her greene figges and the Vines with their tender grapes yeeld a good smell Arise my Loue my Doue my Faire one Austin and come away Exultet vniuersus mundus Let the world reioyce and all that are therein The righteous branch of the root of Iesse hath reflourished the Lion of the Tribe of Iudah is awakened our Phenix is risen from his owne ashes our Eagle renewed his bill our Ioseph is brought out of prison our Sampson hath carried away the gates of Assah our Mordecai is exalted our Daniel deliuered from the denne our Ionas is cast vp by the whale our Lazarus restored to life our Glory our Gospell our Glad tidings our Christ is risen from the dead Let vs then aboue all other meditations reioyce in the knowledge of the Gospell of Christ Vse and especially in the remembrance of the resurrection of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ seeing that as the Gospell is the power of God to saluation so the resurrection of all other parts hath manifested the power of our redemption from the graue from sinne from death from the Deuill Let vs reioyce in the resurrection of our Lord and Sauiur seeing by this hee shall raise our vile bodies to bee like his glorious body Let vs with all care embrace this faith seeing the bright morning starre which was darkned by death hath recouered light let vs be sure he will bring vs out of darknesse into the light of his countenance Abraham saw the day of Christs birth Gâ—eg Mor. Esay fore saw the day of Christs death Iob saw the day his dunghill Let vs beginne the first resurrection from sinne to grace that wee may be raised from nature to glory Of all the Feasts of the whole Church in the whole yeere wee haue none like this the Church inioyneth the rest Scripture commands this S. Paul giues an iniunction for celebrating of Easter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ our Passeouer is offered for vs 1 Cor. 5.7 let vs keepe the Feast our Passeouer for vs let vs Nostrum Nobis Nos Christ the Passeouer indeed as hee was offered and our Passeouer as he was raised passing from death to life Let vs then keepe this Feast Pauls iniunction is an Epistle for this Gospell of this Feast All the Saints on earth through the Christian world keepe this Feast as their ioy and Iubile All the Angels in heauen saith Cyprian obserue the same Cyprian Ipsi Angeli eius gaudia Paschata agunt in coelestibus Let vs then obserue these solemnities in the meditation of this Gospell with all reuerence to this glad tidings of Christs resurrection Let vs keepe the feast not with old leauen not with the old leauen of malice and wickednesse but with the vnleauened bread of sinceritie and truth Let the dead burie their dead let vs bring forth some fruits of the Gospell to arise from dead workes to serue the liuing God Epicures Basilidians Sadduces Saturnians denie the truth of Christs resurrection let not vs denie the power Which we doe if wee bring not forth the fruits of the Gospell if we cast not off the workes of death and darknesse Christ appeared first to Mary Magdalen and sent her to be the first messenger to Peter Christ to Magdalen Magdalen to Peter Magdalen the greatest sinner among women Peter the greatest sinner among men Magdalen to Peter Magdalen cleansed of seuen Deuils sent to Peter pardoned of three denials Let Magdalen and Peter preach this to you or rather Christ himselfe and this day if ye will heare his voice Psal 95.7 harden not your hearts Beloued hee that is risen from the graue is not risen in all your hearts with the Pharisies yee haue laid a stone and the Deuill he hath laid the watch and that heauy graue stone of sinne sealed downe presseth downe soules few will be raised few shall bee saued The hypocrite dares not rise hee hath so many shapes he feareth God will not know him if he meet him The harlot cannot rise shee is a dead soule in a painted Sepulchre The drunkard would rise but hath neither hand nor foot to help himselfe the earths monster and his owne murtherer The Gallant like Lazarus in the graue is fast bound is close prisoner to his owne clothes The Vsurer is Iaylor to other mens bonds and bondslaue to his owne money The Courtier of all other is most carefull to rise yet no man sleepes longer either fettered with hopes or ensnared by fancie or bewitched by fauâ—ur but beginning with false footing fals and lies by it The plaine Country man riseth vp early goeth late to bed eateth the bread of carefulnesse obserueth how dearth