IT is the will of God that deadly sinnes should not die, that they which take away the life of men, should not bee able to take away life from the memory of their wicked deeds: Where­fore in Diuine History the detestable facts of sinners are infamous and emi­nent spectacles threatening and admo­nishing a farre off: To this end the pillar [Page 2]of Salt was erected, and Saint Peter saith, of the combustion of Sodom, and her neighbour Citties, [...] they lye out as an apparant, and prominent spectacle: that bituminous lake doth still demonstrate the ebullition of vnnatu­rall lust. So Cain who murdered his brother in the beginning of the world, still hangeth vpon a gibbet vntill the worlds end.

All manner of death is mute, Psal. 115.17. and the graue is called Domus silentum: onely those that are murdered talke after they are dead, Reu. 6.10. How long Lord: and in the 11 to the Hebrewes, Abel the iust being dead, yet speaketh: [...]. Where speakes hee? marry in Scripture, saith Beza: wheresoeuer there is relati­on of this murther, they bee the words of the bloud of Abel. So the words which I haue read suppose them to bee sighes of Abel rendred from his graue: Gemitus lachrymabililis im [...], auditur tumulo, as the bloud of Polydor in Virgil, bid­deth flie or depart: so the bloud of Abel bids beware, eschew: [...], Be not like to Cain who slew his brother, &c. which words haue three parts: First, a [Page 3]dehortation from being like vnto Cain, in the first words, Not as Cain. Second­ly, a description of the person to whom wee must not bee like: 1. from his na­ture, or quality, he is of the deuill: 2. from his fact, he slew his brother. The third part containes the cause that moued Cain to this horrible fact, consi­sting of a question and an answere, the question, wherefore slew hee him, the answere because, &c. heere be two mo­tiues; one outward, the sight of his brothers vertues, the other inward, the beholding of his owne vices: the com­parison of which two, strucke such a fire of hatred within him (strange mon­ster) as would not bee extinguished but by his brothers bloud.

First then of the dehortation, or pro­hibition, Not as Cain. The sacred Scrip­ture which euer suffered more calumni­ation from her owne, was slandered by heretickes for the narration of euill deeds; whereas, saith Saint Augustine, wicked facts are alwaies expresly con­demned, either where they are related, or in some other place of Scripture: In­deed there are ambiguous facts of the [Page 4]Fathers, as Abrahams cuasion to Abime­lech, and Iacobs simulation to his father, which as wee must not condemne, so wee must not imitate, not knowing whether they were sinnes, or no sinnes in them: but for the manifest crimes occurring in the History of the Booke of God, what madnesse to esteeme them otherwise then as euill actions, in good men to bee pittyed that they can­not alwaies bee good, and to bee dete­sted in euill men because they would ne­uer but doe euill. Manacheus. Yet such spirits of er­rour haue not wanted; some condem­ning the Scriptures because they record wicked deeds. Others commending wickednesse because it is recorded in Scriptures, Tertul. praser. as the followers of Marcion and Carpecrates. And for the other kind which were doubtfull actions whether they were good or euill: if they were euill, Facta credamus, non facienda: Be­leeue that they were done, beleeue not that they ought to be done. And if they were good in those men, it was by ex­traordinary dispensation which is not granted vnto vs: and therefore such ex­amples, do neither excuse the old Pri­scilians [Page 5]from lying, nor the faithlesse ge­neration of Equinocators, which sweare with their tongues but keepe their mindes vnsworne.

Now for these words, Not as Cain: Who would beleeue that any iudge­ment were so corrupt, as either to praise Cains fact, or to honour his person? but that wee reade in Tertullian, Epiphanius, S. Austine, and others, of a brood of he­retickes called Caiani, who did honour Cain, affirming that hee was a worthy man, conceiued by some powerfull na­ture, which therefore shewed it selfe mighty within him, that his brother was conceiued of a weaker and inferi­our conception: The same Heretickes honoured Core, Dathan, and Abiram, as men of courage and resolution: yea, they adored Iudas the traitor, being perswaded that some Diuine operation, and Propheticall instinct, did direct him, that by deliuering of his Maister to the Iewes, all men might bee deliuered from the deuill. Thus Adams eating of that forbidden fruite, hath put the iudgements of his posterity out of taste. Hence woemen long for meates that are [Page 6]noysome, taking it from the first wo­man, and all men being concelued in that corruption haue their iudgements and appetites so absurd, as Dauid complai­neth, according to the Greeke Tranfla­tion: [...]: in sinnes my mother longing hath conceiued mee: This Insipience appeareth strangely in some, that they affect and like such things as bee openly repugnant vnto right reason, and distastefull vnto nature cor­rected: So the Persians admired Nero, that hatred of God and men (and as Suc­tonius reporteth) whom all others thought vnworthy of common buriall: they sent yearely some with flowers and odours to adorne his sepulcher: Thus, as Saint Ierome saith, there are men which admire none but the basest wits and ob­scurest Authours: Neque est fere tam in­eptus scriptor quin sui similem inueniet lectorem: What stupidity to preferre Cartright & Brightman, & such trash, be­fore all the Worthies, both new and old. What is this, but in our iourny to­wards heauen to forsake the glorious Lampes which haue guided all our An­cestors, and to follow euery Ignis fat [...]s: [Page 7]euery new light: These are [...] senselesse appetites, 1. Tim. 6.9. as Saint Paul cals them [...], that is of mē whose iudgements are corrupted, and out of taste: Wherefore almighty God is not so much displeased with Israel for her spirituall fornications, al­though hee was displeased, as that shee doated vpon such beastly and clownish louers [...] Asses and stallions: Ezechiel 23.30 Septuag. Like Pasiphae, which doted on a Bull. The like infection is in all-those vnder­standings which relish nothing that is plaine and profitable, ancient and ho­nest, but profane nouelties: Euery wor­thy man hath his imperfections: There is no fish without bones; yet some em­brace nothing but these, Colligentes spinas librorum: Gathering thornes out of bookes, whence proceed all these bitter pamphlets and inuctiues: All these are appetites of absurd Cainites, whom Saint Iohn did in these wordes preuent: And iointly all of that hu­mour: peruerse louers, and peruerse imitators: which thing also in his third Epistle, and verse 11, hee general­ly forbiddeth.

[Page 8] Beloued be not imitators of that which is euill: the Holy Ghost fore-saw that such besotted iniquities would arise, that the examples of wickednesse would bee so abused, therefore hee thought it not needlesse to set this marke vpon them, Not as Cain, enuious and murtherous, and Heb. 12.16. not as Esau, fornicators and prophane. It is the crooked disposi­tion of man to promote his sinfull acti­ons by such examples as should restraine him. So whereas amongst the Grecians some vsed to drinke out of a dead mans scull, to moderate their pleasures by con­sideration of their mortality, others ap­plyed it to the prouocation of intempe­rance, saying, [...] let vs eate and drinke, for to morrow wee shall dye.

Further, if they doe not thus peruert examples, yet how little are they moued by them: wherefore doth the world still offend vpon the same, and no sinne can be consumed by punishment, although the monuments of precedent ages doe exclaime against vs, and there is no of­fender which hath not seene others pe­rish by the same sinne. O seeke not your [Page 9]death in the error of your life: looke vp­on your predecessors: Thou intendest murder, behold Caine, how he is stricken with the palsie of an affrighted consci­ence, a quaking runnagate, restlesse when he resteth, tormented with repentlesse horrour, and vnprofitable griefe. And is not euery homicide signed in the fore­head?

Now followeth the description of this wicked person, first of his nature, and badnesse of disposition, he was of the Di­uell. Euery worker of imquity is the Di­uels bastard, and the Diuell is a father, not by substantiall procreation, but by originall cause and similitude of disposi­tion. For as there is semen Dei, the incor­ruptible seed, whereby the begotten of God are the sonnes of God: so there is semen Diabolt, and that is concupiscence, which conceiueth and bringeth forth vnto the Diuell: hence sloweth that si­militude of nature which discouereth the true father of the children: first in coun­tenance, none are like vnto him, but they that paint saith Tertullian: but in speech, in gesture, in action innumerable: in speech, all slaunderers and detracters, [...], he Diuels, and she Diuels, Tit us [Page 10]2.3. In gesture, hee that winketh with his eye, treades with his foote, signifieth with his fingers for to raise dissention, he is a sonne of Beliall, Pro. 6.13. as Salomon de­scribeth: and as for action, when ini­quity is growne to ripe age, and maturi­tie of defection, the children of Sathan doc so resemble their father, that they bee often supposed fiends incarnate: so S. Paul calleth Elimas the Magician son of the Diuell, Acts 13.10. because he was replenished with all deceit.

Now Caine is not onely begotten, but first begotten of this euill one, the first branch of sinne, the first propagated e­uill. Marke how soone ill weeds shoote vp: the mother is corrupted of the ser­pent, and the first she beares is a serpent, who no sooner growne able, but de­clares his father: the father the first murtherer of soules, the sonne the first murtherer of bodies: the father procures the first curse vpon the earth, the sonne procures the second: the father first brought in death, the sonne vntimely death. And sure, if you obscrue the pro­geny of Satan, (let no discreet man bee offended) you shall finde that it much [Page 11]tanne vpon the elder brothers. First, be­sides that Satan may bee called an elder brother, being the chiefe of the wayes of God, Iob. 34. Cain was the first eldest brother in the old world, then cutsed Cham the el­eldest of the new world, and wild Ismael the eldest to the father of the faithfull, and prophane Esau, which sold his birth­right, the father of all vnthrifty heires, which sell their honour for their plea­sure. Lastly, Ruben, which desiled his fathers bed. But we reade in the Gospel, that the elder liued soberly at home: the running Prodigall was a yonger bro­ther. This I obserue, first to note the de­spite of Satan, because the first borne is Gods, therefore he endeuoureth his vt­most for that: secondly, how the Al­mightie suffers him to carry it often­times, perhaps to signifie that these first fruits of nature are not in such high re­quest with God: there is a new creature, a second Adam which he esteemeth, which therefore he causeth to spring often out of yonger & inscrior Nature, because the excellencies of nature were so vngrate­full vnto him. Againe, to abate the admi­ration of prime Nature, wherewith the [Page 12]most spirituall sonnes of God haue been taken. O that Ismael might liue in thy sight, saith Abraham. And Isaac would gladly haue blessed Esau, but God would not. So Ioseph would gladly put the right hand of his father vpon Manasseth: and in Iacob I heare the voyce of Nature Iamenting, Ruben my eldest sonne, my might and the beginning of my strength, the excel­lency of dignitie, and the excellency of power: thou wast light as water, thou canst not be ex­cellent, and thy dignitie is gone. To con­clude, seeing in this corrupt masse of hu­manitie, the first generation that was formed was euill, it argues that no man is good which is not first regenerated out of euill. Nemo bonus qui non ex mal [...] bonus, saith S. Augustine against the spirit of Pelagius. Who knowes not the vanitie of the Manichies, and the dotage of Illi­rieus, who out of this and other places made sinne substantiall, and the Diuell a creator of sinfull men: which follies to name is to confute them.

Neither am I perswaded, that euill spirits haue any part in the generation of the most vngratious natures, although the worthiest Christian wits did hold, [Page 13]that they had knowledge of the faire daughters of men, and thence to haue proceeded the race of Giants, as mon­strous for their vices and conditions, as vast and enormious in their bodies, that this infectious and detestable seed be­ing dispersed through the whole earth, doth now and then spring vp and pro­duce such abhominable monsters as He­liogabalus and Mahomet, and other carnall fiendes. The prodigious lewdnesse of some violent, and in corrigible natures hath caused this opinion more probable then true: howsocuer, it is sure the Diuel hath a lineage vpon earth, and Cain is the most ancient of that kindred.

