in it so the Lord onely hath all manner of good things al manner of true delights in him Therefore the Church hauing first bestowed the greatest part of Salomons song altogether in commendation of the beautie and comelinesse of Christ at length concludeth thus Thy mouth is as sweet things and thou art wholly delectable how faire art thou how pleasant art thou O my loue in pleasures So that when I seeke my loue my Lord then I seeke a delight and a light that passeth all lights which no eye hath seene I seeke a sound and an harmonie that passeth al harmonies which no eare hath heard I seeke a sent and asauour that passeth all sauours which nosense hath smelt I seeke a rellish and a tast that passeth al taste which no tongue hath tasted I seeke a contentment and a pleasure that passeth all pleasures which no body hath felt Nay I cannot hold my heart for my ioy yea I cannnot hold my ioy for my heart to think that he which is my Lord is now become my father and so that he which was offended with me for my sins sake is now reconciled to mee for his sonnes sake To think that the high Maiesty of God will one day raise me out of the dost and so that I which am now a poore worme vpon earth shall hereafter bee a glorious Saint in heauen This this makes mee delight my selfe in the Lord saying O thou that art the delight of my delight the life of my life the soule of my soule I delight my selfe in thee I liue onely for thee I offer my selfe vnto thee wholly to the wholly one to thee one onely to thee r Totum toti vnum vni vnicum vnico onely For suppose now as S. Iohn speaketh the whole world were full of bookes and al the creatures in the world were writers all the grasse piles vpon the earth were pennes and all the waters in the sea were yoke yet I assure you faithfully all these bookes all these writers all these pennes all this yoke would not bee sufficient to describe the very least pert either of the goodnes of the Lord in himselfe or of the louing kindnesse of the Lord towards thee Wherefore Delight thy selfe in the Lord and he shall giue thee the desires of the heart Thus much for the precept in these words Delight thy selfe in the Lord. The promise followeth First And hee shall giue thee Well saies Leo Loue is the greatest reward of loue that either can be or can be desired s Dilectionis nulla maior expetenda est remuncratio quam ipsa dilectio Ser. 7. de ieiu So that though there were no other reward promised thee for delighting in the Lord but onely the delight it selfe it were sufficient For the benefit is not Gods but wholly thine God is neuer a whit the better for thy delighting thy selfe in him If thou bee righteous what dost thou giue him what doth bee receiue at thy hands t Iob. 32.7 Thy delight may perhaps reach to the saints which are in the earth but it can neuer reach to the Saints which are in heauen and much lesse can it reach to God which is the Lord of heauen u Psal. 16.2 Nay I will say more If thou shouldest giue God whole riuers full of oyle and whole houses full of gold for neuer so little a drop of this delight it would be nothing Thy gift wold be nothing to his gift thy oyle and golde would be nothing to his oyle and gladnes yet behold the bountifulnesse and liberalitie of the Lord. He â—ires thee and giues thee wages not to doe himselfe good but to doe thy selfe good And here he promiseth to reward his owne mercies as if they were thine owne merits And as though the benefit were not thine but wholly his so hee changeth the words and for thou shalt giue him saies He shall giue thee But this he doth as Augustine testifieth x Non erroris amoris sed amoris errore De ciuit dei lib. 22. cap. 6. Not by the loue of errour but by the errour of loue For the loue of errour is mans Rhetoricke it is a figure which man often vseth Hâ—manum est errare y It is mans property to erre But the errour of loue is Gods Rhetoricke it is a figure which God often vseth Diuinum est amare z It is Gods property to loue Especially it is a diuine thing to loue so dearely as God loueth vs. Who though he do not loue to erre yet he doth erre for loue Counting and calling that which is onely our commodity his owne commodity So Christ is said a Can. 2.16 to be fed amongst the lylies The lylies of the fields are the milions of the angels b Lilia agroruÌ„ millia angelorum or of al those which lead a pure an angelicall life These indeed Christ feedeth He feedeth them on the greene pastures and leadeth them forth by the waters of comfort Yea not onely be feedeth them but also by this figure the error of loue he is said to be fed with them Because though he for his part haue little neede I wis to be feede yet it is as great a pleasure to him to feede them as if hee were fedde himselfe among them c Si vidisti quod pasci illi sit pascere vide esiam nuÌ„c ne forte e conuerso nascere sit ei pasci Barnard Cant. serm 71 So likewise he saies If any man open the doore I will suppe with him and be with me d Reu. 3.20 Wee indeede suppe with Christ. Generally whensoeuer he giues vs grace to feele in our affections the rauishing ioyes of the spirit And when he saies I haue eaten my bonie combe with my hony I haue drunken my wine with my milke eate you also O my friends drinke and make you merry O my well beloued But more especially wee suppe with Christ when hee calls vs to the holy Communion and biddes vs to the Lords Supper For then he staies vs with flagons and comforts vs with e Cant. 3.20 apples with apples and flagons with bread and wine with his owne deere body and his owne pretious bloud Thus do wee sup with Christ. Bâ—t how doth Christ suppe with vs Is it possible possible that he which shall neuer hunger or thirst any more possible that be which is fulnesse it selfe in whom all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily dwelleth Is it possible I say that hee should stand without knocking at the doore as a begger to get a meales meat of vs Yea sure doubt you not It is possible enough By a certaine Figure I weene you call it the errour of loue that 's it by this figure the errour of loue it is a very possible thing nay it is a verie easie thing to doe yea it is a very great pleasure to him to doe it Behold saies hee I stand at the dâ—re and
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
still stand not still but endeuour thy selfe to that which is before Walk before mee and be perfect saith God to Abraham g Gen. 17.1 As if he should say if thou wilt bee perfect then walke before mee and endeauour thy selfe to that which is before thee For the Apostle in the other part speaking of those things which are behind saith that he doth not only not beare them in body but not so much as beare them in mind Here contrariwise speaking of those things which are before he saith that he doth not only intend his mind to them but also extend his very body towardes them So that as they which runne in a race bend forward their brests stretch out their armes to shew that they haue a desire to run faster then possibly their feet can follow them After the same sort we which run in this course of Christianity must cast away euery thing that presseth downe and sin which cleaueth so fast h Heb. 12.1 that we may Endeuour our selues or as the Greeke word i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here signifies stretch our selues to those things which are before And like as â—â—â—lus let all the other winds which might haue bin a troble to him with his friend Vlysses to be packt vp in a male and kept onely the western wind for his own vse to bring him home into his Country so we must reiect all other things which may bee as contrary windes to driue vs from the shoare of saluation and retaine onely that westerne winde of the Spirit of God whereby we may endeuour our selues to that which is before and stretch out our sailes and so come safely to the hauen of heauen Euery thing as Austen testifieth is either a hinderance or a furtherance k Aut vinculum aut vehiculum De ciui Dei lib. 9. c. 5. if it be a hinderance cast it away if it be a furtherance then keep it For euen as the silke-worme keepes her body spare and empty and vses to fast two or three daies together that she may stretch out her selfe the better spin her thrid the finer so we must endeauour to bring vnder our bodies l 1 Cor. 9.27 as I may say diet them for the nonce that we may not any longer weaue the spiders web m Esay 59.5 but with the silk-worm spin a new thrid The spiders web is vinculum the silke-wormes thrid vehiculum And like as the viper perceiuing her old skin to be so stiffe that she cannot easily stretch out her selfe in it strips it quite off After the same sort we which are by nature a generation of vipers must strip off our old skin n Coloss. 3.9 and perceiuing we cannot well do our endeuour and stir our selues in the armour of Saul we must with Dauid put it off and put on the armor of light WheÌ„ long war had been between the two houses of Saul and Dauid at length the house of Saul waxed weaker weaker the house of Dauid waxed stroÌ„ger stronger o 2 Sam. 3.1 In like manner the Spirit must alwaies endeuour it selfe to that which is before and neuer leaue fighting with the flesh til the house of Saul who was a limbe of the diuell that is the flesh wax weaker and weaker and the house of Dauid who was a figure of Christ that is the spirit wax stronger and stronger Thus the Baptist being 〈◊〉 a child waxed stronger and stronger in Spirit And yet speaking of Christ and himselfe he saith thus p Iohn 3.30 He must increase I must decrease But the Baptist was borne of old Elizabeth Christ was borne of young Mary Whereby we see that that which is borne of the old man which is the flesh must daily decrease in vs and grow downward but that which is born of the new man which is the spirit must daily increase in vs and grow vpward For so indeed Christ in the beginning of the new world increased in wisedome for his minde and stature for his body q Luke 2.52 To teach vs that if we be liuely members of the same body then we must in like sort endeuour our selues to that which is before and increase and multiply r Crescite multiplicamini non solum ad corpus sed etiam ad animum refertur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and grow vp into him who is the head til we all come to the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ The holy Ghost also in the beginning of the old world who moued vpoÌ„ the waters s Gen. 1.2 To teach vs that if we be inspired and moued by the same spirit then we must in like sort be moued vpon the waters and passe apace ouer the red sea of this world that wee may quickly come to the coelestiall Canaan which is the kingdome of God We pray indeed that the kingdome of God may come But the kingdome of God commeth not by obseruation t Luk. 17.20 if wee stand still gazing and gaping for it u Acts 1.11 Non dormientibus prouenit regnum coelorum nec otiâ— disidiaque torpentibus beatitudo aeternitatis ingeritur Leo de Epiph. ser. 5. Therefore as Abraham did run from the doore of his Tent to meete the Angels x Gen. 18.2 So must wee endeauour to runne forward not only looking for but also hasting vnto the comming of the day of God y 2 Pet. 3.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we may if it be possible meete the Lord in the ayre z 2 Thes. 4.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with all his holy Angels if we would haue his kingdome come Wee pray also that the will of God may be done in earth as it is in heauen But the will of God wil not be done if we will doe nothing Therefore as the Cherubins spread out their wings on high and couer the mercy seat a Exod. 37.9 So must wee spread out our wings and stretch out or endeauour our selues and bee alwayes prest and ready to flie as it were to doe the will of God b Eze. 1.11 Non solum aquila sed bos leo homo volant if wee would haue his will done in the earth as it is in heauen When God at the first had made a Paradise vpon earth he tooke the man put him into it to dresse it and keepe it c Gen. 2.15 Vt operaretur custodiret illum Vulgata Adam was not enioyned to bestow any bodily labour in dressing it at that time For this was a part of his punishment afterward Neither yet had he need to keep it from wilde beasts For all these were then subiect and obedient vnto him So that hee dressed and kept it by keeping those graces which God had giuen him yea and endeuouring himself to encrease them continually d Quamuis paradisus operib ruralibus non egeret tamen quia primus homo lex
