Mary's memorial. A SERMON PREACHED AT St. MARY'S SPITTLE on Monday in Easter week being April 1. 1616.  
By DANIEL PRICE Doctor in Divinity, and Chaplain unto the KING'S Majesty.   printer's or publisher's device 
LONDON Printed by Edward Griffin. 1617.   

TO MY DEAR FATHER Mr. THOMAS PRICE Preacher of God's word in SHREWSBURY.  
SIR,  
AS Love descendeth, so duty ascendeth, 
Illi debes quod ●abes, cui debes quod es. Amb. in L●●c.  which freeth me from all suspicion of flattery, in that I dedicate some part of that to you, of whom I have received all. Saint Augustine attributeth his happiness to the prayers of his mother Monica, as the chiefest means under GOD of his conversion: and S. Ambrose upon that of the Apostle Ep. 6. 
Ep: 6.2.  Honour thy father and mother (which is the first commandment with promise) preferreth that blessing which good Parents leave their children by prayer before all worldly revenues which they can bequeath them. 
Cyr: Al. l. 4. in Gen.  Parents bear the image of GOD: whom they bless upon good grounds, such shall be blessed, with a long life upon earth, 
In co●lis reposita est maior compensatio call.  or they shall have a greater reward in heaven. It was a blessing for which Esau and jaakob stood in competition: You have more blessings than one, or one by GOD'S effectual working, may work effectually in more than one, which is the subject of his prayer, who ever resteth  
Your dutiful son at command, DANIEL PRICE.   

O HOLY SPIRIT OF truth direct me.  MATH. 26.13. 
Wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there, shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.  
IN jerusalem there was a pool, which in Hebrew is called Bethesda, having five porches 
a joh. 5.2. , many glorious things are spoken of that city of God, 
b Psal. 87.3.  Bethesdas pool is not the meanest of her monuments; Tertullian 
c Tertull.  out of the Chalde calls it Bethsetha the house of sheep, and the text saith it was near to the sheep market: Euthymius 
d Euthym.  Beth-hesda, the house of mercy: and so Tremellius out of the Syriac, the house of benignity, giving this reason of the name, because the Lord did here heal all infirmities: for as Saint 
e joh. 5.3.  john testifieth in these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, lame, withered waiting for the moving of the water: Hither came our Saviour, Expectabant Angeli descensum, & ecce jesum noni testamenti angelum, saith Beda 
f Beda. , they expected the Angel at a certain time, our Saviour came thither at the solemn time, the time of the 
g joh. 5.1.  feast. 
h 〈◊〉.  Cyrth thinks this feast to be Pentecost, but 
i 〈◊〉.  Iren●●● and 
k 〈◊〉  Rupertus tell us, this feast was the Passover, not only because by the name of the feast the Passover is commonly understood in the Gospel, but also because every year of his preaching heed d some special work, against the time of the Passover, at the Passover he drove out the buyers and sellers out of the temple. At the Passover, he fed five thousand, with the five loaves and two fishes, at the Passover he suffered, and at the 
l Be●●. 〈◊〉. H●rm. tom. 2. p. 165. 〈◊〉 Ir●●. & Rup.  Passover, he came to the pool of Bethesda, where the blind, and lame, and withered, and diseased lay: Blessed Saviour, in the Synagogue was thy seat, thou wast wont to teach in the temple, 
Bir.  the ship, the mount, the desert, were thy places of abode, o thou fairest of the sons of men, what dost thou in the houses of the sick! in the Hospitals of the diseased! O thou redeemer of mankind thou knewest the whole head was sick, and the whole heart was heavy, therefore camest thou from the mountain of spices to this valley of tears: All the world, was as this pool in all parts whereof as in these porches, lay the lame, and diseased, our Saviour took notice of the infirmities, nay tulit, nay more sustulit, he took on him, and took from us, all our infirmities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as 
m Damascen  Damascen speaks; he took on him all our miserable, he took from us all our damnable infirmities, left no place unlooked for to find us, sought the lost groat in the house, lost sheep in the wilderness, lost son in the world, and left no place either unsought or unsanctified, sanctified the house in his conception, the stable in his incarnation, the fields by the message of his birth, the river by the blessing of his baptism, the seashore by his teaching, the valley by his healing, the garden by his praying, the Temple when he was offered, and the mount when he suffered, he hath consecrated and hallowed hospitals as holy places by bethesda's pool, and her porches, whether at the Passover, the great feast he entered and cured the man impotent for many years 
n joh. 5.9.   
Blessed and beloved, this day is that scripture fulfilled in our ears, this honourable City is as jerusalem, this spittle as that pool, your hospitals as those porches, this Easter as that Passover, here are the lame, blind, maimed, and the diseased: shall we now pray that the Angel may descend to move the waters? No, the Angel hath descended, the blessed Angels of the Lord are witnesses to you, that the waters are stirred, that you have cast your bread upon the waters, and the blessed spirit of God hath promised 
o Eccles. 11.1.  that after many days you shall find it. Our Saviour himself hath assured you, that when two or three 
p Math. 18.20.  are gathered together in his name, he will be in the midst of them, how much more is he now present, in the great congregation, he never saw the multitude but he had compassion on them, either he fed 
q Mark 6.34.  the multitude, or taught 
r joh. 6.5.  the multitude, or 
s Math. 4.24.  healed the multitude, or blessed 
t Math. 5.3.  the multitude. In the fifth of Matthew, when he had healed them in the valley, he taught them after in the mount, and beginning to teach them he first blesseth them, that is his first Sermon, we read of, 
Math. 4.24. Math. 5.3.  the first word of that first Sermon is blessing, and the first blessing a blessing for the poor 
u Math. 5.3.  The cause of the meeting of this multitude, at this solemn Passover, is that this honourable City an ancient mother in Israel may receive a blessing for her blessing poured out upon the poor: Domine ex ore infantium perfecisti laudem, as we may say with the Psalmist 
* Psal ●. 2. , Lord we have heard and seen that out of the mouths of these babes and little ones thou hast ordained strength, 
x Ioh 11.5.  and perfitted thy praise, Lord we have heard, and seen, the blind see, the lame walk, the ulcerated cleansed, the dease hear, and to the poor the Gospel is preached. O Lord holy and reverend is thy name 
y Psal. 111.9.  blessed be thy name for ever and ever. 
z Levit. 21.18.  There was a time that some sort of people were by proscription banished the temple, Cacus & Claudus non intrabunt in templum, an order among the jews neither the halt nor blind must enter into the Temple, which Law seemeth strange, not only seeing that Caeci and Claudi among the Romans as Plutarch 
a Plut. in vita Coriolam.  noteth were the surnames of chief families of note, but also because the jews themselves, descended originally from the blind and lame, for Isaac the son 
b Gen. 27.1.  of the father of the faith full was blind, 
c Gen. 32.31.  and jacob the son of Isaac himself the father oh the patriarchs was lame: But this custom is antiquited, and now not only, the door of the Temple is open, but the vetle of the Temple is broken and the master of the feareth wh●en● his servants into the streets and lanes of the Cu●, to bring in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the beggars, and maimed, and halt, and blind, our Churches are op●n to receive the poor, 
d Luk. 14.21.  unto the poor the Gospel is preached, they are not only cured in Bethesdae? pool, but counseled in this place as in salomon's porch, they are not only cured in the soars of Adames body, but prepared for the company of their brother Lazarus in Abraham's bosom, 
e Math. 5.3.  and therefore I say with our Saviour blessed be the poor, 
f Psal. 41.1.  and with the Psalmist blessed be they that consider the poor, 
g Deut. 33.1.  a blessing as ample as ever Moses wished Israel, the goodwill and blessing of him that dwelled in the Bush, 
h Deut. 33.16.  be upon you all, the Lord bless you with the blessings of heaven above, the blessings of the deep beneath, the blessings of the fields and fruits, the blessing of the barns and baskets, the blessing of City and Country, and the blessings of both testaments, of both lives, of both worlds, be upon you all from this day forth for evermore.  
I am not yet you see entered into the tent of my Text, my meditations are yet as the affring betwixt the porch and the altar, or rather yet we be in atrio the entry, I must not go through the Temple, and neither must I stay at the king's pillar, nor the Priest's altar, the holy ointment in this history is neither belonging to the Coronation of the King, nor Consecration of the Priest, nor Dedication of the holy place. This story tells us of the anointing of our Saviour, and his unction was rather (saith Jerome) spiritualis then ritualis: 
jerom. in Isay.  he was a Priest never anointed as a Priest, and a King never anointed as a King. God anointed jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost, saith S. Peter; 
Acts 8.38.  God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows, saith the Psalmist. Saul was anointed but with a vial of oil, 
Psal 45.7. 1 Sam 10.1. 1 Sam. 16.1.  David with a full horn of oil, but he is anointed above high fellows, with the oil of gladness, from the crown of his head, to the skirt of his garment. 
Vers. 8.  Therefore saith judas, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, To what purpose is this waste? Anointed by the Father, anointed by the Holy Ghost, anointed with oil of gladness? unctio spiritualis, saith Innocentius, agit & auget proculdubio quod designat. 
Im. oc. de sacr. uncti. nu.  What needs this anointing, especially from a woman a woman weak by hersex, wicked by her sin; a woman, if the most, and best, and ancientest Interpreters be not deceived, sinful for her life, hateful for her lust: a notorious enormous public Publican, City sinner. Magdalena lena, Magdalen possessed formerly with seven Devils, 
Luk. 7.37.  she of all others, she to be so bold, to power her oil upon the head of her Saviour. Modest was that miserable woman, that trembled when she touched, and durst not touch him, but the hem of his garment. This sorrowful solitary soul in the spring of her repentance, washed his feet with her tears, no more but his feet, stood behind him, kneeling, weeping, washing, wiping his feet, kissing his feet, anointing his feet with a box of ointment, and behold the dew of her devotion falleth not, the Sun of righteousness draweth it up. Aaron's oil was derived from the head to the feet, 
Luk 7.47.  magdalen's oil from the feet to the head: Dilexit multum, was her first reward, She loved much; and Love is not ruled with reason, but with love: it neither regardeth what can be, nor what should be done, but only what itself desireth to do. No difficulty can stay it, no impossibility appall it. 
Greg. de Mar. Magd.  Gregory speaketh of her, Amanti semel aspicere non sufficit, vis amoris intentionem multiplicat unctionis; Love doubled this duties, for Love is title just enough, and armour strong enough for all assaults, itself a reward of all labours. Affection like a fiery Cherubin flies from anointing his feet to his head. judas, ask no other reason, Dilexit multum, she loved much. There was no Disciple Satan could fasten on to betray our Saviour but judas: the bag was a curse to judas, as well as the sop at the supper. judas that carried the bag, was he (as 
a joh. 12.4.  S. john tells us) that repined at the bounty of the love and labour of this woman: judas censures it, our Saviour commends it: judas murmureth: Let her alone, Why trouble ye the woman, saith our Saviour: Wherefore is this waste? saith judas. It is a good work, saith our Saviour; it might have been given to the poor saith judas: The poor ye have always, but me ye have not, saith our Saviour. It might have been sold for much, saith judas: In that she hath powered this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial, saith our Saviour; and adds this for a Corollary, Wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached through the whole world, there shall this that this woman hath done be told for a memorial of her. Our Saviour gave many gracious testimonies of many in the Gospel: 
job. 1.17.  of Nathaniel, Behold a true Israelite; of the Centurion, I have not found such faith in Israel; of the b Canaanite, O woman, great is thy faith; of the sinful woman Magdalen, Much is forgiven her, because 
c Luk. 7.47.  she loved much: But all these are far short of Mary's sweet smelling memorial. A time there was that our Saviour commended 
d Luk. 10.42.  Mary for her hearing him, above Martha for entertaining him, Mary hath choose the better part, which shall not be taken from her. Non opus repreh●ndit, sed munus aistinxit, saith Aug. 
e de verl is Dom●●i, ser. 27.  Austin: But now Mary takes upon her Martha's duty, and is as much honourable in entertaining as Martha, as she was in hearing as Mary: she hath chosen our saviours head to anoint, she hath chosen the better part, which shall not be taken from her. For wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached, etc.  
I find good works ranked into two files, the offices of Devotion, as Alms, and such like, which be opera misericordit; and the duties of Religion, as Prayers, Repentance, sanctity of the heart, mortifying of the members, cleared of the conscience from dead works to serve the living God, furthering by all our endeavours the glory of God; these be opera justitiae: The former be manuum sacrificia, the latter cordium sacrificia: In the first the withered hand is only healed, but in the second the dead is raised: the first seedeth Christ in the members of his manhood, the second yieldeth Christ the honour of his Godhead: the first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: the first is the washing of Christ's feet, the latter the anointing of his head: Magdalen a sinner may anoint his feet, but Marry a Convert only may anoint his head▪ The first is as the widows mite, a good work, and not unrewarded; but the second is salomon's offering, honoured and proclaimed: the first as the dawning of the day, the second as the snining of the Sun. Both these have gloriously appeared in this your City, and the former the anointing of Christ's feet, the feeding, clothing, healing of his hungry, naked, sick and weak servants, hath been often urged in this place; and well it is, that so it is: for far be it but we anoint Christ's feet, seeing he washed his servants feet 
a joh. 13.5. : far be it but Alms should ever have their honour. Paul was Collector for the poor 
b 1 Cor. 16.1. , and our Saviour was Overseer for the poor 
c Luk. 21.4. : Alms are the fruit of the Saints 
d Rom. 15.28. , and an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing unto God 
e Phil. 4.10. : These aught you to have done, and not to leave the other undone; 
Matth. 23.23.  for as Peter said to Christ, so Christ saith to us, not my feet only, 
Ioh 13.9. Chrysost●m. Augustin. Ambr●s. Orige●. Chriso●.  but my head: for as the star of my Interpreters leadeth me, though by divers lines, yet in all of them there is but one and the same light, the anointing of Christ's head is veneranda meditatio divinitatis, & devota contemplatio passionis & resurrectionis, a reverend awful meditation of Christ his divinity, and a devout contemplation of Christ his blessed, yet bloody Passion, and of his great and glorious Resurrection. Aaron's head was anointed with blood and oil 
f Levit. 8.30. ; we must anoint our saviours head with our oil, seeing he hath anointed our heads with his blood, for the blessing of his blood is upon us and upon our seed for ever. It is Christ's speech to the Church in the Canticles, Dul●iora unguenta quàm aromata, 
Cant. 4.10.  Thy ointments are sweeter than thy spices. Of all the ointments in the whole Book of God, none so sweet as this: The holy ointment appointed by God, continued but till the Captivity; then the holy fire went out, the holy Ark was spoiled, and the holy oil spilled. Nihil tam diffusivum, 
Beru.  ac oleum, nothing of so spreading a diffusive nature as oil, no oil ever so diffusive, as this. Aaron's ointment was odoriferous and diffisive, but from the head to the beard, and so to the body, as it was used, so it wasted. Elias oil diffusive and miraculous was spent and wasted not, spread over all the house, for the sustenance of a Prophet, 
Kings 17.15.  a Widow, a child, a whole family, a whole year, so long continued, but then confined. Elishaes' oil was diffusive and precious, and the more powered out, the more increased: it filled all the widows vessels, all her neighbour's vessels, filled all the vessels she could borrow, and paid all the debt that her husband had borrowed; but when it had supplied the widows want, the fountain failed. But neither Aaron's holy vessel of oil, nor samuel's vial, nor David's horn, nor the widow of Zareptas cruse, nor the Prophet's widows Pot of oil, nor the Alabaster box of the sinful woman's ointment, so precious, so permanent, so odoriferous as this Saint's ointment, which as the Orient Sun is ever in the full. S. john tells us, 
john 12.5.  that the house was filled with the odour of the ointment: but our Saviour tells us, the whole world shall be filled with the odour hereof, for wheresoever this Gospel is preached through the whole world, etc. It is sweet in all nostrils, not in Bethany only, or Galilee, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, wheresoever; nor as a Story, or Parable, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a Gospel; nor as a Rubric or title of a Gospel, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a Gospel of itself, this Gospel; nor a Gospel as the talon hid in the bank, or the candle under the bushel, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a preached Gospel; nor a Gospel preached only in Canaan, or on the other side jordan, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, throughout the whole world; nor so preached, as that the Act shall be remembered, and the Author neglected, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, this that this woman hath done; nor so preached, as that the memory of this that she hath done should ever be forgotten; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, shall be told for a memorial of her. This were enough. The oil was precious, but the box of ointment could not be so precious as now it is famous; a stranger increase than the growth of a grain of mustard seed, that is least of all seeds, 
Matth. 13.32.  yet greatest of all herbs: but this miraculous ointment far beyond that, it shall spread so far as the Gospel shall be preached, through the world, and shall be preached as long as the world shall be continued. Ecce Prophetiam & Prophetam, Euangelistam & evangelium; it is a Prophecy and a Gospel, spoken by a Prophet and an Evangelist. All the Prophets prophesied of Christ, and behold Christ prophesieth of Mary: All the Evangelists wrote the Gospel of Christ, Christ preach●th, and prophesieth, and proclaimeth thi● Gospel of Mary▪ and sealeth his prophecy and preaching with an oath, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Verily I say to you, Wheresoever, etc.  
