DAY'S FESTIVALS OR, TWELVE OF HIS SERMONS: DELIVERED BY HIM AT SEVERAL times to the PARISHIONERS of St mary's in OXFORD, on the three Chief FESTIVALS of the Year, CHRISTMAS, EASTER, and WHITSUNTIDE. THREE OF WHICH SERMONS, are touching our SAVIOUR; ONE, the HOLY GHOST; TWO, the TWO SACRAMENTS; The other SIX, such several DUTIES, as belong to the several sorts of all CHRISTIANS. diagram of clock or dial face DONEC DIES EST JOHAN 9.4. ECCLUS. 33.15. I am awaked up last of all, as one that gathereth after them in the Vintage. GREG. IN EVANG. HOM. 14. Qui non dat pro Ovibus Substantiam suam, quomodo pro his daturus est Animam suam? Printed at Oxford by joseph Barnes, 1615. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL Mr D. BLENCOW, Dr of the Civil Law, and Provost of ORIEL COLLEGE in Oxford: and to the FELLOWS, FELLOW-COMMONERS, and STUDENTS there: As also TO THE REST OF THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL, WORSHIPFUL, AND Others, of the Parish of St Maries, Prosperity and Welfare, both in Body, and in Soul. IT is now well near Six Years since, Right Worshipful, and dearly Beloved, that I preached unto you at the a Christ-mas Day, Decem. 25, 1609. first, of David's desire to go to Church. An Argument (it might be thought) more befitting our Recusants, than any of our own Sort, and such as are Protestants, but who so will visit our Parish Churches in time of Divine Service on the Weekdays throughout the Year, I mean Wednesday's, Fridays, and Saterdaies, & that in populous Towns, and Cities (to say nothing of the Country, where they may seem to have some excuse by reason of dwelling far from Church) shall found too too often, two sufficient Witnesses, the Minister, & the Clerk, that Protestants even Protestants, are almost as peccant in this kind as Popish Recusants themselves. Hereunto if we add withal the preposterous zeal of a Many beside, who unless there be Sermons too, will scarce be there on the Saboth Day, seldom or never on Holidays, and they of the Preciser Sort, and who will take it in some snuff, if we accounted them not more Religious, than the meinie, or Multitude are, and what may we think Religion itself, will come to even in our Days, who so little account of DIVINE SERVICE, so b Ne contemptui essent communes Ecclesiae Preces, eas splendidis elogiis olim Deus ornavit: praesertim ubi Templum Vocavit Domum Orationis. Name & praecipuam Cultus sui partem hac voce docuit esse Precandi Officium, atque ut in eose Fideles uno consensu exercerent, instar Vexilli erectum illis fuisse Templum. Calvin. Instit l. 3. c. 20. §. 29. principal an Exercise of the same. This it was that made me at the first, as to preach that First Sermon of David's Desire to the c Novemb. 5. in the Afternoon, 1609. University, so to Preach the Second to Yourselves: and after that for your sakes to commit them Both unto the Press. From whence that they came to You, and in a manner to You only, and not to the Church in general: it was for I would endeavour to be d Mat. 25.23. Faithful in a little, and in these perilous backsliding Times as much as may be, to e Cant. 1.5. Keep my own Vine. Since that time it hath pleased the Lord, towards the Furtherance of your Salvation, to put other Messages into my Mouth, all which as they were at divers and sundry times related unto You, I mean as many of you as could conveniently be present, so have I been at a second Pains to deliver them now unto you all, that no exception may be taken of not having heard what hath been spoken. When a man hath done his best f Ecclus. 18.6. saith the Son of Syrach, he must begin again, and when he thinketh to come to an end; he must again to his labour. I dare be bold to say that to Print is to begin again, he knows not what Printing is that knows it not to be a Labour. It was as g Calvin. Praef. in Esay, & in Esay. c. 1. v. 1. Calvin observes the Custom of the Prophets, after they had spoken to Prince or People, to make a Brief of what they had spoken, and to fasten it on the Gates of the Temple, where it was to stand some certain days to the view of every One that would peruse it. Printing is that in our Age, which that kind of Publishing was in theirs, only the Unsavoury Pamphlets have been so many, that have passed the Press aswell as Sermons, as that it makes us (a Many at the lest) esteem no more of having Sermons printed, than it did the Egyptians of those three Miracles which Moses & Aaron wrought, namely the h Exod. 7.11, Serpent, i V 22. Blood, and l Exod. 8.7. Frogs, which their Enchanters wrought aswell as they. You, I trust, are otherwise minded, & will be towards these Sermons, the rather for they call to mind what the most of you have heard, and some have been desirous to have in this sort: as also for they are more Complete than when they were first delivered to you, by reason of the Marginal Notes annexed thereunto. It is m Mountaignes' Essays l. 1. c. 25 said of Epicurus, that in Three Hundred Volumes which he wrote, he made no use of any one Allegation at all. Macrobius borrowed much, but acknowledged not his Creditors, and therefore is n Macrobius homo satis quidem eruditus, sed ingenio maximè ingrato, at propè impudenti: ut qui in tanto Aeris alieni cumulo nusquam Creditoris nomen profiteatur. P. Crinitus De honest. Discipl. l. 22. c 4. For an Instance, compare the Eleventh Chapter of the first Book of his Saturnalia, with Seneca his Seven & fortieth Epistle. taxed as Ungrateful above measure. They that list to follow the One, or the Others Example, let them: I profess, I like neither, but had rather say with that never enough praised o My Lord of London upon jonas, Lect. 40. p. 552. Prelate upon jonas, I never could be bold to offer mine own Inventions, and Conceits to the World, when I have found them such in S. Augustine, and Others, as might not be amended. And hence it was, as that worthy PRELATE there * So, B. jewel: Origen, Magister Ecclesiarun: Basil, Canon Fidei: Eusebius Samo satensis Regula veritatis: Athanasius, Orbis Oculus. B. jewel Defence of the Apol. Part. 6. c. 16. Divis. 2. p. 765. observeth, that St Cyprian called Tertullian his Master; that St Cyprian himself by St Austen, was reputed in the number of most excellent Men; that St Austen was termed the Hammer of Heretics; that Athanasius called St Ambrose the Eye of the World; that Athanasius was called by the World itself, Athanasius the Great. Besides, that the Quoting in this sort, refers such Novices as shall read my Books, to the principal Places themselves where they may read of the Matter more at large, a necessary Help to young Students, such as a many were that heard me, and to whom, as to the more Learned among you, these Labours of mine are now dedicated. I should here writ more unto you, but that my Portion of Paper allotted me to the self same purpose, is now far spent, and indeed what need I writ unto You now more, who both Writ and Speak unto You, in all that followeth. I, as it was p Heb. 11.4. said of Abel, that By Faith being dead, he yet speaketh: so I trust that ETERNAL WORD, who hath been the Fountain of all this, will permit me even when I am Dead, to * Praedicandi scientia est quodammodo Angelica utrovis modo iuvans, seu per Manun, seu per Linguam operetur. Clem Alex. Strom. l. 1. speak unto You by these Papers, and not unto You only, but also unto Yours, to whom Yourselves shall leave them as a Legacy. This if his Great Goodness shall grant unto me, it is in regard of this World, the q Summa Votorum attigi. Senec. Thyestes Act. 5. Sc. Aequalu. utmost of my Wishes▪ And it shall more content me at my parting from it, to have been in this kind a Speaker thus, then to have gone even in this Age, the r Dealbatiores Vias saeculi. Aug. Confess. l. 7 c. 6. Milky way of much Preferment. s Aug. Confess. l. 11. c. 2. DOMINE, miserere mei, & exaudi Desiderium meum. Puto enim quod non sit de Terra, non de Auro, & Argento, aut de Lapidibus, aut decoris Vestibus, aut Honoribus, & Potestatibus, aut Voluptatibus Carnis, neque de Necessarijs Corporis, & huic Vitae Peregrinationis nostrae, quae omnia nobis t Mat. 6.33. apponuntur quaerentibus Regnum, & justitiam tuam. Vide Domine Deus meus, unde sit Desiderium meum. u Ps. 118.85. Narraverunt mihi Iniusti Delectationes suas, sed non sicut Lex tua Domine. Ecce unde est Desiderium meum. Vide Pater, aspice, & vide, & approba, & placeat in conspectu Misericordiae tuae, invenire me Gratiam ante te, ut aperiantur pulsanti mihi interiora Sermonum tuorum. Obsecro per Dominum Nostrum JESUM CHRISTUM Filium tuum, Virum Dexterae tuae, Filium Hominis, quem confirmasti tibi Mediatorem tuum & nostrum, per quem nos quaesisti non quaerentes te, quaesisti autem ut quaereremus te: Verbum tuum per quod fecisti omnia, in quibus & me, unicum tuum per quem vocasti in adoptionem, Populum Credentium, in quo & me, per eum te obsecro qui x Rom. 8.34. sedet ad Dexteram tuam, & te interpellat pro nobis, in quo sunt omnes y Coloss. 2.3. Thesauri Sapientiae & Scientiae absconditi. z Rev. 1.6. Ipsi Gloria, & Imperium, in saecula saeculorum, AMEN. The Several Arguments, with the Several Texts of Scripture, of every Several Sermon in this Book. 1 Of our Saviour's Nativity. Esay. 9.6. Pag. 1. 2 Of our Saviour's Passion. Esay. 13.4. p. 25. 3 Of our Saviour's Resurrection. 1. Cor. 15.20. p. 55. 4 Of the Coming of the Holy Ghost. joh. 7.37. p. 81. 5 Of the Sacrament of Baptism. Rom. 6.3. p. 107. 6 Of the Sacrament of the Supper. joh. 6.53. p. 131. An Appendix of Certain Fragments, out of Some of the Best of our Protestant Writers, concerning both the Sacraments in general, and the Sacrament of the Supper in particular. Pag. 164. 7 Of Husbands, and Wives. Prov. 14.1. p. 183. 8 Of Parents, and Children. Gen. 18, 19 p. 219. 9 Of Masters, and Servants. Psa. 101.8. p. 247. 10 Of Virginity. 1. Cor. 7.32. p. 273. 11 Of Widowhood. Luk. 2.37. p. 299. 12 Of Neighbourhood. Prov. 3.29. p. 325. D. Cousins Answer to the Abstract. Pag. 342. It is not the continual Abode amongst their Parishioners (which none of them All do) nor the * Vid. Dr Whitgifts Defence of the Answer to the Admonit. Tract. 11. Divis. 1.2.3. p. 555. 556. 557. etc. often, but the sound, orderly, & pithy Preaching upon necessary Points, that dischargeth the Duty of the Pastor, who may be in truth as bad as Non-Resident, though he were continually nailed to the Pulpit, as Luther once pleasantly spoke of Pomeran. OUR SAVIOUR'S NATIVITY. Christmas day. Decem. 25. 1610. THere was a time, Right worshipful, & dearly Beloved in our Saviour Christ, when this our Country much desiring what now it hath in much a Propria haec si dona fuissent. Virg Aen. l. 6. plenty, namely, issue, or male, or female, of the Prince there of then being, it had well hoped that Queen Mary had been the Mother of such a Pearl, and she herself, and a many beside, thought indeed she was with child. Great was the expectation throughout the whole b Acts & Mon. p. 1596. Edit. 1583. Land, the preparation as great, Prayers every where for her safe deliverance, and Masses thick and threefold. I, the very Cradle itself was made, and these Verses wrote upon it: Quam Mariae sobolem Deus optime sum dedisti Anglis incolumem red, tuere, rege. Which upon the self same Cradle thus were englished, The Child which thou to Mary, oh Lord of might hast sand To England's joy in health preserve, keep, and defend. But never was expectation to less purpose, preparation to less effect. Men & women proposed, & God disposed far otherwise. The Midwives, and Nurses, and Rockers, were all of them gotten, and provided, only that was then wanting which was to set them all a work. The Queen, whether giving it out first of policy, or if not herself, yet some about her: or whether deceived by a Tympany, or some 〈…〉 For the better handling of which words, may you be pleased to observe with me First the occasion of them, than whose they were, than who wrote them, than how they were written, and when. The occasion of these words was by reason of an accident that had formerly befallen the jews. The jews as they ever had been m Exod. 32.9. & 33.3 & 34 9 & Deut. 9,6. Durae cervicis, a stiffnecked People, a People like unto their Forefathers, a n Ps. 78.9. faithless, and stubborn generation, a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit cleaved not steadfastly unto God: so it pleased the same God to give them a many times wicked Governors, that People, and Prince, being all out of frame, from the sole of the foot unto the head nothing whole as o Esay. 1.6. speaks our Prophet, but wounds and swelling, & soars full of corruption, some vengeance might come upon them their wickedness so p Gen. 15.16. full. Now among the many Kings and Governors which they had in this kind, King Ahaz the son of jotham was scarcely second unto any. He did not uprightly, q 2. King. 16.2 saith the Scripture, in the sight of the Lord as David his Father did: he walked in the way of the Kings of Israel: he made his son to go through the fire after the abomination of the heathen, he offered, and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree: whereupon it came to pass that Rezin king of Aram, and Pekah son of Remeliah king of Israel came both up to jerusalem to fight, and to besiege him. Once before this time came these two Kings against him, and as the the Scripture r 2, Chro. 28.5 saith, they overthrew him, took of his People many Prisoners, slew many thousands of them in one day. This being the first handsel king Ahaz had by those Troops, what was he to look for this second time, but utter ruin and destruction? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, s Cyril. Hieros' Catech. 2. p. 45. saith St Cyril in an other case, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: what expectation might he have, what hope of safety? He that before, not not with all his forces could possibly withstand them, how was it likely he now should, seeing of all those forces which he had, he had lost already so many thousands? But see the goodness of God above, when every man's heart began to fail him, and they feared utter ruin indeed, comes me the word of the Lord to the Prophet Esay, and the Prophet by virtue of that word in the seventh, eight, and this ninth chapter we have in hand, gives many a good comfort to the king, wills him not to fear his Enemies, how they should in no wise be able to hurt him, and t Ovid. Fast. l. 1. Verba fides sequitur, as he had said, so it proved: They besieged Ahaz saith the Scripture, but could not overcome him, 2. King. 16.5. Now among all the comforts given unto him by this our Prophet in those chapters, the chiefest and greatest of all was from the Birth of the Messiah, and of that he there speaks in two divers and sundry places, First in the seventh chapter, and secondly in this ninth. Esay 7.14, the words be these: Behold saith the Prophet, the Virgin shall conceive & bear a son, and she shall call his name Immanuel: butter and honey shall he eat, till he have knowledge to refuse the evil, and choose the good. In this ninth chapter as you have heard already, For unto us a Child is borne, and unto us a son is given: and the government is upon his shoulder, and he shall call his name wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, and so forth. Here the jews Beloved, make themselves u Vid. Calvin. in hunc loc. merry, and scoff and scorn at us Christians for making this to be the meaning of both those places. What? say they, what could this avail king Ahaz then besieged, that so many hundreds of years after that, the Messiah should be borne. King Ahaz doubtless was to have present help, the City jerusalem was then in hazard, the Prophet was to yield him present comfort, but what comfort could it be to hear how a king should be borne so many hundreds of years after himself should be dead and gone. And indeed Beloved to look on these words with a Iewes eye, as they did 〈…〉 〈…〉 ●…ry true. For he spoke by Oracles, he spoke by Visions, he spoke by Dreams, he spoke by e Exod. 28.30 urim and Thummim, the two precious stones that were on the breastplate of the high Priest, but commonly by Infusing into those that were his Prophets, the self-same words they were to speak or to Prince, or to People. And so did the Lord at this time to this our Prophet, and so is it declared in this prophesy, the words be these: f Esay 7.3. Than said the Lord unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz (thou, and Shear-iashub thy son) and say unto him, Take heed, and be still, & so forth. And thus much of the occasion of the words of this my Text, and whose they were, and who wrote them, & how, and when. Concerning the words themselves, I shall observe God willing, this order: First to give you their true meaning that so the meanest of you may conceive them: then to gather thence such Instructions as the same shall afford unto us. This I take to be my best course, the rather for I speak to you who consist of two sorts, the Learned, and the Unlettered, that so the Hungry among you, that is, the Unlettered, may by this means be filled with good things, and yet the Rich, that is, the Learned of you, not be sent altogether empty away. To come then to the words, For unto us a Child is borne. A Child is borne. They were the words of g Our Service Book in Latin, calls it the song of S. Ambrose, and S. Austen both Lib. Procum public p. 5. St Ambrose, and parcel of our Service which we call to mind every day: When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man, Non horruisti Virginis uterum, thou didst not abhor the Virgin's Womb. Upon the reason of which word Horruisti, To abhor, howsoever I cannot now stand, partly, for I have far to go, partly, for it is not manhood to disclose those secrets of nature, which are Arcana Puerperij, the mysteries of Childbirth, yet so far forth as Solomon's wisdom hath directed me in this kind, I may boldly go on forwards, even in this place, and in your Audience. The Author then of that Book in the person of king Solomon, thus discourseth of Man's Birth. I myself am also mortal, h Wisd 7.1. saith he, and a man like all others, and am come of him, that was first made of the Earth. And in my Mother's womb was I fashioned to be Flesh in ten months. I was brought together into blood of the seed of man, and by the pleasure that cometh with sleep. And when I was borne, I received the common air, & fell upon the earth, which is of like nature, crying and weeping at the first as all others do. I was nourished in swaddling clothes, and with cares. For there is no king that had any other beginning of birth. All men have one entrance unto life, and a like going out. Here if so be we except this one circumstance of Being brought together into blood of the seed of man, and By the pleasure that cometh with sleep, what is else said of Kings in general, that they all had, and consequently shall have this beginning of Birth, may be verified of the King of Kings our Saviour CHRIST JESUS, that he had this Beginning too. Humanae Nativitatis verecundiam subijt, i Salvian. de vero judicio & provident Dei l. 6. p. 202. saith Salvianus, & contumeliosa terreni ortus principia suscepit. He submitted himself to the uncleanness of human nativity, and was content to undergo the reproachful beginning of worldly Birth. He himself would be also mortal, and a man like all others, and come of him who first of all was made of the Earth. And in his Mother's womb was he fashioned to be flesh in ten months. He was brought together into blood (not of the seed of man, indeed) but of the seed of the woman, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, l Cyril. Catech. 12. p. 276. saith S. Cyril, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. He was not made of man & woman, but of a woman only, and therefore the Apostle S. Paul, when the fullness of time was come, saith he, God sent forth his son made of a woman, Gal. 4.4. Maritus sermo, m August. de Temp. Ser. 11. p. 418. saith S. Austen, uxor auricula: the Angel's word was the Husband, and the Ear of the Virgin was the wife, Hoc splendore concipitur Dei filius, saith he, hac mundicia generatur: such was the glory & excellency of the conception of the Son of God, such was the pureness of his Birth. I may yet go on with the same King Solomon, when as he was borne, he received the common air, and fell upon the earth which is of like nature, crying, and weeping at the first, as all others do. He was nourished in swaddling clotheses, & with cares. He had with all men one entrance unto life, and a like going out. S. jerom in a manner saith as much, The son of God, n Hieron. ad Eustoch. de Custod. Virgin. p. 149. saith he, was made for our salvation the son of man. He expected in his Mother's womb some nine months' respite to be borne, he endured all distastes; he issued forth in gore blood, he was swaddled in clouts, he was appeased and pacified with motherly moans, he that held the whole World itself in his fist, was content to be contained within the circumference of a manger. So o Aug. de Temp. Ser 9 p. 410. S. Austen, He that beareth up all things by the word of his power, is borne himself of weakness and infirmity. He that is not contained, nor in the Earth, nor in the Sea, not nor yet in Heaven itself, is comprehended within the compass of a little silly body. The Creator of all things is made his own creature, and a great Fountain issueth forth from out his own stream. The root of all things else doth grow from his own stem, and the true vine is made the fruit of one of his own branches. And thus as p joh. 1.14. speaks S. john, was the word made Flesh, thus was he as q Ro●…. 1.3. speaketh S. Paul, according to the flesh made of the seed of Abraham: he r Rom. 8.3. came in the similitude of sinful flesh: he was partaker of flesh and blood. Divers and sundry were the Prophecies in divers & sundry ages, that intimated to the world as much. The world itself was no sooner began, but the promise also began of sending him into the world. I, saith the Lord, will put enmity between thee, and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed. He shall break thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel, Gen. 3.15. Howbeit this promise (as you see) was in general terms, neither showing what seed, neither showing what kind of woman, or of what People this seed should be. A second promise was made to Abraham, and it was a little more lightsome than this, for it showed of what People he should be, namely of the jews: In thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed, Gen. 22.18. A third promise was more lightsome than this too, for it showed of what Tribe he should be, namely of the Tribe of juda: The sceptre, saith jacob, shall not departed from judah, nor a Lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come, and the people shall be gathered unto him, Gen. 49.10. A fourth promise was yet more lightsome, for it showed of what Family he should be, namely of the Family of David: Thy house, saith Nathan, shall be established, and thy kingdom for ever before thee, even thy throne shall be established for ever, 2. Sam. 7.16. The fift, and sixth, and seventh promises were much more lightsome than this, for the Fift declared the Party that should bring him into the world, namely a Virgin, Esay, 7.17. The sixth, the Place he should be borne in, namely Bethlehem a City of juda, Micah. 5.2. The seventh declared the Time, namely 70 weeks of years from the time the Prophet Daniel lived in, that is four hundred, fourscore, and ten years, Dan. 9.24. And thus when the fullness of time was come, saith the Apostle S. Paul, God sent forth his Son made of a woman, Gal. 4.4. For unto us a Child is borne. It followeth, And unto us a Son is given. A son is given. Our Saviour thus given us, it puts us in mind of his being a Gift unto us, and his being a Gift must call to mind from whence it is, this Gift comes. Every good giving, s jam. 1. 1●. saith S. james, and every perfect gift is from above, & cometh down from the Father of lights. Now that this Gift was from above, and did come down from the Father of lights, as it is evident by that of the Apostle before, God sent forth his son, Gal. 4.4: so by our Saviour's own words who indeed was this Gift. God, t joh. 3.16. saith our Saviour, so loved the world, that he hath given his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. And u V 17. again, God sent not his son into the world, that he should condemn the world, but that the world through him should be saved. And the Apostle S. john to this purpose, In this appeared, x 1. joh. 4.9. saith he, the love of God towards us, because God sent his only begotten son into the world that we might believe through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his son to be a reconciliation for our sins. The very time of sending Gifts from one Friend to another drawing now near at hand, I mean of newyear's Gifts, may call to mind the preciousness of this Gift given unto us, whether we respect the Gift itself, or the Giver of it, the Father of lights. The Gift itself is a world of happiness that we have with the Party given, for there shall be nothing wanting to us. They are the Apostle S. Paul's words, who speaking of this Gift who was to die for us: He, y Rom. 8.31. saith the Apostle, who spared not his own son but gave him for us all to death, how shall he not with him give us all things also. Now if you would know what these All Things are, the same Apostle in another place thus specifies the same unto us. Let no man rejoice in men, z 1. Cor. 3.21. saith he, for all things are yours. Whether it be Paul, or Apollo's, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death: whether they be things present, or things to come, even all are yours, and ye Christ's, and Christ Gods. But if so be we respect the Giver, then if we cast our eyes upon ourselves withal, we may well be struck with admiration. In these our newyear's Gifts, or one Friend respects another: or the Inferior the Superior, as the Poor the Rich, the Tenant his Landlord, and so forth. In this Gift we are respected who cannot challenge the title of Friends, but are Inferiors altogether, as poor as job, and Tenants but at will, by him who is the Superior, and Landlord of all the world. Whence cometh this to me, a Luk. 1.43. saith Elizabeth, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? and whence cometh this to us, that our Lord himself should so come to us? especially ourselves being in that plight whereof the Apostle to the b Ephes. 2.12. Ephesians, ye were without Christ, and were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and were strangers from the Covenants of promise, and had no hope, & were without God in the world. Thus much of Birth, and of the Gift: now who it was, was thus borne, who it was, was thus given, A Child, a Son. For unto us a Child is borne, and unto us a Son is given. The Infant here spoken of though in the first place he be named a Child, yet in the second is it specified what manner of Child he was, namely a manchild. A manchild indeed it was, that was expected by the jews, and concerning whom in holy Scriptures there were so many several promises made. For howsoever in Christ jesus all be one, and therefore the Apostle St Paul, There is neither jew, c Gal. 3.38. saith he, nor Graecian: there is neither bond nor free: there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ jesus: yet this jesus Christ himself, he was to be a jew, he himself was to be free, he was to be male himself, and all for the better effecting of what he was to do for our Salvation. True it is, he needed not, if so it had pleased his divine Majesty to have been borne in such sort, or to have indeed been borne at all. In brevi poterat patrari negotium, to speak in d Cyp. de Nativit. St. Cyprians phrase, there needed not so many proceed of Infancy, Childhood, Youth, and riper years, had it stood with his good pleasure. e Gen. 18.2. He that appeared unto Abraham in the shape of three men, unto f Gen. 19.1. Lot in the shape of two, unto g Gen. 32.24. jacob in the shape of one, might have come in like sort into the world, and have been of ripe age at the very first, but he would needs become a Child, he would be borne as we ourselves are, he would be wrapped in swaddling clouts, he would be laid even in a Cratch, he would be partaker of our infirmities. O blessed infancy saith h Aug de Temp. Ser. 9 p. 411. St Austen, by reason whereof the life of mankind is thus repaired. O most acceptable & pleasing Eyes by virtue whereof we have all of us now avoided everlasting tears, and gnashing of teeth. Happy Clouts wherewith the filthiness of all our sins is wiped away. O resplendent and rich Manger which comprehended therein both the fodder of Beasts, and the food of Angels. But it was not enough for this Infant to be a Child in this sort, and a male-child to, and to be borne, and to be given: but all this must be for us, and therefore is it doubled here, Unto us, unto us, For unto us a Child is borne, and unto us a Son is given. Nobis i Bern. super Missus est, Hom. 3. p. 7. col. 4. saith St Bernard, non sibi, qui utique ante tempora multò nobilius natus ex patre, nasci temporaliter non indigebat ex matre. He who before all times was borne so honourably of his Father, had no need at all to be borne in time, thus of his Mother, and therefore was he borne not for himself, but for us. Non Angelis quoque, saith the same Father, qui cum magnum haberent, parvulum non requirebant. Nor was he borne, saith he, unto the Angels who enjoying him already great as he was, desired not for their parts to see him lesser. Nobis ergò natus, saith he, nobis & datus, quia nobis necessarius. Borne then he was to us, and to us was he given, for that necessary he was to us. Necessary to us all in general, and necessary to every of us in particular, and therefore high and low, rich and poor, one with an other, we may all of us say, Nobis natus, nobis & datus, quia nobis necessarius: Borne he was to us, and to us was he given, for that he was necessary unto us. Thus may the Married, thus may the Unmarried, thus may the Master, thus may the Servant, they may all of them say, Nobis natus, nobis & datus quia nobis necessarius. Borne he was to us, & to us was he given, for that he was necessary unto us. My conclusion shall be in this point as is St Bernard's in that place, De nobis nato & dato, faciamus ad quod natus est & datus. Vtamur nostro in nostram utilitatem, de salvatore salutem operemur. Him that was thus borne let us apply to that purpose for the which he was so borne, & for the which he was so given. Let us use our own to our own advantage. Out of our Saviour let us work our own Salvation. It followeth, And the Government is upon his shoulder. The Prophet having declared in the first place, the Birth of this Child: For unto us a Child is borne: in the second his Sex, And unto us a Son is given, he comes to show here in the third place what manner of Child he should be, namely a great, and a mighty Prince, which as he showeth in these words, And the Government is upon his shoulder, so in all the rest that follow: And he shall call his name Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of peace, and so forth. Concerning the words in this place, And the Government is upon his shoulder, it is a certain kind of speech that was frequently used among the jews, signifying with them the having of Dominion. It is not a phrase of speech so usual with us, and yet we have an other that comes somewhat near it, of laying our shoulders to the burden, when any office is put upon us. But concerning the words themselves we shall the better conceive them if so we but cast our eyes upon an other passage of this our Prophet: In that day l Esay 22.22. saith the Lord, will I call my servant Eliakim. And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder: so he shall open, and no man shall shut, and he shall shut, & no man shall open. The key there spoken of, and that kind of laying of it on the shoulder, may put us in mind what this government here is, and why it is said to be on our Saviour's shoulder. For it is our Saviour doubtless that hath the key of David, m Rev. 3.7. which openeth & no man shutteth, and shutteth, and no man openeth. So that as the Keys of a House are given unto the Steward to open and shut with all even according to his pleasure, and with those Keys is given at one instant the whole Government of the House, so are the Keys in that place meant, and the Government thereby, so is the Government meant in this place, & the Keys thereby, even to be on our Saviour's Shoulder, to signify unto us that he is the Steward, even the Ruler of the House of God which is the Church of the living God, 1. Tim. 3.15. Thus he ruleth even at this instant the whole Catholic Church in general, and every member of it in particular. I, n Mat. 28.20. saith he, am with you always until the end of the world: Non solum Nobiscum se esse dixit o Salvian. de vero iudic. & provident. Dei l. 1. p. 72. saith Salvianus, sed etiam omnibus diebus esse nobiscum. He is with us, and always with us. And the same Salvianus a little after, Nunquid ad hoc nobiscum est ut non respiciat & negligat? What: is he so with us that he respects us not, or that he neglecteth us? Not in no wise: all the p Luk. 12.7. hairs of our head are numbered, and it is q Aug. Hom. 14 p. 304. St Austin's inference thereupon, si sic custodiuntur superflua tua, in quanta securitate est anima tua. If our superfluities be so kept, the Soul itself, how is that kept? It followeth, And he shall call his name Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, and so forth. He shall call his name? which He? for He no doubt is a Relative here, and hath his reference to somewhat before. If so be we look unto the premises, we shall find, that in the third verse of this Chapter the Prophet hath these words, Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased their joy. And again in the fourth verse, For the yoke of their burden, and the staff of their shoulder, and the rod of their oppressor hast thou broken as in the day of Midian: but then are we little the nearer, for who is this Thou mentioned there in those places? Needs we must, no remedy, have recourse to the Chapter before, and there shall we find often mention of The Lord. As in the first verse of that Chapter, The Lord said unto me: and again in the fift verse, The Lord spoke yet again unto me: and again in the seventh verse, Behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the River, mighty and great, and so forth. So that The Lord is this He here intimated in this place. r Vid. Luth. in hunc loc. The Lord shall call his name, Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, and so forth. Which is not in this place so to be understood, as if he should be called by all these names, like as ourselves are called, when we are called by our names, that might seem over long, and large, and to to tedious to be still repeated, and therefore the meaning here is, that he may well be called by these names in regard of his noble acts, and works, and offices performed by him. But I am not at this time to come so far: I was now to speak of his Birth only, which having thus far spoken of, I shall give you some few Instructions out of the words already handled, and then God willing an end. For unto us a Child is borne, and unto us a Son is given, and the Government is upon his shoulder, etc. First then from the Birth of our Saviour here in these words, For unto us a Child is borne: the Instruction I gather is: to abandon that Pride of heart wherewith so many of us Christians, swell one against an other like so many Toads. Not to be high minded as s Rom. 12.16. speaks the Apostle, but to make ourselves equal to them of the lower sort. t Philip, 2.3. Every of us in meekness of mind to esteem other better than himself. u Rom, 12.10. In giving honour to go one before an other. It is * French Acad. Part. 2. c. 37. p. 222. reported of the Heart of man that it is the first thing that lives in man, and the last that dies. Doubtless among all the Vices of the Heart, which our Saviour shows to be exceeding many, Marc. 7.21, Pride as it hath a special place, so hath it this property, that it is the first there, and the last. True it is, it appears not assoon as we are borne, but it shows itself not long after, & even in dying, how with a many it is ready at hand to attend them, witness the * Aug. ep. 50. ad Bonifac. Com Vid. M. D. Reinold. Confer. c. 1 Divis. 2. p. 48. Donatists of old, who loved their Errors better than their lives. Throughout our whole life it showeth itself nothing more, and yet it is as blind as a Beetle, and therefore our Saviour to the Angel of the Church of the Laodicoeans: Thou sayest, x Rev. 3.17. saith he, I am rich, & increased with goods, and have need of nothing, and knowest not how thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, & blind, and naked. This it is that is the cause of so much difference in the world, when the Rich contemning the Poor, and the Poor repining & envying again at the Rich, they are both caught in Satan's wiles, as well the one, as the other, for there is even in Hell a Dives, and a Beggar, as there is in heaven an Abraham, and a Lazarus. Of all the Sins that are, we have greatest cause to beware of this. It bereaved our first Parents Adam and Eve of Paradise, mighty Potentates of their temporal kingdoms, millions of Angels of the kingdom of Heaven. Pride never goes before, but shame goes with it. King Solomon will tell us as much, Prov. 11.2. The same King Solomon in another place, Pride, y Prov. 16.18 saith he, goeth before destruction, and an high mind before the fall. The examples are too many that may be brought to this purpose, as of Nabuchadnezzar, Absalon, Haman, and the like. But it was a wise question of the Son of z Ecclus. 10.12. Syrach, Why is earth and ashes proud, seeing that when a man dieth, he is the heir of serpents, beasts, and worms? But that which should move us most of all to abhor & detest this vice of Pride, is the manner of our Saviour's Birth, & the baseness thereof. And therefore S. Austen, By reason of this Sin, by reason of this great sin of Pride, a Aug. in Ps. 18 p. 65. saith he, God became humble. This very cause, this huge Sin, this great disease of Souls, brought down from heaven our omnipotent Physician. It humbled him to the form of a Servant, it loaded him with reproaches, it hung him on a tree, that by the means of a medicine so sovereign, this tumour might be healed. His conclusion there is, jam tandem erubescat homo esse superbus, propter quem factus est humilis Deus. Let us now saith he, be ashamed, and blush to be proud, for whose sake God himself became to be humble. And again in another b Aug de Temp. Ser. 25. p. 432. place, Behold o man what God himself hath been made for thee; learn now at the length a lesson of humility even from the mouth of that Teacher, who is not able as yet to speak unto thee by reason of his Infancy. Thou being once in Paradise waste of such excellent intelligence that thou gavest a name to every living creature then being; and now for thy sake thy Creator became an Infant, not able to call, not not his Mother by her name. Thou in that most spacious Orchard of fruitful delights didst by neglect of obedience utterly lose thyself; He by obedience to his Father (mortal as he was) came into the streights of a narrow room, that so by dying he might seek out thee that wast dead. Thou being man wouldst needs be a God that so thou mightst perish: he being God would needs be a man to seek out that which had perished. Human pride so far overwhelmed thee, that but divine grace nothing else could ever recover thee. And thus much of the first Instruction out of the first words of my Text. For unto us a Child is borne. The second Instruction I am to gather is out of the next words that follow, And unto us a Son is given: and the Instruction I gather is, concerning the Gift that thus was given us, and the great bounty of the Giver, who provided for us such a Gift, when we for our parts had forfeited to him both our Bodies, and our Souls. For we are not, Beloved, to think that because our Father Adam did eat of that forbidden fruit, and we ourselves after that, borne so many thousand years, that therefore we were innocent, and free from that offence. No the Apostle tells us plainly that Adam's offence was our offence, we are guilty no less than he, forasmuch as all of us came from him, and issued forth of his loins. By one man, c Rom. 5.11, saith the Apostle, sin entered into the world, and Death by sin, and so Death wen● over all men, forasmuch as all men have sinned. Being all of us in this pickle, every Mother, and Mother's Child, see the great bountifulness of God above, see his mercies above measure, even to provide us such a Gift when he might have challenged as already forfeited to him both our Bodies, as I said, & Souls. If some great offender having been at the Bar, arraigned of the most notorious crimes, accused by many witnesses, condemned by the jury, the Sentence pronounced by the judge, were now dolefully marching to his long home, having the Executioner at his heels, every one expecting the last Act of his woeful Tragedy, there should come unto him in this nick of time not only a pardon from his Prince whom he had so grievously offended, but Chariots and Horses to have him come unto him, and by his Prince he should be placed among the first in all his kingdom; would not his Spirit revive like jacobs' Spirit when as joseph sent for him into Egypt? d Gen. 46,28. would not every one stand amazed at the admirable clemency of that king, that not only not punished, but so highly advanced this great Offender? We, Beloved, are this Offender, we are every of us in this plight. We are in this world as at a Bar. We are all arraigned of the greatest crimes that might possibly be acted. We have every of us a thousand witnesses, even our own Consciences to accuse us. We are cast by the twelve Prophets, as it were by twelve men. First the Prophet Hosea saith, Though I have redeemed them, yet have they spoken lies against me, Hos. 7.3. The Prophet joel saith, The winepress is full, yea the winepresses run over, for their wickedness is great, joel. 3.13. The Prophet Amos, he saith, I am pressed under you as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaves, Amos, 2.13. The Prophet Obadiah, he saith, The pride of thy heart hath deceived thee, Obad. 1.3. The Prophet jonas, he is impatient that we are not already executed: you know in what case he was concerning the Ninivites, jon. 4.6. I need not go over the Rest, the Prophet Micah, the Prophet Nahum, the Prophet Habakuk, and so forth, they all sing the self-same note, know one, and know all. The judge hath pronounced the Sentence, e Gal. 3.10. Cursed is every man that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them. The Angels expect (as it were) our execution. Ourselves march dolefully onwardly with Satan our Hangman at our heels. And now Beloved, what hope? Quae res? quae spes? what means to escape? what trust at all? See the goodness of God above. Even in this f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. nick of time, this very, very instant, when there was but as a step between ourselves and eternal death, not only a Pardon comes from heaven to forgive us all, even all that is past, but the Chariots and Horsemen of Israel, our true Elias, jesus Christ, to have us up to God, and there to place us with his Father in that everlasting and heavenly kingdom. God g Ephes. 2.4. saith the Apostle, which is rich in mercy through his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead by sin, hath quickened us together in Christ by whose grace ye are saved. And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ jesus. And thus much of the second Instruction. The third Instruction is from these words, And the Government is upon his shoulder: and the Instruction I gather is, the continual residency of our Saviour Christ, his everlasting presence and perpetuity, as with all his Church in general, so with every member of it in particular. I say his Presence with us, not by a Proxy, but by himself, his own dear self, insomuch that every of us may say as doth the h Psal. 74.13. Psalmist, God is my king of old, the help that is done upon earth, he doth it himself. It was a most kind and loving answer which Ruth made to Naomi her Mother in Law, whenas Naomi returning homewards would have left her behind: The Lord i Ruth. 1.17. saith Ruth, do so to me & more also, if aught but Death departed thee & me. Doubtless if Death could ever have parted our Saviour and us, we had utterly been deprived of him long ago. We had no more known him now a days, than we know King Alfred, or William the Conqueror, who were so many hundreds of years before us. But the truth is, and we may persuade ourselves, that neither l Rom. 8.38. Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature hath been able to separate, or us from him, or him from us. Come we to the whole Church in general, and whenas Saul began to persecute it, he m Zach. 2.8. touched the apple (as it were) of his eye, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Act. 9.4. Come we to the several Churches throughout the world, and he walks in the midst of their Candlesticks, Rev. 1.12. Come we to particular Congregations such as is this where we are now assembled, and he is in the very midst of us, Mat. 18.20. Come we to our Houses in particular, and he passeth a many times over our doors, and will not suffer the destroyer to come into our houses to plague us, Exod. 12.23. Lastly, come we to every member in particular, what one is there amongst us that hath not his presence with him? First the Magistrate, I will not leave thee, nor forsake thee, Josh. 1.5. Secondly the Citizen, The Lord shall preserve thy going out & thy coming in, Psa. 121.8. Thirdly, the Countryman, His God doth instruct him to have discretion, and doth teach him, Esay 28.26. In a word: is any sick and ill at ease? The Lord comfort him, saith the Psalmist, when he lieth sick on his bed, make thou all his bed in his sickness, Psal. 41.3. Doth any man droop by reason of sin, & doth he go mourning in regard thereof? I, saith the Lord, even I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for my own sake, and will not remember thy sins, Esay 43.25. And again, n Esay 40.1. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, will your God say. Speak comfortably to jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lords hand double for all her sins. And again, o Mat. 11.28. Come unto me, all ye that are weary and laden, and I will ease you. Nor is it meant by so coming that we should betake ourselves unto our Feet: say not in thy heart, p Rom. 10.8. saith the Apostle, who shall ascend into heaven! (that is to bring Christ from above.) The word is near thee even in thy mouth and in thine heart. This is the word of faith which we preach. But what need we these particulars to find out by piece-meal his presence with us? Go we to the SACRAMENT to be now celebrated, & bar from thence a corporal presence, a barbarous, capernaical, Cyclopical eating of him, q Homer Odyss. l. 9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the bowels, and blood, and flesh, and bones: and see if by participating thereof, we enjoy him not as truly, as truly he is in heaven. True it is we do it SPIRITVALLY, and we do it BY FAITH, but if ever Faith was the evidence of things which are not seen, as the Apostle describes it to the Hebrews, Heb. 11.1. then doubtless is this our Faith as fair an evidence to us of our Saviour's Presence with us howsoever unseen. Again if Spiritually, and by such a Faith, he was so truly enjoyed by Abraham before his coming into the world, as that Abraham rejoiced to see his day, joh. 8.56. Why should not we rejoice alike, since alike we enjoy him as Abraham did, really, truly, verily, effectually, only not corporally, not carnally. St. Hilary hath an excellent speech that aimeth both at this point, and at all that hath been spoken concerning the Birth of our Saviour Christ. If the Word be truly made flesh r Hilar. de Trinit. l. 8. Vid. B. jewels Defence of the Artic. Art. 5. p. 339. & B. Cranmer of the Sacrament against Winchest. p. 165. saith he, & truly we receive the Word being flesh, in the Sacrament: how is the same Word to be thought not to devil in us naturally (his s D. Fulke against Hesk. p. 199. meaning is, Truly) seeing he hath both taken the nature of our flesh now inseparable to himself in that he is borne man, and also hath adjoined the nature of his flesh to the nature of his eternity under the Sacrament of his flesh to be communicated unto us. So that we do truly and verily receive our Saviour by participating of the Sacrament, even as verily and truly as he is now in heaven above. That he is now above in heaven St Peter will inform us, Act. 3.21. Whom the heaven, saith St Peter, must contain: that we truly and verily do receive him, St. Hilary hath taught us in these words. So that we may go to the Lords Table with this resolution: He is not so contained in Heaven but that here also we shall receive him verily and truly: and again, we shall not receive him so truly and verily here, but that Heaven also doth contain him. But I hasten to my last Instruction. My fourth and last Instruction is from the last words, And he shall call his name Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, and so forth: and the Instruction I gather is, that since our Saviour was to be called by these names in regard of his noble acts, and works, and offices to be performed, we also have a care to answer the Name given to us. The name given to us is the name of CHRISTIANS, and it was given to us first at t Act. 11.26. Antioch: but I know not how it comes to pass, ut etiam nos (as Salvianus u Salvian. de proved l. 3 p. 112. speaks) qui nos Christianos esse diximus, perdamus vim tanti nominis, vitio pravitatis, we of this age by reason of our wickedness lose the worth of a name so glorious. Our Saviour, when as the jews did so much boast of their Parentage, Abraham is our Father: If ye were x Ioh 8.39. saith he, Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye go about to kill me, a man that have told you the truth, which I heard of God: this did not Abraham. Doubtless Beloved, there is much done by us which our Saviour never did: and if any of us can endure that when his Child is much debauched, doth him all the wrong that may be, live an odious & hateful life, all the People should say Like father, like child: a God's name let us go on, let us soothe ourselves in our sins: but yet there will be a time when he that shall come, will come, and will expostulate with every of us for that his Name is thus blasphemed, I say not among the y Rom. 2.24. Gentiles, but which is all one in effect, among the Papists, through us. This his first coming was base, in a Cratch, or Manger, the Ox, and the Ass, (as it were) his Attendants, his Birth, and Breeding, as you have heard: but his Second coming shall be otherwise, with much glory, much pomp: For he shall z 1 Thess. 4.16. descend from heaven with a shout, and with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trumpet of God: & the dead in Christ shall rise first. Than shall we which live and remain, be caught up with them also in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. I may end with the end of my Text: The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. The same Lord so bless us, and the seed that hath been sown, that with you of the Poorer sort, the * Mat. 13.22. cares of this world: with you of the Wealthier, the deceitfulness of your Richeses, with Either of you of either sort, the lusts of other things, grow not up like Thorns and choke it. OUR SAVIOUR'S PASSION. Christmas day Decem. 25. 1612. IT may seem no good congruity Right worshipful, & dearly Beloved, to speak of our Saviour's Passion, on the day of his Incarnation: of his great distress, & misery, on the day of his Nativity. A tale out of time, a Ecclus. 22.6 saith the Son of Syrach, is as Music in mourning, and surely upon this Day, a relation of our Saviour's Death, is as mourning in Music. Howbeit such hath been this whole year past, partly in respect of myself, the loss of so b M D H●lland his majesties Professor who died March. 17. & was buried Mar. 27.. 1612 My dear MOTHER, who died about Michaelmas after, & Sr George Carew Mr of the Wards, in November next, many of my dearest Friends, partly in respect of us all, the loss of c PRINCE HENRY. ONE above all, that as Mourning befits Me best the Speaker at this time, so is it not altogether unfit for you, at this time the Hearers. After so many Objects of Sorrow then, as have been to a many of us this year past, either of one Friend losing another, or loss of Husband, or loss of Wife, or loss of Parents, or loss of PRINCE, let us now behold the Death of ONE who was all, and every of these unto us: For never FRIEND loved us better, never HUSBAND so loved his wife, never WIFE her Husband, nor MOTHER her Child, nor PRINCE was more lovely: then this Prince of Princes, this great Monarch I am now to speak of, so much the more to be remembered of all and every of us here present, in regard he died for our Salvation, and that a Death more grievous than the most grievous Death that ever was. To this end and purpose have I chosen at this time a certain passage of Esay the Prophet, who though he lived 700 years before that Death of his indeed, described it notwithstanding so fully, so completely in every respect as that S. jerom, as I have told you d Our Sau. Nativ. Ser. 1 p. 6. before, sticks not to call him rather an Evangelist, than a Prophet. The Prophet Esay then, or rather the Evangelist Esay, in his 53 Chapter, the 4 and 5 Verses, thus describeth him to the full: Surely he hath borne our infirmities, and carried our sorrows: yet we did judge him as plagued, & smitten of God, and humbled. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was broken for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. In which words for our better proceeding, I shall observe unto you three points: First a woeful estate & wretched condition wherein all of us were once wrapped, and yet by nature are wrapped still. For the Prophet Esay speaking in this place of Our Infirmities, Our Sorrows, Our Transgressions, Our Iniquities, manifestly showeth that we are the Parties to whom these Infirmities, these Sorrows, these Transgressions, these Iniquities, of right did appertain. Secondly, I note from hence how the Son of God came down from heaven to rid us from that condition, and woeful estate wherein we were, & that as out of these words: Surely he hath borne. He hath carried. He was wounded. He was broken. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. Thirdly, I note the means which he used to that purpose, and that was his HOLY PASSION, and that as out of these words: He hath borne, and carried. Was plagued, smitten, humbled, wounded and broken. Chastisement & Stripes. And of these three points in their order, and first of that woeful estate and wretched condition wherein we were all of us once wrapped, and yet by nature are wrapped still: Our Infirmities: Our Sorrows: Our Transgressions: Our Iniquities. Surely he hath borne our Infirmities, and carried our Sorrows. He was wounded for our Transgressions, and broken for our iniquities. When as Adam the Top of our kin, from whom not we only may fetch our pedigree, but every Nation of the world, I, every Person of every Nation of what Sex and state soever, was placed by God in Paradise to begin the world new begun, it is not I hope unknown unto the meanest of us here, what high e Pererius tells of 10 Prerogatives which Adam had. Perer. in Gen. Tom. 1. p. 349. favours they then were which he found at God's hands: all which how he utterly lost again, and we in him by his Transgression, who is ignorant that hath approached but to the Brink of God's Book. Go we first of all to the first f Gen. 1.27. Chapter, and there shall we read of his Creation, of great authority given unto him over the Fish, and over the Fowl, and over the Beasts of the Field. Go we next of all to the g Gen. 2.22. second Chapter, and there shall we find him placed in Paradise, Eve our Mother created of him, and Marriage ordained between them both. But go we then unto the third Chapter, and we shall no sooner enter there, but we shall immediately there find a strange Metamorphosis, this goodly Creature of God, this Nexus Dei & Mundi, as h jaevel. Epit. in lib. Metaph. Tom. 1. p 357. col. 1. some call him, as i Piccol. Eth. l 2. c 32 p 174 others, Horizon inter corporea & incorporea; as a l Vid. Conimb. de Coel. p. 184. third, Copula & Hymenaeus mortalium & aeternorum: This Tie of God & the World together: this Horizon between corporeal and spiritual creatures: this Conjunction copulative (if I may so speak) of Mortality and Immortality, so dejected, and cast down, as that he had no understanding at all, but was to be compared to the Beasts that perish, Psal. 49.20, m Maphaeus V●g. Aeneid. l. ●…. Nate ubi forma nitens? niveaque in front serenus Ille colour, dulcisque oculorum aspectus, & altae Syderius cervicis honos? The Lord God called to the man, and n Gen. 3.9. said unto him, Where art thou? Non in quo, o Ambr. de Paradis. c. 14. p. 109. saith S. Ambrose, said in quibus es: non in quo loco quaero, sed in quo statu. Not where thou art in respect of place, but where thou art in respect of grace, namely in what case thou art. And Esdras to this purpose, O Adam, p 2. Esd, 7.48. saith he, what hast thou done! for in that that thou hast sinned, thou art not fallen alone, but the fall also redoundeth to us that come of thee. And indeed, Beloved, so it doth, for as if Adam then had held his hand, & had not tasted of that Tree, we had all of us been partakers with him in those great Prerogatives he then had: so on the contrary he offending by the instigation of the woman, and she seduced by the Devil, we all of us offended too, forasmuch as we were all and every of us contained in his loins. According to the propagation of the flesh, q Secundum propaginem carnis in illo eramus omnes antequam nati essemus, tanquam in Parent, tanquam in Radice ibi eramus. Aug. de Verb. Apost Ser. 14 p. 325. saith S. Austen, we were all in him before we were borne, we were all of us in him as in our Father, in our Root. Now as from a Root that is but rotten, nothing can issue but rotten Branches, which Branches spread their rottenness into other Twigs that come of them: so from our first Father thus corrupted, came stained and corrupted Children, who afterwards infected others, and those others infected us. Hence that Deluge of Sin original surrounding the world of mankind, and involving all and every of us that ever since have been borne. Nay go we to our very r Vid. B. Bills. Surveyed of Christ's Sufferings. p. 173. Conception which is a time (you know) before our Birth, and was our Conception without sin? Behold, s Psal. 51.5. saith David, I was shapen in wickedness, and in sin hath my Mother conceived me. For speaks he there of himself alone, or of the natural Conception of all? Of all without all exception, as having done nothing himself, why he alone should so be borne. What? accuseth he then in that place Matrimony itself of Sin? God forbidden. Not, Marriage is not Sin: Marriage is honourable, t Heb. 13.4. saith the Apostle, and it is a Bed undefiled. David's meaning than was, that even the whole lump, and substance of himself conceived, was corrupt with sin, because they were Sinners of whose seed himself came. For such as the Tree is, such is the Fruit. Do men gather grapes of thorns, u Mat. 7.16. saith our Saviour, or figs of thistles? A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Nor in this case doth it avail us a whit, that we are begotten by faithful Parents, such as are regenerate themselves, for as x Aug. de Verb Apost. Ser. 14. p. 326. S. Austen well observes, Every man's Father begets him, Non unde regeneratus, sed unde generatus est, as he himself was borne at first, not as in baptism he was borne again. And he makes it clear unto us by this Similitude. Suppose a good Father, saith he, is as corn sowed at first without any chaff, or husk at all. Dost thou not mark how when it springeth again, it ariseth again with a husk, howsoever at first it was sown without it? Right so Parents, saith he, though themselves be good, holy, and regenerate, yet their Children shall not so be borne. The reason is for that Children are to be borne according to carnal generation, not that generation which is spiritual. Such our own Conception, and our Birth, what are we likewise to bring forth but Birds of the self-same feather, Children as guilty as we ourselves. True it is they are baptised, and that Baptism of theirs doth take away the Gild and Punishment of this Sin: but the Stain or Blot of it remaineth still, and this experience shows even in Infants. Who if they have not what they would, how waspish are they presently? how do they pule & cry? nay, how will they show a shrewd stomach or ever they can go or speak? Imbecillitas membrorum innocens est, y Aug. Confess. l. 1. c. 7. p. 48. saith St Austen, non animus infantium: it is their Limbs are harmless, their Hearts are cursed enough, and I myself, saith he, did in that age things worthy reprehension, but for I was not of capacity to understand what was reprovable, nor Custom, nor Reason did suffer me at that time to be reproved. Come we from Infancy unto Childhood, and are we not then fraught with the effects of Original Sin? Have we not the overplus of Actual beside, Sins of omission, Sins of commission, sins in thought, and word, & deed? Yes without all doubt, and therefore hence those many precepts of wise king Solomon concerning the correcting of Children, as Prov. 13.24. Prov. 19.18. Prov. 22.15 Prov. 23.13. and Prov. 29.17. I spare to allege the Places you may look them over at leisure. Come we afterwards to Man's estate, and then we feel these Relics of Sin more than ever, z Terent. And. Act. 1. sc. 1. Nam antea quî scire posses aut ingenium noscere, dum aetas, metus, magister prohibebant. While age, or fear, or the Rod doth keep us in awe, we can bridle it prettily well, but afterwards who but we. All we like Sheep, a Esay 53.6. saith Esay in the very next words to this my Text, have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way. And Solomon, as if some exception might have been made to words so general, Even a just man b Prov. 24.16. saith he, falls seven times a day, meaning perhaps seventy times seven, sure I am that Seven there in that place may be more, it cannot be less. These things thus Beloved, we may see in some sort that woeful estate and wretched condition wherein we were all of us once wrapped, & yet by nature are wrapped still. For there being in us this Sin Original, and the same since that time having sprowted forth, daily and hourly as it hath, what are we but a sort of caitiffs, & miserable Creatures in God's sight, in whom there is nothing whole, but wounds, and swellings, and soars full of corruption, and consequently but a step between us all, and eternal Death. Which kind of state of ours will the better appear unto us, if so be finding ourselves thus Sinful, we consider in the next place, the Punishments due to sin. The Punishments I grant are many, but I will reduce them unto three, God's wrath for sin: Gods curse, and Death of Body, and of Soul. Unto them, c Rom. 2.8. saith the Apostle, that are contentious and disobey the truth, and obey unrighteousness, Indignation & wrath: there's the first punishment. Cursed is every man d Gal 3.10. saith the same Apostle, that continueth not in all things which are written in the law to do them: there's the second. The soul e Ezech. 18.4. saith Ezechiel, that sinneth, it shall die: there's the third. First concerning Wrath. Is the wrath of an earthly king as Messengers of death, for so king Solomon speaketh, Prov. 16.14? What is it to be subject to God's wrath? The Prophet David when he did but think of it, and but of the kindling of it neither, how was he presently appalled with it? If his wrath f Psal. 2.12. saith he, be kindled, yea but a little, blessed are all they that put their trust in him. The very horror of the word makes him presently (as it were) to g Mr Fentons Perfume against the Plague, p. A. 7. b. bless himself, like a man astonished, and half frighted. Or he makes a kind of sudden stop, as it were an h Aposiopêsis est vel solicitudinis & quasi religionis, etc. De nostrúm enim omnium; non audeo totum dicere Quintl Instit. l. 9 c. 2. Aposiop●sis, as if he durst not have said what followed, like that of Tully, pro Milone: De nostrûm enim omnium: non audeo totum dicere. Secondly, concerning the Curse, were the Curses of Prophets in times passed of such present force and efficacy as that they brought Bears out of the wood to i 2. King. 2.24. destroy a number of graceless Children, nay Fire down from heaven, to l 2 King. 1.10. destroy an Army of graceless men? What is it to be cursed by him from whom those Prophets had all their power? The Earth we tread upon can tell us somewhat, concerning which since those words past, m Gen. 3.17. Cursed is the earth for thy sake: in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life: the Child was never yet borne, nor shall be to the world's end, that hath not more, or less, his portion in that Curse. And howsoever the Prophet David n Psal. 33 5. saith, The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord: yet want there not signs enough withal, and (as it were) footsteps of this Curse. The Heathen saw somewhat to this purpose though they erred in the cause, when they spoke of the many Maladies that are in the world. o Horat. Carm. l. 1. Odd 3. Post ignem aetheria domo Subductum, macies, & nova febrium Terris incubuit cohors: Semotique prius tarda necessitas Laethi corripuit gradum. They imputed it to Prometheus his stealing Fire out of heaven: but Adam indeed was the Prometheus, & his Disobedience was the Fire that hath burnt us almost all up. Lastly, concerning Death, though it be indeed the last, yet is it not the lest of all. For to omit the former Death, the Death we die in this world, which is no doubt a straight Gate, and the straightest p Vid. B. Bilsons Surveyed, p. 391. perhaps that leadeth unto Heaven: what a Death of Deaths is the second, I mean the Death of Soul which contains therein as a worthy Prelate q B Bilson Ib. p. 46. 47. observes, Rejection, Malediction, Fire & Perpetuity of Fire, all included in those words to be pronounced by our Saviour in the day of judgement to the wicked, Departed from me ye Cursed into everlasting fire, Mat. 25.41. Departed from me, there's Rejection: ye Cursed, there's Malediction: into fire, there's the vengeance of that element: into everlasting fire, there's the continuance of it. If Rejection seem but slight, yet Malediction comes presently after: if Malediction seem but little, yet Fire comes after that: if Fire seem little to, yet Continuance comes after that, and in that Continuance that after comes, how many Millions of endless Torments? If after so many thousand years r Aug. De spiritu & Anima l. 1. c 56. saith S. Austen, as all men that are, or shall be, have had hairs on their head, there might be some hope of having those pains ended after that, they might the better be borne and endured: but when after so many Volumes of Ages the Party tormented is to begin a fresh, and to endure so many thousand Prenticeships, and ever be hopeless of being Free, the very thought thereof is far beyond all thoughts, and the experience of it, beyond our understanding. And thus you see Beloved, the case we stand in by reason of our Sins. Let no man flatter himself, or suppose himself to be exempted, if he consider his own nature. If thou Lord s Psal. 130.3. saith the Psalmist, wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss: o Lord, who may abide it? And our Saviour to this purpose, Ye t Luk. 1●. ●0. saith he, when ye have done all those things which are commanded you, say, we are unprofitable servants. Mark, Beloved, Unprofitable Servants, & this as the Rhemists themselves u Rhem in tun● loc. confess, we must always confess to him in humility and truth. Now what was said of that evil and slothful Servant, that did not a jot of that which was commanded him, but that he was Unprofitable: x Mat. 25.30. Cast therefore that unprofitable Servant into utter darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And now Beloved, what difference? May not the same y Eccles. 9.2. condition be to the Just, and to the Wicked, to the Good, & to the Pure, & to the Polluted, and to him that Sacrificeth, and to him that Sacrificeth not? May not the Good be as is the Sinner, and as he that Sweareth, he that Feareth on oath? Yes without all doubt, & therefore the Apostle S. Paul, I z 1 Cor. 4.4. saith he, know nothing by myself, yet am not I thereby justified. And indeed it is to true. For how many Sins pass us to and fro that we do not so much as think of? How many again do we think of, that we think of but very slightly? If our Hands did never offer any violence to our Neighbour, why a Thought against him is a Vid M. Hookers learned Discourse of justification works etc. p. 9 5. 10. bloody enough, and arraings us of Murder before God. If we but Look on women to lust after them, it is Whoredom in his Consistory. To be but Angry unadvisedly, & to say Racha and to Befool our Brother, they are three degrees of comparison, all of them mortal, though the one to be punished by b Mat. 5.22 judgement, the other by a Council, the third by Hell fire. If then this Mint, and Cummin of Sins, for so I may call them in respect, deserve and merit so great punishments, what do those great and weightier ones, as Throats, when they are open c Rom. 5.13. sepulchres, Tongues used to deceit, Lips with the poison of Asps, Mouths full of cursing, and bitterness, Feet swift to shed blood. These then and the like to these, as also the former, and the like to them, are the Sins here intimated in this place. For the Prophet speaking here, of Infirmities, of Sorrows, of Transgressions, & Iniquities, & naming them to be our own: Our Iniquities, our Transgressions, Our Sorrows, Our Infirmities, what doth he else but express unto us in what a pickle we all are, & in what a desperate case we stand before the Tribunal seat of God. I will end this point with that of Esdras: d 2. Es. 4.30. The corn of evil seed hath been sown in the heart of Adam from the beginning of the world, and how much ungodliness hath he brought up unto this time, and how much more shall he yet bring forth until the harvest come. And thus much of the first point, namely that woeful estate and wretched condition wherein all of us were once wrapped, and yet by nature are wrapped still. The second point I noted hence, was that the Son of God came down from heaven, to rid us from this condition & woeful estate where in we were, and that in these words, Surely he hath borne: he hath carried, he was wounded, he was broken, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. HE, and HIM, and HIS. Which three pronouns being Relatives, & therefore consequently rehearsing to us the Party spoken of before: if so be we cast our eyes to the thirteenth verse of the former Chapter, we shall find the Party here meant, to be called there a Servant: Behold my servant shall prospero: he shall be exalted, and extolled, and be very high. But if then we would farther know, who that Servant there was, we must go to the Acts of the Apostles, & overtaking there the Eunuch in his journey towards jerusalem, we shall find him reading this very Chapter from whence this Text of mine is taken. Now as Origen e Origen. in Num. Hom. 27. p. 277. said of reading the Scriptures: It is a torment to the Devils above all kinds of torments, and a pain above all pains, if they see any man reading the word of God, and with fervent study searching the knowledge of God's law, & the mysteries, & secrets of the Scriptures: so on the contrary the Lord of heaven took so great delight in the Eunuches Reading, howsoever he understood not all he read, that he sent him presently an Interpreter to unfold what he read unto him. Than Philip, f Act. 8.35. saith St Luke, opened his mouth, & began at this Scripture, and preached unto him jesus. So that JESUS is the Person to whom these words here have relation: jesus hath borne our Infirmities, jesus hath carried our Sorrows, the chastisement of our peace was upon jesus, and with jesus stripes we are healed. What? will some man say, and doth the Lord then there in that place call jesus his Servant? what? jesus his Son? & what? the Son of his womb? and what? the Son of his desires? I, Beloved, even jesus, and that not only there in that place, but in a many more places beside, as Esay, 42.1. Behold my servant I will stay upon him, mine elect in whom my soul delighteth. And Esay, 50.10, Who is among you that feareth the Lord, let him hear the voice of his servant. I, and as the victorious Black Prince the Son of Edward the Third, used this old english word, g Remains of a greater work. p. 161. ICH DIEN, that is, I SERVE (in imitation whereof our Princes use it to this day, according to that of the h Gal. 4.1. Apostle, The Heir as long as he is a child differeth nothing from a servant) right so our Saviour of himself (though past a child) The Lord, i Esay. 49.5. saith he, that form me from the womb to be his servant: And l Mat. 20.28. again, The son of man came not to be served, but to serve. All to intimate unto us, that howsoever he was coeternal, and coequal with God the Father, as touching his Godhead, yet for our sakes would he be inferior to him, and take upon him our Manhood, that being flesh of our flesh and bone of our bones, he might recover for us that by obedience, which by Adam's disobedience we had lost. Thus the Apostle of him to the Philippians: Who being, m Philip. ● 6. saith he, in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God: but he made himself of no reputation, and took on him the form of a servant, and was made like unto men, and was found in shape as a man. He humbled himself, and became obedient unto the death, even the death of the Cross. And therefore himself of himself, Ps. 40.8, Sacrifice, n Vid. Heb. 10.35. saith he, and meat offering thou wouldst not have; but mine ears hast thou opened. offerings and sacrifice for sin hast thou not required: then said I, lo, I come. In the volume of thy book it is written of me that I should fulfil thy will, oh my God, I am content to do it, yea, thy law is within my heart. Howbeit here, Beloved, we are to know that the name of a Servant in holy Scripture is taken after divers and sundry sorts. Every faithful Person being bought and redeemed from the bondage of Sin, & Satan, to serve and obey God in righteousness, and true holiness, is there a Servant, as Rom. 6.22. and Luk. 1.74. Secondly, one that serveth, and obeyeth God, not only in the common profession of godliness, but in some particular function, and calling, is there a Servant too. So Paul, and james, Tit. 1.1 and james, 1.1. Thirdly, one whom God doth use as an instrument, & means, to effect and perform his will in the work of some particular mercy, or some particular judgement, is there a Servant also. Nay every Creature of God obeying his will, is called there the Servant of God, and therefore the Prophet David: Al, saith he, are thy Servants, Psal. 119.91. Our Saviour was a Servant here in the second sense, and meaning, and his particular Function was, in that he executed as a Mediator the will of God in working Man's redemption, & therefore himself of himself (as I told you before) o Mat. 20.28. The Son of man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life for the ransom of many. And thus much of the second point, that the Son of God came down from heaven to rid us from that condition, and woeful estate wherein we were. Come we now unto the third point, namely the means our Saviour used to that effect and purpose. The Means I told you was his Passion, and that comprised in these words: He hath borne and carried: he was plagued, smitten, humbled, wounded, and broken: Chastisement, and Stripes. Surely he hath borne our Infirmities, and carried our Sorrows, yet we did judge him as plagued and smitten of God, and humbled, but he was wounded for our transgressions, he was broken for our Iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, & with his stripes we are healed. When I say the Means our Saviour used was his Passion, I mean not so his Passion, as if all his p Vid. Master Deering on the Heb. Lect. 9 p. l. 4. and Mr Fox of Christ crucified, p. 51. Life beside had been impertinent to that purpose, for he was made our Redemption, through the whole course of his Life, and what ever he did was somewhat towards the effect of that Redemption. But the holy Scripture attributing commonly our Redemption to his Death, because that Death of his was the very chiefest, and the greatest work of all, hence it is I observe his Passion to be the very true Means indeed. Concerning which his Passion, since the four Evangelists so sufficiently record it in their Writings, & whatsoever they record is oftentimes read unto you, I shall not need to rehearse the particulars as being well known (I hope) to every of you, only somewhat shall I say of his DEATH, as the very upshot of all the rest. To omit then his heavy Soul, even heavy to the Death, his Agony & bloody Sweat trickling down unto the ground: his going forward, and recoiling back, and going forwards again, and again recoiling, almost like that of the Poet: q Ovid. Trist. l. 1 cleg. 3. Ter limen tetigi, ter sum revocatus, & ipse Indulgens animo Pes mihi tardus erat. As, r Mat. 26 39 O my Father if it be possible, let this Cup pass from me. And again, s Ver. 42. O my Father if this Cup cannot pass away from me, but that I must drink it, thy will be done. And again the third time, O my Father if this Cup cannot pass away from me, but that I must drink it, thy will be done. Alas what Ifs were these? How almost liable in a vulgar appearance to that of t Prosper de vocat. Gent. l. 2. c. 26. p. 344. b. Prosper, Virtus nolentium nulla est: Not to do a thing willingly is no virtue: almost to that of u Senec Epist. l. 18. ep. 108. Seneca, Malus miles est, qui Imperatorem gemens sequitur: That Soldier is none of the best, that marching after his General puts finger in the eye: to omit I say all this, as also judas that whorish Dalila that betrayed him with a kiss: the x Vid. Mr Fox of Christ crucified. p. 48. b. tossing of him to and fro, from Annas to Caiphas, from Caiphas to Pilate, from Pilate to Herod, from Herod to Pilate again: The y Quae bona in illa beata vita faciet eos sumere, pro quibus in hac miseria unigenitum suum Filium voluit usque 〈◊〉 mortem mal● tanta p●rferre? Aug. de Civit. Dei. l. 22. c. 24. spettings in his a Mat. 26.67. Face, and buffetings, and upbraiding him with prophesy: the putting on him a b Mat. 27.28. Scarlet rob, the very die, and reflex of their bloody Sins: the investing him with a Crown of Thorns, the precious Stones whereof, the clots of his precious Blood: a Reed given him instead of a Sceptre, as if he had been but a king of Straw: their imposing his own c joh. 19.17. Cross upon his own Shoulders, who was scarcely able to carry himself: d Ver. 18. their crucifying him between two thieves, as the most notorious Malefactor of all three: Fresh volies of Scorns, and Skofs, as, e Mat. 27.40. Thou that destroyest the Temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself: If thou be the Son of God come down from the Cross. And again, f Ver. 42. If he be the king of Israel, let him now come down from the Cross and we will believe him: but nay, nay, He saved others, but he cannot save himself. And again, g Ver. 43. He trusteth in God, let him deliver him now if he will have him. And again, when as he prayed to God saying, Eli, Eli, That is, My God, my God, This man h Ver. 47. say some, calleth Elias: other said, let be: let us see if Elias will come and save him, to omit I say all this, and to come to his very Death. The torments of others when they are violent i B. Bilson of Redemp. p. 7. saith a Reverend Prelate of our age, either hasten death, or overwhelm the sense, and so the pain when it is most grievous, is lest of all perceived. Now concerning our Saviour Christ there was in him no such thing: he died not by l Vid. Mr Perkins on the Creed p. 358. degrees as we do, his senses did not decay, no pangs of death took hold of him, but in perfect sense, and perfect patience both of Body and Soul, he voluntarily, and miraculously, as he was praying to his Father, resigned his Spirit into his Father's hands. In all men else, be the Spirit never so willing, & the measure of faith never so strong, yet unless it please God to shorten, or lighten the rage of their pain, the Flesh repineth at the present anguish, howsoever Grace support the Soul that it sink not under the burden: but He m Bernard. de Pass. Dom. c. 41. p. 70. saith St Bernard, which or clean taketh away, or lighteneth, or shorteneth the force of torments in his Saints, when they are laid upon them by their Persecutors, would not have his own pains lessened a whit. He spared not himself, that knoweth how to spare his own. Now the Manner of rendering his Soul to God, the Scriptures observe most carefully, and so do the Fathers to. St john in his Gospel thus n Ioh 19.30. describes it: Now when jesus had received of the Vinegar, he said, It is finished, and bowed his head, and gave up the Ghost. Whereupon St Bernard: It is o Bern. Feria 4a Hebd. Paenos. p. 31. col. 2. saith he, a great infirmity to die, but to die after such a sort, argues a power no less than infinite. St Luke p Luk. 23.46. reports that jesus cried with a loud voice and said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and when he thus had said, he gave up the Ghost. Whereupon St Jerome observes that the Centurion hearing his Prayer, and seeing him presently of his own accord to sand forth his Spirit, Moved, q Hier. Quaest. ad Hedib. Qu. 8. p. 146. saith he, with the greatness of the wonder, he said, truly this man was the Son of God. St Austen observing the manner of this his Death thus described: Who r Aug. in Evan. joh. Tract. 119. p. 375. saith he, can so betake himself to sleep when he will, as Christ died when he would? who can so put of his garment at his pleasure, as Christ put of his flesh? Who can so easily remove from the place he stands in, as Christ removed from his life? With how great power shall he come to judge, that showed so great power when he died. And again in an other place, His power to die was such s Aug. in Evan. joan. Tract. 31. p 172. saith he, as that some more admired it, than his power of working miracles. Our Saviour himself ratifieth these observations with his own mouth: I, t joh. 10.18. saith he, lay down my life that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself: I have power to lay it down, and have power to take it again. The laying down then of his life was no punishment imposed on him, for u joh. 8.46. who could rebuke him of sin? Nor was it a forcible invasion of Death, for x 1. Cor. 15.56. the sting of Death is sin: but it was a Sacrifice most voluntary rendered to God for our sakes. I, every thing he did, every thing he suffered, he voluntarily did it, and voluntarily suffered it: Thou y Aug. in Evan. joan. Tract. 