CHrist our Sauiour came into the world, to dis­solue the workes of the Deuill. Now how tho­roughly he would after­ward destroy the deuill, and all his workes, he gaue a tast, as it were, in this his first encounter. Wher­in we may note what great difference there is betweene the first Adam, and the second. The first Adam was in Pa­radise, [Page 2] a place of all abundance and plea­sure: the second Adam in the desart, a place of all scarcitie and want. The first was full, and so the lesse needed to eat the forbidden fruit: the second fasting, and so the easilier drawne to make him­selfe meate. Yet the first, though he were in Paradise, and full, when his wife intised him to eat the aple, tooke it and ate it: but the second, though he were in the desart, and fasting a long time, when the deuill inticed him to turne stones into bread, would not yeeld to him, but said, Man liueth not by bread onely, but by euery word that procee­deth out of the mouth of God.

Howbeit as Christ herein was con­trary to Adam; so he agreeth verie well with Iob. Holy Iob was vpon a dung­hill: Christ was in the desert. Iob had fasted seauen dayes, and seuen nights: Christ had fasted fortie dayes and for­ [...]ie nights. Iob when his wife enticed him to curse God and die, would not, but said; Thou speakest like a foolish woman: Christ when the tempter enti­sed him, not to curse God and die, but [Page 3] to distrust God rather then he should die, would not, but said, Man liueth no [...] by bread onely, but by euerie word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Where, before we goe any further, it will not be amisse, to assoyle one que­stion, Why our blessed Sa [...]iour a [...] his mothers request turned water into wine, and yet at the deuills request would not turne stones into bread. But the answer is easie inough. This begi [...] ­ning of miracles, saies S. Iohn did Iesus at Cana in Galilie, and his Disciples be­leeued in him. Two ends therefore did he propound to himselfe in working that miracle. The encrease of his owne glorie, and his disciples faith. Now here, neither of these two ends could be attained: For how should he not haue disgraced his glorie, if he had shewed any vaine glorie? If thou be the sonne of God, saies the tempte [...], commaunde that these stones be made bread. So that his temptation tended onely to this ende, to make the sonne of God vain-glorious. Againe, how could we haue beene perswaded by him, if he [Page 4] had beene perswaded by the deuill? For he might haue seemed to haue done this miracle not only by the deuills ap­pointment, but by his power. The summe is this therefore, To conuert a­ny poore soule vnto God, or to make a sonne of God, he would haue done it, vaine-gloriously to shewe himselfe the sonne of God he would not doe it; but said, Man liueth not by bread onely, but by euerie word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

The word man is verie materiall: As if he should haue said, Any ordinarie man liueth not by the bread; but by the power, and strength, and as the Pro­phet calleth it, the staffe of bread, which God giueth it. Now if he that is but a bare man liueth rather by the blessing of God, then by the bread; much lesse need I presume vpon vnlawful meanes, that am both man and God. Againe, we must obserue that by The word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God, we are not to vnderstand the writ­ten will or word of God, but the secret counsell and decree of God, in preser­uing [Page 5] and sustaining his creatures: For example, if the word haue gone out of Gods mouth, and if God haue set it downe, and saide it, that I shall liue as well without bread as with bread, so it shall be. Or if God in his prouidence haue prouided that a stone shal nourish me as well as bread, then I shall not neede to distrust his goodnesse, or to vse vnlawfull means for my releefe. For, Man liueth not by bread onely, but by [...]ery word that proceedeh out of the [...]outh of God.

There are two places of Scripture, which are fit commentaries vpon this text. The first is written in Ecclesiastes: ca [...]. 9. [...]. 11. I returned, saies Salomon, and I sawe vnder the sunne, that the race is not to the swift: nor the battell to the strong: nor yet bread to the wise: nor also ri­ches to men of vnderstanding: neither yet fauour to men of knowledge.

First, saith the preacher, The race is not to the swift. Asahel was as swift of 2. [...]. [...]. 1 [...]. foot as a roebuck, yet Abner met with him, smote him vnder the sift rib, & slew him. So that the swiftest that is may [Page 6] sometimes be ouertaken. It is not in him that willeth, or in him that rūneth, [...] 9. 16. but in God that sheweth mercie, Nec curentis, Ne [...] volentis, saies S. Paul: but a noble man giues it for his word, Nec volentis, ne [...] volantis: It is not in him [...]hat willeth, or in him that runneth, yea though he could runne as fast as a bird can flie; but in God that sheweth mer­cie. Therefore man get [...]eth not the race by swistnes onely, but by the mercie of God: Man liueth not by bread onely, but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Secondly, saith the Preacher, The battell is not to the strong. Golias was a mightie strong gyant: His height was sixe cubits, and a hand breadth: he had 1. S [...]. 17. 5. an helmet of brasse vpon his head, and a brigandine vpon his bodie: and the weight of hi [...] brigandine was fiue thou­s [...]nd shekels o [...] brasse. He had bootes of b [...]asse vpon his legs: & a shield of brasse vpon his shoulders. And the shaft of his speare was like a weauers beame: and [...]is speare head weighed sixe hundred shekels of yro [...]: & one bearing a shielde [Page 7] went before him. Wherefore thinke you is all this furniture so particularly set downe? Wherefore, say you? Marry to shewe, how great strength, the Lord if the word haue proceeded out of his mouth, can ouercome with weakenes. For so little Dauid confesseth: Thou commest to me, saith he, with a sword, v▪ [...]5. and with a speare, and with a sheild, but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts. This name of the Lord of hosts, this mightie word proceeding out of Gods mouth, stroke the stroke. Euen as holy Dauid humbly confesseth, saying, We got not the victorie by our owne sword, neither was it our arme that did saue vs: but thy right hand, O Psal. 44 7. Lord, and thine arme, and the light o [...] thy countenance, because thou hadst a [...]uour vnto vs. So that man getteth not the battell by strength onely, but by the fauour of God: Man liueth not by bread onely, but by euery word that procee­deth out of the mouth of God.

Thirdly, saith the preacher, Bread is not to the wise. One would thinke him but a simple wise man, that can not by [Page 8] his wisdome prouide himselfe bread, that is, sufficient maintenance for his e­state. Yet thus it fallet [...] out oftentimes. The prodigall child was wise enough. [...]. 15. 17. Beeing but the yonger brother, he han­dled the matter so, as that he got of his father an equall portion of goods with his elder brother. But what came all his wisdome to in the ende? Forsooth at length he was driuen to such shifts, that for want of bread he was faine to eate husks with the hogges. And then he saide, How many hired seruants in my fathers house haue bread enough, and I starue here for hunger? Thus falleth it o [...]t many times wi [...]h thē that are wise to sollow their owne pleasures, and not to serue god. But with the seruants of god it is not so. Therefore saith the princely Prophet, I haue beene young, and now am old: yet did I neuer see the righteous forsake [...], nor their seede beg­ging their bread. So that man getteth not bread by wisdome onely, and when he hath gotten bread, Man liueth not by bread onely, but by eue [...]y word that proc [...]edeth out of the mouth of god.

[Page 9]Fourthly, saith the preacher, Riches are not to men of vnderstanding. That rich man in the gospel wanted not Luk. 1 [...]. 2 [...]. greatly any vnderstanding. When he had so much riches, that he could not tell what to doe with them, he resolued to pull downe his olde barnes which were too little, and to build bigger. But what saide the answer of god? Thou foole, this night shal they take away thy soule from thee, and then, whose shall thy goods be? Wherfore he that thoght himselfe of great vnderstanding before, is here declared to be a foole, and a poore foole also, hauing not so much as his soule left to helpe him. The losse whereof can not be recompenced and counter [...]ailed with winning the whole world. A mans life then doth not con­fist in the aboundance of those things which he possesseth. But the louing­kindnes Psal. 63. 4. P [...]ov. 10. of the Lord is better then ri­ches, better then liuing, yea better then life it selfe. For in God onely we liue. And onely the blessing of god maketh a man rich. Whereupon we may con­clude, that man getteth not riches by [Page 10] vndersta [...]ding onely, but by the blessing of god: Man liueth not by bread onely, but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of god.

Lastly, saith the preacher, Fauour is not to men of knowledge. It seemeth that a man of knowledge and learning should obtaine fauour and acceptance, wheresoeuer he becommeth. But it is not so. Oftentimes, either he getteth none, or els he looseth that which he hath gotten. Haman a man of great [...]. 7. 10. knowledge, and a [...]thoritie, and fauour with his Prince. Yet because he abused this fa [...]our to the oppression of gods people, and of true religion, therefore he lost it. And that mischiefe which he imagined against others, lighted vpon his own [...] pa [...]e. Indeede when god hath appointed any one to be a notable in­str [...]ment of his glorie, either in Church [...] Common- [...]ealth, then sodainly the Lord giueth him extraordinary fauour. So he gaue Ioseph fauour with king Pharao: so he gaue Mardocheus fauour wi [...]h king Assuerus. For fauour and pro­mo [...]ion comme [...]h neither from the [Page 11] East, nor from the West, nor from the North, nor from the South, but god it is which setteth vp one, and casteth downe an other. He, as the blessed Vir­gin singeth in her Magnisicat, casteth Luk. 1. 52. down the mightie from their seats, and exalteth the humble and me [...]ke. Wher­fore man getteth not fauour by know­ledge onely, but by the fauour of god: Man liueth not by bread onely, but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of god.

This doctrine teacheth vs, that if we haue gotten the race, gotten the battel, gotten bread, gotten riches, gotten fa­uour, we should not ascribe these things to our owne sacrifices, to our owne strength, to our owne wisdome, to our owne vnderstanding, to our owne know­ledge, but to the grace of god, and the blessed word proceeding out of his [...]outh. Thus the Prophet exhorteth, saying, Let not the wise man glorie in his wisdome, nor the strong man in his strength, but let him that gloried glorie in this, that he knoweth the Lord. Now no mā knoweth the Lord, but he which [Page 12] knoweth that all good successe he hath in any thing, cōmeth of the Lord. And thus much for the first place of Scrip­ture, which is a commentarie vpon this text. Man liueth not by bread onely, but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of god.

The second place of Scripture is written in the Prophet Hagge. Ye haue [...]. 1. [...]. sowen much, and bring in little: ye eat, but you haue not enough: ye drinke, but ye are not silled: ye cloth you, but ye are not warme: and he that earneth wages, putteth the wages into a broken bagge.

First, s [...]ith the Prophet, Ye haue sow­ed much, and bring in little. Almigh­tie God for the sin of the people makes many times the heauens brasse, and the earth yron. So that neither the heauens droppeth downe seasonable showres, neither doth the earth bring forth her [...]ncrease. When one came to a heape of twentie measures, there were but ten, saith this our Prophet: when one came cap. [...]. 15. to the winepresse for to drawe out fiftie vessels out of the presse, there were but twentie. This is to sowe much, and [Page 13] bring in little, to looke for twentie mea­sures, and finde but tenne: to looke for fiftie vessels, and finde but twentie. On the other side, holy Isaac sowing in the Gen. [...]6. 12. land of king Abimeleck, gained euerie yeare an hundred fold: so mightily saith the Scripture, did the Lord blesse him. For except the Lord build the house, they labour but in vaine that build it: and except the Lord till the field and sowe the seede, they labour but in vain that sowe it. Paul planteth, Apollo wa­tere [...]h, but God giueth the encrease: which is true not onely in the spirituall wa [...]ering of the word, but also in natu­rall planting and sowing seede. So that man bringeth not much in by sowing onely, but by the en [...]ease which God giueth: Man li [...]eth [...]ot by bread onely, but by euery word which poceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Secondly, saith the Prophet, Ye eate, but ye haue not inough. Many there are which want for no eating, but like that rich glutton fare deliciously euerie day: yet it is smally seene by them. But as Ge [...]. 4 [...]. [...]1. those seuen leane kine hauing deuoured [Page 14] the seuen fat, were neuer a whit the ful­ler; so these. Wheras holy Daniel hauing nothing to eat but poore pulse, nothing to drinke but cold water, looked more cherefully and beautifully, then any of the children which did eat of the por­tion of the kings meate. And that the Eunuch saw well inough, and consessed D [...]n. 1. 15. at the tenne dayes ende. Therefore a little thing which the righteous inioy­ [...]th, [...]sal. 37. 1 [...]. is better then great riches of the wicked. Better is a little with the feare Prov. 15. 16. of the Lord, then great treasure & trou­ble therewith. Better is a dry morsell [...]. [...]7. 1. if peace be with it, then a house full of sacrifices with strife. Better is a dinner [...]. [...]7. of greene hearbes were loue is, then a stawled oxe and hatred therewith. In conclusion then, Man hath not inough by eating onely, but by the peace and and loue of God. M [...]n liueth not by breade onely, but by euerie word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Thirdly saith the Prophet, Ye drink, but ye are not filled. Many consume, and as we say, drinke downe their whole pa­trimonie. Like the horseleach they euer [Page 15] say, Giue, giue: like the man in the go­spell, that had the dropsie, they dri [...]ke still, and the more they drinke the more they list. Committing in the meane season two sinnes, fors [...]king God the fountaine of li [...]ing waters, and digging [...]er. [...]. 1 [...]. to themselues pittes that can hold no waters. On the other side, Elias, when as the Angel brought him a cake bakt' on the harth, and a pot of water, was so [...]ully satisfied with these, that he went in the strength of this meate and drinke 1. Reg. 1 [...]. [...]. fortie dayes vnto Oreb the mount of God. Could such a small pittance of bread and water of it selfe sustaine him so long? No marrie. What was the matter then? The word that proceeded out of Gods mouth had appointed so, that one cruse of water should suffice him all that time. Whereby we see, that man is not filled with drinking on­ly: Man liueth not by bread onely, but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Fourthly, saith the Prophet, Yea cloth you but you are not wa [...]me. Peter [...]. i [...] 1. [...]g. [...]. Martyr sheweth, that clothing doth [Page 16] keepe the bodie warme two wayes: By keeping in the naturall heat of the bo­die: and by keeping out the accidentall cold of the ayre. Now though this be the property of cloathing, yet God as it pleaseth him, can suspend the effect of it. Whereupon he saith, I will take a­way my corne in the time thereof, and Ho [...]. 1. 9. my wine in the season thereof, and I wil deliuer my wooll and my flaxe. Sig­nifying that euen when the corne is come to the ripenesse, and the wine nowe readie to be drunken, God will depri [...]e them of it. But especially we must marke that he sai's, I will deliuer my wooll and my [...]laxe. Whereby he [...] la­ [...] [...] & [...] m [...] u [...]. teacheth vs, that God hath as it were, if I may so say, bound all his creatures prentises to vs, to preser [...]e vs, and serue vs, if we serue him. But in case we serue him [...]ot, then the creatures are deliue­red, and are bound no more to serue vs. The wool and the flax contrary to their [...]ature will not serue our turne, if we contrary to grace rebell against God. Whereas Iohn Bap [...]ist hauing a gar­ment of Camels haire, and a girdle of [Page 17] leather abo [...]t [...]is loynes, w [...]s [...] [...] ­nough. This leather serued him to as good vse as flaxe, and the Camels haire kept him as warme as wooll. Ma [...] ther­fore is not warme by clothing onel [...], but by vertue of God annexed to t [...]e clothing. Man li [...]eth not by bread one­ly, but by euerie word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Lastly, saith the Prophet, He that earneth wages putteth the wages into a broken bagge. We see in the world many mē haue great fees, great offices, great reuenues, and yet can scarse keepe themselues out of debt. O [...]her some, haue but verie s [...]all wages, and yet maintaine themselues well inough, and helpe their poore friends also. Onely the word that proceedeth out of Gods mo [...]th, makes this difference. As we may see in Iudas. Who indeede earned wages, b [...]t seeing it was the wages of vnrighteousnesse, therefore it run out of the bagge as f [...]st as it was put in: Fo [...] first, when he [...]ad it he could not [...]old it in his hands, but brought it b [...]cke a­gaine, saying, I [...] sinned in [...] [...] [Page 18] innocent blood. Then himselfe went and made away himselfe, and that which is fearefull but once to name or mention, all his bowels gushed out: There is a broken bagge. But the Patriarch Iacob, earning wages verie hardly, to wit, seruing fourteene yeares for his v [...]cles daughters, and sixe years for his lambs, in all twentie yeares, in the ende filled his bagge full. And though Laban changed his wages ten tims, yet he could not one time change that blessing of God, which was alwaies vpon him. And though he allotted his nephew onely the spotted lambs, which commonly were verie fewe to his wa­ges, yet the word proceeding so out of Gods mouth, this prooued an infinite gaine vnto him. Whereupon the bles­sed Patriarke humbleth himselfe in true [...] [...]2. 10. humilitie and thankfulnesse to God, and saith, O Lord, I am not worthie of the least of al thy mercies: for with my staffe came I ouer this Iordan, but now doe I ret [...]e with two troups. O that we had such good soules, such thankefull hearts in vs, as that euerie one of vs would in [Page 19] like sort confesse and acknowledge his owne vnworthinesse, and the wonder­full worth and wealth of Gods mercie. O Lord, sai's he, I am not worthie of the least, or I am lesser then the least of all thy mercies. He makes no mention of his owne paines and trauailes, though they had beene verie great in that long seruice, but onely of the mercies of God. These were the only cause that his bagge was so full. Wherefore man fil­leth not his bagge by earning wages onely, but by the mercies of God. Man liueth not by bread onely, but by euery word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

This teacheth vs, that whether we sow, or eate, or drinke, or cloath vs, or earne wages, we must do all to the glo­rie of God. And all we doe to the glo­rie of God, when we referre the glo­rie of all we doe to God. Not sacrificing to our owne yarne, as the Prophet spea­keth, or kissing our owne hand: but kis­sing the sonne, and offring vp to him onely the sacrifices of praise and thanks­giuing at whose hand we receiue all [Page 20] good things. For it is not our painefull sowing that giues vs a plentifull crop: not our eating that f [...]edeth vs: not our drinking that satisfieth vs: not our clothes that warme vs: not out earning wages that filleth our bagge: but the good word that procedeth out of Gods mouth, which blessed all these things vnto vs. Therefore as we must not be­ginne any of these without grace-say­ing: so we must not ende any of them without thanksgiuing. And thus much for the second place of Scripture, which is a commentarie vpon this text; Man liueth not by br [...]ad on [...]ly, but by euerie word which proc [...]edeth out of the mouth of God.

To make good vse then of all that hath beene spoken, I shall desire you to obserue foure points. First, that God can worke great matters with small meanes. Thus saith our Lord; When I brake the fiue loaues among fiue thou­sand, [...]. 8. 19. how many baskets full of broken meate tooke ye vp? they said v [...]to him, Twelue. And when I brake seauen a­mong fowre thousand, how many bas­kets [Page 21] of the leauings of broken meate tooke ye vp? and they said, S [...]auen. Cer­tainely there is no reason in the world that seauen loa [...]s sho [...]ld satisfie fowre thousand, and much lesse, that fiue loaues fiue thousand. But Christ hauing giuen thanks and blessed the bread, did that by the might of the word procee­ding out of his mouth, which by the naturall power and condition of the bread could neuer haue beene done. Therefore also he repeateth it, and que­stioneth with his disciples about it. That by their confession and report, all the Church afterwards might beleeue, that God can worke great matters with small meanes, and that Man liueth not by breade onely, but by euerie word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Secondly, that God can work strong matters with weake meanes. What a strong violent matter is it, to pull the soule of any one sinner out of the bot­tome of hell, and out of the iawes of destruction? yet this God doth. But how doth he i [...]? This strong matter, howe [Page 22] doth he worke it? By the weakest means that may be. We haue this treasure, saith the Apostle, in earthen vessels, 2. Cor. 6. 7. that the excellency of that power might be of God, and not of vs. O marueilous words, That the excellencie of that power might be of God, and not of vs. For if Angels were sent to preach vnto vs, it might be thought, that the con­uersion of sinners consisted in the excel­lencie of the Angels ministrie, not in the power of Gods word. Now simple and sinneful men, such as our selues are, no better then earthen vessels, bringing such a [...]reasure vnto vs, the excellencie of this worke must needs be wholly as­cribed to God. And as it is in spirituall foode, so it is in corporall. It is not the teacher, but the doctrine taught: or ra­ther not the doctrine barely taught nei­ [...]her, but the diuine operation of Gods spirit working with the word which cō ­uerteth the soule. And so it is not the bread onely, but the blessing of Gods grace vpon the bread which sustaineth our li [...]e. Thus God can worke strong matters with weake meanes; and Man [Page 23] liueth no [...] by breade onely, but by eue­rie word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Thirdly, that God can worke some matters with no meanes. When King Asa sawe himselfe ouerpressed with the 2. Chr. 14. 11. multitude of his enemies, he praied thus to God: O Lord, it is all one with thee, to saue with many, or with no power. If he had said with many, or with a small power, it would haue beene plaine. But with many, or with no power, is verie wonderfull. Or rather it is no wonder a [...] all, seeing it is spoken of God, with whome it is a verie ordinarie matter to saue, not onely as well with a small or a weak power, as with a great or a strong power, but also as well with no power, as with some power. It is a good car­penter, who ha [...]ing crooked and roug [...] timber put into his hands, can h [...]w it and make it fit for the building. Onely the creator of all it is which can worke, hauing no matter at all to worke vpon. The ordinarie meanes for plants and hearbs to growe by, is rai [...]e: Yet God prouided for Adam plants and herbes Gen. 2. 5. [Page 24] [...] e [...]er it had rain [...]d. The vsuall [...]eanes for light is the sunne. Howbeit [...]. [...]. 3. [...]od [...] light before he made the [...]. Light the first day, the sunne the [...] day. We see then that God is ti­ [...] to no meanes. God can saue with no [...], as wel as with some power: God can gi [...]e vs hearbs with no raine, as wel [...] with some raine: God can giue vs light without any su [...]ne, as well as with [...]he sun [...]e: God can feede vs if it please him, as well with no bread as with bread. Therefore God can worke some mat [...]rs with no meanes; and so Man li­ [...]eth not by bread onely, but by euerie word that proceedeth out of the mou [...]h of God.

Fourt [...]ly, that God can worke other­s [...]me [...] wi [...]h contrari [...] meanes. [...]e c [...]n no [...] onely shewe vs light with­ [...] any s [...]nne, but also bring light out [...]. Cor. [...] 6 of darkenesse. So our Sauiour, when [...]e went about to cure him that was [...] blind, tempred spittle and clay, [...]. [...]. [...]. [...] put it vpon his [...]yes. This plaister [...] more likely to put out his eyes [...] sees▪ then to cure his eyes who is [Page 25] blind. Yet this is the power of the word proceeding out of Gods mou [...]h. So the Prophet Elizeus, when colloquinti­da 2. R [...]g. 4. 40. was put into the pot, by casting in a little meal [...] into it, made of ranke poi­son a wholesome brot [...]. So, when the Is­raelits wanted bread in the desert, God sent them Manna from heauen; and Moses said vnto them, This is the bread [...]xod. 1 [...]. 15. which the Lord hath giuen you to eat. Many things here were contrarie to na­ture. One thing especially, that the dew which made the manna, fell in the mor­ning, whereas other dewe vseth to fall in the euening, and ascend in the mor­ning. Therefore Moses putte [...]h Israel in minde of this strange miracle after­ward; God made thee hungrie, and fed D [...]ut. [...]. 3. thee with Manna, saith he, which [...]hou knewest not, neither did thy fathers knowe it, that he might teach them that man liueth not by bread only, but by e­uerie word that proceedeth ou [...] of the mo [...]th of the Lord, doth a man liue. Christs answer then to the tempter is, as if he should haue said; I vvant novve bread in the desert, as long ago the Isra­elites [Page 26] wanted it. But God by his word prouided for them. There [...]ore I neede not incroach vpon vnlawfull meanes, but depēding stil vpon his prouidence, I shall [...]euer want. For God can worke great matters with small meanes, strong matters with weake meanes, many mat­ters with no meanes, and some matters with contrarie meanes. So that Man li­ueth not by bread onely, but by euerie word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

And yet this is no doctrine of idle­nesse and securitie neither. As we must not by diffidence or distrust in God, vse vnlawfull meanes: so we must not by presuming vpon God, neglect lavvfull meanes. That vve be not too distrustful vve are sent to the lilly, and yet that vve be not too negligent vve are sent to the ant. S. Paul knevve right vvell, neither [...]. 27. he nor any of his companie should be cast avvay in that shipvvracke: yet for all that, he did not lay him dovvne vpon a pillovve and sleepe, but he vsed all good meanes for the safetie of the com­pa [...]ie. He cast out the vvheat and the [Page 27] tackling of the ship: he loosed the rud­der bands, and hoysed vp the main saile. And vvhen the ship vvas splitted, he persvvaded some by bords, and other by other peices of the ship to svvim safe to land. The more to blame vvere they The [...] was a fire in Win­sor to [...]ne. yesternight, vvhich vvhen they might haue done good, stood by still and loo­ [...]ed on. As though it vvere a disparage­ment, or rather it vvere not a verie ho­nourable part for any to help in a com­mon danger? Or as though the fire vvhich vvas kindled by negligence, should haue beene extinguished vvith negligence also. Yea rather the Lord did by this fire, chastice the negligence of some, that he might stirre vp the di­ligence of all. No lesse blame vvorthie vvas the vvhole tovvne, vvhich standing so neere the royall presence of the kings maiestie and the Q [...]eenes maiestie, yet vvas vtterly vnprouided of all helpe in this case. No buckets, no hookes, no ladders, no axes, could be gotten; no carpenters could be heard of, vvhich might haue done most good at such a time. So that if the mightie and merci­full [Page 28] vvord proceeding out of the mouth of God, had not helped in necessity and time of neede, suddainly caulming and stilling the vvind, euen at that very in­stant, vvhich had beene busie all the day before, no question it had grovven to a farre greater dammage and danger. But I am ill aduised to meddle vvith these things. I make no doubt but order vvill be taken, though I hold my peace, that hereafter the [...]ovvne for all such casual­ties be better prouided. Therefore here I ende. God for his mercie sake grant that neither by too much presuming confidence vve may neglect the lavvfull meanes, nor yet by too much distrust­ing diffidence vve may vse vnlavvfull meanes; but that depending vpon thy prouidence O Lord, vve may diligent­ly follovve the vvorks of our calling, and so continually receiue a blessing from thee, thorough Iesus Christ: to vvhom vvith the Father, and the holy Ghost, be all praise, and glorie, novve and euermore. Amen.

SAint Peter foretelleth [...]. [...]. [...]. that some should per­uert S. Pauls epistles to their ovvne damna­tion. Such are they of the church of Rome. Among other places of S. Pauls epi­stles, they doe notably p [...]ruert this. For out of that the Apostle saith, Affliction vvorketh glory; they endeauour to con­clude, [Page 30] that the patience of the Saints, and other their vertues, merit euerla­sting life. But first the word, To worke, is verie generall and signifieth not one­ly causes properly so named, but also a­ny antecedent, though it be but an ad­iunct or an accident. Againe, the Apo­stles words elsewhere are these. I sup­pose Rom. 8. 1 [...]. that the afflictions of this life, are not worthie os the glorie which shalbe reuealed. Wherefore they might haue done well, to chuse some indifferet construction which would haue recon­ciled both these places together, rather then to imbrace such an exposition of the one, as doth iustle, nay quite thrust out the other. S. Bernard doth thus, saying, that good wor [...]es, are not any [...]. cause meriting a kingdome, but onely a way directing to a kingdome. For see­ing they are no cause, neither haue any correspondence, or proportion in them in respect of the glorie to come, there­fore the Apostle saith, The afflictions of this life are not worthie the glorie that shalbe reueiled. And yet againe be­cause the possessing of our soules in pa­tience, [Page 31] is a way directly tending to the saluation both of our soules and bodies, therefore he saith, The momentarie [...]ightnesse of our affliction worketh vs [...] surpassing exceeding eternall weight of glorie. To which our Sauiour sub­scribeth in these words, The gate is straight, and the way narrowe which leadeth vnto life. This straightnesse therfore and narrownesse of affliction, is not a cause which deserueth, but a gate or a way, which leadeth vnto life. So in an other place we haue, that by many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of heauen. Not by many tribulatiōs, no not by any tribulations, we must merit heauen, but by many tri­bulations as by a gate or way, we must enter into the kingdome of heauen. And in this sense S. Paul saies, The momentarie lightnesse of our affliction worketh vs a surpassing exceeding eter­nall waight of glorie.

