first we must beleeue Christ to be that Iesus vers 11. that great Prophet who is the Messias and Sauiour of the world For the second wee must professe and confesse this faith hauing Hosanna in our mouthes and crying Blessed is he that commeth in the Name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest vers 9. For the third we must spread our garments in the way cut downe branches from the trees and straw them in the passage vers 8. that is forsake all and follow Christ profering and offering our selues whollie to his seruice or as the Epistle doth expound the Gospell seeing our saluation is neere the night past and the day come let vs cast away the works of darknes and put on the armour of light c. I am occasioned here iustly to direct their ignorance who do not vnderstand and correct their obstinacie who will not vnderstand the wisdome of the Church so fitly disposing of the Gospels and Epistles as that often the one may serue for a Commentary to the other As heere S. Matth. Behold thy King commeth And S. Paul Our saluation is nigh and the day is come S. Paul doth aduise not to make prouision for the flesh and S. Matthew reports how the people accompanying Christ spread their garments in the way S. Paul commands loue in all men S. Matthew commends loue in these men who gaue such entertainment vnto Christ. The whole Gospell is a liuely picture of the Church in which are foure sorts of persons especially 1. Christ who is King and head verse 5. and 12. 2. Prophets who loose men from their sinnes and bring them vnto Christ verse 2. and 7. 3. Auditors who beleeue that Christ is the Messias openly professing this faith Hosanna to the Sonne of Dauid vers 9. and manifesting this faith also by their works in obeying the Ministers of Christ verse 3. and performing the best seruice they can verse 8. 4. Aduersaries who much enuy Christs kingdome saying Who is this verse 10. Concerning Christs seueritie toward those who played the Merchants in the Temple See Gospell Dom. 10. post Trinit Epist. ROM 15.4 Whatsoeuer things are written aforetime they are written for our learning c. THis Scripture containes in it three things concerning the Scripture What it is written Shewing the Scriptures authority When aforetime Shewing the Scriptures antiquity Why for our learning Shewing the Scriptures vtility For the first things only told passing thorough many mouthes are easily mistold it is long ere we get them and we soone forget them Almighty God therefore commanded that his Law should be written in bookes and engrauen in stone that the syllables thereof might alway be in our eyes so well as the sound in our eares and that for two causes especially 1. That the godly man might exercise himselfe therein day and night 2. That the wicked might neither adde to it nor detract from it In like maner albeit the sound of the thundring Apostles went out thorough all the earth and their words vnto the ends of the world yet the Spirit of wisedome thought it meete that there should be a treatise written of all that Christ did and said and that from point to point entituled The Booke of the generation of Iesus Christ. The Scripture then is a Bible because written and the Bible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in many respects excelling all other bookes especially for the maker and matter in so much that S. Paul saith If an Angell from heauen preach otherwise let him be accursed And Iustin Martyr goes yet further If Christ himselfe should preach another God or another Gospell I would not beleeue him Ipse non crederem Domino Iesu. This doctrine makes against vnwritten verities of Papists and fond reuelations of Anabaptists and factious interpretations of Schismatikes and impudent conceits of Libertines all which equall their owne phantasies with the Scriptures authority The Papists and Schismaticks are all for a speaking Scripture the Libertines and Anabaptists are all for an infused scripture the true Catholicks only for the written scripture to the Law and to the Testimony Thy word is a lanterne vnto my feet and a light vnto my paths The second point to be considered is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scriptures written aforetime being the first booke so well as the best booke for as Tertullian was wont to call Praxeas hesternum Praxean so we may terme the most ancient Poets and Philosophers in comparison of Moyses vpstart writers Omnia Graecorum sunt nâ—ua heri As Galaton painted Homer vomiting Reliquos verò poetas ea quae ipse euomuisset haurientes to signifie saith Aelian that he was the first Poet and all other as well Greeke as Latine but his apes In like maner Moyses is called by Theodoret Oceanus theologiae the sea of Diuinitie from whom all other writers as riuers are deriued The which point as it is excellentlie confirmed by Theodoret Clemens Iosephus and others so it is ingeniously confessed euen by the heathen Historiographers Eupolemus lib. de Iudaeaâ— regibus auoweth Moyses to be the first wise man Plato that a barbarous Egyptian was the first inuentor of Arts Appion Ptolomey Palaemon haue granted the same and vpon the point Strabo Plinie Cornelius Tacitus and others as â—icinus reports lib. de religione Christiana cap. 26. To demonstrate this more particularly The Troian war is the most ancient subiect of human history but Trâ—y was taken in the dayes of Dauid about the yeare of the world 2788. and Homer flourished anno 3000. whereas Moyses was borne anno 2373. Secondly this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confutes the Marcionites and Manichees and all such as reiect the old Testament For the place to which the text hath reference is taken out of the 69. Psalme verse 9 that the scriptures of Moses and the Prophets are written for our instruction It is plain by Christs iniunctioÌ„ Search the Scriptures as also by that of our Apostle 1. Cor. 10. These things happened vnto them for ensamples and were written to admonish vs vpon whom the ends of the world are come If all little histories then much more the great mysteries are our scholemasters vnto Christ Let vs examine therefore the third obseruable point concerning the Scriptures vtilitie Whatsoeuer things are written afore time they are written for our learning The Scripture saith Paul is the peoples instruction the Scripture say the Papists in the vulgar tongue is the peoples destruction The Scripture saith Paul doth make the man of God absolute the Scripture say the Papists in a knowne language makes men hereticall and dissolute but the Bible makes men heretikes as the Sunne makes men blinde and therefore Wickliffe truly To condemne the word of God translated in any language for heresie is to make God
Gods vnspeakable loue who sent his Sonne his first begotten onely begotten Sonne whom he loued as himselfe The very character and brightnes of his glory to deliuer vs his seruants vndutifull as vnprofitable from the hands of all our enemies If thou hast any feeling of these mysteries any faith be it so small as a graine of mustard seed euermore reioice in the Lord. For thy sanctification also many men in a reprobate sense doe not call vpon God cannot call vpon God Whereas he hath giuen thee grace to pray with the congregation publikely with thine owne family priuatly with thy selfe secretly giuing thee grace to feele thy sinnes and to be sorie for the same reioice for these good benefits in possession and againe reioice for those mercies of God in expectation for that most excellent and etâ—rnall weight of glory which he hath laid vp and in that day will giue to such as loue his appearing Let vs euermore reioice in this hope saying with Habacuk I will reioice in the Lord I will ioy in the God of my saluation Faith is the mother of our reioicing in the Lord for Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith and faith is by hearing of the word spirituall ioy then is increased by reading hearing meditating on holy Scriptures I haue spoken vnto you these things that my ioy might remâ—â—ne in you Luke 24.32 Did not our hearts burne within vs while he talked with vs and opened vnto vs the Scriptures It is increased also by good life For as sin doth grieue the spirit so good workes on the contrary cheere the soule Prouerbs 21.15 It is ioy