they fall not backward as Eli and the Iewes who tooke Christ but forward as Abraham in the valley of Mambre and Ezechiel by the riuer Chebar Lastly wee must end well Death is our last enemie which must be destroyed and therefore we must run well vnto the end and in the end As good not to runne at all as to runne neere the end and then to lose the prize to suffer Satan at the last houre to snatch our reward from vs. A runner will bee sure to stretch out his hand at the races end to take the marke so when death approcheth a Christian must stretch out the hand of faith apprehending Christ and his righteousnesse Obserue yet a great difference betweene the Christian and other races In the games of other runners as it is here said one onely doth winne the gole but in the Christian course many receiue the prize so many as continue stedfast vnto the end though they doe not runne so fast though they doe not runne from so farre as other So Christ shewes in the parable of the vineyard allotted for the Gospell on this day Such as came to worke at the eleuenth houre had a peny so well as they that came into the vineyard at the third houre Secondly in other races one hinders another but in our iourney to heauen one helpes another The moe the merier the greater companie the better encouragement euery good man being a spurre to his neighbour As when Peter and Iohn ranne to Christs sepulchre Iohn ouerrunne Peter vnto the graue Peter outwent Iohn into the graue Thirdly runners and wrastlers contend for a crowne that shall perish but we runne to obtaine an euerlasting crowne They run for a little prize for a little praise but wee striue for no lesse then a kingdome that is at stake that is the marke which being infinitly aboue the value of all mens works it cannot be deserued by merit but onely giuen by grace To propound a garland for the runner and a crowne for the wrestler proceeds altogether from Gods owne meere mercy to run and not to fall to fall and not finally to be cast downe comes also from his especiall grace So that it is neither in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that shewes mercy Yet we must so runne that we may obtaine Wee must worke well in respect of the reward as also for feare of punishment due to such as worke not well albeit not onely nor chiefly for these considerations as slaues for feare or hirelings for reward but principally out of louing obedience to God as becomes children vnto so good a father Holy conuersation is a signe and seale of our iustification by which our election is made sure Feramus ergo sidei fructum ab ipsâ pueritiâ augeamus in adolescentiâ coloremus in iuuentute compleamus in seâ—ectute I therefore so run One said of Erasmus his Enchiridion that there was more deuotion in the booke then in the writer But here Saint Pauls life doth preach so much as his letter I so run so fight I Preachers as it is well obserued vpon the Gospell for this day must be not onely verbarij but operarij fo that as Christ said to the Lawyer I say to thee Goe and doe thou likewise Not as one that beateth the aire Such as contend in the Church about things vncertaine and vnnecessary beat the aire I tame my body The Monkes of S. Swithin in Winchester complained to Henry the second that their Bishop had taken away three of their dishes and left them but ten to whom the King answered that the Bishop should doe well to take away ten and to leaue them but three for they were so many as he had in his Court. In England Monkes so tamed their body that among vs as yet Frier and fat are voces conuertibiles and the new bastard Monke though his habit resemble loue couering a multitude of sinnes yet himselfe is the piâ—â—re of enuie No treason in old time without a Priest no treason in our time without a Iesuit so that I may say with the Poet In vestimentis non est contritiomentis Ni mens sit pura nil confert regula dura Bodily exercise profiteth little but godlinesse is profitable to all things As to shew the behauiour of a Prophet in the robes of a cauiliere is louely so contrariwise doe the works of a ruffin in the weeds of a Priest is no better then hypoâ—risie Lest by any meanes Our Apostle was assured of his saluation as it is euident Rom. 8. This then is to be construed of reproofe before men not of reprobation before God Or if it be referred to damnation eternall his â—â—aning is that we may not presume of the end without the meanes and waies by which Almighty God brings vs vnto it And so we lambes may tremble seeing the belwether of the flocke must so labour and subiect his flesh lest perhaps he misse the marke Christ doth assure that a little faith euen little as a grain of mustard seed is strong enough to cast all mountaines into the sea that shall rise vp to diuide betweene God and vs. It is true that the shield of faith is able to repell all the fierie darts of the wicked but this our faith is made fat by good works And if we will make our calling and election sure we must with all diligence ioine vertue with faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlinesse brotherlie kindnesse and with brotherly kindnesse loue c. The Gospel MAT. 20.1 The kingdome of heauen is like vnto a man that is an housholder c. OVr Sauiour was delighted exceedingly with certaine proueâ—biall speeches as Euery man that exalâ—eth himselfe shall be brought loâ— and hee that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted Vnto euery man that hath it shall be giuen but from him that hath not euen that which he hath shall be taken away Many that are first shall be last and the last shall be first The which saying is hard and as Bishop Latymer speakes it is no meat for mowers and ignorant people Christ therefore propounds here this parable for explanation thereof as it is apparent by the 16. verse of this present Chapter as also by the last words of the former Many that are first shall be last and the last shall be first for the kingdomâ— of heauen c. In which a lecture of meeknesse is read by the great Doctor of humility teaching all such as are forward in religion not to be proud because the first may be last and all such as are called late not to despaire because the last may be first In the whole parable three points are to be noted our calling worke
and haue not charitie I am nothing gather two conclusions against vs the first is thâ—t true faith may bee without loue the second that faith alone without good workes is nothing worth in the businesse of our iustification To the first answere is made that the speech of Paul is not a categoricall proposition but an hypotheticall supposition if it were possible that all faith should be without good workes it were nothing Secondly Paul here speakes not of a iustifying saith of that faith of beleeuers which is common and generall but of the speciall gift of faith to worke miracles of which our Sauiour in the Gospell If yee had faith aâ— much as a graine of mustard seâ—de and should say vnto this mulbery tree Pluck thy selfe vp by the rootes and plant thâ— selfe in the sea it should euen obey you This hee said vnto the beleeuing Apostles and therefore cannot bee construed of a sauing faith but of a miraculous faith and so S. Ambrose notes vpon this text to doe wonders and to cast out diuels by faith is nothing worth except a man be an earnest follower of good conuersation Our Diuines acknowledge that euery kind of faith is not ioyned with loue for there is a dead â—aith and there is a liuely whereby Christ liueth in vs we in Christ. There is a faith of diuâ—ls and a faith of Gods elect There is a faith whereby the beleeuer shal neuer perish and there is a faith whereby some beleeue for a time and in the day of temptation fall away There is a faith which the world destroyeth and a faith which is our victorie by which a Christian ouercomes the world There is a faith whereby wee beleeue there is a God and there is a faith whereby we beleeue in God according to these differences of faith in Scripture there is a faith without workes and there is a faith which worketh by loue We say then of the faith of Gods elect whereby we beleeue in God to which the