But now though this sentence doe not confirme any Popish error, yet it doth excellently comfort any distressed and afflicted. For it exhorteth vs to be [Page 32] patient in all afflictions, and that for foure reasons. The two first drawn from the nature of our affliction, the two last from the nature of that glory, which shalbe the reward of our affliction. T [...] first is, because our affliction is momen­tarie: the second, because our affliction is light: the third, because our glorie shalbe eternall, yea surpassing eternall▪ the fourth, because our glorie shall b [...] weightie, exceeding weightie. And therefore he saith, The momentarie lightnesse of our affliction, worketh vs a surpassing exceeding eternall waight of glorie.

Ineede not here make any apologi [...] for my selfe, nor yet render any reason, why I discourse of pouertie, before the rich, of affliction before those that are euere way slourishing. This point was [...]. cleared so reuerently and so learnedly of late in this high presence, that I am sure it must needes be yet well re­membred. Certainely though ye haue not beene afflicted heretofore, neither are at this time, yet beeing men, ye may be hereafter. Wherefore it is no [...] [Page 33] [...], that we all learne the doctrine of patience in tribulation. Partly that we may be more thankfull to God, i [...] hitherto we haue not beene afflicted and plagued like other men: Partly that if any time of affliction happen hereaf­ter, as any griefe, any losse, any sickenes, or such like, we may be prepared afore­hand, and as it were armed with pati­ence to endure it. For the momentarie lightnesse of our affliction worketh vs a surpassing exceeding eternall waight of glorie.

First, our afflictiō is momentarie. Wel [...]. sai's Eucherius, Nothing is of great im­portance, which is of small cōtinuance. Now our whole life is very short. What [...]. is our life, saith S. Iames? It is a vapour which for a time appeareth, but anon after vanisheth away. Therefore saith the Prophet, O Lord, thou knowest my Ps [...]. 56. [...]. life, as it is in the Sept [...]agint: but as it is in the Hebrewe, Thou knowest my fli [...] ­ting. And theresore seeing our whole life is but a vapour, or a flitting, certen­ly our afflictions which are all compri­sed within the compasse of this life, [Page 34] must needes be much more momenta­rie. All afflictiō, as the Apostle writeth, Heb. 12. 11. for the present seemeth not to be ioyous but grieuous; but afterward it bringeth forth the quiet fruits of righteousnesse to them that are exercised thereby. He saith not that affliction is, but that it seemeth to be. So that affliction see­meth to be one thing, and is indeede an other. It seemeth to be grieuous, it is indeede ioyous: it seemeth to be tro­blesome, it is indeede comfortable: it seemeth to be long and tedious, it is indeede momentarie and short. E­uen as God himselfe determineth this matter; For a moment, saith he, in Esa. 54. 8. mine anger, for a little season haue I hid my face from you; but in euerlasting mercie will I turne vnto you againe. That we should not doubt of this do­ctrine, he redoubles the promise, for a moment, for a little season. Therefore the Princely Prophet say's plainly. Hea­uinesse may endure for a night, but ioy [...] [...]. 30. 6. commeth in the morning. As the two Angels then that came to Lot log'd with him for a night, and when they [Page 35] had dispach't their arrant, went away in Gen. 19 2. the morning: so afflictions, which are the Angels or the messengers of God. God sendeth afflictions to doe an ar­rant vnto vs, to tell vs, we sorget God, we forget our selues, we are too proud, too selfe concei [...]ed, and such like, and when they haue said as they were bad, then presently they are gone. Where­upon we read, that the spirit of life re­turned [...] [...]1 11. into the two witnesses which had beene slaine by the beast, after three dayes and an halfe. Why after three dayes and an halfe? To teach vs, that affliction and persecution may perhaps tyranize ouer vs three dayes and an halfe, but they shal not fill vp the whole fowre dayes. For the elects sake those Math. 24. 22. dayes shall be shortened. Agreeably to that which Iohn Baptist begun his prea­ching with, Repent; for the kingdome Matth. 3. 2. of heauen is at hand. Repent, that's a matter of mortification and affliction to the flesh. For the kindome of heauen is at hand, That's a matter of comfort and ioy. So our Sauiour, Behold I come Reuel. 22. 12. quickly, and my reward with me: if [Page 36] Christ will come quickly, then afflicti­on will be gone quickly. Thus momen­tarie is our affliction: For our whole life is short, much more then the afflictions of this life: affliction is grieuous but for the present: heauinesse endureth but for a night: persecution lasteth but three dayes and an halfe: the kingdome of heauen is at hand, theresore deliuerance is at hand: Christ will come quickly, therefore affliction will be gone quick­ly. Wheresore seeing our affliction is so momentarie, let vs be patient in affli­ction: For the momentarie lightnesse of our affliction worketh vs a surpassing exceeding eternall waight of glorie.

Secondly, our affliction is light. Al­mightie God setting forth his owne ex­cellency, saith, Who hath measured the Es [...]. 40. 1 [...]. heauens with his span, and the waters with his fist? By the heauens are meant the diuine blessings of God; by the wa­ters, afflictions & woes. Those he mea­sureth with his span, which is a longer measure: these with his fist, which is a shorter measure. So that the Lord is as I may say a rhetoritian, verie plentifull [Page 37] and copious in his blessings; he measu­reth them with his spanne: but he is a logitian, more short and sparing in his afflictions, these he measureth with his fist. For in the hand of the Lord there Psal. 75. [...]. is a cuppe, the wine is redde, and full mixt, he powreth out of the same: as for the dregges thereof, the wicked of the earth doe drinke them vp. First, we drinke not this cup onely full of redde wine, that is, of the wrath and indigna­tion of God, but mixt with diuerse comforts otherwise. Then besides we meddle not with the dregs. Vpō the vn­godly he shall raine snares, sire & brim­stone, storme, and tempest, this shall be their portion to drinke. We drinke on­ly a little of the vppermost. And there­fore he saith, God powreth out of the same. That after we haue suffered a mo­dicum, as S. Peter speaketh, we may 1. Pat. 5. 10. then enter into glorie. According to king Dauid his prayer, Comfort vs, O Lord, now for the time wherein thou hast afflicted vs, and for the dayes wher­in we haue seene euill. Hierome noteth that hauing first said wherein thou hast [Page 38] afflicted vs; he expounds it after by these words, wherein we haue seene e­uill. [...] 15. Therefore that which Acteon wi­shed, [...] that he might see only his hounds hunting, and not feele it, that happe­neth indeede to vs. Our affliction is, not a feeling of euill neare at hand, but one­ly a feeling of it a farre off. As the Persi­an Kings children in their minoritie, if they had committed a fault, were not corrected themselues, but onely saw some of meaner birth chastised before them: so God teacheth vs to take heed, rather by other mens, then by our owne harmes. And looke how Abraham laid nothing but wood vpon his sonne Isa­ac, carrying the knife and the fire him­selfe: after the s [...]me sort dealeth our heauenly father with vs. He laieth vpon vs wood without [...] knife. The Phisitian [...], that is the best exercise which is ad ruborem, non ad sudorem, refreshing the spirits and stirring vp the blood a little, but not putting a man into any great sweat. But the diuine may say, that is the best affliction, which is ad su­dorem, non ad sanguinem. Therfore God [Page 39] laieth vpon vs wood ad sudorem, to make vs sweat, In the sweat of thy browes Gen. 3. 19. shalt thou eat thy bread; not a knife ad sanguinem, to make vs bleed, Ye haue Heb. 12. 4. not yet resisted vnto blood. God laieth vpon vs wood without fire. Now wood without fire, is not greatly dangerous. Or say he lay vpon vs both wood and fire: yet the voice of the Lord deuideth the flame of fire. For in the flame of fire naturally there is heat and light. But notwithstanding, the omnipotent voice of the Lord diuideth these, one from the other. As the cursed in hell shew, and the elect vpon earth. I am tormen­ted in this flame, saith Dives. Theres heat, but no light. Contrariwise the three children in the furnace shined as Angels for light, but were so farre from heat, that no one haire of their head, or of their apparell perished. When Moy­ses saw a bush burning and not consu­med, he saide, I will goe, and see this great vision. A great vision indeede. There was a flame of fire. Els how was the bush burning? There was light. Els how did Moses see it? There was no [Page 40] hear. Els how was not the bush consu­med? [...] 3. [...] Yet in euery faithfull one afflicted you may see this great vision. The voice of the Lord in his affliction, as in the [...] 11. flame of fire, diuideth the heat from the light. So that he is not consumed by the heat, (nay rather his infirmities and carnall concupiscences are consumed thereby) but onely illuminated by the light. According to that, Onely vexati­on giueth vnderstanding. And in an o­ther place, Light is sprung vp to the righteous, and ioy to them that are true of heart. Thus ye see how tenderly our deare fa [...]her dealeth with vs. He laieth either no fire at all vpon vs, or els no burning fire for heat, but onely a bla­sing fire for light. To make short. Ma­ny hands (as we say) make light worke. Now wee haue many comparteners and fellowes which make the labour of our affliction light. First, all crea­tures sigh and grone with vs; Then, [...] [...] 1 [...]. all the faithfull beare one an others [...] [...]. burdens, and so fulfill the lawe of God. Thirdly, the good angels haue a [...]. [...]1. [...]1. ch [...]ge giuen them of vs, that we hurt [Page 41] not our foot at any time against a stone. Next, God the father biddeth vs cast Psal. 55. 23. our burthen vpon him, and promiseth to nourish vs. Fiftly, the holy Ghost Rom. 8. 2 [...]. helpeth our infirmities, and helpeth them euen when we are readie to be oppressed by them. Lastly, God the Mat [...]. 11. [...]0. sonne setteth to his hand likewise, and saith, Come vnto me all yee that labour and are heauie loaden, and I will resresh you: take my yoke vpon you; for my yoke is easie, and my burthen is light. As is he should haue said, To drawe in the yoake without me, would be a hard matter; and to beare the burthen with­out me, would be aboue your strength: but if you come to me, if you drawe and beare with me, I will refresh you; For my yoake is easie, and my burthen is light. Thus light is our affliction. For God measureth to vs the water with his fist, which is the shorter measure: he causeth vs to drink of the cup no other­wise but as it is mixt with many com­forts: he maketh vs not swallow vp the lees of it, but onely a little modicum of the vppermost: he laieth affliction vpon [Page 42] vs, which is rather a seeing, then a fee­ling of euill: he laieth wood vpon vs to exercise vs, but neither a knife to cut vs, nor yet fire to burne vs. Lastly, we haue many fellowes in our affliction which make it light. All creatures: all the faith­full: all the good angels: God the fa­ther: God the holy Ghost: God the Sonne, who saith, My yoake is easie, and my burden is light. Wherefore seeing our affliction is so many waies light, we must be patient in all affliction; For the momentarie lightnes of our affliction worketh vs a surpassing exceeding eter­nall waight of glorie.

Thirdly, our glorie is eternall, yea surpassing eternall. The glorie we looke for, is called a kingdome. Of which the princely Prophet saith thus; Thy king­dome Psal. 145. 13. is an euerlasting kingdome, and thy dominion endureth throughout all ages. Whereupon Origen noteth, that [...]. as there is a holy, and a holy of holies; as a saboth, and a saboth of saboths; as a heauen, and a heauen of heauens; as a song, and a song of songs: so there is an age, and an age of ages. And againe, as [Page 43] that which is not onely a holy, but also a holy of holies, is the holiest place of all; as that which is not onely a saboth, but also a saboth of saboths, is the per­fectest rest of all; as that which is not onely a heauen, but also a heauen of heauens, is the highest heauen of all; as that which is not onely a song, but also a song of songs, is the excellentest song of all: so that which is not onely an age, but also an age of ages, and especially, as the Psalmist speaketh, an age of all a­ges, is the most infinite eternitie of all. Which seeing it is attributed to the kingdome of Christ, being likewise the kingdome of all true Christians, it fol­loweth that our glorie is surpassing e­ternall. Whereupon Prosper noteth, De promiss [...] & [...]. that that which Virgil writeth of Augu­stus Cesar, He hath giuen vs an Empire Imperium si­ne sine de­d [...]t. without ende; may much more fitly be applied to Christ. For though Augu­stus raigned very long, aboue fiftie yeares, yet at length his gouernment as all other earthly kingdomes, was deter­mined. But of our heauenly king onely the angel Gabriel saide most truly, Of [Page 44] his kingdome there shall be no ende. Luk 1. 53. Now this glorie is as well called a crowne, as a kingdome. And this crowne, as S. Peter saith, is vndefield, [...]. Pet. 1. 14. which neuer fadeth away. The Greeke [...]. words which S. Peter vseth, are Latine words also: and they are not onely ap­pellatiues, beeing the epithites of this crowne, but also propers, the one the proper name of a stone, the other of a flower. For Isidore writeth there is a pre­tious [...]. stone called Aniantus, which though it be neuer so much soyled, yet it can neuer at all be blemished. And beeing cast into the fire, it is taken out▪ still more bright and cleane. Also Cle­mens [...]. writeth, that there is a flower cal­led A [...]rantus, which beeing a long time hung vp in the house, yet still is fresh and greene. To both which, the stone and the flower, the Apostle, as I am verily perswaded, alludeth in this place. As if he should haue saide, The crowne which ye shall receiue, shall be studded with the stone Amiantus, which cannot be defiled; and it shall be garnished with the flower Amaran­tus, [Page 45] which alwaies is fresh and neuer fades away: ye shall receiue a crowne vndefiled, and that neuer fades away. Which, as Beda noteth, was insinua­ted in the crowne round about the Arke of the Testament. For in a cir­cle there is neither beginning nor en­ding. Or rather euery where there is a beginning, euery where an ending; and so no where any beginning or ending. To shew that the patient also shal haue a crown set vpon their head per circuitū, running round in a circle & neuer com­ming to any end of eternitie. Well, our glorie is called also a treasure. Three kind of treasures there are. A treasure in hell: a treasure in earth: a treasure in heauen. That in hell is a treasure of torments▪ that in earth is a treasure of snowe: that in heauen, is a treasure of eternitie. For the first, S. Iames sayes; Go to nowe you rich men, weepe and [...]. howle for the miseries that shall come vpon you: your riches are corrupt, and your garments are moth-eaten: your gold and siluer is cankred, and the rust of them shall be a witnesse against you, [Page 46] and shall eat your flesh as it were fire: Ye haue heaped vp treasure for the last dayes. Here's a treasure in hell. Which to be a treasure of torments the Apo­stle prooueth, saying, Thou after thy Rom. 2. 5. hardnesse, and heart that cannot re­pent, treasurest vnto thy selfe wrath a­gainst the day of wrath. A treasure of wrath and of torments. [...]rō which God for the deare blood of his sonne sake deliuer vs euery one. The second, is a treasure in earth. O [...] which our Sauiour saith; Lay not vp treasures for your [...]. 6. 1 [...]. selues vpon earth, where the moath and canker corrupt, and where the eues dig thorough and steale. And this is a trea­sure of snowe. For S. Gregorie vpon those words of Iob; Who entreth into [...]. the treasures of snowe; sheweth that earthly treasures are treasures of snowe. You see little children what paines they take t [...] [...]ake and scrape snowe to­gether to make a snowe-ball: right so, they that scrape together the treasure of this world, haue but a snowe-ball of it; as soone as the sunne shineth, and God breatheth vpon it, and so entreth [Page 47] into it, by and by it comes to nothing. The third, is a treasure in heauen. Con­cerning which our Sauiour saith, Lay Ma [...]. 10. [...]1. vp for your selues treasures in heauen, where are bagges that neuer waxe old. Now this is a treasure of eternitie. And therefore the Christians of the primi­tiue Church, suffered with ioy the spoi­ling of their goods, knowing that they H [...]b. 10. 24 had in heauen a better, and a more en­during substance. They contemned all treasures of snow in respect of this sub­stance. For they haue no substance, nei­ther are simply good, though they be called goods, but melt away as snow: this is a better, and a more enduring substance; yea a most enduring, a sur­passing eternall waight of glorie. Thus ye see how eternall our glo [...]ie is. It is a kingdome: a crowne: a treasure. And this kingdome is an euerlasting king­dome: this crowne is an incorruptible crowne: this treasure is an eternal trea­sure. And therefore seeing our glorie is so surpassing eternall, we must be pati­ent in all affliction. For the momentarie lightnes of our affliction worketh vs [Page 48] surpassing exceeding [...]ernall waight of glorie.

Fourthly, our glorie is weightie, yea exceeding waightie. [...]he glorie to come, by some resemblances is shewed to be eternall, by other to be weightie. First, to this purpose it is compared to wine. Touching which our Sauiour saith, Herea [...]r will I not drinke with [...]. 14. [...]. you of the fr [...]ite of the vine, till I drinke it nevve vvith you in my fathers kingdome. Now how waightie this wine shalbe, appeareth in that the spies bringing clusters of grapes out of Ca­ [...], [...] them vpon a poal [...] on their [...]. 13. 2 [...]. [...]. To shewe, in the celestiall [...] glorie there shal [...] be. So when [...] Lord turned wa­ter [...] wine, h [...] [...]ommanded to [...]ll the vessels to the [...]. These vessels top­ [...]ll Io [...]. [...] [...]. of wine doe signifie at the mariage o [...] the Lamb, that [...]e [...] shall h [...] a [...]ll reward: pressed downe, sh [...]ken 2. Ioh. [...]. together, r [...]g ouer. So that euery one of them m [...]y say, M [...] cuppe doth [...]. [...]. ouerflowe. Againe, [...] glorie is com­ [...]d to a peny. Now in a peny we con­sider [Page 49] fowre things. The image: the su­perscription: the sound: the waight: So our Sauiour when they shewed him a peny, a [...]ked whose image and super­scription it was. First then for the i­mage, Christ shall change our vile bo­dies, Philip. 3. 2 [...] that they may be like the glorious bodie of his sonne: that as we haue borne the image of the earthly, so we may beare the image of the heauenly. For the superscriptiō our Sauiour saith, To him that ouercommeth will I giue a R [...]l. 1 17. white stone, and in it a name written, which no man knoweth but he that re­ceiueth it. As a Prince seeing his name vpon a peice of coine, knoweth it is of his owne mint: so euery patient Chri­stian seeing his owne name in this white stone, which is a token of ho­nour, knoweth it properly belongeth to himselfe. For the sound, the Psalmist saith, Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, they shall alwaies praise thee. This shall be the sound of the peny con­tinually, the praise of God. As the foure and twentie elders, neuer ceased day, nor night, to sing, Holy, holy, holy▪ to [...] [...] ▪ [...] [Page 50] him that is, and was, and is to come. Fourthly, for the waight, the shekel of the Sanctuarie was twise as weightie as the common shekel: in like m [...]ner our glorie shall be as the shekel of the San­ctuarie exceeding massie and waightie. But what speake I of wine? VVhat of a peny? God himselfe shall be our glory. According to that; Thou art my glorie Psal. 3. 3. and the lifter vp of my head. As if he should haue s [...]id, as [...]liction would make me cast downe my cou [...]ance, and hold downe my head like a bulrush: but the rem [...]brance of this that thou art my glory, [...] me li [...]t vp my head. So s [...]i's God to Abraham; F [...]re not Abraham, I am thy bu [...]ler, and thy ex­ceeding [...]. [...]. [...]. g [...]at reward. I am thy bu [...]kler to l [...]ch th [...] blowes which affliction [...] lay vpon thee: and thy ex [...]ding [...]reat [...] ▪ blessing thee with ex [...]ee­ding waightie glorie. For they that sh [...]ll enioy this glorie, shall see God. Agreeably to that of our Lord; Blessed are the pure in s [...]irit for they shall see [...]. [...] [...]. God. And how shall they see God? Not st [...]nding behind th [...] lattisse, or looking [Page 51] out of a window, that is darkly and ob­scurely, 1. Cor. 1 [...]. 12. but face to face, talking with him familiarly as one friend doth to an other. O ioy aboue all ioyes! O glory that passeth all vnderstanding! when we see the amiable and gracious coun­tenance of our Lord reconciled to vs by Christ. Do [...]btles if the Queene of Saba thought her selfe happy, for hea­ring the wisedome of Salomon, and seeing the riches of his house, and the order of his seruants: then much more shall we be happie, when we shall see the glorie and heare the wisedome of the Fa [...]her, not as the preachers shewe it out of [...]he word, but as our owne [...]ies shall behold it in heauen. O how blessed shall we thinke our selues then, that by any paines, by any afflictions we haue at length attained to such waightie glo­rie. For this glorie is wine running o­uer; is a peny waightie according to the shekel of the Sanctuarie; is the bles­sed sight and fruition of God himselfe. Wherefore considering how waighty our glorie is, we must be patient in all a [...]liction. For the momentarie lightnes [Page 52] of our affliction, worketh vs a surpassing exceeding eternall waight of glorie.

Compare then th' affliction on th' one side, with the glorie on the other side: the shortnes of th' affliction, vvith th' eternitie of the glorie: the lightnesse of th' affliction, with the waightinesse of the glorie. And then be content for an eternall glorie to suffer momentarie affliction: for waightie glorie to suffer light affliction. The Stoickes, if their griefe were either momentary or light, cared for no more. For if it were short, they cared not how heauie it were: a­gaine, if it were light, they cared not how long it were. Our affliction is both momentarie and light. One helpe was sufficient for them: we haue two for fayling. A starke shame therefore it would be for vs, if heathen and pagans, hauing fewer meanes then we haue, should shewe greater patience then we shewe. But the Scriptures affoard vs yet more forceable inducements. Iacob be­ing in lo [...]e with Rachell, serued for her first seauen yeares, and afterward seuen yeares more, in all fourteene; and [Page 53] these many yeares seemed to him but a fewe dayes. O deere Lord, that we had thy grace to loue thy eternall waightie glorie, but as well as many a man hath done a mortall earthly crea [...]ure. Then n [...] doubt many yeares of afflictiō would seeme to vs but a fewe dayes: heauy bur­thens of affliction would seeme to vs very sweete and light. Christ Iesus for the ioy that was se [...] before him, endured the crosse, and despised the sh [...]me, and now [...] a [...] the right ha [...]d of the throne of God. Questionles, beloued, th [...] crosse of Christ was tedious and long; the shame that he suffred was hea­uie and vntollerable▪ Yet this crosse see­med but momentarie to him, and this sh [...]me seemed but light vnto him, in comparison of the ioy that was set be­fore him, and of the eternall waightie glorie which he ha [...]h now attained, sit­ting at the right hand of the throne o [...] God. To the which pl [...]ce of honour and worship, we beseech thee, O louing Lord, to bring vs, a [...]er all the afflictions of this wretched world; not for our owne deserts or merits, but for the me­rit [Page 54] of that crosse which Christ endured, of that shame which Christ despised. To whom, for his crosse, be all praise, [...]or his shame, be all glorie; together with the [...]ather, and the holy Ghost, now and e [...]rmore, Amen.

T [...]ese words [...] a most [...] and triumphant cō ­clusion arising o [...] of the [...]ormer dis­course. For the A postle hauing be­ [...]re prooue [...], th [...]t man is iustified one­ly by the s [...]e grace & mer [...]ie of Christ [...] any merit and desert of go [...] [Page 56] workes, at length concludeth in the be­ginning of this chapter, Therfore there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Ies [...]s: and so likewise here, If God be with vs, who can be against vs?

Maximilian the Emperour so admi­red [...] Ci­ [...] in [...]. this sentence, that he caused it to be set in lette [...] of checker work vpon a ta­ble at which he vsed to dine and suppe, that hauing it so often in his eye, he might alwaies haue it in minde also: si Deus pro nobis, quis contra nos? If God be with vs, who can be against vs?

The truth of it is so apparant, that it hath beene made a common wat [...]h­word, not of Chris [...]ns onely, but euen of heathenish souldiers. Our word is Immanuel, that [...]s, by interpretation, [...] 8. 3. God with vs. And some of the a [...] ­ent Romanes vsed likewise i. their warres this watchword, Nobiscum D [...], [...] l. 3. [...] [...]. God with vs. [...]or indeede, if we be of the colledge and societie of Immanuel, and if God be on our side, we shall be sure to preuaile. If God be with vs, who can be ag [...]inst vs?

[...] saith well according to [Page 57] the Scripture, Our God is aboue all [...]. Gods. And so likewise Cyrill, The [...]. power of our God is aboue all power. Therefore, if that power be on our side [...]. [...]. [...]. which is aboue all power, and that God which is aboue all gods, nothing can hurt vs; If God be with vs, who can be against vs?

S. Austi [...] shew [...]th out of the verse [...] Apo [...]li. [...]r. 16. immediately going before, that fowre especiall waies God is with vs. God is D [...]s pro [...] no [...]. with vs, in that he hath predestinated vs: God is with vs, in that he hath cal­led vs: God is with vs, in that he hath iustified vs: God is with vs, in that he hath glorified vs. Innocentius the t [...]ird, sheweth out of the words consequent­ly In [...]. Apo [...]. [...]m. 2. following aster, that fowre speciall enemies are against vs. The inferiour e­nemie Ho [...] [...] ­tra nos [...] ­rior homo. against vs, is man: the exteriour enemie against vs, is the world. the inte­riour enemie against vs, is the flesh: the superiour [...]emie against vs, is the de­uill. So that whereas the Apostle s [...]i's here, If God be with vs, who can be a­gainst vs? It is all one, as if he should haue said; If God haue predestinated v [...], [Page 58] what can man doe against vs? If God haue called vs, what can the vvorld doe against vs? If God haue iustified vs, vvhat can the flesh doe against vs? If God haue glorified vs, vvhat can the deuill doe against vs? If God be vvith vs, vvho can be against vs?

The first enemie against vs, is man. Homo homini lupus. And an other [...] saith, Either a god or a deuill. [...]. [...]or to say nothing, that no time is sree­ed, no place priuiledged, no degree se­cured, no torment vnpractised, onely thi [...] I vvill touch, that no age is exemp­ [...]ed. But the cruelti [...] of man rageth, not [...]y vpon [...]e old after they a [...]e buri­ed, but also vpon the young before they are b [...]e. Thus saith the Lord, [...]or [...]. [...]. 1. [...]ree transgressions and for fo [...], I vvill [...]ot turne vnto Moab, because they dig­ged vp the bones of the king of [...]dom, and burnt them to li [...]. The king of Edom vvas a vvicked man, yet God de­ [...]sted so thi [...] vnnaturall and [...] c [...]uelty o [...] the Moabits [...]ard the dead, that for this especially he would not be reconciled to them. Th [...] like [...] [Page 59] ha [...]e not wanted in o [...]r la [...]d, a [...]d almost in our time. Tr [...]cie two yeares, & Wick­liffe two and fortie yeares after he was buried, was digged vp. So euen of late they vsed Martin Bucer and Paulus Pha­gius in Cambridge, and Peter Martyrs wife in Oxford. Such cruell men, if they had as great power ouer these holy Martyrs soules, as they had ouer their bodies, doubtles they would haue puld them out of heauen. For as long as they had a finger, or a foote, or a bone, or a piece of a bone in the gra [...]e, they neuer left mining and digging, till they had rooted it out. So that at the least wise we may say of them with the Psalmist, The dead bodies of thy seruants, O Psal. 7 [...]. [...]. Lord, haue they giuen to be meate to the foules of the ayre, and the flesh of thy Saints to the beasts of the field. Now the crueltie of man against man, as it endeth not, when life endeth: so it beginneth before life beginneth. For not onely Esa [...] that cruell and cursed reprobate, strugled and wrastled with his brother Iacob in their mothers wombe: but also the Ammonites ript [Page 60] vp the women of Gilead beeing gre [...] A [...]. 1. 13. with child, and the Babylonians cause [...] La [...]. 2. [...]0. the women of Ierusalem to [...]ate their owne fruit, and their children of a spa [...] long. And not long agoe in the Isle o [...] Garnsey, whē a faithful women, (whos [...] [...] M [...]. [...]ame neede not heare to be rehearsed while shee was burning at the stake, wa [...] deliuered of a goodly man-child, som [...] were so hard-hearted, to fling him bac [...] againe into the fire, there to be murthe [...] red, as they mean [...] it, but indeede ma [...] ­tyred with his mother. O blessed babe Because there is no roome for him [...] [...]he inne, as soone as he is borne, he is laide in a manger. Nay, be­cause there is no roome for him in an [...] one corner of all the world, by and b [...] he is baptized with the holy Ghost an [...] with fire. O blessed, I say againe, blesse [...] babe! Before thou art lapped in swad­li [...]g clothes, thou art crowned wi [...] [...]tyrdome: & before thou fully br [...] ­thest in the breath of life, thou happe [...] [...]est out thine innocent soule to God. But fie vpon such beastly and cru­ell murthers. Out vpon such deuilli [...] [Page 61] [...]nd fiendish tormentors. These Saints? [...]ese Catholiks? who are Scythians, if [...]ese be Saints? who are Canibals, if [...]ese be Catholiks? which holding it as [...]n article of their faith, that all children [...]ying without baptisme, are damned, [...]et wittingly did put this innocent [...]hild to death before he was baptized. [...]nd theresore as they made the mo­ [...]er suffer the most vntollerable [...]aines [...]f childbirth and martyrdome both to­ [...]ether: so, as they verily thought and [...]eleeued, they slung the infant also [...]odie and soule into an earthly fire, and [...]to hell fire all at once. This is the [...]rueltie of man. He would, if he could, [...]ull some out of heauen after they are [...]uried, and thrust some into hell before [...]hey are borne.

