IT may be, that some among you, doe no more need a Seer, to shew you the mysteries of this Text, then Ea­gles want spies for the space of their flight: Job. 39.32. Their eies behold afarre off. Yet I must make bold to tell you, that which some of you can scarce beleeue: That this Text is Paradise. And it is more likely so, because the head of it is Ecce, and Christ is Ecce, the head of Pa­radise, of the Church, as the husband is the wiues head. Eph. 5.23. Christus est fi­delium domicilium aeternale, vt Paradisus erat innocentum tempora­le. The riuers of this Paradise, are these foure; Odor, Filius, Ager, Benedictus, all issuing out of Ecce; as those foure riuers which did run out of the head fountaine of Eden. And out of Eden went a riuer to water the garden; and from thence it was diuided, and became into foure heads. Christ is Ecce, the head fountaine of Eden, propter emi­nentiam, continentiam, influentiam, for beautie, plentie, and bountie: a fountaine opened to the house of Dauid, Zach. 13.1. The riches of Paradise are excellent, for in the floods of one riuer is Gold, & Bdeli­um, and the Onix stone. In the Gold is truth, glorie, and incorrupti­on: Gen. 2.12. in Bdelium, mercie, sweetnesse, and medicine: and in the Onix, faith, aduantage for the sight of the eies, the glasse of the soule. 1. Cor. 11. Come forth ye daughters of Sion, and behold king Salomon with the Ecce. He shall giue you drinke out of the riuer of his pleasures. Psal. 36.8.

In the Ecce of my Text, Mercie and truth are met together, Psal. 85.10. righte­ousnesse [Page 2]and peace haue kissed each other: all holy streames of Para­dise. Holy streames indeed, for euery one of them is a riuer of this Garden, Numb. 20.11. running out from Ecce, for the reliefe of thirstie soules, as the waters which gushed out of the rocke abundantly.

1 Odor is mercie, all sweet smell of mercie, life to the Church, life in Christ, Ludolphus. Psal. 141.2. Vt apes praeci­què flores quae­ritant, ita san­cti misericor­dias dei. Caietan. Arbor suffici­ens & resici­ens vt mortui resurgant or resumpti vi­uant in aeter­num. Ioh. 14.6. 1. Cor. 1.20. Psal. 42.12. in whom all our praiers are as incense, and the lifting vp of our hands, as the euening sacrifice, all sweet.

2 Filius is truth, the word of eternall life, and standeth here, in the middest of this little garden, dropping dewes of heauen to water it; as the tree of life in the middest of Paradise. In caeteris erat alimentum, in isto etiam Sacramentum: By other trees the body had sustenance, by this the Soule instruction. Therefore was it called, Arbor vita­rum: Christ is the tree of liues. Behold the tree of life in the middest of the garden, on whom the liues of all the Saints doe depend for euer. Christ is the truth, and the life of the Church, all sure.

3 Ager, is righteousnesse: O inualuable righteousnesse of Christ, where we gather all our righteousnesse: for Christ is made vnto vs righteousnesse. Iste est regula, nos regulati: He is our guide, and we his followers, as liues are guided by their soule. Thus are wee made to flourish like the Palme tree, and to growe like the Cedars of Lybanus, all faire.

4 Benedictus is peace, our healthfull peace in our deere peace of­fering, our redeemer, whence wee receiue our heauenly requiem, and rest from all our labours, all blessed.

Thus we receiue our lot of inheritance, Coloss. 1.12. S. Cassianus. Ioh. 20. among the Saints in light, v­nitatem socialem cum angelis in vinculo pacis, The legacie of the Prince of peace. Irrequietū est cor nostrum, O bone Iesu donec quiescat in te: O sweet Iesus, how our hearts doe pant till they rest in thy peace, that we neuer pant any more. Here you may perceiue a comely Quadrant of the Soueraigne Ecce, like that beautiful type of the Tem­ple, whose borders were foure square. 3 Reg. 7.31.

The Church is also resembled by the Quadras: a pretious stone foure square, S. Ambrose. of despected colour, yet of respected vertue. Quadratu­ra significat stabilitatem Ecclesiae: the quadrant imports sound reso­lution. But it is likely that some will aske, where is Dominus, the great Master of the houshold, he which is Lord of the smell, the Son, the Shield, and the blessing: In whom, by whom, for whom, & from whom, mercie, and truth, and righteousnesse, and peace, and all things are. Rom. 11.36. (In all things, let me vnderstand what I say, and tell you what I do vnderstand: S. Augustine. Omnes vtique naturas intelligere debemus quae naturali­ter [Page 3]sunt, neque enim ab ipso sunt peccata quae naturam non seruant sed vitiant: Wee must meane all natures which are pure issues in natures for from him are not any faults which doe not conforme nature, but deforme it.) Now then, to that question I answer, that I cannot shew him, when hee goeth by one, I see him not. Iob. 9.11. If I goe to the North where he worketh, yet I cannot see him: Iob. 23.9. he will hide himselfe in the South, and I cannot behold him. Enoch is said to walke with God, but he was taken vp into the Eagles ned, and no more seene: Gen. 5.24. 4. Reg. 2.11. Elias went to walke with God, but he was rapt vp in fierie chariots, and no more seene here, till the transfiguration for a fit. Man here cannot see so farre, as to see what God is. Therefore Moses, when he was on the lower Mount, did hide his face at this excellens obiectum, Exod. 3.6. which doth dazell mans presumptuous intelligence, more then the Sunne doth his piercing eie: the Sunne is a creature, God is the Creator, finitiad in­finitum.

Some say, that Isaias was therefore slaine, S. Hierome. for saying that he did see God; yet (without peraduenture) he did see him, iuxta possibilitatē hu­manam, non vti est, sed vt voluit se videri: so farre as man could see, who cannot see God, as his desire is to see, but as Gods pleasure is to be seene.

You may remember, when the Lord was asked for his name, his answer was, I am: wonderfull and past vnderstanding. Exod. 3. Wee grant in good meaning, that there is meridiana visio, when we shall see face to face, when we shall know that wholly, 1. Cor. 13.12. which wee know now but in part. But that meridian sight cannot see God fully, to comprehend or measure him: Deus ad plenum non cognoscitur in via, neque in patria: Isichius. The sharpest sight, either at home, or abroad, cannot discerne the ful­nesse of God. We shall know him to the full, S. Augustine. for the sufficiencie of our felicitie, which shal be perfect, and to the capacity of our glorified con­ceipt, which shall be great, but not infinite, as God is: and so is nothing else. When I awake I shall be satisfied with thy Image. Psal. 17.15. Many millions of painefull considerations haue beene inrolled in the monuments of the Church, of the Secrets of God; which are all, but as all the nations, Esa. 40.15. Alcuinus. as the droppe of a bucket in comparison, or as a droppe to the Ocean. Some haue desired to tell vs what God is of himselfe, and what hee is to vs. That of himselfe he is all length, id est, eternitie; all breadth, De us est Sphae­ra incompara­bilis, cuius cen­trum est vbi­que, circumfe­rentia nusquā. charitie; all height, maiestie, all depth, wisdome. That he is to vs, our possessor, he abideth within vs, and is not contained; our guard, he re­maineth without vs, and is not debarred; our king, hee continueth a­boue vs, and is not mooued; our rocke, he supporteth vs for euer and [Page 4]is not confined. I might point out vnto you, many glosses of faire shew, and all short of that which the Apostle in few wordes attempteth to this purpose. 1. Tim. 6.16. He onely hath immortalitie, and dwelleth in the light which none can attaine vnto, whom neuer man saw, neither can see. Yet in all our walke through this garden, wee shall see his beames shining vpon it, and with faith, hope, and loue, admire his presence, whose seat is in the pillar of the cloud. Eccles. 24. Now then let vs proceed to consider, first, the head of this Text, with the antecedents; and then the foure quarters, with their correspondence.

In euery part we find three consutes.

• 1 First, historicall narration pleasant, in Iacob.
• 2 Secondly, mystical signification splendent, in Christ.
• 3 Thirdly, congruent application honourable, in the Prince.

In the head, Behold, I must craue fauour to walke a long procession.

The Lord had promised a blessing to Abraham, in the number and honour of his issues: count the starres, if thou canst; so shall thy seed be: numberlesse as starres for exceeding plentie, glorious as starres for heauenly beautie. This promise was sure, yet it came on with leaden feete; Abraham was long without a child, and Abraham was longer without the child of Promise: Artopaus. quanta maiora, tanta longius protracta Dei beneficia, vt sint chariora vt Isaac, Christus & vita aeterna; The greatest blessings seeme many times a great way off, that we may more desire them, and bid them better welcome. At the length, that Ecce, and wonder of the world was borne (for none of the Lords words shall fall to the ground) one liuing fruit of two dead stockes; 1. Sam. 3.19. his father an hundred, Gen. 17 19. and his mother ninetie yeares old. Aske his name, it was I­saac, all laughter; Gen. 21.6. well may he laugh which winnes, well did he winne, which did winne Christ, in whom all the nations of the earth are bles­sed. Isaac praeludium Christi de quo fideles rident, Guil. Lugdu­nensis. & ex quo omnia Dei dona in fidelibus rident: Isaac was Christ his prologue, for whom all true hearts haue pleasant thoughts, and all faire gifts of God in his Saints, are through him very delectable. But yet the blessing resteth, ad aras, as if God had euery day a consultation with himselfe for the progresse of this blessing. Isaac was not directed to his wife, till hee was fourtie yeares olde, Gen. 25.20 and Rebecca was barren till twentie yeares af­ter. What is Gods promise come vtterly to an end? no: all this staie was the whetting of Abrahams faith, and the exercise of Isaacks pati­ence, longing for Ecce. Quamuis in Isaac promissa esset successio, tamē implenda erat precibus Dei praefinitio: Albeit the Lord had giuen as­surance of succession in Isaac, yet the performance was so ordained, [Page 5]by zealous petitions it should be obtained. The praiers of them both in good time preuaile with God though sorrow continue for a night, Psal. 30. yet joy commeth in the morning, after praier. They and their assi­stants pray for a blessing, and the blessing falls double on the ground. Cant. 7. Gen. 25. Rebecca's two sonnes are like two yong Ro [...]os that are twins; for Isaacs wife conceiued, and shee bare two nations in her wombe. Shee for a while went weeping, 1. Sam. 1.8. Psal. 126. as Hannah did (albeit shee had an husband better then tenne sonnes) and carried pretious seed, yet shee did returne with ioy, and brought her sheaues double. Vita humana plus aloes quā mellis habet. Gen. 26. I shall not need to fill this Ecce with the various and perisous temptations, which came to Isaac. If I might shew them all, you all might maruell that euer he could reach this Ecce. Let this one instance suffice, which was a lamentable distresse vpon him, Wallensis. that hee had not so much as sweet waters to nourish him: Fidelium profectus impij non ferunt aequanimiter: Auicetus. The wicked pine away at the prosperitie of the godly. All his enemies labour vtter­ly to subuert him, and euery neighbour seemed to him an [...], Aristotle. labouring to subuert him, that he might be vtterly ruinated: but the Lord was his deliuerance, as he hath been ours in an oppression much like, or worse then this. For what portions of truth wee haue found in the word of truth, as wells of liuing waters, to nourish vs and our chil­dren, the Popelings vitiate them. De caudis vul­pes cognoscas & de fimbrijs texturas. They either equiuocate vpon them (this their double dealings) or hide them by the ingruences of their multiplied Index expurgatorius (fal shood in fellowship) or stop them vp with glosses and earthly traditions (this their packe of knackes) lest our Chruch should thriue too fast. But some will say, why say you so of the Papists, they are our neighbours? It is true, as the Philistims were neighbours to Isaac: Enuied welleth at the next doore: Quotvicinos habemuo toti­dem hostes. and a man doth often bring his worst companion from home. [...], our kinsmen are our in-bred vipers; as Parsons, & eiusdemfa rinae millenarij: and thousands of the same vnpurged leuen.

Here is the cause why wee haue so much a doe to keepe cleere wa­ters in the welles which our fathers haue digged: Hi sunt qui Ecclesiam in vagientem ex­tinguere & adultam cona­ti sunt hare­tics. Gen. 26.15. they for very spite haue filled with mudde, and stopped them vp with earth, which they haue digged out of their infernall pits to this purpose. Thus the Phi­listims had enuie at him, and filled vp with earth all the welles which his fathers seruants digged in his father Abrahams time. See then how vnlikely it is for vs to hold in the breath of diuine knowledge, as for Isaac to abide in the spirit of life, if God were not with vs. Sed à Deo adiuti refodimus puteos paternos ab inuidis palestinis obturatos: but in the name of the Lord we discouered our fathers fountaines, which [Page 6]Philistinian enuie had hidden from vs. Thus the Lord was on Isaacks side: Feare not Isaac, for I am with thee, and will blesse thee, and will multiply thy seed.

Now then to goe on with Ecce, behold on thing more strange: Re­becca's two children were at strife in the mothers wombe, like the two Hebrewes at strife in the field. Potuit esse naturalis causa, sed ac­cessit mystica & supernaturalis: for that wonder, there be reasons ren­dred in nature, but there was a supernaturall respect aboue reason. The two younglings are both wrestlers, Hipolitus. both wrestling for a wonderfull prize, for a blessing, a birth-right, a crowne: O blessed crowne of im­mortall glorie. 1. Pet 5.4. Rupertus. Collidebantur paruuli eodem Dei nutupermoti, quo ir­rationalia pecora & inanimata elementa futurorum praesagio permoueri solent: The tender younglings werre stirred to their conflict, by the same motion, in which we sometimes see, both beasts without reason, and elements without life to stirre, that their stirres might be Calen­ders of after-claps. Luc. 21. So shall there bee signes in the Sunne, and Moone, and Starres. Surely the guerdon was greater then the wrestlers thought of, yet their thoughts seeme to contend for the prize, which the weaker winnes by grace. The Weezell doth raise his force against the Basiliske for soueraigntie in that place where they meet, and shee being armed with Rue, Succus rutae palet contra serpentes, vt gratia Dei [...]ontra Diabo­ [...]os. Rupertus. [...]. Hierome. Septuagine. Symmachus. preuaileth in the combate. Thus the younger sapling Iaacob being armed with the hearbe of grace, vincit fratrem Basiliscum, he puts his brother to the foyle. The strife is diuersly de­scribed in the varietie of translations: some, conquassare to shatter, ir­ruere to rush one on another: some, confringebantur, collidebantur, they did offer mutuall violence one to another: some, [...] lude­bant & calcitrabant, they did kicke one the other: some, [...] in si­militudinem nauis in superficie ferebantur, they seemed to swimme in their mothers bellie. But here a Schollers braines may swimme in superficiall obseruation to little purpose. Wee yeeld to that which wee reade with approoued iudgement: Fratrum diuortium portendit ebri­onum collisio. [...]ucherius. [...]aietane. Sed non omnino est certus modus commotionis infantum: The mutuall violence breathing on those tenderlings vnborne, did presage their separation after their birth.

The good woman perceiuing a strife in her wombe, as of contenti­ous inmates in the Bee-hiue, shee went to aske the Lord for the mea­ning of that strife; Gen. 25.22. Seeing it is so, why am I thus? I may not trouble you with the bundles of opinions how shee was answered, or by whom. It is needlesse to argue, whether it was Sem or Melchizedeck, or they both at once; or it was Heber, or (as some thinke) it was Abraham, as [Page 7]it is most like, for circumstance of time, place, and person. His person (aboue the rest) was of neerest acquaintance, of surest faith, and euident grace of reuelation, for hee was a Prophet. Gen. 20.7. The opinion of the most learned is, that shee went to aske the Lord, in the Science of some fa­mous Patriarch, at that time as Abraham was. Whosoeuer resolued her, the Lord sent her word by him what should betide her, and the Church word by her, what should befall the Church.

These are the rare blossomes of Ecce. Behold two manner of peo­ple shall be diuided out of thy bowels, faithfull and vnfaithfull out of one stocke, pure and impure fruit of one tree, true worshippers and heretickes in one Church, sincere holy seruants, and prophane coun­terfeit obseruants, as a grape and a brier-berrie both of one vine, a lambe and a woolfe both of one damme. Beda. In Ecclesia sunt ficus & vna Christus, tribulus & spina Diabolus; In the Church are both figges and grapes, for Christ is both figges and grapes; and in the Church are both briers and thornes, for the deuill is both briers to catch, & thorns to hurt. Iob. 1. And on a day the sonnes of God came and stood before the Lord, and Sathan was also among them. Abrahams sonnes are com­pared to starres and sands. Starres are the heauenly sonnes of Ierusa­lem, as Iaacob: Sands are filij terrae, sonnes of the flesh, earthly proud inhabitants of Babylon, as Esau. Behold it was then posterior dies, me­lior auis, the latter day, the better bird. The elder shall serue the youn­ger. Iaacob did excelle his brother, 1 iure primogeniturae: 2 hae­reditate terrare sanctae: 3 praerogatiua faederis & Ecclesiae: In the right of the best birthright, inheritance, and couenant. In three faire pre-e­minences. In the first is signified the spirit of adoption, by which we are sealed. In the second, our heauenly countrie, Ezech. 37. Tacita. Obiect. to which we are cal­led. In the third, the life of the Church, out of which there is no life. Here our drie bones are quickned. But let this be true, that thus the elder prerogatiue was fastened to the younger: yet (non obstante) it could not be true in their specialties, because still the elder did preoc­cupate iurisdiction ouer his brother. Yes; Respons. howsoeuer Esau for a time made a more potent shew for prioritie then the yonger, yet was the Prophecie true, both in the letter and the mysterie. In the letter true, for the Idumaeans which were of Esaus issues were tributarie to Dauid which was of Iaacobs generations. Some doe vnderstand it, Comestor. and inge­niously also, that Esau did serue Iaacob, whilst he did persecute him, as the fyle doth seruice to the yron, to make it more bright, the fanne seruice to the corne to clense it, and the furnace seruice to the gold to purifie it. The truth is, that Esau did Iaacob more good then he meant [Page 8]him, as Iaacobs sonnes by selling of Ioseph to vilifie him, did promote him to honour. Deus aliquandiu impiorum indulget petulantiae, sed mo­dum statuit & Ecclesiae tandem fontes dilatat, Infideles Ec­clesiae ruinas in discinctis vin­culis intēdunt vt Q. Fabius naues diuiden­do aquis im­mersit. Sed Ec­clesia vt tyr­rhenus lapis in­teger enatat. vt impiorum furores ni­hil ei incommodasse appareat quin idem propagasse; God doth some­time winke at the iniurious attempts of the presumptuous, but at his will he doth restraine them and inlarge his Church, that her health may shine out of the bond of aduersitie, and her enemies blowes ende in her aduantage. Here I might reioyce, to handle the right hand of Gods prouident power, but I must containe my selfe within the limits of Ecce in this place. See then the truth in the mysterie, aboue the let­ter. Iacob came last, but did ouer-flie his brother Esau. First, that which is carnall; then that which is spirituall: the old Adam came first, and the new Adam came after: O melior auis! The Eagle bird had Eagles wings, and did mount on high aboue his brother. Such is his magnificence, That the Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, &c. Such is the superioritie of the second Adam, that in his ex­altation he had a name giuen him aboue euery name. The elder must serue they younger: and glad may Adam bee, that he and his may doe seruice to Christ; as the sheaues which did reuerence Iosephs sheafe: for in Adam all die, but in Christ are all made aliue. The Schollers of Pyrene, Mystae genti­les. and the wanton heads of the Temple, infamous at Corinth, did obiect that Christ died as did Adam, the yonger brother as the elder. The Apostle graunteth this for truth, that both died, yet the difference of their death is notable. Both died and paid the wages of sinne: Sed mors Adae poenae peccati mors Christi hostia peccati, The death of Adam was the penaltie of sinne, the death of Christ the re­demption of the sinner. This prepotencie was worth an Ecce, Be­hold in Christ all things are become new, for with his wounds are wee healed. Fidelis medi­cus is est qui pro infirmo mortiferum e­bibit remedi­um vt sane­tur infirmus. And in the reuewe of Iacob and Esau here is Ecce againe, Be­hold white and blacke, good and euill, light and darkenesse, life and death in two sonnes; as if Rebecca's breasts did yeeld two kinds of milke, wholesome milke for Iacob, as the Hebrew mother; corrupt milke for Esau, as the Egyptian nurse. And now Rebecca's breasts are not like the Equiuocators text, both true and false, they are both of one wholesome taste, one hallowed kind of milke. The second testa­ments are both one sincere milke of the word of God, they are both of one truth, and spirit of life: as there is but one Lord, faith, baptisme, hope, and saluation. Christus est veritas aeternalis, & verbum est veri­tas normalis, Christ is the eternall essentiall truth, and his word is our rule for truth. There is but one God, and one word. Vnus veritatis [Page 9]fons est Deus, & verbum vna veritas in omnes filios saliens; God is the onely fountaine of truth, and his word is the liuing water flowing into his childrens hearts, as the pure riuer of water of life, cleere as Cristal, proceeding out of the throne of God, and of the Lambe. Rebecca's breasts are one holy Scripture, and all holy Scripture, as one heauenly Canaan, which floweth with milke and hony, of one sauour and power of life. But whence then is the difference of these two brethren? shal I climbe vp into Gods throne, and sit with him among the secrets of his incircumscriptible predestination? no, I will reuerence the Arke of his secret treasures, but I will not search it without warrant. Here is abyssius imperuestigabilis, which S. Paul calleth deepenesse, Rom. 11.33. [...] all immense, beyond waight and measure.