promise of iustification and eternall saluation is made that is a faith which cannot be separated from charity but wheresoeuer it is there is loue ioyned with it bringing forth the fruites of righteousnesse which are by Iesus Christ vnto the glorie and praise of God Inseparabilis est bona vita à sidâ— qua per dâ—â—e iionem operatur imò verò ea iâ—sâ— est bona vâ—â—â— saith Aâ—gustine according to that of Irenaeus to beleeue is to doe as God will and therfore Beza translates here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not omnem fidem but toâ—â—m â—idem implying not all kinde of faith but all faith of this kinde to worke miracles as if Paul should argue thus If a man could worke neuer so many miracles and faile in his morals he should be nequâ—m nequam is nequiâ—quam as our Apostle speakes a nothing The second conclusion gathered out of these words against vs is that faith alone without charitie nothing auaileth to iustification Our answere is that albeit faith is not solitaria yet in our iustification it is sâ—la euen as the eye in regard of being is neuer alone from the head yet in respect of seeing it is alone for it is the eye onely that doth see So saith subsists not without other graces of God as hope loue c. yet in regard of the act of iustification it is alone without them all For the further opening of this hard point you must vnderstand that separating of things one from another is either real in the subiect or mental in the vnderstanding real separation of faith and charitie wee wholly denie For Bellarmine confesseth expressely that Luthâ—r Melanâ—thon Chemnitius Caluin and other learned Protestants haue taught that good workes in sâ—me sort be necessarie to saluation and that there is no true â—aith vnlesse it bring forth good workes and be conioyned with charitie Separation mental in vnderstanding and consideration is either negatiue or priuatiue Negatiue when in the vnderstanding there is an affirming of one and denying of another Priuatiue when of things that cannot be separated indeed yet a man vnderstands the one and omitteth to vnderstand the other As for example though light and heate cannot be sepaâ—ated in the fire yet a man may consider the light and not the heate so then in our iustification wee doe not negatiuely separate other graces from faith as if faith existed alone without hope and loue but priuatiuely making them effects and consequents not concurâ—ing causes of our iustification Our assertion is faith considered without hope and charitie that is hope and charitie not considered with it doth iustifie Christ Iesus is our husband and we are his spouse now the Bridegroome must bee â—lone with the Bride in his secret chamber all the seruants and the familie being put apart afterward when the doore is opened and he commeth foorth into the waiting roome then let all the seruants and handmaids attend then let hope doe her office let loue doe the duties of loue then as S. Peter exhorts ioyne vertue with faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance c. The Papists obiect that loue is the life of faith All faiths actiuitie proceedes only from charitie and without which our â—aith is dead So the Scripture plainly that in Christ neither is circumcision any thing neither vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue Cardinall Bellarmine reades 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 passiuely wrought by loue disagreeing herein from all the Fathers and that which becomes him worse from the vulgar Latine to which all Papists are tied by the Councell of Trent as also from the Rhemish translation in Enlish which hath as our Testament worâ—eth actiuely for they foresaw this absurditie that if they should haue translated faith wrought by loue then it would haue followed that loue must needs be before faith whereas all of them acknowledge faith to be before loue according to that of Augustine Faith is giuen first by which wee obtaine the rest and Altissiodorensis in his golden Summe saith that faith hope and charitie are a created trinitie resembling the three diuine persons vncreat For the Sonne is begotten of the Father and the holy Ghost proceeds from both so stedfast hope is bred of faith and loue doth issue from them both And Bellarmine cites often in his workes out of Augustine Domus Deicredendo fundatur sperando erigitur diligendo perficitur The foundation of Gods house in our soules is faith the walles hope the roofe charitie The Prophet in a vision saw the transgressor against the transgressor and the destroyer against the desâ—royer So the schoolmen oppose the schoolmen and their Champion Bellarmine fights against Bellarmine For if faith be the foundation of all other vertues as himselfe writes lib. 1. de Rom. pont cap. 10. then it is not as hee
together immoderate diet begets chambering chambering wantonnes wantonnes strife strife enuying thus sinne doth first couple then increase This text ought to be regarded of vs the more because it was the very place to which Augustine that renowned Doctour by a voyce from heauen was directed at his first conuersion as himselfe witnesseth Lib. 8. confess cap. 12. Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ. As we must put off the old man so put on the new man and that is done two waies either by putting on his merits or by putting on his maners Our Sauiour Christ in his life but in his death especially wrought for vs a garment of saluation and a long white robe of righteousnes now the spirituall hand of faith must apprehend and fit this wedding apparell on vs in such sort that all our vnrighteousnes may be forgiuen and all our sinne couered Secondly we must put on the maners and excellent vertues of Christ in whom was no worke of darknes but all armour of light so the phrase is vsed Iob 29.14 I put on iustice and it couered me my iudgement was a robe and a crowne This apparell is the true Perpetuan neuer the worse but the better for wearing The Gospel MATTH 21.1 And when they drew nigh vnto Hierusalem c. CHrist is Alpha and Omega the first and the last the beginning and ending wherefore the Church allotting a seuerall scripture for euery seueral Sunday thoroughout the whole yeare begins and ends with the comming of Christ for the conclusion of the last Gospell appointed for the last Sunday is Of a truth this is the same Prophet that should come into the world and the first sentence in the first Gospell for the first Sunday Behold thy king commeth vnto thee Wherein the Church imitated the method of Gods owne Spirit for as the first prophesie mentioâ—ed in the old Testament is The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpents head and the first historie deliuered in the new Testament is The booke of the generation of Iesus Christ so the first Gospell on the first Dominical according to the Churches account is Aduentual a scripture describing Christ and his kingdome fitting the text vnto the time teaching vs hereby two things especially first what maner of person the Messias is who doth come secondly what maner of persons we should be now he is come In the former part obserue two points a Preface All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of by the prophet verse 4. Prophesie taken out of Zacha. 9.9 Tell the daughter of Sion c. All this was done that it might be fulfilled An vsuall phrase with our Euangelist as cap. 1.22 cap. 8.17 cap. 27. 