But God hath predestinated vs. And [...]. [...] 4. [...]ot onely before we were borne, but al­ [...]o b [...]fore the world was created, hath [...]hosen vs in Christ. Euen as Christ shal [...]ay at the last day, Come ye blessed of [...]. [...]5. [...]. [...]y father, inherit the kingdome of hea­ [...]en prepared for you before the foun­ [...]ations of the world. For looke how [Page 62] carefull parents prouide for their chil­dren, [...] in 2. [...]. c. 1. [...] se­ [...]laria. and put them in their will before they are borne: so God giues vs the grace to liue with him, before he giue A [...]or. vs time to liue [...]ere. Euen as the Sonne Dona [...]. saith, Fe [...]re not, little flock: for it is you [...] fathers will to giue you a kingdome. And the father [...]imselfe, I, eue [...] I am h [...] that comsort you: who art thou the [...] that searest a mortall man, who fadeth away as grasse? Therefore euery coura­gio [...]s Christian may comfort his hea [...] in God, and say with the princely Pro­phet, The Lord is my light, and my sal­uation, whome then shall I feare? th [...] Lord is the strēgth o [...] my life, of who [...] then shall I be afraid? when the wicked eu [...] mine enemies and my foes, com [...] vpon me to eat vp my flesh, they stūble [...] and s [...]ll. T [...]ough an hoast of men we [...] [...] me, yet shall not my hea [...] be afraid, and though there rose [...] warre [...] me, yet will I put my tru [...] i [...] [...]im. I will [...]ot be afraid of ten thou­s [...] of th [...] people, that haue set them­sel [...] [...] me round about. Ye [...] [...] I [...] through the valley of [Page 63] [...]he shadow of death, yet will I fear [...] no [...]uill: for thou, O Lord, art with me, thy [...]od and thy staffe they comfort me. So [...]hat I may boldly say, The Lord is my [...]elper, neither will I seare what man can doe vnto me. The Lord of hosts is with vs, the God of Iacob is our refuge. And if the Lord of hosts haue predesti­ [...]ated vs vnto life, w [...]at can man doe a­g [...]st vs? what before we liue? what while we liue? what after we liue? If God be with vs, who can be against vs?

The second e [...]emie against vs is [...]he world. Which ass [...]ileth vs as well [...]y aduersitie, [...] by prosperitie. What is the world, saith S. Ambrose, but a race or [...] [...]st [...], [...] pl [...] [...] ▪ a course full of trialls and troubles? It is a fi [...]ld, wherein is little corne, but much cockle. It i [...] a garden, wherein are fewe roses, but many thornes. Yet these thornes of aduersitie doe not so much [...]. oftentimes [...] vs, as the baites of prosperitie. The world is more dange­rous, saith S. Austin, when it slattereth, then when it threatneth: and is more to be feared, when it allureth v [...] t [...] loue it, then when it enforceth vs to contemne [Page 64] it. For euen as Iudas by a kisse betraied his master: so the world is a very Iudas. It meaneth most falsly, when it imbra­ceth most friendly. Wherefore the A­postle saith thus of Demas; Demas hath forsaken vs, and imbraced this present world. So that the immoderate embra­cing of this world, is a flat forsaking o [...] Christ and his gospell. Vnskilfull swim­mers, when they begin to sinke, if they catch hold of weedes in the bottome, the faster they hold, the surer they are [...]. drowned: and in like sort they that shake hands with the world, and embrace the pleasures and prosperitie thereof most greedily, plung themselues most deep­ly into destruction.

But God hath called vs. And there­fore neither aduersitie nor prosperiti [...] can hurt vs. Maruell not saith our Saui­our, thogh the world hate you. It hate [...] me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would loue you, but because you are not of the world, but I haue chosen you out of the world, therefore doth the world hate you. Well, as the world hateth vs: so vve [Page 65] must hate it againe. As it contemneth vs, so we must contemne it againe. Ac­cording to that of S. Paul, The world is crucified to me, and I vnto the world. I am crucified to the world, that is, The world contemnes me: the world is cru­cified to me, that is, I contemne the world. The world contemnes me, and I contemne it. For as Gregorie saies, He Moral. ser. 10 c. 12. that hath nothing that he loues in the Qui nil ha­bet in mun­do quod ap­ [...]etat, nihil est quod de [...]. world, hath nothing to feare of the world. And Cyprian, What neede he to feare of the world, who hath God his protectour, his tutor, his defendour in Cyprian. Qui, ci d [...] seculo me­tus est, c [...]i in seculo d [...] ­us tutor [...] the world? He that is of God, ouercom­meth the world. And this is our victo­rie whereby we ouercome the world, euen our [...]aith. Whereupon our Saui­our saies, Be of good comfort, I haue o­uercome the world: and behold I am with you euen vnto the ende of the world. So that the world, and the trou­ble we shall haue in the world, shall haue an ende: but the comfort we haue in God, shall haue no end. Behold, I am with you, saith he. And if God be with vs, and haue called vs out of the world, [Page 66] what can the world doe against vs? If God be with vs, who can be against vs?

The third enemie against vs, is the flesh. Salomon saith this is one thing Prouerb. [...]0. 22. which maketh the earth euen tremble, when a seruant beginneth to beare rule. The flesh is, and ought to be a seruant. Yet it beareth rule in the vnregenerate. Yea it striueth to beare rule, and begin­neth to beare rule, euen in the god­ly. A mans enemies are they of his own house. It is mine owne familiar friend, that listeth vp his heele against me. This familiar friend was Paul much troubled withall, when he said; I see an other law in my members, rebelling against my [...]. 7. minde, and leading me captiue vnto death. And Lot, who beeing a iust man, that could not be ouercome with all th [...] sinnes of Sodom, by immoderate drin­king of wine fell to [...]llie. And Samp­son, who otherwise impregnable, yet yeelded to Dalila. Therefore in the bo­some it lieth, which striueth to lay our honour in the dust.

But God hath iustified vs. And ha­uing iustified vs, in some measure also [Page 67] hath begunne to sanctisie vs. So that the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, in so much as we cannot doe as we would. Not one­ly the flesh against the spirit, but also the spirit against the flesh. So that we cannot doe as we would. For if we would serue god so holily as the angels, we can not, because the flesh lusteth a­gainst the spirit: againe, if we would sinne with full consent of wil so brutish­ly as the wicked doe, we cannot, be­cause the spirit lusteth against the flesh. But euen as Castor and Pollux liue by turnes, one one day, an other an other: so the flesh and the spirit preuailing, sometimes one, sometimes an other, make mixt actions. So that neither can our good actions iustifie vs, because in them the flesh lusteth against the spirit: nor yet can our ill actions condemne vs, because in thē the spirit lusteth against the slesh. For now that Sara is morti­fied, her wombe is dead, and it ceaseth to be with her after the manner of wo­men. Now that Iacob hath wrestled with God, his thigh is shrunke vp. Now [Page 68] that Paul is conuerted, he chastiseth his bodie, and bringeth it into subiection. Now that the blessed virgin is freely be­loued, she keepeth her selfe within, and knoweth no man. And therefore sa [...] the Angel, Haile Mary freely beloued, the Lord is with thee. But the blessed Virgin fearing, the Angel added; Feare not Mary, for thou hast found fauour with God. As if he should haue said; Feare not the angel of the Lord, seeing the Lord of the angel is with thee. Thou hast found fauour with God, to haue the fruit of thy slesh, the sauiour of thy foule. So that if God haue a fauour vn­to vs, and haue iustified vs in Christ, what can the flesh doe against vs? The spirit will not let it doe as it would. For If God be with vs, who can be against vs?

The fourth enemie against vs is the deuill. And he is the worst enemie of al [...] Therefore sai's the Apostle, we hau [...] not to fight with flesh and blood, but vvith principalities and povvers, and vvith the Prince of darknesse that ruleth in the aver. This Prince vvarreth against [Page 69] [...]s tvvo vvaies. By persecutions, and per­ [...]vvasions. For the first, he is described [...]n the Reuelation to ride vpon a blacke and a redde horse. The blacknesse of the horse snevveth hovv terrible the deuil is, the reddenesse, hovv bloodie. Nei­ther doth he come single, but seauen of [...] 8. [...]. them at once possesse Mary Magdalen. Neither doe they onely sight against vs beeing aliue, but the deuill fought vvith Michael th'arkeangel for the bo­die [...] [...]. of Moses vvhen he vvas dead. Nei­ther doe they terribly set vpon vs to get our bodies onely, but our soules also. Es­pecialy, they do this at the day of death, and vvill doe more diligently at the day of iudgement. Novv their persvvasions are yet more dangerous then their threatnings. When they come to vs in the shape not of an vncleane spirit, but of an angel of light. Thus Satan did set vpon the first Adam, Hath God indeed Gen. 3. commanded you not to eate of the tree? He makes a question of it. And; if ye eat, you shall be as Gods knovving good & euill. A faire promise, but a contrarie performance. So he did set vpon the [...]. [...]. [Page 70] second Adam; All these things vvill [...] giue thee, if thou vvilt fall dovvne and vvorship me. He vvould hire Christ, and giue him good vvagesto serue him▪ vvhich vvould haue depriued our Saui­our of all his eternall glorie.

But God hath glorisied vs. It is not now to be doubted whether Satan shall preuaile against vs or not, but it is most sure he shall not. He hath glorified vs. saith S. Paul. Though the possession of it be to come, yet the assurance of it is past. Euen as our Lord auoucheth is an other place, He that belee­ueth in me, hath passed from death to life. Not shall passe, but hath passed. So S. Paul, He hath made vs to sit with himselfe in heauenly places aboue. No [...] he will make, but he hath. Therefore Chrysostome writeth verie resolutely. Onely in one point I am proud, and ve­ry [...] proud, namely in renouncing, an [...] denying the deuill. He is indeede a strong man. But yet a stronger then he hath thrust him out, and spoiled him of all his goods. He is a roaring lyon. But the lyon of the tribe of Iud [...] hath ouer­come [Page 71] him. He is an old serpent, almost of sixe thousand yeares standing and experience. But Christ the new serpent, prefigured in the brasen serpent, hath bin too cunning for him. Therefore though he seeke to winnovv Peter as corne is sifted, yet no daunger; Christ hath praised for Peter, that his faith should not faile. Where by the vvay, vve may marke the difference betvveen Christ and the tempter. Christ hath his fanne in his hand, and fanneth vs; the tempter hath his siue in his hand, and sifteth vs. Novv a fanne casteth out the vvorst, and keepeth in the best: a siue keepeth in the vvorst, and casteth out the best. Right so Christ in his trialls purgeth chaffe and corruption out of vs, nourisheth and increaseth his graces in vs. Contrarivvise the deuill, is there be any ilthing in vs, that he confirmeth, if faith or any good thing els, that he weakneth. But Christ hath prayed for vs, yea doth still at the right hand of the father make intercession and request for vs, that our faith should not saile. So that all Sathans power, yea the gates of hell [Page 72] shall neuer preuaile against vs. In like manner S. Paul beeing buffeted by the angel of Sathan, prayed that he might be deliuered. The answer of God was, My grace is sufficiēt for thee. Whether Satan busset vs, or not buffet vs, still the grace of God shal suffice vs. Much more his glorie, who hath glorified vs. For God doth giue both grace and glory, & no good thing wil he withhold frō thē that liue a godly li [...]e. Therefore euerie child of God may triumph with Iob, [...]. saying, Stand thou beside me, and let a­ny mans hand fight against me. For if God be on our side, what can the deuill doe against vs? if God be with vs who can be against vs?

N [...]ianzen makes a good conclusion, This onely is a fearefull thing to feare any thing more then God. Feare God, [...] and seare nothing else: feare no [...] God, and feare euery thing. For in the feare of the Lord is the confidence of cou­rage. Because sai's Gregory, he that in a [...] chast and fili [...]ll feare, is subiected to God, by a hopesull kind of boldnesse is aboue all saue God. But he that feareth [Page 73] not the Lord may be annoyed by any thing. Mice were too strong for the Philistims, and lice for the Egyptians. So that if God be against vs, who can be with vs? But if God be with vs, who can be against vs? Now certainely God is with vs. Doe you doubt of this? Then consider how that all great Potentates os the world, who of late were some of them scarse our good friends, doe now earnestly desire to be made partakers of our peace. What doe I speake of men? The very heauen, & the elements, and this so seasonable haruest, such as A [...]. [...]. hath not beene known, if one may take any gesse by these outward things, doe plainely declare that God is now with vs, and purposeth to powre out his bles­sings and benefits most abundantly vp­on vs. Nothing then remaineth, but that as God is with vs, so we labour to be with God. And as S. Peter admoni­sheth vs, make our election sure by faith and good workes, liuing soberly, vp­rightly, & godlily in this present world. That so we may feare no cruelty of man, no miserie of the world, no entisements [Page 74] of the flesh, no terrors of the deuill, but in all these things may be more then conquerours, assuring our selues, that if God be with vs, nothing can be against vs. Which that it may be so, God graunt for Iesus Christs sake, to whome with the Father, and the holy Ghost, be all honour and glorie, now and euer­more, Amen.

Blessed are they that heare the word of God, and keepe it.

The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, and the loue of God, and the fellowship of the Holy ghost, be with vs, that no­thing may be against vs, this day and e­uermore, Amen.

OVr blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ hath his wounds yet to be seene in his bodie for foure causes. First, to approoue his resurrection: se­condly, to appease his father: thirdly, to confound his enemies: fourthly, to comfort his friends. After, said he to Thomas, Put thy finger here, and see my hands, and put forth thy hand, and put it into my side, and be not faithlesse, [Page 76] but faithfull.

The first cause, why Christ hath his wounds yet to be seene in his bodie, is to approoue his resurrection. When Ia­cobs children told him, saying, Ioseph is yet aliue, his heart failed, and he be­leeued them not, but as soone as he saw the chariots, which were sent for him, by and by his spirit reuined, and he said, I haue inough, Ioseph my sonne is yet Gen. 45 28. aliue. In like manner, when the dis [...]i­ples said to Thomas, we haue seene the Lord, he beleeued them not; but now that he beholdeth Christs glorious wounds, the triumphant tokens o [...] his victorie, and the chariots, as I may say, whereby we are with Elias carried vp into heauen, he confesseth indeede that Christ is risen againe; and that the true Ioseph is ye [...] aliue. Euen as Anna seeing that spaniell cōming homeward, which [...]. [...]. went forth with her sonne at the first, knewe certainely that her sonne Tobias himselfe was not farre off, but followed immediately after: so Thomas, seeing those wounds in Christ which accom­ [...]anied him to his graue, knew assured­ly [Page 77] that no other bodie was risen again, but onely the very selfe same bodie of Christ, which was buried. S. Peter, be­ing brought out of prison by an Angel, went forth with to the house of Marie, where kno [...]king and calling to get in, a Act. 12. 14. maiden named Rhode, before euer she sawe him, knewe him by his voice. And although they that were within told her she wist not what she said, yet shee still constantly affirmed it was none o­ther but he. Christs rising out of the graue was as strange, as Peters deliue­rance out of prison: the rovvling avvay of the stone as strange, as the opening of the yron gate. And albeit Thomas vvas not so forvvard as Rhode to knovv Christ by his voice, vvhen he said, Peace be vnto you, yet as soone as Christ tooke him by the hand, and shevv▪d him his side, he made no more doubts, but presently beleeued. For if Protogenes [...]. [...]. 35. [...] 10. seeing but a little line dravvne in a ta­ble, knew straightwaies it was Apel­les doing whome he had neuer seene: how much more easily then might Thomas know Christ, seeing not onely [Page 78] one line, but very many lines, yea whole pictures of his passion, and of his resur­rection, in his head, in his hands, in his side, in his [...]eete? When king Arthurs [...]. [...]. bodie was taken vp somewhat more then sixe hundred yeares after his death, it was knowne to be his, by no­thing so much, as by the prints of ten seuerall wounds which appeared in his skull. Christ our king, who did ouer­come death, could likewise, if it had pleased him, haue quite and cleane de­faced and abolished all the markes of death. Neuerthelesse as at his transfi­guration he shewed Peter, Iames, and Iohn, the signes of immortality in his body, which was then mortall: so here contrariwise at his resurrection, he sheweth Thomas the signes of mortalitie in his bodie, which is nowe immortall. That he and all we might vndoubtedly con [...]sse, that though they perhaps might be deceiued in King Arthurs bodie, yet we can neuer be de­ceiued, so long as we beleeue, that the verie same bodie of Christ, which in Golgotha the place of dead mens skuls [Page 79] was wounded from top to toe, and put to death for vs, is now risen again from death to life. Euen as king Alexanders [...]. l. [...]. [...]. stagges were knowne a hundred yeares together by those golden collars which by the kings commandement were put about their necks: so, much more might Thomas know Christ by his woundes, which were as a comly ornament to his head, and as chaines vnto his necke, we also when we preach the resurrection of Christ, preach no other thing, but that which we haue heard, which we haue seene with our eies, which we haue loo­ked vpon, and our hands haue handled of the word of life. Socrates in his Ec­clesiasticall historie writeth, that A­thanasius being accused by one Iannes, to haue killed Arsenius, and after to haue cut off his hand, that he might vse it to magick and [...]orcerie, cleared him­selfe notably of this slander. Hauing by good happe found out Arsenius who lay hid for the nonce, he brought him before the Counsell of Tyrus, and there asked his accuser, whether he euer knew Arsenius or no? He answered, yes▪ [Page 80] Then Athanasius called him forth, with his hands couered vnder his cloake, and turning vp the one side of his cloake, shewed them one of his hands. And when most men surmised, that th [...] other lib. 1. cap. 21. hand [...]t leastwise was cur o [...]f, Athanasius without any more adoe casteth vp the other side of his cloake, and sheweth the second hand, saying, you see Arse­nius hath two hands, now let mine ac­cuser shewe you the place where the third hand was cut off. Christs case was euen almost the same. He was thought by some to be quite dead and gone. Bu [...] Thomas, seeing those very hands of his which were n [...]iled to the crosse, acknowledgeth, that this our brother was dead, and is aliue againe, was lost an [...] is found. For if the spies that were se [...] to viewe Iericho, knew Rahabs hou [...] [...]. [...]. 13. from all the rest, by a red thread, whi [...]h hung out of the windowe: how much more easily then might Thomas know Christ, especialy seeing Rahabs house was a figure of Christs body, the win­dowe a signe of the wound in his side, the red thread a figure of the streame [Page 81] of blood issuing out of that wound? When Vlysses had beene long from home, no man almost at his returne knew him, yet Euriclea his nurce espy­ing by chance the mark of a wound in his foote, which he got by hunting the wild boare, by and by made him known [...]. O [...]y. 9 to his friends. In like manner Thomas, beholding the wounds not of Christs feete onely, but also of his whole bo­die, beleeueth verily, though the wild boare out of the wood stroake sore at him that he might fall, yet that he hath now recouered him selfe, and is risen and returned home againe. Euen as the wise men knewe Christ was borne, by the starre which appeared in the East, Ma [...]. 2. [...]. and knewe also where he lay when he was borne, by the standing of that star directly ouer against him: so Thomas, not by one starre, but by many starres, which notwithstanding are more beau­tifull and bright then all the starres of heauen, knoweth and confesseth that the true sunne of righteousnesse is now risen, and shineth ouer all the earth. Thus these blessed wounds witnesse and [Page 82] [...] [Page 83] my hands, and put forth thy hand, and put it into my side, and be not faith­lesse, but faithfull. So much for the first cause, which is to approoue his resurre­ction.

The second caus [...] why Christ hath his wounds yet to be seene in his body, is to appease his father. Almightie God was once readie to haue destroied the Israelites, had not Moyses his chosen Psal. 100. 23. stood before him in the gap. Moyses as he was a mediator betweene God and the people, was a singulur type of the Messias to come. And standing in the gap, he did as it were point to Christ. For when our Sauiours side was woū ded, then indeede there was a great gap, and a great breach made, by which all we that beleeue in him may escape. Therefore Moyses his standing before the Lord in the gap did signifie, as S. [...]. [...] ▪ Ca [...]. Barnard noteth, that Christ making in­tercession before his father for vs, shold alwaies stand in the gap, and shew how he himself was broken vpon the crosse, and, as I may say, troden downe for our redemption. That poore creeple also [Page 84] which begged at the beautifull gate of Ac [...] 3. [...]. the temple, teacheth vs what he conti­nually doth, who when he was rich, be­came poore for our sakes. The temple is his bodie, which after it had been de­stroied, was built vp againe in three daies. The beautifull gate of this tem­ple, is the pretious wound in his side, of which the Psalmist saies, This is the gate of the righteous, the iust shall en­ter in by it. Therefore as that poore creeple, lying at the beautifull gate of the temple, was healed by S. Peter; so Christ, lying a [...] the beautifull gate of his owne body, shewing his most grieuo [...]s, b [...]t yet most glorious susferings and torments, appeaseth his fathers wrath, and obtaineth whatsoeuer he intreateth of him. King Ezekias hauing receiued [...]sa. 37 14. rayling letters from Senacherib, went vp to the temple, and spread the letters before the Lord, and praied, saying, O­pen thine eyes, O Lord, and see and heare all the words of Senacherib, who hath sent to blaspheme the liuing God. No Ezekias was euer more taunted and reuiled, more scorned and reproched, [Page 85] then he who was counted the shame of men, and the outcast of the people. Wherefore now he spreadeth forth, and laieth open, not onely the blasphe­mous words, which were v [...]tred against him, but also the dolorous wounds and gashes which were giuen him, that so he may put out the hand-writing that was against vs, and appease his father, and throughly reconcile him to vs. And looke how king Salomon, when he 1. Reg. 8. 22. praied for the people, stood before the altar, and stretched out his hands to­ward heauen: in semblable wise Christ, who is farre greater then Salomon, standeth euermore beside the altar o [...] his crosse, and stretcheth out his be­skarred and wounded hands toward the throne of his heauenly father, that he may mooue him to haue pitie and compassion of his people. Pelopidas a noble Grecian, [...]irmished with the La­cedemonians against the Arcadian [...], vn­till such time as beeing hurt in seauen places, he fell downe at last for dead. Then p [...]esently Epaminondas stepping forth bestrid him, and [...] to de­fend [Page 86] his bodie, he alone against many, till beeing sore cut on his arme with a sword, and thrust into the b [...]east with a [...]ike, he was euen readie to giue ouer. But at that very instant, Agesipolis king of the Lacedemonians came with the [...]. other point of the battell in a happie howre, and saued both their liues when they were past all hope. If we would applie this sto [...]ie to our purpose now in hand, we must make, man like Pelopi­d [...]s, Christ like Epaminondas, God like Agesipolis. Since the ouerthrow of A­dam, who went downe from [...] to Ierico, how euery man hath beene wounded, not onely with Pelopidas in seanen pla [...]es of his bodie, but euen in all the par [...]s and powers of his soule▪ each one knoweth best by experience in himselfe. But Christ hath sheilded vs with his grace, and fought for vs, no [...] till he was with E [...]aminondas cut o [...] his arme with a sword, and trust int [...] [...]he breast with a pi [...]e, but that which is in a manner all one, till his h [...]nds were goared with nayles, and his side thrust [...]orough with a [...]. Wherefore [Page 87] God the father with Agesipolis seeing him in the work of his mediation, s [...]ght still for vs, clothed euen now in heauen with a garment dip [...] in blood, can not be angrie either with him, or vvith vs, but vvhen vve are dead in sinne, quic [...] ­neth vs together in him by whose grace vve are saued, and raiseth vs vp, and ma­ [...]eth vs for his sake sit in the heauenly places aboue. Marcus Servilius a vali­ant Romane, who had sought three and [...]vventie combates os life and death in his ovvne person, and had alwaies s [...]ine as many of his enemies as chaleng'd him man to man, vvhen as the people of Rome resisted Paulus Emilius [...]i­umph, [...]. stood vp and made an oration in his behalfe. In the midst vvhereof he cast open his govvne, and s [...]evved be­fo [...]e them the ins [...]ite skarres and cuts he had receiued vpon his brest. The sight of vvhich so preuailed vvith the people, that they all agreed in one, and graunted Emilius triumph. After the same fashion, Christ hath spoiled prin­cipalities and povvers, and hath made a shevv os them openly, and hath trium­ [...] [Page 88] ouer them in his erosse, yea and yet now beareth about in his bodie the markes and tokens of this triumph, that a finall agreement and attonement be­ing made betweene God and vs by his onely mediation and meanes, we also may be more then conquerours in him that loueth vs, and may euerie one of vs say with Saint Paul, Now thankes be vnto God, which alwaies maketh vs to triumph in Christ. Among other ornaments of the Sanctuarie there was a golden censer sull of holes, by which the sweete odours fumed forth, when Aaron once a yeare burnt incense ther­in. No other high Priest doe we ac­knowledge [...]. but Christ the true Aaron, who hath entred, not into any Sanctu­arie made with hands, but into heauen it selfe. And his golden censer is his [...]wne body which through the wounds [...] are in it as through chinks or holes, fu [...]eth for [...]h alwaies a pleasing and a sweete sauour in the nosthrils of his fa­ther. The signe of the coueant which God made wi [...]h Noah was a rainebowe in the [...]. And indeede that is a sure [Page 89] token vnto vs, that the world shall ne­uer Gen. 9. 16. be drowned againe with a generall slood of water, as it was in Noahs time. But the rainebowe which assureth vs we shall neuer be drowned in the pit of euerlasting perdition, is no such thing. Why may some man say, what is it? Ma­rie it is the blood of Christ, which ma­keth as it were, a rainebowe in his side. For the other rainebow is but a tran­sitorie signe, which shall passe away with the cloudes and with the world. But this rainebowe, whereof the other is but a shadowe, shall continue for e­uer in the sight of God, as the author to the Hebrewes sai's, that Christ is entred into heauen, vt appareat nunc vultui Dei pro nobis, to appeare now in the sight of God for vs. Therefore S. Iohn in the Reuelation witnesseth, that he sawe a doore open in heauen, and a rainebow round about the throne of God. He sawe a doore open in heauen, to teach vs that we can haue no accesse vnto the father, but by Christ, neither yet by Christ simply, but as he is crucified, and hath set open a doore in his side for vs [Page 90] to enter by him. He sawe a rainebowe round about the throne of God, to teach vs that the throne of God would be altogether a throne of iustice, a throne of wrath, a throne of anger and indignation, were it not that the blood of Christ, spinning out as I may say still liuely and freshly in the sight of his fa­ther, maketh a rainebowe round about his throne, putteth him in mind of his couenant, appeaseth his displeasure, and Gen. 30. 37. so maketh his throne to all vs that loue him, a throne of grace, a throne of compassiō, a throne of fauour and mer­cie in Christ. We read that Iacob [...]illed certaine rods, which beeing laid in the watering troughes before the sheepe, made them bring forth such lambes, as afterward fell to his own share. So like­wise if we sinne, we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righte­ous, and he is the propitiation for our sinnes. The marke of the roddes in his woundes laid open in the sight of God, ingendreth and breedeth in him a loue and a liking towards vs, so that he con­ceiueth well of vs, and seuereth vs as [Page 91] good sheepe from the goates, and in the blood of the lamb is pleased and ap­peased, and satissied for our sinnes. This blood is the blood of sprinkling, which Heb. 12. 24. speaketh bet [...]er things then that os A­bel. For Abels blood vpon earth cried our once for vengeance, but Christs blood in heauen cries continually for mercie. One deepe calleth another, be­cause of the noise of the water pipes. Christs wounds are the watering troughs and the water-pipes, by which all graces flowe vnto vs. So that one deepe calleth an other, because of the noise of the water pipes; because the wounds of Christ make a continuall noise in the eares of his father, and the depth of the extreame miserie which he was in vpon earth, calleth for the depth of Gods bottomlesse and in­sinite mercie in heauen. Thus these holy wounds of Christ pacisie and ap­pease his father. For now Moyses stan­ding in the gap sues sor pardon: the poore creple lying at the beautifull gate begg's an almes: Ezechias spreading o­pen his letters, makes his supplication: [Page 92] Salomon streatching out his hands of­fers vp his prayer: Epaminondas being wounded, moues Agesipolis to saue Pelopidas: Seruilius discouering his wounds, perswades the people to grant Emilius triumph. Aaron burning in­cense in his golden censer, perfumeth the whole sanctuarie: Noah pointing to his rainebowe putteth God in minde of his promise: Iaacob laying forth his roddes make most of the lambs his owne: Abel holding vp his blood, cals and cries for mercie: Christ shew­ing his hands and his side appeaseth his father. As if our Sauiour should say thus vnto his father, O my louing father, looke vpon the face of thine annoin­ted, looke vpon the hands, looke vpon the side of thine annointed. The hands of thine annointed, how cruelly they are mangled, the side of thine annoin­ted, how wofully it is wounded. Behold and see if there be any sorrow like to my sorrow. These hands can signifie what exceeding sorrow I haue suffe­red: this side can shew that I haue hum­bled my selfe, and haue beene obedient [Page 93] vnto death, euen vnto the death of the crosse. Therefore, O my deare father, Put thy finger here, and see my hands, and put forth thy hand, and put it [...]nto my side, and as thou art not faithlesse, but faithfull, so be not mercilesse, but mercifull for my sake, and pitifull to thy people. So much for the second cause, which is to appease his father.

