THE FIRST SERMON OF R. SHELDON PRIEST, after his Conversion from the Romish Church: Preached before an honourable Assembly at S. Martin's in the Field, upon Passion Sunday, etc.  PSAL. 19 7. 
The Law of the Lord is unspotted, converting souls: the testimony of the Lord is faithful, giving wisdom to little ones.  
Published by Authority.   printer's device of a woman's head and two laurel branches, apparently not in McKerrow 
LONDON, Printed by I B. for NATHANAEL BUTTER. 1612.   

TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPUL, and his much respected friend, Sir THOMAS GARDINER Knight, all happiness in Christ jesus.  
SIR, I present this my Sermon unto you, and place your worthy name in the forefront thereof; thereby to show my respective love unto you, & to let you understand; that if there be any fault committed in the publishing thereof; that you ought to bear a great portion of the blame, who have been (amongst very many others) earnest. with me to afford it public attire. If the Pon ificians be distasted therewith, they may in some part thank themselves; some of them have been too clamorous out of the relation either of ignorant, malevolent, or semi-popish hearers, in rumoring the same, to have been but a roving discourse, sometimes over-learned; somewhiles unlcarned; but always very bitter against the Papists; so bitter, that in it, I branded all those of that sect and heresic (excepting none whatsoever) with the vile mark of disloyalty & traitorous spirits. In consideration whereof, I was easier induced to let it see light, and in so public a habit to undergo all censures: and (to give thereader some satisfaction) this also the rather, because through confuse noises, and clatterings, of voices, and of doors (my self, staying not less than a whole hour in an open pew, before the delivery of my Sermon;) the recollection of my memory was then somewhat confused: so that, for that cause, and through want of time also, I did not, nor could not pronounce all thereof, so fully, and in that sort as I intended it. The scope thereof (kind Sir) being briefly and contractly (not intended for so public, and so honourable an assembly) to delineat the inestimable perfections and dignities of Christ; to persuade all my Auditors to a sincere and most zealous affiance for salvation in his only blood: to most assured loyalties to their Prince, and Country, and to a detestation against all Popish, Ignatian, bloody, and sanguineous attempts, against the state of this Church and Country: I do not know any one of your worthy rank and calling, to whom a discourse of this kind would prove more acceptable, more welcome. Make acceptance of it (Sir) therefore, with that love and respect, with which it is sent; and do me this favour, that if you hear any semi-papists, or any that are leaning that way, or any other, doubtfully to conjecture or surmise, whether my conversion be from the heart or not; or for hope of preferment, to speak as you have heard, as you think, and perfectly know of me: for you know, and knew from the beginning, from whom my encouragements have been; from God; from jesus Christ: whose name therefore, be ever magnified and blessed; to whose blessings, and gracious favours, I commend both you and yours, for ever.  
From my chamber, this 28. of April, 1612. Your worship's most assured in Christ jesus, R. SHELDON.   

A SERMON PREACHED AT S. MARTIN'S in the Field upon Passion Sunday, etc. 1612.  HEBR. 9 vers. 13. 14. 
For if the blood of Bulls and of Goats, and the ashes of a young Cow being sprinkled; purifieth the unclean, as touching the purification of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who by the eternal Spirit, offereth himself without spot to God, purge the conscience from dead works, to serve the living God?  
GOD most infinite, immense in Nature; in power incomprehensible, and in the perfect possession, of a consummate happiness, consisting in an unspeakable contemplation, comprehension, and fruition of his own divine Nature and essence: three persons, and one God; from all eternities most blessed: at time appointed by his holy pleasure, out of an admirable propension of goodness, to communicate and diffuse himself, did produce and create (ad extra) without himself this whole Universe, as an imperfect, yet very good shadow, and obscure resemblance of himself, so wisely framed, that man, considering and admiring the beauties and perfections of the same, might surmount with his soul, & elevate his understanding above all, and by all that is in it, to contemplate (though obscurely) that Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth; of whose Majesty, and Glory, Heaven & Earth are so full; and to understand, how infinitely more excellent, the maker of all these things is to be admired, and esteemed. Whose infinitely wise goodness also considering, how all the creatures, which he had produced, were but as very imperfect and defective shadows of his most infinite excellency, desirous more fully to diffuse himself, resolved in his eternal Consistory, in an infinite, and a divinely inexplicable sort, to impart himself to his creatures, by giving and imparting his Son, consubstantial, and coaequal to himself, to human nature, to assume the same, into a Divine unity, not of nature (for that is impossible) but of subsistence, of personality; in so admirable a sort, that thereupon we may Christianly believe and confess, that God is become Man, and Man is become God, without all confusion or permixtion of natures, in a most perfect, and sweet unity of one person.  
This is that immense, that infinite communication of God to his creatures, so often fore prophesied, so often promised by God; so longed for, so desired, so expected both by God and Man, that as it may seem, and, if I may so speak, both God and Man, like women travailing with child, and longing for delivery travailed with longing desires for the accomplishing of the same. Of the Sons longing desires (intermitting now to speak of the other two persons of the most sacred Trinity) I dare boldy affirm so much, because he himself long before his in carnation, hath so forespoken by the mouth of his holy Prophet and Wiseman, Proverb. 8. Deliciae meae esse cum filijs hominum, They are my dainties, my delicates (saith he) to be with the sons of men. How is this otherwise, then as a man amongst men? as the Son of man (a name in which our sweet Saviour being conversant upon earth, much delighted, as my Catholic and religious Auditors well know) amongst the children of men, amongst the Sons of men. This infinite communication being made (than which a greater the omnipotent power and wisdom of God, cannot think upon or make) what was the purpose, and project of it? What was the object, and last end of the sons longing desires? I answer; but not without premitting the admiration and exclamation of the Prophet Esay (Domine quis credidit auditui nostro) O 
Isay 53.  Lord, who hath believed our hearing, what we have heard, or to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? I answer, that the project of this immense communication of God, this infinite elevation of the manhood is, that this God himself, should be a sacrifice, this man assumpted, should die, this Man and God, this God and Man (O most divinely sweet mystery) should be an expiation, and propitiation for the sins of human nature, that the same being revived, and sanctified in his blood, might be elevated into a most sweet fellowship of divine purity and happiness; consisting in the contemplation, love, possession, fruition of this God, most blessed from, and for, all eternities.  
And as I delivered before, how God to represent himself, did make this whole universe, as a book for his reasonable creatures, to look upon, and in it, to rend him, his glory, goodness, and majesty: yet nevertheless, many profane, impious, and godless men there have been, who would not know God, and who have said in their 
Psal. 14.  most foolish hearts, There is no God. So likewise, before this admirable communication this most sweet assumption, was to be made to be a sacrifice, a propitiation for all man kind, jew and Gentile: Good God by how many legal sacrifices and sacraments? By how many rites and observances? By how many expiations & sprinklings? of bloods, of waters, of bloods of Bulls, Goats, Kids, He-goats, Lambs, young Hefers, Turtle Doves, Pigeons? was this admirable sacrifice, and the infinite excellencies thereof, presignified, premonstrated, and foretold? to give unto mankind, some certain foreknowledge and belief of the immaculate Lamb slain from the beginning 
Apoc. 13.  of the world: to and for the salvation of all sincere believers. And although, all that was appointed by God either in the Law of nature, or under Moses, to foreshow the infinite excellency of this sacrifice, were but as dark types, and imperfect shadows, in respect of the truth and body itself of this sacrifice: yet, the incredulous jews, to whom the prophecies of Christ, and this sacrifice were specially made, might by the Son, have come to perfect knowledge, and belief thereof: But the veil of malice against the most meek Lamb, our holy sacrifice; who taxed their vices, reproved their transgressions, condemned their Pharisaical pride, blinded their eyes: especially, the veil of pride, by which they gloried in the Law of Moses, in the blood of Abraham, in the observation 
Rom. 2.  of the works of the Law; was it, which so captivated their understanding, that they presumptuously thought, they needed no such a Messiah, who by sacrificing himself, should be a propitiation, a reconcilement for their sins: they rather, despised, disesteemed such a Messiah, making him as a stumbling block, and scandal to their own utter ruin and perdition: by their ambitious thoughts, they projected to themselves, a Messiah like some Sovereign Lord, and mighty Monarch, who should restore the temporal glory of Israel, and extend his dominions over the whole force of the earth: just such an other, as the ambitious Bishop and Monarch of Rome challengeth himself to be, in his pretended Vicary for the Messiah.  
Against this, their unhappy incredulity, the blessed Apostle S. Paul, who once had been a contumelious persecutor of all religious worshippers of this sacrifice; doth most egregiously, and divinely dispute in his Epistle directed unto them, out of the 9 Chapter, whereof the 13. and 14. verses I have chosen for my Theme; upon which I purpose to discourse. The which I selected, partly to proportion my discourse to the season, when we all are, or should be, preparing and making a Quadragesime, or fortieth, as a parasceve of Christ his death and passion: partly, for my own special consolation, who knowing not how to make any least requital to my Saviour, for his unspeakable Charity, toward me, do take (according to the counsel of the Prophet David) the cup 
Psal. 116.  of salvation into my hand and do invocate the Name of the Lord: for that he hath mercifully vouchsafed to translate me into the kingdom of his beloved Son jesus; making known to me, the mystery of Christ crucified; and delivering me from the base servitude of contemptible creatures, weak elements, and the most idolatrous sacrifice of the Mass, which human inventions hath most presumptuously devised, and set up in the Popish synagogue, as an abomination most detestable, against the one, and only sacrifice, and altar of the Cross: for which my happy deliverance, his Majesty be blessed by me, and magnified for ever.  
When I first chose this text to handle, I thought to speak at large of every branch thereof; but meditating thereupon, it became so fruitful, that store made me penurious: and I could not but say in my soul, with learned Augustine, O mira profunditas eloquiorum tuorum, 
Confess. lib. 12 Cap. 14.  Deus meus: mira profunditas, mira profunditas, horror est intendere in eam; horror honoris, tremor amoris. O wonderful profoundenesse of thy speeches my God wonderful profoundness, wonderful profoundenesse: it is a horror to think upon it, a horror of honour, a trembling of love. Wherefore I resolved to pretermit all allegorizing and moralising upon the figures, and especially, to confine my discourse, to that blood, to that sacrifice; in belief whereof, the salvation of us all consisteth: wherein, as I doubt not, but that I shall be assisted by your devout and Christian prayers; so I most humbly request your kind acceptance of these first fruits and labours, from myself, a novice-preacher in the Church of England. I have been perhaps over prolix (contrary to the fashion of complete Orators) in my Exordium, before I come to the distinguishing of my Theme, and to the selecting of some special branch: whereupon to insist, a fault pardonable and excusable with such as are acquainted with the profoundness of sacred Scriptures, and Christian mysteries: the devout consideration whereof, as it illuminateth the understanding, so it also repleteth the mind with such a treasury of discourse, that the religious chewer of such a cud, findeth greatest difficulty to be brief, to distinguish, to divide.  

For if the blood of Bulls, and of Goats, and the ashes of a young Cow being sprinkled, purifieth the unclean, touching the purification of the flesh: how much more, etc.  
This argument of the Apostle, which consisteth upon a proposition & an inference, is of that kind, which is called by the Philosophers (à minori ad maius) from a less, to a greater; from a dark, obscure, lesser, and smaller truth, admitted by the Adversary, to infer and evince a truth, clearer, manifester, greater, and most certain. If (saith the Apostle) the blood of such contemptible creatures, the weak, unclean, and servile sprinkling of the ashes of a young Cow, mixed with water, can purify the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who by the eternal spirit, offered himself unspotted to God, cleanse the conscience from dead works, to serve the living God? Singular vessel of election, how mighty is thy argument either to confound or convert the incredulous Hebrews!  
Christian and beloved Hearers, observe the Antithesis and oppositions of the Apostle, weigh his comparisons, betwixt blood and blood: one, base, filthy, corrupt, servile, contemptible: the other, honourable, most pure, sincere, free, excellent: the one, of Bulls, and Goats: the other of man, of a perfect, and most innocent, and holy man. As if the Apostle should say, O ye Hebrews, you have bulls, goats, kids, lambs: we have Christ the Messiah desired, expected: you have the sprinkling of a few corruptible drops, we have incorruptible, and sincere drops of Christ, divinely united to his person: you have the unclean and dirty ashes of a young cow, intermixed with water; we have the admirable sprinkling of the divine and human nature, in unity of person: your sprinkling is naturally unclean, and corporally polluteth the takers: ours is most pure, sanctified by the eternal spirit, beautified by the divinity itself: yours is a sprinkling made upon man, ours is a sweet smelling sacrifice offered to God: your sprinkling only purifieth an outward kind of impurity, and legal irregularity; ours cleanseth and purifieth the souls and consciences of faithful offerers: yours, many, and often repeated, can never make the offerers perfect: ours, being one, and once only offered, hath found an eternal redemption, and eternally consummateth all believers: yours were not efficacious for sanctification: ours, so potent, that it giveth abundance of grace, whereby we may be enabled to serve the living God. Christian and religious hearers, is it not worthily written of this Apostle, Saulus autem, etc. But 
Act. 9  Saul was comforted and strengthened, and every where confounded the jews, testifying that jesus is Christ. O incredulous jews! when I consider the pride of your minds, and withal, the baseness of such creatures, and such elements, under which you lived, in so toilsome a servitude, I am astonished to think, that you would rest in such weak sacrifices, rites, sacraments, ceremonies, and obseruancies, and would not seek, nor receive Christ, the Messiah, and the true immaculate Lamb slain from the beginning of the world, being offered unto you.  
Thus much most briefly of the proposition itself: for I hasten to the inference made by the Apostle: in which full of all Christian consolation, I observe and distinguish, first, of whom the blood is, which is offered; to wit, of Christ; in these words: How much more, the blood of Christ? Secondly, I observe by whom, and through whom, this blood is offered, By, and through the Eternal spirit: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (saith the Apostle) by the eternal Spirit. Thirdly, I distinguish, to whom it is offered; there; to God. Fourthly, I observe for what end, this sacrifice is offered; there; to cleanse the conscience from dead works, to serve the living God. Of these four (intermitting some other observations which might be here made) in order.  
