Exposition of the Festival Epistles and Gospels, Explication of epistles and gospels 1 · Part 6
The Gospell.
IOHN 1.1.
In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God, &c.
SAint Peter was an Apostle, but not an Euangelist: S. Luke an Euangelist, but not an Apos…le: S. Matthew was both an Euangelist and an Apostle, but not a Prophet: bHieron. lib. 1. aduers. l…uin.but our S. Iohn was all these; in his Epistles an Apostle, in his Apocalyps a Prophet, in compiling his Gospell an Euangelist. In which (as Interpretors hauehave with one consent obserued) he mo…nts as an Fagle, c….for wh…r…as his felow Euangelists specially treat of the conception, birth, education, and other points of Christ… incarnation in the world: Saint Iohn flying higher then these, beginneth his h…storie with Christs eternall generation before the worlds, in the beginning was the word, &c. a… dTra…t. 1. in loan.Augustine vponupon my text, transcender at om… cacumin… mo…ti…m terrarum, transcender at omnes …ampos …eris, transcender at omnes al…s …dines syderum, tran…c…nd… rat omnes choros & legiones Angelorum, nisi enim transcenderet …sta omnis que creata s…nt, non pervenires … p…r quem facta sunt omnie. For as an eIob 29.30.Eagle, fRupert. prolog in euangil. loan.so Iohn remaineth vponupon the top of the rocke and tower, from thence h…e spieth his meate, and his eyes behold a farre off. He was aptly called the gMark ….17.sonne of thunder, hAlcuen…s ap…d Be …xam. har. Tom. 1. fol. 3.for in saying in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God: hee seemes to speake not words, but wonders, yea thunders, as iH…m. v…t. in ….Ardens excellently, filius tontruiest qui loquitur, & tenitruum est quod loquitur, a preamble so strange and stately, that some Christians in olde time (which had happily zeale but not according to knowledge) kHieron. in Mat. 23.hung it about their necke as an amulet, or as lMaldonat. in loc.other, as a Symbole to distinguish them from Ar…ans. And a certaine Pl…tonist (as Augustine reports in lib. 10. de ciuitate dei cap. 29.) reading this one line, said it was worthy to be written in letters of gold, and to be represented in the most eminent places of all Churches in the world.
In the text allotted for this day, two points are remarkable:
1. What Christ is in himselfe,
God, In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God, &c.
Man, the same word became flesh, and dwelt among vsus, &c.
2. What Christ is vntounto vsus, openly reuealed by the witnesse of Iohn the Baptist, and his owne dwelling among vsus in the world. to be
1. Our Creator ad esse, for all things were made by him.
2. Our mAretius. Marlorat.preseruer in esse, for he is our life, nHeb. 1.3.vpholding all things in their being.
3. Our Redeemer in bene esse, for he gaue power to them that beleeue in his name to bee the sonnes of God.
In the beginning.] The word foreign is potestatiuum as well as ordinatiuum, in which acception higher powers, especially Princes, are called foreign, and so oApud Be… x…m. ha…. T…m. 1. fol 5.some take this in principio to be nothing else but in principatu, because Christ the word hath vponupon his garment and vponupon his thigh a name written, The King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, Apoc. 19.16. pApud Maldonat. in loc.Origen, Cyril, Augustine, Gregor Nyssen, and many qBeda. Ardens. ….moe construe it thus, in the beginning, that is, in the Father, according to that of the rThom. 1 p…r. …est 3 … 4.Schoole, Pater est principium sine principio, silius est principium de principio. sAtlanasius ….The Father is of none, the Sonne is of the Father alone, not made nor created, but begotten. Beleeue mee (saith our blessed Sauiour) that I am in the Father, and the Father in me, Iohn 14.11. I am in the Father, tAr…tius …n …. 14.as the riuer in the fountaine: the Father in me, as in his ingraued image, Heb. 1.3. God the Sonne then is de principio principium, as uSymb. Ni…en.lumen de lumine, ligh… of light, and very God of very God. xC.…s.…. …. Mar.…rat.Other expound in the beginning of eternitie, for the word being the true Melchisedec, is yNonnus par…ra me… angel. lom.foreign, hauing neither b…ginning of daies, nor end of life, Heb. 7.3. zPr…uerb. 8. vers. 22.24. & …. Vile Ec…atm. …ib. 1. de Christ ca S. §. gita… …ternitas.The Lord (saith he) hath possessed me in the beginning of his way, I was before his workes of old, when there were no depths I was begotten, when he prepared the heauens I was there, when he gaue his decree to the sea, that the water should not passe his commandement, then was I with him, &c. Insinuating that he was in the beginning without any beginning, in a time when there was no measured time.
