CERTAIN SERMONS Upon divers Texts of Scripture.  
Preached by GERVASE NID Doctor of Divinity.  
LONDON, Printed by NICHOLAS OKES for WALTER BURRE  
1616   

❧ TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN God GEORGE, by the providence of God, Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of all England, and Metropolitan, and one of his majesties most Honourable Privy Council.  
My good Lord  
IT is not vain ostentation which hath moved me to publish these Sermons; they that know me, know, that I was never any of those whom S. Basil calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which I have heard your Grace well interpret, Selfe-putting-forth fellows. But being to leave your Grace's service, I thought meet to depose these as a small testimony of my thankfulness. Secondly, intending to commend another Treatise to your Grace's Patronage, I resolved to premise these: it being some difficulty to find room for things of smaller value in this voluminous age, which is so piled up with books: for who sees not, that now the fate of Witters is the same with Preachers, whereof Saint Jerome complains in his time: 
Com. in Eccles. 9.11.  Nam videas in Ecclesia imperitissimos quosque florere, & quia nutrierunt frontis audaciam, & volubilitatem linguae consecuti sunt, prudentes se & cruditos arbitrantur, maxim si favorem vulgi habuerint: You may see how in the Church the most ignorant are most esteemed, and because they have profited in boldness of front, and volubility of tongue, they think themselves wise and learned men; especially if the vulgar favour them. But I know your Grace ever hated long Salutations, therefore I hast to take my leave: resting,  
Your Grace's humble servant to be commanded. GERVASE NID.   

THE FIRST SERMON. Of Murder.  1 JOH. 3.12. 
Not as Cain who was of the devil and slew his brother, and wherefore slew he him? because his own works were evil and his brothers good.  
IT is the will of God that deadly sins should not die, that they which take away the life of men, should not be able to take away life from the memory of their wicked deeds: Wherefore in Divine History the detestable facts of sinners are infamous and eminent spectacles threatening and admonishing a far off: To this end the pillar of Salt was erected, and Saint Peter saith, of the combustion of Sodom, and her neighbour Cities, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they lie out as an apparent, and prominent spectacle: that bituminous lake doth still demonstrate the ebullition of unnatural lust. So Cain who murdered his brother in the beginning of the world, still hangeth upon a gibbet until the world's end.  
All manner of death is mute, 
Psal. 115.17.  and the grave is called Domus silentum: only those that are murdered talk after they are dead, 
Reu. 6.10.  How long Lord: and in the 11 to the Hebrews, Abel the just being dead, yet speaketh: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Where speaks he? marry in Scripture, saith Beza: wheresoever there is relation of this murder, they be the words of the blood of Abel. So the words which I have read suppose them to be sighs of Abel rendered from his grave: Gemitus lachrymabililis im●, auditur tumulo, as the blood of Polydore in Virgil, biddeth fly or departed: so the blood of Abel bids beware, eschew: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Be not like to Cain who slew his brother, etc. which words have three parts: First, a dehortation from being like unto Cain, in the first words, Not as Cain. Secondly, a description of the person to whom we must not be like: 1. from his nature, or quality, he is of the devil: 2. from his fact, he slew his brother. The third part contains the cause that moved Cain to this horrible fact, consisting of a question and an answer, the question, wherefore slew he him, the answer because, etc. here be two motives; one outward, the sight of his brother's virtues, the other inward, the beholding of his own vices: the comparison of which two, struck such a fire of hatred within him (strange monster) as would not be extinguished but by his brother's blood.  
First then of the dehortation, or prohibition, Not as Cain. The sacred Scripture which ever suffered more calumniation from her own, was slandered by heretics for the narration of evil deeds; whereas, saith Saint Augustine, wicked facts are always expressly condemned, either where they are related, or in some other place of Scripture: Indeed there are ambiguous facts of the Fathers, as Abraham's cuasion to Abimelech, and jacobs' simulation to his father, which as we must not condemn, so we must not imitate, not knowing whether they were sins, or no sins in them: but for the manifest crimes occurring in the History of the Book of God, what madness to esteem them otherwise then as evil actions, in good men to be pitied that they cannot always be good, and to be detested in evil men because they would never but do evil. 
Manacheus.  Yet such spirits of error have not wanted; some condemning the Scriptures because they record wicked deeds. Others commending wickedness because it is recorded in Scriptures, 
Tertul. praser.  as the followers of Martion and Carpecrates. And for the other kind which were doubtful actions whether they were good or evil: if they were evil, Facta credamus, non facienda: Believe that they were done, believe not that they ought to be done. And if they were good in those men, it was by extraordinary dispensation which is not granted unto us: and therefore such examples, do neither excuse the old Priscilians from lying, nor the faithless generation of Equinocators, which swear with their tongues but keep their minds unsworn.  
Now for these words, Not as Cain: Who would believe that any judgement were so corrupt, as either to praise cain's fact, or to honour his person? but that we read in Tertullian, Epiphanius, S. Austin, and others, of a brood of heretics called Caiani, who did honour Cain, affirming that he was a worthy man, conceived by some powerful nature, which therefore showed itself mighty within him, that his brother was conceived of a weaker and inferior conception: The same Heretics honoured Core, Dathan, and Abiram, as men of courage and resolution: yea, they adored judas the traitor, being persuaded that some Divine operation, and Prophetical instinct, did direct him, that by delivering of his Master to the jews, all men might be delivered from the devil. Thus adam's eating of that forbidden fruit, hath put the judgements of his posterity out of taste. Hence women long for meats that are noisome, taking it from the first woman, and all men being conceived in that corruption have their judgements and appetites so absurd, as David complaineth, according to the Greek Tranflation: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: in sins my mother longing hath conceived me: This Insipience appeareth strangely in some, that they affect and like such things as be openly repugnant unto right reason, and distasteful unto nature corrected: So the Persians admired Nero, that hatred of God and men (and as Suctonius reporteth) whom all others thought unworthy of common burial: they sent yearly some with flowers and odours to adorn his sepulchre: Thus, as Saint Jerome saith, there are men which admire none but the basest wits and obscurest Authors: Neque est fere tam ineptus scriptor quin sui similem inveniet lectorem: What stupidity to prefer Cartright & Brightman, & such trash, before all the Worthies, both new and old. What is this, but in our journey towards heaven to forsake the glorious Lamps which have guided all our Ancestors, and to follow every Ignis fat●●s: every new light: These are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 senseless appetites, 
1. Tim. 6.9.  as Saint Paul calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is of men whose judgements are corrupted, and out of taste: Wherefore almighty God is not so much displeased with Israel for her spiritual fornications, although he was displeased, as that she doted upon such beastly and clownish lovers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Asses and stallions: 
Ezechiel 23.30 Septuag.  Like Pasiphae, which doted on a Bull. The like infection is in all-those understandings which relish nothing that is plain and profitable, ancient and honest, but profane novelties: Every worthy man hath his imperfections: There is no fish without bones; yet some embrace nothing but these, Colligentes spinas librorum: Gathering thorns out of books, whence proceed all these bitter pamphlets and inuctives: All these are appetites of absurd Cainites, whom Saint john did in these words prevent: And jointly all of that humour: perverse lovers, and perverse imitators: which thing also in his third Epistle, and verse 11, he generally forbiddeth.  
Beloved be not imitators of that which is evil: the Holy Ghost foresaw that such besotted iniquities would arise, that the examples of wickedness would be so abused, therefore he thought it not needless to set this mark upon them, Not as Cain, envious and murderous, and Heb. 12.16. not as Esau, fornicators and profane. It is the crooked disposition of man to promote his sinful actions by such examples as should restrain him. So whereas amongst the Grecians some used to drink out of a dead man's skull, to moderate their pleasures by consideration of their mortality, others applied it to the provocation of intemperance, saying, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let us eat and drink, for to morrow we shall die.  
Further, if they do not thus pervert examples, yet how little are they moved by them: wherefore doth the world still offend upon the same, and no sin can be consumed by punishment, although the monuments of precedent ages do exclaim against us, and there is no offender which hath not seen others perish by the same sin. O seek not your death in the error of your life: look upon your predecessors: Thou intendest murder, behold Cain, how he is stricken with the palsy of an affrighted conscience, a quaking runagate, restless when he resteth, tormented with repentlesse horror, and unprofitable grief. And is not every homicide signed in the forehead?  
Now followeth the description of this wicked person, first of his nature, and badness of disposition, he was of the Devil. Every worker of imquity is the devils bastard, and the Devil is a father, not by substantial procreation, but by original cause and similitude of disposition. For as there is semen Dei, the incorruptible seed, whereby the begotten of God are the sons of God: so there is semen Diabolt, and that is concupiscence, which conceiveth and bringeth forth unto the Devil: hence sloweth that similitude of nature which discovereth the true father of the children: first in countenance, none are like unto him, but they that paint saith Tertullian: but in speech, in gesture, in action innumerable: in speech, all slanderers and detractors, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he Devils, and she Devils, Tit us 2.3. In gesture, he that winketh with his eye, treads with his foot, signifieth with his fingers for to raise dissension, he is a son of Beliall, 
Pro. 6.13.  as Solomon describeth: and as for action, when iniquity is grown to ripe age, and maturity of defection, the children of Satan doc so resemble their father, that they be often supposed fiends incarnate: so S. Paul calleth Elimas the Magician son of the Devil, 
Acts 13.10.  because he was replenished with all deceit.  
Now Cain is not only begotten, but first begotten of this evil one, the first branch of sin, the first propagated evil. Mark how soon ill weeds shoot up: the mother is corrupted of the serpent, and the first she bears is a serpent, who no sooner grown able, but declares his father: the father the first murderer of souls, the son the first murderer of bodies: the father procures the first curse upon the earth, the son procures the second: the father first brought in death, the son untimely death. And sure, if you observe the progeny of Satan, (let no discreet man be offended) you shall find that it much tan upon the elder brothers. First, besides that Satan may be called an elder brother, being the chief of the ways of God, 
job. 34.  Cain was the first eldest brother in the old world, than cutsed Cham the eleldest of the new world, and wild Ishmael the eldest to the father of the faithful, and profane Esau, which sold his birthright, the father of all unthrifty heirs, which sell their honour for their pleasure. Lastly, Reuben, which defiled his father's bed. But we read in the Gospel, that the elder lived soberly at home: the running Prodigal was a younger brother. This I observe, first to note the despite of Satan, because the first borne is Gods, therefore he endeavoureth his utmost for that: secondly, how the Almighty suffers him to carry it oftentimes, perhaps to signify that these first fruits of nature are not in such high request with God: there is a new creature, a second Adam which he esteemeth, which therefore he causeth to spring often out of younger & inscrior Nature, because the excellencies of nature were so ungrateful unto him. Again, to abate the admiration of prime Nature, wherewith the most spiritual sons of God have been taken. O that Ishmael might live in thy sight, saith Abraham. And Isaac would gladly have blessed Esau, but God would not. So joseph would gladly put the right hand of his father upon Manasseth: and in jacob I hear the voice of Nature jamenting, Reuben my eldest son, my might and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: thou wast light as water, thou canst not be excellent, and thy dignity is gone. To conclude, seeing in this corrupt mass of humanity, the first generation that was form was evil, it argues that no man is good which is not first regenerated out of evil. Nemo bonus qui non ex mal● bonus, saith S. Augustine against the spirit of Pelagius. Who knows not the vanity of the manichees, and the dotage of Illirieus, who out of this and other places made sin substantial, and the Devil a creator of sinful men: which follies to name is to confute them.  
