excellent so admirable perfection is not now required at our hands Yet this by your good leaue fauor I wil be bold to say that we can neuer be perfect Christians indeed and run toward the marke aright except at the least wise wee haue that in resolution which they did put in execution Except if need require (d) 1 Pâ—â— 1.6 wee that are faithfull can finde in our hearts to do that and to suffer that for hatred of the spirituall Babylon and for loue of our heauenly Lord which Zopyrus an infidell did suffered for hatred of the earthly Babylon and for loue of a mortall king Except wee can be content not onely to be white lillies by liuing purely and patiently in those afflictions and crosses whereof our miserable life is full which is in some sort a kinde of martyrdome (e) Est quaedam sanguinis effusio afflictio Bernard Non putemus effusionem sanguinis tantum esse Martyriam Semper martyrium est Caesarius Arelatensis 〈◊〉 21. Sine fâ—rro Martyres esse possumus â—i patientiam in animo veraciter consernemus Gregor Omnis piorum vita testimonium reddiâ— Deo Cypr. de dupl martyriâ— â—initio vide loc but also to be red roses by dying constantly and ioyfully for the truth if the good pleasure of God should so appoint it (*) 1 Pet. 3.17 and by making our garments red in the bloud of grapes (f) Gen. 49.11 which is the most perfect martyrdom and commeth neerest of all to the Marke (g) Duplex est species Martyrij vna quando quis pro Christo â—cciditur alia quando caro pro deo maceratur Primo dabitur corona de rosis secunda de lilijs Hier. Erat anâ—e ecclesia operibus fratrum candida nunc facta est in Martyrum cruâ—re purpurea Cypr. l. 2. Epist. 6. pag. 44. that so Christ may rightly say to his Church here amongst vs Thy plants are as an orchard of Pomegranets Tell me wherefore saith Dauid againe speaking of the oath of God h Psal. 105.10 Hee appointed the same vnto Iacob for a law and vnto Israel for an euerlasting testament but onely to teach vs that for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus is the sixt and last degree to perfection for Iacob and Israel are two seuerall names yet they signifie but one singular man Neuerthelesse in a diuers respect because Iacob is he that supplanteth or wrastâ—eth Israel is he that seeth or beholdeth God (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 initio Now Iacob supplanting or wrastling is a subiect or seruant Israel seeing or beholding God is a friend or a sonne This is confirmed by Buruch k Baruch 3.36 saying GOD hath found out the way of knowledge and hath giuen it vnto Iacob his seruant and vnto Israel his beloued So that Iacob is onely a faithfull seruant but Israel is a beloued son Therfore there is appointed vnto Iacob a law but vnto Israel an euerlasting testament Seeing a law (l) Lex Vulg. or a statute (m) Kâ—ab He. or a decree (n) Gâ—ezarah Caldaic or a precept (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuagint properly belongs to Iacob as subiect or a seruant but a testament (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuagint or a couenant (q) Berith He. or an agreement (r) â—â—iam Ca. or an accord Pactium Vulgata properly belongs to Israel a friend or a sonne For as long as Iacob wrastleth with many great imperfections spirituall aduersaries of this life he must as a faithfull subiect or seruant of God keepe the law of wrastling appointed vnto him to wit that he minde but one thing and Forget that which is behinde and endeuour himselfe to that which is before and follow hard toward the marke but when Israell hath once ouercome all his worldly and ghostly enemies t 2 Tim. 2.5 and is become a perfect man in Christ and seeth the Lord in the life to come then he shall as a beloued friend or childe of God possesse that inheritance which the father hath by his euerlasting testament written with the bloud of Iesus Christ u Heb. 13.20 appointed vnto him to wit euerlasting life eternall glory ioy in the holy Ghost the kingdome of heauen The Prize of the high calling God in Christ Iesus O happy happy man art thou and thrice happy man art thou who whosoeuer thou art which with Iacob doest wrestle and keepe the law as a faithfull seruant for no other end but onely this that with Israell thou maist see and enioy the euerlasting testament as a beloued sonne For when wee shall see God wee shall see and what shall we see That which no mortall eye hath seene that wee shall see Wee shall see our owne selues sitting and shining at the right hand of the throne of maiesty We shall see all our deare friends which wee haue not seene this many a day embracing â—â— and welcomming vs into Christs kingdome Wee shall see all the noble army of Martyrs of Apostles of Prophets of Patriarks shouting day night singing out the praises of the Lord. Wee shall see all the inuincible hoast of Angels of Archangels of Principalities of Dominations reuerently attending vpon the King of glory We shal see the King himselfe Christ Iesus disparkling and displaying those beames of beauty which are the heauens wonder and all the Angels blisse If there were now amongst vs one as faire as euer Absolom was who would not be glad to behold him But suppose some one were ten times as faire as Absolom how then would men looke and gaze vpon him I but if another were a hundred times as faire as Absolom what a matter of admiration would that make Put the case then some one should now step forth and shew himselfe a thousand times fairer then euer Absolom was what wondring what maruelling would there be amongst vs how would our eyes be dazled how would our very mindes bee amazed at this sight Well all this is but a counterfeit but a shadow in respect of the bright blazing beauty of our spirituall spouse For Christ Iesus is ten times fairer yea a hundred times fairer yea a thousand times fairer yea ten hundred thousand times fairer then all the children of men So that if the whole beauty not onely of all men but euen of all this inferior globe were put together in one yet it would not be any way comparable not onely to Christs glory but not so much as to the least glorified body in heaueÌ„ And yet al this is but the outside of heauen al this we shal see with our bodily eye The inside and the insight is much more glorious For the best glorified body seeing innumerable Saints Angels more highly exalted then he is hath his ioy doubled and trebled and beyond all measure multiplied when he considereth that he is loued
tinckling cimball Whereas if wee would knockeâ— purpose indeed the way wâ—re as Christ teacheth vs elsewhere not to crie Loâ—d Lord but by setting to our hands to doe and worke the will of our heauenly father Loe yea saies Chrysologus En quam negare nollet qui sibi etiam neganti qualiter extorqueretur ostendit howe loath our good Lord is to deny vs any thing seeing though hee were neuer so much disposed to keepe vs out yet here he teacheth vs away how we may breake open the dores and presse in vpon him and get the kingdom of heauen whether he will or no by the violence and force of faith from him For there is a great difference betweene Diâ—es and God though there be a great agreement betweene Lazarus and vs. Lazarus t Luk. 16 20. was a beggar full of sores so are we all by nature beggars standing without and knocking at the doore Yea his body was not so full of sores as our soule is of sinnes Lazarus desired to be relieued with the crummes of bread which fell from the rich mans board so haue we all needs God wote to be refreshed with the crums of mercy which fall from our masters table yet in one respect we are better then Lazarus Is that it was his hard happe to knocke it the doore of a cruell a wretched a miserable caitiffe who could see no time to 〈◊〉 vnto him But we knocke at the dore of a most kind a most liberall a most mercifull father who as soone as he heareth vs rapping with a liuely faith which worketh by charitie hath no power to keepe vs out any longer but presently he openeth vnto vs. And euen aâ— S. Peter u Act. 3.2 when he saw that lame cripple lying