Mysterium Pietatis OR THE Mystery of Godliness WHEREIN THE MYSTERIES CONTAINED IN THE 

Incarnation  
Circumcision  
Wisemen  
Passion  
Resurrection  
Ascension.    
OF The SON of GOD, and coming of the HOLY-GHOST, are unfolded and applied.  
AT EDINBURGH. By Will. Ar●and. M. A. o●e of the Ministers of that City, la●e of University Coll. OXON.  I. Tim. III. XVI. 
And without controversy great is the Mystery of Godliness.  
London, Printed for Robert Boult●r, at the Turks-head, in Cornhill near to the Royal Exchange, ANNO DO. 1671.   

To the right Reverend Father in God, George, by the Mercy of God, Lord Bishop of Edinburgh.  
My LORD,  
THE Almighty in His Law, ordered none to appear before him, empty handed, yet he himself being to Flesh invisible, the present was an offering to His Priest; God who is also called, Good accounting it churlish to address in thankfulness to Him, without something that figured bounty to His Servant; neither would he have his People always takeing, but sometimes also giving: unto which Law, as a Conformist, I in this your Clinical condition, coming to receive your Blessing, presume to present this my Mysterium, in regard of your Acquaintance with Godliness, not according to the new stile, which intimats separation; but to Scr●pture-Dialect, Respecti●● Holiness and peace. You have had experience of the CROSS, and that at home, we by your Lordship's order in our Pulpits, pray for your PASCH; yourself waits for ASCENSION in your bed, the power of the RESURRECTION having said, be not afraid.  
My LORD, when the Rivers of Babylon begu● to swell, I mean, when those tyds of confusion, that destroyed all order in these pleasant Lands, of late years, did first rage, you were one of the Hundreth and Twenty, that resolved TO SIT by and weep retiring from your own, to other Countries, to any Kingdom rather than IN those waters, to become instrumental of your Country's Sorrow, Death, or Discredit: How did my dear and worthy Father, your Brother and Companion in that Tribulation, and in the Kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, exult at his Death, that he had in a bloody Time, been free of the blood of all men, whether executed on the scaffold, or slain in battle? and that in a time when one cried up Character of a perfect Evangelist was to be an Incendiary to which, how vehemently was he solicited in both Kingdoms.  
IN those days of unleavened bread, the Angel who Redeemed you from the same evil made you find Favour in the sight 〈◊〉 Strangers; Providence among them allot alottin● you a Charge, peculiarly respecting Church-Festivities, and that Theme pursued, until Iniquity, and Invasion, gave Check to Royalty and Order: but these again, being Captived by Truth and Decency, a door was opened, and that Holy subject a fresh prosecuted; Until God and the King, whom you always joined, called you to wear an Honourable mitre in that City, wherein you had so signaly, Innocently, and patiently, endured the Crosse.  
UPON which score, unto whom fitter could this manuel be delivered, for Patronage then to you my dear Lord? The Author confiding to be participant of the effects of those virtues whereof Experience hath evidenced to him, you are copiously endowed conveyed into your breast, as it were by Christanity and Blood▪ finding one William Archbishop of St. Andrews, Anno Dom. 1279. Chronicled for a lover of peace, and your Names-sake, and our Martyr Mr. George Wisheart, to be fam'de for Humility and Charity: Upon which rocks I build my presentment, Conceiving that your Aged, Young, and yet Accomplished Abilities, shall not disdain my Improportionat Dedication, but that you shall depart in peace, even with me, pardoning my failings, praying for directtion to my good Intentions, and for Additament to my weak endowments: In gratitude whereof, that your Nunc Dimittis, with Simeon, may be in Peace, and that Peace to come in Job's opportunity▪ as a shock of Corn cometh in his Season, shall be the Prayer of,  
My LORD, Your Lordship's most Obedient Son, and Servant. WILL. ANNAND. From my Study May 15. 1671.   

To the Courteous Reader.  
Ingenuous Friend.  
IT is not unknown, that Solomon of old said, of making many Books there is no end; yet by the expression, it's probable he only understood his own continued pains therein, having accomplished Abilities therefore: But grant him to check the plurality of other Writters, I dare engage and promise never to write more, that since his time, if there had not been multitudes of Authors, we should not have had one book for a hundreth, which yet we profitably turn over; Freedom therefore of Writing not being called in, I have for my Mysteria the Apology of a late publisher in the year 1659. (a time, wherein the Press, like a skittish Jad, had broke all bridles, Curbs, and Girhts of Licenses, and Restraints) who entitled his Book, Let me speak too: and believe it, in some things he was worth hearing; for in all to be perfect, is the sole privilege of Almighty GOD.  
LET me declare, that I knew of no false Copies abroad of these Sermons, that I never feared to be injured thereby, though there had; that Importunities from others never induced me to a composure, or that Arguments were offered urging a necessity of Publication, being convinced that the perpetual burying of these sheets, should never have caused any sensible alteration in the affairs under agitation, about the present expedition, or Dunkirk Rendezvous of the most Christian King: But profitable I humbly conceived they might be, to such as will read, than practice; and having an education that said Stand off to tattle, with a Natural Genius abominating To meddle, I have some spare hours forming conveniences, for profiting my Generation, the immediate Parent, of this, and other Subjects, which Time and Opportunity, may bring to light.  
IT is plain white-seam work, without the Point, or Lace, of Marginal citations, because Toilsome and Expensive; yet one thing troubled me, which was the throng of Authors upon this Subject, being forced (as sometimes Travellers are) to forsake the path, (but never I hope the road,) until the Crowd passed, by which, as may be perceived by the Scrutinous, I had, or took, time, to look about the Country, and what others did less heed, i● here respected with greater care and Vice Versa.  
IF thou hast ever Printed thyself, want of Charity is not to be surmised: if otherwise perhaps thy Relations, thy Kinsman, thy Father hath, and I presume some Paragraph or other, hath Redundancy, Deficiency; Some Section containeth somewhat too lax, too dark, and upon this score, cross I pray thee my Failings: Beseeching also, that when in the Title thou reads the Mystery of the INCARNATION or ASCENSION, unfolded and applied, thou wouldst understand the phrase with this Restrictive note IN PART.  
Farewell.   

An advertisement by way of Caution unto all Readers.  
AMONG other blemishes wherewith the face of this Age is disfigured and whereof she ought to be accused as being degenerate from that Pristine Beauty, Justice & Equity, of which our more upright Ancestors bequeathed ample legacies, one is, that whatever savours of that Ancient Doctrine established in the Church, (who for her age, and Religious hoariness ought to be accounted venerable) Invidiously is by some, foolishly is by many, houted upon, as Superstitious, Idolatrous and Anomolous to verity and Truth; atteesting, yet without ground, that whatever in Divinis cannot be found in express text, as Fornication, should not be named among Saints: Obtruding this upon some Disciples, it cannot be supposed, but this small treatise, because an offspring of Antiquity, shall be deemed scandalous, and as a misshappen birth, in the Midwifery of their forestalled fancy, be smothered as soon as parted from the womb of the Press, and not buried, but cast forth through the dung-gate of Obloquy or into the Kidrone of disdain.  
NOT considering that if the question should be put concerning, some approved practices, and strongly pleaded for Resolves, the legitimating of many Acts should be found to emerge from Scripture, Logically, that is, Rationally understood, conform to that rule a Minore ad Majus. The jews appointing feasts as that of Dedication, one great Jew, instituting a feast as that of Purim, the Zealous separating days from civil use, to commemorat mercy, the devout Magistrate designing such and such hours, o● days, for public preaching; Colleges, Halls, Hospitals, Schools, solemnising days in memory of their pious Founders & Religious Benefactors, exempteth the Church from Censure, in enacting festivities for her Lord's birth, passion, or Resurrection.  
SINCE the world could not contain the books, had all things been written which were done, or said▪ concerning it by Christ, the world I infer, is to rest satisfied when any thing is done, not contrary to the things in that one Book taught and delivered by him or at least not to condemn it, which so much the less ●s to be done, that the Judges of these exercises seldom, if ever (were they exactly scanned) are found seriously to reflect upon any one day in the year, the matter wherefore these days were set apart, which they condemn because fixed principally upon one day.  
ANABAPTISTS infringe that liberty our Lord hath procured for us in denying infant-baptism, as if they were without the Covenant, in which more & higher privileges are tacitly granted to the Jew then Christian, he wanting, the other enjoying▪ the comforts of admitting his Son into that promise made of old unto the people, the Almighty styling himself Lord God of your Fathers: whereas the Baptised by them, stands in a particular, or personal Relation, to the Same Lord from which there doth not flow so eminent Consolation in case of Death in Infancy.  
AND such who will not allow the Church in separating times of worship, for dazzling, that is, singular acts of Grace, aught to reflect how the vesture of the Christian, under Gospel-dispensation, is our-tailed, being made more short, more bare, more thinn, that is, the Church's freedom, more impaired by the Death of he● Saviour, then amplified and enlarged; we biafore seeing the Phylactery of the jew, so extensively broad, large & honourably graceful, under Typical oblations, Synagogue and Temple-service, the removeall of which, discharging to the now Believer, that piece of true devotion, wherein the Faithful of old appeared before God, with joy, having Room, that is, liberty to make, to keep Holiday.  
IT's granted, that neither Jew nor Gentile, men or Angel, ●an, dare, or make offer, to make a day holy now but to observe a day Holily, or to separate a Civil day, that is one of the six for a Holy use, a Saintlike encompassing the throne of God for Celebrating praise or pouring forth prayer, as by many it is held good, and performed in the week; so ought it not to be judged supperstitious, if done by others in the Return of the year.  
JUDICIOUS Calvin expoundeth those places of St Paul Orthodoxly genuine, Let no man judge you in meat or drink, or in respect of a holy day, 2 Cal. 16. Ye observe day●s, and months, and times, and years, Gal. 4.10. One man esteemeth one day above another. Rom. 14.5. For, quis nisi Furioso? who (saith he) but Madmen will here understand any observation condemned, save what ritualy shadowed Christ to come, & neque Ecclesias damnavero, neither shall I censure (mark the words) those Churches who have instituted other solemn days for the Congregations Conveening together, they Keeping from superstition, of which they shall be free when appointed purely for good order, and Discipline, not as shadows of the Law, etc. Institut. lib. 2. c. 8. S. 33. Whence its deducible that feasts so observed are not to be accounted either Jewish, or Popish, they being purely to Commemorat Christ already come, and appointed for that end, before either Pope, or Romish Antichrist▪ that is to say, before the usurpation of the Bishop of Rome, above all called gods.  
FOR when the Records of the Church shall be exactly viewed, and when again more diligently inspected, and a search made after that, then for greater security, if once more there be a tumbling over the monuments of Ancient times, the Time, the Place, the Persons, by whom the days here marked, were distinguished, and first instituted, shall never be found, never be heard of, so that it was a puzzling and thorny question, and for aught we find, an Unanswered one, proposed by our Late Sovereign, April ●. 1647. of blessed memory in these words, I desire to be resolved, why the new Reformers discharge the keeping of Easter, the Celebration whereof being of the same Authority, which changed the jewish Sabbath into the Lordsday, Saturday being no where discharged, wherefor it must be the Church's Authority, that changed the one, and instituted the other: therefore my opinion is, that those who will not keep this Feast, may as well return to the observation of Saturday, and refuse the weekly Sunday, when any body can show me, that herein I am in an error, I shall not be a shamed to confess and amend it, till when, you (Meaning the Commissioners, and Ministers treating in the Isle of Wight) Know my mind. C. R.  
THERE is no footsteps of Antiquity indeed declaring the rise either of the one or other and those Arguments from proportion, touching the undenyed one, wants not their influence in approving the other controverted; the old Church by her own power abolishing the jewish Sabbath▪ though express law, and Divine sanction for its observance, is scattered throughout, Moses & the Prophets, the present Church abrogating by not using Apostolical constitutions though enjoined by the holy Ghost in proper terms, as not abstaining from blood, not anointing the sick, not tarrying one for another, before the Sacrament of the Supper in St. Paul's sense, not having Deaconesses to attend the poor Clinic sick and bedrid: Against which such as are not distracted, foameth not, nor at the Church's desuetude thereof, being convinced at the Reasonablnesse of her omission, and her Authority so to do, which in the case under debate, is also to be acquiesed in, and conceeded unto.  
THE Controversy so early started betwixt the Eastern & Western Churches about the Celebretion of Easter, Anno. Dom. 240. as whether on the 14 day of the Moon with the jew, or on the Lordsday as with us, gives Testimony for the Seniority of this Festival, and by anology, of all the other, chiefly considering, that the observance of either is recorded, to arise from a custom long before delivered; Assiatick Congregations, Synods and Counsels keeping it precisely with the Passeover, those of Europe refusing in that punctilio of time to Celebrate their spiritual Pasch, Christ being come, observed the annual dominical, as we now, both of them, more wise then to put darts in the hands of unbelievers, by affording Israel Armour to fight against our weekly Sunday, or any Heretic to struggle against the decrees of the Church, because no express warrant for their publication, having this in general that what conduceth to our Lord's glory and man's salvation, may by our Princes, Churches and Elders be appointed, provided the Church be not burdened thereby, nor salvation held as subsisting thereupon, or pressed, as matters of Faith, the present fault of the Church of Rome, by the Reformed Church abroad eyed, in separating from her Corrupted Doctrine, yet retaining the celebration of Days, which she as a Sister had derived unto her, with the Gospel from the times of the Apostles, and custom of all other Churches of God: At which word, let ●one stumble, for though a naked custom, or ●n only custom, as such, signifieth little; yet when it cometh clothed with Truth, Reverence, Sanctity and Antiquity; Its hoary-head ●s to have all due veneration, which Paul●voucheth ●voucheth in recurring to it, in that case of woman's being covered in the Church, therefrom surceasing to dispute, 1 Cor. 11.26.  
BUT how is it to be observed, when beards Tradition, it cometh with Imperial Edicts? ●he division above mentioned being reconciled ●y the first, and famous Council of Nice, determining the Celebration of Easter for ever to 〈◊〉 upon the Lordsday Euseb. in vit. Con●ant. lib. 3. ratified by imperial proclamations ●mitted from that Holy and Royal Emperor, Constantine, sugaring such Laws, with Kingly solicitation in Epistles, persuading some E●minent Churches to obedience, and conformity that the Resurrection and Passion might be ali●● Celebrated in the Churches, being one sca●●tered abroad. Socrat. Eccles. Hist. lib. 1. u●●ing that the Jewish observance might 〈◊〉 a repetition of that famous Feast by a two- 〈◊〉 celebrating in one year, which as a thing abominable here solved never to endure▪ whereby them●● it is to be adverted, that the year 1664 made 〈◊〉 clamours, Easter being lost one whole week▪ that of 1655 caused a whole months' Error, 〈◊〉 as fell almost this present year. 1671 as to 〈◊〉 time of celebration, which is the Sunday 〈◊〉 the first full Moon, next after the Vernal 〈◊〉, by which account through the processi●● of the Equinoctium Vernum, it will often 〈◊〉 and worse, until at length it be quit lost, 〈◊〉 unknown (as is told us by skilful Mathema●●●cians) it were generous if the new Style 〈◊〉 made old Style, and the Julian changed, to 〈◊〉 Carolin account by Emendation of our Tab●● But to go on▪  
THE Emperors Letters were seco●● by others from the Council to the Church●● Alexandria, Lybia, Pentapolis, including joyful news of the Union of the Chri●● Churches in the West, South, North, and some parts of the East, concurring to this Act, and adhering to this statute about Easter, those of Italy, Africa, Egypt▪ Spain, France, Asia, Pontus, Cilicia and Britain; which last did punctually observe the Pasch according to the Asian Churches: from which it is more than probable, our Ancestors received not the Gospel from Rome, nor any of Rome's Emissaries, and we find Joseph of Arimathea first to plant the Gospel here, sent out of France by Philip, the Evangelist, whom Polycrates, Bishop of Ephesus attested to have taught those Esterns that way of Institution, Euseb. Eccles. Hist. lib. 5. But afterward Britain yielded to the Law, submitting to the determination of the Emperors and Counsels, Niceph. Hist. lib. 8. c. 25.  
YET before this Nicen Council, the solemnity of this, as also of all other days, is notour: for under the reign of Valerian. A. D. 257. Alexandria being almost desolate by Tumults, Pestilence and Plague; the unbelieving Inhabitants bevailing their disaster, did the Christians with great joyfulness solemnize the Feast of Easter in fields▪ Prisons, and where not with gladness of heart, Niceph. lib. 6.20. Yea the more Tyrants designed the Gospel's overthrow, the more zealous were its Followers for its Lord and Master's splendour, particularly in their exact heeding Church Festivals, among which that of the Nativity was respected, Celebrated in December as now, in the Church being so taught, and received it from times of old, Aug. in Psal. 132. The Archives of Rome that is, the Registers of the City, being Authentic witnesses of his birth, that happening in the days of the Universal Taxation by Augustus Cesar, Tert. ad Mar. lib. 4. c. 7. Th● Church generally of old, knowing no other day observed no other, Chrys. de Nat. St. joh. Serm● The more solemnity being given always to it, 〈◊〉 regard that without it, the feast of the Epiphany▪ Pasch &c. had never been, these as rivers flowing from the Fountain, of the verity of the birth, whereupon it was called the Metropolis, that is, the head, the Foundation of all Festivities, Ib. de Beat. Philog. orat. And what is sai● of one Feast, maybe said of this, and all other, tha● by the Church were they instituted, and annualy observed, Aug. Epist. ad Jan. 119. ●. 14. Even before statutes were made, or before there were any Christian Emperor, to honour them with a Law.  
LAMENTABLE was that slaughter made upon a Christian Assembly in the day's o● Dioclesian at Nicomedia, where on the Nativity day the Church-doors being shut, by the Tyrants, and life offered to all who would burn Incense to Jupiter, from within the people testifying, they were Christians, believing in one God, and in Christ, for whom with the Father and Spirit they were ready to suffer, a fire was Kindled, which in few minutes redacted to ashes twenty thousand persons, Niceph. Hist. lib. 7. c. 6. To which degree of Cruelty, they are not many leagues distant, who will Censure the service of these Martyrs as will-worship, because Convocat on that day, practising what long before had been taught, by holy Ignatius the second Bishop of Antioch after Peter and said, to be that little Child JESUS, set in the midst to teach his Disciples Humility, Matth. 18. He floriushed, Ann. Dom. 71. And being sentenced to be devoured by Lions adviceth against disrespecting Festivities saluteth Polycarpus who is Known to have been Disciple to St. John the beloved Apostle Epist. ad Philip. the Reason of these precepts, being for advancement of believers towards God, or, (which is a more apt expression) for returning to him, this one said haranging upon the Natalitials of our Saviour Greg. Naz. Orat. 38. Whence the Golden-mouthed Father, prefaceth a Sermon in upbraiding such, whose zeal and fervour, excited only to Communicate upon such days, (which yet might be often) and not upon others, pathetically showing how each day might be made a Festival Chrys. in Fide Ane. Hom. 5. Which them● by Origen. who was Famous Anno Dom. 226. was closely followed in his writing in defence of the Gospel against the cavils of subtle Philosophers, affirming, that to Keep a feast, was but to attend dutifully, offering up Prayer and praise, as unbloody sacrifices unto God, and he who believed the death of Christ, and lived by his word, did Celebrate the Pasch, such who went to an upper Chamber to pray with one accord, Keeped the Pentecost etc. Contra Cels. lib. 8.  
WHAT more? for Paper would fail, if exact rehearsal of the practice of the most famed, most Ancient, most edifying, most Religious Sermons, Orations, Persons, Churches, and Nations touching these things were in Individuo Specified▪ without boasting what hat● been said as light, may Conjure those Spectrum Phantasms, Phasmes, and Apparitions of pretended supperstition, though walking in 〈◊〉 heavenly garb, by a holy vogue, to disappear▪ as Impostors & airy vanities, possessing nothing of the substance of solid piety, not having th● true body of Refined Reason, Laws, Edicts, and Authority regulating Christianity in this exercise, by uniting Churches for observing in the Circumstance of time, that, for the doing whereof they had Authority from Apostles, or Apostolic men; I say, Circumstance of time, there being a while disagreement among the Churches when, but never about, whether, these days should be observed, the difference in our own Churches about Easter after Austin the monks instalment, being removed by Theodorus Bishop of Canterbury a Citizen of no mean City, born in Tarsus in Cilicia Saint Paul's Country▪ who appointed the feast of Easter to Commence according to our present Computation, Anno Dom. 662. Ful. Eccles. Hist. Cent 7.  
WHEREBY Unity was beheld in the Churches of Palestine, that Conforming with the Churches of Antioch, of the greater and lesser Asia, of Egypt, Thessalonica, Athens and Corinth, the Churches of the Isle St. Thoms, of Iberia, the Mengrellians bordering on the black Sea, those of Phrigia, Galathia, Bythinia, Lydia, Caria, Paphlagonia, Magnesia, Lycia, Aleppo, Damascus, Tripoli, Cyprus, Candia, Zant. those of Media, Persia, India, those of the Abyssins', Babylon, Syria, and those of the once great Kingdom of China: For a learned Author showing how all these Churches, though under the Dominion of the Turk, Rome, or Pagans agree with us, in the great matters agitat, against our Romish adversaries, as in the Supremacy Purgatory, half Communion Transubstantation, etc. Discovers also their disagreement from us in several points to Instance only in the case in hand, some begin their Lent ten days before ours, some fast nine days before the Ascension, in regard of Christ's absence from the Apostles, which to them they reckon a time of sorrow, Paget Christian ograph 146. and 150. Which exception from our observance, evidenceth their agreement with us in the matter under proof, according to that Known rule exceptio firmat in non exceptis.  
SHOULD we say in all this they inclined to Popery, waspishly they would sting, and frettingly would they be angry, having against that so great an averseness, that the Patriarch or Archbishope of Constantinople when Elected by his Clergy, and confirmed by the Barut or Patent of the Grand-Segnior in the Government of the Churches of Greece, Macedon, Epirus, Thrace, Mosina, Maldavia, Corsu, in the Egean Se●, etc. having under him seventy four Archbishops, I say this great Patriarch yearly upon the Sunday called Dominica Invocavit, solemnly excommunicats the Pope and all his Clergy, for Schismatics, its true of late his seat hath been oft at Musco, where to this day if a Roman priest by chance should officiat upon any of their tables, or Altars, as polluted, or accursed, they break it into pieces, Paget ut sup. & c 29.  
A Learned Critic and Antiquary, viewing the several Churches of the world, finds that part of the Greek Church in Armenia, Celebrating the Nativity, not as we, but upon the sixth of January Bree●woods inquir. 124. as if that had been his birth day, which indeed is an old opinion, being received by some, but neither so universally▪ nor so rationaly believed, Chrys. Hom. de Nat. led thereunto through a mistake of the word Epiphania signifying manifestation, they concluded the time of his birth, and baptism to be one, for which cause it may be yet the Ethiopicks sprinkle themselves in the Epiphany in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, yet not as essential unto Faith, but as Historical, a remembrance of our Saviour's baptism▪ Barrets travels p. 146.  
YET the received opinion by the Current Testimony of all Antiquity from the first, and primitive times, was the feast of Christmas, that is, with the old Saxon Christ's feast, computed, and appointed to be observed, as it is now, being Inclyta solemnitas, a Famous Festivity over all the world Cyp. de Nat. Ser. giving it as genuine Characters of true profession to observe the Lordsday and Festivals. Tert. de. Idol. c. 15.  
TO make yet a doubting Thomas believe the existence of no Popry in this codicle, let him thrust his hand into the side and look upon the Prints of these things, in the body of the Church Reform, he shall, or may be ascertained of its Innocency, in this matter, or be forced to exalt himself, above all in our Israel, accounting none to be so wise, so pure, so knowing, so holy, as he in all our Congregations, when put together.  
BEHOLD, Eminent Emissaries of those Churches, chosen as messengers from Holland, Gilderland, Zealand, Vtrech, Frizland, Transylvania, Groaning, from the Palatinate, Landgrave of Hesse, Helvetia, Genevah, from the Republic of Brem, and that of Embden, and from the Kingdom of great Britain met together at Dort. to Censure, Remove, and Rebuke, opposers of their peace, and Corrupters of the Doctrine of the Reformed Church, for preventing of Error, Heresy and Division; And see them all seated debating for this end, yet unanimously agreeing in full Synod to Intermitt for a while, until the feast of the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour which then approached, was performed and over, The foreign Divines, being desired not to remove from Town for more convienency of meeting, the solemnity being done: This motion freely obeyed and by none disputed, may put some stop to the grumbling Zealot▪ not to say the Censorious Hypocrite, whose Religion perhaps should altogether not only be questioned, but his profaneness attested, had he not the salvo of twitting others in the teeth, as Formalists to, buoy up his Credit with the headless Vulgar: And when the Magistrates of Bommel writ requesting that Henricus Leo their Minister, might be allowed to repair to his congregation, to preach Administer etc. with his own people, upon the feast of the Nativity, The Synod smelling a Rat refused the motion, Leo having been cited before them for Censure, yet Censured not, the request, nor hissed at the purpose, adjacent Ministers being easily obtained. Synod Dordre. sess. 36. and 45. How would some of our Precisians have ranted? dissented? & to let the world know them to be no small fools, it is probable they had protested against such Actings,  
VIEW these Churches in their several precincts, it shall be found Days of this fort are not condemned as unholy or superstitious, but honourably mentioned, those of Suitzerland Decently observing the Incarnation, the Circumcision etc. The like is done by the Churches of Germany, Hungaria, Transilvania, those of the great Dukedom of Lituania, the greater and lesser Polonia, the Fratres Bohemi, those of Moravia, Holland, France: in Genevah, its true they are not observed, yet it's as true, that she condemns not these that do, approving and commending, thereof, as her subscription to the Helvetick Confession, apparently evinceth, durels view. p. 25.26.  
THE practices of the Reformed Kingdoms of Denmark Norway, and Sweden is Known, which appended to what hath been declared may strike an awe, Create a terror in the bosom of that Malapert, whose rigid conceptions are wraping to a tendency of disrelishment, disrespect or Censure.  
THE Fairest Daughters of the Church Reform, being our own three Kingdoms, are not to want their due respect, the particular judgement of each one being equivalent to many extraneous, or beyond Sea provinces, as the Judicious among those will declare, we begin with Ireland as farthest off, whose Clergy in a numerous Convocation in Dublin Anno Dom. 1615. agreeth in their Confession, that every particular Church hath Authority to institute, Change, put away Ceremonies, and other Ecclesiastical rites, etc. Constituting others making more to seemliness, or edification. Art. of Irel. 77. Upon which firm basis stands fixed her obedience in pleading for, and standing to the observance of these days. England in her Confession drawn up Anno Dom. 1562. speaketh the something (both agreeing to the Reformed Churches abroad) saying, Every particular or national Church hath Authority to ordain, change and abolish Ceremonies and rites of the Church, so that all things be done to edifying, adding, that whosoever through his private judgement, wilfully and purposely doth openly break the Traditions, and Ceremonies of the Church, not repugnant to the word, ordained by Authority, aught to be rebuked as he that offendeth against the Common ardour of the Church, thus fare the Article. Now though neither of these be so express as are the Confessions of the Helvetian Churches allowing the Celebration of the Lords Nativity, Circumcision etc. nor as that of Augsburg (the standard of the Reformed Churches abroad) retaining the traditions of about holy days, the Lords day, the Nativity, the Passeover, etc. Yet upon these pillars stood that Arch of her Law and Church constitution Anno Dom. 1630. viz.) All manner of persons shall from henceforth Celebrate, and Keep the Lords day, and other holy days, according to God's holy will and pleasure, that is, in hearing the word, etc. And where is that Church, (Rome excepted) in the whole world, Regularly constitute, did ever presume to Censure England in this particular? nay, where is that Church, (except as above excepted) but blesseth her as a Daughter and prays for her as a Mother?  
SCOTLAND is behind none of the Reformed Churches in defence of the matter questioned: for she in her Reformation (which truly in this was according to the best Reformed Churches) by the Lords of the Congregation after mature deliberation, for raising bulwarks against Popery, concluded, that in all parishes the lessons of the Old & new Testament should be read on Sundays, and other FESTIVAL DAYS. Spots. Hist. lib. 3. Ann. Dom. 1558. the sense of the word FESTIVAL, determineth the Author's exemption from obloquy, upon the account of this works were any of these noble Patriots alive, to peruse his discourcess; but least any suspend belief of the thing, out of prejudice to that most Reverend Historian, I hope Mr. Knox will have some influence upon the weak in faith, who records the same thing to be done by the same persons, whom he calls Lords and Barons professing Christ Jesus, Reformed preachers rejoicing, and much encouraged thereby, the Popish Clergy being on the other hand much Incensed. Knox Hist. lib. 1. Was not our old League with England in (our new days) and Uniformity thereto in the mouths of many? which was begun by subscription, and consenting to the rites and service of that Church, by which the French was here overthrown, the Pope, the most Christian and Catholic King, being angry thereat, Buchan. Scot Hist. lib. 19 All which put together, with the legal procedure of Future times, demonstrateth those bugbear ordinances, Votes, and Resolves contrary to those proceedings, which hath troubled our Lands, were not national decrees, but Fallacious opinions. And beheld by the Churches abroad (as could be proved by numerous instances) not so much the Doctrine of our Reformed Churches, as the Dodder of our Churches Reform (i. e.) weeds growing about them excrescences of the Earth occasioned by showers and Tempests of popular commotion, and in seren sky cast over the wall and Empalement of our Congregations.  
BUT yet if any man be contentious, and still hold this youngling as Popishly affected, its Father, the Author, from these undeniable records, smiles at the expression, pitties their mistake, justifying himself, against such selandarous taunts in St. Paul's words we have no such custom, (that is, so to speak) neither the Churches of God: But for peace sake do wish the dissenter to cognosce before he condemn, For as the Erecting of the Altar of Ed. jos. 22.10. Occasioned a surmise of Rubens Apostasy, and Idolatry, was upon search, found otherwise: so a right stateing of the Question, and a seasonable distinction (as with them) may make us bless, pray for, and part from each other, to the laying aside contention and debate, which the sense of the Reformed Church, about these things, when harkened unto shall happily procure.   

MYSTERIUM PIETATIS OR THE MYSTERY OF THE INCARNATION OF THE SON of GOD Unfolded, and applied. 