ariseth but for other rising he beleeues it is enough if hee shall rise at the last day The Citizen of all other is most likely to arise the Citie being the Sea into which all the fresh riuers runne though many ships here suffer shipwracke The Citizen is willing to rise for it is impossible how he should sleepe and as worthy to rise as any he is the States Treasurer and the Lands Pillar and sure the Citizens rising would be blessed if hiâ— staires were not crooked We our selues that preach the resurrection cannot rise because we will not heare our selues The Church as well as Church-yard is full of dead bodies willingly would many of vs rise though by Simon Magus acquaintance others would rise but they haue no Angels to put them into the Poole others are risen and worse then Magdalen neuer preached since their resurrection Beloued these are not the fruits of the Gospell not the fruits of the resurrection I am no Satyre nor this place a Pasquill I acknowledge many and many blessed seruants of God to be fruitfull in this doctrine in Church Court Citie Countrey yet be there not in this Auditorie that would be more heartily inflamed with some other Gospell then this Gospell some other doctrine then this of the Resurrection Som◠〈◊〉 Caâ—iz 〈…〉 would willingly heare this Texâ— praâ—â—ised Owe nothâ—â—â— to any man but loue and some pooâ—e Creditors this Tâ—xâ— vrged The good man is mâ—rcifull and lendeth Some greaâ— Lawyers desire to heare this Text pressed The Law is good if a man vse it lawfully 1. Tim. 1.8 but some poore Clients this Text opened Brethren there is vtterly a fault among you that yee goe to law one with another 1. Cor 6.7 The Glutton would no Text but this Goe eat of the fat and drinke of the sweet Nehemiah 8.10 The I surer none but this Text A wise man put out his Talents to vse Mat. 25.14 The Country man would heare the Citie and Countrey compared to Pharaohs fat and leane kine the one deuouring the other The Citizen and Countrey man would heare that Christ was first persecuted by the Court at his birth by Herod and his Court at his death by Pâ—late and his Court. Of all Texts there is one tedious to all in Countrey and City Yet
what life of life in the spring of life The crosse of Christ is the onely knowledge of a Christ an 1 Cor 2.2 The excellencie of his knowledge Phil. 3.8 The glorie of his knowledge Gal. 6.14 Which made the Apostle crie out God forbid that I should glorie in any thing but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ But looke how farre life surpasseth death so farre is the ioy of the Resurrection aboue the Passion no tongue can expresse this noble act of the Lord his blessed and triumphant Resurrection Mori dignatus est ex voluntate Tertull. sed resurrexit ex potestate saith Tertullian when neither bowells of the earth nor ligament of the graue nor sorrowes of death nor power of hell able to containe him but that Christ is risen againe Christ is risen from the dead aâ—â—he best time of the whole yeere the time of the great Passouer first day of the weeke best day of the yeere first houre of the day at dawning of the dawnie day Math. 28.1 rising of the sunne Mark 16.1 early in the morning Luk. 24.1 early while it was dark Iohn 20.1 Oritus ex alto oriens ex imo hee that was the resurrection and life rose by his resurrection vnto life and became the first fruites of the dead 1 Cor. 15.20 first begotten of the dead Reuel 1.5 first borne of the dead Coloss 1.18 first of those that did arise from the dead Acts 26.23 Here is glory and ioy and glad-tidings and if euer the soules of the Saints and seruants of God were transported out of their bodily senses it should be at this Gospell that I bring vnto you of glad-tidings of great ioy that shall bee to all people that Christ is risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that sleepe Christ is risen from the dead and now dieth no more Christ is risen from the dead death where is thy sting graue where is thy victorie thankes be giuen vnto God who hath giuen vs victorie by our Lord Iesus Christ It may seeme to be collected that this Gospell is the Gospell of the resurrection not only in 32. vers when I am risen I will go before you into Galile but more manifestly out of the 12. vers In that shee poured this ointment on my body she did it for my buriall why was the body annointed for the buriall but in respect of the resurrection of the body Saint Paul asketh the question why are they baptized