In this paire of brothers were the two houses first diuided, and as they begun with fighting, so they haue continued vntill now. Hence multiplied the two Cities, Cinitas Dei, & Terrena ciuitas. whose beginnings, proceedings, and wonderful variety of fortunes, how lear­nedly hath S. Austin followed in those sweet bookes which begin Gloriosissimam [...]iuitatem Dei. Where he teacheth how e­uery man belongs to one of those Cit­ties, being descended either of the ma­lignity [Page 14]of Cain, or of the bloud of Abel which Cain spilt. There are but two fa­ctions: if thou beest of Abels bloud, de­clare what house thou commest of, by thy innocency, & patience of the Saints: If thou art of Caines kindred, then deny not thy name, bee content to bee num­bred amongst thine owne. And thus much of the nature of Cain. Of the stocke and discent: he is ex maligno of the Diuel, of the malignant faction: to conclude, a vessell of dishonour, made of the corrupt masse: for if he had not beene of the e­uill, he should not haue beene euill: hac enim, Aug. epist. 106 massa, si ita esset media: vt quemadmo­dum nihil bont ita nec mali aliquid mereretur non frustra videretur iniquitas vt ex ea fie­rent vasa in contumeliam. This masseis it were of indifferent quality neither good nor euill, there might be cause to thinke it iniustice in God to make out of it any vessels of dishonour.

Now such as the tree is, such is the fruit. Who was of the Dinell, there is the tree: who slew his brother, there is the fruit: bitter and deadly fruit, especially in the manner, [...], the word signifies to cut in peeces like a sacrifice, because [Page 15]he had sacrificed so well. Cain would sa­crifice him. So Pilat mixed the Galileans bloud with their sacrifice. And at the time of Immolation of the Passouer, the Iewes sacrificed the innocent lambe of God: thus the innocent when they are murdered, they are offered to God in contempt of God, and his worship, that they may seeme to perish by him in whom they trusted. Another circum­stance is of the time how soone Cain shed bloud, and the Diuell slaieth in the mor­ning: in the morning of youth, and in the morning of the world. By him death entered, and how hee longeth to see it worke? and that in the first blossome of vertue. It is his cunning to stop the first step to goodnesse, therefore haue care of the beginning of thy wayes of thy youth and good endeuours, for there the Diuell is most instant; he knowes well, that in euery beginning is contained more then a beginning. As soone as the Temple began to be re-edified, he oppo­sed mainly, hee stirred euery stone, that no stone might bee stirred. And imme­diately when the Sauiour of our soules beganne the office of Christ, the Diuell [Page 16]tempted him in the desart: so in the na­tiuity of the creation, he slew the first in­nocency of Nature, and in the entrance of generation, the first innocencie of grace. So he persecuted the tender infan­cie of our Lord, and he made the Primi­tiue Church to swim with bloud. Hee knew that if the world were stained when it was a new vessell, that colour would continue vnto the end. So Rome an Epitome of the world, in token that it should be died with the bloud of Mar­tyrs, the foundations of her walles were dipt in brothers bloud. Cain and Romu­lus, both elder brothers, both furious & potent: Cain in his name, which signifi­eth possession, shewed that he had elenen parts against one: so Achab killed Na­both, and tooke possession, and euer the greater part ouercommeth the better: Abel could not kill Cain if he would; but where might and malice, wealth and wrath are ioyned, there breake forth in­iuties and oppressions. [...] wealth brings forth wrong. Wherfore God set a marke vpon Cain, that men might beware of him. As the Romans vsed to bind some hay to the hornes of a madde [Page 17]Bull, to signifie (saith Plutarke) that too much sodder made him mad; where­vpon they applyed this prouerbe: Foe­num habet in cornu: beware of him that is iniurious and rich. Now as Cain was a patterne of all oppressours, hauing power, and doing wrong: so Abel signi­fying vanity, in the beginning, was a type not onely of death, but of the va­nity of life; for euery man liuing is alto­gether vanity: How many haue their sunne-setting in the morning, and they which haue the longest day, liue but a day, so soone doe wee appeare, and vanish. Vanity in apparell, walking in a vaine shadow, talking vainely, dis­quietting our selues in vaine, vaine hopes, and vaine desires. In the daies of my vanity (saith Salomon) I saw this and that vanity, and whatsoeuer I beheld was vanity of vanities. Another thing was allegorized in this History, namely, how our Sauiour Christ, the second Adam, was murthered by the Elders of the Iewes, and his Bloud shed, though speaking better things then that of Abel. without the gates, as Abels in the fields: for which horrible sinne of God­slaughter, [Page 18]the Iewes shall bee errant va­gabonds vnto the worlds end, signed by God, that although all men hate and eschew them, yet none shall kill them. Destroy them not O God (saith the Psal­mist) least my people forget it, but scatter and despearse them: So they are aliens in the whole earth, a common prouerbe, a common prey, not borne but by leaue, nor breathing but by good will. And surely it is seldome seene, but shame and beggery is the end of those which de­stroy the innocent, either by the mouth of the sword, or by the sword of the mouth: and they which kill mens soules by heresy and selusme, and they which slay by hatred, and they which rauen and oppresse. As the great fish eates the lesse, and the greater cates the great, and the greatest the greater; so greedy Cai­nites deuoure and are deooured, but at last the biggest (saith S. Basil) comes in­to the net, and the deuill rips the prey out of his bowels, thou appeares the in­satiablenesse of these swallow-goods that haue more riches then they can di­gest, when the whole estate of such and such a man, shall bee found in their bags [Page 19]indigested. The last degree of Cain his exceeding wickednesse, that hee killed his brother, his naturall brother, and his onely brother; and which aggrauates his villany, in whom were all the kinds and degrees of brother-hood vndiui­ded. For then there were not brothers, some by the father, some by the mother, brothers by friendship not by bloud, brothers by affinity not by consanguini­ty, brothers, that is, the same Country­men not strangers, brothers of the same Religion and not diuers, but all these strings of loue and affection they were vnited in one. Neither did he it for want of lands and territories: for was he not heire of the whole earth? but Ambition and Couetousnesse are impatient of con­sort and fellowship, be they neuer so much dilated. Further, by this murther Caine is guilty of the bloud of Christ, and all the blessed Progeny, which should haue beene deriued from him. Nay yet further, he hath slaine all posterities that followed, all generations may call him cursed: For if God had destroyed him, and giuen Eue no more children, as iust­ly he might haue done, the propogation [Page 20]of man-kind had beene cut off, and this faire world shut vp, as soone as it was made, like goodly new houses which haue no inhabitants.

But the loue of brothers will not suffer me to passe it thus, which the more sacred it is, with the greater sinne was it violated by this vnnaturall. Why did he not consider that hauing a brother his strength was doubled? For what are brothers but two in one, two in labour but one in enioying, two against all others, one betwixt themselues? What aduantage is it to bee in two places at once, to watch when he sleepeth, to haue his health when hee is sick, and all this not by a deputy, but by himselfe? for this vnion is in some sence naturall, not onely of affection. Two hands, two feet, two eyes, two cares, in one body, do re­semble brothers, which are two bodies in one. Wherefore fraternall loue being a patterne of all loue, when wee would haue any to loue entirely wee stile them by the name of brethren. As brethren enuy not one another: for the loue of husband and wife though it bee great, yet it is not naturall but grafted, the loue [Page 21]of parents and children greater, but not reciprocall, for loue descendeth not as­cendeth, but the loue of brothers is na­turall and collaterall, neither ouer-awed with reuerence, nor by satiety inter­mitted.

How full of sweetnesse is it, to re­member, (saith Valerius) that we liued in the same lodging before that we were borne, and past the time of our infancy in the same cradle, smiled vpon the same parents, preserued by the same prayers and vowes, drawing equall honour from the same Ancestors? hauing had the same parents, the same wombe, the same bloud, the same beginning, the same education, the same nobility, the same estate, the same discipline, why should they not will and nill the same, bee of the same minde and affections? But this is the mischiefe of sinne and of the deuill, that the sweetest loue turneth into the sharpest hatred, brothers being incensed are vnquenchable; as much water will not quench their loue, so not the Ocean their hatred. Because euery iniury is more grieuous proceeding from a friend, [...]; what will Brutus stab [Page 22] Caesar? that strikes him to the heart. And our Sauiour to his Apostles, Iohn 6. will you also forsake mee? you? But this woefull dis­cord of brethren is not vsually kindled but by extraordinary wrong. What was it that enslamed Cain, wherefore slew he him?

This interrogation is to stirre vs to attention, and makes way for an eui­dent reason following: Rom. 9.22. for no man will demand of himselfe vnlesse his answere be plaine and ready. Then the reason is because his owne workes were euill, and his brothers good. Because his owne workes were euill, therefore will he make them worse? and because his bro­thers workes were good, did that onely offend him that his brother did not offend? if he liked his owne euill workes better, why was he not content with them? and if he loued his brothers good workes, why did he not make his owne like them? So wickednesse is loathsome to the wicked, yet he will retaine it, and thought he chuse to bee euill, yet he would not bee so accounted. But what were his euill workes? No man is ex­tremely sinfull all at once, vice groweth [Page 23]vpon men by degrees, therefore before this oblation it is probable that he was disobedient to his parents, proud, vo­luptuous, preferring the world, despi­sing the simplicity of innocency, and the infirmity of vertue, and comming thus affected how could his offering please God? how could the fruites of the earth be acceptable, when the fruites of good workes were wanting? an honest man will not take a gift from a knaue, much lesse will God admit of such giftlesse giftes. Thought he by those giftes to bribe the Almighty, and procure connei­uance to his sinnes? so it was: and so it is the daily practise of secular manners, to serue God onely to make vse of him: for as religious men (saith Saint Austine) doe vse the world that they may enioy GOD; so the vngodly do vse GOD that they may more freely enioy the world, which indeed is to make them­selues a friend of the righteous GOD, that they may more plenteously enioy the vnrighteous Mammon. Abel was not thus conditioned, but offered vnto God himselfe also by mortification, and sa­crificed in the faith of that alone Sacri­fice, [Page 24]to come with liuing sacrifice God accepted, neglecting the inanimate ob­lation of Cain, Viua accipien [...] terrenare­cusans, saith Prudentius: the sight of these vertues made Cain to deiect his counte­nance, and enuy followed, and murther the brood of enuy. So the brethren of Ioseph being moued with enuy, sold him into Egypt, and there can bee nothing excellent, but the eye of enuy espyes it. An euill eye (saith our Sauiour) therfore euill because anothers is good, a sore eye which cannot endure to looke vpon a quality that is bright and amiable in his brother. This insatiable vice being that which first moued the Diuell a­gainst our nature intire, and first moued Cain against Abel, it is one also of the first vices which appeareth in our na­ture. Vidi puerum amaro vultu in tuentem collactaneum suum. I haue seene an infant (saith S. Augustine) looke bitterly vpon his fellow-suckling, Confess. and it is one of the last sinnes. Hence is bewitching com­monly in old women, which antiquitie did beleeue to be effected by the poyson of an enuious eye, as appeareth by the name [...] and fascinus that is, kil­ling [Page 25]with the eye: this made them so fearefull of any singular or admirable nature, least it should bee blasted with enuy, and perish, especially if it were a maturitie before his season, praecox fru­ctus, a hasty fruit, wit or valour aboue his yeares. [...]. saith Me­nander, therfore when any one praised it, they were wont to say, prefiscini, God blesse it; least perhaps selfe-loue might breed within it, or rather, because en­uy did pretend flattery; I omit supersti­tion: but sure it is, whether the world be not worthy of things worthy, or be­cause God permits the diuel still to exer­cise his inueterate enuy, or whether the substance of these beauties is not dura­ble, howsoeuer it is, things wonderfully amiable, haue no long continuance. Whilst vertue is in health, malice hates it, and loue neglects it; and if it perish not quickly of it selfe, enuy murders it: enuy will consume it selfe vntill it bee consumed. Which coniunction of enuy and murther, the Greekes expressed in the similitude of their names: there is but one letter betweene enuy & death; [...] and that is a deadly and dismall letter. [Page 22] [...] [Page 23] [...] [Page 24] [...] [Page 25] [...] [Page 26]So the Apostle ioynes them together: Rom. 2.19 Full of enuy and murther. And Gal. 5.2. The workes of the flesh are enuies and murthers. Wherefore if thou wilt preuent the one, suppresse the other. Thou beholdest in another that good which is not in thy selfe: either it is thine owne fault, or in recompence thou hast that which hee wanteth. Or why doest thou maligne him when God gaue it him? or may not God dispose of his owne? or is there not another world to giue euery man satisfa­ction? Further, alasse what is there in this world worthy of enuy? is not euery good thing haunted with his spirit? are not the vertues of the best poore inough, but wee must paire them by detraction? if thou wilt needs enuy, enuy within thy self, to see the worse part get the better, to see the prosperitie & insolencie of the flesh aboue the spirit. Woe to them (saith Saint Iude) which walke in the way of Cain: for they contemne the simpli­citie of Grace, for they admire things transitorie, and there is no loue in them. From which sinnes the bles­sed spirit of loue preserue vs, which combineth the Father and the Sonne, [Page 27]vnto whom one GOD bee all ho­nour, praise, and confession for euermore. Amen.