aP…ll…dius lib. 1. de …ne person. d… …un in Christ …ator.Principio rutih cùm nondum lumin… coeli,
Et nondum grauides extarent lumina terris,
I am tum patris er at sanctain & venerabile verbum.
bArenius. Mald…nat. Beza. Idem A. …. ract. 1. … I an. & …. qe…. 122.Other vnderstand by beginning ▪ the beginning of the world: as if our Euangelist had said, in the beginning when all things were made, the word was, and therefore not made, but all things on the contrarie were made by it, and without it was made nothing that was made. The creatures are from the beginning, but Christ (who made the world) was in the beginning, before there was a beginning. This exposition is agreeable to the plaine words, as also most answerable to S. Iohns intent. For if hee penned his Gospell (as the c…ren.…. 3. ca. 11. Epip…an. …res. 51. Hieron. in …al… in Euangelist.Fathers hauehave noted) against E…ion and Corinthus: he confounds them in one word, and that the very first, in principio: for that had no beginning which was in the beginning, Ergo, Christ had not his first being from his mother Mary, nam quod ante omnia erat, semper erat, quoth d…o… supra.Augustine, hee was alwaies, who was before all workes.
Was.] It is probable that Saint Iohn in this exordium eB…a.…xamis in l…c.alludes fMaldonat.per antithesin vntounto Moses preface, Genes. 1. In the beginning God created heauen, &c. gC…ry…st. The …. Arb…tens.hereby shewing the difference betweene the Creator and the creature. For whereas Moses wrote, in the beginning God made heauen and earth, and all that in them is: our Euangelist on the contrary saith, in the beginning was the word, not in the beginning God made the word. hKhem. in loc.Insinuating that the word had his being already, when other creatures (of what sort soeuer) had but their beginning. And here iBasil. Cyril. E…da, Aleui…us apud Mald…nat. Id m Iansen. Con. cap. 1.diuines hauehave distinguished acutely between fuit and erat, affirming that fuit imports a thing that once was, and is not now: so Scaliger in his Motto, kVirgil. Aenead. 2.suimus Troes; whereas erat implyeth eternitie; which was, and which is, and which is to come, Apocal. 4.8. Saint lLib. 1. de fide ad Granat. cap. 5.Ambrose notes excellently, that this one verbe erat, is repeated heere foure times, in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and that word was God, the same was in the beginning, &c. Erat, erat, erat, erat, vbi impius invenit quod non erat?
The word] He saith not in the beginning was the son, mTheophilact. Euthym.lest his reader should dreame of a carna… generation: but in the beginning was the word. Holy Scriptures or speeches of the Prophets and Apostles vttered by Gods appointment for the reuealing of his diuine will towards man, are called Gods word: but to n…eza.distinguish God the Son from these words, hee is termed after a more eminent sort foreign, the word, or that excellent word, oErasmus. Jansen. Beaux…m.from whom eueryevery diuine truth issueth, and in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge, Coloss. 2.3. Christ is not a vocall word, pDonatus apud Rupert, in loc.verbum eò quod verberato a…re plectroque linguae formetur: for hee was in the beginning before there was any sound or aire. But Christ is the mentall, and substantiall word of hi… father, qAugust. …pist. 112. cap. 12. Consule Maldonat. Beauxam. …dib…r. Lud…lph, in loc.verbum non sonus auribus strepens, sed imago mentibus innotesceus. As our Epistle for this day doth vnfold the Gospell, the brightnesse of his glory, and expresse image of his person.
rPalladius vbi s…pra vtrum … clius … …bum, qu…m sermo. Vide I…nsen. Concord. cap. 1. & …r…s. an. in loc.foreign ipse paterni
pectoris essigies, lumenque à lumine vero.
