An exposition of the festiuall epistles and gospels vsed in our English liturgie together with a reason why the church did chuse the same / by Iohn Boys ... ; the first part from the feast of S. Andreuu the Apostle, to the purification of Blessed Mary the Virgin.

The Epistle

ACTS 13.26.

Yee men and brethren, children of the generation of Abraham, &c.

THis text is part of that excellent sermon made by the blessed Apostle S. Paul at Antioch, a City of Pi∣sidia, to the Iewes assembled together in their Synagogue, on the Sabbath day. The maine scope whereof is, that Ie∣sus Christ is the Sauiour of Israel, and Messias of the world, promised vnto the fathers, and exhibited in the ful∣nesse of time to their children, euen vnto vs, as being by faith a generation of Abraham, and that through him all that feare God and beleeue, receiue forgiuenes of their sinnes, and are iustified from all things, from which they could not be iustified by the law of Moses. The whole sermon hath especially two parts:

• Explication, from the 16. verse, to the 26. in∣timating that Iesus Christ is the blessed seed promised in old time by the Pro∣phets, and preached in these last daies by Iohn the Baptist, who was s 1.1 more then a Prophet.
• Application, in the words allotted for our present text, wherin three points are prin∣cipally regardable, to wit,

• an
  • insinuation, ye men and brethren, &c.
  • preoccupation, for the inhabi∣tors of Hierusalem, &c.
  • commination, beware therefore lest that fall vpon you, &c.

The Gospell of Christ is a proclamation in writing common to all, and the Preacher is the t 1.2 voice of a cry∣er, euen the mouth of God to giue notice to the peo∣ple, that the contents of the proclamation concerne them and euery one of them. As Act. 2.39. The promise is made to you, and to your children, and to all that are a farre off euen as many as the Lord our God shall call. And Act. 3.26. Vnto you hath God raised vp his sonne Iesus, and him hee hath sent to blesse you, in turning euery one of you from your iniquities. And here, Ye men and brethren, children of the generation of Abraham, and whosoeuer a∣mong you feareth God, to you is the word of this saluation sent. And vers. 38. Be it knowne vnto you, that thorough the man Iesus is preached vnto you the forgiuenesse of sins. Now that our Apostle might the better u 1.3 insinuate him∣selfe into the minds of his hearers, and thereby more powerfully perswade the truth of his doctrine: hee cals them brethren, children of the generation of Abraham, and such as feare God. x 1.4 The first title was among the Iewes held gratious; the second and third glorious, e∣steeming it euer the greatest honour to be the seruants of God and sonnes of Abraham. And whereas Christ crucified is vnto the Iewes a y 1.5 stumbling blocke (for what Iew will out of his owne iudgement admit him for the Sauiour of Gods people, who was condemned by the chiefe Priests, and rulers, and inhabitors of Gods owne City Hierusalem: of which it is said z 1.6 the law shall goe forth of Sion, and the word of the Lord from Hierusalem) our Apostle remoues the scandall of Christs crosse, retorting and answering this obiection in his ensuing discourse. First hee retorteth it, and ma∣keth

it aduantage in his present businesse. a 1.7 As if hee should say, ye men of Antioch, children of the generation of Abraham, especially such as feare God among you; I say ye should the rather embrace the word of saluation sent vnto you, because the men of Hierusalem and their rulers killed the b 1.8 Lord of life, condemning him in whom they found no cause of death. Hierusalem c 1.9 vnderstood not the things appertaining to her peace, but d 1.10 murthe∣red the Prophets, and stoned such as were sent to her. Take heed therefore ye men of Antioch, that ye commit not the like sinne and ingratitude, lest that fall on you which is spoken of in the Prophets; behold ye despisers, and wonder, and perish.

Secondly, S. Paul heere giueth answere to this obie∣ction. It is true that the men of Hierusalem and their rulers haue crucified the Lord of e 1.11 glory; but it was out of their ignorance, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the Prophets which are read euery Sabbath day. They killed him indeed, but heerein they fulfilled all the Scriptures that were written of him, especially that Scripture, f 1.12 the same stone which the builders refu∣sed, is become the head stone of the corner. And lastly, though it be granted vnto you that the Sauiour Iesus (through whom is preached vnto you forgiuenesse of sins) had a death full of ignominy, for that hee was hanged on a tree: yet his rising againe from the dead the third day was exceeding glorious, in that hee g 1.13 lead captiuity cap∣tiue, triumphing ouer death, hell, and the graue. Now that Christ is risen againe from death he proues by the witnesse

Of

• Apostles
  • himselfe, we declare, &c. For Christ after his resurrection was seene of Paul, 1. Cor. 15.8.
  • Other, who went with him from Ga∣lilee to Hierusalem, of whom hee was seene many daies, as being witnesses chosen of God for the same purpose, Act. 10.41.
• Prophets,
  • Esay, chap. 55.3.
  • Dauid, Psal. 2.7. & 16.11.

