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
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
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
oft enough Yea if others do not commend vs also wee doe so wonderfully please our selues in it that we are ready presently to praise our selues for it But heere we may all of vs learne true humility t Humilitas animis sublimitas Christiani Lâ—o. which is true magnanimity of S. Paul Paul had a most noble and most stately heart higher then the very poles of heauen it selfe All that euer hee had done hitherto or could doe he thinkes too little nay he counts it nothing He was not a whit inferior to the very chiefest Apostles u 2 Cor. 12.11 yet hee forgets it Hee laboured more then they all x 1 Cor. 15.10 yet hee forgets it Hee spake with tongues more then they all y 1 Cor. 14 18. yet hee forgets it Hee had care of all the Churches z 2 Cor. 11.28 yet hee forgets it Hee fought with beasts at Ephesus a 1 Cor. 15.32 yet hee forgets it Hee troad satan that vile beast vnder his feet b Rom. 16.20 yet hee forgets it He spake wisdome among them that are perfect c 1 Cor. 2.6 yet he forgets it He was rapt vp to Paradise into the third heauen where he first learned that among the Angels which afterwards hee taught amongst men d 2 Cor. 12.4 yet hee forgets it All this is nothing with him All this 〈◊〉 forgets and saith I FORGET THAT VVHICH IS BEHIND This is the second degree to perfection TOuching the third he saith I stand not still but I ENDEVOVR MY SELFE TO THAT VVHICH IS BEFORE S. Bernard writing to Haimericus Chancelor of Rome in his very first salutation wisheth him e Quae retro sunt obliuisci ad ea quae ante sunt Apostolum sequi Ep. 15. to forget those things which are behind and to follow the Apostle to those things which are before Which no man can do that either stands still or is idle Wherefore Hermes saith generally Nothing in the whole world is altogether idle f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dial. 11. The wise man hath allowed a time for euery thing else but for idlenesse he hath allowed no time Moses Arke had rings barres within the rings g Exod. 24.14 to signifie that it was not made to stand still but to bee remoued from place to place Iacob â— ladder had staues h Gen. 28.12 vpon which he saw none standing still but all either ascending or else descending by it Asend you likewise to the top of the ladder to heauen there you shall heare one say My Father doth now work and I work also Wherupon Basil noteth that king Dauid hauing first said Lord who shall dwell in thy tabernable addes then i Psal. 15.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not he that hath wrought righteousnesse heretofore but he that doth now worke righteousnesse euen as Christ saith My father doth now worke and I worke also Descend you likewise to the foote of the ladder to the earth and there you shall heare that fig-tree accursed which did beare leaues and no fruit Whereupon Theophylact noteth that Iohn Baptist hauing first said The axe is laid to the roote of the Tree addes then k Mar. 3.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not euery tree that hath not brought forth goodfruit heretofore but euery tree that doth not now bring forth good fruit shall be cut downe euen as that fruitlesse fig-tree was cut downe and cast into the fire Therefore we must so walk as God seeing our continuall fruitfulnes may say of vs I see men walking like trees l Marke â— 24 Men walke like trees when as men are neuer idle but alwaies abounding in the worke of the Lord m 1 Cor. 15.58 As the tree of life euery month bringeth forth twelue manner of fruits n Reu. 22.2 For so Christ said vnto him whom hee healed o Mark 2.10 Take vp thy bed and walke Hee saith not Take vp thy bed and stand still like a stone but take vp thy bed and walke like a tree Otherwise to them whom he found standing still he said in his wrath and in his sore displeasure why stand yee stil all the day idle why are ye like Moab setled vpon your lâ—es p Ier. 48.11 and not powred from vessell to vessell we must make account to giue account for euery idle word wee speake q Mat 12.36 And much more then for euery idle houre wee spend Hee hath called the time against mee saith Ierusalem r Lam. 1.15 So that for the very time which wee haue contemned wee shall be condemned and for euery day which wee haue spent idely wee shall be shent seuerely The Israelites were commanded not once in a weeke or once in a moneth but euery day to gather Manna except only the sabboth day s Exod. 16.26 To teach them and all vs that till wee come to the Sabboth of our euerlasting rest in heauen we must neuer stand still but euery day bee doing somewhat Wherefore Apollos posey was this Let no day passe without a line t Nulla dies sâ— nâ— linea Be sure euery day thou do some good then draw one line at the least According to that u Esay 28.10 Line vpon line line vpon line And Pythagoras posey was this x Chaeneci ne insideas Sit not still vpon the measure of corne Do not looke to eate except thou sweare for it According to that y 2 Thes. 3.10 He which will not worke let him not eate In my Fathers house saith Christ are many mansions z Ioh. 14.3 So that no man may sing his soule a sweet requiem saying with that cormorant in the Gospell Soule take thy rest For in heauen onely which is in our Fathers house there are many mansions to rest in In this world which is out of our fathers house there are not many mansions no not any mansions to rest in but onely vineyards to worke in We are come saith the Authour to the Hebrewes a Heb. 12.13 to the spirits of iust and perfect men in heauen So that no man may sue out for himselfe a Quietus est saying with the Church of Laodicea I am rich and haue enough For in heauen onely are the spirits of iust and perfect men which are rich and haue enough In this world wee must neuer thinke we are rich but we must alwaies be poor in spirit we must neuer think we haue enough but we must alwaies hunger and thirst after righteousnes Wherfore if thou haue a talent c Luke 19.20 put it not into a napkin but into the bancke if thou light a candle d Marke 4.21 set it not vnder a bushel but vpon a candlestick If thou build a citie e Math. 5.14 place it not vnder a dale but vpon a hill if thou seeke Christ f Can. 3.1 seek him not in thy bed but in the gardeÌ„ Lie not stil Sit not
laboureth with her hands there is zeale Shee laboureth with the counsell of her hands there is discretion as well as zeale In Leuiticus they are forbidden to bring any blinde offering to GOD o Leuit. 22.22 All zeale without discretion is an offering without an eie All blind zeale is a blinde offering Which God will neuer accept So that as Minerua is said to put a golden bridle vpon Pegasus that hee should not flye too fast in like sort our Minerua that is our Christian discretion must put a golden bridle vpon Pegasus that is our earnest zeale p Iames 3.3 lest if our zeale bee vnbridled it makes vs follow too fast Therefore Octauian the Emperour did beare in his Escucheon a Crabfish and a Butterflie with this Motto q Festina lente Soft pace goes farre A Crabfish creepes That is soft pace A Butterflie flies That goes farre A Crabfish a Butterflie Soft pace goes farre And Vespatian the Emperour did stampe in his coine a Dolphin and an anchor with this Impresa r Sat cito si sat bene Soone enough if well enough A Dolphin out-strippes the shippe That 's soone enough An Anchor staies the shippe That 's well enough A Dolphin and an anchor Soone enough if wel enough For as if the lower spheres in the heauen should not be staid with the contrarie course of the highest sphere in the firmament they would soone set the whole world on a light fire so the inferiour affections of the minde if they bee not staied with the contrary course of reason and with the milde motion of the spirit of God they will soone ouer-heat thee ouerthrow all thou goest about Therefore Chilo giueth vs this precept not to ouer-heate Iacobs sheepe by driuing them too fast s Gen. 33.13 nor to make ouermuch hast in the way According to that in the Prophet Esay where it is said t Qui crediderit non festinabit cap. 28. ver 16. Hee whâ—ch belâ—oueth shall not make haste The string of an Instrument may bee as well too high as too low If it be too low it â—arres if it be too high it breakes So the mind of man may bee as well too intent as too remisse If it be too remisse it runs too slowly if it be too intent it runs too fast Wherefore Clemens giueth vs this precept that wee should not be strained and wrested too high but set and tuned aright u Non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pâ—â—ag lib. 1. cap. 12. According to that in the second to the Corinths x Non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sâ—d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 10.14 where it is said that we must not ouer-stretch our selues but stretch out our selues not run amisse either too slowly or too fast but follow hard For the way of the righteous y Prou. 4 1â— it glittereth as the light which shineth more and more vnto the perfect day It glittereth as the Sun which commeth forth as a Bridegrome out of his chamber and reioyceth as a Gyant to run his course Indeed the wicked are like a wheele O my God make them like a wheele saith Dauid z Psal. 82.13 A wheele tilts vp behinde and shoots downe before So the wicked are forward to all badnesse and backward to all goodnes But the godly are like a Panther A panther hath foure clawes and no more on each hind-foot but fiue clawes and no lesse on each fore-foote so the godly though they be weake to the world-ward yet they are strong to God-ward And setting the better foote before as we say they follow hard and run with might and maine most violently to lay hold on the hope which is set before them a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cursum corripiunt Beza Heb. 6.18 For there are two sorts of violent men Of the first sort the Apostle saith b 1 Cor. 6.10 No extortioners or violent men shall inherit the kingdome of Heauen Of the second sort our Sauiour saith c Matth. 