wounded hands toward the throne of his heauenly father that he may mooue him to haue pitie and compassion of his people Pelopidas a noble Grecian â—…irmished with the Lacedemonians against the Arcadianâ—… vntill such time as beeing hurt in seauen places he fell downe at last for dead Then pâ—…esently Epaminondas stepping forth bestrid him and 〈◊〉 to defend his bodie he alone against many till beeing sore cut on his arme with a sword and thrust into the bâ—…east with a â—…ike he was euen readie to giue ouer But at that very instant Agesipolis king of the Lacedemonians came with the other point of the battell in a happie howre and saued both their liues when they were past all hope If we would applie this stoâ—…ie to our purpose now in hand we must make man like Pelopidâ—…s Christ like Epaminondas God like Agesipolis Since the ouerthrow of Adam who went downe from 〈◊〉 to Ierico how euery man hath beene wounded not onely with Pelopidas in seanen plaâ—…es of his bodie but euen in all the parâ—…s and powers of his soule each one knoweth best by experience in himselfe But Christ hath sheilded vs with his grace and fought for vs noâ—… till he was with Eâ—…aminondas cut oâ—… his arme with a sword and trust intâ—…â—…he breast with a piâ—…e but that which is in a manner all one till his hâ—…nds were goared with nayles and his side thrust â—…orough with a 〈◊〉 Wherefore God the father with Agesipolis seeing him in the work of his mediation sâ—…ght still for vs clothed euen now in heauen with a garment dipâ—… in blood can not be angrie either with him or vvith vs but vvhen vve are dead in sinne quicâ—…neth vs together in him by whose grace vve are saued and raiseth vs vp and maâ—…eth vs for his sake sit in the heauenly places aboue Marcus Servilius a valiant Romane who had sought three and â—…vventie combates os life and death in his ovvne person and had alwaies sâ—…ine as many of his enemies as chaleng'd him man to man vvhen as the people of Rome resisted Paulus Emilius â—…iumph stood vp and made an oration in his behalfe In the midst vvhereof he cast open his govvne and sâ—…evved befoâ—…e them the insâ—…ite skarres and cuts he had receiued vpon his brest The sight of vvhich so preuailed vvith the people that they all agreed in one and graunted Emilius triumph After the same fashion Christ hath spoiled principalities and povvers and hath made a shevv os them openly and hath triumâ—… ouer them in his erosse yea 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 euerie one of vs say with Saint Paul Now thankes be vnto God which alwaies maketh vs to triumph in Christ. Among other ornaments of the Sanctuarie there was a golden censer sull 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 who hath entred not into any Sanctuarie made with hands but into heauen it selfe And his golden censer is his â—…wne body which through the wounds 〈◊〉 are in it as through chinks or holes fuâ—…eth forâ—…h alwaies a pleasing and a sweete sauour in the nosthrils of his father The signe of the coueant which God made wiâ—…h Noah was a rainebowe in the 〈◊〉 And indeede that is a sure token vnto vs that the world shall neuer be drowned againe with a generall slood of water 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 Marie it is the blood of Christ which maketh as it were a rainebowe 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 shadowe 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 sight of God for vs. Therefore S. Iohn in the Reuelation witnesseth that he sawe a doore open in heauen and a rainebow round about the throne of God He 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 rainebowe round about his throne putteth him in mind of his couenant appeaseth his displeasure and so maketh his throne to all vs that loue him a throne of grace a throne of compassioÌ„ a throne of fauour and mercie in Christ. We read that Iacob â—…illed 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 we 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 woundes laid open in the sight of God ingendreth and breedeth in him a loue and a liking towards vs so that he conceiueth well of vs and seuereth vs as good sheepe from the goates and in the blood of the lamb is pleased and appeased and satissied for our sinnes This blood is the blood of sprinkling which speaketh betâ—…er things then that os Abel For Abels blood vpon earth cried our 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 wounds 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 miserie which he was in vpon earth calleth for the depth of Gods bottomlesse and insinite mercie in heauen Thus these holy wounds of Christ pacisie and appease his father For now Moyses standing in the gap sues sor pardon the poore creple lying at the beautifull gate begg's an almes Ezechias spreading open his letters makes his supplication Salomon streatching out his hands offers vp his prayer Epaminondas being wounded moues Agesipolis to saue Pelopidas Seruilius discouering
