thy ciuill father as a Christian honour thy ecclesiasticall father Honour imports especially 3. things Obedience Reuerence Maintenance Obedience Children obey your parents in all things Coloss 3. 20 that is as Paul doth interpret himselfe Ephes. 6. 1 in the Lord. In all things agreeable to the will of God otherwise for Christs loue wee must hate father and mother Luke 14. 26.
AN EXPOSITION OF AL THE PRINCIPAL SCRIPTVRES VSED in our English Liturgie TOGETHER WITH A REASON why the Church did chuse the same By IOHN BOYS Doctor of Diuinitie Prouerbs 1. 8. My sonne heare thy fathers instruction and forsake not thy mothers teaching August epist. 118. cap. 5. Ipsa mutatio consuetudinis etiam quae adiuuat vtilitate perturbat nouitate AT LONDON Imprinted by FELIX KYNGSTON and are to be sold by William Aspley at the signe of the Parot in Pauls Churchyard 1610. TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD RICHARD BANCROFT LORD Archbishop of Canterburie Primate of all England and Metropolitane Chancellor of the Vniuersitie of Oxenford and one of his Maiesties most honorabâ—e priuie Counsell my very good Lord. AS Christ so the Church and as the Church so the Liturgie of the Church is crucified betweene two malefactors on the left hand Papists on the right hand Schismaticks the one cannot say wherin it is truly deficient the other will not say but that it is efficient vnder which the Gospell hath so prospered as that England is swept from Babel and Hierusalem situated in our owne country yet both as at a common Turke shoote bitter arrowes against it And the reason hereof is very plaine because euery Pope is an open Schismatik and euery Schismatick a secret Pope These Foxes as Luther speakes are tied together by the tailes although by their heads they seeme to bee contrary combined in faction howsoeuer different in faith Against the Romanist I vse a sword against the Nouelist a buckler against both armour of proofe for these Scholiall annotations in part descrie but my larger expositions of the Gospels and Epistles hereafter shall more fully describe their malicious or ignorant misconstruing of our Church In the meane while and for euer I wish all happinesse to your Grace and rest your Humble seruant to be commanded in the businesse of God and his Church IOHN BOYS THE CONTENTS OF THE Tract ensuing 1 The Ministers Inuitatorie page 1 2 The Confession and absolution of sinnes 2 3 An exposition of the Pater Noster 3 4 An exposition of O Lord open our lips 7 5 The Hymne of Gloria Patri 12 6 An exposition of the 95. Psalme 13 7 Te Deum and Benedicite omnia operae 21 8 An exposition of the Benedictus 22 9 An exposition of the 100. Psalme 28 10 An exposition of the Creed 30 11 Dominus vobiscum 48 12 Cum spiritu tuo and other Responsories 49 13 An exposition of the Magnificat 51 14 An exposition of the 98. Psalme 62 15 An exposition of the Song of Simeon 66 16 An exposition of the 67. Psalme 76 17 The Creed of Athanasius and the Letanie 83 18 An exposition of the Decalogue 84 19 The peoples offering 108 20 An exposition of the words of Paul 1. Corinth 11. 28. containing the summe of the Ministers exhortation before the Communion 109 21 Sursam corda 118 22 Gloria in excelsis 119 23 An exposition of the Peace of God c. and the Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ. 120 24 Amen 124 THE MINISTERS INVITATORIE At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent c. ALL these texts of holie writ premised are as it were the bels of Aaron to stirre vp deuotion and to toll all in to Gods house The whole ring consists of two notes especially Mans miserie Gods mercie The which are two chiefe motiues vnto prayer as we finde precept Matth. 6. 9. Prayye after this maner Our Father which art in heauen Admonens adoptionis diuinae Pater Noster peregrinationis terrenae Quies in coelis vt simul intelligamus egere nos auxilio quia peregrini fiduciam petendi concipiamus quia filij dei And paterne Luke 15 want and woe in the leaud sonne pitie and plenty in the good father occasioned repentance neuer repented Of the one it is commonly said Oratio sine malis est quasi auis alis Of the other I will come into thine house euen vpon the multitude of thy mercy Psalm 5. 7. To thee will I sing because thou art my refuge and mercifull God Psal. 59. 17. In the vulgar Latine Deus meus misericordia mea Whereupon Augustine O nomen sub quo neminâ— desperandum est Wherefore the Minister out of a due consideration of both exhorteth his people in an Apostolicall stile to confesse their sinnes humbly to the Lord who is able to heare because Almightie and willing to helpe because most mercifull The Confession of sinnes THe matter and manner of which Confession all other Liturgies approoue both ancient as the Liturgies of S. 〈◊〉 of S. Basil of the Syrians of the Ethiopians and moderne as the Scotish Geneuian English admonitioners 〈◊〉 forme of common praier Italian Spanish Dutch all which allot Confession of sins a place and this place principally The reason hereof is taken out of Gods own booke Prouerbs 18. 17. Iustus in exordiâ— sermonis accusator est sui The iust man in the beginning of his speech is an accuser of himselfe for so reade S. Ambrose ser. 4. vpon the 118. Psalme S. Hiâ—â—om lib. 1. contra Pelagian Melancthon in loc and from the practise of Gods owne people the Iewes as that noble gentleman Philip Mornai notes in lib. 1. de Missa cap. 3. The Nouelists only mislike the Ministers absolution and therfore in the Conference at Hampton Court Ian. 14. 1603. they gained so much as to haue it in a more milde terme called Remission of sins Herein resembling the people of Bengala who are so much afraid of Tigers as that they dare not call them Tigers but giue them other gentle names Ne si propriam nomenclatur am tribuant coÌ„tinuâ— dilacerentur Concerning absolution see the Gospell Dominic 19. post Trin. The Pater Noster THis Praier excels all other in many respects as being the Gospels Epitome compiled by Wisdome it selfe so large for matter so short for phrase so sweet for order as that it deserueth worthily to haue both the Best and the Most place in our Liturgie The First as guide to the rest the Most as a necessary complement to supply whatsoeuer is wanting in other and therefore it is vsed at the end of the Letanie at the end of the Communion at the end oâ— Baptisme at the end of other sacred actions as one fitly Tanquam sal omnium diuinorum officiorum It hath three parts 1. A proeme Our Father c. 2. A petition Hallowed be thy name c. 3. A conclusion For thine is kingdome c. In the first note those three things required in an absolute agent 1. Will because hee is ours for euery one wisheth well vnto his owne and hee that doth not is worse then an Insâ—del 1. Tim. 5. 8 2. Skill because a father Your father knoweth whereof you stand in need Matth. 6. 8. 3. Power because in
Heauen Strength commeth from heaueâ— 1. Macchab. 3. 19. So that if we aske we shall haue if seeke we shall finde if knocke it shall be opened vnto vs because God is a father Our father our father in heauen Our Admonisheth vs of mutual loue for without loue there is no true faith and without true faith no true prayer Rom. 14. 23. As the Serpent doth cast vp all his poyson before he drinke so wee must degorge our malice before wee pray Father Vsed heere rather essentially then personally So God is a father in creation Deut. 32. 6. In education Esai 1. 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 happilie more fitly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In instruction Inwardly by his Spirit Rom. 8. 26. Outwardlie by his Preachers Matth. 10. 20. In compassion Psal. 103. 13. In correction Heb. 12. 6. Quiexcipitur è numero flagellatorum excipitur è numero filiorum In yeeres Dan. 7. 9. But a father in respect of his adoption more principally Rom. 8. 15. 16. In Heaueâ— Mysticall as Augustine and Ambrose construe it in holy men of heauenly conuersation Who are his proper temples and houses in whom hee will dwell Ioh. 14. 23. Materiall as other generally for albeit hee be present euere where yet hee doth manifest himselfe to blessed soules and Angels in heauen and to vs in glory from heauen especially Psal. 19. 1. Gen. 19. 24. 1. Thess. 4. 16. Petition THe petition in the iudgements of neotericall authors hath sixe branches whereof three concerne our loue wherewith wee loue God in himselfe and three wherewith wee loue our selues in God in signe whereof the pronowne Thy is affixed to the three first thy name thy kingdome thy will but the pronownes Vs and Ours to the rest Our bread our trespasses leade vs not c. Or as other diuide the petition is Precatio bonorum Deprecatio maloruÌ„ A request for good things whereof the First concernes Gods glorie Hallowed be thy name Rest our good of Glorie Thy kingdome c. Grace Thy will c. Nature Giue vs this day our dailie bread A deprecation of euill which is of two sorts Malum culpae an euill which is sin Past Forgiue vs our trespasses c. To come Leade vs not into temptatioÌ„ Malum poena an euill which is a punishment for sinne Deliuer vs from euill Internall and hellish conscience Externall bodilie dangers Eternall euerlasting death In one word from all that thou seest euill for vs be it prosperitie or aduersitie so wee pray in the Letanie Good Lord deliuer vs in all time of our tribulation in all time of our wealth c. Nondum enim sumus in eo bono vbinullum patiemur malum Other affirme that the first three petitions are concerning the life to come the last three concerning the life present that which is in the middle Giue vs this day our daily bread concerning both These seuen if wee make so many petitions are correspondent to the seuen gifts of the blessed spirit Esai 11. 2. and seuen beatitudes Matth. 