readeth often and seeth almost daily the seuere iudgments of God vpon sinners and yet himselfe continueth in the same sinne deserues worthily to be punished with as many stripes as he neglected examples He that knowes how Cain was a runagate on earth and how the clamour of his brother Abels bloud entred into the eares of God in heauen and how this cry was a voice vox sanguinum a voice of bloods in the plurall namely the voice of the bloud shed and of all the bloud which might haue come of that bloud if it had not been shed Againe hee that heaâ—e of the lamentable destruction of Ierusalem how her magnificent Temple was made dâ—selate and the glorious Towers of her Citie were laid euen with the ground and all this for that shee killed the Prophets and stoned such as were sent vnto her Hee that reads and beleeues theâ—e things and yet is an obstinate despiser of prophecie killing crucifying securâ—â—â— persecuting the mâ—ssengers of the Lord from City to City shall receiue greater damnation then either Cain or Ierusalem as hauing negleâ—â—ed greater mâ—â—nes of saluation For all things are written for our learning but these things I meane Gods extraordinarie iudgments vpon notorious sinners are written more principally for our examples vpon whom the ends of the world are come See Epist 9 Sund. after Trinitie How often would I haue gathered thy children How often by the mouth of my Prophets how often by mine Apostles how often by mine owne selfe as the louing Hen is alway caring for her chickins alway clucking and calling them if they wander out of her â—ight neuer so little that she may gather them vnder her wings and so guarde them from the mischiefe of the Kite euen so Ierusalem I would haue gathered thy Children vnder the wings of my protection I would haue kept thee and thine from the iawes of thy rauenous enemie Sathan and from the hands of all such as hate you but yee would not O Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe but in me is thine helpe now this ought to be construed either of Christs humane will as he was man or else of his conditionall and reuealed will as he was God otherwise Gods absolute will is effected alway both in heauen and earth and hell it was the conditionall will of God the Iewes resisted according to that of Saint Steuen in the second Lesson allotted for euensong this day Yee stiffe-necked and of vncircumcised hearts and eares ye haue alwâ—y resisted the holy Ghost aâ— your Fathers did so doe you this I would of Christ is voluntae signi not voluntas beneplaciti See Melanct. Câ—ietan Pâ—scator Marlorat in loc Iansâ—n Concord cap 41. 90. didac Aluarez de anxilys diuinae gratiae lib. 5. dâ—â—putat 33.34 O Father of mercies increase our faith and graunt vnto vs in this thy day of our visitation vnfained repentance that howsoeuer England hath equalled Ierusalem in being dissolute yet shee may not parallell Ierusalem in being desolate The Epistle 1. IOHN 1.1 That which was from the beginning which we haue heard which we haue seene with our eyes c. SAint Iohn euer like himselfe that his Gospell and generall Epistle might be sutable confirming each other in the maine scope makes in the beginning was the word the beginning of words vnto both omitting here an ordinarie salutation that hee might at the very first entrance treate of more necessary points of saluation and yet this exordium à re ipsa preamble raised from the matter it selfe is agreeable to the rules of arte wherewith he makes his readers attentiue docile beneuolous attentiue for that he writes not of a trifle but of Christ Iesus the word of life who cleanseth vs from all sinne docile for that the subject of his doctrine is neither new nor vncertaine not new for we shew vnto you that which was from the beginning not vncertaine for we preach vnto you that which we haue heard which we haue seene with our eyes which wee haue looked vpon and our hands haue handled Beneuolus for that hee penned this Epistle for their good namely that they might haue fellowship with the Saints and that their ioy might be full I finde the whole tract diuided into three parts answerable to the three chiefe christian vertues Faith Hope Charitie but for as much as our Apostle writes of these promiseuously without distinction and order I rather amit of Aquines plaine partition Into a Commendation of the Gospell Chap. 1. Exhortation â—o the fruitfull and faithfull obseruing of the same Chap. 2.3 Disswasion from the contrarie Doctrine Chap. 4.5 In the present text there be two descriptions One of Christ in respect of his Natures As God that which was from the beginning As man which we haue heard and seene c. Office being our light and life cleansing vs from all sinne Another of a Christian hauing fellowship with God his Saints and his Sonne in whom are Two remarkeable properties 1. A studiousnesse to doe good Ergo not a carnall Epicure For if we say we haue fellowship with God who is light and walke in darknesse we lie and doe not the truth 2. A sorrowfulnesse when hee doth ill Ergo not a spirituall Puritane For if we say wâ— haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. I haue spoken enough of the first description in my notes vpon the Gospell on Christmas day the pith of it is that Christ Iesus eternally God in the fulnesse of time made man is our only mediator and aduocate with God the Father insomuch as our fellowship with God in this world and fulnesse of ioy in the next is attained by faiâ—h alone first apprehending and after applying his merits Here then our Apostle commends the doctrine of the Gospell in three respects especially First in regard of the subiect as being most ancient and excellent euen that which was in the beginning Godâ— owne sonne the word of life yea that eternall life which was with the father afore all worlds Secondly in regard of the certainty that which wee haue heard which we haue seen with our eyes which we haue looked vpon and our hands haue handled declare wee vnto you For Christ who was in the beginning that eternall word with the Father in these last daies appeared vnto vs. And as S. Paul expounds S. Iohn he was manifested in the flâ—sh Or as S. Iohn in his Gospell expounds himselfe hee became flesh and dwelt among vs. And so wee haue seene and heard him immediatly speaking in the world as well as mediately speaking in his word For he spake to the Fathers by the mouth of all his Prophets euer since the beginning but in our daies he hath spoken with his owne mouth vnto vs our eares haue heard him in his Sermons our eyes haue seene him in acting of his miracles our hands haue
represented by S. Iohn stiled the Diuine the Commonaltie or Infantrie represented by the sillie children Hâ—rod slew or intimating that Christ was borne for men of euery seueral age for men of perfect strength as Steuen for old men on their crouches as S. Iohn for Infants in their cradles a the blessed Innocents Or it may bee that these Saints are mentioned at Christmas rather then other because Christ faith in the Gospell If any man will follow me let him forsake himselfe and tâ—ke vp his crosse Mat. 16.24 the seruant is not greater thâ—n his Master if they haue persecuted me they will persecute you also Ioh. 15.20 Now there bee three kinds of suffering or martyrdome in Christs cause The first Voluntaâ—is operis in will and in act as that of S. Steuâ—n The second Voluntatis sed nâ—n operis in will but not in act as that of S. Iohn The third Operis sed non voluntatis in act but not in will as on this day the death of the Bethlemitills Innocents And for as much as S Steuens martyrdom comeâ— nee est vnto the suffeâ—ings of Christ his festiual is next to Christs in the first place S. Iohns in the second the blessed Innocents in the third And so Christ as it is Cant. 5.10 is white and ruddie the chiefest among ten thousand Candâ—dâ—â— in Ioâ—nne rubâ—â—undus in Stephano electus ex miâ—â—â—us in Innocentibus In the Gospell allotted for this â—ay Two points are more principally remarkable 1. Christs humanitie for that hee was a child and did siâ—e 2. Herods inhumanitie mâ—rthering Tâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. InnoceÌ„t babes who neither would nor could hurt him Haâ—â—us All the children that were in Bethlehem and in all the coasts thereof fâ—uâ— two â—eeâ—es oâ—d and vnder according to the â—â—me which hee had â—â—â—gently knowne of the Wisemeâ— All in euery place nere the place where Christ was borne not sparing his owne child flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone which occasioned Augustus Caesar tauntingly to say â—â— hiâ— este â—e Hâ—rodâ—s pâ—rcum quâ—m puerum It is better to bee Hâ—rod â—oâ— then his sonne The Aâ—gell of the Lord appeared vnto Ioseph in a sleepe Hence wee may learne what a tender care God hath ouer his children in their greatest affliction his Angell â—arrieth round about them that feare him and deliuers them and therefore let vs cast all our care vpon him for hee careth for vs as a father pitieth his owne children euen so the Lord is mercifull to them who feare him It may besaid of our heauenly Father as the Poet of an earthly parent Omnism Ascanio chari stat cura parentis Take the child and his mother He who was in the beginning that eternall word and euerlasting Father about this time for our sake came downe from heauen and became an infant and a childe Nobis puer natus Esay 9.6 Vnto vâ— a childe is borne and vnto vs a sonne is giuen a childe not in meeknesse only for so the greatest man ought to be as a little childe 1 Cor. 14 20. Concerning maâ—â—tiousnesse bee children and except yee become as little children â—â—e shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen bat a childe in weaknesse also wrapped in swadling clothes and laiâ—d in a cratch It is not said take thy childe and thy wife but the childe and his mother hereby signifâ—ing thâ—t Ioseph was not the naturall but onely the nursing father of Iesus It is true that this Angell appeaâ—ing to Ioâ—ph at another time before Marite was deliuered of her childe said vnto him expresly for auoyding suspition of inconâ—inencie feare not to take Mary for thy wife but after the birth of Christ as the Doctors â—bserâ—e â—o shew that hee was borne of a Virgine Mâ—iâ—sâ—â—le â—â—le is the mother of Iesus not the wife of Ioâ—epâ— Againe it is not take the mother and her childe but the châ—â—â—e and his mâ—thâ—r insinuating that his greaâ—eâ— care â—houâ—d be to pâ—ouâ—de for the babe both in reâ—â—eâ— of dâ—â—ger for Herod sought to destroy him and in respeâ—â— of dâ—rie because the child is greater then