35. It doth insinuate the sweet harmonie betweene the Prophets and Apostles as Numenius said Plato was nothing els but Moyses translated out of Hebrew into Greeke and Ascham that Virgil is nothing els but Homer turned out of Greeke into Latine and as the Nouelists affirme that our Communion Booke is nothing els but the Romane Missall and Portuis thrust out of Latine into English and as Diuines haue censured Cyprian to be nothing els but Tertullian in a more familiar and elegant stile so the new Testament is nothing els as it were but an exposition of the old That difference which Zeno put betweene Logicke and Rhetorick Diuines vsually make betweene the Law and the Gospell the Law like the fist shut the Gospell like the hand open Euangelium reuelata Lex Lex occultum Euangelium The Gospell a reuealed Law the Law a hidden Gospell This harmonicall concent may serue to confound our aduersaries and to comfort our selues It doth abundantly confute obstinate Iewes who expect another Messias to come conceiting as yet all things not to be done in the Gospell which was said of him in the Law so that whereas the great question of the world is Who is that Christ and the great question of the Church Who is that Antichrist the Iewish Rabbins are ignorant in both Secondly this harmonie conuinceth all suâ—h Hereticks as hold two sundry disagreeing Gods to be the authors of the two Testaments one of the Law another of the Gospell It affordeth also comfort first in generall it may perswade the conscience that the Bible is the booke of God For if Prolomee was astonished at the 72. Interpreters because being placed in sundry roomes and neuâ—r conferring nor seeing one another did notwithstandiâ—g write the same not only for sense of matter but in sound of words vpon the selfe-same text as Iustin Martyr and Augustine report then how should we be moued with the most admirable diuine concoâ—dance betweene the Prophets and Apostles who writing the word of God in diuers places at diuers times vpon diuers occasions do notwithstanding agree so generally that they seeme not diuers pen-men but rather inâ—â—â—ed only diuers pens of one and the same writer In more particular it may strengthen our faith in the gracious promises of Almighty God he speakes the word and it is done commands and it is effected Heauen and earth shall passe but not one iot of his word shal perish he promised by Zachary that the Messias of the world should come and he tels vs here by Matâ—hew that he is come All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet Behold thy king commeth vnto thee Thus much of the Prâ—face generally now to fist the words seuerally Thaâ— is taken here non causaliter sed consecutiuè not for an efficient cause but rather for a consequence and euent Christ did not thus â—ide into Hierusalem because Zachary foretold it but Zachary foretold it because Christ would thus ride Christ being the complement of the Prophets and end of the Law yet the word That insinuates as Chrysostome notes the finall cause why Christ did thus ride namely to certifie the Iewes how that himselfe only was that King of whom their prophet Zachâ—ry did thus speake that none but he was the King of the Iewes and Messias of the world Fulfilled A prophesie may be said to be fulfilled foure wayes especially 1. When the selfe-same thing comes to passe which was literally deliuered in the prophesie So S. Math. cap. 1.22 saith Esayes prophesie Behold a Virgin shall conceiue c. was fulfilled in Mary who brought forth a Sonne c. 2. When the thing allegorically signified is fulfilled as Exod. 12 46. it is said of the Paschall Lambe Yee shall not breake a bone thereof yet S. Iohn cap. 19.36 affirmes this to be fulfilled in Christ The souldiers brake not his legs that the scripture should be fulfilled Not a bone of him shall be broken 3. When as neither the thing literally nor allegorically ment but some other like is done so Christ Math. 15. tels the peâ—â—le in his time that the words of Esay This people draweth neere vnto
ought that I know me thinkes I should not need Christ if I might so say Paul knew nothing that is no vnfaithfulnes in exercising his ministerie which hee did vtter here not to iâ—stifie himselfe as it is apparent in the next clause but to glorifie God As wee finde in the 15. Chapter of this Epistle vers 9. I am the least of the Apostles not worthie to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God but by the gâ—â—ce of God I am that I am and his grace was not in vaine for I laboured more abundantly then them all yet not I but the grace of God which is with me S. Paul then assisted with Gods especial grace found nothing in himselfe to condemne himselfe for his vnfaithfulnes in preaching but in other actions hee was so buffeted with Satan and ouerladen as it were with his infiâ—mities as that he grieuously complaineth O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this dâ—ath Hee that cals himselfe in one place the least Saint in another acknowledgeth himselfe the greatest sinner But what need wee looke any further He that here saith I know nothing by my selfe saith also yet herein am I not iustified as I doe not condemne so not absolue my selfe The Papist then in citing this text hath lost a pound to gaine a peny For although a man doe all that he can he is still an vnprofitable seruant I know no vnfaithfulnes in me yet I am not hereby iustified for as Gorran and Aquin note Paul might haue many secret sinnes vnknowne to himselfe according to that of Dauid Who can tell how often he offendeth O cleâ—se thou me from my secret faults Euery way of a man saith Salomon is right in his owne eye but the Lord pondereth the heart and who can say I haue made mine heart cleane Or as our Diuines expound it howsoeuer Paul was faithfull in his office yet his and all our good workes are stained with some blemish There was iniquitie in the holie sacrifices of the children of Israel but their high Priest did beare the iniquitie to make the offering acceptable before the Lord Exod. 28.38 There is vnholinesse in our holiest actions but Christ our high Priest hath borne the iniquitie and they are accepted of God in him not by themselues or their owne perfection but as perfumed with the sweete incense of Christs obedience who to make both vs and them accâ—ptable gaue himselfe an offering and a sacrifice of a sweete smelling sauour to God Ephes. 5.2 See Epist. Dom. 3. Quadrages The Gospel Matth. 11.2 When Iohn in prison heard the works of Christ. THis Gospell hath two principall parts A question moued by S. Iohn Baptist in the 2.3 verse An answer made by our Sauiour Christ in the rest In the question foure things are regardable 1. The place where in prison 2. The time when he heard the works of Christ. 3. The messengers hee sent two of his disciples 4. The message Art thou he that shall come c. Christs answere concerneth either the Message Of Iohn Christs answere concerneth either the Or person Of Iohn That which concerned the message of Iohn he deliuered vnto the messengers vers 4.5.6 Goe and shew Iohn what ye haue heard and seene That which concerned the person of Iohn he deliuered vnto the multitude when the disciples of Iohn were departed vers 7.8.9.10 Wherein obserue these three circumstances 1. When After Iohns disciples were gone auoyding hereby all flatterie 2. To whom To the multitude confirming in them a reuerend opinion of Iohn 3. What his speech altogether teÌ„ded vnto the praise of Iohn And it is partly Negatiue shewing what he was not for his life vers 7.8 Affirmatiue shewing what hee was for his office vers 9.10 This I take to be this Gospels anatome and epitome When Iohn in prison Many are the troubles of the righteous If they were many and not troublâ—s â—hen as it is in the prouerbe The more the merrier or if they were troubles not many then the fewer the better cheere But it hath pleased almightie God to couple them both together in nature troubles in number many that thorow many tribulations we might enter into the kingdome of God Act. 14.22 Some therefore are touched in their reputation as Susanna some crossed in their children as Ely some persecuted by their enemies as Dauid some wronged by their friends as Ioseph some tormented in their bodie as Lazarus some suffer losse of goods as Iob some restrained of their libertie as here Iohn in prison As Naples is called in history the butt and Millaine the bale of fortune so the good man is the butt of the wicked whereat he shootes his sharpest head arrowes and therefore wee must put on Gods armour following S. Iohâ—s example When we are in prison or in any other affliction we must not flie to witches or relie too much on men but immediatly send to Christ I say send two messengers vnto God our almes and our prayers for they will doe our errand for vs as they did for â—ornelius Act. 10.4 Not to follow the common postils in this argument I note out of these two circumstances of place and time two commendable vertues in Iohn to wit his discretion and humilitie The disciples of Iohn held their master a greater Prophet then Christ albeit he told them plainlie that hâ—e was not worthie to vntie the latchet of Christs shoâ—e Matth. 