5. against the seuen capitall sinnes Ramus hath obserued that this prayer answereth the Decalogue God is our father Ergo we must haue no other gods In heauen Ergo no grauen Image c. Hallowed be thy name Ergo not take his name in vaine Thy kingdome come thy will be done Ergo wee must sanctifie the Sabbath and worship him according to his word Giue vs this day our daily bread that hauing sufficient we may be rather helpfull Honour thy father c. then hurtfull by wronging our neighbour in deed Thou shalt not kill not commit adultery not steale In word Thou shalt not beare false witnesse c. Leade vs not into temptation Ergo not couet our neighbours house nor his wife c. Forgiue vs our trespasses Ergo bound to keepe the whole law which occasioned Luther to say Docet oratio dominica nos esse quotidianos peccatores totam vitam esse poenitentiam all our life to be nothing else but a Lent to prepare our selues against the Sabbath of our death and Easter of our resurrection Conclusion SOme cauill at our Seruice book for omitting this clause yet Caluin doth acknowledge that it is not extant in any Latine copies of which Erasmus and other Diuines haue sundrie coniectures Howsoeuer the Church is blamelesse seeing our Bible which is Iudex quo receiueth it and the Minister which is Iudex qui the speaking booke doth vsually repeate it and so saying it in their opinion wee doe well and not saying it according to the paterne of all the Latine and some of the Greeke Fathers and of S. Luke himselfe not ill It containes A Reason of our prayer for thine is kingdome c. A testification of our assurance that God will heare our prayer Amen Thine is Earthlie Princes haue kingdome power and glorie from God Dan. 2. 37. but God hath all these from and in himselfe 1. Chron. 29. 11. Seeing he hath interest in all things it is our dutie to come vnto him for euery thing and as he hath right to all so power to dispose of all and therefore we cannot doe any thing we desire but by power receiued of him And if his be power and kingdome then it followeth necessarily that his is all glorie Therefore we must inuocate his holie name that hereby wee may giue him his due This one dutie is Alpha and Omega the first thing wee must beg hallowed be thy name and the last wee must performe Thine is glorie for euer It is a Rabbiâ—icall conceit that the last Psalme hath thirteene Halleluiahs answering thirteene properties in God specified Exod. 34. 6. 7. Now in that the Prophet doth begin and end with Halleluiah stirring vs vp in euery verse of that Psalme and in euery sentence of euery verse to praise the Lord hee doth insinuate that this one is our only seruice for whereas after twelue Halleluiahs a thirteenth is added it doth signifie that when wee haue done all wee must begin againe with Gods praise that as his mercie is from euerlasting to euerlasting from euerlasting predestination to euerlasting glorificatiâ—n so our praise for euer and euer here we must begin the Psalme of glorie but because God hath appointed in this short life that wee should not sing in Longs but as Musitians speake in briefes and semibriefes it must be continued in the quier of heauen heereafter or in this world for euer and euer intentionally though not actually For as the wicked if hee could liue for euer would sinne for euer so the good man if God should suffer him to breathe on earth for euer and euer hee would not cease to serue him euer and euer Amen The which word is the seale of all our petitions to make them authenticall importing
that according to the multitude of his rich mercies hee would pardon all our old sinnes and then put into our mouth a new song that as the seruice is holie the time holie the place holie so we likewise the persons holie who sing Holy holy holy c. Deus faciat tâ—m commodum quà m Ecclesia fecit accommodum Our fathers in this imitated the learned Hebrew Doctors inioyning that this verse should be said at the beginning of euery prayer in tractatu Berachoth that is their Liturgie being the first part of the Talmud as Pet. Galatinus lib. 1. cap. 5. do Arcanis Saxtus Seneâ—sis Bibliothec. lib. 2 pag. 121. My lips A part for the whole sufficient abilitie to praise God Ex abundantâ—a cordis os loquitur He doth intreate God then as before for a cleane hart and a right spirit that his old ioyes of conscience may bee renued and all the whole man throughly repaired a good desire to begin a ready will to continue a constant resolution to end in Gods holie seruice The key of the mouth ought not to stand in the doore of the lippes but to be kept in the cabinet of the minde For the heart of fooles is in their mouth but the mouth of the wise is in their heart Dauid therefore doth desire first a new soule then a new soâ—g The tongue is ambassadour of the minde as often as we speake without meditation before so often the messenger runneth without his errand And idle words are not little sinnes of which one day wee shall giue great account The mind then and the mouth must goe together in ciuill communication hee that will not speake idlely must thinke what he speakes and he that will not speake falsely must speake what he thinks In holy deuotion God must be praised vpon wâ—ll tuned Cymbals and loud Cymbals in his quier first tune well a prepared heart then â—ound well a cheerfull tongue like the pen of a ready writer Albeit mentall praier at sometime and in some place be sufficient yet vocall in Gods publike worship is necessary to stir vp and blow the coales of zeale both in our selues and others Open lips in open seruice Why 3. part That my mouth may shew thy praise That as of thee and through thee and for thee are all things so to thee may be praisâ— for euermore See Pater Noster God is of himselfe and in himselfe so great so good as that we cannot any way detract or adde to his glory Nec â—elior si 〈◊〉 nec deterior si vituperaueriâ— I answere though we cannot make Gods praise greater in it selfè yet we may make it sâ—eme greater vnto other it is our duâ—ie to sheâ—forth his praise in all our words and actions too for albeit we cannot make a new God and a new Christ as the Papists dâ—e yet oâ—r good example and gratious speech may make lâ—tâ—le Christ a greaâ— Christ occasion all those with whom we conuerse to magnifie the Lord now who little regarded him before See the 〈◊〉 This annunciation of praise consists of often repetition and particular enumeration of Gods especiall goodnesse towards vs. Augustine therefore doth glosse the text thus Laâ—dem tuam quâ—a creatus sâ—m Laudâ—m tâ—am quia vt consiâ—erer iam monitus sum Laâ—dem tuam quia peccans non derelictus sum Laudem tuam quia vt securâ—s essem mundatus sum Hugo câ—mprehends all which concernes vs all in foure words God is to be praised qui Creator 〈◊〉 esse Conseruator in esse Recreator in 〈…〉 Glorificator in optimo esse qui non reddit Deo faciendo quod debet reddet ei patiendo quod debet The whole text doth teach all men generally the language of Canaâ—n that is what and how to speake that their moutâ— may glorifie God and edifie their brethren Especiallâ— Pastors to minister a word in time to the weary so to tune their notes as that they may be like apples of gold 〈…〉 of â—iluer In all their sermons to preach Iesus for Iesus hunting not after their owne but his glory Lord open my lips that my mouth may shew not My praise but Thy praise saith Dauid Gloria Patri THis Hymne is of good credit and great antiquity Ramus acknowledgeth ingenuously both It is a paraphrastticall exposition of that excellent speâ—ch Rom. 11. 36. Of him and through him and for him are all things to him be glory for euer Amen vsed in the Church to manifest our sound iudgement in matter of doctrine concerning the sacred Trinitie We must saith Basil as we haue receiued euen so baptize and as we baptize euen so beleeue and as we belieue euen so giue glory Baptizing we vse the name of the Father of the Sonne of the holy Ghost confessing the Christian faith we declare our beliefe in the Father and in the Sonne and in the holy Ghost ascribing glory to God we giue it to the Father and to the Sonne and to the holie Ghost And howsoeuer Anabaptisticall Antipodes out of their ambitious humour to contradict all other and heare themselues only speak would haue thrust out of the Church all solemne set formes of holy seruice yet Gloria Patri stands still and like a true Martyr doth shew the greatest counteuance in lowest estate For antiquitie such as looke lowest affirme that it was ordained first by Damasus ann Dom. 376. Others that it was enacted in that famous Councell of Nice consisting of 318. Bishops vnder Constantine the Great an 320. â—aebadius in lib. aduersus Arrian insinuates that it was vsed in the Church long before The curious in this point may further examine Bellarmine and that Oxenford of learning Master Richard Hooker Venite exultemus Domino IT is euident not only by Church history but also by the Scripture that Psalmes haue alwaies taken vp a great roome in diuine seruice Mat. 26. 30. 1. Cor. 14. When you come together as euery one of you hath a Psalme Let not any then wonder at our often Psalmodie both after and before the word expounded and read and sometime interlaced betweene both A custome continued in all other reformed Churches of Scotland France Flanders c. Aboue all other Psalmes our Church hath fitly chosen this as a whetstone to set an edge vpon our deuotions at the very beginning of publike praiers in the Temple teaching plainly for what matter and after what maner it behoueth vs to serue God in his Sanctuary For it consists of two parts 1. An exhortation to praise God in the 1. 2. 6. verses 2. An allegation of causes why we should doe this and they bee taken either from his Mercies In generall for creating and ruling the whole world 3. 4. 5. In particular for electing his Church 7. IudgemeÌ„ts in the 8. 9. 10. 11. setting before their eies a
