The Autumn Part from the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity, Letter 1
THE AVTVMNE PART FROM THE TWELFTH Sundy after Trinitie, to the last in the whole yeere.
DEDICATED Unto the much honoured and most worthy Doctor IOHN OVERAL Deane of PAVLS.
August. ser. 22. de verbis Apostoli. Sic vigilet tolerantia, vt non dormiat disciplina.
LONDON Printed by M…LCHISEDECH BRADVVOOD for WILLIAM ASPLEY. 1613.
COLENDISSIMO PATRI, NEC NON ILLVMINATISSIMO DOCTORI, DOMINO IOHANNI OVERALLIO, QVONDAM IN ACADEMIA CANTABRIGIENSI CELEBERRIMO SACRAE THEOLOGIAE PROFESSORI REGIO: NVNC AVTEM AEDIS PAVLINAE LONDON. INTEGERRIMO VIGILANTISSIMO QVE DECANO: IOHANNES BO…TIVS ALIQVANDO DISCIPVLVS ET SEMPER AMICVS HONORIS …RGO, DO DICO DEDICO.
THE TWELFTH SVNDAY AFTER TRINITIE.
The Epistle.
2. COR. 3. 4.
Such trust hauehave we through Christ to God-ward; not that we are sufficient of our selues, &c.
ALL holy Scripture ioyntly considered is called not vnfitly Gods aOptatus lib 5. aduers. Parmeman. Idem August. in Psam. 21. exposit. 2.Testament: as being his reuealed bMatth. 6. 10.will, and as it were cArdens in loc.written Indenture, containing his couenants and conueiance concerning our dHeb. 9. 15.eternall inheritance which is aboue. But the Gospel apart considered, is tearmed in this Text, a new Testament: as neuer waxing old, eDeering Lect. 1. Hebr.but alway continuing new, though it were from the beginning: Iesus Christ yesterday, and to day, the same also for euer, Heb. 13. 8. And new, for that it is imprinted after a new manner, otherwise than the letter of the Law: written not with inke, but with the spirit of the liuing God; not in tables of stone, but in the fleshly tables of the heart. And new, for that it maketh vsus new creatures in Christ, 2. Cor. 5. 17. According to that of fD… spirit. & lit. cap. 20. Id em contra duas, epist. Pelagian. lib. 3. cap. 4. & in. Psal. 83▪ Vide rationes alias ap…d▪ …retium. Pro…egom in Matth.Augustine: Dicitur nouum propter nouitatem spiritus, quae hominem nouum …anat à vitio vetustatis: It is new for that it teacheth vsus how to cast off the old man, and to put one the new man, Eph. 4. 22. 24. S. Paul therefore commends heere the worthy function of such as are made able to minister the new Testament two waies:
1. Positiuely, Such trust hauehave we through Christ to Godward, &c.
2. Comparatiuely, preferring the preaching of the Gospell before the ministery of the Law,
In respect of Grace: For the letter killeth, but the spirit giueth life; the Law being the ministration of condemnation, but the Gospell the ministration of righteousnesse.
In respect of Glorie: If the ministration of death thorough the letters figured in stones was glorious, &c. how shall not the ministration of the spirit be much more glorious?
