Gods vnspeakable loue who sent his Sonne his first begotten onely begotten Sonne whom he loued as himselfe The very character and brightnes of his glory to deliuer vs his seruants vndutifull as vnprofitable from the hands of all our enemies If thou hast any feeling of these mysteries any faith be it so small as a graine of mustard seed euermore reioice in the Lord. For thy sanctification also many men in a reprobate sense doe not call vpon God cannot call vpon God Whereas he hath giuen thee grace to pray with the congregation publikely with thine owne family priuatly with thy selfe secretly giuing thee grace to feele thy sinnes and to be sorie for the same reioice for these good benefits in possession and againe reioice for those mercies of God in expectation for that most excellent and etâ—rnall weight of glory which he hath laid vp and in that day will giue to such as loue his appearing Let vs euermore reioice in this hope saying with Habacuk I will reioice in the Lord I will ioy in the God of my saluation Faith is the mother of our reioicing in the Lord for Christ dwelleth in our hearts by faith and faith is by hearing of the word spirituall ioy then is increased by reading hearing meditating on holy Scriptures I haue spoken vnto you these things that my ioy might remâ—â—ne in you Luke 24.32 Did not our hearts burne within vs while he talked with vs and opened vnto vs the Scriptures It is increased also by good life For as sin doth grieue the spirit so good workes on the contrary cheere the soule Prouerbs 21.15 It is ioy to the iust to doe iudgement Here the Gospell and Epistle parallell for the way of the Lord is prepared especially by faith and repentance Now poenitens de peccato dolet de dolore gaudet He that is a good man sorroweth in his sinnes and reioiceth in his sorrow and that he may doe this he must reioice in the Lord wherefore be not carefull for that which is worldly but make your patient mind knowne vnto men and let your petitions bee manifest vnto God And the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding keepe your hearts and minds through Christ giuing you many ioyes in this life to the end and in the next his eternall ioy without end Amen The Gospel IOHN 1.19 This is the record of Iohn When the Iewes sent Priests and Leuites from Ierusalem to aske him What art thou THis Gospell is a dialogue betweene certaine Priests and Iohn the Baptist. The Priests inquire after his person and place cariage and calling Their interrogatories are fiue the which are answered by S. Iohn seuerally shewing and that directly both what he was not as also what he was not Christ not Elias not the Prophet but the voice of a Crier in the wildernesse The first question is Who art thou Quis ego sum is the question of a good man Tu quis es of an enuious He that hath a bad house gads abroad The wicked are busie Bishops in other meÌ„s diocesses A true saying in it selfe but vpon this text a false glosse for it belonged vnto the Priests office to mannage the businesse of the Church and exactly to know what euery Prophet was And albeit Euthâ—mius is of opinion that the Iewes herein malitiously disabled their knowledge yet it is more probable that they made this question to see whether he was Christ. For as we readâ— Luke 3.15 All men mused in their hearts of Iohn if he were not the Christ and our Sauiour told the Iewes plainly that they for a time reioiced more in Iohn who was but a candle then in himselfe who was the Sunne of righteousnesse and light of the world and albeit these messengers vttered not so much in word yet assuredly they harboured such a conceit in their hearts therefore Iohn answering their intention rather then their question acknowledged ingenuously that he was not the Christ. In which answere obserue the matter and the manner In the matter he confessed the truth denying himselfe where note his modesty and acknowledging Christ to be the Messias where note his constancie Fortè saith Gregory graue non est gloriam honorem non petere sed valde graue est non eum suscipere cum offertur It was then great humility to refuse this honour which not onely the people but also the Priests as it should seeme were ready to cast vpon him hereby teaching vs in all our actions to seeke not our owne but Gods glory saying with this holy Baptist he must increase but we must decrease The constant resolution of Iohn is also remarkeable confessing Christ freely not only before the multitude but also before the Leuites and Pharisies men of great learning and no lesse place in the Church and such as he might well suspect would call his preaching into question But the maner of his confession exceeds far the matter hee confessed and denied not and said plainly I am not Christ. The which words are not superfluous and idle for euery tittle of the Scriptures hath his worth and weight Such repetitions are vsuall in the Bible to set out things more fully as vanity of vanities vanity of vanities and all is vanity Returne returne O Shulamite returne returne O earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord. By this iteration then of one and the same thing S. Iohn shewed how vnwilling hee was to rob Christ of that honour which onely belongâ—d vnto him When Cornelius fell downe at Peters feet and would haue worshipped him Peter instantly tooke him vp saying Stand vp for euen I my selfe am a man When the men of Lystra would haue sacrificed vnto Paul Barnabas they rent their clothes and ran in amóg the people crying We are euen men subiect to the like passions that yee be When that other Iohn would haue worshipped the glorious Angell who shewed him his reuelation he said vnto Iohn See thou do it not for I am thy fellow seruant so carefull are Gods children in all ages to giue God the things appertaining to God honour to whom honour feare to whom feare diuine worship to whom diuine worship belongeth Here wee may iustly condemne the Papists in giuing that kind of worship to the crosse which is onely due to Christ. If a man should aske them whether the crucifix were Christ I hope they would answer with Iohn and deny and confesse plainly that it is not the Christ. Giue then to the crucifix the respect due to the crucifix reseruing to the crucified that honour which onely belongs to the crucified If a man should aske the bread in the Sacrament What art thou it would answere plainly with Iohn in such language as it can I am not the Christ approuing it selfe to our sight and taste that it is a morsell of bread a
opinion whereas Martin and Luther were but one So many men moue many doubts in many matters hauing neither will to heare nor skill to conceiue the state of a controuersie and then as Augustine said of Petilian the Donatist Multa dicendo nihil dicunt aut potius nihil dicendo multa dicunt The word of Christ must dwell in vs plenteously but in all wiidome we must heare it in all wisdome reade it in all wisdome meditate on it in all wisdome speake of it in all wisdome preach it in all wisdome not only in some but in all wisdome for all is little enough considering the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse who taketh his name in vaine Teaching and exhorting This clause may be referred either to that which went before or to that which followes after to that which went before Let the word of Christ dwell in you so plenteously with all wisdome that yee may both instruct and exhort your selues vnto euery good worke for doctrine and exhortation are two principall vses of the Scripture 2. Tim. 3.16 For doctrine the law shewes euery man in his vocation what actions are acceptable to God and the Gospell teacheth how they be acceptable namely by faith in Christ. Let the word of Christ therefore dwell in you so plenteously with all wisdome that it may be a lanterne to your feet and a light to your paths a direction how to serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of your life For exhortation the word must so dwell in vs as that wee may stirre vp one another to godlinesse Esay 2.3 Heb. 3.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so to put it and print it in our mind that it may not onely be profitable to our selues but vsefull also to other in publike which is the Pastors office in priuate which is euery Christians duty This also may be referred vnto the words following as according to most expositors our Church here Teach and exhort your owne selues in Psalmes c. where Saint Paul describes the Christians musicke both for the matter Psalmes hymnes spirituall songs the maner sing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Psalmes and hymnes Some distinguish these by their obiect affirming that hymnes are laudatory for the glorious Angels in heauen sing not Psalmes but hymnes Hominum est psallere Deum hymnis efferre angelorum Spirituall odes are peculiar songs accuratelie framed by the Church according to her seuerall exigence Psalmes are of sundry matters and arguments exhortatory consolatory precatory deprecatory But I follow that other distinction of Hierom and Luther vnderstanding by the first the Dauidicall Psalmes by the second the songs of Moses Debora Zacharias Mary Simeon mentioned in the Bible by the third godly hymnes inuented by the Christians of that age called spirituall respectu termini à quo as proceeding from Gods spirit respectu terminiad quem as edifying our spirit containing spirituall matter and melody for the comfort of our soule not any carnall or wanton dittie to nourish the lust of our flesh And therefore the Papisticall hymnes in an vnknowue language are not spirituall respectus termini ad quem in that they neither instruct nor exhort much lesse ribald ballads instructing in vanity exhorting to villany Luther Zanchius Marlorat construe this of singing in the Church as well as in priuate for Gods holy people haue vsed in all ages euen frō the primitiue time vntill this day to sing in the publike congregation the Psalmes of Dauid hymnes of Zacharias Simeon Mary spirituall songs composed by deuout Doctors according to the seuerall occasions of the Church and therefore Come holy Ghost sung at the consecration of our Bishops Te Deum of Saint Ambrose the Creed of Athanasius vsed in our Liturgy are warranted both by Gods precept and his peoples practise With grace I finde three constructions of this one clause for grace by grace with grace Sing to the Lord for grace receiued as Paul Ephes. 5. Speake to your selues in psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs making melody to the Lord giuing thanks alway for all things And in the next verse following here What soeuer yee doe in word or deed doe all in the name of the Lord Iesu giuing thanks to God the Father by him Euery good and perfect gift is from aboue comming downe from the father of lights Ipsum minus munus est the least gift is a grace the meanes to get and preserue grace proceeds altogether from grace for if God withdraw his mercy we presently fall As a staffe which if a man take and set vpright vpon the ground so long as he holds it with his hand it stands vpright but so soone as he withdrawes his helpe though he neuer push it downe it will fall o◠it selfe Ascendat ergo gratia vt descendat gratia Let our thanks ascend vp vnto God that his grace may descend downe to vs. By grace Man is not onely the Temple of God as Paul speakes but as Clemens Alexandrinus the timbrell of God Now the timbrell cannot found except it be touched It is then the spirit of God that makes our pipes to goe God saith Athenagoras is the bellowes and we the organs A man may sing to the diuell to the world to the flesh without this grace but he cannot sing to the Lord but by the Lord. Our musicke may bee songs but not spirituall songs except they bee guided by the spirit This should teach vs in our Psalmes and hymnes to praise God for his grace when wee feele it and often to pray to God for it when wee feele it not With grace That is with a gratious dexteritie with delight and profit both vnto our selues and other Vnto our selues for as it is a ioy to the iust to doe iustice Prouerbs 21.15 so a grace to the godly to bee ioyfull in the Lord to serue the Lord with gladnesse and to come before his presence with a song to sing the Psalmes of Dauid with the spirit of Dauid the song of Mary with the spirit of Mary Te Deum of S. Ambrose with the spirit of S. Ambrose Againe with grace to other Ephes. 4.29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which may minister grace that is instruction and consolation to the hearer vttered in such manner and method that it may bee well accepted euen of the most vntoward We must not sing our own crochets out of tune without rule witlesse and senselesse songs All that we sing all that we say must be gracefull Et prodesse volunt delectare poetae And if Poets how much more Prophets Hee that doth preach and pray without a grace doth the worke of the Lord negligently though he preach euery day and pray euery houre In your hearts As our mouth must shew foorth his praise so our soule must