vpon the ground crauing an almes at the beautifull gate of the temple said vnto him Siluer and gold haue none but such as I haue health and recouerie I giue thee so Christ when he seeth vs lying prostrate groueling on the ground bâ—fore him knocking for an almes at the beautifull gate of his holy temple by and by openeth vnto vs and giues vs not siluer or gold or any such corruptible thing but health and saluation to our soules and all the inestimable riches of his glorie all the eternall treasures of his kingdome O that some of you would a litle â—rie whether this be true which I say or no! that you would bouÌ„ce as hard as euer you can at this beautifull gate say with the Psalmist x Psal. 44.23 Arise arise O Lord why sleepest thou I warraÌ„t you you should heare him answer you in another Psalm y Psal. 12.5 Now for the pitifull coÌ„plaint of the pore I wil arise saith the Lord I will sleepe no longer I will arise and open vnto them So it was opened to the poore z Luk. 18.13 Publican He went vp to the temple to pray and when hee came thither hee knocked his breast and said Lord be mercifull vnto me a sinner Therefore the dore of mercie was opened vnto him and he went home euen into heauen his long home more iustified in the sight of God then that other which iustified himselfe So was it opened to S. Steuen a Act. 7.56 He was brought out to be stoned But when hee came forth the very stones could not knocke him so hard as his praier knockt heauen gate when as he said Lord Iesus let me in Lord Iesus receiue my spirit Therefore the gate was opened vnto him Hee saw the heauen opened and Iesus standing at the right hand of God where hee within a while after should sit himselfe So was it opened to King b Psal. 118.19 Dauid He knockt very imperiously not like a petitioner but like a coÌ„mander Lift vp your heads ô ye gates be ye lift vp ye euerlasting doores that the King of glory may come in Open vnto mee the gate of the righteous that I may enter in praise the Lord. And wheÌ„ the gate was opened as hee was entring in he pointed to it and said This is the gate of the righteous the lust shall enter â—nto it So it was opened to S. Paul c Act. 16.26 He was cast downe into the very lowest dungeon All the chaines of darknes and euen hell it selfe could not haue held him faster then that dungeon did yet at midnight when he praied and knockt suddenly all the prison dores flew open yea al the dores of the heauen likewise stood open and that which is most maruellous of all they stood so wide open that not onely S. Paul himselfe went in but also Stephanaâ— the iayler and his whole houshold whome hee at that time conuerted and baptized did enter in with him So that all all eternall things are ours nothing nothing can preuaile against vs if wee knocke as we ought Not the brasen gates of hell to shut vs in nor the golden gates of heauen to shut vs out For Christ hath saide here Knocke and it shall be opened vnto you Thus much for the second part what God for one praier will performe to vs in these words And it shall be giuen you and you shall finde and it shall be opened vnto you Now then my deare brethren giue me leaue I beseech you to speake vnto you me I say that am the seruant of God and your seruant for God as Naaman the Sytians seruants sayd vnto him Father say they if the Prophet had commaundeth thee a great thing wouldst thou not haue done it how much more then when hee sayeth vnto thee Wash and bee cleane Brethren I say if he that is more then a Prophet had commaunded you a great thing would you not haue done it how much more then when hee sayeth vnto you Wash and be cleane Aske and it shall bee giuen you Hee desires to be desâ—â—ed And he hath not his owne will except we haue ours But we may haue what we will for asking God doth ask no more of vs but onely that we would vouchsafe to aske him Doe no more sayes he but aske and haue Doe no more buâ— seeke and finde Do no more but knocke and enter in O how easily and yet how powerfully doth prayer worke It ouer commeth all Beastes The Leuiathan the strength of all Gods creatures was so subdued by prayer that whereas otherwise he might haue beene a gulfe to swallowe vp Ionas quicke and for euer to deuoâ—â— him hee 〈…〉 shippe to saue him It ouercommeth all men Iacob giueth Ioseph one portion aboue hiâ— brethren which 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 by his sword and by his bow but the Chaldeâ— Paraphrast translates it By 〈…〉 and by my supplicaâ—â—â—â— Which translatiâ—â— proueth that prayer is the sword and supplication is 〈◊〉 bowe of a Christian wherewith he subdueth all his enemies It ouercommeth the Diuell himselfe Prayer and fasting are the chiefest 〈◊〉 to cast him out If we resist him by praier he will flie from vs.
me Who art thou Lord saies Saul I am saies Christ Iesus of Nazareth whom thou persecutest Alluding to the title of his crosse which was Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes At which words Saul both trembling and astonished said Lord what wilt then haue me do Act. 22.8 Now if Saul who repented him afterward of his persecuting Christ stood so astonished when he heard but a peice of the title vpon his crosse how â—heâ— shall all they bee astonished how shall they be confounded which without any repentance or remorse of conscience persecute Christ continually when at the latter day not onely the title written ouer his head but euen the verie print of the wounds in his hands and side shall rise vp in iudgement to condemne them When like as Ioseph said to his brethren I am Ioseph your brother whom you sold into Egypt so Christ shall say vnto them I am Iesus of Nazareth whom you persecuted and put to death Wonderfull indeed is the feare and confusion of a wicked conscience After that Herod had beheaded Iohn Baptist he imagined stil he saw and heard that holy head showting and crying out against him Mark 6.16 Whereupon hearing the fame of Iesus hee said not as others said It is Elias or It is one of the Prophets but It is Iohn saies he whome I beheaded he is risen from the dead Saying whome I beheaded hee confesseth not his fault in true repentance but onely with his owne mouth beareth witnesse of his owne wickednesse In so much as that may be said to him which Dauid said to the Amalakite who brought him newes of Sauls death Thine owne mouth testifieth against thee saying I haue slaine the Lords anointed Now if the remembrance of this cruell act so vexed and disquieted Herod day and night that hee could take no rest for it but still thought waking and dream'd sleeping Iohn Baptist was risen againe to be reuenged of him how then shall they be affrighted how shall they be confounded which haue not beheaded Iohn but crucified Christ yea and crucifie him continually with their sins when at the resurrection of all flesh they shal see him whom they haue peirced and wâ—ing their hands and weep and waile before him Scipio appointed his sepulchre to bee so placed as his image standing vpon it might looke directly toward Africa that beeing dead hee might still be a terror to the Carthaginians after the same sort the Prophet Esay prophesying of Christ saith In that day the roote of Iesse shall stand vp for a signe vnto the people and euen his sepulchre shall be glorious Et erat schulchrum eius gloriosum So that as the bodie of Cadwallo an auncient king of the Brittaines being embalmed and dressed with sweete confections Hollinshed was put into a brasen image and set vpon a brasen horse ouer Ludgate for a terrour to the Saxons in semblable sort he that is called Faithfull and true shall sit vpon a white horse and out of his mouth shall proceede a sharpe sword wherewith he shall smite and slay the heathen The sword wherewith Dauid hackt off Golias head 1. Sam 21.9 after he had wrested it out of his hand was kept in the Tabernacle wrapt in a cloath behind the Ephod Which when Abimelech the Priest brought forth Dauid said There is none to that giue it me Christ also did conquer death euen with thâ—se weapons and armour wherewith