Here Pride may busie her selfe to doe much hurt, as some Epicures, Nigidius figu­lus. Eudoxus. Auerrois. Esa. 28. 1. Sam. 6. Eccl. 40. Electos & re­probos certo consilio discre­uit Deus, illos ad vitam gra­tis destinando hos ad poenaem iustè ordinan­do. Eph. 1.4. Rom. 96.13 and other Philosophers, and other Schoole-men haue done. But woe to the crowne of Pride, her latter end is worse then the beginning; as the Bethshemites were stricken in their hinder parts. None can com­prehend those secrets, more then a man can hold the seas in his fist, or measure heauen, or count the sands, or waigh the mountaines. If any bold bayard shall say, there is no preordination, because he cannot fa­thome it, it were as if the blind should say there is no Sunne, because he cannot see it. Let this suffice, that God hath chosen his in Christ, be­fore the foundations of the world were laid. If any aske, how? let the Apostle answer: of his meere good will, forestanding all causes in our own worthinesse. God calleth all to the Church, and in eternal and in­dissoluble prescience espying vessels of honour, and wrath; the one sort is chosen, the other left, as light ware at the ballance: Thou art waighed in the ballance, and found too light. Vnto this point is annex­ed, the recogitable oddes betwixt the elections of God & man. Those things which man chooseth, are therefore chosen, because they are waight, but the gold of gods choyce, is therefore waight because it is chosen.

Thus did God loue and choose Israel, not because they were better people then other, but they were better, because God did choose them: The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a pretious people to himselfe, & All Popish Atheisme, and other blasphemous insuitati­ons against God, for election and reiection of Iacob and Esau, were ea­sily dashed, if I should preferre Gods prerogatiue aboue the Popes. We are certified long since, Distinct. 40. Si Papa. that if the Pope doe carrie many thou­sand with him into hell, no man may be so bold as to cōtrol him quia cuntos iudicaturus à nemine est iudicandus, &c. Because the Pope [Page 10]may iudge all men, and may not be iudged of any. But I haue no plea­sure to idle out my pretious time with such trifles. One thing I haue to speake out of lowly and reueiled knowledge, in the discussions of the learned, concerning the Bee and the Spider, to manifest the worke of grace receiued. Whatsoeuer of the word of God Iacob suckes, the suppe is honie, Esa. 55. 2. Cor. 2.16. or wine, or milke, more worth then money, or money worth, all sanctified, the sauour of life vnto life. But whatsoeuer Esau suckes, it turneth to humour, corrupt, & accursed, the sauour of death vnto death. Ioh. 10. Ioh. 6. Prou. 9. It is not giuen to all to know the voyce of the shepheard, to taste the bread of life, or to sauour the wine of wisdome; as many in the same garden passe many wholseome hearbes and flowers in igno­rance, or insensibilitie, which others gather in knowledge for smell and taste. Meierus. Iudicia Dei credentibus mella sapiunt, sed incredulis etiam mellitissimae promissiones sunt fellis plenae: The iudgements of God are an honie combe to the beleeuers, but to the vnbeleeuer the sweetest pro­mises of God are bitternesse. If any call to me, to know why I call this bane, humour; in prōptu causa est, for the word is of the same fashion with those euill thoughts, affections, wordes, and deedes, which our countrimen commonly call humours. Sunt impij vt venenatae quae­dam bestiae & sues bonos odores non ferentes: The wicked are like some venemous and fulsome beasts, which are sicke with the breath of wholesome smels. Deut. 32. Their vine is of Sodome, the poyson of dragons, and the cruell gall of Aspes. But since the wicked ones do thus wilfully fore­shew their owne ruine, let thee elect be still gathering more ioy to their consciences, and reioyce that their names are written in heauen.

Now then to passe on, Luk. 10.20. lest I should loose mine Ecce in the plaine field. Behold, the two twins were at strife for the blessing, which was a dignity annexed to the birthright, as an excellencie vnited to the crown: whosoeuer holdeth one for euer, must haue both. They stroue for the birth-right before their birth, and in the very inslant the strife continued, for Iacob had Esau by the heele. Signum retardantis e­um qui prior erat, Gen. 25.26 L [...]o [...]orus. & fatigantis eum qui fortior & praeualentis in certa­mine pietatis; It was a signe that the better should ouertake his elder, that the weaker should ouercome the stronger, & true pietie win the masterie of false sanctitie. What was their contention ended with their birth? Gen 25.31. Hemingius. Inaequacior quā Glauci & Diomedis per­mutatio. no, the strife continued stil for the birth-right: Sel me euen now thy birth-right, and Esau sware vnto him, and sold his birth right vnto Iacob. Esau as the foole selleth heauen for earth: Iacob as the wise mer­chant buyeth the pearle. Now Iacob is become sonne and heire to the crowne of Gods blessings.

The blessing is not yet declared vpon him, but hee is as sure of the blessing as of the birth-right. Thus was the preeminence of blessing vpon Ephraim, before Iaacob laied his right hand on him, Psal. 139.16 (for in the volume of thy booke were all things written, before there was any of them,) but it was not manifest till then.

A Doctrine of comfort is this to all which haue receiued that sauing grace which is sufficient. They are as sure of glory as they are of grace, 2 Cor. 12 because glory belongs to grace, as the inheritance to the heire, and the blessing to the birth-right; yet so, as birth-right, blessing, grace, and glory, and all are of Gods gift, Rom. 6.14 Mercedem o­pibus delitam negamus, gra­tuitum fate­mur, nemo di­cat deum debe­re. 4. talentae quia duo dedit, vel bominibus deberi gloriam quia imparti­tus est gratiam. Mar. 14.25 Leuit. 23.39 Gwerricus Abbas. not of mans merit or worthinesse by the Law, for ye are not vnder the Law, but vnder grace. The time of glorie is next to the time of grace, in the surety of succession, as the time of the feast was next to the time of the vintage. This is now the time of the vintage, the sweete wines of the Scripture and Sacra­ments of Christ and the holy Ghost are pressed out, that after we may drinke anew of the fruit of the vine in the kingdome of God. When yee haue gathered the fruit of the Land, yee shall keepe an holy feast vn­to the Lord. This life is the season of gathering sweet grapes of grace, next is the feast, the time of glorie. But I must remember where I am and bind short all other circumstantiall tidings together. Esau proud, Esau contemnes his brother (vt Diobolarem) as the irefull Woolfe the little Kidde. Hee sold the title but hee purposeth perforce to hold the inheritance. In which example were may take a view of the common Centaures and Cyclopes of the world, which hold al per fas et nefas, all by strong hand: hee wil haue all lawfull which is vnlawfull, and will be as the Lion was, his owne caruer. Neither was that fraus vulpe­culae wanting in Esaus designes; for to strengthen himselfe that hee might be able to beare downe his brother, hee maketh matches with two wiues, without liking, consent, or knowledge of his parents. He was as the Scrpent, which was more subtill then any beast of the field, clandestinas aucupatur consultationes contra iustitiam et pacem, Brunus. hee putteth the snare of the hunter, to ouerthrow all righ­teous peace with noysome pestilence. This is the man which will bee more wise then God, his meaning is otherwise then God meant. Hee will match especialy, Genes. 12.7 26.3 with the Princes daugh­ters of the Philistines, whom the Lord did purpose to root out. In these coherences hee pretendeth peace with all men. A peaceable man is Esau, hee will haue peace with all the world. It was then with him, as it was long after with the Arrians and other succeeding Here­rikes, in their subtill contriuements: iust as it is now with the Roma­nists, [Page 12]when their shew is best, their intent is worst. But all this great hast to be great, Ose 1.7 was without good speed; and all his confidence in the flesh of mans arme is vaine: for he cannot hold that inheritance by bow, or sword, or battell, or horses, horse-men, or kins-men; whose tenure was not of the willer not runner, Rom 9.16 but of the mercy of God. Much like to this was Salomons seducement miscarried with worldly wisdome, to confidence in carnall power. He concludeth matches with his Aegyptian neighbors, Moab, Ammon, Edom, Zidon, and Heth; and yet his great sonne and heire for all his fathers cunning, 3 Reg. 11 lost tenne Tribes at once of his owne kingdome. What saith Roboam after the extinction of his father? 3 Reg. 12 what? My little finger shall bee greater then my fathers loines. O Roboam by mee Kings reigne, but the armes of the wicked shall be broken. Psalm. 37.17 Afterward when Salomon slept with his fathers, Roboam had a smarting feeling of Gods power in the proofe of Ahijah his Prophesie. 3 Reg. 11 For as the Prophet caught hold on the new garment on Ieroboams backe or his owne, and rent it off in twelue peeces; so Roboams new kingdome was rent from his Scepter, and none followed the house of Dauid, but the Tribe of Iudah only. Had not he cause to cry out as he fled to Ierusalem for feare, crucior bolum tantum mihi esse, ereptum tam subito è faucibus; I am troubled out of measure, Psal. 119.137 to see my meat in spite of my teeth to fall out of my mouth, and my selfe vnable to with-hold it: but iust art thou O God, and iust are thy iudgements. And thus it doth often prooue with them which make their reckoning without God as Mauritius did; the cast of their anchor is preuented, their treasures are but coales, and their nuts but shelles, Psalm. 146 both their pleasures and profits are cut short of their ac­counts. Therefore trust not in Princes, nor in any sonne of man, for there is no helpe in him. Thinke then (if it be thus) that those ma­lepert confederacies of surly Esau with Infidels, (both against faith and good manners) were as pricking thornes to Isaac and Rebekah, Ge. 26.34.35 But Isaac after many tedious daies of his wearisome pilgrimage (his eies beeing dimme) expecteth his end, and to set his house in order before hee die, he disposeth himselfe to his last will and testament. He knowing also that Esau was numerous in children, Zeno. and cunning in his plots; and that Iacob was both childlesse, and wifelesse, and plain: he doth fully purpose to bequeath the great predominancy to the elder brother. Make me sauoury meat such as I loue, and bring it to mee that I may eate, Gen. 27.4 and that my soule may blesse thee before I die.

By these thoughts of Isaac we may perceiue, that God seeth not [Page 13]as man seeth (ante pedes) only, for man purposeth and God disposeth. All is Gods to dispose or transpose at his pleasure, as he tranlsated the Egyptian riches to the Israelites hands, I. Osorius. that they might handle them better. You know that when Iaacob was to blesse his sonne Iosephs two sonnes, so that his right hand was vpon the yonger sonne, and his left hand on the elder: incongrua videbatur illa manuum impositio Iosepho ignaro prouidentiae Dei, that imposition of hands which was orderred by Gods prouidence, looked like an iniurious fact to Ioseph, not beeing at that time acquainted with Gods purpose: Ioseph did thinke his aged father was in feeblenesse and error, Gen. 48.17 Iunilius. and would haue changed his hands. Surely a good man was Ioseph and a Prophet, but not alwaies enlightened alike with the spirit of prophesie, nor for all things; therefore his father beeing better guided with a superior de­gree of light at that time, continueth his blessing, and createth Ephra­im the son of his right hand: Gen. 48.19 So that as then the primacy was giuen to the younger brother, Prouidentia Dei est ordina­tio aptorum mediorum ad finem. contrary to the fathers desire (the Lord ruling the lots) thus must it now be, by the disposition of the same power. And now it is plaine, that Esau hath met with his match; hee is wily for himselfe, but God is of counsell with Iaacob. Looke vpon the contriuement; Esau is sent on hunting whiles Iaacob taketh the prey (coruum delusit hiantem) and is instauled into the blessing.

Heere let Esau complaine that hee hath waried himself in the waies of wickednesse, drawing out the cords of vanitie, Quid nisi vi­ctis dolor. Esay 59.5 Luke 5.5 and weauing the Spiders web, and at length is become as the fishers, which labored all night and caught nothing. In a word, these words of my text lap in the reason of inducement to Isaac to doe that which he meant not to haue done. The Lord is such a considerate and powerfull agent in the businesse, that Isaac doth cheerefull bestow that good turne on Iaacob which hee reserued for Esau. Why so? S. Bernard. Odor Christi sentitur ante­quā videatur, vt corpus aro­maticum ante patres, et post filios emittit odores. because hee did not smell of the ranknesse of the sheep-coate, but of the pleasures of the field.

The blessing doth consist of two respects, as a garden of pleasant fruit, and delicious smell. Heere are praiers for Iaccob in prophesies, and promises of his sweete and wholsome fruites: And heere is the praise of Iaccob for his delightfull smell.

Isaac his motiue, whereby he was inuited to blesse Iaccob, is plaine in these words: Behold, the smell of my sonne is as the smell of a field, which the Lord hath blessed.

Now after all this inference of Ecce, it may bee said to me as once it was to the Citizens of Myndus: viri Myndij claudite portas, shut your [Page 14]gates least your City runne out at your mouth, and your little cor­poration vanish through your great heat. Indeed a great gate may be too wide for a little pingle; but albeit I cannot now cut my doore lesse, yet I may well inlarge this garden plot to make it greater, so may the proportion be more equall.

First then to fit and finish vp this portall, Ecce behold: The word is very specious in the original Ree, and in the translation vide, but commonly Ecce, as if the meaning were to call all the world to come and see, Ioh. 1.46. as Philip called Nathanael to Christ, come and see. The word is sometime of ostension, sometime of admiration, and sometime of both. Ostension is againe two fold, by their counterfeit shadow, or true exhibition. Of counterfeit shadow; as behold heere is Christ, and there is Christ, Mat. 24. a counterfeit shadow: of true exhibition: as be­hold the Lamb of God, John 1. O true exhibition. Sometime Ecce is of admi­ration and stands at a gaze, and doth gaze at a wonder: behold a Vir­gin shal beare a sonne, miraculum mirabiliter mirabile; a virgins childe and God and man, both one, a light of all maruelles. A man so weak that he must die, Psal. 76.3. a God so strong that he could conquer death: be­hold, there brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, the sword, and the battell. Selah Behold a wonder. In some places this Aduereb Ec­ce is of admiration and demonstration both together, and diuersly of diuers strangers, either difficult, or new, or sudden.

Now may you stand vpon the top of Ecce as vpon a mount, and behold all the pleasures of this text, as the plaine of Iordan watered e­ueiy where. First the difficulty of this Ecce is note worthy that euer Iacob could rise to this blessing, Christ ascend to his glory, and the Prince of Wales attaine to his Principality.

Where was the Ecce of Iacob when his father Isaac was in offering for sacrifice, Genes. 22. Gen. 27.41. or whilest his brother Esaus Vow stood on foot to sacri­fice his brothers bloud to his fathers funeralles: The daies will come shortly of mourning for my father [...] [...] where was the Ecce of Christ, the glory and riches of his God-head, Difficultate partes pericli­tatur ecclesia, sed euincuntur hostes vt Gor­gones a Persio, vel verius vt Draco a Mi­chacle when as the Serpent in the wil­dernesse, he was lift vp vpon the crosse, and one of the souldiers with a speare piersed his side?

Where was the Ecce of the Prince, when the Lion and the Lions Whelp were vowed to the massacre, inconspiratione plusquā Catilinaria in the gun powder-treason. Wee doe read of Catiline that firebrand of old, that to fasten his confederates in their mercilesse intent, he did mingle mans bloud with wine, as Pilate mingled the bloud of the Galileans with their owne facrifice. This drinke thus prepared, hee [Page 15]carried vp and downe, to his partners, as the Priests of Rome doe now beare their hoast and consecrated wedges, heere and there to their abetters. When he came to place and company fit to his purpose, he did in this drinke carowse and swallow vp his impious vow: In this draught all his associates must follow him, to make their sword drunke with the bloud of their Country, and wholly to subuert the present glory of Rome.

But this monstrous Catilines brood among vs, Iob. 31.33. was more mon­strous in eating and drinking, (as they supposed) the blood of Christ, to ratifie their vowes, concealing iniquity in their bosomes. Thus they did bind themselues in an holy league, like Romane Saints of these daies, to reioice together for the finall expiration of King and Prince, and the mournfull desolation of Church & common wealth. So euery man may see, how our Ecce hath escaped fire and sword (by God mercie) for the honour and ioy of England.

But is it difficultie alone? no, it is noucltie also. There are nouel­ties past in the holy Testament, nouelties present in the new children of regeneration, and nouelties to come in the stole of glorie. The new Testament was a noueltie: the Lord had written the old law in tables of stone, but that the penne of the Writer should indite a law in the in­ward parts of mans heart, this was worth an Ecce. Nouitas amaena, ful of delicate and healthfull pleasure. Behold the daies come, Ier. 31.31. that I will make a new couenant, &c. The wise man said in his time, there was no­thing new vnder the sunne, yet euery regenerate man, yong or old, Eccles. 1.10. is a new creature. Both these are true, because our new birth is not of earth, but of heauen, not of mortall seed, but of immortall, 1. Pet. 1.23. aboue the Sunne. All the adopted sonnes of God, are borne, not of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man; but of the will of God, our new birth is aboue the Sunne.

Thus is Iacob a new man, a new creature in Christ: O Christ Iesus; Gal. 8. Psal. 65.11. Vt ignus fortis forti flatu for­tius inflam­matur minu­tatim. all my fresh springs shall be in thee, for thy steps droppe fatnesse. Thus is the Prince, a Prince of God, Abner his fathers candle lightened with fire from the Altar, whose sweet conditions, tempered with the oyle of grace, beare witnesse, that he is not onely borne of an earthly king be­lowe, but borne againe of an heauenly King aboue; that the King a­boue, and the king belowe, may both reioyce in their sonne: Behold the smalle of my sonne, &c.