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
sacraments which are mysteries and Preachers of his faith which is a deepe secret 1. Tim. 3.16 of all other the greatest and yet it is the Ministers proper office with Iohn Baptist to shew the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world They are the mouth of God in preaching to the people and againe the peoples mouth in praying to God euen mediators as it were betweene God a man as Moses said of himselfe Deut. 5. I stood betweene the Lord and you to declare vnto you the word of the Lord. This doth intimate how wee should teach and you should heare First how wee should preach If any man speake let him talke as the words of God 1. Pet. 4.11 It is a good obseruation that the Lawyer ought to begin with reason and so descend to common experience and authoritie The Physician he must begin with â—â—perience and so come to reason and authoritie but the Diuine must begin with authoritie and so proceed to reason and experience 2. This may teach you to heare our voyce not as the word of men but as it is indeed the word of God Christ said of the wicked Pharisies in the 23. of S. Matth. Quae dicunt facite Doe as they say but not as they doe Dicunt enim quae Dei sunt faciunt quae sua sunt They doe their owne workes but speake the Lords word And therfore so long as the Preachers deliuer the wholesome words of our Lord Iesus or doctrine which is according to his words you must entertaine them as Angels of God euen as Christ Iesus honouring their place and reuerencing their persons And this I take to be the pith of the first part In the second S. Paul teacheth how wee must not iudge first he reports then reproues their fault His report is in these words Hîc iam quaeritur c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heere among you Corinthians it is discussed and disputed who is a faithful Minister who is vnfaithfull And herein they wrong both God his word and his Ministers God to whom onely iudgement belongs in this case Some peraduenture may iudge of the Ministers eloquence many of his industrie but none of his faithfulnesse which is the chiefe thing required in a steward A man may be fruitfull and yet not faithfull an instrument to saue other and yet be condemned himself for he may preach Christ not for Christ but happely for other respects as the fornicator makes delectation his end not generation so the Preacher adulterans verbâ—m as it is in the vulgar intends not to get children in Christ vnto God but gaine or glorie to himselfe Ye know the men ye know not their minde ye see their fact not their faith onely God knowes the secrets of all hearts Secondly it is an iniurie to Gods word in hauing the faith of our glorious Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons Iames 2.1 It is not any who who may either priuiledge an error or preiudice a truth if another Gospell hold him accursed although the Minister be an Angell if a truth doe as they say though the teacher be a diuell poyson in a golden cup is as hurtfull as in an earthen pot wine in a siluer bowle no better then in a woodden dish When one faith I am Pauls and another I am Apollos are ye not carnall Is not this grosse carnalitie to set vp Idols in the Church and to worship them in stead of God Thirdly this is an indignitie to the Preachers in that artles men will take vpon them to iudge of art By the lawes of the land a person occupying the craft of a Butcher may not vse the occupation of a Tanner and a Brewer may not deale in the occupation of a Cooper Quod medicorum est promittunt medici tractant fabrilia fabri None prescribe physick but such as are Doctors at least practitioners in the facultie none plead at the common barre but such as are learned in the law yet euerie one as Hierome complaines in an Epistle to Paulinus takes vpon him exact knowledge in Theologie and will teach both Clerke and Priest what they should say what they should doe So that often it fareth with Preachers as it doth alway with fish none so welcome as new come If a stranger happely come among vs albeit he be neuer so weake for his learning neuer so wicked for his liuing yet all the countrie must gad after him and neglect their owne pastors as Christ in the Gospell A Prophet is not honoured in his owne citie and in his owne house This was a soule fault in Corinth Apollos and Cephas and Paul were despised while false teachers were deified Indeed Paul writes in the third chapter of this Epistle as if some followed him and other Apollos himselfe for his plaine doctrine and Apollos for his excellent eloquence But in the sixth verse of this chapter hee saith he applied those things vnto himselfe and Apollos figuratiuely meaning that Peter and Apollos and himselfe were neglected and other vpstart seducers only regaâ—ded he did vse the names of Gods Apostles in his censure for the benefit of the Corinthians For your sake that ye might learne by vs that no man presume aboue that which is written and that one swell not against another for any mans cause So men in our daies are too partiall in hearing and censuring their Teachers as one said Auditories are like Faires the Pedler and the Balladmonger hath more coÌ„pany then the graue rich Merchant Children fooles hang vpon them who sell toyes and neglect those who haue their shops stuft with good commodities and this assuredly doth discourage many Pastors learned and profitable For euery man hath not a magnanimous spirit spernere se sperni to tell his auditorie with Paul I passe very little to be iudged of you For so this fault is reproued in the third verse The false teachers had extolled themselues and disgraced him affirming that his bodily presence was weake and his speech of no value S. Paul therfore hauing the testimonie of a good conscience resolutely tels the Corinthians I little passe to be iudged of them or you or any man Hee saith not I esteeme not at all but I little regard that is not so much respect your iudgement as that I should be discouraged in doing my dutie The witnesse of conscience is more comfortable then the vulgar breath in comparison of the one I little prise the other Or as Gorran It were a great thing to be iudged of such as are spirituall but it is a very small thing to be iudged of you who are thus carnall As Seneca Male de me loquuntur sed mali mouerer si de me Marcus Cato si Lalius sapiens si duo Scipiones ista loquerentur nunc malis displicere laudari est Either of mans iudgement Our
creature not a Creator therefore not to be worshipped adored as God If good men on earth and glorious Angels in heauen haue refused alway to bee reputed Christ what shamelesse Idolaters are they who say heere is Christ and there is Christ this is Christ and that is Christ The second question is Art thou Elias To which Iohn answers No. Yet Christ saith he is that Elias An Angel from heauen hath answered this obiection Luk. 1.17 Iohn Baptist is Elias in power not in person indued with the like temperance like wisdome like courage Now the Pharisies imagined that Elias himselfe should come not another in the spirit of Elias and therefore Iohn according to their meaning answered truly that he was not Elias How Iohâ— and Elias parallel see Beauxamis Harmoâ— Euangel Tom. 1. fol. 101. Ludolphus de vita Christi part 1. cap. 19. Postâ—l catholic Con. 2. Dom. 4. Aduent Whether Eliâ—s shall come before the great day of the Lords second comming see Luther postil maior in loc and his Maiesties Premonition from the 62. pag. to the 80. The third question is Art thou a Prophet To which Iohn answered also negatiuely Christ said he was more then a Prophet himselfe that he was lesse then a Prophet There are three degrees of humility 1. To submit our selues vnto our betters 2. To giue place to equals 3. To yeeld vnto inferiours All these were found in Iohn he submitted himselfe to superiors affirming that he was not Christ he gaue place to equals answering that he was not Elias he did yeeld to his inferiors in saying he was not a Prophet Yea but Iohn out of his humilitie must not tell an vntruth his father Zacharias in the Benedictus cals him the Prophet of the most high and Christ more then a Prophet Chrysostome Theophylact Euthymius and other Greeke fathers are of opinion that the Pharisies imagined Iohn to be that Prophet spoken of by Moses Deut. 18.15 The Lord thy God will raise vp vnto thee a Prophet like vnto me from among you euen of thy brethren vnto him ye shall hearken The which text must bee construed either of the whole Colledge of Prophets or else of Christ the chiefe of the Prophets and therefore Iohn answered directly that he was not that Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prophet Rupertus and other Latine Doctors affirme that the Pharisies in this interrogatory desired to know whether his office were like that of Esay Ieremias Amos and the old Prophets vnto which Iohn might answere well that he was not such a Prophet for their office was to foreshew Christ by some works or foretell him by some words vel dictis praesignare vel factis praefigurare saith Rupertus But Iohns ambassage was not to foretell that Christ should come but plainly to tell that Christ was come Thou shalt be called the Prophet of the most high not to prefigure but to goe before the face of the Lord. A Prophet â—s a Preacher of the Gospel not as a Priest of the Law Hitherto Iohn Baptist answers negatiuely shewing what he was not neither Christ nor Elias nor a Prophet Wheâ—ein hee did not satisfie the messengers of the Iewes fully That therefore they might returne a more perfect answere they further importune and presse him to know what he was What saiest thou of thy selfe The which is the fourth interrogatory To this Iohn affirmatiuely declaring what he was I am the voice of a Crier c. There were two chiefe prophecies