Christmas- Sunday, Tolbooth Church, 1670.  
YULE- Sunday, Tolbooth Church, 1670.    JEREMIAH. XXXI. XXII. 
How long wilt thou go about, O thou back-sliding Daughter? For the Lord hath created a new thing in the Earth: A woman shall compass a man.  
VICE and Folly are so congenit with the Essence and soul of man since his fall, that Aristippus counted a good or temperate man, to be the most admirable thing in the World; and the Orator, beholding the proclivity of most, unto that which by the torchlight of Nature was to be condemned, choosed rather then be led by them, to become a Victim or Sacrifice unto Reason, and perish with good men: wherefore GOD superadding to those un-audiable censures, motives and documents suggested vigorously by the Spirit into the hearts of people, as persuasives unto virtue; hath in the Church from all generations sent his Servants the Prophets (who though dead yet speak) to purchase prosely●s unto piety, by powerfully convinceing the world of sin, and terrifying men from unrighteous courses by the Terror of the Lord, even by those judgements he is purposed to execute upon all that are ungodly, by which the strongest holds sin hath erected, hath become like Iericho's walls flat, so powerful hath been the breath of their mouths, from which Energy came that confidence of Lactantius, who with open mouth transacts wit● his Readers that if they give him a Covetous man, an Ambitious man, a Libidinous man, by a few Scripture Texts (actuated by the Spirit) he shall instantly present them with a li●beral an Humble and a chaste man. And if any Rampire of Belials erection, had braved it 〈◊〉 opposition to those precepts of pious deportment, making avarice and lust, with impudence, and power, Rapine, Effusion of blood, Oppression, and Injustice, so far to enlarge the Philacteries of their Jurisdiction, that like Augustus Cesar they tax all the World, compelling even mankind to pay Contribution; Goodness joins with Omnipotence, and by wonders, and Miracles, GOD gives check to unbelief, making it as Pharaoh's Chariots, first move softly, and next overthrows it in the Sea of Admiration, making Faith first transcendently to triumph, next resolve upon obedience, and godly holiness argued into them, by convinceing prodigies, the intellectual faculties of the Soul not being so depraved, but will prompt the organs of the Speech to say: This is the finger of GOD. Which holy violence if yet more obstructed through the frequency of visions, the customableness thereof not inforceing but nauseating the Heart as cloyed, with signs and wonders, the Almighty compassionating the frenzy, displays once more the Ensigns of his power and for creating in men new hearts, and disuniting them from their beloved lusts, causeth Truth to be embraced by representing for its verity unwonted Spectacles as here he did the Jews (a generation fatted and surfeited with miracles putting Divinity itself to devise a new device for reclaiming them from stale and Frantic combateings against Heaven, and for confirming them, against their old wont Apostasy and back-slideing, Creates a new thing in the Earth, making a woman to compass a man.  
PROVIDENCE is but a continued Creation, a series of the things at first created; which Creation, is not only the production of things out of pure nothing, by an irresistible fiat, but also out of matter by itself (through any virtue inherent) not disposed to be the origin, or parent, of such or such a Substance: as Adam's rib was not in nature in its utmost activity capable to produce of its self; or give the constituent parts of such a Harmonious body as Eva had, receiving the power for that, by its enlargement, extension, and apt composition in symmetry of parts, alone from the great JEHOVAH, who stil● continueth the beings at first created by th● same alsufficiency they were form, an● wherein they are commanded to subsist, whic● being observed, and indeed expected, in the turns and returns of the year, (forsooth) by natural reason and experience, createth 〈◊〉 wicked men a neglect of, & prejudice against their maker, which putteth God by way of re●venge upon some, and in manner of advice to others, and for Caveats unto all, to form strange effects from not imaginable causes, that the Dreadfulness or Loveliness thereof may thunder, or allure men into a reformation, which to perfect, our Prophet order his Hearers to consider this new thing, viz. A woman's compassing a Man.  
THAT a woman should be created out of man, is an old thing; that man should be produced out of a Woman, is an ordinary thing; that a Woman should embrace a man, is no strange thing, but search records and a woman's encompassing a man is a new thing in the Earth, & so new, that it is the prerogative of the Lord of Glory alone, and an act whereof he boasts; yea, invits to wonder at its creating, by which is hinted, that as it was never done, so neither is it after to be expected, purposeing still to have it a new thing and under that notion to be revered.  
THE words by some are understood as predicting a change in the jewish Church, now groaning under onerous oppression, being enfeebled by broils and tyranny, labouring to be delivered, and here promised strength against, and power to overcome the Masculine sword of the conquering Babylonians, but this being no such new thing since Egypt was before destroyed, they may be interpreted to be the Gospel of our Lord jesus Christ according to jeremiah, Speaking of her, whose womb without the Knowledge of a man, encircled a MAN, That MAN, That singular MAN with an Emphasis, as the word Gaber originally imports, hold out mighty strength, a MAN in his strength, a man not old, not a boy, but in perfect ability and full strength, and was, and is, and which is yet to come, yet still a MAN, so that the woman is Mary, a Daughter of the house of David, and the Man is jesus, Son of the most high GOD, whose Conception and Nativity in the flesh, was indeed a strange thing and prophesied of, as a sign, and as a wonder futurely to be accomplished, this sign the Lord giving, that a Virgin should bear a Son Isa. 7. joining Heaven and Earth for his animation, God & man for his Constitution; A new thing yet an old thing, because foretold, it is an old thing, yet a new thing because but now Created, that Israel who had been married in Truth, Righteousness and judgement, might leave her dissolute Harlot-like Conversation, and return to the first Husband of her Youth, who upon her penitence purposeing graciously to accept her as a chaste Virgin, that Truth might spring out of the Earth, confirmeth his word by this astonishing miracle, of a Woman's encompassing a Man, which ratifies God's tenderness to all posterity unto all man's issue who will Spiritually dive into the depth of this Abyss, and secure the Treasure therein unto himself by application, Kissing the man with the Kisses of his mouth, that is, doing Homage to the Son lest he be Angry.  
THIS being the feast of our Lord's Incarnation, called Theophania, because the Lord appeared, and sometimes the Nativity, because the Lord was BORN, it shall be as apples of Gold upon pictures of silver to descant upon the thing itself, viz. A woman's compassing a man, next upon the strangeness of that thing, or as it is a new thing in the Earth.  
A Woman, that is, in sex, and yet a Virgin, that is, in condition receiving, the first compellation from her wombs fruitfulness in which she conceiveth and nourisheth man, as if she were not properly a Woman, whose womb had not bred a man, neither shall man be happy but by this Woman, this womb Man's bearing, this Virgin's encompassing, she saveing all by this Childs bearing though a Virgin an expression from the bodies vigorous and beautiful motion, with vivacity, more particularly called Mary which is by Interpretation exalted, and to the highest acclivities of acquired Honour, was she manuducted, when separate by eternal Decree to be Mother to the Son of God, and raised above the level of ordinary capacities, in believing the Angel's Revelation, for which all Generations shall call her blessed both for Faith and Example, her Faith and Chastity, at first view inclining her Beholders, her Admirers and Followers to that high way of the upright (i. e.) virtue, Modesty with self denial, which is above, not daring to tread in those so did and impure paths of Wantonness, conceitedness, or uncleanness, leading to Hell beneath, She was indeed found with Child but it was by the Holy Ghost, this woman removing the Curse due to man for Insobriety, became by Sampler, another Eva not for being beguiled, but for believing, the Mother of all living or of all, that would live by beautifying their lives, with Angelic continence becoming Mothers to the Son of God, conceiving by the Holy Ghost, who again helpeth them to keep their vessels in Sanctification and Honour, The thoughts as the shade of the juniper tree frighting and debarring the Serpents of Corrupt resolves from entrance, and avoiding the deplorable issue of inflamed lost, in the remotest imaginations tending thereunto, subjugating every thought to the Captivity of Reason, which by and by brings it under subjection unto Christ, and perpetually deterreth unclean Spirits, from nestling in the Soul or heart, by remembering the woe due to them, who neglect so great Salvation, about this time as it were, BORN by this Woman, this Virgin, unto whom the Angel was sent as unto a Virgin in body, and mind, being every whit holy, not for one day but daily which all aught to be, and shall at last be acquired, maugre all seeming difficulties, by girding the Sword of Honour upon our thigh, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, by which we not only conquer and Triumph, but with our Virgin woman, Magnify the Lord for doing great things not only for us, but in us.  
ADAM is said not to be deceived, but the woman, she being beguiled by the Serpent, brought forth Death, Adam consenting to her, Marry alone believes, joseph consenting, and aiding her in things requisite, life is brought forth by them to destroy that Death conceived by the other two; Eva, Adam's wife became the mother of Death, Adam yielding, Mary, Joseph's espoused, for which she is called woman brought forth life, joseph attending▪ therefore she 〈◊〉 called a Mother, she conceived that life by Faith therefore a Virgin, yet brought forth in sense wherefore she is also called woman. How men are born all men know, but not that way, but on this wise was the birth of jesus, Mat. 2. that it might be strangely differenced from other products of the womb; For when his Mother Mary was espoused to joseph she was found with Child, having already conceived, that joseph should not mistake him, for his Son, yet she was espoused, so joseph's wife, that the world should not charge her with whoredom or her Son with Bastardy, so zealous is God that the ugly stain of incontinency, be avoided, preciously esteemed among the very Heathen; for a Laconian Lady, being demanded of the Dowry she brought her Husband? Answered I brought chastity to his bed; Mary was found a Virgin, Mary was made a Woman, for her Honour's defence for her life's security (Adulterers being stoned) and that more honourably she might travel as in jewrie or sojourn as in Egypt with a man, and some will have her made a woman, that is espoused, that from the devil might be concealed Christ's birth and conception, for though from the prophecies before running, by the translation of the kingdom to the romans', by the weeks in Daniel by the Angel's Message he might have a conjectural knowledge of the Messiah near to be revealed, but a certainty thereof might not be obtained for the foresaid reasons.  
WAS not Evah when first took out of man a pure Virgin yet is she not called woman? Christ is BORN on this wise, that like the High Priest he mi●ht not be defiled by his Father, or his Mother: for by his Father in Heaven, in him is no darkness, and from his Mother on Earth, he receives no guiltiness being in her Virgin estate, as the former, though a Woman, when a Virgin, was tempted to distrust, this Virgin in a woman's estate, not contradicting Truth, but overcome by Faith and Admiration, becometh, (pardon the allusion) the Mother of Eternal Salvation to all that obey, The Serpent encompassed the woman, the Angel encompassed the Virgin; and the Virgin woman without man, encompassed man, Man thereby reaping the benefit of that he never sowed▪ nay of that he never believed was in the Earth. For notwithstanding of that which is Fabled of Periclio, the Mother of Plato, that she brought forth, not devirginated, yet the wise admiring at that peace in the days of Augustus Caesar enquiring at their gods, its duration, had no other Response than that peace should endure, until a Virgin brought forth a Child, which so gladden the Spirit of the people, that a Temple was builded, called Peace, and engraved on its front, The eternal Temple, but this their conceit miscarried, for the same night Christ was BORN in Bethlehem that temple was ruined by an earthquake in Rome, upon whose ruins in after ages was erected a Church called, S. mary, I know there are who ●ighting against this Temple of peace, triumphs as did Titus over jerusalem, & at length leav● it as the temple of that City, without one stone upon another, in raseing the very being of it from Records, alleadgeing with those circumstances it was never budded save in Author's brains; But this being a day of joy, and gladness, of peace and Union, we shall not enter the lists for combat, accounting it easier to believe, or misbelieve, the story, then travel to infringe the objectors Authority, by digging up the foundations of that (if so) twice ruined structure.  
THE first we read to have been named Mary was Miriam (Sister of Moses a Prophetess) the same with it, but she keeped among the Virgins, and because of an Ethiopian woman murmured, against the Goodman her Brother, But our Mary, because found with Child, is numbered among women, rejoiceing that Shiloh, unto whom the gathering of all people, was to be born of her betrothed, providence clothing Reputation by allotting her a supposed Husband, discovering thereby her Genealogy, for greater Fame, both towards herself and Son, he being reputed the Son of joseph which was the Son, that is (to omit dark and endless reckonings) the son in Law to Heli; mary Kindred being▪ Numbered, Luke 3. the custom of the Jews not allowing Families to be computed by women, yet this is clear from both▪ that being of the house of David and reckoned by S. Matthew from Abraham, Salvation by Jesus came to his Sons; but S. Luke reckoning from Adam, intimats Redemption by him also to be intended by the incarnation to the Gentiles, found in the Royal line, and appears in the person of the the King of the Jews, jesus the Saviour of the whole Earth. Whose Mothers Kindred is reckoned under Joseph's name, as being one with Mary, she being his wife. Luke 3. and Heli's Daughter, which I●seph a Carpenter, became a Foster Father, a reputed or supposed Father to the world's Master-builder, and great Architecture of heaven and Earth, his espoused having conceived in her womb about the age as is said of fifteen, being fitted early for her Saviour's entertainment by Sanctity and pudicity, contrary to that Famous Helen upon whose eyes it's recorded none could look securely, there being thence emitted rays, destructive to purity, enflameing the breast unto concopiscence, but from this woman say they there was such emanations of beaming Continence, as not only denied such reflections, but extinguished their being as the sunbeams do an ordinary fire: I shall swear to none of these, yet know that though Nebuchadnezars' furnace be seven times more heated then usually, it no way impedeth jesus the Son of God from making it his gallery; but the least spark of natural lust indisposeth the soul for being a receptacle for that holy Child jesus▪ he being both separate from sinners and sin, can have no Communion with Belial nor his imps, yea, if a David by entertaining of a lust, lose the warmth or forfeit the sense of heavenly joy, or Mary at a feast (who hath ears to hear let him hear) lose her Son and Saviour, they must both regain their Consolation, with sorrow and Care, and acknowledge with Naomi, that their Names are Mara that is Mary, by interpretation also bitterness.  
All our Saviour's actions have in their womb instructions to the world, concerning Converse, and particularly his being BORN of a woman Virgin, doctrina●s to Virginlike simplicity, as some therefore abstaines from wickedness for fear of pain, others of shame, or such like Carnal grounds, let Believers make no provision for the flesh that jesus may be form in them more and more, that his left hand may be under their head and his Right hand embrace them, the former healing and justifying, the other embracing and felicitating, the fi●st applying his merits, the last assurei●g his reward, the one offering food, the other medicine, yet behold the Physician, and his first cure for the Souls support is innocence, attested in his Manless conception, that we showing freedom from the deformity of brutal desires. Manlike may be capable to convers with heavenly intellig●nces, crying out in our acts, with those in Theodoret, who being ignorantly, through Cunning▪ made to offer incense unto Idols, we are Christians, we are Christians, keeping fresh the Image of Holiness, becomeing Familiar as it were with Angels. Outstripping that modest heathen Archytas, who refuseing to utter an immodest word, yet desiring to sense his discourse portrayed upon the wall with a coal somewhat significative to his purpose, which is but to trapan sanctity, and shutting our Organ, that is our ear, against ribaldry, to offer it an inlet by the eye, an or●an apt enough to smutt the soul, and sufficiently politic to captivat the hea●t, wi●h it's own consent, and betray it to destructive conceptions.  
DRAW near you that are Virgins and behold this Virgin, you that are Mothers, and behold this Mother, you that give suck, and behold this Nurse, you that a●e with Child, and behold this womb, you that are widows, and behold this woman▪ no Maid, no Wife, you that are begotten of Men, and born of woman, and behold this MAN encompassed by a woman, born for all kinds of condition, wherein woman can be found begotten of Man, that all living (as she in breeding) in Chastity, may be encompassed by this MAN secured against shame and misery, by imitating this woman● Gen●us, this Ave-maries warrinesse, this woman● temperance, this Virgin's holiness, this Maid's retiredness, for, its probable, the Virgin was alone when the Angel accosted her, and it may be conjectured at some good exercise, as appeareth by his salutation, Th● Lord is with thee, the Religion of the Hebrews teaching them to bless in the Name of the Lord, whom they found diligent and well employed as Boaz did his Reapers, and the Reapers again their master.  
IMITAT also this Ave-maries cleanness for the Virgin was pure in heart, that is, in eye, in ear, in feet, in tongue, walk and apparel, her compositum being clothed, crowned with the virtues, as with so many robes and diadems of stairs, defending her (by nature) unfortified ear, from the assaults of immodest utterance, by bashfulness, gravity, and censure; disdaining to soil, or smutt her purer soul with the reports of obscenity, acted, either on the Theatre▪ or seen in the wardrobe: the habit but warping toward kindling of Concupiscence in any, being condemned in the solidity of her Judgement; accounting it equally destructive, to be casually an incentive of, as studiously to become a pander to lust in any; the Angel's salutation, her Royal stem and pedigree, cleareth all this and more; As if her word had been like that of Heraclius the Emperor, Insania l●ta voluptas, estimating the usual, trivial, finical delights of the Daughters of men, to be dangerous, and their Gambols to be very madness; because either being, or forming, or bordering upon pollution; yet, (according to the Acute Maxim in the Holy State of Virginity) counted it Virginity to be unspotted, not unmarried, encompassing herself with Resolves, of piety, industry, and purity, in all conditions, therefore she Saw GOD, and that with her eye, the invisible being in her, and of her, and to her, made visible the Father through the Spirit erecting a mansion place in her womb for the Son, she having had a repository for the Almighty his Law revealed to his Servants in her heart, from which issued an aptitude and disposition inclining he● body rather to Kneel, than Dance.  
Ought not this to persuade future Ages, for applauding and consenting to conscious & sanctimonious behaviour? Christ being th●● born for this cause, or then his coming had been casting pearls before swine. and the product of Christian profession little different from the frantic actings of the fable● Jewish Armillus, (with them the same th● Antichrist is with u●) who before the coming of the Messiah (with them) is to be bo●● by, o● breathed from, a Marble image of Virgin, unto whom the wicked of the world shall be gathered for incestuous copulation▪ And under him their Leader bandy against heaven.  
HOW advantageously hath the Ho●● Ghost baptised our Saviour (so to speak with variety of names, titles and comparisons? and how comfortably doth he expatiat upon that subject? that in all doubts, fears or discouragements his Name is as ointment poured forth, Cant. 1.3. the word Messiah, the expression Christ, the phrase ointment being all one, holding up the tapestry showing the devout the inside of his worth, that the savour of his works, merits, and offices may bind up and restrain the deluding pleasures offered by sin, Satan or the world, to our deceiving senses.  
WHAT deductions faith can make from those Names, of the Rock, the Lamb, the Vine, the Sun, the Rose, the Shepherd, the way, the door, the Priest, pertaineth not to our province, but the appellation MAN in our theme, is so sovereign, so gravidat with blessing, flowing from Fraternity and Brotherhood, that the improver may observe a Magazine in point of war for all accommodation, a store-house in matter of peace for all conveniency, at first representing God in MAN and therefore in spiritual attaques, hellish conflicts, wrestle of Conscience, struggling with the world, interceding with God, he is a MAN an accomplished Captain endowed with all requisits, required anciently by the Law of Arms for accomplishing a Leader, Gentry●he ●he battle ended and the Haltion days ●f peace being come, the soul in sweet Communion, holy Fellowship with God, uninterrupted joys of the Spirit, he is a MAN to advise with in the Management of all things.  
INDEED the Angel appointed this MAN'S name to be jesus, that is, a Saviour adapting his name to his office, whence salvation in its bulk, as also in its parts is ascertained to him, who makes this MAN his jesus; an appellation which none of the Prophets knowing, or not revealing▪ maketh evident, that Almighty wisdom concluded it fittest for an Angel first to utter, and next him the Christian, that both the one and the other might eternally adore, the impress and signature thereof being capable to m●lt the soul by its heat, but its worth proclaims a jubilee to the most de●pon●ding sinner, in inclining his ear to these 〈◊〉, that jesus is born in Bethlehem, who●● a Saviour, Christ the Lord, which so tra●●quillats the Conscience that it may disdain the surmisings, the whispering of Fear, 〈◊〉 inviting the eye, and attracting the ear, th●● except jesus be seen and heard, wise dis●courseing is but babbling; A holy Man disrelished the (otherwise) sweet fluency of Tullies eminent (not to say) admitted Rhetoric and imitable (because not bumbastick) Oratory, in regard that Jesus was not among all his tropes to be found, that being the salt seasoning the highest expression of endearing Friendship or most allureing Eloquence.  
THAT Signior, like name the Prophet giveth him, Isa. 9.6. exceeds all delectation, that speaking him wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of peace, the first representing all the rest miraculous, being Wonderful, yet amiable because a Counsellor, yet that hinting subjection, he is formidable in action▪ understand to his foes, he is Mighty, and least that should be construed not to extend to omnipotence, he is said to be the Mighty God, yet to conciliate kindness he is a Father, and to cause veneration, he is the everlasting Father, and that he might be known to be above all desirable, he is the Prince of Peace, made peace go before him, brought peace with him, there being either peace or Truce at his birth, all the world over, what can be reflected upon here, wanting for the accomplishment of a MAN? and what is not here evincing the rationality of his name wonderful?  
IN the beginning was this word, John 1.1. there's eternity; this word was with God, there's equality; the word was God, there's a Deity; and the word was made flesh, there's Humanity, and that word in flesh is called Jesus, there's Salvability, the Grace of God by him appearing, and bringing salvation unto all men, and how happy should we be if we would so far act as MEN, as make our symbol like that, the Emperou● Jovianus, scopus vitae Christus, the end and perfection of my life, is jesus.  
FOR this cause the Apostle, 1 Cor. 1. hath, as a Father observes, the Name jesus, and again the Name jesus in the first ten verses, eleven times over, as if he could not, or would not, complete his triumphant wishes, for the Corinthians establishment by other means; then by tuneing their ears to this Appellative Jesus; making it manifest to the most inadvertant, that the word Master, or MAN, or any other noun, had not in his judgement virtue competent to heal their sores, remove their follies, or si● their quick silver, so much as Jesus: Or as if he himself by a holy inebriation of the juice or wine pressed from the signification thereof, had forgot the earthiness of names, and sounds, but in heavenly Dialect could only pronounce the Elements of man's salvation; view the stable therefore, the manger, the swadling-cloaths, and behold they all cry See Jesus, Behold the MAN, who being eternally enjoying peace, and splendidly ruling in heaven, was (as about this time) born MAN, a word also insinuating Misery, vexation and woe, encompassed from the womb with Legions of Devils, Princes, Pharisees and people; yea by his own Kindred and Disciples was he perplexed, being denied, forsaken and rejected saying, we have no pleasure in him, because they saw him a MAN that is, a compend of Sorrow, yet because he is a MAN, that is a compound of Excellency, behold his worth with cheerfulness, and Zeal as Simeon, Anna, the Angel, and the heavenly host, who as they sang at the Creation, job. 38.7. would also rejoice at the Redemption of the world, worshipping him who was the first begotten.  
HOW much more, ought man, for whom the Lord more peculiarly was made Christ, as the shepherds will show you, who went to see and returned from Christ the Lord with great joy, two words expressing fi●st his Human● then his Divine nature. The great Turk vaunteth of his being Guardian of our Saviour's Sepulchre, let us exult in his Authority, glory in his Holy Name, Religiously improving the design of his coming, that we may be redeemed from this present evil World. Gal. 1.4. that is, from the practices thereof, and designs therein, the mischief whereof can easily be discerned, and from which no Angel could secure us therefore their maker, God's Son became MAN by consequence our Brother, voluntarily divesting himself of his glorious Robes, clothed himself with the poor raiment of flesh and blood & buckled on the coat-Armour o● bones and sinews, to fight against the god of this world, who had projected ma●● thraldom to Eternity by the world's gai●●ty; whereas contrary our jesus, is before us in a stable, Reprobating the world's glory in his practice, that others may abstract their souls from it in their Converse.  
IT is said, that the herb, Christ●●woort, or Christmas flower, in plain English black hellebore, (so called for its springing about this time) helpeth madness, distraction, purgeth melancholy and dulness: sure we are, that though Christ at this time did not speak, yet the members of his body, the face of his nativity, the indigence of his parent, the surliness of his host, says to the demented, witless, because profane prodigal, Love not the world, cease from evil, and do good, subdue pride, watch envy, provoke not to wrath, Love mercy, do violence to no man, (he troubled none in the Inn by making intrusion into any Chamber thereof) lest he fall upon thee, and smite thee with more madness, and astonishment of heart, Deu. 28, 28.  
THIS last expression minds me to caveat the Reader, not to be angry at Helibore because it's called Christmas-flowre; for it, poor thing hurts no body that lets it alone, and Herbalists are to be she●t, not it spoilt for that Name, as was the harmless Hawthorn tree, near Glassenbury in Sommersetshire in England, which being always observed to bloom so near to this time, that it was reported first to bud this day, other Haw-thorns about it remaining dead, and naked, King james jestingly concluded therefrom, our old style to be more Regular than Rome's new, but others of latter years more seriously concluding, the thorn guilty of old superstition, grubbed it up by the roots, and burned it to ashes; which coming to the ears of honest Christmas, fearing her own fate, from that of her Harbingers (receiving notice by a public order) quietly retired, and keeped herself alive by the fireside of more Charitable Christians, accounting it more honourable to lie by a flame, then die in one: But this Bush hath almost put me from my path, and hoping 〈◊〉 things, we proceed to press the Christian in all temptations to lift up his heart soul, and all within him, Remembering the of descent the Son of GOD, I should have said of MAN approaching towards us in the Chariot of the Virgin's womb, moving upo● the wheels of Humility, Charity, Mercy, and holy Wisdom, GOD uniting to MAN, that ma● might be reconciled to God through inscrutable actings, by new things, Heaven being opened as in the Revelation. Angels ascending and descending as in Jacob's dream, joining earth and Heaven as in the Ladder, the Father saying, fear not as in Israel's going dow● to Egypt, here is the Door, this is the gat● of Heaven, as in the Patriarch's dread, Th●● Lord shall be my God, as in the pilgrim's vow Gen. 20.21.  
BUT forget not as we ought to reverence and adore him as God, in God, so ought we to respect and benefit all me● since God in MAN became like one of us, Our Lords Natalitials and birth, being a mirror representing divine Charity and bowels of compassion unto us, and loves swavity or sweetness one with another, his very swaddling clothes speaking patience and benevolence.  
FROM the time of celebrating our Lords Advent in order of nature our, days lengthen, our nights shorten, and was of old called Midwinter-day, or Midwinter mass, or feast. The Solstice formerly being nearer to it then now, however until became, Darkness was upon the face of the earth, and that so gross that for eight hundreth years, none had the gift of miracles, for in working of them, none proceeded our Saviour save Elisha only, the Prophets taught the living, neither cured the sick, nor raised the dead, that the world by his miracles, might learn him to be the true Messiah, the very sun of righteousness, by whose beams the world being irradiated, errors might vanish, and Truth broke forth more and more, for the conversion of men; And that as the Cloud did Israel, we by his manhood might move and be directed in our motions through the wilderness, in pureness of behaviour and brightness of Doctrine, that by his fiery light, we might have light, and constantly walk as Children thereof, old things passing away by the Spirits over shadowing, and heart believing, we might also become new in Christ jesus, who was once BORN, and no more that the woe denounced against unbelievers in all ages, might deter the remiss and enforce a running into Bethlehem, the house of brea● to see admiringly this great thing, and neither complain, nor deride; nor scorn, or turn again to the Egypt of carnal possession, bu● vivaciously embrace this Man in their arms living by faith, confess that he is come i● the flesh, which whoso denys is an An●tichrist, he as God giving so clear eviden●ces of his assuming flesh, showing even before his greatest miracles infallible proofs o● his Manhood, cu●ing the deaf after sighing▪ raising Lazarus after his weeping, and shakeing of the Earth, as he gave up the Ghost.  
THE wedding then betwixt GOD and man, in him being come, let not the rooms be empty, but the faster invite jesus to the Marriage, staying for your satisfaction in a stable until your prepared hearts say as a Laba●, Come in thou blessed of the Lord why tarriest thou without that darkness of Soul and will being expelled thou mayst dwell, yea encreass in light, evangelical for ever, as the earth receives increase of light for a time, And as it puts one hence forward a new dress the fields clothed with a fresh green, the ●●ees in the gardens s●ed or lopped, the Vines ●n the Vineyard pruned, for the grapes grea●er sweetness, so he the Vine being planted ●n the earth, may through our sincere prayers, be engrafted and inoculated in us, that ●s the Vine we may have wherewith to glad the heart of God and of this MAN, causeing this days exercise to have a voice prepare ●●e the way of the Lord lopping off all superfluity of naughtiness, and exc●●scencies of Vanity, leaving the Drunkard, to be drunk in the Night studying to be sober and vigilant, as Children of Day, avoiding somnolency or sleepiness, ebriety or drunkenness, the morning of temperance beginning with the Sun of righteousness, inforceing a being wise unto sobriety, remembering the very supposed Father of this MAN was joseph, who was known to be truly a good, and a just man.  
BUT the word Encompass imports the enliving, prodigious ineffable mystery, the most in comprehensible conception and miraculous nativity of our Lord, of which sufficiency of knowledge terminating the understanding, is that which mortality can no ways be obliedged to expect, yet to attract eyes for yielding respect to this astonishing birth, whereon the building of our happiness depends more than upon his rising from th● dead; for, from the grave some have risen, bu● from a Virgin's womb no man yet came, an● affords new, yea strong consolation, more over all his other actings are bottomed upo● this of his birth; therefore is it to be weighted.  
THE word expresseth encircling, en●closing, by which pure word insinuating hi● confinement in the Virgin's womb, an● abideing there as in his proper Cell, unti● the time of life, at which this MAN ap●peared in the world, but the manner of hi● being compassed is concealed from us, the Angel's expression. The Holy Ghost shal● overshaddow thee; Remorats curiosity, Go● thereby intending to conceal the manner, promises wholly a belief of the matter, a shadow being but the absence of light by the interposition of a body, the darkness of the womb confineth our eyesight, and the power of the Highest dischargeth prying.  
TO show that he was born, not to be admired, or gazed at, were easy; and to prove that he was born for us, is that which we all believe, to demonstrate he was not born for himself, but given to us, that hath been heard from the Prophets; For, say they, to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, Child yet before his Mother was, he was a Son, a wise Physician, and tender Saviour, the omnipotent God, to us is given a Child a Son, respecting his two natures; the first, viz. Child, expressing him real MAN, as he was and cleared to be from his Geno●ogy, from his soul, body, eating, weariness fasting, sleeping, weeping, from his being called, Man, & the son of Man, besides such representatives as GOD made of him under the Law, as the seed of the woman, of Abraham, a Prophet from among your Brethren, and David's righteous branch: The other word SON, expressing him real God which he was, being called always the Son of God, after his Resurrection, after which time, that phrase the Son of man is never used. He is the everlasting Son of the Father Creator of all things giver of eternal life, from the beginning confessed by the Angels, demonstrated by his fasting, by his miracles and that in the Temple, where never miracles were wrought by man, that being the place, wherein God significantly would have his Son to be noticed, and he proved from his working therein, to be the Lord who was suddenly to come thereto, Malach. 3. It being the house of his Father.  
IN short by his suffering, dying, rising from the dead, he declared himself to be the Son of God with power, for never MAN, neither Moses, Samuel, nor any that called upon his Name, neither Priest nor Prophet wrought miracles at their Death but he, th● exploit of Samson, was rather wonderful then miraculous and came far short of thos●●●upendious actings, at our Saviour's giving up of the Ghost, but at his rising from the grave so far he declared himself to be God that these words, the Son of MAN, are no● mentioned, he said it behoved the Son of ma● to suffer, but being raised, it was, ought no● Christ to have suffered?  
HOW elegantly hath S. Paul, Philip▪ 2. difference● I should have said, united these two, in these words, who being in the for● of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God, herein is the truth of his Sonship, and first part of his nature, but made himself of 〈◊〉 reputation▪ and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men▪ here is the truth of his Childhood, the other part of his being▪ the Apostle expounding the Prophet would have said, He was given to us, who was in the form of God, and born for u● who made himself of no Reputation, this is the beginning, middle and end of his nativity even to adore, reverence, that Love of God we who after he had made all things, yet made himself MAN, so man's good, before this Child was born as a Son, he governed all things, but for nothing was he born save to serve, that men might enjoy all things, and if the birth of this Child, this Son, be accounted fabulous, either by jew or Greek, because incredulous.  
I pass the Vengeance shown on a lewd painter, intending to draw our blessed Saviour in the form of jupiter, An. C. 436. whose hand by the Divinity of Christ's power withering, was again refreshed by Prayer, Repentance, and ●aith, in the two natures though reason could not unfold the Union. But let me know why the diseased lion seeks out an ape by whose ugly tricks, he, as it were laughs himself into health? how or what can cause an ovel ball of Virgin wax, cast into the salt Sea, fill itself with fresh water? why should the jew doubt of mary Virginity since he believes, the bush burned and was not consumed? that gideon's fleece was wet and all the ground dry? that daniel's stone was cut out of the Mountains without hands, All these were antecedent to this, the Spirit trolling us forward to believe the Mystery of the Incarnation from a Virgin overshadowed, she being like the porch in Ezekiel, 4.4. through which none was to pass, because the Lord hath entered in by it; he was the occult se●d, which had we wanted, we had been like to Sodom, 1. Isa. he is the fruit of David's body: to sit upon David● throne, other sons are the fruit of the Loins, Psal. 132. but Christ was purely a fruit o● the belly, for from Joseph's piety, for Iesu● Dignity, for the Honour of the Holy Ghost, as we know Mary to have been a Virgin, before her Conception, so she is believed to have remained a Virgin ever after.  
HIS Conception in the womb being the fund and bottom of all that followed, in hi● Mediatory office, in it resteth the inscrutabl● Mystery of the two natures, the possibility whereof in the Union of our capacious Souls with our finite infirm bodies is somewhat cleared: but admit this should not be reflected upon, Heaven it seemed resolves that th● A. B. C. of our profession should be wholly superstructed upon faith, that the 〈◊〉 and Ground-sale might be conform to th● roof, and both to stand upon his ipse 〈◊〉 the word of the Lord, the Female being 〈◊〉 only placed for the parent, not a man to compass a woman, whereby a man may be b●●gotten, but a woman a MAN by whic● jesus was organised.  
AND if heathens believed the possibility of Minervahs' concep●ion in the brain of jupiter, without a woman, may it not from truer grounds be trusted, that jesus was framed in the womb without a man? it is certainly fabulous; that Budda should have gendered in his side a Virgin, bu● for this truth what direful things have not been suffered? and what consolation hath it not bred▪ And the newness of the thing in the uniting God and man, is said to have been registrated in the book of Heaven itself for all to see, the Learned observing by their tables, that upon the observed day of our Lord's nativity (viz.) December 25. their fell the greatest conjunction of the eight and ninth spears in head of Aries that ever was, and nature is not able to effect the like (say they) unless the world continue thirty or forty thousand years, a strange conjunction upon earth, represented by another in heaven▪ imports the Almighty would have it wondered at.  
HER name Mary imports a star, and that of the Sea too, designed in this particular to be eyed by such Mariners, or rather questionists who in sailing through the Ocean, of Divine Revelation & Mysteries will needs be exerciseing the plummet, and by the line of reason ●ath●me in the depth of the wisdom of God, or coast it by the shore of their own interest, opinion, faction, or concernment, Marry in this being a better pilot, by her own motion, above her own reason, in how can these things be? steared towards▪ the bay of Faith, and of dependence in; Be i● according to thy word, and to her Honour cast anchor within the port of God's verity and omnipotency, with God all things being possible, and their striking sail saved her own Soul, bringing him forth who is made to us of God, Wisdom to cure our folly, righteousness to remove our irregularity, Sanctification to wash away uncleanness, and Redemption to obliterat our guiltiness.  
AND verily she had her reward and shall have; for may we not see with Elizabeth, blessed is she that believeth? and in temptations to pride, to avarice, in the surges o● a tempestuous world, among other Saints Mary as a star may be veiwed; and as a cop●py followed in this her act of relying, upo● God's Testimony, which is thought no soother to be done, than Christ was conceived That Holy thing said the Angel, pointing, a● it were, then at him, now in her womb, the person of the Son of God bodily form of he● flesh & blood, not by transmiting the deity into the substance of flesh, or flesh, into that of th● deity, but by uniting both in one, subsisting person, so that neither the Godhead was manned, nor the Manhood Goded, but both though distinct, really united, qualifying the Impassable to suffer, the Immortal to die, and the Eternal God who had ever been, to be, by a Mystery not to be apprehended, and is the Mystery of Godliness. God humbling himself for men, that is, for their good, to men, because born a MAN, above men, for though like them he was born of a woman, yet was he unlike them, in so far as in her, he was form by the Holy Ghost, and born of her a religious virgin, in him also the Godhead bodily abideing.  
CAN we do here less than cry out blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps that gave the suck? the womb bearing him who is the Author of all blessedness to us, the virgin becoming Spouse to the Father, Mother to the Son, and habitation to the Spirit, hail Mary, thou art highly favoured being made the restorer of thy sex, sorrow in bringing forth, imposed for sin by thee not felt, when from thee we received jesus, God from the Father, Christ man from the Mother, therefore blessed art thou among women, the blessed fruit of thy Virginity expressing a blessing to all the Daughters of Eva, abideing in, following after, or cleaving unto, thy pattern set them, of Simplicity and Faith even in thine, in their Child bearing, thou as a star emitting beams of light upon the earth, from thy breasts giving food to him, who giveth meat to all flesh, beareth the price of man's Redemption, the mean of the Angel's confirmation, in thy arms, thou art highly favoured, God working in thy belly three wonders for our astonishment and cureing of our heart, first in preserving thy Virgin purity in integrity though in flesh, 〈◊〉 the Ark was covered with pure gold, in fruc●tifying thy Virginity, and making it conceive, as the bush burned, and was not consumed. Lastly, by an meffable joining of earthly thin●s and heavenly together, thou 〈◊〉 Jacob's ladder touching both; thou art hightly favoured For in thee God becomes MAN a Virgin turns a Mother and the heart of m●● believes all, being persuaded thou a●t the Mother of our Lord yet thy Lord's handmaid, that is, our Lord's Servant, for tho●● was made by him, and if God be terrible o●● of his holy places, how much more wonderful, when he appears out of thy bowels having been compassed by thy womb? Tho● art highly favoured therefore Hail Mary, 〈◊〉 heavenly salutation, while thou was upon Earth; yet on Earth thy worshipping of him ought to expound unto us, its robbing him of his just devoir to pray unto thee, since he was born by thee to become the Author of eternal Salvation to all that believe and to thy ignorant adorer I imagine, that is, I conceive thou says, Man what have I to do with thee? seeing he is the Lord thy God, worship thou him; for it's written, him only shalt thou serve. etc.  
THE english word compass is known, and the root Sabab is of the same sense, importing round about, or on every side, whence some apply the word to the Church, who should after much wand'ring and wantonness, cleave to embrace the Lord her Husband, as the barren womb doth a man; but this being no new thing, we make progress in our first interpretation, affirming the words sound a retreat to the Church in her unprosperous war against God, persuading to a Reformation of life upon this new Creation, beseeching them as elsewhere the Apostle, by the Mercies of God, and of our Lord jesus Christ, who to cultivat our barren souls, had first appointed the blood of beasts in sacrifice, next our own in Circumcision, and when both failed, the designed effect, by this new thing his last and great work, that from his mouth the mouth of a Bab, the blood of a Lamb, of this Lamb of God, we might be persuaded to bring forth fruit, upon the sight of such pure innocency, who not being heard when he thundered, might be heard when he weeped, yea, loved and obeyed; descending unto Earth, that he might be kissed of such who while he sat in heaven was not feared, God purposeing to ereat nothing to save the impenitent, this being done to enforce abhorrency of every evil way, and the newness of it causeing wonder, might the more to enflam godliness; the worthies, Kings and Prophets of the former ages not knowing, not seeing this; that is, knew it not, saw it not fulfilled; for though it be said The Lord hath created a new thing in the Earth, yet the time of utterance showeth it only to be prophesied of, because of which the People of the prophet's generation, might be ascertained that it should be, as if it been past and gone, God speaking of things that are not as though they were, and to come as though already done, so in after ages, A woman did compass a man.  
ENDVED he was in probability with a rational Soul from the first instant of his glorious conception, the Holy Ghost framing by his power his pure body without those previous preparations of natural formation, infusing likewise his Soul before the ordinary number of thirty six or forty six days, which casteth the birth upon the seventh or the ninth month, for though he was like unto us in all things, yet the exception of sin, includeth such effect as emerge from it, of which pain in conceiving or in bringing forth, is to be exempted from his Mother or imperfection of parts, or lack of a Soul from himself, we speak not of the extension or delineation of his members, which must be by time perfected, but of his body's organization which how small so ever, might be animated, that be from the beginning m●ght be both God and man, which of an Embryo could not properly be allowed; and the body being immediately the work of the Spirit of Power, makes difficult to grant, the body of Christ to be shaped or figured according to the wont manner of men, the Scripture as leaving it doubtful, expressing the Embryo, which can neither be ca●led Male nor Female fruit, whereas jesus must be reputed to have always been God and MAN, and MAN here enforceth the same conclusion, the word Child in other places not enervating the inferences, that being used more effectually to demonstrate the verity of his INCARNATION.  
THIS one word MAN, proved a confounding Topick to the jews in their pungent hopes of a Messiah, foretold by a reaming Prophetissa of their own, who being with child predicted of a deliverer in her womb, her belly indeed grew, yet their hopes grew bigger until the Chast-Damosell was delivered of a lusty Girl, which brought her Countrymen to bed of a brown, (that is, a shameful and melancholy) study, But our Redeemer, like the true Lamb of God▪ Exod. 12. was taken from the flock of mankind, a Male, a MAN without blemish without sin; In the evening born in the last age of the world and to be eaten whole, believed wholly in, as God Christ, and Man Christ, without which what can be thought of these Scriptures but forgeries, as that he grew in wisdom and stature, Math. 2. that is, as MAN, or that he knew not the Judgement day, that is, as MAN, or that he made the worlds, Heb. 1, or that he was in the beginning, which is to be understood only as he was God so that our jesus is canonically, I should say Levitically fitted to be a sin offering, by whose Masculine Virtue through grace the sins of the world, are to receive expiation: let none therefore in malice or in mirth, henceforward maintain the Etymon of Woman, to be woe to man, but derive it rather from wonder of men, all fixing and centring their eyes on this woman and this MAN, as objects, for samplars of joy and admiration.  
SATAN at first by the Serpent's craft abused the woman into credulity, persuading her too attentive ear, to betray the heart into lust, by which death triumphed over all her Sons; But here is a Daughter of Eva harkening unto the words▪ of an Angel of light, ba●●ling Satan, believing God rather▪ yea b●fo●e herself, and becometh a great instrument of salvation, wounding Satan's head (for her Son bruised it) in which his craft and tongue are both destroyed, and like David with the head of Goliath, erects trophies and signs of eternal conquest, over the legions of Death and Hell, Conceiving by ●aith, bearing by faith, pondering in, and storeing up in her heart whatever could corroborat her faith, un●ill her Son, had made both his and our enemies▪ become his footstool. By his horn. FOR he is the horn of Salvation, Luke 1, (i. e.) his power and beauty as by the horn of a Unicorn, pushing yea breaking the Devil's stem, not only antidoting but annihilating any poison, he can or doth lay in our way to hurt us; it is true that too great confidence made Eva talk with the Serpent, she being without fear, whence even in a Phisical sense for her punishment, there yet is a panic dread generally in her sex at the sight even of a dead snake, but though Mary was terrified or put out of countenance at the Angel's Salutation or first appearance, conceiving him as is conjectured a man, & she solitary, whence good in the accost might be suspected, let in any case spiritual horror, in Serpentine discourses, or Satanick blandishments, or sinful appearances (staining a good report) contrary to Christian modesty, to the flesh's satisfaction in any debauch, be always rooted in us, for avoiding the wages of either of these which is Death; And if any put the evil day far off, yet as the seed of the woman (like things long looked for) came at last, so the Veracity and truth of God shall at length display itself to the terror of all adversaries, and shall prosperously publish itself in accomplishing what ever it predicted, for the believers consolation, as after some thousand years, by and in a woman, was the promise of the seed in the person of our Saviour perfected.  
A woman shall compass a man, is not this strength out of weakness? and visibly evident at his birth, she first bringing him forth, we read of no Midwife, next she wrapped him in swaddling clothes we find no assistance, and she laid him in a manger.  
BEHOLD a new thing, chiefly in civilised Nations, in honest births. Tulliola the Daughter of Cicero died in labour, julia the Daughter of Caesar, died in Childbed, and weakness generally is found in Travel, and help called for in bringing forth, but this Hebrew woman was strong, and in History neither had, nor demanded aid, Joseph her spouse not daring to touch what he begat not, or it may be was exercised about some other employment, while she swaddled the Child and laid him in a manger.  
THE ancients generally record it to be of a rock, and histories registrat the truth of that to have been seen of many, and what more pertinent for the rock upon whom the Church was to be builded, than a rock for him (the Mystical foundation) to be laid in? (But of this cum Deo we shall speak elsewhere) and joseph standing by when the shepherds entered to shun the surmise of scandal, and remove the beginnings of an ill bruit, apt enough to kindle in the breasts of them whose hard heartedness drove his great bellied mother to a stable, for though there was at the birth of john great joy; yet at Christ's, save in heaven, and in shepherds, we read of little, but that world knew no better, we have more full intelligence, and understand, though our hearts be rocky, and our bosoms, as the stable, common filthy and unclean, yet he is born a Saviour to deliver us from both, as a Moses to break the one, as a (Hercules, pardon the comparison) to cleanse the other for which let the Holy b● glad, because here is a rule, let the honourable rejoice, for here is a fountain; the humble, for here is a pattern; the dying, for here is life; the sinner, for here is a Redeemer born, who purposeth to pay their Ransom, and for that end more enriched than was that Silesian Child born, A▪ D. 1585. Decem. 22. In whose mouth afterwards was found a great jawtooth of gold, approaching to the Carat of Hungary, for he hath precious blood (without which there is no remission) which as a pri● from his holy body, he shall deposit to procure us from slavish servitude and spirit of bondage, and therefore in these days it is unlawful to be surly out of spite, and unholy to be sad, except for sin; touch, taste and see▪ that God is good, and rejoice, for to you is born a Saviour, Christ the Lord.  
AUGUSTUS' about this time, this good time, by proclamation ordered none to call him Lord, prompted, sure, unto it by a spirit, not of flesh and blood, so let no lust rule over you, but bow the knee to him of whom it's said; And let all the Angels of God worship him, pay tribute unto him; who is over all the world, evidencing, that where ever you are (as joseph in Galilee) that there is peace with you, towards him▪ having either yielded, or being subdued by the most august, serene Lord jesus, who was by the Spirit given to this woman, and by whom is published Heaven to be at peace with men, and women, uniting these two together and both unto itself, that peace might be on Earth, and goodwill towards each other, and both give glory by submission unto God, ceasing from contention, Salvation coming by jesus and Honour with Christ to men, who are but dust and ashes.  
WHEN the Almighty doth wondrously, men should be surably affected, here is a Prophet created, a King anointed, a Priest consecrated, a Physician born: what more? a Saviour encompassed, let this be your tidings, Christ is born in Bethlehem, and leave your flocks, ascending to him, (who came down) in your heart and love, for in your Salvation there is utility, in his Unction swavity, in his INCARNATION Majesty, for he hath bowed the heavens and is to be found in the swaddling clo●ths, of Precepts, Sacraments, and Promises, of all which the Angels of the Church have told you, because of which heavenly testimonies expect not a star in the air, I mean a new miracle or a new good way of your own chuseing; but draw near, and behold, this new thing, proclaiming it to each other, as the two cousing▪ Marry and E●izabeth, that Jew and Gentile may both rejoice together in the birth of their common Saviour, and that with haste, our Saviour's birth as his doctrine, being prolific, dischargeth oscitancy and sloth, having a proper work, which must industriously be gone about, (viz.) Sancti●y, the dignity of the Spirits working in thi● supernatural manner, having morally a coercive power to suspend ter●en matters, and carry the soul to the hilly Country by affection in the sweetest Cell of the Souls complacency, and thence again to issue orders unto all faculties▪ to abstain from filthiness to Love the Lord to speak good of his Name.  
CHRIST being as at this time born, as at this time the Angels sang, the Heavenly host praised, the Shepherds glorified, which in our leading pious, holy and Religious lives, shall also, satisfactory to God, and Jesus our Lord, be performed for which this new thing was created, the World being grown old, exceeding old, that is, thin, crazy and bare, Adam's disobedience, the Angels fall, Cain's slaughter, Lamech's Murder, Nimrod's oppression, the Giant's Impurity, Babel's Confusion, etc. had so marred the visage of this Earth, that the heavens groaned to be delivered from its aspect, from its scent, as if Mezuntus Tyranny had been anticipated, who tied living men to stinking carcases for their death and his own sport; But at last God sent his Son, in flesh, with water, that the Earth as the Garden of the Lord being well watered, and as Pharao'hs' Kine made fresh, fair and well favoured, or as David of a goodly countenance, in imitation of this woman by humility; for though she was Mother of our Lord, she visited, First, in charity, for she came to help the aged, Elizabeth to assist the conceived, and comfort her cousin now impregnat; in her dolours, burdens, longings, faintings, and domestic affairs; in her Modesty, she was a teeming woman, and at the time of her delivery Mary the Virgin returned home; in her Oratory she spoke so well that the Bab of grace leapt in the others womb; And lastly, in her Civility for she saluted Elizabeth, no question, but with civil honour and Religious reverence, for the Mother salutes the cousin, the cousin Mary, and the Baptist both, all with earnestness, and serious holiness, mixed with joy; or if you please in imitation of the MAN, in Love, for as the Son of our Mother he is come down, that we may kiss him, with the kisses of our mouth, in comforting, the shepherds when clothed with darkness, and it may be with sadness, were comforted with joyful tidings, in suffering he endured the worst, a stable, a manger, for all his innate worth, and former glory he fretted not at, 〈◊〉 he cried, it was for man's sorrow, in doing he went about doing good, and so let us compas● each other with Religious delight, celebrat●ing this feast, very near as old as the Gospel not now only, but always with the Church; ● Virgin, yet the Lamb's wife, by Faith hope and Charity, that they being found with us, 〈◊〉 joseph, Mary and the Bab, were by the shep●herds, may live as they, soberly, righteously and godlily, which perfected, we shall not be cast out of the heaven of the Church with Lucifer, nor out of the paradise of powerful ordinances with Adam, but enter into the new jerusalem which is above, by virtue of this new thing created in jerusalem be●neath.  
THE method of obtaining which 〈◊〉 included in the marrow and significancy 〈◊〉 such names, whose bearers were more peculiarly grandized in the history of Incarnation, joseph by interpretation is addition, Marry bitterness, Zacharias minding the Lord, Elizabeth peace of my God, Gabriel strength or man of God, and john gracious; now a good Name is in Heraldry accounted an accomplishment gentilizing the virtuous. And we find in godly saints accrewment of honour to be attended with change of names, for the case in hand; let this days solemnity add one cubit to the stature of your knowledge, touching the pravity and bitterness of natural self, by reflecting upon what the Lord hath now done for our indwelling with him, & becomeing men of God, inspirited with peace, when the Spirit shall write on the table of the heart Grace, Grace, teaching us all our life long to celebrat on Christmas, that is, Christs-feast, in the old Saxon, the holy Eve of that Eternal yule or jubilee in the holy Hebrew where old Emanuel, now jesus, shall be worshipped with everlasting Jubilation.  
FROM this MAN'S encompassing, the Holy Ghost pleads for Israel's returning, and 〈◊〉 this back-sliding age, would suffer a word of Exhortation, I should motive for Modesty; now Pharaoch's physicians would sense a child's confinement in the womb, a woman's nourishing of her fruit, or how the Egyptian midwives would retail the particulars couched in the expression, I presume not to know; but there is a MAN, and a WOMAN in the text, and the copula joining them together, is chaste, and comely; there is mention made, of the attire of an Harlot, Prov. 7. and we read of the solicitations of a whore; Gen. 39 but, the knowledge of Christ ought to instill sobriety in all our converse, Men, Woman, Women, Men, at meeting or a part contriving the contexture of their discourse, the Methods of their thoughts, the sentiments of their soul, to be spirited with that virtue.  
A Father observes, that joseph gave no assistance to Mary, she swaddling, she laying him in a manger, he not daring to touch, so holy, a Bab, whom he Knew to be none o● his, It's also, and there from, incumbent 〈◊〉 the mystical beholding of our Lord, to return from our irreverent behaviour, and give hi● his just devoir: how unseemingly will so●● touch Christ in the Supper as if the 〈◊〉 were their own bread and wine when it is his body? How rudely will other skip, tread, walk, and frisk, upon 〈◊〉 ground, as if it were their own furrow their own tale, their own house, their 〈◊〉 Romance? Certainly the Gospel is scandalised, by the sordidness of some men's unclean fingering, mouthing, writing, yea, Printing of the person of jesus, so contumeliously, that it would be Death in Turkey, to word it so of Mahomet; I know intimacy, and acquaintance is pretended, yet that ought not to offer rudeness to the serenity of his countenance, the sanctity of his Laws, the dignity of his person, the excellency of his being, which are infringed to that degree of mockage, that were he once again upon Earth, he might say to such, what a great, yet affable, Emperor said unto a Churl, who confidently made invitation, yet niggardly served up his meat, which was, I did not think there had been such Familiarity betwixt us.  
BELIEVE it, what in the state by policy, in the Church by Simony, in trade by defrauding, in Religion by opinionating, in faction by abetting, in the road by stealing, in the Sea by pyratting, in common talk by filthy discourseing, in print by unholy applying, in the house by slandering, in designs by oppressing; in the counting house by tricking▪ and in our hearing of the word with itching, our holy and ever-glorious Lord, is made and accounted, as a common thing: wash your hands therefore you sinners, purify your hearts you Hypocrites; for how unprosperously all this is done, is known long ago to the Jew, and may in due time be evidenced to us Gentiles, if so besotted, as not already to have full instruction, since this new thing hath been created on the Earth.  
A woman shall compass a MAN. This Generation (old, because so long, lying in wickedness) seemeth incapacitat for amendment; But as when S. Paul was weak, that is, in himself, than was he strong, that is, i● Grace; and as when the impotent Man▪ complained of his want of a man to assist him towards a cure, john 3. The MAN in the text, said, Rise take up thy bed and walk, it is hoped there is an holy seed in the womb of our Mother Church, springing toward and hastening forward, the desire of the godly and truly Religions of the Nations, some holy Simeon, that is, obedient hearer, expecting the Lord's salvation and some devout Anna's, that is, gracious and merciful, waiting, that is, praying for the Redemption of our Israel from the division-ating hub-ubs, wherewith she is entangled, in practising and persuading for peace and Holiness, which as from the womb of a Mary, or Mara, of all, or any, that is, in bitterness for our gross back-slidings, shall hasten the production of comfort and tranquillity, in the knowledge of a jesus born to save us from our sins.   

MYSTERIUM PIETATIS OR THE MYSTERY OF THE CIRCUMCISION OF Our Lord and SAVIOUR Unfolded, and applied. 