49. vid. B. Bilsons Surveyed. p. 355 and p. 526. saith St Austen, art troubled against thy will, but Christ was troubled because he would. He hungered, saith he, it is true, but because he would: he slept; it is true, but because he would: he sorrowed; it is true, but because he would: he died, it is true, but because he would. It was in his power to be so, or so affected, or not to be affected at all. And this it is that here in this place the Prophet intimates with so many words: He was plagued, smitten, humbled, wounded, and broken: Chastisement and Stripes. Or if Stripes, and Chastisement, and Breaking, and Wounding, and Humbling, and Smiting, and Plaguing, be not sufficient to express this Death of his unto us, go we to the seventh verse of this Chapter, and there shall we find him, Brought as a Sheep to the slaughter. Or if that be not enough neither, go we farther to the eight verse, & there shall we find him, Cut out of the land of the living. Or if that neither be enough, then let us go to the twelve verse, and there shall we find him, Pouring out his Soul unto death, as if so be the Prophet had now seen (and he saw it no doubt with the eyes of Faith) that which the Evangelist saw with his bodily eyes, how one of the Soldiers with a spear piercing his Side, there issued forth BLOOD, and WATER, joh. 19.34. Why but the Ignorant perhaps will here reply, to what end & purpose is all this? What is it to us or to any other, if so be Christ were thus handled? Be it (as you say) he never sinned, & that he died guiltless, doth that advantage us? Yes Beloved, exceeding much, for had not he thus died, we had died everlastingly Body and Soul. Now by this means the wrath of God is wholly appeased, the law of God satisfied that lay so z Deut. 27.26 Gal. 3.10. heavy upon our Shoulders, and Satan that old Serpent our Adversary the Devil, he was taken in his own trap. Muscipula Diaboli, Crux Domini, a Aug. de Temp. Ser. 174. p 698 saith S. Austen, The Cross of our Lord, was a trap to take the Devil in, the Bait wherewith he was caught, was the Death of our Lord. It fared a while with the Devil, as it did with Turnus that slew Pallas, and was so jovial thereupon, b Virg. Aeneid. l. 10. Quo nunc Turnus ovat spolio, gaudetque potitus who but Turnus now, having slain his Enemy in the field, but the Poet adds shortly after, Turno tempus erit, magno cum optaverit emptum Intactum Pallanta, & cum Spolia ista, Diemque Oderit The time would come whenas Turnus would much repent him of that bargain, and hate those Spoils he had, and the very Time he took them in, and so indeed fell it out with Satan. This proud Goliath, this c Plaut. Miles. Glor. Act. 4. sc. jamne est. Vrbicapus, occisor Regum, Sacker of Cities, and Queller of Kings, who thought no man in all the world able to match him, found One even in Israel, Flesh of our Flesh, and Bone of our Bones, not able to match him only, but also to d Vid. Mr Fox of Christ crucified p. 43. b. and p. 46. a. overmaster him, and to do as David did by Goliath, with his own Sword to cut of his Head. For Satan forsooth was so greedy to devour up all, and every of us, I mean by Death, as that he swallowed up such a Morsel as made him cast up all that ever he had eaten before. So that as Adam being Lord of Paradise, for presuming upon ONE FRVIT that was forbidden him by the Lord, lost his interest in all the rest, which he might have enjoyed all his life: right so Satan having authority given him over all Sinners throughout the World, for that he so far presumed over ONE that was in truth no Sinner at all, he forfeited to him ipso facto all his Authority he formerly had. Thus our Saviour by his Death as it was prophesied long before, being bruised (as it were) by the Devil, did break the Devils Head. e Gen. 3.11. For as if he had committed but one sin, one only sin whatsoever, he could never have recovered himself, but by his Death, and Punishment, should have satisfied eternally, even for that one only Sin: so being guiltless of committing any, I, the very lest that Heart can think, all what ever he did, and suffered, was only for our sakes, even as many of us as believe in him, & endeavour to live a godly life. And thus much of the third point, namely the Means our Saviour used in redeeming us from destruction. Now to apply what hath been spoken, and to make it the fit for our Souls health. Surely he hath borne our Infirmities, and carried our Sorrows: yet we did judge him as plagued, and smitten of God, & humbled. But he was wounded for our Transgressions, he was broken for our Iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, & with his stripes we are healed. It may seem, doubtless, somewhat strange, to such as are conversant in holy Scriptures, that reading there of the Death of any, and finding mention also of their Parents, they always find some Items concerning the Sorrows of those Parents for the death of those their Children: only when we read of the Death of our Saviour, and how his Blessed Mother then was by, we can find nothing there of her Sorrow, nor of any moan at all that she made. Stantem lego, f Ambr. de Obitu Valentiniani p. 9 saith St Ambrose, stentem non lego. I read how she stood by the Cross there, but that she wept at all, I read not. job, when after those many Messages, first, of the loss of his Oxen: secondly, of his Asses; thirdly, of his Sheep; fourthly, of his Camels; and in every of these of his Servants miscarrying; news was brought him at the length, of the loss of his Children too; Than job arose, g job. 1.20. saith the Scripture, and rend his garment, & shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, in all which howsoever he sinned not, nor charged God foolishly, as there it is h job. 1.22. said in that place, yet he sorrowed no doubt very deeply, as was to be seen by these Signs. jacob saw but josephs' Coat imbrued with blood, and supposing him to be slain, he rend his clothes, i Gen 37.34. saith the Scripture, and put sackcloth about his loins, and sorrowed for his son a long season. Those tender Babes in Bethleem that were murdered by Herod, Quibus in primo nascendi limine, as l Aug. de Sanct. Sir 9 one speaketh, aeterna vita obviam venit: whom Life everlasting did meet (as it were) on the very Threshold of their Birth, what a voice did they cause in Rama, m Mat. 2.18. Mourning & weeping, and great lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted because they were not. The Prophet David when his Son Absalon died, that wicked and ungracious Son, what bitter moan did he make for him? O my son Absalon, n 2. Sam. 18.33 saith he, my son, my son Absalon: would God I had died for thee, O Absalon my son, my son. But come we to our Saviour's Death, and cast we our eyes upon his Mother, to see how she takes it, and all the Evangelist will inform us concerning her is, that there indeed she was, not a word of her Sorrow for the same, though no doubt it was then fulfilled which Simeon spoke of long before, That a Sword should pierce through her soul, Luk. 2.35. It is o Tully Orat. ad Brut. & Plin. Hist. Nat. l 35. c. 10. storied of a Painter that being to describe how a certain Damsel was going to her Death (who upon occasion was to be sacrificed) he took upon him to express it with all the cunning that he had. One of her Friends that was a Mourner, and to go in the first rank, he painted, saith Tully, with a countenance exceeding sad, and sorrowful. After him there followed a nearer Friend, and his countenance (as it was to be) so he made it much more sad. Next to him followed her Uncle, and him he made the saddest of all. In setting down of which three Sadnesses, when he had spent all his cunning, and the Father of the Damsel was next to follow, who was in all congruity, to be sadder than all the rest, the Painter for he could not express that Sadness, in as lively a sort as it should have been, drew a vail over his face, as if so be his Sorrow had been such, as that Art itself, or Pencil, could not possibly express it. I cannot think, Beloved, that the Spirit of God did in this respect conceal the Sorrow of the Blessed Virgin towards her Son, as unable to express it. For what cannot he express that dives so deeply into our thoughts, as not a corner there, but is disclosed to him, Psal. 139.1. Nay if it be p Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 35. c. 10. written of Apelles, that he would seem to portray those things which indeed cannot be portrayed, as cracks of Thunder leams, or flashes of Lightnings, Thunderbolts, & such like, what could not the Spirit of God have expressed, that is such a Discerner of our thoughts, and intents of the heart, Heb. 4.12. And would you know the reason then why her Sorrow here is not expressed? It is, as I conceive, to intimate thereby unto us, another point then to be pensive, and to be sorry at his Cross. It is the manner of Friars, and jesuits, as an industrious Writer hath q Mr Perkins on the Creed p. 251. observed, to use the consideration of the Passion of Christ, as a means to stir up compassion in themselves: partly towards Christ, partly towards the Virgin Mary, and withal to kindle in the hearts of their Hearers, an indignation towards the jews that put our Saviour unto Death. And indeed to say the truth, some place there is for this compassion, especially towards Christ: some for this indignation towards the jews, but yet we must not here rest, we must go farther than so, we must acknowledge OUR SELVES the very causes, of all that ever was done unto him: — r Virg. Aeneid. l. 9 Mea fraus omnis, nihil iste nec ausus, Nec potuit. They were our own Sins that crucified him: our own Sins they were, that nailed him to the Cross. And yet notwithstanding all this, if we consider the case aright; that which Tully s Tull. add He●en. l. 2. said of Tears in general, Nihil lachryma citius aresoit: Nothing sooner dries up than Tears, the same may be said, and done, concerning our Tears in this kind. For unless our Saviour thus had died, we had died everlastingly. Si ille non occideretur, t Aug. de Temp Ser. 174. p. 698 saith St Austen, Mors non moreretur. And therefore St Austen again, Hodierno die Dominus noster pependit in cruse, u Aug. de Temp. Ser. 130. p. 638 saith he, & nos epislamur, ut discati● quoniam Crux Christi Feriae sunt & Nundinae spiritales. O my Brethrens, saith S. Austen, it was upon this Goodfryday that our Lord did hung upon the Cross, and yet we feast, and all to learn thereby that the Cross of Christ is a jovial time, and a spiritual kind of Mart. And again in another x Aug. de Temp. Ser. 181. p. 706. place, Illusiones & probra quae pertulit Christus. Crucem, Mortemque eius non suspirijs ingemiscimus, sed continuis celebramus laudibus. Those Scoffs & Scorns that Christ endured, that Cross & Death of his, we do not bewail with tears, but laud and celebrated with continual praises. Rouse up thyself then distressed Soul, thou that grievest, & groanest so much under the Burden of thy Sins: thou whom Satan hath made to see so many Horses and Chariots about thee, whose names are LEGION for they are many, and criest out in great agony, y Mark 5.9. Alas Master, how shall we do? My answer shall be unto thee that of z 2. King. 6.16. Elisha, Fear not, for they that be with us, are more than they that be with them. Nay CHRIST thus crucified, and CHRIST once crucified but thus, & but one only CHRIST, how is he more than all of them, were they again as many more. Witness the Apostle to the Colossians, You a Coloss. 2.13. saith he, which were dead in sins, and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him forgiving you all your trespasses, and putting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, he even took it out of the way, and fastened it upon the CROSS, And hath spoiled the Principalities, and Powers, and hath made a show of them openly, & hath triumphed over them in the same CROSS. And again to the b Rom. 8.34. Romans, Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen? It is God that justifieth. Who shall condemn? It is Christ which is dead, yea or rather which is risen again, who is also at the right hand of God, and maketh request also for us. And therefore in the words immediately following, Who c Rom. 8.35. saith he, shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall Tribulation, or Anguish, or Persecution, or Famine, or Nakedness, or Peril, or Sword? In all these things we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor Things present, nor Things to come, nor Height, nor Depth, nor any other Creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ jesus our Lord. O, but thou wilt say, this is nothing unto ME in particular, this is to the Elect in general, but what shall I find in God's word in particular to Myself? What? But to apply by a true Faith that to thyself in particular, that which is generally there set down. So the Prophet Esay, as a Minister, to another in particular, d Esay 50.8. He is near that justifieth thee, who will contend with thee? Behold the Lord God will help thee, who is he that can condemn thee? So the Apostle S. Paul, unto himself, I live e Gal. 2 20. saith he, by the faith in the Son of God, who hath loved ME, and given himself for ME. Nay, will you see how the same Apostle applieth that in particular to any one, which in particular was spoken to an other? The place is, Heb. 13.5, where that which was said to joshua, Josh. 1.5, As I was with Moses, so will I be with thee: I will not leave thee, nor forsake thee, the Apostle applies to any Hebrew, any Christian whatsoever, Let your conversation saith he, be without covetousness, and be content with those things which ye have: for he hath said, I will not fail thee, neither forsake thee. To apply then the words of my Text. Are they here set down in general, Surely he hath borne our infirmities, & carried our sorrows: he was wounded for our transgressions, he was broken for our iniquities, & so forth? f Heb. 4.2. Mix with Faith but what thou hearest, and thou mayst as truly say of thyself in particular, Surely he hath borne MY infirmities, and carried MY sorrows. He was wounded for MY transgressions, he was broken for MINE iniquities: the chastisement of MY peace was upon him, and with his stripes, I am healed. But alas to what end and purpose speak I now to Distressed Souls? Where are they? Where live they? Where may we but hear of such an one? I for my part would honour the ground that such an one treads upon, I would kiss even the shadow of such an one's Feet. We may see on the contrary a world of hairy g Psal. 68.21. Scalps that go on still in their wickedness, that add (as Moses h Deut. 29.19. speaks) Drunkenness unto Thirst, that is, Security unto Sin, & assemble themselves by i jer. 5.7. companies in Harlots houses. To such indeed may I venture to speak, for where are there not some such, and therefore even in this Assembly supposing there may be ONE at the lest, let me single him out in a word, or two, be it at his own choice to be bettered by it. When Israel l Psal. 114.1. saith the Psalmist, came out of Egypt, & the house of jacob from among the strange people, the Sea saw that and fled, jordan was driven back. The mountains leapt like Rams, and the little hills like young sheep. Whereupon the Psalmist beginning to reason with them, What aileth thee, O thou Sea, that thou fleddest? And thou jordan, that thou wast driven back? Ye mountains that ye skipped like Rams, and ye little hills like young sheep? The answer there is, as it is in one of our m English Bible printed 1608. Translations, n Psal. 114.7. The earth trembled at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of jacob. Ask in like manner, o thou Miscreant, ask of that greater Light of heaven, why at the death of JESUS he became so far eclipsed, as that he was nothing like his wont self when he so much o Psal. 19.5. rejoiced to run his course, and will not he tell thee of like presence of the self same Lord, & God of jacob, & how he then died on the Cross? Will not he tell thee, that the same jerusalem which JESUS had p Psal. 48.2. crowned with such Glory, that it was the joy of the whole Earth, crowned him again with thorns? That that People which JESUS q Exod. 12.36 laded with spoils out of Egypt, spoiled him of the Robes he wore? That they for whom JESUS r Psal. 106.9. dried up the read Sea, to lead them through the Deep as through a wilderness, dried up the Ocean of his blood by spilling it on the ground? That they whom in the day time JESUS s Psal. 78.15. led with a cloud, and all the night through, with a light of fire, conspired against him by day, and in the night came with t Ioh 18 3. Mat. 26.55. Lanterns, and Torches, and Weapons, as if they had come to take a Thief? That JESUS who reigned down u Psal. 78.24. Manna for them, and made them bread of the wheat of heaven, had from them, and by their means x jer. 11.19. Vulg. Wood mingled with his bread? That JESUS who gave to them water out of the very y Num. 20 11. Rock, had z Mat. 27.48. Vinegar and Gall given him again by way of amendss? Exceeding great Ingratitude, and as a Body would think unmatchable, and yet see, o see, thou a Dan. 13.56. Seed of Canaan, and not of juda, whether thy Ingratitude towards him be not more by much, much more. For they for their parts knew not, not they knew not what they did, our Saviour himself did bear them witness, Father, b Luk. 23.34. saith he, forgive them, for they know not what they do: & had they known it c 1. Cor. 2.8. saith the Apostle, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory: but thou canst not be ignorant, how thou dost crucify him d Heb. 6.6. again. They did it then, & at that time when as his Glory was not known, and the e Psal. 2.2. Kings of the earth stood up against him, and the Rulers took counsel together: thou when Kings are his nursing f Esay 49.23. Fathers, and Queens his Nurses. They did it then, and at that time when they had not yielded him any allegiance, nor cast down their crowns before him, thou after thou hast been named with that most sacred name of a CHRISTIAN, and hast been obliged to him by Baptism. But what do I speak to such Beloved, as if such were now present. Such were I sure were here, I would speak unto them as this our Prophet doth to their like in his time: g Esay 1.10. Hear the word of the Lord o Princes of Sodom, hearken unto the law of our God, o People of Gomorrah. Such weet I sure were here, I would speak unto them as the Prophet jeremy doth, h jer. 25.27. Drink, and be drunken, and spew and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which the Lord will sand among you. Such were I sure were here, I would speak in the words of the Prophet Habakkuk: i Habak 2.15. Woe unto him that giveth his Neighbour drink: thou joinest thine heat, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayst see their privities. Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also and be made naked: the cup of the Lords right hand shallbe turned unto thee, and shameful spewing shall be for thy glory. But for in truth I am persuaded that there are no such here in this Audience, let me now come to you that are here, and see what use ourselves may make, of all that hitherto hath been spoken. We have heard then out of this Scripture the Sum of the Whole Bible, even of the Old, and New Testament, to wit, CHRIST JESUS, and him CRUCIFIED: or to speak in the Apostle St Paul's l Coloss. 1 20, phrase, Sanguinem Crucis, THE BLOOD OF THE CROSS. We have seen what our Saviour hath done for us many hundred years ago before that ever we were borne. How the blood of JESUS CHRIST doth m 1 joh. 1.7. cleanse us from all sin. St Peter speaking of this his Cross, and how our Saviour bore our Sins in his Body on the tree, inferreth immediately after: That we, n 1. Pet. 2.24. saith he, being delivered from sin, should live in righteousness. So Zacharias, john Baptists Father, but he goeth one step farther, That we, o Luk. 1.74. saith he, being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, should serve him without fear all the days of our life, in holiness and righteousness before him. So the Apostle unto Titus, and he adds one thing more than Zacharias did. The grace of God, p Tit. 2.11. saith he, that bringeth salvation unto all men, hath appeared, and teacheth us that we should deny ungodliness, and worldly lusts, & that we should live soberly, and righteously, and godly in this present world. All comes to one reckoning, and you see, Beloved, withal, the true use we are to make of this CROSS of CHRIST so much spoken of. If so be we make a q B. Andrews Sermons of the combat between Christ & Satan. Ser. 5. pag. 68 b & Ser. 7 p 95. Dung-cart of it to lad it every day with Sins, gross and enormous Sins, and the next time it is brought unto us, to have as much more for it again, and all for it hath rid us so well already, we much mistake this CROSS of CHRIST, nor is it given us to such purpose. The Mercies of God are great, but his judgements are great too. If after deliverance from Sin (the effect of this his CROSS, and which principally we obtain in receiving the holy Sacrament) we live not In righteousness, as speaks S. Peter, or serve him not In Holiness, and Righteousness, as Zacharias speaks, or live not Soberly, and Righteously, & Godly, as speaks the Apostle S. Paul, Soberly in regard of ourselves, Righteously in regard of our Neighbours, Godly in regard of our Saviour, well may we talk of this his CROSS, but we shall be benefited by it never a whit. Howsoever it prove to others, doubtless to us it may prove but a Dream. An hungry man dreameth, r Esay. 29.8. saith this our Prophet, and behold he eateth, and when he awaketh his soul is empty: a thirsty man dreameth, and lo he is drinking, and when he awaketh, behold, he is faint, & his soul longeth. Right so in this case; They suppose all is well, Come, s Wisd. 2.6. say they, let us enjoy the pleasures that are present, and let us cheerfully use the creatures as in youth. Let us fill ourselves with costly wine, and ointments, and let not the flower of life pass by us? Let us crown ourselves with Rose buds afore they be withered. Let us all be partakers of our wantonness: let us leave some token of our pleasure in every place: for that is our portion, and this is our lot: our Saviour hath paid all the Shot; And so they betake themselves at length to Sleep, even to their Dead sleep. But when the Trump shall awake them at last with this, or the like sound, Behold the Bridegroom cometh, Mat. 25.6. the Foolish Virgins can tell them how they themselves sped in like case. t Mat. 25.11. Lord, Lord, open to us, was but silly Rhetoric to persuade that the Doares of Heaven should be opened. Nor shall they speed a whit better, who shall use more words to that purpose, Many, u Mat. 7.22. saith our Saviour, will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not by thy Name prophesied? and by thy Name cast out Devils? and by thy Name done many great works? And then, saith our Saviour, will I profess to them, I never knew you: departed from me ye that work iniquity. Let us not flatter then ourselves in our Sins. Excellent are the words which the Son of Syrach hath, and worthy to be written in letters of gold: Say not I have sinned, and what evil hath come unto me? x Ecclus. 5.4. for the Almighty is a patiented rewarder, but he will not leave thee unpunished. Because thy sin is forgiven, be not without fear to heap sin upon sin. And say not the mercy of God is great, he will forgive my manifold sins: for Mercy & Wrath come from him, & his indignation cometh down upon Sinners. It is somewhat shorter which he hath in another y Ecclus, 7.8. place, but it is as effectual to the purpose, Bind not two sins together: for in one sin shalt thou not be unpunished. True it is, it is very true, that Christ jesus came into the world to save Sinners, the Apostle St Paul z 1. Tim. 1.15. saith it of him, I, he saith it of himself, The son of man, * Luk. 19.10. saith he, is come to seek, and to save that which was lost, and therefore he preferred when time was, the a Luk. 18 14. Publican, before the Pharisee, b Luk. 7 44. Mary Magdalen before Simon, c Luk. 15.23. banqueted his Prodigal Son more sumptuously than his ever obedient Brother: d Luk 15.5. carried on his own Shoulders his lost Sheep, e Luk. 15.8. looked most narrowly for his lost Groat, f Mat. 20.10. requited their Pains with equal Wages that came to work at unequal Hours: in a word, that g Mat. 18.22. taught S. Peter that most Christian Arithmetic (and therefore himself no doubt was most expert in it) of Multiplying Seven Times, by seventy times seven times, in forgiving his Christian Brother: and yet is that as true which the Apostle hath to the Hebrews, and aught especially to be heeded by us, h Heb. 12.28. Let us please the Lord with reverence & fear, for even our God is a consuming Fire. He is not now as he was to the Bush, Exod. 3.2. The bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed: not, For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall be stubble, and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, and shall leave them neither root nor branch, Malachy 4.1. As soon as Sin then gins to sprout in us, be it but (as it were) a dram of Pride, a thought of Pleasure, a desire of Revenge, or unlawful Gain, &c: let us do as was to be done to the i Ps. 137.9. Children of the Daughter of Babylon, even take them, and throw them against the Stones. Dum parvus est hostis, l Hier. ad Eustoch. de Inst. Virg. saith S. jerom, interfice: ne zizania crescant, elidatur in semine: Let us strangle Sin while it is but a Brat, lest if we suffer it still to grow, in continuance of time it strangle us. It was a wise saying of Ulysses in the m Senec. Treas Act 3. sc. Matris quidem. Poet, Matris quidem me moeror attonitae movet, Magis Pelasgae me tamen Matres movent, Quarum iste magnos crescit in luctus puer. Right so, Beloved, say to COVETOUSNESS; Of a truth thou movest me somewhat, in that thou dost promise' unto me such heaps both of Silver, and of Gold, yet our Saviour's words move me n Mat. 16.26. more, What shall it profit a man though he should win the whole world, if he lose his own Soul? So likewise unto PLEASURE; Of a truth thou movest me somewhat, thy Beauty is so pleasing, & I well remember Solomon o Prov. 9.17. saith, Stolen waters are sweet, & hid bread is pleasant: but forasmuch as he addeth withal, That the Dead are there, & That her Guests are in the depth of Hell: pack hence, be gone, for out of Hell is no Redemption. So likewise to CAROUSING; Of a truth thou movest me somewhat, thy Custom is now a days grown so great, howbeit since the Prophet Esay p Esay 5.11. saith, Woe unto them that rise up early to follow drunkenness, and to them that continued until night, till the wine do inflame them: And q Ver. 22. again, Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and to them that are strong to pour in strong drink: let them follow their Liquor that list, I shall be rather of their Society, r Psal. 35.9. Vulg. Qui inebriabuntur ab ubertate Domus tuae: et s Psal. 36.8. torrent voluptatis tuae potabis eos: who shall be satisfied with the plenteousness of thy House, O Lord, and to whom thou shalt give drink of thy Pleasures, as out of the River. Concerning Sins already past, you see what God hath now done for you. He hath not only forgiven them to you, utterly wiped them away, but this Day as many as would, he hath admitted to his TABLE. He hath given you there his best Welcome. Thousands of his dear Children are this day desirous of the entertainment you have had, and what in one respect, what in an other, they cannot obtain it, not not with tears. Happy we, if we knew our Happiness. But if so be we now return again as doth the t 2. Pet. 2.22. Dog to his own Vomit, or as the Sow that was washed, to the wallowing in the mire, our state is dangerous, our case fearful. St Austen speaking of the Dog, Si Canis, u Aug. in Psal. 83. p. 630. saith he, hoc faciens horret oculis tuis, tu quid eris oculis Dei? If thou abhorrest to see a Dog to do so beastly in thy sight, imagine what thou thyself art, if so be thou shouldst so do, in the sight of God. But enough now at this time. The God of Heaven so bless us, and the seed that hath been sown, etc. OUR SAVIOUR'S RESURRECTION. Easter Day April. 8. 1610. But now is Christ risen from the dead, & was made the first fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also, the resurrection of the dead. 1. COR. 15.20. THE comparison is not uneven, Right Worshipful, and dearly Beloved, which that golden mouthed Father St Chrysostom doth make, between St Paul, & that glorious Sun in the Firmament. The Psalmist speaking of that Sun: It cometh forth, a Psal. 19.5. saith he, as a Bridegroom out of his chamber, & rejoiceth as a Giant to run his course. It goeth forth from the uttermost part of the heaven, and runneth about unto the end of it again, and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. And St Chrysostom speaking of S. Paul, The Apostle S. Paul, b Chrys. Tom. 3. eel laud. D. Pauli. Hom. 8. saith he, is unto men as it were a second Sun, who with the radiant Beams of his Tongue hath illightened the whole World, and compassing about all Nations hath followed the course of the Sun indeed. Which that we may conceive the better, let us compare more at large the Sun, & St Paul together. First then for the Creating of this Sun, we shall find it in the ninth Chapter of the Acts when like that other Sun in the firmament being produced out of darkness, there fell from his eyes as it had been scales, and suddenly he received sight, and rose, and was baptized, Act. 9.18. The rising of this Sun was in the thirteenth of the Acts, & yonder Sun as it riseth to us, when it appeareth above our c Castle of knowledge. p 54. Horizon: so arose the Apostle St Paul above the Horizon of the Church, when as it was said unto the Church by the mouth of the Holy Ghost, Separate me Barnabas and Saul, for the work whereunto I have called them, Act. 13.2. The way whereby the Sun goeth is called by Astronomers the Zodiac, in the which are twelve Signs, which being divided into four Triplicities, square out into four parts, the four Seasons of the Year. The Signs, (as it were) in our Apostles Zodiac, were the Regions of the world, which himself dividing into as many parts as are the Seasons of the Year, in visiting every of them he made (as it were) four d Mosis Pstacheri Analys. Tip p 546. etc. Travails. His first Travail is comprised in the 13. and 14. Chapters of the Acts: his Second, in the 15, 16, 17, and part of the 18. Chapter: his Third, from part of the 18. to the 26: his fourth, & last, in the 27, and 28. being the two last Chapters of that Book. The Degrees (if I may so term them) of every of these Signs, or (to speak a little more plainly for the capacity of some among you) the Places through which he passed in every of these his Travails, were in his first Travail, Selcucia, Cyprus, Pamphylia, Antioch in Pisidia: & his more special Places of abode, were Iconium, and Lystra. The places through which he passed in his second Travail, were Syria, Silicia, Asia minor, and Greece: and the more special Places of his abode were Thessalonica, Beraea, Athens, Corinth, and Ephesus. The Places through which he passed in his third Travail, were Galatia, Phrygia, & Greece again: and the more special Places of his abode, were Ephesus again, Macedonia, Troas, Assos, and Miletum: from whence returning by Coos, Rhodes, Phoenicia, Tyrus, Ptol●mais, Caesarea, and so forth, he arrived at length at jerusalem. The places through which he passed in his fourth and last Travail were Sidon, Cyprus again, Mira, Gnidus and Crect, and the most special Place of his abode was Rome. And at Rome this Sun did set, even as the Sun sets at his going down, being (as Antiquity delivers to us) beheaded at Rome the self same day that St Peter there was crucified. Than was Peter, e Tertul Scorg. advers Gnost. p 615. saith Tertullian, girded by another, whenas he was girded to the Cross. Than was Paul a freeman borne of the City of Rome indeed, when by the nobility of Martyrdom, he was borne (as it were) again. And speaking in another place of the Church of Rome: Where Peter, f Tertul de Prescript. advers. Haeret. p. 83. saith he, was crucified like to our Saviour Christ, & Paul beheaded like john the Baptish. Now Greece, Beloved, being one of the Places which this our Apostle passed in his second Travail, and Corinth in that his Travail, one of the more special Places of his abode, we shall find in the 18 Chapter of the Acts, both from whence it was he thither came, and what it was he there did, and how long it was he there stayed. The Place he came from, was ATHENS the most famous place in all Greece. Athens, the Greece of Greece, as g Thucyd Hist. l. 1. one calls it; the Graecian Vesta, as h Coel. Rhodig. l. 18 c. 25. another; The Sun, the Soul of Greece, as a i Demosth de Cor. third; Athens, the common school of Mankind, for so l Diodor. Sic. Biblioth. Hist. l 12. Diodorus Siculus terms it; Athens, m Philo jud. lib Quod omnis probus liber saith Philo judaeus, the same in Greece, that the Apple is in the Eye, or Reason in the Mind; Athens within whose Walls the only wits of Greece were enclosed, so Paterculus; In a word, Athens was as OXFORD is, an University, and a City. What it was he did at Corinth, is related by himself in diverse passages of this Epistle. He for his part there o 1 Cor. 3.6. planted, n Vell. Paterc. l 1. that is as p Aug ep 48 p. 122 S. Austen understandeth it, he did there Evangelize, there it was Apollos watered, that is, as the same Father interpreteth it, there Apollo's did baptize, Sed Deus incrementum dedit, but God gave the increase. According to the grace of God given unto him, as a q 1. Cor 3. ●0. skilful Master Builder he there laid the Foundation. r 1. Cor. 4.15. In Christ jesus he beget them through the Gospel. They were his work in the Lord, and had he not been (as himself s 1. Cor. 9.1. writes) an Apostle unto other, yet doubtless he was unto them, for they were the seal of his Apostleship in the Lord. The abode he made in this City was somewhat longer then usually he made in other places, it being some Twelve month & an half: sojourning at the first with Aquila, & Priscilla, of whom he speaks in diverse places: and afterwards with one justus, who dwelled t Act. 18.7. nearer to the Church than they did. Having thus long stayed among them, and gone at last from thence (& cause there was he should be gone, for he was as the Sun I told you, not always fixed in one place) than Satan, lo, began his prizes, he made havoc of the Flock, he u 1. Cor. 3.3. sent in Envying, he sent in Strife, he sent in Contentions, and Divisions among them. And as they that are once going down a steep Hill, cannot possibly stay themselves till they come to the very bottom: so these Corinthians forgetting their old Instructor, and wholly addicted now to New, came at length to that downfall as that they stuck not to call in question (nay more than to call) the very chiefest Article of Christian belief, THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. Some x Vid. Chrys. in 1. Cor. 15. Hom. 38. p. 625. affirming that it was not at all; some that it was already past; & some that it concerned not the Body so much as the Renewing of the mind, into so many wandering Errors did they woefully cast themselves, who so wilfully forsook that Path that the Apostle at first trod out unto them. The Apostle, who upon this News was by all likelihood much daunted, and well perceiving that if he helped not in time, it would be the hazard of so many Souls, betakes himself unto his PEN, and y Quod voce non poterat Manu & Literis est locutus Ambr. in Luc. 1.2. de Zacharia Evangelizo manu & scriptione quoad possum. Dr Reyn. the Idol. Eccl. Rom Ep. ad Com. Essex, preacheth now unto them by way of Writing, that he who in former times by the high Priests Letters had so much persecuted the Christians, might by Letters of his own, endeavour as much as might be, to preserve them again in all good sort. Among his several Letters to this purpose, some fourteen in all, is this Epistle of his to the Corinthians written unto them from Philippi. Wherein after sundry passages of a many matters he had in hand. As first and foremost in the four first Chapters, concerning the Schisms that were among them: in the Fift, concerning the incestuous Person: in the sixth, concerning their quarrels: in the seventh, concerning Questions about Marriage and Virginity: in the Eight, concerning things that were offered unto Idols: in the Ninth, concerning the weak Brethrens: in the Tenth, concerning Punishments that befell the Israelites for sin, and might in time befall themselves too: in the Eleventh, concerning their behaviour in their public Assemblies, and Congregations, and Administration of the Sacraments: in the Twelve, Thirteenth, and fourteenth, concerning Spiritual Gifts: he cometh in this Fifteenth Chapter (from whence the words of my Text are taken) to the grand Question of all, concerning the Resurrection of the Dead, which until he cometh unto my Text, he handleth in this manner. First, and foremost, he makes a Preamble, and that in the first, and second Verses. Secondly he proves by many Reasons the Resurrection of the dead: two of them before my Text, four, come after. The First he proves it by, is by the example of our Saviour, and it is in this Chapter from the third verse to the eighteenth, and it is in effect thus much: If there be no Resurrection of the dead, than was Christ not raised from the dead: but Christ is raised from the dead, therefore is there a Resurrection. The Second reason is in the nineteenth Verse, & the Sum of it is this: If so be Christians in this life only, do hope in Christ, then are they of all men the most miserable: but Christians are not miserable, much less of all men the most miserable, therefore in this life only, they hope not in Christ, and consequently they are to rise again from the dead, that they may be partakers of that Hope concerning the Life that is to come. Being thus far on his way, he turns a little aside to the better confirming of that which he had delivered a little before. He had delivered a little before, namely in the sixteenth verse (and it was part of the first Reason he had made) that if so be there were no Resurrection of the dead, than that Christ was not raised at all. He now assumes that Christ is raised, and it is the whole scope of this my Text, & whereof I shall God willing entreat at this time, But now is Christ risen from the dead, and was made the first fruits of them that slept, for since by man came death, by man came also the Resurrection of the dead. Which words, were I to handle before the Learned only, such as some of you are, that here are present, I would observe out of the same these several parcels to be considered: First, a Proposition: Secondly, the Reason of that Proposition. The Proposition in these words: Christ is risen from the dead, and was made the first fruits of them that slept. The reason in these, For since by man came death, by man came also the Resurrection of the dead. In the Proposition I would observe these points, First, the Matter, than the Manner. The Matter in these words: But now is Christ risen from the dead. The Manner in these, And was made the first fruits of them that slept. In the Reason I would observe these points, First the Antecedent, Secondly the Consequent. The Antecedent in these words, Man, and Death: the Consequent in these, Man, and the Resurrection of the dead: Rom. 1.14. 1. Cor. 3 1. but being a many of you as you are, and myself being a Debtor to the Wise, and to the Unwise, to such as are Strong in Christ, and to such as are Babes, I will betake myself to a plainer Method, such as the meanest of you may conceive, namely first by discoursing of the words of this my Text as here they lie in order, and then by gathering thence such Instructions as the same shall afford unto us. First and foremost then as touching the Words: But now is Christ risen from the dead. Who it is, is meant by Christ here, the meanest amongst us is not ignorant of. Our very Belief informs us of him when even in our Infancy we learn to say, And in jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord. Besides that afterwards when we come to greater groat we make not a Prayer or in the Church, or in our private houses at home, but the Conclusion you know is, either in so many words, or in sense, Through jesus Christ our Lord. The ground whereof, is that of our Saviour, joh. 16.23, Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you. And again, Ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be full, joh. 16.24. Howbeit all of us that ask in Christ his name, do not all perhaps know why our Saviour was named Christ. The word in truth is a Greek word, and signifies Anointed. Now as among the jews before the coming of our Saviour three sorts of men were anointed with oil, as a Saul and David. 1. Sam. 10.1. & 1. Sam. 16 13. PRINCES, b Aaron, and his Sons. Exod. 30.30. & Levit 8.12. PRIESTS, and c Elisha the Prophet, 1 King 19.16. PROPHETS, d Vid. P. Mart. Loc Com. Class. 2. Loc. 17. partly to signify the great Conflicts they were every of them to endure, partly the plentifulness of God's Spirit, that by that anointing was given unto them: right so Beloved, our Saviour himself being anointed by the Lord, First to be our PROPHET, Secondly to be our PRIEST, & Thirdly to be our PRINCE, had thereupon this name Christ, that is, Anointed, given unto him. He was a Prophet, I, A Great Prophet, Luk. 7.16. He was a Priest, I, An High Priest, Heb. 5.5. He was a Prince, I, A Prince for ever, Luk. 1.33. The time he was thus anointed in, was the time of his Conception, even before he was borne, & therefore he was no sooner borne, but an Angel e Luk 2.10, said unto the Shepherds, Behold, I bring you tidings of great joy that shall be to all the People: that is, that unto you is born this day, in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. So that this Anointing though it were not with material oil, yet was he anointed notwithstanding. The Lord anointed him, Esay, 61.1. & God, even his God, hath anointed him with the oil of gladness above his Fellows, Ps. 45.8. And thus much of Christ here in this place, now concerning the Words annexed. But now is Christ risen from the dead. This word Now, here in this place f Musc. in hunc loc. saith a learned Interpreter, Non temporis habet connotationem, sed praemissae argumentationis conclusionem, betokens not the time when this Resurrection was performed, but the Conclusion of the Reason that was made a little before. I told you the Reason was, If there be no Resurrection of the dead, than was Christ not raised from the dead: but Christ is raised from the dead, therefore is there a Resurrection. The Assumption which in some respect may be called the Conclusion of the former Reason, is here set down in the words of my Text, and therefore the Apostle here in this place, But now is Christ risen from the dead, without any reference to the time at all, like as he saith elsewhere, Now then there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ jesus, Rom. 8.1. And thus much of these words, But now is Christ. It followeth, Risen from the dead. The rising of our Saviour Christ from Death to Life, doth argue that he passed when time was, from Life to Death. The time he passed in from Life to Death, was (as it were) three days since, when on GOOD-FRIDAY, as we commonly call it (Good for us indeed, though never Day more dismal to that Prophet, and Priest, and Prince of ours, if we respect his manifold Sorrows in it) when on Goodfryday I say, he humbled himself, and became g Philip. 2.8. obedient unto the death, even the death of the Cross. When to speak in St Bernard's h Bernard de Passione c. 17. words, The incomprehensible God, would needs be comprehended; the highest, humbled; the most mighty, despised; the most beautiful, deformed; the most wise, be like a beast; the immortal would suffer death; and to speak all in few words, when God would become a worm. What is higher than God, saith he, what is base than a worm? Howbeit as Moses said to the Children of Israel when they were environed with their Enemies, & they saw nothing at all but Death, Death before them, and Death behind them, and Death on each side, i Exod. 14.13. Fear ye not, stand still, and behold the salvation of the Lord, which he will show to you this day: right so Beloved, let us not fear at what hath been said concerning our Saviour, but behold the Salvation of the Lord which he hath showed unto us this day. This Day, this very Day, our Saviour restored himself to Life again, l 1. Cor. 15.54. Death was swallowed up into Victory. He that spoke to the Fish, and it cast up jonas, spoke to the Earth, and it cast up jesus. Whom God m Act. 2.24. saith St Peter, raised up, and loosed the sorrows of death, because it was unpossible that he should be holden of it. Praedixit n Bernard in Pasc. Ser. 1. saith St Bernard, & revixit: he told us before that so it should be, and so indeed it came to pass. o Vid. My Lord of land on jonas, Lect. 30. p, 411. The Earthquake at the very time of his Resurrection; the testimony of Angels; his manifestation to his Disciples, to one, to two, to twelve, to more than five hundred at once; his breaking of bread amongst them; the prints of his Hands and Sides; their fingers and nails even thrust in his Sides; his appearing at last to him who did most of all misbeleeve it, the Writer of this Epistle, are all sufficient Witnesses of the truth of this matter. Quid expressius atque signatius, p Tertull. de Resurrect. carnis, p. 34. saith Tertullian, in hanc causam, aut cui alij rei tale documentum? What can be alleged for better proof in behalf of the cause we have in hand, what other thing hath ever been better confirmed to us? So that as Tully q Tully Orat. pro Q. Rosc. Com. said in Roscius his case, Hoc ego loco, soluto & quieto sum animo, & quorsum recidat responsum tuum, non magnopere laboro: firmissimis enim & sanctissimis testimonijs Viroroum optimorum causa Roscij communita est: we in this case may say much better, that concerning our Saviour's Resurrection, we are, as we aught to be, fully resolved, nor do we pass a whit what jew, or Gentle, can say against it, since it is so confirmed to us by so many sundry kinds of several Witnesses. It followeth: And was made the first fruits of them that slept. That in this place by Them that Slept, are meant the Dead, is a Note perhaps that needs not, were there not some in this Assembly, not so skilful in Holy Scripture as are the rest. Such as they are, are to know, that it is an usual phrase of speech both in Old, & the New Testament. Thus is it there said of king David that he r 1 King. 2.10. slept with his Fathers, and of s 1. King. 11.43. Solomon, and t 1 King 14 20. jeroboam, and u Ver. 31. Roboam, and the rest. Thus is it there said of x Act. 7.60. St Stephen also, and our Saviour himself so y Ioh 1.13 spoke of his Friend Lazarus being dead. The very Heathens spoke so of Death to, and therefore one of them, he calls Sleep, the a Stulte quid est somnus geiidaes nisi mor●… imago? Ovid. Amor. l. 2. cleg 9 Picture and Counterfeit of Death: b Consanguineus lethi sopor Virg Aeneid. l 6. an other, the Kinsman of Death, c Frater fratrem amplectitur. Vid. Aelian Var. Hist. l. 2. c. 35. an other, The Brother of Death: a d Menander in M●nostch. fourth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, little mysteries of death. And to say the very truth, divers and sundry are the properties that Death hath with Sleep, and Sleep, with Death. First, no man living can always wake, and no man alive but once must die. Secondly, a man going to his rest puts of his Garments, and we when we are to die must of with this Body of ours, which is, as e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril. Hyeros. Catech 4 p 91. St Cyril calls it, the Garment of the soul. Thirdly, Sleep as Philosophy teacheth us, comes from the vapours in the Head, and the fruit forbidden that Adam our Head tasted of, hath exhaled ever since such a noisome vapour in every of us, that die we must, we must die, we must all and every of us fall at length into this dead sleep. Fourthly, Sleep is a sweet Recreation to us for all the labours of the Day past, f Ovid. Met. l. 11. Somne quies rerum, placidissime somne Deorum, Pax animi, quem cura fugit, qui corpora duris Fessa ministerijs mulces, reparasque labori: and Death is a sweet Repose for all our Labours, & all our Travails. O Death, g Eccles 41.2. saith the Son of Syrach, how acceptable is thy judgement unto the needful, and unto him whose strength faileth, and that is now in the last age, and is vexed with all things, and to him that despaireth, and hath lost patience Fiftly, no man goeth to his Rest but he hopes to rise again, and no man goeth to the Grave but he shall rise again indeed. Ideo dormientes appellat h Aug de verb. Apost. Ser. 32. p. 277. saith St Austen, Scripturae veracissima consuetudo, ut cum dormientes audimus, evigilaturos minimè desperemus. Lastly, he that is easily awaked if so he be called, and so shall we awake when we shall be summoned by sound of Trump, for the Trump shall blow, and the dead shall be raised up incorruptible, and we (that live) shall be changed; 1. Cor. 15.52. And again, The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, and with the voice of the Archangel, & with the Trumpet of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Than shall we which live and remain, be caught up with them also in the Clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord, 1. Thess. 4.16. But it is not my project & purpose to deliver unto you at this time all the mutual correspondences that are between Sleep and Death, it is enough that you understand that the Dead are meant in this place by those that Sleep, and now must I show unto you why our Saviour is here named, The first fruits of the Dead, in that it is here said, And was made the first fruits of them that slept. The First Fruits among the jews were those i Primitiva sunt animantium, & inanimantium, quae prima nascuntur, & quae primùm terra gignit. Hier. in Ezec. c. 44. pag. 549. Col 1. Primitiae quantum ad terrae noscentia de septem rebus tantùm dabantur, scilicet de Frumento, Hordeo, Vinea, Oliva, Malogranato, Ficu, & Palma. Lyra in Deut. 26. ex Rabbi Solomone kind of fruits that were first of all ripe, & brought into the Temple. They were brought into the Temple for the Priest to bless, that in blessing of the same, the rest also that were as yet abroad in the Fields, might participate of that blessing. This it is that this our Apostle saith, Rom. 11.16. If the first fruits be holy, so is the whole lump: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. Of First fruits we may read, Levit. 23.10. & 10.24. Deut. 26.1. and Ezech. 44.30. Such then being the First fruits, the meaning is, That our Saviour was the First that rose again from the dead, who in that case being sanctified as the first fruits of the dead unto God, the Dead likewise that then were, and shall be to the world's end, shall be sanctified alike with him. I mean such as are such fruits as he himself was, Wheat, not Chaff, Grapes, not Wild Grapes, Olives, not Wild Olives, and so forth of the rest. Howbeit here it may be objected that seeing many before our Saviour were restored from death to life, as the l 1. Kin 17 22 Widow of sarepta's Son by Elias the m 2. Kin. 4.34. Shunamites Son by Elisha, the n Mark. 5.42. Daughter of jairus by our Saviour himself, as also the o Luk. 7.15. Widow's Son of Naim, and p joh. 11.44. Lazarus of Bethania, how our Saviour could possibly be the first fruits of the dead: it is true they were thus restored indeed, howbeit after their return to life, they were still subject to Sin and Death as they had been always before that. q Vid. B. Bilsons Full Redempt. p. 154. & p. 217. But the first that ever rose into a happy and heavenly life, that without all doubt was our Saviour, who in that respect is termed The first that should rise from the dead, Act. 26.23: and, The first begotten of the dead, Rev. 1.5. The first begotten of the dead, r Basil. Cont. Eunem. l. 4. p. 349. saith S. Basil, quia causa fuit, & est, ut omnes mortui resurgant ad vitam immortalem: because he was, & is the cause that the Dead should rise again to life immortal. It followeth in the last words, For since by man came death, by man came also the Resurrection of the dead. How Death came first by Man, and by what Man, what Death, is apparent to all such as have but read, or heard read, the first three Chapters of God's Book. It is a story set down at large, and should I as largely relate it to you, the time would cut me of, and prevent my other meditations. The Sum thereof is this. The Lord of heaven having made this great World as it were a large Volume, made afterwards an Epitome of it, and that was Man. All things else, s Tertul advers. Martion. l. 2. p. 149. saith Tertullian, he created at the first, imperiali verbo, by his word. He spoke, saith the Psalmist, and it was done, he commanded, and it stood fast, Psal. 33,9. But as for Man he made him, familiari manu, with his finger's ends, he bestowed (as it were) much more pains in contriving, and making him. Concerning the rest of the Creatures made, Let there be light, t Gen 1.3. saith he, and there was light, u V 7. Let there be a firmament, and it was so. x V 9 Let the waters be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear, and there was both Earth and Sea. y V 14. Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven, & there was both Sun and Moon, and Stars. z V 20. Let the waters bring forth in abundance every creeping thing that hath life, and there was both Fish and feathered Fowl. a Gen. 1.24. Let the Earth bring forth the living thing according to his kind, & there were presently Beasts, and Catle: But when he came to make MAN, he said not let there be Man, as he said of all the rest, which had been as sufficient for the making of him, but first, b V 26. Let us make Man: and then, In our image according to our likeness: & then, Let them rule over the Fish of the Sea, and over the Fowl of the Heaven, and over the Beasts, and over all the Earth, and over every thing that creepeth, and moveth on the earth: and then he made the Man of the c Gen. 2.7. dust of the ground, and then breathed in his face breath of life: & then of the d V 22. Rib of Man he made a Woman to bear him company, for as much as it was not good that the Man should be himself e V 18. alone. And here with f Tertul advers. Martion. l. 2. p. 149. Tertullian, let us consider ere we go any farther, the many goodnesses of God towards Man. The Goodness of God made him first of all, of the dust of the Earth: the Goodness of God breathed life into him: the Goodness of God gave him dominion over all the Beasts of the Field: the Goodness of God afforded him such delights beside, that though he were Lord of all the world, yet his abode should be in Paradise the beauty of the world: the Goodness of God provided for him an Helper too, NE QVID NON BONI: saith Tertullian, being himself a married man, lest any good thing might be wanting to him: the Goodness of God gave him a Law too, that man himself might only be subject to that God, who had made a little before, all things subject unto man: the Goodness of God foretold him the peril that would ensue if he broke that Law, unwilling doubtless, saith Tertullian, that ever he should break it, who foretold him so truly the punishment before. Thus was Man full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty, as g Ezec. 28.12. speaks the Prophet. He was in Eden the Garden of God, every precious Stone was in his Garment, I mean his Soul. The Ruby, the Topaz, the Diamond, the Chrysolite, the Onyx, the jasper, the Saphier, the Emrod, and the Carbuncle: he was the anointed Cherub; And yet for all this what became of Man at length? Man, h Ps. 49.20. saith the Psalmist, being in honour hath no understanding, but is compared to the Beasts that perish. Nay more than by way of comparison too. Those things are compared to other, that in no wise are the same, but the condition of the Children of Men, and the condition of Beasts, are (as the Prophet tells us) the self same. As the one dieth so dieth the other i Eccles 3.19. saith he, for they have all one breath, and there is no excellency of Man above the Beast, for all is vanity. All go to one place, and all was of the dust, & all shall return to the dust. And thus hath Adam plunged us all into a Gulf of miseries, insomuch that all and every of us may now say with l 2. Esd. 7.48. Esdras, O Adam, what hast thou done? for in that thou hast sinned, thou art not fallen alone, but the fall also redoundeth unto us that come of thee. By Man came Death. But what? is there no Balm at Gilead? Is there no Physician there? may not this Health of ours, this Sin, this Fall, this Death, be healed, or recovered? Son of man, m Ezec. 37.4 saith the Lord to Ezechiel, can these bones live? To whom when Ezechiel answered, O Lord God, thou knowest: Prophesy, saith the Lord, upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones, Behold I will 'cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, & make flesh grow upon you, and cover you with skin, & put breath in you, that ye may live, and ye shall know that I am the Lord. The Lord spoke it, and performed as much, there was a n V 7. noise, and a shaking, and the Bones came together, bone to his bone, the Sinews and the Flesh grew upon them, the Skin covered them, & they did live. And even as they did, so shall we, not a Bone of ours shall be missing, Sinews and Flesh shall grow upon us, the Skin shall cover us, and we shall stand upon our Feet an exceeding great Army. I, & that so certainly as if it now were done already, For since by Man came Death, by Man came also, mark Beloved, came also, not cometh, or shall come, but by Man came also the Resurrection of the dead. For as Adam's Flesh was the POISON that infected all, and every of us: so our Saviour's Flesh is the Treacle that shall quicken us all, & every one. He was the first-born of the Dead, he was the First-fruits of them that slept, so that we also shall rise again, we shall revive as he did. Our Bodies, as o 1. Cor. 15.42 speaks the Apostle, are sown in corruption, but they are raised in incorruption: they are sown in dishonour, & they are raised in glory: they are sown in weakness, and they are raised in power: they are sown natural Bodies, and they are raised spiritual Bodies. Thou sowest not p Ver. 37. saith the same Apostle, as it is in our last Translation, that Body that shall be, but bore grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain, but God giveth it a Body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own Body. Excellent are the words of Tertullian hereupon: The Grain of corn, q Scritur solum modò granum sine folliculi vest, sine fundamento sp●cae, since munimento aristae, sine superbia culmi. Exurgit autem copia foeneratum, compagine aedificatum, ordine structum, cultu munitum & usquequaque vestitum. Haec sunt ei corpus à Deo aliud, in quod non abolitione, sed ampliatione mutatur. Tertul. de Resurre. Carn. p. 57 saith he, is sown without an husk, or without an ear, or beard of an ear, or without any stem or stalk; but it riseth again in much more plenty, well couched together, in due order, fairly decked, and trimmed, and closed in on every side. And this is the Body God gives it, not in that it is abolished, but increased more at large. And such a change by way of proportion shall be in our Bodies, and as we have r 1. Cor. 15 49 borne the image of the Earthly, so shall we bear the image of the Heavenly. Now whereas there may seem more likelihood of our saviours Body rising again, then may possibly be of Ours, forasmuch as he rose again the third day, our Bodies are not like to rise again many hundreds of years after their Burial (not more than theirs that have been buried so many several Ages gone and passed) that s Aug. Epist. 49. p. 125. saith St Austen, is all one: for that both unto human ability as they are impossible alike, so both again to Heavenly Power are light, and easy to be performed. For as the Sight of our Eye, s Aug. Epist. 49. p. 125. saith he, reacheth as soon to things a far of, as it doth to things nigh at hand, and it is not longer in seeing a Mile of, then in seeing things that are hard by: even so the Apostle saith he, informing us that the Resurrection shall be performed in the twinkling of an eye, t 1. Cor. 15 52 it is as easy for God's Omnipotency to raise up Carcases already dead many thousands of years ago, as those that died but three days since. Nor shall it be prejudicial hereunto saith the same St Austen in an other place, though a man be burnt to ashes, or torn with Dogs. Omnia u Aug. in Psal. 62 p. 438. saith he, quae discerpuntur, & in favillas quasdam putrescunt, integra Deo sunt. All things whatsoever have by any manner of means been dissolved, or turned into ashes, they are safe, and sound unto God. And thus much of the Words as they lie in order in my Text, now as touching such Instructions as the same shall afford unto us. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and was made the first fruits of them that slept. For since by man came Death, by man came also the Resurrection of the dead. First and foremost then from these words: But now is Christ risen from the dead, the Instruction I gather is, that we always bear in mind our Saviour's Victory over Death. Remember x 2. Tim. 2.8. saith the Apostle St Paul among his many Memorandums unto Timothy, that jesus Christ made of the seed of David, was raised again from the dead. If Timothy Paul's a 1. Tim. 1.2. natural Son in the Faith, a b 1. Tim 6.11. man of God, one in whom was c 2. Tim. 1.5. Faith unfeigned, that d 2 Tim. 3 10. fully knew the Apostles Doctrine, and the e 2. Tim 3 15. Scriptures of a Child, & (if the Translation of the Postscript of St Paul's second Epistle unto him, deceive us not) the First f 2. Tim 4 22. Bishop of the Church of Ephesus: if Timothy, I say, had such need to have this Memento given unto him, that Christ was raised again from the dead, how should we be remembered of it, and notwithstanding our learning of it heretofore, how is it likely we may forget it. Fluitat humana Memoria g Aug. de Consens. Evang. l. 3. c. 13. p. 352. saith St Austen, nec in cuiusquam potestate est, quid & quando veniat in mentem. The memory of man, goes often a woolgathering, nor is it in any man's power whatsoever to say aforehand, he will remember such a thing, and at such a time. The most obnoxious to Faults of Forgetfulness are commonly Old men, and yet h Nec vero quem quam Senum audivi oblitum quo loco thesaurum obruisset. Tul. the Senect. saith Cato, I for my part have never heard of an Old man that ever forgot where he hide his Gold. Doubtless Beloved, there is in this point a golden Treasure, and though perhaps we should never forget where we had hid it in times past, namely, in our Hearts, yet such is the subtlety of Satan daily seeking to circumvent us, & to become Master of this Prize, that as Euclio in the Poet had i Nunc ibo ut visam, sune ita aurum ut condidi. Plaut. Aulul. Act. 1. sc. Exi●inquam. still a mind to his Pot of Gold for fear of false fingering, so, and more than so it behoveth us to be still having a care whether this our Treasure be there or no. Concerning the worth of this Treasure, St Paul will tell us, no man better: I, l Philip. 3.8. saith he, count all things to be loss, and judge them to be dung, that I might win Christ, and might be found in him, that is, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, even the righteousness which is of God through faith, that I may know him, and the virtue of his Resurrection, and the fellowship of his afflictions, and be made conformable unto his death. And this that we also may the better do, let us call to mind first and foremost, how our Saviour himself by his own power did raise himself to Life again. I, m joh. 10 17 saith he, lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself: I have power to lay it down, and have power to take it again. Nor is it prejudicial hereunto that this his Raising again is attributed n Rom. 4. ●4. sometimes to the FATHER, o Rom. 8.11. sometimes to the HOLY GHOST, seeing the Holy Ghost, the Father, and Himself are all one: the glory equal, the majesty coeternal. And howsoever the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty: & the Holy Ghost Almighty: yet as Athanasius p Athanasius Creed. tells us, they are not three Almighty's but one Almighty. Secondly, let us call to mind how he arose again with an Earthquake. There was q Mat. 28.2. saith St Matthew, a great Earthquake: and this great Earthquake no doubt was a Preamble 〈…〉 〈…〉 ●…dy, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither give ye your Members, as weapons of unrighteousness unto sin: but give yourselves unto God, as they that are alive from the dead, and give your Members, as weapons of Righteousness unto God. And again to the h Ephes. 5.14. Ephesians, Awake thou that sleepest, and stand up from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. What? and hast thou not thy part then in this First Resurrection? Dost thou not found, and feel in thyself, the kingdom of God in thee yet begun? Art thou now as prove to all evil, as ever in all thy life before? as ready to rap out an oath, to drink & to be drunken, nor to reverence or God, or Man, but to follow thine own lust, to abandon thyself to thy own pleasure? Fear and tremble: there is not a Second, without a First: if so be thou beginnest not in this life with this first Resurrection thus spoken of, there must concur a many Miracles to make thee partaker of the Second. It is true concerning the Thief, Subito in ictu oculi de Cruse in Coelum transilivit: he made, i Aug. de Temp Ser. 130 p. 634 saith S. Austen, but a skip from the Cross he hanged upon into Heaven: but that of S. Austen is as true again, & he hath it in more places than l Aug. de Verb. Dom. Ser. 16. p. 49. & Ser. 59 p. 1512 & Hom. 11. p. 299. one: God hath promised, I grant, forgiveness of sins, when ever thou shalt repent, but if so be thou repent not to day before to morrow, he hath no where made promise to thee, that thou shalt live till to morrow. I suppose, m Sen de Tranquil. vitae l. 1. c. 1 saith Seneca, that a many might have attained unto Wisdom, had they not had a self-opinion that they had attained unto it already: & many by much likelihood, might have been Saints in the kingdom of Heaven, had they not made themselves afore hand too too sure and secure thereof. True it is, we hold a CERTAINTY, but not a SECURITY of Salvation: Certus sum, n Rom. 8.38. saith the Apostle S. Paul, I am persuaded that neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor Things present, nor Things to come, nor Height, nor Depth, nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, who o Ephes. 2.12. wills the Philippians notwithstanding, Christians as good as were the Romans, to make an end of their own Salvation with Fear, and Trembling. But thus much of the Second Instruction. The Third, & Last Instruction I am to make, is from the last words of my Text: For since by Man came Death, by Man came also the Resurrection of the Dead: & the Instruction I gather is this: that since the Resurrection of the Dead hath come by Man, the Seed of the Woman, nor Man, nor Woman aught at all to fear Death. Not that I would have Death despised altogether, since it came in first by Sin: and it is the Punishment of Sin, and wholly to despise Death, is an Argument, p Gualther in joh. 12. Hom. 118. Vid. B. Bilsons Surveyed of Christ's Sufferings. p. 150. saith a learned Writer, of a Mind scant religious. It is an ungracious Child that despiseth the Punishment of his Father, and that Servant that sets but light by his Master's Correction, is without all doubt a lewd Servant. Howbeit here, Beloved, as it is exceeding hard for the best of us all to keep a Mean: so are there none almost, but when Death approacheth in very deed, betake themselves to the worse Extreme, and are too too much frighted with it. Behold, q job. 4 3. saith Elephaz unto job, thou hast taught many, and hast strengthened the weary hands. Thy words have confirmed him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the weak knees. But now it is come upon thee and thou art grieved, it toucheth thee, & thou art troubled. Right so, Beloved, in this case. How many Hundreds are there that have at their finger's ends in another man's case, an heap of several Sentences against the Fear of Death, as r Senec. Epist. s. 17. ep. 103. Dies iste quem tanquam extremum reformidas, aeterni natalis est. And again, s Senec. Epist. l. 7. ep. 55. In hoc, nisi fallor, erramus, quòd Mortem iudicamus sequi, quum illa & praecesserit, & secutura sit. Quicquid ante nos fuit, Mors est. t Senec Epist. l. 1. ep. 1. Quicquid aetatis retro est, Mors tenet. And again, u Senec. de Consolat. ad Polyb. c 28. In hoc tam procelloso, & in omnes tempestates exposito Mari navigantibus, nullus portus nisi Mortis est. Sir, be of good courage, this very Day, which you fear may be your last in this world, may prove your Birthday of Eternity. It is but an error of ours that we suppose we shall but now die, we in truth died long ago, for all our Life past what hath it been but a kind of Death? To those that sail in this troublesome and tempestuous Sea of the world there is no Port, or Haven, but Death: and yet notwithstanding all this, let it be a man's own case, and see Death come towards himself, and then, as the same Seneca speaks, Tergiversatur, tremit, plorat: either he hath a x Aesop. Fab. Burden for Death to help him up withal, or else he is too y Ps. 102 24. Young, and not old enough, or he hath Wife, & Children, that must be provided for, or the z Dan. 5.6. joints of his loins are loosed, & his knees smite one against the other, or he puts * 2. King. 20 3 finger in the eye. It fareth with such an one in this case, as it did with the Hart in the Fable, which Sr. Thomas Moor relates in these words: There was, a Sr Thomas Moor Comfort in Tribulat l. 3. c. 24 Oper. Angl. p. 1253. saith he, a great old heart that had fled from a little Bitch which had made suit after him, & chased him so long that shhe had lost him, & as he hoped, more than half given him over. By occasion whereof having then some time to talk, and meeting with another of his Fellows, he fell in deliberation with him, what were best for him to do, whether to run on still, and fly farther from her, or turn again, and fight with her. Whereunto the other Hart advised him to fly no farther, lest the Bitch might happen to found him again, at such time as he should with the labour of farther flying, be fallen out of breath, & thereby all out of strength too: and so should he be killed, lying where he could not stir him. Whereas if he would turn and fight, he were in no peril at al. For the Man with whom she hunteth, is more than a Mile behind her, and she is but a little Body scant half so much as thou, and thy Horns may thrust her through, before she can touch thy Flesh by more than ten times her tooth length. By my truth, quoth the T'other heart, I like thy counsel well, & me thinketh that the thing is even sooth as you say. But I fear when I hear once that urchin Bitch bark, I shall fall to my feet, and forget altogether. But yet, and you will go back with me, than me think we shall be strong enough against that one Bitch between us both, whereunto the other Hart agreed, and so they both appointed them thereon. But even as they were about to busk them forward to it, the Bitch had found the foot again, and on she came gerning toward the place, whom as soon as the Hearts heard, they to go both twain apace. Death, Beloved, a great way of, it is an easy matter to dare it, the veriest Coward that is, may be valiant so far forth, but when we shall see him come stalking towards us, and singling us out from a many Thousands, and aiming his Dart only at us, then to oppose ourselves against him, and to stand valiantly upon our Guard, and yet contentedly to say unto Him to, b Virg. Aeneid. l. 6. Death, do thy office, thou art the Minister of justice: c Hieron. vita Hilarion. Hoc opus, hic labor est, that were a point of Manhood indeed, — Pauci quos aequus amavit jupiter, aut ardens evexit ad aethera Virtus, Dijs geniti▪ potuere. Few there are that can so do, and old Hilarion indeed did so: Egredere saith he, quid times? egredere anima mea, quid dubitas? Septuaginta propè annis servisti Christo, & mortem times? Go out, my Soul, go out, saith he, what is it thou art afraid of? These threescore and ten years well near, hast thou served thy Lord Christ, and art thou now afraid to die? And with that he gave up the Ghost. The truth is, DEATH in itself is, as Aristotle speaketh, d Arist. Ethic. l. 3. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of Things Terrible, the most TERRIBLE, ●, Rex Terrorum, as Bildad e job. 18.14. Tremell. speaketh, The King of Fear: but since the WORD was made FLESH, and dwelled amongst us: since the Sentence against the first Adam was reversed by the Second: since by Death he destroyed Death, that is, he took out the Sting of it, and the third day rose again, why should Death be fearful to us, and to speak in f jam ex quo Verbum Car● factum est, & habitavit in nobis: ex quo primi Adae datam sententiam, Adam novissimus soluit, ex quo nostrum mortem sua morte destruxit, & ab In feris die tertia Dominus resurrexit, iam non est terribilis Mors fidelibus: non timetur occasus, quia oriens venit ex alto Aug. de Consolat. mor. ●…or, Ser. 1. c. 1. Saint Austin's phrase, Why should we fear the Sunneset of Death, seeing the Day spring from an high shall visit us again. What is it saith the same Father that God hath given us by his only begotten Son, if so be we 〈…〉 THE COMING OF THE HOLY GHOST. Whit-Sun-day. May 27. 1610. Now in the lst great day of the Feast, jesus stood and cried laying, If any man thirst let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth in me, as saith the Scripture, out of his belly shall flow rivers of water of life. This spoke he of the Spirit, which they that believed in him should receive: For the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that jesus was not yet glorified. joh. 7.37,38,39. AS God's extraordinary presence, a Mr Hooker Eccles. Pol l. 5. §. 69. p. 192. saith a Reverend Writer, hath hallowed, and sanctified certain Places, so they are his extraordinary Works, that have truly and worthily advanced certain Times. In regard whereof the Son of Syrach to a Question that might be demanded, why one Day excels another, seeing the light of every of them comes from that Sun above in the Firmament, answereth immediately in these b Ecclus' 33.8. words: The knowledge of the Lord hath parted them asunder, and he hath by them disposed the times, and Feasts. Some of them hath he chosen, & sanctified, & some of them hath he put among the days to number. The times which he hath chosen, and sanctified, that is, sanctified to himself, and commanded the jews to observe, were ordinarily the Saboth, extraordinarily the Feasts, and Solemnities of the Year. The Saboth was every seventh day: the solemn Feasts, & yearly Solemnities, were specially three: The Feast of Unleavened Bread which was their Feast of Easter: the Feast of Harvest, or of their first Fruits, which was their Whitsuntide, and the Feast of Gathering fruits in the end of the Year, which was the Feast of Tabernacles. Three time: c Exod. 23 14. saith the Lord in Exodus, thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year. Thou shalt keep the Feast of unleavened bread: the Feast also of the Harvest of the first Fruits of thy labours which thou hast sown in the field: & the Feast of gathering fruits in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field. Now Who they were, and How they were, to come unto these Feasts, Moses declareth to us as in this very place of Exodus, so Deut. 16.16. Three times in the year, saith Moses, shall all the Males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose: in the Feast of the unleavened bread, & in the Feast of the weeks, and in the Feast of the Tabernacles, and they shall not appear before the Lord empty. Meaning their Males d Exod 30.14. Vid Caluin in Exod. 23 16. from twenty year old and above, not that Females came not to, but they were not compelled to come. And whereas it might be thought it should be dangerous to their Land to have the People go in such sort all of them at once, his e Exod 3●. 24. promise was that in the mean time their Land should be secured from all invasion. Their Feast of Easter was in remembrance of their deliverance out of Egypt, & it was called the Feast of the Passover, in regard that when the Lord passed through the Land of Egypt, he smote all the first borne in the Land and both Man and Beast, but passed over the Israelites, Exod. 12.13. Their Feast of Harvest called Whitsuntide was kept fifty days after Easter, partly in token that the Law was given fifty days after their deliverance, partly in remembrance that they were to bring their first Fruits of the Land into God's house, that so the rest of their Fruits might be holy to, Rom. 11.16. Their Feast of Tabernacles was in remembrance of their forty years travail through the wilderness, when as they roamed up and down with out house, without home, hungry, and thirsty, their souls fainted in them, Ps. 107.5. Our Saviour Christ that came to keep the Law, & to observe it every tittle, that it might be truly said of him by the voice of God himself which f Luc. 23.14. said by his own experience, & by the experience of Herod to, I have found no fault in this man, did in no wise neglect these Feasts being so great a parcel of the Law, & therefore he himself not only went to every of them, but St john in this his Gospel relateth unto us that he went. That he was at the Feast of Easter, he specifieth unto us in his Second, Third, & Fourth Chapters. That he was at the Feast of Pentecost, in his Fift, & sixth Chapters. That he was at the Feast of Tabernacles, in this seventh Chapter we have in hand, as also in the Eight, Ninth, Tenth, & Eleventh Chapters. The Feast here specified then, being the Feast of Tabernacles, and our Saviour being at this Feast, the next thing to be considered is his manner of Behaviour there. His manner of Behaviour, is in the words I have read unto you: wherein for our better proceeding I shall observe unto you these points: First, the Substance of a certain Sermon made by our Saviour at that time: Secondly, our Saviour's Behaviour, and manner in making it: Thirdly, the Evangelist St john his Notes thereupon. The Substance of Sermon made is comprised in these words: If any man thirst let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth in me as saith the Scripture, out of his belly shall flow Rivers of water of life. His Manner of making it in these, Now in the last & great day of the Feast jesus stood & cried. The Evangelist his Notes thereupon, in these, This spoke he of the Spirit which they that believed in him should receive, for the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that jesus was not yet glorified. In the Substance of the Sermon here made, I shall observe unto you these Points: First, an Invitation of our Saviour's, Let him come unto me: Secondly, Who they are that are invited, If any man thirst: Thirdly, what it is they are invited to, namely unto Rivers of water of Life: If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth in me as saith the Scripture, out of his belly shall flow Rivers of water of life. First of the Invitation, Let him come unto me. He that by the Apostle St Paul gives instruction unto Bishops, that they should be g 1 Tim. 3.2. Tit. 1 8. HOSPITALES, Harberous and good Houskeepers, giving themselves to Hospitality even in things concerning the Body: he being himself the chief h 1 Pet. 2.21. Shepherd, and Bishop of our Souls, gives himself even now adays i 1 Pet. 5.4. being at God's right hand, to no less Hospitality, in things concerning the Spirit. Hence it is that the Apostle St Paul in his Epistle to the Ephesians, l Ephes. 4.8. acquaints us with his benevolences, and how Grace is given to every of us according to the measure of the gift of Christ, & out of the threescore and eight Psalm proveth manifestly unto us, that when he ascended up on high, he led Captivity captive, and gave Gifts unto men. Howbeit those kinds of Gifts there specified, were for the work of the Ministry, & for the edification of the Body of Christ and therefore is it m Ephes. 4.11. said immediately, that he gave some to be Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors, and Teachers: now their are Gifts more general than all these, whereof not the Pastors, and Teachers only, and Evangelists, and Prophets, and Apostles, are capable, but all of what condition, and state soever. So that as Abraham's Hospitality, & his Nephew Lots, was n Gen. 18.2. Gen. 19.1. specially observed herein, that when as Strangers arrived, they ran to meet them, and courteously invited them to their Houses: Strangers, I say, unknown unto them, not Familiars only, not Friends: right so our Saviour's Hospitality, his courteous invitation is herein seen, in that it is general, not particular, nor to Friends only, but to Strangers, even to such as are without Christ, aliens from the common wealth of Israel, and Strangers from the Covenants of promise, Eph. 2.12. If any man thirst let him come unto me, and drink. Or, be it, he here spoke only to the Isralites who came unto this Feast, and as he o Mat. 15.24 speaks himself elsewhere, I am not sent, but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel: and as he willed his Apostles an other p Mat. 10.5. time, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into the Cities of the Samaritans enter ye not. But go rather to the lost Sheep of the house of Israel: yet since the partition Wall is now broken between jew and Gentile, and the vail of the Temple is rend, and whatsoever things are written aforetime, are written for our q Rom. 15.4. learning, that we through patience, and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope, what was said unto the jews here, was said unto us all, of what Nation, Tribe, or Kindred soever, If any Man thirst let him come unto me. It is an excellent r Aug. de Verb. Dom. Ser. 16. p. 49. saying of St Austin's, Distribuite tempora, & concordat Scriptura: Distinguish the times, & the Scriptures accord exceeding well. Our Saviour, who when time was, would not his Apostles should go into the way of the Gentiles, Mat. 10.5. after his Resurrection from the Dead, bade them go, & teach all Nations, Mat. 28.19. If any Man thirst, let him come unto me. The word ME here in this place, Let him come unto me, puts us in mind as Who it is to whom we should come, so also of his Name here, and by consequence of his Nature. Who * Prov. 30.4. saith Sol●mon, hath ascended up to heaven, & descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fist? Who hath bound the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the ends of the world? What is his Name, and what is his sons Name if thou canst tell? As if he had said thou canst not possibly name the Man that ever hath, or shall be able to do these things. And true it is, the Man we cannot, but yet we can name that God, and Man, who may be said to ascend up to heaven, and descend, in regard of his universal providence, Psal. 113.5; and to have gathered the wind in his fist, for he bringeth it out of his treasures, Psal. 135.7; and to bind the waters in a garment, for he gathereth them together as it were upon an heap, and layeth them up as in a Wardrobe, Psal. 33.7. and to establish the ends of the world, for he hath placed the Sand for the bounds of the Sea by the perpetual decree that it cannot pass it, jer. 5.22. I, & we can name him, as St Jerome s Hieron. Tom. 3. Epist. ad Marcell. 1 El. 2 Elohim. 3 Elohe. 4 Sebaoth. 5 Gnelion. 6 Asher eheie. 7 Adonai. 8 jah. 9 jehovah. 