of him one that he should be that Angel of the Lord and this that he should be the voice of a Crier in the wildernesse Here then Interpreters obserue Iohns humility giuing himselfe the meanest title not Christ not an Angell not a Prophet but onely vox clamantis c. Wherein he liuely describeth a good Preacher of the Gospell hee must be the voice of a Crier in the wildernesse to make straight the way for the Lord. The word of God is a proclamation in writing common to all and the Minister is the voice of the Crier to giue notice to the people that the matter of the proclamation concerneth them and euery one of them Acts 13.26 Men and brethren and whosoeuer among you feareth God to you is the word of this saluatioÌ„ sent To you God raised vp his Sonne Iesus and hath sent him to blesse you by turning euery one of you from your iniquities Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh A Preacher therefore must cry from the bottome of his heart the which is prefigured Ezekiel 3.1 Sonne of man eat this roll and goe and speake vnto the house of Israel Vtter nothing to the people but that which thou hast first digested thy selfe The voice A word is first conceiued in the heart then vttered by the voice yet we heare the voice before wee know the word so Christ the eternall Word was before Iohn and all other Preachers In the beginning was the Word and that beginning was before all beginning yet the world knew not the Word till it was preached by the voice of men and Angels albeit the word in it selfe be before the voice yet vnto vs the voice goeth before the word He that commeth after me was before me Christ then is the Word and euery Preacher of Christ is a voice the which one word confounds all such as being called thereunto doe neglect their dutie of preaching In euery voice specially a Church voice three commendable qualities are required that it bee cleere sweete and high Cleere for as Hierome said Omnia in sacerdote debent esse vocalia All things in a Diuine should preach his apparell preach his diet preach his whole life preach An example in word in conuersation in spirit in faith in purenesse Such a voice was the Baptist his preaching was of repentance and he liued as a penitent as he did boldly speake the truth so constantly suffer for the truth on the contrarie bad manners and false doctrine make harsh and hoarse the loud voice Couetous Iudas had an hoarse voyce filthie Nicolaes an hoarse voyce Simon Magus an hoarse voyce Peter in denying his Master through extreame coldnesse of feare had an hoarse voyce too for a time Manicheus Arius Pelagius all Hereticall Schismaticall Atheisticall teachers are hoarse voyces in Gods quier Iâ—le solus praedicat viua voce quipraedicat vita voce Secondly the Church voice must be sweet euery seed is not to be sowen at euery season in euery ground and so it is in Gods husbandrie The voyce therefore must aright diuide the word which it sings and saies obseruing time and keeping it selfe in tune speaking to the proud boldly to the meeke mildly to all wisely The bels hung on Aarons garment were of pure gold hereby signifying that Aarons voyce should bee no founding brasse no iarring cymball but a sweete ring prouing sweetly reprouing sweetly
will haue our sacrifice acceptable they must be first holy So diuine Plato Whatsoeuer is good and holie that is accepted of God Secondly sacrifice must be performed in faith otherwise though it be warraÌ„ted by Gods own word it is not acceptable prayer receiuing of y e Sacraments hearing of the Scriptures c. are holy sacrifices and yet not pleasing God if done without faith As our Apostle Rom. 14.23 Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne that is whatsoeuer is against our conscience so when the Recusant comes to Church against his conscience to satisfie the law of man not to certifie his loue to God it is not an acceptable sacrifice If a man be a Lawyer a Physitian a Merchant a Souldier against his conscience though his calling be neuer so good yet his oblation is bad Or as other expound that text more fitly Whatsoeuer is not done in a good assurance that God for Christs sake will accept of it and vs it is sinne Christians are Priests offering spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. All good works without faith in him are like the course of an horse that runneth out of the way which taketh great labour but to no purpose For vnbeleeuing Gentiles and misbeleeuing heretikes albeit they be neuer so wittie neuer so vertuous are no sweete fauour to the Lord. Reasonable We reade in the Law that euery sacrifice was seasoned with salt now sâ—lt mystically notes discretion as Coloss. 4.6 Let your speech be gracious alwaies and powdred with salt that is with wisedome and sobrietie When Paul then exhorteth vs to giue our bodies a reasonable sacrifice his meaning is that al things must be done in order comely discreetly The prouerbe is good An ounce of discretion is worth a pound of learning for as zeale without knowledge is blinde quo vehementius irruit eo grauius corruit so knowledge without discretion is lame like a sword in a mad mans hand able to doe much apt to doe nothing Tolle hanc virtus vitium erit Hee that will fast must fast with discretion he must so mortifie that he do not kill his own flesh He that giueth almes to the poore must doe it with discretion omni petenti non omnia petenti quoth Augustine to euery one that doth aske but not euery thing that he doth aske so likewise pray with discretion obseruing place and time place left thou be reputed an hypocrite time lest accounted an heretike like the Psallianists and Euchitai Other expound the word reasonable as opposite to the Iewes oblations As if Paul should speake thus In the Law dead beasts but in the Gospell reasonable liuing men are to be sacrificed vnto God Euery Christian is a sacrificer euery layman a priest but the pastor is a priest of priests one that sacrificeth his people by teaching and exhorting them to giue vp their bodies a quicke and holie sacrifice to the Lord. I am saith Paul the minister of Iesus Christ toward the Gentiles ministring the Gospell of God that the offering vp of the Gentiles might be acceptable being sanctified by the holy Ghost Hitherto concerning the first generall branch of Saint Pauls exhortation Now as Musitians doe not only teach their schollers what they shall sing but also what they shall not sing that they may follow that which is good and eschue that which is euill so Paul doth not onely shew what we must doe but also what we must not doe Fashion not your selues like vnto this world World vsed in the worse sense signifieth either the wicked men of the world or else the vaine things of the world the wicked men as Ioh. 12.31 the diuell is termed the prince of the world that is of the wicked in the world who make themselues his vassals by yeelding to his temptations according to that of Paul He is our master to whom we submit our selues as seruants It is not Satans power that hee doth thus dominere in the Church for he was bound and cast out of the Church but it is the weaknes and wickednes of men who loose him and open the gate when he was shut out admitting him as a lord of misrule ruling and ouerruling those who are children of disobedience Ephes. 2.2 Secondly the word World taken in a bad and more strict sense signifies the pomps and vanities of the world As 1. Epist Ioh. 2.15 Loue not the world neither the things of the world that is as himselfe construeth himselfe the lust of the flesh and pride of life According to both acceptions it may be well expounded in this text as if S. Paul should say Brethren I beseech you by the tender mercies of God that yee fashion not your selues either according to the wicked men or according to the vaine things of this world For y e first 2. things occasion fashioÌ„ in the world Multitude for as Cyprian said Incipit esse licituÌ„ quod solet esset publicum Custome is not onely another nurture but as it were another nature And as the Lawyers speake Quod est consuetum praesumitur esse iustum That which is done by many is thought at length lawfull in any Greatnes for as Paterculus writes Imperio maximus exemplo maior He that is highest hath alway most followers Augustus a learned Prince filled the Empire with schollers Tiberius with dissemblers Canstantine with Christians Iulian with Atheists So that Paul vnderstanding how prone men are to follow fashions aduiseth vs here not to conforme our selues according to the world In complements of courtesies and common ciuilities it is not amisse to follow either the most or the best In matter of Church orders and Ceremonies it is insolent singularitie not to fashion our selues according to that which is inioined by the best and vsed by the most yea euen in the maine points of holy religion If the great be good and the most best we may follow both But Saint Pauls meaning is that wee may not follow wicked men in their wickednesse nor worldly men in their worldlinesse nor good men but in that they are good as hee saith elsewhere Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ for as in imitation oratorie there are two sorts of examples one necessarie to be followed alwaies in all things as Demosthenes among the Grecians and Tully among the Latines another to be followed in some things and at some times as Poets and Historiographers Euen so there are two sorts of examples in Christian imitation the one necessarie which is Christ the way the truth and the life Via in exemplo veritas in promisso vita in praemio The truth in his learning the way for his liuing as the Fathers vsually glosse that place The other are to be followed in some things and at some times as Paul Peter Augustine Chrysostome Nazianzen and other blessed Saints of God whose liues and
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