Circumcision- Day, Tolbooth Church, 1671.  
New Years- Day, Tolbooth Church, 1671.    LUKE II. XXI. 
And when eight days were accomplished for the Circumcising of the Child, his name was called Jesus which was so named of the Angel, before he was conceived in the womb.  
AS we find no nation, the old Savages of Mount Atlas excepted; but found a necessity, and from natural, as well as politic causes, gave proper and distinct names, to things and persons; so in civilised nations, ingenuity and law, prompted them, to pitch upon a time, proper for designing their issue by them; When Cain, Abraham, or Lot, were so denominated is not, so far as I know upon record; but Christianity hath generally observed, and followed near about the time of the jews, who were strictly tied to the observance of the eight day, from Isaac, who was but eight days old when he felt the knife, and afterward in all ages, each Male was to have the sign of the Covenant in his foreskin, under the penalty of being cut off a phrase among the jews, intimating a liableness, to the wrath and vengeance of the Lord in the highest measure, and was concluded to be the greatest & most cursed of all threatenings in Scripture, as a punishment not inflicted by man, but an impending vengeance of God, on earth, imprinting (say some) the certainty of dying Childless, and towards heaven, (say others) importing the Gospel's Anathema Maranatha; the offendor peculiarly being separate for a curse when the Lord cometh as hating his holy institution, for which also his indignation may be felt in being cut off in the midst of their days, as is evident, in Moses tarrying in the Inn, fearing to go down to Egypt, wherefore that irregularity in no rite might be charged upon the Son of God, now born of the seed of Abraham, when eight days were accomplished, they came to the Circumcision of the Child and called his Name jesus. Circumcision importeth blood, and since without that there is no remission; withal, being to speak of a Saviour, I know no better object to present before you, than a ruddy; then a bloody JESUS, for because of the Circumcision he may say to the Church his wife, a bloody spouse art thou to me, and her name since Abel may be Aceldama, a field of blood, as being bought with a price of blood, and still sprinkled with that blood which bought it, as that field was with his blood, who took that price, as the text imports, Acts 1. or she may be called Damascus, a bag of blood, where and because our Brother the Lord, as Abel was slain by his brethren jewish Cainits out of envy, and whose blood at this time beginning to be shed, cries loud to heaven, speaking better things.  
CIRCUMCISION is a short word, yet of a large sense; and as applied here, maketh three miracles to be discovered. First, the eternal God who was before all worlds, and made time, dividing it between day and night, is found to be eight days old, next the impassable Lord of Glory, unto whom there be no augmentation, or increase, nor diminution or lessening of parts, is made less by the foreskin; Lastly, the ineffable jehovah, who is above all Names in heaven or earth, is called JESUS.  
IT was, and is ordinary with God to ratify his precious promises to the Church, by appending signs as seals, reason itself being dim, except the eye perceive something illustrious, or takeing in things purely natural, how much more in spiritual the bow in the cloud, the dew in gideon's fleece, the change of Abraham's name, the whole pedagogy of Law, and among others this sign of Circum●cision, held in so great veneration as to be reckoned above, that is, greater than the Law, for it was before the Tables, preferred to the Sabbath, for even on that day it was not to be omitted, hence S. Paul wisely caveating the Philippians, Philip. 3. against its use, reflects not upon the word, yet presseth its neglect, and chargeth warrinesse under the notion of Concision.  
Being then purely a pareing or cutting of the flesh, not a sign of the Covenant, which as such, not only with jews, but with Arabs, mahometans, Phoenicians, is in high regard unto this day; though some more Barbarous derids even its institution, suggesting it unmutable, to the benignity of a merciful God, to delight in beholding blood issuing from the ●oins of a tender Baby, and to enjoin it, under so severe a penalty as Cutting off: But this is to be wise above what's written, for to pass the Lawgiver who is not obliedged to demonstrat by reason the equity of his Mandates, to any, much less to such, who have forfeited their being to his justice, the speciality of its rise was to discriminat Gods own people from Ethnics and Pagans, for which if man will be at no cost, he is very churlish, or at no pain, he is very selfish, and in these days gratulation is most becomeing, since God in place of Circumcision in our own blood, (which as a judge in matters criminal he required of our forefathers) alloweth, yea commandeth us, that of water, expecting in the Mystery but cleanliness of us, as a distinguishing character.  
AGAINST sin; of old the adult whether men, or women, had a Sacrifice, but that being in the young also whether Male, or Female, God accepted a few drops of blood from the Male, (when all was due) as an expiatory offering for both sexes, in their nonage, so that in this Circumcision, said of Mercy and judgement will I sing, Psal. 101.1.  
WE have seen God contracted into a Man, let us see that Man contracted in his parts, and behold why he was circumcised, and why so named at his Circumcision.  
VIEW the causes of his birth, and it's said to be for us, Luk. 2. and as for himself, he was not born, so nor circumcised; for neither he nor his Parents sinned, in God his Father there was no sin, in Mary his Mother no offence, (i. e.) in her conceiving, neither was there any guile in his own heart, so that he needed not, be circumcised, his being born without original guilt, infallibly removeing the merits of the smart, that principally eyeing the pollution transmitted by, and contracted upon ordinary generation; upon which score the Baptist pleaded, his no need of baptism, but contrary he of his: Math. 4.13. unto which, our Saviour yielded as a Truth: but requested of him a sufferance for that time that he (viz.) Christ might fulfil all righteousness, (i. e.) both of Law and Gospel, that sinners of all sorts might equally adore, and accept of him as Saviour, sanctifying in his own person, the signs exhibited to each▪ assureing reconciliation begun; clearing that not offence, but his condition, as a man required john's connivance, his own condescendence being in these words, It becometh us; that is, both me, and thee; for as he took upon him the form of a servant, so was he to submit to such; as were superiors, which is righteous, yea the height of righteousness, all righteousness; for being found as a man, a sinful man, was it not expedient in point of honour, to submit to this law, for rendering himself more capable of converts, and more amiable of conversse? for what could now be judged would be the issue of an unbaptized Evangelist but scorn and contempt, for building up of that, in Doctrine, which in his own practice he disdained to stoop unto?  
BESIDES he had took upon him the seed of Abraham, and purposed (as the Messiah ought) to be so accounted, for fitness therefore (though not for necessity to) his grandour, he received the impress of the Circumcision upon his flesh, whereof GOD himself was the institutor, elucidly discovering thereby to the Prophets of the Christian faith, the end of his mission; to be the fulfilling and ending of the Law, unto which Circumcision so eminently had made them debtors, being now exempted from its bondage, Christ himself having undergone it and institued baptism a more easy, sweet, comfortable Sacrament in its place, being Circumcised through infinite wisdom, for the same cause that Paul baptised Timothy, even to abolish Circumcision, Acts 16.3. which was to endure no longer than the use, for which it was appointed, did endure, and that was to difference Jew and Gentile, which distinction Christ removeing legal Circumcision, as well as priesthood, was to be changed and laid aside. Gal. 3.  
The Cabalists finding the history of Miriams' death, to succeed the laws referring to the red heifer, or Cow, Numb. 19 infer, the laws binding up, at the approach of the Messiah, that the heifer did typify the ruddiness, sanguinolency, or bloodiness of a Saviour is a truth to be attested, but that the Prophetess death was a prototyp of the Laws departure, is not so easily to be granted; yet this is clear, that as Abraham, ordered his servant in swearing to put his hand under the thigh, whence the Son was to come, in whom all was to be blessed, and that Son to be GOD also is evidenced in the addition of the letter be to the name of Abraham, taken from Gods own name jehovah, so our Lord the Son of God the Son of Abraham that ordains that by, faith which Abraham had, when uncircumcised which was in himself, we should know, whence we are hewn, even from himself, whose name is upon his thigh, Revel. 19 by spiritual generation, consequentialy receiving the benefit of Sonship from both, not in that legal, but in this mystical begetting, by virtue whereof as he, we are the Sons of Abraham not of his flesh, but of his faith, and such are still differenced, and separate from Infidels, and Cananits of the world, not by the Pale of Circumcision, but the waters of Baptism, Gala. 3.27 in which, as in Noah's ark, we are secure from that deluge, shall fall upon the ungodly, and liberat from that bondage which the jews, as servants, as Scholars, were under, as sons of the flesh of God's servant Abraham, and as Children of jesus the beloved Son, hath the knife turned into water, and what the edge of the former could hardly cut off, is now by water and grace easily washed away.  
THEREFORE our Lord was both circumcised, and baptised; as being prince both of Law and Gospel, and a cornerstone, for uniting jew and Gentile in one unto himself; receiving Baptism last, saying by that, of it, unto the Church, as of the other Sacrament, take ye all of this; do this in remembrance of me; and of Circumcision, first, because made of a woman under the Law; hence is he called the Minister of the Circumcision, being under it, and preaching actually, personally, to the partakers of it, the promises being made to such; whereas to the Gentiles, there was no such obligation of his truth; yet by Grace, did persuade to an entrance into the Covenant, by his Messengers and Prophets, Rom. 15.8. Mystically seen in his ver● Baptism receiving it from john, by Bethabe●ra, in the river of jordan, john 1. somewh●● above the place where the priests of the Lord stood with the ark, while joshua and th● camp of Israel more southward passed over into the promised land, where he circumc●●sed the people, Christ being the substance o● that very ark of the Covenant, he being t●● mean, for reconcileing unto God both nati●ons, beginning with circumcision, which h● received in Isaac, until he suffered in him, ful●●filling the figure; wherefore we are said to be circumcised with the Circumcision mad● without hands, obtaining the benefit promised unto it another way then by blood.  
PROVIDENCE, like the goodman of th● house, knowing not only when, but how, th● thief's would enter, frustrats by Circumcisi●on their design, who should a vouch our Saviour not to have had a real, corporal, but an aerial, or fantastic body; for as Alexander proved himself unto his flatterers to be no God, because when wounded he bled, so the Gospel clears him to be no phantasm because of the prepuce, and by it casts a mist in the Devil's way to abate his fury, that though he might know the Angel's revelation; yet as truly again, he might infer him guilty of sins tincture, which Circumcision did mainly respect: wherefore we read of no great rage, that either Satan, or Man, had against him, until his Baptism, being then more clear because of the voice from heaven: yet still was there some dimness of his perfect Deity, as appeareth in the first temptation, Mat. 4. Our Saviour as a warlike Prince in his enemy's country, clothing himself in the robes of that country, to pass the more securely undiscerned, and (pardon so strong application) to destroy his adversaries the more surely, and make them inexcusable.  
WHAT more? the ends and uses intended by God, and the profits or benefits received by the Church, in the Circumcision were of old comprised in this distich, and, applied to Christ, are proper; 
Cauterium signum meritum Medicina Figura,  
Exemplum fuit olim Circumcisio dura.   
AND as an issue or cauter it emitteth putrid matter from the body, was a Character or badge of discriminating the people of God from the worshippers of Idols, and to them also represented their merits for sin committed, which in justice might have made the whole man to be cut off, by which it proved Medicine or physic, some say against the Carbuncle; sure it is, it figure● lust in the Soul, and showed what puri●● ought to be in the heart, the corruption thereof, being moraly evacuated, and causing each one become a good example to another of continence and virtue.  
BUT the design in the Circumcision 〈◊〉 the Son of God, was for the fulfilling of t●● Law, which he came to do, Mat. 5. 〈◊〉 again to abolish the law, which as a shadow went before him the body, until he wa● incarnate, which being done, as a shadow must go behind, and at his ascending, vani●● away, he himself being the substance of th● shadow, perfecting throughly what it in 〈◊〉 only endeavoured, therefore must 〈◊〉 children of Israel, (according to the 〈◊〉 jos. 5.) be circumcised the second time, 〈◊〉 this joshuah, to whose law, according t● Moses doctrine, they have been circumcis●● once, but these leading them by Faith 〈◊〉 Christ in the Gospel, they must undergo ci●●cumcision the second time; by which their reproach shall only be rolled away, and their gathering together to be glorious.  
YET subordinat to this, it is worth considering, that he opened himself unto this first fruits of his suffering, for the same cause he paid tribute, (viz.) that he might give no occasion of offence, that all might splendidly adapt themselves, for obedient walking, and not justle with Superiors upon account of privileges; wherefore we should hammer our pernicious designs, and curb our extravagant affections, not as untamed heifers in a conceit of our own worth, plead immunity from law, or from premises of Dignity, Excellency, Piety, Liberty, or Birthright, maintain a disorderly carriage, Christ presenting himself in this as a Sampler, for us to work by, as a rule to act by, as a law, obliging us to conform, yielding to those in authothority, and laws in force though in all things we be gratified; nor in all parts there be no necessity for them, hence he is said not to be born but made under the law, Gala. 4. whereas we are not made but born, and aught the rather to be Subject.  
THIS Sun of righteousness rising in a red cloud, caveats against murmurings, complain; having something in it, to be seen, to be loved, and also to be imitated induceing to a Circumcision of the foreskin of our heart, the badge of Gospel mortification, and teck-merion of self denial, his blood and name hinting at salvation even from ourselves.  
STEPHEN chargeth his impenitent countrymen with Uncircumcised hearts and ears, by which he understands the whole man; Ears implying their hearing such doctrine as tended to depravement, Hearts; insinuating their peculiar kindness and approbation of it, to that height, that the eyes beheld it as delectable, the palate as delicious, the hands as prosperous, the feet as an easy journey so that heresy, impurity, vanity, iniquity, sensuality, with practice without consideration, become● the love of him who is carnal, and prevails to seduce the undiscerning, to the subsequent way of ungodly folly, the whole Man becomeing prize to the Tempter, for all irregularities, the universal intendment of the Soul being Guadrat to the appetits of the corrupt heart, which therefore is to be keeped, that is circumcised above all things, Prov 4.23 by which the eyes shall let in no vanity, and the ears be stopped, that is circumcised, against rotten communication, the Spiritual Palla● shall taste and see that God and his ways are only good, the lips shall be preserved from lying, and the tongue from speaking guile lest at any time we grieve the Holy Ghost, Eph. 4.30.  
WE find upon record an universal Circumcision of the whole Tribs at one time, by knives or sharp flint stones, jos. 5. that service being omitted in their travel through the wilderness, not, because the northwind blew not, for scattering the cloud, which had been inconvenient, as the jews foolishly suppose, holding that wind most seasonable for Circumcision, but through their unfitness to admit the same, in regard of tedious, and uncomfortable travels, which being ended and the holy land entered, God thought it expedient no longer to be delayed, and therefore ordered joshua no more to procrastinat or put off, shadowing that such who would possess Jerusalem the holy City, & spoil the potent adversaries of our rest in successful battles, must by faith in Christ the rock, make holocausts, that is, burned offerings of beloved lusts, though as near, or dear, as the skin itself, by declining from evil, and doing good, keeping the soul from rapine, blood, covetousness, and wrath, solicitously by the sharp and two edged sword of the word of God, which Christ brought into the world, restraining every thought, and bring it captive to the Laws of piety and sound reason, that being a discerner of the thoughts, and intents of the heart, a divider betwixt the soul and sin.  
CIRCUMCISION being nothing but a purgation of the soul from vice, which who so scruples to deposit, must not be reckoned among the faithful, but as uncircumcised, be denied entrance into the holy temple, the holy City, holy JESUS being only King of the jews, that is, of the Circumcision, not of the letter, but of the Spirit, not of the Body, but of the Inward-man, and the precept being given to joshua, intimats, that as death and lust entered upon all by one MAN, we are not free from either▪ until by his Antityp jesus, we be redeemed from our actual, or original transgression, by applying faithfully his life, and blood, as expiatory for sin, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, which is a deliverance from our vain conversation; and in one sense, a being crucified to the world, and in another, Circumcised in our foreskin, they being; (with some, as it) superfluous and no way necessary for felicitating soul or body.  
THE Hebrews say, Sem was born circumcised and he was happy, but that the foreskin is not necessary, is figured in the eight day, seven being allowed in proportion, and revolution of time to all in common; but the right, is that eternal day, expected by the Elect, and forestalled already in those occult joys, which emerge from living Soberly, Righteously, and Godlily, in this present world, and their names being written in heaven, contemplats upon the felicity, their Spirit shall possess the week of this wearisome world, being brought to its final period.  
IT is said of Severus, that no day passed wherein he did not something that was good, and beneficial to others, and without much arguing its evident, how soon our Lord amply discovers earnestness, passionately to offer himself a Lamb indeed for the sins of the world in his yielding so easily, so suddenly to breathe a vein, (as a wise Physician) for the cure of his mystical body; (now in a Spiritual) raving and sinful feverish distemper; Man go thou and do thou likewise, do good, and yet more good, and by whom thou art accounted base, of them at last, thou shalt be had in honour; God incarnate having here begun, to lay down his life for thee, be not ashamed to lay it down for another, at lest estimat what can be done for thy Brother, and reckon that to be a debt, due from thy Saviour's stupendious humility.  
WE mistake, if we conclude ourselves heavenly born, until as heaven, we influence the Earth with benign aspects, and Eight times, or days, or duties must pass over us, before we ought to repute ourselves of the seed of the faithful or circumcised: for in the opinion of Holy Bernard, we must first be just in our dealings with men, he who would raise high, & must build low, and Jacob's ladder had its foot on the Earth: another is, the avoiding of Fellowship with evil men, Christ was separate from sinners, and his followers must hate the Congregation of wicked doers: A third is, watchfulness, and observance of Enemies, Our Saviour not being ignorant of Satan's devices, disappointed his stratagems, he left him unresolved of his being the Son of God in the wilderness, and of his wanting original sin by Circumcision in the Cradle, and in both prevailed. Another is, Sobriety as becometh men, the Believers life is a warfare, and if lust, pleasure, or cares of this world overcharge that day may come unawares upon us, Luk. 21.34. Another is, patience in all things we suffer among men, for a few evil days, we must neither with Cato, put out our lives, nor with Thrasillus run out of our wits, but keeping a good heart, we shall never want a place, not to say, a whole wherein to hide our head. Another is, Humility, Our Lord humbled himself to the Death, and that the soul with Mary be exalted, Remember he visited her in her low estate, Luk. 1.48. The seventh is, Piety and Devotion, in which by contemplation the Chil● of Grace, celebrating a Sabbath▪ by resting from works of sin, and walking with God, ought not to be reckoned a Son of Belial, but as on the eight day, declared by the Angel of a good Conscience, or rather is by the Priest of the new Testament, called the Son of God, and gets a new name which none knoweth but he that hath it, Revel. 2.17.  
THERE are who will have the eight day to imply the eight ages of the world, reckoning the first from Adam to Noa, the next from him to Abraham, the third from him to Moses the fourth from him to David, the fifth from David to Christ, the six●h from Christ to the end of the world, the seventh to the Dead, the eight represents the Resurrection, at which time all the true so●s of the Faithful, shall receive their true name and true inheritance, in being saved from their sins, and approved for their Sanctity; But the more sound, and far more probable ground for fixing upon the eight-day, was, because of the infant's strength, being then more able to bear the sharpness and smart of the knife, then when newly born, and yet not after the eight day, for they growing stronger, and imagination more forcible, the pain had been greater, that time was therefore chosen, when the skin as more tender, could renew and repair itself; but it is nice, that to this day, the jews circumcise none; but on the eight day; that is to say, never at night, however it be, it's said, that the pain is greatest on the third day; nature tending then to a healing, for which cause Simeon and Levi slew the Shechemits, according to which its given out, that the three offended in each sin, viz. our selves our neighbour and our God; the third and last is the forest, and its remembrance most dejecting, as appears from David's confession, in matter of Vriah, and Joseph's admiration in the temptation of his Mistress.  
THOUGH I conjecture not that the e●ght day, was allowed for the body of the infant to be inflenced by the seven planets yet according to the Doctor of that Philosophy, concluding the sun to operat upon the head and heart, we may alludingly teach, that the beams of the sun of Righteousness, must shine and opera● upon the head & heart of Adam's Sons, before they can have a living Soul, or be brought forth in the second birth; yet, let none pin their abideing in pollution upon God, for the Sun beams shine in the Ministry of the Gospel; but many as the swine in a hot day, tumbles the more in the puddle, and what is viciously observed of circumcised nations, as Egyptians, Saracens, that no people is more lascivious, may shamefully be applied to Christians; none being more filthy, more unclean than they, who have been washed, being the more defied thereby, that they commend it, yet mockingly rise not from forbidden pleasures, from condemned delights; Mahomet in a great measure● encourageing those passions, allays the guilt of his Disciples; but being discharged by Christ, by Christians are to be the more abhorred.  
THE jews circumcised but in one part, and that part by which the whole body is most defiled, where lust, and luxury tyrannised and played rex; but the Christian must be circumcised all over, to extinguish, not only the heat, as by pores; but the very sum of uncleanness, in his eyes for restraining Vanity, in his ears for debarring obscenity, in his tongue withdrawing from ribbaldry, in his hands by shutting out iniquity, in his whole person and converss, laying aside all superfluity of naughtiness (for that as the circumcised part, may be well spared) lest emasculating themselves, they walk as the Daughters of men, that is, not worthy of God, that is, not as his Son our Lord jesus, who being to introduce a new doctrine into the Church, of Faith, and Love, got in a new day, and as is supposed the first day of the of the new year, a new name, and was called jesus not by chance, or choice, but according to the order of the Angel before he was conceived in the womb, which fights against and impugns our old courses, pregnantly inviting to a new and holy life, for matriculating, or engrafting ourselves, in a real, not nominal, Spiritual, not political, and innocent, not blasphemous, way to the Society of jesus,  
TO work a cure against the distempers of the whole body of the Church, was the head thereof, as about this time, let blood, and by whose vein breathing, the body becometh more agile, and every member more apt, to exercise its peculiar office, for the good of the whole: therefore, ought all, as spiritual Eagles, (a bird who by casting her feathers, and breaking her old bill, occasions a fresh growth, and repairs her strength) to arise from old, and dead works, Mount towards the heaven in new desires, and new affections, testifying both, by new lives, unto which this Child, this name jesus, strennously attract's, there being in it, when opened, a treasury of all riches, a ga●ner of all provisions, and a warehouse of all excellencies, sounding first from an Angel's mouth into a Virgin's ear, nothing but what was heavenly and of a heavenly virtue, being fit to express it, or capable to apprehend it.  
IT●S true, we find some of this Name besides him, yet of such eminency, as demonstrated them forerunners (i. e.) typs of this jesus, it is of the same root, and sense with that of joshua who was Captain of the Lords host, and possessed Israel of the holy land, another was a holy and high priest separat for expiating the sins of the penitent delinquent Zach. 3.1. And to pass the Apocryphal jesus, who yet was a wise and prudent teacher, we have mention of another jesus, Colos. 4. a companion of S. Paul, and fellow-labourer with him in the Kingdom of God; it was in short a common, and an honourable name among the jews, but out of veneration to our Lord jesus not now used in the Church.  
NAMES of old have been adopted by Friends, or parents, according to the hope conceived of the person named, or by some accident about him, or done by him; but none of these here, for our Saviour was seen by by none when he was named, nor thought upon by any when he was called jesus, a Saviour, not from hope, which still include fear; but from assurance that he should save his people from their sins, which until revealed, might be unknown, even to the Angel who brought the message, so that nothing of the creature was instrumental in this nomination, but purely drawn from the benefits should accrue unto the world through him, which obiter and by the way, enforceth parents to elect such names as may import to their posterity some duty, befitting them, that their names may teach sanctity and true piety for as if something had been in that name joshuang, or jesus, we read not of their sins, not of their scandals, as we do of other's; we have Iudah's incest, Solomon's apostasy, David's adultery, and judas the traitor, as if Salvation in the others name had transfused itself working detestation of profane courses; Adam named his wife Evah because she was mother of all living, and the name Gabriel enforceth the bearer to be a man of God, the name Nicholaus to overcome the people in good, john to walk graciously, William courageously, Thomas to behold each man as a brother, the word importing a twin, such are good, and suits Christianity, whereas Hercules, a sturdy heathen, Lout, Diana, a famed huntress, savours (pardon my boldness) not of the font, not of the Laver of Regeneration, not of baptismal water, and therefore to be retired, lest Mars, jupiter, Vulcan, and other names of Baal, defile the Baptistry, the name Patience: I cannot conclude ill, but that Female one, of Faith, in my judgement is to be avoided, as all other that in any direct way, tends either, to sin or revieve the memories of the profane.  
WHICH evil, the name jesus, in it's very initiatory letters doth abrogat, and cancel, improving the Saints, in all degrees, to the highest bless of Saintship, speaking jucundity, or gladness to the sorrowful Eternity to the mortal, Sanity, or health to the languishing, Utility, or profit to the poor, Satiety, or plenty to the hungry; in Greek it's anagramed, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou art the sheep, or lamb, viz. which is given for the sins of the world; it is oft writ in 3 letters thus, I. H. S. jesus Hominum Salvator, showing the Salvation he brought to mankind, and thus drawn in the body of the Sun, is it the arms, and public seal, of the signory of Genevah, showing her light, to beam from the rays of this Sun of righteousness, her inscription about that, being, jesus, Sol, & Scutum meum, Jesus is to me, both a Sun and shield; but others express thereby, his Innocence, Humility, Sublimity, he not being conceived in sin; yet underwent death for sin, and because, he, is man, is made Lord of all things.  
GIVING of names, is a sign of authority and dominion, and given by Jewish Fathers at Circumcision, as we do now at Baptism, it's the first act of jurisdiction Father's exercise over their Children, the Scripture showing plainly in Abraham, and Zacharias, that the Mother hath no right to impose them, and if they do, the Father may alter them; as in the History of Benjamine is conspicuous, he being never called Beno●●, and though the Mother's name should stand, in holy writ it is to be understood by the Father's indulgence, as is famously clear in the Register of Leas fruitfulness, her husband gratifying her in that particular, and not without reason, but this name jesus was not imposed by joseph, who was no father, no● by Mary though a Mother; but by God, who hath power over Christ as man, and exercised the same as a Father; before his birth, that he who is the King of Kings, and Son of God, might not be made subject to his parents; but so far as his own knowledge, discretion, or goodness, in riper years, should concede unto, as is evident from several places, his subjection being commended, and, ●oman, what I to do with thee, being expressed.  
YET to condemn the obstinate and refractory, this name is not publicly proclaimed from heaven; but given to Mary, and after that to joseph, who gave it to his supposed Son, at's Circumcision, and by that name which his parents gave him, was he known in all the tract of his life, God in this occult way, preserving the order and honour of paternity, disallowing such, who assume the boldness to rebaptize themselves; and write new names which their parents knew not.  
HE is by the Holy Ghost, yea by men, sometimes called jesus, sometimes jesus Christ often our Lord, sometimes this, and again that other name, every one of which, have some peculiar eye, to some relation he beareth towards the Church, and in all those glorious precepts for divine celebrating the Supper, that is, the holy communion of the Church, by S. Paul, he speaks of it in that style, that would hardly make that phrase the cup of jesus, the death of jesus, to be proper, speaking constantly of the Lord as the Lords Death, the body and blood of the Lord, a word importing the founder of that communion, and fellowship we have with the Father, from which this may safely be drawn, that men should discreetly express the tittles given to their Saviour? It is a truth, that some have spoken of him under Epithets purely, that is, scripturally applicable to the Father, to the Spirit, to a Angel.  
THE most celebrated tittles are jesus, Christ, and the Son of God, this last, when jews deny him, mock, rail, reprobat, laugh at him, etc. is proper to use, Christ intimating his anointing, hinting at the means, whereby he saved us, as preaching, fight, conquering is pertinent for us; the Son of God he is called, being very God, of very God, the second as he is Man. God by assuming humanity; but his name jesus represents him God joined to humanity, united to the humane nature, and here wisely given, yea before having three times been so named (viz.) at his conception to Mary, next to joseph 〈◊〉 a dream, and lastly at Circumcision, for than they called his name jesus a name majestic, a name consolatory, holding forth his Deity for besides this Lord, there is no Saviour▪ and his Humanity also, for by it, he maketh propitiation for our sin, nay we find it i● other writings, not removing, but preventing sin; even that of robbery: for a paddist, or High-way-man, attempting to spoil a preacher, ordering him to stand, and ask what he was, was answered I am a the servant of the Lord jesus, the Paddist trembling at the answer, said again, what are you? and had the same answer, and so a third, the Robber as amazed, forgot both blood-guiltiness, and covetousness, and called to his unjustly detained Captain, for the sake of jesus depart in peace; and ruminating to himself whose servant he had been, in this debauched trade of life, being cogitabund, cried out, jesus, jesus, jesus, blessed be the name of jesus, who hath keeped me from sin, and forsakeing that course of life walked after in the path of virtue.  
LET none inquire touching the utmost extent of this name, since it's secret and wonderful, jud. 13.18.19. above all man's conception, and expression, having not under it the name or shadow, but the essence, and verity of all Salvation; yet know he is not called jesus, because he saves from war, or sword, for these may be good but from sin, which can never be but ill, therefore it comforteth the heart when opened, delighteth the Ear when harkened, pleaseth the mouth when expressed intimating, from sin freedom, and predicts glory, in place of misery; But yet, not by the airy sound or letters thereo● whether uttered, or impressed, for the Devil spoke it to Christ himself, and had a finger in the pie, when it was writ upon the cross but when applied by faith, and conforming to the Doctrine of him who bears it, as he who learning and studying▪ jesus well, proposed to himself for a Copy, a meek man, ● humble man, a sober man, a chaste man, merciful man, and finally, a man endued with all honesty, and full of all sanctity, which is a sweet way to make him to every man Iesu● (i e.) a Saviour, that he as being Almighty God, created them, so as jesus that is Go● and man, may redeem them from this present evil world, by his omnipotent unspeakable goodness, compassing & strengthening by his mediatory office what ever is his own within the ●oul & abolishing by his Royal power & Christ-like virtue what ever besides that, the heart hath contracted, & to prevent relapsing let the man jesus be our example, and jesus God your chief support, leaning upon him as your beloved, and the name jesus shall assure salvation, secure heaven, not otherwise.  
THE name jesus is admirable, for by it all wonders have been wrought, and because of it all Devils trembled, it's, also amiable, sinners having by it been justified, righteous gladden, the dejected raised, and all that ever called as the blinde-men, jesus, thou son of David have mercy upon us, have been relieved: its lastly laudable, for it's glorious, it's holy. it's new, it's exalted above every name, and the name that is given to us, for us, whereby only we can be saved, therefore glory ye in his holy Name.  
REMEMBER you are his by purchase, be having redeemed you, not with corruptible things, as with silver and gold, but by his precious blood, of which sum, he this day gave part in hand, as earnest, and paid the whole afterward, in gross upon the Cross, and might there be not more, than a common providence, that upon the first of january there should be fewer Martyrs in the primitive persecution, then on any other in the year, each day producing when laid together, five thousand save that; since the faithful witness himself, by whose blood theirs was accepted, did, as upon that day, enstate us into the passage leading to the spiritual Paradise, by applying his merits in Circumcision, as the first fruits of the land ●or earnest of our forgiveness; making hell to tremble as being spoilt of its Dominion, Earth to rejoice as being redeemed to God, and Angels, to triumph as being confirmed in righteousness: all which passionately excits to a confession, that jesus is the Christ, to the Glory of God the Father, making his Regimen in our souls the more arbitrary, when by way of reserve we reflect upon that purpose of the Father, that every knee shall (mark the word shall) bow, that is, yield and submit to the name jesus, that is, the power, authority, and Judgement of jesus.  
FROM the name Christ, are we called Christians, that implying both his, and our Unction, with the graces of the spirit, whence also came that name of the Messiah (i e.) one that is anointed (viz) above his fellows, as Christ is said to be, Isa. 61. with gifts, not with material oil which had been improper to him as a King, for his Kingdom is not of this world, or as Priest for he was not of the order of Aaron, nor as a Prophet for their unction showed their lawful successor, whereas he succeeded none, for all before him were thiefs and robbers, john 10. insinuating that all the Prophets were either after him, or came along with him, art thou the Christ said the Messengers to john? is not this the Christ? said the woman of Samaria, that is, he who was to be the Messiah, the anointed one, and this name of Christian from Unction is most proper for men to use, they, if believing receiving some measure of that holy oil, the Spirit of God, which was given to him without measure, But some contrary to this name, delight in the word Catholic, and some of these Catholics again, glory in the appellation jesuits and both of these scandalously use, some countries in particularly in Italy and in Rome itself, to make the glorious and honourable name of Christian, to signify an Idiot, a Dolt, a very fool, which shows their impious arrogance in boasting of what is proper to Rome, nor Rome's Doctrine as now taught, the word Catholic being of no worth unless Holy be added, and their spiritualised pride, in stamping the name jesus, upon a few, making him the head of a faction assuming a name so glorious, so ineffable, as if salvation were only to be found in their colleges, and Christ himself to be only of their order.  
GIVE us the name of Christian, signifying out hops in his Authority, and the sense of it also as heirs of his purchase, together with the obligation of it, as being bound to his doctrine, chiefly & first in reprobating the world's vanity: for, Io. 6.15. perceiving that they would come and take him by force to make him a King he departed, next strennously to exercise repentance, for he was the lamb slain, then fervidly to exercise Charity, for he prayed for his enemies; and lastly studying purity, in the whole man for he taxed the Pharisees, for cleaning the outside of the Cup.  
SO being Christians in truth▪ let's leave others to boast of being Catholics, and brag of their jesuitism, we shall exult in our Lord jesus Christ, honouring, revering, but not daring to assume the name jesus, there being no other name under heaven by which we can be saved; Christian including only our duty obedience; and respect unto Christ; whereas jesus employs his office, and benefits towards us, and therefore no project, how devoutly soever carried on, aught to appear under that notion in the world; and truly the interpretation of the same, being known, the inap●nesse thereof, as to Ignatius Disciples would as clearly appear, as the incongruous name Cosmographers give to the Magelanican sea▪ calling it Mare Pacificum, that is, peaceable, whereas the Pilot finds it still raging and stormy which they are, to that degree, that they are a burden, a curse, and cursed by the generality of that Church, wherein they so monstrously breed; and if obedience, Laws, designs, scops, give names, they are neither to be called Ignatians nor jesuits, but Popelings.  
JESUS is his name, and Salvation is his office, and our profession proclaims our acceptance of him for a Saviour; yet, who will ●enter a cut, or a bruise, because he hath a salve or ointment? or break his arm upon confidence of a skilful Chirurgeon? So no less warrinesse against offending, issueth from the knowledge of a born Redeemer, whom we are to use, not as Mountebanks for sale of their balsams (viz) try his efficacy, or skill, by putting ourselves upon spiritual hazards, and run risks in eternal concerns; but as wise men, avoid both danger, and infection, and either happening, consult him, as we do a learned, wise Physician, against the impurity of our birth, unruliness of our l●●es, and horror of our death, against all which he is a Saviour and ready to help, for he was called jesus.  
IT hath been an old complaint, that the celebration of our Lord's Nativity in these days, hath been polluted by Pagan-like behaviour, as if by it, we had been liberate from God, Sabbaths and Temptations, and tied to nothing but idleness, gluttonness and wantonness, not as God, but as if the Devil had been incarnate; and this is not of yesterday: for we find the Ancients exprobating the case with Christians, for their beholding, observing, some wanton rites of janus at this time celebrated; yet their zeal was attended with greater knowledge, then to raze these days out, or expunge them from the Calendar; but rather their people from sin, the observation of which time being accounted by them (as it is yet, with the Churches of the Saints, at home or abroad reformed) a godly, a goodly practice; the protestants in Holland, France, Switzerland, Germany, etc. joins in this practice with the Church of old, and we as Brethren, aught in charity not to condemn them, though we withdraw our Amen. In not consenting to that observance.  
LET us (abhorring the lasciviousness of the Gentile, the scandalous practice of the irreligious, equally avoiding the maliciousness of the jew) serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling, Circumcising ourselves, in our flesh, externally, by seemliness in our apparel, to be in our actings irreprehensible, and in our speech, that it be not contemptible, and in the Spirit also internally, which consists likewise in three, as in our thoughts that they be holy, in our affections, that they be pure, and in our purposes, that they be honest, all which is most necessary, though they may be thought severe, as was cutting off the prepuce of the foreskin under the Law by ● knife, importing how fast sin stuck, and how dear lust is,  
BUT off it must, or we shall be cut off, r●ther than which, let it go, and as about this time there was for our good a new birth, a new mother, a new Son, a new Song, a new Marriage, a new Spouse, a new Brid, a new Testament, a new Inheritance a new Sacrifice, a new Sign, a new Child, a new Y●ar, we ought to have new lives, laying aside the old leaven of malice, wrath, envy, and all uncharitableness, going beyond, that is, exceeding the superstitiousness, not to say the righteousness, of those Pharisees, the jews, who will not eat what is either sour, or bitter, on their new-years-day, but sweet almonds figs, rasins, as also fish, a type of that candour inoffensiveness, that they are to show towards all, the year after; before whom, their good works must abound and multiply, as fish in the Sea, that is, numerously; exercising ourselves sincerely at all times, in the things that may accompany Salvation, and wherewith one may edify another, unto which Circumtion of old, did morally enforce, and Christ's Baptism with ours also, doctrinally proposeth.  
IN the Kingdom of Portugal, there hath been for above three hundreth years, an order of Knighthood, entitled of jesus Christ that King being Sovereign of the order, and held in great esteem, (not to censure the Acts of Princes) if Cnicht, or Knight, in our old Saxon English be interpreted, a servant as james, and S. Paul were, of God and Christ, how soon might the rude swain, the country lossel, the clownish Boor, the whistling ploughman the earthy drudge, find out a way, for nobilitating, his family and Gentilizeing of himself, in observing the rules and orders, belonging to the badge, and profession of the Gospel? Let those of Castille, pass for born Gentleman, the Bereans are far more honourable. Alexander and Nimrod, may do great, strange and bloody feats, while Paul and Cornelius, keeping their bodies in subjection lest they should be castaways more splendidly writs their name, and with a greater flourish in the volumes of repute.  
TAKEING heed to Gospel rules, holy laws, observing the outgoings of the King of Saints, even of the paths, walks and orders of jesus the Sovereign, and Heir of all things and Kingdoms, being King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, 1 Timo. 1.17. maketh the clown a Gentleman, the Gentleman a noblesse, yea all men from the basest of Peasants, Kings unto God the Father, and younger brethren to our Lord, (that is, partakers of the whole inheritance with the Son) of which dignity if you be religiously ambitious, or earnestly covet after you shall do well; for jesus then, in all cases, shall be a jesus, that is a, Saviour in time of trouble.   

MYSTERIUM PIETATIS OR THE MYSTERY OF THE WISE MEN, Unfolded, and applied. 