death assaulâ—ed him And hee keepeth still a memoriall of his conquest in the tabernacle of his body That as the Philistims were afraid when they sawe Dauid fighâ—ing in the field with that sword so all Christs enemies may bee confounded when they shall see the signe of the sonne of man appearing in the clouds with power and great glorie It was a strange miracle that of Aarons rodde which budded Therfore the Lord said vnto Moses Numb 7.10 Bring Aarons rod againe before the testimonie to bee kept for a token to the rebellious children The bodie of Christ was a greene tree before it was crucified After being dead it was clung and drie like Aarons rod. But it budded when as the third day it rose againe Therefore it is kept stil for a token to the rebellious children That as Aaron conuinced the murmuring Israelites and confirmed the authority of his priesthood by the budding of his rodde which otherwise was but a dead and a drie thing so Christ may confound his enemies when he shall shew such flourishing glorie such excellent maiestie in his bodie which hath yet in it the tokens and the marks of death It is reported that Zisca the valiant captaine of the Bohemians commaunded that after his decease his skinne should be fleed from his bodie to make a drum which they should vse in their battels affirming that as soone as the Hungarians Fox Act. or any other their enemies should heare the sound of that drumme they would not abide but take their flight And surely euery battel of the warriour is with noyse with tumbling of gaâ—ments in blood but this battell wherein Christ shall tread Satan and all his enemies vnder his feete shall bee with burning and consuming of fire So that no drum can be more terrible then the last trumpet shal be when the Lord Iesus shall shewe himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angels and shall so come downe with the very same markâ— and sears in his skin as the men of Galilie saw him ascending vp They which dispatched noble Iulius Caesar in the senate house did set a good face of the matter a while Dion l. 44. till Antonius the next day shew'd his robe in the market place all bloody cut and full of holes as his enemies had left it Then the people were so incensed and enraged against them that they made the best of them al glad to hide their heads The Romanes said We haue no King and therefore they slewe Caesar the Iewes said We haue no King but Caesar and therefore they slew Christ. But at the day of iudgment what shall Christ say Those mine enemies which would not that I should raigne ouer them bring hither and slay them before me Then not onely the angels but all creatures shall be ready to execute vengeance on these murtherers when they shall see the robe of Christ washt in wine and his garment in the blood of grapes Gen. 38.20 When Thamar Iudahs daughter in law was accused for committing folly in Israel she sent to her father in law saying Looke I pray thee whos 's these are the signet and the staffe Iuda by and by knew them and said She is more righteous then I. And so shall Christs enemies be enforced to confesse him more righteous then theÌ„selues yea they shall be quite confounded when they shall see how they haue abused him when they shall see the marks which their signet and staffe haue made their signet in his hands and their staffe in his
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
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
vnspeakably more by all of them yea by euery one of theÌ„ than hee can be by himself And therfore again seeing himself so deere vnto them he for his part likewise as a hot burning cole is set on fire and inflamed with loue and the more he seeth any other excell him in glory the more doth hee reioyce and is gladder of his glory then his owne But now when hee lifteth vp his eyes to the glorious Trinitie and seeth how the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost doe eternally and perfectly loue and like and enioy one another in surpassing sweetnesse and content then all his affections are swallowed vp in loue all his spirits are rauisht in delight all his desires are imparadized in pleasure Insomuch as if on the one side were laid the loue of Christ as he is man and of all the Saints Angels among themselues and on the other side the loue which the least glorified body in heauen beholding the blessed Trinity breatheth out to God this loue would without all comparison excell exceed that as far as light doth darknes or as heauen doth the earth Wherefore for man to see God for Iacob to be called Israel for him that hath beene a seruant to become a sonne for him that hath kept the law to inioy the testament is the highest degree to perfection yea it is the very perfection of perfection it selfe The onely perfect life the onely high honour the onely godly pleasure the onely Christian treasure The prize of the high calling of God in CHRIST IESVS Seeing then blessed brethren seeing wee fight not as they that beate the aire (a) â— Cor. 9.26 but our reward is so great so exceeding great in heauen (b) Mat. 5.12 therefore as Iacob wrestled all the night long and neuer gaue ouer till about the breaking of the day he was called Israel * Gen. 32.24 so let vs wrestle all the night long of this life (c) Mat. 13.35 and neuer giue ouer till the day breake and the shadowes flie away (d) Cant. 4.6 and we come to the maruellous light and sight of God And like as the same Iacob said to the Angell I will not let thee goe except thou blesse me (e) Gen. 32.26 euen so let euery true Israelite say to Christ I tooke hold of him and left him not (f) Cant. 3.4 O Lord Iesus who would leaue thee or who would let thee goe Or rather who would not hold thee fast which strengthenest him that holdeth thee fast and makest him perseuere that is strengthened and crownest him that perseuereth and makest him perfect that is crowned Therefore I will hold thee fast will not let thee go except thou blesse me that is indeed I will neuer let thee goe because thou dost neuer blesse but only those that alwaies hold thee fast Hold fast then and stand fast good beloued once againe I say Hold fast that which you haue that no man take your crowne from you (g) Reu. 3.11 Stand fast in that liberty whereby Christ hath made you free and be not any more entangled with the yoke of bondage (h) Gal. 5.2 But so run so run as yee may attaine (i) 1 Cor. 9.24 As yee may attaine How k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nilus in Parane circa med is that Mary faithfully patiently constantly vnto the end A shame it would be a vile shame for vs if it should be said of vs not you doe runne well but you did runne well l Gal. 5.7 Fâ—e vpon it Hauing beene hitherto brought vp in skarlet shall we now imbrace the dung m Lam. 4.5 Shall wee be like those antikes or monsters which are halfe men and halfe beasts (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nyssenus l. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Illa actio Chimara est qua initium habet à ratione finem a sensualitate Cum igitur sâ—e agitur humano capiti ceruicem pictor depingit equinam Innocen de 〈◊〉 c. 6. Operare igitur perseueranter ne vt Horatius aiâ— Desinat in piscem mulier formosa supâ—rne Nebrissensis Hom. 2. in fine Shall wee be like Nabuchadnezzars image which had a head of gold and feete of clay o Dan. 3.33 Shall wee begin in the Spirit and end in the flesh (p) Gal. 3.3 God forbid God for his mercy sake keepe vs from such fearefull falling from him Nay rather let vs remember that Ioseph signifieth encreasing and Arimathea signifieth getting the reward (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theop. in c. 15. Mar. To teach vs that if wee would be like to Ioseph of Arimathea wee must alwaies increase and goe on till wee get the reward The other Ioseph also had a coate reaching downe to his feete (r) Aquila inter pretatus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est tunicam talarem Hier. in Quest. Heb. in Genesin Ioseph tyrum ecclesiae praetendens vestiâ— suae habitu persâ—uerentiam certaminis habere nâ—s admonet 〈◊〉 longitudo vsque ad talos euiâ— peruenit Tanquam diceretur Antequam iter perficias noli in vita lacescere Ausberius in cap. 2. Apocal. to teach vs that wee must not haue scarlet about our head and dung about our feete not gold about our head and clay about our feete but that when we put on the Lord Iesus we must put on such a scarlet robe of righteousnesse such a golden garment of grace such a vesture of a godly vertuous life such a coate of holy and heauenly conuersation as may reach to the feet as may continue to the end considering our Sauiour hath said he that perseuereth vnto the end shal be saued And againe be faithfull vnto death and I will giue thee the crowne of life This crowne of life is promised to al those which make a good beginning but performed onely to those which make a good ending Non campo capitur sed fine corona Pro Sapientia in exitu canitur Quia laudari penitus ante-actae vitae prudentia non merebitur nisi bono fine claudatur Saluia ad eccles lib. 4. And they which run in a race run all yet one onely that is he which holdeth out to the end receiueth the prize (t 1 Cor. 9.24 And none are saued but such as are marked in their fore-heads with the letter 〈◊〉 which is the note of perseuerance and perfection v Eze. 9.6 And if we would be conformable to the crosse of Christ the liuely picture of all perfection we must be like vnto it not only in the depth of faith and in the height of hope and in the bredth of charity but also in the length of perseuerance x Eph. 3.18 because all the depth height and bredth of the crosse is nothing without the length and so all the faith hope and charity of a Christian is to no purpose without continuance in them euen vnto the end Wherefore my good brethren yet
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
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
if it will please you to heare me I will say yet more wee crucifie Christ farre more cruelly then the Iewes did Then his body was passible and mortall now it is glorified and immorall they knew not what they did we doe ill enough yet wee know what we doe well enough they pearced him with a speare we pearce him with reproches they buried him in the earth wee bury him in obliuion then hee rose againe the third day but we so bury Christ that not once in three daies no not once in three weekes he ariseth or shineth in our hearts Nay that which I am ashamed to speake though some are not ashamed to doe it there are in the world which haue no time not once in three months not once in three yeares no not once scarce in their whole life to thinke of Christ but bury him in the perpetuall forgetfulnesse of their carelesse conscience as in a barren land where all good things are forgotten Wherefore let euery one as soone as he is tempted to any sin thinke straight-waies that hee sees Christ comming towards him wrapt vp in white linnen cloathes as he was buried with a kercher bound about his head and crying after a ghastly and fearefull sort Beware Take heed what you doe Detest sinne abhorre sin Fie vpon it A shame light on it It did once most vilely and villanously murther mee but now seeing my wounds are whole againe do not I beseech you do not rubbe and reuiue them with your sinnes to make them bleed afresh now seeing the scepter of the kingdome of heauen is put into my hand doe not offer mee a reede againe to mocke mee now seeing my head is crowned with the pure gold of eternall glory doe not set a crowne of thornes vpon it againe now seeing I my selfe am enstalled in the Throne of the right hand of Maiesty doe not pull mee out of my throne and throw mee into the graue againe and with your sinnes seale a mighty great stone vpon mee to stifle mee and presse mee and hold mee down in death O beloued good beloued at his instance be perswaded by whose bloud you are redeemed Haue pitty haue pitty vpon me poore Iesus Once he voluntarily yea euen ioyfully dyed for vs and if that one death had not been sufficient he would haue been content then to haue dyed a thousand deaths more Now he protesteth that the least sinne of any one Christian doth more vex him euen at the very heart then all his dolorous paines vpon the Crosse. Our sinnes are those Soldiers which take him those tormentors which whippe him those thornes which gore his head those nailes which pierce his feete that speare which sheds his bloud that crosse which takes away his life And yet if to grieue him thus continually would doe vs any good then hee would be most glad to preferre our good though neuer so little before his owne griefe though neuer so great But it is not so That one death which he willingly suffered was for our saluation These diuers deaths which we with our sins so often put him to against his will do make for our greater damnatioÌ„ Therfore he beseecheth vs I also being prostrate at the very feet of euery one of you heartily in his name exhort you if wee will haue no pitty on him yet for the tender loue wee beare to our owne deere soules that wee would not alwaies keepe him vpon the racke and euery day vexe the iust Lot with our vnlawfull deedes that we would not any more shedde his precious bloud and treade it and trample it vnder our feet This I assure you blessed Christians will bee a most forcible meanes not onely to terrifie and fray vs from sinne which wee may commit hereafter but also to mollifie and melt our hearts for sinne which we haue committed heretofore if wee consider that the life of man by reason of his sinne is the death of Christ. Thus you see that the life of man is the life of Death the life of the Diuel the death of himselfe the death of Christ. And thâ—refore hee saith in this fifth part Weepe not too little for your owne life For your selues Weepe not for mee but weepe for your selues THE sixth part is next For mee for your selues Which noteth seeing both the excesse and the want are to bee eschewed that therefore the true meaâ—e which we must keepe betweene Christ and our selues consisteth in a certaine qualification of these two extremities For mee for your selues both together Weepe not too much saith heâ— for my death which is the death of Death Weepe not too little for your own life which is the life of Death Not too much for my death which is the death of the diuell not too little for your owne life which is the life of the Diuell Not too much for my death which is my life not too little for your owne life which is your death Not to much for my death which is the life of Man not too little for your owne life which is the death of Christ. Saint Paul willeth the Corinthians to approue themselues by honour dishonour First by honour then by dishonour Teaching thereby that dishonourable honour is better then honourable dishonour Yet to keepe a meane in this matter that we must as well count it an honour to bee sometimes dishonoured with Christ as a dishonour to be alwayes honoured without Christ. Euen so sayes our Sauiour here For mee for your selues First For mee then for your selues Teaching thereby that to reioyce for Christ is better then to weepe for our selues Yea to keepe a meane betwixt both that we must as well sometimes descend out of Christ into our selues to weepe as alwayes ascend out of our selues into Christ to reioyce For the Apostle sayes that wee must reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe If my friend bee alwaies sorrowfull and neuer ioyfull hee hath no pleasure by me if he be alwayes ioyfull and neuer sorrowfull I haue no proofe of him but he is my dearest friend most delighted in me best approued by me that takes such part as I doe sometimes reioycing and sometimes weeping reioycing when I reioyce and weeping when I weepe The like is to be seene in this place For mee for your selues If a Christian alwayes thinke of his owne misery and neuer of Christs mercie hee will despaire if he alwayes thinke of Christs mercy and neuer of his owne misery he will presume But hee is the best Christian so hie that hee cannot despaire so low that he cannot presume which inclines as well to the one as the other sometimes reioycing and sometimes weeping reioycing for Christ and weeping for himselfe A man cannot weepe too little for Christ if he presume not a man cannot weepe too much for himselfe if he despaire not But hee may easily despaire that weepes too much for Christ and he may easily presume that weepes too little
