rose againe leading captiuitie captiue that hee might heereby deliuer thee from the bands and hands of all thine enemies I may tell thee from Paul and Paul here from God vnto the comfort of thy soule that thou art now presently iustified and shalt be hereafter eternally saued For the Scripture saith whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not bee confounded That is whosoeuer hath a sure trust in God that he will euen for his Christ sake pardon all his sinnes and blot out all his offences and out of this assurance calleth on the name of the Lord he shall be safe For the two testimonies of the two Prophets answere the two clauses of Paul Esay speaking of the beleeuing in the heart and Ioel of acknowledging with the mouth And in these texts of the Prophets obserue their vniuersal note whosoeuer for God is no respecter of persons he puts no difference betweene the Iew and the Gentile but being Lord ouer all is rich vnto all that call vpon him Other Lords cannot reward all their followers as being Poore many will not as being illiberall and sordide but our God is able because Lord of all and willing because rich vnto all of whatsoeuer condition or countrey Poore Bartimeus begging rich Zacheus climing old Simeon in the Temple young Iohn in the wombe couetous Matthew grinding his neighbour at the receit of Custome the louing Centurion building his nation a Synagogue the people watching vnder the Crosse the theefe hanging on the Crosse confessing the Lord Iesus and walking in the sonneshine of his Gospell in differently finde refreshing in the conscience rest in the soule For whosoeuer beleeueth on him shall not be confounded and whosoeuer calleth on his name shall be saued As for the subiect or seate of faith it is said here with the heart man beleeueth Ergo faith as many Protestant authors haue noted is not placed in the minde or vnderstanding only but in the will and affections also For faith as it is notitia resides in the minde but as fiducia feared in the will Other Interpretors etiam note purioris and no way branded with the markes of Antichrist hold it noâ— greatly to stand with reason that one particular and single grace should bee placed in diuers parts and faculties of the soule It is true that faith is not a meere prattle of the tongue nor a floting opinion of the braine but a certaine perswasion of the heart Yet notwithstanding this perswasion or particular knowledge whereby a man is resolued that the promises of saluation appertaine to him is wrought in the minde by the holy Ghost 1. Cor. 2.12 A sure trust and a stedfast hope of all good things to bee receiued at Gods hand is not happily faith if wee speake properly but rather a fruit of faith in that no man hath aâ—fiance in God vntill he be first of all perswaded of his mercy toward him in Christ Iesu. For mine owne part I confesse with Luther ingenuously that it is exceeding hard to distinguish exactly between faith hope there is so great aâ—finitie between them one hauing respect to the other as the two Cherubins on the Mercy-seate Exod. 25.20 Faith engendreth hope and from hope proceeds affiance which is nothing else but hope strengthned For whereas an hypocrites confidence shall be like the house of a spider he that putteth his trust in the Lord shall be euen as the mount Sion which may not be remooued but standeth fâ—st for euer And for as much as the word heart in my text as is agreed on all sides is put for the wholesoule without limitation to any part all that I will obserue from hence shall be that as wee must loue God euen so beleeue in God with all our heart and soule and minde For hypocrites haue forged faith and deuils haue forced faith acknowledging against their will out of horror vnto their condemnation and not out of loue from their heart to their iustification that Iesus is the Lord. A Recusant may be brought vnto the Church against his will and compelled in despight of his teeth also to receiue the Sacraments Bread and Wine but none can beleeue that Iesus is their Iesus but with the heart only See Gospell Sund. 8. and Epistle Sund. 10. after Trinitie How shall they call on him on whom they haue not beleeued A plaine text against the Gentiles idolatrie praying vnto gods vnknowne As Hecuba in Euripides O Iupiter quic quid es siue hoc coelum siue mens in coelo quanquam din iam ignauos opituiatores inuoco And it is a pregnant euidence to confute the Papists in their inuocation of Saints also for if they trust in S. Martin or Mary S. Catherin or Clare they rob the Creator to clothe his creature and cursed be man that puts his confidence in man and makes flesh his arme If they trust not how doe they call on him in whom they beleeue not Our heauenly Father saith in his word Call vpon me Christ our aduocate with the Father in like fort Come vnto me for I