Such trust] Our Apostle did esteeme the Corinthians his g2. Cor. 1. 14.glory, the h1. Cor. 9. 2.seale of his Apostleship, and as it were the very letters testimoniall of his sincerity. For thus hee speakes in this present chapter at the second verse, Ye are our epistle. iErasm. Paraphras.Such as are false teachers, need epistles of recommendation vntounto you, and letters of recommendation from you: but …, kCaluin.Silvanus and Timothie desire not the like, for that the Church of Corinth is our certificat, your selues are our walking pasport: lHieron. epist. ad Furiam.Detrimentum pecoris ignominia pastoris: It is the Pastors infamy when the people grow worse, but his mOecumen. in l…c.honour when they be rich in the graces of Christ, and in all kinde of knowledge, 1. Cor. 1. 5. Whereas therefore your faith and holy conuersation is renowned in all the world, ye be to vsus nTheophylact. Anselm. Aquin.instead of an Epistle: yea better then any letters commendatory; for they runne in and out of our eyes, and eares, here and there: but yee are Written in our heart, that is, in our oHieron. & Primasius.consciences, hauing this testimony, not as other about vsus onelyonly, but in vsus also, residing euer in our bosomes. And whereas pCaietan.other Epistles in Hebrew, Greeke, Latine, are read of none but such as vnderstand their seuerall Idiome; this Epistle is vnderstood and read of all men. It is so plaine, that (as the Prophet qCap. 2. ver. 2.Abacuck speakes) he may runne that readeth it: in that ye are manifest to be the Epistle of Christ ministred by vsus, rEnglish Glosse.as Gods pen, and written not with inke, but with the spirit of the liuing God, not in tables of stone, but in the fleshly tables of the heart. Yee are Christs epistle primarily, sAquin.principalit… & authoritatiuè, for tMatth 23. 8.one is your Doctor, and that Doctor is Christ: but our epistle, and u1. Cor. 9. 1.worke secondarily, being instructed by vsus 1. Cor. 4. 1.as the Ministers of Christ, and disposers of the secrets of God. He yHeb. 8. 10.writes in you, but it is through our 1. Cor. 3. 5.ministery, not as the false apostles imperfitly with inke, but with the spirit of the liuing God, whereby you that are his epistle are aEphes 4 30.sealed vntounto the day of redemption. He writes his grace, not as the law was written in tables of bExod. 31. 18.stone: but in fleshly tables of the heart. According to his word vttered of the mouth of cCap. 36. 26.Ezechiel: I will take away the stony heart out of your bodie, and I will giuegive you an heart of flesh. That is, (as Anselmu… vponupon this place notes) a good vnderstanding to know, and a ready will to keepe my commandements. dTheophilact.As farre then as Gods spirit doth excell inke, and mans heart a stone; so farre the Gospell excels the Law.
Now lest our Apostle should seeme to commend his ministery too much, he Marlorat.corrects himselfe thus in my text: such trust hauehave we through Christ to Godward, &c. fAnselm.As if he should say, we speake confidently that yee are Christs epistle, and our epistle, not arrogating this excellency to our selues, as if wee were sufficient of our selues: but ascribing all the glory to God, from who… as the fountaine, through Christ, as the conduit pipe, commeth eueryevery good and perfect gift. If wee be able vntounto any thing, the same commeth of God, which hath made vsus able to minister the new Testament. And therefore we trust not in the gEphes. 6. 12.princes of darknesse, hPsal. 146. 2.nor in any childe of man: but our hope, yea helpe standeth in the name of the Lord, which hath made heauen and earth: Psal. 121. 2. all our trust is in God through Christ.
The Papists attribute too much vntounto the Priests office; carnall Gospellers and worldly politicians ascribe too little. The Pope forsooth is esteemed of his parasites aSee Tortura Torti. pag. 361. vice god, k2. Cor. 11. 4. Matth. 24. 24.another Christ, assuredly they might say better an Antichrist Nay the Papists hold their vnderunder ling Masse-priest such an omnipotent creature, that wheras in the sacrament of Order (as they call it) almighty God makes the Priest; in the sacrament of their Altar, horr…sco referens, the priest (say they) makes almightie God, as it were by magicall arte translating Coelum in coenam, pulling heauen out of heauen, and imprisoning Christs bodie with all his dimensions in a little box.
Statising wordlings on the contrary thinke that Preachers of the Word are nothing els but as a post, on which Iniunctions of the King, and Mandates of the Court Christian are fixed: Ornaments and ministers of State, not instruments and messengers of God; and solB. of Lin. answere to a name-lesse Cat pag. vlt. Religion turned into Statisme p…oues Athoisme. We must therefore go betweene both, Atheists on the left hand, and Papists on the right, medium tenuere beati. We must acknowledge the Gospels ministery to bemRom. 1. 16. the power of God vntounto saluation. He could otherwise regenerate men, as being able out of stones to raise vp children vntounto himselfe, Matth. 3. 19. but it pleaseth him (as our Apostle teacheth n1. Cor. 1. 21.elsewhere) by the foolishnesse of preachi…g to saue them that beleeue. God hath reconciled vsus vntounto himselfe by Iesus Christ, and hath committed vntounto his Apostles, and their successors his faithfull Pastors, the Word and ministerie of reconciliation, and they being appointed ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you through them intreate you in Christs stead that you be reconciled to God: 2. Cor. 5. 18. 19. 20.