She brought a box of Alabaster, her box not empty, not musty. Boxes of Alabaster may be like the pharisees sepulchres, carrying fair titles without, corrupt carcases within. The box might be precious, the ointment poisonous: but as her box was no stained Alabaster, for the box was pure; so the ointment precious: As the oil was enough in that little box to anoint her saviours head and body; so the Alabaster was enough to build a monument for her body and memory. Babylon thought to be famous for a Tower, the R●ubenites for their monument built an Altar, Absalon for his memorial set up a Pillar, Hercules upon two Promontories erected for a perpetual remembrance two Pillars, 
1 Machh. 1●. 27  Simon Macchabeus set up seven pillars for a Sepulchre of the Macchabees, Artemisia for her husband made a Royal Tomb, one of the wonders of the world, with 36. pillars. But all, all the Statues, Tombs, and Obelisks, and Piles, and Pillars, and Pyramids, and Ornaments, and Monuments, in the whole world, are nothing to Mary's memorial, built out of this small box of Alabaster.  
I have yet but showed you the box, at most but opened it: now as the Spouse speaketh, 
Cant. 1.3:  because of the savour of the good ointment, her ointment must be powered out.  
In this box of ointment there is the Prophecy of a Gospel: The whole Bible is but Prophecy and Gospel, they be both in this box. Beautiful is the box, odoriferous is this of all other ointments: Sacred is the Prophecy, glorious is this of all Gospels: never any prophecy so inlaid or invellopd with a Gospel, every word the Gospel, every word the Prophecy: in which Prophecy, or Gospel, or Prophecy of the Gospel, observe two general parts, The two great lights of heaven, the Sun and Moon, for as God giveth light to the Sun, and the Sun to the Moon, so Christ giveth light to this Gospel, & this Gospel life to Mary's memorial. 1. The Promulgation of the Gospel, This Gospel shall be preached, etc. 2. The Proclamation of Mary's memorial, Mention shall be made of this, etc.  
In the first general part, observe first the subject, the Gospel, not a Story, or Parable, but a Gospel, evangelium Regni 
a Matth. 4.23. , evangelium Dei 
b Rom. 1.1. , evangelium Christ's 
c Phil. 1.5. , evangelium salutis 
d Eph. 1.13.18. , evangelium mortis & resurrectionis Christ's, as my Interpreters tell me, the Gospel of the passion and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour. 2. The publishing of this Gospel, the Gospel shall be preached, not written only, and laid up, as the Tables in the Ark; not read and repeated only, as Moses' Law in the Synagogue; not endorsed on the doors, as the Prophecies were on the Temple; not inscribed or embroidered on the phylacteries, as the pharisees did the Decalogue; not tied up in the napkin of silence, or buried in the bank of negligence, but proclaimed and preached; This Gospel shall be preached. 3. The extent of this preaching, This Gospel shall be preached in the whole world, not in some Cantons or Corners of the world; not on the Mount only, as Moses gave his Law; not in the valley only, as jehoshaphat gave his thanks; or in the wilderness, as john Baptist gave his warning; but in the whole world, from one Sea unto another, from the River unto the world's end: This Gospel is gone throughout all the earth, and this sound unto the end of the world. This Gospel shall be preached in the whole world.  
In the second general part observe first a particular act which must follow the general preaching of this Gospel; this expressed by the words, This done, in the seventh verse, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, precious ointment, in the tenth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a good work, verse 11. preferred before other good works, as before giving to the poor, The poor ye have always, me ye have not always; verse 12. commended not only for the excellency of the act, but the opportunity of the time, In that she powered this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. Our Saviour joineth, This Gospel shall be preached, and this. Secondly, the Author or Actor of this deed, 
Math. 16.7.  this woman, Matthew says no more, I here came unto him a woman having an Alabaster box, Mark saith no more 
* Mark. 14.4.  than Matthew, Saint 
x joh. 12.3.  Iohn ●ames this woman. Marry took a pound of ointment; A blessed woman, as blessed as ever any, but only she whom all generations shall call blessed. This woman, honour of her name, ornament of her Tribe, the glory of her sex, admitted to anoint the head of our Saviour: john Baptist the greatest of the sons of women, not admitted to perform so much a● this woman, he baptized with water, she anoints with oil, baptism common to the common people, unction anointing of the head, proper to the King the head of the people, this woman did this, she anointed the King of Kings, therefore our Saviour took so gracious notice of it, this that this woman. Thirdly, the memorial hereof, this that this woman hath done, shall be told in memorial of her. Mary's memory is continued by Christ, by the Church, by the Disciples, by the Saints in all ages, sooner heaven and earth lose their stations, sun and moon their motions, winter and summer their seasons, all the world shall sooner vanish, and the frame of nature perish then this memorial fail to remain among the posterities, this that this woman hath done, shall be told for a memorial of her. Lastly, it shall be wheresoever, in every place where the Gospel is read, or heard, or preached, Mary's memory follows our Saviour as the marigold the sun: Marry that followed Christ to the feast of the Pharisie, to the house of the Leper, to the grave of Lazarus, to the Cross, to the Sepulchre, to the Garden, to Galilee, now follows our Saviour over all the world, for wheresoever the Gospel is preached. You see here be no less than seven particulars, a whole weeks work, nay more a journey over all the whole world. This is only the comfort, as the wisemen were lead by the light of a star, so we shall go by the light of the Gospel. And to settle your attentions, I began at the mark of my meditations, beginning as S. Mark begins his first chapter, The Gospel of jesus Christ, wheresoever this Gospel.  
Nomen evangelii nomen gaudij, saith the gloss, the name of Gospel is a name of gladness, 
1 Gloss.  sweet is this name, and the Saints love it well. The name of Law was strange, a name not so much as known to the Grecians in the time of Homer, as josephus 
y joseph. contra Appion. lib. ●.  against Appion observeth that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not so much as once used in all the writings of Homer, 
Scapula pag. 10.  but the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Budeus observes is found in Homer, Euripides, and Aristophanes, and Atheneus, and Plutarch, wherein we see as neither the jews Law, no nor the name of it, was known a long time to the Grecians, so the name of Gospel before the Gospel was known to the Gentiles, & a name used for gladtidings among the Gentiles, as if it were most properly the light of the Gentiles: the 70. Interpreters use it as oft as they meet with Basar or Besora which signify to deliver a message, or be a Messenger. Saint 
a Luk. 1.1.  Luke tells us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, many took in hand to write this Gospel. And Theophilact upon those words 
b Theoph. in 1. Luke.  saith attentarunt quidem Pset●doapostols, non perfecerunt: Clemens Alexandrinus tells us the Tatiani had a Gospel secundum Egiptios: and Epiphanius that some had a Gospel secundum Hebraeos. Gnostickes had the Gospel of Philip, and the Manichees the Gospel of Thomas, and others the Gospel of Mathias: But Basilides of all others as Saint Hierome observes was the most bold and blasphemous, that durst write a book and entitle it his Gospel. But as all the Fathers confuted those heresies, and stopped the mouths of these blasphemies, so especially Irenaeus by the four winds, Saint Hierome out of Zacharies' vision 
c Zach. 6.1.  by the four Chariots, and Saint Austin out of Ezekiels' vision 
d Ezek. 1.6.  by the four Cherubins, show there be no more but four Evangelists, and these four to concur to one quatuor evangelia esse unum evangelium, et si aliud atque aliud ob personarum differentiam, unum tamen ob eorum quae loquuntur consonantiam, saith Chrysostome: the Gospel is therefore the gladtidings of God to salvation, 
Chrysost. tom. 4. in Epist. ad Gal.  bringing the joyful message that jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners: the Law was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
f 2 Cor. 3.7.  but the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The Law of death was turned into the Gospel of life, and therefore was Moses in the transfiguration with Christ, because the Law of Moses was transfigured by the Gospel of Christ Now the Gospel doth consider Christ especially either as he was corpus carnis in his incarnation, in the veil of flesh or as corpus mortis, in his Passion as he was in the shadow of death, or as primitiae resurrectionis, in his resurrection, and triumph over death, and as in all other of Christ his passages, so especially in these the Gospel is the gladtidings: it was glad-tiding in his birth, when the Messenger was an Angel, the message a Gospel, but when the Saviour of men and Angels delivers a Gospel much more it is gladtidings. So is it here where our Saviour the Author of the Gospel delivers a Gospel. This Gospel: and what this Gospel is is expressed in the second verse, it is the crucifying of Christ, in the twelfth verse the burial and resurrection of Christ and indeed these of all other, are the gladtidings of the Gospel, for the Passion and resurrection of Christ are the lines, that the patriarchs and Prophets beheld by the perspective of faith in the beautiful pieces of God's promises, these above all, be the gladtidings, even this Gospel of Christ's death and triumph over death: the Angels in Christ's resurrection told the women Luk. 20.6. Remember how he spoke unto you in Galilee, the son of man shall be delivered into the hands of sinful men, 
Luk. 24.6.  and be crucified, and the third day rise again. Indeed this was the Gospel, and this Gospel he especially taught his Disciples, and he taught his Gospel especially in Galilee, when he came into Galilee he taught his Disciples the son of man shall be delivered and killed, and rise the third day, Mark. 9.31. 
Math. 9.31.  while they abode in Galilee he taught his Disciples the son of man, shall be betrayed into the hands of men, they shall kill him and be shall be raised again the third day, 
Math. 17.22.  Math. 17.22. when he came towards jerusalem from Galilee, he taught them this, the Saviour of man shall be delivered to the Gentiles, shall be crucified and the third day shall rise again, Math. 20.19. going to Galilee, 
Math. 20.19.  in Galilee, throughout Galilee, coming out of Galilee he taught his Disciples his Passion and resurrection. Galilee as Jerome and others, signifieth transmigrationem, 
jerom. interp. Nom. Heb.  a departure a transmigration. It was the Gospel of Galilee, of his transmigration, he did teach this Gospel of transmigration, in the Land of transmigration, it was transmigration from life to death by his Passion, from death to life by his resurrection. The whole Gospel is an Epistle sent from God saith Austin, evangelium Dei, epistola de caelo missa: 
Austin.  And it representeth Christ unto us spirantem, docentem, mira patrantem dira patientem, preaching, teaching, accomplishing wonderful suffering sorrowful things, 
Basill.  as Basill speaks this death the ministry of our life, the life of man, but death of sin, death of Satan, in the death of our Saviour. This is a Gospel of gladtidings, and is it glad tidings? to hear that such a person as the son of God, 
Math. 13.99.  Mark. 15.39 suffered such a Passion as the curse of the Law, Gal. 3.15. by so great a compassion, as to do it for his enemies. 
Rom. 5.  That in his birth he was placed among beasts, then tempted by Devils, then persecuted by Tyrants, then condemned by murderers, then crucified among thieves, and thus he did live, thus he did die. To hear him contemned for his progeny, a Carpenter's son; for his Province, a Galilean; for his profession, a Samaritan; his Disciples Law breakers, his doctrine treason, seducing the people, his miracles impostures, casting out Devils by Beelsebub, his company Publicans and sinners, for his whole life breaking the Sabbaoth, a bibber of wine, working by the Devil, possessed with the Devil: Therefore he must die. If it be gladtidings? to hear of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Nazianz.  as Nazianzene collects, them of the stripes, and scoffings, and spittings, and thorns, and cross, and nails, and spear, and sweat, and blood, and wounds, and distressful cry, and horrid death: to hear and see this prodigious Tragedy, in a theatre of dead men's bones, covered over with ruthful darkness, Angels, Devils, rocks, graves, the whole universe and Creature concurring to this spectacle, only the sun absenting, abhorring to see such a death, 
Alle●tus.  Supplicium quo nullum maius, opprobrium quo nullum vilius, the grave and hell, yelling out their grief, for the wonder of our redemption, by this woeful passion.  