But Ecce againe, behold a suddaine ioy: sometimes wonderfull things breake out of their closets, as lightening out of the clouds, when there is not any expectation or hope attending; and sometimes when [Page 16]desire more or lesse is waiting for their appearance. Of the first sort was the suddaine light which came downe from heauen, outward, be­fore the face of Saul to astonish him; Act 9. inward, into the heart of Saul, to conuert him; that of him it is rightly said, Tamsubito Cygnus qui modo consonus erat: Who could perswade himselfe, that a crow in a trice could be turned into a swanne. Of the second sort, was that light of an­gels, and the spirit of God. Luc. 24.4. Act 1.10. There were some looking for Christ, and be­hold two men stood suddainely before them in shining vestures. There were some looking on Christ, and behold a light did shine suddainly from heauen. Act. 2. There were some gathered in daily expectation of the comfor­ter (whom Christ promised to send) and suddainly there came a sound from heauen, Nescit tarda molimma, gra­lia. S. S. as of a rushing and a mightie wind. What then, came those illustrious messages without hope, or no? Indeed hope was much wea­kened, as one trauailing long is wearie; but it did but seem weake, they hoped still for that vigorous resurrection, they looked still for that glorious ascension, they longed still for the gladsome comming of the holy Ghost. Beda. Yet all those maruellous, vertuous, famous workes were suddaine. As wee all looke for that hopefull appearing of the Iudge of quicke and dead (and how long soeuer his stay may be, with whom a thousand yeares are but as a day) hope maketh not to be ashamed, Spes est sancto­rum baculus, de quo sustinen­tur, ne cadant, & sustentātur ne deficiant. Matth. 24.27. yet for all our serious vigilancie commanded, it shall be suddaine: As the lightening which flieth from the East to the West, so shall the comming of the sonne of man be.

O blessed Iacob, thy long promised blessing is come suddainely, in a day thou thoughtest not: our blessed Sauiour annointed with the oyle of grace aboue his fellowes, was long and often foretold, yet is his comming exceeding suddaine: Therefore call his name, make haste, make speed, Esay 8. speed to the pray, and haste to the spoile. Our gracious Prince his honour hath stated long in the glowing eares of ten thou­sand, whose eies burned with zealous desire to behold it. And behold of a suddaine the smell of my sonne. This is the stemme of honour for which great Britaine did sacrifice their daily prayers, our bounte­ous Queene did breath out her iust desires, our renowmed king did yeeld his sacred promise; and now of a suddaine is that ioyfull day come, the day of playing of Organes, of singing of birds and sounding of Trumpets. Now is the day come, in which king Iames doth pay his vowes, his vowes to God, his right to the Prince, his honour to the Land, his fauour to the subiect, his word to the Queene, assuredly thy sonne Salomon shall raigne after me. 3. Reg. 3.30. O King liue for euer. Vita homi­nis sabillum animae, The life of man is but a small point, and hath slip­perie [Page 17]hold on earth. Lex mortis firma non abrogatur, mutatur, Bosquier. di­spensatur, &c. Deaths doome is bound vp so fast that it cannot bee loosed. It is set downe that euery man must die once: Seriùs ant citius mortem properamus ad vnam: I am perswaded, Serniamus re­gi precibus, qui seruit Deo legibus. that neither Queene, nor Prince, nor any Impe royall, that none truely noble or gentle, or true Christian, desireth to see thy last day. Yet is mans life but a span long, and now here is a pawne for the state, a nurserie for grace, the standard to religion, a beautie to the crowne, the peace, health, and wealth of the land; this is Salomon the Kings sonne. Be­hold, the smell of my sonne is as the smell of a field, which the Lord hath blessed.

Thus much for Ecce, the head of the Text, and head of the springs: Behold.

Now to the Smell, the first riuer of the head. Here might I shew you many delightsome turnings to many wholesome walks in this word. There is odor merus & metaphoricus. Againe, odor metaphoricus est Christiaut Christianorum. But I must necessarily passe by these paths, till I find other oportunitie, and more leisure. The common partiti­on of Odour is into good and euill; but what haue wee to doe with e­uill? Quid argijs cum sacrificijs, quid canibus cum sanctis: There is no communion betwixt God and Belial: without shalbe dogges and ido­laters, Apoc. 21. all their smell is of the sulphure of Sodome. Et si doctores illi sci­entissimi & ductores aulici porcos obscaene defaedatos ne vno digitorum ostendant aut verbulo corripiant, quid ego miser homuncio aut Balaami asinus. I know that bookes and sermons, which are admonitions of other mens faults, as the blacke bill, are exceeding necessarie in these times of darkenesse; but they are all out of my way. All our labour here should bee spent in searching out the good Odours of Iacob, Christ, and the Prince: and thrice happy both they, which haue Christ the sauour of life betwixt them. All their sweet smell is of the sauour of his oyntments. O blessed Sauiour, Cant. 2.3. Cant. 1.2. these are the virgins which delight in thy sauour: Thy name is as an oyntment powred out, therefore the virgins loue thee. But it is high time to distinguish of good Odours.

There is a good odour of pietie, a sweet sacrifice, Phil. 4.18. 2. Cor. 2.15. 2. Cor. 2.14. a good odour of good report: so Saint Paul his name had a good smell, a good odour of the Gospel: so is it a garland all of sweet flowers, a good odour of zealous prayer: so is it as the perfume of the Censor. Apoc. 8.4.

Shall I tell you more, what a sauour is there where all these meet in one soule, as the incense of one altar; pure religion, sweet conuersati­on, true faith, and holy loue, they are altogether as the offering of [Page 18] Noahs Altar. And Noah built an Altar to the Lord, and tooke of e­uery cleane beast and of euery cleane bird, and offered burnt offerings to the Lord. Genes. 8 How them? what was the issue? Reade further: and the Lord smelled a sauour of rest. Such is the smell of all faithfull hearts as the smell of Noahs Altar to the Lord: Iaacobs heart is as Noahs Altar. Behold the smell of my sonne. But I haue more in my way of my poore readings, in which I find good odours of many distributions. There is one smell of the flower of the Vine, S. Gregorie. another of the Oliue, of the Rose, of the Lilly, of the Violet, and of the Corne-eare; and all sweet.

The Vine is Faith, the Oliue is Victory, the Rose is Charity, the Lil­lie is Chastity, the Violet is Humility, the Corne-eare is many cornes, good workes in their ripenesse all in one odour. Such Vines, and O­liues, and Roses, and Lillies, and Violets, and Corne-eares were the Philippians, Phil. 4.18 an odour that smelleth sweet, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasant to God. Such as Israel whilst the dew was vpon him, hee shall grow as the Lillie, Ose. 14.6.7 and fasten his roots as the trees of Lebanon: his beauty shall be as the Oliue tree, and his smell as Lebanon.

Iaacob had the Vine, true faith in his heart, his father Abrahams faith: not an agnus Dei about his necke, or hanging in a tablet at his brest, Fides purifi­cans cor, est vna, integra, vera, viua. Ioh. 12.3 as some abused Saint Iohns Gospell; but a sound faith growing within and without his heart, all his affections as the branches of a vine, for his Sauiour all the vine as a bower to rest in, and all the bower as the house filled with sweet sauour: what a smell is the smell of this vine.

Iacob had the Oliue victory in his faith, Colos. 1.13 against all Principalities, and powers of darknesse: hee was short of Christ in respect of circum­stance of time, but he had the substance which cheered his heart at all times, with thoughts of his Captaine the Siloe, the Conquerer, the Lion, Gen. 49 whose paw should be in the necke of his enemies. By this pow­er Iaacob wanne the victory of the world, so sweete is the smell of this Oile.

Iacob had the Rose-loue in his faith, Ezek. 47 whose leaues did not fade, in­uincible loue as appeareth by his wrestling. Let me be gone (saith the Angel) for the morning appeareth. Genes. 32 What? let thee goe, my life and my glory; I will not let thee goe vnlesse thou blesse mee. Lord let me loue the smell of this Rose.

Iacob had a Lilly chastity, in his faith a faire Lilly, within the bor­ders of his paradise, Eccles. 50.8 as the Lillies by the springs of waters; white as the light, and faire without spot. His brother hastened to his Canani­tish [Page 19]women, and sent an ill sent into the soules of his parents; yet Ia­cob kept his vessell in holinesse. O honour, let me counsell you all to keep the smell of this Lilly. 1 Thess. 4 4

Iacob had the Violet, humble deuotion, in his faith the Violet groweth low by the ground, so doth humble deuotion to daily praiers, Bartholomaes Gen. 17.3 1 Sam. 1.13 as Abraham fell vpon his face, and Hannah was humbled before the Lord. Shall I stay you a while, to heare Iaacobs daily praiers. All yee which liue in plenty or scarsity, remember Iaacobs Vow. Wee are all in our iourny as Iaacob was, and desirous as hee to come to our fathers house, our father wich is in heauen. Iaacob vowed a Vow, saying, Gen. 28.20 If God will be with me, and will keepe me in my iourney which I go, and will giue mee bread to eat and cloathes to put on, so that I come againe to my fathers house in safetie, then shall the Lord be my God. Here was sweet contentment in a lowly estate: humble contentation was Iacobs staffe, which did flourish all with Violets, as Aarons Rod did but with flow­ers and almonds; with this staffe came I ouer Iordane. Surely there is an wholesome breath in the smell of this Violet.

Iaacob had the corne eare the fruites of faith, Nomb 17.8 Gen. 32.10 Gal. 5 Gen. 41.5 those praise-worthy fruites of the spirit, Loue, Ioy, Peace, Long Suffering, Meeknesse, Temperance, Goodnesse, all specious vpon one faith; as those seuen eares of corne ranke and goodly all vpon one stalke. Shall I make bold to inuite you all to taste this corne, for the smell of this corne eare.

Now Prince of Wales, where is thy smell? Hast thou neither Vine, Oliue, Rose, Lilly, Violet, nor Corne-eare? Surely then thou art a poore Prince, and they are poore whom God hateth: Behold here, the smell of the fauour of God to the Prince. The Prince hath them all as Iacob had them, he is all Suckoth, Suckoth as the Tabernacles of God, his eies, eares, lippes, heart, all Suckoth; Tents of godlinesse, pitched in Rephidim the mansion of the medicines of Gods blessings. The Phi­losophers describe an house of desier: non quidem, opulentam et ambitiosam, stuffed with the pelfe of the world, and faced with proud ambition: No, sed cui nihil testit in se supellectilis, with workes not a­ny thing of necessarie vse, [...]. Behold, here is that house as that happy little world all furnished with necessaries. And here is one thing more then all those necessaries and more worth, Luke 10.42 John 13.1 that one thing which is necessary and cannot be taken from him. For whom God loueth hee loueth to the end. This the smell of my sonne.

The Prince hath the Vine, the Gospell in his faith: it is the foun­taine in which he doth daily refresh his soule; it is the lauour through [Page 20]which he doth daily wash himselfe. This is his Bason and Ewre of ho­nour, the Gospel is the Ewre, his heart the Bason.

This is a Princely Bath, the Kings Bath all perfumed with health, all with sauing health. Let young and old, and all wash themselues in this Bath. Knights of the Bath, all the which are souldiers in this mili­tant life, vnder the banner of Iesus Christ. Christ is the Prince, who gaue himselfe, Eph. 5.26. that he might sanctifie you and clense you, by the wa­shing of water, through the word. The Prince is knight of the order of the comely order of King Salomon, Cant. 4.15. washed in the springs of Leba­non, perfumed with Spikenard, Saffron, Calamus, Cynamon, and all sweet spices. Cant. 4 2. Knights of the Bath, come forth like a flocke of sheep, in good order, which goe vp from the washing: come forth, as the daughters of Sion, and behold King Salomon with the crowne, in the day of the gladnesse of his heart. Knights of the Bath, come forth, and behold your Prince, let him be your looking glasse, as the ruiers of waters are to the faire doues washed with milke. The Prince is ba­thed and washed in lordan seuen times, the leprosie and luxurie which doth commonly cleaue to the youth of our age, euen to the sides of their house, is washed away.

It is written of Otho, Suetonius. one of the Emperours, that hee repaired often to his glasse to see his face, that he might keepe it cleane. The Prince (as report telleth vs) goeth often to his glasse, the streames of the wa­ters of life, Psal. 23. the still streames where Dauid walked. Indeed Dauid cal­leth them waters of comforts, right worthy of that title, where he per­ceiued himselfe saued, by the washing of the new birth, in the blood of the vine.

Thus is the Prince washed, Tit. 3.5. his heart clensed, his affections purified, his delights sanctified, Nobilitas mo­rum plus ornot quam genitorū all like clusters of the vine: who would not smel at the smell of this vine?

The Prince hath the Oliue victorie in his faith, victorious holi­nesse. It was told vs long, our eyes were blessed with the sight of our most prudent King, that he hath the print of a Lyon vpon him: I doe beleeue it, though I did neuer see it, that the Lyon of the tribe of Iu­dah is printed vpon him; he hath put on Christ. And loe, here is a ly­on againe, the print of a lyon, the sonne of his father; the rpint of a ly­on, the image of Christ, which the most gracious Saints doe reioyce to be. But where is the Lyons victorie? where but in the conquest of the Lyon of Iudah? Thankes be vnto God, who hath giuen vs victorie in Iesus Christ our Lord: masterie against the sinnes of the world, sugge­stions of Satan, buffets of the flesh, blasphemy, intemperancie, scorne, [Page 21]ire, reuenge, all cōmon serpents brood, yet all killed in shell; all com­mon, as wormes in the fruit, yet all cast away in the budde; the ser­pents are quelled, the sweet bud remaineth: who will not trie the smel of this Oliue?

The Prince hath the Rose loue in his faith, a blessed rose, a faire complection, the complexion of the fairest, the beuty of the Church, the colours of Christ, the white rose and the red: My beloued is white and redde, the chiefest of ten thousand. There are diuers kinds of loue, as the loue of nature, so loue birds one another; loue of consanguini­tie, so loue kinsmen; loue of reason, so loue heathens; loue of grace, so loue Christians, which both loue God, and one another. The Princes rose is Christian loue, the cheerefull loue of Christ.

It is said, that loue maketh a man strong, rich, and wise, and here it is prooued; for the Prince his loue hath done marueilous things for him, whereof we reioyce. His loue is so strong, that with no strength of the old Sathans, he can be pulled from the truth: Omnia vincit a­mor. His light so light, it cannot bee turned into darkenesse. His loue so rich, set with the pearles of Gods fauours, and beset with the hearts of the thousands of Israel, that he himselfe is as the chiefest of the Co­rinthians, 1. Cor. 1. who in all things were made rich, and they all reioyce to thinke on all places whereon the soles of his feet doe tread. His loue so wise, that he needeth not any man to teach him, his annoynting teacheth him all things.

It is written of Alexander, that hee had a pretious stone, which so long as he kept it, did preserue him from poyson. I passe the credit of that storie, and am well pleased to behold the Princes rose, which the rose of roses hath giuen him for a preseruatiue against poyson. No in­chāted tokens of Egyptian womē can deceiue him, no mincing, equi­uncating pursenets of those Priests can catch him. Schaenobitae were of old Sophisticall old women, which to seeme faire, painted all their spots, and filled vp the wrinckles with smooth oyle. And now are the Schaenobitae a liue againe, Iesuits in their fashion, to put all out of good fashion, Romish, Spanish, French, Flemish, English Schaenobitae, yet here they loose their lanthornes. Pauones sunt, some say they are Peacocks, because they haue colours of an angel, the pace of a theefe, and the voyce of a deuill.

These birds haue sit so long in such ease on their nests, in the darke places of the kingdome, that they haue hatched here many birds of their owne feather. What are they? Gentlemen, and Ladies, and their followers, Peacockes birds, begot with child with many children, [Page 22]sinnes, and errors, treacheries of that Peacocke of Rome. Thus are there among vs many wiues and children of fornication. O say these of their dammes, Ose 1.2. who cannot be taken, their lippes droppe hony combes. Prou. 5.3. vers. 4. O say we, who dare bee taken, their end is bitter as worme-wood, and sharpe as a two edged sword. These are Lamiae, witches, which kill those which sucke their milke, Lamiae translated dragons; the dragons drawe out their breasts: Lam. 4.3. many in Campions time here in England, Amos 3. did flie to him, as birds to the fowler, and are taken: Can a bird be taken in the snare if there be no fowler? Let mee speake to all our skilfull women, which haue turned after Baal, and made Baalbe­rith their God. I would aske this question, what are your Priests? and say you, you Clergie men in England are vultures and cormorants, but our holy Priests are harmelesse gnats. It is true deare Ladies, for our part, that in some things we sin all, as yours do, and we arrogate no super-arrogant perfections as yours doe: when we haue done all, wee are vnprofitable seruants, wee are all compassed with our infirmities, as the Priests were of old, which were better then your priests: and for the sinnes sake, we are bound to offer for sins, as well for our own part, as for the people. Heb. 5.2, 3. As for your priests, wee grant that it is as true also, they are your gnats, which humme about your eares, with lullabies of Securitie to your consciences. They are gnats indeed, and so, if they be not bruized as they fall, or caught flying, they sing till they sting; and then as the Waspes, when they haue thrust in their pikes, they flie a­way, whē your rest is gone and your peace diseased. Thus said a Camaeleon la­dy of Campi­on. Heare one of those Ostriges sound in your eares, O tongue of an Angel. You may call him Barachel, all blessing, and bowing the knee to God. His name may be Barionah, the sonne of a Doue, all spirit of meek enesse, Seruus seruorum, he will lie like a strawe at your foote till the blast come. Vt vipera curuando, sic iste humiliando ingreditur: As a viper enters his crannie by bowing, so these enter your hearts by crowching. But though he speake fauourably, Prou. 26.2.5 beleeue him not, for there are seuen ab­hominations in his heart. His name is minorum minimus, The least of the Apostles: O gentle heart: the minorite is minimus indeed, vt mus in panario, or as the mouse in the garner, which minisheth the finest flower, and leaueth the brans for them which maintaine them. They loue to liue like mise and rattes in many mens houses, alwaies to their hurt, Luk. 22.31. where they fare best. These are Satans sisters, and Peter, Satan hath desired to sift thee; and at length, this sonne of a Doue doth be­come an Harpie in the Church, Bar-Ionah is changed into Barnabas a thiefe and a murtherer. Their brotherhood doth compasse our gallant [Page 23]heads like a crowne of rose-buds; but in the end it prooueth a crowne of thornes. Thus might ye all haue reported, man, wife, and child, one to another, of their brotherhood, if their spirit had sped at Westminster. Ahohi my brother is my thistle and my thorne. These are your ghost­ly fathers, these Cymerij, they neuer see the sunne, they will not depart from vs, for we desire not the knowledge of thy waies. These make all their Proselytes Cimerios, they neuer see the sunne, they cannot, Iob. 21.14. they are carried hudwincked: a lamentable estate of ignorāce, they shall neuer depart out of darkenes. Yet these Cymerij, as we reade of others, haue as they thinke, images of the sunne, and pictures which are their gods, of aduantage, by tradition, vpon-trust, onely beleeue as the Church beleeueth. If these holy Catholikes thus deuoted to images, doe by mischance loose their gods, alacke good people, it fareth with them impatiently, as it was with Laban. He searched Iacobs tent, and Leahs, and that of the two handmaids, and last of all Rachels. Wretch­ed poore Laban, his daughter had a womās excuse ready to disappoint him, that neither could hee finde his gods, nor his gods finde him. Surely his gods were dead, or in Endimeons sleepe, or at the least in a slumber with Epimenides, that they could not hearken to their ora­tors, no more then Baal to his priests. Yet for all those infirmities of their gods, these holy fathers proclaime openly to their children, om­nia bene, all their parishioners are in good health, and they say priuate­ly to themselues, A ha, I haue warmed my selfe: loe these are our La­dies pretious gods.