Apostles are all teachers are all workers of miracles haue all the gift of healing doe all speake with tongues doe all interpret It is God who worketh all in all communicating indifferently spirituall life to all his members insomuch as the least is a member of his bodie so well as the greatest In this respect all parts are peeres Albeit I say there be diuers gifts and diuers measures of gifts and so by consequence for fashion and function an imparity yet because they be donatiues grants and graces as it is said here the mighty may not scorne the meane nor the meane enuie the mighty no part must be pâ—rt For â—hat hast thou that thou hast not receiued He that appointed thee mouth or eye might haue made thee foote or hand Againe no member ought to mutter against head or fellow for the mysticall body of Christ is all faâ—re Tota pulchra es amica mea now beauty consists in variety of colours and in a concinne disposition of sundry different parts If all the whole body were an eye where were the hearing If the whole were hearing where were the smelling But God hath in a most sweete order disposed the members euery one of them in the body first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers then workers of miracles after that the gifts of healing helpers gouernours diuersities of tongues Hee then that affects in the Church an hotchpotch paritie martyrs and marres Christs body which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. a body fitly knit together by euery ioynt Ephesians 4.16 Thirdly there is a sympathie betweene the members of the naturall bodie for if one suffer all suffer with it if one member be had in honour all the members reioyce with it So Paul in this scripture Be merie with them that be merie weepe with them that weepe Paine is often lessened by pitie passion is relieued in one by compassion of many Minus fit quod patitur vnum membrum si compatiantur alia membra nec ipsa mali releuatio fit per communionem cladis sed per solatium charitatis vt quamuis alij ferendo patiuntur alij cognoscendo compatiuntur Communis fit tamen tribulatio quibus probatio spes dilectio spiritusque communis est He that hath not this fellow feeling may suspect worthily that hee is not a liuely member of Christ for his bodie is coupled and knit together throughout euery ioynt wherewith one ministreth to another If then we doe not beare one anothers burthen and feele one another miserie wee are not knit together by the sinewes of loue and if not knit to the bodie no part of the bodie Fourthly there is no dead or idle member in the body but euery one helpes another and is seruiceable for the good of the whole the eye doth direct the head and the hand guard the eye the nose smels for all tongue speaks for all hand workes for all The eye cannot 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 seekes anothers and not his owne good In like sort the wise Counseller must see for all the tall Souldiers fight for all the iudicious Clerke write for all as Occam said vnto the Emperour Lewis If you will defend me with your sword I will defend you with my pen. Seeing wee haue diuers gifts according to the grace giuen vnto vs if a man haue the gift of prophecie let him haue it c. The duties here mentioned are partly Publike If a man haue the gift of prophecie c. Priuate If a man shew mercie let him do it with cheerfulnes The publike coÌ„cerne things Spiritual for Doctrine Theoricall as prophecying and teaching Practicall as exhortation Discipline let hâ—m that ruleth doe it with diligence Temporall if any man giue let him doe it with singlenes If any man haue the gift of prophecie let him haue it agreeing to the faith A Prophet in old time foretold things to come but vnder the Gospell a Prophet is hee that interprets the Prophets he that shewes Christ is come spoken of by y e mouth of al his holy Prophets euer since the world began A Preacher is a Prophet as the word is vsed 1. Cor. 14.1 and 1. Cor. 13. we know in part we prophecie in part A Preacher then must teach agreeing to the faith that is according to the Scripture which is a rule of faith or according to the Creede which is an abridgement of that rule for other foundation can no man lay then that which is laide Christ Iesus He that will edifie Gods house must build vpon Christ and square al his doctrines according to the rule of truth If any man speake let him talke as the words of God It is not said here that a Prophet ought to vse no booke but the Bible no Commentarie but the Creede for that is too spirituall as Mâ—rlorate notes He that will preach agreeing to the Scripture must reade the best expositors of the Scripture for as Bernard said all bookes are written for the bettering of the conscience which is the booke of the soule so wee must examine all bookes especially treatises of Diuinitie for the better vnderstanding of this one booke which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Booke Neither is it said here that the Prophet in the pulpit must speake nothing beside plaine text but only that hee must exercise his gift according to faiths analogie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teaching the wholesome words of Christ and consenting to the doctrine which is agreeable to godlinesse for whatsoeuer is deduced out of Gods booke by necessarie consequence must be receiued as his word let him that hath the gift of prophecie haue it agreeing to the faith Or as other interpret to beget and confirme faith in vs euermore For if a Prophet rise among you saying Let vs goe after other gods and serue them c. thou shalt not hearken vnto the words of the Prophet Deut. 13.1 The true Prophet is he Cuius in ore vâ—rbum vitae cuiâ—s in more vita verbi Or as Melanct. and most of the most ancient fathers according to the proportion of faith and grace giuen As if hee should say Whosoeuer is called by the Church lawfully to preach the Word let him abide therein according to the measure of his gift for God hath giuen to some more to some lesse and often blesseth him that hath lesse more then him that hath more Let euery man therfore exercise his talent with faith and diligence to the best edification of Gods people comitted to his charge so likewise let him that hath an office â—aite on his office let him that teacheth take heed to his doctrine let him that exhorteth giue attendance to his exhortation according to the proportion of grace Let not any suffer his talents to rust but
then no maruell if that which was ordained for his helpe turne to his hurt For in this the Philosopher truly Corrâ—ptio optimi pessima And his Disciples Christ was inuited for his mothers sake the Disciples for Christ. They went but inuited Here I might remember S. Hieromes aduice to Nepotian Conuiuia tibâ— sunt vitanda secularium maximè eorum qui honoribus tument Facilè coÌ„temnitur clericus qui saepe vocatus ad prandium ire non recusat nunquam petentes rarò accipiamus rogati Epiphanius is of opinion that Ioseph was dead before this time because there is no mention made of him in the Gospel after his going vp to Hierusalem at the Passeouer Luk. 2. therefore no maruell if hee were not bid with Christ and his Disciples Diuines haue rendred sundrie reasons why Christ and his companie being inuited came to this wedding First as our Church doth speake to beautifie with his presence this holy calling Confirmare voluit quòd â—pse fecit nuptias and it was exceeding fit that Christ should worke his first miracle for the confirmation of Gods first ordinance Secondly to manifest his humilitie vouchsauing to visite the meanest Thirdly to certifie the spiritual mariage betweene the Church and himselfe Seuerus Antiochenus orat 119. vt citatur in Graec. caten à Maldonat in loc Fourthly that he might act this miracle at this solemne celebritie Miraculi potiùs quod acturus erat quam conuiuij gratiâ profectus We cannot now feast Christ in his person but we may feede him in his ministers in his members Inuite therefore the good man and the poore man as Iob saith If I haue eaten my morsels alone and the fatherlesse haue not eaten thereof As Amos complained of the rich gluttons in his time deuouring the lambs of the flocke and calues out of the stall drinking wine in bowles and anoynting themselues with the chiefest oyntments and singing to the viole but no man saith the Prophet is sorrie for the affliction of Ioseph If thou wilt feast Christ inuite the Disciples inuite Mary the fatherlesse the widow for hee protests openly whatsoeuer is done vnto the least of my brethren is done vnto me And when the wine failed Want at a wedding doth intimate the discontentment and vanitie of earthly pleasure that euen in laughing the heart is sorrowfull and the end of mirth is heauinesse Prouerbs 14.13 Ecclesiastes 2.1 Wee neede not dispute curiously whether this want was occasioned either by the pouertie of the parties inuiting or by the riotous intemperance of the guests inuited or by the lauish negligence of the seruitors or by the multitude of acquaintance who came not called as it is vsuall at such meetings it is enough for vs to know that it came to passe by Gods all-seeing prouidence that our Sauiour might manifest his glorie For as it is said of him that was borne blinde Iohn 9. Neither hath this man sinned nor his parents but that the workes of God should be sheâ—ed on him so neither the master of the feast nor the guests nor the seruants offended in that the wine failed onely this happened for our good and Christs glorie They haue no wine This speech is grounded vpon faith hope and charitie Faith in that she beleeued Christ was able hope being throughly perswaded Christ was willing miraculously to supplie this want Her words are but three vinum non habent an indicatiue short narration not an optatiue long oration Hereby teaching vs that albeit in regard of our miserie nothing can be said too much yet in respect of Christs mercie one word is enough as being more willing to relieue then we to request Lastly this is a demonstration of her charitie being solicitous for her good friends accouÌ„ting their want her woe For if one member of Christs mystical bodie suffer all suffer with it and therefore the good Virgin out of sympathie perceiuing the wine would faile cried vnto her sonne they haue no wine She could not but be full of pitie who carried in her wombe nine moneths the God of compassion If a man hold an apple in his hand all the forenoone he will smell of it all the afternoone Mary did inwombe the father of mercies her bowels therefore must needes be very compassionate Nam antâ— mentem repleuit quà mventrem cùm processit ex vtero non recessit ab animo As Mary to Christ they haue no wine so I to you the poore haue no corne For their supplie God be thanked as yet we need no miracle but only your mercie S. Peter said to the begging creple Siluer and gold haue I none but such as I haue that giue I thee In the name of Iesus Christ rise vp and walke But our liues if not our lips vtter the contrary compassion and pitie haue we none but goods and corne which we haue giue we not Iulius Caesar gloried in nothing so much as in pardoning his enemies and gratifying his friends Hee did beleeue as a Pagan but worke as a Christian but I feare many beleeue like Christians but liue like Pagans The subtill disputant presseth his aduersarie with two premisses that hee may bring him to an absurd conclusion Satan is the most cunning sophister he doth praemittere dâ—o delicias diuitias Now wee must denie the first proposition flatly and distinguish of the second And this distinction must bee a diuision and this diuision Christ diuision Diuide pauperibus Giue to the poore Master Tyndal being a diligent Preacher and a great student allotted two daies in euery weeke monday and saturday to visit the sicke and to relieue the poore which he tearmed his owne daies of pastime a sweete recreation as Ambrose speakes in alieno remedio vulnera sua curare To benefit our selues in helping other In our time wee want such women as Mary such men as Tyndal c. If any shall demaund how Mary came by this faith hope charitie how she beleeued Christ to be God and able to doe wonders Answere is made first that she might vnderstand this by diuine reuelation for Gabriel an harbinger of heauen told so much vnto her He shall be great and shall be called the Sonne of the most high and hee shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdome shall be no end Secondly by the preaching of Iohn the Baptist openly proclaming Christ to be the Lambe of God who takes away the sinnes of the world Thirdly by the diligent obseruation of Christs doctrine both abroad and at home for the text saith in the second of S. Luke that Mary kept all those sayings and pondred them in her heart Where by the way note what an excellent thing it is to marke the words of the Preacher and safely to lay them vp in our heart as in a treasure house that as
