Exposition of the Festival Epistles and Gospels, Explication of epistles and gospels 2
THE PVRIFICATION OF SAINT MARIE THE VIRGINE.
The Epistle being the same which is appointed for the Sunday, is expounded among the Dominicals in due place.
The Gospell is written,
LVK. 2.22.
When the time of their purification after the Law of Moses was come, &c.
IT is the saying of S. Bartholmew, reported by aMyst. Theolog. cap. 1.Dionysius Areopagita, that the Gospell is little, yet large: If we consider only the syllables, it is a very small booke; but if we examine the profound sense, bIohn 21.25.mundus non capit, it is so great, that (as S. Iohn speakes) the world cannot containe it. Example hereof is found in this present Chapter, abounding with as many wonders almost as words. Here you may reade, that Marie was at once both a wife and a maide, at once both a wife and a midwife, bringing forth a sonne who was her father, by whom all things were made, swadling him in cloutes, and laying him in a cratch, who cIerem. 23.24.filled heauen and earth. Here you may reade how the Word in the beginning infinite and incomprehensible. was not onelyonly circumscribed, but also circumcised. Here you may reade, dArdens hom. in Euangel. purifie.that the pure was purified, God offered, and the Redeemer redeemed. Here you may reade, that a glorious Angell attended silly shepheards, and that a child of twelue yeeres old confounded the Doctors in his disputations, and that a dying man vttered songs in stead of sobs. In the words allotted for our text,
3. points are to bee considered especially, the
Purification of
Marie: When the time of her purification was come.
Christ: They brought him to Hierusalem to present him to the Lord, &c.
Simeon: Behold, there was a man in Heirusalem whose name was Simeon, and the same was iust and godly, &c.
Presentation of
Marie: When the time of her purification was come.
Christ: They brought him to Hierusalem to present him to the Lord, &c.
Simeon: Behold, there was a man in Heirusalem whose name was Simeon, and the same was iust and godly, &c.
Commē ndation of
Marie: When the time of her purification was come.
Christ: They brought him to Hierusalem to present him to the Lord, &c.
Simeon: Behold, there was a man in Heirusalem whose name was Simeon, and the same was iust and godly, &c.
And this feast hath accordingly three names, as the eBaronius natationan Rom. Marry…. Pobr. 2.Masters of ceremonies obserue. 1. The purification of Marie. 2. The presentation and induction of Christ into the Temple. 3. Saint Simeons holy day.
When the time of their purification.] fApud, Eras. & Ma…de. at in lec.Some reade, …, his purification, our latter English Bibles and old Latine, …, her purification; Origine, Theophilact, Enthymius and many gT…ar…let. Hen. 8. Castahe. Ra, Stephan. Mat. at.moe, …, as the text of our Communion booke here, their purification. And the reason hereof is plaine, hCaluin …because Christ is presented in the Temple, so well as Marie purified, both vndergoe the Law, though in equitie neither of them are bound to the rites of the Law concerning purification.
After the Law of Moses.] The Law, saith Mat. Com. Tit. Meos. spiritual. …egos, see Epist. 13. ….Luther, is not adius orium sed monitorium it takes not away sin, but only bringeth vsus to the knowledge of sinne, and to the remedie for sinne; vntounto the knowledge and true feeling of sinne, Rom. 3.20. Gallath…. 19. k…. Tem. 1. … 1.because God wrote the Law not so much to forbid offences to come, as to make vsus acknowledge our sinnes alreadie past, and now present: that considering our owne miserie wee might flie to his merciemercy. By the Law wee know sinne, by sinne we learne to know our selues, and in knowing our selues, wee renounce our selues, and come vntounto Christ the salue for sinne, being the lIoh. 1.29.lambe of God, who taketh away the sinnes of the World, refreshing all such as groane vnderunder the burden of their offences, Mat. 11.28. and thus (as mGalat. 324.Paul speakes) the Law is our schoolemaster vntounto Christ, and Christ is the nRom. 10.4.ende of the Law: Finis perficiens non interficiens, quoth oContra ad…. ers. legis & prophet. lib. 3. cap. 7.Augustine, not the destruction of the Law, but the consummation, as being the very marke, at which all the ceremonies of Moses aimed: as in this pMelancthon. Mart. Mollerus post in loc..rite concerning the purifying of women, almighty God insinuated to the Iewes his people their originall corruption, how they were qPsal. 51.5.conceiued in sinne, and borne in iniquitie, prius damnati quam nati, being the sonnes of rEphes. 2.3.wrath afore they were seene in the world, vncleane in their conception, vncleane in their birth, vncleane in their life, and so consequentlie that they need the blood of Christ, prefigured in their daily sacrifice, to cleanse them from all sinne both originall and actuall. 1. Iohn 1.7.