10 Shaddai. observes, by Ten several Names. And as concerning his sons Name, what that Name is, we need not go far to find it, the Evangelist St john sets it here down in the very Forefront of this my Text: Now in the last and great day of the Feast, jesus stood and cried. JESUS. I have had occasion t Our Saviour's Resurr. Serm. 3 p. 61. heretofore to speak of his other Name, the Name of CHRIST, whiCh I told you did signify as much as Anointed, for because he was anointed to be our Prophet, Priest, & Prince, & he was anointed with the Holy Ghost; & with Power, Act. 10.38. This name jesus is of an higher strain for it signifies a Saviour, and therefore the Angel unto joseph, u Mat. 1.21. Thou shalt call his Name jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. So St Paul, He humbled himself, x Phil. 2.8. saith he, & became obedient unto the death, even the death of the Cross. Wherhfore God hath also highly exalted him, and given him a Name above every name. That at the Name of jesus should every knee bow, both of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that jesus Christ is the Lord, unto the glory of God the Father. And St Peter in the Acts having professed that he healed a Cripple by the Name of jesus Christ of Nazareth: This is the Stone y Act. 4.11. saith he, cast aside of you Builders, which is become the head of the Corner. Neither is there Salvation in any other: for among men there is given no other Name under heaven, whereby we must be saved. Osiander was of opinion that this name jesus came not of jashang the Hebrew word, which signifies to Save, but of jehovah the Name of God, by putting in, Shin, the Hebrew letter, and all to signify, saith he, Man's nature joined to the Godhead. Howbeit since Illyricus hath z Vid. Illyrie. Clavem Ser. p. 622. refuted this his conceit with divers and sundry Reasons, and for because it is somewhat finer than common Ears can well conceive, I will not trouble you with it at this time, I had rather now relate unto you what St Bernard hath of this Name. The Name of JESUS a Nec tantum Lux est nomen jesus sed est cibus. Anon totiens confortaris, quotiens ●ecordaris? Quod aequè mentem cogitantis ●mpingua●! Quid ita exercitatos repa●a● ser ●ust virtutes rohorat. Vegetat mores bonos a●que honestos: castas fovet affection●? A●ridus e●… on nis Anime cibus si non ole●…isto in●unditus Iosi●…dus est, si non hac sate conditur. S●…scribas, non apit m●hi n●si legero ibi Ies●m Si, d●sputes aut co●…as, non sapit ●…hi nisi ●…nuerit ibi I●s●s. jesus mel in over, in aure melos, in cord iubilus. Sed est & medicina. Tr●statur aliqu●s nostrum? Veniat in cor jesus, & indesa●…t in os, & ecce ad exortum Nominis lumen, nubilum o●…ne diffag●…, red●… Serenum. Labi●ur qu●s in ●…ime●…, currit insuper ad laqucum mortis desperando? nun si invoc●t Nomen Vitae, confestim ●espirabit ad vitam? Huc t●… Electuarium habes ó Anima mea, recoditum in vas●ule vocabuli huius quod est jesus, salut serun certè, quoaque nulli vaquam pesti tuae inventatur inefficax. Bernard super Cant. Ser. 15. p 132. Col. 3. saith St Bernard, is not Brightness only, but Nourishment to. As often as thou remember'st it, art thou not as often comforted with it? What is it that in such sort makes the mind of him that thinketh on it so far and well liking? What doth so restore our Senses, strengthen our Virtues, quicken and refresh our good Behaviour cherish and nourish our chaste Affections? All Food of the Soul is as dry as a kix, if it be not moistened with this Oil. It is unsavoury, if it be not seasoned with this Salt. If so be thou write unto me, all thy writing seems harsh, unless I read in the Forefront, the Name of jesus. If thou dispute or confer with me, it seems all nothing worth, unless I hear the sound of the Name of jesus. The name of jesus, is honey in the mouth, melody in the ear, joy in the heart. I, and it is medicine to. Is any of us sad? Let this Name jesus come into our hearts, and pass from thence unto our mouths, and behold at the very rising of the light of that Name, all Clouds are dispelled, fair Wether comes again. Is any man fallen into some notorious Crime, & would afterwards through despair go and make away himself? if so be he can but call upon this Name of Life: shall he not presently enjoy Life? His conclusion there is: O my Soul, thou hast this Electuary closed up, as it were in the Box of this Name jesus, doubtless exceeding wholesome & of sufficient force & strength to expel any Plague that may possibly surprise thee. You see who it is to whom we should come, & indeed as St Peter b joh. 6.68. spoke, to whom should we else go? Especially seeing he himself, and none but he, invites us so kindly. Where we are to mark, Beloved, his Phrase of Speech that he useth also in this case. For he saith not, will he, nile he, come he shall, but, Let him come, as it were remitting it to his own will whether he come, or not. For Will from all Co-action we c Libertatem voluntatis non necessitas, sed vis & coactio tollit. Whitak. in Durae●m. l. 5. p 383. grant is Free: and yet we abhor free-will, as also those peevish Paradoxes about it, which our d Osorius de Relig. in Gualt. Haddon. Angl Adversaries are pleased to lay to our charge. We grant that God works not in us as he doth upon Stocks and Stones that have no endeavour of themselves, no motion at all, but as they are moved by an other, Noah we e Foxius count. Osor. l. 2. p. 119 say with f Ambros. de vocat. Gent. l. 1. c. 3. p. 6. St Ambrose, Homo à Diabolo cum spoliaretur, non voluntate, sed voluntatis sanitate privatus est: And again, A Diabolo judicium voluntatis depravatum est, non ablatum. The judgement of the Will is corrupted indeed, but not utterly taken away: the Devil did not wholly bereave man of his Will, but of the soundness and integrity of it. Eligant are the words of St. Austen hereupon, Let them not g Aug. de Correp. & Grat. c. 2. saith St Austen, deceive themselves which say, to what purpose are we taught and commanded to eschew evil, and to do good; If so be we cannot do it, but as God doth work the same in us even to will, and to work? Nay rather let them understand, if they be the Children of God, that they are made pliable by God's Spirit, to do the things that aught to be done, and when they have have done so, to yield thanks to him by whom they were made so to do. For they are made pliable because they should do something, not because they should do nothing, thus St Austen. But thus much of the Invitation, Let him come unto me: now of the Parties invited, If any man thirst. First for that Man here is only specified, we are not so to take it as if Women were excluded. This name Man in holy Scriptures h Clem Alex. Paedag. l. 1. c. 4. saith Clemens Alexandrinus, is common to Men, and womans to. Father Latimer on a time when Dr Weston disputed with him and asked him where he found that a Woman should receive the Sacrament? I find it saith he in the eleventh Chapter to the Corinthians, where the words being thus, Probet seipsum homo: he asked the Doctor again what Gender Homo was? whereunto when it was replied, that howsoever in Latin it were the common Gender, yet in Greek it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and in the Latin, Seipsum, What then quoth Father Latimer, I trow when the Woman touched our Saviour he spoke not in the Feminine, but in the Masculine Gender, Quis tetigit me? And Scio quòd aliquis me tetigit. The truth is, that in Christ jesus there is nor Male nor Female, Gal 3.21. nor is there a Woman that trusteth in God, but is to have an Hidden Man of the heart, 1 Pet. 3.4. A Point which for one Poststellus observed not as he should have done, grew (they m Vid. Gesn. Bibl. per josiam Simlerum. say) to that Frenzy, that he stuck not to maintain that Women as yet were not redeemed. I confess our Adversaries the Papists cast not this Man's Head in our Dish, but by that you may be sure he was nor Lutheran, nor Calvinist, nor Puritan, nor Protestant. n jesuits Catech. makes him one jesuits Catech. lib. 1 c. 10. I fear me he was a JESVITE. No marvel though our English Women be now adays so enamoured with them A second Point to be observed here, is in that it is here said: If any man thirst: that is, High & Low, Rich & Poor, one with another, from the o Exod. 11.5. First borne of Pharaoh that sitteth on his Throne, unto the First borne of the Maydservant that is at the Mill. hearken, my beloved Brethrens, p jam. 2.5. saith St james, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world that they should be Rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him? Yes it is even so, & that of S. Austen is no less remarkable for us that are Scholars, q Aug. Confess, l 8. c. 8. Surgunt indocti, & coelum rapiunt, & nos cum, doctrinis nostris sine cord eccè ubi volutamur in carne & sanguine? I need not english it A third Point to be observed, is that after such a Feast as was the Feast of Tabernacles, wherein they drank no doubt more then usually, (and it was lawful for them so to do, Nehem. 8.12.) our Saviour should use at that time such a speech as this, If any man thirst. Doubtless it was to put them in mind, as what the true Thirst was indeed, so what the true Quenching was. The true Thirst indeed, is the Trouble and Terror of Conscience wrought by the feeling and sense of Sin, and of the wrath of God for the same, which therefore is termed Thirst for because it is so like to Thirst. Hunger, as it is a desire of that which is hot and moist: so Thirst is a desire of that which is both moist and cold. So grievous, and painful to them that have it, that though Death itself approacheth towards them, and is ready to seize upon them once for all, yet will they more complain of that, then of any other Torment else. Extreme no doubt were the Agonies of our Saviour on the Cross, the Pains he suffered most excessive, & yet as if they had all been nothing to the Thirst he did endure, he complained not of them a whit, of the other, he seemed to do, Sitio, saith he, I thirst, joh. 19.28. Sisera in the Book of judges though he had had the loss of a fought Field, & saw almost no likelihood, but that he should lose also his own life, yet was Sorrow with him so dry, as he respected not los of Life so much, that which he then respected most, was the quenching of his thirst, Give me, saith he, a little water to drink, for I am thirsty, judg. 4.19. Famous was that murmuring of the Israelites against Moses by reason of their Thirst, Exod. 17.3. Wherhfore hast thou thus brought us out of Egypt to kill us, & our Children, & our cattle with thirst. And Samson, when he had slain so many with the jaw-bone of an Ass, he was sore a thirst, saith the Scripture, & calling on the Lord, Thou hast given * judg. 15.18. saith he, this great deliverance into the hand of thy Servant, and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised? So it is, it is even so, nothing in such a case more unsupportable than Thirst, and therefore Diana in the r Ovid. Met. l. 6. Poet, Haustus aquae mihi nectar erit, vitamque fatebor Accepisse simul, vitam dederitis in undis. She would esteem of a draft of water, as if they had given her an other Life. And is it not thus with a crazed Conscience? are not the pangs of a troubled Conscience as grievous to be borne? The Spirit of a man s Prov. 18.1. saith king Solomon, will sustain his infirmity: but a wounded Spirit who can bear it? Even as if he had said, not one among a thousand, witness as good as ever were. David, the Prophet David, how did he sing when time was, no man alive a sweeter note, t Ps. 103.8. The Lord is full of compassion & mercy, long suffering, and of great goodness. He will not always be chiding, neither keepeth he his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins, neither rewarded us according to our wickedness. For look how high the Heaven is in comparison of the Earth, so great is his Mercy also, toward them that fear him. Look how wide also the East is from the West, so far hath he set our Sins from us. Yea like as a Father pittyeth his own children, even so is the Lord merciful to them that fear him. For he knoweth whereof we be made, he remembreth that we are but dust. And again in an other u Ps. 108 3. Psalm, I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the People, I will sing praises unto thee among the Nations, for thy mercy is greater than the Heavens, and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. And yet again in an x Ps 145.8. other, The Lord is gracious and merciful, long suffering, and of great goodness. The Lord is loving unto every man, and his mercy is over all his works. Yet let us visit him again at some other time, and how shall we find him all a mort? What passions? What pensiveness? What bitterness of Soul? y Ps. 77. ●. Will the Lord absent himself for ever, and will he be no more entreated? Is his mercy clean gone for ever, and is his promise come utterly to an end for evermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious, & will he shut up his loving kindness in displeasure? And again in an other z Ps. 102.3. Psalm, My days are consumed away like smoke, and my bones are burnt up as it were a firebrand. My heart is smitten down, and withered like grass, so that I forget to eat my bread. For the voice of my groaning, my bones will scarce cleave to my flesh. I am become like a Pelicane in the wilderness, & like an Owl that is in the desert. I have watched, & am even as it were a Sparrow, that sitteth alone upon the house top. Nay, he spoke with the lest it seems when he spoke of Groaning, his words in an other place are much more passionate, I am brought * Psal. 38.6. saith he, into so great trouble and misery, that I go mourning all the day long. For my loins are filled with a soar disease, and there is no whole part in my body. I am feeble and sore smitten, I have roared for the very very disquietness of my heart. By this than that hath been spoken, we may now gather who they are that are invited by our Saviour. First, Men, and Women both, either Sex may be welcome. Secondly, Rich and Poor, and the Poor as welcome as the Rich. Thirdly, such as are truly thirsty whether Men, or Women, or Rich, or Poor. I say, Truly Thirsty, that is, who are burdened with their Sins, & see nothing before their eyes but Death and Desperation, and would full feign be eased of them, and rely on our Saviour to that purpose. It is with our Saviour in such a case, as it is with a full a Mr Fentons Perfume against the Plague, p. B. 3. b. Breast, which even acheth for desire to give the Milk which it hath, and welcome is the Child that can most hungerly suck the same. We have seen the Parties invited: the Feast is now to be served in. Let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth in me, as saith the Scripture, out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of water of Life. It is a world to see, how the whole World in these days is given to Drink, and how Senecaes' Words are now verified, b Sen. de Benes l. 1. c. 10. Habebitur aliquando Ebrietati honour, & plurimùm meri cepisse, virtus erit. The day shall come wherein Drunkenness shall be had in high esteem, and it shall be accounted a point of Manhood to be able to quaff, and to carouse. It was not many years ago that our Nation much abhorred it in the best of our Friends the Hollanders, insomuch that c General History of the Netherlands translated into English by M. Ed. Grimstone. In a Discourse of Advice to the Earl of Leicester there, p. 939. advice was given to his Excellency that then was Governor, by one (it should seem) that wished us well, that the English should endeavour to bear with them for a fault that was so engrafted into them by nature, howsoever they Themselves did detest it. Were that well-willer of ours now alive, he might recall again that Passage, so are the Times changed since, and we the English changed with them. Nor should there need so much complaint in this kind, were Drunkenness now adays, but as it was in the Apostle S. Paul's time. Drunkenness, in the Apostle S. Paul's time, it was but a Night-crow, & played (it seems) lest in sight, & therefore himself to the Thessalonians: They that sleep d 1. Thess. 5.7. saith he, sleep in the night, & they that are drunken, are drunken in the night. It riseth now adays with the Lark, and S. Peter should he reason now, as once he did when time was: e Act. 2.15. These are not drunken as ye suppose, since it is but the third hour of the day (that is, Nine a clock before Noon) he should have more ado to make his Reason sound, than he had to make the Cripple sound, Act. 3.7. Nor do I wrong Drunkenness a whit, to say it riseth with the Lark, seeing of Drunkards it may be said what Tertullian f Tertul. de. Cib. judaic p. 656. saith of the like in his days, Quales istos Sol in occasu reliquit, quos iam marcidos vino Oriens aspicit: True it is, some of them see not, or Sunrising, or Sunsetting, but yet there are others of them that do, if at the lest they may be said to see, whom the Sun sees rather in that pickle: or rather HE whose Eyes are g Ecclus, 23 19 ten thousand times brighter, than the Sun. Good God that so base a Vice as this, so beastly, so beggarly (for you know our English Proverb, As drunk as a Beggar) should dare to appear in our Horizon, the Beauty of our Land, and that which is more in a scholars habit, and that which is most, it should take Degrees too. What? we to make our BODIES (those glorious Temples of the Holy Ghost) but so many Barrels to hold Beer in? We to strive to be Tantò Nequiores, as h Aug. de Verb Apostol. Ser. 4. p. 179. Quae gloria est, capere mulium? Cum penes te palma fuerit, & propinationes tuas strati somno ac vomitantes recusaverint, cum superstes toti Convivio fueris, cum omnes vic●ris virtute magnifica, ac nemo tam vini capax fuerit, vinceris à D●lia. Senec. Epist. l. 12. ep. 84. speaks S. Austen, quantò sub poculo Invictiores: the more conquering our Pots, the more conquered by Sin? We to carry ourselves more profanely than ever Esaw did, who sold his Birthright (& it was but a worldly Birthright) for necessary Food, and Sustenance, we our heavenly Birthright, and that most unnecessarily, and all for a draft of Drink? For what do they else, Beloved, what do they else do, who drink so roundly, and carouse so profoundly, but spend their Birth right, and Patrimonies upon the Spigot here in this world, and (which is the consequence of such drinking) sleeping again as sound, give that Roaring Lion opportunity, he that walketh about (as S. Peter i 1. Pet. 5.8. speaketh) seeking whom he may devour, give that Roaring Lion (I say) opportunity, to take them napping, and so to devour them much more easily, then possibly otherwise he could have done. l Tull office l. 1 Vid, Ovid. Met l 4. & yet Strabo of that Fountain, Salmacis fons nescio quam obrem calumniatus, tanquam emolliens eos qui inde bibant Strabo l. 14. Salmacida Spolia sine sanguine & sudore. Sure I am the Devil hath them already by the Throat, and when the Wolf hath once the Sheep at such disadvantage, you know what followeth. But to let these Tosspots go, or because commonly they cannot well go, to speak in the Prophet m jer. 25.27. jeremies' phrase, To let them drink, and be drunken, and spew, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which the Lord will sand among them: Let us, Beloved, repair to our Saviour, and seeing we are invited to drink with him, let us see what it is to drink with our Saviour Christ jesus, and what the Ingredients are of that Drink. If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. To drink with our Saviour Christ, is no doubt to Believe in him, as himself here expoundeth himself in the words immediately following. He, saith our Saviour, that believeth in me, as saith the Scripture, out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of water of Life. Well: & what is it then, to Believe in him? To Believe in our Saviour Christ, is First, to know him: Secondly, to acknowledge him: Thirdly, to put our trust, & confidence in him. We then know him, when we know him a Saviour: we then acknowledge him, when we acknowledge him our Saviour: we than put our trust, & confidence in him, when we put our confidence in him in that respect, Except n joh. 8.24. saith our Saviour, ye believe, that I am he, ye shall die in your Sins. And again in an other o Mark. 15.14 place, He that shall believe, and be baptised, shall be saved: but he that will not believe, shall be damned. You see Beloved, the consequence then, both of Belief, and Unbelief. And concerning the consequence of Belief, it is that which is in this place specified unto us in these words, that out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of water of Life, meaning no doubt life Eternal; Everlasting, and Endless life, which Everlasting life what it is, if so be we would feign know, we may in some sort take a scantling by this Life of ours we now enjoy. Skin for skin p job. 2.4. saith Satan, & all that ever a man hath will he give for his life. And therein I must needs say, as great a Liar as Satan is, he belies Man never a whit. Amatur & qualiscunque. Vita ista q Aug. de Temp. Ser. 113. p. 607. saith St Austen, & ipsam qualemcunque aerumnosam, miseram, finire homines timent, & pavescunt. Be this Life of ours never so mean saith he, yet no man alive but loves it, and as miserable, wretched, and painful as it is, every man is loathe to leave it. And hence saith he, may we rightly consider, how we are to esteem of Life Everlasting, for if this miserable & wretched Life, and which of necessity must one day end, is so much loved, and liked of us, how is that other Life to be beloved, which shall never have an end. Now as there are in the Book of God a many diverse and sundry Attributes that are annexed to this Life, as first there is the Tree of Life, Rev. 2.7. them, there is the Crown of Life, Rev. 2.10. then, there is the Book of Life, Rev. 3.5. then, there is the Spirit of Life, Rev. 11.11. so is there nothing there so oftentimes mentioned, as is the Water, or Fountain of Life: as First, in this place, joh. 7.38. then, in the Prophet jeremy, jer. 2.13. then, in the Prophet Zachary, Zach. 14.8. then, in the Revelation, and oftentimes there, as Rev. 7.17. Rev. 21.6. Rev. 22.17. And this is the Water indeed that can most truly quench our thirst. Whosoever r joh. 4.13. saith our Saviour, drinketh of this water (he meant the water of jacobs' Well, of the self same nature, and substance that every other water is) whosoever drinketh of this water, shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never be more a thirst: but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water, springing up into everlasting Life. And thus much of our Saviour's Sermon. The next thing to be considered, is as I told you his Manner in making it, which is expressed in these words, Now in the last and great day of the Feast jesus stood & cried: wherein I thought to have observed these points: First the Time he made it in: namely in the last and great day of the Feast: Secondly, his Gesture of Body, jesus stood: Thirdly, his Manner of speaking, jesus stood & cried. In the First I had thought to have observed that it was the Eight day, and as they began the Feast with such godly Exercises, how they also ended it with the same. In the Second, how though our Saviour did usually sit & teach as the custom was in those times, yet here to his greater pain, how he stood, and taught, according to that of St Austen, Come labour, statis & auditis, sed nos cum maiore stamus, et loquimur. You s Aug. in Evan. joan. Tract. 19 saith St Austen stand to hear us preaching and I grant it is a pain unto you, but yet it is a greater pain for us to stand and speak. I had thought beside to have observed, that he both sat and stood teaching, who is now said both to stand, and set at God's right hand. In the Third, I had thought to have observed that notwithstanding that of Esay, He should not cry, nor lift up, nor 'cause his voice to be heard in the Street, Esay, 42.2, yet how that was no prejudice to his crying, and lifting up, & causing his voice to be heard in the Temple: the Prophet in that place commending him, as a mild, and gentle Creature, the Evangelist in this, as a most excellent & earnest Teacher. I had thought (I say) to have observed all this: but the time hastening as it doth, I also will hasten with it, and come to the third Point I proposed, the Evangelist his Notes upon this Sermon, and those I told you were in these words: This spoke he of the Spirit which they that believed in him should receive. For the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that jesus was not yet glorified. The Notes are two: First, and foremost, the true meaning of our Saviour's words in this place: Secondly, the Reason the Evangelist gives that that indeed was his meaning. Of either in their order, and First of our Saviour's meaning: This spoke he of the Spirit, which they that believed in him should receive. That our Saviour in this place spoke of the Spirit, that is, of the Holy Ghost, when he spoke of Rivers of water of Life, doth intimate unto us the special correspondence between those Rivers, and the Spirit. The holy Scriptures t Chrysost. in Evang. joan. Hom. 31. saith St chrysostom, term the Grace of the holy Ghost sometimes, Fire, sometimes, Water, to give us thereby to understand, not his Substance, but his Working. For the Spirit saith he, consisteth not of different Substances (such as Fire, and Water are) seeing he is invisible, and only of one kind. The holy Ghost saith St chrysostom, is called Fire, to signify the shining of the Graces of God in us, and the purging, and eating out of the dross of our Sins. And the same holy Ghost again is called, Water, to signify the washing, & cooling of us. For as by Water saith he, an Orchard is continually kept green, and hath her Trees in due season still laden with fruit: so the holy Ghost disposeth our Orchards, even the Souls that are within us, that no care and grief of heart may at any time distracted us, no wiles, & traps of Satan deceive us, but by virtue thereof we may quench his fiery darts whensoever he throws them at us. Now the Holy Ghost is likened to Water, in three respects: First, for that as the property of water is to cleanse, and purify the Body from such filth and foulness as would otherwise cleave unto it, and therefore Diogenes of a water that was not all of the clearest, Qui hîc se lavant u Diog Laeut. de vil. & mor. Philos. l. 6. in Diog. saith he, ubi lavantur? They that wash themselves in this water, where do they wash themselves? Even so the Holy Ghost doth spiritually wash away our Sins, which are the Filth and Foulness of our Souls, & wherewith as with menstruous Clouts our Nature is defiled. Secondly, for that as the wearied Traveller is ready to faint for want of water, and scantly able to go on forwards, and therefore one in the x Virg. Eclo. 5. Poet, Tale tuum Carmen nobis divine Poetae, Quale sopor fessis in gramine, quale per aestum Dulcis aquae saliente sitim restinguere rivo: and Hagar in the y Gen. 21.16. Scriptures when the water of her Bottle was spent, cast her Child under a Tree, and she sat down herself over against him, and lift up her voice & wept, so if we have not this Spirit in us, if we feel not the comfort of it, we find a continual Fire in our Consciences, we fry in our own Fat. Thirdly, nothing so necessary as Fire, & Water, we can by no means be without them, and therefore among the Ancients, whom they condemned to banishment, they forbade them Fire, & Water: so, nothing so necessary for us, as this Fire, and Water, of the Spirit, & therefore our Saviour to Nicodemus, z joh. 3 5. Verily, Verily, I say unto thee, except a man be borne of Water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. And thus much of our Saviour's meaning: now of the Reason the Evangelist gives, that our Saviour's meaning thus was, and it is in the last words of my Text: For the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that jesus was not yet glorified. Our Saviour as for our sakes he came down unto us from his Father, so the time was shortly to come, when he should return again unto his Father. This News as it was exceeding doleful to the ears of the Apostles, who could have wished to have had him still, their affection unto him was so great: so to comfort them again for that his departure, being to leave them Orphans in the world, he oftentimes promised to sand unto them the Holy Ghost to be their Comfort. The First & foremost Promise in this kind made, is in the Gospel of St Matthew, where our Saviour foretelling them that they should be delivered up to Counsels, and scourged in the Synagogues, and brought before Governors & Kings for his Names sake, Take no thought a Mat. 10.19. saith he, how, or what ye shall speak, for it shall be given you in that hour, what ye shall say. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. So likewise at an other time, I, b joh. 14.16. saith our Saviour, will pray the Father, and he shall give you an other Comforter that he may abide with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth. And expressing a little after who this other Comforter should be, The Comforter c Ver. 26. saith he, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will sand in my Name, he shall teach you all things, & bring all things to your remembrance which I have told you. So likewise at a third time, But when the Comforter d joh. 15 26. saith he, shall come, whom I will sand unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth of the Father, he shall testify of me. And again in a fourth place, It is expedient for you e joh. 16.7. saith our Saviour, that I go away: for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you, but if I departed, I will sand him unto you. And being now ready to ascend into Heaven, & to take his leave of the World concerning his corporal presence, When he had gathered f Act. 1.4. saith St Luke, his Disciples together, he commanded them that they should not departed from jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which said he, ye have heard of me. For john indeed baptised with water, but ye shall be baptised with the Holy Ghost within these few days. And as he promised the same at that time, so shortly after fell it out. And when the day of Pentecosi g Act. 2. ●. saith St Luke, was come, they were all with one accord in one place, and suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing and mighty Wind, and it filled all the house where they sat. And there appeared unto them cloven Tongues like Fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave than utterance. And this it is, the memory whereof we celebrated this day. The Holy Ghost was then given them, and our Saviour before had been glorified, so that when our Saviour spoke these words, the Holy Ghost was not then given, because that then he was not h Spiritum noluit dare nisi cum esset glorificatus, ut in suo corpore ostenderet vitam quam modo non habemus, sed in Resurrectione speramus. Aug. in Evang. joan. Tract. 32. p. 177. glorified. Not? will some man say, was not the Holy Ghost then given? Spoke not the Patriarches, and Moses, & the Prophets by the Holy Ghost? Is it not expressly said of David, Mark. 12.36, that David spoke by the Holy Ghost? Was it not foretold of our Saviour Christ that he should baptise with the Holy Ghost, Mat. 3.11? though jesus himself baptised not, john 4.2. Did he not long before this time breath upon his Disciples, and said unto them his own self, Receive the holy Ghost, joh. 20.22? It is true Beloved, so he did, & the Holy Ghost I grant was given before, to the patriarchs, and to the Prophets, and to Moses, and to David, and to the Disciples, & to many others, but it was not given in that measure that it was given now at this time. God at this time gave so good a measure of the Holy Ghost unto his Apostles, so pressed down, and shaken together, running over into their bosoms, as i Luk. 6.38. speaks our Saviour in an other case, that some mocked, and l Act 2.13. said, they were full of new wine. Ridebant m Aug. de Temp. Ser. 186. p. 721. saith St Austen, & aliquid verum dicebant. They mocked saith he, and yet for all that, somewhat was true of what they said, for indeed they were as Vessels filled with new wine. You heard saith he, in this days Gospel, that No man puts new Wine into old Vessels, a carnal man perceiveth not the things that are spiritual. They were full of new Wine, & the new Wine venting out, the Tongues of all Nations were immediately set a float. I, but the Apostles having before received the Holy Ghost, to what end was this abundance? I answer with the n Aug. de Temp. Ser. 185. p. 719. same St Austen: They had indeed Faith before, but the constancy of Faith they had not. Well they might have preached Christ, but as yet to die for Christ, that they hardly could. Insomuch that before the coming of the Holy Ghost, not one of them all that had the Crown of Martyrdom. Before the coming of the Holy Ghost about the time of our Saviour's Passion, some of his Disciples betook themselves to their heels, some so terrified with a silly girl that they flatly denied their Lord & Master: but after the coming of the Holy Ghost, and that they were confirmed by that good Spirit, howsoever they were imprisoned, and had whipping cheer for their labour, yet they rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for Christ his Name. He feared not afterwards, Rome, o Leo in Nat. Petri & Paul Ser. 1. saith Leo, the Lady of the World, who in the house of Caiphas the High Priest was afraid of a silly Wench. And thus much of our Saviour's Sermon here, his Manner in making it, and the Evangelist his Notes thereupon. I should now come with my own Notes, and gather out of the several Premises, several Instructions, and Observations: but for we are some of us here present to participate of these Mysteries, the BLESSED SACRAMENT here before us, a word or two to that purpose, and then God willing an end. There was a Time and some now present may remember it very well, when these Creatures of Bread, and, Wine were so dignified, I, deified, in Church Assemblies, that he was counted then no Christian, that would not say to the Bread, and Wine, at lest wise to a Wafer, that which some said in the Prophet jeremies' time to a Tree, & to a Stone, Thou art my Father, thou hast begotten me, jer. 2.27. They that saw the same then in those days, have lived now to see the case so altered, that it is almost now at another Extreme, and these Elements of Bread, and Wine, are so vilified, I, nullified, among a many, that he is accounted now no Christian neither, or at the lest wise a Popish Christian, that will not speak as contemptuously of that Bread, and Wine, upon the Table, after the words of Consecration, as King Ezechias did of the Brazen Serpent when he called it Nehushtan, a piece of Brass, 2. King. 18.14. That we, Beloved, may the better bear ourselves between these two Extremes, and take an even course in the middle way, not to high for the (Popish) Pie, nor to low for the carrion Crow, it will not be amiss to hearken to HER who hath more than Motherly authority over us, and by whose breeding and bringing up, we are what we are, even p Ephes. 2 19 Citizens with the Saints, and of the Household of God. She then catechizing us at the first: What, q Communion Book in the Catech. saith She, is the outward part, or Sign of the Lords Supper? And She teacheth us to answer, Bread, and Wine, which the Lord hath commanded to be received. And when She asketh us again, What is the inward part, or thing signified? She teacheth us again to answer: The Body and Blood of Christ, which are verily, and indeed, taken and received of the Faithful in the Lord's Supper. In her r Art. 28. Articles She speaketh thus: To such as rightly, worthily, and with faith receive (the Supper of the Lord▪) the Bread which we break is a partaking of the Body of Christ, & likewise the Cup of Blessing, is a partaking of the Blood of Christ. And again, The Body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten in the Supper, only after an heavenly, & spiritual manner. In her s Apology of the Church of England, c. 13. Divis. 1. Apology thus: The Bread and Wine are the holy, and heavenly Mysteries of the Body, and Blood of Christ, and by them Christ himself, being the true Bread of eternal Life, is so presently given unto us, as that by Faith we verily receive his Body, and his Blood. All cometh to this reckoning: THEY WHICH WORTHILY RECEIVE THIS SACRAMENT, RECEIVE THE VERY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST: For the better manifesting whereof, let us First of all see what it is to receive worthily. Secondly, how the very Body and Blood of Christ is received. What it is to receive worthily, the Apostle S. Paul will instruct us, in his first Epistle to the Corinthians, who when he had there said: Whosoever shall eat this Bread, & drink the cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord, immediately t 1. Cor. 11.28 annexeth thereunto, Let a man therefore examine himself, and so let him eat of this Bread, & drink of this Cup. So that the way (you see) to be a worthy Receiver is to examine a Man's own self before he presume to come and taste of these mysteries. Let a Man, saith the Apostle: that is Man, or Woman, it mattereth not whether Sex, since u Gal. 3.28. both are one in Christ jesus. Let a Man; that is, he must: not as it is in my Text, If any man thirst let him come, remitting it to his own will, whether come he would or not (as I told you) but, Let him, that is, he aught, there is a Necessity laid upon him, & woe unto him if he doth it not, as x 1. Cor. 9.19 speaks the Apostle in another case. Examine; that is, from point to point, seeking one by one, as did the y Eccles 7.29. Preacher to found the count. Himself; not another, not, that was Peter's fault to be inquisitive after others. Lord, z joh. 21.21. saith Peter, what shall this man do? What, saith our Saviour, is that to thee? follow thou me. * Ole quid ad te Martial. Epig, l. 7. epig. 9 Petre quid ad te? Peter what hadst thou to do, whether john should live or die? If I will, saith our Saviour, that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Fellow thou me. Let a man therefore examine himself. For indeed to say the truth, every of us in this case, is a justice of Peace, and Quorum too. It is that which the Prophet David saith, Ps. 4.4, Stand in awe, and sin not: common with your own heart, and in your chamber, and be still. And showing unto us his own example, I power out my heart by myself, saith he, Ps. 42.4. and Psal. 77.6, I call to remembrance my song, saith he, and in the night I common with mine own heart, & search out my spirits. Common we then with our own Hearts, or in our Chambers, or upon our Beds, search we out our own Spirits, let us power out our Hearts by ourselves. Nor let us do it a Noli superficiem compal● Aug. de Temp. Ser. 214. p. 761. superficially, but discuss we our own b Discute conscientiam tuam, ascend Tribunal mentis tue, noli tibi parcere Aug. in Ps. 101 p. 784. Consciences, let us set ourselves down upon the judgement seat of our own Hearts, and in no wise be partial to ourselves. Examine we our EYES, our EARS, our HANDS, our TONGVES, our FEET, and cause we all, and every of them, to give account of their Stewardship. No Man here, be he never so mean, no Woman whatsoever, but hath ever about them this Retinue. What? are they all of them out of frame? is there none of them good, not not one? Than hast thou c joh. 19.10. Pilat's power over them, either to crucify, or to lose them: that is, if they prove themselves to be Sins of Infirmity only, then to chasten them and let them loose, as he would have done by our Saviour, joh. 19.12. If Sins of Iniquity & greater Consequence, if great and grievous crimes, vastantia Conscientiam, as d Aug. de Civ. De. l. 11. c. 12. speaks S. Austen, destroying & wasting our very Conscience, let us, or, mortify them, as speaks the Apostle, Coloss. 3.5. or, as our Saviour gives us counsel, let us cut off their chiefest instruments, and cast them away from us, Mat. 5.30. Eyes must out, and Hands must off, I, Cor ipsum revellendum, to speak in Senecaes' e Senec. Epist. l. 7. ep. 52. phrase, we must out with Heart and all, & pray with the f Created in me a clean heart, oh God; and renew a right Spirit within me, Ps. 51.10. Our last Translat. Prophet David to created a New one in us. And thus much of the first Point what it is to receive worthily. How the very Body and Blood of Christ is now at this time to be received, considering our Senses tell us that what we receive is Bread, and Wine; we must of necessity have in this case the Help of FAITH to direct us, or we shall rise again as we came, if not departed from hence a great deal worse. Now what Faith is able to do, we need go no farther then to those words of our Saviour Christ, who speaking of Faith unto his Apostles: Verily I say unto you, g Mat. 17.20. saith he, if ye have Faith as much as is a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this Mountain remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove, and nothing shall be impossible unto you. And to show that they should be as potent as well by Sea, as by Land: If ye had faith, h Luk. 17.6. saith he, as much as is a grain of mustardseed, and should say unto this Mulberry tree, Pluck thyself up by the roots, and plant thyself in the Sea, it should even obey you. Of the Mustardseed he had told them i Mat. 13.31. before, that it was the lest of all Seeds: and yet Faith but of that small quantity, what works of quality brings it forth? Nay what doth it not bring forth, since as the Apostle i Heb. 11.3. speaks to the Hebrews: It subdueth kingdoms, works righteousness, obtains the promises, stops the mouths of Lions, quencheth the violence of fire, makes us to escape the edge of the sword, of weak makes us strong, makes us valiant in battle, and turns to flight the Armies of the Aliens. And doth Faith, Beloved, all this, Really and Truly: & do our Adversaries the Papists still scoff at us when we say we eat as truly, and really, the Body of our Saviour here by Faith, and by Faith drink his Blood? Why, but thou wilt say, If this be all, what need then this Bread and Wine? This, without these may well be done: we may every day feed of our Saviour's Body, and of his Blood in this sort. It is true, Beloved, so we may, and so we do: howbeit, as S. jerom m Hieron. Palino. speaks in another case, Habet nescio quid latentis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viva vox: & in aures Discipuli de Autoris ore tranfusa fortius sonat: The voice of a Speaker is much more forcible to the ears of him that hears, than when the Hearer reads it himself: right so may we say in this case, we are much more moved by an heavenly Force, when we See, & Receive, these very Elements, then when as otherwise they are out of sight. Besides that our Saviour Christ since he hath been pleased to use these Means to the purpose of enjoying him, and hath commanded us to do as himself did, until his next coming again, duty requireth at our hands that we in no wise neglect him, nor what in this ease he hath enjoined us, especially in a matter of such moment. Naaman no doubt might have been healed of the Leprosy he had, had he never washed in jordan, would the Prophet Elisha but have spoken the word: but when that other word was once gone out: n 2. Kin. 5.10. Go and wash thee in jordan seven times, and thy Flesh shall come again unto thee, and thou shalt be cleansed, was it for Naaman to dispute whe●… 〈…〉 〈…〉 ●…tecost commonly called Whitsuntide, were the only two Times of old wherein Baptism was administered. Hence it was that whereas other Holy Days have all some reference to our Saviour Christ, and have accordingly their a M. Hooker Ecclesiast. Pol. l. 5. §. 70. p. 195. Names; as First, the Annunciation of his Birth by Angelical Embassage, commonly called our Lady Day. Secondly, his blessed Nativity itself, commonly called Christmas, (though there are that will not so speak, for fear of I wots not what fear, happily that the Psalmist b Ps. 53.6. speaks of, They were afraid where no fear was, sure I am, where none is) Thirdly, the ministry of his Legal Circumcision commonly called, Newyeersday: Fourthly, the testification of his true Incarnation by the Purification of Her which brought him into the world, commonly called Candlemas day: Fiftly, his Resurrection: Sixtly, his Ascension: seventhly, the admirable sending down of his Spirit, commonly called Whitsunday, and (which consequently ensued) the notice of that incomprehensible Trinity thereby given to the Church of God, commonly called Trinity Sunday: Eightly, his Glorification in his Saints which had the honour to suffer for his sake before they had age and ability to know him; commonly called St Innocents' day; in St Stephen that did know him; in those Sages of the East that came to adore him, commonly called the Epiphany, or the Twelve Day; in john the Baptist; in the Apostles; his Glorification in the Angels, as in Michael, and in all those happy Saints that are already possessed of heaven: whereas I say these Holidays, have all of them reference to our Saviour, and have accordingly their names: To Morrow, and the Next Day after, to be annexed to this Feast, & the First Two Days in Whitsonweeke, have no proper and peculiar Names given unto them, but are annexed to This Feast, as also to the Other, by reason of Baptism then administered, and usual at those two times. Of Baptism then at this time, and for our better proceeding therein may you be pleased to revise the words again, even now read unto you. Know ye not that all we which have been baptized into jesus Christ, have been baptized into his Death? we are buried then with him by Baptism into his Death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead, by the glory of the Father, so we also should walk in newness of life. In which words, I observe and note unto you two principal Points. First, a Proposition: Secondly, a Consequence thereupon. The Proposition is here set down by way of interrogation, and it is in effect this: All we which have been baptized into jesus Christ, have been baptized into his death. The Consequence in that which followeth: We are buried then with him by Baptism into his Death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead, by the glory of the Father, so we also should walk in newness of life. The Proposition is here set down by way of interrogation, for that it is a Truth that may by no means be denied. The Orator will tell us so much, Interrogamus etiam, c Quintil. Instit. l 9 c. 2. saith he, quod negari non possit: We sometimes ask in such sort, as we know that the Answerer cannot possibly deny it. Thus our Saviour to his Apostles, when I sent you d Luk. 22.35. saith he, without Bag, and Scrip, and Shoes, lacked ye any thing? Well he knew they wanted not, and they themselves indeed confessed as much. And again, to those two Disciples going unto Emaus, Cleophas and the other (St Ambrose calls him e Ambr. Ser. 1. p. 275. & Apol. David. p. 399. Amaon, or * Serm. 71. p. 365. Amaus) O Fools f Luk. 24.25. saith he, and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken, aught not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? Thus this our Apostle also in an other place, speaking of the other Sacrament, The Cup of Blessing which we bless g 1. Cor. 10.16. saith he, is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ? The Bread which we break, is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ? Doubtless it was spoken more significantly, then if he had said which indeed he meant: The Cup of Blessing which we bless, and the Bread which we break, are the Communion of the Blood, and of the Body of Christ. So likewise here in this place: Know ye not that all we which have been baptised into jesus Christ, have been baptized into his Death? It is, as if he had said: This is a true h 1. Tim. 1.15 saying, & by all means worthy to be received: I i 1. Cor. 10 15 speak as unto them which have understanding, judge ye what I say: If there l 2. joh. 1.10. come any unto you, & bring not this Doctrine, namely, That All we which have been baptised into jesus Christ, have been baptised into his Death, receive him not to house, neither bid him God speed. Having thus resolved these words, I hold it now fit I show unto you, First, what Baptism is: Secondly, what it is to be baptised into jesus Christ: Thirdly, what it is to be baptised into his Death. These three Points thus handled, the Proposition will be evident, being this (as I said) in effect: All we which have been baptised into jesus Christ have been baptised into his Death. First then what Baptism is: Know ye not that all we which have been baptised into jesus Christ, have been baptised into his Death? Baptism is a Greek word, and signifieth a Bathing, or a Washing, & so is used both by the Heathen Writers, and by the Evangelists themselves. I shall not need now at this time to produce the Heathen to this purpose. As touching the Evangelists, St Mark may stand for all, who speaking of the jews and Pharisees, When they come m Mark. 7.4. saith he, from the Market, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, except they wash they eat not, & many other things there be, which they have taken upon them to observe, as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the washings of Cups, and Pots, Brazen Vessels, & of Tables. So the Vulgar doth read it to, Nisi baptisentur, non comedunt: and Baptismata Calicum, & Vrceorum, & Aeramentorum, & Lectorum, which the Rhemists interpret thus: And from the Market, unless they be washed, they eat not: and many other things there be that were delivered unto them to observe, the washings of Cups, and Cruses, and of Brazen Vessels, and Beds. Where by the way, Beloved, it may be wondered that our Rhemists treading so oftentimes the self same Steps that the Vulgar doth (their Fathers of Trent supposing the Muses, nay that God himself spoke in that goodly Dialect, and not as n Quint. Instit. l. 10. c. 1. Varro would have thought, in Plautus his, had they ever spoken Latin) it may be wondered I say, they translated it not, The Baptisms of Brazen Vessels, doubtless it would have chimed wondrous well with baptizing of their o Vid. D. Willets Synops. p. 493. Edit. 1600 P. Martyris Loc. Com. Class. 4. Loc. 9 Durant. de Rit. Eccle. l. 1. c. 22. § 6. p. 177. Even Tom of Christ-Church was christened to, but D. Tresham it seemeth took him for a Wench, of whom D. Humfrey saith: Quam ille (Treshamus) ut ad Missam clarè vocaret, ante paucos dies reparatam, novo nomine donavit, & Marian baptizavit. Humfred. Vit. juelli. p. 81. Bels. But to return unto my purpose. Baptism signifying a Bathing, or a Washing of the Flesh, it is not unknown to them that are conversant in holy Writ, that there were in the time of the Law divers & sundry kinds of Washings. All which for that they were Shadows of Christ to come, and Appurtenances to the Sacrifices for Sin, and Transgression, and the often Repeating thereof, declaring their Imperfection; hence it was that when Christ was come, in lieu & steed of them, there should come with him an other kind of Washing never to be reiterated again, to wit a Sacrament of that Washing, that is but once, & done for ever. And therefore p Aug. in Evan. joan. Tract. 11. p. 68 St Austen, Quomodo Vterus non potest repeti, sic nec Baptismus: And again in an other q Aug. in Evan. joan. Tract. 12. p. 72. place, Sicut ad Nativitatem carnalem valent muliebria Viscera ad semel pariendum: sic ad Nativitatem spiritalem valent Viscera Ecclesiae ut semel quisque baptisetur. Nor can a man be Borne twice, nor twice baptized. And as in respect of carnal Nativity the Mother's Womb is of force to bring forth once, and but once: so the Womb of the Church in respect of spiritual Nativity. And thus much of the Name of Baptism, go we now to the Nature of it. Concerning Baptism, our Mother the Church hath r Book of Articles, Art. 27. taught us to speak in this wise: Baptism is not only a sign of Profession, and mark of difference, whereby Christian Men are discerned from others that be not christened: but it is also a sign of Regeneration, or New Birth, whereby as by an Instrument, they that receive Baptism rightly, are grafted into the Church; the promises of the forgiveness of Sin, and of our adoption to be the Sons of God, by the Holy Ghost, are visibly signed and sealed; Faith is confirmed, & Grace increased by virtue of Prayer unto God. Baptism then such a Sacrament, what doth it else but sign unto us, that we are as certainly washed from our Sins by the Blood of jesus Christ, as our Bodies are certainly washed, or sprinkled with Water. So Tertullian, Abluitur caro s Tert. de Carnis Resurrect. saith he, ut Anima emaculetur. The Flesh is washed, that the Soul may be cleansed: and St Austen to this purpose, From whence t Aug. in Evan. joan. Tract. 80. p. 303. saith he, hath this Water so great a virtue, that it but toucheth the Body, and washeth the Soul, but by reason of the Word, not in that it is spoken, but believed. And hence it is that Tertullian calls Christians, FISHES. Wild Beasts u Tertull. de Baptismo p 597 saith he, and Vipers, and Asps, and Cockatrices, they are in love with dry places, and those that are waterless: but let us little Fishes according to our great x Secundum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nostrum jesum Christum. Alluding to those Acrostic Verses of Sibil whereof St. Austen De Civ. Dei. l. 18. c. 23 Fish's example jesus Christ, be borne in water. Nec aliter quàm in aqua permanendo salui sumus. Neither out of that Element can we possibly be in safety. He alludeth by all likelihood to that of our y Mark. 16.16 Saviour: He that shall believe, and be baptised, shall be saved: but he that will not believe, shall be damned: And again to z joh. 3.5. Nicodemus: Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except that a man be borne of Water, and of the Spirit, he can not enter into the kingdom of God. And hence it is, that we are taught by the Apostle St Paul a Ephes. 5.26. that by the washing of Water through the Word, God doth sanctify & cleanse his Church: that we are b Heb. 10.22. sprinkled in our hearts from an evil conscience, & washed in our Bodies with pure water, not that the Baptism which saveth us is (as Legal Purifications were) a cleansing of the Flesh from outward impurity, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, e 1. Pet. 3.21. Vid Mr Hooker Eccles. Pol. l. 5. § 63. p 152. as S. Peter speaketh, an interrogative trial of a good Conscience toward God. Nor is this Sanctifying, and Cleansing of us, in regard only of the Time present, but in regard of the Time that is passed also, as also of the Time to come: according to which three Times the Scripture so speaks of Baptism as if it intimated so much, as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, He hath saved us, Tit. 3.5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, That now saveth us, 1. Pet. 3.21. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, He shallbe saved, Marc. 16.16. Nor is this Sanctifying, and Cleansing in part, but in whole. And therefore, He, d Chrys in 1. Cor. 15. Ho●…, 40. saith S. Chrysostom, that is baptized, hath his Soul more pure, than the Beams of the Sun itself, even as pure as when it was created at the first. And as the workman, saith he, by melting Iron, or Gold, doth make it pure, & new: so the Holy Ghost in Baptism, as it were in a Furnace, doth polish the Soul, & form it anew, and by consuming sin, makes it more purely bright-some than any Gold whatsoever. Which yet is not so to be taken, as if we were not every day to be more & more purified, and cleansed more and more, jam vos mundi estis, e Aug. in Evan. joan Tract. 80. p. 303. saith S. Austen, mundi scilicet, atque mundandi, You are now saith he, Clean; Clean, and to be Cleansed: For had they not been Clean, saith he, they could not have brought forth fruit at all, and yet every Branch that beareth fruit, the Husbandman f joh. 15.2. purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. And here, Beloved, let us consider a while, First, the great Goodness of our God that useth this very Element so greatly now adays unto our Good. For if so be we be remembered, this is the Element wherein his Wrath was once declared, when as he g Gen. 7.17. drowned with it the whole World. It was as Moses Rod when as it was h Exod. 4.3. turned into a Serpent. It was as S. Paul before his Conversion, i Act. 9.1. making havoc of a World of men. I, as Ananias spoke of St Paul, but not a Saint then: l Ver. 13. Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy Saints at jerusalem: right so, Beloved, may we say, Lord we have heard by many of this Element how much evil it hath done, and is it possible it should now be so great a Blessing unto Man? But what cannot he work that commands m 2 Cor. 4.6. Light out of Darkness: & what will he not work for our sakes, who can * Psal 66.5. turn the Sea itself, into dry Land. Secondly, let us call to mind what base means the Lord employeth in so honourable a work as this is. For what is more common and usual than Water, and what of less esteem, especially then common Water. — n Ovid. Met. l. 6. Vsus communis Aquarum est: Nec Solem proprium Natura, nec Aera fecit, Nec tenues undas. None are Lords Proprietaries of Water, Sun, and Air. True it is, in want thereof nothing more made of, but where there is great plenty, nothing again so little esteemed. And yet see, Beloved, even in this, the good Pleasure, and Purpose of God, who hath o 1. Cor. 1.27 chosen the Foolish things of the world, to confounded the Wise, and the Weak things of the world, to confounded the Mighty things, and Vile things of the World, and things which are despised hath God chosen, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are, that no Flesh should rejoice in his presence. Thus the Midianites overthrown by Gedeon, what was the Cause instrumental, but as it were a Barley Loaf, even Lamps in one hand, & Trumpets in the other, judg. 7.20? Sampsons' weapon that he slew so many withal, what was it but an Ass' jaw-bone, judg. 15.16? With the jaw of an Ass, saith he, are heaps upon heaps: with the jaw of an Ass have I slain a thousand men. Go we to the other Sacrament, & is the Substance of it any more than a Morsel of Bread, and a draft of Wine? And yet hath it pleased our Saviour to say, This is my Body, This is my Blood, Mat. 26.26. But now to proceed onwards. You have seen, Beloved, what Baptism is, the Name, and the Nature of it: in the next place we are to see, what it is to be baptised into jesus Christ: Know ye not that all we which have been baptised into jesus Christ, have been baptised into his death? To be baptized into jesus Christ, is to profess ourselves to hold of him, to addict ourselves, Bodies, and Souls to the honour of his Name, p Communion Book in Public Baptism. to confess the Faith of Christ crucified, and manfully to fight under his Banner, against Sin, the World, and the Devil, & to continued his Faithful Soldiers, and Servants, unto our lives ends. Doubtless there is no other Name whereunto we are, or aught at all, to be baptized. And therefore the Apostle S. Paul: Is Christ, saith he, divided? was Paul crucified for you? q 1. Cor. 1.13 either were ye baptized into the Name of Paul? Not doubtless, & therefore all those whom S. Paul himself did beget to Christ, or any other of the Apostles, Non Paulianos, r Aug. in Ps 44 p. 281. saith S, Austen, aut Petrianos, sed Christianos nominaverunt: They named them not Paulians of Paul, or Petrians of Peter, but Christians, of our Saviour Christ. And this is that s jam 2 7. Worthy Name after which we be now named. This it was that begun at Antioch, for t Act. 11.26. there the Disciples were first of all called CHRISTIANS, & this it is that ever since hath lasted in the World, and so shall it ever do, as long as the World shall last. Nor is it a Name only, but divers and sundry Prerogatives, which we all of us have by reason of BAPTISM. St. chrysostom u Chry. Tom. 5. Hom. ad Neophit. reckons them to be these. First, in that we are a Gal. 5,1. Free: Secondly, in that we are b 1. Cor. 6.11 Sanctified: Thirdly, in that we are c Ibid. justified: Fourthly, in that we are d joh. 1.12. Sons: Fiftly, in that we are e Rom. 8.17. Heirs: Sixtly, in that we are f Rom. 8.29. Brethrens with Christ: seventhly, in that we are g Rom. 8.17. coheirs with him: Eightly, in that we are his h 1. Cor. 6.15 Members: Ninthly, in that we are the i 1. Cor. 3.16. Temples of God: Tenthly, and lastly, in that we are the l Ephes. 5.18. Vessels of the Holy Ghost. All this will the better appear if so be we call to mind those several styles of Honour given to Baptism by the ancient Fathers. Dionysius, he x Dionis. Eccl. Hierarch. c. 2. calls it, the Mother of adoption: y Basil. Hom. 13 S. Basil, the Grace of adoption: z Clem. Alex. Poed. l. 1. c. 6. Clemens Alexandrinus, Medicamentum Poeonium, A Sovereign Salve: a Chrysost in Hom add Bapt. S. chrysostom, Vitae huius Purgatorium: The purging place, or Furnace of this Life: b Ambr. de Sac. l. 1. c. 14. S. Ambrose; Pascha Christianorum, The Christian man's Easter, or Resurrection: Gregory Nazianzen, he heaps together a number of Appellations, and all (as he thinks) too little too. Baptism, c Naz in Sanct Baptism. saith S. Gregory, is the Beau●… 〈…〉 〈…〉 Faithful to be baptised into the Death of Christ, is as much to say, as that by the Death of Christ, Sin in them did die, and was utterly abolished. So that we may now speak of our Souls, and Bodies in Baptism, as doth the Apostle St Paul of * 1. Cor. 15.24. Bodies in the Resurrection of the Dead: They are sown in corruption, & they are raised in incorruption. They are sown in dishonour, and they are raised in glory. They are sown in weakness, & they are raised in power. They are sown as Natural, and they are raised Spiritual: for they are both of them sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise, Eph. 1.13. And therefore St Austen, Sed tu Domine misericordissime m Aug Confess. l. 9 c. 2. p. 107. saith he, nun & hoc Peccatum cum caeteris horrendis & funereis in Aqua Sancta ignovisti, & remisisti mihi? But, o most merciful Lord, saith St Austen, hast not thou forgiven, and remitted unto me this Sin, and all other my horrible and deadly Sins beside, in that sacred Water of Holy Baptism? He knew no doubt he was forgiven them, and therefore in an other place: Quid retribuam Domino n Aug Confess. l. 2 c. 7. p. 57 saith he, quòd recolit haec Memoria mea, & Anima mea non metuit inde? What shall I tender to the Lord, that these my Sins past, thus come oftentimes to mind, and yet my Soul fears them not. Now as St Austen, so we: we have committed like Sins; we have offended the same Lord; Our Memory recalls them often to mind, and yet for all that, we fear them not. Why? For that there is No condemnation to them that are in Christ jesus, Rom. 8.1. We have seen what Baptism is: what it is to be baptized into Christ: what into his Death. And so much of the Proposition. Come we now unto the Consequence, which I told you was in these words: We are buried them with him by Baptism into his Death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead, by the glory of the Father, so we also should walk in newness of life. The Consequence of our Saviour's Death, was our Saviour's Resurrection. and the Consequence of our Death to Sin, is our Burial to Sin, and Newness of Life. First concerning Burial, it was not enough (you know) in our Creed to believe of our Saviour Christ, that he was Mortuus, Dead; but that he was Sepultus to, Dead and Buried; partly, for that the truth and certainty of his Death might be the better confirmed unto us: partly to make way to his Resurrection that followed after, for by no means could he have been said to have risen again, if so be he had not been first buried. Now the truth is our Saviour Christ saw all that while no o Act. 2.27. Corruption. It could not be said of him, as of p joh. 11.39. Lazarus, that had been dead four days: but of every Body else may it well be said, how that continually by little and little they moulder away. I will not here with Solomon bid you go to the q Prov. 6 6. Pismire for example, or with the Prophet r Esay. 1.3. Esay to the Ox, and the Ass, or with our Saviour himself to the s Mat. 6.26. Fowls of Heaven: but go we to the greatest Prince, to the greatest Potentate that is, and may we not say of him, after he hath inhabited his tomb a while, what the Poet t Ovid. Meta. l. 12. said of that great Achilles, jam cinis est: & de tam magno restat Achille Nescio quid, so we: jam cinis est: & de tam magno Principe restat Nescio quid, parvam quod non bene compleat Vrnam? He is now but Earth and Ashes, and nothing at all remaining of him, save only a little Modicum, scarce an Handful to speak of? Indeed the Body when it goes to the Earth, hath then its whole and entire Proportion, every Part, & Parcel of it, but come we some few Years after, perhaps few Months, and what shall we find of that Proportion, but forsooth a Bone or two, a little Hair untrimmed, and a Skull where was a world of Thoughts, but now are u Psal. 146.3. perished. Right so it is, or aught to be, with every baptised Christian, when once he is by Baptism dead to Sin: he is to be Buried with our Saviour Christ, but not to see no Corruption, but as other dead Bodies do, to moulder every day to Sin more and more, even as a dead Corpse continually wasteth in the Grave, that it may be said of him as speaks this our Apostle immediately before my x Rom. 6.2. Text: How shall he that is dead to Sin, nay Dead and Buried to it, live yet therein? And thus much as touching Burial. As touching Newness of Life, there is nothing so often spoken of, throughout the whole Scriptures, as Newness is. It is an Adjunct to most things there. We there shall read of A New y jer. 31.31. Covenant; A New z Rev. 3.12. jerusalem; A New a Psal. 33.3. Song; A New b Rev. 21.1. Heaven, and a New Earth; New c Mark. 2.21. Cloth; New d Ver 22. Wine. We shall there read of A New e joh. 3.3. Birth; A New f 2. Cor. 5.17. Creature; A New g Ezec. 11.19 Heart; A New h 1. Cor. 5.7. Lump; New i Mark. 16.17. Tongues, and what not? Behold, saith the Apostle St Paul, all things are become New, 2. Cor. 5.17. Now then as we are dead to Sin, not to be Buried only to it, and Buried we are to Sin, not only to lie in our Graves, and there to putrefy: so are we to understand, that as there was to our Saviour Christ a Resurrection unto Life, so there aught to be to us Christians, a Renovation to Newness of Life. We are every of us now to say l Ovid. Trist. l. 3. eleg. 11. Me quoque, quem no ras olim, non esse memento: Ex illo superant haec Simulachra vire. Ovid. Ib. Non sum qui fueram, or that in m Ambros. de Penitent l. 2. c. 10. p. 220. St Ambrose rather, At ego, non sum ego, I for my part am not the Man, or I am not the Woman, I was. Nor mattereth it what we have been. I, n Phil. 3.13. saith the Apostle, forget that which is behind, and this is a good Forgetfulness. Well might o Tull de Orat. l 2. & de Fin. l. 2. & Academ. Quest l. 4. Themistocles have preferred this Forgetfulness above any Art Memorative whatsoever. Lactantius alluding to this Newness: Give me a Man p Lactant. Inst. l 3. c. 26. saith he, that is ireful, foul mouthed, rash, and heady, and with a few words of holy Scripture I will make him as gentle as a Lamb. Give me one that is greedy, and Covetous & to to sparing of expenses, I will presently make him Liberal, and giving out his Money by whole handfuls. Give me one that fears grief, & is exceedingly afraid of Death, I will make him he shall contemn all Torments, Fire itself, nay Phalaris Bul. Give me a fleshly and sensual man, an Adulterer, or haunter of bawdy houses, you shall see him in a trice both sober, and chaste, & continent. Give me a Cruel man, and one that thirsteth after blood, that Fury of his shall be changed into Clemency. Give me an unjust man, an Idiot, a Sinner, he shall presently become just, wise, and innocent. For all this lewdness shall be abolished, only at and by the Font. His Conclusion there is: Pauca Dei Praecepta sic totum hominem immutant, & exposito vetere nowm reddunt, ut non cognoscas eundem esse. For a few words and Precepts of God do so change the whole man, and by casting off the Old, make him a New one, as that you will hardly suppose him to be the same Man he was. We are to be then New Creatures. What? and is this enough? Is it sufficient for us to put off the Old man, and to put on the New? Needs there no more to this Newness? Nay: but we must walk too, in newness of Life. That of q Diog. Laert. in Socrat. Socrates holds not here, Loquere ut te videam: Talk, that I may know thee: not, but we must walk too, even walk worthy of the r Coloss. 1.10 Lord, and please him in all things, being fruitful in all good works, and increasing in the knowledge of God. We must not then be at a stand with Moab. Moab, s jer. 48.11. saith the Prophet, hath been at rest from his youth, and he hath settled on his leeses, and hath not been powered from vessel to vessel: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed. Again in Walking, we must not go the Common Walk: For many walk, t Philip. 3.18. saith the Apostle, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you weeping, that they are the Enemies of the Cross of Christ, whose end is damnation, whose God is their Belly, and whose Glory is to their shame, which mind earthly things. Nor must we go the Gentiles Walk, who walk in vanity of their mind, Ephes. 4.17. The Prophet u Esay. 3.16. Esay tells us of Some that walk with Stretched out Necks: we must not walk with such neither. x 2. Pet. 3.3. Saint Peter tells us of Some too, which walk after their Lusts, & y jud. 1.18. S. Jude puts an Adjunct to them, and calls them ungodly Lusts. We must be the Antipodes also to these walkers, we must walk worthy of the vocation whereunto we are called, Ephes. 4.1. So shall we be true Peripatetics. I will end this Point with the Counsel of S. jerom which he gave unto Lucinius, concerning a journey intended by him to go to jerusalem, but we may better apply it in our case: I beseech thee, z Obsecro●te & mon●o Parentis affecta, ut qui Sodomam: eliquisti, ad Montana festinans, post tergum ne respicias: ne a ratri Stivam, ne fimbriam Salvatoris, nec Cincinnos eius, Noctis rore madefactos, quos semel tenere coepisti, aliquando dimittas. Hier. ad Lucin. saith S. jerom, and as a Father I admonish thee, that thou which hast left Sodom, and now hastest to the Mountain, look not back?: lest the Plough, the Him of our Saviour's Garment, his Locks wetted with the dew of Heaven, which once thou tookest hold of, thou shouldst carelessly let go again. Come not down from the Housetop of Virtues to seek thy old Garments, return not home again out of the Field. Regard not with Lot the Plains of jordan, which are not watered from Heaven as Canaan was, but with the boisterous flood of jordan, after the changing of his sweet waters mixed with the Dead Sea. a Coepisse multorum est, ad culmen pervenisse paucorum. A many begin, but few do end well. They, saith the Apostle, that run in a b 1 Cor. 9.24. Race, run all, yet one receiveth the price. But it is otherwise said of us, So run, that you may all obtain. The Precedent of the c Non est invidus Agonotheta noster: nec alterius Palma, alteri parat ignominiam. Omnes Athletas suos desiderat coronari. Hier. Ibid. Masteries is not envious, nor is the Victory of one prejudicial to another. He desires to crown all, & every of his Champions. And thus much of the Proposition, a● also of the Consequence: now as touching such Instructions as we may every of us take thereby, & then God willing an end. Know ye not, that all we which have been baptized into jesus Christ have been baptized into his death? We are buried then with him by Baptism into his Death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also should walk in newness of life. The First Instruction I gather hence, is from the Interrogation here, Know ye not? and it being (as you see) an Interrogation, it is as if he had said, which he said in another place, concerning the other d 1. Cor. 10.15 Sacrament, I speak as unto them which have understanding, judge ye what I say. The Cup of Blessing which we bless, is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ? The Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ? So that the Apostle there in that place using a like interrogation, and giving a Reason of the same, namely, for he spoke to them which had understanding ', and they should judge what he said: no doubt, the self same Reason is of the Interrogation here in this place. Than thus: Had the Romans, and the Corinthians, understanding in the Sacraments, and could they judge in those cases what the Apostle wrote unto them? How much more doth it behove you to be expert herein, and in all other things of such nature, as are absolutely necessary to your Salvation, considering your many Advantages which neither the Romans, nor Corinthians had. For howsoever they outstripped you in one only, namely that they had the Apostle S. Paul himself to be their Instructor: yet in how many points beside, may you be said to outstrip them. Than, was a time of Persecution, now of Peace; Than, were Princes, & Potentates, Tigers, Bears, Lions, and Wolves, now are they e Esay. 49.23. Nursing Fathers, and Queens are Nurses; Than, was there much scarcity and penury of Preachers, now so great Plenty that Store well nigh is a Sore, sure I am, so it is to a many of us; Than, wanted Books to further them in knowledge, now the World is so full, that in a manner it surfeits of them; Than, f 1. Cor. 1.26. not many Wise men after the Flesh, not many Mighty, not many Noble were called, but God chose the foolish things, the weak things, the vile things of the World, and things which are despised did God choose, & things which were not; now Wisdom, and Might, and Nobility are like the three g Senec. de Benef. l. 1. c. 3. Grace's hand in hand, all concurring in loveliest sort to the upholding of the Church, & of Christian Religion amongst us. And are we yet, Beloved, ignorant still? Come we so far short of those old Christians? Do we still expect like Babes to have our Spiritual Food chewed to us? Memorable is that of the Apostle to the Hebrews: When as concerning the time, h Heb. 5.11. saith he, ye aught to be Teachers, yet have ye need again that we teach you the first Principles of the Word of God, and are become such as have need of Milk, & not of strong Meat. What? and did he then say, Concerning the time, meaning Those Times? what would he have said now a days, concerning Our Times? What would he have said by this time, that we that are English, aught to have been? Beloved, I speak it confidently, No Nation under Heaven, As concerning the time, should rather have been Teachers then the People of this Nation, I say it again, No Nation under Heaven: but while Some of us, cry out for Preaching, for Lecturing, for Sermons, and practise not one syllable of all we ever hear: Others, will choose themselves their own Teachers, and prefer a Chamber before a Church: Others, surfeit of the Word, & are in truth glutted with it: Others, except against those they hear, they are forsooth Formalists, & timeservers; or they preach but seldom, Strawberry Sermons; or they mix the word with profane Learning, and I wots not what: we all of us put the Lord to that old complaint of his, concerning the i Esay. 5.4. Vineyard of the jews, too too true of our Vineyard, I looked that it should bring forth Grapes, and it bringeth forth wild Grapes. And indeed to say the Truth, the Grapes are worse than Wild, even of those that bear the show of the purest Professors amongst us. But thus much of the first Instruction. The Second Instruction I gather hence, is that we often call to mind, what the Lord already hath done for us, when we for our parts were but INFANTS, and (as it were) but of a * jer. Lam. 2.20. Span long. How by reason of this Baptism here spoken of in this place, ● Communion Book in Baptism. he hath favourably received us, he hath embraced us with the arms of his mercy, he hath promised to give unto us the blessing of eternal life, and to make us partakers of his everlasting Kingdom. This to the Romans indeed, & to the Christians in those days, was done when they were at men's estate, and of a full and ripe age: but to Us, when we were but Children: even then, as m Aug. de Verb Apost. Ser. 10. speaks S. Austen, When our Mother the Church lent us other Folks Feet to come unto her with, other Folks Hearts to believe, and other Folks Tongues to confess: that being harmed, as he speaks in another n Aug. de Ver. Apost. Ser, 14. place, by other Folks Deeds, we might again be healed by the Words of others. When that admirable kindness passed from David to Mephibosheth, and David began unto him in these words, Fear not, for I will surely show thee kindness for jonathan thy Father's sake, and will restore thee all the fields of Saul thy Father, and thou shalt eat Bread at my Table continually: Mephibosheths humble o 2. Sam. 9.8. answer was again, What is thy Servant, that thou shouldst look upon such a dead Dog as I am. Doubtless, Beloved, if we consider Ourselves, and our Nature we bring into the world, how much greater cause have we to say, than Mephibosheth had to David, that we are Dogs indeed: we coming of that Race, concerning which our Saviour once p Mat. 15.26. Last Translat. said, It is not meet to take the children's Bread, and to cast it to Dogs. For what, Beloved, what were we, before this Baptism of ours, but naturally the q Ephes. 2.3. Children of wrath, without Christ, r Ver. 12. Aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel, Staungers from the Covenants of promise: insomuch that as we are not naturally Men, without the benefit of our Natural Birth, no more are we Christian Men in the Church's Eye, without the benefit of this New Birth. Ab eo tempore censemur s Hieron. ad Heliodor. Epitaph. Nepot. saith St Jerome, ex quo in Christo renascimur: we then begin to be reckoned in the Checkroll of Christian Souls, when in Christ we begin to be borne again by the benefit of Baptism. And St Austen to this purpose: Do you demand t Quid ergò petunt qui Baptismi Sacramenta desiderant? Quid utique, nisi ut qui erant Vasa Diaboli, mereantur effici Vasa Christi? Aug. de Temp. Ser. 116. p. 610 saith he, what they desire, who desire to be baptized? What, but that they who were the Vessels of Satan, might found the favour to be made the Vessels of Christ. This our State then, wherein every of us did stand before our Baptism, every Mother, & Mother's Child, how might we much better use the words of Mephibosheth could we have spoken at such a time, to express thereby our own Baseness. Besides that David at length failed Mephibosheth, who when he made that most reasonable excuse for not going with him when he fled, & showing him the treachery of his Servant: Why speakest thou u 2. Sam. 19.29. saith David, any more of thy matters? I have said, thou and Ziba divide the Lands. Thus David to Mephibosheth, but whom did ever the Lord fail that were half so trusty to him as Mephibosheth was to David. Nay how many of us even after our Baptism, have played the pranks of Ziba with him, what in one respect, and what in an other, and yet He, even He, Return x Ezec. 18.31. saith he, cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby you have transgressed, and make you a new heart, and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? And y Ezec. 33.11. again, As I live, saith the Lord God, I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn you, turn you from your evil ways, for why will ye die, O ye house of Israel? I, and when a many Admonitions will not serve us, either that our Parents bestow upon us, or our Tutors, or our Masters, or our Magistrates, or our Ministers, how oftentimes doth he take the Rod immediately into his own hand, and to use Sr Thomas moors z Comfort against Tribul. l. 3. c. 20. Mori Oper. Angl p. 1246. Col. 1. words, how doth he himself play the jailor with us, wring some by the Brows with a Meygreme; collering others by the Neck with a Quinsy; bolting others by the Arms with a Palsy; manacling the Hands of others with the Gout in their Fingers; wring others by the Legs with the Cramp in their Shins; binding others to the Bed-borde with a Crick in the Back; till what with these Diseases, or what with others, he 'cause them at length to say with a Dan. 4.34. Nabuchadnezzar, I praise, and extol, and magnify the king of Heaven whose Works are all truth, and his Ways judgement, & those that walk in pride, he is able to abase. I come to the third Instruction. The third Instruction I gather is, that being baptized into our Saviour's Death, and by consequence Dead to Sin, Sin should now die in us, at lest wise it should not have Dominion over us. It is the Apostles Conclusion hereupon in the twelfth verse of this Chapter: Let not Sin reign therefore in your Mortal Body, that ye should obey it in the Lusts thereof. Non dixit not sit b Aug. Hom. 21. p 316. saith St Austen, sed non Regnet: The Apostle doth not say, let not Sin there be, but let it not Reign there, let it not play Rex, for be it will, no remedy, but yet we may hinder it from Reigning there. And he calleth them in an other c Sunt quidam inflati Vtres, spiritu elationis pleni, &c: superbiae morbo tumentes, ut dicere audeant inveniri homines absque peccato. Aug. De Verb. Apost. Ser. 29. p. 268. place Puft-up Bladders (meaning Pelagians, and Coelestinians, somewhat a kin to our Popish Adversaries) who dared to say that Men in this Life might be without sin. But what (will some Man say) is it then to Reign? What to play Rex? It is first of all, when Sin is not so much in us, as we in Sin, it is the Apostle St Paul's phrase, 1. Cor. 15.17. Secondly, when we continued in Sin, Rom. 6.1. Thirdly, when we serve Sin, Rom 6.6. Fourthly, when we are sold under Sin, Rom. 7.14. Fiftly, when we fulfil Sin, 1. Thess. 2.16. Lastly, when we are laden with Sin, 2. Tim. 3.6. As for those that are Infirmities, & surprise us ere we are ware, and nothing comparable unto these, either in Quantity, or Quality, Those daily Sins, d Illa quotidiana, & levia, habent etiam sua lavacra quotidiana, &c: Tundat & de his pectus, faciat & pro his elecmosynas, sed vita mutata: & inde recedat & huc accedat. Aug. Hom. 19 p. 313 saith St Austen, & light to speak of, have their daily Remedies to, he means as is there specified Daily Prayer, Giving of Alms and amendment of our Lives. But are our Sins, Beloved, Sins of Infirmity only, & such as surprise us unawares? Cast we our Eyes abroad in the World, & shall we not see every where, & in every place some othergates Sins then these? Sins of Gluttony, Sins of Drunkenness, Sins of Swearing, & Forswearing, capital Crimes of this Age? It is storied of Fulvius a Noble Man of Rome, that when a Son of his had followed Catiline, & Fulvius had lighted upon him by chance, Sirrah e Ego, inquit, non Catilinae te genui, sed Patriae. So P. Martyr relalateth it, in Rom. c. 12. p. 614 But Sallust only saith: In his erat Fulvius Senatoris Filius, quem retractum ex itinere Parens necari jussit. Sallust. Coniurat. Caetil. p. 33. saith Fulvius, I begat thee to thy Country, not to Catiline, and with that drawing his Dagger, he stabbed him to the Heart. Right so Beloved, the Lord of Heaven hath begotten us to Christ, not to Belial; to Light not to Darkness; which Belial the Prince of Darkness, if so be we will needs serve, no remedy, who knoweth how near the Dagger may be unto his heart? Because saith the Prophet Esay, ye have cast of the word of God, and trust in violence, and wickedness, and stay thereupon; therefore this iniquity shall be unto you as a Breach that falleth, or a Swelling in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly in a moment, Esay, 30.12. I hasten to my Fourth, and last Instruction, and my last Instruction is this, that we should not only die to Sin, but live unto Righteousness. It is the same in effect which the Psalmist hath, though in other words, Flee from evil, and do the thing that is good, Psalm. 