King Iames should bee brought to a happie ende that oftentimes in many mens hearings hee protested hee had rather die then be any way negligent herein Which as some thinke by all likelihood came indeede so to passe To wit that too earnest study and paines about the translation hastened his death and brought it on sooner Now as he liued so in his profession in his writings in his translating as though all the floods of many waters had neuer comn ' neare him euen so also he died During the short time of his sickenesse hee carried himselfe as alwaies before humbly mildly quietly constantly One of his louing friends standing by his bed and saying M. Liuely I pray God you may haue patience and hope and especially faith vnto the ende He lifting vp his hands said heartily and cheerefully Amen Little he vsed to speake and more he could not say for the paine and impediment of his squinsey Which though it made a speedie ende of him as the apoplexy did of the good Emperour Valentinian yet how could any death be sodaine to him whose whole life was nothing els but a meditation of death and whom the Lord whensoeuer he came might finde doing his dutie Wherefore no reason wee should lament his departure out of this world He liued blessedly he died blessedly in the Lord. Rather you Reuerend and learned Vniuersitie-men lament for this that you haue lost so famous a Professour and so worthy a writer Lament you translatours beeing now depriued of him who no lesse by his owne merit and desert then by the priuiledge of his place was to order and ouersee all your trauailes Lament you poore orphans 〈◊〉 poore children of you which he left 〈◊〉 him as Christ 〈◊〉 left eleuen Disciples bereâ—â—â—â— of your kinde and deare Father destitute of necessaries for your maiâ—â—enance to seeke of all helpe and 〈◊〉 but onely as poore folkes vse to speak such as God and good friends shal proâ—ide Lâ—â—ent lament all of you of the Toâ—ne as well as of the Vâ—â—â—ersitie because our Schoole hath lost sâ—ch a singular ornament of this age because our Churches haue lost such a faithfull and syncere seruant of Christ. Questionlesse as it should seeme by the taking away of this man almightie God is greatly angry with vs all for our sinnes Christ Iesus our Master as though he meant no more to care for vs seemeth to lie fast a sleepe in the ship while we most miserably in the flood of many waters are tormoiled and tossed Wherfore let vs in time crie aloud and awake him with our prayers Or rather indeede he is not a sleepe but awake alreadie We haue awaked him not with our prayers but with our sinnes Our sinnes haue cried vp to heauen And the Lord beeing awaked as a gyant comes forth against vs and as a mighty man refreshed with wine For not onely those are waters which are in the chanell or in the sea but as waters are here vnderstood euen those fires are waters those fires I say which very lately awaked vs at midnight and affrighted vs at noone day which raged on the South-side and anone after on the North-side of the Towne It was but a fewe mens losse but it was all mens warning And what shall we make nothing of this The plague the small pocks and the squinsey that one kind of disease deuoureth vp the Townesmen â—n other the schollers This is now the tenth course of Schollers which within this month hath beene brought foorth to buriall not one of them dying of the plague whereas heretofore if one or two schollers haue died in a whole year out of all Colledges it hath beene accounted a great matter This and such like grieuous iudgements beloued doe plainely declare that the Lord beeing awaked with the cry of our sinnes is greiuously displeased and offended at vs. Wherefore let vs nowe at the length in the name of God rowse vp our selues and awake out of our deadly sinnes Let this that our holy brother did so sodainly in a manner fall asleepe be a loud O yes as it were to awake vs all Let euerie one of vs amend one iudge one accuse one condemne one that we be not all condemned of the Lord. Let euery one of vs I beseech you crie vp to heauen for mercie and say â—ith Dauid I haue sinned and done wickedly Or with Ionas Take me for I know that for my sake this great tempest is vpon you Then our most mercifull father shall blesse vs all as he hath done this holy Saint both in our life and in our death by the pardoning of our offences couering all our sinnes with the bowels and blood of Christ. And though in this world we be euer subiect to a flood of many waters yet hee shall drawe vs still out of many waters as hee did Moses Surely in the floode of many waters no more then they did to Ionas they shall not come neare vs. Neither onely shall we be safe in the flood of death but also in the flood of the day of iudgement For that also is a flood and a terrible fearefull one too To wit not of water but of fire As it was in the dayes of Noah so shall it be at the comming of the son of man In the first flood they which had not an arke ranne vp to the toppes of houses to the toppes of trees to the toppes of mountaines because they desired to hold vp their heads aboue the still rising raging water In the second they which are not found in Christ shall say to the mountaines Fall vpon vs and to the Caues Cauer vs and hide vs from the wrath of the Lambe Then they shall be glad to creepe into euerie holâ— and corner that they may auoide the bâ—rning of fire But we that confesse our sinnes and forsake the same shall lift our heads to no other mountaine but to Christ from whom commeth our saluation we shall desire to be couered with no other rocke but onely with that out of which came the blood and water of life For neuer did Noahs flood so clean wash away all wicked men from the face of the earth as the blood of Christ shall purge vs from all our sinnes and present vs blamelesse before the face of our father onely if we be faithfull vnto death For then the next thing is felicity and the crowne of life Which God for his mercie sake graunt vs all that as we make no doubt but this our holy brother now triumpheth with Christ so all and euery one of vs after we haue waded through this world as a flood of many waters may inherit that kingdome of glory which our louing Lord Iesus hath purchased for vs with his deare blood to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory now and for euermore Amen FINIS A SERMON PREACHED at Whitehall before the KING on Twesday after Lâ— Sunday 1604. 2. COR. 3.18 But all we
me Who art thou Lord saies Saul I am saies Christ Iesus of Nazareth whom thou persecutest Alluding to the title of his crosse which was Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes At which words Saul both trembling and astonished said Lord what wilt then haue me do Act. 22.8 Now if Saul who repented him afterward of his persecuting Christ stood so astonished when he heard but a peice of the title vpon his crosse how â—heâ— shall all they bee astonished how shall they be confounded which without any repentance or remorse of conscience persecute Christ continually when at the latter day not onely the title written ouer his head but euen the verie print of the wounds in his hands and side shall rise vp in iudgement to condemne them When like as Ioseph said to his brethren I am Ioseph your brother whom you sold into Egypt so Christ shall say vnto them I am Iesus of Nazareth whom you persecuted and put to death Wonderfull indeed is the feare and confusion of a wicked conscience After that Herod had beheaded Iohn Baptist he imagined stil he saw and heard that holy head showting and crying out against him Mark 6.16 Whereupon hearing the fame of Iesus hee said not as others said It is Elias or It is one of the Prophets but It is Iohn saies he whome I beheaded he is risen from the dead Saying whome I beheaded hee confesseth not his fault in true repentance but onely with his owne mouth beareth witnesse of his owne wickednesse In so much as that may be said to him which Dauid said to the Amalakite who brought him newes of Sauls death Thine owne mouth testifieth