The third cause, why Christ hath his wounds yet to be seene in his bodie, is to confound his enemies. When Saint Paul the Apostle before his conuersion persecuted the Church of God, Christ called to him from heauen, and said, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Who art thou, Lord, saies Saul? I am, saies Christ, Iesus of Nazareth, whome thou persecurest. Alluding to the title of his crosse, which was, Iesus of Naza­reth, King of the Iewes. At which words Saul both trembling and astoni­shed, said, Lord, what wil [...] thou haue me [...]. [...]. doe? Now if Saul, who repen [...]d him afterward of his pers [...]cuting C [...]st, stood so astonished, when he [...] but a peice of the title vpon his cross [...], [...] [Page 94] then shall all they be astonished, how shall they be confounded, which with­out any repentance or remorse of con­s [...]ience, persecute Christ continually, whe [...] at the latter day, not onely the ti­tle written ouer his head, but euen the very print of the wounds in his hands and side, shall rise vp in iudgement to condemne them? When like as Ioseph saide to his brethren, I am Ioseph your brother, whome you sold into Egypt: so Christ shall say vnto them, I am Iesus of Nazareth, whome you persecuted and put to death? Wonderfull indeede is the feare and confusion of a wicked conscience. A [...]ter that Herod had be­headed Iohn Baptist, he imagined still he saw and heard that holy head, show­ting & crying out against him. Where­upon hearing the same of Iesus, he said Mar. [...]. 16. not as others said, It is Elias, or, It is one of the Prophets: but, It is Iohn, saies he, whome I beheaded, he is risen from the dead. Saying, whome I beheaded, he confesseth not his fault in true repen­tance, but onely vvith his owne mouth beareth witnesse o [...] his owne wicked­nesse. [Page 95] In so much as that may be said to him, which Dauid said to the Amala­kite, who brought him newes of Sauls death, Thine owne mouth testisieth a­gainst thee, saying, I haue slaine the Lords annointed. Now if the remem­brance of this cruell act, so vexed and disquieted Herod day and night, that he could take no rest for it, but still, thought waking, and dream'd sleeping, Iohn Baptist was risen againe, to be re­uenged of him, how then shall they be affrighted, how shall they be confoun­ded, which haue not beheaded Iohn, but crucified Christ, yea and crucisie him continually with their sinnes, whē at the resurrection of all slesh, they shall see him vvhome they haue pierced, and wring their hands, and vveepe & waile before him? Scipio appointed his se­pul [...]hre to be so placed, as his image standing vpon it, might looke directly toward Africa, that beeing dead he might still be a terror to the Carthagi­nians: after the same sort, the Prophet Et erat se­pulc [...]m [...]-cius glorio­sum. Esai prophesying of Christ, saith, In that day the roote of Iesse shall stand vp [Page 96] for a signe vnto the people, and euen his sepul [...]hre shall be glorious. So that as the bodie of Cadwallo an auntient king of the Brittayns, being embalmed [...]. and dressed vvith svvete confections, vvas put into a brasen image, and set vp­on a brasen horse ouer Ludgate, for a terrour to the Saxons: in semblable sort he that is called Faithfull and true shall sit vpon a white horse, and out of his mouth shall proceede a sharpe sword, wherewith he shall smite and slay the heathen. The sword wherewith Dauid hackt off Golias head, after he had wre­sted [...]. Sa [...]. 21 9. it out of his hand, was kept in the Tabernacle, wrapt in a cloath behind the Ephod. Which when Abimilech the Priest brought forth, Dauid said, There is none to that, giue it me. Christ also did conquer death euen with those weapons and armour wherewith death assaulted him. And he keepeth still a memorial of this conquest in the taber­nacle of his body. That as the Philistims were afraid, when they sawe Dauid fighting in the [...]ield with that sword: so all Christs enemies may be confoun­ded, [Page 97] when they shall see the signe of the sonne of man appearing in the clouds with power and great glorie. It was a strange miracle that of Aarons rodde which budded. Therefore the Lord said vnto Moyses, Bring Aarons rod againe Num. 7 10. before the testimonie to be kept for a token to the rebellious children. The bodie of Christ was a greene tree be­fore it was crucified. After beeing dead, it was clung and dry like Aarons rodde. But it budded, when as the third day it rose againe. Therefore it is kept still for a token to the rebellious children. That as Aaron conuinced the murmuring Israelites, and confirmed the authoritie of his priesthood by the budding of his rod, which otherwise was but a dead and a drie thing: so Ch [...]ist may con­ [...]ound his enemies, when he shall shewe such flourishing glorie, such excellent maiestie in his bodie, which hath yet in it the tokens and the markes of death. It is reported that Zisca the valiant cap­taine of the Bohemians, commanded that after his discease his skinne should be fleed from his body to make a drume [Page 98] which they should vse in their battels, affirming that as soone as the Hungari­ans, Fox. Act. or any other their enemies should heare the sound of that drume, they would not abide, but take their flight. And surely euery battell of the warriour is with noise and with tumbling of gar­ments in blood, but this battell, where­in Christ shall tread Satan and all his e­nemies vnder his feete, shall be with burning and consuming of fire. So that no drum can be more terrible then the last trumpet shalbe, when the Lord Ie­sus shall shewe himselfe from heauen with his mightie angels, and shall so come downe with the very same marks and scars in his skin as the men of Gali­le sawe him ascending vp. They which dispatched noble Iulius Caesar in the se­nate house, did set a good face of the matter a while, till Antonius the next [...]. [...]4. day shew'd his robe in the market place, all bloody cut and full of holes, as his e­nemies had left it. Thē the people were so incensed and enraged against them, that they made the best of thē all glad to hide their heads. The Romanes said, we [Page 99] haue no king, and therefore they slewe Caesar: the Iewes said, we haue no king but Caesar, and therefore they slewe Christ. But at the day of iudgement, what shall Christ say? Those mine ene­mies, which would not that I should raigne ouer them, bring hi [...]her, and slay them before me. Then not only the an­gels, but all creatures shall be readie to execute vengeance on these murthe­rers, when they shall see the robe of Christ washt in vvine, and his garment in the blood of grapes. When Thamar Gen. 38. 26. Iudas daughter in lavv vvas accused for committing folly in Israel, she sent to her father in lavve saying, Looke I pray thee vvhose these are, the signet and the staffe. Iuda by and by knevve them, and said, She is more righteous then I. And so shall Christs enemies be enforced to confesse him more righteous then thē ­selues, yea they shalbe quite confoun­ded, vvhen they shall see hovv they haue abused him, vvhen they shall see the markes, vvhich their signet & staffe haue made, their signet in his hands, and their staffe in his side. The Pro­phet [Page 100] Daniel recordeth, [...]hat while Da [...]. 5. 6. Balthazar was drinking wine in the golden vessels, which hee had taken out of the temple, there appeared fin­gers of a mans hand that wrote vpon the wall, and the king saw the palme of the hand that wrote. Then his counte­nance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the ioynts of his loynes were loosed, and his knees smote one against an other. In this case of Bal­thazar we may consider the state of the wicked, what it shall be at the last day. When they shall see the fingers and the palmes of Christs hands, which they haue so pitifully wounded, writing dovvne their doome, they shal tremble euery ioynt of them, & be at their vvits endes, and they shall say to the moun­taines, Fall on vs, and to the rocks, Co­uer vs, and hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne, and f [...]ō the wrath of the lamb. Thus these victo­rious vvoūds of Christ shal confront & cōfound his enemies. As Saul was asto­nished, whē be heard Iesus of Nazareth calling to him: as Herod was affrighted, [Page 101] when he thought Iohn Baptist was ri­sen againe: as the Carthagineans were troubled, when they sawe Scipio's se­pulchre: as the Saxons were terrified, when they sawe Cadwallo's image: as the Philistims were afraid when they sawe Dauids sword: as the Israelits were appaled, when they saw Aarons rodde: as the Hungarians were d [...]unted, when they sawe [...] as drum: as the Romanes were dasht vvhen they savve Caesars robe: as I [...]da vvas ashamed vvhen he savve Thamars signet and stasfe: as Bal­thazar vvas amazed, vvhen he savve the hand vvtiting vpon the vvall. So shall Christs enemies be confounded, vvhen they shall see his hands and his side. As if our Sauiour should say thus to euery one of his enemies, Thou ene­mie of all righteousnesse, Many things many times hast thou done against me, and hitherto haue I held my tongue, but novv vvill I reprooue thee, and set before thee the things that thou hast done. Thou art the man, thou art the man, that didst murther me, and put me to a most shamefull death. Deny it if [Page 102] tho [...] darst. Denie it if thou canst. These [...]. are thy marks which are yet to be seene in my hands. This deadly wound is thy doing, which is yet to be seene in my side. Therefore thine owne eyes shall giue euidence, and thine owne consci­ence shall giue sentence against thee. See now whether I say true or no. Look what thou hast done. Put thy finger here, and see my hands, and put forth thy hand, and put it into my side, and as thou art not faithfull, but faithlesse, so looke sor no mercie at my hands, but for shame and euerlasting confusion. So much for the third cause, which is to confound his enemies.

The fourth cause, why Christ hath his wounds yet to be seene in his body, is to comfort his friends. Almightie God in the old law appointed cities of refuge, whither they which had sinned Num. [...]5 [...]5. vnwillingly might slie and be safe, if they staied in any os them till the death of the high Priest. Our high Priest can yet plainly prooue by his hands & side, that once he died for vs. Whither then should we flie sinnefull soules, whither [Page 103] should we flie for succour and comfort but to Christ? His wounds onely are the cities of refuge [...], wherein we are safe and secure, according to that of the Psalmist, The high hills are a refuge for the wilde goates, and so are the stonie rocks for the conies. O blessed be these high hills, blessed be these stonie rocks, which protect & defend vs, yea though we haue willingly sinned, not onely a­gainst the furie of man, and the rage of the world, but also against the terrible and dreadsull displeasure of almightie God. Therefore our Sauiour speakes to his Spouse in this sort, My doue thou Ca [...]. 2. 14. art in the holes of the rocke, in the se­cret places of the staires, shew me thy sight, let me heare thy voice. Insinua­ting, that the Church dares neither be seene nor heard of God, except shee be in the holes of the rocke, and in the se­cret places os the staires. The rocke, is Christ. The staires also and the ladder, whereby Iacob climb's vp to heauen is Christ. So that the doue, which is the Church, lying hid in the holes of this rocke, and in the secret places of these [Page 104] staires, dreadeth nothing, but with great boldnes, why doe I say boldnes? yea with great ioy, with great comfort, sheweth her selfe to God, and speaketh vnto him. Here the sparrow findeth her a house, and the swallow a nest, where shee may lay her young, euen thine al­tar, that is thy wounds, whereby thou didst offer vp thy selfe, as a sacrifice for our sinnes, euen thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God. When E­lias flying from Achab came to Beer­sheba, he sate downe vnder a iuniper tree, and desired that he might die. A iuniper tree maketh the hoatest coale, [...]. 15. and the coolest shadow of any tree. The coale is so hot, that if it be rackt vp in a­shes of the same, it continueth vn extin­guished by the space of a whole yeare. Therefore whereas we read in the hun­dred and twentieth P [...]alme, With hot bur [...]ing coales, it is in the Hebrew, as S. Hierom noteth, with Iuniper coales. Which prooueth that iuniper coales be the most hot burning coales that are. Now the coale is not so hot, but the [...]dowe is as coole. Insomuch as the [Page 105] onely shadow of the iuniper tree sleeth and killeth serpents. Therefore Elias seeking to rest himselfe where he might be safest from serpents, and other daun­gers, sat down vnder a iuniper tree, and desired that he might die: For he thought he could neuer with the spar­row finde him a house, and with the swallow make him a nest, in a better place, thē where he was ouershadowed with that Iuniper tree, which shadow­ed out the tree of the crosse of Christ. Of which the Church say's, Vnder his shadow had I delight, and sat downe, and his fruite was sweete vnto my mouth. So that if Simeon holding the child in his armes, desired to die, how much more blessedly then might Elias haue departed now in peace, when as beeing wearied with the world, he was shadowed with the tree of life, and not onely held the child in his armes, but also was held himselfe as a child in the wounded and naken armes of Christ. Notably also doth the storie of Noah declare what singular comfort the faith full finde in Christs woundes. For one­ly [Page 106] Noah saued all: onely Christ redee­meth G [...]n. 6. 16. all. Noah signified rest: Christis our rest and peace. Noah saued all by the wood of the arke: Christ redeemeth all by the tree of the crosse. Noah was tossed vp and downe vpon the waters: Christ saith to his father, Thou hast brought all thy waues vpon me. Noah saued all by the doore in the side of the arke: Christ redeemeth all by the doore in the side of his bodie. Noah the for­tieth day after the decreasing of the flood opened the windowe: Christ the fortieth day afer his r [...]surrection ascen­deth vp and openeth heauen. Lo ye, how all things agree together. None but Noah, none but Christ: Noahs rest, Christs peace: Noahs arke, Christs crosse: Noahs water, Christs woe: No­ahs doore, Christs side: Noahs win­dowe, Christs kingdome. The Prophet Hose foretelleth that Ephraim shall flie away like a bird. This is fulfilled not on­ly in Ephraim, but euen in all mankind. All haue gone astray, all haue flowen away from God: as a hauke which takes a check and giues ouer her pray: where­fore [Page 107] Christ holding out his wounded, and bloody hands, as meate to reclaime vs, calleth vs as it were, and saith, Re­ [...]urne, Can 6. 12. returne, O Shulamite, returne; returne, that we may behold thee. Pru­dentius writeth, that vvhen Asclepiades commanded the tormentors to strike Romanus on the mouth, the meeke mar­tyr answered, I thanke thee, O captaine, that thou hast opened vnto me many mouthes, vvhereby I may preach my Lord and Sauiour: Tot ecce laudant ora, quot sunt vulnera, Looke hovve many vvounds I haue, so many mouthes I haue, to praise and laud the Lord. And looke hovv many vvounds Christ hath, so many mouthes he hath to call vs to himselfe, so many lures he hath to make our soule flie for comfort onely vnto him. Manna vvas a most comfortable meate, vvhich God gaue the Israelites. It vvas like to coriander seede, and the Exod. 16. 32. tast of it vvas like vnto vvafers made vvith honey. This our holy Saniour ap­plieth to himselfe. For vvhen the Ca­pernites said, Our fathers did eat Man­na in the desert, Iesus ansvvered, Your [Page 108] fathers did eate Manna in the wilder­nesse, and are dead. I am the liuing bread, which came downe from hea­uen. Therefore as then there was a gol­den pot of Manna kept in the Taberna­cle, that the posteritie might see the bread wherewhith the Lord fed them: so there is yet a golden pot of Manna Berna [...]d. de [...]. de [...]. c. 2. kept in heauen, that the faithfull in all­ages may tast and see how sweete the Lord is, which feedeth them with his owne bodie and blood, the least droppe whereof, though it be as small as a cori­ander seede, yet it is as sweete as a wafer made with honie. Hard it is to giue a reason wherefore Christ, when he came to the citie of Sichar in Samaria, where was Iacobs well, sat downe vpon the well about the sixt houre. But certaine­ly he did this not so much for himselfe as for vs. That hereby we might learne when the sunne is hotest about the sixt houre of the day, whē we are most exer­cised with afflictions, whē we are sorest grieued for our sinnes, alwaies to haue recourse vnto Christ, alvvaies to goe with the king into the wineseller, al­waies [Page 109] to sit dovvne vpon Iacobs vvell. Ioh. 4 6. Of which the Prophet Zacharie sai's, In that day there shall be a fountaine ope­ned to the house of Dauid, and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sinne and for vncleanenesse. Whereupon S. Au­stin In omnibus [...] bus non in [...] tam ef­ficax reme­din [...] quam vulnera Christi. saith verie diuinely, In all aduersi­ties, sai's he, I could neuer yet sind any remedie so cōfortable and so effectuall as the vvounds of Christ. Christ is not vnlike to the poole in Ierusalem, called Bethesda, hauing fiue porches, vvhich Ioh. 5. 2. beeing troubled by an angell, healed a­ny man, that vvent first into it, vvhat­soeuer disease he had. Bethesda signifi­eth the house of effusion or povvring out, in vvhich house Christ dvvelt vvhē he povvred out his blood and his soule for our saluation. Therefore hee a­lone is the angell, vvhich came dovvne at a certaine season into the poole, and troubled the vvater, because vvhen the fulnes of time was come, he came into the world to be troubled himselfe, and to be crucified, that he might heale not onely that one man which had bin dis­eased eight and thirtie yeares, but euen [Page 110] all mankinde with the troubled water and blood which issued out of his side. So that there is nothing so comforta­ble for sicke and sinnefull men, as to sit in the seats and porches of this poole. Wonderfull are the words of the Pro­phet concerning Christ, He shall feede his flocke like a shepheard, he shall ga­ther Es. 40. 11. the lambs with his armes, and carie thē in his bosom. Which was prefigured in the high Priest, who did beare vp with his shoulders a breast-plate, wher­in were the names of the twelue tribes written in twelue precious stones. That which the shepheard doth with his armes and bosom: that which the high Priest doth with his shoulders & breast: that doth Christ with his hands and side. He is the good shepheard, which bringeth home the lost sheepe vpon his shoulders. Yea he writeth the names of all his sheepe in his pretious wounds, which are the pretious stones vpon his breast-plate, that both declare his loue to vs, & also allure vs to loue him. This makes Dauid say in great deuotion, The Lord is my shepheard, therefore [Page 111] can I lacke nothing. He shall feede me in a greene pasture, and lead me forth beside the waters of comfort. For as the henne gathereth her brood vnder her wings: so God gathereth his children together. And as an eagle stirreth vp Deut. 3 [...] 1 [...]. her nest, flo [...]ereth ouer her birds, taketh them, and beareth them on her wings: so Christ, carrieth vs vp in his hands to the high places of the earth, and causeth vs to sucke honie out of the stone, and oyle out of the hard rocke. Butheius an excellent painter, painted an eagle car­rying Ganymedes into heauen, so nice­ly and tenderly, that her talents did not hurt him, but onely beare him vp. And in like sort Christ beareth vs vp in his hands, that we dash not our foot against a stone, yea his right hand is vnder our quia Domi nus supponit m [...]num suā. head, and his left hand doth embrace vs, so that though we should fall, yet we can not be hurt, because the Lord stay­eth and supporteth vs with his hand. Therefore S. Chrysostome giues vs good counsell, not to haue iayes eyes, but eagles eyes, that we may behold these hands of Christ, and see his side [Page 112] in the sacrament. For indeede as o [...]ten as we celebrate the memorie of our Lords death, Christ our Sauiour, deli­uering the bread and the cuppe by his minister, saith in a sort to euery faithfull receiuer, Put thy finger here, and see my hands, and put forth thy hand, and put it into my side, and be not faithlesse, but faithfull. But yet we shall not alwaies drinke of this fruit of the vine. The time will come, when we shall drinke a new kinde of wine in Christs kingdome. Wherefore he saies, As often as ye shal eate this bread, and drinke this cup, you shall shew the Lords death til he come. Till he come. Declaring hereby, that when he is come, his death shall be shewed an other way. Namely by his wounds, which alwaies he sheweth to his Saints. Euen as vve sing in that hea­uenly Hymne or Psalme, The humble suit of a sinner; Whose bloody wounds are yet to see, though not with mortall eye, yet doe thy Saints behold them all, and so I trust shall I. O how vnspeake­ably doe the Saints reioyce, how glori­ [...] also shall we triumph! when we [Page 113] shall see Christ in his kingdome, and behold those blessed wounds of his, whereby he hath purchased so many, and so great good things for vs? This is the new wine, which we shall drinke. This is the Eucharist of the Angels: the food of the Elect: the spirituall banket of the Saints. For wheresoeuer the dead bodie is, thither fhall the eagles resort. And we that with eagles wings flie vp by faith into heauen, shall euer resort to this dead bodie, and we shall vnsatiably desite to feede our eyes and our soules with the sight of Christ, who was once dead, and euen now hath in his bodie those skarres which continue the me­morie of his death, that in all eternitie it may neuer be forgotten. Thus these heauenly wounds of Christ delight and comfort his friends. As the cities of re­fuge, which saue the sinner: as the holes of the rock, which defend the doue: as the shadow of the iuniper tree, which reuiueth the wearied: as the doore of the Arke, which preserueth the world: as the lure of the soule, which calleth home the Shulamite: as the pot of Man­na, [Page 114] which nourisheth the Israelite: as the well of Iacob, which refresheth the [...]hirstie: as the poole of Bethesda, which [...]ealeth the sicke: as the armes of the shepheard, which gather his lambs: as the wings of the eagle, which beare vp her birds. So doe the hands and side of Christ comfort his friends. As if our Sauiour should say thus to euery one of his friends, Can a woman forget her child, and not haue compassion on the son of her wombe? though they should forget, yet would not I forget thee. Be­hold I haue grauen thee vpon the palmes of my hands. Here I haue still in my hands that price of thy redempti­on, which I paid for thee, so that no man can take thee out of my hands. Yea I haue written and sealed thy saluation in my side. A speare is the penne: my blood is the inke: my bodie is the pa­per. Here thou maist see the bowels of my compassion, thorough the wounds of my passion. Assure thy selfe therfore, assure thy selse of my loue, of my good will, of my fauour for euer. Make no doubt of it. If thou doubt any thing, [Page 115] Put thy finger here, and see my hands, and put forth thy hand, and put it into my side, and be not faithlesse, but faith­ful. So much for the fourth cause, which is to comfort his friends.

You see then, blessed Christians, you see how these causes of Christs wounds differ one from an other. The first cause, to approoue his resurrection, was, but neither is, nor shall be. The se­cond cause, to appease his father, was, and is, but shall not be. The third cause, to confound his enemies, neither was, nor is, but shall be. The fourth cause, to comfort his friends, both was, and is, and shall be. So that Christs wounds, did serue, to approoue his resurrection, onely between his resurrection, and his ascension: doe serue, to appease his fa­ther, onely between his ascension, & his second comming: shal serue, to confoūd his enemies, onely at the day of iudge­ment: did, doe, and shall serue, to com­fort his friends, for euer. Wherefore though we be neuer so great sinners, yet let vs neuer despaire of the grace and mercie of Christ. His hands are still [Page 116] stretched out to embrace vs, his side is alwaies open to receiue vs. Therefore let vs creepe low, and come humbly to him, that we may with the woman in the Gospel, touch but the hemme of his garment, nay that we may with S. Iohn, leane vpon his blessed bosome, yea that we may with S. Thomas in this place, put our fingers into his hands, and our hands into his side. And euen as Con­stantine the great vsed to kisse that eye of Paphnutius which was boared out in Maximinus time, and the Iayler in the Acts washed S. Pauls stripes & wounds: so let vs kisse the Sonne least he be an­grie, & honour his holy wounds, which are the pretious balme wherewith he hath healed vs and restored vs to euer­lasting life. To the which we beseech thee, O good Lord to bring vs, not for our owne deserts or merits, but for the tender bowels of Christ Iesus loue and mercie toward vs, to whome with the Father, and the holy Ghost, be all ho­nour and praise both now and for euer­more, Amen.

THe Royall Prophet ha­uing setled himselfe in his kingdom according to his owne desire; and besides hauing after many wandrings to and fro, at length brought backe the Arke a­gaine to Ierusalem; maketh here his most zealous and deuout praier to God for the continuance of his fauour both to the Church and Common-wealth [Page 149] committed to his gouernement. Re­turne, O Lord, to thy resting place, sai's he, v. 8. & de­inceps. thou and the Arke of thy strength. Let thy Priests be cloathed vvith righ­teousnesse, and let thy Saints sing vvith ioyfulnesse. For thy seruant Dauids sake turne not avvay the face of thine anoin­ted. Novv that he might apparantly see hovv neere the Lord is to all them that call vpon him in faithfulnesse and truth, he vvaiteth not long for an ansvver, but carries it avvay vvith him before he depart. For to Dauids petition, Returne O Lord, vnto thy resting place, thou, and the arke of thy strength; Gods an­svver is this, v 1 [...]. & de [...]. This shall be my resting place, here vvill I dvvell, for I haue a delight therein. I vvill blesse her victu­alls vvith increase, and vvill satisfie her poore vvith breade. To Dauids pe­tition, Let thy Priests be cloathed vvith righteousnesse, and let thy Saints sing vvith ioyfulnesse; Gods ansvver is this, I vvill cloath her Priests vvith saluati­on, and her Saints shall reioyce and sing. Lastly, to Dauids petition; For thy seruant Dauids sake turne not [Page 150] away the face of thine anointed: Gods answer is this; There shall I make the horne of Dauid to flourish, I, I haue or­dained a light for mine anointed. As for his enemies, I shall cloath them with shame; but vpon himself shal his crown slorish. As if he should haue said; Turne away the face of mine anointed? Nay, that will I neuer doe, I will indeede turne away the face of the enemies of mine anointed. Their face shall be co­uered with confusion, and cloathed with shame: But contrariwise, I haue ordained a light for mine anointed. He euer shall haue a light in his face, and a crowne vpon his head. As for his ene­mies, I shall cloth them with shame; but vpon himselfe shall his crowne flou­rish.