yea whole pictures of his passion and of his resurrection in his head in his hands in his side in his ◅eete When king Arthurs bodie was taken vp somewhat more then sixe hundred yeares after his death it was knowne to be his by nothing so much as by the prints of ten seuerall wounds which appeared in his skull Christ our king who did ouercome death could likewise if it had pleased him haue quite and cleane defaced and abolished all the markes of death Neuerthelesse as at his transfiguration he shewed Peter Iames and Iohn the signes of immortality in his body which was then mortall so here contrariwise at his resurrection he sheweth Thomas the signes of mortalitie in his bodie which is nowe immortall That he and all we might vndoubtedly con◅sse that though they perhaps might be deceiued in King Arthurs bodie yet we can neuer be deceiued so long as we beleeue that the verie same bodie of Christ which in Golgotha the place of dead mens skuls was wounded from top to toe and put to death for vs is now risen again from death to life Euen as king Alexanders stagges were knowne a hundred yeares together by those golden collars which by the kings commandement were put about their necks so much more might Thomas know Christ by his woundes which were as a comly ornament to his head and as chaines vnto his necke we also when we preach the resurrection of Christ preach no other thing but that which we haue heard which we haue seene with our eies which we haue looked vpon and our hands haue handled of the word of life Socrates in his Ecclesiasticall historie writeth that Athanasius being accused by one Iannes to haue killed Arsenius and after to haue cut off his hand that he might vse it to magick and ◅orcerie cleared himselfe notably of this slander Hauing by good happe found out Arsenius who lay hid for the nonce he brought him before the Counsell of Tyrus and there asked his accuser whether he euer knew Arsenius or no He answered yes Then Athanasius called him forth with his hands couered vnder his cloake and turning vp the one side of his cloake shewed them one of his hands And when most men surmised that th◅ other hand ◅t leastwise was cur o◅f Athanasius without any more adoe casteth vp the other side of his cloake and sheweth the second hand saying you see Arsenius hath two hands now let mine accuser shewe you the place where the third hand was cut off Christs case was euen almost the same He was thought by some to be quite dead and gone Bu◅ Thomas seeing those very hands of his which were n◅iled to the crosse acknowledgeth that this our brother was dead and is aliue againe was lost an◅ is found For if the spies that were se◅ to viewe Iericho knew Rahabs hou◅ from all the rest by a red thread whi◅h hung out of the windowe how much more easily then might Thomas know Christ especialy seeing Rahabs house was a figure of Christs body the windowe a signe of the wound in his side the red thread a figure of the streame of blood issuing out of that wound When Vlysses had beene long from home no man almost at his returne knew him yet Euriclea his nurce espying by chance the mark of a wound in his foote which he got by hunting the wild boare by and by made him known to his friends In like manner Thomas beholding the wounds not of Christs feete onely but also of his whole bodie beleeueth verily though the wild boare out of the wood stroake sore at him that he might fall yet that he hath now recouered him selfe and is risen and returned home againe Euen as the wise men knewe Christ was borne by the starre which appeared in the East and knewe also where he lay when he was borne by the standing of that star directly ouer against him so Thomas not by one starre but by many starres which notwithstanding are more beautifull and bright then all the starres of heauen knoweth and confesseth that the true sunne of righteousnesse is now risen and shineth ouer all the earth Thus these blessed wounds witnesse and my hands and put forth thy hand and put it into my side and be not faithlesse but faithfull So much for the first cause which is to approoue his resurrection The second caus◅ why Christ hath his wounds yet to be seene in his body is to appease his father Almightie God was once readie to haue destroied the Israelites had not Moyses his chosen stood before him in the gap Moyses as he was a mediator betweene God and the people was a singulur type of the Messias to come And standing in the gap he did as it were point to Christ. For when our Sauiours side was woū ded then indeede there was a great gap and a great breach made by which all we that beleeue in him may escape Therefore Moyses his standing before the Lord in the gap did signifie as S. Barnard noteth that Christ making intercession before his father for vs shold alwaies stand in the gap and shew how he himself was broken vpon the crosse and as I may say troden downe for our redemption That poore creeple also which begged at the beautifull gate of the temple teacheth vs what he continually doth who when he was rich became poore for our sakes The temple is his bodie which after it had been destroied was built vp againe in three daies The beautifull gate of this temple is the pretious wound in his side of which the Psalmist saies This is the gate of the righteous the iust shall enter in by it Therefore as that poore creeple lying at the beautifull gate of the temple was healed by S. Peter so Christ lying a◅ the beautifull gate