The first testimonie cited by Paul is in the second Psalme, thou art my sonne, &c. h 1.14 the which I finde ex∣pounded of Dauid and of Christ. If we take this spoken of Dauid, he may be called the sonne of God, as A

• King, for Princes haue their i 1.15 power from God, and so stiled the children of the most high. Psalm. 82.6.
• Man, for we are the k 1.16 generation of God, it is he who made vs, and not our selues, Psal. 100.2. and is not hee thy father that made thee, Deut. 32.6.
• Regenerate man, for euery one that is new borne is l 1.17 borne of God, adopted his sonne, and made his heire. Rom. 8.15.17.

Thus it may be said by God vnto Dauid in type, this day haue I begotten thee, but onely to Christ in truth. And therefore m 1.18 Rabbi Solomon, and other Doctors a∣mong the Iewes vnderstand this of the Messias, and as∣suredly Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrewes, chap. 1. vers. 5 did the rather cite this text to proue that Christ is God, for that hee knew their Rabbines vsually con∣st••ued it of Israels Sauiour. The maine proposition of the second Psal. is, th•• the Messias is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, euen Gods onely begotten sonne, very God of very God. The which is concluded in this n 1.19 argu∣ment.

Hee that is to bee worshipped and kissed of all Princes on earth is doubtlesse the King of Kings: but the Messias ought to be worshipped of all other Kings and Rulers and Iudges of the earth, ergo, the Messias seated vpon Gods holy hill of Sion, is the King of Kings, euen the Lord who dwelleth in heauen. If the Princes of the world stand vp and take counsell together against the Lord, and against his anointed, it is but in vaine. For if his wrath be kindled (yea but a little) they shall in∣stantly perish, hee shall bruise them with a rod of iron, and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell. On the con∣trary, blessed are they who kisse the sonne, and put their trust in him; happie men, and wise Kings are they, who serue the Lord in feare, and reioyce before him in reue∣rence. o 1.20 God onely killeth, and maketh aliue; bringeth downe to the graue, and raiseth vp. Ergo, the Messias hauing his absolute power of life and death, is vn∣doubtedly Gods onely begotten sonne, whom he hath made p 1.21 heire of all things, and q 1.22 iudge of all men. And therefore Diuines interpret the cited words as properly spoken of Christ, and that in respect of his

• generation,
  • temporall.
  • eternall.
• Resurrection.

r 1.23 Some construe this of his temporary birth, in say∣ing thou art my sonne, God sheweth his diuine genera∣tion: and in saying this day haue I begotten thee, his hu∣maine natiuity. For hodie, signifieth in holy Scripture the present life, Heb. 3.7. Psalm. 95.8. to day if ye will heare his voice. So that I haue begotten thee this day; as if he should haue said, I haue s 1.24 brought my first begot∣ten sonne into the world; I haue caused thee to become t 1.25 flesh, and in the fulnesse of time to be borne of a u 1.26 wo∣man.

x 1.27 Other vnderstand this of Christs eternall generati∣on. y 1.28 As if God should haue said, other are my sonnes

improperly, but thou art my sonne properly; z 1.29 filius me∣us naturalis, singularis, substantialis: A sonne not by creation as the whole world, nor through adoption as the whole Church: but a sonne by nature, my begotten, and onely begotten sonne, Iohn 3.16. The very bright∣nesse, and expresse character of my person, Hebr. 1.3. Whereas Arrians and other obiect against this inter∣pretation the word hodie; Saint * 1.30 Augustine answereth appositly, that with God (vnto whom all things are present) there is neither yesterday, nor to morrow, but onely today, Apud Deum nunquam erastinus, nunquam he lernus dies est, sed semper bodie. And in his Enchiridi∣on cap. 49. Vbi dies nec he••ternis••••e inchoatur, nec initio era ••••terminatur, semper bodieraus est.