These words are principally to be vn­derstood of Christ. For neuer were any so cloathed with shame as his enemies the cursed Iewes which murthered him. There eitie was sacked, not one stone of it beeing left vpon another, and they themselues as stubble or chaffe were scattered ouer the face of the earth. [Page 151] So that they are the very shame of men, and the out-cast of all people. Inso­much as when we would signifie we hate a man deadly, indeede we com­monly vse to say, we hate them worse then a Iewe. On the other side Christ is so exalted now, that all power is giuen him in heauen and earth, yea God hath giuen him a name aboue al names, that at the most sweete and most ex­cellent name of Iesus, euerie knee and euerie heart also might doe obeysance. And as the Apostle prooueth out of the eight Psalme, The Lord now after all his dolorous paines and torments, hath crowned him with honour and glorie. Neuerthelesse in a secondarie sort this promise may be applyed also to Dauid, who was a notable type of Christ; and so consequently to euerie faithfull successor of Dauid, which is Christs vicegerent and liefienant vp­on earth. For yee knowe what vvas the ende of all Dauids enemies: Ab­solom his disobedient sonne hung vp by the goldylockes of pride. Achito­phel his travterous Counsellor made [Page 152] avvay himselfe. Shemei a reuiler of him, and a de [...]ractor from him, in his gray haires put to a shamefull death. The same may be saide of the rest. But holy Dauid himselfe could neuer be o­uercome. For though many enemies, specially Autiochus Epiphanes, bent all their force, to the very vttermost, to roote out Dauids posteritie, and to de­stroy Gods people; yet mangre their heads and their he [...]ts, Dauids crowne yet flourished and continued in his stocke, till at the length the sonne of Dauid came into the vvorld; of vvhome the Angel Gabriel spake to the blessed virgin Marie in this sort; [...]. 1. 32. He shall be great, and shall be called the sonne of the most High; and the Lord God shall giue him the throne of his Father Da­uid, and he shall be ruler ouer the house o [...] Iacob, and of his kingdome shall be no ende. Novv if this Scripture be so notably verified in Dauid, he hauing faithfully serued in his time, and bee­ [...]g novv by the vvill of God dead; no reason but that vve may vnderstand it also generally of euery holy one of [Page 153] God, which treadeth in Dauids steps, going in and out before Gods people. As for his enemies, I shall cloath them with shame; but vpon himselse shal his crowne flourish.

Here are two parts. His enemies; himselfe. His enemies, first shall haue shame; secondly shall be cloathed with shame. Himselfe, first shal haue a crown: secondly shal haue a flourishing crown. As for his enemies I shall cloth them with shame; but vpon himselfe shall his crowne flourish.

The shame which the Lord God as­sureth Dauid shall light vpon his ene­mies, is a veri [...] dreadfull iudgement a­gainst them. Nicetas saies plainely; No punishment so grieuous as shame. And Nazianzene yet more expressely; Bet­ter were a man die right out, then still liue in reproach and shame. This, di­uerse valiant worthies haue shewed to be true, ridding themselues volun­tarily of their life, that so they might be rid of their shame. Aiax beeing readie to dispatch himselfe, vsed these as his last words; No greife doth so [Page 154] cut the very heart of a generous and magnanimous man, as shame and re­proach. What should I speake of any more Grecians, or Romanes, as of Bru­tus, Cassius, Antonius, Cato Vticensis, and such others? In Scripture we haue a plaine proofe. Mightie Sampson, bee­ing I [...]g. 16. 28. about to pull the whole house vp­on his owne head, saide thus: O Lord God I pray thee strengthen me at this time onely, that I may be at once a­uenged of the Philistims, for my two eyes. He desired rather once to die va­liantly, then long to liue wretchedly. For as Saint Ambrose writing of Sam­son, saith, [...] & [...]. [...]. For a man to liue, or die, is naturall: but for a man to liue in shame and contempt, and to be made a laugh­ing stocke of his Enemies, is such a matter, as no well bred and noble min­ded man that hath any courage, or sto­macke in him, can euer digest it. Yet the Lord God promiseth Dauid his anointed that shame shall be the re­ward of all his enemies; shame I say, which is a great deale worse then death it selfe. As for his enemies, saies he, I [Page 155] [...]hall cloath them with shame.

Secondly, they shall be clothed with [...]hame. To be clothed is an Hebrew phrase, signifying to haue any thing vnseparably cast vpon one. And it is ta­ken both in the better and in the wor­ser part. As a little before; I cloath her Preists with saluation: that is, I will furnish Syons Priests with such indow­ments and graces from aboue, which they shall be as it were inuested into; that both by their life and doctrine, they shall still further the saluation both of themselues, and of them which heare them. Contrariwise, in this place, I will cloath them with shame; That is, shame shall so vnseparably accom­panie them, that as wheresoeuer a man goeth, he carrieth his cloathes with him; so wheresoeuer they goe, they shall carrie their shame with them. And that which is strangest of all; they which are ashamed vse to cloath or couer their shame, and then thinke themselues well enough. But Dauids enemies shall be so shamed, that euen the very couering of their shame shall [Page 156] be a discouering of it; and the clothing or cloking of their ignominie, shall be nothing else but a girding of it more closely and more vnseparably vnto them. So the Prophet speaketh else­wher [...], [...]. 35 [...]. Let them be put to confusion and shame together, that reioyce at mine hurt. Let them be clothed with rebuke and dishonour, that lift vp themselues against me. O Lord God, say Amen to it; let it be euen so, O Lord, Let them be clothed with rebuke and dishonour that lift vp themselues against thine anointed. And againe, [...]. [...]. 19. Let shame be vnto him as a cloake that he hath vpon him, and as the girdle that he is alwaies girded with all. And yet againe, [...]. Let mine aduersaries be clothed with shame, and let them couer themselues with their owne confusion as with a cloake.

But to leaue the word, and come to the matter. The enemies of Dauid shall be clothed with shame three waies: In their owne conscience; In the world; In the day of Iudgement.

Touching their owne conscience, S. [Page 157] Austin saies well, Omnis [...] est [...] p [...]a. All vnordinate de­sires, as none are more vnordinate then trayterous and rebellious enterprises, carrie in themselues that bane vvhich poysons and punishes them at the last. Whereupon the Prophet saies, Psal. 57. [...]. Hide me, O Lord, vnder the shadow of thy wings, vntill iniquitie be ouerpast, as the Septuagint translate it. But we read it, Vntill this Tyrannie be ouer­past. And others translate it, Vntill this Calamitie, or this Miserie be ouerpast. Which indifferent acceptation of the Hebrevv vvord, shevveth that nothing doth so tyrannize ouer the conscience, nothing is such a calamitie and mise­rie to the minde, as iniquitie and sinne. Iudas after he had betraied his Lord and Master, was so confounded in his owne conscien [...]e, that he cried out, and said, [...] I haue sinned, in betraying inno­cent blood. Proditor Cas [...]a, vile tray­tour: if his blood be innocent, then thy conscience is guiltie. And if thou ca [...]st confesse thou hast sinned, when it is too late, why diddest thou [...] take heede of sinning when [...] [Page 158] time? I haue sinned saies he, sinned in betraying innocent blood. A thousand hells could not haue more tormented him, then this desperate sorrowe and extreame shame wherewith his consci­ence was cloathed, tearing his bowells whilst he was aliue, and powring them out when he died.

Now as for shame in the world, we reade Gen. 4. 5. that God did set a marke vpon Cain the murtherer of iust Habel; and so consequently the ring-leader of all Dauids enemies. Therefore as when men see a wolfe or a foxe, or any such hurtfull beast in the forest, they set all their dogges vpon him; so the enemies of the Lords anoynted, beeing burnt as it were and branded with the markes of shame, are howted and hunted wheresoeuer they goe. One example at this time shall suffice. Maxentius a wicked rebell against his owne Lord the famous Emperour Constantine the great, deuised to haue a bridge made with cock-boats chained together ouer a riuer neere Rome, thinking to traine the Emperour that vvay, and there to [Page 159] [...]hem in the riuer. But God so wrought for his chosen seruant, that the enemie himselfe beeing compelled to flie that way, was taken in that pit which he dig­ged for others. And so as Pharaoh was cloathed with shame in the open view and sight of all the world, when he and all his host were drowned in the redde sea, after the same fashion Maxentius was drest.

Lastly, touching shame in the day of iudgement, Dauids enemies at that day, shall stand before the tribunall seat of Christ, beeing naked in all respects else, but onely couered with their owne shame. Then they shall be vexed with horrible feare S [...]pien. 5. 2., and cloathed with con­fusion; whereas the righteous shall be cloathed with incorruption; yea though 1. Cor. [...]5. in this life with the rich glutton, [...]. 16. 19. they haue beene cloathed with purple and fine linnen, yet then their attire shall be dishonour, and their garment shall be shame. Thus will the Lord cloath the enemies of his anointed with shame; cloath them in their owne conscienc [...]; cloath them in the world; cloath them [Page 160] in the day of iudgement. As for his ene­mies I shall cloath them with shame; But vpon himselfe fhall his crowne slourish.

The one halfe of this Sermon is now past, the other shalbe as soone dispatcht. But vpon him shall his crowne slourish.

First himselfe shall haue a crowne. Tertullian In [...]. reporteth out of Diodorus Siculus, that the first that euer ware a crowne was Iupiter. The souldiers gaue him a royall crowne for a reward of his victorie and triumph ouer the Titans▪ Hereupon Iupiters priest [...]. [...]. brought [...] and crownes to the gates of Listra, and would there haue sacrificed to Paul. Af­terward, when Gods people the Israe­ [...] would needs haue a King, as other nations had round about them; then their Kings would needs haue crownes also, as other Kings had round about them. Hence we read that Dauid ha­uing vanquished the king of Rabbath, [...]. [...]. [...]. [...]. tooke the crowne from off his head, and found it the weight of a talent of gold, with pretious stones in it; and set it vpon his owne head. Though indeed [Page 161] long before that 2. [...]. 1. 10 the Amalakite brought him a crowne, which he took from Sauls head when he slewe him.

So that the thing God promiseth is this; that any crowne which king Dauid should get, either by conquest, or by succession, or by any other iust title, should still slourish more and more. Some there are in the world which to be sure of outward ornaments inough, will needes weare a triple crowne. O­thers haue beene vnwilling to weare that one which they might. Canutus, that was absolute king almost of fiue kingdomes somewhat before the con­quest, vpon a time in his progresse ri­ding neere the Thames, lighted and sat downe besides the shoare. Then, as it were to trie a conclusion, he comman­ded the water beeing now readie to a­rise againe and to slow, not to come any neerer him. But the water keeping his naturall course, came still vp higher and higher, till it beganne to wette him. Whereupon turning to his Nobles, which were about him, Ye call me ( [...]aies he) your king and Master, & so in­deede [Page 162] I am; and yet loe yee, I cannot command so much as this little streame, but doe what I can, that will still doe as it list. Whereupon presently he posted to Westminster, and resigned his crown to the crucifixe there; neither could he euer after this be perswaded to weare it any more. Now as the pride of that man of sinne, which sits vnder the signe of the triple crowne, is too intolerable: so on the contrarie part this was too much nicenesse in Canutus. Seeing, it followeth not, because he could not cō ­mand the sea and the waters, as Christ did, that therefore he might not weare a crowne. For, neither doth Christ him­selfe in heauen weare such a crowne, as kings of the earth doe. But the truth is this, that royaltie and maiestie, which is essentiall to God, he is content to communicate to his holy ones, and to his anointed, by participatiō and grace. Therefore the Lords anointed, which is as it were his fauourite, may verie well doe all these three things at once; weare the crowne which God giueth; and yet detest the pride which God ab­horreth; [Page 163] and still admire the Maiestie, which God enioyeth: So that the Lord promising his seruant Dauid a crowne, promiseth him wealth, wisedome, re­nowne, dignitie, prosperitie; in one word, all royalties belonging to a crowne. But vpon himselfe shall his crowne slourish.

Secondly, he shall haue a flourishing crowne. Flourishing is metaphorically attributed to a crowne. As in the next verse before. There shall I make the horne of Dauid to [...]lourish. A meta­phor taken from those goodly crea­tures, as stagges, and such like; whose chiefest beautie and strengh consisteth in their hornes, especially when they bud and branch abroad. So in these words, But vpon himselfe shall his crowne slourish. A plaine allusion to those slowres which either continually, or els a verie long time, keepe fresh and greene. Besids at the first, kings crowns were not made of gold and pearles, as I told you of Dauids crowne, but one­ly of greene oken leaues, as that of Iu­piters, or else of some other bran­ches [Page 164] or flowres, as others. The Lord then meaning that Dauids kingdome should be established for euer, and that his lasting glorie should still growe greene, he maketh this louing promise vnto him; But vpon himselfe shall his crowne flourish. How flourishing beau­tifull flowers are, consider but the Lil­lie, and you shall soone perceiue. Marke (saies our Sauiour) Ma [...] ▪ 6. 24 how the lillies of the field doe growe, they labour not, neither doe they spinne, yet doe I say vnto you, that euen Salomon in all his royaltie was not cloathed like one of these. Now if God so cloath the flow­ers of the sield, which growe to day, and to morrowe are cast into the ouen▪ how much more shall he cloath Dauid [...] enemies with shame; but vpon himsel [...]e make his crowne flourish? For euen as in Salomons Temple, fiue candle­sticks at the right side, and fiue at the left standing before the Oracle, and be­ing made for matter of pure gold, for forme with branches and flowers, did well nigh dazill the eyes of any that entered into the Temple 1. Reg. 7. 49.; so the [Page 165] Lord here giues his word, that the kings crowne shall euer flourish in the house of our God, disparkling and dis­playing those rayes of Maiestie; those beames of beautie, which shall amaze the world, and be a wonder as well to Angels as to men: Wherefore, as I said euen nowe of his enemies shame, that it shall be threefold; so here I repeat the same againe of his crownes flou­rishing; His crowne shall flourish in his owne conscience: in the world: in the day of iudgement. Touching his owne conscience the blessed Apostle calleth the Philippians his ioy and a crowne [...]. 4 1.. And to the Thessalonians he writeth thus, What is our hope, or ioy, or crowne of reioycing? Are not euen you it, in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his com­ming? yes, ye are our glorie and ioy [...] Now, if this precious vessell of honour reioyced in nothing so much, as in the testimonie of his conscience, that in simplicitie and godly purenesse, and not in fleshly wisedome, but by the grace of God, he had his con­ueration [Page 166] in the world, the power of Gods spirit working still most mightily by his ministerie to the conuersion of the world to Christ: how much more shall the Lords anoynted haue his con­science crowned with flourishing ioy, with comfort, with content, with hea­uenly peace, when he shall remember, that not onely sor matters of religion and Gods true seruice, he hath beene and still is with Saint Paul prositable to the Church; but also is a strong bul­warke and a tower of defence to main­taine euen the outward [...] and prosperitie of Gods people; yea the ve­rie particular tight, wealth, life of euery one of them; all this I say, and a 100. [...] more, [...] he considereth, what a great and a glorious instrument be [...] beene euerie way of Gods glorie▪ O Lord God what a heauen shall he haue in his heart? what a sweet paradise [...] pleasure in his soule? what securitie▪ [...]hat assurance of Christ [...] loue? what a [...] and vndaunted hope of eter­ [...] glorie? what a slourishing crowne [...] re [...]oycing shall he haue euen in his [Page 167] very conscience? vpon himselfe shall his crowne flourish. Touching the world, our holy Prophet speaking to God, though in the third person, yet of himselfe saies, Thou hast preuented him with liberall blessings, and hast set a crowne of pure gold vpon his head. His honour is great in thy saluati­on; glorie and great worship hast thou [...] vpon him. Nowe that crowne which is of gold, yea of pure gold, must needes be verie flourishing euen in the viewe and face of the world. Neither is this to be vnderstood of Da­uids person onely, but euen of his po­steritie in all ages to come. How was he himselfe crowned with conquests and victories ouer his enemies? How was his [...]onne Salomon crowned with riches, with wisedome, with fame and glorie in the whole world? which [...]lourishing of his sonne, as of a noble branch, graced in a manner the verie roo [...]e of Dauid himselfe. For, as his worthie sonne teacheth, [...]. [...] Childrens children are the crowne of the elders, and the glorie of the children are [Page 168] their fathers. Therefore, as children may iustly glorie of the renowne of their fathers vertue and honour: so the excellent father is in a sort crowned with happinesse in this world, when he sees his childrens children like to grow vp and flourish after him. But vpon himselfe shall his crowne flourish. Last­ly, touching the day of iudgement; then, then shall all the righteous flou­rish, when as hauing beene faithfull vn­to the death, they shall receiue the crowne of life. A crowne as S. Peter calleth it immortall and vndefiled, and that fadeth not away [...]. Denying that e­euer it fadeth away, he affirmeth that it euer [...]. I would here be bold, [...] I might doe it without offence, as I hope I may, to shewe you one goodly [...] of grapes of the land of Canaan, a land flowing with milke and honie, whether you are now going, before you enter into it. A worthie and ver­tuous gentleman, whom I neede not name in this place, because, no doubt many ages [...]il name him, and renowne him hereafter, giueth for his armes [Page 169] three crownes with this posey, Quarta perennis erit. As if he should say, these three crownes, which I beare in my coate, are but the difference of my house and gentry, but Quarta perennis erit: the fourth crowne which I looke for in hea­uen shall be euerlasting and immortall. That fourth, though it be but one crowne, yet shall be worth all those three crowns, yea three thousand more such as these are; The fourth shall be e­ternall. Now, if he, and we that are, such as he no question is, faithfull to God, and loyall to the chosen seruant of God, may well hope for a most flourishing incorruptible crowne of glorie, then much more may Dauid himself reioyce in God his Sa [...]iour, and say, Quinta, aut sexta perennis erit: The fift, or the sixt shall be eternall. This crowne which God of his grace with his own right hand and his holy arme hath set vpon mine head, is indeede (thanks and praise be giuen vnto the same God) a verie flourishing crowne; flou­rishing in mine owne conscience: flourishing in the world, both for [Page 170] my person, and for my posteritie; But it is nothing, in respect of that flourish­ing crowne which I shall receiue at the day of iudgement. For the [...]. 12. iust shall flourish like a palme tree, and shal grow like a Cedar in Lebanon. Such as be planted in the house of the Lord, shall flourish in the courts of our God. And then indeede shall this bountifull pro­mise of God be most fully performed, But vpon himselfe shall his crowne flourish. As for his enemies, I shall cloath them with shame; but vpon himselfe shall his crowne flourish.

To draw then to an ende; it may seeme very strange, that Dauid had any enemies. Yet, out of these words, As for his enemies, I shall cloath them with shame; it may well be gathered, that some he had. What? had Dauid? meeke Dauid? Lord remember Dauid, and all his meeke [...]esse, saies he, in the begin­ning of this Psalme. He was the kindest, and the meekest man aliue. When he had his mortall foe at a vantage, and at a dead lift, as we say, and might haue na [...]led him fast to the ground with his [Page 171] speare; he onely did cut off a lappe of his garment, to shew, that when he might haue hurt him, he would not. Posse, & nolle, nob [...]le. Yet this meeke Da­uid, patient Dauid, mercifull Dauid, va­liant and victorious Dauid, holy Dauid, had enemies. Wherefore you most ho­nourable and blessed seruants of God, you that excell in vertue, if you haue some enemies, thinke not strange of it. For, if you had nothing in you: no feare of God, no reuerēce towards his word, no loue and loyaltie towards your So­ueraigne, no fortitude, no temperance, no good thing in you; you might per­haps walke on long enough, and no man enuie you, no man maligne you, or malice you. But because God hath inspired you with his principall spirit, and endewed you with speciall great graces aboue your fellowes: therefore doth your aduersarie the Deuill the old enemie of all goodnes and vertue, who is readie to burst to see you doe so well: he, I say, doth bestirre himselfe, and raise vp enemies against you. But (O blessed be our good Lord) what a won­derfull [Page 172] comfort and incouragement ha [...]e all you; what a horrible terrour & affrightment haue all your enemies, in this text? For the holy Ghost saies not, They shall be clothed, or you shall cloth them: but I, euen I shal cloth them with shame. It is impossible, saies he, that you should alwaies be armed at all points, circumspect at all places, vigi­lant at all times, prouided at all occasi­ons, to preuent the mischieuous practi­ses of your deuillish enemies. No coun­sell of man, no policie, no wisdome, no wit, can foresee all their barbarous vn­dertakings and complottes, to escape them. But in heauen, in heauen there is an eye, an hand there is in heauen: an eye to descrie them, and a hand to per­secure and punish them: both an eye and an hand to deliuer you from daun­ger, and to cloath them with shame. Therefore, saith he, Cast your care vp­on me: let me alone with them, your perill is my perill, your case my case: Ile pay them that they haue deserued: He take the quarrell into mine owne [...]ands: Ile trimme them well enough. [Page 173] As for your enemies, I shall cloath them with shame. Remēber I pray you, beloued, though indeede, they haue made themselues worthie neuer to be remembred, or once to be mentioned in our mouthes any more; yet remem­ber, I say, to their egregious dishonour & reproch, how those are now clothed with shame, who were the first cause of the solemnizing, or as I may say, of the sanctifying of this present day for the day of the weeke, and of yesterday for the day of the moneth, & of the twelue moneth, with so holy an exercise? How odious? how execrable is their very name vnto vs? what true hearted loyall subiect, such as I am sure all are here, doth not detest them, hate them, loath them, as a toad, or as a viper, or as some hidious mishapen monster; and curse the very day wherein such a rebellious generation, and such a trayterous brood were borne? Certainly, my good brethren, if the mercie of God, which is incomprehensible, did not giue them grace, at the last gaspe to repent and crie to God for pardon: as they are [Page 174] cloathed with shame in this world, so shall they be much more in the world to come. And as we hold them for no better then cursed creatures, so shall the Lord at last, say vnto them, Goe ye cur­sed into euerlasting fire. So let it be, o Lord, euen so to all the enemies of thine a [...]ointed, either open or secret, so let it be to them: As for his enemies, doe thou, thou, O Lord, thine owne selfe, doe thou cloath them with shame.

These words, vpon himselfe, either are altogether impertinent and superflu­ous, or else they are very important and materiall. For, it had beene sufficient to haue saide; As for his enemies I shall cloath them with shame: but as for him­selfe, his [...]rowne shall [...]lourish. It is not greatly necessarie, as it should seeme, to [...], his crowne shall [...]lourish vpon him­selfe. Yet the Lord in his gratious an­swer vnto Dauids praier, thought good to put in this as a supernumerarie word, ouer and besides the necessitie of the sentence: to teach the good King, [Page 175] and vs all likewise, a very notable les­son. Namely, that he would blesse the crowne, the dignitie, the flourishing e­state of his louing seruant, not onely in his owne person, and his posteritie; in this world, and in the world to come, as I haue shewed alreadie, but also from a lesser weight of glory, still to a greater and greater. Vpon himselfe, saies he, shall his crowne flourish. For not one­ly it shall be as flourishing, as Dauid left it, at the day of his departure to God; but after his dissolutiō and death: as fa [...]t as his bodie corrupteth in the earth, so fast shall his crowne encrease still in heauen. Trust me, truly, I speake it before the liuing Lord, and this high presence, all the whole Church which shall be edified to saluation, by Dauids blessed and godly gouernement, euen after his death, shal yet suffer his crown neuer to die, but shall continually keepe it fresh and greene. Ye [...], as euery one brought to the building of the taberna­cle, and to the reedifying of the temple, such as they were able: so I assure you, I speake now a great word, euery parti­cular [Page 176] subiect, that is saithfull to God, and to his Prince; as he goeth on for­ward to God, by the peace, and by the religion which he hath enioyed vnder his Prince; so he shall still beautifie and decke Dauids crowne; & one shall bring a white rose, another shall bring a red rose, and adde it to the crowne: that so vpon himselfe still his crowne may slou­rish, the white rose and the redde rose, that are in the crowne alreadie, beeing euer made more and more fragrant and slourishing. O Christ, what a crowne is this? And what will it growe to much more in the ende? You that are mighty Kings and Potentates vpon earth, haue indeede great cares and continuall busi­nesse in your heads; but yet vouchsafe I pray you to hearken a little, what I shal say vnto you. You watch oftentimes o­uer vs, when we are asleepe our selues. You care for our peace, when it is not in our power to further it; you procu­ring good to Sion, and prosperitie to Ierusalem, yet many times enioy the least part of it your selues. But no force. Take this still for your comfort. We [Page 177] that cannot all our liues long doe the hundreth part of that good vvhich you doe euery houre, shall haue nothing so flourishing a crovvne as you shall haue. Vpon you, vpon you shall euerlasting peace rest, vpon you shall the glorie of Gods Maiestie shine, vpon you, vp­on you shall your crovvne slourish. Which the Lord of his mercie graunt, I most humbly beseech him for Iesus Christs sake: that as Dauids crovvne e­uer slourished, till the first comming of Christ: so our gratious Kings crovvne may euer flourish, till the second com­ming of Christ: and then, that afterward for euer his royall Maiestie, may be roy ally crovvned vvith eternall life: tho­rough the same our deare Sauiour Iesus Christ: to vvhom vvith the father and the holy Ghost, be all honour and glo rie, povver and praise, dignitie and do­minion, novv and euermore. Amen.

IN this parable of the sower, are 4. grounds mentioned. Whereof three are bad, and one­ly one good. Namely, they which with a good, and a very good heart, heare the word, and keepe it, and bring forth fruite with patience. Almightie God [Page 179] powreth out his benefits no lesse plen­tiously then continually vpon vs: yet we can make no requitall: our goodnes cannot reach to God. The onely thing that we can doe for him, is to loue and honour his word. Whereupō king Da­uid Psal. 132. thought it a death vnto him, that beeing banished from his people, he could not goe vp to the house of the Lord with the voice of ioy and gladnes among such as keepe holy-day. And on the other side he said; I reioyced when they said vnto me, We will goe vp into the house of the Lord. The Prophet E­say [...]a. 2. 3. likewise, foretelling what alacritie and good will should be in the Gentils after they were conuerted to Christ, saith thus; It shall be in the last daies that many people shall goe and say; Come, and let vs goe vp to the moun­taine of the Lord, to the house of the God of Iacob, and he will teach vs his wayes, and we will walke in his pathes. Looke how it is in the health of the [...]. Hom. 4. [...] Gen. bodie, and so it is in the state of the soule. If a man haue a good appetite, and a stomacke to his meate, t'is a signe [Page 180] he is well in health: in like sort, if a man be content to followe Christ for the loaues to fill his bellie, and care not for the food of his soule; questionles all is not well betweene God and him; but if he haue a longing and a hungring de­sire of the word, then indeede his heart is vpright in the sight of God. For as S. [...]. Austen noteth well; if the word of God be taken by vs, it will take vs. Seeing the word of God so is, and so ought to be, vnto the faithfull, as a hooke is to fish. Then it takes, when it is taken. Neither are they which are taken hurt by it. For they are not caught to be kild, but to be drawne out of the damnation of this world, a [...]d to be translated to the liber­tie and glorie of the children of God. Wherefore as fishers take most delight in angling when they see the fish bite Heb. 13. 17. quickly and greadily: so if you would put life into your Preachers which are called fishers of men, that they may preach the vvord vvith ioy, not vvith griefe, you must shevve, by your coun­tenance, by your attention, by your re­uerence, by all your outvvard behaui­our, [Page 181] that you desire nothing so much as [...] bite at this s [...]eete baite, that so you may be drawne by the father to Christ. For they onely are good ground as we haue it here, which with a good, and a very good heart, heare the word, and keepe it, and bring forth fruit with pa­tience.