hi meâ—heâ— â—â—bâ—ing her Sauiour so well as her sonne And 〈…〉 Christs haâ—d enteâ—taâ—nment at 〈…〉 into the world â—â—ewes that hâ—â—â—ingdome was not of this world hee had as Bernard sweetly while hee liued passâ—uam aâ—tionem and when hee died actiuam passionem It is obserued by S. Luke Acts 1.1 that Christ alway first did and then taught hee that would haue vs to flee from Citie to Citie fleeth himselfe from Country to Country before hee grants the patent hee giues the paterne fleeing and that in the night warily or hee did flee now for that his houre was not yet come hee had not as yet done the worke and the will of his Father for which hee came into the world Christus enim â—otam causam nostra salutis occiderat sâ— se paruulum permisisset occidi But whether doth he flee into Egypt as being out of Herods iurisdiction or into Egypt to signifie that Gods kingdome should bee translated from the Iewes vnto the Gentiles and so Ioseph in carrying Iesus and his mother into Egypt represents liuely the blessed Apostles and Preachers in conueying the Gospell vnto nations in time past alians from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the couenants of promise without Christ and so without God in the world O the deepnesse of the riches of Gods mercy Babylon and Egypt whilome were malorum officine the very shops of all villanie but now behold the Wisemen come from the one and Christ here fleeth into the other Vâ— populus qui ante fuâ—rat persecutor populi primogeniti fier et custos fiâ—â— vnigeniti but what need wee such a quare seeing heauens messenger in the text hath vttered a quare namely that is might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet saying out of Egypt haue I called my Sonne How that word Numb 23.22 or Hosea 11.1 originally spoken of Israel his adopted sonne is well applied vpon this occasion vnto Christ his naturall sonne See Rupert Ribera Caluin in Hosea 11.1 Iaâ—sen Concord cap 11. Beaâ—xamis harmon Tom. 1. fol. 73. Caietan Arboreus Maldonat in loc Mystically God calleth his children out of the worlds Egypt deliuering vs from the power of darknesse and calling vs into maruellous light 1. Pet 2.9 or out of Egypt for that his children grow best in grace when they be taught in the schoole of affliction or as Rupert obserues it may be that Hierusalem is called here as it is elsewhere Egypt spiritually for that her Prince and people were so cruell as Egypt in seeking to destroy the childe Iesus Then Herod when hee saw that bee was mocked of the Wisemen It is
as God saying my Lord and my God acknowledging the diuinitie which he did not see by the wounds he did see So that Christ here commends the faith of Thomas in saying thou hast beleeued and reprehends only his slacknesse of faith in adding because thou hast seene me First handling the wounds of Christ afore hee would credit the words of his Apostleâ— Quid enim est fides nisi credere quod non vides eo plus habit merui quo nanus argumenti Thomas in beleeuing after he saw Christ is a type of the Iewes and the rest of the Disciples in beleeuing afore they saw Christ a figure of the Gentiles Augustin tract 121. in Ioan circa sin Blessed are they that haue not seene and yet haue beleeued He denieth not Thomas to be blessed in this sentence but only preferreth other Apostles and all other Christians afore him in that they haue not seene and yâ—t haue beleeued For if thou knowledge with thy mouth that Iesus is the Lord and beleeue in thine heart that God hath raised him vp from the dead O well is thee and happie shall thou be So blessed as Iohn whose head lay neere his Masters heart so blessed as Ioseph of Arimathea who buried his bodie so blessed as old Simeon who lulled his Sauiour in his armes yea so blessed as the Virgin her selfe that bare him in her wombe for thee was more blessed in being the daughter then in being the mother of Christ. Here the Gospel and Epistle meet all they that haue not seene and yet haue beleeued are fellow citizens with the Saints and of Gods house built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ himselfe being the head corner stone in whom they grow to be an holy temple of God hauing the promises of the life present and of that which is to come See Gospell Sunday 13. after Trinitie By this it doth appeare that the resurrection of Christ is the chiefe obiect of a blessed faith as also the maine subiect of all this out present Gospell And it is exceeding profitable for confutation and instruction As first it doth ouerthrow the wicked error of Corinthus who taught Christ should not rise againe till the generall resurrection of whom Epiphanius worthily Stolâ—dus est stolidorum magister Secondly Apelles heresie who said Christ rose againe but not in his owne flesh or as Augustine reports his opinion without any flesh Thirdly that of Cerdon and the Passionists affirming that Christ ascended into heauen in soule only Fourthly that assertion of Eutychian heretikes holding that Christs humane nature was deiâ—ied after his resurrection and made not glorious only but meerely diuine also Againe the doctrine of Christs rising againe from the dead serues for instruction in matters of holy faith and good manners In articles of beâ—iefe concerning Christ and our seâ—ues First touching Christ whereas he did abide among the dead at least thirtie three or thirtie foure houres as he continued among the liuing thirtie three or thirtie foure yeeres I say whereas Christ being starke dead raised himselfe to life by his owne power it is a manifest demonstration of his Godhead as Paul disputes Rom. 1.4 and God said in the second Psalme Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee The which text ought to be construed not so much of Christs eternall generation afore all worlds as of the manifestation therof in time This day that is at the time of thine incarnation but at the day of thy resurrection especially haue I begotten thee that is I haue made knowne vnto the world that thou art my sonne as Paul expounds it Acts 13.33 for none euer raised another from the dead but by God none euer raised himselfe from the dead but God Secondly this doctrine proues euidently that Christ was a perfect Priest and that his passion was an omnisufficient sacrifice for the sinnes of the whole world For if hee had not fully satisfied for them all if there had remained one little sinne only for which he had made no satisfaction he could not haue risen againe for death and the graue which came into the world by sinne and are daily strengthened by sinne would haue held him in bondage To this purpose Paul saith If Christ be not risen againe your faith is vaine and you are yet in your sinnes That is Christ had not answered fully for your sins or at least you could not possibly know that hee had made satisfaction for any of them if he had not risen againe As for points of faith appertaining to thy selfe more neerely the resurrection of Christ is a demonstration of our resurrection according to that of Paul If it be preached that Christ is risen againe from the dead how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead 1. Cor. 15.12 Behold saith the Lord I kill and giue life I wound and I make whole that is as Tertullian aptly killing by death and giuing life by resurrection If a man be cast into the sea though all his bodie sinke vnder the water yet there is hope of recoueâ—ie so long as his head is aboue the waues in like manner if wee beleeue that Christ our head is the first fruits of those that sleepe let vs not doubt but vnfainedly beleeue that we which are his members in our due time shall be raised out of the dust also Moreouer the resurrection of Christ is a proofe of our iustification before God he was deliuered for our offences and raised againe for our iustification As in his death he stood in our place wounded for our transgressing and broken for our iniquities and bearing our sinnes in his body on the tree so likewise in his resurrection he is not to be considered as a priuate but as a publike person representing the whole Church making his righteousnesse a cloke to couer all our vnrighteousnesse If death could not keepe Christ fettered in his prison it is euident that his power was ouercome Now then if death be conquered it followeth necessarily that sinne the wages of death is also destroied If death and sinne be vanquished then the tyrannous kingdome of Satan is subdued who had the power of death and was author of sinne and ruler of hell So that euery true Christian may reioice with Paul O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie the sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law but thankes be to God which hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. And lastly concerning matters of honest and holy conuersation this doctrine teacheth vs to seeke those things which are aboue where Christ sitteth as the right hand of God and to rise from dead workes vnto newnesse of life See Epistle on Easter day and Epistle Sunday 6. after Trinitie Touching our Euangelists
