NOTHING is more contrary to the nature of a man, then to Judge himselfe; and there is nothing more agreeable to the nature of a Christian, then to Judge himselfe. The Apostle therefore in this place teaches us how to correct the stubbor­nesse of nature, by the Discipline of Christianity; and to prevent punishment, by punishment. He pro­poses [Page 2]here two Judgements; the judgment of man, and the judgment of God: which two can never stand together; If man does judge, God does not judge: If God does judge, man did not judge. But that man might judge, and so prevent God's judgement, God has in mercy given unto man the power to judge himselfe, the power of Conscience. That therefore we might understand both our own power to judge, & our danger in the neglect of it, we may first speake of our own judgement, or judging our selves, and afterwards of God's Judgment.

That we may judge our selves, God has indued us with power of Conscience, which is that practicall judgement of reason, whereby man knows, what he ought to doe or avoid: which God has so im­planted in man's nature, that we may truely say, it is an immortall gift in a mortall creature: since this accompanies him both in this world, and in the world to come. And this judgment God has left in man so intire, that it leaves man without all excuse; as S. Chrysostome sayes: & it proves man to be crea­ted after the image of God, whiles he still retaines this evident and invincible truth of judgement, in despite of his will to condemne his will in all un­lawfull acts. From whence it was no doubt, that e­ven the Philosophers, as Theophil. Antiochenus tells us, (against the calumniators of the Christian Religion) did account Conscience amongst their Gods. And it was an excellent speech of the old Stoique Epictetus, who said, that whē we are Children, our Parents de­liver us to Schoolemasters, that we may doe no evil: [Page 3]& afterwards for the same purpose, God delivers us to Conscience. This indeed is the Law written in our hearts, as the Apostle speakes, ( Rom. 2.15.) Now our Conscience being given to us thus intire, we must especially labour to preserve it so: which is by a perpetuall Examination of it. Which Exami­nation is Commanded by the Prophet David ( Ps. 4.4.) Commune with your own heart upon your bed. Qui in occulto lapsus est, erubescat, saies S. Ambrose, occasionally expounding those words; He that has sinned in secret, let him blush for shame: because he has sinned in the presence of his own Conscience, which perpetually beholds him. This was that, which made the same Prophet crie out againe, ( Ps. 5.3.) I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sinne is ever before me. (and my sinne is ever before me) See, says S. Chrysostome; O see this royall) Prophet at his Confession; he still sees his Adultery and Murder; he sees his sinne; yet God had forgi­ven his sinne. He still sees his sinne: but God did not see it: nay, God did not see it: because David did see it. If we write our sinnes against our selves, God will straight blot them out; if we forget them, God re­members them. This made the holy Prophet even the third time crie out, ( Ps. 77.5, 6.) I have con­sidered the dayes of old, the yeares of ancient times. I call to remembrance my Song in the night: I commune with mine own heart, and my spirit made diligent search. If a man, says S. Austin, should with just reason take the paines to search for a mine of gold, it would be judg'd an action of wisdome: [Page 4]but, saies he, Quanta homo habet intu, & non fodit! O what strange things has man within him, yet searches not for them! But he should search for them, for all the secret sinnes of his soule. He should search for them, saies Athanasius, till-no more could be found; and then he should persevere to search, that no more might be found. We should continu­ally judge our selves, as the Apostle saies, that is, we should continually search and examine our selves, as both S. Gregory and S. Bernard expound it. And this examination must be Daily; yea and Nightly, we must saies devout Ephrem, judge at evening, of our day; and at morning, of our night; of our night, we must judge of the holinesse of it, by our preservation from unholinesse: And we must doe it with exact severity; Smite thy soul, saies S. Chry­sostome, smite it; it will never be in danger of death by the stroke; nay, it will escape death by the stroke. It is written, Iudgment is before the Lord, therefore trust thou in him, ( Iob. 35.14.) He is judg'd before the Lord, says S. Gregory, who in his life time judges himselfe: but he that stayes 'till the end of his life, non jam coram illo, sed ab illo judicatur; He is not judg'd before the Lord, but by him. But a just man prevents God's judgment, as S. Chrysostome ob­serves in holy Iob: who did continually offer Sacrifice for the sins of his children, for their uncertaine sins, their sinnes, that he knew not; How much more carefull was he, no doubt, to prevent God's judge­ment for his own sinnes! The thoughts of the righ­teous are right, saies Solomon, (Prov. 12.5.) where [Page 5]the Latine Translation has it, Cogitationes justerum judicia, the thoughts of the righteous are judgements, severe and happy judgements passed upon himselfe. S. Bernard therefore injoynes a part of every day to be set aside for this examination, besides all other spirituall exercises. The very Heathen were excel­lent in this examination; S. Ierom telling us, that the Pythagoreans had an especiall care and estimation of two seasons of the day, the morning and eve­ning; that is, says he, of those things which we have to do, and of things, which we have done. Sencea also ( l. 3. de Irâ. c. 36.) reports his own practice; how that every night, being gone to bed, when the light was removed, and his wife, who knew his custome, si­lenc'd her selfe, to leave him to the silence of the night, he examined himselfe and his whole day; and triumphs with himselfe in the peace of his sleep after such meditation; whereby his minde, as he says, was alwayes either praised, or admonished. Now we shall the more effectually make this examination, if we will resolve, as S. Chrysostome counsails us, every month to conquer a sinne in our selves. For thus, says he, we shall by degrees ascend unto heaven, as by Iacob's ladder; not by visible steps, but by the se­cret increase of vertues. Let us still remember the noble examples proposed in Scripture. If lust tempts thee, call to mind the holy Ioseph: and if it sets fu­riously upon thee, breake violently from it, and cry out unto thy selfe, soul remember Ioseph: and if a­gaine it returnes, cry out againe, soule remember Io­seph; and he was proposed to be remembred. If thou [Page 6]art tempted to distrust in God, being ready to be swallowed up by thy enemies and despaire, remem­ber David; and if feare does yet assaile thee, cry confidently unto thy selfe, soule, remember David. Let us take Cassianus his advice; let us first fight couragiously against our greatest sinnes: and the rest will be over come with an easy victory. Let us take also that excellent counsaile of S. Basil; let us com­pare the present day with the former day: so to understand exactly our own proficiency. As the merchant uses his bookes of account, saies S. Chryso­stome, Let us consider what speech we have spent upon disgraces of other men; what upon foolish jests, what upon uncleanesse; how we have im­ployed our hands, our feet, our eyes. And let us know, it is as absurd, to think our soules can be kept clean without such searching, as to think our garments cab be kept cleane without brushing, our houses without sweeping, our gardens without dressing [...]; or to expect com­linesse and order in a City, without the eye of a Magistrate to discrie offenders, yet for all our sear­ching, we must not think we shall be free from all sinne; we cannot kill it, but we must suppresse it. Whether thou wilt or no, the Jebusite will dwell within thy borders, ( Iudg. 1.21.) conquered he may be; cast out he cannot be. Wherefore let every one examine himselfe, and then think he has profi­ted, says S. Bernard, not when he finds nothing, which may be reprehended; but when he repre­hends somewhat which he finds. Then hast thou [Page 7]search'd thy selfe, not in vaine, when thou findest, that againe thou hast need of Searching; And if thou dost it always, when thou hast need; thou dost it always. But this examination must be serious, it must be solemne: we must goe into the presence of God with all Humiliation, examining our selves in his presence, by his Commandements, which will shew unto us all the kinds of our sinnes, as our me­mory must recall unto us the greatest acts of our sins; And then, no doubt, but our examination will break forth into Confession; and we shall crie out with the Leaper, Ʋnclean, Ʋnclean (Levit. 13.45.) Then let us immitate the good Hezekiah (2 Kin. 19.14.) So let us acknowledge before him all our sins, & beseech him as our mercifull Physitian, to deliver us from them. Then will this mournfull confession not goe alone; It will be attended with a Resolution to forsake even our most dearly beloved sinnes: it will make us pray against our own heart; against our naturall heart, but not against our regenerate heart. It will make us pray more against the uncleannesse of our sinne, then the punishment: which is the true marke of true repentance. Lastly: this Resolu­tion will at last proceed unto Execution; and will make us punish our selves with holy Exercises: which are punishments to a sinner, as they are delights to a repentant sinner. It will make us resigne up all our Affections unto God, that we may be a living and acceptable sacrifice unto him. Now because man has but three things to offer unto God, his Soule, his Body, and his Goods; this will make him offer up his Soule by Prayer, his Body by Fasting, and [Page 8]his Goods by Almes. And since our Offering must be free from all uncleanesse, which is our sinne, this will make us put away all our sinnes: which being prin­cipally reduced unto three, by S. Iohn (1 Ep. 2.16.) unto the Lust of the Flesh, the Lust of the Eyes, and the Pride of life, that is, unto Lust, Covetuousnesse, and Pride; we shall put away these three, by the three foresaid vertues; we shall put away lust by Fasting, Covetuousnesse by Almes, and Pride by Prayer, by the humility of prayer. And when by prayer we shall have obtained Perseverance in Prayer, in Almes, in Fasting, then may we with truth to our own soules, say, we have judged our selves, and with triumph to our own soules, say, we shall not be judged; we shall not be judged. This is the benefit of the judgement of Man: but now behold if man's judge­ment prevent it not, behold the horrour of the judg­ment of God. And this we must also seriously behold, it being a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God, But if we would judge our selves, we should not be judged; we should not be judg'd. The Iudgements of God are by the Apostle distinguished into chastizements, and the Condemnation with the world; with that World, the world of the persevering­ly unrepentant, for which our Saviour prayes not. Chastizements may be inflicted, were inflicted even in the Apostle's time, on some loose Christians; which by an impure accesse to the Lord's Table, not discerning the Lod's Body, were sometimes puni­shed with disease, and sometimes with death. Yet even in those chastizements, in those judgements [Page 9]there might be secret mercy; and even in death not the despaire of a future life; punishment here being usually inflicted, that we may judge our selves, and escape punishment. And if we judge our selves, though here we may suffer the judgment of Correction, we shall be sure to escape the horrour of the last judgmēt, the judgment of Confusion: which God has made so dreadfull, that by the feare of Hell, he might bring us to the feare of God; & by the Feare of God, he might bring us to the Love of God; and that lastly by Hell he might bring us to Heaven. That therefore we may be mindfull to judge our selves, we must be mindfull of God's Last judg­ment; in which, is wonder enough for the most prophane, and for the most Curious! A judgment, which does exceed all Persecutions, Warre, Pesti­lence, Earthquake, Famine, not only by Horrour, but by Eternity. And if we consider it, we shall find it Dreadfull in all respects; dreadfull for the Secrecy, for the Suddenesse, for the Preparation, for the Session itselfe, for the Execution! Dreadfull for the Secrecy; which is so wonderfull, that the day and houre of that judgment is not knowne to Christ himselfe, who shall be Judge in that day; It is not knowne to the Sonne of man. Some goe yet higher: It is not knowne unto the Sonne of God: It is not knowne unto him, as he is God the Sonne, that is, accor­ding to his owne personality, but only according to his Nature by which the Father, and the Sonne are one. S. Austin speakes more breifly, Pater scit: ideo hoc dixit, quia in patre & filius scit. Thus only by [Page 10]his divine nature our Saviour knows it in his hu­mane nature. It is the Speech of S. Gregory. In na­tura humanitatis novit Christus diem judicii, sed non ex natura humanitatis. He knows it being man; not as he is man. But this day was a secret, which he re­veal'd not to his Disciples: but to stay their curiosity, told them; It was not for them to know the times and seasons, which the father had kept in his own power. Upon which words, saies S. Austin, In vain is all search to know the end of the world, since Truth it self had made known unto us thus much for truth, that this truth is not to be known. Dread­full also is this judgment for the Sodainesse. The former dreadfullnesse, which was from the secrecy, was in respect of our Knowledge; but this from the Sodainesse, shall be in respect of Preparation. A man may be prepar'd against many things, that shall come secretly; but this shall also come sodainly; the world shall not be prepar'd; In such an houre as you thinke not, the Sonne of man comes (Matt. 24.44.) The day of the Lord so comes as a theefe in the night: for when they shall say, Peace and safty, then sadaine destruction comes upon them, as travaile upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape (1 Thess. 5.2, 3. As in the dayes of Noah and of Lot, there was water and fire, though not to purifie, but confound: so shall it be by fire in the day of the Lord. Indeed when he comes, what should stay his Judgment? for when he comes, shall he find faith on the earth? As in the dayes of Noah, but eight righteous persons were found, and as in the dayes of Lot, but halfe so [Page 11]many in the Cities, which were then destroy'd; so shall it be in the day of the Lord; though not strictly so few, yet but very few shall then escape; the wic­ked becomming fuell in that fire, and their number increasing it! when therfore the signes of that day come, the world shall be surpriz'd with fear and horrour! with such feare and horrour, as shall be their first Hell! Dreadfull is this Judgment for the Preparation also: there shall be preparation for it in the Heavens, in the Aire, in the Seas, in the Earth! Preparation in the heavens, in the Sunne and Moone! They shall now be signes not of comfort, but of Judgment! The Sunne shall be turn'd into darknesse, and the moone into blood, before the great and the ter­rible day of the Lord come ( Joel 2.31.) Which gastly darknesse in the Sunne and Moone, the wicked shall not be able to neglect. And though they did in this life neglect the signes of Gods Mercy, yet shall they not be able to neglect these signes of his Justice! They shall not escape this darknesse by a fi­gure, taking the Sunne and Moone for the Church, which in the time of Antichrist shall be Obscur'd; or phantastically making the Sunne to signifie the Devill, and the Moone the Reprobate, as Origen implies: though this last would be no comfort to them. They shall not escape this darknesse by saying, the Sunne and Moone shall Seeme to be dark'ned, because they shall be Out-shind by the Glory of Christ at his com­ming: no, this darknesse shall be a signe, before the glorious comming of Christ. They shall not escape this darknesse, by making it only a kind of speech, [Page 12]to signify the Calamity of that time: for, this were to make the signes rather in the earth, than in the heaven. But our Saviour sayes expressely, There shall be signes in the Sunne and Moone: Now, what signes were in them, if there were no Change in them? Nor shall they escape it by quarrelling with the manner of effecting it: which shall not be, as some have ridiculously phansied, by the vast clouds of smoake, that ascend from the burning of the world: this darknesse shall be before that fire; or els there would be no body left to see that darknesse; but it is said, that at that dreadfull sight, mens hearts shall faile them. Nor shall this darknesse be effected by an eclipse: the Astronomers can tell us, that by an eclipse, the Sunne and Moone cannot both at once be darkned: the Sunne being eclips'd by the inter­position of the Moone, between his light and our eie; the Moone being eclips'd by the interposition of the earth between the Sunne and Moone. Nor need we suppose the interposition of some cloudes, or the like darke bodies in that day, to hinder their light. He is able to deprive those glorious bodies of their light: nay, which is a greater wonder, he is able, leaving them their light, to take from them their power of sending-forth their light; as he tooke away the power of burning from the fiery furnace, into which the three children were cast. But shall we define the wayes of the Allmighty, and appoint him his Counsailes? No more may we appoint the Continuance of this darknesse: which, whether it shall be longer then the darknesse in Aegypt, which [Page 13]lasted three dayes; or shorter then the darknesse at our Saviour's Passion, which lasted but three houres; we have no more use of such knowledge, then knowledge of the Continuance. But this we know, that it shall be long enough, to prove the instant approach of the Lord's comming; and to drive the wicked not into repentance, but into desperation. But yet there must be more preparation in the hea­ven, whiles preparation in the Starres! For the Starres shall fall from heaven, ( Matt. 24.29.) though Reason and the Astronomer will undertake to de­monstrate, that a starre is of that bignesse, that the whole earth is not able to intertaine a starre or two; Besides, that the heaven is incorruptible, and the starres fix'd in that incorruptible body. Indeed there is no absolute necessity to understand this Lite­rally: but yet S. Austin thought it not improbable; and S. Chrysostome not only thought it probable, but alleadges also that of the Prophet, ( Isaiah, 34.4.) All the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together, as a scroll: and all their host shall fall downe, as the leafe falls off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the figtree. What is this, sayes that Father, the Starres shall fall from heaven, as the leaves fall from the vine? whiles the vine has fruite, so long it requires the use of leaves to pro­tect it; but afterwards the leaves fall away: so whiles there are inhabitants on the earth, the Starres in heaven will be needfull for the earth: but when night it selfe shall cease to be, then likewise the Starres shall be no more. Which interpretation does [Page 14]no way disagree, either with the wonder of that day, which shall be a day of wonder; or with the omni­potency of God, who can easily make them lesse, and make them fall, who of nothing made them into this bignesse. Irreverent it were for us to exa­mine, whether he will doe it by a miraculous com­pression of the substance of a starre, or otherwise, who can performe it so many wayes, beyond the feeble and ridiculous guesse of Reason. Which li­terall interpretation if any man lesse like of, he may take S. Anstin's; who by the falling of the Starres, understands the preparation, that shall be, against that day, in the Aire; For he thinkes, it more pro­bable, that by this speech is meant, that the Light­nings, flames, and fiery exhalations, which shall be before the last day, shall be so dreadfull, that one would thinke, the very Starres did fall from heaven. And easily may the world be thus affrighted, when as there shall be preparation in the very Powers of heaven, which shall be shaken. ( Matt. 24.29.) The powers of heaven; that is, as the Holy Fathers teach us to expound it, The blessed Angells of God in heaven shall tremble with reverent feare, before the day of judgment, at those dreadfull wonders, which God will declare in the very heavens! There shall be also preparation in the Seas. The Sea and the waves shall roare. ( Luk. 21.25.) The height of the waves shall frighten those that dwell by the shoare; and the Out-crie of the waves shall frighten those that dwell afarre off. There shall be preparation also on the Earth. The Sibylls tell us, that at that time the [Page 15] beasts shall rune belowing, and roaring through the fields and Cities; that the Trees shall sweat blood; and that the Sea shall throw-up fish on the drie ground. Nay, the Scripture tells us, that Men shall be more amas'd; that their hearts shall faile them for feare, and for looking after those things that are comming on the earth ( Luk. 21.26.) A sinner shall then be like a bird, that has flowen about in the pleasure of the fields, and at last falls into a nett: So shall the sinner fall into a snare; he shall be caught. The pleasures of the wicked shall be like Jonah's gourd; they shall for a time sit under the shadow of their honours, of their wealth, of their pleasure: but these shall all passe away, and leave them to the fury of the Sunne of righteousnesse. God shall arme all heaven against them, and a flood of fire, after all, shall be as a tenth wave; for there shall come also a flood of fire! unto which the Prophet David seem'd to allude. Psal. 50.3. Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devoure before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. But the Prophet Malachi is more evident, ( cap. 3.1.) Behold the day comes, that shall burne, as an oven, and all the proud, yea and all that doe wickedly shall be stubble, and the day that comes shall burne them up, sayes the Lord of hosts. S. Paul told his Thes­salonians as much (1 Epist. 1.7, 8.) That when the Lord Iesus shall be reveal'd from heaven, he shall take vengeance in flaming fire. S. Peter is more par­ticular; The earth and the workes, that are therein, shall be burnt-up (2 Pet. 3.10.) and the elements shall [Page 16]melt with fervent heat. And the heaven it selfe is reserv'd unto fire against the day of judgment (2 Pet. 3.7.) nay, that the heaven shall be sett on fire, and be dissolv'd. ( vers 12.) and that the heavens shall passe away with a great noise, ( vers 10.) well ther­fore may we remember, what the Lord said by the Prophet Joel. (2.30.) I will shew wonders in the hea­vens, and in the earth, blood and fire, and pillars of smoake. Yet concerning the order of this flood of fire, S. Austin places it in the end of the day of Judg­ment, though others would have it before, that this face of the world may be destroyd before that great Session. And then shall the signe of the Sonne of man appeare in heaven: which some thinke shall be some insigne of our Saviour's Victory. Some more parti­cularly, though without warrant, thinke that it shall be the signe of the Crosse; and that, when darknesse shall have overcast the world, there shall appeare in the East a Crosse of Light to foreshew the comming of the Lord. Others thinke this signe shall be the glo­rious wounds in our Saviour's body; at which sight in the day of Judgment, the Jews especially may be confounded. Yet some others thinke it shall be that Prerogative Glory, with which our Saviour shall then appeare. But since the interpretation of this signe is kept as secret, as the day in which it shall appeare: Let us consider, how dreadfull the Session it selfe shall be; A Session, which shall be usherd with the mighty voice of an Archangell, and of a Trumpet. It was the voice of a Trumpet, which the Jews did use in their warres, in their Temple, in their Feasts, in [Page 17]their Assemblies ( Numb. 10.) It was with the voice of a Trumpet, that the Law was given at Mount Sinai: but here the dead shall heare this Trumpet and this voice calling them unto judgment. And then shall they see the Sonne of man comming in the Clouds with power and great Glory ( Matt. 24.30.) They shall see that humane nature, which was pro­phan'd on earth: they shall see him come to be their Judge, whom once they judg'd; The Jewes, that would not know him, and the Heathen, and wicked Christians that car'd not to know him, shall now be­hold him not without horrour, whom once they be­held not without hate or neglect. But now they shall see him come in the cloudes with power and glory: with glory, for he shall come upon a throne of cloudes; with power, for he shall come upon a throne of cloudes, the worke of his own hands; yea, all the wonders of that day shall be the works of his power; and he shall come with power to judge the quicke and the dead. He shall come with glory, such glory, that all the Angels shall with reverent obedience waite upon him; upon him, whom none but impudent and obdurate sinners durst contemne. Will you see his glory? Moses shall shew it to you, as it appear'd to the Elders of Israel; who saw the God of Israel, and there was under his feet as it were a paved worke of a Saphire stone: and as it were the body of heaven in his clearnesse ( Fxod. 24.10.) Will you see his glory? S. John shall shew it to you, as it appear'd to Him: who saw a great white throne, and him that sate on it; from whose face the earth and the heaven [Page 18]fled away, and there was found no place for them ( Rev. 20.11.) Will you see his glory, you shall see his King­dome: for then shall be fullfill'd that petition in our prayer, Thy Kingdome come: That shall be the first day of his glorious Reigne. Behold his Assistants, Angells, Saints, more especially the Apostles, He shall come with all his holy Angells ( Matt. 25.31.) Hea­ven shall be empty, sayes S. Chrysostome, in the day of judgment: when all the Angells and the Saints of heaven shall descend from heaven to attend the Lord Iesus unto judgment. O glorious judgment! O dreadfull Judge! before whom all the persons that have been from the creation, and shall be till that day, shall in that day all at once appeare! when sinne shall have no cloake; nay, when the body shall have no covering; but all the whole world shall stand naked & trembling either with horrour, or reverence, looking-up unto the Lord of glory! He shall come with all his Saints, who shall assist him in judging the world: Doe ye not know, that the Saints shall judge the world? (1 Cor. 6.2.) They shall assist him by their holy lives, compar'd with the abhomi­nations of the wicked. They shall assist him by their consent, and applause of his sentence against the wic­ked. They shall assist him with honourable atten­dance, being taken up into the aire at the time of this judgment, and placed at his right hand. The Apostles more especially shall assist him, in this judg­ment. Our Saviour himself told them as much. (Matt. 19.28.) When the Sonne of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, [Page 19]judging the twelve Tribes of Israel. And peradventure, as some reverently thinke, their seats shall be glori­ous cloudes proportion'd to their excellency, who, though they shall judge the World, which resisted or despis'd their Doctrine; yet more particularly shall they judge the twelve Tribes of Israel. For when the Jewes shall be about to say for themselves, that they could not beleeve in Christ, because they were commanded to keep the Law of Moses; the Apostles, sayes S. Chrysostome, shall judge them; because they likewise did first obey the Law of Moses, and after­wards chang'd that obedience into Faith in Christ. So also meditates S. Jerom. Nor shall they only judge Men, but also Angells. Know you not, sayes S. Paul, that we shall judge Angells? (1 Cor. 6.3.) those wicked Angells, that would have exalted themselves against the Almighty: Behold also the Solemnity of this judgment, in the Continuance of it. For, to the glory of this Session and of the Saints, before the face of the wicked, S. Austin thinks, that it shall continue at least the length of a day. Unto which some would extend the meaning of those words (Matt. 24.27.) As the Lightning comes out of the East, and shines even unto the West: so shall also the comming of the Sonne of man be; As if our Saviour should spend the length of a day in passing from the East unto the West, that so he might be beheld of all the world. But the safest knowledge of these Circumstances must be obtaind not by the bold inquiry of study, but by the modest expectation of experience; The method of the actions in that day, being chiefly to be learn'd [Page 20]in that day: in which the sinnes of the whole world shall be reveal'd. Which Manifestation of sinnes, shall be one of the most wonderfull actions of our Savi­ours power in that day: in which the Lord will search the World as he said he would search Ierusalem, ( Zeph. 1.12.) he will search it with candles; there is light in the search; he will not only search, but also discover. Thou didst it secretly, said the Lord by Na­than unto David; but I will doe this thing before all Israel, and before the Sunne. But how will the Lord in that day discover sinne! even as the Sunne-beame pearcing into a room discovers the dusty atoms, which before we saw not; he will discover them as easily, as he can discover the multitude of fishes now hid in the Sea, if it should but please him, as he speakes by the Prophet Isaiah (50.2.) to drie-up the Sea, and make the rivers a wildernesse and make their fish die for thirst. But how will the Lord in that day discover sinne? why, S. Paul tels us (1 Cor. 4.5. that the Lord at his comming will both bring to light the hidden things of darknesse, and will make manifest the counsailes of the heart. It shall be donne by the power of God, by the light of Revelation. Yet how will the Lord in that day discover sinne! why, the bookes shall be open'd, the bookes of men's consciences shall be open'd they shall be open'd, whether they will or no; and they shall be read, not only by eve­ry man's ownselfe, but also by all others; not only every man's sinnes shall be made known to him­selfe, but also to every man els; by the power of God and the miraculous light of revelation, to [Page 21]every particular man; as S. Chrysostome, teaches us, and S. Anselm; who sayes, that men's sinnes shall be seen, as the Sunne is seen by every eie; S. Basil sayes, they shall be so revealed, that they shall be heard ( [...]) of all Angels and men. And then will the Almighty pronounce Sentence upon the workes of men. In the last day of the Creation God examin'd all his own workes, and pronounc'd them all to be very good: and in the last day of judgment he will examine all the works of men, but what judgment will he pronounce of Them? Surely he will say, They are almost all very bad. Yea, he will pronounce a more dreadfull judgment upon the Authours of them; who shall beginne their pain, before their judgment is pronounc'd. For, as S. Ber­nard sayes, The just shall be call'd first; Christ shall first say unto the righteous, come ye blessed of my Father; that so the wicked, sayes he, may be the more tormented; according to that of the Prophet David, (Ps. 112.10.) The wicked shall see it and be greiv'd, he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish. And then shall that burden of the wicked be layd upon them, Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire. O, what a separation will that bee! when the holy angells shall catch-up the Godly to meet Christ in the aire; (1 Thes. 4.17.) & then the wicked shall be cast into a furnace of fire. In the beginning God divided between the light and the darknesse: So will he doe at the last day. What is the light, in figure, but the Just! what the darknesse, but the wicked? So speakes the Apostle (Eph. 5.8.) [Page 22] Yee were sometimes darkness; but now are yee light in the Lord; that is, you were once wicked, but now are righteous. In this world there is both light & dark­nesse: but in the end of the world, the light and darknesse shall be separated. In this world there are both good and bad: but in the end of the world, the bad shall be separated from the good. Which sepa­ration is a part of the Execution, for which this judg­ment is so dreadfull. They shall depart from the face of the Lord: but, O, whither shall they depart! shall they depart as Cain, to be vagabonds upon the face of the earth? No; there is no returne unto the earth! though some have thought, but never prov'd, that the place of torment shall be on the earth, and in the channels, where the Seas now swell. But this is oppos'd not only by truth, but also by errour, that errour of some, who because it is said, there shall be a new earth, wherein dwels righteousnesse, have therfore beleev'd, that the godly, at least a great part of them, shall even here injoy for ever a hea­ven on earth, beyond the Poëtry of the Millenaries. But can this earthly heaven agree with our Saviour's Ascension? will not this want its intended effect, if by the vertue of this, the righteous also (the mem­bers of his mysticall body) shall not ascend? when therfore it is said, there shall be new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwels righteousnesse, we may un­derstand it, not only of the Heavens (though some margents would so instruct us) but also of the Earth; though with this difference; that in the new heavens there shall be righteousnesse; and in the new earth [Page 23]there shall be no more unrighteousnesse, the wicked, and consequently wickednesse, being taken away. But whither shall the wicked at last depart? some have placed their Hell next under the Sphere of the Moone; induced by mistake of the parable of Laza­rus and the Rich man, between whom because there is express'd a discourse, they have thought, that Hell borders upon Heaven. But parables being in effect Similitudes, are not so properly intended for stories of truth, as for the Illustration of it. Besides we need not for proofe of the possibility of the dialogue, ima­gine a neighbourhood of these different places: since it were as easy for the divine power to make the Ear to heare from heaven to hell, as it was to make the eie of his martyr Stephen, accurately to discerne from earth to heaven. Besides, though their Imagination were granted, it would not halfe serve the turn, the distance from the concave of the Moone to the highest heavē, so much exceeding the space between the earth and the Moone. Most men then conside­ring the extreme opposition of the just and wicked, have accordingly suppos'd the places prepard for them to be at an extremity also of distance. The wicked then must depart from the face of the Lord; and this is their pain of losse: & whither shall they depart, but into everlasting fire? This is their pain of sense. The Lord shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devoure them. ( Psal. 21, 2.) And so in­deed some literally thinke (as Abulensis) that the earth shall open, and swallow them up into hell; and then shall close upon them; as it befell the three [Page 24]rebels, Corah, Dathan, and Abiram. In prosecution of which supposall, some imagine, that in the midst of the earth there shall be prepar'd a hollownesse, of capacity sufficient for the multitude of the wic­ked: and that since their bodies naturally heavy, must descend towards the center, they shall there make one unhappy masse, or lumpe, in eternall sorrow! But such wild phansy we may rather re­strain with the sobriety of that wise Jew, the Au­thour of the second book of Esdras, (chap. 9. v. 13.) Bee thou not curious, how the ungodly shall be punish'd; that is, to know what God would not have thee know. The humane wisdome of Aristotle, did indeed examine the curious errours of the Philo­sophers about the Soule: and the Christian wis­dome of the learned Irenaeus, studied the depths and madnesse of the Valentinians; counting the knowledge of them as usefull, as the defence vile; and teaching us more happily to escape them, then to understand them. Led then by Scripture we may severely know, that with fire the wicked shall be tormented; the power of which we must ac­knowledge, though we know not the kind: and to them it may be said as it is in Isaiah (chap. 5. 11;) Behold all yee that kindle a fire, that compasse your selves about with sparkes: walke in the light of your fire, and in the sparkes that you have kindled. This shall ye have of my hand, ye shall lie down in sor­row. Yet does not the same Prophet crie-out again, (chap. 33.14.) Who amongst us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who amongst us shall dwell with ever­lasting [Page 25]burnings? He implies not yet the impossibi­lity of them, but the horrour. For in sorrow they shall lie down; they shall dwell with fire, they shall dwell with death! with Eternall death! Se­neca, though a Heathen could say, Mors timenda erat, si tecum esse possit; Death were a terrible thing indeed, if it could be a part of a man's hous­hold; if it could inhabite with a man! And there it is so: death feeds upon them. It was the Lord that said, (Deutr. 32.41, 42.) If I whet my glitte­ring sword, and my hand take hold on judgment, I will render vengeance to my enimies, and will reward them that hate me. I will make mine arrowes drunke with blood, and my sword shall devoure flesh. Here is the execution of the threatning; The worme of Conscience shall feed on them: that worm bred out of the Corruption of their owne foule sinnes. Death shall feed on them. Like sheepe they are layd in the grave, death shall feed on them ( Psal. 49.14.) These sheepe shall become pasture: and, as Innocentius sayes, as grasse, when it is fed on, is not pull'd-up by the rootes, but only the blade of it is cropt, that so it may perpetually renew: so shall the wic­ked, as the pasture of death, perpetually renew to be fed-upon. And this apprehension of Eternity is that, which breaks the heart of the wicked! The perpetuall hills did bow, his wayes are everlasting; sayes the Prophet Habakkuk, (c. 3.6.) Incurvati sunt colles mundi, ab itineribus aeternitatis ejus; sayes the Latine Interpreter: which some do mystically understand of mighty sinners; that even the proudest [Page 26]and mightiest sinners in the world stoope and are heart-broken with the remembrance of the eternity of hell-torments! Nor shall they have in that jour­ny of eternity any companions to comfort them; they shall have no companions but such as hunger, thirst, watching, fire, darknesse, devils, and desperation! Yet, will the Lord cast-off for ever? and will he be favourable no more? Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise faile for evermore? Hath God for­gotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut-up his tender mercies? as the Prophet David askes ( Psal. 77. v. 7.8.9.) You shall have the Lord's owne answer by his Prophet Ezechiel, (c. 7.4.) Mine eie shall not spare thee, neither will I have pitty; but I will recom­pence thy wayes upon thee. O then, let us tremble at God's judgment, that we may never tremble un­der it. Let us avoid it, by meeting it. He that by meditation continually feares hell, has least need to feare. Remember that instruction of our Saviour; Pray that your flight be not in winter, or on the Sabbath-day ( Matt. 24.) That is, sayes S. Chrysostome, that it be not in such a time, wherin thou canst make no escape: In the winter the weather hinders thee from flying, and on the Sabbath the Commande­ment stayes thee. To all that are unready in their ac­count in that day of judgment, it shall prove a win­ter, a Tempest: And they shall find a severer com­mand, than on the Sabbath; they must stay whe­ther they will or no. Let us therfore judge our sel­ves, that wee may not be judg'd; and that so, when the Lord Iesus shall appeare, we may have confi­dence, [Page 27]and not be asham'd before him, at his com­ming. Which grant, O thou that shall come to be our judge; and by the judgment, which thou didst suffer, save us from the judgment, which thou wilt inflict; that we may give praises unto thee, and to the father, and to thy blessed Spirit, world without end.