for the dead 1 Cor. 15. if no resurrection of the dead why an annointing of Christs body vnlesse because of the resurrection of his body Resurrectio Christi complementum omnium promissionum saith Aquinas Aquia without which no promise performed no prophesie fulfilled no mysterie reuealed no body redeemed from the power of death no soule could receiue the Gospell of life Christ tooke vpon him the name of the resurrection Ioh. 11.25 Iob. 11.25 gaue no signe but of the resurrection Math. 12 39. Math. 12.39 shewed his power wrought our righteousnesse by no meanes so euidently as by the resurrection Rom 4.25 Rom. 4.25 taught his Disciples no doctrine so frequently in 6. Chapters in Mathew in 5. Marke in 4. in Luke often in Iohn mention of his resurrection so that especially this Gospell is the Gospell of Christs resurrection from which root ariseth this fruitfull branch of doctune Doct. The resurrection of Christ is the most glad-tiding of the Gospell and conteineth in it the summe of the whole Gospell So S. Austin Resurrectio Christs tota fides Christianorum Austin The resurrection of Christ is the whole faith of Christians So Bernard Bern. vis Euangelij Epitomen en resurrectionem wilt thou haue an Epitome of all the Gospell behold the resurrection Hilary So Hilary Resurrectionis testimonium proprium munus Apostolorum The testimonie of the resurrection is the chiefe office of the Apostles The reasons of this doctrine are many without this all the mysteries of our redemption were vaine Please but to walke into the spring Garden of the resurrection the 15. of the 1. Cor. where the Apostle sheweth that if it were not for the resurrection of Christ that are already a sleep are perished 1. Cor. 15. they that are aliue are in their sinnes and therefore dead twise telleth them your faith vaine our preaching vaine and wee and you of all men most miserable Hearers and Preachers and liuing dead and all miserable Death should wound vs vnto death the graue shut her mouth vpon vs the deuouring throate of an open Sepulchre close her iawes vpon vs our portion onely in this life and we no better then the life of beasts temples and Bibles and faith and hope and heauen and all in vaine were it not for the resurrection of Christ from the dead Againe the resurrection of Christ in that one act comprehendeth all the acts of the Gospell here is Christs incarnation hee tooke flesh againe vpon him here is his conception as before a virgine mother so here a virgine sepulchre here is his baptisme as he came out of the waters so now hee commeth out of the earth as in the temptation after fourtie daies hee came from the wildernesse so hereafter fourtie houres he commeth into the world here is his transmigration whereby he is translated from death to life In his resurrection the confluence of all his miracles hee that gaue sight to the blinde openeth his owne eies and eares to the deafe openeth his owne eares and speech to the dumbe openeth his owne mouth he that badde the lame man arise and walke ariseth from death and walketh and herein worketh the greatest miracle that euer hee did Non suscitauit alterum sed se seipsum Bern. nec suscitatiosed resurrectio saith Bernard Hee raised not vp another but himselfe and it was not passiuely to bee raised by another power but actiuely by his owne not a raising but a rising So that this of all others is the summe of the Gospell neuer glad-tidings till now neuer so glad so good-tidings as now Bona In nascendo contulit consortium naturae in patiendo beneficium gratiae in resurgendo complementum gloriae In his birth hee conferred the fellowship of nature in death the benefit of grace in rising complement of glory saith Bonauenture Herein onely herein he brought defunctis vitam peccatoribus veniam Sanctis gloriam Life to the dead pardon to sinners glory to Saints as Bernard speaketh Therefore we reioyce and hereby our ioy shall bee full Surrexit Christus exultet vniuersus mundus The ioy of this time like that of the Spouse in the Canticles which may be applied to Christs resurrection Arise my Loue my faire one the winter is past the raine is oner and gone the flowers appeare in the earth the time of the singing of birds is come the voice of the Turtle is heard in our Land the Figge-tree putteth forth
