his soule My soule returne vnto thy rest because the Lord hath restored thy selfe vnto thee i Quia dominus reddidit te tibi Psal. 119.7 Because whereas before thou hadst lost thy selfe lost thy selfe in the tempest lost thy selfe in the sea lost thy selfe in the Whale now the Lord hath restored thy vnto thee Wherefore the heart of man hath lost all rest nay it hath lost it selfe before it be cast vpon the Sea shore before it be cast vpon God but when once it delighteth in the Lord when once it findeth God then it findeth it selfe then it returneth vnto rest Nicaula Queene of Saba could neuer bee quiet in her owne country till shee came to Salomon but when she saw his glory and heard his wisdome then her heart fayled her she had enough she could desire to see and heare no more And so the heart of a Christian can neuer be quiet in the straunge Country of this world till it come to Christ which is the true Salomon the Prince of Peace when it comes once to Christ then it saies thus to God Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace because mine eies haue seene the prince because mine eyes haue seene thy saluation Euen as one good heart saies for all O Lord how amiable are thy dwellings Salomon had goodly buildings but they were nothing to thy dwellings My soule fainteth and faileth for them k Concupisâ—it deficit Psal. 84.2 It fainteth before I see them and it faileth when I haue seene them then I am quiet enough then I can desire to see no more For like as Noahs doue could finde no rest for the sole of her foote all the while she was flickering ouer the floud till shee returned to the arke with an oliue branch in her mouth so the heart of a christian which is the turtle doue of Christ can finde no rest all the while it is houering ouer the waters of this world till it haue siluer wings as a doue and with the oliue branch of faith flie to the true Noah which signifieth rest till Iesus Christ put forth his holy hand out of the arke and taking this heart into his hand receiue it to himselfe Euen as one good heart saies for all I will not climbe vp into my bed nor suffer mine eies to sleepe nor mine eieliddes to slumber nor the temples of my head to take their rest vntill I finde a tabernacle for the Lord an habitation for the mightie God of l Psal. 132.4 Iacob Vntill I finde that my heart is not in mine owne-hand but in Gods hand vntill I finde that God dwelleth in me and I in him vntill I finde that my soule is a tabernacle for the Lord and my heart is an habitation for the God of Iacob I cannot rest saies hee But when I finde this once when I come to Noah in the arke when I delight my selfe in the Lord then will I climbe vp into my bedde and suffer mine eyes to sleepe and mine eye-lids to slumber and the temples of my head to take their rest But what 's the reason of all this I am somwhat bold to aske because I wold be glad to know what 's the reason I say that the bull can neuer bee quiet till hee come to the staule that the bucket can neuer bee quiet till it come to the water that the needle can neuer be quiet till it come to the north pole that Ionas can neuer bee quiet till he come to the sea shore that Nicaula can neuer be quiet till shee come to Salomon that Noahs doue can neuer bee quiet till it come to the arke that mans heart can neuer be quiet til it come to God The reason of it is this When God created heauen and earth hee rested not in the heauen or in any heauenly thing not in the earth or in any earthly thing but onely in man which is both A heauenly thing for his soule an earthly thing for his bodie As soone as hee had made man he kept a sabboth and rested Euen so the heart of man resâ—eth not in the earth or in any earthly thing not in the heauen or in any heauenly thing but onely in God which is Lord of both Lord of heauen and earth Lord of soule and body As soone as it commeth to God delighteth in him it keepeth holy-day resteth Gods hart neuer resteth till it come to man mans heart neuer resteth til it come to God For as God sayes to man My sonne giue me thy heart m Prou. 23 26 so man sayes to God my Lord giue me thy self For euen as the heart desireth the water-brookes so longeth my heart my soule after thee ô God Therefore ô God giue me thy selfe Shew me thy selfe and it sufficeth n Ioh. 14.8 mee For thou onely O Lord art indeed as thou art called in Hebrew Shaddai al-sufficient yea more then sufficient Thy very grace is sufficient for o 2. Cor. 12.9 me But thou O Lord doest giue both grace and p Psal. 84.12 glory Therefore whome haue I in heauen but thee and whome haue I in earth but q Psal. 73.24 thee Thou only giuest grace in earth so that I haue none in earth but thee And thou onely giuest glorie in heauen so that I haue none in heauen but thee O what a sweet friend is this What a sweete friend is God our good friend which onely feedeth and filleth the Dulcis ille amicus qui animam nutrit Nilus heart Hee onelie feedeth it in earth filleth it in heauen feedeth it with grace and filleth it * Satiabor cum apparuerit gloria tua Psal. â—7 16 glory For euerie thing hath a kinde of foode proper vnto it Offer a Lyon grasse hee will neuer eate it offer him flesh hee will eate it Why so Because that is vnnaturall that is naturall to him So offer the heart of a Christian which is couragious and bold as a s Prou. 18.1 lyon offer it all the glorie of the world which is as the flower of t Esa. 40.6 grasse it is neuer a whit the better Offer it Christ who sayes My flesh is meate indeed then it is satisfied Therefore one sayes The Lyons want and suffer hunger but they that feare the Lord want no manner of thing that is good The Lyons such Lyons as haue no grace but grasse onely to feede vpon they want and suffer hunger Hungrie thirsty their soule fainteth in u Psal. 107.5 them But they that feare the Lord such Lyons as by faith feed vpon the flesh of Christ delight in the Lord feede vpon God they are fat and well liking they want no maner of thing that is good For as the people sitting vpon the grasse and feeding vpon the breade were all x Mark 6.39 satisfied so these Lyons are all satisfied because sitting vpon the grasse of the world yea not onely sitting vpon it but also
the flowers that hee did smell the pearles which he did look vpon the gold that he did tread vpon all these serued for his delight and ioy Afterward when sentence had proceeded against the man that hee should haue sorrow about the fruit of the earth against the woman that she should haue sorrow about the fruit of her wombe yet it pleased God to asswage and sweeten these our sorrowes with diuers singular comforts as first we haue the holy spirit who is the onely comforter Next a good conscience which is a continuall feast Then the holy scripture which is as it were another paradise Lastly an vnfalued faith by which we haue peace with GOD. Therefore Athenagoras o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 t. de Resur mor. sayeâ— well I count that they haue no spirit no conscience no scripture no faith in them which yeeld to too much griefe And Hierome yet more vehemently p Detestande sunt istae lachrymae quae non habent modum I do from my heart detest all excessiue sorrow seeing it is a very hell vpon earth and an entrance euen in this life into that wofull place where there is nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth Wherefore immoderate weeping is condemned in nature which teacheth all things in reason which teacheth all men in religion which teacheth all Christians That wee must not weepe too much Thus much of weeping too much which is the first part WEEPE NOT. WEEPE NOT FOR MEE BVT WEEPE FOR YOVR SELVES NOW a little of weeping too little which is the second part But weepe They to whom Christ here speaketh offended in the excesse Therefore hee beginneth thus weepe not But I may well shift the words and begin thus But weep For we offend commonly in the want of weeping seldome in the excesse The reason is because we lacke loue which being three fold towards our selues towards our neighbour towards God the greatest worke of loue towards our selues is Repentance towards our neighbour is Preaching towards God is Prayer And all these require some teares So that it wee weepe so little as that we weepe not at all wee weepe too little Which we must not doe For first touching Repentance one sayes truly q Hoc ipso sunt maiores tumores quò minores dolores The lesser our sorrowes are the greater are our sins But on the other side the heads of dragons are broken in the waters r Psa 74.13 that is very strong and vile sinnes are weakened and washt away with teares That obligation which was against vs s Coloss. 