against thee saying I haue slaine the Lords anointed Now if the remembrance of this cruell act so vexed and disquieted Herod day and night that hee could take no rest for it but still thought waking and dream'd sleeping Iohn Baptist was risen againe to be reuenged of him how then shall they be affrighted how shall they be confounded which haue not beheaded Iohn but crucified Christ yea and crucifie him continually with their sins when at the resurrection of all flesh they shal see him whom they haue peirced and wâ—ing their hands and weep and waile before him Scipio appointed his sepulchre to bee so placed as his image standing vpon it might looke directly toward Africa that beeing dead hee might still be a terror to the Carthaginians after the same sort the Prophet Esay prophesying of Christ saith In that day the roote of Iesse shall stand vp for a signe vnto the people and euen his sepulchre shall be glorious Et erat schulchrum eius gloriosum So that as the bodie of Cadwallo an auncient king of the Brittaines being embalmed and dressed with sweete confections Hollinshed was put into a brasen image and set vpon a brasen horse ouer Ludgate for a terrour to the Saxons in semblable sort he that is called Faithfull and true shall sit vpon a white horse and out of his mouth shall proceede a sharpe sword wherewith he shall smite and slay the heathen The sword wherewith Dauid hackt off Golias head 1. Sam 21.9 after he had wrested it out of his hand was kept in the Tabernacle wrapt in a cloath behind the Ephod Which when Abimelech the Priest brought forth Dauid said There is none to that giue it me Christ also did conquer death euen with thâ—se weapons and armour wherewith death assaulâ—ed him And hee keepeth still a memoriall of his conquest in the tabernacle of his body That as the Philistims were afraid when they sawe Dauid fighâ—ing in the field with that sword so all Christs enemies may bee confounded when they shall see the signe of the sonne of man appearing in the clouds with power and great glorie It was a strange miracle that of Aarons rodde which budded Therfore the Lord said vnto Moses Numb 7.10 Bring Aarons rod againe before the testimonie to bee kept for a token to the rebellious children The bodie of Christ was a greene tree before it was crucified After being dead it was clung and drie like Aarons rod. But it budded when as the third day it rose againe Therefore it is kept stil for a token to the rebellious children That as Aaron conuinced the murmuring Israelites and confirmed the authority of his priesthood by the budding of his rodde which otherwise was but a dead and a drie thing so Christ may confound his enemies when he shall shew such flourishing glorie such excellent maiestie in his bodie which hath yet in it the tokens and the marks of death It is reported that Zisca the valiant captaine of the Bohemians commaunded that after his decease his skinne should be fleed from his bodie to make a drum which they should vse in their battels affirming that as soone as the Hungarians Fox Act. or any other their enemies should heare the sound of that drumme they would not abide but take their flight And surely euery battel of the warriour is with noyse with tumbling of gaâ—ments in blood but this battell wherein Christ shall tread Satan and all his enemies vnder his feete shall bee with burning and consuming of fire So that no drum can be more terrible then the last trumpet shal be when the Lord Iesus shall shewe himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angels and shall so come downe with the very same markâ— and sears in his skin as the men of Galilie saw him ascending vp They which dispatched noble Iulius Caesar in the senate house did set a good face of the matter a while Dion l. 44. till Antonius the next day shew'd his robe in the market place all bloody cut and full of holes as his enemies had left it Then the people were so incensed and enraged against them that they made the best of them al glad to hide their heads The Romanes said We haue no King and therefore they slewe Caesar the Iewes said We haue no King but Caesar and therefore they slew Christ. But at the day of iudgment what shall Christ say Those mine enemies which would not that I should raigne ouer them bring hither and slay them before me Then not onely the angels but all creatures shall be ready to execute vengeance on these murtherers when they shall see the robe of Christ washt in wine and his garment in the blood of grapes Gen. 38.20 When Thamar Iudahs daughter in law was accused for committing folly in Israel she sent to her father in law saying Looke I pray thee whos 's these are the signet and the staffe Iuda by and by knew them and said She is more righteous then I. And so shall Christs enemies be enforced to confesse him more righteous then theÌ„selues yea they shall be quite confounded when they shall see how they haue abused him when they shall see the marks which their signet and staffe haue made their signet in his hands and their staffe in his
glory and credit to Christ then vvas the creation of the vvhole vvorld q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—ecume in c. 2. ad Heb. For if God had created a thousand worlde man had defaced them euery one with his sin But to saue if it be but one poore soule and to redeeme it from the pit of hell this indeed is the omnipotent power of the crosse of Christ. Sweet Sauiour I humbly embrace and kisse the wounds of thy hands and feet I esteeme more of thine Hysope thy Reed thy Spunge thy Speare then of any Princely Diademe I boast my selfe and am more proud of thy thornes and nailes then of all pearles and iewels I account thy crosse more splendent and glorious then any royall crowne tush what talke I of a crowne then the very golden sun-beams in their greatest beauty brightnesse This is that triumph vvhereby Christ caused vs to triumph in himselfe and to bee more then Conquerours r 2 Cor. 2.4 vvhen as the goodnesse and the sweetnes of Christ did triumph ouer all impietie and malice s Cum de impietate malitia suauitas piâ—asque triumphauit Cyp. And therfore if the women met Dauid playing and singing Saul hath slaine his thousand and Dauid his ten thousand how much more then ought all the sonâ— and daughters of Ierusalem all Christian men and women to meet Christ playing vpon the harpe and singing that new song to the lambe with the foure and twenty elders Thou art worthy to receiue glory and honour and power because thou wast killed and yet thou hast killed and slaine not onely a thousand or ten thousand but euen all thine and our enemies and hast redeemed vs thy friends to God by thy bloud There is a time to weepe and a time to laugh a time to mourne and a time to daunce t Eccle. 3. v. 4. Why art thou then so heauie O my soule and why art thou so disquieted within me What man plucke vp a good heart trust in God thinke vpon the honourable passion and gladsome resurrection of Christ And then though thou wert neuer so much afflicted yet euen in the fiery furnace of affliction reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious Dance now not as Herodias did but as Dauid did Leape vp in affection as high as heauen where thou shalt heare one rapt vp to the third heauen saying to himselfe God forbid that I should reioyce reioyce in any thing but in the crosse of Christ and to vs Reioyce in the Lord alwaies and againe I say reioyce And againe and againe I say reioyce and reioyce alwayes in the Lord. Especially at this time For if when the matter was in doubt and no man almost knew to what passe these troubles would sort in the end and very few in the Church no not the Apostles but only the Virgin Mary did vnderstand and beleeue the resurrection of Christ yet then our Sauiour said Weepe not for mee how much more now ought vvee not to vveepe but to reioyce seeing our Lord hath so mightily declared himselfe to be the sonne of God u Rom. 1.4 by raising vp his owne selfe from the dead And if vvee might not weepe when Iacob went ouer Iordan with nothing