The children of Israel had continued among the superstitious Egiptians a long time without any Law of God written, and therefore being now deliuered from them, and yet inclined to their idolatrie, God out of his admirable wisdome (as most interpretours auow) did so charge them with a multitude of sacrifices and ceremonies in his written word, sTindal. prolog. in Exod. Dr. Whitgift. def of his answere to the admo. fol. 305.as that they should neither hauehave leisure to make new of their owne, not yet lust to to follow the fashions of other. And in this almost infinite number of Iudicials and Ceremonials, eueryevery one (though in appearance neuer so little) hath a moral: as, thou shalt not take the dam with the young. Deut. 22.6. thou shalt not seeth a kid in his mothers m…lke, Exod. 23. 19. moueth vsus to compassion and pitie. Thou shalt not muzel the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne, Deut. 25.4. teacheth in t1. Tim. 5.18.Paules exposition this lesson, that the labourer is worthie of his wages, especially the Preachers of the Word, for that law was not written out of Gods care for oxen, but altogether for uC…. 9.12.our sakes, insinuating. That hee which eareth should care in hope, and that the who the thre…e…h in hope, so … be partaker of his hope: if we hauehave downe and you … things, is it a great thing if …e scape your … thing… … So likewise in the ceremonie touching purification, Leuil. 12. there is something moral as namely, that the xworkers …w…nes of women after their childbirth might be reliued, and the lust of intemperate husbands a while restrained. Now that which is ceremoniall is abrogated v…erly, but the moral is perpetual, and ought to continue still in the Church vntill the worlds end: and therefore howseeuer women in our age bee not tied either by the law Common or y…. 5. cap. hee qu….Cannon, (much lesse by the Gospell is selfe) to the precise number of daies, and particular oblations of the Iewes: yet it is meet (I might say, more necessarie) that they should keepe in a conuenient time for the recouering of their strength, and when they come to the Church in …ea… of the Iewish offering, to present vntounto the Lord Christian sacrifices of prayer and praise, for preseruing them in the great danger of childbirth, z…as also for their deliuerance by Christ from that sinne, where of aGen. 2.1….that infinnitie is an euerlasting …linonie: and assuredly whoseouer shall our of insolent contempt neglect this dutie sinneth against the rules of nature, yea the God of grace. For it is a conclusion orthodoxall in Diuinity that the politicall and ceremoniall lawes of the Iewes are abrogated in the particular only, not in the generall: in the circumstance, not in the substance: bMe… ….quo…d and spe…em, non quod geneus: as in obseruing the sabbath, in paying of tiches, in purifying of women and the like. Or as cSec…s…r….other abolished as concerning the letter, but in force concerning the spirit.
Whereas it is d….obiected, If there should bee solemne and expre… giuing of thankes in the congregation for eueryevery benefit either equall or greater then this which any singular person in the Church doth receiue, we should not onelyonly …ise no preaching of the word, nor ministring of the Sacraments, but we should not hauehave so much leisure as to doe any corporall or bodilie worke, but should bee like the Messalian heretikes who did nothing else but pray; answere is made, that these schismaticall oppos…rs are to themselues opposite. Elsewhere they mislike the booke of Common Prayer for want of thankesgiuing for benefits receiued, and heere they condemne it for appointing thankes to bee giuen for deliuerance from sinke, from manifold perils and dangers, and for the encrease of Gods people; the which are publike blessings though a priuate person more particularly giuegive the thankes. Againe, it would trouble their heads exceedingly to find out so many benefits greater or equiualent to the goodnesse of God toward women in child-bed; for as ePostil. in loc.Mela…hon is bold to write, Child-bearing is magnum miraculum, a miracle so great, that the fPsal. 139.13.Prophet faith in consideration hereof, I will giuegive thankes vntounto thee, for I am surefully and wonderfully made. But howsoeuer it be this one thing is certaine, that it is better to be like su… heretikes as doe nothing else but pray, then to be such schismatikes as doe nothing else but prat….