For Epiphany-Day jan. 6. Tolbooth Ch. 1671  
But preached- Sunday-Ian. 8. Tolbooth Ch. 1671    MATTH. 11.1. 
Now when jesus was born in Bethlehem of judea, in the days of Herod the King, behold there came wisemen from the East to Jerusalem,  
Saying, where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his Star in the East, and are come to worship him.  
THOUGH it be said, that God is no respecter of persons; yet it's to be understood, in his eternal decision and sentenceing men to happiness, or misery, conform to the Regularity, or extravagancy, of their actions; for otherwise, he eminently signalizeth some above the mass of plebeian beauty, by signs and wonders, making their ingress to, or egress from, the world prodigious, or auspicious, by unusual occurrences; not to speak of the three Suns, which appeared when Nero entered upon government, or that fearful comet some months before his slaughter, nor of that shining bright, before many lights of the german Church, were extinguished by death, as being portentous: it is upon record, that glorious worthies, have been saluted at their births, by visions from heaven, auspicating the felicity of their government, grandour of their lives, and glory of their fame, as his late Majesty (to pass old and musty Registers) of glorious memory, journeyed from his Palace to Paul's Church, to render thanks, for the birth of a Son our present Sovereign, about ten of the clock May 29. in bright-day a star was seen to shine predicting as some then said, his outshining and breaking forth at last, though for a time, he might be out-shined by another; not to comment, God doth not always speak by his Prophets only, but by the meteors, and elements likewise, in persons especially born for government; and if in persons merely temporal this be, what shall indicat to the world, the birth of the King of Kings rather than a goodly star, and that in the east? by whose rays, the Religious Magis, whether by Day, or night could spell, if not read, the birth of the King of the Jews: for as there were many new things about, and at our Saviour's birth on earth, and all wonderful, as the Angel's appearance, Zacharias dumbness, etc. It was seemly that, the Heavens should also lift up their voice and declair, that wonderful work of God, which lay in jury; yet shined to Persia; coming to them who were nigh that they might be saved, and to them who were afar off that they might be redeemed; Therefore there came Wise— Men from the east, etc.  
HAVING seen our Lord born for, and circumcised by the Jew we should wrong ourselves, if we beheld him not worshipped by the Gentiles: for though Salvation be of the Jews, john 4.22. yet its effects are to the ends of the earth; at first, the Shepherds adored, here Philosophers are come to adore, they directed by an Angel, these conducted by a star both from heaven, to him, who was to unite them in one unto himself, and of them so united, as living stones to build a Temple for the Holy Ghost, that is, a Tabernacle for himself.  
IN a Mystery behold Araunah the Jebusit offering gifts, and David the Jew, doing service to our God, for the health of both and salvation one of another; the Gentile exceeding the Jewish spectators, in his the Lord thy God accept thee, he knowing the Israelite to have (as he had until the Gospel was revealed) a more peculiar interest in God, so Christ was King of the Jews, that is, eminently, but not only, for he was also the God and King of that Kinglike Araunah, a Gentile.  
ONE day, (viz.) january the sixth, hath been famed among the Ancients, and it's first appearance highly revered, because of a fourfold miracle, wrought thereon, God even the Father proving as on a Theatre the Divinity of jesus his Son: for when he began to be about thirty years of age, and baptised in jordan, the Trinity was discovered, the Father being in the voice, the Spirit in the likeness of a dove, the Son in the flesh, and proclaimed to be the Son, wellbeloved; whence by them that day was called Theophania, the apparition of God (viz) from heaven, that same day of the next year, he at the Marriage of Cana of Galilee turned water into wine, because of which, they called it Bethphania, the appearance of God in the house; On the same day next year, he fed the five thousand with five loaves, and two fishes, wherefore they called it Phagiphania, the appearance of God eating, or in eating: of this last there is some more scruple then of the other; but let him be Anathema that denies the appearance of a star unto these Wisemen, which some will have to be shining, when this King was thirteen days old, others will have him two years old, however the day from this was called Epiphania, the apparition of God above or from the heavens, and this as being more sacred & more miraculous, the Wisemen seeing, believing, journeying, searching adoring and offering, have in the Annals of the Church swallowed up, almost all the other, that is, for the time, he being adored now as God; which we find not to be done in the other wonders, by Jew, or Gentile, and the solemnity by the Ancients, in all ages, is especially observed upon that account; unto whose venerable, and gray-headed practice, we shall in all humility conform, this universal Lord, and Sun of Righteousness, having a morning star in the East, giving intelligence of an approaching day for man's perfect Redemption, and by it good tidings to these Magis or Wisemen, and by them to jerusalem, and thence to all the world, whereof we ourselves are witnesses; and if I speak the language ●f the Prophet, Arise, shine, for your light is come, I hope you will obey the ensuing charge, and lift up your eyes, and see, and then as convinced show forth the praises of the Lord, which is also foretold, and as Gentiles, come to the light, Isa. 61.  
IT was said of Solomon the Kings of Tarsh●sh and of the isles shall bring presents, the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts; its true Tarshish was never a Kingdom, but by it is prophesied, what the rich Kings upon the coast of the Red-Sea, near unto which Tarshish was a famous inland Town, should do, and what the Kings of Sheba a chief City of Ethiopia, and Seba, another in Arabia Faelix, both famous for gums, and precious stones, should perform as tributaries or as Favourites to Solomon, a Praeludium of that homage and goodwill, which the world owed unto, and should repay unto him, of whom Solomon was but a shadow, even to that King whom these Wisemen come to worship.  
LET us view these holy pilgrims, and their pilgrimage; in there came Wisemen from the East, the place they traveled unto jerusalem, their Question in that place, where is he that is born King of the jews? their errand with him, we are come to worship.  
THEY are called Wisemen of the east, otherwise Magis or Magicians, of old an honourable appellation, and applied not unto vizzarts, or negromancers, as now, but to the students of Philosophy and Mathematics, observers of the motions and government of the Luminaries, Sun, moon, or stars, inferring conclusions for orderly walking in matters of regiment and intrinsic projects of state; and got that name from Meditation detecting and diveing into nature's deepest secrets, foreseeing the probability of things, & were held, of old men of renown, by Indians called Gymnosophists with Grecians Philosophers, Chaldeans in Babylon, druids in France Sapientes with the Latin, and with Persians Magis, who were of that high estimation, that none was thought worthy to reign, except he had studied their art; and from their Colleges were persons taken, for being petty Princes, and governor's of countries, whence, it may be, sprung the conceit of these Magis, being reputed Kings.  
WHENCE they came, is not yet determined, some brings them from Caldea, they worshipping the stars, others will have them of Balaam, who prophesied of a star; There are who fetch them from the utmost parts of the earth, its most likely they came from Persia, because of their gold incense etc. of their motion it was east from jerusalem, from their learning, there being in the City Susan, the King's seat, near the Palace in a stately garden, a Philosophical College of Magis, students of History, Philosophy and Divinity, with whom Daniel, Ezechiel, in the captivity conversing, and by their unwearied seriousness, in searching Records, and Antiquities, might arrive to the knowledge of much of the Law of Moses, the promises to Abraham, the truth of the Prophets, and of the expected Messiah, which by the weeks of Daniel might be by them now looked for; not omitting the wisdom, or direction of the most high, to those, whose acumen was to untie knots and Mysteries, qualifying them, to become tutors unto Daniel, in all humane literature, whose religious Zeal, in gratitude might bequeath some of his spiritual instructions, for their own, and others advantage, pairing off the excrescencies of their endeared studies, by his life, wisdom and visions, that they might be more intent upon that one thing necessary; whence in probability flowed at this time, their worshipping of jesus; for they believed and therefore enquired, and therefore offered.  
HAD they been called Philosophers it might have been conjectured, they came from Greece, but the term Magi, speaks them Persians, being given by that nation to persons studious of knowledge, only if the distance of Susa from Jerusalem be computed, which is 920 miles, it would be imagined they could not come so soon after our Lord's birth, as our observance will allow, which is but 13 days: not to speak of the swiftness of Dromedaries, upon which in those country's men travelled, the star might appear sometime before the birth, and in their travel, their stay in Jerusalem, something more than a year might pass; for certain it is, that Herod, according to his information of the stars appearance, slew the Children of Bethlehem, from two years old and under and this interpretation seemeth more agreeable to the text; though it may be the star appeared not, until the birth, and hast, care, zeal, with true piety, m●ght cause the journey to be expede in the allotted time, though in the appearance of the star, Herod might be mocked (there being greater slips not censured in Scripture, of more experienced Persons in Divinity,) the men wisely overseeing hazard to themselves, and danger to the bab.  
TOUCHING their number, they being called Wisemen there can be no less supposed than two, and in regard there are three sorts of gifts, some will have them so many men, & tell you a tale of 3. Kings of Evilah, where there is much gold, of Magonia where there is much frankincense, and are so wise, that Appellius, Amarius and Damascus must be their Hebrew names, Galgalath, Megalath, and Sarachin their Greek-names; Caspar, Balthasar, Melchior, their Roman names: more than twelve I have not found them to be thought; it is likely there was a train, a retinue of the most curious, pregnant, devout, learned in the Society, with the worshippers, for they put all jerusalem in an uproar, and Herod himself was troubled when the intelligence of the Shepherds but six miles off for aught we read was not so much as headed by either.  
THE heavens to David declaired the the glory of God, and to the Magis the birth of his Son, the Jewish shepherds had an Angel and tokens persuading them to belief, the Gentil Philosophers had only a star, & yet they believe, both seeing that one Christ, which was then born, and designed a cornerstone for uniting these together; giving them his right and left hand, from the affection of his heart, both being now alike precious to him, because as they, he is the Son of Man. The Shepherds were nigh, the Magis a far off, yet both received, he moderating the Jews insolence, because of the synagogue, and illuminating the Gentiles ignorance, because of his light, joining them, as one building, himself as the cornerstone, both beautifying and strengthening the structure.  
AND into this Church as into the house, with the Magis, let us enter, he being our Lord; and saluting him, let us worship, they opening the door for all nations, as Ambassadors of peace, offering to his greatness; the mercy of God in Christ giving ample assurance of reconciliation, to all offenders, though Magicians, Wizzarts, consulters of witches, as to Manesseh, when so wise as to lay aside the works of darkness, and behold his wonders in the firmament of his works, and heaven of his word, wherein they shall perceive that Christ is born, that is, the promised Messiah, in whom all the Kingdoms of the earth is, and was to be blessed; therefore in no Nation is there ground to despair.  
AND though some degenerate from these their religious Gentile Ancestors, either by loyttering at home in their carnal security, purposing neither to take pains for, nor travel after salvation, or play at the door in their superstitious formal idolatry; or Debauching within, by their scandals, and impure deportment; yet having wise Preachers, experienced in the study of heavenly Scriptures which as the star over the house, show where Christ is to be found; let us unite in devotion, and being faithful, with the Saints, part with whatever lust is dear and sweet, knowing it is our wisdom so to do▪ being Christ and his Gospel are above the price of all lusts, though supposed Rubies.  
LET Herod be troubled, and great men moved against submission to the sceptre of Christ, (for touch the Mountains they will smoak) and Jerusalem's inhabitants be in an uproar, each one about his particular concern suggesting trouble and war▪ by changing of Kings and Governors, upon which (in all probability) their fear was grounded; for none went with the Magis from jerusalem, either fearing to appear, despairing of success, or for such like cause; yet this is but the course of worldly wisdom, which being Earthly, sensual, is to be avoided by the Man of God whom neither Herodians, of ambition, nor jerusalemits of panic fear so far shall obscure wisdom, or occasion defiling of conscience, as to make him afraid of, or tremble to hear of Christ's approach; but rather calleth, why tarrieth the wheels of his Chariot, having a desire to be with Christ, obeys that sound, of heaven the charge of jerusalem his Mother, the Church, going forth to meet this King, Cant. 3 11. now crowned in his cradle, and having heard of this in Ephrata, seeks and finds him in the wood of the Cratch, and ark of the Church, rejoicing as they that find rich treasure; and good reason, for he is found in Bethlehem (i e.) the house of bread, and under that notion, implys all happiness to his visitants; to his Receivers, the tittle of life adding Eternity to his crumbs, which when enjoyed, the snars of death are avoided.  
AS these Magis left jerusalem a crafty Herod, the skilful Scribs, who durst not deny what the Scripture recorded; yet shuned to believe what the Wise revealed, bringing damnation upon their souls, the more speedily, for their base ingratitude, the more desparingly for their great knowledge▪ the more inexcusably for dissembling with Herod; so let us relinquish and turn our backs upon those Sirens, stopping our ears against the songs, and counsels, devices, secrets, that by the wicked witty, the demure in hypocrisy, the knowing in disobedience, are laid any way, to debar us from the regular path of Gods revealed will; in persuance of enjoying that blessed sight, which is in the star light of a promise, offered to us, how difficult soever it may seem, to flesh and blood, leaving the politic and carnal to their Interrogatories, their Questions, their fears their scruples, what may be? what shall be? rather than what is to be done? things; which is to be feared in our days, have made our Lord to go further from us than he was once, dare I name that place to be, in Egypt?  
HEROD'S Hypocrisy made him promise adoration, his timidity made him search and ask, not where the King of the jews, but where Christ should be born? the Question to the jews is made in private, by the Gentiles it's made in public, the reply represents and infers the Jews to have answered, where our Saviour, not where theirs was to be born, because they believed not in him, nor rejoiced at his birth▪ nor travelled to his lodging; and at this day for unbelief they are a scattered people through the earth, still beholding that faith published, and gloried in, unto which they are enemies, which no doubt adds to their torture shame, despondency and grief▪ having neither Temple▪ Priest, nor sacrifice of their own, as other Nations, yea hardly retaining their name, but by a few absurd and ridiculous ceremonies, for which being derided by all Nations, and accounted murderers, jesus being deemed innocent, increaseth their astonishment, and is reckoned by Travellers, the formal cause of that pregnancy or rather subtlety of wit, which proverbialy, is applied unto them, their Religion putting them under a general odium, they are driven, to help them-selves by base shifts, whereby bandyting themselves against the rest of mankind, they are better studied in malice and mischief, than other men, for which each Visier, and Bassa of state in Turkey, keeps a jew of his privy Council, by whose malice, wit, experience, intelligence, it's thought most of that mischief is contrived, which is executed upon Christendom; yet at the same time, that jew is so hated, that would I might die a jew, if this be so, is one great curse in Turkey, and he dare not, yea cannot become Turk, unless first Christ be acknowledged, a true Prophet, which still must edge his envy, and more ferment his spite.  
IT is said one of these Magis was a Black Moor, and master-painter, limns accordingly; but I shall not swear to the truth hereof, yet there can be no danger to maintain to such who credit the report, that in our addresses unto Christ, the outward appearance, the difference of, or about things external, the clearness of the souls knowledge, or doubtings in the bosom, blackness of the soul, contracted by fear and horror, or dwelling in the torrid zone of persecution, affliction, or desertion, as it ought not to deter from the embracements of our Lord, in the house of the Church, so neither in others, should it represent any cause, of interrupting their well intended progress, in those religious duties, of prostration, or adoration, since the Saviour of the world is an Advocate with the Father, speaking peace, and shall accept of their attendance before the throne, in good and comfortable words; as be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven, whereby they shall not only be clothed in white, but like David have a goodly and ruddy countenance, that is, be well favoured, in the serenity of a good conscience, marching forward toward their own, because desired, country, with as large strids of zeal affection and discourse; as amply how, and which way their service was accepted, prayers heard, doubts cleared, as any of them whose complexion, (i. e.) whose soul, at fi●st setting out, was of a more amiable colour, or allureing temper.  
ARE there not persons, who with the Scribs can readily inform where Christ should be born, and that he is to be believed upon in faith working by Love; can talk of the Kingdom of God; tasting the powers of the world to come? by many fathoms go deeper, in the speculative parts of Divinity, speaking as if they had seen the Trinity, talked with God, first take wing; and then flee, out of the sight of ordinary capacities, pronounceing words in talents of election, the Son's mission, Antichrists destruction▪ yet in the mean time as great strangers from true worshippers, as the black Ethiopian (yea perhaps more) whose Divinity may be is no higher than the star light of dim nature, dictating unto them an, unknown God, whom yet knowingly they might worship; And should we meet with these men, we might with the Magis get a true answer and sound direction, burdensome enough also, yet with the Magis again, must serve him with solitary devotion, those Pharisees refusing, to touch the enjoined load with one of their fingers, that is, in the least, to walk according to those impositions they in a pretended strictness recommend to others.  
IN all Zedekia's Court, there was none pleaded for, nor pitied Jeremiah; in the Dungeon, but the black Emedm●lek only, the star was unseen to the Magis, while in jerusalem, yet none of jerusalem goes to worship, but they of Persia only, whose gifts when baby jesus received, he might have said, what afterwards he did, in riper years, Verily, I have not found so great Faith, no not in Israel; the forementioned pretenders to Sanctity like the Scribs resting upon notional acquaintance with things divine, pursue their own particular; and in the end conclude their peace, not once going forth to negotiate for, or seek after, the pearl of price, contained in Christ, and in his merits; and it's to be feared, that young Indian Christian, in the story, (I call him young, because but two years old in Christianity) who being asked what sin was? answered, It is a continual sickness in my heart, shall condemn thousands, that wonderfully can expatiat upon, it's being a transgression of the Law.  
FIND we not ignorance, attended with fervid desires, of knowledge, in the Magis? where is he say they who is born King of the jews? which is yet infinitely preferable to the knowledge of the jews, attended with supine sloth, being but a key they put in the hand of others, for opening a door of Salvation; yet not offering to turn the same for their own entrance into bless, discovering as the Angel to Hagar the fountain of life to others, yet dying of a desperate drought themselves; happy these pilgrims, though not knowing, yet ask where their Lord lay? happy the ignorance of those infants that died for him; yet enquired not after him, but cursed be that knowledge, that can, as a statue, demonstrate the way to the city of refuge; yet stand still, or as the Gnomen on a dyal show how the Sun moves, yet still remain fixed to the plate; in jerusalem the Prophets speak are heard, and understood, but not obeyed, in Susa the star is seen, and followed, knowing more by, and fearing more for, that, than they by the other, fulfilling that of the Prophet, For that which had not been told them, shall they see, and that which they had not heard, shall they consider, Isa. 52.15.  
INDEED they had considered so well, that they question not of Christ's being born, though they found him not in jerusalem, the likeliest place, in the whole world for to find the King of the Jews, the City of the great King, and justly now expected to have been the joy of the whole Earth, their old Kings being dead, stranger's ruleing, and a King of their own country born, and in it, among them, unto them, and not to be found in jerusalem? is strange! and yet it's not strange, to see Adam's Sons, when leaning to their own understanding in finding out, or searching after, the marrow, contained in the cavity of things mysterious, to be as it were befooled, the plain Shepherds in Bethlehem, instructed from above, had broke this bone where is he? and saved much cost, care, and it may be lives, for that jerusalem had been a city of blood, that its temple was profaned, that the Law was corrupted, and in a word, that true Piety was banished its gates, that Bethlehem Ephrata, where David was anointed the second time, South of jerusalem was to be the place of the nativity was not clear, or it may be, not known; but that he was born they knew, and that he was not heeded they wondered, where is he?  
Condemning the jews, that being subjects to others (for it was in the days of Herod the King) should know nothing of their own King, whom they, though strangers came to worship, let Herod be troubled, or the Synedron either whom likely they went first unto, they say we are come from the east to worship your King, and as unwearyed we are still upon search, you that are wise, and understand these things, where is he? and knowing where delays not, the meanness of the house, the poorness of the furniture; yea the meanness of the dress, staggering them not into unbelief, and really, it's faith in the truths of God, that holds out longest, and only unbelief makes men blind, neither now nor then is the union of the Gentiles to the Tribs yielded unto, (which might be one motive for the Scribs not to travel with the Magis) or that jesus is the Christ, though Moses be read every Sabbath in their synagogue, in which they read Moses to Mary an Ethiopian woman, that japhet must dwell in the tents of Sem, though in Abraham all the nations of the Earth were to be blessed, Melchisedeck to be priest of the most high God, though Rahab the Harlot was saved, and converted at jericho, though jethro was Father in Law to Moses, though Moses spoke of a Prophet, and speaks of the Sceptres departing from judah, which it was, when these men came from the east for Herod was King, and that Christ was that Melchisedeck read of in the Synagogue, offering in Bethlehem, the house of bread; the bread of life, and not of that in judah, but of that in Ephrata, (i. e.) fruitfulness, having store of all fruits, and what if I say of the Vine, to offer them as Melchisedeck; if they will encounter the Kings of their lusts; the reigning of sin within them; but all these will not do, they, yet remaining under the darkness of infidelity, which is the shadow of death, especially when attended with tenebrous and dark calamities, which every where befalls them, yet not beholding this star, this Gospel, which is his star, newly created, differing in cleanness, nearness, and in motion from all lights, the ordinances, which God ever gave his Church.  
AS Moses with them, so Christ, is daily taught in our streets, and whereas we ought thereby to grow warm in our desires, after the sense, and virtue, of the doctrine, in receiving the Holy Ghost, it's suspected, were the question put, the known answer would be returned, we have not so much as heard if there be any Holy Ghost, that is, heeded, or felt, what those gifts are, whereof the Holy Ghost is inspirer, which verily is the ground of all our sinful debaurds▪ (viz) our unbelief, leaving off heavenly matters, if not acquired by a wish, a look, hearing may be half a Sermon for a whole one, is thought infallibly to do it; yea some tarrying at home dreaming as Pilat's wife, waking, give good directions, thinking all as true Revelations, what their fancy, malice or prejudice, can suggest, as was that of the Wise Men to return to their own Country, concludes their salvation to be sealed, not considering that their wisdom, made them travel onward, embracing difficulties cheerfully, and that they saw not the star, until they left jerusalem, and that they had no vision in their sleep, until they had sought out Christ, diligently, when they were awake: so that in earnest, that text, which most of all, grounds the jew in his incredulity, and what they, stick most unto, in their malice against the Gospel, (viz.) neither did his brethren believe on him; may be by them, Atheistically urged but neither do his followers believe on him; and to our shame may be a dead stroke, to the point, for which they press the former.  
WE read that Simeon had revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not die, until he saw the Lords Christ, the occasion of which revelation, we find to be this, (vi.) He doubting of the truth of that Prophecy, A Virgin shall bring forth a Son, an angel stood by, assureing his not tasting of Death, until he saw the accomplishment of that truth, whereof he scrupled; not to comment upon the story, it is sure, that inadvertence, idleness, and sloth, in things spiritual, are not attended with the knowledge of sacred Mysteries, Daniel saw the vision, & searching for the meaning; Gabriel was sent to cause him understand, when the Angel appeared to the Shepherds, they were keeping their flocks, and the star appeared to the Wise Men, at first employing their gifts for advance in learning, God deals oft with men in their own way▪ God gave Hezekia a sign from the Sun it is given out, he was a great student of the Mathematics, the second time the star was seen they were upon their journey, in jerusalem they saw it not, there is time, and place wherein Christ is enquired, after, and not found, to seek consolation, in things terrene, is to seek the living among the dead, or as joseph, and Mary, among their kinsmen and acquaintance; some seek him as Herod, to destroy him, to many we may say, ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, to bestow it on your lusts, there is, place and time wherein Christ is to be sought and found; Mary sought him, and found him, in the Temple, yet she was at pains three days; the woman found him in the garden, yet they sought him with tears, Zacheus sought to see and found him on the Sycamour, yet he sought him with care, and our Wise Men sought for him with care, hazard, zeal, love, and cost, and found him.  
FIRST let's know ourselves to be Magis, Wise Men, own and know ourselves to be but MEN, that is, flesh, such as have separated from God, worshipping stocks, and stones, and given over to direful lusts; next, let's come from the east, with Abraham, Isai. 41, preferring Christ to country, kindred, despising gems, riches, and costly Jewels, chiefly to be found in the east, which as soft beds ●ull the Soul asleep, making flesh contemn the invitations Christ maketh for entrance and do this betimes, at the sun rising of our days; Marry Magdalen came about the sun rising, saw the sepulchre, not her Lord; and being there were several of these Wise Men, let us learn the benefits of religious Associates, for where two or three are gathered together to seek, he will be found; but our meeting must be in peace for they came, and they came together, and they came together to jerusalem, the vision of peace, for only when we are in peace, he will come and speak peace, saying, be not afraid I am jesus whom ye seek.  
OBSERVE there is not a state, or condition, wherein man can fall, but Christ hath been discovered and in it found, as in a married estate, under which he was born, though not by it, in a Virgin estate, in which he was born, in a studious estate, for he was found among the Doctors, in an Artificer or handicraft estate, so he was oft found with joseph at an honourable treat, so he was by Mary Magdalen, in a crowd, or penned up, in a throng so by Zacheus in a Garden, so by the woman, in poverty, so by the Shepherds, in any place in judea, in Egypt, among the Samaritans, and lastly in the house, the poor house, the despised house, as by the Magis, yet still as condemning idleness, and exciting to diligence, he was found of them that sought after him.  
WE have seen his star in the east (say the Magis) but whether they in the east saw it over jerusalem, or over themselves in the east, or if it was an Angel as a star, or a star and a Child in it, is not worthy of search, or refutation, for it's, we have seen, and are come, exemplifying promptness, that with Lot we should not linger, when by some secret inspiration, we are warned of removal, as Lot did, when advised to leave Sodom, but as Simeon, when the spirit excits to enter the temple, remembering also Lot's wife, seasoning ourselves by her salt, that corruption being exsic●at in our mortal bodies, we may go forward, in our spiritual progress, at the removing of the Ark, or moving of the cloud, it's motion being not for satisfying of our sight, but for putting forward our feet; not to stand by, but to follow after (i. e.) these Wise Men until we see our Lord, and who shall by the noise of the world's confusion. Jerusalem's trouble, or by the beauty of g●udy pictures, of appearing benefits, slight the powerful documents of the Gospel, despise the beautiful face of an amiable jesus, will be condemned by these Philosophers, who in duty set their face as though they would go to jerusalem, not fearing the wrath of the King, though enquiring after another than he, or Augustus either, though over the jews they had made themselves Kings, whereas he whom they seek was a King born, and exceeding Sapores of Persia who yet was crowned in the belly, the crown being set upon his Mother's womb, for suppressing faction, but this, was a King, and so conceived, and therefore named, before he was conceived in the womb, had a star, to indicat his regality, which they call his star as being deputed for that office, others, being made for times, and seasons, yet this, for this time, to shine, to move, to stand, according as our progress toward him advanceth, or is impeded, and when that is done, to withdraw its shining;  
NO ways giving countenance to these twopenny, I mean Mercenary Astrologers, who pretend from the stars, to judge the futurity of events, depending not so much upon natural causes, as reasons, and deliberate consultation, seconded by providence, assisting, or mar●ing the design, it were no puzzeling question, to demand if the Magis by this star ordained to signify our Lord's Nativity Solely, knew or foresaw our Lords crosses, temptations, poverty slights, melancholy, so to speak, since we read of his weeping, (not of his laughing) torture, death, burial, etc. The probability of the contrary being so evident, or apparent: This is not spoken to disgrace that noble Art, whether Astronomy, or Astrology, being persuaded that the stars are both for seasons, and signs, and works on this inferior world by natural qualities, and operations, as our herbs do growing in our garden, known to the learned Physician, in their virtue, upon man; yet as this pours no honour on the head of cheating Mountebanks, or Empirics, so nor the other, upon them whose covetousness, ambition, arrogance, or other selfish interest, hath made them pry into acts of Kings, Counsels, Armies, and as they desired, have made the heavens speak, to the discredit of the Ingenious Artist, and could they blush to their own confusion, we are sure, to their scorn and reproach we have seen this star-gazer so oft, to erect Schemes, for such different purposes, with different tones, unskilful prophecies, that laying him aside, let us worship GOD in love, reverence and fear, as the Magi.  
THIS King, we have not the star of his birth; that evanishing the sun of righteousness himself, shining with meridian lustre, in ordinances, and means, yet no industry in the work of God, among us, but contemning Religion, reviling piety, scandalously by cleaving to the earth, refusing to eye the heavens, though the signs of the Son of Man, be come, wars, and rumours of wars, scarce faith on the Earth, and the love of many waxing cold. These men of the east shall rise up against us, and condemn us, who it may be repent, at the preaching of this single Star, and arising from their bed, awakeing as men out of sleep, came and worshipped.  
WHAT more? all here is Mysterious Christ being born in Bethlehem, which is supposed to be the centre, or middle part of the earth, that the virtue of the Son of Man might be more regularly diffused to the Circumference of the utmost bounds of the glob, and he again to be their object, as equally near as equally dear, uniting in him, who is called the desire of all nations, the impulse or star leading to the house, is that lively▪ and heavenly gift of Faith, by which the serious, and industrious, shall be led for embracing of saveing truths, the Air, heavens, or firmament, in which that star was, and the star it ●elf again, speaking as it were with a tongue Christ to be born, is the Church, and the Prophets, Apostles Ministers thereof created, that is, qualified, for that end (viz.) edifying of the Church, until she come, to the stature of jesus Christ. The Ethnic Magis honouring Christ more then, and far above, the jew, tipifys the amplitude of the Gentiles conversion, and prognostics, it shall be more than that of the jew, Herod's slaughtering of the infants to the number of an hundreth forty four thousand, (not to be thought incredible in so populous a place as judea) though others shrink this full mouthed number, into fourteen thousand, where of his own son was one, manifestly shows the Devil's rage, his emissaries fury▪ against the Church of God, and of his Christ in all ages, yet as Christ was preserved in Idolatrous Egypt (in which by the by, it's said the Idols fell at his entry) so shall his Gospel out live all heathen vanities, Christianity, at last, enjoining all Idolatry, as holy Alexander in the Tripartit did the Pagan Philosopher at Constantinople, who preparing to dispute, was charged thus in the name of the Lord jesus, I command thee to be silent, and the Philosopher immediately was mute, so great shall be the force of truth, of Christian verity.  
THE Magis were Wise Men, Kings say some, Ambassadors from Kings, say others, how ever goodmen, and who perceives not, that not Manners with Wickams' motto, but Religion makes the man, the profane having, but an external sign of Man hood, a Fool, a Madman, as beside himself, for though Reason make a man with the Philosopher, Honour with the Herald, yet Religion is all in all with God and good men, hence these are called Wise Men.  
WHEN the Magis entered the house, they found saith the Holy Ghost the Child & his Mother; it cannot be granted to them, who thinks, there was a good providence here, that joseph was absent, lest he should have been taken for the Child's Father; since that same Spirit, that revealed so great a matter, and inspiring them in so high a way, as to adore him, did in liklyhood forestale any such surmise, yea possibly every punctilio of the conception, might not be revealed to them and so her Virginity not thought upon, for the scruple about the Father, might have come in their heads whether joseph was present or no; the Mother may be only named here, as in other places afterward, she being indeed real mother to Christ; joseph not named, not from his absence, but as having no relation to that Child before whom they fell, and worshipped, first next opening their Treasures, presented unto him Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.  
THAT which is here called worship, is in our civil adoration called homage; which in Scripture language is Kissing of the Son, and unto Kings, is a symbol of subjection, acknowledged here above customary salutations, exceeding all court-ceremony, being a paying of homage to Divinity and respects both soul and body, adoring the Word, in flesh, wisdom in infancy, the truth of the Deity, truly in humanity, the blessed Lord hideing these things from the wise and prudent, who at the birth of a King, had looked for pompuous trains, splendid attendance, stately lodgings, ravishing music, but these men had not so learned Christ, falling down, giving (as is the custom yet in Eastern countries) head and knee, hand, eye, and love, zeal, and true adoration, preferring him to themselves, their learning, their possessions, presenting with some of the fruits of their land, as Gold, and Frankincense and Myrrh.  
THE two last being plentifully offered to God under the law, which being now finished, the reserve, and store, is returned to Christ, there being no more offering for sin upon the altar; but the Gold, typifies their trampling upon secular, or worlely wealth, in comparison of those riches they had acquired by his advent, which proceeded not from inspection into glasses, books, or maps; but from heaven's inspiration, that giving the sign, gave also the thing signified, the Myrrh which preserves the dead from putrefaction; offered to him, is in the Mystery acknowledging both ours, and their hoped for Resurrection, to proceed from him alone; Gold the price of our Redemption, to be told down by his satisfaction, and righteousness, the incense (a perfume used in sacrifice with both Jews and Heathens) given to him; shadoweth abolishment of all legal offerings▪ and diabolical services, that he (viz.) Christ may be all in all.  
A King they asked for, a King they found, and like unto a King they offered, Herod said seek (not the King but) the Child and I will worship him, in scorn at them, in scorn of him, yet willing to secure himself a Christ▪ being to be born, Go seek and I will worship but just as jehu would worship Baal, these sought the young Child, the King of the jews, found the young King at which God, made them old in knowledge, they giving gold to him, as a King, Incense, they knowing him to be a Priest, Myrrh they saw him to be a Prophet, Gold they gave him because he was great, incense, because he was God, and Myrrh for they knew him to be a man. To have brought gold only, his mother's poverty considered, had caused men to suspect her supply; had only been regarded, or at most his education, but Myrrh and Incense, intuats that his paternal eradiation is concerned, yet all the three a help to their indigency in going down to Egypt, for in all the highest matters of heaven's acquisition, the necessities of men, may be turned upon, and behold, and then it's our duty to relieve them.  
AMONG the Persians it was thought dishonourable to salute, and therefore there was a Law, against, accosting, the King without a present, whereby to procure his friendship, or his Grace, wherefor one Sinetes, in travel meeting Artazarxes, and having nothing, ran to the river Cyrus filling both his hands with water as being at that time the readiest present, which the King caused to be received from him in a golden cup then, and sent afterwards to him greater presents, as a persian Vest, a golden cup, wherewith to bring water always from the river so acceptable are presents, that they even reconcile an Esaw to a jacob and maketh the Queen of the south more acceptable to Solomon, which these men knew, and from their own country custom offered, yet led by a higher law, having either heard of or read, or inspired with that law of God, commanding none to appear before him empty handed, Exod. 23. prompting the Magis to obey, and in them gives order, against uncharitable devotion.  
THREE gifts are mentioned, if it be questioned, whether all gave three, or each one, one to allow in this the wise men's number to be three it's sure they either had particular treasures, or then several treasures for all in one, which were first closed, then opened, Faith closed up in the heart, without confession of the mouth, being of no avail; but that each one g●ve for himself, may be drawn (with some) from the gifts given, they shadowing in him, the union of God, and Man, which each one particularly believed, as also the three persons of the Trinity, and if delivered by one to the Baby jesus, makes the heart reflect upon their unity among themselves, Christ's three fold office of King Priest and Prophet, being also believed by each, hath some influence for this belief, they worshipping whole Christ all of Christ, first in body they fell down next in mind they worshipped, thirdly, in goods, they presented unto him.  
GOLD the best of metals, and most respected, and which looseth nothing in the fire, earthy its true it is, but if well managed, can be beat out, unto a heavenly length, and to be parted withal, when Christ's poor members are in want: yet remember, it's a proper gift for a King, therefore offered here with worshipping, for until we depart from evil, by fearing the Lord, our alms, and charity cannot be accepted frankincense used in sacrifice to God, and so necessary for perfumeing, that the prayers of the Saints in the Revelation Chap. 8. are said to be sweetened thereby, and Cornelius prayers, and Alms came up together, for a memorial before God, Myrrh, a bettrr yet conserving gum, used in enbalming of the dead, and prayer, when attended with mortification of flesh, is then most savoury, and sweet, it's as it were the tears of a tree, woozed out, and how prevalent Piters' bitter tears were woozing from the bitterness of his heart, is known yet each Wise Man had all these three, or the most part of the Ancients are out of the way; and in the assurance of our Saviour's Divinity, Humanity his Priesthood, Prophetic, and Regal office, each believer for himself, must offer up, to him, and for him, praise, prayer, and Alms; the ointment of Myrrh in holy and brotherly communion, that being given in charity to the dead the incense of a sweet and innocent report, which we owe to our living brother, the gold of a bright, pure, and shineing conscience, which we owe to our great Creator King of all the earth.  
FINALY by gold, understand thyself exhorted to rejoice in, and love God, for the good things he hath performed towards thee, by incense, religious thankfulness, for the good he hath prepared for thee, by Myrrh unfeigned sorrow, for what evil hath been done by thee, the sincerity whereof is best discovered, if thou separat thyself from sinners, and thy life from bloody men, in not returning to thy old companions or sinful counsellors, as the Magis did not to Herod, nor living in thy old path of vicious courses, as they returned another way (I shall not say, lodging in caves, and dens, for fear of Herod) into their own Country, the birth of him whom they visited in it●s purity, innocency, harmless simplicicy, persuading to temperance, and the Magis as the first fruits of the Gentiles by their gifts, in coming and going, inforceing retiredness from carnal ease; sinful sloth, cruel intentions reverend actions, Religious obedience, which once acquired by pains in study, prayer, and meditation, with practice, though but with star light, yet until we see him who is invisible, we shall have Angels (not to say dreams as the Magis had) to direct us from hurting others, or ourselves, growing in familiarity with God as they also did being afterward baptised by S. Thomas, one who could as sensibly assure them, of our Lord's Passion and Resurrection as they him, of his Nativity, and being born, of all which being well persuaded, they proved instrumental in saveing the Souls of many, in their own country as the Eunuch after them is also said to do) preaching the truth of that jesus, whom they sought, and savingly found, according to that promise, he made to his, They that seek me early shall find me.  
CONCERNING the death of these Wise Men we have not any probability in record, but the reported death, the cost, care, diligence used by Queen Helen, in getting, yea gathering of their bodies, bringing them unto Constantinople, for honourable sepulture, there translation afterward to Milan, their removal the third time, to Colen, whence Vulgarly they are called the three Kings of Colen, being there worshipped, with great reverence and pilgramages, made unto them, by the ignorant, and superstitious hath no Mystery, save that of Iniquity, and of lying Vanity, therefore not of our province; being also persuaded, were the bones, or dust, of these Magis there, and could speak, they would be so good, so Wise as to say to their simple worshippers, Dear beloved flee from the Idolatry, 1 Cor. 10.14.  
IN the Kingdom of France of old, an order of Knighthood was institute, called, of the Star, which in the days of Charles the seventh, became contemptible, the Honour becomeing dishonourable, being given to pages, yeoman of the guard, and other attendants; so that the Knights laid aside the badge, and cognisance of the Star, whereupon the order evanished; the Magis in a holy, and respectful sense, might be termed of the Star; but Religion in Gospel preaching having descended unto the poor, many great in their own esteem (as the jews repining at the Gentile) shifts off devotion to their Chaplain, and servants menial; and in a distinguishable sense, is it not sadly visible, that the poor have the Gospel preached unto them? great men▪ landed men Wise men, or men (for any thing) of renown, gild their sword, garnishing their board, embroidering their apparel, as if birthright, nobility and gallantry, did ipso facto, and of itself, qualify for glory; piety, and religion, in the mean while, exposed to nakedness, and contempt, bleeding, and trod-underfoot, as injurious unto (because debasing) greatness, and suiting rather the Tenants, than the Landlords habitation, whose revenue providing, against course fair, hard beds, shifts off prayer, reading, holy living, as inept guests, or complemented with a dinner, and then farewell.  
UPON this score, not many wise, after the flesh, not many mighty not many noble, are called, 1 Cor. 1.26. yet because their are not many, it would seem, their are some mighty and some noble called, wherefore freeing your souls from this abuse, embrace holiness as an honourable inmate as the Crown embellishing all your virtues, the preservative of all your excellencies, the engine, mean, or instrument, to augment your fortunes, enlarge dominions, dignify your issue, protect your dwellings, guard your persons, secure your consciences, and acquire glo●y, for Godliness hath the promise, and the sinner will die accursed.  
THE Natural Sons of the Kings of Spa●n, by law are never to enter the gates of Madrid, Don john, (as we read) was never nearer it, than a league, the court leaving the palace, that that mighty Austian, might be capable to give a visit to his Catholic Majesty; as if their were so black a stain, or so thick a fiber, somewhere in that great body, that royal blood could not so encircle the person, as to nobiliat, and on all quarters, in all parts, properly make him, his Highness, his Serene Highness; just so it is with wickedness, and unbelief, no gold can beautify it, no silver adorn it, nor throne, honour it nor greatness make it, or the breast in which it lodgeth, to be capable to see the face of God, or admit it to his holy Habitation.  
INDEED God condescends so far, as to descend to sinners and by them may be visited, and spoke withal, in the acts of his worship and temple of his Son, as Christ, was beheld by the Magis, but so, as we find not first, and second; he as Death▪ making no difference between Rich, and poor, High and low, and if any, it is to the poorest, (that is) in Spirit, all before, and in comparison of him, being but dust, and ashes, and he who is losest upon the earth (that is puffed up) is because such, soon, and easiest blown away; all epithets declairing greatness, being unsuccesful▪ fading, and evanishing, as smoke, from the tunnels of their own well furnished kitchens: known it seems to joan Queen of Spain who gave on a glob a moulting peacock with Vanitas encircled, as if all earthly glory, without the coronet of Sanctity, and piety, were but like the splendour of that fowl and beauty of his train, which a rainy day, will cause to disappear, and a warm spring (a small calamity) shall make the prey of any base born, scattering them in the path, of this world's contingencies, to adorn the cap's, of it may be their own Skip-Jacks, followers, and footmen.   

MYSTERIUM PIETATIS OR THE MYSTERY OF OUR LORDS CROSS Unfolded, and applied. 