37.27. The same hath the Prophet f Esay 1.16. Esay, the same the Prophet g Amos 5 15. Amos, and the Apostle h Rom. 12. ●. St Paul the same: both the Old, and New Testament, concur in this, that we abstain not only from that which Evil is, but that we do what is Good also. For indeed Beloved, to say the truth, what is it for us to live like ciphers here, some Days, or Months, or Years, and to departed at length from hence, neither caring, nor cared for. Who dislikes not that i Luk. 10.31. Levite, as also the Priest, who passed by the wounded Man, & did not Proffer de the sauro Cordis quod tribuerent, as l Aug. Hom. 6 p. 289. speaks St Austen, not so much as give him a God-speed. m Nulli violentiam facere, non cuiusquam Vicini agris, non limit pertur. bato, non spolitato Paupere, non circumvento simplici, sid tantammodo ubi proprios Fructus reconderet, cogitabat. Audite quid audi erit qui tenaciter servabat sua Aug. Hom. 7. p 291. The same St Austen speaking of that Rich Man, who saw his Goods come trolling in, and resolving at the last to be jovial, and to live as merry as the Day was long: What? saith St Austen, did he then seek that which was an other Man's? Not, we read not there of any violence he offered, he removed not the Meere-stones, he spoiled not the Poor, he circumvented not the Simple, only he began to think, where, and how, to lay up his Store, & yet for all this, hearken saith he, to what himself heard, for being such an Holdfast of his own. O Fool, this Night will they take away thy Soul. Whereupon St Austen again, God doth not there befool him, as one Man befools an other. Such a word from the mouth of God, is no less than Condemnation. For what? will he give to Fools, trow ye, the kingdom of Heaven? No the five Foolish Virgins can tell so much who for all their knocking, were unknown, Mat. 25.12. So the Evangelist speaking of Dives, and calling him A certain Rich man; Rich he was, n Aug. Hom. 7. p. 425. saith the same S. Austen, the Evangelist saith not, he was a Slanderer, An Oppressor of the Poor, A Receiver of other men's Goods, or an Embesler of the same, An Undoer of the Fatherless, a Wronger of the Widow: and what was then his Fault, but for the Poor man lay at his doors, voided of help, full of Soars. A Fault so great, that as the self same Father observeth, Desideravit Guttam, qui non dedit Micam: He that gave not a crumb of Bread was driven to that exigence, as to crave a draft of Drink. What? and are Alms then our only Fruit we aught to bear? In living unto Righteousness, aught we to bring forth nothing else? Nay, but there are a many beside, which we are to bring forth in much abundance, which the Apostle S. Paul calls the Fruit of the Spirit, and reckons them up to be these: The Fruit of the Spirit, o Gal. 5.22. saith he, is Love, joy, Peace, Long-suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, he meaneth Faithfulness in keeping Promises, Meekness, Temperancy, against such, saith he, there is no law. And these, Beloved, are our Fruits, or if they be not, o let them now be: that all of us of One Body, sanctified by One Spirit, through the Sacrament of One Baptism, may be knit to Christ by One Faith, to ourselves in One Love, to serve together One Lord, who after we have suffered a little, shall make us p 1. Pet. 5.10. perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish us: to him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever. I will end with that of q Aug. Hom. 20 p 315. S. Austen, Now the Red-Sea of Baptism consecrated with Christ his Blood, hath conveyed us, and waft us over. The Egyptians are overwhelmed. Take we now no thought at all, for Sins already past, no more than did the Israelites for those Egyptians then drowned. Henceforth bethink we ourselves, how to pass the Wilderness of this our Life, that so we may come to the Land of Promise, jerusalem which is above. But for thou O Lord canst best guide us, in, and through the same, r Aug Tom. 10 Hom 27 p. 330 & Tom. 9 de Vtil. Poenit. c. 1 p. 705. Adsis in itinere Auxiliator, qui in Aegypto fuisti Liberator: Thou that hast delivered us out of the Bondage of Egypt, help us we beseech thee amidst our wanderings in the Desert: lest what by the s Exod. 15.24 Murmur of a Many of us for not having all at will; t Exod. 16.3. Others, by Lustings after Flesh-pots, and u Num. 11.6. Loathing thy heavenly Mannae; Others, by x Num. 12.1. Num. 16.2. Rebelling against our Moses, and in him against thy Ordinance; Others, by y Num. 13.29 Discouraging of their Brethrens, as did the Spies for obtaining of Canaan; Others, by z Num. 15.32 Breaking of thy Saboths far more grievously then in breaking Sticks; Others, by a Num. 25.1 Committing Fornication with the Daughters of the Moabites; Others, by b Josh. 7.1. Coveting, and Hording up, as did Achan the Wedge of Gold; We ALL of us kindle thy Wrath, and thy Fury wax hot against us. c 2. Esdr. 8.45. Spare thy People O Lord, and give not thine heritage into reproach, that the Heathen should rule over them. Wherhfore should they say among the People, where is their God? d Amos. 7.2, O Lord God, spare we beseech thee: who shall raise up jacob! for he is small. The same Lord, and God, so bless us, and the Seed that hath been sown, etc. THE SACRAMENT OF THE SUPPER. Easter Day April. 12. 1612. HAving heretofore upon occasion of this Days Solemnity, Right Worshipful, and dearly Beloved, discoursed unto you of the Resurrection of our Lord, and Saviour Christ jesus: I hold it convenient now at this time, to entreat of another Argument, & yet such an one as is no less fitting, and suitable to the Time. Among the Constitutions, and Canons Ecclesiastical agreed upon by our whole Church about the beginning of his majesties Reign, one was; a Book of Const. Art. 11 That the Holy Communion should be administered in every Church so often, & at such times, as every Parishioner might communicate at the lest thrice in the Year, whereof the Feast of Easter to be one. Now that every Parishioner should so communicate, that was enjoined long before, and it is in the b Every Parishioner shall communicate at the lest three times in the year of which Easter shall be one. Book of Common Prayer, at the end of the Commun. Book of Common Prayer, alluding belike, or to that of Deut. Deut. 16.16. Three times in the year shall all the Males appear before the Lord, and they shall not appear before him empty: or to that of the Council of Agatha, that decreed long ago, c Seculares qui in Natali Domini, Pascha, Pentecoste non communicaverint, Catholici non credantur, nec inter Catholicos habeantur. Conc. Agathens. Capitulo 18. Concil. Tom. 1. p. 327. By that same token Carranza leaves it quite out. Carranza Summa Concil. p. 161. Edit. Lugd. 1587. That they which do not communicate thrice every year, namely, at Christmas, and Easter, and at Whitsuntide, should not be accounted Christian Catholics, nor had in the number of Catholic People. The Council of Lateran, a long time after, brought it to d Polydor. Virg saith that Pope Zepherinus first enjoined it. Polid de Invent. l. 5. c. 11. Once a year only, and that at Easter, which when Popery was amongst us, so prevailed then with that Custom, that the Relics of it remain with a Many (I might say, the Most of us) even to this day. Some Few indeed come at all times, when ever the Sacrament is administered, but we come All of us at Easter, a great probability that either the Law prevails with us more than doth the Gospel, Custom more than Conscience, or that indeed we know not yet the Virtue of this Sacrament, & who it is that saith unto us aswell at other times, as at Easter, e Mat. 22.4. Behold, I have prepared my Dinner: my Oxen, and my Fatlings are killed, and all things are ready, come unto the Marriage. For were we persuaded in very deed, that this indeed is God's Dinner, and that his Oxen, and Fatlings are here, that is, here is Strong Meat, and here is Milk, abundet quod perfectus comedat, abundet etiam quod parvulus sugat, to speak as doth f Fulgent. De Dispens. Domin. p 611. Fulgentius, Plenty of that which the Strong may eat of, and Plenty of that which the Weaker may taste of too: that here, as g Greg. ep. ad Leand. c. 4. Praefix. Oper. Greg. speaks S. Gregory, Et Agnus ambulet, & Elephas natet, The Lamb may wade, and the Elephant may swim: that is, The Unlettered, and the Learned may have sufficiency here, as the Israelites had of Manna each of them an h Exod. 16.18 Homer full: would we come so seldom to it as we do? Should only Once content us a whole Twelvemonth? Not doubtless, but we would think even these Three Times not sufficient, we would say to our Mother the Church that hath commanded us but Thrice a year, as said Elisha the Prophet to king joash when he smote the Ground but thrice: i 2. Kin. 13.19 Thou shouldst have smitten five or six times, so thou shouldst have smitten Aram till thou hadst consumed it, where now thou shalt smite Aram but thrice. So She should have commanded us to have received Five or Six times a year: so should we have smitten Satan till we had consumed him, where now we shall smite him but Thrice. And I would to God, Beloved, we would endeavour to smite him Thrice too, I mean in this sort, I would we would yearly smite him Thrice, that as our great Captain jesus Christ at his NATIVITY, at his RESURRECTION, & Sending down the HOLY GHOST gave him Three most deadly Wounds: so we might follow our true Gedeon, and as l jud. 7.17. he did, so do we, even every Year at those several Feasts give him by virtue of this Sacrament, so many several deadly Wounds. To the better heartening of us to which Onset, and often Receiving of this Sacrament, may you be pleased to consider with me a few Words of our Saviour Christ as they are related to us in the sixth Chapter of the Gospel of St john, the three and fiftieth, four & fiftieth, and five and fiftieth Verses, the Words are these: Than jesus said unto them, Verily, Verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man, & drink his Blood, ye have no life in you. Whosoever eateth my Flesh, and drinketh my Blood, hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my Flesh is meat indeed, and my Blood is drink indeed. For the better proceeding in which words, I shall First of all, observe unto you: First, the Party speaking, Than jesus said: Secondly, the Parties spoken to, Than jesus said unto them: Thirdly, the Words themselves, Verily, Verily, I say unto you, and so forth. Concerning the Party speaking, I have told you m The Coming of the Holy Ghost. Ser. 4. p. 86. heretofore what the Name of jesus signified; Osiander his conceits thereupon; and what excellent Meditations St Bernard had of that Name: that which now I will add concerning the Party, is not only that he spoke with authority, as Mat. 7.29, or, that he spoke with a Super. excellency, as joh. 7.46, but that he spoke in truth and verity, for he was even Truth itself, joh. 14.6. He is, n Aquin. Sum. Part. 1. Qu. 16 Art. 5. saith the Schoolmen, Summa & prima Veritas: The chief & primary Truth of all: and therefore o Aug. ep. 28. S. Austen: A quocunque verum dicitur illo donante dicitur, quiest ipsa Veritas. By whomsoever Truth is spoken, spoken it is, and had from him, who is in truth Truth itself. He is, p Zanch. de Divin. Attrib l. 3. c. 3. Thes. 2. saith a worthy Writer, Truth in Himself, Truth in his Works, Truth in his Words. And therefore, as the Lord spoke in the Prophet q Esay. 66.9. Esay, Shall I 'cause to travail, and not bring forth? shall I 'cause to bring forth, and shall be barren? So may our Saviour say in this case: Shall I be the cause of Truth in others, and not speak Truth myself? Shall I 'cause others to abhor a Lie, and not abhor it my own self? nay, rather, r Rom. 3.4. saith the Apostle S. Paul, Let God be True, and every Man a Liar. I press this Point the more, Beloved, thereby to make way aforehand to the Words here spoken by him, & now at this time to be handled, lest as when they were first spoken, they were spoken to the s joh. 6.66. loss of a many Disciples who forsook him utterly thereupon, so they should be spoken now at this time too, to the loss of a many of Us, if so be we should mistake them, as those Disciples then did. Who had they had but this Ground that Truth itself had spoken them, and that for this cause was he t Ioh 18.37. borne, & for this cause came he into the World, that he should bear witness unto Truth: they would never by reason of these words, or indeed of any other, have fallen away from him by flock-meale as they did. For being Truth itself in the Abstract, was it possible that the lest Sparkle of Falsehood could light on him? Can Whiteness itself be black? Whiteness in the Abstract? A White thing may be soiled indeed, I, a white thing may be black, but Whiteness itself can by no means be, no more than Knowledge itself can be Ignorance, or Light, Darkness. What Fellowship, u 2. Cor. 6.14. saith the Apostle, hath Righteousness with Unrighteousness? & what Communion hath Light with Darkness? The Party thus speaking then, being Truth itself, and Truth so uncapable of Falsehood, let us believe as in general what ever our Saviour speaketh: so in particular what he speaketh here, and calling to mind what he once x Mar. 24.35. said, Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but my Words shall not pass away: let us acknowledge it so to be, maugre all the doubts & difficulties that may arise within our hearts, and say of these words here spoken, and the Speaker of them, as is said of him in the Revelation: These things, saith he, that is Holy, and True, Rev. 3.7. And thus much of the Party speaking, Than jesus said. Come we now to the Parties spoken to, and they were the Capernaits: Than jesus said unto them. Capernaum (whereof the Inhabitants were called Capernaits, Men famous for their misbelief, and gross understanding of our Saviour's words about the Eating of his Flesh) was a City in judaea situate, & built, in the y Mat. 4.13. Borders of Zabulon, and Nephthalim, and near unto the Sea, I mean the Lake of Gennezaret, for so in the Hebrew phrase Lakes are termed. This City Capernaum was very famous in many respects. When john Baptist was imprisoned about Herod's Marriage with his Brother's Wife, it z Mat. Ib. Mark. 1.21. pleased our Saviour Christ to leave his own Country Nazareth●, and to go and devil in this City. Here it was he sowed a Vid. Aret. in Mat. 4. first the first Seed of heavenly Doctrine; he here made choice of his Apostles; many a great Miracle he wrought here, to bring them to Repentance, which yet took so small effect, that on a time he could not but thunder against them the judgements of the lord b Mat. 11.23. And thou Capernaum saith he, which art lifted up unto Heaven, shalt be brought down to Hell: for if the great works which have been done in thee had been done among them of Sodom, they had remained to this day. And this was the Place, and this the People our Saviour preached to at this time, and it was upon this occasion. Our Saviour a little c joh. 6.10. before had fed with Five Leaves and two Fishes, no less than Five Thousand Men. He had fed at an other d Mat. 15.38. time Four Thousand, but then he had Seven Loaves, which was doubtless a great Miracle: how much greater was this, when as he had Two Loaves les to spend, and a Thousand more Mouths to fill? But it was Christ jesus that did effect it, and it was so marveylous in their Eyes, that as Men in a sudden passion, are oftentimes more Liberal than they would be, had they leisure to take advice, so they would immediately, no remedy, make our Saviour a King for it. Our Saviour that knew their intents, and had other matters to think upon, then earthly Crowns and worldly Diadems, refused that Court Holy-water, & fled from it amain. It was an othergates Kingdom he sought after, Non ut talis Rex, saith St Austen, qui ab Hominibus fieret, sed talis Rex qui Hominibus Regnum daret: He was not to be such a King as was to be made by Men, but such a King as was to give a Kingdom unto Men. Hence it was that at their next meeting, upon occasion of this Miracle of Bread, he discoursed in their Synagogue of the very true Bread indeed, quorum satiavit Panibus ventres, satiet f Aug Ib. saith the same Father, & Sermonibus mentes: that whose Bellies he had filled with the hidden Treasure of those Loaves, he might fill their Minds also with the Treasure of his Words. Not with such a Bread as that was, the virtue whereof was spent by this time, but with the very true Bread of God, that which descended down from Heaven, and as it is in the three and thirtieth verse of this Chapter, that which was to give Life unto the world. In process of which Speech having said that he himself was then that Bread, and that that Bread was his Flesh, & that that Flesh of his should be given for the Life of the World (meaning upon the Cross, which was performed at his Death and Passion) they mistaking this his meaning, and supposing he would carve it to them in Gobbets, or Morsels, as St Austen g Acceperunt illud stultè, carnaliter illud cogitaverunt, & putaverunt quod praecisurus esset Dominus Particulas quasdam de Corpore suo, & daturus illis. Aug in Ps. 98. p. 761 Quamodo in cadavere dilaniatur, aut in Macello venditur Aug. in Evang. joan. Tract. 27. speaketh, or that they should eat it, Sod, or Roasted, as Flesh out of the Shambleses, as h Existimantes hoc eomodo dici, ut carnem eius vel elixam, vel assam, sectamque membratim edere docerentur. Cyp. De Caena Dom. p. 444. speaks St Cyprian, were presently up with their jewish How? How should such a thing come to pass? As if so be they had never read, or heard of that Noble Man, who i 2. King. 2.7. said in like case, (but it cost him his Life for it) Though the Lord would make Windows in the Heaven, could this thing come to pass? Nay, l Cyril. in joh. l. 4. c. 14. saith S. Cyril, it had been meet rather, that first they should have set the Root of Faith in their mind, & then to have inquired those things which are to be inquired after. But they before they believed, inquired out of season. And thus much of the Parties spoken to, who will needs themselves be Speakers now, who had they heard with more Humility what was spoken unto them by our Saviour, they had much more profited than they did, in the true understanding of our Saviour's Words. And so I come to the Words themselves, the Third Point observed about my Text; Verily, Verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his Blood, ye have no life in you. Whosoever eateth my Flesh, and drinketh my Blood hath eternal Life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my Flesh is Meat indeed, and my Blood is Drink indeed. Which words do branch themselves, as it were, into three Stems: First, the Necessity of feeding on the Flesh of our Saviour Christ, and drinking of his Blood, and that in these Words: Verily, Verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man, & drink his Blood, ye have no life in you. Secondly, the Profit, and Commodity of Feeding on the one, and Drinking of the other, and that in these words: Whosoever eateth my Flesh, and drinketh my Blood, hath eternal Life, and I will raise him up at the last day. Thirdly, the Reason of both, aswell of the Necessity, as of the Commedity, and that in these, For my Flesh is Meat indeed, and my Blood is Drink indeed. First of the Necessity. And yet before we come to handle this Necessity, necessary it is, to consider, First, who this Son of Man was: Secondly what it is, to Eat his Flesh, and Drink his Blood. The Son of Man is sometimes taken for Man in general, and therefore the Lord to the Prophet Ezechiel: Son of Man, m Ezech. 2.1. saith he, stand up upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee. And again, immediately after, Son of Man, n V 3. saith he, I sand thee to the children of Israel. So Bildad in the Book of job: Behold, o job. 25.6. saith he, the Stars are unclean in his sight, how much more Man, a worm, even the Son of Man which is but a worm. And Ps. 8.4, What is Man that thou art mindful of him, & the Son of Man that thou visitest him. So likewise in the New Testament: The Saboth, p Mark. 2.27. saith our Savivor, was made for Man, not Man for the Saboth, wherefore the Son of Man is Lord even of the Saboth. The Son of Man, that is, Man in general, our Saviour in that place pleading, for his Apostles the Sons of Men. Howbeit the Son of Man is sometimes taken for our Saviour in particular, who being indeed the Son of God, calleth himself notwithstanding the Son of Man, as Mat. 8.20, and Mat. 10.23, and joh. 3.13. Idem ipse, q Aug. in Ps. 74 p. 564. saith S. Austen, & Filius Dei per quem facti sumus, & Filius Hominis per quem refecti sumus. He was both the Son of God by whom we were created, as also the Son of Man by whom we were redeemed. Some r Vid. Ferum in Mat. 8. p. 162 suppose he calls himself the Son of Man, for that he was borne of a Virgin only, and without the help of Man at all, but it is more likely he so calls himself, for that by this Name he would show unto us, how he accounteth himself (as it were) our Brother: Flesh of our Flesh, and Bone of our Bone, and more it is that he calls himself the Son of Man, them had he called himself Man only. He might, s Ferus Ibid. saith Ferus, even of the Earth have made himself Man, as he made Adam at the first, and so should he indeed have been Flesh, but he should not have been Our Flesh: now in that he calls himself the Son of Man, sure we are, he is Bone of our Bone, and Flesh of our Flesh, so that now what ever he did, for Man's Redemption, done it was for our sakes, we had the benefit of it. You remember what t Our Sau. Nativ. Ser. 1. p. 14. heretofore I have told you from S. Bernard, Non sibi, non Angelis, nobis ergo natus, nobis & datus, quia nobis necessarius. He was not borne for his own sake, nor yet for the Angels, but only for our sake: Borne he was for us, and to us was he given, for that he was necessary unto us. And the Creed of u The Creed in the Communion Book commonly said after the Gospel. Constantinople to this purpose: Who for us Men, and for our Salvation came down from Heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made Man. And thus, Beloved, have we seen who this Son of Man was: it followeth now to be considered, what it is, to eat his Flesh, what it is, to drink his Blood: Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his Blood. Right Worshipful, and dearly Beloved: I am now entreating of those Words, about the true understanding whereof (& of those that are so nigh a kin unto them, This is my Body, Mat. 26.26) there hath been these many years, and yet is, even to this day, so much ado throughout the World. Our Adversaries cry mainly out to have the Fathers stood unto, for the true understanding of them, and (all things well weighed) we refuse not that Trial. And though in respect of Some of you, it be not altogether so befitting now to handle this Point in such sort: yet considering their often Untruths in every petty Pamphlet they set forth, that we admit not of the Fathers, that we quite and clean forsake them, that we dare not be tried by them: I will show you concerning these Words what the ancient Fathers say, that you may perceive whether we have cause to refuse them, yea, or no. One of those Fathers than was S. Austen, and he giving a many Instructions concerning the understanding of the Scriptures, If it be, x Si praeceptiva locutio est aut flagitium, aut facinus vetans, aut utilitatem, aut beneficentiam iubens, non est figurata. Si autem flagitium, aut facinus videtur jubere, aut utilitatem, aut beneficentiam vetare, figurata est. Nisi manducaveritis inquit Carnem Filii hominis, & Sanguinem biberitis, non habebitis vitam in vobis, facinus vel flagitium videtur jubere. FIGYRA est ergò, praecipiens Passioni Domini esse communicandum, & suaviter atque utiliter recondendum in memoria, quod pro nobis Caro eius crucifixa, & vulnerata sit. Aug. de Doct Christ. lib. 3. c. 16. pag. 37. Edit. Basil. 1528. saith he, a speech of commandment, forbidding any wickedness, or heinous offence, it is no Figurative Speech, but if it seem to command a wicked deed, or an heinous offence, then is it a Figure. Now in what doth he make his instance, but in these self same Words, which we have in hand, and are parcel of this my Text: Except ye shall eat the Flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his Blood, ye shall have no life in you. He seemeth, saith S. Austen, to command an heinous offence, or a wicked deed: therefore it is a FIGURE, commanding us to communicate with the Passion of our Lord, and sweetly, and profitably to keep in memory, that his Flesh was crucified, and wounded for us. So that St Austen (you see) not only takes the words to be Figurative in this place, but he gives us the meaning of them to: he not only tells us how we may not, but how we must understand, & take them. An other of those Fathers is St Cyprian, and he more ancient than St Austen. He discoursing on these Words: The Master y Dixerat sanè buius traditionis Magister, quod nisi manducaremus & biberemus eius sanguinem, non haberemus vitam in nobis: spirituali nos instruens documento, & aperiens ad rem adeo abditam intellectum, ut sciremus quod mansio nostra in ipso sit manduratio, & potus quasi quaedam incorporatio, subiectis obsequiis, voluntatibus iunctis, affectibus unitis. Esus igitur carnis buius quaedam aviditas est, & quoddam desiderium manendi in ipso. Cyp. de Caena Domini. p 446. Edit Basil. 1530. saith he, of this Institution said, that except we did eat (his Flesh) and drink his Blood, we should have no life in us, instructing us with a spiritual LESSON, and opening our Understanding for the conceiving of so hidden a matter, thereby to let us know, that our abiding in him is Eating, and (our) Drinking is, as it were, an incorporating with him, in that (mutual) services are performed, wills joined, and affections united. The Eating therefore of this Flesh, is a certain coveting, and desiring to abide in him. And a little after: z Potus & esus ad eandem pertinent rationem, quibus sicut corporea nutritur substantia & vivit, & incolumis perseverat, ita vita spiritus hoc proprio alimento nutritur: & quod est esca carni, hoc animae est fides: quod cibus corpori, hoc verbum spiritui, excellentiori virtute peragens aeternaliter, quod agunt alimenta carnalia temporaliger, & sinaliter, Cyp. Ibid. Such as the Eating is, such is the Drinking, by which Eating, & by which Drinking, as our Corporal Substance is nourished, & liveth, and is in Health: so the Life of the Spirit is nourished by this peculiar, & proper Food. And that which Food is to the Flesh, that is Faith unto the Soul: that which Meat is to the Body, that the Word is to the Spirit by a more excellent virtue performing that eternally which Carnal Food performeth but for a short, and certain season. Next to St Cyprian lived Origen, & he hath these words: a Est in Evangetiis litera quae occidit, non solùm in veteri Testamento occidens litera de. prehenditur. Est & in novo Testamento litera, quae occidat eum. qui non spiritaliter quae dicuntur adverterit. Si enim secund●m literam sequaris hoc ipsum quod dictum est. Nisi manducaveritis Carnem meam, & biberitis Sanguinem meum, occidit haec litera. Origen. in Leu. Hom. 7. p. 141. Edit. Basil. 1571. There is even in the New Testament a Letter which killeth him that doth not spiritually hearken to it: for if thou follow according to the Letter that which is written, Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his Blood, that Letter killeth. Others also might be produced to speak to this purpose. All Fathers, all Ancient, all within the compass of four hundred years after Christ. Nay, it was an offer made long ago, by that worthy Prelate B. IVEL, that if any Learned man of our Adversaries, or if all the learned men that be alive, be able to bring any one sufficient Sentence out of any old Catholic Doctor, or Father, or out of any old General Council, or out of the holy Scriptures of God, or any one Example of the Primitive Church, whereby it may clearly, and plainly be proved, that the People was then taught to believe, that Christ's Body is REALLY, SUBSTANTIALLY, CORPORALLY, CARNALLY, or NATURALLY in the Sacrament, he was content to yield and to subscribe. It were worth the while to make an Epitome of that which Mr Harding brought in this Case, none of the meanest of those Adversaries, & how for want of Fathers to prove that Christ's Body was REALLY, and CORPORALLY, in the Sacrament: he altered the State of the Question, and endeavoured to prove, that Christ's Body is joined, and united, REALLY and CORPORALLY, unto us. A Point not denied by his Adversary. But I am not at this time to speak of Controversies. Wherefore to return to my matter in hand. Go we now to the Text itself, and doth not that convince as much, as the b The words of Christ teaching us in the sixth of john that we must eat his Flesh & drink his Blood before we can have any life in us, are by the common consent of all the Fathers, Allegorical, Mystical and Figurative. B Bilsons Difference between Christ, Subject. & unchrist. Rebel. Part 4 p. 582. Edit. Lond. 1586. Fathers have spoken thereupon? For where our Saviour useth the present tense, Except ye eat: And again, Ye have no life in you: And, whosoever eateth: Again, Hath eternal Life: And, My Flesh is Meat: And again, My Blood is Drink: all in the present tense, what doth it mean in our Saviour's understanding, but that his Flesh was then Meat, and then at that time to be eaten, or they were but Dead men then, and had no life in them then at that time. Besides as the Words here spoken were a whole Twelvemonth at the lest before his Passion, and consequently before the administration of the Sacrament: so suppose that since they were many, some of them had died within that Twelve months' space before the Receiving of the Sacrament, and yet had Believed in our Saviour Christ, should those Some notwithstanding have been said, not to have eaten of our Saviour's Flesh, and by consequence to have been damned? For our Saviour's Words are peremptory, Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of man, and drink his Blood ye have no life in you. So that where our Saviour saith in an other c joh. 8.24. place, Except ye believe that I am he, ye shall die in your Sins: they might have Believed that he was he, and yet died in their Sins to, and all for not Receiving the Sacrament according to these men's Opinion. But our Saviour doubtless was far from such a meaning: he commended to them no other Eating, than they might presently have fallen unto, had their stomachs then served them, and so the Prophets, so the patriarchs, so Abraham fed upon him. Abraham saith our Saviour, rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it, and was glad, joh. 8.56. And the Apostle St Paul to this purpose, Brethrens d 1. Cor. 10.1. saith he, I would not that ye should be ignorant that all our Fathers were under the Cloud, and all passed through the Sea, and were all baptised unto Moses in the Cloud, and in the Sea, and did all eat the same spiritual Meat, and did all drink the same spiritual Drink, for they drank of the spiritual Rock that followed them, & the Rock was Christ. I will end this Point with a saying of St Austin's, a Riddle in show, but once conceived & understood, excellently declaring the Eating, and Drinking we have in hand. Non manducans manducat e Aug. in Evan, joan. Tract. 26. So saith Seneca in another case: Saepe & qui reddidit quod accepit, ingratus est: & qui non reddidit, gratus. Senec. de Benef. l. 3. c. 7. saith St Austen, & manducans non manducat. He that eateth not, eateth: and he that eateth, eateth not. His meaning is: he that thinketh to eat our Saviour Christ by chewing, or by chamming, and use of Bodily Mouth, utterly mistakes this Meat, and knows not what he eats, he takes it, & takes it truly, that takes it with the Inner Mouth of the Mind, that takes it Spiritually. And thus have we now seen what it is to eat his Flesh, what it is to drink his Blood, come we now to the Necessity of such an Eating, and such a Drinking, which I told you was in these words, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his Blood, ye have no life in you. Necessity in common speech is usually taken many manner of ways. There is a Necessity by way of commodiousness, when it is expedient, & convenient, that we use the help of an other thing. Thus having a journey to make, an Horse, or a Coach is necessary, that is, it is more convenient to use them, then to use them not. There is a Necessity by way of Violence, that compels a thing out of his place to his proper place again. Thus a Stone when it is cast on high, must needs fall down again, no remedy. There is thirdly a Necessity Absolute, that cannot: possibly be otherwise then it is. Thus God, and his Holiness, are absolutely necessary. Lastly, there is an Absolute Necessity by way of Consequence, I mean when we cannot possibly attain unto a thing, without the help of some other thing: and this is the Necessity I mean in this place, a Necessity of such Consequence, as unless we do thus, or thus, unless we do so, or so, we cannot possibly be saved. Now that Feeding on our Saviour's Flesh, & Drinking his Blood is thus necessary, is notified here unto us two manner of ways. First, by our Saviour's Protestation, Verily, verily, I say unto you: Secondly, upon pain of eternal damnation, Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of man, and drink his Blood ye have no life in you. First, of the Protestation, Verily, verily, I say unto you. The words Verily, verily, in the Original, are Amen, Amen, and Amen is a word that hath his fourth in every f Vid. Beza in 1. Cor, 14.16 Language, howbeit in every Language it hath not the self same force. Certain it is, that it is a Speech, as often times used by our Saviour, so never but upon special and principal occasion. St Austen speaking of these words, What is it g Aug. in Evan. joan. Tract. 41. saith he, our Lord meaneth when as he saith, Amen, Amen, dico vobis: Verily, Verily, I say unto you? He doth much commend saith St Austen, and urge the thing, that so he uttereth, by doubling the word. And it is, saith he, if an Turrian may be bold so to say, a certain kind of Oath of his. The like to this hath St Jerome: God's Oath h Hieron. in Ezech. c. 16. saith he, in the Old Testament is, As I live saith the Lord: but in the New, Verily, verily, I say unto you. But howsoever this be, for i Fulleri Miscell. Theolog. l. 1. c. 2. Some in no wise will admit it to be an Oath, doubtless an asseveration it is, and parallel unto that, joh. 3.6, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except that a man be borne of Water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. The word is Hebrew, and derived of a Word in that language that signifieth Truth, even as Verily our English word comes of Verè the Latin, which comes of Veritas, signifying Truth too. Of all the Words in holy Scripture, we of the true Religion are not a little beholding to this Word. It ministered S. Paul an excellent Argument to prove that Public Prayer, or Prayer in the Church, should be in the Vulgar Tongue. I will pray with the Spirit, l 1 Cor. 14.15 saith S. Paul, but I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the Spirit, but I will sing with the understanding also. Else when thou blessest with the Spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he knoweth not what thou sayst. S. jerom he m Hier. in Mat c. 6. p. 21. Vid Days Dial, Lect. 10. p 274. calls it, Sigillum Orationis Dominicae: The Seal of the Lords Prayer, and Mr Perkins n Mr Perkins on the Lord's Prayer. affirmeth that it is of more value, than all the Prayer beside. His reason is, for it is a Testification of our Faith, whereas all the Petitions beside, saith he, are Testifications only of our Desires. But to return where I left. You see, Beloved, what hath been said concerning this Word: how it is never doubled by our Saviour but upon some special, and principal cause: how some affirm it to be a kind of Oath of his: and how it cometh of an hebrew Word, that signifieth Truth. I will end this Point with that of St Ambrose, who speaking of this Word: This word Amen, o Ambr. in Ps. 4. saith he, is a word of Confirmation, and so used by our Saviour, but where the Word is doubled, there it hath the greater force, as is often to be found in S. john's Gospel, our Saviour there entreating of heavenly, and profound Mysteries of Faith. And so our Saviour here doth, for the Eating our Saviour's Flesh, and Drinking of his Blood, is a profound, and heavenly Mystery indeed: a Point so strange to the Ears of mortal man, that no marvel he thus confirms it with so solemn a Protestation. And thus much of the Necessity, as it is notified here unto us by the Protestation of our Saviour. Now of the same Necessity, as it is notified to us again upon Pain of Damnation: Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his Blood, ye have no life in you. First then where our Saviour saith, Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his Blood, ye have no life in you, we are first of all to know what kind of Life is here meant. Haec non utique Cadaveribus, p Aug in Evan joan. Tract. 26. saith S. Austen, sed Viventibus loquebatur. He spoke not these things unto Deadmen, but to Men that were alive. This Life then, is not here meant. And indeed to say the truth, what great benefit should it be, to enjoy such a Life as this, by eating our Saviour's Flesh, and drinking of his Blood: a Life full of Crosses and Calamities, wherein every q Mat. 6.34. Day hath his Grief, and every r Ps 91.5. Night her Terror: s 2. Cor. 7.5. Fights without, & Frights within, & Troubles on every side: Great travail, t Ecclus. 40.1 saith the Son of Syrach, is created for all men, and a heavy yoke upon the Sons of Adam, from the day they go out of their Mother's womb, to the day that they return to the Mother of all things. Namely their Thoughts, & Fear of the Heart, and their Imagination of the things they wait for, and the day of Death. And that you may know none to be exempted, not not one, it u Ecclus. 40.3 followeth immediately after: From him that sitteth upon the glorious Throne, unto him that is beneath in Earth, and Ashes, from him that is clothed in blue silk, and weareth a Crown, even unto him that is clothed in simple Linen. This Life, not the Life then, here meant in this place, what kind of Life might it be? what? but Everlasting Life: what? but Life Eternal, for so our Saviour in the x joh. 6.54. next words: Whosoever eateth my Flesh, and drinketh my Blood hath eternal Life. The meaning than is, Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his Blood, you have no Life in you, that is, you have not Eternal Life, and if you have not Life Eternal, then must you have Eternal Death, for between such a Life, and such a Death, there is no mean, nor middle at all. So that as the Apostle y 1. Cor. 9.16 said in another case, Necessity is laid upon me, and woe is unto me if I preach not the Gospel: that may we all of us say in this case, Necessity is laid upon us, and woe is unto us, if we Eat not our Saviour's Flesh, if we Drink not our Saviour's Blood. I, but some will say, seeing this Eating our Saviour's Flesh, & Drinking our Saviour's Blood may be done by every of us Spiritually in this sort, what need we do it then by the Sacrament, seeing we may without it Eat Spiritually, and we eat but Spiritually with it? Beloved, the Question is not what in this respect we may, but what we must perform: and things standing as they do, what it is that now in this case God requireth at our hands. The time was, Circumcision was not, & there was no use of it at all: from Adam unto Abraham none were circumcised: howbeit after the Lord had made it a Covenant, and protested that the uncircumcised Man-child should be z Gen. 17.14 cut of from his People, was it, trow we, in their power whether they would be circumcised or no? Not doubtless, and therefore Moses, even Moses himself, for he had neglected it in a Child of his, it had liked to have cost him his life, Exod. 4.24. There was, a 1. Kin. 20.35 saith the Scripture, a certain Man of the Children of the Prophets, that said unto his Neighbour by the commandment of the Lord, Smite me, I pray thee. But the Man refused to smite him. Than said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the Lord, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a Lion shall slay thee. So when he was departed from him, a Lion found him, and slew him. If Moses himself had like to have been slain, and another was slain in very deed for not obeying the voice of the Lord in a matter he might have seemed to have some Scripture on his side, Touch not mine Anointed, and do my Prophets no harm, Ps. 105.15: how doth it behove us to repair to these Elements, seeing the Lord himself hath so commanded us, and not to dispute as b 2. King. 5.12 Naaman did whether Abanah, & Pharpar, Rivers of Damascus, were not better than all the waters in Israel. Well then, wilt thou say: this may we do though we do it not often: if but Once a year we receive, we this do, and if we do but yearly Once, what need any more times. Indeed some things done but once, they are done for all ever, and therefore Abishai said to David when Saul lay sleeping within the Fort, God, c 1. Sam. 26.8. saith he, hath closed thine enemy into thy hand this day: now therefore I pray thee let me smite him Once with a spear to the earth, and I will not smite him again. Thus the Apostle of our Saviour d Heb. 7.26. Christ, Such an high Priest it became us to have which is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from Sinners, and made higher than the Heavens: which needed not daily as those High Priests, to offer up Sacrifice, first for his own Sins, and then for the People's: for that did he once when he offered up himself. And again, the same e Heb. 9.27. Apostle, As it is appointed unto Men that they shall Once dye, & after that, cometh the judgement, so Christ was once offered to take away the Sins of many. Thus do we Once in Baptism put on Christ, and indeed but Once, and therefore no reiteration of it. Rebaptization was an Heresy. But is it to be so in this Sacrament? Nay, for the Apostle f 1. Cor. 11.25 saith, This do as often as ye drink it. And g V 26. again, As often as ye shall eat this Bread, & drink this Cup, ye show the Lords Death till he come. As often, As often, He saith not, As seldom as you do it, or if you do it but Once, but h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Quotiescunque, Quotiescunque, As often, As often. And to say the very truth, Often and Often are the Times, that it aught to be done by us. Witness, First of all, the Name it hath of being Food unto our Souls. For howsoever the Comparison hold not in every respect, of being to be taken as is our corporal Food often every day, yet doth it hold to be taken often, & therefore S. Chrysostom twice in one Homily i Chrys. in Epist. ad Ephes. Hom. 3. & add Pop. Antioch. Hom. 61. Non es Oblatione, aut Communione dignus? igitur neque Precatione. When ever the Communion is celebrated, art thou not worthy to Communicate? Than art thou not Worthy to be present at Prayer. And St Ambrose to this purpose, If so be l Ambros. de Sacram. l. 5. c. 4. saith he, it be daily Food, why dost thou take it but once a year, as the Greeks' are wont to do in the East? Nay rather receive it daily, seeing daily it may profit thee: so live that thou mayst be worthy to receive it daily. He that is not worthy daily to receive it, is not worthy to receive it once a year. The very same words hath m Aug. de Verb. Dom. Ser. 28. St Austen, though in an other n Aug. de Ecclesiast. Dogm. c. 53. place he say (if so be that Book be his) To receive the Sacrament every day I neither praise it, nor dispraise it, only I would counsel, and exhort men to receive it every Sabaoth day, so that he have no will to commit (enormous) Sins. Add hereunto the Word of o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Dwelleth in me, & I in him, joh. 6.56. Abiding, or Dwelling, which our Saviour useth in this Chapter, which as a worthy Writer p Sadeel de spiritual. Manducat. Resp. ad Object. 8. p. 237. Col. 2. observeth signifieth such a Conjunction as is not only to begin, but to last, and to endure, and therefore to be cherished by such Means as our Saviour Christ hath instituted to that end and purpose: the chiefest whereof are the Preaching of the Gospel, and Administration of this Sacrament. Besides that this Conjunction of ours is at first to be wrought by Faith, which Faith as it is capable of Increase, and Decrease, so, that it aught continually to be increased, witness these ensuing Places which you may peruse at your own leisure, Mark. 9.24. Luk. 17.5. Rom. 1.17.2. Thess. 1.3. And thus much of the Necessity as it is notified here unto us upon pain of Damnation. The Profit & Commodity comes now to be handled, and that in these words, Whosoever eateth my Flesh, and drinketh my Blood hath eternal Life, and I will raise him up at the last day. Wherein we are to note: First, the Commodity itself, which is twofold, Life Eternal, and The Resurrection: Secondly, the Extent of that Commodity, to all and every one that eateth & drinketh thus, Whosoever. Whosoever eateth my Flesh, and drinketh my Blood, hath eternal Life and I will raise him up at the last day. First, concerning Eternal Life to show you what it is, I must needs profess afore hand, I for my part, am not able. The Apostle St Paul will excuse me: The things q 1. Cor. 2.9. saith he, which Eye hath not seen, neither Ear hath heard, neither came into Man's heart, are which God hath prepared for them that love him. Now as St Austen notes thereupon, r Aug. in Psal. 85 p 650. If it never came into the heart of man, it cannot possibly come into his Tongue, for it is out of the Heart's abundance that the Tongue is able to speak, Mat. 12.34. Nay s De cuius excellentia si omnia dicta fuerint quibus omnium hominum linguae sufficiant vix tamen infima eius particula delibata fuerit Calvin. Instit. l. 3 c. 25 § 10. saith a worthy Writer, if all things should be spoken which all the Tongues of Men should be able to speak, yet scarcely the smallest Parcel thereof should be able to be expressed. And therefore the Prophets, for they could by no words express that Spiritual Blessedness in itself, endeavour to portray it out under Figurative Speeches drawn from external and carnal things. I might instance in the Prophet Esay, Esay 54.11, and Esay 65.19, but that I have far to go. Concerning the Having of Eternal Life [whosoever eateth my Flesh, and drinketh my Blood, hath eternal Life] Habet vitam aeternam t Aug. in Evan. joan. Tract 26. saith St Austen, non quòd patet, sed quòd latet. He hath eternal Life, not in that that Life appeareth, but in that it is hidden and in secret. And our Saviour to this purpose, To him u R●…, 2.17. Our Rhemists translate it A white Counter, unlearnedly, & ridiculously. God grant it be not Ominous, & that they find not indeed when time shallbe, only a Counter instead of that they should be possessed of at that time. St john alludes to the Custom which was in his days & long before, namely of writing in a little Stone the Names of such as were elected to any Office: or such as were absolved or condemned of a Crime. Mos erat antiquis niveis atrisque lapillis, His damnare reos, illis absolvere culpa. Ovid. Met. lib. 15. saith he, that overcometh will I give to eat of the Manna that is hid, and I will give him a white Stone, and in the Stone a new Name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. So the Apostle St Paul: Ye are sealed x Ephes. 1.13. saith he, with the Holy Spirit of promise which is the Earnest of our Inheritance. This then is that Hidden Manna: this, that White Stone: this that Earnest of our Inheritance, and as S. Austen noateth very wittyly, Rather an Earnest, than a Pledge, for when we give a Pledge y Aug. de Verb. Apost. Ser. 13. p. 216. saith he, a Pledge is to be restored again, the Earnest is not: nay the Earnest is part of that which is by promise to be given. We are sure then of the rest, for we have part of payment already, and that by promise from him who is most faithful of his Word. Paul z Tit. 1.1. saith the Apostle, a Servant of God, & an Apostle of jesus Christ, according to the faith of Gods elect, and the knowledge of the truth, which is according to godliness, under the hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie, hath promised before the world began. So likewise to the Hebrews, God, a Heb. 6.17. saith the Apostle, willing more abundantly to show unto the Heirs of promise the stableness of his Counsel, bound himself by an Oath; that by two immutable things wherein it is unpossible that God should lie, we might have strong consolation. Nor is it in any one's power to dispossess us hereof. They are the words of our Saviour himself: My Sheep b joh. 10.27. saith he, hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal Life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them me is greater than all; & none is able to take them out of my Father's hand. So that now we may say in this case with the Apostle c Rom. 8.35. St. Paul, who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall Tribulation, or Anguish, or Persecution, or Famine, or Nakedness, or Peril, or Sword? In all these things we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor Things present, nor Things to come, nor Height, nor Depth, nor any other Creature shallbe able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ jesus our Lord. And thus much of the First Commodity, Life Eternal. The Second Commodity (as I told you) was the Resurrection, or as d Aug. in joh. Tract. 26. St Austen will have it, it is the forestall of an Objection. For where our Saviour, saith he, promised here Eternal Life to those that fed on him, lest they should imagine thereupon that Eternal Life was so promised, that, I am nec corpore morerentur: They should not now die at all: it pleased our Saviour, to prevent such thoughts, & to intimate unto them, that die indeed they should, howbeit they should be raised again, and that by him. As the Father e joh. 5.21. saith our Saviour, raiseth up the dead, & quickeneth them, so the Son quickeneth whom he wil And again, f Ver. 28. The hour shall come, in the which all that are in the Grains, shall hear the sons voice. And they shall come forth that have done good, unto the Resurrection of Life: but they that have done evil, unto the Resurrection of Condemnation. Or thus: g Ioh 6.54. I will raise him up: I, that is, my Body h Ego, dixit, (id est, corpus meum quod comedetur) resuscitabo eum. Cyril. in joan. l 4. c. 15. p. 172. saith St Cyril, that shallbe eaten. So St Hilary, As the Son i Quomodo per Patrem vivit (Filius) eodem modo nos per carnem eius vivemus. Hilar. de Trin. l. 8. p. 134. saith he, liveth by the Father, even so shall we live by his Flesh. And Tertullian to this purpose, Our Flesh l Caro Corpore & Sanguine Christi vescitur ut & Anima de Deo saginetur. Non possunt ergo separari in mercede quas opera coniungit. Tertul. de Resurrect. Carnis. p. 31. saith he, entereth the Body and Blood of Christ, that the Soul may also be fatted with God. And therefore can they by no means be separated in the Resurrection seeing they shall both of them at that time have one Reward. And hence it is that St Cyprian m Maturatae Resurrectionis latabunda Solennia, Cyp. de Coena Dom. c. 1● termeth the Sacrament, A joyful Solemnity of expedite and speedy Resurrection; n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Ign. Epist. ad Eph. Ignatius, A medicine which procureth immortality, and preventeth death; o Corpora nostra percipientia Eucharistiam, iam non sunt corruptibilia, spem resurrectionis habentia. Iren. Advers. Haer. l. 4. c. 34. Vid. Mr Hooker Eccl. Pol l. 5. §. 68 p. 190. Irenaeus, The Nourishment of our Bodies to eternal Life, & their Preservative from Corruption. Howbeit here, Beloved, ariseth a doubt, and that of no small importance. For seeing it appeareth unto us by these Premises, that the Resurrection is a singular Benefit of Christ unto the Godly, how cometh it then to pass that the Wicked also shall rise again? Yes: the Wicked shall rise again, and that by the Virtue of Christ to, but not as he is a Redeemer, but as he is a terrible judge, and is to execute justice upon them. Moore hereof may be seen in p Aqu. Part. 3. Qu. 56. Art. 1. §. 2. Aquinas, and q Calu. Inst. l. 3. c. 25. § 9 Calvin. I hasten to the Extent which reacheth to all, and every of us, that eateth, and drinketh thus, Whosoever. Whosoever eateth my Flesh, and drinketh my Blood. Of a truth r Act. 10.34. saith St Peter, I perceive that God is no Accepter of Persons, but in every Nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness is accepted with him. The Word in the Original, which it seems he used there by word of Mouth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, An accepter of Persons, he afterwards used with his Pen, when writing to the Faithful, he showeth them that the Lord without respect of Persons judgeth according to every man's word. The Word, s Zanch. in Ephes. c. 6. v. 9 saith Zanchius, is a word of Assize, & properly belongeth unto judges, who if in judgement they respect any thing, but only the truth, and equity of the cause, that, saith he, is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and thereupon it cometh, that they are Accepters of Persons. Wherhfore the Areopagites, saith he, they used to hear men's causes by Night, and all for they would not be carried away with any by-respect whatsoever. Indeed it is in this world, as it was in S. james his time: If there come, t jam. 2.2. saith S. james, into your company a man with a goldring, and in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment, ye have a respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, sit thou here in a good place, and say unto the poor, stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: and so it is with us now adays: but it is not so with God. Be he Noble, or Ignoble; Poor, or Rich; Master, or Servant; jew, or Gentle; all's one to him, so that he feareth him, & worketh Righteousness. Nay; He hath chosen, u 1. Cor. 1.27 saith the Apostle, the foolish things of the world to confounded the wise, and the weak things of the world to confounded the mighty things, and vile things of the world, and things which are despised hath God chosen, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are. Now as there are of all these sorts that are to be placed in Heaven, so are they to have in this world their Vocation thereunto. And this is that which is done in every Age by the Ministry of the Word, & therefore our Saviour Christ, Go, x Mat. 28.19. saith he, and teach all y Dei fons uberimus, alque plenissimus patet cunctis: & hoc coeleste lumen universis oritur, quicunque oculos habent. Lact. Inst. l. 3. c. 26. Nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, until the end of the world. All that I need to observe in this point is this. As GOD respecteth neither King, nor Keysar; Noble, nor Ignoble; Poor, nor Rich; if so be they serve him not, and therefore the Prophet z Psal. 2.10. David, Be wise now therefore o ye kings, be learned ye that are judges of the earth. Serve the Lord in fear, and rejoice unto him with reverence. Kiss the Son lest he be angry, and so ye perish from the right way: so if any of them again believe in him, serve, and obey him, eat his Flesh, and drink his Blood, according unto that Diet which our Saviour prescribeth here, he hath where withal both to feed the Hungry with good things, and yet for all that, not to sand the Rich (as a Luk. 1.53. sometimes he did) empty away. And so I come unto the last Point, the Reason as of the Necessity of Feeding in this sort: so of the Profit, and Commodity of it. For my Flesh is Meat indeed, and my Blood is Drink indeed. For my Flesh is Meat, and my Blood is Drink: there's the Reason of the Necessity of Feeding: For my Flesh is Meat indeed, and my Blood is Drink indeed:: there's the Reason of the Commodity of it. They are both of them here joined, & therefore will I handle both together. For my Flesh is Meat indeed, and my Blood is Drink indeed. Who so will ponder with himself a many Passages in this Chapter, as First, in the three and thirtieth verse: The Bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world: Secondly, in the five and thirtieth verse: I am the Bread of life, he that cometh to me shall not hunger, & he that believeth in me shall never thirst. Thirdly, in the eight and fort: I am the Bread of life. Fourthly, in the fifth verse, This is the Bread which cometh down from heaven, that he which eateth of it should not die. Lastly, in the one and fifth verse, I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this Bread, he shall live for ever: and the Bread that I will give is my Flesh, which I will give for the life of the world: shall both understand what is here meant in the words I am now handling, namely, that it is Bread, & how our saviours Flesh is Meat, and his Blood, Drink: and how his Flesh is Meat indeed, and how his Blood is Drink indeed. First, the Meat meant here, that it is Bread, witness the Words of our Saviour himself, who when in the seven and twentieth verse he had said unto them, Labour not for the Meat which perisheth, but for the Meat that endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you, discourseth afterwards of Bread only, & how that Bread was his Flesh, and how Himself was that Bread. The Bread of God, the Bread of Life, The living Bread which came down from heaven, and giveth Life unto the world: so incomparably beyond Manna, as Manna was beyond itself, when as it was Angels Food, Ps. 78.26, and when it stunk, & was full of worms, Exod. 16.20. Now how our Saviour's Flesh is Meat, and his Blood, Drink; and his Flesh is Meat indeed, and his Blood, Drink indeed, we shall the better understand, if so be we call to mind the several Properties that Bread hath (the Meat here understood) and the great Pre-eminence that this Bread hath, above all other Bread whatsoever. One of the Properties of Bread, is to strengthen man's heart, as speaks the Prophet David, Ps. 104.15, & therefore the Prophet Esay, he b Esay. 3,1. calls it The Stay of Bread: the Prophet c Ezech. 4.16 Ezechiel The Staff of Bread. Indeed were it not for Bread, it would be woe with Mankind, we being able no more to want that peculiar kind of Food, than any one thing else whatsoever. This it was that made Satan presume so much upon our Saviour after his Fast of forty days, for he little doubted but at that time, he would have done much for a morsel of Bread. But in vain did he spread that d Prov. 1.17. Last. Transl. Net in the sight of that Bird. Our Saviour's answer unto him was, Man liveth not by Bread only, Mat. 4.4. Another Property of Bread, is, that Bread is good for Medicine: It hath, e Panis hic ipse quo vivitur, innumeras penè continet Medicinas. Mollit collectiones, duritias valde mitigat. Datur & ex vino ad discutionda quae praestringi opus sit etc. Adversus acutas Pituitae fluxiones, quas Graeci Rheumatismos vocant: item ad percussa, luxata Plin Hist. not l. 21 c. 25. saith Pliny, almost an infinite number of medicinable faculties. It mollifies impostumes, it assuageth any hardness, it is of force against Rheums, and concerning bruised places, by reason of Stripes and Blows, and concerning Dislocations, it is of singular virtue. So that Bread (you see) is Meat, and Medicine. And is not our Saviour CHRIST so? Nay, is he not more than so? First, Bread, though it be never so necessary, yet is it the Meat which perisheth, and it must daily be renewed, or what will it help a man to have it now, and not hereafter? But is it so with our Saviour Christ? Nay, but as himself f joh. 4.13. said of jacobs' Well: Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again, but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him. shall never be more athirst, but the water that I shall give him, shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life:. So may we say of this Bread, and so may we say of that, whosever eateth of that Bread, shall afterwards hunger again, but whosever eateth of this Bread which our Saviour shall give unto him (he himself is the Giver, and he is the Gift too) shall never be hungry more, but the Bread that he shall give him, shall be in him a World of Bread, strengthening both Body and Soul to a Life perpetual and everlasting. Secondly, is Bread good for Medicine? Hath it such an infinite number of medicinable Faculties? Doth it mollify Impostumes? Assuage Hardness? Is it of force against Rheums, and so forth? Even so our Saviour Christ: First, he g Mat. 11.29. cures Pride's Impostume, that which makes us swell so much, & think so mainly of ourselves, and so meanly of our Brethrens. Secondly, he cures in us Hardness of Heart, that which makes us so unsensible of Repentance, & to walk on still, both Days, & Months, and Years in our wickedness. He is the most cunning Anatomist that ever was, he can take the h Ezec. 11.19 Stony Heart out of our Bodies, and place instead thereof, a Heart of Flesh. Thirdly, he cures our Sinful Rheums, I mean that perpetual Flux of Sin which lasteth in every of us, as long as this Life doth last. So that when this i 1. Cor. 15.54 Corruptible hath put on Incorruption, and this Mortal hath put on Immortality, then shall be brought to pass, the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up into Victory. O Death, where is thy sting? O Grave, where is thy Victory? Fourthly, he cures our Bruised Places by reason of Stripes, and Blows, such as is likely the Apostle St Paul had, when as the l 2. Cor. 12.7. Messenger of Satan did buffet him. Lastly, he cures our Dislocations, I mean our Members out of joint, be it an Arm, or an Hand, or a Leg, in not performing such Christian offices as every of them aught, or should performed. The Arm in strengthening the Widow, the Orphan, and the Poor, and defending them from wrong. The Hand in giving of them sustenance, and reaching out Alms unto them. The Legs in coming to Divine Service, & to all such Christian Exercises as are usually performed at the Church. Nay he doth more than all this. Bread cannot revive the Dead again: when once a Man is dead, farewell the Medicine of Bread, and a many times before to. Howbeit our Saviour, what he is able to do in this kind, and what indeed he doth every day, and how it pleaseth him to make the Sacrament, an Earnest of the same, you have already heard before, nor is it necessary now at this time, to make rehearsal of it again. What hath been said concerning Meat; may be verified concerning Drink to, and how our Saviour's Blood is Drink, and how his Blood is Drink indeed, namely, that it hath both the several Properties that Drink hath, and a great pre-eminence above it. But I will end this whole Point with those excellent words of Musculus. Let us m Musc in. joh. 6. saith he, by the commendation which our Saviour gives to his Flesh, and to his Blood, be stirred up to seek not the Meat which perisheth, and therefore not the true Meat, but that which remaineth for ever, and is Meat indeed, that feeds us unto Life everlasting. Let daily experience teach us now at the length the frailty of worldly things, and let us remember, that whether we have them, or have them not, there is no Truth in them, but only in those heavenly and eternal things we have by Christ. Are we moved with WORLDLY joy? Let us presently think with ourselves that that is not true joy. Are we on the other side troubled with SORROW? Let it presently come unto our minds, that that that is not true Affliction? Are we delighted with the SWEETNESS and VARIETY of DISHES? Let the faithful Soul say, The Flesh of Christ is Meat indeed, the Blood of Christ is Drink indeed. Do GLORIOUS BVILDINGS delight us? Let us remember there are in our Father's House many glorious Mansions indeed, and everlasting Tabernacles. Do the VINES deceive our expectation in not yielding us our wont Fruit? Let us say that Christ is the true Vine, that never doth deceive us, so that we continued to abide in him. Lastly, are we summoned hence, and called out of this LIFE? Let us say with Faith unfeigned, Christ is Life indeed, even the true and everlasting Life. And thus, Beloved, have you heard of the Necessity of eating our Saviour's Flesh, and drinking of his Blood. You have heard of the Profit, and Commodity of it. You have heard the Reason as of the Necessity, so of the Profit, and Commodity to. What remaineth but now at this time, & every time hereafter when as the Sacrament shall be administered, we every of us endeavour (I mean such as are of lawful n That is, of sixteen years. The Canons & Constitutions Ecclesiast. Can. 112. age) to experiment what hath been spoken: even to see with our Eyes, to look upon, and our Hands to handle, that which hitherto hath been but heard of. And I nothing doubt but a Many at this time will indeed present themselves to the Receiving of these Mysteries, but where Beloved, are so Many of us, or but Half of half so many, when the Sacrament at other times is administered? Are we not all of us so few at those times, that to speak in the o Esay. 10.19. Prophet Esayes Phrase, even a Child may tell us? Is this the Fruit of so much Preaching as hath been, and is in our days? Or as the Aramites p 1. King. 20.28. said of old, The Lord is the God of the Mountains, and not God of the Valleys: so our God, is he the God of Easter, and not of the other Festivals to? Dare we offer this wrong unto him, & neglect his holy Testament, and nothing fear what may in few Hours hung over our Heads for the same? Our Adversaries the Papists, when ever they speak of our Communion, they spend Cart-loads of Revile, & Rail upon it. They term it, q Rhem. in 1. Cor. 10.21. A profane and detestable Table. A Table and Cup of Devils, wherein the Devil they say, is properly served, and Christ's Honour (not less than by the Altars of jeroboam, or any profane Superstitious Rites of Gentility) defiled. It is, say they, Idolatry, or Sacrilegious Superstition. r Rhem. in joh. 5.20. Calvin's Supper, and the Sacrament of Ceres, and Bacchus. Bristol he s bristol Motives. Motive. 7. calls it, A Wicked, and a Devilish Communion. Bishop t D. Bish. second Part. of the Reform. of a Cath. Vid. D. Abbots against him, Part. 3. p. 363. terms it, A cold Breakfast of a Morsel of Bread, & Sup of Wine. Harding styles it, u D Hard against the Apol. Part. 2. Vid. B jewels Defense of the Apol. p. 281. A schismatical, mutable, and polluted Communion. x Hard. Ib. Vid. B. jewel p. 328. A new devised toy. y Hard. Ib. Vid. B. jewel. p. 321. A piece of Baker's bread, and a Cup of Wine. z Hard. Artic. 24. Vid. B. jewels Defence of the Art. p. 629. A bore piece of Bread not worth a point saith he, a Hard. Against the Apol. Part. 2. Vid. B. jewels Defence of the Apol. p. 320. A lean & carrien Banquet. One b bristol Motives Mot. 7. tells us of One of his Fellows that being once at it, saw a fowl Black Dog to take it evermore at the Ministers hands, still as he offered it unto the Communicants. Alas Beloved, how easily might all this be retorted upon their Waser-Cake, but we can bear it at their hands: Let them alone c Mat. 15.14. saith our Saviour, they be the Blind Leaders of the Blind: & he spoke it of them, at leastwise of their Consorts that said himself had a Devil to, nay that they c Mat. 15.14. knew he had a Devil: but when in such a Sunshine of the Gospel amongst us, after fifty years Preaching and upwards, the Children of the Marriage Chamber themselves come so seldom to this Sacrament as that a Many of them could be contented (it seems) to repair unto them yearly, not f Contemptum solum non vult cibus ille. Aug. Epist. 118. That meat can in no wise away with contempt That is, either daily to be received with out regard, or to be still refused upon pretence of unworthiness, B. Bilsons Difference between Christ. Sub. Part. 4. p. 536. not once, that it is that strikes deeper to the very hearts of us your Ministers, nay of Religion itself, than Thousands of these Reproaches brewed first by Satan himself, and broached by these Miscreants. Wherhfore as the Apostle to the g Philip. 2 1. Philippians: If there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of Love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any compassion, and mercy: right so say I, If any of all these, or all of any of these, be in any of you, or in you all, If whatsoever else be praise worthy, and pleasing unto God, amend this One Fault of Receiving but Once a year, especially You that be Masters, and Mistresses of Families, and bereave not your selue, of so many h Probo sicut frequentem verbi auditienem, sic etiam frequentationem C●… D● nicae: quai cum Spiritus Sanctus semper sit efficax in Ministerio, Elect●inde semper magis ac magis, in pietate prosiciunt, & eorum salus promovetur. Zanch. in Epist ad Ephes. c. 3. §. 36. I approve as the often hearing of the Word preached, so, often receiving the Sacrament: for seeing the Spirit is always effectual in the Ministry, the Elect doubtless do always profit more and more thereby, and their salvation is more set forward. Quisquis frater Dominicis non interest Sacramentis, necessariò apud Deum Castrorism deserior est divinorum. Ambros. Ser. 1. p. 275. Blessings as often Communicating may yield unto you. Remember what the Council of Agatha said, They which do not communicate thrice a year let them not be counted Catholics, or in the number of Catholic People. Nor meant it Roman Catholics, but good true Catholics indeed. Remember what the Apostle saith, As often as ye drink it. And again, As often as ye shall eat this Bread, and drink this Cup. Remember what St chrysostom saith: Art thou not worthy to communicate, than art thou not worthy to be present at public Prayer. Remember what St Ambrose saith, If so be it be daily Food, why dost thou take it but once a year. Remember what St Ambrose, and St Austen, both say, He that is not worthy to receive it every day, is not worthy to receive it once a year. Or if Every Day be now to often, and not correspondent to our Times, as it was to the Times they lived in, in regard that Than was a time of Persecution, and they looked every day to Die, & therefore would they have this Viaticum, this Voiage-Provision with them, yet remember what our own CHURCH saith, Every Parishioner shall communicate at the lest three times in the year, of which Easter shall be one. She is our MOTHER, and she commands us, and she commands us but what is reason, and therefore as St Austen, l Aug. in Ps. 88 p. 682. Quid tibi prodest non offensus Pater, qui offensam vindicat Matrem, what will it avail thee though thou offend not thy Father, if so be thou offend thy Mother, for whose sake he will punish thee no less then for his own: so let us not think Beloved, that all is well seeing God himself hath not put this Commandment in Scripture: true it is, he no where saith the self-same Syllables, or Words: but he oftentimes saith unto us, that we should in any hand obey our Mothers, and if the Mothers of our Bodies, how much more our Mother the CHURCH. m 2. Tim. 2.7. Consider what I say, & the Lord give you understanding in all things. The same Lord so bless us, and the Seed that hath been sown, etc. GEntle Reader, It was a n Luk. 12.3. saying of our Saviour: Whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness, it shall be heard in the light: and that which ye have spoken in the ear in secret places, shall be preached on the Houses. It is now some few Years since that being requested to afford my help to o Lest some Fitz-Simon should here come in with Nescio quem, aut quam: (as he did by Sr Edward Hoby: Scripsit Epistolam ad M.T.H. nescio quem, aut quam) to put him out of doubt it was Ea. ONE of my own Parish that was to receive the Sacrament, & had never received it before, I took the opportunity of doing my duty in that kind. To whom afterwards having sent this Letter, & some other Lines therewithal concerning the Sacrament: I hold it now fit thus to publish them with some augmentation, that if so be there be any Other of my Flock, who desire to be instructed in like sort, they may repair hereunto, and duly meditating thereupon, may not only be the better able to come at all to the holy Sacrament, but the more willing also to come often. Ovid. de Pont, l. 3. Eleg. 9 Da veniam Scriptis, quorum non Gloria nobis Causa, sed Vtilitas, Officiumque suit. WHen at the Feast of Pentecost q Whit-Sonday. may. 23. 1613. last passed (a Time never hereafter to be forgotten of you) the Lord of Heaven was willing to admit you the first time to his Table: it pleased his Divine Majesty to put it before in your Parents hearts to have you prepared by me your Pastor for your better Carriage at that time. I esteeming it the best course to begin with the Principles of Religion, made choice of M. Dr Nowel's Catechism, best r A catechism, or Institution of Christian Religion to be learned of all Youth next after the little Catechism, appointed in the Book of Common Prayer, being an Abridgement of the longest Catechism, & allowed by the Bishops of our Land in the year 1572. approved of in our Church. Three Parts whereof when we had perused, & were come at last unto the Fourth, namely to his handling of the Sacraments, which was the first in our intention: after he had told us that Christ ordained but two Sacraments, Baptism, and The Supper, he afterwards defined a Sacrament, and told us what it was: namely, An outward testifying of God's good will, and bountifulness towards us through Christ, by a visible Sign, representing an invisible & spiritual grace, by which the Promises of God, touching the forgiveness of Sins, and eternal Salvation given through Christ, are as it were sealed, & the truth of them is more certainly confirmed in our hearts. Secondly, he showed unto us how a Sacrament consisted of two Parts, namely, of the Outward Element, or Creature, being a visible Sign, as also of a Grace invisible. Thirdly, coming to entreat of the SUPPER of the LORD, he showed us the order of it out of the Evangelists, St Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and out of the Apostle St Paul. Fourthly, he showed us the Parts of it, which were of two Sorts, the One, earthly, and sensible, Bread and Wine: the Other, heavenly, and removed from all the Senses, namely, The Body, and Blood of Christ, given, taken, eaten, and drunken of the Faithful, after an heavenly, and spiritual manner, but yet verily, and indeed, Fiftly, and Lastly, he showed unto us what our Duty was to do, that we might, come rightly to this Supper, namely, to examine ourselves, which consisted in four Points: First, to repent us of our Sins: Secondly, to stay ourselves, and rest in a sure hope of God's mercy through Christ with a thankful remembrance of our Redemption purchased by his Death: Thirdly, to purpose with ourselves to lead for ever after a godly life: Fourthly, & Lastly, to bear brotherly love to our Neighbours, that is, to all Men whatsoever, especially if they be Christians, as we ourselves are. Thus far He, and thus far We. And this might seem sufficient either for Knowledge, or Practise, to the common Sort of God's People, that come to this Table. Howbeit for I would have YOU to surpass the common Sort, who, or come but seldom to this Repast, or commonly go as they come, I have here selected for you divers Passages out of some of our Best Writers, as well to hearten you to often coming, as also to better your Meditations when ever you come, & go. Neither meddle I here in this Point, with the divers and sundry Controversies betwixt the Papists and Ourselves, that perhaps, as it hath done too too much in these our days with a many that come so seldom, would but dead your Devotion, only with these few FRAGMENTS as you shall improve your own Provision laid up formerly in store, so shall you stop the Mouths of them who usually give out, that we hold the BREAD and WINE, to be but bore, and naked Signs. The Lord of Heaven bless them to you, and as he hath made me unto Yourself, s 1. Cor. 3.6. both a Paul, and an Apollo's, that is a Planter, and a Waterer both, a Planter, in that already done, a Waterer in that I now do: so give He the Increase himself, that having here in this World made you often his Guest at this Table, He may bring you to the TABLE CELESTIAL, there to sit (as t Mat. 8.11. speaks our Saviour) with Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, in the Kingdom of Heaven. ORIEL. COLL. March. 2. SA●… 〈…〉 ●…dued the Waters of the Pool called Bethesda with supernatural virtue to heal, was not seen of any, yet the Time of the Angel's Presence known by the troubled motions of the Waters themselves. The Apostles by fiery Tongues which they saw, were admonished when the Spirit, which they could not behold, was upon them. In like manner it is with us. Christ, and his holy Spirit with all their blessed effects, though entering into the Soul of man we are not able to apprehended or express how, do notwithstanding give notice of the times when they use to make their access, because it pleaseth Almighty God to communicate by sensible means those Blessings which are incomprehensible. Mr Hooker. Eccles. Pol. l. 1. §. 57 p. 127. Calvin 1. Sacraments are that thing to us of God which Messengers of joyful things, or Earnests in confirming of Bargains are unto Men: which do not of themselves give any Grace, but do tell and show us, and (as they be Earnests and Tokens) do ratify unto us those things that are given by the Liberality of God. Calvin. Instit. l. 4 c. 14. §. 17. Calvin. 2. Why are not uncoined and coined Silver both of one value, sith they are both one metal? Even because the one of them hath nothing but Nature: but when it is stamped with a common Mark, then is it made Money, and receiveth a new Valuation. And shall not God be able to mark his Creatures with his Word, that they may be made Sacraments, which formerly were naked Elements? Calvin Instit. l. 4. c. 14. §. 18. Calvin. 3. Let this remain certain, that there is no other office of the Sacraments then of the Word of God: which is to offer and set forth Christ unto us, and in him the Treasures of heavenly Grace: but they avail or profit nothing, but being received by Faith: even as Wine, or Oil, or any other Liquor, though you pour it on largely, yet it will run beside, & perish, unless the Vessels mouth be open to receive it, and the Vessel though it be wet round about on the outside, shall nevertheless remain empty, and voided within. Calvin Instit. l. 4. c. 14 §. 17. Calvin. 4. Sacraments do both bring most clear Promises, and have this peculiar more than the Word, that they lively represent them to us, as it were painted out in a Table. Calvin Instit. l. 4. c. 14. §. 5. B. jewel. We allow the Sacraments of the Church, that is to say, certain holy Signs, and Ceremonies, which Christ would we should use, that by them he might set before our eyes the mysteries of our Salvation, & might more strongly confirm the Faith, which we have in his Blood, and might seal his Grace in our hearts. And these Sacraments together with Tertullian, Origen, Ambrose, Augustine, Jerome, Chrysostom, Basil, Dionysius, and other Catholic Fathers, we do call Figures, Signs, Marks, Badges, Prints, Copies, forms, Seals, Signets, Similitudes, Patterns, Representations, Remembrances, and Memories. And we make no doubt, together with the same Doctors to say, that these be certain Visible Words, Seals of Righteousness, and Tokens of Grace. B. jewel Apol. c. 10. Divis. 1. Calvin. 5. St Paul when he speaketh to the Faithful, so entreateth of Sacraments, that he includeth the communion of Christ in them, and when he saith, All ye that are baptized have put on Christ. Again, We are all one Body, and one Spirit, which are baptised in Christ. But when he speaketh of the wrongful use of Sacraments, he giveth no more to it, then to cold, and voided Figures. Calvin. Instit. l. 4. c. 14. §. 7. B. Bilson. Sacraments of their own nature, and by their first and chiefest erection, are Visible Signs of invisible Graces; so that if they be no Signs, they be no Sacraments: and though the Signs must be diligently distinguished from the Things, yet for good causes in teaching & writing, do the Signs bear the Names of the Things themselves, whose Signs they are. B. Bilson. True Difference between Christian Subjection and unchristian Rebellion. Part. 4. p. 561. Of the Sacrament of the Supper in particular. Mr Hooker IT is on all sides plainly confessed: First, that this Sacrament is a true, & a real participation of Christ, who thereby imparteth himself even his whole entire Person as a mystical Head unto every Soul that receiveth him, and that every such Receiver doth thereby incorporate or unite himself unto Christ as a mystical Member of him, yea of them also whom he acknowledgeth to be his own. Secondly, that to whom the Person of Christ is thus communicated, to them he giveth by the same Sacrament his holy Spirit to sanctify them, as it sanctifieth him which is their Head. Thirdly, that what merit, force, or virtue soever there is in his sacrificed Body, and Blood, we freely, fully, and wholly have it by this Sacrament. Fourthly, that the effect thereof in us, is a real Transmutation of our Souls, and Bodies, from Sin to Righteousness, from Death, & Corruption, to Immortality, and Life. Fiftly, that because the Sacrament being of itself but a corruptible, and earthly Creature, must needs be thought an unlikely instrument to work so admirable effects in man, we are therefore to rest ourselves altogether upon the strength of his glorious Power who is able, and will bring to pass, that the Bread and Cup which he giveth us, shallbe truly the Thing he promiseth. Mr Hooker. Eccles. Pol. l. 5. §. 67. p. 177. Mr Hooker We grant that these holy Mysteries received in due manner do instrumentally both make us partakers of the Grace of that Body, & Blood, which were given for the Life of the World, and beside also impart unto us even in true, and real, though Mystical manner, the very Person of our Lord himself whole, perfect, and entire. Mr Hooker. Ecclesiast. Pol. l. 5. §. 67. pag. 177. Mr Hooker The very letter of the word of Christ giveth plain security that these Mysteries do as Nails fasten us to [our Saviour's] very Cross, that by them we draw out as touching efficacy, force, and virtue, even the Blood of his gored Side, in the Wounds of our Redeemer we there dip our Tongues, we are died read both within, and without, our Hunger is satisfied, and our Thirst for ever quenched, they are things wondered which 〈…〉 〈…〉 ●…ming down into earth, he hath made a way for us to go up into heaven: that putting upon him our Mortality, he hath given us his Immortality: that taking on him our Weakness, he hath strengthened us with his Power: that taking our Poverty to himself, he hath conveyed his Richeses to us: that taking to him the weight of our Unrighteousness wherewith we were oppressed, he hath clothed us with his Righteousness. Of all these things we have so full a witnessing in this Sacrament, that we must certainly determine that Christ is truly given us, as if Christ himself were set present before our eyes, and handled with our hands. Calvin. Instit. l. 4. c. 17. §. 2. & 3. Calvin. 4. This rule is always to be holden of the Godly, that so often as they see the Signs ordained of the Lord, they certainly think, and persuade themselves, that the Truth of the thing signified is there present. For to what purpose should the Lord deliver to thee into thy hand the Sign of his Body, but to assure thee of the true partaking of it? If it be true that a visible Sign is given us to seal the Gift of an invisible thing when we receive the Sign of the Body, let us no lesle certainly believe that the Body itself also is given us. Calvin. Instit. l. 4. c. 17. §. 10. Calvin. 5. They give me no satisfaction at all, who acknowledging that we have some Communion with Christ, yet when they endeavour to express it, make us partakers only of the Spirit, without making any mention of Flesh, and Blood. As though all those speeches were spoken to no purpose that his Flesh is verily Meat, that his Blood is verily Drink, that none hath life but he that eateth the Flesh, and drinketh that Blood, and such other sayings that belong to the same end. Calvin. Instit. l. 4. c. 17. § 7. Calvin. 6. That most near Fellowship whereby we are coupled with his Flesh, he hath yet set out with a more glorious Title, when he said that we are Members of his Body, and are of his Bones, and of his Flesh. At the last to declare it to be a matter greater than all Words, he concludeth his saying with an exclamation, This is saith he, a great Secret, Ephes. 