Neither am I persuaded, that evil spirits have any part in the generation of the most ungracious natures, although the worthiest Christian wits did hold, that they had knowledge of the fair daughters of men, and thence to have proceeded the race of Giants, as monstrous for their vices and conditions, as vast and enormous in their bodies, that this infectious and detestable seed being dispersed through the whole earth, doth now and then spring up and produce such abominable monsters as Heliogabalus and Mahomet, and other carnal fiends. The prodigious lewdness of some violent, and in corrigible natures hath caused this opinion more probable than true: howsocuer, it is sure the Devil hath a lineage upon earth, and Cain is the most ancient of that kindred.  
In this pair of brothers were the two houses first divided, and as they begun with fight, so they have continued until now. Hence multiplied the two Cities, Cinitas Dei, & Terrena civitas. whose beginnings, proceed, and wonderful variety of fortunes, how learnedly hath S. Austin followed in those sweet books which begin Gloriosissimam ●iuitatem Dei. Where he teacheth how every man belongs to one of those Cities, being descended either of the malignity of Cain, or of the blood of Abel which Cain spilled. There are but two factions: if thou be'st of Abel's blood, declare what house thou comest of, by thy innocency, & patience of the Saints: If thou art of Cain's kindred, then deny not thy name, be content to be numbered amongst thine own. And thus much of the nature of Cain. Of the stock and descent: he is ex maligno of the Devil, of the malignant faction: to conclude, a vessel of dishonour, made of the corrupt mass: for if he had not been of the evil, he should not have been evil: hac enim, 
Aug. epist. 106  massa, si ita esset media: ut quemadmodum nihil bont ita nec mali aliquid mereretur non frustra videretur iniquitas ut ex ea fierent vasa in contumeliam. This masseiss it were of indifferent quality neither good nor evil, there might be cause to think it injustice in God to make out of it any vessels of dishonour.  
Now such as the tree is, such is the fruit. Who was of the Dinell, there is the tree: who slew his brother, there is the fruit: bitter and deadly fruit, especially in the manner, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the word signifies to cut in pieces like a sacrifice, because he had sacrificed so well. Cain would sacrifice him. So Pilate mixed the Galileans blood with their sacrifice. And at the time of Immolation of the Passover, the jews sacrificed the innocent lamb of God: thus the innocent when they are murdered, they are offered to God in contempt of God, and his worship, that they may seem to perish by him in whom they trusted. Another circumstance is of the time how soon Cain shed blood, and the Devil slayeth in the morning: in the morning of youth, and in the morning of the world. By him death entered, and how he longeth to see it work? and that in the first blossom of virtue. It is his cunning to stop the first step to goodness, therefore have care of the beginning of thy ways of thy youth and good endeavours, for there the Devil is most instant; he knows well, that in every beginning is contained more than a beginning. As soon as the Temple began to be re-edified, he opposed mainly, he stirred every stone, that no stone might be stirred. And immediately when the Saviour of our souls began the office of Christ, the Devil tempted him in the desert: so in the nativity of the creation, he slew the first innocency of Nature, and in the entrance of generation, the first innocency of grace. So he persecuted the tender infancy of our Lord, and he made the Primitive Church to swim with blood. He knew that if the world were stained when it was a new vessel, that colour would continue unto the end. So Rome an Epitome of the world, in token that it should be died with the blood of Martyrs, the foundations of her walls were dipped in brother's blood. Cain and Romulus, both elder brothers, both furious & potent: Cain in his name, which signifieth possession, showed that he had elenen parts against one: so Achab killed Naboth, and took possession, and ever the greater part overcometh the better: Abel could not kill Cain if he would; but where might and malice, wealth and wrath are joined, there break forth injuries and oppressions. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wealth brings forth wrong. Wherefore God set a mark upon Cain, that men might beware of him. As the Romans used to bind some hay to the horns of a mad Bull, to signify (saith Plutarch) that too much fodder made him mad; whereupon they applied this proverb: Foenum habet in cornu: beware of him that is injurious and rich. Now as Cain was a pattern of all oppressors, having power, and doing wrong: so Abel signifying vanity, in the beginning, was a type not only of death, but of the vanity of life; for every man living is altogether vanity: How many have their sun-setting in the morning, and they which have the longest day, live but a day, so soon do we appear, and vanish. Vanity in apparel, walking in a vain shadow, talking vainly, disquietting ourselves in vain, vain hopes, and vain desires. In the days of my vanity (saith Solomon) I saw this and that vanity, and whatsoever I beheld was vanity of vanities. Another thing was allegorized in this History, namely, how our Saviour Christ, the second Adam, was murdered by the Elders of the jews, and his Blood shed, though speaking better things then that of Abel. without the gates, as Abel's in the fields: for which horrible sin of God-slaughter, the jews shall be errant vagabonds unto the world's end, signed by God, that although all men hate and eschew them, yet none shall kill them. Destroy them not O God (saith the Psalmist) lest my people forget it, but scatter and despearse them: So they are aliens in the whole earth, a common proverb, a common prey, not borne but by leave, nor breathing but by good will. And surely it is seldom seen, but shame and beggary is the end of those which destroy the innocent, either by the mouth of the sword, or by the sword of the mouth: and they which kill men's souls by heresy and selusme, and they which slay by hatred, and they which raven and oppress. As the great fish eats the less, and the greater cates the great, and the greatest the greater; so greedy Cainites devour and are deooured, but at last the biggest (saith S. Basil) comes into the net, and the devil rips the prey out of his bowels, thou appears the insatiableness of these swallow-goods that have more riches than they can digest, when the whole estate of such and such a man, shall be found in their bags indigested. The last degree of Cain his exceeding wickedness, that he killed his brother, his natural brother, and his only brother; and which aggravates his villainy, in whom were all the kinds and degrees of brotherhood undivided. For then there were not brothers, some by the father, some by the mother, brothers by friendship not by blood, brothers by affinity not by consanguinity, brothers, that is, the same Countrymen not strangers, brothers of the same Religion and not divers, but all these strings of love and affection they were united in one. Neither did he it for want of lands and territories: for was he not heir of the whole earth? but Ambition and Covetousness are impatient of consort and fellowship, be they never so much dilated. Further, by this murder Cain is guilty of the blood of Christ, and all the blessed Progeny, which should have been derived from him. Nay yet further, he hath slain all posterities that followed, all generations may call him cursed: For if God had destroyed him, and given Eve no more children, as justly he might have done, the propogation of mankind had been cut off, and this fair world shut up, as soon as it was made, like goodly new houses which have no inhabitants.  
But the love of brothers will not suffer me to pass it thus, which the more sacred it is, with the greater sin was it violated by this unnatural. Why did he not consider that having a brother his strength was doubled? For what are brothers but two in one, two in labour but one in enjoying, two against all others, one betwixt themselves? What advantage is it to be in two places at once, to watch when he sleepeth, to have his health when he is sick, and all this not by a deputy, but by himself? for this union is in some sense natural, not only of affection. Two hands, two feet, two eyes, two cares, in one body, do resemble brothers, which are two bodies in one. Wherefore fraternal love being a pattern of all love, when we would have any to love entirely we style them by the name of brethren. As brethren envy not one another: for the love of husband and wife though it be great, yet it is not natural but grafted, the love of parents and children greater, but not reciprocal, for love descendeth not ascendeth, but the love of brothers is natural and collateral, neither overawed with reverence, nor by satiety intermitted.  
How full of sweetness is it, to remember, (saith Valerius) that we lived in the same lodging before that we were borne, and past the time of our infancy in the same cradle, smiled upon the same parents, preserved by the same prayers and vows, drawing equal honour from the same Ancestors? having had the same parents, the same womb, the same blood, the same beginning, the same education, the same nobility, the same estate, the same discipline, why should they not will and nill the same, be of the same mind and affections? But this is the mischief of sin and of the devil, that the sweetest love turneth into the sharpest hatred, brothers being incensed are unquenchable; as much water will not quench their love, so not the Ocean their hatred. Because every injury is more grievous proceeding from a friend, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; what will Brutus stab Caesar? that strikes him to the heart. And our Saviour to his Apostles, 
john 6.  will you also forsake me? you? But this woeful discord of brethren is not usually kindled but by extraordinary wrong. What was it that enslamed Cain, wherefore slew he him?  
This interrogation is to stir us to attention, and makes way for an evident reason following: 
Rom. 9.22.  for no man will demand of himself unless his answer be plain and ready. Then the reason is because his own works were evil, and his brothers good. Because his own works were evil, therefore will he make them worse? and because his brother's works were good, did that only offend him that his brother did not offend? if he liked his own evil works better, why was he not content with them? and if he loved his brother's good works, why did he not make his own like them? So wickedness is loathsome to the wicked, yet he will retain it, and thought he choose to be evil, yet he would not be so accounted. But what were his evil works? No man is extremely sinful all at once, vice groweth upon men by degrees, therefore before this oblation it is probable that he was disobedient to his parents, proud, voluptuous, preferring the world, despising the simplicity of innocency, and the infirmity of virtue, and coming thus affected how could his offering please God? how could the fruits of the earth be acceptable, when the fruits of good works were wanting? an honest man will not take a gift from a knave, much less will God admit of such giftlesse gifts. Thought he by those gifts to bribe the Almighty, and procure conneivance to his sins? so it was: and so it is the daily practice of secular manners, to serve God only to make use of him: for as religious men (saith Saint Austin) do use the world that they may enjoy GOD; so the ungodly do use GOD that they may more freely enjoy the world, which indeed is to make themselves a friend of the righteous GOD, that they may more plenteously enjoy the unrighteous Mammon. Abel was not thus conditioned, but offered unto God himself also by mortification, and sacrificed in the faith of that alone Sacrifice, to come with living sacrifice God accepted, neglecting the inanimate oblation of Cain, Viva accipien● terrenarecusans, saith Prudentius: the sight of these virtues made Cain to deject his countenance, and envy followed, and murder the brood of envy. So the brethren of joseph being moved with envy, sold him into Egypt, and there can be nothing excellent, but the eye of envy espies it. An evil eye (saith our Saviour) therefore evil because another's  good, a sore eye which cannot endure to look upon a quality that is bright and amiable in his brother. This insatiable vice being that which first moved the Devil against our nature entire, and first moved Cain against Abel, it is one also of the first vices which appeareth in our nature. Vidi puerum amaro vultu in tuentem collactaneum suum. I have seen an infant (saith S. Augustine) look bitterly upon his fellow-suckling, 
Confess.  and it is one of the last sins. Hence is bewitching commonly in old women, which antiquity did believe to be effected by the poison of an envious eye, as appeareth by the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and fascinus that is, killing with the eye: this made them so fearful of any singular or admirable nature, lest it should be blasted with envy, and perish, especially if it were a maturity before his season, praecox fructus, a hasty fruit, wit or valour above his years. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. saith Menander, therefore when any one praised it, they were wont to say, prefiscini, God bless it; lest perhaps self-love might breed within it, or rather, because envy did pretend flattery; I omit superstition: but sure it is, whether the world be not worthy of things worthy, or because God permits the devil still to exercise his inveterate envy, or whether the substance of these beauties is not durable, howsoever it is, things wonderfully amiable, have no long continuance. Whilst virtue is in health, malice hates it, and love neglects it; and if it perish not quickly of itself, envy murders it: envy will consume itself until it be consumed. Which conjunction of envy and murder, the Greeks' expressed in the similitude of their names: there is but one letter between envy & death; 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  and that is a deadly and dismal letter. So the Apostle joins them together: 
Rom. 2.19  Full of envy and murder. And Gal. 5.2. The works of the flesh are envies and murders. Wherefore if thou wilt prevent the one, suppress the other. Thou beholdest in another that good which is not in thyself: either it is thine own fault, or in recompense thou hast that which he wanteth. Or why dost thou malign him when God gave it him? or may not God dispose of his own? or is there not another world to give every man satisfaction? Further, alas what is there in this world worthy of envy? is not every good thing haunted with his spirit? are not the virtues of the best poor enough, but we must pair them by detraction? if thou wilt needs envy, envy within thyself, to see the worse part get the better, to see the prosperity & insolency of the flesh above the spirit. Woe to them (saith Saint Jude) which walk in the way of Cain: for they contemn the simplicity of Grace, for they admire things transitory, and there is no love in them. From which sins the blessed spirit of love preserve us, which combineth the Father and the Son, unto whom one GOD be all honour, praise, and confession for evermore. Amen.  
