day Againe this sentence Christ is the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles ouerthroweth as Interpreters obserue Marcion and other heretickes affirming that two sundrie disagreeing Gods are Authors of the two Testaments As if one God were preached in the Gospell and another in the Law whereas one and the same Christ is the very center of both at which all the Prophets and Apostles aime principally The builders of Gods house are the Prophets and Apostles and all their lawfull successours the Ministers and Preachers of the word Behold saith the Lord to Ieremie the Prophet I haue put my woreis in thy mouth I haue set thee euer the nations and ouer the kingdomes to plucke vp and to roote out and to destroy and throw downe to build and to plant That is to roote out vice to plant vertue to destroy the dens of Sâ—tan and build vp Gods remple to throw downe the kingdome of Antichrist and to set vp the kingdome of Christ. And so Paul cals himselfe a skilfull Architect or a cunning master builder laiing the foundation and hee faith of other Preachers of the word that they build vpon his foundation gold siluer precious stones c. that is doctrines and exhortations answerable to the foundation and worthie of Christ. In a word that the Pastors are Gods labourers and the people God building 1. Cor. 3 9. it is true that Christ himselfe is the chiefe builder as hee saith in the Gospel vpon this rocke will I build my Church he builds as it is in our text through his holy spirit vers 22. yet hee doth vse Prophets and Apostles and Euangelists and Pastors and Teachers as vnder-workmen for the gathering together of his saints and edification of his Church Ephes. 4. 11.12 The tooles or instruments which Apostles and Preachers vse toward this worke are the Word and the Sacraments especially For so the Lord of these labourers hath appointed Goe teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost His word iâ— his power to bring his elect to the foundation and to build them vpon the foundation His Sacraments are fastnings as it were to strengthen and confirme them after they be laid in the building that they fall not away but grow to an holy temple of the Lord. Our doctrine must be according to the analogie of faith our exhortation according to the rules of good life the Bible which is our lanterne and our guide furnisheth vs with both and therefore wee must euer build vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Beside these tooles a Minister ought to further Gods building with heartie praiers and good example Bellarmine said of Erasmus falsely that he was but halfe a Christian but it may be said of a lewd Pastour truly that he is but halfe a Preacher he may peraduenture pull downe more building in one weeke with his bad life then he can set vp againe in a whole yeere with his great learning Seneca thought it impossible that any body should at onetime be both a good man and a good captaine but a Clergie man is not a good Pastor vnlesse he be a good paterne God defend me and mine from a mangie Physitian a ragged Alchimist and a dissolute Diuine If thou be a president of godlinesse to thy people pray to the God of all grace that you may so remaine if you sometime were and are now fallen returne if you neuer were repent if you neuer will be perish Nam à Deo separabitur qui à diabolo superabitur Concerning the properties of the Church it is built together in such a due proportion and concinne symmetrie that euery part is content to keepe his ranke and performe his function without any faction It is a body fitly ioined together and compacted by that which euery ioint supplieth c. Ephes. 4.16 See Epistle 2. Sund. after Epiphanie It is built together in respect of her vnion with Christ the head corner stone and coupled together in respect of her communion with the members See Communion of Saints in the Creed And being thus inserted and built on Christ it liueth and groweth from grace to grace till it become an holy Temple to the Lord. The which Interpreters vnderstand of euery singular part so well as of the whole body for euery Christian is an habitation of God If thou be then a consecrated Chappell vnto the Lord how darest thou commit Idolatrie which is against the first table What agreement hath the temple of God with Idols Or how dinest thou commit adulterie which is against the second table Know yee not that your body is the temple of the holy Ghost and that God is to bee glorified in your spirit and in your body will you then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid Euery liuing stone that is built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles is holy Lapides in templo sancto non possunt esse non sanctificati The temples of God are holy both in regard of their righteousnesse imputed in that their vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen and Christ himselfe made their holinesse and in regard of sanctification and righteousnesse in herent for that being deliuered out of the hands of all their enemies they serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life The Gospell IOHN 20.24 Thomas one of the twelue which is called Didymus was not with them when Iesus came c. THis Scripture consists of a Dialogue Thomas one of the twelue c. Epilogue Many other signes truly did Iesus c. The Dialogue is between a weake sinner and a meeke Sauiour And according to these two principall persons it hath also two principall parts one concerning Thomas and another touching Christ. In Thomas obserue his Faults which are two 1. His absence from the meeting of the other Apostles 2. His incredulitie not beleeuing the resurrection of Christ occasioned by that absence Faith My Lord and my God That other part concerning Christ is a relation of his second appearing vnto the blessed Apostles after his rising againe from the dead And heerein is set down 1. What he did After eight daies he came againe c. 2. What he said 1. To the whole companie Peace be to you 2. To Thomas in particular Bring thy finger hither c. 3. In conclusion to him and them and vs and al Blessed are they that haue not seen and yet haue beleeued In that our Euangelist hath set downe the fall of Peter and fault of Thomas wee may learne that euen the most holy men are but imperfectly perfect in this life The Pontificians are true Donatists and as it were the very spawne of the Cathari For is any man so great a Puritan as the Papist highly conceiting that he can obserue all
his father primarily not for hiding these things from the wise that is wise in their owne eyes or wise men after the flesh endued with a wisedome which is earthly sensuall diuellish Iames. 3.15 but because though he suffer the prince of darkenesse to blind the mindes of the worldly wise yet he doth openly shâ—w the glorious light of the Gospell vnto babes that is vnto such as became fooles that they may be wise wholly renouncing their owne wit and solely submitting themselues vnto Gods will If Iesus reioyced in the spirit and magnified the Lord of heauen and earth for vs O what thankes ought our selues to present vnto God for our selues Praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within me praise his holy name For mine eyes haue seene thy saluation and mine heart hath often endited a good matter and my pen sometimes is the pen of a readie writer O father of mercie whereas these things are yet hid from the Iewes and from the Turkes and from the superstitious Heathen and from carnall Christians I haue to the great refreshing of my soule through thy grace sweet Iesu both heard by the Gospell and imbraced the Gospell and preached the Gospell and in some measure practised also the Gospell O my soule praise the Lord and forget not all his benefits I will sing vnto the Lord as long as I liue I will praise my God while I haue any being Psal. 104.33 The sweetest of honie lieth in the bottome I passe therefore from Christs inuocation to the latter part of his Gospell his inuitation In which obserue the mouer Iesus moued all that labour and are laden motion Come take my yoke vpon you learne of me motiues I will ease you yee shall finde rest vnto your soules for my yoke is easie and my burthen light The person inuiting is Iesus he saith heere come not to mine but to me not to my Saints or Angels or Martyrs or Mother but to my selfe Send not other it is my pleasure that ye come seeke not for helpe from other I will ease you Come vnto me for I am the way the truth and the life The way by which and the tâ—uth in which and the life for which all of you come None can come but by me none finde ease but in me none rest in ease but with me Come therefore for I am the way learne of me for I am the truth and ye shall find rest vnto your soules for I am the life Come to me for I am as you see willing in saying come and able to relieue you for that all things are giuen vnto me So that aske and ye shall haue seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you None can come to the Father except it bee by the Sonne for no man knoweth the Father saue the Sonne and he to whomsoeuer the Sonne will open him In saying saue the Sonne he doth not exclude the holy spirit being the third person in Trinitie for it is a good conclusion in Diuinitie dictio exclusiua siue exceptiua addita termino personali in essentialibus non excludit ab altera persona diuina God the Father and God the holy Ghost as being all one with the Sonne are in the words nisi filius included and onely the Creator excluded For none know the Father by nature but by the reuelation of the Sonne Wee speake the wisedome of God in a mystery saith Paul which none of the Princes of this world knew hunc magnus Plato nesciuit eloquens Demosthenes ignorauit It is true that wee may know by the light of humane discourse that there is a God for the Godhead is seene by the creation of the world The heauens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handie woâ—ke Psalm 19.1 Yet none know the Father that is a distinction of the persons in sacred Trinity but by the spirit of him in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Coloss. 