of his owne body shewing his most grieuo◅s b◅t yet most glorious susferings and torments appeaseth his fathers wrath and obtaineth whatsoeuer he intreateth of him King Ezekias hauing receiued rayling letters from Senacherib went vp to the temple and spread the letters before the Lord and praied saying Open thine eyes O Lord and see and heare all the words of Senacherib who hath sent to blaspheme the liuing God No Ezekias was euer more taunted and reuiled more scorned and reproched then he who was counted the shame of men and the outcast of the people Wherefore now he spreadeth forth and laieth open not onely the blasphemous words which were v◅tred against him but also the dolorous wounds and gashes which were giuen him that so he may put out the hand-writing that was against vs and appease his father and throughly reconcile him to vs. And looke how king Salomon when he praied for the people stood before the altar and stretched out his hands toward heauen in semblable wise Christ who is farre greater then Salomon standeth euermore beside the altar o◅ his crosse and stretcheth out his beskarred and
Lord giue me goodnes and knowledge But first goodnes and then knowledge Because indeede one heartfull of goodnesse is worth a hundred headfulls of knowledge one handfull of doing is worth a hundred tongue-fulls of teaching For what is the hand else 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 theresore if they which serue the beast receiue the marke os the beast not onely in their foreheads but also in their haâ—…ds how much more theâ—… ought we which serue the huing God to receiue the marke of God not onely in our foreheads by open professing of him but also in our hands by faithfull â—…sing that which we professe Therefore it is a vsuall phrase well-nigh in all the Prophets to say The word of the Lord by the hand of Amos by the hand os Zacharie or such like I know indeede it is an Hebrevve phrase vvhere 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 dealt so as euery vvord of God passed not only thorough their mouthes but also through their hands that then vve also must so deale in hearing handling the vvord of God as vve may bring vnto God saies Agapetus not onely a profering of vvords but also an offring of vvorks Wherefore deare brethren let your light so shine before men that they not onely hearing your good vvords but also seeing your good vvorks may glorifie your father vvhich is in heauen For then I assure you if vve glorifie our father vvhich is in heauen he vvill glorifie vs his children vvhich are vpon earth and in the ende make vs great in the kingdome of heauen O remember therefore that golden saying in the Scripture The seare of the Lord is the beginning of vvisedome 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 Clouen tongues What 's that I 'le tell you Doe you not see how our hands are cloauen 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 happely obtaine so much grace and goodnes 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 we likewise shall be great in the kingdome of heauen We shall be enstalled with Christ and his Apostles in the throne of glorie when we shall heare him say vnto vs Come ye blessed of my Father inherite the kingdome of heauen prepared for you For ye haue not onely professed but practised ye haue not onely taught well but wrought well ye haue not onely said well but done well therefore now you shall be great in the kingdome of heauen To the which kingdom of heauen we beseech thee O Lord to bring vs euen for Iesus Christs sake Amen A SERMON PREACHED BEFORE the Kings Maiestie at Drayton in Northhamptonshire August 6. 1605. Psal. 132. 18. As for his enemies I shall cloath them with shame but vpon himselfe shall his Crowne flourish THe Royall Prophet hauing setled himselfe in his kingdom 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 praier 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 sai's he thou and the Arke of thy strength Let thy Priests be cloathed vvith righteousnesse and let thy Saints sing vvith ioyfulnesse For thy seruant Dauids sake turne not avvay the face of thine anointed Novv that he might apparantly see hovv neere the Lord is to all them that call vpon him in faithfulnesse and truth he vvaiteth not long for an ansvver but carries it avvay vvith him before he depart For to Dauids petition Returne O Lord vnto thy resting place thou and the arke of thy strength Gods ansvver is this This shall be my resting place here vvill I dvvell for I haue a delight therein I vvill blesse her victualls vvith increase and vvill satisfie her poore vvith breade To Dauids petition Let thy Priests be cloathed vvith righteousnesse and let thy Saints sing vvith ioyfulnesse Gods ansvver is this I vvill cloath her Priests vvith saluation and her Saints shall reioyce and sing Lastly to Dauids petition For thy seruant Dauids sake turne not away the face of thine anointed Gods answer is this There shall I make the horne of Dauid to flourish I I haue ordained a light for mine anointed As for his enemies I shall cloath them with shame but vpon himself shal his crown slorish As if he should haue said Turne away the face of mine anointed Nay that will I neuer doe I will indeede turne away the face of the enemies of mine anointed Their face shall be couered with confusion and cloathed with shame But contrariwise I haue ordained a light for mine anointed 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 cloathed with shame as his enemies the cursed Iewes which murthered him There eitie 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 out-cast of all people Insomuch as when we would signifie we hate a man deadly indeede we commonly vse to say we hate them worse then a Iewe. On the other side