If this be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glad tidings? as who dare deny it to be, for if Appian writing of the murder of Tully endorsed his letter, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Carrying good news to Anthory: then how glad, how good, those tidings of the death of Christ; If it be gladtidings, as who can deny it to be? unless they be enemies to the cross of Christ, and seek to evacuate the cross of Christ, 1 Cor. 1.17. whereas Christ hath reconciled all things by his cross, Coloss 1.20. and shine enmity by his body on the cross, Ephes. 2.16. and the power of God is the preaching of the cross, 1 Cor. 1.18. The cross being non patibutum Patientis, sed tribunal Trium phantiss, as Jerome calls it: If in the stormy winter of his death, 
Hi●●on●.  such life, than what lustre, what glory, what beauty, what life of life, in the spring of life. The cross of Christ is the only knowledge of a Christ an, 1 Cor 2.2. The excellency of his knowledge, Phil. 3.8. The glory of his knowledge, Gal. 6.14. Which made the Apostle cry out God forbidden, that I should glory in any thing but in the cross of our Lord jesus Christ. But look how far life surpasseth death, so far is the joy of the Resurrection above the Passion, no tongue can express this noble act of the Lord his blessed and triumphant Resurrection, Mori dignatus est ex voluntate, 
Tertull.  sed resurrexit ex potestate, saith Tertullian; when neither bowels of the earth, nor ligament of the grave, nor sorrows of death, nor power of hell, able to contain him, but that Christ is risen again, Christ is risen from the dead, a●●he best time of the whole year, the time of the great Passover, first day of the week, best day of the year, first hour of the day, at dawning of the dawnie day, Math. 28.1. rising of the sun, Mark. 16.1. early in the morning, Luk. 24.1. early while it was dark, john 20.1. Oritus ex alto, oriens ex imo, he that was the resurrection and life, rose by his resurrection unto life, and became the first fruits of the dead, 1 Cor. 15.20. first begotten of the dead, Revel. 1.5. first borne of the dead, Coloss. 1.18. first of those that did arise from the dead, Acts 26.23. Here is glory, and joy, and gladtidings, and if ever the souls of the Saints and servants of God, were transported out of their bodily senses, it should be at this Gospel that I bring unto you of gladtidings, of great joy that shall be to all people, that Christ is risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that sleep; Christ is risen from the dead, and now dieth no more, Christ is risen from the dead, death where is thy sting? grave where is thy victory? thanks be given unto God, who hath given us victory by our Lord jesus Christ. It may seem to be collected, that this Gospel, is the Gospel of the resurrection not only in 32. vers. when I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee: but more manifestly out of the 12. verse. In that she poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial: why was the body anointed for the burial, but in respect of the resurrection of the body? Saint Paul asketh the question, why are they baptised for the dead, 
1 Cor. 15.  if no resurrection of the dead? why an anointing of Christ's body, unless because of the resurrection of his body? Resurrectio Christi complementum omnium promissionum, saith Aquinas, 
Aquia.  without which, no promise performed, no prophesy fulfilled, no mystery revealed, no body redeemed from the power of death, no soul could receive the Gospel of life; Christ took upon him the name of the resurrection, 
joh. 11.25.  job. 11.25. gave no sign but of the resurrection, 
Math. 12 39  Math. 12.39. showed his power, wrought our righteousness, by no means so evidently as by the resurrection, 
Rom 4.25.  Rom. 4.25. taught his Disciples, no doctrine so frequently, in 6. Chapters in Matthew, in 5. Mark, in 4. in Luke often in john, mention of his resurrection: so that especially this Gospel is the Gospel of Christ's resurrection from which root ariseth this fruitful branch of doctune: 
Doct.  The resurrection of Christ is the most glad-tiding, of the Gospel, and containeth in it the sum of the whole Gospel. So S. Austin, Resurrectio Christs tota fides Christianorum. 
Austin.  The resurrection of Christ is the whole faith of Christians: So Bernard, 
Bern.  vis evangelii Epitomen, en resurrectionem, wilt thou have an Epitome of all the Gospel, behold the resurrection: 
Hilary.  So Hilary, Resurrectionis testimonium proprium munus Apostolorum, The testimony of the resurrection is the chief office of the Apostles. The reasons of this doctrine are many, without this all the mysteries of our redemption were vain: Please but to walk into the spring Garden of the resurrection the 15. of the 1. Cor. where the Apostle showeth that if it were not for the resurrection of Christ that are already a sleep are perished, 
1. Cor. 15.  they that are alive, are in their sins, and therefore dead, twice telleth them your faith vain, our preaching vain, and we and you of all men most miserable, Hearers and Preachers, and living, & dead, and all miserable. Death should wound us unto death, the grave shut her mouth upon us, the devouring throat of an open Sepulchre close her jaws upon us: our portion only in this life, and we no better than the life of beasts, temples, and Bibles, and faith, and hope, and heaven, and all in vain, were it not for the resurrection of Christ from the dead. Again the resurrection of Christ in that one act comprehendeth all the acts of the Gospel; here is Christ's incarnation, he took flesh again upon him, here is his conception as before a virgin mother, so here a virgin sepulchre, here is his baptism, as he came out of the waters, so now he cometh out of the earth, as in the temptation after forty days he came from the wilderness, so hereafter forty hours he cometh into the world, here is his transmigration, whereby he is translated from death to life. In his resurrection the confluence of all his miracles, he that gave sight to the blind, openeth his own eyes, and ears to the deaf, openeth his own ears, and speech to the dumb, openeth his own mouth, he that bad the lame man arise and walk, ariseth from death and walketh, and herein worketh the greatest miracle that ever he did: Non suscitavit alterum sed se seipsum, 
Bern.  nec suscitatiosed resurrectio, saith Bernard, He raised not up another but himself, and it was not passively to be raised by another power, but actively by his own, not a raising but a rising. So that this of all others is the sum of the Gospel, never gladtidings till now, never so glad, so good-tidings as now, 
Bona:  In nascendo contulit consortium naturae, in patiendo beneficium gratiae, in resurgendo complementum gloriae: In his birth he conferred the fellowship of nature, in death, the benefit of grace, in rising, complement of glory, saith Bonaventure. Herein, only herein he brought defunctis vitam, peccatoribus veniam, Sanctis gloriam: Life to the dead, pardon to sinners, glory to Saints, as Bernard speaketh. Therefore we rejoice, and hereby our joy shall be full: Surrexit Christus exultet universus mundus, The joy of this time, like that of the Spouse in the Canticles, which may be applied to Christ's resurrection; Arise my Love, my fair one, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone, the flowers appear in the earth, the time of the singing of birds is come, the voice of the Turtle is heard in our Land, the Figtree putteth forth her green figs, and the Vines with their tender grapes yield a good smell: Arise, my Love, my Dove, my Fair one, 
Austin.  and come away Exultet universus mundus, Let the world rejoice and all that are therein. The righteous branch of the root of jesse hath reflourished, the Lion of the Tribe of judah is awakened, our Phoenix is risen from his own ashes, our Eagle renewed his bill, our joseph is brought out of prison, our Samson hath carried away the gates of Assah, our Mordecai is exalted, our Daniel delivered from the den, our jonas is cast up by the whale, our Lazarus restored to life, our Glory, our Gospel, our Glad tidings, our Christ is risen from the dead.  
Let us then above all other meditations rejoice in the knowledge of the Gospel of Christ, 
Use.  and especially in the remembrance of the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ, seeing that as the Gospel is the power of God to salvation, so the resurrection, of all other parts, hath manifested the power of our redemption, from the grave, from sin, from death, from the Devil. Let us rejoice in the resurrection of our Lord and Saviur, seeing by this he shall raise our vile bodies, to be like his glorious body. Let us with all care embrace this faith, seeing the bright morning star which was darkened by death, hath recovered light, let us be sure he will bring us out of darkness into the light of his countenance. Abraham saw the day of Christ's birth, 
G●eg. Mor.  Esay foresaw the day of Christ's death, job saw the day his dunghill. Let us begin the first resurrection from sin to grace, that we may be raised from nature to glory. Of all the Feasts of the whole Church in the whole year, we have none like this: the Church enjoineth the rest, Scripture commands this: S. Paul gives an injunction for celebrating of Easter; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ our Passeover is offered for us, 
1 Cor. 5.7.  let us keep the Feast, our Passeover, for us let us, Nostrum, Nobis, Nos. Christ the Passeover indeed, as he was offered, and our Passeover as he was raised, passing from death to life: Let us then keep this Feast. Paul's injunction is an Epistle for this Gospel, of this Feast. All the Saints on earth through the Christian world, keep this Feast, as their joy and jubilee: All the Angels in heaven (saith Cyprian) observe the same; 
Cyprian.  Ipsi Angeli eius gaudia Paschata agunt in coelestibus. Let us then observe these solemnities, in the meditation of this Gospel, with all reverence to this glad tidings of Christ's resurrection. Let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, not with the old leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Let the dead bury their dead; let us bring forth some fruits of the Gospel, to arise from dead works, to serve the living God. Epicures, Basilidians, Sadduces, Saturnians, deny the truth of Christ's resurrection: let not us deny the power. Which we do if we bring not forth the fruits of the Gospel, if we cast not off the works of death and darkness. Christ appeared first to Mary Magdalen, and sent her to be the first messenger to Peter; Christ to Magdalen, Magdalen to Peter, Magdalen the greatest sinner among women, Peter the greatest sinner among men; Magdalen to Peter, Magdalen cleansed of seven Devils, sent to Peter pardoned of three denials. Let Magdalen and Peter preach this to you, or rather Christ himself, and this day if ye will hear his voice, 
Psal 95.7.  harden not your hearts. Beloved, he that is risen from the grave, is not risen in all your hearts; with the pharisees ye have laid a stone, and the Devil he hath laid the watch, and that heavy grave stone of sin sealed down, presseth down souls: few will be raised, few shall be saved. The hypocrite dares not rise, he hath so many shapes, he feareth God will not know him, if he meet him. The harlot cannot rise, she is a dead soul in a painted Sepulchre. The drunkard would rise, but hath neither hand nor foot to help himself, the earth's monster, and his own murderer. The Gallant like Lazarus in the grave, is fast bound, is close prisoner to his own clothes. The Usurer is jailor to other men's bonds, and bondslave to his own money. The Courtier of all other is most careful to rise, yet no man sleeps longer, either fettered with hopes, or ensnared by fancy, or bewitched by favour, but beginning with false footing, falls, and lies by it. The plain Country man riseth up early, goeth late to bed, eateth the bread of carefulness, observeth how dearth ariseth, but for other rising, he believes it is enough if he shall rise at the last day. The Citizen, of all other is most likely to arise, the City being the Sea into which all the fresh rivers run, though many ships here suffer shipwreck. The Citizen is willing to rise, for it is impossible how he should sleep, and as worthy to rise as any; he is the State's Treasurer, and the Lands Pillar, and sure the Citizens rising would be blessed if hi● stairs were not crooked. We ourselves that preach the resurrection, cannot rise, because we will not hear our selves. The Church as well as Churchyard is full of dead bodies: willingly would many of us rise, though by Simon Magus acquaintance: others would rise, but they have no Angels to put them into the Pool: others are risen, and worse than Magdalen, never preached since their resurrection. Beloved, these are not the fruits of the Gospel, not the fruits of the resurrection. I am no Satire, nor this place a Pasquil: I acknowledge many, and many blessed servants of God, to be fruitful in this doctrine, in Church, Court, City, Country: yet be there not in this Auditory, that would be more hearty inflamed with some other Gospel than this Gospel, some other doctrine than this of the Resurrection? Som● 〈◊〉 Ca●iz 〈…〉 would willingly hear this Text practised, Own nothing to any man but love: and some poo●e Creditors this T●x● urged, The good man is merciful, and dareth. Some grea● Lawyers desire to hear this Text pressed, The Law is good, if a man use it lawfully, 1. Tim. 1.8. but some poor Clients this Text opened, Brethren, there is utterly a fault among you, that ye go to law one with another, 1. Cor 6.7. The Glutton would no Text but this, Go eat of the fat, and drink of the sweet, Nehemiah 8.10. The I surer none but this Text, A wise man put out his Talents to use, Mat. 25.14. The Country man would hear the City and Country compared to Pharaohs fat and lean kine, the one devouring the other. The Citizen and Country man would hear that Christ was first persecuted by the Court, at his birth by Herod and his Court, at his death by P●late and his Court. Of all Texts, there is one tedious to all in Country and City. Yet in the mean time the poor Minister hath found the Text, and preached it, though it takes no success, and it is a Text to be taught all, and his Text is Deut. 14.22. 
Deut. 14 22.  Thou shalt truly tithe of all thy increase. And he is bound to preach this, for how can he preach unless he be maintained? and bound because he heareth God curse where man denieth tithe. Read when you come home, with horror, 
Mal. 3.8:  Mal. 3.8. Will a man rob God? yet ye have rob me, saith the Lord. But ye say, Wherein have we rob thee? His answer is, In tithes and offerings, therefore ye are cursed with a curse. But I forget myself. Christ's salutation in the resurrection was Peace be unto you, and I bring to you a Gospel of peace. Arise therefore thou that sleepest, if Christ shall give thee life, let not Adam's apple, achan's wedge, Esau's broth, Babylon's cup, judas sop, betray thee; the snares of Satan, fetters of the flesh, chambers of death, works of darkness, chains of hell, enthrall thee; arise by Christ, to Christ, with Christ, as if ye had embraced this Gospel of Christ, seeing this Gospel is a preached Gospel. My second passage.  
Preaching is the ordinary means to work believing. It is the Trumpet of Esay, the Cymbal of David, the sound of Aaron's bells in the Sanctuary, the savour of life unto life unto them that believe. It is a speech to men to edification, exhortation, 
1 Cor 14.3.  comfort, 1 Cor. 14.3. Preaching is the cistern to convey life and belief to the soul, the knife to divide the Scripture, the key of the Kingdom of heaven, 
Ier 23.29. Rom. 1.16. jer. 23.29. Esay 55.11. Eph●s. 6.17. Heb. 4.12.  a fire, jer. 23.29. a power, Rom. 1.16. a hammer, jer. 23.29. a shower, Esay 55.11. a sword, even the sword of the spirit, Ephes. 6.17. A sword sharper than a two-edged sword, Heb. 4.12. The Proclamation which the Lord hath used by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began, whereby God hath ever selected a vocation of men, to deal betwixt God and man, whose preaching in their ministery is above all other Oratory, as the Schools observe, 
Aquin. All●rt.  Dicere infra, Docere circa, Predicare supra: We speak of things beneath us, our teaching is of those things about us, but preaching is of things above us. In the Primitive world the first borne was the Priest and Preacher to the family. Before the Flood, Enoch a Preacher of Righteousness, Jude 14. At the Flood, Noah a Preacher of Righteousness, 2 Pet. 2.5. Before the Law, Melchisedecke a King and Priest, Gen. 14.18. In the Law, Solomon a King, a Preacher, Eccles. 1.1. The Lord never intended his word should be laid up only as the Tables of Moses, or the sword of Godliah, or the King's Treasury in the Temple, but ordained an Ecclesiastical Hierarchy for his Church by a Tribe of his choosing, to break the bread of life to his chosen. Aaron so honoured with the Mitre, Censor, Altar, Crown, royal robes, 
Deut 33.10.  and miraculous rod, he and his Tribe were enjoined by God to teach jacob his judgements, and Israel his Laws, Deut. 33.10. The very form of our preaching was practised by the Levites under the Law, Nehemiah 8. verse 2. The meeting of the Congregation, verse 3. Place in the street near the water gate, 4. Esra the Priest stood in a Pulpit made of wood, 6. His Prayer before Sermon, the Prophets Amen, 5. His opening the book, 8. His reading the Text, opening the meaning, giving the sense, causing them to understand. Thus preaching under the Law. Under the Gospel it was the ministery of reconciliation, the promulgation of the glad tidings of the Gospel, and the employing of the Talon God bestoweth, Talentum quod creditum, non quod inventum, saith Lirinensis; A Talon received, not devised: 
Lirinens.  Then by preaching hearing, by hearing faith obtained. Never was there so large a Commission granted, as the Commission of preaching, Go into all Nations Matt. 28.19. And as large was the execution, for they preached in every City, Acts 15.21. in every Church, Acts 19.23. in every place, Mark, 16.20. at every time, in season, out of season, 2 Tim. 4.2. to every creature under heaven, Mark. 16.15. The Gospel was thus generally preached, and to the end of the world must be preached. From which word preached, as out of a fountain, ariseth this stream of Doctrine: The preaching of the Gospel is both the especial ordinance, and great blessing of God. The reason, because it is a light to them that sit in darkness, and a light that God hath appointed to be carried before his people. A light indeed, to them that sat in darkness, where the Prince of darkness, and power of darkness, and works of darkness, and shadow of death, did overwhelm them. There never was so great misery in Israel, as when no Prophet to teach them. Three especial remarkable wants, all harbingers of woe to Israel: No Smith in Israel, 1 Sam. 13.19. No King in Israel, judges 18.1. No Priest in Israel, 2 Chron. 15.3. the last of all the rest most miserable. As doleful, as fearful, is David's complaint of that time, We see no tokens, there is no Prophet more, no man of God in the Land, no man that understandeth any more, no teaching, no Law, no peace, no God among them, because no Priest among them. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: 
H●mer. Ili● l. ●.  All things overthwart, declining, crooked, nay cursed. The word therefore is a light unto our feet, and a lamp to our paths, and the preaching of this word so necessary, that as without hearing no believing, 
Rom 10.14.  so no hearing without preaching, Rom. 10 14. And where no preaching, the people perish, Pro. 29.18. I deny not that reading is a blessed exercise, 
Reu. 1.3.  and blessed is he that readeth, Revel. 1.3. A great part of S. Augustine's conversion is imputed to his reading of a place of Scripture: but sure I am, that the Promise is annexed to preaching; and S. Austin confesseth, 
A●stin C●●f●s  that by S. Ambrose preaching he was especially converted. So in his confession to God may be collected: Ad cum Deus per te ducebar nescius, ut ad te per cum sciens ducerer. 