5.30. Therefore it should be a point of extreme Madness, to acknowledge no Communion of the Faithful with the Flesh and Blood of the Lord, which the Apostle declareth to be so great, that he had rather wonder at it then express it. Calvin. Instit. l. 4. c. 17. §. 9 Sadeel. 1. We use the word SPIRITVALLY, not that Spiritually should signify that unto us which is but feigned, & only consisteth in opinion: or that which is only invisible: or that thereby we would convert the Body and Blood of Christ into a Spirit: but we use the word Spiritually to signify thereby that the Eating of the Flesh of Christ, and the Drinking of his Blood, is effected by the work, and operation of the holy Spirit, as also that this Mystery is received by that Faith which the Spirit himself, or the Holy Ghost, doth engender in our hearts. In a word we therefore use this word Spiritually, for because this most excellent Food appertained to our spiritual, and eternal Life. Sadeel. De Spirit. manducat. Corp. Christi. c. 1. p. 218. Sadeel. 2. By the Name of FAITH in this Mystery we understand not that Faith which is only Historical: but that which 〈…〉 〈…〉 we be found the Temples of the Holy Ghost, then to judge, whether we have had such regard every one to our Building, that the Spirit which dwelleth in us hath no way been vexed, molested, and grieved. Or if it have, as no doubt sometimes it hath by Incredulity, sometimes by breach of Charity, sometimes by want of Zeal, sometimes by Spots of Life, even in the best and most perfect amongst us (for who can say, His heart is clean!) O then to fly unto God by unfeigned Repentance, to fall down before him in the Humility of our Souls, begging of him whatsoever is needful to repair our decay, before we fall into that desolation, whereof the Prophet speaketh, saying, Thy breach is great like the Sea, who can heal thee, Lament. 2.13. Receiving the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord after this sort (you that are Spiritual, judge what I speak) is not all other Wine like the Water of Marah, being compared to the CUP which we bless? Is not Manna like to Gall, and our BREAD like to Manna? Is there not a Taste, a Taste of Christ jesus in the heart of him that eateth? Doth not he which drinketh, behold plainly in this Cup, that his Soul is bathed in the Blood of the Lamb? Mr Hooker. Second Sermon upon part of St Jude, pag. 38, 39, 40. B. Bilson. God forbidden we should deny that the Flesh & Blood of Christ, are truly present, and truly received of the Faithful at the Lords Table. It is the Doctrine that we teach others, and comfort ourselves with. We never doubted but the Truth was present with the Sign, and the Spirit with the Sacrament, as Cyprian saith: we know there could not follow an Operation, as speaks S. Ambrose, if there went not a Presence before. Let the Papists set aside their carnal imaginations of Christ covered with Accidents, & his Flesh chammed between their teeth, and say what they will either of his Invisible Presence by Power, & Grace, or of the spiritual & effectual Participation of his Flesh and Blood offered, and received of the Faithful by this Sacrament, for the quickening and preserving of their Souls and Bodies to eternal life, we join with them: no words shall displease us, that any way declare the truth, or force of this Mystery. B. Bilson. True Difference between Christian Subject. and unchrist. Rebel. Part. 4. p. 631. B. Bilson. Since the substance of the Creatures is not changed, the Signs could not justly bear the Names of the things themselves, except the virtue, power, and effect of Christ's Flesh, and Blood were annexed to them, and united with them after a secret & unspeakable manner by the working of the holy Ghost, in such sort that whosoever receiveth the Sign, is undoubtedly partaker of the Grace offered unto all, but enjoyed only by those that with Faith and Repentance cleanse the inward Man from that corruption of Flesh, and Spirit which Christ abhorreth. B. Bilson. True Difference between Christian Subject. & unchrist. Rebel. Part. 4. p. 601. B. Bilson. God is wonderful in this, and all other his Sacraments, not by casting away Substances, & leaving Accidents, but by working that in our hearts by the mighty Power of his Spirit above Nature, which the visible Signs import to our Senses. B. Bilson. True difference between Christian Subject. & unchrist. Rebel. Part. 4. p. 668. Calvin. 9 We say that Christ as well with the outward Sign, as with his Spirit descendeth to us, that he may truly quicken our Souls with the Substance of his Flesh and of his Blood. In these few words he that perceiveth not to be contained many Miracles, is more than senseless, forasmuch as there is nothing more beside Nature, than that Souls should borrow spiritual, and heavenly life of the Flesh which took her beginning of the Earth, and which was subject to Death. Nothing is more incredible, than that things distant and a sunder by the whole space of Heaven & Earth, should in so great distance of Places not only be conjoined, but also united, that Souls may receive Food of the Flesh of Christ. Calvin. Instit. l. 4. c. 17. §. 24. D. Nowell. Christ by these words THIS IS MY BODY, meant that his Body was that spiritual Food, & Bread of Life Everlasting, to us, being the Members of his Mystical Body, which the Bread (that is, the bodily Food) is to our natural Bodies, to the maintaining of them in this temporal life. Yea, & Christ's Body is so much the truer Bread, and Food, by how much life Everlasting passeth this life present. D. Nowell. Confutation of Mr Dormans Disproof. p. 165. b. Calvin. 10. I exhort the Readers, that they do not restrain the sense of their mind within these too narrow Bounds: but endeavour to rise up much higher, than they can by my guiding. For I myself so often as I speak of this thing, when I have travailed to say all think that I have yet said but little in respect of the Worthiness thereof. And although the Mind can do more in thinking, than the Tongue in expressing: yet with greatness of the thing, the Mind also is surmounted, and overwhelmed. Finally therefore, nothing remaineth, but that I must break forth into admiration of that Mystery, which neither the Mind can suffice to think of, nor the Tongue to express. Calvin. Instit. l. 4. c. 17. §. 7. A Prayer to be said by us in our private Closets the same Morning we intent to receive the holy Communion, translated out of French, by a Religious, and Virtuous LADY, at her being in France, in the year of our Lord God, 1606. MY God, my Creator, and my Redeemer, JESUS CHRIST, which hast offered thyself to God thy Father a Sacrifice pure and immaculate to redeem Mankind: give me grace by the virtue of thy precious Blood, the great Price of my Salvation, that this Day, & all the times that I shall present myself to thy holy Table, I may with a pure Heart, a spotless Thought, and an ardent Zeal receive this so high and sacred a Benefit. I acknowledge myself unworthy to approach unto this high Mystery for the infinite number of my great Misdeeds, but make thou me worthy, o Lord, I humbly beseech thee, and give me participation of thy admirable Virtues, with the which being filled, I may in a good Conscience come to thy most holy Communion, to the end that it may be unto me Salvation and Life by thy infinite mercy. heal my Infirmities, wash my uncleanness, il-lighten my Blindness, & grant, that with all Reverence, Repentance, Love, Faith, Purity, & Humility, I may be partaker of thy new & eternal Testament. Amen. Another by way of Thanksgiving to be said in like sort. Taken out of the Practice of Piety, Pag. 773. Edit. 1613. with some alteration of it by reason of the length there. WHat shall I tender unto thee, O blessed Saviour, for all thy Blessings, which thou hast so graciously bestowed upon my Soul? How can I sufficiently thank thee for them, when I am not able to express them? When as thou mightest have made me a bruit Beast, thou mad'st me after thine own Image. When by Sin I had lost, both thine Image, and myself: thou didst by thy Spirit renew in me thy Image again, and redeem my Soul by thy Blood: & this Day hast thou given unto me the Seal and Pledge of my Redemption: nay thou hast given Thyself unto me, o blessed Redeemer. O what an inestimable Treasure of Richeses, and overflowing Fountain of Grace hath he got, who hath gained thee? No man ever touched thee by Faith, but thou didst heal him by Grace. For thou art the Author of Salvation, the Remedy of all evils, the Medicine of the Sick, the Life of the Quick, & the Resurrection of the Dead. Seemed it a small matter unto thee to appoint thy holy Angels to attend upon so Vile & wretched a Creature as I am, but that thou wouldst enter Thyself into my Soul, there to preserve, nourish, & cherish me unto Life everlasting! O Lord, what could I more desire, or what couldst thou more bestow upon me, then to give me thy Body for Meat, thy Blood for Drink, and to lay down thy Soul for the price of my Redemption? Thou, Lord, endurest the Pain, and I do reap the Profit: I received Pardon, and thou didst bear the Punishment. Thy Tears were my Bath, thy Wounds, my Weal, & the Injustice done to thee, satisfied for the judgement which was due to me. Thus by thy Birth thou art become my Brother, by thy Death my Ransom, by thy Mercy my Reward, and by thy Sacrament my Nourishment. Now seeing it is thy free Grace, and mere Pleasure, thus to enter, & dwell in my Heart, I would I had, o God, so pure an Heart, as my Heart could wish to entertain thee. And yet who is fit to entertain thee? Or who though invited, would not choose with Mary Magdalen rather to kneel at thy Feet, Luk 7.38. then presume to sit with thee at thy Table? Howbeit though I want a pure Heart for thee to devil in, yet weeping Eyes shall never be wanting to wash thy blessed Feet, as also to lament my heinous Sins. And seeing that now of thy mere Mercy thou hast accounted me (among others thy Chosen) worthy of this unspeakable favour, and sealed by thy Sacrament the assurance of thy Law, and the forgiveness of my Sins: O Lord confirm thy favour unto thy Servant; and say of me as Isaac did of jacob, Gen. 27.33. I have blessed him, therefore he shallbe blessed. 2. Sam. 6.11. And seeing it pleased thee to bless the House of Obed Edom whilst thy Ark remained in his House: I doubt not but thou wilt much more bless my Soul, and my Body, and all that doth belong unto me, now that it hath pleased thy Majesty of thine own good will to enter under my Roof, & to endeavour there to devil for ever, and ever. Bless me therefore O Lord, that my Sins may wholly be remitted by thy Blood, my Conscience sanctified by thy Spirit, my Mind enlightened by thy Truth, my Heart guided by thy Spirit, and my Will in all things subdued to thy blessed Will, and Pleasure. Bless me with all Graces which I want, and increase in me those thy Gifts which thou hast already bestowed upon me. Cant. 8.6. Set me as a Seal on thy Heart, and as a Signet upon thine Arm: & grant, O Lord, that as thou hast this Day vouchsafed me this favour to sit at thy Table, to receive the Sacrament in thy House of Grace: Luk 22.30. so I may hereafter through thy mercy be received to eat & drink at thy Table in thy Kingdom of Glory, Mat. 8.11. there to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven. Rev. 5 13. Praise, Honour, and Glory, and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb for evermore. WHEREAS SOME MAY be DESIrous to see the Places in Latin, alleged before out of Calvin, and Sadeel, and have not themselves the Books by them, I have annexed them here, with such Figures as the English had before, for the more easy, & better direction of each to other. De Sacramentis in genere. Calvin. 1. SAcramenta id sunt nobis à Deo quod ab hominibus rerum laetarum Nuntij, vel Arrhae in Pactis sanciendis: utpote quae non à se quidem largiantur aliquid Gratiae, sed renuntient & ostendant, atque (ut sunt Arrhae & Tesserae) rata apud nos faciant quae divina largitate nobis data sunt. Calvin. 2. Cur rude ac signatum Argentum non ejusdem sunt pretij, quum idem prorsus sit Metallum? Nempe quia illud nihil habet praeter Naturam: forma publica percussum, Nummus fit, & novam taxationem recipit. Et Deus suas Creaturas verbo suo signare non poterit, ut fiant Sacramenta, quae prius nuda erant Elementa? Calvin. 3. Fixum maneat, non esse alias Sacramentorum quàm Verbi Dei Partes: quae sunt offerre nobis ac proponere Christum, & in eo coelestis Gratiae Thesauros: nihil autem conferunt aut prosunt nisi FIDE accepta. Non secus ac Vinum, vel Oleum, vel alius liquor quamlibet largè infundas, effluet tamen ac peribit nisi aperto Vasis ore: Vas autem ipsum undique perfusum, inane nihilominus, ac vacuum manebit. Calvin. 4. Sacramenta, & Promissiones afferunt clarissimas: & hoc habens prae Verbo peculiare, quòd eas veluti in Tabula depictas nobis and vivum representant. Calvin. 5. Paulus dum apud Fideles verba facit, sic de Sacramentis disserit ut in illis Christi communionem includat. quum dicit, Quicunque baptizati estis, Christum induistis. Item, unum Corpus, & unus Spiritus sumus omnes qui in Christo baptizati sumus. Quum verò de praepostero Sacramentorum usu loquitur, nihilo plus illis tribuit, quàm frigidis & inanibus Figuris. De Sacramento Eucharistiae. Calvin. 1. Quoniam Mysterium hoc arcanae Christi cum pijs unionis natura incomprehensibile est, figuram ejus & imaginem in signis visibilibus exhibet ad modulun nostrum aptissimis: imo velut datis Arrhis ac Tesseris tam certum nobis facit quàm si Oculis cerneretur: quia in crassissimas quasque Mentes haec tam familiaris similitudo penetrat, non secus animas Christo pasci, quàm Panis & Vinum corporalem vitam sustentant. Calvin 2. Quum Panis nobis in Symbolum Corporis Christi datur, haec statim concipienda est Similitudo: Corporis nostri Vitam Panis alit, sustinet, tuetur: ita Corpus Christi vegetandae ac vivificandae Animae unicum esse Cibum. Quum Vinum in Symbolum Sanguinis propositum intuemur: cogitandum quos corpori usus Vinum afferat, ut eosdem spiritualiter afferri nobis Christi Sanguine reputemus: sunt autem f●vere, reficere, confirmare, exhilarare. Nam si satis perpendimus quid nobis sacrosancti huius Corporis traditio, quid Sanguinis effusio profuerit: non obscurè perspiciemus, haec Panis & Vini Attributa, secundum eiusmodi analogiam, optimè illis erga nos convenire dum nobis communicantur. Calvin. 3. Magnum fiduciae ac suavitatis Fructum ex hoc Sacramento colligere possunt piae Animae, quòd testimonium habet in unum corpus nos cum Christo coaluisse, ut quicquid ipsius est, nostrum vocare liceat. Hinc sequitur ut nobis securè spondere audeamus, Vitam Aeternam nostram esse, cujus ipse est Haeres: nec Regnum Coelorum quò jam ingressus est, posse magis nobis excidere, quàm ipsi: rursum Peccatis nostris non posse nos damnari, à quorum reatu nos absolvit quùm ea sibi imputari volverit ac si sua essent. Haec est mirifica commutatio, qua pro immensa sua benignitate nobiscum usus est: quòd Filius Hominis nobiscum factus, nos secum Dei filios fecerit: quòd suo in terras descensu, ascensum nobis in caelum straverit: quòd accepta nostra mortalitate, suam nobis immortalitatem contulerit: quòd suscepta nostra imbecillitate, suam in nobis virtutem confirmaverit: quòd nostra in se recepta paupertate, suam ad nos opulentiam transtulerit: quòd recepta ad se, qua premebamur injustitiae nostrae mole, sua nos justitia induerit. Horum omnium adeò solidam habemus testificationem in hoc Sacramento, ut certò statuendum sit, verè nobis exhiberi, non secus ac si CHRISTVS ipse praesens aspectui nostro objiceretur, ac manibus attrectaretur. Calvin. 4. Omnino isthaec pijs tenenda Regula est, ut quoties Symbola vident à Domino instituta, illic rei signatae veritatem adesse certò cogitent, ac sibi persuadeant. Quorsum enim Corporis sui Symbolum tibi Dominus in manum porrigat, nisi ut de vera ejus participatione te certiorem faciat? Quòd si verum est praeberi nobis Signum visibile, ad obsignandam invisibilis rei donationem: accepto Corporis Symbolo, non minus Corpus etiam ipsum nobis dari certò confidamus. Calvin. 5. Neque mihi satisfaciunt qui nonnullam nobis esse cum Christo Communionem agnoscentes, eam dum ostendere volunt, nos Spiritus modò Participes faciunt, praeterrita Carnis & Sanguinis mentione. Quasi verò illa omnia de nihilo dicta forent, Carnem eius verè esse Cibum, Sanguinem eius verè esse Potum: Non habere vitam, nisi qui Carnem illam manducaverit, & Sanguinem biberit: & quae eôdem pertinent. Calvin. 6. Arctissimam illam societatem qua ejus Carni copulamur, splendidiore adhuc elogio illustravit quum dixit, Nos esse membra Corporis eius, ex ossibus eius, & ex carne eius. Tandem ut rem omnibus verbis maiorem testetur, sermonem exclamatione finit, Magnun (inquit) istud Arcanum. Extremae ergo dementiae fuerit, nullam agnoscere cum Carne & Sanguine Domini Fidelium Communionem: quam tantam esse declarat Apostolus, ut eam admirari, quàm explicare malit. Sadeel. 1. Addimus Vocabulum, SPIRITVALITER, non quòd, Spiritualiter, idem sit nobis, ac fictitium, & quod in sola opinione consistit: nec rursùm id quod est tantùm invisibile: nec etiam quòd Corpus & Sanguinem Christi in Spiritum convertere velimus: sed ita loquimur, eò quòd Manducatio Carnis Christi, & Potus Sanguinis ipsius efficitur operâ SPIRITVS SANCTI, & hoc Mysterium Fide percipitur, quam ipse Spiritus in animis nostris ingenerat: denique quia praestantissimum hoc Alimentum pertinet ad vitam spiritualem & aeternam. Sadeel. 2. Nos in hoc Mysterio, nomine FIDEI, non intelligimus Fidem tantùm historicam: sed eam quae amplectitur Promissiones Evangelicas in Christo, easque sibi applicat ad Salutem: ipsumque Christum cum suis Beneficijs verè apprehendit. Calvin. 7. Si Solem conspicimus Radijs in Terram emicantem, ad generandos, fovendos, vegetandos ejus Fructus, suam quodammodo Substantiam ad eam trajicere: cur inferior Spiritus Christi esset irradiatio, ad communionem Carnis & Sanguinis ejus in nos traducendam? Qua propter Scriptura, ubi de nostra cum Christo Participatione loquitur, vim eius universam and Spiritum refert. Pro multis tamen unus locus sufficiet. Paulus enim ad Romanos Capite octavo, Christum non aliter in nobis quàm per Spiritum suum habitare disserit: quo tamen illam de qua nunc sermo est Carnis, & Sanguinis, Communionem non tollit, sed ab uno Spiritu effici docet, ut totum Christum possideamus, & habeamus in nobis manentem. Calvin. 8. Praecipit Paulus ut probet seipsum Homo antequam de hoc Pane edat, aut bibat è Calais. Quo (ut ego quidem interpretor) voluit unumquemque in se descendere, & secum reputare an interiore cordis fiducia in salutem à Christo partam recumbat: an oris confessione agnoscat: deinde an ejus exemplo sese Fratribus dare paratus sit, ac se ijs communicare quibiscum Christum communem habet: an ut ipse à Christo censetur, ita vicissim Fratres omnes pro Corporis sui membris habeat: an eos instar membrorum suorum fovere, tueri, iuvare cupiat. Non quia haec tum Fidei, tum Charitatis Officia nunc perfecta in nobis esse possint: sed quia huc nos contendere, & votis omnibus aspirare oportet, ut inchoatam Fidem magis indies, ac magis augeamus. Calvin. 9 Dicimus Christum tam externo Symbolo, quàm Spiritu suo ad nos descendere, ut verè Substantia Carnis suae, & Sanguinis sui animas nostras vivificet. In his paucis verbis qui non sentit multa subesse Miracula, plusquam stupidus est: quando nihil magis praeter naturam, quàm ut vitam spiritualem & coelestem Animae mutuentur à Carne quae originem suam è terra accepit, & quae morti fuit subiecta. Nihil magis incredibile quàm res toto coeli & terrae spatio dissitas ac remotas, in tanta locorum distantia non solùm conjungi, sed uniri, ut alimentum percipiant Animae ex Carne Christi. Calvin. 10. Lectores hortor, ne intra istos nimium angustos fines, Mentis sensum contineant: sed multò altius assurgere contendant, quàm meo ductu possint. Nam ego ipse quoties hac de re sermo est, ubi omnia dicere conatus sum, parùm adhuc mihi pro ejus dignitate dixisse videor. Quanquam autem cogitando Animus plus valet, quam Lingua exprimendo: rei tamen magnitudine ille quoque vincitur & obruitur. Itaque nihil demùm restat nisi ut in eius Mysterij admirationem prorumpam, cui nec Mens planè cogitando, nec Lingua explicando par esse potest. HUSBANDS AND WIVES. Whit-Sunday, May 23. 1613. THere are three several States, and Conditions of Men in the World, in the true Relation whereof, and respective Carriage on either side, the Benefit of Church, & Commonweal, doth much consist: Man, and Wife: Parents, and Children: Masters, and Servants. If every Man should love his Wife, even as our Saviour loved the Church; Wives again even as the Church is in subjection unto Christ, so they would be unto their Husbands: if Parents would bring up their Children in instruction, and information of the Lord, and be not bitter unto them; Children again would obey their Parents: if Masters would do to their Servants that which is just and equal, knowing that they also have a Master in heaven; Servants again would be obedient to their Masters in all things, not with eie-service as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart fearing God: as we should have a Church and Commonwealth not to be paralleled again in the whole world, so should that double a Vid. B. of Lincoln's Answer to a nameless Cath. p. 79. Epiphonema of the Prophet David be truly verified of us, b Psa. 144.15. Happy are the People that be in such a case: yea blessed are the People which have the Lord for their God. Or if so be that be but the Worldlings insultation of their own jollity, as c Parson's Discussion p. 185. Parson's endeavours to prove: then that of the Prophet Moses, Deut. 33.29, Blessed art thou O Israel: who is like unto thee, O People saved by the Lord, the shield of thy help, and which is the Sword of thy glory? Therefore thine Enemies shallbe in subjection to thee, and thou shalt tread upon their high places. Now as in Church, & Commonwealth, so were the like observed by the like, I mean by Man, and Wife, Parents and Children, Masters, and Servants in any one PARISH whatsoever which is a little Church, a little Commonwealth, what an orderly Parish should that be? What a Heaven upon Earth? The knowledge is not great that we have here on Earth, concerning things that are done in Heaven, notwithstanding thus much we may assure ourselves that there is a Trinity in Unity there, ONE that commandeth, Others that obey: God, he is there as a MASTER, as a FATHER, as a HUSBAND: the blessed Angels, and Saints are there to, as his Servants, as his Children, as his Spouse. The consideration hereof Right Worshipful, & dearly Beloved in our Saviour Christ hath caused me at this time, after so many several Arguments already handled by me, as of our Saviour's Nativity, of our Saviour's Passion, of our Saviour's Resurrection, of the Coming of the Holy Ghost, of both the Sacraments, to think now of some other Matters to be entreated of, for your farther good: and amongst them, coming to mind these three Conditions, & States of Men, to purpose with myself to entreat hereafter of every of them. First then of Man & Wife: hereafter if God will, of Parents, & Children, Masters, and Servants. The Text I have chosen to this purpose is in the fourteenth Chapter of the Proverbs of Solomon, the first verse of that Chapter. The words be these; A wise Woman buildeth her House: but the Foolish destroyeth it with her own Hands. Where first of all let it not seem strange unto you that being to speak of Man and Wife, I have chosen such a Text wherein the Woman only is spoken of: you shall see how as at the first God d Gen. 2.22. framed Woman out of Man: so ere I have done with this my Text, I shall frame Man here, out of Woman. For if a wise Woman build her House, why not a wise Man: if a foolish Woman destroyeth it, why not a foolish Man. But of that more hereafter. Concerning the handling of the words, I will first consider the Speaker: then the Words themselves. The Speaker was king Solomon, and who amongst us all hath not often times heard of wise king Solomon? King Solomon e 1. King. 10.23. saith the Scripture exceeded all the kings of the earth, both in Richeses and Wisdom. Nay Solomon the f 1. King. 3.12. wisest that ever was, the wisest that ever was to be. The Queen of the South, g Mat. 12.42. saith our Saviour, came from the utmost parts of the Earth to hear the Wisdom of Solomon. She heard it & admired it. Now if it behoveth us when a Wise man speaks to give special heed unto him, Shall a wise man h job. 15.2. saith Eliphaz, speak words of the Wind? shall he dispute with Words not comely, or with talk that is not profitable? How much less when wise king Solomon speaks so approved for his Wisdom, I, & registered in the Book of God, by God himself. Nor yet speaks he here in this place by virtue of that Wisdom so much, as by being the Spoaks-man of the Holy Ghost, the Apostle i 2. Pet. 1.21. St Peter instructing us, that the prophesy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. So that the Spirit infusing into him what here he teacheth us by writing, we may well say of him in this case as did Pharaohs Enchanters in an other, l Exod. 8.19. Digitus Dei est hic: This is the Finger of God. God it is, that here speaks, the Things here spoken are God's words. And so I come to the Words themselves, A wise Woman buildeth her House, but the Foolish destroyeth it with her own hands. In which words we have to note: First, and foremost, two Sorts of women, Wise and Foolish: Secondly, the difference between them both here made in regard of their divers Actions, the One a Builder, the Other a Destroyer: Thirdly, the Manner of her destroying who is the Destroyer here, it is with her own Hands. Of every of these in their several order, and First of the two Sorts of Women, Wise, and Foolish: A wise Woman buildeth her House, but the Foolish destroyeth it with her own hands. First for the Name of Woman we shall learn in the Book of Genesis why she was called so at first. For when the Lord at first had made her out of one of Adam's Ribs, and afterwards brought her unto him again, This now m Gen. 2.23. saith he, is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. She shallbe called Woman because she was taken out of Man. It is in the Original n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ish and o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isha: so that as herself was taken out of Man: so was her p Perer. in Gen. l. 4. c. 2. v. 23. Name also derived from the Name of Man. A kind of agnomination which neither the English, nor Latin, nor Greek so well expresseth. Some like affinity there is in the Latin indeed between Virro, and Virago, and so the Vulgar translates it, and Tremellius after him. Howbeit Tremellius q Hoc vocabulo utendum fuit (quamvis non omnino praesenti loco significatione conveniat) ut conspiceretur ex part, Hebraeorum dictionum coniugatio. Tremel. in Gen. 2.23. confesseth in his Note thereupon, that the Term Virago is not altogether so fit a word, as in very deed it is not. Others would have it Virissa: others, Vira, but these are feigned Names, sufficient it is for us to know that she had her Name from Man, even as if r Were it not perhaps for some FEW, Women in time might be so termed. Manna should signify in English a Woman, and Adam should have said to the understanding of us English men, This now is bone of my bones, and flesh of my Flesh. She shallbe called MANNA, because she was taken out of Man. But Woman is the Name, and her Name and herself taken from Man at the first, it will be expedient for us to consider, how she was not taken or created out of the s Gen. 1.20. Waters as the Fowls, and Fishes were: nor out of the t Ver 24. Earth as the Beasts, and cattle were: nor out of the u Gen. 2 7. Dust of the Ground as Adam himself was: but out of the x Ver. 21. Substance of Man himself, out of his very Flesh, and very Bone. And here it is not amiss to consider the Manner of her being made, partly, in respect of the word the holy Ghost doth use in the Original: partly, in respect of that part of man whereof she was framed at the first. The word used in the y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Original doth signify to Build, and Moses by all likelihood would intimate by that word, that beautiful frame, and feature, that was to be principally in that Sex. What? to make them proud thereof, as indeed too too many of them have been? Not: God forbidden, but that taking special knowledge of this their Perfection, they should the rather be guided by the Zeal of Honour, & the Bridle of Shamefastness, as one z Buoni an Italian his Probl. of beauty, Probl. 3. speaketh, not to violate so unspeakable a Treasure, being assured that so great a Grace was never given them from Heaven to defile with Luxury, but rather to kerb that heat of Concupiscence, which in their weak Natures would otherwise gather strength. Besides, as the Poet a Virg Aen. l. 5. saith, Gratior & pulchro veniens in corpore Virtus: b Veniens i Proveniens, nempe crescens. And yet Seneca hath it, Veniens è Corpore virtus. Sen. Ep. l. 9 ep. 1. but I may say of him, as he of Virgil there, Errare mihi visus est qui dixit, unless the Manuscript itself, or the Printer were in fault. Their Virtues should be more lovely, appearing to the world in so lovely Bodies, like as Sara's, and Rebecca's, & Rachel's, and Abigayles were, to the admiration of them that knew them, and their perpetual praise in holy Writ. Concerning that part of Man whereof she was framed, it was (as I said) of the Rib of Man. She was not made of the Foot of Man, that so He might think to make her his Slave: nor was she made of the Head of Man, that so She should think to be his Master, but made she was of that part which being so nigh to his very Heart, what did it intimate but that ever after, she should be his Companion, his Fellow, his Mate. And yet not so his Mate, or Fellow either, as if she should not acknowledge Him her Superior, nay unless she acknowledge so much, there cannot be between them any Parity at all. The very Heathens that never knew what God in this case said to c Gen. 3.16, Eve, saw so much by the light of Nature, and therefore Martial one of their Poets, d Martial. Epig l. 8. ep. 12. Inferior Matrona suo sit Prisce Marito, Non 〈…〉 〈…〉 brief it was thus: A many Gallants at the besieging of Ardea, being on a time merry among themselves, fell every one of them amidst their talk, in high commendation of his Wife. Whereupon Collatinus, My Masters, quoth he, what need many words, we may within few hours make a trial how my LUCRETIA is far beyond all yours, and as we found them t Hinc sciri potuit haud usquam alibi, quo studio vitam suam te absent exegerit, ubi de improviso interventum est mulieri. Terent. Heaut. Act. 2. Sc. 3. unawares, so let us judge of them accordingly. Agreed saith one, agreed saith another, and with that they took horse, & as late as it was, to Rome they went, where finding all the rest of their Wives gossiping with one another, and with such as themselves were, Lucretia they found in the midst of her Parlour among her Maidens hard at work. It it as memorable which our English Story relateth of Queen Catherine the wife of King Henry the Eight, how when both the Cardinals were sent unto her about her Divorce, she came out unto them in her Chamber of Presence with a u Stow in Henry. 8. p. 916. Edit 1600. Skeyne of white thread about her Neck, having been with her Maids at work too. But to return unto my purpose. From the Book of Exodus, let us come to the Book of the Proverbs we have in hand, and from the Tenth Verse to the Nine and twentieth of the One and thirty Chapter of that Book, we shall found so many several Parcels of Wisdom required in Women, as that we shall not need to seek elsewhere, for any farther Instruction in this kind. I will briefly run them over. Who, x Prov. 31.10. saith Solomon, shall find a virtuous Woman? For Her Price is far above the Pearls. Far above Rubies, saith our Last Translation, but whether Rubies, or Pearls, both are very precious. Pliny speaking of Pearls, Principium, y Plin. Hist. Nat. l. 9 c. 35. saith he, culmenque omnium rerum pretij Margaritae tenent: The most sovereign commodity throughout the world, are Pearls. Gold is nothing in comparison of them. z Plin. Ib. Cleopatra the Queen of Egypt had two that were valued at Thirty Millions a piece, whereof she drank up one of them after she had steeped it in vinegar. A Ruby, a Plin. Hist. Nat. l. 37. c. 6. saith the same Pliny, is a Gem, or precious Stone of an ardent, & fiery colour. They have their name in Greek b Cap. 7. saith he, of the likeness unto c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Fire, & yet hath Fire no power at all over them. It was the First of those precious Stones that was in Aaron's d Exod. 28.17 Breastplate, and our last Translation that renders it in the Text a Sardius, hath in the Margin a Ruby. So likewise the Prophet Ezechiel, Thou hast been in Eden e Ezec. 28.13. saith he, the Garden of God, every precious Stone was in thy Garment, the Ruby, the Topaz, & the Diamond, and so forth, where our last Translation having Sardius again in the Text, hath in the Margin again a Ruby. So that a Virtuous Woman is like this Ruby, she is like these precious Pearls, nay her Price is far above them, of much more value, and estimation. Now where king Solomon f 〈…〉 saith, Who shall find a virtuous Woman? We must understand f Difficultatem inveniendi, non impossibilitatem oportet intelligi. Aug. de Temp. Ser. 217. p. 765. saith St Austen, the Difficulty, not the Impossibility of finding her: & king Solomon as he speaketh of women, so some where he saith of Men to, Who can found a faithful man, Prov. 20.6. It followeth, g Prov. 31.11. The heart of her Husband trusteth in her, and he shall have no need of spoil. A right good Note to begin withal, and which well deserves the first Rank. She was made at first for Man, even to be an Help for him, Gen. 2.18, and his Trial of her hath been such, as that he reposeth now much confidence in her. Be her Husband what be may, he shall have no need of Spoil. If a Magistrate, not of Bribes; if a Patron, not of Simony; if a Private man, not of Purloining; if a Tradesman not of false Weights; if a Landlord not of extortion, and oppression, and griping of Tenants; her Huswyfry shallbe such as that she herself shallbe his h Ecclus. 26.3 Treasure. She will neither desire to far more daintily, or to attire herself more sumptuously, then may stand with her Husbands State. It followeth: i Prov. 31.12 She will do him good, and not evil, all the days of her life. As was the First Note, so the Second, both concerning her Husband, by whom we shall easily know the true temper of his Wife. She hath learned in every thing to endeavour her Husband's profit, nor is it said without good advice, that she will do him good, and not evil. She may yield him a many Solaces, and mar them all with one frown: she may yield him much good Milk, and dash it down again with her heels. The virtuous Matron will not so, but continueth ever Constant, she is as obedient and tractable after twenty years trial, as at the day of her Marriage: She remembreth her promise made him, & that in the face of the whole l Communion Book in Matrim. Church, of Obeying, Serving, Loving, Honouring, and Keeping him, in Sickness, and in Health, and of Forsaking all other & Keeping her only unto him, so long as they both shall live. It followeth, m Prov. 31.13 She seeketh Wool, and Flax, and laboureth cheerly with her Hands. Wool, and Flax are the Fuel of women's Huswyfry. This virtuous Matron when she must have Cloth, she runs not always to the Shop, or sets her Husband upon the Score, but begins with the first Elements, Wool, and Flax. If so be she have them not at home, she procures them by the Penny, and works upon them as cheerfully as she earnestly sought them out. She sits not still until she see them come into her lap, and if she have them, so: if not, she cares not: nay she seeks them, and finds them out, she knoweth the consequence of Idleness, namely that it bringeth much evil, Ecclesiastic. 33.26. It followeth, n Prov. 31.14. She is like the Ships of Merchants: she bringeth her Food from a far. That a Ship, and a Woman are like, is an ancient old jest in Plautus, and prosecuted by him at large. Nullae magis res duae o Plaut. Poen. Act. 1. Sc. Negotii. saith he, plus negotij habent. There are not two things again in the world, about which there is so much ado. But it is not in those respects that our virtuous Matron here is compared with a Ship: nor is it with a Ship, in the singular, but with Ships in the plural number. So our former Translation, so our last, both intimating unto us, that she is as a Navy, rather than a Ship, in regard of the Wares, and Commodities that she continually brings with her. The Merchant p Mr Rob. Wilkins. Merch. Royal p. D. saith a worthy Divine, is of all men the most laborious for his life, the most adventurous in his labour, the most peaceable upon the Sea, the most profitable to the Land, yea the Merchant is the combination, and union of Land and Countries. By this we may conceive what the Ships of Merchants are, & consequently a good Wife, which yet will appear the better by that which followeth in the next verse, q Prov. 31.15. She riseth while it is yet night, and giveth the Portion to her Household, and the Ordinary to her Maidens. Medio iam Noctis abactae Curriculo r Virg. Aeneid. l. 8. saith the Poet, expulerat Somnum, & so likewise She. She riseth, as we say, with the Lark, nor is she early up, and never the near, her whole Household finds the benefit of those her early Pains. Some have their Portion, some their Ordinary, whether it be Work, or Victuals, or both. Both indeed belong to Servants, as well Wages, and Victuals, as Work, and if the Righteous man regard the s Prov. 12.10. Life of his Beast, and indeed aught so to do, how much more precious unto than aught their Servants to be, not now as Servants, but above Servants, even as Brethrens, or Sisters beloved, both in the Flesh, and in the Spirit, as the Apostle St Paul t Philem. v. 16 speaketh. It followeth, u Prov. 31.16. She considereth a Field, and getteth it, and with the fruit of her hands, she planteth a Vineyard. She is both a Purchaser, and a Planter, but she is not a Supplanter. She is not as jezabel was to Naboth. Not, God forbidden: that were a x job. 31.11. Wickedness, and Iniquity to be condemned, as job speaketh. Nor gets she a Field first, and considereth it afterwards, like him in the y Luk. 14.18. Gospel that had bought a Farm, and afterwards went to see it, but she first considereth, and then buys it. Nor spends she her money in Tires, in Pearls, and Precious Stones, upon which a many set so much z Ad quae ardent, & insaniunt studia Matronarum Hieron. ad Demetriad. delight, but on that which yields her much more profit to the good of her Household, so that all what ever she doth, is with reference to them. It followeth: a Prov. 31.17. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her Arms. To gird our Loins in holy Scripture, signifieth most commonly a Readiness with all our might, to execute a Charge, or a Duty committed unto us. It was the precept of our Saviour, b Luk. 12.35. Let your Loins be girded about, and your Lights burning. So the Apostle St Peter, c 1. Pet. 1.13. Gird up the loins of your mind: be sober, and trust perfectly on the grace that is brought unto you by the Revelation of jesus Christ. It was the d Vid. Calvin in job. 12. Conc. 154. manner of that time, and of that Country also, to go in long Garments, & when they did set forth either to Battle, or to journey, they girded up their Loins to wield themselves the better. So Elisha to Gehazi, Gird thy loins e 2. King 4.29 saith he, and take my Staff in thy hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any, salute him not: and if any salute thee, answer him not, and lay my Staff upon the face of the Child. So the Lord unto job, f job. 40.2. Gird up now thy loins like a man, I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. So likewise our Matron here, she girdeth her Garments about her Loins that in her household Affairs they prove no hindrance to her. And forasmuch as it is not enough, to g Psal. 34 13. eschew evil, but to do good also: she not only taketh this course of Removing all impediments, but She strengtheneth her Arms, that is, she is always in action, never idle, according to that of St Jerome, h Facito aliquid operis ut te semper Diabolus inveniat occupatum. Hieron. ad Rust. Be always a doing somewhat that the Devil when he comes to tempt thee, may find thee still employed. And again, i Si tantis operum varietatibus fueris occupata, nunquam Dies tibi longi erunt. Hieron. ad Demetriad If thou shalt always employ thyself with such variety of Works, the Day will never prove long, and tedious. Nor doth it indeed to this our Matron, nay it seemeth rather over-short, & therefore to the lengthening of it, she is feign sometimes to borrow of the Night, according to that which followeth: l Prov. 31.18. She feeleth that her merchandise is good: her Candle is not put out by night. The Day, and Night, m Chrys. ad Pop. Antioch. Hom 9 saith St Chrysostom, are as it were two Sisters dividing their Father's inheritance between themselves. And though our Saviour say in another sense, The night cometh when no man can work, joh. 9.4, yet there are that labour night and day, Ecclus. 38.27. So our Matron here in this place: and as I told you before of Lucretia, that she was in the night time at work with her Maids, right so this virtuous Matron here, n Virg. Aen. l. 8. Noctem addens operi, famulasque ad lumina longo Exercens penso. She borrows of the Night some Hours to work in, and before she goes to Bed sees her Maidens perform their Task. The cause of this her industry, is for she seethe her Merchandise good; She soweth not much, and brings in little; eats, but hath not enough; drinks, but is not filled; clothes herself, but is not warm; earneth wages, & puts the wages into a broken bag, as o Ag. 1.6. speaks the Prophet: but she is as p Gen. 39.3. joseph rather, the Lord makes all that she doth to prospero in her hand. It followeth: q Prov. 31.19. She putteth her hands to the Wheel, and her hands handle the Spindle. It was S. jeroms counsel to Laeta for bringing up of her Daughter Paula a Damsel in those days of Noble Ancestors: Let her learn, r Discat & laenam facere, tenere colum, ponere in gr●mio calathum, rotare fusum, stamina pollice ducere. Hieron. ad Laetam de Instit. Filiae. saith he, to carded Wool, to hold the Distaff, to have the Worke-basket in her lap, to reel, and spin. And writing to Demetrias, Be you always carding of wool, s Habeto lanam semper in manibus, vel staminis pollice fila deducito, vel ad torquenda subtegmina alveolis fusa vertantur, aliorumque neta aut in gl●bum collige, aut texendo compone. Hieron. ad Demetriad. saith he, or be spinning, or weaving, or make yourself Bottoms of that which other folk do, or make them fit to be so made. So our Matron here in this place, She putteth her hands to the Wheel, & her hands handle the Spindle, mean works a Body would think, especially to be remembered here in this place, and yet you here see how it pleaseth God to join it with Lands and Merchandise, accounting it nothing inferior to either of those two in the performance of our Duties, in regard of a true Vocation. It followeth: t Prov. 31.20. She stretcheth out her hand to the Poor, and putteth forth her hands to the Needy. We have already seen her Industry, in these words may we see her Faith, and Charity. She relieth not in this case upon her Husband's Bounty, and saith, that as for her, She is but under Covert Barn. Not: she is persuaded that it shall in the latter day be said aswell to Women, as to Men, u Mat. 25.35. I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat, I thirsted, and ye gave me drink: I was a Stranger, and ye lodged me: I was naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Wherein is apparent, as I said, her Faith to, for she doth not in general terms, Feed the Hungry, Lodge the harbourless, Refresh the Needy, and the Naked, but she restraineth all these to her very Faith she hath of our Saviour, for Whose sake, & for his Name, She doth, what ever She doth in this kind. And so our Saviour accepts it too. In a word she is such an one as S. jerom speaks of, x Aurum usque ad annuli signaeculum repudians, & magis in ventribus Egenorum, quàm in marsupiis recondens. Hier. ad Principiam. So little enamoured with Gold, as that she refuseth to wear any Rings upon her Fingers, and thinks her Gold laid up better in poor men's Bellies, then in her Bags. She gi●…s and lends, lends and gives with good alacrity, sometimes Openly, sometimes In secret, & both, as with good Devotion, so with good Discretion too. Openly; that Others may see her Good Works, & glorify her Father which is in heaven, Mat. 5.16. In secret, that her Left Hand may not know what her Right Hand doth, Mat. 6.3. It followeth: y Prov. 31.21. She feareth not the Snow for her Family: for all her Family is clothed with Scarlet. It was the saying of the Prophet David: z Ps. 147.16. He giveth Snow like wool, and scattereth the hoary Frost like ashes. He casteth forth his ice like morsels, who is able to abide his Frosts? Indeed there is nothing so obnoxious to human Bodies, as is the extremity of the Air in this kind. It is not long since that this our own Country, & our Neighbour Country of France had sufficient experience of it. It is true, that Winter Season is not always so violent, but be it, as commonly it is, Garments, and Clothing are most necessary. Our Matron it seems provides accordingly, for all her Family is clothed with Scarlet, or as it is in the Margin of our last Translation, With double Garments: that is, as a Conrade. Pelican. apud Lavater. in hunc loc. Some interpret, They have a Garment for Summer, and they have a Garment for Winter too, nor her Children only, but her Servants. It followeth: b Prov. 31.22 She maketh herself Carpets, fine Linen, and Purple is her Garment. She hath for Necessity, and she hath for Ornament too, and all of her own making Garments, and Ornaments in their nature are things indifferent, we may use them, and we may abuse them. If so be they be too Sumptuous, or above our Calling, or we take a Pride in them, there's the Abuse, nay there are many Abuses, for where Pride is there are many. And therefore is it exceeding good, even in the midst of our Bravery, to think of Q. Hesters words, which she e Esther. 14. ●… spoke to God himself: Thou knowest all things O Lord. Thou knowest my Necessity, for I hate this Token of my Pre-eminence which I bear upon my Head, and I abhor it as a Menstruous Cloth. Notwithstanding wear it she did, and by reason of her place was of Necessity indeed so to do. But you see how Proud she was of it: she, even in all her Glory accounted herself arrayed, shall I say like a d Mat. 6.29. Lily? and like a Lily of the Field? Not; but like some other Flowers. What? and is it unlawful then for Women to be so attired? Indeed S. Peter speaking of Women, Whose appareling, e 1. Pet. 3.3. saith he, let it not be outward, as with broided hair, and Gold put about, or in putting on of apparel: but did he mean it of all Women? Not doubtless, as a glorious Martyr f Arch. Bish. Cranmer, against Transubst. l. 2. c. 12. Or, his Answ. to Steph. Gardiner p. 336. Edit. 1580. observeth, for that every One must be appareled according to their Condition, State, & Degree. His meaning hereby was, saith he, clearly to condemn all Pride, and Excess in apparel, and to move all Women that they should study to deck their Souls inwardly with all Virtues, and not to be curious outwardly to deck and adorn their Bodies with Sumptuous Apparel. Like as our Saviour, saith he, when he willed us not to lay up g Mat. 6. 1●. Treasures upon the Earth, meant not but that worldly 〈…〉 〈…〉 unto her, We shall surely die, because we have seen God: If the Lord s judg. 13.23. Last Translat. saith she, were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a offering, and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have showed us all these things, nor would as at this time, have told us such things as these. Honour as it may signify here, that respect and estimation which is to be given to such in this world, so likewise may it here signify that glorious and blessed estate of the Saints in heaven, when they shall have Glory, and Honour, and Peace, Rom. 2.10. And I am so much the rather induced to think that this latter also may be meant, for as much as it followeth in the next words, that in the latter Day she shall rejoice. Whether it be the Latter Day of her Life in particular, concerning which she may say with the Apostle St Paul, I have fought a good fight, and have finished my course: I have kept the Faith. For henceforth is laid up for me the Crown of Righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge shall give me at that day, 2. Tim. 4.7: or it be the Latter Day of the World in general, when she shall look up, and lift up her head, for her Redemption draweth near, Luk. 21.28. It followeth: t Prov. 31.26. She openeth her mouth with wisdom, & the Law of Grace is in her Tongue. We are now come to that P●rt of a Woman which either makes all, or mars all, I mean her TONGVE. u Nobile Lingua bonum, si fari in tempore novit: Nobile Lingua malum si fari in tempore nescit. Borbon. Nobile Lingua Bonum, nobile Lingua Malum, Esop's Best Dish, and Esop's Worst, that was to be had in all the x Aesop. Vit. Market. That the Tongue is the Best Member that Man, or Woman hath, witness that of a Prophet, y Psal. 108.1. O God, my heart is ready, my heart is ready, I will sing & give praise with the best member that I have: that the Tongue is the Worst, witness that of an Apostle, which you heard read unto you this day, z jam. 3.6. The Tongue is Fire, yea a World of wickedness: so is the Tongue set among our members, that it defileth the whole Body, and setteth on fire the course of Nature. And again, * Ver. 8. It is an unruly Evil, full of deadly Poison. This Fire, this World of wickedness, this unruly evil, this deadly Poison is far from our Matron, as far as the East is from the West: She speaketh not except she must, and when she a Sermo in omnibus moderatus & parcus, et qui necessitatem magis loquendi indicet, quam voluntatem. Hieron. ad Celant. needs must, no remedy, them openeth she her Mouth with wisdom, and the Law of Grace is in her Tongue. Thus Abigail, thus Livia: the Stories are somewhat long. The Sum is this: b 1. Sam. 25.32. Abigail persuaded David even in the midst of Fury, to hold his hand from murdering herself, and all hers: Livia persuaded Augustus her Husband to forgive Cinna a Traitor, who afterwards ever proved most loyal unto him. It followeth: d Prov. 31.27. She overseeth the ways of her Household, and eateth not the Bread of Idleness. c Senec. de Clement. l. 1. c 9 Vid. Xiphilinun ex Dione Nicaeo in Augusto, p. 75. 76. 77. etc. It was exceeding well said by e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Aesch. in Tragoed. cui Tit. Persae. Citatur a Lavater in hunc loc. Aeschylus, that the masters Presence was the Eye of the House: howbeit the Master cannot still be at home, the Mistress may: in regard whereof she was of old compared to a Tortoise that had his Shel, as it were his House, always upon his Back. Now, the ways of her Household are so divers, partly in respect of Servants, & those of either Sex, partly in respect of Children, and those of either Sex to, that as she had need of Argus his Eyes to be watching in every Corner, so of Gyges his Ring beside, to see, and not be seen. This doubtless is most certain that if she bestir herself accordingly, neither shall she herself eat the Bread of Idleness, nor shall Idleness eat her Bread. It followeth in the last place, and is the Upshot of all before: f Prov. 31.21. Her Children rise up, and call her Blessed: her Husband also shall praise her saying, g Ver. 29. Many Daughters have done virtuously, but thou surmountest them all. It may seem here somewhat strange that it should be put amongst women's Praises, that their Children, or Husbands should praise them. It is the Duty of Children to praise their Parents, and the Praises that Husbands have given their Wives, have proved so h Periculosa est omnis viri de uxore sua lauda ●io. Lud. Vives de Offic. Mariti. l. 1. c. 6 p. 128. harmful to themselves, that he is but a Novice in History, that hath not Examples at his finger's ends. As of Caudaules in Heroditus, of Collatinus in i Herod. l. 1. Livy, whose unseasonable Praises of their Wives wrought at length their own overthrow, l Liv. Dec. 1. l. 1 at the lest wise much woe. It is true, Beloved, so they did, howbeit the Praises here intimated, they are not of that strain. First the Children rise up, and call her Blessed, when being come to sufficient age, they remember not so much the long m Matri longa decem tulerunt fastidiae menses. Virg Eclog. 4 Toil of Ten months wearysomnesse which their Mothers endured for them in their Womb, as the Benefit of Education their Mothers bestowed on them, their Father's dead and gone. And indeed we of this Place, I mean a many of us, if any Children in the world, have greatest cause of all, to remember this BENEFIT. As touching the bearing of us in their Wombs, what is it they specially do, which all Women else whatsoever, perform not aswell as they. They all of them bear, & bring into the world (doubtless all Mothers) but our Mothers besides their Bearing, and Bringing us into the world, when they have vowed us to the Lord, and brought us hither, and to such like Places, as did n 1. Sam. 1.24 Hannah her Samuel to Silo, and themselves though but o Luk. 10.24. Martha's in respect of their own Vocations, have notwithstanding provided for us even Mary's Coyce how are they ever to be blessed by us. Blessed by us in their Lives, blessed by us after their Deaths, & consequently in their Memories, who (poor Souls) did so much for us, and saw so slender recompense before their Departure hence. It is a golden passage which St Austen hath concerning his Mother, and I doubt not but a many of us may apply it to our own. I, p Non praeteribo quicquid mihi Anima parturit de illa famula tua quae me parturivit & Carne, ut in hanc temporalem, & Cord, ut in aeternam lucem renascerer. Aug. Confess. l. 9 c. 8. p. 111. saith St Austen, will not forget to set down in writing whatsoever my Mind is in travail concerning my Mother thy Servaunt, which brought me forth both according to the Flesh into this Life temporal, as also according to the Spirit into Life eternal. Happy Mother, happy Son, and by so much the more, more happy Mother, in that thou hadst so happy a Son, such a Publisher of thy Praises. Concerning the Husband's Praises, they are not unseasonable in this kind, nor is Folly, and Lightness, the cause of them. They are his Wives virtuous Actions which having been many, and manifold, he cannot choose but in his Life time adorn with good Words, and at his Death (if he die before her) with a goodly Portion convenient for her. q Although our Law may seem somewhat rigorous toward the Wives, yet for the most part, they can handle their Husbands so well, and so dulcely, and specially when their Husbands be sick, that where the Law giveth them nothing, their Husbands at their Death of their good will give them all. St. Thomas Smyth. Common wealth of Engl. l. 3. c. 8. And thus, Beloved, have we seen the several Properties of a virtuous Woman. Not that she is not Virtuous, who hath not all these, for all and every of these, belong not to all Women. King Solomon describes in this place a Woman of Account, of Place, and of Reputation, as is to be seen by some Particulars, howbeit there are beside many other Qualities here mentioned, which may befit any Woman, and such a Woman as hath such Qualities is that Wise one my Text speaks of. All which if they seem to many to be remembered of us, I will reduce them unto Seven, even to those Seven which Reverend Hooker commended in One of his own Flock. She lived a Dove, r M Hooker. Remedy against Sorrow and Fear, delivered in a Funeral Sermon on joh. 14.27. p 8. saith he, and died a Lamb. And if amongst so many Virtues, hearty DEVOTION towards God, towards Poverty tender COMPASSION, MOTHERLY AFFECTION towards Servants, towards Friends even serviceable KINDNESS, mild BEHAVIOUR, and harmless Meaning towards all. If where so many Virtues were eminent, any be worthy of special mention, I wish her dearest Friends of that Sex to be her nearest Followers in two things, SILENCE, saving only when Duty did exact speech, and PATIENCE even then when extremity of Pains did enforce Grief. If these Seven seem to many too, I will reduce them but to Four: RELIGION, GOOD-HUSWIFRY, SILENCE, and CHARITY. They that have these Four, and continued therein, they I dare be bold to say, are the Wise here spoken of. Where by the way, Beloved, we may note that Beauty is none of these Virtues, none of the Properties here spoken of, nor of the Four, nor of the Seven, nor of those Many before mentioned. Nay it seemeth wise King Solomon did not only omit it of purpose, but gave a Reason for omitting it, for he s Prov. 31.30. saith immediately after, Favour is deceitful, and Beauty is vanity. As if he had said. Would you know why among so many Notes & Properties of a Virtuous Woman, I have omitted this of Beauty? It is a deceitful Note, it is a vain Note, it is a Note worth Nothing. And indeed, Beloved, so it is. Beauty is Vain, & Deceitful too. Vain, for it standeth only in men's opinions. She that is t Naevus in articulo pueri delectat Alcaeum. At est corporis macula Naevus. Illi tamen hoc Lumen videbatur. Tull. de Nat. Deor. l. 1. And again, Constiteran exo●rientem auroram etc. Mortalis visus pulchrior esse Deo. Huic pulchrior Deo? at erat, sicut hody est, perversissimus oculis. Tul. Ib. Fair in one man's eye, is Fowl in an others: and there are none again so Fowl, but they are Fair enough to some. Besides that among the Blackamoors the Blackest is the Fairest. Deceitful, for that Beauty when it is at the fairest, is subject to many Casualties. One Wem, one Wart, nay one Hair out of place, how of the most beautiful that is, may it make a deformed Creature. Over and above, that all u Corporalia omnia processu aetatis, aut aegritudinis inaequalitate marcescunt. Ambros. Hexam. l. 6. c. 6 worldly Things, by reason of Age, or Sickness, consume, & whither away. Besides that it is the cause of Pride, and Arrogancy, as S. Chrysostom x Chrys. in Eph. Hom. 20. observeth, and a special cause of jealousy too, & it pleaseth, saith he, for a Month, perhaps for twain, it may be a whole Year, howbeit afterwards the case is altered. Custom makes it of less esteem. But to return unto my purpose. We have seen, Beloved, one sort of Women in my Text, namely the Wiser: it may be that after these, you care not much to see the Other. I will therefore show you them in brief. They are the Foolish Women, that either have not these good Properties (or at the jest wise, a Many of them) before alleged, or that have Others contrary to them. In a word. Is she a wise Woman, that is Religious? Than She that never comes, or very seldom, to such Assemblies as these are, or when she comes, regards not, or what she heareth, or what she prayeth, She is the Foolish? Is She a wise Woman that is Painful in her Vocation, that bestirs herself all the day about some business, or other, & seethe that her Servants so do? then She that doth not so, that cares not which end goes forward, y Prov. 6.10. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep, She is the Foolish. Is She a wise Woman that is always adorned with Silence, unless Duty to her Husband, & Necessity to her Neighbours, and Friends, 'cause her to open her Mouth? Than She that is babbling and loud, whose feet cannot abide in her house, now she is without, z Prov. 7.11. saith Solomon, now in the Streets, & lieth in wait at every corner: She is the Foolish. Lastly, is She a wise Woman that is Charitable towards the Poor, and turneth not her face from them but casteth her Bread upon the a Eccles. 11.4. Waters? Than She that is overhard, and will not part with what she hath, and gives them hard b Si dare nihil placet, noli tamen maledictis prosequi. Si non vis naufragio liberare, noli in profundum demergere Chrys. in joh. Hom. 76. language to, She is the Foolish. And thus having now seen who the Wise and Foolish are, let us see in the next Place, the difference between them here made in regard of their divers Actions, in that the One of them is a Builder, the Other a Plucker down. A wise Woman buildeth her house, but the Foolish destroyeth it. To Build an House in the Scriptures, c Aedificare domum in Scriptures significat eam locupletare, conservare, Lavat. in Prov. 24.3. saith one, signifieth to enrich, & to preserve it. The Benefit of Building what it is, as there was never Age heretofore, better testified than this, so is there no Place in the world again, that will better witness the same unto us, than the place wherein we live. There be Some, d Psal 49.6. saith the Psalmist, that put their trust in their Goods, and boast themselves in the multitude of their Richeses. e V 11. They think that their Houses shall continued for ever: and that their dwelling places shall endure from one Generation to another, & call the Lands after their own Names. But go we from one Coast to another, from City to Country, from Gentry to Nobility, & where are the dwelling Places, where the Mansion Houses of Thousands that heretofore have been famous in their times. Only the HOUSES of the MUSES here, that were built by glorious Founders so many hundred Yeeers ago, those we see as they were at first, nay we see them far fairer, and so I trust shall the Ages to come, as long as the f Deut. 11. 2●. Heavens are above the Earth. Now then as there is no place in the World that better testifieth unto us then this, what the Benefit of Building is, so may it best of all put us in mind of the Building here meant. For if so be Tully g Tull. de Senect. said true of Old men that they planted Trees, the Benefit whereof Posterity should reap an other day: and they sowed their Corn for the Gods, whose will it was that as they themselves received from their Ancestors, so they should leave somewhat also to Posterity that came after: how aught our endeavours for our Families to be in such sort, as that they also after us may reach to a many Generations? It was a barbarous Speech of Nero, who when he heard one saying, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, When I am dead let all the world be burnt: h Suet. in Neron. c. 38. answered again in a trice, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, But while I live, let all the world be burnt: so loathe was that Miscreant, that any after should survive him. It is not so with a virtuous Matron. She as she provides for her own time, so doth she for Posterity too, & howsoever she is not ignorant, that the i 2. Pet. 3.10. World indeed shall burn at the last, yet as long as the World lasteth, she hath a care of Times to come. For to care but for the Present only, is the Property of Beasts. This than it is which is by Building here intimated, she considereth afore hand what is to be done, and she buildeth upon the l Mat. 7.25. Rock, even the Rock, CHRIST JESUS. Non sic Impij; non sic. As for the ungodly m Psal. 1.5. saith the Prophet, it is not so with them: nor is it so indeed with Foolish Women. They are like the n Mat. 7.27. Rain, and Flowds, and Winds, that beaten upon their own Houses. Nay they pull them down at once, and make a quick riddance. Even as Samson in the Book of judges o judg. 16.30. plucked down the House on his own head. Which yet I would not have so to be taken, as if their material Houses so fell, nay it may be the Houses in that kind may stand strongly enough, and yet their Mistresses destroy them too. For as job discoursing of the wicked: They wax old p job. 21.7. saith he, and grow in Wealth: their Seed is established in their sight with them, and their Generation before their eyes. Their Houses are peaceable without fear, and the Rod of God is not upon them. Their Bullock gendereth, and faileth not, their Cow calveth, and casteth not her Calf. They sand forth their Children like Sheep, and their Sons dance. They take the Tabret, and Harp, & rejoice in the sound of the Organs. They spend their Days in wealth, and suddenly they go down to the Grave: So all this, and more than this, may be verified of these Fools, & yet they Destroyer's to, whether we take House here for Family, & Posterity, as 2. Sam. 7.18: or for Substance, Goods, and Worldly Richeses, as Mat. 23.14: or for Soul, and Body, our true House indeed, 2. Cor. 5.1. And so I come to her Manner of doing it, which is with her own Fingers ends: A wise Woman buildeth her House, but the Foolish destroyeth it with her own hands. Except the Lord, q Psal. 127.1. saith the Psalmist, build the House, their labour is but lost that build it: thereby to intimate unto us, even in this case, that though r 1. Cor. 3.6. Paul plant, Apollo's water, yet God must give the increase; & s Ver. 7. again, That neither he that planteth is any thing, neither he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase. And indeed, Every good giving, and every perfect Gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of Lights, as speaks the Apostle St james: howbeit when it is added here, that a Foolish Woman destroys her House, then is it added withal, that She indeed doth it, even with her own hands. So it is, it is even so, t Hos. 13 9 Perditio tua ( u Ex te, is not in the Vulgar, but it is commonly so alleged: otherwise if we read Perditio tua Israel: the Accent is to be in û. ex te) Israel: tantummodo in me auxilium tuum: x Our Last Translat. O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thine help, and indeed it is from ourselves that all our Harm cometh. No Man is hurt, saith St Chrysostom, but only by himself, nor doth he say it only in so many words, but he hath an whole y Quòd nemo laeditur nisià semet. Chrys. Tom. 5. Homily thereupon. The Devil z B. Andrews Christ's Combat with the Devil, Ser. 4. p. 52. b. saith a worthy Prelate of ours, did not cram Eve with the forbidden Fruit, but when she saw it, she took it, and eat it. So the Devil, saith he, when he entereth into the Soul of a Man, he doth not break open the Door, not, nor so much as draw the Latch, but when he cometh, he findeth it swept, and garnished, and so he goeth in. Our Saviour in St Luke's Gospel acquaints us with the manner of it. When the unclean Spirit a Luk. 11.24. saith our Saviour, is gone out of a Man (meaning a Woman to) he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and when he findeth none, he saith, I will return to my House, whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept, and garnished. Than goeth he, & taketh to him seven other Spirits worse than himself, and they enter in, and devil there, so the last state of that Man, is worse than the first. Right so it is with Foolish Women. When the unclean Spirit is gone out of them, suppose by the Preaching of the Gospel, or by some kind of Punishment God doth sand them (for when we his Ministers can do no good, he will sometimes take the Rod into his own hands) he Walketh through dry places: that is, he tempteth the Hearts of the Faithful to see if he can harbour there, and when he finds that he cannot, he hies him to his old home which he findeth Swept, and Garnished: Swept within, and Garnished without: Within, in respect of Words; Without, in respect of outward Behaviour, both which when he seeth they come not from the Heart, but that they are like b Mat. 23.27. Painted sepulchres, Fair without, but Fowl in the inmost Room of all, then doth he associate unto him Seven other Spirits worse than himself, suppose the Spirit of Pride, the Spirit of Envy, the Spirit of Wrath, the Spirit of Avarice, the Spirit of Gluttony, the Spirit of Sloth, and that which always accompanies that Spirit, the Spirit of Lechery, and they enter in, and devil there, and so is the Foolish Woman in this kind as was Mary Magdalen before her Conversion, possessed of no less than Seven Devils, Mark. 16.9. And thus, Beloved, have you heard of two Sorts of Women, Wise and Foolish. You have heard of the Difference, that is between them, the one a Builder, the other a Plucker down. You have heard in the third place of her Manner of Plucking down, how it is done with her own Hands. It is not besides my Text, at lest wise besides the Meaning of it, to tell you now as much on the other side of two Sorts of Men, Wise and Foolish: Secondly, of the self same Difference that is between them both: and Thirdly, of their Destroying to, how it is done with their own Hands. But I trust what hath been spoken concerning the one Sex, the Other by way of Proportion will apply unto themselves: but still with this special Item: that if Women be Foolish; if Women destroy; if Women do it with their own Hands; how much more should Men be Foolish, how much more should Men destroy, and how much more with their own Hands, seeing Men have the opportunity of destroying more in a Day, then hath a Woman in Seven Years. Besides that as our Saviour c Mat 6.23. saith, If the Light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness: so thou being the Head of thy Wife, if thou be'st out of frame, the Case is far more dangerous. in corporibus d Plin. Epist. l. 4. ep. 22. A Capite bona valetudo. Sen de Clement. l. 2. c. 2. saith Pliny, sic in Imperio gravissimus est Morbus qui à Capite diffunditur. If the Disease be a Head Disease it is the most dangerous disease that is. Nor shall it prejudice this Application that here is mention made of Wool, and Flax, of the Wheel, and the Spindle. Neque ista Lanificia, e Aug de Temp. Ser. 217. p. 766 saith St Austen, sunt à Viris aliena. These very Matters concerning Wool, may beseem our own Sex well enough. For as the Yarn saith he, is wrapped about the Distaff, & afterwards by lengthening out, and by being made a Thread, is wound upon the Spindle: so our Good Works, and Good Deeds should be in the Spindle, not in the Distaff, that is, they should be such as have past our Hands already, they should not be still to come. His Reason is, that being now of ability to do good works, & neglecting the opportunity, we may chance not to have the like times offered hereafter again unto us. To draw then towards an end, and to apply what hath been spoken to both your Sexes at once. His Excellent Majesty in that Golden Book of Instructions to PRINCE HENRY (whom our manifold Sins would not suffer to continued longer amongst us) among many admirable Passages therein, worthy to be written in Letters of Gold, Would you see, f ΒΑΣΙΛΙΚΟΝ ΔΩΡΟΝ, or his majesties Instructions to his dearest Son Henry the Prince Lib. 1 p 9 Edi. 1603. saith he, how Good Men are rewarded, and Wicked punished? Look the Historical Parts of the Books of Moses, together with the Histories of joshua, the judges, Ezra, Nehemias', Esther, and job: but especially the Books of the Kings, and Chronicles, wherewith ye aught to be familiarly acquainted: for there shall you see YOUR SELF as in a Mirror, in the Catalogue, either of the Good, or the Evil Kings. Beloved, suffer me with a little alteration to say as much concerning Yourselves. There being in this world two Sorts of Men and Women, Wise and Foolish, & the one Sort being Builders, the other Destroyer's, would you see how the Wise are rewarded, the Foolish punished? Look the Historical Parts of the Books of Moses, together with the Histories of joshua, the judges, Ezra, Nehemias', Ester, job, the Books of the Kings & Chronicles, but especially the Book of Proverbs, wherewith you aught to be familiarly acquainted, for there shall you see Yourselves as in a Mirror, either of the Wise or Foolish Men, or of the Wise or Foolish Women. But I hope all of you that here are, are rather of the Wiser Sort, and so shall you prove yourselves, if you be Builders, not Destroyer's, and Builders shall you be if you live and love together. They that are brethren, g Chrys. Op. Imperfect. in Mat. 19 Hom. 32. saith an ancient Writer, howsoever they be borne of one, yet therefore are they borne, that they may betake themselves to divers ways: but Man and Wife howsoever they be borne of Divers, yet therefore are they borne, that they should both agreed in one. Let them then, dearly Beloved, disagree with one another, let them be always wrangling, and brangling, and snarling and biting too, who know not the worth of this Estate: who know not how it is h Communion Book in Matrimon. honourable, and was instituted of God in Paradise, and that in the time of Man's innocency: how it signifies to all that be married the Mystical Union that is betwixt Christ, and his Church, and was adorned and beautified, not only by our Saviour's Presence but with the first Miracle he ever wrought: in a word, who enterprised it at the first, and took it in hand, not reverently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of God, but indiscreetly, unadvisedly, lightly, and wanton to satisfy their carnal Lusts, & Appetites like bruit Beasts that have no understanding. As for those on the contrary who being HUSBANDS, l Coloss. 3.21. love their Wives, and are not bitter unto them, that m Ephes. 5.25. love them as our Saviour loved the Church, or as they n V 28. love their own Bodies, or as they o V 33. love their own Selves: and those who being WIVES, p Ephes. 5.33. fear their Husbands, & q Coloss. 3.18 submit themselves unto them as it is comely in the Lord; I, that r Ephes. 5.22. submit themselves unto their Husbands as unto the Lord; I, even as the s V 24. Church is in subjection to Christ, even so are they to their Husbands in every thing, Happy, thrice Happy are they, if they thus continued with one another. What knowest thou o Wife, t 1. Cor. 7.16. saith the Apostle, whether thou shalt save thine Husband? or what knowest thou o Man whether thou shalt save thy Wife. And indeed who knoweth whether the Virtuous behaviour of a Wife may better recall a debauched Husband then all the Sermons may be made him: or the exceeding Patience of an Husband more avail with a wayward Wife than all the Precepts may be given her. As for Such on the other side whom an unseparable Tie of true Love holds together, nor is that Love of theirs dissolved by Chide, Squabling, and Brawling, as long as they both shall live, they are more than thrice Happy: u Herat. Carm. l. 1. Od. 13. Faelices' ter, & amplius, Quos irrupta tenet Copula: nec malis Divulsus querimonijs Suprema citius solvet Amor die. I will end with that of the Apostle S. Paul: x Ephes. 5.33. Let every one love his Wife even as himself, and let the Wife see that she fear her Husband. And thus much of the First of those three several States and Conditions of Men in the true Relation whereof, and respective carriage on either side, the Benefit of Church, and Commonwealth doth much consist: MAN and WIFE. The Fruit of Marriage is Birth, and the Companion of Birth Travail, and the End of Travail Children, who are as S. Ambrose y Ambr. in Luc. l. 1. c. 1. p. 13. speaks, in respect of their Mothers, Stipendia Foeminarum Militiae, The wages of women's warfare, in respect of their Fathers, as z Ps. 127.3. Vulg. speaks the Prophet David, Sicut novellae Olivarum in circuitu Mensae tuae: * Ps. 128.3. Like the Olive Branches round about his Table. I, presupposing that God hath blessed you with a many Branches in this kind, or with some One, or Other, at the lest, be it an He, or be it a She, juvenal. Sat. 5. Parvulus Aeneas, aut Filia dulcior illo, will make it God willing, my next care, to entreat of those your Children, and of the true Relation, and respective Carriage that is, or is to be, between You and Them, Them and You. In the mean time, God so bless us, and the Seed that that hath been sown, etc. PARENTS AND CHILDREN Christmas Day, Decemb. 25. 1613. For I know him that he will command his Sons, and his Household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness, and judgement, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham, that he hath spoken unto him. Gen. 18.19. THese words, Right Worshipful, and dearly Beloved in our Saviour Christ, as they are a Sequence of those which went before, so they represent unto our view Four kinds of several Persons. First, the Person of the Lord, I; For I know. Secondly, the Person of Abraham, Him, and He; For I know Him, that He will command. Thirdly, the Persons of his Children, Male, and Female, comprehended in the word Sons; His Sons. Fourthly, the Persons of his Servants, Men and Maids; And his Household after him. First, for the Person of the Lord here, who was indeed God Almighty, we are first of all to consider why He appeareth in this place. The Story is famous. It was to destroy whole Cities of Men, that were at that time of a most debauched behaviour. The Lord himself relates the Cause in the next two Verses to this my Text. Because, a Gen. 18.20. saith the Lord, the cry of Sodom, & Gomorah is great, & because their Sin is exceeding grievous. I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to that Cry which is come unto me, and if not, that I may know. So that the wickedness of those ROARING BOYS (pardon me if I use this Phrase, of those days Miscreants, the Cry of Sodom here calls it to mind) caused the Lord to come from Heaven, nay it caused HELL to come from Heaven, for so Salvianus speaks in one, or two Places. He sent Hell, b Super impium Populum Gehennam misit è Coelo. Salu. de vero judic. & Prov. Dei. l. 1. p. 53. faith he, out of Heaven upon a wicked People. And again in another c Tam malè de Deo meruit, ut Gehennam quae in futuro judicio datur, etiam in hoc Saculo sustineret. Salu. Ib l. 4. p. 132. place: That People so ill deserved of God above, that that Hell which is reserved for the judgement to come, they endured even in this World. But thus much of the first Person, the Person of the Lord, and why he appeared here in this place. The second Person is the Person of Abraham, Abraham the Father of the Faithful. So well known unto God as one d Esay. 41.8. Friend to another: nay better known then so to. Abraham was known unto God as David was, and David was so well known, that speaking of himself, and of the knowledge God had of him, O Lord, e Ps. 139.1. saith he, thou hast searched me out, and known me, thou knowest my down sitting, & my uprising, thou understandest my thoughts long before. Thou art about my Path, and about my Bed, and spiest out all my ways. For lo, there is not a word in my Tongue, but thou O Lord knowest it altogether. Thou hast fashioned me behind and before, and laid thy hand upon me. And again a little after, My Bones, f Ps. 139 14. saith he, are not hid from thee, though I be made secretly, & fashioned beneath in the Earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect, and in thy Book were all my Members written. Though why do I speak of such a Knowledge? Every Man is thus known, aswell the Wicked, as the Godly, Abraham was known to God after a more peculiar kind of sort. God in this place gives him a SCIO: Scio enim quod praecepturus sit Filijs suis and so forth. Scio. It is (as it were) an Academical kind of Knowledge, Tùm Moribus, tùm Scientia, a knowledge of Abraham's Sufficiency both for Life, & true Learning. The third Persons were his Children, Male and Female, which though he had not in the Plural Number now at this time, but only One, namely Ishmael, yet are they intimated here in this place by the Name of Sons. An usual Phrase throughout the Scriptures, when under the Name of Sons, both Sexes are comprised, as Prov. 10.1, Rom. 8.14, and Rev. 21.7. I spare to allege the Places. The fourth, and last kind of Persons here mentioned, were his Servants, Men and Maidens, & of those it is likely he had great store, for they are said to be many, both Men-Servants, and maidservants, Gen. 12.16. Of all the Persons here specified, I intent God willing to speak at this time, of those in the second, and third Place only, namely of Abraham, and his Sons: under which Name of Sons as we shall comprise all Children whatsoever, so shall we comprehend all Parents under the Name, and Person of Abraham. Now then as touching the words: For I know him that he will command his Sons, and his Household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do Righteousness, and judgement, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham, that he hath spoken unto him. Why the Lord here appeared to Abraham, you have heard before, namely to destroy whole Cities, Sodom and Gomorah, and Others annexed thereunto. Now as the Prophet Amos speaks in his g Amos 3.7. prophesy, Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his Secrets unto his Servants the Prophets; So did he purpose nothing now at this time which he acquainted not his Servant Abraham with, for so is Abraham styled, Gen. 26.24: nay Abraham a Prophet, for so he calleth him, Gen. 20.7: nay Abraham his Friend, for so is he called to, Esay 41.8. Why he should acquaint Abraham herewith, he allegeth in this Chapter two several Reasons: the Former in the eighteenth verse, namely, for he had already vouchsafed him a singular Privilege of Honour, seeing that Abraham should be 〈…〉 〈…〉 had them honoured, when he spoke like a r Arist. Ethic. l. 4. c. de Magnam. Philosopher, not a Counsellor, like a Scholar, not like a Courtier, how should we come short of Duty to Parents, should our Parents be Vicious, who be they what be may, are still to be honoured by us. But of the Honour we own them, hereafter: we are now to speak of their Pre-eminence, and Authority over their Children: which as in some sort it hath appeared to us by the Place our Parents have in the Decalogue of Moses, and the Honour there specified, so will it be unto us much more evident by the Word Command here in this Place: For I know him that he will command. The Command of Parents over their s Mr Doctor Ryves sometimes Warden of New Coll. in a Sermon at St Maries, upon jer. 35.5.6.7. etc. Children in ancient times was such that being in want, and necessity, they might dispose of their Children by laying them to pledge, or selling them outright, as it seemed best unto themselves. Neither so only, but for t Cod Lib. 4. tit. 44. L. Si quis Criminal matters and Offences committed within doors, they were authorised to punish their Children, even with loss of very Life. Patribus olim u Cod. Lib. 8. tit. 47. l. 10. saith the Civil Law, vitae necisque potestas concessa est. Fathers in times past had power over their Children for Life and Death. And therefore in the time of Nature, even before the Law was given, when juda was told how Thamar his Daughter in Law had played the Harlot, without any other foreign hearing, or carrying her before any other Magistrate: Bring her forth x Gen. 38.24. saith he, and let her be burnt. Now if over a Daughter in Law, and a Widow, a Father in those days had such Power, how much more over his own Children, and such as issued from his own Loins. True it is that in Continuance of time this absolute Power of Parents was somewhat pared, and diminished by the Civil Constitutions of Princes, who either thought it derogatory to their own Authority, or by experience did find it inconvenient, that a Power of that nature should remain in private hands, and so took from Parents their immediate use of the Sword: yet as well to keep Children in awe of their Parents, as upon a presumption that no man could hate him whom he had begotten without just and evident cause, the Sword of the Magistrate was ever ready at the request of the Father to be unsheathed against his Child, if so be he proved disobedient. Witness the Example of one Rhacoces of whom y Aelian. V●…. Hist. l. 1. c. 34. Aelian maketh mention, who brought his dissolute, and disobedient Son before the judges of the Country, desiring that they would command him to be put to Death: which though they referred to Artaxerxes the Prince of that Country, & he for that time forboare that Punishment, yet Gravissimam Mortem interminatus est, saith Aelian, he threatened him a cruel kind of Death, if so be afterwards he should be delinquent in the like kind of Crime against his Father. And lest it should seem that this was the Custom of a barbarous Nation only, such as that Country might seem to be, we shall read of the self same Power granted unto Parents even in the z Digest. ad Legem Corneliam de Sicariis & Venef. & Cod. l 8. de Patria Potest. L. 3. Civil Law. And herein the Civil Law is all one in effect with the very Law of God, which in the Book of Deuteronomy, concerning stubborn and disobedient Children, is thus set down. If any man, a Deut. 21.18. saith Moses, have a Son that is stubborn and disobedient, which will not hearken unto the voice of his Father, nor the voice of his Mother, & they have chastened him, and he would not obey them, then shall his Father, and his Mother take him, and bring him out unto the Elders of his City, and unto the Gate of the place where he dwelleth, and shall say unto the Elders of his City: This our Son is stubborn, and disobedient, and will not obey our admonition, he is a rioter, and a Drunkard: It b V 21. followeth, Than all the Men of his City shall stone him with stones unto death: so thou shalt take away evil from among you, that all Israel may hear it, and fear. In which words, but that I hasten, I might observe unto you many Points, as First, the making equal the Mother's Authority with the Fathers, and the due respect of Children aswell to the one, as to the other, a Point much neglected now adays, whether the Fault is in the Child, or in the Father, or Mother herself. Secondly, the sole accusation of the Parents, all sufficient in itself without other proof at all, to unsheath the Sword of the Magistrate, and to cause execution to be done. Thirdly, the Faults here mentioned which are no greater than Stubbornness & Disobedience in not being reclaimed from a dissolute and riotous Life. Fourthly, the manner of his Death in that he was to be stoned by ALICE, as one that had offended in a Point that concerned all, or rather as a Monster that was worthy to be hated, and to be pursued by all Lastly, the Ends for which that Sin of Disobedience in Children was so grievously to be punished, the which were two: First, that Evil might be taken away from among them, intimating thereby that only for the Disobedience of Children left unpunished, the Wrath of God lieth upon a Land: Secondly, that all Israel might hear it, and fear, that is, fear to be found disobedient to their Parents, whom God commanded to be honoured. Now howsoever by Corruption of Time, or Decay of good Discipline, or upon Reasons seeming good to them that are in Authority, these Laws, Civil, and Divine, are abrogated, and abolished, yet the Power of Parents over their Children founded in the Laws of God, and Nature is still the same, and the Sin of Disobedience as great as ever. By all than that hath been spoken, we may all of us perceive that the Name of a Father, as c Appellatio ista & pietatis, & potestatis est. Tertul. de Orat. p. 657. speaks Tertullian, is a Name, Non Pietatis solùm, sed etiam Potestatis: not of natural Affection only, but of Power: And commandeth over Children not only concerning inferior Actions, as that Children in their Marriage were to be disposed of by their Parents, at lest wise, not to marry with out their Parents d Zanchius nullifies all such Marriages as are made without the consent of Parents. Zanch de Oper. Part. 3 l. 4 c. 1. Thes. 8. p. 704. Col. 2. Consent: that Parents expelled their Children from house and home, as e Val. Max. l. 5. c. 8. Manlius Torquatus did Syllanus his Son for receiving of Bribes: that their very f Numb. 30.6. Vows made to God were all reversible by the will of their Parents, if so be their Parents disallowed them: but also concerning Religion too, their Parents being bound to teach it them, or by themselves, or by some others. And this is that Righteousness, and judgement here spoken of in this place, For I know him that he will command his Sun and his Household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord to do Righteousness, and judgement. Righteousness in regard of the First Table, their Duty towards God: judgement in regard of the Second Table, their Duty towards their Neighbour. Or if they both belong to the Second Table, as g Calvin in hunc loc. Some are of opinion, then is the First by the Figure Synecdoche comprised under the Second. So the Apostle to the Galathians: All the Law, h Gal. 5.14. saith he, is fulfilled in one word, which is this, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thyself. All the Law, saith the Apostle: which yet our Saviour i Mat. 22.39. called but the Second Commandment. Neither was this Authority of the Parents expired when as their Children came to Age, but where ever they lived, whatsoever became of them, Parents did evermore challenge this Right, and their Children held all that the Parents commanded, both sacred, and to be performed. True it is, that King Solomon gave but little heed to a Suit his Mother made, but there was Reason of l P. Martyr in hunc locum. See Sr Walter Raleighs Hist. of the World Part. 1. Lib. 2. c. 1. §. 