Plato that God would change the seventh day to the eighth to signifie thereby that God would bring a rest to all the world so that our change of the Sabbath day saith he it is not onely of us not onely manifested to us but it was opened to the Gentiles themselves they also acknowledged it Cyprian Diacon Epist 41. Cyprian the Deacon saith he shall reade the next Lords day wherein the Church must bring their accustomed sacrifice to God that is the sacrifice of Almes-deeds the treasure of life eternall and in his 41. Epistle saith he in the station that is in the Church where we meet and stand together before God let you almes be ready and let no man appeare empty before the Lord alluding to the law speaking of the change of the Sabbath and the collection for the poore Saints named in this place by the common state of the Church Basil Hexamer secund Basile in the second of his Hexameron saith he that the Lord might bring us from this present life to the thought of a better life of the life to come he hath appointed the first fruits of the Sabbath wherein the first fruits of the living rose again from the dead the Lord Christ which was dead did then live which was the beginner and continuer of light in his Church I meane saith he the holy Sabbath day glorified by the resurrection of Christ and commended to the Church to be alway fulfilled and kept Nazianzinus orat 43. Nazianzen saith he there were two Lords dayes the one for the Iewes the other for the Gentiles but ours that we have is more excellent than that for that was belonging to mans salvation but this was the very nativity of salvation the birth of our Saviour The Iewes Sabbath was the intermedium the passage betweene the buriall of Christ and his resurrection for Christ lay in his grave upon their Sabbath day and there he rested and with him rested all the ceremonies of the law never any more to revive but this of the resurrection of Christ is plainly and fully the day of the second generation and regeneration of all the Saints and he gives a reason for it For saith he even as the first creation of the world begun from the Sabbath day so we must imagine that God began to make the world upon the Munday as we call our weeke for in his eternall rest whereby he rested from all eternitie he began then to worke although it were no worke to God but a rest even the creation it was a rest to him he did not worke then more then before yet it is signified to us by worke in the Scripture and that he began in the beginning of the weeke to set himselfe to worke therefore as that worke of the creation began from the Sabbath so the worke of the recreation and redemption of man must begin from the Sabbath And although this be the eighth day yet it is the best day of all that were before it and of all that shall come after it being more high and glorious then that glorious day that was before and being more wonderful and admirable then that wondrous time that preceded it Saint Ierome in the second Epistle of his booke against Vigil The Apostle Paul saith he S. Hierom. contra Vigil Epist 3. Vigitantius I suppose commanded almost all Churches that there should be collections for the poore made upon the Lords day which is the first day of the weeke that is the first of the Iewish weeke And in his fourth question to Hibibbia How soone saith he did the Apostles of Christ turne and change the Iewish Sabbath to shew the libertie of Christians from the bondage of the law how soone did they turne it to the Lords day Aug. 10. Tom. Saint Austin in the tenth Tome of his Sermon upon these words of the Apostle saith he When the seventh day was fulfilled which is the consummation of the world we must come backe againe to the first and reckon from seven to seven and this first will be found the eight day the seventh day is ended and then the Lord is buried the eight day begins and then the Lord is raised for the raising up of the Lord Iesus hath promised unto us a day eternall and hath consecrated to us the Lords day which is the signe and note and assurance unto us of that eternall day of that everlasting Sabbath for now the rocke is raised up againe Let all our hearts be circumcised speaking of the manner of circumcision which was done with a knife of stone with a piece of a stone taken out of the rock out of the rock which is Christ Chrysost on 1. Cor. 16.2 Saint Chrysostome upon this place In one of the Sabbaths that is saith he upon the Lords day for the time it selfe was of sufficient force saith he to bring a man to bee liberall to give almes plentifully Oecumenius Oecumenius saith the same saith hee it should rouze us up this time the Lords day to do good to the Lords Saints Theophilact Theophilact being the first day of the weeke the time wherein we meet together before God they never saith he went without love to God and to the Saints upon the first day of the weeke which is the Lords day Theodoret Theodoret. saith he the day and the worke are met together a man should do the works of the time in his owne time a worke done in season is the more gratefull and acceptable Therefore saith he the day of the Lord wherein the resurrection of Christ is honoured is the fittest time to shew our bountifulnesse to God which hath beene so bountifull to us in giving us the memoriall of him that was Lord of his owne and of our resurrection Athanasius Athanasius upon that place All things are delivered to me of my Father which I stood on the last day and shewed his reasons for the change of the Sabbath Cirill of Ierusalem in the fourteenth of his Catechisme saith he Yesterday Cirill of Ierus Catech. 14. upon the Lords day in the congregation of the Saints and at the generall prayers of the people you heard me speak and discourse of these things where we may see that in that countrey also the same manner was retained Epiphanius in his second booke Epiph. lib. 2. The Sabbath of the Iewes remained in the law till the presence and comming of Christ but Christ dissolved the Sabbath and gave a Sabbath of his owne which is a type of that true rest of that sabbatism wherby the Saints rest from ceremonies and are come to the substance the Sonne of God as the Apostle speaks Heb. 4.7 Cirill of Alexandria in his seventh booke to Palladius We know saith he Cirill Alexand. l. 7. ad Pallad that the Lord Christ came to make us a perfect rest from sinne from death from miserie and to give us conquest over death
they be in heaven yet they are not there without some change of body not without the destruction of the corrupt part whereby it was made sinfull And though the Saints that shall live at the comming of Christ shall be translated and it is true they shall be so but how by the mighty power of Gods omnipotencie that shall work them throughly to perfection and shall take away the drosse and leave nothing but that which is pure and sit for the glory of God to dwell in and make his residence there For it is impossible that the slaves of miserie should make their residence in the Court of glory because of the corruption of sinne that is left in them which must be rooted out that they may be capable of that blessed condition To the which the Lord bring us Amen FINIS SERMONS On 1 COR. 15. Of the Resurrection 1 COR. 15.51 Behold I shew you a mysterie we shall not all sleepe but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye by the last trump THere is almost no part of our Christian faith so generall but it admits of some particular exception 1 Tim. 1.15 Christ came into the world to save sinners yet not all sinners but those that are penitent and converted So the Rule is that all men must once die Heb. 9.27 and that all men that are dead shall rise againe And yet this is not true of all particulars for there are some exceptions against this truth yea there be many thousands of men and women many millions that shall neither die nor rise againe Yea a whole world the world that shall stand at the comming of Iesus Christ shall neither die nor rise again But these are but a handfull in respect of former ages and therefore some particular exceptions doe not infringe a generall rule for if there be some then that shall not tast of death yet there is no man doubts but that the common law of death is imposed upon all men and every man must suffer it in his time And although it be a true Article of our faith that all flesh that is dead shall rise againe to judgement yet there are a certaine number which shall be exempted and which shall be translated after another manner not by way of Resurrection but by way of change and mutation And the Apostle calls this a great mysterie for indeed as all the whole doctrine of the Resurrection is full of mysteries so this above the rest to understand what kinde of change this shall be to understand how they that live at Christs comming shall be priviledged more than us that lived before them For it is a great priviledge for a man never to goe to his grave and hee that sleeps least in the dust we account him in common sense and reason the happiest we esteeme him the happiest man that stayes the shortest time in death How therefore these things should be conceived it is mysticall and hidden from our senses All this notwithstanding the Apostle resolves upon it and saith although it be a mysterie to us yet it was not a mysterie to him for it was revealed by the Spirit of God to him and he reveals it and tells it again unto us that there is a remnant of men that shall survive when Christ shall come to judgement which shall not goe to heaven by that common path that wee goe they shall not come to see death as we doe nor to the putrefaction and filth which is incident to our nature but they shall be translated by a kinde of change which shall be unto them as our death is to us and they shall not have a resurrection as our bodies have they shall not goe under grovnd to rise againe they shall not be dissolved to be renewed againe And this is the wondrous mysterie which is of all most strange For suppose a child that is both new borne and newly interred as there shall be many thousands that shall die two or three dayes before the Resurrection these must now rise very raw out of their graves the change then that shall now be made upon their bodies that were so newly interred must needs be a very wonderfull one It is past the reason of man to conceive but it is enough that it rests in the power of God and that he hath revealed it to his Apostles and Teachers of his Church by an infallible determination and that it shall be truely and really effected upon the persons of them that shall then live whatsoever wee think and deeme to the contrary So now the Apostle begins partly to tell us of the great world that shall be when Christ shall come and partly to prove that which hee had said before As concerning the state of the world he would have us to consider that in the latter end the Lord shall come in a moment and he shall take things as he finds them and those that are then living he shall make his own hand glorious upon them as he pleaseth by a kinde of change and mutation although not according to the common decree and course of dying And for the other that it is a proofe of that hee had said before we are to consider the words that formerly he had said that corruption shall not inherit incorruption nor flesh and bloud shall not inherit the Kingdome of God Now for that a man may thus object and say against it What then shall become of them that live when Christ comes to judgment are not they flesh and bloud as well as wee for their bloud shall be corrupted as well as ours is and corrupt flesh as well as wee their flesh shall be tainted with sinne and with all kinde of transgression and disobedience as ours is and rather worse for the longer the world stands the worse it growes therefore if flesh and bloud shall not inherit the Kingdome of God and that corrupt flesh and bloud shall not come into incorruption what shall become of them that Christ shall finde at his comming The Apostle answers that Nay saith hee God hath provided another way for them and that is by mutation and change So that though they shall be flesh and bloud as wee are and corrupt flesh and bloud as wee are and perhaps worse corrupted than we because the last times of the world shall be the worst yet the Lord shall so work by his omnipotent power as that their corruption shall be refined and wrought out they shall be molded by the mighty hand of God and by that fire that shall goe through the world For as hee hath a visible fire to purifie the elements and all this visible masse which we see so he hath another kind of fire a spirituall fire to purge the bodies of men from their originall and actuall transgressions which they have contracted the power of God shall so worke that they shall have some Analogie with our death which