Touching the first, when I weigh with myself, whose blood it is, which is offered: I am wholly disanimated from presuming to decipher the excellencies, perfections, and eminences of his person. For, I believing with faith, that he is both God and man; not only man, nor only God, but a Christ consisting both of God and man; a perfect supposit, a complete Person; who though as Christ, had a beginning, and was not before the incarnation; yet as touching his divinity, and personality, he was most perfectly, from all eternities very perfect God, of God, Son of the father; who in the fullness of time, by a certain inexplicable union became the Son of man, or rather the true and natural Son of a woman, and the reputed Son only of man, of joseph, his putative father.  
These things I say believing with faith, the saying of Isaiah the Prophet (Generationem eius quis enarrabit) 
Isay 53.  who shall declare his generation? occurreth, and checketh my presumption, that I be not too bold a searcher of majesty; lest I be oppressed, and confounded with the glory thereof. Yet, considering that the veil of Moses is removed, and the veil of Sancta Sanctorum is rend, at the dreadful hour of Christ's (consummatum est) it is consummated: and that the mystery of Christ, the hope of our glory; which was hidden in ancient ages and generations, (as the Apostle speaketh in his Epistle to the Colossians) is now made manifest to the Saints: I will, according 
Collos. 1.  to the rule of Christian faith, with my best faculty of wit, and learniug, (but alas, what a nothing is all that, in respect of the excellency of the object, whereof I am to discourse?) declare unto you, what this Christ is, of whose blood we speak: what this, (verbum abbreviatum) this abbreviated word is, to speak with the Apostle, in his Epistle to the Romans is: if in this discourse, I seem 
Rom. 9  brief and obscure, impute it to the eminency of the object, which otherwise then defectively, cannot be spoken of, neither by the tongue of man, nor of Angel.  
With most submiss reverence therefore, we will consicer Christ; first, with a reference to God and his actions, secondly, with a reference, and relation to us: Thirdly as he is in himself. In the first consideration, first of all, we consider Christ, as the very term, object, or bound, of the greatest communication, or diffusion, which the Almighty Trinity can make: so that, by the communication, which the most blessed Trinity, and peculiarly the second Person, hath already made of his subsistence, and personality to the human nature, the same blessed Trinity, (be it spoken under correction of faith, and with demisse reverence) is at a stop and stay, not potent to make a greater communication, than this which is already made, whereby Christ is made. For, is a substantial communication of the divinity itself, in the very divine nature were possible; (which yet cannot be granted, unless we will subvert the very foundation of christian religion) yet the same greater than this, which is already made, should, nor could not be: because a greater communication then of God himself, which is already made, by this personal conjunction in Christ, cannot be imagined. Again, if either the father, or the holy Ghost, or both, (as Christian divinity faith it is possible) should aslume, by hypostatical and personal union the nature of an Angel or of man; yet both such communications, both such assumptions, should not surpass in greatness, or excellency, this one, which is already made in Christ alone. For our holy faith teaching us, that two persons of the most ineffable Trinity, are not greater than one, nor one of them lesser than two; but that every Person hath infinitely a perfect equality, and perfection with the other two: manifest it is, that the communications of two Persons, or of three, is not greater nor excellenter then of one only: How admirable therefore? how ineffable therefore is this communication of God to man, whereby the Omnipotent power of God is so bounded and limited, that it cannot proceed further, to make a work of greater perfection? O inenarrable generations! As the Eternal and natural generation of the son in divine essence, is so infinite, so immense, that God the father could not beget a more perfect natural Son: so like wise, the voluntary, and temporal generation of Christ, is so absolute, so infinitely perfect, that a greater cannot by God be made.  
Well, didst thou cry out, holy Isay (Generationem 
Isay 53.  eius quis enarrabit?) who shall show forth his generation? and again, O Lord, who hath believed, what we have heard, and the arm of the Lord to whom is it revealed? Admirable indeed, but more sweetly, and more comfortably admirable is that, which the same Prophet adjoineth of this our Christ, that he should be reputed with the wicked, with malefactors; that through slander, and false judgement, he should be cut from the land of the living, that he should be smitten by the senere decree of his father, for the expiation of the sins of a most wicked, and most ungrateful people. O Lord, who will believe what we have heard, or to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? not framing the heavens; but nailed and hanging upon the Cross, to elevate man with the might of his blood, to the heavens. But of this anon.  
This supreme communication of God to man, doth so far surpass all natural productions of creatures, or supernatural, of qualities of that kind; as of justification, sanctification, glorification, that there is no comparison to be made: yea all the same graces, of justification, sanctification, glorification, by necessary consequence, follow upon the same communication; and by virtue of the hypostatical union; so, that it is impossible, that the soul or human nature, which is assumpted into unity of the divine Person; should not by necessary consequence, be holy, be sanctified, be glorified, beatified. And had not Christ, by his almighty power, bounded and limited the brightness, which the soul and human nature received and possessed, by the vision of the divine nature, from redounding and imparting itself unto his inferior parts, and his body: the same, by an effluence, and over flowing of happiness from his soul, should have become glorious, glorified, and consequently impassable, immortal; and so Christ could not have died.  
But because our dear Saviour, (desiderio desideravit) with a desire desired (as he testifieth of himself) that is, most vehemently desired, to drink the cup of passion; and 
Luc. 28.  to die the death, lest the whole nation of mankind, for want of such a death, should have perished. Therefore, (in capite libri) in the very head, beginning, or top of the book, (as it is described in the 40. psalm by some readings) in the very first moment of his conception, he graciously, and out of the bowels of an infinite mercy, vouchsafed by a great miracle to stop, and contain the glory of his soul, from communicating, or redounding itself, to his body: that so, he might have a fit, a ready, or 
Psal. 40. Heb. 10.  prepared body, as the holy Prophet and our Apostle do speak: a ready and prepared body, a body fitted to suffer. O sweet jesus, had not thy body been fitted for the person of thee a God, if it had not been passable, apt to suffer, apt to die? No, no, saith our Christ, otherwise not fit: but being so fitted, so prepared, then saith Christ 
Ibidem.  (ecce venio) Behold I come, behold I come, to do the will of my Father, and to die for the delivery of mankind. O Christian and Catholic souls, are you not astonished with admiration? Are you not incensed and fired with flames of loving and most thankful affections? to observe, that the very first miracle which jesus should make, and this upon the very moment of his conception, was to contain the glory, which by virtue of the Hypostatical and personal union, would have imparted itself to his body, and have made it impassable and immortal, that by such a miraculous subtraction and containing of glory he might make his body passable, mortal, apt, and fitted to suffer, to die: for whom? for whom? for you Christian hearers, and for all mankind. If upon such considerations you feel no alterations of love, of joy, of detestation of sin, of amendment of life, of thanksgiving, of consolation in your souls (Tentate vosmetipsos ne forte reprobi sitis) Try yourselves to speak with the 
2. Cor. 13.  Apostle, lest perhaps you be reprobate: try and examine whether souls congealed, and obdurate in sin, not to be moved or melted by such a fire of love, are not reprobat, 
Hebr. 6.  and near to malediction.  
But, to our considerations upon Christ, whom if we consider, with respect to the divine attributes, and infinite perfections in God, to wit, his infinite wisdom, omnipotency, justice, mercy, goodness, etc. they do so perfectly shine and appear in him, that most worthily therefore he is called in holy Scripture (facies Domini) the face of the Lord, (for so some think that is to be understood) in the 
Num. 6.  book of Numbers (ostendat Dominus faciem suam) the Lord show his face: and those frequent speeches in holy Scriptures, Show thy face O Lord, Turn not away thy face, Illuminate thy countenance over us. What other face or countenance of God is this, than that, of which Saint 
Hebr. 1.  Paul thus pronounceth? That he is the splendour of the glory of his Father, and the figure of his substance. And I understand this shining and appearing of the divine attributes in Christ, not only in respect of his divine essence, and nature, by which he is the son of God, and therefore, according to the common law of Sons, as a Son, he is like to his Father, nor in respect of any supernatural gifts or qualities only, or by reason of his soul; for these two later are common with him to just and sanctified persons: but moreover, in a certain admirable and inexpressible sort, the divine attributes did so shine, and were so resplendent in Christ, his human nature and conversation, that by the same he might be known to be very God, even as the sex of man or woman is known and distinguished by their faces. May I not gather this out of that speech of Christ to Philip? (Philippe qui videt me &c.) 
joh. 14.  Philip, he who seethe me, seethe my Father. Again, if you had known me, you should also have known my Father. Clear is this in S. john the beloved Disciple thus pronouncing. 
1. Joh. 1.  (Quod fuit ab initio etc.) That which hath been from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes of the word of life, that which we have beheld, and our hands have felt, of the word of life, and the life is made manifest, and we have seen, and witness, and do show to you the life eternal, which was with the Father, and hath appeared unto us. O admirable, divine, and most beloved Disciple in Christ's conversation and apparition, thou didst see with thy eyes, and feel with thy very hands God the life, the word, made flesh. But tell us, O ye Sages of the East; ye, who being invited and conducted by a star from heaven, came and found this our Christ in his mother's lap, and hanging upon her breasts: what splendours of majesty? What beams of glory did you behold in that Almighty infant? What, shall your gifts speak for you? (Aurum, Thus, Myrrha) Gold, Frankincense, Myrrh, to a King, to a God, to a Man: who taught you this wisdom? the Star, or Balaams' prophecy only? no doubtless: the divine Majesty of that babe which you there beheld, in that garment of our humanity, sent forth such splendours, to your great admiration, that entering into the house, and finding the child with the blessed virgin Marie, as the Evangelist describeth it, you could 
Math. 2.  not but prostrate yourselves, open, offer your gifts, your treasures to him, Gold, Myrrh, Frankincense; all which were mystical gifts: for by Gold, the child's royal authority and supremacy; by Myrrh, his sweet humanity and mortality: by Frankincense, his Divinity and Godhead was signified, honoured, and adored. O consummate wisdom of these Sages from the East, honouring the majesty of this Almighty Babe, even then, when the beams of his birth, reflecting upon Jerusalem, daunted and confounded Herod, with his Court, together with all the citizens of that earthly Jerusalem. I will not stand to ampliare this my discourse, by ask the Doctors and learned of jerusalem, what illustrations of wisdom and knowledge they saw in this child, hearing the wise answers and demands which he made, being but twelve years of age: it is enough for me, that the Scripture saith (Stupebant autem omnes etc.) But all who heard him, were astonished, and amazed at his wisdom and answers, 
Luk. 2.  divine wisdom doubtless appearing in him. Neither will I stand to demand of the Apostles, the Disciples of this Christ, nor of the devout multitude, what they saw, when to him, sitting upon a silly Ass, they gave such acclamations, excelling the condition of a pure man (hosanna in excelsis etc.) Health, Prosperity, Safety from on high: God speed on high, Blessed is he who cometh in the name, in the power of the Lord: Blessed is he, who cometh the Lord, and with the power of the Lord; the Lord, and God himself. Six hundred passages of sacred Scripture I pass over, recounting the divine wisdom, mercy, power, justice, goodness of a God, shiningly appearing in Christ, and his conversation: so that every where his divine praises were breathed forth, either from the mouths of infants, from the testimonies of his adversaries, or the religious applauses of the devout multitudes. But give me leave, most beloved and religious Christians, yet to enter with this Christ into his passion, and there to consider how magnificent and apparent in it were the attributes & perfections of his Godhead. I pass over his confounding, his casting and throwing down to the ground, his adversaries with traitorous judas coming to apprehend him, with those few words only (Quem quaeritis? ego sum) Whom seek you? I am, I am: whom you seek, I am he: I pretermit hundreds of arguments in the time of his passion, for the proof and honour of a suffering, of a dying Majesty. I only consider, what divine splendours of goodness, mercy, justice, wisdom, power, patience, clemency, did with a collateral reflection represent themselves out of Christ crucified, and reflect upon the right-handed, rather the right-hearted thief, that he was moved to make that most Christian and happy invocation 
Luk. 23.  and confession (Memento mei Domine, cum veneris, etc.) Remember me O Lord, when thou shalt come into thy kingdom. O most happy confession of a most happy thief! flesh and blood revealed not this unto thee. O thou thief, not now a wicked thief, but an innocent thief, robbing rather in a Paradise than upon earth. O thief, wont with violence to violate men, but now, with the violence of a eontrite heart, lively faith, and constant confession, purchasing Paradise. Christian and religious hearers, what kingly, what divine ornaments saw this most Christian thief, to make such a confession? to profess Christ to be the King of heaven? for of any earthly kingdom he could not mean. The Sceptre of the vain reed, with the most scornful, Hail king of the jews, he had not seen, he had not perhaps heard: the sceptre he then beheld, were the sharp piercing nails, fastening his King's hands, to the shameful cross: the kingly robes, were Adam's nakedness, and our confusion: the chair of State, the hard and ignominious cross: the royal fare and kingly dainties, gall and vinegar: the Princelike acclamations, were taunts, reproaches, exprobrations, reviles, with scornful casting of hands, and moving of the heads of those damned miscreants, with those most contemptuous vahs: vah, vah, He hath saved others, let him now save himself: If he be the son of God, let him now come down from the cross, & we will believe in him. I dare pronounce, that these most unspeakable ignominies, borne with that admirable patience, invincible charity, most charitable compassion and clemency, and the powerful suffering of Christ, did draw this our holy thief to that Christian confession; Remember me, O Lord, when thou shalt come into thy kingdom. It was not the wonders only, which moved him thereunto: no, no; he made this confession before divers of them were made, as you shall read in Saint Luke, the 42. and 43. verses of the 23. Chapter: therefore, by the secret working of the holy Ghost, and by that confluence of the divine attributes of patience, mercy, justice, power, goodness, charity, which appeared in Christ (more than could be in a pure man) hanging upon the cross, the good and Christian thief came to acknowledge him to be a Lord, and to confess his eternal and everlasting kingdom.  