but his staffe in his hand x Gen. 31.18 then much more now ought wee to lift vp our hearts in great ioy to God and say O Lord we are not worthy of the least of all thy mercies for our blessed Redeemer went ouer Iordan with nothing but his crosse which is his Iacobs staffe * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Damascen l. 4. cap. 88. vpon his shoulder but now hee is returned againe with two great troupes O what a great troupe what a goodly flocke is here We with all the Militant Church are one flocke of Christ And the other flocke is the triumphant Church in Heauen with whom wee must continually reioyce for the victory and the saluation which Christ hath shewed vs this day For though on Good Friday towards euening the skie was redde all ouer coloured and distained with the bloud of Christ y Math. 16.2 yet laudes bee to our Lord O praised bee GOD that was a good signe this day it is faire weather The winter is now past the raine is changed and gone the flowers appeare in the earth the time of the singing of birds is come and the voyce of the Turtle is heard in our Land z Cant. 2.11 And what saith the Turtle Euen as it is here Weepe not for mee Weepe not for mee but weepe for your selues but weepe for your selues Pindarus reporteth there was an opinion of the Citie of Rhodes that gold rained downe vpon it a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ode T. If euer gold did raine downe from heauen vpon any Citie I thinke it is rather this Citie then Rhodes not onely for aboundance of gold and worldly riches wherewith it is replenished but also much more for infinite spirituall gifts and golden graceâ— of God O London London excellent things are spoken of thee O thou Citie of God! It is spoken of thee that thou employest a great part of thy wealth to the reliefe of poore Orphans of poore Souldiers of poore Schollers It is spoken of thee that thou dost reuerence religion and loue the truth more then any part of this Realme doth besides It is spoken of thee that none are more obedient none more ready then thou art both with body and goods to defend the state It is spoken of thee that thou art so famous in all forraine â—ountries that as Athens was called the Greece of Greece b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athenaeus l. 5. so London is called the England of England And wee may almost as well say that all England is in London as that all London is in England These are excellent things I assure you beloued excellent things indeed Wherefore wee which haue receiued so many singular graces of God should aboue all other be thankefull for them And not onely one or some few but euen all of vs should bring forth good fruits answerable to such great mercies Well would to God it were so But certainly it is not so Certainly all among vs all are not pure corne there are many tares all are not good fishes there are many bad all are not wise virgins there are many foolish all are not sheepe there are many goates Yet to inueigh particularly against the sinnes of this citie which should make vs weep for our selues I thinke it not greatly conuenient at this time Onely I beseech you that we may trie and examine our selues that wee may enter into our owne consciences euery one of vs humbly bowing the knees of his heart and saying in this sort O Lord Iesus how haue I bestowed all those talents of gold which thou hast giuen me how haue I required thee for all thy kindnesse towards me what hath my whole life beene else but a continuall warting
walke and not 〈◊〉 weary Euen as Pindarus writeth that king Thâ—rous coursers were such as would neuer be weary of going l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so shall these follow still and neuer be weary of well doing But the most especiall thing to be considered here is this that the Prophet saith They which waite vpon the Lord shall change their strength m Mutabunâ— fortitudinem Hee saith not they shall loose thâ—ir strength that whereas before they were strong now they shall be weak but they shall change their strength namely the vse of their strength that whereas before they were strong and did follow hard to serue sin now they shall be as strong and shall follow as hard to serue God Rom. 6.19 For God onely it is which can melt brasse out of a stone n Iob. 28.2 I wot well there is a stone called Almacrasia which being molten becommeth brasse But these words haue a farre more hidden meaning to wit that God doth melt brasse out of a stone when hee taketh the heart of a sinner which is as hard as a stone and melting it with the holy Ghost and with fire doth afterward make it as tough as brasse This was seene in the conuersion of Paul For when Paul was made an Apostate then a stone was made brasse He was as hard as any stone before his conuersion when he stoned Stephen o Acts 7.58 Hee was as tough as any brasse after his conuersion when hee did follow so hard that no affliction could separate him from the loue of Christ p Rom. 8.35 Which thing was prophesied of long before q Gen. 49.27 When the Patriarch Iacob said Beniamin shall be as a rauening wolfe in the morning hee shall deuoure the prey in the euening he shall deuide the spoile Paul was this Beniamin because hee was of the Tribe of Beniamin r Phil. 3.5 Paul was this rauening wolfe because he breathed out threatning and slaughter against the Disciples and was euen mad vpon them as a rauening wolfe s Act. 9.5 Paul in the morning deuoured the prey because in the beginning of his dayes hee wasted deuoured the Church of God as a prey t Gal. 1.13 Paul in the euening diuided the spoile because in the latter end of his dayes hee did follow his calling hard and diuided the Word of God aright v 2 Tim. 2.15 of which the Psalmist saith I reioyce in thy Word more then they which haue found a great spoyle So that this is no losse of strength but onely a change of strength O blessed Beniamin O holy Apostle Thou hast now changed thy strength Yea by changing it thou hast much increased it for thou wert nothing so strong before as thou art now Nothing so strong before being a stone as thou art now being brasse Nothing so strong before being a rauening wolfe as thou art now being a meeke lambe Nothing so strong before in the morning as thou art now in the euening Nothing so strong before when thou diddest deuoure the prey as thou art now when thou doest deuide the spoyle When no impediments no stumbling blockes can stay thee but thou wilt needes compasse sea and land but thou wilt needes follow hard and runne ouer the whole world to deuide the spoile among all nations to preach the Gospell vnto all people So likewise Baruch was inflamed as the Hebrew word signifieth h Hekerah Neh. 3.20 he was I say inflamed to fortifie the wall of Ierusalem In mans body the Arteries running along the veines and beating vpon them stirre vp the bloud and keepe it warme least otherwise by standing still it should congeale and waxe cold i Vide Theodor. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 1. After the same manner in Baruch his heart there were liuely and quicke motions of the holy Ghost which did blow the coales and stirre vp the gift of God in him k 2 Tim. 1.6 which did warme his bloud and make him follow the matter hard being wholly inflamed with a burning desire to see the Citie of God restored againe to her former glory So Abraham when the Angels came to him l Gen. 18.7 made haste to runne to his tent and his wife made haste to kneade three measures of fine meale and his boy made haste to 〈◊〉 and dresse a good and tender calfe Let ye how all are imploied in a godly mans house Abraham and his wife man and woman Abraham and his Boy old and yong all make haste and follow hard So Dauid did runne the way of Gods commandements Nay no ordinary pace would serue him but he must needs dance before the Arke Yea his feete could not hold him but hee must needes haue wings as a doue O that I had wings as a Doue saith hee then would I flie and be at rest m Psal. 55.4 He wisheth for wings not that he might first be at rest and afterward flie but that hee might first flie and afterward be at rest That hee might first follow hard and flie vp with the wings of faith into the heauenly paradise and afterward be at rest and settle there in the tree of eternall life O that I had wings that I had wings as a doue saith he then would I flie would I flie and be at rest And so must we after the example of Dauid of Abraham of Baruch of Paul fight for the faith which we haue receiued (n) Iudg. 1.3 and striue to enter in at the streight gate (o) Luk. 13.24 and labour for the meat which perisheth not (p) Iohn 6.27 and study to enter into rest (q) Heb. 4.11 We must I say study and labour and striue and fight and follow hard This is the fourth degree to perfection Touching the fifth he saith not beside the marke but toward the Marke Austin holdeth that a man were better run either too slowly or too fast in the way then follow hard out of the way For the harder thou followest out of the way the further thou runnest from the Marke Hereupon the Apostle after Following hard addeth immediately toward the Marke Insinuating thereby that to follow is nothing but the Marke is the matter And consequently that hee which is not a skilfull Marke man can neuer bee a faithfull follower Therefore wee must marke well what MARKE is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laert. in Dioge Quod ille ioco id nos serio dicannis In one word it is the crosse of Christ. For Christ hath set vp his crosse as a spell (r) Hinc dicitur Gospel quasi Gods spell or as a marke for vs to aime at as a patterne of all perfection as an euerlasting signe which shall not be taken away s Esay 55.13 Hence it is that speaking of one who should bee his Disciple hee saith t Mar. 8.34 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil de spiritu S. cap. 8. Hee that would come after
vulgar Tell me beloued I beseech you if it will be no great trouble to you as I trust it will not tell me I pray you wherefore saith the same Dauid m Psal. 86.11 Iached leuaui Chald. Vnicum fac cor meum Hier. speaking to God O knit my heart vnto thee that I may feare thy name but only to teach vs that But one thing is the first degree to perfection For whereas wee vsually reade it O knit my heart vnto thee that I may feare thy name the Chaldee Paraphrast and S. Ierome translate it O make my heart but onely one heart that I may feare thy name So that a man cannot any way so much as enter into the feare of Gods name which is the beginning of all perfection except first his heart be made one in it selfe and one in God that he may principally mind but one thing Almightie God concerning the East-gate of the Temple saith thus This gate shall be shut and shall not bee opened and no man shall enter by it because the Lord God of Israel hath entred by it n Ezech. 44. â— Here-through signifying that although the heart of a Christian which is the Temple of the Holy Ghost may let many things enter into it at other gates yet it must keepe the East-gate the most illuminat and highest power and part of it continually shut against al men yea against all the world and opened only to one thing I meane to God who hath already entred into it and enlightned it with his spirit That as at the window of Noahs Arke there entred in no mist no water nothing else but one thing onely which is light o Gen. 6.16 â—enestra dicitur Zobar quia non aliud quam mâ—ridianam lucem recipit Et. Esay 54.12 Shâ—moshah quia solum Solem intromittit so at the East-gate no mist of human errors no water of worldly cares may enter in but onely the light of heauen a sanctified desire to be fast knit perfectly vnited by faith and loue to God Hence it is that Moses comming to talke with God vpon the mountaine was commanded to bring no man with him but to come vp himselfe alone p Exod. 24.18 Nay moreouer being vpon the mountaine alone he was couered compassed about with a thicke cloud which made him feare the name of the Lord and hooded him as I may say in such sort that he could see nothing but one thing which was God And therfore the Psalme saith O make my heart like Moses heart when he was vpon the mountaine O make my heart like the window of Noahs Ark and the East-gate of the Temple O make my heart but onely one heart one in it selfe and one in thee O knit my heart vnto thee that I may feare thy name Tell me wherefore saith Christ q Cant. 7.4 speaking to his Spouse Thy nose is like the tower of Lebanon but onely to teach vs that I forget that which behinde is the second degree to perfection For seeing Christ is now risen againe and ascended vp into heauen which is the high tower of Lebanon therefore we which are the Saints of God must not be like the Idols of the heathen which haue noses and smel not but we must haue noses like the Tower of Lebanon * Si verborum faciem consideremus quid poterit magis dici ridiculum Ergo spiritualem requirunt intelligentiam Titelmanus in hunc locum which forgeting all earthly things and leauing them behinde must smell and seeke those things which are aboue God appointed Gedeon to dismisse all those of his army which bowed down their knees to drinke and to retaine onely those which lapped water out of their hands as a dogge lappeth r Iudg. 7.5 Because he which drinketh vpoÌ„ his knees like an Oxe cannot possibly go forward while he drinketh But hee which with some of the Polonians s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem Alexan. Stro. lib. 1. pag. 110. or with that dogge Diogenes lappeth water out of his hands may neuerthelesse go forward while hee lappeth as an Egyptian dogge doth while hee lappeth the water of Nilus (t) Aegyptij caâ—es è Nilo nunquam nisi currentes lambitant Solinus Polyhist c. 20. And like as a lusty hound of a good kind ordereth his going so well Pro. 38.31 that though he haue run ouer very many fields and through a thousand thickets already yet hee neuer remembreth any labour which is behinde but forgetteth it and if he chance to lap water in some brook by the way (x) Psa. 110. De torrente in via bibet yet euen while he lappeth he lifteth vp his head and still goeth on and plyeth him forward to his game so must we do in this pursuit of perfection Seeing Christ hath now sprinkled all the way betweene heauen earth with his bloud so hath made it a fresh and a liuing way y Heb. 10.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore wee which haue noses like the tower of Lebanon must as bloud-hounds trace him by the foote and run after him in the smell of his ointments (z) Cant. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuagint and hunt hotly vpon this fresh and liuing way with a fresh liuely faith and though wee haue gone very far done a thousand good deeds already yet wee must alwaies forget that which is behinde till we haue gotten if not the childrens bread yet at the leastwise some little crum of mercy that fals from our Masters Table some little drop of bloud that fals from our Lords side which shall I assure you bee sufficient to make vs perfect men in Christ. Tell me whâ—refore was the Altar of Perfume set within the Sanctuary a Exod. 36.6 but only to teach vs that and endeuour my selfe to that which is before is the third degree to perfection For euen as that Altar of perfume was placed not in any common roome nor any odd corner of the tabernacle but in the Sanctuary it selfe somewhat beyond the vaile close to the golden censer (b) Heb 9.4 very neere the mercy-seat so a Christian heart which is a spirituall altar of perfume and of a sweet sauoâ—r to God (c) 2 Cor 2.15 must daily endeuour it selfe to that which is before and still more and more aspire to heauenly things (d) Beda de tabernaculo l 3. ca. 11. alwaies neerer and neerer opproach vnto the throne of grace and continually hier and hier aduance it self to him that is the highest and holiest of all Tell me wherefore did the Israelites when they had pitched in Mithkah remoue their tents from thence and pitch in Cashmonah e Num. 33.29 but onely to teach vs that And follow hard is the fourth degree of perfection For euen as they as soone as they had pitched in Mithkah which signifies sweetnes by and by remoued their tents from thence and pitched in Cashmonah which
