All in All. Alpha Christ joseph jaakob Isaac Abraham. Melchizeilech. Noah. Adam. Lion of In Rose of Sharon Vine. Branch. Corner stone. Morning star. Sun. Archprophet High priest King of Kings. Mighty Counsellor. Messiah Emmanuell jesus. Shewbre. Sacrifices. Lamps. Manna. Rock. Pillar of fire. Brazen Serpent. Moses. Aaron. joshua. Samson. David. Solomon. Zorubbabell. Bread. Water. Light. Door. Way. Truth. Life. Word of God. Bip of Souls. Advocate. Mediator. Surety. Head. Spouse. Laver. Paschal lamb. Altar. Mercy Sent. Tabernacle. Noah's Ark. Tree of Life. Omega Types & figures of Christ. Nothing Besides ☧ without Nothing By Samuel Ward TO THE KING OF KINGS, AND Lord of Lords, jesus Christ. EVery good name is as precious ointment; but unto the (oh CHRIST) hath God given a name above all names in heaven and earth, anointed thee with oil above all thy fellows. All thy garments smell of Myrrh, Aloes, and Cassia; because of the sent of thy perfumes, thy name is a bundle of Myrrh, cluster of Camphire, and as the smell of Libanus: But we the sons of men, have dull senses stuffed with earthly savours. Oh therefore that thou, whom my soul loveth, wouldst show thy servant, where that fragrant Spikenard is to be found, which will cast a savour all over thine house; and help him so to pour some smell portion thereof upon thine head, as might draw us in the savour of thine ointment to run after thee, Had he all the treasures and jewels of the world, would he not bestow them upon Altars and Crucifixes to thy honour, if thou likedest of and such services? But these vanities, he knoweth full well, thy jealousy abhorreth. This thou hast showed him, that he that praiseth thee, honoureth thee. Accept therefore, and prosper the Office of him that desireth not hereby to gain a name on earth, who wisheth all his thoughts and works may either honour thee, or dishonour himself; feed thy flock, or moths; who reckoneth himself unworthy to be as one of thy whelps, is willing to be of no name or number, so thou mayest be ALL IN ALL. Guide thou my Pen, and it shall show forth thy praise. Colloss. 3. 11. Christ is All in All. A Magnificent title, a most ample and stately Style, too transcendent and comprehensive for any creature, Man or Angel, due and fit only for him, upon whose head it is here set, by his elect vessel, chosen of purpose to be the Ensign-bearer of his Name among the Nations, worthily honoured by Augustine for the best child of grace, and faithfullest servant of the Lord, because in all his writings he affects nothing more; nothing else in a manner, then to advance his name, as here in the former part of the verse, to cry down and nullify all other excellencies whatsoever, that he might in the latter, magnify, or rather as you see omnifie his Lord and Master Christ, giving the Collossians to understand, that how ever there be many things with men, of great and different esteem, the advantage of a jew being much above a Gentile; the dignity of a Grecian, above a Scythian, or Barbarian, many the privileges of a freeman, above a bondslave; yet all these with God, are nothing set by, who hath so set all his love and good pleasure on his Son, that beside, or out of him, he regards no person, respecteth no circumstance, but slights all as cyphers of no value. Only look what there is of Christ in any man, either by imputation, or infusion, so much is he in God's Books, with whom Christ is All in All. The extent of which praise, that we may the fullier comprehend, we may not measure Paul's phrase by our own ordinary language, in which by common abuse of speech, we lend it to every thing we mean to commend a little above the fellows: As Solomon, speaking after the sense and fashion of worldlings, Bread (says he) nourisheth, Wine refresheth, but Money is all in all. Eccles. 10. It is not true of Christ only, as a byword, or proverbial commendation, but in the fullest rack, a Proposition can be strained unto in our apprehension: and that in a twofold relation of God and Man. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Look what God can require for his satisfaction, or we desire for our perfection, is so completely to be found in Christ, that it need not be sought elsewhere. With God, its true that worthy Patriarches and Saints have been some bodies; Abraham his friend, Israel a potent Prince with him, Moses a faithful Steward in his house, Noah, Samuel, and Daniel, prevailing favourites, that could do something with him, but all through, and for the sake of the Messias, the Heir, the son of his desires, and good pleasure, in whom he hath heaped up the fullness of grace and treasures of all perfection. Unto us sundry things be of some stead and use in some cases in their several times, places, and respects, but unto all intents and effects of justification, Sanctification, and Salvation, in prosperity, in adversity, in life and death Christ only is All in All. This all-sufficiency of Christ as it cannot be easily conceived, nor possibly at once expressed, so hath not the Spirit of God, thought fit in one or a few Texts, after one or a few ways, but throughout the Bible, at sundry times and manifold manners to set out the same unto us in types real, in types personal, in prophecies, in plain terms, in parables and similitudes, Philip Camerarius in vita Comitis Anb●ldini Pastoris & Principis, etc. in so much that Count Anhalt that Princely Preacher was wont to say, that the whole Scriptures, what were they else but swaddling bands of the child jesus? he being to be found almost in every Page, in every verse, and line. Many renowned persons, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ille qui in front libri cer●itur collectus est ex Cyrilli. Alexan. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 libris 5. ex prosperi praedictionibus, ex Eusebii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, lib. 10. ex Andronici Constantini Dialogo contra judaeos. & ex Guill. Sc●●to. and things we read Stories of, but the Spirit speaks not so much of them, as Allegorizeth of another, meaneth them on the by, and Christ on the main, who is the Centre, at which all of them, as several lines aim, and directly point at. The tree of Life, the Ark of Noah, the Ladder of jacob, and the rest of the like kind, what were they but Christ, whom because the world was not worthy so soon to see, nor God willing at once to show so rich a jewel: he therefore enwrapped obscurely in these shadows, till in the fullness of time he saw fit to reveal him in open Mirror, directly by his Forerunner, pointing at him, Behold the Lamb of God, etc. And because these were but dead types, not resembling to the life, him that was the Life of the world, and Lord of life, therefore all the Prophets, Kings and Priests of note, and the redeemers and benefactors of the jews, what were they but Pictures sent before of this Prince of Glory to follow after in his due time, and as Stars extinguishing their borrowed light at the appearance of the Sun of Righteousness, Glossa Hebr. in Easy 52. to whom Moses, and Elias, in the persons, and stead of the rest, Vide Pellicanum in Deut. 34. did their homage on Mount Tabor, as unto the Sun, and accomplishment of the Law, and Prophets. To say nothing of the imaginary Gods, and proud Monarches of the world, all whose swelling titles, which they usurped in their coins Columns, and Arches of Founders, Preservers, repairers, Dictator's, Consuls, etc. properly and of right belong to him, who alone is the Saviour of his people, King of Kings, mighty Counsellor, Prince of Peace, Righteousness, Immortality, only blessed for ever. In a word, this whole Universe, this same great All, and all the things of mark and use in it, as they were made by, for, and through him, and but for him should not have been, could not continue. So do they all willingly tender their services to illustrate his worth, as so many Gems to adorn and embroider his apparel withal. The glorious Sun, the bright morning Star, bread the most necessary, wine the sweetest, water the most refreshing, the Rose of Sharon the fairest, all serving in Scripture to adumbrate pieces and parcels of his infinite perfection; and do not all jointly compounded, make up an Idea of him, that is light indeed, bread and water of life indeed, the only good, the chief good, the Sun, the Author, and Perfectour, the Root, and Branch, the A, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which two Letters, as they are the principal, initial, and final of the Alphabet, Vide Eglinum Iconium in Apocalysin. and comprehend in their Compass all the residue, so are they Emblems of him that is eternity itself, perfection itself, first and last, All in All. Hear this, all you that worship the Beast and his image, and tell me whether there can be two Alls in all; and if this be Christ's just and incommunicable Title; what is to be thought of him that shall arrogate or assume it to himself? what else can he be but that Man of Pride, Son of Perdition, even that Antichrist. Vniversalis Sacerdos. Epist. 