FIVE SERMONS PREACHED upon several Occasions. (The Texts whereof are set down in the next Page.)  
By JOHN SELLER.  Aug. de Doct. Christ. lib. 1. cap. 1. 
Omnis res quae dando non deficit, dum habetur, & non datur, non dum habetur.  
LONDON, Printed for JOHN CLARK, and are to be sold at his Shop under St. Peter's Church in Cornhill. 1636.   

The Texts of the several Sermons.  
Serm. I. 
PSAL. 116.16. O Lord truly I am thy servant, I am thy servant. Preached before the King at Bagshow, upon Tuesday, Septemb. 15. 1635.  Serm. II. 
JOHN, 21.22. If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Fellow thou me. Before the King at Hampton Court, upon Sunday, Septemb. 27. 1635.  Serm. III. 
JOHN, 1.16. And Grace for grace. To the Household at White-Hall, Novemb. 29. 1629.  iv 
ECCLES. 12.1. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy Youth.  V 
JOHN, 20.17. Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father.    

QVinque has Conciones â Domino johanni Sellero habitas, perlegi, nec in iis quicquam reperio quò minùs Cum utilitate publicâ imprimantur.  
SA: BAKER. Ex aedibus Londin: Martii die ultimo 1636.   

Serm. I THE FIRST SERMON.  PSAL. 116.16. 
O Lord truly I am thy servant, I am thy servant.  
THe fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the end of all things is this, Fear GOD and keep his Commandments. Nay, the means which happily joineth together this beginning and this end, is still the same; Blessed is the man that always feareth. This is the Alpha and Omega, the entrance, the progress, the close of all true practical Religion: and this happy beginning, and this happy end is the subject which I shall now commend unto you from the example of the Prophet in my text, O Lord, truly I am thy servant, I am thy servant. In the handling of which words, three pious observations there are which I shall now present unto you. The first is this.  
Go● is our Lord and Master, and we must do him service; O Lord I am thy servant: an argument wherein I shall not so much need proofs as persuasions. Whom have I in Heaven but thee, and whom on earth in comparison of thee? He that knoweth there is a God, cannot but acknowledge, the only difficulty is to win our hearts to proportion our service to his love; Thou art my God and I will thank thee, thou art my God and I will praise thee. We all know there was a time, if I may so speak, before all time, a time of Eternity before all time of succession, when GOD by himself enjoyed all fullness of complacency in himself. For, as the Sun in the Heavens shineth in its full brightness, though there were no earth to shine upon; so the brightness of God's glory was than it its full lustre, when Trinity in Unity, and Unity in Trinity, as it is now all things to all, was then all things to itself: Angels and men, and for their sakes Heaven and earth, when in the powerful and gracious counsel of his will with a word speaking only, he created: all this was done, not that thereby he might augment his glory, but communicate it. For, can a man be profitable unto God; 
job, 22.  and yet who is there to whom God hath not been profitable? He stands not in need of our service, but we cannot live without his command. When one man waits upon another, there is for the most part a mutual dependence on each other: the servant cannot live without his Master, the Master knows not how to want his servant. The glory of a King is upheld by the multitude of his people: for let Subjects withdraw their allegiance, and we see Princes themselves are but private men, and therefore we read in the state of Rome, that when the commons, upon terms of discontent, withdrew themselves from the Nobles, the Nobles were forced to become petitioners unto the commons, and to remit somewhat of the rigour of their command, that they might hold them afterward more constant in their service. But look upon our great Master, the King of Kings, and we shall find no such depending references: Let all the world withdraw themselves from him, yet still [Deus solus is Deus sufficiens] God alone by himself is all sufficient to himself: so that the less necessary our service is the more necessary is it we should serve, if not for God's sake, yet for our own: he can lose nothing by us, but we lose all things in the loss of him.  
And yet strange it is, and wonderful to consider thereby with all cheerfulness to draw us to his service, how careful he hath been of us, who are yet so little useful unto him. Look upon our Creation, when we first came into the world, and you shall see, that as God made all other creatures for men, so man, because for himself, he would make like himself; that as often as we view our own souls, and see whose image and superscription they have, this might persuade us to give them up unto God, from whom, and for whose service they were first received. Look upon our preservation, since we came into the world, and but that, 
In johan Tract. 8.  Quod omni anno fit, assiduitate amittit admirationem, as St. Augustine complaineth, the continual enjoying of these great blessings lessens our admiration; with what joy might we behold the Heavens spread over us like a curtain, the Sun, the Moon, like two unwearied Giants, always for our sakes rejoicing to run their course, by virtue of whose several motions and influence, while the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Summer and Winter, night and day shall not cease, that so the necessitude of the different seasons of the year may give us contentment in them all. And if all this be yet too little, look upon his preparation for our safe conduct to another world, and there behold the word of Life. The sincere milk of the Word for children, strong meat for men, food convenient for us all; behold the Sacraments of life, the signs, the seals, the pledges of the Love of God; behold the Spirit of life, the power of the Holy Ghost overshadowing our souls, and by an immortal seed begetting us again unto a lively hope of immortality: surely then well may the eyes of all men wait upon him, whose eyes run through the whole earth, nay through the whole heaven too, to show themselves powerful and gracious unto them that serve him.  
And indeed, if we shall consider the several attributes of God how they are fitted to the several necessities of men, this might be a strong persuasion also to draw us to his service. For God is a powerful God, and what more fitting for our weakness? when the Prince of this world, like the strong man, hath by his subtle temptations got footing in our souls, unless CHRIST JESUS, the Prince of Princes, and Captain of our Salvation, shall make reentry, and cast him out again; weak and wretched men that we are, who were able to deliver us? God is a wise God, and what more fitting for our folly? for [Melius stulti omnes viverent si servi essent sapientum, 
August. de Vtil. Credendi. ] Happy were it for all fools, had they but wise Masters. And when we see so foolish ofttimes, are we so ignorant to prefer the Tree of Knowledge before the Tree of Life; how necessary is it, that we should go unto God's School, and there learn, that this is life eternal, the perfection of all knowledge, to know him to be the only true God, and JESUS CHRIST, whom he hath sent. Lastly, God is a merciful God, and what more fitting for our sin? for every man we know to be a sinner, every sin a transgression of the Law, every transgression liable unto a curse, and this curse no less than eternal death: how necessary is it then that we should seek for a powerful protection in the service of this Merciful God, that by his assistance we may be able to contest, not only with flesh and blood, but even with Principalities and powers, and say with Saint Paul, Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect, his elect and faithful servants? It is God that justifies, who is able to condemn us? Seeing then we are all weak and helpless, and want God as a powerful protector; we are ignorant and foolish, and want him as a wise instructor; we are wretched and sinful, and want him as a merciful Saviour: if our duties can not prevail, may even our necessities enforce us, and let every man say, and say from his heart, O Lord truly I am thy Servant, I am thy Servant. And thus much for my first observation, I come now unto a second.  
2. As God is our Lord and Master, and we must do him service, so this service must be hearty and sincere: and therefore we see here, to prevent all suspicion of Hypocrisy, the Psalmist bindeth himself with a threefold cord. First we have a profession of his service, O Lord I am thy servant; secondly, we have a repetition of this profession, I am thy Servant, I am thy Servant; lastly, we have an asseveration affixed unto this repetition, O Lord, truly I am thy Servant, I am thy Servant: and justly may we be true and sincere in our service unto him, who in all his promises is so sincere and faithful unto us; nay therefore, only requires sincerity in our service, that he may more faithfully reward us. When one man waits upon another, that which breeds indignation and reluctancy, the wages oftentimes are proportioned, not according to the worth of the Servant, but the fancy of the Master: and so we read of LEWS the eleventh of France, 
View of France page 61.  who neglecting men of better abilities, made his Tailor his Herald, his Chirurgeon his Chancellor, his Barber his Ambassador; 
The Newman, pag. 48.  and of Pope Paul the fift, that he would make no learned Cardinals, lest by them his own ignorance might be upbraided, his Auditor, his Treasurer, the Clerk of the Chamber, these are the unworthy Worthies he made choice of to fill up his consistory. But when man waits upon God, so diligent is he in rewarding those who diligently seek him, that as in his Book all our members, so all the service of our members are recorded; every humble sigh and groan of the heart, every good word of the mouth, every penitent tear of the eye, every charitable act of the hand shall be remembered. He is not like most Masters, who lay the chief burden of the work upon the Servants shoulders, & reap the main benefit themselves, but where he gives us Talents to labour & increase withal, he requires again nor Talents nor increase; nay, Quae dat munera muneratur, 
Salvian. de Gubernat. Dei. lib. 7.  according to the proportion of the increase, still he increaseth his rewards. For so we read, that when he who had received five Talents, had gained five more, his Lord requires again nor principal nor use, but to him that hath still shall be more given, even use upon use. Thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee Ruler over many: enter into thy Master's joy. Now who would not gladly with all sincerity serve such a Master, from whom he may assuredly expect the whole benefit, & a thousand times more than the whole benefit of his own service? Especially, when as we know that as God hath his different servants, some formal, some real, so he hath his different rewards too; for formals he hath his formalities, his realities for reals. Seest thou not Ahab (saith God) how he humbleth himself, humbleth himself with a temporary sorrow, and see we not God how he requires his humility? Ahab is good for a time, and for a time only God is gracious unto him. Again, Seest thou not my Servant job, that there is none like him upon the earth, a perfect and upright man? and according to the uprightness of the Servant, see we not the gracious favour of his Master? As great was his godliness, so his godliness was great gain, had the Promise of the blessings of this life, after the patiented loss of his goods, receiving them all double, had the assurance of the Blessings of the life to come: for I know, (saith he) that my Redeemer liveth. Now who would not desire a thousand times rather to be a JOB then an AHAB; and therefore, who would not be careful to serve GOD like job with a perfect and an upright heart, without which he knows it is impossible that he should obtain his desire? And indeed when, in the solemn Congregation, we read, in the presence both of GOD and man, the several passages of pure and undefiled Religion contained in this book of Psalms, not as expressions only of other men's devotions, but as Patterns of our own; when we read, Lord how do I love thy Law? It is sweeter to me then honey and the honey comb: Morning, and Evening, and noontide do I pray unto thee, and that instantly: As the eyes of the Servants look upon the hands of their Masters, so our eyes wait upon thee O Lord; And again in my Text, O Lord, truly I am thy servant: what soul trembles not to take these Sacred protestations, without some competency of true Piety and holiness, lest, if we had no other witness against us, our own heart might too justly give our tongue the lie? Will you steal, (saith the Prophet) commit adultery, and swear falsely, and then will you come, and stand before me in this house? And then, even then perhaps, when the Conscience of these, or the like sins shall cry for vengeance, dare we then say? O Lord, if I have done any such thing, or if there be any wickedness in my hands, then let mine enemy persecute my life, and take it. What is this, but solemnly to curse our souls, even then when we come to bless them. Take heed then unto thy foot, (saith Solomon) when thou goest into the House of GOD: for God is holy, and his house is holy, and true and sincere Holiness becometh his house for ever. If any man shall here inquire what measure of truth and sincerity we must attain too, before we can be partakers of so much holiness, as shall present us acceptable unto God, this is a question wherein we may better give ourselves satisfaction by our piety and prayer, then by our discourse: so great is the variety of several ages and sexes, of several natures and graces, of several callings and educations; that it is impossible with such wisdom and caution, to frame universal rules, but that either on the one side we shall be too indulgent, or on the other too severe: and therefore all the answer I will give you, shall be this: When we read in the Gospel, that Many are called, but few are chosen, many are called to cast out devils, and prophesy in the name of CHRIST, and by these acts shall confidently challenge acquaintance of him, who for all this will not vouchsafe to acknowledge them: when we read of the five foolish Virgins, that they had lamps in their hands, and some oil in their lamps, yet for want of oil in their vessels too, for want of a full measure of that holiness, whereof they thought a little quantity would suffice, Heaven gates are shut against them: When we read in St. PAUL, that a man may be once enlightened, and yet so seeing he may see, as that he can never truly say with SIMEON, Mine eyes have seen thy Salvation; a man may taste of the Heavenly gift, and yet never sit down at the marriage supper of the Lamb: Lastly, when we read in that great and fearful day, that CHRIST by his discriminating power, having set the sheep on his right hand, shall set, not only Wolves and Tigers, but even the Goats also, men of a more civil and hopeful demeanour at the last; judge you, what manner of men we ought to be in all holiness of conversation, before we can ever sincerely take up the protestation of my Text, O Lord, truly I am thy servant, I am thy servant. And thus much for the second observation, I come now unto a third.  
You have seen; first, that we must serve GOD, secondly, that we must serve him sincerely; that which now in the last place we are to observe is, that we must serve him presently, O Lord, truly I am thy servant. 'Tis not enough to say, Lord, I have been thy servant: for if any man draw back (saith GOD) my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 'Tis not enough to say, Lord I will be thy servant; for who knows what alteration a day may may produce? no, time present only, this is the sure time: and therefore, Remember now thy Creator, (saith SALOMON) I will pay my vows now, saith DAVID. Exhort one another daily, while it is called to day, (saith St. PAUL) and To day if you will heart his voice, harden not your hearts. For, if CHRIST our Master be the same to us yesterday, and to day, and for ever, why should not we his servants be the same, and reserve all time for him, not to morrow only but to day? For come and let us reason together; why are we so unwilling to tender our present service unto God; can we say, What profit is it to serve the Lord? Doth JOB fear God for naught? It was the confession of the Devil, doth any man fear God for naught? surely Godliness (saith St. PAUL) it is profitable for all things: and Blessed is the man (saith DAVID) that feareth the Lord, thou shalt eat the Labour of thy hands; O well is thee, and happy shalt thou be. Can we say, what pleasure is it to serve the LORD? The best we can read of Sin, is that it hath Pleasures for a season, but the service of God hath Pleasures for evermore: a little Oratory might soon suffice to declaim upon all the joys of the World, but the tongue of Men and Angels is not able to set forth the joys of the Spirit in the service of our GOD: For we rejoice (saith St. PETER,) even with joy unspeakable. And surely had we the power to recall times past, and the choice of what days, what hours we would be pleased to live again; would we desire a reiteration of those earthly, sensual delights, which once to have enjoyed hath been too much? Surely Impiety itself durst not yet be so impious: no rather, what ever Righteousness, and peace, and joy in the HOLY GHOST, what ever consolations in CHRIST, comforts of Love, or fellowship of the SPIRIT, whereof our Conscience to this day hath preserved the sweet remembrance: these are the acts which being most pleasing to our souls, we would be best pleased to recall. May we then cheerfully go on in the embracement of those courses for time present, which were we able to call back time past, our own consciences bear us witness we would willingly make choice of.  
When the Master of the Vineyard questioned those Labourers he went to hire, Why stand you all the day idle? it was some excuse to make answer, because no man hath hired us: But if we shall suffer our Souls justly to be charged with the same question, are we able so much as to pretend the same reply? Let us Look upon our indentures, that solemn stipulation, when in the waters of regeneration we were first consecrated unto GOD, what promises, what vows have been made in our behalf: or if we dare plead the invalidity of such acts, as have been performed for us in our nonage, then let us look, since we came to have the knowledge both of good and evil, to have the discretion to order our own ways, upon the word of God, and the Spirit of God; and if these earnests will convince us, that again and again we have been hired; what answer can we make, if still we shall deserve to be questioned, why stand you idle? Surely, always those sins are must punishable, which are most inexcusable. For, what if God let some men stand idle, and call them not till the last hour? What is this to us, who have been called at the first? True indeed it is, that GOD hath his own liberty, and calls men at what hour he please; but it is true withal, that at what hour soever he calls us we must come. And if in things secular we strive all who shall be first called, to riches, to honour, to the several contentments of the world; shall we be so basely humble, as not to care, though we come last to be partakers of the Heavenly calling, to be called to the Saints? Especially, when as we know that God in the secret council of his will, as he hath his set times how long he will call, so he hath his times also when upon the stopping of our ears he calls back his calls. jerusalem, jerusalem, hadst thou known, at the least in this thy day, the things that belong unto thy Peace: but now they are hidden from thine eyes: Thou hadst once Grace offered, when to the comfort of thy Soul thou mightst have said. O LORD, I am thy Servant, but now no longer will he be thy Master: This happy opportunity shall never be recalled; For the days come, when thine Enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and lay thee even with the dust. And why? because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. The neglect of that happy day wherein they were visited with Mercy, putteth them off unto the terrible day of the Lord, to the visitation of his justice. Now because among many of those ways of God, which are unsearchable, this is one, to observe how patiented he is with some men, giving them day after day, even to the last hour, and yet how quick he is with others, come, come presently, and give an account of thy Stewardship; a thousand times blessed is that Soul, which every day is prepared for this great day of account.  