am the way the truth and the life Iohn 14.6 Non est qua eas nist per me non est quô eas uisi ad me No way to God but by mee no light but from mee no life but in mee Christ is a mutuall helpe to the Father one to vs another An hand to the Father by which hee reacheth vs an hand to vs by which wee reach him The Fathers mouth by which he speaketh vnto vs our mouth to the Father by which wee speake to him Our eye to see by footway to goe by the piller of fire by night and cloud by day guâ—ding his Israel in the wildernes of this world Wherefore let vs call on him in whom alone we beleeue which is our strength and refuge in the time of trouble promising in his Gospell aske and yee shall haue seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you See Gospell on the 5. Sund. after Easter How shall they heare without a Preacher Heere you may behold the Ministers Dignitie in respect of their Commission as being sent of God Errand as being ambassadours of good things euen such as bring tidings of peace between God and man Man and man Man and himselfe Wherefore desire the Lord to send forth labourers into his haruest honouring such Elders as rule well and labor in the word euen with double honour 1 Timoth 5.17 receiuing them as Angels yea as Christ himselfe Galat. 4.14 Dutie for if faith come by hearing and hearing by preaching so that the word of God vnto faith is as oile to the lampe such as will haue their feet kissed ought to bring tidings of good things If they will haue the worthie good reason they should doe the
are written for our comfort for if these great pillars of the Church had such a shake let vs not despaire though happily sometime many mountaines of distrust arise in our troubled harts Assure thy selfe thou hast a good measure of faith if thou feele want of faith As a woman that seeleth the mouing of the child in her body though very weake assureth her selfe that she hath conceiued and goeth with child so if wee haue these good affections and vnfaigned desires of faith in our soule if hungring and thirsting after righteousnes wee say with the man in the Gospell I beleeue Lord help mine vnbeleefe let vs not in any case doubt but that we haue the holy spirit who is the giuer of these godly motions dwelling in vs and so consequently that wee haue true faith It is said Psalm 10.19 that the Lord heareth the desire of the poore yea that he fulfilleth the desires of all such as feare him Psalm 145.19 It is sufficient then in the middest of any grieuous tentation if thou truly desire to repent and beleeue For God accepting the will for the deed taketh a heart desirous to repent and beleeue for a penitent and a beleeuing heart indeed It is recorded in the 20. chapter of S. Iohns Gospell that Mary Magdalene seeking Christ at his sepulchre found afore the felt him He talked with her and stood high her and comforted her and yet the text saith at the 14 verse she knew not that it was Iesus In like fort the spirit of Christ is sometime present with vs and within vs helping our infirmities albeit we haue little sight or sense therof he is a secret friend and doth vs often most good when we least perceiue it Saint Thomas here said we know not the way nor whither thou goest and yet truth it selfe anowed the contrary whither I goe ye know and the way ye know They knew the way but they did not know that they knew saith Augustine Sciebant 〈◊〉 sed se scire nesciebant See the long of S. Simeon and the grace of our Lord c. in the Liturgie I am the way the truth and the life That is as Ferus Exorduins salutis ergo via medium salutis ergo veritas finis salut is ergo vâ—a The beginning of heauenly happinesse and therefore the way the meane and therefore the truth the end and therfore the life 〈◊〉 incipientium veritas â— oficientium vita perfectoruus Or as Euthymius if I am the way then I am able to bring you to the man ieâ—s in my fathers house if the truth I he not in sâ—ying I goe to prepare a place for your if the life then neither Angels nor principalities nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor death it selfe shall separate you from me but I will receiue you to my selfe that where I am there ye may be also Or as Leo the great The conuersations sancte veritas doctrine diuine vita beatiâ—udinis sempiterne The which is expressed by S. Bernard in these words elegantly Via in example verita promise vita in premio The 〈◊〉 in my workes and the truth in my words and the life in my rewards Via ducens veritas listens vita pascens With such as waÌ„der in a bie way I am the high way to such as are doubting in the way I am the truth vnto such as are wearied vnto heir heauie burthen in their courses I am the life Or as Cyril vpon the place for as much as we shall ascend to the mansions in Gods house by faith hope charity of all which onely Christ is the donor he may be tearmed the way for giuing vs an example that we should loue one another as he hath loued vs that truth in deliuering such infallible rules of faith the life by coÌ„forting vs with an assured hope that we shal one day raign with him in his fathers house for euermore Thus Christ is via in qua per charitatem ambulare veritas cui per sidem adhaerere vita ad quaÌ„ per speÌ„ attolli de bemus or as Aug. Christ is the truth the way qua itur the life quo itur And in another place Permi v nitur ad me prouenitur in me permanetur in me Other taking this phrase for an hebraisme construe it thus I am the true way leading to life which is euerlasting Or I am the way to truth and life making truth and life but Epitheta to way Or I am the way and the true light going before you in the way to life as hee doth expound himselfe in the words immediately following No man commeth to the father but by me called else where the light as well as here the life which occasioned Bernard to say Nos populus â—uas oues pascus tue sequamur te per te ad te I will end this obseruation with a meditation of S. Ambrose Ingrediamur banc viam reneamus veritatem vitam sequamur Via est que perducit veritas est que confirmat vita qua per se redditur Suscipe nos domine quasi via confirma quasi veritas vinifica quasi vita nam in te sumus vinimus mouemur mouemur quasi in via sumiu quasi in veritate viuimus quasi in vita eterna This one sentence doth afford many comforts vnto troubled hearts if Christ bee the way to life there is none other name whereby we must be saued Aliter qui vadit cadit If the truth all other religions opposite to the Christian faith are â—ither ignorant fantasies or else arrogant heresies It the life let vs nor despaire in death â—ur redeemer hueth he which is the resurrection and the life shall at the last day raise our vile bodie making it like his glorious body receiuing vs to himselfe that where he â— in his fathers house there wee may be also The Epistle Acts. 1.1 In the former treatise O Theophilus wee haue spoken of all that Iesus began to â—ive and teach IN this History of S. Luâ—e two points are more principally remarkeable namely the Context or connexion of this treatise with his Gospell vers 1.2 Text or narration it selfe throughout the rest of the whole booke diuided into two portions 1. Generall as setting downe the acts of all the blessed Apostles in the twelue former chapters 2. Particular as containing more specially the acts of S. Paul in the sixteene latter chapters In the former treatise Saint Luke hauing alreadie penned a tract of all that Iesus did and taught He commeth in this present history to shew what his Apostles did and taught declaring at large that their doings and doctrine were conformable to the workes and words of their master These two treatises howsoeuer dedicated vnto one man are notwithstanding parted into two volumes
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
the commandements of God and more then euer he commanded as the precepts of the Church and Euangelicall counsels and so do works of supererogation or is any so great a Puritan as the Pope who maketh himselfe a God in greatnesse and a God in goodnesse a God in greatnesse in that his vnlimited authoritie doth dispence with the lawes of God in this world and alter his iudgements in another hauing power terrestriall in vsurping the whole world for his Diocesse vsupernâ—d extended to heauen in canonizing Saints infernall extended to hell in freeing soules out of Purgatorie a God in goodnesse for he cannot as Pope quateâ—us Papa erre in doctrine and hee may not be told of his errors in manners his holinesse is holy si non sanctitâ—ate propria sanctus tamen sanctitate officij Whether the Pope be Iudas or Peter or Paul thereof God neuer bade vs be carefull onely this that he sitteth in Peters Chaire shall be sufficient for vs. If wee say wee haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and truth is not in vs. Euen the iust faâ—leth often and the godly Fathers euermore complained of the corruptions in their age Tertuâ—â—â—in said O not miseros qui Christiani dicimur loc tempore gentes agimus sub nomine Christi Gregorie Nazianzâ—ne speaketh thus of the pitifull estate of his owne time Wee that are Christians are hated of the Heathen for our owne vices sake we are now become a wonder not onely to men and Angels but euen to all the wicked and vngodly More lately Gueuara The Philosophers beleeued as Paganes but liued as Christians whereas we quoth he beleeue like Christians but liue like Paganes Honoured Whitaker examining the dissolutenesse of al degrees in England cried out in exceeding great passion Aut hoc non est euangelium aut nos non sumus euangelici The reuerend Deane of Worcester as yet more fully The fatall miserie of these latter