A Century of Sermons, Sermon 9
THE NINTH SERMON UPON THE INCARNATION.
LUKE xi. 27, 28.
A certain woman of the company lift up her voice, and ſaid unto him, Bleſſed is the Womb that bare thee, and the Paps whcih thou haſt ſucked: But he ſaid, Yea, rather bleſſed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
THis is the Sons day, and not the Mothers: This is Chriſts own day, and not Maries. Therefore it is not for the Wombs ſake, but for the Fruit of the Womb; not for the Paps of a mortal woman, but for the Infants ſake, an immortal God, that I have choſen this Text. A good Iſraeliteſs ſhe was that magnified Chriſt on this manner; though ſhe was not ſpoken to, yet her heart was full, and ſhe muſt ſpeak, for her joy would have ſtifled her if ſhe had not uttered it. If you mark the Context of the Chapter, immediately before theſe words our Saviour had taught his Diſciples to pray moſt divinely he had caſt out devils moſt triumphantly, he had anſwered the Calumniations of the Phariſees moſt rationally, he had put on glorious apparel, as the Pſalmiſt ſays, and girded himſelf with ſtrength: While theſe wonderful works were freſh in memory, the Lord from on high could have ſent Legions of Angels to magnifie his Son, and to praiſe him with celeſtial Canticles. But to ſtrike the greater ſhame into the Phariſees that had blaſphemed him, he ſtirs up a woman, a nameleſs one, a poor Plebeian; one not admitted near him, ſhe ſtood afar off, and was fain to ſpeak aloud to be heard, Bleſſed is the Womb that bare thee, and the Paps which thou haſt ſucked. It was a free acclamation, a ſudden ſtart, a paſſion that came from her ſpirit ex tempore, and that I may give Chriſt his full honour, and attribute no more to the woman than is truth, ſhe propheſied in this ſaying of greater things than at that time ſhe underſtood. The Holy Ghoſt gave her the priviledge to be the tongue that delivered this Congratulation, but it remains to us to lend it an heart, that we may truly conceive it. For the inward ſenſe of it is the gladſom contents of this day, bleſſed be the Father of all mercies for the Incarnation of his Son, that he was made of a woman for our ſakes, and bleſſed are all mankind that he hath taken fleſh of our fleſh, and that he is made partaker of our humane nature. But becauſe it would not prove our benefit that he was born for us, unleſs he be born in us likewiſe by faith and obedience, it follows to make our joy and crown complete, yea, rather bleſſed are they that hear, &c.
The parts are as manifeſtly two as the two hands wherewith we handle. Firſt, Bleſſedneſs offered to us in Chriſts Incarnation. Secondly, Bleſſedneſs made complete in our own application. The woman begins the Text in the firſt part, Chriſt finiſhed in the ſecond. She ſaid well for his Incarnation, Bleſſed is the Womb that bare thee; He makes it much better by ſtirrig us up to the uſe and fruit of it, yea, rather, &c. She bleſſeth Chriſt, and Chriſt bleſſeth us: ſhe would have all felicity to reſt in him; he would have a ſhare of felicity to be derived to us. A pretty ſtrife between a devout Creature and a merciful Creator, between an humble Servant and a bountiful Maſter; between a true faith, that heaps all honour upon God, and between a gracious God, that heaps the treaſures of his riches upon a true faith.
To begin with that which the woman ſaid it muſt be conſidered two ways, in a Litteral ſenſe, ſuch as fleſh and bloud revealed to her: And in a Prophetical ſenſe above her underſtanding, ſuch as the Spirit of God hath revealed to us. Bleſſed is the Womb that bare thee: And ſo it was indeed, according to the Latitude of this womans natural underſtanding: For firſt, ſhe knew at large that it was a bleſſed thing to be an Inſtrument, or conveyance of any great good unto others. Bleſſed above women ſhall Jael the wife of Heber be, bleſſed ſhall ſhe be above women in the Tent, Judg. v. 24. Shee had done her part to work deliverance for Iſrael. And when Judith had ſped in her adventure to cut off the head of Holofernes, ſays Oziah, Bleſſed art thou of the moſt high God above all the women upon earth, Judith xiii. 18. A good Meſſenger is called an happy, and the feet of thoſe are pronounced beautiful that bring glad tidings of peace. It is a narrow and an abject conceit of ſome, that think themſelves fortunate, and at the beſt, when they receive and take in all that can be heapt upon them. Theſe men meaſure felicity backward, for beatius eſt dare quam accipere, it is more bleſſed to give than to receive. Though that Maxim be not extant in any of the Evangeliſts; Acts xx. 35.St. Paul tells us upon his credit it was our Saviours; The ſouls of them that are converted to true holineſs ſhall bleſs the lips of the Prieſt, the poor ſhall bleſs the liberal, after Ages ſhall bleſs publick Spirits, that do famous things, and are provident for Poſterity. A Ciſtern that contains the waters poured into it is much inferiour to a Fountain that ſends them forth. It is nothing ſo laudible to be wrought upon, as to work that which is honourable. Even the Parents, that have enricht the world with ſuch as are ornaments unto it, benediction reflects upon them for it, becauſe they are Conduit pipes of publick felicity. Yet all thoſe that have made others happy by their gifts and qualities had been for ever unhappy themſelves if the Child that was born this day had not ſuckt the breaſts of a Virgin. O happy Parent! whoſe Womb contained all the treaſure that maintains the whole earth. Somewhat ſhe collineated at this meaning that ſaid unto our Saviour, Bleſſed, &c.