So then to draw all to a conclusion. We read in the Revelation of four Angels let lose, 
Chap. 9  and no sooner let lose, but presently prepared, for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, to slay the third part of men. May we then learn diligence from our enemies, and let not them be more careful to destroy our Souls, than ourselves to preserve them, but may we all be prepared, at a year, at a month, at a day, at an hour to say, and do as we say, O Lord truly I am thy Servant, I am thy Servant. Amen.   

Serm. TWO THE SECOND SERMON.  JOHN, 21.22. 
If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee, Fellow thou me.  
THese Words contain a sharp answer of our SAVIOUR to an indiscreet, and unseasonable question of St. PETER.  
In the handling whereof this order I shall observe. First, I will endeavour to clear the difficulty of my Text, and show you what is the meaning of our Saviour's answer, If I will that he tarry till I come; and secondly, I will commend unto you such observations as may prove useful to ourselves. To begin then with the first, If I will that he tarry till I come.  
In the Exposition of which conditional speech of CHRIST, I find great variety among Interpreters. Some will admit of no positive meaning of the words, but think they were spoken only to put off the inquisitive of PETER, If I will that he tarry till I come, or as we use to say; If I will that he tarry till doomsday, what is that to thee? not that he intended that JOHN should tarry till he come, but to show that whether he tarried or not tarried, that was nothing to PETER. But this exposition, if we mark it, will neither well agree with the phrase of the speech, nor the wisdom of the Speaker. And therefore others there are who do conceive, that whereas St. PETER was to dye of a violent death, and follow his Master to the Cross, it might be the meaning of our Saviour to express, that no such violence should be offered unto St. JOHN, he should dye of a fair death; fairly and quietly be buried, and so tarry, and rest in his grave till CHRIST'S coming unto judgement. This is an Exposition, I confess commended by learned Interpreters on all sides yet such as I cannot be persuaded to approve; First, because it seemeth to strain the phrase of the Text to an unusual sense, If I will that he tarry, that is, tarry in his grave. Secondly, because thousands there are who may thus be said to tarry till CHRIST cometh, when as the speech of our Saviour seems plainly to intimate somewhat more peculiar unto JOHN. Thirdly, because the ground of the Exposition is very questionable. For howsoever certain it be that PETER died a violent death, yet whether JOHN died of a natural death or no, it may be doubted. Sure I am, that Polycrates in Eusebius saith, 
Lib. 5. cap 23.  that he died a Martyr; and Theophylact confirmeth his saying from the words of CHRIST himself; 
In Mat. 20 23.  who speaking of JAMES and JOHN, saith expressly, that they shall drink of his Cup, and be Baptised with his baptism. Now james we know drank so deeply of this Cup, that HEROD stretched forth his hand and killed him with the Sword: And, as the words of our SAVIOUR do imply, JOHN must pledge him so deeply in the same Cup, either as a Martyr, or at least (as all agree) as a Confessor, that in this respect the words in my Text cannot seem to contain any special privilege of JOHN above PETER, when it is said; If I will that he tarry till I come.  
And therefore a third exposition there is, which though it be refused by almost every Commentator; yet I shall now endeavour to assert it. For I find by often experience that it is with weighing of opinions, as with weighing of gold; that which in one pair of scales is thought too light, in another will hold weight. The exposition is this; that however as our Saviour had foretold, PETER should more speedily follow him, follow him to the Cross and to the grave, he should make no long tarrying here on earth, but go hence and be no more seen; yet it was his will that JOHN should be longer lived, live and tarry till he came, till he came to execute exemplary judgement on the unbelieving jew, in the destruction of their nation, their City, and their Temple, till the same judgements in fearful manner should attend the sins of the Gentiles too, till as the Prophet joel had foretold, having first come with a gracious and plentiful offer of his Spirit to be poured upon all flesh, upon the resistance of this Spirit, he should come again with wonders in the Heaven, and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. For the confirmation of which exposition, three things I shall observe unto you.  
First, that it is usual in holy Scripture, to imply positive truths in conditional terms; and it is the safest way in expounding of hard texts, obscura de manifest is, to demonstrate things obscure, from the evidence of things manifest. Now then manifest it is in the sixth of St. john, 
Verse 12.  when our Saviour saith to his Disciples [Doth this offend you, what and if you should see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?] that his meaning is, The time shall come, when, to remove this offence, you shall see the Son of man ascend. Manifest again in the 9 to the Romans. 
Verse 22.  when St. Paul saith, [What if God willing to show his wrath?] that his meaning is. It is the will of God, that he may show his wrath, to endure with long suffering, the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction. Manifest again, in the 12. 
Verse 49.  of St. Luke, when our Saviour saith, [I am come to send fire on earth, and what will I, if it be already kindled?] that his meaning is. It is my will, that it shall be kindled already. And so that when he saith here, If I will that he tarry till I come, we may fairly expound this speech with correspondence to those others: It is my will and pleasure that he shall tarry till I come.  
Secondly, we find mention in holy Scripture, of a special coming of CHRIST, whereto these words in my Text may seem to have special reference. For we know that CHRIST is said to come two ways, either in person, or in power; in person he hath come once already in the flesh, and at the last day will come again in glory. 1. His coming in power, is either in the power of his grace, for Behold, saith he, I stand at the door and knock, and if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and sup with him, and he with me; or in the power of his justice: and so St. JOHN threatens the Church of Ephesus. Remember whence thou art fallen, and repent, or I will come against thee shortly, and remove the Candlestick out of his place; but more remarkably have we described unto us the like manner of his coming in the 24. of St. Matthew; particularly intimated in these words of my Text. For when the Disciples asked our Saviour, what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? To that which they propose, in sensu conjuncto, in an united sense, as being falsely persuaded, that when ever he should come to destroy the Temple, then presently would follow the end of the world too; he makes answer, in sensu diviso, in a divided sense; tells them that for the day and hour of his coming in the end of the world, no man should know that: this was a secret hidden even from the Angels in Heaven. But as for the day and hour of his coming in severe and exemplary manner to visit the sins of the jews, and Gentiles also, for not believing in his name, hereof he gives them a certain and particular relation: Nation shall shall rise against Nation, and Kingdom against Kingdom, there shall be Famines, and Pestilences, and Earthquakes in diverse places, the Sun shall be darkened, and the Moon shall not give her light, and such and so great should be their tribulation in those days, as was not from the beginning of the world: and that they might not securely put these evil days fare off, and say, The Lord will delay his coming; he tells them that within one Age, all these things should happen: for verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, that is, the men of this generation now alive shall not all die, and pass away, till all these things be fulfilled; till they shall see the sign of the Son of man coming with great power and glory. For so we find, that St. JOHN a man of that Generation, did live and tarry till CHRIST thus came to judge the world; lived to see the reign of 13. Emperors of Rome, from Augustus unto Trajane, during which time, all those judgements denounced by St. Matthew, as the signs and effects of CHRIST'S thus coming in power were accomplished.  
Lastly, we may take notice of the singular providence of CHRIST, who intending thus shortly to come to judge the world, was yet for the good of his Church, graciously pleased that St. JOHN should tarry till he came, and that for these three reasons.  
First that whereas false Teachers were from the beginning crept into the Church, and afterward Nicolaitans, Cerinthians, Menandrians, Ebionits', and Gnostics, had corrupted the doctrine thereof, mingling with Christianity the rites of the Gentiles, and the ceremonies of the jews, some denying the truth of CHRIST'S humanity, others affirming that he was but a mere man; it pleased God that after the departure of all the Apostles, St. JOHN should tarry & continue, to stand as a Pillar to uphold the truth, as an Oracle to be consulted in all difficulties: and for this cause, his Gospel was last written, that in such points wherein the former Evangelists had not given so full satisfaction to the Church, his Writings might more perfectly resolve them. Secondly, that he might help strengthen the weak faith of the Brethren, amidst those wars and rumours of wars, amidst those fears and terrors, which CHRIST was now coming to bring upon the world, and whereof it was his pleasure, that his own chosen, for the trial of their faith, should bear a part; that when they should see, as St. JOHN reports of himself, that He also was their brother and companion in the Kingdom and patience of CHRIST JESUS, that He was cast into banishment for for the word and Testimony of God, this might be a strong motive unto them, constantly to possess their souls with patience. For if the beloved Disciple, he that lay in the bosom of his Master, if he have suffered adversity, why should any man complain? Thirdly, whereas (as St. PAUL informs us) there were even in his days, divisions and separations, one of Cephas, and another of Apollo's, with Hymns by themselves, and Doctrines by themselves; which divisions afterwards we find by the increase of Heretics, daily to increase (for commonly as men side in opinion, they will side also in affection,) hence was it that St. JOHN tarried so long, tarried if it were possible to compose all differences, and persuade the faithful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. And therefore it is reported of him, even in his decrepit age, his speech and strength almost quite spent, that when in one word he would epitomise what ever formerly he had more largely preached unto them, it was his daily exhortation to his auditors, Filioli diligite alterutrum, My little Children love one another: 
Hieron. in cap 6. add Galat.  and again, My little Children love one another: that if in so great distraction of opinions, it was rather to be wished then hoped for, that they should be all of one mind; yet at least that excellent gift of charity, which believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, might hold them in one accord. And surely it is worth the observation, that the same Disciple whom CHRIST loved best, is most frequent and earnest in his exhortations unto love, to let us understand, that one principal effect of God's love to us, is that we should love one another? And thus much for the exposition of my Text: I come now in the second place, to commend some observations to ourselves.  
Where first may it please you to observe, that of all the Apostles, as we find none more commended, so none more reproved then St. Peter. And the reason is, because Peter was a man of a quick, active, and zealous spirit, so forward, upon all occasions, to be doing, that many times, through the exuberancy of his zeal, he doth that which is amiss. For it is a true rule of the Author De Vocatione Gentium, 
Lib. 1. c. 2.  Voluntas mutabilis, quae non ab incommutabili voluntate regitur, tanto citiùs propinquat iniquitati, quantò acrius intenditur actioni, the more earnestly the mutable will of man, not guided by the incommutable will of God, is intent upon action, the more prone it is to act amiss. To teach us, that the more zealous and active we are, the more careful we ought to be in the moderation of our actions, lest partaking of St. Peter's forwardness, we partake of his sin too: (though truly) happier is that man who being zealous to do well, shall sometime do amiss, than he who for fear of doing ill, will do nothing at all. Now if we look into the particulars of PETER'S sins, we shall find one great fault he had, te be given to question and control, when it better behoved him to answer & obey. When our SAVIOUR in the 16. of St. Matthew, had declared himself that he must go up to jerusalem, that he must suffer many things of the Scribes and Elders, that he must be killed and rise again the third day, and it had befitted St. PETER'S piety to make answer with the like prayer which afterward his Master used: O that this Cup might pass from thee, yet not my will, but thy will be done: you see how imperiously he takes upon him to rebuke and to control: Fare be it from thee, this shall not be unto thee. When our SAVIOUR had now girt himself, and told PETER, that he must wash his feet, and it had befitted him in wisdom, though be knew not yet the reason of this Ceremony, to make answer, Be it unto me as thou wilt; you see how in a show of humility, he showeth indeed some pride and disobedience, Thou shalt never wash my feet. And here, in this story, when our Saviour saith unto him, Fellow thou me, and it had befitted his devotion, upon the remembrance how lately he had played the runaway, to make answer, Lord I will follow thee wheresoever thou goest: you see how presently he forgets himself, and gins to question after john, Lord what shall this man do? Now because we know Peter's infirmities were not his alone, and though we have warning from him, yet daily we are prone to commit the like errors again; Let me commend unto you that sober exhortation of St. james, Fratres mei ne sitis multi magistri. My brethren be not many masters. Be not too forward to question and control, what shall this man, and this thing do? and this and this be fare from us, it shall not be so. For however the great Masters, in Church and Commonwealth, over our souls and bodies, be not like Peter's Master, have not an infallibility in all the directions they propose; yet because such as they are, we are commanded to obey them, and it behoveth our Christian modesty to be persuaded, that they know better how to command us, than we to advise them. Let us be very wary upon what terms we contradict or disobey; Lest God in defence of those higher powers, with whom we are but too prone to contest, may give us the like check, which once he gave unto his people Israel; They have not rejected you, but they have rejected me. Or if there may be some things whereof the wisdoms of some men cannot be so well persuaded, (as indeed while men are men, it is not to be expected in all things that great men should be Gods) let us not foolishly heap the coals of other men's fires upon our own heads, and with too much hear and violence make the sin of our complaining, greater than the matter whereof we do complain. No, rather when we know, that there is no evil in the City, which the Lord hath not done, in all the evils which either we feel or fear, let us lift up our eyes unto the Lord for a redress: for certainly with him our humble prayer is able to prevail more, than ten thousand stomachful complaints. And thus much for my first observation, I come now unto a second.  
Where in the second place we may observe, that however when we read the bare question of St. Peter, our charity might easily be satisfied, as some of the ancient have conceived, that St. JOHN having heretofore asked at the request of St. PETER, to put the rest of the Disciples out of fear, Lord who is it that shall betray thee? So Peter now by way of friendly requital, that john also might know his end, and by what death he was to glorify God, maketh the like request for him; Master what shall this man do? a request wherein admitting, of this fair paraphrase, we may find matter rather to commend then censure him. Yet when we read the answer of our Saviour, that we may know he seethe not as man seethe, he judgeth not as man judgeth: whereas our ignorance would have said, We find no fault in this man, no sin in this question: his knowledge finds as many sins as words. But four words did Peter utter, Domine hic autem quid? which we more largely translate, Lord what shall this man do? and yet in these four words there are four sins. First, a sin of presumption, Lord what shall this man do? as if CHRIST would have forgotten St. john, unless Peter had remembered him. Secondly, a sin of curiosity, Lord, what shall this man do? as if because john knew what should become of Peter, Peter must needs know what should become of john. Thirdly, a sin of repining, Lord, what shall this man do? as if Peter had no mind to follow Christ, unless john, who had always heretofore been his companion, might go along with him; and lastly, a sin of negligence, Lord, what shall this man do? as if it were fitting for him now to inquire after others, when as the strictness of his Master's charge might have put him in mind rather to look to himself. All which sins seem to be expressed or intimated in the answer of our SAVIOUR. If I will, or it is my will that he shall tarry till I come: a check for his Presumption: He shall tarry, and you shall follow me; a check for his repining? Whether he tarry or tarry not, what is that to thee? A check for his curiosity; and lastly, Fellow thou me; which being a repetition of the same charge immediately given him before, implieth a check for his negligence. So that when we see in this case of PETER here, and every day in our own questions, our own answers, our own actions, the case may be the same; how many Sins the knowledge of GOD takes notice of, which otherwise our ignorance would never have observed. He searcheth the heart and reynes, and weighs each word we speak; how ought this to persuade us carefully to take heed unto our ways, to work out our Salvation with fear and trembling, & in such things wherein we think we have done well, ever to be jealous lest we have done somewhat amiss.  