THINGS Tragicall which in themselues are fearefull and vnpleasant, notwith­standing they are repre­sented or remembred with delight. But besides that the suffsrings of the Saints recorded in Scripture, doe affoord vnto a Christian further instruction, namely with the Greeke Church to pray to haue his pur­gatorie [Page 29]in this life, and to say with S. Au­sten; Domine hic seca, hic vre, vt in aeter­num parcas. Lord here lance mee, and here lash me, that thou maist spare mee for euer. A famous patterne of these passions was happy Iob, and amongst o­ther his tragicall exclamations is this miserable and dolefull complaint pow­red out of the aboundance of his griefe. In which text consider two things, First the griefe and passion of Iobs minde ex­pressed by an interrogation, quare, where­fore. Secondly, the cause and matter of his griefe in the words following, which is the misery of mankind, and that hee diuides into two kinds, the troublesome things which we do, out of these words, light and labour: and the miserable things that we suffer in the words following, and life to them that are bitter in spirit. For hee thinketh that light doth aggrauate our labours, and life augment our suffe­rings.

This interrogation wherefore is not a word of indignation or murmure against God, but of sorrow and complaint. For sighes and groanes, and miserable out­cries, they are the irruptions of a heart [Page 30]burdened with griefe, which if it should not finde passage that way, would bee combust, or cleaue asunder. And they are caused oftentimes from extreame heate and affection of loue, when the minde being stricken with some vnexpected ac­cidents, vttereth tearmes which seeme to be of hatred and disgrace, which not­withstanding doe indeed proceed one­ly from the affection of loue troubled and distracted. Such affectionate spee­ches the Psalmes, the Canticles, and the booke of Iob, they be full of; where the Saints of God are expressed, varying themselues into all shapes of affections. Into feare, into hope, into chiding, into weeping, into sudden silence, into shew of despaire, into forsaking, and suddenly into earnest intreating. Hence we learne two things: The first, that the violence of affection and griefe, it may be pleasing vnto God sometimes, and compatible with the gouernement of reason and of grace. There is in vs naturally in some more, in some lesse, a softnesse and flexi­blenesse of nature, which takes impres­sion of griefe: it is created of God, and the operations of it are not in vaine: [Page 31]When God is angry hee will haue vs grieue: when hee chides, or when hee scourges, hee will haue vs weepe and powre out our soules into deprecations and complaints. Yea then our loue ap­peares to him, when wee melt like waxe before the heate of his anger, when we seeke him, and sorrow that wee cannot find him, and when wee feele the discontinuance of his fauour. This bleeding of the heart of man, it is de­lightsome both to God and to vs, there­fore saith Saint Austine: Possumne audire abs te Domine, Cur fletus dulcis sit miseris? an hoe tibi dulce est quod speramus ex audire te? Neither is the extremity of any passion to be blamed, but the perturba­tion, or disobedience to reason? There­fore wee read in Scripture of the boly men of God when they were afflicted with any occasion of griefe, that their sorrow is expressed in termes of grea­test lamentation. They rend their hearts and their garments, they afflict their soules with fasting, they put on sacke­cloth and ashes, because as Saint Ierome saith, Ieiunus venter & hahitus lugubris Ambitiosius dominum deprecantur. Last­ly, [Page 32]their words are dolefull aboue all the Tragicall exclamations that Art can find. How exceeding great was the la­mentation of Ieremy, for the good King Iosias? that it came to bee a Prouerbe, as the mourning of Hadadrimon in the valley of Megiddon. Wherefore there being a meane and measure in mourning, two extremities are to be auoided: the first is dulnesse and sencelessenes of heart, a pretended calmenesse, but indeed a stoi­call and vnnaturall carelessenesse, pro­ceeding from the loue of case and want of compassion and affection, either in our owne troubles, or the troubles of others. These men will neither weepe, nor exclaime, nor giue any signes of vi­olent passions, as if this were fortitude and patience, which is rather stupidity and want of charity. What father will like his sonne if vpon his displeasure he shew himselfe nothing daunted, nor moued in his countenance, nor stric­ken at the heart, to looke pale, or to humble his voyce, or to weepe, or to de­iect his eyes? Will a father call this pa­tience, or stubbornesse, in his sonne? Such are they, who when their heauen­ly [Page 33]Father afflicts them make hast pre­sently to stop their passions, that neither teares, nor groanes, nor complaints, may finde any passage, through too much selfe-loue, or indolence, hasting to heale their hearts before they are wounded, and to comfort their consciences before they be afflicted. Heerevpon they con­demne all deep sorrow and lamentation as soft and effeminate, or want of faith and patience, all funerall rites and cere­monies as Heathenish and Vnchristian, all solemne afflicting of the soule, himnes, supplications, fasting, and almes deeds; which notwithstanding hath beene practised of holiest men and wo­men in all ages. In the eighth of the Actes, the second verse, deuote men beare out the body of the blessed Mar­tyr Saint Stephen, [...] and made great lamentation. The word signifies extremity of griefe with beating and knocking of the breast. With what ex­traordinary sorrow did Saint Austine mourne for the death of his mother? Et libuit flere in conspectu tuo de Illa & pro illa, de me & pro me & dimisi, lachrimas vt efflu­erint quantum vellent. Lastly, which is the [Page 34]greatest commendations of this good­nesse and softnesse of nature, wee reade that our Sauiour Christ was deeply mo­ued, and did weep at the departure of his friend, wherevpon the Iewes obser­ued how greatly hee loued him. God hath created in our hearts, Dulce nomen: [...], this sweete name of naturall affe­ction. Which is as a sparke of that eter­nall loue wherewith the indiuided Trinity is enslamed. Which is so spiri­tuall and actiue, that being moued it doth presently heat and dissolue the heart into passion.

The second extreme to be auoided is, immoderation of griefe, which pro­ceeds from impatience and vnbeleefe. For when men beleeue not that God is the God of the dead, as well as of the liuing, and of the sicke as of the whole; that all things worke vnto the good of the godly: then loue say­ling them, and their hope, they sorrow like them which haue no hope. And how can they haue any hope, when they want the Comforter, who is so called, saith Saint Austiue, that they which suffer losse of things temporall might [Page 35]bee comforted with hope of things eternall. Therefore when any crosse be­fals them, through immoderate loue of these transitory things, they are infinite­ly deiected, full of bitter thoughts, of cursing and howling, Desperate mour­ners, not capable of consolation; accu­sers of God, reuolters from Religion. One example for all, take the King of Israell in that miserable siege and fa­mine of Samaria, how he railes; first, against the Prophet of God; secondly, against God himselfe, for that is the me­thode, and these are his blasphemous words: Behold what euill commeth from the Lord! why should I wait longer vpon the Lord? Ecce tantum malia Domino, quid amplius expectabo à Domino? A true ex­ample of impatience and insidelity. Likewise the Gentiles when the hand of God was vpon them, they vsed to breake out into exclamations and accu­sations against God; as in that: Atque Deos, atque astra vocat crudelia mater. As Quiutilian: quis mihi alius vsus vocis quā vt incusem Deos? And, Iure per mala mea per infelicem conscientiam, Hence rise their funerall pompes, and superstitious exe­quies [Page 36]for the dead: Sacrificing of men and women, in honour of the defunct; ertificiall howling and cutting of their flesh, ambitious Sepulchers, and exces­siue feasts of many daies continuance: In which kind euery Nation had some peculiar vanity and superstition aboue the rest. Lastly, in all their troubles and calamities they captiuate their vn­derstandings to their affections, way­ling without restraint, raging against God and his creatures. But Iobs lamen­ting was not of this kinde; neither are his words otherwaies to bee interpre­ted, then as signes of extraordinary griefe easing his oppressed heart, al­though not without some perturbation. Hitherto of the griefe and passion of Iobs minde, expressed by this interroga­tion, Quare, wherefore? Which is a word of sorrow not of indignation.

Now to the matter and cause of his griefe: namely, that such benefites of God as light and life, should bee so blotted with miseries and vexation of spirit. Although according to the vsu­all interpretation, these words haue one and the same sence; light and life, and [Page 37]labour and bitternesse of soule; yet their proper acception, and signification, will affoord vs this difference of discourse. All the misery of man is either labour, or bitternesse of soule: By labour vn­derstand all that wee do with difficulty and impediment, whether they be acti­ons, and operations, of the mind or bo­dy. By bitternesse of soule is ment all that wee suffer in our soules, either im­mediately or from the body, or any out­ward affliction. These two diuers kinds of misery do planely and distinctly ap­peare in that sentence of woe which God pronounceth against Adam, In do­lore comedes, heere is the misery of suffe­ring: In sudore comedes, there is the mi­sery of working. In like manner the good things which we enioy, they bee either such as guide and ease our acti­ons, which Iob comprehends vnder the name of light: or those which sustaine and benefite our passions, which are contained in the word Life. For the first, Light is of three sorts; sensible, intellectuall, and spirituall. Sensible light is either artificiall, or naturall: Concerning naturall light, as of it selfe [Page 38]nothing is more sweet and cheerefull, so to the spirit which is in wearinesse and toyle, nothing is more tedious. In the 10 of Eccle. the 7 verse: Lighe is sweete. And in the Creation, light is the first creature that is made, and first hallowed. Hence is it adorned with so many Epi­thits in Greek [...] Therefore as poore labourers by singing do sweeten their paines; for which cause S. Basil cals their singing [...] the sauce of their toyle: So the light of the Sunne doth lighten their labour, and makes them more cheerefull in their worke. Yet how much pleasanter is light to them that are at liberty and rest? which haue leasure to contemplate the beauty of the heauens, or to discourse of the benefites of light. But if they bee bound to some grieuous taxe, and in­cessant labour, as the Israelites, then light is but an eye-sore. Whilst they see their owne vexation, and how much worke they haue to doe: whilst they see others sporting and themselues toyling. Lastly, whilst they see their misery to bee exposed to the sight of all. They see youth dancing, and age wooing; wo­men [Page 39]walking to theaters to see and to be seene. Lastly, they see the day distri­brute beauty and cheerofulnesse to all creatures but vnto themselues: vn­to birdes, vnto buildings, to the clouds, to the aire, to the earth, to the waters. And therefore vnto them which in time of old tyranny, were condemned ad lapicidiuas, yet this was some comfort, that they neither so much saw their own miserie, nor the happinesse of others. The Sunne in the creation was ordai­ned for signes and seasons, to rule the day, and to shine vpon the earth: but af­ter sinne had brought in labour, the sun became a taske-maister to call men forth vnto their worke, as it is in the 104 Psalme. The sunne riseth, and man go­eth forth vnto his labour vntill the euening. Likewisese Ecclesiastes the King, spea­king of toyle and labour, hee vsually stiles it, Labour vnder the sun. What pro­fito hath a man of all his labour wherein hee labours vnder the sinne? So that as the eye of the maister vrgeth the ser­uants worke: so the eye of heauen ex­acts labour, and vpbraids rest vnto mise­rable and mortall men. And yet when [Page 40]the sunne is downe, still light continues labour by artificiall lampes and candles, holding them to their taske. Whereup­on from the name of light this labour is called Lucubration. Therefore Iob la­menting the affliction of mankinde, doth fitly vse this speech, Wherefore is light gi­uen to them that labour? the sweete sight whereof they cannot enioy. Which haue no leasure to feed their eyes with plea­fant colours, or with sights and theaters? Wherefore doe they see light? light the measure of paines, the renewer of weari­nesse, the enemy of rest, the opener of the eyes which want sleepe. Wherefore is light giuen to augment labour, and pur­sue the poore seruants in the night? The painfull housewise rises in the night, and holds her maides to their taske. Prou. 31. Noctem addens operi, famulas (que) ad lumina longo exercet penso, castum vt seruare cubile coniugis & possit paruos educere natos. So e­uery Carpenter and Workemaister that labours day and night, and watches to finish a worke, operi perficiendo inuigilat. The Smith also by the Anuill, early and late, are not his eyes put out with too much light? whiles the vapour of the fire [Page 41]wastes his flesh, and the noyse of the hammer is euer beating in his earer, & ad poliendum opus aduigilat, and he watcheth to polish his worke. To conclude then, seeing as light was first ordained for de­light and pleasure, and to direct and il­lustrate our actions; So now since wee were condemned to labour and trauell, it is become tedious and cruell; let vs with Iob bewaile our finnes, which haue so altered our condition, and sigh to be deliuered from the house of bondage in­to that libertie where the wearied be at rest, where the seruant is free from his maister, and the voyce of the oppressour is not heard.