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many tooke in hand to write this Gospell And Theophilact vpon those words b Theoph. in 1. Luke saith attentarunt quidem Psetâ—doapostols non perfecerunt Clemens Alexandrinus tells vs the Tatiani had a Gospell secundum Egiptios and Epiphanius that some had a Gospell secundum Hebraeos Gnostickes had the Gospell of Philip and the Maniches the Gospell of Thomas and others the Gospell of Matthias But Basilides of all others as Saint Hierome obserues was the most bold and blasphemous that durst write a booke and entitle it his Gospell But as all the Fathers confuted those heresies and stopped the mouthes of these blasphemies so especially Irenaeus by the foure windes Saint Hierome out of Zacharies vision c Zach. 6.1 by the foure Chariots and Saint Austin out of Ezekiels vision d Ezek. 1.6 by the foure Cherubins shew there be no more but foure Euangelists and these foure to concurre to one quatuor Euangelia esse vnum Euangelium et si aliud atque aliud ob personaruÌ„ differentiam vnum tamen ob eorum quae loquuntur consonantiam saith Chrysostome the Gospell is therefore the glad-tidings of God to saluation Chrysost tom 4. in Epist ad Gal. bringing the ioyfull message that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners the Law was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f 2 Cor. 3.7 but the Gospell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Law of death was turned into the Gospell of life and therefore was Moses in the transfiguration with Christ because the Law of Moses was transfigured by the Gospell of Christ Now the Gospell doth consider Christ especially either as hee was corpus carnis in his incarnation in the veile of flesh or as corpus mortis in his Passion as hee was in the shaddow of death or as primitiae resurrectionis in his resurrection and triumph ouer death and as in all other of Christ his passages so especially in these the Gospell is the glad-tidings it was glad-tiding in his birth when the Messenger was an Angell the message a Gospell but when the Sauiour of men and Angells deliuers a Gospell much more it is glad-tidings So is it here where our Sauiour the Authour of the Gospell deliuers a Gospell This Gospell and what this Gospell is is expressed in the second verse it is the crucifying of Christ in the twelfth verse the buriall and resurrection of Christ and indeed these of all other are the glad-tidings of the Gospell for the Passion and resurrection of Christ are the lines that the Patriarches and Prophets beheld by the perspectiue of faith in the beautifull peeces of Gods promises these aboue all bee the glad-tidings euen this Gospell of Christs death and triumph ouer death the Angells in Christs resurrection told the women Luk. 20.6 Remember how he spake vnto you in Galile the sonne of man shall be deliuered into the hands of sinnefull men Luk. 24.6 and be crucified and the third day rise againe Indeed this was the Gospell and this Gospell he especially taught his Disciples and hee taught his Gospell especially in Galile when he came into Galile hee taught his Disciples the sonne of man shall bee deliuered and killed and rise the third day Mark 9.31 Math. 9.31 while they abode in Galile he taught his Disciples the sonne of man shall be betraied into the hands of men they shall kill him and be shall be raised againe the third day Math. 17.22 Math. 17.22 when he came towards Ierusalem from Galile he taught them this the Sauiour of man shall bee deliuered to the Gentiles shall bee crucified and the third day shall rise againe Math. 20.19 going to Galile Math. 20.19 in Galile throughout Galile comming out of Galile hee taught his Disciples his Passion and resurrection Galile as Ierome and others signifieth transmigrationem Ierom. interp Nom. Heb. a departure a transmigration It was the Gospell of Galile of his transmigration he did teach this Gospell of transmigration in the Land of transmigration it was transmigration from life to death by his Passion from death to life by his resurrection The whole Gospell is an Epistle sent from God saith Austin Euangelium Dei epistola de caelo missa Austin And it representeth Christ vnto vs spirantem docentem mira patrantem dira patientem preaching teaching accomplishing wonderfull suffering sorrowfull things Basill as Basill speakes this death the ministery of our life the life of man but death of sinne death of Sathan in the death of our Sauiour This is a Gospell of glad-tidings and is it glad tidings to heare that such a person as the sonne of God Math. 13.99 Mark 15.39 suffered such a Passion as the curse of the Law Gal. 3.15 