Concerning the wearing of the vaile, we say gDr. Whitgift. …sap. fol. 537.that it is not an ecclesiasticall Canon, but a ciuill custome: not an iniunction of the Church, but the fashion of our countrie, as wearing of new gloues at mariages, and blackes at funerals. An attire for such a time not onelyonly decent and graue, but also most viefull and conuenient. As for the name of offring, applied to the Curates accustomed dutie: wee say that as the life of the Clergie is spent in the seruice of God, so it is sustained with his reuenew. hHocker. … supra.Nothing therefore more proper then to giuegive the name of oblations vntounto such payments, in token that we offer vntounto God whatsoeuer his Ministers receiue. In a word, the thanksgiuing of women after child-birth according to the doctrine and discipline of the Church of England, performed not out of custome, but out of conscience: not to make the act of honourable mariage vncleane, but to blesse God for deliuerance from so manifold perils; is not a Iewish ceremonie, but a Christian dutie: the which (I thinke) distasteth onelyonly such as hauehave either an ouer flowing of their gall, or an out… weening of their wit.
The Law saith in the 12. of Leuiticus, If a woman by the seed of man shall conceiue and beare a child, she shall be reputed vncleane. A sus…pto semine p…perere…, &c. but the power of the most high l….ouer shadowed Mary, Christ was conceiued in her wombe not by the polluted seed of man: but by the vertue of the holy Ghost: and so by consequence …not tied vntounto the law, for (as the lawyers say) where the reason of a statute. doth cease, there the statute hath his end. But the reason of the law concerning purification had no place in Mary, being a pure Virgine, both in her conception and in her childbirth also. See S Ambros epist. 81. Augu…in…, contra Iulian. lib. 1. cap. 2. de cum lib. 22. cap. 8. Thomas part … quaes…. 28. …rt. 2. Erasmus. … de sur…m. Euchari…. 1. b. … cap. 6. That Christ might appeare to be man, hee was b… of a woman: and yet that he might appeare to be God, he was borne of a l…Virgin… …. See Creed, born of the Virgin, and Epist. allotted for the Annunciation.
Mary then obserued the … of purification (as …Bernard excellent … not for her selfe, but for our example. Christ was circumcised for vsus, and Mary purified for vsus, he needed no Circumcision who was the end of Circumcision; and she needed no purification as hauing conceiued by the holy Ghost: yet hee did vndergoe the one, and shee performe the other.oLather, Melarct. …. Hereby teaching vsus to submit our selues vntounto the present gouernment of the Church vnderunder which we liue; teaching vsus I say so farre to seeke the peace of Ierusalem, as that wee should bee content to depart euen from our owne priuate right, rather then in any sort pArb… in l…c.scandalously preiudice the common good of the Church, enduring rather a mischiefe in our selues then an inconuenience in the state.
Mary (knowing q1. Sam. 15.22.obedience to bee better than sacrifice) performed the rites of purifying, albeit shee was not bound to the same. But schismatikes in our daies enioyned to keepe the ceremonies of the Church euen by that law which saith expresly, Let eueryevery soule be subsed vntounto superiour authority; hold dissolutenesse a resolutenesse, and breaking of ecclesiasticall orders a point of deuotion and piety, shedding (as it is said of r1. King 2.5.Ioab) the blood of warre in peace. But if their zeale were such vntounto the Gospell, as Maries was to the Law; they would rather wring themselues in the particular, then wrong the Church in the generall. I read in sNat. hist. lib. 8. cap. 50.Plin… ▪ how two Goates meeting on a narrow bridge, non vim sed viam fecere, they did not make a way each other, but make way one for the other: as Mutianus an eye witnesse tels the tale, the one lying downe on his bellie suffered the other to passe ouer his backe, and so both escaped the danger of the ditch. In the time of the Go… wa…s I find also, that a Romane souldior and a Barbarian casually falling into the same pit as they marched along the countrie, were so farre from contending one with another, as that they both agreed mutually to relieue each other, and so necessity making them friends (as tDe bello Gothor…. lib. 2. …ca pr….Procopius reportes) they were drawne out of that hell, and safely deliuered againe to their Captaines and Companies. I would to God the separatist … case had so much good wit as the Goat, or else… much good will as the Go…h.