daies hath made nothing good but in shew nothing true bâ—t in opinion when for iustice betweene kingdome and kingdome the longer sword hath eaten vp the law of nations and for iustice betweene subiects vnder the same gouernment lawes are lost in the cases of the law and for the preseruer of all both truth and iustice religion it selfe is in a manner lost in the questions of religion Of all men Christians are the best of all Christians vndoubtedly the primitiue professors of all the primitiue professors Christs owne Disciple of all the Disciples his chosen Apostles and yet these men were but men subiect to manifold sinnes albeit they were Saints and their infirmities are recorded in holy Bible partly for the glorie of God and partly for our good For Gods honour that his sauing health might be knowne vpon earth and the riches of his mercie shewed in pardoning offences according to that of Dauid Against thee my God haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight that thou mightest be iustified in thy saying In what saying I pray but in this and the like where sinne abounded there grace superabounded Againe the sinnes of the blessed Apostles are registred in the Gospels historie for our good that wee might neither presume nor yet despaire not presume for we may feare falles if these had their slips not despaire because Christ forgot and forgaue Peters blasphemie the proud ambition of the sonnes of Zebedâ—us and heere Thomas his incredulitie speaking so mildly working so mercifully with him as that his sore was made his salue his vnbeleeuing at the first occasioning greater faith in him afterward Memento peccati vt dole as Memento mortis vt desinas Memento diuinâ— iustitiae vt time as Memento miscricordiae ne desperes Hitherto concerning the sinnes of godly men in generall I come now to Thomas his faults in particular and they be principally two First his absence from the meeting of the Disciples according to the tenour of our Text Thomas one of the twelve was not with them when Iesus came Christ had often foretold his Apostles that he should be put to death and that he should rise againe the third day from the dead and therefore a little before his passion he made promise to them â—fter I am risen againe I will goe before you into Galile Now then according to this word as wee read in the former part of this Chapter euen the same day wherein hee rose againe hee came when the doores were shut into the place where the Disciples were gathâ—red together and stood in the middes and said to them peace be vnto you But Thomas either vpon supine negligence or cowardly feare being absent from their assembly lost the sight of his Sauiour Wherefore let vs I beseech you be diligent in frequenting the congregation of the faithfull especially on the Lords day for where two or three are gathered together in Christs name there Christ is in the mids of them and faith as here peace be vnto you They who gathered Manna alone lost their labour and found nothing Falleris sancte Thoma falleris si videre dominum â—peras ab apostolorum Collegio separatus non â—mat veritas angulos sed stat in mediâ— c. saith Bernard Thou art deceiued Thomas exceedingly deceiued if thou thinke to see Christ out of the Church and Colledge of Apostles He lurkes not in the dennes of the wicked but stands in the mids of the godly appearing in holy ground found in the Temple seen among the Disciples The second fault of Thomas arising from the former is incredulitie for his absence from the Disciples assembly was the cause hee saw not Christ his not seeing of Christ occasioned vnbeliefe and then his vnbeleeuing heart breakes forth into malapert words except I see in his hands the print of the nailes c. I finde that some Writers haue much excused this fact of Didymus as Cyril who thought he spake not thus out of incredulitie but out of a sudden passion as being extremely greeued for that he lost the sight of his Sauiour and almost out of hope that hee should euer see him againe because Christ had said a little while and ye shall not see me for I goe to my Father And S. Augustine saith also that these words of Thomas argue not a denying but a doubting only Vox inquirentis est non negantis dum hoc dicit docerivoluit confirmarâ— desiderauit And S. Ambrose most expresly that Thomas doubted not of Christs resurrection but of the manner of his resurrection onely Non de resurrectione Domini sed de resurrectionis qualitate videtur dubitasse This I confesse is a charitable construction of those holy Fathers extenuating rather then aggrauating the sinnes of others especially the godly But Christ himselfe being truth it selfe reprehends in our Text Thomas incredulitie be not faithlesse but faithfull and therefore