If I had skill in their tongue, I could call them Pedlers in French, dicunt album & intendunt nigrum; they haue an heart and an heart, Ose 10.2. like those Partridges of Paphlagonia, neither one haunt, nor one way, for their haunt is diuided. There is a question anciently descended, and easily answered: Why there are so many sheep, and so few wolues, since men and wolues doe eate sheepe. Indeed the loue of man to mans profit, is a singular preseruatiue to sheepe. But now the question is crosse, why the wolues in crease, and the sheepe decrease? Iamdiu in­oleuit quaerela de millibus ouium, & vnitatibus hominum, sed nostra in­fertur de vnitatibus ouium, inter mille hominum. Their complaint in the common wealth, is of the pluralities of sheepe, and the nullities of men; but our moane which is made in the Puritane countie of North-hampton (as it hath beene nicknamed) is for our decaied flockes of sheepe, and our multiplied heards of wolues. Shall I reade the cause? Foelix qui potuit, I haue no such skill; yet would I guesse at two causes. The one is, of the aduersarie against man; the other, of man against [Page 24]himselfe. 1. Pet. 5.8. Sathan our aduersarie hath more care, paines, watches, de­uices, for breeding and nourishing of Wolues, then ours is for the prosperity of the people of Gods pasture, Psalm. 95.7 and sheep of his hands. And more then so, our conniuencie either to seeme not to see, or to see on­ly when we list, or to see some thing and do nothing, is to shake hands with Sathan, in connubio malorum, that their combinations are daily stronger, and are christian connexions more weake? Giue the holy Prophet leaue to speake in this case. Esay 26.10 Let mercy bee shewed to the wic­ked, yet hee will not learne righteousnesse, no more then the Hogge man­ners, with a chaine of Pearles about his necke. I would willingly speake here, Rom. 3 what the Apostle hath spoken, both of Authores et fau­tores, how they are both guiltie. Methodus con­fessionis. Or if any angry Pope-ling should cauill, I would wipe of his blow with their owne verdict, which wit­nesseth how many waies one man may bee faulty in an other mans fault.

All excuses of ancient acquaintance are but idle pretenses in this bu­sinesse, miseratio effaeminata: and I thinke it hath beene called foolish loue, to nourish a Serpent in the bosome, or to suffer Wolues to breed in the Wood to wast Sheepe. Vt iugulent ho­mines surgunt de nocte latro­nes. Our predecessour could say: odimus accipitrē qui semper viuit in armis, who can once loue the Kite, which euer liues in spite? I pray you what are the liues of the Remish wolues? but fier and sword, warre and bloud-shed. Fare and softly, Iesuitae faces Romanae: Surely, you English Clergy play the Iauelles with vs, per hoc Ly. For those holy Votarists are goodly torches sent hither to enlighten our darke thoughts as Iohn Baptist, who was a burning and a shining candle. Ioh. 5.35 Indeede good patients you answere well for your Physitions, propter hoc Ly. But there is great oddes in these lights: Iohn Baptist was to the Church as the candle in the womans hand, to helpe her to finde her lost groat: and the Iesuites are as the fier which came out of the bramble, Graeta fide vo­lantes. Esay 9.16 to consume the Cedars of Lebanon. Yea those mount-backes of Rome, put out many eies, and giue sight to none, ignes fatui, they walke wilde in the darke, blind-fold their fol­lowers, misleade them out of the true way, and are too often as wild­fier, but touch and take. Iud. 15.5 We reade of Foxes tied by the tailes with fier-brands, and sent into the corne fields to destroy them. It might haue bin said of England, Iohn 4.35 look on the regions how all the field is white vnto [Page 25]haruest. But out of question, our field is not so pleasant as it was, for the Foxes fier which hath wasted much corne. They are but tied by the tailes, and so they runne into Ladies chambers; it were good that they were tied by the neckes, and laid to sleepe in the middest of their own fier-brands.

But shall I turne my thoughts from these witch-blasts, to the Rose of England, all sweet loue to his Sauiour, all, and all inuiolable loue to his sauing word. No flatterer hath seduced him, no craft hath snared him, no canker-worme hath wasted him. Who should not loue the smell of this Rose?

The Prince hath a Lillie chastitie, in his faith a faire Lillie, growing on a golden pillar, the pillar of honour, the honour of the Temple, the Temple of God: him that ouercommeth I will make a pillar in the Temple of my God. Looke all on this Onichinus, this peerclesse Preatle, alwaies clasped in white belts, faire siluer girdles,; the chastity of his minde, body, gesture, conuersation, with the aspect of his eies, Prou 22.11 and the grace of his lippes. This is he which loueth purenesse of heart, and for the grace of his lippes the King shall be his friend. Wee reade of the Lilly that which we know, that it beareth aureum semen with­in the flowers: the golden seede is sanctitie the seede fell in good ground and hath brought foorth an hundred folde. Luke 8. Ose 7. Ose 10.12 Many other haue sowen the wind and reaped the whirle-wind, but hee hath sowen to himselfe in righteousnesse, and reaped after the measure of mercy.

Let euery true heart here, call his soule to praier. The Lord grant when that time may happely come, that his spouse shall bee chosen a­mong the honourable women, that then the Kings daughter may be brought to him, with ioy and with gladnesse enter into the Kings pal­lace. So shall wee then reioice, and againe I say reioice in the smell of this Lillie.

The Prince hath the Violet humility, in his faith an elect valley all of beautifull prospect; so high a Prince, so lowly in his seruice to think so highly of God, and so truly of himselfe: Aquae descendunt ad val­les, God giueth grace to the humble, to bee frequent at praiers, ser­mons, holy quiers; as if his cheefe desire were as Dauids was, to dwell in the courts of the Lord; to bee a friend to the Church, and a stay to the Altar, as good Iosiah was. 4 Reg. 23 Quanto magis arbor abundat fructibus tanto magis inclinatur: more any tree doth abound with fruite, more doth it bend it selfe to their commodity who are vnder it. Thus doth he increase in fauour with God and man: Charilaus the peoples ioy, all his garments smell of the Sanctuary; his fathers ioy, as Iacob was to [Page 26] Isaac. Who doth not ioy in the smell of this Violet.

The Prince hath the Corne-care, holy workes in his faith, as if hee had digested that counsell of the wise-man. All that thine hand shall finde to doe, Eccl. 9.8.10 doe it with all thy power, for there is neither worke, nor in­uention, nor knowledge, S. Augustine. nor wisdome in the graue. Qui vult sine fine remunerari, debet sine fine bonum operari, hee which would haue end­lesse reward, 1 Pet. 2.15 must haue endlesse perseuerance: for so is the will of God, that by well doing you put to silence the ignorance of the foolish men; Iob. 29 as Iob did, who continued an e [...]e to the blind, and a foot to the lame. If any enemie thinke heere, hee can smell oleum peccatoris, I professe to hate it splendiduml, ubricum, dulce, damnosum: as yee for slipping, and the cup of a whore for poisoning. And I dare bee bold to giue in an instance for mine owne defence, that of al others we poor despised Ministers haue cause to blesse the daies of the Prince. Why so? for Christ his Mandrakes haue sweetned his; and his Mandrakes haue sweetned ours. O heauenly Mandrakes, graces of the spirit, which dispose to the conception of good workes. The Church is Abi­gaile, her fathers ioy, and Christ hath lodged with her; the Prince is a sonne and heire in the Church, and Christ hath lodged with him by spiration of his holy word, by inspiration of his holy Spirit; that the Prince may say, Cant. 5.4 as the Church hath said: My bowels were mnooued towards him. Heere is our true cause of ioy without sophistically op­pilations. Therefore seeing his inclination to good workes by those spices of our Sauiour, which haue spiced him; wee all consent in that concent of the Canticle of Christ: Cant. 7.13 Thy Mandrakes haue giuen a smell, and in our gates are all sweet things. The Princes words are often as the words of the seuenth day; words of grace, apples of gold in pi­ctures of siluer; Prou. 2.11 Leu. 25 his works are as the works of the seuenth yere, works of grace; a goodly tree, full of fruites. You may know the tree by the fruites, Apoc. 2 and praise the fruites for the smell. This smell is as Smirna, all sweet myrrhe; and wee all are refreshed with the smell of this Corne­care.

Now then let vs compare Iacob and Iacob, Hebrew and English; vte­rinos fratres, two twins both in one womb of the Church, both as Ca­stor and Pollux, Act 28.11. the badge of our Ship. Castor is descended, and as the Sun gone vnder a cloud: he was gathered to his people, and is gone to sleep with his fathers. Gen. 49.33 What then? albeit he sleep he is aliue, & shall rise againe as the Sun in his faire horizon. Exod. 3.6 God is the God of the liuing, the God of Abrahā, Isaac, & Iaacob: But I say Castor is layd down in peace and Pollux is vpon our Ship in daily aduentures for the golden flece. [Page 27]When I was of younger yeares, Apollonius Theocritus. I did reade of the famous Acts of Ca­stor and Pollux, in that egregious voyage for the Golden Fleece. But what idle dreames were those, with all their resolutions, to the high resolutions of religious hearts, for the golden fleece, the fleece of the Lambe, the Lambe of God, the inualuable righteousnesse of the Lambe of God is the golden fleece. Ioh. 1. Iacob and Iacob are both naked as Adam, before the Lord, without this fleece. Consider the ampli­tude of the honour and efficacie of this fleece, Rom. 4. Psal. 32. wherewith all our sins are couered. Many, many thousands haue yeelded vp their blood, for this fleece: hoc expeditionum Christianarum praetium & praemi­um: This hath beene the faire paiment for many Christian aduen­tures.

The holy lambe alloweth vs his flesh to feed vs, Ioh. 6.1. Tim. 6.8. his fleece to couer vs. Therefore when we haue food and raiment, let vs be therewith content. Such was Iacobs contentment in his new coate, when he got the blessing in his elder brothers coate. Christ is our elder brother, our first borne, a sonne to Iacob, yet elder then Iacobs grandfather: be­fore Abraham was I am. A lambe without spot was this Lambe, Ioh. 8 yet that he might lend his spotlesse coate to spotted Iacob, hee was slaine, from the beginning of the world. Apoc. 13.8. Behold then a world of wonders in these two, Iacob the elder and the younger, notwithstanding sundry generations betwixt them, doe both part stakes in Christ; either of them haue all their riches of Christ, yet neither of them haue all which is of Christ: either of them haue all Christ, for Christ is not diuided; 1 Cor. 3. Rom. 11. neither of them haue all that which is Christs, for Christ is not com­prehended. Christ is the Owner of all in the shippe, and of the shippe and all, and they both are but partie borrowers of all their parts. So that Iacob aboue with Christ in glorie, and Iacob below with Christ in grace, may both sing with that sweet singer of Israel, Psal. 142. The Lord is my portion in the land of the liuing.

But now let vs see the distance of perfection betwixt Christ & these two brothers: Iacob hath the vine, and Christ is the vine; Iacob pos­sesseth all those pleasant riches in Christ, and Christ possesseth them all himselfe.

Christ is the vine, the true vine, which runnes all mercie and life to Iacob, and all wither and perish which doe not abide in this vine. Ioh. 15.

Christ is the Oliue, the true Oliue stocke, what branch soeuer abi­deth not in him, hath no life in it; for the branches beare not the roote, Rom. 11.18. but the root the branches: all fade and fall away which are not grafted into this Oliue.

Christ is the rose, 1. Cor. 13. of all flowers the rose is cheefest, and of all ver­tues loue; the chiefest of those three is loue: God is loue, and he that dwelleth in him dwelleth in loue: out of this habitation there is no health nor safetie.

Christ is the Lillie, Cant. 2. Jsidor. the most delightfull Lillie; for he which is the Rose is the Lillie: I am the Rose and the Lillie of the field: Multiplicis medicinae, to open dangerous passages, to soften hardnesse of heart, to heale wounds, Matth. 6. and repell venemous infections. O consider this Lillie of the field, for our chiefest comforts are in this Lillie.

Christ is the Violet, Matth. 11. the sweetest Violet, which groweth lowe by the ground: Learne of me, for I my selfe am mecke and lowely. This vio­let was remoued from heauen to the earth, to raise vs from the earth to heauen. Some Philosophers hold opinion, that the dew which fal­leth from the highest part of that Region of the aire, worketh deepest vpon the earth; for being more oylie and rich matter, it doth more fatten the ground, and with gentle kisses entice forth the fruites there­of. Hosoeuer this be of that dew, it is most sure of the fattest dewe le­sus Christ. This is the dew of the morning, which commeth from the highest, and falleth lowest, euen into the center, into the heart of Iacob. The dew of heauen is the cause of the fatnesse of the earth, else hath the earth no fatnesse: idest, the diuinitie of Christ is the fatnesse of our humanitie. The Lord giue thee of the dew of heauen, and the fatnesse of the earth. Here, here, is mans blessed abundance. This is Manna, Exod. 16. sweet Manna, the bread of Angels, all about the Church, as the dew lay round about the host; sweet dew, sweet as the violet, and the smell of life was in it. Christ his humilitie is our glorie, and his lowest steppe to death, was our high staire to life. Yea, in his humili­tie we are exalted, Esa. 53. as with his stripes we are healed. Behold the smell of this violet.

But last of all, 1. Cor. 15. Christ is the corne eare, the right wheat corne which dieth and liueth againe: Ioh. 10.18. of it selfe it dieth and liueth againe. I haue power to lay downe my life, and to take it vp againe, and all other liue by this. The spirit of grace and the holy Scriptures are the flower of this wheat. The disciples of Christ gathered eares of corne on the sab­bath day, and we here in England euery Sabbath day, trauaile through the corne field: Jn [...]erlin. Ru­pertus. Spicae Scripturarum Spiritum viuificantem habent: Sentences of Scripture haue the spirit of life in them. Is any man hun­grie and can forbeare gathering? Ambulant per Sata cum Domino qui in Scripturarum meditatione delectantur, Rabanus. &c. They keepe the Lord company in his corne field, which walke on in holy meditations of [Page 29]the Scriptures. Iesus went on the Sabbath day through the corne, and his Disciples were hungrie, and began to plucke the eares of corne, and rubbe them in their hands, and to eate; common walkers sometimes plucke and rubbe, but eate not. These feele no necessitie of eating, else would they eate for hunger, as the Disciples did. If we be Christi­ans, we are farre short of our selues, to care onely for necessaries to the body, as the Ant or Mouse make their prouision, not caring if the soule pine and perish for want of Sabbath daies co [...]ne. What shall we say then to the contentious oppositions of proud spirits, against the necessitie of such sustenance? The Papists themselues, some of them will say, that the word of God, either read or preached, doth clense the vncleane, enlighten the blind, heale the broken, and raise the dead. Yea sometimes ouercome with the power of the word of God, they will confesse a matter of truth, Rodolph. Francis. Verbum Dei maioris efficaciae quàm medicinae vel reliquiae sanctorum: The word of God is the sicke mans falue, more effectuall then all the drugges of Traditions. Wherefore thinke you, did the Prophet Esaie deliuer from God that Sermon of the excellent abilitie of the word of God, That as raine and snowe ma­keth the earth to bring forth the budde, Esa. 55. that it may giue seed to the Sower, and bread to him that eateth: thus the word of God should hearten and releeue the needie. 1. Cor. 9.16. Wherefore did the Apostle so much preferre spirituall riches before carnall, and pronuounce a woe against himselfe, if he did not preach the Gospel, to minister the bread of life to the Church. The Lord had commanded him to this seruice, and therefore he knew he should be beaten with many stripes, Luc. 12.47. if hee did the worke of the Lord negligently. Ad hoc Apostolus tenetur & quod debuit fecit etiamsi non potuit quantum debuit: The Apostle being bound by Gods precept to his office, hee ought to doe as much as hee could, albeit he could not as much as hee ought. A learned man cal­leth this dispensation, Necessitas debiti & iustitiae. Caietane. It is indeed of iu­stice and dutie to distribute the childrens bread to whom it is appoin­ted. And this is the cause why it is called Necessitie of obligation, & releefe: of obligation, in respect of Gods commandement: of re­leefe, in lew of the peoples want. Thus to this purpose was it said, That the minister may euer find causes too many, to cause him to worke propter populi indigentiam, where is more neede to bestow more feed. This is the corne which we all neede, for a remedie against ig­norance, Gregorie. or errour, or sinne, or any vnbeleefe: therefore come all and taste, and smell how sweet the Lord is, what varieties of recreations are in the smell of this corne eare.

Sithence then it is euident, that there are such store of gentle con­tentments in our blessed Sauiour, that he is all in all, the vine, oliue, rose, lillie, violet, and corne eare, I would begge an Office to bidde a feast. Prou. 9. Let me this once take vpon me, to inuite guests for wisedom. Whosoeuer is simple, let him come hither, yea whosoeuer is wise, let him come hither. The King, Queene, Prince, and all the royall Pro­genie, the Nobles, Counsellors, Iudges, Rulers, Teachers, and all come taste, O dor Christi est Spiritus sempiternè recreatiuus. and feele, and smell the kindnesse of the Lord. He is all word of eternall life: here is our feeding, he is all mercie, and forgiuenesse of sinnes: here is our healing, he is all fulnesse of grace, here is our smel­ling. He is sweet in speaking, sweet in smelling: sweet in speaking, neuer man spake like this man: John 7.46. sweet in smelling, all merits and fa­uours of sustentation, preseruation, and of saluation. O blesse Saui­our, in the sauour of thy oyntments we will runne after thee, that we may be as the King, Cant. 1. and the Kings sonne, sweet in thy sweetnesse. Thus we praise and blesse the smell of the Kings sonne, and passe here the first riuer of Paradise, all of the sweet smell of mercie. Mercies of God to the King, in his gift of this sonne: mercies of God to this sonne, in the gifts of his graces: and mercies of God to vs all, in both these gifts; of the King, and the Kings sonne: Behold the smell of my sonne.

I Am returned to remeditate our ioies in the manifold causes of our many ioies. The sonne to whom I am next now in my text, doth display many ioies; all causes of ioy to vs, all, if we all as birds of the day, be in loue with this sonne.