11.12 The kingdome of heauen suffereth violence and violent men lay hold on it Both are violent men but both are not violent to men For they offer violence to men these offer violence to God therfore they doe not enter but these doe enter into the kingdome of heauen For though God be not content that we should offer violence to men yet he is well content that wee should offer violence to himself d Bona â—iolâ—ntia qua acquiritur regnum Dei Vis intrare in regnum coelorum Esto violentus improbus Em. Dominica 3. Aduent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that we should follow hard and as Pirates or theeues set vpon him if it be lawfull for me so to speake and by the force of faith spoile him and rob him of all his eternall treasures e More latrâ—num fuis eum spoliare nitimur cupimus illi aufâ—â—re regnum thesauros vitam Amb. Par. sect 15. Therefore calling his Church he saith f Can. 2.13 Arise my loue my faire one make haste and come away He that doth make accouÌ„t to come to God must make haste to come to God Hee must vse violence and follow hard and come downe quickly with Zacheus and for speedinesse he must be like a Doe or a Roe vpon the mountains of Bether Euen as those beasts in Ezekiel g Ezec. 1.14 did run and returne as lightning so must euery one who is inlightned with the spirit of God follow as swiftly as lightning which doth no sooner flash downe from heauen to the earth then he must in affection mount vp from the earth to heauen And like as the Israelites were commanded to â—ate the Passeouer in haste h Exod. 1â— 1â— semblably all 〈◊〉 which are true Israelites must gird vp the loines of our minds and follow hard and run apace and redeeme the time that both the wrath of God may passe ouer vs and also the mercie of God may abide with vs. For God among other arguments of his mercy saith thus i Iob 39.16 Who hath giuen wings to the Ostridge The ostridge neuer flies with his wing but onely a little lifts vp his body with them when he runs and in the pinion of each wing he hath a sharp 〈◊〉 wherewith he pricks his owne selfe that he may run the faster So that God hath giuen wings to the Ostridge not for the Ostridge but for vs that we might therby learne how we ought by all good meanes to quicken our dull dispositions that we may follow hard euen as we see the Ostridge eggeth his owne selfe forward with the flapping of his wings For they that waite vpon the Lord shall change their strength they shal lift vp their wings not onely as the Ostridge but also as the Eagle They shall I say lift vp their wings as the Eagle k Esay 40.31 they shall run and not bee faint they shall
of new cloth into an old garment f Mark 2.21 when old things are now past and all things are become new (g) 1 Cor. 5.17 In one word not to haue a linsie-woolsie Religion or a patcht moath-eaten conscience but to weare such a faire Cognisance of certainty and constancy vpon our coat as al men may see that without any neutralitie or hypocrisie wee follow hard toward the marke and sincerely serue God Therefore as Theseus being guided by Ariadnes threed which she tied at the entrance into Dedalus labyrinth escaped all the danger and errour of it euen so wee must make Christ the doore by which wee must enter into the labyrinth of all our affaires and tie Rahabs threed (h) Iosu. 2.14 at his entrance and follow it all the way that so we may be safe and goe in and out and finde pasture i Iohn 10.9 For to goe in and out after this sort is not to go forward and backward but to goe only forward Seeing whether wee goe in by remembrance of Christs mercies or goe out by consideration of our owne miseries whether we goe in by faith or goe out by good workes whether wee goe in by life or goe out by death alwayes wee finde pasture that is heauenly comfort in Christ alwayes wee goe forward alwayes wee follow toward the marke Now for Humâ—rists Saint Paul aduiseth vs to put on the Armour of righteousnes on the right hand and on the left (k) 2 Cor. 6.7 Marcus Caelius was said to haue a good right hand but an ill left hand because hee could plead against a man better then for him But here it is contrary for these are armed well enough on the left hand but they lie open to the Diuell on the right hand Who like a cunning fencer doth strike a great deale more fiercely at the right hand then at the left l Ampliori solicitudine vulnerare in nobiâ— dextram satagit quam sinistram Ber. qui hab ser. 7. Therefore Dauid saith The Lord vpon the right hand shall wound euen Kings in the day of his wrath m Psal. 110.5 If Sathan stand at thy right hand hee shall wound thee but if the Lord stand at thy right hand thou shalt wound him and bruise his head and breake the hairy scalpe of all the Kings and Princes of darkenes (n) Eph. 6.12 Wherefore euery Christian must say with the Psalmist o Psal. 19.9 I haue set God alwayes before me there is the marke for hee is at my right hand so that I shall not fall And againe p Psal. 73.23 Thou hast holden me vp by my right hand thou shalt guide me with thy counsell there is toward the marke after that receiue me into glory S. Bernard writing to one Guido a Cardinall of Rome in his very first salutation wisheth him no greater gift of God then that hee might haue grace to turne neither to the right hand nor to the left q Guidoni Bernardus Non declinare ad dextram nec ad sinistram Epist. 192. And a little after in the same Epistle hee requesteth him that he would learne to know himselfe and not to goe beyond his own mediocrity but be wise vnto sobriety r Seipsum cognosceret nec egrederetur mensuram suam sed saperet ad sobrietatem ib. This lesson the wisest that euer was tâ—acheth vâ— s Eccles. 7.18 not to bee ouer much iust neither to make our selues ouer-much wise Quisquis plus iusto non sapit ille sapit Martial l. 16. For that which is too good is starke naught and he that is too wise is a starke foole because he is neuer contented with the time present but needs hee must haue a praeter And yet no praeter will content him neither nor an imperfect no not a perfect but onely that which is more theÌ„ perfect Now hâ—e which will needes bee more then perfect shall whether hee will or no be lesse then imperfect Hee that seekes to be more wise then hee can be shall be found to bee lesse wise then hee should be And hee that thinkes himselfe seene in all things shall soone shew himselfe ouer-seene in most things Because a selfe-conceit of surmised wisedome will not let him come to happy increase of true wisedome u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marc. And certaine it is that God will not reueale wisdome but onely to such as walke contiâ—nually in the way of peace and doe not at any time like scattered sheepe runne too much on the right hand out of the way of peace into the way of precisenesse x In via pacis tantum ambulantibus reuelabit in nullam praecisionem deuiantibus Aug. lib. 2. de Bap. contr Donat c. 8. citatur à Bruno dâ—â—bâ—reticis li. 4. cap. 4. Wherefore though it be thy right eye yet if it offend thee or cause thee to offend the Church of God by thy running beside the marke plucke it out hardly and cast it from thee y Mat. 5.30 For thou knowest that hee which would needes forsooth in all the haste call for fire from heauen z Luk. 9.14 had too hot a spirit and at that time went too much on the right hand and therefore not with a right foote to the Gospell a Galat. 2.4 But hee that did shaue his head in Cenchrea b Acts 18.18 Paulus Timoâ—heum circumcâ—dit hostias in tempâ— immolauit cum Aquila Priscillâ— caput Corinthi totondit Wilfâ—idus apud Bedam histor l. 5. c. 25. and yeelded to many other ceremonies for peace sake which otherwise perhaps hee did not greatly allow and like of as he exhorteth others to doe so hee did himselfe make â—raight steps for his feete * Heb. 12.13 and went directly toward the marke To returne â—hen now at the length to that which â—re-while I was about to say it hath bin thought in former time that none could â—e perfect but they which led a solitarie life Hence it is that so many Writers both old and new haue so largely discoursed of the perfection of that life Venire ad â—remum summa perfectio est Caesar Arelatensis h. 23. p. 143. Vide praeter alios Laurentium Iustinianum de disciplina perfectione monasticae conuersationis pag. 118. Yea diuers not onely inferiors but euen Princes and not only of other countries but euen of this Realme of England (d) Kynigilsus Ceolulsus Eadbertus Ethelredus Kenredus Sigibertus Offa Sebbi Iue haue voluntarily relinquished their Crowne their Scepter and all their royall roabes and cloistered vp themselues in Monasteries that they might liue as they thought in a more perfect state And certes I will not deny but that such as can well away with this kinde of life haue many opportunities to serue God which we haue not (e) Nihil aliud quicquam erat olim monachi professio quam priscae liberaeque vitae meditatio ac piere