Psalme 18. 47. Matth. 22. 39. So that Zacharias here remembring a great benefit begins his Hymne with thanks Benedictus Dominus Hereby signifying that it is our first and chiefe duty to be thankfull to blesse God who doth so wonderfully blesse vs in all the changes and chances of this mortall life to say with Iob The Lord giueth and the Lord taketh blessed be the name of the Lord. God be praised and the Lord be blessed is the language of Canaan whereas vnthankfulnesse is the diuels text and the blasphemies of wicked men are Commentaries vpon it The Lord For as Aristoâ—le said Praise is onely vertues due but none is good except God Other are to be praised in him so faâ—re forth as they haue receiued any gift or good from him onely the Lord worthy to be praised in and for himselfe God of Israel So called in two respects first in regard of his loue towards them as being his peculiar incloser out of the Commons of the wholeworld Deut. 7. 6. Psalme 76. Esay 5. Secondly in regard of their seruice to him hee is God of other will they nill they Psal. 99. 1. The Lord is King be the people neuer so impatient he sitteth betweene the Cherubims be the earth neuer so vnâ—uiet but Israel willingly submitted her selfe to serue him cheerefully with all her heart The Diuell is prince of the world because the wicked of the world be ready to giue place to his suggestions but the Lord is God of Israel that is of all good men because they resist Satan and yeeld to his gouernment desiring daily that his kingdome may come and his will be done in earth as it is in heauen He doth vse this title rather then another in generall to describe the true God and to distinguish him from the gods of the Gentiles who were not gods but 〈…〉 that is Diuels as Euthymâ—â—s obserues In particular this title did best fit his occasion because Christ the redeemer of the world was promised vnto the Iewes Abraham and his seed for euer and therefore blessed be the Lord God of Israel Why First for promising then for performing The promises of God touching the Messias are twofold 1. Made by himselfe to Adam Abraham Isaac vers 72. 73. 2. Made by his seruants As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which haue been since the world began vers 70. He spake The Prophet is but the voice God himselfe is the speaker as Iohn Baptist said I am the voice of him that crieth in the wildernesse By thâ— mouth In the singular number for albeit they were many yet they spake but one thing from one spirit as it were with one mouth Which haue been since the world began For all the Prophets haue foretold of these daies In the transfiguration Moses and Elias are said to talke with Christ signifying hereby saith Origen that the Law and the Prophets and the Gospell agree all in one And therefore Peter was vnwise to make three Tabernacles for one Holy Prophets holy by Place separated froÌ„ the prophane vulgar and consecrated to this high calling Grace for being hallowed and elected to this office they spake by the holy Ghost endued also with gifts of sanctification in so much that Prophets and holie men heretofore were voces conuertibiles as it is obserued out of the old Testament Gen. 20. 7. and new Luk. 7. 16. Ioh. 9. 17. This may teach the Prophets in our time to be walking Sermons Epistles and holy Gospels in all their cariage toward the people Praedicat viua voce qui praedicat vita voce He doth preach most that doth liue best As it is said of Iohn the Baptist Cum miraculum nullum fecerit perpetuum fuit ipse miraculum So a good man doth alway preach though hee neuer comes in pulpit Whereas such a Minister as is no where a Minister but in the Church is like Achitophel who set his house in order and then hanged himselfe The word preached is as Aarons rod if in the Preachers hand it is comely but if he cast it from him it will happily proue a Serpent That which God hath ioyned together let no man put asunder Holinesse and Prophecie O Lord indue thy Ministers with righteousnesse that thy chosen people may be ioyfull As God is mercifull in making so faithfull in keeping his promise for he visited and redeemed his people Visited In the better part for visitation in mercie not in iudgement as Psal. 8. 4. Gen. 21. 1. If Christ did visit vs in our person let vs visit him in his members All of vs are his stewards and the good things he hath lent vs are not our owne but his either the goods of the Church and so wee may not make them Impropriations or else the goods of the Common-wealth and wee may not inclose them He is the best subiect that is highest in the Subsidie booke so he the best Christian that is most forward in subsiaijs in helping his brethren with such gifts as God hath bestowed vpon him The whole world saith S. Iohn lieth in wickednes sicke very sicke vnto death All wickednesse is weaknes euery sinne is a sore Couetousnes an insatiable dropsie Pride a swelling tympanie Lasinesse the Gentlemans gout Christ therefore the great Physition of the world came to visit vs in this extremitie we did not send for him hee came of his owne loue to seeke and saue that which was lost It is a great kindnes for one neighbour to visit another in sicknes but a greater kindnes to watch and pray with the comfortlesse yet the greatest kindnesse of all is to helpe and heale him Euen so and much more then so Christ loued y e world he came not only to see it but to saue it not only to liue among men but also to die for men as to visite so to redeeme The Lord did endure the crosse that the seruant might enioy the crowne the Captaine descended into hell that the souldier might ascend into heauen the Physition did die that the patient might liue Bernard pithily Triplici morbo laborabat genus humanum principio medio fine idest natiuitate vita morte Venit Christus contra triplicem hunc morbum attulit triplex remediuÌ„ Natus est vixit mortuus est eius natiuitas purgauit nostram mors eius destruxit nostram vita eius instruxit nostram As S. Paul in two words He died for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification that is saith Aquinas he died to remoue from vs all that which was euill and rose againe to giue vs all that which was good All is infolded in the word Redeeme the which as Interpreters obserue generally doth implie that wee are deliuered from the hands of all our enemies and they be principally foure The World Flesh.
name Catholike my surname So Rome was England is a Catholike Church But it properly signifieth vniuersall as here because extended to all places and all times and all persons not only those who are now liuing but also those who haue been from the beginning and shall be to the end of the world So that to say the Roman Catholike Church is like the by-word of Kent and Christendome all one as to say the particular or the speciall generall Church From this naturall acception ariseth that other borowed as in the Creed of Athanasius Haec est fides Catholica that is quod vbique quod semper quod ab omnibus creditum est The Catholike faith is that which is taught all men Matth. 28. 19. Mark 16. 15. in all places Rom. 10. 18. at all times 2. Cor. 1. 19. And Psal. 119. Thy word O Lord indureth for euer and thy truth also from generation to generation Fides est vides in vs quae non vides an euidence of things not euident So that the Church we must beleeue is Catholike not sensible subiect to view but inuisible an object of faith Communion of Saints The Churches third propertie which expoundeth the two former I beleeue the Catholike Church to wit the communion of Saints If a communion then Catholike if Saints then holy This communion hath two parts fellowship Of the members with the head because euery Christian hath interest in all the benefits of Christ who is not a garden flower priuate for a few but the Rose of the field common to all and therefore S. Iude calles his grace the Common saluation Of the meÌ„bers one with another and it is either of the Liuing with the liuing Dead with the liuing As in the naturall body so in the Church Christs mysticall body there is a peâ—petuall sympathie betwen ethe parts if one member suffer all suffer with it if one be had in honour all reioice with it Martin Luther said well and wittâ—â—y that a Christian is a freeman and bound vnto none And againe that he is a diligent seruant and vassall vnto all Vere vir omnium hâ—rarum omnium operum omnium personarura becoming all things vnto all men that he may winne them vnto Christ. As that Antichristian in stile so the Christian is in deed Serâ—us seruorum Dei There is a knot of fellowship also betweene the dead Saints and the liuing They pray to God for our good in generall and we praise God for their good in particular I say we praise God in his Saints particularly for giuing Mary Peter Paul such eminent graces on earth and now such vnspeakable glory in heauen In affection and heart we conuerse with them alway desiring to be dissolued and to be with Christ. Remission of sinnes All of vs are borne in sinne orius damnati quam nati saith Bernard and after increasing we grow from euill to worse vntill our sinnes are remitted by Gods grace conueied vnto vs in the Church by his holy word and Sacraments it is a remission not a satisfaction a worke not of our merit but of Gods mercy who beholding vs in Christ reputes our sinnes as no sinnes I haue put away thy transgressioÌ„s as a cloud thy sins as a mist so remitted as if they neuer were committed Agaus Dâ—i qui tollit peccata mundi dimittendo quae facta sunt adiuuando ne fiant perducendo ad vitam vbi emnino fieri non possunt Sinnes in the plurall be they neuer so many for quantitie neuer so grieuous for qualitie Say not with Caiâ—e My sinne is greater then can be pardoned but with Paul All things worke for the best vnto them who loue God Remember saith Luther the speech of God to Rebecca Maior seruiet minori The greater shall serue the lesser Our spirituall enemies are stronger and our sinnes are greater then we yet they shall serue for our good the greater shall serue the lesser I beleeue the râ—mission of sinnes A very great benefit because this pardon is our soules life Where the wages of sin is death of Bodie which is the temporall Soule which is the â—â—â—rituall Body soule which is eternall death See the Epistle Dom. 7. post Trinit Resurrection of the bodie The whole Creed in grosse and euery parcell argueth a resuâ—rection as Erasmus aptly This one article is the Basis of all the rest for if there be a God almightie then hee is iust and if iust then another reckoning in another world where good men shall be rewarded and euill condignely punished If a Iesus Christ who is our Sauiour then hee must dissolue the workes of Satan which are sinne and death if an holy Ghost then all his hallowed temples who did glorifie him heere shall bee glorified of him hereafter If a Church which is holy then a remission of sinnes a resurrection of the bodie a life euerlasting that all such as haue been subiects in his kingdome of grace may likewise bee Saints in his kingdome of glory for as God is principium effectiuum in creatione refectiuum in redemptione so perfectiuum in retributione Life euerlasting The chiefe good and last end which we gaine by being in the Church All men on earth haue life but not euerlasting the damned in hell endure that which is euerlasting yet not a life but an eternall death as being perpetually tied vnto torments enforced euer to suffer that they would not neither can they doe any thing that they would only the Church elected by the Father redeemed by the Sonne sanctified by the holy Ghost shall enioy life euerlasting not by purchase or inheritance but by donation and franke almaine The spirituall hand which apprehends this deede of gift is faith and therefore begin well with I beleeue in God and continue well in being a member of his Holy Catholike Church and thou shalt be sure to end well with euerlasting life Amen Our assent to the Creed signifying hereby that all which we haue said is true and certaine O Lord increase our faith Ruth 2. 4. THe Nouelists haue censured this and other like Suffrages as short cuts or shreddings rather wishes then prayers A rude speech which sauoureth of the shop more then of the schoole for our Church imitated herein the meeke Publicane O God be mercifull to me a sinner and the good womaÌ„ of Cannan Haue mercie on me O Lord and deuout Bartiâ—â—us O sonne of Dauid take pitie on me These short shreddings and lists are of more value then their Northren broad cloath the which as wee see shrinkes in the wetting whereas our ancient custome hath continued in the Church aboue 1200 yeeres for Augustine writes epist. 121 that the ChristiaÌ„s of Egypt vsed in their Liturgy many prayers euery one of theÌ„ being very short raptim quodammodo