If this one lesson onelyonly were well vnderstood and learned in England, namely, that theoPsal. 45. 2. tongue of the Preacher is the penne of a ready writer, whereby men are made Christs epistle, written not with inke, but with the spirit of the liuing God, and so sealed vp vntounto the day of redemption; wee should not need to giuegive thankes at our meales, as that odde priest in old time:
*Casparus. Fuckins, Orat. Paneg. 2. pag. 19.Deo gratias,
quod nos satias,
bonis rusticorum
contra voluntatem eorum. Amen.
For all sutes of vnkindnesse against our persons, and all quarrels about tithes and other duties incident to our place, would instantly surcease. Then the pRom. 10. 15.feete of such as bring glad tidings of peace would be reputed beautifull and all good people in vnfained zeale turne qGalat. 4. 15.Galathians, if it were possible, willing to pull out their eyes, and to giuegive them for their Pastors good.
This also may teach all Clergy men to be faithfull and painfull in their calling, that they likewise may finde such confidence toward God, as Paul had, euen letters testimoniall of their indefatigable diligence written in their owne consciences. It is an easie matter in a corrupt age to be well beneficed, aut errore hominis, aut aere Simonis; as one wittily: but to play the part of a good Pastor, (as rPastoral. part. 1. cap. 2.Gregory the great said) is ars artium, & scientia scientiarum. A Prelate therefore must not lay a Bishopricke vnderunder his feete, making one dignity a step vntounto another: but he must lay it vponupon his shoulders, and remember that as Bishops enioy honour by their place, so they sustaine a burthen in their office.
Not that wee are sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues: but if wee be able to any thing, the same commeth of God.] A pregnant text against the sAquin. Anselm. Rhem. in loc.Pelagians, tAug. H…res. 88. & retract. lib. 1. cap. 9.affirming that our good actions and cogitations proceed onelyonly from free-will, and not from Gods speciall grace. Secondly, this maketh against the Semipelagians, I meane the Papists, uPelican. apud Marlorat. Dr. Fulk. Kilius in loc.holding that man hath a power of free-will in his owne nature, which being stirred and helped, can and doth of it selfe cooperate with grace. So writes xOrthodox. explicat. lib. 4.Andradius plainly: The motion of free-will, and applying of it selfe to righteousnesses, doth no more depend vponupon the graces of God, then the fires burning of the wood doth depend vponupon the power of God: intimating that our will adioyneth it selfe vntounto Gods grace, not by grace, but as carried thereunto by the force of nature. Wee teach on the contrary, that freedome of the will to turne to God, and to worke with him, is no power of nature, but the worke of grace. For our selues are not sufficient as of our selues to thinke, yPrimisius.much lesse to speake, least of all to doe that which is good. zAugust. de bono perse. c. 13.Indeed we will, but it is God that worketh in vsus to will; we worke, but it is God that worketh in vsus to worke, according to his good pleasure. Thus it behoueth vsus to beleeue, thus also to speake, that God in our humble confession and submission may hauehave the whole. aIdem …bisup. cap. 6.For we liue in more safety if wee giuegive all vntounto God, rather then if wee commit our selues partly to our selues, and partly to God. Our selues are not sufficient to thinke any good, bA…densin loc.either in part or in whole. Wee cannot say that it is cChrysost. in 2. Cor. Hom. 6.ours in part, and Gods in part, seeing of him, and through him, and for him are all things: dAug. retract. lib. 1. cap. 9.Et magna & media & minima. See S. Augustine de bono perseuerant. cap. 13. & contra duas epist. Pelagian. lib. 4. cap. 6. epist. 46. & 47. de gratia & libero arbitrio ad Ualentin. & ad eundem de corrept. & gratia, cap. 1. 2. 3. 8. 14. Caluin. Instit. lib. 2. cap. 3. 4. 5. B. Iewel Defens. Apolog. part. 1. c. 2. diuis. 3. Dr. Mortonappeale. l. 1. c. 2. §. 10. Perkins reformed Cath. tit. Freewill: & Dr. Abbot ibidem pag- 100. 101.