to death Wherefore seeing to loue our enemies in the iudgment of some men is against Gods law and of other beside the law seeing many men in their precepts and most men in their practise manifestly shew that it is an hard saying Saint Steuens charity doth appeare to be great in blessing such as cursed him and in praying for such as did hurt him Iob renowmed in holy Scripture for his patience said If mine aduersarie should write a booke against me would I not take it vpon my shoulder and binde it as a crowne vnto me But Steuen surpassing Iob as Gregorie Nyssen obserues esteemed the very ring of his persecutors wherewith he was enclosed on euery side his crown and euery stone flung at his head a pretious diamond so that it might haue beene said of him as it was of Dauid The Lord preuented him with the blessings of goodnesse and set a crowne of pretious stones vpon his head Our goods are sweet vnto vs and therefore wee can hardly forgiue the theese our good name sweeter and therefore wee doe more hardly forgiue the slanderer but our life most sweet Skinne for skinne and all that euer a man hath will he giue for it and therefore most hardly doe we forgiue murtherers and martyrers in hot blood especially while they wring vs and wrong vs and yet Steuen full of the holy Ghost and therefore full of loue in persecutione positus pro persecutoribus orabat in the middest of his persecution heartily praied for his persecutors O Lord Iesu lay not this sinne to their charge Our sinnes not forgiuen are set before vs and as enemies in battell fighting against vs a pillar of infamie to disgrace the wicked in this and the next life the which as Basil thinkes is more grieuous to their soule then hell fire So that the meaning of S. Steuen is in saying lay not this sinne to their charge that God would giue them a better minde and not impute this offence but rather to burie this and all other their sinnes in his death and graue that they neuer rise vp againe to worke desperation in this world or destruction in the world to come S. Augustine brings in Steuen speaking thus vnto God Ego patior ego lapidor in me sauiunt in me fremunt sed ne statuas illis hoc peccatum quia vt dicamtibi à te primo audiui Ego seruus tâ—us patior sed muleum interest inter me te tu dominus ego eruus tu verbum ego auditor verbi tu magister ego discipulus tu Creator ego creatus tu Deus ego homo multum interest inter peccatum istorum qui lapidant me illorum qui crucifixerunt te quando ergo dixisti Pater ignosce illis quia nesciunt quid faciunt pro magno peccato petisti me pro minimo petere docuisti domine ne statuas illis hoc peccatum ego patior in carne isti non pereant in mente Now the Lord heard his praier and granted his request in that Saul had not this sinne said to his charge as himselfe witnesseth I was a blasphemer and a persecutor and an oppressor but I was receiued to mercy for I did it ignorantly through vnbeleefe So that Augustine is bold to say Si Stephanus non sic orasses ecclesia Paulum non haberet And Fulgentius Quo pracessis Stephanus trucidatus lapidibus Pauli illuc sequutus est Paulus adiutus orationibus Stephani When hee had thus spoken Vttering such excellent words and with such a resolute spirit and in such a reuerent fashion after he had thus spoken for the matter and thus for the manner giuing vnto God the life of his soule forgiuing his persecutors the death of his bodie hee sweetly slept in the Lord. Christus pro nobis hominem induit Stephanus pro Christo hominem exuit as Gregorie Nyssen elegantly Christ became man for Steuen and Steuen became no man for Christ hominem exuit he so willingly put off his flesh as a man would put off his clothes at night and so death as welcome to him as steepe to the wearie when he had thus spoken hee fell asleepe To mitigate deaths horror it is called often in holy Scripture sleepe So the text saith of Dauid and of Salomon and of other Kings of Israel and Iuda that they slept with their fathers In the new Testament also such as are dead in the Lord are said to sleepe in Christ. I would not haue you saith Paul ignorant concerning them which are asleepe c. For this cause many are weake and sicke among you and many sleepe 1. Cor. 11.30 For man in his graue sleepeth and waketh not againe till the heauen be no more Iob 14.12 So great a resemblance the Gentiles acknowledged between dying and sleeping that Ouid cals sleepe mortis imago deaths image Virgil consanguineus lathi the kinsman of death Seneca the brother of death and Hesiode the sister of death Among infinite comparisons I finde that death is principally likened vnto sleepe In respect of the Rest of the dead Resurrection of the dead Concerning the first it is said by the spirit Blessed are the dead in the Lord for they rest from their labore and so God giueth his beloued sleepe The coffin is a couch in que mollius ille dormit quisquis durius in vit a se gesserit I finde in the records of antiquitie that a Sepulchre is called requietorium a bed of sacred rest and securitie which Valerius Probus expressed in these letters H.R.I.P. Hic requiescet in pace and Pet. Diaconus in other D.M.S. Dormiunt mortus securi Hic mortuius requiescit semel Qui viuus requieuit nunquam But here we must obserue that our soule sleepes not in the dust as our body till our last dome For the soules of the reprobate at their death are fetched away from them and carried into hell But the soules of such as die in the Lord instantly liue with the Lord conueied by the glorious Angels into Abrahams bosome Luk. 16. 22. So Christ expresly to the theese on the Crosse Verily I say to thee this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Anima absoluitur corpus resoluitur quae absoluitur gaudet quod resoluitur in terram suam nihil sentit And so the Saints departed are dead in their worst part onely but liuing in their best euen in that wherein they desire to liue most as an Heathen Poet diuinely Sed lugere nefas nam quite Prisce reliquit Vâ—â—â—t qua volnit viuere partemagis And therefore though the dead bodies of Gods seruants haue beene giuen as meat to the sowles of the aire and their flesh vnto the beasts of the land yet right deare in the sight of the
that in other copies hauing only his fathers name And the meaning is that they professe themselues openly to be Christians acknowledging aperto fronte that God is their father in his sonne lesuâ— in their deeds and doctrine appearing outwardly to the world what they are inwardly to themselues according to that of Paul We beleeue and therefore speake Faith in the soule breaking forth into confession with the mouth is the note whereby the friends of Christ are distinguished from the followers of Antichrist He that dependeth vpon Saints as much as vpon his Sauiour and trusleth in the pardon of the Pope more then in the merits of Christ hath in his forehead the marke of the beast and not the seale of God If Christ once dwell in our hearts by faith his name will instantly be written in our forehead And I heard a voice from heauen The militant Church on earth is called often in holy writ heauen as being the way to the kingdome of heauen and as hauing her conuersation in heauen and her affections set on things aboue This heauen hath a voice for the Church is not mute but vocall openly professing her faith and praising God before the seat and the foure beasts and the elders Hauing a voice like the sound of many waters and of great thunder and of harpers harping with their harpes Some by these three kindes of voices vnderstand three degrees of the Churches progresse persecuted by the Dragon in the wildernesse First in the daies of Athenasuâ—s Basile Chrysostome Ambrose Hierome Augustine c. Her voice say they but how truly iudge yee was indistinct and confused For albeit the learned writings of these most accurate Doctors in their age made a great noise in the world like the sound of many waters yet many points of doctrine were not so well explicated vnto the common people then as afterwards they were Secondly in the daies of Wickliffe and Husse and other Boâ—â—â—ges her voice resembled the voice of great thunder But now since her deliuerance from the wildernesse and her comming out of Babylon her voice in the harmony of confessions is like the consent of harpers harping with their hâ—rpes Other say that the Scriptures voice speaking by the Church is like to waters in that it refresheth all such as hunger and thâ—rst after righteousnesse and like to great thunder in being terrible to the â—icked and like to the mâ—â—iâ—ke of hâ—rpers in being dâ—leâ—table to the godly The Preachers of the word are vnto God the sâ—reet sauâ—ur of Christ is thâ— nâ— that are sâ—â—ed and in them that perish to the ouâ— the sauour of death vnto death and to the other the sauour of lifâ— vnto life 2. Cor. 2 15 16. Other thinke that many â—â—sers are mâ—ny nations as in the 17. chapter of this bâ—oke vers 15. The 〈◊〉 which thou â—â—wâ—st are people and muâ—â—udes and nations and tongues And the great thunder is nothing else but the thundring voices of zealous and holy Preacherâ— And the harpers hâ—mâ—â—â— doth intimate spirituall reioicing together in the Lord. The Church then hâ—th a voice which is much a being of mâ—ny yet muâ—icall in that those many concord in the maine likâ— hâ—rpers hâ—râ—ing with their â—â—râ—â—s It is Mâ—â—â—avâ—xex pâ—allâ—ntium mulâ—â—tudine sed delâ—ctâ—bâ—lâ—â— excoâ—son â—â—â—â—suâ—â—itâ—te And they sung as it wâ—re a new song In regard of the matter a new song it was Adams old song before his fall to praise God for his creation in holinesse and righteousnesse but meeting a new song to the Lord for our redemption and regeneration whereby Gods image loâ—t by sinne is restored in vs againe Oâ— in regard of the manner a new song for whereas the leweâ— in â—he old Testament expâ—cting the consolation of Israel sung praises vnto God â—or that their Messias Sauiour shoâ—ld come Christians in the new Testament magnife the Loâ—d for that Christ iâ— come Blâ—ssed â—â—e the Lord God of Iâ—raâ—l for he hath vâ—â—â—ed and râ—deâ—mâ—d hâ—â— people for that theâ—r eies haue seene his saluation and their hands haue hâ—ndled the word of life Or in regard of the men a nâ—w song being sung by such as haue put off the old man and are new creatures in Christ 2. Cor. 5.17 a new song for that it makes the partie who sings it a new man Or a new song in that it seemeth vnto the world new for Christ crucified the chiefe subiect of their new song seemeth vnto the worldly wise meere foolishnesse as it followeth in our text No man could learue the song but the hundred fortie foure thousand which were redeemed from the earth As our Popish aduersaries hauing the beasts marke both in their forehead and in their right hand impudently call our most ancient and apostolike faith a new Gospell and our diuines Euangelij quinti professores But as learned Scaliger answered them acutely Nos nouatores non sumus sed vos estie veteratores A Monke devoted to his superstitious order and trusting in his owne merits is neuer able to learne how faith only iustifieth A carnall man addicted onely to naturall reason is not able to discerne the things of God A lew relying altogether vpon his Circumcision is not able to sing another note No maruell then if the song of Sion seemes new to them all These arâ— they which were not defiled with women This clause makes not any thing against honourable marriage for how can that be truly called a defiling when as the bed is vndefiled Hebr. 13.4 and therefore Paphnutius openly pronounced in the Councell of Nice Castâ—tatem esse cum vxore propria concubitum And Chrysostome though a great admirour of Virginitie saith also primus graaus castitatis est syncera virgimt as secundus fidele coniugium And so married couples are virgins as well as single persons and ordinarily more chaste in hauing Gods appointed remedie for auoyding fornication Before the Law the Patriarkes had wiues vnder the Law the Priestâ— had wiues after the Law to wit in the daies of the Gospell as Ambrose peremptorily writes all the twelue Apostles except Saint Iohn had wiues And it was euer thought commendable for the Preachers of the word to marrie at their owne discretion as they did iudge the same to serue better vnto godlinesse vntill Pope Nicholas the first Hildebrand alias Hel-â—rand and Innocentius the third forbad Priests marriage Wheâ— upon a witty fellow made this od old time Pri ciâ—nire gula penuâ—â—s cassatur Sacâ—rdos per hic hec olâ—n decliâ—atur Sed perhiâ— soluâ—â—â—mâ—do 〈◊〉 articulatur Cum per nostrum â—raâ—â—â—lens 〈◊〉 amo â—eatâ—r Non est Inâ—â—censius iâ—oâ—ocâ—rs 〈◊〉 Qui qâ—od fâ—cto docâ—â— verbo 〈…〉 Eâ— quo â— oâ—m iuâ—â—eâ—is â—â—lâ—t habere Moâ—â—â—â—tus poâ—â—fex stuâ—â—prohibere What kind of Virgins Popes and