to the iust to doe iudgement Here the Gospell and Epistle parallell for the way of the Lord is prepared especially by faith and repentance Now poenitens de peccato dolet de dolore gaudet He that is a good man sorroweth in his sinnes and reioiceth in his sorrow and that he may doe this he must reioice in the Lord wherefore be not carefull for that which is worldly but make your patient mind knowne vnto men and let your petitions bee manifest vnto God And the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding keepe your hearts and minds through Christ giuing you many ioyes in this life to the end and in the next his eternall ioy without end Amen The Gospel IOHN 1.19 This is the record of Iohn When the Iewes sent Priests and Leuites from Ierusalem to aske him What art thou THis Gospell is a dialogue betweene certaine Priests and Iohn the Baptist. The Priests inquire after his person and place cariage and calling Their interrogatories are fiue the which are answered by S. Iohn seuerally shewing and that directly both what he was not as also what he was not Christ not Elias not the Prophet but the voice of a Crier in the wildernesse The first question is Who art thou Quis ego sum is the question of a good man Tu quis es of an enuious He that hath a bad house gads abroad The wicked are busie Bishops in other meÌ„s diocesses A true saying in it selfe but vpon this text a false glosse for it belonged vnto the Priests office to mannage the businesse of the Church and exactly to know what euery Prophet was And albeit Euthâ—mius is of opinion that the Iewes herein malitiously disabled their knowledge yet it is more probable that they made this question to see whether he was Christ. For as we readâ— Luke 3.15 All men mused in their hearts of Iohn if he were not the Christ and our Sauiour told the Iewes plainly that they for a time reioiced more in Iohn who was but a candle then in himselfe who was the Sunne of righteousnesse and light of the world and albeit these messengers vttered not so much in word yet assuredly they harboured such a conceit in their hearts therefore Iohn answering their intention rather then their question acknowledged ingenuously that he was not the Christ. In which answere obserue the matter and the manner In the matter he confessed the truth denying himselfe where note his modesty and acknowledging Christ to be the Messias where note his constancie Fortè saith Gregory graue non est gloriam honorem non petere sed valde graue est non eum suscipere cum offertur It was then great humility to refuse this honour which not onely the people but also the Priests as it should seeme were ready to cast vpon him hereby teaching vs in all our actions to seeke not our owne but Gods glory saying with this holy Baptist he must increase but we must decrease The constant resolution of Iohn is also remarkeable confessing Christ freely not only before the multitude but also before the Leuites and Pharisies men of great learning and no lesse place in the Church and such as he might well suspect would call his preaching into question But the maner of his confession exceeds far the matter hee confessed and denied not and said plainly I am not Christ. The which words are not superfluous and idle for euery tittle of the Scriptures hath his worth and weight Such repetitions are vsuall in the Bible to set out things more fully as vanity of vanities vanity of vanities and all is vanity Returne returne O Shulamite returne returne O earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord. By this iteration then of one and the same thing S. Iohn shewed how vnwilling hee was to rob Christ of that honour which onely belongâ—d vnto him When Cornelius fell downe at Peters feet and would haue worshipped him Peter instantly tooke him vp saying Stand vp for euen I my selfe am a man When the men of Lystra would haue sacrificed vnto Paul Barnabas they rent their clothes and ran in amóg the people crying We are euen men subiect to the like passions that yee be When that other Iohn would haue worshipped the glorious Angell who shewed him his reuelation he said vnto Iohn See thou do it not for I am thy fellow seruant so carefull are Gods children in all ages to giue God the things appertaining to God honour to whom honour feare to whom feare diuine worship to whom diuine worship belongeth Here wee may iustly condemne the Papists in giuing that kind of worship to the crosse which is onely due to Christ. If a man should aske them whether the crucifix were Christ I hope they would answer with Iohn and deny and confesse plainly that it is not the Christ. Giue then to the crucifix the respect due to the crucifix reseruing to the crucified that honour which onely belongs to the crucified If a man should aske the bread in the Sacrament What art thou it would answere plainly with Iohn in such language as it can I am not the Christ approuing it selfe to our sight and taste that it is a morsell of bread a
the works of darknesse put on tender mercy kindnesse humblenesse of mind which are weapons of light It is due debt that you should be followers of God forbearing one another and forgiuing one another as Christ forgaue you See epist. dom 3. quadrages The Nouelists except against our Seruice Booke for omitting here two titles holy and beloued Our answer is that the word elect implies the rest for if elect then beloued and holy The Church omits not the greater and infers the lesser as the Churches of Scotland and Middleburge call Gods heauy iudgements vpon the wicked a little rap Psal. 74.12 and bread of affliction broâ—ne bread Psal. 127.2 Contrary not onely to the Geneua Bible but euen Câ—luins exposition of the place If these friuolous obiections be their aqua coelestis to keepe life in their fainting cause we may toll the passing bell and ere long ring out to the funerall Let the word of Christ That is the Scripture the Gospell especially so called in respect of three causes Efficient for he speakes in the Prophets and Apostles I am he that doth speake behold it is I. Materiall for hee is the contents of all the Bible shadowed in the Law shewed in the Gospell vnam vocem habent duo Testamenta The word of the Lord containes nothing but the word which is the Lord. Finall as being the end of the whole Law scope of all the Prophets euer since the world began Wherefore seeing the Scriptures haue Christ for their author Christ for their obiect Christ for their end well may they be called the word of Christ. Dwell We must not entertaine the word as a stranger giuing it a cold complement and so take our leaue but because it is Gods best friend the Kings best friend and our best friend we must vse it as a familiar and domesticke receiuing it into the parlor of our heart making it our chamber fellow study fellow bed fellow Things of lâ—sse moment are without doore the staffe behind the doore sed quae pretiosa sunt noâ— vno seruantur ostio things of worth are kept vnder many locks and keyes It is fit then that the word being more pretious then gold yea the most fine gold a peerlesse pearle should not be laid vp in the Porters lodge onely the outward eare but euen in the cabinet of the mind Deut. 11.18 Ye shall lay vp these my words in your heart and in your soule so the word that now doth plenteously dwell among you may dwell plenteously in you Plenteously Reade heare meditate with all attention exactly with all intention deuoutly with all diligence throughly Iohn 5.39 Search the Scriptures Esay 8.20 to the law to the testimony Apocalyps 1.3 Blessed is he that reades and heares and keepes the words of this prophecie not onely reade nor onely heare nor onely meditate but all sometime reade to rectifie meditation and sometime meditate to profit by reading Lectio sine meditatione arida meditatio sine lectione erronea It is reported of Alphonso King of Spaine that hee read ouer all the Bible with Lyraes postil fourteene times And Augustine writes of Antonius an Egyptian Monke that hauing no learning he did by hearing the Scriptures often read get them without booke and after by serious and godly meditation vnderstand them This one word plenteously confutes plenteously first ignorant people who cannot secondly negligent people who will not reade and heare thirdly delicate people