Thirdly, this may serue to confute the eT. …. lib. 1. pag. 136.Nouelists inueighing against our Communion booke, for that in the Collect appointed to be red this day we pray thus: Almighty and euerlasting God, which art wont to giuegive more then wee desire, or deserue: powre downe vponupon vsus the abundance of thy merciemercy, forgiuing vsus those things whereof our conscience is afraid, and giuing vntounto vsus that, that our praier dare not presume to aske, through Iesus Christ our Lord. And in another Collect after the Offertory: Those things which for our vnworthinesse we dare not aske, vouchsafe to giuegive vsus for the worthinesse of thy Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. These passages (as they say, who dare say any thing) carry with them a note of the Popish seruile feare, and sauour not of that confidence and reuerent familiarity, that the children of God hauehave through Christ with their heauenly Father. fDr. Whitgift defen. of his answer to the admonit. pag. 493.Answere is made, that acknowledging of our vnworthinesse is the ground of humility, and that humility is a principall ornament of Praier, and in a sutor such a commendable vertue, gHooker. ecc…e polit. l. 5. §. 47.that the testification therof argueth a sound apprehension of his supereminent glory before whom wee stand, and putteth also into his hands a kinde of bond or pledge for security against our vnthankefulnesse: the very naturall roote whereof is alwaies either ignorance, dissimulation, or pride. Ignorance, when wee know not the Author from whom our good comes: dissimulation, when our hands are more open then our eyes vponupon that we receiue: pride, when wee thinke our selues worthy of that which vndeserued fauour and meere grace bestoweth. And therefore to abate such vaine imaginations in our prayer with the true conceit of vnworthinesse, is rather to preuent, then commit a fault: and it sauoureth not of any basenesse or seruile feare; but rather of great trust in Gods merciemercy: for those things which wee for our vnworthinesse dare not aske, wee desire that God for the worthinesse of his Sonne would notwithstanding vouchsafe to grant. The knowledge of our vnworthinesse is not without faith in the merits of Christ; with that true feare caused by the one, there is coupled true boldnesse and encouragement arising from the other. Euen our very silence, which our vnworthinesse putteth vsus vntounto, doth it selfe make request for vsus, and that in great confidence: for albeit looking inward we are stricken dumbe, yet looking vpward we speake and preuaile. So the hLuk. 18. 13.Publicane praying in the Temple, would not come nigh, nor lift vp his eyes; and yet you know what Christ pronounced of him, and what a generall rule hee grounded vponupon that particular example, to wit, EueryEvery man that exalteth himself shall be brought low, and he that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted. So theiLuk. 15. 21. prodigall child said to his owne father, and that after he was receiued into fauor, euen after his father had embraced and kissed him, I am no more worthy to be called thy sonne. So S. Paul writes here, We are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues: and yet he saith, our trust is in God through Christ.
For the Letter killeth, but the spirit giueth life.] kOrigen. peri archon, lib. 4. cap. 2.As a man, so the Scripture consists of a body and a soule. The lAugust. Ser. 70. de temp.superficiall sound of the Letter is the body, but the true sense is the soule. The Letter then of the Bible not vnderstood often killethmIdem Ser. 100 de temp. Heretikes, and Iewes, and carnall Gospellers: it is the Spirit onelyonly that giues light and life to such as sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death. It is a notable saying ofnExposit. pri…r. in epist. Gal. cap. 1. Hierome: Non in verbis est euangelium, sed in sensu; non in superficie, sed in medulla; non in verborum folijs, sed in radice rationis. And therefore we must in reading holy writ apply our selues adsensumrei, more then adsonum vocabuli, saith oLib. contra Prax. cap. 3.Tertullian. According to this exposition p… … in loc.ignorant Clergie-men are most vnable to minister the new Testament, vnderstanding neither the spirit, nor yet so much as the Letter. As qT…omas … rus epigram.one sharply taxed an illiterate Bishop in his age:
Magne pater cl…mas, occidit litera; in ore
Hoc vnum, occidit litera semper habes.
