ὉΒΆΣΑΝΟΣ ΤΣ ἈΛΗΘΕΊΑΣ OR THE TOUCHSTONE OF TRUTH. WHEREIN VERITY by Scripture and Antiquity is plainly confirmed, and ERROR confuted.  
Delivered in certain SERMONS Preached in English by JAMES Le FRANC B.D. and Minister of the French Church in Norwich.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Origen. count. Cells. lib. 1. Qui veritatem occultat & qui mendacium prodit, uterque reus est, ille quia prodesse non vult; Iste quia nocere desiderat: August. lib. de Agon. Christian. Ephes. 4.25. 
Putting away lying, let every man speak truth.  
CAMBRIDGE, Printed by John Field, Printer to the University. 1662.   

TO THE Right Honourable and truly Noble HORATIO Lord TOWNSHEND Baron of Linn Regis, Lord Lieutenant of the County of Norfolk, etc. All Prosperity and Peace.  
My Lord,  
HAving not long since undertook to vindicate the eminent and glorious Church of England, from the Errors and Superstitions of the Church of Rome, to blot out the false aspersions which the Enemies of the Church and Nation put upon the Liturgy and Rights which she observes in the public and sacred Worship of God; I could not choose among the Nobility of this Country, a fit Person than your Honour to patronise that Work: I know (though unknown to you) the rare qualities and commendable virtues of your Honour; they being scattered abroad by your glorious fame; I am not ignorant what a Noble and Loyal Subject, the Great though Exiled Monarch of England had in your most generous Person, when all things were in confusion amongst us, and Subjects rebellious to their King; I have often heard that the Sequestered Clergy found a Protection and Refuge under your eminent goodness, as your Ancestors, as well as your Honourable Person, received with all affection strangers, nay, all those that were faithful to his Majesty our Gracious Monarch, whom God preserve, were welcome to your Honour: Your Lordship was not afraid to venture both life and Estate, to serve so excellent and incomparable a Prince, because it was your glory, nay, more than that, the glorious fame of your merits tells me, that your care was to preserve the Church as well as the State; you did strengthen the afflicted members of the Church of England, that they might keep close to their Mother; and now the chiefest of your Lordship's Enterprises clearly appears to be the bringing of the discontented people of this Nation to a better understanding; that they may be united with those that do sincerely honour the King, and acknowledge their mother the Church of England under the government of their pious and most reverend Bishops; pardon me then (my Lord) if I have assumed the boldness to present your Honour with a Vindication of the Church our Mother, whom to protect was your great ambition, from the errors and superstitions of the Church of Rome, where I have had my Education; for as I am not the first who have adventured a Dedication to so Noble a Person to whom the Author is unknown, so I thought I might do this, and perhaps without offence to your Lordship; seeing the incomparable goodness of your most Honourable Person assures me of your kind acceptance, and makes me confident that you will not reject a stranger, who wisheth you all prosperity and happiness, and further demands that favour, to be,  
My Lord, Your Honours most humble Servant, James Le Franc.   

A Preparatory Advertisement to the READER.  
Courteous Reader,  
WHen I made these Sermons, I had no thought to print them; not only because I am a stranger, and not well versed in the English tongue, but because I did judge them not worthy to appear to the public, seeing that my young capacity is but weak, and not fit to appear to the eyes of so ingenious and learned a Nation; but the urgent request of some of my friends, and specially the calumny which some enemies of the truth cast upon the first Sermon (which is in vindication of the Church of England from the errors and superstitions of the Church of Rome) prevailed so much upon me, that I could not but give them to the Press.  
Indeed having such enemies that openly and secretly vilify my Ministry by reason of that Sermon which I gave to bring the contentious to union; I cannot but vindicate myself from their false aspersions, for I had no other intention in the Preaching of it then to take away the errors of the common people; to bring them to a better understanding and make them leave their blind and proud leaders, that they may come to their mother the Church of England, which their divisions had spoiled and most shamefully defiled.  
As for the other Sermons which I caused with the first to be printed by the request of my friends; I give them to inform not the learned men, but the common people, that they may see the spiritual silence by which the sons of God cease from the works of the Prince of darkness; the real presence of Christ in the holy Sacrament against the Transubstantiation of the Church of Rome, and Consubstantiation of the Lutherans; the spiritual reign of our Saviour against the Millenaries Monarchical Kingdom; and the Celestial meat of God; that they may seriously consider the great mystery of our Redemption, by which their and our sins are blotted out through the precious blood of Jesus Christ.  
And if any contentious man will critically question, or enviously quarrel at my undertaking, be you (Courteous Reader) so far my Advocate as to plead in my behalf; that it is not my ambition to be exposed public to the world, being of a mean capacity, but to be accepted of my friends, and especially as much as lay in my power to procure some good to the Church and Nation of England, which I am so much engaged to: I know that in this present conjuncture of time the matter treated of in the Sermons I give you is necessary to be known; and specially the first, which I hope will make many confess their errors, that caused divisions in the most eminent Church of England, whom I wish to stand for ever safe upon the ground and foundation of the Apostles, Christ our blessed Lord and Saviour,  
James Le Franc.   

S. Paul's Reproof, OR A Vindication of the Church of England from the Errors and Superstitions of the Church of Rome. Delivered in a Sermon preached at Great S. Peter's Church in Norwich.  1 COR. 11.18. 
I hear that there be divisions among you.  
WHen I did consider the hard usages and tedious alterations of this Nation, where all things were in confusion, the right being perverted, injustice erected, and the Church persecuted, I could not but lament such a deplorable condition; but when I look upon that happy change which gives a new face unto this people, and brings all things to its order, I must sincerely confess, that it is Gods admirable work: for brethren, you see that which to me and many others seemed impossible; you see our gracious Prince set upon his Throne, which his Majesty by the space of many years could not approach, notwithstanding the affection and good will of his faithful subjects; you see the glorious Charles the great Monarch of England in possession of his own Kingdoms, and with him peace and quietness for the good of the persecuted Church, that after a silence of persecution where she was not seen by the eyes of her afflicted Children, she may enjoy the silence of prosperity in all godliness.  
But that great favour of our God is not regarded by many of this Kingdom, who so envy its happiness, that they seek with their unquiet mind to ruin it; they are divided from the rest of their brethren, when as they may be united together to the glory of the great God of heaven, the God of union, the advancing of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, and salvation of their souls.  
Perhaps there are many present that will be offended at my discourse, but I will have them know, that my intention is not to please some, nor offend any; for it is only to show you what I with orthodox Learned men, conceive by the Scripture and Antiquity to be true; therefore I exhort you all in the Name of the Almighty God, whom you adore and fear, that you hear me with attention, humility and charity, and above all, if there be any in this Congregation that are contentious, I desire them to hear me without partiality and prejudice, that I with the grace of our blessed Saviour may remove the spirit of contention which our grand Apostle Paul blameth in the Corinthians, for in the 16, ver. speaking to the contentious, he saith (if they would remain in that humour) if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the Churches of God; after which he reproves the Corinthians for their irregularities by which they did profane the Lords Supper, and caused divisions in the Church, saying, I praise you not that you come together, not for the better but for the worse, for when you come together in the Church (I hear that there be divisions among you) which last words I have chosen to entertain you with, by the special assistance of the blessed Spirit; but that you may have a clear intelligence of them, I shall divide my Text into two parts, where in the first I shall speak of the divisions, and in the second part I shall show you the causes and ocasions of them as you may see in my Text, I hear that there be divisions among you,  

The first part.  
If oppression be a monster with many heads, so is division which you cannot look upon without fear and horror, in Kingdoms, Families and Churches, for you know that there is a civil or political division which ruineth all things in Kingdoms, Cities, and Villages, for by that division Kingdoms are destroyed, men slain, Virgins deflowered, women abused, children corrupted, Cities everted, Villages ruined, houses by fire consumed, Palaces demolished, and the most pleasant dwellings wasted, nay, more than that Emperors and glorious Kings dethronized; so that nothing but desolation and ruin appears before our eyes, as you yourselves lately have seen in this Kingdom; but this monster of division is not satisfied to spoil the glorious Kingdoms of the earth; it reacheth further unto private families to confound them, for there is a domestical division which everteth all oeconomical order and government, and procreates confusion and disorder in families, for in that fatal division the Father is against the Son, the Son against the Father, the mother against the daughter, the daughter against the mother, the husband hates his wife, and the wife despiseth her husband; nay, you see that monster of division go up and down in the house to the ruin and destruction of all things in families, for in that division Parents neglect their children, with their employments, and spend all that they have by profusion and carelessness.  
But me thinks, I see this monster of division go yet further, and by a damnable presumption endeavour to enter into the Church of God to spoil and defile it; me thinks it prevaileth so far that the Church seems rather a chaos or confusion then a distinct fabric, and if that Ecclesiastical monster be not stayed that it go no further, it will spoil and ruin the sacred house of the Almighty God; which the Apostle Paul did well know, for hearing of the Ecclesiastical division among the Corinthians, he writes unto them to extinguish it, saying I hear that there be divisions among you: I hear saith the Apostle, not by a special revelation (as if God should have revealed him that which the Corinthians would not have him know) but by letters, or rather by some that came from Corinth, who informed S. Paul of the disorders of the Corinthians, and so writing unto them saith, I hear that there be divisions among you, as he had told them in the 2. verse of the first Chapter, concerning their contentions about Paul, Apollo, and Cephas; it hath bean declared unto me that there are contentions among you;  
But for a clear intelligence of the Ecclesiastical division of which the Apostle here speaks, you must observe that it is vel circa doctrinam vel circa disciplinam vel circa ceremonias; Either about the doctrine, or about the discipline, or about ceremonies where the Ecclesiastical division about the doctrine, is that by which the true principles & fundamental points of Religion are everted, which is such a pernicious division that from thence comes her pestilent daughter heresy; the division about discipline is that by which the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction established for the correction of Christian sinners, and preservation of the Church is destroyed, which is that division which most shamefully brings forth licentiousness; the Ecclesiastical division about Ceremonies, is that by which the rights of the Church observed in the outward service of God, are most irreverently despised and abolished, which is a division from which cometh schism, which the Apostle speaks of when he saith, I hear that there be divisions among you; for the word of my Text in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 schisms, which nevertheless may be extended to the division about doctrine and discipline, by which the Church is rend as well as by that of Ceremonies and much more.  
Indeed all these divisions were to be found among the Corinthians; for among them some there were who would corrupt the doctrine by their erroneous opinions, some among the Corinthians did condemn the marriage, not as if it were instituted by a wicked God or by the devil (as Simon and Saturninus said) but as a thing somerhing impure which was not fit for a Christian, whose life was to be every way most pure, which obliged the Corinthians to write unto the Apostle Paul to have his judgement about it, which was, that marriage was lawful for every man, as you may see in the 7. Chapter of our Epistle, nay, honourable in all, and the bed undefiled; some among the Corinthians being infected with the Sadduces heresy, denied the resurrection of the bodies, as you may observe in the 15. Chapter: some would defile the Christian doctrine with Judaical Superstitions, which some false Doctors would introduce in the Church as necessary to salvation; moreover they would infect the doctrine of the Gospel with the profanations of the Gentiles, as it appears by the 8. and 10. Chapter; Concerning the Discipline and government of the Church some there were among the Corinthians who would not have any, desiring to live according to their own minds, that they might give themselves to all licentiousness without any reprehension or correction; which prevailed so far, that the Church of Corinth did bear with the whoremongers, drunkards, and contentious; which gave our Apostle occasion to write the 5. and 6. Chapters of our Epistle to extinguish that monster of licentiousness.  
As for the Ceremonies, there was division in the Church; for among the Corinthians some would not submit themselves unto the performance of them, as you may see in our Chapter; where you must observe that the divisions of the Corinthians, were not about the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, nor about heresy which everteth the doctrine; but about the manner of preaching and praying, and about the manner of receiving the holy Sacrament: Concerning the first, the contention was about the covering of the head, as if we should now dispute about a hat and a coif, for men and women had engaged themselves in that division: According to the custom of the Corinthians, as well as to that of the Church of England the men were to be uncovered as well during the Sermon as during the prayers, and women as now they are, were to be covered, as you may see by the 4. and 5. verses of our Chapter, where we may very well take praying and prophesying actively and passively; actively, for those that pray and preach, and passively for those that join their vows and prayers with him that prayeth, as those that are present at the hearing of him that preacheth; so that not only he that did preach according to the custom of the Church of Corinth, was to be uncovered, but those also that were present at the hearing of the Sermon, but some lovers of divisions would not submit to that custom; Some men covered themselves in the holy Assemblies, and some women were uncovered, which S. Paul hearing of, endeavoureth to instruct them about these things, showing them the lawfulness of that custom, which the Church had thought fit to be observed by both Sexes in their public and holy meetings from the 6. ver. to the 16. ver.  
For the manner of receiving the holy Sacrament, be it standing or kneeling, the Apostle leaves it to the custom and ordering of the Church, that such things might be established not by the common people, but by the Ecclesiastical Superiors; for these injunctions belong only to them, as being sub potestate ordinis, under the power of order, which is insinuated in the 1 Corinth. 14. at the last verse; Let all things be done, (that is, by the Ecclesiastical Superiors) decently and in order; but if these injunctions regard the Ecclesiastical Superiors, know ye also that the Ecclesiastical corrections for the profanation of the Lords Supper belong to their persons, as it appeareth by our Text, I hear that there be divisions among you, which hath relation to the following verses, where the Apostle condemns the profanation of the Corinthians against the holy Sacrament.  
And indeed it was very sit for the Apostle to condemn their profanation which was committed in their banquets of charity, which were kept in the Church before the participation of the Sacrament; for it came to pass soon after the institution of these banquets, that the rich men that were at the expenses of them, would not tarry for the poor, and so the rich were drunk, and the poor hungry, as the Apostle speaks in the 21 ver. of our Chapter; the rich man came to the Sacrament without reverence, being in that sinful and shameful condition, and the poor discontented; for (as I have said) these banquets were kept in the Church before the reception of the holy Sacrament, although soon after the Apostles time that custom was changed, and these banquets kept after its celebration, as it appears by Tertul. Apolog. for the Christians; and chrysostom in moral. homil. 27. their profanation then caused divisions in the Church, and disorder among the Christian Corinthians, which obligeth the Apostle Paul to write and say, I hear that there be divisions among you.  
But brethren, if all these things which I have mentioned were among the Corinthians, give me leave to tell you without offence, that the same things are to be found among us who have defiled the glorious Church of England, as the Corinthians did the eminent Church of Corinth: it was that Ecclesiastical monster of division that spoilt it when it did appear against doctrine, discipline and Ceremonies; and it is that monster that is yet ready to ruin that glorious Church, which as a Phoenix is newly born of her ashes; consider I beseech you the divisions which are yet entertained amongst us, and you shall see that they regard the Doctrine, Discipline, and Ceremonies, for heresy reigneth yet in England; Socinians, Anabaptists, Quakers and Millenaries, with others, appear in great number, and with a damnable confidence endeavour to corrupt and desile the Evangelical doctrine, that they may insinuate and scatter their errors and heresies among the poor Christian people; licentiousness appeareth too much in this Kingdom; we are willing to give ourselves to all the corruptions of the world; but we are not willing to be reproved for our sins, we slatter ourselves in our iniquities, and wickedly make use of the Christian liberty to maintain our rebellion: as for Schism it is too well known in this Country, and I wish (as my duty with my affection to this Nation obligeth me) that that monster might be hated of all, and that those that have been contentious might quietly return into the Church; let them consider that those things which they trouble the Church for, touch not the substance and body of Religion, but only the circumstances of it, and they shall learn of our Apostle to hate divisions; for (saith he) speaking about these things to the Corinthians, if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the Churches of God; and to correct their irregularities about the holy Sacrament, I hear that there be divisions among you, which shows the contentious that schism about Ceremonies leads to profanation about other things, and to heresy, if it be not stayed; but behold, there are some monsters that appear unto me black and obscure, coming from the dark prison of the prince of the air, the God of this world, and that is pride with many other daughters of hell, which you shall see in the second part of my Text.   

