divers sorts of Christians; especially among the ad- .SERM herents to Rome. For, They (out of a wanton mind, but in effect profanely and sacrilegiously) have attributed to her divers swelling and vain names, divers scandalously unsavoury, some hideously blasphemous, titles and elogies, as alluding to, so intrenching upon, the incommunicable prerogatives of God Almighty and of our blessed Saviour; such as the Queen of Heaven, the Health of the World, the Mother of Mercies, the Spouse of God, Our Lady, (as if, beside our unus Dominus, there were una Domina in the church, forgotten by St. Paul,) with the like. XXIV. Eph. iv. 5. 1 Cor. viii. They ascribe to her the most sublime attributes 6. of God, together with his most peculiar actions of providence and protection over us, yea of redemption itself. They yield acts of religious veneration (prayer and praise) to her, and those in a very high manner and strain; professing not only to serve her religiously, (which the holy scripture chargeth us to do in regard to God and him only,) but inepdovλeven, to do more than serve her, or to serve her with exceeding devotion. Who commonly do at the end of their works join, Praise be to God and to the blessed Virgin; as if Laus Deo et she were to share with God in the glory and gratitude due for blessing or success upon our perform ances. All this they do, without any plain reason, any plausible authority, any ancient example, yea manifestly enough against the best reason, the commands of God, the doctrine and practice of the primitive church, all which do conspire in appropriating reli B. Virgini. SERM. gious adoration to God alone; neither the holy XXIV. scripture nor the first Fathers excepting the blessed Rev. xix. 10. xxii. 9. Acts x. 26. xiv. 14. Virgin from the general rule, or taking notice of her as an object of our worship, but nipping the first essays of such a superstition in the Collyridians. Such groundless and foolish conceits, such dangerous and impious practices, we should carefully beware; the which, as they much derogate from God's honour, and prejudice his service, and thwart his commands, so they indeed do rather greatly discredit, injure, and abuse the blessed Virgin, (making her name accessory to such enormous scandals,) than they do bring any honour, or do any right to her. And I doubt not, but, e Tis alonois, if she from her seat of bliss doth behold these perverse services, or absurd flatteries of her, she with holy regret and disdain doth distaste, loathe, disdain, and reject them; with a Non nobis Domine, Psal. 115. Not unto us, O Lord; and with the angel in the Apocalypse,"Opa pn, See thou do it not. Whose greater honour it was, in truth, to be a meek and humble servant, than to be the mother of her Lord and Saviour; it is the chief and truest honour we can do her, to esteem her great modesty and humility, to imitate her piety and grace, after her pattern conscientiously to reverence and obey her Son; unto whom therefore let us with hearty thankfulness render all glory and praise. Amen. Suffered under Pontius Pilate. SERMON XXV. 1 Cor. i. 23. But we preach Christ * crucified. * Who was crucified. τὸν ἐσταυ σταυροῦ. I THE doctrine of the gospel is called the word of t the cross; that is, a report concerning our Lord's crucifixion, together with the declaration of the ends, 1 Cor. i. 18. effects, and uses of it; this being a special and main point therein, whereto all the rest are closely allied, and whereon the whole method of our salvation dependeth; a point, which (as St. Paul in this and in several other places doth acquaint us) of all others did find the hardest entertainment among all sorts of people, to whom it was addressed; few auditors being disposed to swallow it, or able to digest it. The Jews were much offended, that one who suffered by their hands in so vile and wretched a manner should be propounded to them as their Messias and King; the same who, according to their opinions Celsus, and hopes, (grounded on their ancient prophecies Orig. lib. ii. plausibly interpreted, and on their constant tradi- lib. i. p. tions,) was destined to restore them from their af- Porphyrius. Aug. de flicted condition, and to rear them into a high state Civ. D. x. of prosperity. The pagans took it for an extrava- Jul. apud gantly foolish conceit, that a person of so mean a quality and so miserable a fortune, should be p. 83, &c. 368. 28. Lucian. Cyrill. vi. p. 194. such Tryphon. apud Just. (p. 317.) SERM. as was told them, the Son of God, and Lord of all XXV. things, the author of happiness, and the object of highest adoration to all men; very absurd and abominable this proposition did generally seem to the carnal and worldly prejudices of men, who little could understand, and less would consider the sublime design thereof; but to those who (being endued with a meek heart, and enlightened by divine grace) did rightly apprehend and duly weigh it, it did afford great satisfaction and comfort; it had on them a most effectual and beneficial influence; proving 1 Cor. i. 18. indeed unto them the power of God to salvation; as raising in them strong hopes of salvation, and engaging them in a practice conducible thereto. Upon this point therefore our Lord's ambassadors, the holy apostles, in their preaching chiefly did insist, declaring the great ends and excellent fruits of our blessed Saviour's crucifixion; according to that of St. Paul, 1 Cor. ii. 2. I determine to know nothing among you save Christ, and him crucified. Rom. i. 16. the Jew, in It is therefore questionless a most profitable, and ever (especially now, when our Lord's passion is by the church solemnly commemorated) very seasonable subject of our meditation; apt to excite good thoughts, good affections, and good resolutions in Tryphon us; and as such, I mean now to recommend and Justin Mar- apply it; endeavouring to assist your meditation by tyr, doth suggesting some remarkable particulars concerning that Christ, it; and in my discourse I shall not so much geneto the pro- rally consider the death and passion of our Lord, as phecies of the particular manner and kind thereof, by cruciture, was fixion; the which we may contemplate, as qualified but it did with divers notable adjuncts; namely, 1. As a suffering in appearance criminal. 2. As most bitter confess, according holy scrip to suffer; offend him that he should suf and painful. 3. As most ignominious and shameful. SERM. 4. As agreeable and advantageous to the intents of XXV. his passion. 5. As completory of ancient presignifi- fer in this cations and predictions. 6. As apt to excite devo-Mart. p. tion in us, and to enforce on us the practice of our 317. duty. kind. Just. 2 Cor. v. 21. I. Let us consider it as a suffering in appearance criminal; or a seeming execution of justice upon our Lord, as a malefactor; He was, as the prophet Isa. liii. 12. foretold, numbered among the transgressors; and, God, saith St. Paul, made him sin for us, who knew no sin; that is, God ordered him to be dealt with as an exceedingly sinful or criminous person, who in himself was perfectly innocent, and void of the least. tendency to any fault: so in effect it was, that he John v. 18. was impeached of the highest crimes, not only as a x. 30. vii. violator of the divine law, in breaking the sabbath, in keeping bad company, and holding an over-free conversation; but as an impostor, deluding and seducing the people; as a blasphemer, assuming to himself the properties and prerogatives of God; as 12. a seditious and rebellious person, perverting the na- Luke xxiii. tion, forbidding the payments of tribute to Cæsar, Matt. xxvii. usurping royal authority, and pretending to be 63. Christ a King; in general, as a Kakоoids, a malefactor, or one guilty of notable crimes; so his prosecutors (in the Gospel) did affirm; If, said they John xviii. to Pilate, he were not a malefactor, we should not 30. have delivered him up unto thee: as such he was represented and arraigned; and that, although by a sentence wrested from the judge against his conscience, by the malicious importunity of his accusers, he was condemned, and in pretence suffered as such, is clear, and admitted by all. |