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 minde of his promise Iaacob laying forth his roddes make most of the lambs 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 annointed how cruelly they are mangled the side of thine annointed how wofully it is wounded Behold and see if there be any sorrow 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 beene 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 â—…nto 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 me Who art thou Lord saies Saul I am saies Christ Iesus of Nazareth whome thou persecurest Alluding to the title of his crosse which was Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes At which words Saul both trembling and astonished said Lord what wilâ—… thou haue me doe Now if Saul who repenâ—…d him afterward of his persâ—…cuting Câ—…st stood so astonished when he 〈◊〉 but a peice of the title vpon his crossâ—… 〈◊〉 then shall all they be astonished how shall they be confounded which without any repentance or remorse of consâ—…ience persecute Christ continually wheâ—… at the latter day not onely the title written ouer his head but euen the very print of the wounds in his hands and side shall rise vp in iudgement to condemne them When like as Ioseph saide to his brethren I am Ioseph your brother whome you sold into Egypt so Christ shall say vnto them I am Iesus of Nazareth whome you persecuted and put to death Wonderfull indeede is the feare and confusion of a wicked conscience Aâ—…ter that Herod had beheaded Iohn Baptist he imagined still he saw and heard that holy head showting crying out against him Whereupon hearing the same of Iesus he said not as others said It is Elias or It is one of the Prophets but It is Iohn saies he whome I beheaded he is risen from the dead Saying whome I beheaded he confesseth not his fault in true repentance but onely vvith his owne mouth beareth witnesse oâ—… his owne wickednesse In so much as that may be said to him which Dauid said to the Amalakite who brought him newes of Sauls death Thine owne mouth testisieth against thee saying I haue slaine the Lords annointed Now if the remembrance of this cruell act so vexed and disquieted Herod day and night that he could take no rest for it but still thought waking and dream'd sleeping Iohn Baptist was risen againe to be reuenged of him how then shall they be affrighted how shall they be confounded which haue not beheaded Iohn but crucified Christ yea and crucisie him continually with their sinnes wheÌ„ at the resurrection of all slesh they shall see him vvhome they haue pierced and wring their hands and vveepe waile before him Scipio appointed his sepulâ—…hre to be so placed as his image standing vpon it might looke directly toward Africa that beeing dead he might still be a terror to the Carthaginians after the same sort the Prophet Esai prophesying of Christ saith In that day the roote of Iesse shall stand vp for a signe vnto the people and euen his sepulâ—…hre shall be glorious So that as the bodie of Cadwallo an auntient king of the Brittayns being embalmed and dressed vvith svvete confections vvas put into a brasen image and set vpon a brasen horse ouer Ludgate for a terrour to the Saxons in semblable sort he that is called Faithfull and true shall sit vpon a white horse and out of his mouth shall proceede a sharpe sword wherewith he shall smite and slay the heathen The sword wherewith Dauid hackt off Golias head after he had wrested it out of his hand was kept in the Tabernacle wrapt in a cloath behind the Ephod Which when Abimilech the Priest brought forth Dauid said There is none to that giue it me Christ also did conquer death euen with those weapons and armour wherewith death assaulted him And he keepeth still a memorial of this conquest in the tabernacle of his body That as the Philistims were afraid when they sawe Dauid fighting in the â—…ield with that sword so all Christs enemies may be confounded when they shall see the signe of the sonne of man appearing in the clouds with power and great glorie It was a strange miracle that of Aarons rodde which budded Therefore the Lord said vnto Moyses Bring Aarons rod againe before the testimonie to be kept for a token to the rebellious children The bodie of Christ was a greene tree before it was crucified After beeing dead it was clung and dry like Aarons rodde But it budded when as the third day it rose againe Therefore it is kept still for a token to the rebellious children That as Aaron conuinced the murmuring Israelites and confirmed the authoritie of his priesthood by the budding of his rod which otherwise was but a dead and a drie thing so Châ—…ist may conâ—…ound his