Oh, how could my tongue here expatiate itself, to amplify by similitudes and examples, how the attributes of a God every where appeared in Christ! whether I behold him lying in the manger, or resting in his mother's arms: whether amongst the Doctors disputing in the Temple, or betwixt the thieves, praying, and offering supplications upon the cross: whether scourging sacrilegious buyers and sellers out of the Temple, his father's house, or himself fast bound to a pillar, tormented and scourged most cruelly by those sacrilegious executioners: whether sitting weary upon jacobs' fountain, or hanging languishing upon the cross, yielding forth of the blood of salvation a most precious fountain: whether raising the dead, or himself adjudged to death: whether in the desert feeding others with bread, or himself fed by others with gall and vinegar upon the cross: wheresoever and howsoever, I see and contemplate him, I cannot but admire, and confess him, (speciosum forma, prae filijs hominum) beautiful in form above the children of men: beautiful in the form of God above the children of men. I cannot but with admiration say unto him with Kingly David, Beautiful in form above the children 
Psal. 45.  of men, Grace is diffused in thy lips: therefore thee, O God thy God hath anointed with the oil of gladness, above thy fellows: so anointed, that in very form he appeared more than his fellows; above his fellows not only a holy man, but a God, God and man. I cannot but proclaim, that although the glory of the Divinity of Christ, imparted to his soul, was so contained from communicating itself to his body, yet it could not be so concluded and shut up, but that some beams and glitterings thereof did so diffuse themselves (like unto the beams of the glittering Sun under a clear cloud) that the pious beholder might contemplate the very divine attributes, to be in an admirable sort relucent and resplendent, in the very humanity of Christ, conversing with man. O Emanuel! O Emanuel! God with us: God with us: conversing amongst men, and by so divine conversation, known to be the true Emanuel indeed, the true God amongst us, amongst men.  
Thus too briefly, and imperfectly, how theattributes, and divine perfections, of God were transponent in Christ.  
Oh, that time would permit me, fully to consider this our Christ, as he hath relation to the actions, and operations of God, in the framing, and governing of this universe, especially, his actions to ward mankind! we should find him, to be the very scope, and end, for which all this world was made; we should find him, to be the very drift, butt, and end of all God's desires; we should find, that of the holy Prophet Isay to be true in him (Et eris 
Isay 62.  corona gloriae, in manu domini, & diadema Regni in manu dei tui.) Thou shalt be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord; a Diadem of a Kingdom in the hand of thy God. A crown of glory, a Diadem of a Kingdom, even upon the head, and in the hands of the Lord, of God; to honour, to make glorious, God the Lord. A crown of glory, A diadem of a Kingdom in the hands of God, in the hands of the Lord, ever to be looked upon, to be contemplated, admired, desired. Hear the heavenly father, himself more than once, avouching as much. 
Math. 17. Ma●c. 1. Luc. 9 Mat. 3.  (Hic est filius meus, etc. This is my beloved son, in whom I am very well pleased, in whom my soul taketh full content. This, this, is the scope of all my actions; This is my word, which I looked upon, framing the whole world. This is the very Idea, upon which I contemplated, electing, predestinating, my children to my glory: and when I call those, whom I have elected, and predestinated, according to the purpose of my will, from all eternities; to justify them, to sanctify them, to glorify them: I make them all confermable to the Image of this my son: Yea so well pleased is my soul in him that for his sake, from all eternities, I have absolutely perfectly, loved those, whom I have elected in him, and for him, before they were any thing at all, and when in time, like fugitive servants, they were at enmity with me, through sin, living in sin, delighting in sin: I then, for his sake, called, justified, sanctified them, leaving them not, until I bring them for respect of him to my eternal glory, and until, I accomplish my will in them, I will not surcease: no man shall take them out of my hands, no man shall stop the might of my election. This, this, Christian hearers, as it is doctrine, full of all consolation to the faithful, that have a living and a sanctifying faith, through and in this Chri●t: so is it not novel but most ancient, Catholic, howsoever most commonly, the Pontifician Divines teach and affirm, that the predestination, and election of God's children; is not without prevision of their merits: and so making the merits of man, as a motive of God's eternal election; they show themselves, to be nothing less, than Semipelagians; whole Pelagians, I would call them, if they taught these merits of man; without necessity of grace through, and in Christ. Merits we exclude (Christian hearers) when they are made as causes of predestination: but not good works, as fruits of sanctification, in which, God hath eternally preordained his elect to walk in.  
Six hundred places of scripture, (wherewith you learned in God's book, are acquainted) I could produce for the confirming of this truth: how that without works freely in Christ alone, we were loved, beloved, and elected; before we were any thing at all; (except only in God's election,) yea and afterwards also, when in time, we became worse than nothing, by committing sin (the which, as it is nothing of God's work, so for so much as it is man's work, it maketh him worse than nothing) yet for Christ's sake, man so wicked, so abominable, was called, justified, sanctified, according to the purpose of God's eternal election.  
O inestimable! O unspeakable benefit therefore of Christ! O Christ! powerful in the eternal providence of God, before creation, for our election: powerful in time appointed, for our vocation, justification, sanctification: powerful for our perseverance, and final consummation: so powerful, and so precious in the sight of God; that if God, (whose goodness is so great, that he would suffer no ill; if he knew not how, to produce good thereout) had not foreknown such a remedy against sin; such an anointed one; such a Christ; for the curing of souls; he would never have permitted Adam to have sinned, at least wise, he would never have permitted his sin, as a general deluge, to have over whelmed all mankind; so that as in a sort, it may be said: sin had not been permitted, if such a Saviour, such a Christ, could not have been sent; have been provided: so neither, such a dying Saviour; such a passable Christ had not been sent, if sin had not been permitted. O mystery of all mysteries! from the very profoundest of my soul, I proclaim; O Christ; most blessed, and eternally to be desired; for if thou couldst not have been sent, to expiate sin; the same had not been permitted; and if sin had not been permitted, thou hadst not beenesent, to seek the lost sheep of mankind: O infinite goodness of God. Therefore, I dare boldly pronounce, with ancient Gregory. (O Felix Adae peccatum, etc.) O happy sin of Adam; which deserved to have such, and so great a Redeemer? O truly necessary sin of Adam; which by the death of Christ, is abolished and destroyed; of Christ I say, of whose excellencies and perfections, in respect of us; and in the manner of his concurrence to our sanctification, and salvation, in respect of every sort of causing and working as material, formal, efficient, final; and in respect of himself, for those treasures of divine wisdom, and graces, without measure, (as far as the right hand of God, by his ordinary power could extend itself) imparted to his soul: if I should further, (according to my division made above of the respects of Christ) discourse 
Hebr. 5.  and ampliate my speech, it should prove, to be (sermo ininterpretabilis) a speech uninterpretable, (as the Apostle speaketh) either by myself the speaker, or by you the hearers, neither doth the time favour me so much: He is God, what seek you? he is God: what desire you? or why do I yet presume to search?  
Consider his attributes, his perfections, to day, to morrow, the more you shall seek, the less you shall find (if you think to attain) for he is incomprehensible: believe the scriptures, thus pronouncing (lucem inhabitat inaccessam) he dwelleth in a light, to which there is 
1. Timoth. 6.  no access. Here therefore, a period and a stop of this my discourse: not able to make any further progress; I answer, (as Simonides the Philosopher did to Hiero touching God) the more I seek the perfections of Christ, the less I find them. But for application and use of this doctrine; I will make no other than what I have already made; by which I see Christ already in faith, and love applied to your souls: with whom I doubt not, but that you will speak, and common as Christians ought with such a Christ, so dear, so sweet, so perfect a Spouse.   

How much more: he blood of Christ?  
But how shall I prosecute the other consideration of this my first part of my text? what a paradox, shall I seem to deliver, to speak of the blood of such a majesty? of such a glory? how ill do consort, the majesty of Godhead; and the humility of bloodshed? these attributes of divinity, and such defects of humanity: such a humility, and such a glory? If I should preach to the Gentiles, they would esteem me (in sanire) to be mad, and such doctrine to be mere folly: if to the jews, they would not endure the scandal of the Cross; nor the ignominy of this blood: but considering I preach to this so religious an assembly, called and associated together (non de sanguinibus) not by bloods; not by bloods of Bulls, Goats, Sheep, etc. but (de sanguine quasi agni immaculati) by the one blood of the immaculate Lamb: one lamb, and once sacrificed. I shall easily persuade you, the sweet conjunction of such a Majesty, and such a humility: I shall easily persuade you, that the blood of this lamb is (virtus Dei omni credenti) the very virtue of God, to every one who believeth, and confideth in it.   

How much more the blood of Christ?  
Manifold is the acception of blood in sacred Scriptures, and with profane Philosophers. Blood for murder, manslaughter, death, cruelty: blood for impurity, uncleanness of life: blood for the seed of generation: blood, as it is the seat and domicile of life; the immediate cause and instrument of nourishment, of motion, of natural health, colour, temperature, due complexion, etc. But intermitting all these acceptions, and the moralising upon them: the blood which our Apostle meaneth, is the blood of Christ, the Seal of the new Testament, the blood of redemption, satisfaction; of reconciliation, sanctification.  
O wonderful and most venerable blood! But is the acception of this blood of our one jesus, one, or manifold? It is Christian Catholic Auditors, both one, and manifold: one, in Christ: manifold, from Christ: one in Christ, in an individual, substantial, and integral unity of nature, concurring to make him a perfect living man: manifold, as it is effused and flowing from Christ, to make us perfect Christian men. How manifold is this blood? witness, first, that bloody sweat in the garden, arising rather from his tender and inward compassion over sinners, then from any desolation. O drops, not dropping, but of blood (decurrentis in terram) running down upon the earth! what earth? mankind, by sinful conversation transformed into earth: but this blood trickleth, yea runneth down upon it, to wash it, to sanctify it, and to make it fructify. Witness those streams of blood which gushed from every part of Christ's sacred body, when the merciless scourgers whipped and tormented him, being fast bound to a pillar. I read elsewhere (Christus erat petra, & bibebant de spirituali consequent eos 
1. Cor. 10.  petra) Christ was a rock, and they drunk (the ancient faithful) of the spiritual rock which followed them. Here I contemplate Christ, not a rock, but a most tender man, fast bound to a stone, to a rock, whipped, scourged, tormented, to yield forth a stream, a great fountain of blood; of which all may drink, from the beginning until the consummation of the world. For not only (Agnus occisus, but Agnus flagellatus ab origine mundi) was the Lamb slain, but also whipped, from the beginning of the world: Moses, Abraham, No, Adam, drunk of this rock, or rather of this Christ, bound to a rock, and yielding a fountain of blood. Not here (petra erat Christus) Christ was a rock, a stone, but (apud Petram Christus) a tender man, a sensitive man, fast bound to a stone, a pillar of stone, feeling the sharp pain of most cruel scourging, able enough to have killed Christ, had he not also determined to ascend up into the palm-tree: what said, I the palm-tree? I should have said the tree of the cross, the tree of curse, of malediction. Witness, those currents from his head crowned with thorns, his hands and feet nailed and pierced. Witness his most divine side opened with a spear; whence, in testimony that this Christ had made a complete expiation for mankind: with his last drops of blood, water also issued forth: (continuo exivi sanguis & aqua) presently, instantly, upon the opening of the sacred side, blood and water went forth. Blood and water stood attending that opening of the divine wall; which once opened, and lanced, blood and water, fell not out, rushed not out, dropped not out; but went out, walked out, going in fortitude, in virtue, strength, to confront with Satan, to vanquish death and damnation, to consummate our redemption. What marvel is this, to us believing, that this blood and water, by a strange and wonderful union, were united to the subsistence and person of him, who is the author of all life, giver of all motion? O blood and water, consummating all sanctification, filling all ruins, in heaven and upon earth! weight and balance are the judgements of God, 
Prou. 16.  saith the divine Scripture. But in this extraordinary work of our redemption, in this judgement exercised upon the son of God, what measure hath been kept? what balance hath been used? what mean hath been observed? all is shed, all is effused: and in testimony thereof, with the last drops of blood, water is adjoined; by such a conjunction of water with blood, proclaiming to mankind, That the blood of Christ doth not only merit, redeem, satisfy; but also wash, purify, sanctify with purity of grace, the consciences of all such, who with a living, and a sanctifying faith should confide in it.  
Rouse up you souls beloved, in this blood, and demand of me, by which of all these bloods are we redeemed: and I will answer unto you, That we are redeemed by them all: all these are (passio Christi) the passion of Christ: by them all, by them all: plentiful therefore is your redemption, absolute, and in very rigour of justice so consummate, that applied by faith to your souls, apprehended by faith, (justifying faith, sanctifying faith I mean, which destroyeth dead works, innovateth your consciences with a new, and with the principal spirit) the severe, and just eye of God cannot reject or condemn such as are signed, and marked with the same. The last hour (Christian hearers) endeth the day, the last sand emptieth the hourglass, the last drops fill the vessel, the last figure consummateth and maketh perfect any number; so, the last drops of Christ's blood, consummated, perfected, our redemption. All these effusions of blood by me mentioned, did concur to your redemption and salvation; but the last drops consummated all: for it is the blood of Christ dying, the effusion of blood, in which the life of Christ was offered, which consummately perfected all, merited, satisfied for us. O most sweet providence of God (non alius defuit Deo, saluandi mundum modus) there wanted not, saith Saint Austen, another manner, or means to God, for saving of the world. Notwithstanding, by blood he would have it done, and this by the blood of his only begotten son.  