2.14 before it had been fastned to the crosse of Christ was ingrossed in parchmeÌ„t Now it is but scribled in paper So that if wee blur it daily with weeping vpon it our teares will be like aqua fortis to take out the hand-writing quite and cleane that God shall neither reade nor see our sins When Alexander had reade a long and tedious Epistle written to him by Antipater wherein were diuers accusations against his mother Olympias What saies he me thinkes Antipater knoweth not that one little teare of a mother will easily blot out many Epistles * Ignorare videtur Antipater quòd vna matriâ— lachryma multas delebit â—â—istolas And certainely the teares not onely of Gods mother but euen of euery child of God wil much more easily blot out the memory of many sinnes though they were before like the sinnes of Iuda written with a pen of yron and grauen with the poynt of a Diamond * Ierem. 17.1 Therefore sayth Alcuinus t Lauandum est cor poenitentia lachrymis we must wash our hearts in the troubled poole of Bethesda u Iohn 5.2 in the troubled teares of repentance For as in a well except there be some water in it we cannot easily see the baggage that lieth in the bottom so in the depth of the heart without teares we cannot see our sinnes Teares make our sins not seene and seene Not seene to God and seene to vs. God not seeing them forgiues them and vve seeing them amend them Pliny vvriteth that the teares of vine-branches doe cure the leprosie x l. 23. initio And so the teares of those vine-branches vvhich are grafted into the true vine doe cure the leprosie of sinne S. Austin witnesseth that the Eagle feeling his vvings heauy plungeth them in a fountaine and so reneweth his strength y Commen in Psal. 103. After the same sort a Christian feeling the heauy burthen of his sins batheth himselfe in a fountaine of teares and so vvashing off the old man vvhich is the body of sinne is made young againe and lustie as an Eagle That sinful vvoman z Luke 7.44 because shee loued much therefore shee vvashed Christs feete vvith her teareâ— A strange sight I haue oftentimes seene the heauen vvash the earth but I neuer before saw the earth vvash the heauen yet here I see it An earthly and a sinfull woman washeth the heauenly feet of Christ. But because shee washt Christs feete with her teares therefore Christ crowned her head with his mercies The prodigall childe had no sooner returned home by vveeping crosse as vve say and cryed peccani but straight-wayes he was receiued Lo yee what force there is in three syllable a Quantum valent tres syllabae Ambrosius For God hearing a sinner in true contrition vtter but this one word of three syllables peccani I haue sinned b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost. Hom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is so in a manner charmed and inchaunted with it that he hath no power ouer himselfe he cannot but grant remission Saint Peter likewise though he were an old man in years yet he vvas a very child a prodigall child in weeping And as his faith vvas so great that he lept into a sea of vvaters to come to Christ so his repentance vvas so great that he lept into a sea of teares vvhen he vvent from Christ. Hee wept so bitterly as Clemens Romanus testifieth that there vvere gutters and furrowes in his face made vvith those teares vvhich trickled downe his cheekes And therefore sayes Cyril c Locum flendâ— recepit quem negando perdiderat in Leuiticum lib. 16. he recouered that place by bevvailing his offence vvhich he had lost by denying his master For sayth Nazianzen d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is more mercifull then man can bee sinnfull if he vvill be sorrowfull Wherefore vve may see by these examples of the sinfull vvoman of the prodigall child of S. Peter that weeping doth especially recommend our repentance that we may purchase our pardon Touching Preaching the voyce of a Preacher ought to be the voyce of a cryer which should not pipe to make the people daunce but mourne to make them weepe Hence it is that in the old law e Leuit. 21.20 none that was blinde or had any blemish in his eye might serue at the Altar
he suffereth these senseles creatures to weep and to haue a liuely feeling of his death though they had no benefit by his death But being content himselfe to shed his dearest and his best bloud for vs yet will not suffer vs in recompence to shed so much as one little teare for him No no sayes he I will beare all the sorrow you shall haue only ioy and though I die and shed my very heart bloud for you yet you shall not so much as weepe or shed the least teare for me Not you weepe not for me Thus much for his Benignitie Lastly for Magnanimitie he sayes Not for mee Strange stoutnesse and courage Especially in him that was otherwise so milde and so meeke a lambe But here the cause quarrell being ours and he fighting for the saluatioÌ„ for our soules there is no rule with him hee plaies he Lion wheresoeuer he goes For holding now in his hand the cup of trembling and being ready to drinke vp the very dregs of it yet neither his hand nor his heart trembleth Ennius the Poet as Tullie testifieth could say thus much Let no man weepe for my death a Nemome lachrymis decoret And Saint Laurence the Martyr as Prudentius witnesseth Doe not weepe for my departure b Desiâ—â—e discessu meo stetum dolentur sundere But as Ennius or any other Pagan could neuer come neere Christians in true magnanimitie So S. Laurence or any other Christian could neuer come neere Christ. The blessed Apostle S. Paul of any that euer I heard of commeth neerest to him going toward IerusaleÌ„ what do you saies he weeping breaking my heart for I am ready not only to be bound but euen to die also for the name of the Lord Iesus Euen so saith Christ here or rather indeed not so but a thousand times more couragiously going out of Ierusalem What doe you saies he weeping and breaking my heart for I am ready not onely to bee bound but euen to die also for the saluation of man He knew well enough his passion would be a new kind of transfiguration vnto him For at his transfiguration he was accompanied with his deere Disciples Peter Iames and Iohn but at his passion Peter denied him Iames and Iohn forsooke him And there he was vpon mount Tabor which smelled sweetly of hearbs and flowers but here he was vpon mount Caluery which smelled loathsomly of bones and dead mens sculs And there his face did shine as the Sun but here his face was couered nay it was buffeted and spit vpon And there his garments were white as the light but here his garments were parted nay they were like Iosephs coate all embrewed in bloud and he himselfe stript stark naked And there he was betweene two famous Prophets Moses and Elias but here when they thought hee called for Elias to helpe him Elias would not come nay he was betweene two theeues the one at his right hand the other at his left And there his Father spake most ioyfully to him from heauen This is my beloued Sonne in whom only I am pleased but here he screeched most lamentably to his Father from the Crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Yet behold behold the Magnanimitie of Christ. Christ knew well enough before hand of all this fearefull and horrible passion prepared for him wherein he was not transfigured as before but disfigured so as neuer was any man Yet nothing could moue him This cowardlinesse of his Disciples this noisomnesse of the place