Passion-Friday, April 1. High Church, 1670.  
GOOD-Friday, April 1. High Church, 1670.    PSAL. CX. VII. 
He shall drink of the Brook in the way, therefore shall he lift up his head.  
WE read of a Holy Man▪ whose library being ill stored, furnished himself richly, with store of Literature, by serious revolving, upon the matter contained in three books; whose leaves were of different colours; one whit, wherein he was directed, to walk, talk, and do, conform to that favour, patience, long suffering, God had exercised towards him; another was black, representing, the formidable number, and sad consequence, of his infinite, and multiplied transgressions; the third was, red which to his affections passionately discovered, the great secret, of the wisdom of the Love of God, towards, and for his Soul, in contriving the death of his Son, whose blood as the Red Sea destroying the Egyptians of his lust, made him both rejoice, and weep.  
IN which meditation, holy men of old as they were moved by the holy Ghost, (nothing being more useful, necessary, comfortable, mysterious, than the knowledge of Christ and him Crucified) were much conversant, and among them David is eminent in many places, particularly in this Psalm, pointing both at Calvery, and Olivet for he shall Drink, and then he shall lift up the head, which expresseth a triumph, a Trophy after a victory, and fight he must, for he shall strick through Kings, and fill the places with dead bodies, ver 5.6. which cannot be done without some loss of blood unto himself, which eventually, shall procure honour, and that for ever, the Lord saying to my Lord that is to David, yet in the Mystery unto David's Lord, Christ, sit thou on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool, the Father giving him not only the right, but the Act of dominion, judging, governing all things, until Devils, Belialists, Heretics, Shismaticks, Antichrists, & every evil work be dashed in pieces, the father's grandor not being eclipsed by this donation, he reigning in the Son, and remaining in that account, still Lord, also by him for ever, his sweeting, bleeding, dying, burying, serving but as medicine, to evacuat his holy body of humours, and disposing him to rest; after which, as a Giant refreshed with wine, he shall rise out of sleep, and smit his enemies in the hinder parts, making them a shame unto themselves, in uncovering their folly's, before the whole creation, and in the sight of Angels of men, contumeliously causing them smart, for their heart enormities, when he shall after his drinking lift up his head.  
AFFLICTION is in general compared to water and bearing of the CROSS to drinking, and the measure providentialy allotted for each creature, may be pertinently expressed by a cup of which it's decreed by heaven▪ all must drink, though not all alike, the dregs of the cup of Tribulation, being appointed for the wicked: Psal. 75. Let the Jews therefore this day fret, curse, murmur, in their carnal way, 〈◊〉 a pompuous Messiah, while the more spiritualised, exalt the name of jesus who as another Paschal lamb, was on this day slain, in the evening of the world, before as another Moses he could deliver us, from hell's Pharaoh, and sins slavery. Now the waters of Noah are falling, and we are to enter, into the wooden ark of his CROSS, the blood of this our Abel, slain by his brethren, calling, and inviting us, to expect, and enjoy, better things from which, though the Tribs run; Let us run to seek him; and know where he is laid, to carry him into the more proper sepulture of hearts and consciences.  
HE shall drink is prophetical, and in the Gospel accomplishment it is▪ that he gave up the Ghost, that he was bruised in Genesis, or that he washed his clothes in the blood of the grap, with jacob, is with the Evangelist, his drops of blood. Adam's coat, made him of the skin; of those beasts killed for sacrifice, is in the mystery, robs of righteousness made by faith in the merits of his death, for die he must, since Isaac was offered and upon a tree, for Adam says, if enquired, he eat of the tree; Abraham will testify, that he must bear his own CROSS, for Isaac bore the wood, jacob assures, he must die in the open field, for there, he saw the ladder, and visions of God, he must be nailed, and then lifted up, upon the CROSS for Moses lifted up the Serpent upon a Pol, he must be sold, at a small price for Zachary saw him valued, he must die among thiefs, for he was numbered among transgressors, he was also to lie in Joseph's tomb for he made his grave with the Rich, Isa. 53. He shall, shows futurity (i. e.) that it was to be done, and let the mystery of the bloody Sacrifices be viewed, this draught is foretold, yea the rites of the heiser. Numb. 19 respects the sublime work of Christ's death, and if Matthew be enquired, he saw all this done, nay himself, and Moses, spoke of what he should suffer at jerusalem.  
YET let none expound this shall, as denoting compulsion, or hinting coaction, as though he did not consent, for though by F●ther let this cup pass from me, he seem to savour himself, and to plead from fear, from infirmity; yet not my will but thine be done, is from the spirit, the first instructing what he was to suffer, even terrible things in this red sea, the other what we ought to do, when encountering hazard, even embrace them, saying welcome be the will of God, not repining, or starting back, from the burden, so as with the Romans to have us goaded forward, as unwilling of the CROSS, or pricked to march on, as slaves were, whence that phrase, to kick against the pricks but cheerfully, to undergo, what God thinks fit to lay upon us, for though there was a necessity, that Christ should die, in respect of the intended end, for our redemption, and of the Father, in respect of justice, against sin, and as Christ, before as man, he could enter into glory, yet still not my will, but thine be done: is a strong reserve against all objections, proveing, he was not dispirited in himself, but teaching us his Disciples, least raveings & despair in cups of adversity, should cause a disrelishment of the sweetness, kindness, and good things of God.  
THE Father says, he shall, the Son says, I will: for a man's consent was appended to his sin, so must his Saviour's assent, be obtained for its remission, as it was, not only in the garden, but in the manger, all the parts, and changes of his life, being but as so many little deaths, or draughts, before his large one upon the CROSS, a potion, which he saw prepared and appointed in all its ingredients▪ and yet not withstanding drank of it, giving his back to the smiter, saying to the Traitor what thou dost die quickly, the words not of a desperate, but of a prepared man, even so Father, because it seemed good in thy sight.  
THE Scripture speaks of his flying from place to place, yet not fear of dying, but care to die, at his hour, is to be understood an unwillingness to work miracles at man's pleasure, that is, at man's lust; and that precept, arise take the young Child and his Mother, and flee into Egypt, to pass the application thereof unto that law, thou shalt not seethe a Kid in his Mother's milk, Exod. 23.18 if he were not to be killed young, the charge insinuats a pilgrimage, rather than a flight, for out of Egypt was GOD to call his Son, and that his escape from other place was not principled from fear, is deducible from this, that afterward he choosed to die more shamefully, publicly and more tormentingly, than any death formerly his enemies had forecasted; he resolving to die, not by necessity, debility or weakness, these having no hand in his death, as his loud cry at his yielding up of the Spirit cleareth; discovering such a degree of divine virtue, that the Centurion impungs all proffers, enervats all accusations, in this one truth, truly this was the Son of God.  
WE read of some, who could sleep when they pleased, and wake at the same time, as Henry the 4 of France but Christ can die when he will; and until he will, he will not, passing through the midst of his haters, and escapeing, he having only power to lay down his life, and at his own appointed time laid it down.  
HENCE it's not to be inferred, that he was not killed by the Jews, for it is a truth he was, though not as other men, in whom things natural, are not subject to the will, as the conjunction or separation of the soul, with the body, for than is a man said to be killed, or murdered, when that is done or suffered, which in itself, and in nature did, or naturally doth, produce that which is called death; Now Christ had a will in spite of his enemies, to cede, or not, to yield to death, as he pleased; but because they put upon him such apt means of destruction, and tendencies to dissolution, it pleased him to yield unto death, having really suffered so much, as in nature might have procured death, in them who were purely natural; and mee● men therefore died he, before the thiefs, because he would, therefore also before the thiefs, because he had suffered by watching, fasting▪ its possible bleeding, (since we read not of their removeing the thorny crown) his scorning also, and reproach, adding to his langour and in Pilat's wonder, Hastening his death; before theirs, so that with Stephen, it is to be attested, that they, viz. the jews, were of him the just one, the betrayers, and the murderers.  
THE pronown He is personally to be understood▪ He, that is, the Lord, the second person, shall drink, therefore He that is, again himself God, shall lift up his head: He that is the man, shall drink, therefore He, that is, the Father, shall lift up his head, and in this Mystery of Godliness, of the passion, we are not to separate, what the Father, and Spirit, hath joined together, (viz.) God and Man; confirmed by two witnesses, not called, but compelled, he is the Son of God, said the Centurion; A just man, said Pilat's wife: which under the pain of damnation, is never to be really separat from our creed, both being received, and both to be believed.  
PILAT'S wife, his own disciples, were against his drinking, both of them having pity of him, but yet he would drink having compassion for them; and not for them only, but for the whole world; for which he was sent to lay down his life: and as at Lazarus death, when observed to weep, it was said, behold how he loveth him, see him drinking, all may say behold how he loveth it; mark how he loveth men, of which the inscription over the CROSS or tittle (on which the Romans declaired the crime for which the party died) doth amply discover being in it called jesus of Nazareth King of the jews, in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, showing the vehemency of his affection; for as all nations had heard of his works, Pilate resolved, that each nation should know the cause of his death, and these three languages, answering to the three famed parts of the wo●ld, (viz) the Romans, the most powerful, because martial; the Greek, the wisest, because most learned: the jews the holiest, because of the Law, and the Devil prompting to this jesus of Nazareth for nourishing a gross error, that jesus was of Nazareth, whence the Messiah was not to be, but of Bethlehem, that none in this respect should behold him as that Prophet, which was to come, and though sometimes that expression is used, yet it's ever unto the jews, whoso supposed, and expressed him that way; for all this contrivance of men God's intendment was, that all, of all nations should on the CROSS behold their Saviour, and that jesus was to be their peacemaker by his blood; and this to be reported, in the three quarters of the world, than all the world, that Jesus of Nazareth King of the jews was crucified at jerusalem, according to the Scriptures.  
THIS riddle to unfold, view the sense of each word, jesus, that is, a Saviour, for sin, a Redeemer of captives, the hopes of the exiled; the Strength of the labourer, Enlarger of a straitened soul, the Cooler of a heated, and Comforter of a galled conscience, behold him, Of Nazareth, this name was given for fulfilling of that Scripture, He shall be called a Nazaren, Mat. 2. by interpretation it signifieth a branch, one of his names, in the old Testament, and who was to build the temple of the Lord, by joining as living stones, the elect of all nations, kindred, and tongues; ●s also crowned, sanctified, and separate before, for that holy use, showing the authority and commission, he had to save to unite, from the Father, which was fit, since he was King, a word of old pronounced Cunning expressing his wisdom and skill to govern his subject by known, and established Laws, and therefore not a tyrant, deserving not so much as a censure of that people, who were jews, God's people, glorious in David, and to be blessed with the whole Earth, in the posterity of Abraham, they remaining faithful as Abraham; who believed in God, who now had accomplished his promise, in sending that people a Prophet like unto Moses, and caused them to behold David's Son, by which they are the more culpable in importuning his death from a Gentile.  
AT last, that cursed Nation for their cursing shall come under the Sceptre of this despised King, and worship at his holy footstool, mourning for his wounds: for which though himself did not, yet the sun laid aside his robes of day, clothing himself in mourning night like darkness, rocks broke and rend asunder, because no jew did rend his garment, at crucifying their King Mary weeped, (not he) what the Son of my womb, the Son of my desires, while he boasted, and would not come down from the CROSS, but suffered from the Gentile, by means of the jew, what both could inflict, for the salvation of both, jew and Gentile, then and at aftertimes, the voice of their Brother's blood crying still, what he did at first, Father forgive them, (i. e.) for my sake for I am thy Son, for thy own compassion sake they being my Brethren, for according to the flesh he was the Son of Abraham, the Hebrew, as flowing from the loins of Heber the Son of elected Sem, he was also the Son of David the King, and so a jew, who was the grandson of Ruth a gentile a Moabitess, and so in fraternity to both, by Father and Mother to Gentile and Jew was he a Brother.  
PRY into his holy zeal, which for God's house did eat him up, and how was he straitened, and with desire desired, to eat his passover, his viaticum, his last-food (unless the Angel even that way strengthened him) sweeting, until every thing that stood in the way of man's happiness, was removed; he not laying down, but drinking of the brook in the way, swallowing up hell's kingdom, hasting running to destroy the works of the Devil, his redoubts and entrenchments, yea all that both his hands in drawing to sin, and haling to punishment could effectuate, weakening the one, destroying the other, that he should no more lead captive at his pleasure, into labour and dolour, which jesus here, not only beheld, but made entrance into, because of the first he cried in David, I am poor and needy: and because of the second in jeremiah he sighed Is it nothing to you all ye that pass by, behold and see if there be any sorrow like ●nto my sorrow which is done unto me.  
YET as the Ichneumon, an Indian Rat, enemy to the Crocodile, will watch until he sleep▪ and leaping into his throat, descends in●o his entrails, and eats out its way, through and side of that his terrible and great foe, and so destroys him, our jesus did enter into the jaws and through the bowels of this Devourer, liberateth himself and all believers, allowing perfect freedom in the rest, peace, and continual feast of a good conscience, in joy unspeakable, that they triumph with S. Paul, over Hell, over Death, over the grave, with an, O Death I will be thy Death, O Grave, I will be thy Destruction.  
A work of great and excellent contrivance of laborious difficulties, if the number, strength fury, policy, of adversaries be respected, and the torrent which flowed from heaven, more embittering the cup be considered, the impetuousness of all these together towards Christ, in the word brook showing how plentiful his sufferings were, and what store there is yet behind for others that come after.  
THERE is a cup of red wine which the ungodly must drink up jesus drank much, but not all, the Son of God drank deep of, but not the brook dry, yet largely of it, for it was a brook which some will have to be a rivulet flowing more or less with water, as the clouds more or less shall empty themselves therein, which though not granted, yet it may be pertinently inferred, that his sufferings, outcrying, were more or less, as heaven less, or more, ordained them to flow, or swell, he was silent before the Governor not terrified at, but contemning his accusers, suffering innnocence to plead for itself, in strong though mute oratory; but directed in fervour a prayer to heaven, for acquittance, for deliverance, for exemption, from the Death he feared, discovering more dejection then ordinary malefactors, nay then the thiefs that died with him; but upon this score, that they had only men, he had Almighty God, and omnipotence revealed from heaven to struggle withal, for neither Pontious Pilate, nor jew, nor Gentile, to the world's end, dare, or can, make any professing jesus, to undergo that, but which heaven hath before hand determined to be done, and when all have drunk sufficiently, the brook shall be dried up.  
THERE is a cup of new wine the feelings of spiritual comforts, refreshing the soul in the apprehension of the Love of God, whereof many of the Saints drink; another of sour wine in the grief, anxiety, and soul renting, feelings of the horrors of accused, and accusing consciences, darkened minds, occasioned, by the noisome vapours of sloth, lust, or uncleanness, this the penitent must partake of; lastly there is a cup of worm wood water of suffering hard things, doleful, calamitous, inward, and outward, perplexities, of which jesus drank and of which, all after him shall; because heaven hath so appointed, allowing such, and so much, to each one, as by infallible wisdom is found to be for spiritual health, and good, which when acquired, the dregs poured forth upon the ungodly, the Religious then, prosperously enjoying rest, being elevated above the level of indignity, and abuse, yea attempts of Hel.  
FOR the Lord said, to my Lord, sit thou at my right hand, and then the Lord said to his Church, he shall drink of the brook, for the Lord God had said, thou shalt bruise his heel, and he shall bruise thy head, after which, he shall reign, and his enemies become his footstool, wherefore he got this Commandment from the Father▪ to lay down his life, John 10. From the Father, because he fitted him as Man, to suffer hard things, though spotless, exposing also his naked body to the contempt, and malice of the jews, and his harmless soul, to the darts of his own displeasure, for that sin, which by imputation with God, and reputation with men, he had took upon him, for he was numbered with transgressors, that is, esteemed one of them, this commandment having also received from the Father.  
WHILE Herod, Pilate, Priests, Scribs, Pharisees, were in there stately lodgings, palaces, and parlours, drinking wine in bowls, that is, at ease in Zion, was Joseph's antity● the Son of God drinking bitter water, salt water, not from a Sea but from a river; not from a river, but a brook, muddy water as it were rainy water, for as in life, he had not thereon to lay his head, so at death not wherewith to satisfy his thirst, but a brook, no Tagus either, where in is golden sand, no famed, because rich Ganges, as ●n India, nor Padus●s ●s in Italy, to increase his treasure; but as he came to the world poorly, so he leaves it again in poverty, he borrowed an Ass in the way, he lived as he died, and both died, and lived, as he taught (viz.) blessing Religious and innocent poverty, as that naked young man, mysteriously inculcats, Mark. 14. and if the Gardener's son, this observe is good that neither idleness, nor sloth▪ nor plenty, nor abundance, was to be expected upon attendance of Christ jesus; Cinna of old, was poor to the utmost degree of necessity, and resolved to be accounted the poorest, so would Christ; yet because he was a King unto whom soft clothing is allowed, his woven vesture was singularly majestical, indicating greatness, and recording his Godhead, that being one, and worn above, as more noble than his garment: which some will have to sound forth his Manhood; in both which▪ God hath set him as a King upon his holy hill.  
THERE are four brooks, celebrated in Scripture, first jabock, where jacob saw almighty God face to face, Gen. 32. the word signifies to empty, or scatter, and here Israel scattered the cloud of Esau's fury, by soft words, and emptied his heart of rancour, by goodly presents: the second is Zered, Deut. 2. where the Tribs made a famous pass from Kadesh Barnea the word signifieth a going down, as if men ought to descend, and search the low valleys of their deepest thoughts, before they go up to Canaan; a third is before which David●oorded ●oorded in his pursuit after the Amalekits it signifieth glad tidings or incarnation, which indeed as relating to the Words being made Flesh, was good and refreshing news, to all in heart circumcised Isralits' the whole being recovered what was took away by the Amalekits, of lust, the two wives of jew and Gentile▪ lost in Idolatry, and uncleanness: regained again, by the edge of the Lords sword, the Lords, so that this, may be the burden of this days exercise, this is david's; that is, jesus spoil, 1 Sam. 30. The fourth and last is Cedron the word importeth blackness, the water whereof, rising from a mountain Southward from jerusalem▪ 〈◊〉 through the valley of Iehosop●●●●, a far, and fruitful soil, receiving a blackish tincture, and is less or more filled, as the weather proves more or less rainy,  
OVERDO this brook Christ in David crossed, when that King fled from the face of Absolom his Son, and over it also did jesus in person ford, when he entered upon the last act of his passion, john 18. unto which pass, this text might have an eye, and as the Disciples eat of the ears of corn, in the way for hunger, I trust, it may be no heresy, to affirm the probability of Christ's tasting the water of this brook in his way to Gethsemany, for thirst, occasioned from deep resolves of an ensuing violent Death, though we read not of it, as we read not of the literal accomplishment of that Prophecy, in the history of his passion, I gave my back to the smiters, and cheeks to them that plucked off the hair, Isa. 50.  
BROOK then is to be expounded the floods of ungodly men, the blackness, and darkness was brought into his very soul, by the gathering, and falling of the many waters, of the desperate multitude, hurrying him, (as Cedron was to the dead lake of Asphallites or cursed Sea of Sodom which God judged) to the death of the CROSS, a cursed death of old; because on a tree, such who dying thereon, being lifted up from the earth, as unworthy to touch it; being judged for sin, which flowing from the tree, the tree is cursed above other deaths, and Christ enduring the curse, must undergo the tree, by which also; now is taken away the curse from the tree, no death since his, being accursed in itself, the sinner being penitent. The Ground near Cedron was also accursed, there standing the Tabernacle of Molech, as if every thing: or any thing, relating to the death of Christ had been appointed for a curse, so ineffable are the Mysteries of his CROSS, and horrors of his suffering, and yet his drinking thereof: (that is, the enduring, and undergoing of them) exceedingly pourtrays the vehemency of his desire for accomplishing man's happiness, which all his Sermons, miracles, actings, watchings, fastings, evince, saying still, I thirst, but at last conquered, and triumphed over the Devils and men, making us this day to bless the Lord, in the house of the Lord, as did our elder Brethren in the day of jehosophat, when fight against the Moabits and Ammonits' in this same ground, call it Baracha that is, blessing, 2. Chro. 20.  
THE curses being removed due to fallen man for sin, maketh no death, to be, though the sinner may d●, accursed, wherefore in death, the tree is, still, and may be used, though in honour to our Saviour the use of the cross, was abolished, by Constantin the first Christian Emperor, having seen before his famous battle with the Infidel Maxentius, in the South, a shining cross in the air, with this inscription in hoc vince, he conquered by which the Church had peace round about, Christ sent his Disciples two and two into every City, where he was to come to prepare eyes, ears, and heart for his own reception that at his coming, they might receive the Holy Ghost, so eminent was his thirst, so longing his desire, whether in earth or heaven, for man's benefit, for man's Salvation.  
DAVID in many things was a typ of Christ and in this prefigured him also, that as the Hart panted after the water brooks, so panted his soul after God, David in Christ was crucified, and Christ in David, thirsted as the Hart, which beast, bearing naturally an antipathy to Serpents, first sucks them out of their holes, then rends them they again when not prevailing by force▪ claspeth about his horns, lieth on his back to bit▪ he for defence roulleth on his back, and bruising them, ●layeth them, with which he is so heated, that he is not at rest, until he drink; the applicablenesse of which to Christ is conspicuous, who by the power of his breath commanded the Devils out of the possessed, and by lying on his back a few hours in the grave, overcame their greatest force, before which how mightily he did glocitare, pant, and roar out, that terrible cry: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? an expostulation, in death, showing the things he suffered, and contents of what we are to do, speaking this for his people's instruction, in taking inspection in calamitous times, into the principal cause of their distress●s where faulty with the thief, to say we indeed justly, if otherwise sincerity appear in our tendencies to please him, then to plead with him; Remember, Lord said Hezekiah, I have walked before thee with a perfect heart: why then should I die Childless? why should thy promise made to my Father David fail in me?  
THOUGH with job for a while▪ we suffer for secret causes, yet with him let us hold fast our Faith; as Christ, not saying, O God, but My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? words that discover so much of a man▪ that, but, for, to Day, shalt thou be with me in Paradise, we might demure upon his being God; and in themselves hard to be understood; yet this is perceptible, that in strong temptations, the truth of things being hid, we judge of them, and of our own state, worse than they are, the ingemination, shows innocence to be inflamed, because it suffered; and the affluence of his sorrows so directed, as to Eclipse in him the wont consolations in the Father's fellowship, which though wanting, yet he endured, his own zeal, unexpressibly irritating him, for ●ins removing, his teeth on the CROSS, being set on edge; because we in the field, so greedily had eaten sour grapes.  
CEDRON is also said to be black, from its shadinesse, as being shadowed by the mount of Olives, over which David p●ssed bareheaded, and weeping; his Son our Lord was appointed for the same pilgrimage, though not upon the same ground, David weeping for his Son, who had moved Rebellion, Christ weeped for sins committed by Rebellion, David saw something in himself; meriting that blackness, and therefore, cried: Christ saw that nothing was in man that deserved clearness, yet that his head might want no ointment, and that his garments might be always white, he traveled towards this black brook, under Olives, the very place inspiring this observe, that because of its fruitfulness of oil used in med●caments, and one of the ingredients of the Samaritans recipe, for the cure of the wounded traveller our Lord's death is declared, proper for cure of our spiritual wounds, for strengthening our weakness; in wrestling against principalities and powers, Devils who may by permission embitter our waters; yet as the horn of the Unicorn, is medicinal in healing infected fountains; the plunging, whereof by it, causing other beasts to drink securely, so application to his CROSS, as Moses to the tree, Exod. 15. maketh our bitter waters to become sweet, our afflictions to become easy, our burden to become light, he having antidoted their evil; by drinking, that is, by bearing of them, before us: yea by it our sins shall, our very lusts shall, have a tendency for good, the remembering of Piters' sin, made him bitterly weep; yet may we not say; it made him diligently to watch, he afterward not comparing himself with others attested his own Love, not falling back again into the condemnation of the Devil by over-rating of himself.  
FILTH or Earth may cause one's hands to scour the better, and after washing to become the whiter, this was designed in his blood (viz.) that we should be pure, white and holy, by washing ourselves therein, his blood having that property to make our very garments white as in the vision, Reve. ●. hinting at that remission of sin, which by blood was obtained in the Law; As Herod therefore sought this Holy Child's life, to take it, and destroy it: let us seek his death, that is, the benefit of it, that we may live by it and in it, with as great earnestness, as he laid it down, for he is said to drink of the brook in the way.  
IN the way, that is, walking forward, that is, takeing no rest, until as Naomi he had settled his Church, he being that Goel, Ruth. 3.9. the next kinsman, appointed Redeemer of his Church, and by right of inheritance, to betrothe the Gentile Church, as Ruth unto himself, he as Boaz being a Jew born in Bethlehem, not by pulling of his shoe, but by being stripped of his garments, yea robbed of his life: Judas lingered as did Lot, but was ●oused, with a what thou dost do quickly, a charge not enjoining diligence, but evidencing impatience, wishing for, and suggesting sufferance of that, which a treacherous heart had in dissimulation contrived, and concealing from the other Apostles his treason by this declaration, lest a moment's stay, had been occasioned by debates and quarrels, which our Saviour so prevented, that when judas asked, Master, is it I? least his silence should have betrayed judas, the answer was thou sayst it, (i. e) thou hast said it, not I, thou condemns or betrays thyself, not I  
WHEN the band told him, they were seeking jesus, being strengthened by an Angel Michael, say some, he being Captain of the Lords host, Revel. 12. Gabriel, say others, the messenger for his birth, and his name importing the strength of God or the man of God, fittest therefore to comfort God Man; being, I say, strengthened by him, both in a natural way, by food as is thought, and Ghostly Counsel; he told them, I am he, they not knowing his voice, discovered not his person until he pointed out himself, which voice made them afraid, letting go forth so much divine virtue from his face, mouth and eyes, as to make them fall before him, through fear, though armed, their knees (as no creature is) being not able, to support them when conspiring against God, unless even God whom they oppose, let out of his clemency some emanations of beaming power to uphold them; respiting them from that grave, that death, that hell, which waits upon them, in, and after, their sinful compliance with paltry lust, to reclaim men, when convinced by wonders, or put to straits, from the error of their ways, as here was done, when they came, as in the Psalms, to eat up his flesh, in their stumbling, and falling, yet the second time he suffered himself to be taken, checking them for their delay, and ordering his Disciples freedom to go away, John 18. the set time of his departure being come, his hour being come, and all things near to be fulfilled, touching his delivery to the Gentiles he hasted, as the Sun unto his setting, being judged, and condemned, in one night, and that the first of his apprehension, whereas ordinary judgement, and sitting in judgement by law, use and custom, in other cases among the Jews, was still in the morning, jer. 21. Eccle. 10.  
GIDEON trying the valour, or cowardice, of his Army, was ordered to observe at the water who lapped, and who bowed down, such as bowed, were in probability the stoutest, not fearing the enemy, and those that lapped, the more fearful, not daring to stoop for drink▪ if the lappers discovered Zeal, showing earnestness for fight, or those who bowed down, weariness in●flight, or whether the lappers were the most cowardly and chosen therefore, I disput not: this is sure, that our Lord ran and drank, that is, hasted to his sufferings, and suffered with haste, dying in the 33. year of his age, resolving not to be old, lest the world should die in sin, and men go to the grave, their bones full of the sin of their youth: and let all the ages of the Universal world be reveiwed, it will be found from the vexations in them; that of all things next being born, it's best to die betimes, was a true saying of the Philosopher: but the sins in them, and temptations to sin, increasing a hundreth fold; the dotage of the world being more encumbered, and plagued with perilous times. the end of life being also glory, to be translated by death, with Enoch to be taken up to God, early, is a blessing with Divines.  
THE first that tasted of death was Abel, he was accepted of God, and was in heaven in the ●●our of his youth: not tasting, not knowing of old age; a centre of diseases, a very treasure, continually emptying itself, of Rheums, Catarrhs, defluctions, gouts, hydropsies, gravels: to the tormenting of men; all which to evite, as joseph stood before Pharaoh, being thirty years old; our Saviour beginning, to be about the same age, stood up, preaching of plentiful times, for spiritual food, for the twelve hours of the day; but ●ight shall come, says he, and then no man shall work, in which time, if the years of plenty be remembered, it shall only make the hunger of the damned, the more biting, which he prophesied of, and forewarned in such zeal, that, in or about three years, he finished the work that was given him to do, which was to take away the sins of the world, sins, both of soul and body, defraying the one in being heavy to the death, the other in bearing death, and the instrument of his death, for he carried his CROSS, choosing that death, before john the Baptists sword, or Isaias saw, making it as the tree of life, to stand in the midst of the Church, communicating its virtue, fruit and shade, for life and salvation, to all the world about, no deadly weapon being capable to sense the fruit of his death, nor answer the typs thereof so well as that.  
OUR Lords CROSS being David's shepherds staff, Noach's ark, Samson's gates, Isaac's wood, Iacob's ladder, Moses pol, Esdras pulpit, the Spouses palm tree, Phineas spear, slaying the Zimri of thoughts pollution, and Cosbi the inventor of lies, for such almost are their names by interpretation, that the plague might be stayed from the people which had been brought among them by he counsel of the first Balaam that is, destroyer of the people, the Devil by a woman, in place whereof the CROSS affordeth life and health, by beholding it as the jews the Serpent to be cured, giving life, in opening our eyes, as the honey on Jonathan's rod to see, pursue and overtake our enemies, all by his death; the immensurable pains whereof, with infinite patience he endured; being the more bittering, that it was linger, for the removing of that guilt, which by man's dallying with, and delightfulness in sin, had been contracted.  
WHAT he did typically here (viz.) drink, and really afterwards did, (viz.) die, must Mystically, by all his members be followed, the first condition of Christianity, being self denial, and that unto death: for to that must his steps be followed, Pet. 1.2. we have in much pleasure drank of the goblets of Satan's mixing, to expiate which the black Cedron waters of mortification must be tasted, going forwards with him to Gethsemane, by interpretation, a fat, or plentiful valley, as affording (especially when Christ is in it) abundance of good things, new and old, new for pleasure, old for health; for though in the gardens of earthly paradise, whence sin had its rise, there may be pleasant fruits; they are but seemingly so, and if not so, they are only so, that is, pleasant; whereas this garden hath store of all manner of all good things; for all purposes, times and seasons: Christ's bloody sweat, having watered it, for excellent products, the Universe being but a wilderness when compared to those fragrancies, wherewith the garden of the Church is planted, & replenished: which to him who falls in a spiritual agony as Christ, religious conflicts, and in earnest sweats, in the resistance of the old man, that he may do all according to the will of God, shall from heaven be strengthened, as he by an Angel: and know that Grace is sufficient for him, and in that garden, shall find from self experience, the bruising of the serpent's head.  
PROVIDED he come not as judas, to betray him, or his cause, for love of this present world▪ the poison whereof infecting the heart of judas to merciless treachery, eating up the bowels of compassion, made (to retaliat his crime) his own bowels to be cast into the earth: yet, not so low, but they stand as a beacon, that we may avoid an evil custom, pilfering and stealing, the consequence thereof, an evil conscience, and the perfection of that, the place prepared for hypocrites, and unbelievers: but what Pilate said, thy own nation have delivered thee unto me, may both Turk and Pagan say of Christ the lives of Christian's scandalising the nations, through avarice, pride, interest and malice, contradicting that good confession, My kingdom is not of this world, securing, Pilate from fear of rebellion, or disturbance in his Government, by stratagems of war, or engines of State, whereas by both, we seek not only to invade the territories and dominions of those differing from us; but maligns, corrupts, de●ames enviously, calling, away, away with them, who in principles of Religion, are one with ourselves.  
AS judas avarice one the on hand, ●o Peter's Arrogance is to be avoided on the other, ingoing over this brook, he also went with Christ, arrogating to himself, what was not in him, he seemed as the Pharisee to despise others, and gave to his Master a flat contradictory speech, in the vehemency of his supposed constancy; a warning for the strongest to say, I am weak, since his fall from the occasion of it a Woman, a Maid, a Wench, pricks the bladder of self confidence, and causes the informed to bear a low sail, lest if by his example, doctrine be not drawn of humility, Pride become our ruin, as we see in those days, in which holiness, that is, strictness, getting an honourable name, becomes a shelter, a penned house, for more subtle sinners, their subtlety being only in this, (viz) in a high ungrounded conceit of themselves, from which if we this day arise, it shall be good-friday; forgetting the l●cks (which by many of you is eat this day as a proper food) as well as the onions and garlic of earthly sensuality, making the breath of our Spiritual converse, too too ranky feast upon the sour herbs, of lowly, and repentant considerations, being circumcised Israelits, and proper for the Paschal Lamb of the Gospel, compensing the d●shonour we have given the most high, by sinful, because fleshly dainties, by the sorrow and sigh, bitter reflections, from a mortified because converted soul, for denying the Lord that bought us, being first remembered by the Cock crowing, next by jesus looking, that is, by the sound of the word; next by meditation thereof, remembering he said, the Lord resisteth the proud but giveth Grace to the humble, as the justifying the Publican in the pa●able discovers.  
THE ancients in their baptism, did dip or sprinkle three times the baptised, in remembrance of the holy Trinity or the three days lying in the grave of the Son of man, that even in this demersion, they might be conformed to the sufferings of their Lord; and how hath S. Pa. boasted of his being crucified with Christ? and presseth to the likeness of his death, for our being crucified, by keeping from the filthiness of the flesh, and walking with Zacharias, Righteously, one hand being nailed, that is bound up against the injustice of the world, and with Elizabeth Blamlesly, the other hand detained from the intemperance of the world; making strait paths for our feet in a prudent heeding of our ways, our hearts, and sides, pierced with the spear, or sword of the word of God, and thence as blood and water, to flow forth, Love to God charity to man, crowned with the sharp thorns of inward compunction▪ for our folly, and of outward compassion for our Brother's adversity, beholding the solidity of this world; to be but emptiness of a Sponge, and all its delights as Vinegar, to the teeth forbearing to drink of that Myrrh of envy; malice, and all uncharitableness; wherewith the world doth in extremity, furnish her prisoners and captives, as Christ knew.  
THAN may the soul cry, the prince of this world cometh and findeth nothing in me, and again, Father, into thy hands I commit my Spirit: which at the bowing down of the head in giving up the Ghost by dying to sin shall cause thy soul be clothed with the fin linen of the Saints, and be admitted into the Paradise of joy, the body being hid, during the three days of suffering what God shall impose, labouring to keep a good conscience, and grieving for the abominations of the world; after which, in the morning of the Resurrection, by the Ministry of the Angels, meet the Lord in those mountains of Galilee, whereof he hath told us, that is in the clouds.  
IF any will be so charitable (as who should not) to heed and see where Christ is laid, remember he hath been laid in three Sepulchers or places, first in the Unity of the two new Testaments, which is, as the Virgin's womb; next in the bosom of the Church, which is as the manger: the third is Joseph's rock, which is the soul and heart of the elect: watch this last, and make it as sure as you can, but wake him not, by the noise, tumult or rumbling of unruly and unholy, because unruly cogitations; which are not pleasing to him; but rather provide ointments, with Nicodemus, of Myrrh, in continence and chastity, of spiritual sorrow for all delinquencies, of Aloes, in withdrawing from such as are disorderly, and cleansing yourselves from the sin that so easily besets; making a mixture of both these, by eyeing the doctrine of the Law; which requires inoffensiveness towards God and man: and working them into an ointment, wherewith to enbalm the poor members of the body of Christ, refreshing them, that their loins may bless you.  
THE Paschal lamb was slain in the evening, so was Christ, which it prefigured, giving up the Ghost about the ninth hour, that is, three in the afternoon; he came to give light unto the world, which by his life, doctrine and miracles, he did effectuate, and none hateth him but they who hate the light, lest he should detect their evil deeds; he came in the evening of the world, to enlighten the Gentiles and be the glory of his people Israel; he crossed the brook Cedron, in the evening before he suffered, still endeavouring to have the end of things good, judas leaveth him in the evening▪ Peter boasted of himself in the evening, he enlightened both, because he forwarned both favouring neither the one, nor regarding the other, looking still to the close of things, a policy, yet Christianity mantai●s allowing good beginnings, but approveth only continuance in good; Ind●● had a fair morning and began well, ended miserably, selling his Master, and buying his own damnation, for three pound fifteen shilling sterling, his rendition of it, not abating one farthing of the guilt, his confession at it, not assoiling the soul, for in ordinary law, the money was neither his, nor theirs, to whom he gave it; being the price of the highest sacrilege, and of which as of the censures of Dathan, and Abiram▪ God was to have been heir, and by consequence, the poor, which the consciences of the Scribs knew, and therefore laid it out upon, and for, strangers, as their own charity, he making no confession of his former theifts, discovered not the manner of his apprehension, h●●ged himself, a sad ending, a fearful close, a dismal evening, of such a fair day as the Apostleship presented to him.  
IT is much to purchase, but a greater mercy, to secure goodness and grace: if therefore there be any good thoughts this day, for Christ, saying if it be so, why am I thus? with Peter, sink not for fear, with him is love and forgiveness, with judas, sell him not for greed let not the cares, pelf, or trash of this world, chock that good seed, remembering that Peter and john, was only sent to prepare the passover before he suffered, the first signifieth a rock, the other grace, and such as are established by grace, in their heart, are only they with whom Christ the truth of the passover shall be found, for (because with) the cup of remission of sin, which shall in the evening of their days, as the bloody mark, secure them from the destroying Angel.  
FRIENDSHIP of old was effiged bodily with an open side, discovering the very frame, figure and position of the heart, without which, it was concluded, true amity and fellowship, could not be secured; and is not true kindness represented on the CROSS? where bodily our Lord hung, with a pierced side, not only showing, but, the heart emptying itself unto us, pouring forth blood, and water, not blood only, for justification, as by beasts slain, under the Law, but water also, for purifying the vessels of the young men, that they be holy, and this visibly from the heart, being sub dio, of the Brook, that is▪ of the field, not the wells of a house, dying, that is drinking at jerusalem, a public City, at a passover, a holy feast, not in the town, but on a mount, not privately massacred, but publicly adjudged by Pontius Pilate, not in the Temple, by Tumults, least Jews should plead a privilege, but in the open Air, by the hands of the Gentiles, for purifying of the air from the defilments of both Nations, clearing it also that he died for both, and is as clear as the parting of his garments which yet being divided in four equal parts, projects his merits to be open, & to be applied by many in the four quarters of the world, & that in the self same day, wherein there passed four glorious occurences, eminent passages in relation to the Church, the day of his death (though at long distance) being the selfsame day, in which Abraham was called from Vr of the Chaldeans, in which the Israelits were called out of Egypt, with whom went a mixed multitude, and in which the decree went forth to build the holy City, to which the Gentiles contributed, these three meeting with this, according to the time of the passover, and the best computation, denoteth the general influence his Death, the last of the famous four, hath upon all the world: and in evidence whereof, he would not die a private death, choosing rather to drink of the brook in the sight of the Nations, that is, in the way.  
IT is said he was crucified, with his back to the city, as if his profaneness had been so great, that his face was not worthy to behold their holy Temple: but was it not (if true) a shrewd sign of the fulfilling of that prophecy, I will show them the back, and not the face in the day of their calamity, Je. 18 ● & hath so long taken his countenance from them, that that wherewith they apbraided jesus, of his being a Friend to publicans, to sinners, is now their greatest, and most ordinary employment, in point of trust, among the Turks, they being under that disgrace, that in no Nation, are they martial'd or embodied in an army for the field; and as they always resisted the Holy Ghost, and became the murderers of the just one, still they persist in that obduration, seeking the blood of his followers and Disciples, polluting in their desperate malice, the pure annual celebration of this our Lords death, with crucifying to death Christian children, in derision of our Saviour and oft to their own destruction, in the shedding of their own blood as murderers, and banishing their posterity as the vilest of miscreants▪ as from England, France and many other places.  
IT is stupendious, what is recorded touching that mystery of iniquity, the necessity the Jews are in, of having Christian blood, a secret not known to many Rabbis, discovered but An Dom. 1500. by a converted Rabbi of Ratisbon: avouching that they at point of death, anoint the sick with Christian blood in these words; If he who is promised in the Law and Prophets, be already come, and Jesus who was erucified, be the true Messiah, let the blood of this innocent man, who died with faith in him, wash thee from all thy sins, and also conduct thee to Eternal life. So that his blood, upon them, among them, and by them triumphs.  
AND of old, after the destruction of Jerusalem, those of Tiberias would whisper into the ears of their dying relations, believe in Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified whom our Princes slew upon the CROSS: for he is come, and will judge thee at the last day.  
SO that yet he lives, his drinking, being but in the way Everlastingness or Eternity, having no power upon his sufferings; for by this phrase, Way, understand the brevity of his passion, being but to taste of death, which as a sleepy drench, a potion of popy water, had a while dominion over him, and then he awaked, to their shame, sorrow and astonishment, as the wisest of them at this day declare, observing since his death, their desolation, finding no term of their captivity, as in the other two, nor promise of a third return to Canaan, which either from policy, or conscience, made those jews, who of late, An. Dom. 1666. had the eyes of the world upon them, pretending to a restauration, give out that they were the posterity of the ten Tribs, carried away into Babylon, who never returned, and not of the two who did, and therefore not the successors of such, who put jesus the Son of Mary to death, which yet did not hold him, for wanting sin, whereby the dead are fettered in their graves, he first stooped, drank, died; and then lift up his head, it being impossible for death to retain him; because of innocence.  
BUT as at his death, his very disciples were offended, that is, in a Scripture sense, stumbled at the Cross; and it's not to be questioned, but something of doubting entered into Mary's soul, as if all her hopes, memorial, relations, revelations, about her Son's kingship, Government, Godhead, had been so many gracious mistakes in her, of the Angel's Anunciation, so it may be, some are now offended: and those even good, at this memorial of our Lord's passion, accounting it Idolatry to speak so particularly of his death, at this time; and indeed as Mary, so the Church of Christ, which is his Mother, is yet wounded by slanders and misreports, and made to drink of the brook: and taste of those black waters: some of her Children offer to her; But know, that as Christ was innocent, for all his drinking, and harmless, though crucified to death, as judas will proclaim him, though not yet judged by Pilate, who found no fault in him, and his wife who accounted him a Just man, as he was, Ceremonialy, being circumcised, Moraly being subject to his parents, politically paying tribute, religiously, for he gave eyes to the blind, knowledge to the ignorant.  
IN sum, the reid heifer was to be without spot, and he was found without sin, though put to death as seditious, and with seditious persons, executed as most guilty, whence that word King is affixed on the Cross in scorn to the jews, for except for one crime, two died not in one day among them, therefore the three died as troublers of the peace; thou art, said the other thief in the same condemnation, viz. with our Saviour as dying for the same cause with them, and they suffering all for one thing, viz. Sedition, Luk. 23. yet as Christ, If I have done evil, bear witness of the evil, if not, why smitest thou me? so me thinks this day speaks to our Opinionators, I say, this day, in which he was lifted up, and (though innocent) accounting it superstition, to behold him on it, or it to mind us of him; his white rob●s this day worn, darkly shows his non-guiltinesse; and the voice of our Brother's blood, calling to heaven, it is strange if the sound may not be observed: we find Pilate to have been a Bastard, and in sober sadness there is none will condemn Christ, nor Christ's Disciples that are legitimatly begotten of the Church, whether ancient or modern, in this holy service of attending to behold the man: for, know,  
THE Church reform, keepeth this day and others relating to the mysteries of our redemption, expressed in sacred Writ, as Germany, Helvetia, Hungaria, Transylvania, Suitzerland, France, Holland, having printed Sermons, in and upon those days preached; and were the least of these three memorable things said, to be in the death of Christ observed, we should not account them Children of the Church, who would condemn these there brethren, one is Patience be not therefore offended, that the Church primitive observed such days, holily, though they could not as they did not, attempt to make them holy: or that the Church Reformed estimats them worthy of celebration, being anual catechisms for edification: the other is Humility, and none here ought to be so unsober in their talk, or so haughty in their own conceit, as to account the Church of God, for so many ages, not so wise, nor the present Church not pure, nor so holy as themselves; the last is Charity, and therefore let none condemn them in this their practice, no● us their brethren in our conformity, to which if they assent not, they may withdraw, but not judge, for the Lord cometh, the judge is even at the door  
IF this will not stop some men's mouths, but will still call crucify it, crucify it, I shall ●ay more, than Father forgive them, for they know not what they do: for as the brazen serpent was lifted up when the Isralites were stinged with serpents, though, as Naturalists observe looking upon brass is hurtful to those so affected, who knoweth? but as the Centurion such who may come, to crucify this service, or with the rabble to behold Christ die, in a discourse, may go with Augustine somewhat affected and smiting their breasts; and though nothing of this be, yet to the patient, Humble and Charitable Soul, it is a lifting of him up, for imitation, and let no man trouble these, for in those they bear about the marks of the Lord jesus.  
FOR fear of disturbing the goodman of the house, or troubling his family, wherein our Lord eat the passover, and wherein it was made ready for him; among other mysteries, he retired into a garden there to be taken by the jews; it being a matter of greater moment to scandalise, to trouble the soul, to disturb the peace of the Church, even in this particular, in repeating the story of the passion, than some of our pretended Zelots do imagine, the Church in all its vicissituds, having accounted this a good-day indeed, bearing about, and holding up, the instruments and fruits of her Lord's death, as trophies of that victory which he had, and she expects to have over all her enemies.  
IN it dehorting from sin, particularly from reproaching, or tempting to reproach, the observers of it, lest either the curse of the serpent, or the reprobation of the thief be their portions; for as there were three about the tree of life, one condemned for ever, and two pardoned; so about the CROSS (an Emblem of life and Hieroglyphic of eternity among the Egyptians, and figured upon the breast of their filthy Idol S●rapis, though not figured as the Crux Immissa thus ✚ whereon it is thought our Saviour died, but of that Commissa after the form of a Roman T. whereon also it's given Moses lifted up the brazen Serpent) I say about the CROSS there were also three, two carried to paradise, and one left in his sin; from whose punishment, reasons against taunts, upon known sobriety, might be multiplied and drawn, unto that leangth, as to cause the discerner glory in the CROSS, professing their belief in him who was crucified and slain, burying him boldly in the new sepulchre of a new because broken heart this day.  
AND if any yet say, the blood, that is, the guilt of the contempt of this service, be on us and our Children, I say again, fear ●he issue; for the affixing of a jewish taunt upon a Christian exercise, may have a jewish, that is a cursed end; the CROSS itself teaching better things, the height thereof, typifying our aspiring to things above, the breadth of it to the works of charity below; the length of it perseverance in that good until the end, the depth of it, that good will of God, in his own bosom yet now revealed for our beholding of his Son, finishing the work of our redemption.  
ACCORDING therefore to the custom of the Jews, let one be released from death, by judgement, it was done as some say, in remembrance of their delivery from Egypt, at the passover, of Isaac's, with others, from being sacrificed of Jonathan's from Saul: however let it be our duty in those days of judgement, to let the Church Reformed escape, and then we trust to stand not fall in judgement. And as Annas, and Caiphas, Herod, and Pilate, at Christ's death were, ruleing together, pointing at the division, and contention of the people, yet united, and agreed against him, let us, for his sake, not fall out with one another, but agree, to crucify those lusts of envy, whispering, uncleanness, backbiting, which war against the Church:  
WE are not graduates in all Arts, knowing but in part, and ought not to be positive in our determining, Christ is dead leaving us an example of humility, seldom found in the Chambers of the Censorious, this day we preach of our freedom from the curse of the ●aw: and I charge, by the Lord jesus, judge of quick and dead, and who before Pontius Pilate, witnessed a good confession, curse not the day for us, nor us for the day, cry out rather with Tremel, that famous jew, when demanded at his death, if he continued Christian? (Jewish converts though to the degree of Priesthood being to be suspected) answered, in detestation of his cursed countrymen let Christ live, and Bar●abas be crucified.  
AS Kings judge not their Crowns sufficiently honourable, without the CROSS (showing its victory and conquest) be on the top thereof, judge your worth, to be of no worth, if not vir●uated by the doctrine thereof, whereby as Friends, or Sons, we shall have happiness in receiving, or understanding the nature and wealth of these legacies he left his relations; Leaving on the CROSS Persecution to his Apostles, Peace to his disciples, his body to the judge, his Garment to the soldiers, if they were such, which is doubted, being rather servants to the executioners, and called soldiers, in a general way as armed and guarding him for death, the number four making it probable, his Mother to his beloved, Paradise to the th●ef, and his Spirit to his Father, which last shall not be received, if not attended, with Mar●s tears, john's respect, Theifs confession, joseph of Arimathea's a Jew, his justice, Simon of Cyrene a gentile his assistance: when Christ in his poor flock, is at a pinch, with Christ's own Purity, Humility, and Love, which alone, and together, shall cause thy conclamatum est, or consummatumest, thy end, to be happy: for then it's finished (i. e.) the Law, and Prophets in thy obedience, and the desire of the holy Angels in thy conversion.  
BUT whereas some think Rome's doctrine is here asserted, alleging we symbolise with Papists; know it is not Romish, though taught at Rome, but the doctrine of the Church taught in the purest times that were, and of the Greek Church, that is, enemies to Rome more than we: and as the jews, made Christ's death the medium, or mean, to keep the Romans from them, and it proved the very cause that brought them, it's evident the Reformed Church might say to such concluders, (for this and several other positions and inferences,) verily, verily, one of you shall betray me. etc.  
THANKFULNESS for our mercies in enjoying the truths of the Gospel, might be more becomeing, that our eyes might be towards him, for Grace, Mercy, and peace, from his merit's blood, and wounds and what ever properly may be produced and effected by them, walking after that light shown us by oil from him the olive, in the religious performance of Borgius Duke of Gant, who seven times a day, presented himself before God▪ praying for seven gifts, conform to that seven times, our Saviour shed blood, desiring for the honour of the Circumcision, to attain wisdom and chastity, for what he shed in the garden, knowledge and abstinence, for what he shed in being scourged, tenderness and charity, for what he shed when crowned with thorns humility and fear what he shed▪ when his hands were nailed counsel and compassion, for what he shed, when his f●et were pierced, courage and perseverance, and for the blood which issued from his side, godliness and patience, that being therewith sprinkled seven times, as the leper under the Law, he might be pronounced clean, that as Christ himself said, when I am lifted up, I will draw all men unto me; he might do that all in men, that is, all spirits, souls and bodies, being raised, that as sinners we may detest our follies, as penitents receive hope, as Just prepare for the Cross; apprehending with all Saints the extent of the love of God, revealed by it, answering in carriage and manners to our Saviour's triumvirate, the three beheld him in the garden, having Peter's confession, owning him for the Son of God, john's affection, in standing by him to the last, james devotion in fervent calling upon him, for it's said his knees were hard as a camels, by frequent kneeling in prayer. by which, despair being closed up, there shall never be cause, finally to say, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me.  
FORSAKEN, may be jerusalem's proper name, as it was once her nick-or byname, Isa. 62.4. once the joy, now the scorn, of the whole earth, formerly for her inhabitants delight, and to Foreigners admiration, her coasts furnished her with abundance, of necessaries, of delights, her meadows storing her with milk, her woods sweetening that milk with honey▪ her valleys storing her with wheat and barley, her mountains as, high in charity, as in height, (though brassy bowelld) out of compassion heated themselves, and in case of reluctancy, did beat and knock one another that she might have plenty of metal, for her strengthening, 8. Deut. 9 And she herself thinking it dishonourable always to take, g●ve them again gold, silver, precious gums, spices and honour, in such plenty that Israel became the glory of all the Lands, Eze. 20.6. Yet now hath not where withal to buy herself bread, save what relats to our glorious Saviour, his sepulchre, and its temple being the greatest ornament within or without her walls; besides which, so insignificant is her po●t, that when Selimus, the Turkish Emperor, came on purpose, to behold so famed a place, he almost disdained to take on nights logding within her avenues and quarters: her pristine, and Jewish glory, lying contemptibly in the dust, the very ground where Solomon's temple stood, being covered with a Mahome●an Mosk, into which if any jew enter, he is certain to meet with death at his coming out.  
AT such a distance hath her Lord & husband put her for multiplied adulteries, and so tartly hath he drawn up her bill of divorce, that neither the Art, power, reason, indulgence, graets, privileges, Heathens, Egyptians, jews, Christians, Turks, could ever cause her have a good coat, a clear face, much less a fair one: Christianity was at much pains, for pities sake, to have her restored to her Lord's bed, and for fourscore years, was their Kings and Patriarches of Jerusalem, in Jerusalem, fight for and preaching up our Lord Jesus, but in the most persuasive entreat, and more earnest solicitations; I mean their bloodiest, and most chargeable encounters, to preserve her, there were seen and heard almost, as many hundreths of terrible visions, astonishing cracks, and sights in the Heaven, Earth, and Air, evidenceing heavens descent from such amicable proposals; God resolving in probability, to make her a-cast-away from Royalty, since she crucified her King, having only a name among the many empty and flaunting tittles of the great Turk and the Catholic King: both as relateing to Christ, the last without honour, the other with much profit, arising from the customs, and imposts, exacted of pilgrims whom c●riosity, or superstition, shall conduct unto that soil, where if any will engage, to avoid dishonest gain, reconcile differences, eat the company of infamous persons, refrain from swearing, perjury, blasphemy, drunkenness, and pay some money, undergoing some ceremonies, he may by the Pater Guardian of the Franciscan Convent, be ordained a Knight of the holy sepulchre of our Lord jesus Christ, in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost, of which order (as most seemly) the most Christian King▪ is, or was Sovereign.  
HOW should our Christian Cities flourish, in the fight of the Nations, and the theatres whereon our Lord conquered, and triumphed over all his adversaries: I mean not the places whereon, as Bethlehem, Gethsemane, Mount olivet, and the rest, but the Registers wherein these things are recorded, as S. Matthew▪ S. Luke, S. Paul, and the other Apostles, if all that Traveled through the Holy Land of the Christian Dominions, were qualified for this Honour; But to our shame as Turks, in jerusalem, we make advantage, our scope, in designing honour to the Gospel, so far crossing its true intent of Godliness as its cross, th'warts the projects of ourselves seeking, lucre, gain, betraying in kissing Christ, afresh in our covetous enterprizing, and crucifying him, while we Crown him as a King, in the blaspheming and villainy of our actings.  
BY the Maps of jerusalem in Christ's turnings, and returnings, from Annas, to Caiphas, from him to Pilate, from him to Herod to Pilate back again, from Gabbatha, to Golgotha, that he travelled the best & greatest part of the City over, is visible to be seen: he rendering thereby his passion more public: and offering the fruits thereof unto as many as would, or will by faith, come forth to behold him; hath he not traveled through our lands and Kingdoms? and as cursed Jews have we not scorned, mocked, compelled him to bear his CROSS? in our charging him with deplorable actings, the most inhuman butcheries, pretendedly said to proceed from the zeal of his Spirit? Is he not daily in his members persecuted by our uncharitable talking of, and walking before one another? whereby ruin may easily be predicted; and a divorce suggested ready for sealing, that we may abuse Gospel-priviledges no more? as is seen in that Babylon where our Lord was crucified, won once from the Turks by the slaughter of twenty thousand of them, by the sword of Christians upon a Friday, about three in the afternoon, as if for once God would beautify Christian verity in that Unbelieving City by putting it in their hands, who professed the Gospel, and who wore the CROSS on their clothes; the same day and hour, his Son died upon the CROSS.  
FROM which let us fear lest Mahomet's growing greatness, occasioned by our Unchristian broils, provoke God, to make him become a scourge, and a CROSS to our Cities and Nations, pretending adherence to the Gospel, but not receiving the same in the love thereof, by bowing down our heads, giving up the Ghost, in walking with all lowliness of mind, and dying unto sin.   

MYSTERIUM PIETATIS, OR THE MYSTERY OF THE RESURRECTION of jesus Christ, unfolded, and applied. 