Austin.  It was preaching rather then baptizing, wherein our Saviour was exercised, john 4.2. Fecit mira, dixit multa, saith Bernard; he wrought miracles, he spoke Oracles. 
Bern.  But as if he had only come to the world to preach, he proclaims himself, Luk. 4.18.19. The spirit of the Lord is upon me, 
Luk. 4.18.  and hath anointed me to preach, to preach the Gospel to the poor, to preach deliverance to the captives, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. In the Primitive Church they traveled, & thirsted, & hungered, & laboured, & sweat, and bled, and died, and compassed sea and land, for the obtaining of this jewel; and in that Infancy of the Church, having found preaching, though as the Wise men Christ in the cratch, they adored it. The Ecclesiastical Story is plentiful herein, not to bring forth in this Sunshine the sacred Lamps burning in those golden candlesticks, Polycarpus, Ignatius, and Clemens, and those many Disciples of the Disciples of the lord justin Martyr records in his time holy meetings, reading, preaching, an hour every Sabaoth. Tertullian testifieth, 
Tertull.  that all the meetings of Christians were celebrated with holy Sermons. The Council of Mentz ordained that every day of the Lord the word of the Lord should be preached, & at the length great was the multitude of the Preachers, the Gospel delivered every where by preaching, as by the only means to bring salvation. And sure if any part of the Gospel might have been delivered sufficiently without preaching, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, this Gospel, the Gospel of the resurrection might; for after our Saviour had showed himself alive by infallible proofs, 
Act. 1.3.  as Luke speaketh, Acts 1.3. such as Aristotle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, proving his resurrection to all the senses; by the sight, he showed, and they saw his wounds; by hearing, he spoke, they heard, Peace be unto you; by tasting, they ministered, and he tasted broiled fish; by the touch, Thomas doubted, and the Lord constrained him to touch his wounds; by the smell, the Lord breathed on them, and they received the holy Ghost. Nature seeks but to sense, the five senses five porches of Nature's Palace. In every sense the Resurrection of Christ proclaimed, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, this Gospel must be preached. When no circumstance of time, or place, or person, unmanifested, appearing the day of his resurrection early in the morning, late at night, both times of day; to the Disciples abroad and in the house, both places; to Soldiers and Apostles, both conditions; jews and Gentiles, both religions; men and women, both sexes; living and dead, both estates; when friends, fo●●, Disciples, strangers, Angels, Devils, bare witness, and graves opened their mouths to proclaim this point, yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, after the horror of the Earthquake, rolling the stone, seeing the clothes, hearing the Angel, witness of the women, satisfying Thomas, eating, speaking, walking, breathing on them, breaking bread with them, bodily presence 40. days among them, having been seen to more than 500 at once, 11. Disciples being witnesses of this, another must be added to be witness to preach the resurrection, 
Act. 1.22.  not caeterorum tantum, sed resurrectionis testem, 
Chrysostom.  saith Chrysostome. So necessary is preaching the Gospel, no Gospel without preaching.  
Let us then embrace the preaching of the Gospel with gladness, 
Use.  as that which is able to save our souls at the great day, the kingdom of God, by the preaching of the Gospel is among us, let him that hath an ear hear what the Spirit saith, 
Hos. 8.12.  Were the things of the Law honourable? Hos. 8.12. How much more should the gracious word brought unto us, by the preaching of the Gospel: Was the second person of the Trinity called the Word, and that Word made flesh; and the third person the holy Ghost came down in tongues of fire, and those tongues only given to preach that word, how then should our hearts burn within us, to inflame us to the desire of these spiritual things? It is much that Enoch and Elias both Preachers, of all other were taken up to heaven, that Lot and Noah both Preachers, of all other were saved from the double deluge of fire and water, that Moses & Elias both Preachers of all sorts of men under the Law, were chose to be with Christ in his transmigration, that kings have been Preachers Melehisedech a King Priest, David a King Prophet, Solomon a King Preacher. But that which is above all, is that Christ jesus that came into the world to save sinners, that came to enrich it with his grace, to confirm it by his example, to redeem it with his blood, came to instruct it with his doctrine, and to preach this Gospel. For his sake, we therefore as Pilgrims, and strangers, beseech you that ye receive not the word of God this grace of God in vain: By the tender mercy of God we beseech you, though ye deny the dignity of preaching, yet acknowledge the power that hath called you to this inestimable light. Saint Peter tells us of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
1 Pet. 2.13.  subjection of the people to the Pastor; and Saint Paul of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the authority of the Pastor over the people, I press neither, but I call for the acknowledgement of the power of preaching: Paul warns frequently that they despise not Timothy, obey them over you, they are worthy of double honour that are over you have them in singular love, and esteem them highly that are our you in the Lord, by authority this may be exacted, but better by charity to be expected. Miserable men! worms and no men, what are we? clods of earth, clothed with infirmity, and mortality as ye are, pieces of clay hewn out of the same pit as ye are, we are but fragments of men, tinkling cimbals, broken cisterns, corruption equally acquainted with us as you: yet we are the Ambassadors of Christ, his strength is in our weakness, and he that hath said despise not prophesy, hath enjoined not to despise Timothy. Beloved, it ye desire salvation, despise not Preachers, nor preaching, I need not urge this in this City, where the Lord hath as many acres of good Christians, as in any such quantity of earth in Christendom, yet if as in job, so in this assembly now the sons of God are come to present themselves before the Lord there be a Satan here, so here, any son of perdition that is a scorner of Preachers, into whose loathsome body Rabshekah is stolen from hell, filling his mouth with blasphemy, against God's ministery. Let him know that jeroboam a kings hand was withered, when he only would lay hold on a Prophet: that 2. Captains, 
1 King. 13.4.  2. fifties fired from heaven when they only would apprehend a Prophet: 42. children torn in pieces, 
2 King. 1.10.  by wild bears, who only as children mocked a Prophet: 
2 King. 2.24.  250. devoured by fire, Corah and all his complices, the men, houses, goods, all devoured by the earth, 
Numb. 16.35.  who only rebelled againsta Prophet: Nay Miriam a holy women, strooken with a loathsome leprosy only for a murmur against a Prophet. Neither King, nor Priest, neither judge, nor Military man, neither Captain, not Soldier, neither man, not woman, neither women, nor children, have escaped vengeance for wronging Prophets: and as if all God's creatures were ready nor only to assist them, but rel●eue them, even the most savage creatures. Crooping Ravens fed Elias a Prophet, raging Lions preserved Damelia Prophet: 
Chr●s●st.  Aves pascunt ferae parcunt, homines sevint, faith Chrysostome. Beloved, I only cast this, dart, at the desperate Atheist, who contemns preaching, and is only witty in this kind of wickedness. Let it be your care, ye watchful Senators of this great City to give all encouragement to this holy exercise, when it was threatened by some popish Courtiers, in the siry reign of Queen Mary that the Court should be removed from the City, which would cause the City's poverty, it was nobly and resolutely answered by the Lord-maior, they feared not, unless they could also remove the currant of the Thames. Beloved, so long as the currant of the Gospel shall engirt your City, well are ye, and happy shall ye be. Give all Christian encouragement that the sound of preaching may be heard in your streets; it were a blessed suit that in your plantation of IRELAND that Land of IRE, where God's wrath hath abounded for the want of the Gospel, ye endeavoured by those reverend Bishops that his sacred Majesty placeth there tosettle faithful, painful Preachers, in your new Cities: The Londiner may plant, the Courtier may water, the Preacher only by God's assistance must bring forth the increase. 
Plat.  There were sometimes no Physicians in Athens, one wondered at it, and questioned it, but received this answer, because no reward for Physicians: Ye have Preachers as plentifully as any City of the world, you may bless God for this: They have in some places among you, as bountiful rewards as men of any vocation in the world, they may blosse God for this: Lawyers may watch over and devour your states; Physicians watch over and destroy your healths: Only preaching is able to save your souls. All ha●e need of this: Many worthy consecrate their sons to this; some good souls I hope take comfort in this. Beloved, if there be any consolution in Christ jesus, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies open your hands, and at length bring forth fruits of such plentisull preaching. Sat ye idle in the market, idle in the vineyard, idle in the Temple? The trump of an Archangel will terrify you, the song of mercy shall be silenced, the voice of the Turtle shall cease: Athens was Mater studiorum, noverca virtutum: Shall London abound in preaching, and abound in sinning, what is this, but to kill the Prophets, and build their Sepulchres It was Dives charity, to send out from the dead, to preach to his brethren; But now it is our saviours mercy he is risen from the dead, and is come to preach the resurrection, and the life, and you partake those things, which the Angels desire to look into, and are never satisfied with looking therein, 1 Pet. 1.2. wherefore I beseech you, Blessed and Beloved, by the care ye have of your own souls, by your hope of salvation, by all the mercies of God, by all the merits of Christ jesus, by his agony and bloody sweat, by his cross and passion, by his precious death and burial, by his glorious resurrection, & ascension, let not your preaching of life, be the savour of death. Let at length preaching, purge your streets of unlawfull-gaine, cleanse your shops of deceit, melt your  balances, quench your lust, cool your lusts, abate your pride, assuage your malice, confound your covetous vicious devices; that you may be restored to righteousness, and holiness, to the Image of him that hath called you: I should not end this point till you begin the practice, but the star leads me, I must follow further, for this Gospel goeth further, this Gospel shall be preached through the whole world. My third part.  
There was light in Goshen, when darkness in all Egypt: 
3  that was strange, but there was darkness in the Temple, when all the earth was full of glory. 
Esay 6.3.4.  Glory in the earth, in the whole earth, the whole earth full of glory, and the Temple full of smoke, it is more strange than that in Sodom, a just man was found, when in jerusalem there was not one good man. Darkness in the Temple, when light in all the world? If the eye be dark how great is that darkness? 
Origen. in Esa. 6.  Origen tells us, this was a manifestation of the preaching of the Gospel, to the Gentiles, and a blinding of the eyes of the jews. But our Saviour was sent rather to the jews than Gentiles, I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, go not into the Gentiles, but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, here is that light as in the Temple, and darkness over all the earth, and cruel habitation? How shall this Gospel be preached throughout the world, when the Gentiles the greatest part of the world were denied the Gospel? Saint Hierome answereth that the Lord would not partake the Gospel to the Gentiles, 
Hierom.  before it had been offered the jews; It was Paul and Barnabas speech, Act. 13.46. It was necessary that the word of God, should be first spoken to you, but seeing ye put it from you, lo we turn to the Gentiles: Hear the Temple was full of smoke, and all the world full of glory. The jews indeed had a light and whether this light were the seat of the Church, or sceptre of the Kingdom, or Law of Moses proper it was to the jews. It was but lucerna a lamp, and at length extinguished: But when the light was conveyed to the Gentiles, it was Lucifer the day star sprung in their hearts, 
2 Pet. 1.19.  Saint Peter so distinguisheth, 2 Pet. 1.19. the Law was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a law shining in a dark place, the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day star in the dawning of the day, well might our Saviour be called the light of the Gentiles, 
Ch●●s st m  for he appeared by a star to the Gentiles: Quare per stellam, quare magis per stellam, saith Chrysostome, as the mother of Sisera answereth herself so doth he, the star was as fit a sign for the Magis as the lamb for the Shepherds, the lamb was borne, Shepherds are first told, of the lamb among the jews: the light of Israel appeared, men in the stars are directed by this star, Christ jesus is the bright morning star, Reu. 22.16. he must be the light of the Gentiles, Lucerna Moses, Lucifer Christus, johannes vox, Christus verlun: Moses was enough for jerusalem, the Church of the jews the daystar must be the light of the Gentiles, john Baptist the voice enough for the wilderness, 
Chrysost.  Christ the Word preached through the world. Ante resurrectionem, ne abteritis post resurrectionem, ite predicate, before the resurrection, this commandment go not into the way of the Gentiles, after, go teach all nations: This text is then the prophesy of the general preaching of the Gospel after the resurrection. Our Saviour being driven out of the Temple, presently healed a man blind from his birth: 
Theoph. Nazianz. Bede. Aquin.  the Greek Fathers, and of the latin, Bede, Aquinas, and others, expound this of Christ being driven from the jews, he healed the Gentiles blind from their birth. Many collections to this purpose the destroying Angel in the pestilence in David's time, sheathed his sword, not over the house of a jew, but over the house of Araumah a jebusite, a Gentile: The Ark was brought home, not to David's house, but to the house of Obed Edom, a Gittite, a Gentile: Before, Abraham's burial place, was purchased of a stranger, a Gentile; the place to build the Temple bought of a stranger a Gentile, the field on which the jews bestowed judas 30. pieces, was bought to bury strangers Gentiles, job from Hus, Ruth from Moab, Rahab from jericho, salomon's wife from Egypt, the famous Queen from Sheba, first fruits of the Gentiles; the Wisemen that came to Christ, the Centurion the honourable Soldier, Zacheus the great Usurer, Stephen the first Martyr, Cornelius the Captain, Simon the Tanner, Queen of Candaces' Eunuch, were all Gentiles. I deny not but some parts of the Gospel were known, to the heathen before they were preached, that Christ should be borne, the Sibyls foretold it, that he should be the Redeemer, Tully de divinatione: Of his miracle, Tacitus is not silent in his 5. book: Of the Wisemen's star, Pliny in his 2. book: Of the Innocents', Macrobius in his Saturnals: that Christ was the word, Plato in Timaeo: that by this word all things were made, Amitius the Platonist acknowledgeth: that Christ suffered, Dionysius the Atheist: But this was not enough, our Saviour that would have all men saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth, would have all the ends of the world to hear of the salvation of our God. He sent the Apostles to all nations: Peter into Antiochia, john into Asia, james to Syria, Andrew to Scythia, Philip into Gallia, Thomas into Parthia, Bartholomew into Armenia, Matthew in Ethiopia, and Simon Zelotes into Mesopotamia, and unto this Land, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, either Saint Paul as Theodoret affirms, or Saint Peter as Baronius, or joseph of Arimathea as most deliver: So that it is not only as the Psalmist sang, Praise the Lord ye house of Levi, praise ye house of Aaron, praise the Lord ye house of Israel, but praise the Lord all ye Nations, praise him all ye Gentiles, all they that fear the Lord praise the Lord in all places of his Dominion, praise the Lord, 
Psal. 117.1.  for the sound of the Gospel is gone out into all the earth, and the preaching thereof unto the ends of the world, from which light of the Gentiles, we gather this light of Doctrine, 
Doct.  That all the world shall see the salvation of our God; the Reason, because he will have all inexcusable, send to all, come to all, preach to all, in all places of his Dominions: It was his Law in Deut. 