Here are three properties of good ground set downe. All opposite to the three bad grounds mentioned before. First, they that are good ground, heare the word with a good h [...]rt; contrarie to the ground on the high waies side, which when they haue heard, let the deuill take the word out of their hearts, & so they heare not with a good heart. Secondly, they keepe the word with a verie good heart; contrarie to the stony ground, which for a while receiue the word with ioy, but in time of temptati­on they fall away, and so they keepe not the word with a verie good heart. Thirdly, they bringe foorth fruit with patience; contrary to the thornie ground, which after their departure are choaked vvith cares, [Page 182] and bring no fruit, and so doe not (as it is said here that the good ground doth) bring forth fruit with patience. But that which fell in good ground are they, which with a good, and a very good heart, heare the word, and keepe it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

The first propertie of the good ground is this, that they heare the word with a good heart. The two dis­ciples going to Emans, when Christ [...]uk. 2 [...]. was departed from them, said thus one to another; Did not our hearts burne within vs when he talked with vs by the way, and opened to vs the Scripture? O Beloued, nowe you are busied in hea­ring the word, Christ talketh to you, and you are in the right way to heauen. Therefore that we may heare with a good heart, we must feele in our hearts that burning of which the disciples say; Did not our hearts burne within vs when he talked with vs by the way? For so the Spirituall spouse confesseth of her selfe, My beloued put his hand to the hole of the doore, and my heart was affectioned towards him. And a­gaine: [Page 183] My soule melted when my belo­ued spake. Now Christ puts his hand to the hole of the doore, desiring himselfe to enter, and vs to repent: now our belo­ued speaketh to vs out of his word. So that we cannot be good ground, except our heart be affectioned, and our soule melt towards him. When the blessed Lu [...]. 1 [...]. Virgin saluted her cousin Elizabeth, she felt the babe spring in her wombe for ioy. Certainely Beloued, you haue eue­ry one of you a babe in your hearts, e­uen the child Iesus, which is formed and fashioned in you. This babe we must feele euen to skip & spring in our hearts for ioy, if we would assure our selues that we be good ground, and heare with a good heart. Neither must we onely re­ioyce, but alfo feare. Serue the Lord with gladnesse, and reioyce before him with trembling, saies the Psalmist. We Psal. 2. read that when the Almightie vttered [...] 1. 24. his voice, the foure beasts, whereby are meant the Angels, let fall their wings. Where are then our plumes of pride, our feathers whereby vvee flie so high in an opinion of our ovvne [Page 184] knowledge and wisdome? why are they not all let downe, that we may wholly submit our selues to the Lord, to be taught and directed by his word? Re­member I pray you what good Corne­lius said. I knowe well there was neuer more reuerent hearing of the word in the Court, then at this day, yet that which is verie well alreadie must so be commended, as that which may be bet- [...]ter and better, be euermore enforced. Therefore as I was about to say, re­member what the Captaine Cornelius said to S. Peter, when he was readie to preach vnto him; Now, saies he, are we [...]. [...]. 33. all here present before the Lord, to heare all things that are commanded thee of God: O that we had this good heart to consider, vvhen vve heare a ser­mon, that vve stand not before a man, but coram domino, before the Lord. Then vve should heare the vvord, not as the vvord of man, but as it is indeede the vvord of God. Then, vve should put a difference between other things vvhich perhaps shortly vve shall heare, either to recreate the mind or sharpē the wit. [Page 185] or for state and maiestie, or for some o­ther earthly purpose, and betweene this engrafted word, which is able to saue our soules. It is strange, what is reported D [...] [...] of Constantine the great in this kinde. [...]. Eusebius writeth of him that when di­ [...]ine seruice was said, he would helpe the minister to begin the praiers, and to read the verses of the Psalmes [...] ­changeably. And when there was a Ser­mon, if any place of speciall importance were alleadged, that he would turne his Bible, to imprint the place in his minde the better both by hearing & seeing it. He addeth besides, that the Emperour many times beeing as it were rauished with those things which he heard, rose vp sodainely out of his throne & chaire of estate, and would stand a long while to heare more diligently, and though they which were next him did put him in minde to remember himselfe, yet he heard the word so attentiuely, that he would not heare them. How wonder­ [...]ully do's this confound vs, that are sarre inferiour euery vvay, vvhen vve heare and see that Emperours, and [Page 186] mightie Kings and Potentates of the world, shew such a good heart in hea­ring the word, & we in the meane time haue lumpish and dul spirits and affecti­ons, and are neuer a whit mooued? Cer­tainly ye honourable children of God, now Christ talketh with vs by the way, therefore let our hearts burne within vs: now Christ putteth his hand to the hole of the doore, therefore let our hearts be affectioned towards him: now our welbeloued speaketh, therefore let our soules melt: now the blessed virgin, yea a greater then the virgin, euen the virgins Sonne, saluteth vs, and wisheth vs all haile out of his word, therefore let the babe spring in our hearts for ioy: now the Almightie vttereth his voice, therefore let our wings fall downe, and let vs wholly submit our selues to be taught of God. Euen as Cornelius the Centurion thought when he heard Pe­ter preach, that he stood not before a man, but before the Lord: and Constan­tine the Emperour could neuer satisfie himselfe with reuerent attention of his good heart to the word. Then indeede [Page 187] shall we be good ground as all they are which with a good, and a very good heart heare the word, and keepe it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

The second propertie of the good ground is this, that they keepe the word with a very good heart. In our English Corde bono & optimo. Vulga. translation it is read thus, with a good and an honest heart. But I follow the vulgar Latin, which readeth thus; With a good and a very good heart. And I re­ferre the good heart to hearing, the ve­ry good heart to keeping: As if the words stood thus; Which with a good heart, heare the word, and with a very good heart keepe it, and bring forth fruit with patience. To the matter then: It is to no purpose that the seede be sowne, except it be couered in the earth. Neither that the word be heard, except it be kept. Therefore saith the Prophet, In my heart haue I hidde thy Psal. 119. word, that I may not sinne against thee. So that to keepe the word with a very good heart, is to hide and couer this holy seede in the fallow grounds of our heart, beeing plowed vp by the preach­ing [Page 188] of the Gospel. Whereupon the kingdom of heaue [...] is likened to a tre [...] sure hid in a field. And this very field i [...] a faithfull heart, which keepeth and hi­deth in it selfe the word, which is the direct way to the kingdome of heauen. According to that of our Sauiour, Th [...] kingdome of heauen is within you. Ye [...] Matth. 13. 52. a faithfull heart, not onely is a sield wherein is a treasure, but also is it selfe a treasure, wherein are both old and new things. For euery Scribe which is taught vnto the kingdome of heauen, is like vnto a housholder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things both new and old. His heart is filled with a treasure of comforts, gathered out of the olde and new Testament. The wise woman, by whome is meant the spouse Prov. 13. 52. of Christ, keepes her candle a light all [...]. the night long. Clemens vnderstandeth this light to be the heart, and he calleth the meditations of holy men, candles [...]. that neuer goe out. S. Austin writeth among the Pagans in the temple of Venus, there was a candle which was called, vnextinguishable: whether this [Page 189] be true or no of Venus temple it is vn­certen, onely Austi [...]s report we haue [...]or it: but without all doubt in euery faithfull hearer and keeper of the word, who is the temple of the holy Ghost, there is this candle or light that neuer goes out. For so we read, that the word Psal. 19. of the Lord illuminate [...]h the heart: there's the light. And that this light goes not out at any time, appeareth by that which is written else-where: O Psal. 119. Lord, how doe I loue thy statutes, they are my meditation continually? In the old law those creatures onely were ac­compted cleane, which did chew the [...]ud. No otherwise shall we be accōpted vncleane in the sight of God, if we chew not the cud as it were, and ruminate, and meditate of those things which we haue heard out of the word. For e­uen as it is not auaileable to eate, ex­cept the meate be inwardly digested and diuided to all the parts of the bo­die: so hearing is vnprofitable, vnlesse the word heard be kept in minde and memorie, and shewed and set forth in all the parts of our life. Therefore they [Page 190] of Berraea were esteemed more noble Act. 17. 11. then they of Thessalonica, because they after Paul had preached to them, con­ferred among themselues, and searched the Scriptures, not onely to see whe­ther the Apostles doctrine were war­rantable by the word, but also to con­firme their owne memorie, and to ex­ercise their meditation in the Law of God. Now then ye holy ones of God, if we would be good ground indeede, as the Patriarch Iacob noted his sonne Io­sephs Gen. 37. 11. dreames; so let vs not onely heare, but also note the word. For this is pro­per to the child of God, to haue the law of his God in his heart. Not noted in writing tables, or written in tables of stone, but noted & written in the fleshie tables of the heart. And euen as the ho­ly virgin kept all those sayings, and pon­dered Luk. 2. 19. them in her heart, which were by the Shepheards reported and publi­shed abroad concerning her sonne Ie­sus: in like manner they that are wise vvill heare, nay they vvill ponder and keepe those things vvhich they haue heard, that so they may the better vn­derstand [Page 191] the louing kindnesse of the Lord. Especially seeing those things vvhich vve heare are no dreames, but vnsearchable mysteries of our saluati­on: neither are vve that publish and preach them, such shepheards as the Angel spake vnto, but vve are appoin­ted to vvatch ouer the flocke vvhich Christ hath bought vvith his blood. Therefore if you vvould shevv your selues to be good ground, your very good heart must be as a field that hath a treasure hid in it: yea it must be as a treasure it selfe that hath old and nevv things hid in it: it must be as a candle that neuer goes out: and as a cleane creature that neuer leaues chevving the cudde: euen as Iacob noted his sonnes dreames, and the blessed virgin kept the shepheards sayings and pondered them in her heart. For they onely are good ground vvhich vvith a good, and a very good heart, heare the vvord, and keepe it, and bring forth fruit vvith patience.

The third propertie of the good ground is this, that they bring forth fruit vvith patience. Good ground is [Page 192] like a good tree. For indeede good ground will make a good tree. Now a good tree bringeth forth good fruit. And the blessed man which meditateth day and night in Gods law, is like a tree [...]sal 1. planted by the waters side, which brin­geth forth his fruit in due season. So that it is not enough for the word to goe in at one eare, and out at the other, but it must goe in at both eares by re­uerent and religious hearing, and settle deepely into the heart by faithfull and diligent keeping, and lastly goe out at both hands, by bringing forth fruit with patience. Simeon the son of Oni­as [...]. [...]. 1 [...]. was as a faire Oliue tree, that is fruit­full, and as a Cypres tree which grow­eth vp to the cloudes. A cypres tree is high, but barren: an oliue is fruitfull but low▪ So a Christian, must not onely as a cypres tree, reach vp to the clouds by meditation of high mysteries in the word, but also he must as an oliue tree bring forth fruit with patience. Then he shal be like Simeon, neither low, nor barren. But though he be an oliue, yet he shall be as high as the cvpres tree: [Page 193] and though he be a cypresse yet he shall be as fruitfull as the oliue tree. Noah Gen. [...]. 16. is commanded to make a windowe in the toppe of the arke, and a doore in the side of it. A windowe is for the eie to look out, a doore is for the whole bo­die to goe out. And in like manner he that would be good ground, must not onely make him a window for contem­plation, as Daniel did, at which he pray­ed thrise a day, but also a doore for acti­on, as Abraham did, at which he sate once a day. At the windowe of con­tēplation he must meditate, with a ve­ry good heart to keepe the word: at the doore of action he must go out to bring forth fruit with patience. The Lord also commanded Moses to make a lauer with [...] 3 [...] 18. a base or with a foote. Now the Latine word Labium signifies as well a lip, as a lauer. So that the lauer which washeth must haue a base: and the lip which vtte­reth great knowledge must haue a foote to walke according to it. Otherwise if knowledge doe not stand vpon doing and vpon fructifying as vpon a foot, thē questioules it is footelesse, and so conse­quently [Page 194] [...] [Page 195] [...] [Page 194] it is bootelesse, and the lauer wanting a base is altogether vnprofita­ble. The Prophet Isaiah is willed to lift Esai. 58. 1. vp his voice like a trumpet. Many things sound lowder then a trumpet, as the sea, the thunder, and such like. Yet he saies not; List vp thy voice as the sea, or lift vp thy voice as the thunder; but lift vp thy voice as a trumpet. Why so? Be­cause a trumpeter when he sounds his trumpet, he windes it with his mouth, and holds it vp with his hand. And so e­uery faithfull heart, which is as it were a spirituall trumpet to sound out the praises of God; must not onely report them with his mouth, but also support them with his hand. And then indeede holding vp the word of life with his hand, and bringing forth the fruit ther­of with patience, he shall lift vp his voice like a trumpet. The Patriarch A­braham buried Sarah in the caue of Ge [...]. 23. 19. Macpelah, that is in a double sepulchre. He that buries his mind in knowledge onely, without any care of bringing forth fruit, he buries Sarah in a single sepulchre, as Philo Iudaeus doth allego­rize [Page 195] vpon this storie; but he that burieth his minde as well in the performance and practise of religion (which is all in all) as in the knowledge and vnderstan­ding of it, he buries Sarah in a double sepulchre. And so must all we doe, which are the true children of Abra­ham. For then with Abraham burying our spirit in a double sepulchre, we shal with Elizeus haue a double spirit. A spi­rit that heareth the word with a verie good heart, and with patience bringeth forth fruite. Neither is this addition (with patience) altogether to be omit­ted. For though a man cannot heare the word without patience, nor keepe the word without patience, yet pati­ence is neuer so requisite, as in bringing forth fruit according to the word which we haue heard, and kept. Wherefore the holy Ghost saith; Ye haue neede of Heb. 10. 36. patience, that after ye haue done the will of God, ye may receiue the pro­mise. He saies not, After ye haue heard it with your eare, or kept it with your memorie: but after ye haue done the will of God, and brought forth the fruit [Page 196] thereof, yee may receiue the promise. For wherefore did not the stonie groūd bring forth fruite, but onely for want of patience. They receiued the word with ioy, and seemed to haue verie good hearts for a time: but in time of tempta­tion for want of patience they fell away. Wherefore did not the thorny ground bring forth fruit, but onely for want of patience? After their departure wanting patience to digest their griefes they were choked with cares, and so brought forth no fruit. Therefore as a good field must endure many a cold frost & snow, and hard vveather in the winter time; before it can yeeld a fruitfull croppe in Summer: semblably [...]e that vvould be good ground, must possesse his soule in much patience and continually endure, yea euen manfully reiect all the moti­ons of his flesh, all the allurements of the vvorld, all the temptations of the deuill, vvhereby he may be hindred from bringing forth the fruit of good life, according to the holy vvill and vvord of God. He must like a good tree, bring forth good fruite he must [Page 197] with Simeon be not onely high as the cypresse, but also fruitfull as the oliue: he must with Noah make him, not on­ly a windowe for contemplation, but also a doore for action: he must with Moses, make him a lauer with a base: he must with Esay lift vp his voice like a trumpet; he must with Abraham bury Sarah in a double sepulchre: in one word he must alwaies bring forth fruit with patience. For they onely are good ground which with a good, and a verie good heart heare the word, and keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

To conclude then, It is not greatly needefull to exhort you with a good heart to heare the word. Neuer hereto­fore such diligent hearing in the Court, as now a dayes. I dare be bold to say it; All the preachers in England, in verie many yeares by all their exhortations, could neuer haue done halfe so much good in this kind, as the one onely, ho­ly, and happy example hath done, which we see euery day before our eies. Neither need ye be greatly put in mind to keepe in mind the word heard. Me­morie [Page 198] ye haue enough, vnderstanding enough, knowledge enough, learning enough: When you haue heard a Ser­mon, you can remember and repeat, and carrie away, and keepe much of it. But this, this is the thing which I must [...]all vpon my selfe, and vpon all you to thinke of, to wit, that we bring forth the fruit of the word in patience, in temperance, and in all other vertues of a sanctified life. For that Samaritan Wo­man did not fill her pitcher at the well, [...]o spill it by the way, but to carrie it home full of water, and there to vse it as occasion seru'd. Here where the word is preached, is the well of liuing water, flowing forth to eternall life. But this water we must carrie away with vs, and keepe it to wash and purge our consci­ences, to clense our wayes, to water the roots of Gods graces in vs continually, that we may bring forth fruit with pa­tience. Rachel also, that other holy wo­man, did not desire the mandrakes so much to hold it in her hand, or to smell [...]o it, as to be made apt thereby [...] bring forth the fruite of her wombe. [Page 199] To teach vs, that we must not labour so much to knowe the word, that we may subtilly dispute or discourse of it, as to practise it that we may shewe the fruite of it in the amendment of our liues. Therefore king Dauid beeing rea­die to redresse diuers things among his people, saith in one of the Psalmes; O Lord, teach me goodnesse, and know­ledge: knowledge, that I may keepe thy word; and goodnesse that I may shewe the fruit of it. For I am sure, saies he, that al my keeping without fructifying, all my knowledge without goodnesse, is to no purpose. Wherefore, ó Lord, giue me goodnesse and knowledge. But first goodnesse, and then knowledge. Because indeede a little goodnesse, though it be neuer so small, is better then all knowledge, though neuer so great. One handfull of goodnesse is worth an hundred headfulls of know­ledge. For the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome, a good vnder­standing haue all they that doe thereaf­ter, the praise of it [...] sor euer. A good vnderstand [...]ng [...] all they [Page 200] [...] [Page 201] [...] [Page 200] that doe thereafter. Why so? Because an ill vnderstanding haue all they that doe not thereafter. They that haue vn­derstanding, and doe not thereafter, that is, bring not forth fruit according to it, they haue an ill vnderstanding. But they that haue vnderstanding, and do therafter, & lead their lise according to it, such haue a good vnderstanding. The praise of these shal endure for euer. O how highly shall Christ praise you, how richly shall he reward you, if you haue a conscionable care to expresse his vertues, & to be transformed as it were into the obedience of his word? Then he shall say vnto you; Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdome of heauen. For ye haue not onely heard my word, and kept it as farre as know­ledge goes, but also ye haue practised it, and fructified thereby. I was in pri­son, and ye visited me; I was harbour­lesse, and ye lodged me; I was hungry, and ye gaue me meate. These and such other haue beene the good fruites, which haue follovved your hearing and keeping of my word. There­fore [Page 201] now ye shall be praised for your weldoing, and for euer ye shall be bles­sed for your fruit-bearing. Which God graunt to vs all for Iesus Christ his sake, to whom with the Father, and the holy Ghost, be all honour and glorie, power and praise, dignitie and dominion, now and euermore. Amen.

THe principall scope os the Prophet in this place is to prooue, that the righteousnesse, and so the blessednesse of man, consisteth onely in the free forgiuenes of his sinnes, and gratious imputation of Christs merits. His argument may be framed thus; That which the whole Church and e­uery godly man therein hath euer espe­cially praied for in all afflictions and [Page 203] troubles, that is happinesse: But for re­mission of sinnes euery godly man will [...]ray in time of tribulation: Therefore this is the felicitie of the faithfull. To confirme this reason more fully he set­teth downe, first, the circumstances go­ing before the prayer; For this shall e­uery one that is godly make his prayer vnto thee in a time when thou maist be found. Then, the forme of the prayer it selfe; Thou art a place to hide me in, thou shalt preserue me from trouble, thou shalt compasse me about with [...]ongs of deliuerance. Lastly, the effect following the prayer; Surely in the flood of many waters they shall not come neere him.

Prayer is the true sacrifice of faith. The efficacie whereof is briefly, but pi­thily set downe to the Hebrewes. And I haue spoken els-where somewhat largely of this point. Now but a word onely to make a fit entrance into this sermon. Take it therefore thus. The ef­focts of prayer heretofore haue beene wonderfull. Prayer hath fet down haile­stones from heauen, to ouercome fiue [Page 204] Kings with their armies. Prayer hath shut vp the windowes of heauen that it should not raine, and againe hath ope­ned them that the earth might giue her encrease. Prayer hath staied the swist course of the sunne, and caused it to go backward fifteene degrees. Prayer hath held Gods hands that he could not strike when he was readie to plague his people. Prayer without any other helpe or meanes hath throwne downe the strong walls of Iericho. Prayer hath deuided the sea, that the floods thereof could not come neere the Israelites. In this place it deliuereth the faithful man from all the dangers of this world. Surely in the flood of many waters they shall not come neere him.

The summe is this; That no calami­ties of this world, no troubles of this life, no terrours of death, no guiltines of sinne, can be so great, but that a god­ly man by meanes of his faith and feli­citie in Christ, shall wade out of them well inough. For howsoeuer other things goe, still he shall haue such a solace in his soule, such a comfort in his [Page 205] conscience, such a heauen in his heart, knowing himselfe reconciled to God, and iustified by faith, that Surely in the flood of many waters they shall not come neere him.

Which, that it may the better ap­peare, I shall desire you to obserue two things. The danger: the deliuerance. The danger is in these words; In the flood of many waters. Where the tri­bulations that the godly man is subiect to in this life, are likened, First to wa­ters: then to many waters: thirdly, to a flood of many waters; In the flood of many waters. The deliuerance is in these words; Surely they shall not come neare him. Where the deliuerance of the godly man hath three degrees also. First they shall not come neare: second­ly him, they shall not come neare him: then Surely, surely they shall not come neere him. Surely in the flood of many waters, they shall not come neere him.

First, the asflictions of the faithful are likened to waters. Fire and water haue no mercy we say. But of the two water is [Page 206] the worst. For any fire may be quench­ed with water, but the force of water, if it begins to be violent, can not by any power of man be resisted. Canutus who was King of England, Scotland, Den­marke, [...] lib. 7. Norway, and a great part of Sue­via all at once, sitting at a low water vp­on the Thames shoare, commanded the water not to come neare him. But not­withstanding his commandement, the water returning and flowing againe, as that in Ezekiel which came to the an­kles, [...]zek. [...]7. 2. then to the knees, and yet higher to the necke, so neuer left rising till it came vp neere him and wet him. Then turning about to his noble men that were there attendant on him, he said, You call me your Soueraigne Lord and Master, and yet I can not command this little channell of water, to keepe aloose osf from me. Whereupon he went im­mediatly to Westminster, and with his owne hands s [...]t his Crowne vpon the Crucifix there, and could neuer be per­swaded after to weare i [...] vpon his owne head. This experience that Canutus so mightie a King made, doth directly [Page 207] prooue, that no man but God onely can set barres and doores against the water, Iob. 38. [...]1. and say; Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further, and here shalt thou stay thy proud waues. The afslictions of the righteous therefore beeing here com­pared to waters, must needes be very violent. For thus the Psalmist saith, Psal. 88. 8. Thine indignation lieth hard on me, and thou hast vexed me with all thy waues. And God himselfe; I will powre out my wrath vpon thee, as water. So that the securitie and selicitie of the faithfull man is inuincible. He may be often in daunger of tribulations as of [...]. 5. 10. great waues or waters, but they shall neuer ouerwhelme him; Surely in the flood os many waters they shall not come neere him.

But these our tribulations which are waters, are also many waters. Our com­mon prouerb is, Seldome comes sor­row alone. But as waters come rouling and wauing [...] ther: so the mi­series [...]. of this [...] Prophet Ezekiel saw the roul [...] [...] written with in and withou [...], and there was written [Page 208] therein, Lamentations, and singing, and woe. This booke is written within and without, to shew that many are the troubles of the righteous, both outward and inward. And it is two to one if any thing befall vs, it is rather an ill happe, then a good happe. Seeing for one sin­ging, there is in the booke a double sor­rowing, lamentations, and woe. Or if it be read as some translate it; Lamen­tations, Et scriptur [...] in eo erat la­mentatio­num, [...] car­minis, & [...]. Trem [...]ll. and mourning, and woe, then it is yet more plaine, that in this world many troubles as many waters come one in the necke of an other, no earthly ioy or comfort comming betweene. This the good King greatly complai­neth Psal. 42. 7. of, One deepe calleth an other be­cause of the noise of the water pipes, all thy floods and stormes haue gone ouer me. And Iob, He hath giuen me one Iob. 16. 14. wound vpon another, and he hath runne vpon me as a gyant. And Saint Paul though in one place he write God Philip. 2. 37. shewed mercie [...] him, that he should not haue [...] vpon sorow, yet oftentimes els [...] [...] speaketh of his owne manifo [...]d daungers. I soffered [...]. [...]. 1 [...]. 26 [Page 209] thrice shipwracke, saies he: night and day haue I bin in the deepe sea. In iour­neying I was often, in perills of waters in perills of robbers, in perills of mine owne nation, in perills among the Gentiles, in perills in the citie, in perills in the wildernesse, in perills in the sea, in perills among false brethren. Thus we see how many waters the godly man is subiect to in this life. For one ioy he hath at the least two sorowes, if he haue no more: one deepe calleth an other: one wound bringeth another: he hath sorow vpon sorow: perills vpon perills, Many waters: many dangers. Neuer the­lesse, Surely in the flood of many wa­ters, they shall not come neare him.

Thirdly, the dangers of this life, are as a [...]lood. The very naming and mentioning of a flood must needes be very terrible, euer since Noahs flood destroyed the whole world. For euen as a horse or a mule of whom the Pro­phet a little after speaketh in this Psalm. hauing beene once well lashed with a whippe, doth euer after feare if he heare but the bell which is tied to the [...] [Page 210] so man since the world was so well scou­red and scourged with a flood, could ne­uer almost abide either to talke or thinke of it. Now though our whole life be nothing else but a flood of many waters, yet nothing in the world may more fitly be so called, then our going out of the world. This indeede bringeth with it a [...]lood of many waters, and an Ocean sea of infinite cares. Aristotle writeth that nothing is so terrible as death, which Antiochus feeling sensi­bly in himselfe, crieth out thus, Oh into 1. Mat. [...]. 11. what aduersitie am I come, and into what floods of miserie am I now fallen? He addeth the reason anon after; For I must die with great sorrow in a strange land. What speake I of a wicked tyrant? Holy men often are in great perplexitie at the time of their departure. S. Hierō [...]. in [...]. writeth of Hilarion, that being ready to giue vp the ghost, he said thus to his soule; Go forth my soule, why fearest thou? go forth, why tremblest thou? Thou hast serued Christ almost these threescore and ten yeares, and dost thou now feare death? Christ himselfe also [Page 211] feeling that he was compassed about with the sorrowes of death, beganne to be afraid, and to be in great heauinesse, and he said moreouer, My soule is very Mark. 14. 33. heauie euen to the death. I know well Christ was afraid without sinne, nay with great comfort. For he prayeth thus, Not as I will, but as thou wil [...]. And againe, Into thy hands I commit my spirit. This then was his comfort, that the Iewes could do nothing in putting him to death, but as S. Peter testifieth, that onely which his father both by his counsell and will had decreed, and by his hand had ordained. Hilarion al­so that holy antient Father comforteth himselfe with this, that he had serued Christ almost seauentie yeares. Other children of God haue had other com­forts, and all haue this, that both in life and in death they are happie in Christ. Howbeit seeing many holy Christians, and euen Christ himselfe feared death, it remaineth that death simply and in it selfe considered, is a flood of many wa­ters. But yet the faithfull man euen in death is out of all danger. Surely in the [Page 212] floods of many waters, they shall not come neere him.

Thus much for the first part which is the danger; In the flood of many wa­ters. The second part followeth, which is the deliuerance; Surely, they shall not come neere him.

First, they shall not come neere. They, that is, The waters shal not come neere. The holy Church and euery member thereof is likened to a house built vpon a rocke. Vpon which though the winds blow, and the floods Matth. 7. 25. beate, yet it can not be throwne down, because it is built vpon a rocke. So that the floods which shake it, can neuer come neere it to ouerthrowe it. The same may be said of the ship couered with waters. It might well floate, but it could neuer be drowned. For as soone as the Disciples cryed vpon Christ to Matth. 8. 24. saue them, presently there followed a great calme. Therefore Luther when his life was sought of all the world in a manner, translated the Psalme Deus noster refugium, into dumb meerer, and Psal. 46. 1. caused it to be sung in all the reformed [Page 213] churches. God is our hope a [...]d strength a very present helpe in trouble. There­fore will we not feare though the earth be mooned, and though the hills be [...]ca ried into the midst of the sea. Though the waues thereo [...] rage and s [...]ell: and though the mountaines shake at the tempest of the same. [...]. Peter the Apo­stle began to sincke, but he sunke not right downe. Christ was readie at hand to helpe him. For as soone as he sawe himselfe in present perill and danger, forth with he cryed, Master saue me. Saue me O God: for the waters are com [...]. [...] 1. a [...]d 1 [...]. in euen vnto my soule. I sti [...]ke [...]ast in the deepe mire where no ground i [...]; I am come into deepe waters, so that the floods runne ouer me. Take me out of the mire that I sinke not, and out of the deepe waters. Let not the water flood drown me, neither let the deep swall [...]w me vp: & let not the pit th [...]t her mouth vpon me. S. Paul likewise suffered ship­wrack, A [...]. but lost not by it one haire of his head. Wherby we may s [...]e the abs [...]rdity of the Papists. They would prooue that iustifying grace may be lost, because [Page 214] some haue made shipwracke of faith. But if we should graunt them that the Apostle speaketh of iustifying not of 1. Tim. [...]. 19. historical faith, yet we haue the helpe of a second answer. To wit, that shipwrack is one thing, and drowning an other. Therefore faith which is wrackt is not by and by drowned. For it may happen to suffer shipwracke as S. Paul did, and swimme out safe to the shore. But this is but a touch by the way. Meane season we see how safe and secure the faithfull man is in Christ. He is a house to which the floods may come neere to shake it, but neuer to throvve it downe, he is a ship, which the waues may come neere to tosse it, but neuer to turne it ouer: e­uen as Saint Peter began to sinke, but still kept vp his head: and Saint Paul suffred shippewracke, but was not a haire the worse for it. Surly in the flood of many waters, they shall not come neere him.