And each Parent partakes in this reaſon, that it is joy and honour to them to have a renowned Son; and it may be this woman was partial to her own Sex, that contented her ſelf to ſpeak of no more than the womb of the Mother. In ſtrict Divinity indeed her words are admirable, for Chriſt had no Father according to the fleſh, but that is more than I collect out of St. Luke, that ſhe mentioned not his Father for that reaſon: But in all humane births, that prove ſucceſsful and glorious, the loyns of the Father are bleſſed, as well as the womb of the Mother, and the glory of children are their Fathers, Prov. xvii. 6. Yet in the next conſtruction of mere natural capacity, it was proper to ſay for his ſake bleſſed is the womb, becauſe barrenneſs was a curſe, and fruitfulneſs of children a bleſſing. They that propagate a faithful ſeed upon earth give the means to repleniſh heaven with Saints; it is that wherein we exceed Angels, to beget Sons and Daughters in our own likeneſs; and to continue a Generation like our ſelves makes mankind by ſucceſſion as incorruptible as the Angels. God bleſſed all living Creatures, mark that, God bleſſed them, and ſaid unto them, be fruitful and multiply, Gen. i. 28. Though the Lord ſaid it in his wrath, that the mothers womb ſhould bring forth children in ſorrow, yet he never recalled his former Sentence of grace, but that fecundity ſhould be a benediction. As a rich harveſt is joyfully received when the Valleys ſtand thick with Corn, and a rich Autumn is moſt welcom when the trees bow down their arms to reach us fruit: So Children, and the fruit of the womb are a moſt deſired Heritage that cometh of the Lord. Old Jacob, anon before he departed out of the world, poured out the ſtrength of his prayers upon Joſeph, and this benefit he did impropriate to him, Gen. xlix. 25. The God of thy fathers ſhall bleſs thee with the bleſſings of the breaſts and of the womb. But it had been better for us that all women had been barren if the Saviour of mankind had not been incloſed in the womb of Mary. All fruitfulneſs is to be congratulated, but hers eſpecially, Bleſſed is the womb, &c.
Thirdly, I make no ſcruple to affirm it, that this was the very thought and fancy of the woman that uttered theſe words, that the Mother was moſt honoured, full of fame and glory, who had a Son that ſpake ſo divinely, and wrought ſuch heavenly Miracles. It is a great recompence which God gives to careful Parents upon earth, when their off-ſpring live ſoberly and temperately to be their comfort and honour. Do you queſtion it, but that Rebeckah was pleaſed above all contents which the earth could afford, when Jacob, whom ſhe tendered as her hearts darling, was ſo juſt and diligent in the fear of the Lord? Do you ſuppoſe that Bathſheba knew not how many eyes of favour were upon her, how many tongues did congratulate her, when her Solomon was the wiſeſt of all the Kings of the earth that ſate upon a Throne? With what exultation did Olimpia ſpeak often of her Son Alexander and his Monarchy? How did Cornelia, the Mother of the Gracchi, pleaſe her ſelf, when certain ſtrangers noted her for a plain Matron, that wore no rich or gaudy dreſſings, as the faſhion of the Roman Ladies was in thoſe days; but when her hopeful Sons came home, ſhe told her Gueſts thoſe were her Cabinet of Jewels, Hi ſunt mei torques, haec mea monilia. And this is the reward on earth of all Paternal care and anxiety, Spes ſurgentis Iuli, that ſolace which you take in the ingenuous obedience of children, as we call it, towardlineſs. And the neglect of their breeding (a miſchief which is ſeldom recovered, if the Plant be marred in the firſt ſetting and tendance) I ſay that neglect is a manifeſt foreign, a plain want of natural affection, which is a denying of the faith: But the fear of the Lord which is inſtilled into Children from their Infancy is not only the Childrens, but even the Parents happineſs. The rare endowments that appeared in Chriſt made a certain woman here caſt the praiſe of it upon the Mother, Bleſſed, &c.