regard of this among the rest to have a care of the poore Gal. 2. Gal. 2. Wheresoever he came he did found and settle this constitution as strongly as any of the rest as that of faith so this of workes that those that had beleeved and received the Lord Christ into their hearts by faith that they should extend their hands by good workes to feed him and to minister to his members which are wanting here upon earth We have thus farre proceeded to shew what kinde of Gift or Present this was which the Apostle required it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their fruit it is the corne they yeeld the harvest which Gods children which be his fruitfull field yeeld unto him It is the shot they pay which are invited to the supper of the great King And it is not cast away upon such as are unworthy persons but bestowed upon the Saints themselves that whereas God requires that we should helpe our owne flesh whether good or bad and we should imitate our heavenly Father which makes his light to shine and his raine to fall as well upon the uniust as the iust yet the Apostle recommends unto them not the common refuse of men whereunto notwithstanding they were bound by nature but a select company of Saints and such a company as were under persecution and that the most hot and sharpe persecution and trouble that was then to be found in the world for the Church of God never suffers so ill as it suffers from it selfe all civill wars and intestine discords being the greatest plagues that can he The Church of Ierusalem having received the law and the promises and glorying in their prerogative they could not therefore indure that a new religion should come and confront theirs and put that out of place but they sought by all meanes to beat it downe againe and by consequent no man could lift up his head but presently there were letters from the high Priests and Elders to cast him into prison to thrust that light under a bushell which God had set upon a Candlesticke to give light to the whole house And againe there was another cause of it by reason of the famine which Agabus prophecied of in the end of Caligula his reigne for which cause the Church of God made provision against that time of famine and scarcity Now the quantity that they should give it is not set downe but it is left to every mans disposition for the Church of God will not make charity compulsive but leaves it to the free-will in it selfe that it may be the more gratious and the better accepted with God but look whatsoever God had prospered them withall according as God had blessed them according as he had given them a good voyage in the affaires of the world according to that hee should not scant and balk the Lord but he that had received much should give much and he that had received little should give of that little according to the quantity and proportion so that was left to the conscience of every man And that this collection should be done in private that every man should lay up by himselfe by himselfe because there were no officers appoynted as then in the Church or because he might be defeated of it by trusting of others or because some had so little that they durst not bring it every weeke being so small but were to lay it up by them that many littles might make a mickle therefore they were to keep it till it might be a convenient summe that it might carry some shew with it in regard of this the Apostle bids them lay up by themselves And they must lay it up as a Treasure for as much as the Lord accounted of that in heaven he tooke account of that in heaven which they layd forth in earth and it was a treasure to them that when they should come to faile to faile of this life when they should come to dye when no friend should help and rescue them from the hand of death they may have some treasure in heaven that when they came into a strange country they might finde some treasure there they might have a banke there to give them refreshing As when a man is outed in England when he is outlawed or banished if hee can make an escape and can have a banke at Venice or at Amsterdam and can goe to his friends there and have somewhat laid up for him in trusty hands he is as well there almost as he is here So the Lord compares the passages of this life to those of a better life but we cannot deny nor doubt but that we shall be infinitely farre better there then we are here but yet we are loath to part with this habitation we would faine keepe this tabernacle of the body as long as we could although it be with hard conditions Now the Lord tels us to incourage us in our journey that all our good works all our Almes-deeds are sent before as a treasure they are laid up as a stocke of money in a faithfull hand not in a mountebankes hand but in the trusty hand of God which will repay us againe and will repay us with interest he that gives to the poore lends to the Lord upon interest so it is called in this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Thesaurus a treasure to lay up treasure to lay up for to morrow to lay up for the time to come thus farre we proceeded Now we come to the next point in the Text The time of the collection which is what day what time he chooseth out for the setting apart of this portion of those that offered to the Lord and to his poore Saints and that is noted here to be the first day of the weeke Secondly wee are to note the incentives reasons and arguments to moove them to this because charity and the workes of charity are not easily perswaded men must be drawne to them by very attractive and forcible reasons and arguments such as may win though not constraine and force their piety His first argument is this the common example for these things we must propound them diversly and otherwise then they lye in the Text for order sake and for method of teaching For those things that are first in the Text are not alway first in order of time nor in order of teaching how will he therfore winne the Corinthians to give unto strange poore when they had enow of their owne he tels them there is an example for it the Churches of Galatia As I have ordained in the Churches of Galatia so doe ye As if he should say I bring no new matter among you I put no burthen upon you which is not generall and common in all the Churches your brethren have gone before in other Countries which are poorer men and weaker every way in their fortunes then you therefore that which they doe which are poorer and more unable
in heaven and when a man is not cumbred with the labours of the world his minde is better and more easily induced to do good a man that is puzzelled about his worke he saith he hath other mattrrs to do then to attend a poore man he cannot be for him now he puts him off till another time and bids him come to morrow as the wise man saith Say not to thy neighbour Come againe to morrow Prov. 3. if thou have it now by thee A man being distracted with his businesse he takes his opportunitie and makes these excuses to answer God and his owne conscience with these or the like and saith he cannot now intend it he is otherwise busied But when hee hath a relaxation from his labour which is the proper fruit of the Sabbath the minde of man is made more gentle and more easily perswaded to do any good worke because it knows that therefore a man is lift up from the cares and troubles of this life to the speculation of heavenly things therefore he is the more easily perswaded to do the works of heavenly charitie and divine operation which the Spirit of God acts in the hearts and soules of all his children So that is one reason why the Apostle bids that this gathering should be on the first of the Sabbath because then men are at leasure then they are not cumbred with the world they are freed from peevishnesse and impatience which oft times hinders a poore man of an almes which if he had come when the partie was at quiet and rest he might have obtained 2 Reason The benefits received on that day Another reason is because of the benefits that we receive upon that day the commemoration of the blessings God hath vouchsafed us upon that day upon that day the root of life rose the Lord Iesus who rising againe from the dead hath opened to us a certaine gappe and hope of life everlasting the meditation of the good creatures of God the state of the Gospell cals us unto the liberty of the sonnes of God all the whole blessings of the Gospell be represented and accumulated unto us upon that day Therefore that was the fittest time to be thankfull to God for his mercies wherein God is most abundant in mercy to us that then wee should returne somewhat backe againe some small widdows mite some little portion to Gods children for all those infinite treasures we have received for this is all that God requires that we should give but something of his owne of some but the thousand part of some but the hundreth part this is all that he requires for that great store those mighty summes and infinite riches and treasures and masses of wealth he hath given us That we should make a little acknowledgement by giving some small sprinkling for all this That is another reason why the Apostle would have this collection be upon the Sunday wherin the memory of al the blessings of God upon body and soule are the goodliest in every thing therefore it makes men more prone and inclined to do some good for him that hath wrought so much good for them The third reason is Reas 3 The exercises of the day because upon that day the publique meetings were made where there was prophesie and preaching and praying and singing of Psalmes and holy revelations and instructions from heaven all which were as fire to kindle the zeale of a man to be for God and for his brethren and to joyne together the members of the Lord Iesus in a firmer conjunction then any other societie in the world If a man love a man abroad in the market he will love him ten times better in the Church if there be any pietie or any coales of love to kindle his affections elsewhere it will be much more in the Church where every word of God every Sermon every prayer every thanksgiving every Psalme that is sung brings some fuell to that heavenly flame Therefore for this cause the Apostle chuseth that time as being the most select and choise opportunitie for the conferring of that which God had blessed them withall upon the first day of the weeke that is upon the Lords day 4 Reason The Sacrament was th n received And lastly because that upon that day the Church was alway wont to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper it was not with them then as it is with us now men will receive it when they list but every Sunday was with them a Sacrament day and oft times every day in the weeke but on the Lords day they never failed Therefore as a testimony of their thankfulnesse to God for the benefit of the body and bloud of Christ which was offered on the Crosse as a ransome and propitiation for all their sins they thought they were bound in conscience and they were easily induced and perswaded upon the receiving of the Sacrament to give something to the sacred and holy Saints that belong unto the Lord. And so indeed after our Sacrament we have still a collection in remembrance of that there it was according to the greatnesse of their spirits and the greatnesse of their meanes which were supereminent ours are according to our poore meanes and measure and according to the scantinesse of our affections which is every day colder then other For these reasons the Apostle requireth that these things should be done and layd up upon the Sabbath day For then men are best affected of all times if ever a man will give any thing he will give it then when he is at rest for God and when he is expressing his thankfulnesse to God for the great mercies that he hath powred upon him in all the course of his life then he heares the word that stirres him up to good actions then he joynes in prayer with the Church of God then he understands that God hath not spared the precious bloud of Christ much lesse therefore should he spare a peny a small thing to give for his sake that hath given his bloud for his redemption Thus wee see great reason why the Apostle appointed the collection to bee made at this time It is true the collection for the Saints is due and seasonable at all times but especially when there is the fairest and goodliest opportunitie and then it is likely to prove best when there are the strongest motives to worke men unto it Vpon the first of the weeke But now we must launch into a great Sea to prove this doctrine which I need not do for men that are setled But because these last times affoord a number of monstrous doctrines and this Citie especially is plagued with those Iewish Sabbatarians that would still retaine the Iewish Sabbath and can very hardly be drawne from it but in their conventicles they draw away Gods children and trouble them that are not able to give a reason of their faith let us therefore a little search into this
began another age a more blessed and glorious age that of redemption that was now to flourish and to be esteemed in the world and so it was necessary that there should be a cessation of the former that there must be an introduction of this But how then will some say Quest shall we not remember the works of the creation still as well as wee should before Answ Yes but now the Lord hath given that grace and that light that wee may remember them every day we may meditate of them as we are doing our workes for the Gospell is so cleare and hath laid open the treasures of heaven so plainely that as we doe the workes of our hands we may remember the workes of the Lord too which the Iewes could not doe in their worke and labour for it was so hidden from them that they knew not that which was done before their faces as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 3. 2 Cor. 3. Therefore this is one reason the gratious worke of the redemption and recreation of the world being the greatest worke that ever was requires the greatest memoriall Therefore it is necessary there should be a Sabbath day a time of rest for the contemplation and meditation of that rather then for the lesser worke the worke of the creation which may be meditated on and remembred every day as well as upon the Sabbath but the worke of redemption although it be to be thought upon and remembred every day and may be meditated upon daily yet then we must thinke of it more seriously with a more curious observation and meditation upon the Lords day because then upon that day was the resurrection of the Sonne of God who is the first fruits of all Christian beleevers 3 The Iewish Sabbath was for distinction Againe another reason of the change of the Sabbath is because the Sabbath was made for a matter of distinction to distinguish the Iewish nation from all other people in the world it was a matter of separation and privacy but the Lord Iesus came to be publique he would have none of those private signes continue he tooke down the partition wall which was made betweene Iewes and Gentiles they were before shut up one from another there was no agreement or correspondency betweene them and the symboll of this separation was the Sabbath day for the Gentiles scorned them and said they spent the seventh part of their time in idlenesse meaning their Sabbath day Now by this separation there grew enmity and hatred and outward opposition because the one had a rest and the other had not Now the Lord Iesus came to take downe this separation to take away this wall of distinction which was betweene them and so he made the eighth day the day of rest the Sabbath not for a day of separation as the seventh day was which separated them and made them strangers from all other men but to unite them so that now there is none strange in Christ but all are one Gal. Iewes and Gentiles male and female bond and free there is no nation nor no condition whatsoever but all are welcome to Christ the Saviour of the world Therfore he made the Sabbath upon a new day because the other was a day of separation and division but this is a day of common convocation and collection and gathering of all together as the Hen gathereth her chickens under her wings Mat. 23. Mat. 23. Further Reason 4 In memory