touched his pretious body both afore his death and after his resurrection and so that which wee so many waies assuredly know to be true declare we vnto you For albeit the word of life being very God of very God is neither visible nor palpable yet in respect of the personall vnion of the two natures in him it may be safely said againe and againe that which we haue seen and heard And we saw the glory of it as the glory of the onely begotten sonne of the Father full of grace and truth Iohn 1.14 And in this sense the word of life yea the Lord of life is said elsewhere to be killed and crucified Thirdly in regard of the profit because Christ is the word of life not onely formaliter in respect of himselfe but in respect of vs effectiue being authour of our naturall life for in him we liue and mooue and haue our being Aâ—t 17.28 Of our spirituall life Thus I liue yet not I now 〈◊〉 Christ liueth in mee saith Paul Galath 2.20 Of our eternall life for he is the way the truth and the life Iohn 14.6 The resurrection and the life Iohn 11.25 yea that eternall life 〈◊〉 it is in our present text So that if weâ— will embrace the Gospell and receiue these glad tidings of peace we shall haue fellowship with the blessed Apostles and in conclusion it will bring vs vnto fulnes of ioy The which is not in this life for here many sorrowes are mixed with a few ioyes Hee was a blessed man who said O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death Our reioycing is in part as our knowing is in part and our prophecying in part Here God giueth his children sometimes a good measure of ioy shaken together and pressed downe but hereafter in his kingdome of glory when all teares shall be wiped from our eyes and all cares from our heart then onely our ioy shall be full and as Christ speakes elsewhere running ouer Let all Doctors of Diuinitie learne by this Diuine to shun new dubious vnprofitable quirkes of learning and to deliuer vnto Gods people that which was from the beginning a true Gospell and a certaine procuring an happy communion with God and a fulnesse of ioy God is light Almighty God is compared vnto light in many respects As first for that all things are naked and open vnto his eyes as to the light Secondly as wee cannot see things earthly without lighâ— so wee cannot discerne things heauenly vnlesse the father of lights illuminate our minde and giue vs an vnderstanding heart Thirdly for that as the light of the sunne dasseth our eyes if they gaze too much vpon it euen so the Diuine Maiestie dwelling in the light which no man can approach vnto confoundeth all such as curiously pry too much into it according to that of Salomon in the vulgar latine quâ— serutator est maiestatis epprimetur à gloria But God is called here light as expelling â—ll darknesse of sin ignorance being in himselfe pure sincere righteous in al his waies holy in al his works Our Apostle then argueth against hypocrites and tale-gospellers often and openly boasting of their Communion with God à natura Dei from the properties of God after this sort God is light Ergo none can haue fellowship with him except they walke in the light If we say we haue communion with him and walke in darknesse we lie and doe not the truth Our wilfull ignorance and sinnes vnrepented are called in holy Scripture darknesse as hauing their beginning from Satan the Prince of darknesse and their end in hell which is the pit of darknesse and therefore though hypocrites out-mouth as it were true Christians in bragging of their familiaritie with God and his Sonne yet the truth is as long as they walke in darknes it is impossible they should be children of God for in him is no darknesse nor so much as a shadow Iam. 1.17 What communion hath light with darknesse or what concord hath Christ with Belial or what fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse God is without wickednesse himselfe and hateth all manner of wickednesse in other according to that of the Prophet in the fifth Psalme thou art the God that hath no pleasure in wickednesse neither shall any euill dwell with thee Such as be foolish shall not stand in thy sight for thou hatâ—st all them that worke vanitie Thou shalt destroy them that speake leasing the Lord will abhorre both the bloudthirstie and deceitfull man I conclude this point in the words of our Apostle Little children let no man deceiue you he that doth righteousnesse is righteous It is not sufficient to say that hee is righteous for if wee say we haue fellowship with God and walke in darknesse we lie and doe not the truth that is we lie to our selues and doe not the truth vnto other because they be misled through our example mentimur commissione veâ—itatem nor facimus omissione If we walke in the light An argument from the effect to the cause for our studiousnesse to walke in the light and to doe good in our callings is not the cause of our fellowship with God and