O most potent blood, not of Bulls or Goats, for a legal and carnal purification only; but of Christ, to make such a purification of souls, that the eye of the most just judge looking upon them, signed with the same, cannot repute them unclean, unsanctified, but divinely beautified. Not of Bulls, and Goats, Calves, and Kids, often to be repeated, & reiterated: but of one only Christ, by one only oblation eternally sanctifying all sincere believers. Not of goats and oxen, for the jewish nation only; but of Christ, the living fountain (irrigans universam terram) watering the whole earth: all ages, all sexes, all conditions of mankind. Fourfold were the rivers, which issued from one fountain, in the earthly Paradise, and watered the whole earth, making the same fruitful: not four fold only, but manifold are the rivers, which issued from the fountain in the spiritual Paradise, where Christ jesus was placed with his spouse, his wife, his Church. How manifold were the rivers, issuing from this fountain, you have already heard, from every part, side, and end of this fountain, from the head of this fountain, by thorns; from the feet, and hands by nails; from his sweetest face, by blows, buffets, and most cruel scratches, from his side, by the spear; from his whole body, by the sharp scourging of 〈◊〉 executioners.  
O Rare fountain, streaming on every side! O divine altitude, longitude, latitude, and profundity of this fountain! Oh that we would, with all Saints, comprehend the altitude, longitude, latitude, and profoundness of this ●●eding fountain of this bleeding Christ, commended by the Apostle in his Epistle to the Ephesians? 
Ephes. 3.  O that we would, or could endeavour, to comprehend in our daily considerations, the altitude of the bleeding head of this fountain? should we not, trow ye, with tears of sorrow, and compunction, bewail the pride, of our own ambitious heads? should we not wash away our aspiring thoughts, by which yearly, lately, at all moments, we project our own greatness, to mount up ourselves, though it be with the circumvention of our own brethren, breach of fidelity, incurring of perjury, and the commitment of any most dreadful sins? Oh that we would consider, the longitude of this bleeding fountain? longitude in time, from thursday evening, till friday evening; for upon friday evening (
Mar. 15.  Circa horam nonam expiravit jesus) about the ninth hour sweet jesus expired: I should have said, longitude in time, from the day of his circumcision, until his expiration, or rather until the apertion of his side, after his expiring.  
Longitude in place, from the Garden of Gethsemanie unto the houses of Annas, Caiaphas; thence to the town house; thence to the mount Calvary; where we have many longitudes; longitudes of his arms, stretched out to the arms of the Cross; longitude of his feet, and body proportioned to the length of the Cross, and in all these longitudes, Christ boisterously drawn out, stretched forth, mercilessly hoist up, immanely pitched down with the cross, fastened in the ground; what a moving? what an effectual and divine longitude would this prove, if it were daily meditated upon? would it not (think you) produce in our souls a longanimity of patience, in all our tribulations? a longitude of hope against all suggestions of despair? a length of love, to forgive our enemies, offending and injuring us, though never so often? A virtue very necessary, and needful in these times, especially, with our Gallants; who so unchristianly stand upon their points of honour; who never as yet have learned, for Christ's sake, to forgive any wrong; to put up any injury upon any submission, or acknowledgement whatsoever: nothing will content them; but (lex Talionis) the law of requital, of equality: An eye, for an eye; a tooth for a tooth: life for life, blood for blood? O ye Christians! (truly Gallants, and truly nobles, if you hear this lesson) in the behalf of this Christ; which did once sustain your persons, to deliver you from damnation; who suffered so many injuries, to give you eternal honour: I ask of you, I require of you, that for his sake, for his love, for his honour, and for the honour of the Christian name, end your controversies, conclude your contentions, and quarrels as Christians ought to do: that is so often, (though seventy seven times 
Mat. 18.  saith Christ) as the offender shall acknowledge his fault, make submission; do ye forgive, be reconciled, forget injuries.  
I dare here boldly pronounce, he understandeth nothing, he knoweth nothing, he is worth nothing; he hath no dram of Christian magnanimity in him; who will not admit, and approve such a reconcilement, to be Christian, honourable, glorious, both before God and man: such a reconcilement (I say) as the duty of a Christian to Christ crucified, dead and sacrificed, requireth, challengeth, commandeth. And if any here will despise, or neglect this Christian counsel, and stand upon Machiavellian, and Italian puntidel-honore, I will confidently proclaim against him, or them, whatsoever they be, that of the Prophet Osee, (Ventum seminat, turbinem metet) he soweth a wind, but shall reap a whirlwind? 
Osec. 8.  he soweth a puff of vain glory, a blast of spanish Ostentation, but shall reap a whirl wind of confusion and ignominy to himself and his posterity, perhaps in this live, if he offend the law, and feel the severity of the same, (accordingly as he deserveth) or else most assuredly at the dreadful day of his judgement, he shall meet with that dreadful whirlwind of (Into maledicte) Depart thou accursed; 
Mat. 25.  which shall convolue and wrap him up with his consorts, the servants of the Roaring and devouring Lion, into the whirlpool of Eternal damnation, where, and with whom, he may if it shall so please him, cast firebrands, for precedency of honour, and chairs of dignity eternally.  
But to our sountaine, to our fountain. Oh that we would consider Christ with such a length of his arms, so prodigally and charitably effusing, and pouring forth his blood, to wash all, to sanctify all: would it not persuade us, to lengthen forth our arms, and to open our palms to the poor, and needy? but out alas, we contemplate not this longitude, and therefore instead of stretching forth our arms to the poor, we stretch and whet our tongues, we sharpen our speeches against them, we add affliction to their affliction, we revile, exprobrate, discomfort them. O damnable custom overflowing Italy! O wretched practice overabounding Spain and France! O practice of Reprobates, too too frequent in England. O fashion every where in fashion, and yet the fashion only, of Reprobates and children of perdition! I boldly here speak it, that it is a special sign, mark, badge, and character of reprobates, and children of perdition, so to entertain, so to abuse the poor Lazars; why said I poor Lazars? I should have said poor Christ's, and poor jesus in these Lazars: He hath said it, and I dare proclaim it, whatsoever you shall do to one of these, you shall do to me. Honourable, worshipful and 
Mat 25.  most worthy Christians, especially you of the devout and religious sex, who are more accustomed to be like to the worthy Matron of your own sex described in the Proverbs, to open her palms to the needy, and to stretch forth her arms to the poor: I beseech you often to consider 
Proverb. ●●  of this blood of Christ, shed so prodigally for your souls: and if you will not be prodigal to him in his poor, at least be liberal, be Charitable: Expend often that saying of Christ to the couteous Scribes, which I now inclucate to your religious ears and hearts, (Date elemosynam & ecce omnia munda sunt vobis:) Give alms, and behold all things are clean unto you: Be charitable, 
Luc. 11.  be liberal, be prodigal, unto the poor Lazars, unto the needy Christ's, and behold all things shall be clean unto you: if you do not, beware of the thunderclap (departed accursed,) 
Mat 25.  the which, as assuredly as the word of God shall not pass unfulfilled, so certainly shall all such as decline their ears from hearing, and their hearts from comforting and relieving the poor, shall hear it, shall undergo it, and shall be eternally confounded with it.  
But from the length of this fountain, to the breadth, to the latitude thereof, the which if we would devoutly consider, yielding streams of blood on every side, and upon all sorts of persons, upon enemies, and only enemies, and all enemies, to what a breadth of love would it persuade us? to love all that Christ loveth: and because Christ loveth, to love our friends in Christ, and our enemies for Christ. What a latitude of resolution would it engender in our Souls, to walk the commandments of God cheerfully? what a breadth of charitable love and compassion would it cause in us, to give to the poor cheerfully? for (hilarem datorem diligit Deus) God loveth a merry and cheerful giner, 
2. Cor 2.  saith the Apostle.  
Would we consider the profundity of this fountain, founded in love, and the mestimable charity of God; founded in the unspeakable humility of the son of God: what a depth of humility, what a profoundness of meekness, what an abyss of charity, what a purpose of steadfast perseverance in God's service, would it innovate and confirm in our minds? Let experience, Christian Hearers, be your mistress in this: make trial, and as you find, so be persuaded, so give credit to what I speak.  
But alas! who can bewail sufficiently, the miseries of these times? Even as in the earthly Paradise, after the deluge of the 'slud had overwhelmed the whole world, neither the fountain, nor the rivers issuing from the same, can certamely be distinguished, or known, which, or where they are: so out alas! since partly, deep ignorance of Popery, manifold inundation of heresy, abundance of iniquity, extreme defect of charity, have overwhelmed the visible face of the Church; it is hard to find, where this fountain of Christ crucified, where these rivers issuing from the same fountain, do make their courses, where their channels be. Devout Christians, I speak not this, as though I knew no place where Christ crucified is truly preached: for in so speaking, I should calumniate that Church, to which I have happily associated myself, where the infinite energy, virtue of Christ's death, and passion, is daily and incessantly preached, commended, extolled, and applied to all believing souls. But I speak this of Christian conferences, of devout souls, who should daily meditate, and suck of this fountain; who by their pure lives, and sincere conversations should show, that it is the blood of the most immaculate Lamb, whereof they drink: it is the blood of the unspotted sacrifice, where with they are fed and nourished. Such kind of channels, such kind of streams are hardly sound, are hardly scene. But let us yet at last awake our souls, and recall them from drinking of the puddles of Egypt: there is no hour too late for repentance, the energy of this blood is everlasting it speaketh still better, and loudly to all, then that of Abel: therefore even now, and at this moment, it will not be too late to begin to drink of this fountain; no impurity so great, the which it washeth not away: it is the Alpha and Omega of vocation, justification, sanctification, perseverance, glorification; because the blood of the Eternal Alpha and Omega of all things.  
O Well of all consolation! O fountain of all Graces! O wounds not killing, but the only Asyle and Sanctuatie of sinful and afflicted souls! wounds, in which, and in which only, we may be secured from the sting of sin, and power of Satan.  
Give me leave here for this purpose, to apply to your ears, the words of a certain devout Father: Vbi tuta 
Bernard ●1. in Cant.  sirmaque requies infirmis, etc. Where is there safe and secure rest to the infirm and weak, but in the wounds of our Saviour? there I dwell more securely, by how much he is more potent to save: the world fretteth, my flesh presseth, Satan lieth in wait; I fall not, because I am founded upon a firm rock: I have sinned a great sin, my conscience will be troubled, but it shall not be over-troubled, because I will remember the wounds of the Lord: for he is wounded for our iniquities: What so near to death, which is not saucd by his death? If therefore so potent, and so efficient a medicine shall come into my mind, I cannot be terrified with the greatness of any disease. And again a little after, But I do confidently usurp to me, what is wanting to me, from the bowels of my Lord, which abound with mercy. Neither do there want holes, by which it may flow out, they have digged his hands and feet, and have pierced his side with a lance: and by these chinks, it is lawful for me to sncke honnis from the rock, and oil from the most hard stone, and taste, that the Lord is most sweet. The secrets of the heart are opened by the holes of the body, that great Sacrament of piety is opened: The bowels of mercy of our God, in which the Orient from above hath visited us, are opened. And why may not bowels appear, and show themselves, by, and through wounds? In what more clearly, then in thy wounds, doth it appear, O Lord? that thou art sweet, meek, and of much mercy: for greater mercy no man hath, then that he give his life for his friend: but thou, O Lord, hast had greater charity, who hast given thyself for off-casts and damned persons. Therefore my merit is the mercy of the Lord: I am not altogether void of merit, so long as he shall not be void of mercy and miserations. But if the mercies of our Lord, be many, even so am I much in merits: for what if I am guilty to my soul of many sins? truly, where sins have abounded, grace hath over-abounded. And if the mercies of the Lord be from eternity to eternity, I also will for all eternities sing his mercies. And a little after: How great in the holes of the rock is the multitude of weetnesse, the fullness of grace, the perfection of virtues? Thus far devout Bernard. Truly great, and very delectable is the sweetness of these wounds, honey in the mouth, melody in the ears, and exultation in the heart; from discoursing whereof I am most loath to surcease: but my Text calleth me away.  
As for use and application of this Doctrine, I make no other, then that which your religious hearts have made already, by your constant faith in it, by your inflamed affections of love to it. But before I proceed to my other parts of my Text, give me leave to give a glance at the Popish abomination, set up by human invention, against the most dreadful sacrifice of this blood of the cross. Let us pause a little.   

How much more the blood of Christ?  
The Pontificians and Romanists, who out of a Pharisaical pride, have accursed and condemned all the Reformed Churches; for the setting forth and extolling the Majesty, and efficacy of this blood: and of the infinite energy of the one and only sacrifice, and daily oblation of the Christians: have withal, by their most profane and idolatrous sacrifice of their Mass, (against which, I have more largely discoursed out of their own Canons, in my Book of Motives) as much as lieth in them, conculcated the blood of the New Testament, and profaned the one and only sacrifice of the cross.  
Antiochus was a figure of Antichrist, he took away and abolished for his time, the daily sacrifice of the jews. The Roman Antichrist (Roman Anticrist I call him, for we must understand, that there have been, are, and shall be, Antichrists of different kinds) hath by might and main, oppugned the only sacrifice of the cross, although with many fair pretences, he would seem to magnify the same in his Massing sacrifice: but alas, how vainly? Briefly, let us consider, the Christians sacrifice of the cross, either as it is an expiation for sin, or a satisfaction for punishment, a means of reconcilement, a merit of salvation, a powerful deliverance from Satan; and we shall find, that in all these respects, and divers others (not now to be stood upon) that the man of Sin, and his Disciples, have most abominably depraved, profaned, contemned it.  