1. p. 495. 496. State for it, who notwithstanding as he was a Son, and out of matters of State how did he give her all Reverence. Bathsheba, m 1. Kin. 2.19. saith the Scripture, went unto King Solomon, to speak unto him for Adoniah: and the King rose to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his Throne, and he caused a Seat to be set for the King's Mother, and she sat at his right hand. And when She began to tell him that she had a Suit unto him: Ask on my Mother, quoth he. for I will not say thee nay. So that had her Suit been lawful indeed, She had obtained it without all doubt, but as for the Suit she then made, n Senec. Troas. Act. 3. Sc. Matris. Non hoc Ulysses, sed negat Chalcas tibi, It was not Solomon her Son, the Kingdom itself said nay unto it. Nay, come we to Heathen Examples, & shall we not found in o Liv. Dec. 1. l. 2. Livy how Venturia the Mother of Coriolanus, when neither the Ambassadors sent unto him, nor the religious persuasions of the sacred Priests could incline unto compassion, but needs he would force the City of Rome, and make it a pray unto their Enemies, shall we not found (I say) how She by her motherly Authority caused him to retire with all his Forces, and immediately to departed? Come we to Calavius in the same p Liv. Dec. 3. l. 3. Story, who when his Son the valorous Perolla had resolved to slay Hannibal, & came armed to that purpose, how did he immediately disarm him again, and by the authority of a Father, how did he master that great heart, which daring (as the case then stood) to set upon Hannibal, was not otherwise to be daunted with a world of Enemies. I omit to tell you here how the Parents authority over their Children was such in times past, that their Commandment was a Law, not only for their Children whilst they lived, but for their children's Children unto many Generations after. It appeareth, as by the q jer. 31.6. Recabits who after the death of jonadab held themselves tied by their Father's Precepts for the space of three hundred years: so also by the Children of Israel, who after the space of four hundred years, yet held themselves tied by r Exod. 13.15. josephs' Will, & by the Oath of their Forefathers made unto him, for the carrying with them his Corpse into Canaan. But thus much of that Authority which God and Nature have given unto Parents, for the Bringing of their Children up. I come now unto the Second Point, namely the Duty that Children own, & aught to perform unto their Parents, intimated also in the word, Command: For I know him that he will command his Sons, and his Household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord to do Righteousness, and judgement. For I know him that he will command. The Duty that Children own, and aught to perform unto their Parents, as it is intimated here in the word, Command (for in vain are Parents to Command, unless the Children be bound to Obey) so is it specified to us in the word [Honour] what kind of Obedience that should be, when as it is said in the fift Commandment, Honour thy Father and thy Mother, Exod. 20.12. Now for our better proceeding in this point, let us First consider with ourselves of how many several Parcels this Honour doth consist: Secondly, the several Reasons why such Honour is commanded. The several Parcels of this Honour are First, Reverence; Secondly, Obedience; Thirdly, Gratitude. First Concerning Reverence, it is that which the Fashion, and Custom of the Country doth usually challenge, wherein such Fathers, & Children live. Be it Capping, or Bowing the Leg, or Kneeling, or whatsoever Gesture else, is to be performed by the Body. I, be our Place never so great, either in Church, or Commonwealth, insomuch as that our Parents s Gen. 37.9. Sheaves should in such respect reverence ours, and their Stars fall down before us (it was josephs' Dream of his Parents, and so indeed it came to pass) yet are we not to neglect this Duty, we are still obliged to them in this Bond. I could here produce the Example of the self same t Gen. 46.29. joseph, of u 1. King. 2 19 Solomon before mentioned, of our Saviour x Luk. 2.51. Christ himself, but I will go no farther than our own Country, and content myself with that Example which She hath afforded in like case. I mean the Example of Sr Thomas Moor, who being Lord Chancellor in his time, and consequently in an Office next and immediate to the King himself, & having his own Father then living, and at that time a judge, for he was one of the judges of the King's Bench, never went to Westminster Hall to sit in the Chancery there, but y N.H.L.D. His New-yeerse gift to M● William Roper. MS. Vid. Stapl. de Trib. Thom. c. 1. p. 12. First he would up to the King's Bench, where as his Father then sat, and there on his Knees would ask him Blessing before a World of Looker's on. A worthy Pattern in those days for all such Children as then lived, and no doubt a Terror unto such as should ever in those days have once come under his Fingers for misdemeanour towards their Parents. True it is our Church of England only, hath this z Vid. Mr Bunnies Corner Stone. l. 1. c. 5. §. 11. p. 110. Custom of Ask Blessing, an Argument that the Children of our Church, should be more conformable and dutiful, than any other of other Churches, being brought up from their * Adeo in teneris consuescere multum est. Virg. Geor. l. 2 tender years in such a comely, and decent behaviour. But I come unto Obedience. Over and beside this Reverence, our Parents may challenge Obedience to, and Obedience we must perform, lest with the Soldiers in St Mathews Gospel we bow the knee indeed, Mat. 27.29, and yet smite them with our Reeds to, Mat. 27.30. Howbeit concerning this Point, two diverse and most repugnant Opinions there are, which in this case harm the Truth. Some maintain it to stand with all reason that Children should a Hereof we may read more in P. Aerodius a French Civilian in a Treatise of his which he wrote unto his jesuited Son, and of late translated into English by Mr D. Budden. simply, & without exception, be obedient to their Parents in all their Commands whatsoever. For they hold it to be in the number not only of needless, but hurtful Curiosities to dispute wherein, and wherein not, they that are Children should obey. To this purpose they allege that of the Apostle to the b Coloss. 3.20. Colossians, Children obey your Parents in all things. Howbeit Parents are Men, and have their Passions, by which they are oftentimes transported in their desires beyond the Bounds of that which is agreeable to the Will of God. Now Children are so in subjection to the Fathers of their Bodies, as that they may not forget their Duty to the Fathers of their Souls. Honour thy Father c Honora Patren tuum, sed si te à vero Patre non separat. Tam diu scito sanguinis Copulam, quàm diu ille suum noverit Creatorem Hier. ad Furiam de Viduit. Servand. saith St jerom, so he endeavour not to withdraw thee from thy true Father indeed. Acknowledge so far forth Consanguinity of Blood, as long as he himself shall acknowledge his Creator. A Child in this case may speak as d Aug. de Verb. Apost. Ser. 28. p. 265. St Austen teacheth him: Te quidem habeo Genitorem sed plus et tuum, & meum timeo Creatorem. I acknowledge yourself my Father indeed, but I fear him more, who is the Creator of us both. And e Ambros. de Obitu Valentir. ●7. St Ambrose to this purpose, Debeo affectum Parenti, saith he, sed magis obsequium debeo Salutis Auctori. I own my affection to my Father, but my Service much more to the Author of my Salvation: & our f Mat. 10.37. Saviour himself also: He that loveth Father, or Mother more than me, is not worthy of me. And g Luk. 14. 2●. again, If any man come to me, & hate not his Father, and Mother, and Wife, and Children, & brethren, and Sisters, yea, & his own Life also, he cannot be my Disciple. Nay even in matters of the Second Table we may reneage our Parents to. Like as Alexander the Great, who when his Mother demanded of him the Death of an Innocent, and taking it unkindly that he had denied her her Request, saying withal that a Son should deny his Mother nothing, who had borne him in her Womb the space of nine Months: O Mother h Ammian. Marcell. l. 14. faith Alexander, I beseech you ask of me some other Reward for those Pains, for the Life of Man cannot be recompensed by any Benefit what soever. As for that of the i Coloss. 3.20. Apostle, Children obey your Parents in all things, it is to be understood of all those things which appertain to the Right that Parents have to command, as Thomas Aquinas well l Aquin. 2 a. 2●…. Quest. 104. Art. 5. observeth. Wherewith Cardinal Bellarmine, it seems not fully satisfied, though the Answer might content any Reasonable Body, will needs give another though worse, Velure certè tenentur Filij, m Bell. de Monachis l. 2. c 21. Vid. D. Willets Synops. p. 298. Edit. 1600. saith he, per omnia Parentibus obedire, sed dum parvuli sunt: Or we may say, saith he, that Children are held to obey their Parents in all things, but while they are but little ones. What? and no longer? Was not Eli punished for not chastening his Children: and likewise his Children again for not hearkening unto him, who (it may be) were as Big (though not as Old) as Cardinal Bellarmine himself? Notwithstanding n 1. Sam. 2.25. saith the Scripture, they obeyed not the voice of their Father, because the Lord would slay them. So that it was not enough then to say with Bellarmine they were no longer little Ones: or with another in the o Plaut. Bacchid. Act. 1. Scene jamdisdum. Comedy, I am excessit mihi aetas ex Magisterio tuo: We are now past your Government: not, they should have hearkened to their Father, and so had they saved his Life, and their own Lives to. Others there are which by a silly Sophism, go about to elude all Fatherly Authority over their Children under this pretext and device. That if the Things which Parents command be Good in themselves, we aught to do them, not because they are commanded, but because they be good. But if they be Evil, then aught we not to do them, though our Parents command them to be done. To which it may be answered: First, that the Division is insufficient, for besides Things that are absolutely Good, or Evil, there are a many which the p A. Gell Noct. Attic. l. 2 c 7. Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Things indifferent, and of a middle sort, all which being neither simply Good, nor simply Evil, but as they come accompanied with their circumstances which give form unto all Moral Actions, are fit Subjects for the Commandments of Parents to work upon. Now in these things as St Bernard q Fat non est sensum nostrum praescribere sententiae Superiorum. Bernard. ep. 7. ad Ada. Monach. speaks, It is not fit that Inferiors should prescribe to their Superiors: nay rather as One r A Gell. ubi supra. speaketh, Quia Pater jubet obsequendum est: we aught to obey for that our Father so commands. Secondly, as touching the Things which are Good in themselves, or as s Bernard ubi supra. St Bernard calls them, Pura Bona, Purely good, it cannot be denied, but that they must be done though they be not commanded by our Parents: yea though our Parents do forbidden them. Yet it must be confessed also that the Parents Commandment, coming unto Things that are simply Good of themselves aught to incite him that is most willing, and to redouble his alacrity in doing them. So that it cannot be said of these, that there is no Obedience due to Parents, for notwithstanding that the principal respect of our Obedience in such things be carried unto God, yet nevertheless for as much as God doth draw us by means unto himself, of which our Parents are the chiefest, it must needs be that even in these Things we must be obedient to their Commandments, lest that neglecting the means appointed by God, we fail for ever to attain unto them. Hence it is that the Lord, thus speaketh in this place: For I know him that he will command his Sons, and his Household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do Righteousness, and judgement. Where were see that the Things here mentioned for the Subject of Abraham's Command are Para Bona, those Things which are purely good, namely to keep the way of the Lord, to do righteously, and justly. Thirdly, as touching Things that are simply Evil, our Parents I grant are by no means to be obeyed: for such an Obedience should be joined with a greater Disobedience, and a seeming Piety towards our Parents, would be an open Impiety unto God. It is, t Valde perversum est te obedientem profiteri in quo nosceris superiorem propter inferiorem, & divinan propter humanam solvere obedientiam. Bernard ubi supra. saith S. Bernard, a very overthwart kind of dealing to profess Obedience in those things wherein thou shalt be convinced, to break thy superior Obedience for that which is Inferior, divine Obedience for that which is human. And yet notwithstanding even in those things wherein we are not to hearken to our Parents, there is a good * Parcendum paululùm verbis est: quia etiam in bona causa humilis esse, in quantum res sinit, Filii apud Parentes debet oratio. Salvianus Ypatio & Quietae Parent. p. 10. manner to be observed in the not doing of that which we are not to do, though they command. For the Authority of a Father commanding that which is not to be done, must rather be reclined, then resisted, and the Evil that he commandeth, must be relinquished rather, then rejected. For if that u Vultu saepè laeditur Pietas. Cic. pro Sext. Rosc. Amerin saying of Tully be true, that An angry Countenance towards our Parents is a breach of Duty, how much more do we offend in this kind, if to the disappointing of our Parents Desires, we add Protervitie, Stubbornness, and rude Behaviour, especially whereas the * Peto quidem veniam, quia irascimini: sed non postum dicere malum esse quod seci. Again, Quid feci? quid commerui? Ignoscite quicquid illud est: veniam peto, etsi delictum nescie. Salvian. ubi supra, & p. 11. Sweetness of the one may temper the Harshness of the other, and that by so doing we well declare unto our Parents, the Difference that we make between them and other men. But thus much of Obedience. The third thing intimated in this Honour is Gratitude, and Gratitude we must perform, not by saying unto our Parents x Of Corban see D. Reyn. Conf. c. 7. Divis. 4. p. 322. who rendereth it there, By the gift, thou shalt have no profit by me. And, By the Gift, if thou have any profit by me. Corban, that is, by the Gift that is offered by me, thou mayst have profit, no: that is Pharisaical, Mat. 15.5. the very Fowls perform Gratitude unto their Parents, and therefore Pliny writing of Storks: Storks, y Ciconiae nidos eosdem repetunt Genetricum Senectam invicem educant. Plin. Hist. Nat. l. 10 6. 23. saith he, keep the self same Nest, and never change, and the young feed their Parents when they be old, as kindly as their Parents fed them when they were young. A duty in our days so grown out of kind, that nothing is more common in the mouths of many Parents, then to counsel one another not to make their Cradles their Heads. Belike they have seen too too many Examples of children's Ingratitude in this kind, who utterly forgetting the Womb that bore them, and the Paps that gave them suck, have proved Vipers, rather than Storks, so impetuous have they been against their Parents. It was an usual Speech of old, & yet is to this day, Ingratum dixeris, omnia dixeris, Call a Body but ungrateful, and you call him all that nought is, you cannot call him by a worse Name. Ingratitude indeed, is a Vice of Vices & hateful to itself, De Ingratis etiam ingrati queruntur, z Sen. de Benef. l. 3. c. 1. saith Seneca, even Ungrateful Men themselves, will complain of those that are Ungrateful: and whereas some, saith an a L.G. Gyrald. advers. Ingrat. p. 261. Other, have praised Wrath; some have praised Pride; some, Ignorance; some, Injustice; I, Drunkenness, Sloth, Folly, have had their Homers to set them fourth; never any man durst venture to praise Ingratitude, nay rather, they lay on load of bitter Reproaches against it; how much more when it is towards Parents, by whom we enjoy what ever we have, & therefore S. Austen, Caninum est, b Aug. de Tem. Ser. 95. saith he, Parents non agnoscere: to snarl against Father, or Mother, is the property of CURS. What my Son? c Prov. 31.2. saith Salomons Mother, and what the Son of my Womb? and what o Son of my Desires? Doubtless, Beloved, so is every Son. Every Son that is, hath these Degrees of Comparison. He is a Son, and a Son of the Womb, and a Son of his Parents Desires, and should he prove ungrateful to them? What, to those whom he aught to Reverence? and what, to those whom he aught to Obey? and what, to those whom he can never Recompense? In a word, to those whom by God's express Commandment he aught to Honour? I will end this Point concerning Honour, and the Precept of God that commandeth it, with that of Tertullian: You may know d In prima frente sanctissimae Legis, in primis titulis coelestis Edicti, principalium utique Delictorun proscriptione signatam, de loco modum; de ordine statum; de confinio Meritum cuiusque dignoscas. Tertul. de Pudicit. p. 630 saith he, by the placing of every Commandment, the Manner; by the Order, the State; and by the Limits, the Dignity of it. So that seeing this Commandment of Honouring our Parents is placed before the Commandments of Murder, Adultery, and Stealth, we may conclude that he which honoureth not his Father, and his Mother, is worse than a Thief, worse than an Adulterer, nay worse than a very Murderer. And thus much of the Honour commanded in God's Law to be performed by us towards our Parents: now as touching those Reasons in regard whereof, this Honour is thus commanded us. The Reasons no doubt are many, but we may reduce them unto Two: First, in regard of Bearing us: Secondly, of Bringing of us up, both specified by the Son of Syrach: Remember, e Ecclus. 7.28 saith he, thou wast borne of them, and how canst thou recompense them, the things that they have done? Remember thou wast borne of them: there's the former by way of Asseveration: And how canst thou recompense them, the things that they have done? there's the latter by way of Interrogation. A point I note the rather for that the Vulgar observes it not, and therefore reads it with less grace, as jansenius himself f jansen. in Eccles. 7.29. ingeniously. confesseth Now in Bearing us, our Mother's Pains aught by no means to be forgotten, which should I endeavour to express what the self same Pains were, both before, or at, or after our Birth, I might endeavour aswell to single out unto you the g Nec Nomina quae sint est numerus.— Quem qui scire velit, Libyci velit Aequoris idem Discere quàm multae Zephyro turbentur arenae. Virg. Geor. l. 2. Sands of the Sea. Sufficeth us to know in general, that the Lord himself made Promise that he would greatly increase their Sorrows: and how hitherto he 〈…〉 〈…〉 ●…dren up, and that in these words: That the Lord may bring upon Abraham that he hath spoken unto him. What it was that was spoken to Abraham, & the Promise' made unto him here intimated, was made mention of before, Gen. 12.2. Get thee out of thy Country, saith the Lord, and from thy kindred, and from thy Father's house, unto the Land that I will show thee, and I will make of thee a great Nation, and will bless thee, and make thy Name great, and thou shalt be a Blessing. This Promise was renewed, Gen. 13.14, Lift up thine Eyes now, saith the Lord, and look from the place where thou art Northward, and Southward, and Eastward, and Westward. For all the Land which thou seest will I give unto thee, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy Seed as the Dust of the Earth, so that if a man can number the Dust of the Earth, then shall thy seed be numbered. The Promise was made the third time, Gen. 15.4. where when Abraham had said to the Lord: O Lord God what wilt thou give me, seeing I go Childless, and lo a Servant of my house shall be mine Heir: This man saith the Lord, shall not be thine Heir, but one that shall come out of thine own Bowels, he shallbe thine Heir. Look up now unto Heaven, saith the Lord, and tell the Stars, if thou able to number them. And he said unto him, so shall thy Seed be. It was made also the Fourth time, Gen. 15.18. It was made the Fift time, Gen. 17.4. It was made the sixth time, Gen. 18.10. It was made the seventh time, Gen. 22.18, where the Lord speaking to Abraham, And in thy Seed saith he, shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed. Now for an excellent Commentary of all these Places, especially of this Last, we have a worthy Passage of the Apostle St Paul in his Epistle to the Galathians: Now to Abraham a Gal. 3.16, saith he, & his Seed were the Promises made. He saith not, And to the Seeds, as speaking of Many: but, And to thy Seed, as of one which is Christ. So that this was the Thing to be brought upon Abraham, even our Saviour CHRIST JESUS, as if he had said: In thy Seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed: that is, I of mere Mercy do promise unto thee, that CHRIST shall come of thy Seed, who shall bring the Blessing upon all Nations oppressed with Sin, and Death. That is, which shall deliver the Nations from the Everlasting Curse of Sin, and Death, receiving this Promise by Faith, In thy Seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed. b joh. 8.56. In regard whereof our Saviour said of Abraham unto the jews: Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it, and was glad. What? & were all these Promises to Abraham alone? Not doubtless, no more than once it was meant to Adam alone, when as it was said unto him, In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, Gen. 3.19. Abraham here, as he was in this place the Father of the Faithful, so he sustained their Persons to, and therefore what was said to him, was said also to all such Parents as would follow the Steps of faithful Abraham in the Bringing up of their Children. Like as speaks the Apostle St Paul, Rom. 4.12, how he was the Father of Circumcision, not unto them only which are of the Circumcision, but unto them also that walk in the Steps of the Faith of our Father Abraham, which he had when he was uncircumcised. And again in the three and twentieth verse, Now it was not written for him only, that it was imputed to him for Righteousness, but also for us, to whom it shallbe imputed for Righteousness, which believe as he did. So was it said to joshua, c Josh. 1.5. I will not leave thee, nor forsake thee: but was it to be interpreted of joshua alone? Not doubtless, for then the Apostle had done amiss, when in his Epistle to the Hebrews, he applied it to any d Heb. 13.5. Hebrew, any Christian whatsoever. Whatsoever things are written aforetime, e Rom. 15.4. saith the Apostle St Paul, are written for our Learning, that we through Patience, and Comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. And as Whatsoever things are written, so Whatsoever Persons are mentioned to, in the self same Scriptures, they are there mentioned for our example, that we in them may see ourselves, or to have a Reward, if we do well, or if we do otherwise, to be punished. Concerning Punishment, the Apostle St Paul tells us, 1. Cor. 10.6: concerning Reward, the Apostle St james, jam. 5.10. And thus, Beloved, have you seen effected, what I promised at the first. You have heard of the Authority which God, and Nature, have given unto Parents over their Children, in the Bringing of them up. You have heard of the Duty that Children own, and aught to perform unto their Parents. You have heard of the Blessing that doth ensue upon Parents thereupon. And what, Beloved, shall I now say? The Application is soon made: Be you to your Children such Parents as Abraham was, and you shall not want such Blessings as Abraham had. Now that you may endeavour to be such, I will commend unto you two Points, First, that you remember with yourselves who it is that hath made you Fathers of Children: Secondly, why and wherefore he hath made you such. If we think that to be a Father is a necessary Consequence of the Marriage Bed, a thousand Instances in every Age may be yielded to the contrary. Even Abraham here, of whom we have spoken so much, after he had been married a long season, how was he Childless notwithstanding. You heard even now what he said: O Lord God f Gen. 15.2. saith he, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go Childless, and the Steward of my House is this Elaezer of Damascus. I, & Abraham g V 3. said again, Behold to me thou hast given no seed, wherefore lo a Servant of my House shallbe mine Heir. You that are Childless may imagine with what depth of sorrow he thus spoke. I for my part am persuaded that every Syllable he uttered, had annexed therewith a Flood of Tears. What? Abraham Childless, who had received so many several Blessings from the hand of God before? Abraham, who had otherwise the World at will, Rich in cattle, in Silver, and in Gold, nay very Rich, Gen. 13.2? Abraham, who had built an Altar, & called on the Name of the Lord, Gen. 12.8? Abraham Childless? when as h Gen. 10.6. Cham, wicked Cham, had long before, Cush and Mizraim, and Put, and Canaan: and i V 15. Canaan, cursed Canaan, had Zidon, and Heth, and jebusi, and Emori, and a many other beside? Abraham Childless? I, Beloved, even Abraham, and so every Married man, until the Lord do say unto him as he did to Abraham, I will certainly come unto thee according to the time of Life, and Sarah thy wife shall have a Son, Gen. 18.10. Lo Children, l Ps. 127.4. saith David, & the Fruit of the Womb, are an Heritage, and Gift that cometh of the Lord. And therefore jacob, when Rahel said unto him, Give me Children, or else I die: What, m Gen. 30.2. saith he, am I in God's steed, which hath withholden from thee the fruit of the Womb? Indeed it is God himself that withholdeth such Fruit, and therefore the Prophet David n Ps. 113.8. again, He maketh the barren Woman to keep house, and to be a joyful Mother of Children. I, the Lord himself of himself, Esa. 66.9, Shall I 'cause to travail, and not bring forth? shall I 'cause to bring forth, and shall be barren saith thy God? And indeed, how he caused to travail, and also to bring forth, witness those many Examples in holy writ, of Rahel, Hannah, Elizabeth, and the rest, whose Barrennesie for a long time, he afterwards recompensed with admirable Births. Children then thus given to Parents, they are to remember in the next place, why, and wherefore they are given them. The Prophet David when he showeth unto us how they are an Heritage and Gift, that cometh of the Lord, inferreth immediately thereupon, Like as the Arrows o Ps. 127.5. saith he, in the hand of the Giant: even so are the young Children. Happy is the Man that hath his Quiver full of them. They shall not be ashamed when they speak with their Enemies in the Gate. Indeed the Church of God at that time had so many Bicker with their Enemies, so many several Battles did they fight, that no marvel if they talked then of Arrows, and Quivers, and Enemies, and of nothing but War. The case is now altered, we now enjoy the Time of PEACE, and therefore Arrows, and Armour ceasing, what more requisite now for Parents then to breed up their Children, to the peculiar Service of God, as also of such Peaceable Times as God hath given unto us. Let us remember then that our private Families are the Nurseries out of which our Children are to be taken, either for Church, or Commonwealth. Such for the most part as we frame them at home, they prove themselves abroad when once they go into the World. The new p Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit odorem Testa diu. Hor. Epist. l. 1. ad Lollium. Cask will ever smatch of that wherewith it hath been seasoned. Be it good, be it bad, that which was the first Liquor pleads Prescription to all other that ever after shall succeed. It is good for a man, q jer. Lam. 3.7 saith jeremy, that he bear the Yoke in his Youth. And the wisest that ever was to this purpose, Teach a Child, r Prov. 22.6. Vid. days Dial Preamb. Lect. 1 p. 6. saith he, in the trade of his way, and when he is old he shall not departed from it. Thus Daniel was but twelve years old, when as he judged those judges of Israel. Solomon himself about that age, when as he gave that famous Sentence concerning the true Mother of the Child. Our Saviour himself at that age too, when he s Luk. 2.42. disputed with the Doctors: The Children that cried Hosanna, t Mat. 21.15. Vid. Fulk in Rhem. Test. in. 1. Cor. 14. § 14. perhaps not so old. Timothy was but young when he was a Preacher of the Word, an Argument he was brought up in it, when he was but very young. Continued thou, u 2. Tim. 3.25. saith the Apostle, in the Things which thou hast learned, knowing of whom thou hast learned them, and that thou hast known the Holy Scriptures of a Child. Of a Child, saith our Translation, From thine Infancy, say the Rhemists, who yet cannot endure that Children should be put to the Reading of the Scriptures. Suffer little Children, x Mat. 19.14. saith our Saviour, and forbidden them not to come to me: for of such is the kingdom of Heaven. Nay, but we must not imagine, y Rhem. Praef. in Test. Nou. say the Rhemists that in the Primitive Church the translated Bibles into the Vulgar Tongues, were in the hands of every Husbandman, Artificer, Apprentice, Boys, Girls, Mistress, Maid, Man, and so forth. And what if we may not imagine that, by reason of the difficulty of procuring unto them Books, (Printing at that time not invented) were they not necessary for them notwithstanding? Not, not for Boys, & Girls, say they. Yes, St saith Chrysostom, And, z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Chrys. in Epist. ad Ephes. Hom 21 p. 193. Edit. Veronae. Maximè Piseris, Specially for BOYS, and GIRLS, for so much as that Age wants Wisdom most, as also Discretion. But to return where I left. As it is our best way to train them up, while they are thus young, in all these Duties: so the neglect in you of this Duty, will breed in your Children a neglect of their Duty towards yourselves. Let me instance even in David. Who did ever more cocker his Son, than he did Ammon? He was loathe, saith One a Noluit contristare spiritum Ammon Filii sui, queniam diligebat cum, quia Primogenitus erat ei. 2. Reg. 13.21. Vulg. Translation, to grieve his son Ammon, because he was his first-born. But what ensued thereupon? First, Lust; Ammon was in Love, but that Love was Lust, for it was with his own Sister. Secondly, Hypocrisy; Ammon was sick for love. Thirdly, Incest; Ammon must needs lie with her. Fourthly, Murder; nay Parricide; for who would slay him but Absalon; and after that a World of woe. Remember then, dearly Beloved, as many of you as are Parents, that your Children are so many Treasures committed unto you by God himself. Imagine he saith unto you, when he gives you a Son, as was said by the Prophet in an other b 1. Kin. 20.35 case, Keep this Man, if he be lost and want, thy Life shall go for his Life. And it seems old Elyes Life so went indeed. Ely c 1. Sam. 4.18. saith the Scripture, fell from his Seat backward by the side of the Gate, and his Neck was broken, & he died. Would you know the very cause? It was for he corrected not his Sons, as he should have done. Behold, d 1. Sam. 3.11. saith the Lord, I will do a thing in Israel, whereof whosoever shall hear, his two ears shall tingle. In that day I will raise up against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his House: when I begin, I will also make an end. And I have told him, that I will judge his House for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth, because his 〈…〉 Whereas this Page was to be empty, I thought it good to annex the Canon of our Church concerning Confirmation, which is the 60 in Number. FOrasmuch as it hath been a solemn, ancient, and laudable Custom in the Church of God, continued from the Apostles times, that all Bishops should lay their hands upon Children baptized & Instructed in the Catechism of Christian Religion, praying over them, & blessing them, which we commonly call Confirmation, and that this holy action hath been accustomed in the Church in former age, to be performed in the Bishop's Visitation every third year: We will & appoint, that every Bishop, or his Suffragan in his accustomed Visitation, do in his own person carefully observe the said Custom. And if in that year by reason of some infirmity, he be not able personally to Visit, than he shall not omit the execution of that duty of Confirmation the next year after, as he may conveniently. MASTERS AND SERVANTS. Easter Day April. 24. 1614 BEing to speak according to Promise of Masters, and Servants, Right Worshipful, and dearly Beloved, in our Lord and Master Christ jesus, it may be, you expect at my hands, that I should continued that Portion of Scripture which I have have handled heretofore concerning Abraham. And the Words indeed there follow: a Gen. 18.19. And his Household after him. Howbeit hitherto since for several Arguments, I have always taken several Texts, and Variety is ever grateful, & the Scriptures afford much Variety, I will now betake me to a new Text, & leaving Moses, come to David, who in his Hundred and First Psalm, the eight, and ninth, & tenth verses hath an excellent Passage to this purpose, the Words be these: Mine eyes look unto such as be faithful in the Land that they may devil with me. Who so leadeth a godly Life, he shall be my Servant. There shall no deceitful Person devil in my House: he that telleth Lies shall not tarry in my sight. That all the Psalms in this Book are not of David's own making, is a Point without controversy: but that this was one of David's Psalms, is evident by the Title, for it hath in the Front thereof as it is in our Bibles, A Psalm of David. When David first wrote it, it is uncertain, but by all likelihood it was, when he first entered upon the Kingdom, and considered with himself as the disordered State thereof, so the many Faults and Obliquities of his Predecessor King Saul. As concerning the Psalm itself it may be called his BASILICON DORON (a Title well known unto us all) His Royal Gift unto the People, whereby they should know before, what they were to expect at his hands. It may be called his Promise, and Vow, made to God above, for the future Administration of his Kingdom, whereunto since the Lord had taken him from b Ps. 78.1. following the Ewes great with young ones, he protested to feed jacob his People, and Israel his Inheritance with a faithful and true Heart, & to rule them prudently withal his Power. Now among all his Protestations here, there is One that concerneth his own Household, which is much material to that purpose. For if so be himself had been never so Good, the best that ever sat upon a Throne, and yet his Servants bad about him, what a great Flaw would that have been in the Administration of his Government, & how at length might it have proved a wrack to his own Person. For though to Private men c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Xiphilinus in Galba. saith Xiphilinus, it is sufficient if themselves do no Wrong, yet a Prince must provide that none do it about him, for that to them which once suffer Wrong, it is all one in effect, by whom that wrong was formerly done. And therefore the Emperor Galba though himself were altogether ignoarnt of exceeding much harm that passed under his Name, yet because he suffered them to do it, whom he aught to have withdrawn, or was ignorant of that which he aught to have known, he utterly lost his reputation, & opened the way to his own overthrow. Our Prophetical Prince here to avoid the like, acquaints his People with his Project betimes, and as he remembreth himself now at this time, to be a King of Israel, so will he by no means forget that he is to be a d Atque in Rege tamen Pater est Ovid. Met. l. 13. Father also of a Family. Whence, if I take not my aim amiss Right Worshipful, and dearly Beloved, as you that are Masters of Families, may learn by this great Master here, what unto you doth appertain, so you that are Servants on the other side may learn by Such as here are spoken of, what appertaineth also to you. Which if every of you shall perform whether Masters, or Servants by looking on this Original, and hearkening unto that which shall be treated hereupon, I dare pronounce of you as did our Saviour of One in another case, e Mark. 12. 3● Non es longè à Regno Dei: Thou that art a Master; thou that art a Servant; thou art not far from the Kingdom of God. To come then to the Words themselves, may you be pleased to observe therein two several sorts of Persons, A Master, and his Servants. The Servants here are twofold, Good, & Bad: the Master is King David, and he without all doubt is Good. First, concerning good Servants they are doubly described here: they are First described to be Faithful: Secondly, to lead a Godly Life. Bad Servants are described doubly too, First of all by being Deceitful: Secondly, by Telling of Lies, and of both these, Good, and Bad, we may speak as jeremy did of the figs he saw, f jer. 34.5. Ficus bonas, bonas valde: & malas, malas valde: The good Figs very good, and the naughty, very naughty. The Goodness of the Master is in Choosing, and Refusing, in Choosing of the Good, and Refusing of the Bad: Mine eyes look unto such as be Faithful in the Land that they may devil with me, who so leadeth a godly life, he shall be my Servant; there's his Choice of the Good: There shall no deceitful Person devil in my House, he that telleth Lies shall not tarry in my sight; there's his Refusal of the Bad. Of every of these in their several Order: but first of Service or Servitude in general, that so we may at the length come more orderly to these Particulars. Mine eyes look unto such as be Faithful in the Land, that they may devil with me, etc. As by the Sin of Adam, Death entered into the World, so by Cham's Sin, the Son of Noah, Service, or Servitude. The very first notice that is given us in Scripture of this word Servant, is upon occasion that the foresaid Cham committed a Trespass against his Father. The Story is famous. Noah was g Gen. ●. 21. drunken, and lay uncovered in the midst of his Tent, and I'm not content to be a Beholder only of that Sight, would needs be a Proclaimer of it to his Brethrens. Noah awaking & knowing what was done, Cursed, h Ver. 25. saith he, be Canaan, a Servant of Servants shall he be unto his Brethrens. Now Canaan was the i Ver. 18. Son of Cham, and though the Father might seem exempted in that his Child was cursed, not himself, yet was the Father indeed included, for that the Curse taking hold of his Child, it did in a sort take hold of him too. And therefore S. Chrysostom, Behold, l Chrys. in Gen. Hom. 19 saith he, a Brother borne of one and the self same Father, and issuing forth of the same Womb, by his sin made a Servant, and his Liberty now lost the Yoke of most base Bondage was imposed on him, whence Servitude afterward had her beginning. And Saint Austen to this purpose: We never read, m Nusquam Scripturarum legimus, servun, antequam hoc Vocabulo Not justus peccatum Filii vindicaret. Nomen itaque istud Culpa meruit non Natura. Aug. de Civ. Dei. Lib. 19 c. 15. saith he, in the Scriptures of a Servant, before that Righteous Noah avenged by this word the Sin of his own Son. Not Nature therefore but Offence first procured this Name. Concerning the Original of the Word Servi, as the self same Father there observes, it is à Servando, of Preserving, or keeping alive, for that Men being taken in Wars, and their Lives preserved by those that took them, they were bound ever after in regard thereof, to perform their Service to them. Afterwards the Word was applied to such as were bought for Money, or otherwise, or left by Succession unto Posterity, forasmuch as Such also served those, as in such sort did enjoy them. Pliny n Servitium invenere Lacedaemonii. Plin. l. 7. c. 56. tells us that the Lacedæmonians brought in Bondage, and Slavery first, but the Sacred Book of God sufficiently controls that Error. The Lacedæmonians it should seem * Func c two Chronol. ad Annum Mundi. 2865. began about that time that King David was borne, but the Hebrews were long before King David's time, who as they themselves had been in Bondage to the Egyptians, so had they others before King David's time that were in Bondage unto them. But whosoever were the Beginners of it, the Romans made use of it no Men more, and therefore this kind of People, and the disposing of them, and about them, takes up (they o Sr Thomas Smyth. Commonwealth of Engl. l. 3. c. 10. say) the most part of the Digests & the Code. Now of Servants the Romans had two sorts, the One called Servi, or Vernae (Servi were such as I told you of before, Vernae such as were borne of their Bondwomen) the Other were called Adscriptij Glebae, Bound to the Manor, or to the Place, insomuch as they always belonged unto him who had purchased the Manor. There is no doubt but this our Kingdom, and other Kingdoms beside, that had been subdued by the Romans, and consequently were subject to their Laws, had their Servants in this sort, how be it afterwards when Christian Religion was once embraced, which maketh all of us * Quanto dignius Fratres dicuntur, & habenur, qui unum Patrem Deum agnoverunt, qui unum Spiritum biberunt sanctitatis, qui de uno utero Ignorantiae eiusdem ad unam lucem expiraverunt veritatis. Tertul. Apologet. c. 39 p. 7●9. Brethrens in Christ, and in respect of God, and Christ, Conservos, Fellow-servants, Men began to have Conscience to hold in such Captivity and extreme Bondage, those whom they were to accounted for brethren, & therefore in tract of time betook themselves to a milder course. Now among all the Courses they then took, there was, and still is, especially in our Land, a twofold kind of Servitude, or indeed of Service rather than Servitude. The one of Serving Men: the other of Prentices. Serving Men, are such as having no Revenues to maintain themselves, betake themselves to serve Others, & are hired for wages to serve by the year, and perform such daily Duties as their Masters put them to. Such while they are in Service, are for the most part exceeding well, but when they are once cashird, and put out of Service, or put themselves out, and have not wherewithal to maintain themselves, then are they forced a many of them to steal, and then you know what follows. This made Sr Thomas Moor say long ago, p Quid aliud quaeso quàm sacitis Fures, & iidem plectitis. Mori Vtop. l. 1. Mari Oper. Let. p. 3. col 2. (but he spoke it by a Stranger's mouth) that our Country first makes thieves, and then hangs them up. And indeed how have our Prisons in every age been replenished with such, as by the Registers of them that have suffered, remaineth in Record to this day. Which, I would to God, q M D. Nowell Confut. of Mr Dormans Disproof c. 3. p. 119. saith a Reverend Divine, might admonish such Serving men as now live, to learn to practise some profitable Exercise at their vacant times, to stand them instead when Age shall come, or Service (which is no Inheritance) shall fail them, that they may escape that miserable end, that Idleness, Ignorance, and Fullness first, and after, Lack & Hunger finally bringeth many Men unto. And thus much briefly of Serving Men. The second kind of Servitude, or rather of Service, is that which we call Apprenticeship (of the French word Apprendre, which signifies to Learn) and it is a Service by Covenant, & dureth some certain Years, most commonly Seven. The ground whereof I take to be that which the Lord said in Exodus, when he gave Laws unto the Israelites, If thou buy, r Exod. 21.2. saith he, an Hebrew Servant, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free. The like we found in s Deut. 15.12. Deuteronomy, and there is an excellent Conclusion thereupon, Let it not grieve thee, t Ver. 18. saith the Lord, when thou lettest him go out free from thee: for he hath served thee six years, which is the double worth of an hired Servant: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all that thou dost. And again in the Prophet jeremy, I, u jer. 34.13. saith the Lord, made a Covenant with your Fathers, when I brought them out of the Land of Egypt, out of the House of Servants, saying, At the term of seven Years, let ye go every Man his Brother an Hebrew which hath been sold unto thee: and when he hath served thee Six years, thou shalt let him go free from thee: but your Fathers obeyed me not, neither inclined their cares. And afterwards reproving them to, for not obeying him herein, Ye have not x jer. 34.17. saith the Lord, obeyed me in proclaiming Freedom every Man to his Brother, and every Man to his Neighbour: behold, I proclaim a Liberty for you, saith the Lord, to the Sword, to the Pestilence, and to the Famine, & I will make you a terror to all the kingdoms of the Earth. But whatsoever were the Ground of Seven years Prenticeship, whether these Six years of the israelites fully complete, & going out free in the seventh, or the very complete Number of Seven; for that jacob served so long for Rachel, Gen. 29.20, or for that God himself rested the seventh day from all the Work which he had made, Gen. 2.2; necessity & want of Bondmen hath caused Men to use even Freemen to servile Offices: but yet more liberally, and freely, and with a more equality, and moderation, then in heathen times Slaves, and Bondmen were wont to be. Thus the Apostle of Onesimus in his Epistle to Philemon: Not now as a Servant y Philem. v. 16 saith he, but above a Servant, even as a Brother beloved, specially to me: how much more than unto thee, both in the Flesh, and in the Lord. Whence you may note, Beloved, you that are Servants, the great Good, & singular Commodity that every of you have by Christian Religion. Your Service I confess, is a Servitude for the time, but how many Hundreds of such as you are, have been seated at the length with Men of Honour and Renown. It is a Slavery for the while, but how many Thousands have we heard of, that have at length been Masters themselves. It is a Bondage for a season, but how many Millions have we seen as free at length as their own Masters. This I grant fell out sometimes among the very Heathen themselves. We in our days z Hoc est ensign vaenalitiis Gregibus, opprobriumque insolentis Fortunae: quod & nos adeo potiri rerum vidimus, ut Praetoria quoque Ornamenta decerni à senatu iubente Agrippina C Caesaris viderimus libertis: tantumque non cum laureatis Fascibus remitti illò, unde cretatis pedibus advenissent. Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 35 c. 18. saith Pliny, have seen with our own eyes enfranchised Slaves to be sent again with the Axes and Knitches of Rods decked with Laurel (he means, with Authority) to govern in those Countries from whence they came at first poor Slaves having their Feet chalked, & branded for the Market. Howbeit this was not ordinary, & if One perhaps so did, there were Thousands again for him that remained Slaves all their lives long. Add hereunto that Christian Religion hath abridged that Power, & Dominion, which the Heathen had over their Servants, in regard it is now a days. Upon the lest occasion that was, many times upon none at all, but because it was their pleasure, they would a Lips Elect. l. 2. c. 15. p. 49. sand them or to the Mill, or Quarry, or to their Farms in the Country, there to labour their hearts out. That in the Comedy is well known of a Servant concerning his Master, b Terent. And. Act. 1. Sc. 3. Si libitum fuerit, causam ceperit, quo iure, quaque iniuria, praecipitem me in Pistrinum dabit. And that in the Poet of a Master concerning his Servant. — c Horat. Serm. l. 2. Sat. 7. Ocyus hinc te Nirapis, accedes Opera agro nona Sabino. One of their Servants had by chance but broken a drinking Glass, and Pollio his Master condemned him to be thrown into his d Xiphilinus in Augusto. fishpool, there to be Food unto his Fish. And though Augustus the Emperor interceded for him, — e Horat. Serm. l. 1. Sat. 3. Caesar qui cogere possit. Augustus that might otherwise have commanded more than that, yet much ado had Augustus to obtain a Pardon for him. The Master indeed had Power of Life, and Death, & Lycurgus, f Alex. Gen. Dier. l. 3 c. 20. p. 158. b. he made a Law among the Spartans' to that purpose. If now in these days it be otherwise with Servants either in respect of that main Matter, Life, and Death; or of selling them like Bruit Beasts; or of barbarous Sorts of Punishments; Christian Religion is the Cause, they are wholly beholding thereunto for those great Prerogatives they now enjoy, which Servants in those days enjoyed not. And thus much of Service, or Servitude in general, come we now unto Particulars, the Good & Bad Servants in my Text, and for the Good are first and foremost, let us formerly speak of them. They are first described to be Faithful then to lead a Godly Life: Mine eyes look unto such as be faithful in the Land, that they may devil with me. Who so leadeth a Godly Life, he shall be my Servant. First of the Former: Such as be Faithful in the Land. Fideles Terrae, saith the Old Translation: Veraces Terrae, saith Tremellius: our Translation here renders it, Such as be Faithful in the Land. Now this Word Faithful as it signifies them, who believe the Promises of Christ, and therefore they are usual Phrases with the Apostle St Paul, g Eph. 1.1. To the Saints which are at Ephesus, and to the Faithful in Christ jesus. h Coloss. 1.8. To them which are at Colosse, Saints, and faith full brethren in Christ. i 2. Tim. 2.2. What things thou hast heard of me the same deliver to Faithful men, and so forth: so it signifies them most commonly (and so it doth in this place) who faithfully, and truly perform that Office, and Charge, that their Masters put them in trust with, be it little, or be it great. Thus the Apostle St Paul to Titus: Let Servants l Tit. 2.9. saith he, be subject to their Masters, and please them in all things, not answering again, neither Pickers, but that they show all good Faithfulness, that they may adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. So that Faithfulness in a Servant, is a jewel (we see) to Religion itself, it adorneth the Doctrine of our Saviour, & doubtless as such Servants adorn our Saviour's Doctrine: so will our Saviour adorn them. Such a Faithful Servant was the Patriarch jacob, & how was he himself adorned at length? Twenty years had he been with m Gen. 31.38. Laban, he was in the Day consumed with Heat, and with Frost in the Night, and his Sleep departed from his eyes, and yet afterwards, when he went from him: With my Staff n Gen. 32.10. saith he, came I over this Iorden, and now have I gotten two Bands. joseph was a Servant as Faithful as jacob was, and though his ungrateful Master had cast him into o Gen. 40.3. Prison causelessly, p Psal. 105.18 The iron entered into his Soul: yet were his iron Fetters at length miraculously turned into a q Gen. 45.42. Chain of Gold. We may speak of him as St Austen speaks of Wisdom: r Aug. in Psal. 149. p. 1201. Incipit à Vinculis ferreiss, sinitur ad Torquem auream. Wisdom begins with iron Fetters, but ends with a Golden Chain. Such a Servant also was David, he that is the Master in this my Text, of whom Ahimelech to king Saul (as ungrateful a Master as josephs' Master, or jacobs' Master either) Who is so Faithful, s 1. Sam. 22.14. saith he, among all thy Servants as David? howbeit the unkindness of that Master, was recompensed at the length with the great Bounty, and Liberality of his masters Master that was in Heaven. t 2. Sam 12,7. The Lord anointed him king over Israel, and delivered him out of the hand of Saul, and gave him his Lord's House, and his Lords Wives into his Bosom, and gave him the House of Israel, & of judah, and would moreover (if that had been too little) have given him such, and such things, meaning indeed a great deal more. So that we may see the Reward of Fidelity, & Faithfulness in Servants, should their Masters forget it never so much, and consequently we see the Reason to, why St Peter might say to Servants: u 1. Pet. 2.18. Servants be subject to your Masters with all fear, not only to the Good, and Courteous, but also to the Froward. And St Paul to like purpose: x Eph. 6.5. Servants, be obedient unto them that are your Masters, according to the flesh, with fear, and trembling, and singleness of your hearts, as unto Christ, not with service to the eye, as Men-pleasers, but as the Servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with good will, serving the Lord, and not Men, and know ye that whatsoever good thing any man doth, that same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. Now if we must be Subject, and Obedient, and Faithful unto Such, how much more unto those that are Good, and Courteous, especially seeing we serve not them so much as our Saviour Christ jesus. But thus much of Faithfulness, the former of those two Points that are required in Good Servants. Come we now unto the Second, A Godly Life. Who so leadeth a Godly life, he shall be my Servant. Ambulans in via immaculata, saith the Vulgar; Via integra, saith Tremellius; The Bible Translation, & our Last Translation, A Perfect way. All comes to one reckoning, in that by this Undefiled, and Pure, and Perfect way, a Godly Life is understood. Which Godly Life here in this place is therefore immediately joined to Faithfulness that went before, for that it were to little purpose to be Faithful to our Master on Earth, if through Impiety we should forget our Duty to our Master in heaven. But seeing so many Translations do use both the Word Walking, and the word, Way: First, of the Way there specified, as also of Walking in it. Walking is a Motion of the Body going forward from place to place, as when the two Disciples walked to Emaus, Mark. 16.12. Hence it is, that as it is applied figuratively to such as take a bad course, as Ps. 1.1, Blessed is the Man that hath not walked in the Counsel of the ungodly: and Prov. 2.14, The wise man's Eyes are in his Head, but the Fool walketh in darkness: so is it applied also to such as take a good Course in hand, who walk on step by step (as it were) till they come to their journeys end. The Apostle to the Philippians makes special mention of both these Walking: Brethrens, y Philip. 3.17. saith he, be Followers of me, & look on them which walk so, as you have us for an ensample. For many walk of whom I have told you often, and now tell you weeping, that they are the Enemies of the Cross of Christ, whose end is damnation, whose God is their Belly, and whose Glory is to their shame, which mind earthly things. And thus having now seen what this Undefiled, and Pure, and Perfect way is, and what it is to Walk therein, we have seen by way of Consequence what it is to lead a Godly Life. If now in brief you would have me tell you wherein a Godly life doth consist, I may refer it to three Points, as the Apostle S. Paul seems to do, Tit. 2.12: who having spoken of Servants immediately before, The Grace of God, saith he, that bringeth Salvation unto all men hath appeared, and teacheth us that we should deny Ungodliness, & worldly Lusts, and that we should live, SOBRIE, & JUST, & PIE: Soberly, and Righteously, & Godly, in this present world. Soberly, and Righteously, and Godly. Soberly, in respect of ourselves, z Sobriè quoad Nos, justè quoad Proximum, Prè quoad Deum, Lyra in hunc loc. saith Lyra, Righteously, in respect of others, & Godly, in respect of God, or of Religion. Zacharias, john Baptists Father, he reduceth these Three to Two, Holiness, and Righteousness: That we, a Luk. 1.74. saith he, being delivered out of the Hands of our Enemies, might serve him without fear in b Vox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad secundam tabulam: Vox autem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad primam refertur ab Interpretibus. Zanch. in Ep. ad Ephes. c. 4. v. 24. Holiness and Righteousness before him all the days of our life. So the Apostle to the Ephesians, saving that he placeth Righteousness first, and Holiness after: Bee renewed, c Eph. 4 24. saith he, in the spirit of your Minds, and put on the New Man which after God is created in Righteousness, & true Holiness. The matter is not great whether of both have precedence. If Holiness, that is, Devotion towards God, be first, it ends commonly with Righteousness, that is, our Duty towards Others: if Righteousness be first, and we be Just towards Men, it ends as commonly with Holiness. But thus much both of Faithfulness, as also a Godly Life, & consequently of those Virtues that are to be in good Servants. Come we now to entreat of bad Servants, & of the Vices which in them, which Vices here are twofold, Deceit, & Telling of Lies. There shall no deceitful Person devil in my House, he that telleth Lies, shall not tarry in my sight. Deceitful is a word derived from Deceit, and Deceit doth usually signify Subtlety, Craft, or Cunning, when Men hide their evil Meanings by some colourable words, and deeds, that they may more easily entrap those with whom they have to deal. The Word in the m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sagittavit, eiaculatus est. Vid Scheraei Itinerat. Num. 1028. & Sadeel in Ps. 32. v. 2. Oper. Theol p. 899. Col. 2. Original is primarily fetched from those who out of some lurking, or secret place, set upon those that pass by, with force of weapon. For as if we see the Blow once coming, there may be many ways to avoid, and shun it, as by taking it where it may lest harm us, or recoiling back, or stepping aside, and so forth: so if once it come unawares, and we have no warning of it before, it is a Thousand to one but we than miscarry indeed. Thus Diomedes, he was hurt, and Achilles was slain by Paris, d Homer. Il. 11. — e Ovid. Met. l. 12. Tantorum Victor Achille Victus es à timido Graiae Raptore Maritae. I am not ignorant how the Vulgar in this place readeth, Qui facit superbiam, and then hath it Reference to Pride and Haughtiness, namely the Haughtiness of such Servants as Dance upon the Theshold so proudly, as speaks the Prophet Zephany, Zeph. 1.9. Poor Suitors know full well what the Prophet there meaneth. But Faciens Dolum, saith Tremellius, and Dolus is, f Aug. in. Ps. 5. saith S. Austen, cum aliud agitur, aliud simulatur: when we make show of one thing, and do another. A Vice that of all Vices takes up most of the Lodgings about us: as First of all, our Spirits, Ps. 32.2. Secondly, our Thoughts, Psal. 38.12. Thirdly, our Hearts, Prov. 12.20: Fourthly, our Mouths, 1. Pet. 2.22. Fiftly, our Lips, Ps. 34.12. Sixtly, our Tongues, Ps. 15.3. Seventhly, our Bellies, job. 15.35. Lastly, our Feet, job. 31.5. Nay, it takes up all our Members from top to toe, and therefore S. Paul to Elimas', O Plene omni dolo, O full of all Subtlety, Act. 13.10. Indeed the Deceitful hath many Trains, as g Ecclus' 11. 2● speaks the Son Syrach, but he hath as many Curses too, which are not such as commonly proceed from an intemperate and impotent Tongue, which rebound as commonly on the Speaker again, but such as proceed from the Word of God. And would you know what those Curses be? First, The Lord, saith David, will abhor him, Ps. 5.6. The deceitful Person shall be affamished, saith Solomon, Prov. 19.15. He shall not roast what he takes in hunting, that is, he shall not enjoy the Goods he hath got, Prov. 12.27. They shall not live out half their days, Ps. 55.25. In a word. Cursed be the deceiver, saith Malachy, Mal. 1.14. So that Deceit being thus attended on with such a troup of Curses, it is exceeding good Counsel that S. Peter gives us, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to lay it aside, nay to cast it utterly away from us, for that is the meaning of that Word, 1. Pet 2.1. Wherhfore, saith he, laying aside all Maliciousness, & all Guile, & Dissimulation, and Envy, & all evil speaking, as new Born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby, if so be that ye have tasted how bountiful the Lord is. But thus much of Deceit, the former of those Vices which the Prophet observes in bad Servants: the latter is like unto it, & that is, Telling of Lies: He that telleth Lies shall not tarry in my sight. And who then should be his Servant? For as when our Saviour said to his Disciples, It is easier for a Camel to go through the eye of a needle, then for a Rich Man to enter into the kingdom of God, they presently h Mat. 19.24. replied, Who then can be saved? For that all men were either Rich, or i Cum pauci sint Divites in comparatione multitudinis Pauperum, intelligendum quod omnes qui talia cupiunt, in eorum numero haberi animadverterint. August. Quaest. Evan. l. 1. Qu. 26. desired to be Rich, which was all one in effect: so if he that telleth Lies, is not to tarry in his Master's sight, who is then to be a Servant, forasmuch as all men not only desire to Lie, but are absolute Liars in very deed. Lying, to say the truth is a Vice so common, I say not with Servants only, but even with all Sorts of all People, that the whole World itself may be said to lie bedrid of this Disease. Our Prophet on a time supposed he had spoken it in haste, whenas he had said upon occasion, that All Men are Liars, Psal. 116.10. but the Apostle S. Paul took leisure enough, & yet said he no less, Rom. 3.4. I know what S. Austen noteth upon that Passage of Holy Scripture, Omnis homo mendax, All men are Liars, namely, that this l Aug. Cont. Mendac. c. 20. Sin of Lying in particular, is taken there for Sin in general, & I remember that Cardanus writes of himself that he was so great a Lover of Truth, that from the time he was Fourteen years old, he never told a m Cardan. de Genitur. Genit. 1. p. 85. Lie: in another n Cardan. Ib. Genit. 8. p. 58. place that as he remembered, he never lied in all his Life: I do not think but his Memory failed him, but whether it did or not, it is not a Swallow that makes a Summer. Lying, as I said, is a Vice so common, as that there is not a creak or cranny in the World, but seems to be fraught with it. Nor is there any Vice beside, Satan's so peculairly as indeed the Vice of Lying. When he speaketh a Lie, o Ioh 8.44. saith our Saviour, then speaketh he of his own, for he is a Liar, and the p S. Austen by the Devil in this place, meaneth Cain and makes Pater eius to have relation to the Devil indeed. Aug. Tom 4. Quaest. ex Nou. Test. vel Quaest. mixtim. Queen 98. p. 553. which might be the cause that some translated (Dorman by name) the Devil is a Liar, and so was his Father before him. See D. Nowels Confut. of dorman's Disproof. c. 10. p. 339. b. Father thereof. So that Lying is as it were his Son, even his first-born, for it was the first Sin committed in Paradise, Genes. 3.3. Not doubt it hath gotten him as many Souls as any one Sin besides whatsoever, for the Mouth that speaketh Lies slayeth the Soul, Wisd. 1.11. The very Phrase of Slaying the Soul may put us in mind how dreadful a Sin it is, and to be feared of every of us. For if so be our Saviour bade us, not to fear them which kill the r Mat. 10.28. Body, but are not able to kill the Soul: this Sin being of Power to kill the very Soul, how it aught to be scared, judge ye. Nor is it sufficient for us to use Shifts and Shufling in Lying, as Equivocations, Mental Evasions, or Secret Reservations, and so forth: St Austen is very peremptory, Quolibet artis modo mentiatur, os quod mentitur occidit Animam: Use we whatsoever Tricks or Devises we can, the Mouth that lieth, slayeth the Soul. The same St Austen hath left unto us a Couple of Treatises concerning Lying: The One is De Mendacio: The Other, Contra Mendacium, both in his Fourth Tome. q Zanch. in Epist. ad Eph. c. 4. In the Former of them he maketh mention of Eight sorts of Lies, which Others have reduced to Three, t D. Boys Exposit. of the Dominic. Epistles & Gospels the twentieth Sunday after Trinity, p. 152. One contracts them into Two: but whether Two, or Three, or Eight, s Aug. de Conflictu Vitiorum & Virt. c. 19 p. 714. St Austen there showeth that no one of them is lawful. And he often there u August. de Mendacio ad Consent. c. 14. & 21. repeats that of the Prophet David, Psal. 5.6, Odisti Domine omnes qui operantur iniquitatem, perdes omnes qui loquuntur mendacium. Thou hatest all them that work vanity, thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing. The Latter he ends with this excellent Passage, x Aut ergo cavenda Mendacia rectè agendo, aut confitenda sunt paenitendo: non autem cum abunden: insoe●… vive●… 〈◊〉 s●… & ●…ad. Aug. Cont. Mendac. c. 21. Either by well doing we are to beware of Lying, or to confess it by repenting, not when by bad living, Lies abound, & multiply in us, we are to aggravate them by teaching. And thus much of the two Vices, Deceitfulness, and Lying, which are to be found in bad Servants, & consequently, of both kind of Servants, Good, and Bad. Come we now unto the Master whom we presumed to be Good for that he made choice of Good Servants, and refused the Bad. Mine eyes look unto such as be faithful in the Land, that they may devil with me: who so leadeth a Godly Life, he shallbe my Servant. There shall no deceitful Person devil in my House, he that telleth Lies shall not tarry in my sight. But did I say we must presume of the Goodness of the Master here, for that he made choice of Good Servants, and refused the Bad? Why, who would not willingly have Good Servants? Who would not as willingly be free from Bad? Indeed it is very true, there can be none so wicked, but he would desire to have his Servants Good, howsoever he will be loathe perhaps to take the course to have them so. He will see, it may be, with other men's eyes, and hear with other men's ears, be the Servants what be may. But where's the Master among a many, that either consults with his own eyes, as king David here said he would do, or if his Servants be not as they should be, rids his hands of them presently. I speak of such Masters as may lawfully make their choice, & whose Servants are of ripe years. As for those that have Apprentices who most commonly are but young, it lieth such Masters upon (if they be not so Good as they should be) to use them in such sort what by fair means, what by foul (if Fair means will not serve, and foul be not toto soul) as if his Servants should be never so bad, they might prove better at the length, and how many toto bad at first, have proved at length exceeding good. I say, If foul means be not toto foul, for howsoever the Scripture y Prov. 29.19. saith, A Servant will not be chastised with Words, meaning as St Austen z Cum dixit Verbis eum non emendari, non eum jussit deseri, sed tacitè ad, monu t unde debeat emendari. Aug ad Bonif. Epist. 50. notes that Blows must be used to: yet such is the Fury of some Masters in punishing, and correcting, as that they forget themselves are Christians, as also those that belong unto them. This it was that caused the Lord to set down a stint of Punishment to the jews, who howsoever they themselves had been Servants in Egypt, yet when they came to be Masters, were likely enough to forget themselves herein. When there shall be strife a Deut. 25.1. saith he, between men, and they shall come unto judgement, and sentence shallbe given upon them, and the Righteous shallbe justified, and the wicked condemned, then if so be the wicked be worthy to be beaten, the judge shall 'cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his trespass, unto a certain number. It b Ver. 3. followeth: Forty stripes shall he 'cause him to have and not past, lest if be should exceed, & beaten him above that with many stripes, thy Brother should appear despised in thy sight. Now if such good order were taken when as the judge was not a Party, how much more doth it concern a Master of a Family who might in that respect much more easily forget himself, than a judge might do. Others there are of a contrary strain, and they again are toto pitiful, who mar as many by to much cockering, as do the other by to much punishing. A golden mean is best, and best befitteth us Christians which serve a Master in heaven who by the c Qui in bonitate Misericordiae non perdit judicii Severitatem, ne● in iudicando cum Severitate amittit Misericordie Boritatem. Aug. in Psal. 100 p. 771. Bountifulness of his Mercy looseth not the Severity of judgement, nor by judging with Severity doth he lose the Bountifulness of his Mercy. No man better coupleth these two together then doth jesus the Son of Syrach: The Fodder d Ecclus. 33.23. saith he, the Whip, & the Burden, belong unto the Ass: and Meat, Correction, and Work unto thy Servant. And again a little after: The Yoke and the Whip, bow down the hard Neck: so tame thine evil Servant with the Whips and Correction. Sand him to labour that he go not idle: for Idleness bringeth much evil. Set him to Work for that belongeth unto him, if he be not obedient, put on more heavy Fetters. But be not excessive towards any, and without discretion do nothing. It followeth: e Ver. 29. If thou have a Faithful Servant, let him be unto thee as thine own soul, for in Blood hast thou gotten him, that is, f Lyra in hunc locum. saith Lyra, for the necessity of thy Life. His Conclusion there is: If thou have a Servant, entreat him as thy Brother, for thou hast need of him as of thyself. And indeed so it is, need we have of Servants as of ourselves, nay Servants may do that for us, which we for ourselves cannot do. Thou canst not g Non tibi potes aquam implere, non tibi potes coquere, non tibi potes ante equum currere, iumentum tuum non potes curare. Aug. in Epist. joan. Tract 8. p. 434 saith St Austen, power water upon thine own hands, thou canst not dress thine own Meat, thou canst not lackey by thine own Horse, thou canst not tend thine own Beast. All this, and more than this a Servant doth. Besides that we aught to remember what St Austen tells us in an other place, the better to put us in mind of the good entreating of our Servants: Neither art thou h Tu non valde verus Dominus seruitui, ambo Homines, ambo egentes Deo. Itaque nullus vestrûm vere Dominus, & nullus vestrûm verè Servus Aug. in Psal. 69 p. 516. saith he, thy Servants Master indeed, nor is he thy Servant indeed, both of you are Men, both of you have need of God. And therefore is it a pretty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or Inversion of words, which the Apostle hath to the Corinthians: He that is called in the Lord being a servant i 1. Cor. 7.22. saith he, is the Lords Freeman: likewise also he that is called being Free, is Christ's Servant. Howbeit for worldly Policy hath according to God's word made this necessary difference between Man, and Man, that the one should be a Master, the other a Servant, & that the Master should have l Prima & quotidiana Potestas Hominis in Hominem Domini est in Servum. Non ideo Christianus factus es, ut dedigneris servire. Aug in Psal. 124. p. 1007. Authority, and that a Servant is not therefore a Christian, that he should disdain to serve, hence it is that as Masters on their parts are required in God's Book, to do that unto their m Coloss. 4.1. Servants which is just and equal: so Servants likewise to be obedient to them that are their n Coloss. 3.22 Masters, according to the Flesh, in all things. And thus Beloved, have you now seen, what out of these words I have had to say, concerning Masters and Servants. I will but apply what hath been spoken, and so commit you unto God. Mine eyes look unto such as be Faithful in the Land that they may devil with me, etc. First concerning Servants, of whom I entreated First of all, I may say to them as Moses did unto the o Deut. 30.19 Israelites: I call Heaven and Earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you Life and Death, Blessing and Cursing: therefore choose Life, that both thou, and thy seed may live. Right so, Beloved, have I at this time set before you a Faithful, and a Deceitful: a Godly, and a Godless Servant. It is in you to make the Choice, to whether of both you will frame yourselves. And in truth who among you considering the Premises, would not rather be of the Faithful, and Godly, then of the Deceitful, and Lying Sort, considering what Rewards Faithfulness, and Godliness have, Deceitfulness, and Lying, what Punishments. Neither were the Rewards, and Punishments, so much to be respected, were they of this Life's continuance only, but they reach to the World to come, when for Millions & Millions of years or Eternal Happiness is prepared, or if not that, Eternal Pain. To the better furtherance of which your Choice, see what God for his part hath done already. He hath created you when you were not: he hath made you Men, and Goodly Creatures, that might have made you Worms, and Serpents, & Toads, & Vipers, and what not: he hath made you Christian Servants, that might have made you (as Millions at this day) Without p Eph. 2.12. Christ, Aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel, Strangers from the Covenants of Promise, having no Hope, & being without God in the World: he hath made you Christian Servants, that might have made you Slaves, and Bondmen, borne then, & at those times, when any light Offence against your Masters, might have cost you your very Lives. Nay more than this. He hath given unto you, as to your Masters, the same Lord, the same Faith, the same Baptism, I, to set with them at the self same Table, as you have seen with your Eyes this day. Where you have eaten of the Flesh or Christ, and drank of the Blood of Christ, no less than your Masters did. In a word, he hath bred you in that Church where you may have Soule-saving Truth Truth enough, & brought you up in that Commonwealth, where you may all of you come at length to be Masters and Mistresses yourselves, nay to certain Eminences of Honour, either in City, or Country you devil in. And should you not then be Faithful? Should you not endeavour by all means to be Religious? What? Shall Deceitfulness, or Lying, sway with us more, than all this already done? Devilish Deceit? Base Lying? Shall we call Death unto us, Everlasting Death both with q Wisd. 1.15. Words, & Hands? Shall the Example of a wicked Ziba prevail more with us, than the Examples of jacob, of joseph, of David, of whom I have spoken already so much? Let me instance in joseph again, as Faithful a Servant as ever breathed. What a main Temptation did assault him of being Unfaithful to his Master, and yet how constantly did he repel it? Proffer was made unto him of that which was his Master's chiefest jewel. He sought it not, he watched not a time, he forecasted not to have it. It was in a manner brought unto him, and laid (as it were) at his Feet, and yet he, How can I do, r Gen 39 9 saith he, this great wickedness, and so sin against God? How could he do it? How? Nay, how could he not have done it? There was Opportunity, there was Importunity. Opportunity, for it was s D. Mayo Almoner to K. Henry 7. being asked by the King what he would have done, if he had not been joseph, but in josephs' steed, By my truth Sir, quoth he, & it like your Grace, I cannot tell you what I would have done, but I can tell you what I should have done. Sr Th. Moor. Dialog. of the Venerat. and Worsh. of Images, l 1. c. 26. Mori Oper. Angl. p. 164. Col. 2. offered him, She said unto him, Lie with me, Gen. 39.7. Importunity, for She spoke unto him day by day, Gen. 39.10: and yet he for all this, How can I do this great wickedness, and so sin against God? Mirror of Chastity! Honest joseph, and worthy of all admiration! how art thou much more to be admired then David was, when he returned to King Saul with the t 1. Sam. 17.54 Head of Goliath in his hand? Nay the Miracle was not so great of those three Children that walked in the midst of the Fiery u Dan. 3.25. Oven, considering the Flames that surrounded thee, who might'st not only have had thy Pleasure, but by all worldly likelihood Preferment too. But joseph would none of that Pleasure, joseph would none of that Preferment: A good Heart, x D. Hals Contempt. l. 3. p. 233 saith a worthy Divine, will rather lie in the dust, then rise by wickedness. How can I do this great wickedness, and so sin against God? I, but thou wilt say, such a Wickedness indeed had been great, such a wickedness had been a grievous Sin, both against God, and against his Master: but what if I sin but a little? A little embeasling of my Master's Goods, a little pilfering of a few Pence, a little Purloining of that is his, Is it not a little one, y Gen. 19.20. said Lot in another Case, and my Soul shall live! O but yet contemn not these Littles, be they in truth never so little, Every Days Little, z Quod ponis quotidiè per modicum, posteae Massam inventurus es, & de minimis Guttis flumina implentur. Aug in Ps. 93. p. 720. saith S. Austen, makes a much at the length, and they be but little Drops that cause in time Great Floods. And what matters it, saith the same Father in another * Aug ep. 108. p. 327. Vid. Aug. de decem Chord. c. 11. p. 636. & de Temp. Ser. 244. p. 807 place, whether a Ship be cast away with an huge and mighty Wave, or that it leak by little and little, and at length for want of looking to, it chance indeed to sink. But shall I end with thee in a word? Animae Conscientia, a Tertul. advers. Martion. l. 1. p. 134. saith Tertullian, est Dei Does. Conscience is God's Dowry bestowed upon the Soul, and wilt thou endeavour to hazard that Dowry of thine, b It should be a bad Inference hereupon, If all the Pictures & Patterns of a Merciless Prince were lost in the World, they might all again be Painted to the life out of the History of this King, as Some upon such like Particulars conclude upon K. Henry 8. and all for a little Pelf, not worth the taking up if it lay at thy Feet, didst thou but know the danger of it? But I come to them that are Masters. And First concerning this Grand Master, and this his Protestation of Choosing, and Refusing, what great expectance by these words might there have been of a great good Family now, nay of a Court, and consequently of greatest Good both to Church, and Commonweal? But was this Prince indeed as good as his word? Did he make that very Choice? that very Refusal he here speaks of? O not: Alas he did not. Doubtless sometimes he did it not. Witness the Blood of Urias spilled by his means, as Faithful a Sudiect unto him as ever was. Witness the continual employment of joab that had slain Abner with the Sword. Witness the Lamentation for wicked Absalon that stole away from him the People's hearts Witness the Punishing of faithful Mephibosheth with loss of his Lands for no cause. Witness the bestowing of them on Treacherous Ziba whom he should rather have punished with the loss of his Head: all to teach us how exceeding wary we should be in this kind, lest our Goodness, as c Hos. 6.4. speaks the Prophet, that is, our good Motions, such as Davids were at this time, should be as a Morning Cloud, and as the Morning Dew they should go away. When Elisha the Prophet saw more in Hazael, than Sylla saw in Caesar, in whom he saw yet so many d Suet. jul. c. 1. Marij, but when Elisha saw in Hazael the Evil he should do to the Children of Israel, namely how he should set on fire their strong Cities, slay their Young men with the Sword, dash their Infants against the Stones, and rend in pieces their Women with Child: What e 2. King. 8.13 saith Hazael, is thy Servant a Dog, that I should do this great thing? Hazael doubtless would have sworn at that time, that he would never have done half so much, and yet it was not long after that Hazael did as much indeed. I doubt not, there have been a Many who when they were or Servants themselves, or newly come to be Masters, have said as much as David did, and would have said as Hazael to, could any have foretold them, how cruelly they should afterwards use Christian Servants. Howbeit since; the Case is altered, they are not now the Men they were, they have quite forgotten in their latter times from whence themselves were first raised. Why, but be it thy Servants have offended thee, and it may be mainly to, wilt thou offend on the other side by toto immoderate Correcting of them? No care? no regard at all, Whether the Fault were unawares, or upon advisement? Whether once, or often? Whether of Infirmity, or Villainy? You have heard how the Lord himself did stint such Strokes as should be given unto Offenders, and he yielded a Reason for it, Lest thy Brother, f Deut 25.3. saith he, should appear despised in thy sight? What? & be they then thy brethren? and must thou in no wise Despise them? Or doth God himself yield a Reason, and wilt thou despise that Reason to? Hast thou forgotten the Scripture which g Ephes. 