excellent so admirable perfection is not now required at our hands Yet this by your good leaue fauor I wil be bold to say that we can neuer be perfect Christians indeed and run toward the marke aright except at the least wise wee haue that in resolution which they did put in execution Except if need require (d) 1 Pâ—â— 1.6 wee that are faithfull can finde in our hearts to do that and to suffer that for hatred of the spirituall Babylon and for loue of our heauenly Lord which Zopyrus an infidell did suffered for hatred of the earthly Babylon and for loue of a mortall king Except wee can be content not onely to be white lillies by liuing purely and patiently in those afflictions and crosses whereof our miserable life is full which is in some sort a kinde of martyrdome (e) Est quaedam sanguinis effusio afflictio Bernard Non putemus effusionem sanguinis tantum esse Martyriam Semper martyrium est Caesarius Arelatensis 〈◊〉 21. Sine fâ—rro Martyres esse possumus â—i patientiam in animo veraciter consernemus Gregor Omnis piorum vita testimonium reddiâ— Deo Cypr. de dupl martyriâ— â—initio vide loc but also to be red roses by dying constantly and ioyfully for the truth if the good pleasure of God should so appoint it (*) 1 Pet. 3.17 and by making our garments red in the bloud of grapes (f) Gen. 49.11 which is the most perfect martyrdom and commeth neerest of all to the Marke (g) Duplex est species Martyrij vna quando quis pro Christo â—cciditur alia quando caro pro deo maceratur Primo dabitur corona de rosis secunda de lilijs Hier. Erat anâ—e ecclesia operibus fratrum candida nunc facta est in Martyrum cruâ—re purpurea Cypr. l. 2. Epist. 6. pag. 44. that so Christ may rightly say to his Church here amongst vs Thy plants are as an orchard of Pomegranets Tell me wherefore saith Dauid againe speaking of the oath of God h Psal. 105.10 Hee appointed the same vnto Iacob for a law and vnto Israel for an euerlasting testament but onely to teach vs that for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus is the sixt and last degree to perfection for Iacob and Israel are two seuerall names yet they signifie but one singular man Neuerthelesse in a diuers respect because Iacob is he that supplanteth or wrastâ—eth Israel is he that seeth or beholdeth God (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 initio Now Iacob supplanting or wrastling is a subiect or seruant Israel seeing or beholding God is a friend or a sonne This is confirmed by Buruch k Baruch 3.36 saying GOD hath found out the way of knowledge and hath giuen it vnto Iacob his seruant and vnto Israel his beloued So that Iacob is onely a faithfull seruant but Israel is a beloued son Therfore there is appointed vnto Iacob a law but vnto Israel an euerlasting testament Seeing a law (l) Lex Vulg. or a statute (m) Kâ—ab He. or a decree (n) Gâ—ezarah Caldaic or a precept (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuagint properly belongs to Iacob as subiect or a seruant but a testament (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuagint or a couenant (q) Berith He. or an agreement (r) â—â—iam Ca. or an accord Pactium Vulgata properly belongs to Israel a friend or a sonne For as long as Iacob wrastleth with many great imperfections spirituall aduersaries of this life he must as a faithfull subiect or seruant of God keepe the law of wrastling appointed vnto him to wit that he minde but one thing and Forget that which is behinde and endeuour himselfe to that which is before and follow hard toward the marke but when Israell hath once ouercome all his worldly and ghostly enemies t 2 Tim. 2.5 and is become a perfect man in Christ and seeth the Lord in the life to come then he shall as a beloued friend or childe of God possesse that inheritance which the father hath by his euerlasting testament written with the bloud of Iesus Christ u Heb. 13.20 appointed vnto him to wit euerlasting life eternall glory ioy in the holy Ghost the kingdome of heauen The Prize of the high calling God in Christ Iesus O happy happy man art thou and thrice happy man art thou who whosoeuer thou art which with Iacob doest wrestle and keepe the law as a faithfull seruant for no other end but onely this that with Israell thou maist see and enioy the euerlasting testament as a beloued sonne For when wee shall see God wee shall see and what shall we see That which no mortall eye hath seene that wee shall see Wee shall see our owne selues sitting and shining at the right hand of the throne of maiesty We shall see all our deare friends which wee haue not seene this many a day embracing â—â— and welcomming vs into Christs kingdome Wee shall see all the noble army of Martyrs of Apostles of Prophets of Patriarks shouting day night singing out the praises of the Lord. Wee shall see all the inuincible hoast of Angels of Archangels of Principalities of Dominations reuerently attending vpon the King of glory We shal see the King himselfe Christ Iesus disparkling and displaying those beames of beauty which are the heauens wonder and all the Angels blisse If there were now amongst vs one as faire as euer Absolom was who would not be glad to behold him But suppose some one were ten times as faire as Absolom how then would men looke and gaze vpon him I but if another were a hundred times as faire as Absolom what a matter of admiration would that make Put the case then some one should now step forth and shew himselfe a thousand times fairer then euer Absolom was what wondring what maruelling would there be amongst vs how would our eyes be dazled how would our very mindes bee amazed at this sight Well all this is but a counterfeit but a shadow in respect of the bright blazing beauty of our spirituall spouse For Christ Iesus is ten times fairer yea a hundred times fairer yea a thousand times fairer yea ten hundred thousand times fairer then all the children of men So that if the whole beauty not onely of all men but euen of all this inferior globe were put together in one yet it would not be any way comparable not onely to Christs glory but not so much as to the least glorified body in heaueÌ„ And yet al this is but the outside of heauen al this we shal see with our bodily eye The inside and the insight is much more glorious For the best glorified body seeing innumerable Saints Angels more highly exalted then he is hath his ioy doubled and trebled and beyond all measure multiplied when he considereth that he is loued
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
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
not a dramme nay scarce so much as one graine of myrre Wee put into it much frankinsence much pretence of faith much shew of seeking with the heart but little myrre little true mortification litle holines of life little sound knocking with the hand Nay that which is most lamentable or rather most detestable of all some are not ashamed in stead of this pure myrre to put in the verie drugges and the dregges of their vile sinnes which is the cause why manie a mans praier is so lothsome and so odious to God Whereas if we would make this perfume as it should bee made according to Gods prescription and put in as much of the myrre as of the frankinsence of each like waight then I assure you no pomander which is made of Amber and Muske would bee so pleasant in the â—â—osthrils of God as this Perfume of Prayer wherewith the Church it perfumed which is made of Frankinsence and Myrre Of frankinsence is a heart that seeketh and myrre in a hand that knocketh When Moses prayed in mount Oreb r Exod. 17.5 his handes were holden vp by Vr and Aaron Yea they did not only hold vp his hands but also they held his rod in his hands Now the rod of Moses was a figure of the crosse of Christ. Whereby we are taught that wee must not knocke with our owne hands but with Moses rodde in our hands not trusting to bee heard for the workes of our owne hands for our own merits but for Christs mercies For this rodde of Moses is the crosse of Christ the key of Dauid the key wherewith Elias s Iam. 5.17 knockt or rather indeede he stood not without knocking like a stranger but with this key of praier hee lockt and vnlockt heauen at his pleasure Among them that haue beene borne of women there hath not risen vp a greater then Iohn Baptist. Not a greater True Onely the first Iohn Baptist Elias was as great as the second Elias Iohn Baptist. For both of them came in one and the selfe same spirit in one and the selfe same power No maruel then though Elias being such a holy man one while by turning the key one way did lock vp the whole heauen another while by turning the same key of prayer as much another way in the turning of a hand did vnlocke all the doores and windowes of heauen and set them wide open Why do ye maruel at this Euen we we our selues I say shall bee able to doe as much as euer Elias did if wee come in the spirit power of Elias as Iohn Baptist did If we haue such a spirite in our heart to seeke and such a power in our hand to knocke it shall likewise be opened vnto vs. For Christ hath sayd here Knocke and it shall be opened vnto you Thus much for the first part what wee in our prayers must performe to God in these words Aske seeke knocke The second part followeth what God for our prayer will performe to vs And it shall be giuen you That 's for temporall things In another place it is sayd Giue and it shall be giuen you Here Aske and it shall be giuen you So that it is all one with God We may get as much of him by asking as by giuing By asking that which wee haue not as by giuing that which we haue Yet S. Iames sayes r 4.3 you aske and it is not