THE Desire of Sorrow may seem very strange: and yet it is not so wonderfull, as Happy. It is indeed con­trary to Man's nature; and yet it tends to the perfec­tion of his Nature. The Soule is never moved by desire unto any thing; but that which seems good; we may almost say, but [Page 32]unto that, which seems good to the body; the soul in the body being commonly perswaded by the bo­dy. And yet sometimes it desires sorrow; sorrow, which is contrary to the pleasure of nature: the practice of sorrow before man's fall being unknowne unto him; and since his fall being hatefull to him, Yet the Body, which oftentimes does seduce the Soule, is sometimes also perswaded by it; and rais'd both to apprehend and desire a pleasure in sorrow; Not that, which arises from the mistaking melan­choly of the body; but that which happily and judi­ciously proceeds from the wisdome of the Soule; since as by sinne we runne to the extreamest distance from God, so by Spirituall sorrow we runne to the extreamest distance from sinne. This is the Art of Repentance! by which we may also farther observe an excellent difference between the Stoique and the Christian; The Stoique fondly intends to make man like God, by making him without Passion, and so without Change, yet without Grace: the Christian on the Contrary indeavours to be, neither without passion, nor without change, and yet like God; whiles he labours to Sanctify his Passion, and ther­fore his change, by grace. And this sorrow, when it does deeply affect the Soul, does not only affect the Soul: but uses the Eies instead of the Tongue, to declare itselfe; as here our Prophet expresses his desire, to expresse such sorrow and such Teares. In whose Lamentation we may first behold, The Na­ture of the sorrow; which being expressed by the nature of a Change, we may view in it the things, [Page 33]that must be chang'd; which will appeare to be the Head and Eies: as also the things, into which they must be chang'd: which likewise will appeare to be, Waters, even a Fountain, yea a fountain of Teares. Next we may view the Object of the Sorrow; or what it is, for which such Lamentation is to be made; which though the Prophet sayes is the slaugh­ter of the people; yet more vehemently he expresses it to be the sinnes of the People, the Cause of the Slaughter. At the foulnesse of which sight, the sight of sinne, we likewise may be moved to a like holi­nesse of sorrow; wherby to wash away such foul­nesse; The sight of blood indeed may move us to Compassion; but the sight of sinne more happily unto Amendment. Let us first then view the Nature of the Sorrow describ'd by the parts affected and in­structed by it, as it does thus sadly and wisely ex­presse it selfe, O that my head were waters, and mine eies a fountain of teares. The Head is the seate of Wisdome and of the sense; the sorrow then, that proceeds from the Head, must be a sorrow, that flows from Reason; it must be a sorrow, that affects the sense; and therfore a reasonable punishment of our selves. And since from the head are deriv'd the Nerves, by which both sense and Motion is distri­buted to the whole body; the sorrow of the Head must affect both the sense and motion of the whole body. And thus did sorrow affect the good King Hezekiah, as he speakes of his own mournfull pace, (Isaiah, 38.15.) I shall goe softly all my yeares in the bitternesse of my Soul. Man indeed is made to be thus [Page 34]wise, thus sorrowfull; his brain being for his pro­portion, both greater and moister, then it is in o­ther creatures. And as the Head is frequently taken for those things, which are either First or Chiefe; so this wise sorrow in the life of a Christian; will truly challenge such Excellency and Priority. The Beginning of the year is in Ezekiel, (40.1.) call'd [...], the Head of the yeare: but more truly may the sorrow of the Head be call'd the Head, or be­ginning, of the yeare of man's Conversion. Nor does that in the Originall only signify the Head, but som­times also (as in Lament. 3.19. the bitternesse of af­fliction, and sometimes (as Deut. 29.18.) the bitter­nesse of sinne: to which last S. Peter alludes, Act. 8.23. speaking of Simon Magus; as likewise S. Paul. (Heb. 12.15.) Indeed, this bitternesse of Sorrow is most agreable to the Head, from whence the bitter­nesse of Sinne did before arise. Which sorrow the head does sometimes expresse by the shaving of it, as in Job (1.20.) as sometimes by the Motion, or shaking of it, as also in Job. (16.4.) but most hap­pily does the head expresse it by the Eie; which, as the Philosophers observe, declares our Hate and Love; but we must adde, most happily, when in religious teares it shewes our Love of God, by our hate of sinne. The Physiognomer tels us, that the best eie is a moist eie, that seemes to swimme in his Or­be: which is a surer rule in the Spirituall constitu­tion of it; and does not only teach us the comple­xion of the Eie, but also the Duty. A clos'd eie, was, in the Poëtry of the Ancients, us'd as the embleme [Page 35]of death: and an eie dark'ned with repentant teares is a good embleme of our Mortification; which is the death of sinne. [...] an Eie, signifies also a Foun­tain; a fountain being an eie of the earth, and an eie being a fountain of the head. They are both alike also in the Abundance and speed of their waters, which they send forth. And therfore Jacob's poste­rity is compar'd unto them ( Deut. 33.28.) The foun­tain of Jacob shall be upon a Land of corne and wine. The Latin Interpreter has it, Oculus Jacob, the Eie of Jacob; to signify, that his posterity should as spee­dily and mightily flow forth on the earth, as waters gush out from the Eie, or fountain. Most aptly then does the Prophet here, in his plentifull sorrow, wish that his head were waters. [...] which signifies waters, is a word alwayes of the plurall number, to imply their abundance; which, as some thinke, is expressed in the composition of the word, deriving it from [...] the Sea, and [...] to trouble and make a tumult; intimating the conditions of true sorrow; which is happily with abundance of teares, and with the out-cry of a holy lamentation. And aptly did he wish his head to be waters: it was to wish a change, and yet a likenesse; there being such similitude be­tween the brain and water; both of them being cold and moist. Some of the ancient Philosophers hold, that all things had their beginning from the Water: which made the Greek Lyrique sing, [...]: which excellency may truly be attributed to the wa­ters of a holy sorrow; the after-workes of a righ­teous man taking their beginning from such true re­pentance. [Page 36]These also being waters, upon which the Spirit of God does move; and in both we may see the effect of his cherishing providence: the waters by a singular blessing being singularly fruitfull; but these waters doe bring forth more admirable fruits, the fruits of the Spirit. The Ancient Heathen had a Beleife of a divine power in water: but in these our Sanctified waters we have an Experience of it. And the rather does the divine power delight in these, because of their purity; these being the only waters, that are troubled and yet pure. And so pure they are, that as of all the meer elements there is none but the water, wherein we are able so clearly to behold our owne image: so are there none of our workes, wherin we are able so to behold the true image of our selves, as we may in the waters of re­pentance. Now the best waters are not only cleane, but also cleansing; nay, truly Medicinall, and some Miraculous: and have not these waters these quali­ties? these prerogatives? If a viper be bruis'd in water, it becomes, as some tell us, a soveraigne Physique against venome: and when our former sinnes are bruis'd in the waters of repentance, such waters prove powerfull antidotes against the power of sinne. Nay, you may see their miraculous power, whiles they save us from sinking to the depth of hell: so that these will prove a surer foundation, than those upon which S. Peter. ventur'd to walke; They had not been a foundation, had not miracle been their foundation. Yet though the waters of holy sorrow be rare with us for their power, they must [Page 37]not be as rare with us for their use: but we must re­member, that as water is the drinke for most living creatures; so holy David made these waters his drinke. Indeed, without these the Spirituall life decayes; and as amongst the Romans, he that had so highly offended, that he was forbidden the use of fire and water, was by that signified to be a con­demn'd person: so whosoever so offends God, that he denies him the heat of divine love, and will not bestow upon him the waters of repentance, or a mourfull desire of them, he shall by lamentable ex­perience find, that in Gods sight he is a condemn'd person. But these waters must not be like those of the pitt, or of the lake: they must be waters of the Fountain; living waters, flowing waters. Now that Fountain-water is most pure and cleare, which flows from a rocke: so commonly are the teares, that flow from the hardest heart, when it is once chang'd into a Fountain; when God smites upon it, with his rod. Yet it is cheifly when God first smites upon it; for, as the waters issue from the Fountain with great violence, but passe with an undiscern'd mo­tion in the course of the streame: so is it in the begin­ning and progresse of holy sorrow. And therfore in another, yet a like respect, they may aptly bee express'd by that: Lybian fountain of the sunne, (as it was call'd) the waters wherof were anciently said to be hott at the morning and the evening, but at mid-day cold: such too commonly are the waters of repentance: which at the morning of conversion, and the evening of life, more liberally flow forth [Page 38]with a greate heate of grace; but in the noon-day of life, when we are in the midst of health and strength, and consequently of temptation, then are they oftentimes unhappily cold! Best therfore are they discern'd, when they are best; when they are first: for then are they chiefly like the fountaine, which amongst other names the Hebrews call [...], from digging, or cutting a vein of water: and surely holy sorrow flows out so fast, that we may say, God cuts a vein of teares. And you may remember, that Salomon most fitly ( Eccle. 12.6.) cals the Liver, which is the fountain of the veins, a fountain; or the pitcher, sayes he, be broken at the fountain; that is, according to the interpretation of the Chaldie paraphrast, till the gall be broken upon the liver: such exquisite similitude there is between the swift mo­tion of this blood and a fountain; these waters being like those mention'd, Psal. 18.15. Those effusions of waters, as S. Ierom, renders it. The word is, [...] from [...], to offer violence to ones selfe; expressing the violent speed of these waters. Nor are they only violent, but also abundant, the fountain labouring to expresse streames of water. Now that stream-wa­ter is heled to be best, which flowes towards the ri­sing sunne: so is that spirituall sorrow best, which flows forth, as soon as the sunne of righteousnesse first shines on the heart. And as the waters of a stream, the farther they are from a City, are usu­ally the purer: so are the teares of those, that are most retir'd from the tumults of the world. And since we say, a stream runnes then with a full happy course, [Page 39]when it drives-down whatsoever may hinder it in its course: so let our spirituall sorrow freely flow­out, till it overthrows all unlawfull pleasures, and all temptations whatsoever. But will you see, what kind of waters these are? The fountain can scarce shew them without a figure; this being a fountain of salt-waters, a fountain of Teares. Some waters indeed are hot and saltish, by reason of that, from which they passe: holy teares are of this nature, as proceeding from the heatof divine love; and full­fill that Leviticall and mysticall command, ( Levit. 2.13.) In all thy offrings thou shalt offer salt. Nor doe these waters want their speciall vertue; Euri­pides, being troubled with the falling Evill, when he travail'd into Aegypt, was by the appointment of the Aegyptian Priests dipt in Sea-water; and so was cured: such washing in the salt-waters of spirituall sorrow is the best remedy against the spirituall Epi­lepsie, the falling into sinne. True teares, it is ob­serv'd, only flow from Man; as the truest teares only from the righteous man. Somtimes Joy sends them out; when the heart opening itselfe, as if it would intertain what it loves, sends forth such heat and Spirits to the brain, that it dissolves the Moi­sture, and commands it passage by the eies: which work the righteous also does sometimes feel. Som­times and most commonly Sorrow sends them out; when in the Contraction of the heart, the heat and spirits so retire, that the moisture of the brain being left without a guide, expresses its own sad and de­solate estate: but the teares of the righteous never [Page 40]want a guide; and though they seem disconsolate, yet are they secretly guided by the true Spirit of comfort. Sorrow does sometimes also keepe-in teares, when the heart is excessively contracted; when it so cals in the vitall heat, that the moisture of the brain is meerly congeal'd: such winter also does the righteous sometimes feel; and only would shed teares, because he can not; and thus his will does weep, though his eies doe not. It is indeed only Man's Intentive will that is the cause, why only Man does weep: and good reason it is, since it was only his will, that was the cause of his sinne, and consequently an occasion of his teares. The soft heart is naturally most ready to weep: and it is the soft heart, that is spiritually most ready to weep. Yet if you would know the true cause of teares, you may observe, nay for feare of errour you must observe, that as teares flow from the moisture of nourishment receiv'd into the body: so spirituall sorrow flows from grace receiv'd into the Soule. Unto which grace of sorrow in our Conversion, in the first point of conversion, the will is meerly passive; meerly passive in respect of an inward change, though it has still naturall liberty, by which it is always active; active in generall, to concurre to an Act of faith, as to an Act; not in speciall, as to such an act,, an act of Faith. The Naturall will can concurre to the work of God, in respect of outward means, as it can freely heare or not heare, the word preach'd, but the in­ward efficient cause of conversion is the Holy Ghost. In which expression we may understand all subor­dinate [Page 41]causes inservient in that worke, though not working by their owne power, but by the power of God. And thus we may say, that conversion is the worke of Man, as he is the subject of it; but the worke of God in respect of the first motion. The will in this is like Elisha's eie; which had a naturall power to see, but it needed a supernaturall power to discerne a supernaturall aide of angels. An active Liberty then unto grace, the will by meer nature can not claim: nor may wee, though some doe, at­tribute an active power to the water in baptisme, though Sacramentall, (much lesse to the teares in re­pentance) as if the water did concurre actively and physically to the production of grace. God does in­deed sometimes exalt a naturall agent to an ability above his degree in his kind; but never above his kind. The first is to helpe things in their Order; but the last is to destroy order. The God then of Nature, and of order does not make a Naturall agent the proper cause of a supernaturall Effect; which truth may save us from the magisteriall impositions of mistaking Reason. Our Prophet here does wish for this sorrow: it was not then according to the measure he desir'd, either in his own possession, or at all in his power. The cause then of Spirituall sorrow can not be naturall: and as holy teares have thus their Cause from grace, so also have they their Abundance. And here we may farther observe the apt wisdome of the Prophet, who expresses his sorrow, a work of Grace, by similitude and parallel to the work of Nature. Now in Nature there is not only a fountain [Page 42]that sends forth streams, but there are also waters in the Cavernes of the earth, to nourish the foun­tain: so must there be not only a fountain in the pe­nitent eie, but there must also be inwardly store of waters; He wishes therfore not only that his eies were a fountain, but also, nay first of all, that his Head were waters. And if we consider the collection of waters, which are in the earth, we shall find some affirme it, to be caus'd by Protrusion, as we may call it, by a violent blast forcing those waters into the Pores of the earth; so S, Basil. Some also we shall find, that attribute it to the attractive influence of the Heavens; so Aquinas. Both which waies we shall find proportionall to God's manner of working in the Soule; whiles some he Thrusts into tears, by Af­fliction; as some he Drawes into teares by Love. And as the waters in the earth, as some think, doe serve to temper the veines of metall: so does the secret sorrow of the heart serve to temper the hardnesse of the heart, that at last it confesses it is waters, and the eies, as a fountain, send forth streams of tears. Now streams, as they passe, doe commonly cleanse such places, as they passe-through: so surely the tears of the truly penitent do not only wash away his finnes, but they indeavour also to wash away other-mens, and consequently the calamity due unto them. Which Object of sorrow we should next be­hold, if through the darknesse of sorrow we could behold it. But, alas, what pleasure is in Destruction? which being contrary to nature: is also contrary to pleasure. What pleasure in garments rolled in blood, [Page 43]which doe afford more Horrour, than warmth? what pleasure in the tumult of the Battell; where not to be furious, is to be Cowardly; where Mercy is held an Absurdity; and to be barbarous, a glory! This is the prerogative, and the supererogation of the Sword! This claimes alone the triumph over the conquer'd: this usually alone over-acts the triumph! Yet thus did the sword sleight Iudah to a slaughter! and wound the Prophet also with Compassion. But is Judah, so destroy'd, that it has left none like unto her? Yet then her vices also were gone with her: but surely there will alwaies be a People, and but too like her; whiles as much in sinne, as in an unde­serv'd love; and whiles in sinne, too probably a Judah in Calamity! God will not want a People; nor will they want faults! nay, by turning his Blessings into sinnes, they make him turne them into Curses, the Punishment of sinnes. The deformity of which, if, in the wisdome of your fear, you would behold, but in the extreamity of your fear can not, insteed of the eie understand by the eare, and the Prophet will tell you, that this his People, the people of Judah, were liers, slanderers, slanderers of their brethren, deceivers; that their tongue was a bow, a bended bow ( v. 3.) nay, and an arrow too; yea, an arrow shot-out. ( v. 8.) that when their tongue spake pea­ceably, their heart lay'd wait. ( v. 8.) that their habitation was in the midst of deceite. ( v. 6.) Take yee heed every one of his neighbour, sayes the Prophet, and trust ye not in any brother, for every brother will utterly supplant. Heare him accuse them farther, [Page 44] They proceed from evill to evill. ( v. 3.) you see their degrees! They weary themselves to commit iniquity. ( v. 5.) you see their unhappy diligence! They bee all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men! ( v. 2.) O what a Judah is this? and shall such a Judah be found in our Judah? O, Let every Conscience be its owne Confessor, and whisper it self an answer, to amendment. And can we desist then from bewai­ling our owne sinnes and the sinnes of others? though justly we may be as much oppressed with the num­ber, as with the guilt! and almost no lesse with the variety of the kinds, than of the acts! shall we then only bewaile the sinnes of the head and of the eies? and only weep for the sinnes of those parts, with which we weep? If we search the Head, we shall find those waters, from whence arises the fountain, that sends forth the streames of other sinnes. There shall we find the Ʋnderstanding; & in that, sinnes of defect and of excesse; sometimes a disable Ignorance, and sometimes an Abuse of great abilities! How many are there that sinne by Sloath! and will not under­stand the negligence of their owne understanding! How many, that sinne by Pride! choosing rather to reason against God, then against any thing, that shall dislike their Reason! If wee looke upon the Memory, we shall find it to be Malicious and Per­verse; by not remembring what we ought, and by remembring, what wee ought not! If wee behold our Phansie, though by innumerable shapes it can change it selfe, yet by none of them all can it excuse it self! Nay, it will be glad, if it can make us commit, as [Page 45]it were, halfe a sinne; a sinne in some sort without consent; a sinne in sleepe! if it can but prepare us to a sinne! But these are workes of an invisible guilt! If we consider the Eare, O how obedient it is, to the tongue of a flatterer! How vile a slave unto our Pride! suffering itself somtimes to be board-through, to professe our servitude under sinne! Nay, even the Haire, which was made for an ornament of the head, is often by the figure or the length, made a defor­mity? S Paul proclaims it to be unnaturall for a man to weare long haire; yet how many are there, that doe lesse esteem of his protestation, then of their haire! perchance it is because they Beleeve not his word, or understand not the reason of his word: which, notwithstanding their purpose, is founded upon God's purpose. When God made man, (as Moses speaks) he made them male and female; and made the female subject to the male: the Naturall signe of which subjection is the womans haire; (as the civill signe of it was anciently a veile.) For the male then to use this signe, what is it, but in part to confound the distinction of sexes, which God has appointed? and is in cleare judgment a more inti­mate violation, whiles more unnaturall, of God's purpose, then the promiscuous use of their apparell. And when the contrary use in the form of the hair was practis'd by the Nazarites, it was by dispensation from the Lawgiver; not unlike Abraham's inten­ded sacrifice of his sonne: both which acts had other­wise been as odious, as by God's pleasure they were made acceptable. If we consider the Nostrill, we must [Page 46]confesse, that the breath, which by divine favour they receive in as the breath of life, they too often send forth by exchange, as the breath of scorne. Besides somtimes with perfume they flatter the brain; and somtimes oppresse it with the Indian Smoake; which by custome becomes disease, un­lesse Infirmity excuses it into Physique. If we con­sider the Mouth, the Tongue, the Palate; alas! Were not the bewailing of their sinnes a work of Grace, and the Numbring of them but a worke of Nature, we might thinke it more easie to bewaile them, then to number them! The mouth is the most wash'd part of the body: and yet in the use of it, we may say, it is the foulest! The Tongue, that is placed so neer to Reason, does notwithstanding seldome make use of so happy a neighbourhood! The Palate, which God has honourably seated in the head, unnatu­rally degrades it selfe by an obedience to the Belly! And may wee not then at the consideration of all these sinnes of the head, wish with our Prophet, that our head were waters! But some there are, who not by miracle, but by sinne, turne the waters of their head into wine, nay somtimes, we may say, into fire, often are they so out-raged with the calenture of the grape; That it poses them to distinguish be­tween their sinne and their Punishment! And what were it then, if, in a pretended fact, such fiery heads were cover'd with mournfull ashes? fire there were, we might safely confesse: but might we not adde in the words of the Poet, though in another sense, that though there were fire, yet it were sub cinere doloso? [Page 47]Should we call this Repentance, or a cheate? But now if we should behold the sinnes of the Eie, we should quickly find a wonder, not only of sinne, but also of Prospect; and the eie would now be satis­fied with seeing: it would quickly be satisfied; and with holy teares be willingly darkned at this sight. Nor will it only bewaile its lust and pride, but also the greatest part of its former sorrow, and now shed wise and religious teares, for the foolish and carnall teares, which formerly it shed. Thus will it doe for its owne sinnes; but not only for its own sinnes; but we shall indeavour truly to crie-out with David's compassion, Mine eies gush out with teares, because men keep not thy Laws! Sorrow for our owne sinnes, all men will confesse to be necessary: but sorrow for other mens sinnes, seems to some men unnecessa­ry, and to most men but voluntary. Yet this also is the duty of a righteous man, to weep for the un­righteous. It is the duty of him, that would be like unto God to weep when Men care not to be like unto God. It is his duty to greive, when God is greiv'd; to greive for that, for which God is greiv'd! Our will must be like his will; and therfore to weep also, when others mens wils are not like his Will; It is an argument of excellent nature to bewaile the punishment of an offender: but it is an argument of excellent grace, to bewaile the sinne of an offender; the cause of his Punishment. And these does our mercifull Prophet here compassionate; weep he does for the calamity of his people: but he does so much the more greive for their sinne, by how much their sinne was more greivous, than their calamity! [Page 48]And amongst the many sinnes, which he here be­wailes; one was, that they were not valiant for the truth upon the earth. It is the more greivous sinne to Oppose truth; but it is also a greivous sinne not to defend it. If we seriously consider it, is it not a strange cowardise, for a man to be afraid to be on God's side! Did God ever forsake his truth? or those, that did not forsake his truth? If the Pelagian were again ready to equall Nature with grace; if the Arian were again ready to denie the consubstantia­lity and coëternity of God the sonne; if the Dona­tist should again pretend a possibility so to over-re­fine the Church, that it may be without all spot; should we proudly become impure by the bold pre­tence of such false puritie? or should we turne poli­titians against God, & leave him to the defence of his own truth? Or, say of his truth, as the Jews did of his Sonne, Let him deliver it, if he will have it? If we discerne any that preferre the giddinesse of their own reason, under the notion of sound Rea­son, before the Sobriety of the holy writings and the Church; shall we presently either reele out of the way, or stagger in it? About the eleventh year of this present Century of the Church, a new starre­gazer (one Fabricius) in the upper Germanie, pub­lish'd (at Witteberge) by the vertue of a strange glasse, a pretended discovery of strange spots in the Sunne: about which time in the lower Germanie, a like acute Novelist publish'd pretented spots in the best Belgique Church. But as the clearest-sighted, though of a lesse excellency then S. Stephen's eie, [Page 49]judg'd those suppos'd staines through divine per­mission, to have been by the grand Artist the devil, juggled into the starre-wise glasse, not into the Sunne: so the best-sighted, though not so wonderfull as Lyncius, yet free from the Jaundice of Opinion, discern'd through the right Optique of sacred truth, the spots to be not in the Church, but in the No­velist; and so that his mistakes were the staines. If then we see any departing from the truth, shall not we depart from Them? shall we not rather partake with the Prophet in his tears, than with them in such backsliding, as deserves such tears? You see then enough, yea too much cause of sorrow and yet you can not but see the little Effect it pro­duces! And must we not confesse this to bee very unnaturall, that where there is so great cause, there is so litle Effect! where so much sinne, so few teares for sinne! O, let us then with severity look upon our Own sinnes; let us with compassion behold other mens! and shall we make ourselves so unhappy, as not to bewaile our own unhappi­nesse? shall we weep for the death of our Friends Bodies, and shall we not weep for the death of our Own Soules? That being for them but to fulfill the Law of Nature; but this being for us to violate the Law of God! When David and his men saw Ziklag burnt, and their wives and children carried into Captivity, it is said, they wept, untill they had no more power to weep (1 Sam. 30.4.) And shall not we weep as much to see our Soule, which is the City of God, set on fire by vice; and all the ver­tues [Page 50]and ornaments of our Soules to be lost! to be Triumph'd-upon by the Enemies of our Soules? Surely, as the wind by gathering many clouds makes a shower: so our mind by meditation col­lecting the many evils of our own lives, and others, will easily cause a shower of tears! And indeed, who would not willingly by a temporall sorrow, scape eternall sorrow? since in this life a few ac­cepted teares can wash away the greatest sinnes that shall be remitted: but, after this life, eternall teares can not wash away the least sinnes! Let us then crie here for the guilt of our sinnes, that we may not hereafter crie for the punishment of them! Let us bemoan our selves like Ephraim, repentant Ephraim, in this our Prophet ( chap. 31.19.) with a holy indignation; Surely, after that I was turn'd, I repented: and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was asham'd, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth! Let us with the wise man, Eccles. 2.2. crie-out of mirth, what does it? crie-out of the madnesse of it? The Septuagint term it there, [...], the turning-about, the Giddinesse of mirth! Let us turn our hearts by Meditation towards Hell, that they may never be neerer to it, than by Me­ditation! Can we remember how the Israelites mourn'd by the waters of Babylon, and not imitate their mourning! The waters of Babylon, sayes S. Austin, are the transitory pleasures of this world, by which the Godly mourne, as in a strange Coun­try, when they remember Sion, the heavenly Ieru­salem! [Page 51]And what more powerfull Motives can we have for teares, whether we consider our selves, or God, than Feare or love? both which God has provided for us. There are, sayes S. Gregory, two causes of tears; the first, for Fear of Punishment; the Second, for delay of our happinesse: both which are intimated, according to that Father, by that double blessing, which Caleb (as it is, Josh. 15.19. bestow'd upon his daughter Achsah, to whom he gave the upper and the nether springs; the nether spring is Fear, the upper Love. To the same purpose did Nazianzen observe, that Noah's flood came partly from the Earth, and partly from Heaven: so, sayes he, the purging flood of tears comes partly from the feare of Hel, land partly from the desire of Heaven, from the love of God. And surely as waters which are distill'd from the rose by the force of fire yeil'd a sweet smell: so much more sweet are the waters of the head, which are press'd-out by the heat of divine Love. It is indeed the Spirit of divine love, that from the eies forces holy tears; according to that of David, (Ps. 147.) Hee causes his wind to blow, and the waters flow, The same Prophet sayes, ( Ps. 104.3.) God layes the beames of his chambers in the waters, that is, he covers the up­per part of the heaven, or air, with water: the just man is such a heaven: whose upper parts, his soule, his head, his eies, are overflow'n with devout sor­row, whose teares doe mystically fullfill that of the Psalmist, ( Ps. 148.4.) The waters that are above the heavens praise the name of the Lord; And more admi­rably [Page 52]doe these waters, the tears of the just, praise the justice, the Mercy, and goodnesse of the Lord! Who will not then shed a few such tears, that he may never shed any more tears? And since our Soule is the Garden of God, who will not provide a Foun­tain of tears, to make it pleasant, for his intertain­ment! who will not labour, who will not Rejoice, to shed such tears, as God himself will wipe away? when he will change the darknesse of sorrow into the light of joy; the dark eie into a cheerfull eie: when he will work such a wonder in the Soul, as he has in the eie; by a marvelous raising of light out of darknesse; out of the apple of the eie! which the Hebrews call [...] amongst other reasons, from the blacknesse, as the word also signifies; expressing God's wonderfull work in the composition of the eie: when as out of the apple of the eie, which is the darkest part of it, he raises light! The apple of the eie being so black or dark, that when in the Proverbs, (Cha. 7.9.) it is said, in the black and dark night, it is in the Original, [...] as if we should say, in the apple of the eie of the night. Yet out of the darkest sorrow God will at last raise the most cheer­full light. From an eie darken'd with humble tears, with innocent tears, such as are not afraid to ap­proach to the throne of the judge of heavē & earth; with powerfull tears, which overcome him that is almighty? which power vouchsafe, O Lord most powerfull, to shew in the weaknesse of our tears; that by thy mercy their weaknesse may thus over­come thy power: Change our heads into waters, [Page 53]that they may be clean; change our eies into a foun­tain, a fountain of tears so pure, that thou mayst see thine own image in them, that so thou mayst delight in them, that we may for ever delight in thee, delight with thee. To whom, O Father of mercies, with thy dear Sonne our Saviour, and thy Holy Spirit our Comforter in all our sorrows, be ascrib'd all thanks for thy Power and Mercy, for evermore.