They brought him to Ierusalem to present him vntounto the Lord, as it is written in the Law of the Lord, eueryevery man-child that first openeth the matrix shall be called holy is the Lord Almighty God in deliuering his Israel out of Egypts bondage uExod. 12.29.sinate all the first borne in the land of Egypt, from the first borne of Pharaoh that sat on his throne, vntounto the first borne of the captiue that was in prison. And therefore …that his people might alway remember this benefit, hee commanded in his law that they should consecrate all their first borne to him. Exod. 13.2. For this reason is rendred by God himselfe, Numb. 8.17. All the first borne of the children of Israel are mine both of man and of beasts: since the day I smote eueryevery and horne in the land of Egypt, I sanctified them for myselfe. Now Christ is the … borne in y…many respects, first, in his Diuinity, being Gods …onelyonly begotten sonne. Secondly in his humanity, being Maries …first borne sonne, for she bare none before him or after him. Thirdly, the first borne in grace, for he was the first man borne which being b…offered vntounto God was accepted of himselfe. Fourthly in power, being the first borne of the c…dead. Fifthly the first borne, for that all of vsus are d…new borne through him. And therefore though he were not tied vntounto the rites of the law, yet he suffered himselfe to be presented in the Temple for these reasons especially.
First, to shew that the e…same God is author both of the Gospell and of the Law.
Secondly, in that the Law giuer himselfe obeyed the law, he f…reacheth all Princes to giuegive good example in obseruing their owne statutes. For an Emperour faith g…Euagrius is not to be counted thereafter as he gouerneth other, but as he ruleth and guideth himselfe making his life a light for his subiects to follow. For …this cause the chiefe Magistrates among the Romans had burning lamps carried before them.
Publica minurum rectum, ibi con…t…t & aquum
Imperium, cumrex quod suber, ipse facit.
Thirdly, he submitted himselfe vntounto the law, that hee might kGalat. 4.5.redeeme those that were vnderunder the law. God became man, that men hereby might bee made Gods. He who was free, became seruant vntounto all to make all free.
Fourthly, because the first borne presented in the Temple was a lThom. part. 3. quae…. 37. a…t. 3.figure of Christ, the first borne among many brethren. Rom. 8.29.
Fifthly, that hee might mIdem ibidem, a…t. 4.auoid occasion of scandall among the Iewes, and exhibite a patterne of meeknesse vntounto all.
Sixthly, that being presented in the publike Temple, many good people might beare witnesse to him, as here you see Simeon and Anna did.
Seuenthly that the world might be put in nRau…in. ser. 1. in purific.possession and sesin of the Sauior. He was offered twice: first in the Temple, which is called his morning sacrifice: then on the Crosse, which is termed his euening sacrifice. In the one he was redeemed, in the other he did redeeme, giuing himselfe for vsus an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet smelling sauour to God, Ephes. 5.2.
By this precept of Moses, and practise of Mary, oHeming.parents ought to learne that they beget children vntounto God, and not to themselues or Satan; and therfore they must bee pMollerus in declar. …uang. purific.forward in bringing their children to holy Baptisme: as Ioseph and Mary were in presenting Christ: consecrating them in their infancie to God, that afterward they may serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life: that the ground may bring forth fruit in due time, you must hauehave both a good feedsman and good seed: qPlutarch. com. de liberis …ducandis.in education of children a good instructor is the seedsman, and good discipline the seed. For as base sluggishnes corrupts the best nature, so liberal instruction is able to correct …he worst.
rHorat. epist. lib. 1.Inuidus, iracundus, iners, vinosius, amator,
Nemo adeo ferus est. vt non …,
Si modo cultar… patientem co…modit aurem.