haue it as Diues did or to haue it in thee and not to taste it as the lyon did but thou must as well haue it as see it and as wel tast it as haue it O taste and see saies hee how sweete the Lord is For so indeede Christ giueth his Church not onely a sight but also a taste of his sweetnesse A sight is where he saies thus 2. Can. 7.12 Wee will rise vp earely and goe into the vineyard and see whether the vine haue budded forth the small grapes and whether the Pomegrannets flourish There is a sight of the vine A taste is where he saies thus 1. Can. 8.2 I will bring thee into the wineseller cause thee to drinke spiced wine and new wine of the Pomegrannets There is a taste of the wine The Church not onely goes into the vineyard and sees the wine but also goes into the wineseller and tasts the wine But yet thou must goe further then this before that thou canst come to thy selfe For there are diuers degrees of tastes Orus Apollo The Egyptians in their Hyroglyphickes when they would describe an vnperfect taste paint meate in the teeth when a more perfect taste the beginning of the throat Such an vnperfect tast had the Israelites of the sweetnesse of God God was most sweet vnto them when he gaue them quailes to eate Yet while the meate was but in their teeth the wrath of God was kindled against them b Num. 11.33 There is the meate in the teeth an vnperfect taste But the spouse of Christ hath a more perfect taste of the sweetnesse of God For likening him to an apple tree she saies I delight to sit vnder his shadow and his fruit is sweete vnto my throate Can. 2.3 There is the beginning of the throat a more perfect tast But notwithstanding all this thou art not yet come to thy selfe Therefore this taste must not content thee because this taste cannot delight thee For thy delight must not sticke in thy teeth or in thy throat d Non est strepitus oris sed iubilus cordis non sonuS labiorum sed motuS gaudiorum concordia voluntatuÌ„ non consonantia vocum but as a cordiall thing it must goe downe to thy very heart That thou maiest say with the Psalmist My heart and my flesh not my flesh onely but my heart and my flesh reioyce in the liuing God e Psal. 84.3 â— And againe Praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within mee praise his holy name f Psal. 103.11 Now thou art come to thy selfe For that which is within thee is thy selfe and all that is within thee is all thy selfe So that thy selfe all thy selfe is delighted in the Lord when as that which is within thee and all that is within thee prayse his holy name O how happy art thou when thou knowest this Iubile this ioyfulnesse g Cum scis iubilationem Psal. 89 15 when thou hast a secret sense and an inward feeling of it when euery motion of thy mind is an influence of Gods spirit when thy will his woâ—dplay together as Isaack and Rebecca did For then surely thou dost builde to thy selfe desolate places h Greg. Moral Iob. 3.14 Desolate places I say that all other things may be silent to thy soule nay that thy very soule may be silent to it selfe yea that there may be silence in heauen i Reu. 8.1 answerable to the silence of thy soule when thou doest delight thy selfe in the Lord. Delight thy selfe in the Lord and hee shall giue thee the desires of thy heart Thy selfe Lastly In the Lord. Gregorie sayes thus k Gustu incircumscripti luminis anima pascitur supra se elata ad seipsam relabi dedignitur The mind of man is fed with the infinit light and loue of God and so being lifted vp far aboue it selfe doth now disdaine to stoope downe so low as to it self And therfore doth not delight it self in it selfe but delights it selfe in the Lord. Herupon a father saies O lord grant that I may know k Nouerim me nouerim te my selfe and know thee That knowing my selfe and thee I may loath my selfe in my selfe and delight my selfe onely in thee Truth indeed O man so thou oughtest to doe sayes God For if thou didst know thy selfe and me then thou wouldest displease thy selfe and please mee But because thou knowest neyther thy selfe nor me therefore thou dost please thy selfe and displease me But the time shall come when thou shalt neither please thy selfe nor me Not me because thou hast sinned not thy selfe because thou shalt bee burned So that then thou shalt please none but the Diuell both because thou hast sinned as hee did in heauen and also because thou shalt be burned as he is in hell Therefore he that delights himselfe in himselfe delights not himselfe but onely the Diuell in himselfe Whereas on the other side he onely delights himselfe which not onely delights himselfe but addes also In the Lord. and so delights himselfe in vertue delights himselfe in godlines delights himselfe in God himselfe This Christ signifieth when speaking of his Spouse hee sayes l Deliciis affluens innixa super dilectum suum Can. 8.2 Who is shee which commeth out of the wildernesse abounding in delights leaning vpon her welbeloued Hee that leanes vpon himselfe can neuer abound in delights but hee alone aboundeth in delights which leaneth vpon his welbeloued So did S. Paul I haue laboured more then they all sayes hee There he aboundeth in delights Yet not I but the grace of God which is in me There he leaneth vpon his welbeloued And againe I can doe all thinges saies he There he aboundeth in delights In him that strengthneth mee There he leaneth vpon his welbeloued In one word when as he sayes He that would reioyce glorie let him reioyce and glorie in the Lord It is all one as if hee should haue sayde Hee that would abound in delights let him leane vpon his welbeloued Let him delight himselfe in the Lord. Let the Saints m In latitia letentur Psal. 68.3 reioyce in ioy let them delight in delight He that delights in an earthly thing delights in vanity he delights not in delight But he onely delights in delight which makes God onely the ground of his delight According to that of Prosper n Aeterna exultatio est quae bon laetatur aterno That alone is eternall delight which is grounded vpon the eternall good Vpon him that is onely good and sayth to Moses o Exod. 33.19 I will in my selfe shew thee all good Euery thing that is honest euery thing that is profitable euery thing that is pleasant is only to be found p Quare vnum bonum in quo sunt omnia bona sufficit Aug. Med. in the Lord. As that Manna q Sap. 16.20 had all manner of good tasts
goldsmith a ridiculous actor which pronounceth the heauen and pointeth to the earth But he that sitteth in the heauen shall laugh all such to scorne the Lord shall haue them in derision and hisse them off from the stage Because howsoeuer they haue the heauen commonly at their tongues ende yet they haue the earth continually at their fingers ende So that they speake false Latine with their hand nay that which is worse they speake false Diuinitie with their hand Whereas we might easily auoide all such irregularitie make true congruity betweene the tongue and the hand if we would make this text of holy Scripture the rule of our whole life For then I assure you we should euery one of vs play our parts so well that in the end the tragedie of this wofull life beeing once finished we should haue an applause and a plaudite of the whole theatre not onely of men and Angels but euen of God himselfe who doth alwaies behold vs. Wherefore out of these fewe words let vs obserue these two parts Diuision The first negatiue what must not be neither Pastor nor people must teach one thing and doe another That must not be The second affirmatiue what must be both Pastâ—r and people must doe that themselues which they teach others to doe That must be For He that both doth and teacheth the same shall be called great in the kingdome of heauen First that the Pastor must not teach one thing and doe another appeareth in the fourth of Leuiticus Leu. 4.20 Where almighty God appointeth the selfe same sacrifice should be offered for the sinne of the Priest which is offered for the sinne of the whole people So that all the people may better sinne though it be a thousand times then the Priest may sinne though it be but once For the people sinning offend onely by their sinne Exod. 4. but the Priest sinning offendeth more by his example then by his sinne Therefore Moses beeing commâ—â—â—ded by throwing downe his rod Exod 7. to worke miracles deliuered it to Aaaon To signifie that especially it belongeth to him to doe somewhat himselfe whose duty is to teach others Whereupon also our Sauiour giues vs a caueat to beware of false Prophets because they say and do not Matth. 23.3 They say one thing and doe another They bind heauie burthens which they tie vpon other mens backes Luk. 1â— â—6 but touch not those burdens themselues so much as with the least of their finâ—ers So that that which was fondly and falsly said of Christ Matth. 27.42 He saued others himselfe he cannot saue may be fitly truly said of these They saue others themselues they cannot saue Whereas the Apostle making Timothy an example for all ministers to follow writeth thus to him Take heed to thy selfe 1. Tim. â— 16 and to doctrine for in doing so thou shalt both saue thy selfe and them that heare thâ—e By taking keede to thy doctrine thou shalt saue them that heare thee by taking heede to thy selfe thou shalt saue thy selfe Otherwise if thou take heede to thy doctrine and not to thy selfe thou mâ—â—est well saue others that heare thee but thy selfe thou canst not saue Thou maiest well preach to others but thou shalt be sure to prooue a cast-away thy selfe 1. Cor. 9.17 For when two pray if the one blesse and the other curse whose prayer will God heare And is it not then much more dangerous when out of one and the selfe same mouth commeth both blessing and cursing When one and the selfe same Minister Iam. 3.10 teacheth well whereby the people are blessed and yet doth ill whereby he himselfe is accursed Is it not likely that God will rather respect his cursed doing to pâ—nish it then regard his 〈◊〉 teaching to praise it Certainly the Psalâ—ist puts the matter out of all doubt where he saies Psal. 8.2 That God will surely cast away God will reiect God will destroy the enemy and the auenger The enemie and the auenger Who is he He that is an enemy to Gods glorie in that he doth ill and yet would seeme to be an auenger to be a maintainer to be a defender of Gods glory in that he teacheth well he is the enemy and the auenger And such an one as this which is indeede an enemie and yet would seeme to bee an auenger which is indeed a foe and yet would seeme to be a friend which doth indeed ill and yet would seeme to teach well such an one I say will God destroy To the wicked thus saith the Lord. Why doest thou preach my lawes Psal. 50.16 and take my statutes in thy mouth whereas thou hatest to be thy selfe reformed by them and hast cast my words behinde thee By thine owne mouth Luk. 19.22 by thine owne confession I will condemne thee thou naughtie thou lewd seruant Iob. 15.6 Thine owne words shall accuse thee and not I yea thine owne lips shall beare witnâ—sse against thee For why goest thou about to take a little moate out of thy brothers eye Matth. 7.5 and doest not first cast out that great beame which is in thine owne eye Why goest thou to other mens houses and priest into other mens matters Mark 5. â—6 and doest not first go to thine owne house and see that all bee well in thine owne heart What meanest thou to doe Thou that teachest others doest thou not teach thy selfe Rom. 2. â—1 Thou that preachest a maÌ„ should not steale dost thou steale If thou be a preacher then preach to thy selfe as well as others If thou be a Physitian Luk. 4.13 then cure thy selfe as well as others Seeing indeed as Hierome writeth he is too nice and to daintie a Physitian Deliearus magister est qui pleâ—o ventre dispútaâ— de iâ—iunio either for the body or els for the soule which prescribeth faâ—â—ing to others and is sicke of a surfet himselfe Wherefore the godly Pastor must not prescribe fasting to others and be sicke of a surfeâ— himselfe he must not teach one thing and doe an other For not be that onely teacheth but He that both doth and teacheth the same shall be called great in the kingdome of heauen Now the people also are forbidden to teach one thing and doe an other as well as the Pastor For all Christians must imitate the example of Christ. And for Christ S. Iohn tells vs that he was full of grace and truth Ioh. 1.14 The fulnesse of his truth made him teach well of his grace 1. Pet. 2.22 doe well Saint Peter likewise that hee did no sinne neither was there guile found in his mouth Many haue no guilt found in their mouthes which notwithstanding 〈◊〉 sinne But euen as Christ had neither guile in his teaching not yet sinne in his doing so wee that are Christians must neither deceiue others by teaching guilfully nor yet deceiue our selues by doing sinnefully For wee knowe
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