magnifie the Lord. THis Hymne is nothing else but a grace for grace great thankes for great things receiued of the Lord. Wherein obserue the manner and matter of the Virgins exultation or a thanksgiuing in the two former verses and a reason in the rest For he hath regarded c. I purpose to â—ift euery word of the former part seuerally and because there is as Luther saith great Diuinitie in pronounes I will first examine the pronoune My my soule my spirit my Sauiour It is not enough y t other pray for vs except our selues praise God for our selues He that goeth to Church by an attorney shal go to heaueÌ„ also by a proxie There is an old Legend of a Merchant who neuer would go to Masse but euer when he heard the Saints bell he said to his wife Pray thou for thee and me Vpon a time hee dreamed that hee and his wife were dead and that they knocked at heauen gate for entrance S. Peter the porter for so goeth the tale suffered his wife to enter in but thrust him out saying Illa intrauit pro se te as thy wife went to Church for thee so likewise she must goe to heauen for thee The morall is good howsoeuer the storie be bad insinuating that euery one must haue both a personalitie of faith my Sauiour and a personalitie of deuotion my soule my spirit Officium is efficium it is not enough that the master enioyne his familie to pray or the father heare his child pray or the Teacher exhort his people to pray but as euery one hath tasted of Gods bountie so euery one must performe this dutie hauing oyle of his owne in his owne lampe saying and praying with the blessed Virgin My soule my spirit Soule As if she should thus speake Thy benefits O Lord are so good so great so manifest so manifold that I can not accord them with my tongue but only record them in my heart It is truly said he loues but little who tels how much he loues and so surely hee praiseth God but little who makes it a tongue-toile and a lip-labor only Mark 7. 6. This people honoureth me with their lips but their heart is farre from me God who gaue all will haue all and yet aboue all requireth the soule Sonne giue me thy heart for that alone commands all other members as the Centurion did his souldiers It saith to the foote goe and it goeth vnto the hand come and it commeth vnto the rest doe this and they doe it It doth bend the knees and ioyne the hands and lift vp the eye composeth the countenance disposeth of the whole man and therefore as that other Mary chose the better part so this Mary bestowed vpon God her best part her soule did magnifie her spirit reioyced Some Diuines expound these words ioyntly some seuerally The word spirit is vsed in the holie Scripture sometime for the whole soule 1. Cor. 7. 34. The woman vnmaried careth for the things of the Lord that she may be holy both in body and in spirit that is in soule So S. Augustine thinks that these two words here signifie the same because the latter phrase my spirit reioiceth in God my Sauiour is nothing else but an exegesis of the former my soule doth magnifie the Lord insinuating by this repetition my soule my spirit that her deuotion was not hypocriticall but cordiall and vnfained It is obserued in nature that the Fox doth nip the necke the Mastiue the throat the Ferret the liuer but God especially careth for the heart being as Ambrose speakes excellently Non corticis sed cordis deus And therefore Mary was not content to praise the Lord from the rine of her lips only but also from the roote of her heart So Dauid did pray Praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within mee praise his holy name So Paul would haue vs pray Sing to the Lord with a grace in your hearts And so the Church doth desire that the Priest who is the mouth of the people should pray The Lord be with you saith the Minister and the whole congregation answereth And with thy spirit Heereby signifying that this holy businesse ought to be performed with all attention and intention of spirit Diuines interpreting these two seuerally distinguish betweene soule and spirit and so doth the Scripture 1. Cor. 15. 45. The first man Adam was made a liuing soule the last Adam a quickening spirit Soule is that by which we liue naturally spirit is that by which we liue through grace supernaturally Or as other soule signifieth the will and spirit the vnderstanding as Heb. 4. 12. The word of God is liuely and mighty in operation and sharper then any two edged sword and entreth thorow euen vnto the diuiding asunder of the soule and spirit that is of the will and vnderstanding So that Mary saying here my soule and my spirit doth intimate that she did praise the Lord with attention in her vnderstanding and deuotion in her affection They praise God with halfe an heart who either hauing deuotion want vnderstanding or else indued with vnderstanding want deuotion and so while men pray with the soule without a spirit or with the spirit without a soule their heart is diuided as the Prophet Ose Diuisum est cor eorum and God hath but one part happily the least peece The line then to be drawne from this example is first that we pray with our heart secondly with our whole heart with all our soule with all our spirit Doth In the present For as a gift to man so glory to God is most acceptable when as it is seasonable not deferred but conferred in time Gratia quae tarda est ingrata est gratia Proprium est libenter facientis citò facere Magnifie The word signifieth highly to commend and extoll Magnum facere to make great Now God is optimus maximus already most great and therefore cannot be made more great in regard of himselfe but all our vilifying and magnifying the Lord is in respect of others onely When wee blasheme the most holy name of God as much as in vs lieth we lessâ—n his greatnes when we blesse his name so much as in vs is we magnifie his glory making that which is great in it selfe to be reputed great of other As one fitly Magnificare nihil aliud est nisi magnum significare This magnifying consists in our conuersation especially Noli saith Augustine gloriari quia lingua benediâ—is si vita maledicis Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which speake euill of you may by your good works which they shall see glorifie God in the day of the visitation God is magnified of vs as Ambrose and Origen note when as his image is repaired in vs. He created man according to his likenes that is
creatures on earth and in heauen too serue vs Heb. 1. 14. In chusing a master euery man will shun principally three sorts of men his Enemie Fellow Seruant He serueth his greatest enemie who serueth the Diuell his fellow who serueth the lust of his flesh his seruant who serueth the world It is a base seruice to serue the world for that is to become a vassall vnto our seruant It is an vncertaine seruice to serue the flesh this master is so cholericke so weake so sickly so fickle that we may looke euery day to be turned out of his doores and that which is worst of all he is least contented when he is most satisfied Like to the Spaâ—â—ard a bad seruant but a worse master It is an vnthriftie seruice to serue the Diuell all his wages is death the more seruice we doe him the worse is our estate But he that serues God hath the greatest Lord who is most able and the best Lord who is most willing to prefer his followers and therefore let vs say with Simeon and boast with Dauid O Lord I am thy seruant I am thy seruant See the Epistle on Simons and Iudes day Depart Here first note the soules immortalitie Death is not exitus but transitus not obitus but abitus not a dying but a departing a transmigration and exodus out of our earthly pilgrimage vnto our heauenly home Fratres mortui non sunt amissi sed praemissi profectio est quam pâ—tas mortem A passage from the valley of death vnto the land of the liuing Dauid said of his dead child I shall goe to him but he shall not returne to mee Christ confirmes this Haue you not read what is spoken of God saying I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isack and the God of Iacob Now God saith Christ is not the God of the dead but of the liuing Abraham then is aliue Isack aliue Iacob aliue they cannot be said truly dead but as Simeon here departed The two receptacles of all soules after this life Hell and Heauen infallibly demonstrate this point Lazarus dieth and his soule is presently conueied by blessed Angels vnto the bosome of Abraham vnhappy Diues dieth and his soule is setcht and snatcht away by foule fiends vnto the bottomlesse pit of hell As Gods eternall decrees haue an end without a beginning so the soules of men haue a beginning without an end The soule and body part for a time but they shall meete againe to receiue an irrâ—uocable doome either of Come yee blessed or Goe ye cursed Secondly note that dying is the loosing of our soule from her bonds and fetters our flesh is a sinke of sinne the prison of the mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui gloriatur in viribus corporis gloriatur in viribus carceris And therefore when Plato saw one of his schoole was a little too curious in pampering his body said wittily What do you meane to make your prison so strong So that a soule departed is set at libertie like a bird that is escaped out of a cage The world is so full of euils as that to write them all would require another world so great as it selfe Initium vitae caecitas obliuio possidet progressum labor dolor exitum error omnia Childhood is a foolish simplicitie youth a rash heate manhood a carking carefulnesse old age a noisome languishing Diu viuendo portant funera sua quasi sepulchra dealbata plena sunt ossibus mortuorum It may bee said of an old man as Bias of the Marriner Nec inter viuos nec inter mortuos and as Plutarch of Sardanapalus and S. Paul of a widow liuing in pleasure that he is dead and buried euen while hee liueth and so passing from age to age we passe from euill to euill it is but one waue driuing another vntill we arriue at the hauen of death Epictetus spake more like a Diuine then a Philosopher Homo calamitatis fabula infoelicitatis tabula Though a King by warre or wile should conquer all the proud earth yet hee gets but a needles point a mote a mite a nit a nothing So that while we striue for things of this world wee fight as it were like children for pins and points And therefore Paul desired to be loosed and to be with Christ and 〈◊〉 as some Diâ—â—nes obserue praieth here to be dismissed as Ambrose doth read Dimitte Lord let loose Cyprian and Origen dimâ—â—tes in the future as if he should say Now Lord I hope thou wilâ— suffer me to depart Howsoeuer the word in the present imports that death is a goale-deliuery Nunc dimiâ—â—isseruum Now Lord thou settest free thy seruant as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vsed Act. 16. 