of Christs resurrection because the Lord would assure us that both himselfe was risen and that wee also should rise by the vertue and power of his resurrection this is the maine head of our religion and all our faith therefore he would have us keepe the Sabbath upon the same day that he rose againe from the dead Therefore the Church changed that day from the Iewish Sabbath to rest not upon that day but upon the first day of the weeke which is our Lords day I say because the Lord would teach us the glorious article of his owne resurrection and would assure us of the consequent of it our resurrection by that power of his therefore he would have every Sabbath day to be a day of meditation upon that benefit that every Christian may say this is my resurrection day this day my Head rose againe which is the first fruits and I am assured that by the power of his resurrection I shall rise also therefore that Christ might make a way to my resurrection he hath ordained a day a Sabbath wherein I must contemplate upon that benefit and this I feed on this is my Sabbath dayes feast wherein I rest and quiet my soule and if it were not for the certainty of the resurrection of Christ and the certaine hope of my own resurrection I could keepe no Sabbath but now I keepe a Sabbath by the appoyntment of the Church by the wise judgement of my Mother as a symboll of my resurrection as a signe and symboll that my head is risen and that his body also shall rise in due time as certainly as the head is risen already Reason 5 From the end of the Sabbath Againe the Sabbath and the end of the Sabbath was a cessation from worke and it signifieth both a cessation from sinne and also the rest that our Lord and Saviour Christ was to have in the grave to make a cessation from our sinnes and from all sinne in his children Observe the argument ye shall see it in Heb. 4.10 Heb. 4.10 The Apostle there tels us that one of the ends of the Sabbath was this that a man should rest from his worke even as God rested from his what are mens works sinne what are Gods workes the glorious act of the creation therefore as God ceased from his worke and made a Sabbath to shew that then he had finished his worke and rested so there remaines a Sabbath to the people of God to shew that there is a cessation from their worke Now this cessation of Gods people it must come to the members from the head it must begin at our head Christ first he must cease from sinne but Christ had no sinne therefore he could not cease from sinne but because hee said consummatum est the day before the Sabbath that is the price of mans sinne which was cast upon him it was now payed therefore there is a cessation from sinne and wee must not live any longer therein but be dead to sinne as Christ was in his grave and rise to holinesse of life which is the proper end of his resurrection Marke how the Church concludes upon this the Sabbath was a type of Christs resting but he never rested till he was in his grave for saith he My Father workes hitherto and I worke and I worke to day and to morrow and the third day I shall be perfect still in this fraile life he was working but upon the Sabbath day then he rested to
shew that now he had given the Sabbath a perfect rest for ever that there should be no more ceremoniall worke he had then fulfilled all the ceremonies the sinne of man was payd for and all the troublesome ceremonies of the law were abrogate and to shew that the Sabbath was ended he celebrated it in his grave and then upon the Munday the Iewes Munday the day of his resurrection hee rose againe to shew that ours must be an active life not in idle circumstances to passe it away in ceremonies as in the law but to remaine as an eternall Sabbath for ever we keepe a publique Sabbath to God though not in the same time and in memory of the same thing yet in the remembrance of a farre greater benefit 6 From the apparitions of Christ To conclude the point our Lord graced this constitution of the Church by his own presence most of his apparitions were upon the eighth day as wee may see in the Gospell that day that he rose still he glorified it with his presence eight dayes after he rose he came and shewed himselfe to his Disciples and the next day to Thomas and the rest of the Disciples and so for the time of 40. dayes that he continued on earth after his resurrection look how many Mundayes of the Iewes there was which is our Lords day so many apparitions hee made upon that day whereby they gathered that it was the will of the Lord and that hee meant to make that day glorious by his comfortable apparitions for still as I said his apparitions were upon that day he was absent all the weeke before hee appeared to none except it were to some few persons as Peter and Iohn but he made no publique apparition but onely upon the Lords day And upon this the Church of God was induced to make this change and we see it acted Acts 20.10 Acts 20.10 1 Cor. 16. and this chapter is a publique testimony of it and likewise in Rev. 1. Rev. 1. Saint Iohn saith I was in the spirit upon the Lords day which is generally taken by the fathers of the Church and by the Interpreters of the Gospell for this that we hold instead of the Sabbath day But because these kinde of people will never be satisfied except wee can answer their reasons as well as they can heare ours give me leave a little to goe forward in this poynt and heare what they can object for this Arguments against the change of the Saâ—bâ—th which thinke the Iewish Sabbath still to remaine in force I have spent the time against my minde and purpose therefore I will but name the chiefe heads of their arguments and refute them They conclude therefore that there is no certaine warrant for the changing of the Iewish Sabbath to ours 1 There is no written word for it because there is no direct written Scripture to prove it we have no Text of Scripture to worke it into us But for that we are to answer them Answ The Apostles in this guided by the spirit of God whatsoever the Apostles did being guided by the spirit of God their practise is a sufficient direction to us it is warrant enough that they have done it before us For so we have in many other things the practise of the Apostles to be a rule of our faith Christ not determining many particular things in the Church but leaving it to the discretion of the wise those that should be well furnished with knowledge for the directing of things in their places where they were therefore that which the Apostles did it was the act of Christ for they did it not of themselves but from a higher person from him that sent them Another reason they have and that is this 2 It is a part of the decalogue the decalogue or tenne Commandements are a perpetuall law but this is a part of the decalogue therefore this is a perpetuall law and the precepts that be in the tenne Commandements are all morall they are precepts that belong to all men to all times and places in the world Thirdly God is pleased to call the Sabbath an everlasting covenant God cals the Sabbath an everlasting covenant Deut. 12.16 I have made an everlasting covnant saith the Lord Deuter. 12.16 and in divers other places hee cals it a perpetuall covenant betweene me and my people Israel therefore it follows it must last as long as the world lasts and consequently it cannot be changed for then we alter the covenant of God 4 It was aucienter then Moses A fourth objection is this all the laws that are ancienter then Moses are immutable but this was more ancient then Moses law for it was given to man in paradise the Lord there by resting upon the seventh day did consecrate the Sabbath to be kept although some of the Fathers say as Iustin Martyr Iustin Martyr that they did not keepe it before the Floud but yet there was the institutioÌ„ of it therfore seeing it was a law given before Moses and before the fall of man it follows it is immutable and unchangeable because if there be any change it must be for imperfection and if there be any imperfection it must be for sinne and there was no sinne before the fall Therefore whatsoever was commanded before the fall was so perfect that it could not be altered it had no respect of imperfection in it 5 The cause of it is perpetuall And lastly the perpetuall cause of a law makes the law continue if the cause of it remaine the law must also continue and therefore there are many lawes that are made and abrogate againe because there is no use of them they were made in such a time for such things and the cause failing the law ceaseth but where the law hath a perpetuall cause there the law is in force to continue alway but the cause of the Iewish Sabbath continueth the meditation and contemplation upon the works of God and the holy operation of his hands this is the cause of the Sabbath and this alwayes continueth therefore the Iewish sabbath must continue These are the prime and chiefe grounds of their arguments I will answer a word to these and so conclude First in that they say the decalogue or ten Commandements is a law perpetuall Ans to Ob. 2. The Iewish Sabbath partly ceremoniall and bindes the consciences of all men It is true as farre forth as it is morall it doth but those parts that bee ceremoniall as the Sabbath is partly morall and partly ceremoniall and as it is moral it binds but as it is ceremoniall it doth not For the moralitie of the Sabbath is this to worship God in a publique service that wee are bound unto that which is ceremoniall that we should serve him upon such a day upon the seventh day rather then any other that doth not binde there is no part of moralitie in that that
and he had power being Lord of the Sabbath to make a new day to make a new consecration which the Church of God hath alway followed Saint Ambrose Ambrose 2. Cor. 16.2 upon this place saith he this one of the Sabbaths or the first of the Sabbath is the Lords day as it is written every where in the Gospell that Christ rose on the first day of the weeke Leo on the Collects Leo on the Collects speaking to the Saints to give bountifully now is the time saith he now is the Lords day now shew your thankfulnesse and your love to God in Christ by your bountie to those that are the members of Christ Greg. Epist 3. Saint Gregory in his third Epistle If any man saith he say that the Iews sabbath should be reduced and brought backe let them reduce all the ceremonies with it and if the one be abhominable the other is abhominable also therefore take heed you be not seduced despise the words of fooles weigh every thing in the ballance of reason and that revelation that you have received the sabbath is made the day of the Lord that looke what errours we commit the week before we should make amends by expiation and confession and sorrow and contrition upon the Lords day Damâ—scene Damascene We celebrate the Lords day as the perfect rest of humane nature for the Iews sabbath was a carnall rest a temporall and figurative rest of that which was to come but this is the perfect rest of nature to have an assured promise of our resurrection which we could not have but by the memoriall of a resurrection and that could not be done but in the resurrection of Christ therefore we celebrate this day in memory of Christs resurrection and in token of the assurance of our resurrection Beza and Musculus Beza and Muscuâ—us and other late writers unlesse one or two which I spake of before which indeed are singular men in their place and degree I say these men dissent from them and they say and acknowledge that these two places of Scripture make it apparant the authoritie of the change of the Sabbath I have beene too long on this subject Now I come to that which is more plaine and easie After he had told them on what time this should be done and we see the time was upon the Lords day and we see the reasons why it was changed from the seventh day from the creation to the eighth day Now let us go to the next that follows in the order of the words By what reasons The motives to charitie by what arguments would the Apostle perswade them to this act What arguments doth he use It is a hard matter to bring a churles money out of his purse and even those that bee generous and excellent well minded yet they cannot endure to heare much of almes for charitie is soone wearie and being once wearie there must needs come infinite danger to the soule For the heart grows hard if charity bee weary And therefore to the intent it may hold out good arguments and reasons must be devised to feed and incourage it for charitie of it selfe will lagge and faile except it be well supported Therefore the Apostle gives such motives as that nothing could be found more opportune and fit to keepe men in practise then this And first from the example of other Churches As I have appointed in the Churches of Galatia so do ye that which other Churches do surely that you will do especially that which poorer Churches have done that are not able to come neere you in state and meanes you will be ashamed to come behinde them but the Churches of Galatia which are more ancient then you and withall poorer then you they have done this Therefore I pray do you so too that is one great incentive wherein we are to consider what the Church of Galatia was and also what his authoritie was among them I have appointed I have commanded saith he saith S. Chrysostome he did not counsell them he did not exhort them by faire words to do it but he appointed them by his power Apostolicall by his Apostolicall authoritie whereby it appeares that the Church hath power to dispose of mens goods in the generall though not in the speciall quantitie that is one motive to draw them on Another is taken from the faire carriage that should be in the businesse a man will more easily be intreated to do something if he be perswaded that there shall be no false play in it but that every thing shall be done according to the Donors intention and that the parties appointed shall be sure to receive that which they have given without any fraud or deceit for that the Apostle gives them satisfaction and tels them that when hee comes the money shall be sent and transmitted to Ierusalem to the poore Saints of Ierusalem for whom he begged as we heard before it should be sent to them and it should be sent by those that they should chuse themselves and if need were he himselfe also would go with them So that here is a full certaintie made that it should not be balked that it should not be interverted nor kept in private mens hands or be turned to the private good of a few but it should redound to the benefit of those for whom it was intended and for that purpose hee tels them there should be certaine men chosen and chosen of the Corinthians themselves men that should be approved by their letters and Epistles and if there were further necessitie he himselfe would go to be a witnesse and testifie of this their great grace which God had done by them This is the second motive whereby he incites them The third is the glorious title he gives them for charitie although it be not proud yet notwithstanding it looks that there should be some thankfull remembrance of it it desires no glorious titles nor no blazing yet the Lord God in mercie hath appointed that if the poore woman shall poure upon the body of Christ such a box of oyntment the Lord saith Verily I say unto you wheresoever the Gospell shall be preached a memoriall shall be made of her of this that she hath done her box shall go with her for a memoriall of her The Lord will not have the good deeds of his Saints to be buried in oblivion but hee will have them famous he will have them carried through the world therefore the Apostle gives it a glorious name a glorious title and saith your grace They shall carry your benefit or your grace your benefit as the word signifieth at large But the Apostle speakes here in another minde as of a thing that comes from the grace of God that ruled and reigned in them and moved them to this gracious worke And then the last is from the inconvenience that would come otherwise hee desires that it might be done with all speed for hee