MAN since his fall is much like the Devill before his fall, he has a great desire unto mastery: in which desire he does but con­fesse his fall; by which he has chang'd that mastery it selfe, which he had, only into a desire of the mastery, which he had. He had by creation a mastery over all the creaturs of this inferiour world: but by his fall he fell not [Page 56]only from the mastery of them, but also of himself; and is now become aslave to his own desires, to the distraction of his desires; his way and his eie ne­ver being together. His way is still downward, still farther from that perfection from which he fell: but his eie is still upwards towards that perfection, from which he fell. But as his nature is corrupt, so is his desire; a desire of mastery, not because it is a per­fection, but because it is a Glory; and therfore he does more truly desire the crown, then the strife. Yet this desire in man, though but like a vertue, yet because like a vertue, finds opposition in man, and is kept down by greater vice. And therfore though divers have an appetite to the mastery in divers things, yet if their feare or sloth be greater then their desire, their desire yeilds to their fear or sloth. But this naturall desire, when most able, being not able to aime at the true mastery, diverting to mea­ner objects, corrupts it self into inferiour and triviall appetites; and insteed of seeking for mastery in the true perfections of the mind, it either descends to strive for the mastery in the vanities of the mind, or for the vain mastery in the abilities of the body. Which trifling desires brake forth into the actions of those naturall men, the Ancient Heathen, espe­cially the Greeks; and not only in their businesse, but also in their games. Wherby they did prove in­deed, that labour is a part of man's curse, which they increas'd, whiles to their labour they added va­nity. For wheras it is one releefe against the punish­ment of labour, that man may propose to himself [Page 57]an end, which shall abundantly recompence his la­bour, they were as Vain in the choise of their End, as they were unhappy in their labour. Which vanity our Apostle perceiving in them, takes occasion to teach Christian wisdome, from their Heathenish folly; by rectifying both their labour and their pur­pose; and that we might the better understand his instruction, he drawes it from the nature of their practises. Amongst the Corinthians were celebrated the Isthmian Games; in which after a great deale of preparation they took a great deale of toile and all for a crown as corruptible as their bodyes: he teaches them therefore by a wise emulation, how to Imitate that Labour and Correct it. He does not forbid them still to continue their preparation; he does not forbid thē still to continue their strife: but he changes the kind of them, whiles he changes the reward of them; and proposes a crown, which they might obtaine, as much exceeding the crown which they proposed to obtaine, as Heaven and eternitie exceed earth and time. That therfore we may un­derstand this instruction of our Apostle, we may first consider the strife it selfe, the strife for the Masterie; then the Preparation for the good performance of that strife, A Temparance in all things; And lastly the End and purpose of that strife, a Crown, for them Corruptible, but for us, Incorruptible. Behold then first the Strife. The Grecians a people of rare naturall excellency and Vanity, were so tran­sported with the appetite of Mastery, that there was scarce any thing done amongst them without great [Page 58]strife, without great comparison; or, to draw a word from our Apostle in this place, without great Agonie; for so in effect he speaks, whiles he saies [...], it may be rendred, Every one that is in an agonie for the mastery, which conten­tions sometimes were even in vile things, (as at this day amongst us) as for the mastery in drinking or Eating most: for, there was amongst them their [...] and [...], as Athenaeus tells us. To which contentions amongst others, the Apostle, it seems, did allude, when excellently he said, that Their glory was their shame. But in this place he intends such bodily exercises, as were rather Vaine, then Vile: their various exercises drawn from the severall respects unto the body; as from the speed of it in Running, as in the precedent verse he speakes of the Race; or from the Strength of it, as in wrestling, as principally seemes to be intended in this verse. But all was a strife; nay, we may call it a Fight: for so our Interpreters render the same word. 1 Tim. 6.12. Fight the good fight of Faith; the word being there also, [...]. And that you may more fully apprehend the wisedome of our Apostle in this comparison, it will be necessary to take a view of the agreement of these two kinds of Combats; of those outward contentions of the Heathen Grecians, and the inward contentions of a Christian. If you will view the Place of their strife, you shall find, the Race was performed in their [...], a plot of ground containing in length an hundred twenty and five paces: which just [Page 59]length was chosen, because Hercules, as their fable has it, runne so farre at one breath. And can any thing better expresse the place or length of our Christian life? Our Strife against sinne, as the Apostle calls it, ( Hebr. 12.4.) Is not our contention determin'd with the length of our life? And is not life, the life of the strongest, usually determin'd with­in a hundred or sixcore yeares, though some, as sto­ries tell us, have out lived that number of yeares? If you will likewise view that place, in which their wrestling was performed, which was their [...], as Tertullian and S. Chrysostome call it, you shall find that no man was admitted into it, but he that knew the manner of the strife, which was to be there observed: and unlesse he himselfe, as also his pa­rents, brethren and teacher, did solemly before the statue of Jupiter in the Elaean Senate confirme as much by an Oath. And into our place of wrestling which is the Holy Church, anciently no man, who being of age and then converted to the Faith, was admitted by baptisme, but he that was known to have been instructed in the manner of the Christian, or spirituall fight. The like was anciently under­taken for Infants, the witnesses at whose baptisme publikely gave their faith to God and the Church, that as soone as they should be able to fight, they should not want knowledge for their Christian fight. The Cōbatants amongst the Heathen fought alwaies without the burthen of their cloaths, except what modesty commanded; lest even the lightest should be some hindrance; nay, lest their bodyes should [Page 60]be a hindrance to them, they were annoynted with oile. Thus likewise the best Christian Combatants in all ages, have layd aside the outward hindrances of welth and businesse, when they have indeavour'd to be truly admirable in the spirituall fight. They have likewise had the spirituall Oile, which signifies Gods Grace as may be seen, Levit. 2.1. Psal. 45.7. 1 Joh. 2.20. They have had a gracious subtilty of knowledge, whereby they were made quick to pre­vent the devises and active sleights of Sathan. There were Combats also amongst them not only for men, but for Children as Pausanius (in his Eliaque Re­membrances) shewes. And even the yongest Chri­stians, when once they begin to be able by know­ledge to corect their own actions, shall instantly find the Divill for an Adversary, & the combat of Temp­tations. Yet then there were also diversities of fights; there being their lighter fights, [...], and their weightier or more solemne, [...], as Dionysius Halicarnasseus, tells us. The lighter were performed in the Morning and the more weighty in the after-noon, as Pausanius has it. And have not the Christians also their diversities ef fights? Even thus the Christian in the morning of his Age he does but take notice, that he has sinne and Conscience, he shall have only some lighter combats: but when once he is grown to the Afternoon of his life; when by age he has both enougth sinne and enough know­ledge of sinne; then he shall find those [...], those heavy conflicts, those wrestlings of the whole body, of the whole spirit, of the Man, the Christi­an! [Page 63]Amongst the higher conflicts of the Ancients, there was one especially worth the noting, and that was theire [...]; when each combatant ben­ding inward the two upper joints of his fingers, did only by Them, contend with his adversary, till he forced him to a faintnesse. A kind of wrestling most fit for a Christian, upon occasion, to use with the Devill; to keep him to this [...], at distance at the arme's end, nay at the fingers end: for other­wise he will breake in upon the Christian; and not only hurt the hollow of his thigh; as the Angell of God or rather God, did Jacob's; nor will he say, as the large Philistine unto David (1 Sam. 17.44.) Come to me, and I will give thy flesh to the foules of the aire, and to the beasts of the field; no; he will prove himselfe to be a roaring Lyon; He would himselfe devour the Christian: who there­fore must strive for courage and perfection, to resist him! we must strive to be perfecti athletae and con­summati: Seneca has the same terme for wise men, whom he cals consummatos sapientiae viros, men of a finish'd or perfect wisedome. And has not our Apo­stle the like Eph. 4.13? where he says, that the Christian must goe on [...], unto a perfect man. Does not S. James exhort to the like perfecti­on (cap. 1.4?) Let patience have her perfect work, that we may be perfect and entire wanting nothing. Amongst the Grecians he that had skill and victory at all kinds of Combats, was, for his perfection called [...]; and surely unto such perfection must the Christian labour, that in all kinds of Combats [Page 64]with their spirituall enemy, he may contend with skill and Courage; for so shall he in his degree at­taine to that aime of S. Paul, [...], unto a perfect man; unto such perfection, as in this life we are capable of. But he must also Persevere in this contention unto the end; according to that of our Saviour ( Mat. 24.13.) He that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved: which our Apostle here shewes by a double Metaphor, of a Race in the for­mer verse, and a wrestling in this verse. In the Race there were drawne two white lines, the one in the beginning of it; at which they that were to runne, were first to stay till the signe was given; and this line was called [...], as Pausanius tells us; and there­fore Cassiodorus cals it the Rule, because it made them begin upon equall termes; and this does resemble but the beginning of our Christian race. But the other white line was at the farther end, and did bound the race. And this line was called [...], as it seemes to be implyed by Pindarus (in his Pythian Hymnes;) and it was so called, because it was al­ways in their sight; their eye being still upon it, till They were upon it. S. Paul does very clearely ex­presse both the thing, and the name ( Plil. 3.14.) where speaking in this Metaphor, he sayes most exactly, [...]; I presse towards the marke; as it is there rendred; Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, (v. 13.) I presse towards the make. It might be rendred in respect of the thing it selfe, whence the Metaphor is drawn, I presse towards the [Page 65]white Line; which was the end of the race. So that a Christian's race is never ended till death; He must give his name, annoint himselfe, beginne to runne, and continue running till he comes to the scope, to the white Line. Thus does he likewise in this verse especialy by a Metaphor of wrestling ex­presse the Perseverance; there being no reward, but to the Conquerour. And therefore because it was the presupposed end of all striving or wrestling, to strive for the mastery, our Interpreters with sin­gular wisdome did translate it here, to strive for the mastery, though strictly the force of the word be only to strive. Which necessary Perseverance in stri­ving for the mastery is well expressed by the cu­stome of wrestling, which even to this day is retai­ned in some parts of Europe, as amongst the Galli­cians, (in Spaine;) where a set number of wrestlers being appointed to enter the Lists, and he that is twice thrown departing, the conquerour stayes for a new adversary; and thus all striving successively, he only is at the last the Conquerour, who of the set number is the last Conquerour. It is indeed a practice unreasonable, and usefull; if we consider the morall of their perseverance. And surely the Labour and Constancy in our Christian combat, our Apostle did more then intimate, when be ex­horted Timothie, io indure hardnesse, as a good soul­dier of Jesus Christ; (2 Tim. 2.3.) to indure hardnesse; the word of the Apostle is [...], suffer evill, the evill of affliction, or bodily punishment: suffer hun­ger and cold and Labour, like a good Souldier. So [Page 66]did S. Paul himselfe in his high degree of Souldiery; and so must the meanest Christian in his inferiour proportion. And as those ancient Gentiles did pra­ctice themselves before hand, against their great and publique combates, as S. Basil and Cassianus note; so must we count all wrestling in our life time, but but a preparative to our last agonie and combate in death. Besides, all their practises were but bodily exercises, which profit but little, as S. Paul speakes of them; (for of them he speaks 1 Tit. 4.8.) but ours are spirituall combates; we fight against Princi­palities and Powers; and therefore it behooves us to make all advantage of example. And since that the understanding is not ashamed to learne of the sense: so neither must the soule be ashamed to learn of the body. As they then got bodily strength for their wrestlings, by Preparation and a Temperance in all things; so must we grow strong and cunning in a spirituall imitation of their bodily temperance; which is the next thing to be considered, Their Temperance in all things. And indeed so great was their Temperance to make them the more active, that these words which our Apostle uses in this place, [...], He is Temperate in all things, was a powerfull speech amongst the Gre­cians. Now their common temperance was from Lust and the wayes unto it, wine and Glotonie: nay, their Diet was so moderate, as Irenaeus de­scribes it, that it never was unto satiety; nay, it never was unto a full meale. And some were so exact, as Plato relates of Diopompus and some others, [Page 67]that they would not let their stomachs trie the weight of any heavy meale, or but their backs the weight of any heavy cloathes, much lesse of any su­perfluous; lest they should thus dull the purity of their spirits. And does not S. Paul ( Hebr. 12.1.) exhort us to the like exact temperance, to a holy curiosity in our christian Race? Let us lay aside (sayes he) every weight (every weight) and the sinne which does so easily beset us, and let us runne with pa­tience the race that is set before us. Is it not an in­timate speech, let us lay aside every weight? The shippe that is but lightly laden may happily scape in a tempest: but the heavy laden may quickly perish: by temperance & fasting, saies S. Chysostome, we shall lighten our vessell, and more safely passe through the waves of this life. Let us then lay aside every weight. We must saies S. Ierome be circumcised in the flesh; which is when in those things that con­cerne the body, we cut off the Delight and reserve only the necessity; making them ours, as S. Austin speakes, utentis modestia, non amantis affectu; with the appetite of nature, not of wantonesse. And thus temperate we must be in all things. When in rela­tive actions (concerning other men) we shew equality, we call it Justice: but when in the retired actions of our soules upon our bodies wee labour for equality, wee call it Tempe­rance; which does assist reason in restraining the affections, the senses and the parts of the body, from an abuse in pleasure. It restraines the Eie from a licence in prospect: for otherwise the eie finds out pleasures, and the phansie multiplies them. It re­straines [Page 68] Laughter, and saves it from folly; for when the purer parts of the blood; the Spirits, are over acted into an excesse, they shake the body into an unseemely laughter: which commonly abounds in such bodies, as have not enough Melancholy to make them wise. It restraines the Tongue, and makes it, as it were, remember, that it is not an Instrument of Invention, but only of Execution; which ther­fore must waite till it be imply'd by Reason; and that Then it is but to declare the mind of Reason. It principally restraines the Throat and Belly; these being as the Moabites, that inticed Israel to Lust: and as the Body is a temptation to the Soul; So the Belly and throte are a temptation, to the rest of the body. Wherfore we must strive to get the ma­stery of These; and then we shall easily be the ma­sters of ourselves. Hence were those mighty indea­vours of the ancient Christians, in Chastitie and Ab­stinence: by which whiles the Body is separated from the pleasures of the body, the Soule, though not separated from the body, is in an admirable man­ner elevated above the body; and attaines that hap­pinesse, which in the body it properly but expects. But because the effect is taken away by removing the cause, and lust is but the consequence of glut­tonie, hence was that practice, and hence that ne­cessity in all ages of the Church, of holy fasting! This in some sort including a Temperance in all things; since a temperance in this thing invite [...]. Lord to give that universall blessing, A Temperance in all things. It was a temperance in diet, that [Page 69]those Heathens us'd; and it must be a temperance in diet, that Christians must use. The body knows no mean; 'tis allwayes in extreams; 'tis allwayes either a Slave, or a Tyrant. Therfore we must by fasting use it, as S. Paul speaks in the last verse of this chapter; I keep-under my body, and bring it into Subjection; his own word is of more power, [...], I bring it into Servitude. And this practice of Fasting is as old as the world; nor was Man sooner permitted (in paradise) to Eate, then he was com­manded to Fast: neither was he permitted to eate all fruit, though he did eat nothing but fruit. His happinesse in Paradise, sayes S. Ierom, was not de­dicated without fasting; and so long as he fasted, so long he was in Paradice: yet as by violating that fast he was cast-out, so with fasting, sayes S. Basil, he may be well help'd to return into it again. And he that fasts, must not thinke, that whiles he fasts, he has no food: he may say as our Saviour did, I have food, that you know not of. And as it was his food to doe the will of the Father; so must it be ours, to doe his will; which is to Fast and keep-under our bodies. The fasting of the Body, sayes S. Chrysostome, is the food of the Soule, and that food is the food of Angels, sayes Athanasius. He that fasts must remember, sayes Theophilus of Alexandria, that of the Apostle ( Rom. 14.17.) The kingdome of God is not meat and drink; but righ­teousnesse and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. And well may they rejoyce, when as the holy Angels, as S. Basil sayes, doe in every Church keep a Cata­logue of the Fasters. And well may they rejoyce; for [Page 70]would you scape Gods judgments, Fast and re­member Ahab; remember the Ninivites; who did not so much proclaim their Fast, as they have pro­claim'd God's Acceptance of it. Would you overcome and cast ont the Devil: fast; by this our Saviour cast him out: nay, some devils can not be cast out, but by Prayer and Fasting ( Matt. 17.21) The proud Devil can not be cast-out, but by the Humility of Prayer; and the unclean, the Lustful Devil, can not be cast-out, but by the Purity of fasting. Yet I will not propose unto you the fast of Moses, of Eliah, of our Saviour, fasts of fourty dayes: this were ra­ther to bid you be miraculous, then devout. But I may Bid you behold the holy Anna, the Prophetesse: who having been a widow about fourscore and four years, having renounced the world, and departing­not from the Temple night nor day, but serving God with prayers and fastings ( Luk. 2.37.) was at last blest in the Temple, with the sight of the Babe Christ Iesus the Lord of the Temple! A reverend monument of temperance, whether wee consider her Sexe, her Age, or her Devotion! A most reve­rend monument of persevering temperance, and of a temperance in all things! Excellent was the tem­perance of those holy women, which did despise the vanitie and pleasure of their looking-glasses, when they brought them all to Moses, as is recorded, Exod. 38.1. Of which devout women it is there said, that they did assemble by troopes to the door of the Tabernacle; The Chaldie Interpreter sayes, they came to pray; the Greek says, that they fasted; and [Page 71]others render the Hebrew word, [...] they did warre; and aptly might it be renderd to warre, that is, the Lords Spirituall warfare and service. So Moses speaks of the Levites, that enterd-in to warre the warfare, (as the Margent shews from the Hebrew) that is, to performe the service, and to doe the work in the Tabernacle of the Congregation ( Numb. 4.23.) So speakes S. Paul to Timothie, that thou by them migh­test warre a good warfare (1 Tim. 1.18.) And you may a litle farther note the blessing of those women, in some sort shadow'd-out in the gifts which they did present. For, of their looking-glasses (as by custom of speech they are call'd, though they were of brass, as the margent notes from the Original; as in these times we have some of steele) Moses made a Laver, for the use of the Tabernacle of the Lord; And thus the instruments, wherby they did adorne their bo­dies, were chang'd into an instrument wherby through faith they might Sanctifie their Souls: as the Priest, by washing in the same, did purifie his body. And this temperance from outward things, in these holy women, did not, it seems, decay amongst the Jewes; nay, rather it increas'd even to a tempe­rance from the most tempting pleasures of the body. For so you may read of the Virgins, that were shut-up in the Temple at Ierusalem; as the Authour of the book of Macchabies relates, ( Lib. 2. Cap. 3.19.) which virgins, S. Ambrose sayes, ( Lib. 3. de virgi­nibus) were deputatae, dedicated to the Temple at Ierusalem. And, it seems, Anna the Prophetesse was of the like devotion: who did the more abstain from [Page 72]bodily food, sayes Tertullian, ut magis spiritualibus deliciaretur, that she might the more exquisitely be delighted with the Spirituall food. Shee did indeed so devoutly diet her self, as if being a Prophetesse she had foreknown, that she was to runne a long race. No marvaile then, if the Christian Church, which was to exceed the Jewish, as much in purity of life, as of knowledge, took all occasions to imi­tate holy fasts. Hence was the ( Spring fast, or,) fast of Lent instituted, to imitate for our proportion, our Saviours abstinence; not to attain the degree of it, but the benefit. Indeed, if He fasted so, that had no sinne, as S. Ambrose's devotion argues, how ought we to fast, who without him are nothing but sinne? And if he fasted so for the sinnes of others, sayes S. Bernard; how ought we to fast for our own sinnes? The space of Lent, as the piety of some has observ'd, is the Tenth of the year (though strictly somewhat more:) which if by holy exercises we Sanctifie unto God, he will sanctifie the other nine parts unto us. Besides it will shew our estimation of his fast; and make us remember, as S. Austin sayes, the great­nesse of our wound, by the greatnesse of his fast; and the greatnesse of his cure, by the greatnesse of our danger. Hence also did they institute their quar­terly fasts, that at those seasons they might be the more fit; both for prayer for the food of their souls, by Gods blessing on the Ministers of the Church, in that Age, at those times, to be ordain'd; as also for Prayer and Thanksgiving for the food of our bodys, the fruits of the ground: which principally at those [Page 73]times are either in the seed, or the blade, or the eare; either rotting, ripening or ripe; and therfore craving Gods more instant and seasonable blessing. Hence also did they perform preparative fasts a­gainst the memorials of the Saints, Saints regesterd in Gods word, such as the attendants of our Saviour in his life; not but that all true beleevers are truly Saints, as having true sanctity; but neither of their degree, nor of their glory; the divine wisdome ma­king them starres of a greater magnitude in the heaven of the Church. And thus they did not only Remember those greate examples of holinesse, but also Imitate them; and by the imitation of their Sanctitie, learn'd to increase their own. Hence also were their weekely fasts; the wednesday fast (a­mongst other reasons) in remembrance of our Sa­viours Innocence and Danger; it being on the day before his passion, that the great consultation of the cheif Priests and Elders was held against his life; as is collected from the beginning of the 26. Chap­ter of S. Mathew; as also that on that day be was by ointment prepar'd for his buriall. Yet this fast, as Tertullian sayes, did but passive currere, was but permitted in the Church, rather than comman­ded. The Friday-day fast was instituted in a conti­nuall remembrance of our Saviour's death; as the Saturday-fast, in remembrance of his Humiliation for our sakes in the Grave; as also for our preparation unto a more holy celebrating of our Christian Sab­bath. And surely as it were a great offence to ob­serve dayes and fasts with superstition in beleef of [Page 74]Merit: doubtlesse it is an acceptable Sacrifice unto God, to observe them with devotion. For as the Apostle bids us flie all occasion of evill: so by the rule of contraries, he implies, that we must gladly imbrace all occasions of good; all occasions, wherby we may make our Soules more obedient unto God, by making our bodies more obedient to our Soules. Fast, and see how good and gracious the Lord is! Hence were those frequent and private fasts of the Ancient Christians, many of them making their in­tire lives an intire fast; and thus by fasting, renderd their bodies sooner unto God, than unto nature. But where is now that holy temperance? They fa­sted thrice a week; but we scarce once in the week remember the practise or the benefit of it; and not once in a week have a wise check for such neglect. They did not only fast from food, but after some fasts from sleep also, as Eusebius shews, ( Histor. lib. 2.) striving not only to forget the Delights of the body, but also the Body. They did not on a fa­sting day eat till three of the clock after noon, as Epi­phanius testifies (in fine Parearii;) & in Lent not til five at evening; as S. Basil. ( Hom. 1. de Jejun.) & others re­late. But now religion amongst most men is grown so cowardly, that not to dine, were not to fast but to starve; and to goe supperlesse to bed, is no longer devotion but beggery! And whereas they in Chri­an pitty exempted from the fast, Old men and Children, Sick men and Labourers, and likewise the poore both for piety and necessity; now most men have thrust themselves into that priviledge. [Page 75]So that now the rule it selfe is lost; and we have scarce any thing left but the Exception. True it is, as S Chrysostome sayes, we have a mercifull Lord, that requires of no man beyond his strength: but as true it is, we must not counterfeit; we must serve that mercifull Lord, according to our strength; we must serve him with all our strength. I presse not here the kind of the fast, which generally was from flesh and wine, as S. Ierome ( contra Jovinianum Lib. 2.) and S. Basil ( hom. 1. de jejun.) shew: But I presse the wisdome of the Church, that thought it fit for most; and the mercy of the Church, that thought it not fit for some. Yet that great example in the Imperiall city of Christians, Constantinople, in the time of the, first the famous Iustinian, and so within the first 600 yeares, is not to be omitted, as it is not to be parallel'd. There being then in the time of a Lent a great scarcity of other provisions, the Em­perour cōmanding flesh to be killed & set to sale in the Shambles, not the man was found that would buy or tast it, as Nicephorus an Ecclesiasticall Historian relates ( lib. 17. cap. 32.) which must necessarily argue the firme perswasion of their conscienses. Which perswasion though it proceeded not from the authority of the Scripture, yet was from the example and prudence of the Church. That Fasting is commanded in the writings of the Apostle, saies S. Austin ( Epist. ad casulanum 86.) I every where find; but the Time of fasting I do not find: we may adde, and the kind of fasting we doe not find. But we may adde also that excellent rule of S. Ierome, ( epist. 18.) [Page 76]That Eccesiasticall Traditions which doe not hinder our faith (especially then such as increase our devoti­on) are so to be observed, as they have been deliver­ed to us by our Ancestors. Divine Authority then commands the Thing: Humane authority addes nothing but the Circumstance. And shall not the whole Christian Church use a Christian liberty in defining the times, and kind of Fasting, rather than every single Christian in his Solitary Opinion? Or shall any man approve the faith of the Church, and suspect the wisedome of it, as defining Circumstan­ces? yet he that cannot abstaine in the kind, may abstaine in the quantitie; in which a sanctified di­scretion may be his Physitian, and his Conscience his Confessor. True it is we shall not merit by fasting: but it is also as true, that we shall certainly profit by it. 'Tis a bad conscience, & a worse practise, that be­cause we cannot merit by fasting, we will be sure to merit by gluttonie! Indeed we may merit by that: but it shall be only the wages of sin! Our Prayers are not Meritorious: shall we therefore live as without God? Our Faith is not Meritorious: shall we there­fore turne Infidels? Because Fasting is not merito­rious, shall we therefore become Gluttons? We fast not for merit, but for Obedience. It pleases God: therefore it must please us. But some may say, that fasting is nothing worth, if not joyned with prayer; it is most true; but does he that bids you to Fast, Forbid you to pray? Fast then, in Gods name, as you ought to fast; Fast and pray. Nay he that truly fasts, does certainely pray; and he that truly prayes, [Page 77]doubtlesse does often fast. Or if Age, or Infirmity admits not a severe fast, let it be mittigated into a constant and holy temperance; for he that strives for the Mastery is Temperate in all things; being raised by the glorious reward proposed to the Con­querour; which is a Crown; a crown Incorruptible. Besides the winning of a Crown, the Grecians had a farther purpose of labour afterwards; which was to be the better serviceable for the warres of their Country; (as Plato tells us in his eighth book, de Le­gibus:) but the Christian whose life ends not but with his breath, has no more labour; but on eter­nall rest. Yet before the Grecians got their corrupti­ble crown, it was to be adjudg'd unto them by the [...], Sueton in his Nerva calls them the Bravistae, the judges of their contentions: who having taken an Oath to doe justice, sate on the ground observing the Combatants: and at the end of the strife ha­ving commended the Conquerour, they let him take the Crown that was provided for him, which as it may be conjectured, hung up in some eminent place. And have not we a judge that humbles him­selfe to behold our wrestlings? And has he not sworne by himselfe that there is a reward for the righteous? & will he not at the Last day call the Con­querour the Blessed of his Father? And will he not let them take Crowns of Glory proposed to them in the Heavens? They shall reach them at the end of their life by the hand of Faith. S. Paul speakes in that Metaphor, in the verse before this text; So run, that you may obtaine: the Latine has it, ut compre­hendatis; [Page 78]and S. Paul's own word intimates as much, [...]. But in the third to the Philippi­ans, v. 14. he is more exact, where speaking of him­selfe he saies, [...], reaching forth unto those things which are before, I presse towards the marke. And doe not those words of our Saviour imply this Metaphor of a hand; The Kingdome of Heaven suffers violence; and the vio­lent take it by force. And the successe of the strife shall be attended with great solemnity. S. Chrysostom relates ( Orat. adversos Judaeos, 2.) that at the Greci­ans Olympique Games the Spectators would come and sit from midnight, and so continue all day in the heat of the sunne, to see who would get the Crown. And does not S. Paul say, The earnest expe­ctation of the Creature waites for the manifestation of the Sonnes of God. ( Rom. 8.19.) He figura­tively attributes apprehension to the insensible creatures: but implyes, that all things do but as it were, waite in their naturall courses till the day of Judgment, wherein it shall be seen who are the Chil­dren of God; & on whom the crowns that God has layd up for the conquerours, shall be bestow'd; that being the glory, which shall be bestow'd on us, of which he speakes at the 18. v. of that chapter. The reward amongst those Grecians is observ'd to have been greater than their labour; it being commonly pro­vided by great personages: but the Christian's re­ward is infinitely greater, than his labour; and therfore the Apostle cals it an exceeding weight of glory (2 Cor. 4.17.) Now that which the Apostle cals [Page 79]amongst the Grecians, a crown was not alwayes a crown, in the strict sense, (though chiefely so) but somtimes it was a triumphant Garment adorn'd with palmes, so is the heavenly reward call'd som­times a garment; as Apoc. 3.5. Hee that overcoms, the same shall be cloth'd in white raiment. Yet amongst those Grecians a crown was oftentimes the reward, and according to the diversities of reward and con­tention, it was different; thus had they their crowns of Laurell, Olive, Myrtle, Grasse, Branches, Flowers; and some of matter lesse corruptible: but all were corruptible for their glory; but the Christian's crown is truly incorruptible. The Aegyptians indeed had a kind of crown, which by emblem might aptly expresse the excellency of the Christian's crown; and that was a crown of Cinnamon inclos'd in Gold. Gold in the Scripture does frequently expresse Glory, and Cinnamon Grace; Spirituall grace, for the sweet Odour of it. Prov. 7.17. and Cant. 4.14. And does not this excellently expresse the triumph of the righ­teous in heaven? shall they not there have a crown of Cinnamon inclos'd in Gold? shall they not have grace inclos'd in glory? The Grecians did use to adorne with crowns their Temples, Altars, Sacri­fices, pots, and Gates; as Tertullian tels us (de coronâ militis:) and shall not all heaven, every thing in heaven be crown'd with glory? There shall the Martyr have a crown for all his sufferings: a crown more precious, than the world, which he over­came; a crown more precious than his sufferings! There shall the Virgin find a crown, for the tedious [Page 80]victory over the lusts of the body; which then shall be crown'd, as a conquerour, because in this life it was conquer'd. There shall the Preacher find a crown, for all his labours and watchings; and shall then learn a new watching for all eternity, without all labour. He that sav'd a Citizen had anciently an Oaken crown; it was a more lasting crown: so shall the Preacher have, that saves a Christian, from the enemy, the devil. And as they thus shall find a crown, so shall they as certainly find a Kingdome; a King­dome for Extent, both of itself, and of God's Magni­ficence; a Kingdome large enough for every Saint! At the last resurrection the earth shall hold all the children of men; the earth, which is but as the 18. part of one of the smallest of the fix'd starres, (that is, of the sixt magnitude) which are contrived into constellations; as received Astronomy, received a­mongst Christians, teaches us. And since the greater part of men as is generally feared without a paradoxe, will unhappily loose their part of Hea­ven, about a fortieth part even of such a starre may hold all that shall be saved; there will be left a kingdome large enough for every Saint! They shall find a Kindome for Sufficiency; in which they shall have God who is all-sufficient, who will lay open to them the treasures of his allmightinesse! which treasures he shall make theirs, as truely by possessi­on, as they are his own by Creation! They shall find a Kingdome for Glory, the Body shall there be more glorious, than if it were all Eie! God will impart unto it a glory like his own; It shall be cloathed [Page 81]with light, as with a garment: and if it could there admire any thing but God, it might fall into a just admiration of it selfe! Lastly they shall find a King­dome for Firmnesse; a Kingdome as incorruptible, as the Crown that is laid up in it; which as S. Peter saies (1 Epist. 1.4.) is an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away, reserv'd in Heaven for us. But shall not Heaven it selfe passe away? How then shall the Crown and Kingdome, that is there, be eternall? surely, the Heavens may grow old as doth a garment; not in respect of any corruption as wearing of them; but in respect of continuance they shall wax old, not because they shall be corrupted, but because they shall be renew­ed. Heaven and Earth shall passe away, ( Luk. 21.) not the substance but the figure; the figure of this world shall passe away 1 Cor. 7. There shall be a new Heaven. Apoc. 21. but as there was at our Saviour's comming, a new commandement, it was not different from the substance of the old; but it was newly delivered; it was refin'd; and now more clearely reach'd to the thought of the heart, where­as before it seemed to extend but to the outward act. Thus shall there be a new Heaven, that is, there shall be a renewed Heaven. It shall be re­newed from the old conditions of it: all the Hea­vens shall hereafter stand still; There shall be no more Time, and so no more Motion of the Hea­vens, which is the measure of time. True it is the creature is now subject to vanity. Rom. 8. The Heaven is subject to vanity, and does by motion [Page 82]serve for the use of inferiour nature; it serves for the production and corruption of things in this lower world; not that it selfe in its own nature is subject to corruption. Nay, it shall be freed from that bondage, whereby it now serves unto the corruption of other things. It shall be delivered in­to the glorious liberty of the Children of God. Rom. 8.21. that is, when at the last day, all the Chil­dren of God (which shall be till that day) shall be delivered into a glorious libertie; then shall the Heaven also be delivered frō that vanity of service; & with the libertie of Gods Children find also a like proportionall libertie! But we our selves shall not only have libertie, but also Royalty; a Kingdome, and in that Kingdome a crown. Yet shall every one have a crowne? Does not S. Paul say that all runne, but that one receives the prize? Surely there is none that shall have a crown by his own merit, but only our blessed Saviour: but by the participation of his merit, every one of the righteous shall also have one. We are the members of Christ, or else we could never assend to Heaven. Nay we are not only one body with him, but also one spirit; as the Apostle testifies, 1 Corinthians. Yet he only shall have the most excellent, crown. Amongst the Greci­ans he only had the most excellent the golden crown, that had seal'd the walls, or entred a shipp, or the fort of an enemy: and thus only our Savi­our shall have the golden, the most excellent crown, since he only has entred the fort of our ene­my the Divell, by his victory over Hell! Thus then [Page 83]he only shall have the glorious crown, and by his own merit. Yet we also shall have crownes, though all ours shall in effect be his.