35. Luke 23. 17. Nam quid longa dies nobis nisâ— longa dolorum Colluuies longs patientia carceris aets In peace There are three kinds of peace Externall Internall Etâ—rnall Peace of World Mind God Or more plainly peace between Man and man God and man Man and himselfe The last kind is meant here though assuredly Simeon had all three for our peace with God and so farre as is possible loue toward all men breedes in vs a third peace the which is the contentation of our minde and peace of conscience for which euery man ought to labour all his life but at his death especially that comfortably departing he may sing with old Simeon Lord now lettest c. I know many men haue died discontent and rauing without any sentiment of this comfortable peace to mans imagination and yet notwithstanding were doubtlesse Gods elect children For as Augustine many works of God concerning our saluation are done in and by their contraries In the creation all things were made not of something but of nothing cleane contrary to the course of nature In the worke of redemption he doth giue life not by life but by death and that a most accursed death Optimum fecit instrumentum vitae quod erat pessimum mortis genus In our effectuall vocation he calles vs by the Gospell vnto the Iewes a stumbling block vnto the world meere foolishnes in reason more likely to driue men from God then to winne and wooe men to God And when it is his pleasure that any should depend vpon his goodnesse and prouidence he makes them feele his anger and to be nothing in themselues that they may relie altogether vpon him And thus happily the child of God through many tribulations and to our thinking through the gulfe of desperation enters into the kingdome of heauen The loue of God is like a Sea into which when a man is cast he neither seeth banke nor feeleth bottome For there is a two-fold presence of God in his children 1. Felt and perceiued 2. Secret and vnknowne Sometime God
tecum est intus est Ita dico Lucili sacer intra nos spiritus sedet malorum bonorumque obseruator custos Let the people This and other manifest repetitions in this Psalme may serue for a warrant to iustifie the repetitions in our Liturgie but I will answere the Nouelist in the words of Paul Rom. 2. In that thou blamest another thou condemnest thy selfe for thou that iudgest doest the same thing The reformers in one of their prayers after the Sermon vse repetition and that of the Lords prayer and in such sort that within a very narrow roome it is first expounded paraphrastically then againe reiterated euery word particularly So likewise the Scotish Church in the ministration of Baptisme doth enioyne that the Creed be repeated twice First the father or in his absence the Godfather propounds it and then instantly the Minister expounds it Wherfore that worthie Diuine most truly there is in England a schismaticall and vndiscreete companie that would seeme to crie out for discipline their whole talke is of it and yet they neither know it nor will be reformed by it Then shall the earth Literally the earth which was cursed for mans sinne shall through Gods blessing giue her increase The valleyes shall stand thick with corne and our garners shall be full with all manner of store So that if the vine be dried vp or the figge tree decaied if our corne bee blasted or graine so thinne that the mower cannot fill his hands nor he that bindeth vp the sheaues his bosome we must remember it is for our vnthankfulnes and sin For if all the people praise the Lord then shall the earth bring forth her increase See the two first Chapters of Ioel. In a mysticall sense Mary shall bring foorth Christ or the blessed Apostles by preaching in all corners of the world shall bring foorth increase to God a great haruest This prophecie was fulfilled Acts 2. when S. Peter in one sermon conuerted about three thousand soules or earth that is all men on earth shall bring foorth fruite vnto God when as they shall know him and praise him Let the people c. let all the people praise then shall the earth bring foorth increase God euen our owne God Out of this sentence the Fathers and other Interpretors obserue generally the Trinitie and vnitie of God the Trinitie in the three-fold repetition of the word God vnitie in the pronoune him all the ends of the world shall feare him in the singular not them in the plurall It is very remarkable that Christ the second person is called our God God euen our God as being ours in many respects as hauing taken vpon him our flesh liuing among vs and at length also dying for vs. Immanuel God with vs Esay 7. 14. Matth. 1. 23. Hee bare our infirmities and answered for our iniquities our reconciliuion and our peace through whom and in whom God is ours and we are his Can. 6. 2. All the ends of the world shall feare him In the 4 verse Dauid desired earnestly that all nations might be glad and reioyce now that they may feare teaching vs hereby to serue the Lord in feare and to reioyce vnto him with reuerence Psal. 2. 11. So to feare him as to serue him with gladnesse and so to reioyce in him as to worke out our saluation in feare and trembling without ioy wee shall despaire without feare presume The feare of God as Salomon speakes is the beginning of wisedome not only principium but praecipium not only primum but primarium and therefore as it is called the beginning of wisedome Prou. 1. 7 so likewise the end of all Ecclesiastes 12. 13. â—et vs heare the end of all feare God and keepe his commandements This feare is not slauish a distractiue and destructiue feare which ouerthroweth our assurance of saith and spirituall comfort for such a feare God forbids Esay 35 4. Luke 12. 32. but it is a filiall and awfull regarding feare Terrens à malo tenens in bono being an inseparable companion of a liuely faith and therefore commanded in Gods word and commended in his seruants old Simeon a iust man and one that feared God Cornelius a deuout man and one that feared God Iob a iust man one that feared God and here God is said to blesse the Church in that all the ends of the world shall feare him Quicunque vult THe learned Athanasian Creed consists of two speciall parts vnfolding fully the two chiefe secrets of holy beliefe namely The Vnitie and Trinitie of God Incarnation and passion of Christ. The which are called the principal mysteries of our faith because in the former is contained the first beginning and last end of man in the second the only and most effectuall meane to know the first beginning and how to attaine vnto the last end So that Athanasius hath comprehended in a very narrow roome both the beginning and middle and end of all our felicitie For this happily called the worlds eye because he did see so much and pierce so far into these vnsearchable and ineffable mysteries And as this excellent Confession is a key of beleefe so the Letanie following is as a common treasure house of all good deuotion It may be said of the Church in composing that exquisite praier as it was of Origen writing vpon the Canticles In caeteris alios omnes vicit in hoc seipsam In other parts of our Liturgie shee surpasseth all other but in this her selfe These points I confesse come not now within the compasse of my walke but I purpose pro Nosse posse to iustifie them and all other portions of our Communion booke in my larger expositions vpon the Gospels and Epistles as the text shall occasion me iustly The next eminent Scripture to bee considered in this Tract is the Decalogue recorded Exod. 20. 1. The Decalogue Then God spake all these words and said I am the Lord thy God c. THe Law was imprinted at the first in mans heart the which is acknowledged euen by prophane Poets as well as diuine Prophets in generall Exemplo quodcunque malo committitur ipsi displicet authori prima est haec vltio quod se Iudice nemo nocens absoluitur improba quamuis gratia fallacis praetoris vicerit vrnam And Seneca notably Prima maxima peccantium poena peccasse Sinne is the greatest punishment of sinne in particular as Melancthon obserues Heathen authors haue a paterne for euery precept according to that of Paul Rom. 2. 14. The Gentiles hauing not the law are a law vnto themselues But when the light of it through custome of sinne began to weare away it was openly proclaimed vnto the world ingrauen in stone written in a booke kept for record in the Church as a perfect abridgement of all law setting downe the duties of all