30. ad Mourit. Regist. b. 6. The swelling Titles, whereby your Gregory foremarked out the Successor, are but modest ones in comparison of this blasphemy. Yea, but was there ever mouth so full of abomination, that durst belch out; or ears so Herodian, that durst put up such stuff? Search and peruse your own Records, and tell us to whom these acclamations were used by your Lateran Fathers. Vide orationem Gnat●onicam Episcopi Patris Vacensis ad Leonem X. in ultimo Concil. Later●nensi. To thee is given all power in heaven and earth, thou art all in all. Was it not your Lion at his entrance into the Council? And did that Beast either rend his garment, or stop his ears? at which its wonder the earth opened not to swallow quick both speaker and hearer, as the Chair of Hildebrand rend asunder on a less occasion. Too little belike it was to be styled by ordinary Parrasites, the Shepherd of Shepherds, Bellar. de Pontifice Rom. lib. 2. cap. 31. Spouse, and head of the Church, Ecumenical Bishop, Prince of Priests, unless he might be advanced above all Augusteitie and Deity in this most Hyperbolical manner. What need we any further evidence of an Antichrist? shall there ever come a prouder monster out of the Tribe of Dan? or can Lucifer himself be more Luciferian? And yet forsooth this wretch to blind the eyes of such as will be deluded, will be called the Servant of servants, & all is made whole again, as if the Scriptures, & ancient modern Writers had not forepainted out such an Antichrist, Aug. lib. contra adversarios legis cap. 12. as should by all fraud of unrighteousness climb into the Chair of universal pestilence, Hylarius contra Anxentium pa●eus in Apoc. Gratserus in regia plaga. under the colour and vizard of Christ, Faith and Piety, (without which the world would have abhorred him, as the Devil himself) undermine Christ, and subvert the Faith, and overthrow all Religion, under the names of Christ's Vicar, & Vice-God, become in effect Antichrist, and Anti-God. Somewhat more tolerable of the two, Tuspes certae ●●●serorune, Vere Mater Orp●ano ●um, Tu levamen oppressorum, ●edic-men Iusi●norum, omnibus es omnia. 〈◊〉 Deut. and yet blasphemously enough, do they give it to the blessed Virgin, in the Closes of their rhyming Marials, of whom I doubt not with Calvin to say, That if one could spit in her face, drag her by the hair of her head, or trample her under feet, she would count it a less injury, then to have ascribed unto her the divine attributes of her Lord and Saviour, Ambros. de Isaak & anima, cap. 8. who alone is the Eye by which we see the Father, the mouth by whom we speak to him, the hand by which he distributes all his treasures of grace unto us, from whom so much is sacrilegiously detracted, as is superstitiously given to Saint, Angel, Man, Work, Merit, or Creature what ever. Mad and blind Idolaters are they, wittingly ignorant, that Christ of purpose trod the Winepress alone, F●xin Apee. shed his blood alone, shed his blood alone upon the Cross, implying to us, that if we shall mingle therewithal, his mother's milk, the blood of any Martyr, else it looseth its healing virtue, and turns into bane and poison to our souls. This Eagles feathers will not abide blending with others; 〈…〉 this Sovereignty will not endure either parity or priority; no jupiter will Christ be, but a jehovah; no Helper, but Author and finisher of our salvation. To all He Saints and She Saints, Merit and Freewill-mongers, shall he not in his jealousy break out and say, What have I to do with you? If you can do all, Aesopus in vita. or aught at all without me, then let me alone, let me either be Saviour alone, Mediator alone, All in all, or none at all. But to leave these selfe-cousned, and selfe-condemned Idolaters, whose whole Church and Religion holds more of her Lady, then of our Lord; leaves Christ the least of all to do in matter of Merit and Salvation, well were it with many of us, who profess and hold the precious faith of Christ aright in judgement and doctrine, if in affection and practise he were, I say, Erasmus in Euangelio. not All in all, but some body, and some thing. In our tongue, terms, and countenance, he may be heard and seen, but in our lives and deeds, where is he to be found? Sine Christa Christiani Bern. As a Saviour and Benefactor, many will own him, but as a Lord and Law giver, few do know him; the prime of their loves, joys, services, their back and belly, their Mammon, or any thing shall have before him. He that should be both Alpha and Omega, it's well if he be the Omega of their thoughts and cares. May it not be justified of too too many, that an Hawk, or an Hound, a die, or Card, a Flower in the Garden, a new Suit and fashion of apparel, and such other nifles and trifles are their All in