our Lord and Master giueth vs all that are his faithfull seruants is a coat made of this purple wooll The Psalmist saith that God giueth his snow like wooll But here wee may turne the sentence and say that Christ giueth his wooll like snow For as show couereth the ground when it is ragged and deformed so Christs wooll which is his coate without seame couereth our sinnes and though they were as crimson yet maketh them white as snow And as Gideons fleece when it was moist the earth was dry but when it was dry the earth was moist so when Christs fleece was moist as a greene tree then were all wee drye like rotten stickes but when his fleece was dry all the blood and water being wrung out of his pretious side then were we moistened with his grace Wherefore seeing death had not Christs fleece when he was shorne but we haue it which beleeue in him it followeth that neither death was the better nor Christ the worse But as a lamb is much more nimble liuely for shearing so this shearing of death was a kind of quickning to the lambe of God and onely a trimming to him before he ascended to his Father as Ioseph was trimmed and powled before he appeared to Pharaoh For looke how Adam slept so Christ died i Dormit Adam moritur Christus Prosper When Adam slept his side was opened when Christ died his side was opened Adams side being opened flesh and bone were taken out Christs side being opened water and bloud were taken out Of Adams flesh and bone the woman was built of Christs water and bloud the Church is built So that the death of Christ is nothing else but the sleepe of Adam For 〈◊〉 he said of the Damsels death The Damsell is not dead but sleepeth so hee saith of his owne death I laid me downe and slept and rose vp againe for the Lord sustained me And in another place when God the Father saith to his Son Awake my glory awake my Lute and Harpe God the Sonne answeres to his Father I will awake right early That vessel which Peter sawe in a traunce which came down from heauen to the earth and was knit at the foure corners and had all maner of beasts in it did betoken Christ Christ came downe from heauen to the earth and his story was knit vp by the foure Euangelists and hee hath made Iewes and Gentiles yea all Nations though they were as bad as beasts before yet he hath made them all I say one in himselfe Now saith Cassianus it is worth the noting that the Holy Ghost saith not this vessell was a sheet but was like a sheet k Pulchre â—it Non sintâ—um sed Quasiâ—inteum A sheet may signifie either sleepe or death Because there is both a sleeping sheete and a winding sheete But neither was Peters vessell a sleepe though it were like a sheet neither was Christs body dead though it were lapt in a sheete For wee our selues cannot so properly bee said to liue in our first birth as in our second birth and Christs life when he lay in that new wombe in which neuer any other was conceiued is nothing to his life when hee lay in that new tombe in which neuer any other was buried Wherefore as Iacob trauelling towards Haram when he had laid an heape of stones vnder his head and taken a nap by the way was much reuiued with it after his tedious iourney so Christ trauelling towards heauen when hee had slept a little in that stony sepulchre which was hewn out of a rocke liued then most princely after his painfull passion Tell me when did Ionas liue In the hatches of the ship or in the belly of the whale In the hatches of the shippe Why I am sure you will not say so That was nothing But to liue in the belly of the Whale when the mariners were in extreme ieopardy and danger vpon the water and yet Ionas most safe and secure vnder the water this indeede was somewhat who euer saw such a wonder The waters were one while hoisted vp to the highest cloudes another while hurâ—ed downe to the nethermost depth Ionas himselfe being all this vvhile in the very gulfe of destruction and yet not one haire the worse Christs case was the same As Ionas vvas in the belly of the Whale three daies three nights so so long vvas the sonne of man in the bowels of the earth Yet he had no more hurt then Ionas had but liued better vnder the earth then we can vpon the earth better in death then we can in life Tel me when did Daniel liue in the Kings court or in the Lions denne In the Kings court why there is no great reason for that Any man might haue liued there But to liue in the Lions den vvhen the mouth of the den vvas shut and the mouths of the Lions open this indeed was the life of an Angell no man What King could euer make Lions attend and wait vpon him Yet here you might haue seene vvorthy Daniel sitting in the midst of many hungry Lions when as the Lions lay downe at his feet couching and crouching before him and adored their owne prey cast vnto them vvhich otherwise they vvould haue vvorried and being beasts became men in humanity toward this Saint seeing men became beasts in cruelty against him The saâ—â—e reason was in Christ. His sepulchre was sealed as well as Daniels den And hee saith also of himselfe in the Psalmes My soule is among Lions These Lions were the terrors of death and the horrors of hell Yet hee tooke no more hurt then Daniel did But brake the chaines of death into fitters and the gates of hell into shiuers and then most gloriously triumphed And so the death of Christ by reason of his righteousnesse is the life of himselfe It is lastly the life of man When Christs speare had opened that way of life which the Cherubins sword had stopt vp Then said our sauiour to the Theefe This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Adam and Eue both in one day were expelled out of Paradise Christ the theefe both in one day were receiued into Paradise yea both in one houre of the day For about Noone when the winde blew Adam and Eue were expelled and so about the sixth houre that is about twelue of clock in the day time Christ and the Theefe were receiued Christ saying to the Theefe while he did draw him vp to Paradise l Ose. cap. 11. I doe draw thee with the cords of a man euen with bands of loue But the Septuagint translate the Hebrew words m Bechauele Adam which signifie with the cords of a man into those Greeke words n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifie with the destruction of a man As if CHRIST should say thus to the Theefe I doe so deerely loue thee that I am content my selfe to be destroyed that thou mayest bee saued
blessed brethren make you no doubt of it For it is not my opinion or my speech only They are the very words of our Sauiour I came sayes hee that men might haue life a Iohn 10.10 and that they might haue it more aboundantly More aboundantly What is that That aboundantly wee might haue more life by the Crosse of Christ then euer wee could haue by the tree of life that aboundantly we might gaine more by the obedience of Christ in his death then euer we lost or could loose by the disobedience of Adam in his life And therefore though that sinne of Adam was so heinous and so horrible that it cast the Image of God out of Paradise that it polluted all the race of mankinde that it condemned the whole world that it defaced the very frame of heauen it selfe yet considering the sequell how not onely the guilt of this sinne but euen the very memory of it is now vtterly abolished by the bloud of Christ S. Gregory is not afraid to say O happy happy happy man was Adam that euer hee so sinned and transgressed against GOD b O foelix culpa quae talem ac tantum meruit habere redemptorem Because by this meanes both hee and all we haue found such plentifull redemption such inestimable mercie such superabundant grace such felicitie such eternity such life by Christs death For as honey being found in a dead Lyon the death of the Lyon was the sustenance of Sampson so Christs gall is our hony c Christi fel nostrum mel and the bitter death of Christ by reason of his righteousnesse is the sweete life of man Thus you see that the death of Christ is the death of Death the death of the Diuell the life of Himselfe the life of Man And therfore he saies in this fourth part weepe not too much for my death For me Weepe not for me but weepe for your selues I Perceiue beloued I haue beene somewhat long in this part Therefore I will make more hast in the rest and doe what I can deuise that I may not seeme tedious vnto you Now then to the fifth part For your selues Weepe not too little for your owne life For the life of man is quite contrarie The life of man is the life of Death the life of the Diuell the death of himselfe the death of Christ. The reason of all this is his iniquitie and sinne Which euen in Gods deere children saies Bernard is cast downe but not cast out d De iectum non eiectum Therefore though sin cannot sometimes rule ouer vs because it is cast downe yet it will alwayes dwell in vs because it is not cast out For it is so bred in the bone that till our bones be with Iosephs bones carried out of Egypt that is out of the world sinne cannot be carried out of our bones The Irish history telleth vs that the Citie of Waterford giueth this poesie Intacta manet e It continueth vntouched Because since it was first conquered by King Henry the second it was neuer yet attainted no not so much as touched with treason Also that the Isle of Arren in that country hath such a pure aire that it was neuer yet infected with the plague We cannot say thus of the nature of man that it is either so cleare from treason as that Citie or else that it is so cleare from infection as that Island is Nay our very reason is treason and our best affection it is no better then an infection if it bee well sifted in the sight of God Euagrius recordeth f Li. 5. ca. 15. that the Romans got such a victorie ouer Chosroes one of the Persian Kings that this Chosroes made a law that neuer after any King of Persia should moue warre against the Romans Wee cannot possibly subdue sinne in such sort as the Romanes did this Persian King But doe we what we can doe sinne will alwaies be a Iebuzite a false borderer yea a ranke traytor rebelling against the spirit Which makes the life of man first to be sayes Chrysostome a debt as it were owne and due to death g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the diuell is the father of sin and sin is the mother of death Hereupon Saint Iames saith that sinne being finished trauelling in child-birth like a mother bringeth forth death And Dauid in the ninth Psalme calleth sin the gate of death Because as a man comes into a house by the gate so death came into the world by sinne The corruption of our flesh did not make the soule sinfull but the sinne of our soule did make the flesh corruptible Whereupon Lactantius calleth sinne the reliefe or the foode of death h Pabulian mortis As a fire goeth out when all the fuell is spent but burneth as long as that lasteth so death dieth when sin ceaseth but where sin eboundeth there death rageth The Prophet Abacucke sinning not death was so farre from him that hee was able to flie without wings But King Asa sinning death was so neere to him that hee was not able to stand vpon his feet Nay we may see this in one and the selfe-same man Moses sinning not death could not meet with him in the bottome of the red sea but sinning death did seaze vpon him in the toppe of mount Nebo So that the life of man by reason of his sinne is the life of death It is also the life of the diuell As Emisenus saith Each one hath in him as many diuels aâ— euils i Tot daemonia quot crimina euery seuerall sinne being sufficient to maintaine a seuerall Diuell The godly finding no ioy in the earth haue their conuersation in heauen But Satan finding no ioy in hell hath his conuersation in the earth So that the earth is a hell to vs but a heauen to him Here he hath his liuing as it was said at the first Thou shalt eate the dust of the earth all the dayes of thy life This dust saith Macarius is the diuels diet k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And therefore as a scald Cur waits for a bone so hee that goes about seeking whom he may deuouâ—e watches continually til the godly shake off the dust from their feete that is shake off some sinne which they haue gotten by walking in the world that then hee may licke it vp as one of those Dogs which did licke vp Iezabels bloud This is meate and drinke to him l Dulce diabola peccare not Hila. Enarra in p. 118. He loues it alife to see vs sinne euen as cursed Cham did to see Noâ—hs nakednesse And as flies are alwaies busie about a sore place so saith Theophylact m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In cap. Luc. 16. p. 320. That is a sport or pleasure to Sathan which is a sore or a paine to a man especially if he be a godly mâ—n For this Behemoth the Diuell eateth grasse as an oxe