When we read the several Apologies of the Church of Rome, except only for the foul Sin of his Denial, for all other infirmities of Peter; Charge him with his imperious controlling of his Master, opposing his own nay unto CHRIST'S yea; This shall not be unto thee, so that our Saviour with indignation gives him this sharp answer, Get thee behind me Satan; yet Bellarmine will excuse him with an error in sensu non affectu, though he might err in his understanding, not apprehending the just reasons of CHRIST'S going to Suffer at jerusalem, yet there was no error, (saith he) in the sincerity of his affection; though in truth great was the error of his affection, so to desire to show his love to CHRIST, as thereby to take a course to bereave himself of the benefit of CHRIST'S love to him. Charge him with his indiscreet Petition, wherein the Text expresseth, that he knew not what he said, when he said; Lord, let us here make three Tabernacles: hoping, as St. Chrysostome conceives, 
Homil. 57 in Mat.  that if he could have persuaded his Master to dwell there, he would never have removed to go and suffer at jerusalem; yet Bellarmine will excuse him with a Potuit errare, non potuit peccare. Perhaps he might err, (saith he) but surely he could not Sin; for he knew not what he said: as if it were no sin for a man, to say, he knows not what Charge him with his over-confident Protestation, as we see afterward by the cowardly event, Though I should dye with thee, yet will I not deny thee; and yet not long after denies him again and again, and that before he was in any danger of death; yet Bellarmine will excuse him with an aut nullus hic lapsus, aut amoris excessus, either he was not to blame at all, or gently to be blamed only for an excessive expression of his love: though we may easily conjecture at the greatness of his sin, by the greatness of his punishment, for if PETER had not so boldly offered to dye with CHRIST, CHRIST would never have suffered that he should so shamefully deny him. Lastly, charge him with this Presumptuous, querulous, curious question in the Text; Lord, what shall this man do? yet Bellarmine will excuse him, and of all the Sins before mentioned, find him guilty only of a little Curiosity, and that with an If too, Si curiositas dicenda venia dignissima, If you will needs find him guilty of a little sin of curiosity, surely it was but a venial sin. So zealous in all things are they in the defence of St. PETER, as if his credit were their own. Now when we read, and hear these things, & wonder at their boldness in making such strong Apologies in his behalf, as if indeed Peter had not been so much to blame for any desert of his to be reproved, as his Master for reproving him; let us beware lest in the like kind making the like weak excuses for ourselves, we make their Sins our own. Let us beware that we be not too forward to censure and control, to intermeddle with things in Church or State, which are too high for us, to speak evil of that we do not understand, and then think to excuse all with an error in sensu non affectu; if our judgements may be mistaken, yet our affections are well devoted. For it is a great error in men's affections to be strong in the prosecution of such things wherein their judgements are but weak. Let not the commonness of many sins cause us to give indulgence to ourselves in the committing thereof, because they are so common, and then excuse all with a potui errare, non peccare, It was my error, and in many things we offend all, but it was not so great a sin. For surely, there is no readier way to make sins great, then thus to lessen them. And indeed, strange it is to consider, how just and strict we are in point of Doctrine, and will acknowledge no sin to be venial; and yet how unjust and licentious we are in point of Practice, as if we thought few sins to be mortal. Lastly, when by the faithful dispensers of GOD'S word, we shall often hear our Sins anatomised, & multiplied to more particulars, than we can suddenly discover, while we look upon them only in the gross. Let us not break out into terms of indignation, and say, We hate these men, because they aggravate our sins, and Prophesy unto us evil and not good: No, rather let us hate those Sins; for which we deserve these evils. And when we know, that the heart of man is deceitful above all things, and a hard matter it is for any man to know the worst of himself, if we shall sometime hear more than our self-indulgence will easily believe, let us yet be persuaded that we deserve more than we have heard of, and humbly take up the Meditation and Prayer of the Psalmist; Who knoweth how oft he offends, O cleanse thou me from my secret faults. And thus much for a Second observation. I come now unto a third, and I have done.  
And my last Observation, omitting many others, shall be this; That the great Mercies of GOD are commonly attended with great judgements: For therefore, doth our SAVIOUR here mention his coming in my Text; because having come once already to offer great Mercy to the jews, such as had never been offered before, to offer himself to as many as would believe in him that they might not perish but have everlasting life; he intended to come shortly again to show great judgements, such as he had never showed before, judgements so much the more severely to be executed, by how much they had been the more regardless of his Mercies. Thus if you look back on the first judgements on the Angels. Saint AUGUSTINE will tell you, 
In johan. Tract. 100  tantò execrabiliùs beneficii, Dei ingrati, quantò beneficentiùs sunt creati, That the more excellent was the perfection of their Creation, the more execrable was their Sin, the more severe, and exemplary was their punishment, or if ye look on the first judgement upon man, the same Augustine will tell you, Hoc tam leve praeceptum ad observandum tantò majori injustitia violatum, 
Civit. Dei lib. 14. cap 12.  quantò facileori observantia poterat custodiri: That God's first command was with so much the greater injustice violated, with so much the greater justice punished, by how much with the greater facility, and the promise of the greater Happiness, it might have been observed. Thus if we look upon the Seven Churches in St. JOHN, as we read a declaration of great Mercy, the Tabernacle of GOD came down among Men, with Stars and golden Candlesticks: So we hear a denunciation of great judgements too; Repent, or I will come and remove the Candlestick, to the Church of Ephesus: Repent, or I will come and fight against thee, to the Church of Pergamos; Repent, or I will kill thy Children with death, to the Church of Thyatira. Now when we seriously consider what our SAVIOUR saith, He that reads these things let him understand, and what St. JOHN hath added, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the seven Churches, (for the case of these Churches is a leading case for all the Churches of the World;) Let us remember that all these things have been said and done to serve as ensamples unto us. That since the reformation of our Church, great have been the manifestations of God's mercy, great peace, great plenty, and that which is greater than all this, great salvation in the free and sincere dispensation of the great mysteries of Godliness, we cannot but all thankfully acknowledge. And if my observation (as certain it is) be true, that great judgements attend great mercies, upon the neglect of so great Salvation, that great Visitations will ensue we cannot but be afraid. But yet it is not for me to tell you the times and seasons of those judgements, which God hath reserved in his own power. For as the exhalations arising from the Earth and Seas, we all know to be the cause of those clouds which produce rain and storms, yet no man dares take upon him to assure, That this day, or this hour it will rain, or this month, this year will be a great flood: So though we know the exhalations of our sins raise clouds of separation between GOD and us, yet how long these clouds will be gathering together before they produce a general storm, it exceeds the apprehension of man to be able to determine. And indeed hitherto, whether in the course of our Religion in this last Age, there have been ebbs or flows, whether we have increased or diminished the talents God hath given us, though many men rashly take upon them to give judgement, yet I think it is not so easy a matter to decide. And because in this argument every man almost presumes to spend his conjecture, I hope the commonness of the Presumption will excuse me, if I shall discover mine. And for my part I am persuaded, that there is no such iniquity in jacob, no such transgression in our Israel, no such transgression exceeding the transgressions of our Fathers, even in the best times that can be named, that for this reason we should have any more cause than they to fear, that God who hath hitherto come graciously to us with his Love, should now shortly bend his bow and whet his Sword, and come upon us with the Rod. Necessary I confess it is, that with the declaring of GOD'S just judgements unto sinners, we should often threaten and humble the Souls of men; but yet so fare to dishearten the Lords people with the fear of general imminent visitations, as to bring them into dislike of the Church and State wherein they live, to occasion them to remove by hundreds and thousands into remote and desolate parts of the world, as if they could any where be more safe than where they are; surely this is a point of zeal strained so fare beyond discretion, that I am persuaded GOD himself doth not approve it. 'Tis possible I confess on the one side to daub with untempered mortar, and say; Peace, peace, when there is no peace; but on the other side let me tell you, 'Tis not impossible for men to make ZEDECHIAS horns, and say; Thus, and thus shall the Lord push, when the Lord hath not sent them, and thereby as the Prophet complains, make the heart of the righteous sad, 
Ezech. 13.22.  whom the LORD hath not made sad. For mine own part, as long as we are not able (and blessed be GOD that we are not able) to demonstrate the like sins of Idolatry, cruelty, injustice, and oppression, wherewith God by all the Prophets chargeth his people Israel, before ever he threatens to come and visit them; I cannot be persuaded, that any man hath just warrant to denounce the like judgements against us. And thus fare have I declared myself, not that I would flatter the Times, or forth men up in their transgressions; for we know, that every day God for single sinners hath single visitations, though the great and terrible day of his Wrath be never so fare off. What? because we fear not any judgement on the whole Land, shall any Sinner therefore not be afraid of judgement on himself? This is, as if a Soldier in the wars, thinking himself safe from the Cannon, should therefore desperately run upon a volley of small shot, when as we know a little Pistol will kill a man, as well as a great Ordnance. But thus much have I spoken for three causes. First, that I might advise men to be more wary in their comparative invectives against Sinne. For cry aloud and spare not, tell judah of his sins, and Israel of his transgressions: but shall we therefore, to the heavy prejudice of the government of the State, and if the imputation were true, to the inexcusable dishonour of our own profession, to whose charge the Souls of men are committed, if we that are appointed to build up shall suffer them to fall down; shall we therefore say, never more sin, never more transgression, never more fear of CHRIST'S coming unto judgement? For who hath kept a book of remembrance? who knows how oft we have offended? or who knows how oft out Fathers have offended? Nay, who knows but that GOD may be offended for want of our thankfulness for the increase of his grace and favour toward us, which we will not be persuaded to acknowledge? Secondly, that I might a little moderate the zeal and passions of men: For as we are equally beholding to the motion and influence of the Moon, if that be the second cause, sometime for withdrawing the waters to an ebb, as well as sometime for raising them up unto a flood: so surely it is as commendable an act, though not so popular, sometime to allay the affections of men, when they begin to overflow, as well as sometime to raise and stir them up, when they are at a low ebb. And indeed, if the minds of men be once strongly persuaded, that daily the World grows worse and worse, every man will take upon him to find out the cause, and commendable it were, would they only conceive in general, that the Imaginations of the heart of Man were continually proner and proner unto evil, but when they presume to go on unto particulars, and one pointeth at the Doctrine, another at the discipline of the Church, one at the government, another at the Governors both in Church and Commonwealth; this is that, which in time may bring all unto confusion, and with their own hands help, to pluck down those judgements, which they pretend to be most careful to keep off: when as if the minds of men were persuaded better things, and such as accompany salvation, would they believe that it is with our Religion as with our wealth, though many men be miserable, and poor, and naked, yet for the most part there is more gold, more silver, more precious stones, more knowledge, more piety, more men that have given up their names to CHRIST; this might be a strong motive to retain them in a good opinion of the Church and state wherein they live, & to cause them to confess with JACOB, Surely the Lord was in this place, and we were not ware of it. Lastly, that this may serve as a spur to our Piety and devotion, and cause us thus to dispute and argue with ourselves, Doth Religion daily grow up from strength to strength, and shall I stand only at a stay? Is there every where more understanding, more plentiful means of Salvation in the free and sincere dispensation of the Word and Sacraments, and shall I be a stranger in Israel, and know little or nothing of these things? Have the hired Servants in my Father's house now bread enough and shall I perish for hunger? And indeed, what stronger argument to persuade us to be proficients in Christ's School, then to see and acknowledge the towardliness of our fellow scholars.  
So then to draw all to a conclusion, We read in the book of Numbers, when BALAK requested BALAAM, Come curse me JACOB, and come and defy Israel, that BALAAM returns him answer from the mouth of GOD, How shall I curse, whom GOD hath not cursed, or how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied? Thus in the handling of this common place of CHRIST'S coming unto judgement, if the heat of some men's zeal shall call upon me to curse JACOB, and defy Israel, and in the voice of thunder threaten the sudden executions of God's wrath, my fair answer is, How can I curse whom, from my heart I am persuaded, God hath not cursed, or how can I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied? All that I will say is this, that as the general goodness and religion of this Land may cause us, according to the wont mercies of Almighty God, to conceive a fair hope, that there are no general visitations near at hand, so I beseech you, the better to vindicate the not unquestionable truth of so good a Paradox, let me crave the aid of your Piety, to make a strong party against any man that shall oppose us, and let each single man in singleness of heart, be so careful of his own particular, that we may all daily present ourselves as a living Sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, that we may come behind our Fathers in no gift, that we may be confirmed unto the end, and found blameless at the coming of our Lord JESUS CHRIST. Amen.   

Serm. III THE THIRD SERMON.  JOHN, 1.16. 
And Grace for grace.  
WHen the fullness of time was come, so God loved the World, that he sent forth his own Son; and (that which sets forth the rareness of this Love) in this fullness of time, when the fullness of Sin did now cry for the full vyals of GOD'S wrath, behold! where Sin abounded, Grace did much more abound; 
Vers. 14.  GOD sent forth his Son, full of Grace and Truth. And that this fullness of his might not serve to upbraid the empty world, and to condemn it, but that the world thereby might be saved; it was not only Plenitudo abundantiae, a filling fullness; but plenitudo redundantia, a flowing fullness: For, of his fullness have we all received, and Grace for grace.  
In which words, two Parts in the general may be observed: First, the Fountain of bliss, from whence all Happiness is derived to us, Of his fullness have we all received: and secondly, in my Text, the streams which flow from this Fountain, commended to us by way of excellency in the emphasis of this little particle And, Of his fullness have we all received: And that of no ordinary common fullness, nay not only, Truth for truth, a great happiness to know our Master's will; but that then which the goodness of the Father hath vouchsafed here no greater blessing to his own Son, Grace for grace; that by the fullness of Truth, knowing the will of our heavenly Father, by the fullness of Grace, we may be so happy to fulfil it.  
Now because the words of my Text will hardly be divided, for they are coincident, Grace and grace; it shall suffice me to make a division of the sense thereof; and three expositions there are, all concurring to make one complete Commentary, which shall serve me in stead of so many Parts; in the handling whereof, I hope I shall not need to crave your attention; surely, the very name of Grace, the most acceptable blessing, which, next unto his Son; GOD ever gave unto his Saints, will challenge it; and upon the delivery of so happy an Ambassage from Heaven solicit your thoughts with the like meditation, which old ELI put into the month of SAMUEL, Speak LORD, for thy servant heareth.  
Now then three Expositions there are, and the first is this: Of his fullness have we all received, and Grace for grace; that is, variety of Graces, some one grace some another: For, as no man hath received the fullness of CHRIST, but of his fullness only, so of his fullness every man receives not grace alike, but Grace for grace. Though the Spirit be the same, and the same Lord, (saith St. PAUL,) yet there are diversities of gifts, and difference of administrations, and GOD hath set in his Church some Prophets, some Apostles, some Teachers, some Interpreters. For the Church of CHRIST is a mystical body; and a Body (saith he) is not one member but many. And as in the Natural body all motion, the Physician will tell you, comes from the Head, and yet every member hath a different motion by itself; So in our Spiritual head CHRIST JESUS we all live and move, and have our being, and yet diverse are the motions of the different members of this body. 