these diuelish buffets vpon his bare face these bloudy wounds vpon his naked body these vile theeues these hideous screeches could not one whit daunt his heroicall heart But euen as a noble Champion hauing already had a legge and an arme slasht off when all the stage in admiration of his valour and manhood cries Saue the Man saue the man yet puts out himselfe and standing vpon one legge and striking with one arme fights stil as stoutly as if he had neuer been hurt at all so Christ hauing bin scorned and scourged already when the whole theater of heauen and earth wept for him yea when the powers aboue the heauen came downe and the dead vnder the earth rose vp to mone and pitty him only he himselfe would neither aske any fauour of others nor yet shew any fauour to himselfe but was very angry called him Sathan that gaue him such counsell Yea though all the Saints in heauen and earth did bleed at the very heart c Coelum terra compatiuntur ci Anselmus inspeculo Euangel serm cap. 13. in a manner as much as hee himselfe did vpon the crosse to see so good a man so shamefully despighted yet nothing could stay him but still he went on forward as pleasantly and as cheerefully as to any banket or feast to this most rufull and dreadfull death O sweet Iesus O my deare Lord forgiue me I humbly beseech thee for thy mercy sake forgiue mee this one fault Thou wilt neither weep thy selfe nor yet suffer me to weep for thy death But I am contrariwise affected Though I do not see thee at this present led as a Lambe to the slaughter yet onely meditating of thy death so many hundred yeares after I cannot possibly refraine from weeping Yea by so much the more do I lament and mourn by how much the more I see thâ—e ioyfull glad Come forth yee daughters of Sion saith hee d Cant. 3.11 and behold King Salomon with the crowne wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his marriage and in the day of the gladnes of his heart As if he should haue said Come forth yee daughters of Ierusalem and behold Iesus Christ with the crowne of thorns wherewith the Synagogue of the Iewes crowned him in the day of his passion and in the day of his death vpon the Crosse. He calleth the day of his passion the day of his marriage and the day of his death vpon the crosse the day of the gladnesse of his heart Thus you see in this seuenth part the Wisedome the Benignitie the Magnanimitie of Christ in that he saith Not weepe Not you Not for me Weepe not for me Weepe not for me but weepe for your selues THE eighth part which is the last now onely remaineth But weepe for your selues Wherein wee must consider likewise three vertues that ought to be in vs Deuotion Compunction Compassion For Deuotion hee sayth But weepe For Compunction But you For compassion But for your selues But weepe But you But for your selues But weepe for your selues First for Deuotion hee saith But weepe Deuotion generally is a supernaturall dexteritie wrought by the Holy Ghost in the heart of a deuout man whereby hee is made prompt and ready to performe all those duties which appertaine to the seruice of God As a man may bee said to bee deuout in Preaching deuout in hearing deuout in making prayers deuout in giuing Almes But here especially
vnspeakably more by all of them yea by euery one of theÌ„ than hee can be by himself And therfore again seeing himself so deere vnto them he for his part likewise as a hot burning cole is set on fire and inflamed with loue and the more he seeth any other excell him in glory the more doth hee reioyce and is gladder of his glory then his owne But now when hee lifteth vp his eyes to the glorious Trinitie and seeth how the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost doe eternally and perfectly loue and like and enioy one another in surpassing sweetnesse and content then all his affections are swallowed vp in loue all his spirits are rauisht in delight all his desires are imparadized in pleasure Insomuch as if on the one side were laid the loue of Christ as he is man and of all the Saints Angels among themselues and on the other side the loue which the least glorified body in heauen beholding the blessed Trinity breatheth out to God this loue would without all comparison excell exceed that as far as light doth darknes or as heauen doth the earth Wherefore for man to see God for Iacob to be called Israel for him that hath beene a seruant to become a sonne for him that hath kept the law to inioy the testament is the highest degree to perfection yea it is the very perfection of perfection it selfe The onely perfect life the onely high honour the onely godly pleasure the onely Christian treasure The prize of the high calling of God in CHRIST IESVS Seeing then blessed brethren seeing wee fight not as they that beate the aire (a) â— Cor. 9.26 but our reward is so great so exceeding great in heauen (b) Mat. 5.12 therefore as Iacob wrestled all the night long and neuer gaue ouer till about the breaking of the day he was called Israel * Gen. 32.24 so let vs wrestle all the night long of this life (c) Mat. 13.35 and neuer giue ouer till the day breake and the shadowes flie away (d) Cant. 4.6 and we come to the maruellous light and sight of God And like as the same Iacob said to the Angell I will not let thee goe except thou blesse me (e) Gen. 32.26 euen so let euery true Israelite say to Christ I tooke hold of him and left him not (f) Cant. 3.4 O Lord Iesus who would leaue thee or who would let thee goe Or rather who would not hold thee fast which strengthenest him that holdeth thee fast and makest him perseuere that is strengthened and crownest him that perseuereth and makest him perfect that is crowned Therefore I will hold thee fast will not let thee go except thou blesse me that is indeed I will neuer let thee goe because thou dost neuer blesse but only those that alwaies hold thee fast Hold fast then and stand fast good beloued once againe I say Hold fast that which you haue that no man take your crowne from you (g) Reu. 3.11 Stand fast in that liberty whereby Christ hath made you free and be not any more entangled with the yoke of bondage (h) Gal. 5.2 But so run so run as yee may attaine (i) 1 Cor. 9.24 As yee may attaine How k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nilus in Parane circa med is that Mary faithfully patiently constantly vnto the end A shame it would be a vile shame for vs if it should be said of vs not you doe runne well but you did runne well l Gal. 5.7 Fâ—e vpon it Hauing beene hitherto brought vp in skarlet shall we now imbrace the dung m Lam. 4.5 Shall wee be like those antikes or monsters which are halfe men and halfe beasts (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nyssenus l. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Illa actio Chimara est qua initium habet à ratione finem a sensualitate Cum igitur sâ—e agitur humano capiti ceruicem pictor depingit equinam Innocen de 〈◊〉 c. 6. Operare igitur perseueranter ne vt Horatius aiâ— Desinat in piscem mulier formosa supâ—rne Nebrissensis Hom. 2. in fine Shall wee be like Nabuchadnezzars image which had a head of gold and feete of clay o Dan. 3.33 Shall wee begin in the Spirit and end in the flesh (p) Gal. 3.3 God forbid God for his mercy sake keepe vs from such fearefull falling from him Nay rather let vs remember that Ioseph signifieth encreasing and Arimathea signifieth getting the reward (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theop. in c. 15. Mar. To teach vs that if wee would be like to Ioseph of Arimathea wee must alwaies increase and goe on till wee get the reward The other Ioseph also had a coate reaching downe to his feete (r) Aquila inter pretatus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est tunicam talarem Hier. in Quest. Heb. in Genesin Ioseph tyrum ecclesiae praetendens vestiâ— suae habitu persâ—uerentiam certaminis habere nâ—s admonet 〈◊〉 longitudo vsque ad talos euiâ— peruenit Tanquam diceretur Antequam iter perficias noli in vita lacescere Ausberius in cap. 2. Apocal. to teach vs that wee must not haue scarlet