he suffereth these senseles creatures to weep and to haue a liuely feeling of his death though they had no benefit by his death But being content himselfe to shed his dearest and his best bloud for vs yet will not suffer vs in recompence to shed so much as one little teare for him No no sayes he I will beare all the sorrow you shall haue only ioy and though I die and shed my very heart bloud for you yet you shall not so much as weepe or shed the least teare for me Not you weepe not for me Thus much for his Benignitie Lastly for Magnanimitie he sayes Not for mee Strange stoutnesse and courage Especially in him that was otherwise so milde and so meeke a lambe But here the cause quarrell being ours and he fighting for the saluatioÌ„ for our soules there is no rule with him hee plaies he Lion wheresoeuer he goes For holding now in his hand the cup of trembling and being ready to drinke vp the very dregs of it yet neither his hand nor his heart trembleth Ennius the Poet as Tullie testifieth could say thus much Let no man weepe for my death a Nemome lachrymis decoret And Saint Laurence the Martyr as Prudentius witnesseth Doe not weepe for my departure b Desiâ—â—e discessu meo stetum dolentur sundere But as Ennius or any other Pagan could neuer come neere Christians in true magnanimitie So S. Laurence or any other Christian could neuer come neere Christ. The blessed Apostle S. Paul of any that euer I heard of commeth neerest to him going toward IerusaleÌ„ what do you saies he weeping breaking my heart for I am ready not only to be bound but euen to die also for the name of the Lord Iesus Euen so saith Christ here or rather indeed not so but a thousand times more couragiously going out of Ierusalem What doe you saies he weeping and breaking my heart for I am ready not onely to bee bound but euen to die also for the saluation of man He knew well enough his passion would be a new kind of transfiguration vnto him For at his transfiguration he was accompanied with his deere Disciples Peter Iames and Iohn but at his passion Peter denied him Iames and Iohn forsooke him And there he was vpon mount Tabor which smelled sweetly of hearbs and flowers but here he was vpon mount Caluery which smelled loathsomly of bones and dead mens sculs And there his face did shine as the Sun but here his face was couered nay it was buffeted and spit vpon And there his garments were white as the light but here his garments were parted nay they were like Iosephs coate all embrewed in bloud and he himselfe stript stark naked And there he was betweene two famous Prophets Moses and Elias but here when they thought hee called for Elias to helpe him Elias would not come nay he was betweene two theeues the one at his right hand the other at his left And there his Father spake most ioyfully to him from heauen This is my beloued Sonne in whom only I am pleased but here he screeched most lamentably to his Father from the Crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Yet behold behold the Magnanimitie of Christ. Christ knew well enough before hand of all this fearefull and horrible passion prepared for him wherein he was not transfigured as before but disfigured so as neuer was any man Yet nothing could moue him This cowardlinesse of his Disciples this noisomnesse of the place these diuelish buffets vpon his bare face these bloudy wounds vpon his naked body these vile theeues these hideous screeches could not one whit daunt his heroicall heart But euen as a noble Champion hauing already had a legge and an arme slasht off when all the stage in admiration of his valour and manhood cries Saue the Man saue the man yet puts out himselfe and standing vpon one legge and striking with one arme fights stil as stoutly as if he had neuer been hurt at all so Christ hauing bin scorned and scourged already when the whole theater of heauen and earth wept for him yea when the powers aboue the heauen came downe and the dead vnder the earth rose vp to mone and pitty him only he himselfe would neither aske any fauour of others nor yet shew any fauour to himselfe but was very angry called him Sathan that gaue him such counsell Yea though all the Saints in heauen and earth did bleed at the very heart c Coelum terra compatiuntur ci Anselmus inspeculo Euangel serm cap. 13. in a manner as much as hee himselfe did vpon the crosse to see so good a man so shamefully despighted yet nothing could stay him but still he went on forward as pleasantly and as cheerefully as to any banket or feast to this most rufull and dreadfull death O sweet Iesus O my deare Lord forgiue me I humbly beseech thee for thy mercy sake forgiue mee this one fault Thou wilt neither weep thy selfe nor yet suffer me to weep for thy death But I am contrariwise affected Though I do not see thee at this present led as a Lambe to the slaughter yet onely meditating of thy death so many hundred yeares after I cannot possibly refraine from weeping Yea by so much the more do I lament and mourn by how much the more I see thâ—e ioyfull glad Come forth yee daughters of Sion saith hee d Cant. 3.11 and behold King Salomon with the crowne wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his marriage and in the day of the gladnes of his heart As if he should haue said Come forth yee daughters of Ierusalem and behold Iesus Christ with the crowne of thorns wherewith the Synagogue of the Iewes crowned him in the day of his passion and in the day of his death vpon the Crosse. He calleth the day of his passion the day of his marriage and the day of his death vpon the crosse the day of the gladnesse of his heart Thus you see in this seuenth part the Wisedome the Benignitie the Magnanimitie of Christ in that he saith Not weepe Not you Not for me Weepe not for me Weepe not for me but weepe for your selues THE eighth part which is the last now onely remaineth But weepe for your selues Wherein wee must consider likewise three vertues that ought to be in vs Deuotion Compunction Compassion For Deuotion hee sayth But weepe For Compunction But you For compassion But for your selues But weepe But you But for your selues But weepe for your selues First for Deuotion hee saith But weepe Deuotion generally is a supernaturall dexteritie wrought by the Holy Ghost in the heart of a deuout man whereby hee is made prompt and ready to performe all those duties which appertaine to the seruice of God As a man may bee said to bee deuout in Preaching deuout in hearing deuout in making prayers deuout in giuing Almes But here especially
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
fulnes of ioy and at thy right hand are pleasures for euermore And againe they shall bee satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house and thou shalt giue them drinke out of the riuer of thy pleasures i Psal. 36.8 For this fatnesse of the house of God is that meate and this riuer of the pleasures of God is that drinke which shall perfectly satiâ—fie and fill our hearts with ioy in the holy Ghost When the Lord shall say to euery one of vs Enter thou into thy Lords ioy k Math. 25.23 Not let thy Lords ioy enter into thee For it is so great that it caÌ„not enter into thee thy heart cannot hold it l Non ergo totum illud gaudium intrahit in gaudentes sed toti gaudentes intrahunt in gaudium Domini sui Aug. Manua c. 36. But Enter thou into thy Lords ioy For thou shalt euen bath thy selfe in blessednesse and swimme in the bottomlesse streame of the sweete pleasure of God as a little fish taketh his pastime in the hugh Ocean sea And looke how he that hath once tasted of the fountain named Clitorius fons will neuer afterward drink any wine (m) Clitorio quicunque sitim defonte leuaâ—ic Vina fugit gaudetque meris abstemius vndis Ouid. Met. 15. In Arcadia Ciuitas est non ignota Clitori in cuius agriâ— est spelunca profluens aquae quam qui biberint fiunt abstemij Vitruuius l. 8. c. 3. in like sort when thou hast once tasted this pure christall water of life thou shalt neuer any more relish the wine of the world but bee perfectly delighted with ioy in the holy Ghost the onely godly pleasure The prize of the high calling of God in CHRIST IESVS This kingdome of heauen is the only Christian treasure because it is in Christ Iesus For all treasures which are laid vp in earth may bee stollen with theeues or corrupted with cankers Math. 6.19 But this treasure is an enduring substance (o) Heb. 10.34 hoorded vp in heauen where neither thiefe stealeth nor canker corrupteth (p) Veras diuitias illam prorsus immortalem gloriam supernorumque bonorum retributionem esse existimamus Cyp. in Gen. li. 5. in fine Therfore the kingdome of heauen is likened to a treasure hidden in the field (q) Mat. 13.44 And the field is CHRIST IESVS r Thesaurus in agro absconditus Deus est lateus in carne sua Vigil coâ— Eutyc l. 3. c. 3. in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophy in ca. 17. Lucae pag. 322. O blessed then O blessed is the man that findeth this wisedome and the man that getteth this knowledge t Pro. 3.13 Because the merchandize thereof is better then siluer and the gaine thereof is better then gold It is more precious then pearles and all things that thou canst desire are not to be compared vnto it Yea doubtlesse sayes one I thinke all things but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus my Lord. O wise O worthy O holy O heauenly marchant Here is a franke chapman indeed which prizeth the kingdome of heauen accoding to the right worth and true value of it Knowing that this Christian treasure was bought purchased for him not with corruptible things as siluer or gold or such like but with the most deare and precious bloud of Christ (y) 1 Pet. 1.18 For whom sayes he I haue counted all things losse and doe iudge theÌ„ to be dung that I may gaine Christ (a) Philip. 3.8 For Christ Iesus onely is the wisdome of his Father and by him onely we come to the knowledge of God He is the wisdome of his Father because hee doth giue vs grace in this life that we may be wise vnto saluation and see the Father by faith and receiue the earnest of our inheritance (b) Ephes. 1.14 By him we come to the knowledge of God because he will giue vs glory in the life to come that we may know as wee are knowne and behold God face to face receiue not onely the earnest-peny or the pledge-peny but also the prize-peny or the possessionâ—Peny of perfection c Math. 20.10 So that Christ Iesus is the Alpha and the Omega Denarius perfectionem significat Beda quaest super Exod. c. 37 the beginner the ender of of our perfection (d) Reu. 1.8 the author and finisher of our faith who for the ioy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame and is set at the right hand of the throne of God e Heb. 12.2 He is the author and finisher of our faith that is our fore-runner (f) Heb. 6.20 and marke who for the ioy which was set before him that is for the kingdome of heauen the onely Christian treasure THE PRIZE OF THE HIGH CALLING OF GOD IN CHRIST IESVS endured the Crosse and dispised the shame that 's againe followed hard toward the marke and is set at the right hand of the throne of God that 's againe and is now possessed of the kingdome of heauen the onely Christian treasure THE PRIZE OF THE HIGH CALLING OF GOD IN CHRIST IESVS Lo yee loe ye whither we are now come So hie that we can goe no hier Namely to the right hand of the throne of God Which is Euerlasting life Eternall glorie ioy in the Holy Ghost the kingdome of Heauen The prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus For this rich throne of GOD is that Iuory throne of Salomon whereof I spake in the beginning Which is 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 Iesus This is the sixt and last degree to perfection Now then my deere brethren let vs here if it please you pause a while and seriously consider how Christ prayed for his chosen that they might be made perfectin one g Ioh. 17.23 That they might bend the whole force of all their actions and affections to this one thing namely to the attaining of perfect blessednes or if you had rather so cal it of blessed perfection And therefore forgetting that which is behinde and leauing the doctrine of the beginning of Christ h Heb. 6.1 let vs endeuour our selues to that which is before and be led on forward vnto perfection Yea let vs follow hard and runne with patience the race that is set before vs i Heb. 12.1 looking vnto Iesus who is our mark and hath giuen vs an example k Ioh. 13.15 That euery one of vs might say vnto him with good Dauid I haue applied my heart to fulfill thy statutes l Psa. 119.112 for the eternall recompence of reward For the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus Leghoâ—am ghechebâ— Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuagint Propter aeternam retributionem