And thus far in the Litteral ſenſe, as far as fleſh and bloud could reveal unto her: But if ſhe could have ſeen into the Scriptures, as the holy Spirit hath enabled us to ſee into them, there are other grounds of more Evangelical obſervation. And firſt let it be noted, that the bleſſedneſs which is attributed to the womb that bore our Saviour redounds to all the members of his myſtical body. Even as upon that ſaying of our Saviour to St. Peter, Bleſſed art thou, &c. Mat. xvi. St. Auſtin ſays, that the words ſhould not have a full and illuſtrious ſenſe unleſs they were referred to the whole Church: So this ſaying in my Text were maimed and imperfect unleſs we enlarged it thus to all Believers, bleſſed, and thrice bleſſed are all the Sons and Daughters of God through the Incarnation of Jeſus Chriſt, who was he that came down into this wretched world to make it almoſt equal with heaven it ſelf. Let the Earth be glad, and let the Hills rejoyce, let the Sea make a noiſe, and all that is therein. What a flower of Jeſſai did the earth bring forth inſtead of thorns and briars? What a Day-ſtar did ſhine upon our Hemiſphere, which was juſtly threatned with eternal darkneſs? What Prince of peace was this which viſited us when we were at war and defiance with God and our ſelves, and with all the Powers of Heaven? What purity was this which mixt with our uncleanneſs? What Omnipotent that deſcended to our weakneſs? What Immortal that would be diſhonoured with our corruption and mortality? All treaſures of Wiſdom are hid in his age of nonage; all Strength in his infant infirmity; all Riches in his ſtate of poverty; all Righteouſneſs in him that was accuſed of iniquity; all Freedom from bondage in him that was wrapt up in ſwadling clouts; all Felicity in him that was encompaſſed with weakneſs and miſery: Theſe are the fruits of his Nativity, theſe are the benefits of his birth and infancy. The Eternal Father did more for us when he made him fleſh than when he made the heaven and the earth beſide; without his Incarnation the Earth had been our Curſe, all the Elements our Plague, the Heaven above our Envy, and the Hell beneath our portion for ever. But as ſoon as ever the Babe, who is bleſſed for ever, did open the womb, our fetters were broken in ſunder, the kingdom of darkneſs ſpoyled, no Malediction remained in the Law any longer, no curſe in death. Hoc eſt Chriſtianae fidei fundamentum, Aug. Ser. 9. de Nat.quia unus per quem ruina, alius homo Chriſtus per quem ſtructura. This is the foundation of Chriſtian faith, this is the ſcope of all the Scripture, this is the ground work of all hearts eaſe and conſolation, that one man was our ruine, and another man was our reparation.
As the Apoſtle ſays, Heb. ii. 3. How ſhall we eſcape if we neglect ſo great ſalvation? we deſerve to mourn if we do not magnifie God for this joy: we deſerve to be miſerable for ever, if we prefer not the bleſſing we received this day for the very crown of our happineſs. Though you now ſee him not, yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unſpeakable, and full of glory, 1 Pet. i. 8. One man in a family having a fortunate advancement makes his whole blood and kindred fortunate with him; how much more ſhall Chriſt make all mankind happy being made one of us, accedens ad nos per id quod aſſumpſit ex noſtro, Ibid.& liberans nos per id quod manſit ex ſuo. He is come near unto us all by that nature which he aſſumed of ours; and he hath redeemed us all by that glorious Deity which was ever his own. Finally, there was a concurrency of all ſorts of bleſſedneſs in this moſt myſterious Incarnation. The Mother pure from all carnal copulation and incorrupt in her Virginity, the place comfortable to the worſt ſinners, becauſe he choſe his habitation among beaſts in a ſtable, and an oſtery for the common reſort of all paſſengers, becauſe he came into the world for a publick benefit. The time moſt ſeaſonable and accommodate, the very fulneſs of time, as the Apoſtle ſays. Whereupon St. Ambroſe, Chriſtus tanquam maturitas advenit, ut nihil acerbum, nihil immaturum, nihil immite ſit, he came when all the fruits of comfort were mellow, ripe, and delicious, that nothing might be ſower, or harſh, or diſtaſteful to us. Tardius enaſcitur cupreſſus ſeris umbram factura nepotibus, ſays Pliny, the Cypreſs tree is long a growing, yet when it is grown up to a tree, the ſhade of it ſerves for an harbour to the child unborn. So the long expectation of Chriſts coming is requited with thoſe bleſſings that grow up more and more, and ſpread wider and wider for all generations to come. The company that came from heaven to congratulate this day moſt glorious, and chearful, a multitude of heavenly hoſt; and what a mighty army hath he levied to take our part, in reſpect of thoſe few ſcattered forces which are againſt us. The manner of his birth moſt edifying and inſtructive, in all abjectneſs and low eſtate, in all poverty and humility. A magnificent pompous Saviour would have been a ſcandalous example, as we may well miſtruſt it, to the high imaginations of our hearts, and might ſooner have deſtroyed this proud world than redeem'd it; we did not want a Champion in arms, but an Infant in ſwadling clouts. We did not need a Prince guarded with his Peers, but one in the form of a ſervant, whoſe beſt companions that came about him were ſilly Shepherds. It was not for our turn to have one that would keep ſtate and ruffle, Superbia non eſt magnitudo ſed tumor, Pride is not greatneſs verily and in truth; nay, but a tumor that is blown up with appearance. It was for our profit to have one that did empty himſelf of his glory, and make himſelf of low degree, that man may bluſh away his own pride, when he ſees the Son of God inveſted with humility. Finally, the fruit of this Nativity, O the fruit of it is paſſing delectable and unutterable! grace, illumination, vacancy from fear of condemnation, tranquility of conſcience, angelical protection here, angelical ſociety hereafter: to know the rigor of the Law was the old leſſon, to know the Covenant of Grace the new: to live and dye were vulgar things, to riſe from death and to live for ever came by him, who being our head was made mortal, that we might be immortal members of his body. So I have pointed only to ſeverals as in a map, to the felicity of the Womb he choſe, of the place that received him, of the time that exactly fitted him, of the company that congratulated him, of the humility that adorn'd him, of the precious fruit that grew from him, that the Sum might redound to make up this principal point of my Text: everlaſting bleſſing is the free gift of God to this whole world, through the Incarnation, &c.