Minut. Faelix.  Simil● universi videmur, & tamen dissimiles inter se universi invenimur. As in the Bodies, so in the Souls of men also, there is a kind of unlike likeness; and not only in the graces of illumination, but of Sanctification too, every man almost hath a different manifestation of one and the same Spirit. In my Father's house (saith CHRIST) there are many mansions, as in his upper House of glory many mansions, so in his lower house of Grace also many mansions: Some, we see, more humble, others more temperate, some more devout, others more charitable, some more merciful, others more just. In ABRAHAM we read the singular commendations of Faith; in JOB, of Patience; in MOSES, of Meekness; in PHINEES, of Zeal; not that those graces are infused alone, but ofttimes eminent alone. For as a candle, which enlightens the whole room within, shineth only through the window to those which are without; so in diverse men there are different kinds of claristories, whereby the graces of GOD which enlighten the whole Soul within, do yet but in part shine forth to others. Et qui non habet omnia, 
Hieron. Dialog. advers. Paelageum.  non condemnatur ex eo quod non habet, sed justificatur ex eo quod possidet. And he that wants the eminency in himself of many a commendable virtue in another man, shall not be condemned for what he hath not, but justified rather for what he hath. Vnum iter, 
Hieron. Epist. 11. ad Ageruchiam.  at perveniendi quò cupias multa compendia. For though there be but one highway to Heaven, yet there are many paths therein. JOHN BAPTIST came neither eating nor drinking, the Son of man came eating and drinking: and yet both came the right way. Surely then the way to Heaven is not so narrow, but that in respect of the different expressions of one and the same Grace, we may walk thither as well hand in hand, as step after step. To give you a quick instance in the present affection of many virtuous and good men. For as no man is so fare to sequester himself from the public affairs of Church and Commonwealth, but even in the most private condition is to labour and pray that we may all lead a peaceable and quiet life in all godliness and honesty, to joy or grieve, according as the happy or unhappy success of things shall minister just cause; So I persuade myself many thousands there are of piously devoted men, some who mourn to behold the streams of ungodliness overflowing the Souls of a world of men, and how fare the best come short of the perfection of that Holiness, whereto the sincerity of that Truth which we profess directs us: and yet some again who do rejoice, to see, amidst a crooked and froward generation, how many names there are yet every where given up unto GOD'S service, to see the free and sincere acknowledgement of that Sacred truth, the zealous and painful dispensation whereof daily produceth happy effects of righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, more perhaps then in five times so great a circuit in any part of the whole Christian world. And surely what ever, for what causes soever, may be our own apprehension of our own condition, when time shall have buried all these small occasions in forgetfulness, Posterity will live to make an honourable remembrance even of these days of ours, which our ingratitude can now hardly mention but with spleen. Now then, shall he that mourns say, Woe be to you that rejoice? Or shall he that rejoiceth, despise the sorrow of the mourner? No surely, are they not both Brethren, why then should they strive? Godly joy and godly sorrow, they are but Grace for grace, both different effects of one and the same Spirit. As then upon the view of the second Temple the Story tells us many wept with a loud voice, and many shouted aloud for joy, all equally affected to the good and welfare of that State; so now whether we mourn for the happiness we want, or joy in the present happiness we do enjoy, let us give each to other the right hand of fellowship; and in our daily Prayers salute both Church and State in the language of my Text, and say Grace, grace unto them.  
Again, as in diverse men there are different kinds of Grace, so different degrees too; there are Babes, and there are men in CHRIST, and there is milk for babes, and strong meat for men. For the Church of GOD (saith St. PAUL) is like to a great house, and in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but vessels of wood and earth.  
Now as in zeal we are all to endeavour to be made of the best mettle, so in charity we are to hope well of the worst too, lest the vessel of silver, while it smites against the vessel of clay, striving to break that, may bruise itself. Spiritus Dei super aquas ferebatur, 
Hieron. Ocean. cap 3.  & nascentem mundum partunebat, The Spirit of God moved, not only upon the high Heavens, but the low waters too; and as we read in the Creation, that God called the light Day, and the darkness Night; yet when he joins them both together, the denomination follows the better part, and the Evening and the Morning make a Day; so in the Souls of many men, though there be evening as well as morning, darkness as well as light, though there be great disobedience, if there be great repentance too; Such is the goodness of Almighty GOD, as that the darkness shall be swallowed up of light, and the Evening and the Morning make a Day. Where GOD sows plentifully he expects plenty, and where he sows sparingly he is content sparingly to reap: for five Talents perhaps he would not have been pleased with the increase of four more, and yet for two he accepts two. For as the Church of GOD is like JACOBS' ladder, though none but Angels climb it, yet there are some ascending, some descending, some above, some below, and all upon the Ladder; so the Grace of GOD it is like Manna in the Wilderness. So strict an exactor is he of the utmost of all that we can do, as that he that gathers much, ZACHARIE and ELIZABETH, who all their life long feared GOD and walked blameless, shall have nothing over, no works of Supererrogation, no Treasure for the Church; and yet so merciful is he unto those on whom he will have Mercy, as that he that gathers little, the Thief upon the Cross, not till his last hour bethinking himself of his last end, though he take up but a short Memento; Remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom, shall have no lack.  
Let not him than that is now reaching the top of the Ladder, despise him, who perhaps is yet but on his knees humbly creeping to the foot. Let not the tall Cedar, who once himself he knoweth was but a broken Reed, for what hath he which he hath not received, let him not fall heavy on the smoking Flax. For even babes in CHRIST, they are the children of GOD, and may live to become Men; and where the stomach is not able to digest strong meat, life a while may be maintained with milk. You know what a smart answer our SAVIOUR gave St. PETER, when partly out of good will he was but a little inquisitive after JOHN, Master what shall he do? What's that to thee? follow thou me. Surely then, what excuse shall we make, who not only by way of inquisition, but by way of censure and despair, as any man's life and actions, nay (such is the touchiness of this waspish age) but his opinion only shall but a little thwart us, presently we give him over, with a Lord what shall become of this man, when as indeed the conscience of our own infirmities might fare better busy our meditations to inquire, Lord, what shall become of me? and I could wish that golden sentence of the Heathen were imprinted in the heart of every Christian; Optimum ego et emendat issimum existimo, 
Plin. l. 8. Epist. 22.  qui caeteris ita ignoscit, tanquam ipse quotidie peccet; ita peccatis abstinet, tanquam nemini ignoscat. He indeed is a right good man, who in all things is so favourable to the sins of others, as if himself were the greatest sinner; and yet so severe and strict unto himself, as if he would favour no man. And thus much for the first exposition of my Text, I come now unto the second.  
And of his fullness have we all received, 
2 Exposition.  and grace for grace: that is, grace upon grace, grace after grace, first one grace then another. For GOD who gave not the Spirit by measure to his Son, gives it by measure and portions to his Saints; which like good seed sown into good ground brings forth first the blade, than the ear, than the full corn in the ear; first the will, and then the deed; first gins the deed, and then perfects it. And therefore give diligence, saith St. PETER, and add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge temperance, to temperance patience, to patience godliness: and that we may know there are many and high degrees to be ascended before we come unto the height of grace, to that full assurance, whereof fond oftimes we secure ourselves even at the first step, you see again he doubles the same caution; Give diligence to make your calling and Election sure. And St. PAUL often, Let the word dwell richly in you, in all wisdom; Let your love abound more and more, That you may be rooted, and built up, and established in the faith; That you may be holy and unreproovable in the sight of God; That he may present unto himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle. Indeed it is the desire of most men, to be partakers of God's grace, so much at least as may enlighten them a little, give them a taste of the heavenly gift, and keep them from despair; and then are they ready to say unto their soul, Soul take thy ease: for thou hast now enough, grace enough, laid up in store. But the earnest and constant desire of grace for grace, and grace upon grace, to follow our Petitions as St. HIEROM did (with a peto ut accipiam, & cum accepere rursus peto,) daily do I ask the grace of God, 
Avarus sum ad accipienda beneficia dei. Nec ille deficit in dando, nec ego satior in accipiendo. Ad Ctesiphor. adv. Pelag.  and when I have obtained what I ask for, daily do I ask the same again, and as long as he is well pleased to grant, never will I give over my desire; this a rare zeal: though yet in truth better have no talon, then wrap it in a Napkin. For GOD will not be content with his own, he must have interest; where he soweth grace, he expects to reap grace for grace: and therefore having once tasted of the heavenly gift, let us daily so hunger and thirst after Righteousness, as that we may be filled with the Spirit.  
For we are to observe, that as in GOD there is a fullness, if I may so speak, of capacity, fullness of justice, fullness of mercy, fullness of wisdom, fullness of power, all fullness at the full, because he is infinitely full; as in CHRIST there is a fullness of satiety, such a fullness as was fitted and proportioned by the will of his Deity, such a fullness as did abundantly satiate the will and desire of his humanity; a fullness without measure, if compared to that small portion vouchsafed to the greatest of the Saints: and yet a fullness which had measure and proportion, if compared unto the infinite fullness of the Deity. Deus quamvis omnipotens non potuit vel inaequalem sibi gignere filiis, 
Bernard. Homil. 3.  vel aequalem condere creaturam. It was impossible that even the omnipotency of GOD, should either beget the divine person of his Son unequal, or create his humane nature equal to himself: so in the Saints of God there must be a fullness too, a fullness of competency, fullness of Faith, and fullness of works also, that while we believe in him who justifieth a sinner, we may daily labour the reformation of our sins. Behold, saith CHRIST, I stand at the door and knock: and if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in, and sup with him, and he with me. Here than you see there must be a mutual entertainment of supper for supper, fullness for fullness, for indeed then only is this Feast rightly prepared, when as well CHRIST sups with us, as we with him, he on the delight of our obedience, we on the confidence of his.  
True indeed it is, that if we look into the empty world, a little goodness may soon raise us unto a Pharisaical ostentation, and serve to justify ourselves by negatives, Lord I thank thee, that I am not thus nor thus, nor like unto this Publican; and think that we have grace enough, if we can point out any man more graceless than ourselves; when as yet St. AUGUSTINE will tell us, 
Civit. dei, l. 14. c. 3.  Ipse diabolus non est fornicator, neque ebriosus, the Devil himself might thus commend himself, for he was never drunk, nor ever committed Fornication; and the Publican might make reply. LORD I thank thee that I am no Pharisee, when as perhaps his whole life hath been so fare from expressing the truth of godliness, as that he was never yet so well devoted to make show of it. Infaelicissimum genus consolationis est, 
Salvian. ad Eccles. Cathol. lib. 2.  de miseriis hominum peccatorum capere solatia. It is a most unhappy kind of comfort, for a man to solace himself in his own sin, upon the view of greater sins in others; No, rather letting pass these deceivable discourses, let us strive to fashion ourselves according to the infallible rules of holy Scripture: and when we know they are no common graces of the Spirit, whereby we are sealed unto the day of redemption; let us daily implore grace for grace, that we may approve the things that are excellent, and be filled with the fruits of righteousness. Nativitas salutaris non accepta sed custodita vivificat: 
Cyprean Epist. 7.  It is not a single grace, but grace upon grace must save us: and however the goodness and mercy of God might be content with less, than our own care and zeal will be content for our own selves; however ourselves in humility might be content with the lowest room, even to be doorkeepers in the house of God: yet how unspeakable would be our joy, if it might please him to grant more, than we dare presume to ask, and according to our increase in grace for grace, multiply unto us glory for glory too, and entertain us in his Kingdom, with an Amice ascende superiùs, Friend sit up higher: As than JACOB returning into his own Country, and afraid of his brother ESAV, sends before him present after present, first Goats, than Ewes, than Rams, than Camels, and commands every Messenger to say; These are thy servant JACOBS', and it is a present sent to my Lord ESAV; that if the first present could do nothing, the second, the third, or fourth, might move him; and thus where he feared most, he finds most love, ESAV embraceth him, falls upon his neck and kisseth him: so let it be all our care, being how onward on our way to seek a Country, and bow soon we may meet with our LORD we cannot tell, to send before us present after present, grace after grace; that when he shall meet here with our patience, there with our humility, here with our prayer, there with our repentance, here with our faith, there with our charity; he may embrace us in the arms of his mercy, and encourage our trembling souls with a Confide fili, Be of a good comfort my Son, thy sins are forgiven thee. And thus much for the second exposition, I come now unto the last.  
Of his fullness have we all received, 
3 Exposition:  and grace for grace, that is grace to us answerable to the grace of CHRIST; not he one grace we another, but grace for grace, grace in some proportion of like nature, like condition with his. GOD is faithful, saith St. PAUL, by whom we are called into the fellowship of his Son, who when we were dead in trespasses and sins, hath by the same spirit quickened us together with CHRIST, hath raised us up together, made as sit together in heavenly places. And indeed it is a meditation full of comfort, that all those graces and favours imparted to CHRIST the head, are communicable to us his members, of his flesh, and of his bones. Was he saluted with that gracious voice from Heaven, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: behold the same spirit, though secretly yet powerfully cries, Abba Father in our souls, and assures us that we also are the Sons of God, nay heirs, yea coheyres with his own Son. For as CHRIST was incarnate and made the Son of God by assuming our nature to his person; so there is a kind of incarnation in every Saint of God, by uniting his nature to our persons. And indeed every pious Soul is another Virgin MARY, wherein we reinwombe our SAVIOUR, 
Qui parturit verbam Christum parturit. Amb in Luc. lib. 10. cap. 5.  and with whom we travail till he be form in us, till he who is conceived in us, is the Author of our new conception, and giveth spiritual life and motion to our souls. Had he the wonderful grace and power to work great miracles, give eyes to the blind, speech to the dumb, health to the sick, life to the dead? He that believes in me, saith he, the works that I do, shall he do also, nay even greater works than these shall he do. For if we fail of the shadow, in the practice of those great works upon the body; yet we have the substance of fare greater works upon the soul. And such to this day, is the powerful efficacy of this quickening grace, as that it openeth the blind eye, and the deaf care, with joy to behold and hear the wonderful works of God; it looseneth the dumb tongue, and out of the mouths of babes and sucklings, ordaineth strength; it stretcheth forth the lame hand, with cheerfulness to distribute to the necessities of others; it softeneth the hard heart, and kindleth it with zeal and forwardness, O Lord, my heart is ready, my heart is ready. Nay though we be dead in trespasses and sins, grace is able to recover us. Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and CHRIST shall give thee light. Lastly is CHRIST ascended up to Heaven, fare above all Principalities and Powers, there for ever to sit at the right hand of the Father, and will he leave us comfortless alone? No surely, as he hath given us grace for grace, so will he give us glory for glory too, and therefore Blessed be GOD, saith St. PETER, who hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the Resurrection of JESUS CHRIST, from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, reserved for us in the Heavens.  
Now hitherto, I persuade myself we all gladly give ear to this discourse, and are ready to second it with the like Petition of the Disciples, Lord evermore give us of this grace. But yet I fear that as DAVID, who went with joy to fetch the Ark out of the house of AMINADA●, on expectation thereby of a blessing to befall his own house, when he saw VZZAH smitten with sudden Death, for presuming to touch the Ark, was presently displeased, and afraid too, for how shall the Ark of the Lord, saith he, come to me? and therefore he sent it to the house of OBED EDOM. So I fear many there are well pleased with the grace of CHRIST, as long as we discourse of the joy, the comfort, the glory that attends it: but let us once mention the sorrow and affliction which for grace and righteousness sake we must endure: let us tell them that he that will be CHRIST'S Disciple, must first in humility deny himself, and with patience take up his Cross and follow him: this is a hard saying, say they, and who is able to endure it? If these be the difficulties which attend the Ark, let it go to the house of OBED EDOM, we will not bring it to our City. But before you send it away, let me ask you but one question, shall we receive good at the hands of the Lord, and shall we not receive evil? nay more, Is it not enough that the Disciple be as his Master, and the Servant as his Lord? Would we receive grace, and will we not have grace for grace? would we have the grace of his exaltation, and will we not have the grace of his humility? CHRIST himself we know first suffered, before he entered into glory; and we must first be made conformable unto his death, before we can attain the resurrection of the dead.  