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
Ghost Others account transitory riches to be perfect happinesse And certainely if wee vse our riches well as diuers worthy Citizens of this City haue done to the maintenance of learning to the building of Hospitals and to other such good purposes then riches I grant are a great helpe to a vertuous minde and a speciall furtherance to felicity Otherwise that complaint of Saluianus may take place euen in these our times (p) Tanta est miseria huius temporis vt nullus habeatâ—â— magis foelix quam qui est plurimum diues De guber lib. 3. Our times are so miserable saith hee that now adaies no man is thought to be more happy then hee that is knowne to bee most wealthy And that also of Innocentius (q) Proh pudor secundum fortunam aestimatur persona quum potius secundum personam aestimanda sit fortâ—na Tam honus reputatur quam diues tam malus quam pauper cum potius am diues sit reputandus quam â—onus tam pauâ—er quam malus â—e contem â—â—und l. 1. c. 16. Fie for shame saith hee now adayes man is esteemed according to his money whereas rather the money should bee esteemed according to the man Euery one is reputed worthy if hee be wealthy and naught if hee be needy whereas rather euery one should be reputed wealthy if hee be worthy and needy if hee bee naught For questionlesse riches of themselues doe encumber and entangle the minde euen as an Ape is tied and teddered to his clogge Wee reade according to the Greeke translation that Abraham was very rich But there is a latine translation which saith that Abraham was very heauy And the originall Hebrew r Gen. 13.2 Chauedb indifferently beareth both which proueth that riches are a heauy burthen and do many times hinder them very much which would attaine to blessednesse Yea if thou set thy heart vpon them they will likewise set themselues too vpon thy heart and lie so heauily vpon thy heart that they will presse and wey thee downe with thy heart into hel Therfore diuers holy men and women heretofore haue voluntarily abandoned their wealth and preferred pouerty before it that they might the sooner and the easier come to perfection For as it is hard for a periwinkle in the sea to swimme or for a snaile vpon the land to creepe while they beare their houses vpon their backes s Dâ—n pâ—rta euen so it is hard for a rich man that trusteth in his riches with all his bigge bunches of wealth vpon his backe to goe through the needles eye t Mar. 10.25 and to enter into the Kingdome of heauen Wherefore wee must follow hard toward the mark not for any action in this life but for euerlasting life not for any worldly honor but for eternall glory not for any carnall pleasure but for ioy in the holy Ghost not for any transitory treasure but for the kingdome of heauen not for any other prize but for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus This euerlasting life is the onely perfect life because it is the Prize this eternall glory is the onely high honour because it is of the high Calling this ioy in the holy Ghost is the onely godly pleasure because it is of God This Kingdome of heauen is the onely Christian treasure because it is in Christ Iesus This I say this euerlasting life is the onely perfect life because it is the prize Which maketh the Marchant-venturer that gets it most absolutely blessed As thâ— Psalmist saith u Psa. 127.1 speaking of another blessed art thou that fearest God and walkest in his waies For thou shalt eare the labour of thy hand O well art thou and happy shalt thou be O well art thou For thou hast feared God and walked in his waies for thou hast followed hard toward the mark And happy shalt thou be For thou shalt eate the labour of thy hands for thou shalt haue by the gracious gift of GOD * Rom. 6.23 euerlasting life the onely perfect life The prize of the high calling of God in CHRIST IESVS As the Apostle saith x 2 Tim. 4.8 speaking of himselfe I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith there is henceforth layd vp for me a crowne of righteousnesse O well art thou and happy shalt thou be O well art thou For thou hast finished thy course and kept the faith for thou hast followed hard toward the marke And happy shalt thou be For there is henceforth layd vp for thee the crowne of righteousnesse for there is henceforth laid vp for thee euerlasting life the onely perfect life The prize of the high calling of God in CHRIST IESVS This eternall glory is the onely high honour because it is Of the high calling For all of the visible Church haue a calling Seeing the Church is nothing else but the company of them which are called y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril Hier. suly. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 18. Yet all that are called are not worthy of this calling Seeing many make excuses and will not come when they are called (z) Luk. 14.8 Therefore Saint Peter prayeth for the dispersed Iewes a 1 Pet. 1.10 that the God of all grace which hath called them to his Eternall Glory would make them perfect confirme strengthen and establish them therin And S. Paul likewise prayeth for the Thessalonians b 2 Thes. 1.11 that God would make them worthy of his calling to eternall Glory and perfect all the good pleasure of his goodnesse the work of faith in them Whereby we see that they are the only worthies of the world which are so happy as to haue this High honour and dignity c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dignitatem Beza Ioh. 1.12 giuen them to bee called the sons of God Which was prefigured in the feeling of the Temple Where were grauen Palme-trees and Chaines d 2 Chro. 3.5 The Palm-tree is High the Chaine is Calling The Palm-tree chaine the High Calling For God the Father by his effectuall calling as by a strong chaine e Iohn 6.44 doth draw his children to Christ. And then standing before the Lambe they hold Palmes in their hands f Reuel 7.9 which are the ensignes of their honour So that being drawne vp to the High Palme-tree by the Calling chaine they are made partakers of eternall glory the onely high honour THE PRIZE OF THE HIGH CALLING OF GOD IN CHRIST IESVS This ioy in the holy Ghost is the only godly pleasure because it is of God Indeed sometimes euen in this life we haue a taste (f) Cant. 8.2 as it were of this ioy As the Israelites had a tast of the grapes and other pleasures of Canaan before they came thither (g) Num. 13.14 But we cannot enioy the full fruition of it vntill wee come to the presence of GOD therefore Dauid saith h Psal. 36.12 in thy presence is the