enemies when he shall shewe such flourishing glorie such excellent maiestie in his bodie which hath yet in it the tokens and the markes of death It is reported that Zisca the valiant captaine of the Bohemians commanded that after his discease his skinne should be fleed from his body to make a drume which they should vse in their battels affirming that as soone as the Hungarians or any other their enemies should heare the sound of that drume they would not abide but take their flight And surely euery battell of the warriour is with noise and with tumbling of garments in blood but this battell wherein Christ shall tread Satan and all his enemies vnder his feete shall be with burning and consuming of fire So that no drum can be more terrible then the last trumpet shal be when the Lord Iesus shall shewe himselfe from heauen with his mightie angels and shall so come downe with the very same marks and scars in his skin as the men of Galile sawe him ascending vp They which dispatched noble Iulius Caesar in the senate house did set a good face of the matter
desired that he might die For he thought he could neuer with the sparrow finde him a house and with the swallow make him a nest in a better place thē where he was ouershadowed with that Iuniper tree which shadowed out the tree of the crosse of Christ. Of which the Church say's Vnder his shadow had I delight and sat downe and his fruite was sweete vnto my mouth So that if Simeon holding the child in his armes desired to die how much more blessedly then might Elias haue departed now in peace when as beeing wearied with the world he was shadowed with the tree of life and not onely held the child in his armes but also was held himselfe as a child in the wounded and naken armes of Christ. Notably also doth the storie of Noah declare what singular comfort the faith full finde in Christs woundes For onely Noah saued all onely Christ redeemeth all Noah signified rest Christis our rest and peace Noah saued all by the wood of the arke Christ redeemeth all by the tree of the crosse Noah was tossed vp and downe vpon the waters Christ saith to his father Thou hast brought all thy waues vpon me Noah saued all by the doore in the side of the arke Christ redeemeth all by the doore in the side of his bodie Noah the fortieth day after the decreasing of the flood opened the windowe Christ the fortieth day afer his r◅surrection 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 hauke which takes a check and giues ouer her pray wherefore Christ holding out his wounded and bloody hands as meate to reclaime vs calleth vs as it were and saith Re◅urne returne O Shulamite returne returne that we may behold thee Prudentius writeth that vvhen Asclepiades commanded 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 vvhereby I may preach my Lord and Sauiour Tot ecce laudant ora quot sunt vulnera Looke hovve many vvounds I haue so many mouthes I haue to praise and laud the Lord. And looke hovv many vvounds 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 vvas a most comfortable meate vvhich God gaue the Israelites It vvas like to coriander seede and the tast of it vvas like vnto vvafers made vvith honey This our holy Saniour applieth to himselfe For vvhen the Capernites said Our fathers did eat Manna in the desert Iesus ansvvered 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 wherewhith the Lord fed them so there is yet a golden pot of Manna kept in heauen that the faithfull in allages may tast and see how sweete the Lord is which feedeth them with his owne bodie and blood the least droppe whereof though it be as small as a coriander seede yet it is as sweete as a wafer made with honie Hard it is to giue a reason wherefore Christ when he came to the citie of Sichar in Samaria where was Iacobs well sat downe vpon the well about the sixt houre But certainely he did this not so much for himselfe as for vs. That hereby we might learne when the sunne is hotest about the sixt houre of the day whē we are most exercised with afflictions whē we are sorest grieued for our sinnes alwaies to haue recourse vnto Christ alvvaies to goe with the king into the wineseller alwaies to sit dovvne vpon Iacobs vvell Of which the Prophet Zacharie sai'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 Whereupon S. Austin saith verie diuinely In all aduersities sai's he I could neuer yet sind any remedie so cōfortable and so effectuall as the vvounds of Christ. Christ is not vnlike to the poole in Ierusalem called Bethesda hauing fiue porches vvhich beeing troubled by an angell healed any man that vvent first into it vvhatsoeuer disease he had Bethesda signifieth the house of effusion or povvring out in vvhich house Christ dvvelt vvhē he povvred out his blood and his soule for our saluation Therefore hee alone is the angell vvhich came dovvne at a certaine season into the poole and troubled the vvater because vvhen 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 bin diseased eight and 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 sit in the seats and porches of this poole Wonderfull are the words of the Prophet concerning Christ He shall feede his flocke like a shepheard he shall gather the lambs with