All: with most and such as are of the wiser sort of this generation, that which Solomon justly calls Nothing, (for so he peremptorily terms that, which miserable men of this world place all their confidence in) call their Pandora, August. de Civit. Dei. their jupiter, worship as the great Diana, Empress, and goddess of the whole world, take away that from them, and take away All: the having of it makes them, the losing of it undoes them. Great I confess is the power, and ample the command that Mammon hath in this world for many purposes, and in many cases. But in the hour of sickness let Naball call and cry unto it and see if it can deliver him in the evil day, and in distress of conscience. Let judas see what comfort his money will afford him; in the day of Death and judgement, what does a penny and a pound, an empty purse, and a full purse differ? Does not too too late experience teach them to cry out, All is vanity, and force them with the Emperor Severus to say, I have been all things, and it avails nothing; if I had a thousand worlds, I would give them to be found of God in Christ. Worthily therefore did Charles the Great, Sie vetus illud, Nummus regnat, nummus vincit, nummus imperat, mutavit Carolus magnus apud Rensureum. change that old Byword of money into his Christian Symbol, Christ reigns, Christ overcomes, Christ triumphs, Christ is All in All. All then let him be in all our desires and wishes: Who is that wise Merchant, that hath heart large enough to conceive and believe this? let him go sell all his nothing, that he may compass this Pearl, barter his Bugles for this Diamond; verily all the Haberdash stuff the whole pack of the world hath, is not worthy to be valued with this jewel, worthy of him thou canst not be, unless thou counts all dross and loss to gain him, that is gain in life and death, unless thou canst as the Apostles, forsake all to follow him; yea, as diverse of the common sort of his followers lay down all at the Apostles feet for him, who laid down himself for us, emptying himself of his glory, to fill us with grace and glory: yea, unless thou canst make nothing of thyself, and thine own righteousness, which is the hardest thing in practice that may be. Few or none I think there be in the sound of the Gospel, but have some faint and languid wishes, oh that Christ were mine. But would they know the reason why they attain not the sweet fruition and ravishing possession of him, I am his, and he is mine. The reason is because he will not be found, and had of such as seek but lazily, and coldly for him, that inquire not through the streets, as undone without him; as had rather than want him, want all the world beside, and crying as the Spouse, Where art thou whom my soul loveth, whom have I in heaven like unto thee? Men and brethren, what shall I do that I may enjoy him? Give me Christ, or I die, draw me that I may run after thee. These are the affections that befit them that are like to be speeders. The sluggard lusteth, and wanteth. He that desires any thing above him, equally with him, or without him, shall never obtain him; he will be wooed in the first place with all thy soul, strength, and might, with all that is within thee, or not at all of thee. All let him be in all thy loves, and above all other beloved's; when thou hast gotten him, think not enough to make much of him, but remember he well deserves to be and must be All in all. Take him not by the hand, but embrace him with both thine Arms of love, and hold him with all thy might, love him till thou be sick of love for him: such as will suffice any one ordinary object, wife, friend, health, or wealth, will not give him content; nay, not a compound of many, but a Catholition of all; as he hath deserved, so he deservedly challengeth. All thy weak Riverets united, will scarce make one current strong enough for him. He that did all, suffered all, took all thine infirmities, finished all for thee, is it not reason he should be all in all, without any corrival in all thy affections? Such as entertain Princes, can never think they show love enough unto them, and shall any thing be enough for this Prince of our peace and salvation? I cannot but reverence the memory of that reverend Divine, M. Welsh. who being in a deep muse, after some discourse that had passed of Christ, and tears trickling abundantly from his eyes before he was aware, being urged for the cause thereof, confessed ingenuously it was because he could not draw his dull heart to prize Christ aright: A rare mind in Christians, who think every little enough, and too much for him. ALL let him be in