in it so the Lord onely hath all manner of good things al manner of true delights in him Therefore the Church hauing first bestowed the greatest part of Salomons song altogether in commendation of the beautie and comelinesse of Christ at length concludeth thus Thy mouth is as sweet things and thou art wholly delectable how faire art thou how pleasant art thou O my loue in pleasures So that when I seeke my loue my Lord then I seeke a delight and a light that passeth all lights which no eye hath seene I seeke a sound and an harmonie that passeth al harmonies which no eare hath heard I seeke a sent and asauour that passeth all sauours which nosense hath smelt I seeke a rellish and a tast that passeth al taste which no tongue hath tasted I seeke a contentment and a pleasure that passeth all pleasures which no body hath felt Nay I cannot hold my heart for my ioy yea I cannnot hold my ioy for my heart to think that he which is my Lord is now become my father and so that he which was offended with me for my sins sake is now reconciled to mee for his sonnes sake To think that the high Maiesty of God will one day raise me out of the dost and so that I which am now a poore worme vpon earth shall hereafter bee a glorious Saint in heauen This this makes mee delight my selfe in the Lord saying O thou that art the delight of my delight the life of my life the soule of my soule I delight my selfe in thee I liue onely for thee I offer my selfe vnto thee wholly to the wholly one to thee one onely to thee r Totum toti vnum vni vnicum vnico onely For suppose now as S. Iohn speaketh the whole world were full of bookes and al the creatures in the world were writers all the grasse piles vpon the earth were pennes and all the waters in the sea were yoke yet I assure you faithfully all these bookes all these writers all these pennes all this yoke would not bee sufficient to describe the very least pert either of the goodnes of the Lord in himselfe or of the louing kindnesse of the Lord towards thee Wherefore Delight thy selfe in the Lord and he shall giue thee the desires of the heart Thus much for the precept in these words Delight thy selfe in the Lord. The promise followeth First And hee shall giue thee Well saies Leo Loue is the greatest reward of loue that either can be or can be desired s Dilectionis nulla maior expetenda est remuncratio quam ipsa dilectio Ser. 7. de ieiu So that though there were no other reward promised thee for delighting in the Lord but onely the delight it selfe it were sufficient For the benefit is not Gods but wholly thine God is neuer a whit the better for thy delighting thy selfe in him If thou bee righteous what dost thou giue him what doth bee receiue at thy hands t Iob. 32.7 Thy delight may perhaps reach to the saints which are in the earth but it can neuer reach to the Saints which are in heauen and much lesse can it reach to God which is the Lord of heauen u Psal. 16.2 Nay I will say more If thou shouldest giue God whole riuers full of oyle and whole houses full of gold for neuer so little a drop of this delight it would be nothing Thy gift wold be nothing to his gift thy oyle and golde would be nothing to his oyle and gladnes yet behold the bountifulnesse and liberalitie of the Lord. He â—ires thee and giues thee wages not to doe himselfe good but to doe thy selfe good And here he promiseth to reward his owne mercies as if they were thine owne merits And as though the benefit were not thine but wholly his so hee changeth the words and for thou shalt giue him saies He shall giue thee But this he doth as Augustine testifieth x Non erroris amoris sed amoris errore De ciuit dei lib. 22. cap. 6. Not by the loue of errour but by the errour of loue For the loue of errour is mans Rhetoricke it is a figure which man often vseth Hâ—manum est errare y It is mans property to erre But the errour of loue is Gods Rhetoricke it is a figure which God often vseth Diuinum est amare z It is Gods property to loue Especially it is a diuine thing to loue so dearely as God loueth vs. Who though he do not loue to erre yet he doth erre for loue Counting and calling that which is onely our commodity his owne commodity So Christ is said a Can. 2.16 to be fed amongst the lylies The lylies of the fields are the milions of the angels b Lilia agroruÌ„ millia angelorum or of al those which lead a pure an angelicall life These indeed Christ feedeth He feedeth them on the greene pastures and leadeth them forth by the waters of comfort Yea not onely be feedeth them but also by this figure the error of loue he is said to be fed with them Because though he for his part haue little neede I wis to be feede yet it is as great a pleasure to him to feede them as if hee were fedde himselfe among them c Si vidisti quod pasci illi sit pascere vide esiam nuÌ„c ne forte e conuerso nascere sit ei pasci Barnard Cant. serm 71 So likewise he saies If any man open the doore I will suppe with him and be with me d Reu. 3.20 Wee indeede suppe with Christ. Generally whensoeuer he giues vs grace to feele in our affections the rauishing ioyes of the spirit And when he saies I haue eaten my bonie combe with my hony I haue drunken my wine with my milke eate you also O my friends drinke and make you merry O my well beloued But more especially wee suppe with Christ when hee calls vs to the holy Communion and biddes vs to the Lords Supper For then he staies vs with flagons and comforts vs with e Cant. 3.20 apples with apples and flagons with bread and wine with his owne deere body and his owne pretious bloud Thus do wee sup with Christ. Bâ—t how doth Christ suppe with vs Is it possible possible that he which shall neuer hunger or thirst any more possible that be which is fulnesse it selfe in whom all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily dwelleth Is it possible I say that hee should stand without knocking at the doore as a begger to get a meales meat of vs Yea sure doubt you not It is possible enough By a certaine Figure I weene you call it the errour of loue that 's it by this figure the errour of loue it is a very possible thing nay it is a verie easie thing to doe yea it is a very great pleasure to him to doe it Behold saies hee I stand at the dâ—re and
will I speake that I may take breath m Iob. 3â— 19 As Elibu then kept silence some while euen from good wordes though it were paine and griefe to him but at the last the fire kindling and his heart beeing hotte within him spake with his tongue n Psal. 39.3 so the spirit of God in all the elect of God is like wine put into a bottle which will haue a vent to spurge out or els it will burst the bottle or like fire rakte vp in embers which will haue a passage to burne out or els it wil consume the whole house o 1. Ioh. 2.9 And therefore Saint Iohn likewise saith Whosoeuer is borne of God doth not sinne for his seede remaineth in him neither can he sinne because hee is borne of God Marke yee this well The Apostle thinketh it not enough to say Hee doth not sinne but addeth moreouer He cannot sinne What is that To witte presumptuously without feare hee doth not sinne and desperately without remorse he can not sinne He can not sin I say presumptuously as Pharaoh did desperately as Caine did malitiously as Iudas did blasphemously as Iudas did He cannot hee cannot sinne thus Why so Because the seede of God remaineth still in him And what is the seede of God It is the spirit of God of which S. Paul saide euen now The spirit lusteth against the flesh and these are contrary one to the other so that ye cannot do the same thing that yee would Yee doe not sinne nay yee cannot sinne as the flesh would haue you ye cannot doe the same things that ye would but yee doe nay ye can not choose but doe manie times as the seede of God remaining in you and as the spirit of God lusting in you would haue you So that this is a legall