6. ●. saith: And ye Masters put away threatening: and know that even your Master also is in heaven, neither is there Respect of Persons with him? Nay then let a Heathen teach thee, Seneca by name, and fear lest he hereafter may justle thee out of Heaven. Are they h Servi sunt? Imò Homines. Servi sunt? Imò Contubernales. Servi sunt? Imò humiles Amici. Servi sunt? Imò Conserui, si cogitaveris tantundem in utrosque licere Fortunae. Senec. Ep. l. 6. ep. 47. saith he, thy Servants? Nay but they are Men to? Are they thy Servants? Nay rather they are Companions. Are they thy Servants? Nay rather thy humble Friends? Are they thy Servants? Nay rather thy Fellow Servants, if thou couldst but know this, that Fortune hath as much power over thee, as over them. Mark Beloved, That Fortune hath, had he said, Divine Providence, what an admirable Speech had it been: and had he known as much of that Providence, as either ourselves do, or should do, how much would he then have spoken in behalf of Clemency in this kind. I speak not this Beloved, as if there should be no Checking, no Controlling of Servants at all. They that are given to any immoderate Mildness, and offend as much on that side, let them fear old Elies' Example, who for being remiss unto his Children, how did he exasperated the Lord against him? The end of all was, that he had a fearful end: Ely fell i 1. Sam. 4.18. saith the Scripture, from his seat backward by the side of the Gate, and his Neck was broken, and he died. Now if this befell old Eli that would not correct his Sons (in whose behalf Fatherly affection might have made, and no doubt did make, some kind of Apology) of how much soarer punishment shall they be worthy who are so remiss unto their Servants, between whom and natural Sons the difference is so great. The Servant l joh. 8.35, saith our Saviour, abideth not in the house for ever, but the Son abideth for ever. O but thou wilt say, if so be I punish my Servant, how can I myself whensoever I offend, crave forgiveness at God's hands? How shall I say as our Saviour wills me, m Mat. 6.12. Forgive us our Debts, as we also forgive our debtor. And again, n V 15. If ye do not forgive Men their Trespasses, no more will your Father forgive you your Trespasses. And how shall I observe that Precept of his to Peter, o Mat. 18.22. I say not to thee seven times, but seventy times seven times. St Austen thus answereth, and his Instance is in Scholars that commit some Faults when they are at School. They perhaps will say p Obsecrant Pueri indisciplinati & noluat vapulare, qui sic praescribunt nobis, quando volumus dare disciplinam. Peccavi, ignosce mihi. Ecce ignovi, & iterum peccat, Ignosce, ignovi. Peccat tertiò, Ignosce: tertiò ignovi Iam quartò vapulet. Et ille, Nunquid septuagies. septies te fatigavi? Si hac praescripti one severitas disciplinae dormiat, repressâ disciplinâ saevit impunita Nequitia. Quid ergo faciendum est? Corripiamus verbis, & si opus est, & Verberibus: sed Delictum dimittamus, Culpam de Cord abiiciamus: ideo enim Dominus subdidit, De cordibus vestris, ut si per charitatem imponitur disciplina, de cord lenitas non recedat. Quid enim tam pium quàm Medicus ferens ferramentum? Plorat secandus, & secatur: plorat urendus, & uritur. Non est illa Crudelitas, absit ut Saevitia Medici dicatur. Saevit in vulnus, ut homo sanetur: quia si vulnus palpetur, homo perditur. Aug. de Verb. Dom. Ser. 15. p. 45. saith he, I have offended, forgive me. Well: I do forgive, and being forgiven, he offends again: he cries again Forgive me, and I forgive him once more. He cries the third time, and I forgive him the third time to. But if the Fourth time he do the like, then is he jerked indeed. Happily he will say, why Sir, have I offend you seventy times seven times? Nay saith St Austen, if severity of Discipline should lie a sleep so long, by reason of such Prescription, then would Wickedness fly abroad in every place uncontrolled. And what then is to be done saith he? What? Let us correct with Words, and if need be with Stripes to, but let us forgive the Offence, let us not keep that in mind still. His conclusion there is. What is so just and fit to be done, as when the Physician takes an iron Instrument to lance his Patient with. The Patient it may be cries, and yet is he cut for all that. When he is to be seared, he cries again, and yet is he seared notwithstanding. Now that, saith St Austen, is not Cruelty, God forbidden, that that should be termed Cruelty, & Fierceness of the Physician. He is fierce indeed upon the Wound, that so his Patient may be healed, because should he dally with it, it might be his Patients utter overthrow. I will end with that of q Nec promiscuam habere, nec vulgarem Clementiam oportet, nec abscisam. Nam tam omnibus ignoscere, Crudelitas est, quàm nulli. Senec. de Clement l. 1. c. 2. Seneca: Neither aught Clemency to be toto cheap, vulgar, and common, nor on the other side toto strict. Seeing it is Cruelty all alike, when as every Fault committed is or pardoned, or punished. And thus, Beloved, have I now absolved at three several times, that threefold Task I took in hand, concerning Husbands, and Wives: Parents, and Children: Masters, and Servants. I have showed the mutual correspondence, that is to be between every of them, and the several Duties of each to other. All which Duties would you now but practice, every of you in your several Callings, I myself will promise' nothing, our Saviour shall promise', and perform, To him that overcometh: that is, to them which shall preserve themselves from the many Corruptions of the Times they live in, such as Neglect of Duty is, whether on the Husbands, or Parents, or masters behalf: or on the Wives, or Children, or Servants: To him that overcometh, r Rev. 2.7. will I give to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God. The Way indeed to that Tree of Life was once kept from us by him that set the Cherubims, & the Blade of a Sword shaken to keep the way thereof, Gen. 3.24: but now is it opened again unto us, and who that will may enter in, Verily, I say unto thee, to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise, Luk. 23.43. The God of Heaven so bless us, and the Seed that hath been sown, etc. VIRGINITY. Whit-Sunday. june 12. 1614 The Unmarried careth for the things of the Lords, how he may please the Lord: but he that is Married careth for the things of the World, how he may please his Wife. There is a Difference also between a Virgin and a Wife. The Unmarried Woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in Body and in Spirit: but she that is married, careth for the things of the World how she may please her Husband. 1. Cor. 7.32,33,34. I Have here made choice of a Text, Right Worshipful, and dearly Beloved, which well agrees with all and every of us in general: but with how many, or with how few of us in each particular, there's the Question. The Text speaketh in general of Married, and Unmarried, Wives, and Virgins, and who amongst us all is none of these? But where it speaketh of the Unmarried, that he careth for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; of the Ma●…d, that he careth for the things of the World, how he may please his Wife: Again of the Unmarried Woman caring for the things of the Lord that she may be Holy both in Body, and in Spirit; of the Married caring for the things of the World, how she may please her Husband; and who amongst us all is one of these? I confess it is my purpose at this time, to speak principally of Virgins, for that of the Married, and of Wives, I have spoken heretofore, howbeit for the Apostle in this place joineth the Unmarried, and Married together, Virgins, and Wives, I also shall say somewhat of the Married, and of Wives, but my chief intent and purpose is especially concerning VIRGINS. An Argument now adays seldom treated of, yet frequent with the Fathers, who (a many of them) have compiled whole Treatises to this purpose. Namely S. jerom, S. Austen, S. Ambrose, Athanasius, Basil, Nazianzen, Chrysostom, Fulgentius, Bernard: all of them writing in their times, or whole Tracts of Virginity, or Exhortations unto Virgins. Of Virginity, and Virgins, then at this time, and that with our Saviour's help, who was as S. Austen a Aug. de Sanct. Virgin. c. 1. speaketh, Virgins Filius, Virginum Sponsus, Virginali Vtero corporaliter natus, Virginali Connubio spiritaliter coniugatus. The son of a Virgin, a Bridegroom to Virgins, corporally borne of a Virgin Womb, and spiritually yoked in Virgin Wedlock. The Text, you see, is a Passage of the Apostle S. Paul, who was himself a Virgin too, though there are of the Ancient b Ignatius, and Clemens. Vid. Days Dial Lect. 8 p. 200. In Marg. Fathers, that say he had a Wife. I for my part am otherwise minded, and all, for he saith here in this c V 7. Chapter, I would that all Men were even as I myself am, and yet saith Erasmus, d Erasm. Annot in 1. Cor. 7. p. 414. Edit. 1527 Velex hoc loco conijcere licet, Paulo fuisse Coniugem, posteaquam de Coniugatis agens sui facit mentionem. We may guess, even by this place, that St. Paul had a Wife, for that in speaking of Married Folks, he makes mention of himself. I will not now discuss this point, nor conclude of, or on. Only I am persuaded that if S. Paul had been married indeed, he would not have said simply here. I would that all Men were even as I myself am, but as he e Act. 26.29. said in another case to King Agrippa, I would that all were altogether such as I am, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, except these Bonds. Now that Marriage is as Bonds, witness that of S. Ambrose, Bona Vincula Nuptiarum, sed tamen Vincula, f Ambr. de Virgin. l. 3. p. 115. saith he, et si Vincula, tamen Vincula Charitatis. And again in another g Ambros. ad Virg. Exhort. p. 134. place, Bonum quidem Charitatis vinculum est, sed tamen Vinculum, de quo cum velit se exuere Nupta non possit, nec Liberum sui habere arbitrium. His meaning is, that Marriage is as Bonds indeed, but Bonds of Love, yet such as the Parties bound cannot possibly be rid of, though they would perhaps never so feign. Wherhfore if S. Paul were Unmarried himself (as I for my part, am of opinion) and adviseth us to that course of Life, as it is in the five & twentieth verse of this Chapter, to whom may we better hearken then to S. Paul, in this case, especially if it be true which C. Livius saith in h Neminem fidelius dare posse Consilium quàm cum qui id alteri suaderet, quod ipse si in eodem loco esset, facturus fuerit. Liv. Decad. 4. l. 7. T. Livius, that No man gives more faithful counsel, than he that persuades another to that, which or he himself followeth, or at the lest wise would follow, were he himself in like case. To come then to the Matter in hand. That our Apostle was at Corinth, the most famous City of Asia, and most flourishing in those days, we read it in the Acts, and from whence it was he thither came, and for a Twelvemonth and a half, what it was he there did. He continued there a Year, and six Months, i Act. 18.11. saith S. Luke, and taught the word of God among them. Howbeit afterwards being compelled by the wickedness of the jews to sail into Syria, in his absence it so fell out, that false Apostles did enter amongst them, and made havoc of the Flock. Whereupon the Corinthians wrighting unto him, and acquainting him with their State, it should seem that in their Letter unto him, they moved certain Questions wherein they desired to be resolved, and which S. jerom thus l Hier. Advers. jovin. l. 1. Vid. Defence of Priests Marriages, p. 126. where it is alleged amiss, Contra julianum. specifies: Among other things the Corinthians inquired by their Letters, whether after the Faith of Christ they aught to live a single Life? And whether for Continency sake, they should forsake their Wives which they had already? Whether they that were Virgins when they received the Faith might take Matrimony upon them? And if both Parties were Paynims, & one should receive the Faith, Whether the Believer should forsake the unbeliever? And if Wives were to be married, whether they should marry Christians only, or also Paynims. Now to all and every of these Questions the Apostle makes special Answer in the whole Process of this Chapter. And therefore S. jerom, Videamus igitur quid ad haec Paulus rescripserit. Let us therefore now see what S. Paul did writ again to these Matters. But it is not of all these, that I have purposed now to speak, my Text confines me to only One, namely unto Virginity. The Question then by all likelihood, being this, or to this effect: Whether they that were Virgins when they received the Faith, might marry yea, or no: the Sum of the Apostles Answer seems to be that in the five & twentieth verse, that concerning Virgins he had no Commandment, only his Advice unto them was, that in regard of those Times, it was good for them so to be. Which being good so to be, that he might the better prove unto them, he compareth in this my Text, Virginity, and Marriage both together. He shows the Easiness of the One, the Difficulty of the Other, the Nature, and Property of Both: and forasmuch as themselves were Christians, & consequently had vowed in Baptism The things of the Lord: that is, as our Communion Book m Communion Book in Baptism. expresseth them, To forsake the Devil, and all his Works, the vain Pomp and glory of the World, with all covetous Desires of the same, the Carnal Desires of the Flesh, so that they would not follow, nor be led by them, he shows what advantage Virginity hath towards the fulfilling of all this, what distractions were in Marriage, and therefore if they intended indeed The things of the Lord, they should betake themselves to a Virgin-life. Which is not Beloved, to be so understood, as if all Virginity had all these Commodities, and every Marriage had every encumbrance, that the One could not but care for The things of the Lord, the Other would not but care for The things of the World: very Experience shows the contrary that this is not always so, neither sometimes in respect of Virgins, that are careful enough for The things of the World, neither in respect of Married Folks that are as careful for The Things of the Lord. What? and doth the Apostle then take his aim herein amiss? Makes he a Distinction without a Difference? Not, in no wise. He shows the Nature of Virginity in general, & the Nature of Marriage in general: if some certain Virgins on the one side, and certain Married Folks on the other serve from thence in particular, that is merely accidental. The Speech here of the Apostle is like a Speech of our Saviour's when as he said in St Matthewes n Mat. 12.34. Gospel, That out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh: which is not so to be understood, as if it were always so (except it be in one sense, namely, that the Abundance of the Heart will make the Mouth at sometimes bewray that, which lieth in the Heart, notwithstanding all Hypocrisy) for there were, and he knew there were, that o Mat. 15. ●. Drew near to him with their Mouths, and honoured him with their Lips, but yet their Hearts were far of from him. To come at length then to the Words themselves, we are therein to consider three special Points. First of all, two several States, & in them both Sexes, Male and Female. Unmarried, and Married; there's the Male: Virgins, and Wives; there's the Female. Secondly, the Objects where abouts they are. The things of the Lord, and The things of the World. Thirdly, their Actions about those Objects, and those are Cares, both of them taking care, The Unmarried, and Married: The Unmarried, for the One; the Married, for the Other. And of every of these in their several order, and first of the Unmarried, and Married, Virgins and Wives. The Unmarried careth for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord: but he that is married careth for the things of the World, how he may please his Wife. There is a Difference also between a Virgin, and a Wife: the unmarried Woman careth for the things of the Lord that She may be holy both in Body, and in Spirit: but She that is married careth for the things of the World, how She may please her Husband. Virginity is a State of Life that in all Ages for the most part hath been exceeding much set by: I say, for the most part, for that as Causabon hath p Vid. Causab. ad A●…les. Baron. Ex●rcit. 8. p 215. noted, the jews so little respected it, that if any among them remained a Virgin, it was esteemed a Reproach, and a kind of Curse upon her. And therefore the Daughter of jephtah when her Father had vowed her to the Lord: Suffer me q judg. 11.37. saith she, two Months that I may go to the Mountains, and bewail my Virginity, I, and my Fellows. So Elizabeth the Mother of john Baptist when she first became to be with Child: r Luk. 1.25. Thus saith she, hath the Lord dealt with me, in the days wherein he looked on me to take from me my Rebuke among Men: or as it is in our Last Translation, to take away my Reproach. But for that indeed was Barrenness, rather than Virginity, to come to Virginity again. In that day s Esay 4.1. saith the Prophet Esay, shall seven Women take hold of one Man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and we will wear our own Garments: only let us be called by thy Name, and take away our Reproach. And as it was of little esteem among the Israelites, and jews, so among some of the Heathens to, the Grecians by name. And therefore not Helen only twits Electra the Daughter of Agamemnon with her stolen Virginity, but her Brother Orestes also, I, and she herself of herself, I, t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Eurip. Orestes. saith she, poor Soul shall live for ever unmarried, and never be Mother of a Child. And Lycurgus he made a Law to punish such as would not marry, and it was a u Plutarch. in Lycurg. strange kind of Penance that the Magistrate by his Law was to put them to, Quod Templo dicere non est: not to spoken of in this place. Howbeit among the Romans it was of so great esteem, as that the Keeping of the Sacred Fire, was committed unto them, I mean to the Vestal x Vid. Mr Th. Godwin Romanae Hist. Antholog. l. 2. c. 18. & Plutarc. in Numa & Qu. Rom. Quaest. 96. and Alex. ab Alexand. Geniales Dies l. 5 c. 12 p. 269. b. Virgins. Of whom there were first of all but Four, afterwards Two were added more, and so they came to be Six, at length to be Twenty. They never walked abroad but with a Sceptre in their hand, & both Consuls and Praetors the chiefest Magistrates of those days were as they met, to give them the Wall. They might make their Will and Testament although their Fathers were alive: they might do all they did without a Tutor as having the Benefit of the Law, of them that had three Children. Whensoever they went abroad, they had their Sergeants to wait upon them, & if at the same time a Malefactor had been going to his Death, he escaped the Punishment, if so be She took her Oath, that she met him but by chance. Howbeit this was the Honour that was done to some Virgins, namely to the Vestal. The estimation that was had of Virgins, and Virginity in general, was since the time of our Saviour Christ, and a many were the Causes as Peter Martyr y P. Martyr de Votis & C●…libatu. p. 460. observes, why Virginity about the beginning of Christian Times, was had in such esteem. One was for that Christ had z Mat. 19.12. said: There are some chaste which were so borne of their Mother's Belly: and there be some chaste which be made chaste by men, and there be some chaste which have made themselves chaste for the Kingdom of Heaven. An Other cause was, for that at that time there were great Persecutions in every place. Now Christians were then for the most part in a Heb. 11.38. flight, roaming up and down the World, and turned out of all they had, so that in time of Persecution it was far less trouble for than to fly in such sort alone, then had they had Wife, & Children with them. A Third Cause was, for that at that time Christian Religion was much defamed. For in regard of the Fear of the Magistrate making their meetings very early, the People had them in suspicion that they lay promiscuously with one an other. A Fourth cause was, for that a great part that came to Christ were of the Heathen themselves, who a many of them esteeming much of Virginity before their Conversion, partly in one Respect, partly in an other, held it in honour ever after. I might here allege a Fift cause which Sadeel b Sadeel. Resp. ad Fidei Profess. à Monachis Burdegal. edit. Art. 53. Oper. p. 509. Col. 1. bringeth, namely, that so many even of Christians themselves addicted at the first both to Polygamy and Fornication, in so much that for Fornication the Apostles were feign to forbidden it in their General c Act. 15.29. Mr Hooker is of opinion that Unlawful or incestu●…s Marriag●… were meant by Fornication in that place of the Acts. And indeed St Paul, as he allegeth, calls Incestuous Marriage, Fornication, 1. Cor. 5.1. Mr Hooker Eccles. Pol. l. 4. § 11. p. 192. Council at jerusalem, they which did abstain even from lawful Marriage itself, thereby to show their Temperance the more, were highly esteemed of, and so much the rather, for that there was in those days so much Turpitude in the world. But the chiefest cause of all, was no doubt the words of our Saviour, who d Mat. 19.12. said when time was, Qui potest capere, capiat. He that is able to receive this, let him receive it. Now the Fathers when they commended Virginity so much, meant not Virginity of Body only, but Virginity of Mind. For Perit & ment Virginitas e Hieron. ad Eustoch. de Custodia Virgin. saith St Jerome, the very Mind may lose her Maidenhead. And again in an other f Hieron. in jerem. l. 2. c. 7. place, Quid prodest Corporis Pudicitia, animo constuprato? To what end and purpose is Chastity of Body, if so be the Mind be once deflowered? But thus much of Virgins, come we now to the State of Matrimony. The State of Holy Matrimony, is no where in lesser words so fully set down, as it is in the Book of Common Prayer. Holy Matrimony g Communion Book in Matrimony. saith that Book, is an honourable Estate, instituted of God in Paradise in the time of Man's innocency, signifying unto us the mystical Union that is betwixt Christ, and his Church: which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with his Presence, and first Miracle that he wrought in Cana of Galilee, and is commended of S. Paul to be honourable among all men, and therefore is not to be enterprised, nor taken in hand, unadvisedly, lightly, or wanton, to satisfy men's carnal Lusts and Appetites, like bruit Beasts that have no understanding, but reverently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of God, duly considering the Causes for which Matrimony was ordained. And thereupon it tells us of Three. One, the Procreation of Children to be brought up in the fear and nurture of the Lord, and Praise of God. Secondly, for a Remedy against Sin, and to avoid Fornication, that such persons as have not the Gift of Continency might marry, and keep themselves undefiled Members of Christ his Body. Thirdly, for the mutual Society, Help, and Comfort, that the One aught to have of the Other both in Prosperity and Adversity. Thus far our Book of Common Prayer. So that whether we regard the Necessity, the Antiquity, the Dignity, the Place, the Time, the Author, the Allower: all show how reverend an account is to be made of holy Matrimony. First, The Necessity thereof was such, as that God himself found it good to give Man a Wife: the Antiquity, such as that it was ordained in the beginning of the World: the Dignity such as that the Apostle S. Paul calls it Honourable: the Place was Paradise: the Time was Innocency: God the Author: the Allower Christ jesus who approved it not only by his own Birth in Marriage, but by his Presence at a Marriage Feast, when as purposing in time to 'cause the Blind to see, the Halt to go, the Lepers to be cleansed, the Deaf to here, the Dead to be raised up, he would work his first and foremost miracle at a Marriage Feast, by turning Water into Wine. In this world; h M. Hooker Eccles Pol. l. 5. § 73. p. 214. saith Reverend Hooker, there can be no Society durable otherwise then only by Propagation. Albeit therefore Single Life, saith he, be a thing more Angelical, and divine, yet sith the replenishing first of Earth with blessed Inhabitants, and then of Heaven with Saints everlastingly praising God, did depend upon Conjunction of Man & Woman, he which made all things complete, & perfect, saw it could not be good to leave Men without any Helper unto the fore-alleged end. And again a little after: That which is borne of Man, must be nourished with far more travail, as being of greater price in Nature, & of slower pace to Perfection then the Offspring of any other Creature beside. Man and Woman being therefore to join themselves for such a purpose, they were of Necessity to be linked with some straight, and insoluble knot. And this it is, that may be said of Marriage in general. Howbeit Marriage a 〈…〉 〈…〉 thought, word, and deed. And we aught so much the more to have a care unto our Thoughts for that they can by no means be hid from God above. Man, u Grande Profundam est ipse Homo, cuius etiam Capillos tu Domine nu meratos habes. Aug. Confess. l. 4. c. 14. p. 70. saith S. Austen, is a great Gulf, howbeit thou oh Lord hast the number of every hair of his Head. And again in another x Quomodo Aures nostrae ad voces nostras sic Aures Dei ad Cogitationes nostras. Aug. in Ps. 148. p. 1188 place, As our own Ears are to our Words, so are the Lords Ears to our Thoughts. Nay unless Words be spoken we cannot possibly hear what is said, he had need be very y Peritum esse nec esse est eum, qui silentium quid sit, intelligat. Tull. de Divin. l. 2. Skilful that knew what Silence meaneth, but as for the Lord our God O Lord, z Ps. 139.1. saith David, thou hast searched me out & known me, thou knowest my down sitting & my uprising, thou understandest my Thoughts long before. I will end this Point with that of Fulgentius, who speaking of Virginity both of the Body, and the Soul, The Virginity of the Body, a Virginitatem Carnis per Hominem nititur Diabolus praetipere, Cordis verò Virginitatem per seipsum conatur auferre. Fulgent. de Virgin. & Humil. Epist. 3. p. 504. saith Fulgentius, the Devil endeavours to get by another, but to get and to obtain the Virginity of the Mind, that will he do by his own self. And thus having in some sort seen what the Things of the Lord are, we may now conceive the better, what are the Things of the World: He that is Married careth for the things of the World, how he may please his Wife. And again, She that is married careth for the things of the World, how she may please her Husband. The Good a Quantum boni Virtus habeat, Vitia demonstrant: Clariusque fit lumen comparatione Tenebrarum. Hier. add Rustic. saith St Jerome, that Virtue hath, appears by the contrary Vices, and Light seems much clearer when it is once compared with Darkness. Having seen then what the Things of the Lord are, we may now more easily have a glimpse of the Things of the World. The World as it is sometimes taken for evil & wicked Lusts, such as reign in the Children of this World, and therefore the Apostle b 1. Ioh 2.16. St john, Love not the World, nor the things of the World: sometimes for the Pomp, and Glory that is in Men, and therefore the Apostle c Gal. 6.14. St Paul, The World is crucified to me, and I to the World: so in this place is it taken here for the Condition, and State of this Earthly Life, when with much carking, and caring, we provide for such things as belong unto our maintenance. And instance is here made of Pleasing the Wife, and Pleasing the Husband, for that the pleasing of both them, is indeed all in all. For if so be the Wife begin to fret and fume, It is better d Prov. 21.19. saith Solomon, to devil in the wilderness, then with a contentious and angry Woman: In the wilderness; that is, e Ecclus. 25.18. saith the Son of Syrach, with a Lion & a Dragon: And if the Man be wayward to, king Solomon saith as much of him. Make no friendship f Prov. 22 24. saith he, with an angry man, neither go with a furious man, lest thou learn his ways, and receive destruction to thy Soul. And, Potest hoc g Lavater in hunc loc. saith Lavater, ad Foedera, Coningia, & alias Societates etiam extendi: This Sentence of Solomon may extend to Friendship, Marriage, and other Societies whatsoever. We have seen what the Things of the Lord are, we have seen the Things of the World. Thus much therefore of the Objects, come we now unto the third Point, namely to the Actions of the Unmarried, and Married, Virgins, and Wives that are about these Objects, and those are Cares: The unmarried careth for the things of the Lord, he that is Married careth for the things of the World. The unmarried Woman careth for the things of the Lord, She that is married careth for the things of the World. It is in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all four places; as well for the unmarried, as Married, Virgins, as Wives. The Vulgar hath Solicitus est in the two Former, and Cogitat in both the Latter, Beza hath Curate in all. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Original was used by our Saviour in his Sermon on the Mount, when speaking to his Disciples, Be not careful for your Life h Mat. 6.25. saith he, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, nor yet for your Body what ye shall put on: And again, Care not for the Morrow: for the Morrow shall care for itself: the Day hath enough with his own grief. So that the Apostle means in this place, a thought-taking, or Fullness of Cares which is done by the One, that is, by the Unmarried, and Virgins, for the Things of the Lord; by the Other, that is, by the Married, and Wives, for the Things of the World. Stapleton i Lepidè ac suaviter exponit Calvinus. Staplet. Antid. Apost in 1. Cor. 7. p 324. scoffs at Calvin for expounding Sollicitudines, Cares in this place, to signify Ineptias Nuptiales, jocos, & alia quibus Coniugati occupantur. Nuptial Merriments, Sports and jests between the Man, and the Wife. Indeed whereas the Apostle had made mention of Trouble before, namely in the eight and twentieth verse, Such shall have trouble in the Flesh: Calvin seems afterward to make a l Quia superius Tribulationem posuit, nunc Curas commemorat, vel Solicitudines, dubitari possit an hae: sint diversa, necne. Ego Tribulationem nasci puto ex rebus tristibus, ut orbitate, viduitate, iurgiis & friviculis (ut vocant jurisconsulti) ex multis fastidus, delictis Liberorum, difficultate alendae familiae, & similibus: Solicitudines etiam rerum laetarum esse puto, ut sunt ineptiae nuptials, ioci, & alia quibus Coniugati occupantur. Calvin. in 1. Cor. 7 32. doubt, whether Trouble before spoken of, and Care here in this place be all one, yea or no. I think Trouble, saith he, doth issue from sad & heavy Events as from Lack of Children, Widowhood, Home-contentions, Brawling. If Children be had, from their misdemeanours, from difficulty of housekeeping, & the like: but as for Cares saith he, I take them to signify here, Nuptial Merriments to, & so forth. Where he doth not deny but that they signify the same that Troubles do, but that they may signify withal nuptial Sports and Pastimes also. And indeed why not? For if so be notwithstanding this Word, the Unmarried may with all alacrity go about The things of the Lord, and be sometimes also in a pleasant vain, as was Elias the Prophet, when he m 1. King. 18.27. mocked the Baalites (not as this Priest of Baal, who mocks an Elias rather,) what hindereth but that married Folks notwithstanding this Word to, may be pleasant in their kind, and be careful even in this sort, how to please each other. Had Stapleton been ever married, he would better have understood Calvins words: & he might have married such an One, as he would have been far more Careful how to have pleased, then careless to displease. But to return unto my purpose. The Apostle had said immediately n Ver. 32. before, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, I would have you without care: not meaning in general without all Care at all, for himself saith in an other o 1. Tim. 5 8. place, If there be any that provideth not for his own, and namely for them of his Household (which cannot be done without some Care) he denieth the Faith, and is worse than an Infidel. The Apostles meaning then was, that he would have them (if it might be) prompt and ready without Let, or Hindrance, to run the Course they had taken in hand, to propagate the Gospel of Christ jesus, to follow, and further their own Vocations. And by this may we gather the Sense also of the Apostles words in this my Text. For where he saith that the Married careth for the Things of the World, his meaning is that he doth not always so, for than would he not have used that If, If there be any Man that provideth not. His meaning then is, that for the most part, it so falls out, that they care for the Things of the World, and that they have most occasions so to do. Duxi uxorem p Terent. Adelp. Act. 5. Sc. 4. saith one in the Poet, quàm ibi miseriam vidi? Nati Filij, alia cura: porro autem dum studeo illis, ut quàm plurimùm facerem, contrivi in quaerundo vitam, atque aetatem meam. It was the saying there of One, it may be of Thousands. I married a Wife, what an heap of Troubles did I there find? Than came Children, thereupon more Troubles, much more Care: and I, while I have endeavoured to cark and care for them all, have spent my whole life, and worn myself to the very stumps. True it is, that if the Married man, or Married Woman be Godly, they have a promise from the Lord, for their Comfort in this case. It is no less than a whole Psalm that David bestows upon them to this purpose. Namely the hundred eight & twenty Psalm, the Sum whereof is this: that He should eat the Labours of his Hands, that he is well, & q Beatus es, de presenti estibene tibi erit de futuro est. Aug. in Psa. 127. Vulg. 128. should be happy: that his Wife should be as the Fruitful Vine upon the Walls of his House: that his Children should be like the Olive Branches round about his Table: that he should see jerusalem in prosperity all his Life long: that he should see his children's Children, & Peace upon Israel. But yet notwithstanding as St Austen r Quid sibi vult, labores fructuum tuorum manducabis? Modo labores habemus, fructus postea erit. Aug. in Psal. 127. Vulg. 128. notes, the Labours must be first in this World, the Fruit hereafter. And indeed many have been the Labours of the best that ever were, that betook themselves unto Marriage. Let me instance in those three patriarchs, so famous in God's Book 〈…〉 〈…〉 be more angry with that which followeth there in that place, and therefore no more now, but so much for a Wife. O, but thou wantest Children then, who may solace thee in thy Youth, and secure thee in thy Age, who may succeed thee in thy Fortunes, & in whose well-doing thou mayst take exceeding joy. Indeed Children are a great Blessing if so be they do well: if otherwise, a greater Cross. Even as the Wind a Meteor whereby we live in some sort, and is, as it were a Fan in the hands of God to purge the Air, is sometimes converted to be a Plague. Like as the a My Lord of London on jonas, Lect. 4. p 51. Mariners in jonas were scourged with a Wind, which otherwise is a principal Furtherance and benefit required to Sailing. But what? is there no Solace? No comfort without Children? Hannah, b 1. Sam. 5.8. saith Elkanah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart troubled? Am not I better to thee then ten Sons? Surely, if Elkanah were better than ten, much more may the Lord be said to be, who is much more able than Elkanah was to recompense this loss some other way. Besides that a many Parents as Plutarch c Plut. de Amore Prolis. observeth, departed hence out of the world, or ever their Children make show of that whereunto they have been bred. As Neocles never saw his Son Themstocles his Victory at Salamis, nor Miltiades what his Son Cimon performed at Eurymedon, Xantippus never heard his Son Pericles when he pleaded, nor Aristo his Son Plato when he discoursed, and disputed so divinely in the Schools. d Plutarc. Comment. Non suaviter vivi posse secundum Epicuri Decreta. For all have not Epaminondas Fortunes, who accounted it the chiefest good that ever happened unto him that his Parents were alive to see a Trophy set up by him for a Victory he had over the Enemy. But above all add hereunto, that when we are ourselves to leave this World, we shall not be necessarily tied by reason of Children though they be never so bad, to bestow our Goods upon them, and consequently to give occasion of S. Austin's words, e Aug de Temp Ser. 50. p. 484. Omitto dicere qualibus Filijs, I will not tell you what Children; not; but our Charity shall be free to make advised choice of the f M. Hooker Eccles. Pol. l. 5. §. 49. p 94. Soil wherein her last Seed may most fruitfully be bestowed, even as our worthy Founders that have gone before us, and by whom we are what we are, nay by whom the Church & Commonwealth doth even at this day far so well. If all this content thee not, hearken then what the Lord himself saith, Let not the Eunuch say, g Esay, 56.3. Vid. Aug. de Sancta Virgin. c. 24 & 25. saith he, Behold, I am a dry Tree. For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my Saboth, & choose the thing that pleaseth me, and take hold of my Covenant, even unto them will I give 〈◊〉 mine House, and within my walls a Place, and a Name better than of the Sons, and of the Daughters, I will give them an everlasting Name that shall not be put out. Not like the Builders of Babel, who to make themselves a Shem, that is, a Name, at length ●ound a h M Broughtons Consent of Scripture, Prefat. Shame: nor like to them the Prophet speaks of, who think that their Houses shall continued for ever: and that their dwelling places shall endure from one generation to another, and call the Lands after their own i Psal. 49.11. Names, notwithstanding they see it fall out otherwise in every Age: but a Name that shall always last indeed, and that once in, shall never out, maugre all that Sin and Satan, shall ever be able to effect. These things thus, Beloved, you see what Reason the Apostle had here to say, that the Unmarried careth for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord: Again, the Unmarried Woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in Body, and in Spirit. And his meaning is of such Unmarried, whether Men, or Women, as have the Gift of Continency, otherwise if they Burn, it is better for them, a great deal better, to Mary then to burn. The Apostle himself saith as much in the Ninth verse of this Chapter. Nor will Bellarmine's Interpretation of those words, stand them in any steed. For saying that by Burning the Apostle should mean there Incontinency, or l Bell de Monach. l 2. c. 30, § 7. Fornication, as if so be, he should have said: He that decreeth with himself, or to commit Fornication, or to Mary, he doth well if he Mary: what doth he else but by restraining Fornication to the material and external Act, not taking it as our Saviour doth, Mat. 5.28, but show of what House he comes, namely of no better Progeny than the Pharisees. The truth is, as there is an outward, so is there an inward Transgression too, which inward Transgression is formally m Vid. junii Animadv. in Bell. Controvers 5. l. 2. c. 30. § 9 Adultery, howsoever the material, or outward Act is not annexed thereunto. Vrimur intus, n Ovid. Epist. Phaedr. Hippol. saith She in the Poet, Vrimur, & caecum pectora vulnus alunt. And o Senec. Hippol. Act. 2. Sc. Quis me dolori. again, — Pectus insanum vapour Amorque torret, intimas saevus vorat Penitus medullas, atque per Venas meat Visceribus ignis mersus, & venis latens agilis altas Flamma percurrit trabes. And so the Poet of p Virg. Aeneid. l. 4. Dido: Vulnus alit Venice, & caeco carpitur igni. And q Virg. Ib. again, — Est mollis Flamma medullas Interea, & tacitum vivit sub pectore vulnus. Vritur infaelix Dido, totaque vagatur Vrbe furens. And this is that, and the like to this that the Apostle intimates here unto us, in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to burn. If they cannot abstain, let them marry, for it is better to marry then to burn. I will end this Point with that of Caluin: We may gather r Calvin. in hunc Loc. saith he, from this Sentence of St Paul, that no Chastity at all is pleasing to the Lord unless it be in Mind, as well as in Body. And I would to God saith he, that they that prattle so proudly of Chastity (he means our Adversaries the Papists) would consider that they had in this case to do with God himself: they would not then strive with us so confidently as they do. And thus much of these words, a word of Application, & then God-willing an end. The Unmarried careth for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord: but he that is married, careth for the things of the world, how he may please his Wife. There is a difference also between a Virgin, and a Wife: the Unmarried Woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in Body and in Spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the World, how she may please her Husband. And here, me thinks, ere we go any farther, a many of us will be ready to apply to our Adversaries the Papists whatsoever hath been said concerning Virginity, or Wedlock. First concerning Virginity, that their Friars, and Nuns are not the Virgins they are taken for: that their Cloisters are but Receptacles for Dorrs and Drones: that they seek not the Things of the Lord so much, as worldly Pomp and Pre-eminence, and indeed the Things of the World. Concerning Wedlock, that they make it a Sacrament indeed, but speak most spitefully against it to: that they banish the Clergy from it as from an unclean, and polluted thing: that they even surfeit of the Apostles words, He that is married careth for the things of the World, how he may please his Wife: And again, She that is married careth for the Things of the World how she may please her Husband. And indeed should we thus do, we should do them but reason, and yield them Legem Talionis, like for like. For will you hear what they say of us, first concerning Virginity, and then concerning Wedlock? Not Maids amongst us, say they, but such as can get no Matches; so s Bristol. Motive. 35. p. 145. saith Bristol. The Calvinists & Bezites who hardly have escaped the Flames of Sodom, full fraught with Villainy, have driven Virginity out of the World: so t Weston de triplici Hominis. Officio. l. 2. c. 4. p. 58. saith Weston. And when we had a MAIDEN QUEEN, A Queen that enriched, and fortified her own Land, u Camden in Middlesex. Freed Scotland from the French, Relieved France, Supported the Netherlands, Awed Spain, and so forth, Would God x D. Allens Answer to the Execut. of justice, c. 8. p. 190. saith Allen, instead of her majesties Virginity (so that it had stood with Gods will and hers) we might rather have had for the realms safety, issue of her Body in honourable Wedlock. In which State, saith he, there is godly Continency also, and perhaps (as things y If the Doctor here meant basely (as not unlikely but he did) the Answer to Tigellinus was fit enough for him. Tacit. Annal. l. 14. stand) as meritorious, and glorious to herself as her Virginity. It is most odious to be repeated what they published of her in her Life time, and since she is dead and gone. And he is Nobody with them now adays, who in every z Among the rest Examen Catholicum, under the Name of Stanislaus Christanovicus printed at Paris 1607. whereof that worthy old Gentleman, and a true lover of his Country, Mr George Broome of Halton, gave the first notice at the coming forth. Whereupon the Honourable S. George Carew then Lord Ambassador (upon complaint made by himself) had the Printer clapped in Prison, and the whole Impression of Books, as many as were unsold, brought unto his House, where he caused them to be burnt in his Court yard. Aug. 12. according to the French computation. There was not in all France a fairer FIRE that Day. Pamphlet he sets forth hath not somewhat concerning Herald. But to return to Cardinal Allen. Is Wedlock now with him become so Honourable? Is there Continency, I, and godly Continency even in that State? And may Wedlock, even Wedlock, in any one kind of Person be as meritorious, & glorious as Virginity itself? Than Fie on them on his side, who speaking of those that are lawfully made Priests, and such as have formerly made vow of Chastity, that they forsooth cannot marry at all, & therefore that in them there is no Comparison betwixt Marriage, & Fornication, or Burning. For their Marriage is but pretenced (say they) and is the worst sort of Incontinency, & Fornication, or Burning; so say the a Rhem. Test. in. 1. Cor, 7.9. Rhemists. Fie on them on his side, that say Marriage profanes the sacred Order of Priesthood, and makes it mere Laical, and Popular; so saith Gregory b Martin's Discovery, c. 15. §. 11. Martin. But how many Fies shall we say on them, or how many Anathemaes rather shall we give than, who speaking of the Marriage of Ministers, which Ministers in their opinion are neither Priests, nor otherwise have made Vow of Chastity, teach others to abhor it in special terms as a commentitious and feigned Matrimony; so do a c Fidei Professio à Monach. Burdegal. edit. Art, 53. Sadeel. Oper p. 506. Col. 2. troup of Papists together. But it is not to Papists I am to speak, neither is it to them, or their Priests, that I would you should apply what hath been spoken of this my Text, I only say of them as said our Saviour of those that came to take him and his Disciples would feign have been bustling with them, Suffer them thus far, Luk 22.51. Others there may be, and amongst us to, that will be as ready to apply wha● hath been spoken of this my Text to the Prelates & Pastors of our own Church, that they forsooth if they be Unmarried, care not as they aught for The things of the Lord: if they be Married, that they are too much addicted to The things of the World: that Housekeeping with them is decayed, that all they can wrap and rend is little enough for Wife and Children. And it cannot indeed be denied but where there are so many both Married, and Unmarried, but that Some there are that will be such ( d Terent. And. Act. 2. Sc. 5. Et quod dicendum hîc siet, Tu quoque perparcè nimium, non lando) howbeit, it little becomes the Sheep to censure such as are their Pastors, to prescribe unto them their Duty, or to talk of them their pleasure. It was an excellent saying of Nazianzen, and worthy to be written in Letters of Gold, e Greg. Naz. Orat. 6. Presume no● ye that are Sheep to make yourselves Guides of them that should guide you, neither seek ye to over-skip the Fold which they about you have pitched. It sufficeth for your part if you can well frame yourselves to be ordered. Take not upon you to judge your judges, nor to make them subject to your Laws who should be a Law to you. For God is not a God of Sedition, and Confusion, but of Order & of Peace. St Ierom speaks it of Monks, I may say it of Christians in general, f Illius Monachi vita laudan da est, qui venerationi habet Sacerdotes Christi & non detrahit Gradui, per quem factus est Christianus. Hieron. ad Furian dè Viduit. Servand. His, or her Life is to be praised, who hath the Priests of our Saviour in good estimation, and slandereth not or reports not ill of that degree and estate, whereby He, or She was made at the first a Christian. It is not then to our Prelates, or Pastors, that I would should be applied, what hath been spoken in this kind. But we may thank a many of our own Coat for these Obliquities, who have no other Food for the People to feed them with, but to tell them ever, and a none, what the Pastor is to do, so that they have made them very ripe in the Duty of the Pastor, but as raw again in their own Duties. It would have better become their Pains, and Good Discretion, to have followed the Counsel of our wise g M. Hooker Eccles. Pol. l. 5. § 22. p 49. jethro, namely, to have given h Ecclus. 51.27 Mat. 12.20. encouragement to the People; to have put them in mind that it was not the deepness of their knowledge, but the i 1. Tim. 1.5. Rom. 14.1. 1. Thes. 3.10. singleness of their Belief which God accepted; that they which l Mat. 5.6. hunger and thirst after Righteousness, should be satisfied; that no m Philip. 1 6. 1. Pet. 5.10. Mat. 3.9. imbecility of means could prejudice the truth of the promise of God herein; that the weaker their helps were, the more their need was to sharpen the edge of their own n 1. Thess. 4.18 Heb. 10.24. jud. v. 20. 1. Pet. 4.10. industry; & that o Luk. 11.31. painfulness by feeble means should be able to gain that, which in the plenty of more forcible Instruments should through sloth, & negligence be lost. Such Arguments would have done better (and we who are Pastors should have so found it) than Doctrines and Uses of Dumb Dogs, Unpreaching Prelates, of p Vid. Causab. Exercit. 16 ad annal Baron. p. 564. Predestination, Reprobation, & the like, which if in a Vulgar Auditory they may do good perhaps to One, or Two; there may be Twenty for that One, and Forty for those Two, who possibly may be little edified by it, if not hindered in their Salvation. But their manner of q Episcopus Laicis loquor, sed inde scio quàm multis futuris Episcopis loquor Aug. de Sanct. Ser. 42 p. 897. Meating in this kind, hath made me forget myself in giving them the like Measure, and to preach unto you of their Duty: though in regard of a many Novices that hear me this day, & may in time be r Mat. 7.2. Preachers themselves, it shall not be much amiss to have said thus much: and so I come to the matter in hand. Seeing we are not then now at this time, to apply the words of this my Text, or to our Adversaries abroad, or to our own Pastors at home, what remaineth but that now at length we apply them wholly to ourselves. Every Man, every Woman, every Maid amongst us, let us go search our own Hearts, let us see how the Apostles Words, and our Deeds agreed together. First then, are we Married Folk? True it is, the Apostle here saith, that He that is married careth for the Things of the World, how he may please his Wife, and She that is married careth for the Things of the World how She may please her Husband, but seeing he means not to the contrary, but that they may be both careful for the Things that pertain to God, and Marriage may be so used, as that it shall be no hindrance at all to a good and godly life, let us as many of us as be married, say with ourselves: I will take my lot as it hath befallen me, I will make a Virtue of this Necessity. Gregory, S. Basils' Brother shall be my Pattern, of whom it is r Niceph. l. 11. c 19 written, that although he had a Wife, yet was he in other things nothing inferior to his Brother who had none. As many of you therefore as are Husbands, follow the steps of faithful Abraham, of Isaac, and of jacob, who were devout and religious Men: as many of you as are Wives be loving and amiable as s Commun. Book in Matrimon. Rachel, wise as Rebecca, faithful and obedient as Sarah, remembering whose Daughters ye are whilst you do well, not being afraid of any Terror. But are we of the other sort, Unmarried, and Virgins? Let us first remember to ask this Gift of God above, as also the continuance of it, if it be for our greater good. St Austen did ask for Continency, but he was u Da mihi Castitatem & Contiventiam, sed noli modò. Timebam enim ne me citò exaudires, & citò sanares à Morbo Concupiscentiae quam malebam expleri, quàm extingui. Aug. Confess. l. 8. c. 7. p. 103. loathe to have it then. He was afraid lest God would hear him to quickly, & too too soon heal him of his malady of Concupiscence, which he had rather should have been satisfied, than quite extinguished. I pray God there be not too many of S. Austin's mind in this point, they are loathe to pray for Chastity for fear God should hear them indeed. Secondly, when we have it, let us remember the Care we aught to have in keeping of it. Onusta incedis auro, x Hieron. ad Eustoch. de Custod. Virgin. saith S. jerom to a Virgin, Latro tibi vitandus est. Thy Virginity is unto thee a Charge of Gold, beware of thieves that will assault thee: and showing the loss of it, if once lost, to be irrecoverable, I dare be bold, y Audenter loquar, cum omnia possit Deus suscitare Virginem non potest post ruinam. Hieron. Ib. Virginitas si labitur, nullo modo reparatur nam quamvis quis per paenitentiam recipiet veniam, tamen incorruptionem nunquam recipiet pristinam. Bernard. de Modo benè Vivend. c. 21. saith he, to speak it, that God that can do all things, can by no means repair Virginity, when once it is lost and gone. Thirdly, let us not bear ourselves overbould in that we have been chaste heretofore. It is S. jeroms Counsel too, In praeterita Castitate ne confidas: Trust not thyself too much, for thou hast been chaste in former times. Thou art not more holy, z Nec Sanctior David: nec Salomone potes esse sapientior. Memento semper, quod Paradisi Colonum, de possessione sua Mulier eiecerit. Hieron. ad Nepotian. saith he, than David was, nor wiser than Solomon. Remember ever and anon that it was a Woman that cast the Owner of Paradise out of Possession. And this I take to be a cause, as also some other beside, why S. Austen, and Fulgentius, and S. Bernard's Tracts concerning Virginity, have very much in them concerning Humility too. Indeed, Humility is like the Cipher in Arithmiticke which being itself of no value, gives value yet to other Numbers. First then, having had a care to procure unto us this jewel; Secondly, a care in keeping it; Thirdly, in keeping it with Humility; let our Fourth & last care be, to care for the Things of the Lord indeed, every of us in our Vocations, be we of the one Sex, or of the other, and so much the rather for that whatsoever times may happen hereafter, (and who knows what Times may happen, considering the Plenty of Sin in our Land) we that are Unmarried may bear them the better, and pass over Iorden with a * Gen. 32.10. Staff alone, if so be it be our hap, as many of our Worthies have done before us, and jacob the Patriarch before them. But as those Times I trust shall never happen, so in any wise let us not now forget to make a Benefit of these Times when as we may care for the Things of the Lord never better, whether we are Pastors, or of the Flock. Pastors, for such a great Door, jer. 7.13. and effectual is opened unto us, notwithstanding there are some Adversaries to, 1. Cor. 16.9. You that are the Flock, for you are still in hearing the voice of the Lord, which still he is uttering to you, or by your Pastors, or by your Curates, that is, by Moses, and by the Prophets, Luk. 16.29. God forbidden it should now follow, what followeth in jeremy: But when I spoke, ye would not hear me, neither when I called would you answer. The God of heaven so bless us, and the seed that hath been sown, etc. WIDOWHOOD. Christmas Day, Decemb. 25. 1614 WHO is a Faithful Steward, & wise, a Luk. 12.42. saith our Saviour Christ jesus, whom the Master shall make Ruler over his Household to give them their Portion of Meat in season. Their Portion of Meat. It is in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: that is, a certain Quantity of Meat, Drink, & Corn, given to * Erasm. et Beza in hunc lo●. Servants of old, to found them a certain time. Now as many several Congregations, or Parishes, as are in the Church of God Militant, so many several Households are there. The several Ministers are the Stewards, and though Steward here, & Household, be both but Singular, yet are they put for the plural Number. I for my part, among those several Stewards, who are of those several Households, can neither challenge unto myself, or Faithfulness, or Wisdom, but how You for your parts heretofore have had every of you your Portions, as many of you as here are present, and are of this Household, whether Husbands, or Wives, or Parents, or Children, or Masters, or Servants, or Virgins: you may remember, if you call to mind, my several Texts to those several purposes. There is one Portion still remaining, and it belongeth unto WIDOWS, which I have not as yet delivered to them, which Portion of theirs, since it is their due, and they may challenge it at my hands, God forbidden, but I should do them right, and now deliver it unto them. May you be pleased then, Right Worshipful, and dearly Beloved in our Saviour Christ, to see this Portion of theirs served in. It is for them I grant in particular, but it is likely also that somewhat thereof will fall unto your Shares. The Text I have chosen to this Purpose, is in the Second Chapter of S. Luke's Gospel, the Six and thirtieth, Seven and thirtieth, and Eight and thirtieth Verses, and part of the Second Lesson read unto you at Morning Prayer. The words be these: And there was a Prophetess, one Anna the Daughter of Phanuel of the Tribe of Aser, which was of a great Age, and had lived with an Husband seven years from her Virginity. And she was Widow about fourscore and four years, and went not out of the Temple, but served God with Fast, and Prayers night and day. She then coming at the same instant upon them, confessed likewise the Lord, and spoke of him to all that looked for redemption in jerusalem. The Text, you see, is of a Widow, & as our Saviour b Luk. 4.25. said in an other case, Many Widows were in Israel, in the days of Elias, when Heaven was shut three years, and six month, when great Famine was throughout the Land, but unto none of them was Elias sent, save into Sarepta a City of Sidon, unto a certain Widow: the like, Beloved, may I say, there are in this Israel, the Sacred Scriptures of God, a many, many Widows, but nor I, nor you, at this time, are sent to any of them, save to this Widow here spoken of. The First that we read of there, is c Gen. 38.11. Thamar the Daughter of judah, but She was a Vicious Widow. She lay with judah her Father in Law. His Signet, and Cloak and Staff, were Signs sufficient, that howsoever in his Eyes, She was more d Ver. 26. Righteous than He, yet that She was in the Eyes of God, both Unrighteous, & Incestuous to. An other Widow we read of there, is the woman of e 2. Sam. 14.5 Tekoah, but She was a Subtle Widow, She had Tears at will to shed, but they were but feigned Tears. She did it indeed with a good Mind, but good Minds must use good Means to: we must not do Evil, that Good may come thereof, Rom. 3.8. We may read also, though not in the Scriptures themselves, yet in the Apocrypha hard by, of f judith. 9.2. judith the Daughter of Merari, but She was a g Gen. 49.5: Bloud● Widow, She slew Holofornes with her own Hands. Wherefore as the Lord h 1. Chron. 28 3. said unto David, Thou shalt not build an House for my Name, because thou hast sh●d Blood, when as notwithstanding he had shed but the Blood of God's Enemies, so shall not judith now be our Example, for that She also shed Blood, though it were but the Blood of an Enemy. Our Saviour even in this Gospel i Luk. 18.3. tells us of a Widow that was in Law, but She was a Clamorous Widow, fit indeed to vex an unrighteous judge, but far unfit to be followed by us. — l Senec. Theb. Act. 2. Causa repetentis bona est, Mala sic petentis. cause She had to call for her own, but not in that clamorous sort. She should have committed her Cause to him, who judgeth righteously, as St Peter m 1. Pet 2.23. speaketh, and in so many n Psal 68.5. jer. 22.3 Psal. 146.9. Zach. 7 10. Exod. 22.22. Esay, 1.17. Esay, 10.2. Places of holy Scripture, takes special care concerning Widows. She should have remembered how miraculously God did use to work with Widows Tears, that howsoever naturally they do o Ecclus' 35.15. Dic mihi quod Flumen soleat conscendere Coelum. descend in running down the Cheeks, yet indeed how they ascend also, in going high up to Heaven. There are Widows, I confess, better than these, and whose Steps are rather to be followed, as the Widow to whom Elias was p 1 King. 17.9. sent, to be sustained in a Dearth: the Widow that cast in those two q Mark. 12.42 Mites into the Treasury of the Temple: the Widows that r Act 9.39. wept so much for the Death of Dorcas their Benefactrix: the Widow s Ruth. 1.16. Naomi, that brought up Ruth her Daughter in Law so religiously; the Widow t judg. 4.4. Deborah that was so famous both in War, and Peace: but Anna is the Widow indeed we are now to speak of at this time, ANNA in this our Age, the Best of Names, and Anna in that Age, as it may be thought, the Best of Widows. The Commendations given Anna here are thick and threefold, as First in regard of her Condition, Family, and Age, and that in the Six and thirtieth, and part of the Seven and thirtieth Verse, and that in these Words: And there was a Prophetess, one Anna the Daughter of Phanuel of the Tribe of Aser, which was of a great Age, and had lived with an Husband seven years from her Virginity. And She was Widow about four score and four years. Secondly, in regard of her Religion, and that in the other part of that Verse, and that in these words: And went not out of the Temple, but served God with Fast and Prayers, night and day. Thirdly, in regard of her Words, and Testimony she gave of Christ, and that in the Eight and thirtieth Verse, & that in these words: She then coming at the same instant upon them, confessed likewise the Lord, and spoke of him to all that looked for Redemption in jerusalem. Of every of these in their several Order, and First of her Condition, Family, and Age. And there was a Prophetess, one Anna the Daughter of Phanuel, of the Tribe of Aser, etc. Concerning her Condition it is here, you see, set down, that She was a Prophetess, and much there is in holy Scripture concerning Prophets, and Prophetesses. The very first time we find the Name of a Prophet there given, was given to Abraham by God himself, when king Abimelech had taken his Wife, supposing her to be his Sister. To whom when God had threatened Death for taking Abraham's Wife from him, and the King excused himself, that he for his part was innocent, in regard he knew not She was his Wife: I know u Gen. 20.6. saith the Lord, that thou didst this even with an upright mind, and I kept thee also that thou shouldst not sin against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her. Now then, saith he, deliver the Man his Wife again: for he is a Prophet, and he shall pray for thee that thou mayst live, but if thou deliver her not again, be sure that thou shalt die the death, thou, and all that thou hast. Whereunto David the Prophet alluding: He suffered no Man x Psa. 105.14. saith he, to do them wrong, but reproved even kings for their sakes. Touch not mine Anointed, and do my Prophets no harm. But Prophets were y De Origine Prophetiae quod ad tempus attinet certum est eam primùm fuisse in Adamo. P. Martyr. Loc. Commun. Classo. 1. Loc. 3. long before Abraham's time: Henoch is said to Prophesy, Jude the fourteenth verse, nay, Adam himself did prophesy, Gen. 2.23. She shallbe called Woman saith he, because She was taken out of Man. Therefore shall Man leave his Father, and his Mother, and shall cleave to his Wife, and they shall be one Flesh. After Adam, and Henoch, and Abraham, and others, succeeded Moses, and joshua, and Samuel, and Esay, and jeremy, and a many more, till the time of our Saviour Christ, who was the End and Perfection of all. Who therefore were called Prophets, for they had a certain Faculty given them of God, by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, whereby they knew his secret Counsels, and declared them to his People. And therefore St Peter, No prophesy z 2. Pet. 1.10. saith he, in the Scripture, is of any private motion. For the prophesy came not in old time, by the will of Man, but holy men of God, spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Nor was this Gift of prophesy given unto Men only, but sometimes unto Women to. And so Miriam the Sister of Moses sang in Public the Praises of God, and b judge 4 4. Deborah was a Prophetess, a Exod. 15.20. and judged Israel. c 2. King. 22.14 Huldah also a Prophetess asked counsel of King josiah, & d 1 Sam. 2.1. Hannah the Mother of Samuel set forth a most godly Hymn. The Wife of Esay was a e Esay, 8.3. Prophetess to, and Philip the Evangelist had four f Act. 21.9. Daughters that did prophesy. This it was the Prophet joel did tell of, so long before: Your Sons g joel. 2.28. saith he, and your Daughters shall prophesy, and upon the Servants and upon the Maids will I power my Spirit. I, it was usual it should seem in the Primitive Times of the Church, that Women did Prophesy, and therefore the Apostle St Paul in his First Epistle to the Corinthians, Every man h 1. Cor. 11.5. saith he, that prayeth, or prophesieth bore headed, dishonoureth her Head: so that Women than did prophesy, and they were permitted so to do, so they did it not Bareheaded. m P. Martyr in jud. 4.4. I, but Some will say, the same Apostle in the same i 1. Cor. 14.34. Epistle, as also in his First to l 1. Tim. 2.11. Timothy, wills that Women keep silence in the Churches, and shows that it is not permitted to them to speak. True it is, he so doth, but those his words are to be understood, not of Examples extraordinary, and in Cases of Necessity, but of the Ordinary Ecclesiastical Office which is given to Men only. Concerning this, more may be seen in P. Martyr, and others. I refer you not in this point to Calvin, for Causes best known unto the n See D. Bridges Defense of the Government established in the Church of England. l 9 p. 674, 675, 676, etc. Learned of our own side. Why we have not Prophets now adays, much less Prophetesses, it is for the Scriptures now contain such Sufficiency in them, as that the Church hath no need at all either of the One, or of the Other. When as the Church began to grow, God stirred up a Many both Men and Women to that purpose: now since there are so many Preachers and Pastors raised up, God hath ceased that Gift, even as he o Josh. 5.12. ceased to rain Manna down from heaven, when as once the Israelites had tasted of the Fruit of the Land of Canaan. We may say in this particular, as S. Gregory in his time spoke of Miracles in general. Miracles, p Nunquid Fra tres mei, quia ista signa non facitis: minimè creditis? sed haec necessaria in Exordio Ecclesiae fuerunt. enim ad fidem cresceret multitudo credentium, miraculis fuerat nutrienda: quia & nos cum Arbusta plantamus, tam diu eis aquam in fundimus: quo usque ea in terra iam coaluisse videamus, & si semel radicem fixerint, irrigatio cessabit. Greg. in Evang. Hom. 29. p. 119. Col. 2. saith he, were necessary in the Church's beginning, because the multitude of Believers to the end they might the better grow up unto Faith, were to be nourished (as it were) by Miracles. Even as we ourselves, saith he, when as we use to set young Plants, power water on them every day, till such time as we see they are come to a pretty height, and then when as we perceive, they have taken deep root, we leave to water them any longer. And S. Austen to this purpose: Miracles, q Cur, inquiunt, nunc illa Miracula quae praedicatis facta esse, non fiunt? Possem quidem dicere necess●…ia fuisse prius quàm crederet Mundus, ad hoc ut crederet Mundus. Quisquis adhuc predigia, ut credat inquirit, magnum est ipse Prodigium, qui Munde credente, non credit. Aug. de Civ. Dei. Lib. 22. c. 8. saith he, were necessary before the World did believe, to the end and purpose it should believe, but whosoever now adays seeketh after Miracles to the end he might believe, is himself a great Miracle, who (the World believing as it doth) will needs be himself in unbelief. But to return unto my purpose. As Miriam, and Deborah, and Huldah, and Esays Wife were Prophetesses in their time, so was Anna here in this place. And as our Saviour r Mat. 11.11. said of john the Baptist, Verily I say unto you, among them which are begotten of women, arose there not a greater than john Baptist, meaning, he was the greatest of all, for that Others spoke of him a Longè, a great way off, john the Baptist did point, and show him with the Finger: right so may we say of Anna here, that she was the greatest Prophetess of all before her, forasmuch as She had the honour to see our Saviour in the Flesh. She might say as did S. john: s 1. joh. 1.1. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, & our hands have handled of the Word of Life (for the Life appeared, and we have seen it, & bear witness, and show unto you the eternal Life, which was with the Father, and appeared unto us) That, I say, which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you. But thus much of Anna as She was a Prophetess. Come we now unto her Family, concerning which it is storied here that She was the Daughter of Phanuel, of the Tribe of Aser. As touching the Name Phanuel, it may seem to have come at first from the Name of that Place which jacob so termed, whenas he had wrestled with an Angel. For that which in some Translations is there termed Peniel, the Vulgar translates Phanuel, and it signifies as much as the Countenance, or Face of God, whereupon jacob so termed that place. And jacob, t Gen. 32.30. saith the Scripture, called the name of the Place Peniel: for said he, I have seen God face to face, and my Life is preserved. Who this Phanuel here spoken of was, is now uncertain unto us, but it is likely he was in those days well known to all the People, and well might Anna here have been the Daughter of a Phanuel, who saw our Saviour Christ thus, and consequently God himself, Face to face. Concerning the Tribe of Aser, whereof her Family was, it was none of the meanest among the Twelve. jacob prophesying of that Tribe: Concerning Aser, u Gen. 49.20. saith he, his Bread shall be fat, and he shall give Pleasures for a King. His Bread shall be fat, that is, he should have Plenty of Corn, and by Giving Pleasures for a King were meant rare and precious Things that were to grow in his Country. Moses in Deuteronomy speaks of this Tribe a little more fully. Asher, x Deut. 33.24 saith he, shall be blessed with Children, he shall be acceptable to his Brethrens, & shall dip his Foot in Oil. Thy shoes shall be Iron and Brass, and thy strength shall continued as long as thou livest. Where first by Being blessed with Children, his Abundance of People was understood: by his acceptableness to his Brethrens, the sober and quiet disposition of all for the most part of that Tribe: by Dipping the Foot in Oil, the Plenty of that Liquor, whereof there was in those days so much use: by Iron, & Brass, those two Minerals in their Country more than in all the Tribes beside: by Continuing of his Strength as long as he should live, the fresh and lively hue of a many in that Tribe when as they should come to great Age. Like as Cyrus y Tully de Senect. said in Xenophon, that he found himself as strong in his Age, as he had been in his Youth: or Moses in z Deut. 34.7. Deuteronomy, who being an hundred and twenty years old, yet his eye was not dim, nor his natural Force abated: or Caleb in joshua who speaking of himself, I, a Josh. 14.10. saith he, am this day fourscore & five year old, and yet am as strong at this time, as I was when Moses sent me, as strong as I was then, so strong am I now, either for war, or for Government. Now her Age is intimated here to be more by much than Calebs' was. She had been a Widow within a year, as long as Caleb was old. She had been a married Wife the space of Seven years. It is likely that before she was married, she was some Sixteen or thereabouts, so that she must need be above an Hundred. An Age which howsoever came short of the Ancient before her, according to that of b Gen. 47.9. jacob: The whole time of my Pilgrimage is an hundred and thirty years: c He that hath been long at Sea in Storms and Tempests, & hath never arrived at a safe Port, cannot say that he hath sailed much, but that he hath been long tossed with a Tempest: In like manner he that hath lived long in the Crosses of this Life, cannot say that his Life hath been long, but that he hath continued long in the waves of this World H●st. of Lewis the eleventh l. 10 p 112. Translat by M Grymeston. few & evil have the days of my Life been, and I have not attained to the years of the Life of my Fathers, in the days of their Pilgrimages: yet by those Few among many Millions that usually come to that Age, we may conceive what a Blessing it was to Anna here in this place. Nay what a Blessing it was to her whole Tribe. For if so be among all the Curses threatened to old Eli, this in particular was one, d 1 Sam. 2.31. Behold the Days come that I will cut of thine Arm, and the Arm of thy Father's House that there shall not be an old man in thy House, meaning indeed nor Man, nor Woman. I, and the words are doubled e V 32. again, There shall not be an old Man in thy House for ever: how singular a Blessing was it, that there was One thus Aged in this Tribe, and as the World perhaps then went, of the greatest Age that was. The Beauty of young Men, f Prov 20.29. saith Solomon, is their Strength, and the Glory of the Aged is the Grey Head. I, concerning Grey Hairs, it was the Commandment of God himself, g Leu. 19.32. Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, & honour the Person of the old Man. A point which the Athenians knew full well it should be done, but the Lacedæmonians put it in practice, and let Scholars take heed, it be not said of them as was said of those Athenians, h Tull. de Senect. Scire quae recta essent, sed facere nolle, I need not English it in this Assembly. But thus much of anna's Condition, of her Family, and of her Age: come we now to her Religion, & that in these Words: And went not out of the Temple, but served God with Fast, and Prayers, night and day. Wherein for our better proceeding, let me First observe unto you, her Piety towards God: then the Manner of it. Her Piety towards God in these Words: And went not out of the Temple: The Manner of it in these: But served God with Fast, and Prayers, night and day. First, concerning the Phrases here, of not Going out of the Temple, & of Serving God Night & Day: that is, Continually (for so Night, and Day, Day, and Night, sometimes signify) I have showed you i David's Desire, Ser. 1. p. 23. heretofore out of l Lyra & Beda in hunc loc. Lyra, & out of Bede, how the Words are to be taken. Not that She was in the Temple always, and never absent, not not an Hour, but as we say of a good Student, that he is never out of his Study, who is most necessarily notwithstanding to be out of it a many times. So the Apostle St Paul unto the Colossians, We give thanks m Coloss. 1.3 saith he, to God even the Father of our Lord jesus Christ, always praying for you. And n Ver. 9 again, We cease not to pray for you. And so to the Ephesians, o Ephes. 1.16. I cease not to give thanks for you. And this our Evangelist St Luke speaking of our Saviour's Disciples, after they had seen him carried up into heaven: They returned p Luk. 24.52. saith he, to jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the Temple praising, and lauding God. But now concerning her Piety here, And went not out of the Temple. The Temple here spoken of, was the Temple of jerusalem, that glorious and famous Temple, so much renowned in holy Scripture. This indeed was God's House wherein it pleased him to devil, and whosoever made Prayers unto him, repaired commonly to this place. Nay the Praying of the People but q 1. King 8.44. towards this place, when they were in warfare, or in r Dan. 6.10. Exile, and could by no means come unto it, even that was sufficient enough to procure them Blessings from the Lord. Hitherto than it was that this Widow did repair, here She spent her whole time, it is likely there was no Sacrifice here, either Morning, or Evening Sacrifice (and Morning and Evening Sacrifices were to be performed every s Numb. 28.4. day) but She made herself Partaker of them, as also of the Prayers here made. She remembered no doubt to this Purpose the words of David, t Psal. 84.1. O how amiable are thy Dwellings, thou Lord of Hosts. My Soul hath a desire, & longing to enter into the Courts of the Lord, my heart and my Flesh rejoice in the living God. Blessed are they that devil in thy House, they will be always praising thee. One day in thy Courts is better than a thousand. And again in another place, a Place not unknown unto you, u Psal. 27.4. One thing have I desired of the Lord, which I will require, even that I may devil in the House of the Lord, all the days of my Life, to behold the fair beauty of the Lord, and to visit his Temple. I, and which is more, considering the Times that now were, She could not be ignorant how in respect of the many Abuses in this Temple, this House was now made a x Mat. 21.13. Den of thieves, the Faithful City become an y Esay 1.21. Harlot, her Silver become Dross, her Wine mixed with Water, and yet Anna for all this would by no means turn Recusant. Not, She rather practised that at those times, which this Infant taught long after, z Mat. 23.2. The Scribes, and the Pharisees sit in Moses seat. All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do, but after their Works do not. And yet there were in those Days to, that * Mat. 23.15. compassed Sea and Land, to make one of their Profession, but they taught not as our Priests and jesuits do, that they should refrain from going to Church. Especially not to go in one Kingdom, and yet to go in an Other, as for example to go to Church in a Mr Charles Paget at my being in France was asked in my hearing, by an English Gentlem●n a Pap st, whether it were lawful for a Catholic to go to Church in England. His answer was, that though himself did not go, yet he saw not but a Catholic might. For when I was, saith he, in Scotland, and demanded of a jesuit there, the self-same Question, (in behalf of Some of my Friends in England) his Answer was, they might not: to whom when I, saith he, replied again, that he, and his Fellows gave le●…e in Scotland, of my own knowledge, to go to Church there: It is true, saith he, so we do, for Going to Church here in Scotland, is not Signum Distinctivum, as in England it is. But why it should be in England, and why not in Scotland; neither could I then learn, neither do I think, saith he, he was able to tell. Since that time, I have read the Distinction in Owlet, from whom (it may seem) the jesuit had it. Owlets Reasons for not going to Church. Rat. 3. Scotland among the Protestant's there, but in England by no means, Signum distinctivum, was not thought of in those days. But to return unto our Widow. Cardinal Baronius in his Annals would prove her to be a Nun, and that by the Testimony of St Cyrill. Indeed St Cyrils Interpreter calls her in Latin Monialis, and Monialis so signifies, but how truly in that word he expresseth the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the word which St Cyrill useth, is a matter of much doubt, concerning which I refer the Learned to that which b Vid. Casaubon. Exercit. 1. c 23. p. 117. & Exercit. 2. c. 13. p. 190. Casaubon hath observed, and written thereupon. But such as are troubled with the c Lurida praeterea fiunt, quae cunque tuentur Arquati. Lucret. l. 4. Yellow jaundice, deem all things they look upon to be yellowish, those which are sick of the Disease the Physicians call Hyposphagma, imagine that all things they see are bloody and read, and so our Romanists if they but look on Anna, they descry her presently for a Nun: if on Elias, and St john Baptist, they must immediately be Monks, no remedy. Anna by all likelihood was no Nun, but we are sure she was a Widow, and by that which hath been spoken, you see how devout a Widow she was. Thus much then of anna's Piety, come we now to the Manner of it: But served God with Fast, and Prayers, Night and Day. Of Fasting, and of Prayer apart, I have spoken, you know, d Days dial Lect. 10. & 11. elsewhere, now am I to speak of them both together. Prayer is good e Tob. 12.8. saith Toby, with Fasting, and Alms, and Righteousness: and there is f Mat. 17.21. saith our Saviour, a kind of Devil, that goeth not out, but by Prayer, and Fasting. Two are better than one g Eccles. 4.9. saith the Preacher: for they have better Wages for their Labour. And If two, h Ver. 11. saith he, sleep together then shall they have heat: but to one how should there be heat? And if one overcome him, two shall stand against him, and a threefold cord is not easily broken. Thus it is with Fasting and Prayer. Fasting i Chrysost. ad Pop. Anti. Hom. 71. saith St Chrysostom, makes us of Men to become Angels, and it fights with spiritual Powers, Sed non per se: opus enim est & Oratione, & Oratione primò: but not by itself alone, for need it hath of Prayer to help it, & especially of Prayer. Hence that of S. jerom, Fasting l jeiunium non perfecta Virtus. sed caeterarum virtutum Fundamentum est. Hieron. ad Demetriad. saith he, is no perfect Virtue, but a Foundation of all other. And writing to Celantia: Think not m Cave ne si ieiunare, aut abstinere coeperis te putes iam esse Sanctam. Haec enim Virtus adiumentum est, non perfectio Sanctitatis, Hieron. ad Celant. saith he, that thou art holy when thou hast begun to fast, for this Virtue of Fasting is only an Help to Holiness, not a Perfection thereof. And therefore the Son of Syrach: He that washeth himself because of a dead Body, and toucheth it again, what availeth his washing? So is it with a Man n Ecclus. 