* 1.31 Hilary, c 1.32 Eusebius, d 1.33 Ambrose, with e 1.34 other expound this of Christs resurrection, as Paul here. We declare to 〈…〉〈…〉 the promise made to the fathers, God hath fulfil∣〈◊〉〈◊〉 vnto their children, euen vnto vs, in that her 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vp Iesus againe, euen as it is written in the second Psalme, thou art my sonne, this 〈◊〉〈◊〉 haue I begotten thee. For to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vp againe from death vnto life euerlasting is a new begetting; and in this sense Christ is called elsewhere the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 * 1.35 begotten, and the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 borne of the de••••. Againe, the circumstances of the place leade the Reader to this construction, Why doe the heathen so furiou•••• rage to∣gether, and why do the people imagine a vaine 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that is, as Peter and Iohn haue well applied it, Act. 4.27. Her••d and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and people of Israel gathered themselues together against the Lord and against his Christ, euen his holy son Iesus: and when they had filled all things that were written of him (as Paul in our text) they tooke him downe from the tree, and put him in a sepulchre, h 1.36 rolling a great stone to the doore thereof, and sealed it, and making it sure with the watch. In all which (as the Prophet speakes) their ima∣ginations and actions were vaine; for hee that dwelleth in heauen did laugh them to scorne, the Lord had them in

derasion: he raised his Christ againe the third day, ma∣king him a King ouer his holy 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Sion, i 1.37 that is, abso∣lute head o•• his Church, giuing him all the heathen for his inheritance, and the vttermost parts of the earth for his possession. And so God in raising Christ vp againe from the dead, euidently shewed that he was his onely begotten sonne. As if he should haue said, thou wert e∣uer my sonne before to day, before there was any day: k 1.38 but yet in this day of thy resurrection, I haue most es∣pecially manifested vnto the world that thou art my son whom I haue begotten. It is then an * 1.39 idle conceit to thinke that Paul is not author of that Epistle written to the Hebrewes, because the words of Dauid vrged here to proue Christs resurrection, are cited heere, chap. 1. vers. 5. to shew Christs eternall generation. For (as Paul in his Epistle to the Romans, chap. 1. vers. 4.) Christ is declared mightily to be the sonne of God by rising againe from the dead. His resurrection is an infallible demon∣stration of his diuinitie, seeing none euer raised another from the dead but by God; none euer raised himself from the dead but God. I conclude this obseruation in the words of m 1.40 ••mbrose, Pulchre pater dicit ad filium, ego 〈◊〉〈◊〉 genui te, hoc est, quando redemisti populum, quando ad ca••ere••••um vocasti, quando implesti volunta∣••em meam, prob••. 1 meum te esse filium.

The next Scripture quoted heere by Paul is, Esay 55.3. The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of God made to Dauid concerning the sending of Israels Sauiour are, sure mercies, and faithfull wo••••: he must of necessity therefore fulfill them in e∣uery respect, n 1.41 the which hee could not haue done but in raising vp Iesus againe, for the resurrection of Christ is the o 1.42 complement, and (as it were) Amen of all his promises; according to that of p 1.43 Paul hee died for our sinnes, and is risen againe for our iustification. See con∣clusion of the Gospell on S. Thomas day.

The last authority cited in this place to proue Christs resurrection, is taken out of the 16. Psalme, verse 11.

thou shalt not suffer thine holy one to see corruptio••. The Iewes vnderstood this of Dauid, but (saith our Apo∣stle) Dauid albeit he was a King, and a Prophet, and a q 1.44 Partriarke, a man according to Gods owne heart, as it is recorded of him in this present chapter, at the 22. verse; yet (after hee had in his time fulfilled the will of God) he fell on r 1.45 sleepe, and was laid vnto his fathers, and saw corruption. Earth he was, and to earth hee returned againe. But Christ Iesus although he was hanged on a tree, and put in a sepulchre▪ yet he saw no corruption. Hee rose againe the third day, triumphing ouer all his ene∣mies s 1.46 openly, saying, O t 1.47 death, I will bee thy death, O graue I will be thy destruction. And therefore this Iesus is he through whom is preached vnto you forgiuenesse of sinnes, and by whom all that beleeue are iustified from all things, from which ye could not be iustified by the law of Moses.

Mors mortis morti mortem nisi morte dedisset, à nobis vitae Ianua clausa foret.