The ſecond Evangelical obſervation above that which the woman conceived that ſpake theſe words is thus: Both the Womb and the Paps alſo of common Mothers are obnoxious to many miſeries, and to ſuch great ones ſometimes that they prove mortal. The ſubtilty of the Serpent brought this curſe upon the Womb of mothers, Gen. iii. 16. I will greatly multiply thy ſorrow and conception, in ſorrow thou ſhalt bring forth children. That calamity is a common wound to that tender ſex, not ſo apt to bear any ſore affliction. But the birth of Chriſt was without the pangs and hard travail of the Mother. The malediction was not upon Mary, but Bleſſed was the womb that bare him, Ipſa genetrix fuit, & obſtetrix, ſays St. Cyprian, Mary was both the Mother and the Midwife of the Child: Far be it from us to think that the weak hand of any woman could facilitate that work which was guided only by the miraculous hand of God, The Lord did do his own work; ſo great, ſo tranſcendent without all humane aſſiſtance. And mark another reaſon of St. Auſtins, if any ſhould headily contradict it, Quod ſine voluptate carnis concepit, ſine dolore peperit; The Virgin conceived our Lord without the luſts of the fleſh, and therefore ſhe brought him forth without the dolour, without the curſe of the fleſh. And many other of the Fathers, for it was their common tradition, have theſe ſimilitudes upon it; As a Bee draws hony from the flower without offending it; as Eve was taken out Adams ſide without any grief to him; as a Sprig opens the bark of a tree to grow out of it; as the light ſparkles from the light of a Star: ſuch eaſe it was to Mary to bring forth her firſt born Son. Gravida ſed non gravabatur, ſays Bernard, Shee had a burden in her Womb before ſhe was delivered; yet ſhe was not burdened: that lies upon this proof that ſhee took a journey inſtantly before ſhe was delivered from Nazareth to Bethlehem, above forty miles; and yet ſhe ſuffered it without wearineſs or complaint. For ſuch was the power of the Babe, that he did rather ſupport the Mothers weakneſs, than was ſupported. And as he lightned his Mothers travail by t he way, that it was not tedious to her tender age; ſo he took away all dolour and imbecillity from her travail in Child-birth: This was a benediction upon her Womb, Bleſsed is the Womb, &c.
Thirdly, In this the woman propheſied more than ſhee underſtood; that whereas nature is like Hagar that bringeth forth children unto bondage; and all the offſprings which Mothers bring forth are in themſelves accurſed from the womb; for we are all born and conceived in ſin, Prius reati quam nati; only this child, this Immanuel, this holy of holies was a righteous branch, that knew no ſin, that had no part in iniquity; and therefore exempted from that malediction which lies upon our ſhoulders from the firſt hour wherein we are born. According to the ſtrictneſs of the Law, by which no fleſh is juſtified, that ſentence is moſt righteous againſt us all, Deut. xxviii. 18. Curſed ſhall be the fruit of thy body. Therefore Job ſell out with his birth-day, and ſo did Jeremy; for until the time that we are regenerate and born anew, 'tis moſt true, which they perhaps diſguſted in diſcontent, Curſed be the day wherein I was born; let not the day wherein my mother bare me be bleſſed. St. Ambroſe reduceth it very well to this moral application, let the day of my firſt birth periſh, that I may be accounted to live from the day of my regeneration, Pereat dies ſecularis ut dies ſpiritualis oriatur, vaniſh thoſe days of ſin, that none but ſpiritual days may ſhine upon me. But all that bitter mourning came from hence, that nothing but wrath and rejection belongs unto us, as we are born in original depravation. This is true in all, one only excepted, who in the ſimilitude of ſinful fleſh took our nature upon him without the filthineſs of it. Bleſſed was the womb which brought him forth who was bleſſed from the Womb, who was born not of blood, nor of the will of fleſh, nor of the will of man, but was the holy one of God, and conceived by the Holy Ghoſt. If ten righteous had been found in Sodom, it had not been deſtroyed for tens ſake; but when one righteous one was not found among all the ſons and daughters of men, when we have all gone out of the way, and there is none that doth good, no not one, Rom. iii. 12. What will become of us, when there is not one to make attonement? not one for whoſe ſake the reſt may be mercifully entreated? Why, it reſted only in him who is one by himſelf, above all, to be made poor, that we might be made rich; to be made ſin for our ſakes, that we might be found righteous in him who was born pure and unſtained, yet made a curſe for our ſakes, that we that are born under the malignity of a curſe might be made pure and undefiled to live in bleſſedneſs for evermore.