2.3 And 〈◊〉 our reuealed knowledge is but imperfect in this life They who saw most of God obtained onely the sight of his hinder parts And in the kingdome of glory when as we shall enioy the beholding of his fore-parts also seeing him euen face to face our knowledge shall not be comprehensionis cognitio sed apprehensionis an apprehending rather then a comprehending of his infinite Maiesty Wee shall not euen in that day know so much of the Father as the Father knoweth of himselfe Sola quippe trinitas in vnâ—atis diuinitate seipsam nouit In this life we shall attaine by Christs grace to such an vnderstanding 〈◊〉 God as is fit and in the world to come we shall â—aâ—e so much as is full euen so much as any created vessel is able to containe yet none shall euer 〈◊〉 comprehend that incomprehensible Trinitie none can as it selfe know it selfe Hâ—â—herto concerning the party calling I am now to speake of the persoâ—s inuited All ye that labour and are lader He doth exâ—â—â—â— â—one who came to bring all vnto the knowledge of the truth â—â—al that lâ—â—our then all that liue For man borne of a woman is full of troubâ—e Iob 14.1 Come therefore all ye that labour in your actions and are laden in your passions All ye Iewes who labour vnder the yoke of the law and all ye Gentiles oppâ—essed with the burthen of your sinnes All yee â—hat labour where 〈◊〉 and whensoeuer and howsoâ—â—er afflicted or affâ—â—â—â—d 〈◊〉 misery For these two labâ—ur and lâ—dâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—one conceiue simply the â—â—me signâ—fâ—ing all kind â—f â—â—efe sâ—res and sorrow â—hatsoeuer As in the 6. and 9 Psalmes 〈◊〉 weary of my greamâ—g I am weary of my 〈◊〉 c. To speake more distinctly there is a threefold burthen namely the burthen of â—â—ffliction the law 〈…〉 Christ easeth all such as come to him of all these Concerning the sirâ— great trauâ—ile saith the sonne of Sirach is created for all men and a heaâ—ie yoke vpon the sonnes of Adam euen from the day that they goe out of the mothers wombe till the day that they returne to the mother of all things But Christ a refuge in due time of trouble yea a present helpe doth either take away this burthen froÌ„ our shoulders or else giueth vnto such as come to him abundant strength and patience to beare it Art thou crossed in thy goods it is the Lord who giueth and the Lord who taketh away Cast all your care vpon him and hee will so care for you that this burthen shall be made light and this yoke easie Art thou wronged in thy good name say with Dauid it may bee the Lord will looke vpon mine affliction do me good for Shemi his cursing me this
complement or habit only but in heart for as the wiseman telleth vs there be some that being about wicked purposes doe bow downe themselues and are sad whose inward parts burne altogether with deceit â— he looketh downe with 〈◊〉 face and fameth himselfe deafe yet before thou perceâ—â—◠〈◊〉 vpon thee to hurt thee Christ wouâ—d not haue vs imitate him in his mi 〈◊〉 as â—n walking vpon the waters in raising the dead â—n making a new world but in his morale in his meeknes and lowlines especially for these vertues are the lessons he â—eacheth in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome 2nd knowledge it is so great a thing in our owne eyes to be little that no man is able to learne it of any but of him only who being in the forme of God tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant and became man yea a worme and no man a very scorne of men and outcast of the people termed Apocalyp 1.8 the first and the last in maiestie the first in meeknes as the last his whole life being nothing else but an open booke or rather an open shop of humility descend then if thou wilt ascend if thou desire to build high and to seeke the things aboue lay thy foundation low humblenes of mind is schola and scala coeli the schoole teaching and the scale reaching heauen Quo minor est quisquis maximus est hominum I will ease you the world crieth ego deficiam I will leaue you the flesh crieth ego inficiam I will corrupt you the deuill crieth ego interficiam I will destroy you but he which is verax verus veritas euer speaking the truth as euer being the truth opposeth himselfe against all these mortall enemies and saith ego reficiam I will ease you this one clause then is the very close yea the very summe of the whole gospell in as much as all our learning and labouring is for this end that we may find refreshing and rest vnto our soules in the end the latine refâ—ciam hath three significations 1 Reficere is to repaire or renew Mat. 4.21 reficienres retia Iames and Iohn were mending their nets c and so Christ as being the brightnes of Gods glory and expresse character of his person restoreth againe Gods Image defaced in vs through Adams fall vt recreatio creationi responderet saith Aquine that the redemption of the world might answere the creation he who first made now mendeth vs all of vs being the workmanship of God in Christ as creatures and as new creatures as Creatures for in the beginning was the word all things were made by it and without it was made nothing that was made as new creatures for Christ Iesus is the new man we must put on of whom wee must learne meeknes and lowlines that we may walke in newnes of life Rom. 6.4 2. Reficere doth signifie to strengthen with meat in which acception a common hall in a colledge where the society meet and eat together is called a refectorie now Christ hath a twofold refectorie for all such as come vnto him one in his kingdome of grace when he prepareth a table for vs in despite of our foe refreshing vs with the food of his word of his supper of his examples vntil we are made fat Prouerb 28.25 euen so full and faire that the Church in admiration hereof asketh her best beloued shew me where thou feedest another refectorie Christ hath in his kingdome of glory Luke 22.30 Ye shall eate and drinke at my table in my kingdome there God hath prepared for those that loue him a banquet of such delicates as eye hath not seene neither eare hath heard neither heart of man able to conceiue 1. Cor. 2.9 Sentiri potest dici non potest Come then vnto me all ye that hunger and thirst after righteousnes and I will feed you feast you fill you feed you with the sincere milke of my doctrine feast you with a cheerefulnes of conscience which is a continuall feast fill you with an ouerflowing cup in the state of glory come to me nay if ye will open the wicket of your heart when I knocke and desire to come to you I will sup with you and you shall also sup with me Apocalip 3.20 3. Reficere signifieth as our text runneth here to refresh and to ease such as labour and are laden and this expresseth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 best and is most agreeable to the clause going afore labour and laden and the words following after rest easie light as if he should haue said I will ease such as labour and giue rest vnto such as are laden I will make their heauy burden light and their hard yoke easie so that they shall count it exceeding ioy to fall into diuers temptations Iames 1.2 as sorrowing and yet alway reioycing 2. Cor. 6.10 blessed in eating the labours of their hands as men of the world are infeliciter felices vnhappie in being so much happie so the children of God are feliciter infelices happie in feeling their load and vnderstanding their vnhappines for God is faithfull and will not suffer his children to be tempted aboue their ability but will euen with the temptation make away to escape that they may be able to beare it This ease Paul found vnto the rest of his soule 2. Cor. 4.8 We are troubled on euery side yet are we not in distresse perplexed but not in despaire persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but yet not cast away A Physitian albeit he be neuer so skilfull in his arte cannot absolutely promise that he will ease you his comforts are I will endeuour to giue you rest if I can I will helpe you neither inuention of wit nor intention of will I assure you shall be wanting but Christ heere saith I will I can as hauing all things giuen vnto me of my father and I will as being sent into the world to comfort such as mourne in Sion Ye shall finde rest vnto your soules some finde rest in their body but not in their soule as the glutton mentioned Luke 16. his body was richly clothed and deliciously pampered euery day but his soule so full of sores as Lazarus at his gate found no rest one drop of a bad conscience did drinke vp as it were the whole sea of his worldly delights some finde rest in their soule but not in their body so the seruants of God are said to reioyce in tribulations as the blessed Apostles Act. 5. afflicted in body reioyced in spirit because they were counted worthy to suffer for Christs name some neither in body nor soule as the damned in hell hauing poenarum diuersitatem vniuersitatem a fire to torment the body a worme to torture the soule Esay 66.24 some both in body and in