The second Part.  
As pride made division between God and the Angels, that are now devils, and ambition did alienate our first Parents from God, so pride and ambition makes a division between the Church and her children; for you shall often see the children of the Church to be so ambitious, that they will esteem themselves above their mother, and indeed there is no schismatic, much more an heretic but is ambitious, and so the Shoolmen speak when they say, that a Schismatic is one who retaining the fundamental points of Religion rends impudently the Church by reason of some Rights and Ceremonies which his ambition approves not of; but me thinks that the next daughter of hell is envy, which seems sad by reason of the union which she fears in this Kingdom, for envy loves nothing but division, because that vice and immoderate affection of our soul, will never permit us to like what is done by those that we do not like, or to consent unto these things which we had no hand to in their Institution; for in the injunction of such things we are persuaded by that fatal passion that our advantage is hindered or diminished: but behold there is another which is covered with a very black garment, where you can discern nothing, and that is ignorance, which cannot inform us of the nature of those things which are imposed upon us by our Superiors, for Ignorance makes us esteem the circumstances and garments of Religion to be of as high a nature as the body and substance thereof, and by that means we cannot agree, nor receive the circumstantial things which our Superiors impose upon us for the good order of the Christian Church: but further give me leave to let another monstrous daughter of hell appear with the others, that we may eschew the fatal effects thereof, in the knowledge of her nature, and that is obstinacy, which is not content to cause division but will countenance it: for obstinacy (as every one knows) will always have us to defend that which we once have maintained and blame that which we once have declaimed against although we know not any reason for it, and so the obstinate men will remain in their errors and entertain division.  
Now if you consider the causes of our divisions without partiality, you will confess with me, that Pride, Envy, Ignorance, and Obstinacy, were those monsters which would not permit, as now will not yet suffer the fomenters of division to adhere to those things which their Superiors imposed upon them; for otherwise I do verily believe, that they had not embroiled this Nation with such a cruel war; neither had they upon their pretended occasions so violently persecuted the Church; for these things which many (who agree in the substance of Religion with their mother the Church) contended about, are harmless and cannot offend moderate and prudent men, for not any of the authors of the division of this Kingdom, I hope, will blame the moderation of the first Reformers of the Church of England, who seriously examined the Church of Rome in its Doctrine, Discipline, and Worship, to reject the Errors and Heresies of the Doctrine, the Tyranny and oppression of the Discipline, and the Superstitions of the Worship; and retain that which the Church of Rome had from the Christian Primitive Church; nay, more than that, they took a way the abuse of things indifferent in their nature, and reduced them to a lawful use.  
But for all that, some contentious, like those that were in Corinth, of whom the Apostle speaks when he saith, I hear that there be divisions among you, would not be satisfied, they blamed many things that could be easily passed by, as now many of their imitators do; for the white colour of the garments of the Church of England offend their sight, they say that these garments are superstitiously used in the Church of Rome; as if in the Church of Rome the Clergy regular & secular did not use garments of several other colours as well as white; nay, more than that, those that know the Church of Rome, as I have reason to know it (having lived among them, & in their communion 23 or 24 years) are not ignorant that she makes use of all sorts of colours, so that if we would not use any of those she makes use of, we should go all naked, & so we should prove very fit to be among the Adamites; but as S. Jerome saith very well against Pelagius what enmity is it against God if the Bishop, Priest and Deacon, do go in white vestments when they are to officiate.  
Moreover, they will not admit the singing of the Creed nor many pious Songs, when other Protestants beyond the Sea, whom the contentious approve of, sing the Lords Prayer in their temple, as the Dutch Churches and those of Hesson, or the ten Commandments, with that which we call the Song of Simeon, as our French Reformed Churches and others do; and if they tell me, that the Church of England cannot produce any passage of Scripture for the singing of the Creed, etc. I answer, that it is not necessary for circumstantial things, and that our Protestants beyond the sea, whom the causers of division in this Kingdom do approve of, cannot bring any passage of Scripture to prove the singing of the Lords Prayer, and the ten Commandments.  
But their contentious humour goes yet further, for they will not have the people answer in the celebration of the Divine Service, and they are offended at the repetitions which the Church of England makes use of; but  
For the first, I say, that it is good according to the custom of the Church of England, to join ourselves with the Pastors in the Church, as you did this day, in the celebration of the Divine Service, for it is nothing else but a sacred conce●t in imitation of that which the sacred Angels make use of in heaven in their praising of the Lord, as you may see in Isa. 6. and the Church of England is not the only Church amongst the Reformed which makes use of answers in the celebration of the Divine Service, for the Reformed Churches of Hungaria, Transilvania and Lithuania, as I am credibly informed, make use of some answers in their Divine Service; but I need not to plead in that manner; for if in that the Church of England should be alone among the Protestant Churches, I would hold it lawful, because it is not against Scripture but rather conformable to it; when the blessed spirits and sacred Angels cry or answer one to another, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of Hosts.  
Concerning the repetitions of the Church, let me tell you that they are as so many productions of a sacred and vehement affection like unto that of David, Lord, have mercy upon me, Lord, have mercy upon me; and that of the Angels, Holy, Holy, Holy; indeed if the Church of England should make use of her repetitions by number, as the Church of Rome doth, so that by the repeating of so many times such a prayer she should think to merit something before God, as the relaxation of some temporal punishment, or to obtain the pardon of her sins for 40. 50. or a 100 years; I would account them vain and superstitious, but it is clear that she doth not do it, for all that the Church of England doth intent in her repetitions, as I conceive is to inflame our zeal and affection towards God; as the Prophet David left us an example, that we might conform ourselves to it; repeating many times the wonderful favours of our God towards the humane kind, and saying Psal. 136. in every verse for his mercy endureth for ever.  
But this is not all which the Authors of our divisions condemn, for the sign of the Cross made upon the forehead of the baptised Infants, passeth for a superstition and a rest of Papism, as the commemoration of the principal mysteries of our redemption, observed at certain days of the year, with the Festival days of the Blessed Virgin, the Apostles, and Martyrs; nay, more than that, they cannot endure to hear any thing about the bowing to the Name of Jesus.  
But for the sign of the Cross, those that have perused the antiquity know that it was used in the Christian primitive Church for a sign of the Christian profession, as it appeareth by Tertullian, Cyprian, and Augustine de verbis Domini the eighth Sermon, and that is granted by our Learned Peter du Moulin in his little Tractate of the Traditions, Chap. 25. and I will not omit our judicious Bucer, who saith, in his first Book De Regno Christi, cap. 12. I think that the sign of the Cross is neither indecent nor unprofitable, non tam quod est in Ecclesia usus antiquissimi, quam quod est admodum simplex & praesentis admonitionis crucis Christi; not so much because it is of an ancient use in the Church, as that it is very innocent, and of a present admonition of the Cross of Christ.  
I confess that the sign of the Cross is superstitiously used in the Church of Rome, for they make use of it with their holy water for the expiation of their venial sins, which are not to be found in the Scripture, nor in antiquity, nor in nature; they make use of the sign of the Cross to drive away the devil and scare him; they use it before a Cross, because it hath been cause (as they say) of great wonders, and occasion of the conversion of S. Christopher, who (as some of them say) was before engaged in the service of the devil, although it is very true, that there was never such a man as they imagine him to be: nay, they make use of the sign of the Cross before and after their meat, some being of that persuasion, that their meat and drink cannot profit them without that sign; but the Church of England admits none of these Superstitions, for she only makes use of the sign of the Cross for a mark and token of the Christian profession as it was used in the Primitive Church.  
And do not tell me, that it was upon occasions which are not now to be found among us, for I will tell you, that now the occasions are as great if not greater, being among those who under the profession of Christ endeavour to ruin his Church; and if that were no sin to do it in the Primitive Church, as I hope the contentious will confess, I may certainly say that it is none now to do it; but those that condemn the sign of the Cross, should not at all speak against it, for if they are persecuted as they say, let them according to the custom of the Church Primitive, make the sign of the Cross among themselves.  
As for the Festival days, or the commemoration of the principal mysteries of our Redemption, and other special favours of God which gloriously shined in the Blessed Virgin, the Apostles, and Martyrs, observed at certain days of the year; it is well known to such as are but meanly read, that it was the custom of the Christian Church before the Apostatick seat of Rome, as you may see by Jerome in his Commentary upon the Epistle to the Galatians, cha. 4. adding there further, that soon after the Apostles time the Histories of their lives and deaths were read in the Church, and their godly examples commended to the people; and although Antiquity is not sufficient of itself to justify this or that Observation, yet next unto the Holy Scriptures it is to be reverenced according to that of S. Austin, Epist. 118. tom. 2. post sacras Scripture as ea nobis sunt observanda quae vel ab Apostolis profecta esse per traditionem, vel ab universalibus consiliis desinita esse judicantur; those things are by us to be observed next unto the Holy Scriptures, which are judged to come from the Apostles by tradition, or to have been defined by general Councils.  
Indeed we must acknowledge, that many superstitions are used these days in the Church of Rome; for in the Festival days of the blessed Virgin, and holy Apostles, those of the Church of Rome pretend to merit before God in their sinful devotions before such an Altar and no other, and in such a Chapel; they offer unto them Vows, present them their prayers, and give them an honour which is due unto God; which if these Saints had any knowledge of, they without doubt would implore the Divine Majesty to punish their presumption; for if they could not endure such an honour upon the earth, Act. 10.14. as being only proper to God, much less will they suffer it in heaven, being endued with a greater charity toward the God of glory, whom they must reverently adore; therefore the Church of England admits not these Superstitions in her Festival days; she doth nothing but meditate these days on the wonderful graces of God, which did appear in these Saints, of whom she celebrates the commemoration, and desireth of God, that she may imitate them in the holy life and pious conversation which they did lead upon the earth, and so she saith with S. Austin lib. de vera relig. cap. 55. Sancti honorandi sunt propter imitationem, sed non adorandi propter religionem, the Saints are to be honoured for imitation, but not worshipped for Religion, for although these days are kept holy in Commemoration of the Saints, yet they are not kept holy to the Saints but to God.  
For the bowing at the Name of Jesus, I confess, that at first coming from the Church of Rome I thought it was superstitious, but having seriously examined the thing, I see that it can be done without superstition; for we own to our blessed Saviour an outward and inward reverence, because Christ hath redeemed not only our souls but also our bodies from eternal corruption, and indeed we may observe that in Phil. 2.10. where it is said, that at the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, things in earth, and things under the earth; for although the Apostle speaks immediately of the glory and authority given our Saviour, yet we must make it known inwardly and outwardly, by an inward and outward reverence: and the famous Zanchius acknowledgeth the lawfulness of the bowing at the Name of Jesus, in that verse of the Epistle to the Philippians, saying, whereas before the Name of Jesus was blasphemed by almost all the Jews, after his death his Divinity being manifested, he is adored of all men, so that even at the mentioning of the Name of Jesus they all how their knees to him: atque hinc non dubito quin profecta sit illa antiquissima consuetudo in Ecclesus, ut cum nominatur Jesus omnes aperiant caput in testimonium reverentiae & adorationis: and I doubt not but that from thence came that ancient custom used in the Churches, that all should uncover their heads at the naming of Jesus, in sign of reverence and adoration, and that is used not only in the Reformed Churches of England, but also in those of the Palatinate, as I have heard of those that came from that place.  
Indeed I must confess, that to do it as the Church of Rome doth, is a thing superstitious, for they place some virtue in the Name of Jesus, qua nomen, consisting of its two syllables; so that they superstitiously worship the word itself; nay, more than that, they say, that the Name of Jesus, qua nomen, is greater, holier, and more reverend, than the Name of God, as Cornel. à lapide expresses; but the Church of England admits no such thing, she bows at the Name of Jesus, to express a sign of the reverence which she owes not to the word itself, but to Christ signified by the word; and there is no more superstition in that, than there is in the kneeling at these words, Et verbum caro factum est, and the Word was made flesh; but some of the Learned Protestant Doctors conceive no Superstition at the kneeling at these words; for as Peter Martyr Coc. come. Class. 4. cap. 10. sect. 50. saith, many there be who piously kneel and worship at the hearing of these words of the Gospel, [and the Word was made flesh,] and yet it must not be said, that these words themselves are worshipped, but that which is by them signified; then there is no Superstition at the bowing at the Name of Jesus.  
I could raise many other Objections, which those make who love division, but I will not be tedious, it is enough to tell you, that that which our divided people, enemy of the Episcopal Government, and of all the Rights which the Church of England observeth, blames, is approved of by all the Protestants beyond the Seas as good or esteemed as indifferent; which may be enjoined and made necessary necessitate convenientiae by the Ecclesiastical Superiors; and I remember that I heard from a Polander with whom I was sometimes at Paris, that in the Reformed Churches of Bohemia, and those of little Poland, the people kneeling did receive the Sacrament, and that these Protestants did celebrate the Feasts of our blessed Saviour, of the Virgin Mary mother of Christ, and of the Apostles; as in all these Churches and others, they bury the dead with certain forms, which contain Lectures, Hymns, and Prayers, which as in the Church of England show the desire we Christians ought to have for the enjoying of the eternal felicity and glory both in body and soul, with those that are departed this life in the faith of Jesus Christ; whereof the Church of Rome superstitiously prays for the dead, that they may enjoy an eternal rest, and that their souls may be delivered from the flames of Putgatory, which is a place which they cannot find in the Scripture, nor in the Writings of the Doctors of the Primitive Church, as it appears by some of the Learnedest of our adversaries, for Fisher Bishop of Rochester in his Writings egainst Luther, says, that in the ancient Writers there is little or no mention of Purgatory; and Durand doth ingeniously confess, that Ambrose, Austin, Hilary and Jerome do not at all speak of Purgatory; as Marous as it is reported Bishop of Ephesus declared in the Council of Florence, that chrysostom denied it; by that than you see that those things which the Church of England observeth, are harmless, and have nothing of Popery with them, which is so evident, that some of the most eminent Ministers of the Reformed Churches of France, M. du Moulin, and the Learned Bochart did in the English Churches follow their customs, which they did approve of as good and lawful, as it appears by their letters to several Bishops of England; for indeed I may say, if they had thought that their customs and ceremonies had been sinful, they had not communicated with the Church of England.  
And if you tell me, why do not then the Churches of France and others beyond the Seas, observe the same Ceremonies, I will answer with the Church of England according to the 34. of her Articles, that it is not necessary, that ceremonies be in all places one and utterly like, for at all times saith the Article, they have been divers, and may be changed according to the diversity of countries, times, and men's manners; let then those that will not submit to the order of the Church consider these things, and I am sure that we shall not have occasion to say with the Apostle, I hear that there be divisions among you: Indeed brethren, not to submit ourselves to the customs of the Churches in things which are not contrary to Scripture, is a sign of a notable frowardness, and a token of an humour which abhorreth tranquillity and concord, saith the Learned du Moulin, in his Book concerning traditions, chap. 24. pag. 346. for we ought to conform ourselves to such customs and ceremonies of the Church; as Jerome in his Epistle to Lucinius, teaches us, saying, I think that I must tell you that the Ecclesiastical Traditions, specially those that are not contrary to faith ought to be observed, as we have received them from our ancestors, and so speaks S. Ambrose to S. Austin, and S. Austin to Januarius, epist. 118. saying, when I am at Rome I fast on Saturday, but when I am at Milan, I do not fast; so when you come into some Church keep her custom, if you will not scandalise any nor be scandalised of any; and indeed it is necessary for Christians to submit to customs, not necessary in their natures, for if the evil be not so great as touching the doctrine, it may be very great as touching the manners and disorders which from thence come forth.  
But give me leave to go yet further, to take away an error which is common in this Nation, and among the enemies of the Church of England, who say, that the Liturgy is taken from the Mass, nay, is nothing but the Mass in English, celebrated in the same manner the Church of Rome doth, which makes a great impression in the common people.  
To answer unto that; I say, that (although the Church of England had taken her Liturgy out of the Mass-book, it would not follow that the Liturgy should not be good except they show me, that all which is in the Mass is false and erroneous, which cannot be: for if it were so, the Creed and the Lords Prayer, which is said with the Mass, should not be good, nay, should be erroneous; but let me tell you, that it is a false aspersion and calumny, which the contentious of this Nation, put upon the Liturgy of the Church of England, when they say, that it is drawn from the Mass, for in the Mass they shall not find the manner of the confession and absolution of our sins, as it is inserted in the Liturgy of the Church of England; they shall not find in the Mass the Te Deum, or song of S. Ambrose, the Benedicite, or Song of the three Children, as they are to be found in the English Liturgy; they shall not find in the Mass, many prayers that are to be found in the Liturgy of the Church of England, nor the Litany which she makes use of; they shall not find in the Mass the ten Commandments, nor the Commination or threatening made unto those who persevere in their iniquities, nor many other things, which are piously and truly set down in the English Liturgy; but they shall find in the Mass the superstitious invocation of creatures, of Angels, men and women; the prayers for the souls of those who (as the Church of Rome saith, are in Purgatory, grounded upon the merits of the Saints, or on some bones which they call Relics; and above all they shall find in the Mass a new sacrifice of Jesus Christ offered unto God the Father for the living and the dead; but you shall not find these things in the Liturgy of the Church of England, for the Church of England condemneth all these Superstitions and abominations in 22. and 31. of her Articles.  
Moreover, the Liturgy of the Church of England is not only different from the Mass in its matter and form, but also in the manner of its celebration, and use of it; for the Mass is only celebrated in the morning, and after 12 of the clock there is no Mass private nor soleninal to be said; in a Cathedral Roman Church 20. or 30. Masses are sometimes celebrated at the same time in the several Chapels thereof, and one Mass being said, a Priest cometh in the place of the other, that hath finished his Mass to celebrate his, having afore confessed some of his sins to another Priest, and so sometimes about an hundred Masses will be celebrated in a morning in the same Cathedral: In the Mass, the Priest gins with a great sign of the Cross upon his forehead, his stomach and his shoulders, and then joining his hands afore his breast, he saith, Introibo ad altare Dei, etc. and after the ending of the Introite, after the Consiteor, to God, to the Virgin Mary, to Michael the Archangel, to John the Baptist, to the Apostles Peter and Paul, and to all the Saints; the Priest goes up to the Altar to perform the Mass, speaking sometime in secret, sometime with a low voice, and sometime with a loud one, except it be a solemn Mass, where the voice is higher for the most part, and the Priest that celebrates it doth many things that are not observed in the private Mass, and speaks to the Incense, and blesses it in that manner, saying, be blessed Incense through him, in whose honour thou shalt be burned, and that in Latin, as the rest of the Mass: sometimes the Priest turneth himself, and shows his face to the people to say Orate fratres, Pray ye brethren, or Ite, missa est, go ye, this is the leave or dismission; at that part of the Mass called the Offertory, the young man or child who answereth to the Priest, and serves him in a private Mass, or the sub-deacon which serveth the Priest with a Deacon, in a solemn Mass, goes up to the corner of the Altar, where he takes two little bottles, in one of which there is wine, and the other water; he gives them to the Priest that came to him; who takes them to pour into the Chalice or cup wine and water; after that the Priest draws himself to the middle of the Altar right against an Image of Christ upon the Cross, or of some Saint, where he makes the Sign of the Cross with the Chalice, which he after puts upon the Altar, and covers with the cloth called the Corporass: then the Priest comes again to him that serveth at the Mass, to wash his hands, saying, when the young man pours water upon his fingers, Lovabo manus meas inter innocentes, etc. I will wash my hands among the innocents', etc. in the canon of the Mass before the consecration of the Host, the Priest makes many signs of the Cross, and after the consecration many more, that the assaults of the devil may not prevail against it, as Innocent the third Pope teaches, lib. 2. the Myster. Missae, cap. 58. towards the ending of the Mass, the Priest stretches out to the young man, or other that serves him the empty Chalice, who pours wine into it where with the Priest washeth his mouth, because it is the wine of Purification; a little after he washeth his singers, wipes them, and drinks that washing, and then kissing the Altar he bows and inclines his head towards the Cross, and turning himself to the people, he finisheth the Mass, saying, Benedicat vos, etc. except it be a Mass for the dead where the Priest saith in lieu of it, Requiescant in pace, let them rest in peace.  
As for the Vestments which they use in the Mass, they are also different from those of the Church of England; they make use of no Surplice in the Mass; for when the Priest dresses himself, first he puts the Amice, which covers the Priest's head in the form of a hood, after the Amice the Priest puts the Albe, which is like a white shirt, about the borders whereof there is some light work with green or red silk, upon the Albe the Girdle is put, which is white, and adorned with two tossels of the same colour; the Stole comes after, which is for the most part very glorious, and hangs on the right and on the left hand of the Priest, who after the Stole puts the Maniple in the fashion of a napkin upon the left arm, and for the last Vestment he takes the Chasuble, which is a most rich Vestment that covers all the others that are upon him except the Amice, which especially is seen when a Friar celebrates the Mass: besides these Vestments, when a Bishop of the Church of Rome saith a Mass, he hath Sandals, which they call Apostolic shoes, he hath the Episcopal breeches, the Tunique, and the Dalmatique; he hath also the Episcopal Gloves, the Rings and the Cross, etc. which are as many enigmatical ornaments, and of an abstruse intelligence, which we shall leave to them; by that you see how the Church of England differeth from the Church of Rome, & the Liturgy from the service of the Mass, in its matter, form and manner of its celebration.  
But me thinks, that I hear some of the factious say, whatsoever you say there is something of the Mass in the Liturgy of the Church of England, and much of the Breviary (which is a Book different from that of the Mass; to which I answer, that there is nothing of the corrupted service of the Mass; and if there be something in the Liturgy which is observed and said with the Mass, and read in the Breviary, I say that in is what is good and what was observed in the Christian Primitive Church, leaving what was not good to the Church of Rome and her superstitious inventions.   