who loath the Scriptures as vnpleasant preferring the Poets before the Prophets admitting into their house the writings of men before the word of God fourthly perfunctory students in the Bible turning ouer not the whole but some part and that so coldly that as it is said of the Delphicke Oracle quoties legitur toties negligitur a lesson is no sooner got but it is forgot fiftly couetous people who will not giue to their Pastor plenteously that the word may dwell in them plenteously Nehemia complained in his time that the Leuites for want of maintenance were faine to leaue the Temple and follow the plow And Saint Augustine made the like complaint in his age whereupon in processe of time Clergy men inuented such points of superstition as were most aduantageous vnto them Hence they â—aked heil and found out Purgatory to make the Popes kitchin smoke an inuention not knowne vnto the Greeke Church for the space of 1500. yeeres after Christ and but of late knowne to the Latine Hence praier for the dead indulgences and other new trickes of popery which are more for the Priests belly then the peoples benefit God of his infinite goodnesse forgiue Britans ingratitude in this kind and grant that the burning lamps in our Temple may be supplied with sufficient oile that the light of Israel goe not out Sixtly this condemes Enthusiasts despising the word and ministery Seuenthly the Marcionits and Manichees reiecting Moses and the Prophets Last of all and most of all the Papists in denying the vulgar translations of Scripture to the common people Let the word of God dwell in you that is in all you Priest and people Non in nobis modo sed in vobis as Saint Hierom peremptorily Hic ostenditur verbum Christi non sufficientèr sed abundantèr etiam laicos habere debere docerese inuicem vel monere The word must dwell in vs Ergo the Bible must be in our house It must dwell plenteously Ergo we must reade daily but as it followes in the text With all wisdome The Papists as well in the Church as in the street chant scripture plenteously but because their hymnes are not in a knowne tongue it is without vnderstanding The Brownists in their bookes and sermons often cite scripture plenteously but it is not in wisdome Learned Origen notes well and where hee doth well none better that heretikes are scripturarum fures great lurchers of holy writ but they so wrest it that as Hierom speaks Euangelium Christi fit euangelium hominis aut quod peius est dâ—aboli Table Gospellers are full of text It is ordinary to discusse diuinitie problemes euen at ordinaries a custome very common but by the censure of our Church no way commendable For the 37. Iniunction forbids all men to reason of diuine scripture rashly and the greatest part of Archbishop Cranmers preface before the Church Bible is spent against idle brabling and brawling in matters of Theology And a graue Diuine much esteemed in our daies held it better for venturous discoursers of predestination and sinne against the holy Ghost that they had neither tongues in their heads nor hearts in their breasts then that they should continue in this irreuerend vsage Manlius reports how two meeting at a tauerne contended much to little purpose about their faith One said he was of Doctor Martins religion and the other sware he was of Doctor Luthers
our selues in the waies of wickednesse a worke it is but blacke worke a deed of darkenesse in that it doth begin from Satan who is the Prince of darknesse and end in hell which is vtter darknesse See before the song of Simeon and Aquin. lect 3. vpon this Chapter Holy vertues are called armour of light armour because with them a Christian must fight against his enemies Ephes. 6. See Epist. Dom. 21. post Trin. Light in three respects 1. As proceeding from God who is the Father of lights Iames 1.17 2. Shining before men as lights in the world Mat. 5.16 3. Enduring the light Iohn 3.20.21 He that doth euill hateth the light but he that doth truth commeth to the light Let vs walke honestly c. That is comely night walkers are negligent in their habits an old gowne will serue their turne without ruf or cuf or other handsome trimme But in the day men are ashamed except they be in some good fashion according to their qualitie Seeing then the night is past and the day is come let vs put off our night-clothes and put on our apparell for the day so walking as we care not who seeth vs in all comelinesse and honestie The drunkard is in his night gowne the fornicator in his night-gowne the factious schismaticke full of strife in his night-gowne too for he loues no comelinesse in the Church Not in eating and drinking neither in chambering and wantonnesse neither in strife and enuying Here the Nonelists except against our translation For we should read surfetting and drunkennesse I answere first in particular that as the Scripture must bee construed by Scripture so the Church by the Church it being an axiom in our law that euery man must interpret himselfe And another rule Sententia benignior in verbis generalibus seu dubijs est praeferenda Now the Church elsewhere translates and expounds it as they would haue it Ergo their cauill is causelesse In generall concerning mistranslation I referre them vnto those whom it more properly concernes I know they know we can easily find faults in the Geneua translation of the Psalmes in English meeter vsed most and preferred best of all Scriptures in their priuate and publike deuotions If a Salamandrie spirit should traduce that godly labour as the silenced Ministers haue wronged our Communion booke they would obiect peraduenture that sometime there wants in it reason as well as rhythme Lâ—â—â—antius reports of Arcesilas that hauing throughly considered the contradictions and oppositions of Philosophers one against another in fine contemned them all Et constituit nouam non philosophandi philosophiam euen so worldlings and Atheists expending the differences of Christians in matters of religion haue resolued to be of no religion And vnderstanding the violent contentions about formes of prayer and translations of Scriptures vse no prayer no bible but make Lucian their old testament and Machiauel their new The Church as Paul meanes too much eating and drinking for it is lawfull to eat all manner of meat whether it bee flesh or fish But there be certaine hedges ouer which we may not leape The first hedge is Leuit. 19.26 Thou shalt not eate the flesh with the bloud that is to say raw flesh for if wee should ordinarily deuoure raw flesh it would ingender in vs a certaine crueltie so that at length we should eate one another as Diuines expound that place we may not be Canibals or man-eaters against this sinne God hath set an high hedge Thou shalt not kill extreame famine made mothers murtherers and turned the sanctuarie of life into the shambles of death extreame necessitie breakes all hedges of nurture and nature but in ordinarie course man is no meate for man but as Ignatius said only manchet for God a seruice and sacrifice for his maker Happily some will say well then if I deuoure not mans flesh I may eate whatsouer I lift howsoeuer I get it No God hath set a second hedge Thou shalt not steale thou mayest not take thy neighbours oxe out of his stall nor his sheepe out of his fold nor his fish out of his poole but thou must feede on thiâ—e owne meate bought into thine owne house or brought vp in thine house on that only which is giuen or gotten honestly Neither mayest thou commit gluttonie with thine owne for there is a third hedge Luke 21.34 Take heed to your selues lest at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfetting and drunkennes The gut is a gulfe vitae charybdis as Diogenes aptly for some man draweth all his patrimonie thorow his throat As the Babylonians vsed daily to sacrifice to their Bell so the glutton to his belly making it his god Philip. 