all our references and respects to others, yea in all our elections and valuations of wife, friends, companions, servants, only to prize Christ, and his Image, his Faith, and Graces, not kindred, not wealth, not greatness, not other parts, but only the whole of a man, which is his Christianity; dare not to yoke thyself unequally with any untamed heifer, that bears not his yoke: Spouse not but in the Lord; call none Father, Mother, or Brother, but such as he did, that is, such as do his Father's will: set not poor Lazarus at the footstool of thy heart, and Dives with his Gold Ring, and his Purple, in the throne of esteem, lest Christ be offended for having his glorious Gospel in respect of persons. Oh what a difficult virtue is this when it cometh to the practising, to oversee and neglect all glistering lures, and stales of the flesh, and to know no man for any such carnal Caparisons, but to consider him as a new creature in Christ, and delight thyself in them as the most excellent of the earth, the only true Gentile, Noble, Worthies of the World. How royal and memorable was that practice of Ingo, an ancient King of the Draves and Veneds, who making a stately feast, not as Ahasuerosh, to show the bounty of his own, but the glory of Christ's Kingdom, set all his Nobles, which were at that time Pagans, and unconuerted to the Christian faith, in his Hall below, and certain poor Christians in his Presence Chamber with himself, with kingly cheer and attendance; at which they wondering, he told them this, he did not as King of the Draves, but as King of another world, wherein these were his consorts and fellow-Princes: these he saw with a spiritual eye, clad in white Robes, and worthy his company, to them he would give Civil due in the regiment of the Commonwealth, but those he must love and honour in his heart as beloved, and honoured of God. Aeneas Silvius cap. 20. Europ● Auentinus, lib. 3. Annalium Bavarie, G●u●. A rare and noble Art recorded by three Historians worthy to be read, to the shame of our times, wherein men of mean greatness, know not how to show the least respect to a Christian, or a Minister in the name of Christ, to account them worthy their company, whom they ought to have in singular respect, and to account their very feet beautiful, for their Lord and Embassage sake, only with this Proviso, that divine and nimious adoration be not given, a fault on the other hand, common in Popery, to their spiritual Fathers and Founders of orders and rules whom they obey and reverence above Christ, Gualtan 1. Cor. as Gualther gives instance in a doting Abbot of Germany, who snibbed a Novice, for talking of Christ, and the Gospel, and nor of the Rules of Saint Francis, and his own Order; a common fault among Sectaries, who hold, vaunt and denominate themselves of this or that Man, of this or that Faction, whereas with God I dare boldly say, there is neither Caluenist nor Lutherane, Protestant nor Puritan, Conformitane, or Non-Conformitane, but faith and love in Christ is All in All. All let him be in all our joys, in stead of all other contents unto us; good reason is it, that he should fill our hearts, that filleth All in all things: If he be ours. Apollo is ours, Cephas is ours, Life and Death, things present, and to come, the world and all is ours, we Christ's, and Christ Gods. In him let our soul's rest and rejoice; Pau●inus Nola capta à Barbaris pre●abatur ad dommum ne ex●●●eier ob aurum & argentum, tu enim es mihi omnia. I say again rejoice always in him. If he be our Shepherd, what can we want? If he be our Host, shall not our Table be furnished, and Cup overflow? If we err, is not he our Way? If we doubt, is not he the Truth? If we faint, August. de Civit. Ve● lib. 1. c. 1. Fas tibi non est saluo Caesare de fortuna quert. Hoc incolani nihil perdid●sti non tantum siccos oculos, sed & laeto esse oportet. In hoc tibi omnia bie pro omnibus est. Seneca in consolation ad Polybi●m, qua●to aptius de Christo ad Christiam m, etc. is not he the Life? What loss should disturb us, what want distemper us, so long as we lose not Christ? What if God take away all, and give us his Son, how shall he not with him give us all things requisite? What other mystery enabled Paul to want and abound, but the fruition of him, whose goodness and greatness is such, that all accessions add nothing, all defects detract nothing to the happiness of him that enjoys him, who is All in All. Above all, All let him be with us in the main of All, that is in the point of justification; there (be sure) we repose all our confidence in him alone, bewaring lest we share and part