3.11 Behold then his exceeding wisedome who sent his disciples vnto Chrâ—st â—hen himselfe was moâ—t abased in regard of his prâ—sent imprisonment and imminent deaâ—h and when Christ on the other side was most famous for his wondrous works strange miracles When Iohn bâ—ing in prison heard â—he workes of Christ he sent two of his disciples vnto him The disciples of Iohn had three faults as wee finde in the Gospell Enuie Behold he that was with thee beyond Iordan baptizeth and all men follow him Ignorance supposing Iohn to be Christ. Incredulitie ioyning with the Pharisies against Christ saying Why doe wee and the Pharisies fast oft and thy disciples fast not Now in Christs schoole there were three perfections opposite to these three defects Examples of humilitie against enuie words of wisedome against ignorance workes of wonder against incredulitie Iohn therefore sent his disciples vnto Christ that seeing his humilitie their enuie might be lessened that hearing his wisedom their ignorance might bee rectified that wondring at his workes their incredulitie might be confounded and because faith is the mother of all vertues and infidelitie the nurse of all wickednesse the Baptist then sent his disciples when he heard of the great workes of Christ that going they might see seeing wonder wondring beleeue beleeuing be saued A good example for all Preachers to follow that they take their hint and best opportunity to benefit their auditors Euery
the termes of auricular and secret confâ—ssion are seldom mentioned in the Fathers a greater clerke theÌ„ he saith neuer in old time We may then iustifie Caluins challenge lib. 3. Institut cap. 4 sect 7. that auricular popish Confession was not practised in the Church vntill twelue hundred yeeres after Christ instituted first in the Lateran Councell vnder Innocentius the third We reade that there was in the Primitiue Church a godly discipline that such persons as were notorious sinners were put to open penance and that by the direction of the Bishop or Pastor and such as voluntarily desired to make publike satisfaction for their offences vsed to come vnto the Bishops and Priests as vnto the mouth of the congregation But this confession was not constrained but voluntarie not priuate but publike yet hence the priests abusing the peoples weaknes tooke their hint to bring in auricular confession vpon perill of damnation A cunning inuention to discouer the mysteries of all states and all men and to inrich that couetous and ambitious sea for Confessions euermore make worke for Indulgences and Indulgences are a great supporter of the triple crowne The Papists in this case flie from the Scriptures vnto the Councels from the Councels vnto the Fathers and from the Fathers vnto their last starting hole miracles Auricular Confession is Gods ordinance saith Bellarmine because God hath wrought many miracles at auricular Confession It is answered aptly that Dauid saith not thy wonder but thy word is a lanterne Scripture without miracles are a good warrant but miracles without text are insufficient for they were wrought by false prophets in old time by false teachers in our daies It is obserued by Tully that bad Orators in stead of reasons vse exclamations and so Bellarmine for want of arguments is faine to tell a tale or two related by Bonauentura Antoninus and our good countriman Alanus Copus all which is no more but aske my fellow whether I be a theefe That priuate confession as it is vsed among the Papists is neither necessarie nor possible see Calum Institut lib. 3. cap. 4. Iewel defence Apolog. part 2. cap. 7. diuision 2. D. Morton Apolog. catholic part 1. cap. 64. Master White way to the true Church pag. 157.226.227 Offer the gift For the labourer is worthie of his hire This is a witnesse to the Priests that is their right and due by law Yea though the Priest doe not labour yet wee must giue vnto Caesar the things which belong vnto Caesar and vnto God the things which appertaine to God the publike Ministerie must bee maintained although the Ministers bee neuer so weake neuer so wicked And when Iesus was entred into Capernaum there came vnto him a Centurion This miracle doth second the first In it obserue the Fact of Christ Performing that fullie which the Centurion desired faithfullie his seruant was healed in the same houre vers 13. Promising further also that other Gentiles euen from al the quarters of the world shall come vnto him and rest with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen vers 11. Faith of the Centurion Perswading Christ to cure his seruant vers 5.6 Disswading Christ to come into his house because it was vnfit vnnecessary Vnfit I am not worthie that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe Surely this Captaine was a man of great worth a deuout man for hee builded a synagogue a good man to the Common-weale wherein hee liued one that loued the nation of the Iewes a man of such a faith as that Christ found none so great in all Israel vers 10. a louing master to his seruants as this act declares a man of command and authoritie vers 9 yet this great Worthie confesseth himselfe vnworthie like the wheat eare which hangs it head downe lowest when it hath most corne By this example learne lowlines of minde When the Sunne is right ouer our heads our shadowes are most short euen so when we haue the greatest grace we must make the least shew Vnnecessarie because Christ can helpe the distressed only with his word euen one word which hee proues à minori ad maius I am a man vnder the authoritie of another c. I am a man but thou art God I am vnder another but thou art Lord of all I haue souldiers obedient to me For albeit vsually men of that profession are rude yet I say to one goe and hee goeth vnto another come and hee commeth and therefore Sicknes which is thy souldier if thou speake the word onely will depart say to the palsie goe and it will goe say to thy seruant Health come and it will come I haue not found so great faith He might haue remembred in this noble Captaine bountie loue deuotion humilitie but he commends faith most of all as being indeede the ground of all without which one vertue the rest are sinne Rom. 14.23 Heb. 11.6 The Epistle ROM 13.1 Let euery soule submit himselfe c. THis Epistle consists of three parts a Proposition Let euery soule submit himselfe to the authority of the higher powers Reason for there is no power but of God c. Conclusion wherefore yee must needes obey giuing to euery man his duty tribute to whom tribute c. The proposition is peremptory deliuered not narratiuely reporting what other hold meete but positiuely importing what God would haue done not aduised only by Paul but deuised euen by Christ as a command in imperatiue termes expresly Let euery soule bee subiect In which obserue the quality of this duty To submit our selues obserue the equality of this duty Belonging indiffereÌ„tly to all Let euery soule c. First of the last according to the words order in the text Let euery soule That is euery man putting the principall part for the whole So Gen. 46.27 All the soules of the house of Iacob which came into Egypt are seuenty that is as Moses expounds himselfe Deut. 10.22 seuenty persons If any demand why Paul said not Let euery body but euery soule Diuines answere fitly to signifie that we must obey not in outward shewes onely but in truth and in deed Omnis anima quoniam ex animo Not with eye seruice but in singlenesse of heart This vniuersall note confutes as well the seditious Papist as the tumultuous Anabaptist The Papist exempting Clergy men from this obedience to secular powers a doctrine not heard in the Church a thousand yeeres after Christ. Bernard out of this place reasoneth thus with an Archbishop of France Let euery soule be subiect if euery then yours I pray who doth except you Bishops Si quis tentat excipere conatur decipere So Chrysostome Theodoret Oecumenius Theophylact vpon this text expresly Clergy men aâ—e not excepted Ergo not exempted Gregory the Great one of the most learned Popes alleageth this glosse Power saith he ouer all men is giuen to my Lord