what this Pentecost is it seemes not greatly materiall to enquire because every man thinks he hath the knowledge of it But if you should see the diversity of Writers and Interpreters you would wonder to see so much question about a thing that seemes so out of question For Erasmus and some others think that it signifies nothing but fifty dayes that S. Paul writ at a certaine time of the yeare not alluding to this that is that hee had no reference to this feast of Pentecost but onely that he purposed to stay fifty dayes at Ephesus and then to journey to Ierusalem But this cannot be for the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plainly proves that it was that feast that Pentecost that is that famous feast of the Iewes Others move the question whether it were the Christian Pentecost or the Iewish Pentecost for they will have the Christian Pentecost as soone as the holy Ghost came downe that it was kept ever after presently upon that day wherein I see many and great Writers and Interpreters doe much differ and I suppose indeed it is true that although the Apostles did keepe that Pentecost of the Iewes because that then the company met and assembled together and then it was the best time for them to worke yet I think the Apostles meaning in this place is not of any Iewish feast but of the Pentecost which the Christians used because it was coinsident happily with the Iewish Pentecost I shall intreat your patience a little in this point and although it bee somewhat troublesome yet it is good to know it You know the Pentecost of the Iewes was fifty dayes after the feast of Sweet bread or fifty dayes after the Passeover for the Passeover was then to be presented to God at the feast of Sweet bread when the corne was first ripe the first fruits of their corn The Iewes used to sprinkle their corne in the fire before it was ripe to broyle it in the fire and so to make a kinde of bread meale of that that was the beginning of their Harvest the time of first fruits was then come and that was that the Apostle alludes unto when he saith 1 Cor. 15. Our first fruits are raised from the dead and become the first fruits of them that sleepe because that hee was offered then at the feast of the Passeover now after that feast after the Passeover they were to number the feast of weekes that is they were to number 7. weeks or 50. dayes and then all their Harvest was come to be inned among the Iewes so that whereas before they offered sprinkled corne at Easter now they bring whole loaves at Whitsontide being made of the new corne of that yeare and so they presented it and an acknowledgement was made to God for the corne that hee had given them that yeare and this was the reason of it The word Pentecost signifieth 50. dayes called the feast of weekes Now it appeares in Acts 20. Act. 20. that the Apostle imbarked at Philippi presently after the Passeover after the day of Assum or the day of sweet bread that then hee tooke shipping at Philippi and sayled into Asia and that hee would not goe to Ephesus then for the reason before mentioned because of the treason of the Iewes This being a Iewish feast the feast of weekes or Pentecost which was 50. dayes after the Passeover when they offered of their new corne to the Lord Christ glorified it by sending downe the holy-Ghost upon that day as wee see Acts 2. Act. 2. when the Church was gathered together at the feast of Pentecost when the 50. dayes were ended after Easter there came a mighty noyse a mighty winde with cloven tongues and fire and sate upon the Apostles and gave them such evidence of the Spirit to speak in strange languages in strange tongues the great and wondrous things of God Now then I conclude that the Iewes Pentecost and the Christian Pentecost came altogether upon one day The Lord picking out that day that served most for his purpose for when there was most men gathered and assembled together a greater Harvest was like to be brought in to God when therefore they were met at the Iewish Pentecost which was now ended because the ceremoniall Law was abrogated yet the Lord so graced the time and the oportunity to work at that time as to send the holy Ghost upon that day Aug. And Austin gives the reason for saith he as the Law was given 50. dayes after the Passeover was eaten so 50. dayes after Christ our Passeover was offered the holy Ghost was given to write the Law of God in the hearts of all the faithfull people of God And I make no doubt but the Christians were possest with this that there was more glory in their Pentecost then in the Pentecost of the Iewes as being the summe of all things the sending of the holy Ghost And if the remembrance of their corne were so great a blessing that the feast of weekes must be celebrated for it the feast of Pentecost being a thing too which was given by Moses Law which is a killing letter Much more glorious must this feast be when God sent the holy Ghost into the hearts of men to inflame them well such heavenly qualities and such rare perfections as were never planted in the persons of any that were meere men so clearely as it was in them Quest But how could it be that the Iewes Pentecost and the Christians Pentecost could come both together to be observed upon one day Answ I beseech you observe a little About 190 yeares after Christ concerning the keeping of Easter there was great thundering and great excommunication Now observe 190 Yeares after Christ difference about keeping Easter I will tell you in a word how this came you know the feast of Whitsontide or Pentecost it is ruled according to the feast of Easter as Easter falls out so Pentecost falls out just 7. weekes after Now Easter it selfe was moveable also and came upon the 14. day of the first Moone after the Equinox after the Sunne hath bin in the Equinox of Aries the next full Moone of that new that came after was the day of the Passeover when the Passeover was offred As suppose I say that we should joyne March and April into one moneth as the computation of the Iewes is suppose it should be the 24. of March Now the Iewes whensoever it fell to be the 14th day of the Moone that is when it was full Moone for the course of the Moone is 28 dayes and it is full in 14. whensoever that day came it was kept precisely whether it were upon Tuesday or Wednesday after our calculation But now the Church of God thought fit to keepe it back till Sunday The Iewes and the Easterne Church that followed the Iewes they kept it upon the weeke day if so be that the 14. day fell
mirth But the children of God have another promise Whether this be the true sence of S. Paul or that of the cup of persecution they are almost both coincident and one of these certainely is Saint Pauls reason For he speakes of some singular persons all were not ready to offer themselves for Christ but hee speakes of a singular company that were different from the common sort of men Certainly wee must take it in one of these two sences And for that of Beza though it be true and have some force in it yet Saint Paul seldome insists upon the weake actions of men It is true that which men doe publiquely it comes to have the nature of a law in it and this hath beene a publique thing in all nations to honour the going of their friends out of the world therefore Saint Paul might have drawne a good argument from that if he used such in other places But because we finde not that therefore we cannot settle upon this His manner is not to fashion himselfe to the world or to the actions of men to draw things of such weight as these especially from heathen and simple men that did that which it may be they had no reason for And besides it is no argument to prove the resurrection from the dead although a childe of God understand and God hath put into their hearts good affections because these vessels these parties are not dead but sleepe therefore God teacheth them to honour the ashes of his Saints because they have hope in Christ but to say that the world and all mankinde dreames of a resurrection because they honour their friends departed this doth not argue For they may doe it to their friends out of love or out of fondnesse or for fashion to shew their gallantry or the like I will not contradict that learned man but yet I thinke that which is most agreeable here to Saint Pauls great spirit is that opinion about the cup of affliction Those that gave themselves freely to persecution to stoning to sword to banishment to affliction as the Apostle speaks in another place men that are alway working upon their owne passions and lusts this I take to be the proper sence To what end doe these men macerate their bodies and trouble themselves by mortification and by yeelding themselves to persecution and sword if they be not fulfilled with a lively hope of the resurrection In that sence the argument thence drawne teacheth us thus much That whatsoever action or president Gods children and Saints have given in this world they are all of them of singular and excellent use to prove the glory of God in this article of the resurrection I say the president of Gods Saints in former times and of those in our times that are before our eyes they are arguments invincible and we should not offer to cast any scruple against the power and validity of them There be a company of men that will follow none but themselves under pretence of following none but Christ whereas indeed they follow none lesse than Christ in presuming to follow him alone without any other they follow none at all Christ is then followed when he is followed in his members as well as in himselfe therefore the Apostle bids us be followers of him as he is of Christ It is true the point of proofe and imitation it rests not in man as he is man but as he is a follower of God So farre we must take the force of the argument as it hath a higher reference and relation unto God which is the Prince of reason and the ground of all demonstration Therefore he that neglects and condemnes the presidents of Martyrs in former times or of the ancient Fathers or our precedent Fathers that lived in the dayes of persecution that suffered fire and banishment from their Country for Christ he that cals these things idle fopperies or weake infirmities without any ground or reason or that they were deceptions of stubborne flesh that dyed for the maintenance of erronious opinions he that speakes thus blasphemously against the honour of Gods holy presidents he pluckes the argument out of Saint Pauls hand and makes it nothing worth For so might the Corinthians have answered the Apostles argument that they would not be ruled by any man but by Christ they would have none over them but Christ they would have no president but God they would have no direction but Gods wayes and as for men they are but men and to be no further followed then they follow God But Saint Paul he raiseth a mighty argument from them and so in other places he saith Observe and walke as you have seene us walke and observe them that are as lights before you that are as lights shining in a darke generation The children of God are borne for example and either they winne men by their rare and excellent accommodation to God or else they stop their mouthes for ever that they shall have nothing to say at the day of judgement because they have had such examples before them and had no hearts to follow them All the presidents of Gods Saints in former times if they be followed they further our salvation but if they be neglected they shall fall heavy upon us to our condemnation All things that were done before were done for our learning and for our sakes as whatsoever was written before time Rom. 15.4 was written for our learning to confirme and strengthen us and build us up in our most holy faith Let us glory in this let us study the history of the Martyrs that have beene before us After this manner Christ comforted his Apostles saying Rejoyce and be glad in that day Math. 5.12 for great is your reward Why should they rejoyce because so they persecuted the Prophets before you so the example of those that have beene before us are convincing arguments to us The God of glory and peace that hath given us so many rare examples before us give us power to follow them Amen FINIS 1 COR. 15.29.30 What shall they doe that are baptised for the dead if altogether the dead rise not why are they baptised over the dead and why are we in danger and jeopardy every houre THis is one of Saint Pauls difficult and hard places which Saint Peter puts us in minde of 2 Pet. 3.16 2 Pet. 3.16 saith he In Pauls Epistles there are certaine things that are hard to be understood which the reprobates doe wrest as they doe the rest of the Scriptures to their owne damnation But this Text which is so difficult and hard may be best explained and expounded by the context by the sence that followes after August Saint Austin gives us a Rule when saith he I finde the Scriptures darke and obscure then I looke to the scope and purpose and drift of them and surely it seemes that these latter words which I have now read to you Wherefore are