3.19 Eate therefore moderately â—â—eate that is meete not too much but so much as doth neither praecidere nor excedere necessitatem It is lawfull sometime to feast and to prouide delicates as well as cates vsing daintie bread in stead of daily bread but we may not with the rich Epicure fare deliciously euery day for this is dissipare non dispensare bona Domini prodigallie to waste not frugallie to spend the gifts of our Lord bestowed vpon vs. Neither mayest thou take vnmeasurablie what and when thou lift for there is a fourth hedge Rom. 14.15 Destroy not him with thy meate for whom Christ died Haue respect to thine owne and others conscience first thou must instruct thy brother in the truth and then if he continue still in his old Mumpsimus and will not beleeue but is offended out of obstinate wickednesse rather then any weakenes eate not regarding his frowardnes especially where the Princes law commands thee to eat for that is another hedge Rom. 13.1 Let euery soule submit himselfe vnto the authority of the higher power Obseruing of Lent and fish-dayes is a policie of the State for the maintenance of fisher-townes and increase of fisher-men and therefore this Statute must be obeyed not only for feare of punishment but also for conscience saith Paul I say conscience not of the thing which of it owne nature is indifferent but of our obedience which by thâ— law of God we owe to the Magistrate The particular lawes of Princes grounded vpon the generall lawes of God euen in things indifferent makes our obedience not indifferent but necessarie Thus thou mayest eate food of thine own moderately without offence to thy brother or disobedience to thy gouernour Concerning drunkennes and the rest often elsewhere yet by the way note the craftines of the Diuell and vnhappines of sinne which seldome or neuer commeth alone it is vnlike the Raile which flieth solitarie and in this respect most like the Partridge who calles one another till they make a couey first Paul brings in sinne by the brace gluttony and drunkennes chambering and wantonnes strife and enuying then as it were by the whole couey for all these birds of a feather flie
together immoderate diet begets chambering chambering wantonnes wantonnes strife strife enuying thus sinne doth first couple then increase This text ought to be regarded of vs the more because it was the very place to which Augustine that renowned Doctour by a voyce from heauen was directed at his first conuersion as himselfe witnesseth Lib. 8. confess cap. 12. Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ. As we must put off the old man so put on the new man and that is done two waies either by putting on his merits or by putting on his maners Our Sauiour Christ in his life but in his death especially wrought for vs a garment of saluation and a long white robe of righteousnes now the spirituall hand of faith must apprehend and fit this wedding apparell on vs in such sort that all our vnrighteousnes may be forgiuen and all our sinne couered Secondly we must put on the maners and excellent vertues of Christ in whom was no worke of darknes but all armour of light so the phrase is vsed Iob 29.14 I put on iustice and it couered me my iudgement was a robe and a crowne This apparell is the true Perpetuan neuer the worse but the better for wearing The Gospel MATTH 21.1 And when they drew nigh vnto Hierusalem c. CHrist is Alpha and Omega the first and the last the beginning and ending wherefore the Church allotting a seuerall scripture for euery seueral Sunday thoroughout the whole yeare begins and ends with the comming of Christ for the conclusion of the last Gospell appointed for the last Sunday is Of a truth this is the same Prophet that should come into the world and the first sentence in the first Gospell for the first Sunday Behold thy king commeth vnto thee Wherein the Church imitated the method of Gods owne Spirit for as the first prophesie mentioâ—ed in the old Testament is The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpents head and the first historie deliuered in the new Testament is The booke of the generation of Iesus Christ so the first Gospell on the first Dominical according to the Churches account is Aduentual a scripture describing Christ and his kingdome fitting the text vnto the time teaching vs hereby two things especially first what maner of person the Messias is who doth come secondly what maner of persons we should be now he is come In the former part obserue two points a Preface All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of by the prophet verse 4. Prophesie taken out of Zacha. 9.9 Tell the daughter of Sion c. All this was done that it might be fulfilled An vsuall phrase with our Euangelist as cap. 1.22 cap. 8.17 cap. 27. 35. It doth insinuate the sweet harmonie betweene the Prophets and Apostles as Numenius said Plato was nothing els but Moyses translated out of Hebrew into Greeke and Ascham that Virgil is nothing els but Homer turned out of Greeke into Latine and as the Nouelists affirme that our Communion Booke is nothing els but the Romane Missall and Portuis thrust out of Latine into English and as Diuines haue censured Cyprian to be nothing els but Tertullian in a more familiar and elegant stile so the new Testament is nothing els as it were but an exposition of the old That difference which Zeno put betweene Logicke and Rhetorick Diuines vsually make betweene the Law and the Gospell the Law like the fist shut the Gospell like the hand open Euangelium reuelata Lex Lex occultum Euangelium The Gospell a reuealed Law the Law a hidden Gospell This harmonicall concent may serue to confound our aduersaries and to comfort our selues It doth abundantly confute obstinate Iewes who expect another Messias to come conceiting as yet all things not to be done in the Gospell which was said of him in the Law so that whereas the great question of the world is Who is that Christ and the great question of the Church Who is that Antichrist the Iewish Rabbins are ignorant in both Secondly this harmonie conuinceth all suâ—h Hereticks as hold two sundry disagreeing Gods to be the authors of the two Testaments one of the Law another of the Gospell It affordeth also comfort first in generall it may perswade the conscience that the Bible is the booke of God For if Prolomee was astonished at the 72. Interpreters because being placed in sundry roomes and neuâ—r conferring nor seeing one another did notwithstandiâ—g write the same not only for sense of matter but in sound of words vpon the selfe-same text as Iustin Martyr and Augustine report then how should we be moued with the most admirable diuine concoâ—dance betweene the Prophets and Apostles who writing the word of God in diuers places at diuers times vpon diuers occasions do notwithstanding agree so generally that they seeme not diuers pen-men but rather inâ—â—â—ed only diuers pens of one and the same writer In more particular it may strengthen our faith in the gracious promises of Almighty God he speakes the word and it is done commands and it is effected Heauen and earth shall passe but not one iot of his word shal perish he promised by Zachary that the Messias of the world should come and he tels vs here by Matâ—hew that he is come All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet Behold thy king commeth vnto thee Thus much of the Prâ—face generally now to fist the words seuerally Thaâ— is taken here non causaliter sed consecutiuè not for an efficient cause but rather for a consequence and euent Christ did not thus â—ide into Hierusalem because Zachary foretold it but Zachary foretold it because Christ would thus ride Christ being the complement of the Prophets and end of the Law yet the word That insinuates as Chrysostome notes the finall cause why Christ did thus ride namely to certifie the Iewes how that himselfe only was that King of whom their prophet Zachâ—ry did thus speake that none but he was the King of the Iewes and Messias of the world Fulfilled A prophesie may be said to be fulfilled foure wayes especially 1. When the selfe-same thing comes to passe which was literally deliuered in the prophesie So S. Math. cap. 1.22 saith Esayes prophesie Behold a Virgin shall conceiue c. was fulfilled in Mary who brought forth a Sonne c. 2. When the thing allegorically signified is fulfilled as Exod. 12 46. it is said of the Paschall Lambe Yee shall not breake a bone thereof yet S. Iohn cap. 19.36 affirmes this to be fulfilled in Christ The souldiers brake not his legs that the scripture should be fulfilled Not a bone of him shall be broken 3. When as neither the thing literally nor allegorically ment but some other like is done so Christ Math. 15. tels the peâ—â—le in his time that the words of Esay This people draweth neere vnto