Deut. 10.  10. that no City should be destroyed before he offered Peace unto it, and though he always have his judgement ready, his bow bend, his arrows prepared, his sword sheathed, his cup mingled, his weapons burnished, yet before his storm of judgement, he sends a shower of mercy, warning before woe: Even Niniveh, and Tyrus, and Babylon, and Sodom had warning; before he will judge the world with righteousness, he will show them the light of his countenance, his way shall be known upon earth, his saving health among all nations: But is this fulfilled, it was David's prophesy, their sound is gone into all Lands, 
Psal. 19.5.  Psalm. 19.5. Esayes' proclamation, Hearken o ye Isles, hear ye people that dwell from far. 
Esay. 49.1. Math. 28.20.  Esay 49.1. Christ's injunction, Go teach all nations, Math. 28.20. Remission of sins shall be preached to all nations, 
Luk. 24.47. Mark. 16.20.  Luk. 24.47 they preached every where, Mark. 16.20 It is true, Quoad ad vitam creavit, ad veniamre dimere voluit. I will pour my Spirit (saith God) upon all flesh, and again, all flesh shall see the salvation of God, and all the ends of the world have seen the salvation of our God. Chrysostome, Euthimius, Theophilact, Euscbius, Anselme affirm this general publication, and Chrysostome upon Math, thinketh it was accomplished before jerusalem was demolished. But Origen, and Jerome, and Ambrose, and Austin. and Gregory, and Bede, and the Author of the imperfect work upon Matthew, and most of the Modern, think that this Gospel was not then, or is now so generally known, because this is the last sign of the last days: Cyrill, Damascene, 
Cyrill Damascen. Theodoret. Austin in hunc locum.  Theodoret, expound those places, non adhuc esse universalitatem praedicationis, sed esse implendam hanc vaticinationem successione temporis: Austin to this purpose, verba Matthei non adhuc completa, sed esse complenda, Aquinas, to the same purpose, Vera sunt Mathei verba, 
Revel.  non respectu generalis praedicationis, sed propter certitudinem divinae praeordinationis. It is Saint Ambrose observation, that the Elders spoke to the Lamb, Redimisti nos, ex omni tribu, lingua, populo, natione, non dixit omnem tribum, omnem populum, omnemlinguam, herein incomplete generis distributio, as in this go teach all nations, that is some of all. But this answer is not full: The best answer of the former Authors is Thomas, utitur praeterito pro futuro, or this Euangelis fama in omnibus gentibus praedicatur, at Ecclesia in omnibus Gentibus non adhuc aedificatur: 
Aust. ad Hesich.  And Zanchius concludeth all, Certum est evangelium ad omnes gentes pertinere, non adhuc ad omnes pernenire; for in the time of Saint Austin there were as he witnesseth some Nations quos nec acceperant, neque andiverant. For the Gospel in the primitive Church was Orbis ludibrium, & opprobrium. And long after in the time of Prudentius, 
Prudent.  Nunc dogmanobis Christianum nascitur post evocatos demum inde consuls. It was a prophesy, every age fulfilleth a piece of it, the nearer the world to the consummation, the more general should be the gospels publication. 
Minut. Fel.  Ingratinos', saith Min: Faelix, we are unthankful, the Gospel groweth more ripe in our time, 
Copern.  some think the sun every year descendeth so much nearer the earth, certainly the Gospel in every age, shineth more plentifully in the world. The Gospel shall be preached through the world, blessed are they that have a hand to help such a work. That it is by Scripture said to have been preached to all nations, that speech is to be referred, either to Prophecy, or to be understood by the Synecdoche, or Hyperbole. Certain it is, that yet it is not so preached, & as certain that this Gospel shall be preached. Lyra upon the words of Christ go teach all nations, 
Lyra.  Hic diwlgatio Dominicae resurrectionis, behold by this Commislion a diwlgation of Christ's resurrection, and of all the parts of the Gospel, that ever have been published, none more generally than this. The Scribes asked a sign, Christ gives them no sign, but of the Prophet jonas: 
Math. 12.39.  the Pharisees they asked a sign, Christ answers, no sign, but the sign of the Prophet jonas: 
Mark. 8.11.  At the same time Saducees came, and have the same answer, 
Math. 16.4.  no sign, but of the Prophet jonas: jews, Scribes, Pharisees, Saducees, no sign, but of the resurrection. Above all other duties, 
Act. 1.8.  he required his Apostles should in Jerusalem, judea, Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth be witnesses to him: of all other points, witnesses of his resurrection. Therefore Peter first, 
Act. 1.22. Act. 2.32.  in his first Sermon in jerusalem witnesseth that God hath raised up jesus: Peter and john preach this to the Sadduces, The resurrection of jesus, Acts 4.2. Paul and Silas testify this to the devout Greeks', Christ that hath suffered is risen, Acts 17.3. And of all other Apostles, Paul as if he had been the Apostle of the resurrection, is most plentiful. No Prophet, no Apoctle ever more abundant in any point, than he in the resurrection. To the Romans, Christ rose again for our righteousness, Rom. 4.25. To the Corinthians, Christ died and rose again, 2 Cor. 5.15. To the Thessalonians, Christ died and rose again, 1 Thess. 4.14. To the Philippians, The power of Christ's resurrection, Phil. 3.10. To Timothy, The resurrection of Christ who abolished death, 2 Tim. 1. In a word, he preached no other Doctrine to the Grecians of Thessalonica, to the Stoics at Athens, to the Scribes and Pharisees in jerusalem, to Festus and Agrippa at Caesarea: In every Court where he was questioned, he crieth out, I stand for the resurrection of the dead, as if ready to preach through the world that this Gospel is to be preached to all Nations.  
The use of which point, 
Use.  of the general preaching of the resurrection of Christ through the world, should stir us up to a thankful acknowledgement of the plentiful enjoying of this mercy. It is the manifold grace of God, 1 Pet. 4.10. The exceeding grace of God, Rom. 5.15. 
1 Pet. 4.10. Rom. 5.15. 1 Tim 1.14. Psal. 130.7.  The superabundant grace of God, 1 Tim. 1.14. The plenteous Redemption of the Lord, Psal. 130.7. That we that sat in darkness, and in the shadow of death, have seen this great light: that we have even from the beginning of the faith received this faith. I know our Adversaries do claim the honour of converting our Nation: Were it so, we might complain that the Evil man hath sown tars. But as the field was sown with seed by the husbandman before the Adversary sowed tars, so we had Religion before they knew Superstition. They attribute much to Austin their Monk, who was as far from the steps as time of blessed S. Austin. For which Monk, it is upon record, that neither his pride could stoop to such a labour, 
Gilds. B●de. Gen. 22.14. I● B●nger in Wal●s one and twenty hundred Monks, 1. Archbishop, and 7. ●eac●●●d ●●●●ops in tho●e parts of 〈…〉 Saxon Chron of Peterborough Au●●in the black bloody proud an● l●ng Monk in his spleen to 〈◊〉, d●ew infinite blood, and destroyed more b●d●●s than ever Popery saved souls.  nor his learning deserved any such honour. Gildas and Bede, and our own Chronicles tell us, that the ancient and noble Britain's first received the faith among us, as if Dominus i● monte, the Lord would be worshipped first in the mountain. Then Britain was the fleece with the dew, and all the surrounding Countries as Gedeons' fleece dry; though now this, as Gedeons' fleece full of dew, and the mountainous parts as Gedeons' floor now dry, by the desolation of the Church there, and by the negligence, or ignorance, or indulgence, or all, of those that should oversee it. But for that Mountebank Austin the Monk, he supplanted Religion there, never planted it here. Beda mentioneth his prodigious insufferable pride, which made the reverend British Bishops refuse him. If he were our Apostle, or Evangelist, as Hierome said to jovinian, Si Apostolus, If he were our Apostle, where did he preach? If our Evangelist, what did he write? As Varus spoke of Valerius, He entered the Land poor, and left our Church poor; he caused the death of many bodies, and it is doubt he never gained souls. It hath been our adversaries general claim, as that mad man in Athenaeus, who claimed all the ships came into the harbour; or as the Devil on the Pinnacle, All the Kingdoms of the earth: so they claim to be the only converters of Nations, and they the general Preachers of the Gospel. Whereas they never yet preached wheresoever they came but upon one especial Text; and in all parts of the world where they have been, they have preached that so powerfully, that their hearers have wept, and bled, and died for learning that Doctrine. Their Text is, Matth. 10.34. I came not to send peace, but a sword. Look but upon the estate of India, which as Vesputius testifieth was converted by S. Thomas, where ye may find more cursed Prodigies then ever the Sun beheld in any Map of misery: where the Romish Apostles did exceed Cain, or if possibly judas; where they ravished, and then murdered Queens, tore infants in pieces, cast men to mastiffs, cut children in collops to feed dogs: Happy was his invention most bloody. Men never did the like, Devils could do no more, 
Vessus.  Religion was there (as Vesputius justifieth) long before the Gold-hungry, bloodthirsty Portugal or Pope, was heard of; Churches erected, Bishops established, whole Countries baptised. Orosius and Lummius, and junius, and Baronius, tell us, that S. Thomas who converted the Country, lieth buried there, and that from his time they have had patriarchs, and Bishops, and married Priests, and Sacraments among them. The Romans descended from Edom, say the jews, Edom had a name of blood, Mount Seyr was their possession, the Hill of blood, and Acheldama their purchase, the Field of blood: The name of blood, and possession of blood, is in the Romish Religion. Our English when once they grow Romish, against the Nature of our Nation, become bloody, which I impute to the 
* The Vineyards & some parts of the English College in Rome are seated in bloody Nero's ruins.  situation of the English College in Rome, which is founded on the ruins of Nero's house. But of all the stories of Christians or Heathens, of all the Tragedies plotted in hell, acted under heaven, never any so horrid, as the bloody Baptism of India by the umbragious jesuits. They have long intended the second part of that Tragedy to be acted here. God grant their rods and scourges provided in 88 be not growing Serpents and Scorpions to bring on God's bitter severity to plague our base security. The Gospel is not further gone into all the world, than their cruelty is known. Nulla posterit as taceat, sed nulla probet. Beloved, 
Seneca.  we enjoy the Gospel in a more gracious manner then any part of the world: we enjoyed it with the soon, yea and before many parts of the world. When Brithwald the Monk, before the Conquest, was careful about succession of the Crown, he had a vision, and heard a voice, That the Kingdom of England was God's own Kingdom, and for it God himself would provide. Boniface writing to Edward the first, gives testimony, Anglicanam Nationem non esse subalternam, that this was one of the principal Nations of Christendom. And in the days of Henry the seventh, the Spaniard challenging the chief place in a Provincial above the English, julius the second sentenced it for England before Spain. I speak not this as if the Pope's favour could do us honour. For both that Testimony, and the Title Defensor Fidei, we are no more beholden to the Pope, then to his elder brother Caiaphas the High Priest for his Expedit. God hath not dealt so with other Nations: we can fetch our Testimonies from better Authors. About the 400. year, 
Chrysos●●homil. quod Christus Deus. Hilar. de Synodis. Athanas. Apolog. secund.  Chrysostome witnesseth, Insulae Britannicae in ipso Oceano positae, senserunt virtutem Dei. Before this, in the 360. Hilary writes, Provinciarum Britanicarum Episcopis. Yet before this, in the 300. Athanasius, Episcopi Britanniarum seize ad Concilium contulerunt, speaking of the Council of Sardis. Yet a Century before this, in the 200. year Tertussian witnessed, Britannorum inaccessa Romanis loca subduntur Christo. Yet in the very first Century, in the very beginning of that Century, Nicephorus records it, 
Nicephorus.  Simon Zelotes doctrinam Euangely ad Insulas Britannicas profert. More than all this, who could sooner have this doctrine of the resurrection, than we? Who could teach it surer than joseph of Arimathea, whom the most affirm to preach, and live, and die with us? God hath not done so with all Nations. Shall it be said of us, that is observed of the first borne in the Old Testament, Priores peiores, the first borne, worst bred? Had we the Gospel sooner than others, and have brought forth less fruit than others? In jury was God known, his name was great in Israel: At Salem in his Tabernacle, and his dwelling in Zion. But the holy City became a harlot, a cage, a cane, a den, a dungeon of desolation, because she embraced not those things belonging to her peace. Beloved, our saviours words be thunderbolts, Luk. 13.3. twice repeated, 
Luk 13.3.  Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish: Let them not be as bruta fulmina, as lightnings falling on beasts, not coming to observation. 
Pli●●●.  When Xaverius came to preach to them of laponia, and the people were strangely affected, accusing God to be neither merciful nor just, if none could be saved without this Gospel, expostulating why had so many regions not known it, how miserable their parents, friends, neighbours were, who were dead without this Gospel, the poor Indians with wounded hearts, and streaming eyes, were answered, that the more carefully they should receive this light, because it was denied to others, though offered to them. God was the Answer, though a jesuite the Author. Beloved, the Gospel that be preached through the whole world, but God hath not dealt so with all Nations as with us. Our Land is Paradise, here is the tree of knowledge: that tree of alltrees was Adam's curse. If our knowledge swell, and our conscience pine, if we conceive in the ear, and be barren in the heart, if we grow rash in censuring, peremptory in talking, fastidious in hearing, hardhearted in obeying, hypocritical in professing, let us not deceive ourselves, our faith is a vain presuming, our holiness hypocrisy, our zeal fury. and better were it not to have known the way of truth. But I hope better things of you all, and therefore I cast Anchor for my first part, and make more haste with that that followeth. The time is precious, and my ointment is very precious. Wheresoever this Gospel, etc. I now begin with the universal promulgation of this ointment. This that this woman hath done, etc. First of the Act, This.  