Now to the second riuer all of truth. My Sonne. Heere I might deale forth vnto you many multiplici­ties of the sonnes of nature, grace, and glory, but heere Laconismus is best welcome. There is a sonne of nature, and a sonne of grace, which both haue interest in this riuer of the truth of God: One as the owner and Lord Pooramont, the other as tenant and inholder. The sonne of God by nature, is Iesus Christ the truth it selfe, and God of truth, the sonne of diuine generation, the onely begotten sonne of God, Symbolum Nic [...] Iohn 3. begot­ten before all worlds. There is a sonne of grace, the sonne of regene­ration, borne againe of the spirit of God, borne vnto glory in the ce­lestiall Ierusalem among the company of innumerable Angels. Hebr. 12.22 Such a sonne is Iaacob, a pleasant sonbne by the holy participation of the communicable graces of the naturall sonne of God. Heere may wee take a ioyfull view of our release from the post-fines of sinne, both feare and shame. Frigius. The superbious Stagge cannot but feare the little Dogge. Why so? because he is but nature: And albeit hee be proce­rous in comparison, and beareth strong armes vpon his head, yet doth [Page 32]he fly with shame. The true Israelite albeit hee be but a yongue strip­ling, and the least of all his brethren as Dauid was, yet he cannot feare the roring Lion. Why so? because he hath grace, a priuilege aboue na­ture, Why, Iohn 17.12 what is Iacob by nature? a sonne of the earth, of flesh, dark­nesse, death, wrath, hell and perdition.

I might shew you all these flesh-brands in mine owne nature to my shame; but my short time cals for better matter. What mends hath grace made? behold, how good and ioyfull a thing it is: Iaacob is a sonne of heauen, earth abolished; a sonne of the spirit, flesh morti­fied; a sonne of light, darknesse vanished; a sonne of delight, wrath abandoned; Mat. 9.15 1. Cor. 15. a sonne of life, death is swallowed vp in victory; a sonne of the bride groomes chamber, death is swallowed vp in victory, and all dishonour is exiled for euer more. Such sonnes are Iacob and Iacob, Hebrew and English, King Salomons loue betwixt them. King Salo­mon made himselfe a Pallace of the trees of Lebanon, Cant. 3.9 all white and sweet as Frankincese of Lebanon. These two are trees of Lebanon, Suauitate & candore morum melliti, eburnei, saccarati & lactei; sweet and white as the trees of Lebanon. Loe here is the smell of my sonne. What is it thinke you, a small matter to become the Kings son? Iaacob is Isaacs sonne, and the Prince is the Kings sonne, and they all are Gods sonnes, Eph. 1.14 elected, adopted, sanctified, iustified, and sealed, vnto the day of redemption. Thus are they all made wise sonnes: a wise sonne maketh a glad father: and hee that begetteth a wise sonne shall haue ioy of him: Prou. 10 Prou. 13 as happely the King hath of the smell of his sonne.

Shall I now begge a discourse?

There haue beene euill sonnes of euill fathers, as the sonnes of Cain and Cham: euill sonnes of good fathers, as some sonnes of Dauid: good sonnes of euill fathers, as Ezechiah the sonne of Achah, and Iosiah the sonne of Ammon: and good sonnes of good fathers, such were Isaac and Iaacob.

The first sort were a iust recompence that they should bee serued themselues as they had serued others. The second sort were vngrate­full birds which stained their owne nest, Iuda. 5 1. Sam. 2 17 and caused their fathers to smell ill before the vncircumcised, as Hely his sonnes did. He might iustly complaine against his sonnes, as the Iewes did iniustly against Moses and Aaron, Exod. 5.21 yee haue cause our sauour to bee lothsome be­fore Pharaoh. The third sort were a blessed allowance, these snined as light in the middest of a crooked generation, Phil. 2.15 their fathers before and their sonnes after, beeing set vpon euill. But the fourth sort is the chie­fest [Page 33]honour and splendor of the Church; Firmamentu [...] veritatu in Christo confir­matum. Apoc. 5.8 Prou. 27.9 good sonnes of good fa­thers, all in the Church, as the lights in the firmament. All these are as the golden Viols full of odors, odoriferous and delectable to their parents, as ointment and perfume reioice the heart. You Nobles, Gen­tles, Merchants, and Fathers all, what are your sonnes? euill of euill, or euill of good, or good of euill, or good sonnes of good fathers, which is more to bee desired then gold. Trie the smell of your chil­dren, and prooue whether your sonnes and daughters haue beene de­dicate to diuels, as many were among the children of Israel. 4 Reg. 17.17 By euill example many giue their children to the sorcerie of Popery, and to all prophanesse of opinion and malefaction. Through fier they passe to Priests and Iesuites, to the orders and disorders of Rome. Ad bullatas nug as magu as [...] piciunt quam ad scripturas vt Asint stra­mina malunt quam aurum. Many of your children are sent to Lypsius his Ladies to seruice, and to the Ig­natian Friars to schoole. The sonnes of the Prophets were discriples and schollers of the Prophets, sonnes of good smell: many of yours are ali enigenae, cuckoo birds, strangers to your owne country Church and Prophets, and liuing sometimes euen in the middest of all, loue not the heart of any. The King is the head here in his dominions next vnder God, and the Prince is the heart vnder the head: your children loue neither of them, no nor their parents neither, but to serue their owne turne, and their great Mistris the Whore of Babylon. You may too many of you thanke your selues, you haue yeelded them to their course (as Daedalus did his sonne in the fiction) with wax vpon their wings, bullis indulgentialibus linitas. H [...]nc p [...]rtinaci [...] papistica vt Eutichiana, in hac fide geni­tus sum etiam vsque hodie vixi et in ea opto mori. Too many of you haue set them in tune, or rather out of tune, to your owne Romane instruments, your hearts. Thus your corrupt children are gone backward, they are strangers from the wombe, euen from the belly haue they erred and speake lies, Mandrabuli more, worse and worse. If you thinke this reason giuen of your sonnes ruines be without reason, hearken to the Prophet. Thy father was an Ammorite, and thy mother an Hittite, and in thy natiuity, when thou wast borne, thy nauell was not cut, Vt è sinubus nubium e [...]acu­lantur fulmina et tonitrua, qui­bus coloni in aruis affligun­tur, ita è co, di­bus malorum parentum euol­uuntur pssimi filij suis vicini [...] cruente infesti. nor wa­shed, nor saulted, &c. Good tutors and teachers should performe the offices of good mid-wifes to your children; these to helpe them in their generation, those to further them in their regeneration.

This is the cause that there are among vs so many young Amorites and Hittites for want of holy education. Amorites and Hittites a bit­ter people, cruell rebels, yet pratlers, which dare so vaunt themselues, that they are euen an astonishement vnto vs.

But may I bee so bold heere, to aske another question. What are such parents better then Tantalus, Cambyses, or Lysimachus. One of [Page 34]them killed his sonne of pride, another of furie, and the third of foo­lish loue. The popish father is right as Lysimachus, who by the cursed perswasion of a cruell step-mother killed his sonne, his valiant sonne Agathocles. Haud ero secu­rus, dum sit ti­bi tanta securis O Nouerca Roma, thou hast intised many a father to murder his owne child, and many children to reuolt from God a ten­der hearted father, Papa caput est ecclesiae, vt ca­minus est Domi in se fumos Je­suiticos recipi­ens, et effundens vt enecet. Ier 39.3 Apoc. 18 Deut. 13 Deut. 18 and the true Church a most louing mother. Yes by thy instigations as the stings of the Hornet, thou hast set to worke many a Ragmag and Neregall. These as a close couered candle haue secretly kindled fire vpon christian States, to melt and dissolue all ho­ly gouernment. Ah, thou hast imployed Ragmag and Neregall, with all the rest of the Princes of the King of Babell, to teare off the life, or religion, or peace, or all, from Ierusalem. O Nouerca Roma, Queene mother, thou saiest thou art a Queene, but thou art a dreamer, a de­ceiuer, a charmer, a regarder of times, a counsellour with euill spirits, a step-mother, as those Lurida terribiles miscent aconita Nouercae, alwaies tampring with poyson for Gods children. Menander. Did not the Poet dreame of thee in those words, [...]. There is not a worse mischiefe then a wicked step-mother. Per ea quae sunt placida suadēt foeda. 3 Reg. 18.4 4 Reg. 11.1 Quae dedit in­fidus mella ve­nena puto. Let thy sisters, either Phaedra or Medea be thy Iudges, how thou hast raged against Kings children: or thinke of them of whom thou art more certaine in holie writte, how thy sisters Iesabel and Athaliah shall rise against hee in the great day, for killing the Prophets and the Kings linage. Thus di­ed the mild French King before, thus followed the puifant French King after, and both died of their mothers knife. If then the sunne haue reueiled this way of a Serpent vnder a stone: is not Rome ha­sharsheol a Wolfes house, Vbi cascus cas­cam duxit. and your good mother a bloud-sucker? You tell vs daily that your father is holy, his name is holinesse; but your mother is a murtherer, De Papa quam plurims quod de hircosis dicunt, quo redolentio­ribus sese odo­ramentis fumi­gauerint eo te­trius olent hyr­cum. Ita pater iste mendax quo sacratioris titul [...] laruam iudueril eo gra uiorem expirat mephitim eius fallacitas. and therefore we thinke your fathers ho­linesse is to blame. The Diuell hath a wide circle compassing the earth, and that Strix of Rome is angry as the Bore, which whets his teech because his circuit is not as large as the Diuels. Who seeth not also, that Satan and his holinesse are agreed to marke all with their blacke cole, and brand them for Heretikes which blesse themselues with Gods blessing out of their reach. Therefore to requite the Popes kindnesse, I dare presume to take a little more roome to wrastle one fall with his holinesse, for the wrong done to this name of holinesse. I know well that the Popes solliciters haue much confidence in their Champion as the Philistines had in Goliah; yet must hee needes fall which will stand on his tiptoes, vaunting himselfe against Gods cause as hee did, and more blasphemous then Rabshakeh arrogate [Page 35]to himselfe the Title which is proper to God.

This name of God, the type of his incomparable perfection, Exod. 28. was engrauen onely in gold, the golden letters beeing as the letters of a seale, to signifie him, who onely by himselfe, is of himselfe. It was his proper name, which being holinesse it selfe, is able to make others ho­ly. God is more able to make Aaron holy, then fire is able to make the mettall hot, or the sunne able to infuse his heat into the day: both these creatures may be restrained by God, but the Creator by none. God can with hold the naturall powers from the strongest, Exod. 3. Iob. 40.4. and the fairest; so that the fire shall not burne in the bush, nor the sunne shine in Egypt. God can illuminate man with the light of life, and none can forbid it. Canst thou restraine the sweet influence of the Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? hath man an arme like God? Shall then challenge of equalitie with God, in his matchlesse name, be made by a weake and sinnefull man, whose foundation is dust, and his daies vani­tie. Some of the learned thinke it was the ineffable name of God, which was engrauen on the plate of gold; and so they write of the o­pinion of some of the Rabbines, which being granted, then the name there written cannot bee the Popes. What if Aaron did beare this name in the Myter vpon his fore-head, yet was it borne not as Aarons owne name, but his Master his name, whom Aaron serued, as it is written, Holinesse to the Lord. Let mee yeeld as much vantage as a wrastler may, and lend the Pope that hold of an ancient father, S. Hierom. Exod. 28.38. Totam Pontificis pulchritudinem Dei vocabulum coronet & protegat: But why so? that Aaron may beare the iniquitie of the offerings, &c. This is plaine which was in speciall commanded for Aaron, and none o­ther, wherein he was the singular type of Christ, and of none other; who onely could take away the sinnes of the world, and none other, Ioh. 1: 2. Cor. 5.18. Ibidem. to reconcile the people to God. We poore Ministers haue the ministerie of reconciliation giuen vnto vs, but none are reconciled to God, but by Iesus Christ, for God was in Christ, & reconciled the world to himselfe. And he which hath the highest place in the ministration, must be ho­ly, but he cannot be Holinesse: he must be true, but he cannot be the Truth; these are Gods preheminences. Therefore is this name Gods onely, and properly, Quarto modo, to signifie that soueraigntie which is aboue the Popes capacitie. But what needeth this attempt (will some say) to cast him downe, who hath so often cast himselfe downe, like a blinde man, who cannot see, or a drunken man which cannot stand?

How many of the Popes haue beene, as the beast, for want of hea­uenly [Page 36]light, Narthecophori multi, Baccbi vero pauci. wanting eles, among the infidels, as Sampson did amidst the Philistims, hauing their cogitations darkened, and being strangers from the life of God. Therefore Papacie was called the kingdome of the beast. Loe, where is his holinesse?

How many of the Popes haue beene luxurious, with carnall and spirituall fornication, that thousands haue walked that way in the twi­light to the harlots house. Prou. 7.19. You may well thinke that warning peece doth reach to them. How should I spare them for this? Thy children haue forsaken me, and sworne by them which are no gods: though I fedde them to the full, Ier 5.7: yet they did commit adulterie, and assembled themselues by companies in the harlots house. Therefore was Papacie called the kingdome of the whore. Loe, where is his Holinesse?

How many of the Popes haue bin Nicromancers, Coniurers, In­chanters, Wizards, Krants. (quimalis artibus adepti sunt Pontificatum) which entered with cruell effusions of blood, by falshood, like a Foxe, and passing on for a time lyon-like, or like a Tygre, haue at length beene drowned like a dogge in the same streame. Their despite was great against the precept of God: you shal not regard inchanters, themselues being such. There is no sorcerie in Iacob, nor soothsaying in Israel, much lesse is Aaron a sorcerer himselfe. For this sinne, Papacie was called the Kingdome of the Dragon. Numb. 23.21. Loe, where is his Holinesse?

How many of them haue beene wicked Extortioners, and pillers of many states, which haue shifted their hands like Iuglers, with all kinds of beggarly trickes, to scrape vp the off all of kingdomes, and to emp­tie them of prouisions. Haue not their leane kine eaten vp the fatte, their Monkes, Friers, Seminaries, and Spawne of that monster Abad­don, haue sucked as horse-leaches, and deuoured as Locusts. That Prophesie of Hildegardis is worth reading, to make a shew of these ho­ly men, which for their greedie worme, is called the kingdom of Lo­custs. Loe, where is his Holinesse?

Thus these holy Fathers, taking paines to doe euill, by wasting ho­linesse, haue striuen for the title. But their slight counterseits are now so conspicuous, that wee dare to say, which they dare to prooue, That they haue too many of them, had no more holinesse then the beasts loue towards God, the Whore virginity, the Magitian sincerity, or the Oppressor charitie. It is now manifest, that all their faire shews were but gylden puppies, and your holy Fathers, Sentinamundi, the most loathsome puddles of all the world. And for further assurance, we appeale to the records of those writers, which haue espied and la­mented the blots of the Popes, as of common strumpets, & the stench [Page 37]of Rome, as the Stewes of Babylon. One seemeth to compare hell and Popes together, because neither can be satisfied: Si tibi det sua, S. Bernard. non repleat tua guttura Craesus. And to the same purpose, a better Monke then ordinarie, giueth vs all faire warning: Si Bursae parcas, Iob Monach fuge Papas & Patriarchas: hee that hath an honest care to keepe something, let him flie the Pope and his Proctors, more then any thing. In those dolefull considerations of Romish impieties, some of your owne fauourites haue cried out, that Rome is Officina fraudum, F. Petrarch. claustrum irarum nidus proditionum, commendations not worth Eng­lishing: and a bird of your owne feather did flie abroad, crying as a Screech-owle in your owne streetes, Exeat aula qui vult esse pius: Lucan. Let no honest man trust himselfe in such vnhonest company. Loe, where your holinesse is laid on the ground. May not the Popes fauorites per­ceiue the ranke sauor of falshood, where was (as they thought in their deluded sense) the sweet smell of truth?

Is not the Popes impudent ambition easily espied in the vniust claime of the Popes vnlawfull title? Heare an ancient speake, Innoc. Ambi­tiosus statim vt est ad honorem promotus, in superbiam extollitur, ia­ctantiam effraenatur, non curat prodesse, sed gloriatur praeesse: praesumit se meliorem, quia cernit se superiorem: An ambitious man promoted, is blowne about with words, as the Mill-saile with winde, all his tur­nings are more for his owne glory, then common profit. All his la­bour is to carrie all others in his streame: Virg. quae rapidus flammis ambit torrentibus amnis. Albeit pride be the sinne of falshood against the truth, of Lucifer against God; yet were it more tollerable, if it were but to shew, and not to hurt. Pride loueth the fairest shew: qua pul­chrum est digito monstrari, & dicier hic est: It is a faire glosse with which the Pope shapes his owne coate, that among men, he is as gold aboue all mettalls, and as farre more excellent then Emperour, as Sun aboue Moone: this is the sunne of the world. If this were all, it were more then enough; but an Heathen telleth vs of a worse matter: Seneca.

All his loue to Kings, is like his loue to his best morsels, that he may deuoure them all, and keepe his foote on their neckes.

I haue read this question in a Friers Sermon, why there hath beene peace so seldome in Westphalia? The answer is, propter malam constel­lationem martis plus ibi quā alibi se infundentis. If I might interpret that answer, I should deeme the Pope to be Mars inter planetas, Ma­nors among the Princes. Surely many countries are dangerously cli­mated [Page 38]by the influence of his holinesse, and haue lesse rest by his pre­dominancie in a bloody constellation of Cardinals. The signes of heauen were appointed for seasons; Gen. 1.14 but this is the signe which by force putteth all out of season. Where this wandring starre hath rule, there peace may not inhabit in safetie. How doth this appeare? Shall I tell you how? Elisha wept at the sight of Hazael, and you would thinke by his name there is no cause. Hazael is, seeing God, as if none see God but he; but Elisha wept for the euill he should doe to the children of Israel. It is said that Hazael was ashamed when the man of God wept, 4. Reg. 8.12. but he went on with his cruell purposes. O Hazael, his holinesse is Hazael, seeing God, but who can count the euils he hath done, Iohn de Pari­sijs. the strong cities set on fire, the young men slaine with his sword, the infants dashed against the stones, and women with child rent in peeces. I might goe further to prooue why this is not incredible, both by the Chronicles of the Popes warres, and by a reason without reason, that none may punish the Pope for any fact. Thus impunitas ausum parit, ausus excessum: The Pope is as the wild asse, which for want of ta­ming doth kicke downe euery burthen. One euill breeds another: but there is too much already in word and deed of this badde matter.

Now let vs with ioy looke againe on the Kings sonne, trie his spirit hitherto vnvanquished, smell the sweetnesse of his pretious oynt­ments, which the Popes dead flies haue not yet corrupted. Fathers, behold the Kings sonne, and see of what fashion, opinion, and affecti­on your sonnes should be: he smels as Iacob did, Iacob did smell of Christ, Psal. 12.1. all of truth. I must confesse my sorrow of heart, in that iust com­plaint, for the faith and truth are diminished from among the children of men. There are many numbers of them, like idoles of the heathen, which haue eyes and see not; or in speciall like Harpocrates the dumbe god, which did see (as they supposed) but could not, or would not speake. To all those, whatsoeuer they be, we may truly say, Quid igitur profuit te vidisse veritatem quam nec defensurus es, nec secutu­rus: As the nice dame which can looke vpon the table richly furni­shed with sumptuous prouisions, and hath no stomacke to put them vp. It hath beene vrged against the Separatists long agoe, that the perfection of the Church is aboue, and not belowe, in heauen, and not on earth. And to this purpose are instances pressed out of Pater no­ster, which was all hands without eies; and our Father, which is all eies with out few hands. But see here the true proportion of true religion, both hands to doe, and eies to see, [...], the Prince, and the Princesse, in mutuall armes, embracing and feeding one the other: [Page 39]as Prou. 8 Exalt her and she shall exalt thee. This sonne is filius dextrae, the right sonne royall, the sonne of the right hand, compendium gra­tiarum, a treasure of the treasures of gladnesse. The eies of the multi­tudes looke on him, and the noblest of all the Nobles say of him, thou art worth ten thousand of one of vs. 2 Sam. 18.3 The true sonne and true heire to a true King. The son, the heire, the title, the inheritance, the creation, all sauour of truth. Behold, the smell of my sonne is as the smell of a field.