his armes and carie thē in his bosom Which was prefigured in the high Priest who did beare vp with his shoulders a breast-plate 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 breast that doth Christ with his hands and side He is the good shepheard which bringeth home the lost sheepe vpon his shoulders Yea he writeth the names of all his sheepe in his pretious wounds which are the pretious stones vpon his breast-plate that both declare his loue to vs also allure vs to loue him This makes Dauid say in great deuotion The Lord is my shepheard therefore can I lacke nothing He shall feede me in a greene pasture and lead me forth beside the waters of comfort For as the henne gathereth her brood vnder her wings so God gathereth his children together And as an eagle stirreth vp her nest flo◅ereth ouer her birds taketh 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 honie out of the stone and oyle out of the hard rocke Butheius an excellent painter painted an eagle carrying Ganymedes into heauen so nicely and tenderly that her talents did not hurt him but onely beare him vp And in like sort Christ beareth vs vp in his hands that we dash not our foot against a stone yea his right hand is vnder our
head and his left hand doth embrace vs so that though we should fall yet we can not 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 we may behold these hands of Christ and see his side in the sacrament For indeede as o◅ten 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 euery faithfull 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 ye shal eate this bread and drinke this cup you shall shew the Lords death til he come Till he come Declaring hereby that when he is come his death shall be shewed an other way Namely by his wounds which alwaies he sheweth to his Saints Euen as vve sing in that heauenly Hymne or Psalme The humble suit of a sinner Whose bloody wounds 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 the Saints reioyce how glori◅ 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 spirituall banket of the Saints For wheresoeuer the dead bodie is thither fhall the eagles resort And we that with eagles wings flie vp by faith into heauen shall euer resort to this dead bodie and we shall vnsatiably desite 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 soule which calleth home the Shulamite as the pot of Manna which nourisheth the Israelite as the well of Iacob which refresheth the ◅hirstie as the poole of Bethesda which ◅ealeth 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 woman 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 bodie is the paper Here thou maist see the bowels of my compassion thorough the wounds of my passion Assure thy selfe therfore assure thy selse 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 be 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 his second comming shal serue to confoūd his enemies onely at the day of iudgement did doe and shall serue to comfort his friends for euer Wherefore though we 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 we 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 wounds so let vs kisse the Sonne least he be angrie honour his holy wounds which are the pretious balme wherewith he hath healed vs and restored vs to euerlasting life To the which we beseech thee O good Lord to bring vs not for our owne deserts or merits but for the tender bowels of Christ Iesus loue and mercie toward vs to whome with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour and praise both now 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 hands 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 doe so little as though they had two tongues and but one hand nay three tongues and neuer a hand In so much as that may be aptly applied to them which Pandulphus said to some in his time You say much but you do litle 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 thē they teach or else lesse then they teach teaching others to doe well and to doe much but doing no whit themselues may be resembled to diuerse things To a whet stone which being blunt it selfe makes a knife sharpe To a painter which beeing 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 sweet sleepe To a goldsmith which beeing beggerly and hauing not one peice of plaâ—…e to vse himselfe hath store for otheâ—…s which he â—…hewes and sels in his shoppe Lastly to a ridiculous actor in the citie of Smyrna which pronouncing ô coelum O heaâ—…en pointed with his finger toward the ground which when Polemo the chiefest man in the place sawe he could abide to stay no longer but went from the companie in a chafe saying This foole hath made a solecisme with his hand he hath spoken false Latine with his hand Such are all they which teach one thing and do another which teach well and doe ill They are like a blunt whetstone a deformed painter a weather-beaten signe a deafe bell a restles nightingale a beggerly goldsmith a ridiculous actor which pronounceth the heauen and pointeth to the earth But â—…e that sitteth in the heauen shall laugh â—…ll such to scorne the Lord shall haue â—…em in derision and hisse them off from the stage Because hovvsoeuer they haue the