stakes with any act of our own, yea, with any grace or work of his in us, lest he be in vain and of none effect unto us. This glory will he by no means endure, should be divided with any coadjutor, concause, or copartner what ever: nay, he takes it ill and indignly at our hands, if having him, we hold not ourselves completely righteous in God's sight, if for want of this or that grace we mourn overmuch, hang down our head, and will not be comforted, as if his grace were not sufficient for us, as if he were not better than ten, yea, then ten thousand graces unto us, if we stand upon this or that measure of grace, twenty to one if we had that we desire, we would be full and rich, and stand in no need of him, who is the giver of all grace, or that we would be prouder of the gift, then of the Author of every good gift, and not rest in him that is our wisdom, our righteousness, and redemption. All let him be in all the graces of Sanctification, who only indeed is the very life and soul of them all. What is knowledge but Heathenish science, if he be not the object, whom to know is eternal life? What is faith, and trust, and hope in God? if not in & through Christ, but a jewish willed ungrounded confidence? Patience, but a Stoical blockishness? Temperance, and all the whole beauty of virtues, but either natural qualities, or moral habits unacceptable to God, unprofitable to our selves, sour Grapes, glistering vices, if Christ be not the form of them, without whom there is no quality that God relisheth in us, whereof Christ is not the root: wherefore as Apothecaries sweeten all their Confections with Sugar, and perfume their Cordials with Musk; so let us grace all our graces in Christ, without whom, fools we are to pride ourselves in any thing that Nature. Custom, or Education hath done for us, in comparison o● that influence we receive, and of those rays that come from this Sun of Righteousness. Fools are we, when wanting grace, power, or strength to overcome ill, or do well; to seek supply any where else, save of him, of whose fullness all the Saints that ever were received grace for grace. Who would go to the Pack, when he may go to the Warehouse, who would fetch water at the cistern, when he may have it at the Spring head better cheap. All let him be in all our deeds, whether we eat or drink, whether we pray, read, or meditate, give Alms, or work in our callings, let all be done in the name of our Lord jesus, begun with his leave, performed with his aid, and concluded to his glory, without whom we can do nothing, Macarius. no more than the bird can fly without wings, the Ship sail without wind or tide, the body move without the soul: what ever good works we do with an eye from his, and a skew unto our own names; the more pain we take, the more penalty of pride belongs unto us, the more cost, the more loss; we and our moneys shall perish together, whereas the least Cup of cold water given for his take, who knows our works, and the intent of our works, shall not lose the reward: Verily, who would be so foolish as to do any work to any other paymaster, or who so ungrateful, that would not do any work that he should require that hath so well deserved to command more than all we are, or can do. Is he All in All with us, If we dare deny him any thing. I commend not the discretion, but admire the fidelity and zeal of that renowned Fox, who never would deny Beggar that asked in his Name: Then are works good works, When the love of Christ constrains us to them, and when Christ's eye is more than all the world beside; especially, If when all is done, all the thanks and praise of the Deed redound to him. That policy is remarkable in the Apostles cure of the Cripple, and in Saint Paul, in that he would never suffer any part of the repute or honour of any his acts or labours, rest upon his own head, but repels it forcibly from himself, and reflects it carefully upon his Lord Christ: Not I, not I, but the grace of Christ in me, I live not but Christ in me. In which Not, says Bradwardine, there lies a great deal of subtlety, like that of joab, that when he had fought the Field, and gotten the upper hand, sent for David to carry away the credit of the Victory. Oh how difficult is this for us, not to lurch some part of the praise, and suffer pieces of the Sacrifice to cleave to our own nets and yarn. Whereas in truth, our deepest wisdom and strongest policy lay in this, not to glory in our wisdom or strength, but to glory in the Lord, who worketh All in All things. All, let him be in all our thoughts and speeches, how happy were it if he were never out of