The end of the first Sermon.   

THE SECOND SERMON. Of human Misery.  JOB. 3.20. 
Wherefore is the light given to him that is in misery, and life to them which are bitter in spirit?  
THINGS Tragical which in themselves are fearful and unpleasant, notwithstanding they are represented or remembered with delight. But besides that the suffsrings of the Saints recorded in Scripture, do afford unto a Christian further instruction, namely with the Greek Church to pray to have his purgatory in this life, and to say with S. Austen; Domine hic seca, hic ure, ut in aeternum parcas. Lord here launce me, and here lash me, that thou mayst spare me for ever. A famous pattern of these passions was happy job, and amongst other his tragical exclamations is this miserable and doleful complaint powered out of the abundance of his grief. In which text consider two things, First the grief and passion of jobs mind expressed by an interrogation, quare, wherefore. Secondly, the cause and matter of his grief in the words following, which is the misery of mankind, and that he divides into two kinds, the troublesome things which we do, out of these words, light and labour: and the miserable things that we suffer in the words following, and life to them that are bitter in spirit. For he thinketh that light doth aggravate our labours, and life augment our sufferings.  
This interrogation wherefore is not a word of indignation or murmur against God, but of sorrow and complaint. For sighs and groans, and miserable outcries, they are the eruptions of a heart burdened with grief, which if it should not find passage that way, would be combust, or cleave asunder. And they are caused oftentimes from extreme heat and affection of love, when the mind being stricken with some unexpected accidents, uttereth terms which seem to be of hatred and disgrace, which notwithstanding do indeed proceed only from the affection of love troubled and distracted. Such affectionate speeches the Psalms, the Canticles, and the book of job, they be full of; where the Saints of God are expressed, varying themselves into all shapes of affections. Into fear, into hope, into chiding, into weeping, into sudden silence, into show of despair, into forsaking, and suddenly into earnest entreating. Hence we learn two things: The first, that the violence of affection and grief, it may be pleasing unto God sometimes, and compatible with the government of reason and of grace. There is in us naturally in some more, in some less, a softness and flexiblenesse of nature, which takes impression of grief: it is created of God, and the operations of it are not in vain: When God is angry he will have us grieve: when he chides, or when he scourges, he will have us weep and power out our souls into deprecations and complaints. Yea than our love appears to him, when we melt like wax before the heat of his anger, when we seek him, and sorrow that we cannot find him, and when we feel the discontinuance of his favour. This bleeding of the heart of man, it is delightsome both to God and to us, therefore saith Saint Austin: Possumne audire abs te Domine, Cur fletus dulcis sit miseris? an ho tibi dulce est quod speramus ex audire te? Neither is the extremity of any passion to be blamed, but the perturbation, or disobedience to reason? Therefore we read in Scripture of the boly men of God when they were afflicted with any occasion of grief, that their sorrow is expressed in terms of greatest lamentation. They rend their hearts and their garments, they afflict their souls with fasting, they put on sackcloth and ashes, because as Saint Jerome saith, jeiunus venture & hahitus lugubris Ambitiosius dominum deprecantur. Lastly, their words are doleful above all the Tragical exclamations that Art can find. How exceeding great was the lamentation of jeremy, for the good King josias? that it came to be a Proverb, as the mourning of Hadadrimon in the valley of Megiddon. Wherefore there being a mean and measure in mourning, two extremities are to be avoided: the first is dullness and sencelessenes of heart, a pretended calmness, but indeed a stoical and unnatural carelessness, proceeding from the love of case and want of compassion and affection, either in our own troubles, or the troubles of others. These men will neither weep, nor exclaim, nor give any signs of violent passions, as if this were fortitude and patience, which is rather stupidity and want of charity. What father will like his son if upon his displeasure he show himself nothing daunted, nor moved in his countenance, nor stricken at the heart, to look pale, or to humble his voice, or to weep, or to deject his eyes? Will a father call this patience, or stubborness, in his son? Such are they, who when their heavenly Father afflicts them make haste presently to stop their passions, that neither tears, nor groans, nor complaints, may find any passage, through too much self-love, or indolence, hasting to heal their hearts before they are wounded, and to comfort their consciences before they be afflicted. Hereupon they condemn all deep sorrow and lamentation as soft and effeminate, or want of faith and patience, all funeral rites and ceremonies as Heathenish and unchristian, all solemn afflicting of the soul, hymns, supplications, fasting, and alms deeds; which notwithstanding hath been practised of holiest men and women in all ages. In the eighth of the Acts, the second verse, devote men bear out the body of the blessed Martyr Saint Stephen, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and made great lamentation. The word signifies extremity of grief with beating and knocking of the breast. With what extraordinary sorrow did Saint Austin mourn for the death of his mother? Et libuit flere in conspectu tuo de Illa & pro illa, de me & pro me & dimisi, lachrimas ut effluerint quantum vellent. Lastly, which is the greatest commendations of this goodness and softness of nature, we read that our Saviour Christ was deeply moved, and did weep at the departure of his friend, whereupon the jews observed how greatly he loved him. God hath created in our hearts, Dulce nomen: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, this sweet name of natural affection. Which is as a spark of that eternal love wherewith the individed Trinity is enslamed. Which is so spiritual and active, that being moved it doth presently heat and dissolve the heart into passion.  
The second extreme to be avoided is, immoderation of grief, which proceeds from impatience and unbelief. For when men believe not that God is the God of the dead, as well as of the living, and of the sick as of the whole; that all things work unto the good of the godly: then love sailing them, and their hope, they sorrow like them which have no hope. And how can they have any hope, when they want the Comforter, who is so called, saith Saint Austive, that they which suffer loss of things temporal might be comforted with hope of things eternal. Therefore when any cross befalls them, through immoderate love of these transitory things, they are infinitely dejected, full of bitter thoughts, of cursing and howling, Desperate mourners, not capable of consolation; accusers of God, revolters from Religion. One example for all, take the King of Israel in that miserable siege and famine of Samaria, how he rails; first, against the Prophet of God; secondly, against God himself, for that is the method, and these are his blasphemous words: Behold what evil cometh from the Lord! why should I wait longer upon the Lord? Ecce tantum malia Domino, quid amplius expectabo à Domino? A true example of impatience and infidelity. Likewise the Gentiles when the hand of God was upon them, they used to break out into exclamations and accusations against God; as in that: Atque Deos, atque astra vocat crudelia matter. As Quiutilian: quis mihi alius usus vocis quam ut incusem Deos? And, jure per mala mea per infelicem conscientiam, Hence rise their funeral pomps, and superstitious exequys for the dead: Sacrificing of men and women, in honour of the defunct; ertificiall howling and cutting of their flesh, ambitious sepulchres, and excessive feasts of many days continuance: In which kind every Nation had some peculiar vanity and superstition above the rest. Lastly, in all their troubles and calamities they captivate their understandings to their affections, wailing without restraint, raging against God and his creatures. But jobs lamenting was not of this kind; neither are his words otherways to be interpreted, then as signs of extraordinary grief easing his oppressed heart, although not without some perturbation. Hitherto of the grief and passion of jobs mind, expressed by this interrogation, Quare, wherefore? Which is a word of sorrow not of indignation.  
Now to the matter and cause of his grief: namely, that such benefits of God as light and life, should be so blotted with miseries and vexation of spirit. Although according to the usual interpretation, these words have one and the same sense; light and life, and labour and bitterness of soul; yet their proper acception, and signification, will afford us this difference of discourse. All the misery of man is either labour, or bitterness of soul: By labour understand all that we do with difficulty and impediment, whether they be actions, and operations, of the mind or body. By bitterness of soul is meant all that we suffer in our souls, either immediately or from the body, or any outward affliction. These two divers kinds of misery do plainly and distinctly appear in that sentence of woe which God pronounceth against Adam, In dolore comedes, here is the misery of suffering: In sudore comedes, there is the misery of working. In like manner the good things which we enjoy, they be either such as guide and ease our actions, which job comprehends under the name of light: or those which sustain and benefit our passions, which are contained in the word Life. For the first, Light is of three sorts; sensible, intellectual, and spiritual. Sensible light is either artificial, or natural: Concerning natural light, as of itself nothing is more sweet and cheerful, so to the spirit which is in weariness and toil, nothing is more tedious. In the 10 of Eccle. the 7 verse: Lighe is sweet. And in the Creation, light is the first creature that is made, and first hallowed. Hence is it adorned with so many Epithits in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore as poor labourers by singing do sweeten their pains; for which cause S. Basil calls their singing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sauce of their toil: So the light of the Sun doth lighten their labour, and makes them more cheerful in their work. Yet how much pleasanter is light to them that are at liberty and rest? which have leisure to contemplate the beauty of the heavens, or to discourse of the benefits of light. But if they be bound to some grievous tax, and incessant labour, as the Israelites, than light is but an eyesore. Whilst they see their own vexation, and how much work they have to do: whilst they see others sporting and themselves toiling. Lastly, whilst they see their misery to be exposed to the sight of all. They see youth dancing, and age wooing; women walking to theatres to see and to be seen. Lastly, they see the day distribrute beauty and cheerofulnesse to all creatures but unto themselves: unto birds, unto buildings, to the clouds, to the air, to the earth, to the waters. And therefore unto them which in time of old tyranny, were condemned ad lapicidivas, yet this was some comfort, that they neither so much saw their own misery, nor the happiness of others. The Sun in the creation was ordained for signs and seasons, to rule the day, and to shine upon the earth: but after sin had brought in labour, the sun became a taske-maister to call men forth unto their work, as it is in the 104 Psalm. The sun riseth, and man goeth forth unto his labour until the evening. Likewisese Ecclesiastes the King, speaking of toil and labour, he usually styles it, Labour under the sun. What profito hath a man of all his labour wherein he labours under the sin? So that as the eye of the master urgeth the servants work: so the eye of heaven exacts labour, and upbraids rest unto miserable and mortal men. And yet when the sun is down, still light continues labour by artificial lamps and candles, holding them to their task. Whereupon from the name of light this labour is called Lucubration. Therefore job lamenting the affliction of mankind, doth fitly use this speech, Wherefore is light given to them that labour? the sweet sight whereof they cannot enjoy. Which have no leisure to feed their eyes with pleafant colours, or with sights and theatres? Wherefore do they see light? light the measure of pains, the renewer of weariness, the enemy of rest, the opener of the eyes which want sleep. Wherefore is light given to augment labour, and pursue the poor servants in the night? The painful housewise rises in the night, and holds her maids to their task. Prou. 31. Noctem addens operi, famulasque ad lumina longo exercet penso, castum ut servare cubile coniugis & possit paruos educere natos. So every Carpenter and workmaster that labours day and night, and watches to finish a work, operi perficiendo invigilat. The Smith also by the Anvil, early and late, are not his eyes put out with too much light? whiles the vapour of the fire wastes his flesh, and the noise of the hammer is ever beating in his earer, & ad poliendum opus advigilat, and he watcheth to polish his work. To conclude then, seeing as light was first ordained for delight and pleasure, and to direct and illustrate our actions; So now since we were condemned to labour and travel, it is become tedious and cruel; let us with job bewail our fins, which have so altered our condition, and sigh to be delivered from the house of bondage into that liberty where the wearied be at rest, where the servant is free from his master, and the voice of the oppressor is not heard.  