〈◊〉 And the 〈◊〉 in ourage who following the 〈◊〉 He 〈◊〉 hold it lâ—â— full to distemble their faith 〈◊〉 the Magistrate As also the Nicodemâ—â—es ashamed of Christ and expâ—â—â—cating 〈◊〉 forswerring their Pâ—ieâ—hood and the Pope their holy father vpon eâ—eâ—y pretended occasion of danger In a word all weather â—ise professors adueâ—tring no more for the glorious Gospell then one â—â—tely did for his horrible blasphemie who being bound to the stake suffered only the lingeing of his beard This open acknowledging of Christ is necessaâ—ieâ— not only 〈◊〉 morris at the point of deâ—h as Liraâ—us or in the daie of persecution as Lombard but at all time and in euery place when occasion is offered lustly â—aith 〈◊〉 Forseeing it is an afâ—â—rmâ—tâ—ue prâ—cept 〈…〉 As Christ in his Gospel expresâ—ely 〈…〉 Whereas 〈…〉 〈…〉 the faith not sufficient vnto 〈…〉 mouth and other â—odâ—◠〈◊〉 as efficient cause concure with it in the 〈…〉 may be taken out of his old Schoole 〈…〉 and Cardinall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth af 〈…〉 confession 〈◊〉 act of faith according to that of the Pâ—â—miâ—â— I 〈…〉 haue I spoken And in his second 〈…〉 this Chapter he that is 〈◊〉 by faith ought to be filled with the fruit of righteousnesse Postquam homo per fide mest instificatus oportet quod eius fides per dilectionem operatur ad consequendam salâ—tem And Cardinall Tolet in plaine termes Oris confessio nâ—s non iustificat à peccato c. sed iustificati tenemur eam palà m profiteri c. Confession of the mouth doth not iustifie vs but being iustified wee are bound publikely to professe it afore we can attaine to saluation Herein agreeing with our Protestant Interpreters affirming that good workes are consequents and effects of a true faith as if Paul should haue said here we are iustified by faith onely but yet this faith is operatiue bringing foorth liuely fruits as the confession of the mouth and the profession of the life for they be necessarie to saluation albeit faith alone be sufficient in the act of iustification as you may see further Epist. Quinquages and Sund. 2. in Lent In the words and beleeue in thine heart that God hath raised him vp from the dead three points are considerable namely Faiths Act Obiect Subiect Faiths act is to beleeue and to beleeue hath these degrees as the Schoole teacheth out of Augustine Credere Deo credere Deum credere in Deum A wicked man and a wretched deuill may so farre proceed in faith as to beleeue there is a God and in grosse to beleeue God but a true Christian endued with a sauing faith ascends higher and beleeueth in God also That is he knowes God as hee hath reuealed himselfe in his word acknowledging him onely for his God and thereupon put his whole trust in him applying to himselfe Gods mercifull promise made to father Abraham and his seed with the heart vnto iustification and confessing the same with the mouth vnto saluation He disclaimes not his part in Christ as the deuils Ab what haue we to doâ— with thee thou Iesus of Nazareth art thou come to torment vs before the time but he challengeth his portion in the bloud of his Sauiour saying with the Church in her loue-song My welbeloued is mine and with Paul Christ is become to vs wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Hâ—s bodie is in heauen there shall I finde it mine his diuinitie is on earth and heere doe I feele it mine his word is in mine eare to beget him mine his Sacrament is in mine eie to confirme him mine his spirit is in mine heart to assure him mine Angels are mine to fight for mee Prince mine to rule for mee Church mine to pray for me Vniuersitie mine to studie for me Pastour mine to pâ—each for me all mine whether it be Paul or Cephas or the world or life or death whether they be things present or things to come euen all are mine I am Christs and Christ is Gods Faiths obiect is all holy scripture the summe whereof is the Creed and this one point how God raised vp Iesus from the dead is nexus articulorum omnium as it were the bond or tying knot on which all other linkes of our beleefe depend For if it were not true that Christ is risen againe then were it neither true that hee did ascend vp to heauen nor that hee sitteth at the right hand of his father in heauen nor that he sent downe the holy spirit from heauen nor that hee shall come from thence to iudge the quicke and the dead In a word the matter of the whole Creed concerneth either God or the Church his spouse Now the raising of Christ from â—he dead is the worke of God the Father Acts 2.32 of himselfe being God the Sonne Iohn 10 18. of God the holy Ghost also Rom. 1.4 Christ as God only raiseth and is not raised as man he is onely raised and raiseth not as the Sonne of God or second person in the blessed Trinitie both the Father raiseth him and he raiseth himselfe The Father raiseth the Sonne by the Sonne â—nd the Sonne raiseth himselfe by the spirit of holinesse by which he was declared to be the Sonne of God As for the Church our Apostle sheweth elsewhere that Christ died for her sinnes and rose againe for her iustification and that ascending vp on high he bestowed on her gifts as to be Catholike holy knit in a communion and prerogatiues in her soule namely remission of sinnes in the body resurrection of the flesh in both euerlasting life Wherefore Paul here mentioneth only the resurrection of Christ from the dead not exclusiuely but synecdâ—checally because this one article presupposeâ—h all the rest and takes them as granted as if hee rose from the graue then he died and his death is a consequent of his birth Or because this article was and is most doubted in the world for the Iewes and Gentiles acknowledge the death of Iesus whereas the Christians only confesse his resurrection Or because the rest vnlesle Christ had risen againe would haue profited vs little for he triumphed in his resurrection ouer death hell damnation opening the kingdome of heauen to all beleeuers And so the meaning of our text is plaine If thou confesse with thy mouth that Iesus is the Lord that is that Lord of whom all the Prophets inquired as being the desire of all Nations euen the light of the Gentiles and consolation of Israel And if thou beleeue in thine heart that this Iesus whom almightie God hath made both Lord and Christ offered himselfe a sacrifice to purge thy conscience from dead workes and take away thy sinnes putting out and fastening vpon the Crosse the Lawes obligation against vs and that hauing ouercome death and the deuill he