our sight and minds, but that our souls were directed towards him, and fixed on him, as the Sunne-flowre towards the Sun, the Iron to the Loadstone, the Loadstone to the Polestar. Hath he not for that purpose resembled himself to all familiar and obvious objects; Musculus & Brentius in johannens. to the Light, that so often as we open our eyes we might behold him; to Bread, Water and Wine, that in all our repasts we might feed on him; to the Door, that in all our out and ingoing, Bernard. we might have him in remembrance; how happy if our tongues would ever run upon that name, which is Honey in the mouth, melody in the ear, jubilee in the heart. Let the Mariner prate of the winds, the Merchant of his gain, the Husbandman of his Oxen. Bee thou a Pythagorean to all the world, Nolanus. and a Peripatecian to Christ, mute to all vanities, and eloquent only to Christ, that gave man his tongue and his speech? How doth Paul delight to record it and harp upon it eleven times in ten verses, which Chrysostome first took notice off, 1. Corinth. 1. 10. And how doth worthy Fox grieve to foresee and foretell that, I● prafated con●ionem de Christo crucifixo. which we hear and see come to pass, that men's discourses would be taken up about trifles and nifles, as if all Religion lay in the flight and pursuit of one circumstance or opinion; how heartily doth he pray, and vehemently wish that men would leave jangling about Ceremonies, and spend their talk upon him that is the Substance; that learned men would write of Christ, unlearned men study of him, Preachers make him the Scope and Subject of all their preaching. And what else indeed is our Office, but to elevate, not a piece of Bread, as the Romish Priests, but Christ in our Doctrine; to travel in birth till he be form in a people, to crucify him in their eyes by lively preaching his Death, Philip Melan●●. in Rhetor. and Passion. The old Emblem of Saint Christopher, intending nothing else but a Preacher wading through the sea of this world, staying on the Staff of Faith, and lifting up CHRIST aloft to be seen of men. What else gained john, the name of the Divine, and Paul of a wise Master Builder, but that he regarded not as the fashion is now adays, to have his Reading, Memory, or Elocution, but Christ known, and him crucified, and to build the Church skilfully, laying the foundation upon this Rock of which if we hold our peace, Lutherus. the rocks themselves will cry. This being the sum of our Art & tasks, by the help of Christ, Perkins. in Prophetica. to preach the Gospel of Christ, to the praise of Christ, without whom a Sermon is no Sermon, Preaching no preaching. The sum of the sum of All is, that the whole duty of all men is, to give themselves wholly to Christ, Nagie●ze●●● de Spiritis. to sacrifice, not a leg, or an arm, or any other piece, but soul, spirit, and body, and all that is within us; the fat, the inwards, the head and hoof, and all as an holocaust to him dedicating devoting ourselves to his service all the days and hours of our lives, that all our days may be Lords days. To whom when we have so done, yet must we know we have given him so much less than his due, as we worms and wretched sinners are less than the Son of God, who knew no sin. To him therefore let us live, to him therefore let us die. So let us live to him, that we may dye in him, & breathe out our soul's most willingly into his hands, with the like affection that john of Alexandria, surnamed the Almoner, for his bounty is reported to have done, who where he had distributed all he had to the poor, and made even with his revenues, as his fashion was yearly to do in his best health, thanked God he had now nothing left but his Lord and Master Christ, whom he longed to be with, and would now with unlymed, and unentangled wings fly unto: or as in fewer words Peter of old, and Lambert of later times; Nothing but Christ, nothing but Christ. A concluding Supplication to CHRIST. THou oh Lord Christ alone, that knowest how little account I make of this little honour and service I have done unto thee. How far it is from me to think I have said or written any thing worthy of thee, and yet do nothing doubt but thou likest and acceptest well of what I have done, because I know it came of thee, that I should have the least will or skill to do it. Now therefore what is it I have to petition unto thee for, but that as thou alone art worthy of that poor all that I am and can; so thou wouldst please to take possession, not of any corner, or limb, but of the whole temple of my soul, and tabernacle of my body. Thou who scourgest out of thy