But blessed men are we, in that this conformity now in a great part consists only in a preparation, and resolution to endure; when as the peace and happiness which we enjoy have removed the misery of those evil days fare off from us, which thousands and millions of the Saints of God have been enforced to endure. Indeed we live by faith, saith St. PAUL, the best part of our life by Faith, and not by sight, yet what eye so dull, that sees not the happiness of this present life of ours, or what tongue so tied, whose heart will not force it to break out into terms of gratulation; Praise the LORD O my Soul, and all that is within me praise his holy name. Let us look into the primitive times, or we need not go so fare, but on the days of our Forefathers, and how terrible then were the conditions of salvation? What strength of grace, what a complete armour was then requisite, to defend them against all the fiery darts of Satan? Coelestis regiae januam gradibus panarum ascendentes, 
Salvian. de Gubernat. Dei, lib. 3.  scalas sibi quodammodò de eculeis catastisque fecerunt. The wrack, the scourge, the stake, and what ever torture the witty cruelty of man was able to invent, these were the steps whereby they painfully ascended up to Heaven: But surely, if ever unto any, our yoke is easy, and our burden light; in a peaceable age we reap the fruits of peace; with the freedom of our conscience, we enjoy the freedom of the world too; in all the fair pleasures and delights whereof, what ever liberty a discreet Heathen would desire, a good Christian may enjoy; and after all this, with Non obstante to St. HIEROME, 
Difficile imo impossibile est, ut quis transeat de deliciis in delicias. ad julianun Epist. 34.  de deliciis in delicias, out of the bosom of the World we may gently remove our head into ABRAHAM'S bosom, quietly breathe our last, and into the hands of our Redeemer commend our Spirit. Then indeed (to invert a little the words of St. CYPRIAN) facta est Ecclesia in cruore Martyrum purpurea, 
Epist. 9  the Church was of a scarlet die in the blood of the Martyrs: nunc in operibus fratrum candida, now she hath or may have, her garments white in the fair and peaceable conversation of the Saints. Sic florìbus ejus nec lilia, nec rosae desunt; thus hath she been adorned and beautified with flowers of diverse colours, then with the red Rose, now the white.  
Yet true indeed it is, that even to this day, many are the troubles of the Righteous, but troubles common also with the sinner, wherein the graces of CHRIST'S patience and humility are so far from dejecting us, as that they are the chief comforters we have. There is a trouble of poverty, wherein grace cheerfully sustains us; teacheth of as well how to want, as how to abound; and if after a fair endeavour we cannot raise our means unto our mind, presently humbles our mind unto our means. There is a trouble of sickness, but yet in all our sickness grace makes all our bed. The Lord giveth (giveth health and wealth) and the Lord taketh away: and blessed be the name of the Lord. Lastly, there is a trouble of sin too, which if grace shall sometime increase, by laying the greatness and danger thereof near unto our heart; yet it will easily persuade us that it is good for us to be thus troubled.  
For indeed such is the strange and powerful efficacy thereof, as that, vulnus opemque, it both woundeth and cureth; with a quick and sharp sense of our sins it oft times draweth tears from our eyes, and presently out of a joy that it hath made us become thus sensible, it wipeth them off again. As than trouble is the inseparable companion of our life, what more necessary than that grace should be the inseparable companion of our trouble: that if trouble should sometime overcharge us, and force us to cry out, Wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me? Grace may presently succentunate and relieve us, with a Thanks be to God through JESUS CHRIST our Lord; on which firm Rock as long as we truly fasten the Anchor of our hope, nor height nor depth, nor life nor death, shall ever be able to remove us.  
Again, are we all to receive grace for grace, grace parallel and proportionable to the grace of CHRIST, as indeed among other causes, therefore was CHRIST incarnate that he might give unto us a pattern of true grace, that in all things we may learn to be holy, as he is holy; surely then from hence we may best put in practice that caveat of St. JOHN, and learn how to try the Spirit. By the grace of GOD (it is the common language of us all) we hope we shall do well, but how shall we know whether the grace we speak off, be a grace in word only, or in deed? And I hope there is no man here so insensible of such things as belong unto his peace, but sometime in secret will commune, with his own heart, and make inquiry, Lord are there but few that shall be saved, and those few such only as have received the mark of thy spirit; how then shall I know whether I am partaker of this spirit, that I may have, if not an assurance, yet a fair hope that I shall be of the number of these few? A question, as very necessary to be made, so truly very difficult to be resolved. For mine own part, I am persuaded there is no readier way to give ourselves satisfaction in this doubt, then to propose the doubt even in the very terms of my Text, Have I grace for grace, the grace of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, some commendable measure of his charity, his zeal, his meekness, his temperance, his justice, his mercy? Have I true patience and humility, true sorrow and anguish of soul for mine own sins, answerable to that sorrow of his above all sorrows for the sins of the whole World? Alas otherwise, if we be full of spleen and malice, if our mouth be an open sepulchre, therein ready to bury the good name and honour of every man whose ways and actions do but a little thwart us; (though yet Michael the Archangel in a fare juster contestation, then can be between man and man, would not revile the Devil;) we know that CHRIST prayed for his enemies, and died for his enemies, and how then dwells the love of CHRIST in us? If upon every slight provocation we shall break out into foul curses, the pox, the plague, the devil, evils that we need not imprecate; happy are we if with all our prayers we can deprecate them; and these curses shall second with fearful oaths, and at each word be prodigal of the life, the wounds, the death, the blood, that precious blood of Christ, one drop whereof perhaps the time may come when we shall call and cry for, and not be so happy as to obtain it; we know that CHRIST when he was reviled, reviled not again, and in all our familiar discourse hath confined us to a yea, yea, and a nay, nay; and how then dwells the meekness, nay even but the language of CHRIST in us? If we say unto our Soul, Take thy ease, eat, drink and be merry; and shall vilify all others, who will not follow the same excess of riot with ourselves: we know that it was the strict charge of CHRIST, that we should not overcharge ourselves with surfeiting and drunkenness, the bastard parents of chambering and wantonness, and how then dwelleth the temperance of CHRIST in us? If we be always querulous and discontent, upon every light cross ready to blaspheme the sufferings of CHRIST, (with a non est dolour sicut dolor meus) was there ever sorrow like unto my sorrow? we know that CHRIST, though made a man of sorrows, and this sorrow for the sin of man, yet like the Sheep before the Shearer he opened not his month, and how then dwells the patience of CHRIST in us? Lastly, if we put off the chief care of our Soul till the last hour, our prayer, our repentance, and strict examination of our ways, and think in the mean while that a Lord, Lord, a formal devotion will suffice; we know that CHRIST spent whole nights in prayer, and in the anguish of his soul, and that for the sense of our sins, sweat even drops of blood, and how then dwelleth the devotion of CHRIST in us? Those be quaeres able to startle a good soul; and surely would we let pass those deceivable examples, which from the frailties of men too indulgently ofttimes we propose unto ourselves, this man will do thus, and that man thus; and strive more nearly to square our actions according to this infallible pattern in my Text: a world of sins there are wherewith the World through custom is now almost uncontroullably full fraught, which we should then be as fare from any desire to commit, as now I fear we are from any intent to amend; and having received at first, though but a spark of grace, we should in time so kindle and inflame it, as that like JOHN Baptist, it might prove a burning and a shining light, by which light we might then easily discover our own happiness, and say with JOB, Now I know that my Redeemer liveth.  
But some men perhaps will here reply, as the Patient once did to the Physician, prescribing him to keep a good diet; if I had meant, (saith he) to keep a good diet, I should never have need to come to you for Physic, pray tell me how I may keep an ill diet and not be sick: so you will say perhaps, we all know already what good we must do, and what grace we must have that we may be saved, but pray tell us what evil we may do, and what grace we may want, and yet be saved? May we not swear a little, riot a little, and if our beloved sin be but little one, may not our soul fly thither and yet live? But first I pray tell me, what sin is there which any man dareth call little, which without repentance is great, heavy, and enough to weigh him down to Hell? Indeed so great is the mercy of God, as that we find a pardon oft times given to great sins; but where ever do we find beforehand a dispensation given to the least? God sometime upon the foresight of our repentance, antedates his pardon; Thy sin is forgiven thee, saith Nathan unto DAVID; though it is thought the solemn repentance for this sin was afterwards performed: but shall we therefore upon the fore-intendment of our repentance antedate our sin? Surely, if you would give me a house full of gold I dare not tell you so. For this quaere is as if a man should ask, how high may I fall down headlong, before I break nay neck? or how often may I stab myself, before I be wounded unto death? Surely because a little wound oftimes proveth dangerous; or at leastwise full of pain, a wise man will not rashly cut his skin; and if skin for skin, and all that a man hath he will give for his life, how diligent and tender aught to be every man's care for his own soul? Quae insania est, 
Salvian. ad Eccles. Cathol. lib. 2.  ut non quanta potes omnino facias, cum ignores penitus quid tibi competat ad salutem? What madness is it for a man not to take the best care he can for his soul, when as he knows that after all the care which he can take, even the Righteous shall scarce be saved? Let us not then presume to inquire, how fare we may suffer sin to abound? Be we never so careful to suppress it, sin will abound too fare: but ask rather, how fare must grace more abound, to obtain the forgiveness of our sin? and when we see what high patterns of obedience are every where in holy Scripture proposed unto our imitation, the perfection of the Father, the grace of the Son, the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, the Communion of Saints and Angels, may these great examples daily enlarge our endeavours, and as long as we can never hope to do what we ought, let us never cease to do what we may.  
Now then to draw all to a conclusion; We read in this Chapter of a two fold fullness in CHRIST; there is a fullness of truth, and a fullness of grace: fullness of truth we have revealed in holy Scripture, and from hence truth for truth we are able to communicate each to others: but fullness of grace this is God's prerogative, which he reserves only to himself; and grace for grace what man ever durst take upon him to bestow? Fullness of truth is the religion of the soul, & furnisheth the eye, the ear, the tongue, the head: but fullness of grace, this is the soul of our religion, and draws all unto the heart: fullness of truth it is a diligent MARTHA, and provideth many commendable things; but fullness of grace this is the devout MARY, and bringeth the main necessary part: this is the pearl, which though we should sell all that we have to buy, will buy a thousand times more than we can sell: this is the oil which cheereth the countenance, the wine which makes glad the heart of man, and with a good conscience keepeth a continual feast. This is comes in via pro vehiculo, the most gentile and faithful companion in the world; which when wealth, when honour, when strength, when wit, when speech, when sense, when life itself shall fail, will yet never leave us nor forsake us. I beseech you then as we cannot but all thankfully acknowledge, that we have already received the religion of the soul, truth for truth; let us daily implore from Heaven the soul of our Religion, grace for grace; grace upon grace, even the grace of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, that having given us an understanding head, he would be pleased to create in us a new heart, and renew a right spirit within us: that when with the sighs and groans of this spirit, from the bottom of this heart, we shall call and cry unto him Abba Father, he may graciously make answer from Heaven, I will be unto thee a Father, and thou shalt be to me a Son. Amen.   

Serm. IV THE FOURTH SERMON.  ECCLES. 12.1. 
Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.  
WHen I read the saying of St. JOHN, My little Children this is the last time, the time, saith St. PAUL, even of the end of the world, & consider withal, that it is now near 1600 years ago, since this caveat was first given; surely, me thinks, we that live at the end of this end, at the last period of this last time, have now great cause, together with the end of the world, even daily to bethink ourselves of our own end, and not only for fear of our day of death, but out of some respect also even unto the day of judgement; with the wife Virgins to begin betimes to prepare oil ready for our lamps, seriously oft times to catechise our souls with the like question of the Psalmist, Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his ways; and make answer with my Text, Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.  
In the handling of which words three things I shall briefly commend unto you. First, I will propose some reasons and motives to persuade the young man to be thus mindful of his Creator: Secondly, I will remove those excuses, which all youth for the most part are ready to pretend for the neglect of this duty. Lastly, I will close up all with some short and useful remembrances, which may serve to imprint and fasten this so necessary duty into the meditation and practice of our Souls. In the handling whereof, though I have here a young man only to remember, yet you shall see no age shall be forgotten: to begin then with the first.  
Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth; and even for this cause in the days of thy youth, because thou knowest not whether ever thou shalt live till thou art old. For the life of man it is as a Shadow, and our days are now but a span long; nay even this short measure, as by sad experience we have too frequent trial, we see so much contracted, as that we enjoy ofttimes but some few inches even of this Span neither. Few and evil are the days of our Pilgrimage here on earth, have we now more reason to complain then JACOB had. Now because our days are evil, we had need to remember our Creator to amend them: because few, we were best do it quickly; lest we forgetting him, he may prove too mindful of us, and in his justice cut off those few days of ours, wherein we have been so evil, as not to fly unto his Mercy. And hence is it I should think that St. JOHN in his first Epistle doth so often style the Saints of GOD by the name of little Children: My little Children these things I writ unto you; Little children keep yourselves from Idols; little children it is the last time: not only to express his fatherly and tender affection over them, with whom like PAUL, he did even go in travail, till CHRIST should be form in them; not only to teach them gentleness and humility, and that he that will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, must first stoop to the confession of the Psalmist, LORD I am not high minded, but even as a Child weaned from his Mother's breast, so do I behave myself; but even in this respect also to let us understand, by reason of the shortness and uncertainty of the life of man, that even from our Childhood we are to be trained up, with the child SAMVEL, to minister unto the Lord girt with a linen Ephod, while our garments are yet white and spotless, that both Body and Soul too may as it were hand in hand grow up from strength to strength, till of Children we become perfect Men, and attain unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of CHRIST. For we are all by Nature the children of wrath, all liable to those everlasting chains prepared for the Devil and his Angels, and as long as this state continueth, we may, complain with REBECCA, I am weary of my life; and we may sit down with JOB, and curse the day that we were borne in: and can we then think any time too soon to begin to make an agreement with our adversary by the way, by our Prayer, our repentance, our faith in the washing of the Blood of JESUS, get the hand-writing of the Law cancelled and washed off, that as with PAUL and SILAS in the Prison, our fetters may fall away, and of the children of wrath we may be redeemed into the glorious liberty of the sons of GOD. For was it not madness in PHARAOH, when as the Frogs were now swarming in the Land, in his Court, in his Bedchamber, in his bosom, and MOSES came kindly to him and when, (saith he) shall I entreat for thee to destroy these Frogs, was it not madness (I say) to put him off and bid him come To morrow? Surely we would think even but that one night's torture he would have redeemed rather, though with the one half of his Kingdom: and are not our Sins as noisome companions as those unwelcome guests of his? When then our conscience like Moses shall say unto our Souls, when shall I entreat the Lord to destroy these sins, should we not be more mad than Pharaoh, did we reply, To morrow: no, To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts. For the life of man as it is sweet, so it is short too, and though but one only way we have into the world, yet many out. Whether this or that shall be our end, whether sooner or later it shall come, this is a secret which GOD hath purposely reserved unto himself, that so we may ever be prepared for that, from which we can never be secure.  
Let us not then put off necessary duties to uncertain times; let us not turn Prodigals in our youth, in hope of I know not how many years are yet to come to cry Peccavi in our age. For what know we but that even in the midst of our jollity, when we shall say unto our soul Take thy ease and be merry; what know we but that even than we may be arrested with a Thou fool this night shall thy Soul be taken from thee, and then as the Tree falls so it must lie? Quid enim saeculi potest esse diuturnum, 
Ambros. in Luc. lib. 4. cap. 5.  cum ipsa saecula non sint diuturna? For why should we presume of our life, or any thing else to continue long in this world, when as the world itself hath not long to continue?  