disciples came to him and awoke him Almighty God likes in our necessity this importunity Psal 50.15 Call vpon me in the time of trouble Psal. 91.15 He shall call vpon me and I will heare him And therefore learne by this example to come to Christ to cry to Christ in all extremity renouncing your selues and relying vpon him onely Master saue vs or else we perish He said vnto them Why are ye fearfull O yee of little faith It was great faith in that they followed Christ into the ship but little faith in that they feared He saith not O ye of no faith but O ye of little faith It was impossible to come vnto God and call vpon Christ without faith in saying we perish they shewed infidelity but in praying saue vs they manifested faith Againe he doth not say yee of little courage or ye of little charity but ye of little faith because faith is the ground of all other vertues and in aduersity most vsefull If we belieue that Christ is our Captaine in the ship with vs who can be against vs And therefore Paul Ephes. 6.16 Aboue all put on the shield of faith wherewith ye may quench all the fiery darts of the diuell Then he arose and rebuked the winds and the sea Christ reprehends the disciples a little but instantly grants their requests his reprehensions had not so much sting as honie for a great calme followed a little chiding at his word the stormy wind ariseth which lifteth vp the waues of the sea They are caried vp to heauen and downe againe to the deep their soule melteth away because of the trouble They reele to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at their wits end But when they cry to the Lord in their trouble he deliuereth them out of their distresse for he maketh the storme to cease so that the waues thereof are still A great calme followed a great tempest Decet enim magâ—um magna facere Christ spake but one word to the violent windes and vnruly seas and they both obeyed his command He doth at sundry times and in diuers maners speake to vs and yet wee will not hearken vnto his voice The spectators of this act might therefore wonder to see the senslesse water and weather obey more then man indued with reason and religion The men maruelled Ideo premantur iusti vt pressi clament clamantes exaudiantur exauditi glorificent Deum A great storme caused in the disciples a great feare great feare great deuotion great deuotion occasioned Christ to worke this great miracle this great miracle moued this great admiration What is this man that commands as a God And when he was come to the other side Two points are to be considered in this miracle principally the Gratiousnesse of Christ in curing two possessed of diuels Vngratiousnesse of the Gergesites preferring a peece of bacon before the Gospell hogs before Christ. Such as respect their tithe pig more then their Pastor are Gergesites and deserue that Christ should depart out of their coasts I will not in particular examine these but in stead thereof insert a few notes vpon the last verse of the first Chapter appointed to be read at morning praier this Sunday preached at Pauls Crosse. Ian. 29. 1608. ESAY 57.21 There is no peace to the wicked saith my God This text is a proclamation of warre against the wicked enemies to God and his Gospell wherein obserue the thing proclaimed No peace to the wicked An heauy doome whether we consider the time the matter or the men for there is no time no peace no wicked if impenitent excepted person proclaiming the Prophet as Herald Lord as chiefe CoÌ„mander able to make this war because God willing to maintaine this war because my God This sentence would not be so grieuous if it were not so generall if any wicked man at any time could inioy any kind of peace but the proposition is an vniuersall negatiue non est pax impiâ—s Our and other translations haue it not in the time past non erat there was no peace nor in the future non erit there shall be no peace but in the present there is no peace Or as it is in the originall indefinitely without a verbe naming no time that wee might feare this iudgement at all times Cognatum imò innatum omni sceleri sceleris supplicium In the words of Saint Paul the wages of sinne is death as the worke is ready so the pay present nec aufertur nec defertur if impiety no impunity When sin is finished it hath his hire scelus aliquis tutum nemo securum tulit If we consider a wicked man out of Christ he hath neither here peace of grace nor hereafter peace of glory but as he passeth from sinne to sinne he goeth as it were from diuell to diuell euen from hell to hell from the flashes to the flame from hell internall to hell eternall As this includes all time so likewise excludes all peace For albeit Harding found a great difference between no bread not bread yet Interpreters here make no difference betweene not peace and no peace For the wicked haue no peace with man no peace with God no peace with themselues None with man for as it is said in the verse before my text The wicked are like the raging sea whose waters cast vp dirt and mire They are of their owne nature turbulent but if we stir them a little then they fume and some like the sea both actiue saith Musculus and passiue being neither peace makers nor peace takers For nature and scripture tell vs plainly that righteousnesse is elder sister to peace So said Aristotle natures chiefe Secretary that agreement in euill is not loue but conspiracie So Dauid a man after Gods owne heart and a penner of Gods owne will iustitia pax osculatae sunt righteousnesse and peace haue kissed each other As Augustine vpon the place fiat iustitia habebis pacem if thou wilt haue peace worke righteousnesse first eschew euill and doe good then seeke peace and insue it Psal. 34.13 Nay you need not seeke it for it will finde you peace will come of it selfe to kisse righteousnesse On the contrary no truth no mercy where there is no loue of good there can be no good of loue no true friendship except it be Christi glutino copulata glewed together in Christ a man can hardly be true friend to any that is not first truly friend to truth it selfe It was an excellent speech of Constantius how can they be faithfull vnto their Prince who are persidious and vnfaithfull vnto their God I tell thee saith Augustine to Martianus albeit you were mine old acquaintance yet neuer my friend vntill you were my louer in Christ. And therefore when Iehoram said vnto Iehu Is it peace Iehu replied
man could number of all nations and kinreds and people and tongues stood before the throne and before the Lambe clothed with long white robes and palmes in their hands The number of Angels is infinite Thinkest thou said Christ to Peter in the 26 of S. Matthâ—w that I cannot now pray to my father and he will giue me moe then twelue legions of Angels A legion is 3000. footmen and 300. horsemen or as Caluin vpon the place 5000. foote 500. horsemen as Vegetius 6000. in all and â—uery particular Angell able in one night to kill as is recorded in the storie of Sennâ—cherib one hundred eightie and fiue thousand The number of starres in the skie of fowles in the aire of fish in the sea of beasts in the field of diuels in hell are without number How infinitely infinite then is the number of all his enemies in what a fâ—arefull â—state doth hee stand when as God and man Angels and Diuels saints and sinners heauen and earth fish and fowle beasts and birds other and himselfe in a word all that is within him all that is without him all that is about him combine themselues together to maintaine Gods holy warre against him I know there are degrees of sinners as there are degrees in sinne some be fautores some actores a third sort authores Of the first Seneca wittily Nihil interest faâ—eas ne sceleri an illud facias It is in a manner all one to commit and commend a villanie Non caret scrupulo occultae societatis qui manifesto discrimini non