Father's House buyers and sellers, who turnedst out the mourners out of jairus his doors, chase out of my heart all carnal desires and delights, troublesome passions, root out all thorny cares, cause every proud thought, and high imagination to fall as Dagon before thee, that thou mayest invest thyself in thine own Throne, rule and reign as sole Commander of my will and affections, dwell in thine own Shrine, adorn it here with thy grace, till thou replenish it with thy glory, even till thou thyself resignest up thy Sceptre to thy Father and God, become All in All. LVTHERS Prayer at his death. THee, O Christ have I known, thee have I loved, thee have I taught, thee have I trusted, into thy hands do I commend my spirit. Augustinus. Omnis mea Copia extra Christum egestas est. Paulinus Nolanus Augustini coaetaneus & familiaris. VIta Deus noster-ligno mea vita pependit, Vt staret mea vita Deo: quid vita rependam Pro vita tibi Christe mea? nisi forte salutis Accipiam calicem, quo te mea dextra propinet, Vt sacro mortis preciosae proluar haustu. Sed quid agam? neque si proprium dem corpus inignes, Vilescamque mihi, nec sanguine debita fuso justa tibi soluam, quia me reddam tibi prome. Quis tibi penset amor? Felicis Notali 9 Dominus mea forma fuisti, Vt seruus tua forma forem, sic somper eroimpar, etc. Haec tibi Christe tamen tenui fragilique paratu Pronobis facimus, toto quem corpore mundus Non capit, Augustum cui Coelum, terraque punctum est, etc. Tu precor oh fons Christe meis innascere fibris, Idem de celso puero. Vt mihi viva tuae vena resultet aquae. Qui te Christ bibent dulci torrente refecti, Non sitient ultra sed tamen & sitient Totus enim dulcedo Deus, dilectio Christe es, Vnde replere magis quam satiare potes jugifluus semper biberis, turbamque sitimque, Potantum exhausto largior exuperas. Te Domine ergo Deus panem fon● emque salutis, Semper & esuriant & sitient anima. Quod enim tenere, vel bonum, Idem ad Ansonium. aut verum queant, qui non tenent summae caput, Veribonique fomitem & fontem Deum? quem nemo nisi in Christo videt. Hic veritatis lumen est, vitae via, vis, mens, munus, virtus patris, Sol aequitatis, fons bonorum, fles Dei, natus Deo, mundi sator; Mortalatatis vita, nostrae mors necis, magister hic virtutis est. Deusque pro nobis, atque pro nobis homo nos induendo se exuit etc. Totoque nostra iure Domini vendicui et corda, et ora, & tempora; Se cogitari, intelligi, credi, legi●●▪ se vult timeri, & diligi, etc. Cum multa sint quibus per vitam egemus, aere, inquam, lumine, alimento, vestibus, ipsis naturae facultatibus et membris, fit tamen ut nullius usum ex omnibus semper & ad omnia desideremus, sed nunc illud, nunc istud adhibeamus, alias alio ad praesentem in seruiente necessitatem; vestem quippe induimus quae alimoniam non praebet, sed cibum appetentibus aliud quaerendum est▪ contingere seu tractare cupientibus manus sufficit, sed cum dufcultare oportet nihil commodat. At Saluator in ipsoviventibus sic semper & omnimodis adest, ut quibuscunque eorum necessitatibus consulat, & ipsis sit omnia, nec alio se vertere, nec aliunde quaerere quidquam sinat, non enim egent aliquo Sancti quod ipse non sit: generat nimirum ipsos, educat, alit & lumen ipsis est & oculus idem, altor simul & alimenium, panis, aqua, unguentum, vestimentum, via, et vie terminus, membra nos-sumus, ipse capur, certandum est? Ipse certat una; praeclare certamus? praeses & arbiter certaminis; vincimus? ipse mox corona est, sic undecunque mentem nostram ad seipsum advertit, suavi tyrannide ad se solum trahens, sibi soli copulans & astringens, nec ad aliud effundi, nec ullius rei amore implicari patitur: ipse domum cordis implet, qui coelum & terram implet, et omnia in omnibus. Nicolaus Cabasilas de vita in Christo lib. 1. Bibl. Patrum, tom. 13. Quid obsecro summum bonum in omnibus et per omnia quaeritis, eo uno neglecto qui omnia est in omnibus? Quaere requiem animabus vestris quaeritis, & non invenitis? nisi quia perperam ibi quaeritis ubi non est; extra Christum quod in eo solo est. Ideoque carbones pro the sauro, arcam pro pretio, munusculum pro amica, gaudiola pro Amasio, vestigia pro ceruo, phantasmata pro rebus, nubeculam pro junone, ancillulas pro Penelope, umbram pro corpore, viam pro patria, media profine, stillas tenuissimas pro suavitatis abysso, vanitatem pro veritate amplexamini. Hugo de Sancto Victore in Ecclesiastem. Vana salus, & nulla salus confidere mundo, Vera salus Christo credere, & una salus. Christ all alone Salvation brings, All other are deceitful things. FINIS. LONDON, Printed by Aug. Mathewes for john Marriott, and john Grismand. 1622.