Nay fourthly, before I end this point, ſhee that ſaid Bleſſed is the womb that bare thee, ſhe came ſhort in her conceit by far, how highly Mary was favoured of God, how highly exalted above all women, that the Infinite did not abhor to be incloſed in her Womb. Never was ſuch honour caſt upon any mortal creature, never the like glory incident to any Archangel: Nay, ſince this fact is paſt and gone, which is ſo marvellous in our eyes, none can be capable of ſuch excellency hereafter. And therefore Beza breaks out, Quis non fateatur Mariam infinitis partibus omnium mulierum praeſtantiam ſuperare? Who will not confeſs that Mary excells all women in glory by infinite degrees? Is not that home ſpoken? no juſt praiſe can be attributed to ſo excellent a veſſel, that our Church will not ſay Amen unto it. An evil ſpirit is in them that charge us for being malignant to her eximious praiſe; becauſe as we avoid contumacious neglect of her honour, ſo we do as much decline Superſtition and Blaſphemy. We never gain-ſaid that Hymn in their Miſſal, Beata viſcera Mariae Virginis, quae portaverunt aeterni patris filium, Bleſſed be the Womb of Mary that bore the Son of an Eternal Father. We learnt it of the Angel, Luke i. 28. Bleſſed art thou among women. We learnt it of her Couſin Elizabeth who was great at that time with the greateſt Prophet that ever was, Bleſſed art thou among women, and bleſſed is the fruit of thy womb, Ver. 45. Elizabeth renowns her in the very ſame words that the Angel did, ſays St. Ambroſe, Novit ſermonem ſuum ſpiritus ſanctus, neque unquam obliviſcitur: Nay we will rather learn it of her ſelf than of Angels, and Prophets, All generations ſhall call me bleſſed. She bare record of her ſelf, and yet ſhe is worthy to be believed; for ſhe ſought not her own praiſe, but magnified the power of God.
I would ſome would ſtay at this, and not pour on ſuch meaſure as runs over, and cannot be defended. What a vanity is it to tell us that the Angels ſing Hymns of her praiſe in Heaven? for which of them hath aſcended up to Heaven to bring us tidings of that? and what an impiety it is to abuſe the people with ſo many thouſand Miracles of her aid, aſſiſtance, and apparitions, as can be believed by none, but by idiots of moſt ſtupid credulity; and with what ſcandalous profaneneſs are they tranſported to call her the Queen of Heaven; to enſtile her a Court of Chancery, to which we muſt ſue to mitigate Chriſts Juſtice, to cry out Impera filio tuo Deipara, command thy Son thou Mother of God: as St. Hierom ſaid of Nepotian in his funeral Oration, Foelix qui haec non videt, foelix qui haec non audit, happy ſhe that did not ſee that immoderate honours done unto her, happy ſhe that did not hear thoſe Blaſphemies. When Bleſilla a woman that had been moſt modeſt in her apparel was buried with great pomp, and a golden Mantle was caſt upon the Coffin, ſays the ſame Father, Videbatur mihi clamare de coelo non agnoſco veſtes, amictus iſte non eſt meus, ſhe ſeemed to me to cry from Heaven, I renounce this pomp, that gorgeous garment which you caſt upon my corps, I will not own it for mine. So methinks the Holy Virgin ſpeaks from heaven, I renounce theſe ſuperlative ſuper-mortal titles, the worſhip that you give me, the prayers that you make unto me are not mine. Go not further than this woman did, who did lift up her voice for our Saviours ſake, and ſaid, Bleſſed, &c.