popish Priests haue been you may read enough Epistle â— Sandâ—y in â—ent Happily more than enough in â—â—lâ—â— his Treatiseconcernâ—ng English votaries A profession of virginitie wiâ—h out true chastitie is no beâ—ter than an apple growing in the lake of Sodome Nâ—â—â—m est prorsus religionis geâ—â— licâ—ta nâ—n facunt 〈…〉 â—â—â—qu amâ—is nec hee facâ—â—â—â— mâ—aluâ—â— nâ—n temperant a raâ—inâ— If the notation pâ—â—a â—uâ—â—◠〈◊〉 be good and the râ—le true Vâ—nter â—eraâ—â—â—â—ro tacâ—â—◠〈…〉 I would not with many Popes to bâ—â—â—t of their puritie Paphia 〈◊〉 â—'eâ—â— Veneris prâ—lâ—s qusque Papaest Weâ—l such as follow the Lambe are neither defâ—led carnally with â—oâ—en 〈…〉 â—o 〈…〉 noâ— yet spiritually with idols In which respect the Church iâ— called a pâ—re 〈◊〉 for that shee runâ— noâ— a whoâ—ing with heâ— owne inâ—â—ntions committing fornicaâ—ion with â— her louers but i prepared for â—â—â—usâ—â—ad â—ach wâ—â—ch is Christ. In this sense to worship idols and to serue strange Gods is to be defiled â—ith womâ—n aâ— our Apostle doâ—h insinâ—â—â—e in the 17. thâ—â—er of thâ—s booke vers 4. And therefore the Papists â—â—beit vn maried deâ—â—nding vpon many Sainâ—s â—re not so good viâ—gins aâ— marâ—â—d Proâ—estâ—nes wholly trusting in one Sauiour and 〈…〉 hee 〈◊〉 obeying his wâ—â—â— and in their best enâ—eauoâ—rs euer ready to keâ—â—e â—he wordâ— of hâ—â—â—aw neuer foâ—sakâ—ng him or his in wâ—nt inâ—â—â—on in sicknesse in deâ—â—h And this he will acknowledge at the last day saying to them openly Come yee blessed of my Father inherit ye the kingdome prepared for you for yee haue followed me whithersoeuer I went I was an hungred and ye gaue me meat I thirsted and ye gaue me drinke I was a stranger and yee lodged me I was naked and ye clothed me sicke and ye visited me in prison and ye came vnto me whithersoeuer I went I had your companie In their mouthes was found no guile As they were chaste in minde keeping themselues from idols and chaste in bodie not defiled with women so likewise chaste in tongue for they did not adulterate the word or professe the faith in hypocrisie but hauing their mouth in their heart they spake because they beleeued embracing the Gospell in simplicitie being also studious of truth in their carriage toward men Louing without dissimulation Rom. 12.9 Casting off lying Ephes. 4.25 and all guile 1. Pet. 2.1 Iust in their promise not disappointing a neighbour though it were to their owne hinderance Psalm 15.5 Before men in respect of any scandalous offences or open crimes vnblameable saying with the Lambe whom they follow which of you can rebuke me of sinne Indeed their secret faults onely knowne to God are many while they be clogged with flesh and bloud who can tell how oft he offendeth and yet in the world to come they shall appeare without spot before the throne of God as hauing all their spots couered with long white robes of the Lambe yea cleansed and made no spots by the blood of the Lambe redeemed from earth and from men to be the first fruits vnto God The blessed Innocents on this day murthered by cruell Hâ—rod were witnesses to the Lambe non loquendo sed mâ—riendo saith Augustine not by speaking but by suffering for Christ and so both his name and his Fathers name were written in their fort heads and their voice was liâ—e the sound of many waters and as the voice of great thunder as it is in the Gospell allotted for this Festiuall In Rama was there a voice heard lamentation weeping and great mourning and their crying was a song a dolefull dittie to their parents eare Rachel weeping for her children and would not be comforted c. yet pretious in Gods eie so sweet as the voice of harpers harping with their harpes And this their sighing was a new singing because they were Primitie maâ—tyrum euen the first fruits of martyrs vnto God And they followed the Lambe whithersoeuer he went the Lambe was white and ruddie Cant. 5.10 that is as Rupâ—rtus vpon the place candidus sanctâ—tate rubisunius passions So they were white in their innocencie being virgins in their chastitie without any guile in their mouth or guilt in their life but in respect of their blood shed for the Lambe ruddie So that as Dauid sings in the Psalme out of the mouthes of very babes and sucklings he hath made perfect his praise Christ assuredly got great praise by that hymne which Angels sung Glorie be to God on high and great praise by S. Steuen his protomartyr and by S. Iohn the Disciple whom hee loued as you haue heard in their seuerall holy daies but his praise was made perfect by the mouthes of babes and Innocents of whom he saith in the Gospell Suffer the little children and forbid them not to come to mee for of such is the kingdome of heauen O blessed babeâ— who came to the wished hauen without any tempest enioiing the comforts of another life before ye knew the miseries of this life Qui prius in â—apitibus caronas quâ—m capistos accepistiâ— hauing your heads crowned with happinesse before they were couered with haire Heroâ— could neuer haue pleasured you so much in his kindnes as hee did in his crueltie for where his impietie did abound there Christs pitie did superabound translating you from your earthly mothers armes in this valley of teâ—res vnto your heauenly fathers bosome in his kingdome of glorie Saluete flores martyrum Quos lucis â—pso iâ— lumine Christi insecutor sustulit Seu turbo nascentes rosas Vos prima Christi victima Grex immolatorum tener Aram ante cuius simplices Palma coronis luditis The Gospell MATTH 2.13 The Angell of the Lord appeared to Ioseph in a sleepe saying arise and take the childe and his mother and flee into Egypt c. THe Priests in the law were coÌ„manded that the fire should euer burne vpon the Altar neuer goe out And so that the fire of our deuotion at this holy time kindled vpon the altar of our heart might not be quenched by the water which vsually the cold serpent casteth out of his mouth Apoc. 12.15 The Church adioyneth vnto the celebratioÌ„ of Christs birth other three festiuals in one weeke Wherein her meaning is not to withdraw our loue from the Creator to the creature for all the twelue daies are called Christmas dedicated onely to Christs honour but that wee might hereby praise this our Iesus vncessantly both in himselfe and in his Saints And the reason as some coniecture why S. Steuen and S. Iohn and the blessed Innocents are named aboue the rest is happily to shew that Christ came into the world to saue all sorts of men of whatsoeuer degree The Chiualdrie represented by S. Steuen a resolute Knight and warriour in the Lords battell the Clergie
and perfect gift corporall spirituall temporall And therefore they did honour him as interpretors obserue with all these kinds of goods In falling downe slâ—t they did honour him with the good of the bodie in adoring him with the goods of the minde in offering to him gold frankincense mirrhe with the goods of the world They did offer gold to relieue Maries necessitie frankincense to sweeten the stable myrrhe to comfort the swadled babe In offering frankincense they confounded Arius holding that sacrifices are onely due to God the Father In offering myrrhe they confounded Manichaeus who denied that Christ truly died for our sinnes In offering gold they confounded them both as denying that Christ is our King In offering all these they confounded Nestorius diuiding Christ into two persons one diuine another humane for the Magi gaue not here some gifts vnto God and other vnto man but all vnto one Christ. Ergo non diuidatur in personis qui non invenitur diuisus in donis as Pulgentius excellently Or as other they did offer gold to Christ as being a King Frankincense as being God myrrhe as being man according to that of the Christian Poet. Auruen Thus Myrrhem regique deo hominique Dona ferunt It is an idle conceit that one did offer gold another myrrhe and the third frankincense for seeing each of them acknowledged Christ to bee a King and God and a passible man it is more probable that all of them offered all these gifts euery one three singuliaria They returned into their owne country another way The grace of God appearing teacheth vs that wee should deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and that wee should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world Wherefore the Wise-men hauing found Christ and being taught of God not to returne againe to Herod that is any longer to serue the deuill they renounce their owne wills and their olde waies and walke according to Gods will in new waies Immutatio via emendatio vitae quoth Euseb. Emisen Heretofore they walked in errour but now they walke in truth Heretofore they went a whoring after their owne inuentions but now they follow the word and warning of God The summe then of all this Gospell is that wee must seeke Christ by the guiding of a starre that is by the light of his word and when wee haue found Christ it is our duty to manifest our faith by good workes in presenting vnto Christ our King gold that is a pure confession of a true beleefe frankincense that is humble prayer and inuocation myrrhe that is a chast and a mortified life Wee must also giue to Mary that is to the Church vnto the Preachers of the word and all other members of Christ in want a part of our temporal estate And all this ought to be done cheerefully for the Wisemen opened their treasures and our heart is our treasure Matth. 