Heere wee must leaue the second riuer, where mercy and truth are mette together in the Prince, as the light and warmth of the sunne to reioice together as two riuers of Paradise to runne one with an other: So that the Prince may happilie say in the end; Psal. 119.32 I haue runne the way of thy commandements: and the Lorde may say of the Prince; Behold, the smell of my sonne.

Now are wee come to the cordiall waters of righteousnesse.

• There is among men, a Merchants Righteousnesse.
• There is among men, a poore mans Righteousnesse.
• There is among men, a proud mans Righteousnesse.
• There is among men, a Christians Righteousnesse.

The first is the righteousnesse of a prophane Merchant, who selles all his righteousnesse for smoke of vaine glory. Matth. 6.1 Take heede of this righteousnesse.

The second is the righteousnesse of a proud Lady, a proud heart in a beggers purse. Thou saiest, I am rich and increased with goods and haue neede of nothing, and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, Apoc. 3 Matth. 5. and poore. But except your righteousnesse do exceed the righteousnesse of Scribes, &c.

The third is the righteousnesse of the man with a gold ring and goodly apparell, who must euer bee the best of the company. What hath God commanded which he will not do? This man is as the foole, which hearing that God commanded man to walke streight, neither turning to the right hand nor the left, he would ouer hedge and ditch, hilles and houses, till hee fell and could passe no further. Eccle. 7.17.18 There is a iust man that perisheth in his iustice, but be not thou iust ouermuch.

The fourth is Abrahams righteousnesse. Hee beleeued and it was counted to him for righteousnesse

So vnderstand this Scripture that good Christians may put off that slander of Solifidians. For the true Christan is not fier without heat, or day without light: No, the way of the righteous shineth as the light, that shineth more and more vnto the perfect day. This is Iaacobs [Page 40]righteousnes glistring with his father Abrahams righteousnesse, both righteous in Christ. The ground in which wee find this current of righteousnesse is called a field, where wee haue of field roome good store.

In the word of God we finde diuerse fields: the field of the father­lesse, the field of beasts, Prou. 23.10 Psalm 8.7 Prou. 24 and the sluggards field. In the field of the fa­therlesse the wild Boare doth often roote, and the greedy Wolfe doth make subtill entrance. In the field of beasts Nebuchadnezar liued, all in pride, blasphemie, rapine, lust, drunkennesse, as too many in our times, Psalm. 104 liue more like beasts then men; where all the beasts of the field doe meete and the wilde Asses quench their thirst. In the sluggards field are thistles and nettles, as a wicked mans life is all full of offen­siue transgressions, for want of Christian exercise. But I haue thought to speake of other fields. Luke. 6.1 Iohn 18.1 There is ager frumenti, the corne-field where Christ walked: hortorum, the field of gardens, where Christ praied; the field of bloud & the potters field, bought with the price of bloud; and ager Meridianus, the sun-shine field, whither Christ is ascended. This Meridian field is the ioyfull Theatre for all true beleeuers, whi­ther Iaacob and Iaacob are risen with Christ: Colos. 3 the one spe, the other re; one initians, the other initiatus; one in via, the other in patria; one in possession, 1. Joh. 3.14 Ioh. 5.24. the other in infallible assurance: For we know that we are translated already from death to life.

But what field is Iaacob? a corne-field: so haue we heard of him in the corne-eare, that his Corne, and Wine, and Oile increased; Faith, Hope, Cant. 4 16. and Loue. Iaacob is a field of gardens, all of vigent flowers, and pinguous hearbes of grace; that of his owne heart he may say with ex­cellent desire: Let my beloued come into this garden and eate his plea­sant things. Let come prosperity, aduersity, or terror, or flattery, or what ill blast soeuer, Ionah 4 7. Iob. 1 Cant. 4.16 as on Ionahs gourd, or Iobs house, yet this field shall prosper, and the more it is blowen, more sweet it smelles. Arise O North, and come O South, and blow on my garden, that the spices thereof may flow.

Iacob is a field of bloud; the vndefiled bloud of the Redeemer was sprinkled vpon him, Apoc. 14.1 the bloud of the Lambe of God which standeth on mount Sion. The bloud of the Lambe was let out by his enemies in the field of bloud, but it was shed vpon his friends, as water on the thirsty ground to comfort it.

This is the bloud of the Testament which God hath appointed vn­to you. Hebr. 9.12 Yea this precious bloud was powred out vpon the rich fields of heauen and earth, that we might be all one flocke, bought and paid [Page 41]for, and seised into possession by his precious bloud-shedding: he hath set at peace through the bloud of the Crosse, both things in heauen, Col. 1 20 and things in earth.

Iaacob is a potters field, Christ Iesus was laid vp in this field, 2. Cor. 4.7 that Iacob might die to sinne and liue to righteousenesse. Iaacob hath hea­uenly treasure in an ear then vessell: Matth. 13.4 Christ is the hidden treasure in the potters field, more worth then all the field.

But shall I say that Iaacob is a Meridian field? yes a goodly sun-shine field of common ioy, and profit to the Church.

As the common court of the Tabernacle was vpon the sun-shine side, a faire and comely passing to the Church: Exod. 27.9 Thus was Iacob a faire field of common passage for the Saints, for all must come by Iaacob. This is the generation of them which seeke him, Psalm. 24.6 of them which seeke thy face O Iaacob. Nostrum est rapere regnum coelorum per gratiam quod quis nequeat attingere per naturam: our nature being lame, Ierome. Chrisostome. we must be strengthened in grace, to hold heauen by violence.

So then, albeit Iaacob be a common field, in whose faire paths and steppes of faith, we repaire daily towards the house of God. Yet is he but a figure of a fairer field; for Christ himselfe is for vs: all our rich faire common field.

He is ager frumenti, where we haue all our bread of life. Ioh. 6. Hee is a­ger hortorum, where all the Church hath all her spices. He is ager san­guinis, our mercy, truth, righteousnesse, and peace, beeing all died in his bloud, who did tread the winepresse alone. Hee was ager figuli, a man of earth, in all things like vnto man sinne onely excepted: hee bare the shape of a seruant in our potters field. Yet this was his priui­ledge, that his vessell was not broken. Hee was pierced with thornes and scourges, and bored through with nailes and speare, but he could not be broken among the spoiles of death: Not a bone of him shall be broken. Esa. 12.46 Esa. 53.5 Hee was broken for our iniquities in the separation betwixt his body and soule; but his body could not be corrupt, because it was neuer attaint with sinne; with which seale the stay of our field is put together. Thou shalt not suffer thine holy one to see corruption. Psalm. 16.10 When all his enemies had done against him what they could, hee wonne the masterie from them all, as the sun at none day doth winne the victory of all the clouds of darknesse, and is thus become our Meridian field. Heere stands our glorious sonne the King of glory, as the sunne in Gibeon on the top of the hil, whilest the Lord doth fight for Israel. Iosh. 10 Vers. 13.14 Apoc. 1 The sunne abideth in the middest of our heauen, as the son of man in the middest of seuen golden candlestickes, and there is no day like this. [Page 42]Christ Iesus is our common field, 1. Cor. 1.24 and there is neither Iewe nor Gre­cian, nor bond, nor free, shut out, which haue any title in this field, as the righteousnesse of Christ for a wedding garment. Matt. 22.11 There are none secluded which making right vse of their talents haue right de­sire to enter into the Lords ioy, Matt. 25.21 as the wise virgins, which went in with the bridegroome into the wedding. Here we all gather plenteous re­demption, as Ruth gathered plentie of releese in the field of Boaz: Ruth 2.15 Let her gather among the sheaues, and doe not rebuke her. O blessed Boaz our Sauiour, what strength is in thee for vs all? what strong cha­rity? what faire righteousnesse hast thou scattered for vs all to gather? As Boaz scattered some of his sheaues of set purpose for Ruth; Vers. 16 so Christ himselfe let fall some of his sheaues for vs, that we might gather without rebuke. Ecclesia mili­tans est sancta imputatione, inchoatione, segregatione, sanctitate multimoda à sancto sancto­rum imbuta. Nay who can tell how many thousand more Christ hath done for vs, that we may gather heauenly fruits, and after feede thereon for euer? It is said of Ruth that shee gleaned in the field till euening. Heere vntill euening, till the day of this life bee spent, wee gather all our good conditions, comforts, profits, pleasures; all our mercies, sweet remissions, all our truth, true faith, all our righteous­nesse, faire beauty, and all our peace; sweet rest vntill our euerlasting sabbaths rest, in that blessed field of Gods rest for euer.

But all this while where is the Prince? hath hee no place heere, or doth he beare no Armes in this Field? Yes; now let all the worthies of the world looke on him: the Prince is Hur all white; cleane hands, and cleane heart, and vpholdeth the armes of his worthy father, as Hur did the hands of Moses, to the discomfiture of our enemies, [...] he going downe of the sunne.

The Prince is a field of Corne, Colos. 3. [...]6 Nom. 24.6 Heb. 10.22. Psalm. 78.39 the Word of God doth plentifully dwell in him. A field of gardens, as the gardens by the riuers side. A field of bloud, sprinkled in his heart from an euill conscience; and yet a potters field. Let him remember that he is but flesh, and a winde that turneth not againe.

What then, are all those sanctities lost in him? no, now let my tongue touch my heart, and let my voyce shout out for ioy that the Prince is our English Paradise: Henricus campus meridianus magnae Britanniae: The Lord sent him out of the North into the South, and now is he becom our meridian field, for the health and wealth of Chri­stendome. The Lord hath brought againe the captiuitie of Sion, Psalme 126.1 and here is the health and wealth of these dominions. Now shake thy selfe from the dust, arise, and sit downe O Ierusalem, loose the bands of thy necke, O captiue daughter Sion. Shall I compare with that happie [Page 43]time of our blessed Queene Elizabeth? They which were banished in Queene Maries time for sowing, were sent for againe in Elizabeths daies to reape: a fauourable recompence of God, Psal 126 5 that they which did sowe in teares might reape in ioy. In former time, the people went downe into Egypt, and Ashur oppressed them without cause: but now how beautifull vpon the mountaines are the Watchmen, which see, & lift vp their voyce, and shout together. Now is our mouth filled with laugh­ter, Vers. 2 and our tongue with ioy, our ioy renewed, new ioy doubled, dou­ble ioy multiplied, our manifold ioyes established in the King, and the Kings sonne.

Heere is cause enough for vs all to confesse the largesse of Gods mercifull, true, and righteous dealing, in the performance of his pro­mise. Leu. 26.9. I will haue respect vnto you, and make you increase, and multiply you, and establish my couenant with you. A most happie performance, that now we haue hope for feare, truth for doubt, righteousnesse for in­iustice, peace for warre, right heires for wrong, as firre trees for thorns, Esay 55.13 and mirrhe trees for nettles. Now are our fairest riuers in the South, the faire streames turned hither in righteousnesse, with ioy and ho­nour to themselues, and all iust men. Lord thou hast turned our capti­uitie, as riuers in the South. How did the ioyes of good subiects hearts sparkle out at their eies, attending to the Kings comming, as the Angel of the Lord, to leade his people. The King came first, and his Angel came after, as the hawke doth flie by thy wisdome, Iob. 39.29. stretching out his wings towards the South. It is written of the South-winde, that his originall is in the North; but when he passeth the coasts of the Zodi­acke towards the South, there to meet the sunne, as the sole Lord of all those beautifull passages, then is he whot and moist, and yeeldeth power to all the nurseries of Nature, to worke, from the worme that creepeth, to the bird which flieth. If I doe not mistake the likenesse, this is a likely president of the faire arriuall here of the King, and the Kings sonne, to the gladnesse of Nature, and Art, and Grace, and to the common solace of poore and rich, both naked wormes, and feathered fowles. Now all true subiects, eased of all their feares, may sing vnder their owne vines. Loe how our clothes are warme, Iob. 37.17. when he maketh the earth quiet, through the South winde. In what corners are those to be found, which doe not reioyce in this ioy? Henrie Prince of Wales is our Meridian field, richly mantled with pleasant varieties of high ho­nours. His Father Apollo, the King, hath watered him, his excellent father, his God, his high father, hath increased him in holy infusions of grace, and rich ornaments of the purest Discipline. Now is the Prince [Page 44]his Court more seemely to behold, then the bankes of the Muses, all bright and famous, with faire fountaines of knowledge, all garnished as a mellifluous garden, where many Bees doe gather hony vnder the Master Bee, Lord of the soyle: Behold, the smell of my sonne is as the smell of a field.

Some write of the magnanimous aduentures of the Holy Land, Mantuan Sotterus. Eusebius Faber. some of the spatious propagation of the Gospel, through Ethiopia, E­gypt, India, and Grecia, in the time of the Apostles: some of the wide spreading of the triumphant banner of Iesus Christ, in these latter times, among the Arabians, Persians, and Indians: but who can write wherefore God hath giuen such iudgements to the King, and such righteousnesse to the Kings sonne; Psal. 72. this were worth the Penne of a ready writer. This wee all ought to doe, to offer vp our hands, and hearts, and all our aid to the King, and the Kings sonne. The Gospel is yet in bondage in our neighbour countries and states remote, and there is no Prince in the world of more assurance for Gods assistance, Psal. 144.1. to teach his hands to warre, and his fingers to fight. There is none more likely to helpe, by the smell of his field, all zealous pietie, and resolute integritie, that euery confident heart may say to him, who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdome for such a time.

In my weake meditations I haue found, that God hath fowen his diuers kinds of seeds in three sundry fields: in Paradise, in the wide World, and in the soule of man. In Paradise a pure man, in the world a pure word, and in the soule of man pure seedes of grace. In Paradise, the first man Adam was made a liuing soule, 1. Cor. 15.45. without hang-bies of o­riginall sinne, or in-bred hostilities of strong preuaile. Therefore the complaint of mans fall is two-fold, one against mans securitie, the o­ther against the Serpents enuie: whilest Adam slept, the enuious man sowed tares. Matth. 13. Thus was man corrupt both within and without, in his body, and his soule, when the pure Adam receiued in the impure sting of sinne, as Ishbosheth liuing, receiued in his sleepe his deaths wound. 2. Sam. 4.6. Man did not continue in honour, but became like vnto the beasts which perish. Psal. 49.12. In the second field, the Lord hath bestowed his liuely word, of which the great sower saith himselfe, For this cause was I borne, Ioh. 18.37. Esay 1.9. Rom. 9.29. and for this cause came I into the world. Therefore well may we say, Except the Lord had reserued seed for vs, wee had beene as So­dome, and like to Gomorrha.

Here then, among many indifferent questions of the Astrologers, I reioyce much in this one, to know where is the best influence of the heauens. Many men haue many opinions, and if it may please you to [Page 45]accept mine among them all, I thinke the best is there where is a most plentifull prosemination of the word of God. This is the sacred a­spersion, wherewith the most parts of our nation is copiously sprinck­led: Therefore Iacob shall reioyce, and Israel shall be glad. Psalme 14.7 This was the pleasant meate and drinke, wherewith the King of the Prophets did cheere vp the hearts of his friends, and his owne: he shewed his word vnto Iacob, his statutes and his iudgements vnto Israel: he hath not dealt so with euery nation, Psa. 147 19, 20 all people haue not had such wholesome influence. This was Ecclesiae gloria circumfluens & vbertim mala su­perans, Pellican. the satiable riches of the Church. Thus the mercy and kind­nesse of the Lord doth follow vs, hee maketh our cuppe to ouerflowe. Yea, this blessed influence filleth innumerable orchards full of figge-trees, Christian consciences full of the fauours & delights of God. The word of God is a fig tree worth keeping, and tending, where we haue our daily nutriment and comfort, Prou. 27.8. For he which keepeth the figge-tree shall eate the fruit thereof. But shall I speake what I haue heard from the clamours of the wisdome of the world, That this great allowance of the word of God, is abundant and superfluous. To such I haue of­fered a bold (some will say a blinde) answere. That their wisedom is the sooles bable, which hath said in his heart, There is no God. Psal. 14.1. Excellentia re­giminis Christi­ani non est ex opinatione politica, sed ex ordinatione dominica diri­genda. Jac. de Valen. Aqua nobilis ex frigore saepe gelatur. There are too many wise men of the West, which hold opinion of common preaching, as some Philosophers doe of the light about the Southerne pole; That as by the absence of the Sunne there, the aire is not hindred in his light; so by the want of ordinary preaching, religion is not darkened in her beautie. Circa polum Australem, per absentiam solis non defieit lumen conueniens ad vitam felicem. Indeed some to com­pare much preaching, and too much Sun-shine together. Perpetua aestas omnia exurit: but the danger is more, ne perpetua hyeme omnia rigerent: lest cold religion should be closed vp in frozen hearts, and in the want of the warmth of the word of God, this times deuotion be­come cold, and dead as ice.

When I remember this miscreant conceipt, it seemeth to me like a fowle serpent, with a great bellie, full of young ones, all deuourers of faith.

Thus may you more easily vnderstand our Sauiours question, When the sonne of man commeth, shall he find faith on the earth? who know­eth not, that faith may be starued for want of the waters of comforts, and pined for want of food, and choaked for want of spirit: if thou withdrawest thy breath, then we are gone. Psal. 146.4 Thus mans breath depar­teth, he returneth to the earth, and his thoughts perish. What then must [Page 46]wee haue nothing but reading of the most sure word of the Prophets, 2. Pet. 1.19. to take heed vnto? Yes beloued, I would be loth to say that we should be acquainted with no other businesse, but reading, expounding, or hearing the word of God; as those Heretickes erred, which would haue nothing but praying. [...]. I grant there must be Ortus & occasus Solis, a time to speake, Eccles. 3.7. and a time to keepe silence, a time to sowe, and a time to mowe. Yet the word of God, as the Sunne, may not be too long downe, lest there be too much darkenesse, and cold ignorance, and in­disposition to good manners. And for a parting blowe, to those wise men (whose wisdom descendeth not from aboue, Iam. 3.15. but is earthly, sensu­all, and deuillish) I would commend one answer more to them, more to the purpose. Their comparison is not well ioynted, because of the oddes betwixt Nature and Grace. Psal. 58.5. The truth is cleare against all ad­ders which stoppe their eares, that albeit there can be too much Sun, (it is pittie that euer faire weather should doe harme) too much pro­speritie, and blasts of winde; yet can there neuer be too much faith, loue, Matth. 8.26.14 31.16.8. obedience, neuer too much grace. Therefore are there so many complaints of too little & manifold prayers, that grace may be multi­plied vpon the Church.