once againe I will say and then I will say no more Let vs draw neere vnto God with a true heart in assurance of faith (y) Heb. 10.22 and let vs keep the profession of our hope without wauering (z) Verse 23. and let vs consider one another to prouoke vnto charity to good works (a) Verse 24. and so much the more because we see the breaking of the day draweth neer (b) Verse 25. the kingdome of heauen is at hand There is a Greeke word signifying the end of a race which is deriued of another Greek word signifiing to spur or prick on forward (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesech verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idâ—m habet Pollux l. 3. c. 30. Theodoret de Proui. l. 9. circa initium vbi hunc textum recitat which proueth that as they which runne their horseâ— for a wager spur hardest at the races end (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost. so seeing our saluation is neerer now then euer it was (e) Rom. 13.11 therefore we must run faster now then euer we did (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laert. in Dio. especially because the very horse and mule and diuers other brute beasts which haue now vnderstanding though they haue beene neuer so much wearied and tired before yet when they come neere home they will mend their pace g Pecoribus fatigatis quoque velocior domum gradus est Seneca de tranquil vit lib. 1. cap. 1. And therefore the more to blame should we be if hauing trauelled thus farre already in the way to perfection and being come by this time almost to our iournies end wee should now goe no faster when indeed we ought if it be possible to runne much faster to our euerlasting home in heauen O beloued all the Saints in heauen think long yea they think of vs and they long for vs (h) Ergo quia omnis coelestis curia expectat nos desiderat desideremus eam quanto possumus desiderio Vide quaeso Bernar. medit cap. 6. and they earnestly desire to be perfected with vs because they certainly know they cannot be perfected without vs i Heb. 11.40 The holy Angels also as they blush and hold downe their heads when they see vs stumble or trip neuer so little so on the other side they shout and clap their hands when they see vs runne cheerefully in a good course and come away apacâ— to perfection Lastly Christ himselfe doth stand waiting for vs and beckoning to vs and hartning vs on all the way being ready to receiue vs and to embrace vs in the armes of his louing mercy as soone as euer we come to the end of our race For euen as a royall king when one of his Nobles returnes home which hath in a forraine country by chiualrie or feates of Armes or other like excellent parts atchieued great renowne to his realme presently sendeth for him to the court and in open audience giueth him words of grace and aduanceth him to high preferments honors so Christ our most magnificent King immediately vpon our arriuall into heauen out of the forraine country of this world wil reach forth vnto vs his holy hand conducting vs to the eternall tabernacles of rest and as for all the prayers that we haue made all the teares that wee haue shed all the almes that we haue giuen all the other exercises of a Christian life that wee haue performed though neuer so secretly in this pursuit of perfection hee will openly reward them and most gloriously crowne them when as all the host of Angels shall triumph for our coronation and the blessed Saints shall thinke themselues more perfect for our perfection and all the Court of heauen shall applaud our praises and God himselfe shall say Amen to our felicities Which that it may so happily come to passe and that euery one of vs which now with Iacob wrestleth vnto the breaking of the day and constantly keepeth the law appointed vnto him may in the end with Israel see God and haue the full fruition of his glory and enioy the euerlasting testament which is the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus grant wee beseech thee O deare Lord grant it to vs I say not for our owne deserts or merits but for the tender mercies of the same our sweete Sauiour Christ Iesus to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour and glory power and praise dignitie and dominion now and euermore Amen FINIS HEARTS DELIGHT A SERMON PREACHED at Paules Crosse in London in Easter Terme 1593. BY THOMAS PLAYFERE Professor of Diuinity for the Lady MARGARET in Cambridge Printed at London by Iohn Legatt Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1617. And are to be sold in Paules Church-yard at the Signe of the Foxe by Mathew Lawe To the most Victorious vertuous and puissant Prince King IAMES King of England Scotland France and Ireland defender of the faith all earthly and heauenly happines GLorious Gratious It is our Crowne and the highest ioy of our heart that the Crowne of this kingdome is to bee set vpon your royall head Otherwise nothing in the world could haue counteruailed the excese fine sorrowe that her late Maiestie departing hence left behinde her but the vncomparable ioy and triumph which your expectation sent before you h Reg. 1.40 now your princely presence bringeth with you When Salomon after his father Dauid was annointed King they blewe the trumpet and all the people saide God saue King Salomon and reioyced with great ioy so that the earth rang with the sounds of them Wee haue thought no trumpets no proclamations no bone fires no bells sufficient neither haue wee heard the earth onely ring out but also the heauens redouble and ecâ—ho backe againe the acclamations and applauses of all men which haue showted and saide God saue King Iames. Now also when your Highâ—es approacheth nearer the straight charge which hath bâ—â— publikely giuen to the contrary cannot restraine your people but that out of all countries and shires they runne and flocke together to behold and attend your Maiesty Tanquam clarum ac beneficium sydus Sen. de Clemen l. 1. cap. 3. 〈◊〉 some bright and beautifull starre which by his diuine sweete influence worketh a general prosperity and peace For what loyall subiect doth not blesse God and blesse himselfe that hee liues to see this happie time which was feared would prooue full of great disorder and trouble so wisely and wonderfully carried God as it were from heauen stretched out his holy hand and holding the mindes of all men in awe and obedience as that in it the peaceable vniting of two mighty kingdomes maketh us 〈◊〉 against all our enemies and all our 〈◊〉 câ—â—temptible to vs Wherefore at this tiâ—◠〈◊〉 all your liege people striue to shew the gladnes of their hearts by tendring such seruices as are sutable to their
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
not S. Peter saying but thus vnto him Eneas Iesus Christ maketh thee whole arise and trusse vp thy couch so restores him that immediately he arose i Act. 9.33.34 What hapned to S. Paul who was pressed out of measure passing strength so that hee altogether doubted euen of life Did not the Lord wheÌ„ he had receiued the senteÌ„ce of death in himself deliuer him froÌ„ this great danger k 2 Cor. â— 8.9 What hapned to S. Pauls fellow-souldier Epaphroditus who was sick no doubt sicke very neare vnto death Did not the Lord shew mercy on him giue him health againe to the great ioy of the Philippians and generall good of all the Church l Phil. 2.27 what hapned to holy Dauid in this place who saith of himselfe O Lord I am weak my bones are vexed my soule also is sore troubled I am wearie of my groanings euerie night I wash my bed water my couch with my teares Did not the Lord finding him in this miserable pickle plight deliuer his soule from death his eies from teares his feet from falling m Psal. 116. â— So that in thankefull ioifull maner hee triumpheth saith the Lord hath heard the voyce of my weeping the Lord hath heard my petitioÌ„ the Lord wil receiue my praier Euen as S. Paul sayth He hath deliuered vs from so great a deathâ— doth deliuer vs in whom also we trust that yet hee will deliuer vs n 2. Cor. 1.10 O faithful deare louing Lord He hath deliuered he doth deliuer he will deliuer He neuer yet hath forsaken he neuer doth forsake he neuer will forsake those that put their trust in him For tel me my good brother if thou canst tell any thing tell me did Christ so miraculously restore Iob restore Ezachas restore the man sick of the palsey restore the bedred man restore Eâ—â—as restore S. Paul restore Epaphroditus restore king Dauid to their former health can he not restore thee Did hee restore the most of these wheÌ„ he was crucified vpon earth and can he not restore thee now â—e is crowned in heauen Is his arme now shorter and his power lesser then it was then where I maruell where is the CenturioÌ„s faith Christ said then I haue not fouÌ„d so great faith in all Israel o Math. 8.10 now if he were among vs he might say I haue not fouÌ„d so great faith in all the world The Centurion beleeued though Christ came not vnder the roof of his house but spake the word only his seruant might be healed wel enough dost thou think Christ cannot heale thee except he come in person stand by thy bed side take thee by the hand rayse thee vp For shame away with such infidelitie This is a thousaÌ„d times worse then all the sicknes of thy body Nay rather assure thy selfe if God say but the word thou shalt soon recouer haue thy health better then euer thou hâ—dst liue many happy ioyfull daies after Therefore mind thou onely that which belongeth to thee that which belongeth to God meddle not with it but leaue it wholy vnto him It is thy part to bewaile thy former sins in bewayling them to water thy couch with thy teares to cry to the Lord for mercy forgiuenes to resolue with thy selfe stedfastly hereafter if it please God to giue thee thy health againe to lead a new life This belongs to thee therfore this thou must meditate of imploy thy self about day night but whether thou shalt recouer or not recouer that belongeth to God That rests altogether in Gods pleasur wil. if thou dost recouer thou hast thy desire Or rather perhaps not thy desire Seeing the holiest and best men of all incline neither this way not that way but wholly resign themselues as in all other things so especially in this case to Gods will p Non mea sed tua voluntas fiat Or if they determinately desire any thing it is for the most part to be dissolued to be with Christ q Phil. 1. â—2 30 but suppose thou desâ—â—e to recouer and recouer indeed Then as thou obtainest thy desire so theâ— must performe thy promise the promise thou madest when thy body was grieued with sicknesse and paine when thy soule was oppressed with heauines wheÌ„ thou 〈◊〉 redst thy couch with thy tears And what was that promise Namely as I saide before that if it pleased God to giue thee health againe thou wouldest loue him more sincerely serue him more obedientlie teÌ„der his glory more dearelie follow thy calling more faithfully then thou hast done If thou hast offended him with pride to humble thy selfe hereafter if with dissolutenes to be sober hereafter if with couetousnesse to bee liberall hereafter if with conuersing with the vngodly to abandoÌ„ their company hereafter to say as it is in the Psalme Depart from me yee workers of iniquity for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping This if thou conscionablie coÌ„stantlie perform then in a good houre as we say and in a happy time thou didst recouer But suppose thou desire to recouer yet neither thy selfe see any likelihood nor God seâ— it good thou shouldst recouer TheÌ„ harty repentance and watering thy couch with thy teares is most of all necessary That the feare of death may not affright thee but beeing truly penitent at thy departure thou maiest be sure to depart in peace r Luk. 2.29 And so God granting not thy wil but his wil may indeed grant both thy wil his wil. Thy will which is not simply to recouer but coÌ„ditionally if God wil his wil which is not to haue thee lie languishing any longer in this warfare but to triumph for euer in heaueÌ„ s Aliquando sancti non recipiendo quod petunt magis exaudiuntur quam exandirentur si illud reciperent Plus enim nâ—â— recipiendo beatus Paulus exaâ—ditus est quam si illud recepisset pro quo sicut ipse ais ter do minum rogaue rat Exauditus est igitur ne exaudiretur Non enim nisi bonum Apostolus quarebat quamuis illud non bonum sibi esse non intelligâ—bat Extuditus est igiâ—ur recipiendo â—â—num ne exaâ—diretur recipiendo non bonuÌ„ Qui enim sibi bonuÌ„ non quarit dum se sib bonum quarere â—utat si id recipiat quod quaâ—it non exauditur si non recipit exauditur Deus igitur qui non aliud nisi quaretis affectuÌ„ considerat bonuÌ„ eicreddit quissebonum quarere credit etiam si sibi non sit bonum quod quarit Emisse hom inlilanqs maioribus p. 138. O blessed teares are these which are recompensed with such high happines such inestimable commodities As namely freedome from all sins past present to come deliuerance from all the miseries and trouble of this wofull world consuÌ„mation of holines of humblenes of purity of