men in all things for all times In it obserue Prefaces One of the Law writer God spake all these words c. Another of the Law-giuer I am the Lord thy God c. Precepts of the First table coÌ„cerning our loue to God Second touching our loue to man In the former preface note the Matter all these words Manner When. Who. The matter is these words that is these sentences and all these for Almightie God spake not the first Commandement only nor the second or third and left there but hee spake them all and therefore the Pope proues himselfe Antigod in leauing out one and dispensing with many God gaue so strict a charge to keepe euery one as any one but the Vicar of God abounding with vnlimitted authoritie doth first publish what he list and then expound them as he list To leaue them who thus leaue God is our dutie because God spake them all to beg of him obedience and make conscience to keepe them all as one wittily Totus Tota Totum The whole man The whole law The whole time of his life In the manner I note first the circumstance of time when God spake namely when all the people were gathered together aud sanctified as appeareth in the former Chapter then God spake Whereupon it is well obserued that all men ought to take notice of the law whether they be Commoners or Commanders high or low none so mighty that is greater or so meane that is lesse then a subiect to God and his ordinances and therefore Martin Luther hath worthily reprehended Antinomian preachers who teach that the Law need not be taught in the time of the Gospell Indeed Christ is the end of the Law but as Augustine construes it finis perficiens non interficiens an end not consuming but consummating for as himselfe said I came not to destroy the law but to teach it and doe it Secondly we may learne by this circumstance due preparation when wee come before God either to speake or heare his word Auenzoar vsed to say that hee neuer gaue purgation but his heart did shake many daies before Let the Physition of the soule then tremble to thinke what hurt bad physicke may doe when it is administred abruptly corruptly without either paines in reading or reuerence in speaking Vnto the vngodly said God Why doest thou preach my lawes and takest my couenant in thy mouth when as thou hatest to be reformed and hast cast my words behind thee If hearers of the Law much more Preachers of the Gospell ought to be throughly sanctified In the Millers hand wee lose but our meale in the Farriors hand but our mule in the Lawyers hands but our goods in the Physitians hand but our life but in the hands of a bad Diuine wee may lose that which surpasseth all our soule Hearers also being of vncircumcised hearts and eares ought to fit and prepare themselues as Moses and Iosua were commanded in disburdening their mind when they come to Gods house to heare God speake not only from vnlawfull but also from all lawfull worldly busines presenting themselues and their soules in the righteousnes of Christ a liuing holy acceptable sacrifice to God and it is the dutie both of speaker and hearer to desire the Lord that he would forgiue our want of preparation and so to assist vs with his holy spirit in handling of his holy word as that the whole businesse may be transacted for our good and his glory The second circumstance noted in the manner is the person and that is God Then God spake these words in his owne person attended vpon with millions of glorious Angels in a flame of fire so that there is neuer an idle word but all full of wonderful wisdome so perfect a law that it proues it selfe to be Gods law For the lawes of men albeit they fill many large volumes are imperfect some statutes are added daily which were not thought vpon before many repealed which after experience taught not to be so profitable but this law continueth the same for euer comprehending in a few words all perfection of dutie to God and man inioyning whatsoeuer is good and forbidding whatsoeuer is euill God is author of all holy Scripture but the ten Commandements are his after a more peculiar sort first because himselfe spake them and said in a sound of words and a distinct voice that the people both heard and vnderstood them in which sâ—nse S. Stephen happily calleth them oracula vina liuely oracles not that they did giue life for Paul sheweth that the Law was the ministration of death but liuely words as vttered by liuely voice not of men or Angels as other Scripture but immediatly thundred out by God himselfe Secondly because God himselfe wrote them after a more speciall maner hee did vse men and meanes in penning the Gospels and Epistles and other parts of sacred writ for holy men of God wrote as they were moued by the spirit of God as the Fathers obserue they were the pennes of Gods owne finger but in setting downe the Decalogue Gods owne finger was the pen hee made the tables also wherein they were first written that there might be nothing in them but only Gods immediate worke Since then God had such speciall regard in deliuering the Law wee must hence learne with all humble reuerence to receiue the same If King Eglon a barbarous tyrant respected Ehud a man of meane qualitie when he brought a message from the Lord how much more should we with awfull respect embrace the Decalogue which God in his owne person vttered and it should make vs exceeding zealous also notwithstanding the scoffes of Atheists and carelesse worldlings in obseruing and maintaining the same For what need any feare to defend that which God himselfe spake and whereof Christ said He that is ashamed of me and my words in this world I will be ashamed of him before my father in the world to come As a liuely faith is the best glosse vpon the Gospell so dutifull obedience is the best Commentarie vpon the Law To conclude with Augustine Faciemus iubente imperatore non faciâ—mus iubente creatore Yes Lord speak for thy seruants herare Thus much concerning the first preface The second is of the Law-giuer I am the Lord c. Containing two sorts of arguments to proue that hee may giue a law and that his people are bound to keepe it The first kind of reason is taken from his essence and greatnes in himselfe I am Iehoua The second from his effects and goodnes towards Israel In Generall Thy God More speciall Which haue brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage Now whatsoeuer is said vnto them is said vnto all Almightie God is euer the same which is which was and which is to come who being Iehoua the Lord made vs
fame is like the Merchants wealth got in many yeeres and lost in an houre Wherefore speake well of all men alwaies if it may bee done with truth and when it cannot then bee silent or else interrupt euill detractation with other meere and merrie communication as Sampson at his mariage feast propounded a riddle to his friends hereby to stop the mouthes of backbiters and to occupie their wits another way Bernard excellently The tale bearer hath the diuell in his tongue the receiuer in his eare The theefe doth send one only to the diuell the adulterer two but the slanderer hurteth three himselfe the partie to whom and the partie of whom hee telleth the tale Ter homicide saith Luther vno ictu tres occidit vâ—us est qui loquitur vnum tantum verbam profert tamen illud vnum verbum vno in momento mulâ—itudinis audientium dum aures inficit animas interficit The third fault is malediction a grieuous offence when it is spoken with hatred and a desire that such euill come vpon our neighbour but when it is vttered vpon some sudden disdaine without regard to that we speake it is lesse euill yet for all that alwaies euill because from the mouth of a Christian who is the childe of God by adoption nothing ought to passe but benediction The 10. Commandement THe former precepts intend thoughts and desires aswel as act and practise for the Lawgiuer is a spirit and therefore must be worshipped in spirit yet lest wee should pretend ignorance God in this Commandement giueth especiall order for them Or as other The former precepts did condemne the setled thought to doe mischiefe but this euen the first inclination and motion to sinne though a man neuer consent but snub it in the beginning Rom. 7. 7. Thou shalt not lust or desire Now we sin three waies in this kinde 1. By coueting y e goods of our neighbour Immoueable as his land and house Moueable as his oxe and asse c. 2. By coueting his wife 3. By plotting treason and murther To couet his goods is against his profit which is deare to him to couet his wife is against his honor which ought to bee more deare to couet his bloud is against his life which of all wordly things is most deare Whereas it is obiected that desire of murther is not forbidden in particular as the desire of theft and adulterie for the Commandement saith Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife but it is not said Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours bloud Answere is made that a man doth not desire any thing principallie but that which bringeth him some good at least in appearance And so he desireth adulterie because it bringeth delight hee desireth theft for that it bringeth profit but murther bringeth no good at all and therefore it is not desired for it selfe but only to attaine to theft or adultery or some such designement So that God hauingeÌ„ forbidd expresly the disordinate desires of delectation and gaine comequently forbad desires of murther which is not coueted bâ—t for vnlawfull profit or pleasure Thus perfect righteousnesse is fulfilled when we wrong not our neighbour either in deed or in word or desire but contrariwise doe good vnto all speake well and thinke charitably of all Now the reason why the Church appoints the Decalogue to be read at the Communion is euident namely because the law is a schoolemaster vnto Christ teaching vs to know sinne and by knowing of sinne to know our selues and knowing our selues to renounce our selues as of our selues vnable to doe any thing and so come to Christ who doth strengthen vs to doe all things Almighty God saith Luther hath written his law not so much to forbid offences to come as to make men acknowledge their sinnes already past and now present that beholâ—ing themselues in the lawes glasse they may discerne their owne imperfections and so flie to Christ who hath fulfilled the law and taken away the sinnes of the whole world For as the reformed Churches of Scotland and Geneua speake the end of our comming to the Lords table is not to make protestation that wee are iust and vpright in our liues but contrariwise we come to seeke our life and perfection in Iesus Christ being assuredly perswaded that the Lord requireth on our part no other worthinesse but vnfainedly to confesse our vnworthinesse So that our enemies being Iudges it is well ordered that the Commandements are rehearsed in the ministration of this holy Sacrament Let the Nouelists here blush who calumniously censure our Church for omitting in the proeme of the Decalogue one halfe line when as themselues in their owne Communion bookes haue left out all the whole law This indeed occasioned me to remember an obseruation of Cominaeus vpon the battell of Montlehery that some lost their offices for running away which were bestowed vpon other that fled ten leagues further Hypocrite first cast out the beame out of thine owne eye and then shalt thou see cleerely to cast out the mote out of thy brothers eye Matth. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men c. THe Lords Supper is called a sacrifice by the learned ancient Doctors in foure respects First because it is a representation memoriall of Christs sacrifice on the crosse 1. Cor. 11. 26. As often as yee shall eate this bread and drinke this cup ye shew the Lords death vntill he coâ—e So S. Ambrose Christ is daily sacrificed in the mindes of beleeuers as vpon an altar Semel in cruce quotidie in sacramento saith Lombard Secondly because in this action we offer praise thanksgiuing vnto God for the redemption of the world and this is the sacrifice of our lips Heb. 13. 15. Thirdly because euery Communicant doth offer and present himselfe body and soule a liuing holy acceptable sacrifice to the Lord Rom. 12. 1. The which excels the sacrifices of the Priests in old time for they did offer dead sacrifices but we present our selues a liuely sacrifice to God Fourthly because it was a custome in the Primitiue Church at the receiuing of this blessed Sacrament to giue large contribution vnto the poore a sacrifice well accepted of God Heb. 13. 16. Now the Church allowing and following this good old custome stirres vp the people to giue cheerfully by repeating some one or two choice sentences of scripture best fitting this occasion as Matth. 6. 19. Matth. 7. 12 c. 5. 10 These kinds of oblation are our Churches offertorie and vnbloudy sacrifices offred by the whole congregation vnto the Lord so farre differing from popish sacrificing as S. Pauls in London is from S. Peters in Rome 1. Cor. 11. 28. THe sum of the Ministers exhortation before the Communion is contained in these words of Paul Let a man therefore examine himselfe and so let