Now besides this sensible light, there is also the light of knowledge and understanding, which in stead of joy and delight, how it adds affliction unto those that labour, doth more easily appear. For as it is Eccles. 1. vlt. in multa sapientia multa indignatio, & qui addit sapientiam, addit laborem. The eye of the understanding is so owlish, that the light of knowledge doth offend it. So that most men do either decline wisdom & experience, or else complaint of the labour wherewith it is accompanied. It is true which Solomon saith, Ecles. 2. That wisdom excels folly as much as light excels darkness: and that the eyes of a a wise man are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet when the light that is within us is darkness, saith our Saviour, how greatis that darkness? For which cause we may complain with job, Wherefore is knowledge given to them that labour? Whereby they know this one thing, that they know nothing whereby they know God, but better what he is not then what he is. Whereby they know themselves to be most misescrable and wretched. Wherefore is knowledge given to those that labour? whereby their labour is more increased by knowledge, than their knowledge by labour. Whereby they know what it is to labour. For as children and fools are most indefatigable in pains, because they do not prise nor esteem labour: so wise men, the more wisdom they have, the more sensible they are of pains, and the cogitation and weighing of their labour, makes it appear more grievous and more weighty unto them. Pueris continuus lusus, & totius dici discursus non nocet, quia pondus illis abest, nec se ipsi gravant. Children (saith Quintilian) are not weary, because they have not weight of understanding: but in men consideration and judgement makes their minds more ponderous, and so labour becomes more difficult and burdensome unto them. Lastly, this model of knowledge which this world affords us, is so small, that as the Orator says of the poor pittance of a paisoner, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it neither can strengthen the body, nor will suffer it to die. So this knowledge neither can make a man happy, nor will suffer some men to seek for that knowledge which would make them happy. But this is true of intellectual light, it is not so of spiritual. Yet surely even this light also hath his spots of darkness. For the beams of spiritual graces which are extraordinarily infused by the holy Ghost, being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, illuminations, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, sanctifications they are mixed with the imperfections and frailties of these corrupt souls and bodies of ours. We here see in part, and we know in part; and the beauty of our purity consisteth more in the love of God, then in the loveliness of man.  
Now follows the last part of jobs complaint. And life to them that are bitter of soul. Where he laments two things: The misery of life, and the life of misery. Bitterness of soul, there is the misery of life. And life to them that are bitter in soul, that is the life of misery.  
When the child is borne into the world, he weeps, prophesying (saith S. Austen) of his misery to come. His cradle is his grave: he sucks error with his milk: and when his understanding first appears, the weeds of bad affections spring up with it. Before he knows what vice is, he becomes vicious. Further, how many cruelties do they suffer? whilst some are snatched from their mother's breasts, and either exposed with Moses, or dashed against the stones as the children of Babylon. Whilst some are the death of those that bear them, and lose their mothers before they can smile upon them. Whilst some do but once by breath take in the air, and then breath out their souls into the air. Whom God only shows unto the world, and takes them away as soon as he hath given them. And if they live till youth, what saith the wise man of youth? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Youth is vanity itself. ruled by fancy and affection, adoring pleasure, and treasuring up matter of repentance for age, full of hopes and crednlity, overgrown with vice: by waste and prodigality making war against himself, as disobedient to reason, as to his parents. Lastly, what is youth, but the boiling of outrageous, blood, which when it is decocted, and something more moderate by age, although it be less boasting, yet is it more pernicious and hurtful. For most men when they grow to experience and years, they strive to put off simplicity, and to put on craft. And then they have well profited, when they can deceive, and not be deceived. Their knowledge is now to unlearn that they learned before. Their bodies how much the stronger, so much the longerenduring of sickness, of consumption, of death. Vainglorious, cruel, dissembling, rising by the ruins of others. Lastly, what is man-age, but the Giantnesse of sin, and the power of misery? But when these ages of childhood, youth, and manhood are worn into old age, than you have the recapitulation of human misery: the infirmity of childe-age, the incorrigibilitie of Boy-age, the subtlety of Man-age: and all these greater here then in the former Ages. Here the prodigality of youth is dried up into avarice: pride, and lust be sins here out of fashion, but not out of use, undecent and unbeseeming vices. Here wisdom doteth, and of power to sin is left a will to sin, the greater torment. Lastly, what is old age, but the storehouse of repentance and oblivion, the rags of life, the ashes of a lustful body, and weariness of a wandering mind? Atque hi sunt manes quos patimur: these are the miseries which we suffer in all ages, sin, and sorrow, and folly, vexation and bitterness of spirit. Hence spring complaints and discontent, either for want, or disease, or the frustration of our hopes, or some other evil. No prosperity without change, and in the midst of laughter the heart is heavy. What way and course of life can a man cut out, wherein there is not trouble and vexation of spirit? theology never so full of questions, the law as full of difficulties as men of quarrels. Physic as manifold in cures as the appetite in absurd desires. In Courts few prosper, and those that prosper perish. The Country makes beasts, and the City Devils. Single life is solitary, and marriage ill company.  
This is the misery of life. Now follows the life of Misery. Who knows not that life, and all the comforts of life, they be but increase of afffliction to those that are plunged in grief? What pleasure is there in melody to a man that mourns? And to him that is in an ague, how unseasonable is the discourse of love and jollity. Eternity of torment is the hell of hell: so continuance, or life in misery, there is the misery of misery. Space of time diminishes sorrow that is past, but increaseth that which is present, because it weakens patience, and prolongs the hope of deliverance. Therefore the Patriarch complains that his days were few and evil. Not evil and few. For to have a short time allotted him, and yet evil days intermixed, is more evil. But being afflicted with evil years, to have them shortened, is less evil. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. O days few and evil, brief and tedious. How it lies upon us beloved, to lengthen them by good deeds. And so much the more because the shortest of the year is certain, but the shortest of our life is uncertain. Let us frustate the tenure of iniquity, and in every age do the virtue of the age, not the sin of the age; that so not living after custom, but after truth, nor making profusion of the blood of CHRIST, that it may not fail us at our greatest need, we may preserve the seal of our redemption inviolate, and be bold every one of us to pray: O my GOD, let not the end of my devotion be sudden, but after much mortification of heart, and long consumption of languishing desires to see thee, make a ripe dissolution of my flesh and spirit, close up my wearied thoughts, and receive me to thy mercy. Amen.  
Live sweet JESV, and reign with the Father, and Holy Ghost, one God, etc.  
The end of the second Sermon,   

THE THIRD SERMON. Of the love of Christ.  1. PET. 1.8. 
Whom you love though ye have not seen.  
THAT which blessed Saint Peter commends in the dispersed jews of Asia, Pontus, Cappadocia, that they loved jesus whom they had not seen. The same is the praise of all devout Catholics, who have lived these many years, that being scattered from sea to sea, under every star, and throughout all lands, yet they love their one Head unseen; as they love their many fellow-members unseen. Which is a singular commendation in the Daughter of Christ dispersed, His espoused Church, so dearly to affect Him whom She never saw: Whereas the daughters of men make sight a necessary antecedent of affection, and will esteem highly of no object until the eye have set a price of it.  
This word, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (though) contained in the adverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or else understood, not expressed in the original: implies another love of Christ; namely, as he was visible in the state of Mortality, making that to be the greater, but this the harder. As if he should say: You love Christ whom you have not seen; How much more vehement would your love have been if you had seen him? These than be the two parts of my Text: First, the love of Christ being seen: Secondly, the love of Christ being not seen. If any man love not our Lord jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. Of all the senses there is none so proper a mediator of love, as is the sight: It is the beginning of love, according to the Proverb, exaspectu nascitur amor: and it is the perfection thereof, whilst we desire to see that whereof we have much read, or heard. Therefore we love our eves above all parts of our body, giving them the names of the most lovely creatures in the world: as the Sun and Moon: O oculi gemiva sydeva: And that which we love dearest we compare it to the eye: as, Ocule, ocelle ni; and Psal. 7.8. Keep me as the apple of an eye. Now the causes why sight so much procureth love. First, it is the most spiritual sense, and may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a corporal mind, whereby we understand things sensible. By reason of which affinity, videre is put for intelligere: For this cause the mind best liketh that object which is commended to her by the eye. Secondly, it is the quickest sense, and therefore doth soon fire the affections: According to that, Segnius irritant animos immissa per aures, quam quae sunt oculis subiecta sidelibus. Thirdly, it is the surest evidence, and most certain demonstration: Whence, by metaphor, the word demonstration is drawn: And therefore the fruition of eternal happiness is called Vision. Lastly, it is the most unwearied, and unsatiable sense; the eye being never satisfied with seeing. Which makes for the continuance of love. For love hateth nothing more than mutability, and fastidious inconstancy. For these causes, I say, sight is the most peculiar Factor for love.  
Now that we may the better understand this love of Christ which they had that saw him in the flesh: let us consider a little of the divers kinds of love.  