The sacrifice of the cross, being of an immense valour, and infinite efficacy: Christ the high Priest, by one only oblation of it, in the consummation of the world, appeared for the destruction of sin, saith the Apostle in the ninth Chapter to the Hebrews, and the 26. verse, adding in the very next verse, thus: (Et quemadmodum) And even as it is appointed, for man once to die, and after followeth judgement: so Christ was once offered, to take away the sins of many. And so frequent are the passages of holy Scripture, for Christ's once offering himself, by once shedding of his blood, and for his one oblation only, and once only to be made; that it is altogether needless to add more, for the confirmation of so evident a truth. The Adversaries themselves cannot deny it, though to their own confusion: for by their new daily consecrating of Christ, I should say, their daily new make productions, factions, creations, and fieries of Christ, they are confounded. In such words and phrases they delight, and such words their Transubstantiation requireth: for it is impossible to conceive a substantial Transubstantiation, without a substantial production, making, faction's, or fiery of that substance, into which the other substance which is destroyed, is transubstantiated, & substantially converted. And this is so manifest, in the very principles of all Philosophy, that the learnedst of them cannot deny it: and yet, it is impossible, and implieth, that Christ, who was, and is substantially subsistent, before all their consecrations, should be by the same, substantially produced, made, created: for, a substantial production and making, is the bringing, and drawing out of a substance; from a no being, to a being; from a non esse, to an esse; from a no existence, to an existence: how then is it conceivable, that Christ's substance, which was, and is before their consecrations, should be made, and produced by the same? Again, it is unconceivable, that there should be a new production of any substance, or Person, and perfect supposit, without the making of a new subsistence, or existence: Tell me then, O all ye Pontificians, what new subsistences? what new existencies are made of one Christ, by your productive, creative, and factive consecrations in your massing five words? But were these daily, and infinitely multiplied consecrations, productions, real offerings, real desitions, cessations, remooving, destructions of Christ upon your Altars, in your stomachs, possible, as you pretend and believe; yet, by them all, it is manifest, and as clear as the Sun, that you rest not in the one, and only real sacrifice of the cross; but that you require daily new real offerings, consecrating of Christ upon your altars. And can any one of them, be so impudently ignorant, as to affirm, that the consecrations, oblations, consumptions, desitions of Christ, which they make daily, and multiply infinitely upon their profane altars, and in their stomachs, should be the same in number, and individual unity, with the making of Christ in his mother's womb? with that offering of Christ, that consumption, & death of Christ, upon the cross? with that resurrection of Christ from the Sepulchre? Believe me, Christian and Catholic Hearers, when it is demanded of them whether their sacrifice, oblation, making, and consumption of Christ, be the same in individual unity, and number with that, upon the cross, they are so puzzled, to solve the knot, that they know not, what to answer; Sometimes, they will say, it is the same in number, and individual unity. (I mean, as it is a sacrifice, an oblation, and offering,) with that of the cross: but who would not scorn this? who would not contemn such ignorant folly? the absurdity of the paradox, overthroweth itself: for there, Christ was truly, and naturally borne, by a substantial generation from his mother; here, by an imagined substantial action, and fieri, of their own, which maketh nothing, which was not before, and that, which is already made, in one place, by one substantial action, it is impossible, that it should be made often by many other substantial actions in other places, unless we will make many things substantially to be one, and one to be many substantially: which insoldeth contradiction, as all Philosophers will easily grant: There, Christ's blood was truly and really shed, here in imagination, and seeming only, as themselves confess: there, his body was truly rend: here, only in show: there, Christ truly died, and so really, that (in triduo) in those three days, whilst his body lay in the grave, he was not man: (for such a dissolution, such a separation of the soul of Christ, from his body, which true death requireth was necessary for our redemption,) here, he only ceaseth to be, (as they unintelligibly teach) by an imaginary cessation in their boxes, pixes, stomachs, when their species, their forms of bread, and wine, as whiteness, roundness, savour, relish, do cease, are corrupted, and changed.  
Some others therefore pretending more learning than wisdom, or Christian piety; grant indeed, that there is not the same individual, and numeral oblation of Christ, upon their Altars, with that of the Cross: which their answer indeed is most true, according to their own principles, both in Philosophy, and Divinity; but discovereth the ignominy of their abomination, in setting up, and teaching a new daily, real sacrificing, and oblation of their imagined Christ upon their Altars; against that infinitely valuable offering, and sacrificing of Christ jesus upon the Cross: by which once only, really, truly, corporally, carnally offered, all faithful believers are justified, and sanctified, are consummated, by the eternal might and never dying energy of his blood. I pretermit here, to stand to demand of them, why they do so vainly require a real and truly Propitiatory sacrifice of Christ, in Person, and Substance, upon their Altars; to apply the virtue of Christ sacrificed upon the Cross: for how vain is it to imagine, that the same cannot be applied by a lively faith, and the use of a holy Sacrament of Bread and Wine, as it is applied by Faith and Water in Baptism? I pretermit to charge them, that they are not yet accorded what to affirm, or how to teach, in what action of their Mass, this their sacrifice doth consist, whether in their making of Christ by their Priests five mighty words; or by their Elevation of their Christ up, or by their laying down of their Christ upon their Altars; these things I omit, with much more to like purpose, because the out-running of time causeth me to be brief.  
But you know Christian and Catholic Auditors, that they (not without cause) contend for this their real, and unbloody sacrificing of their Christ; as for the very livelihood, and soul of their religion: you are not ignorant, how many zealous and renowned Professors of the only blood of the Cross, have and do daily shed their bloods, for the denying of their profane sacrifice: doubtless, than they do, greatly magnify it; they do greatly extol it: Hear me how; and first, touching the expiation, and remission of sin, I will deliver unto you, a position, or rather a Paradox of theirs (for so I am assured it will seem unto you.) Notwithstanding this their faith of their Christ, truly and really sacrificed in their Mass, yet they do deny power, valour, and efficacy to this their sacrifice, to take away the sins of such as do offer it, or of such, for whom it is offered; what said I, that they deny this their sacrifice to expiate the sins of the offerers, or for whom it is offered? I so said indeed, and it is most true: but yet they grant unto it forsooth, force, and energy, to abolish, to wipe away smaller sins, venial sins; such as are also taken away by their holy Bread; by their sprinkling of ashes upon Ash-wednesday; by their daily lustral, profane holy water; by their knocking of their breasts; by their Priests blessings; by their signing of themselves with the sign of the Cross; by bearing of Palms upon Palme-Sunday; and Candles upon Candlemasseday; and by innumerable such their sacramentals, (devised by human presumption) as themselves teach, and confess. Whereby it is manifest, that they do equalize the sprinkling of their lustral water, of their profane ashes, in the effect of taking away of venial smaller sinners, with the true and real offering of their Christ, their God and Man, sacrificed, offered upon their Altars. O most profane, most ignorant folly of these men! their Christ and God, truly offered as a propitiatory sacrifice for sins by them; and being the very same with that of the Cross; for expiating of sins, doth no more, worketh, effecteth, no more than the base, servile, contemptible ashes of a few Palms, magically by them consecrated upon Palme-Sunday, and sprinkled upon their counterfeit humiliats upon Ash-wednesday. But to proceed, hear yet somewhat, as prodigious as the former, if not more. If either Priest, or Lay person, wanting opportunity of a Ghostly Father, to confess their secret sins unto; shall with a most contrite heart lamenting, & bewailing their sins, acknowledging them, confessing them to God, offer, or receive this their sacrifice, with such a living faith, and humble devotion, as they require; yet this their Christ and God, there so offered as a sacrifice Propitiatory, there so received as their divine Sacrament, doth not sanctify the conscience, doth not expiate the sin of the consciences of such Offerers, of such Receivers of it, as it is a sacrifice, or as it is a Sacrament; but, as it is joined withal, with an implicit and virtual purpose, and resolution of the offerers, of the receivers, to confess their sins to some approved Priest, some Ghostly Father: and if there be any Papal or Episcopal reservation (a custom, a most detestable custom, very frequent amongst them) then forsooth, the virtual and implicit vow must be to confess to such Bishops, to the holy Father, and have accordingly absolution from them, or else, this their Christ, as a propitiatory Sacrifice, expiateth not their sins, as a divine Sacrament sanctifieth not their consciences. O most blasphemous doctrine, eneruating the blood of Christ, devised only to set up the Papal Sovereignty, and their Antichristian pride, to the horrible ruin and inconsolable affliction of innumerable souls! O most blasphemous doctrine, and damnable folly rather than heresy! The blood of Christ truly offered, truly received, by souls confessing sin to God, lamenting sin for the love of God; cannot, doth not abolish sin, without implicit relation, to a Papal absolution; if it shall please his Holiness, to restrain such sins, to reserve such cases for his own absolution, and not without some pecuniary mulcts, as the practice (Romanae Curiae, & tax, Apostolicae Cancellariae.) Of the Roman Court, and the tax, of the Apostolical Chancery do evince. Catholic and religious Hearers, what can be accounted impious doctrine, against the only sacrifice of the Cross, if this be not to be esteemed; to be accounted for such?  
To proceed; As touching the satisfaction for punishment of sin: Good God their Altar-sacrifice is weaker than their fatuouse Purgatorie-fire, than their vain Chimerian Indulgences (in the founding the treasury whereof, although Christ be the principal, yet he hath his consorts and fellows, Saint Stephens, Saint Laurences, etc. to set up and enrich their vain chequer) for these forsooth, can take away and satisfy, by the way of justice, of perfect requital and repayment for all punishment remaining and due to sin: Yea further, the profession and solemn vow of a Monastical life, in the hands and presence of the Superiors of such houses, Monasteries, Nunneries, is a complete and perfect expiating of all punishment for sin, as absolute as Baptism itself.  
But their Christ offered in their Mass, as it is a sacrifice, doth not this, effecteth not this; neither in the offerers, nor in them, for whom it is offered, nor in the receivers. What said I? doth it not so? yes but it doth: I have forgotten myself, I confess it: it doth satisfy for punishment; but when? but when? Marry, when this their Christ is offered and sacrificed upon privileged Altars, as at Loretto, at Sichem, at S. Laurences, at S. Sebastian's without the Gates of Rome: then, then; and upon such Altars, by the holy Father of Rome, privileged for such ends: Christ sacrificed, doth, and can satisfy for all punishment of sin; then he can work a plenary Indulgence, and delivery of soul upon soul, out of Purgatory: Further, when this their Christ is offered and sacrificed by English Priests in this Kingdom, upon Wednesdays, and Fridays; provided they have a sanctified Medal, or Cross for that purpose, blessed by their holy Father, either with them, or lying upon their Altar: then forsooth, upon such an indulgent Indulgence, from the most profane Baron of the Roman chequer, Christ can, and doth satisfy for the punishment and pain due to sin: how poor? how weak? how contemptible is their altar Christ? their mass sacrifice? which needeth the addition of such an Indulgencer, to satisfy for the pain and punishment of sin? weaker, and feebler, is this sacrifice, than their Ordinary Priests, with their blessed Grains, of which some bring into this Kingdom Decades of thousands, for so many thousands of souls, to deliver them from all pain of sin enjoined, or to be enjoined (by ghostly Fathers) or to be endured in Purgatory. But as for the powerful Friars, Monks, and Ignatians (called jesuits, but have not a dram of jesus his spirit in them) they forsooth, in their very Persons; and knotted girdles surpass this their Christ, this their Propitiatory Sacrifice: for whosoever shall make a first confession 
Plenary Indulgence, and a general pardon annexed to the very persons of Ignatians and Monks at the first reconcilement of any man by them to the Roman Church.  of all his sins (which they call a reconcilement from heresy to the Church of Rome) to any of them, shall precisely in that respect, not because they are Priests, (for so every Priest should have it) for confessing first to them, and having absolution from them, have, and obtain a full Plenary: most full, most plenary Indulgence, of all pains and punishment due to sin.  
How ambitious is this humour of Ignatians, of Benedictine but unbenedict Monks, for Precedency before their Secular Priests, in so high a privilege and pre-eminency of their Persons? but rather, how impious and detestable a practice is this, of the Roman Synagogue, not to equalize only, but to prefer the Persons of weak men before, and above the Person of their Christ, of their God of Majesty, offered, sacrificed upon their Propitiatory Altars? how mystical every knot of their Saint Francis his powerful girdells are, it is superuacaneous to deliver; Wear it next your skin or shirt you have such a pardon: wear it longer, greater is your pardon; pray upon all the knots, marvelous are your pardons: you shall die no sudden death. O fopperies! Concerning reconcilement to God, mediation to God: Alas, neither Christ in their Mass, nor upon the cross is with them sufficient. Hear the Remists the depravers 
Annotat. in 1. ad Tim. 2.  of all youth, in their depravations upon the first of Timothy, (Opus est Mediatore, ad Mediatorem, nec nobis alia est utilior, Maria) We have need of a Mediator, to our Mediator, and none more profitable, then Marry. I acknowledge, that they cite these words, as out of devout Bernard; but considering what I have related out of him here above, and how contrary this their vain position is, to his doctrine, I cannot but think that the works of that learned man are corrupted, and depraved: but howsoever (Bernardus non vidit omnia) especially in that corrupt and most ignorant age: And the doctrine is so impious, so heretical, that if all Austin's, all Bernard's, all Gregory's, all Angels from heaven should affirm it, we were to denounce unto them the Anatheme of S. Paul in his Epistle to the Galathians. For, if they understand this their position of supposed and absolute necessity, because so appointed by God, that we must needs have a Mediator to our Mediator, or else that in respect of our own unworthiness, and sins, we must needs have a Mediator to our Mediator, it is the most blasphemous heresy that ever was maintained, worthy to be persecuted with fire and faggot, for it overthroweth the whole work of our Redemption; and I do boldly here pronounce, agreeing to sacred Scriptures, and doctrine of all ancient Churches; that whosoever defendeth such necessity of a Mediator to our Mediator, he is fallen from Christ, he is fallen from Grace, and ought not to be esteemed, named, or called a Christian. As for you Catholic Auditors, it is sufficient, and abundantly sufficient, that you have an Advocate, a Redeemer, a Saviour: An Advocate of their Advocates and Aduocatesses: a Saviour of their saviours and Saviouresses': a Redeemer of their Redeemeresses, who inviteth, exhorteth, yea commandeth, All that are heavy loaden, and labour under the burden of sin, to come unto him, promising that he will refresh them, comfort them, etc. But as for such as are diffident in his promises, doubtful of his mercies, distrustful of his gracious admittance; let them keep themselves still to their Saviouresses and Aduocatesses; which as is manifest, cannot hear them, but by the appointment, power, and authority of him, who commandeth us, with all confidence to approach to him with a firm faith, a full trust to enter into 
Ad Heb. 10. 19  the holies, even unto himself our high Priest, and only Shepherd of our souls. I must be brief.  