And the word was with God] Concerning the diuerse significations of the preposition apud: I referre you to Thomas Beauxamis, and Maldonat in their commentaries vponupon this text. It imports here not a locall, but a s…. M…a….…. Beza.personall distinction. I and my Father (saith Christ) are one, Ioh. 10.30. v…um of one substance, not v… one person; and therefore he saith not in the singular, I and my father a… one: tA…gus… retra.….lib. 1. …p 4.but in the plural, are on…. The Sonne is uA…gus…in. de …. Des lib. 11 cap 10 & Lomb…rd. sent. 1 … 2.alius then the Father, not uliud, and her person albeit not another essence, x… C…n….non alius in natura sed alter in persona: for it is written here the word was so with God, as that it was God, first said to be with God, and then to be God, yL…ius. … pal Mald…a… & B … C…r…st lib. 1 cap 6 § 9 antum ad ….signifying that the word was the same God with whom it was in the beginning. zAm ros…ub… … sacrament. c. 3Semper cum patre, semper in patre, semper apud patrem, & semper quoad pater. Here then obserue concerning the word aAqui….three points especially.
1 When it was in the beginning.
2 Where it was, with God.
3 What it was, and the word was God.
The pith of b….all is, that God the Son is a distinct person from God the Father, and yet of the same substance with the Father, equall in glory, coeternall in Maiesty. This one verse then ouerthroweth many blasphemous hereticks; [in the beginning] confureth Ebimites and Cerinthians. The clause [was with God] c… ….Sabellians and other denying a Trinitie in vn…ie, that is, a distinction of perso…s in the deity [was God] confoundeth Arians, and all such as with dAugu…in. vers. 44.… affirme that Christ was a meere man [in the beginning with God] all e…. …oncord cap 1.Ennemians and *A…s.such as hold Christ to be but a temporall God by grace, and not an eternall God by nature.
All th…ngs were made …y it, and without it was m…de no… made] As the epistle doth expound the Gospell, he …d the … of the earth, and the h…auens are the works of his hands, f… 16.all things as well invisible as visible▪ were created by him and for him, he made what… euer was made, and it was exceeding good, Genes. 1.31. But Satan as hee is a deuill, and sinne which came into the world by the suggestion of the deuill, and and death also which is brought vponupon man as a curse by sinne, are not his workes. And the reason is plaine, because that which is euill is a gAugustin. Sololoq. cap 5nothing, mali nutta natura est, sed amissio boni (quoth hDeci it. Dei lib. 11 c. ….9.Augustine) mali nomen accepit. And iApud Cu …aub. n…t. in epist. Nos…er. al Iustat.Gregorie Nyssen, Mali essentia in eo posita quod essentiam non habet: eueryevery good and perfect gift is from aboue, comming downe from the father of lights, and with him is no variablenesse, neither shadow of ru…ning: kArd…sl…m. 4. Natal. d…m.It a confert b…na, quod non infert mala. See S. Augustine, tract. 1. in Ioan Bibliothec. Sixt. Senen. lib. 6. annot. 174. Mclan…. postil. & Eras. c…nnot. in loc.
The clause more proper to this Festiuall, and most profitable for vsus to be further examined, is, that the word became flesh, and dwelt among vsus, &c. And this was lAthanasius in symbo… vide B…arm. de incarnat. Clnist. cap 4.not by conuersion of the God head into flesh, but by taking the manhood into God. mAugust. ep. 120 cap. 36.Naturam suscipiendo nostram, non mutando suam. nA…g…p 3.Homo quippe Deo accessit, non Deus à se recessit. For in the word made flesh all the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth (as the Scripture speaks) bodily, Col. 2.9. that is, oMelanc. Com. in Ioan. 1.personally. For albeit he be God and man, yet is he not two, but one Christ: one, not by confusion of substance, but by vnitie of person. For as the reasonable soule and flesh is one man: so God and man one Christ. See Epist. Sund next before Easter.