There is a sensual love, or rather lust, which the base jews, nor other Infidels, ever suspected in Christ jesus, although he loved the two sacred sisters of Bothania; and though Saint john leaned in his bosom, and many women used to accompany him: therefore the malicious jews, amongst all their false accusations, durst not offer to stain his credit with the least suspicion of any folly. There is another love rising from concupiscence of the eye, which is not lust, but curiosity: When men desire to see rare, or strange things, without any further benefit but to satisfy the eye. Such love, no doubt, had many of the jews, who desired to see jesus for his fame and wonders, but with a natural and human love. Other loves there be whereof some be lawful, some unlawful; some sensual, some intellectual; but all natural and human. But the love which we inquire after, is spiritual and sacred; yet much communicating with sense and affection. For the understanding whereof, I must premise these.  
I have observed a double love of God. There is a kind of love which is holy, but merely spiritual; when the soul being a spirit loveth the Father of Spirits, in spirit: abstracting all mediation of body, and bodily accident, using no help of imagination, or any sense: But considering him to be an eternal Goodness, Incorporeal, Incomprehenble, the Author of all being, and of all good. Whereupon the will doth immediately embrace this object of Goodness, resteth herself in the love, and delight thereof. This love will have no communion with sense, or any imagination drawn from sense, or any affection, accounting them to be perturbations, and stains of this sincere delight. This religious love is more contemplative, and therefore in the Angels, and in men of knowledge and understanding, nourished by vision, and by discourse. To this the Platonics speak proportionably, who were esteemed the most Theological Philosophers. They making the perfection of man's felicity to consist in this intellectual love: and, as I may say, abstracted ideal delight: spend much ink in blacking and dispraising bodily and sensible things: calling them shadows of things spiritual, images, and not substances, obscurers of the understanding: And the body to be the sepulchre of the soul, and the affections to be as the rebellious rogues, and unquiet multitude in a Commonwealth.  
There is another kind of sacred love which is placed in the affections, being not merely spiritual, but making use of all sensible objects, for the enslaming thereof. Thus we love God whilst we consider the excellent beauty of all his creatures, giving him the eminencies of them all; and turning our affections from every creature to burn towards him which is the Author of all these. And this is most properly called devotion, nourished by sense, and sensible accidents: without which no Religion of any Age, or Nation, ever flourished. Wherefore the most wise God knowing man by nature, to have so much commerce with body and bodily things, ordained so many Ceremonies, and Sacraments, in his worship: And, at the time appointed, sent his Son in the visible form of a man, that He being Spirit and flesh, both these, our loves, both spiritual and carnal might be spent on him. That our affections might have something to feed on, as well as our understandings. And this is the love whereof the Apostle here speaks which was in the Saints that see Christ in the flesh: Which is seated in the affections, and is called devotion. And surely, if we look into the examples of piety, and devotion, in all times, you shall find that the most holy and pious men, were men of the most hottest affections: as the Prophets, as King David, as Saint Augustine, who after their loves were diverted from doting upon vanity, and worldly shadows. They outstripped all men in the ardency of devotion, as their Writings and meditations witness: breathing nothing but spirit. Psal. 18.1. Ex intimis visceribus diligam te demine: And S. Austin's Works to a judicious Reader, will plainly show, that though he be the most profound Father, yet he speaks more out of his heart, than his head, full of actionate devotion, even then when the subject of his Discourse is subtlety and understanding. Hence it is, that women be called the devout Sex, by reason of the fervency of their love: According to that, Thy love to me was wonderful passing the love of women. Whereof excepting the mother of God, amongst thousand others, the most eminent examples be Mary Magdalene, and Mary the Egyptian: Which two holy women, the one having seen Christ, the other the place where he was crucified, they changed their lewd lusts, for hallowed, and incorruptible love: they washed their wanton eyes with tears: And for the latter, her whole flesh which had been fired with lust, she sacrificed it an whole burnt-offering unto God, exhaling it with fasting and penance until her dying day. Lastly, devout old age, which after much damage and loss of grace, would gladly preserve the relic of devotion: they keep it in the warmth of their affections, as appeareth by their tenderness to Religion, often weeping, fasting, and Almsdeeds. This being so natural a ground, that devotion especially consisteth in affection, and that affections are chief moved by sensible objects, and bodily exercise: Therefore all Religions necessarily have Ceremonies, and invitations of this kind: Some profitable, some necessary, some superstitious. For the eye, as goodly Temples, ornaments of pictures, vestures, and such like. Music for the ear. 
See Caluin. Instit. q. 4. c. 10  Set times of fasting, prayers, offering, and other outward actions: The ruin whereof overthrows devotion. 
See the Marginal note in the Geneva Bible.  Hither you may refer Allegories and Metaphors, which be the greatest part of eloquence in Sermons, and be nothing else but speaking pictures, according to that Gal. 3.1. Before whose eyes Christ jesus was described crucified with in you. Seeing then that these things cannot be gainsaid; How ill do they deserve of Christianity, who delight in nothing so much as ruins of Churches, Church Orders, and Church Ceremonies. They place no more holiness in a Temple then a Schoole-house; Counsel them to fast, they answer they fast from sin; Tell them of sitting bare at Divine Service, they answer, all things are uncovered before God. They give no honour to the Sacraments; bid them kneel at the entering into a Church, and when they receive the holy Eucharist, they answer, they bow the knees of the heart. They offer no other sacrifice but the calves of their lips. Instead of Alms, they give poor men good counsel, as if men could eat precepts, and drink good counsel. They are affected with the sight of no sacred Monument. Nay, if our Saviour himself were alive they would not go far to see him, or not have worshipped him for fear of superstition. Hence comes it that they have so common a conceit of the blessed Virgin that bore him in her womb; that they give so little privilege to the Apostles that eat and drunk with him: Finally, to any holy place where he walked, or any Saint to whom he appeared. They would hold it no happiness to have touched the hem of his garment. Then Nathaniel was unwise who desired to see jesus, and little Zacheus who climbed the Tree to look down upon him that was higher than the sky: Then the Wise men of the East were not worthy of that name, who came so far to see him. Saint Jerome might have made a better wish than above all things to have seen Christ in the flesh. But our Saviour himself condemns these men, when he saith; the Queen of Saba shall rise up in judgement against this Generation, for she came far to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold a greater than Solomon is here. And Luke 10.25. Blessed are the eyes that have seen what you see: for I say unto you many Prophets have desired to see that which you see, and could not see it: Which is meant of seeing Christ jesus in his mortal estate. Foelix qui potuit fontem boni visero lucidum: To apply that speech unto this sense. If the eye of a man were suddenly made able to behold the Heavens, the Sun, and Moon, and Stars, in their just splendure, and bigness: Or to see the whole earth with all the creatures in it, at once: Vuo & distincto intuitu: How would his mind be rapt with admiration? But the sight of God manifested in the flesh, was a far more admirable object, the ecstasy of men and Angels, and as I may say the proper end why the eye was created. Of which fight, if the senseless creatures had been made capable, How, think you, would the Sun have desired to shine continually in that climate where He breathed: And the other parts of the earth have contended that they also might have received the impression of His sacred feet, envying the felicity of Canaan.  
Then let all true Christians honour the happy memories of those blessed Saints, who were ordained to see that Just One, and to be eye-witnesses of that Mystery, into which the immaterial Angels do delight to pry. And as for us, we that had not that prerogative to see him in the flesh, yet for increase of our devotion, let us ever bear Him in our fancies, and use all means that we may seem to see him, that with a readier passage we may feel him, and bear him in our hearts. This is the recompense of absence, and only solace unto true love, by imagination to fill up the distance of time and place, and transform things passed into things present. Quem vidistis pastors? whom saw ye shepherds? tell us, tell us. We saw the Omnipotent infant, and Angels worship him. But where? and when? and how? tell me some circumstance that I may seem to see him. Vidimus Deum parvulum pannis involutum, matrem ubera admoventem. We saw God a little one, swaddled and lying in a crib, and his mother giving him suck. O happy sight! O unspeakable mystery. O gratissimi vagitus per quos eternos ploratus evasimus! O foelices pannim, quibus peccatorum sordes abstersimus! O praesepe splendidum ubi iacuit panis angelorum. Lacta Maria creatorem tuum, lacta virgo gloriesa. O foelicia oscula lactentis labijs impressa. It is S. Austin's meditation. Sapientia si oculis cerneretur quantos amores excitaret sui? Wisdom (saith Plato) if it could be seen with bodily eyes, how would it stir up men to love it? But the wisdom of God became visible and manifested in the flesh, and how should it stir up men to love it? This did so inflame the beloved Disciple, him which drank wisdom our of the bosom of our Lord, that his Epistle which is wholly precepts of love, he begins with, mention of seeing Christ, and repeats the same word again and again. That which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the word of life. For the life appeared, and we have seen it, and it appeared: that I say which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you. And the whole number of the twelve, when after his last farewell he ascended, how stood they gazing on him, as being loath to lose the last minute of his visible presence. And no marvel: for the very sight, no doubt, conveyed unto the faithful, a benign influence prefigured in the old Testament, where to look steadfastly upon the brazen Serpent, was sovereign against the poisonful sting of fiery Serpents. What devout Christian now living, would not give the whole world if he had it, for to see him? To see him either in his childhood, or in in his youth, in his humility, or in his majesty. When it pleased him sometimes to make his glorious deity shine through his manhood, as Saint Jerome thinks he did when he called S. Peter & S. Andrew, who therefore presently laid away and followed him. Hear the meditation of the blessed Father S. Austen upon this point. Hei mihi quia videre non potui Dominum angelorum, heu quod tam inaestimabili pietati presens obstupescere non merui. And further. Cur o anima, etc. Wherefore o my soul, wast thou not present that thou mightst have been pierced through with sharpest grief, when thy saviours side was pierced with a spear? where thou couldst not have endured to have seen the hands and feet of thy maker rend with nails: that thou mightst have swooned to have seen the blood of thy redeemer spilled, that thou mightest have condoled with the blessed virgin. O gracious good Lady, what streams of tears may I think flowed out of thy most chaste eyes when thou beheldedst thy innocent, thy only son bound, scourged, murdered, flesh of thy flesh, & bone of thy bone so cruelly cut & mangled. And further, utinam cum felice Iosepho dominum meum de cruce deposuissem, cur non fui deosculatus loca vulnerum? etc. Thus holy men were wont to incense their love, and their devotion, to cleanse their imaginations from the idols of carnal beauty, which having entered at the eyes haunt the disquiet fancies of poor youth, and cannot be spelled, nor expelled, but with the image of God incarnate.  
For this cause our venerable ancestors from all climates of the Christian world, have resorted to the holy City, that although they could not see their Saviour, yet they might see and worship where his feet had trodden or walked, where he wept, and sweat, and bled, and died. There was the price of our redemption numbered, that earth and that heavens shall witness, that there the sum was tendered, and that innocent heart-blood powered out, which none can power into his breast again. This made good Paula, and her daughter Eustochium, Roman Ladies of the honourable family of the Grachi, remove with all their substance to Bethleem, and there they lived, and there they died with S. jerom. This made S. Helen honour of our English nation, the happy mother of great Constantioe, so devoutly to visit every place where our Lord conversed, and every where to erect so many famous memories, so many goodly Churches. This caused S. jerom to spend the greatest part of his life there. There he commented, there he indicted, there he translated. And for this cause many learned Divines, amongst whom S. jerom & Eusebius, with divers of late memory, have carefully described all the sacred places, and religious monuments of the Holy land, that those which have not seen them really, might see them imaginarily, and nourish their Divine cogitations without supestition, without any great cost, or trouble: I that they might see Canaan a far off, as Moses did from mount Phasga.  