Since then there is so Glorious a reward proposed unto us; let us be temperate in all things, that we may strive for the mastery; that by getting the ma­stery we may get the crown. And since that our crownes are due to Him; let us imitate the Elders, who sell down before him that sate upon the Throne, and cast their Crownes before the Throne: So let us in thankfull humility, cast down our selves and our Crownes before his Throne, and let us say, Thy Kingdome come; Our Kingdome come! And let us tryumphantly say with them, Thou art wor­thy, O Lord, to receive Glory and Honour and Power! who hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests! To thee therefore with the Father and the blessed spirit be ascribed the Crown and the King­dome, for ever, for ever.

THE first cause of Husban­dry was sinne; the pain­full tillage of the ground being imposed on man for his transgression: since otherwise even good things had grown of their own accord. And this punnishment was so necessarily layd upon man, that as a labour, it was made a duty, God sending him forth of Paradice to till the ground. ( Gen. 3.23.) So that now for man not to manage the ground lookes like a sinne: and thus all gentler laboures in other callings we may count [Page 88]but Indulgence, by a gracious permission and ex­change of penalty. Yet God in his favour made this duty so honourable, that he made it the fre­quent labour of the ancient Patriarchs. And even the Heathen so honoured this profession, that they highly honoured them that honoured this; which was especially the practice of the Romans; amongst whom even the chiefe families were descended from hus­bandmen; witnesse their Names drawn from seve­rall kinds of graine, the subject of their employ­ment, as the Fabii, the Lentuli, the Cicero's; and o­thers of the like Labour and Honour. But God himselfe did at last so honour this labour, that as man was at first made a husbandman for the Guilt of sinne; so God himself vouchsafed to make him­selfe a husbandman, to take away the Power of sinne. Man is a husbandman about the Earth, and God is a Husbandman about man: The Earth is our Tillage, we are God's Tillage. Yet as in a large estate the Lord usually imployes his Baily: so in the larger husbandry of man, God is pleased to imploy his minister, and by way of inferiour deputation & con­tinuall, to imploy every man in the managing of him­self. Now whereas the professors of other Arts, do cō ­monly reserve the mysteries of their knowledge to themselves, for which too often, as well as for their skill, they may justly and unhappily be called Crafts; the Husbandman on the contrary, delights to impart his knowledge, that others may be instructed in their spirituall husbandry, in the understanding of this duty, they may chiefely consider the Nature of the [Page 89] Ground, that is to be husbanded; and the Manner of the Husbandry: in which two we must imploy study; and in which two we may then expect Blessing. First then behold the Ground, on which we are to bestow our labour; which yet without labour we shall find to be man. When God says we are his Husbandry, you see he does remember us, that we are Earth. Now the Earth, we know, is most remote from Heaven: and is not man so? meere naturall man? Is he not most remote from the Gra­cious thoughts of divine affaires? Yet as the earth is capable of the Heavenly Influences: so is man ca­pable of the influences of Grace. The Earth is sin­gularly fruitfull producing many excellent effects; for which cause the Gentiles made it a Goddesse, attributing unto it divine honours: in like manner have some Philosophicall Christians been so farre inamour'd with the abilities of man, that they estee­med the power of man's will in a manner equall to the power of God. But as the fruitfullnesse of the Earth in the outward or inward parts of it, in the production of Graine or Metall, is begunne and finish'd by the influence of the Heaven: so is the fruitfullnesse of man's soule, by the influence of Grace. And as the Earth is incompassed with the Sea, by the penetrating moisture whereof as some think) dry parts of it are made more firme and com­pact: so is man, as drie Earth, the better compa­cted by the moisture of Grace. The Earth the more it is plowed and stir'd, the more fruitfull it is; but if it be suffered to lie continually fallow, insteed [Page 90]of fruit, it shall bring forth weeds: so the soule, if exercised and dilligently dressed, will prove very fruitfull; but if it be left follow, then shall it yeild nothing, but the weeds of sloth. When the anci­ents pictured the Earth, they did adjoyne the picture of a key, to signifie that the earth is opened in the Spring and shut in the winter: and does not man so truely resemble the Earth? Does he not shoot forth in the spring of his youth? and is he not shut up againe in his old age? The Earth was also anci­ently painted in the forme of a woman sitting, and bearing a drumme: which in their conceit well expressed the winds inclosed within the Earth: this also does as aptly expresse the nature of man, who is filled and disturbed with the passions of his Mind. The Romans built unto Vesta, (in whom they express'd the Earth,) a round Temple, in the midst of which was a perpetuall fire: and does not this as truly expresse Man? Is not his Body a con­secrated Temple? and is not his Soul as a perpetuall fire? The same picture was also crown'd with white garlands, to signifie the foaming waters, that con­tinually incompasse and beate the shoare: and may not these as aptly signifie the continuall troubles, that beset and offer violence unto man? And as Earth does thus signifie man, so does dust, which we may call dead earth (as having lost the livening moisture) signifie dead man: does not the Prophet imply as much, ( Ps. 30.9.) Shall the dust praise thee, O Lord? Nor are men thus only like the earth in these pro­perties, but also for the many Differences of the [Page 91]earth, some ground is Mountanous, and some low; some fruitfull, and other barren: the like differen­ces in their conditions doe men admit; some being proud and some humble; some being fruitfull of good workes, and others as barren. Cato observ'd that kind of ground to be the best, that lies open to­wards the Sunne: so is that Soul the most happy, that is truly inlivened with the warmth of grace. Varro tels us, that if in land there be stones, sand, gravel or the like, it is over heated, and will burn the roots of whatsoever comes in it: so are there some heates, as of lust or wrath, that doe especially wrong the very root, and disturbe the growth of grace in the heart. There is also some ground, that is still wet, or weeping, as they call it; which excesse of moisture hinders it from bringing forth such fruit, as els it would: so are there some souls, that are so overwhelm'd with the teares of sorrow for their sinnes, that they are often hinderd from a farther progresse and fruitfulnesse in the duties of their cal­ling; such therfore should learne also a comfortable wisdome, and drain such weeping ground: and by God's farther blessing it will prove more fruitfull. Your hardest ground indeed is commonly barren; but a mellow ground, that is quickly resolv'd, yet not excessively, is both easily till'd, and most fruit­full: so surely is the soft and tender heart; it is a ground of least labour, and of most fruit. But if any man would more fully and skilfully know the infallible Signes of good ground, he must know, that if a clod (sprinkled with water) does, when it is [Page 92]wrought with the hand, prove somewhat clammy, and cleave to the finger without breaking or falling to the ground, it argues the fatnesse and richnesse of the mould: so the Soule, which afflicted with sorrow by the hand of God, does, notwithstanding not fall away, but cleaves the faster unto God' [...] hand that tempers it; will doubtlesse prove a rich, a fruitfull Soul. It is a signe also of good ground, if after a shower of rain following a great drowth, the ground yield a pleasant savour: and so is it a signe of a righteous Soul, when, having sufferd a drowth of God's favour, and afterwards being water'd with the showers of his grace, it yields a gratefull savour of obedience and thankfulnesse to God; And of s [...]ch will God say, as old Isaac of Jacob, when he bless'd him, (Gen. 27.27.) The smell of my Sonne is as the smell of a field, which the Lord has bless'd. There is yet one signe more of good ground, and that is, if the crowes and pies doe in greate numbers follow the plow, scraping in the steppes of the plow man: and it is likewise a signe of a godly Soul, when the foules of prey, wicked detractours do closely attend the steps, the actions of the righteous. It is a signe of a bad ground, if it brings forth loathsome and filthy weeds; but even in good ground some lighter weeds may be found, as the thistle or the bramble: so that Soul, that has foul and loathsome sinnes, as pro­phanesse, drunkenesse or lust, is justly to be term'd a foule and loathsome soul; but even in a good soul there may be some lighter faults, which like the thistle or the bramble may be sharpe or catching, & [Page 93]give offence, and yet the true substance and heart of the ground be truly good. Has not experience made all men confesse, that one kind of ground, though never so good, beares not all things? so one good man, though very good, has not all vertues. It is a part of the divine wisdome to leave imperfe­ction in all created goodnesse; nay, if it were not imperfect, it were not created; How then can we marvaile, if in the best of men bee always found some infirmities? Grace does mend Nature; but it takes it not away. And this is the nature of the ground, which we are to husband: now, we must see the Husbandry itself, or the labour we are to bestow up­on it; which though it be manyfold, yet it is chiefly twofold, Plowing and Sowing; since the bringing-in of the Harvest is only God's work; but the two first are both His and ours. And the first of these our la­bours, is about the plow, which the Prophet bids us imploy in our Spirituall husbandry, whiles so ear­nestly hee bids us plow-up the fallow ground of our hearts. Yet before this our labour, there is one more, which God himself does commonly make his work, the better to prepare and inrich the ground for our spirituall labour. Your best husbandmen lay soile upon their ground, wherby they doe deface and inrich it: so does God most commonly by us; when he intends to make us fruitfull, he layes disgraces and other afflictions on us; wherby the ground of our heart is heated with devotion towards God, and becomes more fruitfull. But our spirituall labour begins with the Plow. Now a cheife time for plow­ing, [Page 94]as the husbandman tels us, is the Spring; the ground being then mellow, and therfore easily wrought; and the weeds being then turn'd up by the roots before they have seeded, will not spring easily again: in like manner the Soul is best inform'd when it is young: then is it yeilding, and best to be wrought upon; and vices then being well pluck'd-up, are never likely to grow again. In the summer the ground is more hard to be plow'd, and in winter more foul: so the Soul in manly age is commonly too bold and obstinate against instruction; and in old age it is too much troubled with the diseases of the body, and the affaires of life. And as we must thus know the Season, so we must know the Degree of the labour. When the husbandman dresses a Vine, or an Olive-tree, he deales gently with it; but when he is to get-up the weeds in his ground, he plows­deep, that he may fetch-up the very roots: so must we deale by our old and deepe-rooted sinnes; we must use a holy and an industrious violence to our Souls. And as we must use violence, so we must use diligence. It is observ'd, that when weeds are ful­grown, if you plow so thick, that you can scarce see where the culter has gone, it utterly destroyes the weeds: so is it in a vicious Soul; if when the vices bee grown to the highest, there bee such exact labour used, that every part of the Soul be carefully plowd-up, it will prove, no doubt, the extirpation of all vices. Yet with this violence and diligence we must use some skill. If the crust of the earth, in plowing, be turn'd-up very broad, it remaines still whole, [Page 95]wherby neither the weeds are kill'd, nor can the ground be well harrow'd: So if a man's sinnes be too broadly layd-open, his vices are not kill'd, nor can he well be smooth'd again. We must labour ther­fore rather to plow close, that so the ground may be the more-finely broken. Yet as in plowing they commonly leave some baulkes, which is the grosse earth, that has scap'd the plow: so in the examina­tion of the soul, there are many faults, which, though we search diligently, yet escape our search. When new ground is broken-up, if it bee rich and prepar'd for seed, it is enough to plow it once, and sow it immediatly, and harrow it; but if it bee gravelly ground, you must trifallow it, as they say, plow it oftner: so if a man be of a towardly disposition, one serious examination may happily serve; but if he be drie and hard, he must be more frequently and pain­fully plowd-up; then you must iterare and tertiare, as the Latines speak; you must plow again and again. Indeed, through many stirrings, your fallow is brought to so fine a mould, as it shall need very little or no harrowing at all: so through many exa­minations of the Soul, it shall prove so smooth, that without farther labour it shall be ready to intertain the Spirituall seed. It is a receiv'd saying, The oft­ner the ground is stirr'd, the better it beares. But as such labour must be us'd upon some ground, so in some grounds it must be spar'd. For, you must not plow in wet ground, nor in wet weather: no more must the spirituall husbandman presse the judgments of God, to a soul that is already over­flow'n [Page 96]with the tears of sorrow for sinne. Besides, he must know how to help the disadvantage of some ground, he workes on. If one plow upon a hill, he must not plow up and down, but overthwart, slope­long; for, therby the inconvenience of the steepnesse is help'd, and the labour of the husbandman is light­ned: so if we are to tell great men of their faults, it may be done obliquely; They must be plow'd slopelong; for otherwise you cannot either very profitably, or very easily work upon them. And as we must thus know how to Doe our work, so must we likewise know how to Examine it, when it is done. Now your skilfull husbandmen, when they would trie whether, or no, they have plow'd well, thrust down a rod into the furrow; which if it peirce alike in every place, it shews that the ground is well plow'd: so when a man shall be tried, whether or no he will forsake every one of his old pleasing sin­nes, if he be tender-conscienc'd, and in every point yeilds with a gentle obedience to the will and fear of God, then it is a signe, he was ground well plow'd; but if in one point he admits perswasion, and not in another, it is a signe there is need of more labour to be spent on him. And this is the first kind of our labour; the next and chiefe in this husbandrie, is Sowing. Upon the Season of which work, the success and happinesse of it does much depend; It is a com­mon saying, that Soone sowing somtimes deceives, but late sowing ever; a saying, that in the Spirituall tillage is in part too true: since somtimes he, that in his youth has been well instructed, does notwith­standing [Page 97]prove fruitlesse in his after-life: but lat [...] sowing, I will not with the Husbandman, say does always-faile; but surely though it bee not always de­sperate, it is always dangerous; And therfore it singu­larly behooves every man to have a care, that he be instructed betime. And by such seasonable diligence, not only the successe shall be in our wise hope the surer, but also the expence of seed and labour shall be the lesse. For if you sow betime, you may sow the thinner; but if you sow late in the year, you must spend the more seed: so is it in the instruction of Man; if you instruct him betime, though it should be but thinly, yet it may prove sufficient; but if it be late ere he be instructed, then must the recom­pence be necessarily made by the abundance of the instruction. Yet has there been no husbandman able to give a certain rule, wherby to know justly what quantitie of seed will serve for an acre of all kinds of grounds, but it must be left to his particular discre­tion, to judge what such ground at such a season will require: so is it in the instruction of the Soul; the degrees of instruction to every particular Soul, must be left to the wisdome of the Instructer. But for the frequency of sowing, we have in the husban­dry of the Soul a sure rule; since the righteous Soul must be like that groūd, which the old Latines call'd, Restibilis, which is renew'd, &c every year Sow'd; (the Greeks call it [...]) his fruitfullnesse continuing to the next year, yeilding his croppe every year: so must the righteous Soul be yearly sowed, & yearly fruitfull. Nor must there be a care had only of the [Page 98]sowing, but also of the seed; now the best seed is the weightiest, and that lies in the bottome; such is full: thus also the weightiest instruction, the full instru­ction, is that, which will bring forth most fruite in the Soul. The spirituall seed is the word of God; it is seed for the Necessitie and for the vertue: for the necessitie, since without this bee sow'd, there can be no fruite; and for the vertue, since it has the ad­mirable power to produce fruit; so that all the fruit is vertually in the seed. And as the seed must be in­corporated into the earth, and take root, and be conserv'd and ripen in the earth: so is the word of God first sow'd in the heart; then must it take root, and be conserv'd, and come to a maturity in the heart; then shall there bee a happy and manifest fruite of both. And the more happy it shall certainly be, if we strictly keep the Order of sowing; in which action it is observ'd, that taking it out of the seed­lip they must sow with an aequall hand, letting the foot (especially the right foot) and the hand goe to­gether: so must the spirituall seedsman disperse his instruction; but especially he must be carefull that his hand & his foot goe together; that his hand doe not only sow the seed, but also that his foot goe with his hand; that his doctrine be alwayes attended by his life; then is he a true, a skilfull seedsman. And then that wise proverbe will be true of the seeds­man, though it be spoke of the master, that The best soile for the field is the Masters foote. Yet are there also some other necessary labors of the hus­bandman; since to the dressing of ground is not only [Page 99]required, that it be plow'd and sow'd; but that al­so according to the seasons and order of the work, it be harrow'd and rak'd and sometimes rol'd, for the breaking of the greater and the stiffer clodds; as also that in perfect husbandry, it be throghly weeded. Such likewise is the dressing of the soule; it is not enough that it be fearch'd & turn'd up, but it must usually be broken under the threatnings of of the Law: it must sometimes suffer a more vio­lent affliction; and be both frequently and dili­gently weeded. But above all it must be provided, that no thornes be suffered to grow where the seed is sow'd; since these unhappily choak the seed: no more must we suffer in the husbandry of the soule, the cares the riches and the pleasures of the world, which, as our Saviour has told us, are dangerous thornes, to spring up where the spirituall seed of God's Word is sowed. Thornes choake the seed by drawing away the moisture and fatnesse of the earth from it: so likewise those spirituall thornes injure the soule, by drawing away the love of our hearts from God to them. Againe, they choake the seed by keeping the Sunne and the showers from it; so that it has neither necessary heat nor seasonable moisture: thus likewise doe the spirituall thornes keep from us the inlivening heat of God's Grace in his word; which otherwise would bring forth in us the fruits of the spirit; they likewise turne away the seasonable showers of Grace, even as a violent wind dos often drive a showre another way. Besides, thornes doe by intangling hinder the Corne, de­nying [Page 100]it a liberty of groth; whereas otherwise it would rise higher: thus likewise doe cares and wealth and pleasures keep down the soul, which o­therwise might ascend to the cogitations of divine things. O then, whiles we have time, let us seri­ously intend the husbandry of our own soules: let us plow up the fallow ground of our own hearts; let us provide our selves of the best, the weighty seed, the immortall seed of Gods Word and Grace; let us be sure also to prevent the weed and thorne. Or else we shall with those negligent husbandmen fall a sleep, and after the good seed has been sow'd, suffer the envious man to come and sowe tares; but shall the seed of the word be sow'd in vaine? O let us remember that of the Apostle to the He­brews (12.15.) Look diligently, lest any man faile of the grace of God; lest any root of bitternesse spring up and trouble us. But alas how vast a multitude is there, that is profoundly fallen a sleep in this duty of love to their own soules? nay, that only prove themselves to have soules, because they are a sleep, that is, not dead: How many lye so soundly a sleep that they are scarce awake to Ambition, whiles the Divell does very methodically and gradually sow in them the tares of Lust, Ignorance, Pride, Opressi­on and Blasphemous Novelty! but Oh, Let us re­member not only the prosperous growth, but also the end of such tares; which oftentimes are suffe­red to grow as long as the wheat, even till the har­vest! when it shall be said, as it was by the Angell to him that sate upon a cloud, like unto the Sonne [Page 101]of man, (Apoc. 14.15.) Thrust in thy sicle and reape, for the time is come for thee to reape; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. O let us take care that we may, be gathered as the wheat into the Barne; and not as the tares to be made into bundles, and cast into the fire! The wicked, saies S. Austin, shall be gathe­red into bundles: the Usurer, saies he, shall with his Wife and Children, whom he nourished by usury, be bound into one bundle. The corrupt Judge with his Notary, Advocate, and false witnesse, shall be bound in an other bundle. The Harlot and her Lovers and her servantes, with the contrivers of their Lust shall be bound in a third bundle! And thus shall they all, all those tares be cast into ever­lasting fire! Now though it pleases God to use mer­cifull delay to put in execution such judgement, we must not use unmercifull delay to put in execution our diligence. True it is indeed, as S. Chrysostome well observed, that men are long in building but quickly destroy; but that God on the contrary, does quick­ly build but is long ere he destroys. So in the blessing of good ground God uses speed, but in the cursing of bad ground he uses delay. The Apostle expresses as much ( Heb. 6.7.) The earth which drinketh in the raine, that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them, by whom it is dressed, receives blessing from God; There you see, is a present blessing of the good ground. But that which beares thornes and bri­ars (as it followes in the next verse) terra reprobata est (so the Latine Interpreter has it) it is reprobate earth, and is nigh unto cursing. It is not presently [Page 102]cursed, but it shall be Cursed; there's Gods merci­full delay of his judgement. But this increase of his Mercy, must increase in us a diligence in our husban­dry; and since that no crop can be without seed, we must especially endeavour to be provided of good seed; which as it is an absolute part of our provi­dence; so must it likewise be of our Thankfullnesse, since this seed is both a necessary gift & a meer gift. That it is Necessary, we may proportionally learne from the Earth; which though it brings forth wheat, yet it cannot unlesse there be seed bestowed upon it: no more can the heart though it hath a possibility, bring forth any fruit if the word of God be not be­stowed upon it. And in like manner that it is a meer guift, we may as easily understand, Good ground in the Parable ( Luk. 8.) being not good by nature but by grace; good, but not till grace be bestowed upon it: so grace both makes it good, and brings forth also good fruit. It is not good according to any pre­cedent qualitie, but good according to God's fa­vour; so truly good ground is the Elect; not good before Grace, but by grace. And as seed though cast into the Earth, sends not forth the corne, if it be not watred with the seasonable showers of Heaven; so if the word received be not nourished by grace, we may rightly say, it was never rightly received. And since this spirituall seed is sow'd in the heart by the ministers of God, and afterwards watered by the showers of Grace frequently descending with their laboures, you must strive alwaies to be a part of that ground which receives the blessing. And if [Page 103]you truely receive it, you will returne thanks [...] is the first blessing of that blessing, and the [...] fruits of good ground. We must bring our fir [...] fruits unto God; and then the whole harvest will be blest. We must bring them betime, whiles they are yet even green: which was expressed in the name of the month, in which they were offered; it being called the month of Abib, that is, of the green eare of corne. ( Exod. 13.4) The Grecians called the same month of the first fruits: [...], from [...] and [...]; because then, in the spring, the earth beganne to grow warme: And so must every Christian even in the spring of his conversion when he growes warme with the heat of Grace, make that the season of offering his first fruits. Yet afterwards as he growes in age, he must grow in fruitfullnesse: for as some say of wheat, that the longer it stands it will yield the more; so doubtlesse it may be said of a Godly man, the longer he lives, he will bring forth the more fruit. And as we must increase in store, so we must also increase in true excellency; we must look that we bring the best we can: as much was implyed in that name, by which first fruits are called in another place, namely, Lev. 2.14. where they are called, [...] our Translation renders it, green eares; but it may be rendered eares of Carmel, that is, such fresh and goodly eares of Corne, as grew upon plentifull and flourishing Carmel, they must be like the offerings that Jacob bid his sonnes carry down into Aegypt ( Gen. 43.11.) they must be the best fruits, the word [Page 104]is [...] which being drawn from [...] to sing with singular art and delight, signifies such guifts, as might seem fit to be praised by the most eloquent mouth and the most artificiall song. Such must be the offering from our labour; and then as the hus­bandman amongst the Israelites did for six yeares to­gether Till the earth, but the sev̄eth yeare rested, ea­ting that which grew of its own accord: so whiles we are in this life, we must be diligently imployed in our spirituall husbandry; and when the seventh yeare the Sabbath yeare of Eternity shall come, then shall we cease from our hard labour; and be fed with such food, as God will provide for us without our Labour. O then let us labour so in our life of grace, that here-after we may be at rest for ever in the life of Glory. Which grant unto us, O most mercifull Father, thou that art the Great and True Husbandman, for thy Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ his sake; to whom with thy blessed Spirit, three Persons and one God, bee ascrib'd the Glory of Love and Providence in the conversion of thy Elect, now and for evermore.