about our head and dung about our feete not gold about our head and clay about our feete but that when we put on the Lord Iesus we must put on such a scarlet robe of righteousnesse such a golden garment of grace such a vesture of a godly vertuous life such a coate of holy and heauenly conuersation as may reach to the feet as may continue to the end considering our Sauiour hath said he that perseuereth vnto the end shal be saued And againe be faithfull vnto death and I will giue thee the crowne of life This crowne of life is promised to al those which make a good beginning but performed onely to those which make a good ending Non campo capitur sed fine corona Pro Sapientia in exitu canitur Quia laudari penitus ante-actae vitae prudentia non merebitur nisi bono fine claudatur Saluia ad eccles lib. 4. And they which run in a race run all yet one onely that is he which holdeth out to the end receiueth the prize (t 1 Cor. 9.24 And none are saued but such as are marked in their fore-heads with the letter 〈◊〉 which is the note of perseuerance and perfection v Eze. 9.6 And if we would be conformable to the crosse of Christ the liuely picture of all perfection we must be like vnto it not only in the depth of faith and in the height of hope and in the bredth of charity but also in the length of perseuerance x Eph. 3.18 because all the depth height and bredth of the crosse is nothing without the length and so all the faith hope and charity of a Christian is to no purpose without continuance in them euen vnto the end Wherefore my good brethren yet
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
in the second death of the first Adam yet these might doe least in the first death of the second Adam For it was Eue a woman which betraied the first Adam with an apple and caused him to sin but it was Iudas a man which betraied the second Adam with a kisse and caused him to die And indeed you shall generally obserue that notwithstanding at the first the woman went before the man in transgression and disobedience neuerthelesse since to make amends for that faulâ— the blessed virgin Mary and diuers other women haue farre excelled all men or at the least-wise most men in true deuotion and godlinesse Wherfore principally Christ here speaketh to the women because both more women wept then men and the women also more wept then the men More women more weeping but yet in them hee speaketh as well as vnto them indifferently to al his deere friends both men women weepe not for me but weepe for your selues In which sentence we may obserue as many wordes so many parts Eight words eight parts The first Weepe not The second But weepe The third Weepe not But weepe The fourth For Mee The fifth For your selues The sixth For mee For your selues The seuenth Weepe not for mee The eighth But weepe for your selues God grant all our hearts may be so affected with the consideration of these excellent matters as may make most for the increase of our comfort in him and his glory in vs. And I humbly beseech you also most christian brethren to do God this honour and mee this fauour First that you would not prescribe mee any methode or order how I should handle this Text but that you would giue mee leaue to follow mine owne method and order wherein I perswade my selfe and I hope also truely I haue beene directed by the spirit of God Secondly that you would not run before me in your swift conceit and earnest expectation but that it would please you to go on along easily all the way with me till happily at the length by Gods gracious assistance and your gentle acceptaÌ„ce I come to the end of my Sermon And then if I haue omitted any thing which you wold haue had me said spare me not but blame mee hardly for it as you shall thinke best WEEPE NOT FOR MEE BVT WEEPE FOR YOVR SELVES THE first part is Weepe not When Iairus the Ruler of the Synagogue wept bitterly for the death of his daughter Christ sayd vnto him b Luke 8.52 Weepe not When Rachel wept and would not bee comforted seeing neither her sonne Beniamin nor almost any true Beniamite left aliue God sayd vnto her c Ier. 31.16 Weepe not When a poore vvidow wept sore for the death of her onely sonne Christ said vnto her d Luk. 7.13 weepe not And so here Christ seeing many Iairusses many Rachels many vvidowes vveepe for the death of the onely sonne of God sayth vnto them weepe not Forbidding thereby immoderate weeping vvhich is condemned in nature in reason in religion In nature the earth vvhen it reioyceth as in Summer time then it is couered vvith corne e Psa. 65.12 but vvhen it hath too too forlorne and sorrowfull a countenance as in the Winter time then it is fruitlesse and barren The vvater vvhen it is quiet and calme bringeth in all manner of Merchandise but when the sea stormes roares too much then the very ships doe howle and cry f Esay 23.1 The aire looking cleerly cheerefully refresheth all things but weeping too much that is rayning too much as in Noahs flood it drowns the whole world The fire being but a little sprinkled with water burneth more brightly but being too much ouerwhelmed it giues neither heat nor light The eye it selfe as Anatomists write g Vide Vesalum lib. t. cap. 14. Toletum in â—b secund Aristotelis de anima hath twice as many dry skins like sluces to damme vp the course of the teares as it hath moist humors like chanels to let theÌ„ flow forth For it hath six of them and but three of these If all the body were an eye and there were no eares in it where were then the hearing If all the eye were a moyst humor and there were no dry skinnes in it where were then the seeing Seeing then too much weeping is in the earth barrennesse in the water shipwrack in the aire an inundation in the fire coldnes in the eye blindnes certainely if the earth the water the aire the fire the eye could speak they would altogether with one consent sing a ioyfull song of fiue parts and euery one seuerally say vnto vs That we must not weepe too much Now reason seeth yet more h Ne quid nimis That too much of a thing is naught Etiam mel si nimium ingratum Which is translated thus i Pro. 2.5.27 It is not good to eate too much hony If it be not good eating too much hony then sure it is not good eating too much wormwood The Egyptians when they would describe teares they paint those gems which we call vnions whervpon Suidas saith k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnions hieroglyphically do signifie the sheding of teares For as Vnions haue their name in latine because they are found one by one neuer more at once so teares must be shed easily one by one and neuer be powred out all at once Seneca saith that which we must doe daily we must doe moderately Therfore though we caÌ„not quite stop the bloudy issue of our teares at the least wise we must be sparing weep so to day as we may weep to morrow keep some teares alwayes in store referring l Si non finire lachrymas at certè reseruare debemus lâ—de consolatio ad Polybium cap. 13. them to another occasion afterward For wee reade that Heraclitus when he had soakt and sowst himself in sorrow all his life long at length died of a dropsie and so as I may say drowned himselfe in his owne teares Yea Niobe by ouer-much weeping was turned into a stone euen as Lots wife by looking backe was turned into salt It was one of Pythagoras poesies m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to eate the heart which is expounded thus n Pro. 25.20 As a moth fretteth the garment and a worme eateth the wood so heauinesse hurteth mans heart Now if we may not teare the heart of any other thing with our teeth theÌ„ much lesse may we teare our owne heart with our teares So that euen blinde reason such as the heathen haue had doth yet plainly see this That we must not weep too much But religion goeth yet further For when God at the first placed man in the garden of Eden which is the garden of pleasure hee did indeede there provide all things for him which might pleasure him His wife which was equall to him all other creatures that were inferiour to him the hearbs which hee did eate