Toward his mother not absolutely denying but onely deferring her suit for a time Nondum venit It shall come though as yet not come His mother said vnto the ministers whatsoeuer he saith vnto you doe it She was not offended or discouraged with Christs answer but belieued his word and submitted her selfe to his will a notable president of faith and obedience teaching vs in all afflictions of body and soule wholly to stay our selues vpon his gracious promises In a word it is a good rule to be followed in all things heare him in all the works of thy calling whatsoeuer he saith vnto thee doe it not onely belieue but doe And there were standing there six water pots of stone The relation of the miracle it selfe containes in it a most liuely picture of the Church militant subiect euen in her greatest happinesse to much want and woe but Christ that keepes Israel doth neither slumber nor sleepe hee knowes her workes and in the midst of her wants euen when she thinks her selfe forsaken here 's her praiers and turnes her water into wine giuing her a garment of gladnesse for the spirit of heauinesse The Fathers and Friers abound with other allegories He that list may reade August tract 9. in Ioan. Bernard ser. 2. post octau Epiphan Rupert comment in Ioan. lib. 2. Luther postil maior Dom. 2. ab Epiphan Ferus ser. 9. Dom. 2. post Epiphan Pontanus bibliothec con tom 1. fol. 222. 223. c. I did alway thinke of glosses as Augustine of graces Alter aliquando fructuosus est donis paucioribus sed potioribus alter inferioribus sed pluribus One man edifieth his hearers with many though meane notes another with few but fit short but sweet I passe therefore from the miracle to the consequent and effect The which is twofold 1. The manifestation of Christs glory 2. The confirmation of his Disciples faith Christ in his morals instructed vs to liue well in his miracles to belieue well And therefore this fact increasing the Disciples faith and illustrating his honour Omne tulit punctum quia miscuit vtile dulci. The Epistle ROM 12.16 Be not wise in your owne opinion c. SAint Paul exhorts vs in this Epistle not to hurt but rather helpe our enemies Not to hurt by Concealing that which is good as Wisdome Be not wise in your owne opinion Sanctimony Prouide things honâ—st in the sight of all men Rendring that which is euill vers 17. Recompence to no man euill for euill and vers 19. Auenge not your selues c. But to help by preseruing Peace vers 18. If it be possible liue peaceably with all men Vers. 20. If thine enemy hunger feed him Patience vers 21. Bee not ouercome of euil but ouercome euill with goodnesse Be not wise Not in your selues nor onely wise to your selues not in your selues and owne conceit If any man among you seeme to be wise let him be a foole that hee may be wise Seest thou a man hastie in his matters anâ— haughty there is more hope of a foole then of him It is recorded as a great fault in Charles Duke of Burgondie that he seldom asked neuer followed the couÌ„sel of other On the contrary Moses a man learned in all wisdome of the Egyptians and mighty both in words and deeds obeied the voice of his father in law Iethro doing according to his aduice Exod. 18.24 Saul hearkened vnto the counsell of his seruant 1. Sam. 9. Agamemnon in Homer wished for ten Nestors Alexander Seuerus neuer determined any thing of moment without twelue or twenty iudicious Lawyers It is a great part of wisdome yea the first entry to knowledge scire quod nescias not to be too wise or in our opinion so wise that wee neglect others helpe The Pope in this respect as Roderigo Bishop of Zamora well obserues is most vnfortunate For though he hath all things at command yet euermore stands in need of one thing to wit a faithfull counseller The Romans at this time being Lords of the world were puffed vp exceedingly with the greatnesse of their gifts and largenesse of their Empire Paul therefore did often as Chrysostome notes inculcate this exhortation in this Chapter twice that it might be remembred once The men of England yea the women of England abusing the great light of the Gospell and long peace are growne so wise that many will take vpon them to teach euen their most learned teachers and therefore we must againe and againe preach and presse this one lesson Be not wise in your owne opinion Let no man presume to know more then is meete for him to know but so iudge of himself that he be gentle and sober according as God hath dealth to euery man the measure of faith Or as other expound it Be not wise to your selues but as Salomon speakes Let thy fountaines â—lâ—w foorth and the riuers of water in the streets according to the measure of grace proceeding from the fountaine of goodnesse communicate thy wisedome to other hide not thy talent To one is giuen by the Spirit y â— word of wisedom tâ—nquaÌ„ luminare maius vnto another y e word of knowledge tâ—nquam luminare minus vnto another prophecie vnto another faith vnto another diuersity of language tanqâ—aÌ„ stellâ—e as starres in the firmament of the Church Our light then must shine before men and we must waste our sâ—lues for the good of such as are in Gods house The candle must not be put vnder a bâ—shell but on a candlestick Scire tuum nihil est nisite scire hoc sciat alter If thou wilt onely be wise to thy selfe thou shalt at last turne foole For as water standing still is soone puddle so the gifts of the minde not employed are empaired Afâ—aniuâ— said truly that vse begate wisedome Vsus me genuit mâ—ter peperit memoriâ— Let not vs then inclose truth and the knowledge therof it is common If we make it priuate wee shall be depriued of it As Auâ—ustine sweetly Non licet hâ—â—ere priuatam ne priâ—emureâ— When Châ—ist asâ—ended vp on high he gaue gifts to men among othâ—r the gift of wisdome for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the ministerie for the building vp of his mysticall bodie Wisedome then is not giuen only for thy self but for other among the rest euen for thâ—ne enemies that the Lord God might dwell among them Secondly we may not conceale our sanctimonie Prouide things honest in the sight of all mâ—n as Paâ—l expounds Paul Giue none offence neither to the Iewes nor to the Grecians nor to the Church of God For as a man must haue care of his conscience before God so likewise of his credit before men Some prouide thinges honest Before men but not before God as the vaine-glorious hypocrites Herod within Iohn without painted
manifesting himselfe to the world that he was the Messias of the world As if he should argue thus If you belieue not my words yet credit me for my wonders I make the blind to see the deafe to heare the lame to goe I cure all kind of diseases euen with the least touch of my finger and least breath of my mouth I heale the leper I heare the Centurion The leper was a Iew the Centurion a Gentile the leper poore the Centurion rich the leper a man of peace the Centurion a man of warre Insinuating heereby that God is no accepter of persons but that his benefits indifferently belong to men of all nations and all fashions Iâ— Christ there is neither Iew nor Grecian neither bond nor free Yet Christ did first cure the Iew then the Gentile For saluation was offered first to the Iewes he touched the Iew but cured the Gentile with his word He visited Ierusalem in his owne person but healed other nations by the Preachers of his Gospell In the leper 2. things are remarkable the Weaknesse of his body sicke and sicke of a leprosie Vertues of his mind Faith Adoration Wisdome Patience Confession In Christ also two things are to be considered his Mercy that would so readilie Might that could so easily cure this distressed Lazer Aleper All weaknesse originally proceeds from wickednesse either from some defect in our conception or disorder in our conuersation as Mephibosâ—eth had his lamenesse by falling from his nurse so euery man his sicknesse by falling from the Lord. Christ who was free from sinne was also free from sicknesse but vnto men carying about them bodies of sinne diseases are as it were a sermon from heauen wherein Almighty God accuseth of sins and shewes his wrath against sinners But the condition of a leper as we reade in the law was of all other sicke most insupportable First he must liue alone separated from the fellowship of Gods people as vnworthy to come into cleane company Secondly he did weare foure markes to be knowne by his garments torne his head bare his mouth couered and he must cry I am vncleane I am vncleane For griefe whereof assuredly some pined away being forlorne in their sorrow destitute of all good comfort and company Yet this leper indued with a liuely faith is not hopelesse howsoeuer haplesse For he comes and saith vnto the great Physitian of the world Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane though he knew that his sicknesse in the worlds eye was incurable yet he did beleeue that vnto God nothing is impossible He felt his owne misery to be great yet hoped Christs mercy was more great and therefore comes vnto him as Ludolphus aptly Non tà m passibus corporis quà m fide cordis If thou wilt thou canst A strong faith in a weake body Faith comes by hearing and the reason why this leper extraordinarily desired to heare Christ and heare of Christ was his vncleane disease so that the weaknesse of his body brought him vnto the Physitian of his soule Note then here with Paul that all things happen for the good of such as are good It was good for Dauid that he was in trouble good for Naaman that he was a leper for his vncleannesse brought him vnto the Prophet and the Prophet brought him vnto the sauing knowledge of the true God It was good for Paul that he was buffeted by Satan for otherwise peraduenture through abundance of reuelations he would haue buffeted God Of all herbes in the garden as one wittily Rew is the herbe of grace Many times our woe doth occasion our weale for as pride doth breed sores of salues so faith on the contrarie doth often make salues of sores altogether renouncing her owne merit and wholly relying vpon Christs mercie Tanto desiderantiùs ad Christum contendit quòd suam indignitatem immunditiam probè sentiret as Luther and Ferus accord in this and that so truly that as a Papist said If Bonauentura had not been a Romish saint he would haue been reputed an asse So the Protestant if Ferus had not been a Romish asse he might haue proued in the Church a renowned saint The second vertue to bee considered as a fruite of his faith is adoration a spiritual fee for a spirituall physitian as the bodily Doctor must be paied so the ghostly prayed He therefore worships Christ and that with all humblenes of Thought humblenes of Word humblenes of Deede He comes to Christ as a vassall to his Lord Domine non tanquam ad dominum titularem sed tanquam ad dominum tutelarem If thou wilt thou canst Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and therefore beleeuing in his heart that Christ was the Lord willing and able to helpe confesseth it also with his mouth If it be for my good I am sure thou wilt and I beleeue thou canst attributing all to Christs might and mercie nothing to his owne either worth or woe Vttering this also with humble gesture For as S. Mark reports hee kneeled and as S. Luke he fell on his face teaching vs in prayer to fall down and kneele before the Lord our maker Hee that worships God irreuerently shewes himselfe not a Christian but a Manichee who thought God made the soule but not the bodie Thirdly note the lepers wisedome who did obserue Circumstances of Place not pressing to Christ on the mount but expecting him in the valley Circumstances of Time not interrupting Christ in his sermon or disturbing his auditory Circumstances of Person speaking in a succinct stile Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane Giuing vs to vnderstand that in suing vnto men which are wise and in praying to God who is wisedome we need not vse many but pithie words See Gospel Dom. 2. quadrages The fourth vertue is his patience who was content notwithstanding his extreame miserie to stay Gods leisure and Christs pleasure First seeking the kingdome of God and then desiring that other things might be cast vpon him In y e first place giuing God glory Lord if thou wilt thou canst In the second praying for his own good Make me cleane not as I will but as thou wilt O Lord prescribing neither the time when nor place where nor manner how but referring all to Christ possessing his soule with patience The last vertue to be regarded in this leper is conâ—ession He knew the Pharisies hated and persecuted al such as confessed Christ yet he calles him Lord and worships him as a Lord and proclaimes him in the presence of much people to bee the Lord. It is well obserued that Gods omnipotent power and infinit mercies are the two wings of our deuotion whereby faith in the midst of all trouble mounts into heauen Here the leper acknowledgeth openly Christs omnipotencie for hee saith not intreate