giuen you But the reason followes Because you aske amisse For you aske temporall things to consume them vpon your lusts Now though this be the end which thou intendest yet thou darest not confesse so much with thy mouth Therefore then perhappes thou maiest aske and misse when at thoudest aske amisse When as sayes Barnard u Aut prater verbum petis aut propter verbum non petis eyther thou dost aske from the written word or else thou dost not aske for the begotten word Seeing euery thing which we aske as it must be assured and warranted to vs by the Scripture which is the written word so it must be countenanced and commended to God by Christ which is the begotten word Now both these words written and begotten presuppose a mouth Which if they bee in thy mouth then Gods promise is plaine Open thy mouth and I will fill it Aske of me and I will giue thee the heathen for thine inheritance For the eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares are in their x Aures eius in precibus eorum Ps. 34 â—6 praiers Hee saies not their praiers are in his eares but his eares are in their praiers To signifie that though our praiers be so weake that they cannot pierce through the cloudes and much lesse enter into the eares of the Lord of Hoastes yet that hee will bowe downe incline his eares vnto our praiers So that though our praiers cannot bee in his eares yet his eares shall bee in our praiers A captaine of the hoast of Israel being cut off by the time before hee could cut off all his enemies spake to the sonne saying Sunne stand thou still This was a temporall thing euen time it selfe which hee praied for But there was neuer seene such a day neither before nor since wherein the Lord obeyed the voice of a man y Ios. 10.14 His praiers were not in the eares of the Lord. They went vp to the sunne and no further Yet the eares of the Lord were in his praiers For the Scripture saies not that the sunne obeyed but that the Lord obeyed the voice of a man To signifie that not onely God himselfe will yeeld vnto vs but also if the sunne or any other of his creatures should refuse to giue vs our asking yet that hee will command and compell them also with himselfe to serue vs. And what man then will not obey the voice of the Lord seeing the Lord will obey the voice of a man Pharaoh being plagued with frogs got the man of God to pray for him And the Lord did according to the word of Moses z Exod. 8.13 And the Lord obeyed the voice of a man Moses did according to the word of the Lord. That is plaine The Lord did according to the word of Moses That is strange Yet thus it is And this it shewes that if Moses will doe according to the word of the Lord the Lord will doe according to the word of Moses If wee will keepe his precepts he wil fulfil our praiers Hee will fulfill the desires of them that feare him hee also will heare their crie and will helpe them I haue cried saies the Psalmist because thou hast heard me a Psal. 17.6 One would think he should haue said contrariwise Thou hast heard me because I haue cried Yet he saies I haue cried because thou hast heard mee To shew that crying doth not alwaies goe before hearing with God as it doth with vs but that God will not only heare our crie but
tinckling cimball Whereas if wee would knockeâ— purpose indeed the way wâ—re as Christ teacheth vs elsewhere not to crie Loâ—d Lord but by setting to our hands to doe and worke the will of our heauenly father Loe yea saies Chrysologus En quam negare nollet qui sibi etiam neganti qualiter extorqueretur ostendit howe loath our good Lord is to deny vs any thing seeing though hee were neuer so much disposed to keepe vs out yet here he teacheth vs away how we may breake open the dores and presse in vpon him and get the kingdom of heauen whether he will or no by the violence and force of faith from him For there is a great difference betweene Diâ—es and God though there be a great agreement betweene Lazarus and vs. Lazarus t Luk. 16 20. was a beggar full of sores so are we all by nature beggars standing without and knocking at the doore Yea his body was not so full of sores as our soule is of sinnes Lazarus desired to be relieued with the crummes of bread which fell from the rich mans board so haue we all needs God wote to be refreshed with the crums of mercy which fall from our masters table yet in one respect we are better then Lazarus Is that it was his hard happe to knocke it the doore of a cruell a wretched a miserable caitiffe who could see no time to 〈◊〉 vnto him But we knocke at the dore of a most kind a most liberall a most mercifull father who as soone as he heareth vs rapping with a liuely faith which worketh by charitie hath no power to keepe vs out any longer but presently he openeth vnto vs. And euen aâ— S. Peter u Act. 3.2 when he saw that lame cripple lying vpon the ground crauing an almes at the beautifull gate of the temple said vnto him Siluer and gold haue none but such as I haue health and recouerie I giue thee so Christ when he seeth vs lying prostrate groueling on the ground bâ—fore him knocking for an almes at the beautifull gate of his holy temple by and by openeth vnto vs and giues vs not siluer or gold or any such corruptible thing but health and saluation to our soules and all the inestimable riches of his glorie all the eternall treasures of his kingdome O that some of you would a litle â—rie whether this be true which I say or no! that you would bouÌ„ce as hard as euer you can at this beautifull gate say with the Psalmist x Psal. 44.23 Arise arise O Lord why sleepest thou I warraÌ„t you you should heare him answer you in another Psalm y Psal. 12.5 Now for the pitifull coÌ„plaint of the pore I wil arise saith the Lord I will sleepe no longer I will arise and open vnto them So it was opened to the poore z Luk. 18.13 Publican He went vp to the temple to pray and when hee came thither hee knocked his breast and said Lord be mercifull vnto me a sinner Therefore the dore of mercie was opened vnto him and he went home euen into heauen his long home more iustified in the sight of God then that other which iustified himselfe So was it opened to S. Steuen a Act. 7.56 He was brought out to be stoned But when hee came forth the very stones could not knocke him so hard as his praier knockt heauen gate when as he said Lord Iesus let me in Lord Iesus receiue my spirit Therefore the gate was opened vnto him Hee saw the heauen opened and Iesus standing at the right hand of God where hee within a while after should sit himselfe So was it opened to King b Psal. 118.19 Dauid He knockt very imperiously not like a petitioner but like a coÌ„mander Lift vp your heads ô ye gates be ye lift vp ye euerlasting doores that the King of glory may come in Open vnto mee the gate of the righteous that I may enter in praise the Lord. And wheÌ„ the gate was opened as hee was entring in he pointed to it and said This is the gate of the righteous the lust shall enter â—nto it So it was opened to S. Paul c Act. 16.26 He was cast downe into the very lowest dungeon All the chaines of darknes and euen hell it selfe could not haue held him faster then that dungeon did yet at midnight when he praied and knockt suddenly all the prison dores flew open yea al the dores of the heauen likewise stood open and that which is most maruellous of all they stood so wide open that not onely S. Paul himselfe went in but also Stephanaâ— the iayler and his whole houshold whome hee at that time conuerted and baptized did enter in with him So that all all eternall things are ours nothing nothing can preuaile against vs if wee knocke as we ought Not the brasen gates of hell to shut vs in nor the golden gates of heauen to shut vs out For Christ hath saide here Knocke and it shall be opened vnto you Thus much for the second part what God for one praier will performe to vs in these words And it shall be giuen you and you shall finde and it shall be opened vnto you Now then my deare brethren giue me leaue I beseech you to speake vnto you me I say that am the seruant of God and your seruant for God as Naaman the Sytians seruants sayd vnto him Father say they if the Prophet had commaundeth thee a great thing wouldst thou not haue done it how much more then when hee sayeth vnto thee Wash and bee cleane Brethren I say if he that is more then a Prophet had commaunded you a great thing would you not haue done it how much more then when hee sayeth vnto you Wash and be cleane Aske and it shall bee giuen you Hee desires to be desâ—â—ed And he hath not his owne will except we haue ours But we may haue what we will for asking God doth ask no more of vs but onely that we would vouchsafe to aske him Doe no more sayes he but aske and haue Doe no more buâ— seeke and finde Do no more but knocke and enter in O how easily and yet how powerfully doth prayer worke It ouer commeth all Beastes The Leuiathan the strength of all Gods creatures was so subdued by prayer that whereas otherwise he might haue beene a gulfe to swallowe vp Ionas quicke and for euer to deuoâ—â— him hee 〈…〉 shippe to saue him It ouercommeth all men Iacob giueth Ioseph one portion aboue hiâ— brethren which 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 by his sword and by his bow but the Chaldeâ— Paraphrast translates it By 〈…〉 and by my supplicaâ—â—â—â— Which translatiâ—â— proueth that prayer is the sword and supplication is 〈◊〉 bowe of a Christian wherewith he subdueth all his enemies It ouercommeth the Diuell himselfe Prayer and fasting are the chiefest 〈◊〉 to cast him out If we resist him by praier he will flie from vs.