heauen commonly at their tongues ende yet they haue the earth continually at their fingers end So that they speake false Latine vvith their hand nay that vvhich is vvorse they speake false Diuinitie vvith their hand Whereas vve might easily auoide all such irregularitie and make true coÌ„ gruitie betvveene the tongue and the â—…aÌ„d if vve vvould make this text of holy scripture the rule of our whole life For then I assure you vve should euery one of vs play our parts so vvell that in thâ—… ende the tragedie of this wofull life being onâ—…e 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 The sirst 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 Pastor 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 Where almightie God appointeth the selfe same sacrifice should be offred for the sinne of the Priest which is offred for the sinne of the whole people So that all the people may better sinne though it be a thousand times theÌ„ the Priest may sinne though it be but once For the people sinning offend onely by their sinne but the Priest sinning offendeth more by his example then by his sinne Therefore Moses beeing commanded by throwing downe his rod to worke miracles deliuered it to Aaron To signifie that especially it belongeth to him to doe somewhat himselfe whose dutie is to teach others Whereupon also our Sauiour giues vs a caueat to beware of false Prophets because they say and do not They say one thing and doe another They bind heauie burthens which they tie vpon other mens backes but touch not these burthens themselues so much as with the least of their fingers So that that which was fondly and falsly said of Christ 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 followe writeth thus to him Take heed to thy selfe and to doctrine for in doing so thou shalt both saue thy selfe and them that heare thee By taking heede 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 maiest 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 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 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 punish it then regard his blessed teaching to praise it Certainely the Psalmist puts the matter out of all doubt where he saies That God will surely cast away God will reiect God will destroy the enemie and the auenger The enemie and the auenger Who is he He that is an enemie 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 glorie in that he teacheth well he is the enemie and the auenger And such an one as this which is indeede an enemie and yet would seeme to be an auenger which is indeede a foe and yet would seeme to be â—… friend which doth indeede 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 â—…reach my lawes and take my statutes in thy mouth whereas thou hatest to be thy selfe reformed by them and hast â—…st my words behind thee By thine owne mouth by thine owne confession I will condemne thee thou naughtie thou lewd seruant Thine owne words shall accuse thee and not I yea thine owne lips shall beare witnesse against thee For why goest thou about to take a little moate out of thy brothers eye and doest not first cast out that great beame which is in thine owne eye Why goest thou to other mens houses and pryest into other mens matters and doest not first goe to thine owne house and see that all be well in thy owne heart What meanest thou to doe Thou that teachest others doest thou not teach thy selfe 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 Phisitian then cure thy selfe as well as others Seeing indeed as Hierome writeth he is too nice and too daiâ—…tie a Physitian either for the body or els for the soule which prescribeth fasting to others and is sicke of a surset himselfe Wherefore the godly Pastor must not prescribe fasting to others and be sicke of a surfet himselfe he must not teach one thing and doe an other For not he 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 another â—…s well
one onely holy and happy example hath done which we see euery day before our eies Neither need ye be greatly put in mind to keepe in mind the word heard Memorie ye haue enough vnderstanding enough knowledge enough learning enough When you haue heard a Sermon you can remember and repeat and carrie away and keepe much of it But this this is the thing which I must â—…all vpon my selfe and vpon all you to thinke of to wit that we bring forth the fruit of the word in patience in temperance and in all other vertues of a sanctified life For that Samaritan Woman did not fill her pitcher at the well â—…o spill it by the way but to carrie it home full of water and there to vse it as occasion seru'd Here where the word is preached is the well of liuing water flowing forth to eternall life But this water we must carrie away with vs and keepe it to wash and purge our consciences to clense our wayes to water the roots of Gods graces in vs continually that we may bring forth fruit with patience Rachel also that other holy woman did not desire the mandrakes so much to hold it in her hand or to smell â—…o it as to be made apt thereby 〈◊〉 bring forth the fruite of her wombe To teach vs that we must not labour so much to knowe the word that we may subtilly dispute or discourse