occurrit saith Gregorie He is suspected to be an abetter of euill who doth not endeuour to better the euill A commoner then that flattereth a Commander that fauoureth vngodly wretches in a citie le ts in so many strong foes to cut your throtes and ruine your estate Yet actors on the stage be worse then idle spâ—ctators for howsoeuer sinne be commendable because common as Sâ—luiâ—nus complained in his time In hâ—c scelus res deuoluta vt nisi quis malus fuerit saluus esse non possit In plaine English except a man be first bad he cannot be reputed a good fellow Yet horrible blasphemers incorrigible drunkards shamelesse whoremongers makebate pettifoggers malcontent accusants on the one side recusants on the other are the very men and meanes which bring and keepe the dearth and plague so long among you But authors of euill and plotters of mischiefe are worst of all as it appeares euen by Gods owne censure giuen of the first sinne in Paradise where the serpâ—nt had three punishments inflicted vpon him as the originall contriuer the woman two being the mediate procurer and Adam but one as the partie seduced Applie for I can no further amplifie When Phocas had built a mightie wall about his palace for his securitie in the night he heard a voice O King though thou build as high as the clouds yet the citie might easily be taken the sinne within will marre all as see Ambrose notably Grauiores sunt iniâ—â—ci mores praui quam hostes inâ—esti Wicked manners are stronger then armed men If God be with vs who can bee against vs if we stand against God who can withstand him And as God is ablâ— because God so willing to maintaine this warre because my God that is the God of his people whom the wicked persecute for his Grant is faire in letters patent to Abraham and his seed for euer I will blesse them that bleâ—â—e thee and curse them that curse thee Or my God that is the God by whom I speake who dealeth alway with his seruants according to his word The gods of the Gentiles are lying gods and dying gods but my God is the truth and the life who can neither deceiue nor be deceiued Or my God because wee must not only beleeue the Maior of the Gospell but the Minor also saying with Thomas my Lord with Mary my Sauiour with Esay my God If we can gaine this assumption it will bring vs to the most happie conclusion enioying peace of conscience which is an heauen on earth peace of glory which is heauen in heauen Vnto which hee bring vs that hath made peace for vs euen Christ Iesus the righteous to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost as we are bound so let vs heartily yeeld all honour c. Amen The Epistle COLOS. 3.12 Put vpon you as the elect of God tender mercy c. THis Epistle consists of two parts In the first Saint Paul exhorts the Colossians vnto many speciall vertues as tender mercy kindnesse humblenesse of mind meeknesse long suffering c. In the second because it is infinit to insist in euery particular he drawes them and all other duties vnto two generall admonitions in grosse whereof the 1. concernes our theory Let the word of Christ dâ—ell in you plenteously c. 2. our practise whatsoeuer ye doe in word or deed doe all in the name of the Lord c. Put vpon you Christ had two sorts of garments as we read in the Gospell one without seame not diuided at his death and that was a figure of faith which maugre the rents of all heretikes and schismatikes in the Church is but one Another with seames parted among the souldiers and that was a type of loue which seekes not her owne but communicates it selfe to many So the Christian must haue two coates one of faith indiuisible by which he puts on Christ another of loue parted among many by which one Christian puts on another reioicing with them that reioice weeping with them that weep Vpon the point these two coates are but one faith being inside and loue outside faith in respect of God and loue toward the world This Epistle speakes of the outside put on tender mercy quoad affectum kindnesse quoad effectum meeknesse bene vtendo prosperis long suffering bene se habendo in aduersis c. These vertues are both ornamenta and munimenta clothes and corslets Ephes. 6.11 Put on the whole armour of God that yee may be able to stand against the assaults of the diuell Seeing we must euery day sight and euery day be seene let vs as well for armour as honour put on tenâ—er mercy kindnesse c. that we may walke vprightly and confidently See epist. dom 21. post Trinit How loue is said to be the bond of perfectnesse and chiefe vertue See epist. dom quinquages As the elect of God Saint Paul builds all these good exhortations vpon one argument drawne ab honesâ—o seâ— debito you are the elect of God holy and beloued chosen and beloued of God before the world through baptisme consecrated solemnly to God in the world wherefore being thus electi selecti dilecti Gods owne workmanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good works it is most meete new men should vse new maners in stead of
hath been to vs then curiously to seeke what he is in himselfe But as for the secrets of his kingdom he reueales them vnto the heires of his kingdome these mysteries may yea must be knowne and therefore Christ cried He that hath eares let him heare Teaching hereby that in making our election sure we must not begin à priori but à posteriori such as with a good heart heare the word and keep it and bring foorth fruite through patience shall inherit the kingdome of God but the kingdom of God shall be taken away from such as are fruitlesse from such as are faithlesse This is the parable Bare reading without vnderstanding is bare feeding the true meaning of the Scripture is the true Manna for as a man so the Bible consists of a bodie and a soule The sound of the letter is the bodie but the sense is the soule this indeed is the scripture this is the parable The seede is the word of God The sower is Christ who went out ab occultô Patris in mundum à Iudaeá in Gentes à profundô sapientiae in publicum doctrinae The Preacher is not properly the sower but the seedcod at the most an vnderseed man The sower went out to sow Not to reape Now many goe out into Gods field only to gather in haruest tâ—nquam Stratocles Dromoclidâ—s ad auream messem intending to reape things carnall more then sowing things spirituall The sower sowed his seede for the seed is the word of God not of Angell or man and this seede hath in it generatiue power in it selfe it is liuely yea the word of life So that if it bring not forth fruit the fault is not in the seed but in the grouÌ„d being either vnplowed or stony or thorny The seed is the word of God And therefore such as corrupt it as heretikes or choke it as hypocrites or keepe it downe from growing by force as tyrants or thrust oâ—her seed into it as Papists doe shall one day feele the 〈◊〉 wrath of God for as he gaue pure seed so will he requâ—re pure câ—rne He left this in the Church euen in the garners of the Prophets and Apostles and therefore whosoeuer adulterate iâ— before it be sowen or nip it when it doth spring or cut it downe before the Lord haruest are not Gods husbandmeâ— but Satans hirelings and you may know them saith Christ by their fruit that is by their doctrine For Gods husbandmen sow Gods seed but the diuels factors as Saint Paul plainly the doctrines of diuels As for example this is pure seed Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue But to worship Angels and Saints and to giue the same kind of worship to the crucifix which is due to Christ is sophisticate seed This was not at the first sowen by the sower but ouersowen after by the malitious enemie while men slept Those that are bâ—â—â—de the way Three parts of foure are bad yea the most of such as heare the word confesse Christ are vnprofitable Striue then to enter in at the strait gate Remember that couetous cares and voluptuous liuing are the thornes which vsually choke Gods seed in our heart riches vnto the couetous are thornes in this and the next life their pricks are threefold in this life namely punâ—tura lâ—boris in acquisitione timoris in possessione doloris in amissione The true reason why so