Now besides this sensible light, there is also the light of knowledge and vn­derstanding, which in stead of ioy and delight, how it addes affliction vnto those that labour, doth more easily ap­peare. For as it is Eccles. 1. vlt. in multa sapientia multa indignatio, & qui addit sapi­entiam, addit laborem. The eye of the vn­derstanding is so owlish, that the light of knowledge doth offend it. So that most men do either decline wisedome & experience, or else complaint of the la­bour [Page 42]wherewith it is accompanied. It is true which Salomon saith, Ecles. 2. That wisedome excelles folly as much as light excelles darknesse: and that the eyes of a a wise man are in his head, but the foole walkes in darknesse. Yet when the light that is within vs is darknesse, saith our Sauiour, how greatis that darkenesse? For which cause wee may complaine with Iob, Wherefore is knowledge giuen to them that labour? Wherby they know this one thing, that they know nothing whereby they know God, but better what he is not then what he is. Whereby they know themselues to be most mise­scrable and wretched. Wherefore is knowledge giuen to those that labour? whereby their labour is more increased by knowledge, then their knowledge by labour. Whereby they know what it is to labour. For as children and fooles are most indefatigable in paines, because they do not prize nor esteeme labour: so wise men, the more wisedome they haue, the more sensible they are of pains, and the cogitation and weighing of their labour, makes it appeare more grie­uous and more weightie vnto them. [Page 43] Pueris continuus lusus, & totius dici discur­sus non nocet, quia pondus illis abest, nec se ip­si grauant. Children (saith Quintilian) are not weary, because they haue not weight of vnderstanding: but in men considera­tion and iudgement makes their mindes more ponderous, and so labour becomes more difficult and burdensome vnto them. Lastly, this modell of knowledge which this world affords vs, is so small, that as the Oratour sayes of the poore pittance of a paisoner, [...], it neither can strenthen the bo­dy, nor will suffer it to die. So this know­ledge neither can make a man happy, nor will suffer some men to seeke for that knowledge which would make them happy. But this is true of intelle­ctuall light, it is not so of spirituall. Yet surely euen this light also hath his spots of darkenesse. For the beames of spiritu­all graces which are extraordinarily in­fused by the holy Ghost, being [...], illuminations, or [...], sanctifications they are mixed with the imperfections and frailties of these corrupt soules and bodies of ours. We here see in part, and we know in part; and the beautie of our [Page 44]puritie consisteth more in the loue of God, then in the louelinesse of man.

Now followes the last part of Iobs complaint. And life to them that are bitter of soule. Where he laments two things: The misery of life, and the life of miserie. Bitternesse of soule, there is the miserie of life. And life to them that are bitter in soule, that is the life of miserie.

When the childe is borne into the world, he weepes, prophesying (saith S. Austen) of his miserie to come. His cra­dle is his graue: hee suckes errour with his milke: and when his vnderstanding first appeares, the weedes of bad affecti­ons spring vp with it. Before hee knowes what vice is, hee becomes vicious. Fur­ther, how many cruelties do they suffer? whilst some are snatcht from their mo­thers breasts, and either exposed with Moses, or dasht against the stones as the children of Babylon. Whilst some are the death of those that beare them, and loose their mothers before they can smile vpon them. Whilst some doe but once by breath take in the aire, and then breathe out their soules into the aire. Whom God onely shewes vnto the [Page 45]world, and takes them away as soone as he hath giuen them. And if they liue till youth, what saith the wise man of youth? [...]. Youth is vanitie it selfe. ruled by fancie and affection, adoring pleasure, and treasuring vp matter of re­pentance for age, full of hopes and cre­dnlity, ouer-growne with vice: by waste and prodigalitie making warre against himselfe, as disobedient to reason, as to his parents. Lastly, what is youth, but the boyling of outragious, bloud, which when it is decocted, and somthing more moderate by age, although it bee lesse boasting, yet is it more pernicious and hurtfull. For most men when they grow to experience and yeares, they striue to put off simplicitie, and to put on craft. And then they haue well profited, when they can deceiue, and not bee deceiued. Their knowledge is now to vnlearne that they learned before. Their bodies how much the stronger, so much the lon­gerenduring of sicknesse, of consumpti­on, of death. Vaine-glorious, cruell, dis­sembling, rising by the ruines of others. Lastly, what is man-age, but the Giant­nesse of sinne, and the power of miserie? [Page 46]But when these ages of childe-hood, youth, and man-hood are worne into old age, then you haue the recapitulati­on of humane miserie: the infirmitie of childe-age, the incorrigibilitie of Boy-age, the subtiltie of Man-age: and all these greater here then in the former Ages. Here the prodigalitie of youth is dried vp into auarice: pride, and lust bee sinnes here out of fashion, but not out of vse, vndecent and vnbeseeming vices. Here wisedome doateth, and of power to sinne is left a will to sinne, the greater torment. Lastly, what is old age, but the store-house of repen­tance and obliuion, the ragges of life, the ashes of a lustfull body, and wea­rinesse of a wandring minde? Atque hi sunt manes quos patimur: these are the mi­series which we suffer in all ages, sin, and sorrow, and folly, vexation and bitter­nesse of spirit. Hence spring complaints and discontent, either for want, or dis­ease, or the frustration of our hopes, or some other euill. No prosperitie without change, and in the midst of laughter the heart is heauie. What way and course of life can a man cut out, wherein there [Page 47]is not trouble and vexation of spirit? Theologie neuer so full of questions, the law as full of difficulties as men of quarrels. Physicke as manifold in cures as the appetite in absurd desires. In Courts few prosper, and those that pros­per perish. The Countrey makes beasts, and the Citie Diuels. Single life is solitarie, and marriage ill com­pany.

This is the miserie of life. Now followes the life of Miserie. Who knowes not that life, and all the comforts of life, they bee but in­crease of afffliction to those that are plunged in griefe? What pleasure is there in melodie to a man that mournes? And to him that is in an ague, how vnseasonable is the discourse of loue and iollitie. Eternitie of torment is the hell of hell: so continuance, or life in miserie, there is the misery of misery. Space of time diminishes sorrow that is past, but increaseth that which is present, because it weakens patience, and pro­longs the hope of deliuerance. Therefore the Patriarch complaines that his dayes were few and euill. Not euill and few. [Page 48]For to haue a short time allotted him, and yet euill dayes intermixed, is more euill. But being afflicted with euill yeares, to haue them shortened, is lesse euill. [...]. O daies few and euill, briefe and tedious. How it lies vpon vs beloued, to lengthen them by good deeds. And so much the more because the shortest of the yeare is cer­taine, but the shortest of our life is vn­certaine. Let vs frustate the tenure of i­niquitie, and in euery age doe the vertue of the age, not the sinne of the age; that so not liuing after custome, but after truth, nor making profusion of the bloud of CHRIST, that it may not faile vs at our greatest neede, wee may preserue the seale of our redemption inuiolate, and bee bold euery one of vs to pray: O my GOD, let not the end of my deuotion bee suddaine, but after much mortification of heart, and long consumption of languish­ing desires to see thee, make a ripe dissolution of my flesh and spirit, close vp my wearied thoughts, and receiue mee to thy mercie. Amen.

[Page 49] Liue sweete IESV, and reigne with the Father, and Holy Ghost, one God, &c.

THAT which blessed Saint Peter commends in the dispersed Iewes of Asia, Pontus, Cappado­cia, that they loued Ie­sus whom they had not seene. The same is the praise of all de­uout Catholickes, who haue liued these many yeares, that being scattered from sea to sea, vnder euery starre, and throughout all lands, yet they loue their one Head vnseene; as they loue their many fellow-members vnseene. Which [Page 51]is a singular commendation in the Daughter of Christ dispersed, His es­poused Church, so deerely to affect Him whom Shee neuer saw: Whereas the daughters of men make sight a necessa­ry antecedent of affection, and will esteeme highly of no obiect vntill the eye haue set a price of it.

This word, [...] (though) contained in the aduerbe [...], or else vnderstood, not expressed in the originall: implies ano­ther loue of Christ; namely, as hee was visible in the state of Mortality, making that to be the greater, but this the har­der. As if hee should say: You loue Christ whom you haue not seene; How much more vehement would your loue haue beene if you had seene him? These then be the two parts of my Text: First, the loue of Christ being seene: Second­ly, the loue of Christ being not seene. If any man loue not our Lord Ie­sus Christ, let him be Anathema Maran­atha. Of all the senses there is none so proper a mediator of loue, as is the sight: It is the beginning of loue, ac­cording to the Prouerb, exaspectu nascitur amor: and it is the perfection thereof, [Page 52]whilst we desire to see that whereof we haue much read, or heard. Therefore we loue our eves aboue all parts of our body, giuing them the names of the most louely creatures in the world: as the Sunne and Moone: O oculi gemiua sy­deva: And that which wee loue deerest wee compare it to the eye: as, Ocule, ocelle ni; and Psal. 7.8. Keepe mee as the apple of an eye. Now the causes why sight so much procureth loue. First, it is the most spirituall sense, and may bee called [...], a corporall minde, whereby we vnderstand things sensible. By reason of which affinity, videre is put for intelligere: For this cause the mind best liketh that obiect which is commended to her by the eye. Second­ly, it is the quickest sense, and there­fore doth soonest fire the affections: Ac­cording to that, Segnius irritant animos immissa per aures, quam quae sunt oculis subiecta sidelibus. Thirdly, it is the surest euidence, and most certaine demonstra­tion: Whence, by metaphor, the word demonstration is drawne: And there­fore the fruition of eternall happinesse is called Vision. Lastly, it is the most [Page 53]vnwearied, and vnsatiable sense; the eye being neuer satisfied with seeing. Which makes for the continuance of loue. For loue hateth nothing more then mutabi­lity, and fastidious inconstancie. For these causes, I say, sight is the most pe­culiar Factor for Loue.

Now that wee may the better vnder­stand this loue of Christ which they had that saw him in the flesh: let vs consider a little of the diuers kindes of loue.

There is a sensuall loue, or rather lust, which the base Iewes, nor other Infidels, euer suspected in Christ Iesus, although hee loued the two sacred sisters of Bo­thania; and though Saint Iohn leaned in his bosome, and many woemen vsed to accompany him: therefore the malicious Iewes, amongst all their false accusati­ons, durst not offer to staine his credite with the least suspition of any folly. There is another loue rising from con­cupisence of the eye, which is not lust, but curiositie: When men desire to see rare, or strange things, without any fur­ther benefite but to satisfie the eye. Such loue, no doubt, had many of the [Page 54]Iewes, who desired to see Iesus for his fame and wonders, but with a naturall and humane loue. Other loues there be whereof some bee lawfull, some vn­lawfull; some sensuall, some intellectuall; but all naturall and humane. But the loue which wee enquire after, is spiri­tuall and sacred; yet much communica­ting with sense and affection. For the vn­derstanding whereof, I must premise these.