Secondly, Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy Youth; because though thou wert sure to live, and wert resolved to sin when thou art young; yet thou art not sure to repent when thou art old, and therefore why shouldst thou venture on a certain disease upon so uncertain a remedy. For the Grace of GOD it is like the Pool of Bethesda, and cureth but at set times, and therefore with the Cripples in the Gospel we must wait all opportunities, and call upon the name of the LORD, not when ourselves at leisure shall be pleased to seek after him, but when he in his mercy will vouchsafe to be found of us. Indeed some Examples we find in holy Scripture of men, who have made but a short passage unto Heaven, and having not set forward toward CHRIST till they came unto full years, have yet lived to overtake him, before they came unto the grave. The Thief, we read it in the Gospel, in one and the same day cometh a malefactor to the Cross, and goeth a Saint to Paradise: but pray tell me, for this one, this single one, who had so good success, how many thousands do you think, have gone from the Cross to Hell? Were it not madness in us then to venture on that disease, whereof thousands have been cast away upon this cold Presumption that some odd man or two have been recovered? We are all too prone to look on the Thief that hung on the right hand, but we might do well sometime to think upon him who hung upon the left. For is there great Mercy with GOD, and is there not great justice too? Do but look into the same Book, and you shall see that the same hand hath purposely registered many fearful Examples in all kinds, of men suddenly surprised by his justice, even presently upon the committing of their sin, that so the memory of their ends may fright us from the imitation of their actions, as knowing that what hath befallen one, may be common unto all, and that in such sins wherein some men have died so desperately, no man can live secure. And surely as Sins do propose themselves to us, would we but seriously oppose these Examples unto them; and as our SAVIOUR hath already made the application to our hand, Remember LOT'S wife, when having put the hand unto the plough, we are ready to look back again: Remember ACHAN in our Covetousness, ABSALON in our Disobedience, ZIMRI and COSBI in our Lust, HEROD in our Pride, ANANIAS in our Hypocrisy and the like; surely I say, would we but seriously lay these precedents to heart, the fear of the punishment would soon fright us from the love of the sin. Let us not then presuming on GOD'S patience provoke his anger; Let us not fond persuade ourselves because no time is too late for him to forgive, that therefore any time is soon enough for us to repent: no, if we will be sure to sing a requiem at our going out of the world, let us begin our miserere at our coming in. 
Ambros. de Paenit. lib. 2. cap. 9  Infir maspes quae committitur tempori, cum omne tempus incertum sit, neque omni spes tempori superstes; for weak is our present trust or time to come, when as we know that all time to come is uncertain. Nor can we certainly trust all time that comes, because that goodness of GOD which hath promised pardon wherever we shall repent, hath no where promised repentance when ever ourselves please.  
Lastly, Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, because in the days of thy youth thy Creator hath remembered thee: who is it from whom thou hast received thy being? Are not children, & the fruit of the womb a gift that cometh of the Lord? who is it by whom thou livest, and movest, and enjoyest the blessings of this life? do not the eyes of all things wait upon thee O Lord, and thou fillest every living thing with Plenteousness? Who is it that amidst all the casualties of the world preserveth thee in thy going out and in thy coming in? Hath not he given his Angels charge ever thee, that thou shalt not so much as dash thy foot against a stone? So that from thy first conception to this hour, one day telling another what great things he that is mighty hath done for thee; what canst thou do less in testimony of thy thankfulness then to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness all the days of thy life? GOD'S remembrance of thee, it is voluntary, but thine of him is of necessity. He can say of the best of men, I have no need of you, but can the best man say to him, I have no need of thee? If then his goodlesse freely move him to be mindful of thee, let thy duty constrain thee to remember him. And that not without just cause; for unless thou shalt put him in mind to perfect the work of his own hands, and to his creation of Nature add the creation of Grace also, a thousand times better had it been that thou hadst been quite forgotten, and not Created at all. For however of all the Creatures of the earth man be the most noble and divine; yet simply to be a man is but a doubtful blessing, thou knowest not yet whether thou shalt be loved or hated. That which puts all out of doubt must be a new creation; and therefore if thou desire to take up the language of the Pharisee but with a better mind, Lord I thank thee that I am not as other men are, now no more an old but a new creature; remember thy Creator with the prayer of the Psalmist, Create in me O Lord a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me, a spirit whereby our hearts may be enlarged with obedience and thankfulness, and daily remembrance of our duties unto him, according to the largeness of his goodness and mercy, and continual mindfulness of us, and then Quàm beati essemus, si quàm promptam erga nos Dei audientiam legimus, 
Salvian. de Gubernat. Dei. lib. 2.  taem prompto ipsum audire velimus, O how happy should we be, were we but half so ready to hear and fulfil the commands of GOD, as we are to overhear and challenge his promises. And thus much for the reasons and motives to persuade the young man to remember his Creator. I come now in the second place to answer his objections.  
First than it may be urged, must the young man so early begin to remember his Creator? Must the tender neck presently become subject to this heavy yoke, no sooner have we withdrawn our hand from the ferula, and come newly but to feel and know ourselves, but presently must we be bound in a perpetual apprenticeship, and that to a harder Master than before? This is a hard saying, and who is able to endure it, willingly would we take up our cross and follow CHRIST, but gladly would we have a little respite first, to go and bid the world farewell.  
Indeed were Religion an easy profession, it might more easily be deferred: Things wherein there is less difficulty, require less industry: But because all the World will grant that it is very hard to be good, surely we had need to begin betimes. Difficulty than you see which is urged as an objection to put off Religion till old age, proves a strong argument to persuade us to be religious in our youth: yet notwithstanding could it but well appear, that the same yoke, which punisheth us in our youth, would prove more easy to old age the excuse might be more pardonable: But for my part when I consider that all Trades, all Arts, all Sciences, are in their first rudiments, best learned in our minority; I cannot be persuaded but that religion also, (which with pretence of difficulty, because we are unwilling to make trial of our own strength, we are all too ready to put off till we are old) will yet prove most facile in our youth: And he that shall compare the several advantages which age and youth have each of other in matters of Religion, will find perhaps that it is no paradox to maintain against the great Philosopher, that junenis est magis idoneus auditor moralis and divinae Philosophiae too, that a young Timothy is a fit Auditor of a lecture of Divinity, than an old Nicodemus.  
Age I confess, to give it its due honour, hath many prerogatives of youth. Age is cool and temperate; those hot pursuites of vain delights if grace restrain not, we see in time nature itself forbears. Age it is stayed and resolute; good courses well begun it will hold on: though the hand be hardly drawn unto the plough, yet the eye will not suddenly look back again. Age it is wise and experienced, and having made frequent trial of the fickle unconstancy of all things under the Sun, can now truly say of laughter, Thou art madness, and that all the glory of the world, it is but vanity and vexation of spirit. Lastly, Age it is sickly and crazed, and daily draweth onward nearer to the grave; & we see the tongue no not of men and Angels to be so powerful an Orator to proclaim unto us. Dust thou art, and to dust thou must return, as but one dumb fit of a disease. ALEXANDER whom in his health all the World could not persuade but that a GOD he would needs be, upon a wound received seeing the blood come, could then humble his conceit, & jam sentio me mortalem, and now I see, saith he, that I must dye: so that the old man daily seeing that death, which may be near unto the young man, cannot be far off from him, is the more easily persuaded to prepare himself for the more easy passage when it comes. These indeed are great advantages of age, and yet perhaps the young man hath fare greater.  
For first, Youth it is bashful and modest: and modesty, (saith the Philosopher) if it be not a virtue, it is virtue's companion. And thus much Christianity also seems to acknowledge, when we say of a man that is not yet past shame, that surely he is not yet past Grace. For shame ofttimes it is the Guardian of Grace, and many sins there are for the forbearance whereof even the best Souls are sometime as much beholding to their modesty, as to their Religion But age you know it is more bold and daring, and therefore ofttimes for want of virtue's companion, virtue herself proves wanting, and the loss of shame becomes the ruin of Grace. Again, Youth it is always subject to control, hath a Father, a Mother, a Tutor, a Master, or if all these may fail, yet old age itself, we see, if for no other cause, yet because old, it challengeth a kind of Fatherhood over all youth, and if but old ELIS gentle reproof, Nay my Sons why do you such things, it leaves some impression in the Soul. But age 'tis uncontrollable, Rebuke not an Elder, it is the precept in the Text, and ELIHU in JOB conversing with his Ancients, though they gave him just cause of speech and reproof too, yet you see how long he lays his hand upon his mouth before ever he durst speak: so that we see ofttimes the greater is the old man's liberty, the greater also is his licence. Again, youth it is more free and generous; in all dealings of the world liveth nearest to the best law of nature, Do as thou wouldst be done unto, not so ready to defraud, and yet more ready to restore. But Age, it is penurious and griping, and now come in those cruel times of extortion and oppression, Quocumque modo rem, a man will transgress even for a piece of bread. Lastly, and that which is the main advantage, youth it is like gold, soft and pliable, if soon bend, soon set to rights again; but age, it is like Iron, sullen and stiff: Youth indeed it is more heady, but tendermouthed; but age it is more headstrong, if it fly out, it will run its course; the old man's Motto is like that of PILATE, Quod scripsi scripsi, He will have his will. Sins of youth they are but ill dispositions; but sins of age they are commonly ill habits. Here the flesh turneth Traitor, and rebelleth against the Spirit; but there it turneth Tyrant and commandeth. In the days of our youth, GOD patiently standeth at the door of our hearts and knocketh; and when he hath spoke once and twice, though we regard not, he will not yet presently leave us nor forsake us: but when once thirty or forty years long he hath been grieved with a rebellious and gainsaying generation, in the end his patience turneth to anger, What could I have done which I have not done? and so gives them over to a reprobate sense.  
Thus than you see the young man also hath his advantages, and indeed what ever precedence our age can challenge of our youth, it is then only to be found when the old man ploughs with the young man's heckfer: For than it is no wonder, that the incomes of our age multiplying upon the stock of our youth should make the fairer revenue: but set the comparison right, and then thus much I dare boldly say, that whereas in these days of ours, whereof out of zeal I presume to make them better, we wrongfully complain ofttimes as if they never had been worse; many rare and virtuous young men are not perhaps so rare to be found: yet I think it is almost a miracle to see a very good old man, who never began to be good till he was old. If then virtue be so hard a task, as to excuse our vices we are all too easily persuaded to believe; surely in all discretion we are to make choice of the fittest season to attain it, and that I have shown you are the days of our Youth. For let sin have but its course a while, and if you will not believe me; Saint AUGUSTINE shall tell you what will be the issue. Ex voluntate perversa facta est libido, 
Confess. lib 8. cap. 5.  & dum servitur libi dini, facta est consuetudo, & dum consuetudini non resistitur, factu est necessitas. From a perverse will, which naturally we all bring into the World, arise sinful desires, and while we humour our desire, custom lays hold upon us, and while this custom is not controlled it proves another nature. Hear than you see the difficulties of Sin: they are like the waters mentioned by the Prophet, begin at the ankles, rise to the knees, thence to the waste, after to the neck, till in the end they overwhelm us. Were it not better then at the first to venture over shoes, then at the last over head and ears? and therefore while the waters are yet low and passable, before the overflowings of ungodliness shall too much fright our souls, let me commend unto you that Item of our SAVIOUR but upon a better errand, Quod facis fac cito? That which thou meanest to do, do quickly. And thus much for the first objection, I come now to answer a second.  
For Religion you will say, and the early remembrance of those duties which we own to our Creator they breed melancholy, and fright the Soul with many sad and desperate thoughts; not an idle word can be spoken, not a Racha given or Thou fool, not the least riot or excess committed, but presently the conscience checks us with judgement and Hell fire; and gladly would we desire the freedom to live a little cheerly in our youth.  
Thus have I seen a patiented sometime complain of his Physic, when as indeed he was heart sick of his disease. For pray, tell me what is it, which in those sad fits, whereto the Souls of good men are ofttimes subject, (and perhaps did we more often feel them the more happy might we be;) what is it I say, which breeds this melancholy, is it our Religion? that we know is the Physic of the Soul: no surely, it is our sin, and that is the disease. Were it not madness in us then, to desire to live freely in our sin, that we might live free from sorrow, when as indeed there is nothing truly to be sorrowed for but sin? For let us reckon up a catalogue of all such delights, as our own Soul would wish to concur to make a cheerful life, and you shall see religion hath the promise of them all. Wouldst thou enjoy long life, and see good days? Keep thy tongue from vill, and thy lips that they speak no guile. And this life of thine wouldst thou have as healthful as 'tis long? Praise the Lord O my Soul, for he it is that reneweth thy strength, and maketh thee young and lusty as an Eagle. And this health of thine wouldst thou have maintained with plenty, Trust in the Lord and do good, and verily thou shalt be fed, Delight in the Lord and he shall give thee thy hearts desire. And this plenty of thine, wouldst thou have seconded with joy? O be joyful in the Lord all ye Lands; serve the Lord with gladness, and come before his presence with a song. And lastly, of this joy of thine, wouldst thou have a patent, not for thyself only but for thy posterity? The Righteous shall dwell at ease, and his seed shall inherit the Land. If then life and health, plenty and joy, can make a cheerful man, certainly religion cannot make him melancholy. But yet I must confess these rare effects, they are perhaps but rarely to be found, and short life, crazed health, small plenty, unconstant joys they are the portion ofttimes even of GOD'S dearest Saints; not that GOD hath forgotten to be so good as his word promiseth, but that men have not remembered to be so good as his word commandeth, but have neglected the performance of those strict conditions, whereupon the accomplishment of these so large promises depend. But however do the righteous, and such as daily remember their Creator, do they only eat sour Grapes, and are the sinners such as have not GOD in all their thoughts, are their teeth never set on edge? It is true indeed, that GOD receives no man but whom he doth chastise, chastise not with cross and affliction only, but with sorrow and anguish of Soul, with fear and trembling for his sin; yet here we have a mixture of little judgement with great mercy, the joy of our receiving soon easing the smart of our chastisement. But is it not true withal, that the sinner he shall receive his chastisement and yet never be received; here is judgement without mercy. With the righteous heaviness may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning: but with the sinner this order is inverted; joy indeed may endure for a night, but sorrow returns in the Morning. When upon the sober view of of his intemperate luxuriances finding his Soul like cain's, guilty of more sin than he knoweth how to have forgiven, he becomes subject to the fearful expectation of more punishment, than he knows which way to endure.  
Indeed if we look upon the surface of things only, the sinner may seem to be the only cheerly man, sits down merrily to eat and drink, riseth to his play, and wondereth that any man should refuse to follow the same excess of riot with himself. But let us now a little change his commons, and remove him from his own table, which from the excess and riot thereof I fear we may too justly ofttimes style the Table of Devils, and bring him to the Table of the Lord, and then behold with how heavy a heart doth he reach forth his trembling hand to partake of those sacred mysteries, as justly fearing upon this Conscience of his great unworthiness, lest he should eat and drink his own condemnation, and rise up seavenfold more the child of Hell than he sat down. When as the Righteous cometh with joy & cheerfulness, whose innocent conscience as it keepeth a continual feast, so never then now is it more plentifully fed, and thankfully (saith Grace) with a Nunc dimittis, Lord now lettest thou thy Servant departed in peace: for mine eyes have seen my Salvation. For now I know that the Kingdom of Heaven, (true happiness indeed) it is not meat and drink, but Righteousness, and peace, and joy upon joy, joy unspeakable, even joy in the Holy Ghost. It is a memorable speech of HAMAN, who recounting the glory of his riches, the multitude of his children, the great honours whereunto he had been promoted above other Princes by the King; yet in the end concludeth, All this is nothing, as long as MORDECAL sits in the King's gate. So surely he that shall examine the Souls of the Hamen of this World, men who for pleasure, wealth, and honour seem to be the only happy men; will find them sometime ingenuously to confess, All this is nothing: for there is a MORDECAI, a tormenting conscience, daily sitting in the Gate, which like IONAS his Worm, no sooner is the Gourd of their felicity sprung up a little, but presently it biteth and gnaweth it down again. And therefore we see daily nothing more frequent than for the luxurious prodigal upon the sad remembrance of the follies of his youth, to break out into a Laetare sterilis, Happy are the barren, and the Souls unsensible of these vain delights, the fruition whereof is but a transitory vanity, and the remembrance a perpetual vexation of the Spirit. As than GOD said once unto the jews, Bring my tithes into my store-house, and prove me now if I will not open the windors of Heaven, and pour down a blessing without measure; so let me say here to young and old, Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, in the days of thy age, even all the days of thy life, serve him in chastity, in temperance, in justice, in charity, in prayer, in repentance; make a trial of his goodness, and see whether he will not open the windors of Heaven, and in stead of sadness and melancholy, pour down joy and gladness, the joy and comforts of his Grace and Spirit, whereby like the wise men at the appearance of the Star, thou shalt daily rejoice and that exceeding greatly.  