worke For assuredly such as croud into the Clergie without performance of their office either through ignorance that they cannot or secular emploiment that they may not or negligence that they will not or feare of trouble that they dare not preach the word of God are aduersaries vnto the doctrine of the Church of England and enemies of the Crosse of Christ Philip. 3.19 See further in the Gospell ensuing The Gospell MATTH 4.18 As Iesus walked by the sea of Galile he saw two brethren Simon which was called Peter and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea for they were fishers c. IN this Gospell is set downe the Calling of four Apostles Comming of foure Apostles In their calling these circumstaÌ„ces are cosiderable Who Iesus Where By the sea of Galile When At the beginning of his preaching Whom in Name Peter Andrew Iames. Iohn Number two and two Nature Brethren Fishers Why That they might become fishers of men How He saw them and said vnto them follow me and I will make you c. As Iesus walked There be foure sorts of Apostles as Hierome and Luther obserue some be sent only from God and not by men immediatly from God the Father as the Prophets vnder the Law Iesus Christ and Iohn Baptist in the beginning of the Gospell immediately from God the Sonne in his state mortall as the twelue Apostles in his stare glorious or immortall as S. Paul Acts 9.15 Other are sent by men and not by God as they who being vnworthie both in respect of their bad learning and worse liuing croud notwithstanding into the Ministerie through alliance fauour or simonie Which occasioned one to say that horses are more miserable then asses in that horses did post ordinarily to Râ—me to get asses preferment Cum Iesu Iudas cum Simone fur Ananias In templo Christs semper sunt quatuor ists Other are neither chosen of God nor called by men as the false Prophets of whom it is said in holy scripture that they runne without a warrant euill workers enemies of Christs Crosse theeues climing into the Church at the window not entring in at the doore rauening wolues in sheepes clothing See Gospell on the 2. Sunday after Easter and 8. after Trinitie Other are both elected of God and ordained by men as the Bishops of Ephesus Acts 20.28 and other Elders in the Primitiue Church Acts 14.23 and all orthodoxe Preachers of the word in our age For as the Gospell and Epistle well accord how shall they preach vnlesse they be sent No man although he were more wise then either Salomon or Daniel ought to take this honour vnto himselfe except hee be called of God I say called of God either immediatly by himselfe so Christ here called his Apostles or else mediatly by such as haue pub-like authoritie giuen vnto them in the congregation to call and send Ministers into the Lords vineyard and so Christ at this houre calleth Apostles in our Church in that the conformable Ministers of England are chosen according to his word as we teach against the Brownists and Baâ—rnists as also canonically consecrated as wee prooue to the proud pontifician aduersarie See Doctor Fulke Wâ—â—r in Rom. 10. Perkins Treatise of Callings Râ—g rs â—a Anglican Confâ—ss art 23. proposition 1. 5. Sâ—â—lâ—â—s is moâ—iuâ— obseruant of pontifician spirits pa. 17. And surely God hath as it were set his hand and seale to the full approbation of our callings in that hee blesseth our labours in the ministerie for the conuersion of many soules in England For euery learned and industrious Pastor may tell his people which he begets vnto God in Christ as Paul once told the Corinthians If I be not an Apostle to other yet doubtlâ—sse I am vnto you for ye are the â—â—al of mine Apostleship in the Lord. By the 〈◊〉 of Galile This as Interpreters obserue was not the maine seâ— but a little creeke only The lake Gemzâ—eth as wee reade Luke 5.1 but it is called a sea for thaâ— the Scripture termeâ—h all gathering together of waâ—eâ—s â—eas and the sea of Galile for that it bounded vpon the borders of the two Galilees Consule Plin. hist. lib. 5. cap. 15. Ioseph de bello Iudairo lib. 3. cap. 18. Strab. 〈◊〉 lib. 16. 〈◊〉 504. In this lake Peter and Andrew were fishing Iames and Iohn mendâ—â—â— their nets Here I noâ—e with Arctius and other vnto your comfort that almightie God is wont to blesse men especially when they be busied in their proper element and 〈◊〉 in their owne vocations An Angell being a messenger of gladnesse appeared vnto 〈◊〉 〈…〉 the Priests office before God and is 〈…〉 order An Angell also deliuered the first 〈◊〉 of Christs birth vnto shepheards are wha◠〈…〉 night in the field While Saul ac 〈…〉 fâ—â—hers expresse commandement sought for 〈…〉 found a kingdome 1. Sam. 9. so Christ here seâ—ing Peter and Andrew not idle but casting a net into the 〈◊〉 nor yet ouer-haste medling in other men trade but only labouring in their owne calling for they were fishers he saith vnto them instantly follow me and I will make you to become fishers of men A laste person is vnâ—it for the Clergie for none but labourers are sent into the Lords haruest On the contrary the curious and ouer actiue spirit is vnprofitable for he will haue one foot in the Church another in the Court and if God had made him a Tripos he would haue had a third in the Campe. Miles equi◠〈…〉 c. an hammer is for the Smith an Homer for the Schoole Let the shoemaker attend his boot and the fisher his boat He that comes to the corne heape the more he openeth his hand to receiue the lesse he doth hold so he that in largeth himself to beare the most office in a State these wer shall he sufficiently discharge The worme 〈…〉 or 〈…〉 though it haue many feet is of a very slow pase So Luther said of Erasmus Quiâ—t â—ust in omnibus sapere sespsum decipit And Mâ—lancâ—hon of 〈◊〉 â—â—itaries in arts in omnibus aliqaâ—â— in 〈…〉 The wittie Poet trimly Omnia cuÌ„mfacias miraris cur facias nil Posthâ—nâ— rem solam qui sacit â—lle facit Againe Christ called his Apostles in the midst of their fishing that wee might heereby learne to preferre the following of him before the businesse of the world or Iesus happily walked by the sea for that he did intend to chuse fishers Hereby teaching vs not to shunne but rather to seeke those places where â—e may doegood As the poore cottage that we may releeue the needie the house of mourning that wee may binde vp the broken hearted and remooue the spirit of heauinesse the dungeon of Ioseph and Daniel preaching libertie to the captiues and opening of the prison vnto them that are bound
of the filthie Familists had troupes of women euer accompanying him Apelles had Philomene for his mate Montanus had Prisea and Maximilla women of great birth and opulent estate Donatus had Lucilla for his mistresse Arius the Princes owne daughter for his Patronesse as S. Hierome notes in his Epistle to Cresiphon against the Pelagians Postelliu the lesuite had an old beldame called mother Iane and the rest of that ranke as the Quodlibeticall discourse auoweth haue deluded many young gentlewomen and deuoured many widowes houses And this kinde of fishing they learned from Satan himselfe who did first attempt the woman and then tempt the man vsing the wife as a trap to catch her husband And the reason why the deuil and his agents are fishers of women rather then of men is because they be lesse able to resist and more willing to repoâ—â— a new fangled opinion in one word for that their â—its are shorter and their tongues longer Fishers of men not of children as Seruetus absurdâ—y cauillesh Ergo saiâ—â—h he Pâ—eâ—â—hers may not baptise little infants Answer is made by Caluin and other that men heeâ—e signifieâ—h all mankinde of whâ—tsoeuer age or sex Christs commandement is expresse reach all nations baptising them c. and Mark 10.14 suffer the little children to come vnto me There be young Lambes in his fold so well as old sheepe it is not his Fathers will that one of these little ones should perish for of such is the kingdome of heauen See Melancthon loc com tit baptis infant Caluin vbiâ—up in margin Master Iohn Philpots letter concerning this argument apud Fox in his martyrdome Bucan loc com â—it baptis quest 35. Little children must be caught and brought vnto Christ and after these minumes are baptised in the sacred font they must be catechised and further instructed in the principles of holy religion that they may know what a solemne vow they haue made by their godfaâ—hers and godmothers And forasmuch as euery man is a Priest and a Prince in his owne house you must bring vp your childâ—en in instruction and information of the Lord drawing them vnto God while they be young lest afterward being past correction they say with the wicked in the second Psalme Let vs breake their bonds asunder and cast array their cords from vs. Niâ— fundamenta stirpis lâ—cta sint probe Miseroâ— necesse est esse deinceps posteros The draw-net of the Church incloseth all kinde of fish and therefore the Preachers are fishers of all sorts of men None is too good or too bad or too rich or too poore or too young or too old to be brought vnto God I will make you fishers of men indefinitely not of this or that man in particular Andrew must fish for all especially for such as are committed vnto his peculiar charge Acts 20.28 Take heed to your selues and to ak't he flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers Our principall care must be to reduce such as are vnder our proper cure from the linke and seas of their sin to righteousnesse and holinesse by preaching of the word to draw them out of the shadow of death out of the pit of ignorance to the maruellous light and sunne-shine of the Gospell And that we may performe this it is required on our part that we be painfull either casting our nets into the sea or else mending them in our ship and skilfull also that we may know to cast our nets on the right side of the ship Omnis ignorantia mala Sacerdotis autem pessima The blinde leading the blinde drawes him not out of the puddle but rather hurleth him into the ditch Matth. 