It is reported of s…Sulpho Megareus, a great Philosopher in his age, that hee was exceedingly giuen by nature to women and wine; but hee so …amed his vnbridled affections by good discipline, vinemo vnquam …. Now for as much as children are taught more by t…patterne then by precept, by that they see men doe, rather then by that they heare men say; parents ought in their priuate families especially, to be lights and ensamples in all holinesse and honestie. For (as it is in the prouerbe) … the colt will not amble. You desire that your children may hauehave strength and beautie, yet both are suddenly consumed, either through ache or age. You purchase titles of honour for your posterity, yet u…blood corrupted by treason or felonie cannot bee restored againe by the Kings bare grant without authoritie of Parliament. You rise vp early and goe to bed late, that you may leaue wealth enough vntounto your babes, and yet one sparke of fire may deuoure all their houses; and one quirke of law carry from them all their lands at a trice. Manners onelyonly makes a man; if thou shalt afford thy sonne religious and ingenuous education, it will euer sticke by him among all the changes and chances of this mortall life. no sicknes can blast this beautie, no malice blot out this honour, no fire consume this tenement, no law wrest this inheritance from him. It will bee his comfort vntill he die that you brought him vp x… ….4. Literae si bonafide … traverint aninum, nunquam amplius …in instruction and information of the Lord.
… his age, because they performed onelyonly that kind of deuotion which is without cost, as to pray for fashion, and to sa…t out of miserie; but they would not afford one halfpenie to the poore. So many men in our daies are content to heare Gods holy word read and preached with their elbowes on a cushion, and hats on their heades, and if need bee they will also make bitter inuectiues against Atheisme and Poperie: but if the parish impose but an ordinarie charge toward the repairing of the Church, or the Pastour require but accu…omed offrings for his necessary maintenance; you shall hauehave them as the a…. 20.bulrush in a wet place so drie, that an oblation is as hardly got from them as a sword from a souldiour, or a new coat from a child. Mary did offer according to her estate; for whereas the bLeuit. 12.8.law requireth of the rich a lambe, but of the po…re two turtles, or two young pigeons: it is said heere that shee brought the poores offring. And therefore the Papists vsually painting her in exceeding rich attire, and in making her a great Ladie of stately port: feed the peoples eyes with bables, & their eares with fables: for (to make thēselues in this case Iudges of themselues) it is not our obseruation onelyonly, but also their cPet. de pa…d. Di…z. Dormisecure. Raulin. Didat de Yan g…as, Gi…on & al….owne collection in their postils and sermons vponupon this scripture. Nay their famous Iesuite dCom. in loc.Maldonate doth affirme that all expositors hauehave this glosse, further adding out of his owne coniecture that Marie did not offer two Turtles, but two young pigeons, & quia sa…lius reperiri, & quia minore pretio … potucrum: because young Pigeons are prouided more easily both in respect of paines and price. Here then is matter of comfort for the eHeming.poore, of feare for the rich, of instruction for all. Of comfort against pouerty, because the Lord of Lords hauing all things at his command vouchsafed to bee borne of a poore Virgin, according to that of f2. Cor. 8.9.Paul, he being rich for …r sakes became poore, that wee through his pouertie might be made rich. Of scare for the wealthie, because Mary descending of a noble line yea from princely loynes, is said heere to bee so beggerly, that shee was not able to buy a lambe for her offering. It is the fashion of great men (as the g… … 8.Prophet complained in his time) to lay field to field, and to ioyne house to house, hPsal. 49.11.calling their lands after their owne names, entailing their estate to childrens children, & making …t (as the lawyers speake) a perpetuitie But i… 1.4.one generation passeth, and another generation succeedeth; hee that is higher then the highest, often kLuk. 1.52.puls downe the mighty from his …eat…, and exalteth the poore man out of the lPsal. 113.6.mi…e, that hee may set him euen with the Princes of his people. For in one age you may behold the gentlemans heire serue his owne farmours, issue. Lastly, this affords instruction for all, intimating that wee must offer vntounto God the sacrifice due to God. If we cannot giuegive much, he will accept of a little, of the Virgins two pigeons, of the widdowes one mMark. 12.42.fasthing. Wee may not spend all in our house, much lesse in the top-house; some thing is to be laid out vponupon Gods house, for his seruice, for his honour, if not a lamb, yet a paire of Turtle doues, or two young pigeons.