Conclusion and Application.  
Now let us conclude with Application, and to remove the divisions which are now in the Land, let us be of one mind, and of one persuasion, that we may see this Kingdom flourish in peace and truth: for if divisions cause such disorders and confusions in States, Families, and Churches, as you yourselves by sad experience know, you will confess with me, that union cannot but bring peace, and procreate good order unto them; for union conserveth the kingdoms of the earth, keeps families in awe, and preserveth the Churches of God from schism, licentiousness and heresy; you know that the God of heaven is a God of union, who hateth division which destroyeth his works of nature, and that of his grace, in which appeareth an admirable and inexplicable union; for by the work of his grace our blessed Saviour united unto God those who were divided from him by their iniquities, and by that gracious work, earth is united with heaven, and men with Angels.  
Then let us all that are here present embrace that virtue and daughter of heaven, union, which leads us to the God of order: all the sacred Scripture preacheth nothing else but union, and as our Apostle Paul exhorteth unto it the Corinthians, so do I exhort you all unto union, and beseech you with him by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same things, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgement, 1 Cor. 1.10. and do not tell me, that your conscience cannot bear with those things which are imposed upon you; for if you seriously consider the occasions of our fatal divisions, you will find them to be no sufficient occasions; examine without partiality, your reasons, and I am sure that you will not find any sufficient argument for your division; for all that you can plead, will appear to be under some of those monsters, pride, envy, ignorance or obstinacy: do not say in yourselves, I have so much spoken against these circumstantial things, that I do not know how I shall submit myself again to these orders and injunctions; for besides you have the commandment of an August Parliament, which you must submit unto, let me tell you that such considerations proceed from the devil, the god of this world, and the Prince of division, who doth what he can to hinder the glorious union which we hope the great God of heaven, will give unto this Nation, to the glory of his great Name, and the advancing of the spiritual kingdom of his Son Jesus Christ.  
Let us repent, brethren, in the consideration of our sins, which brought these disorders in this kingdom; it is no shame before God, and angels, and men, but rather a commendation and glory; let men say what they will, but regard not what they say, obey God, the King, and the Church; but let your obedience be sincere and without hypocrisy, otherwise you keep the divisions in your hearts, which will break out at the first occasion.  
Consider these things with an impartial eye, and I am sure that you will endeavour to banish out of this Nation that horrible and bloody monster of division, and that for the circumstances and the garments of Religion, you will not embroil this glorious kingdom with new wars, and spoil the Church of God to give way to all schismatics and heretics, who arise from the ruin of the Church: I could go yet further in the representation of the disorders which are caused by contentious persons, but I will not any longer trespass on your patience, for I will finish my discourse at this time, desiring that the peace of God which passeth all understanding, may keep your hearts and mind from schism, licentiousness, and heresy: Amen.    

TO THE Right Honourable and Virtuous THOMAS Lord RICHARDSON Baron of Cramond, etc. All happiness and Peace.  
Right Honourable,  
IF Presents aught to be worthy of those to whom we present them; I must ingeniously confess, that it is in vain for me to offer your Lordship any thing, being deprived of that eminent capacity; and indeed persons of quality and eminency as your Honour is, must not expect such presents from their inferiors; yet (Noble Sir) I hope you will receive that which I present here to your Lordship: I confess, it is something presumptuous in me to make use of your Name to ennoble my Sermon unto others, but I am persuaded that the most excellent courtesy which shineth in your most noble Person, will excuse a stranger, nay, will suffer me to present you with a heavenly silence, where you may see the fatal Eclipse of the Church of God, under the bloody persecutions of its enemies, with her happiness and prosperity at the cessation of her afflictions, but specially the great mystery of our redemption, that procures unto angels and men a profound silence of admiration; for I am not ignorant that your Lordship takes a singular pleasure at such celestial meditations, your most virtuous person being persuaded, that not only the poor but the rich also are redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, and obliged to give silence to all the sinful motions of our corrupted nature; and indeed your great charity towards the poor members of our blessed Saviour, and singular affection to the Clergy, is a sufficient token of that verity, nay, an example to draw others to the imitation of the noble daughter of heaven, virtue, and force the most profane to abandon vice, that monstrous child of hell; I could say much more of the singular virtues which nature and grace have adorned your Lordship with; nay, of your singular affection to the great Monarch of England, and the Church, but that would prove needless, it being so manifest to all; that therefore which I shall say for the present, if you will grant me that liberty, is, that I am,  
My Lord, Your Honours most humble Servant, James Le Franc.   

The Churches Spiritual Silence: Delivered in a Sermon Preached at the Cathedral in Norwich.  REVEL. 8.1. 
There was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.  
AS in difficult and obscure things we do not know which way to turn ourselves, so in the matter which I have now in hand, I do not know whether I shall speak or keep silence; me thinks that S. John tells me, that I must stay to contemplate the great wonders that are seen in heaven at the opening of the seventh seal; it seems that I must keep silence, because the sacred Angels do not speak themselves, and dare not sound their trumpets, lest they should hinder the great agitations of heaven, which appear in this silence: indeed I could speak at the opening of the first, second, third and fourth seals of the book, in which is written, within, and on the backside the great mystery of our redemption, the conservation of the Church, and the punishment of profane and wicked men; for at the opening of these seals, there was no silence kept, as you may evidently see in the 6. Chapter; the beasts be Angels or Evangelists, as some learned men will have it, crying Come and see; I could break silence at the opening of the fifth seal, because you may easily perceive, that there was no silence at the opening of it; hearing under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God, crying with a loud voice and saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood; Moreover, I could speak at the opening of the sixth seal, for at the opening of it a great noise was heard, behold, there was an earthquake, which learns us, that we must not keep silence; but at the opening of the seventh seal, I do not see how I may speak; for at the opening of that seal there was silence: I am at a stand, not knowing which is best for me to do, whether to speak or keep silence; but seeing that I came to this place to inform you about that heavenly silence, I must break it, and implore the assistance not of angels, nor of men, but of our blessed Saviour, who hath prevailed to open the book, and lose the seven seals thereof; for you know, that the Lion of the tribe of Judah is he that can give me leave to speak in this silence, which S. John speaks of, saying, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour, which are the words that I have chosen to entertain you with by the special assistance of the blessed Spirit: but for a clear intelligence of them, I shall divide my text into two parts, where in the first part, I shall speak of the silence which was kept in heaven in these words, there was silence in heaven; and in the second part I will show you the duration of it, about the space of half an hour.  

The first Part.  
To know well the silence which S. John speaks of, we must first enter into the place where it was kept, heaven, there was silence in heaven; but as that place is something obscure by reason of its several acceptions, we must observe that here by heaven is not understood the air, which the Scripture calls heaven, Gen. 8.2. the place of generation of many imperfect mixed bodies, ice, dew, clouds, rain, hail, blazing stars, and other moist and fiery impressions, as if these productions should cease in its breast, or the air should rest from its agitation; neither is it understood by heaven the sky, that shining and bright heaven adorned with an infinite number of glorious stars, as if there were a cessation of the motion of those shining bodies; nor is it meant the supreme or highest heaven, the place of habitation of the sacred angels and blessed souls, which the Scripture calls the third heaven, 2 Cor. 12.2. as if there should be a suspension of the heavenly actions of the Citizens of that glorious palace; nor is heaven to be understood in this place of the triumphant Church, a glorious part of the mystical body of our dear Saviour; which sometimes the Scripture calls heaven, Eph. 1.10. Col. 1.20. as if these glorious natures should cease to render their Hallelujahs and Thanks-givings unto the Almighty God who is set upon his throne of majesty and glory.  
For here we must understand by heaven the militant Church upon the earth, as it clearly appears by the preceding Chapter where you hear an angel cry with a loud voice to the four angels, which did represent the four illustrious kingdoms of the earth, with their Monarches, or the devils to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads; after which S. John beheld a great multitude of men who were to suffer martyrdom for Christ, and wash their robes white in the blood of the Lamb, nay, whom Christ was to lead unto the living and eternal fountains of waters; and immediately after the Church of God, admires the great mystery of our redemption in Christ, for which she suffereth: for it followeth, and when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven, and indeed the Scripture calls not seldom the militant Church heaven, as you may see, Dan. 8.10. where it is said, that the little horn which did represent the power of a Potent but wicked King, intra & extra Ecclesiam, within and without the Church, waxed great even to the host of heaven, that is, the militant Church: so in the Revelation 12. chapter, 4. verse. we read that the great red dragon the devil, with his well affected creatures, by his fraudulent allurements, drew with his tail (the antichrist that follows the devil's steps) the third part of the stars of heaven, that is, the great persons of the militant Church, which are eminent in learning, humane wisdom, nobility, and riches; and in my text there was silence in heaven, the militant Church; which obligeth me to tell you, that there are three considerations, for which the militant Church is called heaven.  
First, because the birth of the militant Church is from heaven, for she is born of God, 1 Joh. 5.1. and so I may say with S. John, I saw the holy city, the militant Church, coming down from God out of heaven.  
She is so called, because the inheritance thereof is an inheritance of heaven, and therefore it is called the inheritance of the Saints, Col. 1.12.  
The militant Church is called heaven, because her conversation is in heaven, as the great Apostle tells us; Phil. 3.20. and so our blessed Saviour calls often his visible Church the kingdom of heaven, which agrees with our assertion of that word heaven, the militant Church, of which it is spoken, when S. John saith, there was silence in heaven.  
But having seen the place where silence was kept, the militant Church; let us now consider the silence, and give me leave to make a reslection upon it: Silence (brethren) which the Hebrews call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cheresh, and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, if we consider it in general, is nothing else but a cessation of the external and visible actions of the sensible, insensible, and reasonable creatures; and so the learned men call the quietness of the water, silence, when the water doth not move its moist substance; nay, the conjunction of the moon with the most bright sun, where she seems to be ravished in contemplation of so glorious a Planet, is called silence; and the herbs and flowers which cease from growing, are said to be silent, but it is not of that manner of silence which is here spoken of; for in this place silence is taken for a suspension of the outward actions of the intelligent creatures, but properly of men, as the place where silence is kept, evidently shows, heaven the militant Church, of which they only are members, not the angels.  
But you must know, that there are several sorts of silence attributed unto them, which I must declare unto you for the better illustration of the silence which S. John speaks of.  
First, there is silentium persecutionis, the silence of persecution.  
Secondly, silentium pacis, the silence of peace and prosperity.  
Thirdly, silentium admirationis, the silence of admiration.  
The silence of the Church which is of persecution, is the cessation of the public worship of God by reason of the persecutions, which the Church suffereth for Christ under the enemies of the Gospel, as it did appear in the birth of the Christian Church, which was followed with a cruel silence; and I suppose that you have heard of the great eclipse of the militant Church under the ten persecutions, and specially the tenth bloody and most cruel persecution under the Emperor's Dioclesianus, Maximianus, Galienus, Maxentius, Maximinus, and Licinius; and how the militant Church at that time was in a profound silence; for you know that by the space of twenty years the Church was such, that she could not be seen by the eyes of her afflicted children, nor by the piercing sight of her persecutors who boasted to have utterly extinguished the Christians; at that time there was silence in heaven, for the Church of God was silent by reason of her persecutions; she was in her mourning apparel being under the cross, the places of her resuge were the deserts, her palaces the dens of the wild beasts, her most pleasant dwellings the habitation of serpents and other most venomous creatures; her voice was not heard; and she could not publicly entertain herself with her sweet and most amiable bridegroom, and say, I will rise now and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways, I will publicly seek him whom my soul loveth, Cant. 3.2. Now if we make reflection upon this Nation, we may truly say, that there was silence in heaven, when the Usurpers of this Kingdom did sit upon the Throne of our gracious Monarch Charles the Second; for at that time the Church of England was in a deep silence; her sumptuous and magnificent buildings, erected to offer to God our public but spiritual sacrifices, were demolished, the mother and children persecuted, and all her public and holy meetings prohibited; so that she could not with a loud voice call her afflicted children to give them any consolation, or mollify the sorrows of their souls.  
I know that some learned men take the silence of the Church, which S. John here speaks of, according to that sense, by an allusion to the Angel who was to perform the sacred function upon the altar of incense, as you may see in the third verse of our Chapter; for you must know, that when the Levitical Priests killed the beasts which were to be offered in sacrifice, there was a great noise heard in the temple by the roaring of the beasts, which were tied fast to the horns of the altar of the burnt-offerings, and from thence were called victimae, victims, quia ammalia vincta ad altare immolabantur, because the beasts were tied to the altar at their immolation; but when they burned incense there was silence in the Church, every one did consult in their hearts with the Almighty God of Israel, and as the pious Hannah, moved only their lips, but did not open their mouths to cause any noise in the temple, as you may observe Luk. 1.10. where you read, that the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of the incense; so by an allusion to the offering of the sacred incense where silence was kept, they understand the silence of persecution, wherein the Church is in a profound silence by reason of her persecutors.  
But leaving that opinion I pass unto the silence of peace and prosperity, to tell you, that it is a cessation in regard of the Church, of her persecutions, when she publicly resteth from her cruel labours, gins to take breath, and publicly receives a great and exceeding consolation from her dear Saviour and blessed Lord, where in that condition the Church of God remains in a profound silence, considering with herself how God is careful of those that are in affliction for his sake, & as he comforts them by his holy Spirit inwardly, although under the burden of persecution, so he delivers them from their calamities, and restoreth his people into a peaceable and sweet condition both in body and soul, as it was done in the time of Constantine the great, where the Church began to respire from her cruel persecutions, for at that time there was silence in heaven, silence of prosperity and peace; and so we may say, there is silence in heaven, when the Church of God is in a peaceable and quiet condition, without schisms and divisions.  
But we must go further, and evidently see that it is of the silence of admiration that S. John speaks of when he saith, there was silince in heaven, because this silence tends to the present action, where angels and men are ravished in the contemplation of it; for it was kept at the opening of the seventh seal, as you may see in the beginning of the 1. ver. by the words that immediately precede my Text; and therefore you must observe, that here is question of a great and sublime mystery which was to cause unto the Jews and Gentiles a profound silence, in the consideration of it; do you not see all the court of heaven to be silent, the angels that are sent for the protection of the militant Church, dare not sound their trumpets, lest any thing should hinder the great and sublime actings which did appear in the Church, to teach us, that we must keep silence, to contemplate with admiration what is acted in heaven? me thinks I see the Church in a profound silence, she is admiring with amazement that great mystery, the object of her contemplation, and let me tell you, that it is not without cause, seeing it is the matter of the great mystery of our redemption, which the militant Church upon the earth admireth in every age with a profound silence; for at the opening of the seventh seal, Christ God and man, the cause of this silence, appeareth, for the angel that came and stood at the altar is our blessed Saviour, as the best of interpreters teach us, God manifested in the flesh, an object which angels and men are not used to behold, Christ the angel of the great council, and the messenger of the covenant, as the Prophet Malachy tells us, Mal. 3.1. Christ our high-Priest who offered a sacrifice not of beasts, but of himself upon the altar of the Cross, and therefore at his coming into the world to assume our humane nature to satisfy the divine justice for men's sins, he caused a great admiration unto angels, and at his manifestation procured in heaven, the militant Church, a profound silence.  
But that you may have a greater satisfaction, I beseech you look upon the 3. verse of our Chapter, and you will easily see the cause of this silence to be Christ our Redeemer, for it is said in that verse, that another angel, Christ our Priest and Mediator, came, having assumed our humane nature, and stood at the altar, to show us, that he was offered in sacrifice for our sins; where you must observe, that Christ is our Priest according to both his natures, our altar according to his divine nature; for as the altar sanctified the oblation, Mat. 23.19. so Christ as God sanctified himself in his humane nature, according to which humane nature Christ properly is our sacrifice, as you may see in the first Chapter of the Epistle to the Colossians, 22. ver. and in 1 Pet. 4.1. although the principal virtue of his sacrifice did depend on his divine nature; Moreover it is said, that the angel had a golden censer, to teach us, that Christ gave God the Father a perfect and eternal satisfaction, that we might be delivered from the eternal slavery of the prince of darkness, which our sins had made us subject to; and further it saith, that much incense was given him, to show us, that the peculiar office of Christ, is to present God the Father the prayers of the righteous, and make them acceptable unto him through his intercession, which alone without the intercession of the departed Saints, is sufficient for all those that he redeemed by his precious blood, as you may see in the 4. verse, where it is said, that the smoke of the incense which came with the prayers of the Saints, ascended up before God out of the angels hand; all which things could not but cause silence in heaven, the militant Church, and ravish with admiration all the intelligent creatures in the opening of so great a mystery which the angels desire to look into, 1 Pet. 1.12.  
Moreover, seeing that the angel Christ, took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, as we read in the 5. verse, and cast it into the earth, to prepare by that sacred sire the Ministers of the holy Gospel, to preach one Jesus Christ and him crucified, as he did after his ascension into the glorious palace of his Father, as we read Act. 2.3. the Church could not but keep silence, and further hearing voices, thunderings, lightnings, and earthquakes at the opening of the great and sublime mystery of our redemption, for the confirmation of it she could not but admire with a profound silence such prodigious effects, as many for certain do in this world at the hearing of this great mystery, and I hope many in this company cannot but wonder at it, and say, being ravished in admiration with S. John, at the opening of so great a mystery, there was silence in heaven; but I am afraid of abusing of your patience, seeing that this silence should continue but half an hour, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour, which leads me to the second part of my Text.   

The second part.  
As the intelligent creatures are limited and finite; so is their contemplation which doth not permit them to consider several things at once; for their understandings present them the objects one after another, according to the capacity of their natures, and indeed God alone is he who can at once comprehend all things, because he alone compasseth about all the creatures of the Universe, and which is most admirable in the knowledge which God hath of all things, is, that to know them he doth not look upon them, but upon himself▪ for in his wisdom he sees the eternal models of all things, and in his will the efficient cause of all the events, so that by the knowledge that God hath of himself he knoweth all things; but it is not so with the intelligent creatures, for they must alternatively and by degrees consider several natures, whether they look upon them Intuitiuè, intuitively as angels; or discursiuè, discursively as men; or consider them with admiration, as both angels and men, as you may see in our Text; there was silence in heaven for the space of half an hour, because the sacred attendants of the militant Church could not at once in a moment perceive all those wonders which we have told you were seen in heaven during the celestial silence, of which S. John speaks, saying, there was silence in heaven for the space of half an hour.  
But this duration of time half an hour, hath some difficulty in its explication; for some learned men will have it to be the duration of the external peace of the Church of God under Constantine the Great, which seemed to have lasted but about the space of half an hour, for soon after that peace heresies and schisms did spring up in the Church, as it did appear by the Arians, against whom the great Council of Nice was held, being called by Constantine the Emperor; Lyranus will have the space of half an hour to be the duration of the persecution of Julian the Apostate, who imposed silence unto the Church, and commanded her not to instruct her children, nor give them any consolation grounded upon the merit of our blessed Saviour, which continued but a little while, about the space of half an hour, for soon after he died in the wars, which he did undertake against the Persians, where this monstrous Apostate vomited out a damnable blasphemy against our blessed Lord, whom he used to call Galilean, for he dying took some of his blood, & cast it up in the air, and said Vicisti Galilaee, vicisti; thou hast overcome Galilean, thou hast overcome at last: but  
Leaving those interpretations with many others give me leave to tell you, that by the space of half an hour is understood all the time of the actings which S. John saw in heaven, the militant Church, at the opening of the seventh seal, from the 2. ver. of our Chapter to the 7. for the things which are represented unto that verse, did seem to Saint John to have continued but a little while about the space of half an hour; so short a time that S. John was nothing weary in the contemplation of them; and indeed if you observe our Chapter, you will easily perceive a perfect silence kept in the militant Church by the sacred members of it unto the 7. verse, where the first angel by the sounding of his trumpet did break that sacred silence; for you must observe that those voices, thunderings, lightnings and earthquakes which are mentioned in the 5. verse, and seem to break our sacred silence, do not at all break it; for you see that it was the angel Christ our Redeemer, and not the Church that caused such things, and these thunderings, voices, lightnings and earthquakes which follow after the casting of the sire into the earth, signify and represent to us the effects of the Evangelical doctrine, of which the sacred object is Christ and him crucified.  
For the Evangelical doctrine tells us with a sweet voice, that salvation comes into the house of those that are in Christ Jesus; and with a thunder teacheth us what punishments attend the impenitent, and if the wicked do not repent, they will be consumed by the thunder of the divine justice; this celestial doctrine with lightnings declareth unto us the purity of our conversation, the holiness of our life, and integrity of our actions, which are as so many lights shining before men to the glory of God, and sacred assurance of our salvation; and with a kind of earthquake the doctrine of the Gospel reacheth unto us, because it makes us tremble when we hear, that we must give an account of all our actions even of our idle words, Mat. 12.36. before the tribunal of the Almighty God, which things did not break the silence, but rather confirmed and caused it, for the Church could not but keep silence at the hearing and considering of all these sacred and heavenly effects of the Evangelical doctrine.  
So than you will easily perceive, that silence was kept in the latter end of the second vision, which appears in the 4. Chapt. (the beginning of the prophetical revelation, and endeth at the 7. verse of our chapter, in which there was silence during all the time of the actings, that the preceding verses represent unto us; which S. John expresseth to have continued about the space of half an hour, and not without cause; for these things are so agreeable unto the sacred angels and holy members of the Church, that the continual contemplation of them seems not long.  
Moreover, you must observe, that S. John is very judicious, when he represents unto us, our contemplation in this life, on the great mystery of our redemption, with a profound silence under the space of half an hour; for he did know that the life of the militant Church upon the earth is short, and passes almost as soon as it appeareth in this world; nay, more than that, he was not ignorant, that whilst we live in our mortal bodies, our contemplations upon that great mystery continue not long; for soon after our divine meditations, even in our contemplations, the devil, the world, and our flesh cause our attention to be turned from them to look upon some terrestrial, vain and corruptible objects, by the representing of several things which solicit us to obey that cruel master, run after its ambition and follow the sinful motion of our lust.   