kinde of preaching to say Take heede you sinne not yee may happen so to loose your faith to loose all the iustifying grace which God hath giuen vs to be for euer excluded out of the Kingdome of heauen This is to be sayde to vassals to drudges to slaues not to sonnes To sons this may bee better sayde p Heb. 12.5 vobis vt filijs Take heed yee sinne not God hath adopted you giuen you the earnest of his spirite q 2 Cor. 5.5 Therefore grieue not this sweete spirite whereby yee are sealed vp to the day of redemption r Eph. 4.30 If yee be louing children indeed though there were no hel to feare no heauen to hope for no torments to dread no rewards to expect yet wee will obey your good father be the sorrow-fullest Creatures in the world if you haue but once displeased him onely for the meere loue yee beate towards him and for the vnspeakeable loue hee hath shewed towardes you s Diligenti deuÌ„ sufficit ei placere quem diligit quam nulla maior expeteuda est remâ—â—etatio quom ipsa dilectio Leo Magnus Serm. 7 de Ieiunio For if he gaue his onely begotten sonne to die for you wheÌ„ ye were his enemies t Rom. 5.10 now you are sons and such deare sonnes in his dearest Sonne u Eph. 1.6 what duty will you denie him what loyaltie will you grudge him what heartie thankefulnesse and good will is there which you will not afford him what faithful honour and seruice is there which you will not yeeld him In one word ye holie ones of God I speake now to you all beloued he which stands much vpon this obiection hath no faith no repentance no iustifying grace at all in him For the faithfull will neuer make that liberty which Christ hath purchased for them with his precious bloud a cloake to couer their wickednesse x 1. Pet. 2.19 but rather a spurre to incite them to godlinesse y Luk. 1.74 Liberamur vt seruiamâ—s ei Neyther will they at any time reason thus z Rom. 6.15 VVe will sinne because wee are not vnder the Law but vnder grace nor yet thus a Rom. 6.2 We will continue in sinne that grace may abound but alwaies thus b Rom. 6.11 By that wee are deade to sinne wee gather that wee are aliue to God or else thus c Tit. 2.11 The grace of God hath appeared teaching vs to deny vngodlines and worldlie lusts Thus you see then howe the regenerate man euerie new acte of sinne must be bewailed by a new acte of Repentance For God wil not forgiue me except I repeut no more then I am bound to tell my brother I forgiue him except hee tell me He repents Naaman must wash himselfe seauen times before he can bee cleane the Angell of Ephesus must rise from his fall and doe the first workes or else his Candlesticke shall bee remoued the Church of Corinth though it bee neuer so Holie yet by sinne violating Gods loue must oftentimes bee reconciled anew euen king Dauid in this place though he were a man according to Gods own heart yet before Nathan would absolue him he was faine to crie Peccâ—â—â— and before God would forgiue him he was faine to confesse his wickednes and to water his couch with his teares The second note is That a great act of sinne must be bewailed with a greate acte of Repentance I meane not that anie paine or griefe of ours can make satisfaction for the least of our sinnes or that one contrition can be any cause of remission but onelie that where sinne hath abounded there sorrowe sholâ—d abound also that Grace may superabound at the last d 5. Rom. 10. The Schoolmen shewe heere that great griefe may bee considered two waies According to a mans appretiation and according to his intension e Vide Bellar. de Pâ—â—itentia libro 2 â— 11 As the Patriarke Iacob in his intension did lament his sonne Ioseph whom he thought to be dead more pittifully then he did any sin that we read of f Gen. 37.34 but in the appretiation or estimation which hee had of the â—aynousnesse of sinne certainly he would rather haue lost tenne sonnes then once haue sinned against God Therfore howsoeuer in intention sorrow for sinne bee none of the greatest yet in appretiation they would euer haue it excessiue But we neede not borrow such vncoth wordes of the Schoolemen to expresse our meaning if we can tel how to vse those words which we haue of our owne For if wee looke narrowly into this place wee shall see that the Prophet Dauid is both waies in the highest degree sorrowfull First by how much the more dearely he esteemed Gods loue and friendshippe then the health of his body by so much the more is hee grieued that that is violated then that this is endangered And yet againe how intensiuelie and bitterlie he bewaileth not so much the sicknesse of his bodie as the cause thereof the sinne of his soule appeareth in that he trisâ—eth not but washeth his bed and waterâ—â—â— his couch with his
Whereupon we read that the spirit of life returned into the two witnesses which had beene slaine by the beast Reu 11.11 after three dayes and an halfe Why after three dayes and an halfe To teach vs that affliction and persecution may perhaps tyranize ouer vs three dayes and an halfe but they shall not fill vp the whole sowre dayes Matth. 24.22 For the elects sake those dayes shall be shortened Agreeable to that which Iohn Baptist begunne his preaching with Repent for the kingdome of heauen is at hand Matth. 3.2 Repent that 's a matter of mortification and â—ffliction to the flesh For the kingdom of heauen is at hand That 's a matter of comfort and ioy Reuel 22. â—2 So our Sauiour Behold I come quickly and my reward with mee if Christ will come quickly then affliction will be gone quickly Thus momentarie is our affliction For our whole life is short much more then the afflictions of this life affliction is greiuous but for the present heauines endureth but for a night persecution lasteth but three dayes and an halfe the kingdome of heauen is at hand therefore deliuerance is at hand Christ will oâ— the quickly therefore affliction will be gone quickly Wherefore seeing our affliction is so momentarie let vs be patient in affliction For the momentarie lightnesse of our affliction worketh vs a surpassing exceeding eternall waight of glory Secondly our affliction is light Almighty God setting forth his owne excellencie saith Who hath measured the heauens with his span Esa. 40.12 and the waters with his fist By the heauens are meant the diuine blessings of God by the waters afflictions woes Those he measureth with his span which is a longer measure these with his fist which is a shorter measure So that the Lord is as I may say a rhetoritian verie plentifull and copious in his blessings he measureth them with his spanne But he is a logitian more short and sparing in his afflictions Psal. 75.9 these he measureth with his fist For in the hand of the Lord there is a cuppe the wine is redde and full mixt he powreth out of the same as for the dregges thereof the wicked of the earth doe drinke them vp First we drinke not this cup onely full of redde wine that 〈◊〉 of the wrath and indignation of God but mixt with diners comforts otherwise Then besides we meddle not with the dregges Vpon the vngodly he shal raigne snares fire brimstone storme and tempest this shall be their portion to drinke We drinke only a little of the vppermost And therefore he saith God powreth out of the same That after we haue suffered a â—â—dicum as S. Peter speaketh 1. Pet. 5.20 we may then enter into glorie According to King Dauid his prayer Comfort vs O Lord now for the time wherein thou hast afflicted vs and for the daies wherin we haue seene euill Hierome noteth that hauing first said wherein thou hast afflicted vs he expounds it after by these words Psal. 90.15 wherein we haue seene euill Therefore that which Acteon wished Velleâ—que videre non etiaâ— sentire Ouid. that he might see only his â—ounds hunting and not feele it that happeneth indeede to vs. Our affliction is not a feeling of euill neare at hand but onely a feeling of it a farre off Aâ— the Persian Kings children in their minority if they had committed a fault were not corrected themselues but onely sawe some of meaner birth chastised before them so