an heretike Not to presse this place nor vrge any other scripture we may beate the Rhemish and Romish in this controuersie with their owne weapons Antiquitie and Custome For it is acknowledged that the Christians in old time read the Bible to their great edification and increase of faith in their mother tongue The Armenians had the Psalter and some other peeces of Scripture translated by S. Chrysostome The Sclauonians by S. Hierome the Goths by Vulpilas and that before he was an Arian The Italians three hundred yeers since by Iames Archbishop of Genua and the Bible was in French also two hundred yeeres agoe Beside these the Syrians Arabians Aethioptans had of ancient time the Scriptures in their seuerall languages as it is manifest by those portions of them which are at this day brought from their countries into this part of the world To speake of our owne countrey venerable Beda did translate the whole Bible into the Saxon tongue and the Gospel of S. Iohn into English K. Alfred also considering the great ignorance that was in his kingdome translated both the Testaments into his natiue language Queene Anne wife to Richard the second had Scriptures translated in the vulgar as Thomas Arundel then Archbishop of Yorke and Chancellor of England mentioned at her funerall sermon anno 1394. Moreouer in a Parliament of this King Richard there was a bill put in to disanull the Bible traÌ„slated into English vnto which Iohn Duke of Lancaster answered and said We will not be the refuse of al men other Nations haue Gods lawes in their owne language Thomas Arundel as we reade in the constitutions of Linwood being translated vnto the sea of Canterburie made strait prouision in a Councell holden at Oxford that no version set out by Wickliffe or his adherents should be suffered being not approued by the Diocesan It is apparent then out of our owne Chronicles that the Bible was turned into the mother tongue before and after the Conquest before and after the time of Wickliffe before and after the daies of Luther and all this paine was vndertaken by good and holie men that the people of God reading and vnderstanding the Scripture through patience and comfort of the Sonne might haue certaine hope of another life As then I condemne the malice of Papists in forbidding so likewise the negligence of carnall Gospellers in forbearing to reade those things aforetime written for our learning Our forefathers heretofore spared neither cost nor paine they ventred their crownes and their heads too for the new TestameÌ„t in English translated by Master Tyndall and when they could not heare the Gospell in the Church publikely they receiued much comfort by reading it in their houses priuately the very children became fathers vnto their parents and begat them in Christ euen by reading a few plaine Chapters vnto them in a corner but in our time when euery shop hath Bibles of diuers translations editions volumes annotations the number of those who can readâ— is but small the number of those who doe reade is lesse the number of those who reade as they should least of all If a learned Clerk should â—en a treatise for thy particular instruction thou wouldest instantly with all diligence peruse it If a Nobleman should send thee gracious letters concerning thy preferment thou wouldest with all dutifull respect entertaine theÌ„ If thy father or some other friend taking a iourney into a farre countrey should penne his Will and leaue it in thine hands and custody thou wouldest hold it as a great token of his loue Behold the Bible is written by Wisedome it selfe for our learning that we may be perfect vnto all good workes It is Gods Epistle and Letters patent wherein are granted vnto vs many gracious immunities and priuiledges it is his Testament wherein all his will is reuealed whatsoeuer hee would haue done or vndone and therefore let vs pray with the Church that wee may in such wise reade holie Scriptures heare mark learne and inwardly digest them that by patience and comfort of Gods holie word wee may embrace and euerhold fast the hope of euerlasting life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen The Gospel LVKE 21.25 There shall be signes in the Sunne c. THe Sunne of righteousnesse appeareth in three signes Leo. Virgo Libra First roring as a Lion in the Law so that the people could not endure his voyce Then in Virgo borne of a Virgin in the Gospell in Libra weying our workes in his ballance at the last and dreadfull audite Or there is a three-fold comming of Christ according to the three-fold difference of time Past. Present Future Which Bernard hath vttered elegantly venit ad homines in homines contra homines He came among men in time past when as the Word was made flesh and dwelt among vs hee comes into men in the present by his grace and holie Spirit Apoc. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the doore and knocke He shall in the future come against men to iudge both the quicke and the dead but the Sonne of man hath but two commings in the forme of man his first comming in great meeknes his second in exceeding maiestie At his first comming he rode vpon an asse in his second as it is here said he shall ride vpon the clouds In his first comming he came to be iudged in his second he comes to iudge In his first comming the people did triumph and reioyce crying Hosanna but in his second comming the people shall bee at their wits end for feare and for looking after those things which shall come on the world In that therefore the Church hath adioyned this Gospell of his second comming vnto that other of his first comming it doth teach all Teachers this lesson that their song be like Dauids of iudgement and mercie that in all their sermons they mingle faith and feare that they preach Christ to be a Iudge so well as an Aduocate This method Christ himselfe did vse who did as well expound the Law as propound the Gospell who denounced woe to the proud Pharisies and pronounced blessednesse to the poore in spirit who powred wine and oyle into the wounds of him that was halfe dead oyle which is supple wine which is sharpe and when he departed he gaue to the host two pence that is to the Preachers who take charge of him the two Testaments and willed them to temper and applie these two till hee come againe that thinking on the Gospell we might neuer despaire and thinking on the Law wee might neuer presume that looking vpon Christs first comming wee might reioyce and expecting his second comming wee might feare because there shall be signes in the Sunne and in the Moone c. In handling whereof I will not trouble you with idle curiosities only note two plaine points Especiallie to wit the Certaintie Of Christs second comming Especiallie
saith Hebr. 1.1 that God the Father in olde time spake by the Prophets Esay doth ascribe this vnto the Sonne My people shall know my name in that day they shall know that I am he who sent to them and the reason hereof is plaine because all the workes of the sacred Trinitie quoad extra be common vnto all the three persons and so God the Father and God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost send The persons diuersitie then alters not the sacred Identitie but as Interpreters obserue that text of Malachie compared with this of Matthew proues notably that God the Father and God the Sonne are all one their power equall their maiestie coeternall My messenger In the vulgar Latin Angelum meum Origen therefore thought Iohn was an Angell but other expositours more fitly that the Baptist was Angelus officioÌ„ non naturâ so Malachie cals other Prophets Angels in his 2. Chapt. 