This.] And what was this? 
2. Part.  They that take this woman to be Mary Magdalen, observe that she never came to Christ, but fell at his feet. In the house of the Le●per, Luk. 7.38. When she besought him for Lazarus, john 11.31 When she heard him preach, Luk. 10.34. After his resurrection, Matth. 28 9 When she anointed him, john 12.3. A thing most commendable. But this is not the This that is so commended. There is one strange circumstance in this act of her anointing, neve done to any but our Saviour, and never to our Saviour but by this woman, She wiped his feet with the hair of her head, the greatest humility that might be: The more humble, the more happy. 
Hierome  Nunquid decrat isti mulier● sudarium, v●l linteolum aliquod, saith S. Hierome: Was her cintment so precious, and she so poor, that she could not bring a Napkin, or cloth, or handkerchief? Nihil dignius capillis, nihil proprium magis: What more dainty? What more worthy? She wiped her saviours feet with the hair of her head. If it were our saviours promise to the just, The hairs of your head are numbered, and, Not so much as a hair of your head shall perish; then happy of all the Just was Mary, happy the hairs of her head, which wiping her tears from the feet of our Saviour, wiped away the faults of her own soul. This was honourable, but this is not the This that is so commended. The ointment was choice, and her choice of the ointment is commended. It was Spikenard. India is not honoured for Gold, Babylon for Corn, Tyrus for Purple, Libanus for Cedars, Arabia for Spices, Persia for Oils, more than this ointment above all ointments is honoured. Every Evangelist hath a several attribute to honour this ointment: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Mark. 14 3. very sumptuous ointment, so Plutarch useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; S. john 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, very honourable oil, john 12.3. so Athenaeus useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; our Evangelist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, ointment of greater honour, and dearer price, Matth. 26.7. so Suidas useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Nay judas giveth the ointment praise enough, though he condemn the act, though he murmur out, To what purpose is this waste? which was a strange question, that the son of perdition should ask Quorsum perditio haec? when never any thing was lost by our Saviour, but this son of perdition, whose damned murdering murmur this was, Quorsum perditio? Peraitio tua exte juda, judas, thou son of perdition, thou art thy own perdition. But judas (I say) did praise this ointment, nay praise it more than any other, esteemed it far more worth than he esteemed his Master, for he sold his Master for 30. pieces, in the 15. verse of this chapter, and val●ed this ointment at 300. pence, john 12.5. The ointment was Spikenard, precious, very precious, yet it is not the ointment that is so praised. This is not the This: What then was this This? Sure though not the ointment, yet the anointing might be so commended. It was indeed much that she bought, and brought, and used the ointment, employed her endeavour, and her earnest labour, in the anointing of Christ. We never read that our Saviour had any gifts given him, but Gold, and Spices, and Ointments: The Wise men offered Gold, as to a King; and Spices for Incense, as to a God; and this woman ointments twice, as to a Man: Royalty is noted in the Gold, Divinity by the Incense, Mortality by the Ointment. So Christ apply it in the 12. verse, In that she powered this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. Never was he otherwise anointed: He was anointed (saith Damascene) spiritually. 
Damase.  Corpus divinit ate sua ungens ut Deus, unctus ut homo, quandoquidem & hoc & illud est. Otherwise corporally he was not anointed, he needed not, he used no other ointment, yet fit it was this woman should so anoint him, though not fit to anoint him as Aaron the Priest was anointed, Leuit. 3. or David the King, 1. Sam. 10. or Elisha the Prophet, 1 Kings 19 for we have received anointing from him, saith S. john, 1 john 2.27. yet I say fit it was, for it was a Prophecy, that Christ should be so anointed, Psal. 23 5. anointed so at the Table, 
Psal. 23.5.  Thou preparest a Table before me, saith the Psalmist, thou anointest my head with oil. This is somewhat, yet this is not the This that is so commended: somewhat it is, yet, what it is we know not. It was our saviours speech, When thou fastest, 
Matt. 6.17. Lyra.  anoint thy head, Matth. 6.17. Palestinis mos erat in Festis caput ungendi, saith Lyra; In Palestine they used in their Feasts to anoint their heads. But our Saviour altereth that custom, When thou fastest, anoint thy head. In this act the command of our Saviour, and the custom of the Country, though contrary one to the other, are fulfilled. Christ at the feast is anointed, this was the custom of the Country; Mary fasteth and anointeth her head, her head was Christ, here is the command of Christ: this is the This, She anointed her head Christ, in the 7. verse she anointed the head of her head Christ. Not the ●ile, though precious; nor the endeavour, though laborious; nor the action, though religious; but the ma●ner of the action made the ointment odoriferous. God (say the Canonists) loveth adverbs better than adjectives: Non quàm bonum, sed quàm bene; Not the matter, but the manner receives the commendation. It is Origens' note, 
Luk. 7.37.  that the ointment of the sinful woman in Luke hath no commendation: A woman that was a sinner in the City, brought an Alabaster box of ointment, she brought ointment, but Mary very precious ointment; she anointed his feet, but Mary anointeth his head: Mary hath chosen the better part. 
Chrisolog.  At quaenam haec huius capitis unctio? saith Chrisologus: What meant this anointing of his head? For it may seem rash, and rude, that a woman how good soever, should suddenly when our Saviur sat at meat, power ointment, how precious soever, upon his head, and face: Either there is some mystery in it, or it had never been so commended. Some tell us that herein was Agnitio Divinitatis, o●hers Contemplatio Resurrectionis, to which the Text giveth warrant, others Confessio Maiestatis & Gloriae Christi. Origen on this place, Opus bonum quod fecimus propter Deum, 
Origen.  & secundum Deum, & ad gloriam Dei, est unguentum super caput Christi effusum. And Chrysostome apply it so; 
Chrys st.  Caput Christi ungas, si omnia in Christi gloriam referas. S. Bernard the same words; Gloria quae ex bonis actionibus proficiscitur, 
Bern.  ad Deum referenda. Contrition by repentance doth wash Christ's feet, Devotion by faith anointeth his head, Alms do anoint his feet, Prayer powers the ointment on his head, Works of mercy may wash his feet, but yielding him due glory doth anoint his head: This is the This receiveth this reward, She gave glory to God by this action; by this unction, her light did shine before men, and she did glorify her Father which is in heaven. And now her sweet savouring ointment yields us this assured sacred Doctrine: Good works be not accepted by God, 
Doct.  unless such as are directed to the glory of God. The reason, Where the end is wanting, the action is halting, and God will receive no lame or blind sacrifice. If I seek to please men, saith Paul, I should not be the servant of Christ, Gal. 1 10. If we receive the witness of men, if we seek glory, by any good work among men, we anoint ourselves, not Christ, not his head, not his feet, but our selves. In such a case, Fumus flammam suffocat, 
Seneca.  saith Seneca, the smoke choketh the fire, and the froth of ostentation riseth no sooner, but falleth to the depth: There is the worm in the gourd, rust in the gold, a fire cometh out of the bramble to devour the Cedar. Tully calls Demosthenes, Teniculum Demosthenem, because it pleased him going in the street to hear even women and waterbearers whisper, Hic est ille Demosthenes. A wise man will not, a good man cannot entertain thoughts of vainglory, which do strangle all worthy holy actions. In such a case, the work (though never so seemingly good) is but a fools wonder, and the Author but a wise man's fool. Vainglory cannot swell so high, but vengeance will sit above it; nor lift up itself so lofty but God will ever overlook it. Our Saviour neither desired, nor accepted the glory of the world, looking with no other eye thereon, than Physicians on the diseases of their Patients, his profession was I seek not my own glory, joh. 8.50. They that think, that they possess all things have nothing, 2 Cor. 6.10. They that are proud of knowledge know nothing, 1 Tim. 6.3. He that thinketh himself to be something, is nothing, Gal. 6.3. S. Paul in nothing beyond the chief Apostles, confesseth himself nothing, 2 Cor. 12.11. Our blessed Saviour concludeth this point, if I honour myself my honour is nothing, joh. 8.54. and therefore our aim of our actions, should be as this of Mary, to the honour of our Master, that all things may be done to the glory of God the Father.  
The Use whereof, 
Use.  as it should ever be welcome, so especially most wholesome now to purge all Pharisaical leaven of hypocrisy and vainglory, in the blessed occasion of our meeting which is as the anncinting of Christ, and I doubt not intended to the glory of our gracious God, yet seeing Satan is ever busiest in the best actions, let every man stand in fear, that he deceive not his own soul: The temptations of vainglory of all other are most full of danger, most full of doubt, hardest to be known, not as the insinuations of other vices, open and plain, but privy and crafty, creeping upon a man, with a Spanish low complement, binding the eyes with a cobweb vail of vanity, and then with a false key of self-love opening the heart to draw in that Spirit which turneth Angels into Devils. Beloved, your alabaster box is fair, see your ointment be sweet, 
Hierem.  In hoc genere Marmoris unguenta seruantur illibata, saith Jerome; far be it that in an alabaster box there should be poison, or in the censor of your incense, an unsavoury presume, ye have anointed the feet of Christ, and I hope great is your reward in heaven; yet the sinner did so much, Faemina peccatrix in civirate, shall I say? the sinful City hath done no more, than that infamous sinner in the City, I will not, I must not, I hope I may say the holy City, the City of God hath anointed the head and feet of her Saviour to the glory of God, this work that ye have done is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a good work, these little ones are the Lords feet, let not the best here, despise one of these little ones, for I say unto you, that in heaven the Angels do always behold the face of the Father which is in heaven: Let other places be honoured for other blessings in them, Venice for riches, Bononia for fruits, Naples for nobility, Milan for beauty, Ravenna for antiquity, Florence for policy, but of all Christian Cities, This of yours, for this Nursery of your Infants and Orphans hath excelied. I deny not but besides this, many other Porches of Bethesdas pool, are blessed by you, when I come to the memorial which is as the Mart, ye shall have the Catalogue; But this is the best and most blessed of all your good works. It was a lamentable cry in jerusalem, Parvuli panem petunt, & nemo est qui frangit illis, The children cry for bread, and there is none to give it them, the children, the younglings, sucklings, babes, 
Lament. 4.  and latter births, they that could neither stir to get it, nor labour to gain it. Parvuli panem petunt, the weak sick, infant innocent tenderlings, not able to continue fasting, nor to secure themselves by feeding, in jerusalem they perished, nothing in the Lamentation more lamentable: But here they are nourished, blessed be the Lord, our jerusalems' breasts be not dry, dearth hath not threatened death, plenty, bounty, mercy, had fed these poor children, Gods promise, grace, and glory, will reward it. I will not press you, that are so graciously forward, nor tell you that somewhat is wanting yet, that jerusalem was plagued, for not building of her decayed Temple, which was the glory of her City, nor incite by any arguments further than Haggai inciteth you, Hagg. 1.9. I will not tell you that Christendom hath not a more glorious foundation than you have to work upon, for you are sure to build upon faith 
Paul's Church. : All that I move is this, that this unclean, leprous, idolatrous place may be cleansed, no time so fit as the Passover, the first time that Christ came into the Temple, Christ drove the buyers and sellers out of the Temple, and Rupertus tells us it was at the Pass●uer. It is questioned, why Mary Magdalen, in Luke, came to Christ being such a sinner, 
Pupertus lib. 5. in johan.  with a box of oin●ment, and answered unguenta attulit quis novit quod peccata ante Deum fatt●la, ideo adducit unguenta oderifera, Beloved ye had need, to present yourselves to God, the many sinks of sins in this City, they only bring the plague God's anger and your danger, come not without your ointments, kiss the son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the right-way, offer sweet ointments, and in a sweet place, sanctify yourselves, and your ointments, and place, ye present it in; A woman perfumed a Lepers house once, and the house hath smelled of the savour ever since, at length presume this place, and do this and whatsoever you do, to the glory of God: This is the this that receiveth the commendation, for this act, the Author a woman is honoured: which is my next part: This that this woman hath done.  
This woman, 
A s●●n.  Euae à Diabolo mutuarit peccatum, Eve the first woman, took up sin from Satan upon her bare word, Adam by consenting v●aduisedly subscribed to the bond, usura crevit posteritati saith Austen, but the burden of the interest, ever since lay heavy on their posterity: the woman was first in the transgression, but no wonder, for if Lucifer an Angel, first fell in heaven, it is not strange that a woman fell in earth, in Paradise was the quarrel, ever since was the battle, the Serpent lost the field, though the won an lost the garden, God gave the woman the honour and the victory in the day of battle: Semen mulieris, the seed of the woman shall break the Serpent's head, all the quarrel since is for the broken head. Draw thy sword, and slay me, 
judge 9.54.  saith Abimelech to his Armour-bearer, when a woman had wounded him, that they say not, A woman slew him, judg. 9.54. Satan was as Abimelech wounded by a woman. In all the Scripture ye have scarce any example of any woman that wounded a man, but still she aimed at the head. When jael slew Sisera, she nailed his head to the ground, 
judg. 4.21.  judg. 4 21. When Sheba rebelled, and joab besieged him, a woman crieth to the Captain, The head of Sheba shall be cast over to thee, 2 Sam. 20.21. 