aeuibreuissimi solicitudinis infinitae Mans life is not short and sweete but sharpe and short Running is a violent exercise therefore sharpe a stage is but a little ground therefore short God is good vnto vs in tempering these so fitly that thinking on the shortnesse of our life wee may bee content because full of miseries and againe considering the miseries of our life we may be coÌ„forted because it is but of small continuance not a long iourney but a short tye The word originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a race of men or horse whereof I finde in antiquitie three kindes Italicum Olympicum Pythicum One of Italy containing 625. fecte that is 125. paces The second of Olympus containing 600. feete that is 120. paces The third containing 1000. feete that is 200 paces It is probable that Paul writing this vnto the Corinthians alluded to the Olympiack course which is the shortest much like the tyes in Kent some 30. or 40. rods And as experience shewes daily some giue ouer at the first setting out in the very cradle some perish when they haue runne two or three paces in their youth other about the midst of their race most are out of breath before they can reach the staied paces of threescore yeeres if any liue till eighty we repute him exceeding old Why doe I name rods or paces our life is as it were a span long a very nothing in respect of eternitie seeing then our course is small and reward great a little paine but an inestimable price seeing our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre most excellent and an eternall waight of glorie let vs not faint in our course but so runne that we may obtaine So runne Noting the manner and the meanes a generall rule necessarie for the course of our whole life teaching vs in all we say or doe to foresee the right end and to vse the meanes for obtaining that end Some looke to the right end but vse not the right meanes as Carolostadius in Luthers age who desired the Gospell might florish but he failed in the meanes he despised authoritie neglected humane lawes and was altogether transported with his owne pâ—iuate humours of ambition and couetousnesse And so the Schismatikes in our time especially those of the separation embrace the Gospell as it should seeme so much as we but they faile in their Sic in their so running for they runne out of the Church without which none can be safe none can be saued and so the more they runne the further are they froâ— the prize Some vse the right meanes but not for the right end as hypocrites vse to fast and giue to the poore not for Gods glorie but for their owne praise So vainglorious Preachers and people seeke the trueth but not for the truth dum quaerunt eam non quaerunt ipsam Some neither vse the right meanes nor aime at the right end as Atheists who preferre their fiue senses before the foure Euangelists and panem nostrum in the Pater noster before sanctificetur nomen tuum Some look to the right end and vse the right meanes as the holie Prophets and Apostles all their preaching tended to the glorie of God and they runne the right way to propagatâ— that his glorie So runne therefore that â—e may obtaine Now y t we may run well 2. things are required especially a due preparatioÌ„ before the race right disposition in the race He that vndertakes to runne a tye will first if he be wise diet himselfe and not spend his time in drunkennesâ—e and gluttonie the text saith he will abstaine from all things euen those meates and pleasures which hee doth most affect only to make his bodie swift and fit for the race So if we will happily runne our course in Gods way we must not walke in surfetting and drunkennesse in chambering and wantonnesse but as â—aul heere wee must tame our bodies and bring them into subiection Wee must not be filled with wine but with the holie Spirit for fasting and voluntarie chastising of our bodies as occasion is offered are not workes either superfluous or superstitious A full panch and heauie head is fitter to lie then to goe to stand still then to runne a swift race The Gentiles liue to eate but Christians eate to liue and life consists in health and strength and both are maintained especially by moderate fare Secondly the runner vseth to strip himself of all about him except some white garment to couer his nakednesse and so we must put off the workes of darknesse and euery thing that presseth downe wee must cast away the cares of this life vsiâ—g the world as if we vsed it not hauing wiues and children as if wee had neither wiues nor children accounting all things losse to winne Christ. We must strippe our selues of all that might hinder vs in our course leauing nothing on vs but the long robe of Christs righteousnesse to couer our nakednesse to couer our wickednesse as our Apostle Rom. 13.14 Put yee on the Lord â—esus Christ and take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it And as the runner must haue due preparation before his race so likewise a right disposition in his course that he begin well continue well and end well First he must be carefull to begin well to set out in the right and direct passages otherwise if he runne in wrie waies and by-waies the more his labour the greater is his losse Wee must take heed lest meta be transposâ—tâ— such as will obâ—aine Gods prize must walke in Gods path turning neither to the right hand nor to the left Deut. 5.32.33 for there is danger in both and as Luther obserues often the grâ—atest perill is on the right hand For Schismatikes hurt more vnder a colour of reforming and building vp the Church then heretikes and open tyrants can doe by persecuting and pulling downe the Church Omnes â—mici omnes inimici quoth Bernard On the contrarie by the Martyrs blood the Church is not destroyed but watered Ante fuit in operibus fratrum candida nunc in martyrum cruore purpurea Eueâ—y man must be sure to set foorth aright in the true profession of the Catholike faith otherwise when wee runne without Christ who is the way then our wisedome is double foolishnesse our righteousnesse double sinne when we are best then are we worst Againe we must walke in an honest vocation warranted by Gods word otherwise we shall not run to but from the prize Secondly we must continue well for many runne but one receiueth the crowne we must therefore take heede that we doe not slip or if we slip that we doe not fall or if we fall that we fall not backward but forward so that wee may with speede rise againe The most iust often slip and sometime fall but
by right is owing for them his reason is this Omnia merita Dei dona sunt ita homo magis propter ipsa Deo debitor est quam Deus homini For saith he all our merits are the gifts of God and so man is rather a debter to God for them then God to man And in another place Meritum meum miseratio Domini c. my merit is Gods mercy c. Stella God my protector looke not vpon me but first looke vpon thine onely Sonne place betweene me and thee his crosse his blood his passion his merit that so thy iustice passing thorow his blood when it commeth at the last to me it may be gentle and full of mercy Frier Ferus in his commentaries vpon this plece saith that the parable of the vineyard teacheth that whatsoeuer God giueth vs is of grace not of debt And in his Postil he professeth openly that if it were not for pride this question would soone be at an end Gregorius Ariminensis vpon Peter Lombard defends at large that no worke done by man though comming from the greatest charity meriteth of condignity either eternall life or any other reward temporall because euerie such worke is the gift of God His owne words are Ex hoc infero quod ne dum vitae eternae sed nec alius alterius praemij aeterni vel temporalis aliquis actus hominis ex quantâcunque charitate elicitus est de condigno meritorius apud Deum quia quilibet talis est donum Dei Cardinall Bellarmin after he had a long time trauelled and wearied himselfe in the questions of iustification at the last holds it the safest course to repose our whole trust in the onely mercies of God propter incertitudinem propriae iustitiae periculum inanis gloriae tutissimum est fiduciam totamin solâ Dei misericordiâ benignitate reponere Thus as you see Papists of the best note for learning accord with vs in the pulpit and schoole Now for their practise that learned Clerk Chemnitius hath obserued long since that most of them in the question of iustification by works haue said one thing in their disputations and another in their meditations otherwise behauing themselues at their death then in their life For when once they see that they must appeare before the bar of Gods iustice they plead for the most part guilty crauing a Psalme of mercy Miserere mei Deus secunudum multitudâ—nem miserationum tuarum dele iniquitatem meam Pope Gregory counselleth vs vt recta quae agimus sciâ—ndo nesciamus in plaine English to take no further notice of our good workes but to renounce them Anselmus Archbishop of Canterbury confesseth often in his meditations that all his life was either vnprofitable or damnable Whereupon hee concludes at last Quidergo restâ—t ô peccator nisi vt in totâ vitá tuá deplores totam vitam tuam What remaines to bee done in our whole life but to lament for the sinnes of our whole life Abbot Bernard hath this sweet saying Sufficit ad â—eritum scire quod non sufficiant merita Penury of merit is a dangerous pouerty presumption deceitfull riches I will therefore saith he pray with Salomon O Lord giue me neither pouerty nor riches neither want of merit neither abundance of presumption Sherwin a Seminary Priest executed for treason with Edmund Campian at Tiborne when hee was in the cart ready to die though he held himselfe a Martyr for the Catholike faith acknowledged notwithstanding ingennously the miseries imperfections and corruptions of his owne vile nature relying wholly vpon Christ and inuocating no Saint but his Sauiour ending his life with these words O Iesus Iesus Iesus be