I have done with the firſt general part of the Text, the acclamation, both as a certain woman apprehended the words in her natural underſtanding, and in that prophetical ſenſe which was above her underſtanding. Now it will be moſt material to obſerve how the Maſter of all wiſdom corrected and refined it, yea rather bleſſed, &c. Firſt, upon the note of emendation foreign, yea rather, then upon the ſimple propoſition, Bleſſed are they that hear the word of God and keep it. foreign, yea rather bleſſed are they; which is ſpoken not negatively, but comparatively, foreign ſays Theophylact, Chriſt doth not thruſt out his Mother from the liſt of the bleſſed; take heed of ſuch a thought: neither doth he reject it, but that it was to be counted in ſome part of happineſs, that Mary bore ſuch a Son. An accumulation of good in any kind is a felicity much more in this,Luke x. 23. Bleſſed are the eyes which ſee that which you ſee, ſays our Saviour to his Diſciples. I, and he were to be reputed a ſtupid ſtock, that would not have reckoned himſelf moſt fortunate to have caſt his eyes upon that glorious Babe in the Cratch, whom the poor Shepherds beheld this day with ſo much reverence; then aſcend up in your imaginations, and compare things together juſtly: Was it not ten thouſand times more noble and happy to be his Mother, than to be his beholder; to have fed him with her Breaſts, than to have ſeen him as ſome did, to have attended him, as Joſeph his reputed Father did, or to have held him in his arms as Simeon did, or to have toucht the hem of his garment, as one that had a bloody iſſue did: yet there was ſomewhat which doth ſurpaſs all theſe: for they that pierced him ſaw him, Judas toucht him and kiſt him, the High Prieſts ſervants held him and bound him, his Mother Mary bore him, and nouriſht him with her paps; but that did not make her ſoul more holy, or more acceptable to God: ſhe magnified God, ſhe believed, ſhe obeyed. From thence and from nothing elſe we are aſſured, that her ſoul reigneth in eternal glory.
foreign, yea, rather; that note is not at all in the Syrian Paraphraſt: ſo we can have no help from thence to underſtand it. Eraſmus ſays it is a particle, Quae nec affirmat, nec negat; it neither aſſents to that which the woman uttered, nor yet contradicts it, but leaves it in medio, untoucht and unanſwer'd. The Jeſuit Maldonat will make Calvin his adverſary many times where he is not, and lays to his charge this impiety, that Chriſt ſhould croſs all that was ſaid before. 'Tis not ſo that the Womb is bleſſed which bare me, no, bleſſed are they, &c. Calvin God wot, hath no ſuch aſſeveration, but thus, Fere pro nihilo haec ducit Chriſtus, & longe est inferius, &c. But 'tis large in this form, it cannot be denied, ſays he, but that God exalted Mary to the higheſt honour, when he elected and deſtined her to be the Mother of his Son; but Chriſt reputes this as nothing, and much inferiour to the other: to hear the word of God and keep it, is there any offence in this? not any. And what if it be Maldonats own opinion in other words: thus he, Ʋtrum que, & quod dictum eſt, & quod dicendum affirmat, ſed dicto, dicendum proponit. Our Saviour affirms that the woman ſaid true, Bleſſed is the womb, &c. And he affirms it was bleſſed to hear the word of God and keep it: but he prefers the ſpiritual bleſſedneſs of hearing the word of God and keeping it, before the natural bleſſedneſs to bear him in the womb. This is moſt true, and runs thus in St. Auſtins elegancy, Beatior Maria percipiendo fidem Chriſti, quam concipiendo carnem Chriſti. O ſacred Virgin much more happy in entertaining the Faith of Chriſt, than in conceiving the Fleſh of Chriſt. For the ſecond Covenant, which is the anchor of Salvation, is, Crede & vive, believe and thou ſhalt be ſaved; not uterum gere & vive, bear the Son of God in thy Womb, and thou ſhalt be ſaved. Euſebius Emiſſenus ſpeaks enough to have angred Maldonat, yet ſound and good in true conſtruction; She whom thou doſt magnifie was not therefore bleſſed, because ſhe was my mother and bore me, Sed quia verbum audivit, audiendo credidit, credendo cuſtodivit; but becauſe ſhe was glad to hear my word, and what ſhe heard ſhe believed willingly, and what ſhe believed ſhe practiſed diligently.