if it will please you to heare me I will say yet more wee crucifie Christ farre more cruelly then the Iewes did Then his body was passible and mortall now it is glorified and immorall they knew not what they did we doe ill enough yet wee know what we doe well enough they pearced him with a speare we pearce him with reproches they buried him in the earth wee bury him in obliuion then hee rose againe the third day but we so bury Christ that not once in three daies no not once in three weekes he ariseth or shineth in our hearts Nay that which I am ashamed to speake though some are not ashamed to doe it there are in the world which haue no time not once in three months not once in three yeares no not once scarce in their whole life to thinke of Christ but bury him in the perpetuall forgetfulnesse of their carelesse conscience as in a barren land where all good things are forgotten Wherefore let euery one as soone as he is tempted to any sin thinke straight-waies that hee sees Christ comming towards him wrapt vp in white linnen cloathes as he was buried with a kercher bound about his head and crying after a ghastly and fearefull sort Beware Take heed what you doe Detest sinne abhorre sin Fie vpon it A shame light on it It did once most vilely and villanously murther mee but now seeing my wounds are whole againe do not I beseech you do not rubbe and reuiue them with your sinnes to make them bleed afresh now seeing the scepter of the kingdome of heauen is put into my hand doe not offer mee a reede againe to mocke mee now seeing my head is crowned with the pure gold of eternall glory doe not set a crowne of thornes vpon it againe now seeing I my selfe am enstalled in the Throne of the right hand of Maiesty doe not pull mee out of my throne and throw mee into the graue againe and with your sinnes seale a mighty great stone vpon mee to stifle mee and presse mee and hold mee down in death O beloued good beloued at his instance be perswaded by whose bloud you are redeemed Haue pitty haue pitty vpon me poore Iesus Once he voluntarily yea euen ioyfully dyed for vs and if that one death had not been sufficient he would haue been content then to haue dyed a thousand deaths more Now he protesteth that the least sinne of any one Christian doth more vex him euen at the very heart then all his dolorous paines vpon the Crosse. Our sinnes are those Soldiers which take him those tormentors which whippe him those thornes which gore his head those nailes which pierce his feete that speare which sheds his bloud that crosse which takes away his life And yet if to grieue him thus continually would doe vs any good then hee would be most glad to preferre our good though neuer so little before his owne griefe though neuer so great But it is not so That one death which he willingly suffered was for our saluation These diuers deaths which we with our sins so often put him to against his will do make for our greater damnatioÌ„ Therfore he beseecheth vs I also being prostrate at the very feet of euery one of you heartily in his name exhort you if wee will haue no pitty on him yet for the tender loue wee beare to our owne deere soules that wee would not alwaies keepe him vpon the racke and euery day vexe the iust Lot with our vnlawfull deedes that we would not any more shedde his precious bloud and treade it and trample it vnder our feet This I assure you blessed Christians will bee a most forcible meanes not onely to terrifie and fray vs from sinne which wee may commit hereafter but also to mollifie and melt our hearts for sinne which we haue committed heretofore if wee consider that the life of man by reason of his sinne is the death of Christ. Thus you see that the life of man is the life of Death the life of the Diuel the death of himselfe the death of Christ. And thâ—refore hee saith in this fifth part Weepe not too little for your owne life For your selues Weepe not for mee but weepe for your selues THE sixth part is next For mee for your selues Which noteth seeing both the excesse and the want are to bee eschewed that therefore the true meaâ—e which we must keepe betweene Christ and our selues consisteth in a certaine qualification of these two extremities For mee for your selues both together Weepe not too much saith heâ— for my death which is the death of Death Weepe not too little for your own life which is the life of Death Not too much for my death which is the death of the diuell not too little for your owne life which is the life of the Diuell Not too much for my death which is my life not too little for your owne life which is your death Not to much for my death which is the life of Man not too little for your owne life which is the death of Christ. Saint Paul willeth the Corinthians to approue themselues by honour dishonour First by honour then by dishonour Teaching thereby that dishonourable honour is better then honourable dishonour Yet to keepe a meane in this matter that we must as well count it an honour to bee sometimes dishonoured with Christ as a dishonour to be alwayes honoured without Christ. Euen so sayes our Sauiour here For mee for your selues First For mee then for your selues Teaching thereby that to reioyce for Christ is better then to weepe for our selues Yea to keepe a meane betwixt both that we must as well sometimes descend out of Christ into our selues to weepe as alwayes ascend out of our selues into Christ to reioyce For the Apostle sayes that wee must reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe If my friend bee alwaies sorrowfull and neuer ioyfull hee hath no pleasure by me if he be alwayes ioyfull and neuer sorrowfull I haue no proofe of him but he is my dearest friend most delighted in me best approued by me that takes such part as I doe sometimes reioycing and sometimes weeping reioycing when I reioyce and weeping when I weepe The like is to be seene in this place For mee for your selues If a Christian alwayes thinke of his owne misery and neuer of Christs mercie hee will despaire if he alwayes thinke of Christs mercy and neuer of his owne misery he will presume But hee is the best Christian so hie that hee cannot despaire so low that he cannot presume which inclines as well to the one as the other sometimes reioycing and sometimes weeping reioycing for Christ and weeping for himselfe A man cannot weepe too little for Christ if he presume not a man cannot weepe too much for himselfe if he despaire not But hee may easily despaire that weepes too much for Christ and he may easily presume that weepes too little
Lord. Delight thy selfe in the Lord. O remember for the loue of God remember this worthy sentence of an auncient father f Omnis creatura vilâ—scat vt creator in corde dulcescat Let all creatures seeme vile vnto thee saies hee that onely thy creatour may seeme sweete vnto thee Armenia a noble lady beeing bidden to king Cyrus wedding went thither with her husband At night when they were returned home her husband asked her how she liked the Bridegroome whether shee thought him to be a fayre and beautifull prince or no Truth sayes shee I know not For all the while I was forth I cast mine eyes vpon none other but vpon thy selfe So basely did this noble lady esteem of king Cyrus beauty who was the Monarch of the world in respect of that entire good will affection she bare to her husband which was so great that her eies could neuer be from him And so must we set God alwayes before our eyes and nâ—â— once looke aside or bee enamoured with any gaud of worldly glory but despise euery blaze of beauty whatsoeuer thâ—t may draw vs from beholding our heauenly husband and delighting only in him which is fayrer then the children of men Saint Paul being rapt vp to the third heauen knows not whether it were with the bodie or without the body And because we should marke it well once he 〈◊〉 it downe twice That he was rapt vp to the third Heauen he is sure that hee â—eard words which no man can vtter he 〈◊〉 sure that hee was exceeding delighted in the Lord he is sore But whither his body were