The first newes of Christs actuall natiuitie was broached and brought into the world (as we read in the second lesson appointed for this morning praier) by the tongues of Angels, and that with an ecce, pLuk. 2.10.11behold, I bring you tidings of great ioy, that shall be to all the people: that is, that vntounto you is borne this day in the Citie of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord. Reioice grandfather Adam, for on this day, according to the word of thy gratiou Creator, the qGen. 3 15.seed of thy wife Eua hath bruised the serpenthead: reioice father Abraham, for on this day in thy seed all the nations of the earth are blessed, Ge. 22.18 Reioice King Dauid, for on this day God hath rPs. 132.11.fruit of thy body set a King vponupon thy throne. Reioice ye Prophets of the Lord, for s…ct 3.24. Luk 1.70.all your prophecies on this day were fulfilled. Reioice yee that are sicke, for on this day the Physitian of the world was borne. Reioice yee Virgins, for a Virgin on this day brought forth a sonne. Reioice ye children, for on this day the great God became a little babe. Let all people reioice, for that he who was in the beginning, and (as it is in the former lesson appointed for this morning praier) tEsay ….96an euerlasting father, in the fulnesse of time uGala…. 44.was made of a women, and xLuk. 2.7.wrapped in swadling clothes. For that he who was the word, became an infant not able to speake one syllable. For th…t hee who was with God, did vouchsafe to dwell among vsus, appearing in the shape of a man, Philip. 2.7. For that hee who was God, and therefore most mightie, became flesh, and so most weake, for all flesh is grasse, and the grace thereof as the flower of the field, Esay 40.6.
Saint ySer. 1. in nata…. D. m.Bernard preaching on this day, said the shortnes of the time constrained him to shorten his Sermon: and let none (quoth hee) wonder if my words be short, seeing on this day God the Father hath abbreuiated his owne word: for whereas his word was so long, as that it zIer 23.24.filled heauen and earth; it was on this day so short, that it was laid in a manger. I wish vnfainedly with the same deuout aSer. 3 in natal. D…m.Bernard, that as the word was made flesh, so my stonie heart might be made flesh also, that it might alway meditate on this heauenly Gospell, VntoUnto you is borne this day in the Citie of Dauid a Sauiour, which is Christ the Lord For all our sound comfort stands in happinesse, and all our happinesse is in fellowship with God, and all our fellowship with God is by Christ. For God the Father (if wee consider him in his iustice) heares not sinners, Iohn 9.31. He therefore remembring his merciemercy, got as it were new eares, and set them on our head Iesus Christ, who being flesh of our flesh, is such an high Priest, as is bHeb. 4.15.touched with the feeling of our infirmities, openly professing cMa…. 9 13.that hee came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance: Come to me all yee that are laden, and I will ease you▪ Mat. 11.28. Whatsoeuer yee shall aske the Father in my name he will giuegive it you. Iohn 16.23.
If thou wert invited to some great wedding, thou wouldest I am sure be very carefull what apparell to put on; but if thou wert to be maried thy selfe, thou wouldest be very curious in thine attire: behold (saith dSer. 2. & 4. de temp.Augustine) all of vsus are bidden on this day to a marriage, for Christ came out of the Virgins wombe as a bridegroome out of his chamber: the Godhead was ioyned vntounto the flesh, and the flesh vntounto the Godhead, and these two were coupled together, and after an ineffable manner in an ineffable marriage made one. Beleeue this, and thou shalt hauehave power to be Gods owne sonne, as it is in our text. My (beloued) if thou put on this wedding garment, thy soule shall be Christs own spouse, so nere, so deare to him, as that he will say to it ePsalm. 35.3.I am thy saluation: and it may also tell him, I am my fCan…. 6.2.welbeloueds, and my welbeloued is mine. For if gHores last. ad an. 38.Pilate by wearing Christs coate without a seame did appease the wrath of angry Caesar: how much more shall eueryevery true beleeuer please God our heauenly King, if he hRom. 13.14.put on Christ himselfe. iAugus…in. ser. 9. de temp.O the blessed crying of a blessed babe, by which eueryevery faithfull seruant and sonne of God escapeth eternall howling in hell. O glorious manger, in which our soules Manna lay; the kIohn 6 35.bread of life that came down from heauen, on which if a man feede hee shall not hunger againe. O how rich are the ragges, which hauehave made plaisters for our sores, for our sinnes. I conclude with an hymne of lP…ristep. hym. 10.Prudentius.
Mortale corpus sumpsit immortalitas,
Vt dum caducum portat aeternus Deus,
Transire nostrum posset ad coelestia.