Whereupon we read that the spirit of life returned into the two witnesses which had beene slaine by the beast Reu 11.11 after three dayes and an halfe Why after three dayes and an halfe To teach vs that affliction and persecution may perhaps tyranize ouer vs three dayes and an halfe but they shall not fill vp the whole sowre dayes Matth. 24.22 For the elects sake those dayes shall be shortened Agreeable to that which Iohn Baptist begunne his preaching with Repent for the kingdome of heauen is at hand Matth. 3.2 Repent that 's a matter of mortification and â—ffliction to the flesh For the kingdom of heauen is at hand That 's a matter of comfort and ioy Reuel 22. â—2 So our Sauiour Behold I come quickly and my reward with mee if Christ will come quickly then affliction will be gone quickly Thus momentarie is our affliction For our whole life is short much more then the afflictions of this life affliction is greiuous but for the present heauines endureth but for a night persecution lasteth but three dayes and an halfe the kingdome of heauen is at hand therefore deliuerance is at hand Christ will oâ— the quickly therefore affliction will be gone quickly Wherefore seeing our affliction is so momentarie let vs be patient in affliction For the momentarie lightnesse of our affliction worketh vs a surpassing exceeding eternall waight of glory Secondly our affliction is light Almighty God setting forth his owne excellencie saith Who hath measured the heauens with his span Esa. 40.12 and the waters with his fist By the heauens are meant the diuine blessings of God by the waters afflictions woes Those he measureth with his span which is a longer measure these with his fist which is a shorter measure So that the Lord is as I may say a rhetoritian verie plentifull and copious in his blessings he measureth them with his spanne But he is a logitian more short and sparing in his afflictions Psal. 75.9 these he measureth with his fist For in the hand of the Lord there is a cuppe the wine is redde and full mixt he powreth out of the same as for the dregges thereof the wicked of the earth doe drinke them vp First we drinke not this cup onely full of redde wine that 〈◊〉 of the wrath and indignation of God but mixt with diners comforts otherwise Then besides we meddle not with the dregges Vpon the vngodly he shal raigne snares fire brimstone storme and tempest this shall be their portion to drinke We drinke only a little of the vppermost And therefore he saith God powreth out of the same That after we haue suffered a â—â—dicum as S. Peter speaketh 1. Pet. 5.20 we may then enter into glorie According to King Dauid his prayer Comfort vs O Lord now for the time wherein thou hast afflicted vs and for the daies wherin we haue seene euill Hierome noteth that hauing first said wherein thou hast afflicted vs he expounds it after by these words Psal. 90.15 wherein we haue seene euill Therefore that which Acteon wished Velleâ—que videre non etiaâ— sentire Ouid. that he might see only his â—ounds hunting and not feele it that happeneth indeede to vs. Our affliction is not a feeling of euill neare at hand but onely a feeling of it a farre off Aâ— the Persian Kings children in their minority if they had committed a fault were not corrected themselues but onely sawe some of meaner birth chastised before them so God teacheth vs to take heed rather by other mens then by our owne harmes And looke how Abraham laid nothing but wood vpon his sonne Isaac carrying the knife and the fire himselfe after the same sort dealeth our heauenly father with vs. He laieth vpon vs wood without a knife The Phisitian saith that is the best exercise which is ad ruborem non ad sudorâ—m refreshing the spirits and stirring vp the blood a little but not putting a man into any great sweat But the Diuine may say that is the best affliction which is ad sudorem non ad sanguinem Therefore God laieth vpon vs wood ad sudoreÌ„ to make vs sweat Gen. 3.19 In the sweat of thy browes shalt thou eat thy bread not a knife ad sanguinem Heb. 12.4 to make vs bleed Ye haue not yet resisted vnto blood God laieth vpon vs wood without fire Now wood without fire is not greatly dangerous Or say he lay vpon vs both wood and fire yet the voice of the Lord deuideth the flame of fire For in the flame of fire naturally there is heate and light But notwithstanding the omnipotent voice of the Lord deuideth these one from the other As the cursed in hell shew and the elect vpon earth I am tormented in the flame saith Diues There 's heat but no light Contrariwise the three children in the furnace shined as Angels for light but were so farre from heat that no one haire of their â—ead or of their apparell perished When Moses saw a bush burning and not consumed he saide I will goe and see this great vision A great vision indeede There was a flame of fire Els how was the bush burning There was light Els how did Moses see it There was no heat Exod. 3.2 Els how was not the bush consumed Yet in euery faithfull one afflicted you may see this great vision The voice of the Lord in his affliction as in the flame of fire Psal. 97.11 diuideth the heat from the light So that he is not consumed by the heat nay rather his infirmities and carnall concupiscences are consumed thereby but onely illuminated by the light According to that Onely vexation giueth vnderstanding And in an other place Light is sprung vp to the righteous and ioy to them that are true of heart Thus ye see how tenderly our deare father dealeth with vs He laieth either no fire at all vpon vs or else no burning fire for heat but onely a blasing fire for light To make short Many hands as we say make light worke Now wee haue many comparteners and fellowes which make the labour of our affliction light First all creatures sigh and grone with vs Rom 8.22 Then all the faithfull beare one an others burthens Gal. 6. and so fulfill the lawe of God Thirdly the good Angels haue a charge giuen them of vs Psal. 91.11 that we hurt not our foot at any time against a stone Next Psal. 55.23 God the father biddeth vs cast our burthen vpon him and promiseth to nourish vs. Fiftly the holy Ghost helpeth our infirmities Rom. 8.19 and helpeth them euen when we are readie to be oppressed by them Lastly God the sonne setteth to his hand likewise and saith Matth. 11.10 Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauie loaden and I will refresh you take my yoake vpon you for my yoake is easie and my burthen is light As if he should haue
our good freinds doe now earnestly desire to bee made partakers of our peace What doe I speake of men The very heauen the elements and this so seasonable haruest An. 1604. such as hath not been knowne if one may take any gesse by these outward things doe plainely declare that God is now with vs purposeth to power out his blessings and benefits most abundantly vpon vs. Nothing then remaineth but that as God is with vs so we labour to be with God And as S. Peter admonisheth vs make our election sure by faith and good workes liuing soberly vprightly and godly in this present world That so we may feare no cruelty of man no misery of the world no entisements of the flesh no terrors of the deuill but in all these things may bee more then conquerours assuring our selues that if God be with vs nothing can be against vs. Which that it may be so God graunt for Iesus Christs sake to whome with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour and glory now and euermore Amen Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the Ioue of God and the fellowship of the holy Ghost be with vs that nothing may be against vs this day and euermore Amen FINIS A SERMON PREACHED at the Court at Whitehall March 10. 1598. IOHN 20.27 After said he to Thomas Put thy finger here and see my hands and put forth thy hand and put it into my side and bee not faithlesse but faithfull OVr blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ hath his wounds yet to be seene in his body for foure causes First to approoue his resurrection secondly to appease his Father thirdly to confound his enemies fourthly to comfort his friends After said he to Thomas Put thy finger here and see my hands and put forth thy hand and put it into my side and be not faithles but faithfull The first cause why Christ hath his wounds yet to be seene in his body is to approoue his resurrection When Iacobs children told him saying Ioseph is yet aliue his heart failed and he beleeued them not but as soone as he saw the chariots which were sent for him by and by his spirit reuiued and he said I haue enough Gen. 4â— 28 Ioseph my sonne is yet aliue In like manner when the Disciples said to Thomas we haue seene the Lord he beleeued them not but nowe that hee beholdeth Christs glorious wounds the triumphant tokens of his victorie and the chariots as I may say whereby we are with Elias carried vp into heauen he confesseth indeede that Christ is risen againe and that the true Ioseph is yet aliue Ioâ— 11.4 Euen as Anna seeing that spaniell coÌ„ming homeward which went forth with her sonne at the first knew certainely