15.14 Now the fishers of men for the catching of soules ought to preach and presse two points especially repentance and faith Almightie God himselfe the first fisher of men in his very first draught when the worlds sea was not so tempestuous as it is now stood vpon these two principally First hee rebuked Adam for his sinne that he might repent and then he shewed how Christ is the propitiation for his sinne the seed of the woman shall breake the serpents head that he might beleeue The Patriarkes and Prophets vrged these points vnto the men of their age Iohn Baptist the last of the Prophets and first of Apostles a midling as it were betweene both inculcated often these two repent and behold the lambe of God All the sermons of Christ as our Euangelist reports in the verse before my text consisted of these two likewise from that time Iesus began to preach and say amend your liues for the kingdome of heauen is at hand If any then desire to know whether the fishers of men haue caught him or no let him examine his owne heart whether he be repentant and faithfull If he feele sorrow for his sin and comfort in his Sauiour if he confesse his fault as the Publican O God be mercifull to mee a sinner and confesse his faith as Andrew Wee haue found the Messias if crying with teares hee can vnfainedly say Lord I beleeue helpe mine vnbeleefe it is a manifest argument that the fishers of men haue drawne him out of the dead sea into the land of the liuing out of the darke waters into the glorious light of the Sun of righteousnesse Heere the Gospell and Epistle meet againe Preachers are fishers of men because men are iustified by faith and faith commeth by hearing of the word and the word is brought vnto you by the mouth of the Preachers And therefore you must honour their holy function as Gods ordinance for the gathering together of the Saints and edifying of the body of Christ. Abhorre the positions of Stenckfeldius Anabaptists Familists holding that the word is not taught by the sermons of Peter and Andrew c. but only by the reuelation of the Spirit As also the practises of vncharitable Martinists Barrowists Brownists openly breathing out slander secretly threatning sâ—aughter against the Disciples of the Lord making it their greatest vertue to meddle with the Preachers vice so that whereas Andrew should catch them it is apparant that they labour principally to catch Andrew But the best is in the meane while they lose themselues among themselues hauing almost as many factions as there be fractions in their seuerall inuectiues In isâ—a Babylons sectae dissectae their sects are now so diuers and aduerse that as one said Luigando res non dirâ—mitur sed perimitur The last of all the remarkable circumstances in our text is how Iesus called his Disciples and that is hee saw them and saith vnto thens follow me and I will make you c. that is as Ardens in a short glosse pithily Vidit per electionem vocanit per fidem iussit se sequi per obedientiam pramium promisit per obâ—dientie reminerationem According to that
the Virgins wombe as a bridegroome out of his chamber the Godhead was ioyned vnto the flesh and the flesh vnto the Godhead and these two were coupled together and after an ineffable manner in an ineffable marriage made one Beleeue this and thou shalt haue power to be Gods owne sonne as it is in our text My beloued if thou put on this wedding garment thy soule shall be Christs own spouse so nere so deare to him as that he will say to it I am thy saluation and it may also tell him I am my welbeloueds and my welbeloued is mine For if Pilate by wearing Christs coate without a seame did appease the wrath of angry Caesar how much more shall euery true beleeuer please God our heauenly King if he put on Christ himselfe O the blessed crying of a blessed babe by which euery faithfull seruant and sonne of God escapeth eternall howling in hell O glorious manger in which our soules Manna lay the bread of life that came down from heauen on which if a man feede hee shall not hunger againe O how rich are the ragges which haue made plaisters for our sores for our sinnes I conclude with an hymne of Prudentius Mortale corpus sumpsit immortalitas Vt dum caducum portat aeternus Deus Transire nostrum posset ad coelestia The Epistle Act. 7. 55. And Steuen being full of the holy Ghost looked vp stedfastly with his eyes into heauen c. YEsterday you heard how Christ was borne to day you shall vnderstand how Steuen died In Christs natiuitie who was borne in a little village and in an Inne of that village and in a stable of that Inne and laid in a cratch of that stable wee may learne humilitie not to boast of our great birth In S. Steuens martyrdome wee may behold an excellent patterne how to behaue our selues at our death hauing faith in God and loue toward our neighbours the which assuredly will breed such a Christian resolution in vs as that wee shall depart this life cheerefully lying downe in our graues as in a bed to sleepe for so the text here when hee had thus spoken be fell a sleepe The Church then in ioyning these two festiuals is desirous that wee should learne to liue well as Christ and dye well as Steuen In the words of Augustine Celebraâ—imus hester na die natalem quo rex marâ—yrum natus est in â—â—â—ndo hodie cel bramus natalem quo primicarius martyrâ—um migraâ—â—â— ex mundo Oportebat enim vâ— priâ—â—um immortalis pro mortalibus susciperet carnem sie mortalis pro immortals contemneret mortem Et ideo natus est Dominus vt moreâ—etur pro seruo ne serâ—â—â— timeret mori pro domino Naâ—â—â— est Christus in terris vt Stephanuâ— nasceretur in câ—lis c. And I pray with the same Father hartily donet mihi dominus pâ—â—ca dicere salubriter qui doâ—â—uit Stephane tanto dicere fartiter In the whole text two points are to be considered especially the bloudy behauiour of the Iewes in martyring Steuen godly behauiour of Steuen in his martyrdome toward God in generall hee stedfastly looked vp into heauen and called vpon God particular Lord Iesus receiue my spirit Men heartily praying for his enemies on his knees with a loud voice Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Himselfe vndergoing his martyrdome so comfortably that giuing vp the ghost hee laid downe his head vpon the hard stones as vpon a soft pillow to slâ—epe The Iewes in their blind zeale were so furious and mercilesse that they put Steuen to death who sought to bring them to eternall life stoning him as a blasphemer against God and his law who was a man full of faith and power and the holy Ghost An harsh and an hard fact of a stonie people saith Augustine ad lapides currebant duri ad duros Petris 〈◊〉 qui pro Petra qui Christus est moriebatur Lapides Indaearebellis In Stephanum lymphata rapis quae crimine duro saxeâ— semper eris But of their crueltie toward Steuen and other Prophets of God in the Gospell appointed for this day more copiously The most obseruable point in our present text is the godly behauiour of Steuen in his martyrdome 1. to God he looked vp stedfastly with his eyes into heauen c. As to the place where his treasure was his conuersation was his helpe was Hereby teaching vs whether we should flie for succour in aduersitie not vnto men here below but vnto God in heauen aboue so Dauid When I was in trouble I called vpon the Lord and hee heard me my helpe commeth euen from the Lord. So Iob my witnesse is in heauen and my record is on high And so S. Iames euery good gift is from aboue Calling vpon God and saying Lord. Thomas Becket a renowned Martyr and Saint among the Papists at his death earnestly commended himselfe and his cause to the protection of S. Mary but our protomartyr heere knowing that shee was neque magistra neque ministra neither mistresse of his soule nor yet a ministring spirit to his soule forgetting our Lady calleth vpon our Lord only saying Lord Iesu receiue my spirit the which is not an invocation of God the Father as Fran. Dauid impiously taught making Iesu the Genitiue case and the meaning thus O Father in heauen which art the Lord of thy sonne Iesu but as Ambrose notes a prayer vnto God the Sonne for besides infinite places of holy Scripture wheâ—e Christ is called Lord and called vpon as the Lord. S. Iohn Apocalips 22.20 vseth as Steuen here Iesu in the vocatiue Case etiam veni Domine Iesu euen so come Lord Iesus Where Domine Iesu cannot bee construed the Lord of Iesus but the Lord Iesus See Lorin in loc Bellarmine de Christo lib. 1. cap. 8. If the Lord be considered without Iesus howsoeuer in regard of his power he is able yet in regard of his iustice not willing the good Angels and blessed Saints in heauen are willing but not able wretched vncharitable men on earth are neither able nor willing onely Christ the Mediator betweene God and man is both able and willing to heare vs and helpe vs able because Lord willing because Iesus And therefore Steuen here doth not inuocate the Lord but in the name of Iesus neither doth he call vpon any Iesus but the Lord Iesus he lookes not for any succour either from men on earth or blessed spirits in heauen onely hee poureth out his soule to the redeemer of his soule Lord Iesu receiue my spirit Receiue He knew that his life was hid with Christ in God and therefore commendeth his soule to him alone who created it and redeemed it and iustified it and sanctified it and will in his good time glorifie it O Lord Iesu take thine owne into thine owne