As touching the merit of salvation, deliverance from Satan's power; which we Catholic Christians confess, and profess to be only, and effectually through the power of the death and blood of jesus Christ upon the Cross: I should trifle the time (which I see is over-spent) if I should stand to show how by their confidence and trust in their Vows, Pilgrimages, Invocations to fellow-servants: How by their Agnus-Deies, the very excrements of Satan; their idle Relics, wooden Crosses, Images, lustral Water, hallowed Salt, Palms, Candles, they do daily and infinitely derogate from the might & power of the blood of Christ, once crucified: putting more, or at least equal affiance in such devised trumperies (I dare call Crosses and Images trumperics, if adored, if worshipped, otherwise not) as in the blood of Christ, as in their very Christ sacrificed upon their Masse-Altars, that herein I do not bely them, it is as manifest as Noon day▪ for they will not hold nor account him a good Roman Catholic, who doth not use, practice, esteem, and put affiance in them; against Fire, Water, Devil, and all the power of that damned crew. And how clear it is, that more privileged Altars, and Pilgrimages, for safety, for deliverance; more frequent oblations for help and assistance, are made by the Papistically superstitious, and allowed by their Bishops and Priests, unto their Saints, and unto the blessed Virgin Marie, then unto God, then to Christ, our only sacrifice? I know some here in England, but I may not name them, who often, frequently, and confidently will set up in their gardens, orchards, galleries, chambers, closerts, certain small wooden pictures, framed like to that of Sichem, and there they will make often Pilgrimages to the same every day, to obtain deliverance of some grievous dangers and disasters: but alas, as yet they have not been heard; they have not been helped. Worthy observing is that superstitious devotion used long ago at Canterbury, and at the shrine of Thomas Becket, where the offerings and oblations made to him in a very large degree, yea by ten degrees and more, exceeded the like, made to the ever blessed Virgin Marie, and those which were made to her, in a greater degree surpassed those which were offered and consecrated to Christ himself, the one and only Saviour, and sacrifice of all Catholic Christians. No man, Catholic hearers, can better testify how weak their confidence and trust is in Christ and his blood, than such, as have been acquainted with their miserable miseries, or rather servile miseries, and inconsolable worships. Wherein (believe me, most worthy Auditors) what with their vain confidence in unsound Indulgences, their imperfect and stained merits, their absolute and complete numbering of all their sins, and circumstances changing the nature of sin in their auricular confessions (a matter morally impossible) the devouter sex amongst them, or rather the more superstitious sex, lead such inconsolable lives, that any compassive mind and heart knowing the same, cannot but compassionate their wretched and uncomfortable servitudes: no marvel of this, seeing they serve Gods, who cannot, give them rest by day nor 
Icrem. 16.  by night, such as the Prophet jeremy hath long ago forementioned.  
But thou, O England! rejoice, for that thou art delivered from these impure Idolatries, and Romish slaveries; and that the light of Christ crucified is illuminated over thee, that thou mayest serve him without fear: but rejoicing 
Luc. 1.  remember through what means the jews were cut off, and fell; through their incredulity: and how fell they into 
Rom. 11.  incredulity? because they were not permanent in goodness, in works of sanctification. Remember how the Romans were cut off? Through incredulity: and how fell they into that? Because they did not abide in goodness, and works of sanctity: This is that, which our Apostle affirmeth of the jews, and threateneth to the Romans, in the 12 Chapter of his Epistle, directed to them, Read it. Rejoice, O England, (to make a little digression here, to another kind of blood) that thou art delivered from the Papal tyrant●e; but rejoicing, be still watchful, against this ambitious Monarch; this most bloody Bishop; The devil is a busy Bishop, saith the old proverb, I may say, that this Bishop, is a busy devil, against the Church and State of this Kingdom. This proud Bishop, hath profaned the blood of the cross, he hath set up his profane, and his imaginary blood of his Idolatrous altars: But what? proceedeth he no further? meddleth he with no other blood? Oh that it were so! England, is well acquainted, with his proceed, what they have been, and how that in these later times, there have been no bloody Commotions, and horrible Massacres, in which the Holy Father's fingers have not been. And what, O ye Britain's? (for so I will call you, mentioning your late happy delivery, when as English, you should have been ruinated and destroyed; but as Britons for the favour of your GOD over your Britain Sovereign and his Royal offspring you were protected, delivered.)  
Do you think, that the Holy Father, was not acquainted, with that most hellish attempt of those smoky locusts? Can GARNET, GERRARD, TESMOND, with their Ignatianed Disciples be actors, principals? Can STANLEY, OWEN, know it? Can Antwerp, and the low-country mutter of some great Alteration, not of the heavens, but of England's Sceptre? Can PARSONS, CRESWELL, be not ignorant? And could it be concealed from AQVAVIVA, the General of the holy quarrel; or he hide it from the holy Father, Paul the fifth? Who will once imagine this▪ that hath been but once acquainted with the Ignatians manner of proceed? And what doth the holy Father now rest? hath the late most happy and miraculous delivery of all England's glory, daunted his courage so; that he will project no more villainy of like kind? God grant it be so: but, it is to be doubted, he will not surcease, until he be consumed by the spirit of God's mouth, as most infallibly he will one day.  
Idle are the prophecies which fly up and down, especially amongst the speudo-Iesuited and Ignatianed Papists: I will relate none of them because I contemn them as babbles, unworthy of the ears of so honourable an audience: yet give me leave to mention a bloody piece of one of them; and a little to demur upon the same. A Pope forsooth shall fight against two English Kings, and with bloody hands shall bless England. The most gracious God, as he hath confounded them often, and who broke their necks the fifth of November, doth doubtless suffer them to be deluded in their vain prophecies, and will, I most humbly trust and pray, subvert all their wicked enterprises. But seeing prophecies are mystical, and mystically to be interpreted, especially such as are paper once, described by pictures, as they say, this is: I will deliver my conceit what I think, may be understood, by these bloody hands of the Pope; For my part I cannot better interpret the same, then thus: That by the Pope's bloody hands, the Ignatians are to be understood, and by the bloody fingers their Ignatianed, and disloyal foranized Disciples, be they Priests or Laikes, (I always except temperate and moderate Recusants, of which, I know, some of the Laity, to be very true hearted and loyal English, as likewise I cannot doubt, but that there are some moderate Secular Priests, I mean such, as are un-ignatianed.) For, were not such, and only such Ignatians, and Ignatianed, the Powder-Miners, and Powder-Locusts? Are not such only, or most singularly those, who every where, at home, and abroad, in foreign Countries, do seek to disgrace the Magistrates (Sovereign not excepted) of these Kingdoms, and if any of them have any vice or defect (and who liveth without some one at least?) they will aggravate the same; yea, and rather than fail, they will devise new, vain, and those most foul and filthy, in the forge of their own wicked brains (oh how meet is it that such as are eminent should be careful of their conversations when they are besieged with such malicious Zoiles?) Such only, or chief, are they, who will gladly talk or presage of the decay of our shipping; delightfully reason of the consuming of our King's treasure, pleasingly common of the decay, and fall of martial men; joyfully listen after mutterings, or any least discontents, in the mutinous multitudes; against government or Governors: these are they, who gladly discourse of foreign powers, foreign preparations: these are they who unwillingly and fearfully hear of the admirable prowess and martial magnanimity of our most hopeful Alexander, or rather desired Constantine, and most dear Prince Henry: these are they (to be short) who delight in nothing more, take content, and hope in nothing more, than to hear of fall out and quarrels betwixt those of the Scottish and English Nation; hoping, desiring, and expecting, that from personal quarrels they may come to be Nationall. Honourable, right Worshipful, and most worthy Christians, all that are here present, from the highest to the lowest; I beseech you all, in respect of your duty to Christ Crucified, in respect of your duty to your Sovereign, love to your Country, care of your own safeties, and the flourishing state of Christ's Church and Gospel, have no such quarrels amongst you; and if any such arise, appease them speedily, end them Christianly: Believe it, believe it, nothing will please the Ignatianed Papists more (I except still the temperate) nothing can be more grateful to their holy Father, then to understand that the Subjects of two so honourable nations, under so peaceable, so gracious, and so religious a Sovereign should have any jars and contentions. How often, Catholic hearers, have I heard Robert Parsons, joseph Creswell, presagingly hope for such contentions upon union of the two kingdoms, whereby, as he and they all think (and wisely think, if it should so fall out: but God avert it) the unconquerable and invincible power of this kingdom (under God, and by God protected) might be broken and weakened: and alas who is so simple a coniecturer as can not presage upon whose head the bean would be bruised and broken: doubtless the beginner of any such quarrel by all Britaines should deserve to be reputed as a most detestable Anatheme, worthy all execration. But to return to the bloody hands of the holy Father of Rome: consanguineous, and of the same blood with these, were those Ignatian Valladolidian Padres, of the English Seminary: who, when the proclamation for our most gracious Sovereign was brought unto them, by a Spanish Duke, were so strangely daunted therewith; thus it was. Those English Padres, had long time held that king of Spain, and the Nobles of that kingdom, in expectation of great matters, to be done, at the death of Queen Elizabeth of happy memory, for the bringing of the Infanta of Spain into this kingdom, upon the fantastical Title to this Crown: but that Heroisse being departed, and our most gracious Sovereign being almost even with the breathing up of her ghost, most joyfully in this city proclaimed: Copies of the said Proclamation were with all speed by Intelligencers, sent into some foreign Countries, and into Spain also, where, presently upon the fresh receipt of one of them, a certain great Spanish Duke, posteth in his Caroche with all speed, to the English Fathers of the Seminary in Valladolid, who first demandeth of them what news out of England? or what expectations they had, of any good to be done there? According to their accustomed answers their unnatural and unenglished spirits they forsooth promised and hoped for much at the death of Queen Elizabeth, for their Spanish Lady: till then (as they said) their hopes were but weak, but small, but cold. Well answered the Duke, If you hear no news, here then is news for you, and withal he presented to them a printed Proclamation for the most joyful acknowledgement of our Sovereign king james: where now (saith the duke) be your great promises? where now are your expectations? where now are your hopes at the death of Q Elizabeth? They stood as men astonished, daunted, and confounded, that they had scarce a word to say. The Duke observing their confusion presently departeth, discourseth with some persons of note, who were with him in his Caroche, touching the busy spirits of those english Padres, greatly laughing at their follies, their vain promises and expectations. But these holy Fathers, not able to contain their grief, give notice of the unexpected news to some of their favourites, among their scholars, whereof one of them, presently as one ready to burst, comes in haste, & dischargeth his stomach to his fellows thus: We are undone my masters, we are undone, (God grant it, and let all England say Amen,) james of Scotland is proclaimed King of England. These things being true, & justly imputed to them, with much more that I have observed in my Motives, may I be thought unfitly to have interpreted, the Pope's bloody hands, & fingers, wherewith he incessantly labours to bless England, to be these Ignatian Fathers, & their Ignatianed children? O England, or rather, O Britain! revived in thy Britain Sovereign: Think on these bloody hands & fingers, and be ever vigilant: Remember thy late miraculous delivery, and be ever thankful to thy Almighty and All-mercifull Deliverer: Remember thy late danger, & be ever watchful: Remember how as God then delivered thee, so he also vouchsafed to inspire thee, that thy Sovereign with thee did then provide an Oath, as a Touchstone, whereby the disloyal and forranized Spirits might be discerned from the Natural and Temperate: Dost thou make use of God's Doctrine? Dost thou apply this touchstone? and distinguish, upon what spirit it is refused, either out of a Womanish scrupulosity (for some few feminine men in swearing are perhaps like to scrupulous women) or out of inueterated disloyalty, and grounded heresy? if so, it is well and most happy for England's security; for England's Posterity, our Children, our children's Children will bless such providence, etc. But I observe the time is very far spent, that I cannot prosecute my division of my Text so fully as I desired: therefore I must be brief; it followeth in my Text.   

Who by the Eternal Spirit offered himself unspotted to God.  
In these words the Apostle delivereth unto the Hebrews, what the Sacrifice is, which he so highly commendeth unto them; how it is offered; to whom it is offered; by whom, or through whom it is offered. The sacrifice offered is Christ, who also is the high Priest, offering and sacrificing himself most voluntarily, freely, and unspotted, to his Father: The Person, to whom the sacrifice is offered designed by that word (Deo) to God. But what is that, by which, or through which this Sacrifice is offered. Hear the Apostle (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) By, or through the Eternal spirit, as if he should have specially expressed it thus: by the Eternal Godhead, by the eternal everlasting Divinity. Here, here, Christian Hearers, are mysteries of love, of faith, of admiration, of excess, of divine wisdom, of excess and an infinite excess of divine goodness, of divine power, of which excess Moses and Elias, communed with Christ upon the Mount Thabor, so saith the Scripture (Loquebantur de excessu eius) they spoke of his excess. What an excess, above all human intelligence, where God and the Divinity is concurring in every circumstance of this Sacrifice? God the Priest, God the Sacrifice, God the receiver of the Sacrifice; and God the Dignifier, the Sanctifier, and Beautifier of the sacrifice, and yet all these circumstances are in one God. These considerations do astonish me, and produce a strange admiration in my soul, that the most infinite Trinity should so busy themselves, himself to make and accomplish a bloody sacrifice, of one of that infinite society: but in no respect, I am touched with greater admiration, then to consider how most willingly, most voluntarily, the infinite majesty of Christ, did consent to dedicate himself to the ignominious death of the Cross; did consent to offer himself, to give himself as a free gift, for the deliverance of most ungrateful mankind. (Dedit semetipsum, etc.) He gave himself (
'tis 2.  saith the holy Apostle to Titus) that the might redeem us: That which is given, you know Catholic hearets, is put out of the power and possession of the giver, and is at the disposing of him, to whom the gift is made; and you know, that the strongest, the absolutest manner of passing away any goods is by deed of gift, as being irrevocable, O inestimable mystery! Christ giveth himself, makes an irrevocable deed of gift of his blood to his Father? yea, but not only to him; to such faithful believers that should confide in him? yea, but not only to them? to whom farther? to who else? marry, he putteth himself into the power, dominion, and disposing of those damned and reprobate miscreants the jews; that they should vorke their pleasure on him, 
Isai. 50.  (genas dedit vellentibus, corpus perentientibus,) His cheeks he gave to be pulled, rent, his body, his whole body, to be smitten, and this that we who were in the slavery of sin, and Satan, might be made free, by so great a grace; and be put in the free possession & disposing of ourselves, within that most divine Paradise, which his most sacred blood should eternally water and sanctify. What a humiliation? what an offering is this? The holy Apostle admiring thereat, pronounceth thus: (Humiliavit semetipsum etc. 