7. The Priests lips shall preserue knowledge and they shall sâ—eke the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts Angelus Domini so Preachers are called Angels in the new Testament that is messengers and ambassadours of God and here the Gospell agrees with the Epistle This is a paterne of S. Pauls precept Preachers are to be respected as the Ministers of Christ and stewards of God for God saith of Iohn the Baptist Behold I send my messenger c. Happily some will obiect if ordinarie Prophets are called Angels how doth this testimonie proue Iohn to be more then a Prophet Answere is made by Zacharie that Iohn is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prophet here by Matthew that Angell as it were bedell or gentleman vsher vnto Christ. As then in a solemne triumph they be most honoured who goe next before the king so Iohn being next vnto Christ euen before his face is greater then they who went farre off he was the voice Christ the word now the word and the voice are so nâ—ere that Iohn was taken for Christ. Againe Iohn may be called that Angell in regard of his carriage so well as his calling for albeit he did no miracle yet as one said his whole life was a perpetuall miraâ—le first his conception was wonderfull begotten saith Ambrose with prayer Non tà m complexibus quà m orationibus An Angell from heauen auoucheth as much in the first of Luke verse 13. Feare not Zacharie for thy prayer is heard and thy wife Elizabeth shall beare thee a Sonne and thou shalt call his name Iohn It was another miracle that a babe which could not speake yea that was vnborne began to execute his angelicall office and to shew that Christ was neere that dumbe Zacharie should prophesie was a third wonder at his circumcision and so the whole life of Iohn was very strange liuing in the wildernes more like an Angell then a man and in a word those things which are commendable in other seuerally were found in him all ioyntly being a Prophet Euangelist Confessor Virgin Martyr liuing and dying in the truth and for the truth I know not as Ambrose speakes whether his birth or death or life was more wonderfull How Iohn doth prepare the way before Christ is shewed in the Gospell on next Sunday yet obserue this much in generall that it is the Ministers office to shew men the right way to saluation and to bring them vnto God our Sauiour hath promised to come vnto men it is our dutie therefore to knocke at the doores of your heart by preaching faith and repentance to prepare the way for our master that when himselfe knocks he may be let in and so sup with you and dwell with you and you with him euermore Amen The Epistle PHILIP 4.4 Reioyce in the Lord alwaies againe I say reioyce A Text of reioycing against the time of reioycing whereby the Church intimates how wee should spend our Christmas ensuing not in gluttonie and drunkennesse in chambâ—ring and wantonnesse doing the diuel more seruice in the twelue daies then in al the twelue moneths but rather in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs making melodie in our hearts vnto the Lord I say the Church allotting this scripture for this Sunday teacheth vs how this holy Time should be well imploied not in vnholinesse and mad meriments among Lords of misrule but in good offices of religion as it becomes the seruants of him who is the God of order obseruing this festiuall in honour of Iesus not Iacchus alway praising our heauenly Father in louing vs so well as to send his Sonne to saue his seruants and lest we should erre in our spirituall reuels obserue in this Epistle both The Matter Of our ioy The Manner Of our ioy The matter and obiect of our ioy reioyce in the Lord. The manner how Long alway reioyce The manner how Much againe and againe reioyce It is an old rule in Philosophie and it is true in Diuinity y t affections of the mind as anger feare delight c. are in their own nature neither absolutely good nor simply euill but either good or bad as their obiect is good or bad As for exaÌ„ple to be angry or not angry is indifferent Be aâ—grie and sin not saith Paul there is a good anger Whosoeuer is angrie with his brother vnaduisedly saith Christ is in danger of iudgement there is a bad anger So Matth. 10.28 Feare not them that kill the body and are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him which is able to destroy both soule and body in hell So likewise to reioyce or not to reioyce in it selfe is neither absolutely disgracefull nor altogether commendable we may not reioyce in the toyes of the world in frowardnes or doing euill faith Salomon Non in vitijs non in diuitijs saith Bernard Woe bee to you that thus laugh for yee shall waile and weepe but wee may delight in the Lord saith Dauid Reioyce in Christ saith Mary then our ioy is good when as our ioyes obiect is good yea God as Paul here Reioyce in the Lord. As sorrow is a straitning of the heart for some ill so ioy the dilating of the heart for some good either in possession or expectation Now Christ is our chiefe good as being author of all grace in this life and all glorie in the next and therefore we must chiefly reioyce in him and in other things only for him in him as the donor of euery good and perfect gift for him that is according to his will as the phrase is vsed 1. Cor. 7.39 If her husband be dead sâ—ee is at libertie to marrie with whom shee will only in the Lord. So then we may reioyce in other things for the Lord as in the Lord we may reioyce in our selues as being the Lords and in other because they reioyce in the Lord. Psal. 16.3 All my delight is vpon the Saints that are in the earth
men slept the malitious enemy sowed tares among the wheat And it was not discerned vntill the blade was sprung vp and had brought forth fruit When I see the finger of the diall remooued from one to two shall I be so mad as to thinke it standeth still where it was because I could not perceiue the stirring of it In the forehead of the whore of Babylon is written a mystery so Paul calles the working of Antichrist a mystery of iniquity because the man of sinne doth couertly and cunningly wind his abominations into the Church of Christ. Polititians obserue that corruptions are bred in ciuill bodies as diseases in naturall bodies at the first they be not discerned easily but in their growth insensibly they proceed often till it come to passe which Liâ—e said of the Roman State Nec vitia nostra nec remedia ferre possumus We can neither indure the malady nor the medicin Was it so in the Empire of Rome and might it not be so in the Church of Rome The Rhemists acknowledge many barbarismes and incongruities in the vulgar Latine text Cardinall Caietan Sanctes Pagninus Franciscus Forerius Hieronymus Oleastrius Sixtus Senensis all learned Papists ingenuously confesse that beside solecismes in the vulgar translation of Rome there are many grosse faults additions transpositions omissions Isidorus Clauius a Spanish Monke professed that he found in it 8000. errors It is plaine they were so manifest and so manifold as that the Councell of Trent and after it Pope Sixtus Quâ—ntus aâ—d Clement 8. took order for the correcting of it I would know then of a Papist how this cockle was sowen among Gods seed in what yeere this that absurdity first crept into their text as Luke 15.8 domum eâ—ertit for domum euerrit and Exod. 34 29. Moses in stead of a bright countenance is said to haue cornutam faciem a face of horne whereupon the common painters among the Papists vsually paint Moses with two hornes as a cuckold to the great scandall of Christian religion as Augustinus Steuchus and Sixtus Senensis obserue The whole Rhemish Colledge cannot tell in what age confusus est in stead of confessus est entred in Marke 8.38 Pope Sixtus Quintus hath sundry coniectures in the preface prefixed to his Bible vel â—x â—niuriâ temporum vel ex librariorum inâ—uriá vel ex impressorum imperitiâ vel ex temerè emendantium licentiâ vel ex recentiâ—rum interpretum audaciâ vel ex haereâ—icorum scholijs ad marginem If the Pope cannot tell in whose head and hands is all the Churches treasure both for wit and wealth it is enough for the disciple to be as his Master is and the seruant as his Lord. The late Pope Clement 8. corrected the corrections of his predecessor Sixtus Quintus setting forth another Bible which one called vnhappily The new Transgression In these reformed editions of Rome there is such difference that we may say with the Prophet Egyptians are set against Egyptians and the destroier against the destroier one against another and all against the truth In the Roman Mâ—ssals and Breuiaries there were so many damnable blasphemies and superstitious errors that the late Popes euen for shame reformed them and yet they cannot tell in what yeere these corruptions first grew and therefore what need wee tell them at what time this and