of the remission of our sinne by the bloud of Iesus Christ his sonne but an effect or consequent It is a signe that we are the sonnes of God if wee bee followers of God as deare children if wee will embrace the Gospell and receiue these glad ridings of peace we shall haue fellowship with the blessed Apostles and in conclusion it will bring vs vnto fulnes of ioy The which is not in this life for here many sorrowes are mixed with a few ioyes Hee was a blessed man who said O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death Our reioycing is in part as our knowing is in part and our prophecying in part Here God giueth his children sometimes a good measure of ioy shaken together and pressed downe but thereafter in his kingdome of glory when all teares shall be wiped from our eyes and all cares from our heart then onely our ioy shall be full and as Christ speakes elsewhere running ouer Let all Doctors of Diuinitie learne by this Diuine to shun new dubious vnprofitable quirke of learning and to deliuer vnto Gods people that which was from the beginning a true Gospell and a certaine procuring an happy communion with God and a fulnesse of ioy God is light Almighty God is compared vnto light in many respects As first for that all things are naked and open vnto his eyes to the light Secondly as wee cannot see things earthly without light so wee cannot discerne things heauenly vnlesse the father of lights illuminate our minde and giue vs an vnderstanding heart Thirdly for that as the light
rose vp the same houre and returned to Hierusalem and found the eleuen gathered together and them that were with them and they told c. verse 33.34.35 Behold two of the Disciples went the same day Two are better then one for if they fall the one will lift vp his fellow And therâ—fore the Disciples here went not alone but in company two that they might by their mutuall helpe and conference mittigate one anothers griefe And for this end they went to Emmaus which is interpreted a thirsting after good aduice signifying hereby that their afflicted soule desired earnestly to bee relieued with healthfull and heauenly counsell in this extremity Two they were and two of the Disciples not of the twelue for Iudas had hanged himselfe before this and it is said in our present text at the 33. verse that these two found the other eleuen gathered together but of the seuentie Disciples as almost all interpretors obserue Yet as one notes it may bee that these were Disciples of Christ in secret as Ioseph of Arimathea was Ioh. â—9 â—8 One of the two Disciples is named here Cleophas and he was as Hierome writes a Citizen of Emmaus in whose house Christ was entertained at table and so knowne by breaking of bread That other Disciple not named is thought by Gregory the great Theophylact and other to be S. Luke conceâ—â—ing his owne name out of modesty But it is apparent in the proem of this euangelicall history that Saint Luke receiued his relations from other and therefore not â—robable that he was one of these two See Iansen conco d. cap 146. Maldonat in Luc. 1 1. Epiphantus saith expresly that this disciple was Nathaniel Origene coniectures it was one Simeon Ambrose calleth him Amâ—on in this dissention of opinions obserue two things especially 1. That it is fruitlesse to search after this name curiously seeing the spirit of truth and wisedome concealeth it 2. That traditions are vncertaine though ancient and therefore wee must build our faith vpon the word written and not vpon tales vnwritten These two disciples went the same day Christ arose from the dead out of their Colledge but they went not out in Apostaâ—â—â— like to them of whom Saint Iohn 1. Epist. 2. cap. 19. vers They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had bin of vs they would haue continued with vs. Neither went they forth in curiosity like to Dinâ— who went out to see the daughters of the land but they went out from the rest of their company like bees out of their â—iue that they might returne home laden with honie for their communication is answerable to the present doctrine and griefe of their Colledge they gather sweet from the flowers of Christs speech hearing him expounding the law and the Prophets attentiuely compelling him importunately to stay with them neuer leauing him vntill in breaking of bread they knew him And then as being filled with heauenly food which is sweeter then hony and the hony combe they returned home to the blessed Apostles and other disciples at Hierusalem and 〈…〉 things were done in the way To a towne called Emmaus Plâ—nie reckoneth Emmaus among the Toparchies of Iudea called afterward 〈◊〉 vpon the victory which Augusthus Caesar 〈…〉 Antonius and Cleopatra This 〈◊〉 was 〈…〉 famous as I finde in the records of antiquiâ—â— but our Euangelist â—â—eth it here not for the 〈◊〉 