many men are delighted with them is because they put on wants or tiâ—ning gloues and so their hearts and hands being hardened they feele not their pricking but in the next world they will bee thornes againe when Christ shall say to the couetous Hence from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire for I was an hungred and ye gaue me no meat I thirsted and ye gaue me no drinke c. Here pause good Reader and pray with Ludolphus O Domine Iesufac me de veteri vita exire ne semen verbi tui quod in meô intellectu boni propositi quod in meô affectu boni operis quod in meô actu seminâsti comedatur à volucribus inanis gloriae ne conculcetur in viâ assiduitatis ne areat in petrâ durae obstinationis ne suffocetur in spinis solicitudinis sed potiùs in terra bonâ cordis humilimi centesimum fructum edat in patientiâ fac etiam me haec omnia intelligere facere ac verbô vel saltem exemplô alios docere Amen The Epistle 1. COR. 13. Though I speake with tongues of men and Angels c. THe Bible is the body of all holy religion and this little Chapter is as it were an abridgement of all the Bible for it is a tract of loue which is the complement of the law and supplement of the Gospell All the scripture teaching nothing else saith Augustine but that we must loue our neighbour for God and God for himselfe Nihil praecipit nisi charitatem nec culpat nisi cupiditatem it forbids nothing but lust and inioines nothing but loue for without loue there is no true faith and without faith all our righteousnesse is sinne S. Paul therefore doth extoll in this Chapter aboue all other this one vertue 1. largely shewing that it surpasseth al other graces in two things Vse vers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Continuance ver 8 9 10 11 12 13. 2. briefly by way of recapitulation in the last verse Now abideth faith hope and loue euen these three but the chiefe is loue Charity doth excell in vse for all other gifts without it are nothing auaileable to saluation as Paul proues by this induction If I speake with tongues of men and Angels c. All vertues are either Intellectuall in accurate speech vers 1. other knowledg vers 2. Morall in doing v. 3. Though I feed the poore with al my goods suffering Though I giue my body to be burned c. Though I speake with the tongues of men That is of all men If I had vnderstanding in all languages and Art to parle in them all if a man could speake so many tongues as our late Soueraigne of blessed memory Queene Elizabeth of whom the diuine Poet as a Diuine truly not as a Poet flatteringly That Rome Rheine Rhone Greece Spaine and Italy Plead all for right in her natiuity If a man could discourse in so many languages as Mythridates of whom Volaterane reports that he well vnderstood 22. sundry tongues or as other 25. If a man could thunder in an Oration as Aristophanes said of Pericles or tune his note so sweetly that hee could moue mountaines and stony rockes with Orpheus or feâ—ch soules out of hell as fabulous antiquity fained of Mercury Though a man could hold the people by the â—ares and cary them vp and downe the Country like pitchers as Socrates did
lust thereof being onely certaine in being vncertaine Secondly things of this world are not satisfactory they doe not fill and content the mind of man The eye cannot be satisfied with seeing nor the eare filled with hearing all things haue an emptinesse and extreme vanity purchasing vnto the possessors nothing but anguish and vexation of spirit and the reason hereof as Viâ—aldus obserues is because the heart of man is made like a triangle and the world round as a circle Now a circle cannot fill a triangle but there will be some corner empty There is nothing can fill the mind of man but the blessed Trinitie when God the Father the most ancient of daies shall fill our memory God the Sonne who is wisdome it selfe shall fill our vnderstanding God the holy Ghost who is contentation and loue shall sit in our will then all the powers of our mind will be at rest when as they shall inioy him who made them But the things of this world afford no perfect and absolute contentment and therefore ne vos configurate seculo isto fit not your selues according to the worlds figure which is a circle but be ye renewed in your mind which is a triangle representing the sacred Trinitie Take a view with the Wise man of all worldly things in briefe doth any pleasure satisfie No pleasure is like lightning Simul oritur moritur it is sweet but short like hawking much cost and care for a little sport The prodigall child wasted both goods and body yet could not haue enough at the lest not enough hogs meat Virgo formosa supernè Desinit in turpem piscem malesuada voluptas Doth learning that incomparable treasure of the mind satisfie No The more a man knoweth the more hee knoweth that hee doth not know so that as Salomon said Hee that increaseth knowledge doth increase sorrow Doth honour content a man No The poore labourer would be written Yeoman the Yeoman after a few deare yeeres is a Gentleman the Gentleman must bee Knight the Knight a Lord the Baron an Earle the Count a Duke the Duke a King the King would Caesar bee and what then is the worlds Emperour content No. Vnus Pellaeo iuueni non sufficit orbis Aestuat infoelix angusto limine munde One world is not enough for Alexander and therefore he weepes and is discontent as if hee wanted elbow roome In the state Ecclesiasticall the begging Frier would be Prior the Prior an Abbat the Lord Abbat a Bishop the Bishop an Archbishop the Metropolitane a Cardinall the Cardinall Pope the Pope a God nay that is not enough aboue all that is called God 2. Thes. 2.4 This made Bernard wonder O ambitio ambientium crux how dost thou paine yet pleasure all men Doe riches content No the more men haue the more men craue and that which is worst of all they are the greatest beggers when they haue most of all He that loueth siluer shall not bee satisfied with siluer As the poore man crieth out Quid faciam quia non habeo so the couetous wretch as fast complaineth Quid faciam quia habeo Luke 12.17 Those drinks are best that soonest extinguish thirst and those meates which in least quantity doe longest resist hunger but here the more a man doth drinke the more thirstie so strange in some is this thirst that it maketh them dig the pits and painfully draw the water and after wil not suffer them to drinke This saith Salomon is an euill sicknesse and a great vanity when a man shall haue riches and treasure and honour â—nd want power and grace to ioy in them Thus you see the world is like a butterflie with painted wings vel sequendâ— labâ—mur vel assequendo laedimur either we faile in pursuing it or else wheÌ„ we haue caught it it is so vaine that it giueth no contentment Herein is the true difference betweene earthly things heauenly things the one are desired much but being obtained they content little the other are desired little but once gained satisfie much and therefore Lay not vp treasure vpon earth where the moth and canker corrupt and where theeues dig thorow steale for these things are neitheâ— vera nor vestra but lay vp treasure for your selues in heauen If ye will not heare the words of Scripture behold the works of nature mans heart is broad aboue narrow beneath open at the top close below to signifie that we should inlarge and spread our affections toward heauen and heauenly things and draw them to as narrow a point as possibly we can concerning earth and earthly things and so by the fashion of our heart we may learne not to follow the fashion of the world Be ye changed by the renewing of your mind We are formed by God deformed by Satan transformed by grace 1. Sacramentally by baptisme 2. Morally by newnesse of life which our Apostle meanes in this place That which followes in the text is expounded Epist. for the next Sunday The Gospel LVKE 2.42 The father and mother of Iesus went to Hierusalem after the custome of the feast day c. THis Gospell is a direction how parents ought to carrie themselues toward their children and how children also should demeane thâ—mselues toward their parents the one by the practise of Ioseph and Mary