deuotion of al oâ—ther christian vertues which were but beâ—gun vnperfect in this life putting away of all corruption mortality putting on the royall robe of immortality and blisse For that which hapned to Christ shall happen to thee also because by faith thou art not only in soule but eueÌ„ in body vnseparably vnited and ioyned vnto him being by vertue of this misticall vnion made bone of his bone flesh of his flesh Therefore as he from that agonie wherin he praied with strong crying and teares from that crosse wherein hee commended his spirit into his fathers handes from that graue wherin death for a time seemed to insult to trample vpon him rose vp againe ascended farre aboue all heauens and now sitteth at the right haÌ„d of glory so thy soule shall certainely be in the hand of God thy very body also after it hath a while rested from watering thy couch with thy teares from all other labors of this life shal be raised vp againe caught vp in the clouds shal togither with thy soule for euer raign with Christ in the life to come Which God grant to vs al for the same our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christs sake to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory power and praise dignitie and dominion now and euermore Amen FINIS NINE SERMONS PREACHED By that eloquent Diuine of famous memorie TH. PLAYFERE Doctor in DIVINITIE PROV 10.7 The memoriall of the iust shall be blessed but the name of the wicked shall rotte Printed by CANTRELL LEGGE Printer to the Vniuersitie of CAMBRIDGE 1621. To Sir REYNALD ARGAL Knight RIGHT Worshipfull and my especiall good friend How desirous I haue been to answer some part of your worthie curtesies at least by laying them open to the world this small remembrance may testifie for me and how vnable I am to equall deseruings the same remembrance testifieth against mee whether I will or no beeing borrowed from the monuments of a dead man the onely glorie of his times while he liued But it was fit that a farre greater gift then mine owne should aspire to bee the instrument of your honour and the testimonie of the dead I tooke to be meeter euen in this regard because that is as vnsuspected aâ— your kindnesse toward my 〈◊〉 beene 〈…〉 no further disturbing the harmonie of your best thoughts as you are wont to account it diminishing the reward which is laid vp for you in heauen by vntimely blazing merits vpon earth I commit this depositum to your sauour and Patronage my selfe also and my endeavours resting alwaies at Your Worships disposition D. C. To the Reader WHAT a losse the Church of God had by the death of D. Playfere I had rather the opinion of the world should determine then my slender pen attempt to expresse If euer those combinations of Vertue and Learning of Knowledge and Vtterance of Wit and Memorie of Reading and Vse of Holesome and delightfull of Schoole and Pulpit of Olde and New or in one word to say of Nature and Industry of humane felicitie and heauenly grace concurred to make a Scribe perfect and absolute to the kingdome of God we may not be so much our owne back-friends though wee detract not from the fortune of places further off nay we may not so impeach the honour of the giuer nor disparage the worth of our friend departed as to doubt but this was principally manifested in M. Playfere Who because he was but lent the world for a time nay because he was redemanded sooner then his time if it were lawfull to controll the heauenly wisedome with that word Sooner Phil. 1. â—4 but I mean in regard of the Churches vse and that same propter voâ— which made the Apostle to demurre I say since he was to be returned backe againe to his Maker and ouer-ripe perfection not to contiâ—â—â— ouerlong it had bin to be wished he had left behinde him some more monuments of his trauailes as wel comfortable to the suruiuers as honourable to himselfe Which whether he in his discretion and because he had so resolued was nice to doe after the example of them that would write nothing though very able or was then a doing most whâ—â— God cal'd him I cannot say This which the good Reader will be loath perhaps to heare I may not conceale that these are the lost of all his labours which are like to be divulged Into so small a compasse is that spirit 〈◊〉 ranged Cornel. apud Propet l. 4. â—leg 12. as to be as she sayes En sum quod digit is quinque leuatur 〈◊〉 or indeede not so much as a iust handfull which lately was not confinable within bounds too great for me to speake of But the summe is this For I lift not to defend his method of preaching against the Methods masters of our age who me thinks should knowe either that of the Apostle Diuersitas donorum est sed vnus spiritus or that of the Prophet Laudate eum in â—uba laudate in cithara or if nothing will please them but what they do themselues we must be faine to say as Crassus did to Scevola Omnium igitur conciones tu conficies vnus omnes ad te sub tempus veniemus c. I say the summe is this that is the Sunne-light is pleasantest toward the set and the skilfull eare finds most store of musicke in the close so this Sun this Swan this sweet singer of Israel for what lesser tearmes can our loue affoard him if any bring were we will not refuse them his last monuments and his last labours that the world may euer hope for shall finde we trust the dearer intertainement A SERMON PREACHED at Winsor before the Kings Maiestie the 11. day of Septem 1604. MATTH 4.4 Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God CHRIST our SAVIOVR came into the world to dissolue the workes of the Deuill Now how throughly hee would afterward destroy the deuill and all his workes he gaue a cast as it were in this his first encounter Wherein we may note what great difference there is betweene the first Adam and the second The first Adam was in Paradise a place of all abundance and pleasure the second Adam in the desart a place of all scarcitie and want The first was full and so the lesse needed to eate the forbidden fruit the second fasting and so the easilier drawne to make himselfe meate Yet the first though he were in Paradise and full when his wife intised him to eate the apple tooke it and ate it but the second though he were in the desart and fasting a long time when the deuill enticed him to turne stones into bread would not yeeld to him but said Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Howbeit as Christ herein was contrary to Adam so he
Fourthly saith the preacher Riches are not to men of vnderstanding That rich man in the Gospell wanted 〈◊〉 greatly any vnderstanding Whâ—◠〈◊〉 had so much riches Luk. 12.10 that he could not tell what to doe with them he resolued to pull downe his olde barnes which were too little and to build bigger But what saide the answer of God Thou foole this night shal they take away thy foule from thee and then whose shall thy goods be Wherfore be that thoght himselfe of great vnderstanding before is here declared to bee foole and a poore foole also hauing not so much as his soule left to helpe him The losse whereof can not be recompenced and counteruailed with winning the whole world A mans life then doth not consist in the aboundance of those things which he possesseth But the louing kindnesse of the Lord is better then riches Psal. 63.4 Prou. 10. better then liuing yea better then life it selfe For in God onely we liue And only the blessing of God maketh a man rich Whereupon we may conclude that man getteth not riches by vnderstanding only but by the blessing of God Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Lastly saith the Preacher Fauour is not to men of knowledge It seemeth that a man of knowledge and learning should obtaine fauour and acceptance wheresoeuer he becommeth But it is not so Oftentimes either he getteth none or else he looseth that which he hath gotten Haman a man of great knowledge Ester 7.10 and authoritie and fauour with his Prince Yet because he abused this fauour to the oppression of Gods people and of true religion therefore he lost it And that mischeife which he imagined against others lighted vpon his owne pate Indeede when God hath appointed any one to be a notable instrument of his glorie either in Church or Common-wealth then sodainly the Lord giueth him extraordinary fauour So he gaue Ioseph fauour with King Pharao so he gaueÌ„ Mardocheus fauour with King Assuerus For fauour and promotion commeth neither from the East nor from the West nor from the North nor from the South but God iâ— is which setteth vp one and casteth downe an other He as the blessed Virgin singeth in her Magnificat Luk 52. casteth downe the mighty from their seâ—â—s and exalteth the humble and meeke Wherfore man getteth not fauour by knowledge onely but by the fauour of God Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God This doctrine teacheth vs that if we haue gotten the race gotten the battel gotten bread gotten riches gotten fauour we should not ascribe these things to our owne sacrifices to our owne strength to our owne wisedome to our own vnderstanding to our own knowledge but to the grace of God and the blessed word proceeding out of his mouth Thus the Prophet exhorteth saying Let not he wise man glorie in his wisedome nor the strong man in his strength but let him that gloried glory in this that he knoweth the Lord. Now no man knoweth the Lord but hee which knoweth that all good successe he hath in any thing commeth of the Lord. And thus much for the first place of Scripture which is a commentarie vpon this text Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God The second place of Scripture is written in the Prophet Hagge cap. 1.6 Ye haue so wen much and bring in little ye eat but you haue not enough ye drinke but ye are not filled ye cloth you but ye are not warme and he that earneth wages putteth the wages into a broken bagge First saith the Prophet Ye haue sowed much and bring in little Almightie God for the sin of the people makes many times the heauens brasse and the earth iron So that neither the heauens droppeth downe seasonable showres neither doth the earth bring forth her encrease When one came to a â—eâ—â—e of twenty measures there were but teâ— saith this our Prophet cap. 2.17 when one came to the winepresse for to drawe out fifty vessels out of the presse there were but twentie This is to sowe much and bring in little to look for twenty measures and finde but tenne to looke for fiftie vessels and find but twentie On the other side holy Isaac sowing in the land of King Abimeleck Gen. 26.12 gained euery yeare an hundred fold so mightily saitâ— the Scripture did the Lord blesse 〈◊〉 For except the Lord build the 〈◊〉 they labour but in vaine that build it and except the Lord till the field and sow the seede they labour but in vaine that sowe it Paul planteth Apollo watereth but God giueth the encrease which is true not onely in the spirituall watering of the word but also in naturall planting and sowing seede So that man bringeth not much in by sowing onely but by the encrease which God giueth Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God Secondly saith the Prophet Ye eate but ye haue not inough Many there are which want for no eating but like that rich glutton fare deliciously euery day yet it is smally seene by them But as those seuen leane kine hauing deuoured the seuen far Gen. 42.21 were neuer a whit the fuller so these Wheras holy Daniel hauing nothing to eat but poore pulse nothing to drinke but cold water looked more cheerefully and beautifully then any of the children which did eate of the portion of the kings meate And that the Eunuch saw well enough Dan. 1.15 and confessed at the tenne daies ends Therefore a little thing which the righteous inioyeth Psal. 37. â—6 is better then great riches of the wicked Prou. 15.16 Better is a little with the feare of the Lord then great treasure trouble therewith Prou. 17.1 Better is a dry morsell if peace be with it then a house full of sacrifices with siâ—ife Better is a dinner of greene hearbes where loue is Prou. 15.17 then a stawled oxe and hatred therewith In conclusion then Man hath not enough by eating onely but by the peace and loue of God Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Thirdly saith the Prophet Ye drink but ye are not filled Many consume as we say drinke down their whole patrimony Like the horseleach they euer say Giue giue like the man in the Gospell that had the dropsie they drinke still and the more they drinke the more they list Committing in the meane season two sinnes forsaking God the fountaine of liuing waters digging to themselues pittes that can hold no waters Ier. 2.13 On the other side Elias when as the Angel brought him a cake baâ—â— on the harth and a pot of water was so fully satisfied with these that hee went in the strength