Her own Couſin Elizabeth extended her ſalutation to this ſenſe, Bleſſed is ſhe that believed, for there ſhall be a performance of thoſe things which were told her from the Lord, Luke i. 45. A quip for her own Husband Zachary by the way, who had a meſſage brought him by an Angel, and gave no credit to it, and was ſtrucken dumb for incredulity; but Mary had all applauſe and congratulation from heaven and earth, from Angels and men, becauſe ſhe heard the word and believed it. Nay, Chriſt himſelf hath confirmed this conſtruction moſt ſharply and emphatically, Mat. xii. 48. Who is my Mother? and who are my brethren? and he ſtretcht forth his hand to his Diſciples Behold my mother and my brethren, for whoſoever ſhall do the will of my Father that is in heaven, he is my brother, and ſiſter, and mother. And if it would not profit Mary to have given the bread to ſuch a Son without Faith and obedience, how can any other carnal reſpect and advantage do us good? fleſhly conſanguinities and prerogatives make additions in a coat of armory; but we muſt ſtand before the tribunal of God diſrayed of all ſuch circumſtances. A wiſe Heathen could taunt at them that boaſted the ſmoky Images of their Anceſtors, Ʋt quod in fructu non teneas mireris in trunco, ſays St. Hierom, as eloquent as any of the Heathens, Shall we commend the ſtock of a tree, when we cannot commend the fruit? Finally, St. Paul divorceth the Jews and all others from pretending a carnal propinquity with Chriſt: ſays he, We know no man after the fleſh, yea, though we have known Chriſt after the fleſh, yet now henceforth we know him ſo no more, 2 Cor. v. 16. The Mother whoſe paps he ſuckt muſt not glory that ſhe fed him, but that he fed her, and gave her living waters of his Word and Spirit to drink. Yea rather bleſſed are they that hear the word of God and keep it.
I muſt not, and if I would I have no time, ſet forth before you what a ſecundity of error there is in mans heart about the notion of bleſſedneſs. Our Saviour confines our ſtragling imaginations to this rule, that no good thing of a ſubordinate condition can ſtile a man happy; 'tis a title to be given to that immenſe communication of good, when the ſoul ſhall enjoy the fulneſs of him that filleth all in all. But the means that impetrate a reward, and the reward it ſelf are knit ſo individually together, that nothing is enjoyed in the one, but is affirmed of the other: And he that goes the right way to the eternal joys above, is canonized happy, as if he were in thoſe joys already, Bleſſed are they that hear the word of God and keep it. The Kingdom of God is not meats and drinks, but a pure and a righteous ſpirit. foreign, ſays St. Baſil very truly; a pure and a ſanctified ſoul is the firſt aſcent of happineſs. And this is tried by two particulars; firſt, if we treaſure up the precious things of God in our ear, then if we tranſmit them to a more inward and a ſafer place, and treaſure them up in our heart. Whether your conſciences be ſometimes vexed with a Sermon, or whether your heart be pricked, or whether the Doctrine delivered be moſt oppoſite to your appetite in way of profit, or pleaſure, or reputation; yet ſtill remember it is a bleſſed thing to hear, and a great honour to duſt and aſhes that God will ſpeak unto you: And he that is cloy'd with hearing hath ſuch a ſurfeited conſtitution, that he is cloy'd with bleſſedneſs. Mary her ſitting attentive to hear our Saviour, was unum neceſſarium, not a thing well done, but yet indifferent, and at her own choice whether ſhe would do it or no: but it was, unum neceſſarium, a neceſſary part of obedience which concerned her ſalvation. The Lord from heaven began his law with the command of hearing, hear O Iſrael, Deut. iv. 1. And ſo the voice of the Father from heaven began the Goſpel, This is my beloved Son, hear him. The fault of this age (to ſpeak the truth) is not in this, that there want hearers; for excepting ſome few that think themſelves wiſe enough already, and that they need not learn; and excepting ſome irreligious and profane ones that refuſe true wiſdom, and never think of their latter end; but the generality in all places will not ſtick to ſhew their duty in hearing, but with divers they are mens gifts and perſons which they admire and follow: if thoſe men teach whom their ear taſts, or if it be ſuch kind of teaching as they will only like in their prejudicate humors, then have with you, they will be preſent in the Congregation. Whereas our Saviour hath abſtracted from all ſuch humane qualifications and ſcandalous niceties, that the ſound of his Miniſters ſhould go forth into all the world, and he that hath ears to hear, let him not be ſo ſcrupulous in his choice, but let him hear. Paul was pleaſed to have Chriſt preached either through contention, or ſincerely; all manner of ways, ſays he, I rejoyce, Phil. i. 18. They that came to mock the Apoſtles as men drunk, were caught by hearing them. They that came to take our Saviour, themſelves were taken by hearing, John vii. 37. Many of the negligent rank, that come to gaze about, rather than to attend; many that come hither with affections worſe than beaſts, depart converted and repentant with a new heart, and a new ſpirit more like Angels than men. In brief, let the Heathen, that communicate not in the Goſpel, enjoy all that this earth and the plenty thereof can afford; yet they, and none but they are bleſſed that hear the word of God.