Now look what hath been said concerning devotion nourished by sight, the same is true likewise of the other learned sense, namely, hearing, as the hearing of music, or eloquent discourse, which being used without curious scrupulosity, and affectation, how greatly they increase the love of God, and of his true worship, it appears to any liberal and ingenious disposition, unless any man think the use of music proper to stir up vanity, to nourish pleasure, to maintain lightness and obscenity. And not  
1 To raise up men's minds to meditation of heavenly joys, whereof music may seem a kind of type.  
2 To consider the harmony and consent of the world, how all Ages, all Nations, all Languages praise Him.  
3 Out of the mouths of Babes sucklings he prepareth praise.  
4 To expiate the ears which have been polluted by wanton madrigals, and lascivious ditties.  
5 To kindle the affections with love of God.  
6 Lastly, to praise him with learned hymns, who is the giver of all excellencies. Unless any man think that eloquence was given naturally to adorn folly, and flatteries, to overthrow right, to colour falsehood, and deceive simplicity, and to be misused, when it is appliyed to strengthen truth, to sweeten diligence, and commend piety. Quis ita desipiat ut hoc sapiat? saith Saint Augustine 4. de Dectrina. Chr. And if any man object that Saint Austin could not resolve himself concerning the lawful use of artificial Music in Churches, it is false: For though he speaks of his own experience, that the delight of his sense did sometimes prevail above reason; yet he confesses the excellent use of Music for devotion. And for being too scrupulous he checks himself, calling it nimia severitas; and concludes that he approves the custom of the Church:  per oblectamenta aurium infirmior animus in affectum pietatis assurgat: That by delight of the ear, the weak mind of man might rise up into pious affections: whereof he makes himself an example, with delightsome remembrance how he was moved to tears at the hearing of artificial Church Music: Cum reminiscor lachrymas quas fudi ad cantus ecclesiae tuae, magnam instituti huius utilitatem agnosco: Besides, what Saint Austin saith there of artificial music, may be as well an argument against plain song, and common tunes in Churches, which affect some men as much, and of many are sung with as great affectation. Again, if for this difficulty, they would wholly reject the lawful use of music, let them read the two chapters next going before, & they shall find that he maketh the same difficulty in the use of all the senses, which if they will refuse therefore, then must they neither see, nor smell, nor eat, nor drink. But this holy man there expresses his carefulness to avoid sin; as also did Saint Athanasius, whom he there citeth. But how far their spirit was from prejudicing others, or from scrupling men's consciences in the use of the approved Institutions of the Church, their other speeches and actions are sufficient witnesses. Wherefore to shorten this discourse, let us all endeavour to have a zealous and devout love of Christ; both that which riseth out of knowledge and understanding, and that which riseth out of sense and affection. And to this purpose use all those means which the practice of most holy Fathers. and the law of Nature herself doth warrant: which is not sensual love, but affectionate, and holy, raised out of sense. As they which saw Christ loved him the more, not for the lineaments of his body; but being inflamed with consideration that they should see their Creator become Flesh, who is in his own Nature invisible. That they should see the same passions as in themselves, in him which was Impassable: and all their own infinrmities without deformity of sin: That man might not now choose but love God, unless he would not love himself: This, I say, bred admiration and love in them, a spiritual love, yet raised out of sense, and is chief part of that which we properly call devotion.  
And thus much of the first part of my Text; namely, the love of Christ, being seen: Where I have showed how much sight augmenteth love: And how all other sensible means and external practices are incitements and invitations to increase devotion. Devotion, which is the only happiness of this life, and to be preferred before wisdom, subtlety, or discourse, being indeed the end and perfection of all. The delicious taste of heavenly joys, which God gives unto his Saints here, that they may long after the fruition of the whole: Whereof Saint Austin speaks in the 40 chap. of the 10. book of his Confessions: Et aliquando intromittis me Domine in affectum multum inusitatum introrsum ad nescio quam dulcedinem, quaesi perficiatur in me nescio quid erit, quod vita ista non erit.  
Now to the second part, which is the love of Christ not seen: Quem cum non videritis diligitis: whom ye love, though ye have not seen. This, not only S. Peter here, but S. Paul also, with many other Worthies have admired; to see how soon the world, without compulsion, consented to follow, and to love Him whom they never saw: How so many thousands and millions were moved with such a strange instinct, to leave their goods, their wives, their children, parents, their dearest Country: and lastly, to lose their lives so willingly for love of him whom they never saw. This amazed the unbelieving world, to see her number daily minished, and most furious persecutors become the hottest lovers. What secret influence so reigned in men's hearts? what cruel love made them so impatient that they ran shouting to their death? Wherefore forsook they all their present joys, which they not only saw, but carried in their eyes, to love him whom they saw not? Crying, Hunc amemus, huno amemus. Nothing could bribe them, or abalienate their minds. Youth was not moved with beauty, nor old age with money, nor children with fear of death, nor Statesmen with preferment: No contumelies, no disgraces prevailed, they suffered all things, they endured all things, and all this for the love of him whom they never saw. The new married preferred the grave before the bed. Honourable and beautiful maids choose rather to be called virgins of Christ, than queens to great Princes. The frail sex was crowned with Martyrdom, and compassionate mothers overcoming nature, beheld with cheerful countenance their sweet infants killed for the love of Christ, as we read of that happy child which died with the constant martyr Romanus. How willingly his mother gave him to the hands of the tormentor; kissing him but once, which was as little as a mother could do.  
Ne immorata est fletibus tantum osculum  
Impressit unum, vale, ait, dulcissime,  
Et eum beatus regna Christi intraveris  
Memento matris.  
Now if a man inquire into the inward moving cause for which the world was so strangely carried away with affection unto Christ, he shall find it to be faith. Which faith though the Scripture opposeth to vision, yet calleth it a kind of sight. So faithful Abraham desired to see Christ's day, and saw it, and rejoiced. By faith Moses endured patiently as if he had seen the invisible. And by the eye of faith all the Saints since the Apostles, believing them that saw him, have loved him as firmly as if themselves had seen him. They seeing the head, believed of the body: we seeing the body, believe concerning the head. Namque habet fides oculos suos, quibus quodammodo videt verum esse quod nondum videt. For faith hath it eyes, whereby in some manner it sees that to be true, which as yet it sees not, saith S. Austen. Faith is opposed to the corporal view of things visible, and to the demonstrative knowledge of things intelligible. Which knowledge is also called intuitive knowledge. Now the bodily sight of Christ in his humility, was only proper to them that lived in his time. Though by imagination we can likewise represent unto ourselves the same. But the sight of his spiritual and glorified body shall be the reward of all. And as for the intelligible visiun of invisible glory of the Godhead of Christ, and of the eternal Trinity; they that see it here in twilight, shall then behold it as at noon day, and love it there with incomparable fervency of spirit, if they continue here in that model of warmth which this life affordeth. The hope whereof how greatly doth it sustain the patience of his absence, and confirm the constancy of loving Christ unseen, when we have so good assurance to see his spiritual body, and that happiness which never eye hath seen? Where if he show his five wounds, and the verity of all which he did and suffered in this life, what can be wanting to the destruction of that which is in part, and converting faith into vision?  
Mean while wonderful is that grace which makes us now to love him. For although the conversion of the world, the strange preservation of the Catholic Church, the authority of the same Church, the blood of so many Martyrs, the fulfilling of Prophecies, the superexcellent learning of Catholic Writers, and Catholic Governors, with many other unanswerable arguments, have in a manner demonstrate the whole truth of Christian Religion: Insomuch that he which will not now believe without seeing wonders, is himself a wonder, saith S. Austen. Yet in many ages when God hath permitted general inundations of Goths and Vandals, of Turks and Saracens over the Christian world, which the old serpent having spewed out of his mouth, desired to make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the woman to be carried away of the flood; or when fearful tempests of heresy do obscure the Church, that for a time neither Sun nor moon appear, till controversies be determined, till ancient records be see arched, and unquiet novelists suppressed, the safest way was always to cast himself into the bosom of the Church, that faith might support where knowledge fails, and the love of Christ continue, where he was not seen.  
Faith is the subsistence of matters hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen, by the firm embracing whereof in the midst of all miserable temptations, and investigable errors, the faithful lovers of Christ jesus have loved him whom they never saw neither with the eye of sense, nor the eye of reason. Great friendship hath there been betwixt men which never saw one another's faces, yet true report of wisdom and virtue hath bred strange conjunction and familiarity of minds, as if their souls had met together in the night when their bodies rested: or because that minds being incorporeal, need not visible presence to unite them, nor are their loves separated by distance of place. Which if it be true in natural love, and human affection, how much more certain is it in spiritual and Divine? where not only similitude of nature combines, but also unity of spirit. If thou lovest none but whom thou seest (saith S. Austen) then shouldst thou not love thyself. Neque enim teipsum nisi in speculo vides.  