2 Sam. 20.21. judg. 13.8.  When judith slew Holofernes, she smote away his head from him, judg. 13.8. When the woman slew Abimelech, she cast a piece of a millstone on his head, judge 9.53. 
judge 9.53.  I am neither friend nor stranger to strange Allegories. These be semblances of the woman's breaking the Serpent's head. But the woman in my Text is anointing her saviours head, a work that no woman did but she, and therefore she to be honoured among women. Yet who this woman was, we may sooner question, then know. Nec sive ex curiositate, sive ex praesumptione, disquirere cupiamus, saith Kemnitius: and his counsel is good, 
Kemnitius hanu. evang. in bunc locum.  presumption and curiosity in questions are to be avoided; yet the Truth is so to be embraced, as that negligently to refuse knowledge, is a dull superstition. The wise should neither be Sceptics, nor Guosticks: Curiosity is dangerous, Ignorance is odious. Oculos habemus Talparum, non Aquilarum: It is true, and it is our misery; yet to have no eyes, or having, to stop our eyes, is base blindfolded Idolatry. Mary's face is not as Moses' face, it hath no vail, we may look upon it, and ask, Magdalen, art thou Lazarus sister, or shall we look for another? Vnlgatissima opinio, 
Kemnitius.  saith Kemnitius, ipsam fuisse peccatricem illam: It was the most commonly known opinion, that this woman was the sinner in Luke's Gospel. And howsoever some think that the thrice anointing of Christ was performed by three women, 
Roffens. de tribus Magdalenis.  which Roffensis (the Beauclarke of his time) confuteth in three books, yet the general stream of all antiquity, and the opinion of the Church, (as Roffensis by impregnable arguments proveth) is this, unicam esse Magdalenam, candemque bis unxisse Christum. It is a confused and perplexed question, I confess, & plus subtilitatis quàm utilitatis habens, as Erasmus spoke: and howsoeve it be none of those Cobwebs, wherein some Monkish flies have been caught by their cunning, yet may it seem as intorteled and entangled a question, as any in the Harmony of the Gospel. Only I wonder that they that are so opposite in the denial of it, take not Archidamus counsel, to bring more strength, and less sting in their argunents; this were more courage, and less rage. Faber St●pulensis calls it a lie: 
Faber ●●ay.  Roffensis answereth, Simendacium, profecto solemn mendacium & celebre, imo nihil celebrius; for in the Greek Church many believed (as Origen confesseth in his 33. Homily on Matthew) that the woman that anointed our saviours feet in Luke, 
Orige●.  is the same that anointed his head here: and howsoever Origen himself may seem doubting herein, yet in his first Homily on the Canticles he is resolute for it, and so are many other of the Greek Church. Theophiles, Seuerianus, Eusebius, Ammonius, Gregory Nazianzene, and Chrysostome, whom though they vouch as the chiefest of the Western Church against, 
Chrysostome.  yet acknowledgeth it in his Homily on the treason of judas. All the four Latin Fathers affirm this; Hierome in his poem upon Osea, Ambrose in his Comment upon Luke, Gregory in his Morals, and S Austin reconciling the Evangelists, thus; Ego quidem nihil aliud intelligendum arbitror, nisi quod non aliam fuisse muliere in quae peccatrix tum accessit ad pedes jesu, sed candem Mariam bis hoc fecisse. Beda and Leo, and many others, all the Schoolmen, especially Albertus and Aquinas, most confident in it. Albertus' upon the 7. of Luke, having repeated the opposite Authors, concludeth, Et sic procerto Deus fecit duo luminariamagna, duas Maria's, matrem scilicet Domini, & sororem Lazari, quam & peccatricem fuisse constat. Aquinas on the 12. of john reciteth and confuteth the contrary arguments, and therein and in other places concludeth this woman to be that Mary the sinner, that anointed his feet in Luke as a Sinner, and now anointeth his head as a Saint. To these I might add a cloud of witnesses, which if they were not thought cloudy, might clear the point. But I know this time and place is unfit for Paradox. To affirm rashly, were peremptory; to deny resolutely, were folly. This is a wanton Age, and we rather bring the ears of curiosity, than the hearts of obedience: With the Athenians, we ask for news; but with the Bereans, we should search the Scriptures. The most probable argument that is brought to confirm this doubt in question, 
joh. 11.2.  is out of john 11.2. where the act of anointing Christ, and the name of her person is mentioned. It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hairs, whose brother Lazarus was sick. Here is one anointing of Christ. 
joh. 12.3.  In john 12.3. there is another mention of anointing, Then took Mary a pound of ointment, of Spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair. Faber and others answer, both these are one, the first related by anticipation, usual in the Gospel, when a thing is spoken of as done, before it be done. Roffensis answers, 
Roffens. de tribus Magdalenis.  that in all S. john's Gospel there is not one anticipation, howsoever in other Evangelists some few, yet in john none, nothing related by the tense of the time past, that was to be future, at that time not finished. john 12.4. he speaketh of judas, judas qui traditurus, non qui tradidit: Again, john 6.71. judas qui traditurus, non qui tradidit. john 7.39. Hoc dixit de Spiritu quem essent accepturi, non quem accepissent: whereas john 11.2. he speaks of Mary in the Participle of the time past, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which Beza renders, Vnxit, extersit, she had anointed, she had wiped, as done already, and after in john 12.2. mentions that other anointing. 
joh. 12.2.  Arguments of probability there may be many: She that in Luke anointed Christ, was Mary Magdalen, so our last Interpreters in the contents of the seventh chapter tell us, the fire of her affection strangely inflamed her heart in her love to her Lord. Christ giveth her this testimony, She loved much; and whose love to Christ was ever so registered as the love of Lazarus sister? Is it probable, I say is it possible, that she that so loved the Lord in his life, should neither at his passion, nor after his passion, nor in his resurrection, afford any token in her weeping, having lost whom she loved, or by watching to find whom she lost? In all the four Evangelists, no word of Mary, Lazarus sister, at the passion, or after the passion, or in his resurrection, unless it be by the name of Mary Magdalen. Lazarus sister was frequent in weeping, went to Lazarus grave weeping, came and fell down before Christ, john 11.33. weeping, and who more abounded in tears than Mary Magdalen? not only in the house of Simon, where she not only wet, but washed Christ's feet with tears, but her tears at the Cross, at grave, at garden, her eyes seeming to be the Cymbals of her sorrow, all things inviting her to the woeful exercise of weeping. Add hereunto, that whensoever Mary, Lazarus sister, came to Christ, she fell at his feet: so did Mary Magdalen. Lazarus sister usually called Christ Master; The Master is come, saith Martha to Mary, john 11.28. Marry Magdalen coming to seek her Saviour at the Sepulchre, Christ calling her Mary, she answereth by the former word Master: both followed him, both frequently heard him, both anointed him in the house of Simon, as the Gospel testifieth both in the house of the same Simon, in the same place, at Bethany, as Ambrose collecteth, both brought boxes of Alabaster, both wiped with their hair, both actions commended; and therefore it is most probable, that both were performed by the same woman, otherwise it should seem strange, that this Gospel, should make this mention of this act of this woman, with this solemn memorial, and we should be uncertain who this woman is. I submit these collections to the Reverend, and learned: The Cynic will not be satisfied, the Sceptic cannot, and for the Curious querulous Pioneer that only brings his ears, not his heart, I desire neither to please, nor easily to displease him. All I say is this, there be blessed servants of God of both opinions, opinion is no determination, it is no article of our faith, flesh and blood is blind in the best things: we see but in part, we prophesy but in part. Only I wonder that this loud sounding solemn prophesy of this Gospel, and this work and this woman should be so stifled, and strangled, by the crooked lines of contrary Interpreters. This woman saith my Text, from whom as from the womb of my Text we receive this Doctrine, 
Doct.  the Lord giveth much honour to the woman as to the weaker vessel, in that his spirit recordeth the least holy duties performed by women: the Reason, is to manifest that as the woman was the occasion of sin and death, so by Christ she is made together coheir of the grace of life. Sure God's Spirit hath some especial end in it, to give comfort and encouragement to that weak sex, by taking an Inventory of the particular acts in Scripture, performed by women, not only the chamber provided by the Sunamite for the Prophet, 2 King. 4.10. but a night's lodging afforded joshua's spies, 
2 King 4.10.  by the Innkeeper Rahab, 
Josh. 2.1 . josh. 2.1. and a small measure of oil and meal, by the widow to Elias, 1 Kings 17.14. these are upon record and loose not their reward, magdalen's box, Mary's choice, 
1 King. 17.14.  Martha's cheerful entertainment, the Sulamite, Sunamite, Caananite, the woman of Samariah's pitcher, the poor widows mite, are not forgotten, which is enough to put the life of religion into the hearts of women, to see every little duty of theirs so well accepted. And sure many of them, have been both partakers of great mercy, and instruments of God's glory, as in their own lives, which as lamps gave light to their unbelieving Husbands, so in governing their family, and in instructing their children, so was Bathsheba a blessed mother to Solomon, Joys to Timothy, Maxima to Basill, Monica to Austin, Pulcheria to Theodosius, Helena to Constantine: in the sex where sin hath abounded, Grace hath superabounded: But none of all that sex, the blessed Virgin only excepted, hitherto ever received such an honour as this woman; many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. 
Pro. 31.  I deny not but Satan that blasted Paradise, hath much blemished the honour of this sex, he made choice of a woman, to be the first engine, and in Paradise by this wheel he turned about the world, and since Dalila was the trap for Samson, the daughter of Pharaoh for Solomon, jesabel for Ahab, almost all the heresies, though fathered by men, yet furthered by women's wit, Helena furthers Simon Magus stratagem, Phioumena her Apelles, Montanus hath his Prisca, Donatus his Lucilla, Priscillinus his Galla, Arius assisted by Constantine's sister, and Nicholas the Deacon hath a consort of such Companions; and of all Creatures that ever GOD created, there be no such ensnaring attractive loadstones and loadstars to Superstition and Idolatry as women. Yet as jeremy spoke of the figs, the good figs were very good, 
I●r. 24.3.  and the evil were very evil, jer. 24.3. So the good women are very good, and such were those holy women in old time, who trusted in God. And as the Devil never found of such an engine as the woman, so never such an enemy against him as the woman: Piumsane, faithful and pitiful, 
●u●●n.  and sanctified is this sex, saith Austen, and the honour done by our Saviour unto them, hath much exalted the humble and meek; for besides that the Virgin concceived him, and Elizabeth in the house prophesied of him, every passage of his life had some women to attend him. Hanna in the Temple rejoiced to see him, and Magdalen at the table washed and anointed him, and Martha with a great feast entertained him, and Mary her Sister poured ointment on him, and johanna and Susanna and many women ministered of their substance to him: the Daughters of jerusalem wept for him, sundry women with infinite sorrow, attended him at the cross when his Disciples fled from him, and women came to the grave, though joseph and Nichodemus had bestowed a hundred pound of Myrrh and Aloes, as well applied as Art or Devotion could devise, yet women came to embalm his body, and whom they found wanting to anoint, they sought weeping to lament. This honourable testimony, of this holy woman, giveth full assurance of our saviours acceptance of the service of that sex, if they be sanctified, seeing he joins with this Gospel, this woman, and this work.  
The Use whereof, should incite all Christian women to serve the Lord, that in the day of retribution, 
Use.  they may receive reward from the Lord. S. Austen maketh this Use; Quum foenum eruerit, slos deciderit, 
Austin.  verbua● Domini manebit, when the grass and grace of beauty, and the flower of mortal frailty shall fall, the word of the Lord shall endure for ever. Christian Matrons be ye ambitious of the beauty of the daughter of Zion, and remember ye that supercilious sails of vanity and vain glory, as they are the unfitting fashion of the Court so the worst infection of the City. Much ornament is no good sign, painting of the face argues an ill complexion of body, a worse mind: Truth hath a face both honest and comely, and looks best in her won colours. The Lord threateneth in Esay to ransack the women's wardrobe, and to take away the tinkling ornaments, and their cawls and round tires, 
Esay 3.  and chains, and bracelets, and musters, and bonnets, and headbands, and tablets, and earnings, and mantles, and wimples, and jewels, and hoods, and veils, and crisping pings and threateneth, 
A●sten.  lamentation and mourning, and desolation to those dainty Creatures that sat at ease in Zion: God is the same your sins the same, your warning the same. Nuptae Susannam, Anna vidus, virgins Mariam cogitent, saith Austen: I might remember you how hateful the memory of some women are, a Diblaim or Dido, Infaelix Dido, nulls been nupta, marito: Such are the sex's curse, and the earth's dregs of corruption. I might remember you, of our Deborah, blessed Elizabeth a woman after Gods own heart, the glory of the Christian, and envy of the Infidel world, who was such a nursing mother to our Land and Church, that the cause of Religion, doth owe more to that one Queen, then to many Kings that were before her. But the time as well as the feast keeps Passover, and I follow. All women must needs confess that they can never honour him enough who hath honoured them so far, as to make them the first witnesses of his resurrection, 
Hugo.  and hath as Hugo observeth principally deserved the love of women in that he vouchsafed to be borne of a woman, that when it was granted to no man, to be the father, it was performed to a woman, to be the mother of Christ: wherefore ye Ladies, which like the lilies of the field, toil not, nor spin not, and yet Solomon in all his royalty not arrayed as one of these. If ever ye had pity on the fruit of your wombs, take pity on your souls, pamper not your bodies to murder your souls. Cloth not Hagar with the colour of the Rainbow, and let Sara, the soul, the King's daughter starve. Flatter not your selue, worms made your clothes, worms eat your bodies. Alas wantonness, and wormes-meate, what be ye? what shall become of ye, if ye neglect the message of salvation? No oil for your lamps! no ointment for your heads; Holiness should become the house of God for ever, if ye are his, ye are his houses, to dwell in, and nothing can better become ye then holiness. Beauty nature's frailty, affections fancy cannot better become ye. Apparel, nakedness garment, folly's garnish, Adam's fig-leaves, and beasts leavings, cannot better become ye: Gold and silver, the Wiseman's dross, but the Miserables darling, the earth's gifts, and minerals garbage, cannot better become ye; Wit, virtues wanton, fools wonder, vices friend, and the world's favourite, cannot better become ye. Embrace, anoint, kiss, love, solace, only in the contemplation of your saviour. No snake in this garden, no worm in that gourd, be ye amiable as Rahell, wise as Rebecca, obedient as Sara, diligent as Martha, but withal religious as Mary who received this Testimony, wheresoever. I am at length come to her memorial: my third circumstance of the second part.  