hee chastiseth their iniquities with rods and their sinnes with scourges m Psal. 89.33 An other is because the faithfull sinning loose the inwarde feeling of Gods fauour As Iob testifieth in these wordes Thou writest bitter thinges against mee and thou wilt consume me with the sinnes of my youth n Iob. 13 26 And Dauid O giue mee the comfort of thy helpe agâ—ine and establish mee with thy free spirit o Psal. 51.12 Hee wanted not Gods helpe nor his spirit but yet he was so discouraged and cast down in his own conscience that hee felt not the comfortable taste of Gods helpe nor the blessed freedome of his spirit And euen so generally the godly sinning though they quench not the Spirite altogether p 1 Thes. 5 19 yet by grieuing it they felt such a desolation in their soules as if they were quite cast out of fauour with God To the latter part of this question I aunswere that the sinnes of the godly are therefore with repentance because the graces of God are without repentance q Rom. 11.29 And as it is vnpossible that they which sinn in despight of the spirit should bee renewed by repentance r Heb. 6.6 so it is vnpossible that they should not bee renewed by repentance which sinne of infirmity as all the faithfull doe For though the flesh haue the vpper hand one while enforcing theÌ„ to sinne yet the spirit will get the masterie another while making them heartilie sorrie for their sinne Neuerthelesse great reason is it they should not abuse the patience of God mouing them to repentance s Rom. 2.4 but rather that they should insâ—antly stir vp this gift of God in them t 2 Tim. 1.6 to which they are sure at leÌ„gth the course motion of Gods spirit will bring them For first what a horrible thing is it either for God to withdraw his fatherly and fauourable countenance from vs or for vs to haue a hell as it were in our owne consciences both which as I haue alreadie shewed doe necessarily follow sinne Besides seeing all the good wee get by sin is repentance and griefe farre better it is to beginne by times to repent and so forthwith to enioy the comfortable feeling of Gods mercifull pardon then by deferring our repentance still to bee tormented with the horrour of our guiltie conscience Moreouer the ende is not a barre against the meanes but rather a great furtherer and setter of them on forward We being therefore sure we shall repent at the last ought neuer a whit the lesse to vse the meanes as soone as we can by ceasing to doe ill and learning to doe well u Esa. 1.17 Euen as S. Paul though he knew certainely hee should not perish in that shipwracke yet he vsed the best meanes hee could to saue his life x Acts 27.44 Lastly this is one maine difference betweene the wicked and the godly that they hauing theyr consciences feared with a 〈◊〉 yron y 1. Tim. 4.2 and being past feeling z Eph 4.19 gâ—â— on still in sinning without any senâ—â— of sinne a Câ—nsuetudo peccandi tollit sensum peccati Aug. but these hauing their senses exercised to discerne betweene good and euill b Heb. 5.14 neuer rest if they bee hurt with the sting of sinne till they bee estsooneâ— salued and healed by Gods mercy For as the Swallow perceyuing himselfe almost blinde presently seeketh out the herbe Chelidonia c Celandine and the Hart feeling himselfe shot with an arrow sticking in him forthwith runneth to the herbe Dictamus d Dittany right so doe the godly Take Ezechias for an example of a Swallowe All that is in mine house haue they seene there is nothing among my treasures that I haue not shewed them e 2. Reg. 20.15 There he is blinde For the more treasures the King of Babels ambassadours sawe the more was Ezechias blinded with ambition in shewing them Like a Crane or a Swallowe so did I chatter I did mourne as a done I shall walke weakely all my yeares in the bitternesse of my soule f Esa. 38. i 4. i 5 Here is the Chelidonia For this bitternesse of his soule doth cure the blindnes of his soule Take Iob for an example of a Hart. The arrowes of the almighty are in mee the venome whereof doth drinke vp my spirit and the terrors of God fight against me g Iob. 6.4 There hee is shot For if he had not bin stroken before with the arrowes of his owne wickednes he should neuer haue binne stroken thus with the arrowes of Gods correction I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes h Iob. 42.6 Here is the Dictamus For this abhorring of himselfe is a recouering of himselfe and the sooner hee repents in dust ashes the sooner is hee freed from all his sinnes from al the punishments due to the same But now some man may further obiect and say He is not yet fully satisfied for this latter part because talke as long as wee will all these inconueniences which come as hath bin declared by perseuering in sinne are either no bridle at all or else not so strong a bridle to restraine men from sinne as if they bee perswaded they may by sinning quite cleane loose all iustifying grace and so may be finally impenitent when they dy But hee which will put foorth this doubt must remember that the children of God are led by the spirit of God i Rom. 8.14 And the spirit though not in the same degree yet in the same sort worketh in all those that haue beene are or shall be sanctified k 2. Cor. 4.13 Euudem spiritum Who as they serue God not for any seâ—uile feare of loosing their faith or of dying in impenitency or such like but only for pure loue of his maiesty so they can neither will nor choose but beeing bitten with sin they must needes in their soules consciences feele the smart of it Therfore S. Paul saith The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to the other so that yee cannot doe the same thinges that yee would l Gal. 5.17 For if the faithfull would doe Gods will in earth as it is in heauen and serue him as obediently and as perfectly as the good angels doe they can not because still in them the flesh lusâ—eth against the spirit and so againe if they would sinne with full consent or with an obstinate purpose to continue in sinne as the euill angelâ— doe they cannot doe this neither because still in them the spirit lusteth against the flesh Which spirit though it may for a time bee shutte vp as it were yet it will finde meanes well enough at length to shew it selfe Thus Elibu saith The spirit within me compelleth me Behold my bellieis as wine which hath no vent and like the new bottles that burst Therefore
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
for our owne deserts of merits but for the merit of that crosse which Christ endured of that shame which Christ despised To whom for his crosse be all praise for his shame be all glory together with the Father and the holy Ghost now and euermore Amen FINIS A SERMON PREACHED before the KINGS Maiesty lying at the Lord SAYES house called Broughton besides Banbâ—ris the 2 day of Septem 1604. ROM 8.31 If God be with vs who can be against vs THese words contain a most magnificent and triumphant conclusion arising out of the former discourse For the Apostle hauing before prooued that man is iustified only by the free grace and mercy of Christ without any merit and desert of good workers at length concludeth in the beginning of this chapter Therfore there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus and so likewise here If God be with vs who can be against vs Maximilian the Emperour â—o admired this sentence Nathan Citraeus in Iteneratio that he caused it to be set in letters of checker worke vpon a table at which he vsed to dine and 〈◊〉 that hauing it so often in his eye hee might alwaies haue it in minde also â— Deus pro nobis quis contranos If God be with vs who can be against vs The truth of it is so apparant that it hath bin made a common watchword not of Christians onely but euen of heathenish souldiers Out word is Immanuel that is Esa. 8.3 by interpretation God with vs. And some of the auncient Romanes vsed likewise in their wartes this watchword Vegetius l. 3. c. 3 Nobisâ—um Deus God with vs. For indeede if we be of the colledge and societie of Immanuel and if God be on our side we shall be sure to preuaile If God be with vs who can be against vs Damascene saith well according to the Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Damaâ—câ—n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril Mierosol Our God is aboue all Gods And so likewise Cyrill The power of our God is aboue all power Therefore if that power be on our side which is aboue all power and that God which is aboue all Gods nothing can hurt vs If God be with vs who can be against vs S. Austin sheweth out of the verse immediately going before De verbis Apostoli Ser. 16 Deus pro nobis ve praedestinaret noâ— that foure especiall waies God is with vs. God is with vs in that he hath predestinated vs God is with vs in that he hath called vs God is with vs in that he hath iustified vs God is with vs in that he hath glorified vs. Innocentius the third In eo mâ—â—â—n Apostolerunt sermâ— Hostis conta nos inferior homo sheweth out of the words consequently following after that fowre speciall enemies are against vs. The inferiour enemy against vs is man the exteriour enemy against vs is the world the interiour enemy against vs is the flesh the superiour enemy against vs is the Deuil So that whereas the Apostle sai's here If God be with vs who can be against vs It is all one as if hee should haue said If God haue predestinated vs what can man doe against vs If God haue called vs what can the world do against vs If God haue iustified vs what can the flesh doe against vs If God haue glorified vs what can the deuill doe against vs If God be with vs who can be against vs The first enemy against vs is man Homo homidi lupus Aut deus aut