by so great a compassion as to doe it for his enemies Rom. 5. That in his birth he was placed among beasts then tempted by Deuills then persecuted by Tyrants then condemned by murtherers then crucified among theeues and thus he did liue thus he did die To heare him contemned for his progeny a Carpenters sonne for his Prouince a Galilean for his profession a Samaritan his Disciples Law breakers his doctrine treason seducing the people his miracles impostures casting out Deuils by Beelsebub his company Publicans and sinners for his whole life breaking the Sabbaoth a bibber of wine working by the Deuill possessed with the Deuill Therfore hee must die If it bee glad-tidings to heare of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazianz. as Nazianzene collects them of the stripes and scoffings and spittings and thornes and crosse and nailes and speare and sweate and bloud and wounds and distresfull crie and horrid death to heare and see this prodigious Tragedy in a theatre of dead mens bones couered ouer with ruthfull darkenesse Angells Diuells rockes graues the whole vniuers and Creature concurring to this spectacle onely the sunne absenting abhorring to see such a death Alleâ—tus Supplicium quo nullum maius opprobrium quo nulluÌ„ vilius the graue and hell yelling out their griefe for the wonder of our redemption by this wofull passion If this be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glad tidings as who dare deny it to be for if Appian writing of the murther of Tully endorsed his letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Carrying good newes to Anthory then how glad how good those tidings of the death of Christ If it bee glad-tidings as who can deny it to be vnlesse they bee enemies to the crosse of Christ and seeke to euacuate the crosse of Christ 1 Cor. 1.17 whereas Christ hath reconciled all things by his crosse Coloss 1.20 and shine enmity by his body on the crosse Ephes 2.16 and the power of God is the preaching of the crosse 1 Cor. 1.18 The crosse being non patibutum Patientis sed tribunal Trium phantiss as Ierome calles it If in the stormy winter of his death Hiâ—â—onâ— such life then what lustre what glory what beautie
asked a signe Christ answers no signe but the signe of the Prophet Ionas Mark 8.11 At the same time Saduces came and haue the same answere Math. 16.4 no signe but of the Prophet Ionas Iewes Scribes Pharises Saduces no signe but of the resurrection Aboue all other duties Act. 1.8 he required his Apostles should in Hierusalem Iudea Samaria and vnto the vttermost parts of the earth bee witnesses to him of all other points witnesses of his resurrection Therefore Peter first Act. 1.22 Act. 2.32 in his first Sermon in Ierusalem witnesseth that God hath raised vp Iesus Peter and Iohn preach this to the Sadduces The resurrection of Iesus Acts 4.2 Paul and Silas testifie this to the deuout Greekes Christ that hath suffered is risen Acts 17.3 And of all other Apostles Paul as if he had beene the Apostle of the resurrection is most plentifull No Prophet no Apoctle euer more abundant in any point then he in the resurrection To the Romans Christ rose againe for our righteousnesse Rom. 4.25 To the Corinthians Christ died and rose againe 2 Cor. 5.15 To the Thessalonians Christ died and rose againe 1 Thess 4.14 To the Philippians The power of Christs resurrection Phil. 3.10 To Timothie The resurrection of Christ who abolished death 2 Tim. 1. In a word he preached no other Doctrine to the Grecians of Thessalonica to the Stoicks at Athens to the Scribes and Pharises in Ierusalem to Festus and Agrippa at Caesarea In euery Court where he was questioned he crieth out I stand for the resurrection of the dead as if ready to preach through the world that this Gospell is to be preached to all Nations The vse of which point Vse of the generall preaching of the resurrection of Christ through the world should stirre vs vp to a thankfull acknowledgement of the plentifull enioying of this mercy It is the manifold grace of God 1 Pet. 4.10 The exceeding grace of God Rom. 5.15 1 Pet. 4.10 Rom. 5.15 1 Tim 1.14 Psal 130.7 The superabundant grace of God 1 Tim. 1.14 The plenteous Redemption of the Lord Psal 130.7 That wee that sate in darknesse and in the shadow of death haue seene this great light that wee haue euen from the beginning of the faith receiued this faith I know our Aduersaries doe claime the honour of conuerting our Nation Were it so we might complaine