Saint Chrysostome makes mention, 
In 1 Cor. 4. hom. 14.  of the women of Corinth, who had a custom to set up lights or tapers at the birth of every child, with proper names, and look what name the taper bore which lasted longest in the burning, they transferred that name to the child: our Lord hath put up a burning lamp for a perpetual monument of Mary, her name, and her ointment shall never have an end, Quanto huius seminis benedictio satio parca, messis abundans Augusta vena, spatiosi maris, quantum pretium praetiosae meris. No Iustes, nor Olympiads, nor jubiles, nor ages, nor Plato his longest year, nor the long lived motion of the ninth sphere, shall terminate, or antiquate, this memorial. In this Gospel I should look for a monument upon Christ's sepulchre: 
Esay  It was Esaies' prophesy gloriosum erit eius sepulchrum; Alexander may have Europe and Asia, and all the world represented on his Tomb, Cyrus on his, Hic Persarun Domitor, Themistocles on his, En memoranda facta Themistocles, yet neither Alexander against Barbarians, Themistocles against the Persians, Emilius against the Macedonians, Marcellus against the Scythians, or Scipio against the Carthaginians had ever the like victory in the field, as Christ had in the grave, nor doth this victory want a memory ever upon the monument of his Sepulchre. For as Alphonsus had this, Alphonsus jacet hic, so Christ's Sepulchre this inscription, Luk 24.6. Surrexit Christus, nonest hic. That memorial is by an Angel, but Christ's memorial is by Christ himself: A more ample memorial then ever Christ gave any, neither Peter first called, nor john best beloved, nor james his near kinsman, none of these pillars as Paul calleth them had such a Pillar erected as Mary's memorial, Christ buildeth a memorial out of Mary's box, because she poured her oil on his body, and this is a memorial, not of him, but of her: Erasmus observeth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a solemn monument, an honourable memorial: Chrysostome on Matthew wonders at the eternity of this memorial, nec insignis persona, nec multitudine testium celebrata, nec in Templo, nec in Theatro, sed in domo, & in domo leprosi confecta, No noble parsonage, not done in the Temple or Theatre, or before a multitude of witnesses, but in a private house, in the house of a Leper, when the Disciples were only present, and yet saith Chrysostome, the famous deeds of Kings and Emperors is silenced, they which built cities, erected walls, fought battles, attained Trophies, subdued nations, though they erected statues, and made ordinances, for celebrating their memorials, yet their memorial is perished with them, when as this act of this woman, is recorded, and this is the woman whose praise is in the Gospel. A private woman, in a private manner, in the private house of a Leper to pour out a small box of ointment on Christ's head. Say her love was great, and her act was good, and her ointment were precious, notwithstanding that of Claudian, in greater acts hath been true, Minuit presentia famam quanto magis illam minuit notitia: Fame is an infection, acts reported are either portentous, beyond truth, and by bigness they break, or else so cankered with the rust of untruth, as being lessened they live not. It is true many have sought honour by building, wherein they have thought to leave perpetual monuments, and what are all these, but M●●●mons riots, and times ruins, making the earth to groan under the burden it beareth. Where is Nero's house of gold, or Dioclesian's hot baths, or Anthony's water works, or Augustus' forum, or Cornelius Theatre, or the Amphitheatre of Statilius, or Diana's Temple, or the Mansolian Tomb, or Octanias' gate, or livia's galley, or Apollo's Church, or jupiters' Capitol? It is a very poor monument, how immense, how sound that lime, and stone, and wood, and timber, and dust, and ashes, must pile for a memorial to posterity, when time, and storm, and wind, and weather, and moth, and rust, and ruin do corrupt it. There was a monument bestowed on a Viceroy of Spain, Propter nos & nostram salutem, descendit ad inferos: and many such great ones, to the shame of their posterity deserve no better memory. When as Mary's ointment smells sweet over all the world, whose memorial yields this Doctrine, The good works of God's Saints, shall be had in everlasting remembrance. The reason, 
Doct.  because they shall be exemplary to posterity, and incitements to God's glory. In Nehemiah 3. there is a list of the Benefactors that built the wall of jerusalem, 
Neh. 3.  not only their families and their Tribes, but their trades, the Merchants, and the Goldsmiths are twice named, the whole trade and company are named, and one, in the 8. verse, and Apothe earies son is named, and after several men, and every man's several work. The righteous saith David shall be had in everlasting remembrance, Psal. 112.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, blessed and long lived saith Chrysostome. Blessings are on the head of the Just, the memory of the just is blessed, Pro. 10.7. the remembrance of josias as the composition of a perfume, Eccles. 49.1. The heathen thought for ever to be remembered, for their famous inventions, Cadmus for letters, Pythagoras for numbers, Sidonius for measures, Aesculapius for medicines, Lycurgus for Laws, Art for arts, Hercules for games, but how few take notice of this fame, when that the godly neglected on earth are registered in heaven, and emblasond by God's sentence and sanction. Non sic impij, non sic, the ungodly are not so, they perish, and stink, and rot, the countenance of the Lord is against them, to root out their remembrance from the earth, Psal. 34.15. ut pulvis platearum, lutum patearum, lanugo plantarum, ut limus, fumus, festuca, patea, spuma, as chaff of the sloore, dust of the street, moss of the trees, dross of the silver, foam of the sea, froth, smoke, vapours, meteors, and most momentany things, whereas the godly are ever honoured, their gracious actions honoured, their glorious examples imitated. It were honour enough for good men, if they were only admired, for God's blessing and bounty upon them in this life, that they are, as signets on his finger, stars in his hand, apples of his eye, that they shall flourish as the Bay-tree, the Olive, the Myrrh, the Palm, the Cedar of Lebanus; that their names be in heaven, Luk. 10.20. their members in his book, Psalm. 139.19. their meat cometh from his hand, Psalm. 145.15. their bones kept by him Psal. 34.21. Their hairs numbered by him, Math. 10.30. Their tears reserved with him, Psal. 50.7. But that no good work, shall pass unrewarded by him, not a little meat to his Prophet, or a nights-lodging to a spy, or a little ointment, or a cup of cold water, or a mite miss a reward, or monument; for we had not heard of the poors treasury in the Temple, had not the poor widow cast in her mite into the treasury, which mite is treasured up, and hath a mention, as is this work of this woman in this Gospel.  
The use whereof should confound, 
Use.  at least confute the miserable muckewormes and penurious money-mongers, who never did any good, arrestable to God, available to their soul, profitable to their neighbour, that came naked into the world, and will go naked out of the world, whose only godliness is gain, who do base homage to that which should be the basest drudge, who are so far from being guilty of doing good, that for small advantage they will be content to lose all friends, to pine their bodies, and damn their souls. Is it possible (had not Satan possessed these servile slaves) that a human soul should live in a body so base, which makes a lifeless piece of earth his God? Cultor Mammonae, servus pecuniae, sectator avaritiae; pro pecunia Hypocrita, in pecunia Apostolus, ex pecunia Idololatra; who like a true Chemist, turns every thing into silver, both what he should eat, and what he should wear; and that he keeps, is to look upon, not to use, which he fears to keep, and abhors to lose, who as he lives without love, so dies without tears, without pity, save that they say it was pity he died no sooner. What shall become of these that protect what they worship, and want what they abound in? They shall perish, their memorial shall perish, and well were it, if as their bodies perish, so their souls might so perish as to be no more. But how truly should it possess your souls with joy, blessed and beloved, who have fed, and clothed, and cured, and visited, the weak sick members of Christ jesus? Your alms is come up before God, and as the smoke of the Incense, from the Censor of the Angel, or the Golden Altar, before the Throne. Ye faithful Deputies of your Master, blessed are ye, great is your reward in heaven, you that are the trusty Treasurers of the poor and needy, and all ye the approved Governors of the Hospitals of this City, ye are the executors of Christ's Legacy, which was only this, The poor ye shall have always with you: for when he bequeathed his Church to his Disciples, and his garments to his Soldiers, his mother to john, and his body to joseph, but the poor he commended to his Church, and you are some of his executors, and have the poor always with you. It is the speech of Bonaverture, Hoc piarum mentium est, ut nihil sibi tribuant: It is the property of holy minds, that they attribute nothing to themselves, but only to the grace of God. I would not blast you with an infectious breath of flattery, or with this precious balm break your heads; nor would I be sparing to give your memorial what God hath allowed you, seeing you are so free in paying those Legacies that Christ hath appointed you. It is no small honour to be one of the Masters of an Hospital: Stephen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Stephen the first Martyr, and first Deacon, was no other than Treasurer for the poor: Paul was Collector for the poor, and Christ himself Overseer for the poor; for our Saviour ever coming into the Temple, cast his eye to see what was cast into the Treasury for the poor. It should be no small joy to your souls, to consider that God vouchsafeth the name of righteousness to Almsdeeds: 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 justus. Misericors. Hier.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Psal. 112.9. He hath dispersed and given to the poor, his righteousness endureth for ever. So S. Paul rehearseth it, 2 Cor 9.9. where the fruit of righteousness is esteemed righteousness, and is assured of an eternal memorial. You, and your Almsdeeds, and your Almes-men, and your alms-houses, shall be had in everlasting remembrance. He that hath left this woman for this work this memorial, I doubt not but his gracious presence is with us, his blessed eyes over us, his sacred ears open unto us, this morning to hear this memorial of your bounty and mercy, and to receive this account of the Talents that this year he hath trusted you with.  

CHildren kept at this present at charges in Christ's Hospital, in the house, divers places in the City, and with sundry nurses in the Country— 736  
Children put forth Apprentices, discharged and dead this year out of Christ's Hospital.— 59  
There hath been cured this year passed in St Bartholomew's Hospital, of Soldiers & other diseased people.— 512  
There is in the said Hospital under cure at this present.— 235  
There hath been cured this year passed in St Thomas Hospital, of Soldiers & other diseased people.— 826  
There is in the said Hospital under cure at this present— 236   

A report for Bridewell.  
THere hath been brought to the Hospital of Bridewell within the space of one year last passed, of wandering soldiers and other vagrant people, which have been passed thence into their native Countries by passports (according to the Law in that case provided) to the number of 1810. of whom many have been chargeable to the said Hospital in their diet, for the time of their being in the same, some more, some less, as they might thence be conveniently removed, besides other helps there ministered unto many of them, as cause required: viz. in hose, shoes, shirts, bands, money, and such like, which cannot be avoided by reason of their misery, nor they thence passed without charge to the said Hospital, in respect they are to be examined, and considered of, to what Country to be transported. Also there is in the said Hospital maintained and kept in Arts and occupations, and other servile works and labours, at the charges of the said Hospital, of men, women, and children, to the number of 100 persons, whereof 60 and upwards are poor boys taken out of divers Parishes and streets of this City, and now bound Apprentices in the said Hospital to be made freemen of this City at the end of their several Terms.  
I have but one word more, my last part, but one word, Wheresoever, of which but a word. Wheresoever, the place unlimited, infinite, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, wheresoever. Salomons fame never went further, the circuit of the Sun is not greater, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, ubicunque, ubique. The Church was as Noah's Ark, Abraham's progeny, jobs family, Nebuchadnezors' furnace, Eliahs' complaint, but now God is known upon all the earth, his saving health among all Nations. The Apostles were latent, which the door shut, the Christians silent, their lives cooped, the Antebunni, hymni, and private Liturgy were solitary; now God, even our own God, hath blessed us, and all the ends of the world shall fear him. This Gospel, this woman, this work, this memorial, shall be wheresoever: A blessed work, that is so emblazoned. Indi, Scitha, Thrace's, Sauromatae, 
Roffensis detribus Magdal.  quique Mauritaniam, quique Orthigias Insulas habitant, quod in domicilio pauperis factum est à muliere, magna voce praedicant, saith Chrysostome: Et vix pro Christiano habeatur, qui non tenuerit nomen eius, saith Gregory. A holy work it was that was so honoured, and it so continued, so repeated, saith Roffensis, Singulis annis per totum Christianitatis orbem in celeberrimo Paschae Festo per tot Sacerdotum bursas, per tot Pontificum linguas, per tot praedicantium tubas, hunc de Maria hymnum pronunciars. Wheresoever this Gospel is preached: That not only already Peter at Antioch, and john in all Asia, james in jerusalem, and Paul at Rome, Philip at Caesarea, and Mark at Alexandria, have long since honoured this happy work of Mary: That Timothy at Ephesus, and Titus at Crete, Polycarpus at Smyrna, Paulinus at Nola, Primasius at Utica, Eucherius at Lions, Chrysostome at Constantinople, Cyprian at Carthage, Ambrose at Milan, Austin at Hyppo: The glorious company of the Apostles, the goodly fellowship of the Preachers, the noble army of Martyrs, the holy Church throughout all the world wheresoever, doth knowledge this memory of the ointment of Mary, and that the memorial thereof doth attend the Gospel. Whence issueth this last conclusion, Where the Gospel of Christ's Passion and Resurrection is preached, 
Doct.  there the necessity of good works should be urged: The Reason, because they be the manifest signs of our faith, and belief of the Gospel of Christ. Faith is showed by works, the tree by the fruit, the stream by the fountain, the light by the Sun. Our Saviour is he that hath done to us great things, whereof we may rejoice, and holy is his Name. We must perform some service for him to glorify his Name. He hath been made poor, to make us rich, holy is his Name. They that be rich, should for his sake secure the poor, to glorify his Name. Our Saviour did ever some good work at the Passeover, which was the greatest Feast of the whole year, and the greatest work of our Redemption he performed at this Feast of the Passeover, Holy is his Name. The act, the feast, the time, the meeting, the glad tidings, the Gospel of this Passeover, this Gospel at the Passeover, should bring forth some fruit to glorify his name.  
To conclude therefore this last point, 
Use.  the use hereof is to stir up all of us to imitate their first practice, who first heard this doctrine of Christ's Passion and Resurrection, Acts 2.23.24. Peter preached to some devout men of every Nation under heaven, that jesus whom they had crucified and slain, God had raised him up from the dead: This was this Gospel. Observe from the 41. verse the fruit of this preaching, they gladly received this word, 3000. souls were added to the Church: in the 44. they believed, and sold their possessions, and goods, and parted them to every man that had need. Here was the fruit of their faith, 
Doct.  the true use of the Doctrine of Christ's Death and Resurrection. Beloved, let the same mind be also in you. The Christian Primitives were no Possessives: the poor did not envy the rich, non enim ita divites, none were so rich, saith Chrysostome; the rich did not despise the poor, for none were so poor. They sold possessions to relieve the necessities and wants of the Saints: To do good therefore, and to distribute, forget not; for with such sacrifices God is pleased. 
Conclusion.  And such sacrifices this day have ye offered. Our Saviour at the Passeover saith Rupertus, 
R●ert.  fed the 5000. the number is great that ye have fed, clothed, cured; LONDON is represented here like L●dia the purple seller, or as Dorcas full of goo● wo●kes and almesdeeds, wh●ch she hath done. The●● poor men, and widows, and children show the garments and coats, which Dorcas hath made.  
Stant inopes vidu●ij greges & ●r●c●ia morserant,  
Exunijs enera a su●s. Beh●ld the beauty of this daughter of Zion, as an orchard of sweet fruits, or a garden of sweet flowers, as R●ses or Lilies, as a bed of violets, so do these poor Orphans, and I●f●nts, and indigent souls appear this day, in ●his place, before God, and men, and Angels. This City as Mary hath powered out her ointment on the body of our Saviour, and anointed the feet in these his members: and for this, this whole land is filled with the odour of your ointment. Posterity will honour your memory, the Christian world in the days of your children's children shall rejoice in your memorial: Not fame only, but God shall make you a monument, that shall never have an end. I hope you have also anointed Christ's head at this solemn meeting, by celebrating the great feast of Christ's resurrection, to the glory of God the Father, the same mind should be in us, the same mind should be intended by us: it was his end, it should be our end. To end all then, if this be our end, why should we doubt but the Angel will descend at this time into the pool of Bethesda, and some impotent man that never yet did good may be healed? Some dry- withered-covetous hand may be cured. You have duly observed Christ's rule in the feast; now you keep the feast you have called the poor, and the same, and the blind. This feast is the time that the jews kept their feast of first fruits. The first fruits of Zacheus faith are found Luk. 19.8. Behold Lord the half of my goods I give to the poor. If Zacheus be dead without issue, yet at least, let every one do some good, every one carry home some spikenard to embalm their bodies for the burial, every one bring forth some fruit of the resurrection; every one add somewhat to the joy of the Angels in heaven. If all the Angels rejoice at the conversion of a sinner, o what is the joy at this feast in heaven, for the resurrection of our Saviour! Every tree and plant, and fruit, and flower, and herb for the use of man creeps out of the earth to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. Doth God clothe the grass of the earth, the lilies of the field, how much more careth he for you, o ye of little faith? Let every one at this feast of first fruits, bring forth some fruit worthy amendment of life. Every one hath his talon, every one shall bear his own burden, every one shall stand before the Tribunal seat of God: every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewn down, and every man's blood shall be on his own head, and tribulation, and anguish shall be on every wicked soul: but glory, & honour, and peace, and immortality to every man that worketh good, and to the Israel of God, and all shall live to the glory of God the father. Glory be to this God the Father, to Christ jesus his Son our Saviour, and to the Holy Ghost his Spirit our comforter, as it was in the beginning, so now let it be in this place, and in all congregations of the Saints, this day, and all the days of our lives for evermore. Amen, Amen.  
FINIS.