damon And an other prouerbe saith Either a god or a deuill For to say nothing that no time is freed so place priuiledged no degree secured no torment vnpractised onely this I will touch that no age is exempted But the crueltie of man rageth not only vpon the old after they are buried but also vpon the young before they are borne Thus saith the Lord For three transgressions and for foure I will not turne vnto Moab because they digged vp the bones of the king of Edom and burnt them to lime The king of Edom was a wicked man yet God detested so this vnnaturall and barbarous cruelty of the Moabits toward the dead that for this especially he would not be reconciled to them The like ensamples haue not wanted in our land almost in our time Tracie two yeares Wickliffe two and fortie yeares after hee was buried was digged vp So euen of late they vsed Martin Bucer and Paulus Phagius in Cambridge and Peter Martyrs wife in Oxford Such cruell mâ—n if they had as great power ouer these holy Martyrs soules as they had ouer their bodies doubtles they would haue puld them out of heauen For as long as they had a finger or a fobre or a bone or a peice of a bone is the graue they neuer left mining and digging till they had rooted it out So that at the least wise we may say of them with the Psalmist The dead bodies of thy seruants Psal. 79.2 O Lord haue they giuen to bee meate to the foules of the aire and the flesh of thy Saints to the beasts of the field Now the crueltie of man against man as it endeth not when life endeth so it beginneth before life beginneth For not onely Esau that cruell and cursed reprobate strugled and wrafâ—led with his brother Iacob in their mothers wombe but also â—â—e Ammonites ript vp the women of â—â—â—lead beeing great with child Amos 1.13 Lamen â— 20 and the Babylonians caused the womâ—n of Ierusalem to eate their owne fruit and their children of a span long And not long agoe in the Isle of Garnsey when a faithful woman whose name need not here to be rehearsed while she was burning at the stake Perotine Massy was deliuered of a goodly man-child some were so hard-hearted to fling him back againe into the fire there to be â—â—rthered as they meant it but in deede martyred with his mother O blessed babe Because there is no roome for him so the inne as soone as hee is borne hee is laide in a maunger Nay because there is no roome for him in any one corner of all the world by and by he is baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire O blessed I say againe blessed babe Before thou art lapped in swadling clothes thou art crowned with martyrdome before thou fully breathest in the breath of life thou happily breathest out thine innocent soule â—â— God But â—ie vpon such beastly and cruell murthers Out vpon such deuillish and fiendish tormentors These Saints these Catholikes who are Soythians if these be Saints who are Canibals if these be Catholikse which holding it as an article of their faith that all children dying without baptisme are damned yet wittingly did put this innocent child to death before he was baptized And therefore as they made the mother suffer the most vntollerable paines of childbirth and martyrdome both together's so they verily
thought and beleeued they flung the infant also body and soule into an earthly fire and into hell fire all at once This is the crueltie of man He would if he could pull some out of heauen after they are buried and thrust some into hel before they are borne But God hath predestinated vs. And not only before we were borne Ephes. 1.4 but also before the world was created hath chosen vs in Christ. Euen as Christ shall say at the last day Come ye blessed of my Father Matth. 25.34 inherit the kingdome of heauen prepared for you before the foundations of the world For looke how carefully parents prouide for their children Primâ—sius in a Tim. â— 1. in illa Ante tempora secularia Arator Doâ—â— prius tempora dedit and put them in their will before they are borne so God giues vs the grace to liue with him before he giue vs time to liue here Euen as the Sonne saith Feare not little â—â—ock for it is your Fathers will to giue you a kingdome And the father himselfe I euen I am he that comfort you who 〈◊〉 thou then that fearest a mortall maâ— who fadeth away as grasse Therefore euery couragious Christian may comfort his heart in God and say with the Prâ—â—â—â—y Prophet The Lord is my light and my saluation whome then shall I feare the Lord is the strength of my life of whoÌ„ then shall I be afraid when the wicked euen mine enemies and my foes come vpon me to eat vp my flesh they stumbled and fell Though an hoast of men were laid against me yet shall not my heart be afraid though there rose vp warre against me yet wil I put my 〈◊〉 in him I will not be afraid of ten thousand of the people that haue set themselues against me round about Yea though I walke thorough the valley of the shadow of death yet will I feare no euill â—or thou O Lord art with me thy rod and thy staffe they comfort me So that I may boldly say The Lord is my helper neither will I feare what 〈◊〉 can doe vnto me The Lord of hoaste with vs the God of Iacob is our refuge And if the Lord of hosts haue predestinated vs vnto life what can man doe against vs what before we liue what while we liue what after we liue If God be with vs who can be against vs The second enemie against vs is the world Which assaileth vs as well by aduersitie Qusd est mundus nisi agon plenus cetraminum as by prosperitie What is the world saith S. Ambrose but a race or a course full of trials troubles It is a field wherein is little corne but much cockle It is a garden wherein are few roses but many thornes Yet these thornes of aduersitie doe not so much oftentimes endanger vs as the baites of prosperitie Mundus peririculosior est blandus quam molâ—stuâ— magis cauendus eunse â—lliâ—â—t diligi qaâ—m cum ad monet cogitqueâ—ontemni Epist. 144. The world is more dangerous saith S. Austin when it flattereth then when it threateneth and is more to be feared when it allureth vs to loue it then when it enforceth vs to contemn it For euen as Iudas by a kisse betrayed his master so the world is a very Iudas It meaneth most falsly when it embraceth most friendly Wherefore the Apostle saith thus of Demas Demas hath forsaken vs and imbraced this present world So that the immoderate embracing of this world is a flat forsaking of Christ and his Gospel Vnskilful swimmers when they begin to sinke if they catch hold of weeds in the bottom Qui mundum amploctuntur similes sunt illis qui submerguntur in aquis Bern. de Adnent setm. 1. the faster they hold the surer they are drowned in like sort they that shake hands with the world and embrace the pleasures and prosperitie thereof most greedily plunge themselues most deeply into destruction But God hath called vs. And therefore neither aduersitie nor prosperitie can hurt vs. Maruell not saith our Saâ—iour though the world hate you It hated me before it hated you If you were of the world the world would loue you but because you are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore doth the world hate you Well as the world hateth vs so weâ— must hate it againe As it contemneth vs so we must contemne it againe According to that of S. Paul The world is crucified to me and I vnto the world I am crucified to the world that is The world contemnes me the world is crucified to mee that is I contemne the world The world contemnes me 〈◊〉 I contemne it Moral senn 10. c. 2. Qui nihil habet in mundo quod appetat nihil est quod de mundo pertimesent Cyprian Quis ei de secullo metus est cui in seculo deus tutor est For as Gregory sayes He that hath nothing that he loues in the world hath nothing to feare of the world And Cyprian What neede he to feare the world who hath God his protector his tutor his defendour in the world He that is of God ouercommeth the world And this is our victorie whereby we ouercome the world euen our faith Whereupon our Sauiour saies Be of good comfort I haue ouercome the world and behold I am with you euen vnto the ende of the world So that the world and the trouble we shall haue in the world shall haue an ende but the comfort we haue in God shall haue no end Behold I am with you saith he And if God be with vs and haue called vs out of the world what can the world doe against vs If God be with vs who can be against vs The third enemie against vs is the flesh Prou. 30.22 Salomon saith this is one thing which maketh the earth euen tremble when a seruant beginneth to beare rule The flesh is and ought to be a seruant Yet it beareth rule in the vnregenerate Yea it striueth to beare rule and beginneth to beare rule euen in the godly A mans enemies are they of his owne house It is mine owne familiar friend that lifteth vp his heele against me This familiar friend was Paul much troubled withal when be said I see an other law in my members Rom. 7. rebelling against my minde and leading mee captiue vnto death And Lot who beeing a iust man that could not be ouercome with all the sinnes of Sodom by immoderate drinking of wine fell to follie And Samson who otherwise impregnable yet yeelded to Dalila Therefore in the 〈◊〉 it lieth which striueth to lay our honour in the dust But God hath iustified vs. And hauing iustified vs in some measure also hath begunne to sanctifie vs. So that the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh in so much as we cannot doe as we would Not onely the flesh against the spirit but