that the Euill man hath sowne Tares But as the field was sowne with seed by the husbandman before the Aduersarie sowed Tares so wee had Religion before they knew Superstition They attribute much to Austine their Monke who was as farre from the steps as time of blessed S. Austine For which Monk it is vpon record that neither his pride could stoope to such a labour Gildes Bâ—de Gen. 22.14 Iâ— Bâ—nger in Walâ—s one and twenty hundred Monkes 1. Archbishop and 7. â—eacâ—â—â—d â—â—â—â—ops in thoâ—e parts of 〈…〉 Saxon Chron of Peterborough Auâ—â—in the blacke bloudy proud anâ— lâ—ng Monke in his spleene to 〈◊〉 dâ—ew infinite bloud and dâ—stroyed more bâ—dâ—â—s then euer Poperie saued soules nor his learning deserued any such honour Gildas and Bede and our owne Chronicles tell vs that the ancient and noble Britaines first receiued the faith among vs as if Dominus iâ— monte the Lord would bee worshipped first in the mountaine Then Britaine was the fleece with the deaw and all the surrounding Countries as Gedeons fleece drie though now this as Gedeons fleece full of deaw and the mountainous parts as Gedeons floore now drie by the desolation of the Church there and by the negligence or ignorance or indulgence or all of those that should ouersee it But for that Mountebanke Austine the Monke hee supplanted Religion there neuer planted it here Beda mentioneth his prodigious insufferable pride which made the reuerend British Bishops refuse him If he were our Apostle or Euangelist as Hierome said to Iouinian Si Apostolus If he were our Apostle where did he preach If our Euangelist what did he write As Varus spake of Valerius He entred the Land poore and left our Church poore hee caused the death of many bodies and it is doubt he neuer gained soules It hath beene our Aduersaries generall claime as that madde man in Athenaeus who claimed all the ships came into the harbour or as the Deuill on the Pinnacle All the Kingdomes of the earth so they claime to bee the only conuerters of Nations and they the generall Preachers of the Gospell Whereas they neuer yet preached wheresoeuer they came but vpon one especiall Text and in all parts of the world where they haue beene they haue preached that so powerfully that their hearers haue wept and bled and died for learning that Doctrine Their Text is Matth. 10.34 I came not to send peace but a sword Looke but vpon the estate of India which as Vesputius testifieth was conuerted by S. Thomas where yee may finde more cursed Prodigies then euer the Sunne beheld in any Mappe of miserie where the Romish Apostles did exceed Cain or if possibly Iudas where they rauished and then murthered Queens tore infants in peeces cast men to mastiues cut children in collops to feed dogges Happy was his inuention most bloudy Men neuer did the like Deuils could doe no more Vessus Religion was there as Vesputius iustifieth long before the Gold-hungry bloud-thirsty Portugall or Pope was heard of Churches erected Bishops established whole Countries baptized Orosius and Lummius and Iunius and Baronius tell vs that S. Thomas who conuerted the Countrey lieth buried there and that from his time they haue had Patriarkes and Bishops and maried Priests and Sacraments among them The Romans descended from Edom say the Iewes Edom had a name of bloud Mount Seyr was their possession the Hill of bloud and Acheldama their purchase the Field of bloud The name of bloud and possession of bloud is in the Romish Religion Our English when once they grow Romish against the Nature of our Nation become bloudie which I impute to the * The Vineyards some parts of the English Colledge in Rome are seated in bloudy Neroes ruines situation of the English Colledge in Rome which is founded on the ruines of Neroes house But of all the stories of Christians or Heathens of all the Tragedies plotted in hell acted vnder heauen neuer any so horrid as the bloudy Baptisme of India by the vmbragious Iesuites They haue long intended the second part of that Tragedie to be acted here God grant their rods and scourges prouided in 88. be not growing Serpents and Scorpions to bring on Gods bitter seueritie to plague our base securitie The Gospell is not further gone into all the world then their crueltie is knowne Nulla posterit as taceat sed nulla probet Beloued Seneca wee enioy the Gospell in a more gracious manner then any part of the world wee enioyed it with the soonest yea and before many parts of the world When Brithwald the