Secondly, him. They shall not come neere him. This word must in no case be omitted. It helpeth vs to answer a verie strong obiection. For it may be [Page 215] said, Many holy men haue lost their goods, haue suffered great torments in their bodie, haue beene troubled also in minde; how then did not the floods of many waters come neere them? The word Him helpes vs to answer. The ve­rie Philosophers themselues reckoned their goods pertained no more to thē, then be it spoken with reuerence and regard, the parings of their nailes. Ze­non hearing newes he had lost all he had by sea, said onely thus; Thou hast [...] facis [...] cum [...] compel­ [...]. done very well Fortune to leaue me no­thing but my cloake. An other called Anaxarchus, when as Nicocreon the tyrant commanded he should be beaten to death in a mortar, spake thus to the executioner; Beate and bray as long as thou wilt Anaxarchus his bagge or sa­chell (so he called his owne bodie) but Anaxarchus thou canst not touch. Yet these making so smal reckoning of their goods and bodie, set their minde not­withstanding at a high rate. The minde [...] est [...]. of a man, is himselfe, say they. Hence it is that Iulius Caesar, when Amyclas the Pilot vvas greatly afraid of the tempest, [Page 216] spake to him thus, What meanest thou to feare base fellovv, dost thou not [...]. k [...]ovv thou cariest Caesar vvith thee? As if he should say, Caesars bodie may vvell be drovvned, as any other mans may, but his minde, his magnanimitie, his valour, his fortitude, can neuer be [...]. Thus farre vvent Philoso­phie: But Diuinitie goeth a degree fur­ther. For Philosophie defineth Him, that is a man, by his reason and the morall [...] of the minde; But Diui­nitie desineth a Christian man by his faith and his coniunction thereby vvith Christ. Excellently saith Saint Austin: [...]. 19. [...]. When e com's it that the soule dieth? [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] Because faith is not in it. Whence that the bodie dieth? Because a soule is not in it. Therefore the soale of thy soule is faith. So that if we vvould knovve vvhat is a faithfull man, vve must define Him, not by his naturall soule, as he is resona­ble, but by the soule of his soule, vvhich i [...] his [...]aith. And then vve easily ansvver the [...], that a [...] may come [...]eere a faithfull mans goods, neere his [...], neere his reasonable soule, but [Page 217] [...]o his saith, that is to Him, it can neuer come neere. For if you speake of the life and essence of him, that it is faith, the Prophet also witnesseth, The iust Abacu [...]k. shall liue by faith. And the Apostle, Gal. 2. 20. Now I liue not, but Christ liueth in me, but that I liue, I liue by faith in the sonne of God, who loued me; and gaue himselfe for me. And he that was wiser then all the Philosophers deter­mineth this doubt thus; The summe of the matter vvhen you haue heard all is [...]. 12. 23. this: [...]eare God, and keepe his com­mandements; for this is all of man. All of man, what's that. All of man which will hold out against all floods of ma­ny waters. For the goods of man may be gotten away by [...]orged cauillati­on: the bodie of man may be weake­ned by sickenesse: the soule of man and the fae [...]lties thereof, as memorie, witte, and such like, may be impai­red by age, but saith in Christ, the feare of God, a care to keepe his commaundements, is all of man, which no [...], either in life or in death can ouer whelme. All of man wherein [Page 218] man ought to imploy himselfe while he is aliue, and vvithout which, man is but vanitie when he is dead, but with which, man both in life and death is most blessed. For if this be the summe of all, then of any thing but this there is no reckoning at all to be made. I haue praied for thee, saith our Sauiour, that Matth. 16. [...]. thy faith should not faile, and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against thee. For loue is strong as death: iealously is [...]. 8. 7. cruell as the graue: the coales thereof are fierie coales, and a vehement flame. Much water cannot quench loue, nei­ther can the floods drowne it. Euen as Paul also glorieth, that nothing can se­parate [...]. 8. him from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus. Wherefore seeing the godly man is so inuincible, that nei­ther the gates of hell, nor the flood­gates of many waters, can preuaile a­gainst him; Surely in the flood of ma­ny waters, they shall not come neere him.

In the last place must be considered the asseueration, Surely. For if both li­uing and dying my [...] be most cer­tai [...]e [Page 219] in Christ, and yet I know not so much, what comfort can I gather there­by? Now in all aduersities this is my greatest ioy, that the fauour of God which is most constant in it selfe, is ful­ly assured also to me. For, I know that my redeemer liueth. And if I be iudged, I know I shall be found righteous. And I know whome I haue beleeued, and I am sure. In one word, I am Surely per­swaded, that neither life nor death, nor any thing els can separate vs frō Christ. Rom. 8. 37. Nay in all the flood of waters we shall be more then conquerours. They shall not come neere to conquer vs. But ra­ther we shall conquer them. Yea that which is strangest of all, Surely we shall be more then conquerers ouer them. Though an hoast of men were laid a­gainst me, yet shall not my heart be a­fraid: and though there rose vp warre Psal. 27. 3. against me, yet will I put my trust in it. Not in him, as it is ill translated in the English, but in it; that is, In the very warre it selfe. I will not feare. Nay I will be of good hope. Yea Surely in the ve­ry warre will I hope and trust. For e­uen [Page 220] as a building made arch-wise, the more waight is laide vpon it, the more strong still it is: so the more force and strength is brought against me, the greater triumph & victorie I shall haue. Therefore I will not be afraid of tenne Psal. 3. 7. thousand of the people, that haue se [...] themselues against me round about. For a thousand of them shall [...] at my side, and ten thousand at my right hand, but they shall not come neere me. The Arke in the [...] was not drow [...]ed, as Gen. 7. 18. other things were, but floated vpon the waters. Yea the higher the waters en­creased, the higher Surely for that did the Arke still arise. Likewise the redde [...]ea did not hinder the Israelites pas­sage, [...]. 1 [...] 22. but opened an easie way to them. Yea Surely it vvas morcouer as a vvall to backe them against all their enemies. The vvordes o Saint Iames are ver [...]e [...]. 1. 2. plaine, My brethren, count it exceeding [...]oy when you fall into diuers temptati­ons. Tenta [...]ion of it selfe doth vexe and disquiet a man. But to the godly it is a ioy. As we read els where, That they [...]vhich are iustisied by [...] haue peace, [Page 221] nay, haue easie accesse to God, and great ioy in tribulations. But the Apo­stle adding, that this ioy is not common Ro [...]. 5. or ordinarie, but Surely exceeding ioy, raiseth vp the ampli [...]ication as high as may be. Whereunto. S. Paul also ac­cordeth; 2. Cor. 4. 9. We are af [...]licted on euery side, yet we are not in distresse: in pouertie, but not ouercome of pouertie, we are persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but we perish not. Here he prooueth directly, that the flood commeth not neere the faithfull. But where is the Surely? It followeth in the same epistle; As dying, and behold we liue: as chaste­ned, and yet not killed: as sorrowing, and yet alwaies re [...]oycing▪ as poore, and 2. [...]. 6. 1 [...]. yet making many rich: as hauing no­thing, and yet possessing all things. O the securi [...]ie and felici [...]ie of the faith­full! For his faith maketh life of death: ioy of sorrowe: riches of pouertie. What shall I say more? or what would you haue me say more, then as the Apostle saies? It makes all things of nothing. As hauing nothing saies he, and yet p [...]ss ssi g all thing [...]. [Page 222] But the special thing to be noted in this sentence is, As dying, and Behold we liue. For they import, that death is no death, but As it were death, an image, or a shadowe of death: beeing indeede life, and Surely a better life and more immortall then we had here. Therefore he saies, Behold we liue, to shewe that by death the faithfull liue a life wherein there is some great specialty and excel­lency worthy indeed to be beholded & regarded. As if he should say; Behold we liue, Behold we liue a more happy life, then euer we liued in our life. S. Augustin often commēdeth the saying Non ita [...]ixi inter vo [...], vt [...]e pudeat viuere: nec mori ti [...]eo, quia bonum dominum habemus. Pontius in fine vitae [...] ­ius of his master S. Ambrose when he was readie to die. Speaking to Stilico and others about his bed; I haue not liued so among you, saith he, that I am asha­med to liue longer if it please God: and yet again I am not afraid to die, because we haue a good Lord. He doth not say, Mine ovvne goodnesse puts me out of feare, but Gods goodnesse. This good­nesse of God makes me quiet in my conscience, and secure in soule, readie to embrace death vvhensoeuer it com­meth. [Page 223] Wherefore Surely is fitly ad­ded. For afflictions as vvaters doe not ouercome the faithfull. Nay they come not neere him. But contrariwise the faithfull conquereth afflictions. Yea Surely he is in them all more then a conquerour. In vvarre he is not afraid. Rather he greatly hopeth. And Surely euen in the verie vvarre he hopeth. The flood of vvaters commeth not neere to drovvne the Arke, but lift it vp. And so much the higher Surely the arke still riseth, as the flood riseth. The sea stai­eth not the Israelites passage. It is a dry land for them to march on. As a vvall moreouer to backe them Surely against all their enemies. Tentation not onely is no matter of sorrovve, but also on the other side of ioy, & Surely of great ioy. Death is no death, but a life, and Surely such a life, as onely of it vve may say, Behold vve liue. So happie both in life and death is the faithfull man; Surely in the flood of many waters, they shall not come neere him.

To conclude then; No calamitie or aduersitie can possibly disseuer that [Page 224] coniunction vvhich faith maketh of e­uery godly man with Christ. For fee­ling the remission of his sinnes assured and sealed vnto him, he contemneth not onely the works of the world, and dismaiments of his conscience, but euen the very feares and terrours of death. This our deare brother M. Edward Liuely, who now resteth in the Lord, lead a life which in a manner was no­thing els but a continuall flood of many waters. Neuer out os suits of law, neuer­ceasing disquieters of his studie. His goods distrained, and his ca [...]tell driuen off his ground, as Iobs was. His deare wife beeing not so well able to beare so great a flood as he, euen for very sorrow presently died. A lamentable and rue­full case. So many children to hang vp­on his hand, for which he had neuer main [...]enance, neither yet now had stay, his wife beeing gone. Well, but that sorrowfull time was blowne ouer. He was appointed to be one of the chiefest translators. And as soone as it was knowne how farre in this trauaile he did more then any of the rest, he was [Page 225] ver [...]e well prouided for in respect of li­uing. For which my L. his Grace of Canterbury now liuing, is much to b [...] reuerenced and honoured. But beeins so well to passe both for himselfe an [...] for his children, so dainely he fell sicke. He was taken with an ague & a squin­sey both together. And the more vsuall that was, the lesse dangerous was this accompted, but the euent shewes the contrarie. For the squinsey beeing both by himselfe and his friends no greatly regarded, within foure dayes tooke a­way his life. These were many waters and diuerse tribulatio [...]s. Besides a thou­sand more, which I cannot now stand to repeate. Ye [...] he carried himselfe so in life and death, as these waters seemed not once to come neere him. He was professour of the Hebrewe tongue in this Vniuersitie thirty yeares. (As his father in law D. Larkyn bad beene pro­fessour of Phisick siue or sixe and thirty yeares.) Which tongue, howsoeuer some account of it, yet ought to bee preferred before all the rest. For it is the antienst, the shortest, the [Page 226] plainest of all. A great part of wisdome, as Plato sheweth, is in the knowledge In Cratylo. of true Etymologies. These in other tongues are vncertaine, in this taken out of the naturall qualities of euery thing that is named. In so much as whē any man hath found the Hebrewe Ety­mologie, then he neede seeke no for­ther. Besides, all the Scripture written before the birth of Christ, except a fewe chapters of Daniel and Ezra, were written in Hebrewe. And the Rabbins themselues, though they haue no small number of fables and lies in them, yet diuerse things they haue notwithstan­ding fit for the opening of the old Te­stament. Therefore though a man can­not reade the Rabbins, yet vnlesse he can vnderstand handsomely well the Hebrew text, he is compted but a mai­med, or as it were but halfe a Diuine, especially in this learned age. Lastly, di­uerse learned men are of opinion, to whome I very willingly assent, that the holy tongue which was spoken in para­dise, shalbe eternally vsed in the heauen­ly paradise, where the Saints shall euer [Page 227] extoll and praise God. But this worthy professour deceased, got him great cre­dit, as well by the continuance, as by the holinesse of his profession. For he was not a professour for one or two yeares, as others are, but full thirtie In [...] ­tio pag. 444. yeares together. Nathan Cytraeus wri­teth, that in Prage an Vniuersitie of Bo­hemia, where Iohn Hus and Hicrome of Prage professed, that they that haue continued professours for the space of 20. yeares together, are created Earles and Dukes both together. And there­fore their style is to be called Illustres, whereas they which are singly and sim­ply but onely either Earles or Dukes are called Spectabiles. Neither maketh it any matter that they haue no reue­newes, to maintaine Earldomes or Dukedomes. For they haue the title notwithstanding euen as Suffragans haue of Bishops. Our good brother ha­uing no such profit or dignitie pro­pounded vnto him, but contenting himselfe with his stipend, spent halfe his life in this place. For he was vpon threescore yeares old when he died. He [Page 228] wrote a book of Annotations vpon the first fiue small Prophets, dedicated to that great pa [...]ron of learning and lear­ned men, Sir Francis Walsingham. Wherein diuers speeches and phrases of the Prophets are compared with the like in Poets and Oratours both Greek and Latin, and many notes neither vn­pleasant nor vnprofitable to be read, are set out of the Rabbins. But in mine opi­nion he took greatest pains in his Chro­nologie, which he dedicated to Doctor Iohn Whitgift the reuerend late Arch­bishop of Canterbury. This booke in­deede is full of hidden learning, and sheweth infinite reading in stories. I asked him within this little while, whe­ther he had written no more bookes. He tould me he had, but printed no more, because he had no time to peruse and per [...] them for other businesse. Now by busines he meant, I weene especially his studie & care to performe well his taske in the translation. Wher­in how excellently he was imploved, all they can witnes who were ioyned with him in that labour. For though they be [Page 229] the very slower of the Vniuersitie for knowledge of the tongues, yet they will not be ashamed to confesse, that no one man of their companie, if not by other respects, yet at leastwise for long experience and exercise in this kind, was to be compared with him. For in­deede he was so desirous that this busi­nes begunne by the commandement of our most gratious Soueraigne King Iames, should be brought to a happie ende, that oftentimes in many mens hearings, he protested he had rather die, then be any way negligent herein. Which as some thinke by all likelihood came indeede so to passe. To wit, that too earnest studie and paines about the translation, hastened his death, and brought it on sooner. Now as he liued so, in his profession, in his writings, in his translating, as though all the floods of many waters had neuer comn' neare him: euen so also he died. During the short time of his sicknes, he caried himselfe, as alwaies before, humbly, mildly, quietly, constantly. One of his louing friends standing by his bed, and [Page 230] saying; M. Liuely, I pray God you may haue patience, and hope, and especially faith vnto the ende. He lifting vp his hands said heartily and cheerefully, A­men. Little he vsed to speake, and more he could not say, for the paine and im­pediment of his squinsey. Which though it made a speedie ende of him, as the apoplexie did of the good Empe­rour Valentinian, yet how could any death be sodaine to him, whose whole life was nothing els but a meditation of death, and vvhome the Lord whensoe­uer he came, might finde doing his du­tie? Wherefore no reason we should lament his departure out of this world. He liued blessedly, he died blessedly in the Lord. Rather, you Reuerend and learned Vniuersitie-men, lament for this, that you haue lost so famous a Pro­fessour, and so worthie a writer. Lament you translatours, beeing now depriued of him, who no lesse by his owne merit and desert, then by the priuiledge of his place, was to order and ouersee all your trauailes. Lament you poore or­phans, eleuen poore children of you, [Page 231] which he left behind him, as Christ as­cending left eleuen Disciples, bereaued of your kinde and deare Father, desti­tute of necessaries for your mainte­nance, to seeke of all helpe and meanes, but onely (as poore folkes vse to speake) such as God and good friends shall pro­uide. Lament, lament all of you, of the tovvne as vvell as of the Vniversitie, be­cause our Schoole hath lost such a sin­gular ornament of this age, because our Churches haue lost such a faithfull and syncere s [...]ruant of Christ. Question­lesse, as it should seeme by the taking a­way of this man, almightie God is greatly angrie with vs all for our sinnes. Christ Iesus our Master as though he meant no more to care for vs, seemeth to lie fast asleepe in the ship, while vve most miserably in the flood of many waters are turmoiled and tossed. Wher­fore let vs in time crie aloud, and a­wake him with our praiers. Or rather indeede he is not asleepe, but awake al­readie. We haue awaked him, not with our praiers, but with our sinnes. Our sinnes haue cried vp to heauen. And [Page 232] the Lord beeing awaked, as a gyant comes forth against vs, and as a mighty man refreshed with wine. For not one­ly those are waters which are in the chanell, or in the sea, but as waters are here vnderstood, euen those fires are waters, those fires I say, which very lately awaked vs at midnight, & affrigh­ted vs at noone day: which raged on the South side, and anon after on the North side o [...] the towne. It was but a fewe mens losse, but it was all mens The plagu [...], [...], [...] warning. And what? shall we make no­thing of this, that one kind of disease deuoureth vp the townesmen, an o­ther the schollers? This is now the tenth course of schollers, which within this moneth hath beene brought forth to buriall, not one of them dying of the plague, whereas heretofore if one or two scholers haue died in a whole yeare out of all Colledges, it hath beene ac­compted a great matter. This and such like grieuous iudgements, beloued, doe plainely declare, that the Lord beeing awaked with the cry of our sinnes, is grieuously displeased and offended at [Page 233] vs. Wherefore let vs yet now at the length in the name of God, rowfe vp our selues, and awake out of our dead­ly sinnes. Let this that our holy brother did so sodainly in a manner, fall asleepe, be a loud O yes, as it were to awake vs all. Let euery one of vs, amend one, iudge one, accuse one, condemne one, that we be not all condemned of the Lord. Let euery one of vs I beseech you crie vp to heauen for mercie, and say with Dauid, I haue sinned and done wickedly. Or with Ionas; Take me, for I knowe that for my sake this great tem­pest is vpon you. Then our most merci­full father shall blesse vs all, as he hath done this holy Saint, both in our life and in our death, by the pardoning of our offences, & couering all our sinnes, with the bowells and blood of Christ. And though in this world we be euer subiect to a flood of many waters, yet he shall drawe vs still out of many wa­ters, as hee did Moses. Surely in the floode of many waters, no more then they did to Ionas, they shall not come neare vs. Neither [Page 234] onely shall we be safe in the flood of death, but also in the flood of the day of iudgement. For that also is a flood, and a terrible fearefull one too. To wit, not of water, but of fire. As it was in the dayes of Noah: so shall it be at the comming of the sonne of man. In the first flood they which had not an arke, ranne vp to the toppes of houses, to the tops of trees, to the toppes of moun­taines; because they desired to hold vp their heads aboue the still rising raging water. In the second, they which are not found in Christ, shall say to the mountaines, Fall vpon vs: and to the caues, Couer vs, and hide vs from the wrath of the Lambe. Then they shall be glad to creepe into euery hold and corner, that they may auoide the bur­ning of fire. But we that confesse our sinnes, and forsake the fame, shall lift our heads to no other mountain, but tò Christ from whome commeth our sal­uation: we shall desire to be couered with no other rocke, but onely with that out of which came the blood and water of life. For neuer did Noahs flood [Page 235] so cleane wash away all wicked men from the face of the earth, as the blood of Christ shall purge vs from all our sinnes, and present vs blamelesse before the face of our father, onely if we be faithfull vnto death. For then the next thing is felicitie, and the crowne of life. Which God for his mercie sake graunt vs all, that as we make no doubt, but this our holy brother now trium­pheth with Christ, so all and euery one of vs, after we haue waded through this world as a flood of many waters, may inherit that kingdome of glorie, which our louing Lord Iesus hath pur­chased for vs with his deare blood: to whom with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glorie, now and euermore: Amen.

THe old Testament, and the new Testament, in summe and substance, are all one. Christ Iesus the very summe & sub­stance of them both in himselfe is one and the same, yesterday, Heb. 13. 8. and to day, and for euer. Those mysti­call wheeles, which Ezekiel Ezeck. 1. 16. sees in a [Page 237] vision: are one within an other. After the same sort, there is gospell in the lawe, and there is lawe in the gospell. One wheele is within another: one te­stament is within another. For neither is the lawe so full of threatenings, but that it hath some comforts in it: nei­ther is the gospell so full of comforts, but that it hath some threatenings in it. So that the lawe, is nothing else but a threatning gospell; and the gospel, is nothing els, but a comfortable lawe. The two cherubims Exo. 25. 20., which shadowe the merey-seat, haue their faces one to­ward another. In like manner, the two testaments which shadowe out Christ the true mercy-seat vnto vs, haue their faces one toward another. For the old testament looketh forward toward the newe, which is come: and the newe te­stament looketh backeward, toward the old, which is past. Those glorious seraphims [...]. 6. 3. which sing, Holy, Holy Ho­ly, do call to one another. So the lawe and the gospell, lauding him alone, which is the holy one of God, doe call to one another. Behold the Lambe of [Page 238] God which taketh away the sinnes of the world. There, the lawe calls to the gospell, when Iohn commends Christ. Among them that haue beene borne of women, there hath not risen a greater, then the Baptist. Here on th'other side, the gospell calls to the lawe, when Christ cōmends Iohn. Whereupon also commending his spouse Cant. 4. 5., he saies, Thy two breasts are like two young roes, that are twins, feeding among the lil­lies. The two breasts of the church are the tvvo testaments; out of which vve that are the children of the church, suck the pure milke of the vvord of God. These testaments feede among the lil­lies. Because they treate and discourse especially of Christ, vvho saies, I am the lilly of the valleyes. These testaments also are like tvvo young roes, that are tvvins. Because tvvins, (as vve reade of Hippocrates t [...]ins) vvhen they goe, they goe together, vvhen they feede, they feede together. And after the same fashion, the tvvo testaments, beeing the tvvo breasts of the church, go toge­ther, and feede together, like tvvo [Page 239] young roes that are tvvins, feeding a­mong the lillies. The Prophet Zacha­rie [...]. [...]. 11. sees in a vision, tvvo oliue trees, vvhich thorough tvvo golden pipes, emptie themselues into the golden candlesticke. This golden candlesticke, shining continually, and giuing light to uery one that came into the tabernacle, was a figure of that light, which lighte­neth euery one that commeth into the world. And euen as the light of that candlesticke, was alwaies maintained onely with the oyle, which dropping from the oliue trees, and distilling tho­rough the golden pipes, was conueyed into it: so Christ shineth in our hearts, onely by the light of his word, and the two testaments, are, as it were, two golden pipes, slowing-forth, and strea­ming both together, whereby the oyle of all gladnesse and goodnesse is pow­red into vs. Wherefore, it is manifest, that the old testament and the newe te­stament, as Ezechiels wheeles, are one within another. Yea moreouer, as those ch [...]rubins, they looke one toward an o­ther: as those seraphims, they sing one [Page 240] to an other: as those young roes, they feede both together: as those golden pipes, they flowe forth both together. And therefore, as there are two cheru­bims, and yet but one obiect that they both looke vpon, which is the mercy­seate; as there are two seraphims, and yet but one song that they both sing, which is the Holy; as there are two roes, and yet but one food that they both feede vpon, which is the lilly: as there are two pipes, and yet but one vessell that they both flow into, which is the golden candlesticke; so, there are two testaments, and yet but one summe and substance of them both, which is Christ. Christ the onely Mercy-seat; the onely Holy; the onely Lillie; the onely gol­den Candlesticke.

But now, though these two testaments agree together thus in Christ, whom S. Paul calleth, [...], the recapitu­lation, [...]ph. 1. 10. or the abridgment of them both; yet, if it will please you to consider the diuerse dispensation of [...]hem, you shall in this whole verse obserue six differen­ces betweene them. And euery diffe­rence, [Page 241] is a dignitie. Euery difference of the gospel from the law, is a dignitie of the Gospel aboue the l [...]we.

The first difference is in these words, But all we. In the time of the old testa­ment very fewe did behold the glorie of the Lord. When the law was giuen, on­ly Moses might come vp to the top of the mount, all the people stood below. Which custome continued euen vntill the comming of Christ. For when in­cense was offred, Luk. 1. 10. onely Zacharie went into the temple, all the multitude stood without. But suppose more men then Moyses or Zacharie did at that time be­hold the glorie of the Lord, yet certain­ly more nations then the Iewes did not behold it. The Iewes onely were Gods peculiar people. As for the Gentiles they were suffred to walke in their own wayes. The Lord shewed his word vnto Iacob, his statutes and ordinances vnto Israel. He dealt not so with any other nation, neither had the heathen know­ledge of his lawe: which likewise conti­nued euen vntill the cōming of Christ. For when a woman of Canaan cryed [Page 242] to our Sauiour, saying, Haue mercy on me; he answered her, I am not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel. Yea, not onely he himselfe denied mercie to the Gentils, but also he char­ged his disciples for a time to shewe no mercie vnto them. Goe not into the way of the Gentiles, saies he, Mart. 10. 5. and in­to the cities of the Samaritans enter ye not. But go rather to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel. So that it was but one man onely among all the people, namely Moses, or Zacharie: or, to take it at the verie highest, it was but one people onely among all nations, name­ly the Iewes, or the Israelites, which did in the time of the old testament be­hold the glorie of the Lord.

But all we, now all we, with open face behold as in a glasse the glorie of the Lord. Then, they did sing [...]. Notus in Iu­daea deus, In Iewrie is God knowne, his name is great in Israel. But now we sing, [...]. laudate dominum omnes gentes, O praise the Lord all ye heathen, praise him all ye nations. Then, no vncircumcised stran­ger might eat the passeouer, [...]. 12. [...]. onely [Page 243] those might eate it, which were borne in the land. But now, all we that are o­therwise strangers from the common­wealth of Israel haue an altar H [...]b. 13. 10. [...] [...] od. qu [...]t. 24., and bee­ing circumcised with circūcision made without hands, we may all of vs eate the Easter-lamb, which hath bin slaine for vs. Then, the name of Christ was as an oyntment kept close in an alabaster­box, the sauour whereof perfumed one­ly a part of the house. But now, it is as an Vnguentum [...] oyntment powred out [...]. 1. 2. Christi no men ante e­ius aduen­tum in Israel populo [...] in [...] ali­quo [...] batur, [...]. the sweet smell wherof perfumeth all the house of God. Then, the doctrine of saluation was preached onely in the secret places of Palestina, which was but a corner of the world. But now, it is, as it were, proclai­med vpon the tops of houses Luk. 12 3., and pub­lished ouer all the whole earth. Then, onely the asse vsed to the yoke, the Iew vsed to the yoke of the law, was brought vnto Christ. But now, he hath ridden into Ierusalem, vpon the asses foale [...]. and he hath made all the Gentiles, which were before like vntamed colts, tracta­ble & obedient and seruiceable to him­selfe. Then, on [...]ly naturall branches, [Page 244] which were the Iewes, did by faith take roote downward, and by charitie beare fruit vpward. But now, wild branches are grafted into the right oliue tree Ro. 11. 17., and all the Gentiles are incorporated into the bodie of Christ.