Conclusion and Application.  
But let us conclude, and being here taught to admire with a profound silence the great mystery of our Redemption, let us learn to look upon Christ the angel of the great counsel of the almighty God, and the messenger of the covenant, Mal. 3.1, 6. our Mediator who performed that incomparable work; for as himself saith, Joh. 4.34. My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work, which was our redemption, and indeed as the world was erected by Christ, so it was redeemed by him; let us consider that in the performance of our redemption, the just did suffer for the unjust, as S. Peter teacheth us, 1 Pet. 3.18. where God commendeth his love towards us, as S. Paul saith, Rom. 5.8. in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us; Christ a lamb without blemish, and without spot, 1 Pet. 1.19. Christ our Highpriest, holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and higher than the heavens, Heb. 7.26. but let us stay here to cast the eyes of our understanding on our blessed Redeemer, that we may seriously consider the holiness and integrity of his life and conversation, to imitate our Saviour, for saith S. Paul, Rom. 8.29. whom God did foreknow, he also did predestinate, to be conformed to the image of his Son; Let us consider the punishments which Christ endured upon the Cross to redeem us from our iniquities, which punishments were so great, that they drew from his sacred mouth this complaint, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me, Matth. 27.46. Let us look upon them, that we may impose silence to our sins, which speak so loud in our mortal bodies, that the clamour of them ascends up to heaven, and draweth down upon our heads the punishing thunder of the divine Justice.  
Silence to our ambition the first and greatest of all sins which opposeth God's independency and immensity, and fights against him for his crown of glory; that vice and immoderate affection of our souls, the inheritance of our first Parents, possesseth all men from their infancy, & groweth with them to the grave, where in golden letters, upon a most rich Tomb, you see the rest of our ambition, which should teach us to avoid such a monster; indeed the birth of ambition is different from that of other vices; for other vices, as gluttony and drunkenness, have vices for their parents; but ambition proceeds from virtue as a base born child; for it was born in the highest heaven, when those Angelical spirits, now devils, were pure, and in the estate of integrity; then in the terrestrial Paradise, for that bastard daughter of virtue, ambition, descended from heaven, and at the creation of our first Parents sho did secretly enter into the garden of Eden, where she seduced them, when they were in their most pure condition: for both angels and men desiring most ambitiously to be like unto God, did become the most odious of all the creatures: angels became devils, and men the slaves of the prince of darkness, the god of this world, as the grand Apostle speaks, the chief of these apostate intelligences.  
Silence to our vanity, for vanity is nothing else but a mortal folly, and the object of it corruption and filthiness, as the wisest of kings teacheth us: Let us not then glory ourselves in vain things, in corruptible riches, worldly honours and sensual pleasures; let us not boast of our beauty, nor worship that fatal idol of lasciviousness; for you know that the greatest beauty of the world, is but a mortal beauty, the least distemper sometimes will change the fairest face into a monstrous visage, as Cleopatra did well know; for seeing that beauty decayed, she did think to have found a way to render hers immortal, by causing herself to be engraved upon a most rich diamond, but she was mistaken, for the diamond being corrupted and reduced into ashes, it could not show any thing of her decayed beauty.  
Silence to our lust and carnal affections; for you know that they destroy both body and soul, and pollute the image of our God, that we are endued with; let the monster of drunkenness be silent, for it renders us like beasts, being in that horrible sin deprived of understanding and judgement, and fit to commit any sin against God at the least occasion that is presented unto us; you know the fatal events of these monstrous sins, how sometimes they solicit us to kill our fathers and mothers, sometimes the object of our lascivious pleasures, and sometimes ourselves; how they induce us to go up and down to seek after a prey, which spoils and ruins our bodies and souls, and often conducts us to a public place to expire there most shamefully.  
Silence to our illegitimate swear, let us not call God witness to our iniquities, nor blaspheme his holy name; know that it is not a small matter to call upon the Name of our glorious God at any occasion; and if he suffer so many swearers, it is an effect of his goodness, that they may repent and cease to swear; otherwise know that the divine justice will make them feel its eternal effects of vengeance; and indeed that sin is the sin of those that are damned, who in hell being not able to steal, commit fornication, or kill, cease not to blaspheme the holy Name of the Almighty God.  
Silence to all our evil words, and all the motions of an ill tongue, which S. James in the third Chapter of his Epistle so severely condemneth, for you know that they offend God and our Christ, our neighbours and ourselves, they are unworthy of a Christian, for as S. Paul saith, Eph. 4.29. Let no corrupt communication come or proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good, to the glory of God, and salvation of our souls.  
Silence to our covetousness, because it pulleth down the throne of our God and erecteth another in our hearts, to the profanation of the God of heaven whom alone we must adore, for covetousness makes us worship the corruptible riches of this world, and causeth us to rob the poor members of our blessed Saviour.  
Silence to all our sins, for they make division between God and us, and deprive us of the gracious presence of the blessed Spirit: you know brethren, that such silence is required of those that are in the militant Church of our God, where in the consideration of the mystery of our redemption we learn that sacred lesson, that we must abstain from our iniquities: indeed such a silence is our victory, and the greatness of our triumph; for in that silence of our sins, our vices are overthrown, and our virtue shineth as a most bright star; nay, more than that, that silence is a triumph which excels that of Alexander the Great, when he made his entrance into the noble and famous city of Babylon, where he was seen set upon a chariot richer than the Indies, and brighter than the Sun; that silence of our sins is a triumph which exceeds that of the Grand Caesar, when he caused himself to be drawn by forty Elephants unto the Capitol, (the glorious place of reception of the Roman Conquerors,) after he had obtained the honour of 24. Battles; that silence is a triumph which excels that of a famous Queen of Egypt, when she made her entrance into Cecilia, where she was admired in a most glorious ship, which was so rich that no man could judge of the price; for in these triumphs ambition did sit upon its throne, but in our Christian triumph, humility, justice, and charity sit upon their thrones; happy silence then, that filleth men with grace! happy silence, that procures us celestial honours, spiritual pleasures, and incorruptible riches! happy silence that conducts us to eternal life! let us embrace it, while we are in our mortal bodies, that we may hereafter enjoy the eternal Crown of glory, with the sceptre of immortality, which I wish you in Christ Jesus, To whom with the Father, and the blessed Spirit, be ascribed all honour and glory, now and for evermore, Amen.    

TO THE Right Worshipful and my much Honoured Friend Sir JOSEPH PAINE Kt Justice of Peace in the County of Norfolk, and Colonel of the Foot Regiment in Norwich, Health and Happiness.  
Sir,  
YOur great Civility to all, and in particular to myself, gives me an assurance that you will kindly accept that which I here present your Worship; even a Sermon in which I hope the meanness and lowness of the stile, will not any ways diminish the excellency of the matter, viz. our Saviour's Body, which you spiritually feed upon every Communion day, nay continually, seeing we feed upon it in our Celestial Meditations of Christ; I desire therefore your Worship to look upon the Matter not on the Work itself, being not worthy of your Acceptance: Indeed Sir, I had not assumed the boldness to offer this Present unto you, if I had not been sure of your singular Goodness; I have had of it so much Experience, that it should be a kind of crime to question it; and indeed a true Subject of the Glorious Monarch of England as your Worship is, and hath always been, will not disdain that which an inferior offereth him, seeing that the Great Charles refuseth not such things from the most inferior Person amongst his Subjects. Truly Sir, the Obligations which I own you are so great, that I am obliged to let others know the Civilities I have received from your Noble and Generous Person, and by your means from your most worthy Family; for I have nothing else to present you with, but the acknowledgement of your great courtesy, which I being sensible of, cannot but present my Prayers to the Almighty God of Heaven for your and your Family's Prosperity, remaining with all the sincerity of my heart,  
Sir, Your Worship's most humble Servant, James Le Frane.   