themselves dead men to the world that they may live unto God And so they may be said to be baptised for dead This is a true exposition yet I thinke it is not full because all are thus baptised there are none baptised but with this condition and as I said before this Text implies some speciall peculiar thing which pertaines to some men in particular and not to all in generall If it had pertained to all the Apostle would have said Why are we all baptised for dead But he speakes of a certaine number of men and what shall they doe those few eminent men that are baptised for dead if the dead rise not Concerning the other opinion of Beza Beza that Baptizati here must be taken for Loti for washing as they used in funerall pompe to carry their dead out of the world I confesse that may be admitted too because those that spend their time and cost in sending forth their dead in burying of them they would not doe it but that they testified thereby that they have a certaine hope of the resurrection of the dead But yet me thinkes this cannot be the full sence for it followes not because that all nations carry forth their dead with pompe that therefore the dead shall rise againe there is no force in this argument for they may doe it out of love or they may doe it because it is the common fashion and custome or they may doe it out of superstition because they thinke there is a kinde of commerce betweene the dead and the living Therefore To conclude all I hold that by baptising for dead is meant those that are baptised in the cup of bloud in the cup of affliction and persecution for Christ according as Christ saith himselfe I have a baptisme to bee baptised with Luk. 12. Luke 12.50 And as he saith to the sonnes of Zebedee Can you be baptised with the baptisme that I shall be baptised with and drinke of the cup that I shall drinke of which baptisme is affliction And this the Apostle proves by the sequell of the Text for as I said there is no way to understand the Scriptures but to consider that which goes before and that which comes after and to marke what he saith in the words following Why doe we suffer why are we in jeopardy every houre As if he should have said my reason why there is a certainty of the resurrection is this because both the Church in generall and we in particular and speciall are in danger and jeopardy every day and we would not be so mad as to take dangers unto us without some reason unlesse we looked for something and expected some recompence Therefore certainely unlesse we will under-value all the actions of Gods Saints and all the sufferings of his Martyrs except we will say they did it in a madnesse and in a fury and that it was superstition which we cannot doe without blasphemy we must confesse that it is a pregnant proofe and a forcible argument of the resurrection from the dead For indeed there is nothing that doth so well conclude it as those that suffer for it as the sufferings of those that professe it And one maine cause of persecution is the doctrine of the resurrection as the Apostle saith Acts 23.6 Acts 23.6 For the hope of the resurrection am I judged and accused and called in question this day The divell and his complices seeke to impugne it it being the highest and strongest tower of our faith for there is nothing whereby the mindes and consciences of Gods children are stablished but in the expectation of the promises propounded in the Gospel which are none at all if they be not to the body For all the service of God is performed with these our bodies and if these vessels these bodies shall lye rotting and unregarded all the service of God shall be voyd of recompence and respect because those parts that were used to Gods service shall have nothing for their service Now the God of heaven is the best Master that can be he will suffer no man to serve him for nothing Iob 1.9 as the divell confessed of Iob Doth Iob feare God for nothing The Apostle therefore brings the argument from the common passion that was abroad in the Church to that which was particular in himselfe And he saith we also our selves we whom you know there be many in the world that you know not which have suffered for Christ but we whom you see and converse with why are we subject to danger every day and not onely suffer them with an averse disposition but we take them of our owne will upon our selves we seeke for them for the glory of Christ and for the propagation of the Gospell and either we shall have a reward and recompence for this or else we are of all men most mad that will undertake such dangers without any reward and recompence To proceed in order First here we are to consider the manner of his proposition in question wise Why doe we suffer Division into foure parts and before Why are they baptised for dead Secondly the subject of the proposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we also Thirdly the predicate we are in jeopardie in danger and it is the worst life in the world to live in danger as it is the best life to be secure Fourthly the extent of it not for an houre or for a short time but every houre every moment there is no minute of our lives but we are in jeopardie Lastly the force of the argument how this proves because there have beene many heretiques in times past that have suffered themselves to be in danger in affliction and oppression for falshood How proves this then that to be in danger for the Resurrection is an argument that there shall be a Resurrection because that many for falshoods have beene in danger these be the passages of this Text of which briefly and in order First concerning the manner of his proposall 1 The manner He doth it by way of question It serves to stirre up our dulnesse to understand these things that be plaine and implies that we have lost our time unlesse we palpably discerne these matters here propounded For those things that are propounded by way of question saith Isidore Isidore are more effectuall and exprobrate and upbraid men for the dulnesse of their spirits if they doe not conceive those things that are plaine and obvious to the world Why doe we thus As if he should have said You spectators that looke upon our passions you are sencelesse if you knew not the end why we doe thus So he argues from the end and scope of the thing which is the chiefe and principall argument that can be For all things worke for some end all men suffer for some end there is no action that a man doth but it tends to some end and purpose and unlesse we be the
sinfull man had spoken this it had beene no newes but that it should come from a most sanctified vessell of the holy Ghost a chosen vessell one that for his life was unblameable and for all learning and the graces of the spirit incomparable that he should utter this it is a very strange mervaile Indeed a reprobate a man that followes his owne lusts that lives not to God but to himselfe he may truely say I dye daily For the Lord makes his life to be hanged before him as a perpetuall signe of death that as the children of God are said to have the earnest of the spirit and of the kingdome of heaven so the servants of sinne may be said to receive the earnest of hell So many passages of his life as there be they are as so many flakes of hell burning before him and doe assure him that at the last he shall be tumbled and divolved into the damnation of the divell and his Angels That gnawing worrne of conscience makes his life a continuall death But that the Saints of God should be thus troubled too it is this that moves the wonder And yet the Apostle here saith nay and sweares it too that not onely wicked men are troubled and galled with the conscience of sinne that they are alway in death because they are the sonnes of death and study that which tends to death but he that had the fruit of life he that had the spirit of God and of Christ in him Gal. 2.20 nay that had Christ himselfe as he saith It is no longer I that live but Christ liveth in me that he should he subject to this death and to this frequencie of death that there was never a day came over his head but a new death was presented to him It seemeth strange The reason of this we must fetch out of the rest of his writings for there he hath set downe the summe of every thing that we are to conceive of this mystery The first reason or meanes of this death it was that he carried the divell about him as Gregory Nazianzen saith in his 32. Nazianzen Orat. 32. Oration to the Bishops at Constantinople when he was to leave the place Saith he Even as it was with Paul 2 Cor. 12.7 so doe I carry the divell about me alluding to that place 2 Cor. 12. where the Apostle complaines of the messenger and instrument of Sathan that was sent to buffet him continually that he could not be at peace and quiet for him and he prayed to the Lord thrice against it but the Lord answered him My grace is sufficient for thee Rom. 7 23. This was it that made him to say I protest by the rejoycing that I have in our Lord Iesus Christ I dye daily For my life is such a kinde of condition as wherein the flesh and the spirit are continually conflicting together good and evill righteousnesse and sinne are alway countermanding one another A good conscience and an evill conscience sorrow and joy heaven and hell God and the divell are continually in an agony and combate This conflict that I sustaine betweene the flesh and the spirit is that which makes me dye daily and makes me cry out Oh wretched and miserable man that I am Rom. 7.24 who shall deliver me from this body of death that is from the sting of the law in my members whereby I am carryed in contradiction to the good spirit of God And so as Nazianzen saith he did carry Sathan about him nay within him also For the reliques of sinne which he cals the messenger of Sathan the instrument of the divell the remainders of corruption were in him yea and are in all the sonnes of God For there was none ever without them but that Sonne of God that came to take away the sinnes of the world The second reason why the Apostle said he dyed daily was because the divell bare him outwardly by envy and trouble and persecution he carried him on his shoulders he was the beast that he was set on And no marvell for if the divell could make our Lord sit on his backe Math. 4. Mat. 4. and that our Lord Iesus rode upon the divell as a man would ride upon a horse if he were so impudent as to set himselâ—fe under our Lord and carry him about to the pinacle of the Temple and to the mountaine then well may he come to the shoulders nay to the very bowels of his members If he did so to the head he will doe to the members much more Acts 17.4.12 Thus he still carried Paul wheresoever he came by the envy of the world by the malice of the Iewes and Gentiles as upon the occasion of those devout and religious womens beleeving whereupon they raised persecution against him and that wheresoever he came there was eyther stoning or fire and faggot or banishment some mischiefe intended Treason by false brethren treason by his opposers or treason of those that were best trusted of him every where he was inclosed with perill This was the divell without him as some of the Fathers imagine 2 Cor. 12 7. from that place 2 Cor. 12. that messenger of Sathan there sent to buffet him They say it was not so much any inward thing he speakes of But I yeeld not to this for I suppose it was somewhat inward Rom. 7.23 But the Fathers say he meanes another matter he speakes of men and of the malice of men that would not suffer the Gospell to passe in the world and that for this he saith he dyed daily by the perpetuall hand of those murtherers I cannot goe any where but the malice of men persecutes and followes me so that I cannot rest and if they could trap me once in their snare and make a prey of me I were surely theirs and then I were gone the feare of this makes me dye daily Thirdly another cause that made the Apostle dye daily was the opposition that hee had by Idolaters wheresoever he came Idolaters still laboured to put downe the Gospell As we see at Athens Acts 17. Acts 17.16 The Text saith His spirit was sore troubled when hee saw the City given to idolatry And so likewise when he came to Ephesus they cry Acts 19.28 Great is Diana of the Ephesians Diana the Idoll of Ephesus had like to have cost him his life Therefore the vexation of his spirit to see men fall down to stocks and stones and to forget that loyalty they ought to God Rom. 1.25 To worship the creature in stead of the Creator This made him teare his cloathes and ready to teare his flesh for the vexation of his spirit to see whole Cities so given over Fourthly another cause of this daily death of the Apostle it was the opposition that he had by Witches and Sorcerers wheresoever he came almost the divell would still set some Witch in the place so in Acts 16.17 Acts