to me a Iesus But the truth of this doctrine doth appeare more plainly by the consideration of the persons here mentioned of whom through whom to whom First of whom the Lord of the vineyard that is God the Father who saith in the 15. verse that the eternall penny is his owne and that he may doe with it what he list If it were debt then not his owne neither could he dispose of it as he will In execution the worke goeth before the reward as here the labour before the hire but in Gods intention the reward is before the worke God therefore giueth vs grace to worke wel because formerly by his election he giueth vs eternall life Whom he doth predestinate them hee calleth and whom he calleth he iustifieth and whom he iustifieth them he glorifieth And so his mercy is from euerlasting to euerlasting from euerlasting predestination to euerlasting glorification Happily some will say prâ—â—ise is debâ—â—ut God promised and couenanted with 〈◊〉 â—â—bourers in the second verse to giue them a penny 〈◊〉 made that this very promise is mercy on Gods part not merit on our part by promise hee bindeth himselfe but by merit wee bind him vnto vs. It is in his own power to promise and without promise he should be tied vnto nothing but whether there be promise or not he is tied in iustice to reward desert If a man deserue a penny he must haue a penny for God infinitely rich in mercy doth highly scorne to owe any laborer a farthing but if this penny be due not by any performance of man but onely by the promise of God it cannot truly be called a reward of debt but of fauour not purchase but inheritance Come 〈◊〉 blessed of my father inherit the kingdome prepared for you c. Inheritance is a matter of birth and not of industry The younger brother often is of betâ—â—◠〈◊〉 then the elder yet that cannot make him his fatâ—â—â—â— heire When therefore the Scripture sets â—orth vnto vs eternall life vnder the condition of inheritance it teacheth vâ— plainly that we cannot attaine it by merit but that God electing vs his childen bâ—â—â—re any worke giueth vs freely the state and prerogatiue thereof Christ is the Steward by whom euery labourer hath his hire for we receiue nothing from God the Father but by God the Sonne grace by Iesus Christ. The persons vnto whom reward is giuen are the first and the last labourers in Gods vineyard and the last hath equall pay with the first If then in our spirituall warfare any good worke chance to leape ouer the wall and challenge to it selfe any prerogatiue of merit and so the diuell by his seeming retreat infect it with the bane of pride as hauing obtained victory we must vse it as Torquaâ—us did his oueruenturous sonne cut it off with the vnpartiall sword of the spirit for daring beyond his commission I conclude with Augustine It is true righteousnesse vnto which eternall life is due but if it be true it is not of thy selfe It is from aboue descending downe from the father of lights that thou mightst haue it if at least thou haue it verily thou hast receiued it for what hast thou
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
malitious incorrigible sinner reioiceth in doing euill and delights in frowardnesse Prou. 2.14 yet the man of God doth no sinne 1. Iohn 3.9 For it is rather done on him then of him according to that of Paul I doe not the good thing which I would but the euill thing which I would not that do I. Not in anothers fall for it doth grieue when they grieue yea sometime because they doe not grieue for their sins as Hieroâ—e to Sabinian Hoc plango quòd te non plangis And Aâ—gustinâ— calles this a blessed vnhappinesse when a man is aâ—fected not infected with his neighbours iniquitie â—â—â—ta miseria vitijs alienis tribulari non implicari dâ—lor◠〈◊〉 trabi noâ— amore attrahi Iâ— suâ—fereth all things it beleeueth all things It suffereth not it selfe to bee abused but it iudgeth other wiâ—h alâ— loue and humanitie To beleeue all werâ— sillinesse to bâ—â—â—â—ue nâ—â—e â—ullennâ—sse discreet loue therefore doth bâ—lâ—eue much and hope the best of all Enduring all thingâ— that is all that it may without offence to Gods holy word Nor pâ—titur ludum fâ—ma fides oculus A 〈◊〉 gâ—od nâ—me faith and eye will not be dallied withall A Châ—â—stâ—an as concerning his faith cannot bee too sterâ—â—â—â—ooâ—lour I will â—ake vpon me saith Luther this tiâ—le 〈◊〉 I giue place to none loâ—â—â—oâ—h not fall aâ—ay Knowledge is not abolished in the â—orld to come but perfited as Paul expounds himselâ—e We know in pâ—rt we prophecie in part but when â—hat which is perfect is come then that which is vnperfect shaâ—l be done awaâ— Ex abstractiuâ sit intuitiua notitia As the light of a candle doth vanish away when the bright Sunne doth shine The manner of teaching in the world to come shall câ—aâ—e for we shall neede no schooles or tutors in heauen all there shall see God face to face but knowledge it selfe shall not vanish for this is eternall liâ—e to know God S Paul proues our knowledge and prophecying vnperfâ—ct by two familiar exâ—mplâ—s one taken from his owne person another from a looking glasse When I was a childe I spaâ—e as a childe â— vnderstood as a childe I imagined as a childe Speaking may be referred vnto the gift of tongues vnderstaâ—ding to the gift of prophecie thinking to knowledge Now we see in a glâ—ssâ— darâ—lâ— but then shall wee see face to face When a man sees a map of Hierusalem he can presently conceiue what maâ—ner of citie it is imperfectly but when he comes thither and beholds all the streetes is better satisfied The Scripture is a glasse faith is an eye by which all Gods elect in part know the glorious building of Hierusalem aboue they beleeue that this corruption shall put on incorruption that this mortall shall put on immortalitie that the iust shall shine like stars for euer in heart conuersing with the Saints and assured through hope that themselues are burgesses of that celestiall Incorporation I am sure saith Iob that my redeemer is aliue who died for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification and now sitteth at the right hand of God as our aduoâ—ate But hereafter when wee shall sup with him in his kingdome and sit with him in his throne when al mists of ignorance and diffidence shall vanish away when we shall see God face to face then we will say to him as the noble Queene of Sheba to Salomon Loe the one halfe of thy kingdome was not told vs. Now abideth faith hope and loue The rest of the graces are reduced to these saith Melancthon and the chiefe of these is loue saith Paul There is so great affinitie betweene faith and hope that as Luther obserues it is hard to finde any difference they cannot be well separated one hauing respect to the other as the two Cherubins on the mercie seate Exod. 25.20 Yet they differ much especially in their Obiect Subiect Order Office In their obiect Faith hath for her obiect the truth Hope for her obiect the goodnesse of God Faith as Augustine notes is of good things and bad but hope lookes on good things onely The Christian beleeues there is an hell as well as heauen but hee feares the one and hopes only for the other as the Poet distinguisheth aptly liceat sperare timenti Faith is of things Past for wee beleeue that Christ is dead buried risen againe c. Present for wee beleeue that Christ now sitteth at the right hand of God Future for we beleeue Christ shall come again to iudge the quick and the dead But hope doth expect and respect only things to come In their subiect Faith is in the vnderstanding hope resteth in the will if they differ in place this I take to be the most probable separation In order for faith is the ground of things hoped for A stedfast hope proceeds out of a liuely faith if the sparke of faith should not giue light to the will it could not be perswaded to lay hold vpon hope Faith alway goeth before then hope followeth after In their office for faith is our logicke to conceiue what we must beleeue hope our rhetorick to perswade vs in tribulation vnto patience So S. Paul saith Wee are saued by hope Rom. 8.24 Sic liberati sumus vt adhuc speranda sit haereditas postea possidenda nunc habemus ius ad rem nondum in re Faith is a Doctor and a Iudge disputing against error and heresie iudging spirits and doctrines hope is a Captaine fighting against impatience tribulation heauines of spirit weaknes desperation In a word the difference betweene faith and hope in Diuinitie is the same that is betweene fortitude and prudence in policie Fortitude not guided by prudence is rashnes and prudence not ioyned with fortitude is vaine So faith without hope is nothing and hope without faith a meere presumption and tempting of God And therefore wee must ioyne together all these graces as Paul here faith hope charitie We waite for the hope of righteousnesse through faith and faith worketh through loue First faith teacheth vs the truth and then hope teacheth vs what to suffer and loue what to doe for the truth Faith engendreth hope faith and hope loue but the chief is lone c. The Papists hence reason against vs If charitie bee greater then faith it is vnprobable that men are iustified only by faith Our Diuines answere that the argument is not good A Prince doth excell a pesant Ergo till the ground better A man is better then a beast Ergo runne faster then a horse carrie more then an elephant c. Secondly that loue is not greater in euery respect absolutely but onely greater in latitude of vse and continuâ—nce faith and hope are restrained within the bounds of our priuate persons as the iust man doth liue by his owne faith and the good man hopes only for himselfe but loue
like Dauids vine doth couâ—r the mountaines with her boughes and stretcheth her branches vnto the sea extending it selfe to God Angels men in men to our selues and other in other vpward to supeâ—iours downward to inferiours on the right hand to friends on the left to foes Loue theÌ„ in respect of other is of greater vse but if we consider a man in himselfe priuâ—tly faith is more needfull then loue as wherein originally stands our communion and fellowship with God by which Christ dwels in our hearts into which as an hand Almightie God powreth all the riches of his grace for our saluation and by which only whatsoeuer else is in vs is accepted of God as Saluâ—anus excellently Omnibus semper ornatibus ornamento est quiae sine hac nihil tam ornatum quod ornare possit See Epist. Dom. 17. post Trinit Againe charitie is greater in latitude of continuance faith apprehends the Lords gratious promise concerning eternall saluation and hope doth expect it with patience When God then shall haue fulfilled his word and filled vs with vnspeakable ioy when in that other life we shall see God face to face faith is at an end hope is at an end their vse cease but loue shall continue betweene God and vs an euerlasting bond So the fathers expound it only loue saith Chrysostome is eternall in this respect the greatest is charitie because they passe away but charitie continueth alway So Saint Augustine Loue is the greatest of the three because the other two departing it shall continue more increased and better assured auctior certior permanebit In this pâ—esent life there are three but in the life to come loue remaineth onely therefore that is greater which is euer needfull then that which once shal haue an end And so Gorran and other popish writers heretofore construed this text I conclude to saue a man faith