12.35 So that wee must euen with exceeding gladnesse from our heart offer gold frankincense myrrhe That is almes praier fasting Praier respects God almes our neighbours fasting our selues And thus hauing changed the whole course of our inordinate conuersation in time past and walking in another way which is the path of Paradise wee shall in fine returne to our owne Countrey which is Heauen in Heauen and there wee shall enioy Christ our King God and man in eternall happinesse euermore There be many points in this text as yet vntouched and I might as Ruth happily gleane after such as haue reaped before me but I am so deuoted to breuitie that I rather chuse to wonder a little with another then to write any more my selfe vpon this Gospell O strangest thing that God doth now begin In being which he hath no godheads grace O strangest Roome this subiect takes his place In want of Roome for none was in his Inne O strangest colour to be viewed in For humane darknesse vailed hath his face O strangest middle of respectiue space Where as a starre more then the sunne could win O strangest starre that must reueale this sight That by disorder from the rest giues light O strangest eies that saw him by this starre Who when by-standers saw not saw so farre And since such wonders were in seeing him No wonder if my wondring thought grow dim O God which by the leading of a starre diddest manifest thine only begotten Sonne to the Gentiles mercifully grant that we which know thee now by faith may after this life haue the fruition of thy glorious God-head through Christ our Lord. Amen FINIS THE PVRIFICATION OF SAINT MARIE THE VIRGINE The Epistle being the same which is appointed for the Sunday is expounded among the Dominicals in due place The Gospell is written LVK. 2.22 When the time of their purification after the Law of Moses was come c. IT is the saying of S. Bartholmew reported by Dionysius Areopagita that the Gospell is little yet large If we consider only the syllables it is a very small booke but if we examine the profound sense mundus non capit it is so great that as S. Iohn speakes the world cannot containe it Example hereof is found in this present Chapter abounding with as many wonders almost as words Here you may reade that Marie was at once both a wife and a maide at once both a wife and a midwife bringing forth a sonne who was her father by whom all things were made swadling him in cloutes and laying him in a cratch who filled heauen and earth Here you may reade how the Word in the beginning infinite and incomprehensible was not onely circumscribed but also circumcised Here you may reade that the pure was purified God offered and the Redeemer redeemed Here you may reade that a glorious Angell attended silly shepheards and that a child of twelue yeeres old confounded the Doctors in his disputations and that a dying man vttered songs in stead of sobs In the words allotted for our text 3. points are to bee considered especially the Purification of Marie When the time of her purification was come Christ They brought him to Hierusalem to present him to the Lord c. Simeon Behold there was a man in Heirusalem whose name was Simeon and the same was iust and godly c. Presentation of Marie When the time of her purification was come Christ They brought him to Hierusalem to present him to the Lord c. Simeon Behold there was a man in Heirusalem whose name was Simeon and the same was iust and godly c. CommeÌ„ndation of Marie When the time of her purification was come Christ They brought him to Hierusalem to present him to the Lord c. Simeon Behold there was a man in Heirusalem whose name was Simeon and the same was iust and godly c. And this feast hath accordingly three names as the Masters of ceremonies obserue 1. The
Prouerbs 24.23 The Thebans hereupon vsually pourtraied their Prince blinde with eares and the Iudges assisting him in Iustice without hands Blinde lâ—st he should haue respect of persons with eares that hee might heare both parties indifferently the Iudges without hands lest otherwise they might be corrupted with bribes for the gift blindeth the wise and peruerteth the words of the righteous and for this end our forefathers ordayned wisely that euery Iudge should ride his circuit in a Countie farre distant from his owne home whereby he might administer iustice freely without any fauour or feare It was an olde complaint of Diogenes that the greater theeues of the state did ordinarily punish the lesser and another after him that secret pillers of the Common-weale sit on the bench to condemne open robbers standing at the barre Magistrates in our dayes haue their houses seated so neare to Saint Bribes as that few can say with Iob I put on iustice and it couered me my iudgement was a robe and a crowne I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame feuer with Samuel whose oxe haue I taken or whose asse haue I taken or to whom haue I done wrong or whom haue I hurt or of whose hand haue I receiued any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith and I will restore it you None I feare with Nerua who was so good a Prince that hee did auow boldly se nihil fecisse quo minus possit imperio depostio priuatus iuto viuere Some Magistrates vse the lawes as cobwebs only to catch little flies other as fox-nets only to take great ones in a trap and so the statutes of our kingdome as a reuerend father of our Church once said haue a good prologue but bad epilogue their inuention is wise their intention honourable but we saile in execution and a law without execution is as a bell without a clapper A Iudge must haue two kindes of salt in him as Baldus truely the salt of science to know the law and the salt of conscience to determine according to the same neither respecting the person nor expecting the gifts of any himâ— To feare God and to keepe his commandements is the whole duty of man Ecclesiast 12.13 and therefore these two the fearing of God and working â—f righteousnes comprehend our whole duty The first all religious offices of piety toward God the second all righteous offices of charity toward our neighbour Cornelius feare was not seruile but filial he feared God as an obedient child feareth a kind father and God is not our father after this sort but in Christ in whom he is well pleased and in whom he doth adopt vs his children giuing vs his spirit whereby we cry Abba father in a word Cornelius feare was â—aith and by this faith he was accepted with God and this faith openly shewed it selfe in working righteousnesse toward men And therefore such aâ— build vpon this exam â—e free will and iustification by workes are deceiued exceedingly for Cornelius is said here first to feare God and then afterward to worke righteousnes Hee had heard among the Iewes of Gods holy promise concerning the sending of his sonne our Sauiour the which hee beleeued as the Patriarkes and the Prophets and other of Gods people who liued before Christs comming into the world and this faith as Paul speakes wrought by loue Galat. 5.6 It is worth obseruing that this commendation of Cornelius is remembred often in holy Scriptures as a speciall infallible marke of Gods children Iob a iust man and one that feared God Simeon was a iust man and feared God but euermore the fearing of God as being the beginning of wisedome is mentioned as the chiefe note Father Abraham a man who feared God Gen. 22.12 Ioseph a man who feared God Gen. 42.18 The Midwiues in Egypt feared God Exod. 1.17 If the fearing of God once goe before working of righteousnesse will instantly follow after according to that of the wiseman hee that feareth the Lord will doe good If thou seest a man in a desperate course selling himselfe as it is said of Ahab to worke wickednes rising vp early to follow drunkennes and continuing at the â—auerne till it bee night drawing iniquitie with cordes of vaâ—ity and sin as it were with cartropes it is a sure signe that the true feare of God is not rooted in his soule for whosoeuer hath a caâ—â— to liue religiously toward God will also so farre as humane frailtie will suffer liue soberly toward himselfe and righteously toward his neighbour Yee know the preaching The narration and confirmation ensuing are a little creed containing the chiefe articles of holy beliefe but the point vrged by the blessed Apostle most is the resurrection of Christ expresly setting downe 1. The author of his resurrection him God raised vp 2. The time when the third day 3. Before what witnesses openly shewing him vnto vs witnesses chosen before of God 4. What he did after he rose froÌ„ death he did eate and drinke with as 5. What he said he commanded vs to preach vnto the people to testifie that it is he which was ordained of God to be the iudge of the quicke and the dead In this argument of Christs resurrection the Gospell and Epistle meet and both are full and fit for the present feast of Easter In that S. Peter maketh Apostles and Prophets ioynt witnesses of all these things he doth insinuate that Christ is the beginning and end of the whole Scripture qui in lege velatur in euang◠〈…〉 See Gospell 1. Sun in aduent The Gospell LVK. 24.13 Behold two of the Disciples wâ—nt that same day to a towne called Emmaus c. THis Scripture containeth a sweet conference betweene Christ and two Disciples as they iourneyed in the way from Hierusalem to a townâ— called Emmaus The summe whereof is that Christ Iesus is truly risen agâ—â—ine from the dead as hauing 〈◊〉 all things which Moses anâ— the Prophets haue spoken of him The whole may be diuided into three parts A Prologue which occasioned the conference verse 13.14 wherein these circumstances are considerable Who two of the Disciples When that same day Where in the way betweene Hierusalem and Emmaus What they talked together of all the things that had happened Dialogue or the conference it selfe wherin Christ sheweth his tender care toward his Disciples in drawing neere to them vers 15. walking talking with theÌ„ v. 17.19 correcting them for their errour v. 25 directing them in the truth and that by words arguing froÌ„ reason v. 26. authority v. â—7 deeds hee sâ—t at table with them hee tooke bread c vers 30. Epilogue declaring what ensued vpon the conference to wit an ingenuous confession of the faith in the two Disciples did not our harts burne within vs c. earnest desire to confirme the same truth in other and they