custodie seeing I am now to leaue this life receiue my spirit Heere then against the Sadduces in Christs age and Atheists in our time we may note the soules immortalitie for God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing Again that al soules departed are in certaine receptacles vntill the generall iudgement they do not obambulate and wander vp and downe but remaine in places and states of happinesse or vnhappinesse either in the hands of God or in the Deuils prison and therefore all the daies of our life but especially at the houre of our death it behooueth vs to say and pray with S. Steuen O Lord Iesu receiue my spirit My. Charitie begins with it selfe malice with another in our idle busie time men are very sollicitous lest God lay this or that sinne to their enemies charge but wee may tell them as Christ did other in another cause Wâ—epe not for me but for your selues If your deuotion be so great and your praiers so good pray first for your selues for you peraduenture haue more need and then wish well and do well vnto your enemies as Steuen here first Lord Iesus receiue my spirit and then Lord Iesus forgiue their sinne Spirit Most men are all for the bodie nothing for their soule but S. Stephen is all as it should seeme for the soule and nothing for the bodie For what is a man profited if he should gaine the whole world and lose his owne soule saith our blessed Sauiour by which Apophthegme it doth appeare that euery soule in it selfe is of greater price then a whole world but thy soule vnto thy selfe ought to be of greater account then a million of worlds if as Empedoiles and Demâ—critus imagined there were so many saue this and saue all lose â—his and lose all and therefore let thy whole life be nothing else but a meditation of death and that thou maist die well as Steuen endeuour to liue well as Steuen Howsoeuer it goe with thy goods or good name be sure to looke well vnto thy soule that whether thou die for the Lord or in the Lord thou maist cheerfully deliuer it vp vnto the Lord as Steuen here Lord Iesu receiue my spirit Vnto faith in God he doth adioine loue to men without which all his praying and kneeling and crying yea dying had been but as a sounding braise and a tinckling Cimball Of loue there be two principall offices one to giue another to forgiue S. Steuen is an excellent patterne of both of the latter especially praying for his hatefull enemies euen at that houre when hee could scarce gaine time to thinke on his friends It is said 1. Peter 2.21 That Christ suffered for vs leauing vs an example Now Christ on the Crosse praied for his persecuâ—ors earnestly Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe Pendebat samen patebat a Augustine sweetly S. Steuen followed his masters example Lord lay not this sinne to their charge The which praier is clothed with two circumstances hee kneeled downe shewing his reuerence to God and cried with a loud voice manifesting his vnfained affection toward them Vnto the top of which exceeding great charitie there are three degrees 1. He praied for enemies 2. For mortall enemies who stoned him 3. In hot bloud at that time when they did wrong him most as being more sory for their riot then for his owne ruine For eternall death is the wages of such a sinne but euerlasting life the Crowne of such a suffering Hee kneeled downe God is the Lord of the body so well as of the soule and therefore challengeth as well reuerent gesture as inward deuotion in praying then either stand as a seruant before thy Master or kneele as a subiect to thy Prince Daniel prayed kneeling Peter prayed kneeling Paul prayed kneeling Christ himselfe kneeling and the Magdeburgenses acknowledge this gesture to be most ancient and most vsuall among the children of God in all ages and therefore not to kneele in the congregation argueth either ignorance or arrogancei For seeing all of vs are Gods adopted sons and not borne to the good we possesse it behoueth vs when we come before our Father especially to craue his blessing to be dutifull and humble in our cariage Concerning kneeling at the Lords Supper if the Church haue power and authority to change the time commanding vs to receiue the Communion in the morning whereas Christ administred it in the night to change the place for whereas Christ ordained his Supper in a priuate house wee communicate in a Temple to change the number and qualities of the persons deliuering the Sacrament vnto more then twelue and to women as well as men I see no reason but it hath authoritie likewise to change the gesture The time was altered because for this sacrifice the morning is the most fit time the place was altered because the Church is the most fit place The gesture was altered also being a matter not of the Sacraments essence but of outward order onely because kneeling is the most fit gesture for Protestants especially who deny the grosse reall presence and hold the Lord Supper an Eucharist or thanksgiuing vnto God for the redemption of the world by the death of his Sonne giuing of thankes is a part of prayer and in prayer no gesture so fit as kneeling Deuout Asella did vse geniculation in prayer so much as that her knee were made brawnie like the knees of a Camel See Step durant de ritibus Eccles. lib. 3. cap. 24. It is very remarkeable that Steuen here stood when he prayed for himselfe but kneeled when he prayed for his enemies hereby shewing the greatnesse of their impiety which easily could not be forgiuen as also the greatnesse of his piety Qui plus illorum dolebat peceasa quam sua vulnera For this end hee cryed also with a loud voice magnus clamor magnus amor Or as Caietan he cryed with a loud voice for others instruction and example that we might be followers of him as hee was a follower of Christ. Lay not this sin to their charge The Scribes in their glosses on the Law said expresly thou shalt loue thy neighbour and hate thine enemie Some Papists also thinke that the words of our Sauiour resist not euill and loue your enemies are not absolute precepts but onely counsels according to this doctrine the Castilians as I haue read since the battell of Alijabarto would not suffer any to preach vpon the friday in the first weeke of Lent because the Church on that day sings inimicos diligite loue your enemies And Iustinian being restored againe to his Empire shewed extreame crueltie toward his aduersaries and their allies for as often as he moued his hand to wipe the filth from his nose which was cut off hee commanded one of his enemies to bee put
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
the righteousness of faith in his heart And here we may learne the true doctrine of the Sacraments against Anabaptists ascribing too little to them and Papists attributing too much Anabaptists affirme that Sacraments are bare badges of Christianity distinguishing a Christian from an Infidell as a gowne did a Romane from a Grecian But we teach out of our Apostle that the Sacraments are not onely signa but also signacula certaine sure witnesses and seales of grace whereby God inuisibly worketh in vs and doth not only quicken but also strengthen our faith in him And against our aduersaries of Rome wee conclude from hence that the Sacraments iustifie not ex opere operato for if they bee the seales of the righteousnesse of faith how can they saue by the bare worke done without faith Ista non tribuunt quod per ista tribuitur in the wordes of reuerend Hooker they bee not physicall instruments of our saluation as hauing in themselues any vitall efficacy but onely morall instruments of Gods grace the vse whereof is in our hands the effect in his according to that of Augustine Multi nobiscum manducant bibunt temporaliter sacramenta qui bababunt in fine aeterna tormenta Touching Circumcision see further in the Gospell ensuing and concerning the second argument vsed here taken from Gods promise made to father Abraham Epistle 13. Sund. after Trinity The Gospell Lvke 2.15 And it fortuned assoone as the Angels were gone away from the shepeards into heauen c. ALâ—eit this text commend vnto your consideration a great many of remarkeable vertues of the glorious Angels in preaching Christ of the good sheepheards in seeking Christ of blessed Mary the Virgine in keeping Christ as his mother in her louing armes as his handmaid in her lowly heart yet the more proper and proportionable parts accommodated vnto the present feast are principally two 1 The Câ—câ—â—ciâ—ion of Christ. 