said To drawe in the yoake without me would be a hard matter and to beare the burthen without me would be aboue our strength but if you come to me if you drawe and beare with me I will refresh you For my yoake is easie and my burthen is light Thus light is our affliction For God measureth to vs the water with his fist which is the shorter measure he causeth vs to drink of the cup on otherwise but as it is mixt with many comforts he maketh vs not swallow vp the lees of it but onely a little modicum of the vppermost he laieth affliction vpon vs which is rather a seeing then a feeling of euill he laieth wood vpon vs to exercise vs but neither a knife to cut vs not yet fire to burne vs. Lastly we haue many fellowes in our affliction which make it light All creatures all the faithfull all the good angels God the father God the holy Ghost God the Sonne who saith My yoake is easie and my burden is light Wherefore seeing our affliction is so many waies light we must be patient in all affliction For the momentarie lightnesse of our affliction worketh vs a surpassing exceeding eternall waight of glorie Thirdly our glorie is eternall yea surpassing eternal The glorie we looke for is called a kingdome Of which the Princely Prophet saith thus Psal. 145.13 Thy kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome and thy dominion endureth throughout all ages Origen in Can 42. Whereupon Origen noteth that as there is a holy and a holy of holyes as a saboth and a saboth of saboths as a heauen and a heauen of heauens as a song and a song of songs so there is an age and an age of ages And againe as that which is not onely a holy but also a holy of holies is the holiest place of all as that which is not onely a saboth but also a saboth of saboths is the perfectest rest of all as that which is not onely a heauen but also a heauen of heauens is the highest heauen of all as that which is not onely a song but also a song of songs is the excellentest song of all so that which is not onely an age but also an age of ages and especially as the Psalmist speaketh an age of all ages is the most infinite eternitie of all Which seeing it is attributed to the kingdome of Christ beeing likewise the kingdome of all true Christians it followeth that our glorie is surpassing eternall Whereupon Prosper noteth that that which Virgil writeth of Augustus Caesar De promiss praedict He hath giuen vs an Empire without ende Imperium â—ine fine dedit may much more fitly be applyed to Christ. For though Augustus raigned very long aboue fiftie yeares yet at length his gouernment as all other earthly kingdomes was determined But of our heauenly King only the angel Gabriel said most truely Of his kingdome there shall be no end Luk. 1.53 Of his kingdome there shall be no end Now this glorie is as well called a crowne as a kingdome And this crowne 2. Pet. 1.14 as S. Peter saith is vndefiled which neuer fadeth away The Greeke words which S. Peter vseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are Latine words also and they are not onely appellatiues beeing the epithites of thâ—â— crowne but also propers the one the proper name of a stone the other of a flower Isidorus Etimolog l. 16. c. 4. For Isidore writeth there is a precious stone called Amiantus which though it be neuer so much soyled yet it can neuer at all bee blemished And beeing cast into the fire it is taken out still more bright and cleane Also Clemens writeth that there is a flower called Amarantus Alexandrin Pedagog l. 1. c. 8. which beeing a long time hung vp in the house yet still is fresh and greene To both which the stone and the flower the Apostle as I am verily perswaded alludeth in this place As if hee should haue said The crowne which yee shall receiue shall be studded with the stone Amiantus which cannot be defiled and it shall be garnished with the flower Amarantus which alwayes is fresh and neuer fades away ye shall receiue a crowne vndefiled and that neuer fades away Which as Beda noteth was inâ—inuated in the crowne round about the Arke of the Testament For in a circle there is neither beginning nor ending Or rather euery where there is a beginning euery where an ending and so no where any beginning or ending To shew that the patient also shall haue a crowne set vpon their head per circuitum running round in a circle and neuer comming to any end of eternitie Well our glorie is called also a treasure Three kind of treasures there are A treasure in hel a treasure in earth a treasure in heauen That in hell is a treasure of torments that in earth is a treasure of snow that in heauen is a treasure of eternitie For the first Iam. 51.3 S. Iames sayes Go to now you rich men weepe and howle for the miseries that shall come vpon you your riches are corrupt and your garments are moath-eaten your gold and siluer is cankred and the rust of them shall bee a witnesse against you and shall eate your flesh as it were fire Yee haue heaped vp treasure for the last dayes Here 's a treasure in hell Which to be a treasure of torments the Apostle prooueth saying Rom. 2.5 Thou after thy hardnesse and heart that cannot repent treasurest vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath A treasure of wrath and of torments From which God for the deare blood of his Sonne sake deliuer vs euery one The second is a treasure in earth Of which our Sauiour saith Matth. 6.19 Lay not vp treasures for your selues vpon earth where the moath and canker corrupt and where theeues dig through and steale And this is a treasure of snowe For S. Gregorie vpon those words of Iob Qui ingreditur in thesauros ninis Who entreth into the treasures of snowe she weth that earthly treasures are treasures of snow You see little children what paines they take to rake and scrape snowe together to make a snowe-ball right so they that scrape together the treasure of this world haue but a snowe-ball of it as soone as the sunne shineth and God breatheth vpon it and so entreth into it by and by it comes to nothing The third is a treasure in heauen Concerning which our Sauiour saith Mark 10.20 Lay vp for your selues treasures in heauen where are bagges that neuer waxe old Now this is a treasure of eternitie And therefore the Christians of the Primitiue Church suffered with ioy the spoyling of their goods Heb 10.24 knowing that they had in heauen a better and a more enduring substance They contemned all treasures of snow in respect of this substance For they haue no substance neither are simply good though they bee
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
he that all my teaching without doing all my knowledge without goodnes is to no purpose Therfore O Lord giue me goodnes and knowledge But first goodnes and then knowledge Because indeede one heartfull of goodnesse is worth an hundred headfulls of knowledge one handfull of doing is worth an hundred tongue-fuls of teaching For what is the hand els but the very seale of the tongue So that as a writing is not pleadable by the law of man without seales no more is a word warrantable by the law of God without works And therefore if they which serue the beast receiue the marke of the beast not onely in their foreheads but also in their hands how much more then ought we which serue the liuing God to receiue the marke of God not onely in our foreheads by open professing of him but also in our hands by faithful practising that which we professe Therefore it is an vsuall phrase well-nigh in all the Prophets to say The word of the Lord by the hand of Amos by the hand of Zacharie or such like I know indeede it is an Hebrewe phrase where the hand of the Prophet signifieth the ministerie of the Prophet But yet this phrase may giue vs thus much to vnderstand that if the Prophets deale so as euery word of God passed not only thorough their mouthes but also through their hands that when we also must so deale in hearing and handling the word of God as we may bring vnto God sayes Agapetus not onely a profering of words but also an offering of works Wherefore deare brethren let your light so shine before men that they not onely hearing your good words but also seeing your good works may glorifie your Father which is in heauen For then I assure you if we glorifie our Father which is in heauen he will glorifie vs his children which are vpon earth and in the ende make vs great in the kingdome of heauen O remember therefore that golden saying in the Scripture Psal. 111.16 The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome a good vnderstanding haue all they that doe thereafter the praise of it endureth for euer A good vnderstanding haue all they that doe thereafter Why so Because an ill vnderstanding haue all they that doe not thereafter They that haue vnderstanding and doe not thereafter that is according to it haue an ill vnderstanding But they that haue vnderstanding and doe thereafter according to it haue a good vnderstanding A good vnderstanding haue all they that doe thereafter the praise of it endureth for euer It shall be eternally rewarded O how richly are the Apostles rewarded how highly are they nowe honoured in heauen because when they were vpon earth they had a good vnderstanding They had clouen tongues Act. 2.3 Clouen tongues What 's that I 'le tell you Doe you not see how our hands are clouen and diuided into fingers So were the Apostles tongues They in a manner if I may so say had fingers vpon their tongues as well as we haue vpon our hands It was but a word and a worke with them They had no sooner taught others any good thing as O Lord what good thing did they not teach vs all but by and by they were readie to practise it and to performe it themselues Therefore they are alreadie great in the kingdome of heauen yea and much more shall be The twelue Apostles shall sit vpon twelue thrones iudging the twelue tribes of Israel And if we can happily obtaine so much grace and goodnesse of God as that we may haue a care and a conscience as well to doe as to teach then as sure as God's in heauen wee likewise shall be great in the kingdome of heauen We shall be installed with Christ and his Apostles in the throne of glory when we shall heare him say vnto vs Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome of heauen prepared for you For ye haue not onely professed but practised ye haue not onely taught well but wrought well yee haue not onely said well but done well therfore now you shall be great in the kingdom of heauen To the which kingdome of heauen we beseech thee O Lord to bring vs euen for Iesus Christs sake Amen FINIS A SERMON PREACHED before the Kings Maiestie at Draytonin Northhamptonshire August 6. 1605. PSAL. 132.18 As for his enemies I shall cloath them with shame but vpon himselfe shall his Crown flourish THe Royal Prophet hauing setled himselfe in his kingdome according to his owne desire and besides hauing after many wandrings to and fro at length brought backe the Arke againe to Ierusalem maketh here his most zealous and deuout prayer to God for the continuance of his fauour both to the Church and Common-wealth committed to his gouernement Returne O Lord to thy resting place saies hee thou a v. 8. deinceps and the Arke of thy strength Let thy Priests be cloathed with righteousnesse and let thy Saints sing with ioyfulnesse For thy seruant Dauids sake turne not away the face of thine anointed Now that he might apparantly see how neere the Lord is to all them that call vpon him in faithfulnesse and truth he waiteth not long for an answer but carries it away with him before he depart For to Dauids petition Returne O Lord vnto thy resting place thou and the arke of thy strength Gods answer is this b v. 14. deinceps This shall be my resting place here will I dwell for I haue a delight therein I will blesse her victualls with increase and will satisfie her poore with bread To Dauids petition Let thy Priests be cloathed with righteousnesse and let thy Saints sing with ioyfulnesse Gods answer is this I will cloath her Priests with saluation and her Saints shall reioyce and sing Lastly to Dauids petition For thy seruant Dauids sake turne not away the face of thine annointed Gods answer is this There shall I make the horne of Dauid flourish I I haue ordained a light for mine annointed As for his enemies I shall cloath them with shame but vpon himselfe shall his crowne flourish As if he should haue said Turne away the face of mine annointed Nay that will I neuer doe I will indeede turne away the face of the enemies of mine annointed Their face shall be couered with confusion and cloathed with shame But contrariwise I haue ordained a light for mine annointed He euer shall haue a light in his face and a crowne vpon his head As for his enemies I shall cloth them with shame but vpon himselfe shall his crowne flourish These words are principally to be vnderstood of Christ. For neuer were any so clothed with shame as his enemies the cursed Iewes which murthered him There citie was sacked not one stone of it beeing left vpon another and they themselues as stubble or chaffe were scattered ouer the face of the earth So that they are the very shame of men and the