God teacheth vs to take heed rather by other mens then by our owne harmes And looke how Abraham laid nothing but wood vpon his sonne Isaac carrying the knife and the fire himselfe after the same sort dealeth our heauenly father with vs. He laieth vpon vs wood without a knife The Phisitian saith that is the best exercise which is ad ruborem non ad sudorâ—m refreshing the spirits and stirring vp the blood a little but not putting a man into any great sweat But the Diuine may say that is the best affliction which is ad sudorem non ad sanguinem Therefore God laieth vpon vs wood ad sudoreÌ„ to make vs sweat Gen. 3.19 In the sweat of thy browes shalt thou eat thy bread not a knife ad sanguinem Heb. 12.4 to make vs bleed Ye haue not yet resisted vnto blood God laieth vpon vs wood without fire Now wood without fire is not greatly dangerous Or say he lay vpon vs both wood and fire yet the voice of the Lord deuideth the flame of fire For in the flame of fire naturally there is heate and light But notwithstanding the omnipotent voice of the Lord deuideth these one from the other As the cursed in hell shew and the elect vpon earth I am tormented in the flame saith Diues There 's heat but no light Contrariwise the three children in the furnace shined as Angels for light but were so farre from heat that no one haire of their â—ead or of their apparell perished When Moses saw a bush burning and not consumed he saide I will goe and see this great vision A great vision indeede There was a flame of fire Els how was the bush burning There was light Els how did Moses see it There was no heat Exod. 3.2 Els how was not the bush consumed Yet in euery faithfull one afflicted you may see this great vision The voice of the Lord in his affliction as in the flame of fire Psal. 97.11 diuideth the heat from the light So that he is not consumed by the heat nay rather his infirmities and carnall concupiscences are consumed thereby but onely illuminated by the light According to that Onely vexation giueth vnderstanding And in an other place Light is sprung vp to the righteous and ioy to them that are true of heart Thus ye see how tenderly our deare father dealeth with vs He laieth either no fire at all vpon vs or else no burning fire for heat but onely a blasing fire for light To make short Many hands as we say make light worke Now wee haue many comparteners and fellowes which make the labour of our affliction light First all creatures sigh and grone with vs Rom 8.22 Then all the faithfull beare one an others burthens Gal. 6. and so fulfill the lawe of God Thirdly the good Angels haue a charge giuen them of vs Psal. 91.11 that we hurt not our foot at any time against a stone Next Psal. 55.23 God the father biddeth vs cast our burthen vpon him and promiseth to nourish vs. Fiftly the holy Ghost helpeth our infirmities Rom. 8.19 and helpeth them euen when we are readie to be oppressed by them Lastly God the sonne setteth to his hand likewise and saith Matth. 11.10 Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauie loaden and I will refresh you take my yoake vpon you for my yoake is easie and my burthen is light As if he should haue
such things So that the birth of Christ did cosen the diuell but the death of Christ did conquer the Diuell And that much more gloriously when the temple of his body was vpon the pinacle of the crosse then vvhen the body of his crosse vvas vpon the pinacle of the Temple For when he was vpon the temple his breath spake better things then Sathan but when he was vpon the crosse his bloud spake better things then Abel and there his breath came from his lungs out of his mouth but here his bloud came from his heart out of his side and there hee fought standing stoutly to it and withstanding Sathan hee would not in any wise throw downe himselfe but here hee skirmished yeelding and humbling himselfe to the death of the Crosse and there the Diuell ascended vp to him vnto the toppe of an high mountain and so as I may say bad him base at his own goale but here he himselfe descended down to the diuell into the neathermost hell and so spoyled principalities and powers and slew the great Leuiathan in the very bottome of his owne bottomles pit For the Diuell like a greedy rauenous fish snatching at the bait of Christs body as Damascene speaketh was peirced through and twitcht vp with the hooke of his Deitie u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore both before Christs passion Peter tooke money out of a fishes mouth to pay his tribute and also after Christs passion the Disciples broiled a fish for him to feede vpon Whereby we see that Christ who made a fish pay tribute to Caesar for him made the Diuell also pay tribute to Death for him and on the other side that the Diuel while hee went about to catch this good fish which is Iesus Christ Gods sonne the Sauiour as Methodius and Sibylla proue the letters of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seuerally signifie was himselfe caught yea also killed by Christ. So that all the while Christ was buried in the graue the diuell was broyled in hell Wherefore aâ— it was bootlesse for Goliah to brandish his speare against Dauid so it little auailed the Diuell to shake his speare likewise in the hand of the souldier against the heart of Christ. For as Dauid hauing heard Goliah prate and talke his pleasure when they came to the point at the first stroke ouerthrew him so Christ with that very selfe-same speare which gaue him a little venny in comparison or if it be lawfull for me so to speake but a phillip on the side which was soone after recured gaue the diuel a deadly wound in the forehead which with all his pawes hee shall neuer be able to claw off And againe as Dauid onely with his sling wrought this feate so Christ onely by his death and by the power of his crosse which is the sling of Dauid y Sene crux ipsa funda est qua Dauid Goliath borrenoum armis formidabile visu prostrauit humi Cyr. Ioh. l. 8.17 did conquer and subdue the diuel And so the death of Christ by reason of his righteousnes is the death of the Diuel It is on the other side the life of himselfe That which was prophesied in the Psalm is here fulfilled in Christ. z Psa. 92.12 The iust shal flourish as the Palm-tree In the Hebrew it is Tamar which signifies onely a palm-tree But in the Greeke it is Phoinix which signifies not only a palme-tree but also a Phoenix Which translation proueth two things First that Iesus the iust one did most flourish when he was most afflicted For the iust shall flourish as the palm-tree a Chattamar Now the palm-tree though it haue many weights at the top and many snakes at the roote yet still it sayes I am neither oppressed with the weights nor distressed with the snakes b Nec premor nec perimor And so Christ the true palm-tree though all the iudgements of God and all the sinnes of the world like vnsupportable weights were laid vpon him yea though the cursed Iewes stood beneath like venemous snakes hissing and biting at him yet hee was neither so oppressed with them nor so distressed with these but that euen vpon his crosse he did most flourish when he was most afflicted As peny-royal being hung vp in the larder-house yet buds his yellow flower and Noahs oliue tree being drowned vnder the water yet keepes his greene branch and Aarons rod being clung and dry yet brings forth ripe almonds and Moses bramble-bush being set on fire yet shines and is not consumed Secondly that Iesus the iust one did most liue when he seemed most to be dead For the iust shall flourish as the Phoenix 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now the Phoenix though sitting in his nest among the hot spices of Arabia he be burnt to ashes yet still he sayes I die not but old age dieth in mee c Moritur me non moriente senâ—ctus And so Christ the true Phoenix though lying in his graue among the hot spices wherewith Nichodemus emblame him hee was neuer like to rise from death to life againe yet he died not but mortality died in him and immortalitie so liued in him that euen in