34.27. saith he, that fasteth for his Sins, & committeth them again: who will hear his Prayer? or what doth his Fasting help him? But it may seem, Beloved, somewhat unseasonable to speak of Fasting now at this time. Dun de jeiunio disputo o Ambros. de Heliae & jejune. c. 12. saith S. Ambros, strepitus audio Conviviorum: while I speak of Fasting, I hear the clattering of Dishes about mine Ears: and how soever CHRISTMAS HOSPITALITY hath far lesser Friends in England, than She had wont to have, yet some She hath in some Places, and the Poor I trust so find it. Thus much then of our widows Piety, as also of the Manner of it, come we now to her Words, and Testimony she gave of our Saviour Christ, & that in the Eight and thirtieth verse, and that in these words: She then coming at the same instant upon them confessed likewise the Lord, and spoke of him to all that looked for Redemption in jerusalem. Prophetaverat Simeon p Ambros. in Luc. c. 2. saith S. Ambrose, prophetaverat Virgo, prophetaverat copulata Coniugio, debuit etiam Vidua, ne qua aut Professio deesset, aut Sexus. First Simeon he had prophesied, the Virgin Mary she had prophesied, Elizabeth that was Married, had prophesied to, it was requisite next of all that a Widow also should prophesy, lest any one of any Condition, or of either Sex should have been wanting. What it was that Anna prophesied, is not expressed unto us in particular, only it is here said in general, that She confessed the Lord, & spoke of him to all that looked for Redemption in jerusalem. It is in the Original, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: and our Last Translation renders it, She gave thanks unto the Lord: no doubt, for she had now seen the Lords Anointed in this sort. Nor so only, but She spoke of him to, to all that looked for Redemption in jerusalem. And 〈…〉 〈…〉 dum non vidimus Christum, videmur ei dum facta legimus interest. Now thanks be given unto the Gospel, by means whereof, we that have not seen with our Eyes, Christ his Coming into the World, seem Present with him notwithstanding while we read therein his Deeds. Did Anna then thus Prophesy upon so small a Sight of our Saviour? His Nativity was nothing to his Life, nor his Life to his Passion, nor his Passion to his Resurrection, and therefore the Apostle S. Paul, If Christ, h 1. Cor. 15.17 saith he, be not raised, your Faith is vain, ye are yet in your Sins. And so they which are asleep in Christ, are perished. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and is made the First Fruits of them that sleep, and who were the First Trumpets of those Tidings to the World, but Women, silly Women, they were the Apostles to the Apostles, as S. Bernard i Missae ab Angelo opus faciunt Evangelistae factaeque Apostolae Apostolorum, dum festinant ad an nunciandum manè misericordiam Domini. Bernard. super Cantic. Ser. 75. Col. 2. p. 179. speaketh of them. Concerning her Family as it was of a great Tribe, so may it teach them that come of high Parentage, & have the world at will, how to advance with their Wealth, and Revenues, the glorious Gospel of this Infant. It was an excellent saying of a worthy Writer: Adiuvistis Viduae nascentis Evangelij Primordia, tueamini Functionem vestram quam semel occupastis. O ye Widows, l Erasm. de Vid. Christ. Tom. 5. p. 603. saith he, you were chief Helpers when as the Gospel first began, go forward in that Function wherein Women of your sort have begun. Those which are Lobourers in the Lord's Harvest, let them partake of your Store, and do them such other Offices as is convenient for you to do. True it is, there is not (Thanks be to God) now adays, such need of helping those, that are Labourers in God's Harvest, especially in our Land: they have Live, Some of them, thick and threefold, & they are, a Many, most worthy of them, but though Some have in abundance, Some others again may want, who may very well say as it is in the m Luk. 16.3. Gospel, they cannot Dig, and to Beg they are ashamed. I understand, n Mountaignes' Essays, l. 1. c. 34 saith a worthy French man, to the infamous Reproach of our Age, that even in our Eyes, two most excellent Men in knowledge, have miserably perished for want of Food, and other Necessaries, LILIUS GYRALDUS in Italy, and SEBASTIAN CASTALIO, in Germany. And I verily believe, saith he, there are many Thousands, who had they known, or understood their wants, would either have sent for them, and with large Stipends entertained them, or have conveyed unto them some succour where ever they had been. So indeed are we all affected, when it is to late, and the Time hath past us. o Horat. Carm. l. 3. Od. 24. Virtutem incolumem odimus, Sublatam ex oculis quaerimus invidi. Caesar could weep when Pompey was dead and gone, — p Lucan. l. 9 Tutumque putavit jam bonus esse Socer. Whereas but a Tear in Pompey's life time might have preserved Pompey, & himself too. Howbeit here we are to be very careful that we yield our furtherance to true Learning, otherwise if it be Learning that hath a POPE in the Belly of it, I, or a Marprelate either, we may chance to do but as the Bird doth (some call it the Titling) that q Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 10. c. 6. hatcheth the Cuckoo's Eggs, our Kindness may cut our own Throats, or which is worse, the Throat of the Church. But I come to our Widows Age. Her Age, as it was exceeding great, so was it exceeding Religious too. Her Body, r Cum Corpori: agnoscere● Senectutem, Pietatis tamen nesciret aetatem. Ambr. de Vid. p. 142. saith S. Ambrose, was old, but her Devotion as young as ever. To teach us the truth of that which Solomon s Prov. 22.6. saith: Teach a Child in the trade of his way, & when he is old, he shall not departed from it. Age, t Prov. 16.31. saith the self same Solomon, is a Crown of Glory, when it is found in the way of Righteousness: And, Verè senectus illa venerabilis, u Ambros. Epist. l. 8. ep. 60. saith S. Ambrose, quae non Canis, sed Meritis albescit: That Age is truly honourable, which is not white so much with grey Hairs, as with good and virtuous Deeds. And such were the Deeds no doubt of this our Widow. It was not with her, as it is with too too many, x Aug. de Verb. Dom. Ser. 36. p. 94. Maior aetate, maior iniquitate: the Elder she waxed, the worse, She was old now, and therefore must keep herself warm at home, let the Younger go to Church. Not She would not hold herself so excused, she would rather be an Example to the younger, that since she went with such readiness, they should go with all cheerfulness. And so I come unto her Piety in that she frequented so much the Temple, and Fasted, and Prayed so much. And indeed without such PIETY what is all we have in this world whereof we are Mistresses. What is Parentage, what is Wealth, what is Honour, what is all? Haman, wicked Haman, when he had all the World at will: Glory of Richeses, and Multitude of Children, & Pre-eminence above the Princes and Servants of the King, and was invited moreover by Hester the Queen, and none but he unto a Banquet to bear the King company: yet all this y Ester. 5.13. saith he, doth nothing avail me, as long as I see Mordecai the jew sitting at the King's Gate. But how much better may we say that without Piety, and Devotion, nothing at all doth indeed avail. Had we Mountains of Silver, and Gold; had we all the Honours of the Earth; had we all the Kingdoms of the World subject to us, & yet had not Piety, we were, to speak in the Apostles z 1. Cor. 13.1. phrase, but as sounding Brass, or tinkling Cymbals. Nay we were just nothing: all this All would profit us nothing. O Death, a Ecclus. 41.1. saith the Son of Syrach, how bitter is the remembrance of thee, to a Man that liveth at rest in his Possessions, unto the Man that hath nothing to vex him, and that hath prosperity in all things? Whereas to the Godly and devout Man, nothing so welcome as Death, Death is to him b Philip. 1.21. advantage. I but our Piety and Devotion must be in the Temple then, it must not be in our Closets only, and privately at home, especially now in these times when the Churches stand open to us, & we may so easily repair unto them. This St Paul knew full well, & therefore though by private Prayer, he were likely to prevail with God as much as any One, yet did he think it much better, both for God's Glory, & his own Good, if c 2. Cor. 1.11. Prayers might be made, and Thanks yielded in his behalf, by a Number of Men. This St Chrysostom knew full well to, and therefore to the Objection made by Some, of Praying at home, as well as at Church: Te Homo decipis d Chrys. de Incomprehens. Dei Natura Hom. 3. saith St Chrysostom, Man, or Woman, who ever thou art, thou deceivest thy own self, and errest intolerably. For howsoever we have opportunity given us of Praying privately at home, yet canst thou by no means pray there so well as thou mayst in the Church, there being in the Church so many Fathers to bear thee company, so many Voices carried up to God, with so happy an association, and joining them together. Much more hath St Chrysostom in that place to that purpose, and there cannot indeed be said too much in regard the Fault of Slackness in coming to Church is so general. It is e Mr Bunnies corner Stone. l. 1. c. 7. § 9 p. 152. noted by a worthy Devine, that whereas the Tabernacle was so little, and the People so many, that God himself made no other reckoning of them, but that Few of them would at any time (to speak of) much regard to visit his Sanctuary, not only not in the way of any true devotion indeed, but also but seldom, howsoever. I trust the Lord of Heaven makes no such reckoning now a days, the rather for he hath provided for us such store of room. But when he hath provided for us in such good sort, and we will be careless notwithstanding, when we 'cause him to sand his Servants about to invite the Poor, and the Maimed, and the Halt, and the Blind, nay to go into the High ways, and Hedges, and to compel them to come in, that his House may be filled: it is a soar Conclusion that there f Luk. 14.24. followeth, I say unto you, that none of those Men which were bidden, shall taste of my Supper. But I come to the last Point remarkable in our Widow, concerning her Thanksgiving, and her Testimony she gave of Christ. And first of her Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving, and Praise, is properly, and peculiarly, a Service of God. It is in a manner all one with Prayer. Though Prayer g Etsi Oratio propriè ad Vota & Preces restringitur, tanta est tamen inter Petitionem, & Gratiarum actionem affinitas, ut commodè sub nomine uno comprehendi queant. Calvin Instit. l. 3. c. 20 §. 28. saith Calvin, properly signifieth only Wishes & Petitions: yet there is so great affinity between Petition & Thanksgiving, that they may be fitly comprehended both under one Name. And hence it is, that the Prophet David joins them both together in one sentence: Call upon me, h Psal. 50.15. saith he, in the time of trouble, so will I hear thee, and thou shalt praise me. Thus Ezechias, thus jonas: The Lord i Esay 38.20. saith Ezechias, was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my song all the days of our life in the House of the Lord. So likewise the Prophet jonas, I, l jonas, 2 4. saith he, am cast away out of thy sight, yet will I look again toward thine holy Temple. And this Beloved, is the cause that so great a part of our Divine Service is spent in Psalms and Hymns, which for the most part comprehend such Praises of God, & Thanksgivings, and to this end & purpose is it, that rather than any other Scripture beside, they are said by interlocution, and with a mutual return of Sentences from side to side by the Minister, and the People. Deum laudare m Casaubon. Exercitat. 14. ad annal Baren. c. 8. p. 325. saith an excellent Wrighter, et quidem formulis e Sacra Pagina depromptis, nemo queat nimis, vel si Dies totas illi Officio Pietatis impenderit. Should we in this sort praise our GOD whole Days, and whole Nights together, it were not sufficient enough. But I know not how it comes to pass, as Satan in former Ages under colour of Long Prayer drove Preaching out of the Church, so we in this Age take the Quarrel of n Vid. Mr Hooker Eccles. Pol. l. 5. § 32. p. 68 Sermons in hand, and revenge their cause by requital, thrusting Prayer in a manner out of doors under colour of long Preaching. But blessed be our Mother the Church, that hath taken such special good order for it, namely that it be not o Constit. and Canons Ecclesiastical. An. 1603. Can. 14. diminished in regard of Preaching, or in any other respect. But to return again unto my Purpose. If this Widow here were thus thankful for our Saviour's Nativity only, & more she saw not, what aught You Yourselves, or we to be for those many Blessings before specified, his Passion, his Death, his Resurrection, his Ascension, seeing what ever was done in these Particulars was done for us, & our Salvation. Nor aught we to content our selves that we ourselves only should thus do, but we must endeavour to be Helps to other, that they may also do the same. It is toto apparent now a days what Popery hath gained in our Land by Female Assistance. It is not unknown how by such means to, Puritanisme conceives in private Parlours. It is p Socrat. Hist. Eccles. l. 4. c. 18. storied of one Pambo, a Religious man of old time, that seeing a Woman gorgeously attired (Such an one by all likelihood as King Solomon speaks of, Prov. 7.10.) fell presently into a weeping, and being demanded the cause he wept: I weep, saith he, for two causes: First, for that Woman there, goes about so industriously her own destruction: Secondly, that I myself do not endeavour with that care to please my God, which she so taketh to please lewd & wicked Men. And surely Beloved, when we q 1. Tim. 5.13. read in St Paul of the Younger Widows in his time, how being idle, they learned to go about from house to house, and that they were prattlers, & Busy Bodies, speaking things which are not comely, and how they may be matched now a days with some such like in some Places, who would not weep as Pambo did that such should be more diligent to serve or Popery, or the Presbytery, than a Many of our own, Religious enough in respect of themselves, otherwise little reckoning whether Religion go forward, or no. Thus if Anna had here done, and contented herself with her own Devotions, what a singular Commendation had she lost, but She Confessed, or Gave thanks unto the Lord, and spoke of him to all that looked for Redemption in jerusalem. Happy Woman! Happy Widow! Wheresoever this Gospel shall be r Mark. 14.5. Preached, this also shallbe published for an everlasting Memorial of her. Great is her Reward in Heaven, but great in Earth also. Many s Prov. 31.29. Daughters have done virtuously, but she surmounted them all. And so, Beloved, have You now seen wherein this Widow of ours was most remarkable. You have seen those several Points beside, wherein it were to be wished that Widows of our days did resemble her. There are I confess of the ancient t Tertul. ad Vxor. l. 1. & 2 & Exhort. ad Cast. & de Monogam. & de jejune. Origen. in Luc. Hom. 17 Hieron. ad Furiam. Fathers, that prescribe her as a Pattern in an other Point beside, namely for Single Marriage, utterly misliking Second Marriages, and consequently Third, and Fourth. Howbeit this is more than can be concluded from my Text, or indeed from any other Scripture whatsoever beside, the Apostle teaching as he doth, that the u 1. Cor 7.29. Wife is bound by the Law, as long as her Husband liveth: but if her Husband be dead, she is at liberty to marry with whom she will, only in the Lord, saith he, that is, x Beza in hunc loc. saith Beza, Religiously, and in the fear of God. The Church of Rome though it be not so far gone as some of the Fathers are in this Point, yet it hobleth a pace after them, & howsoever they make such Marriages to be lawful enough, and tolerable, yet they Honour them never a whit, nay rather they Dishonour them. First, such kind of Marriages with them are not made with the Ring. Secondly, they have not that Blessing given them which the First Marriage had. Thirdly, the Husband that hath been twice married, or that hath married a Widow, could not be capable of Holy Orders. And thus they dignify Holy Matrimony, as did the * Mat. 27.28. Soldiers our Saviour Christ. They put the scarlet Robe of a Sacrament on it, (Marriage with them forsooth is a Sacrament) and yet they spit it in the Face too, it shall not be Sanctified in some Parties, and those twice married Parties that have taken it, shall in no wise betake them to holy Orders. And this is Mother Catholic Church of Rome with whom so many of our English Women are so much enamoured now adays. Thus doth She teach her Followers to stumble at Straws, and leap over Blocks. Married they may be, but if but twice, they shall want these three Benefits: the Ring, Benediction, Orders: Harlots they may have thick and threefold, and with them keep Bishoprics. Can any honest Matron, I say not speak for, but endure that Religion that thus preposterously prefers even Harlots before them? But to stir no more in this Puddle. I come to Second, Third, & Fourth Marriages, and indeed without stint, y Aug. de Bono Viduit. c. 12. it being St Austin's resolution, that he would condemn no Marriages, though never so often iterated, only he required in them that often would marry, a certain kind of Moderation in regard of the Speech of the World, which is prove enough to speak most spitefully of such as have z S. jerom tells us of a Man that had had Twenty Wives who married with a Woman that had had Two & Twenty Husbands. Hieron. ad Geront. de Monogam. buried or many Husbands, or many wives. To draw then towards an end. First, it were to be wished that Widows would keep themselves Widows still. Propemodum, a Ambros. de Vid. p. 175. saith S. Ambrose, non inferioris virtutis est eo abstinere Coniugio quod aliquando delectaverit, quàm Coniugij oblectamenta nescire. It is almost as praiseworthy to abstain from Marriage, the Delights whereof we have formerly known, as to be ignorant of them altogether. Again, Widowhood is an Honourable Estate: Honour Widows, b 1. Tim. 5.3. saith the Apostle, which are Widows indeed, and he spoke it, as S. Ambrose c Ambros. ubi sup. p. 170. notes, to Timothy that was a Bishop. Nay more, it is a Blessed Estate, so saith the same Apostle, who when he had said, as I told you before, The Wife is bound by the Law, as long as her Husband liveth, but if her Husband be dead, she is at liberty to marry with whom she will, only in the Lord: he immediately addeth: d 1. Cor. 7.40. But she is more Blessed if she so abide. Indeed Moore Blessed, for She is not so cumbered now with worldly Cares: She hath not an Husband to please now, perhaps a cruel Lamech, perhaps a churlish Nabal, perhaps One that is worse than both these, I mean such an One, as is possessed with the e Num. 5.14. Spirit of jealousy. Howsoever: The f Eccles, 3.5. Time of embracing is now past, and the Time is come to be far from embracing. The Unmarried Woman, g 1. Cor. 7.34. saith the Apostle, that is, the Widow, careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in Body, and in Spirit. And therefore Fulgentius, Let them, h Fulgent de Statu Viduat. p 464. saith he, hold themselves fast to their Husbands, who are bound unto them in Wedlock Bands: as for the Widow, She is to say with the Prophet David, It is good for me to hold me fast by God, to put my trust in the Lord God. And therefore S. Ambrose to Such as had Children, and needs would marry again: O my Daughter, i Tu Filia quid moliris? Cur Haeredes quaeris extraneos, cum habeas tuos? Non Filios desideras ques habes, sed servitutem quam non habes. Ambr. de Vid. p. 189. saith he, what is it that thou dost attempt? why dost thou seek Foreign Heirs, when as thou hast Heirs of thine own? Thou desirest not Children for those thou hast, but thou desirest a Servitude, and that indeed thou hast not. And again a little after: Thou wilt bring forth more Children, l Generare Liberos vis non Fratres futuros tuorum, sed Adversarios Filiorum. Quid est ergo generare alios Liberos, nisi spoliare quos habes Liberos? Quibus pariter auferuntur & Pietatis Officia, & Compendia Facultatum. Ambros. Ib. saith he, not to be the Brothers of those thou hast, but their Adversaries. And what is it then to bring forth more Children, but to spoil those thou hast already: whom thou dost not bereave only of thy Motherly affection, but of thy Goods too. Howbeit seeing Widows are not all of one metal, and All as m Mat, 19.11. speaks our Saviour, cannot receive this thing, that is, abstain from Marriage, save they to whom it is given, such as like that Estate so well, and will needs betake themselves once more to those much desired, but dangerous Seas, let them take with them these few Caveats, and then sail forwards, and spare not. First, that they match with their Equals as near as may be, both in Condition of State of Life, as also in Years. They that marry their Inferiors, and all for they would control, not be controlled themselves, found perhaps ere long, that they made but a wrong Match. Or if they do not in that kind, and they have the Mastery as they wish, yet let them remember that they can never Master him, who will call them to sharp Accounts for the words he spoke to Eve, and consequently to them, which they so much neglect, Thy desire shall be subject to thine Husband, and he shall rule over thee, Gen. 3.16. Secondly, that they that have Children, or are like to have by Second Matches, beware how they come where n Si evenerit ut ex secundo Marito habeas. Filios, domestica ●ritur pugna, intestinum praelium Non licebit tibi amare Liberos, nec aequis aspicere oculis, quos genuisti. Clam porriges Cib●s, invidebit Mortu●, & nisi ode●is Filios, adhuc eorum amare videberis Patrem. Hieron. ad Furiam de Viduitat. Servand. Again, Superinducit Mater Filiis non Nutritium sed Hostem, non Parentem, sed Tyrannum. Hieron. Ibid. Children are already, or are like to be. The very Name of a Stepmother is a great Prejudice to all good Offices she shall ever endeavour to perform. And that Woman that can carry herself in just and equal terms, between her former Children, and her Children in Law, and those which she hath by a New Husband (I say not She shall be able, but If, If she be) she shall deserve by so doing, to be the Miracle of her Sex, and the Wonder of Womenkind. Thirdly, that they that have their children's Portions in their Hands, beware in any wise how they put them into the Hands of their Husbands to be. If so be they die before those Husbands (as who doth know but that they may) it is the Observation of a worthy o Mr Dr. Ridly. View of the Civil, and Ecclesiastical Laws. p. 221. Civilian, that by the Common Law of our Land (& the Common Law is now adays all in all) there is no Remedy against the Second Husband to recover the said Portions, because he is neither Executor, nor Administrator, & because he came not to those Goods by wrong, but by the delivery of the Executrix with whom he married. Fourthly, that having this World's Good in much abundance, they match with such as are known unto them, to be both Virtuous, and Religious, so shall they not see that, which is oftentimes seen now adays, spent in a Moment which their thrifty former Husbands were a gathering many years. As for the Custom of Some again, who (supposing to prevent this) make over their State to a Friend in trust, before they join themselves to another Husband, it is a treacherous kind of dealing, and far unbeseeming a Virtuous Matron. Frost, and Fraud have ever a fowl end. Fiftly, and Lastly, that making choice of such Unthrifts, as they will needs betake themselves unto, notwithstanding all good Counsel to the contrary, they lay not the fault on God, or say they were Ordained thereunto. Whiles it remained, p Act. 5 4. saith S. Peter in another case, appertained it not unto thee? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? how is it that thou hast conceived this thing in thine heart? Indeed it is their Hearts that thus conceive, and have deceived them, and they must thank themselves for it, and therefore Tertullian, Cum quod in more potes, q Tertul. Apolog. p. 720. saith he, nisi velim non potes, iam meae Voluntatis est quod potes, non tuae Potestatis. That which thou art able to do unto me, if thou art not able at all, unless I be willing also, it is not an Ability now in thee, as a willingness in myself. And indeed it is we ourselves give way to the Tempter, by setting the Doares of our Hearts wide open, who otherwise should stand without, as not able of his own power to draw so much as the Latch. But enough at this time. Only, let all and every of us now pray, that whereas Anna here so much spoken of, lived a Widow so long, our ANNA, our Gracious ANNA, may (if God be so pleased) live a Wife as long, and Wife to HIM who now lives, and long, O Lord, may he live, even till this Infant here come again, the Subject of anna's Speech. Not as he was brought into the Temple here in Swaddling Bands, but as he shall come again with Glory, and descend from heaven with a r 1. Thess. 4.16 Shout, and with the voice of the Archangel, and with the Trumpet of God. At what time, the Dead in Christ shall rise first. Than shall we which live, and remain, be caught up with them also in the Clouds, to meet the Lord in the Air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. The same Lord so bless us, and the Seed that hath been sown, etc. NEIGHBOURHOOD. Easter Day April. 9 1615. Intent none Hurt against thy Neighbour, seeing he doth devil without fear by thee. PROV. 3.29. I See, you see, at what I aim. I may say as did St Bernard, a Bernard super Cantic. Ser. 15. p. 132. Col. 1. Credo vos praevolare, & scire iam quid dicere velim. I verily believe, you know already, what it is I intent to speak of. Indeed it is of NEIGHBOURHOOD. You shall have God willing at this time a Sermon of Neighbourhood, I could wish it might be said, of Good Neighbourhood, a Good Sermon. Men, and brethren, Right Worshipful, and dearly Beloved in our Saviour Christ. Divers and sundry have been the Particulars wherein I have spoken unto you heretofore, according to your several Sorts, & States, and Conditions of Life. I have spoken to Husbands, and to their Wives; spoken to Parents, and to their Children; spoken to Masters, and to their Servants; spoken to Virgins; spoken to Widows; and to every of these in particular, at several times. I purpose at this time to speak to you ALL, for you are all of you Neighbours: You are not all of you, or Husbands, or Parents, or Masters; or Wives, or Children, or Servants; or Virgins, or Widows; but Neighbours you are all. The greater care I trust will all, & every of you now take, to that which at this time shall be spoken, and by so much the more, be the more attentive, by how much a common Good is intended unto you all. The Words I have choose (you see) to this purpose, are the words of wise King Solomon, or indeed of a wiser than Solomon, they are the Words of GOD himself. Who howsoever he did not writ them here, as he did the two Tables of Stone, Digito, with his b Exod 31.18. Finger, yet did he prompt them to King Solomon, Spiritu, by his holy Spirit, & made Him as it were the Penman and Publisher of the same. The Words themselves are plain enough, there is no difficulty in them at all: I may say of them, and of King Solomon, as St Austen c Aug. Hom. 29. p. 334. spoke of Esay, and of some of his Words: Manifestè dixit, nec Expositorem habent ista necessarium, sed Factorem: King Solomon speaks in this place plainly and manifestly enough, nor do these words of his want so much an Interpreter, as a Practiser of the same. Howbeit for the plainest Words in Holy-writ, if so be they be discoursed upon, will afford us much more Matter than we could otherwise have thought of, like as spices being beaten small, smell sweeter, and stronger, than when they be whole & unbroken, let us fall to discourse of these Words, & see the Particulars to be thence observed, even as if we should come into a d Cic. de Orat. l. 1. Wardrobe, and seeing some excellent Pieces folded up, we would be desirous for our better view thereof, to have than unfolded to us more at large. First and Foremost then, for our better proceeding I observe in these Words two Points. First, an Instruction given unto us: Secondly, a Reason of the same. The Instruction is in these words, Intent none hurt against thy Neighbour: the Reason in these: Seeing he doth devil without fear by thee. In the Instruction I shall note unto you. First by Neighbour here, who is specially meant: Secondly, the Hurt forbidden here to be intended, what it is. In the Reason I shall observe, First, for that our Neighbour here is said to devil by us, The Benefit of having a Neighbour dwelling at any time near unto us. Secondly, in that it is said, he dwells by us without fear, His beginning of Kindness to us in that he distrusts us not. Of every of these in their order, & First of the Neighbour here specially meant: Intent none hurt against thy Neighbour. I am not ignorant that the Vulgar reads in this place, Amico tuo: Intent no hurt against thy Friend: Arias Montanus, Socium tuum: Intent no hurt against thy Fellow, the word in the Original signifying e Vid. Scheraei Itinerar. Num. 1036. p. 898. both. Howbeit for it e Vid. Scheraei Itinerar. Num. 1036. p. 898. signifies a Neighbour to, as Ps. 15.3, and Ps. 101.6, hence it is that both this Translation, as also our Last, and Tremellius before them both, hath the word Neighbour here in this place. Now I have showed you f Days Dial Lect. 9 p. 243. elsewhere in what a general signification the word Neighbour is sometimes taken, in regard whereof St Austen g Aug. in Psal. 118. Conc. 8. p. 922. saith, Omnis homo, omni homini proximus: All men are Neighbours to one an other. And h Aug. de Temp. Ser. 221. p. 771. again, Proximus omnis homo; Proximus tuus ille est, qui tecum natus est ex Adam & Eva. Every man is thy Neighbour. He is thy Neighbour, that is born as thou art, of Adam and Eue. And again in a third i Aug. de Temp. Ser. 59 p 500 Vid D. Reyn, Confer. c. 7. Divis. 4. p. 318. place, Proximus omnis homo. Omnes Proximi sumus conditione terrenae Nativitatis, & Mortalitatis, & etiam spe coelestis Haereditatis. Every man is our Neighbour. We are all of us Neighbours, or in respect of our earthly Nativity, or of Mortality, or of the hope we have of heavenly Felicity. He excepts not in regard of earthly Nativity, and Mortality, or jew, or Heretic, or Pagan. The like he hath in a l Aug. in Psal. 25. Praefat. in Enarrat. 2. Preface of his upon the Five and twentieth Psalm. But this is not the Neighbourhood here specially meant in this place. This Sense, and Meaning is to general. An other Neighbourhood in holy Scripture is in regard of some certain Nation, when as the whole People in general may be said to be Neighbours, to one an other. So was the Nation of the jews. m Act. 7.27. And therefore St Stephen in the Acts of the Apostles relating that falling out that was between two Israelites, and how Moses would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren: why do ye wrong one to an other? He, m Act. 7.27. saith St Stephen, that did his Neighbour wrong, thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a Prince, and a judge over us? So Samuel the Prophet to king Saul, The Lord, n 1. Sam. 28.17 saith he, will rend the Kingdom out of thy Hand, and give it thy Neighbour David. So in the o Exod. 20.16 Ninth, and Tenth Commandments. And in this Sense is a Brother taken, Deut. 23.19, as also in the Words before alleged, Sirs ye are brethren, Act. 7.26. But, nor this is the Neighbourhood, here meant in this place. This Sense & Meaning, though not so general as was the Former, yet is it to general to. A third kind of Neighbourhood in holy Scripture, is in regard of those that devil near us, or at the leastwise not far of, and commonly in the self same Street. Hence Vicinus the Latin Word, which signifieth a Neighbour: and Vicinia, and Vicinitas, Neighbourhood, of Vicus, a Street. So is Proximus, a Neighbour to, though q Tully ad Attic. l. 2. ep. 14. Tully, & r Plaut. Merc. Act. 2 Sc. Pentheum. Plautus both, join Vicinus, & Proximus both together. And such may be the Neighbourhood here meant in this place, namely the Neighbourhood, and Nighness of Such as devil in the self same Street, or in the self-same Parish that we do. I say in the self-same Parish, for that howsoever Parishes, as they be now a days, were not thought of in King Salomons time, but were devised long after by St Denys a s Vid. Archbishop Whitgifts Defence of the Answer to the Admonit. Tract. 5. c. 2 Divis. 7. p. 249. Bishop of Rome, about the year of our Lord God 267, & consequently could not properly be understood here in this place, yet since Parishes contain in them such a nighness as Neighbourhood doth, & have so many special sundry Ties to unite the People of them one with an other, as the same Church, the same Prayers, the self same hour of Prayer: the same Word, the same Sacraments, the self same Pastor of their Souls, hence it is that there being no nearer a Neighbourhood, then of dwelling together in one Parish, all PARISHIONERS especially, may be meant in these words. SCHOLARS also among themselves may be said to have a Neighbourhood: & that which one Street, or one Parish is to you, the same is one House, or one College unto them. There may they friendly talk together, and communicate their Studies each with other, in regard whereof S. Austen wrote upon a time unto S. jerom, t Aug. ep. 12. p. 37. O si licuisset etsi non cohabitante, saltem Vicino te in Domino perfrui ad crebrum & dulce Colloquium. I would to God, saith S. Austen, it were my hap, if not to enjoy your Company in one and the self same House, yet that we might be nigh Neighbours, that so we might often & sweetly confer together. But I know not how our Genius now a days is quite averse from such Conference. Every one now will follow his own course, & direct himself in his own Studies. And whereas there are of the Papists that defend free-will in words, but practise Blind Obedience: we indeed will not defend free-will, but yet will practise it in our Actions. Epicurus like we will be beholding to u Ego debe● Nulli. H. S of himself, as Mr Parker relateth of him in his Book De descensu ad Inferos Epist. Caendido Lectori. no man, but pick out all from our finger's ends, Ita metuimus, as Tully x Tully de Natura Deor. l. 1. spoke of him, ne quid unquam didicisse videamur. But to return unto my Purpose. You have seen, Beloved, in the First place, who by Neighbour here, may be specially meant. Come we now unto the Hurt forbidden to be intended, what it is: Intent none hurt against thy Neighbour. The Hurt intimated here in this place, is that Evil the Prophet David speaks of, Psal. 15.1. who having asked the Question there, Lord who shall devil in thy Tabernacle, or, who shall rest upon thy holy Hill, answereth himself with his own words, y Psal. 15.5. He that hath used no deceit in his Tongue, nor done Evil to his Neighbour, and hath not slandered his Neighbours. Now Malum, Evil in that place, and Hurt in this, may be in three respects. In respect of the Evil, or Hurt, that may be done to our Neighbour's BODY; in respect of the Evil, or Hurt, that may be done to our Neighbour's GOODS; and in respect of the Evil, or Hurt, that may be done to our Neighbours GOOD NAME. First concerning the Body, it is that which next unto the Soul, is to be esteemed of most of all. This Body of ours, z Tertul. de Anima, c. 30. p. 573. saith Tertullian, is in Plato's opinion the Prison of the Soul (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) howbeit the Apostle S. Paul calls it, the Temple of God when it is in Christ jesus: his meaning is, when it is baptised into Christ. The same Tertullian in another place, calls it the a Quid Anima invides Carni? Nemo tam proximus tibi, quem post Dominum diligas: nemo magis Frater tuus [quàm] qui tecum etiam in Deo nascitur. Tertul de Resurrect. Carnis. p. 65. Brother of the Soul, borne (as it were) at one birth. b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Cyril. Hierosol. Catech. 4. p. 91. S. Cyrill, he calls it the Instrument, and as it were the Garment of the Soul, c Greg. Nyssen. de Resurrect. Christi. Orat. 3. p. 167. Gregory Nyssen the Souls Companion. I, and Plato himself as d Theodoret. ad Graec. Infid, Ser. 5. p. 71. Theodoret observes, having clean forgotten, what he had e Plato in Cratyl●. formerly said concerning the Bodies being a Prison, speaks in another f Plato de Rep. place quite contrary, and shows that the Body is to be cared for, in regard of that Harmony which is betwixt it Self, and the Soul. For if so be, we would witness a truth, saith he, it is the Body whereby we live, and whereby we live well. The Body then to be thus esteemed of, what special care aught we to take, lest our Neighbour's Body should be endamaged, or by ourselves, or by any other. This it was that when time was, made Moses so meek a Man, even the g Num 12.3. Meekest upon the Earth, so wrathful as he was, who when he saw an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, he h Exod. 2.11. slew the Egyptian outright, and when afterwards he saw two Hebrews strive, as you heard even now, he said to him that did the wrong, i Ver. 13. Wherhfore smitest thou thy Fellow? Or, as it is related by S. Stephen, Sirs, ye are Brethrens why do ye wrong one to another? As if he had said: Have you not Enemies enough beside, but that you must thus brangle with yourselves? Is all Egypt with you at odds, & will you be at odds with one another? Is it not enough that you are both in Bondage here, in Egypt, the House of Bondage, nay in this Iron m Deut. 4.20. 1 King. 8.51 jer. 11.4. Furnace, but that you will needs thus wrangle, l Act. 7.26. & add more affliction to yourselves? Sirs, ye are Brethrens, why do ye wrong one to another? Or, as Moses himself relateth it, n Exod. 2.13. Wherhfore smitest thou thy Fellow? As if he had said: Be it he provoked thee by a Word, nothing presently but Blows? Say he is Unjust, wilt thou be ungodly? Say he is a Slanderer, wilt thou be a Murderer? I, our Saviour unto S. Peter, that drew his Sword in the justest Quarrel that ever was, or was like to be, Put up thy sword into his place, o Mat. 26.51. saith he, for all that take the Sword, shall perish with the Sword. And therefore was it Moses Law in the Book of p Exod. 21.24 Exodus, Eye for Eye, Tooth for Tooth, Hand for Hand, Foot for Foot, Burning for Burning, Wound for Wound, Stripe for Stripe: or as it is more plainly in Leviticus: q Leu. 24.20. If a Man cause any blemish in his Neighbour, as he hath done, so shall it be done to him: Breach for Breach, Eye for Eye, Tooth for Tooth, such a Blemish as he hath made in any, such shall be repaid to him. They were Samuels words to Agag, r 1. Sam. 15.33 As thy sword hath made many Women childless, so shall thy Mother be childless among other Women. And Adonibezek of himself, Threescore and ten Kings, s judg. 1.7. Last Translat. saith he, having their Thumbs, and their great Toes cut off, gathered their meat under my Table: as I have done, so God hath requited me. It was an excellent observation of the Wisdom of Solomon: Because of the foolish devises of their wickedness, t Wisd. 11.13. saith he, wherewith they were deceived, and worshipped Serpents, that had not the use of Reason, and vile Beasts, thou sendedst a multitude of unreasonoble Beasts upon them for a vengeance, that they might know that wherewith a Man sinneth, by the same also shall he be punished. Thus the Sodomites, as u Chrysost. ad Pep. Antioch. Hom. 19 S. Chrysostom observes having found out a barren or fruitless way of Procreation, had a punishment inflicted on their Land that made it Barren ever after. And thus the Daughter of Herodias, that by her Dancing had bereaved john Baptist of his Head, was herself as she went on the Ice, bereaved of her own Head, which seavered from the Body, danced, as x Niceph. Eccles. Hist. l. 1. c. 20. saith Nicephorus, upon the self same Ice. But thus much of the Body, come we now to our Neighbour's Goods. Which are so appropriated to our Neighbour, as but the Desire thereof, much more the Procuring them unto us without his good leave and liking, is with the Lord our God a deadly sin. Witness the Tenth Commandment of not so much as y Exod. 20.17 coveting our Neighbour's Goods, the Lord commanding therein, that we abstain not only from all Actual wrong, but even from the Motions thereunto. But to let the Motions pass, consider we the Act of Stealing, & by the Punishment thereof, acknowledge the heinousness of the Fault. The Punishment, you know, by our Laws is no less than Death itself, and how many Thousands have the Assizes of our Land cut of in that case. True it is, it was not so by Moses Law, the Children of Israel were not to die for it. Only they were to make, or a a Exod. 22.4. Twofold in some Cases, or a b V 1. Fourfold in some, or in some other a Fivefold, or as King Solomon c Prov. 6,31. speaks, a Seavenfold Restitution. If the Delinquent were not able, then was he to be sold for his Thoft. Howbeit King David besides a Restitution, and that Fourfold, assigned e 2. Sam. 12.5. Death to, in the Poor man's Case, though there are that take his meaning to be, not that the Rich man should have f Vid. P. Martyr. in 2. Sam. 12.5. died for it, but that he was worthy of Death only. But howsoever that be, certain it is, it is Death with us, and though it oftentimes so fall out that the Stealth is unknown to Man, & consequently unpunished, yet can it by no means be hid from God, who hath ever in this case a most watchful Eye. He that planted the Ear g Ps. 94 9 saith David, shall he not hear? Or he that made the Eye, shall he not see? Yes, he knew it full well by his own Experience, and therefore said in an other place, h Ps. 139.1. O Lord thou hast searched me out, and known me: thou knowest my down sitting, and my uprising, thou understandest my thoughts long before. Thou art about my path, & about my Bed, and spyest out all my ways. And again a little after, i Ver. 10. If I say, peradventure the Darkness shall cover me, then shall my Night be turned to Day. Yea, the Darkness is no Darkness with thee, but the Night is as clear as the Day, the Darkness and Light to thee are both alike. Nay let us consider but some Creatures, and Darkness l Tenebrae non omnibus Creaturis obscurum faciunt. Arnob in Ps. 138. saith Arnobius, is not obscure to all of them. Some there are that Sceva, some that Fly in the dark, how much more may Darkness be evident to him, whose Eyes are ten thousand times brighter than the Sun, as speaks the Son of m Ecclus. 23.19. Syrach, beholding all the ways of Men, and the ground of the Deep, and considereth the most secret parts. But it is not enough not to take our Neighbour's Goods without his good leave and liking, but in some Cases we aught not to take them; though he seem contented to give them to us, much less to bind him by Bond unto it. I mean when he gives them to us by way of Use, or Interest, or Rent, or by what Name & Title soever, * Many & excellent are the Treatises that have been written against Usury, as of B. jewel, Dr Wilson, & Others, but that of M Fenton's, in my opinion surpasseth them all, by reason he answereth all that may be alleged out of Caluin, and other Divines in the Reformed Churches. l. 2. c. 6. 7. VSURY is or may be called. For you are to know that our Usurers are not like the Macedonians, of whom Philip their King was wont to n Plutarch. Apoptheg. say that they were plain & blunt Fellows, & called Ligonem Ligonis nomine, a Spade, a Spade. Not, they resemble the People of Bengala rather, who are so much afraid of Tigers, as that they dare not call them Tigers, but give them some other gentle Names. The reason is, saith the Relator, Ne si propriam Nomenclaturam tribuant, continuò dilacerentur: if they should give them their own Names, they are afraid they should immediately be torn in pieces. And indeed the very Name of Usury, is hateful and odious to the Usurer himself, he will in no wise be called an Usurer, to say the very truth he were as good be called a jew. But I will end this point of Goods, with that of the Prophet Micah: Woe unto them that imagine iniquity p Michah. 2.1. saith he, and work wickedness upon their Beds: when the Morning is light they practise it, because their hand hath power. And they covet Fields, and take them by violence, and Houses, & take them away: for they oppress a Man, and his House, o Nic. Pimenta. Relat. Rerum in judia Occident. gestar. even Man and his Heritage. And thus much of our Neighbour's Goods. But the chiefest Harm of all that may be intended against our Neighbour is in respect of the Evil, or Hurt, that may be done to our Neighbours Good Name. Injury done unto the Body, may be recompensed again, as Malchus Ear was q Luk. 22.51. restored again safe, and sound, which St Peter had cut of. And for Purloining our Neighbour's Goods sufficient amendss may be made by making as you heard before, or a Twofold, or Fourfold, or Fivefold, or Seavenfold Restitution. You know what was said to Zacheus upon a Fourfold Restitution made by him, r Luk. 19 9 This day is Salvation come unto this House, for as much as he is also become the son of Abraham. And doubtless without t There is no Remedy, but Restitution open, or secret, or else Hell. Father Latymer in a Serm. before K Edward. Restitution, if Men be able to restore, and will not, their Sin cannot be pardoned. s Poenitentia non agitur sed fingi●ur. Aug. ep. 54. St Austen gives the Reason, for that their Repentance, is no Repentance. But if once we wrong our Neighbour's Name, and slander his Reputation, we do him then a lasting Injury, which we shall hardly after recompense all the days of our lives. The reason is, for that the Things we speak be they never so false, and at length so known, yet u Plutarch. de Adul. & Amici Disc. Cicatrix manet, somewhat still sticks behind, which do the best a man can, he shall not easily wipe away. A good Name, x Prov. 22.1. saith Solomon, is to be chosen above great Richeses, and loving Favour is above silver, and above Gold. I need not tell the worth of Silver and Gold unto you, you know what ado there is to attain thereunto: With what tempestuousnes and trouble y Quibus tempestatibus & procellis, quàm horribili & tremendae saevitiae Coeli & Maris, importuni sunt Mercatores ut Divitias ventosas acquirant, maioribus quàm quibus acquisituri sunt periculis & tempestatibus plenas. Aug. de Temp. Ser. 48. p. 479. saith St Austen, how importunate, and urgent Merchants are, notwithstanding the Roughness of Wind, and Wether, to procure unto themselves inconstant Richeses, more full & with peril and danger being once got, than all those Perils and Dangers whereby they were gotten at first. A good Name then of such Consequence, what may we say of those Devilish Tongues, that are always snarling at their Neighbours. When upon the lest occasion given, happily upon none, wanted they not Discretion themselves to judge of the Action done, they rail, and revile their Neighbour, & in every Company they come, have a flirt, and a Fling at him, not remembering that if they must one day give an account of every z Mat. 12.36. idle Word, much more of a Word pernicious, and hurtful to their Neighbour. And yet Such forsooth will boast of Religion to. These kind of Creatures cannot be ignorant, that St james a jam. 1.26. saith peremptorily, that If any Man seem Religious, and refraineth not his Tongue, this Man's Religion is vain. These kind of Creatures cannot be ignorant, that the same St james also b jam. 3.6. saith, that the Tongue is Fire, yea a World of Wickedness, that it is so set among our Members that it defileth the whole Body, and setteth on Fire the course of Nature, and is set on Fire of Hel. Lastly, these kind of Creatures cannot be ignorant, how St james likewise c Ver. ●. saith, that the Tongue is an unruly Evil, full of Deadly Poison, how we therewith bless God, and how therewith we curse Men, which are made after the Similitude of God: and yet for all this, neither will they Refrain at all, nor once endeavour to quench this Fire, nor procure a Preservative against this Poison. They say in their Hearts as it is in the d Psal. 12.4. Psalm: With our Tongues we will prevail: we are they that aught to speak (or, as it is in some Translations, Our Lips are our own) who is Lord over us? Nor shall you find for the most part any more Peccant in this kind, then are the Basest of the People. For they are not all like e Luk. 16.20. St. Luke's Lazarus, that are Poor, and Needy, and go from door to door. The Son of Syrach will tell us of Some that are Poor and Proud, and how they are hated and abhorred of God, Ecclesiasticus, 25.2. Now for us, Beloved, who are thus Tongue-bitten and Reviled in such sort: we may comfort ourselves with that of David when as he was cursed by wicked Shemei. Abishai desiring leave of him to go and worm that unhappy Tongue of his (indeed, to take away his Life) Suffer him to curse f 2. Sam. 16.11 saith David, for the Lord hath bidden him. It may be that the Lord will look on my affliction, and do me good for his cursing this day. And indeed without all May-bees, the Lord is never more gracious to his Servants, than when they have most patiently endured the Venom of such Tongues. When Miriam, and Aaron both, did both speak against Moses, how did the Lord take his part? How vouchsafed he himself to give an honourable testimony of him? and how did he punish Miriam for her Tongue? Miriam, g Num. 12.10. saith the Scripture, was leprous like snow: And Aaron looked upon Miriam, and behold she was leprous. When Korah, Dathan, & Abiran, rose up after that, against Moses, and Aaron both, how did the Lord cause Aaron's Rod to h Numb. 17.8 blossom, and to bring forth ripe Almonds, to signify thereby his Election to the Priesthood? What? and was this all? Nay but he punished those quarrelers too, Even the Ground, i Num. 16.31. saith the Scripture, clave asunder that was under them, and the Earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up with their Families and all the men that were with Korah, and all their Goods. So they, & all that they had, went down alive into the pit, and the Earth covered them: so they perished from among the Congregation. So it is, it is even so, l Rom. 12.19, Mihi Vindictam: Vengeance is mine, I will repay saith the Lord. They therefore that avenge their own Quarrels, and will needs become their own Carvers, intrude on God's Throne, and what do they make themselves in very deed but Forestallers of his Right. As for them who thus By't, and Ban, and Curse their Neighbours, I will but commend unto them that of David, m Ps. 109.16. His delight was in Cursing, and it shall happen unto him, he loved not Blessing, therefore shall it be far from him. He clothed himself with Cursing, like as with a Raiment, and it shall come into his Bowels like Water, & like Oil into his Bones. It is somewhat more than that which Solomon n Prov. 26.2. saith, The Curse that is causeless shall not come; yes, it comes with a witness, but like a o Ecclus. 27.25 Stone upon the head again of Him, or Her that casteth it. But to return unto my purpose. You have heard of the Hurt forbidden to be intended here, what it is. How the same extendeth itself to our Neighbour's Body, Goods, and Name. What? and is this all that King Solomon here intimates? means King Solomon nothing else? Yes doubtless, his meaning is, that besides intending our Neighbour no Hurt, we endeavour by all means to do him p Praeceptorum observatio duplici genere continetur, ut nihil eorum quae prohibentur facias, & omnia quae iubentur implere contendas. Hoc est enim quod Psalmista dicit, Recede à malo & fac bonum. Aug. de Temp. Ser. 59 Good. Eschew evil, q Psal. 34 13. saith David, and do good. And again in another place, r Psal. 37.27. Vid. Serm. 5. p 128. Flee from evil, and do the thing that is good, and devil for evermore. True it is, that Evil is an Absence, or Want of Goodness, howbeit Goodness is not an Absence, or Want of Evil only. What is it in effect, saith a worthy s Mornaeus de Veritat. Relig. Christ. c. 16. p. 292. Writer, to define an honest Man to be such an one as doth nothing at all, then to define a good Archer, to be such an one as never shooteth at al. Whereas King Solomon then in this Precept wills us to intent no Hurt, his meaning is, that we perform to our Neighbour, all the Good we possibly can. And as in the Ten Commandments, the t Vid days Dial, Lect. 9 p. 225. Affirmative Precepts include the Negative; the Negative, the Affirmative; right so in this place, by the Negative here set down, the Affirmative is understood. Doth King Solomon then give us warning here, that we offer no Violence to our Neighbour's Body? The meaning is, that we refresh it, as Occasion shall be offered, and our own Ability permit, with Meat, & Drink, and Cloth. I was an hungered, u Mat. 25.35. saith our Saviour, and ye gave me meat. I thirsted, and ye gave me drink, I was a Stranger and ye lodged me. I was naked, and ye clothed me. I was sick, & ye visited me. I was in Prison, and ye came unto me. Nor spoke he this of the Poor only, that go from door to door, but of our poor Neighbours to. Must we not bereave our Neighbour of his Goods? The meaning is that we restore unto him, whatsoever we have of his, I though we find it by mere Chance. St Austen hath an excellent Story to this purpose, of a Poor Man that found a Purse of some Twenty Pounds in it, and restored it to the Owner. The Owner, x Aug. de Verbi Apost. Ser. 19 p 244. & Hom. 9 p. 295. saith St Austen, by way of Gratification would have given him (as it were) the tithe of it, and offered him Twenty Shillings. The Man that found it, would none. He offered him Ten. The Man would none neither. The Owner would needs fasten Five upon him. He refused Five too. With that the Owner in a chafe, threw the Purse unto him again: Nay then, saith he, since thou wilt have nothing at all, take all and spare not, I for my part lost nothing. When the Other saw no remedy, he took the Five Shillings, yet would he not pocket a Penny of it, but as poor as he was himself, gave it the Poor notwithstanding. There, saith the Worldling, was Folly, but We say there was Conscience & grounded on that Rule, Do as thou wouldst be done unto. Lastly, must we not wrong our Neighbours Good Name? The meaning is, that we defend it when ever we hear it wronged by Others. Even as jonathan did Davids, & that against his own Father. Wherhfore shall he die, y 1. Sam. 20.32 saith jonathan, what hath he done? And this, Beloved, this but one Point, should it be practised well amongst us, what a World of Happiness should we live in, what an Heaven upon Earth should we have? But jonathan is dead long since, & with him I fear me this Point of Neighbourhood: and it is verily to be believed that nor Papists with their Miracle, nor Puritans with their Presbytery, shall ever put life into it again. Well may they hold with one an Other, & make a Factious Neighbourhood among themselves, I mean Papists with Papists, Puritans with their Like, but they Both give us pregnant Proofs, that as long as they hold their wont Course, they will never prove true Neighbours. Here might I take occasion to speak of those Neighbourly Meetings, when at certain times of the Year, whole Parishes meet together, & friendly feast with one another. I know how bitterly it hath been inveighed against, by Some of our Coat, who had they spoken against the z See a pretty Discourse hereof in Mr Carewes Surveyed of Cornwell. Lib 1. Fol. 69. 70. 71 Abuses only, & Obliquities thereof, much amiss might have been amended. For to say that every such Meeting, or Recreation on the Saboth Day; is a Profanation of the Saboth, is like the Shoe of Hercules upon the Foot of a Dwarf. Me thinks they themselves if they have Eagles wings to soar so high, as to keep the Saboth so exactly, should not like the a Luk. 18.11. Pharisee be offended to see others fly near the Ground: especially not to preach (as Some by b Vid. Mr. Tho. Rogers. Defence of the Artic. Prefat. report have done) that to throw a Bowl on the Saboth Day: or to make a Feast, or a Wedding Dinner on it: or to ring more Bells than one, though to call the People to Church, is as great a Sin as to commit Murder, or as if a Father should take a Knife, & kill his Child. Such Doctrines & Uses have Some of them taught, by report, with whom the * Dicuntur & hody repullulascere Sabbatarii, quiseptimi diei ocium incredibili superstitione observant. Erasm Ecclesiastae sive de Rat. Conc. l. 3. Saboth is now as great, as was c Act. 19.34. Diana with the Ephesians. The truth is, the Sabaoth might spare such Proctors. And I fear me, I may say in this case as Tacitus did in another, d Tacit. Vit. Agricol. Pessimum Inimicorum genus Laudantium: The greatest Adversaries of the Saboth have been such immoderate Commenders of it to the People. Will you speak wickedly, e job. 13.7. saith job, for God's defence, and talk deceitfully for his cause? Will you make a Lie for him, as one lieth for a Man? But to return unto my purpose. If we would view the special Heads of all those Negatives, and Affirmatives, here intimated by King Solomon, that which the Apostle saith concerning Love, let us apply it to Neighbourly Love, & the Summa Totalis will be this: f 1. Cor. 13.4 Love suffereth long; it is bountiful; Love envieth not; Love doth not boast itself; it is not puffed up; it disdaineth not; it seeketh not her own things; it is not provoked to anger; it thinketh not evil; it rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the Truth; It suffereth all things; it believeth all things; it hopeth all things; it endureth all things. And all, & every of these Things doth Neighbourly love. And thus much of the Hurt intended here, what it is, & consequently of the Instruction. Come we now unto the Reason of it, wherein I noted unto you two Points: First, for that our Neighbour here is said to devil by us; The Benefit of having a Neighbour dwelling at any time near unto us: Secondly, in that it is said, He dwells by us without fear; His beginning of kindness to us, in that he distrusts us not. And of each of these in their order, and First of the Benefit of having a Neighbour dwelling at any time near unto us: Seeing he doth devil without fear by thee. All the whole Heavens, g Ps. 115.16. saith David, are the Lords, the Earth hath he given to the Children of Men. And yet not so neither hath he given it, as that it is in common among them all, only such several Parcels they have, as or Patrimony, or Purchase, or some other lawful Means hath allotted to them. The time was, when Abraham himself, had no inheritance in the Land of Canaan, not not the h Act. 7.5. breadth of a Foot, yet had he all of it afterwards both to himself, and to his Seed. He was feign (you know) to buy a Field to bury Sarah his Wife in, & jacob also was a Purchaser, Gen. 33.19. Purchasing, as it is a lawful Act, & the common effect of good Husbandry, so hath it been in all Ages, at all Times, and with all People. Only when it hath no Bounds, and knows no competent end of extending itself, but ever and anon, — l Horat. Serm. l. 2. Sat. 6. O si Angulus ille Proximus accedat, qui nunc deformat agellum, and when they have once gotten it: Hoc iuvat & melli est: m 1. Kin. 21.15. Up & take possession of the Vinyard of Naboth, then make Purchasers an ill bargain, for they purchase a Curse unto themselves. Witness the Prophet Esay: Woe unto them, n Esay. 5.8. saith the Prophet, that join House to House, & lay Field to field, till there be no place, that ye may be placed by yourselves, in the midst of the Earth. And indeed, Beloved, strange it is, but that nothing is strange now adays, that Hamlets, and Houses, and Churches, and all must down, to give some New Master more elbow room, whom perhaps within a few Years, peradventure few Months, it may be, few Days, if not this Night before to Morrow, o Luk 12.20. they will fetch away his Soul from him, and as for his Carcase, a Coffin shall cover it, and there an end of our great Purchaser. I myself, p Ps. 37.36. saith David, have seen the ungodly in great power, and flourishing like a green bay Tree, and I went by, and lo he was gone, I sought him, but his place could no where be found. I speak not against Lawful Purchasing, it is that Transcendency I strike at, when Men depopulate whole Countries, to people the Land forsooth with Sheep. Our Sheep q Oves vestrae, quae tam mites esse, tamque exiguo solent all, nunc (uti fertur) tam edaces atque indomitae esse caeperunt, ut Homines devorent ipsos, Agros, Domos, Oppida vastent, ac depopulentur. Mori V top l. 1. Mori Oper. Lat. p. 2. Col. 4. saith Sr Thomas Moor, that were wont to be so meek, and tame, and so small Eaters, are now become so great Devourers, & so Wild, that they eat up & swallow down the very Men themselves. I, they consume, destroy, and devour, whole Fields, and Houses, and Cities. Thus Sr Thomas Moor almost an hundred years ago. What would he have said of our times? And yet in Sheep there is some Profit to. Their Wool, their Fleece, their Flesh, I, the very Dung they make, are exceeding profitable in their kind: but when Depopulation is made not for Gain, but for Game, and Plough must give place to Pleasure, Good Husbandry to a Keeper, and his Hound: the Game is not so usually and commonly trespassed upon by Men, as the Commonwealth is by the Game. It is now Six hundred years thereabouts, since William the Conqueror r The lives of the three Norman Kings written by I H. p. 218. & p. 227. peccant in this kind, had two of his own Sons slain in a Forest which he had made, s Mr Fox saith this Richard was Son to Robert his Son. Act. and Monum p. 189. Col. 2 Edit. 1583. Richard in his Father's life time, and William the t Cuncta Secunda licet Veteres Foelicia dicant, Omen inest numero, praesertim Regibus Anglis, Vita quibus talis cognominis omnis iniquis Est excepta modis [Guil. 2. Henr. 2. Edward. 2. Rich 2.] Nec opino vulnere Primus Occidit: Alter habet Natos sibi saepe Rebels, Tertius, & Quartus Regnum, vitamque coacti Linquere. Rob. Moor Diar. Historico. Poet. Mens. Feb. Ad Annum Mundi, 5362. p. 19 Second, or William Rufus, his next Successor. Now if the Lord hath so dealt with the Cedars, and Fir Trees of our Land, what may the Shrubs look for? Nay be we as strong as Oakes, there is One to speak in the Prophet Amos words, that Can destroy our Fruit from above, and our Root from beneath, Amos 2.9. But to come unto my Purpose. They who would be such Purchasers as the Prophet Esay speaks against, can by no means conceive the Benefit of having a Neighbour dwelling nigh them. Man by nature is a sociable Creature, and yet they, saith the Prophet Esay, would be placed by themselves. Man u Arist. Pol, l. 1. c. 2. saith Aristotle, is more sociable than any Bee, or what other Creature soever that desires Society. The reason is, for that Nature saith he, hath bestowed on Man the Power of Speech. Voice indeed is given to other, saith he, but Speech is given to Man only. But if so be we would see the Benefit, that accrues unto us by Neighbourhood, let us counsel with Antiquity, and see what the Ancient say thereof. First Terence, he makes Neighbourhood a kind of Friendship. Vel Virtus tua me, vel Vicinitas x Teren. Heaut. Act. 1. Sc. 1. saith he, quod ego in propinqua part Amicitiae puto, facit ut te audacter moneam, & familiariter. And in the Person of Chremes whom he makes to speak those Words, describeth unto us an excellent Pattern of a right Good Neighbour indeed. y Hesiod. Opera & Dies. Hesiod the Poet, he prefers it before Kindred itself, and excellent are the Verses (some Ten in all) which he hath about Neighbourhood. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 z Had Hesiod been a Christian he would have learned, & taught an other Lesson, namely that of our Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. love your Enemies, Mat. 5.44. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. They may, till they shall be better, be Englished thus: Thy Friends about thee ever call, whenas thou makest a Feast: As for thy Foe it mattereth not, though he be not thy Guest. But specially of all thy Friends, invite thy Neighbours still, Such as devil near: For if to thee should happen any ill, They presently would yield their help, I, should they be undressed: When commonly in such a Case, Kinsmen will take their rest. A Neighbour bad is greatest Bane: a good One is a Bliss, Happy is he that hath a Good: His Ox unharmed is. When as thy Neighbour lends thee aught, see that he meat aright, And yield him back as much, or more, when thou dost him requited. I mean if thy Ability be such as that thou mayst, And then for ever afterwards, a Friend of him thou hast. St Ambrose a Super Fraternam charitatem frequenter est Vicini Gratia. Ille enim saepè longè, hic in proximo est, Vitae omnis testis, Conversationis Arbiter. Ambros. Epist. l. 7. ep. 44. p. 182. prefers Neighbourhood even above Brotherhood, his Reason is that of Hesiods, for that a Brother is most commonly a great way of, a Neighbour is nigh at hand, and a Witness saith he, of our whole Life, and one that is still ready to testify in our behalf. The Scriptures are so for Neighbourhood, as that they make him a Sinner that despiseth his Neighbour. You shall find King Salomons Words to this purpose, Prov. 14.21, & Prov. 21.10. Add hereunto the many Casualties that may betide us in this Life, as of Fire, and Water, and so forth, all which howsoever oftentimes we cannot possibly avoid, though we have never so many Neighbours, yet may good Neighbours be a Benefit, and an Help unto us in such Cases. And how Many or for want of Neighbours miscarry at such times, or are damaged the less by reason of having Neighbours. But the Benefit of having a Neighbour will the better appear, if so be he begin in kindness (as King Solomon here presupposeth he doth) in that he dwells by us without Fear. And indeed there is no one thing that should be more powerful to draw us to love, then when we see that in that kind we are begun unto by others. Nulla maior ad Amorem invitatio b Aug. de Catechizand. Rud. c. 4. p. 639. saith St Austen, quàm praevenire amando. Et nimis durus est Animus, qui si dilectionem nolebat impendere, nolit & rependere. There is no greater invitation to Love, then when an other loves us first. And that heart is toto hard, which if it be loath to begin to love, will not answer Love when it is begun. The Love wherewith our Neighbour then gins unto us, is the good Opinion he hath of us, the Trust he reposeth in us, the Good he hopes to find by us, esteeming us happily such Neighbours as dwelled near to the Land of Themistocles when as Themistocles was to cell it. He c Plutarch Apophth. commanded him that cried the Sale, to make Proclamation what a Good Neighbour he should have that bought it. And indeed a Good Neighbour about us, is (as it were) a Brazen Wall to all that ever we possess. So was David unto Nabal. 1. Sam. 25.16. d Vid Erasm● Adag. Ne Bos quidem perierit cui Vicinus bonus, as it is in the Proverb, & as you heard out of Hesiod, his Ox shall not miscarry, who so hath a good Neighbour, so that he shall dwell by thee with out fear, and thou without fear by him. What? and hast thou a Desire then to be beloved of thy Neighbour? Even that Desire of thine imposeth upon thee, a natural Duty, of bearing to himward fully the like affection. Hence those several Rules and e Vid. Mr Hooker Eccles. Pol. l. 1. § 8. p. 65. Precepts which Natural Reason hath drawn for direction of Life, as that because we would take no harm, we must therefore do none: that sith we would not be in any thing extremely dealt with, we must ourselves avoid all extremity in our dealings: that from all violence and wrong we are utterly to abstain, etc. I, but you will say, suppose he doth not bear this natural affection towards me. Suppose he is so far from beginning to me in this kind, as that he will not answer the Love begun. Suppose I have put some confidence in him, and he hath utterly failed my expectation. Why, Suppose all this, and more to, yet what said St Austen in an other case? Plue mihi mitigationes in Cor, ut patienter tales feram. O my God f Aug. Confess. l. 12. c. 25. p. 152 saith St Austen, shower down thy gentle appeasings into my Heart, that I may patiently bear with such men as these. O, but Patience thou wilt say, is the Virtue of Asses, a Refuge for Cowards, the Subject of Phlegm: I, g jonas, 4.9. saith jonas, do well to be angry to the Death. I, but jonas, be h Ephes. 4.26. angry, and sin not, Let not the Sun go down upon thy wrath, neither give place unto the Devil. As for those opprobrious terms concerning Patience, brewed by Satan, and broached by Miscreants, Patience hath facility of Nature enough to forgive, and to forget. Imagine She then speaketh thus unto thee. Upon i Gen. 27.13. me be these Proverbs my Son, only hear my Voice, and be not impatient for all this. Art thou better than he that Made thee? love your Enemies, l Mat. 5.44. saith our Saviour, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which hurt you, and persecute you, that you may be the Children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his Sun to arise on the Evil, and the Good, and sendeth Rain on the Just and Unjust. Art thou better than he that Redeemed thee, our Saviour Christ jesus? Voluit deseri, m Ambros. in Luc. l.. 5 p. ●65. saith S. Ambrose, voluit prodi, voluit ab Apostolo suo tradi, ut tu à Socio desertus, à Socio proditus, moderatè feras tuum errasse judicium, perisse Beneficium. Our Saviour would be forsaken, he would be given over, he would be betrayed by his Apostle, that thou forsaken of thy Fellow, suppose a Neighbour, or a Friend, and even betrayed by him, shouldst moderately bear the Error of thy judgement, and that a Benefit of thine hath been cast away. Lastly, art thou better than he that Sanctifieth thee, I mean the Holy Ghost? It is true, Whosoever shall speak against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, n Mat. 12.32, neither in this World, nor in the World to come, and yet for all that, even for those to whom S. Stephen had o Act. 7.51. said: Ye stiff-necked, & of uncircumcised hearts and ears, ye have always resisted the holy Ghost: the same Spirit gave him power to pray immediately after, * B. Stephanus orat pro eis à quibus lapidabatur, quia nondum Christo crediderant, neque adversus illam communem Gratiam dimicabant. Aug de Temp. Ser. 59 Lord, lay not this sin to their charge, Acts. 7.60. If thou art not moved with all this, why then remember thine own Sins formerly committed against God, and say unto thyself as pharao's Butler did to Pharaoh, q Gen. 41.9. I call to mind my Faults this day. Remember how thou thyself hast wronged thy Creator, and as S. Austen spoke in another case, r Aug. de Verb. Apost. Ser. 12. p. 209. Mirari noli, si ea quae deseruit Superiorem, poenas patitur per inferiorem: Marvel not if so be the Soul that forsook the Creator her Superior, be punished by the Flesh which is inferior to her: so let us not marvel at Man's Ingratitude, let us acknowledge rather our just Punishment deserved at God's hands, towards whom we are much more, more by much ungrateful, than Man to us can possibly be. We that are Scholars may call to mind those Verses of the Poet, and apply them to this purposes — s Virg. Aeneid. l. 12. Non me tua fervida terrent Dicta, ferox: Dij me terrent, & jupiter hostis. And thus much of the Instruction here, as also of the Reason of it, and consequently of these Words: Intent none Hurt against thy Neighbour, seeing he doth devil without fear by thee. A word or two of Application, & then God-willing an end. If ever Age might justly complain of neglect of Good Neighbourhood, I suppose this wherein we live, may not justly be exempted-Witnesse those many Quarrels now a foot between Neighbour & Neighbour, especially in the Country. Witness that multiplying of Lawyers in our Age more than ever in former times. Witness that thriving of them in our days, and those superlative Purchases which they make in Lands, and Lordships, t Pers. satire. 4. Tot Milvos intra tua Pascua lissos. juvenal. Sat. 9 Quantum non Milvus oberret As much as a Kite would be wearied to compass about. All this & more than this, tells us with shame unto our Faces, that we are as a worthy u M. D. Westerman. Prohibit. of Revenge. p. 62. Doctor once spoke, a Sort of wrangling Christians, without justice, without Patience, without Love, without Wisdom. And yet mistake me not, I speak not what I speak, as if I held it in no wise lawful to go to Law. I acknowledge the truth of those Words which an excellent Prelate of our Church once spoke to his own Flock. Next after the Gospel, x B. jewel in 1. Thess. 4.9 p. 139 Vid, Calvin. Instit. l. 4. c. 20 § 17, 18, 19 etc. saith he, the Law is the greatest comfort that God hath given to the Sons of Men. It remedieth Injuries, and giveth to every man that is his. He that goeth to a judge, goeth to him that is the Minister of justice, & that sits in the room of God to do right. For the seat of justice is the seat of God. If there were, no Law to be ministered, but every man might do what he would, and reckon all his own, whatsoever he could get, or come by, what a Life would it be? How should any man be Master of that he hath? who can imagine what Injuries, Cruelties, Murders and Streams of Blood would follow? Thanks be to God, who in mercy hath given us a Law, and justice to guide us by. Let us be content to seek help at this Law without wrath, or malice. Let us come to it, as we would come unto our Father. Let us ask counsel at it, as we would at the mouth of God. As every Man thinks it lawful to use his own, or to require his own: so let every man be contented to leave that he holdeth, when LAW saith it is none of his. The Law is no Breach of Charity, it is the Bond, and Knot to keep Men in love. A Son, may attempt Law with his Father, yet do it in such duty, as becometh a Son. A Subject may attempt Law even with his Prince, and yet love & reverence his Prince as it becometh a Subject. Whosoever, saith he, useth the Law otherwise, doth abuse it. All Strife, and Contention must be laid aside. Love may avoid wrong, Love may require Right, Love may stand forth and seek defence before a judge. Thus far that worthy Prelate. So, that the Law you see is good, I, as necessary for the Commonwealth as is that Sun in the Firmament, only such Abuses there are about the Law, as also in some Lawyers what with Delays, Demurs, & Quirks: what with exorbitant Fees, & what with Bribing, & consequently * Deut. 16.19. Blinding, or the Master, or the Man, he that Danceth on the Threshold so proudly, Zeph. 1.9, as Might, and Right most commonly bandying, and Right being overcome, Neighbours remain ever after full of Hatred as before. But we perhaps of the City offend not in Suits so much as in some other unneighbourly Parts. I mean, in seldom Visiting each other: In being so far from doing such Offices as belong to Neighbourhood, as that we acquaint ourselves most of all with those that devil farthest of: In Backbiting, & Slandering our Neighbours, and suffering our Tongues to run riot on them. The TONGVE indeed hath the vantage of all the Members of our Bodies beside. Should a man endeavour, y Aug. de Verb. Apost. Ser. 28. p. 267 saith S. Austen, to perform any thing with his Hands, they might easily be commanded to hold themselves: were he with his Feet to walk abroad, he must take some pains to stir them, lest Sloth might happen to hold him at home: but as for the Tongue, saith he, Facilitatem habet motus, in udo posita est, facilè in lubrico labitur. It hath a facility of motion, it is situate in a moist place, & easily slides in a place so slippery. And yet mark it, Beloved, when you william. Such as in a serious Matter can hardly speak three Words together without some notable incongruity, if once they begin to Rail, to Backbite, and to Slander they are voluble enough for whole Hours together. I, and such, as I told you before, will seem Religious too. But S. james will tell them again. a jam. 1.26. If any Man among you seemeth Religious, * Viris & Mulieribus commune Nomen Homo est. Clem. Alex. Paedag. l. 1. c. 4. meaning any Woman too, & refraineth not his Tongue, but deceiveth his own Heart, this Man's Religion is vain. Even as if he had lived in these Days and should have said: It is not the Name of a Roman Catholic, not nor of a Sanctified Brother, or Sister, that will in this case serve the turn. Nay, will you see how by way of Prophecy he may be thought to have aimed at both these, in the Words immediately following? Pure Religion, b jam. 1.27. saith he [An Item for Puritans, who suppose themselves so Pure, that they forsooth must have their Meetings apart; they mislike our Common Prayer; they cannot away with their own Pastor, they will troth some Miles to hear another] And undefiled before God, [An Item for Papists, who so much vaunt of the Church of Rome, and that She forsooth is Holy Catholic Church, Undefiled, and that cannot Err] but, Pure Religion, & undefiundefiled before God the Father is this: to visit the Fatherless, and Widows in their Adversity, and to keep himself unspotted of the World. But to leave both these, & to come unto ourselves. It shall little avail us, Beloved, to be neither of these Twain, if so be we offend in such sort as do these Twain. Though thou Israel play the Harlot c Hosea 4.15. saith the Prophet Hosea, yet let not juda sin, lest as the Lord had a Controversy with juda, & visited jacob according to his d Hos. 12.2. Ways, so according to our Works he recompense us. Let us, Beloved, bear affection then, to all of the Household of Faith, especially unto such as Neighbour at any time near unto us. Let us not Forsake the e Heb. 10.25. Fellowship that we have, or aught to have among our Selves, as the manner of Some is. Such as a General of the Field doth place together in one troup, he is fully persuaded of Such that they will always f Primum Militiae Vinculum est Religio, & Signorum Amor, & deserendi Nefas. Senec. Epist. l. 15. ep 96. p 235 hold together; that upon any occasion whatsoever, they will g Societas nostra Lapidum fornicationi simillima est, quae casura nisi invicem obstarent, in hoc ipso sustinetur. Senec. Ibid. second one an other; that they are in their hearts (as h 2. Cor. 7.3. speaks the Apostle St Paul) to die and live together; and therefore Nehemias', he set all of one Kindred together, Nehem. 4.13, whereas Strangers when they come to Service, Non fide, non affectu tenentur i Tacit. in vit. Agric. saith Tacitus, sine pudore flagitij fugiunt. They are not retained by affection, nor regard any Promise made. They shame not to fly to save their Skins. Our whole Life you know, is a Warfare; our Saviour Christ, our General; So many Parishes, so many Troops, both of Men and Women, and Children. He hath given us our dwelling together, because we should troup together. He hath set us all in one Border, and all for we should grow together. He hath wrought us (as it were) in one Knot, that so we might seem the more sightly together. l Numb. 24.5. How goodly are thy Tents o jacob, and thy Habitations o Israel. As the Valleys are they stretched forth, as Gardens by the River side, as the Aloe Trees, which the Lord hath planted, as the Cedars besides the Waters. What? and shall we now, do nothing but jangle with one an other? Nothing at all but wrangle? We who live in one Age? So nigh Neighbours one to an other? There might have been some Hundreds of Years, there might have been distance of some Hundreds of Miles between us, and shall we be falling out? We that are tied to one an other in that threefold Knot of Friendship: Christian Religion? Neighbourhood? Brotherhood? Shall we break every of them, & snap them asunder, as easily as Samson did his m judg. 16.9. Cords? n Liv. Decad. 1. l. 3. Hoc vulgari? Shall this be noised abroad? Hoc Socios audire? hoc Hosts? Quo cum dolore hos? quo cum gaudio illos? Shall our Friends? shall our Enemies hear of it? What exceeding Grief will it be to the One? What excessive joy to the Other? Be it our Neighbour hath none of the best Dispositions that be: that he is hasty, and humorous, prone to Anger, and to take Offence. Besides, that o Aug. de Temp. Ser. 202. p. 741. St Austen tells us, Qui velociter irascitur, tam celeriter mitigatur: It falls out a many times, that He that is soon Angry, will as soon be Pleased again, and he speaks it of Patricius his own Father, that he was p Aug. Confess. l. 9 c. 9 p. 112. Sicut benevolentia praecipuus, ita ira fervidus: Exceeding Kind, but exceeding Choleric to, let us somewhat ourselves be bettered by wise King Solomon, who tells us in this very Book what a soft Answer will do in such a Case. A soft Answer q Prov. 15.1. saith he, putteth away wrath. And again in an other place, A soft Tongue r Prov. 25.15. saith he, breaketh the Bones, that is, Men or Women as s Lavater in hunc loc. hard as Bones, or rather as Flint and Stones. You know what t 1. Sam. 25.24 Abigail did in such a Case. So did u judg. 8.2. Gedeon with the Ephramites. And x 1. King. 12,16. Rehoboam for he would not so do, with his Subjects when time was, lost his Patience, and his People both. Be it our Neighbour then is far incensed, shall we add Fuel to the Fire, who might at the first even have y Ecclus. 28.12. spit it out? I, but what then shall become of the Apostle St Paul's Counsel, z 1. Cor. 6.7. Why rather suffer ye not wrong? Why rather sustain ye not harm? What of king Salomons, Of doing good for ill, that so we may at the length, Lay a Prov. 25.22. Coals upon his Head? What of our Saviour Christ's of b Mat. 5.39. Turning the Check? Shall we be all of us Rehoboams, and forsake the Counsel of these Ancients, and cleave to the Counsel of those Younglings our Lusts and Affections? Wherhfore, Beloved, to grow to an end. If there be any c Philip. 2.2. Consolation in Christ, If any Comfort of Love, If any Fellowship of the Spirit, If any Compassion of Mercy, fulfil: shall I say with the Apostle St Paul, my joy? no, but the joy of the Apostle St Paul; the joy of wise King Solomon; the joy of our Saviour himself; that ye be like minded, having the same Love, being of one Accord, and of one judgement, that nothing be done through Contention, or Vain Glory, but that in meekness of mind, every man esteem other better than himself. And thus shall you be Every of you right good Neighbours indeed, & after your Neighbourhood here on Earth, you shall be Neighbours to the d Habes Apostolos Proximos, habes Martyres Proximos. Ambros. de Vid. p. 183. Saints above, the holy Apostles and Martyrs, and the Elect Angels of God; nay Neighbours to our Saviour himself, who being the e Ephes. 4.15. Head; we the Members, Nihil tam proximum, quàm Caput Membris f Ambros. in Luc. l. 7. c. 10. p. 101. saith St Ambrose, There cannot be so nigh a Neighbourhood, as between the Members, and the Head. My Conclusion shall be that of joseph to his Brethrens, g Gen. 45.24. Ne irascamini in via, Fall not out by the Way. You have this day been as it were in Egypt, where you have had all of you Sufficiency of Corn, and Food. You have this day been with your Brother joseph, our Saviour CHRIST JESUS, who is h Rev. 1.18. alive but he was dead, and behold he is alive for evermore. You have this day sat at his Table, the i Gen. 43.33. Eldest according to his Age, and the Youngest according to his Youth. You have all of you had, none excepted, your l Gen. 45.22. Change of Raiment. You are now as King Solomon m Cant. 4.2. speaketh, like a Flock of Sheep in good order, which go up from the washing. You are like the n Cant. 5.12. Doves upon the Rivers of Waters which are washed with Milk, and remain by the full Vessels. You are now like judah, whose Garment was washed in o Gen. 49.11. Wine, & his Cloak in the Blood of Grapes. You know whose Saying it was, p Cant. 5.3. I have put of my Coat, how shall I put it on? I have washed my Feet, how shall I defile them? This said the Spouse unto our Saviour, unkindly, I confess, and undutifully: but how exceeding fitly may we say it both to Sin and Satan: We have put of our Coats, how shall we put them on? We have washed our Feet, how shall we defile them? Nay, we have put of our very Skins. We have cast of, concerning the Conversation in time past, the q Ephes. 4.22. OLD MAN, which is corrupt through the deceivable Lusts: and put on the NEW MAN, which after God is created in Righteousness, and true Holiness. We have washed our Feet, and He that is washed, needeth not save to wash his r joh. 13.20. Feet, but is Clean every whit. We have put of our Coats, how shall we put them on? We have washed our Feet, how shall we defile them? And this, Beloved, if so be we say, imagine our Saviour also saith to Us, s joh. 5.14. Behold You are made whole, sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto You. t 2. Tim. 2.7. Consider what He saith, & the Lord give you understanding in all things. The same LORD so bless us, and the Seed that hath been sown, that with YOU of the Poorer sort the u Mat. 13.22. Cares of this World, with YOU of the Wealthier, the deceitfulness of your Richeses, with EITHER of YOU of either sort the Lusts of other Things, grow not up like Thorns, and choke it. FINIS.