Pasch-Sunday, April 3. Tolbooth Church, 1670.  
Easter-Sunday, April 3. Tolbooth Church, 1670.    PHILIP. JII.X. 
That I may know him, and the power of His Resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death.  
THE holy men of God in Scripture, mentioning the death of Christ, seem oft, as posters, to ha●t from, and briskly to exped that subject, intending to lodge, that is, to insist upon, and rest in the doctrine of the Resurrection: not slighting his passion, as if not comfortable; but because not satisfactory for God's justice, or man's happiness, unless the rising from the dead be a consequent thereof; he styled himself the first and the last, I am said he, he that liveth, and was dead, and behold I am alive for ever more, Revel. 1.  
SO our Creed, as fearing to damp belief, goeth forward in haste, omitting many glorious passages, in being crucified under Pontious Pilate, unto the rising again the third day; It is Christ that died, saith S. Paul, yea rather, who is risen again, Rom. 8. and verily it is usual, to see his dying, and rising, handed together, they being the cementing matter, whereby God and Man, the Soul and Happiness, joy, and the Conscience, perfectly, inseparably, knit and united in one: for, what ever felicity can be concluded from the virtue of the latter, depends upon those promises, which evinceth the truth of the former; seeing him die, that is, persuasions of his Death▪ the knowledge of which death, and the fellowship of his sufferings, that is, being made conformable to his death, being only the proper and effectual mediums of knowing the power of His Resurrection.  
HERE the Apostle discovers his desire of knowledge, and next to benefit thereby, meaning, the righteousness of Faith, that is of Christ, in point of doctrine, about his Resurrection, and his imitation of the other, referring to practise, in being made conformable to his death, so that we are enforced to speak first, with Peter, and before him with David, of the Resurrection which is not rightly known, until the virtue, efficary▪ and energy, of his death be understood; consisting in the expiation of sin, liberation of guilt, acquisition of righteousness, and the hope of immortality, the scope and tendency of the Resurrection being perfectly and inwardly, for the applying of these things as from it, towards ourselves, he being delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification.  
CONCEIVE him dead, sealed, watched, & writ upon his Tombstone, here lieth jesus Christ, of Nazareth, who was crucified, An. M. 3982, Aetatis suae 33. yet by power did make a spoil of death, his grave clothes, those ensigns of mortality, laid by, baffling the envy of the Scribs, the fury of the people, the force of Herod, and in one morning confounded all the adversaries of his life.  
HE died about the ninth hour, about three in the afternoon, order so requiring, for about that time, (viz.) in the cool of the day Adam was cast out of Paradise; about which time also, it was congruous, for the second Adam, to make his entry therein; both in the evening, enjoining all, in the Mystery, to die unto the world's pleasures, before night, that is, the eleventh hour, which was, to the master of the Vineyard, the time of payment, not of calling unto work.  
BUT lest we speak of, (as the woman sought the living among) the dead, see him raised, for he is risen, and tha● while it is yet dawning, at break of day, directing us to infer, that he was no more to die; the linen napkin within the sepulchre, giving caveats to us against the surmise of his after using such apparel: Lazarus indeed came forth, bound hand and foot, with grave clothes being afterward to wear the same robes, not so Christ, death having no more dominion over him, Rom. 6. being swallowed up in victory, as Moses rod, swallowed up those of the Magicians, as the wide Ocean, doth the small drop, in which it is to be more seen, as the Sun the dark cloud, which it either scatters, or illuminats.  
THIS Lion of the tribe of judah, overcomeing that devourer of men, even in the grave▪ his deepest den, resolving from first to last, for conquest, in the Manger, in the Hall, on the Cross, in the rock, their mocks, their blasphemy, their swords, their guards: for had he been possessed by the tomb, or his holy body seen corruption, after his Vinegar and Gall, what benefit had men accrued by his death? It was therefore a religious error of Mary Magdalen and the other Marry, to come early to the sepulchre, with ointments, being grounded upon their thoughts of finding death; whereas he was up before, to take possession of his new purchase, having so punctualy paid the contracted— for sum for sin unto the Father; thereby becomeing Lord of heaven, and heir of the utmost coasts of the earth.  
MAKE his Resurrection, a question, and for once put it to probation, David's seed, in whom the Kingdom was to be established, 2. Sam. 7. Adam's sleep, and his awaking out of that, after Eva his spouse had been forming, the promise of ransoming from the grave, H●s. 13. Isaac's delivery from being sacrificed, in the old Testament, an Angel from heaven, Christ's own prophecy, Peter's testimony, Thomas believing in the New, doth almost overstock us with sufficient proofs: his eating, drinking, walking, talking, privileging the expression, yea the simplicity of the arguments brought against us by the Jews, evidenceth its reality: for if he were stole, why was he not resceued? If by his Disciples, why were they not questioned? and if either of these be true, how is it known to them, since the watchers declare they were asleep? what more? the order and neatness in disposing of the grave clothes, the confident declarations of the pious women, and the calamities the Apostles cheerfully underwent, evinceth the Resurrection to be no fallacy.  
IT was attended with that power, that the watchers became as dead men, when they came to apprehend him, or to eat up his flesh, they stumbled and fell, amazed at some discovery of unexpected Majesty; but here, beholding an Angel, from heaven, preparing to liberat the innocent, it was just on the other hand to strike, as (if not altogether) dead, the guilty, and give check to unbelief, especially when heaven is at pains to refute impertinencies, as their keeping was, since it flowed from cruelty not piety, earth also labouring, by an earthquake, to invalidat their strength, shaking their greatest confident, that is, their arms causing them unfit to handle the weapon, their ground disableing them to stand, their authority to keep him in the grave being recalled, by a stronger than either was Pilate, or the Council.  
FOR yet once more was the earth to be shaken, and the desire of the Nations then to come, which was the Messiah that is, Christ sent to all Nations: for as at the giving of the Law their were Earthquaks, and shakings, even in heaven by the thunder, and smoke, shakings of the Sea, at the making way for his people, so once more he will, as in Christ's suffering, the sun was darkened, the rocks rend: here at his rising, there was a shakeing of hearts, upon earth, and moving of Angels of heaven, some being shaken out of their dumps, doubt? fears, and sinful carnal condition: others, not desiring him, being shaken out of their wits, out of their lives, out of their arms, and justly, having refused him whose face was lovely, and society desired, by all Nations, by Angels, and Men unto whom they should run, as the camp to the standard, as the eagles to the carca●e, bringing as subjects to their Prince all their desirable things, offering unto him not only of the best of the fruits of the land, as gold, frankincense, and Myrbe, but the choicest of their hearts, as love, fear, joy, obedience, which all Nations owe unto him, and the elect have paid, being shaken with the wonder of so great a mystery as his death, and rising again from the dead, which the unbelieving jews denying, and mercenary Soldiers, striving to obstruct, he that sitteth in heavens, did laugh at the confederacy, and said in spite of them in the morning of the Resurrection, thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee.  
THE mountains skipping like Rams, and the little hills like lambs, to respect him in his exite, from the grave, and prepare his people to admire, believing his heroic atchiefment, of subduing Hell, and Death, curbing by it, and shakeing their insolence, who cried, we have no King but Cesar, and said, crucify him, crucify him; but on the other hand, comforting his followers, with a fear not ye, for I know that ye seek jesus, he is not here, for he is risen so that the Church may salute jesus, as the Angel Gideon, the Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. Judg. 12. for hath it ever been heard, since the beginning of the world, that any wrought wonders in their death, or that wonderfully raised himself again to life, jesus excepted▪ whose Resurrection is the sine qua non, of the joy, in all believers, the living having no hope, no comfort, save in it, and by it.  
IT was refreshing news to the eleven, and unto these two, unto whom he was seen in breaking of bread, and so much the more cordial, was his perception, that he was at first concealed from them, having wrapped up the face of his Humanity, in a screen by the power of his Divinity, which no sooner drawn aside, than they behold the Lord that bought them, which brought new life, and vigour to the heartbroken, and doubting Disciples, breaking that silence, which for grief had been more than half an hour in the heaven of their society, where sorrow had caused muteness, about forty hours, (for so long it is reckoned he lay dead) Adam after the ejectment from paradise, is never recorded to have spoke, and after the second had admittance, we can find among the Apostles little mirth, but now all preach, and teach▪ Angels descend, women walk, Peter and john run, the two talk: whence the Church of old, this day sung the Psalms of Invitation, inviting all creatures to praise the Lord, because jesus who was crucified, is not here, (viz.) in the grave, but risen, come said, the Angel, see the place where the Lord lay; affording matter for deep contemplation, jesus, discovering the truth of his being Saviour, who was crucified, a holy abridgement and true repetition of his passion, He is not here, discovering the truth of his being dead, and his once being there, come see the place, where the Lord lay; by Lord, acknowledging the sovereignty of Ies●●, and by the word lay, enforcing a belief of his rising.  
THE jews craved a sign; and those that mocked, said, come down, and we will believe, but that being the time of suffering, he disdained the motion, the sign of the Prophet jonah, which was of rising up and opposite to their coming down, being appointed, all other signs were rejected; and because that of jonah was fulfilled, let's believe, and go before him unto Galilee, by interpretation, transmigration; or going over, that going from infirmity to virtue, from mortality to eternity, from contumely to glory, we may more fully participate of those sore-expected joys, in being treated, yea feasted in the company of our ever to be adored Saviour.  
Worshipping our Lord, beginning to practice, and celebrat our Sabbath, when the Jew rendeth his, acting not only contrary to him; but spiritualizing his superstitious deportment thereon, he will kindle no fire that day, let us blow up that of the spirit, in the hearth of our hearts, for elevating our thoughts, and raising our minds upward, heavenward, to this day they allege the destruction of jerusalem solely to have flowed from the neglect of the Sabbath, in putting no difference, between the holy and profane, Ez. 22. Let us compute its desolation, to spring from ●he innocent blood shed on the preparation day▪ for the Sabbath, and in hiding their eyes from the Lord of the Sabbath, they will not put so much as their finger, to any serwill, or country work, let us not fear, to exercise ourselves about, works of piety, charity, or necessary with both our hands, our Lord giving ●s example, whose servants I mean the Christians whom they keep, being put by them in this day, to their drudgery, which yet and by the way might be rectified by Christi●● laws and magistracy, as they will not writ, nor blot out what is written on that day, let the erratas of our soul be reviewed, and weekly 〈◊〉 be exactly corrected, that the next weeks impression, of our civil, or spiritual converts may be both more clean, clear, and holy, being emended from our former mistakes, by religious watchfulness, and future taking heed, do they knock on the door when calling unto a preparing for the Synagogne? it is 〈…〉 to provoke to love, and to good works. They will not on that day, begin a journey, and justly having killed him that was the Way, yet let us walk, and be undefiled in the way of the Law of the Lord, keeping our feet from the filthiness, that is, our affections, from those lusts, that are in the world through sin; they crowned our Lord with thorns, let us adorn both his holy Temples, in exalting his two fold nature, by a firm adhering, to the truth thereof, and laying out for him and his, the best of our substance, somewhat of our rich possessions, entering by the gate of the Church, into that of Paradise, from which impenitent jews as the Reprobated Thief, are for ever excluded.  
The sixth Psalm, and the twelfth are entitled pro octavo, for the eight in the Vulgar translation, from which some will have many mysteries to emerge, particularly, the change of the Sabbath, for respecting our Lord's entry into Jerusalem, in our computation on Palm Sunday the day of his rising will be one of the seventh, but not upon the seventh, the prophecies therefore, and conquests also of our Saviour, to be by us celebrate in the Church the eight day after that account, will be the Lords day, in the new Testament, beginning our holy day, when the murderers of our Lord endeth his Mosaical weakly feast, it is nearer to affirm that as God had Circumcision, Sabbaths, and other rites, to difference his people from the mass of the world, it is fit to have now, some difference to discriminat his Church, and since there is a change of the Temple, of the Sacrifice, of the Circumcision, of the Paschal supper, of the Priest, a necessity may easily be suggested, of an alteration of the Sabbath, heightened when we consider that Christ came to work a new creation, Isa. 65. for which, a celebration of an old Sabbath, had been incongruous, and his kingdom beginning from, and his resting dated at the Resurrection; how consonant is it, to name this day, the Lords day, and in the proportion all its followers?  
HIS sleeping or resting on the seventh day in the grave▪ typifying that the old Sabbath died with him, as all other changeable ceremonies of the law, which none ought to judge us in respect of a Sabbath, or a holy day since Christ hath triumphed on the eight, let us rejoice, beholding as badges of his victory, the scares of his wounds, the print of the nails, the wound in his side, not only as probable tokens of his rising, but as gems to adorn his royal body, as a testimony of his victory; and as some think, to be seen yet in heaven, that as in his Church militant, he hath bread, and wine, continually as visible memorial of his bloody agony and death, for his people's stronger confirmation; so in the triumphant, the scares of his wounds, remain in his body, before the glorified, for more fervent, and eternal jubilation  
THESE same wounds, when seen and felt, besides his own faithful Testimony, so strengthened the Apostles, that the ghastly frownings of an incensed crew, in this wicked world, was but a whetstone to edge their zeal, for publishing this truth, this glorious truth of the Resurrection: for though it be said he was stole, yet who durst rouz this young ly●n? and a little more money, would have made the Soldiers tell another tale; he quickened in the grave, by receiving in the second time, his soul then rose from out of the grave, astonishing death, amazing the keepers, yet so heartening, and heating his Disciples, that they spurn and disdain the threats of men; accounting all the world's wrath, or fawning to that degree of naughtiness as to comput it dung, in comparison of the excellency in the knowledge of the rising from the dead, all created beings in the power of man, being but a cipher to the Resurrection, Christ by it; and in him, themselves conquering▪ and flying above all the powder crackers, the ungodly should frame or fire, to disturb the power of its Doctrine, or the progress of its publication, the voice of all the Martyrs being like the call of Heli●dorus, who refusing to sacrifice to Idols, and being tormented for denial, cried out aloud, O Lord jesus Christ, assist me, and when the crown of the Church is now beheld, to have been but made the pu●er, by the fires of devouring persecutors, and the ancient Stanza or holy Doxology of our Quires, now heard in giving glory to the Father, and thought upon, who so dull as not to anticipate the rehearsal, and suggest the famed answer given to the same Martyr, is yet returned to all Saints witnesses, and confessors, be not afraid for I am with thee?  
FOR●s ●s unhurt with torture, how have the heathen and jews been braved, and outbraved by Christians through the hope of the Resurrection; Paul was thought mad▪ and Heliodorus thought a witch, but he called, my Charms, my Art, my Craft, is Christ; and demanding respite for three days to advise what to do; he repaired to the Idols Temple, and in fervent prayer obtained from heaven, the falling of them all like Dagon; for which being set upon a fresh, he made ample confession of the truth of Christ, yea his tongue being cut, he preached heaven-ward with his hand, until he was slain, rejoicing in hopes to see God in his flesh; desiring also to depart and to be with Christ.  
BY the Resurrection, the Believer hath a privative and a possessive good, the first containeth an abolishment of hell, and death, that they be not the portion of his cup, Christ's appearing to be the Son of God by it, having brought life, and immortality to light, is the substance of the other, 2 Tim. 1. opening the gates of Death, a typ of the resuscitation of our mortal bodies, having made out peace, by defraying as a surity, or cautioner what we were indebted to justice, whereby we are accounted just and righteous before God, his egress from the prison of the grave, testifying a discharge, and ma●s ass●ilment: whence still to our being condem●d▪ there is opposed, his rising: for who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? it is Christ that died, yea rather who is risen again; and in this righteousness it is, wherein S. Paul desire to be found, making it his own by faith: and rejoicing in his own security thereby, blessing God for that victory▪ which in Chr●st he himself obtained, the day book of his sins being crossed and the head of his adversary bruised, by the substance of the Cross in the power of the Resurrection, which so far virtuats his life, that as raised in Christ, he accounts not himself any more in this world, having his conversation in heaven, not regarding the knowledge, even of Christ, after the flesh as did not a latter Saint, who seeming to behold his Saviour in bodily shape, visionally, cried out, Lord keep that sight from me here, but let me behold it in thy own Kingdom in the other world.  
RISE therefore from your vain conversation, from your graves of lust, your reward, is slighting Christ, or selling Christ, being no other than what the Patriarches had, when they sold joseph, or what judas got, when he betrayed jesus, viz. shame and fear, which whoso would avoid, must follow him, who is the way to young beginners, the truth to such as affirm, and life to those that persevere, the way, to them that ask the, truth to such is have found, the life to those who pass, the way to them who travel, the truth to them who rest, and the life the righteous do enjoy, all procured by the death Christ underwent.  
IT is said the lion's whelps lying as dead, three days after birth, are awakened by the roaring of the Sire: certain it is that after three days this lion of judah's trib, was raised by God the Father, for though his rising be attributed to the Spirit of holiness, Rom. 1. as also to himself, having a power to take up, as well as to lay down his life, John 10. yet it is also expressed to originat from the Father, for God said Peter raised up jesus, Acts 2. scattering the least mist could arise from doubts, temptations or surmise, improving faith against all stumbling blocks, the holy Trinity joining in one for Christ's manumission from the grave, all being reconciled to man in his Saviour's actings upon that particular, the Lord God, who had sentenced Adam, raising the Son, who was God, and by the Spirit, who with the Father and the Son, is one, all equally willing, equally appearing for, and equally approveing what by the determinat counsel of the Father, was under agitation, in that affair.  
SHOWING withal, that as Christ's manhood, was raised by God, through the Spirit of holiness, so the quickening of man, against the deadness of sin, ignorance, and unbelief is the sole work of Omnipotency, which alone can remand back, the Spirit of sanctified illumination, men possessed, in the loins of their Father Adam, and adapt them by a receive the holy Ghost to walk as Sons of God, not of men; yet as nothing quickens except it die▪ so neither can the sinfulness of sin, be taken away, until man know he is sold under it, and by it betrayed as by a judas into the hands of the Devil, who hath the power of death, that is, of executing, not sentenceing: which conviction of heart, only maketh man to die with Christ, and necessarily must preceded a rising with him.  
TO some it is true, Christ is not yet born; such are the lofty Spirits, the touring souls, behaving themselves not as Children weaned from the mother's breast, but as so many Giants begotten of some Goliath, and born of some radiant Amazon: which conceit maketh them conceive themselves some great body, and being contrary to our Lord, who was born a Child, that is, for humility, and meekness debonair and affable towards all, soar in their carriage, and Pea-cock like, moutting in the sunshine of their own vain glorious imagination, as if with the Pea-hen, all must then be in love with their mistaken transcendency, and couch to the shadow of their greatness, whereas quite contrary, self denial, religious pensiveness, for the loss we have had, for the things we want, a reversing of the Escutcheon of that excellency, which fortune or parts have bestowed, because ensigns of our misery, and badges of our poverty, tokens of the infamy because sinfulness of our birth, are still in those true Children moraly, and in their own esteem little ones, to whom belongs the Kingdom of heaven.  
TO others he is not yet dead, these are the carnal, the fearful, the sensual minds, who desiring to live in the affluence of fl●shly pleasures, fly from the Cross as a bugbear, and sailing in the Pleasure-boat of a bare profession, in the least cloud gets into the coast, snugging under the wind of alluring comforts, hat's nothing more, then to ride out a storm, with the warelik builded and storm prepared for Christian, knowing he cannot weather out the tempest; and judging himself no further in safety, then that the next step lands him on the shore of ease, delight, and ticklish pleasure: where, loving this present world, he embraceth it with both arms, saying to tribulation, at a more convenient time, I will hear thee again in this matter; and so with Peter denying (any soul saveing) knowledge of jesus, chooseth the warmth which the fire of the Mammon of this present world doth afford, accounting beloved Paul mad, for (because of the Gospel) enduring a storm, or abideing a night and a day in the deep, judging the cargo of a soul not to be valued at so high a rate, that the loss of the vessel of the body (which is but the h●ll of man) should be suffered, to endure such hardship for its security.  
TO others he is not risen, these are the thunderstruck, the conscience-smitten sinners, who with josuah, lie all day before the Ark of the Lord, complaining of flams, kindled in their souls, through wrath forseen▪ being invaded by sudden incomes from above, as by a troup, before t●e Lord himself come to pull down, and to destroy, to sentence, to condemn; with Mary Magdal●n, they cry, who shall roll us away the stone? of our sadness slothfulness, ha●d-heartednesse, and bitterness?) wretched m●n that we are, who shall roll away the stone from the Sepulchre of our hearts? from the sight of our eyes? and in pithy Harangues▪ de●ats upon their own misery, because of ransgression, with broken pauses, again feelingly sigh, because of aggravated circumstances▪ calling out with that convert Thais, who having led a life unchaste, and purchased great riches, by unlawful embraces loathed herself, and casting away her wealth, not daring to name God, her ordinary prayer was, O thou that made me have mercy upon me.  
BUT there are to whom he is risen, making them to rejoice, with exceeding great joy, becomeing rivals, even to Angels in point of exhileration, rising from the deadness of rottenness, and filthiness darkness, and horror, found in the vault or grave of polluted Adams●ff●pring ●ff●pring; having the lively colour of a sanctified countenance in the face of their conversation, by being conform to the amiable aspect found in the behaviour of the old Saints; which if denied, they answer as the blind man did the Pharisees, one thing we know, whereas we were dead, now we live, and behold the things that are above, not bowed down as before, but making strait paths for our feet, towards the mystical Galilee, to see our Lord, avoiding the s●arch of these Finical Apish, Trivial, & poor things in the valley of this world, to inquire after, 1. what is in that mount to which he hath ascended and 2. whereof he hath told us; for remember, to seek the things, to affect the things that are above, to be dead with Christ, and then to live like him, are the only four scriptural tokens of a spiritual Resurrection, flowing from the power of our Lords rising from the dead.  
OUR elder brethren the Jews, keeped one passover, and their first at their coming out of Egypt, Exo. 12. another was observed in their journey through Sinai, Numb. 9 a third at their entry into the holy land: that Christ is our passover; and that he is the lamb of God, and that this is our Paschal feast in the truth verity and substance of the old rite of eating the passover, is clear and evident; yea let the Mystery of that lamb be reviewed, and both the Christians duty, and the Christians Saviour, are beautifully delineated; a lamb pourtrays Christ's meekness, innocency, and harmlessness, that the lamb was to be of the Male kind, respected his courage, activity, and Spirit; it's spotlesness, his undefiledness with guilt or sin; it's being a year old, the perfectness of his age, and ripeness of understanding, exactly qualifying him to preach; it's takeing in the first month, shows our duty of consumeing the whole year in God's service, the first month whereof being consecrated unto him, by this formal worship, points out that he is enfeassed of the whole; that it was to be in the fourteen day of the month, showeth Christ's coming in the darkness of the soul; and with full Moon clearness, shins for securing it against the darkness of error, and the evening doth so evidently publish his coming in the last days, or ages of the world, that it needs no remark. That it was to be eaten with unleavened bread, banisheth malice, and wickedness, this day from the houses of your hearts; that its blood was sprinkled upon the door, is but the necessity, we stand under, of having our hearts purged from an evil conscience; that it was to be roasted only not boiled, is but the wholesomeness of the Gospel of peace, and implys its good nourishment, and that the Doctrine thereof is not pleasantly to be handled, according to the soft, or easy tempers of men; that nothing was to be left of it, enjoins nothing of Christ to be reprobated, slighted, or set by and that no bone of it was to be broke discovers, that as Christ lost nothing by his passion, so by nothing since is he to be overcome, or hereafter to be superate.  
COMMONLY we call this feast Easter, from Eoaster an old Saxon goddess, whose feast was either in, or about this time celebrated, but the name Pasch, (i e.) a going over, a marching away, is more holy, more divine, more Scriptural; and the Resurrection falling upon the Pasch, ra●her to be used for our instruction, in keeping this feast, which who so would keep with Christ, (who on it passed from the grave) and his holy Church must keep it, with the sour herbs of sorrowful contrition, as nobly resolved to hold fast the profession of our Faith against all difficulties.  
LET us with him, eat our passover standing, and like religious pilgrims, not leaning upon the staff of our own understanding. but upon that of the Spirit, which may be obtained, and preserved, by girding our ●oyns, abstain from fleshly lusts, having the shoes of peace, whereby in holy solidity, and grave deportment, we only make way and pass towards heaven, in haste, that is, not being tepid, dull, or negligent in heavenly matters, or soul-concerns, leaving the spiritual Egypt, or Pharaoh, of Satan's subtlety, and earth's gaiety, going through Sinai, or the thorny cares, troubles, vexations, that are in this world, still making progress toward jordan, in the walks of sincere devotion, until we see the Captain of the Lords host in religious confidence and as josua, stood, so let us worship with the Disciples saying what saith my Lord unto his Servant? not fearing but to feel the virtue of that expression, all power is given me in heaven and in earth, but, Mark 16. ye shall cast out Devils, which is done by the Ministry of the Gospel; and when a Soul is converted from the error of his ways, ye shall speak with tongues, (i. e.) the profane ribbauldry of fleshly communication shall be renounced, the things that accompany Salvation being the substance of your future discourses, ye shall take up Serpents, in driving malice, wrath, rancour, back-bitting, whispering, evil surmising from the ground caverns, and hollow places of the heart, and if you drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt you, in not being drawn away by the enticements of the great deceiver; but rather in zeal cry out, depart you cursed, or if by guile you transgress▪ redr●osse shall be obtained by a vomiting up the sinful potion, in acknowledging thy sin by which you shall not die, for some shall lay hands on thee, as sick▪ recovering thee by the light of a good example, and provoking hereafter to love, and to good works, to joy and comfort, as Peter was when Mary according to her charge informed him of his Masters rising, and of his place of meeting, to him in particular, giving him the sweet relish of reconcilement to his Lord● after the sour and bitter herbs of his tears, and undissembled sorrow.  
WHICH yet the tidings of the Resurrection communicats to all who remember, and genuinely confess, their fearful falls from a fair profession, their frequenting the company of ungodly scorners, biasphemers, without a check o● abhorrence of their crime; lastly▪ who by the crowing, or rather sounding of the Gospel, mind the error of their ways▪ and accordingly renounce forbidden pleasures, for if by that the sentence of death be passed upon the Soul the Resurrection like the Prophet's lump of sigs▪ cureth the boil, and by signs from heaven, assures the prolonging of his days; his going up unto the Temple of the Lord, discovering the line of his years, hereafter shall run pararel to eternity, of which the promise of Canaan was bu● a sign, and the certainty, the dying fruitless, or childless, mad had, of having seed raised up unto himself, by his brother, or next kinsman, in Israel was a dark representation.  
NAMAN was perfectly cured by his washing seven times in jordan; and likewise was the leper cleansed by being sprinkled seven times with blood; by the same number, in appearing unto his Disciples, did Christ cure, heal, and remove, the diseases wherewith sin, and his passion being misconstructed had infected their minds, and perplexed their souls about thoughts of him: creating in them, (and by that showing his purpose towards all converts for the future) such graces by seven times manifesting himself, as must be had of the Spirit, for more fixing of the Soul, in its doubts and spiritual attendance; as first of the fear of the Lord, in appearing to the woman, for they were afraid; next of the love of himself, for he appeared to Simon whom he knew (as he knew all things) loved him▪ next the Spirit of knowledge, when he opened the Scriptures unto the two going to Emmen; of Might, next, in his opening the door, when he appeared to the eleven; next that of Counsel, when he advised to cast the net from the right side of the Ship; and of understanding, while he opened unto them once more the Scriptures: and then of wisdom, when they saw him taken up where he was before.  
THOUGH there are, who subdividing some of these again, will have him to represent the mode of that assurance, he yet bequeathes to believers, in the virtue of his Resurrection, making his first appearance to Mary Magdalen to be the comforts he principally intends, to the most noted, if mouthful, and penitent, offender, his being seen of those women returning from the sepulchre who held him by the feet, mystically to discover his acceptance of the meek and lowly, his being seen of Peter, either as he returned from, or entered his grave, or in the place where he did weep, manifests his intentions to the willing and obedient: for Simon by interpretation is obedience. Again he appeared when they were gathered together for fear of the Jews, showing the happiness designed, for those who unite in one, and his zeal, to be found of them who sought him.  
ON different daves and times he appeared also▪ a● when Thomas was present, hinting that the unbeliever at last shall increase in faith, and afterward as they were fishing, typifying, that abundance of converts should by their ministry be gathered to the Church; yet not by their labours or studies, for they had toiled all night and got nothing but by his blessing, accompanying their pains, through obedience.  
HIS Disciples saw him on a mount, it's thought Tabor, where he was transfigured; and how have comforts been multiplied upon retiredness for religious contemplation? his upbraiding the eleven as they sat at meat, is but a lesson construing his call to sinners at the eleventh hour, for though such be suffered to dwell in sin, they shall in mercy be reclaimed, and their wisest acts not being done in love, and fear to God, shall be by themselves deemed foolish and unwise.  
HIS last appearance, or being seen on mount Olivet, shadoweth, that the o●le of m●rcy, given to the merciful, shall as a scale be a means to ascend up, or as l●mp light, show them how to work the work of God burning in, or carried unto them by the conduits of earthy vessels, that i●, earthy enjoyments, which as a ladder shall more fit them for easy access unto heaven godliness having the promise of this life, and that which is to come; and giveth more Grace.  
BY the way observe, that Christ, first of all appeared to women; blameing such, who rant and curse at that sex, as being Mother to sin; whereas had they been in Evah's happiness their felicity may be, had been sooner forfeited for a cup, then hers was for a bite; but such aught to understand, that God is wiser, than Satan, and stronger too, and hath now made that sex to intimate the world to be redeemed; and that unto men, moving them to tenderness thereby, our lapsed estate being wholly restored by a woman, by women, out of a garden through the report of an Angel, Christ and believe acting together, making our Salvation more sure and better grounded, then when it stood either upon adam's, or Evah's behaviour.  
MARY Magdalen a notorious sinner saw him first, why then should attrocious crimes in Male or Female deter the affected, from accosting that throne, where mercy sits, and benevolence invits, to crave a remission? in her saying, unto all be not afraid; & not resting there, ordering them to proclaim his rising to their, and to his Brethren, that the woman's blot of the fall might eternally be obliterat.  
FOR though first in the transgression she is again, and first also, at the Resurrection, the history whereof, when read, we shall find that women as most deserving, were first comforted and employed; for, when men thought it good to sleep in a whole skin, were they laying out their money, watching from sleep, hazarding their persons, to anoint his body; not fearing, but undervaluing the sword of the keepers; these women saw two Angels, yet it's thought he on the right side, clothed in a long white garment the same it may be who rolle● away the stone, said, be not afraid, I know whom you seek, etc. a●d the right, is the hand by which the Church is embraced the hand of nimbleness and action, without which support, the present whiteness, or seeming comforts of this petishing earth, might fascinat, and bewitch the heart into flaunting purposes, were it not told that the comfort we seek, is not here to be found, or deject it into desponding▪ and fearful meditations, were it not informed by the power of the Resurrection, where jesus, a Saviour, might be spoke unto and treated withal.  
A Doctrine never capable of infirmity, or old age (which is darkly seen, in the Angels appearing as young men) still enliuning with fresh supplies of grace, and ordering a retreat to whatsoever thought, amuseth, or amazeth the inquisitive or self-s●arching heart; causing it still to be clothed in white, by the vivifying robes of celestial purity, and contrivances of real and forestalled heavenly joy; the prospect whereof in these women's diligence, dischargeth wallowing in carnal ease, pressing to a speedy rising, even in the dawning of the day, from the soft bed of sensuality, to that more soul comforting exercise of searching after our Lord jesus; enstating ourselves in his favour, by unguenting the body of his poor, crucified, and traduced members, since he himself, now as well as then, needs neither our Spices, nor ointments, that is, our alms, charity, and beneficence.  
YET let heaven behold us at some cost, in preparing spices and ointments, at the charge of self denial, with discretion, zeal and raised devotion: for unto those is oil compared; and if Demosthenes thought men were likest the gods, when they did good; sure we may affirm, they are very unlike Saints, but exceedingly resemble the Devil, who will not do good to God's poor, nor (pardon the expression) to Christ their God; when he seemeth poor▪ as here he did, to the holy women, wise joseph, and holy Nicodemus, who teacheth, to refresh and to preserve in vigour, to keep from decay; and to comfort the soul now of Christ, by the ointments and embalming Spices of sins mortification: for as he died, by, so he also died for, our sin; and by Ointments of praise, gratulation and thanksgiving, we prepare for him the rather, that he rose again, or was raised, for our justification; which if not accomplished, you are yet in your sins, the discharge not being procured from God, the true and just creditor▪ then are we under the power of the Devil, and heirs of hell and damnation, being children of wrath; but if Christ be risen, nothing of all these, to discover which, an Angel was sent to roll away the stone from the sepulchre, as the judge ordereth the prison doors to be opened, signifying to spectators, to believers heaven to be reconciled, and the work of the Resurrection to be perfectly wrought without the power of Negromancy, which might have been objected, had he, immediately with the witch of Endor's gods, rose from the earth.  
HENCE that inference is good, the Spirit shall convince the world of righteousness, because I go to the Father, (i. e.) I go to the Father, therefore I am righteous, for in his face might not I look, having had by him sin impured, if I had not completely satisfied for the same, and done every thing to perfection, which I came into the world for, which was to take away the sins of the world, which being done, I am righteousness in myself▪ and the Spirit shall prove me to be right unto all, because I am gone to the Father; wherefore he rose in the dawning of the day, the clouds and darkness about himself, the darkness and clouds about the souls of men▪ being scattered and gone, the Sun of Righteousness with healing under his wings (a metapho●ick expression from the spreading of his beams, and stretching forth his rays, as wings) covering us, and brooding over, by his warmth, ou● young graces, for their strength, and healing our old sores, and festered boils, that we might not be darkness, but light in the Lord; no● as lepers secluded his congregation, but as his symbol had been like that of Maximilian of Bavaria, he brought visible testimonies of everlasting reconcilment from all in heaven, towards all on earth: that Duke gave in a field, two Turtles, standing on the brim of a cup, on each side of a lance, which was adorned with a Crown surmounted by a Cross, illuminated from a glory out of heaven, all upheld by two right hands complicated, or joined together, issuing out of the clouds, with this motto Concordiae ae●ernae, as if by the support and Union and of the two natures, there were a cup of Salvation offered, now to dove: like innocents', shining from heaven by the Cross, offering a crown of glory, in laying a side Hawk-like freity, and uniting like kind mates one to another, since amnestia, or oblivion like, acts are passed in heaven, towards us all, which is made out beyond demonstration by our Saviour's going to the Father, by his rising from the dead.  
DOTH●ot ●ot the Holy Ghost, press in divine writ a life Godly, Holy, and prepared always for heaven, in forsakeing the unfruitful works of darkness, upon and from, the doctrine of the Resurrection? as if those, who looked towards it, should not look behind them, lest they be concluded not fit for the Kingdom of God, but love●s of this present world and cateress for the flesh: seeking to fulfil the lusts thereof, to mortify which, how incredibly rigid hath been the abstinence, and how strangely fervent hath been the prayers of the Ancients, in their Quadragesimal or Lent-devotions? in them ● menting their own and their brethren's excess, in their voluptuous embraces, studying to live unto piety, not luxury; refusing oft to pay Nature her just debt of aliment, and food, for her too oft debaurds, making this feast a spiritual Pasch, truly passing from darkness, and its works, the deeds of the flesh, to the operations of the Spirit, the renewing of the Spirit, by putting on the new man after God created in righteousness and true holiness; persuading, by the sanctimony of ●heir carriage, others to receive impresses of the beauty of holiness; beholders admiring their love▪ which wrought them unto an imitation of their deportment.  
THOSE that rose with Christ appeared unto many giving infallible tokens of their leaving the Society of the dead, whether Adam, or job▪ were among them, as some sa●, I know not; yet his is certain, that their Resurrection mystical is to be questioned, whose acts do not quadrat with those ru●es of blameless▪ and spotless behaviour, by law expected, and in conscience also resolved upon, by such who really are influenced with, and by the power of the Resurrection animated to things above: We hear of the perverse, surly, morose lives of many, but such as are risen with Christ are doing good, and walk charitably with all men, tha● such who are without, (that is, out of the Church) as Pagans, Turks, ●ew●, may be won by their good conversation. We see many puffed up with impudence; and arrogance, but they are clothed with humility; multitudes say, come let us eat and drink, for to morrow we die: these are temperate in all things, and not knowing what a day may bring forth, die▪ daily, a number grumbleth mu●mu●eth, repineth, at this and the other Cross; at this, and the other, fancied calamity; these posesse their souls in patience: too many assemble in Troops, to Harlot's houses, are whoremongers, Adulterers, these ●bstain from the very garments spotted with the flesh, How numberless are such, who curse, rail backbite, snarl at their Brethren? & like dogs swear, that is, snarl, & grin at passers by, these honour all men, pray for all men love the brethren, giving Religion a lustre, and really beautifying the cause of Christ.  
AS the jews fond teach, that only the Godly, shall rise at the last day, we may truly pronounce, that the Godless, are not this day raised, the communication of those two who went to Emmaus, discovers the truth of this, who though sadned at their Master's Death, yet were not Spiteful at the instruments thereof, speaking how the chief Priests and the Rulers, delivered him to be condemned, without any other epithet, expressing rancour, there be who will have these, Luke and Cleophas: Luke, is rising up, and Cleophas hath glory in his name: and surely the rising from darkness and deadness, with the desire of being glorious, is to go to Emmaus▪ which by interpretation is desire of counsel: and how happy were it, if this age would advise with and about itself, touching the verity of Christ, and Him risen, together with the duties depending thereupon; leaving jerusalem and all its gaudiness, to walk those sixty furlongs Morally; these two physically trod, it is a number arising from multiplying of ten by six: The Ten Commandments being appointed by JEHOVAH, for the rule of our Actings, and the renouncing this present World, amending our Lives, crucifying Self, voiding Hypocrisy, keeping of the Heart, w●tching over the door of our Lips, being the six paces to be observed in our going over the moral Law, We cannot choose but have Christ with us, and our eyes to see Him with great ●oy, where now because glorified He shall not only eat bread with us, as in the History, but shall sup with us, and we with him, as in the Revelation; unto which a serious reflection, and deep meditation upon the Cross, and sufferings of our LORD, this passage examplifies to be a fertil-mean.  
LAY your ear to the holy Communication these two had, and it's properly a devout imagination, to conceit Luke speaking, Brother Cleophas, can you forget the clamour of the Priests against our Master, when Pilate was determined to let Him go; how they cried, away with Him, crucify Him, not this Man, but Barrabas? yea a murderer; whereas our Master, shed no man's blood, but went about doing good to every body, and that in such a way by commanding, praying, advising that I should have sworn he had been the Son of God, whereas now I conjecture his Father ha● smitten them with blindness, as he did he Sodomites, with Hemroids, as the Philistens, with fire as, did Elisha the Cap●ai●s o● s●me other way had been found, as by a v●ice from heaven, for his son's delivery, but to lay hold on that tattle of his appearance to the women, is to be swallowed up of error, Luk 24.11. their brains, their early rising, their ●ea● hath certainly disturbed them, and made them fancy they saw, God knows what; and as some think, the bells Cl●●k.  
Dear Brothe● might Cl●ophas say; I should almost be of your mind: but when I remember of Lazarus (whom you mind me of; for you know we heard a voice from Heaven) I s●y, when I think upon him▪ How fresh, how well-coloured, he was raised; by a Loud, not Cheaping voice, with words we understood, not dark Phrases, as Conjurers and Charmers 〈◊〉 to do, I must conclude him to b● the Son of God, though I confess, I marvel he wrought no miracle to save himself from scourging, from dying, and since he said he was King of the jews he came not down from the Cross, that they might believe, this I confess sticks with me, this I am sure of, if he be alive this day, he will be so to morrow and next day also, and we shall see it and know it, his goodness, sweetness, kindness, and merciful disposition towards all in distress, but especially to us, makes me confident, he will not conc●al himself long, but will come unto us; and God, who in the simplicity of our heart doth know we followed him, not for any lucre we got by it, shall settle us in the truth at last, and reward us according to the integrity of our hearts: therefore be not afraid, at our return we shall know more, and your bells clink may be retorted unto, & turned by a Cross Proverb, before the lame post, make much of one, there is few good; a true axiom and holds here, the women being of excellent endowments formeth hope, of future comfort by a certainty of all things.  
SUCH communication administrats such grace, that it is no wonder, if the fiery chariot of Religious gifts, hasten to come down for conveying the heart aloft, and the Spirit, as at Pentecost to come with full information of all saving truths, takeing the Scalls of doubtings, from the eyes of the mind, as Saul did from those of his body, making it to be known for a truth, that Christ is risen indeed; and if he should seem as though he were to depart, in the coldness of the heart to those conferences, then be instant with thy Mane ●obiscum, abide with us, Luk. 24.29. the evening of thy dark, and cold surmises, clouds, temptations, and other perplexities, being approaching; and if serious, he shall continue to the end, and make appear, that he is no stranger to thy affairs, but well acquainted with whatsoever hath, shall, or can, befall thee comforting thy soul in all, and all because of the Resurrection.  
IT was a Iwell expression, that fell from the mouth of the golden-mouthed Father, that at the Sun rising upon the day of the Resurrection, it was defraying of just debt, to begin teaching of brotherly kindness, and charity, applying the power of the Resurrection, for cementing the hearts of men one towards another: it appearing to unite God and Man, yea gloriously procured it; but how can these things be without a conformity to his death? Not such as is fabled in the Legend of that Popish Saint (Francis) who is said to have the print of the nails and spear in his feet, hands and side; or such either as is recorded of the herb Granadille in America, in which (if we believe report) the instruments of the Passion, to the whip, the pillar, and the thorns, are visibly seen in the flour, nor it may be with St. Paul, to have the wales of the persecutors rod, upon the flesh, the gore blood lying, and not cured in the blewness of the stripe upon the skin: the Fellowship of his suffering, even to his condemning by Pilate, being to be answered by a severe sentenceing ourselves, singling out every sin, and processing it before the bar of Conscience, according to the judgement God makes thereof; causing execution to follow, with as much Zeal, and as little delay, as did the Jews, after the Governors' sentence, of of which take one Copy in record.  
Take you jesus of Nazareth a contemner of Cesar, and one who calleth himself the Mes●i●h as hath been proved by the Testimony of his own Nation, to the Common place of execution, and in derision of his Kingly Majesty fasten him to the Cross: but to evidence the uncertainty of this History, ●ake it as another Copy says, it was I Pilate Precedent of jerusalem, adjuageth thee jesus of Nazareth for making thyself a King, and for calling thyself the Son of God, and for making sedition among the people; Ordereth, according to the Laws of the Roman Empire, thy fastening to the Cross, and to be lifted up un●ill thou die▪ wave●●g th●s, every sin, pretending to have rule and command, hath forced us to deporable actings, and by usurped Authority, countermanded God, harressing the soul by Sedition, having seduced it, from orderly, and peaceably walking, Pride, Ambition, Lust, or Envy, having been made King by the wills content, ordering obedience to our Maker's dishonour, and our own disquiet, Redness of eyes, Deadness of heart, Fury in face, wounds in the side, Death in the field, moving on uproar, wand'ring thoughts, as posts running to and fro, abetting every lust almost to unpardonable transgression; in that sinful stayedness, as if because of Impudence, Corruption had b●en of God, for which it is to be adjudged to the 〈◊〉 by man, who is established under God over the Commonwealth of his own Soul, having Common-Laws and rules for discerning of matters, which if not harkened unto by passion, fear or otherwise, may cause deposition, which Pilate feared, who, when called to Rome to answer for tyranny, fearing contumely, and receiving affronts, sl●w himself: as Herod also did, who is thought to be aimed at in the parable of the unjust Steward, and like him when laid aside for maladministration, being banished by Caesar, proved felon (de se,) a self Murderer.  
AND hark, is it not perspicuous, how that all the persecutors of our Lord's body, which is his Church, or the instruments, and abettors of his Death, as Judas in himself, or the Patriarches in his Type, joseph, in selling him, have bought sorrow for twenty pieces of silver in common sickles, the other for thirty of the Sanctuary, they for their Brother had twenty five shillings sterling; he for his Master three pound fifteen shillings, and for a Courtesan, a Draught, a piece of silver, a morsel of Bread, a Madrigal, a Song, how oft is he betrayed into the hands of sinners? men selling their Saviour to hug their lust.  
THEREFORE such as design profit, by the Resurrection, must conclude the additament of worldly pelf, or carnal pleasure, so basely purchased to be sordid, and unhappy; studying rather the particulars wherein Christ can be advanced, that estimation may be made according to real worth, and the account of truth, he being the Truth, the way and the Life, the first of Religious verity, the next of holy Conversation, the third of happiness eternal, which are infinitely in true reckoning, preferable above and beyond the deceitful appearances of temporal possessions, for appearances they only are, as is to be seen in the agents of our Saviour's Passion: First, of the Patriarches, who sold him in joseph for a bondman, next in judas, who delivered him to them, who condemned him as a Malefactor.  
HE was slain by Cain, in Abel, and for that Cain is to be censured, that is, sin must be charged with his blood; In Isaac after, but he escaped, and the Ram in the thicket served for a burned offering, we, as that Son of Laughter escape the hand of justice, he is the other's seized upon, found in the thorns of his Passion, which were planted by our hands, and made to tear his holy Body by our folly; and since he hath also escaped▪ let his endurance dash the lust of the Eye, the lust ●f the Flesh, and the Pride of Life; which were the thorns that pricked him, the nails that pierced him, and the Envy that caused him to be pursued, for which Crown him with Roses; and vailing our face as did Rebecca, being ashamed for former delinquences, let us as chaste Virgins espouse him unto ourselves, returning into our houses, dead in sin, and crucified unto the World; which is seemly, Christ having suffered for it, before us, for that end; having promised ●n the third day to raise us up, we bearing our Cross in sincere sorrow: not coming down from it, by consuming with Flesh and Blood, or keeping any one sin back through profane Custom, riveted in us: but bow down our heads in humility, and give up the Ghost in constancy (sleeping) ●hat is resting in the serenity of a good Conscience, looking for that hopeful assurance of the Resurrection and blessed hope of the fruition of the Spirit of holiness with Heavenly mindedness; in which, as by Angels, we shall be comforted, assured and solaced Until we meet the Lord, in the holy Mountain, where he shall be seen as he is, and we know as we ar● Known.  
WE are said in our Carnal-capacity, to be dead in sin (though alive by nature) as having neither Life, Breath, nor Motion for things Heavenly; the greatest vaunts of Heaven, though set before us, in Word and Sacraments, or any other nourishing spiritual aliment; benefiting us no more than the choicest B●●que savour, or relish of the most delicious or 〈…〉, from the most artificial cook, c●u●d replenish, satisfy, or fill the emp●y, because no 〈◊〉, entrails of one Deceased; Bu● t●at Spirit of Holiness, which ai●●d up JESUS, shall vicken this mortal body, and giving i● a living breath, cause it become a living soul, hungering, and thirsting after righteousness, groaning, that so industriously it should have pulled misery upon itself, which can only be compensed, by being naked (as all Crucified malefactors were) in an Ingenuous●cknowledgment; not putting on the Fig-leaf of an excuse, as Adam, but rather, when reproved, answer as CHRIST did Herod, in silence; which indeed, may put flesh and blood into a heat, a sweat, pleasure and revenge, saying, Let this be far from thee, pity by self and me, who hath been ever with thee, yet it must be endured: For, because of this, thou cam'st into the World, and Angels shall then comfort and strengthen, in that ●avishing sentence, the Father hath forgiven thee, thy iniquity is taken away, thou shalt 〈◊〉 die.  
ONE Thief must be Crucified, that is, thy deceitful Heart: another, must be penitent, and beg mercy, that is, thine own Soul, for delinquency & offending yet let it not be desperate, as those without Hope; but urging, pressing, as earnest for Salvation, an● infallible note of prepared Paradise, and then of all thy sinful courses, cry, they are finished: Hanging still upon the Cross by outstretched hands, in Obedience securing thy Soul in all service, within the Rock of thy Saviour's merits, fitting us for a Resurrection upon the third day. First, from the plague of the heart, the boil of putrid Corruption; as from the bed of Hezekia, next from the belly of Hell, in dismal frightnings and starrings of Conscience; as from the Whale in jonah, and from the sentence of death, passed in the breast of the Law; as did Isaac from the Altar of his Father, the third day being figured in that Patriarch, that Saint, that Prophet, and a Day in which there was never one raised from the Dead: HE excepted, the third Day being keeped for him in Honour, and therefore, He is said, to rise the third Day, according to the Scripture: A Sabbath also intervening, in which it is observed, ther● was never Man raised, either in Old or New Testament; and CHRIST being the Hea● of the RESURRECTION, showed in this a purpose not to disjoin Himself from those before risen; but to continue Communion choosed another time, which was the third Day; Leaving the Sabbath, I might say Saturday-Sabbath, to rest with His Grave-cloathes, as never more to be used; and (a● we learn from the Current of Antiquity, from the Universal practice of the Church, in times, in, and so near the Apostles, that the head of the Institution is not found, (making it the more venerable) though some factiously in our ●●yes rant at the observance,) designed the Day of the RESURRECTION for solemn appearance before the Throne of GOD, ●hich was so revered, both weekly, and annually, that the Precepts, 1. Cor. 5. Let ● keep the feast, and that other expression, ●●. I. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, ● by many understood, to belong to the ●early Feast of the RESURRECTION▪ 〈◊〉 observed.  
REMAIN not therefore with Lazarus the Grave-cloaths of sinful custom four ●yes, by thinking upon, liking of, by doing, 〈◊〉 then continuing in the acts of concupiscence or, such, no doubt, stink in the nostirles of 〈◊〉, and shall be killed by Death; but rise 〈◊〉 third day, that is, this Morning, with ●ur LORD, and appear unto them that ●ow you, talking of the Kingdom of GOD; 〈◊〉 walking in the Holy City, and be more ●●rious, more sublime, more majestic, 〈◊〉 before, as joseph was, when he was taken 〈◊〉 prison, and as JESUS was, when He 〈◊〉 from the Grave; that Christian being Christian, who is not conform to the 〈◊〉, suitable to the RESURRECTION CHRIST, which we shall be, if we rise, and talking, saluting our Brethren with Peace, and again peace be unto you; that they m●y perceive we intent for Galilee, forsakeing terren desire's, there abiding now Faith▪ Hope, and Charity: Faith in the RESURRECTION of the flesh, Hope in the expectation of eternal life, and Charity in the holy catholic Church, expressed in our Creed, by the Communion of Saints.  
JAMES of Arragon, upon his Conquest of the M●jorca Islands fancied, and created an Order of Knighthood, called, of Redemption: their service peculiarly respecting ● liberation of Prisoners and Captives, thei● habit was always to be white: Is not ou● JESUS appointed for deliverances? an● did He not by entering into the Prison of th● Sepulchre, say to each of us detained under ig●norance, force, and fraud, what the Ange● said to Peter, Arise up quickly, cast thy garment about thee, and follow me? Act● 12.18 Abiding no longer with the possessed amon● the Tombs of the Dead, Graves of lust no● jayls of sinful custom, let us go forth wit● Him who is, so to speak, Sovereign of tha● Order, other Redeemers, in comparison 〈◊〉 Him, delivering from a flea-bit, he shiel●ding from a thunderbolt, a sword, a poison 〈◊〉 arrow, a burning fire, a ●aging Sea, a ●inging Serpent, a roaring Lion, and a ●●wing heart-worm, assaulting all at once, without hopes of rescue, except from His Almightiness alone.  
BUT how justly doomed are they? who ●eing once freed will run the second time to 〈◊〉 stocks? who being washed and shaved with joseph will return to their former ●ench? polluting themselves afresh with ●he noisomeness of dung-like-corruptions; ●allowing in the mire of ungodly chambering and wantonness, drunkenness and excess; ●aining th●se Vestu●es they have put on, in embracing Gospel-truths', Swinelike lying down, in the pond, pool and puddle of filthy conversation▪  
WRITE rather after the Copy of the primitive Christians, who in this Feast of the RESURRECTION, and many days after, refused to, or did not kneel in Prayer; judging that a more sorrowful posture, than was ad●quat, or fit for so joyful a season, is their frequent Allelujahs expressed this to be, but stood; the LORD being risen, as though their joy, cheerfulness and zeal had perfectly assured them their next motion should be toward Heaven; It was Christ's Pasch, for He left the Dead, they expected their Pasch, and being ready for the Father, stood as alive, frequenting the Holy Communion, the pledge of Eternal Salvation: Young Converts appearing in Church, clothed in white Raiment, the badge of that purity acquired in their Baptism; of which Sacrament we partaking, let us keep this Feast with holy Innocence, bat●ing the Garment that is but spotted with the flesh; our news and tidings, our salutes, and compliments being as theirs was, The Lord is risen.  
THE Answer in our Lives like theirs also in Words; The LORD is risen indeed.   

MYSTERIUM PIETATIS, OR THE MYSTERY OF THE ASCENSION OF THE SON of GOD, Unfolded and applied. 