with him or no he knows not So much did he forget and neglect euen his owne body which is so neere and so deare a thing in comparison of that incomparable delight which then he tooke in the Lord. S. Peter seeing but a glimpse of Christs glory vpon Mount Tabor stood so astonished and amazed with it that hee was in a sort besides himselfe whan he was at that time beside Christ. Master sayes he i 〈…〉 ood for vs to be here As if he should 〈…〉 e sayd Now farewell Galilie and all my goods farewell fellow Disciples and all my friends farewell wife and al the world so I may inioy this heauenly sight and bee continually thus delighted in the Lord. Holy Ignatiâ—â— going to his Martyrdom was so strangely rauished with this delight that he burst out into these words Nay come fires come beasts come breaking of all my bones come racking of my whole body come all the torments of the Diuel together vpon mee come what can come in the whole earth or in hell either so that I may enioy Iesus Christ may be continually delighted in the Lord. And so must thou deare brother insult ouer all creatures and exsult only in thy 〈◊〉 Thou must contemne all beautie as Armenta did yea thine owne bodie as Paul did yea all the world as Peter did yea thy very life as Ignatius did and bee content to doe any thing though it were to bee torne and pulled in a thousand peeces or for a time if it were possible to suffer all the paines which the fiends and furies of hel can inflict vpon thee so as in the end thou maiest delight â—â—ther the Lord in thy selfe or thy self 〈…〉 Lord. Then then He shall giue thee and not He shall giue thee onely but The desires also and not The desires onely but Of thy heart also Then he shall giue thee the desires of thy heart And againe I say He shall giue thee and againe I say The desires and againe I say Of thy heart Then he shall giue thee the desires of thy heart Then though thou hast a long time plaied the vnthrift and wasted all the goods in the world yet if with the lost childe thou returne home againe to thy fathers house he shall grant theâ— thy hearts desire and receiue thee with minstrelsie dauncing and all manner of festiuall ioy that plenty of bread which nourisheth euery hired seruant in his house shall much more feede thee which art his louing childe vnto euerlasting life Then though all the leekes and onyons of Egypt which is the world haue failed thee yet if with Israel thou depend onely vpon God he shall distill the dewe of his grace into thy heart and lay aside a chosen raine for thee and cause thee to drinke of the sweete christal streames of his pleasure and giue thee to eate of that hidden heauenly Manna which no man knoweth but he that receiueth it Then though all the clothes and couerings in the world cannot keep thee warme yet if with Dauid thou be a man according to Gods owne heart he shall send thee that misticall Abishag which shall comfort thy heart and make thee hot and feruent in spirit which shall renue thy strength and make thee young againe and lusâ—y as an Eagle Then though thou haue a long time lost thy labour in seruing Laban which is the world yet if with Iacob thou returne home againe to thy fathers house God shall meete the by the way and as the Prophet Osey speaketh he shall allure thee as thy paramour and leade thee into the wildernes and there speak according to thine owne heart friendly louingly vnto thee And euen as louers are oftentimes disposed for the nonce to take a fall one of another the stronger of the weaker so God shall wrestle a fall with thee as he did with Iacob and yeelde so much in loue to thee as that he shal suffer thee to giue him the fall and to preuaile against him Iesus what exceeding loue is this why we are not euen nowe in the name of God inflamed with the loue of God and wholly rauished with delight in the Lord At least wise I maruell what a mischiefe many base minded worldlings meane that they had rather feed vpoÌ„ the huskes of hogges then the bread of man that they had rather eate the onyons of Egipt then the Manna of heauen that they had rather lie a cold frozzen shiuring in sin then be reuiued and cherished by Abishag that they had rather take vnsupportable paine to serue Laban then take vnspeakeable pleasure to serue God By vpoÌ„ it what a vile folly is this what a starke madnes is this what is this els but to be euen bodily tormeÌ„ted wheras they might be most spiritually delighted what is this els both to goe out of one hel into another hell wheras they might goe out of one heauen into another heauen For why do you beloued why doe you tell me so much of I know not what of a worme that neuer dieth of a fire that neuer is quenched of a lake that burneth with Brimstone of weeping gnashing of teeth Thus I tel you good christians and I tell you truely and God in heauen heares what I say though you heare me not I tell you as loud as euer I can that to serue sinne so
also heare vs before we crie and will helpe vs. And that which is most admirable of all though it were a thing which once he purposed neuer to giue vs yet if we aske it he will reuerse repeale his owne sentence to pleasure vs. God once repented him that hee had made man and said I will destroy man whom I haue made from the face of the earth yet when Noah had built an altar and praied to God b Gen. 8.22 The Lord smelled a fauour of rest and said in his heart I will not henceforth curse the earth any more for mans cause God once was so displeased with his people that he said flatly c Noâ— addam vltra vt liberim vos I tel you truly I will deliuer you no more Yet wheÌ„ they asked a deliuerer of him his verie soule was grieued within him for the misery of Israel and he gaue them Iephte to deliuer them from their enemies d Iudg. 10.16 God once sent Nathan with this message to Dauid As the Lord liueth the man that hath done this thing shall surely die yet when Dauid had asked forgiuenesse and saide Haue mercy vpon me O Lord after thy great goodnesse according to the multitude of thy mercies doe away mine offences God sent the same prophet with a contrarie message e 2. Sam. 12.13 The Lord hath taken away thy sinne thou shalt not die God once sent Esay with this message to Ezechias Set thy house in order for thou shalt die and not liue yet when Ezechias had turned him toward the wal and wept and praied said O Lord remember howe I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart God sent the same prophet with a contrarie message f 2. Reg. 20â—6 Thus saith the Lord I haue heard thy praiers and thy teâ—â—â—â— and now behold thou shalt liue and not die Then did the king reioyâ— in thy strength O Lord exceeding glad was hee of thy saluation For thou didst graunt him his owne desire and didst not deny him the request of his lips Hee asked life of thee and thou gauest him a longer life euen fifteene yeeres longer As also here thou doest promise vs both for this life and for all temporall things concerning this yea though it bee a thing which once thou hadst purposed neuer to giue vs Aske and it shall be giuen you Yea not onely God will giue you temporall things but also you shall find spirituall things Yet the Church sayes g Can. 3.1 I sought him whome my soule loued I sought him and I found him not But the reason goes before because shee fought him in her bed she sought him not with her heart My soule looeth him sayes she yet at that time her heart loued her bed better Therefore sayes Augustine h Quarite quod quaritis sed non vbi quaritis Seeks what you seeke but seeke not where you seeke Seeke Christ that 's a good what Seeke what you seeke But seeke him not in bed That is an il where But seeke not where you seeke Moses found Christ not in a soft bed but in a bramble bush So that the bed is no fitte place to finde him in who had not where to rest himselfe But go into the garden among the humble bushes and there you shall finde him not sleeping but sweating droppes of blood for your redemption and calling you to him i Math. 11.29 Come vnto mee all you that labour not you that lye a bed and are secure