And if you will make a good man, ply him apace with this exhortation to hear, yet know now that is but the firſt rude draught of him till you finiſh him with that which follows; he muſt hear and keep that which he hears. Let him hear the ſayings of Chriſt and do them, then he ſhall be likened to a wiſe man that built his houſe upon a rock, Mat. vii. 24. Cuſtodia Sermonis Dei eſt ejus adimpletio, ſays Euthymius upon my Text, to keep the word is to do as we are taught, and to endeavour to fulfil the royal Law. This is the very concluding promiſe which God did ſend to Iſrael by his meſſenger Moſes, If thou ſhalt hearken diligently to the voice of the Lord thy God, to obſerve and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, bleſſed ſhalt thou be in the City, and bleſſed in the field, Deut. xxviii. moſt divinely the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. cxi. 10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wiſdom, a good underſtanding have all they that do thereafter. So that the underſtanding of the law of God conſiſts not in knowledge and ſpeculation, but in practice and execution. We muſt be Servants as well as Diſciples. The work of a Diſciple is to hear and conceive aright, but the work of a Servant is to do and obey: and though diſſimulation will intrude it ſelf into every good thing, yet there may be, nay, there is ten thouſand times more hypocriſie in hearing, than there can be in doing. Imperfect fruits are more pleaſing to God than bare leaves. A ſorry doer ſuch a one as Ahab was, in his ſullen and crude repentance, ſhall have more recompence from God than a barren unprofitable hearer, that thruſts in at all the Lectures and Exerciſes that City and Country affords. Live ſo, that all men may ſee you have often talkt with God, and God hath ſpoken often to you from this holy place; elſe I muſt leave you among thoſe that are cenſur'd by St. Paul, 2 Tim. iii. 7. Ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. I told you before that Mary ſate at our Saviours feet to hear his Sermon, when Martha minded other domeſtical buſineſs; between thoſe two, Maries choice was much more tranſcendent, and unum neceſſarium, but not unicum, one neceſſary duty, but not the only; a part of Religion but not the whole: for in another place Maries part of doing was far better than her part of hearing; I mean her anointing of Chriſts head with a box of precious oyntment, For this that ſhe hath done ſhall be ſpoken of throughout the world, Mat. xxvi. 13.
Let me make a ſummary application of all, and ſo conclude. This day we begin to ſolemnize the Incarnation of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, and continue it with a Feſtival dedication for twelve days following. There are three ſorts of men that make moſt different uſes of it; ſome that are Epicures, and never conſider what great work the Lord wrought at this time, that we have an Advocate with the Father, who is the propitiation for our ſins: but they conſider that feaſting and freedom are vulgar in theſe days, and they take their fill of that: but according to their riotous manners you cannot conceive that they keep the Birth of Chriſt holy, but that they celebrate a wakes for the making of ſome golden Calf, for they ſit down to eat and to drink, and riſe up to play. Secondly, There are others that honour God with their lips, that will ſay this is an happy ſeaſon wherein a Redeemer came down among us; God hath raiſed up a mighty ſalvation for us all, becauſe he hath ſent his Son to take our nature upon him. And as Micah ſaid, being a moſt idolatrous ſinner, Now know I that the Lord will do me good, ſeeing I have a Levite to my Prieſt, Judg. xvii. 11. So theſe men flatter themſelves in their impenitent lives, Now know I that the Lord will be merciful and ſpare me, ſince the word became fleſh and dwelt among us. But I hope there are many of the third ſort, that conceive unutterrable gladneſs for the Nativity of their Saviour; but they know withal that as Chriſt is the meritorious cauſe of all bleſſedneſs, ſo it is a moſt barren faith to reſt only in the contemplation of that: for as all mankind are bleſſed that the womb did bear him, and that the paps did give him ſuck; ſo it muſt be accompliſht by this obedience, Bleſſed are they that hear the word of God and keep it. Do you love him for his Incarnation? then keep his ſayings, If a man love me he will keep my ſayings. Do you wonder that God ſo loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son? then take heed of maligning and hating one another. He that ſays he loves God, and hateth his brother, is a lyar, and there is no truth in him. Do you honour his humility, then command your ſelf to imitate him in lowlineſs of heart? would you do all due celebration to his ſacred Birth, frequent his holy Temple, and hear his word and obſerve it. 'Tis much in every ones talk, who keeps a good houſe in Chriſtmaſs. Beloved, you are now at this preſent in the beſt that is, Can any man keep a better houſe than God? would you wiſh a more delicious banquet then ſuch Confeſſions, ſuch Collects, ſuch Litanies, ſuch heavenly Prayers, as our Church hath appointed, in which there is nothing wanting but company to attend them; what delicacies are contained in the holy Scriptures both read and preacht unto you? what edifying Doctrine in the Homilies which are read on the Saints days, together with the Divine Service? and above all, what Nectar? what Manna? what reſtoring Cordials are received in the Bleſſed Sacrament? This is the houſe which God keeps, who alſo allows you to be chearful at home at this ſeaſon, and commends it to you to feed the hungry; but eſpecially ſhew your thankful heart in frequenting his Church of Saints, that you may hear his word gladly, and obey it dutifully, and reign with him eternally. Amen.