n….Mystically, the blessed Virgin did offer a lambe, but it was her owne sonne the Lambe of God, o…Agnus que praesiguratus est ab origine … bl…tusest in fine mund…: and she did offer a young pigeon, but it was her owne sonne conceiued of the holy Ghost, appearing in the likenesse of a doue, Matth. 3.16. And shee did offer a Turtle, but it was her owne sonne, of whom … is said, p…. 2 12.the voice of the Turtle is heard in our land. Our blessed Sauiour being q…& sacerdos & sacrific… ▪ & victor & victims, the sacrificer and the sacrifice for the sinnes of the whole world r…was offered, first by God his father; secondly, by the Virgin his mother, thirdly, by his …. God sent him into the world, the Virgin present, and the legall sacrifice represent him in the Temple, but himselfe did offer himselfe actually for our sinnes on the Crosse.
And behold, there was a man in Hierusalem whose name was Simeon Two things are requisite in a sufficient witnesse, vnderstanding to know the truth, and honestly to speake what he knoweth. Old Simeon] in testifying of Christ had both, a good vnderstanding, as hauing a reuelation giuen him of the holy Ghost that hee should not see death vntill hee first saw the Lord Christ: and a great honesty, being iust and godly, or deuout, sArctius.outwardly to the world iust, inwardly to himselfe godly. tHeming.For his workes, he was iust … dealing with men: for his faith, he was dexout in the seruice of God. These uC…duin. Beza.two deuotion and iustice, comprehend all the whole law: deuotion all the duties of the first table; iustice all the duties of the second. Deuotion is the mother, Iustice the daughter, xCalman.because the true feare of God bringeth forth alwaies vpright cariage toward men. It is not reported here that he was so righteous as that he needed not another righteousnesse, for he looked for the consolation of Israel, acknowledging in his song, Christ for his sauiour; yHeming.but that he liued (as it is said of Zacharias and Elizabeth in the former Chapter) vnblameable before men. The word foreign is translated zErasmus.pius, aCastalis.religiosius, bVulgar latin.rimoratus, one who cGeneua bib.feared God: and this feare was not seruile, but siliall. Hee did not feare God as a bad seruant fearing the stripes of his great master: but as a louing sonne, fearing to displease his good father. dArdens.…im…bat cumdilectione, & diligebat cum timore. He was in his course so carefull to doe the will of our heauenly father, as that he feared with a pious louelove, and loued with a reuerent feare. eAretius.Solicite pius & omnia timens ne non satis pius sit, fPet. de pa…ad. ser. de purifie.in doing good a iust man, in eschewing euill one that feared God.
And looked for the consolation of Israel] Hee was a Iust man in deed, giuing eueryevery one his right, vntounto God, as being deuout: vntounto himselfe, as expecting the consolation of Israel: vntounto other, in preaching Christ openly to be both a light to the Gentiles, and a glory to the Iewes. all the chiefe Christian vertues appeared in him eminently. Faith, hope, louelove: faith, as fearing God: hope, as looking for the Messias of the world: louelove, as being Iust, communicating his gifts of g….prophecie to the benefit of the the Church in singing his nunc dimittis, and in saying mine eyes hauehave seene thy saluation. My corporal eyes thy manhood, my spiritual eyes thy Godhead; the hArdens.coniunction of which is Salutare titum, thy saluation, as giuing it; and Salutare …rism, our saluation, as receiuing it. And this Salutare is not singulare, but as Saint Iude tearmeth it a Common saluation, and as old Simeon in his Hymne, prepared before the face of all people.