I haue obserued a double loue of God. There is a kind of loue which is holy, but meerely spirituall; when the soule being a spirit loueth the Father of Spirits, in spirit: abstracting all media­tion of body, and bodily accident, vsing no helpe of imagination, or any sense: But considering him to bee an eternall Goodnesse, Incorporeall, Incomprehen­ble, the Authour of all being, and of all good. Whereupon the will doth immediately embrace this obiect of Goodnesse, resteth her selfe in the loue, and delight thereof. This loue will haue no communion with sense, or any imagination drawne from sense, or any affection, accounting them to bee [Page 55]perturbations, and staines of this sincere delight. This religious loue is more contemplatiue, and therefore in the An­gels, and in men of knowledge and vn­derstanding, nourished by vision, and by discourse. To this the Platonicks speake proportionably, who were estee­med the most Theologicall Phyloso­phers. They making the perfection of mans felicity to consist in this intellectu­all loue: and, as I may say, abstracted ideall delight: spend much inke in blac­king and dispraising bodily and sensi­ble things: calling them shadowes of things spirituall, images, and not sub­stances, obscurers of the vnderstan­ding: And the body to bee the sepulcher of the soule, and the affections to bee as the rebellious rogues, and vnquiet mul­titude in a Common-wealth.

There is another kind of sacred loue which is placed in the affections, being not meerely spirituall, but making vse of all sensible obiects, for the enslaming thereof. Thus wee loue God whilst wee consider the excellent beauty of all his creatures, giuing him the eminencies of them all; and turning our affections [Page 56]from euery creature to burne towards him which is the Authour of all these. And this is most properly called deuo­tion, nourished by sense, and sensible accidents: without which no Religion of any Age, or Nation, euer flourished. Wherefore the most wise God knowing man by nature, to haue so much cōmerce with body and bodily things, ordained so many Ceremonies, and Sacraments, in his worship: And, at the time appoin­ted, sent his Sonne in the visible forme of a man, that Hee being Spirit and flesh, both these, our loues, both spiri­tuall and caruall might bee spent on him. That our affections might haue something to feede on, as well as our vnderstandings. And this is the loue whereof the Apostle heere speakes which was in the Saints that see Christ in the flesh: Which is seated in the affe­ctions, and is called deuotion. And surely, if wee looke into the examples of piety, and deuotion, in all times, you shall finde that the most holy and pious men, were men of the most hottest affe­ctions: as the Prophets, as King Dauid, as Saint Augustine, who after their loues [Page 57]were diuerted from doting vpon vanity, and worldly shadowes. They out­stripped all men in the ardencie of de­uotion, as their Writings and Medita­ons witnesse: breathing nothing but spi­rit. Psal. 18.1. Ex intimis visceribus di­ligam te demine: And S. Austens Workes to a iudicious Reader, will plainely shew, that though hee bee the most profound Father, yet hee speakes more out of his heart, then his head, full of actionate deuotion, euen then when the subiect of his Discourse is subtilty and vnderstanding. Hence it is, that woe­men bee called the deuoute Sexe, by reason of the feruencie of their loue: Ac­cording to that, Thy loue to mee was won­derfull passing the loue of woemen. Where­of excepting the mother of God, amongst thousand others, the most emi­nent examples be Mary Magdalene, and Mary the Egyptian: Which two holy women, the one hauing seene Christ, the other the place where hee was crucified, they changed their lewd lusts, for hal­lowed, and incorruptible loue: they washed their wanton eyes with teares: And for the latter, her whole flesh [Page 58]which had beene fired with lust, shee sacrificed it an whole burnt-offering vn­to God, exhaling it with fasting and penance vntill her dying day. Lastly, deuout old age, which after much dam­mage and losse of grace, would gladly preserue the relique of deuotion: they keepe it in the warmth of their affecti­ons, as appeareth by their tendernesse to Religion, often weeping, fasting, and Almes-deeds. This being so naturall a ground, that deuotion especially confi­steth in affection, and that affections are chiefly moued by sensible obiects, and bodily exercise: Therefore all Religions necessarily haue Ceremonies, and inui­tations of this kind: Some profitable, some necessary, some superstitious. For the eye, as goodly Temples, ornaments of pictures, vestures, and such like. Mu­sick for the eare. See Caluin. Instit. q. 4. c. 10 Set times of fasting, prayers, offering, and other outward actions: The ruine whereof ouerthrowes deuotion. See the Mar­ginall note in the Geneua Bible. Hither you may referre Alle­gories and Metaphors, which bee the greatest part of cloquence in Sermons, and bee nothing else but speaking pic­tuers, according to that Gal. 3.1. Before [Page 59]whose eyes Christ Iesus was described cruci­fied with in you. Seeing then that these things cannot bee gaine-said; How ill do they deserue of Christianity, who delight in nothing so much as ruines of Churches, Church Orders, and Church Ceremonies. They place no more holi­nesse in a Temple then a Schoole-house; Counsell them to fast, they answer they fast from sinne; Tell them of sitting bare at Diuine Seruice, they answere, all things are vncouered before God. They giue no honour to the Sacraments; bid them kneele at the entring into a Church, and when they receiue the ho­ly Eucharist, they answere, they bow the knees of the heart. They offer no other sacrifice but the calues of their lippes. Insteed of Almes, they giue poore men good counsell, as if men could cate precepts, and drinke good counsell. They are affected with the sight of no sacred Monument. Nay, if our Sauiour himselfe were aliue they would not go farre to see him, or not haue worshipped him for feare of super­stition. Hence comes it thar they haue so common a conceit of the blessed [Page 60]Virgine that bare him in her wombe; that they giue so little priuiledge to the Apostles that eate and drunke with him: Finally, to any holy place where hee walked, or any Saint to whom hee appeared. They would hold it no hap­pinesse to haue touched the hemme of his garment. Then Nathaniel was vn­wise who desired to see Iesus, and little Zacheus who climed the Tree to looke downe vpon him that was higher then the skie: Then the Wise men of the East were not worthy of that name, who came so farre to see him. Saint Ie­rome might haue made a better wish then aboue all things to haue seene Christ in the flesh. But our Sauiour himselfe condemnes these men, when he saith; the Queene of Saba shall rise vp in iudgement against this Generation, for shee came farre to heare the wisedome of Salo­mon, and behold a greater then Salomon is heere. And Luke 10.25. Blessed are the eyes that haue seene what you see: for I say vnto you many Prophets haue desired to see that which you see, and could not see it: Which is ment of seeing Christ Iesus in his mortall estate. Foelix qui potuit [Page 61]fontem boni visero lucidum: To apply that speech vnto this sence. If the eye of a man were suddenly made able to be­hold the Heauens, the Sun, and Moone, and Starres, in their iust splendure, and bignesse: Or to see the whole earth with all the creatures in it, at once: Vuo & distincto intuitu: How would his mind bee rapt with admiration? But the sight of God manifested in the flesh, was a farre more admirable obiect, the exta­sie of men and Angels, and as I may say the proper end why the eye was created. Of which fight, if the sense­lesse creatures had beene made capable, How, thinke you, would the Sunne haue desired to shine continually in that cli­mate where Hee breathed: And the other parts of the earth haue contended that they also might haue receiued the impression of His sacred feete, enuying the felicity of Canaan.

Then let all true Christians honour the happy memories of those blessed Saints, who were ordained to see that Iust One, and to bee eye-witnesses of that Mysterie, into which the immate­riall Angels do delight to pry. And as [Page 62]for vs, wee that had not that preroga­tiue to see him in the flesh, yet for in­crease of our deuotion, let vs euer beare Him in our fancies, and vse all meanes that wee may seeme to see him, that with a readier passage wee may feele him, and beare him in our hearts. This is the recompence of ab­sence, and onely solace vnto true loue, by imagination to fill vp the di­stance of time and place, and transforme things past into things present. Quem vidistis pastores? whom saw yee shep­heards? tell vs, tell vs. We saw the Om­nipotent infant, and Angels worship him. But where? and when? and how? tell mee some circumstance that I may seeme to see him. Vidimus Deum parvu­lum pannis inuolutum, matrem vbera ad­mouentem. Wee saw God a little one, swadled and lying in a cribbe, and his mother giuing him suck. O happy sight! O vnspeakeable mysterie. O gratissimi vagitus per quos eternos ploratus euasimus! O foelices pannim, quibus peccatorum sordes abstersimus! O praesepe splendidum vbi iacuit panis angelorum. Lacta Maria creatorem tuum, lacta virgo gloriesa. O foelicia oscula [Page 63]lactentis labijs impressa. It is S. Austens meditation. Sapientia si oculis cerneretur quantos amores excitaret sui? Wisedome (saith Plato) if it could be seene with bo­dily eyes, how would it stirre vp men to loue it? But the wisedome of God be­came visible and manifested in the flesh, and how should it stirre vp men to loue it? This did so inflame the beloued Dis­ciple, him which dranke wisedome our of the bosome of our Lord, that his E­pistle which is wholly precepts of loue, hee beginnes with, mention of seeing Christ, and repeates the same word a­gaine and againe. That which wee haue seene with our eyes, which wee haue looked vpon, and our hands haue handled of the word of life. For the life appeared, and we haue seene it, and it appeared: that I say which wee haue seene and heard, declare wee vnto you. And the whole number of the twelue, when after his last farewell hee ascended, how stood they gazing on him, as being loth to loose the last minute of his visible presence. And no maruell: for the very sight, no doubt, conueighed vnto the faithfull, a benigne influence prefigured in the old Testament, where to looke [Page 64]stedfastly vpon the brasen Serpent, was soueraigne against the poysonfull sting of fierie Serpents. What deuout Christi­an now liuing, would not giue the whole world if he had it, for to see him? To see him either in his childe-hood, or in in his youth, in his humilitie, or in his maiestie. When it pleased him some­times to make his glorious deitie shine through his man-hood, as Saint Ierome thinkes he did when he called S. Peter & S. Andrew, who therefore presently laid away and followed him. Heare the me­ditation of the blessed Father S. Austen vpon this poynt. Hei mihi quia videre non potui Dominum angelorum, heu quod tam in­aestimabili pietati presens obstupescere non me­rui. And further. Cur ô anima, &c. Wher­fore ô my soule, wast thou not present that thou mightst haue beene pierced through with sharpest griefe, when thy Sauiours side was pierced with a speare? where thou couldst not haue endured to haue seene the hands and feet of thy ma­ker rent with nailes: that thou mightst haue swounded to haue seene the bloud of thy redeemer spilt, that thou migh­test haue condoled with the blessed vir­gin. [Page 65]O gracious good Lady, what streames of teares may I thinke flowed out of thy most chaste eyes when thou beheldedst thy innocent, thy onely son bound, scourged, murdered, flesh of thy flesh, & bone of thy bone so cruelly cut & mangled. And further, vtinā cum felice Io­sepho dominum meū de cruce deposuissem, cur non fui deosculatus loca vulnerum? &c. Thus holy men were wont to incense their loue, and their deuotion, to cleanse their imaginations from the idols of carnall beautie, which hauing entred at the eyes haunt the disquiet fancies of poore youth, and cannot be spelled, nor expel­led, but with the image of God incar­nate.

For this cause our venerable ance­stors from all clymates of the Christian world, haue resorted to the holy Cittie, that although they could not see their Sauiour, yet they might see and worship where his feete had trode or walked, where he wept, and swet, and bled, and died. There was the price of our redemp­tion numbred, that earth and that hea­uens shal witnesse, that there the summe was tendered, and that innocent heart­bloud [Page 66]powred out, which none can powre into his breast againe. This made good Paula, and her daughter Eustochi­um, Romane Ladies of the honourable family of the Grachi, remoue with all their substance to Bethleem, and there they liued, and there they died with S. Ierom. This made S. Helen honour of our English nation, the happy mother of great Constantioe, so deuoutly to visite euery place where our Lord conuersed, and euery where to erect so many fa­mous memories, so many goodly Chur­ches. This caused S. Ierom to spend the greatest part of his life there. There hee commented, there he indited, there hee translated. And for this cause many lear­ned Diuines, amongst whom S. Ierom & Eusebius, with diuers of late memorie, haue carefully described all the sacred places, and religious monuments of the Holy land, that those which haue not seene them really, might see them ima­ginarily, and nourish their Diuine cogi­tations without supestition, without any great cost, or trouble: I that they might see Canaan a farre off, as Moses did from mount Phasga.