But suppose it were true that the sinner had the whole world at will, came into no misfortune like other men, were subject to no discontent, no sorrow; yet notwithstanding, me thinks, that one saying of Lactantius might serve to settle and compose the affections of a good man in the constant profession of his goodness, against all the fears and melancholies which for conscience and Religion's sake he might be subject to. 
Institut. lib. 6. c. 4.  Bonis brevibus mala aeterna, & malis brevibus bona aeterna, etc. So hath the providence of GOD ordained, that for short pleasures he hath threatened us with eternal pains, for short pains he hath made promise of eternal pleasures. Let every man therefore seriously consider with himself, how much better it is to be subject here unto a little sorrow, an assurance hereafter of eternal joy, then for short and transitory joys to expose himself unto eternal sorrow. And thus much by way of answer to the young man's Objections; I come now in the last place to commend unto him a few short and useful Remembrances, and then I conclude.  
Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy Youth: Remember from the days of thy Youth, even from thy infancy, to whose service thou hast so solemnly been consecrated, what promises, what vows have been made, at the partaking of one Baptism, to embrace one Faith, to serve one Lord; and be not deceived, GOD will not be mocked, thou art not now thine own man, thou hast not the freedom to go serve another Master. 
August. in joh. Tract. 7.  Deus non vult communionem, sed solus vult possidere quod emit. For GOD cannot endure a Partner, but what he hath purchased alone, he will possess alone. Tanti enim emit, ut solus possideat, and indeed so dear a price hath he paid for thy soul, that well may he challenge the whole purchase to himself.  
Remember the way to Heaven is difficult, and at each third step there are mazes and by-paths, and therefore be not rash in thy course, but stand oft times and make a pause, and inquire which is the old and the right way. Will these actions▪ these thoughts, this company, this discourse, this idleness, this expense, will these lead a man to Heaven? And though thou often see good men take an obliqne course like the Sun, cross the line and back again, 
Hieron. Epist. 9 l. 2. edit. Canis.  yet always remember, Securiùs esse perire non posse, quam juxta periculum non perisse; that it is the safer way not to have ventured on a danger, then to have escaped it.  
Remember always in the serious estimation of thy sin, not to follow the lose account of men, who are ready to set down fifty for an hundred, nay sometime scarce one of a thousand, but the true and just account of God. Call no sin light, which without repentance is heavy enough to weigh thee down to Hell. Think not so much on the smallness of the command, as the greatness of the commander. For even small commands oft times, as we see by the example of the fall of ADAM, tanto majori jusi●tia violantur, 
Aug Civ Dei, l. ●4 c. 12.  quanto faciliori observantia poterant custodivi, are with so much the greater injustice violated, the greater justice punished, by how much with the easier observance they might have been fulfilled.  
Remember always to prise thy soul not according to thy nature but thy grace. The gifts of nature, gentleness, civility, wit, understanding, memory, may raise us oft times like Saul higher than the people, and get their applause who judge only by appearance, but they are the gifts of grace, which like DAVID must make us gracious with God, and win his heart. Melius est esse digitum, 
Aug. in johan. Tract. 13.  & esse in corpore, quam esse oculum & evelli de corpore. For a thousand times better it is in the eye of God to stand though but for a finger, and be joined unto the body; then in the eye of man to look like an eye, and yet to be plucked out.  
Remember always to part thy care between thy body and thy soul, and if so much time be perhaps too pleasingly spent in the food, the dress, the sleep, the recreation of the one; do not forget to set apart some time also for the other. 
Bernard Sermon 6. de Advent. dom.  Noli O corpus, noli praecipere tempora. For why should the pampering of the body steal away that time, which might be fare better spent in the tending of the soul. Potes enim impedire animae tuae salutem, tuam ipsius operari non potes, too much care of the body, may ruin itself and the soul too; but it is the soul alone, which must save both soul and body.  
Lastly and to conclude all; Remember that at the will of the Lord, thou art but a Copyholder of thine own life; the Tabernacle of thy body, at his pleasure he hath set up, and at the same pleasure he will pluck down again; whether at the first or the last watch, whether in the morning or evening of thy days thou canst not tell: and therefore watch always, that thou mayst be prepared, that when ever thou shalt lay down this earthly Tabernacle of thy body, thou mayst with joy and cheerfulness commend thy soul into the hands of thy Redeemer, in hope of an Eternal Mansion in the Heavens. Amen.   

Serm. V THE FIFTH SERMON.  JOHN 20.17. 
Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father.  
WHen the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son made of a woman; that as in the beginning the woman (saith St. PAUL) was in the transgression; first in the transgression, not the man; so now the seed of the woman, not the seed of the man, was to obtain pardon for this transgression, reconcile the woman to the man, and both to God. And surely it is not without a mystery, in the performance of this great mystery of our redemption, by the passion and resurrection of our Saviour; that when the Shepherd was now smitten, and the Sheep (the Disciples) the men were scattered, yet the women they hold fast together: his mother and mother's sister, MARY MAGDALEN, and MARY of Cleophas, with many others, stand resolute by the Cross. The first that after his burial durst come unto his sepulchre were women, and that for the greater commendation of this fearful Sex, early in the morning, while it was yet dark. The first to whom the Resurrection was made known were women, Why seek ye the living among the dead (saith the Angel to these women) He is risen, he is not here. The first to whom our SAVIOUR himself appeared, was a woman; Woman why weepest thou? saith he to MARY MAGDALEN. Lastly, the first that had the honour to carry these glad tidings to his Disciples was a woman; Go to my Brethren (saith he to the same MARY) and say unto them I ascend unto my Father. But a little before PETER and JOHN were there, they went both into the Sepulchre; yet they see, they hear nothing; why did not our Saviour show himself to them, but MARY must be his Messenger? CHRYSOLOGUS will give you the true reason;  portet vitae, portet resurrectionis auditum, quae auditum mortis portaverat & ruina; That as the woman had been the unhappy agent between the the devil and man to procure his fall; so now the woman might have the happiness to be employed between God and man, and recommend and endear herself again by the joyful news of his resurrection. If then so great hath been the honour vouchsafed unto this Sex, and above all unto this MARY, how comes it to pass, that amidst so many courtesies, we find here so great a strangeness in my Text? She that first sees him, speaketh to him, goeth on his errand, must not (it seems) presume to touch him, Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father.  
In which words, great is the difficulty if we shall inquire, either why our Saviour should thus prohibit MARY to touch him, Touch me not; or why he should give this reason for his prohibition; for I am not yet ascended to may Father? In the handling of which words, first I will endeavour to clear the difficulties thereof, and secondly in several observations, apply all unto ourselves.  
To begin then with the difficulty of this strange prohibition, Touch me not; Wherein shall we say with some that CHRIST being risen from the dead, his mortal having put on immortality, and death being swallowed up in victory, gins now to keep a distance, requires a more reverend respect, will not condescend to the like familiarity which he had suffered heretofore; and therefore seemeth here to give a check to MARY, coming after her wont manner to embrace him, Touch me not? But surely this cannot be the reason, for we read in the last of St. Matthew, that this same woman with many others, and in all probability even at this same time, did touch him, touch him without control, hold him by the feet, and worshipped him: and appearing afterward to his Disciples, he was so fare from being thus estranged, as that, Behold, saith he, my hands and my feet; touch me, nay more, handle me, touch me again and again: and St. JOHN in his first Epistle bringeth this as an evidence of his Resurrection. That which we have heard, (saith he) that which we have seen, nay more, that which our hands have handled of the word of life, declare we unto you. Or shall we say with others, that our Saviour doth not in these words reprehend MARY, but inform her: she thought perhaps that CHRIST being risen from the dead; would presently ascend unto the Father; and therefore now with one large salutation she bids him welcome from the dead, she taketh her farewell from among the living, she falleth down, she holdeth him by the feet, she worshippeth him, and thinketh she cannot now touch him too long, as being never to touch him any more? And for this cause they conceive our Saviour might here say, Touch me not, that is; Do not embrace me now, as if you were to take your last farewell; for I am not yet ascending to my Father, have many days to continue here on earth, and you shall have time enough hereafter to visit, to embrace, to discourse, and therefore now forbear your salutations, arise rather and make others partakers with yourself of the same joy, Go tell my Brethren, that I ascend unto my Father. But this interpretation, however at the first proposal somewhat plausible, yet in the examination will not hold. For first it seemeth more probable, as I shall show you anon, that MARY was mistaken rather in thinking that he would stay longer than himself intended, then that he would go away sooner than herself desired. And seondly we do not read that our Saviour did ever afterward appear to MARY, nay it appeareth rather by the message she was to deliver, I ascend unto my Father, that he would inform her that he was not to stay long, and that he meant not to be seen often. We may observe in the last of St. JOHN, This is now the third time, but the third time only, that CHRIST shown himself to his Disciples; and if but thrice to them, surely not so often to MARY, that for this cause he should dismiss her now, as if there would be time enough hereafter, Touch me not.  
Surely then some other cause must be found out, for the full discovery whereof, two things I shall observe. First that MARY is not here simply forbid to touch her Master, that is, to salute and to embrace him: for St. Matth. plainly tells us, that not MARY only, but all the women held him by the feet and worshipped him: and this embracing of the feet it was a common solemn salutation among the jews. Thus the Shunamite takes ELISHA by the feet, Abigail falls at the feet of DAVID, the Ruler of the Synagogue, the woman of Cannaan, at the feet of JESUS; Cornelius at the feet of PETER, JOHN of the Angel: only she is advised here not to be too long, too passionate in her salutations. For it may seem proble, that when all the other women were risen from the ground, still Mary kneeleth, embraceth him, holdeth him by the feet, and as she loved much, striveth by her very gesture to testify the greatness of her love. And we know there is nothing more usual in holy scripture, then in the same latitude of terms to forbid the excess of actions, as if the actions themselves were forbidden: I will have mercy and not sacrifice; that is not sacrifice in comparison of mercy: Labour not for the meat that periseth, Take no thought for tomorrow; that is no labour, no thought, in respect of the thought and labour for that meat which endures to everlasting life; so here, Touch me not; that is, do not too long lie prostrate at my feet, do not dwell upon your salutations; or, as we use to say; Do not hang upon me. Secondly, that such was the ignorance not of MARY only, but of all the Disciples in this great mystery of CHRIST'S rising from the dead, as that till the day of his Ascension they were still strongly possessed with the conceit of some great worldly happiness, which should now presently befall them. All those Spiritual discourses concerning the Kingdom of Heaven, the twelve Thrones, the Houses and Lands, they apprehend in a carnal sense: and hence is it that they so often quarrel who should be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven: And what was their earthly conceit of this heavenly Kingdom, appeareth by that question of theirs in the first of the Acts: Lord wilt thou not now restore the Kingdom, (or the Kingdom of Heaven) unto Israel? meaning thereby such a felicity in this life, whereby they hoped to enjoy a little heaven upon earth: and this seemeth to be one main reason of MARY'S excessive joys and salutations; now at length she hoped the Kingdom would be restored, the Thrones erected, the Houses and Lands divided, upon the false apprehension of which imaginary happiness, our SAVIOUR thus gently correcteth and informeth her, Touch me not. Be not therefore overjoyed with my presence, do not for this cause so zealously embrace me, as if I were now risen to restore the Kingdom unto Israel: for my Kingdom, I have told you, is not of this world; but as I am now risen from the grave, so must I shortly ascend from the earth too, to ascend to Heaven unto my Father; and there is the place of your true happiness, there are the mansions which I am going to prepare, and therefore now arise, and that my brethren may not deceive themselves with the like worldly expectations; Go tell them that I ascend unto my Father. And indeed very remarkable it is, that however our Saviour, after his rising from the dead, intended to stay forty days, before his ascension up to Heaven, to certify and publish the truth of his Resurrection, to recollect the distracted thoughts of his Disciples; yet in all his apparitions he discovereth himself strangely, and by starts, in one form to MARY, in another to the two Disciples; comes suddenly to their astonishment while the doors are shut, and after some short conference leaveth them as much amazed, and vanisheth out of their sight: and here you see MARY hath scarce leisure to bid him welcome, but presently he is ready to bid her farewell. And all this was done, that by thus strangely appearing it might manifestly appear, that therefore he declined the frequency and concourse of the people, therefore he refrained the reiterating of his plausible miracles, therefore he withdrew himself from the familiarity even of his own brethren, that he might draw their minds from that strong intention wherewith they were fastened on things earthly, that he might let them understand that he was not now risen to restore the Kingdom unto Israel; and then afterwards, as they perhaps might imagine, die again; but that, as St. PAUL saith, being raised from the dead he might dye no more, death might have no more dominion over him: for in that he died, he died unto sin once, but that he liveth he liveth unto God; liveth not to continue upon earth, but to ascend to Heaven unto his Father, and therefore now, Touch me not, saith he, Set not your affections on things below, but seek those things which are above. And thus much for the Interpretation of my Text; I come now to commend some observations to ourselves.  
First then when we see, after so many heavenly instructions, the earthly-mindedness of Mary, that so are her thoughts fixed upon things below, and for this cause so is she overjoyed with the presence of her Master, as that he is forced with a gentle check to reprove her indiscretion, Touch me not. This may teach us as St. JOHN hath already made the application to our hand, that we love not, love not too well, the world, nor the things of the world, that in our prayers and desires we be not too solicitous; Would I had this House, this Land, this Wealth, this Honour, lest being guilty of the same error, we may be subject to the same censure, and seem to hear from Heaven, a Noli me tangere, do not for this cause Touch me, do not importune me. It is a memorable answer of our SAVIOUR, when the Mother made that ambitious request, Grant that my two Sons may sit, one at thy right hand, and another at thy left hand in thy Kingdom; Are you able, saith he, to drink of the Cup, that I shall drink of, and to be baptised with the baptism, that I shall be baptised with? not with the baptism of water and the spirit, but with blood and Martyrdom: the more pleasing and honourable are the conditions she desireth, the more harsh and unpleasant are the conditions he proposeth; as indeed there is nothing more frequent with God, then to answer the desires of men by contraries, because they are contrary oft times to that main end, which we should all desire; the good and welfare of our souls. And though we all know, Not many noble, not many rich, but Blessed rather are the poor, blessed are you when you suffer persecution; yet we are all, out of a sensual love to ourselves, too prone to press God with that request of JABEZ; O that thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my coasts, and that thy hand might be with me, and that thou wouldst keep me from evil, that it may not hurt me: so that God knowing better how to give, than we know how to ask, as ofttimes in his anger he granteth our requests, so ofttimes again in his love denieth them; & male usurus eo quod vult accipere, 
Aug. in johan. Tract. 73.  deo potius miserante non accipit, and such things which he forseeth we ask to our own hurt, he granteth us a favour in not granting them. When BALAAM tempted with the rewards of divination brought unto him by the Princes of Balack, was desirous to go and to curse Israel, and for this cause asked counsel of God; the first answer he receiveth, is a Noli me tangere, Touch me not, do not entreat me; for thou shalt not go with them, Thou shalt not curse this people, for they are blessed. But upon the second message, when Balack sendeth more Princes, and more honourable, with promise to promote him, and grant what ever he should ask, he cometh the second time to God, and then because he was so earnest, Rise up, saith God, and go with them: but presently we read that the anger of the Lord was kindled against him, because he went; and we find him branded by St. Peter with the perpetual ignominy of loving the wages of unrighteousness; for the love whereof we read afterward that even by the hand of Israel, for whose slaughter he was so ready to be hired, himself was slain. 