that popish nouelty was first sowen Is it not enough that we now discerne the tares among the wheat and prooue to the proudest of their side that there was no such darnell in Gods field for the space of six hundred yeeres after Christ I say no such stinking weeds as the single communion of the Priest halfe communion of the people worshipping of the bread creeping to the Crosse supremacie of the Pope which are the most essentiall points of all the Romish religion Secondly this parable makes against the Papists in the question of putting heretikes to death I confesse the words sinite vtraque simul crescâ—re teach not the Magistrates duty but rather shew Gods bounty towards heretikes It is the Princes office to banish imprison mulct and by all meanes possible to suppresse them and in no sort to suffer them as being so pâ—stilent as the plague For as the plague doth instantly strike the heart and by poisoning one infects many â—ic haeresis cor ipsum animae petit cùm vnum inâ—erficit centum alios inficit Heresie strikes at faith and so takes away the life of the Christian for the iust doth liue by faith and then it fretteth as a canker or gangren corrupting all other members of Christs mysticall body we may cry mors in illà as the children of the Prophets mors in â—llâ such cockle then ought to be cropt and topt but not vtterly rooted vp and burnt vntill the great haruest A murtherer and a traitor indued with faith and repentance may passe from the crosse to the crowne as the blessed theefe in the Gospell was instantly translated from his paine to Paradise but an heretike dying in his heresie cannot be saued He therefore that puts an heretike to death is a double murtherer as Luther thinks in destroying his body with death temporall in slaying his soule with death eternall Excommunication exile losse of goods imprisonment depriuation haue bin reputed euermore fit punishments for heretikes but fire and fagot is not Gods law but canon shot enacted first by Pope Lucius 3. An. 1184. and confirmed afterward by Innocentius 3. and Gregory 9. as it appeares in the Decretals and it was executed against the Waldenses and in latter times against the Protestants especially martyring the dead with the liuing the wife with the husband the new borne yea not borne infant with the mother whom they should haue cherished by all lawes and christened by their owne lawes and that not for the denying of any article of the Creed but onely for not beleeuing Transubstantiation and other new quirkes of the Schoole which the most iudicious among them as yet cannot explicate for as one wittilie Corpore de Christi lis est de sâ—nguine lis est deque modo lis est non habitura modum Scotus Cameracensis and other Papists of great note confesse plainly that transubstantiation cannot be inforced by the Gospell nor by any testimonies of the ancient Church And Bellâ—rmin Romes oracle doth acknowledge that it may well be doubted whether there be any place of scripture cleerly to proue transubstantiation otherwise then that the Church hath declared it so to be because many learned and acute men hold the contrary What hellish crueltie then was it in the Bonners of Queene Mary to make bonâ—fires of sillie women for not vnderstanding this their ineffable mystery wherein are nine miracles at the least as Ioannes de Combis affirmes If these gunpowder Priests and fagot Diuines
Alcibiades and steale away their harts as Absolon did in Israel If a man were so bewitching an Orator that he could pro arbitrio tollere extollere â—mplificare extenuare magicis quasi viribus eloquentiae in quam velit faciem habitumque transformare so subtill a disputer as that he could make quidlibet ex quólibet euery thing of anything yet without loue were he nothing Yea though a man could speake with the tongues of Angels that is of the learned Priests and Prophets who are Gods Angels and messengers If a man had the siluer trumpet of Hilary or the golden mouth of Chrysostome or the mellifluous speech of Origen cuius ex ore non tam verba quà m mella fluâ—re videntur If a man were so painfull in preaching that as Saint Peter he could adde to the Church with one sermon about three thousand soules or as it is recorded of venerable Beda fondly and falsly that he could make the very stones applaud his notes and say Amen Or as other expound it hyperbolically though a man should speake like the glorious Angels as Paul Gal. 1.8 Though an Angell from heauen should preach vnto you si quae sint Angelorum linguae Giue me leaue to adde one thing more to this hyperbolicall supposition If a man could speake like God as antiquity reports of Plato that if Iupiter himselfe should speake Greeke he would vse no other phrase but his And of Chrysippus that if the gods should speake logicke they would haue none but his Or as the people blasphemously of Herod Act. 12. The voice of God and not of man Though I say we could speake with tongues of men of Angels of God if it were possible and haue not loue we were but as a sounding brasse or as a tinckling cymball we might happily pleasure other but not profit our selues vnto saluation Herein resembling Balâ—ams Asse who by speaking bettered her Master not her selfe A plaine piece of brasse makes but a plaine noise Tinkers musicke but a tinckling cymball in regard of the concauity yeelds a various sound a more pleasant stroke So rude speakers are like sounding brasse but the Curious and Iudicious adorned with multiplicity of distinctions and variety of good learning are as a tinckling cymball or more tickling delight to their hearers and yet if they preach without loue their sound is without life Qui non diligit fratrem manâ—â— in morte saith S. Iohn Such fitly resemble the sermon bel which cals other to the Church but heares nothing it selfe it weares out to his owne hurt though others good Nay when Auditors are perswaded throughly that their Pastors instruct not out of charity their plaine doctrines are but as sounding brasse tedious as the Tinkers note their accurate sermons as a tinâ—kâ—ing cyâ—ball which onely pierce the eares and enter not into their hearts as the Prophet aptly Their admonitions are vnto them as a iesting song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can sing well for they heare their words but they doe them not As one that heares excellent musicke from out of the streetes in the night will instantly leape out of his bed and lend his care for a time but when the musitians are gone presently returnes to sleep againe so many delight to heare the sweet songs of Sâ—on but when the sermon is at an end they sleep in their old sinnes againe forgetting immediaâ—ly the good lesson as if it were but the drumming on a pan or scraping on a keâ—â—le And though I 〈◊〉 prâ—phâ—â—ie Prophecie then is nothing without loue For Balaam Caâ—pâ—â— and Sâ—ul propheciâ—d Vnderstanding of mysteries is nothing without loue for Iudas and Nicolas and Arius were wel acquainted with the scriptures All knowledge is nothing for the Scribes had the key of knowledge yet entred not in themselues And all knowledge Though a man were an Ocean of learning as Plutarch is called in so much that Theodoâ—â— Gaza said if he could reade but one mans bookes he would make choice of him Or if a man were so full as Plinie whose works are instar mille voluminum if a man were a treasure house of letters as Picus Mirandula writes of Hermolaus Barbarus a library for a whole nation as Baronius of Albinus as Erasmus of Bishop Tonstal a world of learning mundus eruditionis abounding with skill in all Arts theorical real metaphysical inspired as Diuinity contained in y e Bible acquired of w t Aristotle and Auicen write mathematical as Arithmetike Geometry Musicke Astronomie physical concerning the Principles Generation of naturall things rational Grammar Rhetoricke Logicke practical actiue Ethicks Oeconomicks Politicks factiue as skill in Nauigation Husbandry Hunting c. If a man vnderstand all mysteries in Scripture all secrets in nature â—f he had all faith that he could remoue mountaines in a literall sense moue that which cannot be moued high hils Imponere Pelion Ossae in an allegorical exposition cast out diuels If a man had all parts of all knowledge prophecie sapience prudence and had not loue he were