with a garment dipt in blood can not be angry either with him or with vs but when we are dead in sinne quickneth vs together in him by whose grace we are saued and raised vs vp and maketh vs for his sake sit in the heauenly places aboue Marcus Seruilius a valiant Romane who had fought three and twenty combates of life and death in his owne person and had alwaies slaine as many of his enemies as challeng'd him man to man when as the people of Rome resisted Paulus Emilius triumph Plutarch in Paulo Aâ—melio fine stood vp and made an oration in his behalfe In the midst whereof he cast open his gowne and shewed before them the infinite skarves and cutâ— he had receiued vpon his breast The sight of which so preuailed with the people that they all agreed in one and graunted Emilius triumph After the same fashion Christ hath spoiled â—â—â—â—cipalities and powers and hath made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them in his crosse yeâ— and yet now beareth about in his bodie the markes and tokens of this triumph that a finall agreement and attonement being made betweene God and vs by his onely mediation and meanes we also may be more then conquerours in him that loueth vs and may euery one of vs say with Saint Paul Now thanks be vnto God which alwaies maketh vs to triumph in Christ. Among other ornaments of the Sanctuarie there was a golden censer full of holes by which the sweete odours fumed forth when Aaron once a yeare burnt incense therin No other high Priest doe we acknowledge but Christ the true Aaron Heb. â— 4 who hath not entred into any Sanctuarie made with hands but into heauen it selfe And his golden censer is his own body which through the wounds that are in it as through chinks or holes suâ—eth forth alwaies a pleasing and a sweete â—auour in the nosthrils of his father The signe of the couenant which God made with Noah was a rainebowe in the cloud And indeede that is a sure token vnto vs that the world shall neuer be drowned againe with a generall flood of water Gen. 9 16. as it was in Noahs time But the rainebowe which assureth vs we shall neuer be drowned in the pit of euerlasting perdition is no such thing Why may some man say what is it Mane it is the blood of Christ which maketh as it wâ—re a rainebow in his side For the other rainebow is but a transitorie signe which shall passe away with the cloudes and with the world But this rainebowe whereof the other is but a shadow shall continue for euer in the sight of God as the author to the Hebrewes sai's that Christ is entred into heauen vt appareat nunc vultui Dei pro nobis to appeare now in the fight of God for vs. Therefore S. Iohn in the Reuelation witnesseth that he sawe a doore open in heauen aud a rainebow round about the throne of God Hee sawe a doore open in heauen to teach vs that we can haue no accesse vnto the Father but by Christ neither yet by Christ simply but as he is crucified and hath set open a doore in his side for vs to enter by him He sawe a rainebowe round about the throne of God to teach vs that the throne of God would be altogether a throne of iustice a throne of wrath a throne of anger and indignation were it not that the blood of Christ spinning out as I may say still liuely and freshly in the sight of his father maketh a rainbowe round about his throne putteth him in minde of his couenant appeaseth his displeasure and so maketh his throne to all vs that loue him Gen. 30.37 a throne of grace a throne of compassion a throne of fauour and mercie in Christ. We read that Iacob pilled certaine rods which beeing laid in the watering troughes before the sheepe made them bring forth such lambes as afterward fell to his own share So likewise if we sinne wee haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes The marke of the roddes in his wounds laid open in the sight of God ingendreth and breedeth in him a loue and a liking toward vs so that he conceiueth well of vs and seuereth vs as good sheepe from the goates and in the blood of the lambe is pleased and appeased and satisfied for our sinnes This blood is the blood of sprinkling Heb. 12.24 which speaketh better things then that of Abel For Abels blood vpon earth cryed out once for vengeance but Christs blood in heauen cries continually for mercie One deepe calleth another because of the noise of the water pipes Christs woundes are the watering troughs and the water-pipes by which all graces flowe vnto vs. So that one deepe calleth an other because of the noise of the water pipes because the wounds of Christ make a continuall noise in the eares of his father and the depth of the extreame misery which he was in vpon earth calleth for the depth of Gods bottomlesse and infinite mercy in heauen Thus these holy wounds of Christ pacifie and appease his father For now Moyses standing in the gappe sues for pardon the poore creeple lying at the beautifull gate begg's an almes Ezechias spreading open his letters makes his supplication Salomon stretching out his hands offers vp his prayer Epaminondas being wounded mooues Agâ—sipolis to saue Pelopidas Seruilius discouering his wounds perswades the people to grant Emilius triumph Aaron burning incense in his golden censer perfumeth the whole Sanctuarie Noah pointing to his rainebowe putteth God in mind of his promise Iacob laying forth his roddes make most of the lambes his owne Abel holding vp his blood cals and cries for mercie Christ shewing his hands and his side appeaseth his father As if our Sauiour should say thus vnto his Father O my louing father looke vpon the face of thine annointed looke vpon the hands looke vpon the side of thine annointed The hands of thine anointed how cruelly they are mangled the side of thine annointed bow wofully it is wounded Behold and see if there be any sorrowe like to my sorrow These hands can signifie what exceeding sorrow I haue suffered this side can shew that I haue humbled my selfe and haue been obedient vnto death euen vnto the death of the crosse Therefore O my deare father Put thy finger here and see my hands and put forth thy hand and put it into my side and as thou art not faithlesse but faithfull so be not mercilesse but mercifull for my sake and pitifull to thy people So much for the second cause which is to appease his Father The third cause why Christ hath his wounds yet to be seene in his bodie is to confound his enemies When Saint Paul the Apostle before his conuersion persecuted the Church of God Christ called to him from heauen and said Saul Saul why persecutest thou
Noah saued all by the doore in the side of the arke Christ redeemeth all by the doorâ— in the side of his bodie Noah the fortieth day after the decreasing of the flood opened the windowe Christ the fortieth day after his resurrectioÌ„ ascendeth vp and openeth heauen Lo ye how all things agree together None but Noah none but Christ Noahs rest Christs peace Noahs arke Christs crosse Noahs water Christs woe Noahs doore Christs side Noahs windowe Christs kingdome The Prophet Hose foretelleth that Ephraim shall flie away like a bird This is fulfilled not only in Ephraim but euen in all mankind All haue gone astray all haue flowen away from God as a hauâ—e which takes a check and giues ouer her pray wherefore Christ holding out his wounded and bloody hands as meat to reclaime vs calleth vs as it were and saith Returne returne O Shulamite returne returne Can. 6 12. that we may behold thee Prudentius writeth that when Asclepiades commaunded the tormentors to strike Romanus on the mouth the meeke martyr answered I thanke thee O captaine that thou hast opened vnto me many mouthes whereby I may preach my Lord and Sauiour Tot ecce laudant or a quot sunt vulnera Looke howe many wounds I haue so many mouthes I haue to praise and laud the Lord. And looke how many wounds Christ hath so many mouthes he hath to call vs to himselfe so many lures he hath to make our soule flie for comfort onely vnto him Manna was a most comfortable meate which God gaue the Israelites It was like to coriander seede and the tost of it was like vnto wafers made with honey Exod. 16.32 This our holy Sauiour applieth to himselfe For when the Capernites said Our fathers did eate Manna in the desert Iesus answered Your fathers did eate Manna in the wildernesse and are dead I am the liuing bread which came downe from heauen Therefore as then there was a golden pot of Manna kept in the Tabernacle that the posteritie might see the bread wherewith the Lord fed them so there is yet a golden pot of Manna kept in heauen Bernard de amor dei c. 2. that the faithfull in all ages may tast and see how sweete the Lord is which feedeth them with his owne body and blood the least droppe whereof though it be as small as a 〈◊〉 and or seede yet it is as sweet as a wafer made with honey Hard it is to giues reason wherefore Christ when he came to the citie of Sichar in Samari◠〈◊〉 was Iacobs well sate downe vpon the well about the sixt houre But certainly he did this not so much for himselfe as for vs. That hereby we might learne when the sunne is hotest about the 〈◊〉 houre of the day wheÌ„ we are most exercised with afflictions when we are â—â—rest grieued for our sins alwaies to haue recourse vnto Christ alwaies to see with the King into the wineselles alwaies to sit downe vpon Iacobs well Ioh. 4.6 Of which the Prophet Zacharie saiâ—s In that day there shall be a fountaine opened to the house of Dauid and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sinne and for vncleanenesse In omnibus aduersitatibus nâ— inueni tam essicax remedium quam vulnera Christi Manu 22. Whereupon S. Austin saith verie diuinely In all aduersities saies he I could neuer yet find any remedie so comfortable and so effectuall as the wounds of Christ. Christ is not vnlike to the poole in Ierusalem Ioh. 5.1 called Bethesda hauing fiue porches which being troubled by an angel healed