but you that labour and are heauy laden and I will refresh you Take my yoke vpon you and you shall finde rest for your soules If you seeke rest with your hearts with your soules you shall find rest for your soules and that rest also which is not to be found in the bed of pleasure but in the yoke of Christ. If thou seekest for this spirituall rest as for siluer and search for it as for treasures k Prou. 2.5 then shalt thou vnderstand the feare of the Lord find the knowledge of God Therefore seeke the Lord not in the bed of sensuality but where he may be found And seeke the Lord while hee may bee found l Esay 55.6 Or rather indeed though not in what place soeuer yet at what time so euer wee sinners seeke we shall be sure to finde him that sayes I am found of them that sought mee not m Esa. 65.1 So that no 〈◊〉 seeking God shall returne with a Non oâ—t inuentus but we that haue erred and 〈◊〉 ed like lost sheepe shall find him or â—â—â—ther we shall bee found of him before we seeke him And that which is most wonderfull of all we shall not onely finde oftentimes before wee seeke but also we shall finde much more then wee seeke That good Centurion n Math. 8.8 sought only one word Dis verbu 〈…〉 sayes he but he found more Christ vttered not onely one word whereby his seruant was healed But also very many words wherein hee gaue him selfe a most singular praise and commendation for his faith Dymas the thiefe on the right hand o Luk. 23.42 sought onely to bee reâ—â—mbâ—ed when Christ should come into his kingdome but he found more What takest thou of beeing remembred sayes Christ as though thou shouldest be farre â—â—mme out of my sight Tush man I will doe more for theâ— then so Thou hast not onely bee remembred but thou shalt be with me And why saies thou wheÌ„ I come into my kingdome as though it would be a long while first This very day shalt thou be with me in my kingdom this day thou shalt be with mee in Paradise That needy man in the Gospel p Luk. 11 19 sought onely to borrow three loaues but he fouÌ„d more God his good friend bad him welcom at midnight and did not only lend him but frankely and freely giue him not onely three loaues but as many as he needed Hee gaue him as many as he needed 〈◊〉 q 2. Cro. 1.1 sought onely wisedome but he found more Seeing he sought first the kingdom of God and the righteousnesse thereof all other things besides were added vnto him Wherefore if any man want wisdome or any such spirituall thing let him with Sâ—lomon seeke it for God and hee shal finde it Yea we shall finde infinitely about measure more then we seeke or can deuise to seeke of him that saies Seeke and ye shall find Yea not onely you shall finde spirituall things but also it shal be opened vnto you thatâ— for eternall things yet we read that some began to knocke saying r Luc. 12.24 Lord Lord open vnto vs and it was not opened vnto them But the reason is euident elsewhere Because they did not knock with their hands They had I grant Lampes in their haÌ„ds but they had not oyle in their lampes So that all their knocking 〈◊〉 but as a sounding brasse or as a
remember Dauid and all hâ—â— meekenesse saies he in the beginning of this Psalme He was the kindest and the meekest man aliue Ween hee had his mortall foe at a vantage and at a dead lift as we say and might haue nailed him fast to the ground with his speare he onely did cut off a lap of his garment to shewe that when he might haue hurt him hee would not Posse â—olle â—obile Yet this meeke Dauid patient Dauid mercifull Dauid valiant and victorious Dauid holy Dauid had enemies Wherefore you most honourable and blessed seruants of God you that excell in vertue if you haue some enemies thinke not strange of it For if you had nothing in you 〈◊〉 feare of God no reuereÌ„ce towards his word no loue and loyaltie towards your Soueraigne no forâ—itude no temperance no good thing in you yee might perhaps walke on long enough and no man enuie you no man maligâ—e you or malice you But because God hath inspired you with his principall spirit and endewed you with speciall great graces aboue your fellowes therefore â—oth your aduersarie the Deuil the old enemie of all goodnes and vertue who is ready to burst to see you doe so well he I say doth bestirre himselfe and raise vp enemies against you But O blessed be our good Lord what a wonderfull comfort and incouragement haue all you what a horrible terrour affrightment haue all your enemies in this text For the holy Ghost saies not They shall be clothed or you shall cloth them but I euen I shal cloth them with shame It is impossible saies he that you should alwaies be armed at all points circumspect at all places vigilant at all times prouided at all occasions to preuent the mischieuous practises of your diuillish enemies No counsell of man no policie no wisedome no wit can foresee their barbarous vndertakings and complottes to escape them But in heauen in heauen there is an eye an hand there is in heauen an eye to desery them and an hand to persecute and punish them both an eye and an hand to deliuer you from dannger and to cloath them with shame Therefore saith he Cast your care vpon mee let me alone with them your perill is my perill your case my case I le pay them that they haue deserued He take the quarrell into mine owne hands He trimme them well enough As for your enemies I shall cloath them with shame RemeÌ„ber I pray you beloued though indeede they haue made themselues worthie neuer to be remembred or once to be mentioned iâ— our mouthes any more yet remember I say to their egregious dishonour reproch how those are now clothed with shame who were the first cause of the solemnizing or as I may say of the sanctifying of this present day for the day of the weeke and of yesterday for the day of the moneth of the twelue moneth with so holy an exercise How odious how execrable is their very name vnto vs what true hearted loyall subiect such as I am sure all are here doth not detest them hate them loath them as a road or as a viper or as some hidious mishapen monster and curse the very day wherein such a rebellious generation and such a trayterous blood were borne Certainly my good brethren if the mercie of God which is incomprehensible did not giue them grace at the lâ—st gaspe to repeâ—t and crie to God for pardon as they are cloathed with shame in this world so shall they bee much more in the world to come And as we hold them for no better then cursed creatures so shall the Lord at last say vnto them Goe ye cursed into euerlasting fire So let it 〈◊〉 O Lord euen so to all the enemies of 〈◊〉 anointed either open of secret so 〈◊〉 be to them As for his enemies do them thou O Lord thine owne selfe do them cloath them with shame But vpon himselfe doth his Crowne flourish These words vpon himselfe either 〈◊〉 altogether impertinent and superâ—â—â—ous or else they are very important 〈◊〉 materiall For it had beene sufficient to haue said As for his enemies I shall cloath them with shame 〈◊〉 as for hiâ—selfe his crowne shall flourish It is 〈◊〉 greatly necessarie as it should seeme to say his crowne shall flourish vpon himselfe Yet the Lord in his gracious â—â—swer vnto Dauide praier thought good to put in this as a supernumeâ—â—â—â—â— word ouer and besides the necessitie of the sentence to teach the good King and vs all likewise a very notable lesson Namely that he would blesse the crowne the dignitie the flourishing estate of his louing serâ—ant not onely in his owne person and his posteritie in this world and in the world to come as I haue shewed alreadie but also from a lesser â—â—ight of glorie still to a greater and greater Vpon himselfe saiâ—s he shall his crowne flourish For not onely is shall be flourishing as Dauid left it at the day of his departure to God but after his dissolution and death as fast as his bodie corrupteth in the earth so fast shall his crowne encrease still in heauen Trust me truely I speake iâ— before the liuing Lord and this high presence all the whole Church which shall be edified so saluation by Dauids blessed and