[Page 67] Now looke what hath been said con­cerning deuotion nourished by sight, the same is true likewise of the other learned sense, namely, hearing, as the hearing of musicke, or eloquent discourse, which being vsed without curious scrupulosi­tie, and affectation, how greatly they increase the loue of God, and of his true worship, it appeares to any liberall and ingenious disposition, vnlesse any man thinke the vse of musicke proper to stirre vp vanity, to nourish pleasure, to main­taine lightnesse and obscenitie. And not

1 To raise vp mens minds to meditation of heauenly ioyes, whereof musick may seeme a kinde of type.

2 To confider the harmonie and con­sent of the world, how all Ages, all Nations, all Languages praise Him.

3 Out of the mouthes of Babes suck­lings hee prepareth praise.

4 To expiate the eares which haue beene polluted by wanton madrigals, and lasciuious ditties.

5 To kindle the affections with loue of God.

6 Lastly, to praise him with learned hymnes, who is the giuer of all excellen­cies. [Page 68]Vnlesse any man thinke that elo­quence was giuen naturally to adorne folly, and flatteries, to ouerthrow right, to colour falshood, and deceaue simpli­city, and to be misvsed, when it is ap­pliyed to strengthen truth, to sweeten diligence, and commend pietie. Quis ita desipiat vt hoc sapiat? saith Saint Augu­stine 4. de Dectrina. Chr. And if any man obiect that Saint Austin could not re­solue himselfe concerning the lawfull vse of artificiall Musicke in Churches, it is false: For though hee speakes of his owne experience, that the delight of his sense did sometimes preuaile aboue reason; yet hee confesses the excellent vse of Musick for deuotion. And for being too scrupulous hee checkes him­selfe, calling it nimia seueritas; and con­cludes that hee approues the custome of the Church: Vt per oblectamenta aurium infirmior animus in affectum pietatis assur­gat: That by delight of the eare, the weake minde of man might rise vp into pious affections: whereof hee makes himselfe an example, with delightsome remembrance how hee was moued to teares at the hearing of artificiall [Page 69]Church Musicke: Cum reminiscor lachry­mas quas fudi ad cantus ecclesiae tuae, mag­nam instituti huius vtilitatem agnosco: Be­sides, what Saint Austine saith there of artificiall musicke, may bee as well an argument against plaine song, and com­mon tunes in Churches, which affect some men as much, and of many are sung with as great affectation. Againe, if for this difficulty, they would wholy re­iect the lawfull vse of musicke, let them reade the two chapters next going be­fore, & they shal find that he maketh the same difficulty in the vse of all the senses, which if they will refuse therefore, then must they neither see, nor smell, nor eate, nor drinke. But this holy man there expresses his carefulnesse to auoide sin; as also did Saint Athanasius, whom hee there citeth. But how farre their spirit was from preiudicing others, or from scrupling mens consciences in the vse of the approued Institutions of the Church, their other speeches and acti­ons are sufficient witnesses. Wherefore to shorten this discourse, let vs all ende­uour to haue a zealous and deuout loue of Christ; both that which riseth out [Page 70]of knowledge and vnderstanding, and that which riseth out of sense and affe­ction. And to this purpose vse all those meanes which the practise of most ho­ly Fathers. and the law of Nature her selfe doth warrant: which is not sensuall loue, but affectionate, and holy, raised out of sense. As they which saw Christ loued him the more, not for the linea­ments of his body; but being enflamed with consideration that they should see their Creator become Flesh, who is in his owne Nature inuisible. That they should see the same passions as in them­selues, in him which was Impassible: and all their owne infinrmities without deformitie of sinne: That man might not now chuse but loue God, vnlesse he would not loue himselfe: This, I say, bred admiration and loue in them, a spi­rituall loue, yet raised out of sense, and is chiefe part of that which wee proper­ly call deuotion.

And thus much of the first part of my Text; namely, the loue of Christ, be­ing seene: Where I haue shewed how much sight augmenteth loue: And how all other sensible meanes and externall [Page 71]practises are incitements and inuitations to encrease deuotion. Deuotion, which is the onely happinesse of this life, and to be preferred before wisedome, subtilty, or discourse, being indeed the end and perfection of all. The delicious taste of heauenly ioyes, which God giues vnto his Saints here, that they may long after the fruition of the whole: Whereof Saint Austine speakes in the 40 chap. of the 10. booke of his Confessions: Et aliquando intromittis me Domine in affectum multum inusitatum introrsum ad nescio quam dulcedi­nem, quaesi perficiatur in me nescio quid erit, quod vita ista non erit.

Now to the second part, which is the loue of Christ not seene: Quem cum non videritis diligitis: whom yee loue, though yee haue not seene. This, not onely S. Peter heere, but S. Paul also, with many other Worthies haue admired; to see how soone the world, without compulsion, consented to follow, and to loue Him whom they neuer saw: How so many thousands and millions were moued with such a strange instinct, to leaue their goods, their wiues, their chil­dren, parents, their deerest Country: [Page 72]and lastly, to loose their liues so willing­ly for loue of him whom they neuer saw. This amazed the vnbeleeuing world, to see her number daily minished, and most furious persecutors become the hottest louers. What secret influence so raigned in mens hearts? what cruel loue made them so impatient that they ranne showting to their death? Wherefore forsooke they all their present ioyes, which they not onely saw, but caryed in their eyes, to loue him whom they saw not? Crying, Hunc amemus, huno amemus. Nothing could bribe them, or abalienate their mindes. Youth was not moued with beauty, nor old age with money, nor children with feare of death, nor States-men with prefer­ment: No contumelies, no disgra­ces preuailed, they suffered all things, they endured all things, and all this for the loue of him whom they neuer saw. The new married preferred the graue before the bed. Honourable and beautifull maides choose rather to bee called virgins of Christ, then queenes to great Princes. The fraile sexe was crow­ned with Martyrdome, and compassio­nate [Page 73]mothers ouercomming nature, be­held with cheerefull countenance their swete infants killed for the loue of Christ, as wee read of that happy childe which died with the constant martyr Romanus. How willingly his mother gaue him to the hands of the tormentor; kissing him but once, which was as little as a mother could doe.

Now if a man inquire into the inward mouing cause for which the world was so strangely carried away with affection vnto Christ, hee shall find it to bee faith. Which faith though the Scripture op­poseth to vision, yet calleth it a kinde of sight. So faithfull Abraham desired to see Christs day, and saw it, and reioyced. By faith Moses indured patiently as if he had seene the inuisible. And by the eye of faith all the Saints since the Apostles, be­leeuing them that saw him, haue loued him as firmly as if themselues had seene him. They seeing the head, beleeued of the body: wee seeing the body, beleeue [Page 74]concerning the head. Nam (que) habet fides oculos suos, quibus quodammodo videt verum esse quod nondum videt. For faith hath it eyes, whereby in some manner it sees that to be true, which as yet it sees not, saith S. Austē. Faith is opposed to the cor­porall view of things visible, and to the demonstratiue knowledge of things in­telligible. Which knowledge is also cal­led intuitiue knowledge. Now the bo­dily sight of Christ in his humilitie, was onely proper to them that liued in his time. Though by imagination wee can likewise represent vnto our selues the same. But the sight of his spirituall and glorified body shall be the reward of all. And as for the intelligible visiun of invi­sible glory of the Godhead of Christ, and of the eternall Trinitie; they that see it here in twy-light, shall then behold it as at noone day, and loue it there with in­comparable feruencie of spirit, if they continue here in that modell of warmth which this life affoordeth. The hope whereof how greatly doth it sustaine the patience of his absence, and confirme the constancy of louing Christ vnseene, when we haue so good assurance to see [Page 75]his spirituall body, and that happinesse which neuer eye hath seene? Where if he shew his fiue wounds, and the veritie of all which hee did and suffered in this life, what can be wanting to the destru­ction of that which is in part, and con­uerting faith into vision?

Meane while wonderfull is that grace which makes vs now to loue him. For al­though the conuersion of the world, the strange preseruation of the Catholicke Church, the authoritie of the same Church, the bloud of so many Martyrs, the fulfilling of Prophecies, the super­excellent learning of Catholicke Wri­ters, and Catholick Gouernours, with many other vnanswerable arguments, haue in a manner demonstrate the whole truth of Christian Religion: Insomuch that hee which will not now beleeue without seeing wonders, is himselfe a wonder, saith S. Austen. Yet in many a­ges when God hath permitted generall inundations of Gothes and Vandals, of Turkes and Saracens ouer the Christian world, which the old serpent hauing spued out of his mouth, desired to make [...] the woman to bee [Page 76]carried away of the floud; or when fearefull tempests of heresie doe obscure the Church, that for a time neither Sunne nor moone appeare, till controuersies bee determined, till ancient records bee se arched, and vnquiet nouelists sup­pressed, the safest way was alwayes to cast himselfe into the bosome of the Church, that faith might support where knowledge failes, and the loue of Christ continue, where he was not seene.

Faith is the subsistence of matters ho­ped for, and the euidence of things not seene, by the firme embracing whereof in the midst of all miserable temptati­ons, and inuestigable errours, the faith­full louers of Christ Iesus haue loued him whom they neuer saw neither with the eye of sense, nor the eye of reason. Great friendship hath there beene be­twixt men which neuer saw one ano­thers faces, yet true report of wisedome and vertue hath bred strange coniuncti­on and familiaritie of mindes, as if their soules had met together in the night when their bodies rested: or because that mindes being incorporeall, neede not visible presence to vnite them, nor [Page 77]are their loues separated by distance of place. Which if it be true in natural loue, and humane affection, how much more certaine is it in spirituall and Diuine? where not onely similitude of nature combines, but also vnitie of spirit. If thou louest none but whom thou seest (saith S. Austen) then shouldst thou not loue thy selfe. Ne (que) enim teipsum nisi in spe­culo vides.