Therefore that is now most true which our Sauiour saies concerning his Church, [...]an. 6. 8. The Queenes and the concu­bines haue praised her. The Queenes are the Iewes, whome Christ of old had espoused to himselfe. The concubines are the Gentiles: which though here­tofore they haue runne a whoring after strange gods, as the Prophet speaketh, yet now they are faithfull vnto Christ. So that, not onely the Queenes, but also the concubines praise the Church, yea all generations doe call her blessed. Which is the cause, why Salomon also had three hundred queenes, and seauen hundred concubines 1. Reg. 11. 3.. Not so much to satisfie his owne fancy, as to signifi [...] Gods pleasure. Namely, that there should be seauen in the time of the Go­spell, to three in the time of the Law, seauen to three, which should loue the [Page 245] true Salomon Christ Iesus. And that, not only three hundred persons among the Iewes, but also seauen hundred na­tions among the Gentiles, yea all the nations of the earth, should at length be ioyned to Christ. Now Salo­mon, not onely by the multitude of his concubines (and likewise by marrying Pharaohs daughter) did foreshewe the calling of the Gentiles; but much more 1. Reg. 5. 1. by requesting Hiram king of Tyrus, to helpe him build the temple. For none but Israelites did meddle with building the tabernacle; whereas Sidonians, and diuerse other Gentiles, did helpe to build the temple. Which did mystically insinuate a further thing. To wit, that though the Synagogue of the Iewes did consist onely of Israelites, yet the Sidonians, and all other nations, should one day come together, and put-too their helping hand, to edisie and build vp the Church of Christ. Euen as the father of Salomon prophesied of it long before, [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] lib. 8. The kings of Tarsis and the Isles shall giue [...], the kings of Arabia and Saba shall bring gifts. Al [Page 246] people shall fall downe before him, all nations shall doe him seruice. We read Num. 33. 9. that the Israelites remooued their tents from Marah, and came to Elim, where they found twelue fountaines of water, and seauentie palme trees. All the while they were in Marah, which signifieth bitternes, they saw no foun­taine, no palme tree. But when they came to Elim, which signifieth ra [...]s, then they found twelue fountaines, and seauentie palme trees. This iourney of the Israelites did intimate thus much. That the Church of Christ, should ne­uer leaue iourneying on forward, till it came from Marah to Elim. That is, from the Iewes, whose mouthes are full of cursing and bitternes, to the Gentiles, which are the true flocke and sheepfold of Christ. Here, the Church findeth twelue fountaines, and seauentie palme trees, [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] twelue Apostles and seauentie Dis [...]iples. Which twelue Apostles, as [...]welue fountaines, haue flo [...]ed more gene [...]ally o [...]er the face of all the earth to renew it, the [...] Noahs slood did to de­ [...] it. And th [...] [...] Disciples, as [Page 247] seauentie palme trees, haue flourished and spread thēselues ouer all the world, so that, as the Psalmist speaketh, Psal. 80 10. The hills are couered with the shadow of them, and the boughs thereof are like the goodly Cedar trees. Almightie God commanded Moyses to make 12. cakes, which should be set continually vpon the table of shewbread, yet so as they should be changed euery Sabba [...]h d [...]y [...].. These tvvelue cakes did presigure the twelue Apostles [...] [...] cap 7., and all those dis­ciples of Christ, which continually shew to his people the bread of life, that is, the word of God. Now these twelue cakes are changed, when as the tvvelue foun­t [...]ines, and the seauentie palme trees, are changed into twelue Apostles and seauentie disciples. That so, Gods pro­mise to his Church may be fulfilled, vvhich is this, [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] In steed of thy fathers thou shalt haue children, vvhome thou maist make Princes in all lands. As if in other words he should haue saide, Thy shewbread shall be changed. For in steed of thy tvvelue fountaines, and thy seauentie palme trees, thou shalt haue [Page 248] twelue Apostles and seauenty disciples, vvhome thou maist make Princes in all lands. To this mysterie of the tvvelue fountaines, is ansvverable that vvhich is vvritten of the tvvelue oxen [...]. Chr. [...] 4.. The molren sea did stand vpon twelue ox­en, whereof three looked towarde the North, and three looked to­ward the West, and three looked to­ward the South, and three looked to­ward the East. The great caldron was called a molten sea, because it did fore­shew the depth of the twelue Apostles doctrine, which flowing from them, as from twelue fountaines, did make, as it were, a maine sea. This sea did stand vpon twelue oxen, that is, as Saint Paul doth interpret it [...]., vpon twelue A­postles. Which in that they looked fowre wayes, East, West, North, and South, they did teach all nations. [...]. And in that they looked three and three to­gether, they did represent the blessed Trinitie. Not only teaching all nations, but also in that sea of water baptizing them, in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghost. [Page 249] Wherefore, though the two kine which carried the Arke, wherein were the tables of the Law, went straight and kept one path, turning neither to the right hand nor to the left 1. Sam. 6. 1 [...].: Yet these twelue oxen which caried the molten sea, signifying the doctrine of the Gospel, went not straight, neither kept one path, but turned into the way of the Gentiles, [...]ea they looked all manner of waies, East, West, North, and South. And those two kyne stood still and lowed no more, when they came to the feild of Iosua, dwelling in Bethshemesh, that is, in the house of the sunne. To note, that all the kine, and calues, and sacrifices, and ceremo­nies of the old law, weare to cease and stand still, when they came to Iesus, which is the true Iosua, dwelling in heauen, which is the true Bethshemesh. But these twelue oxen, weare so farre from leauing off, either to goe, or to low, when they came to Christ, that euen then, they went much faster, and lowed much lowder, so that now their sound is gone out into all lands, and [Page 250] their words into the ends of the world, and in them hath god set Bethshemesh, that is, a house or a tabernacle for the sunne. Therefore as the materiall sunne, thorough the twelue sig [...]es in the Zo­diake, goeth forth from the v [...]termost parts of the heauen, and runneth about to the end of it againe Psal. 19. 6.: in like sort, the spirituall Sonne of righteousnesse, by the twelue Apostles, as by twelue signes, hath beene borne round about the world, that he might be not onely the glorie of his people Israel, but also a light to lighten the Gentiles, and that al, al the ends of the earth might see the saluation of our God. Truth it is, tou­ching the Synagoge of the Iewes, Christ saith, [...]. 4. 12. My sister, my spouse, is as a garden enclosed, and as a fountaine sealed vp. For as Saint Ierome writeth [...]., the whole countrie of Iewrie where the Iewes dwelt, lying betweene Dan and Beersabee, was scarce a hundred and three score mile long. So that, it might well be likened, to a garden enclosed, and to a sountaine sealed vp. But now, this sealed fountaine hath beene turned [Page 251] into a springing well, since the twelue fountaines haue flowed ouer all the earth: and, this enclosed garden hath beene turned into an open feild, since the twelue oxen haue plowed the feild of all the whole world. Therefore now Christ saith of himselfe, [...]. 2. 1. [...]go [...]. I am a flower of the feild. And so likewise to his spouse; Cant 7. 11. Come my welbeloued, let vs go forth into the feild, let vs remaine in the villages. For though before his passion he was apprehēded in a garden, yet at his passion he was crucisied with­out the gate Heb. 13. 1 [...].. To signisie, that he would be, not onely a garden-flower, but also [...] feild-flower; & that he would remaine, not onely for the saluation of the Iewes within the city of Ierusalem, but also for the saluation of the Gentils without the gate of the citie, in all the villages round about. Nabuchadnezar Da [...]. 2. 35. saw in a vision a stone cut without hands, which be­came a great mountaine, and silled all the whole earth. This stone cut without hands, is Christ begotten of a pure Vir­gin, without the companie of man. Who was indeede a very little stone [Page 252] or, as I may say, but a sparke at the first. Wherefore, the Iewes for his pouertie and humilitie despised and refused him. But now this poore little stone which the builders refused, is become the head-stone in the corner, and it is made a great mountaine, which filleth all the whole earth. According to the prophe­sie of Esay; cap. 2. v. 2. It shalbe in the last dayes, that the mountaine of the house of the Lord shall be prepared in the top of the mountaines, and shall be exalted a­boue the hills, and all nations shall flow vnto it. So that now Christ, which is the head-corner-stone, may be fitly cal­led the second Adam. The Greeke let­ters of which name, as S. Cyprian [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] wri­teth, do seuerally signifie all the quarters of the earth. [...], the East: [...], the West: [...]. againe, [...], the North: M. [...], the South. According to the promise of God vnto Abraham, [...] [...]. Thy [...]eed shalbe as the dust of the earth: (that is, As the first Adam was made of the dust of the earth: so thy seede, which is Christ the second Adam, shall be dis­persed as dust ouer all the earth.) Thy [Page 253] seede shall be as the dust of the earth; and thou shall spread abroad, (as a great mountaine,) to the East, and to the West, and to the North, and to the South; and in thee, and in thy seed, shall all the familes of the earth be blessed. The lewish Synagogue speaketh in this sort, [...] [...]. 1 [...]. A [...]a [...]a conturbau [...]t me, propter [...] Ami [...]adab. My soule troubleth me, for the chariots of Amminadab. Amminadab signifieth a willing or an obedient peo­ple. Such are the faithfull Gentiles. Of whom God saith, Ps. 1 [...]. [...]4. A people which I haue not knowne shall serue me. As soone as they heare of me they shall o­bey me. But the strange children shall dissemble with me. The strange chil­dren shall faile, and be afraid out of their prisons. Though God haue beene a lo­uing father to the Iewes, yet they dis­semble, and are strange children to him. Contrariwise though God haue not knowne the Gentiles, yet they doe knowe and serue him. Therefore the obstinate Iewes repining and grudging that the Gentiles are called, say euery one of them, Anima mea conturbauit me, My soule troubleth me, thorough [Page 254] enuie, malice, blindnes, and disobe­dience. Because they faile, and are afraid out of their prisons. On the other side, the obedient Gentiles, beeing called to this libertie of the sonnes of God, lie not in any prisons, but ride in the chariots of Amminadab. Because, as soone as they heare of God, they wil­lingly obey him. Which is implied, in that a man of Cyrene, named Simon Mat. 27. 32. Vt tali facto [...] gentium sides. [...]. [...] de Pas. do. s. 8., did carie the crosse of Christ. A man of Cyrene, is a Gentile: Simon signifieth hearing and obeying. Therefore, a man of Cyrene named Simon, carying the crosse, is a faithfull Gentile, which as soone as he heareth of God, doth wil­lingly obey him. For now God hath perswaded Iapheth to dwel in the tents of Shem Gen [...] 27.. That is, he hath perswaded the Gentiles comming of Iapheth, to embrace that obedience vnto Christ, which the Iewes comming of Shem haue refused. This is the reason, why the Hebrew Scriptures are translated into Greeke, and Latin, and all other languages. To shew, that Iapheth doth now dwell in the tents of Shem. And [Page 255] that those oracles, which before were appropriated to the Iewes Rom. 3. 2., are now imparted vnto all the Gentiles. So that the prophecie of the Patriarke Iacob is now also fulfilled, who saith, Gen. 40. 21. Nepthalie shal be as a Hind let loose, giuing good­ly words. For Christ did first preach in the land of Nepthaly among the Iews Math. 4. 13.. But seeing the Iewes would not obey him, therefore he hath turned to the Gentiles Act. 13. 46.. And so Nepthalie is as a hind let loose, giuing goodly words. Because Christ, who first preached in Nepthalie, is not now any longer in prison among the Iewes; but, as a hind let loose, leaping by the moun­taines, and skipping by the hills Cant. 2. [...]., so he hath run swiftly o [...]er all the world Ps. 147. 15.; and with his goodly words, with his grati­ous words, he hath perswaded Iapheth, and all the Gentiles, to dwell in the tents of Shem, and to ride in the chari­ots of Amminadab. These chariots of Amminadab are called in Latine, Qu [...] ­drigae, because each of them is drawne with foure horses. Which very aptly befitteth the doctrine of the Gospel. [Page 256] For, as Cal [...] [...] in the Epistle be­fore his Harmonie, God hath of set purpose orda [...]ed that the Gospel shold be written by foure Euangelists, that so he might make a triumphant chariot for his sonne Videtur [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...].. Which beeing drawne with fowre horses, and running vpon fowre wheels, might quickly passe ouer all the earth, and so shew the glorie of the Lord, vnto all his Church. Where­fore, the Church is like a graine of mustard-seede Mat 13. 31., which is indeede the least of all seeds, but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and it is a tree, so that the birds of the aire come and build in the branches thereof. Thus the congregation of Christ riseth, from small beginnings, to great procee­dings. A [...]d though at the first, it was but aseed, yea but a graine, yet now it is growne to be an hearb, yea to be a tree; wherein all the birds of the ayre [...] [...]. 1 [...]. [...]., all the faithfull in the world, doe make their nests.

Therefore the church of Christ may be compared also to the Samaritans inne [...]. 10. 3 [...].. For that inne is called in greeke [Page 257] [...], because it receiueth and lod­geth all strangers that come: So the church lodgeth all pilgrims vpon earth. [...] In the Synogogue there was not lod­ging for all. For then it was said, [...]. [...]. 268 The Ammonites and the Moabites shall not enter into the congregation of the Stabulum ecclesia est; v [...]de [...] do­ [...] natus [...]. Do. [...]. [...]. Lord: But novv, Christ is borne in an inne [...]. To signifie, that in the Church there is lodging for all. For Christ is the host: the Church the inne: the crosse is the signe. Harken to the Host which is Christ, and you shall heare him say, Come vnto me all you that labour and trauaile, and I will refresh you: I will bring you into the wineseller [...], yea I will suppe with you, and you with me [...] [...]. 1 [...]. ▪ Go into the inne which is the Church, and there you shall finde Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and all nations vnder heauen, staied with flagons, and comforted vvith apples [...]. 5.; yea refreshed and filled vvith nevve vvine Act. 1. 5.. Looke vp to the signe, vvhich is the crosse, and you sh [...]ll see diuerse things. First, you shall see one crowne of thornes. To shew, that the earth is the Lords, and [Page 258] all that therein is, the round world, and they that dwell therein. For the round­nes of the crowne doth declare the large dominion o [...] him that is crowned. Namely, that his dominion is from the one sea to the other, and from the flood vnto the worlds end Psy 2. 8.. Secondly, you shall see two hands. To shew, that God is, not the God of the Iewes only, but of the Gentiles also Rom. 3 29.. For not only one hand, but both his hands, are fast-nay­led and stretched-out. The one to the one theefe, the other to the other theif; the one to the Iewes, the other to the Gentiles, that he may embrace all that loue him. Thirdly, you shall see three tongues. To shew, that Christ, is not the king of the Hebrewes only, but of the Grecians, and the Latins also. For his title, Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes, is written in Hebrew, Greeke, and Latine. That at the most sweet and most excellent name of Iesus euery knee may bow, and all tongues may confesse, that Iesus Christ is the Lord Pi [...]l. 2. 11.. Fourthly, you shall see fowre quarters os the crosse. To shew, by the fowre [Page 259] quarters of the crosse, the fowre quar ters of the world. For God is no accep­ter of persons, but in euery quarter and countrey, he that feareth him, is accep­ted with him. Therefore also Christs garments Ioh. 1 [...]. 23 were deuided into fowre parts. Because, out of what quarter or part soeuer we come of all the fowre parts of the world, if we be naked, Christ hath garments to cloath vs, if we be harbourles, Christ hath room to lodge vs. Euen as he himsel [...]e saies, All that the Father giueth mee, shall come to mee, and whosoeuer commeth to mee, Non eijciam for [...]s, I will not turne him out of doores. Wherefore whether we respect the host; or the hosts inne; or the innes signe; and about the signe it selfe, whether we respect, one crown; or two hauds; or three tongues; or fow­er quarters; euery of these doth plain­ly shew, that now in the Church there is lodging for all, and so consequently [...]hat the Church may be compared to the Samaritans in [...]e. It may be compa­red likewise to Salomons troupe of horse [...] C [...]. [...].. For Salomons troupe of horses [Page 260] was kept in fowre thousand stables, ten and ten in a stable 2. Chro. 9. 21.; so that he had in his whole troupe fourtie thousand hor­ses 1. Reg. 4. 26.; which were either bought by him 1. Reg 10. 28., or else brought to him [...]. Chr. 9. 24. out of all coun­tries. So the Apostles, as we may read in th' Acts, brought by one sermō three thousand soules Act. 2 41., brought by an other sermon fiue thousand soules to Christ Act. 4. 4.; and so euerie day, out of all countreys and kindreds Reue. 7. 9, there are added to the church by infinite and innumerable multitudes Dan. 7. 14., such as shall be saued. It may be compared to S. Peters sheete Act. 10. 12. ▪ For in Peters sheete, were all sort of beasts, fowre footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, creeping things, and foules of the heauen. So, in the Church there are all manner of men, Circumci­sed and vncircumcised, Barbarians and Sythians Coil oss. 3. 11.. It may be compared to No­ahs Arke Gen 7. 1 [...].. For there came to Noah in­to his Arke all kind of creatures, cleane and vncleane, male and female. So there commeth to Christ into his Church, all manner of men, Iewes and Grecians, bond and free [...]. [...] 12. [...].. It may be compared to [Page 261] S. Iames his net Luk. 5. 10.. For that net had corke aboue to make it swimme, and lead belowe to make it sinke, that it might [...]ake all sorts of fiishes. So, the Church hath diuerse fishers of men, some that teach slightly and superficial­ly, some againe that teach more deep­ly and profoundly, that all manner of men may be taught Ioh. [...]., and caught Matt [...]. 13. 17., and drawne vnto Christ. Lastly, it may be compared to king Assuerus his feast Lst. 1. 5.. For that feast entertained all kind of guests, seuen dayes together, in the court of the garden of the kings pallace. So, in the church, the Lord of hosts hath made vnto all manner of men, a feast of fat things, euen a feast of fined wines, (to vse the Prophet Esais Esay 25 [...]. words) and fat things full of marrow, of wines fined and purified. Before that this feast was prepared, the oxen and fatlings kil­led, and euery thing els prouided, all men were not bidden. But now that Christ hath bin killed, he keepeth, as I may say, open house Pro [...]. 9. 2., and sendeth his seruants into the high waies [...] 14. 23, to gather together all that euer they finde. Yea his [Page 262] seruāts haue not only biddē all that they could sind in the hie-waies, but also they haue crost the seas, and called the very further most Es. 60 9. Ilands of all the world, to behold the glorie of the Lord. Bles­sed, O blessed be the Lord for his vn­speakable mercies towards this Iland, now farre more slourishing then euer it was, in which we liue. For, alas, in the time of the olde Testament, who was there, I pray you, in this whole Monar­chie, at least wise that euer we could read or heare of, which had any true knowledge of God? S. Ierom, in th' end of his dialogue against the Pelagians, writeth thus, Vsque ad [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...], [...] [...] [...]. Vntill the very comming of Christ, saies he, the Prouince of Brit­tain, which hath bin oftentimes gouer­ned by tyrants, and the Scottish peo­ple, and all the nations round about the Ocean sea, were vtterly ignorant of Moyses and the Prophets. So that then, by the testimonie of S. Ierom, all our religion was superstitiō: all our church­seruice, was idolatri [...]: all our Priests, were Paynims: all our gods, were idols. Then there was in Scotland, the temple of Mars: in Cornewall, the temple of [Page 263] Mercurie: in Bangor in Wales, the temple of Minerva Sto [...] An nal. in [...] Morgani.: in Malden in Es­sex, the temple of Victoria [...] [...] [...].: in Bath, the temple of Appollo: in Leycester, the temple of Ianus: in Yorke, where Peters is now, the temple of Bellona [...] A [...] [...] [...] [...] [...] [...].: in Lon­don, where Pauls is now, the temple of Diana [...] [...] [...] [...] 12 [...].. Therefore it is very likely, that they esteemed as highly then of the goddesse Diana in London, as they did in Ephesus Act. 19. 2 [...].. And that, as they cried there, Great is Diana of the Ephesians: so they cried here, Great is Diana of the Lon­doners. Euen no more then three and fiftie yeares before the incarnation of Christ, when Iulius Caesar came out of Frauce into England, so absurd and senslesse were the people of this land, that in stead of the true and euerliuing God, they serued these heathenish and abominable idols, Mars, Mercurie, Mi­nerva, Victoria, Apollo, Ianus, Bellona, Diana, & such like. And not long after, to wit, an. Christ. 180. King Lucius being first christened himselfe, forth with esta­blished religion, in this whol kingdom. But thanks, thā [...]s be to God, in the time [Page 264] of the new Testame [...]t, three and fiftie yeares after the in [...]arnation of Christ, when Ioseph of Arimathea came out of France into England, many in this Realme os blind and ignorant Pagans, became very zealo [...]s and sincere Chri­stians. For Saint Philip the Apostle, af­ter hee had preached the Gospell through-out all France, at length sent Ioseph of Arimathea hither into Eng­land. Who when he had conuerted ve­ry many to the faith, died in this Land, and he that had buried the bodie of Christ, was bu [...]ied in Glasce [...]burie himself [...] Gildas. lib. le [...]. Am.. Also Simon Zelotes an other Apostle, af [...]er he had preached the Go­spell throughout all Mauritania, at length came ouer into England. Who when he had declared likewise to vs the doctrine of Christ crucified, was in the end crucified himselfe, and buried here in Brittaine [...].. Ab [...]t this time [...] one of the sea [...]ntie Disci­ples [...]., wh [...]m Sain [...] Paul mentioneth in [...] Epistle to the Romans R [...]. 16. 10., was a [...] and a renowned Bishop in this L [...]d. Also, [...] a noble English [Page 265] Ladie Martial. Epigrāmat. lib. 4., whom Saint Paul mentioneth in his second Epistle to Timothie 2. Tim. 4. 21., was here amongst vs a famous professor of the faith. Since which time, though the ciuil state hath bin often turn'd vp­side downe, by the Romans, by the Sax­ons, by the Danes, by the Normans, yet the Gospel of Christ, hath neuer vtterly failed, or bin taken from vs. This the holy Fathers of the church, which haue liued in the ages next ensuing, doe de­clare. Tertullian, who liued Ann. 200. writeth thus, Adue [...]. Iu­dae. c. 3. [...] om­ [...]es termi­ni, & Gallia­rum [...] natione [...], & [...] inaccessa Romanis lo­ca Christo vero [...]. All the costs of Spaine, and diuers parts of France, and many places of Brittaine, which the Romanes could neuer subdue with their sword, Christ hath subdued with his word. O­rigen, who liued Ann. 260. writeth thus, Hom. 4. in Eze. Quando terra Britan­niae ante a [...] Chri­sti in v [...]i is dei [...] religio­ne [...] Nunc [...]ero vniuer­sa te [...]ra cum lae [...]itia cla­ [...]at ad [...]. Did the Ile of Brittaine before the cō ­ming of Christ, euer acknowledge the saith of one God? No. But yet now, all that countrey singeth ioyfully vnto the Lord. Constantine the great, the glo­ry of all the Emperours, borne here in England, & of English blood, who liued Ann. 306. writeth in an epistle thus, [...]. l. 1. c. 9. Whatsoeuer custome is of force in all [Page 266] the churches of Egypt, Spaine, France, and Brittaine, look [...] that the same be likewise ratified among you. S. Chryso­stome, who lined▪ An. 405. writeth thus, Hom. 28. in 2. C [...]r. In all places wheresoeuer you go into any church, whether it be of the Mores, or of the Persians▪ or euen of the very Iles of Britta [...]ne, you▪ may heare Iohn B [...]ptist preaching. S. Hierom, who liued Ann. 420. writeth thus, Ep [...]st ad [...]. The French­men, the Englishmen, they of Africa, they A [...]o 500. Columban [...] in A [...]glia, Pall [...]as in [...]cotia: Pa­tricius i [...] [...] flo­ [...]. of Pers [...]a, and all barbarous nations, worship one Christ, and obserue one rule of religion. Theodoret, who liued Ann. 450. writeth thus, Aduer [...]. Gr [...]. lib. 9. The blessed A­postles haue indu [...]ed the Englishmen, the Danes, the Saxons, in one word, all people and countries, to embrace the doct [...]e of Christ. Gregorie the great, who [...] An. 605. writeth thu [...], [...]ist. lib. [...]. c. 58. Who can sufficiently expresse, how glad all the faithfull are, [...]or that the Englishmen, ha [...]e fo [...] saken the darknes of their er­rors, and haue againe recei [...]ed the light of the Gospel. Beda, who liued Ann. 730. wri [...]th thus, [...] England at this pre­sent, is inhabited by Englishmen, Brit­tains, [Page] Scots, Picts, and Romanes, all which, though they speak [...]iue tongues, yet they professe but one faith. Thus you see, how the Gospel of Christ, ha­uing bin first planted in this land, by Io­seph of Arimathea, and Simon Zelo­tes, (in whose time Aristobulus and Claudia, and not long after King Luci­us also liued) hath euer since continu­ed amongst vs; as testifieth, Tertullian, Origen, Constantine the great, Atha­nasius, Chrysostome, Hierome, Theo­doret, Gregorie, Beda, and many more, which might here haue bin alleadged Vide [...], [...] Bei­na [...]di. lib. 2. cap. 7. & Bei nard. d [...] [...]. lib. 3..

Lo yee then, ye blessed and beloued of the Lord. Lo ye [...], and marke it well I bes [...]ech you, how farre the new Testa­ment, excelleth the old. In the time of the old Testament, they did sing onely, Notus in Iudaea deus: but now, we sing also, Laudate dominum omnes gentes. Then they that were borne in the land onely, might eate the passeouer: but now, we that are strangers also, may eate the Easter-lambe. Then the name of Christ was only, as an ointment kept in an ala­baster box: but now, it is also, as an [Page 268] oyntment powred out. Then the do­ctrine of Saluation, was onely preached in secret places: but now, it is also prea­ched vpon the tops of houses. Then, the old asse only, was brought vnto Christ: but now, the young foale also, is obe­dient vnto him. Then, naturall bran­ches only, did prosper and slourish: but now, wild branches also, are grafted into the oliue tree. Then, the Queenes onely, did praise the Church: but now, the concubines also, do call her blessed. Then, Israelites only, did build the ta­bernacle: but now, Sidonians also, doe helpe to build the Temple. Then, they pitched their tents onely in Marah, where was neither fountaine, nor palm­tree: but now, we pitch in Elim, where there are twelue fountains, and seauen­tie palme trees. Then, the two kine which carried the Arke, looked onely one way: but now, the twelue oxen which carrie the molten sea, looke eue­ry way, East, West, North, and South. Then, Christ was a flower, grovving onely in the little garden of Iudea: but novv, he is a flower, flourishing in the [Page 269] wide field of all the vvorld. Then, Christ was onely a little stone, cut without hands: but now, he is a great huge mountaine, which filleth all the earth. Then, the Church of Christ was, as it were, in prison, beeing tied and bound onely to one place: but now, it posteth ouer all places riding and triumphing in the chariots of Amminadab. Then, the Church of Christ was only a small graine of mustard-seede, which is lesser then any other seede: but now, it spreadeth abroad as a mightie bigge [...]ree, wherein all the birds of the aire do make their nests. So that, the Church of Christ, now in the time of the new Testament, is like the Samaritans i [...]ne, which lodgeth all passengers. It is like Salomons trou [...] of hourses, which commeth out of all countries. It is like Saint Peters sheete, which infouldeth, all sort of beasts. It is like Noahs arke, which receiueth all kind of creatures. It is like Saint Iames his net, which cat­cheth all sort of fishes. All's fish, that comes to this net. It is like king Assue­rus feast, which entertaineth all kind of [Page 270] guests. To this feast all we, that wil come, are well-come. Not some fewe Iewes only, But all we: euen all we Brittaines, all we I say, with open face, behold as in a glasse the glorie of the Lord. This is the first difference, betweene the Law and the Gospel, in these words, But all we.