godly gouernement euen after his death shal yet suffer his crown neuer to die but shall continually keep in fresh and greene Yes as euery one brought to the building of the â—â—bernacle and to the reedifying of the temple such as they were able so I assure you I speake now a great word euerie particular subiect that is faithfull to God and to his Prince as he goâ—â—h on forward to God by the peace and by the religion which hee hath enioyed vnder his Prince so he shall still beautifie and decke Dauids crowne one shal bring a white rose an other shall bring a red rose and adde it to the 〈…〉 that so vpon himselfe still his crowne may â—â—â—rish the white rose and the redde rose that are in the crowne alreadie beeing euer made more and more fragrant and flourishing O Christ what a crowne is this And what will it growe to 〈◊〉 more in the end You that are mightie Kings and Potentates vpon earth haue indeede great cares and continuall busines in your headâ— but yet vouchsase I pray you to â—earken a little what I shall say vnto you You watch oftentimes ouer vs when we are asleep our selues You care for our peace when it is not 〈◊〉 our power to further it you procuring good to Sion and prosperitie to Ierusalem yet many times enioy the least part of it your selues But no force Take this still for your comfort Wee that cannot all our liues long doe the hundreth part of that good which you doe euery houre shall haue nothing so flourishing a crowne as you shal haue Vpon you vpon you shall euerlasting peace rest vpoÌ„ you shal the glory of Gods maiestie shine vpon you
North and South they did teach all nations z Potest intelligi quod quatuor facies roâ—a habeat propter hoc quod scriptura sacra per gratiam predicationis extensa in quatour mundi partes innoruit Gregor in Ezech. Hom. And in that they looked three and three together they did represent the blessed Trinitie Not only teaching all nations but also in that sea of water baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Wherefore though the two kine which carried the Arke wherein were the tables of the Law went straight and kept one path turning neither to the right hand nor to the left z 1. Sam. 6.12 Yet these twelue oxen which carried the molten sea signifying the doctrine of the Gospell went not straight neither kept one path but turned into the way of the Gentiles yea they looked all manner of waies East West North and South And those two kyne stood still and lowed no more when they came to the field of Iosua dwelling in Bethshemesh that is in the house of the sunne To note that all the kiâ—e and calues and sacrifices and ceremonies of the old law were to cease and stand still when they came to Iesus which is the true Iosua dwelling in heauen which is the true Bethshemesh But these twelue oxen were so farre from leauing off either to goe or to low when they came to Christ that euen then they went much faster and lowed much lowder so that now their sound is gone out into all lands and their words into the ends of the world and in them hath God set Bethshemesh that is a house or a tabernacle for the sunne Therefore as the materiall sunne thorough the twelue signes in the Zodiake goeth forth from the vttermost parts of the heauen and runneth about to the end of it againe a Pâ—â—â— 19. â— in like sort the spirituall Sonne of righteousnesse by the twelue Apostles as by twelue signes hath beene burne round about the world that he might be not onely the glorie of his people Israel but also a light to lighten the Gentiles and that all all the ends of the earth might see the saluation of our God Truth it is touching the Synagogue of the Iewes Christ saith b Can. 4. â—2 My sister my spouse is as a garden enclosed and as a fountaine sealed vp For as Saint Ierome writeth c Terra à Dan vsque Beersabee via câ—ntuâ— sexaginta millium in longum spaâ—io tendituâ— Ep. ad Dard. the whole countrie of Iewrie where the Iewes dwelt lying betweene Dan and Beersabee was â—carce a hundred and three-score mile long So that it might well be likened to a garden enclosed and to a fountaine sealed vp But now this sealed fountaine hath beene turned into a springing well since the twelue fountaines haue flowed ouer all the earth and this enclosed garden hath beene turned into an open field since the twelue oxen haue plowed the field of all the whole world Therefore now Christ saith of himselfe d Can. 2.2 Ego sum flos campi I am a flower of the feild And so likewise to his spouse e Can. 7.11 Come my welbeloued let vs go forth into the field let vs remaine in the villages For though before his passion he was apprehended in a gardeÌ„ yet at his passion he was crucified without the gate f Heb. 13.12 To signifie that he would be noâ— only a garden-flower but also a feild-flower that he would remaine not only for the saluation of the Iewes within the city of IerusaleÌ„ but also for the saluation of the Gentils without the gate of the citie in all the villages round about Nabuchadnezzar g Dan. 2.35 saw in a vision a stone cut without hands which became a great mountaine and filled all the whole earth This stone cut without hands is Christ begotten of a pure Virgin without the companie of man Who was indeede a verie little stone or as I may say but a sparke at the first Wherefore the Iewes for his pouertie and humilitie despised and refused him But now this poore little stone which the builders refused is become the head-stone in the corner and it is made a great mountaine which filleth all the whole earth According to the prophesie of Esay h cap. 2. v. 2. It shall be in the last daies that the mountaine of the house of the Lord shall be prepared in the toppe of the mountaines and shall be exalted aboue the hills and all nations shall flow vnto it So that now Christ which is the head corner stone may be fitly called the second Adara The Greeke letters of which name as S. Cyprian i Oportuit vt ex quatuor cardinibus orbis terrae nomen in te portareâ— Adam Tract de Siâ—a Sion initio writeth do seuerally signifie al the quarters of the earth A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the East 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the West A againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the North M. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the South According to the promise of God vnto Abraham k Gen. 28.14 Thy seed shal be as the dust of the earth that is as the first Adam was made of the dust of the earth so thy seede which is Christ the second Adam shall be dispersed as dâ—st ouer all the earth Thy seede shall be as the dust of the earth and thou shal spread abroad as a great mountaine to the East and to the West and to the North and to the South and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth bee blessed The Iewish Synagogue speaketh in this sort l Caâ— 6.11 Anima meaconcarbaâ—it me propter quadrigas Aminadab My soule troubleth me for the chariots of Aminadab Aminadab â—ignifieth a willing or an obedient people Such are the faithfull Gentiles Of whom God saith m Psal. 18.44 A people which I haue not knowne shall serue mee As soone as they heare of me they shall obey me But the strange children shall dissemble with mee The strange children shal faile and be afraid out of their prisons Though God haue beene a louing father to the Iewes yet they dissemble and are strange children to him Contrariwise though God haue not knowne the Gentiles yet they doe knowe and serue him Therefore the obstinate Iewes repining and grudging that the Gentiles are called say euerie one of them Anima mea conturbauiâ— me My soule troubleth me thorough enuy malice blindnes and disobedience Because they faile and are afraid out of their prisons On the other side the obedient Gentiles beeing called to this liberty of the sonnes of God lie not in any prisons but ride in the chariots of Amminadab Because as soone as they heare of God they willingly obey him Which is implied in that a man of Cyrene named Simon n Matth. â—â—â—2 Vt talifacto praefignaretuâ— genâ—ium fides Leo de