Phil. 2.  He hath humbled himself, made obedient unto death, even to the death of the Cross;) that he might exalt and honour us. What a mystery of love? that he might raise us up to life, he debaseth himself to death. For this purpose being in the form of God he putteth on him the shape of man; that is much: but hear more. The form of a Man obnoxious to the law, subject to the law; yet more, he is vested with the condition and quality of a sinful man: yet more, he is arrayed and clothed with the iniquities of all mankind: yet more, he is made upon the Cross as a curse, as a malediction for mankind: yet more, or most of all, upon that Cross, before the Tribunal of his Eternal Father, be sustaineth the Person of all mankind, undergoeth his displeasure (such a displeasure in which is life, Psalm 30.) he hath that judgement pronounced upon him and against him, which mankind had deserved; so heavily, so grievously, that in the infliction of the judgement, and the execution of the sentence; as Man he cried out my God my God, why hast thou forsaken me: and yet as man he could not be swallowed up, nor held long with the torments and terrors of death. What a progress is here? what a summary of greatest humiliation, for the Son of God, thus to offer himself to his Father as a malediction, that in him we all might be a benediction, and a blessing in the heavenly holies of holies? what an abyss of humiliation, that he offereth himself alone; no man of the Nations, no Person of the jews, no Angel from the heavens helping him, assisting him, (Torcular caleat solus) but himself alone, he alone treadeth the Press of his most bitter Passion: there was indeed a Trinity of devout Persons; the two Maries, and the Disciple whom jesus loved, standing, or languishing with grief by the Cross; by that their presence and attendance, they gave testimony of their loves, and most sincere compassion; but nothing able to relieve him, to comfort him, who had hoist himself up, upon the Altar of the Cross, out of their reaches towards the heavens, and to the view of his heavenly Father, in heaven; where the price of our Redemption, of our Reconciliation, was to be made and paid. What a smelling, and a most sweetsmelling savour, did reek up from that press, and Altar of the Cross, to the Nostrils of the eternal judge, and most just God? by him most worthily, most desiredly admitted and received: receiving (duplicia de manu Domini,) a twofold, a double price from the hand of the Lord, our dying 
Esai 40.  Lord. Surely, if no other dignity had been in this our Lords person, who offered himself: yet the inestimable charity, the unspeakable love, wherewith he so freely dedicated himself to death, to satisfy his Father's heavy displeasure, would have made the sacrifice to be most worthily esteemed.  
But there is a Dignity, there is an Excellency in this high Priests sacrificing himself, which did make the same sacrifice, not only by acceptance and favour, but even out of the worth and inestimable value of it, to be accepted and admitted, as a complete, consummate satisfaction, redemption, in very perfection of justice and satisfaction, of all, and for all, who should steadfastly believe, and confide in it. What dignity is this? what worthiness is this? you will ask and demand of me: Our Apostle shall answer; hear him (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) Who by the eternal spirit offered himself. This eternal Spirit, the Divinity of the second person in Trinity, by reason of the hypostatical and personal union of it with the humanity, communicated unto the same humanity an infinite dignity; the very dignity and unspeakable excellency, of the Godhead itself; and by reason of the same personal Union, the operations and actions of this person, (for operationes sunt suppositorum, Operations and actions are of the persons and supposites themselves) though immediately, proceeding from the humanity, or the soul of Christ, or any power of his soul, or body: do receive and are dignified, with an infinite kind of valour, dignity, and estimation; as being the operations of God and Man: and although there be no Physical, Divines or Supernatural impression, or quality, given to these actions, yet the only proceeding of these operations from such a person, having so inestimable an excellency, and dignity, intrinsically within himself, giveth unto them an extrinsical valour, by which they are esteemed, and regarded, as the very actions of God himself, by which he offereth and submitteth himself to his Father: and therefore, no tongue, neither of Man nor Angel, can deliver how infinitely deserving they are, of esteem, and regard: the only knowledge of God, which is infinite, can comprehend their worth and valour.  
If I should stand largely to prove this, you would think that I held these my Auditors, to be but of common intelligence. Few of you are so ignorant, as I suppose, but conceive, that according to the dignity or excellency of the Person, is the moral worth, and esteem of the action, which proceedeth from such a Person: Respect worthy, is a salutation or honourable use, which cometh from a worthy Gentleman; more worthy, that which cometh from a Knight; worthier is the same from a Baron; above that, is the same, proceeding from an Earl, a Duke: but of highest esteem, is that, which is given from a Prince, and if there were any earthly Prince, of infinite worth, and excellency, in the intrinsical worthiness of his person, the actions and operations of such a Prince, in moral estimation, would have a moral kind of infinity. Here-hence it is, that our high Priest jesus, whose dignity was the very Godhead itself, whose Person was of infinite Majesty, did immediately, and by itself, communicate unto his operations and actions, an infinite kind of moral worthiness and valour; by which they were so elevated, that being presented to the sight of the divine Majesty; in very rigour of justice, and perfection of Satisfaction, and Merit, they were equivalent, superexcellent, and surpassing all the malice of sin, which mankind had, or could commit: and therefore, this our high Priest offering himself by the eternal Spirit, (thus dignifying, and elevating his actions and operations:) to his Heavenly Father, for the Redemption of Mankind; did by the same Oblation and Sacrifice, so fully, so abundantly, so perfectly, so justly, so deservingly, purchase us to himself, and reconcile us to his Father; that his Father could not refuse his face, making intercessions and supplications for us, upon the Altar of the Cross: and this is that, which our Apostle pronounceth in this his same Epistle to the Hebrews: of the infinite worthiness and excellency of Christ? 
Hebr. 5  Qui in diebus carnis suae, etc.) Who in the days of his flesh, with tears, and a loud cry, offering up prayers and supplications to him▪ who was able to save him from death, was heard for his Reverence: So great, (Catholic and Christian Hearers) so infinite was the reverence and excellency of CHRIST, because he was the Son of GOD; that his Father could not, but hear his requests and supplications, made unto him for us: and from this reverence, and from this worthiness hath his flesh valour, efficacy, and force, to cleanse our consciences from dead works, to serve the living God.  
Hear to this purpose, (but what need I authority of any man to confirm so manifest a truth:) Saint AUSTEN, 
Aug. lib. 10. de Civit. cap. 24.  (Non ergo Caro Christi, per se ipsum mundat credentes, sed perverbum à quo suscepta est: Therefore the flesh of Christ doth not by itself cleanse the believers, but by the word, of which it was taken and assumpted: and this is that which AQVINAS hath most clearly. 
Aquin q. 48. art. 6. in cap. & add 1. & add 2. eodem art.  (Efficiens principale humanae salutis, est Deus: Quia vero humanitas Christi, est divinitatis instrumentum, ideo ea consequenti, omnes actiones & passiones Christi, instrumentaliter operantur in virtute divinitatis, ad salutem humanam; & secundum hoc, Passio Christi, efficicienter causat salutem humanam. The principal efficient, of salvation of mankind is God; but because the humanity of Christ, is the instrument of his divinity; therefore consequently, all the operations and actions of Christ, do work in the virtue of the divinity, to the salvation of mankind. And in his answer to the first objection, thus most clearly (Pasio Christi etc.) the passion of Christ, referred to the flesh 
ibidem.  of Christ, answereth and is agreeing to the infirmity assumpted; but referred to his divinity, hath thereby, an infinite virtue or efficacy: Thus he; which I partly bring, to confirm what I have said, partly to stop the mouths of such Pontificians, who gladly would calumniate the Church of England, for her doctrine touching the concurrence of Christ's divinity in the office, and acts of his most high Priesthood.  
But what shall I here plunge myself into that depth, in to that profound abyss of discoursing, of the manner of Christ's concurring as a Priest, by reason of his divinity and humanity, for the salvation of mankind? no, no: (Sermo ininterpretabilis) the speech would be uninterpretabile: my shallow conceit, would be overplunged in such a depth: it is enough for us, at this present, to understand, and conceive, that by reason of the personal unity, not only the human nature, but very Christ God himself, was offered to his Father, and offered himself to his Father, and also, this divine nature, had his concurrence in the suffering, of his humanity, that the same consented to his suffering, and did in a wonderful sort particularly govern, comfort and strengthen the said humanity, as being a principal and proper part of himself; that it might suffer, and be offered in such obedience to the Father, to the death of the most ignominious cross. I shall not here need, to insist upon the third branch, of my division: by the which our Apostle distinguisheth, to whom this sacrifice is offered; to wit to God: For, if all sacrifices are to be consecrated as sacred unto him; to whom else should the sacrifice of a God, and from a God be offered then to God himself? neither shall I need to dwell any whit in this discourse, to show how this Christ, this sacrifice, was unspotted; without blemish, and most immaculate: I could not esteem it less than blasphemy in me, to seem to discourse thereupon, and by way of argument to prove it: for can it sink into the imagination of any, that God should be, or could be spotted with any sin, imperfection or blemish thereof? Our Christ indeed, took upon him the semblance of a sinner, but it was impossible to the absolute and almighty power of God, to have permitted him, to have been tainted with any the least internal or true blemish of sin. Yea by the omnipotent power of God, would not hinder or let it, but that by virtue of the perssinall union, and hypostolical conjunction, the soul of Christ was so sanctified, and replenished, with all graces, that absolutely and most necessarily it was impeceable, unsinneable, and not capable of any the lest spot of sin. And it was indeed most meet that our high Priest should be such a Person 
Heb. 7.  impolluted, innocent, separated from sins, and made higher than the very heavens themselves, as being the Lord and God of themand all that is in them. And so, I proceed, to the last branch of my division in which is thus.   

Shall cleanse the conscience, from dead works, to serve the living God.  
Here is the scope of Christ's blood offered; here is the end of Christ's offering himself, by the Eternal Spirit to God: that our consciences might be cleansed from dead works, to serve the living God. Good God, what are men, or the consciences of men that thou dost so visit them? thou dost so esteem them? what are they that, to cleanse them, thou didst so far depress and humble thy only begotten Son, under thy Angels, even to an ignominious death, to make man equal with Angels in everlasting life? it is thy unspeakable love and charity: no deserving of ours at all. But how? by what means? by what instrument, is this cleansing sacrifice applied to our consciences, to cleanse them from dead works, to serve the living God. God made heaven & earth and all in them, made man and all belonging to him without any concurrence or help from him by that word (fiat, fiat) be it done be it made. Doth he so cleanse the conscience of man, from dead works, without any act of man, as a means, as an instrument, to apply this sovereign sacrifice to his conscience? no, no: Hear the Apostle, 
Rom. 3.  (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.) Being justified gratis frankly, by the grace of him, by the redemption which is in Christ jesus whom God hath proposed, a propitiation by faith in his blood: by faith therefore, by a living faith, Christ●s proposed a propitiation in his blood (not in man's works) to every believing conscience. Indefinite, universal, is this proposing of this propitiation, by faith in his blood, to all Nations, all sexes, all conditions, in all times and in all ages: no person whatsoever, is excluded from faith & confidence in it, no not judas himself, who betrayed it, had he been so happy; not the crucifying jews, had they been so fortunate.  
How powerful a sound faith in this blood, is to cleanse consciences; let Leo an Ancient Pope confront against these latter Pontificians all of them being meritists (de condigno o● de congruo) out of condignity or congruity to their first or second justification (for such a distinction, their novel Scholastical heresy hath denied.) 
〈◊〉 in 〈…〉. sept. m●ns.  Effusio pro iniustis justi sanguinis, tam potens fuit ad praemium, tam dives ad praetium, ut siuniversitas Captivorum, in Redemptorem suum crederent, ●alium, tyrannica vincula retinerent. The effusion (saith this Pope) of the just blood, for the unjust was so potent for a reward, so rich for a price, that if the whole university of Captives would believe in their Redeemer, the bands of the Tyrant should hold or retain none. To him I adjoin Saint Austen: Modo fratres, ut a peccato sanemur, Christum crucifixum intu●●amur, quomodo illi intuebantur illum serpentem, & a morsibus 
August. tract. super joh.  sanabantur serpentium; sic qui fide intuentur mortem Christi, sanantur morsibus peccatornm sed illi sanabantur a morte, a d vitam temporalem; high autem, ut habeant vitam aeternam; hoc enim interest inter figuratam imaginem, & rem ipsam: figura praestabat vitam temporalem, res ipsa cuius imago erat, praestabat vitam aeternam. Now brethren▪ (saith he) that we may be healed from sin, let us behold Christ crucified, even as they beheld that Serpent, (he speaketh of the jews in the Desert) and were healed of the biting of Serpents; so they who in faith behold the death of Christ, are healed from the biting of sin: but they were healed from death, to a temporal life; but these, that they may have life everlasting: for this is the difference, betwixt the figuring image, and the thing itself: the figure gave temporal life, but the thing itself of which the Image was gave everlasting life. Thus he with infinite much like, which might be producted out of him, and all Ancient Fathers, agreeingly to the whole current of sacred Scriptures, for justification by faith; against the doctrine of all Pontificians who require a positive, and immediate concurrence (dispositive and, preparative at ) of man's works, to the first justification, too to derogatory against the blood of Christ and faith in it.  