rose vp the same houre and returned to Hierusalem and found the eleuen gathered together and them that were with them and they told c. verse 33.34.35 Behold two of the Disciples went the same day Two are better then one for if they fall the one will lift vp his fellow And therâ—fore the Disciples here went not alone but in company two that they might by their mutuall helpe and conference mittigate one anothers griefe And for this end they went to Emmaus which is interpreted a thirsting after good aduice signifying hereby that their afflicted soule desired earnestly to bee relieued with healthfull and heauenly counsell in this extremity Two they were and two of the Disciples not of the twelue for Iudas had hanged himselfe before this and it is said in our present text at the 33. verse that these two found the other eleuen gathered together but of the seuentie Disciples as almost all interpretors obserue Yet as one notes it may bee that these were Disciples of Christ in secret as Ioseph of Arimathea was Ioh. â—9 â—8 One of the two Disciples is named here Cleophas and he was as Hierome writes a Citizen of Emmaus in whose house Christ was entertained at table and so knowne by breaking of bread That other Disciple not named is thought by Gregory the great Theophylact and other to be S. Luke conceâ—â—ing his owne name out of modesty But it is apparent in the proem of this euangelicall history that Saint Luke receiued his relations from other and therefore not â—robable that he was one of these two See Iansen conco d. cap 146. Maldonat in Luc. 1 1. Epiphantus saith expresly that this disciple was Nathaniel Origene coniectures it was one Simeon Ambrose calleth him Amâ—on in this dissention of opinions obserue two things especially 1. That it is fruitlesse to search after this name curiously seeing the spirit of truth and wisedome concealeth it 2. That traditions are vncertaine though ancient and therefore wee must build our faith vpon the word written and not vpon tales vnwritten These two disciples went the same day Christ arose from the dead out of their Colledge but they went not out in Apostaâ—â—â— like to them of whom Saint Iohn 1. Epist. 2. cap. 19. vers They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had bin of vs they would haue continued with vs. Neither went they forth in curiosity like to Dinâ— who went out to see the daughters of the land but they went out from the rest of their company like bees out of their â—iue that they might returne home laden with honie for their communication is answerable to the present doctrine and griefe of their Colledge they gather sweet from the flowers of Christs speech hearing him expounding the law and the Prophets attentiuely compelling him importunately to stay with them neuer leauing him vntill in breaking of bread they knew him And then as being filled with heauenly food which is sweeter then hony and the hony combe they returned home to the blessed Apostles and other disciples at Hierusalem and 〈…〉 things were done in the way To a towne called Emmaus Plâ—nie reckoneth Emmaus among the Toparchies of Iudea called afterward 〈◊〉 vpon the victory which Augusthus Caesar 〈…〉 Antonius and Cleopatra This 〈◊〉 was 〈…〉 famous as I finde in the records of antiquiâ—â— but our Euangelist â—â—eth it here not for the 〈◊〉 of the towne but for the certaincie of the truth And 〈…〉 of all the things that had happened of the death of Christ and of the Iewes inhumane cruelty who put him to death of the â— womens going to his sepulchre and of their report vnto the brethren their heart was fixed on Christ and out of their hearts abundance their mouth spake Quicquid agit Cleophas nihil est Cleophae nisi Christus Si gaudet si stet si tacet â—unc loquitur The newes at Hierusalem how Christ was crucified dead buried and risen againe are called things that happened and chanced in respect of the disciples ignorance not in respect of Gods knowledge for as concerning the passion of Christ it is said expresly by Saint Peter Acts 3.23 that hee was deliuered and crucified and slaine by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God and so nothing happened casually seeing euery thing was aforetime written of him in the law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes And as for the resurrection of Christ himselfe saith in this present Chapter at the 25. verse O fooles and slow of heart to beleeue al that the Prophets haue spoken ought not Christ to haue suffered these things and to enter into his glory and he began at Moses and all the Prophets and interpreted vnto them in all Scriptures which were written of him Mistically these two disciples are prayer and meditation the which are two so neerely coupled together as that they talke together often In prayer our meditation is illuminated and by meditation our deuotion in praying in flamed Meditatio ruminat liuores vulnerum fixuras clauorumdanceam â— acetum persecutorum sauitiam Apostolorum 〈◊〉 â—oortem turpissimam corporis sepulturam oratio â—undit suspiria piae deuotionis stillat aromata tota resoluitur in lâ—menta And it chanced while they communed together and reasoned â—esus himselfe drew neere the Lord is nie to such as are of a contrite heart and in the mids of such as are gathered together to praise him In the tap-house where the communication is idle prophane scandalous and in euery respect vnsauorie there the diuell is in the drunkards heart and eares and tongue but in Gods house when wee meet together to magnifie his name nay in our owne house when as we meditate on Christs precious death and buriall and other mysteries of holy beliefe Iesus himselfe standeth behind our wall looking forth of the windowes shewing himselfe thorow the grates and putting in his hand at the hole of the â—â—ore to helpe vs he drawes neere to vs and walketh along with vs as hee did with the two disciples here neuer leauing vs vntill he perceiue that we be thoroughly confirmed and comforted in the truth Ambulat cum illis in via non dum illi ambulabant in via inuenit enim eos exorbitasse de via he which is the way seeing his disciples out of the way shewes them his pathes and leades them forth beside the waters of comfort and for this end he doth aske what manner of communications are these not as doubting himselfe but only to put them out of doubt quaerit ab eis quid inter se loquerentur vs quod ipse sciebat idi faterentur He doth aske them and vrge them againe and againe that he might haue fit occasion and ample matter of discourse and
his workes of creation and redemption and preseruation of his people though he may not read Gods priora yet he may know Gods poâ—teriora beholding him in his wonders in his words in his sacraments in his sonne principally being the brightnes of his glory and expresse character of his person as Christ in our text he that hath seene mee hath seene also my father I am in the father and the father in mee Hereby prouing himselfe to be God 1. For that we must only beleeue in the Creator and not in any creature 2. Because God only knowes the secret perturbation of the heart and if ye beleeue that I am God ye must also confesse that I am a present helpe in trouble willing and able to relieue you for if God be with you who can stand against you Why then are your hearts troubled as if he should haue said albeit I am to suffer death as man yet I will on the third day raise my selfe againe from the dead as God it is expeâ—hent for you that I dye for your sinnes and rise againe for your iustification and so prepare a place for you in my fathers house that where I am there you may be also mansionsâ— Saint Paul hauing at large disputed of the resurrection in his first Epistle to the Corinthians 15. Chapter prouing that the dead shall rise againe by manifest and manifold arguments taken out of the bookes as well of nature as of Scripture concludeth in fire therefore my beloued brethren 〈…〉 sumoutable 〈…〉 alwayes in the 〈◊〉 of the Lord for as much as we know that your labour is not in vaine So Christ in the Gospell vnto his â—ollowers In the 〈…〉 and all the wicked of the world â—all hate you for my names sake they shall scourge you in their Synagogues and persecute you from City to City not affording to much as an hole Wherein to rest your head in peace yet let not your hearts be troubled as long as in my fathers house there be mansions and I goe to prepare a place for you The Church militant on earth is often called in holy Scripture Gods house wherein he hath a great many mansions as dwelling in our hearts by faith and we likewise haue many places of preferment some being Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and Teachers Ephes 4.11 It is true that God and we too dwell here but it is saith Iob in houses of clay whose foundation is in the dust or as Paul speakes in earthly tabernacles set vp to day and pulled downe to morrow non habemus hic manentem ciuitatem in this world we haue no continuing City For our kingdome which cannot be shaken Heb. 12.28 Our habitation which is euerlasting Luke 16.9 Our inheritance that fades not away 1. Pet. 1.4 Our dwelling place mentioned in our text by Christ is not made with hands but eternall in the heauens 2. Cor. 5.1 Our best houses on earth albeit neuer so gorgeous and neuer so glorious hauing if it be possible walles of gold and windowes of Saphire are not withstanding no better then Innes for strangers and pilgrimes 1. Pet. 2.11 Our mansions and places of abode for euer are in Hierusalem aboue which is without either death or danger Apocalyp 21.4 Wherefore seeing we beleeue in God and looke for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our Sauiour Christ who when he commeth againe shal reciue vs vnto himselfe that where he is in his fathers house there we may be also let vs say with Dauid â—â— by art thou so heauie O my soule and why art thou so disquieted within mee O put thy trust in God and hee shall one day satisfie thee with the plenteousnes of his house for there is not only roome for Christ in Gods house but also place for all his followers the mansions of heauen are many the least of all his souldiers if they fight a good fight and continue faithfull vnto death is rewarded with an incorruptible crowne of glory hauing for his inheritance no lesse then a whole kingdome Againe these mansions are many because the Saints in heauen haue diuerse degrees of glory So Paul 1. Cor. 15.41 There is another glory of the Sunne and another glory of the Moone and another glory of the Starres for one Starre differeth from another in glory so likewise in the resurrection of the dead A great vessell and a little dipped in the same well hold notwithstanding diuers measures according to their capacity so in Gods house euery chosen vessell of honour is filled vp to the brim with the water of life but the better hath vndoubtedly the bigger mansion he that held more charity here shall haue more clarity hereafter Yet as Au gustine notes vpon our text Non erit aliqua inuidra imparis claritatis quoniem regnab it in omnibus vnit as charitatis I goe to prepare a place for you It is said Matth. 25. 34. That the mansions in Gods house were prepared before the foundation of the world how then is it true that Christ at this time goeth to prepare a place Answere is made that the mansions indeed are prepared from all eternity but the men who shall inhabit them as yet were vnprepared It was expedient therefore that the redeemer of the world should die for their sinnes and rise againe for their iustification and ascend into heauen to take possession of this kingdome and to set open the doores of these prepared mansions vnto his followers as also to send vnto them a conforter and a conductor euen the spirit of truth who might leade them in the right way to this place So Saint Augustine acurely Parat quodammando mansiones mansionibus parands mansores Hee prepareth a place by making men sit for the place For election is in Christ and through Christ and so consequently none come to the Father but by the Sonne wee passe by the kingdome of grace to the kingdome of glory for without holinesse it is impossible to see God Touching other readings I referre you to lansen concord cap. 134. and Erasmus annot in loc Lord we know not whether thou goest S. Thomas and S. Philip were so good proficients in Christs schoole that their master in the former chapter at the 10. verse said of them and of the resâ— of their fellowes excepting Iudas the traitor ye are cleane and Saint Peter as the mouth of the company professed openly to whom shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life and we beleeue and know that thou art the Christ the sonne of the liuing God And yet their faith in the houre of tentation as you see was so weake that Saint Thomas said Lord we know not whither thou goest And Saint Philip Lord shew vs thy Father and it sufficeth vs. Now these things