the other by the paterne of our Sauiour Christ. Parents care touching their children concernes their Soule Bodie Their soule that they bee brought vp in instruction and information of the Lord that is in godlinesse and ciuilitie by the one they shall keepe a good conscience before God by the other they shall obtaine a good report among men the which two conscience and credit must chiefly be sought after in this life For the bodie Parents ought to prouide competent sustenance and maintenance guarding their persons and regarding their estates all which is performed here by Ioseph and Mary toward Christ. First for the soules institution they did instruct him by precept and example precept bringing him to the Temple that he might be taught and that not only this once but often as often as law did require So Iuuencus expressely Ad Templum laetis puerum perducere festis Omnibus annorum vicibus de more solebant This should teach al parents how to teach their children especially that they send them vnto the publike Catechising in the Church and that according to Canon and custome for the common Catechisme which Authoritie commands is fit and full as containing all the vertues necessarie to saluation and the meanes whereby those vertues are receiued and conserued The principal vertues of a Christian are Faith Hope Charitie The Creede is necessarie for faith as teaching vs what wee haue to beleeue The Pater noster is necessarie for hope teaching vs what we are to desire The ten Commandements are necessary for charitie teaching vs what we
haue to do The Sacraments are instruments of grace by which those vertues are conueied vnto vs and continued in vs. As to build an house it is requisite first to place the foundation then to raise the walles and last of al to couer it with the roofe so saith Augustine to make in our soules the building of eternall saluation we neede the foundation of faith the walles of hope the roofe of charitie The tooles as it were wherewith all these bee wrought are the sacred Word and blessed Sacraments our Catechisme then in briefe comprehending all these matters and all these meanes and standing vpon the same legges especially with the Geneuian and Romane Catechisme cannot be distasted either of Accusant or Râ—cusant out of deuotion and pietie but out of saction and malice well or rather ill each may say with the Poet Non amo te Sabidi nec possum dicere quaere Hoc tantùm possum dicere non amo te The father and mother Ioseph was not the naturall father of Christ but father In Opinion Luk. 3.23 Iesus as men supposed was the soâ—ne of Ioseph Care being his nurcing father appointed of God for nurces are called mothers and patrons fathers Law being husband to Mary and nigh of kin to Christ. But Mary was the mother of Christ not only in opinion and care but in truth and in deed Mater à matâ—ria the very matter of Christs bodie was of the Virgin Mary Galat. 4.4 God sent his soâ—ne made of a woman Sâ—e Epist. Sunday after Christmas Secondly these parents instruct their child by their owne example for they doe not send but bring him vp to Hierusalem after the custome of the feast day The which is the shortest cut of teaching Longum iter per praecepta breue per exempla The parents good life preuailes more with his childe then a good lesson Their deuotion is seene in Going vp to Hierusalem after the custome of the feast Tarying there fulfilling the daies S. Paul exhorts vs to pray at all times and in all places for the whole world is Gods vniuersal and as it were Cathedrall Church and euery particular Christian is as it were his priuate Chapell and Temple Daniel praied in the Lions denâ—e Ionas in the Whales bellie Iob on the dunghill and the theese on the crosse yet the Lord heard their prayers and granted their requests It is lawful then in priuate to pray when and where we shall iudge most meete but God for his publike worship hath in all ages assigned certaine times and certaine places The most speciall time is his Sabbath and the most speciall place the Temple so wee finde precept and practise Precept My house shall be called the house of praier the which is repeated by Christ in three Euaâ—gelists Practise The Publican and the Pharisie went vp into the Temple to pray Luk. 18. Anna prayed in the Temple Luk. 2. Peter and Iohn went vp into the Temple at the houre of prayer Act. 3. Christ himselfe daily teaching in the Temple Luk. 19. After Christ by reason of the great persecution the Christians assemblâ—d not in the fittest but in the safest places in processe of time they did erect Oratories not in any sumptuous or stately manner which neither was possible by reason of the Churches pouerty nor plausible in regard of the worlds enuie but at length when Almightie God stirred vp religioâ—s Kings and Queenes as nursing fathers and nursing mothers of the Church that which the Christians before either could not or durst not doe was with all alacritie performed in all places Temples were built no cost spared nothing too deare which that way should be spent sacrilegious wretches are not now more desirous to pull downe then those deuout professors were to set vp Churches Now one chiefe cause why God in all ages would be serued in publâ—ke Temples is that his Church might be distinguished from the Conuenticles of Heretikes and Schismatikes that all of vs acknowledge one God and one Christ so all of vs might haue one faith and one baptisme an vniformitie in doctrine and a conformitie in outward ceremonies for the better deliuering of this doctrine The parents of Christ did therefore well in ioyning themselues vnto the congregation and obseruing the publike ceremonies of the Church At that time the temple was made a denne of theeues and yet Ioseph and Mary ioyne with the Church in the publike worship of God whose example doth exceedingly crosse the practise of Brownists and all other Recusants who refuse to communicate with vs in our Temples because some things as they pretend are amisse Ioseph and Mary took part with Gods Priests and people in that which was good and as for the rest they did not meddle further then their place required They went this long iourney to satisfie the law as also by their good example to stirre vp other to reuerence the publike ceremonies and ministrie By the Law men only were bound to keep the general solemne feasts as wee reade Exod. 23. and Deut. 16.16 Three times in the yeere shall all the males appâ—are before the Lord thy God in the place where he shall chuse so that Mary went not vp to Hierusalem as compelled by law but only carried with pure deuotion to God and vnfained loue to her husband and childe Here then is a notable relique for women to behold Mary free by the letter of the law by thâ— custome of the countrey dwelling at Nazareth a great way from Hierusalem did notwithstanding euery yeere goe with her husband vnto the feast of the Passeouer In our time many women vnlike this good Ladie will be content â—uen on the Lords day to toyle at home about their own businesse and gad abroad to meddle with others businesse rather then thâ—y will accompanie their good husband Ioseph and their towardly sonne Iesus vnto Gods house And when they had fulfilled the daies That is whole seuen daies according to the custome They came with the first and went home with the last Worldly men for their honour will ride post to the Court to be knighted with the first for their profit at mill and market first for their pleasure at the play first at hunting first first at any mâ—rrie meeting but as for the Church they thinke they come too soone and stay too long winter daies are too short for hunting sommer daies too short for hawking yet one houre of seuen daies is thought long that is spent in Gods holy worship as one wittily Long Samons and short sermons please best and yet if we looke not with the spectacles of the world but with the eyes of faith discerning all things aright we shall finde that there is no such honour as to be Gods seruant no such gaine as godlinesse no such pleasure as a good conscience The congregation vnder the Law was not dismissed without the Priests benediction