Now must I speake of the third field, 1. Pet. 1, 2. in which Gods seed is sowen: This field is the soule of man, Ezech. 8. this is Gods field, All soules are mine. The Lord soweth seeds of grace purposely in our soules, that they may growe and out-growe our sinnes, as seeds are sowen in their sea­sons to out-grow the weeds. Therefore euery one which is borne of God, doth no sinne, 1. Ioh. 3.4 Psal. 47.1. because his seed remaineth in him. Heere then let all English people clap their hands, & sing lowd vnto God with a cheer­full voyce, for this one instance of a Princely soule. In the troupes of many miraculous coniunctions, and oppositions, you may all behold some strange ones here. Rare coniunctions of Maiestie and Humili­tie, of Youth and Wisdome, of Temperance and yeares of lust to sin. What? Halcyons dayes in summer? It is reported that the Halcyon doth breed in winter, and then there are daies of peace, then warres cease in all the world. In the daies of winter, of old age, then sinnes cease in microcosmo, the force of carnall desires are not so fierce a­gainst the soule: When the Almond tree shall flourish, concupiscence shall be driuen away. Eccles. 12.5. But Halcyons daies in summer, in youth health, strength, and plentie, peace and so brietie, in the times of strong rebel­lion, insurrections and skirmage; a passing coniunction: This can come to passe but onely one way, by which it is thus come to passe. The Prince is fastened to the head, Coloss. 2.19 knit with bands and ioynts, and in­creasing [Page 47]with the increasing of God. Without exception this is a sin­gular example of ioyfull astonishment, as S. Peters deliuerance was to be exempt out of the chaines of darknesse, Acts 12. when his friends thought his enemies were too strong against him. Is it not a wonder in our daies (infidelitate epicurismis luxuriante ac saepius ad atheismum vrgente) yet this incomparable Prince as a pillar of Gods house to stand fast, and as a mount that cannot be remoued. There are a thou­sand young plants in the Kingdome shaken as reeds, and daily waue­ring, are carried about with euery wind, as clouds without water; Ephes. 4.14 Iude 12. & yet still the Prince groweth as an heauenly plant, which cannot be plucked vp. Looke on him all yee prosapiae nobiles, all whosoeuer ye be of no­ble pedegree, generous progenie, or religious ancestors, are not his actiue vertues before you so many Heroes, all singing [...].

And now look on him againe where you may perceiue an opposi­tion like rare, as is the coniunction: duellum perpetuum, a most martiall combat betwixt opportunitie and sinne. These two are commonly in league, alter in alterius iactantes lumina vultus: soothing vp one ano­ther as mutuall flatterers. We shall seldome see these two to meet at any time without shaking of hands as friends; and hardly are they separa­ted, if the barres of law be not strong, and of sound vse against them. Such is the common greeting betwixt them, as betwixt Prosperity and Pride, which are seldome perswaded to part company. There is one greeuous sorrow with which may parents are painted, that our youth doe beare in their thoughts [...], not [...], not virgins, but curte­sans. Now the least euill word to young men takes fire: youth is, vt ignis ad torrem, as hastie to sinne as the dry brand to be kindled. There is no need of vnchaste songs and wanton plaies to intice youth to wantonnes, for they are apt to euil, Et quia facilè vulpes pirum comest, as wise to doe wickedly, as the Fox for his prey. Marke then, Plautus. Luke 16.8. here is an happy marke for you all worth your aime, pearelesse youth with pru­dence to flie from euill, when as at the same yeeres others doe basely flie to euill. Is not his praise and statue iustly raised, who doth mortifie his vnruly affections, when with such strong enemies, many of the strong young men are slaine. Many of the beautifull women & strong men haue perished in the power of those enemies, that the Prophet may sigh and lament; O that mine head were full of water, Ierem. 9.1. and mine eies a fountaine of teares, that I might weepe day and night for the slaine [Page 48]of the daughter of my people. Verily this young Prince doth with great ioy draw waters out of the welles of saluation; that though thousands fall on his right hand, Esay 1 [...].3 Psal. 91.7 and ten thousand at his left hand, yet the plague cannot come nigh him. Say then this is the fairest white rocke of all our Albions white rocks to keepe out the inundations of our enemies. Vt reg [...]lus a­picularum i [...] temporibus estiuis suaueo­lentes flosculos in prato deli­bans deliciosa condit m [...]lla suis colonis: Sic iste prin­ceps in Ecclesiae Anglicauae mel lificio scriptu­ras poenitissimè depascens, v­berrima suis gaudia supe­ditat. Psalm. 124 4 Reg. 9 Hest. 1.5 In a word, this is the Phenix bird (de thure viuens) which may teach you all when to make your flight from sinne. Let not your flight bee in winter, in the sorrows of old age, and the sorrowes of the gray head. It is a pleasant song for young men to sing in the spring time of their liues: Our soule is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowler. Who can but praise those birds which liue in innocencie (grana comeden­tes pura) and hate to do euill? Who can but smile at the prospect of those fields which yeeld plentifull increase to euery greene hearbe for the vse of man, and will allow no roome to harmefull weedes? Loe heere Iaacob and Iaacob are those birds, and those fields; birds fethe­red, and fields clothed with the righteousnesse of Christ.

Now compare all gardens with this field: the gardens of the Kings of Iudah and Israel, or of Hashuerosh; all the delicate plots of the Aegyptian, Thebanes, Hesperines; the fields of Semiramis, Alcuines, or Spanish, or Italian gardens, of all the Romane deuices. Some of these were, either fantasticall conceits and neuer were, or corrupti­ble vanity and are not, or momentarie existence and shall not be. But these two fields Iaacob and Iaacob with their gardener Christ Iesus betwixt them, are euerlasting fields: their Cedars, their high enter­prises; their hisope, their lowly endeauours of grace shall neuer pe­rish. Their leafe shall not fall, and beeing placed by the water side Ia­cob shall bring forth his fruit in due season, Psalm 1 Rom. 6.22 his fruit righteousnesse, and the end euerlasting life. Behold, the smell of my sonne is as the smell of a field. And heere I take my leaue of this field.

Now let vs lie downe in peace: The field which the Lord hath blessed. Pacem te pos­cimus omnes.

I am at the last to speake of blessing: this the fourth riuer that run­neth softly, in valle benedictionis, in the fall of Gods blessings. This the riuer of peace, which runneth softly as the waters of Siloe: I could wish you all wel bathed in this water, and so commend you to the grace of our English Paradise.

If I should beginne this Treatise as Bonauenture for good speede hath taught me, Luk. 2 Ioh. 20 Prou. 3 I might commend the blessings of peace; that it is the language of heauen, the treasure of Christ, and the faire path of God. By the vertue of peace the warfare betwixt God and man is well [Page 49]ended, and betwixt man and man is well decided. Hee which knew how much the righteousnesse of God is in loue with peace, would with all his heart desire peace, with this righteousnesse of God. This attone­ment betwixt God and man, which our peace-maker hath made for Iaacob, is concluded in this blessed word blessed as a blessing of all blessings. The word is ambiguous in our English tongue, and there­fore must be resolued into his proprieties. Sometime blessing is the meanes to happinesse, and sometime happinesse itselfe. When it is the meanes, it is benediction, as it is heere; and when it is happinesse, it is beatitude, as in other places. Beatitude est summus finis rationalis cre­aturae tantum. Benedictio est aliarum creaturarum. The reasonable creature onely can be blessed with beatitude; Hine Diabolus est simia Dei et Papa Dia­boli. the other creatures also with benediction; as the field, garden, cattell, basket and store; or the day, as the sabbath, or the iourney, as Iaacobs was. This is short measure in respect of the other, for euery beatitude is a benediction, but they cannot be conuerted equally. One of these is more common then the other, as there are many motions to one end. The motions are more common then the end, for they either few or more may bee often hit, the end seldome, and neuer but at the last cast. A man may attaine to some meanes, & to no end, to some benediction, and to no beatitude, as they which runne and runne short; or as the archer, which hauing the blessing of strength, shooteth many arrowes at the marke, and all beside. In some places you may finde him a blessed man whom the Lord hath inlarged with many gifts; as to increase and multiply in many children, riches, honours, dominions: Psalm. 144. [...] Happy are the people which are in such a case, yea happie is the man which hath his quiuer full of them. This happinesse is translated beatitude, and yet is but temporary, extending to this present life onely. But this blessing is commonly called benediction, Austen. Beda. Thomas. as the Fathers and Schoolmen ex­pound it. Benedictio Dei est donorum eius collatio, vel multiplicatio. In some places the blessed man is hee whom God hath enriched with eternall blessings: that hee is an happy man for the discharge of his debts, and the accomplishment of his duties. The discharge: Psalme 32.1 Blessed is the man whose iniquities are forgiuen. The accomplishment: Psalm. 1.1.2.3 Bles­sed is the man that doth not walke in the counsell of the vngodly, but his delight is in the law of the Lord. This man thus discharged and ac­complished, is the blessed subiect into which beatus and benedictus are vnited into one. As in the name of Ascher there is both blessing and happinesse, benediction and beatitude, Gen. 30.13 [...] and [...] Ah blessed am I for the daughters will blesse me, and shee called his name Ascher, [Page 50]blessednesse. S. Ambros. Interliu. Gen. 49.20 Blessednesse indeed if we consider the substance, for Ascher was a figure of Christ, who enriched vs with his riches, that it is said of him excellently: His bread shall be fat, and hee shall giue pleasures for a King. To this purpose are heere discussed both an history and a mystery. Cyirl. Colos. 2.3 Matth. 13.46 In the history diuitiae mundi, in the mysterie deliciae Christi: who can be better vnderstood in the full accomplishment of all the Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures? He is the Pearle of great prize, which saith of himselfe: Riches and honour are with mee, euen durable riches and righteousnesse. Huius inopia ditat, fames satiat, mors viuificat. This is Ascher, his bread shall be fat, and hee shall giue pleasures for a King: Esay 25.6 Ipse est panis pinguis qui mentes fidelium impin­guat. In this Mountaine shall the Lord of Hoasts make a feast of fat things, full of marrow and wines fined and purified to all his people. He giueth pleasures vnto Kings pascit thronos, Cyril. potestates, virtutes, an­gelos; who feedeth Patriarks, Kings, Prophets, and the Princes of be­leeuers.

Thus may you perceiue blessing and blessednesse well met in him, who hath in himselfe such power of blessing, that he can make others blessed. This happinesse is the high crowne of immortality, which wee all desire to reach, as Hester did the top of her husbands Scepter. The meanes whereby this blessing is inclined to vs, Hester. and the staires whereby wee climbe vp to it, are mercies and graces gifts of Gods blessing. In these the Lord beckneth to vs, to come to him as Ahashu­erosh held out the golden Scepter to the Queene: So Hester drewe neere and touched the top of the Scepter. Many naturall men haue troubled themselues in vaine, with many examinations of this bles­sednesse to proue what it is. I may not stand here to rip vp the secrets of profound Philosophers, from whose curious eies were hidden those treasures which they neuer found. Therefore they neuer had true peace: Psalm. 14.3 for the way of peace haue they not knowne, they are all gone out of the way. Their highest point neerest to our truth is this; that man hath no true blessednesse vntill hee be ioyned to the first of all things that can be vnderstood. This is an high flight, and far beyond the sub­lunary thoughts of baser mindes, yet far short of the mount of true Diuinity. God is blessednesse it selfe, and to bee vnited vnto God is the perfect blessednesse of man in Iesus Christ Emanuel, to knowe him, confesse him, and delight in him. But God is the obiect of mans faith, not the subiect of his intellect: the heart of man is too narrow a circumference to compasse God in his vnderstanding. Therefore is Gods name incomparable, I am that I am, in the Present tence, whom [Page 51]no power can shift out. Some haue translated more properly, I will be, who I will be: to shew that God is able of himselfe to hold his being and happinesse against all rebellion, Stabilis (que) manet daens cuncta mo­ueri. To this purpose is that spoken of God; Dei esse est, Gregory. dissimiliter nunquā esse; with God is no variablenes. Here then let vs acknowledge by faith, more then all those deepe schollers could reach by reason that our blessednesse is in our vnion with God, Phil. 4.7. our peace which pas­seth all vnderstanding.

Among the secrets in the reueiled word, these two are great. One the hypostaticall vnion of two natures, that the word is made flesh. The other is our spirituall [...], Nisi vna perso­na esset Deus et homo, non re­ctè diceretur: Dominus gloriae crucifixus est. our sure copulation with Christ with­out confusion. That is a mystery beyond naturall capacitie, only en­tertained by faith in the Church. This is also a great mystery resem­bled in short patternes of the head and members knit, of the husband and wife vnited. In this exact and present worke, there are two bonds; one on Gods part; & the other on ours. Ex parte Christi Sp. S. ex parte nostra fides nostra est vnionis vinculum. Thus by the twist of Gods holy spirit, and our hallowed faith, we are made one with Christ, and he is made vnto vs redemption, sanctification, wisdome and righteousnes. 1 Cor. 1.29 Wherefore are these wonders come to passe but for our happinesse, which cannot be had any where but in God the fountaine of blessed­nesse. There doe wee daily tender vnto God that paiment of soue­raigntie which we may not yeeld to any other. God is sufficient; so is none but he sufficient of himselfe, so is none but himselfe sufficient for himselfe and for others; so is none other sufficient for himselfe and for all, and so are not all beside him, put all together: This is our God: (Lord who is like vnto thee!) Qui sedet in coelo repletiue; that heauen and earth are full of the maiestie of his glory. Psal. 71.19 Ephes. 1.23 This is our God (worship him all yee gods) who sits aboue, and holdeth blessednes a faire marke in his hand, for vs all to runne vnto. 1 Cor. 9. We must all runne; this life is the course; heauen is the goale. Expectat nos Deus pater vt haeredes, filius vt fratres, Sp. sanctus vt vnctos: And here we are made a spectacle to the world, to Angels, and to men. Will you behold two runners, Iacob and Iacob both running after the Roe? Christ is the Roe which runs before them both in the race of happinesse, like a Roe on the moun­taines of Bether. So did Iacob runne, and hath obtained by faith: so doth Iacob runne that he may obtaine by faith. Heb. 11.21 Lord let him so runne that he may obtaine.

O all yee vacant triflers of the world: why stand you heere idle as the men in the market place? What stand you for gazing one on ano­ther [Page 52]as Iosephs brethren. We must all labour in the vine yard, that we may receiue wages, all striue that we may be crowned, all bee exer­cised that we may be in breath, non incipientibus sed proficientibus. We must be I organimous, that we may continue to the end & be blessed. Thus did the Apostle runne and continue to his ioy: I haue finished my course: qui amat ardentius currit velocius: loue and great reward makes labour light, the reward is blessednesse.

But it is high time to step out of this digression, from the marke to the meanes, from beatus to benedictus. There are apparant vnto vs in holy Scripture diuers blessings of diuers kindes. Some are of the Su­periour to the inferiour, some of the inferiour to the Superiour, and some of the equall to the equall. All these haue their speciall distincti­ons and vse. When the vnderling doth acknowledge the goodnesse of the Superiour, and sendeth vp to him thankes and praise for his kindnesse, Psal. 103 1 Psalm. 148 this seruice is called the blessing of reuerence. Thus the Prophet doth blesse God. My soule blesse thou the Lord. And such a sacrifice of praise is that in the melodious hymme of our praier book: O all yee workes of the Lord, blesse yee the Lord. The other blessing betwixt equals is termed benedictio charitatis, when one good christi­an doth pray for an other, as Saint Peters counsell is blesse, and Saint Pauls, yea blesse I say and curse not. But heere I may but touch and goe.

The first blessing of the Superiour to the inferiour hath this branch also, as blessing of absolute power, and blessing of authority, commit­ted more or lesse. Blessing of absolute power hath in himselfe his pre­ferment aboue all blessings, as heauen which droppeth on the highest trees, hath his preheminence aboue all effusions and drops of trees or mountaines. Euery good and perfect gift discendeth downe from aboue to the parts below; from heauen to earth, as the precious ointment went downe from the top of Aarons head to the beard, Psal. [...]33.2 & the skirts of his clothing. This blessing of absolute power is Gods onely to giue, who at his pleasure can bestow temporall or eternall gifts. Sometimes temporall, vpon the creatures for man, or vpon man in the vse of the creatures. Ephes. 1.3 Sometimes eternall vpon the Saints, as he blessed the elect with all spirituall blessings in Christ, chosen before the foundations of the world. Aquinas. This blessing hath no match and therefore it is said, bene­dicere Dei est causare bonitatē: there is none but God which can cre­ate goodnesse in man. The other Superiour blessing is by commission to Gods Deputies, which blessing is either more-common, or more rare. The common blessing is praier, sent as an Angell to [Page 53]fetch the blessing of God from the top of the ladder in heauen, to the foot of the ladder on earth. Thus the superiours in the Church (for which cause we thinke superiority expedient) do pray for the blessing of God inward and outward, and ex officio, doe shew that God will be­stow them wich are necessary. This blessing is dayly or ought to bee, of Kings to their subiects, Pastors to their flocke, and Parents to their children. The blessing of the King to his subiects, Iosh 22 1 Paralip. 16 3 Reg. 8 as Ioshuah blessed the Rubenites: as Dauid blessed the people in the name of the Lord; or as Salomon blessed all the congregation of Israel. Thus shall the King prolong his daies in the kingdome, and his sonnes in the middest of Jsrael. The blessing of the Pastor to the flock, Deut. 17.20 Nomb 6.23 Leu. 9.23. Hebr. 7.1 ought to be as Aaron blessed the people at Gods appointment, as Moses and Aaron bles­sed the people when the glory of the Lord appeared, and as Mel­chisedec blessed Abraham, the Priest of the most high God met A­braham &c. & blessed him. This blessing when it is directed according to the prescript and allowance of the word of God, is then of great power by the power of God annexed by promise. The blessing of pa­rents to their children is also of good vse, and commendable among vs in England, for the good speede commonly obserued in these bles­sings. Apud Britannos inprimis sacra antiquitatis vestigia etiamnum hodie clara in hac parte sunt: Hyperius. Rae­dius Britanni­carum clarita­tum speciosus. The Britanes are most honourable a­boue all Nations, for the continuance of this holy ordinance. This is without all doubt an holy order which the Lord ordeined from the beginning, that children might bee preserued within the compasse of dutifull obedience to their parents, and might esteeme greatly of their great office ouer them. Moreouer this obseruation beeing a comely correspondence to the fifth commandement, doth thereby approue it self, that in our religion it should not be neglected or reputed a stran­ger. And this is more manifest by the reasons of the Wise man, in which hee lappeth his counsels for the precious estimation of the pa­rents blessing. Eccles. 3.11. For the blessing of the father establisheth the house of the children, and the mothers curse rooteth out the foundations. I might here lift vp some monuments, on which it hath been proued and writ­ten, how the blessings & curses of parents haue kindled fire of heauen or hell, as if Gods will and the parents were all one. In this purpose an heathen speaketh as if he had been a Diuine, in the skill of secrets: Si affirmabit pater aduersus nos, pati nos oportet, quod ille faciat, cuius potestas plus potest. God doth iustly effect that which man doth iustly craue. But of all blessings by commission, that is the highest, and of most power which is called the Patriarchall, or Propheticall blessing. [Page 54]With this blessing Isaac blessed Iaacob and Iaacob after blessed his sonnes. This is called a blessing of excellency, for that those holy men indued with the spirit of Prophesie, did blesse with the blessing of God, which could not be supplanted. I haue blessed him and he shall be blessed. These blessings were as delectable nuts in the Church; be­cause in them beeing words of men, there was deliuered the blessing of God, Cant. 6.10 as the kirnell in the nut: So that Iaacob gone towards his blessing might say, I went downe into the garden of nuts. The Lord had so enacted the couenant of grace with those gracious fathers, that it did rest in custodie, vt sanctum depositum, as an holy pledge de­liuered in trust. They by their solemne blessing, might conuey this treasure to their posterities, in whose families the Church and life of saith was to continue till Christ his comming. Thus Noah blessed his sonne Sem before, and Moses blessed the twelue Tribes after. Con­cerning Noah his blessing the question is asked, wherefore that lar­gesse of Patriarchall blessing was bestowed on Sem, when as Iaphets fauourable demeanour towards his father, was of equall reuerence and care for his fathers honour as Sems was. The answer to this question is plaine; that the holy ghost did foresee how from Sem should spring Abraham, and all his holy followers, of whom the most blessed fruite that euer did grow was to come into the world. Therefore to Sem was that great Patriarchall blessing conueyed: yet had Noah an other blessing for Iaphet, as Abraham had for Ismael, and Isaac had for Esau. This secondary blessing was far short of the first, as the light of a starre is short of the light of the sunne. Yet this blessing might be inlarged to Iaphet, if hee would light his starre at the sunne, and dwell within the light of the Church, within the tents of Sem, according to the condition of the blessing. God perswade Iaphet that he may dwell in the tents of Sem. And thus is it happilie with vs Gentiles, conuer­ted and perswaded to fetch our light at Christ, in the tents of Sem: our blessing is inlarged by him, and the Church with his blessing is in­larged by vs.