nothing Nothing in esse gratiae though something in esse naturae dead spiritually though something some great thing in the naturall and ciuill life For great Clerkes haue long life on earth Albeâ—t Aquiras Iewel Picus Mirandula Whitaker died in the principall strength of their age yet in respect of honour and fame they liue with the longest Dum liber vllus erit dum scrinia sacra literarum Te leget omnis amans Christum tua Cypriane discet Knowledge is a good stirrup also to get aloft the hie way to much honor prefermeÌ„t in this world but without loue nothing auailable to glory eternall in the world to come Knowledge bloweth vp but charity buildeth vp If learning be taken without the true correctiue thereof it hath in it some nature of poison and some effects of that malignity which is a swelling If I speake with the tongues of men and Angels and had not charitie it were but as a tinckling câ—mball Not but that it is an excellent thing to speake with tongues of men and Angels and a far more noble treasure to possesse all knowledge For Christ said of his Apostles that they were the light of the world and the worthy Doctors succeeding were luminaria magna great starres in the firmament of the Church by whose light descending from the father of lights we finde out the truth hidden in many darke places of the scripture But the meaning of Pâ—â—â— iâ— if our knowledge be seuered from loue and not referred to the good of men and glory of God it hath rather a sounding glory then a meriting vertue though it seeme to be neuer so much it is a very nothing The Papists out of these words If I haue all faith so that I can remoue mountaines
The two Testaments are two pence bearing the same Kings image though not of the same stampe for all things being now fulfilled written by the Prophets of the Sonne of man our Sauiours picture ingrauen in the Gospell is more full and cleere then that imprinted in the law Now God hath shewed vs the light of his countenance Psal. 67.1 Let vs therefore search the Scripture for that is the way to Christ and Christ is the way to God For hee shall be deliuered vnto the Gentiles and shall bee mocked Hee did particularly foretell the manner of his suffering that his disciples might see that as God he did foresee these things that they might be strengthened at his Crosse when as they should vnderstand all things to be fulfilled as they were told by Christ and foretold by the Prophets That he should be betraied was foretold Psal. 41.9 mocked was foretold Ps. 69. v. 7.12.22 spitted on was foretold Esay 50.6 scourged was foretold Esay 53.5 put to death was foretold Psal. 22.17 Christ was deliuered vnto the Gentiles as we reade in the Gospell especially by three Iudas the Iewes Pilat By Iudas out of couetousnesse as the text expresly What will ye giue me and I will deliuer him to you For a little siluer and that not paied but onely promised he sold his friend yea that which is worse his Master yea that which is worst of all his Maker See the Gospell the Sunday before Easter By the Iewes out of malice Matth. 27.18 Pilat knew well that for enuy they deliuered him By Pilat through feare for the Iewes said vnto him If thou set him free thou art not Caesars friend for whosoeuer maketh himselfe a King speaketh against Caesar. And therefore Pilat chose rather to crucifie the Lord eternall then to displease Caesar a Lord temporall In like sort all couetous all malitious all cowardly professors betray Christ daily The couetous who make their coine their Creed and their penny their Pater noster and their bils their Bible betray Christ with Iudas It is but what will you giue them and they will deliuer vp the Gospell vnto you Enuious men who persecute the Saints and disgrace their graces betray Christ in his members with the Iews euen for meere malice speaking to their Christian brother as Antoninus Caracalla to his naturall brother Sit diuus modò non vinus Cowardly profâ—ssors vse to betray Christ with Pilat For as soone as tribulation or persecution commeth for the word they feare more the threats of Caesar an earthly Prince who can kill onely the body then the wrath of God who being King of all Kings is able to destroy both body and soule in hell The second point touching Christs passion is illusio Now Christ was mocked in foure places especially 1. In Caiphas house where the keepers blindfolded him and smote him on the face and asked him saying Prophecie who is it that smotâ— thee In Herods company when as the souldiers arraied him in white In the Common hall where they stripped him and put vpon him a scarlet robe In Golgotha when he was crucified First as Saint Matthew in the 27. Chap. by the passengers wagging their heads and saying Thou that destroiest the Temple and buildest it in three daies saue thy selfe c. Then by the Scribes and Pharises Hee saued other but he cannot saue himselfe Last of all some peruerted his words affirming that he called for Elias when as he praied Eli Eli c. The popish Clergy mocke Christ with Caiphas in that they blindfold the people by denying them the Scriptures and then mocke them for their ignorance Samson hauing his eiâ—s out was a laughing stocke to the Philistins and so the blinde laymen are the Priests pastime Though a Iesuit or a Seminary buffet them euery day yet can they not prophecie who smote them Either Samson must pull downe the Colledges of these Philistins or else he shall neuer see but thorow their spectacles They mock Christ with Herod who retaine foule consciences in a white rochet who conforme themselues in habit but reforme not themselues in heart The Babylonian whore mocks Christ with the souldiers in putting on skarlet betokening zeale and charity when her actions are cruell and bloudy They mocke Christ with the Iewes in Golgotha who distort the words of Scripture for their aduantage making Elias of Eloi Like the popish dolt who reading the subscription of Pauls 2. Epistle to the Thessalonians in the vulgar Latine Missa fuit ex Athenis instantly cried out that he had found a plaine text for the Masse Or like that foppish Anabaptist who gathered out of Christs words in English Goe and teach all nations and baptise c. that it is not lawfull for a Clergy man to ride on a faire palfrey much lesse as the Bishops in a stately coach Or as that Fen-man alias Fin-man standing vpon a marsh customâ— iustified his not paiment of Tithes out of Paul Custome to whom custome but his Pastor replied aptly the Churches of God haue no such custome So the blasphemous mouth spits on Gods face the tyrants openly crossing the Gospels proceeding scourge Christ and all such as slide from the profession of the faith are said in scripture to crucifie againe the Sonne of God And therefore the Church hath allotted this Gospell for this weeke most fitly For at this Carniual gut tide many deliuer Christ vnto y e Gentiles in their chambering and wantonnes drunkennes gluttonie making such as are no Christians to blaspheme Christianitie seeing such vncomely behauiour and mad meriments among profâ—ssors of holy religion As a louing wife which hath her husband slaine to moue compassion in the Iudges and to make the fact most odious and hatefull tels of his deadly wounds and describes his gastly lookâ—s and shewes some garment of his embrued in blood so the Church at this time doth offer vnto our considerations how Christ her deare Loue was betraied and mocked and spitted on and scourged and put to dâ—ath hereby recalling vs from our horrible sinnes which as another Iudas betray Christ as another Herod mock Christ as another Pilate condemne Christ as another Longinus wound Christ as another band of Iewes recrucifie Christ. And the third day he shall rise againe Christ is large in â—he report of his ignominie but short in this of his gloâ—ie for he deliuered fiue points as concerning his humiliation but he remembers onâ—ly two yea for the matter but one touching his exaltation And the third day hee shall rise againe Yet this one is the locke and key of all Christian faith on which all other articles of holy beleefe depend See before the Creed and after the Gospell on Easter and S. Thomas day The Prophets vsually mingle the sweet of Christs exaltation with the sower of his humiliation as Gen. 49.9 Esay 53.7 8. Psal. 4.9