How pernicious is that position of many of them, that the works which do proceed, and go before justification do, (de congruo) out of congruity, merit justification? shall I call this, tenant, an incongruous position only? not so: it is heretical; it is damnable, not only in the teachers, but in the consenters and approvers of the same: For tell me, All ye Pontifician Meritists out of congruity and de congrua, as you speak: can the power of God? can the justice of God? can the wisdom of God? do any thing? dispose any thing? or proceed in any thing? against congruity, right, equity decency? No surely, you must answer; unless like madmen you will affirm that his wisdom may do some thing uncongruously, his power may work something indecently, inconveniently, unseemly: you are not yet so impudent, as to deny the attributes of God his infinite Wisdom, justice, Goodness, and consequently his Godhead: see then and observe what your merit of congruity produceth: marry, a merit of condignity; for such a conveniency, such a congruity, such a worthiness of a work to God, is as a condignity. For I demand of you in good earnest. Is not that a merit of condignity, which in respect of the disposition of the worker, and worthiness of the work, so bindeth, urgeth, and constraineth the omnipotent hand of God, that he cannot (unless he will proceed against decency and congruity) but respect, regard, and reward the same with subsequent and following justification in the soul which hath it? whereby then, it is as clear as the Sun, that from merits of congruity preceding justification, you are come to merits of condignity, preceding the same: by which your heretical condignity, you are condignly fallen from Christ, you are condignly fallen from the justification which is in Christ; which is only by grace, not by 
Rom. 11.  works; otherwise, grace should not be grace, if the Apostles argument, in his Epistle to the Romans may stand, and take place: and that of the same Apostle also to Titus stand firm. (Nos iustificatos esse, illius gratia, ut haeredes efficeremur aeternavitae.) That we are justified by his grace, that we might be made Heirs of everlasting life. And that again of the same Apostle, in his Epistle to the Romans. (justificati ergo ex fide, etc.) We being justified therefore by 
Cap. 5.  faith, let us have peace to God, through jesus Christ our Lord; by whom we have access by faith, into this grace, in which we stand, and do glory, in the hope of the glory, of the children of God.  
How admirable therefore is the excellency of Christian faith, by which the faithful believer is justified in Christ, is inserted to Christ? made the Son of God? the Heir of heaven? partaker of justice? possessor of life? not by purchasing merits of his own, but by the same faith, possessing all the merits and justice of Christ, which thereby are efficaciously for his justification, communicated unto him. But what? do we by this extolling of faith, and by this comfortable doctrine of justification by faith, subvert the necessity of good works? God forbidden: do we grant a licence, or impunity of sinning? God avert it: do we grant a Christian security, and hope of salvation without merits? Yes, without merits; but not without good works, not without the fruits of sanctification, which God hath ordained prepared and commanded his elect to walk in. Hear that learned man master Caluin cap. 10. of his learned institutions (that his propugnacle and defence of Christian religion which no Pontifician durst ever yet attempt to confute) Per fidei justificationem etc. By justification by faith the Adversaries cavil good works to be destroyed, what if thereby, they be more established? for we dream not (saith he) of a faith void of good works, or of a justification, which consisteth without them; this is only the difference, that whereas we confess faith, and good works necessarily to cohere together; notwithstanding, we place justification in faith, and not in works: And the same, by what means it is done, it is easy to explicate, if we convert ourselves to Christ, to whom our faith is directed, and from whom, it receiveth all virtue and force; why therefore are we justified by it? because by faith we apprehend the justice of Christ, by which only, we are reconciled to God: But this thou mayst not apprehend, unless thou do withal apprehend his sanctification; for he is given to us, for justice, Wisdom, Redemption, Sanctification, therefore Christ justifieth no man, whom he doth not also sanctify: For these benefits, are with an insolluble knot conjoined; so that whom Christ illuminateth, those he redeemeth; whom he redeemeth, he justifieth; whom Bee justifieth, he sanctifieth: thus he most excellently; agreeingly to sacred scriptures and all antiquity; conformably to the faith of the Church of England; and accordingly to the Christian doctrine, and resolution of all reformed Churches, as the harmony of confessions testifieth. And I dare avouch, that the universal and Catholic concordance, of this fundamental point of justification, (without which no Church and no person can be held for Christian (in the strict, proper, and true acception of the name of Christian) is more uniformly taught and held, by all the reformed Churches, than any point of Doctrine controverted in these times, is held by the Pontisicans: How glad would they be, had they but such a unity and conformity for the very rule of their faith touching which they are not yet agreed as I have showed in my motives. But the conformity and irreprehensible agreement of all reformed Churches, for this fundamental article of justification, by faith in the blood of Christ jesus, as it is an evidentargument of Christ's spirit amongst them, and tendeth greatly to the glory of our Redeemer; so it produceth wonderful and unmovable consolation in the souls of the faithful and sanctified believers. The adversary, forsooth, frame unto themselves an Historical belief for justification in Christ; the which as 
1. joh. 2.  the Devils have, and yet notwithstanding do tremble: so the Christian ancient Churches never knew it, and the Reformed do explode it: and against justification by this Historical faith, they muster argument upon argumentt; and produce text upon text; to show, that besides such a faith, there is required necessity of good works, and the fruits of sanctification. But alas, (oleum & operam perdunt) they wast their oil and lose their labour. For what Christian reform Church ever taught such a blasphemous paradox, of justification by such an Historical faith? they utterly detest, abominate and renounce such a justifying faith. And here, give me leave, most beloved and Catholic Auditors, to feel the very pulses of your consciences, and my own also; to see how you stand, and whether we are cleansed with the blood of Christ, or no, by this justifying, by this sanctifying faith. Do you at any time, persisting in the purpose of sin, desire of sin, persuade yourselves, that notwithstanding the same, you are justified in Christ, apprehending him by a dead faith as your Saviour? Do you at any time, having a conscience to act sin, to commit, approve, consent to sin; think that Christ notwithstanding will justify and sanctify you, without humble acknowledgement and hearty detestation of the said sins? if the Devil (having transformed himself) have lulled any of you into such a lethargy, I must needs pronounce, that such a confidence, is but a mere presumption, such a justification is a most pernicious depravation. But arise, arise, and Christ will illuminate you, and will tell you 
1. Joh. 1  what you ought to do. (Si confiteamur peccata etc.) If 
jacob 2.  we confess and acknowledge our sins, God is faithful to remit 
1. Joh. 3.  them. Again he who saith, he knoweth God, (by a justifying faith) and keepeth not his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. Again (Omnis quinatus est ex Deo non peccat etc.) Every one, who is borne of God sinneth not, because the seed of God, remaineth in him; neither can he sin, because he is borne of God. Millions of like passages of sacred Scripture, might be produced to show that no man can be justified in Christ, whiles with full consent, and with a settled intention and purpose of sin, he prosecuteth the same: doubtless it were a most pernicious paradox, to teach, that Christ justifieth any one, while he is proposing and prosecuting with full and free consent 
Rom. 6.  sin, the hire and wages whereof are death and damnation. 
H●b. 3.  If any one here, should be so dangerously seduced by the fallacy of sin, and deceit of Satan, let him awake from so profane a persuasion; or else, I must needs tell him, that as much as in him lieth, he doth conculcate the blood of the New Testament, and doth esteem the blood of Christ as polluted: for, were it not a pollution even in the blood of Christ itself, so to partake, so to consent, to communicate with sin? to justify a conscience actually, deliberately polluting, and contaminating itself with sin? be it spoken with reverence, it is a thing which the infinite goodness of God cannot do, cannot effectuate. How lamentable therefore is the state of certain sinners, who always live in the state of sin, and infallible occasion of sin? who therefore cannot (unless they be most presumptuously made) ever esteem themselves to be justified through faith in Christ; and so consequently, never feel the true comfort of the soul which ariseth from a Christian persuasion of justification in Christ: I mean not such persons, who through infirmity and ignorance may fall seven (yea seventy seven) time's in a day, and rise again; 
Prou 24  but I mean such, as still are falling and never arise; because they are fast bound, and chained in the occasion and state of sin: I mean such avaricious persons, be they Church men or Laikes, which do detest Papistical idolatry; and yet themselves daily, and incessantly do commit their spiritual idolatry, and whoredom with their gold and silver; with their continual beholding, solicitous and covetous turning, winding, telling, locking, and unlocking, meditating, caring, contemplating, adoring, worshipping of their Idols: and yet presumptuous fools, most ignorant Doctors of the law, they will think themselves to be justified in Christ, because they can talk of justification in Christ, without works: alas, alas, they should rather tremble with the Devils, and with remorse of conscience, bewail their damnable state in which they live, and be most assured, that whilst they serve such Mammon's in their chests, they cannot serve Christ in their souls, nor be justified in Christ in their hearts. I mean such wanton ones, who abuse and separate themselves from their nuptial bed and do glue their souls to their Concubines, whom they keep at home, or adore abroad: and yet good holy ones, they think that Christ resteth daily in their souls for their justification; as their filth lie by their sides to satisfy their abominable pleasures. I mean such, as ever, and at all moments, carry upon their backs and about them obligations for the Devil, adding vanity upon vanity, injustice upon injustice; and never do so much as once imagine of any recompense, of any satisfaction, or restitution to be made: and yet, as vain as butterflies, they will think, that at, and in the same seasons, and momen●, Christ doth by justification vouchsafe to adorn, and trimm their souls.  
Infinite is the number of such like perverse believers, and fools: of whose presumption, when I seriously consider, I cannot but judge of them, that in their consciences they are to be esteemed the most blasphemous Heretics, that ever were, in having such crooked and doltish persuasions of Christ: who as he is a most comfortable and potent Advocate, for all humble and penitent sinners, never refusing any who with contrite heart shall return to him; so likewise against impenitent sinners, he hath in his mouth a double edged sword, to chastise them with eternal malediction; and as it were with the double edge of a double most sharp punishment, of loss of the glory of heaven, and of the undergoing of eternal punishment in the bottomless Lake of hell, the damned pit of everlasting affliction. But to Christ justifying, to Christ sanctifying, with a most humble confidence, and with prostrate souls; let us all here assembled return, and in a full faith invocate him, that he will vouchsafe by the energy of his Almighty blood, to cleanse our consciences from dead works, to serve him, the living God: that none of us here present, be found of that presumptuous rank, to think, that although we live deliberately and continually in dead works: yet we shall be living to God through a dead faith, for Christ's sake. And here to conclude; Most Religious and Christian Auditors (ye, who have learned, according to the profession of all reformed Churches, that the blood of Christ doth sanctify and cleanse from dead works, all such consciences as are justified by faith in the same) with what passage of sacred Scripture may I more fitly end, and salute you then with that of this our Apostle, in his Epistle to the Hebrews; (Habentes igitur, etc.) Seeing therefore, Brethren, 
Heb. 10. v. 19  we may with a firm trust enter into the holies, in the blood of Christ, by the new way, and a living way which he hath prepared for us, by the veil of his flesh: And having a high Priest over God's house; let us draw near in a true heart, in the fullness of faith, sprinkled in our hearts from an evil conscience, and washed in our bodies with pure water: let us keep the profession of our faith, without wavering; for he is faithful that promised: and let us consider one another, to provoke to love and good works, not forsaking the fellowship or the assembly as the custom of some is; but let us exhort, and comfort one another, and that so much the more, because ye see the day approacheth. O heavenly persuasion! O most divine lesson! with a firm and an assured faith, we may walk into the holies in a new and a living way, which Christ dying in his blood, hath dedicated for us upon the Cross: yet with this condition, most dearly beloved, with this proviso; that our hearts be sincere our consciences sprinkled, with this blood; and our bodies washed with this water, and we be cleansed from dead works, to serve the living God. From dead works, I say, wherein we pleased Satan, were obsequious to our lusts, and followed our own concupiscences, to living works of piety, love, compassion, godliness, fear of God, to serve the living God: The living God, once dying, but now living: living from above, to consider all our actions; living within us, to give us life, moving, and to search our very reins; living in the heavens, ready with revengeful hand to punish the wicked, and with a most plentiful arm to reward the virtuous; living amongst us upon earth with his grace, to quicken, to sanctify us. What? most devout Christians? shall our God be living, and we his servants dead? and dead in sinful works, Whose stipend and hire is death and damnation? What? shall the everliving God die an ignominious death? rise to a most glorious life, to quicken us, to revive us? and will we not be quickened, be revived? The Pelican with blood strooken out of her breast, quickeneth such of her young ones, as the Serpent may have poisoned or killed: and shall not the blood of our Pelican Christ jesus, powered 
Psal. 102.  upon us, being strooken dead with mortiferous sin, quic ken us, revive us? the Pelican giveth drops of blood; Our Pelican provideth a bath; the Pelican striketh her breast only; Our Pelican hath his whole body smitten, on every part, on every side, streaming upon us blood and water: shall he not sanctify us? shall he not wash us, revive us, in justice, piety, charity, and other living works of sanctification? If any here will still take sinful delight in dead works; it is more than to be doubted, that the second death and everlasting damnation, will more than attend upon him: But my very soul is comforted? for in your very countenances, and aspects, I see your resolutions, I see your Christian determinations, that you will be revived; and revived in living works of faith, charity, justice, longanimity, patience, obedience, piety, to serve the living God, the Father, Son, and holy Ghost; to whom be all praise, honour, and dominion, from henceforth, for evermore.  
AMEN.   
Laus Deo.  
FINIS.