is greater in a man saued charitie is the greater vntill faith haue finished our saluation loue must yeeld to faith but when faith hath fully saued vs it shall haue an end and so must yeeld to loue which is without end The Gospel LVKE 18.31 Iesus tooke vnto him the twelue and said vnto them Behold we goe vp to Ierusalem and all shall be fulfilled c. IN this Gospell our Sauiour Christ the true light of the world doth illuminate two sorts of blinde the disciples who were spiritually blind and a poore beggar who was corporally blind The disciples vnderstood not as yet the mysteries of our redemption wrought by Christs humiliation and exaltation by the one taking from vs all euill and by the other giuing all that is good Hee died for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification Christ therefore doth open their eies and instruct them in these two points exactly First generally vers 31. Behold we goe vp to Ierusalem and all things c. Secondly more particularly declaring the maner of his death and resurrection in the 32.33 verses Concerning his passion fiue things are deliuered traditio that hee shall be betraied illusio that hee shall be mocked conspuitio that hee shall be spitted on flâ—gellatio that hee shall be scourged occisio that hee shall be put to death For truth it selfe was betraied wisdome it selfe mocked glory it selfe spitted on innocencie it selfe scourged and life it selfe killed Concerning his resurrection hee sets downe two points especially 1. that he shal rise 2. that hee shall rise the third day Iesus tooke vnto him the twelue Reuealing to them the secrets of his kingdome foretelling his passion for two causes especially 1. that they might beare it more patiently praemoniti praemuniti 2. to signifie that hee suffered willingly Ioh. 10.18 See Gosp. dom 10. post Trin. Behold This word of attention is like the sounding of a trumpet before some waighty proclamation or like the ringing of a great bell before the sermon of a famous Preacher And therefore let vs heare this doctrine with an especiall care which Christ hath commended vnto vs here by such a remarkable note We goe vp Christs passion is called an exaltation or ascending For albeit he could not ascend higher as God yet he was exalted by his humiliation as man and had a name giuen him aboue euery name Phil. 2.8.9 Lucifer and Adam by climbing vp were cast downe but Christ by casting himselfe downe went vp Or We goe vp insinuating that his iourney was not easie Facilis descensus Auerni Men go sooner downe hil then vp hill yet he that hath a good horse can ride faster vp hill then downe hill So the charets and horsemen of Israel assisted by Gods especiall grace lifting them vp aboue the base vallies of the world runne faster and are more delighted in heauens vp hill then the wicked iâ— hels downe hill To Ierusalem Interpreters haue rendred sundry reasons why Christ was crucified at Ierusalem especially two First because there was not enough malice in any other Citie to kill the Lord of life none but the holy could enuie the most holy The prophane Gentiles ignorant Iewes elsewhere did not maligne Christ in his words and wonders Ierusalem onely the Prophet-killer could not indure the Prophet His holinesse and wisdome was the fittest obiect for the Scribes and Pharises enuie That vpon them might come all the righteous blood shed vpon earth euen from Abel the shadow to Christ the substance whose bloud speakes better things vnto vs and cries â—owder against them then that of Abel Here note by the â—ay that as the Sonne of God was crucified in the Citie of God so by good correspondence the members of Christ are persecuted most by the vicar of Christ. Secondly Christ suffered in that eminent place that his passion and patience might be renowned in the whole world There was not another stage fit for his tragedie which is our comedie In a mysticall sense Christ and his Apostles ascend to Ierusalem euen to Ierusalem aboue the new Ierusalem prepared as a bride trimmed for her husband but the god of this world with his company descend to Iericho to the lowest hell Hee that followes not Christ in his course goes from Ierusalem to Iericho from heauenly paths vnto the by-waies of destruction and so he falles among theeues that is as the fathers expound it among many diuels and euils who rob him and wound him and in fine will leaue him dead except Christ the true Samaritan relieue him and set him in his right way againe And all shall be fulfilled that are written by the Prophets of the Sonne of man As the Painter at the first drawes his picture with a coale roughly then with an accurate pensill and orâ—ent colours exactly so the holy Ghost in the Prophets and old Testament shadowed Christs passion obscurely but in the new paints it as it were to life perspicuously
the works of darknesse put on tender mercy kindnesse humblenesse of mind which are weapons of light It is due debt that you should be followers of God forbearing one another and forgiuing one another as Christ forgaue you See epist. dom 3. quadrages The Nouelists except against our Seruice Booke for omitting here two titles holy and beloued Our answer is that the word elect implies the rest for if elect then beloued and holy The Church omits not the greater and infers the lesser as the Churches of Scotland and Middleburge call Gods heauy iudgements vpon the wicked a little rap Psal. 74.12 and bread of affliction broâ—ne bread Psal. 127.2 Contrary not onely to the Geneua Bible but euen Câ—luins exposition of the place If these friuolous obiections be their aqua coelestis to keepe life in their fainting cause we may toll the passing bell and ere long ring out to the funerall Let the word of Christ That is the Scripture the Gospell especially so called in respect of three causes Efficient for he speakes in the Prophets and Apostles I am he that doth speake behold it is I. Materiall for hee is the contents of all the Bible shadowed in the Law shewed in the Gospell vnam vocem habent duo Testamenta The word of the Lord containes nothing but the word which is the Lord. Finall as being the end of the whole Law scope of all the Prophets euer since the world began Wherefore seeing the Scriptures haue Christ for their author Christ for their obiect Christ for their end well may they be called the word of Christ. Dwell We must not entertaine the word as a stranger giuing it a cold complement and so take our leaue but because it is Gods best friend the Kings best friend and our best friend we must vse it as a familiar and domesticke receiuing it into the parlor of our heart making it our chamber fellow study fellow bed fellow Things of lâ—sse moment are without doore the staffe behind the doore sed quae pretiosa sunt noâ— vno seruantur ostio things of worth are kept vnder many locks and keyes It is fit then that the word being more pretious then gold yea the most fine gold a peerlesse pearle should not be laid vp in the Porters lodge onely the outward eare but euen in the cabinet of the mind Deut. 11.18 Ye shall lay vp these my words in your heart and in your soule so the word that now doth plenteously dwell among you may dwell plenteously in you Plenteously Reade heare meditate with all attention exactly with all intention deuoutly with all diligence throughly Iohn 5.39 Search the Scriptures Esay 8.20 to the law to the testimony Apocalyps 1.3 Blessed is he that reades and heares and keepes the words of this prophecie not onely reade nor onely heare nor onely meditate but all sometime reade to rectifie meditation and sometime meditate to profit by reading Lectio sine meditatione arida meditatio sine lectione erronea It is reported of Alphonso King of Spaine that hee read ouer all the Bible with Lyraes postil fourteene times And Augustine writes of Antonius an Egyptian Monke that hauing no learning he did by hearing the Scriptures often read get them without booke and after by serious and godly meditation vnderstand them This one word plenteously confutes plenteously first ignorant people who cannot secondly negligent people who will not reade and heare thirdly delicate people who loath the Scriptures as vnpleasant preferring the Poets before the Prophets admitting into their house the writings of men before the word of God fourthly perfunctory students in the Bible turning ouer not the whole but some part and that so coldly that as it is said of the Delphicke Oracle quoties legitur toties negligitur a lesson is no sooner got but it is forgot fiftly couetous people who will not giue to their Pastor plenteously that the word may dwell in them plenteously Nehemia complained in his time that the Leuites for want of maintenance were faine to leaue the Temple and follow the plow And Saint Augustine made the like complaint in his age whereupon in processe of time Clergy men inuented such points of superstition as were most aduantageous vnto them Hence they â—aked heil and found out Purgatory to make the Popes kitchin smoke an inuention not knowne vnto the Greeke Church for the space of 1500. yeeres after Christ and but of late knowne to the Latine Hence praier for the dead indulgences and other new trickes of popery which are more for the Priests belly then the peoples benefit God of his infinite goodnesse forgiue Britans ingratitude in this kind and grant that the burning lamps in our Temple may be supplied with sufficient oile that the light of Israel goe not out Sixtly this condemes Enthusiasts despising the word and ministery Seuenthly the Marcionits and Manichees reiecting Moses and the Prophets Last of all and most of all the Papists in denying the vulgar translations of Scripture to the common people Let the word of God dwell in you that is in all you Priest and people Non in nobis modo sed in vobis as Saint Hierom peremptorily Hic ostenditur verbum Christi non sufficientèr sed abundantèr etiam laicos habere debere docerese inuicem vel monere The word must dwell in vs Ergo the Bible must be in our house It must dwell plenteously Ergo we must reade daily but as it followes in the text With all wisdome The Papists as well in the Church as in the street chant scripture plenteously but because their hymnes are not in a knowne tongue it is without vnderstanding The Brownists in their bookes and sermons often cite scripture plenteously but it is not in wisdome Learned Origen notes well and where hee doth well none better that heretikes are scripturarum fures great lurchers of holy writ but they so wrest it that as Hierom speaks Euangelium Christi fit euangelium hominis aut quod peius est dâ—aboli Table Gospellers are full of text It is ordinary to discusse diuinitie problemes euen at ordinaries a custome very common but by the censure of our Church no way commendable For the 37. Iniunction forbids all men to reason of diuine scripture rashly and the greatest part of Archbishop Cranmers preface before the Church Bible is spent against idle brabling and brawling in matters of Theology And a graue Diuine much esteemed in our daies held it better for venturous discoursers of predestination and sinne against the holy Ghost that they had neither tongues in their heads nor hearts in their breasts then that they should continue in this irreuerend vsage Manlius reports how two meeting at a tauerne contended much to little purpose about their faith One said he was of Doctor Martins religion and the other sware he was of Doctor Luthers