Christ's Sacramental Presence, AGAINST Transubstantiation and Consubstantiation; Delivered in a Sermon Preached at Great S. Peter's in Norwich.  S. MAT. 26.26. 
This is my body.  
AS we cannot but see the effects of the divine Goodness, if we contemplate this Universe, where God manifesteth himself unto us by the marks of his Divinity and power, which there he engraved as the grand Apostle tells us, Rom. 1.20. saying, that the invisible things of God, even his eternal power and Godhead, are clearly seen from, or, by the creation of the world: so we cannot but admire the great love of the Almighty God towards us, if we consider that he made us the noblest of all his sensible creatures, having printed in man the sacred image of himself, as Moses tells us, Gen. 1.26. and enclosed in him the being of all the created natures; for man hath a corporal being with the stars, Elements and Metals; life with herbs, plants and trees; sense with birds, beasts and fishes; and intelligence with angels; and so if the Philosophers called justly man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little world, me thinks they had much better said if they had called him the great world; for what is in heaven or earth in comparison of him, for whom they were created; they shall pass as S. Peter tells us, 2 Pet. 3.10. but man that noble creature shall remain for ever: it is true, that the consideration of the Universe gives us a sublime conception of our Creator; but if we consider within ourselves, we shall see that we are the subject of all the marvellous effects of his providence; for in man his admirable power, goodness, and wisdom did most gloriously appear, as the Royal Prophet tells us in the 8. Psalms, saying, being ravished in admiration, thou hast crowned him with glory and honour.  
But man in the estate of his integrity, considering himself so glorious, pride appeared and solicited him to sit upon the throne of his master; and this glorious creature being overcome by that monstrous solicitation, in his desire to be like unto God, did become the most odious of all the creatures, and which is the highest of all miseries, he became the slave of the Prince of darkness, so that of himself he could not return into the favour of his God, if God had not sent his blessed Son our only Redeemer into the world, to appease his anger by the satisfaction he gave to his divine justice for our sins, which is such a favour unto repenting sinners, that they must never be without a sacrifice of .  
Moreover, by another effect of his divine goodness, God presents unto us the great benefit of our redemption, by the continual preaching of the Gospel; and confirms and seals it by the administration of the holy Sacraments, and especially that of the Lords Supper, which is a Sacrament of his death and passion, as S. Paul speaks, 1 Cor. 11.26. saying, as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lords death till he come; which Sacrament is mentioned in our Text, for the Evangelist speaking of its institution, after the celebration of the Passover, saith, as they (the Apostles) were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take and eat, this is my body; which words I have chosen to entertain you with by the special assistance of the blessed Spirit, and for a clear intelligence of them we shall consider three things in our Text.  
First, the Subject of the proposition, this.  
Secondly, the Attribute, My body.  
Thirdly, the copula, is, which joineth the Subject with the Attribute, This is my body.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, this, which is a demonstrative pronoun, is taken in this place, not adectively but substantively; and for its explanation, you must observe, that this doth not signify an uncertain individuum, or a substance indefinitely, as Aquinas will have it; for if it were so this should demonstrate another substance as well as that of the body of Christ; neither doth this signify or demonstrate the predicate, the body of Christ, as if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this, should be the same with it, as Scotus speaks; for if it were so, the proposition should be identical, & should signify nothing else, but this body of Christ is the body of Christ, which is absurd; nor is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this to be understood of that which had been bread, as if some body, speaking of that which Moses held with his hand, which had been a rod, should say, this is a serpent, or that, which was water at the marriage in Cana, is wine; for if it were so there should have been a sensible conversion of the bread into the body of Christ, as there was in the changing of the rod into a serpent, and of the water into wine: nor is that Pronoun this taken adverbially for hic here, as those of the Church of Rome will confess with us: for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this, is referred to the bread which Christ took, broke, and gave to his disciples, and so demonstrates not a common but sacramental bread, where the substance and quality remaining, the common use is only changed into a sacred one, as S. Austin doth teach us.  
And it matters not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bread is of the masculine gender, for by the rule of the Grammar, when the substantive is understood, and not expressed, the adjective must be the neuter gender, by way of a substantive, in those things that are without life; and so we may say, hoc est terra, this thing is earth, & that is used sometimes in the Scripture, as those that understand Greek may see in 1 Pet. 2.19. where the Apostle saith, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for this is grace, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being neuter, & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feminine; but it is so clear, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this demonstrates the bread which our blessed Saviour broke, and gave his disciples, that the grand Apostle S. Paul calls it so, 1 Cor. 10.16. the bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? and in cha. 11. after he had told the Corinthians, that he had delivered them that which he had received from the Lord, that is, the manner of the administration of the Sacrament, saith, 26, 27, 28. as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the Lords death till he come; wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup, etc. but let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread; and if we call antiquity to witness, Tertullian will tell us in his Book against the Jews, Nos audiamus panem quem fregit Dominus esse corpus Salvatoris; Let us hear that the bread which Christ broke is the body of our Saviour; which you must understand sacramentally; so S. Jerome ad Hebidiam, moreover, in the same sense, Irenaeus lib. 4. cap. 57 saith, that our Lord taking bread, confessed it to be his body; and Theodoret. dial. 10. cap. 8. teacheth us, that in the exhibition of the mysteries, Christ called bread his body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
The Councils also show us the verity of our assertion, for the 37. Canon of the Code of the Canons of the Councils of Africa, tells us, that in holy places where Divine Service is celebrated, nothing more is offered but the body and blood of Christ, hoc est, panis & vinum aquâ mixtum, that is, bread and wine mingled with water, so the Council in Trullo at Constantinople, with the Council of Neocaesarea, which forbids certain Priests to give the bread and cup coram Episcopo before a Bishop.  
And I wonder to hear those of the Church of Rome cavil so much at that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this, when they amongst themselves are not agreed upon it; for they dispute among themselves about the consecration of the bread which Christ gave his disciples; some say with the Greeks as those of the Council of Trent, and other Doctors of the Church of Rome, till these last times of Cardinal Cajetan, that the Consecration was made by the blessing of Christ upon the bread, otherwise saith Christophorus Archbishop of Caesarea, lib. de corr. Theol. school. that Proposition, This is my body, had not been true, for if in that time the bread had not been changed by the blessing of Christ upon the bread, Christ had commanded his disciples to take and eat bread; others with Cardinal Bellarmin. tom. 3. de Euchar. lib. 2. cap. 11. say, that these words, This is my body, were as they are now the words of the Consecration; and if we farther press them to tell us in what time the body of Christ is in the Sacrament under the accidents as they speak, they will answer with their angelical Doctor, Aqu. p. 3. qu. 75. ar. 7. ad 1. that it is when the last syllable 'em, of those words hoc est enim corpus meum, is pronounced, toto tempore praecedenti substantiâ panis existente, being only before the substance of the bread; from whence it appears, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this, demonstrates the bread, because the last syllable was not yet pronounced, when Christ said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this, as they confess with us; then let us say this bread is my body, which obligeth me to pass to the attribute, my body.  
We need not to stay long upon the explication of Christ's body mentioned in my Text, for you are not ignorant, that here by the body of Christ you must understand not his mystical body, of which it is spoken, 1 Cor. 12.27. Eph. 1.23. for the mystical body of our Saviour, which is, the Church, was not given or broken for us, but the true and natural body of Christ which was broken and given for her and her children, according to that of the Act. 20.28. where you see, that Christ hath purchased the Church with his own blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, Rev. 5.9. for you read in S. Luk. 22.19. this is my body which is given for you, and 1 Cor. 11.24. this is my body which is broken for you.  
But for a better illustration of this our assertion, we must consider the copula, which is the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is, which joineth the subject 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the attribute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and observe that here it is not taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not properly and in its native signification, but figuratively and representatively, whatsoever Bellarmine doth say to the contrary; for disparatum de disparato propriè dici non potest sed siguratè, and therefore when there is any proposition made of two divers and desperate things, that proposition must be improper & figurative, as our Proposition this is my body, is; for the bread & body of Christ being two divers and desperate things, that Proposition must be tropical & figurative, where the cause of it is in the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which is taken in this place, for to signify or to be the sign, as it is taken often in the Scripture, as you may see Gen. 41.26, 27. where it is said, that seven kine are seven years, that is to say, signify 7. years, and so Rev. 17.12. we read that ten horns are ten kings, that is to say signify ten Kings; but specially the verb to be is taken in that sense, when it is question of a Sacrament, as you may see, Gen. 17.10. where we read this, the Circumcision is my Covenant, that is to say, the Circumcision doth signify or is the sign of my Covenant, and in Exod. 12. it is said that the Lamb is the Lords Passover, it is the Lords Passover, that is, the sign of the Lords Passover, for the Lamb could not be properly the Lords Passover, and so amongst the Jews was called our Saviour, as Justin Martyr relates in his Dialogue, cum Thryp. for he saith, that Esdras speaking to the people, said, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, this Passover is our Saviour, and indeed that was made ready for Christ by appropriation, for he was the lamb slain from the beginning of the world.  
Moreover S. Paul 1 Cor. 10.4. tells us, that the rock was Christ, which was not in substance, but in signification, saith the Author of the quest. on Levit. then, this is my body, is as much as to say, this is the sign of my body, which is confirmed by S. Austin against the Manichee Adimantinus, for (saith he) Christ doubted not to say, this is my body, Cum daret siguram corporis sui when he gave the sign of his body; nay, the Council of Constantinople held anno 756. condemning the images, accidentally speaks of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, and saith the substance of the bread is an image of our Saviour, and the gloss of the Roman decree upon the Canon, hoc est, dist. 2. tells us, that the celestial Sacrament which truly represents the flesh of our Saviour is called his body but impropriè, improperly, for it is so called non in ret veritate, sed in mysterii significatione, Christ being there represented and signified.  
Now brethren observe, that the bread is called the body of Christ by reason of its analogy with it, for according to that of S. Austin, Ep. 23. ad Bonifacium, if the Sacraments had not some likeness or resemblance with the things of which they are Sacraments, omnino sacramenta non essent, they should not at all be Sacraments, ex hac autem similitudine plerumque etiam ipsarum rerum nomina accipiunt, and from that resemblance, they assume oftentimes the names of those things which they do represent unto us; and indeed as the bread received in our bodies nourisheth them; so the body of Christ received by faith nourisheth our souls; as our bodies increase and have strength by the eating of the bread, so have our souls their growing unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the slature of the fullness of Christ, and receive their strength against all temptations, by the spiritual eating of our Saviour, the celestial bread which is the true meat of our souls; as the bread preserveth our corporal life, so the body of Christ conserveses in us the spiritual life, as our Saviour teacheth us in the Gospel, Joh. 6.53. saying, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you; where you see, that the Union of the Sacramental sign, with the thing signified, is not local but relative, in regard the sign represents to us the things by it signified.  
But although these things are so clear, nevertheless those of the Church of Rome will not admit of that explication, for they understand by these words this is my body, a proper and not figurative proposition, which shows us a real Transubstantiation of the substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ, remaining only the accidents, that is, what you see of the consecrated bread, so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this, demonstrates the body of Christ, sub speciebus vel accidentibus panis, under the accidents of the bread; for (say they) this Proposition, this is my body, is the Will and Testament of our blessed Lord, where sigures are not admitted as being something obscure.  
But first I have showed you, that this Proposition, this is my body, is not a proper saying, but a figurative one, by the nature of all the Sacraments, which are the same in signification and use in the New, as they were in the Old Testament, as S. Paul evidently teacheth us, 1 Cor. 10.23. for (saith he) they were all baptised in the cloud, and did all eat, not only among them, but also with us, the same spiritual meat; and so S. Austin. lib. de utilit. poenit. saith, that whosoever apprehended ● Christ in the Manna, cundem quem nos cibum spiritualem comederunt, did eat the same spiritual meat, which we do eat, which saying of Austin made such an impression on the Jesuit Maldonat, that he said, if S. Austin had lived in his time he had changed his opinion, seeing that the interpretation of the Protestants which he calls Calvinists, is almost the same. Maldonat. on S. Job. 6.50. num. 80, 81.  
As for what they say, that it is a Testament, we confess it with them, but we say, that the expression of our blessed Saviour's Will, is figurative and tropical, as it doth appear by what we have said, and by S. Luk. 22.20. where you read, after Christ had said, this is my body, this cup is the New Testament in my blood, which is confirmed by S. Paul, 1 Cor. 11.25. for it is evident, that the cup was not the testament; and it will not much serve them, to say, that this passage hath two expressions, where the first must be rendered so, this is the cup, the new testament in mybloud, the second, this cup is the new testament in my blood, because the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is, is expressed in 1 Cor. 11. and omitted in S. Luk. 22. for although in the first expression the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, is, is taken by them properly, because it was a cup that Christ presented to his disciples, nevertheless they confess a figure is in the 2d expression, for they say, that in that expression the cup is taken for what was in it, and that the testament is that by which we have right to the Covenant, but it is certain, that that which they will have distinct, is but the same thing, and the same Proposition in that passage of S. Luke & of the Corinthians; to signify that the cup, or the wine in the cup, is the sign of the New Testament, confirmed by the blood of Jesus Christ.  
Concerning tropical locutions, which are not admitted (as they say) in testaments, as being something obscure, I say, that it is not always so, seeing that they themselves use them for illustration, and it is clear enough that sigures have places in testaments; let them consider the testament of Jacob, Gen. 49. that of Moses, Deut. 33. and that of David, 2 Sam. 23. and they shall with us observe them to be allegorical; moreover, besides the Civilians observe, that in men's Testaments there are oftentimes sigurative expressions, for which they have some restrictions, which cause them to say, that in Testaments they must not come to a proper or strict signification of words, Cum plerumque abusiuè loquuntur testatores, seeing that the Testators oftentimes speak improperly; I say if the humane Testaments should be so plain, that there should be no figures, it would not follow, that there should be none in divine and spiritual Testaments; for in a humane Testament there are nothing but Legacies and express commands, which ought to be plainly understood; but in a divine and spiritual Testament there are mysteries to exercise our understandings, our faith, hope and patience, as the Learned men most judiciously observe, there are some things for this life, and some things for the life to come, some things are clearly seen, and some things darkly perceived: Moreover, in humane Wills men ought to speak plainly, because they can speak no more when they are dead, but in the spiritual Testament which is here mentioned, the Testator can speak after his death, as you know that he did, and doth truly know it, for Christ after his ascension into the glorious Palace of his Father, sp●ke unto S. Paul, who was the grand Persecutor of his sacred members, Act. 9.4, 5. as now by his holy Spirit, he speaks unto us, and makes the Church understand as much as he pleaseth, and as much as is necessary for the glory of his Father, and her eternal salvation.  
By this you may see, that our Proposition [this is my body] importeth nothing else, but this bread signifies or is the sign of my body; and indeed if the body of Christ were corporally in the Sacrament under the accidents, it should there be passable, that is, subject to alteration and sufferings; or impassable, that is not subject to any alterations or sufferings; but the body of Christ cannot be there passable or subject to any alteration; for if it were so, he should be there with all his dimensions in order to a certain place (otherwise he could not suffer as they will confess with us) and so the body of Christ could be divided, which they will not grant in the Sacrament, saying, that it is totum in tota hostia, & totum in qualibet parte hostiae; wholly in the host, and wholly in every part of it; and although Pope Nicholas forced Berengarius to recant in those words) I Berengarius assirm, that Christ's flesh is sensually handled and broken by the Priest's hands in the Sacrament, and grinded by the teeth of the saithful;) nevertheless they will not admit of that expression, and confess it is not so; insomuch that the gloss on the Canon de Consecr. distinct. 2. cap. Ego Berengarius; affirms it to be a worse heresy then that of Berengarius, unless it be soberly understood, for generally they hold, that Christ's body is in the Sacrament sub speciebus panis, impassibly; which yet cannot be, for if it were so, his body had been a glorious body before his resurrection (impassibility being one of the chief qualities of a glorious body, as they confess with us) for you know that Christ did celebrate the holy Sacrament before his death; moreover if the body of Christ were impassable under the accidents in the Sacrament I would ask them (the Apostles having consecrated at his death) whether Christ's body had been alive or no in the Sacrament; I suppose they will not say that it had been alive; for in the same time it had been alive in the Sacrament under the accidents, and dead in the grave, which is a manifest contradiction; nor dead I hope, for that should be contrary to their assertion of Christ impassable in the Sacrament.  
But give me leave to go yet further and say, that if Christ were corporally in the Sacrament under the accidents, his body had been visible, although it had been glorious; for Christ speaking to his disciples after his resurrection, said, behold my hands and my feet, and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me have; but as you see nothing in the breaking of a consecrated host but bread (besides you cannot discern a consecrated host from another that is not, as I have observed when I was in the Church of Rome) it follows, that the body of Christ is not in the Sacrament under the accidents, passibly nor impassibly; moreover, if Christ were in the Sacrament corporally, he had eaten himself, if (as some of the Church of Rome confess,) Christ did communicate with his disciples which is very probable, as you may see by S. Mat. 26.29. where Christ, after the exhibition of the bread and cup, saith, I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, till that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom.  
Lastly I say, that if Christ is in the Host corporally, his body which according to them remains no longer in their bodies then the substance of the bread (if there it were) should remain ceasing to be under the accidents, is reduced to nothing, or changed into another substance, or remains wholly; but is not reduced to nothing, nor changed into another substance, according to them; for if it were so Christ's body should be corruptible, and could be changed into any sensible and insensible substance, which cannot be said without dishonour to our blessed Saviour; to say that the body of Christ remains wholly, that cannot be proved or maintained without absurdity; for I ask whether that body remains in our bodies or goeth to heaven? they will not say, that it remains in our bodies, for some should have as many as they have received the Sacrament; nor will they say, that it goeth to heaven, for the multiplication of so many millions of Christ's by the multiplication of their consecrations, cannot be admitted in heaven, without absurdity and contradiction to the holy Scripture, which tells us, that there is but one body, and one Christ in heaven; it follows then that the body of Christ is not under the accidents, which obligeth me to say with Erasmus, that the Church of Rome hath too late determined the transubstantiation (the truth being known before, as Scotus and their Learned Tonstal. lib. 1. de Euch. pag. 46. insinuates) and indeed this Proposition this is my body, signifies nothing else, but this Sacramental bread is the sign of my body.  
But it seems, that some others will not yield to our assertion; for the Lutherans say in defence of their Consubstantiation, that in this bread, under this bread, and with this bread is the body of Christ; for they pretend by their ubiquity, that the humane nature of Christ is every where, but me thinks they should have better observed the words of our blessed Saviour, who only saith this is my body, and not in this bread, with this bread, and under this bread is my body; let us keep close to his words, Christ being the truth itself; and indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this, doth not signify in, with, and under, but only demonstrates the singular substance of the Sacramental bread, as being the sign of his body, truly natural, visible, palpable, and in order to a certain place sinite; which they understand to be not natural, not visible, not palpable, and every where not sinite, although not infinite; which is such a body that Christ never had, for after his resurrection, his body was palpable, visible, and in one place at once as well as before; and that will not save them to say he was but in one place at once visibly, but every where invisibly, for Christ shows that a body is always visible of its nature, saying, S. Luk. 24.39. after his resurrection handle me, and see me, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as you see me have: where you may observe, that Christ distinguisheth the humane body from the spirit by its visibleness and palpability after its glorious resurrection; moreover, the ascension of Christ into heaven diversely expressed by the Evangelists, teacheth us, that the body of Christ cannot be in two places at once visibly nor invisibly, for S. Mar. 16.19. saith, that Christ after he had spoken unto his Disciples, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was received up, which could not be according to his divine nature, which is every where, but according to this humane nature, which cannot be in several places at once; S. Luke tells us, 24.51. that Christ parted from them, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and was carried up, that is, according to his humane nature, which only was capable of local motion, by which we leave one place to go to another, Act. 10.9. it is said, that while the apostles beheld 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was taken up, which is also said in regard of his humane nature, and so the Greek Fathers judiciously speak, when they say, that the ascension of our Saviour is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his assumption in flesh: Moreover we read in the 3. Chapter of the Acts 21. verse, that the heavens must contain him until the restitution of all things, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which evidently shows, that the humane nature of our Saviour cannot be in two places at once, for when Christ shall come upon the earth to judge the Universe, he shall in regard of his humane nature leave heaven where he now is.  
But let us go further, and give me leave to say, that if the humane nature of Christ be every where; it was, or in the Estate of his humiliation, from the very instant of his conception, as some Lutherans do affirm; or in his estate of exaltation from the very instant of his resurrection, or that of his session at the right hand of his Father, as some other Lutherans say; but I cannot perceive, that it was in his estate of humiliation, from the very instant of his conception, for if it were so, the body of Christ had not only been form in the womb of the blessed Virgin, but also in every woman's womb, even the most wicked; for in that very instant, according to those of that opinion it was every where, nay, more than that, Christ could not have been born of her, for in the very instant of his conception he was in every part of the world, his soul could not have been separated from his body, being every where; and so he could not have died for us, for so long as the soul remains in the body, we cannot say properly, a man is dead, but only we conceive a suspension of the vital actions: moreover, Christ had been in heaven before his resurrection, according to his humane nature, being every where in the very instant of his conception, which agrees not with the Scripture, which shows us the ascension of Christ into heaven to be after his death; nor can I conceive that it was every where in the state of his exaltation from the very instant of his resurrection, or that of his session at the right hand of his Father; for if it were so, such an alteration in humane nature could not have been without a wonderful sign (as being so prodigious) that it cannot be conceived without the destruction of Christ's body; & indeed it is impossible to apprehend a thing circumscribed in a place, when it is not in a certain place fully contained, but every where in all the places of the superior and inferior world, which is the manner of being in a place, that is attributed unto God, privatively to all others, for in all the School-Divinity, in the old Philosophy, and in nature, there are but three natural proper ways of being in a place, circumscriptiuè, desinitiuè, & repletiuè, where you must observe, that all corporal substances are circumscriptively in a place, all the spiritual but finite substances, as angels and souls of men separated from their bodies definitively, and God alone is repletively in many places; for it is that manner of being in a place by which God is distinguished from his creatures, because God not his creatures, nec loco includitur, nec loco excluditur, nec loco circumscribitur, nec loco definitur, is neither included in a place, nor excluded from any.  
Indeed I cannot imagine how it came to pass, that the body of Christ which was before in order to a certain place circumscriptively, should be now every where, and made ex finito non finitum, from finite not sinite; besides you must know that Christ's body is not every where, because it is a glorified body, for if it were so, all glorified bodies would be every where; nor because the humane nature is united with the divine, to the person of the Son of God, for it was so from the very instant of his conception, which teacheth us, that the body of Christ is not in the bread, with the bread, and under the bread; but if you instance, and say, then follows the separation of the two natures of Christ; I answer, that such a thing doth not follow; for although the humane nature of Christ be not every where, yet the divine nature is, and therefore it cannot be separate from the humane nature; than it remains, that, this is my body, is nothing else but this bread is the sign and sacrament of my body.  
Now it may be that you will say, by all what you have said we cannot well gather how Christ is present in the Sacrament, but rather it seems that you deny the presence of our Lord in it: To which I answer, and say, that Christ is present in the Sacrament; but you must observe, that by the Sacrament I understand the Sacramental action in concreto, comprehending the sign and the thing signified, according to which sense our Learned Doctors use to say, that Christ is not present in the bread, but in the Sacrament, because in the Sacramental action the thing signified Christ our blessed Saviour is given together with the sign to the believer; but observe that Christ is present in the holy Sacrament, not locally but sacramentally, significatiuè, spiritualiter & virtualiter, signisicatively, spiritually, and virtually; for you must know that besides the local presence of a thing, of which we have spoken, and which we have said was threefold, there are also presences of 3. several sorts, which are of another nature, for there is a symbolical and significative presence, which is when a thing is present unto us by some mark or sign, as our brother and sister is present unto us by their picture; the second presence is a spiritual presence, which is when by faith things that are not present locally, are made present spiritually, as the day of Christ was present to Abraham, although it came to pass long after him, above 2000 years after, as we read S. Joh. 8.36. where Christ saith unto the Jews, Abraham rejoiced to see my day (whether it was his birth or his death upon the Cross it matters not) he saw it by saith, and was glad, as now we see and touch Christ; for as S. Ambrose de Sacrament. lib. 5. c. 4. saith, fide lang●ur, side videtur, non langitur corpore, non oculis comprehenditur; Christ the bread of life is touched by saith, and seen by faith, and that spiritually not corporally; which is confirmed by Christ himself, S. Joh. 6. where you may observe against Bellarmin. and others of the Church of Rome, that Christ speaks de re Sacramenti, of the thing signified in the Sacrament, the flesh and blood of Christ which we receive by saith; not the ipsis signis, of the external signs of it, which we corporally and materially receive; the third presence is a presence of virtue, which is, when a thing which is far from a place is nevertheless present by its virtue, as you may see in the Sun, which being far distant from the Earth, yet is present unto it by its virtue.  
Now you must know, that all these presences are to be found in the holy Sacrament; for Christ with his body and blood is there present, first symbolically and significatively, for he is represented unto us by the external signs of bread and wine; secondly spiritually, because in the spiritual reception of the Sacrament we apply unto ourselves the body and blood of Jesus Christ by faith, and so we are united unto him, and spiritually nourished with his body and blood; thirdly, Christ is present in the Sacrament with his body and blood virtually; for in the worthy participation of the Sacrament we receive the fruit and virtue of his death and passion, but observe, that the first presence of Christ which is symbolical, is given to the wicked, but the spiritual and virtual presence to the faithful; although then the body of Jesus Christ is as far from us as heaven is from the earth, yet the real Sacramental presence remains, for you may know that presentia alicujus rei non opponitur distantiaesed absentiae, the presence of a thing is not opposed to distance but absence, and so you may see, that these presences do not contradict our assertion, but do rather confirm it, and oblige us to say, that, this is my body, signifies nothing else, but this bread is the sign and Sacrament of my body.  
Now let us conclude with Application, and learn from thence the great and exceeding affection of our Lord towards us, who would not expire upon the Cross, before he had given us the precious token of our redemption; was it not enough for our blessed Saviour to assume our humane nature, to manifest in it his Father unto the corrupted world, and propose by it his sacred counsel to sinners? Was it not enough for our blessed Saviour to be made flesh with the weaknesses and infirmities of a sensitive life, which makes us subject to hunger, thirst, sorrow, and death, to redeem those who by their sins were made a sinful flesh? was it not enough for our blessed Saviour to accomplish the law for the elected sinners, die for their sins, and rise for their assurance? yea, we must truly say, that it is enough to make us confess the infinite love of our God towards us, and exclaim every one of us as the grand Apostle S. Paul Rom. 8. with a great affection towards him who loved us; I am persuaded that neither death, nor lise, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor beight, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  
Nevertheless our blessed Redeemer, knowing that since the fall of Adam, in which we have been all corrupted, our nature is so weak with its faculties, that we cannot well remember those things which concern our salvation; hath showed us another effect of his sacred love; he gave us his Word that we may have continually before our eyes Jesus Christ and him crucified, and left us the holy Sacraments, and specially that of the Lords Supper, to seal unto our souls the great mystery of our redemption, that we might remember what Christ did for us upon the Cross; for as Christ himself saith, S. Luk. 23.19. this doin remembrance of me; and S. Paul 1 Cor. 11.26. as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the Lords death till he comes; remember then dear brethren that great and sublime mystery of our redemption, that in the reception of the holy Sacraments your souls may be sealed with the sacred seal of the holy Ghost for your eternal salvation.  
But before you come to the sacred banquet of our Lord (where his body and blood is served for our celestial meat and spiritual drink) prepare yourselves, examine your life, and consider your inward and outward actions; to abhor the sins and corruptions of them, that coming with a strong resolution, to leave sin and embrace that noble daughter of heaven, virtue, you may worthily participate of the Sacrament of the body and blood of Jesus Christ, for as S Paul saith, 1 Cor. 11.28. Let a man examine himself (not his neighbour as many pretended Saints do) and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup.  
Remember that you go unto that sacred banquet with reverence, and in the consideration of your sins go with humility, for Christ takes a singular pleasure to dwell in the house of an humble Christian; if he comes unto Zacheus his house, Zacheus must come down first, as you read S. Luk. 19.5. Zacheus make haste and come down, for to day I must abide at thy house; and so S. Jam. 4.6. saith, that God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace unto the humble: Let us come by faith, for it is the sacred mouth and spiritual hand with which we apprehend the body and blood of Jesus Christ; as by faith we have a sacred union with our blessed Saviour, let us not be Capernaical but Apostolical, prepare not your teeth, believe and thou hast eaten it, saith S. Austin; do you not say how shall I send my hands and arms to heaven? send your faith.  
Moreover, remember that you come with a sincere and not hypocritical repentance, that you may not be like unto Judas who kissed his Master to betray him; for you know that it is by that noble but sorrowful virtue, repentance, that we must come unto that sacred banquet of the lamb slain for our sins, for we do not come unto that sacred banquet as innocent unto the goodness of our God, but as repenting sinners unto his grace; but brethren, you must be void of envy, hatred, and malice, lest you should take the holy Sacrament to your own condemnation, you know that it is a Sacrament of our union nor only with Christ, but also amongst ourselves; for as the Apostle says, 1 Cor. 10 We who are many are one bread, and one body, for we are all partakers of that one bread: do ye not absent yourselves from that sacred banquet, lest you entertain communion with the god of this world, and conserve in yourselves hatred and malice to your own destruction; indeed the more you absent yourselves from the Sacrament, the more will the devil keep you from it; so that at last ye will despise the holy Sacrament and procure to yourselves a kind of hardness to sin.  
But further give me leave to beseech you to look upon the meat and drink of that blessed and sacred banquet, Christ himself, whose body and blood is precious meat and drink, Christ the heavenly bread from whom we draw the spiritual water of wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption: for as the Apostle speaks, 1 Cor. 1.30. Christ is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctisication and redemption: Consider those that serve at that mystical Table, the holy Angels, they serve but they eat not, the meat of that sacred Table is not for them, it is only for repenting sinners; which things if you seriously look upon, I am sure that you will endeavour with the grace of our God to prepare yourselves for a worthy reception of the Lords Supper, that you may be partakers not only of the external signs and Sacramental bread, but also of Christ the thing signified by them, the heavenly bread, who will preserve you from eternal death, and bring you into the glorious kingdom of his Father, to enjoy after the sacred banquet of grace, the glorious banquet of glory. Amen.   