Holy-Thursday, May 20. High-Church. 1669.  
Ascension-Thursday, May 20. High-Church. 1669.    JOHN VI LXII. 
What and if ye shall see the Son of Man ascend up where He was before?  
IN the History of the holy Gospel that express exactness of method and dependence, in answering and questioning in other Arts studied, and required, is not always to be found; Our Saviour who knew the heart, to detect the deceits therein, answering oft according to them, for confutation, and discovering, ra●her than conform unto, or observe contexture of words and purposes: Among which, these words are evidently to be seen, where speaking of, and proving Himself to be, the true Bread, which came down from Heaven, inferreth thence a necessity of the Jews eating, that is of believing upon Him, and from Himself perceiving their murmuring at the impossibility, or absurdity of that matter, demandeth, What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where He was before? Whereas of his ascending up, there was no preceding controversy.  
YET as there is a secret digested Art by the wisdom of the Spirit, in the compileing of that sacred Record in general; so there may be avowed a hidden connexion, even of these words, to the former: for His assertion of His coming down from Heaven, implieth evidently His being there, and that He was there, He proves by His Descending thence; which words when the Jews were offended at, to install their admiration, and heighten their wondering. He proposeth His What and if, etc.  
A QUESTION which proposeth ground for, yet expecteth no answer, prophesying of, though but supposing His ASCENSION, and both by way of Question, the speech being suspensive and seemingly defective (q. d.) surely ye will wonder much more then, that I whom you see a man like unto yourselves, shall ascend up, where He, that is, the Son of God, was before; that is, I, before. I was the Son of man; and this being a greater matter, than my coming down, you will, if you see it, certainly be more offended at me, or believe the other was true: Offering it as conditional, by putting an if to it, yet would have it positively to be understood, and expounded that He shall go up, and it may be some of you may see it, which will create a greater certainty, or breed a greater indignation.  
ASCENSION supposeth Gradation, and generally understands an Act flowing purely from the Power, Virtue, Ability, alone of the Ascender; and in Scripture is interpreted a motion to a Holy and Honourable Place, it is a going down to Egypt; but it's a going up to Canaan, it's a going down to jericho; but it's a going up to jerusalem, to the house of the Lord, and going up to God, 1. Sam. 10.3. and Ascending here, beareth both this latter, and that former sense of His own power, CHRIST not being translated, as Enoch, neither was He rapt as Paul, nor carried as Elias, nor ravished in the Spirit as john the Divine; but did Ascend, climbing up the scale of the clouds, until He got above all Heavens; its true, His Birth is said to be an Ascending, the humane nature being by it advanced, and is called a riding upon a cloud, Isa. 19.1. His Death is called an Ascending; for He was lifted up upon the Cross, that Palmtree whereof the Church is said to speak, Cant. 4.8. but these were Improper and Metaphorick ascendings, this whereof we are to speak is proper, corporal, bodily and local.  
THE Understanding as chief Governor and Regent of the Soul, being first to be informed, least ignorance mar our present design; and that the Will with more openness, be sooner alured to advance toward, and choose the projected good, this day laboured for; wherein our LORD happily, yea gloriously finished and ended all His Travels: We shall show whence, and then whether He ascended.  
YOU must note, He had lived in, and trod upon the Earth, and woe was He for abideing in that Mesech, being hedged, and entangled three and thirty years with the thorns and nets of calamities and trouble; it being to Him a perpetual Calvary, a place of suffering, so coupling him to sorrow, that He was a man of sorrows, Isa. 53.3. Once we find Him reading, and once writing, oft ●raying; yea▪ JESUS weeped, the shortest ●entence in the Bible: Yet that JESUS should weep, maketh infathomable compassion conspicuously discernible, and we know He did it more than once; but that He laughed, we have not one Text that doth so much as smile that way, His life being conform to His birth, which was in tears, sighing out His time, and groaning in the Spirit, for the falls, follies, and laughings of men.  
THAT glory he had with the Father, when he was not the Son of Man: being revealed to his Manhood by his Divinity, brought down the sale, and in his esteem, the worth of those sights, the world, or the god of this world, offered unto him; the glory and Kingdoms thereof; not abusing his refined understanding, nor blinding his judgement, to the defalcation of that real worth, which was in the solidness of a future expected glory; but left an impress more deep in his Heavenborn Soul, to contemn those flourishes; the Temple stones, or a Herod, or a Kingly Office, in all its glory, could represent to his une●ring fancy, which did frustrate in him: and indeed does in all, believing upon him, the fairest persuasives, or most prolific enjoyments sensuality can, or could offer, He, and They, because of him, accounting all of these in their sum total: what Solomon did in deep knowledge, and Gellimer King of Goths in high grief attested; who being presented as Captive before Justinian in his glorious Throne, rend his garments, crying hideousl●y, Vanity of Vanities, all is but Vanity, the Varnish whereof, he beholding with reluctancy; did endure its flattering promises, and with constancy, its eagerest and most stupifying menaces, this day hasted to the Hills of Frankincense; and calls upon you, as upon His Spouse, To come from Lebanon, the tops of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the Lion's Den from the Mountains of Leopards, Can. 4.8. From Places and Hills seemingly beautiful, yet Hazardous beyond expression, Syrians, Philistims, as b●asts, devouring, and destroying men; for with me there is neither judas, jew, Herod, nor Devil; that can attach.  
WHICH invitation if lifted unto; by Faith, we may supperad, that of the Church 1● Can. 4. Draw me, we will run after thee; Showing willingness; but withal inability, the imitation of his flight (pardon the expression) being the Period of the Souls desire, detesting the Malignity of this world, and contending against its Dignity; the first embittering its greatest enjoyment, as an iron bruising the bone: the l●st founded as upon ice, ready to be dissolved, both to the eternal hazard of all good. The Church wishes and prayeth to be drawn after him in imitation, to him by affection; yea, in him by Union and Impession.  
AS the birds of the Air, though Jesus (by a compounded for, or consented unto necessity) sometimes touched ●he Earth for his meat; yet like th●m again, his aspiring thoughts frequented the more holy and durable objects which were above the Sun: (food for man being not only brought from bread) disdaining the admittance into his breast the dust heaps of earthly trash, which the crafty foxes and wild beasts of avaricious and carnal oppressors, worldly Muck-worms, felicitat themselves in; which was expressed in this expression, A little while and ye shall not see me, and again a little while and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father, John 16.16. As if his abode upon Earth in any kind, was still to be short, by which he gave assurance, Mortality in the image of his flesh, was shortly to be put off; and the same flesh to be again invested with the robes of Majesty and glory, which being heeded by his Followers, causes support against the ruinous deceits this Mortality endeavours to entangle them in▪ resolving to fight with him, even to suffering of death, concluding to be victors in his Resurrection, and to triumph in the virtue of his Ascension.  
OLIVET giving so much light, and Calvary that knowledge to the sanctified head, that all sufferings, and glorious actings, how different so ever they appear, (and how vast seems the discrepancy between Christ on the Cross, and Christ in the Cloud?) when compared together; yet centre in this one thing, man's Ascension unto glory, unto which, as weak, yet, though weak, the Goodman shows earnestness, and willingness to possess, in saying Draw me▪ promising not to be slothful, in the acquisition of such dignity, subjoineth we will run after thee; and truly, as mercy began towards man at, or, in Christ's birth, and continued in his death published at his Resurrection, so was it sealed, ratified and confirmed in his Ascension, henceforth no more to be doubted, then whether Christ's being there, is to be scrupled, that being the seal by which all is made sure, which was Written in 〈◊〉 word, subscribed by miracles, supe●●scribed by death, directed in rising the third day; but signed as by the Kings own signet, by the seal of glorious verity, this day, wherein, in our flesh▪ heaven was entered, and we being flesh Enfranchised or incorporate into that City, naturalised into that Kingdom, as natives, as Citizens; or if you please, have got seasment of that Land as the Bride, the Lamb's wife; for which Praise the Lord all ye nations, praise him all ye people: For his merciefull kindness is great towards us, and the Truth of the Lord endureth for ever, Psal. 117. All things being fulfilled which were fore-prophesied.  
IT were not seemly to wave the particular place, whence he took his rise, which was from Mount Olivet, by Interpretation, a Mountain of lights, either from the Suns shining thereon, at its first rising; or the lights of the Temple Splendour thereon at its setting, or, it may be, because the lamps of the Temple were furnished with oil, from the fruit thereof, or, as others from the shining smoothness which is on the skin of the olive-berrie: But from what part of that Mount he made his exit (is unknown) it may be for the same cause why the grave of Moses is obscure (viz.) to prevent superstition; which offence, and sin, is evidently seen in those ignorant and scandalous Idolaters, about a rock, in that mount where by Mounks is shown the the Image of a foot, which they say, was impressed in the rock, by that foot which was last on the rock as our Saviour moved therefrom▪ to be seen yet in that beautiful structure the Chapel of the Ascension, builded by the Famous Helena, just over the place where our Lord took his ●rise, reverenced, both by Turks and Christians, as fitted upon that score for Devotion; jointly performed by both Religions, the last officiating, at the Toleration of the other, the house being in the possession of the Mahometans: Curiosity and Supperstition drains the purses of many, for beholding this, and other supposed Foolleries, but that all might not be lost, from this Impress, Travellers take some quantity of loose sand as a Religous relic: yet the mischief is, what quantity soever be taken there from, it is still supplied by new, so that the continuance of that miracle, may be one ground to prove it no wonder but a cheat.  
AT the foot of this mount Gethsemane was to be seen, where the oil presses stood for pressing of the olives, and within the compass of that mount as far as Bethania, did he travel towards his ascending, the same way ●e had rod into the City, about forty seven ●yes before; and where his Friends Laza●us, Martha and Mary dwelled, as if he had ●id, there is but one way unto glory, that is, ●he way of the Cross; except in that road ●here is no glory, except in that path there ●s no victory, and unless you strive, no en●ring into the straight gate: for as Olive● is so termed from light, so Bethany is termed obedience; of which grace his Ascension is a fruit, ●nd who can pretend friendship unto him, or ●is, as did Lazarus, whose soul sets not his 〈◊〉 unto God's verity and truth, in yielding submission unto that law, given the Church, of avoiding ungodliness and worldly lusts, being sober, righteous, and Godly, in this present world?  
ADAM through disobedience forfeited Paradise, and was cast into the valley of death, & darkness, his Successors, must infer the only mean to review that whereof it was but a ●●pe: nay which is more, to taste of the tree of life, and ascend to the mount of God, is to forsake the way of Cain, and not aid the conspiracy of Corah, but run that race of obedience, Christ hath run before us, causing every step that is, every act of our life, tend to the perfecting of us in those graces above mentioned, whose light endoctrinating; to the splendour, and rays of beaming good works, made bright by the oil of the Spirit, conveyed into the soul, by the branches of Sacraments▪ and all other ordinances; are abstracted from earth, or earth● mindedness, ascending to the hill of the Lord, and standing in his holy place, foreseeing, and palpably discovering, the direful issue of abideing in a tumultuous City, and bloody World, where in place of Friends, & Martha's or, mary, holy and friendly treatment, worthies of whom the world is not worthy, flagitiously are assaulted with Lanterns, torches, swords and staves, and by fond flattery, villaneously betrayed into the hands of those who hate them by a judas Kiss, a joahs' fair word, and a Tamars' embrace.  
BUT behold the order, for that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first? Eph. 4.9. and in spiritual regiment, he who would leap high, and far must stoop and press his body lower, and lower; He ascended, its true, far above all heavens; but He first descended into the lower parts of the earth, (i. e.) abhorred not the Virgin's womb; it being expedient for him, who desiderates heaven's joy, the Seat of God blessed for ever, to descend first into the deep places, dark cells of his vain imagination, the matrix or womb, wherein is conceived all malice, wrath, blasphemy, and all lasciviousness; and then when perfecting the will of God in crucifying the old man, walking with Abraham to the Mount of contemplation; and then as Christ at Bethany, lifted up his hands towards Heaven, arguing His affections being there, before his personal aryvall: let us point at the permanency of these Heavenly pleasures, accounting them more preferable than such, which this earthly Glob presents to her admirers, which being but in pitchers of her own mould are brittle, though fair, yet will the fascination be uncharmed; for Hell (which is a hole) shall resolve, that all promised enlargements, were but a bewitching, not a refreshing of the Soul: And Canaan's way being upward, made Elias to be carried up, and why should I be any longer here cried Religious Monica? the hopes that I have of things above, making me to delight in nothing that is beneath; why am I here? beholding the flowery mead of this visible world, to be full of stinging and poisoning serpents, noisome weeds, whereby it became despi●able in her eyes, and accounted herself miserable until elevated above it.  
A proper work, a significant fruit of Christ's ASCENSION, which as relating to man, hath a fourfold degree, First, to the heart, next, in the heart, next, by the heart, and lastly above the heart; The first provoking the fear of God, the second receiving Counsel from him, the third espouses Christ unto itself, and the fourth makes a discovery of God, and beholding him as a fight delectable as a sight beautiful, a disappearance is made of earth, a neglect, yea a hatred, of its pretended only, and seeming delicious enjoyments.  
BUT, What means this where he was before? or that other like it, No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven; even the Son of Man which is in heaven, John 3.13. One He, viz the Son of Man, and another He, viz. the Son of God the pronoun, the same in both, yet making a vast discrepancy in the two: He's He, The Son of Man ascending, where He not the Son of Man; but He the Son of God was before, and that for ever; that is, in heaven: where He the Son of Man had never been. Behold, the pronouns force; He, the Son of Man, on Earth was He who though now talking; yet as God is in heaven: the word (IS,) is urged, for as Man he was at the same instant on Earth, and not yet ascended to that place where He, as God, was before.  
THIS ariseth from the union of the two natures in him, (viz) that of Man, and and that of God: where the properties of each other, are attributed to the whole person, which yet in examination must be only referred to one of these natures, as in these words save the Son of Man, which Is in heaven 〈◊〉 if then he had been there; which to affirm of his Manhood, were erroneous, He speaking to them under the Sun: but as God it is agreeable to Truth, and therefore the Ascending of the Son of Man, must not be understood of his Deity, for as God he is uncapable of going to any place, being in all places ●t once, and filling all by the infinity of his nature. His Ascending therefore, is to be applied, to his huma●ne nature, wherein only he can properly be said to shift places, and change seats; and where he was before: to his Godhead, he being with the Father before all Worlds; which Doctrine of Union, puzzeling Nichodemus, made him wonder; but remember he came to jesus by night; and until this Sun rose upon the face of the Church, this Doctrine was hid from the wise and prudent Rabbis, but now unto Babs and Children this light shineth: comparing Scripture with Scripture, words with deeds, with the assistance of the holy Ghost, it is known, that when Christ was crucified, the blood of God was shed, and when the Son of Man rose, the & Son of God rose, when the Son of Man ascended, God also ascended, the Personal Union of the two natures allowing the expressions. The Word which was made Flesh at this time, hav●ng never seen heaven; the Word than Flesh, was to ascend and sit in heaven, where the flesh, that was the Word had never been.  
WHAT St. Paul mentioned of the several members of the body, which though having their own peculiar functions, yet united, make one body, and applies it, saying, so also is Christ, that is, the Church, 1 Cor. 12.12. May be alluded unto here in these two natures of Christ, of which we say, so also hath the Church, every member thereof being the Son of God as well as the Son of Man and their Ascending into heaven, as Sons of Men, with their flesh and bones, ascends but where they were before, in their Spirits, and desires, Enoch (a typ of Christ ascending and also of the ASCENSION of all the elect at the end of the world) was but coached up bodily, into that place, where Religiously he had oft in Soul been; that precept of having our affections above, where Christ is, Col, 3.2. By Faith in love, carries the soul aloft, giving it wings to behold and see, feel, and ●●joy the joys, rapturs, sweetness, that is 〈◊〉 the Paradise of heaven; the new jerusalem ●hich is above, while the flesh, or fleshly part of man, is represented in the Emblem as the ●ring at a birds feet, in the hand of a boy, or 〈◊〉 unto a stone, hindering the full fruition ●f the Souls Ardency, in ascending to the heavenly mansions (its clogginess impeding the spirit) through fervent desires, to be upward 〈◊〉 that He, as man, in flesh when ascended; but ●cends unto that place where He when man in spirit was before.  
THE Ascension for man's Instruction is several ways expressed in holy Writ▪ two whereof are most Celebrious, it's called ascending up on high, in the old, and an ascending 〈◊〉 the Father in the new Testament, Psal. 68.18. john 20.17 In the first is insinuared the glorious blessedness and Majesty, he is endowed with, and possessed of; all things being in his estimate, as low, as they are in their own site; the other unfolds his exaltation above all Creatures, whether Heaven, Saints, or Angels, hinting at his equality with God; all glorified Spirits shouting at his entry into the heaven of heavens; called in the Prophecy▪ God's going up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet, Psal. 47.5. And by the way, if heaven rejoice at the entry of the Son of Man, what Jubilations ought to be on Earth, at the ascending of the Son of God, since he did it only to receive gifts for men, Psal. 68.18. That is, from God the Father, that he being man, might deliver them to men, 4. Ephe. 8. And the Choir of Angels beholding his Kingly gate through the Clouds, and manly steps upon heavens glorious and shining pavement, Answered and questioned each other, who is the King of glory? and warning the porters, yea, the gates of heaven themselves (to speak after the manner of men) to be opened, to be lifted up for the King, strong and mighty, this Lord mighty in battle, Psal. 24. That he had power and authority over Earth was eminently known, in Lazarus come forth, his dominion over the Sea, was demonstrated by his walking on its proud waves, that the Air was at his control, was discovered by his commanding of the winds, that Hell was not exempted from his Sovereignty was made evident in casting out of Devils; that Angels were made subject to him, was not or, in that they ministered unto him, and served him: Now there wanted one thing & but one thing, to show that he was Lord of all things, which was his ASCENSION up to heaven, by which he proved himself Lord of the Universe, and for creating this faith in the hearts of his own, he did ascend in the sight of his Disciples, not of the eleven only, but probably of the hunger and twenty, S. Luke Acts, 1. Having mentioned, both the women and brethren▪ that were with Christ, and in his Gospel having spoken of them, who saw him after the Resurrection, hath so carried on the thread of his History that the eleven being expressed, the other seems not to be excluded; this blessed sight of his Ascending, being so recorded as indifferently to serve all the persons mentioned, that as being by all men seen, all should confess him to be Christ for the glory of God the Father.  
THERE is in nature some secret pressure of Spirit, when not vehemently biased, with urgency of affairs, vehemency of fear, that maketh a man long for▪ and longingly to labour after a sight of his Native Country; Ulysses is said after ten years' travel in and about the Hellespont, to desire a sight but of the smoke of his Country, from the gods, promising thereupon satisfaction, though he should die at the same time; yet was not that Rome, head of an Empire, nor Athens, a University of Arts, bu● Ithaca, a rocky, poor, fish town, in the Ionian S●a: from heaven did the Son of Man come, that was his Country, his native soil, there it was where he had been before, and towards it he had always a month's mind (as earnestness is expressed in the Proverb) Lifting oft his eyes towards it, and in parting from earth, spread his hands towards it, saying in that Ceremony O Heaven! Heaven! Heaven! the delight of my soul, the darling of my Affection, the beauty of my choice, the treasure of my wishes, O Heaven! wh●n shall I possess thee? O Heaven! how long have I wished for thee? O Heaven! how oft have I looked upon thee? O Heaven! when shall I enter in into thee? O Heavens! I come, I come, open, open, open, ye everlasting gates, open, that I may enter and possess thy joys after my sighing, fleeing, fasting, weeping scorning, bleeding, dying, at last embrace me.  
AND who knows not, that water will ascend, as high as its rise? and this water of life flowing from the paradise (I w●uld say the bosom) of God, instantly was to recurre and fl●w back, and in the streams of love to appear where he had been before, to which he pointed, that we might be inflamed for pursuit, crying o●● with him Heaven! O Heaven! for though Man, who is of the Earth, be Earthy yet the Spiritual man, being born of heavenly parents, as begot of heavenly seed, nursed by heavenly milk partaker of the divine nature, of the offspring of God, ●s a stranger and pilgrim in this present world, and because of perils by land, perils by water, malice irritating, and corruptions en●●meing, molestations from his own Soul, not yet perfectly made wise, ca●ou●, It is not good to be here, Christ, Moses, and Elias, are above perfected, and Holy Saints are above grief and fear: which last sea●ed upon the Disciples at Christ's removal, and because he ●ent to the Father, sadness filled their heart. wherefore because he is with the Father, not with us sorrow should fill out heart's, prompting to call O it is good! O how good it is, to be there! Our Saviour's stretching abroad his hands, aught to attract our eyes merely to behold, and desire its beau●y, it's amability, the glory of the Lord therein.  
BUT w●e befall, us so transcendent is our folly, we heed neither the purpose nor cause of that indication▪ loving the valley, though it were of Sodom, because of its fatness, though as the grass it be perishing, or ascends the high hill of Ambitious undertake by power, force, or knowledge, to be accounted gods, which hath already destroyed both Angels and men, the principles of such vanity engulphing the Soul into Eternity of despair, themselves consequentialy are to be avoided as Damnation, by lifting up our hands together with our hearts unto God in the heavens, Lam. 3.41. and by the feet of our desires, LOVE and DILIGENCE, run to the mountain of Religious contemplation, the very reflection and shade thereof creating insearchable joy, but reaching of its to●, or apex the ultimate term of prosperous, durable, and satisfying comforts known to that Solomon of this nation, Robert Surnamed Stward who gave in Plate, the terrestrial Glob, dignified with a Crown embellished with thirteen stars circumscribed with Vanitas Vanitatum & omnia Vanitas, Vanity of vanities, as if Universal command, dazzling glory, respecting or relating to Earth, had been but torture, and were to him vain, and should be to any, vexation of Spirit.  
TWO things amongst others, are chiefly denied to Man, as not to die and not to fly, yet in this Ascension the first is known, and much of the last is seen, much because somewhat more, for what shall we call this motion upward? was it walking? sleeping? leaping? or flying? sure we are he went from the Apostles eyes in an advanceing pa●e, but a cloud encompassing him, the Father's Seat, and his throne, fitter to carry up the Son, than a chariot, that having been done for Elijah, a Ser●●nt, which cloud enjoins no prying; and ●●cha● get questions, as if the heavens yielded? or winds ceased? aided or what other thing ●●riofity can invent, yet presseth the relinquishing, and treading upon the glory of a gaudy world, and requires a lifting up above ourselves, pregnantly exhorting us as stranger's, to have nothing of our heart effigied thereon, at most only our feet to honour it with a ●ouch, he mounting over and above Olivet, seeming to say rise up my fair one and come away, Cant. 2 10. f●om the muddy flo●e of this lower and common hall, and ascend the stairs of prayer and meditation, (more comforting than that Sancta Scala at Rome●●id ●●id to be, and resorted unto as the●●airs of Pilat's house being the 28 steps whereon our Saviour went, and returned in his passion) and leap, or walk, run, a●cend, or fly to the upper rooms of the heavenly palaces; where ●ighing, filth, death, or sorrow, thorns, or spears, have no possibility to enter, even in their remotest causes.  
THE Songs of Angels, Choir of the Prophet's joy of the Spirits, the light of God, and the glory of Christ eternally revealing, everlasting causeing, ravishing, never cloying Hallelujahs: for auditing whereof, and directing to which, earth's pageantry, the heart's carnality, is to be rejected, crucified, and cut off, these being heavy, will incommodate us in our journey and retard us in our ascending heaven-ward, after our Lord, whose drawing the Disciples from Jerusalem, is not without a mystery, operating upon our overcoming this present world, or then it shall be ill with us, for as the men of Galilee, we may know that the same jesus shall come down again in like manner, that is, as some conjecture from Zach. 14.14 upon Olivet stretching abroad his hands, blessing the righteous, because obedient, and pure, cursing the profane, because stubborn, and idolators, umbraged by the valley of the Son of Hinnon, a pa●t of which he journeyed through in his passing, but leaving it behind him in his ascending the mount of his ASCENSION, a f●u●●ful mount abounding with Palms, Olives, Figs, Gaessum, Pinetrees, typifying the Church; and the Godly, who are, and which is fruitful, in g●od works, serving as mediums ●or the souls ●easce●ding unto God, and are as steps appointed for that end and purpose  
OUR Creed stands not at his ascending into heaven, but registrars also, his sitting at the right hand of God, at which place, S. Mark chap. 18.19. seats him, ending at once his History; and our Saviour's travel; which rest is far above all principalities, and pow●●s▪ he sits, whereas the Angels stood, and are expressed so to do, because servants, much more honour being his due because of His Sonship: not that he properly sits for so there is no chair for him to sit upon, nor right hand in GOD to sit by, but tropically it signifieth that equality, dignity, honour and ●espect, height, reverence and power, which equally with God, He hath obtained, in His humane nature, the heavens being high above the earth, and the heaven of heavens ●he seat of God above them, the Angels about the seat of God,, and our Lord on the right hand of him, that as the earth is far distant from the heaven the upper invisible heaven, above 〈◊〉, the pavement of the seat of God above them, the Angels again above that, who though glorious, yet are under Christ to the dignifying our nature; and us being men, who being but dust and ashes at best, and worse, when sinners, at the highest yet where sin abounded, grace much more abounding, the Father receiving him into favour, as our first fruits from the earth, which obtained a blessing for the whole Harvest of Adam's offspring; God saying to such in him sit at my right hand, which sitting cleareth his merits to transcend those workings, or purchaseings, of Cherubims and Seraphins, who stand before the throne Luk. 1.19. for sit thou is to be expounded, be thou my Fellow, according to thy word shall all my People be ruled, as Pharaoh said, so heareth this joseph, I am almighty God without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot, Gen. 41.44.  
WHICH honour being given to Man, who once heard, dust thou art, and to dust shalt thou return, who was sent to the Ant accounted wo●se then the Ox, or the Ass, not only sent to the birds of the Air to learn instruction but called the sons of the Devil, discovers, infinite love, which should cause man per●ue that passage of sit thou i● his soul, until Gods love heat the heart, Christ's merits cool the conscience, and God's sit at my right hand Nobilitat the mind, and Christ's sitting secure the whole man, he no● only resting for himself, but preparing a place of rest for others.  
MOREOVER the right hand is the high blessedness, peace▪ and joy, with satisfaction, which God hath in Christ's holy society, upon the account of his obedience as Man in doing always his will, for the left in the Parable, denots enmity, dissatisfaction and contrariety, and in ordinary gestures inferiority: ●t represents also three great properties therewith Christ is endowed, the glory and ●onour of his Divinity; this Sun of righteousness rising at his birth, clouded by death, did 〈◊〉, so to speak, in his Father's throne, ending the day of his earthly appearance, and worldly troubles, in this felicity, perfecting and finishing the work, which he came to do: ●ext the Authority of his Manhood, we will ●ay, such a one sat forty, twenty, or Fifteen ●●ar, in the chair, meaning government and ●are, so also doth Christ, his sitting not being 〈◊〉 naked quiescence but expressing his vigilance, and thoughts, for, and about the Church; for as again james the third of this Kingdom, gave in a Medal, a Hen brooding over the Chickens shadowed with a Crown, with this device Non dormit qui custodit, he sleeps not who governs, though they may rest, yet in that rest, there is life, and comfort beneathed to others: Our Lord by his word, Sacraments, and Miracles, doth unweariedly uphold his Church, and all her begotten by the mediatory office: lastly there is in his sitting, his power of judging; Advocats, and Counselours stand, while Judges, and Justices sit, especially when they give sentence; so he, when executing the ungodly, and sentenceing them for hating mercy, he having judgement on his left hand, fire to burn, consume, and tear the fiery bloody Spirit, and sits in sentenceing, to evince the deliberatnesse of the judgement.  
IT'S true, once Stephan saw him stand, yet reflect that he is a Counsellor, an Advocate for the Church, and the gesture is not to be wondered at: for still understand a Metaphor, by which figure ye may find, he sits as a Judge, stands as a pleader; by the sentencing bloody Jews, and by the other intercedeing for patient Christians; and again, by standing, he vows revenge to the enemies of his servants; by sitting, he absolveth the enormity of his Disciples, sitting not denoting circumscription of place, but the glory of the Deity, wherein before al● worlds, the SON was, being from Eternity consubstantial to the Father; and in latter days, when Incarnate, the glory of His flesh being exalted, because in the God head, to be adored above every creature; He coming down by his birth, entered into the field o● War, fought against all his adversaries in struggling with death, conquering that King of terrors; in the power of his Resurrection and entering his Royal City; He triumphe● in his Ascension, as the Roman triumphe● having his prisoners in bonds, and scattering medals and presents among the people; in the Scripture phrase, giving gifts unto ●en, ending his troublesome journey to Earth in Heaven, as he began, having the 〈◊〉 of the Angels to Echo him to the World, the gratulations of the Choir at his ingress into Heaven; the Selah of all the Glorious Prophets, the Euge of the goodly company of Martyrs, together with the Religious Hymns of the Church, both East, and We●t, in all ages until this day; believing that he is gone to prepare a place for them; if it were not so, he would have told us, joh. 14 2.  
HE was once thought a stranger in jerusalem, and was before that, so obscure, that his brethren did not believe on him, (which the Jews yet press as one great ground for their unbelief,) He acting as a Painter, who drawing his most excellent draughts in the dark; when finished, exposeth his Tables to public view: so until now he carried himself strangely, as to the Syrophenician woman, and confining his Discples to the lost sheep of Israel; but now it is, Go, teach all nations, suffering the Jews to deride his Miracles, to lie against his Resurrection; but as he said, it shall be, and all the world must acknowledge Him the everlasting Son of the Father.  
IN order to which the song of the Elect is, HE that is God▪ HATH raised up a horn of Salvation for us, in the house of his servant David▪ Luk. 1.69 an Horn indeed, growing out of flesh; yet more solid, more firm than flesh, yea exceeding all fl●shly horns, being borne of the Virgin; behold flesh, but conceived by the Holy Ghost; behold his excellency above flesh, yet when we perceive him at the right hand of God; behold that horn raised, and as the horn of the Unicorn, causeth sweetness to all the imbittered waters of our jericho, even by the touch; so doth the applying of his ASCENSION, unto all our perplexities, becomeing to all a horn of salvation: Let the jews therefore blaspheme if they will; He is now made the Head of the Corner, exalted, raised above all the buildings, either of Church or Synagogue, virtuating them for beauty, strength and lustre, that as in the days of Elias, the heavens were shut up, so in the days of jesus, after a barrenness of faith, love and hope; there was a cloud, like the hand, I might say, like the footstep of a Man, arising out of that Sea of Christ's Passion suffering, and a sound from thence of abundance of precious good things, of Gods promising, and Man's needing, not to say, ask in his ASCENSION; the Church being now as a field which the Lord hath blessed, by having Faith in Divinity, expectation of bless in the hope of what he hath promised, and Charity in the love and tenderness he hath kindled for us: so that the expression of Arethuse in his Martyrdom, is adequate, and fitted to the Christians sublimated Spirit; for he, when hung up in Air, exposed to B●es, Wasps and Flies, being anointed (not to say daubea) with honey, ●yeing his persecutors with a kind of contumely, said, How am I advanced, despising 〈◊〉 that are below me on earth? the Soul, life, the designs, acts of the Believer, being but a Comment upon Evangelick Precepts, and Christ's like graces, I might say Ascending.  
ADAM is known to be put from Paradise, in the cool of the day, that is, about the evening, admit it to be the nin●h hour, or three in the afternoon- Then it followeth, that the second Adam entered the Heavenly Paradise, when the first Adam was exiled the Earthy: And about that time too, did the Dove bring the Olive Branch to Noah; It cannot therefore be blame worthy to conjecture, that the fourtieth day after the Resurrection about the same time; our LORD both in Soul and Body entered in a manly pace, and majestic walk upon Heaven's street, and passing through the throng of Angels, took that place at the right hand of the Father, resting there as in an Ark, having got no rest for the sole of his foot since his coming thence, I mean about the ninth hour; for it is said, He appeared to the eleventh as they sat at meat, yield that to be the sixth hour, or high noon; after which he talked, and went before them unto Bethania, Luk. 24.50. or to Olivet (upon which Mount Bethania stood) from jerusalem a Sabbath days journey; the distance of the people's march from the Tabernacle in the wilderness, that is two thousand Cubits, or above half a mile from the City, a convenient walk for the Citizen's contemplation in fair weather, and for pleasure; after which journey, discoursing and blessing. He ascended to his Father, the Olive-branch of Reconciliation in his mouth, saying, I have finished the work thou gav'st me to do. Father glorify thy Name, and ME with that glory which I had before the beginning of the world; For of them whom thou hast given me, have I lost none, but the Son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.  
AS on the ninth hour of the day, some will have his Ascension, there wants not them who affirm it was on the fifth of May, ●he fifth day from the Sabbath, even Thurs●ay, the day in which he was presented in ●he Temple, the fourtieth day after his Birth, ●s holy to the Lord, being the firstborn: So the fourtieth day after his appearing from the belly of the grave, about the same time or hour, He presented himself in the Temple of the jerusalem above, as holy, harmless, and the firstborn from the dead, having after his Resurrection, never entered into the Temple below, that Type being dissannulled; ●nd having consummate all Temple-service, Heaven he made his Throne, Angels receiving thereby the product of their wishes, the Archangels the ultimate of their desire; Man being restored, and enstated in the person of the Son of God (whose Tutors and Ministers they had been for that end) into that p●istin glory, which by a Satanical trick, had been cheated from them, even from Union with God, and dominion over the Creature, which now in Christ he hath made sure unto him in heaven; and though the wicked may reckon this security poor, because distant, and invisible, being in a far Country; yet let them not send the messengers of Lust, Ambition, or Rebellion after him, discovering a dislike, as if tha● man should not reign over them: for there He is, and there He will sit, until such and all other his enemies be made his footstool, and thence shall he come to judge in the clouds, both the obedient and refractory, whether Angels or men; the fear of which ought to beget in us that reverential awe, it did in one Elias (not the Prophet) who is said to have been most timorous, always dreading the approach of death, the coming of the judge, the pronouncing of that sentence, Go ye cursed.  
BE rather induced to ascend after him, to be with him, by going up in such duties, as are thought to be enjoined in the Psalms, called of degrees, being humble in prayer, as Psal. 120. delineats; next steadfast in hope, then ardent in desire, then fervent in meditation; and because of many remoras and difficulties we meet withal in these, be invincible in patience then strong in confidence, holy in cheerfulness, observers of providence, fearful of offences, thankful for victories▪ serious in supplications, meek in converse, particular in plead, charitable in families, and encouragers unto all good: the performance whereof, in a holy sense, will make each of you Adam hamahalah, or a man of degrees; for as these Psalms were of old sung by the Levits, upon the steps in their ascent unto the Court of the Women, at the feast of Tabernacles, for their excellency, form, shortness and sweetness of the matter; by these virtues as by stairs, we shall ascend, being men in this (for it is a reasonable service) into Heaven's great Court, rejoicing with exceeding great joy, in tasting those pleasures which are at God's right hand therein, for ever.  
THE Priest under the Law was to bless the people at dismissing, or finishing of the Temple-service; one form whereof is to be found, Numb. 6.23. and others were institute by the authority of Rulers, it was pronounced standing, with hands stretched abroad, and with a raised voice, as if he would have forced into, or put upon the people, the mercies in those forms expressed▪ which is promised in these words, And I will bless them; Grace ratifying the Priestly benediction, when bottomed upon Divin law, for the Congrega●ions obtainment of the desired good, which ordinarily in Religious-zeal was tarried for by the people, who are said to wait for Zacharias, Luk. 1.21. the Lords Priest, which with that of the parent, poor and dying Christian, are known to be signally efficacious, which made our Lord the Priest of the New Testament▪ when leaving his little flock to put his blessing upon them, and with stretched out hands also, Luke 24.50. evincing the removal of the curse of the Law, in his bearing of the curse for them in his own body upon the tree; and that he was going to pray for them, and for their sin, that security might be purchased▪ knowledge of the truth obtained, and eternal life, the sum of all man's salvation, assured unto them, and always to be entreated for by him; which being done, while he was with them in the world, should likewise be done at his abode with the Father; before whom as with open arms He was continually to interceded for mercy to the Elect in general, and to his Disciples in particular as Friends, who could not, who did not part with this their Master, no more than Elisha would from Elijah: and though with that Servant, they had not the spirit of their Master duplicated, or doubled upon them; yet greater works than he did, they do, because He is gone to the Father.  
CERTAIN it is, that Peter did convert, and the other Disciples together, at the feast of Penticost, more hundreds in one day, then for aught we find, jesus in all his life-time to have done: to omit that passage of Peter's shadow, Acts 5.15. (since it is not told us, who did it, or that ever any was cured by it, or whether it was done for a good or bad end, whether in fond supperstition by Christians, or malignity from Jews who might desire to receive benefit thereby, yet not own the Faith of him, whom Peter taught, I say, to pass this, we find all the Disciples endowed with a double portion of knowledge and heavenly joy; He being seen of them go up, who had been with him from the beginning▪ when such hot spurs as were offended at his Person and Doctrine, enjoyed not that blessed sight, nor partaked of his fruitful blessing; from whom such posters are not many degrees distant, as declines the hearing of his Gospel now; or if they do, their impatience suffers them not to reach the end of our Divine service, that the blessing from the mouth, or hands of the preacher, cannot be reached unto them, their head and ears, being equally remote from him: as their Kitchen is from his Pulpit, as if the blessing of the Sanctuary were to be undervalved, in respect of their trivial, I might say, sensual conveniency  
CHRIST is said to be the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the valleys: Sha●on was a pleasant field near to mount Libanus, in the Country of Bashan, where David's flocks and herds were fed, near unto which, was a valley fruitful both of Lillys and Roses, growing, without man's care, or hands industry; having earth for Mother, and heaven for a Father, which Christ also had, who as a Rose is encompassed by prickly thorns of cares, troubles and persecutions, yet fragrant to such who placeth him as beautiful in their breast, heart and bosom; He was white in casting away his grave-cloaths, and winding sheet and napkin, the badges and colour of infirmity and darkness, so great was his humility that he became as a Lily and of the valley too bending downward, to bear upon his shoulders what the Father was pleased to imposs, even unto death; but now the darkness of Mortality, being evanished, he became ruddy, clothed with the purple robs of Majesty and Grandor; stedfasty eyeing heaven, yet still like the Rose piercing and galling, yea, tearing, as by thorns, or pricks, the hearts, the consciences, the Souls of such who approach not to handle him in reverence, and religious deportment, in all parts of worship, as prayer, praise, Sacraments, vows, or any other ordinance of the Church; He carrying up to heaven, as may be conjectured, the very scars and wounds he received on the Cross; that beholding them, the ungodly nations may the more despairingly mourn, and more convincingly bevail their (it may be) forgotten injuries toward the Son of Man.  
BUT to such, who as Roses delight in the shade, or as Lillys, root themselves in the valley of humility, that is, rejoiceth, or affecteth a Conformity in his excellent communicative properties, he shall become as an ornament to their breast, or a pearl of great price in their hand; causing and procuring, the Father's acceptance to such works, as tha● breast shall conceive, wherein he is fixed, as David about building the Temple, or the Angel of Philadelphia about his Ministry, Revel. 3.8. God purposing never to exalt any, but in the manner he magnified his Son, who first drank of the brook of the way afterward he lifted up his head.  
SAINT John is the Apostle that speaketh most propheticaly, of our Saviour going to the Father; yet hath not one word that Historically he did it so that the Question here, What and if you see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before? is not answered by him: for except in the Gospels of S. Mark, and Luke, the manner, and term of his ASCENSION is not to be found, and not without reason is it in them, and ommitted here; for S. Luke, having in his Gospel drawn his Genealogy from Mary, of the house and lineage of David, making him thence to be owned for a King, it was needful to commemorate his entrance into heaven, as into his Kingly palace; and Mark beginning with his Priestly Office. (viz.) of his preaching the Kingdom of God, it was suitable thereunto, to bear in record, that he entered heaven▪ as into his holy Temple to interced for the tribs of the world. But Matthew and John speaking of him as the Son of God, and as one that came from God, (besides that each Evangelist as he writ observed what the other had omitted, or largely handled, and accordingly as one abridgeth, or enlargeth his own history,) Leaves the Faithful to infer the necessity of his return into heaven, as to his native Country▪ and of being in heaven, as the proper seat of God the holy Gospel throughout radicating the truth of this, and abundantly making good, the inference, all which S. John saw, he writing his Gospel after his three holy Coleagues had finished, ended, and published their several Evangels.  
BUT if any would have a sight of him ascending, as there are many who doth not; yet eats with us, drinks with us, goeth to the Mountain, and Olivet of our Temple, yet wants that beautiful Spectacle, as did the carnal jews in the text, who understanding all things Nichodemicaly, that is carnally, derided this supposition; but if you would answer this, what and if, with an O that I might see the Son of Man ascend where he was before, then pursue the acquisition of such Gifts the Apostles were endued with, before it came to pass, which were Magnanimity and Courage, Longanimity and Patience, Unity & Concord The first made them keep together, though their Master and Shepherd had been smitten, separating but in fits, and starts, as men in distemper, the second hushed all disturbances, strife and discord; none cheked Peter for his fall, he blamed none for cowardice, whence flowed Unity and Love; their Master's last appearance being at their dinner, so to speak, when they were at meat: And ought not the memory of the ASCENSION to be attended with a religious banquet? since its last service was ushered in with a Table ready furnished) a little after which they see him again no more: and truly if our eating and drinking be for the glory of God, which shall be, when strength only is expected from them, his service in our general and particular calling, we need not scruple, but if two, or three, or one, be in holy discourse, meditation, in soberness, (I mean not poor dishes, for there may be prodigality in wooden platters, and gluttony over the coursest bread) thankfulness, frugality, piety, and unity, it is impossible to miss the company or want the presence, of Jesus neither ought there to be a despondency, for the truth of the ASCENSION shall, and will, be evidenced unto those, with whom these accomplishments are at board.  
LET the Zealous, discover faith in his conversion, preserve hope until the consummation, and a manifest love in his conversation; Bethany, his obedience, shall so clear the eyes, that this flight from Olivet shall be known in all its spiritual effects and steps, for the hearts more ravishing, because refined joy, delight, and satisfaction, making the tongue to cry after him Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thy Arm, Cant, 8.6. that is, Lord remember me now thou art going to thy Kingdom.  
IN the year of grace 1608, three Ships called the Ascension, Union, and Good hope, sailing near the Cape of good hope, had the fate all to perish; the Union first perished, next Good-hope, last of all the Ascension; that aspiring minds having great hope, and dangerous ploddings, have perished in their hope when almost arrived at their wished-for-port, and Cape of their contrived design, i● notor, to those who are not strangers in our Coast, yea to our shame; Strangers best know it; Union we have already lost; in our dangerous discords, miserably increasing, and scandalously spreading: Yet we pretend to Hope, and makes a livelihood from it, for Faction and variance; but having so oft been under water, and it itself dashed and broken to pieces, might be justly called Conceit, and we Phrygian-like aught to be wise behind hand, and weather it out no longer, but take harbour, lest we lose, that is, forfeit the benefit of the ASCENSION, having only a fancied presumption, of felicity to come.  
GOD avert the ominous application of ●his instance, and unit us again, by the Spirit to an holy Union, in which only we can have ●rue hope secured and then our ASCENSION will be ascertianed; by which we shall ●e ever with the Lord, in the Lord, and af●er a troublesome sea & deluge of a tumultuous hurly-burly, the Ark of our Soul, will rest ●o that Arrarat, those mountains of Spices above, saving the Cargo of a good conscience, by Anchoring in the Indian shore, of heavens rich and glorious enjoyment.  
THE Emperor Sigismond having pro●ed successful in several battles against the ●arks, dignified many of his martial Worthies with the Knighthood of the Dragon, their Device being a Dragon falling headlong.  
RESEMBLE a Saints progress toward jerusalem to a land-journey, through a vast, waist, and howling Wilderness: comparatively th● whole Earth being no other, yet no Misprision from within, no false Information from without, no Hellish Combination encompassing, need cause a retreat: for all of those in the Dragon already cast from Heaven are overcome, Revel. 12. Their attempts against the Woman and the Remnant of her seed that is, the Church▪ her Sons and Daughters, are but wriggling of that old Serpent's tail, since his head was wounded: be not precipitate, be not afraid, Lyon●nd ●nd Adder, the young Lion and the Dragon shall you trample under feet as speaks the old Testament, Psal, 91. That is, shortly bruise Satan under your feet, as prophesieth the new, Rome▪ 16. For Christ must sit▪ that is, he must Reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet. A worthy saying of that great Apostle of the Gentiles, 1 Cor. 15.   

MYSTERIUM PIETATIS, OR THE MYSTERY OF THE DESCENDING OF THE HOLY GHOST, Unfolded and applied. 