Lillie and you shall soone perceiue Marke saies our Sauiour z Matth. 5.24 how the lillies of the field doe growe they labour not neither doe they spinne yee doe I say vnto you that euen Salomon in all his royaltie was not cloathed like one of these Now if God so cloath the flowers of the field which growe to day and to morrow are cast into the ouen how much more shall he cloath Dauids enemies with shame but vpon himselfe make his crowne flourish For euen as in Salomons Temple fiue candlesticks at the right side and fiue at the left standing before the Oracle and being made for matter of pure gold for forme with branches and flowers did well nigh dazil the eyes of any that entered into the Temple a 1 Reg. 7. â—9 so the Lord here giues his word that the Kings crowne shall euer flourish in the house of our God disparkling and displaying those rayes of Maiestie those beames of beautie which shall amaze the world and be a wonder as well to Angels as to men Wherefore as I said euen nowe of his enemies shame that it should be threefold so here I repeat the same againe of his crownes flourishing His crowne shall flourish in his owne conscience in the world in the day of iudgement Touching his owne conscience the blessed Apostle calleth the Philippians his ioy and a crowne b Phil. 4.1 And to the Thessalonians hee writeth thus What c 1. Thes. 2.19.20 is our hope or ioy or crowne of reioycing Are not euen you it in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his comming yes yee are our glorie and ioy Now if this precious vessell of honour reioyced in nothing so much as in the testimonie of his conscience that in simplicitie and godly purenesse and not in fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God hee had his conuersation in the world the power of Gods spirit working still most mightily by his ministerie to the conuersion of the world to Christ how much more shall the Lords anointed haue his conscience crowned with flourishing ioy with comfort with content with heauenly peace when he shall remember that not onely for matters of religion and Gods true seruice hee hath beene and still is with Saint Paul profitable to the Church but also is a strong bulwark and a tower of defence to maintaine euen the outward felicitie and prosperitie of Gods people yea the very particular right wealth life of euery one of them all this I say and a 100 things more when he considereth what a great and a glorious instrument he hath beene euery way of Gods glory O Lord God what a heauen shall he haue in his heart what a sweet paradise of pleasure in his soule what security what assurance of Christs loue what a confident and vndaunted hope of eternall glory what a flourishing crowne of reioycing shall he haue men in his very conscience vpon himselfe shall his crowne flourish Touching the world our holy Prophet speaking to God though in the third person yet of himselfe saies Thou hast preuented him with liberall blessings and hast set a crown of pure gold vpon his head His honour is great in thy salvation glory and great worship hast thou laid vpon him Now that crowne which is of gold yea of pure gold must needes be very flourishing euen in the viewe and face of the world Neither is this to be vnderstood of Dauids person onely but euen of his posterity in all ages to come How was he himselfe crowned with conquests and victories ouer his enemies How was his sonne Salomon crowned with riches with wisedome with same glory iâ— the whole world which flourishing of 〈◊〉 soone as of a noble branch graced in a â—â—â—ner the â—etie rooâ—e of Dauid himselfe For as his worthiâ— sonne teacheth Childrens children are the â—ed one of the elders c. Prou 17.6 and the glory of the children â—re their fathers Therefore as children may â—ustly glorie of the renowne of their fathers vertue and honour so the excellent father is in a sort crowned with happinesse in this world when he sees his childrens children like to grow vp and flourish after him But vpon himselfe shall his crowne flourish Lastly touching the day of iudgement then then shall all the righteous flourish when as hauing beene faithfull vnto the death they shall receiue the crowne of life A crowne as S. Peter calleth it immortall and vndefiled 1. Pet. 1.4 and that fadeth not away Denying that euer it fadeth away he affirmeth that it euer flourisheth I would here be bold if I might doe it without offence as I hope I may to shew you one goodly cluster of grapeâ— of vhe land of Canaan a land flowing with milke and honie whether you are now going before you enter into it D. Thomas Bodleius qui plurâ—mis pulcherrimis libris Oxoniensem bibliothecam instruxit A worthie and verâ—â—us gentleman whom I neede not name in this place because no doubt many ages will name him and renowne him hereafter giueth for his armes three crownes with this posey Quarta perennis erit As if he should say these three crownes which I beare in my coat are but the difference of my house and gentry but Quarta perennis erit the fourth crowne which I look for in heauen shall be euerlasting and immortall That â—ourth though it bee but one crowne yet shall be worth all those three crowns yea three thousand more such as these are The fourth shall be eternall Now if he and we that are such aâ— he no question is faithfull to God and loyal to the chosen seruant of God may well hope for a most flourishing incorruptible crowne of glory then much more may Dauâ—d himselfe reioyce in God his Sauiour and say Quinta aut sexta perennis erit The fift or the fixt shall bee eterâ—all This crowne which God of his grace with his owne right hand and his holy arme 〈…〉 vpon mine head is indeede thankes and praise hee giuen vote the sâ—me God a very flourishing crowne flourishing in mine owne conscience flourishing in the world both for my person and for my posteritie But it is nothing in respect of that flourishing crowne which I shall receiue at the day of iudgement For the g Psal. â— â—2 iust shall flourish like a palme tree and shal grow like â— Cedar in Lebanon Such as hee planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God And then indeede shall this bountifull promise of God be most fully performed But vpon himselfe shall his crowne flourish As for his enemies I shall cloath them with shame but vpon himselfe shall his crowne flourish To drawe then to an â—ode it may seeme very strange that Dauid had any enemies Yet oâ—â— of these words As for his enemies I shall cloath them with shame it may be well gathered that some he had What had Dauid meeke Dauid Lord
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
r 1. Reg. 10.28 him or elsâ— brought to him s 2. Chr. 9.24 out of all countries So the Apostles as we may reade in the Acts brought by one sermon 3. thousand soules t Act. 2 41. brought by an other sermon fiue thousand soules to Christ u Act. 4.4 and so euery day out of all countries and kinreds x Reuel 7.9 there are added to the Church by infinite and innumerable multitudes y Dan. â— 14 such as shall be saued It may be compared to S. Peters sheete z Act. 10.12 For in Peters sheete were all sort of beasts fowre footed beasts of the earth and wild beasts creeping things and foules of the heauen So in the Church there are all manner of men Circumcised and vncircumcised Barbarians and Sythians a Colloss 3 1â— It may be compared to Noahs Arke b Gen. 7.14 For there came to Noah into his Arke all kind of creatures cleane and vncleane male and female So there commeth to Christ into his Church all manner of men Iewes and Grecians bond and free c 1. Cor. 12.13 It may be compared to S. Iames his net d Luk. 5.10 For that neâ—â—e had corke aboue to make it swimme and ledde belowe to make it sinke that it might take all sorts of fishes So the Church hath diuerse fishers of men some that teach slightly and superficially some againe that teach more deeply and profoundly that all manner of men may bee taught e Ioh. 6.45 and caught f Matth. 13.47 and drawne vnto Christ. Lastly it may bee compared to King Assuerus his feast g Est 1.5 For that feast entertained all kinde of guests seauen dayes together in the court of the garden of the Kings Pallace So in the Church the Lord of hosts hath made vnto all manner of men a feast of fat things euen a feast of fined wines to vse the Prophet Esais h Esay â—5 6 words and fat things full of marrow of wines fined and purified Before that this â—east was prepared the oxen and fatlings killed and euery thing else prouided all men were not bidden But nowe that Christ hath bin killed he keepeth as I may say open house i Prou. 9.2 and sendeth his seruants into the high wayes k Luk. 14.23 to gather together all that euer they find Yea his seruants haue not onely bidden all that they could find in the hie-waies but also they haue crost the seas and called the very furthermost m Esa. 60 9. Ilands of all the world to behold the glory of the Lord. Blessed O blessed bee the Lord for his vnspeakable mercies towards this Iland now far more flourishing then euer it was in which we liue For alas in the time of the olde Testament who was there I pray you in this whole Monarchie at least wise that euer wee could read or heare of which had any true knowledge of God S. Ierom in the end of his dialogue against the Pelagians writeth thus n Vsque ad aduentum Christâ— Brittannia fertilis prouincia tyrannorum Stoâ—icae gentes omnesque vsque ad Oceanum per circulâ—â— bar bâ—rae naâ—iâ—â—er Moysen Prophetasque ignorabunt Vntill the very comming of Christ saies he the Prouince of Brittain which hath bin oftentimes gouerned by tyrants and the Scottish people and all the nations round about the Ocean sea were vtterly ignorant of Moses and the Prophets So that then by the testimonie of S. Ierome all our religion was superstition al our church-seruice was Idolatrie all our Priests were Paynims all our gods were idols Then there was in Scotland the temple of Mars in Cornewall the temple of Mercurie in Bangor in Wales the temple of Minerua o Stow Annal. in vita Morgani in Malden in Essex the temple of Victoria p Camden Brittan in Essexiâ— in Bath the temple of Apollo in Leycester the temple of Ianus in Yorke where Peters is now the temple of Bellona q Stow Annal in vita Bladud Leiteregnum Seueâ—i imperat in London where Pauls is now the temple of Diana r Iuellus in tractat de sacâ—is Scrip pag. 129. Therefore it is very likely that they esteemed as highly then of the goddesse Diana in London as they did in Ephesus s Act. 19.28 And that as they cryed there Great is Diana of the Ephesians so they cried here â—reat is Diana of the LoÌ„diners Euen no more then three and fiftie yeares before the incarnation of Christ when Iulius Caesar came out of France into England so absurd and senslesse were the people of this Land that in stead of the true and euerliuing God they serued these heathenish and abominable idols Mars Mercurie Minerua Victoria Apollo Ianus Bellona Diana such like And not long after to wit an Christ. 180. King Lucius being first christened himselfe forthwith established religion in this whol kingdom But thanks thankes bee to God in the time of the newe Testament three and fiftie yeares after the incarnation of Christ when Ioseph of Arimathea come out of France into EnglaÌ„d many in this Realme of blind and ignorant Pâ—gans became very zealous and sincere Christians For Saint Philip the Apostle after hee had preached the Gospel thorough-out all France at length sent Ioseph of Arimathea hither into England Who when he had conuerted very many to the faith died in this Land and hee that had buried the bodie of Christ was buried in Glascenburie himselfe t Gildas lib. de victor Aurel. Em. Also Simon Zelotes an other Apostle after he had preached the Gospell thoroughout all Mauritania at length came ouer into England Who when he had declared likewise to vs the doctrine of Christ crucified was in the end crucified himselfe and buried here in Brittaine u Niâ—ep l. 2 c. 40 About this time Aristobulus one of the seauentie Disciples x Doroth in synops c. 23. whom Saint Paul mentioneth in his Epistle to the Romans y Rom. 16.10 was a reuerend and a renowned Biship in this Land Also Claudia a noble English Ladie z Martial Epigramaâ—at lib. 4. whom S. Paul mentioneth in his second Epistle to Timothie a 2. Tim. 4.21 was here amongst vs a famous Professour of the faith Since which time though the ciuil state hath bin oâ—ten turn'd vpside downe by the Romans by the Saxons by the Danes by the Normans yeâ— the Gospel of Christ hath neuer vtterly failed or bin taken from vs. This the holy Fathers of the church which haue liued in the ages next-ensuing doe declare Tertulâ—ian who liued Ann. 200. writeth thus b Aduers â—uda c. 3. Hispaniarum omnes termini Galliarum diuersae nationâ—s Brittannorum in a coessa Romanis loca Christo vero subdita All the coasts of Spaine and diuers parts of France and many places of Brittaine which the Romanes could neuer subdue with their sword Christ hath subdued with his