THe works of God, being the similitude of his Na­ture, were in their Crea­tion like his nature, truly good: and so truly good, that it was im­possible for thē in their creatiō to be bad. Thus, as God is pure, so like­wise for his proportion, Man was pure; and then was man the work only of God: but having since fallen from that puritie, though he be still the workmanship of God, yet we may say, he is also his owne work; since he is become unhappily, what God made him not, unclean. In which estate, though [Page 108]he still retains such workmanship, as expresses the power of God, yet does it fail to expresse God's Holinesse. But God, whose love is more constant, than man's vanitie is changeable, willing to restore man unto a puritie, graciously remembers man, that man may remember himself; as here by his Apostle he remembers the Corinthians. It was the voice of God, Be ye holy, for I am holy. For the execution of which command, the Apostle heer teaches the Co­rinthians, an easy, yet a happy way to perfect righ­teousnesse, by cleansing themselves from Filthi­nesse. Which that they may doe seriously, he shews them how they may doe it skilfully: and that you likewise may be prompted to the Imitation, you may be prompted to the knowledge. First then you may see what is to bee remov'd, Filthinesse, All filthinesse; the kinds wherof are according to the parts of man, the filthinesse of the Flesh and of the Spirit: not, but that every sinne defiles the whole man; but, that the unclenesse of some sinnes more appeares in one part, than in the other. Some more notoriously defile the Flesh, the Body; as Intempe­rance and Incontinence; the one being a prepara­tive to the other; the blind miserably leading the blind into the pit. And these were the sinnes of the old Heathen: amongst whom, for their lesse know­ledge, though they were more excusable, yet we may doubt, they were scarce more frequent. Some sinnes again more notoriously defile the Soul, the Spirit, either in a false worship of the false image of God; and such is Idolatry; or in a malicious wor­shippe [Page 109]of the Enemie of God, and such is witchcraft, and the like impudencies of Satan: the one preten­ding an imitation of God, the other hating an Imi­tation of him. These likewise were the frequent though the great defilements of the Heathen: and are they not a worse filthinesse, whiles as frequent, amongst the Christians? And though some of these crimes seem very different, yet Satan's art often linkes them into a chain; though single they are large enough and powerfull enough to detain man captive: the strength of whose reason being maisterd by the strength and subtilty of the wine, leaves him to the sigh of the wise, and the scoffe of the bad. And since the filthinesse of vice, ugly and usefull, may by the wisdome of comparison, move us to vertue: we may cast an eie on such a concret sinner, a drun­kard in his drunkennesse; which he does best, if we might so speak, expresse, when he does worst ex­presse it, that is, most truly, when most shamfully. And indeed he does it usually with such broad folly, that of all kind of sinners he especially saves his ene­mies the ready and easy labour, to call him fool: and it were some degree of happinesse, if shame though without grace, could keep him from this sinne. But this sinne that makes him sottish, makes him impudent; and by the bold art of hell heartens him to deride all that deride him! wherin he fares as does a madman: to whom, when the physitian offers the cure of his madnesse, he is ready to object madnesse to the physitian. But as the right physitian is as wise, as skilfull, to be more busied about the [Page 110]cause and degrees, then about these effects of his patient's maladie, that so he may apply necessarie physique: so does the true physitian of the Soul, not regard the perversnesse of the drunkard, that re­sists cure, but the necessitie of the cure; and in de­spite of despite goes on in his mercifull duty, crying­out with the royall Prophet Isaiah (5.11.) Woe unto them, that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink, that continue untill night, till the wine in-flame them (till the wine pursue them) but re­gard not the word of the Lord ( v. 12.) Shall wee wish, that They would heare this, that will not intend to hear God? they that prophane his Sabbaths, but first themselves! preferring the ridiculous lispings of their overmoistned associates, before the articulate wisdome of God's word! well may the Prophet crie woe unto them: but they themselves shall here­after crie woe unto themselves! yet here also there is a woe to their estats; povertie shall be their lot; and, which is the misery of their misery, not by op­pression, but by folly! a labouring man that is given to drunkennesse shall not be rich; the wise man could say ( Eccles. 19.1.) If the labouring drunkard shall bee poor, surely the lazie drunkard shall be a begger. A woe there is here to their body also, which they thinke they love; a woe to their mind, which they may know they abuse. Who has woe, sayes Salomon (Prov. 23.29.) Who has sorrow? who has contentions? who has babbling? who has wounds without cause? who has rednesse of eies? They that tarry long at the wine, they that goe to seek mixt-wine; which [Page 111] at the last, as Solomon sayes, bites like a Serpent, ( v. 32.) Now the Serpent, as Jacob describes him ( Gen. 49.17.) has one condition, to bite the horse heeles, so that his rider shall fall backward: and does not wine bite and overturn the drunkard at the last? you may see the filthinesse of this sinne in the base estate of Soul, into which it casts one; the drunkard, as S. Chrysostome says, being worse then a dog, or an asse (though one be filthy, the other silly;) since neither companie nor custome can make them drink beyond the temperance of naturall thirst. You may see the filthinesse of this sinne in S. Austins judgment, who terms the drunkard a lake, that brings forth nothing but frogges and filth. Indeed even the crea­tures bred in such filth, wee may esteem but a living filth: nor are the actions of a drunkard worth the name of life. And therfore did S. Ierome commend an Oratour, for saying of a drunkard rais'd from sleep, Nec dormire excitatus, nec vigilare ebrius pote­rat; that he could neither sleep being wak'd, nor a wake being drunk; therby, as he say's reckoning him neither among the living, nor the dead. S. Basil compares him to the Gentiles Idols, which, as David sayes, have eies and see not. The wine, we may grant, they see, but they will not see either the strength of That, or the weaknesse of themselves. You may see the filthinesse of this sinne in the expression of Seneca, whose wise Rhetorique calls it madnesse: and he wittily proves it; since drunkennesse, as he says, Intends all sinne and discovers it! Even righteous Noah by this was discover'd: though happy he was [Page 112]because but once discover'd; and more happy, be­cause he could be but once discover'd. An Act of frailty we find: a habit of it we find not. Lot, whom Sodom could not overcome: wine overcame, even to a repeated Incest: nor had he any covering for his fault, but his Ignorance, an unhappy mantle, wherwith his daughters cover'd him & sham'd him! Holofernes never drank so much at one time in all his life, as in that night, in which he lost his head; but in which also he first lost his wit. Iob's children were at a feast, and too unhappily at the wine, when the house fell on them: Job did feare they might fall by sinne; they did not fear, that the house would fall by their sinne. It was at his birth-day-feast, a time of wine and headinesse, that Herod promis'd to the dauncing damsell even halfe his kingdome: but in an unlawfull performance of an unlawfull promise, he gave her the head of the holy Baptist. Had he been at a cooler council than his cuppes, he might happily have thought of an innocent aequivocation, he promis'd her half his Kingdome; she demands All; and he gives her a value more than all, the Blood of a Prophet! But if wee looke upon lesse of­fenders, yet great offenders, may we not find some, whom excesse in the wine does not satisfie, without an excessive society in the excesse? as if at the great reck'ning-day it were not enough to have no bodies sinnes to answer for, but their own! But such com­panions shall at last want neither wine nor company: nay, they shall be made drunk, in the Prophets phrase, by God himself; he shall make them drunk [Page 113]with (the wine of) wormewood. ( Lament. 3.15.) and as the royall Prophet speakes; with the wine of aslo­nishment. ( Psal. 60.3.) the wine of his wrath! yea, he shall make them suck-up the dregs of it, the dregs of wine; a plague more irksome even to the drunkard, than the want of wine, nay than so­briety! where shall then be his riotings and false healths, by which he destroy'd the true health of his bodie, and made hast to the destruction of his Soul? shall the strength of the wine be of strength to defend his sinne? shall the health of his great Lord, to whom his deep draught is devoted, secure the health of his body or mind? shall that be an acceptable quaffe to a Prince, that is abo­minable unto God? O the folly of men sayes the wisedome of S. Ambrose, speaking of those that drank healths to the Emperours; the folly of men! that can think drunkennesse to be the sacrifice of Loyalty! we may adde that there was indeed a Drink offering under the time of the Law; but it was not the draught of the Sacrifice, but the Pre­sent. Even the Creator of the Vine stinted his own sacrifice from the Wine at a pint and a halfe (a quar­ter of a Him, Levit. 23.13.) So little did the most wise God choose from his own plenty! when as the outragious thirst of man, is too often not satissied, till oppress'd! Soberly and truely spake S. Austin, concerning the drinking of Healths; if one should be threatned with death for not pledging, better it were the body should dye sober, than the soule be drunk: nay that even he that in his intem­perance [Page 114]should disgrace thy sobriety, after his in­temperance would admire it; and such disgrace that holy Father accounts Martyrdome. Memorable was the example, being as well a glory as a pat­terne, of S. Ambrose, and S. Austin, whose consci­entious rigor shunn'd a feast as the danger of intem­perance. He mistakes wine, that takes it not as Phy­sique: no more should we take than we must needs take. But alas, though men begin to eat and drink for Health, they Commonly end in pleasure, if not in riot; shadowing the basenesse of pleasure with the pretence of Health; till with delight they excuse themselves to death. A holy age it was, when the Family and the Cattell drank of the same sobriety: yet thus did Jacob & his children, & his cattell drink of the same well. ( Iohn 4.12.) But so absurd now sinne is become, that who need it least, drink most; young men, strong men, adding as S. Ierome sayes, oile to fire. Indeed can they by art more contrive an outrage? surely of more temperance have some heathen been, els had not the Roman forbidden the use of wine, to all that were not thirty years of age; if Aelian be not a Poet. But greater examples have we of greater temperance, in the true worshippers of the true God. Famous were the Rechabites, to whom their Father seem'd to give a 'leaventh com­mandement, in a perpetuall abstinence from wine: which with such joy they did observe, that their Obedience was the wine. Famous was Daniel in feare and temperance, preferring water before Baby­lonian wine: this was holy water, which gave him [Page 115]complexion more cheirefull, than the wine. Fa­mous was the Babtist; who was not filled with the joy of the grape, but of the Holy Ghost. Aske of the Fathers of the Christian Church, and S. Ierome will tell us that the contemplative men of Palestina would not, though ill, receive comfort from it: we may think they thought it not Physique, but Disease. Aske S. Austin, and he will tell us, that the Clergie generally abstained from wine; as if they had accounted it a Lay comfort. Aske Eusebius, & he will tell us, that S. Marke diswaded all the Alex­andrian Christians from the use of it. He taught them not to condemne, yet to avoid a Creature, which in the use was so neer abuse. He did not de­ny the blessing of the grape, though his Gospell was the story of a greater joy; yea he taught the joy of it in our Saviour's last supper; in which it was both used and Sanctifyed. Indeed the Severian Here­tiques, as Epiphanius relates, thought wine was be­gotten of the Earth by the Devill himselfe: per­chance they might think so, because it makes men outragious like the Devill himself. But these were men that were mad without wine; but in the wise­dome of Christianity we must acknowledge it to be both God's creature and his blessing; which may be abused by disestimation, as by excesse. Water in­deed in the Southerne Countries, as more purifyed by heate, approaches neerer to health and dyet: but in colder climates being cold and earthy, a tempe­rance in wine defends Age from Disease and Ex­cuse; nor can it, being temperance, be an Advo­cate [Page 116]for infirmity to Excesse. Into which he that is fallen, he that is sunke deep, may cry out with David, as S. Austin applies it, Deliver me out of the mire — neither let the deep swallow me up. (Psal. 69.14, 15.) And if one cannot get out at once, let him, as one that is drawn out with lesse speed and more trouble, get out by degrees: els shall he quick­ly sinke one degree lower; from Drunkennesse to Lust; this being the next degree and filthinesse of the Body. Our Adversary, that was once an Angell of light and is now unnaturally become the Prince of darknes, is now an enemy also to the light, especi­ally to such light as may preserve us from workes of Darkenes. The first thing therefore that he endea­vours against Man, is, to put out the light of Mans judg­ment; which by the Apostle, (1 Cor. 4.3.) is in the Ori­ginal aptly called [...], man's day, which the Divel frequently first effects by Drunkenes. By which when the day of reason is shut in, soon comes the night of lust, and consequently the workes of dark­nesse; which does increase, whiles conceale, Filthi­nesse. Which filthinesse Clemens the Alexandrian well expresses, when he compares a Lustfull man un­to a Centaure, which according to the Heathens in­structive fiction, was but halfe man, and halfe beast, But S. Peter counts such men all beasts, naturally bruite beasts made to be taken, and destroyed. (2 Pet. 2.12.) The Prophet Jeremie more particu­larly shewes why they are beasts, whiles he compares them to neighing horses (c. 13.17.) as David, before him did liken them to the horse & mule, that have no [Page 117]understanding (2 Psal. 32.9.) You see how they are corrupted in their Intellectualls and Moralls; and are therefore defil'd into beasts. Nor are they only beasts, but very loathsome ones, S. Peter likening them to the Dog delighting in his vomit; a filthy beast indeed, that casts away filthinesse and resumes it; nay to such a beast he likens them, as counts un­cleanesse a delight; such is the Saw wallowing in the mire. (2 Pet. 2.22.) a beast not only filthy, but (as S. Chrysostome saies,) such a one as fills other places where shee comes, with filth and stench; nor is only filthy without, but also within, whiles shee feeds on filth. Yet the lustfull person is a worse beast, because a more dangerous beast; a very Ser­pent, as S. Ambrose calls him; A serpent for his pace; he creeps upon his belly; a serpent for his dyet, dust is his food; and earthy desires are the food of his lust; a Serpent for his shifts, rowling himselfe into many foulds; finding out diversities of wayes in his slides; a serpent for his venome, from which Nature bids men flye, and Grace more. Yet is he a Serpent but in similitude? or is he but thus nere unto a Serpent?, though the most cursed beast? Surely a verier Serpent is not only neer him, but in him, even the Old Serpent the Divell. Nay, a lustfull man, as S. Chrys. saies, is worse than a man possessed with the Divell; for such a one is pittied by all men: but a lustfull man is detested; since this man is posses'd with the Devill with his own consent. S. Pe­ter expresses the manner of such possession, foule and fearefull! They have their eyes, saies he, full of [Page 118]adultry and cannot cease from sinne (2 Pet. 2.14.) A sad society, sinne and Perseverance in sinne! you may see how they are possessed, They have their eyes full of adultry: S. Peter saies, [...], full of an adultresse; as if the face of the harlot were still in his eie! and possessed his eie with more delight, as the more cunning Devill! This is the filthinesse, this the possession of lust! a vice so odious even to cleaner nature, that Heathens, some purer Heathens have abhorr'd it. Of these was Cicero, who having excellently declam'd against lust, is as excellently presented to us by S. Austin saying, All this is said by one, who knew not the innocency of our first parents, nor the happinesse of Paradice, nor the resurrection of the body! Sure then at the last day even such Heathens shall rise up in judgement against many Christians! And by their cleaner obedience to nature, condemn some Christians foule disobedience unto Grace! Need therefore, great need have such to cleanse thē ­selves from such filthines; since so Dangerous it is for them not to cleanse themselves, and so hard to cleanse themselves! you may see the danger in the Judgements which God has inflicted for lust; reven­ging it with fire on the Cities of the plaine; reven­ging it with the sword on the Tribe of Benjamin; re­venging it with the permission of Incest & Rebellion, upon David in his children; revenging it with the losse of sight & life, on weake Sampson; revenging it with the spirituall blindnesse of Idolatry, on weaker Solomon! But such as persevere in such sins, shall hereafter know, that as they would not here par­take [Page 119]by cleanesse in the life of Christ, so neither shall they hereafter pertake by happinesse in the merits of Christ: to the knowledge of whom if as yet they are not come, they are then as yet without the comfort, from hope of mercy, by ignorance: and if they have the knowledge of him, then loose they the comfort from hope of mercy, by contempt. You may see the difficulty of removing filthinesse, in S. Jerom's expression, who sayes, so hard it is, in carne non carnaliter vivere! to live as without the body, whiles we are in the body! And he professes of himself, that in himself he felt flames of desire, though by fastings, his flesh was dead, as he speaks, before he was dead. You may see the difficultie in S. Austin's complaint; who confesses, that the ser­vitude of lust turns into custome, and that custome defends it self by the name of necessitie. Hard then it is to cleanse from filthinesse, yea so hard, that a greater miracle it is for Christ by grace to renew a lustfull man to purity of life, than it was for him to raise Lazarus from death after four dayes buriall. In this change, indeed, of the body, a dead crea­ture was made a living creature: but in the change of the Soul, a dead creature is made like the ever­living creator: that was a temporary effect, chiefly of power; this an everlasting effect of infinite Mercy! S. Cyprian's wisdome gives the reason of the diffi­culty to escape lust: others sinnes, sayes he, seem harsh unto us; but pleasure kils us, whiles it flatters us. Wherefore that we may Cleanse our selves from this filthinesse, we must resist the first motion to it: it [Page 120]being like a Serpent, as S. Ierom sayes; If the head enters, the whole body follows. We must resist the first motion; Blessed is he that takes thy children, O Babylon, that is, the first temptations of lust, and dashes them against the stone, that is, Christ, as the same father's judgment expounds it. We must, if a foul thought offers to defile us, crie unto God, to God our Saviour, Iesu, thou sonne of David have mercy on us. Wee must crie-out to our own Soul, in the words of the Prophet (Psal. 42.11.) Why art thou cast down, O my Soul, and why art thou disquieted within mee? hope thou in God, for I shall yet prayse him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. And at last, then we shall with the same Prophet, ( Psal. 116. 7.) say also, Return unto thy rest, O my Soul: for the Lord has dealt bountifully with thee. (vers. 8.) For thou hast deliver'd my Soul from death, mine eies from tears, and my feet from falling. (vers. 9.) I will walke before the Lord in the land of the living. Thus must we resist this dangerous temptation: although in­deed it is so dangerous, that we are not so properly said to resist it, as to flie from it; which flight is not cowardlinesse but victory. So Ioseph fled; and though his garment was caught, his mind was not. But if it comes to passe, that we cannot flie, then must we resist; and by resisting, though with danger, yet because with danger, we shall with glory put the temptation and the tempter to flight. But in a lesse terrible way, let us fly; let us fly ill thoughts. S. Ierome master'd them by study & devotion. He master'd the softnesse of lust, by the rugged study of the Hebrew [Page 121]language, as unpleasing to a Roman, as the wilder­nesse, in which he learn'd it. He maister'd it chiefly by the Hebrew Scripture: which imploy'd him in a high intention of wit and holinesse. Thus study teaches temperance, temperance chastitie; chastitie, which is an advanc'd, a royall, an unconquer'd, an unwearied excellency! It helpes us to admire it and enjoy it; whiles also it teaches us, that lust is a base, servile, cowardly, guilty Infamie. You shall find chastitie in the Temple, in the Field, on the wals of the city: you shall find it praying, labouring, Com­bating: you shall find it harden'd, dusty, swarthy: but lust you shall find on a lazy bed in some fulsome house, that is afraid of an officer. Chastitie, says devout Ephrem, is a Rose, that with delight per­fumes the household; the chastitie of parents, being, as Ierome sayes, the comfort also and honour of the children. Conjugall chastitie has a double preroga­tive: it was in paradise and in the state of Innocency. A chaste man and an Angel, sayes S. Bernard, differ in happinesse, rather than in vertue: and though the chastitie of an Angel be happier, yet the chastitie of Man is greater; and Angel being, as without a body, so without temptation; and therfore with­out pretence to the glory of such victory. And surely great examples have some Times and Countries set­forth; even of Kings, that have been monasticall without a monastery, deserting the libertie of their marriage, and making continence their delight. Thus has our own storie fam'd our great confessor, Edward: thus Casiile the Second Alphonsus: thus [Page 122] Polonia, Bodeslaus: and thus Germanie an Emperour, the first Henry. Our Religion may make our faith assent to the storie; supposing first an unfeined conti­nency & consent in their royall consorts. No doubt they remember'd, and our charity may believe they understood that of the Apostle; Let them that have wives, be as if they had none. It was in a time of distres; and also may imply a temperance as well as absti­nence; and not an abstinence without mutuall con­sent; and no consent, without an experimentall guift of Continence. And therefore we can but touch the Apostle's councell, remember our Savi­ours also, Let him that can entertaine it, entertaine it. And let no man in a mistaking appetite of holy fame, loose what he seekes, and his safety too. But now shall petty sinners betraie easy women by po­vertie to lust, and lye in confederacies of unclean­nesse not fearing the Almighty; when as such mighty Princes as much feared his Majesty, as they desired to imitate his purity? shall Job make a co­venant with his eies, not to looke upon a maide; and shall these make a Covenant with Hell, scarse to imploy their eies in other objects? shall we by such beauties attaine to the beauty of Holinesse? Often it is the judgement of God, to punish bodi­ly whoredome, by spirituall whoredome, letting the uncleane fall from Whoredome to Idolatry; which is a filthinesse of spirit, no lesse dangerous than infamous. Idolatry and Witchcraft were the great sinnes of the Gentiles: for which the wise Iew in the book of Wisedome, tells us (cap. 12.3, 4.) that the first inhabitants of the Holy Land were by [Page 123]God cast out. They thought to cast out Him, and cast out themselves; their sinne cast them out off that second Paradise; whence they were driven, not by a fiery sword, yet by fire and sword. Ioshua was an Angell, a messenger, though not from Hea­ven, yet from God; and at that time zealously clean­sed the land as well from the sins, as from the sinners, the Idolater and the Sorcerer; The Idolater that worshippes his own creature, and his Enemy an Idol; the sorcerer that worships God's creature, but God's Enemy, the Devill. Idolatry came in by the vaine glory of men, if we take the report ( Wisd. 14.14, 15.) for when a Father afflicted had lost his Sonne untimely, he made an Image for him, and honou­red him as a God, which was then a dead man, and delivered to those that were under him, ceremonies and Sacrifices. Thus custome grew to a Law. (v. 18.) then, when any would honour those that were ab­sent, to flatter them, they made images of them (v. 17.) And the dilligence of the Artificer, did helpe to set forward the ignorant to more superstiti­on. (v. 18.) And the workman himselfe was glad to flatter one in Authority, and therefore made the more excellent worke, by the grace of which he al­lured the multitude. (v. 19.) Thus it arose from the pride and tyranny of great men, and from the necessity and flattery of the meaner sort; as the wisdome intituled to Solomon, excellently expresses it, (v. 21.) and happy had the true Solomon been, if the image of this Doctrine had been still before his eye: this image would have saved him from indola­try. [Page 124]Consonant to this doctrine does also Diophanes a Lacedemonian (in his Antiquities) relate that the first that practised this art (of Idolatry) was a rich Aegyp­tian for the losse of his sonne: whose Image for the love and remembrance of him, he placed in his house; and addes, that if his servants had at any time offended they ranne to the Image, and crown'd it with flowers, and thus appeased the wrath of their Lord. A strange effect of Idolatry, to find pardon by sinne! But we need not assert this Aegyp­tian Original of Idols; nor with Isidore ascribe it to Ishmael; nor with the Gentiles to Prometheus, nor more particularly with the Grecians, to Cecrops; nor with some to Ninus; nor with S. Cyrill (against Julian) to Belus: the first Idol was the Serpent in Paradise, whom our first Parents idoliz'd by an obe­dience against God; or rather the Devil himself was the first in Heaven, where, by diverting his angelicall intuition frō admiring God's excellency to his own, he became the first Idol and the first Idolater. And what shall we now account an Idol? and image of God? he is incorporeall; & therefore not subject to our eye: He is incomprehensible; and therefore not subject to our understanding: He is infinite, & there­fore not subject to the dimentions of a statue. Besides, if he were visible; he has not reveal'd himselfe as visible; and if he had reveal'd himselfe so, yet has he forbidden us to reveale Him. And whatso­ever images we make of the Deity, they are a lye; and so the true occasion of sinne and punishment. Pictures therefore in Christian times were forbidden [Page 125]to be placed in the Spanish Churches; as appeares by the Elibertine Council, Canon. 36. in the time of Constantius, and Gallerius, as Baroniust places it; and so before the Nicene Council. Which may shew the early and necessary providence of the Church, for the preserving the purity of Divine Worship. And though some of eminent learning, as Bellarmine, Suarez and the accurate Loaisas, would weaken the force of this Decree by a subtil interpretation, tel­ling us, it was to prevent the abuse of such pictures by the Pagans, because, if so placed, the Christians when persecuted, could not in their occasionall flight carry them away: or, to prevent the defacing of them by time, if made upon the plaistering of the walls, as they expresse it; we need not such plaiste­ring interpretations. Let the Council speake for it selfe, which thus speakes, Placuit Picturas in Ecclesia esse non debere: ne quod colitur & adoratur, in parieti­tibus depingatur: the reason we see was, that God should not be painted, who was to be worshipped. And therefore the learned Albaspina, a late Bishop of Orteano, writing on this Councill, (though he says, the Canon intends not statues, or the pictures of Saints and Martyrs, yet) ingenuously confesses, the pictures of God and the Trinity, to be by this Council forbidden to be placed in Churches. And not to omit the piety, and so the value of this Coun­cil, it may be observed, that the aged and renown'd prelate Hosius of Corduba, was present at it, as the Subscriptions of the Council witnesse. But some tell us, that Images were among God's own people, [Page 126]the Israelites: yet as true it is that when they made them Images of God, they sinned, and for that sinne were punished. And whereas some terme them helpes in the worshippe of God; can that be a help in God's worship, which is forbidden by God? Better helpes they might have made in those times, if they had made the Images of such Israelites, as were then plagued by God for making Images. But by ma­king, as some think, the Image of God, they doe not represent Him, but abuse Him; and by having Him so, they have Him not at all. We may not worship the likenesse of any thing in Heaven: we may not then worship the picture of our Saviour, unlesse we will deny the truth of his Ascension, or the Morality and so the Property of the commande­ment. Let us then worship our Saviour with a purer love: Let us not vainly seek Him in his Picture, but in his Precept: There is the true likenesse of Christ. Let us by holinesse make our selves the true picture of Christ; rather then make to ourselves the false pi­cturs of Christ. And as for the more solid, but as vain ware, Idols, let us with severity heare Jeremi's deri­sion of them (chap. 10.15.) They were upright as the Palme tree, but spake not: they must needs be borne because they cannot goe: be not afraid of them, for they cannot doe evil, neither also is it in them to doe good. Let us heare how aptly the Wiseman (in the Wis­dome of Solomon. ch. 13.18.) derides the Idolater falling down before his Idol; For health, he calls upon one that is weake: for life prayes to one which is dead: for aid humbly beseeches that which hath least [Page 127]meanes to helpe: and for a good journey, he askes of that which cannot set a foot forward. Heare also how ter­ribly the Prophet Habakkuk (2.19.) deales with such a one. Woe unto him, that saies to the wood, Awake; to the dumbe stone, Arise; it shall teach: be­hold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it. Great yet is the subtilty and Industry of Vasquez & other Thomists, in the defence of Images, (for they cannot defend thē-selves:) but Rachel taught the safe use of them when she hid them: and some Schoolemen of a ti­merous and wary devotion, as Durand, Helcot, Biel, and others, dare not in all points defend the Tho­mists defence of Images. To say, that not the Image is worshipped, but God in it, or by it, is but the answer that the witty but unhappy Julian made in the defence of the Heathen Idols; which (alas) Needs a defence and finds none. The only Image that may be ador'd, is not the Picture of our Saviour, but our Saviour; and all use of Pictures beyond Com­memoration, is abuse. But the practice of the first Church, may, or should, preserve us from such in­ticing Impurity: as the horrible uncleanesse by commerce with filthy Spirits, may hopefully preserve us from such Filthinesse of the Spirit. Yet were there diverse kinds of such uncleanesse, and so of such per­sons. The prohibition of them is the story of them; and it is written Deut. 18.10, 11. where they are Numbred and Distinguished, whiles it is said, there shall not be among the People of God any that uses Divination or an Observer of Times, or Inchanter, or a [Page 128]Witch, or a Charmer, or a Consulter with familiar Spirits, or a Wizard, or a Necromancer. For all that doe these things are an Abomination to the Lord. The subtilty of man has made a Discovery of Humane fallacies: but God's Wisedome makes a discovery of Develish fallacies: but both present ra­ther the Danger, than the Art; and so, though both rather the avoiding of them, than the learning of them; & the Learning necessarily, but for the Avoi­ding. A Diviner there must not be. He that foretels, pretends he foreknowes: which in man in respect of humane affaires is not a worke of Art, but of In­spiration. To foreknow Mans purpose or lot, is God's prerogative. The Heavenly Lights cannot impart this knowledge; though this knowledge has been sometime imparted by a more Heavenly light. Yet with pretended Prophets did the Heathen con­sult; seeking by a greater evill to be delivered from a lesse. The ceremonie of the Lye, which was the Art of the Art, was sometimes varied in the posture, as by lying on the ground; as if Humilitie or rather Hell, should give them instruction: sometimes in the Instrument, as in performing it with Sand, with Stones, with Iron, with a staffe, which the Deceiver carried in his hand, and leaned on. My people, saies the Lord ( Hos. 4.12.) aske councell at their stockes, and their staffe declares unto them. The staffe was at hand, but not the Helpe: that was without sense; They without Reason, that prostituted their reason, not to sense, but below it. An Observer of Times there must not be. The Diviner was carryed, as the Pride [Page 129]of his thought carry'd him to believe, by inward mo­tion; moving as he phansied he was moved, by the first Mover. But the Soothsaier, as a lower Artist proceeded by observation of the Creature. This was a slanderer of Heaven, by counting some daies Luckie, some Unluckie; by an opinion which he confuted by his own birthday, in which his own distinction was confounded: being unluckie to him­selfe, that was borne to be such a foole, as to em­brace such folly; but luckie to others that by his folly escape folly. An Inchanter there must not be; an Observer of Fortunes, as some say, by Luckie or Unluckie signes; as the falling of the salt, almost as sure a signe that it selfe was spoiled, as that the For­tune-tellers wit was spoiled. Such also was a Hare crossing one in his way; ill lucke undoubtedly that he was not then, rather a hunting than a travailing: yet good lucke enough, if he lost not his patience, as well as the Game. A Witch there must not be; and so neither a Jugler, say the Hebrew Masters: this was to be beaten, the other ston'd: the one abused God; the other Men: but no Art could make them invisible enough, to scape the stones or the scourge. A Charmer there must not be; one that uses strange words over a Serpent, that it may not hurt a man; whiles the foole by his strange words, becomes a worse Serpent to himselfe: nor one, that whispers over a wound, as if he would by silence hide his pre­tence: nor one that reads a verse out of the Bible, or layes the Bible upon a Child, that it may sleep. Surely God's Word should rather awake men, than [Page 130]cast them into a sleep; and being intended to pro­duce faith, must needs affect the Hearing. Besides, Gods Word is not Physique for the Body; unlesse remotely, by instructing to Temperance: But indeed Life it is, as Solomon saies ( Prov. 3.) unto the Soule. And shall man intend to doe more or otherwise, with God's Word, than God intends? or, by abuse of God's Word, make God's Word, Mans Word? A Consulter with familiar spirits there must not be: such Spirits were by divine permission and judge­ment, so familiar, that they possess'd the Consulter, and spake out of his Belly, as from a bottle, with a Jow voice; he whisper'd as out of the dust, as God speakes by Isaiah (chap. 29.4.) A horrible possessi­on, when as the Consulter became a Hell! and yet though he was one, he could not scape another. Such a confident Artist wav'd a Mirtle rod in his hand; til he heard one answer him with a low voice. The Ceremony was the Deceit; The Myrtle is of admirable use for the cure of the body, particularly for the clearing of the sight: yet such was here the impudence of Sathan, that by this pretence he would blind the spirituall sight; so blind it that it should not be serviceable to preserve either Soule or Body. This was Saul's sinne, for which God kill'd him. (I Chron. 10.13.) and for which God has threatned to cut off all such as inquire of such: and happy is he that by being threatned, is but threatned. A Wizard there must not be; or Cunning man; such did use senselesse and impious Ceremonies, as to put the bone of a certaine bird, in their mouth; [Page 131]and burning incense, fell down, and pretended to foretell, what should come to passe: as if either a bird, that wanted reason, or a bone that wanted life, could doe more than man, that had Life and Reason, and instruct the mouth to tel as much as God only can tell, and to foretell more than God will tell? What Incense can sweeten such stench of Impiety? What falling down can save them from falling into the bottomelesse Pit? These undertake to foresee things to come; and yet foresee not their own destruction. This is the cunning of a Cunning Man; but for whom the Devill is too cunning. A Necromancer there must not be; such slept by a Grave, that in their dreame, the Dead might teach them what they demanded of him. Better it had been, they had slept in their graves; but, though alive, they slept worse in sinne. Their hope of in­struction, was but of instruction in a dreame; and that instruction, but from the Dead. Knowledge implies Reason: which in sleep is Disabled; by Death, Destroyed! The Grave might have been a better instructer, than the Dead. Yet even such sinnes the old world had, and by such sinnes the new world is still old; God's people were then bid to turne from those, that would turne them from God: they were bid to turne and hearken to the Prophet, whom God then promised to send. ( Deut. 18.15.) even our Saviour Christ; and a woe is threatned to them that shall not harken to him. Christ is life; Christ is wisedome; the Wisedome of the Father. O let us not then so mistake our selves, as to mistake [Page 132]wisedome: so mistake our selves, as to mistake our Father, our Heavenly Father. Would drunkennesse then defile us? Let the shame of it save us from the shame of it. Would lust defile us? Let the body by the danger of that Corruption be the Guardian, and so the safety of the Body and Soule. Would Ido­latry defile us? Let Reason tell us, we cannot make a God; as Religion tells us, we must worship God. Would Witchcraft defile us? Let the madnesse of our sinne preserve us in our Wits and Innocence: preserve us from such a sinne, as is both the Guilt and the Punishment; a sinne and a Hell. And let the sight of Heaven, into which nothing that is un­cleane shall enter, preserve us by Hope and Indea­vour from Uncleanesse: that at the last being wash'd from all uncleanesse by the blood of our Sa­viour, who ascended into Heaven; we as a part of his Church purified by his blessed Spirit, may be preserved holy and undefiled unto God the Father. To which three Persons and One God, be ascribed Holinesse and Glory for evermore.