any man that went first into it what soeuer disease he had Bethesda signifieth the house of effusion or powring out in which house Christ dwelt when he powred out his blood and his soule for our saluation Therefore he alone is the angel which came downe at a certaine season into the poole and troubled the water because when the fulnes of time was come he came into the world to be troubled himselfe and to be crucified that he might heale not onely that one man which had been diseased eight aâ—d thirtie yeares but euen all mankinde with the troubled water and blood which issued out of his side So that there is nothing so comfortable for sicke and sinnefull men as to fit in the seates and porches of this poole Wonderfull are the words of the Prophet concerning Christ He shall seede his flocke like a shepheard Esa. 40.11 he shall gather the lambs with his armes had 〈◊〉 theÌ„ in his bosom Which was profigur'd in the high Priest who did beare vp with his shoulders a breast plaâ—e wherin were the names of the twelue tribes written in twelue precious stones That which the shepheard doth with his armes and bosom that which the high Priest doth with his shoulders 〈◊〉 that doth Christ with his hands and side He is the good shepheard which bringeth home the lost 〈◊〉 vpon 〈◊〉 shoulders Yea he writeth the 〈◊〉 of all his sheepe in his precious wounds which are the precious stones vpon his breast-plate that both declare his loue to vs. also allure vs to loue him This makes Dauid say in great 〈◊〉 The Lord is my shepheard ther 〈◊〉 can I lacke nothing He shall feeded 〈◊〉 in a greene pasture and lead men forth beside the waters of comfort For 〈◊〉 henne gathereth her brood vnder her wings so God gathereth his children together Deut 30.11 And as an eagle stirreth vp her nest flotereth ouer her birds taken them and beareth them on her wings so Christ carrieth vs vp in his hands to the high places of the earth and causeth vs to sucke bonie out of the stone and oyle out of the hard rock Butheius an excellent painter painted an eagle carrying Ganimedes into heauen so nicely and tenderly that her talents did not 〈◊〉 him but onely beare him vp And in like sort Christ beareth vs vp in his hands that we dash noâ— our foot against a stone yea his right hand is vnder our head quis Dominus supponit ma. num suam and his leâ—t hand doth embrace vt so ther though we should fal yet we cannot be hurt because the Lord stayeth and supporteth vs with his hand Therefore S. Chrysostome giues vs good counsell not to haue iayes eyes but eagles eyes that wee may behold these hands of Christ and see his side in the Sacrament For indeede as often as we celebrate the memorie of our Lords death Christ our Sauiour deliuering the bread and the cuppe by his minister saith in a sort to euerie faithful receiuer Put thy finger here and see my hands and put forth thy hand and put it into my side and be not faithlesse but faithfull But yet we shall not alwaies drinke of this fruit of the vine The time will come when we shall drinke a new kinde of wine in Christs kingdome Wherefore he saies As often as yâ— shall eate this bread and drinke this cup you shall shâ—w the
Lords death til he 〈◊〉 Till he come Declaring hereby that when he is come his death shall bee shewed an other way Namely by his wounds which alwaies he sheweth to his 〈◊〉 Euen as we sing in that heauenly Hymne or Psalme The humble suit of a sinner Whose bloâ—dy wouâ—dâ— are yet to see though not with mortall eye yet doe thy Saints behold them all and so I trust shall I. O how vnspeakeably doe â—he Saints 〈◊〉 how gloriously also shall we triumph when we shall see Christ in his kingdome and behold those blessed wounds of his whereby he hath purchased so many and so great good things for vs This is the new wine which we shall drinke This is the Eucharist of the Angels the food of the Elect the spirit 〈…〉 of the Saints For wheresoeuer the dead bodie is thither shall the eagles refer And we that with eagles wings flie vp by faith into heauen shall euer resort to this dead bodie and we shal vnsatiably desire to feede our eyes and our soules with the sight of Christ who was once dead and euen now hath in his bodie those skarres which continue the memorie of his death that in all eternitie it may neuer be forgotten Thus these heauenly wounds of Christ delight and comfort his friends As the cities of refuge which saue the sinner as the holes of the rock which defend the doue as the shadow of the iuniper tree which reuiueth the wearied as the doore of the Arke which preserueth the world as the lure of the â—oule which calleth home the Shulamite as the pot of Manna which nourisheth the Israelite as the well of Iacob which refresheth the thirstie as the poole of Bethesda which healeth the sicke as the armes of the shepheard which gather his lambs as the wings of the eagle which beare vp her birds So doe the hands and side of Christ comfort his friends As if our Sauiour should say thus to euery one of his friends Can a mother forget her child and not haue compassion on the son of her wombe though they should forget yet would not I forget thee Behold I haue grauen thee vpon the palmes of my hands Here I haue still in my hands that price of thy redemption which I paid for thee so that no man can take thee out of my hands Yea I haue written and sealed thy saluation in my side A speare is the penne my blood is the inke my body is the pâ—per Here thou maist see the bowels of my compassion thorough the wounds of my passion Assure thy selfe therfore assure thy selfe of my loue of my good will of my fauour for euer Make no doubt of it If thou doubt any thing Put thy finger here and see my hands and put forth thy hand and put it into my side and be not faithlesse but faithful So much for the fourth cause which is to comfort his friends You see then blessed Christians you see how these causes of Christs wounds differ one from an other The first cause to approoue his resurrection was but neither is nor shall bee The second cause to appease his Father was and is but shall not be The third cause to confound his enemies neither was nor is but shall be The fourth cause to comfort his friends both was and is and shall be So that Christs wounds did serue to approoue his resurrection onely between his resurrection and his ascension doe serue to appease his Father onely between his ascension and his second comming shall serue to confound his enemies onely at the day of iudgement did doe and shall serue to comfort his friends for euer Wherfore though wee be neuer so great sinners yet let vs neuer despaire of the grace and mercie of Christ. His hands are still stretched out to embrace vs his side is alwaies open to receiue vs. Therefore let vs creepe low and come humbly to him that wee may with the woman in the Gospel touch but the hemme of his garment nay that we may with S. Iohn leane vpon his blessed bosome yea that we may with S. Thomas in this place put our fingers into his hands and our hands into his side And euen as Constantine the great vsed to kisse that eye of Paphnutius which was boared out in Maximinus time and the Iayler in the Acts washed S. Pauls stripes and vvoundâ— so let vs kisse the Sonne least he bee angry and honour his holy vvounds vvich are the precious 〈◊〉 vvherevvith he hath healed vs and restored vs to euerlasting life To the vvhich vve beseech thee O good Lord to bring vs not for our ovvne deferrs or merits but for the tender bovvels of Christ Iesus loue and mercie tovvard vs to vvhom vvith the Father and the holy Ghost bee all honour and praise both novv and for euermore Amen FINIS MATTH 5. V. 19. He that both doeth and teacheth the same shall be called great in the kingdome of heauen BEloued in our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ It is a verie monstrous thing that any man should haue more tongues then handâ— For God hath giuen vs two hands and but one tongue that we might doe much and say but little Yet many say so much and do so little as though they had two tongues and but one hand nay three tongues and neuer a hand Insomuch as that may be aptly applied to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Pandulphus said to some in his time You say much but you doe little you say well but you doe ill againe you doe little but you say much you doe ill but you say well Such as these which do either worse then they teach or else lesse then they teach teaching others to doe well and to do much but doing no whit themselues may be resembled to diuerse things To a wherstone which being blunt it selfe makes a knife sharpe To a painter which being deformed himselfe makes a picture faire To a signe which beeing weather-beaten and hanging without it selfe directs passengers into the Inne To a bell which beeing deafe and hearing not it selfe calls the people into the Church to heare To a nightingale which beeing restles and sitting vpon a thorne her selfe brings others by her singing into a sweete sleâ—pe To a goldsmith which beeing beggerly and hauing not one peice of plate to vse himselfe hath store for others which he shewes and sells in his shoppe Lastly to a ridiculous actor in the citie of Smyrna which pronouncing ô coelum O heauen pointed with his finger toward the ground which when Polemo the cheifest man in the place sawe he could abide to stay no longer but went from the company in a chase saying This â—oole hath made a solecisme with his haâ—â—â— hee hath spoken false Latine wâ—â—â— his hand Such are all they which teach one thing and do another which teach well and doe ill They are like a blunt wheâ—stone a deformed painter a weather-beaten signe a deafe bell a restles nightingale a beggerly