2 The imposition of his name Iesuâ— Of these first I purpose to speake ioyntly then seuerally These two were ioyned together to thevv that Christ our Mediatour betweene God and man was both a man in beâ—ng circuâ—â—â—d and God in being Iesius that is a Sauâ—â—r of his people from thâ—◠〈◊〉 or Christ happily was called Iâ—sus and 〈◊〉 at the â—aâ—â—â—me to â—â—gnitie that there is no remission of sinne 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 of blood Heb. 9. â—1 Hee could not therefore become Iesus vntill hee had giuen vs a taste of his blood for wee haue redemption through his blood euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to his rich grace â—â—pheâ— 1.7 or the dolorous Circumcision and sauing Iesus are coupled together insinuating that there should be persecution and bloodshed in the world for the preeching of this name So Christ in the Gospell assured his Apostles expresly Yee shall â—â—â—â—ted of â—â—men â—â— my name And Paul saith of himselfe while hee was an oppressour of the Church I â—â—râ—ly thought in my selfe that I ought to doem 〈…〉 or these two were conioyned to put vsin minde hoâ— God doth exalt the humble and mecke Christ humbled himselfe quoth Paul and became obedient Wâ—â—efore Go I hath also highly exalted him and gâ—uen him a nâ—me â—houe euery name that at the name of Ieâ—us euery â—nee should bow both of things in â—â—â—â—en and things in earth and things vnder earth Or it may be that these were both at once to witnesse that Christ is the true Physition of the world For when all mankinde was exceeding sicke in head and heauy in heart when from the sole of the foot vnto the head there waâ— nothing whole but wounds and swellings and sores full of corruption as it is in the Prophet then our blessed Sauiour came to visit his people binding vp their wounds on this day Pelaculae carnis and powring in oile and wine washing them euen with the wine of his blood and mollifying them also with the sweet oile of his sauing name Iesus For some deriue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or as almost all Interpreters obserue these two went together for that it was vsuall among God people the Iewes to giue names vnto children in their circumcision as it is among vs in Baptisme So wee reade in the first lesson appointed to be read this morning praier that God altered Abrams name when he did institute Circumcision Thy name shall not any more be called Abram but Abraham for a father of many nations haue I made thee Now the reason hereof is plaine that as often as we heare our selues named we might instantly call to minde the Couenant betweene God and vs in holy Baptisme to wit how God on his part promised to be our God and we vowed on our part by Godfathers and Godmothers that wee would forsake the deuill and all his workes the vaine pompe of the world the carnall desires of the flesh and continue Christs faithfull souldiers and seruants vntill our liues end Hitherto concerning Circumcision and the name Iesus iointly let vs now treate of these parts apart and first of Circumcision which is Threefold Carnall vnder the Law Threefold spirituall vnder grace Threefold Celestiall in the kingdome of glorie The first is Sâ—cramâ—ntum â—acrâ—res the second sacra 〈…〉 the third res sacramenti The first in it due time was good the second at all timeâ— is better the third in eternitie best of all The first is nascen 〈◊〉 euery manchild of eight dâ—ies old among you shall â—he circumcised Geneâ— 17.12 The second is renascentiâ—â— a circumcision of the heart in the spirit Rom. 229. when as the regenerate by the sword of the spirit which is sharper then the sharpe kniues vsed in circumcision yea sharper then any two edged sword as being a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart doe not onely circumcise the fore kinne but all the power of the soule and all the parts of the body Circumcising their eye 〈◊〉 they looke vpon a damseâ—â— or behold vanitie Circumcising their eares and their lips hedging their possessions â—rit â— tâ—ornes and making doores and bars for their mouth Ecclesiast 28.24 Hedging their eares again't heresie backbiting â—ttery barring their mouth against lying blasphemie foolish â—â—lking Circumcising their hands that they steale no more but worke the thing that is good Ephes 4.28 Circumcising their feet that they be not swift to shed blood Circumcising their very thoughts Esay 1.16 Wash you make you cleane put away your â—â—â—â—tents out of my sight as our olde English translation according to the vulgar Latine In a word cutting of all superfluous lusts of the flesh and all superfluous cares of the world casting off all the old man which is corrupt and putting on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Ephes. 4.22 The third kind of circumcision is resurgentium
Sund after Easter and Gospell on Saint Thomas day Here pause and pray Almighty father which hast giuen thine onely sonne to die for our sinnes and to rise againe for our iustification grant vs so to put away the leauen of malice and wickednesse that we may alway serue thee in purenesse of liuing and truth through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen The Epistle Eâ—HES 4.7 Vnto euery one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ c. SAint Paul doth especially two things in all his Epistles 1. treate 2. entreate Hauing sufficiently treated in the former Chapters of doctrinals he commeth in this present to morals entreating his Ephesians in generall to walke worthy of the vocation whereunto they were called in more particular to support one another thorough loue keeping the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace pressing this one point with arguments of two sorts The first of which epist. 17. Sund. after Trin. is taken from such things as are common vnto the whole Church as being in all the faithfull one and the same there is one body and one spirit and one hope one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and father of all which is aboue all and through aâ— and in you all As if he should argue thus if the Church your mother bee but one God your father but one Christ your Lord but one the holy spirit your comforter but one if ye haue but one hope one faith one baptisme I see no cause why ye should not liue together and loue together as all one labouring to keepe the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace The second contained in our present text is taken from such graces as are in euery one diuerse shewing that this inequality of gifts is not an hindrance but rather a furtherance to vnitie for asmuch as all of them are giuen by the same author for the same end Vnto euery one of vs is giuen some gift vnto none all he that hath most hath but a measure As then in the naturall body the eye can not say to the hand I haue no need of thee nor the hand againe to the feet I haue no need of you but euery part seeketh anothers and not his owne good Euen so in the Church which is Christs mysticall body God made not all Apostles or all Prophets or Euangelists c. but some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists c. There be diuersities of gifts and diuersities of administrations and diuersities of operations 1. Cor. 12. euery one standeth in need of anothers gift and thereupon is occasioned to support one another in loue preseruing the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace See epist. 2. Sun after Epiphan and 10. after Trinity In the whole 4. points are to be considered especially 1. Who Christ and that is proued out of the 68. Psal. verse 18. hee led captiuitie captiue and gaue gifts vnto men 2. When when hee ascended vp on high euen aboue all heauens to fulfill all things 3. What hee made some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists c. 4 Why for the perfiting of the Saints for the worke of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ. Concerning the first in that our Apostle doth auowe here that the diuersity of grace bestowed on the Church is the gift of Christ whereas he saith elsewhere that God the father ordained Apostles and Prophets and teachers and that the spirit worketh ad these things vnto euery one seuerally distributing as he will we may learne two conclusions in diuinity 1. That all the workes of the sacred Trinity quoad extra without it selfe are common and communicable to euery person of the three 2. That God the sonne is equall in might and mercy to God the father he being ascended aboue all heauens is the giuer of gifts vnto men and here we must accord the Prophet and our Apostle The one saith he receiued gifts for men the other he gaue gifts vnto men and these two seeme to contradict each other Answere is made that Dauid speakes of this deuotion in time to come but Paul of thiâ— donation already past and