Numb. 31.  Thus oft times upon the covetous desires of worldly blessings God puts men off by the direction of his word by the motions of his spirit, with a Touch me not; do not for these things so earnestly solicit me: for that which you hope will raise you, may chance to be your ruin. But yet if with an impetuous affection the heart be so strong fixed, that it will not be removed, he giveth them their heart's desire, and according to the largeness of their heart, suffereth them to enlarge their estate, and make their gain their godliness: and now in a sensual jollity, when indeed they are most cursed, are they forward most to bless themselves, with a Soul take thy case, for thou hast now enough laid up in store: when as we know there is no evil more common under the Sun, than goods thus purchased, to prove the undoing of the purchaser, the stone will cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber will make answer; Woe to the man that thus adds house to house, and land to land. For what shall it profit thee for a time to have gained the whole world, 
Salvian. ad Eccles. Cathol. l. 3  & in the end to lose thine own soul for ever? Et infaelicissime omnium, cogitas quam bene alii post te vivant, non cogitas quam male ipse moriaris, and unhappy wretch thou art, to please thyself to think how happily thy posterity, raised by thy art and industry, shall live, and never once thinkest how miserably thyself must dye. And indeed strange and wonderful it is to see the impotent desire of the world, to purchase good house, good land, good drink, good air, & yet how slender is their care to be good themselves; 
Aug. Civ. Dei, lib. 3. c. 1.  quasi hoc sit homini maximum bonum, habere bona omnia praeter seipsum, as if this were the chief good of man, to have all things good about him but himself. 
Deut. 3.  As than we read, that when Moses made that passionate petition unto God, O Lord thou hast begun to show thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand; let me I pray thee go over, and see that good land beyond jordan; God with a short answer stops his mouth, let it suffice thee, speak no more of this matter, for thou shalt not go: so if sometime our earthly desires shall make the like petitions unto God, may we prevent his answer by replying to ourselves, Let it suffice thee to have spoke once or twice, and if he will not hear thee, speak no more. And indeed what madness is it for a man to be importunately solicitous for such things, which he knoweth not whether they will prove unto him good or i'll? For notwithstanding that great licentiousness which commonly wealth & honour usurp unto themselves; so strict an imposition do we find laid upon all things under the Sun, that he that shall seriously bethink himself of his account, and that of him who receiveth much, much shall be required; shall find perhaps the odds to be but very little, not to have the world to use; or (as St. PAUL requires) to use the world, as if we used it not; unless in truth the task may prove more easy, with patience to want the world, then with moderation to enjoy it. Quotus enim quisque sapientum est cui non crescat cum prosperitate vitiositas? 
Salvian de Guber. Dei, lib. 7.  For it is a great hazard to the virtue of a wise man, but that if riches increase, sin will increase too. Labour not then for the meat that perisheth, nor take much thought for the blessings of this life. For all these things touch not, trouble not the Master; with an honest and fair endeavour of our own daily to ask our daily bread it will suffice; if we will importune him, let us make choice of blessings worth our importunity, & not for religion only, but for shame; lest it should be said that we are more careful of our bodies then our souls, let us first seek the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and then though in a low condition, it will be no hard matter to attain unto that height of happiness which St. Hierom commends in one of his devout women; quae unius cellula clausa angustiis latitudine paradisi frucbatur, 
De laudi●● Asellae. Ep. ●5.  though cloistered within the compass of a narrow Cell, by divine contemplation to expatiate throughout the whole latitude of Heaven. So shall we put more gladness in our heart, then if our corn and wine were never so plentifully increased, and always such blessings God is best pleased to grant, which are most profitable for us to receive.  
Secondly we may observe, that as Christ frustrats the expectation of Mary in denying the worldly blessings she desireth: so, to comfort her again, he exceeds her expectation in proposing the hope of heavenly blessings, more than she now thought on No sooner did Mary (rapt with a sudden joy) cry out Rabboni, have I found thee, O thou whom my soul loveth; no sooner could she fall down and worship him, as for joy that he was risen, so in hope that she should be raised too, raised to honour in in that new Kingdom which she persuaded herself would now shortly be restored, but presently all this conceited happiness is blasted, with a Noli me tangere, Touch me not. Do not therefore honour me, as if I were now risen to raise you to honour here on earth; for though I be risen, I am not yet ascended, and till I be ascended you must wait: yet with the same breath wherewith she is disheartened, she is comforted again; for as the Yet in my text plainly intimateth, and the end of the verse expresseth it, he was shortly to ascend to his Father, and their Father, to his God, and their God; & then and there would he build up the houses, set up the thrones, and make them all Kings and Priests. Thus is it usual with GOD to with hold lesser blessings, where he intendeth to bestow greater: for the earth, whereon MARY had now seated the throne of her desires, shall not be worthy to be the footstool of that happiness, which he intended to prepare. Indeed if in this life only we had hope of all men, good men were most miserable. But blessed be God (saith St. PAUL) who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings, in coelestibus, in things heavenly, in places heavenly: and again, Blessed be God (saith St. PETER) who hath begotten us unto a lively hope, to an inheritance incorruptible, reserved for us in the Heavens: and therefore oft times withdraws his favours from us in the depth below, that we may the more earnestly seek after them in the height above. For as God made some creatures merely heavenly, without any dependence for their preservation upon things below, others merely earthly, without any hope or expectation of any happiness above: so he made man in a condition between both, his body from the earth earthly, but his soul a spark from Heaven; & according to the two different parts whereof he doth consist, he hath provided him two different mansions; first the earth, and then the Heaven. Now however between these two mansions there be no compare; for the earth, which we see, is temporal; but the Heaven which we see not, is eternal: yet because, as in the absence of MOSES the people come flocking unto AARON, and Make thou Gods, say they, to go before us, for as for this MOSES we know not what is become of him: so in the absence of Heaven we are too prone to lay hold upon the earth, and set our affections upon things below; the providence of God hath purposely blasted the felicity of all things sublunary, set a Noli me tangere, vanity and vexation of spirit on them all, that even this vexation here on earth, may raise our spirits up to Heaven, with a Domine illic tabernacula, Lord let us there, there make our Tabernacles. For alas the earth it hath no constant form nor comeliness, and when we look upon it, there is no true beauty that we should desire it. If we complain that long and tedious is our expectation here on earth, before ever we can come to enjoy those felicities in heaven, let us solace ourselves to think, that it is enough, & abundantly enough, that the Disciple be as his Master, and the servant as his Lord: now let us look upon our Lord and Master, and forty days is he tempted in the Wilderness, hungry, and thirsty in a barren and dry land, & yet he is not ascended. The Foxes have holes, the Birds of the air have nests, the Son of man not where to lay his head; and yet he is not ascended. He is betrayed, arraigned, condemned, crucified, buried, and yet he is not ascended. And that we may know this delay of his proceeded not out of any impotency, but was meritorious and exemplary unto us, he riseth again, and the same power of his, which raised him from the grave, could presently have lifted him up to Heaven, yet he continueth visiting, comforting, instructing his Disciples, & yet he is not ascended. The Lord himself, you see, hath tarried, tarried our leisure, tarried for us, and shall not we wait patiently and tarry the leisure of the Lord. Perhaps he therefore makes us tarry, that daily here adding to our grace, he may one day add also to our glory: Et libenter suscipiam dispensationis moram magnitudine favoris duplicatam, 
Hieron. ep. 33. ad Castratium.  and who would not forbear the principal a while, to receive it hereafter with such interest? perhaps therefore himself tarries, because we are not yet prepared for his coming. We complain oft times, upon the sense of sickness, and sorrow; How long Lord, how long wilt thou absent thyself? Whenas indeed upon the conscience of our sins, we might rather turn our complaint to a confession, how long Lord, how long have we been absent from thee? Thy word hath been often preached unto us, in season, out of season, by thy Ministers teaching, reproving, exhorting, and yet we have not obeyed. Thy grace hath been graciously offered unto us, all the day long standing at the door of our hearts and knocking, and yet we have not opened. Thou hast made open proclamation; Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will ease you: and yet though never so heavy laden, we will not be weary of our sins, we will not seek out for ease. Can we then wonder that God should yet delay to put an end unto our sorrows, when as ourselves have yet refused to put an end unto our sins? Can we be impatient at the forbearance of that happiness, which if God should deal with us, as we with him, not yet, nor yet, nor ever, should we be so happy to enjoy? Why art thou then so troubled, O my soul; may every pious soul now say, and why art thou so disquieted within me? delight thou in the Lord, and he will give thee thy hearts desire. If thou fail of thy hearts desire on earth (Marry herself you see hath thus been disappointed) yet thou shalt abundantly be recompensed in heaven. For though here thou seem'st to be but dead, dead in regard of the fruition of any great felicity in this life, dead in the opinion of the mere natural man, who believeth not the hope of any life to come; yet thou haft a life hidden with Christ in God, and when Christ who is thy life shall appear, then shalt thou also appear with him in Glory.  
Lastly as you have seen whether Christ is ascended & where he will be Touched, so now behold to whom he is ascended, and what hopes we have to Touch him. My text tells you that as he was to ascend so he ascended to his Father. Now if you shall say that Christ had a Father to ascend to, and a Father pitieth his own child; but how shall we ascend, show us a Father too and it sufficeth? I will show you: and indeed with joy of heart we may observe, that all the honours of Christ are for the most part diffusive and communicative, and even of this near Relation of Father & Son we also do participate. Thou art my Son, my only begotten Son, saith the Father unto him, In whom I am well pleased; and pleased so well, that in him he hath reconciled the world unto himself, of enemies he hath made us his adopted Sons, and given us the privilege to pray unto him, Abba Father. If then my Text will not content you, read but the words following, and you can wish no more: Go to my Brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father; but he stays not there, To my Father, saith he, and your Father, to my God, and your God. And surely, as when the Father giveth the Son, so when the Son giveth the Father, together with him he will give us all things. And indeed when I compare both Testaments together, & observe at sundry times those diverse manners, whereby God in his goodness hath pleased to make manifest, not the effects only, but even the language of his love; me thinks, (as after some cloudy storm, I see the Heavens look clear, again and smiling) whereas before God spoke, as it were in a mighty wind & Earthquake, looking high and holding his people under with those Majestic names of Lord, and Lord of Hosts; now with a courteous affability he hath bowed the Heavens, speaketh in a still & a soft voice, & as if he had set a veil before his Majesty, calleth himself our Father, and the God of peace. And surely but this single compellation Father proceeding from a piously devoted soul, attended with sighs & groans, the Hears most powerful Oratory, is able to make such requests, which as ourselves oftimes, for fear and trembling, know not how to utter, so neither doth God know how to deny. The Prodigal you see, after he had spent all, & that ungraciously too, yet when he thinks upon the gracious name of Father. I will go to my Father, saith he, and going but with a resolution only to say, Father I have sinned, he is anticipated with embracements, & by an indulgent welcome hath his pardon sealed unto him, before he could have time to ask it. For the arms of God's mercy, they are like the window of Noah's Ark: if the Dove, our soul shall sometime fly out, & the overflowings of ungodliness shall make us afraid, let us return upon the wing, & with humility & repentance crave a new admission, and behold all the day long are these arms of his wide open to embrace us, and restore us to our rest again. For doth a Father pity his own child, and will not the Lord be merciful to them that fear him? nay call no man Father upon earth, for beyond all natural affection we have a Father in Heaven, and his love is like that of jonathan and David, even greater than the love of women. When Abraham intercedeth for Sodom, you see he puts in many doubts and fears, I have taken upon me to speak, who am but dust and ashes; and let not my Lord be angry, and once more, and once more let me speak: and still he feareth, and still he speaketh, and still he obtaineth what he speaketh for: neither doth God in mercy cease to grant his petitions, till he in modesty giveth them over. Thus sometime if the conscience of our sins, and terror of the throne of justice, and those terrible names of Lord, and jealous God, shall make us to tremble, and be exceedingly afraid, as indeed in this confident age it is good that we should sometime be frighted, yet upon our true humiliation and contrition, we may boldly appeal from the throne of justice to the throne of Grace, and that gracious name of Father; and then ●nough the flesh have been a Sodom, yet if the spirit now become an Abraham, dust and ashes as we are, we may speak; and once more, and once more may we speak, till we bring our sins, from fifty shall I say? nay from an innumerable number, for who knows how oft he offends? to forty; to twenty, to ten, to nothing; and blot them out of the book of God's remembrance. Let me then say once again, Why art thou so disquieted O my soul, and why art thou so troubled within me? put thou thy trust in the Lord, and be doing good, implore the adoption of a son, and get thy soul sealed unto the day of redemption, and then with confidence mayst thou appear before the Tribunal of God, where thou shalt find the judge thy Father, thine Advocate thy Brother.  
But let us beware that we do not please and content ourselves with a titular alliance, for it is not a Lord, Lord, nor my Father, 
Salvian ad Eccles. Cathol. l. 3  my Father, will suffice. Assumptio religiosi nominis spon●●o devotionis. Our challenging of God to be our Father, challengeth from us the duty of his Sons. For as under the Law, if they were obedient unto his will, and with care and conscience did perform their service to their Lord, he did show himself a Father to his servants; so under the Gospel, if like graceless children we shall neglect the will of our heavenly Father, he will show himself a Lord unto his Sons: and as than not every one that cried Lord, so nor now every one that prayeth Father, but he that doth the will, whether of Lord or Father, he and he alone shall be acceptable in his sight.  
So then to draw all to a conclusion. As we are all already filii regni, children of the Kingdom, and called to be Saints; so because we know such children for their disobedience may in the end be shut out of this Kingdom, let us strive to be filii regnantes, to reign as children in this Kingdom, and make our calling sure. CHRIST is now ascended up on high unto his Father, and hath given gifts to us, such as will enable us to follow him; let us then be careful so to improve these gifts, to add to our Faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, and charity, that as our graces rise, so may our hope of glory rise withal, and when age and death shall press down our bodies to the grave, our souls may be lifted up to Heaven, and take a comfortable farewell of our friends, even in the very language of our Saviour; Weep not for me, but for yourselves, for I am now ascending to my Father, and your Father, to my God, and your God. Amen.  
FINIS.   

Errata.  
FOr johanni read johanne, pag 8. necessitude read vicissitude, p. 11, so r. and, p. 25, last r. left, p. 46, that deal, p. 47, 1. deal, p. 53, for deal, p. 63, our r. one, p. 72, strong r. strange, p. 77. beneficii r. beneficiis, p. 111, partunebat r parturiebat, p. 122, filiis r. filium, p. 143, succentunate r. succenturiate, p. 150, Those r. these p 153, heavy, and r. and heavy, p. 177, Nor r., nor, ibid. wherever r. whenever, p, 183, punisheth r. pincheth, p, 203, this r, the, p, 208, an r, on, p, 212, custodivi r, custodiri, p. 216, that thou r, that so always thou, p, 223, hold r, hold, p, 225, have r, but have, p, 227, We r., we. p, 32, deal 2. p, 256, favor●● r, foenoris, p, 258, nor r, nor.