Beware therefore, lest that fall on you which is spoken of in the Prophets] This text is taken out of the first of Habakuk, vers. 5: u 1.48 but for as much as all the prophesies were collected together into one volume, he saith in the Prophets. x 1.49 Or according to the Hebrew phrase, in the Prophets, is as if he should haue said, in one of the Pro∣phets, as Genes. 23.6. In the chiefest of our sepulchres bu∣ry thy dead, that is, in one of the chiefe. He doth alter the words of the Prophet according to the sound, but not according to the sense. Haba••u•• saith, behold among the heathen, Paul heere, behold ye despisers. In which our Apostle doth expound and not confound the Prophet: for whereas the Iewes despised the word of God, hee sent them to be taught by the Caldeans; y 1.50 as if Habakuk had said, ye will not obey Gods voice, ye will not learne any thing in his schoole: wherefore yee shall ere it bee¦long b•• made to know his iudgements among the hea∣then: ••ee (saith the Lord) I will raise vp the Caldeans

that better and hasty nation, which shall march through the bredth of the land, to possesse the dwelling places which are not theirs. And z 1.51 this their ouerthrow was a type of their future reprobation and spirituall vastity for the contempt of the Gospell.

These things are a 1.52 ensamples, and are written to ad∣monish vs vpon whom the ends of the world are come. Let vs therefore beware, that these heauie iudgements fal not vpon vs as they did vpon the Iewes. Videte & as∣picite, admiramini, admiramini, take heed, & againe I say take heed, b 1.53 quench not the spirit, despise not prophe∣sying, receiue not the grace of God in vaine. c 1.54 Nemo malus nisi stultus, he that is a despiser of the sauing word is an arrant foole; for if hee were wiser hee would kisse the sonne, and beware lest that fall on his head which is spoken of in the Prophets, behold, ye despisers, and won∣der, and perish.

Notes

• s 1.1

  Mat. 11.9.
• t 1.2

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 1.23.
• u 1.3

  〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• x 1.4

  〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• y 1.5

  1. Cor. 1.23.
• z 1.6

  Esay 2 3.
• a 1.7

  Caluin.
• b 1.8

  Act. 3.15.
• c 1.9

  Luk. 19.42.
• d 1.10

  Mat. 23.37.
• e 1.11

  1. Cor. 2.8.
• f 1.12

  Psal. 118.22.
• g 1.13

  Ephes. 4.8.
• h 1.14

  Caluin. i•• Psal. ••.
• i 1.15

  Iob. 19.11. Rom. 13.1.
• k 1.16

  Act. 17 18.
• l 1.17

  1. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 3 9.
• m 1.18

  〈…〉〈…〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉. lib. 3. cap. 7.
• n 1.19

  Vide Bellarm. de Cor. ••. lib. 1. cap. 5. in prin∣cipio.
• o 1.20

  1. Sam. 2.6.
• p 1.21

  Heb. 1.2.
• q 1.22

  Act. 10.42.
• r 1.23

  Euthym. Genebrard. in Psal. 2. Chrysost. Cyril. Alex. Greg. Nyssen. apud Suarez. Tom. 2. disp. 45. sect. 1.
• s 1.24

  Heb. 1.6.
• t 1.25

  Ioh. 1.14.
• u 1.26

  Galath. 4.4.
• x 1.27

  August. in Psal. 2. & En∣chirid. cap. 49. Athanas. ser. 3. contra Arianos Ruffinus apud Lorin. in loc.
• y 1.28

  Suarez. Tom. 1. disput. 2. sect. 3.
• z 1.29

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. de 〈…〉〈…〉 in Psal. ••.2.
• * 1.30

  Orat. de 〈…〉〈…〉. 4. 〈…〉〈…〉. 6. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••6.
• * 1.31

  〈…〉〈…〉
• c 1.32

  〈…〉〈…〉
• d 1.33

  〈…〉〈…〉
• e 1.34

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.35

  〈…〉〈…〉
• h 1.36

  Mat. 27.60 66.
• i 1.37

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 Augustine. Genebrardus in Psalm. ••.
• k 1.38

  Vide Caluin. •• Psal. 2. & Suarez Tom 2. in 3. Tom. ••••p. 45. sect. 1.
• * 1.39

  Apud Sixt. ••••nen bib. sanct. lib. 7. he••as. 8. obiect. 11.
• m 1.40

  Lib. 3. de sa∣••••am. cap. 1.
• n 1.41

  Aretius.
• o 1.42

  ••orin.
• p 1.43

  Rom. 4.25.
• q 1.44

  Act. 2.29.
• r 1.45

  1. King. 2.10.
• s 1.46

  Colos 2 15.
• t 1.47

  Hosea 13.14.
• u 1.48

  Caluin. in loc.
• x 1.49

  Ri••era in Ha∣••acu•• 1. Num. 5.
• y 1.50

  Caluin. in Ha¦bacu••. ••.
• z 1.51

  Ribera. vbi sup. Num. 7.
• a 1.52

  1. Cor. 10.6.11.
• b 1.53

  1. Thess. 5.19.
• c 1.54

  Saluianus lib. 5. de Gu∣bernat dei.