his sepulcher hee did most liue when hee seemed most to be dead As the Laurell is greenest in the foulest Winter and the lime is hottest in the coldest water and the glow-worme shineth brightest when the night is darkest and the swan singeth sweetest when his death is neerest d Cantator cygnus funeris ipse sui Martialis lib. 13. Epigr. Epaminondas being sore wounded in fight demanded of his souldiers standing by whether his enemies were ouerthrowne or no They answered yea Then whether his bucklet were whole or no They answrered also I. Nay then sayes hee all is well This is not the end of my life but the beginning of my glory For now your deare Epaminondas dying thus gloriously shall rather bee borne againe then buried e Nunc enim vester Epaminondas nascitur quia sic moritur Christ likewise was sore wounded but his enemies Death and the Diuell were ouerthrowne and spoyled His buckler which was his God-head was whole and vntouched therefore there was no harm done His death was no death but an exaltation vnto greater glory f Ego si exaltatus fuero Iohn 12.32 That noble Eunuch riding in his coach read in Esay that Christ was silent before his death as a lambe before his shearer He saith not before the Butcher but before the shearer Insinuating that death did not kill Christ but onely sheare him a little Neither yet had death Christs fleece when he was shorne For Christ taking to himselfe aspunge full of vineger g Ioh. 19.29 that is full of our sharpe and sowre sinnes did giue vs for it purple wooll full of bloud h Heb. 9.19 that is ful of his pure and perfect iustice And indeed the onely liuery which Christ
our Lord and Master giueth vs all that are his faithfull seruants is a coat made of this purple wooll The Psalmist saith that God giueth his snow like wooll But here wee may turne the sentence and say that Christ giueth his wooll like snow For as show couereth the ground when it is ragged and deformed so Christs wooll which is his coate without seame couereth our sinnes and though they were as crimson yet maketh them white as snow And as Gideons fleece when it was moist the earth was dry but when it was dry the earth was moist so when Christs fleece was moist as a greene tree then were all wee drye like rotten stickes but when his fleece was dry all the blood and water being wrung out of his pretious side then were we moistened with his grace Wherefore seeing death had not Christs fleece when he was shorne but we haue it which beleeue in him it followeth that neither death was the better nor Christ the worse But as a lamb is much more nimble liuely for shearing so this shearing of death was a kind of quickning to the lambe of God and onely a trimming to him before he ascended to his Father as Ioseph was trimmed and powled before he appeared to Pharaoh For looke how Adam slept so Christ died i Dormit Adam moritur Christus Prosper When Adam slept his side was opened when Christ died his side was opened Adams side being opened flesh and bone were taken out Christs side being opened water and bloud were taken out Of Adams flesh and bone the woman was built of Christs water and bloud the Church is built So that the death of Christ is nothing else but the sleepe of Adam For 〈◊〉 he said of the Damsels death The Damsell is not dead but sleepeth so hee saith of his owne death I laid me downe and slept and rose vp againe for the Lord sustained me And in another place when God the Father saith to his Son Awake my glory awake my Lute and Harpe God the Sonne answeres to his Father I will awake right early That vessel which Peter sawe in a traunce which came down from heauen to the earth and was knit at the foure corners and had all maner of beasts in it did betoken Christ Christ came downe from heauen to the earth and his story was knit vp by the foure Euangelists and hee hath made Iewes and Gentiles yea all Nations though they were as bad as beasts before yet he hath made them all I say one in himselfe Now saith Cassianus it is worth the noting that the Holy Ghost saith not this vessell was a sheet but was like a sheet k Pulchre â—it Non sintâ—um sed Quasiâ—inteum A sheet may signifie either sleepe or death Because there is both a sleeping sheete and a winding sheete But neither was Peters vessell a sleepe though it were like a sheet neither was Christs body dead though it were lapt in a sheete For wee our selues cannot so properly bee said to liue in our first birth as in our second birth and Christs life when he lay in that new wombe in which neuer any other was conceiued is nothing to his life when hee lay in that new tombe in which neuer any other was buried Wherefore as Iacob trauelling towards Haram when he had laid an heape of stones vnder his head and taken a nap by the way was much reuiued with it after his tedious iourney so Christ trauelling towards heauen when hee had slept a little in that stony sepulchre which was hewn out of a rocke liued then most princely after his painfull passion Tell me when did Ionas liue In the hatches of the ship or in the belly of the whale In the hatches of the shippe Why I am sure you will not say so That was nothing But to liue in the belly of the Whale when the mariners were in extreme ieopardy and danger vpon the water and yet Ionas most safe and secure vnder the water this indeede was somewhat who euer saw such a wonder The waters were one while hoisted vp to the highest cloudes another while hurâ—ed downe to the nethermost depth Ionas himselfe being all this vvhile in the very gulfe of destruction and yet not one haire the worse Christs case was the same As Ionas vvas in the belly of the Whale three daies three nights so so long vvas the sonne of man in the bowels of the earth Yet he had no more hurt then Ionas had but liued better vnder the earth then we can vpon the earth better in death then we can in life Tel me when did Daniel liue in the Kings court or in the Lions denne In the Kings court why there is no great reason for that Any man might haue liued there But to liue in the Lions den vvhen the mouth of the den vvas shut and the mouths of the Lions open this indeed was the life of an Angell no man What King could euer make Lions attend and wait vpon him Yet here you might haue seene vvorthy Daniel sitting in the midst of many hungry Lions when as the Lions lay downe at his feet couching and crouching before him and adored their owne prey cast vnto them vvhich otherwise they vvould haue vvorried and being beasts became men in humanity toward this Saint seeing men became beasts in cruelty against him The saâ—â—e reason was in Christ. His sepulchre was sealed as well as Daniels den And hee saith also of himselfe in the Psalmes My soule is among Lions These Lions were the terrors of death and the horrors of hell Yet hee tooke no more hurt then Daniel did But brake the chaines of death into fitters and the gates of hell into shiuers and then most gloriously triumphed And so the death of Christ by reason of his righteousnesse is the life of himselfe It is lastly the life of man When Christs speare had opened that way of life which the Cherubins sword had stopt vp Then said our sauiour to the Theefe This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Adam and Eue both in one day were expelled out of Paradise Christ the theefe both in one day were receiued into Paradise yea both in one houre of the day For about Noone when the winde blew Adam and Eue were expelled and so about the sixth houre that is about twelue of clock in the day time Christ and the Theefe were receiued Christ saying to the Theefe while he did draw him vp to Paradise l Ose. cap. 11. I doe draw thee with the cords of a man euen with bands of loue But the Septuagint translate the Hebrew words m Bechauele Adam which signifie with the cords of a man into those Greeke words n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifie with the destruction of a man As if CHRIST should say thus to the Theefe I doe so deerely loue thee that I am content my selfe to be destroyed that thou mayest bee saued