him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup wherein obserue Two points A preparation Let a man examine c. A participation and so let him eate c. In the first note the Parties Examining a man that is euery man Examined himselfe Parts Beza translates and Erasmus expounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quisque so the word is vsed Iohn 3. 27. A man can receiue nothing except it be giuen him from heauen and Iohn 7. 46. Neuer man spake like this A man then in this place signifieth euery man subiect Soueraigne Priest people The which obseruation ouerthroweth vtterly Romish implicite faith Euery lay man ought to turne confessor and examiner endued with sufficient knowledge for this heauenly businesse he must looke not onely thorow the spectacles of the Priest but also see with his owne eies able to try himselfe Himselfe For that is the duty not another for that is a fault We must not be busie Bishops in other mens Diocesses but meddle with our owne businesse we must not breake our neighbours head with the Pharisie but smite our owne breast with the Publican S. Augustine complained of men in his time that they were Curiosi ad cognoscendum vitam alâ—enam desidiosi ad corrigendam suam and reuerend Hooker of men in our time that their vertue is nothing but to heare gladly the reproofe of others vice like Tailors who measure like Barbors who cut all other except themselues But our Sauiour Christ would not haue vs to gaze on the mote in our brothers eye but rather to pull out the beame in our owne sight And his Apostle here not to pry into other but to try our selues not but that other according to their seuerall charge must examine other as parents must examine their children Exod. 12. 26. 27. and masters must examin their household Gen. 18. 19. and Pastors must examine their parishioners as here Paul corrected directed the Corinthians and for this cause the names of all Communicants are to be sent vnto the Minister that there may be made triall of all yet if parents and masters and Ministers omit this examination euery one must be both able and willing to proue himselfe The parts of examination are concerning the Manner Matter For the manner a triall is to be made Vprightly Necessarily The former is implied in the word Examine which notes a diligent and exact inquirie such as Lapidarâ—es and Goldsmiths vse to finde out true mettall from counterfeit good from bad As the Shunamite sought for Elisha Mary for Christ the woman for her lost groate so we must search as if we would finde search vntill we finde Many men examine their bad maners as they do their bad mony seeke as if they would not see search as if they would not vnderstaÌ„d They decline sinne thorough all the cases as one notes In nominatiuo per superbiam in genitiuo per luxuriam in datiuo per simoniam in accusatiuo per detractationem in vocatiuo per adulationem in ablatiuo per rapinam and yet they will not acknowledge their sinnes in any case When other mens examination hath found them out excuses are ready Non feci si feci non male feci si male feci non multum male si multum male non mala intentione aut si mala intentione tamen alâ—ena persuasione Wherefore as the Prophet said If ye will aske a question aske it indeed so if ye will examine your selues examine earnestly throughly vprightly For examination must be made necessarily This we may gather out of the word therefore whosoeuer shall eate this bread and drinke the cup of the Lord vnworthily shall be guiltie of the body and bloud of the Lord Let a man therefore c. Triall of our selues then is necessary both in respect of our Dutie Danger if we neglect this dutie In respect of our dutie for Christ in his first institution vsed a commanding terme Doe this Doe this in remembrance of me so that it is not in our choice to doe it or not to doe it If any be not fit he must endeuour to make himselfe fit and the way to make fit is examination Let a man examine himselfe therefore c. Secondly triall is necessarie in regard of the danger if we receiue the Lords Supper vnworthily Danger in respect of The sinne vers 27. The punishment for this sinne in Generall vers 29. Particular vers 30. For this cause many are weake and sicke and die See Epistle for Mandie Thursday Now the matters in which euery Communicant must be examined are summarily two Faith Repentance These two like Hippocrates twinnes must goe together hand in hand For there is no true repentance without faith nor liuely faith without repentance B. Latimer said well Lady faith is a great state hauing a Gentleman Vsher going before her called agnitio peccatoruÌ„ and a great traine following after her which are the good workes of our calling He that saith he doth repent when as he doth not beleeue receiues the Sacrament ignorantly and he that saith he doth beleeue when as hee doth not repent receiues the Sacrament irreuerently both vnworthily The parts of faith are Knowledge Application Euery Communicant ought to know the 3. generall points of holie Religion namely mans Generation how he was created according to Gods image in holines and righteousnes Degeneration how he fell from that estate and all his posteritie with him Regeneration how hee was againe restored and recreated by Christs passion of which this Sacrament is a signe and seale In more particular euery Communicant must vnderstand the number and nature of the Sacraments Our Sauiour Christ ordained in his Church onely two Sacraments as generally necessarie to saluation that is to say Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord Baptisme is a Sacrament of initiation and insition assuring the first receiuing into the couenant of grace whereby men are matriculated and admitted into the congregatioÌ„ and made members of Christ. For this cause the sacred Font is placed at the very doore and entrance into the Church but the Communion is a sacrament of confirmation to strengthen our faith and cherish grace receiued and therefore the Lords table by good order is placed in the best highest roome of the Church Baptisme must be receiued of one but once because wee cannot be borne twice one beginning in Christianitie is enough but the Lords Supper often because we need daily to be nourished in the faith of Christ once borne fedde alway The nature of this Sacrament is made knowne by the names in holie writ giuen vnto it Whereof I note principally two the Lords Supper Commâ—nion A Supper in regard of the Time being instituted in the night that Christ was betraied as his far well token Things because it is a holie feast as Augustine said Non dentis sed
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth properly to take with the hand Secondly it is against the rules of common ciuilitie that men of discretion such as Communicants ought to be should be fed like children hauing their meate put into their mouth Thirdly if this taking be not construed of the hand but of the mouth there is an idle repetition and plaine Tautologie in the words of Christ for eating notes orall receiuing and therefore taking must imply manuall receiuing Fourthly it was the custome of the Primitiue Church as we reade in Eusebius and Cyril How wilt thou saith Ambrose to Theodosius receiue the Lords body with a bloudy hand The Papists answere that the Church altered this custome because some reserued the bread for magicall spels and superstitious vses A sillie shift for no abuse can take away the vse of that which is simply good The Bible must be read albeit some peruert it to their destruction the word of God must be preached howsoeuer it be vnto some the sauour of death vnto death and so the bread according to Christs institution must be taken albeit happily some keepe it to wicked and idolatrous purposes This bread The nice distinguishing of the Schoole is like the pilling of an onyon they pull off so many skinnes vntill at last there is no skinne They turne and tosse the words of Christs institution Hoc est corpus meum so long till they bring all that Christ said and did at his last Supper vnto nothing For so we reade in their Glosse that hoc doth signifie nothing Omnipotent creatures who make of something nothing and againe of this nothing something yea Christ who made all things for by pronouncing of these words hoc est corpus meum they make their Maker a dozen gods at once with one sentence This is a pronoune demonstratiue not indiuiduum vagum any thing or a nothing Stephen Gardiner herein forgat his Grammar and Logicke too For hoc doth determine and must as Paul teacheth and the circumstances of the Gospell import be restrained vnto the bread Iesus tooke the bread and when he had giuen thanks hee brake no doubt the bread that hee tooke and gaue to the Disciples the selfe-same that he brake saying Take ye eate ye this that I giue you this is my body What This could our Sauiour meane but This that he gaue This that hee brake This that hee tooke which by the witnesse of truth it selfe was bread If the