of the towne but for the certaincie of the truth And 〈…〉 of all the things that had happened of the death of Christ and of the Iewes inhumane cruelty who put him to death of the â— womens going to his sepulchre and of their report vnto the brethren their heart was fixed on Christ and out of their hearts abundance their mouth spake Quicquid agit Cleophas nihil est Cleophae nisi Christus Si gaudet si stet si tacet â—unc loquitur The newes at Hierusalem how Christ was crucified dead buried and risen againe are called things that happened and chanced in respect of the disciples ignorance not in respect of Gods knowledge for as concerning the passion of Christ it is said expresly by Saint Peter Acts 3.23 that hee was deliuered and crucified and slaine by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God and so nothing happened casually seeing euery thing was aforetime written of him in the law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes And as for the resurrection of Christ himselfe saith in this present Chapter at the 25. verse O fooles and slow of heart to beleeue al that the Prophets haue spoken ought not Christ to haue suffered these things and to enter into his glory and he began at Moses and all the Prophets and interpreted vnto them in all Scriptures which were written of him Mistically these two disciples are prayer and meditation the which are two so neerely coupled together as that they talke together often In prayer our meditation is illuminated and by meditation our deuotion in praying in flamed Meditatio ruminat liuores vulnerum fixuras clauorumdanceam â— acetum persecutorum sauitiam Apostolorum 〈◊〉 â—oortem turpissimam corporis sepulturam oratio â—undit suspiria piae deuotionis stillat aromata tota resoluitur in lâ—menta And it chanced while they communed together and reasoned â—esus himselfe drew neere the Lord is nie to such as are of a contrite heart and in the mids of such as are gathered together to praise him In the tap-house where the communication is idle prophane scandalous and in euery respect vnsauorie there the diuell is in the drunkards heart and eares and tongue but in Gods house when wee meet together to magnifie his name nay in our owne house when as we meditate on Christs precious death and buriall and other mysteries of holy beliefe Iesus himselfe standeth behind our wall looking forth of the windowes shewing himselfe thorow the grates and putting in his hand at the hole of the â—â—ore to helpe vs he drawes neere to vs and walketh along with vs as hee did with the two disciples here neuer leauing vs vntill he perceiue that we be thoroughly confirmed and comforted in the truth Ambulat cum illis in via non dum illi ambulabant in via inuenit enim eos exorbitasse de via he which is the way seeing his disciples out of the way shewes them his pathes and leades them forth beside the waters of comfort and for this end he doth aske what manner of communications are these not as doubting himselfe but only to put them out of doubt quaerit ab eis quid inter se loquerentur vs quod ipse sciebat idi faterentur He doth aske them and vrge them againe and againe that he might haue fit occasion and ample matter of discourse and
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
his workes of creation and redemption and preseruation of his people though he may not read Gods priora yet he may know Gods poâ—teriora beholding him in his wonders in his words in his sacraments in his sonne principally being the brightnes of his glory and expresse character of his person as Christ in our text he that hath seene mee hath seene also my father I am in the father and the father in mee Hereby prouing himselfe to be God 1. For that we must only beleeue in the Creator and not in any creature 2. Because God only knowes the secret perturbation of the heart and if ye beleeue that I am God ye must also confesse that I am a present helpe in trouble willing and able to relieue you for if God be with you who can stand against you Why then are your hearts troubled as if he should haue said albeit I am to suffer death as man yet I will on the third day raise my selfe againe from the dead as God it is expeâ—hent for you that I dye for your sinnes and rise againe for your iustification and so prepare a place for you in my fathers house that where I am there you may be also mansionsâ— Saint Paul hauing at large disputed of the resurrection in his first Epistle to the Corinthians 15. Chapter prouing that the dead shall rise againe by manifest and manifold arguments taken out of the bookes as well of nature as of Scripture concludeth in fire therefore my beloued brethren 〈…〉 sumoutable 〈…〉 alwayes in the 〈◊〉 of the Lord for as much as we know that your labour is not in vaine So Christ in the Gospell vnto his â—ollowers In the 〈…〉 and all