WHAT is more naturall, than to please our selves? what more unnaturall, than to please others? Every man by corruption is his own God: and to please others, counts it the worst Idolatry. He worshipps not an Idol, but to please Himselfe: and whatsoever worshipps not him is the object of [Page 136]his Anger. He knowes nothing, but the Deity of himselfe; and the enemy of his Deity. Hence he counts all offence against Himselfe, impiety; and a contempt of his Judgement, or at least of his Will: and therefore to be angry with what displeases him, is to him not Wrath, but Justice; and so is not an Act of Passion, but Religion. Thus thinks he that is of no Religion; or whose Religion is but Na­ture, even Corrupt Nature. Nature indeed whiles not corrupted, was Good; and so Passion, and so Anger, was Good: it knew Then no Wrath, but for God; no Wrath alone for our selves, but for God and our selves. Our Zeale sought then no ho­nour, but God's honour; as now by nature we seek no honour but our own. What is not our selfe is slighted, What is our selfe is Ador'd. God then the great enemy of Idols, would Un-Idol man; and by making him despise himselfe, make him worthy not to be despised. The pleasure of Anger he will leave unto him; but also the justice; he will leave him Nature; but Temper it with Grace. He will shew him the Nature of Just Anger. He will shew him the Degrees of Unjust Anger: the Degrees he will shew; but also the Danger: and mercifully also he will shew the Degrees of the Danger. The Instruction needs not to Invite Obedience: the Au­thoritie of the Instructer commands Attention; the Truth of the Instructer Commands beliefe. The Example of Patience is here the Rule of Patience; our meek Saviour: The Law lop'd off the Bough; the Gospell strikes at the Root. That forbid [Page 137]Murder; This forbids wrath; since by wrath we may at last proceed to Murder; as Chromatius saies. Here is presented to us a threefold sin expressed by, Anger, Racha; and Thou Foole: here is represen­ted to us a threefold Danger; the Judgement, the Councel, and Hell fire. The Danger is a Quicke Rhetorique; the sinne a Slow one. The sinne thinks it selfe Doubtfull, or Invisible: The Danger does Discover it, and Condemne it. And yet there is a wrath not to be condemned; a wrath implanted in Innocent nature, and therefore once innocent; and by a repaire of Grace, there is an Anger still inno­cent. Indeed the Stoique counted all Anger bad: and by an oversight was so vehement against it without distinction that he was Angry, whiles he condemned anger; unreasonably depriving Reason of the At­tendance of the Passions; which nature intended as subsevient helpes in the performance of Reason's Commands. The Peripatetique therefore was more considerate, who did not look only on the Abuse of Passion, but also and chiefely on the use of it. From which difference of Judgements it was, that Aristotle praised Anger; and therefore the Stoique dispraised Aristotle. Hence was it that Cicero and Seneca con­demned him as a Flatterer; the Flatterer of his Scho­lar and Master, the Great Alexander; Great, yet lesse then his Own Anger; but worse blinded they were with a mistake, than they could have been with a moderate Anger. And if we will consult Reason and Religion, They will give us a cleare view of the difference of Anger: and not only Teach, but [Page 138]perswade us to believe, that there is an indifferent, and a Good, and a Bad Anger. Yet is the Indifferent Naturally Good, though Morally Indifferent; which is not a Faculty, as if alwaies in man; nor yet a Habit proceeding from generall acts; but a Passion by Nature bestowed upon the soule; whereby it di­lates it selfe toward what is Good, for the defence of it selfe, and the Removall of what would Hinder such Defence. This is that naturally wise [...] of the Grecians; that vidicative appetite in Naturall Man, raised from an unjust Contempt of Us, and Ours. And this Passion which is neither Irrationall, nor Destructive, is not only a distinct Passion from o­thers, but also singular, whiles not like a single Passion but a Compound; Indeed, it is not without others: it is not without Sorrow, for wrong receiv'd: It is not without Desire, to expel such sorrow: it is not without Hope; by which we desire just vindication. This Passi­on aimes at Trouble, to him that provoks it; it only aimes at it, as a Punishment due to the provocation. This Passion ascends above other Passions, whiles it comes nearer to Reason: and so justifies it selfe by wrong receiv'd; that Reason is almost as Ready to Mistake it selfe for a Passion, as this Passion not to take it selfe for Reason. And for this cause as it is nearer to Reason, so more Naturall to Man. An inferiour Desire belongs to the Beasts, being also preserv'd by Food, and Propagation: above which Passion Anger is; and yet is more Impetuous, than Concupisence; whiles it followes the Motion of Choller: which is more Quick than Fire, being a [Page 139]living fire. Yet though this Passion be Fierce, it is not Hatefull; not so hatefull, as Hatred. Anger de­sires trouble; yet as it is Just; but Hatred aimes at it as it is Evill. Anger is diminished by Time; Ha­tred is Increased. Anger is Ingenuous; it would have its revenge known: Hatred is Base; it would have its mischife Concealed. Anger sets only upon the Living; Hatred pursues also the Dead; nay Death, for snatching from it the pleasure of Revenge. But a more Noble Anger yet there is, an Anger that is Good; Spiritually Good; an [...]anger not without a cause, (a lawfull cause) which addition, S. Jerome thinks to be but an addition, as only found in some copies: we may more safely say, though not found in some copies, yet not such an addition. The Do­ctrine being warantable is to be admitted; the ex­ception then is not to be admitted. Which just an­ger is sometimes termed Zeale; though Zeale some­times be not so just; and such just anger was call'd [...]; and so not only acknowledged, but acknow­ledged Good. Such was the Anger of mild Moses, when he stood in the Gate of the Campe, and said, Who is on the Lords side? let him come unto me; and caused to be slaine about three thousand men, for making the golden Calfe. He made the Sacrificers a Sacrifice to their unreasonable God. Such was the Anger of Elijah, when he caused Baal's Prophets, even four hundred and fifty, to be slaine. They had wret­chedly destroyed other Soules, and now justly destroyed for the destruction. Their God could neither give life, nor save life. Such was the Anger [Page 140]of our Blessed Saviour; He looked round about on them with Anger; being grieved for the hardnesse of their hearts. (Mark. 3.5.) and though they were not moved with Miracle, He was moved with Com­passion, healing the man that had a withered hand; and shewing that a worke of mercy is a Sabbath days work, that aimes not at mans gain, but God's Glory. He was angry, that they having reason, would not use it; and having deseases, had neither the Mercy to cure them, nor the Wisedome to seek cure. Such was the Anger of S. Paul calling the Galatians fooles; whom yet he called Brethren. Brethren they had been in the Profession of the Gospell: Fooles they were in deserting the Professi­on of the Gospel. He told them they were bewitch'd: and were they not bewitch'd? when being not able to beare the burthen of the Law, they would not accept of the kindnesse of our Saviour, who would beare it for them? Angry then he was; yet not without cause; and therefore is his Anger de­fended by S. Austin. Indeed such anger is the defence of Anger. Such anger was again the anger of S. Paul, against Elymas the Sorcerer, whom the Apostle call'd the Child of the Devill: and was it not justly, when as he refused to be borne of God? and as he would not injoy the light of Grace; so Miracle and Justice would not let him injoy the Light of the Sunne. For blind he was strucke, and sought for some to lead him, that would have hindred others from being lead, by them they sought not for. ( Act. 13.12.) Such once more was the Anger of S. Paul, a­gainst [Page 141] Ananias the high Priest, whom he called a whited wall: his outside was his fairest side; and so not Wrath, but Truth and Inspiration utter'd it. S. Paul defended himselfe, and the high Priest com­manded that he should be struck on the mouth; but the mouth of Paul, nay, of God, struck the Hypo­crite. A Judge and Justice should be Relative: but this man had the seate of Justice, but not the Con­science. Not Rashnesse then, but Zeale, saies Theo­phylact, mov'd the Apostle, adding this Rule, that we are then rashly angry, when it is for Profit, or Glory. S. Chrysostome likewise saies, that just Anger is the mother of Discipline; and that anger with just cause is not Anger, but Judgement. S. Paul sayd the same before ( R [...]m. 4.) calling the Magistrate, the avenger, to execute wrath upon him that does evill. And though the Guilty suffers evill, for his evill, this is not to be angry with the Person, but the Fault, whiles with the person but for the fault. But an anger there is, which is neither Good nor In­different, but Bad: which if the Latine Critiques should helpe us to understand, as well as the Philo­sophers, we might with some think Ira to come from Ʋro, it seems such burning choler as Tracundia from Incendo, as if it were an Inflaming Choler, it being estemed the Habit of a Vice, whence arise wrathfull Acts, flames of a wrath, that seeks revenge beyond, and so against, Reason. Which has mov'd some with Phansie, if noe Truth, to think it may come from Ire; when we see how it makes a man runne out of Himselfe, whiles out of his Reason. This makes a [Page 142]men sometimes runne without provocation; some­times beyond it: Sometimes without the Order, that Law prescribes; sometimes without that End, the Law prescribes. This is the vice of which Solomon thus complains ( Pro. 27.4.) Wrath is Cruel, and Anger is Outragious; and so it becomes not only Odious, but Monstrous; as if it would exceed both for the Kind and the Degree. This is Wrath, this is that Wrath upon which the Sunne must not goe down: but why? saies S. Austin; Non enim erubescit in tene­bris, cum super eam Sol occiderit. When the Sunne is departed, the blush too commonly is departed; as if Night added impudence unto Wrath. But it may as truely imply, That the End of the Day should be the end of the Guilt: that though it may unhappily last a day, it may happily last but a day: that, though by the light it could not see its own un­seemlinesse, it may by the Meditation of the Night, by which yet too frequently it is, if not Abated, In­creased. This vice then must not breake forth a­gainst a Pagan: even He is a brother by Creation: and though he does not as yet own his right Master; he may own him, & honour him. It must not breake forth against a Jew: God he acknowledges, though not the Sonne of God: he confesses God to be his Judge; and by mercy may in time confesse him to be his Saviour. This must not breake forth against a Turke: who though he acknowledges not Christ a God, acknowledges him a Prophet; and by a possible Unitie in the Faith, may by the Charitie of Hope, be mantled-over with the title of Brother; a [Page 143]brother sometimes lesse guilty than a Cain, or an Esau; and whiles more naturall than those Brothers, become at last Supernaturall. Thus wrath without a cause must not breake out; no, nor be within us, to break out; Not in the Mind since if it be in the mind it will soon be in the Body; & so in the Tongue. This will Languagne wrath quickly; but must not helpe it, or rather mischief it, to crie Racha. Our Saviour as the most wise Master, spake what was understood by his Hearers: and therefore teaches us, that they teach us not rightly, who would draw the word from the Greek, [...], a tattered garment, and so sometimes, a patch or ragge; as if we call'd one a ragged fel­low: which, though it may be partly true in the sense; yet is not so in the derivation; as if the Elder Language should borrow it of the Younger; or, as if we should think that our Saviour spake Greek among the Jewes. This teaches us to suspect that Jew, that told S. Austin, the word was only an Interjection; not signifying any certaine thing, more than the indignation of the minde: but this is denyed by the many & certain significations which it hath. This will not admit Theophilact's exposition: who tells us, it is as much as Thou; implying a Contempt; but this is an Interpretation as unwarrantable for its proporti­on, as the contempt. This teaches us to doubt S. Chr. opinion: who counting it a cōmon word among the Jews; says yet, that it proceeds not frō Anger or Hate, but rather from familiarity, yet from some cōtempt; but our Saviour makes it the second degree of an­ger. Nor need we draw this word from their con­ceite, who would have it come from [...], spittle; [Page 144]and so imply an unworthy person; sit for a con­tempt, which our Saviour suffered from the impious Jewes: but this is rather Imagination, than Judge­ment. Nor need we heare some, that more subtilly tell us, that Racha in the Chaldie, which was the tongue which the Iewes learned in their Captivitie, signifies a milstone, as in the Hebrew [...] milstones. This though admitted would not prevaile for the admission of their exposition of this doubt. This was indeed one of the Israelites taskes among the Aegyp­tians, as of the slaves among the Romans, to grind in their mills. According to which sense some would have it import the upbrading of slavery one to ano­ther, as if they should say, To the Mill, you slave. Yet this conceite seemes more Accute, than True: for though this might have been a Reproach to a Iew, yet most unseemely it had been from a Iew. We may then with S. Ierome more happily make it in value, the same with [...], which with the Greeks signifies vaine, or empty: which may be warranted by the Hebrew, in which [...] is to attenuate or make thinne: as [...] also signifies the thinnesse of the Temples of the Head; as spittle also for the thinnesse is called [...]. But more nearely [...] in the Hebrew, is vaine, or empty; whence [...] is judg'd to come: and such are they call'd Judg. 11.3. which were ga­thered to Iephthah, when he fled out of his Country; the word is [...] vaine men; For with [...] it is writ­ten, not with [...], as appeares in the word Racha; which in the Hebrew translation of S. Mathew's Gos­pell published by Munster, is likewise written [Page 145]with [...] which serves to weaken the witty phansie of those that would have it signifie Milstones, [...] being written not with [...] but [...]. The Emptinesse then, or Vanity implyed in this word, is the reproach of a defect in Nature, as a weakenesse in Judgement; or in ones Estate, as in a slender Condition; either of which being at the divine disposall, may not with­out a comparative degree of Anger, be objected; and therefore may justly feare God's Anger for the Objecting. For, shall we call him Emptie, that is fill'd with the spirit of Love, as Chromatius speakes? Or shall we not honour the Judgement of our Savi­our (the Wisedome of the Father;) who thus jud­ges of such rash judgement, such unadvised Anger, [...], without a cause, such anger to which the angry man too inconsiderately yields? for from [...] (cedo) it comes, implying the angry man's Iudul­gence unto his Passion. Much lesse then, must we dare to say, Thou foole. And seems not this offence included in the former? To object the weaknesse of Judgement, is it not to say Racha? The weak­nesse of some judgement, judges thus of this most wise judgement: which yet, when rightly under­stood, will teach us to judge rightly of this judge­ment. To understand then Folly here, requires Wisedome; even the wisedome of God's Word: which teaches us to know, that the Foole in God's ac­count, is not one, that is defective in his Wit, but in his Will: he that orders not his Life according to the Rule of Life, God's Law; whose offence is not Sillinesse, but Sinfullnesse. And shall we without [Page 146]cause thus censure another man? If some seem con­temptible, shall their Christianity also seem con­temptible? Let us remember S. Chrysostom's remem­brance; was not Belshazzar, sayes he, deprived of his Crown and Life, for prophaning the vessells of God's Temple? And shall not we then feare by such rash judgement, the losse of the beetter Crown, and Life, if we prophane the better Vessels of the Holy Ghost, the persons of Christians? shall we then with some so view these degrees of sinne, as also to Compare them with some, that make the first only an anger in the mind? the second an Anger ex­pressed in words? the last an Anger in words, and more especially disgracefull words? An anger on­ly in the minde though it deserves the Judgement, does not yet feare an Outward Judgement; whiles it is yet not an outward guilt. A Guilt were; there an accuser, besides Conscience, there were not. Judge then we may more strictly, the first to be an­ger in the mind, in some degree according to the nature of Anger, expressing it selfe in some parts of the Body also; as by the frown of the brow; the cast of the Eie; the threatning of the Hand; or the spurn of the Foot: as if the Body were the Picture of the Mind; or rather, as if the Body were the Passion. The second we may judge to be such an Anger, as upbraides another, with a Slendernesse of Wit, or Wealth; as when we call one shallow pate, or Beggar. The third is to call one Foole, not in the mi­stake of the people; but in a severer acception, ac­cording to which it signisies a Wicked Person: which [Page 147]Accusasion, if without cause, is the suparlative Anger here intended. Thus does the wisedome and Mercy of our Saviour present unto us the degrees of Anger: next he sets forth the degrees of punish­ment; the Iudgement, the Councell, and Hell fire: which terrours let us see; so see by contemplation, that we may but see them by Contemplation. Some here by the Judgement understand the Judgement of Conscience: but this judgement, is common to all degrees of anger: but what is here intended be­longs only to the First. Besides, our Saviour speakes of Outward danger, such as was subject to the sense; and so more easily subject to the people's understan­ding. Some Court of Judicature is here intended: of which there were diverse sorts. In one of which were three Judges, to whom belong'd the lesser cau­ses; as private wronges, pecuniary matters, and the like: but the judgement of this Court is below the Judgement here due to the lowest unjust anger; and so here rather supposed, than intended. In a second Court were Twenty and Three Judges; this was the Lesse Synedrium; wherein Causes of Life and Death were tryed: and this was answerable to our Assi­ses: and one of these Courts was in every City (as appeares Det. 16.18.) according to the num­ber of the Inhabitants; the Lesse Court in the least City; the greater in the rest, and so in lerusa­lem. The last was the Great Synedrium, wherein were seventy Judges, besides the President, in imitation of Moses (Num. 11.24.) and here were heard the most weighty and difficult Causes of all; [Page 148]it being the highest and Nationall Court; which was held only at Ierusalem. But the last punishment due to the last degree of anger that is here expressed is Hell fire; or according to the Originall, the fire of Gehenna; which once was a pleasant Vally adorn'd with a Grove on the East side of Mount Moria, neare Ierusalem, and watred with the brook Cedron. It was called Gehinnam, or the vally of Hinnom, who was a Iebusite, whose sonne, as some think was the owner of the place; as seems to be implyed Ioshua 15.8. For with some to derive it from [...] vallis, and [...] rugibus, were more wit than truth; since the Name of the place was more ancient than the Abuse. In which place was Molech, the Idol of the Ammonites; of stature High; for Substance of Brasse; for Con­trivance Hollow; and by some held to be the same with Saturne. It was of a stately size; the Head whereof was like the Head of a Calfe; but the Body like the body of a Man; whose armes were spread open, as ready to receive the children that were offe­red in Sacrifice to him; fire being for that purpose put into the hollow of the Idol; unto which the children being compell'd to goe, fell into a fire. To this Idol belong'd seven roomes for the severall kinds of Offerings that were brought unto him; the seventh whereof was for the Children: which as some think, only passed between two fires, by way of ceremonie, to testifie their conservation, and so there future service unto Molech. But others take the Phrase, to passe between two fires, to sig­nifie they were burn'd. Indeed for what purpose els [Page 149]had a certaine place in the vally been called Tophet, (mentioned in Isaiah ch. 30.33.) from [...] a drum; but because as it is related, they beat drummes to out-noise the cryings of the Children whiles sacri­ficed, that so the Parents might not be terrifyed. For this was a free Sacrifice, and therefore, as they believed, not to be disgraced with unwillingnesse. And as for the custome of passing between two fires, it may yet be admitted as a ceremony without the burning, in use also among the Heathen; so that both are taken for truth; but the Burning is here intended. With this impiety, though thus cruell, were yet even Ahaz and Manasses Kings of God's People defiled; deserving to feele a worse Gehenna, that made others feele This, Devillish was his wor­ship, yet conceiv'd to have been the (wretched) Imi­tation of holy worshippers even Abraham and Isaac: Sathan's Art and Malice making Cruelty be estee­med Devotion: the Heathen neighbours of Israel (as appeares Numb. 14.14.) being unacquainted with the affaires of Israel. But as Molech signifies a Prince, and the Devil is by permission Prince of the Aire, so is he but for a time permitted. Bad Kings there were; and a good King there was, even good Iosias, who destroyed the graven Image of the Grove, which Manasses had placed in the house of the Lord (2 Kings 21.7.) and burn'd it, and stamp'd it to powder. ( ch. 33.6.) and brake in pieces the Images, and cut down the Groves, and filled their places with the bones of men ( v. 14.) And in this Vallie of Hinnom, as it is in Ieremie. chap. 7. did that [Page 150]Prophet break the earthen Vessell, telling the Iewes, that God would for their iniquity, so breake that City, and make it as Tophet ( Iere. 19.11, 12.) This was Gehenna, the Gehenna of Fire: whence S. Ierom would inferre, that there is also a Gehenna of Cold. But, though it be true, that in Hell there shall be gnashing of teeth, which we may conceive may be from the extremity of Cold: yet since in the first Gehenna there was no extremity of Cold, it were an impropriety to expresse that torment, though in Hell, by the condition of Gehenna. A Gehenna of fire then, Hell is called; not to implie a Distinction, but a more powerfull expression. Which expression S. Iames also uses ( ch. 3.6.) when he sayes, that the Tongue is set on fire of Hell: in the Originall it is [...]; is set on fire by Gehenna, the same thing expressing both the sinne of the tongue and the punishment. S. Iohn calls Hell a Lake of fire burning with brimstone ( Apoc. 19.20.) But most aptly does our Saviour here call it the fire of Gehenna, for the threefold representation, of the filthinesse, the Burning, and the outcry of the place. Will ye see the difference now in the punishment of Anger? In the Judgement it is by some obser­ved, that the Condemnation was uncertaine; that in the Councell it was certain, though the Punishment uncertaine: but, that in Gehenna, both were certaine. Will you next compare the sinnes and the Punnishments? There may we with feare and wisedome observe, that our Saviour tries An­ger, though expressed but by signes, in no lesse Court, [Page 151]than that of Three and Twenty Judges, as if we should say, at the Publique Assizes; and so tries even the first degree of Anger without a cause, in the same Court, wherein the Iewes tried Murder. Next we may observe, that the Reproach express'd by Racha, he judg'd worthy of a Nationall Judgement, in the Councell: but wrongfully to object to any, a wick­ed Life, he judg'd worthy to be punish'd Like a wicked Life, with the fire of Hell. Now all these things the Iewes understood: they were more known unto them than their sinnes. And shall not then the Danger of anger be as well known unto us? a dan­ger to the soule, more visible than the Soule: a danger to the body, no lesse sure, than Death! Wrath kills the foolish man, saies Eliphaz the Temanite ( Iob. 5.2.) yet if any should hope, That may be long in doing, the wise man ( Eccl. 30.24.) will put us out of that mistaking hope, telling us that wrath shortens the Life. Nay before death it presents the distortions of Death; making man as unseemely as his passion: in which condition the Looking-glasse may be an unfained witnesse and instruction. O how it exulce­rates the Mind, says S. Ambrose; how it dulls the sense? changes the speech; darkens the Eie; and disturbs the whole Body! Many, says S. Chrysostome, I have known that by Anger have got diseases, ma­ny that have lost their sight. Anger then must be a great disease, that is the cause of diseases; and must be a great grief, that deprives man of the pleasure of the eie. By frequent anger, saies S. Austin to Nebri­dius, the Gall increases; and reciprocally by the [Page 152]increase of the Gall, Anger againe increases. Does man then Love himselfe, he should then hate his passion, this passion: and by a lesse evill he may thus be cured of a greater; and by the pollicy of Morality make a lesse enemy helpe him against a greater. But if we will not be so kind to our selves, we must be so just to another. Can any consider how David us'd Saul, yet rather imitate Saul than David? shall good example make us bad? shall we not rather by kindnesse make a brother, than by anger loose him? Can any consider how Moses used the people, and be no better than the people com­pared with Moses? Did not they Murmure? Did not he pray? Were not they angry? Was he angry? Should they have been angry? should not he have been angry? Their anger was his honour; his pa­tience was their shame. Though then we cannot be like Moses, let us not be like the people. Let us not be so bad, as the people to Moses: let us not be worse, then the People to one another. Can any consider, how Ioseph used his brethren, and use his brother worse, who is not worse than Ioseph's bre­thren? Can any consider how our blessed Saviour was used, that is, abused, how revil'd, struck on the face, spit upon, derided, crucifyed by sinners, though for sinners, and be angry with his brother, happily a lesse sinner? happily a lesse sinner, if more happily but because a lesse angry sinner? Will any man then as Tertullian speaks, come unto Prayer, a Peace with God, without peace? will he hope for a remission of his sinnes, yet without a remission of others sinnes? [Page 153]how shall he pacifie God his Father, if he be not pacified towards man, his brother? Will any man then dare to hate his brother, when as God connot love two enemies? for, if God loves the one, he loves him perfectly, and therefore he must perfectly hate the other as his enemy. Will any man then be so angry with himself, as to be angry with his brother? will any man so hate himselfe as not to love his bro­ther, when as love covers both our brother's sinnes, and our own? shall we loose Our brother and our selves, nay, and our Saviour too, for a reviling word? Oh, let us rather pray with good S. Ierome; Lord deliver me from deceitfull lips and a lying tongue. Not from anothers tongue, saies he, but from mine own. Another's tongue hurts me not: 'tis mine own is my enemy; that is the sword that kills my soule. I think to hurt mine enemy; and never take notice that I kill my selfe. Wherefore, O Holy Spirit of Love, unite us as much by Love, as thou hast done by Faith; and touch our tongues with a Coale from thy Altar, that they never be imploy'd by us to the reviling of one another, but to the praising of thy holy name, O Father, Sonne, and Holy Spirit, to whom be ascribed all Praise for ever more.