Papists imagine that he tooke bread but brake it not or brake it but gaue it not they make the Lords Supper a merryiest where the latter end starteth from the beginning and the middle from them both Either they must dissent manifestly from the proposition of Christ and exposition of Paul from all the Fathers and some of their owne followers or else admit our interpretation This bread is my body and if we resolue the words of Christ so they cannot be proper but figuratiue This bread is the signe and seale of my body Bread It pleased our Sauiour to make bread the outward element in this holy Sacrament for the manifold analogies between it his body First as bread is the strength and state of our naturall life so Christ is for our spirituall being all in all Secondly as bread is loathed of the full stomacke but most acceptable to the hungry soule so Christ is most welcome vnto such as hunger and thirst after righteousnes Thirdly as bread is vsuall and daily so Christ should be to the Christian feeding on that bread which came downe from heauen should be the soules ordinary refection fourthly as bread is made one loafe of many graines so we that are many are one bread and one body because we all are partakers of one bread Vnus vbique calix domini cibus vnus vna mensa domusque deâ— Lastly as corne is cut downe with the sithe threshed in the barne with many stripes torne in the mil with much violence then boulted sifted last of all baked with extreame heate in the ouen and all this that it may be fit meate for our body so Christ in his ripe age was cut downe by cruell death his body was whipped his flesh rent asunder his soule was as it were melted in the fierie furnace of Gods anger and all this that he might become food for our soule that we might eate of this bread and drinke of this cup. The like resemblances are between the wine and his bloud For as wine doth make glad the heart of man Psal. 104. 15. so the pretious bloud of Christ as flagons of wine comforts the sicke soule Paulinus sweetly In cruce fixa caro est quo pascor de cruce sanguis Ille fluit vitam quo bibo corda lauo In this exhortation hauing S. Paul for our leader and the Church of Scotland for our follower I hope we need not any further examine why the Church doth vse this scripture for this purpose Augustines obseruation is good insolentissimae insaniae est disputare an â—d faciendum fit quod tota facit ecclesia Sursum corda SVrsum corda seemes to be taken out of the Lamentations of Ieremy cap. 3. vers 41. Leuemus corda nostra cum manibus ad dominum in coelos vsed in the Church at least 300 yeeres before Popery was knowne in the world For Augustine who liued within 400 yeeres after Christ and the blessed Martyr Cyprian who died an 259. make mention of it in their writings often Cyprian in serm de orat dominic Augustine de vera religione cap. 3. and epist. 156. and as Cassander obserues epist. ad Dardan lib. de bono perseuerantiae Sursum corda then is no rag of Rome no peece of Poperie but vsed in all Liturgies of the ancient Church and that which may content the Nouelist most it was borrowed as Master Fox thinks not from the Latine but from the Greeke Churches Howsoeuer it is exceeding fit for Almighty God in his holy seruice requires our heart principally Son giue me thine heart so that when we come to his Temple specially to his table euery one must say with Dauid I lift vp my soule to thee For as the Church of Scotland truly the onely way to receiue worthily the Lords Supper is to lift vp our mindes by faith aboue all things worldly and sensible and thereby to enter into heauen that we may finde and receiue Christ where he dwelleth a point well vrged also by our Church Hom concerning the worthy receiuing of the Sacrament part the first The Papists entertaine this clause still in the Roman Missale but it makes against their reall presence For if Christs body so large in quantity as it was on the crosse be present in the Sacrament what need any man lift vp his heart when as hee holds it
you To behold the Lambe of God who taketh away the sinnes of the world and so by the grace of Christ thou shalt vnderstand the loue of God thou shalt perceiue his wisedome power Maiestie sweetned and tempered to thy capacitie thou shalt finde the saying of Paul to be most true that in Christ are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge that Christ in our iustification is all in all and therefore good reason he should haue the first and most place in this argument that his grace should be named first and last The loue of God is the fountaine of all goodnes as Diuines speake gratiarum gratia from which originallie proceeds euery perfect gift and grace For almightie God hath not elected vs in regard of our works or other worth but coÌ„trariwise because God loued vs we do that which is acceptable in his sight I obtained mercie of the Lord saith Paul to be faithfull Vt fidelis essem non quia fidelis eram as Lombard aptly The nature of this short treatise will not endure that I should wade farre into this Abyssus I remember Pauls exclamation O the deepnes of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his waâ—es past finding out And the glosse of Augustine Volentes disputare de deâ— profundo mersi sunt Or as other Versi sunt in profundum I come therefore to the Communion of the holy Ghost a point more comfortable then ordinarily felt and yet more felt then can be disputed It is said Gal 4. 6. God hath sent the spirit of his Sonne crying in our hearâ—s Abba father he said not calling but crying and Rom. 8. 26. hee calleth this crying vnspeakeable groaning When a man is tempted and afflicted hee feeleth the strength of his enemies and the weaknesse of his flesh he feeleth the fierie darts of Satan the terrors of death the wrath of God all these cry out against him horribly so that the perplexed soule sees nothing but sinne threatning heauen thundering the diuell roring the earth trembling hell mouth open and ready to swallow him vp But yet in the midst of all these Gods holy spirit crieth in our hearts and this cry doth outcry the clamors of the law the bellowes of hell and howlings of infernall fiends it pearceth the clouds and ascends vp to the eares of God insomuch that the blessed Angels seeme to heare nothing else but this cry The spirit helpeth our infirmities and the strength of Christ is made perfect through our weaknesse For Christ is most powerfull when as we are most fearfull euen when we can scarsely groane marke the words of Paul The spirit maketh intercession for vs in our temptation not with many words or long praiers he crieth not aloud with teares haue mercie on me O God but only giues a little sound and a feeble groaning as ah father this is but one word yet notwithstanding comprehends all things Indeed the mouth speaketh not but the good affection of the soule crieth aloud after this manner O Lord God of compassion and father of mercies although I am grieuously vexed on euery side with affliction and anguish yet am I thy child and thou art my father in Christ. This little word or rather no word but a poore thought conceiued aright passeth all the flowing eloquence of Demosthenes and Tully yea Tertullian and all the Orators that euer were in the world for this matter is not expressed with words but with groanings and these groanings are from the blessed Spirit Thus you see the large extent of Pauls affection in regard of the thing wished vnto the Corinthians The grace of Christ the loue of God the communion of the holy Ghost The second extension is in regard of the persons be with you all for the Pastor must wish well not only to the best or to the worst but this praier ought to be made for euery one as well as for any one There is none so bad but hath receiued some grace none so good but hath need to receiue more grace Wherefore pray we still that the grace of Christ may be with vs all The Church of England addes a third extension in regard of the time for euermore the which is implied in the text also for the Corinthians as we reade in the former epistle were Saints by calling and so doubtlesse had receiued already the grace of Christ and had tasted of the loue of God through the fellowship of the holy Ghost He doth therefore now desire that the good worke begun in them may be perfect that the grace receiued may continue with them and increase daily vnto the end and in the end that the loue of God which cannot be greater secundùm essentiam may be greater secundùm efficientiam appearing growing abounding in them more and more for euermore Amen Amen is vsed in holy Scripture three waies as Gabriel and Gerson speake Nominaliter Aduerbialiter Verbaliter As a nowne for truth Apoc. 3. 14. These things saith Amen the faithfull and true witnesse and so it is added in the conclusion of euery Gospell and of the whole Bible as a seale to confirme that which is written In the beginning is the first Amen the last word of holy writ a stately beginning a strange ending For what is more stately then antiquitie what more strange then truth Hereby teaching vs that the Scriptures haue vetera and vera which are not together in any other writing For in humane learning many things are vncertainly true and more certainly vntrue onely the word of God is sealed with Amen Secondly as an Aduerbe for verily so Christ often ii the Gospell Amen Amen dico vobis Thirdly as a Verbe signifying so be it Deut 27. 15. Dicet omnis populus Amen and so it is vsed in Pauls praier expounded before and in all our Collects insinuating our earnest desire that those things which we haue faithfully asked may be effectually obtained And this custome of answering the Minister in the Church Amen is ancient as it appeareth in the 1. Cor. 14. 16. Iustin Martyr Apolog. 2. Hieron prolog lib. 2. in epist. ad Galat. Augustin epist. 107. Vsum respondendi Amen antiquissimum esse patet saith Bellarmine lib. 2. de Missa cap. 16. Here is open confession I would the Church of Rome would make open restitution also For if the people must answere the Priest Amen then the Priest must pray to the peoples vnderstanding and how shall they vnderstand except common praier be said in a common tongue A conclusion agreeable not onely to the Scriptures as Bellarmine acknowledgeth and to the practise of the Primitiue Church as Iustin Martyr and Lyra report and to the paternes of other Liturgies in South India Moscoâ—ia Armenia but euen to their owne constitutions and Masse booke for their owne Clement and their owne Missale giue order that