when princes are fidlers the people turne dancers The third person is of whom and that is Iesus in the former treatise we haue spoken of all that Iesus began to doe and teach c. Of all how then is it true which is deliuered by Saint Iohn in the conclusion of his Gospell there are many other things which Iesus did the which if they should be written euery one I suppose thâ— world could not containe the bookes that should be written Againe Saint Luke himselfe after hee had reported the birth of Christ and the purtenances thereof addes no more of him vntill he was twelue yeare olde disputing with the Doctors in the temple and then he relates not of any thing what he did for the space of eighteene yeare from twelue yeare to thirtie By which it doth appeare that all which Iesus did and taught neither is nor can bee written Answere is made by Chrysostome and other that Saint Luke said not I haue written all but of all unsinuating that he wrote all that Iesus did and taught as necessary to the worke of our redemption He did not iâ— his former treatise mention euery thing Iesus did and said but only so much or the chiefe heads of so much as was expedient to be said and done for the full accomplishment of our saluation all is to be referred ad genera singulorum and not ad singula generum Here then is a pregnant text against the Papists holding that beside the word written there be certaine traditions vnwritten which ought to be beleeued as necessarie to saluation See Gospell 1. Sun in Lent It is not said of all that Iesus did but of all that Iesus began to do and teach by which our Euangelist intimates that his Gospel is a story not of such acts as Christ did in the beginning as God but of that only which he did after hee was in the sulnes of time made man and dwelt among vs and became our Iesus And this history Saint Luke diuides into the doings and doctrines of Christ and by doings he doth vnderstand not his morals only but his miracles also yea whatsoeuer Iesus either did or suffered for vs men and our saluation recording his death as well as his life his passions as well as his actions and indeed they must goe together because Christs righteousnes consists in both in doing and in suffering for in suffering he obeyed and in obeying he suffered and the very shedding of his blood to which our redemption is ascribed more particularly must not only be considered as it is passiue that is a suffering but also as it is actiue that is an obedience in which hee shewed his eâ—â—eeding loue both to God and vs in fulfilling the law for vs. In this sense then all the sufferings of Christ are comprehended vnder the word doing his resurrection also from the dead and whatsoeuer else he wrought for our sake Thâ—s was Christs honour that hee was a Prophet mighty indeed and in word before God and all the people First he began to doe then to teach saying to his followers I hâ—ue giuen an example to you learne of me Euery Doctor in like sort must adorne the soundnes of his leaâ—ning with holines of life The present inscription of this booke doth admonish vs of action that a good Apostles dutie consiâ—â—s in doiâ—g as much as in teaching I will here confesse ingeniously with Ardens In hoc mea mei similiâ—m confunditur prisumptio qui multa vobis praedico quae tamen non facio Sed vtinam fratres perâ—eâ—ras orationes ipsa confusio generet in me pudnem pudor correctionem correctio emendationem vt quod prius non feci post quam praedicanerim facerâ— incipâ—am In the text following two points are chiefly considerable namely Christs holy conuersation with his Apostles after his resurrection for the space of 40. dayes verse 3.4.5.6.7.8 glorious ascenâ—ion ensuing that his conuersation verse 9.10.11 I haue spoken of the former often elsewhere the latter is only proper to this our present feast in which obserue three circumstances especially The place of Christs ascension time of Christs ascension manner of Christs ascension The place from whence Christ ascended as we may collect out of this Chapter at the 12. verse was the meâ—nt of Oliues neere Bethanie containing a Sabbath dayes to â—oâ—râ—ry from Ierusalem Hee did ascend from a mount an open high eminent place that he might as sure the certaine truth of his ascension If hee should haue withdrawne himselfe in secret happily the disciples would haue doubted of his ascension as they did a while of his resurrection but now beholding him openly publiquely mounting from a mount they could not but affirme it themselues and confirme it vnto other 2. Christ ascended from a mount rather then from a valley from an high place rather then from a low for that it was one step vnto his iournies ende hereby teaching vs not to looke for extraordinarie miracles so long as ordinarie meanes will serue he went so farre to heauen as he could on earth then being on a mount and so not able by naturall helpe to goe higher a cloud receiued him out of their sight 3. It may be Christ ascended from a mount for that he desired to stay so long and to spend so many houres as he conueniently could in instructing his followers before he departed Hereby demonstrating his exceeding great loue to the disciples in particular as also to the whole Church in generall as you shall heare â—urther in the discussing of the circumstances of time when Christ ascended The mount from whence hee did ascend was the mount of Oliues and it was the same place from whence he went to be crucified One place serued to be a passage both to his crosse and to his crowne signifying hereby that the way to heauen is by the gates of hell as Paul and Barnabas preach Acts 14.22 thorough many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of God A wicked man in prosperity walketh as in the day the Sunne is before but the shadow behind him a good man on the contrary walketh as in the night his shadow goes before but great light and ioy commeth afterward Diues and Lazarus exemplifie this in the 16. of Saint Luke Diues in his life was furnished with rich apparell and filled euery day with delicate fare there was his Sunne-shine but he died and was buried and was exceedingly tormented in hell there was his shadow nay that which is called in the Scriptures vtter darknes Lazarus on the contrary was an obscure base creature full of sorrowes in his soule and sores in his body there was his shadow but when he died hee was conueyed by glorious Angels into the bosome of blessed Abraham there was his light and glory It is an hard and almost impossible thing saith Hierome that any
of God then to command in the Courts of other Princes Now God as earthly Kings hath some seruants in ordinary and other extraordinary All Christians are his sworne seruants extraordinary for they vowed in holy Baptisme to fight vnder Christs banner against the world the flesh and the diuell and to continue his faithfull souldiours and seruants vntil their liues end The true profession of the true saith is Christs liuerie and loue is the cognisance of his liuery for faith working by loue is the wedding garment with Christs badge by this saith he shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye loue one another Princes and Prophets are the seruants of God in ordinary so neere to God in ordinary so neare to God in office that they are called Gods A Magistrate is a singer as it were of Gods owne hand a Preacher is a steward in Gods owne house So Saint Iames as being an Apostle was in this sense the seruant of Iesus Christ and therefore such are deceiued greatly who thinke that this author was not an Apostle because hee calles not himselfe an Apostle for first Iude being an Apostle doth vse the same subscription in this Epistle Iudas the seruant of Iesus Christ. 