THE Beames of Light flow not so naturally from the Sunne, as the Exhortati­ons to Wisedome flow from the God of Wise­dome; And such is here this exhortation of our Saviour to his Disciples. Yet unto such a wise­dome here he prompts them, as seemes to respect as much their safety, as their Duty; and Wisedome that consists not in Contemplation, but in Action; and though it lookes upon God, yet also upon man. Which diversity of [Page 158]Wisedome was anciently observed by Heathens and Christians: That was their [...], wisedome; This their [...], prudence. Thus could Plato and Cicero, teach; thus could the Alexandrian Clement and S. Ierome Learne. Which last, our prudence towards men, is that which here our Saviour intends; it be­ing in the Originall, not [...], but [...]; be ye prudent; or with lesse ambiguity and more safe­ty, as it is rendred, Be yee wise. And that this is in­tended, is manifest from our Saviours purpose: who sending his Disciples to worke Miracles and Teach, teaches them first, how they should behave them­selves: clearely implying, that more than man's wisedom is needfull for Man in his conversation with man: and that we need more than a Gardian Angel, even God's assistance by his Grace. He tels them that he sends them as Sheep among Wolves; a thin Clergy to a numerous Layty! that sometimes teares the fleece, and devoures the flesh. He bids them be­ware of men: these are the Wolves; these are the worst Wolves, because Wolves and Men; they have the wit of the man, and the Cruelty of the Wolfe. He foretels them, they shall be delivered up to the Councells, now, where there is the greatest Judg, there is the greatest cause, & where the greatest cause, the greatest Danger. Nor only shall they be brought where many are to Judge, and so where the variety may afford some hope of Mercy, but also oc­casionally before Governours & Kings; and so where if the single judge be cruel of Proud, he is some­times a sentence without Appeal. And that they may [Page 159]be prepar'd for such sufferings in Pody, and Mind, he does foretell them of being scourged in the Synagogues; he does foretell them of stripes and shame: and therefore exhorts them to such wise­dome, as may be requisite in such Distresse. And surely such wisedome must be excellent, which must imploy the memory to advantage us, by what we have learn'd; and make our Experience our Own Schoole; which must imploy the Understan­ding to apprehend the present particulars in every action; making it the Eie and the Glasse, for an ex­act view: which must imploy our Providence, in the Foresight and use of what things may happen. If you will behold the traine of this wisedome, you shall find it attended with Docility; being apt to learne by the Eie and Eare. You shall find it atten­ded with subtility, whereby it will guesse with speed & happinesse. You shall find it attended with Judg­ment, which will so argue out a third truth. You shall see it attended with Warinesse, which will prevent such Hindrances, as would prevent our End. Lastly, you shall see it attended with circūspection, which wil ac­curately consider every circūstance. See that ye walk circūspectly, not as fools but as wise ( Eph. 5.15.) If you will behold the Actions of it, you shall see it admi­rable for Counsaile, both in the Choise of worhy pur­poses, & in moving the understanding to find meanes for the attaining of them. You shall see it admirable for Judgement in the distinction & choise of means & oportunity. You shall find it admirable for cōmand: whereby the Reason sets on worke the will, for the [Page 160]speedy execution of the designe. These are the excellencies of wisedome; the price whereof is more than of Gold and fine Rubies; ( Prov. 3.14, 15.) yet the one is admirably solid, the other admi­rably transparent. The subtilty whereof is such, that it is able to discerne the Diversity of Spirits. (1 Cor. 12.10.) and so does not only exceed the a­bilities of the Body, but also the naturall abilities of the soule. The swetnesse whereof is such, that 'tis as sweet as life; nay as Peace, the Life of Life. [...], the minding of the Spirit, or the wisedome of the Spirit, is Life and peace ( Rom. 8, 6.) Forsake not wisedome and shee shall preserve thee, ( Prov. 4.6.) see a preservation rewarded with a Preservation: see a labour, that is its own reward. This is that vertue, without which all vertue is vice, as S. Bernard says, this being the guide of all other Vertues, Affections, Manners. This is that vertue without which, as S. Basil says, a man is like a Ship without a Master, driven uncer­tainly with every wind; unlesse we shall say, he is rather the wind, than the Shippe; Passion, that is, Man, being so impetuous without wisedome. This is that vertue, with which they that are indued think nothing Evill, as Prosper says, but that which makes man evill; so that they can smile at the Mistake, that miscalls Afllictions Evills. This is the Vertue of which the Heathen, who speaks of many Gods, could say, Nullum Numen abest, si sit prudentia; that he had all the God's on his side, that had wisedome; he might have perfected his speech, had he but said, [Page 161] Ipsum Numen adest; Even God is on his side, that has wisedome. The Light of the Body is the Eie; and the truest light of the Eie is wisdome. But be­cause precept is more abstracted from the sense, our Saviour gives his Disciples a patterne; the example of the Serpent; Be ye wise as Serpents. Now of Ser­pents there are many kinds: but in all there is a naturall wisedome a subtilty, and almost in all parts of them. You may see a subtilty in their Eye; an old Serpent being called a Dragon from [...]; implying the singular sharpnesse of his sight; which moved Ancient Poets in their fictions, usually to make Dragons the Guardians of Treasure. Hence also among the Grecians [...], A Ser­pents Eie was a Proverbiall Title for a man of a cleare understanding: which some think to be the reason, why Serpents were sacred to Aesculapius; he being admirable for his Insight and Discoveries in Physique. You may see a subtilty in their Eare; in the Obstinate Deafenesse of the Addar; a race of the Serpent too: a Serpent that will not be cousen'd; but stops the eare and will not hearken to the voice of Charmers, Charming never so wisely ( Ps. 58.4, 5.) a motive to the Hebrewes to call this Serpent by an antiphrasis, [...] from [...] as some would have it, to perswade, because this Serpent will not be perswaded. You may see a subtilty in their Teeth; Dan shall be a Serpent by the way, an Adder in the Path, that bites the horse heeles, so that his rider shall fall backeward. Jacob ( Gen. 49.17.) God had said long before, that he should bruise the heele of the [Page 162]seed of the woman ( Gen. 3.15.) And therefore aptly there Iacob call the Serpent [...] from his biting. You may see a subtilty in their Hornes: for with small hornes Nature has formed one kind of them; as Pliny observes ( lib. 9. cap. 23.) which thence is called [...] whose deceit is to hide his body and wag his hornes, to allure the birds to come and peck at them: which comming for their prey, become his prey. Both which qualities are fitly expressed in another name which Jacob uses for a Serpent; which is [...] which signifies both to Lurke and Tempt; the word is also used in the Originall ( Isa. 27.1.) You may see a subtilty in their wings: for some Natura­lists report, such are found in Aethiopia: and like­ly it is, such were the fiery Serpents, which bit the Israelites ( Numb. 21.6.) and a prediction we find of a flying Serpent, Isa. 14.29. which though some think to be spoken but by a figure, not of wings, but of speed; yet well does it expresse his subtilty, in his intentive prosecution of his prey. You may see a subtilty in their Skine which they yearly cast, to renew their strength; a fit emblem of the old Ser­pent the Devill, who can change himselfe into an Angell of Light: and some Serpents to have the best names of the best Angells; the fiery Serpents mentioned, Num. 21.6. being there called Seraphin; which is the name of the most different reasons. The word signifies fiery; to expresse in the Angells, their Glory, their Light of understanding, and especially their heate of Love to their Creator: but in the [Page 163]Serpent it intends the extremity of his venome, which sets on fire with torment, the person, whom he bites. You may see a subtilty in their Appetite: it being noted of the Stellio, a kind of Serpent too, that he has no sooner cast his skinne, but he eats it up; as if he understood the virtue of it; and as some censure it, did envie man, whom he takes for his enemie so great a benefit; it being a speciall re­medy, as some have taught, against the falling sick­nesse. You may see a subtilty in their Hissing; the Basiliske being of that nature, that if other Serpents come neare him, he ceases not to hisse out threats, till they be gone; that he may pride himselfe alone. From which domineering humour, as also from a white marke in forme of a diadem, upon his head, he has the name of Basiliske, and Regulus, or the Kingly Serpent. And would not the old Serpent have gotten such a Royalty in Heaven? would he not there have been a Basiliske? nay, when as thence he was cast out, would he not have gotten the Dominion in Paradice over our first Parents? You may see a subtilty, in their voice; at least you may find such subtilty in the Paradice-Serpent; in whom you may see these speciall subtilties. He tempted not our Parents, whiles God seem'd pre­sent with them: that he judg'd, might have spoild his plot. He tempted them not together; that he perceiv'd had been two to one. He tempted not first the Man: be saw his Excellency; and knew not if, though alone, he might prove too hard for him. Yet tempted he the Woman: shee was by nature of a [Page 164]more moist, and so of a more gentle temper; yeil­ding him the Hope, whiles the possibility, of some change in her; and if she could be overcome, He & the Woman, would assault the Man. This was the way to conquer man by halves. Indeed he conque­red halfe Adam, when he conquered Eve. And you may consider how he conquered her. He knew that God had commanded them not to eate of the fruit of the tree in the midst of the Garden; and as yet he saw their Obedience. He knew God had told them, that if they eat of it, they should die; and he perceiv'd their beliefe in the word of God. Lastly, he understood her Feare of God, least shee did offend; and her feare of Death, if she did offend. He saw then that there were three things, which he must overcome in her; her Obedience, her Faith, and her Feare. He sets himselfe then to consider what order he should use in his assault; that is, how he might prove himselfe a Devill. To overcome her Obedience whiles he Faith was strong, he saw it was impossible; and to overcome her Faith, whiles shee had the Feare of God and Death in her, he judg'd as impossible. Thus then he concludes: If he could overcome her Faith, her Obedience would fall it selfe: and if he could over­come her Feare, her Faith would likewise grow weake of it selfe. Her feare then is that, which he must first overthrow; yet so, that he will also give a blow to her Faith. He comes then unto her, and cunningly askes, yea, has God said; ye shall not eate of every tree in the garden? See his subtilty in these re­spects; [Page 165]He pretends an Ignorance, so to assume a Libertie to aske a question. Next as he durst not at first tell a flat untruth, by saying, God had not for­bidden them; boldly and craftily he calls it into question, as if he would make a doubt of it; yea, has God said, ye shall not eat of every tree In the Gar­den? To which when shee had answered, that they might eate of all save one; but not of that one, least they dye; he denies not the first part of her answer, which concern'd God's prohibition of one Tree; knowing that shee knew the contrary, as well as himselfe; he replyes therefore only to the last part of her answer; which was a matter of Faith, that they should not dye at all. But because this his re­ply was an untruth; Least she should, as was most likely, examine with her selfe, he gives her not the respite to collect herselfe; but to make her forget That, presently addes, that in the day they eat thereof, they should be as Gods knowing Good and Evill; which was too true; and God testifies the same, Gen. 3.22. Observe then ye may the method of his cunning: first he brings but an imperfect Truth; then an Absolute untruth; and lastly an absolute Truth; thus wrapping up the poison of a Lie, like a sugar'd pill, in the pleasantnesse of Truth. Farther observe, that he overcame her Faith, by overcoming her Feare; and overcame her Feare, by the contrary passion, Hope. For such was the Issue of the Temptation: when he had made her forget Feare by Hope, and seeing the tree to be good for food, and pleasant to the eie; nay, such a tree, as [Page 166]could make one wise; shee takes of the fruite and eates, and makes her husband eate also; such is the society in evill; the unhappinesse of unhappi­nesse. In which last action we may see, that though in their fall they got a knowledge of good and evill, or rather only of evill (since better knowledge they had of good, before) yet the wisedome they now got, came farre short of that wisedome by which they were overcome. Nay, you may see, that the Devill knew they should by their fall obtaine but a wretched wisedome, and such a one, as upon even termes he should be able at any time to over­come. This was the wisedome of the Serpent; a a wisedome almost in every part. Yet may you see subtilty also in his whole body; which like a Cir­cle upon occasion, he wrappes as a defence about his head; his Head in which his subtilty is principally resident. Lastly you may see a subtilty in his ho­nour: which doubtlesse for his wisedome has in all ages of the Heathen world, been given unto him. He has been honoured by the most wealthy Nati­ons: did not the Babylonians worship Bel and the Dragon? he has been worshipped by the most pow­erfull Nations: did not the Romans worship the Epidaurian Serpent? He has been worshipped by the Fiercest Nations: was he not worshipped by the Thessalians and the Epirotes? He has been honoured by the Rudest Nations: was he not worshipped by the Easterne Indians? For ancient times let Maxi­mus the Tyrian witnesse; for latter times let a tra­vailor, Ludovicus Barthana witnesse. Was he not [Page 167]worshipped by those that inhabite the darknesse under the Northern Pole? and within these three hundred yeares, by the Lithuanians, in the view of Christendome? Did they not nourish Vipers for their House-Gods? Did they not Sacrifice unto them Milke and Cockes? Let Cromer witnesse. Briefely, he has been honoured by the most witty Nations: did not the Athenians, the Masters of Wisedome, worship a live Serpent? make it the keeper of their Tower? and offer monthly Sacrifices to it, as to a God? All which varieties of Idolatries, must we not Judge to be the reliques of that subjection to sinne and the old Serpent; into which mankind fell in the fall of our first Parents? But still you see the winning subtilty of the Serpent: and therefore ea­sily now may you understand the supreame wise­dome of our Saviour's precept, Be yee wise as Ser­pents. Unto which wisedome whiles he exhorts us, behold him as a true instructer, beginning the Pra­ctice. A principall point of wisedome it is, to learne wisedome of our Enemy: and therefore a singular instruction is this, to teach us to overcome the Ser­pent by imitating the Serpent; to overthrow his cunning, by his own cunning. This is like the reme­dy found in the Serpent against his own poison; some Physitians esteeming it as a speciall cure against the biting of a Serpent, to put the intrailes of a Serpent into the wound. The poison likewise of the Viper, as some tell us, is helped by the liver of a viper. So the venome of the Scorpion in hot Coun­tries, where they are troublesome, is speedily cured [Page 168]by the oile of the Scorpion. Now this precept of our Saviour is such, as most will be ready to put in practice: in which that they may not erre, they must remember to take also the other part of the precept with them; least otherwise, whiles they think to become wise, they become guilty; like our first Parents in eating the forbidden fruite. It is ob­serv'd of he diversits of Physique, that Galen's is the safer, but slower in Operation: but that of Paracelsus, which deals much in Mineralls, is much more power­full, but more dangerous; so that the skill in the Para­celsian is, to know how exactly to allay his Physique, by a judicious preparation & due chastizing the viru­lency of the Ingredients. Now this precept of our Saviour is such Paracelsian Physique; the wisedome of the Serpent is a subtile Ingredient: and there­fore our Saviour as a true Artist does most wisely moderate it with the innocency of the Dove. Before therefore we see, how by example we should be as wise as Serpents, we will, as our Saviour does, joine also the other part of the precept; and first remem­ber you, that you must also be Harmelesse, as Doves. And harmeles; [...], Innocent, simple it is worth the observing, that the Roman Church, when it in­tends to Canonize any one for a Saint, cōmands that there be especiall inquiry made, whether the person to be canoniz'd were famous for Simplicity of Life; as Sylvester Prierus notes out of Innocentius, Hostiensis, & other Canonists, which Inquiry whether or no, it be made with as true Innocency, as the command pre­tends to seek, I need not Judge: but sure it is that [Page 169]the Inquiry is an eminent subtilty. Indeed simplicity is a vertue which so moderates the Actions of man, and so refines the affections of the soule; that S. Ambrose, not without a Sobriety of mind, aptly called it the sobriety of the mind. Nay, it so sublimes man and purifies him from wordly wisedeme, that the wise men of the world, as S. Cregory complaines, count this simplicity Folly; and by a licence of speech, commonly call one of small understanding, or, as they phrase it, a Foole, an Innocent. But this vertue is most intimately expressed by devout Climacus; who calls it a habit of the mind without variety. Without variety? what's that? Why when Beauty tempts the innocent man, it workes no variety in him; he remaines still Innocent. When envie tempts him to back-bite his brother, it workes no variety in him; he remaines still Innocent. When sloath tempts him to forsake the industry of his Devotion, it workes no variety in him: he remaines still Inno­cent. When injury tempts him to revenge, it works no variety in him; he remaines still innocent. Inno­cency was that which God commended in Job: that which our Saviour commended in Nathaniel: that which he commended to his Apostles: that which his Apostles commended to others. This our Savi­viour expressed in his own example; and him we should follow; Who did no sinne, neither was guile found in his mouth: who when he was reviled, reviled not againe: when he suffered, threatned not: but com­mitted himselfe to him that judges righteously (1 Pet. 2.22, 23.) Lastly, this our Saviour set forth unto us, [Page 170]in the perpetuall and visible example of the Dove. And surely the Dove is so harmelesse, that he may be tamed to the hand; and he will innocently trust himselfe to man, lesse innocent. Nay the wildest of them are so harmelesse, that they keep themselves, only at a defensive guard, and that not by resistance, but by flight. Away they flye, yet only to be out of the way, the way of danger. So harmelesse they are, that they are still ready to receive harme: whence the Hebrewes call to them [...] from [...] to oppresse, so easily they are made a prey, that make none. So Innocent they are, that they love the light; the top of the house is the witnesse of their Life. Thence, as Varro tells us, they were by the Latines called Columbae; from Culmina: being thus like Truth; which, as Tertullian says, is ashamed of nothing, but to be hidden. So Innocent they are, that they have no Gall; by a happy defect so exceeding Nature. So Innocent they are, that in the Leviticall Law, they were an acceptable Sacrisice at the purification of women ( Levit. 12.6, 8.) and so the blessed Vir­gins offering at her Purification. ( Luk, 2.24.) So In­nocent they are, that they Beauty of the Church, is compared to the eies of the Dove. Behold, thou art faire my Love, behold thou art faire; thou hast Doves eies ( Cant. 1.15.) So Innocent they are, that they ex­presse the innocency not only of the Church, but of God himselfe; the Holy Ghost assuming the shape of the Dove, when the divine, nature vouchsafed to descend into similitude. Lastly, so innocent they are, that their purity may be ghuessed at in the story of [Page 171]the Flood. The Raven it is said, being sent forth did not returne; but the Dove return'd. Why the Dove, and not the Raven? Wise direction has supposed the cause: the Raven, it is judg'd, sate upon some Carcasse, which he found floating: which the Dove does naturally abhorre. Thus may you clearely and quickly see the innocency of the Dove: but the wisedome of the Serpent, was not easily discovered. He is a subtile beast, and a labour it was to bring him from his lurking holes. But you must remember not only the Serpent, nor only the Dove; but the Ʋnion of their qualities. The Necessi­ty whereof, you may see: it is a precept; and there­fore a defect, not to have both; whence that is of S. Jerome; Non multum distat a vitio, vel decipere posse, vel decipi Christianum; To be able to deceive or be deceived was neare a frailty: and so S. Austin ventured to say, that these two, the Serpents wisedom and the Dove's Innocency, must be so united, ut unum sine aliero, aut parum aut nihil omnino proficiat; That the one excellency without the other, was of little excellency. Besides, we improve not the guift of Nature, if we imply not the sagacity which Na­ture often gives us. And therefore, said S. Ambrose, Because Simplicity without Wisedome seems to most men rather an Infirmity, then a Vertue, thou art here admonished, ut exequaris munus naturae; to imploy Natures Guift. Wisedome and Simplicity must be united, saies Prosper; that by our simplicity, we may not be able to circumvent others; and by our wisedome, others may not be able to circum­vent [Page 172]us. Let the Wisedome of the Serpent, say's S. Gregory, sharpen the simplicity of the Dove; and the simplicity of the Dove, temper the Wisedome of the Serpent: we must have Simplicity with our Wisedome, or els our wisedome is but deceite: and we must have wisedome with our simplicity; or els our simplicity will be but a dangerous ignorance: since without that, we shall not be able to judge of of the equity of our own Actions, as S. Ambrose say's. Lastly, by this union we shall perfectly distinguish ourselves from the wise men of this world: who (as Tertullian says) count us simple and not wise, be­cause we are wise and simple; quasi statim deficere cogatur a simplicitate sapientia; as if, saies he, wise­dome and simpiicity were inconsistent. Thus by our Union of these, we shall contradict the Rule of these wise Masters; and in some measure performe the Rule of our Master and Saviour. Difficult indeed it is, as S. Shrysostome implies, discoursing, upon that question of our Saviour, ( Mat. 24.45.) Who is a faithfull and wise servant? He proposes here, saies that Father, a rare matter, to find a man Faithfull and Wise. If saies he one would seek for a Faithfull Man, doubtlesse he might find many: if one would seek for a wise man, he might find many; but if he would seek for a man both Wise and Faithfull, such a one no doubt he could not easily find. Diffi­cult then this Union is; yet possible it is; Behold Moses saies S. Basil, Moses instructed in all the wise­dome of the Aegyptians, Moses honoured with the Discourse with God; this Innocent Moses was yet [Page 173]so wise, as to take the Counsaile of Jethro, to make inferiour Rulers over the people. Thus indeed was his wisedome the More, whiles his care the Lesse. S. Chrysostome yet exactly advances the Meditation: We admire not, saies he so much the wisedome of Jethro, that would advise Moses, as the innocent wisedome of Moses; who though he was so admi­rable for counsaile; though he was the Prince of the People; though he was the friend of God; yet humbly despised not to be advised by rude Jethro. But if you would see an absolute example, and nea­rer to the sense of this exhortation; which is an in­nocent wisedome in scaping the danger of men wicked and subtile; behold our Saviour's carryage among Scribes and Pharisees: behold his Escapes, his Questions, his Answers, full of Divine wisedome: with which, though his Enemies would not be satis­fied, they could not choose but be amazed. Yet if this degree of wisedome be above imitation, and seem as well to check, as to promote indeavour: propose to your selves the wisedome of S. Paul; it is a high, and yet a lower wisedome. See his wisedome ( Act. 16.) in the circumcision of Timothy; who was the Sonne of a converted Jewesse, but his Father was a Grecian. Certaine Pharisies, but converted at Lystra; where the businesse was insisting upon the necessity of Circumcision unto Salvation, raised such a trouble in those quarters, in the beginning of the Church, that Paul being willing to have Timothy with him in his travailes, upon a worthy report of him in the Church, did Circumcise him; least the Jews [Page 174]should disdaine him as a prophane person. Now if we consider the Action, Circumcision being a Sacra­ment of the Law, it was a [...] the death of our Saviour, abolish'd, as S. Paul well knew: yet here it was us'd unto Timothy. U [...]'d indeed it was for once, in such danger of the peace of the Church: there was the wisedome of the Serpent; and afterwards (as appears Act. 21.) an other Legall rite was for a time permit­ted; and S. Paul himselfe was purified, with others to avoide the great danger in giving a scandall to the Iews; yet that himself might not be a scandall to the Church, he took occasion, writing to the Galatians (ch. 5.2.) to teach the necessity of Abolishing Cir­cumcision; since otherwise Christ should profit them nothing. Here was the Innocency of the Dove. He saw indeed, that the Iewes, if Timothy were not cir­cumcised, would suspect him as an adversary to cir­cumcision, and so they might recede from the Chri­stian Profession; unto the Iewes therefore he be­came a Iew, that he might winne the Iewes. But though he circumcised Timothy in this exigency, he Circumcised not Titus, whose Parents were both Gentiles; least from him the Gentiles might take up the Practice of Circumcision. Some Legall rites were also permitted to the Iewes till the Destruction of the Temple; that so by degrees the Synagogue might be buryed with honour; not like the Heathen worship, which was presently to be destroyed; but as a worship once of God's Institution for his own People the Iews for a time. This was again the wise­dome of the Serpent, & the innocency of the Dove. [Page 175]See the same S. Paul ( Act. 23.) pleading for himselfe before the Councell: where finding the multitude divided in Opinions, he divides them farther in their Affections. The Saducie was an enemie to the Re­surrection; the Pharisie a friends to it: immediate­ly he makes the Pharisie his friend by his Profession of his beliefe; and so an Enimy to his Enimy the Saducie. By this wisedome he scap'd halfe the danger; and by the tumult of his enemies and the Souldier an enemie to all tumults of the Iews, he did at that time scape all the danger. Here was the Wisedome of the Serpent, and the Innocency of the Dove. See the same S. Paul pleading at Caesarea be­fore Festus ( Act. 25.) where the Jewes failing to prove their accusations, and Festus yet asking him, if he would be tryed at Ierusalem; he declin'd the tryall, in which most probably Number and Malice might overcome him; and thus at least delaid dan­ger, whiles Appealing to Caesar, for the present he preserved both Life and Hope. Here was the wise­dome of the Serpent, and the innocency of the Dove. When also the next day King Agrippa and Festus heard him, he call'd Agrippa by his title of Majestie: professed his own happinesse to have such a Judge; chiefely one so skillfull in all Customes and Questions among the Iewes. He omitted no­thing that might advantage his Cause: worne the King by praysing him: praised him for a good natur'd man; for a Learned Judge; for an up­right Judge; by an Applause able to please Ap­petite, and Overcome Prejudice: and this was the [Page 176]wisedome of the Serpent. But some will ask here for the Innocency of the Dove: for seems not this a little smother than truth? Let Iosephus a Iew, a Priest, a Leaned Historian instruct us; & he will preserve us from Suspicion and Errour: and he will tell us so much in the praise of this man. Agrippa, the great grand-child of Herod the great, that S. Paul may ra­ther seem the Historian; and the Historian a Poet: and thus ye see the Innocency of the Dove. If you observe likewise S. Paul's answer to Festus, who at the same time told him, that much Learning had made him madde; you shall find his Answer to be his defence: I am not madde, saies he, O noble Festus, but speak forth the words of Truth & Sober­ness; and here was his wisedome. Being also revil'd, he revil'd not again; but denyed the accusation of madnesse; and prov'd his denyall by the sobriety of his deniall. Nor was it only Sober, but also Modest; calling him Noble, that call'd him Madman: and whiles he gave him but his due title, you see his In­nocency. So once more yet this great Apostle, writing to the Hebrews, an Epistle, which some have too bold­ly denyed to be God's Word; which others have too hastily deny'd to be S. Paul's worke; being unlike the rest of his works in stile & title: Yet if we consult with the great Critique of the Primitive times, S. Ierom; he will tel us the Apostle writ in Hebrew as to the He­brewes, omitting his name, being looked upon by by the Iews, as an Adversary to the Mosaicall Rites. But the more ancient and greatest Antiquary of the first Christian times, Eusebius, will farther informe us, [Page 177]that S. Paul having written it in Hebrew, S. Luke render'd it in Greek, as the stile in this and S. Luke's writings may perswade. I need not mention an Hebrew copie of this Epistle, publish'd by Munster, having not authority to advance it above a transla­tion; the Greek being our Canon. And as for the o­mission of his Title, which here might have been expected, Paul an Apostle to the Hebrews; it is judg'd not only by Eusebius, but before him, as he acknow­ledges, by the learned Clemens the Alexandrian, to have been, not only to decline the prejudice of the Iews, but also not to seem to intrude into an office which he seems not to claim; he being indeed the A­postle of the Gentiles; but even Christ himself being the Apostle to the Hebrews, and expressly call'd the Apostle and High Priest of our profession Christ Iesus, ( Hebr. 3.1.) And surely, though the Benefit of his Office concerned all Nations, his Imployment in it was only among the Hebrews. In all which you may see in this great Polititian S. Paul, both the Wise­dome of the Serpent, in concealing his Name; and the Innocency of the Dove, in his Love, by Instru­ction, unto all men. What need we then seek dan­gerours matters, such as a Florentine Discourser? Who writ he but as a Satyrist, and rather what some too neare him, did; then what others should doe; has yet so much of the Serpent, that he has scarce any of the Dove. A Boccaline, that with the Wisedome of the serpent would subvert Oecumenicall Ambition, is a better serpent, than a Campanella, that would promote it. Shall the serpent then have so subtil an [Page 178]Eie; and shall we mistake every Phansie for a Truth? If a Posa would corrupt Religion; shall there want a Vargas, to discover him? shall the ser­pent have so subtil an Eare; and shall we fondly listen to every new Charmer? shall the serpent have such subtill teeth; and shall ours be set on edge on­ly to our own overthrow? shall his Hornes, as some kind of serpent has, be so subtill, to get a prey; and shall our strength want subtilty to save us from be­ing made a prey? shall his wings (for some kind of serpent does not only creep) be more speedy to doe mischiefe, than our wisedome, in saving us from it? shall he change his skinne and renew strength; and shall not we renew our Lives, by changing them? shall his Appetite take all advantage from his Ene­mie; and shall ours increase our spirituall Enemies, against our selves? shall he drive away other ser­pents from him; and shall we intertaine them in the Bosome? imbracing Heresie and Vice to our own Destruction? shall his Voice be able to master Man, that had Righteousnesse by Creation; and shall not we be able to master the serpent, that have a double Righteousnesse, of Sanctification by Christ's Grace; and of Justification by his Merits? Briefely, skall his whole Body be so subtile, as to defend his Head; & shall not we with all our power, defend the Godhead of our Saviour against the execrable Socini­an [...], & our holy Faith in Christ our Head? And shall not the Innocency also of the Dove advantage our Innocency? He loves the Light; and shall we love the workes of Darknesse? shall he be ready to be [Page 179]Oppressed; and shall we be too ready to Oppresse? shall he be without Gall; and shall we be full of Malice? Were they a sacrifice to God; and shall we be lesse acceptable? Were they a Resemblance of the Church; nay, of God; and shall we have nei­ther the likenesse of either of them, nor the blessing? O let us strive then to imitate the Innocency of the Dove, and Exceed it. Would we be Heirs of the Kingdome of God? we must become as little Chil­dren: they crie not for the want of Wealth, nor for the losse of it: they doate not on Beauty; no, not on their own: subject they are to sicknesse, yet not to malice; as if they were more free from sinne, then from Disease: they raise not themselves to Ambition; it is above the reach of the Mother's Breast. Such things then let us doe by the simplicity of Grace, as they doe by simplicity of Nature. Let us call to mind the first Christians; how the unity of their Faith produced even a Community of their Goods: a rare victory of Grace upon Nature! By the blessing of Love they were above the blessing of Propriety; shewing the Bounty of the Gospell to excell the Thrift of Law-Let us call to mind, how they improved their Enemies into friends; making them by forgivenesse, their Helps to Heaven. Let us call to mind, that their sufferings were their Con­quests; and Death the beginning of Life Eternall. O grant us then wisedome, sweet Iesu, thou that art the Wisedome of the Father: and grant us In­nocency, O blessed Spirit, that did'st vouchsafe to appeare like a Dove, that we becomeing like [Page 180]the Dove, may become like Thee: that by descen­ding to us Here, we may Hereafter by the wings of the true Dove, Innocency and Miracle, Ascend to Thee; the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, to whom be ascribed Mercy and Wisedome and Holinesse, for evermore.