speakes of here said Let us eate and drinke for to morrow we shall dye There is no wise man would ever give himselfe to this most bestiall fashion were it but for the ill consequents of it for to say the truth there is nothing makes a man lesse like a man then to be a great drinker especially to be a great eater such being the very monsters of mankinde Nature is content with little and those that exceed that measure are hated and ridiculous to all men To see what mischiefe it brings to the body to this little frame of the world To see what intollerable dammage accrewes by it to the understandings of men What grosse heavinesse it brings upon the body How it takes away all nimblenesse and agility How it takes away all the powers of the spirits How it confounds the memory How it drownes every part of reasonable discourse How it makes a man a swadde and deformes that proportion and comely figure that God hath imposed upon him Every man knowes these things by common and wofull experience and yet these wretches cry out Let us eate and drinke As if they should have said Let us become fooles Let us make our selves mad Let us drowne our understandings Let us disfigure our selves that men may not know us to be men for nothing makes a man lesse discerned to be that which once he was then excessive eating and drinking Let us so eate and drinke therefore that we may eate and drinke in heaven let us not so set our selves upon our bellies as to become sonnes of Belial Let us take our bread here as an earnest of that bread we shall have in heaven Let us sit at our tables so here as a representation of the 12. Tables on which the 12 Apostles shall iudge the 12 Tribes of Israel Luke 22.30 Christ saith They shall sit upon 12 Tables and eate and drinke with him in the Kingdome of God It should teach us to eate and drinke these temporall things with conscience with remembrance with prefiguration and signification of those eternall meates drinks which we shall have in the kingdome of heaven by the mercy God For although it is true wee shall not eate and drinke there yet because this life consists in eating and drinking the holy Ghost hath set us downe the modell of the life to come with such ioyes and delights as may be compared nay which farre transcend eating and drinking but can by no meanes better be expressed to us than by these of eating and drinking For to eate and to drinke and to reigne and to reioyce and to dance and sing there are no such things in heaven but we cannot understand the ioy in heaven while we are here upon earth except it be set forth to us by these foyles Therefore the Lord condescends to our capacity and tels us of eating and drinking in heaven Let us therfore eate so here as that we may maintaine a hope of heaven Let not our tables be made a snare here Rom. 11.9 that which God hath appointed for our sustentation let it not turne to our confusion God hath not appoynted meate and drinke to overthrow us but to refresh us to make us fitter for his service and more able to the workes of our calling let us therefore disclaime and abhorre this brutish acclamation which these wicked wretches make that have no portion but their belly that are altogether for the gut and let us repute them among the basest of beasts but let us so eate as those that shall receive eternall food in the kingdome of God So much for the first poynt the poyson propounded Now we are to see the cause that these men alleadge for themselves 2 Poynt Reason alledgâ—d To morrow wee shall dye why they should eate and drinke For the wretched understanding of men is so depraved and corrupted by the judgement of God that they will drinke poyson upon reason these Epicures alleadge reason for their brutish course and their reason is because To morrow we shall dye This was a close mockery for when Isay told them in his time they should dye by the judgement of God for their wickednesse they mocked God in the Prophet As if they should say he tels us we shall dye he still threatens judgement and we know not how soone we may be taken out of this world therfore as long as we live let us have a time of it and while we live let us live since our time is short let us take the benefit of that time we have and so make it our happinesse See the wondrous stroke of Gods hand in blinding the understanding of man We are subject God knowes to the whole hand of God and sinne workes shame and confusion every where But there is no plague like this when a mans braine is smitten when his understanding is disturbed when he draws false and base conclusions out of Idle and foolish premises then comes the wracke and ruine of the poor creature There is nothing so wretched and miserable in the world as a mad man And in the body of Christianity there are none so mad as those men that argue after a contrary manner which upon strange premises bring in unnaturall conclusions For I beseech you coÌ„sider doth it follow because to morrow we shall dye that therefore we should feast ioviall it out to day nay cleane contrary It followes rather thou shouldest throw thy selfe downe in spirit and humble thy soule with fasting and prayer and in all the parts of humiliation to God to crave pardon for thy sinnes and so to prepare thee a way to everlasting glory How can thy meate be digested when thou must dye to morrow what man is so stout hearted that if he knew he should dye to morrow would feast to day can such a man swallow down his morsels with pleasure can he put over his drink with delight can he have any taste or rellish in these things that is destinated a dying man It is a wretched and divellish conclusion And yet God gives over the wicked wretched world to draw poysonful sences and wicked conclusions out of cleane contrary premyses What is that thou sayest saith Saint Austine To morrow we shall dye let us eate and drinke saith he thou hast terrified mee indeed but thou hast not deceived me Thou hast terrified me because thou sayest to morrow I shall dye and perhaps so I may The frailty of my nature is such that I may dye to night before to morrow Yet thou hast not deceived me for if I shall dye to morrow as thou sayest I will fast to day certainly Augustine so Saint Austine concludes and so would all reason conclude even a naturall man for as Plutarch Plutarch saith there is no man that if the Emperour should send him word that he should prepare himselfe and that after three dayes he should dye there is no man would be so brutish as
world out of that he shall give something and yee shall doe it before my comming because I will not have the Macedonians that I shall bring with me to see that you are behinde in this matter For I have told them that you are forward and if I come and they shall see that you are unprovided it will bee a shame to you and me too by reason of this I would have it done before I come that it may appeare that in these things you are prepared that you have out-run my diligence that I need not to spurre you on and instigate you unto workes of mercy because of your selves you are forward enough This I take to be the summe and sence of the words read To proceed in order First therefore concerning the maine thing the collection this word is never used in the Scriptures in this sence but in this place and Saint Paul as Chrysostome saith he cals the election S. Chrysost the collection for the Saints or the collection of the Saints The first originall of the word commeth of Lego which in the Greeke language hath its primary sence to gather the fruits of the earth or to gather something that is scattered something that is beneficiall for the life of man and so likewise in the Latine the word Collecta commeth from the same head and so in the booke of our divine service where you reade of Collects such Collects for such dayes the reason of the name is this when the time of prayer and the time of reading was the people came to offer up their gifts to offer to the poore mens boxe of such meanes as God had inabled them and that was called the collection and the prayer that was said was to this end and purpose to desire God Almighty to receive that collection that was offered there with a gratious hand with a favourable eye and not to disdaine it but to take it in good worth and so the reason of the name of Collects came into the Church It is true indeed the collection of the prayers that are made in the Collects is stil a collectiō of the things that are read in the Epistles Gospels a collection of them and of those things that did fit the times but the Church joyned to the collection of them prayers the collection of those things that God hath blessed them with so they joyned prayer and practise together they offered freely such things as came to hand and withall desired the Lord to accept of their collection In other places of Scripture it is called commonly a communion so the Apostle Rom. 1. Rom. 1. That I might communicate with you and in Gal. 6. Gal. 6.6 Let him that is taught and instructed communicate to him that instructeth him in all the good things that hee hath for the Saints of God had all things common Acts 4. Acts 4. in the Primitive Church all things were common they thought nothing they had was their owne and still there ought to be a communication as there is the communion of Saints by the same spirit so there should be also a communicating of the good and comfortable things of this world that no man should separate from the body but he should have a care of every member that wants and make a supply unto it according as God hath enabled him Now the reason of the metaphor is divers For some take it from the gathering of a field which is the most naturall And some also from the gathering of a shot in a banquet or friendly meeting Concerning the first which is the most common and naturall intention of the word the holy Ghost would teach us that the Church of God and the people of God are a gratious field the field of God the vineyard of God the garden of God it is no idle place no barren ground but a place that brings forth flowers and fruit in abundance in Ioh. 15. Joh. 15. saith Christ My Father is the Husbandman comparing the Church to a Vineyard in Gen. 32. Gen. 32. saith Isaack the smell of my sonne is like the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed Now therefore as the fields and the gardens and the vineyards by the mercy and blessing of God and by the benefit of the former and latter raine and the beames of the sunne doe yeeld forth timely fruit in due season and not onely timely fruit but full and plentifull fruit so the Church of God ought much more to demeane her selfe that she be not sterile and barren and fruitlesse not to beare a little fruit to no purpose as the corne that is in the house top Psal 1. whereof the Mower fils not his hand nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosome but it must corne that there may be some remainders for the poore As it was in Moses law that in all the harvest of the Iewes they must leave some gleanings remaining still for the poore so there must be in this collection and gathering fruit Gods people being his trees being his corne fields and vineyards that bring forth fruit fruit acceptable and fruit seasonable in the gathering of these fruits there must alwaies be a remainder for the poore ones that have nothing So the Lord hath determined and appointed Deut. and made the Law Thou shalt not shake thy olive tree thou shalt not shake all off it but thou shalt leave some here and there that the poor may get something And when thou reapest thy field thou shalt not rake up thy corne al together to thy selfe but thou shalt leave some gleanings as we see Ruth gleaned in the field of Boaz and when thou takest in thy vintage thou shalt not gather every cluster but thou shalt leave some scattered clusters for the poore to come after and take Thus the blessed God will have still some reliques for the poore and which is strange once in seven yeares the poore had all the fruit of that yeare being the yeare of Sabbaoth and rest So then out of this metaphor or reference wee learne what kinde of persons we ought to be as the Lord hath tilled us and manured us and hath spent much time and labour and paines and cost about us so let us labour to bring forth fruit and not to remaine barren and to bring forth such fruit as that we may have sufficient for our selves and something also remaining unto others that we may have a kinde of exuberancie a kinde of superfluity to the praise and glory of God and to the helpe and comfort of our brethren that are in need Therefore we conclude that where there is either no fruit or where the fruit is all appropriate to a mans selfe that there is nothing communicated to the Church of God where there is no collection there is no Church of Christ if there can be a collection made For the time it is now so full of miserie and danger that there are many
point for it the first day of the weeke were the Lords day when Sermons and prayer and communicating in the Sacrament were made and received It follows that the Church had changed the Sabbath day from the seventh day unto the eight and so we are to resolve our selves against these innovators how this might be done for assure your selves although we be well resolved in the thing and long experience hath taught us to be quiet and to settle our selves in the authoritie of the Church yet there is nothing that is of weaker authoritie then the change of the Sabbath and if these new Hereticks can prevaile with us in other things it is no marvell if they prevaile in this for there is nothing that is left upon so weake a foundation that hath so slender proofe as this which makes them to get ground upon unstable soules that are their hearers being a multitude of men where there is varietie of affections and imbecillitie of judgement and every man is carried away with every blast of doctrine as children to and fro no marvell if they have sowne such seeds of pestilent schisme by these contrary blasts which are every where studied Therefore you shall understand that the holy Apostles presently after our Lords ascention into heaven The Sabbath changed by the Apostles they did ordaine that the meetings of Christians for the Sabbath that those exercises should be upon the eight day of the weeke I meane upon the eight day from the creation upon the Iews Munday which now is called Sunday or our Lords day and those feasts that formerly were wont to fall upon any day of the weeke as Easter day which was kept according to the course of the Moone and if it fell upon a Wednesday or a Thursday or the like still it was Easter day the Passeover day the feast of sweet bread when the paschall Lambe was offered But the Apostles changed it that it should alwayes be on the Sunday upon the day of our Lords resurrection and Whitsuntide which followes after Easter being a moveable Feast and as Easter was still that was to be referred to it now the feast of Pentecost was referred by the Apostles to the Lords day the day of our Lords resurrection our Sunday And this was not the devise of Pius Pius the first Pope or Dicta the first Pope as some have imagined which was many yeares after our Lords ascention but it is certaine it was the ordinance of the Apostles themselves as we may see in two famous places for we have but two as Beza Beza saith well in Acts 20.10 Act. 20 10. and in this place In these two places we observe that liberty that the Lord gave to his Church 1 Cor. 16.2 to change the seventh day to the eighth And whereupon upon what ground did they take this liberty for we have no direct word from the mouth of our Saviour for it but they did it onely upon the revelation of the spirit of God and they had such firme arguments and reasons as might sway them against the common tenents of the Iewish slavery and bondage whereby they were tyed and bound to the observation of their Sabbath The first maine reason that the Church had for the changing of the Sabbath 1 To shew the prerogative of Christ it was to shew the prerogative of the Sonne of God which saith of himself The sonne of man is Lord of the Sabbath also he is Lord even of the Sabbath Mark 3. Mark 3. Now therefore if he