Pentecost-day-May 22. Tolbooth Church▪ 1670.  
Whitsun-May 22. Tolbooth Church▪ 1670.    JOHN XX. XXII. 
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and saith unto them, Receive ye the HOLY GHOST.  
AMONG other promises given by our LORD unto his Disciples, for their support in the tidings of his departure, that of the Father is ●aid to be one, which was their being baptised with the Holy Ghost, Acts 1.4 5. and that from heaven which had been revealed to joel, Chap. 2.28. by the Father, and also to the the world by the Son, who had given the Spirit to his Followers; but the Father having promised a more ample manifestation, it is peculiarly fixed to him by the Son who as a preparative thereunto from above, breathes here upon them beneath, the Spirit being the Soul of the Church, without it, you must imagine it to be only a Carcase, that Article of the holy Catholic Church being a depending one, the holiness thereof relying upon her Relation in, and towards that of the Holy Ghost.  
THOUGH as a bride she be betrothed to the Son, yet it's the Spirit maketh her the Lambs wife, as believing she is Baptised unto Christ, yet wanting the confirmation, unction, or blessing of the Spirit, there is no inward sanctity, which being ordained to be gradualy given, it is recorded in one place to be less plentifully, and in another, to be more miraculously infused, as before, and after, our Lord's Ascension, is evident in many places, and particularly in this: wherefore it is expedient to behold, how the Apostles received here the Spirit, and how afterward, and how we may be said as Sanctified to receive the Spirit now, that we may pass from the infancy, and weak condition of merely in●ant Baptism, and to become adult, in possessing the thing thereby signified; even the sprinkling by, or baptisms of the, Holy-Ghost, as by fire; that as washed and heated, we may become so enlivened, as the Lord may have pleasure in our beauty, and delight to dwell in our very bodies, as Temples for himself; His altar our mind spiritualised, his Sacrifice our good works, the fire devouring that Sacrifice, being that of Compunction for sin, and zeal for his glory.  
THESE two words, Holy Ghost, express the holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, when together; for if separated, the Father, and the Son, are holy, and the Father and angels are Spirits, but when united, they respect, a duplicated operation and double office of the third person, performed upon them who are chosen vessels unto Glory; in making them holy, and in giving them life, breath, or spirit: by which they become living souls, Ghost, or Guest, being a name synonymous to all Spirits; but ●elly, or holy, to him by way of excellency, who proceeding from the Father and the Son, as breathed forth, and being every w●y holy fitteth his name to his nature, the suitableness whereof being eminent, he is denominat in our new style, thought more refined then the old, the Holy Ghost, receiving other Names, from other properties, as wind, fire, the finger of God, the comforter, the spirit of Truth▪ the holy spirit, which the Apostles are commanded to receive, not as though they had formerly wanted, him, for they preached, wrought wonders cast out Devils, a power that flowed from his In-being, and during Christ's abode, but he being upon his ascending, qualifieth them now this second time, for the work of the Ministry, in remitting of sin, in binding the obstinate for sin, in interpreting the Scripture, for their greater assurance and fuller consolation, because of his absence about Prophecies and typ●, as the election of Mathias, in the place of judas from the mouth of David doth famously make evident.  
YET it is no great cause of offence to affirm, that here they are breathed upon to dispose their minds already sanctified for the Spirits reception, in a more solemn manner in the days of Pentecost.  
MOREOVER a religious melancholy, seizing on the vitals of their Spirits▪ and belief of their Masters proceeding from, or ascending to the Father, in, and for, their behalf, the Spirit being a pledge of Salvation, the strength and life of the Soul, is here given by an apt similitude of a breath (fo● as the visible body of Christ was not God, so neither is the breath here felt, to be estimate the spirit) to confirm them, that as the breath came from him, so should, or so did the Spirit proceed from him likewise: which the Greek Church to this day denys, affirming his procedure from the Father only, which is seen, say some, in their punishment, in loo●ing their Imperiable City Constantinople, their Emperor, Crown and Kingdom, being taken by the Turk upon this day in the Calendar, An. Dom. 1237. wherein the nature, gifts, and proceeding of the Holy Ghost, are taught, explained, and truly commemorat, in the Orthodox, and Latin Church.  
MANY good things our Saviour had taught, especially about his Death, and Resurrection, which the Spirit was appointed to bring to their Remembrance; the brain of man in itself being naturally dull hereby is cleared, and as his birth purifieth ours, as his life instructeth ours, as his death destroyeth ours, as his Resurrection precedeth ours, and as his Ascension prepareth ours, so his sending down of the Holy Ghost, helpeth us mightily, in the reflecting upon these things against all infirmity whatsoever; oiling the wheels of the Soul, making that lift up itself, being otherwise bowed down, and by this is said▪ Woman or man thou art loosed from thy infirmity, causing them still look forward, o● like a religious pulley, still haleing, or pulling the soul heaven-ward to a loving of spiritual things, contrary to the carnal mind spiritually: hence the Sunday betwixt his Ascension and the Spirits descension, is called from the entrance of the twenty eight Psalms, Dominica exaudi, as if from that time the Church of old, and yet now, had been still calling, praying for, and expecting a fuller portion of the Spirit, this breath being but the first fruits, until the harvest, a taste only of Canaeans grapes, a warm breath, a refreshing gale, until the mightier and rushing wind should blow, when jesus had been glorified.  
THERE are two principal parts of the body (viz.) head and heart, to which in the soul corresponds, the understanding and the will, it being led and moved by these as greater wheels, and God in his Church hath to both of these in resemblance, Christ and the Spirit, the head and heart of his Congregation, for understanding of, and being guided unto the things concerning life, and by these we know he loveth us and by that knowledge procureth in us Love and joy by divine illumination toward himself, the Spirit being that Regius, or great Divinity Professor, teaching from within, the mysteries of God: for what ever David the Psalmist▪ Amos the Prophet, Daniel the Prince, Pe●er the fisher, Samuel the S●er, or any other Priest, Prophet, or Patriarch, taught, were but lecturs of his composing, words of his frameing, sentences of his drawing up, directing how to believe, how to live▪ how to walk, and how to talk, how to love, and how to adore, how to weep, and how to pray, all with admireable wisdom, holy zeal and fervent charity.  
THE Spirit was here given, about the Resurrection, before the Ascension, after which the sp●ce of ten days, reckoning from the fortie●h, that is, from the Passeover, for he was given again▪ so that we are to observe the feast of Pentecost, when the HOLY GHOST came from heaven, whereby they, as all good men are, made to look up, before which we must meet and assemble, so receiving it in the Word, breathed upon us on Earth, this doubling of the Spirit, being like the twofold Commandment, of loving God who is in heaven, and loving man who abideth upon Earth, yet it's but one command, acting on different objects; so it's also one Spirit, given, and acting, for different things, or, for discovery of that one great thing the Trinity.  
FOR the Son having been visibly known among men, the Father also revealed by the things that are seen, there remained one thing to enforce the certainty, and existence of three Persons, that was the appearance of the HOLY GHOST▪ who had once come, as unto Noah's ark, like a dove in the evening of the world upon Christ the Lord, expressing the meekness, peaceablnesse, harmlessness, of them who are as houses inhabited by him, this was at his baptism: the next, as is thought, was in a cloud, strengthening his constancy glorifying his purity, and heating his fervency, this was at his transfiguration; A third was by a breath for animating a perplexed, little flock about the removal of himself from them, a few days before his Ascension; A fourth was in fire, in tongues, and this was after his glorious Session at the right hand of the Majesty on high, giving them a noonday knowledge, to understand all Scripture, power over all Devils, wisdom against all Philosophers, Eloquence against all Orators, Patience against all Torments, Gifts to convert all Nations, Confidence in the love of God, for subduing of unruly lusts, Grace for persevering in all good works; Lastly, joy, in the peace of a good conscience, through Christ and him crucified, whence it is said, they were all filled with the HOLY-GHOST, in contradistinction, to those portions, or draughts, they had received before, so diminute that it's said, the HOLY-GHOST was not yet given, (q. d.) in that ample and miraculous measure, because jesus was not glorified, John 7.19.  
WHICH when done, they are quasi overcharged, and Speaking, were thought drunk, that is, intoxicated: which in a trope they were, but not as the Jews supposed with wine, but with the new-wine of the Spirit; wherewith the old bottles of corrupted self, could not be brimmed, the Vine, whence it flowed, being above, the liquor whereof stup●fied not the brain, but transmented the Soul, no● causing staggering, but confirming in faith, and joy, as in the City, by that River which maketh glad the City of God, which they renewed, by wind, fire, and tongues, were capacitate to drink of, the one blowing away the chaff, the other heating the Spirit, giving light also to the dark chamber of vain Imagination, the last promoting to speak refinedly, persuadingly, being cleansed from carnal sordidness, and earthly selfishness, delighting in no talk, but of the wonderful works of God.  
IT is usual with Expositors, to show the analogy between things themselves▪ and that which is represented by those things: In how many ways the Paschall Lamb and Christ doth agree, the Red-Sea and baptism, the Cross and the braze● Serpent, jesus and Aaron, David and joseph, is not of our province▪ but how aptly doth wind represent the operation of the HOLY GHOST in those upon whom he cometh, if you weigh those particular workings, in the conscience, by proportionating them according to its quarterly effects.  
DOTH the South wind ordinarily bring warm showers and rain, by vapours drawn from the Midle-Sea, heated by the Sun's fervency in the Equator for fructifying the earth? It is as evident that the Spirit shall no sooner convince of sin, and say to the sinner; Thou art the Man, than rivers of waters will run down my eyes, said David, because they, that is, my eyes keep not thy Law, Psal, 119. 136. Marry Magdelen was we●t further than the skin, and Peter is said to make furrows in his cheeks. O thou that made me, have mercy ●pon me; was a form of prayer, appointed a luxurious wanton, but then a penitent Tha ●s, for procuring mercy, as not daring to pronounce God; What fruitful showers hath the Spirit made in the valley of an humble and depressed Saint, Making the rain to fill the pools, causing Grace, even when stocked, to grow as the grass, and seed in prayer, supplication, intercession, for all Saints the most obdured weeping so loud, that the house of Pharaoh, that is, the Court of heaven hears, and are admitted into that favour, as to be assured of the best fruits of the Land  
THE North wind derives away rain, Pro. 25.23. And when clouds of fears and doubts, threaten a spiritual tempest, dark thoughts gathering and the glory of the Lord (the light, peace, and comfort of the Soul) preparing to remove, the conscience lying as the ashes of the Sacrifice, on the North side of the altar, in solitary sadness, digesting its own perplexities, to nourish heart-biting anguish; How hath the Spirit becalmed the Air? in his serens breathe, scattering the portentous clouds, that had a sound of abundance of rain, keeping the Soul within the Pale▪ or enclosure of eternal Election, whereby the chilling blasts of terren disasters, or spiritual desertions, do but cause it di●e the deeper, procuring greater evidence, and from vocation concluding, 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, were it myself (who at this time is made unwilling to be parted) shall be able to separat from the love of God, Rome, 8.39. Who saith unto Evil, come not nigh this man's dwelling; David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. Sam. 30.6. And job at last, was re-installed, and enjoyed more than Halcyon-like tranquillity, in the field and bosom of his own conscience.  
OBSERVE the west-wind, and to herbs and flower● it is so good, that one of its name is Favonions, for rendering so many favours, being not so moist as the South, nor so corroding as the E●st; so is the Spirit influencing the soul, for exciting to the delectableness of handsomely contrived purposes, causing God delight in man, and again man to delight in God, the grand scope of its enlarged acts, that as the Heliotropis to the Sun, so it turneth to the spirits motion; Imprinting upon the man's observer, and Surveyer of his paths, positions proving his growth in grace; All which emergeth, purely from the virtue of the Sun of righteousness, not from the sullenness of rigid opinion, which is to be hated, ●qualy to the sordidness of the profligat sinner, both being Spots and blemishes, in the Church of God, uniting to infester the commendable tract of virtue; and religious complacency, the one giving it an ill name, the other contriving its final overthrow.  
MARK the strength of the East wind, and you shall find it employed in eminent services, as in dividing of the Red-Sea▪ Exod. 14.21. For bringing the Locusts upon Egypt, Exod. 10.13. For breaking the ships of Tarshis, Psal. 48 7. And blasting of the seven ●ars of Corn in Pharaohs dream, Gen. 41.6. Yet all this is but the mightiness of a creature: but when men imperiously are advancing with full sails of profane intentions for executing villainous undertake, this Spirit (the Creator of all things) will convince them, arrest them, and cause them become a Mogul missabib, a terror to themselves, because of terror round about, and blast them in their greatest rankness, empting them also in their greatest fullness, and coaling them in their most passionate hea●s: as Laban, when charged not to do ill, not to speak ill, Gen. 31.29. It shaketh the roots of the st●ff●st, and bloweth away the sails and cables of the flesh's highest confidence, making some, to cry out with Saul, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do & others with David? It is good for me that I was afflicted, and may be with Reuben, to roar out, and I, whether shall I go? Gen, 37.30.  
HOW again from the intestins of a secure and becalmed conscience, it hath raised Hyrricans of fears; and terrible outcries, came from the jailor, What shall I do to be saved? Acts, 16.30. And here blue upon the Apostles, that all stratagems before feared of the jewish malice, were hushed and gone, for by this did their throats, as from a Trumpet; give an alarm to all the world, to separate from an untoward generation, and added so to the Church, that three thousand were either by believing as Adult, or by baptising as in infants, in one day, made members of his body, who is all in all; and these abounded so in good works, that they had all things common, (i. e.) for use, not in property, Acts▪ 2. coaling their otherwise angry, and feavorish souls, inflamed against the doctrine of Christ crucified, they opening their hearts, giving their bodies to be washed in holy baptism, by both being exceedingly refreshed, eating their bread with gladness and joy of heart.  
THE Prophet got a charge to cry, Come from the four winds: O breath! and breath upon those slain that they may live, and accordingly 〈◊〉 their was a ●oice, a shaking and a re-enliv●●ing, Sin hath made a Charnel house of each structure, a slaughter house of each Family, having slain all in them, with the weapon of unbeleif, and O! that the spirit in purifying by grace, in gracious prayer, in full assurance of faith, were given to each one for themselves and for the good of all others, to stand in this valley of Earth, which is but a valley of bones and those dry: and who can tell if they can live? Though ●hey may cry: Come, 〈◊〉 Spirit and breath of God, from the East, that we may see and know ourselves to be sinners: renewing and sanctifying by hope▪ from the west to understand, that our iniquities have caused a setting of our Sun of consolation, having lost the beams and rays of Fatherly love, and dwelling in darkness. From the South that showers of tears, from our eyes through bitterness of sorrow, for the grossness of our misbehaviour▪ and from the North, that we may behold the ruddy countenace of an Angry God, and the bow which he threatens; Inverted, its true, and unstringed, yet long shall not be so, if his patience be not answered in our amendment, and fear cause penitency, for a voiding so dreadful an arrow, as sentence to eternal flames, or formidable mischief from so omnipotent ●n arm, who can even clothed in flesh, make us feel the sting of his displeasure; in first blowing, and then kindling the very first streams of hell within us, as he did in despairing judas, and vagabonding Cain.  
IT is true, we pretend much to the Spirit, and braves out reproof, yea censure upon that score; anticipating in conceit Heaven's joy, by the assurances we brag already to have possessed from especial evidence above, as if the mighty wind had already blown upon us: whereas we are yet carnal, and sold under sin, having not that noted nimbleness, to perform all Religious exercise, clearly observed to be in them, who answer the Spirits call: for though with the Publican, we may come down from the tree of some conceited excellencies, possibly our due and birthright; by washing the Saints feet, visiting the sick, feeding the hungry, binding up the wounded; yet really we sadly behold, that through some opinion, or nice punctilio: we adjourn attendance upon God in express duty, either altogether, or approach with reluctancy until with him in the Gospel, We first bury our father▪ Matth. 8.21. which equally with him maketh us unfit for the Kingdom of God▪ for no sooner did the wind blow, than the Apostles were inspired immediately; not about the restoring of the Kingdom to Israel, but of Israel's enjoyment of the Kingome; the promise (v●z.) of Heaven, not of the Earth, being to them and to their children, the Spirit hating dull delay, wherefore it was also a sudden sound from Heaven, making them strait heavenly; the sound being before the spirit, for gathering in of their Spirits, causing intense attendance upon that which was to be revealed; the sound from Heaven, making them heavenly minded; the sound from Heaven, coming suddenly, confirms the Doctrine of the spirits averseness from sloth; the sound from Heaven that came suddenly, was of a rushing mighty wind: the wind rushing causing spiritual awe, & mighty, to excit their depressed; and it may be desponding souls, and wind to purge their hearts from filth, and blow away what in them was lurking, to detard from that employment, which by the Spirit they were intended for; and for which, like full vessels they were filled▪ so as no earthly thing could enter, there wanting room; no temptation▪ make them rail, sound, or roar as empty they being filled.  
WHICH deliberately considered, deplorable inferences must be inferred, touching the sad mistake of too ●oo many; whose opinion only, is the alone significant thing before others, causing them to be accounted Saints, or some conceit in themselves, which ground● only to themselves, the certainty of their future glory; which error shall be to its possessors, I might say Admirers; what the voluptuous life of the Sophist Isaeus was to him, which how delightful soever at first; yet at last bemoaned his being Tantalised, that is, supposed to find good, and rejoiced in its proximity; yet still went without▪ and was at last frustrate of all hopes thereby being, but dreams and shadows; for as all is not gold that glisters, so neither is every thing that ravishes, by and by, to be termed Divine: Nor wha● affects, yea comforts the heart, to be presently surnamed types of Heaven; yet where Dexterity, Agility in the things of God, are accompanied with Purity, Peace, joy, and Heavenly mindedness, as in the Apostles here▪ its a p●●gnant proof of the in-being of the Spirit, and coming down of the HOLY-GHOST, whence comforts truly, originat and fl●w, etc.  
TWO thousand and odd years, had man's Ambition exposed him to infamy, Lewdness, and Idolatry; by God's confounding languages at Babel, stopping then from perfecting that jointly intended Tower, by dividing their speech, which at this day again, was transferred by plurality of tongues; unto a blessing, the Spirit diverssifying the Apostles tongues, not to disturb the world, b●t advance the Church, in propagating Faith the readier; that there needed no Interpreter, every Preacher being furnished with the gift of every tongue, to speak to the multitude of the devout, that jesus was the Christ: Uniting them again to be of one mind, and one accord, for edifying themselves in love, and one another in the holy Faith, which is a strong Tower of defence, as the Name of the LORD, Prov. 18.10. and whose top indeed reacheth up to Heaven; each Convert being as a stone to the building, and united by the Cement of the Blood of the Eternal Covenant, laid on by the hand of the Spirit, who can as here, turn ill to good, by drawing good from it, whether for man's profit, or his Maker's honour, as Levi's curse, in being scattered; occasionally through grace, made the Lord to be his portion, and be sanctified for Priest unto the Tribes, Numb. 3.12.  
CONFOUNDING of Languages made the whole Earth to be peopled, each company flocking, planting, building, together according to that understanding they had of their neighbour's speech, which now brought great things to pass for the Almighty's praise; all Nations beholding these unlettered men, from Heaven in an instant, promptly uttering the good things of Peace and Reconciliation, with Him who first confounded them, and of Reconciliation and Peace, with all who were confounded with them; all tongues expressing this one thing, Love the Brethren, 1 Pet 3.8. As Christ hath loved you, and given himself for you.  
THE tongue, is a purifying, mundifying member, it can lick out viscuous matter, can suck out putrid and infection's corruption from the body, as did that of the Lady Ellenor, wife to that Prince of Chivalry Edward Prince, afterward Edward the first, of England, her Lord being engaged, and fortunate in the Holy war, was almost assassi●nate by a Turk, being wounded with a poisoned knife, with which the Prince slew the Attemper, but Physicians despairing of his own recovery, the noble Lady (her Lord sleeping) is said, to suck and draw the venom forth, recovering her Husband, she herself not being endangered thereby. The tongue, is a tasting member, by i● we know the white of an egg, to be unsavoury, it is a speaking member, the Hieroglyphic of a word among the Egyptians, was a tongue and by it we bless God, at this day, and alas, by it also we curse men, setting it on fire as from hell, to reform which and virtuate the doctrine of the Gospel for drawing forth of the Soul, the deadly poison of Atheism and profaneness by pravity, and exemple thrust upon us, and put in us, by those watchful lusts, and vigilant adversaries, of our Lord, and of our souls, because, we would regain that jerusalem, that Royal City of pure and Holy peace with God, which hath been wrested out of our hands by Turk-like force Tyrrany and Cunning:  
FOR draining us of such putrid filthiness, and the whole world, is the Spirit represented in that shape, the first fruits whereof, appeared in that first, and Famous Sermon of S. Peter, whose tongue had been but a few weeks before, so glib for lying and cursing, now fluently detects the monstruous deformity, of the Jews bloody Zeal, and bridles their passion, yea, from convinced guilt, oblidgeth them so fare to renounce there former impieties, against Christ, honoured and blessed of his brethren, as to rejoice in the knowledge of him Crucified, craving remission of sin thereupon, to the Churches ineffable glory, the accession of Multitudes to her banner, upon that score dispiriting her opposers, and creating fear upon every soul, beholding the stupendious wonders, wrought by the Power, Hands, and Tongues, of such, whom the wise of the world, though not worthy of veneration.  
BEFORE Christ died his Apostles feet were washed, John 1●. 5. For exact, circumspect, and clean walking, and after he ascended, he cleanseth their tongue, for Prudent, Holy, and Pure talking, consulting in all their converse, with truth, verity, and love; That as it is naturaly placed between the heart, and head, so its motion should be regular by there consent, being seasoned with salt▪ Colos. 4.6. That is, gracefulness, and discretion, flowing from mature deliberation, and wise for-thinking, not hurried to the violation of precepts, by the winds of passion, but consult, and complete what from duty, and charity, upon holy and sober inspection, we shall find incumbent for our place and calling; Not swelling in rancour, but always, remembering the proverb of the Arabs, being wary, lest our tongues cut our throats: For can it be questioned, but that Dives, was the more tormented in his tongue, that he had scandelously offended in that member, which walking in uvo, (i. e.) lying in moisture, is the more prone to glid, & glib fiery in colour, edged, as a sword, therefore by nature sheathed in lips and teeth, quenched with water, God setting more guards, and closer Centurys, about it, than other parts of the body, arguing its freity, and unrulyness;  
TONGVES resting upon the first preachers of the Gospel, and probably upon others also, the contexture of the History, Acts, 1.15. being grounded from the hundreth and twenty, and not reading how Stephen, Philip, and the other Deacons received the HOLY GHOST, a more conjectural time is hardly to be found, than the Pentecost, I say tongues resting at first upon those Holy Teachers, indicats how the Spirit trieth and designeth, their willing condiscending, to those generous rules of refined language, and what he says to them, he says unto all, Take heed unto your ways that ye sin not with your tongue, Psal, 39.1. The image whereof, as it were growing from, because rooted, in a serpent's tail, with the inscription quo tendis? whether goest thou? was of old, an Emblem, of those unhappy issues, men were brought into, whose tongues were not poised, with premeditation, and wise government, which yet must not be thought identical, with carnal subtlety, or that selfish principle of fawneing flattering, and caressing any, in unjust practices, for sensual, and proper advantages, there being a time of, and for speaking, as well as a time of silence, and restraining of the tongue▪ which cannot be more pertinently said, (though more properly) to be set on fire of hell, then when it is employed, by the Devil or bribed, by his emissaries, to stand mute, and not defend, the truth under pressure, or to utter words of slander, Calumny, Atheism, and Blasphemy, lyingly, or wickedly engaging men into Hellish broils, dangerous garboils, glorying in the bravery, and finness of Satanical Rhetoric, boasting because we have outrailed, and it may be silenced, our Brother, not convinced, not converted but heated by our words, as by coals of juniper, (which kindled once, burneth even some months after) Devil like, leaves off speaking▪ in not answering again, for a season, purposeing afterward in fiery rage, to work revenge even unto blood.  
IF the tongue be the glory of a man, how shamefully do some abuse their glory, and tread there honour in the dust? Let thy talk Reader hereafter, and thy silence also, be such, as is fit for Saints, and worthy of God, symbolising with Crucigerious of the Last age, who spoke oft to his Friends, about Christian Doctrine of the wonderful preservation of the Church, of immortality, and the ●ope of glory, which and the like thereto, shall evidence the Spirit to have sat upon thy head (as the tongues rested on the Apostles,) ignorance evanishing, and the mutinies that so oft hath risen in Societies, formerly about questions of honour and preferment, of sitting at the right hand; and who should be the greatest (one great cause of our late calamity) shall be dashed, quieted, and repent for; all agreeing to talk of the wonderful works of God following jesus our Captain and our Master, whom we have oft mistake, and misinterpreted, but now having a true light, and purchased a perfect Idea of things Mystical, by ou● zealous yet sober behaviour, by our holy yet peaceable deportment, clear to the Multitude, that in truth we have been with jesus, and received the earnest Spirit.  
THE tongues are said to be cloven Acts, 2.3. Not divided, for that were Babel, but dimidiated as it were, double pointed; since there was Heresies to confute, sin, to detect, Exhortations to be given; reproofs to be made, reason would have them to be gifted for this work, and needful it wa●, to show there invisible endowments, different gifts, inwardly possessed, by this outward and visible appearance; the multiplicated number whereof, discovering the variety of those languages which, by the spirit they were to instruct in, whether to jew or Gentile, employed in the Mystery, from the dimidiatness of the same tongues, forkednesse, or cleft in them, these two nations, thereby to be united, and Law, and Gospel, though seemingly different, to be joined into one root, as proceeding from one cause (viz.) our Lord jesus Christ.  
THIS was known to the multitude of believers out of all nations dwelling at jerusalem, much about the time, Christ was expected by the studious Jews themselves, and by those, now truly gifted brethren, who having the true sense, or marrow of the law, which is nothing but the pith of the Gospel, could work the hearts of the observers of either, to know, and embrace both; yea properly to infer each others duty, and there own requisite practice from what they heard imposed upon the one, or known formerly revealed to the other, as David's sepulchre with Peter's Exposition doth excellently make offer, and convinceingly prove.  
YET not in this only, but in the circumstance of time, did the Law, and Gospel harmoniously unit, for these things happened in the days of Pentecost, one of the three solemn feasts of the Jews, so called, as being the fiftieth day from the Passeover, in which day, the law was given from Mount Sina; in fire, God speaking out of the cloud; But that law being broke fiftieth days after the rising of our Saviour, at the Passeover, who then as a Lamb did take away the sins of the world, God the HOLY-GHOST came down in fire; that is, in fiery tongues, to imprint a new education of his law in the hearts of the true Israelite, yet with this excellent, and comfortable difference that as Moses yields to Christ, so must Sinai, to Zion, here was fire only, their fire and smoke, there was clouds, darkness, and earthquakes, accompanied with fear and trembling, Sinai itself quaking; But in Zion only a sound, as of a mighty wind, to prepare the receivers, and cloven tongues, uniting jew and Gentile, the boundiary of the wilderness, being pulled up, and variety of tongues persuaded the scattered abroad, that God had given the Kingdoms of this world, to his dear Son, that in a spiritual sense, not Israel only, but the Earth might become the Lords, and the fullness thereof, typified, by that multitude gathered, and converted by the heat, fireynesse▪ yet harmlessness, of the Saints, charity and ardour, having received the remission of sin, and that from heaven, the self same day their Fathers received the law, against which they had transgressed; for both was at the time o● Pentecost, as may be demonstrated in computing the time thus;  
THE people came from Egypt on the 14 day of the month, there, therefore remained 16 days for travel (the Hebrews always reckoning 30 days for a month) the first day of the third month, they came to Sinai, 30 days of the second month being accounted, there will with this be found 47 days, than the People's encamping, Moses going up to God, his returning again to the people, for clear calculation, is called one day, which is 48, in which going up again to the Mount, he is ordered by God, to order the people's being ready against the third day, which will make the 50. ●n which God appeared, for reckoning from the people's want of bread or fall of Mannah, is uncertain and may be erroneous, this is more clear▪ and evidenceth the Anology better, betwixt that fire from God by the Ministry of Angels: and writing his law on tables of stone, and that by fire in the descending of the Spirit, that came one the 50 day after the slaying of the Passover Christ jesus, writing his law upon the tables of the hearts of men, in a fuller, fairer, larger, and more clear Character, typ, or impression, but note this reckoning is inclusive, the other not.  
THE Persians and some other nations, adored the fire for a god, because of its excessive power, and force, in resolving matters combustible how great soever, into its own substance, and being; and usually it's accounted the most noble among elements, being as the heavens among bodies, the sun among planets, yea it's purgeing operation made it of old to be the heirogliphick of purity, as if they had known, the world itself, was to be cleansed thereby: but how hath the fire of the Spirit from jerusalem enlarged itself? making the frosted heart of the unbelieving world, even to glow while it talks, of the Cross from heaven, which is one of the three things, by wise men admired in the earth, looking upon the Resurrection, and Ascension, far short in comparison of that conquest the Holy Ghost hath made of the Grandees of the Nations, in their honourable receiving of that doctrine, from the mouths of plain men, so contrary to the hair of natural inclination; and mark it, where ever the Spirit cometh, it comes ordinarily by the sound of the Gospel, and by its heat, we are assured of his reception, a heart touched, a heart pricked, is but a heart heated, a heart opened; when a man cries what shall I do? with Peter's converts Acts 2.37. or take away the iniquity of thy Servant, with David 2▪ Sam. 24.10. surtiship may be offered that the Spirit hat● spoken in a saveing way, but if it be a complaint of the punishment with Cain, or a remove the ●r●gs with Pharaoh, be not rash in Cauto●ry, this being a Legal, not a Gospel expression, far from that request of creating a clean heart, which the jews compareth to the Holy of Holies, to Solomon● throne, to Moses●ables ●ables, and truly displays, that the wickedness is done away, by the Spiri●s inhabiting, his resting therein, and writing thereupon, the doctrine of pardon and remission; providing the man separate himself from an untoward generation Acts 2.40.  
IT'S said the Spirit sat upon each of them, in which it differs, from that unclean Spirit, that goeth about, compassing the earth to and fro, seeking rest, but findeth none, whereas holiness is pacifique serene, tranquilling, consolidating, the heart in which he dwells, making it calm in itself, and causing quietness towards all others, condemning Ambition, Covetousness, Hatred, Envy, Vanity, and what ever else, tends to the Church's disturbance; in which the Spirit rests, sitting in it, as upon a Throne purposing to reign, as on a Tribunal, resolving to judge, as on a Chair purposing to instruct, for all which, in all ages to come, he represented his undertaking, on this day, establishing himself upon the Apostles heads, as by fire, clearing them from the rust of Error, the filth of Corruption, that as Patterns, as well as Preachers, they might be examples of Sanctity to their own generation, and give infallible rules for obtaining happiness unto all posterity for ever.  
COMPUNCTION of heart and remission of sin, are both from the Spirit of God, and is that new wine which shall only be put in the new bottles of a regenerated soul, whereby they shall do, and speak, as the Spirit shall prompt them, I had almost said, as the Spirit give them utterance, as here the Apostles: for we find, the whole house was filled with the rushing wind, the Majesty of the Holy Ghost, excluding all in-maets, and though each Apostle, had the sanctified operation of the Spirit, filling every angle and corner of the soul, as the understanding with Faith, the will with Love; and that sin or Devil might be exiled, the hands with Promptitude, the feet with Solicitude, the eyes with Modesty, the tongue with Eloquence, the whole man with Prudence, the Faculty Concupiscible being filled with good, the Irascible with courage, the Rational with verity, though they had all gifts and were all filled, yet they spoke as the spirit gave them utterance, some had five, others had two talents and S. Paul abounded, and spoke with tongues more than they all: whereby he who expects the gifts bestowed unto all, ought not to caresse himself, or hug, and embrace himself in the deceiving hopes of a rich, ample, and perfect possession of the Spirit here, but rest satisfied with his gift, and with being one of the eleven, not envying Peter's singularity, (for he is particularly spoken of) and eminency, since a pinnace, a small yaught, shall land as well as a great ship, with full sail, under the conduct and flag of the Admiral.  
UPON the coast of the Whit-sea, there is a cap called Pentecost; and somewhat east of that, there is another called Bonae Fortunae (q d.) good-luck, let this day be any man's Pentecost, a time of gathering in, that is, of heeding the law, offering the first fruits of strength unto the Lord (as the Jews did this day of their corn) it shall, as Godliness, (hath the promise) every both for heaven, and earth, doing good to him, and not evil all the days of his life, by (pardon the alteration of the coast and similitude) giving him a trade wind for the port of his desired rest.  
IN this last age, we are not to look for miracles, by a sensible feeling of the rite, or significant ceremony here used, yet still Christ breathes on the Elect, enlargeing to that degree their bowels of Love, that they ●hew him always their faces, being averse neither to his Doctrine, nor to his Cross, yet forget not, that he ascended before the mighty strong wind blew in upon them; and that there may be no mistake, there are some ●pon whom the Spirit comes never, being ●eft in the ignorance of nature, coldness of the Earth, rawness of the flesh; there are o●hers upon whom he comes, but abides not, ●lowing only upon them, and no more, heats ●hem indeed, but as warm water, they are ●older soon after: he washeth them, yet afterward they go to the puddle, and are offensive ●s before; too others he cometh, and abideth fits upon them, liveth in them, fills them outwardly, with heavenly ardour, celestial ●eat, and by fire from above, causes them seem speaking Seraphims, and inwardly with wisdom, understanding, knowledge in the deepness whereof, they may be styled Che●ubims, yea gods in the likeness of men, and ●hose fiery ones too, this was for the Apostles.  
BUT alas we see not those signs to pass ●he fiery tongues of too many in this age at●nded with smoke and brimstone, the known fuel of Hell flames, it is but one of a City and two of a Trib, in whom we see the love of God (an evidence of the Spirit) which is known chiefly by the loving of man, who being ready for good works to both, and patient in suffering and enduring evil from both, and making progress from one degree of virtue to another, not falling back into perdition, in the sight of either, this is for us unto whom the Disciples are as lights, after they received the promise of the Father, as a gift from jesus in his triumphant chariot, the right hand of the Father, the Captain of our Salvation having led Captivity captive, giving gifts to men, to those then, to us now, more durable treasures, than those offered by the Roman conquerors of old, as Sanctity in fire, Purity in wind, Eloqution in tongues that a Hebrew man might in Roman Oratory, and with Attic Eloquence, publish Salvation to the respective people, and even persuade and reason them by the Spirit into everlasting bliss.  
I say by the Spirit, for unless he signify unto the heart, the preaching in the Air will little avail, neither shall ever he be Oraly instructed, for laying aside the weight that so easily besets, whose mind by the Spirit is not perfectly anointed, for discovering the reward designed for observers of the Law, he being the principal Master, Clearing the memory, Refining the Reason, Inclining the will: by the first, always minding us of God; by the second, directing how to apply him for our good, & because to him that knoweth his Master's will, and doth it not, there are appointed double strips: by the third he sweetly, willingly, and powerfully, draws us to the practice of the good we know, for our souls sake, and by the mercy of jesus, and by the fellowship of the Spirit, and this always, for tongues being the organ of expressing words, manifests the perpetuity of the things heard, which as by fire, are to be engraven, and melted into their head and heart, for their subsistence in them who are sanctified, as is published, in the Multitude of converts; their joy, their union, their increase, though under persecution.  
AFTER the Disciples return from Olivet we find them enter into an upper room, continuing in prayer, by some learned, thought to be the place where our Saviour instituted the blessed Sacrament of his body, confirmed Thomas in the faith of the Resurrection, and where the HOLY GHOST came down in fire upon this day; And was (as antiquity records) the Church and Synod-house of the Apostles, in jerusalem, called Coenaculum Zion, being first hallowed by our Lord's supper, and consecrate by other appearances for holy use, and service, a Church being builded thereupon, called the Church of Zion, on the top of the mount whereof, there yet remaineth some relics, confirming the History▪ and Tradition. In this place, the multitude of believers, about an hundreth and twenty; some of them possibly of our Saviour's own kindred, converts, and acquaintance in Jerusalem, met & prayed for the Election of Mathias: at which time surely God loved the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings in jerusalem, his foundation being in this Holy mount, 87. Psal. 1.2. Here was Mary the Mother of Jesus, & it may be Martha, Mary & Lazarus; who ever they were they continued in one accord, in prayer, Acts, 1.14. for if men give bread when their Children importunately ask from them, and afectionatly being at peace among themselves; How much more shall our heavenly Father, give the Spirit to such who call for him? especially if in sound faith, upright heart, chaste bosoms, holy groan, innocent think, with unwearied solicit? Which unweariedness, is intimated in the words they continued, the fire of the Spirit, burning up the stinging, withered Nettles of contention, the Thorns of worldly cares, the Heath or Heather of ●●ars and dejectments, opening the ground of soul and Spirit, for the seed of the good husband man, that they might be enriched with, ●nd bring forth fruit meet for repentance and ●mendment of life; blowing away, as with wind, the sandy vanity of self-conceit and opinion, hindering growth in grace and knowledge, and all trivial trash, sordidness, being either burned, or scattered, while the world is Satanized by lust, continuing in Gluttony, Drunkenness, Excess, Wantonness and Pride, these continue in prayer, peace, and expecting the promise, in high and ●ervent love; for the Spirit came down, and filled the house where they were sitting, that is, in quietness together, iniquity, passionatness, talkativeness, itch of disputing about words, which gender strif, contention and debate, the HOLY GHOST purposeng eternaly to be estranged from.  
THAT being known to them, and of us to be heeded, the Spirit expresseth more than once, after the Ascension, that the multitude met together in one accord, sueing for the acomplishment of the promise, which in few days, that is ten, they received, having asked with the mouth, for they prayed; with the heart, for being heavenly endowed, they wen● no more a fishing, but about the fullfilling of the Scripture, Judas being gone to his own place.  
THEY were in jerusalem likewise, which is by interpretation a City of Peace, being commanded not to depart thence until they received the promise of the Father, Acts 1.4. Christ purposing to glorify his Ascension, yea all his actings, with the greater splendour; for there was his greatest humiliation, the greatest pouring forth of his blood, the lowest bowing down of his Head, there at the Pasover, in sight of the Nations, did his Soul fly upward into Paradise, leaving a naked body in the hands of the Soldiers: and there again was his greatest exaltation, pouring forth his Spirit at the Feast of Pentecost, upon his despised Associates, the firstlings of whose conversion by his power, whom the Rulers had slain, but fifty days before in that same City, not only reviveing his memory, proveing his innocency, but convincing their Auditors, the inhabitants of bloodiness and sinfulness; they thereby becoming adorers of the Cross, managing the virtue and merits thereof, in gratifying the Father, that is, glorifying and pleasing God, by rejoicing because of, and in, the same, and of its extension unto all the world, the jew rejoicing in his own pardon, for crucifying the Lord of glory; the Gentile being glad, in partaking of that Salvation which was from the jews, joh. 4.22. both now understanding the Prophet in his Out of Zion shall go forth the Law, Isa. 2.3. and whence can it come fitter? since it's a Law making peace, then from jerusalem, a vision of peace, where Christ the Prince of peace, said once, peace be unto you, and again, peace be unto you, Joh. 20.21. that is, as I have found you in peace, I leave you in peace; and abiding in peace, the spirit of peace shall abide with you: for which, receive ye the HOLY GHOST.  
THE Trumpets of the Temple sounded every morning at the opening of the Gates, for assembling the devout unto Divine service; the Spirit being breathed upon the Apostles here, keeped them together, until the sound of a mighty wind alarmed them, and prepared them for more ample manifestation of his appearance; And surely what the Trumpet did, our Bells doth now, each thing and toll, saying, Gather yourselves together, Joel 2.2. and though gathering by many be not regarded, and by several reasoned and printed against; yet our falling from the shadow of Religious deportment, in shutting our ears against such solemn invitations to our Churches, hath not had among us, such alluring mercies, such beamings of heaven's acceptance, such self-denying, and sin-subduing characters, such warm breathe of Ghostly consolations, nor such examples, impulses, to purity and good works; but that yet we should go up to the house of the Lord, and call upon his Name with the remnant that are left.  
OUR Fiery tongues against Assemblies, and the Masters thereof, being indeed such, that is, fiery, rather than like as fire; God by them being dishonoured, and the multitude of the Nations enforced to conclude there from, that mystically we be drunk with the wine of astonishment and spirit of giddiness, having a knack of cursing, what ever we see contrary to our intentions, though urgently sought by us, or wishedly endeavoured; for what ever Providence doth with us, though, it may be, in the main conform to our prayers and fasts▪ yet in the end we pray and fast, yea curse and lie against it, since it is so well known, the Gall which now imbitters our lives, even to separation; is no other than that same Gall▪ that hath disrelished our former enjoyments: Our disquiet proceeding not so much from this or that object, as from our heeding the devil, who is come down, yea invited down amongst us, having great wrath; so that in some meetings, there is, it may be, a mighty rushing wind, and the sound of that throughout the land; but our sitting, that is, our abideing in that harmonious concord, peace, and love, attested as a badge of the Spirits future coming, not being seen▪ its fallacious to infer the possession of Holiness, though they should speak with Tongues and prophecy.  
OFT did the HOLY GHOST appear▪ but never in the shape of a ravening beast, or bird of prey; Oil is soft, a Dove is not invective, and the fire that came down at Pentecost, was without smoke; for that hurts the eyes, and likewise without natural heat, for it singed not a hair of the head, neither did the smell of fire pass on the Apostles; it being but like fire, an Element in which God had oft appeared, as to Moses, to Elias; the nature of it being adapt to signify the operation of the Spirit within these men for their own good, and benefiteing of others: which ardently they pursued, prudently instructing, and by Grace infusing in others, their own acquired, and infused perfections, as by fire, melting the hard heart, enlightening the ignorant, cleansing as from rust the idle and sluggish Soul, heating all through the love of ascending towards Heaven; which love as oil, keepeth always aloft, and without mixing itself with the affecting of things here below, they being cast out, as by a sink and not to be heeded, that is, beloved, for nauseating the Soul, which by the pledge, or troth here received as by a Ring, hath betrothed itself purely unto God.  
HENCE, we may pronounce their piety, but formality, and shall be more confounding, then flat Atheism, who obtruds upon the world, their rough hands, inflamed cheeks, tearing nails, their pilfering humour, their slandering tongue to be constituent parts of those multiplicated gifts, effused and shed abroad upon their heart by that Spirit which descended in these days; the pernicity whereof to discover, would long detain us from our Port; but that of our Saviour, detects the insolence, by their fruits ye shall know them, Matth. ●. 16. Rapaciousness, and bloodthirstiness, being equally remote from the soul of Him in whom the HOLY GHOST dwells, as are the contentions and blasphemies of Hell, and the joys, concord and peace in the highest Heavens.  
SUCH who expect visits from great men, fits their houses for reception, possibly by perfuming pots; the Disciples prepared for the Spirit by Union, Prayer and Love: embrace the Pattern, imitate the Copy with repeated acts of incense-like mortification of lust, prejudice, animosity, or whatsoever savours of such nastiness; Using in opposition to these, the strowings with the sweet herbs of Brotherly kindness, meekness, patience, charity, and love to God: the house (I should say the Soul) thus scented, is disposed for his admission; he loving purity, and religious cleanliness, being the only delectable property, he pursueth and expecteth.  
THE Church is said to have Doves eyes, Cant. 4.1. and the Dove is both a sociable and harmless creature, refusing to nest in that cote where rottenness, or stench, breeds annoyance; being delighted with that house most which is furnished with glasses, the bird delighting in her own shadow, and rejoicing to behold it, even in water: The Doves eyes indeed, properly unsolds the chastity of the Church, looking only upon her beloved as a true Turtle, and her not following strange lovers; but the other known properties of that fowl, countercharms the witchcraft-like enchantments that are in this age, men caressing, that is, hugging themselves in a whimsical solitude; not desiring to have a discovery of themselves, unto themselves, lest they should relinquish their imbibed opinions, falsely called a principle, and say, O! who shall deliver us? flying from contrived-for-disturbance, or tenets of separation, as from filth and ordure, in which alone the unclean spirit keepeth, because there only he findeth rest.  
WHEN the World was sou●ed, or (so to speak) under the pickle of the deluge; the Dove alone gave intelligence of the waters abatement, not by a Bramble, but by an Olive branch: So until the waters of Contrition flow for our former defilements, unchristianlike temperaments, (which as raw blood putrifies yet the body of our Kingdoms,) it is not to be expected, the Comforter from the FATHER and the SON shall intimate unto us, that our sins are forgiven, or that in Christ we have got the Victory: testifying the truth thereof, by the Olive branch of refreshing comforts, antedateing heavens felicity in the infallibility and certainty of its possession, peace with God, being certainly deduceible therefrom: Whereas contrairily by our tearing and devouring one another, its easy to prognosticate what the result of our lives shall be, and whereunto the issues of our Death shall tend, if we persevere in discord, the Horoscope of the litigious, discovering his being born in Satan; the scheme manifests his rest (pardon the irony,) shall be with him; which even his spirit attests in the pangs of a tortured, and disturbed breast, so that within us, we have either way a witness of our bliss or misery, whereby our condemnation is the more intolerable; if we do not our own business and study to be quiet, living in love and peace, that the God and Spirit of peace and love may be with us.  
HOW oft in the History of the Ascension and of the HOLY GHOSTS descension, (to harp once more upon this string) have we these words, they met with one accord? and no where besides; showing, that in opposition to that quarrelsome life, to those frequent disputeings among the Apostles and Disciples and censurings one of another, they formerly had offended in; Now they unanimously agree in a Brotherly harmony, being united though numerous, as one body by the Cement of the Spirit through the Gospel; there being no intimation in the sacred History of any reflection of the Disciples to the Converts, or of the Converts to them, or of any one towards another, about any miscarriage, whereof aforetime they might be, or had really been guilty of, their life answering the Law; for it was the Pentecost in ordinary fifty days from the Pasch, that these things were done, and the fiftieth year also; and so the year of Jubilee, a time of releasement for servants, lands, debts, of rest, and proclaimed with great joy, Levit. 25. figuring that delight Christianity hath obtained under the full deliverance Christ hath purchased for his people; freeing them not only from the pedantry of the Law, and burdensome rites thereof, but restored them to their former privileges with God; the exceedingness whereof is figured in this, that there passed twenty nine Jubilees betwixt joshua and Christ, the Gospel abridging the Laws authority, and hastening the acceptable time, the year of great deliverance, Luk. 4.18.  
THE Pasch by Christ's death is antiquated and outdated, it was expedient also, to abolish both Pentecost and Jubilee; for having procured a plenary remission from sin, we as freed from its bondage, are now to rejoice in the LORD always, the Jubilee being proclaimed upon the day of Expiation which was a day of sadness, grief and sorrow for the offences of the whole year, that in the midst of trouble they might remember joy; and we having liberty by the Resurrection, who before were sold; and gifts by his Ascension, who before were poor, presenting himself as the first fruits, (being first born from the dead) before the Father, for obtaining a blessing on the crop, or race of mankind (which the Jews did at Pentecost) therefore let us pray, for fulfilling of the Pentecost feast, in having sin remitted, the curse from the Earth removed, and the jubilee rite also, in having the liberty of the Sons of God, the legal ceremonies evanishing, a clearer manifestation of things, and mysteries are under Evangelical dispensation, sprinkling with water, being now repentance; washing with water, baptizeing with the HOLY GHOST, and sacrificing of bullocks, goats, and lambs; for expiating sin is that superlative sacrifice of jesus death, an offering for the sins of the whole world; He being that Lamb of God which taketh them away, by whose strips it is healed, and by whose blood it is made white; which the very garments of the Neophti, or new Converts of old, upon this day worn, emblematically discovered, being clothed in whit, insinuating sanctity, purity, harmlessness and pe●ceablenesse: whence the day is called Whit-sunday, or with the Saxon, wied (i. e.) that is sacred, or holy Sunday.  
LET this Generation pretend to what degree of Sanctity it please, to fear God, to eschew evil, to honour all men, to do violence to no man, to do good; and in all these to persevere, is the alone mean to be clothed in White, the proper habit of that Citizen, which is of jerusalem above: unto which all his acts must quadrat of what kind soeever, lest the Spirit be blasphemed through his impertinencies.  
FOLLOWING that Hero, Peter King of Arragon, who gave a Glob, representing the Earth, a Crown surmounting that, signifying Sovereignty, that overlaid by a Sceptre, typifying the application of Law according to merit, over all a Dove in a glory emblemating the HOLY GHOST, circumscribed with this device, TE GUBERNATORE,, (i e.) by thy Direction: all things being done within the Empire of the Christians jurisdiction thus; Religion shall not be used as Talque (shining over glass cases,) to hide the rottenness, worm-eating, and mothinesse in the frame of many men's conversation; neither shall their talk so amuse the Vulgar and undiscerning, as to cause a sigh, a long prayer, the nameing of God, and conscience, cover the wickedness of practices, as to let it pass without abhorrence of their Hypocrisies, or censuring their (nicknamed holy) profession, as too frequently they do to the defaming of that which our devout Ancestors, called Zeal, Piety and Religion; accounting honesty in the second Table, one genuine Character, clearing men's observance of the first, wanting the brazen-fore head, now boasted of in some Professors, where holiness is divorced from peace; no sacrifice Sermons, or Prayer so pure as those which are mingled with the blood of men, who gainsay the principles of a few; by blood, is not barely to be understood, that physical thing so called; but the curses, lies, untrue reports, slanders, calumnies, with which the services of Formalists, and Pretenders, are maliciously, sinfully, scandalously, and madly interwoven.  
THAT French King, Henry the third, having been upon this day, by the Diet of Poland elected their King, did in memory ●hereof institute an Order, called Knights ●f the HOLY GHOST, their Habit ha●ing many black and white ornaments therein; ●nd in a golden Collar, within the centre of ● Cross was the effigies of a Dove, umbrage●ng that blessed Spirit: It is lawful to attempt, ●ea honourable to design high Atcheifmen●s, if within the verge of our Capacity, power, or calling: and to whet my weapon at this Philistines forge, how strenuously hath the Ancient Saints endeavoured to cause the days, and places, whereon and wherein they have been honoured with mercies, blessings or visions to be remarked, as Abraham in Beersheba, Gen. 21.33. or jacob in Bethel, and Mordecai at Purim? This hath been a day of glad tidings, wherein by Tongues, the organ of Eloquence, utterance and acclamation, GOD hath testified man's endowment with the gifts of holiness, and given instances of gracious acceptance for humble Penitents, positively deduced without much scruple, from the Apostles teaching, and the Murderers repenting, sorrowing, believing, rejoicing: Whence it is consequential, that if we reflect upon the blackness of our tongues, in our clamours, bawl against Christ, his Word, his Instituts, his Servants as if they were not worthy to be, or fit to live; walking in Godlike or Dovelike innocence, invested with the white Robe of love and meekness, adequat and cut out for the Elect of GOD, Col. 3.12. We shall have the honour of all GOD'S Saints, being elected Kings, to reign over lusts, hell and Death, by being from this day forward filled as was Stephen with the holy Spirit, filled with all knowledge, evidenced when with the Romans we are full of all goodness, Rom. 15.14.  Glory be to the FATHER, and to the SON, and to the HOLY GHOST. 
FINIS.   

Errata ●ie Corrige.  
The China Printers having by their Art, Eximed themselves only from Possibility of Error; the best in Europe, yet pleads guilty of mistakes: Here are some Capital ones marked, others being Remitted to the Readers Charity and Correction.  
Page 6. l. 7. Read holding, p. 37. l. 6. r. be in time p. 40. l. 12. r. Inflame to p. 64. l. 25. r. That, by that, p. 69. l. 22. r. not gratified p. 70. l. 22. r. Quadrat. p. 86. l. 24. r. leaning. p. 89. l. 12. is not, p. 204. l. 20. r. endeth, p. 213. l. 12. r. moulting, p. 240. l. 19 r. viants.   

Mr. William. Annand His Mysterium Pietatis.