TO THE Right Worshipful, Right Virtuous, and truly Religious, my much Honoured Friend WILLIAM ADAM'S Esq Felicity and Peace.  
Sir,  
THE Merit and high Repute of your Civility is as a Voice that is heard not only in all the places where you have been, but in many others also which were not honoured by your Presence; Fama volat: and indeed wheresoever I come, I hear great Commendations of your Worship; The world saith, and that with Justice, that your Piety and Modesty is incomparable, and an Example to the Nobility that lives far and near that Temple of Honour where you have your Noble Habitation: But Sir, give me leave to say, that your Learning is not obscure, and though you be young in years, yet you are old in Prudence; Nay, I must confess, that your Worship is endued with such rare and eminent Qualities, that there be few among Persons of Eminency who do enjoy them; It is not then without Design that I am solicitous to present the Spiritual Kingdom of our Saviour (against the Monarchical Reign of our Chiliasts) to your most piercing sight; for having its Review and Approbation by so clear a Judgement, I shall not fear what Eye it may be exposed to for its Censure; I hope, Sir, that you will receive this Sermon although not worthy of your Acceptance, the which indeed I dare not question, being fully persuaded of your Affection towards me, which I shall ever acknowledge and highly esteem, remaining unto death,  
Sir, Your Worship's most humble and obliged Servant, James Le Franc.   

Christ's and the Saints Reign: OR, The Millenaries Confuted. Delivered in a Sermon Preached at S. Andrews in Norwich.  REV. 20.4. 
And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.  
IF any matter hath ever required attention, I am persuaded that you will confess, that this doth require it; for the learned Interpreters have so variously expounded it, that it is difficult to determine ourselves upon this Subject; Indeed I had not meddled with it, if I had not perceived the error of some of the common people, which follow some blind leaders, whose ambition is to extol themselves, and break asunder the Church of God to have some followers; for amongst the Sectaries you see so many of them blinded by their ignorance, that they will rather choose a worldly reign then a Spiritual Kingdom, earth for heaven, and temporal delights for eternal pleasures; but leaving them for a while upon their earthly Throne, give me leave to tell you, that this Chapter contains three principal parts.  
The first of which regards the space of a thousand years, under which Christ with his Saints shall reign upon the earth.  
The second includes the short time in which Satan after the expiration of the thousand years shall be loosed out of his prison; from whence you may consider what will be the condition of the world, when in that time you shall see it embroiled with dissensions, wars and seductions, as you may see by the 8. and 9 ver. of our Chapter.  
The third part teacheth us the general Judgement of the Universe, where the wicked shall be condemned to eternal punishment, and the godly declared the heirs of eternal felicity and glory.  
But as our Text is under the first part of our Chapter, let me tell you, that S. John in the beginning of it brings in an angel which is Christ, coming down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit, with a great chain in his hand to bind with it the dragon, which is the devil & Satan, a thousand years, & shut him up into the bottomless pit, with a seal upon him, to stay his power, and hinder his tyrannical Empire over the humane kind, that he may deceive the nations no more; where in the golden age of Satan's chaining, you may consider the condition of the faithful and godly men, and see their conquests, triumphs, and victories over their enemies in their very punishments & death, for the promulgation of the Gospel, and the advancing of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ: for in the 4. ver. the beloved Disciple of our Saviour S. John saith, that he saw thrones, and they (that is the Martyrs) sat upon them; and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, which had not worshipped the Antichristian beast, neither his image, nor bad received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; adding, and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years: which are the words which I have chosen to entertain you with by the special assistance of the blessed Spirit; but for a clear intelligence of them I shall divide my Text into two parts, where in the first I shall speak of the life and reign of the Saints with Christ in these words, and they lived and reigned with Christ; and in the second part I shall show you the duration of it, a thousand years; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.  

The first Part.  
If we consider the holy Scripture we may evidently see that our Saviour hath only two several Kingdoms; the one providential, which is that universal Sovereignty by which Christ manageth the affairs of all the whole world, both in heaven and earth; the other spiritual, which is that royal but celestial authority which he exerciseth over his people, the elect, which is that kingdom in which the Saints or faithful live and reign with Christ, as you may see in Revel. 5.10. where it is said, that Christ hath made us unto our God kings and priests, that we may reign on the earth, or and we shall reign on the earth, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and that in a spiritual manner; so in Rom. 5.12. we read, that if by one man's offence death reigneth by one, much more they which receive abundance of grace shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ; and in our Text, and they lived and reigned with Christ.  
Which makes me wonder at the Chiliasts or Millenaries opinion, which gives our Saviour in this place of Scripture, as in many others, a third Kingdom which they call Monarchical; wherein Christ when he enters upon it, will govern as earthly Monarches do, universally over the world, in a visible and earthly glory and splendour, which is the personal reign which they give to our blessed Lord, and which I observe to be diversely understood by its assertors.  
For the Jews persuade themselves, that at the possession of that Kingdom, Jerusalem shall be most splendidly re-edified with the Temple, which according to them will be the third, Sacrifices offered unto the God of Israel, Marriages amongst themselves most gloriously celebrated, and all prosperity and happiness without any molestation or hindrance of their enemies enjoyed; so that they understand that reign of Jesus Christ both carnal and spiritual.  
Some ancient Doctors of the Christian Primitive Church, as Justin. dialog. contra Tryphon. Lactantius ille, Firmianus, Tertullian, against Martion, lib. 2. and others were of that opinion, that the Monarchical Kingdom of Jesus Christ should be administered in a spiritual manner without any bloody sacrifice or libation, without marriages or sensual pleasures; for as Justin Martyr (after his discourse about the day of judgement, which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) saith to Trypho the Jew, at that time we shall immolate true and spiritual sacrifices, and offer praises and thanks-givings unto our God, without any bloody sacrifice upon an altar.  
Some heretics as Cerinthius and Apollinaris understood that Monarchical Kingdom of Jesus Christ in a fleshly manner, saying, that the Saints should reign with Christ upon the earth, in all manner of voluptuous pleasures, gulae & luxuriae, of gluttony and wantonness, which perhaps may be the sense of some of our Sectaries, although they pretend to interpret it of a visible and earthly Monarchy, without any fleshly and sinful volupty, as one Archer a London-Divine expresseth it.  
But I will not stay so long upon that Monarchical Kingdom, for we do not know such a kingdom in the holy Scripture, attributed unto Christ, nor to the Saints, although you read in my Text, and they lived and reigned with Christ; and indeed it is evident that the Scripture denies it, for we read S. Joh. 18.36. that Christ said to Pilate, my Kingdom is not of this world; nor from hence, which manifestly contradicts the Chiliasts or Millenaries opinion, for if Christ (as they say) will govern at that time as earthly Monarches do in a worldly visible and earthly glory, how is his kingdom not of this world?  
Moreover, if there were such a kingdom given to our Saviour, we should have heard in the Scripture of a third personal coming of Jesus Christ, which we do not; for the Scripture makes only mention of two personal come of our blessed Saviour, where the first is his coming in humane weakness, to make us strong against our powerful enemies, the devil, the flesh and the world; the second his coming in majesty and glory, to give judgement to the quick and dead after their resurrection, and we confess in our Creed that from thence, that is, heaven, where Christ now is, he shall come to judge the quick and the dead, which is confirmed by the Athanasian and Nicene Creed, to  we must keep close, as being the saith which was once delivered to the Saints.  
And if some Millenaries will not understand that Monarchical kingdom of our Saviour personally, than that kingdom falls of itself, for Christ now reigneth by his Spirit in the hearts of his regenerated Subjects, as they will confess with us, and they reign with him; for as our Text saith, and they lived and reigned with Christ.  
But further that Monarchical Kingdom of Christ cannot stand without two general corporal resurrections, the one of those Saints which were dead before that personal coming of Christ, at which he shall take the administration of his Monarchical kingdom, the other at the end of the world at his sinal coming to judgement, as they themselves acknowledge, which is a thing that the Scripture makes no mention of; for the Word of God makes only mention of one general corporal resurrection, at the end of the world, as you may see Job 19.25. where it is said by that most patiented Patriarch, I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth, and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God; nay Martha as you read S. Joh. 11.24. confesseth to Christ, that her brother shall rise again in the resurrection of the last day, and not at the day of the administration of Christ's Monarchical kingdom; and you know that S. Paul 1 Cor. 15.52. saith, that in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, we shall rise at the last Trumpet; and so in our Creed we confess the resurrection, and not the resurrections of the flesh; and that will not serve the Millinaries to say, that in our Chapter in the 5. ver. it appears clearly that there are two general resurrections of the flesh, when we hear of a first resurrection which insinuates a second one; for that first resurrection which is mentioned there, is the resurrection not of the body but of the soul, from the death of sin to the life of grace, as S. Aust. did well observe; I know that some take that first resurrection for the glorious happiness of the soul, by which she alone passeth by the death of the body into eternal life, and that by the preceding words of the 1. verse, which are, but the rest of the dead, that is, the wicked and reprobate, lived not again, etc. because they experimented in hell the first death and damnation, which is of the soul alone, which obligeth S. John to say in regard of the Saints departed who are opposed to the wicked, this is the first resurrection, and blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection, on such the second death hath no power; for those that live with Christ in heaven in regard of their souls only, shall live with him eternally, in regard of both bodies and souls in the celestial Jerusalem; but although this explication be true in itself, yet you must observe, that it is not proper in this place of Scripture, which considers the wicked and godly men not as departed from this world, but as living upon the earth; and so S. John considers the wicked as dead in their sins, and having part in the first spiritual death, and the godly men as living by grace, and having part in the first spiritual resurrection.  
I could raise many more Arguments against the doctrine which the Millenaries hold concerning that Monarchical kingdom, but I will not be tedious: I shall pass by the three several assensions of Christ which they hold, for we know no such thing in the Scripture; I shall also omit the place which some Millenaries maintain besides heaven and hell, where the souls of them are, who shall rise to reign with Christ a thousand years; for you know that the Scripture makes only mention of two places after death; the one of which saith S. Austin in his hypognost. is according to the Catholic faith, the kingdom of heaven, and the other according to the same faith, saith this Father and Doctor of the Christian Church, is hell; Etenim tertium locum penitus ignoramus; for we are wholly ignorant of a third place, which is confirmed in his Book de precat. merit. cap. 28. and insinuated in the 22. artic. of the Church of England.  
I will not trouble you with the several passages of Scripture which they bring to prove that Monarchical kingdom, which they will have with Christ, it is enough to tell you, that they put a merely literal construction upon the Prophecies and promises of Scripture, which the holy Ghost intended to be spiritually understood; for if the Prophets speak concerning the kingdom of Christ the re-edifying of the Jewish Cities, the pomp and magnificence of restored Israel, and their large privileges, they draw those things to a gross corporal, and syllabical sense, which the judgement of the whole Christian Church seconded by the event, hath upon good ground ever construed not of the letter but of the spirit, to show the comfortable condition & great advantage of the Evangelical Church under Christ, manifested in the flesh; which evidently teacheth us, as I said before, that Christ had only two several kingdoms, of which the one is providential, and the other spiritual, in which the Saints live and reign with Christ, as you may see in my Text, where S. John speaking of that kingdom, saith, and they lived and reigned with Christ.  
But for a clear illustration of those kingdoms, you must observe, that the providential kingdom of Jesus Christ, is his essential, universal and natural kingdom, which he administereth as God over all his creatures, in Majesty and glory, with his Father, and the holy Ghost, and obtaineth as the only Son of his Father, jure naturali, which kingdom is mentioned in Daniel the Prophet, 4.34. and 6.26. but the spiritual kingdom of Jesus Christ figured by the kingdom of Judah is the donative, personal, and oeconomical kingdom, which the Son of God received from his Father, as you may see in Psa. 2.6, 8. where God having set his Son for our King upon his holy hill of Zion, saith to him, Ask of me, and I shall give thee the Nations for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession; as having in any countries' some that are to be saved, as we see in Rev. 5.9. where it is said, that Christ hath redeemed us unto God by his blood, out of every kindred, tongue, people, and nation.  
Moreover, you may see the spiritual kingdom of Jesus Christ, Dan. 2.44. where it is written, that in the days of the Kings of the fourth divided Kingdom, which was the Roman Empire, the God of heaven shall set up a kingdom, that is, the spiritual kingdom of Christ, which shall never be destroyed, in which kingdom the Saints living a spiritual and celestial life reign with Christ; for as you read in my Text, which speaks of that kingdom, and they lived and reigned with Christ.  
But for a clear intelligence you must observe, that the spiritual kingdom of Christ is distinguished into two wise, by reason of its two several administrations; into the kingdom of grace, and the kingdom of glory, where the kingdom of grace is the Sovereignty which Christ exerciseth in this world over the Elect, governing his people by the Sceptre of his holy Word, and defending them against their enemies, the devil, the flesh, and the world, by the mighty virtue of his blessed Spirit, which is that kingdom which S. John in chap. 3. ver. 5. speaks of, saying, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God; and Rom. 14.17. the grand Apostle saith, that the kingdom of God, which is, the kingdom of grace, is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the holy Ghost; the kingdom of glory is that Royal Government and Empire, which Christ the King of kings most gloriously exerciseth over the triumphant members of his Church after this life, and shall exercise for ever in his glorious Palace of heaven, over the bodies and souls of all the blessed of his Father, after the universal Resurrection, which is that kingdom which is mentioned, Mat. 8.11. when Christ saith, that many shall come from the East and West, and shall sit down with ●braham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, and S. Mat. 26.29. when he saith, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.  
But leaving the kingdom of glory, give me leave to tell you, that in our Text S. John speaks of the kingdom of grace when he saith, and they lived and reigned with Christ; for you may observe, that here is described the happy condition of the militant Church all the time of the shutting up of Satan, in which the faithful will reign with Christ, over the devil, the flesh, and the world, overthrowing their enemies in their very death and most cruel tortures, as you may observe by the words that precede my Text, where S. John speaks of those that suffered for the word of God, and for the witness of Jesus,; after which he adds, and they lived and reigned, etc.  
Moreover, the seditions, battles, and seductions which follow that happy condition of the Church, as you may see in the 8. ver. where it is said, that Satan after the expiration of the thousand years, shall go out to deceive the nations, and gather them together to battle, evidently shows, that it is of the kingdom of grace which S. John speaks of; which obligeth me to say, and they lived, that is, the life of grace, which is mentioned in Gal. 2.20. where the Apostle S. Paul saith, I live, that is, the life of grace, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life, that is of grace, that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God; and indeed, it is only in that gracious kingdom of Christ that we live that celestial and spiritual life; for the life and kingdom of grace are inseparable, he that liveth the life of grace reigneth with Christ, and he that reigneth with Christ lives the life of grace; and so S. John joins them together, saying, and they lived and reigned with Christ.  
And if you regard the Martyrs who died under Domitianus and other cruel Emperors, enemies of the Church of God, we may say, and they with the rest of the Saints lived and reigned with Christ; for the blood of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church, by which many come unto the saving knowledge of Christ to reign with him in his kingdom of grace, and in regard of those Saints that are born of them, we read in the 6. verse, and they in their seed shall reign with Christ, where you may observe, that here there is no mention of the Millenaries Monarchical kingdom, and indeed without such a kingdom the Saints reign upon the Earth with Christ by grace, they reign with him by faith, by hope, by patience, and by all the rest of the Christian virtues; then let us say, and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years, which leads me to the second part of my Text,   