were Lord of the Sabbath then it lay in his power to change the time of the Sabbath the morall action he changed not that alway continueth we must have a day to worship God in we should worship God alway but the publique worship of God is the proper end and office of the Sabbath I but for the time why it should be upon the seventh day or on the eight day this was left in the Lordship of Christ being the Lord of the Sabbath which therefore could tell what he did when hee would rejourne the Sabbath to some other time where it might be a figure of some better signification therefore to shew the glory of the sonne of man the Church thought good to change the time of the Sabbath to another time 2 In remembrance of the work of redemption Secondly there was another reason as Athanasius Athanasius observeth upon those words of Christ All things are given to me of my Father he extends it thus far even to the change of the Ceremonies of Moses Law now saith he there are two great workes of God which are to be considered in their substance and in their ceremony The first is the worke of creation And the second is the worke of redemption wherin the world was recreated and made anew For the first the worke of creation the old Sabbath was instituted and ordained of God in remembrance of his worke for God rested the seventh day from all the worke that he had wrought and created in the sixe dayes before he rested the seventh day and blessed it and hallowed it for man to remember the workes he had created in the sixe working dayes and that man should also worke in sixe dayes as he had done and rest upon the seventh day for as the Lord had wrought sixe dayes so he saith sixe dayes shalt thou labour for all the life of man must be conformed to the example of Almighty God so now there being these two great workes the one of creation the other of redemption wee are to consider whether of these two are the greater and surely we shall finde the worke of redemption is a greater matter then the worke of creation When the Lord created the world by his omnipotent power he did but speake the word and it was done The Lord did but say let there be light and there was light Let there be a firmament and there was a firmament Let there be sea and land and there was presently sea and land and every thing else necessary But when he wrought redemption it was not done by a word but it cost the bloud it drew the bloud from the heart of his deare Sonne for it could not be done by way of omnipotency because it must be done by way of justice the justice of God must be satisfied which could not be satisfied but the sinner must loose his life which he had forfeited to God and God himselfe must doe it the person of God must take upon him the nature of man to suffer death for sinfull man that had deserved death everlasting this is the worke of recreation and redemption Now saith Athanasius these workes had their severall ages the worke of the creation was to be remembred untill Christ came to worke the worke of redemption and when he was come then the age of that was to passe away it was determined and terminate in Christ And now
is but an appendix but a reference but a consequence for that it is a limited ordinance and is not to have a continuall succession and perpetuitie no more then circumcision and the rest of the figures of the law And for that they say Ans to Ob. 3. The Sabbath not said to be everlasting property that God made an everlasting covenant of the Sabbath you must understand that word there Legnolam it signifieth not that eternitie that never ceaseth but a diuturnitie a long time so it was for the law it continued 2000. yeares which is said in Scripture to bee eternall and those things which exceed the age of a man which passe the conceit and opinion of man that no mans memory can extend so farre they are called eternall many times in Scripture It is said of the kingdome of David that it should last unto eternitie and yet we know it lasted but five hundred yeares which is farre short of eternitie So for the land of Israel it is said the people of Israel should inhabite it for eternitie and yet in a thousand yeares they were outed and expelled But the word signifieth that which is of long induring of long continuance such a thing was the Sabbath for the testimony and covenant of God in ceremoniall things they were long but they were not eternall Ans to Ob. 4. All laws before Moses not immutable And then where it is said that those lawes that were before Moses those lawes that were in the state of paradice they are unchangeable and immutable because there is no imperfection in them First of al I denie their ground that the law of the Sabbath was given in Paradise And secondly that such lawes as were before Moses as onely thus farre immutable unlesse they may be otherwise better supplyed for it was Gods will that those things that were before should be types and figures and shaddowes of things that were to come after Now when the perfect body was once come in place all those figures and shaddowes were to be removed So was circumcision foure hundred yeares before Moses yet we see it is abrogate and ceaseth by the comming of our Lord and Saviour Christ So was the Sabbath the Lord Christ being the summe of circumcision and also being the summe of the Sabbath day being our rest in God and assuring us of our rest from all sinne from all torment from all feare and all paine which our nature is subject unto it was needfull therefore that he should come in the place of all these shaddows and that they should cease and have no further intelligence or operation And for the last Ans to Ob. 5. Meditation of Gods works not tyed to one day where they say the cause of the law continueth and therfore the law must continue but the cause of this law was the meditation of Gods works and that must be continuall therefore the Sabbath must be continuall It is true if the meditation of the works of God were of necessity put to one day then the argument were good and strong but because it may be done upon the eight or first or second as well as upon that the argument concludes not Indeed where the cause of the law and the end of it can be no otherwise attained but by the direct word and letter of the law there the law must continue as long as the end of it continueth But the end of the law of the Sabbath is the meditation of Gods creatures which may be attained unto another way for we see in Christ better then they could in Moses for we see the fulnesse of God the excellencie of the creation that cleare light of contemplation in the Sonne of God which was not to be discerned in the old Testament The grace of God hath appeared to all men 2. Tit. 11. and hath removed the clouds of darknesse that were before that we might walke in a new light that we might walk from glory to glory we see face to face 2. Cor. 3. as the Apostle saith I have beene too troublesome to you in this point to speake to them that are well setled but it is for this respect to cleare this point to make it appeare what phanaticall spirits these be that after so much and so long peace and quiet of the Church would begin to trouble the faith of Christians again by renewing the Iewish Sabbath For they go in effect to proove that there is no Christ come into the world for seeing their Sabbath was a type of Christs resting in the grave and that he should bury it in the grave with all other ceremonies they do in effect deny that Christ dyed and that he is risen againe they deny his resurrection by drowning the memory of that in remembring their Sabbath by obscuring our Lords day in keeping that Sabbath in which he lay in the grave and by keeping that they put a cessation to this But it is good also that we should understand the tenents of our faith upon firme and strong arguments that the powers of darknesse the gates of hell may have no prevailing against us in the time when they come to fight with us It is true this argument doth afford to wrangling spirits as much contradiction as any matter of Divinitie but we have the authoritie of the Church grounded upon good reasons and arguments why we do so to commemorate the glorious worke of the resurrection of our head To assure us that we which are his members shall rise with him Now follows to speake of the incentives and motives concerning this worke of charitie but I am afraid too much to oppresse your patience therefore I will conclude The third Sermon 1. Cor. 16.1.2.3 Now concerning the collection for the Saints as I have ordained in the Churches of Galatia even so do you In the first of the Sabbath let every one of you lay up by himselfe treasure of whatsoever God hath prospered him that there be no gathering when I come And when I come those whom you shall appoint and approve by your letters those will I send to carry your grace to Ierusalem THere are but two places in the Scripture that gives a powerfull warrant to the Church of God for the change of the Sabbath day from the seventh to the eighth day And therefore I thought it fit falling upon this Text not to leave that point negligently or sleightly handled but to regard it so farre as my weaknesse could attaine unto The last time I shewed the reasons of the change of it It was a thing that was partly ceremoniall and the Church of God is bound to it no further then it is morall It was a matter of distinction it made a separation betweene Iewes and Gentiles Christ came to take downe the wall of separation It was a memoriall of the Resurrection of Christ and the comfort of us all in that the root of life was raised therefore there
affections of men Or the malice of Sathan Or the craft of Hereticks Or the common condition of humane things which unlesse they be looked unto do naturally contract those materials which make them tend to putrefaction and corruption 1 In regard of the slownesse of the Churches building For in the first respect it is certaine that the Churches of God as they be mighty massie bodies so they are long building long a raising they cannot be done with one hand but there must be many hands set on worke before it can bee effected or brought to any good purpose Ioh. 2. Fortie sixe yeares was this Temple a building say the Iewes to Christ and wilt thou destroy it and raise it againe in three dayes speaking of the materiall Temple whereas Christ spake of the temple of his body and we know the reason why it was so long because it was hindred by Sanballet and Tobiah and other adversaries and by reason of the Iewes povertie But beloved there is no Church longer setting up then the spirituall flocke and company of Christ to have a setled Church well ordered and instructed in the faith free from all superstition and to have a true fountaine of uncorrupt doctrine and infallible truth to bring a Church to such a state as this it requires oft times twise as many yeares as that comes to and more for it is with the Church as it is with the body of an Army it being a great huge bodie it moves but slowly so the worke of the Lord in the Church it moves but slowly there is no businesse goes forward with lesse speed then that and in this regard Saint Paul saith to Barnabas Let us rise let us go to visite the brethren wee have layed the foundation of the Churches now let us go and set up the walls let us make it compleate at the least let us looke that there be no undermyning of that foundation that we have alreadie laid The Church of God is a tender plant it asketh a great deale of watering a great deale of fencing a great deale of pruning and dressing and therefore it had need bee helped with visitations for this purpose for although men may say what need you bring strangers to visit us we have sufficient men of our owne The Corinthians might say what need you bring Paul himselfe to Corinth we have Ministers of our owne what need he come he will but intrude into another mans place and take another mans calling out of his hands 2 In regard of mens affections No the worke of visitation is most effectuall when it is done by a stranger for although there be a sufficient Minister appointed for that place yet men are fickle and inconstant and can love nothing long together they grow weary of their ordinarie Minister but a stranger one that comes afarre off is admired men are easily induced to hearken to him all things are great and excellent that are said from abroad as for the gifts and the light that men have among themselves they be dimme after they have a while shined there As our Lord Iesus said of Iohn Baptist that he was once a bright candle a bright shining light but after he came to be eclipsed to fall into a darke smoake because of their darke smokie and fickle affections for this therefore it is necessarie that there should bee a visiter from abroad as Saint Paul here was to come from Ephesus to Corinth because that which is among men that which they ordinarily enjoy they account it a base and vile thing which they are daily conversant with but things that are strange and geason are admired and men are sooner led by them 3 In regard of the devils malice Againe it is needfull that there should be a visitation by Saint Paul that he should say Veniam I come because of the devils malice because of his wiles and sleights in the Church as the Apostle saith 2. Corinth 2. we know his shifts well enough we are not ignorant of his sleights where the word is excellent for saith he as the devill hath wit in him to undermine and destroy so the Apostle saith he hath a countermyning wit whereby hee is able to deale with him and to finde him and sift him out and prevent him in all his plots Sathan therefore useth in the absence of the Pastor alwayes to raise up mutinies sects seditions and heresies and new devises as the woolfe when he sees the shepheard and his dogge absent from the flocke then he comes and makes havocke and destroyes without danger or feare and kils pell-mell the absence of the chiefe Pastor is that which gives the devill occasion and his presence is that which affrights him and though the Corinthians had Ministers of their owne yet notwithstanding their gifts were nothing comparable to the excellencies and rare perfections that were in Saint Paul which brought the world into admiration wheresoever he was they had but a little rivolet in regard of that mighty swelling River as Chrysostome calls it which ranne over all the banks and could not be comprehended in any channell And generally it is the nature of all humane things 4 From the condition of humane things unlesse we looke to them with much diligence and care to repaire them they will grow presently to destruction There is no house so cleare but in a short time it will contract slutterie to it unlesse it be kept with continuall dressing There is no body that is so faire and so strong and able but except it be kept with exercise and with physicke and such meanes it will fall by its owne weight to sicknesse and diseases and be consumed ere a man be aware there is nothing that can by nature consist long without there be much care and diligence and art used to it and if every thing bee so subject to prolapses and declining much more is the Church of God for the Church of God hath greater enemies then this body it hath greater enemies then these houses of clay or then these buildings that we have in the world or then our worldly stocke that we carry about us there is no such malice suggested and intended and laid against them as there is against the Church of God Therefore where the craft of the devill is most perpetuall there should the watchfulnesse of the Pastor be equall and answerable unto it that according to the divels great observant malice there may be as much diligence used against that serpent to crush his head when he seeks to bruise their heele S. Paul would not go without the Coâ—inthians But now to conclude the Text he saith that hee will come but he saith they shall go with him to Ierusalem when hee commeth that is those that they had chosen as being fit men to whose fidelitie they would commit the money They should go with him he would not go alone and carry it himselfe So we see