of it as to practise it that we may shewe the fruite of it in the amendment of our liues Therefore king Dauid beeing readie to redresse diuers things among his people saith in one of the Psalmes O Lord teach me goodnesse and knowledge knowledge that I may keepe thy word and goodnesse that I may shewe the fruit of it For I am sure saies he that al my keeping without fructifying all my knowledge without goodnesse is to no purpose Wherefore ó Lord giue me goodnesse and knowledge But first goodnesse and then knowledge Because indeede a little goodnesse though it be neuer so small is better then all knowledge though neuer so great One handfull of goodnesse is worth an hundred headfulls of knowledge For the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome a good vnderstanding haue all they that doe thereafter the praise of it 〈◊〉 sor euer A good vnderstandâ—…ng 〈◊〉 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 bring not forth fruit according to it they haue an ill vnderstanding But they that haue vnderstanding and do therafter lead their lise according to it such haue a good vnderstanding The praise of these shal endure for euer O how highly shall Christ praise you how richly shall he reward you if you haue a conscionable care to expresse his vertues to be transformed as it were into the obedience of his word Then he shall say vnto you Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome of heauen For ye haue not onely heard my word and kept it as farre as knowledge goes but also ye haue practised it and fructified thereby I was in prison and ye visited me I was harbourlesse and ye lodged me I was hungry and ye gaue me meate These and such other haue beene the good fruites which haue follovved your hearing and keeping of my word Therefore now ye shall be praised for your weldoing and for euer ye shall be blessed for your fruit-bearing Which God graunt to vs all for Iesus Christ his sake to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour and glorie power and praise dignitie and dominion now and euermore Amen FINIS A FVNERALL SERMON PREACHED in S. Maries May 10. 1605. Psal. 32. 6. Surely in the flood of many waters they shall not come neere him THe principall scope os the Prophet in this place is to prooue that the righteousnesse and so the blessednesse of man consisteth onely in the free forgiuenes of his sinnes and gratious imputation of Christs merits His argument may be framed thus That which the whole Church and euery godly man therein hath euer especially praied for in all afflictions and troubles that is happinesse But for remission of sinnes euery godly man will â—…ray in time of tribulation Therefore this is the felicitie of the faithfull To confirme this reason more fully he setteth downe first the circumstances going before the prayer For this shall euery one that is godly make his prayer vnto thee in a time when thou maist be found Then the forme of the prayer it selfe Thou art a place to hide me in thou shalt preserue me from trouble thou shalt compasse me about with â—…ongs of deliuerance Lastly the effect following the prayer Surely in the flood of many waters they shall not come neere him Prayer is the true sacrifice of faith The efficacie whereof is briefly but pithily set downe to the Hebrewes And I haue spoken els-where somewhat largely of this point Now but a word onely to make a fit entrance into this sermon Take it therefore thus The effocts of prayer heretofore haue beene wonderfull Prayer hath fet down hailestones from heauen to ouercome fiue Kings with their armies Prayer hath shut vp the windowes of heauen that it should not raine and againe hath opened them that the earth might giue her encrease Prayer hath staied the swist course of the sunne and caused it to go backward fifteene degrees Prayer hath held Gods hands that he could not strike when he was readie to plague his people Prayer without any other helpe or meanes hath throwne downe the strong walls of Iericho Prayer hath deuided the sea that the floods thereof could not come neere the Israelites In this place it deliuereth the faithful man from all the dangers of this world Surely in the flood of many waters they shall not come neere him The summe is this That no calamities of this world no troubles of this life no terrours of death no guiltines of sinne can be so great but that a godly man by meanes of his faith and felicitie in Christ shall wade out of them well inough For howsoeuer other things goe still he shall haue such a solace in his soule such a comfort in his conscience such a heauen in his heart knowing himselfe reconciled to God and iustified by faith that Surely in the flood of many waters they shall not come neere him Which that it may the better appeare I shall desire you to obserue two things The danger the deliuerance The danger is in these words In the flood of many waters Where the tribulations that the godly man is subiect to in this life are likened First to waters then to many waters thirdly to a flood of many waters In the flood of many waters The deliuerance is in these words Surely they shall not come neare him Where the deliuerance of the godly man hath three degrees also First they shall not come