Now then let me shew you how Iaacob the Hebrew and our Eng­lish Iaacob are a blessed field. The superiour blessing is vpon them both, and their blessing is made manifest vnto vs in three most wor­thy allowances. The first is for scituation, the second for plants, and the third for fruitfull vantages of watering. In the first Iaacob is a blessed field, scited in the sunne, the fairest funne the Sonne of God which alway shines. A blessed scite is Iaacobs conscience, thus neigh­boured with the sun, his conscience is asweet lodging, sweetned with [Page 55]the ioies of Christ, as his father Abrahams bosome. O blessed Iacob thy fathers blessing hath Iodged thee in the bosome of Christ, as the spouse in the bosome of her husband. Cant. 2.4 Hee brought me into his wine­seller, and loue was his banner ouer me. God dwelling with Iaacob and Iaacob, is two waies. One in tabernaculo personali, in the flesh of man, the other in tabernaculo mistico, in the soule of man. Heere may you see the mysteries applied, which before we admired. In the man­hood of Christ his body is become bone of our bone; heere is our pleasant scituation and our sweete neighborhood. This lodging of Christ maketh all the faithfull smell sweete, the maiestie of his diuini­ty beeing at rest with our humanity in his holy incarnation. For this fauour Iaacob and Iaacob may either of them say: Cant. 1.11 4 Reg. 20 Ioh. 11 4 Reg. 2.21 Whilest the King was at his rest my Spicknard gaue the smell thereof. Heere Hezechias his sicke body recouered, and Lazarus his dead body reuiued, that before, and this after, in the same power. Heere our bitter waters are made sweet in our earthly current, that Christ may say to Iacob: I haue healed this water, death shall no more come thereof, nor barrennesse to the ground. Christ as a kinde phisitian did vouchsafe to lodge in the sicke mans bed, that by the touch of his body the poore patient might be healed. Thus the sicke are cured as the diseased woman was, by the touch of his garment when vertue went out of him. Luke 8.46 4 Reg. 13.21 Eucherius. And the dead are restored, as the corps recouered life by the touch of Elishaes bones. Excellens recuperatio per excellentissimū recuperatorē, the van­tage of the faithfull. Man was much shaken, torne; and cast downe in euerie ioint of his building, no mans merits could fasten againe one mans ioints: Christus venit in carnem, God became man to repaire man, and to make vp all his breaches. In his incarnation hee came to Iacobs house as the holy visiters into Abrahams tent, as a special friend which brought good prouision with him, all his strength, skill, and goodnesse, to doe for Iaccob all kinde of good. The second dwelling which Christ hath with Iacob is in tabernaculo mistico, by his word, sacraments, graces, tokens of his loue, by his spirit the bond of vnity and comfortable seale of his sure habitation: thus is Iaacob a blessed field. Behold, I am with you to the end of the world. Matt. 28.20 Deus accubuit in arca figuraliter, in Iacobo realiter: here is a reall and a royall pre­sence, Gratia Dei nos iustificans inest Deo, subiectiuè nobis obiectiuè. the power and victory of the life and death of Christ is vpon all the borders of the Church. Heere is her pleasant scituation, scited within the worthinesse of her redeemer, within the court of honour of all his inestimable merits and mercies. The Churches gaines by this proximity with Christ, is the communication of all his participle [Page 56]graces as courtiers gaine many gifts (not figures onely but actuall re­wards) at the Kings hand by vicinity and neere attendance vnto him. Sancti fide illu­strati, gratiam in Deo intuen­tur, vt oculi lu­men in sole, e­iusque effecta in cordibus sentiscunt. Cant. 1.13 Haimo. Psalm. 51 A faithfull heart hath a singular delight to thinke how Iaacob may raise his glory and pleasure in this royall presence, as the spouse doth. My beloued is as a cluster of Camphire vnto me in the vines of Engad­di. Engaddi habet arbusculas, liquorem balsami desudantes, heere are the most holy drops of most precious Balme trickling into our con­sciences, to refresh and ease them in their burning sores. Here is our cleane heart and our right spirit; here we heare of ioy and gladnesse that the bones which were broken may reioice. Heere wee haue our happy benedictions out of this circumfluent spring, our blessinge which are worthily decanted in Psalmes, and ioyfully published in Anthemes of the giuer and receiuers. The giuer is God only, and the receiuers are Saints onely. God is the giuer only, a quo nil nisi bonum, vt a sole nil nisi pulchrum, who onely giueth that only, which is good. The Saints are receiuers only, and none other haue any interest, or are capable. Ioh. 8.36. The Saints onely are free (if the Sonne haue made you free then are you free) none other haue any right in the liberties of chri­stian liberty. Thus much for the scituation of the Saints of Israel and England.

The second blessing of Iaacob and his brother, is in respect of plants, the most louely plants, the tree of knowledge and the tree of life, both planted in Iaacob. This is eternall life to know thee, &c. Here is the beauty of Paradise, Ioh. 17 Ioh. 17.1.22 God in Iaacob, and Iaacob in God. The glory that thou gauest me I haue giuen them, that they may bee one as we are one: and thus Iaacob and all the Saints are one Paradise. Here the Lord made to grow euery tree pleasant to the sight and good for meat; Genes 2 the tree of life and the tree of knowledge in the middest of the garden; Christ Iesus in the heart of Iaacob in the middest of Paradise. This is the ancient stocke in whom all plants consist, and from whom all the vigorous plants doe grow and spred in the Church; Coloss. 1.17 2. Pet. 1.3 Rom. 8.32. Gal. 5.22 vt supra. out of his godly power wee haue all things which pertaine vnto life and godli­nesse. Therefore might it well be said, If ye haue Christ how shall ye not with him haue all things: Loue, Ioy, Peace, Long-suffering, Gen­tlenesse, Goodnesse, Faith, Meekenesse, Temperance. These are plants which our heauenly father hath planted, daily increasing with the in­crease of God in this garden, Iudah. 1 Sam. 23.23 that a little one shall become a thousand, all faire and strong as the thousands of Iudah, and the strong men of Dauid.

The third blessing of the field, is by the daily watering of the [Page 57]plants. All Iaacobs heauenly gifts, which hee hath receiued from the father of lights, are daily watered with shewers from heauen. Shewers from heauen of such holy waters, which which our Sauiour watered his Disciples. Iohn 15.3 Now are yee cleane through the word which I haue spoken vnto you. So long as we are clasped and barke bound in the vncleane scurfe of our corruption, we cannot prosper in religion; but in the washings of God we being cleansed and purified, are more prosperous and louely before the Lord. 1. Cor. 6.11 Thus were the Corinthians bound in their sinnefull pollutions, till they were clensed and purified by the spirit of our God. And thus is Gods garden daily watered and wa­shed againe with daily distillations of Christ his sweat, sweet satisfa­ction to the law for Iaacob: Luke 22.44 his sweat like drops of bloud trickling downe to the ground. Downe to the ground, to the Church the pil­lar and ground of truth: Psal. 133 3 his sweat did fall downe vpon it as the dewe of Hermon which falleth on the mountaines of Sion. The precious passion of our holy ransome as a welcome cloud to refresh and com­fort our barren and drie ground, is daily melting vpon the Church, in daily praiers, sermons, readings, and conferences. Thus is our field blessed: for there the Lord appointed the blessing to fall, and life for euer more It is easily perceiued whence all these waterings proceed, ab hortulano Christo: the good woman supposed Christ to be a gardener, and he is a gardener indeede more truly then she supposed. This is the gardener which came by water and bloud to nourish his garden. 1. Ioh. 5.6 1. Cor. 10.2 Moses came by water, and so our fathers were baptized in the cloud and in the Sea. Christ came by water and bloud, Ephes. 4.5 yet without imagina­ry difference of Baptisme, for the fathers were baptized into the bloud of Christ. There is but one Baptisme. They were all baptized into the bloud of the Lambe, which was slaine from the beginning of the world. The Apostle affirmeth of the Israelites, 1 Cor. 10.1 Act. 19. that they were bapti­zed vnto Moses: and the Disciples at Ephesus answered for them­selues, that they were baptized vnto Iohns Baptisme. And with right vnderstanding we may readily discerne the vnitie of Baptisme against all Idle suppositions: for Moses, Iohn Baptist, and S. Paul were but Ministers of one Baptisme vnto the remission of sinnes in Iesus Christ. 1 Cor. 1.13.14 There was not any one baptized in any of their names (as it is argued that not any Corinthian was baptized in the name of Paul) that any should beleeue in him, or worship him. It might well bee said, that those were baptized vnto Pauls Baptism, viz. in the doctrine of Paul, as the Israelites were in the doctrine of Moses, and those Disciples in the doctrine of Iohn. And thus may you vnloose that knot, that the [Page 58]people beleeued the Lord and his seruant Moses: Exod. 14.31 that is they beleeued in God by the doctrine or ministery of Moses. Now then let Iaacob and Iaacob confesse, that they haue all their waterings and washings of Christ. Cant. 6.1 Most happy gardens thus watered and washed by this garde­ner. Christ is come into his garden: in the middest of the garden is a fountaine of liuing waters, Ioh. 4 Psalm. 36.9 this maketh the garden blessed. Christ is the well of liuing waters: O blessed fountaine; with thee is the well of life: and this is the happinesse of our Paradise, that both these bro­thers may ioyfully reioice with the Saints: Gal. 2.20 thus I liue, yet not I now, but Christ Iesus liueth in me.

Heere might I shew you triplicem Paradisum, the terrestriall, spi­rituall, and celestiall paradise, all well met in Christ. The naturall man in the beauty of his princely I mage built vpright with his face prone to heauen, was our terren Paradise in Paradise before his fall. The spi­rituall man renued and borne againe of water and of the spirit, in ori­ente fidei constitutus, set with his face towards the day spring; he is the beautifull continent of Gods manifold rich blessings to man; and this is our spirituall Paradise. The holy troops of Angels and Saints in heauen in their cheerefull recreations & melodious pleasures, are that heauenly Paradise, 2 Cor. 12 of which S. Paul doth so triumph, albeit his sight was but at a blush taken vp he knew not how. Here might I discourse further of the earthly Paradise, how it is changed into a spirituall Pa­radise in the conuersion of the sinner, and how the spirituall Paradise is translated by Iesus Christ into the heauenly, one Paradise into an other. But the most exquisite Paradise of all is Iesus Christ himselfe, qui est triplex Paradisus. Thinke of his body without spot, and of his spirit without staine, and of his diuinity without mixtures of feble­nesse and mutability, O triplex Paradisus. Heere flourish (without thornes and thistles) all the faire flowers of Paradise. I would bee glad to stay heere, yet I must passe further from this faire contempla­tion, with an obiectiue question. What? is Iacob a field without weeds? No, such a field is Christ; but neither Iaacob before, nor Iaacob af­ter, nor any other man but God. Joh. 3 The enuious man is dayly sowing his tares, yet there is a winde (which bloweth where it listeth) daily sent of God to kill those seedes. Hee which well considereth this worke, may well thinke that Raphael the Angell of God is sent of pur­pose to kill those seedes in the quickning, to keepe Iaacob, and kill his enemies. The aduersarie is daily breeding and feeding Giants, Atheisme, Gen. 14 12 Marlorat. Gentilisme, Mahumetisme, and Papisme, and these are the ringleaders of all violence against the Church, as the 4. Kings which [Page 59]carried Lot away by force. These marshal their complices with strong hand, and lead after them neglect and contempt of God, Pride, Idola­try, Blasphemie, Malice, Couetousnesse, Prodigality, Drunkennesse, & such an innumerous Army of Locusts, that we haue cause to say as the Israelites said, we haue seene monsters there. Happie is that man which taketh those Giants whilst they are young, Psalm. 137. and dasheth their heads a­gainst the stones. Satan is alwaies hatching these Serpents, firie Ser­pents in our bosomes; but Christ is the great Physitian, Ioh. 3 Nomb. 21 Ferus. lift vp as the brasen Serpent in the wildernesse, to kil those Serpents and cure them which are bitten. So Moses made a Serpent of brasse: Christ is the Physitian, the Serpent without poyson, as the brasen Serpent was. And as Moses lift vp the Serpent in the wildernesse, so must the son of man be lift vp, that the wounded might bee healed, and the sinner saued. Christ is the Angell of God, he is more then Raphael, both the Physi­tian and the physicke of God to heale our Iacob of all his hurts, that he may confesse of Christ as the other Iacob did: Gen. 48.16 the Angell which hath deliuered me from all euill.

Now then shall I offer a challenge in the name of this Angell, to all the enemies of Iacob? What Serpent, Dragon, Beare, Leopard, Fox, or Woolfe, Tyger, wild Boare, Lion, Giant, or Diuell himselfe, can roote vp this field, thus kept vnder the shadow of the almighties wings. Psal. 57.5 Basil. This vineyard thus fenced with Gods blessings; election, vocation, rege­neration, sanctification, iustification, preseruation, all sure stakes, and all preparatiues to glorification, the crowne of all Gods blessings.

Heere is a pleasant Mount to stand on for the vpshot of this text. The prouidence of God is as an high Zodiacke ouer Paradise, where the Lord is beholding in a pleasant prospect, Psal. 11 1 Multa sine vo­luntate Dei fa­cta sunt, nulla sine prouiden­tia. Psalm. 46 2.5 Psalm. 76 6 Corda disponen do, casus com­mutando, suc­cessus ordinan­do, voluntates moderando, omnia intendō ­do ad finem mel [...]rem. all the mirth-full bene­dictions of this field. This prouidence hath a long reach, tam ad ver­miculos in coeno quàm ad angelos in coelo. It is Lorica castrorum, the fort of defence for all the tents in this militant Church: a sure defence whither all celestiall birds do flie for safetie: fly to the mountaine as a bird. This prouidence did direct Iacob to his Patriarchall blessing, and maintained him in it. What though all the earth be mooued, and the mountaines fall into the Sea, yet shall our Paradise be safe, for God is in the midst of it. What if all the world stand forth as Senacharibs hoast, against the Church, yet shall it stand vp: At thy rebuke O God of Ia­cob, both the chariot & the horse are cast asleepe: here are they falne, but we are risen and stand vpright. The Church of God is often repre­sented to a ship, and the prouidence to a sterne, which doth direct the Master & his mate, the King & the Prince, and all passengers in the ship [Page 60]to their seuerall blessings, and guide them out of all their waiting dan­gers. Thus are they brought into peace, externall, internall, eternall, in­to a wealthy place, a quiet conscience, all cloathed as the virgine in wrought gold, all smelling sweet with Gods promises, and shining with the beautie of the Kings righteousnesse: Psalme. 37.6 Psalm. 76.4 he shall bring forth thy righ­teousnesse as the light, and thy iudgements as the noone day. Be the legions mustered against Iacob as strong as the hils of the robbers, or be they stout & confident in themselues, Anno 1588. Mirabilis an­nus. Psalm. 37.20 as that Spanish Armado cal­led the inuincible Armado. Yet all their power shal vanish into smoak as that did. They all ouermatched with the prouidence of God, euen with the smoak did they consume away: Psal. 35.9. Faber quas se­cit compedes, ipse gestat. therefore King Dauid did so­lace himselfe in the meditation of this prouidence, reioising that God had so serued a defesance vpon the plots of Achitophel, that his subtil­ty fell on his own head. And so all the fury of Pharaoh, Sisera, and A­mon was retorted vpon themselues, Pape quid hoc est? Papam à Dauide nostro interfectum, vt Goliah est pro­prio ipsius gla­dio interemtus. as the bookes & libels of the Semi­naries are their owne snares, nailes on their owne heads, and swords in their owne sides. Thus they perished at Endor in the well which they digged, and became dung for the earth. Heere then let vs all clap our hands with the sonne of Amos, and say: If all people gather together on heapes and gird themselues, they shal be broken, for God is with Ia­cob. How fauourably did this prouidence guide the poore Christians into Pella that little harbor (when they should all haue beene eaten vp) that they might sing vnto the Lord their high tower, Vt Cadmaei fra tres sese mutuo iugulantes: Ita Midianitae, Moabitae, Am­monitae, et Pa­pistae, hostes ec­clesiae mutuis sese vulneribus confecerunt. Esa 8.9 Eusebius. 2. Sam. 22.3. Espine. Vt coelum or bes in suo circuitu omnes comple­ctitur, ita in Dei omnipoten­tis amplexu, omnia circu­untur. Angl. Chron. redcunt Satur­nia regna. sure refuge, and horne of their saluation? How happilie was that Carolus Martellus conducted out of al his hazards into the regencie of France, according to Salomons sentence: for out of prison he commeth forth to raigne, whenas he that is borne in his kingdome is made poore. What should I speake of that Hungarian great Matthius, how miraculouslie he was preserued and enthronized by this prouidence. I would willinglie re­member many (if time could permit) as well as that famous young Constantine, who preuailed against those coniured tirants, Dioclesian, Maximinian, & others, and did win that peace to the Church which had no fellow. All those preuailes were effected vnder this standerd the prouidence of God. But once for all, with what an happy gale of wind was that reprised Earle of Richmond (after 10. yeres banishment) conueyed hither, to ascend vp to the throne of Henry the seuenth of England. O blessed prouidence which by speciall fauor vnited Isa­ac & Rebecca for the leading of this blessed consecration vnto Iacob. Which by a dexterous care for Iacob, hath vnited that Henrie and E­lizabeth his wife, the white Rose and the red, by whom this blessing is [Page 61]arriued to our Land for vs all thus richly blessed. The beauty and bands of Great Brittane Psal. 18.11 Psal. 68.17 Blessed with the bles­sing of our incomparable King, our matchlesse Prince, and all the King and Queenes royall progeny. A blessing brought vpon the wings of the wind, millions of hearty praiers: a blessing brought with Gods owne chariots the thousands of Angels, that wee may all say and sing, the Lord hath done great things for vs, whereof wee reioice. These are the fairest, sweetest, most wholsome and welcome blessings, temporall blessings of our field. Therefore let vs all pray, that the father may be blessed more and more in his sonne, and the sonne euery day more in his father, that they may both liue for euer partners with Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, coheires with Christ, and deare sonnes to God our father, that of either of them hee may say for euer. Behold, the smell of my sonne is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed. To which blessed God, Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost, one holy Vnity in Trinity, and Trinity in blessed Vnitie; let vs to our vttermost ascribe all honor, and praise, and thanks, for euermore Amen.