2. Seruant in his acception is nothing else but an Apostle wherefore many Greeke copies and the Syriac and the vulgar Latine make this title to this Epistle the generall Epistle of S. Iames the Apostle Here theÌ„ obserue that to be called a Minister of Iesus Christ is not as the Papists obiect against our reformed Churches any contemptible stile seeing Saint Iames here doth afford vs a paterne and S. Paul 1. Cor. 4.1 a patent sic nos aestimat homo vt ministros Christi so the Romish translation in Latine and the Rhemish in English lei a man esteeme vs as the Ministers of Christ. Of God and of the Lord Iesus Christ These words are to be construed copulatinely Iames a seruant of Iesus Christ which is God and Lord as Tit. 2.13 looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Sauiour Iesus Christ. For the mediator betweene God and man is perfect God and perfect man and yet not two but one Christ one not by confusion of substance but by vnity of person as Athanasius in his Creed To the twelue tribes which are scattered abroad The Iewes were led captiue to Babylon other countries out of which it is apparant that some neuer returned into Iurie for Paul as wee reade in the storie of the Acts found almost euery where both in Europe and in Asia Synagogues of the Iewes Now this dispersion of Gods owne people for their ingratitude toward him is a manifest argument of his wrathfull indignation against sinne and it is written for our instruction vpon whom the ends of the world are come for if God spared not his naturall branches his peculiar enclosed plant take heed left he also spare not thee which art but a wild Oliue by nature Remember the words of Azariah vnto King Asa the Lord is with you while yee are with him and if ye seeke him hee will bee found of you but if ye for sake him he will for sake you Yet God in his wrath remembers mercy for among these scattered people some were gathered to the Church and truly conuerted vnto Christ vnto whom our Apostle wrote this excellent letter Vt qui dispersicrant corpore congregarentur mente S. Iames I say sent not this instruction vnto Iewes vnconuerted for then hee would haue proued that Iesus was the sonne of Mary the Messias of the world promised to the fathers If he had written vnto the Iewes in generall hee would as S. Matthew did haue penned a booke of the generation of Iesus Christ the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham c. But his greeting is vnto such Iewes as were turned Christians exhorting them to make demonstration of their faith out of their workes leading a life answerable to their profession for the light of the Gospell appearing teacheth vs that we should denie vngodlines and worldly lusts and that we should liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world To conuert Iewes he wrote principally but that which is said vnto them is said vnto vs and all in which respect this letter is entituled the generall or Catholike Epistle of S Iames. Greeting This kind of salutation hath occasioned some to doubt of this Epistles authority Saint Peter and S. Paul in their inscriptions haue grace and peace Saint Iude mercy and peace and loue bee multiplied vnto you But this as they thinke is prophane taken rather out of Platoes Academie 〈◊〉 out of Christs schoole For Plato reports that in Greece the Physitians salutation is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Philosophers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the vulgars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Answere is made that this forme of saluting although it were common among the Heathens is notwithstanding apostolicall and that a paterne hereof is found Act. 15.23 The Apostles and the Elders and the brethren vnto the brethren of the Gentiles in Antiochia and in â—â—ria and in Cicilia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 greeting 2. Saint Iames being a spiritual Physitian wisheth here perfect health of the soule so well as the body 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to reioyce considering he wrote to people dispersed and distressed vnder the Crosse is both as sit and as full as the salutation of peace for there is no true ioy in the spirit without peace of conscience Rom. 14.7 The kingdome of God is not meate nor drinke but righteousnes and peace and â—oy in the holy Ghost an vpright life breedes in the iustified peace of conscience and peace of conscience makes a ioyfull heart temptationsâ— Wee reade Acts 8. that there was a great persecution against the Church at Hierusalem and that all the conuerted Iewes were scattered abroad thorow the regions of Iudea and of Samaria Now for the comfort of these distressed professours as some coniecture S. Iames wrote this instruction and because their condition vnder the crosse was vnto flesh and blood exceeding grieuous he beginneth ire ipsâ— with this exhortation aptly count it all ioy when ye fall into diuerse temptations He that suffers as a murtherer or as a theefe or as an euill doer hath hereby griefe of heart but blessed is the man that endureth temptation in Christs cause To cast our selues into temptation affordes matter of sorrow but if we for righteousnes sake by Gods appointment fall into sundry temptations our sorrow shall be turned into ioy Iohn 16.20 Here the Gospell and Epistle meet our Apostle count it for exceeding ioy when ye fall into diuers temptations is answerable to Christ let not your heart be troubled and both are fitly read on this day which is
solemnized to the praise of God in comme notation of the ioyous Martyrdome of two blessed Apostles Saint Philip who for the constant profession of the Christian faith as Hyppositus reported was vnder Domitian the cruell Emperour crucified with his head downeward and S. Iames euen for the same cause being Bishop of Hierusalem was cast downe headlong by the Scribes and Pharisees from the pinnacle of the temple and afterward stoned and finally brained with a Fullers club This exhortation to constant cheerefulnes vnder the crosse for the Gospell is pressed here by diuers and sundry reasons as expositions haue well obserued all which in breife may bee reduced either to the fruit or else to the root of this Christian vertue The fruit in this world knowing this that the trying of your faith gendreth patience and let patience haue her persit worke c. There is a twofold temptation as Augustine told Consentius vn a deceptionis alter a probat onis a temptation to deceiue which is from the diuell and our owne concupiscence verse 13.14 of this present Chapter Againe there is a temptation to proue and improue the which is from God and so suffering for the Gospell is termed here â—temptation and a triall of our faith The fruit in the world to come is eternall happines vers 12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receiue the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him See Gospell appointed for this day As for the root if any lacke wisedome that is true iudgement how to beare the crosse let him aske it of God he is a giuing God from him is euery good and perfect gift verse 17. Ergo he giueth also this he giueth vnto all indifferently without any respect of person exclude not thy selfe from an vniuersall number he liberally giueth and vpbraideth not after he hath giuen hee giues for the measure fully for the manner cheerefully Wherefore come to him and aske of him in saith and it shall be giuen vnto you See Gospell Sun 5. after Easter The Gospell Iohn 14.1 Iesus said to his disciples let not your hearts be troubled c. THe Prophet Dauid saith a troubled spirit is an acceptable sacrifice to God and it was good for me that I was in trouble How then is it true which is here said by the sonne of Dauid let not your hearts be troubled answere is made that the passions of the minde as anger feare delight and the like are in their owne nature neither simplie commendable nor yet absolutely vituperable but either good or bad as their obiects and endes are good and bad To bee troubled for sinne is a godly sorrow causing repentance to saluation not to bee repented of and therefore grieue for offending God and grieuing his spirit yea grieue much because thou canst grieue no more But an inordinate trouble for the things of this world arising either out of enuy sluggishnes or impatience is forbidden in this sentence let not your hearts be troubled The disciples as yet ambitiously sought after worldly honour conceiuing that Christ ere it were long would restore the kingdome of Israel and so prefer them in his kingdome on earth at his right hand and at his left as yet they did expect a crowne not a crosse Wherefore Christ vnderstanding that they were dismayed at his words in the former Chapter at the 43. verse little children yet a little while am I with you ye shall seeke me but whether I goe can ye not follow me now he commeth in this present vnto that which is Euangeliâ— caput summa the cheife part in the whole body of his Gospel namely to binde vp the broken hearted and to comfort such as mourne in Sioâ— Isaac the signe of Christ is interpreted laughter insinuating that Christ should be the consolation of Israel and great ioy to all his people Luke 2.10.25 scare not as one notes is the first word in the first annunciation of his conception and the first word in the first annunciation of his birth and the first word in the first annunciation of his resurrection and almost the last words in his last exhortation a little before his death are let not your hearts be troubled and be of good comfort strengthening his followers and sweetening his crosse by diuers forcible reasons in our text by two more principally The 1. Is taken from the buckler of faith ye beleeue in God beleeue also in me 2. From the holde of hope in my fathers house are many mansions c. meâ— Concerning the fourefold reading of these words examine Iansen concord cap. 134. Erasmus annot Maldonat com in loc I take them as I find them here ye beleeue in God c. the Saints in olde time thorough faith haue subdued kingdomes wrought righteousnes obtained the promises stopped the mouthes of Lyons quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword of weake were made strong waxed valiant in battell and turned to flight the armies of Aliants In a word faith is a shield where with ye may quench all the fiery darts of the diuell Ephes. 6.16 If ye beleeue them in God and cast all your care on him he that is the father of mercies and God of all comfort will assuredly so care for you that yre shall not any longer be troubled in your hearts a little faith euen so small as a graine of mustard seed is able to remoue mountaines of distrust out of your soule faith is a buckler and a buckler guarde th especially the head and the heart that is the vnderstanding and the will vt non turbetur intellectus non formidet affectus Here humane weaknes doth obiect as Philip at the 8. verse Lord shew vs the father and it sufficeth vs. It is true that we beleeue God and beleeue in God also but yet our hearts are troubled thirsting after his sight and sensible knowledge we would faine see that we beleeue so Moses in the 33. Chapter of Exodus I beseech thee shew me thy glory to whom answere was made by the Lord thou can't not see my face for there shall no man see my face and liue yet behold there is a place by me and thou shall stand and vpon the roâ—ke and while my glorie passeth by I will put thee in a cleft of the rocke and will couer thee with mine band whiles I passe by then I will take away mine hand and thou shalt see my backe parts but my face shall not be seene This rocke is Christ as Paul in another case 1. Cor. 10.4 and the Church is a dâ—ue in the holes of the rocke Caâ—t 2.14 Whosoeuer then is placed in Christs Church and hath faiths eye may see God in his hinder parts as in the world hee passeth by that is in