The Second Part.  
That number 1000 is taken in Scripture definitely and indefinitely; definitely for a certain & limited number, as you may see Judg. 15.15. and 1 King. 3.4. indefinitely for a great but not limited number, as you may see Dan. 5.1. where a 1000 lords signify a great multitude of nobility; and so a great but not limited number is designed by many thousands, Rev. 5.11. according to which sense we shall take that number of a thousand years mentioned in our Text, for S. John speaking of the time of Satan's binding, in which the Saints should reign with our Lord and Saviour with progress, although not without affliction, saith, and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years, and that is confirmed by the Royal Prophet, Psa. 90 4. where he saith, that a thousand years are as yesterday in the sight of the Lord, and after him. S. Peter, 2 Pet. 3.8. tells us, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day, to show us, that any long time whatsoever is as one day, even as a moment before the Lord, because the eternity of God admits no succession as the eternity of angels and men, for in the eternity of God nothing is passed and nothing is to come, all things are present unto him, which is not to be found in the eternity of angels and souls of men, where there is succession to be found, and indeed to distinguish the eternity of God from that of angels and men, which hath a beginning and no end; Both. lib. 5. the consol. Philosoph. saith, that it is possessio totalis & perfect a vitae sine termino, a total and absolute possession of a life without any limit; and so S. Austin. lib. 1. de ver. relig. cap. 44. saith, that in the eternity of God he could not perceive any interval of time, because the intervals of time consist in the motion of things, which are passed or are to come, then let me tell you, that the thousand years of our Text do signify all the time of the reign of the Saints, from the binding of the dragon, until the formal manifestation of the Anti-christian jurisdiction, at the losing of Satan out of his prison; as you may see by the 7. and 8. verses of our Chapter, and when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations, which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle.  
But for a clear explanation of our Text, we must observe the beginning of these thousand years, for there remains the difficulty, where many Learned men have pleased themselves with their sancies; for (leaving alone Prosper who beginneth them at the beginning of the Seventy weeks which Daniel the Prophet makes mention of in the ninth Chapter of his Prophecy:) Some with Alphonsus a Castro, begin the thousand years of our Text after the day of judgement, saying, that these thousand years are the eternity of the Saints in majesty and glory; but the seductions of the world after the losing out of the devil, as you have seen in the 7. and 8. verses of our Chapter, evidently shows the contrary: Others with the Millenaries, with Papias, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Lactantius, and others, begin them at the death of the Antichrist; but you may observe, in the 7. and 8. verses, that the devil being loosed, after the expiration of the thousand years, the Antichristian jurisdiction shall prevail, and so the thousand years of our Text do not follow the Antichrist but precede him: some of the Rabbins, Ketina and Eliezar among the jews will have the beginning of those thousand years, after six thousand of the creation of the world, at the beginning of the 7000 to the very end of it; But how do they know that the world shall endure neither more nor less than six thousand years, after which the world shall have a rest of a thousand years; the Scripture I am sure makes no mention of such a thing; and therefore leaving that opinion I say, that others begin them at the Passion of our Saviour, as Gregorius and Austin and Pererius; but although it was said, that at that time the prince of this world should be cast out, S. Joh. 12.31. and that in the Cross Christ, having spoiled principalities and powers, made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it; yet you must know that it was not the beginning of Satan's binding, and therefore I omit for the same reason the opinion of some Learned men that begin the thousand years at the death of Julian the Apostate, in the beginning of the Reign of Constantine the Great.  
For if we seriously consider, we shall see, that a thousand years begin at the Nativity of Jesus Christ, at that time Christ beheld Satan as lightning falling from heaven; for at his Nativity he took that strong man, bound him, and spoiled his house, as Christ himself insinuates, Mat. 12.29. did not the devils know that they were bound when they besought our Saviour saying, if thou cast us out, suffer us to go into the herd of swine? Mat. 8.31. you cannot but know that verity, if you consider that the devils could not stand before him without fear and trembling, as we read in the Evangelists; and the heathens themselves show us, that the devils were bound at the Nativity of Jesus Christ, for Suidas in vita August. recordeth, that Augustus the Emperor, enquiring of the Oracle of Apollo, what man should reign after him, received no answer from the devil, then that an Hebrew child newly born among the Jews, hindered him to speak; and commanded him to departed from thence; and I have read, that all the Images of Egypt did fall to the ground, when our blessed Saviour entered into that Country to avoid the bloody fury of the Infanticide King Herod.  
Moreover, some Learned Historians tell us, that the Romans having formerly consulted the Oracles to know how long the Temple of the Goddess Peace should stand, an answer was made them, until a Virgin should bring forth a child; and so it came to pass, for at the blessed Virgin's deliverance, it fell to the ground; and further Plutarch. de defect. orac. doth report, that in the Reign of Tiberius the Emperor, a strange voice and exceeding horrible clamour, with cries and howl, was heard by many in the Grecian Sea, lamenting and complaining that their great god Pan, the master devil was now departed, insomuch that all the Sea resounded their dreadful Echoes; whereby it is plain and manifest, that even in all parts the devil complained on the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour, as being at that time so bound, that he could not as he did before seduce the Nations of the earth, for many of the Gentiles seduced before by him, came at that time unto the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and suffered Martyrdom for our Lord.  
And all that agrees very well with the narration of S. John described in our Chapter, for the beloved Disciple of Christ saith at the 1. verse, that he saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit, and a great chain in his hand, to bind the prince of darkness with it, which shows us Christ who came down from heaven, as S. John himself saith in the 6. chap. of his Gospel, that being conceived by the holy Ghost in the womb of the blessed Virgin, 〈◊〉 he might be born of her to destroy the works of the devil, and bind that strong man, as you may read in the 12. of S. Mat.  
Then you may see that the thousand years of our Text begin at the birth or Nativity of our Saviour, to continue until the formal manifestation of the Antichristian Jurisdiction at the losing of Satan, as you have seen by the 7. and 8. vers. of our chapped. which time is already expired and finished; if you consider who are those that are called Gog and Magog, who are to exercise their tyranny against the Church of God, after the expiration of the thousand years, as you may see in the 8. and 9 verses, the devil shall go to deceive the nations of the earth, Gog and Magog, and gather them together, and they went upon the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the Saints about, and the beloved City.  
You know that Gog and Magog are two words which are taken from the 38. of Ezechiel the Prophet, where the Jews by Gog understand the king, and by Magog the people; but you are not ignorant that Magog was one of the Sons of Japhet, as read in Gen. 10.2. who at the first did inhabit next to the Caspian mountains, and by succession of time extended themselves into all parts of the world; from thence came the Scythians, Tartarians, and other Barbarians, from thence came the Hunnians, Vandals and Goths, and therefore it is not without reason, that those people are said to be as the sand of the sea in the latter end of the 8. ver. of our chapped. for they have supplied the world with almost an infinite number of people, which caused some Learned men to say, that the North was the shop of all Nations, from thence come also Turks, who by violence took away the Saracenical Empire; as for Gog you know that it is the proper name of one of Joels sons of the posterity of Reuben, 1 Chron. 5.4. who inhabited Eastward, and filled the Little Asia with his posterity, which was called Gog.  
But these Nations which came from Gog and Magog having degenerated from their ancestors, became cruel enemies unto the people of God, as you see by Ezech. 38. and from thence the Scripture speaks of Gog and Magog to represent the open and secret enemies of the Christian Church, as you see by the 8. ver. of our Chapter, with a part of the 9 ver. which shows us, that those Nation's Gog and Magog compassed about the Camp of the Saints to sight them, than we cannot but understand the Turks by Magog, and the Pontificial Tyranny with the cruelty of the Sectaries by Gog; as for Magog from Miggag revealed and discovered it becomes well the Turks, for they are manifest enemies of Jesus Christ, and open persecutors of his poor members; they publicly esteem Mahomet that grand Impostor, the son of the Prince of darkness, before our Lord and Saviour, who is the Son of God, and prefer their Alcoran full of Gentilism, Judaisme, and Arianism, compiled by men of impiety, before the sacred Scripture, inspired by the holy Ghost the essential piety; as for Gog, let me tell you that it becomes well the tyranny of the Church of Rome with the cruelty of the Sectaries; for Gog from Gag is the same as covered and hidden, which is very fit for them, for they cover and hid their tyranny and cruelty under the cloak of Religion, professing one Jesus Christ, and him crucified, when they crucify and hand the true members of our Saviour; in all their wicked designs they pretend the good of the Church, when they rend and defile it; and so by a damnable hypocrisy cover all their profanations and wickednesses, as you have in this Realm beheld with your eyes; where the Jesuits with the Sectaries erected a black Tribunal for a most pious and Christian King, and his faithful Subjects, under a pretext of a good Conscience.  
And indeed as Gog did degenerate from his Predecessor Jacob, and his father Joel, who with humility and reverence adored the Almighty God of Israel, and followed his orders, so did the Church of Rome with the Sectaries degenerate from their Ancestors, who acknowledged with all humility and obedience the Church of God and its orders; or if you will, as Gog did imitate Reuben who defiled his father's bed, so the Church of Rome with the Sectaries imitate Satan, who defileth the Church of God with Schisms and heresies; which makes you clearly see, that the devil is loosed out of his prison, and that the thousand years are expired and finished; they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years; not that I will say that the Saints do not now reign with Christ, for I know that they do reign with him when they are his regenerated Subjects, but that now they reign not with Christ with such progress as they did before the expiration of the thousand years of Satan's binding; for we seldom now see a true conversion, or a sincere repentance of our sins, but rather often obstination appears in our errors, we will not change them because we defended our sins openly, and so by our ambition we destroy the Church of our blessed Saviour; there is no fear of God amongst us, nor sincere love one to another, nor charity towards our poor afflicted brethren, as there was in the time of Satan's binding; we are as hard as Pharaoh, as cruel as Cain, and as profane as Esau; it seems that all the Christian virtues are vanished amongst men, and that all vices have took their places to give way unto the prince of darkness, who is now loosed out of his prison; for they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.  
Perhaps you will tell me, if the thousand years are now finished, or as you said, expired at the formal manifestation of the Antichristian Jurisdiction, how can it be said, that Satan is loosed out for a little while or season, as it is spoken in the 3. ver. To that I answer and say, that this may very well be said in regard of Satan's eternal binding, which followeth after his losing out of his prison for a while; indeed if you consider the thousand years binding of Satan, I confess that his losing out will seem a great while; but if you look upon Satan's eternal binding, his losing out is but a little season, which makes me wonder at the Millenaries opinion, who expect now a visible and earthly reign, for in the expectation of such a reign, they lose the spiritual kingdom of our Saviour, and in their pretended happiness, they may find a true unhappiness.  
But I will stay no longer upon that imaginary kingdom, for the kingdom that I proposed unto you, is a true and spiritual kingdom; the kingdom of our Saviour which is of grace, without which it is impossible to obtain the kingdom of glory; for you know, that we must first reign here in grace, before we can reign hereafter in glory; then let me tell you, that the Saints who now reign with Christ in glory, lived and reigned before with him in grace by many years; for as you read in my Text, and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.   

Conclusion and Application.  
But let us conclude with application, to learn from our Text, that the Saints who are actual members of our Saviour live with him in this world the life of grace, the only life of God's children, who are not born of the flesh but of the Spirit, Joh. 3.6. not of corruptible but incorruptible seed, the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever, 1. Pet. 1.23. not of the prince of darkness, but of the Father of lights; for as we read, and they lived and reigned with Christ; indeed there is none but those that are light in the Lord that possess it; for this spiritual life changes our darkness into light, and our vices into shining virtues, and makes us like unto the Sun of righteousness by the gracious brightness which the life of grace procures unto us, which is a life that the Scripture calls the life of Christ; because the life of grace looks on Christ as on its sacred object, and its meritorious cause; and by excellency the life of God, not as if God were not the author of the natural life of the vegetative, sensitive, reasonable, and intelligent creatures, for we know that the God of heaven and earth gives life to all these creatures, and that the natural life dependeth of him as of the God of nature; but it is so called because God by the life of his grace liveth in his children, that they may live unto him, and conform themselves to his sacred Will; for the regenerated know that by that life we die to sin, and live to righteousness, always tending towards the mark for the price of the high calling of God.  
Moreover, the life of grace is such an advantage to the regenerated Christian, that by it the image of our God, which we by our sins have defiled, is restored in our corrupted nature, and therefore the Scripture shows us, that the life of grace is nothing else but the new creature and the new man: I wish that I could speak with the tongue of Angels to express in some kind that celestial and spiritual life which the Saints enjoy in our Saviour, for I am sure that you would be ravished with admiration in the very hearing of that sacred life, yet I desire that you give place to my weakness, excuse my infirmities, and suffer me to exhort you to run after it with all the sincerity of your hearts.  
But before, forsake the world and its lusts; for it is impossible to live with Christ while we live the life of this corrupted world; let then every one of us pull down the Idols which we have erected upon our hearts to the profanation of the Name of the Almighty God, and confusion of our immortal souls; you that are covetous, let me persuade you to remove Mammon from your affections, that you may offer an agreeable sacrifice unto God, and come to the life of grace; consider that riches continue not long with us, for you know that sometimes the sea, that unconstant Element takes by violence all ours, and that which we had from others, as great Merchants by experience may inform you, and sometimes a sickness will consume our estate; nay, sometimes the negligence or bad conscience of our debitours will deprive us of all our revenues, and make us poor and miserable; but suppose that all your goods remain with you all your lives time, at last they must leave you although you will not leave them; for at death, you carry nothing with you but a winding-sheet in the grave, and a good or bad conscience before the tribunal of God:  
You that are voluptuous, leave your sensual pleasures that hinder you to come to the life of grace; Consider that the pleasures of this world pass as soon as they appear unto us, you enjoy them for some moments only, and that with grief after their possession; for you know that sorrow inseparably follows the sensual pleasures of this world; those beauties which captivate our affections are mortal and changeable, and vanish at the least sickness, but we are blinded by the fatal and irreligious Cupid, which holds us fast with his voluptuous chains, which we must break to turn our faces to the eternal beauty which is unchangeable and full of purity and holiness, that we may enjoy the celestial pleasures with the spiritual life which we have in Christ; you that are ambitious leave your worldly honours, and pull down your pride, and with humility desire of God through Jesus Christ the life of grace, that you may live with our blessed Saviour; let every sinner pluck his sins out of his own heart, that he may be able to receive the celestial impressions upon it, to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.  
But observe, that if the Saints or faithful live with Christ in this world, they reign also with him, for it is only in the gracious kingdom of Jesus Christ that we live the life of grace; and it is true enough, nay, no Christian can deny, that the Saints reign here with Christ, for in his kingdom the Saints have power over their sinful flesh, when before their coming into it, the flesh had power over them; which obliges the grand Apostle S. Paul Rom. 6.12. to say, let not sin reign therefore in your mortal bodies, that you should obey it in the lusts thereof; in that kingdom of Christ we have power over the prince of darkness, the god of this world; for in that kingdom we have him under our feet, all that he can do is to howl and cry, but not hurt nor offend; for in all the assaults which the devil presents unto the regenerated Subjects of our Saviour in the kingdom of Christ, they obtain the victory through him who suffered for their sins, and destroyed for them that power which Satan had over them; in that kingdom of our Lord we have also power over this corrupted world, when before, it had an Empire over us; you are no more subjects nor slaves of its corruptible treasures, vanishing honours, and sensual pleasures; for if you possess some honours, enjoy some pleasures, and have riches, you apply not your hearts unto them, and so you possess them as possessing them not.  
Moreover, Consider what advantage we have in that spiritual kingdom of Christ; for reigning with him we are in some kind mundi Domim, the Lords of the world, because we have a spiritual right to all the creatures of God; for as the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 3.21. all things are yours; but I say a spiritual right to distinguish it from that which we call natural and civil right, which men have to that which they legally possess, for we must take heed of this error which makes an universal confusion wherever it prevaileth.  
Now give me leave to tell you, that it is by faith that we here reign with Christ, and that it is by hope, by charity, and by patience with all the rest of the Christian virtues; for you know that they defend and hold us fast against our enemies, so that we prevail against them in our afflictions and calamities even in our death; Leave then the Millenaries with the earthly opinion of their worldly kingdom; let them possess the earth if they will, as for us we must look up to heaven to give there all our meditations while we live upon the earth; we must leave the earthly kingdoms to the Alexanders and Gaesars, and seek after the spiritual kingdom of Christ, for it is impossible to come into the Celestial Palace of our God, if we have not been in the gracious kingdom of our Saviour; then let us all look now for that kingdom, and keep there all our life time, that having lived and reigned with Christ in grace, we may hereafter live and reign with him in glory. Amen.    

To the truly Noble and Religious Gentlewoman, M. rs TAMISEN BROOK Grace, Happiness and Peace.  
Madam,  
IF I were ignorant of your great Piety and Charity, many hundred Families would make me know it; you and your most worthy Family is always at work for the poor members of our blessed Saviour; you are another Dorcas, full of good works, your thoughts are always in heaven though you live upon the earth, your words tend continually to union and peace, and your great care is to work out your salvation with fear and trembling; which is seen not only in your private devotions, but in the public ones, where I may say that you are a pious and godly example to all others of your Sex; indeed the Church of England, among all the daughters she did procreate, there are few to be compared with you; but if your humility will not accept of that expression, permit me to make all the English world know that the Church never possessed a better one; for every one knows that your house is a Temple, and a little Church where Vows and Prayers are continually sent up to heaven for the preservation of the Church of England our mother, and for our gracious Prince, nay, for the conversion of those that are distant from the true knowledge of our Saviour, who came into the world to redeem us from our iniquities, the redemption of men being our Saviour's meat, which I present you with as it was delivered by me in a Sermon, which I hope you will accept, being the meat which daily you and your worthy Family feed upon; for I am not ignorant, that it is your singular pleasure and delectation; nay, I am sure that it is so agreeable unto you, that you will kindly receive it from him, who is,  
Madam, Your most humble and obedient Servant, James Le Franc.   

Christ's Spiritual Meat: Delivered in a Sermon Preached in English at the French Church in Norwich.  S. JOH. 4.34. 
My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.  
IT is common amongst men to extol the persons of merit and reputation, but if any amongst you hath ever esteemed a learned and most prudent wit, that could upon any matter choose considerations fit for the instruction of his auditors, and by the object of the sight and other external senses, could with a marvellous industry and aptness awake the internal senses, and lift up our understandings to the contemplation of the highest things, let him now reflect upon our Master, the eternal Wisdom of God the Father our great doctor, Christ who is over all God blessed for ever; let him say with me that there is none, that aught to be paralleled with him; for if you consider the industry which Christ our Mediator used when he was living upon the earth, you will easily conclude that it was admirable, for he ever made use of his Celestial Industry to promote his Father's glory and men's salvation, taking sometimes an occasion from their too great inclination which they had after the things of this world, to draw them into the knowledge and inquisition of spiritual and eternal things of the heavenly Jerusalem; as you may observe in the 6. Chapt. of S. John; where Christ seeing the people careful to seek after him for only corruptible and common meat, took occasion to discourse with them about the sacred bread of God, and the spiritual manna, which if any man eat of, he shall live for ever.  
Now let us follow Christ through Samaria, to observe some things of his celestial actions and wonderful works; but seeing that Christ doth stay, let us stay with him, for I perceive that our Saviour is weary of his journey, and forced to rest himself on jacob's well, but while he resteth himself, there cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water; Christ discourseth with her about the true and spiritual worship of God, and takes occasion from the water to instruct her about the celestial fountain of living water, which she tasted of with such pleasure, that she, leaving her waterpot, went into the City to call her fellow-Citizens, the Samaritans, and invite them to the participation of that spiritual water which she had received from our blessed Saviour: But while she thus runs to invite them, the disciples of our Lord desire him to eat, but Christ whose hunger was after the souls of men, said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of, which made them believe that while they were absent some body had brought him something to eat, saying one to another, hath any man brought him aught to eat? but Christ that he might no longer keep them in suspense, because it was given unto them to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, teaches them, with sew but significant words, a great and sublime mystery, saying, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work, which are the words which I have chosen to entertain you with by the special assistance of the holy Ghost; but for a clear intelligence of them, I shall divide my Text into two parts, where in the first I shall entertain you with the will and work of him that sent Christ, and in the second part I shall show you, that that will and work of God is our Saviour's meat, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.  