the wicked of the world â—all hate you for my names sake they shall scourge you in their Synagogues and persecute you from City to City not affording to much as an hole Wherein to rest your head in peace yet let not your hearts be troubled as long as in my fathers house there be mansions and I goe to prepare a place for you The Church militant on earth is often called in holy Scripture Gods house wherein he hath a great many mansions as dwelling in our hearts by faith and we likewise haue many places of preferment some being Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and Teachers Ephes 4.11 It is true that God and we too dwell here but it is saith Iob in houses of clay whose foundation is in the dust or as Paul speakes in earthly tabernacles set vp to day and pulled downe to morrow non habemus hic manentem ciuitatem in this world we haue no continuing City For our kingdome which cannot be shaken Heb. 12.28 Our habitation which is euerlasting Luke 16.9 Our inheritance that fades not away 1. Pet. 1.4 Our dwelling place mentioned in our text by Christ is not made with hands but eternall in the heauens 2. Cor. 5.1 Our best houses on earth albeit neuer so gorgeous and neuer so glorious hauing if it be possible walles of gold and windowes of Saphire are not withstanding no better then Innes for strangers and pilgrimes 1. Pet. 2.11 Our mansions and places of abode for euer are in Hierusalem aboue which is without either death or danger Apocalyp 21.4 Wherefore seeing we beleeue in God and looke for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our Sauiour Christ who when he commeth againe shal reciue vs vnto himselfe that where he is in his fathers house there we may be also let vs say with Dauid â—â— by art thou so heauie O my soule and why art thou so disquieted within mee O put thy trust in God and hee shall one day satisfie thee with the plenteousnes of his house for there is not only roome for Christ in Gods house but also place for all his followers the mansions of heauen are many the least of all his souldiers if they fight a good fight and continue faithfull vnto death is rewarded with an incorruptible crowne of glory hauing for his inheritance no lesse then a whole kingdome Againe these mansions are many because the Saints in heauen haue diuerse degrees of glory So Paul 1. Cor. 15.41 There is another glory of the Sunne and another glory of the Moone and another glory of the Starres for one Starre differeth from another in glory so likewise in the resurrection of the dead A great vessell and a little dipped in the same well hold notwithstanding diuers measures according to their capacity so in Gods house euery chosen vessell of honour is filled vp to the brim with the water of life but the better hath vndoubtedly the bigger mansion he that held more charity here shall haue more clarity hereafter Yet as Au gustine notes vpon our text Non erit aliqua inuidra imparis claritatis quoniem regnab it in omnibus vnit as charitatis I goe to prepare a place for you It is said Matth. 25. 34. That the mansions in Gods house were prepared before the foundation of the world how then is it true that Christ at this time goeth to prepare a place Answere is made that the mansions indeed are prepared from all eternity but the men who shall inhabit them as yet were vnprepared It was expedient therefore that the redeemer of the world should die for their sinnes and rise againe for their iustification and ascend into heauen to take possession of this kingdome and to set open the doores of these prepared mansions vnto his followers as also to send vnto them a conforter and a conductor euen the spirit of truth who might leade them in the right way to this place So Saint Augustine acurely Parat quodammando mansiones mansionibus parands mansores Hee prepareth a place by making men sit for the place For election is in Christ and through Christ and so consequently none come to the Father but by the Sonne wee passe by the kingdome of grace to the kingdome of glory for without holinesse it is impossible to see God Touching other readings I referre you to lansen concord cap. 134. and Erasmus annot in loc Lord we know not whether thou goest S. Thomas and S. Philip were so good proficients in Christs schoole that their master in the former chapter at the 10. verse said of them and of the resâ— of their fellowes excepting Iudas the traitor ye are cleane and Saint Peter as the mouth of the company professed openly to whom shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life and we beleeue and know that thou art the Christ the sonne of the liuing God And yet their faith in the houre of tentation as you see was so weake that Saint Thomas said Lord we know not whither thou goest And Saint Philip Lord shew vs thy Father and it sufficeth vs. Now these things