Many men there be, whose wisdome will not suffer them to bee credulous, their hands haue eyes, and their hearts haue eyes: they beleeue that which they see, and they will loue that which they see: vnknowne vnbeleeued, vn­seene vnloued. But vnto the most of faithfull Christians, Almightie God hath left more things to bee beleeued then knowne, that there might bee place for reward. For hope that is seene, is no hope. Euery one could not liue at that time when Christ was liuing, nor see the wonders which he wrought, or which his Prophets did before him, or his Apo­stles after him. Yet many will say here­after, if we had liued in those times, or if whe had talked with one risen from the [Page 78]dead, we had surely repented. Indeede the Tyrians & Sidonians, if they had seene the miracles at Corazin and Bethsaida, they would haue turned their purple in­to sackcloth: but they had sufficient helpes, and so hast thou: neither know­est thou whether thou mightst be so ob­durate, through thine owne first wilfull negligence, that the sight of Christ wold haue caused no more loue in thee, then it did in Herod, who defired of long to see him, and not beleeuing Moses and the Prophets, neither wouldest thou beleeue if one should rise from the dead. S. Austen sayes hee was often tempted to desire a signe from God concerning him selfe; but by Gods grace he alwayes re­sisted that temptation. So our Sauiour taxeth the Gentleman of Cana in Galilee, whose sonne was sick at Capernaum, Vn­lesse you see signes and wonders you will in no wayes beleeue. The Atheist if he might see the Diuell, he would hate him. And the Idolater, if hee may haue a palpable vi­sible God, hee will worship him. Make vs Gods to goe before vs, cry the Israelites, as if things that were inuifible, were not. They that desire to see the holy Cittie, [Page 79]vpon distrust or curiositie, which is con­cupiscence of the eye, or dwelling farre off, greatly indanger their present estate, their fame, their liues, and neglect their necessary functions. I see not how they can warrant that action. Against which S. Gregorie Nissen speakes in an Epistle of his. Locall motiou (saith he) makes thee not neerer vnto God, which is in all places. And it is better to goe a pilgrimage from thy body to God, then from thy countrey to Iurie: for whilst wee are at home with the body, wee are steangers vnto God. Ierusalem is not now the necessary place of worship, the word is neere thee, and euery faithfull soule is Ierusalem. For as goodly vineyard which cost the Husbandman much care, and his servants long labour, being the sweetest plot of ground which hee could chuse, and ha­uing the indulgence of the heauens, and all the elements to cherish it, whilst it was tender, and flourished, and at the time of vintage all men resorted thither, to see the beauty and temperate situati­on, and to reape the fruit which grew not else where: but after the fruite was gathered, the hedges being broken, and the swine hauing defaced it, and other [Page 80]beasts haunting it, though the Winter beautie thereof be louely, yet the neces­sity of comming thither it abolished, and the conuenience of seeing is much limit­ted: So Ierusalem that pleasant Citty of God, where the word of life grew, so watred by Prophets, so watched by An­gels, during the beautie and glory of her summer age, thither the Tribes came vp, and from all Countries there they wor­shipped: but when the fulnesse of time was come, wherein the grapes of this holy vine were pressed, and the bloud thereof conueighed by Apostles and Euangelists throughout the world, to cheare the hearts euen of the coldest na­tions, Ierusalem became [...], as the Prophet speaketh, no longer necessa­ry, and though euer holy and reuerend, yet often dangerous to be visited, being polluted by wilde infidels, and now pos­sessed of vnchristened Turkes. The or­chard of Balsamon is remoued from the Hilles of Engaddi into Egypt, and so saluation, which was only of the Iewes, is now translated to the Gentiles, Et Assyrium vulgo nascitur amomum. To con­clude then, although the most worthy [Page 81]and deuoute Christians haue increased their deuotion and pietie by sight of the holy monuments at Ierusalem, yet many who neuer saw them, haue beene more godly then some others that haue seene them, and beleeue as firmely, and loue Christ Iesus their redeemer as deer­ly as if they had seene him, or seene the place where he was seene. [...]. For (sayes Gre­gory Nissen) if thy inward man be full of bad thoughts, although thou standest vpon Golgotha, or mount Oliuet, or vnder the monument of his resurrection, thou art as farre from Christ, as they which neuer acknowledged him. The same is true of all sensible meanes, and outward actions, which if they bee not ioyned with sinceritie of the spirit, they are vnprofitable to vs, and dis­stastfull to the father of spirits. Ma­ny are content to performe these ex­ternall actions, which they do perfuncto­ry, meerely for fashion, without any tincture of spirit: Especially where there is a multitude of ceremonies, as in the Romane Church, and in the super­stition of the Easterne Churches, is most [Page 82]apparant. Wee are all by nature ready to chuse that which is of eafier perfor­mance: and in actions, & matters of Reli­gion which of all others are most tedi­ous, because they touch the conscience, the crafty Mind would gladly rest her­selfe, and thinke to discharge all by light workes of the body, and of the senses. Is this the fast which I haue chosen, saith God, for a man to bow his necke, be­ing weake with abstinence, to put on sacke­cloth and ashes: Is this the fast which I haue choson? Nay, is not this the fast which I haue chosen, to loose the bands of wickednesse, and to let the oppressed go free? and to deale thy bread vnto the hungry: Where God hates the outward obedience, if it bee without fasting from sinne. And in com­parison, better spirituall worship with­out externall, then externall without that which is spirituall. So hee saith, Rend your hearts and not your garments. And I will haue mercy and not sacrifice, Where the aduerbe is a Comparatiue rather then a Negatiue: And therefore the Septu. well translate it: [...]. sub [...]. God forbids neither, nay hee commands [Page 83]both; but preferres the one before the other. So many, saith Saint Austine, they will eate no flesh in Lent, but they will bite and deuoure their brethren: They will drinke no wine, but they will drink iniquity like water. What profites it to bee pale with fasting, and at the same time to bee leane with hatred, and euuy? What profites it if wee abstaine from flesh, which is sometime lawfull, and do those things which are neuer lawfull? therefore I say with Scripture, and with holy Fathers, that as the presence and sight of Christ would little haue en­creased loue in his Disciples, vnlesse they had also seene him with the eyes of the inward man: No more doe any sen­sible, and externall meanes further de­uotion, if they bee separated from the inward and spirituall motions of the heart My sonne giue mee thy heart. Why drawest thou neere mee with thy lips when thy heart is farre from mee? To proceed then, though euery one haue not that glori­ous pretogatiue giuen them to bee Mar­tirs; to die for loue of him that died for their saluation: Yet ouery one may mor­tifie his earthly members, and die to sin, [Page 84]which is a kind of Martirdome. In like manner, though euery one could not see Christ, and so loue him; yet they may loue him whom they haue not seene by faith, which is a kind of sight. Nay, if they which saw him, and loued, were such as would not loue him vnlesse they had seene him; greater is their reward that loue him whom they haue not seene. For what said our Lord to Saint Thomas: Thomas because thou seest, thou be­leeuest; happy are they which beleeue and see not. What remaines now but to prouoke you to the loue of him whom you doe not see: who first loued you, vnseene? Nay, when you were worse then no­thing: Whom you hope to see, and see him as he is. Let mee say vnto the affli­cted that liue in obscurity, and misery, wait till the cloud bee broken, and the Sunne shine out. Let mee say vn­to the simple and ignorant, but louing and faithfull: bee constant, and you shall see as you are seene. Let mee say vnto the wise and learned: helpe yee the weak sighted, and make him louing that is blind. Lastly, to all men, though you loue him which is vnseene, yet let [Page 85]your loue bee seene. Loue in deed, and not in word: By this wee know that wee loue him, if wee keepe his Commandements. If your loues burne vehemently vpon things temporal and visible; how are you said to loue him whom yee haue not seene. Siluer, and gold, and gay appa­rell, ample possessions, and goodly buildings, faire flesh and bloud com­pounded of corruptible elements, what­soeuer deceiptfull time hath coloured, or the world hath set a glosse on: if yee bee euer gazing and admiring these things, how are yee said to loue him whom you haue not seene? When woe­men go to see, and to bee seene: when men, the litle good they do, they do it to be seene of men: When most had rather seeme then bee good: how are they said to loue him whom they haue not seene? He that longs to see euery strange thing hee heares of, and to haue euery costly thing which he sees, how can this loue of Christ bo in him? He which hateth his brother whom he daily sees, how can hee loue his Sauiour whom hee neuer saw? When the concupiscence of the eye is waxen dimme, and the faire forbidden [Page 86]fruit is faded: Alas, how will yee wish that yee had seene lesse, and lesse loued that yee saw, and more loued him whom yee neuer saw. Behold him in his members, behold him in his poore distressed membes; behold him harbour­lesse and naked, behold him hungry and thirsty: Cloth him, lodge him, feed him, if you loue him: that when you shall see him comming in the Clouds, with glory, yee may heare, Come yee blessed, for when I was hungry you fed mee, when I was na­ked you clothed mee. Which happinesse Hee grant vs, that liueth and raigneth with the Father, and Holy Ghost, to whom bee all praise and glory euermore. Amen.

THIS is the echo of a cry in the fortieth chap­ter of Esay, the sixth verse, rebounding from the so­lidity of Peter: The voice said cry: Because all flesh, the whole world, must heare. And be­cause the whole world is so ingurgitate in the dulnesse of flesh, that without a cry they, cannot heare: It seemes then [Page 88]that God will haue this cry to bee [...], à resonance, in our eares, which no melodie of pleasure should take away. The Heathen man caused one to cry daily vnto him, [...], Remember thou art a man. And there are two maine cries in the Scripture: The one puts vs in minde of our immor­tality, which S. Ierom saith hee heard al­waies sounding in his eares, Arise you dead and come to iudgement. The second of our mortality, and is of necessity precedent to the former, proclaimed by this Harbinger: Omnis caro foenum: All flesh is grasse, and all the glory of man: Wherefore, hee that hath eares to heare let him heare: 1. the common meannesse of his nature, al flesh is grasse. All, there is the community, Flesh, that is the name of his nature: thirdly, Grasse, there is the meanenesse of his nature. In the second part, the meanenesse of the excellency of his nature: The glory of man, that is the execllency; The flower of grasse, there is the frailty of his excel­lence. Lastly, without exception all: all the glory of man is as the flower of the grasse.

All flesh is grasse: For God hauing [Page 89]made all men [...] of one bloud, although they haue variety of distincti­on, yet they all meete in this ground that they are grasse. I am no better then my fathers, saith Elias. And the Apostles make themselues leuell in the same vaile of miserie, with the common people of Iconium, that they were [...], sub­iects of the same sufferings. For this cause the Holy Ghost calles the poore mans body the flesh of the rich. Despise not thou thine owne flesh. Now the se­cond poynt is the name of our nature, which is here called flesh. The body is our worse halfe, and flesh the worse of the worse: for it is tender, and subiect to change and losse. Further, the flesh lusteth against the spirit. Therfore S. Gre­gori cals it with cōtempt [...] this enuious little flesh. By this name the Scripture calling the body, or the whole man, and vsing the part for the whole, yet would not haue the part to bee the whole: for then we should bee like the Cretians, who were nothing but belly and beast: or as the Israelites, who see­king to fat their flesh, the Psalmist saith, that God sent leanesse into their soules. [Page 90]Howsoeuer then you interpret the word flesh, either of the body, or of the nature and estate of man, which confisteth much of things bodily, or of carnalitie, which is perishing of the soule in fauour of the body. Of all these the Prophet cries aloud, Omnis caro foenum, all flesh is grasse.