Cauisti bene tu, ne te vlla occidere possit
Littera, non vlla est litera nota tibi.
Nec Frustra metuis ne occidat litera, scis non
Uiuificet qui te spiritus esse tibi.
But rLib. de Spirit. & …. cap. 5. 6. & sequent.S. Augustine and sAmbros. Hieron. Anselm.other Interpretors hauehave more fitly construed this according to Pauls intent of the Gospell and the Law, shewing that the Law is the Letter as being figured in stones, and written with inke by the ministerie of Moses; and that the Gospell is the spirit, as bei…g first published vntounto the world by the comming down of the holy Ghost, and imprinted in our hearts by the spirit of the liuing God.
There is a spirit in the Law; for tRom. 7. 12.the commandement is holy, iust, and good: and there is a letter in the Gospell, and that a killing letter, euen the u2. Cor. 2. 16.sauour of death vntounto death in all reprobate: but in xCaluin.this text we must exactly consider the Law and the Gospell as they stand in opposition each one with other, and so the ySee Luther loc. com. tit▪ de legis vsus… theologico & spirituali.proper office of the law is to threaten, accuse, terrifie, condemne, kill. As Luther peremptorily, lex non damnans est ficta & picta lex. On the contrary, the proper office of the Gospell, is to preach zEsay. 6…. 1.glad tidings vntounto the poore, to comfort all that mourne, to bind vp the broken hearted: In a word, to conuert soules, and to giuegive life. So Saint aCap. 1. vers. 17Iohn in his Gospell expresly, the law was giuen by Moses, but grace came by Iesus Christ. A…d thus accurately to distinguish betweene the Law and the Gospel is sapientiarum sapientia, the wisedome of all wisedome, quoth bLoc. com. tit. de necessitate discrim. inter Legem & Euangel.Martine Luther. It is obserued pretily, that the ceremonies of the Law were first in their prime, mortales; after in Christs age, mortuae; last of all in our time, mortiferae. But it may bee said as truely that eueryevery letter of the morall Law, yea iot or title thereof, is able to kill all mankind; for it is, saith our Apostle, the ministration of death, and that in foure respects, as
1. cAquin.Reuealing our sinne. Rom. 3. 20.
2. dCaietan. Nitimur in vetitum.Encreasing our sinne▪ Rom. 7. 8.
3. Accusing vsus of sinne. Ioh. 5. 45.
4. Condemning vsus for sinne. Rom. 6, 23.
But the Gospell is the ministration of righteousnesse, like Iohn the Baptist, pointing out the Lambe of God who taketh away the sinnes of the world; assuring our conscience that eRom. 8. 1.there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ. As fDe spirit. & li…. cap. 13.Augustine most diuinely: Quod lex operum minando imperat, hoc fidei lex credendo impe…at. gLuther loc. com. tit. de dis… crim. Iust. legal. & Euangel.When the law calleth vponupon thee for thy debt; crying, pay that thou dost owe: the Gospell acquits thy bonds, and saith vntounto thy soule, Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee. For the law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus, hath freed thee from the law of sinne and death: Rom. 8. 2. See Epistle Sunday following.
If the ministration of death] As the Gospell is more gratious then the Lawe; so likewise more glorious, and that
In respect of Countenance: hAquin.For it is more honourable to bee the Minister of MercieMercy, then an Executioner of Iudgement. A deaths man is accounted base, but the very feete of such as bring glad tidings are beautifull.
In respect of Continuance: For Moses glorie is abolished and done away, but the Gospels ministerie remaineth. All Moses glorie was but a iAmbros. Anselm. Marlorat. in loc.type of Christs glorie: now the substance being come, the shadowe vanisheth. kMa…. 11. 13.All the Prophets and the Lawe prophecied vntounto Iohn: but trueth and grace came by Iesus Christ, Iohn 1. 17. lTheoderet. apud Occumen. & Primasius in loc.Looke then how farre the Sunne doth obscure the lesser lights; euen so farre the Gospell exceeds in glory the Law. For when that which is perfect is come, that which is imperfect is abolished: 1. Cor. 13. 10.