that her sonne Tobias himselfe was not farre off but followed immediately after so Thomas seeing those wounds in Christ which accompanied him to his graue knew assuredly that no other body was risen againe but onely the very selfe same body of Christ which was buried S. Peter beeing brought out of prison by an Angel went forth with to the house of Marie Act. 12.14 where knocking and calling to get in a maiden named Rhode before euer she sawe him knewe him by his voice And although they that were within tolde her she wist not what she said yet shee still constantly affirmed it was none other but he Christs rising out of the graue was as strange as Peters deliuerance out of prison the rowling away of the stone as strange as the opening of the yron gate And â—lbeit Thomas was not so forward as Rhode to know Christ by his voice when he said Peace bee vnto you yet as soone as Christ tooke him by the hand and shew'd hiâ—â— his side he made no more doubts but presently beleeued For if Prâ—togâ—â—â—s seeing but a little line drawne in â— table kâ—ewe straightwaies it was Apâ—lles doing whome he had neuer seene Plin. lib. 35. c. 10 how much more easily then might Thomas know Christ seeing not onely one line but very many lines yea whole pictures of his passion and of his râ—surrection in his head in his hands in his side in his feete When King Arthurs bodie was taken vp somewhat more then sixe hundred yeares after his death Stow pag. 61. it was knowne to be his by nothing so much as by the prints of â—enne seuerall wounds which appeared in his skâ—ll 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 immortalitie in his bodie which was then mortall so here contrariwise at his resurrection he sheweth Thomas the signes of mortalitie in his bodie which is now immortall That he and all we might vndoubtedly confesse that though they perhaps might bee deceiued in King Arthurs bodie yet we can neuer be deceiued so long as we beleeue that the very same body 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 Plin. l. 8. c. 32. by those golden collars which by the kings commandement were put about their necks so much more might Thomas know Christ by his wounds 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 seen 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 beeing accused by one Ianâ—â—â— to haue killed Arsenius and after to haue cut off his hand that he might vse it to magick and sorcerie cleared himselfe notably of this slander Hauing by good happe found out Arsenius who lay hid for the nonce hee brought him before the Coâ—ncel of Tyrus and there asked his accuser whether hee 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 cloakâ— shewed them one of his hands And when most men surmised lib. 1. c. â—1 that th' other hand at least wise was cut off Athanasius without any more ado 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 Hee was thought by some to be quite dead and gone But Thomas seeing those very hands of his which were nailed to the crosse acknowledgeth that this our brother was dead and is aliue againe was lost and is found
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
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
North and South they did teach all nations z Potest intelligi quod quatuor facies roâ—a habeat propter hoc quod scriptura sacra per gratiam predicationis extensa in quatour mundi partes innoruit Gregor in Ezech. Hom. And in that they looked three and three together they did represent the blessed Trinitie Not only teaching all nations but also in that sea of water baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Wherefore though the two kine which carried the Arke wherein were the tables of the Law went straight and kept one path turning neither to the right hand nor to the left z 1. Sam. 6.12 Yet these twelue oxen which carried the molten sea signifying the doctrine of the Gospell went not straight neither kept one path but turned into the way of the Gentiles yea they looked all manner of waies East West North and South And those two kyne stood still and lowed no more when they came to the field of Iosua dwelling in Bethshemesh that is in the house of the sunne To note that all the kiâ—e and calues and sacrifices and ceremonies of the old law were to cease and stand still when they came to Iesus which is the true Iosua dwelling in heauen which is the true Bethshemesh But these twelue oxen were so farre from leauing off either to goe or to low when they came to Christ that euen then they went much faster and lowed much lowder so that now their sound is gone out into all lands and their words into the ends of the world and in them hath God set Bethshemesh that is a house or a tabernacle for the sunne Therefore as the materiall sunne thorough the twelue signes in the Zodiake goeth forth from the vttermost parts of the heauen and runneth about to the end of it againe a Pâ—â—â— 19. â— in like sort the spirituall Sonne of righteousnesse by the twelue Apostles as by twelue signes hath beene burne round about the world that he might be not onely the glorie of his people Israel but also a light to lighten the Gentiles and that all all the ends of the earth might see the saluation of our God Truth it is touching the Synagogue of the Iewes Christ saith b Can. 4. â—2 My sister my spouse is as a garden enclosed and as a fountaine sealed vp For as Saint Ierome writeth c Terra à Dan vsque Beersabee via câ—ntuâ— sexaginta millium in longum spaâ—io tendituâ— Ep. ad Dard. the whole countrie of Iewrie where the Iewes dwelt lying betweene Dan and Beersabee was â—carce a hundred and three-score mile long So that it might well be likened to a garden enclosed and to a fountaine sealed vp But now this sealed fountaine hath beene turned into a springing well since the twelue fountaines haue flowed ouer all the earth and this enclosed garden hath beene turned into an open field since the twelue oxen haue plowed the field of all the whole world Therefore now Christ saith of himselfe d Can. 2.2 Ego sum flos campi I am a flower of the feild And so likewise to his spouse e Can. 7.11 Come my welbeloued let vs go forth into the field let vs remaine in the villages For though before his passion he was apprehended in a gardeÌ„ yet at his passion he was crucified without the gate f Heb. 13.12 To signifie that he would be noâ— only a garden-flower but also a feild-flower that he would remaine not only for the saluation of the Iewes within the city of IerusaleÌ„ but also for the saluation of the Gentils without the gate of the citie in all the villages round about Nabuchadnezzar g Dan. 2.35 saw in a vision a stone cut without hands which became a great mountaine and filled all the whole earth This stone cut without hands is Christ begotten of a pure Virgin without the companie of man Who was indeede a verie little stone or as I may say but a sparke at the first Wherefore the Iewes for his pouertie and humilitie despised and refused him But now this poore little stone which the builders refused is become the head-stone in the corner and it is made a great mountaine which filleth all the whole earth According to the prophesie of Esay h cap. 2. v. 2. It shall be in the last daies that the mountaine of the house of the Lord shall be prepared in the toppe of the mountaines and shall be exalted aboue the hills and all nations shall flow vnto it So that now Christ which is the head corner stone may be fitly called the second Adara The Greeke letters of which name as S. Cyprian i Oportuit vt ex quatuor cardinibus orbis terrae nomen in te portareâ— Adam Tract de Siâ—a Sion initio writeth do seuerally signifie al the quarters of the earth A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the East 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the West A againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the North M. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the South According to the promise of God vnto Abraham k Gen. 28.14 Thy seed shal be as the dust of the earth that is as the first Adam was made of the dust of the earth so thy seede which is Christ the second Adam shall be dispersed as dâ—st ouer all the earth Thy seede shall be as the dust of the earth and thou shal spread abroad as a great mountaine to the East and to the West and to the North and to the South and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth bee blessed The Iewish Synagogue speaketh in this sort l Caâ— 6.11 Anima meaconcarbaâ—it me propter quadrigas Aminadab My soule troubleth me for the chariots of Aminadab Aminadab â—ignifieth a willing or an obedient people Such are the faithfull Gentiles Of whom God saith m Psal. 18.44 A people which I haue not knowne shall serue mee As soone as they heare of me they shall obey me But the strange children shall dissemble with mee The strange children shal faile and be afraid out of their prisons Though God haue beene a louing father to the Iewes yet they dissemble and are strange children to him Contrariwise though God haue not knowne the Gentiles yet they doe knowe and serue him Therefore the obstinate Iewes repining and grudging that the Gentiles are called say euerie one of them Anima mea conturbauiâ— me My soule troubleth me thorough enuy malice blindnes and disobedience Because they faile and are afraid out of their prisons On the other side the obedient Gentiles beeing called to this liberty of the sonnes of God lie not in any prisons but ride in the chariots of Amminadab Because as soone as they heare of God they willingly obey him Which is implied in that a man of Cyrene named Simon n Matth. â—â—â—2 Vt talifacto praefignaretuâ— genâ—ium fides Leo de
Paâ— â—o â—â— did carrie the crosse of Christ. A man of Cyrene is a Gentile Simon signifieth hearing and obeying Therefore a man of Cyrene named Simon carrying the crosse is a faithfull Gentile which as soone as he heareth of God doth willingly obey him For now God hath perswaded Iapheth to dwell in the tents of Shem o Gen. 9 2â— That is he hath perswaded the Gentiles comming of Iapheth to embrace that obedience vnto Christ which the Iewes comming of Shem haue refused This is the reason why the Hebrew Scriptures are translated into Greek and Latine and all other languages To shew that Iapheth doth now dwell in the tents of Shem. And that those oracles which before were appropriated to the Iewes p Rom. 3.2 are now imparted vnto all the Gentiles So that the prophesie of the Patriarke Iacob is now also fulfilled who saith q Gen 49.21 Nepthaly shal be as a Hind let loose giuing goodly words For Christ did first preach in the land of Nepthaly among the Iews r Matth. 4.13 But seeing the Iewes would not obey him therefore he hath turned to the Gentiles s Act. 13.46 And so Nepthalie is as a hind let loose giuing goodly words Because Christ who first preached in Nepthalie is not now any longer in prison among the Iewes but as a hind let loose leaping by the mountaines and skipping by the hills t Can. 2.8 so he hath run swiftly ouer all the world u Psal. 147.15 and with his goodly words with his gratious words he hath perswaded Iapheth and all the Gentiles to dwell in the tents of Shem and to ride in the chariots of Amminadab These chariots of Amminadab are called in Latine Quadrigae because each of them is drawne with foure horses Which very aptly befitteth the doctrine of the Gospel For as Caluin noteth in the Epistle before his Harmonie God hath of set purpose ordained that the Gospel should be written by foure Euangelists that so he might make a triumphant chariot for his sonne x Videâ—ur consuliâ— deus quasi triumphâ—lem curtâ—m filio suo paraâ—â—e vnde toâ—â— fidelium populo conspieuâ—s appare at Infine Epistolae Which beeing drawne with fowre horses and running vpon fowre wheels might quickly passe ouer all the earth and so shew the glory of the Lord vnto all his Church Wherefore the Church is like a graine of mustard seede y Matth. 23. â—â— which is indeede the least of all seedes but when it is grown it is the greatest among hearbs and it is a tree so that the birds of the aire come and build in the branches thereof Thus the congregation of Christ riseth from small beginnings to great proceedings And though at the first it was but a seede yea but a graine yet new it is growne to be an hearb yea to be a tree where in all the birds of the aire z Ezec. 17.23 all the faithfull in the world doe make their neasts Therefore the church of Christ may be compared also to the Samaritâ—ns inne a Luk. 10.34 For that inne is called in greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it receiueth and lodgeth all strangers that come So the church lodgeth all pilgrims vpon earth b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophylâ—ct p. 26â— gâ—abulum ecelesia est vnde in stabulo dominus natus est Emis Do. 1â— post Pen. In the Synagogue there was not lodging for all For then it was said c Deut. 23.2 The Ammonites and the Moabites shal not enter into the congregation of the Lord But now Christ is borne in an inne d Luk. 2. â— To signifie that in the Church there is lodging for all For Christ is the host the Church the inne the crosse is the signe Harken to the Host which is Christ and you shall heare him say Come vnto me all you that labour and trauaile and I will refresh you I will bring you into the wineseller e Can. â— 4 yea I will suppe with you and you with me f Reu 3.10 Go into the inne which is the Church and there you shall finde Parthians and Medes and Elamites and all naâ—ions vnder heauen staied with flagons and comforted with apples g Câ—n. 2.5 yea refreshed and filled with new wine h Act. 2.5 Looke vp to the signe which is the crosse and you shall see diuerse things First you shall see one crowne of thornes To shew that the earth is the Lords and all that therein is the round world and they that dwell therein For the roundnes of the crowne doth declare the large dominion of him that is crowned Namely that his dominion is from the one sea to the other and from the flood vnto the worlds end i Psal. 52.8 Secondly you shall see two hands To shew that God is not the God of the Iewes onely but of the Gentiles also k Rom. 3. â—9 For not only one hand but both his hands are fast nayled and stretched-out The one to the one theife the other to the other theife the one to the Iewes the other to the Gentiles that he may embrace all that loue him Thirdly you shall see three tongues To shew that Christ is not the King of the Hebrewes onely but of the Greciâ—ns and the Latins also For his title Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes is written in Hebrew Greeke and Latine That at the most sweet and most excellent name of Iesus euerie knee may bowe and all tongues may confesse that Iesus Christ is the l Phil. 2.11 Lord. Fourthly you shall see fowre quarters of the crosse To shew by the fowre quarters of the crosse the fowre quarters of the world For God is no accepter of persons but in euery quarter and countrie he that feareth him is accepted with him Therefore also Christs garments m Ioh. 16 23. were diuided into fowre parts Because out of what quarter or part soeuer we come of all the fowre parts of the world if we be naked Christ hath garments to cloath vs if we bee harbourles Christ hath roome to lodge vs. Euen as he himselfe saies All that the Father giueth mee shall come to mee and whosoeuer commeth to me Non eijciam for as I will not turne him out of doores Wherefore whether we respect the host or the hosts inne or the innes signe and about the signe it selfe whether we respect one crown or two hands or three tongues or fower quarters euery of these doth plainely shew that now in the Church there is lodging for all and so consequently that the Church may bee compared to the Samaritans inne It may be compared likewise to Sâ—lomons troupe of horses o Can. 1.8 For Sâ—lomons troupe of horses was kept in fowre thousand stables ten and ten in a stable p 2. Chr. 9.1 so that hee had in his whole troupe fourtie thousand horses q 1. Reg 4.16 which were either bought by