Many men there be, whose wisdom will not suffer them to be credulous, their hands have eyes, and their hearts have eyes: they believe that which they see, and they will love that which they see: unknown unbelieved, unseen unloved. But unto the most of faithful Christians, Almighty God hath left more things to be believed then known, that there might be place for reward. For hope that is seen, is no hope. Every one could not live at that time when Christ was living, nor see the wonders which he wrought, or which his Prophets did before him, or his Apostles after him. Yet many will say hereafter, if we had lived in those times, or if when had talked with one risen from the dead, we had surely repent. Indeed the Tyrians & Sidonians, if they had seen the miracles at Corazin and Bethsaida, they would have turned their purple into sackcloth: but they had sufficient helps, and so hast thou: neither knowest thou whether thou mightst be so obdurate, through thine own first wilful negligence, that the sight of Christ would have caused no more love in thee, than it did in Herod, who desired of long to see him, and not believing Moses and the Prophets, neither wouldst thou believe if one should rise from the dead. S. Austen says he was often tempted to desire a sign from God concerning himself; but by God's grace he always resisted that temptation. So our Saviour taxeth the Gentleman of Cana in Galilee, whose son was sick at Capernaum, Unless you see signs and wonders you will in no ways believe. The Atheist if he might see the Devil, he would hate him. And the Idolater, if he may have a palpable visible God, he will worship him. Make us Gods to go before us, cry the Israelites, as if things that were invifible, were not. They that desire to see the holy City, upon distrust or curiosity, which is concupiscence of the eye, or dwelling far off, greatly endanger their present estate, their fame, their lives, and neglect their necessary functions. I see not how they can warrant that action. Against which S. Gregory Nissen speaks in an Epistle of his. Local motiou (saith he) makes thee not nearer unto God, which is in all places. And it is better to go a pilgrimage from thy body to God, then from thy country to jury: for whilst we are at home with the body, we are steangers unto God. jerusalem is not now the necessary place of worship, the word is near thee, and every faithful soul is jerusalem. For as goodly vineyard which cost the Husbandman much care, and his servants long labour, being the sweetest plot of ground which he could choose, and having the indulgence of the heavens, and all the elements to cherish it, whilst it was tender, and flourished, and at the time of vintage all men resorted thither, to see the beauty and temperate situation, and to reap the fruit which grew not else where: but after the fruit was gathered, the hedges being broken, and the swine having defaced it, and other beasts haunting it, though the Winter beauty thereof be lovely, yet the necessity of coming thither it abolished, and the convenience of seeing is much limited: So jerusalem that pleasant City of God, where the word of life grew, so watered by Prophets, so watched by Angels, during the beauty and glory of her summer age, thither the Tribes came up, and from all Countries there they worshipped: but when the fullness of time was come, wherein the grapes of this holy vine were pressed, and the blood thereof conveyed by Apostles and Evangelists throughout the world, to cheer the hearts even of the coldest nations, jerusalem became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as the Prophet speaketh, no longer necessary, and though ever holy and reverend, yet often dangerous to be visited, being polluted by wild infidels, and now possessed of unchristened Turks. The orchard of Balsamon is removed from the Hills of Engaddi into Egypt, and so salvation, which was only of the jews, is now translated to the Gentiles, Et Assyrium vulgo nascitur amomum. To conclude then, although the most worthy and devout Christians have increased their devotion and piety by sight of the holy monuments at jerusalem, yet many who never saw them, have been more godly than some others that have seen them, and believe as firmly, and love Christ jesus their redeemer as dearly as if they had seen him, or seen the place where he was seen. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. For (says Gregory Nissen) if thy inward man be full of bad thoughts, although thou standest upon Golgotha, or mount Olivet, or under the monument of his resurrection, thou art as far from Christ, as they which never acknowledged him. The same is true of all sensible means, and outward actions, which if they be not joined with sincerity of the spirit, they are unprofitable to us, and disstastfull to the father of spirits. Many are content to perform these external actions, which they do perfunctory, merely for fashion, without any tincture of spirit: Especially where there is a multitude of ceremonies, as in the Roman Church, and in the superstition of the Eastern Churches, is most apparent. We are all by nature ready to choose that which is of eafier performance: and in actions, & matters of Religion which of all others are most tedious, because they touch the conscience, the crafty Mind would gladly rest herself, and think to discharge all by light works of the body, and of the senses. Is this the fast which I have chosen, saith God, for a man to bow his neck, being weak with abstinence, to put on sackcloth and ashes: Is this the fast which I have choson? Nay, is not this the fast which I have chosen, to loose the bands of wickedness, and to let the oppressed go free? and to deal thy bread unto the hungry: Where God hates the outward obedience, if it be without fasting from sin. And in comparison, better spiritual worship without external, then external without that which is spiritual. So he saith, Rend your hearts and not your garments. And I will have mercy and not sacrifice, Where the adverb is a Comparative rather than a Negative: And therefore the Septu. well translate it: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. sub 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. God forbids neither, nay he commands both; but prefers the one before the other. So many, saith Saint Austin, they will eat no flesh in Lent, but they will bite and devour their brethren: They will drink no wine, but they will drink iniquity like water. What profits it to be pale with fasting, and at the same time to be lean with hatred, and ewy? What profits it if we abstain from flesh, which is sometime lawful, and do those things which are never lawful? therefore I say with Scripture, and with holy Fathers, that as the presence and sight of Christ would little have increased love in his Disciples, unless they had also seen him with the eyes of the inward man: No more do any sensible, and external means further devotion, if they be separated from the inward and spiritual motions of the heart My son give me thy heart. Why drawest thou near me with thy lips when thy heart is far from me? To proceed then, though every one have not that glorious pretogative given them to be Martyrs; to die for love of him that died for their salvation: Yet every one may mortify his earthly members, and die to sin, which is a kind of Martyrdom. In like manner, though every one could not see Christ, and so love him; yet they may love him whom they have not seen by faith, which is a kind of sight. Nay, if they which saw him, and loved, were such as would not love him unless they had seen him; greater is their reward that love him whom they have not seen. For what said our Lord to Saint Thomas: Thomas because thou seest, thou believest; happy are they which believe and see not. What remains now but to provoke you to the love of him whom you do not see: who first loved you, unseen? Nay, when you were worse than nothing: Whom you hope to see, and see him as he is. Let me say unto the afflicted that live in obscurity, and misery, wait till the cloud be broken, and the Sun shine out. Let me say unto the simple and ignorant, but loving and faithful: be constant, and you shall see as you are seen. Let me say unto the wise and learned: help ye the weak sighted, and make him loving that is blind. Lastly, to all men, though you love him which is unseen, yet let your love be seen. Love in deed, and not in word: By this we know that we love him, if we keep his Commandments. If your loves burn vehemently upon things temporal and visible; how are you said to love him whom ye have not seen. Silver, and gold, and gay apparel, ample possessions, and goodly buildings, fair flesh and blood compounded of corruptible elements, whatsoever deceitful time hath coloured, or the world hath set a gloss on: if ye be ever gazing and admiring these things, how are ye said to love him whom you have not seen? When women go to see, and to be seen: when men, the little good they do, they do it to be seen of men: When most had rather seem then be good: how are they said to love him whom they have not seen? He that longs to see every strange thing he hears of, and to have every costly thing which he sees, how can this love of Christ bo in him? He which hateth his brother whom he daily sees, how can he love his Saviour whom he never saw? When the concupiscence of the eye is waxed dim, and the fair forbidden fruit is faded: Alas, how will ye wish that ye had seen less, and less loved that ye saw, and more loved him whom ye never saw. Behold him in his members, behold him in his poor distressed members; behold him harbourless and naked, behold him hungry and thirsty: Cloth him, lodge him, feed him, if you love him: that when you shall see him coming in the Clouds, with glory, ye may hear, Come ye blessed, for when I was hungry you fed me, when I was naked you clothed me. Which happiness He grant us, that liveth and reigneth with the Father, and Holy Ghost, to whom be all praise and glory evermore. Amen.  
The end of the third Sermon.   

THE FOURTH SERMON. Of the frailty of man..  1. PET. 1.24. 
All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass.  
THIS is the echo of a cry in the fortieth chapter of Esay, the sixth verse, rebounding from the solidity of Peter: The voice said cry: Because all flesh, the whole world, must hear. And because the whole world is so ingurgitate in the dullness of flesh, that without a cry they, cannot hear: It seems then that God will have this cry to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a resonance, in our ears, which no melody of pleasure should take away. The Heathen man caused one to cry daily unto him, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Remember thou art a man. And there are two main cries in the Scripture: The one puts us in mind of our immortality, which S. jerom saith he heard always sounding in his ears, Arise you dead and come to judgement. The second of our mortality, and is of necessity precedent to the former, proclaimed by this Harbinger: Omnis caro foenum: All flesh is grass, and all the glory of man: Wherefore, he that hath ears to hear let him hear: 1. the common meanness of his nature, all flesh is grass. All, there is the community, Flesh, that is the name of his nature: thirdly, Grass, there is the meanness of his nature. In the second part, the meanness of the excellency of his nature: The glory of man, that is the execllency; The flower of grass, there is the frailty of his excellence. Lastly, without exception all: all the glory of man is as the flower of the grass.  
All flesh is grass: For God having made all men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of one blood, although they have variety of distinction, yet they all meet in this ground that they are grass. I am no better than my fathers, saith Elias. And the Apostles make themselves level in the same vail of misery, with the common people of Iconium, that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, subjects of the same sufferings. For this cause the Holy Ghost calls the poor man's body the flesh of the rich. Despise not thou thine own flesh. Now the second point is the name of our nature, which is here called flesh. The body is our worse half, and flesh the worse of the worse: for it is tender, and subject to change and loss. Further, the flesh lusteth against the spirit. Therefore S. Gregori calls it with contempt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this envious little flesh. By this name the Scripture calling the body, or the whole man, and using the part for the whole, yet would not have the part to be the whole: for than we should be like the Cretians, who were nothing but belly and beast: or as the Israelites, who seeking to fat their flesh, the Psalmist saith, that God sent leanness into their souls. Howsoever than you interpret the word flesh, either of the body, or of the nature and estate of man, which consisteth much of things bodily, or of carnality, which is perishing of the soul in favour of the body. Of all these the Prophet cries aloud, Omnis caro foenum, all flesh is grass.  