upon the weeke day for so indeed God directly said Doe it upon the 14. day of the first moneth c. But the Westerne Churches they thought that although the full Moone fell upon the Munday or the Tuesday yet they would not keep the feast of Pentecost upon that day but they would stay till the Lords day till the Sunday after because at the first institution they fell both together for the same day that was the Pentecost of the Iews the same day was the comming down of the holy Ghost sent froÌ„ the Son of God Now therefore sometimes they met together although sometimes they varied here was then the summe Whensoever the 14. day lighted upon the Lords day then the Iewes the Christians celebrated their Pentecost both at one time there was no difference between the Eastern Western Churches thâ—â— did all accord but when it fell out that the day differed the Churches of God in the West did think it convenient to reserve that honorable feast to an honorable time that is to the Lords day for they thought that God had truly cast all honor upon that day So I conclude this point that Paul when he speaks here of Pentecost he means the Pentecost of the Christians and I am not moved with any argument that they bring to the contrary for indeed they be childish and frivolous as that which neutaries novalists have devised as how there should come to be a falling out betweene the Churches if they certainly knew the day I gave you the reason before that the Iews alway kept it upon that day it fell and the Easterne Churches but the Western Churches reserved it to the glorious day the day of the Lord the Lords day I have troubled you too long in these thorny discourses but those that be of the best understanding they know that in these things also there is great profit and very great necessity the Scripture is not written for us to understand by piece-meale to take here a patch there another as the coÌ„mon fashion of men now is and as many of the ancient Writers in former time have done but if we read the Scriptures we must understand all or else wee must account our selves exceeding falling for the whole booke of God must be known in the parcels of time place and in all the circumstances as wel in the substance of it that this is the true meaning that it was the Christian Pentecost the Fathers make mention Justin Martyr Iustin Martyr in his 105 question he asks the reason Why doe we not kneele saith he at Pentecost as we doe at other times of the yeare and he answers againe Because saith he of the glorious descending of the holy Ghost wherein we shew forth the joy and comfort that the Comforter brought unto us therefore kneeling being an abasing of the body and an argument of mourning and humiliation but we must at that time shew forth joy and comfort therfore we kneele not so that the feast of Pentecost was kept in his time which was 104 yeares after Christ Tertullian Tertul. saith he this noble feast of Pentecost it is more noble then all the feasts of the Gentiles And in the Writings of Ignatius Ignatius and Polycarpus Polycarpus it is mentioned In the time of Victor Victor when it came to be a matter of controversie In the time of Anicetus Anycetus of Pius Pius this feast of Pentecost was observed and commanded to be observed all the Fathers that lived for three or foure hundred yeares after they still made Sermons of it Nazienzen Nazienzen Leo Leo Ierome S. Jerom. Austin S. Aug. Chrysostome Chrysost Ambrose Ambrose there is nothing more obvious wee see still their discourses and Sermons upon the feast of Pentecost which plainly proves that it is no new thing but that it was founded from the first and that Christians have as great reason to keepe a feast in remembrance of the comming downe of the holy Ghost which is the greatest blessing that ever was as the Iews have for the offering up of their corn and when their loaves of bread were brought into the Sanctuarie Now we come to the causes inducements wherfore the Apostle determined to be at Ephesus Part 3. The inducements of Pauls stay at Ephesus if it be Gods wil that he may be there till he may have convenient time to goe to Ierusalem and be there at the feast of Pentecost for saith he A doore is opened to me This similitude of a doore Doore what is very frequent in the Scripture it signifieth a plaine and easie way an easie path or oportunity where a man may suffer no impediment but goe on his way as the Lord Iesus saith Ioh. 10. Ioh. 10. I am the true Shepheard of the Sheepe hee that comes in by the doore comes in the true way hee is a true Shepheard but he that climbes up another way is a thiefe his meaning is if he come in at the doore it is an easie matter no man resists or hinders him but hee hath the way made plaine before his face Quest But how can this be when there were many adversarâ—es he saith there were many adversaries and yet a doore is opened to him Answ For this you must understand as afterward it appeares that the Lord opens a doore to men through the middest of danger and all the adversaries in the world cannot shut that doore which God hath once opened The Lord beares the keyes he shuts and no man opens he opens and no man shuts This doore the Apostle speakes of to the Colossians I beseech you saith hee pray for us that to mee may be given a doore of utterance to speake as I ought to speake Now the opening of this doore hee speakes of it in the passive voyce It is opened to mee a doore is opened to mee that is an occasion is ministred to mee hee doth not attribute it to himselfe to say I have made my selfe a way and by my preaching I have opened a doore that was shut to me before but hee referres it to God whose property alone it is It is opened to my hand by the mighty hand of the Almighty which hath the ruling of mens hearts and which flowes into their affections and guides and turnes them as it pleaseth him There is a doore opened to mee It is therefore God that openeth the door as it is the devils malice still to shut the door that there may be no passage betweene God and man and that Christ may knock at the doore and never be admitted nor heard as he saith Rev. 3. Rev. 3. Behold I stand at the doore and knock if any man open unto me I will come in and dwell with him c. So I say wee should still leave the praise where it is due and attribute the honour and glory of the fact to
followes after in that Chapter Therefore of this wee are certaine that though St. Paul purposed to stay at Ephesus and to make his abode there yet the Lord would not suffer him so to do but he had purposed otherwise for him and he was not at his owne disposing but at the disposing of the will of God Now in these words read unto you in that hee saith there bee divers great and many enemies though a doore be open yet the enemies are great we are to consider Parts of the Text. First where these enemies were Secondly as a generall deduction that the Church of God can never want enemies and those that bee the Preachers of the Gospel they are evermore overwhelmed with enemies if the hand of the Lord interpose not Thirdly what kind of enemies they were the worst and most to be feared that is those that are most neare in the profession of the faith and the common religion those are the worst and most grievous enemies Fourthly the great alacrity of spirit that moved the Apostle to goe although there were so many enemies although there was so great and numerous a company that would dismay flesh and blood and would rather have made him have sought a corner and a cave to keep himselfe in a whole skinne but the spirit of the Apostle was otherwise hee would goe the rather because there was so many adversaries Fiftly that these although they were adversaries yet they were not to bee hated as direct enemies but onely they were enemies for the time for he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Part. Where these adversaries were Concerning the first point the place where these enemies were I see it is the common consent of all Interpreters for the most part not one or two excepted that these enemies were at Ephesus and it seemes indeed most agreeable because hee saith he would stay at Ephesus and hee gives the reason why because there is a great doore opened that is there is a great facility or opportunity to gaine soules which is compared to a doore and besides there bee many adversaries to bee resisted whose mouthes must be stopped that is as it seemes in the same place at Ephesus therefore hee would stay there because they needed his presence I am loth to contradict the current of so many great worthy learned men yet notwithstanding it is free in the Church of God for any man to speak his minde as long as he speaks in termes of modesty I say therefore let them enjoy their owne exposition I cannot imagine that the Apostle should think his enemies should bee at Ephesus but at Ierusalem and although he speake not here of Ierusalem but of Ephesus alone yet presuming that Paul had a great and earnest purpose to bee at Ierusalem at the Feast of Pentecost and in regard that hee did neglect his friends and those places that he should have gone unto he sailed by Ephesus hee would not come there beause he would goe to Ierusalem and hee takes the first hint of it hee goes from Philippi at the day of Sweet-bread at Easter and hee would not come at Corinth nor at Ephesus it followes by just consequence therefore that all his intention was to keep the Feast of Pentecost at Ierusalem and that there was the doore and there were the enemies for a man that hath his minde upon one thing especially upon one maine project when he speaks of by-matters he speaks oft times confusedly but you must take him according to the great streame according to the current of his minde His minde was still to bee at Ierusalem to confound the adversaries of the Gospel Now although he saith he would stay at Ephesus his meaning is not that there were the enemies but he will stay a while there till such time as God would give him a just number of dayes that hee might saile from thence to Ierusalem by Pentecost to encounter with the enemies that were there Reasons that the adversaries were at Ierusalem So the first reason I have for it is the constant words of St. Luke Luke saith that hee had still a minde hee had still a desire to bee at Ierusalem at Reas 1 the Feast of Pentecost and therefore it was not his purpose to stay at Ephesus but onely some few dayes neither was it his purpose to decipher to the Church that his enemies were at Ephesus but at some other place Reas 2 Secondly another reason for it is this that those that were at Ephesus were bruit beasts rather then men they were not adversaries but beasts rather If I have fought with beasts at Ephesus after the manner of men 1. Cor. 15. In the Chapter aforegoing there was no dealing with Demetrius there is no dealing with worldlings with a man that understands nothing there is no glory to bee gotten in disputing with a simple fellow all the credit and glory comes to the Gospel by confounding of them that are wise the Ephesians were Idolaters they were beasts rather then men therefore his adversaries were not there so much as at Ierusalem Reas 3 Thirdly it appeares that hee left them and would come no more at them by reason of the tumult that was in the time of Demetrius that hee raised but he sayled by them and would no more touch there but sent for the chiefe of them therefore it seemed hee reserved himselfe for enemies and adversaries in some other place greater than that Fourthly the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth those Reas 4 enemies that is those capitall enemies of the Gospell the Iewes the Ephesians were Idolaters and the Grecians and although they were adversaries too yet they were nothing like to the Iewes for the Iewes fought with weapons the Gentiles were like the Americans like the west Indians which are bare people without any weapons without any harnesse it is an easie matter to make a slaughter among them but the Iewes were armed at all points they had the Scriptures they had the Word of God against Christ they had the Law they had the promises they had the covenant of grace from Abraham they were the peculiar people of God there were no such adversaries as they therefore he sets them downe by a peculiar name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those adversaries that is those grand adversaries those adversaries that are sharp set against the word those dangerous men to be dealt with those are they that I would encounter with And lastly it appeares by the event for the event Reas 5 shewes that he singled them out for his adversaries that were at Ierusalem For whither went he did he stay at Ephesus did hee goe to Ephesus No the Text saith that he sayled by it And whither did he goe but to Ierusalem there to struggle and strive with the power of darknesse and to confound by his doctrine all the Iewes and all his opposers which although they took him