To enter then vpon this argument, which is the grassie substance of our na­ture, did not the first man spring out of the earth? and though he grew amongst the delicious fruits of paradice, and had no poyson in his roote, yet he continued not in honour, but being transplanted into that common where we grow, spred his degenerous of-spring ouer the whole earth, whose seed multiplying innume­rable, was nourished with no other food vntill the floud came, and corrupted the vertue thereof. Since which time, al­though our diet bee changed, and flesh be nourished with flesh, yet the chiefe of that flesh is but grasse concocted and conuerted into flesh: and the flesh of men and beasts are both resolued into one dust, which dust by perpetuall re­uolution in the same circuit, sends forth [Page 91]againe that aliment which sustames both them and vs. Before that iust and vni­versall deluge had discoloured the earth, it seemeth probable that as the dayes of man were of a greater length; so the ve­gerable verdure of the earth was of more continuance in all habitable elymates thereof. But after that calamitie imme­diatly in the distinction which tho Al­mighty established, a greater portiō was allotted to the harder times, the sweet seasons of the yeare were contracted, and decaying Autumne, & the aspetitie of barren Winter prolonged. Agreeably whereunto the spaces of our life were measured. The yong springall soone pas­seth through his greene hopes, and ripe manhood being straightned in the mid­dest, encroching age extends the rest in trouble and tempest vntill death. There is Cruda viridis (que) senoctus, whom the Greekes call [...], who through the indulgence of a milde Winter, besides the venorable antiquitie of their gray haires, which is the uncture of wife­dome, and sage experience, haue also fresh vigour in their bloud, and actinity in their wittes and vnderstandings. But [Page 92]for the most part the strength of these yeares is labour and sorrow: for it is soone cut downe, and with one blast of Gods anger they flye away. So the fa­mous Champion sighed to see his [...]ere and dead armes: And Helen wept when shee sawe her withered beautie in the glasse. So that the Philosophy of nature doth restraine our pride, comprising the progresse and persection of our life with­in the period of one yeare. Quale gonus fo­liorum, tale est & hominum. There is a time of growing, and a time of fading: but no part of our time passeth out of this cō ­passe. Which affordeth matter of consi­deration. For as plants depend vpon the planots, and are more beholding to the Suimne their father, then the Earth their mother: so that which we liue, although it be supplied by an inward cause, like to that power where with the earth was first indued by the creating Word; yet the fauour or displeasure of heauen confer­reth more to this effect, then either the natiue facultie within vs, or all our owne industry and endeuours. That which we plow, and sow, and grinde, and bake, it is not our worke, but Gods. So sings the [Page 93]Psalmist: Hee brings forth bread out of the earth. Not corne, but bread. What should I speake of the Mildew of Serenes, of fe­uers and consumptions, which like ca­nicular feruours, burne vp our bodies by the rootes? What of blasting of cankers, and the greene sicknesse? all which doth shew the similitude of our flesh with grasse. The remembrance of which ori­ginall God hath signed vpon our heads, whose change of colour, and leafe-fall declareth plainly that his body is Conge­stum cespite culmen, a poore cottage, whose toppeds couered with a sodde of earth. Earth, earth, earth, (saith the Pro­phet) earth thou wast, and earth thou art, & earth thou shalt be, whose bones are stones whose veines are riuers, onely in this it differs; the earth is fixed, and immoue­able, man is [...], earth walking vpon earth. Can any cogitation make vs more humble, or more humane? Humus aut humi repens es. Grasse, or grasse-hop­per, saith Dinine Esay. Hee sitteth vpon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasse­hoppers. Poore grashoppers, that sing care away, merry and pleasant in [Page 94]their summer-dayes, and not prouiding for the aduersity of Winter, and of want. O remember thy Creator before the yeares draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I haue no pleasure in them. When all the daughters of musicke shall bee brought low, when the Grashhopper shall bee a burthen, & dissipabitur capparis, and appe­tite shall faile, when man goeth to his long home, and the mourners goe about the streets, and the voyce saith Cry. what shall I cry? All flesh is grasse, and euery man is vanitie. Vanitie of vanities (saith the preacher) all is vanitie. Omnis caro, all; but especially the many, vere foenum est populus, surely the people, which grow so triuiall, and so innumerable vpon the the face of the earth. [...], saith Clemens, the domesticals of worldly delight. [...]. Earth liuing, & earth louing, & affecting any thing but truth. vere foenum est populus, surely the people are grasse: the multiplying multitude, foecunda paupertas, saith Lucan, prolifical & fertile poore. Who whē they be as poore in spirit as in substance, are the most pro­per subiect of Gods mercy. [...], [Page 95]saith the mercifull Lord Iesus, my bowels are tender to this poore mul­titude: but when their sinnes spread as themselues, luxuriant, and infinite, the displeasure of Almighty, God mowes them downe by whole millions at once, they are troden vnder the feet of Souldi­ers, pestilence and famine do depopulate great Cities, and for an embleme of sin­full flesh, grasse groweth in the streetes. Poore Christian brethren, saith S. Chry­sostome, you that replenish the earth, why do ye cumber the ground? and make the land grone, and lade God with your i­niquities, and presse him vnder you, as a Cart that is pressed with straw. Your sinnes turne you into straw, and know ye not that God is a consuming fire? For if you lust, lye, sweare, purloyne, & will not trust him for raiment, which clothes the grasse of the field: you make your selues like to that grasse which is to day, and to morrow is cast into the ouen. When the root of bitternesse springs into infi­delitie, and thorny cares choake the word, & when that saying of the Phari­sees is verified, [...] the peo­ple are accursed being ouer-growne and [Page 96]ouer-grast with thistles, and malice, with cursings, with drunkennesse, and o­ther venemous and vitious weeds, what are they but fruites of the first maledicti­on, whose end is to bee burnt? Thus Sodom, which was greene as the garden of God, whem their sinnes were ranke, and growne ouer their heads, they were destroied with fire from heauen. And the populous Israelites, which grew as plen­tifull as the grasse of Goshen, their car­kasses were strowed in the drie wilder­nesse, and of all that preuailing multi­tude, but two were planted in the land of Promise. Calamitie comes of Cala­mus, the conflagration of a whole coun­trey like a stubble field. And in Chri­stian landes, what wofull desolation hath deuoured the miserable vul­gar? As an Oxe licketh vp the grasse round about him, Numb. 22. Or as the Prouerbe speakes, that where the foote of the grand signior his horse treadeth, nothing will grow that is greene. Popu­le, popule mi, my people, my people, saith Almightie God, quid potui facere, quodnon feet? What could I doe for you which I haue not done? I haue watered you [Page 97]with the deaw of Heauen, giuing you showers and fruitfull seasons, nouri­shing your sucklings with the swee­test iuyce, filling your hearts with ioy and gladnesse, couering your imperfe­ctions with mercie, and remembring that you were but flesh. But because you longed for anger, behold your land is left vnto you desolate.

Beloued in our Lord, [...], are these things so? hath God wasted our brethren, and made way for his wrath through the throngest of them, and shall wee muster our sinnes, and thinke our selues as farre remoued from God, as we are diuided from the whole world? when wee shall haue beene, shall praeterciroumcised Saracens, or other out­landish locusts graze on our posteritie, and deglut our labours? Barbarus has se­getes? shall barbarous miscreants swal­low these fields? shall the abhominable Alcorā supplant our Bibles, or vnknown language bellow in our Churches, or the bodies be prostrate to infernal Mahomet, whose knees would not bow to the bles­sed name of Iesus? [...]. I heare the soft murmure of your [Page 98]hearts, God forbid. Then let vs seeke Him, before He slay vs: and bee not like the Israelites, who when He slew them, they sought Him, and sought Him early, when it was too late. But hitherto the A­postle hath compared the common frailty of our nature with the ordinarie pasture of the field. [...], that is, gramen, aut stramen, grasse withered, or greene. But is there nothing excellent and glori­ous in humane estate aboue this? Yes, and that's the second poynt. What is the glory of man? As the flower of grasse (saith the Apostle; or as the Prophet stiles it, All his goodlinesse is as the flower of the field.

The top of eminence is a crowne, and that's as Circular, and of as short continu­ance as the crowne of the yeare, [...] Psalm. 65. the two great Caesars haue their names in two moneths, which are the strength and glory of the yeare, as they the Maiesty and maturitie of the Romane Empire. Neither was euer knowne more then one [...], or summer vigor in the period of any king­dome. What constance then in a volu­ble Diademe, which being carried about [Page 99] [...] in the course of nature, hath ben translated frō the Cedar to the brier; from the Maister to the seruant, which proud Popes haue spurned from the heads of Princes, and was disparaged in that Thorny Wrearh that pierced the sacred temples of our Lord. Roses and Lillies are the ensignes of this happy Kingdome: long may they flourish. For this is the peculiar honour of our state, Not Salomon in all his royalty was clothed like one of those: And though the Lillie withered is of no vse, yet Roses retaine their sweetnesse after death. If supreme Potentates, and mighty Monarches of the earth, had considered how transito­rie is that felicity whereon they boasted: then would they haue endeuored, as they were flowers of ornament, so to haue bin fruites of benefite to the Country where they grew; but when their chiefe end was to shine in admiration, and to draw the eyes of the world vpon the colour of their present glory, Hee consumed their short daies in vanity, and no more was spoken of them but that they had flourished. As Iob cals them, [...], yesterdaies men, who like to Solstitinlis [Page 101]herba, suddenly sprung vp, and sudden­ly decayed. When Nabuchadonosor out­braued God, he was deposed from his throne, he fed on grasse, and the dew of heauen wet him like grasse, to make him know by sensible experience what insi­militude he would not vnderstand. Lord what is man that thou regardest him, saith Dauid? the poore sonne of Adam, or the rich Sonne of Man. Man that is borne of woman hath no long time to liue, he commeth forth like a flower, and is cut downe: Take him in his beauty, what is beauty? but a brag of nature, an illusion of desire, ex­haling into vanity: a selfe adoring idoll, the first baite of sin, which breathing vpon the concupiscentiall eye of the woman, hath euer since with her, and by her, continued the concubine of a doting soule. This felicity of body (saith Tertullian) what is it, but vrbana vestis, a trimme suit vpon the soule which inuites the Thiefe and Murderer, and is often extreme dangerous to them that weare it: Witnesse the examples of Sara and Ioseph, whose wanton Mistresse would haue stript him also of his chasti­ty. But in the lustre of those colours, [Page 102]if the white of simplicity, and the red of modesty bee away, it may take the vulgar, but the wise esteeme it no other then a garish garment on the backe of fooles. Come on therefore, let vs enioy the good things that are present, and let no flower of the spring passe by vs. Let vs crowne our selues with Rose-buds before they bee withered: let vs take our part of iollitie, and leaue the signes of voluptuousnesse in all places. Thus talke these wantons, when they inuite their fellowes to repentance: which be­ing seasonable follies are more excu­sable, but when age reuokes these fugi­tiue pleasures, renewing youth with artificiall deuices, as if they were asha­med of that season which brings them neerer vnto God, & deliuers them from the vnquiet perturbations of the flesh, What argues it but that they are resol­ued to make the vtmost farthing of the good of this life, and will forgoe no de­light heere for hope of recompence in the life to come. A painted flower in Summer who respects when they are produced by nature? and in Winter which hath other fruitions, it is vnsea­sonable [Page 102]and against Nature. Now well doth the Apostle heere call this, and whatsoeuer is amiable, the flowre of grasse, or the flower of the field. For after that Adam was translated out of Para­dice, all his glory was but wild and com­mon: as best appeareth in the barba­rous vast Regions of the earth, where verus cultus the true worship is wanting, where euery flower of beauty is the prey of violent, and vnruled lust. And yet these small parcels of ciuill States which are so fenced with Lawes and Religion, where beauty is manured by education, nourished by speciall care, and cherished by best counsell, accor­ding to that, Quem mulcent aurae, firmat sol, educat imber: Yet how seldome is it preserued and kept safe, that the inuasi­on of forraine lust do not breake in and deflowre it? But let these flowers fade, the glory of wealth will not leaue vs. Saint Iames answereth, As the flower of the grasse, the rich passe away. For the Sun is no sooner risen with a burning heate, but it withereth the grasse, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perish­eth: [Page 103]So also shall the rich man fade away in his waies. Name mee any other excellence, and yee shall find it but a choice flower of short continuance. Wit, and eloquence are but blossomes, which falling off, the fruit of wisedome succeedeth and vnderstanding. To conclude, whatsoeuer is desireable in the world, whatsoeuer fawnes vpon the fan­cy of men, whatsoeuer makes our wils idolatrous: all is but a flower of grasse, a thing of small vse, but no fruition. Yea the Diuine Maiesty hath so abbreuiated all earthly glory, that those excellencies which spring from an immortall roote, and are by nature not lyable to vanity and consumption, yet they will not thriue vpon earth: and though they bee illustrious for a time they are suddenly snatcht from vs. Piety, and goodnesse, and Diuine knowledge, which perfume the sinfull world, and send vp a sweet sauour of pacification into heauen, how thinnely do they grow, and how quick­ly are they exhaled? Saluete flores mar­tyrum, quos lucis ipso in limine, Christi inse­cutor sustulit, ceu turbo nascentes rosas, flo­res martyrum: Innocent martyrs, whose [Page 104]names Christ hath written red in letters: of bloud in earth, and of gold in heauen. The Flower of Iesse, [...]: whether you will call him a Starre, or a Flower, the skill of neither languague can determine: and the Holy Ghost (I thinke) left it ambiguous, to signifie that Hee is the Off-spring of both, both heauen and earth. As flowers are starres on earth, and starres are heauenly flo­wers. This coelestiall Flower was no sooner sprung, and declared by a Starre, but the rude hand was ready to nip him off: and Hee had not long adorned the earth with His glorious presence, but in the latitude of his goodliest yeares, Hee breathed out his sweete Soule, And who can expresse the abrupt cruelty of His bitter ending? he bowed downe his Head: It is a circumstance which none but [...], the Disciple of his bo­some obserueth:

[Page 105] By this gesture hee might signifie that his triumphant Soule was now des­cending to the lowest parts of the earth: Whence, according to the deepe roote of his humiliation, hee rose againe, and ascended aboue the highest heauens, and we with him: For heeres our comfort, that being complanted in the similitude of his death, wee shall bee made partakers of his resurrection. All flesh is grasse, there is mortality and depression, all flesh shall see the salua­tion of God, there is the spring and re­surrection. This is the true condition of our nature: Although death reape a whole field, & leaue no flower, nothing that is greene, yet the roote remaining, all flesh shall bee restored, all glory shall be new coloured: Yea and with aduan­tage: Lucrodamno, saith Tertullian, with lucre-losse, with honest vsury. It heere growes in weakenesse, it shall there rise in strength; it is cut downe in dishonor, it springs in honour: here naturall, there spirituall. It is a Plant whose flower shal bee exasperate with no thorny care, not greennesse be euerwithered. What hurt, what hurt then can death doe vs? wee [Page 106]shall not laugh heere: Nor shall wee weepe. We shall not bee admired, nei­ther shall wee bee contemned: But wee shall do no more good, but the good we haue done shall follow vs: But we shall not liue to lament sinne, but the sinnes wee haue lamented shall bee forgiuen vs. Lastly, as the day springs after night, and the Sunne reuiues, and flowers re­turne, and the earth is refreshed: Sic nos resurgere deuota mente credimus, So wee beleeue to liue againe: Which that wee may do with him, he grant which liueth and raigneth, &c.