To enter then upon this argument, which is the grassy substance of our nature, did not the first man spring out of the earth? and though he grew amongst the delicious fruits of paradise, and had no poison in his root, yet he continued not in honour, but being transplanted into that common where we grow, spread his degenerous offspring over the whole earth, whose seed multiplying innumerable, was nourished with no other food until the flood came, and corrupted the virtue thereof. Since which time, although our diet be changed, and flesh be nourished with flesh, yet the chief of that flesh is but grass concocted and converted into flesh: and the flesh of men and beasts are both resolved into one dust, which dust by perpetual revolution in the same circuit, sends forth again that aliment which sustames both them and us. Before that just and universal deluge had discoloured the earth, it seemeth probable that as the days of man were of a greater length; so the vegerable verdure of the earth was of more continuance in all habitable elymates thereof. But after that calamity immediately in the distinction which tho Almighty established, a greater portion was allotted to the harder times, the sweet seasons of the year were contracted, and decaying Autumn, & the aspetitie of barren Winter prolonged. Agreeably whereunto the spaces of our life were measured. The young springal soon passeth through his green hopes, and ripe manhood being straightened in the midst, encroaching age extends the rest in trouble and tempest until death. There is Cruda viridisque senoctus, whom the Greeks' call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, who through the indulgence of a mild Winter, besides the venorable antiquity of their grey hairs, which is the uncture of wifedome, and sage experience, have also fresh vigour in their blood, and actinity in their wits and understandings. But for the most part the strength of these years is labour and sorrow: for it is soon cut down, and with one blast of God's anger they fly away. So the famous Champion sighed to see his ●ere and dead arms: And Helen wept when she saw her withered beauty in the glass. So that the Philosophy of nature doth restrain our pride, comprising the progress and perfection of our life within the period of one year. Quale gonus foliorum, tale est & hominum. There is a time of growing, and a time of fading: but no part of our time passeth out of this compass. Which affordeth matter of consideration. For as plants depend upon the planots, and are more beholding to the Suimne their father, than the Earth their mother: so that which we live, although it be supplied by an inward cause, like to that power where with the earth was first endued by the creating Word; yet the favour or displeasure of heaven conferreth more to this effect, then either the native faculty within us, or all our own industry and endeavours. That which we blow, and sow, and grind, and bake, it is not our work, but Gods. So sings the Psalmist: He brings forth bread out of the earth. Not corn, but bread. What should I speak of the Mildew of Sereneses, of fevers and consumptions, which like canicular fervours, burn up our bodies by the roots? What of blasting of cankers, and the green sickness? all which doth show the similitude of our flesh with grass. The remembrance of which original God hath signed upon our heads, whose change of colour, and leafe-fall declareth plainly that his body is Congestum cespite culmen, a poor cottage, whose toppeds covered with a sodde of earth. Earth, earth, earth, (saith the Prophet) earth thou wast, and earth thou art, & earth thou shalt be, whose bones are stones whose veins are rivers, only in this it differs; the earth is fixed, and immovable, man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, earth walking upon earth. Can any cogitation make us more humble, or more human? Humus aut humi repens es. Grass, or grasshopper, saith Dinine Esay. He sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers. Poor grasshoppers, that sing care away, merry and pleasant in their summer-days, and not providing for the adversity of Winter, and of want. O remember thy Creator before the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them. When all the daughters of music shall be brought low, when the Grashhopper shall be a burden, & dissipabitur capparis, and appetite shall fail, when man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets, and the voice saith Cry. what shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and every man is vanity. Vanity of vanities (saith the preacher) all is vanity. Omnis caro, all; but especially the many, vere foenum est populus, surely the people, which grow so trivial, and so innumerable upon the the face of the earth. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saith Clemens, the domesticals of worldly delight. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Earth living, & earth loving, & affecting any thing but truth. vere foenum est populus, surely the people are grass: the multiplying multitude, foecunda paupertas, saith Lucan, prolifical & fertile poor. Who when they be as poor in spirit as in substance, are the most proper subject of God's mercy. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saith the merciful Lord jesus, my bowels are tender to this poor multitude: but when their sins spread as themselves, luxuriant, and infinite, the displeasure of Almighty, God mows them down by whole millions at once, they are trodden under the feet of Soldiers, pestilence and famine do depopulate great Cities, and for an emblem of sinful flesh, grass groweth in the streets. Poor Christian brethren, saith S. Chrysostome, you that replenish the earth, why do ye cumber the ground? and make the land groan, and lad God with your iniquities, and press him under you, as a Cart that is pressed with straw. Your sins turn you into straw, and know ye not that God is a consuming fire? For if you lust, lie, swear, purloin, & will not trust him for raiment, which clothes the grass of the field: you make yourselves like to that grass which is to day, and to morrow is cast into the oven. When the root of bitterness springs into infidelity, and thorny cares choke the word, & when that saying of the Pharisees is verified, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the people are accursed being overgrown and overgrast with thistles, and malice, with cursings, with drunkenness, and other venomous and vicious weeds, what are they but fruits of the first malediction, whose end is to be burnt? Thus Sodom, which was green as the garden of God, whem their sins were rank, and grown over their heads, they were destroyed with fire from heaven. And the populous Israelites, which grew as plentiful as the grass of Goshen, their carcases were strewed in the dry wilderness, and of all that prevailing multitude, but two were planted in the land of Promise. Calamity comes of Calamus, the conflagration of a whole country like a stubble field. And in Christian lands, what woeful desolation hath devoured the miserable vulgar? As an Ox licketh up the grass round about him, Numb. 22. Or as the Proverb speaks, that where the foot of the grand signor his horse treadeth, nothing will grow that is green. Popule, popule mi, my people, my people, saith Almighty God, quid potui facere, quodnon feet? What could I do for you which I have not done? I have watered you with the dew of Heaven, giving you showers and fruitful seasons, nourishing your sucklings with the sweetest juice, filling your hearts with joy and gladness, covering your imperfections with mercy, and remembering that you were but flesh. But because you longed for anger, behold your land is left unto you desolate.  
Beloved in our Lord, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, are these things so? hath God wasted our brethren, and made way for his wrath through the throngest of them, and shall we muster our sins, and think ourselves as far removed from God, as we are divided from the whole world? when we shall have been, shall praeterciroumcised Saracens, or other outlandish locusts graze on our posterity, and deglut our labours? Barbarus has segetes? shall barbarous miscreants swallow these fields? shall the abominable Alcoran supplant our Bibles, or unknown language bellow in our Churches, or the bodies be prostrate to infernal Mahomet, whose knees would not bow to the blessed name of jesus? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. I hear the soft murmur of your hearts, God forbidden. Then let us seek Him, before He slay us: and be not like the Israelites, who when He slew them, they sought Him, and sought Him early, when it was too late. But hitherto the Apostle hath compared the common frailty of our nature with the ordinary pasture of the field. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, gramen, aut stramen, grass withered, or green. But is there nothing excellent and glorious in human estate above this? Yes, and that's the second point. What is the glory of man? As the flower of grass (saith the Apostle; or as the Prophet styles it, All his goodliness is as the flower of the field.  
The top of eminence is a crown, and that's as Circular, and of as short continuance as the crown of the year, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psalm. 65. the two great Caesars have their names in two months, which are the strength and glory of the year, as they the Majesty and maturity of the Roman Empire. Neither was ever known more than one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or summer vigour in the period of any kingdom. What constance then in a voluble Diadem, which being carried about 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the course of nature, hath been translated from the Cedar to the brier; from the Master to the servant, which proud Popes have spurned from the heads of Princes, and was disparaged in that Thorny Wrearh that pierced the sacred temples of our Lord. Roses and Lilies are the ensigns of this happy Kingdom: long may they flourish. For this is the peculiar honour of our state, Not Solomon in all his royalty was clothed like one of those: And though the Lily withered is of no use, yet Roses retain their sweetness after death. If supreme Potentates, and mighty monarchs of the earth, had considered how transitory is that felicity whereon they boasted: then would they have endeavoured, as they were flowers of ornament, so to have been fruits of benefit to the Country where they grew; but when their chief end was to shine in admiration, and to draw the eyes of the world upon the colour of their present glory, He consumed their short days in vanity, and no more was spoken of them but that they had flourished. As job calls them, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, yesterdays men, who like to Solstitinlis herba, suddenly sprung up, and suddenly decayed. When Nabuchadonosor outbraved God, he was deposed from his throne, he fed on grass, and the dew of heaven wet him like grass, to make him know by sensible experience what insimilitude he would not understand. Lord what is man that thou regardest him, saith David? the poor son of Adam, or the rich Son of man.. Man that is borne of woman hath no long time to live, he cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: Take him in his beauty, what is beauty? but a brag of nature, an illusion of desire, exhaling into vanity: a self adoring idol, the first bait of sin, which breathing upon the concupiscential eye of the woman, hath ever since with her, and by her, continued the concubine of a doting soul. This felicity of body (saith Tertullian) what is it, but urbana vestis, a trim suit upon the soul which invites the Thief and Murderer, and is often extreme dangerous to them that wear it: Witness the examples of Sara and joseph, whose wanton Mistress would have stripped him also of his chastity. But in the lustre of those colours, if the white of simplicity, and the red of modesty be away, it may take the vulgar, but the wise esteem it no other than a garish garment on the back of fools. Come on therefore, let us enjoy the good things that are present, and let no flower of the spring pass by us. Let us crown ourselves with Rosebuds before they be withered: let us take our part of jollity, and leave the signs of voluptuousness in all places. Thus talk these wantoness, when they invite their fellows to repentance: which being seasonable follies are more excusable, but when age revokes these fugitive pleasures, renewing youth with artificial devices, as if they were ashamed of that season which brings them nearer unto God, & delivers them from the unquiet perturbations of the flesh, What argues it but that they are resolved to make the utmost farthing of the good of this life, and will forego no delight here for hope of recompense in the life to come. A painted flower in Summer who respects when they are produced by nature? and in Winter which hath other fruitions, it is unseasonable and against Nature. Now well doth the Apostle here call this, and whatsoever is amiable, the flower of grass, or the flower of the field. For after that Adam was translated out of Paradise, all his glory was but wild and common: as best appeareth in the barbarous vast Regions of the earth, where verus cultus the true worship is wanting, where every flower of beauty is the prey of violent, and unruled lust. And yet these small parcels of civil States which are so fenced with Laws and Religion, where beauty is manured by education, nourished by special care, and cherished by best counsel, according to that, Quem mulcent aurae, firmat sol, educat imber: Yet how seldom is it preserved and kept safe, that the invasion of foreign lust do not break in and deflower it? But let these flowers fade, the glory of wealth will not leave us. Saint james answereth, As the flower of the grass, the rich pass away. For the Sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: So also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. Name me any other excellence, and ye shall find it but a choice flower of short continuance. Wit, and eloquence are but blossoms, which falling off, the fruit of wisdom succeed and understanding. To conclude, whatsoever is desirable in the world, whatsoever fawns upon the fancy of men, whatsoever makes our wills idolatrous: all is but a flower of grass, a thing of small use, but no fruition. Yea the Divine Majesty hath so abbreviated all earthly glory, that those excellencies which spring from an immortal root, and are by nature not liable to vanity and consumption, yet they will not thrive upon earth: and though they be illustrious for a time they are suddenly snatched from us. Piety, and goodness, and Divine knowledge, which perfume the sinful world, and send up a sweet savour of pacification into heaven, how thinly do they grow, and how quickly are they exhaled? Saluete flores martyrum, quos lucis ipso in limine, Christi insecutor sustulit, ceu turbo nascentes rosas, flores martyrum: Innocent martyrs, whose names Christ hath written red in letters: of blood in earth, and of gold in heaven. The Flower of jesse, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: whether you will call him a Star, or a Flower, the skill of neither language can determine: and the Holy Ghost (I think) left it ambiguous, to signify that He is the Offspring of both, both heaven and earth. As flowers are stars on earth, and stars are heavenly flowers. This celestial Flower was no sooner sprung, and declared by a Star, but the rude hand was ready to nip him off: and He had not long adorned the earth with His glorious presence, but in the latitude of his goodliest years, He breathed out his sweet Soul, And who can express the abrupt cruelty of His bitter ending? he bowed down his Head: It is a circumstance which none but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Disciple of his bosom observeth: 
— Inque humeros ceruìxcollapsa recumbit,  
Purpureus veluti cum flos succisus aratro  
Languescit moriens, lassove papavera collo  
Demisere eaput.—   
By this gesture he might signify that his triumphant Soul was now descending to the lowest parts of the earth: Whence, according to the deep root of his humiliation, he rose again, and ascended above the highest heavens, and we with him: For here's our comfort, that being complanted in the similitude of his death, we shall be made partakers of his resurrection. All flesh is grass, there is mortality and depression, all flesh shall see the salvation of God, there is the spring and resurrection. This is the true condition of our nature: Although death reap a whole field, & leave no flower, nothing that is green, yet the root remaining, all flesh shall be restored, all glory shall be new coloured: Yea and with advantage: Lucrodamno, saith Tertullian, with lucre-losse, with honest usury. It here grows in weakness, it shall there rise in strength; it is cut down in dishonour, it springs in honour: here natural, there spiritual. It is a Plant whose flower shall be exasperate with no thorny care, not greenness be everwithered. What hurt, what hurt then can death do us? we shall not laugh here: Nor shall we weep. We shall not be admired, neither shall we be contemned: But we shall do no more good, but the good we have done shall follow us: But we shall not live to lament sin, but the sins we have lamented shall be forgiven us. Lastly, as the day springs after night, and the Sun revives, and flowers return, and the earth is refreshed: Sic nos resurgere devota mente credimus, So we believe to live again: Which that we may do with him, he grant which liveth and reigneth, etc.  
The end of the fourth Sermon.