The first Part.  
As the Philosopher's place the moral virtues in two ranks, where in the first the virtues are glorious and worthy to be loved of themselves, as Justice; and in the second rank, worthy to be wished for the virtues of the first, as Courage which is a sit virtue, when justice ceaseth amongst men; so the Schoolmen divide the attributes of God into two orders, where in the first the attributes are incommunicable unto the creatures; as God's Immensity, Independency, and Unchangeableness, for all the creatures of the Universe, even the Angels, are dependent, changeable and limited natures; but the attributes of the second order are said to be proportionably communicable, in effectis analogis, by the resemblance of the effects, as God's Wisdom, Goodness, and Will, for you know that those attributes are ascribed unto Angels, and given unto men; and as God hath a will, so have Angels and men, as being the right of the intelligent creatures.  
But here we shall not speak of Angels nor men's will, but of God's will, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me; for he that sent Christ is God the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost, according to the old Maxim of Divinity, opera Dei ad extra sunt indivisa, seu toti Trinitati Communia, the outward operations of God are common to the whole Trinity; so that you must observe that the Son, the second Person of the blessed Trinity, was sent as Mediator; for he was one of those blessed Persons who did consult about men's redemption, nay, more than that, he was that sacred one, who of his own freewill offered himself to be consecrated for the performance of that gracious work, as you may see Heb. 10.5, 6, 7. Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not, but a body hast thou prepared me, in burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure, than said I, lo, I come to do thy will; where you may easily observe, that Christ as God sent himself as Mediator, that he might redeem us from the power of the Prince of darkness, and the spiritual bondage of our sins.  
Nevertheless because the first Person of the blessed Trinity is the Father of our Mediator, and the Person a quo filius agit, from which the Son doth act; the sending of Christ into the world for our salvation, is particularly attributed unto him, as you may see in the 5. Chapter of S. John, 36. ver. the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me, which verily is asserted in many other places of that Gospel; and so in that sense we must say, my meat is to do the will of him that sent me, for indeed you must observe, that that person amongst these of the blessed Trinity who sends another, is that person from which the person sent proceeds, and so we read in the Scripture, that the Father hath sent his Son, and the Son misit Spiritum à Patre, did send the holy Ghost from the Father, but we do not read, that the Son hath sent the Father, nor the holy Ghost the Son, because the Father proceeds not from the Son, nor the Son from the holy Ghost, but the Son is from the Father alone, and the holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and Son; then let us say as before, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me: And indeed you must consider, that the Father is Author of our salvation by a way which is not given to the Son our Mediator, as the Son our Mediator is Author of our salvation by a way which is not given to the Father; for as the Learned men distinguish some essential operations of the blessed Trinity, respectu termini, and make them personal operations, as the Creation to the Father, the Redemption to the Son, and the Sanctification to the holy Ghost; so they divide the ways by which the Persons of the blessed Trinity are said to be Authors of our salvation; for the first Person of the Blessed Trinity which is the Father, is said to be the author of our salvation by way of procuration, because he procured us that great work in the sending of his Son, and so Christ saith, my meat is to do the will of him that sent me; the Son our Mediator is author of our salvation by way of merit, because the Son of God alone is the meritorious cause of our salvation, not the Father, for he alone acquired it for us through his blood; the holy Ghost is said to be author of our salvation by way of application, because the holy Ghost our Sanctifier applieth unto our souls the great benefit of our Redemption by his divine virtue.  
Now you must observe in our Text the Father to be author of our Salvation by way of procuration, and the Son by way of merit, for in my Text, the Father sends the Son, and the Son our Mediator finisheth the work and executeth his Father's will, for Christ speaking as Mediator saith, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, etc.  
But let us come to the explication of God's will, and give me leave to say with some Learned men for our illustration, that there are three sorts of wills attributed unto God, respectu rerum quas Deus vult extra seipsum, in regard of things which God wills out of himself; I say in regard of things which God wills out of himself, for if you consider the object of God's will, as not being out of himself, you must know, that the object of his will is God himself, and by consequence there is no difference in God's will, for it is nothing else but Deus scipsum volens.  
In regard then of things that God wills out of himself, the first sort of will attributed unto God, and that properly is voluntas decreti, the will of God's Decrees, by which he freely and most certainly from all eternity determined to manifest all things which were to be framed in time, of which will it is spoken in the 1. Chapt. to the Ephesians, the 9 ver. when the Apostle saith, that God hath made known unto us the mystery of his will, that is, the will of God's decree, which by the Schoolmen is called voluntas beneplaciti, the will of God's good pleasure, because by it, according to his good pleasure, and without any merit in ourselves he loved us; voluntas antecedens Gods antecedent will, because from all eternity, before any thing was created, it was approved in God; voluntas absoluta, God's absolute will, because it is grounded upon his good pleasure, and doth not depend of things which are framed in time; and voluntas occulta Gods secret will, because a a priori at the first, it was not revealed unto the sacred Angels, nor perceived by men;  
The second sort of will ascribed unto God, and that improperly, is voluntas signi, Gods will of sign, by which God shows us what is agreeable unto him, and what he will have us to do; which is the mark and testimony of Gods decree manifested in his holy word, although not always the sign of that decree which is first conceived by us; which will, endued with several names, as Gods conditional will, Gods revealed will, and Gods consequent will, is declared unto us under the prescription of a commandment or prohibition, and under the rule of a promise or threatening; for as the Magistrates Commands are called their will, so God's Commandments or Promises are called his will, as you may see Act. 13.22. I have found David the Son of Jesse a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will, or as it is expressed in the Original, in regard of several Commandments and Orders, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, all my wills.  
The third and last sort of will attributed unto is voluntas objecti, Gods will of object, which is nothing else but the things that God wills, commands and prescribes unto us; that is the object of God's Commandments, as it doth appear, 1 The. 4.3. this is the will of God, even your sanctification, so in the Lord's Prayer when we say thy will be done; and in our Text, Christ speaking of that will of object, saith, my meat is to do the will of him that sent me.  
Now to know what is meant by that will, we cannot have a better Interpreter than Christ himself, who saith in the 6. Chapter of S. John, ver. 39 This is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day; it was that which his Father told him before his Incarnation Isa. 42.6, 7. I the Lord have called thee in righteousness to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house; and you know when Christ prepared himself for the execution of his Father's will, that he said, Lo, I come to do thy will, Heb. 10.9. by which will, saith the Apostle, for 10. we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.  
But for a clearer illustration, let me tell you, that this will is the salvation of man, which our Lord came to advance and to accomplish, for you know that to that end Christ was sent into the world, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life, Joh. 3.16. a truth which manifestly appears, Isa. 49.6. when he saith in the person of the Father, speaking to the Son, I will give thee for a light unto the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth; nay, a truth manifested by our Saviour when he lived amongst us, as now he will have us to understand it, when he saith, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work; than you may observe, that this will of God was the manifestation of his Father's most sacred counsel unto the world, Christ being the sacred Interpreter of his Father, and the word by which he informs us of his will, for as Christ saith, S. Mat. 11.27. all things are delivered unto me of my Father, and no man knoweth the Son but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father but the Son, and be to whom the Son will reveal him, this sacred will of God was the sulfilling of the Law for those who should receive him by a most siducial apprehension, for as Ambrose saith, persectionem legis habet qui credit in Christum, he that believeth in Christ hath the perfection of the Law, which he had learned from the Apostle S. Paul, Rom 10.4. who says Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the end or perfection of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth; this sacred will of God was the death of our Saviour for the sins of those that should obey him, as you clearly see, Heb. 5.9. where we read, that Christ being made perfect through sufferings, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him, that they may be conformed to the most bright image of him that saith, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, but let us add, and to sinish his work.  
To tell you that, I need not to give you an enumeration of all God's works, for the work of God, of which it is spoken in our Text, is the same as the will of him that sent Christ; for as Euthimius saith, the will of the Father who sent Christ, and the work committed unto him, is the Salvation of men, according to that of S. John, 17.4. where Christ saith, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do, and so the will of God which we have expounded unto you, is the work of God which our Saviour had to perform, and indeed it is not without cause, that this will is called a work because the satisfaction for men's sins, and their reconciliation with God is a work by excellency, a work compounded of many works, which nevertheless are under one work, which is our redemption; than you must observe that this work doth not consist in the last act that Christ performed upon the Cross; for he wrought in it when he sought after the lost sheep of the house of Israel, he wrought in that gracious work when he let the Gentiles, their neighbours, take some crumbs of his sacred bread for the salvation of their souls; he wrought in it when he did communicate himself unto the Samaritans which were grown a base people, and amongst whom the service of the God of Israel was not pure, he wrought in that sacred work all the time he was upon the earth, till his obedience was accomplished upon the Cross, where he said, It is finished, S. John 19.30. ver.  
But observe, that this work is of another rank then that of our good works which God commandeth, approveth and worketh in us by his holy Spirit; for this work of our salvation is the great and sublime work of God; a work which excels the great work of the Creation, being a work, as I may say of greater labour than that of the Creation, for as S. Austin says, Deus loquendo creavit sed patiendo redemit, God created the world by his speaking, but he redeemed it by his suffering; because the ruin and perdition of men was such, that there were more obstacles at the redeeming of men, then at the creation of the Universe; for, besides there was the same virtue required to raise the dead, as to give being to nothing, and life to dust; the justice of the living God was opposed unto their salvation; therefore to satisfy the divine justice the death of our dear Saviour was necessary for them, to whom God had said, Gen. 2.17. In the day thou eatest of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt surely die.  
Moreover this work of our salvation is a work in which God manifested his Wisdom in an higher degree than he did in that of the Creation; for besides we know more of the Divinity by the work of our redemption, than we do by the work of the Creation (the mystery of the Trinity being revealed unto us by that work of his grace, which was not not discovered by the works of nature) we see in our Redemption God's admirable work; a most wonderful way, where God punisheth our sins, and with all saves men by it, so that the punishment of men's sins in our Saviour becomes the salvation of them; nay, more than that, in that sacred work, Christ the Physician took Physic for us his Patients, to heal us of our spiritual sicknesses, where in nature the Physician gives Physic to his Patients to cure them of their corporal diseases; then let us say, My meat is to to do the will of him that sent me, and to sinish his work; where you must yet observe that this work is the only work of Christ, for this work is such, that no man nor angel can reach unto it, there is none but the Lion of the Tribe of Judah the Son of God, that can say in regard of this great and mighty work of our Redemption; My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to sinish his work, which leads me to the second part of my Text.   

The Second Part.  
Those that are acquainted with the Scripture know there are two sorts of meat, the one for the body, which is the common signification, as it is the common meat; the other for the souls which is spiritual by resemblance and proportion to the corporal meat, which is the metaphorical signification of that word meat; and indeed as the material meat maintains and keeps our bodies, so are our souls maintained and kept by the spiritual meat; moreover, as our bodies increase and receive their strength against weakness, from the material meat, so have our souls their growing unto a perfect man in our Saviour, and receive their strength against all temptations by the spiritual meat.  
But if the spiritual meat hath some resemblance with the corporal meat, give me leave to tell you, that there is something in the spiritual meat which is not to be found in the corporal; for the corporal meat must be given to those that enjoy a corporal life, otherwise it cannot help all our dead bodies, but the spiritual meat which is the nourishment of our souls, that proceeds from God, when it is given to those that are spiritually dead, restores them unto a celestial and spiritual life; moreover, the corporal meat can for a time keep our natural and temporal life, but it cannot preserve us from death; but the incorruptible meat of the Word of God, and above all the living bread which cometh down from heaven gives an everlasting life to our souls, and preserves them from eternal death.  
And further you must observe; that after this life, all corporal nourishments shall cease, but never the spiritual nourishment of our souls for the blessed of 〈◊〉 God the Father, shall ever sit at the table of their master, to eat with him of the sacred bread of God, and drink the new wine of the kingdom of heaven with him, that saith, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to sinish his work, where by these words you may easily see, that in this place the word meat is taken in a spiritual sense; but  
For the better explication of this meat, let us observe that the spiritual meat hath some properties and effects that presuppose some imperfections in our souls, when the spiritual meat is an aliment and medicine for them; which cannot agree with our blessed Saviour, nay, more than that, those qualities ought not to be ascribed or adapted unto him, who is all perfect, Christ our Redeemer, who is a lamb without blemish and without spot; and you will confess that Christ who gives life to the world, needs not its entertainment nor restoration of any strength; but behold there is something in the spiritual meat which will very well agree with our blessed Saviour: delectation and pleasure, for you must know that as the material and corporal meat (when it is present and taken by a man of a good appetite) doth recreate and generate pleasure and delectation; and (if it be absent) causeth a great desire, so doth the spiritual meat; for when it is present and taken by our souls that seek after it, it recreates them, and gives the souls a great but spiritual pleasure and delectation.  
And after this manner the eating and drinking is taken often in the Scripture for the possession and enjoying of very acceptable and pleasant things; for the celestial and spiritual pleasures which we in this life and after it shall enjoy in the Lord; as you may see, Psal. 19.10. where the Psalmist speaking of God's Commandments celebrates them as more to be desired then gold, and sweeter than honey, and in many other places of the same book, as Psa. 42.3. Psa. 63.1, 5. the royal Prophet expresseth his most fervent desires for God by hunger and thirst; and his greater pleasures by the fullness of marrow and fatness, saying, My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God; and then with delectation, My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips; moreover, Christ speaking unto his Disciples of the sacred pleasures which we shall enjoy in the possession of the spiritual blessings in the Celestial Jerusalem, saith, Luke 22.30. I appoint unto you a kingdom that ye may eat and drink at my table.  
In this sense Christ calls his Father's will and work his meat, saying, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work; because it was all his pleasure, all his delight, and all his desire; as if Christ should say unto his Disciples, who presented him meat that he might eat of; I am not touched now with an appetite to corporal meat, even after my weariness, which forces me to rest myself on jacob's well, as I am desirous to accomplish God's work, and the will of him that sent me, and indeed the care of that great and sublime work, makes me forget to eat any thing for the refection of my body; where you must observe, that there are two things which make men forget to eat and drink, a great sadness, and a great pleasure; for you know that sometimes a great sadness will so feed an afflicted man that he will forget himself, and leave his meat and drink, as it doth appear by our royal but afflicted Prophet, Psa. 102.4. saying; My heart is smitten, and withered like grass, so that I forget to eat my bread, and Psa. 42.3. he saith, My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, where is thy God?  
But if sadness makes us forget our meat and drink, much more doth pleasure, on which a proverb is framed, where it is said, he takes there so much pleasure that he loseth his meat and drink; and you know that to be true, for oftentimes a profound meditation on some agreeable things, or a pleasant exercise will make us forget the time of our refection, as it appears in our blessed Saviour, who saith, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work; for Christ refuseth the meat which his Disciples presented him, because all his pleasure and his delight was in the salvation of men, and conversion of those who were to come to meet him, as you may see in the 40. verse of our Chapter; he would not then feed upon his Disciples corporal meat, but upon the conversion of men, his spiritual meat and delicious banquet.  
I know that our Saviour did eat many times to show the truth of his humane nature, and make the Jews and others know that he was a true man, but he did leave his meat, when necessity of men's salvation did require it, to manifest himself the Saviour of the world; indeed he used the corporal meat with the common, but the salvation of men was his proper meat; for you know that amongst all the provisions which God gives us for our nourishment, some there are which we taste of with greater pleasure than others, as you may see in Isaac whose singular meat was venison, Gen. 27.3. and so every one saith, speaking of the meat which he singularly loves, this is my meat, as Christ in this place speaking of the meat which he loved above all, saith, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work; Indeed being question of men's salvation, he had a singular reason to say, that it was his meat, because no angels nor men could deliver us from the hands of the prince of darkness; none but God manifested in the flesh; for Christ alone God manifested in the flesh is the only King who did eat at the table of men's redemption; Christ is he alone who hath trodden the wine-press, Isa. 63.3. I have trodden (saith our Saviour, speaking of that he was certainly to perform) the winepress alone, and of the people there was none with me, Christ is he alone who hath been consecrated by afflictions for our salvation, Heb. 5.9. For Christ being consecrated through sufferings, became the author of eternal salvation unto all those that obey him, and there is no other name under heaven given amongst men whereby we must be saved but this of Jesus Christ, who saith, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.   

Conclusion and Application.  
Now brethren to conclude, let us consider the great work of our Redemption, which our Lord and Saviour performed, from the birth of his sacred person to his death upon the Cross, where he saith, It is finished, that we may abstain from sin, and run after righteousness; let us look upon the divine wisdom that found a way to punish our sins, and with all save men by it; nay, more than that, a way where the Physician took Physic for his Patient, to cure him of all his spiritual diseases, that we may never cease to praise the Lord our God whom we adore; ler us admire here the tender affection of our dear Saviour, who being offended as well as his Father notwithstanding the reconciliation of men with their God and him through his blood, that we may exclaim with the Apostle, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ.  
Moreover, let us consider in the work of our Redemption the union of heaven and earth, which our sins had broke; and you shall see that the sacred angels descend from heaven to protect, help, and comfort us against our enemies and eminent dangers, which beset us in this corrupted world; being now ministering spirits, for them who shall be heirs of salvation, Heb. 1.14.  
But to admire yet more the great benefits of the incomparable work of our Redemption; consider seriously what we were by our sins before the decretal resolution of God to save men by Christ; examine what we are now by nature, the slaves of the Prince of darkness, the sons of this corrupted world, and the children of death and eternal damnation, our condition was (as it is by nature) worse than Lots in Sodom, than Israel's in Egypt, than sampson's among the Philistines, than the Jews in Babylon, and the Prophets and Apostles in the obscure prisons; for we were under the power of the god of this wotld, bound with chains of obscurity, and tied fast to the infernal pillory for our eternal shame, if Christ had not come to destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.  
Moreover, let us learn here, that although Christ is alone in this great work of our Redemption, yet in the general enterprise of doing the will of God every one according to his condition is sent from him to do his will; Kings and Princes have their work from God to do, for as S. Paul saith, Rom. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Princes are the Ministers of God for good; they must kiss the eternal Son of God, the Lord of lords, and King of kings; they must lay down at his feet their Sceptre and Diadem, that their kingdoms may continue longer under them; nay more than that, they must administer all things for his glory, all the kings of the world being under Christ the King of kings; which the great Monarch of England most piously acknowledgeth by the Church, when she saith, that his Majesty is next and immediately under God and his Christ, in his Dominions, supreme Governor.  
The subordinate Magistrates have also their work from God to perform, they ought to do all things according to equity, and minister justice without partiality, and weigh with deliberation the considerable matters which they have in hand; lest too much rashness in the execution of them, should embroil them and the people with ruin and confusion, or some other fatal accidents:  
All the Spiritual Guides and Ecclesiastical Superiors have a work from God to do which must be their meat, they must consider, that all things ought to be done decently and in order in the Church of God; and that they must not do things to please their fancies, or the common sort of people, but our God, and Christ our Redeemer, who did seek only the glory of his Father that sent him; the nurses of piety and learning, aught to apply their understandings for the work that they have to perform, that they may find some means to advance and promote the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and keep the Church of God from schism, licentiousness and heresy; all the Ministers have a work from God which they must accomplish, for we are ambassadors for Christ, who hath given unto us the ministry of reconciliation, 2 Cor. 5.18. which is a work of a sublime excellence, where we feed ourselves with divine meat, when we give others the sincere milk of the word of God.  
But further you know, that all Christians have a work from God to do, for they are sent from him to seek after the meat of obedience unto the word of God; that they may live soberly and religiously before him, and by a Christian conversation, inflame the hearts of others to the glory of his holy Name: Lastly, all men and women have their work from God to accomplish in their vocation and family as well the greatest and richest, as the least and poorest of all; as well the Nobility as others their inferiors: for to all the intelligent but mortal creatures the time is precious and given for a pious exercise, it must not be employed about drunkenness but soberness, not about the profanation of the sacred Name of God, but its holy celebration; nor about idleness but watchfulness: Let us then, brethren, forsake our covetous desires, let us not run after the impetuous blast of this world, the time which we have employed for our covetousness, pride and vanity, aught to oblige us to redeem it, and to lay aside the sin which doth so easily beset us in this corrupted world, pursuing with patience the race that is set before us, and looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who saith, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Amen.  
FINIS.