accomplished Dauid of the promise Paul of the performance Or Christ as he was God gaue gifts in heâ—â—â—n and as man he reâ—â—â—ed gifts on earth or he receiued in that his members receiued according to his owne saying Mat. 25.40 â—n as much as ye haue done it vnto one of the leastâ— these my brethren yee haue done it vnto mee or he receiued to giue as Exod. 25.2 Speake to the children â—f â—srael that they receiue an offering for me that is according to the translation of our present Church bible â—â—at they bringâ— where reioycing as Abbâ—n Ezâ—a notes is giuing and so Paul alluding rather to the sense then to the words of Dauid saith he 〈…〉 Touching the second point it is demanded how Christ is said here to haue made some Apostles and some Prophets c. When he went 〈…〉 and led captiuity â—aptiue seeing wee reade in the Gospels history that he chose his Apostles and Disciples and gaue them a commission to preach in his life time and that after his resurrection he confirmed them in his office by breathing on them and giuing the holy Ghost and saying as my father sent mee euen so send â—y â—â— goe teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the father and the sonne 〈◊〉 the holy ghost Answere may bee that Christ is reported in this Scripture to haue giuen Apostles vnto the Church after he went vp on high in respect of their gifts extension and 〈◊〉 Extension as hauing after Christs ascensâ—ou receiued the gifts of the holy ghost after a more glorious manner and in a farre greater measure So the text the â—â—ly ghost was not yet giuen because that Iesus was not yet glorified and If I goe not away the comforter will not come vnto you but if I depart I will send him vnto you And Christ at his ascension also charged them to waite for this promised power of the holy ghost See gosp Sun after ascension day Oâ—tension and that 1. in respect of the solemne inauguration into their Apostleship on the feast of Pentecost in the sight of Gods people gathered together at Hierusalem out of euery nation vnder heauen It is reported of Dauid that he was first annointed King of Israel in the middest of his brethren 1 Sam. 1.10 and afterward in Hebron 2. Sam. 2. But hee was not called King vntill he was annoynted solemly before all the tribes of Israel 2. Sam. 5. Euen so though it bee granted that the Apostles were nominated and elected to their office before Christs death and confirmed in their calling after Christs resurrection yet they were not apparantly knowen vnto Gods people to bee so till he went vp on high and gaue
is ready to tell the Prophet as Ahab did Eliah Hast thou found me O mine enemy Then the whole rabble furiously raging together against the Lord against his annointed conclude peremptorily that apeece of a pulpit is enough halfe a benefice too much for such an vnquiet spirit S. Augustine sweetly Quiphreneticum ligat lethargicum excitat ambobus molestus ambos amat For the worke of the ministry The gifts of Christ here mentioned are not theoricall but practicall giuen vnto Pastors for the worke of the ministry the word worke forbids loytering and the word ministry lording I pray misconstrue not this glosse seeing I meane as Paul and speake as B. Latimer did almost in euery sermon Domabis lupos sed non dominaberis ouibus as Bernard told Eugenius For the edifying of the body of Christ The gift of the spirit is giuen to euery man to edifie withall hee therefore that is a non edificant is vnworthie to bee called an Apostle or Prophet or Euangelist Positiestis dispensatores sed in edificationem non in destructionem aliter non fidelis dispensatio sed crudelis dissipâ—tio The Doctors office is to teach and the Pastors calling to feed Our great Lord repeated this iniunction vnto Peter thrice feed my lambes feed my sheep feed my flock that is as Bernard excellently pasce mente pasce ore pasce opere pasce animi oratione verbi exhortatione exempli exhibitione And here the people likewise may learne to reuerence their Pastors and teachers as the Ministers of Christ sent from aboue to watch for their soules If they must honorare bonum dominum etiam in malo seruo respect euery Prophet and Euangelist and Pastor for his workes sake 1. Thessal 5.13 then vnto such as rule wel and labour in the word and doctrine they must as our Apostle speakes giue double honour The Gospell IOHN 15.1 I am the true vine and my Father is an Husbandman c. AS a kind friend loth to depart with his familiars in giuing a farwel often breakes off his speech and begins a new discourse so Christ heere being now to leaue the world after hee had ended one sermon vnto his Disciples in the chapter going before falleth into another of the like argument in this present wherein hee doth especially two things exhort and comfort He doth exhort all his followers 1. To continue stedfast in the faith and that vnder the parable of the vine intimating that as the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe except it abide in the Vine so they can doe nothing vnlesse they abide in him Vrging this one point by diuers reasons all which may be reduced vnto the punishment of such as abide not Poena damni they beare no fruite vers 4. Poenasensus they be taken away verse 2. withered gathered cast into the fire burnt v. 6. blessednesse of such as abide being Purged by God the father v. 2. Cleansed by God the sonne v. 3. CoÌ„forted by God the holy Ghost abide in mee and I will abide in you by my spirit vers 4. Relieued in whatsoeuer they shal aske vers 7. 2. To make demonstration hereof in workes of piety glorifying God and louing one another Hee comforts them against the worlds hatred 1. From his owne example vers 18.20 2. From the cause of this hatred ver 19. 3. From the cause of the cause vers 21.22.24 4. For that God and Christ suffer with them vers 23. 5. From the prediction of holy Scripture vers 25. 6. By promising to send the comforter vers 26. I am the true Vine Christ is called heere a Vine as else where a Lion a Sheepe a Lambe a corner Stone a Doore A true Vine by way of difference from the wilde vine or as Rupertus vpon the place to distinguish it from the Vines of Sodome and Gomorrah Whose grapes as Moses speaketh in his song are grapes of gall and their clusters are bitter their wine is the poyson of Dragons and the cruell gall of Aspes A true Vine not simply but in a simile not truly a Vine but like a true Vine Vera faith Augustine per similitudinem non per proprietatem a true Vine as in the first chapter of this Gospell at the ninth verse the true light Now the resemblances betweene Christ and a true Vine are manifold 1. A Vine is not sowne in the ground but planted a young slip of an old tree so Christ is a naturall branch of God the Father euen very God of very God but for vs men and our saluation hee was translated from heauen and planted on earth that is borne of the Virgin Mary of whom it is said Esay 45.8 Let the earth open and let saluation and iustice grow forth let it bring them forth together I the Lord haue created him A blessed earth in whole blessed fruit all the nations of the world are blessed 2. The Vine that it may beare the more fruit is cut and pruned and so Christ although he were conceiued of the holy Ghost and borne without all sinne yet for our sakes he was circumcised on the eight day wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities Againe Christ albeit hee were Lord ouer all things and heire of the whole world yet for our saluation he suffered his glory to be pruned by the knife of ignominie for whereas hee was the King of glory hee made himselfe of no reputation Philip. 2.7 Hee tooke on him the forme of a seruant and was made man as Dauid speakes of him a worme and no man a very scorne of men and outcast of the people Psalm 22.6 His wealth was pruned by the knife of pouerty Pauper in natiuitate pauperior in vita pauperimus in cruce So poore in his birth that hee was borne in another mans stable so poore in his life that he said of himselfe the Foxes haue holes and the birds of the heauen haue nests but the sonne of man hath not whereon to rest his head So poore when he was dead that he was buried in another mans tombe Matth. 27 60. His pleasure was pruned by the knife of sorrow Lament 1.12 Behold and see if there be any sorrow like vnto my sorrow His familiar acquaintance was also cut away from him by the knife of feare Iudaâ— betrayed him Peter denied him other forsooke him all were dispersed He did tread the wine presse alone and of all people there was none to helpe him as Hierome and Bernard apply that of the Prophet Esay chap. 63.3 3. The Vine is dugged and digged as wee reade in the fifth chapter of Esay So Christ was dugged when the soule-mouthed Iewes spit vpon him and he was digged on euery side when as his aduersaries by propounding captious questions had cast a trench round about
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