THAT Likenesse which we may see produced by In­feriour Causes in their Effects, is but an Imita­tion of the supreame Cause, God Himselfe: who is so naturally good, that whatsoever he maks must needs beare some Image of that Good­nesse. Thus when he made man, he bestow'd upon him among many other, two chiefe Perfections; a Holinesse of Soule, and a kind of Absolutensse of Body; whiles a body that needed not a reference to Apparell. But when man fell, he fell from this [Page 184]double perfection, and at once became sinfull and Naked. So that we may say, he was not, as now, unhappily naked, when first he had no Cloaths, but when first he wanted them: and he stood not in need of a Covering for his Body, till he stood in need of a Covering for his sinne. Which when God, natu­rally good, beheld, and saw the new dissimilitude be­tween Himselfe and his Creature; moov'd by his own goodnesse he intends a reparation of his Crea­ture. And since this dissimilitude, to speake in part figuratively, consisted in a Nakednesse of Soule and Body, it pleased him to provide for both, a Co­vering. And this he did with such wisedome of Mercy, that he made the Covering of his Body, a figure of the Covering of his Soule: and to teach our Understanding by our Sense, sometimes he calls our Righteousnesse a Robe: which as the Apostle here tells us, every true Receiver puts on in the Sa­crament of Baptisme; As many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Which words duely considered, may instruct us in the Nature of this Sacrament, and the Extent of it. As man is Gods workmanship, and so should be his Image; so, as God is pure, should man be pure; and there­fore being defil'd by sinne, he should be now puri­fied. Thus though with the Leviticall Leper, he may crie uncleane, uncleane; yet should he also crie with the great and happy sinner, wash me and I shall be whiter than Snow. That indeed has a right clea­nesse; the purity of Snow being not only purity, but also Coolenesse; a figure of the pure Coolenesse [Page 185]of the impure heates of Lust. Which purity was sha­dowed out unto the Iew, in his frequent washings: whence the greatest pretenders of Sanctity among the Jews, were the greatest Washers. The Pharisie was a man of a cleare Hand and Cuppe, and there­fore thought himselfe also of a pure lippe; in which opinion, though he mistook his Outside for his In­side, yet he acknowledged a washing necessary. Even Pilate, that had his hand in blood, would yet also have his hand in water; and though that Blood be counted a cleanser, thought Innocent blood the greatest staine; and that water would at least pre­tend his Innocency, if not procure it. But alas had he understood the right Baptisme, he would with S. Peters resolution, have desired not only the wa­shing of the Hand, but also of the Head & the whole body. Now under this figure, as the Iew had been taught, so was the Christian to be taught. To the devoutest Iew, Washing was but a Figure: to the Devoutest Christian it is not only a shadow of Grace, but also the companion of it: and there­fore it was not Ceremonie but Charitie in S. Peter ( Act. 2.) to exhort his Converts to be Baptized. To understand the Name, and so the better the nature of Baptisme, it is from [...], properly to Dippe, consequently to wash. Hence were the Pharisies, by Iustin Martyr, called [...], baptists, because of their frequent washings; which S. Marke also mentioned (c. 7.4.) calling their washings of their cups, [...] So the Latin Interpreter frequently renders it; as in S. Marke, (c. 7.) — & a foro nisi baptizen­tur, [Page 186]non comedunt; as likewise in S. Luke (ch. 11.38.) the Pharisie began to say, Quare non baptizatus esset ante prandium: the use being then to wash their hands and vessels, before they did eate; which appeares ( Luk. 2.) to have been the Cause in Pro­viding the many water pots at the Mariage of Cana, according to the manner of the purifying of the Iews. The word was afterward receiv'd into a Sa­cred use. In which sense also there are diversities of baptisme; a baptisme there is of water, but it is of Teares, the baptisme of Repentance; with which that woman, as some think, was baptized, that with her teares wash'd our Saviour's feet. There is a bap­tisme of Affliction, the baptisme of Martyrdome; the baptisme of blood, as the Ancients call'd it: of which our Saviour speaks, ( Mat. 20.22.) can you be baptised with the baptisme, that I am baptised? There is a baptisme of Fire; that is, of the Spirit; a powring out of the guifts of the Holy Ghost: which sometimes is given before the baptisme of Water; as appeares in the story of Cornelius; where the hea­rers of the Word receiv'd the Holy Ghost, Act. 10.44. and afterwards were baptised. v. 48. There is a Baptisme also of the Flood, as it is term'd; a bap­tisme of water; the Ordinary Sacrament; which may be called also the baptisme of Blood; since the power of it depends upon Christ's blood (1 Ioh. 1.7.) The blood of Christ washes us from all sinne. It may be call'd also the baptisme of Fire; since Christ's blood is apply'd to us through Faith, by the Holy Ghost. Thus the inward baptisme is of the Spirit, [Page 187]as the outward is of the Water. Which last of Water & the Spirit, was before hand pointed out by many Types; Foreshew'd it was in the Flood, that drown'd the World, & preserv'd Noah. 1 Pet. 3.21. Foreshew'd it was in the passage through the Red Sea, in which Pharoah was drown'd, and the Israelites Saved: (1 Cor. 10.6.) thus in this Baptisme is sinne drow'd, and the soule preserved. Foreshew'd it was in the Iraelites dwelling under the Cloud (1 Cor. 10.2.) such protection there is to the true Receiver from the water of Baptisme. Foreshew'd it was in the Leviticall Washings; as the Apostle observes Heb. 9.10. By all which types, besides the expresse Insti­tution of our Saviour, we may see the Element in which this Sacrament is to be performed, is Water. Perversely then did those, which S. Austin speakes of, baptize in Fire; literally taking, and so mista­king, that, ( Mat. 3.11.) He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire. More subtilly also than soundly, doe some Schoolemen question, If the Element of Water, as in case of necessity, may not be had, whether or no it may not be supplyed, by Wine or Vinegar or Sand; so vaine are man's Ima­ginations without God? when in Divine matters Phansie shall be presciption! where the Element is deny'd, the Sacrament is deny'd; though not al­waies the blessing of the Sacrament. Presumptuous­ly likewise do the Aethiopians first baptize with Water, then with Fire. It is an unreasonable practice; yet were it lesse fond, if it were senselesse too: but they deliver this Sacrament of the Gospell, as the [Page 188]Law was delivered with fire: when as the pra­ctice in this Sacrament should be continued, as it begunne, in water, only in water. What wisedome is it then to put Salt into the mouth of the Infant; though to figure out the salt of wisedome, by which he must be cleansed from the putrifaction of sinne? what wisedome to touch with spittle the Eare, though to instruct us, that they must be open to instruction? what wisedome to use Milke and Hony, though they shaddow-out his claime to the Substance and Possession of the truest Canaan, which so excells the first, that excell'd with these blessings? what wisedome to adde Oile for the annointing of the Brow, the Brest, the Shoulders; though to im­plye the baptised must be thence forth a Champion of Christ? what wisedome to bring a burning Ta­por, to helpe the Baptized to see, that he is transla­ted from the Kingdome of Darknesse to Light? what wisedome to use Exsufflation, a puffing into the face of the Child, though used sometime in ancient time; yet not by the Priest, but the per­son to be baptised, to shew how he defied Satan & his works, as Tertullian tells us. What wisedome then shall we say this is? surely this is humane wise­dome, and at best but Ceremoniall wisedome. None of these things, 'tis true, are in themselves evill; and some we grant were anciently in use; and all signi­ficant. Yet lookes not such a traine of Ceremonies more like the Pompe, we should renounce, than professe? We must remember what God injoynes us to remember ( Deut. 12.32.) What thing soever I [Page 189]command you, observe to doe it; thou shalt not adde thereto, nor diminish from it. Wisedome it is and Modesty, not to strive to be wiser then our Saviour. Divine institution needs not Humane Addition; Tradition quickly corrupting into Superstition. Ezekiah brake the brasen Serpent, though made my Moses, when once the people began to worship it: when the brasen Serpent began to doe more hurt, than in Moses his time the fiery Serpents did; though this were raised as a remedy against them. They in­deed kill'd but the body: but this the Soule; nay, this did now kill the Soule, which at the first heal'd the Body. There is only one signe, the memoriall of our Saviours Death, which has longest lasted: not as essentiall to this Sacrament, much lesse for Adoration, but for Commemoration; the signe of an extended body, from which it first receiv'd its forme; worne once in the Banner of the Great Con­stantine, attended with a great victory over the Enemies of Christ: yet this also according to the late and diverse Judgements of divers Churches, has been esteemed, or Disus'd. But the Element in this Sacrament is only water: an Element out of which some ancient Philosophers held all things were made: but surely by Water and the Spirit man is new made. From which new life in water to the true receiver, Tertullian call'd Christians, Pisciculos; Fishes; agreeable also to the Sibyls ver­ses; wherein the Initiall letters of this title of our Saviour, [...], (Jesus Christ, Gods Sonne the Saviour) make in the Greek [...], a Fish; [Page 190]as S. Austin, Prosper, and before them, Optatus have it. water also Cleanses, makes Fruitfull, allays the Thrist: thus does God's spirit allay our immode­rate thirst after earthly affaires. And as we thus see the Element, so may we see the use of it in the man­ner of the Action. Anciently the Baptized had his whole body covered in the water: this was Demer­sion; for the conveniency whereof they were usu­ally baptized in Rivers, or Fountaines; as after­wards in every Church a large vessell was provided, called [...], from the Amplitude of it; the word signifying ( Ioh. 5.2.) a poole; from [...], to swimme. In after times the custome was only to Dippe the person lightly in the water. According to which Rite, when in S. Matthew 28.19. it is said Teach all nations baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost; the word being there [...]; S. Cyprian, in an Epi­stle to Celsus, renders it by Tingentes, Dipping them; Tertullian also before him, using the same word. In which dipping, the delay under the water signified the Mortification of sinne: as the comming out of the water expressed a reviving to newnesse of life. Besides in this manner of baptizing, the Infant was sometimes dipt but once; to signifie one God, and one Death of Christ: sometimes thrise, to ex­presse the Trinity of the Persons, into which he was baptised, and the three days that our Saviour was dead. At last in the westerne Church, about the times of S. Gregory the Greate, a thousand yeares since, came in the frequent use of Aspersion, or [Page 191] Sprinkling; upon the consideration, that the vertue of Baptisme consisted not in the plenty of the Wa­ter. Which Rite was also, though not frequently, in the time of the Apostles; as is conjectured from Act. 2.41. where mention is made of the Baptisme of about three thousand in a day: which may seem to have been thus performed for expedition. Which manner of baptizing was also defended by S. Ciprian, about foure hundred yeares, before it came into common practice. Indeed, it aptly agrees with the word in S. Peter (1 Ep. 1.2.) [...], the Sprinkling of the blood of Christ; which was sha­dow'd out in the Law, ( Hebr. 9.13.) Which figure of Sprinkling with our Saviour's blood, may helpe us the better to understand the Nature of Baptisme; which is here said to be into Christ. And surely then we may see the Nature of it in the Necessity of it; as the necessity in the Command ( Act. 2.38.) Be bap­tized every one of you. This is indeed the Apostles Washing of Regeneration ( Tit. 3.5.) the true Recei­ver being in this Sacrament as truely washed in soule as in body; not that Regeneration is a wash­ing, but as a washing. Baptisme to the right Recei­ver, is the powerfull instrument of Salvation; the Morall instrument, not the Naturall; since what is meerly Naturall cannot produce what is Superna­turall. It is to all a signe of outward communion; it is to the best of all a signe of Inward also: to those it is an entrance into the visible Church; to these into the Invisible also. No man can enter into the Kingdome of Heaven unlesse he be borne againe [Page 192]of water and the Spirit, ( Ioh. 3.5.) Necessarily of the Spirit, lesse necessarily of the Water also: the spirit not depending upon the water; the water necessa­rily depending upon the Spirit. The want of Bap­tisine Excludes not from Heaven: the contempt excludes: the want of Circumcision in the wilder­nesse, did not exclude the Infant-Israelite from the Israel of God; but being the Child of Godly pa­rents, he was reputed the Child of God. Nor yet does this make void the value of Baptisme: It is the Instrument of Salvation, though not the only, not the absolute instrument: it is the Ordinary Instru­ment. Preaching of the Gospell is the power of God unto Salvation ( Rom. 1.16.) though the dying Infant of righteous Parents, is admitted to Salvation with­out this Instrument of Salvation; God shewing the difference of his power, in the difference of age. Some receive water and Grace; those are right receivers: some water and not Grace; these are wrong recei­vers: some receive Grace and not water; these though not receivers, are as happy, as receivers. To the right receiver Baptisme is not only a signe of cleansing, but a cleansing: but the wrong receiver is but a Blackmore, whom Baptisme doth rather wash, than whiten. It is the saying of S. Austin, Sacramenta in solis electis efficiunt, quod figurant. To these, the Elect, it is both a signe and a Seale of Remission of sinnes. To these Grace is given sometimes before Baptisme, sometimes in it. To these, Grace is augmented either in Baptisme or after it. To these it is the key that gives possession of the House, their [Page 193]Heavenly Mansion. To these it is the turfe that gives possession of the Land, the land of Inheritance, the true Canaan. To these it is the pure water, the figur'd, the blood of Christ ( Heb. 10.23.) Yea it is rather vertually this blood, than that water; a blood, that purifies all but those that are guil­ty of it. Thus all that are inwardly baptized, are baptized into Christ; though never any were bap­tized by Him; as S. John testifies (ch. 4.2.) so that for a table, not a story we may take that in Nicepho­rus (lib. 2. c. 3.) when he cites Evodius, Bishop of Antiochia, affirming, that our Saviour baptized S. Peter. The worke is ancient enough: but the corruption is like the publishing of the work, New enough and lookes more like the Art of a Correcter, then the integrity of an Author; since, when our was reported to the Pharisies, it is also added, that it was by his Disciples; Ioh. 4.12. but their baptisme was into Christ. But Into Christ? what is that? [...]. He that receives a Prophet, says our Saviour, ( Mat. 10.41.) in the name of a Phrophet. Shall it here sound so? He that has been baptised in the Name of Christ; that is, with Invocation of his name? and of the other persons in the Trinity? Indeed that is commanded in Baptisme ( Mat. 28.19.) But every one that is so baptized, puts not on Christ. Into Christ? Is it into the Profession of Christ? but many that professe him, put him not on; they but professe him. Into Christ? It is into the Doctrine of Christ? but many, too many, that have been Bap­tised [Page 194]into Christ's doctrine, have not conformity to such Doctrine. Yet is it into the Doctrine of Christ? S. Paul finding at Ephesus certain Disciples, (new converts) ask'd them, if they had receiv'd the Holy Ghost: and they answering that they had not heard of a Holy Ghost, he asked them then, unto what they had been baptized: and they re­plyed, unto John's baptisme [...], Into Iohn's baptisme; that is, into the Doctrine, which he preach'd, and seal'd with baptisme. Into Iohn's Baptisme; not into Iohn, but By him; he be­ing the first that effectually baptized, as afterwards other ministers, into Christ. Yet was Iohn's bap­tisme into Christ, where it was attended with due forme, and then necessarily with due knowledge and Sanctity? it was into Christ. But may it not seem to have been always without the Holy Ghost? is it not his own testimony, Mat. 3.11. I baptize you with water but he that comes after me shall bap­tize you with the Holy Ghost? Truth it is: yet not that none of them, which were baptised by him, were baptised also by the Holy Ghost; but such baptising was not properly by Iohn, but by the power of Christ working with him. The outward ministry of Iohn could apply the outward element; but it was the inward ministry of Christ, that ap­plyed the Holy, Ghost. Besides, Iohn did new bap­tize them with water: but that time should come, when the Comforter should come. And it specially alludes to the wonder at Pentecost, when our Savi­our baptised them Not with water; but only with [Page 195]the Holy Ghost and with fire, the fiery tongues. But why then did S. Paul. (Act. 19.4, 5.) baptize those disciples, that were said to have been baptized into Iohn's Baptisme? Many are the Answers: S. Ambrose his may satisfie. Those converts thought they had been rightly baptised: but so it was not: they had not heard of the Holy Ghost. Besides, it is said that they were Now baptized in the name of Iesus; im­plying that they were not so before: so that in truth and effect, they were not baptized before. To be baptized then Into Christ, what is it? Is it not a Profession of his Doctrine, and a promise of an Imitation of his Holinesse? It is, but more than a promise it is; it is an Imitation of his Holinesse, in a Conformity of Life with Christ. It is to be baptized in­to the Death of Christ; as S. Paul speakes ( Rom. 6. 3, 4.) that as our Saviour was raised to a new life, so we to a newnesse of life. We are by his death made partakers of the merits of his death. To be baptised then into Christ, is to be Sanctified; to put on Christ, so by an inward baptisme, whiles we are covered with his Garment, we shall also become a part of his Mystical Body. Which sanctified estate some thinking to be attained, only by baptisme, even outward bap­tisme, would bring in an Absolute and Indispensa­ble necessity of it unto Salvation. This perswasion occationed that custome with some even in the pri­mitive times, to baptize men after they were dead, if they dyed without baptisme; as appeares by the third Council of Carthage (Can. 6.) by which it was forbidden. This occasioned also almost a like [Page 196]custome among the Marcionites: who as Tertullian relates it, in case that one dyed without baptisme, some alive was baptized for him. The like some tell us of the Iewes; that if one of them dyed without expiation according to the Law, Numb. 19.12. Some of his kindred were purged for him. But know we may, and to our comfort, that baptisme, though so excellent and necessary in respect of God's com­mand, if it may be had; is not absolutely necessary in respect of Salvation; since this may be obtain'd though not ordinarily, without baptisme. Els should we be injurious to God himselfe; and bind his mercy absolutely to outward means. We should as some, of more Opinion than Wisedome, pre­sumptuously and unmercifully esteem all Infants damned, that die unbaptized. We should pronounce the like also of all such Infants as dyed before Cir­cumcision. Which is so odious, that the great Master of Theologicall Determinations, Peter Lombard, would in part help it by an over free conjecture, thinking that in case of necessity, they anciently circumcised the Child before the eighth day. But this defence will not defend it selfe; the Masters of Jewish rites telling us, that it might not be perfor­med before that day. Besides, what should we say then to all those, that for forty yeares dyed in the wildernesse without Circumcision? or all those In­fants in the primitive times that died before baptisme: which as Tertullian tells us, for his time, was usually celebrated but at Easter and Whitson­tide? And though we may grant exceptions in [Page 197]those first times in case of Necessity; yet many doubtlesse dyed without baptisme. And yet this custome continued in the Church eight hundred yeares, even to the time of Charles the Great; as appeares by Lawes made at that time about this Rite. Which has been long continued since in some degree in Rome itselfe, as the pascall Ceremonies of that place imply, there being in the Laterane Church Constantines Font, as they call it, preserv'd for the yearly baptizing at those seasons such Jews, or other Unbelievers, as are converted to the Chri­stian Faith. In such cases then as before mentioned, more charitably it is determined, as among others eminently by Aquinas, that Infants then have bap­tismum flaminis, etsi non fluminis; the baptisme of the Spirit, though not of water. Not the want, but Contempt or Neglect of the Holy ordinance, hurts. He that is not Circumcised shall be cut off from the people of God. Gen. 17.14. It is understood of those chiefely, that were of age; and so, in effect, it was, he that Will not be Circumcised. Thus, he that is not borne of water & the holy Spirit, shall not enter into the Kingdome of God; that is, if he may have the water of Baptisme, and will not. The Thiefe upon the Crosse was not baptiz'd, and yet he was Saved. Nay, we have no expresse testimonie, that the Baptist was baptiz'd: though he sayes in­deed unto our Saviour, that he had need to be bap­tised of our Saviour: and yet we know the Baptist was sanctifyed in the wombe; though some think that he baptiz'd himselfe; for so we know that [Page 198] Abraham Circumcised himselfe; and the Minister in the Holy Communion administers bread and wine unto Himselfe. Yet as some may be sanctifyed, which were never baptised, so on the contrary, not all that are baptized, are sanctifyed. Grace is not necessarily annexed to outward Baptisme; Simon Magus had baptisme Act. 8.13. yet without Grace v. 21. Els we should make Simon, and Judas the Iscariot Saints; since Grace is an Immortall seed; by which they that have it shall live for ever; and as that which, was once a member of a Naturall body shall at last rise againe a member of the body: so who by Grace is once a member of the Mysticall body, where of Christ is the Head, shall at last arise a true member of the Mysticall body. Grace then is not Physically annexed to baptisme; the element it selfe being not capable of it, that so it might impart it. God only with the water at the libertie of his favour gives Grace. S. Austin is cleare in the appro­bation of this high truth ( Lib. 6. contra Donatistas. cap. 24.) some says he put on Christ usque ad vitae sanctificationem, some only usque ad Sacramenti pre­ceptionem: this says he, is common to the good and evill; that is proper only to the Good. Some then according to his judgement put on Christ to San­ctification (which only indeed is worthy of the bhrase, to put on Christ.) Some only Sacramentally, by an outward Profession: which passage of S. Au­stin the master of the sentences, not only alleadges, but approves. And surely S. Paul himselfe teaches us this distinction ( Rom. 2.29.) saying that there is a [Page 199]Circumcision in the Letter, and in the Spirit? And with a like Reason may we not say, there is a bap­tisme in the Letter, and in the Spirit? As certainly then, as we are to Reverence the Sacraments, as God's Institution, so not to Adore them. No lesse offence then it were for us to adore the water in the one Sacrament; than it is for others to adore the bread in the other Sacrament. But here some may aske, why the Apostle compares our Baptisme into Christ, to the putting on of a garment; in answer to which demand may appeare his wisedome, in draw­ing his expression from a custome in those times in baptisme. For when the person baptized came out of the water, he was cloathed with a white raiment; to which the Apostle alludes. And as Col. 3.9. he speakes of putting off the old man, thereby signi­fying the Mortification of sinne: so by putting on the new man and the white garment, he intends our reviving unto holinesse. Nor is the comparison only true, but fit; garments serving not only for necessity, but also ornament; as a sanctifyed life implies not only a heate of Grace; but also a cove­ring of the unseemlinesse of sinne. And as reason prompts us to keep the Garment: so does Grace to to keep our Conversation undefiled. The garment that Adam made for himselfe was but of fig-leaves; but that of skinnes, which sufficiently covered his nakednesse was provided by God: thus the best covering that we our selves can provide for our sinnes, is but the fig-leaves of excuse; but that suffi­cient covering, which God provides for us, is the [Page 200]precious roabe of Christian righteousnesse. Which though it be sometimes like that, wherewith Herod cloathed and derided our Saviour, exposing the Christian to the floute of a Herod; yet is it indeed, like the glorious apparell of the Kings daughter ( Psal. 45.13.) whose cloathing was of wrought Gold; so glorious is the righteous man in the eyes of God, and of Righteous men. But most like it is to Christ's own garment, a seamelesse coate; so without division are the truely righteous; those that have unfeignedly put on Christ. This is the Nature of inward baptisme: see the Extent; As many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Mercy is Gods propertie: Charity must be the Christian's; by this we must judge the Chil­dren of Christians, Christians they may be within the Covenant; and may they not then be within the signe of the Covenant? Before the Gospell children were partakers of Circumcision; when they understood not Circumcision: and may they not under the Gospell be partakers of baptisme, though they understand not baptisme? Were not all the Israelites baptized in the Red Sea? (1 Cor. 10.12.) and were not the Infants a part of Israel? Did not S. Paul baptize whole housholds? ( Act. 16.15. and 18.8.) and were not the Infants part of the Houshold? And has not the practice of the Church been such from the first times of the Church? and te­stifyed to be such, by the Monuments of the Church? which to aleadge were of more trouble than necessi­ty, especially to them that esteem not authority; [Page 201]yet may we take notice of one instead of all; and it is S. Austin's: who writing against the Pelagians ( De Peccatorum Meritis & Remissione. l. 1. c. 26.) says, That they must not deny the baptisme of Children, they clearely seeing that to be, to oppose the Uni­versall Church. Yet some would exclude all chil­dren from this Sacrament; when as some of them are Elect, and of such certainly is the Kingdome of God, & shall such by scruple be excluded from the Sa­crament, that signes unto such the Hope of that King­dome? But why, say some, should they not then be as well admitted to the Supper of the Lord? But such may consider, that the Lord's Supper is strong meat; Spirituall food, that requires an able wisdome in the preparation & digestion, & so fit for Men; & so ac­cordingly ministred as for Men, in Bread and Wine; not as for Children, in Milk: though in this it might have serv'd both for Men and Children; if this had been our Saviour's will. But Baptisme is not Food, but to the right receiver a new Birth, and so pro­perly belongs to Children; or, though to others of riper years, yet but new converts, and so but babes in. Christ. But some would have none to have thus much hope of Heaven, till all most halfe man's age were spent: so that no Man should have a hope of Everlasting life, if he had not here an indifferent long life. But, say some, an Infant is but Naturall; and so, without faith, unfit for a Sacrament, which has made some beleeve, that an Infant can actually beleeve; instancing in the Baptist; who at the news [Page 202]of our Saviour sprung in the Wombe; and so affirme him, then to have had a knowledge of our Saviour; but this Assertion is rather beleife, than knowledge. That exultation in the wombe was in the Infant an Act of Gods power, not of his grace; which is all­ways with knowledge: which in a body by nature not fitted, is to suppose grace to work not only a­bove nature, which it allways does; but also with­out nature, which it does not, being allways im­ploy'd in nature; and so no act of knowledge can bee perform'd without nature. But how farre forth an Infant may be Spirituall, wee may in some degree understand, by understanding how farre forth he may be Naturall: for unto all acts of naturall know­ledge he is not fit. The nature of faith then in an Infant, supposed to be Sanctified, may bee under­stood by the nature of reason in him. Now in an In­fant there is a Power (or faculty) of reasoning: in riper age the Act of Reasoning; as lastly by many acts an acquir'd Habit of Reasoning: where we may farther acknowledge the Act to be in Man only when awake; but the habit to bee in him, though he sleeps. Since Sanctification then can not bee with­out Faith, nor Faith without Reason; and that the Act of Reason is not in an Infant; the Act of Faith is not in him. Yet since he may be Sanctified, and so have Faith, the Power and Habit of Faith (infused abilities) he may have: which declares not it selfe in Spirituall Acts, till Nature, till Reason, which is subservient to it, declares it selfe in naturall Acts. Since then an Infant may be thus Spirituall, shall any [Page 203]Man looke on him, as on that which is meerly na­turall; when as the Judgment of his charitie should look upon it with Hope? shall he look upon an object of charitie, without charitie? Besides, to ex­clude Infants from Baptisme, what is it but to leave the Children of Christians, without the Holy signe of Distinction from the Children of Infidels? Our Saviour taught a sweeter intertainment of them, when he tooke them into his armes, armes certain­ly of Mercy, whiles of the God of Mercy: and was offended with such as were offended at Children. Indeed can they be innocent that are offended with Innocents? He shewed likewise in the Practice of his first Church, the Solemnitie of this Sacrament, in respect of such, as were of Age; anciently such converts being against the seasons of Baptizing, carefully instructed; whence they were called Catechumeni; as also Audientes the Hearers, and frequently by S. Ambrose and S. Austin, Competentes, though somewhat differently from the usuall ac­ception of the word; it signifying here not an op­position, but a fellowship in their suite. From the event whereof, those that had successe, are by S. Gre­gory called, Electi; they being chosen unto Bap­tisme by Scrutinie. And there were made before baptisme, sixe such scrutinies in the time of Lent; and a seaventh on Easter-eve; thus to discerne, if the persons to be Baptized, would, after the renoun­cing of Sathan, seriously continue in their dedication to God. The Persons to be Baptized did use also to bring their names, the men standing on the right [Page 204]hand; the women on the Left. In the time of the Elibertine Council (as appeares. Can. 48.) the feet of the persons to be baptized, were wash'd; and for Infants that were to be baptized; it was a custome in the Spanish Churches, to bring them all before the day of baptisme, and wash their Heads; which day, for that cause was called, Capiti-lavium, or, the Day of the Head-washing; and the usuall day for it was Palme-Sunday; as Isidore tells us. Such like rites does S. Cyrill of Ierusalem also relate in his preface to his Catechisme, all which were used as expressi­ons of the Solemnity of this Sacrament. Which was performed unto some over the tombes of the Dead: to which that of the Apostle seems to allude 1 Cor. 15.29. What shall they doe that are baptized for the dead, if the dead arise not at all? it is in the originall, [...]; over the dead (to omit other ex­positions) a custome, used by some as it is thought, to expresse, that they should by baptisme effectually re­ceived be dead to sin; & with the dead over which they were baptized, enjoy a happy resurrection. We may farther see the excellency of this Sacrament, in that it never is repeated; There is but one Bap­tisme says the Apostle ( Eph. 4.) because there is but one death of Christ; but one Resurrection; but one Originall sinne to be in effect washed away, whiles not imputed, by the blessing of the Inward Baptisme. There is no returne to the Wombe, nor to Baptisme; says S. Austin: there is but one Birth, and but one new birth. And as it is of such a nature in it selfe, so did God by miracle sometimes honour [Page 205]it; many bodily diseases being cured by baptisme, as S. Austin relates; and thus as the stories of the Church tell us, the great Constantine was cured of Leprosie. Which wonders mistaken, were the occa­sion of preparing Holy water. Some thinking by the consecration of water to obtaine the like successe. But such cures were extraordinary, and immediately wrought by God himselfe, and but seldome, for the honour of God's own Institution in this Sacrament. Such cures then being without promise, we cannot build our faith upon such exam­ples; & therefore not raise our expectations to such effects. Yet such was the unwarantable devotion of some in those times, that they receiv'd the water which had been consecrated for baptisme, in vessells; sprinkling therewith their houses and grounds: as if though they had not with Moses the sight of a fiery bush, they would yet enjoy holy ground. A mistaking also of this Sacrament occcasioned some to be baptized every day; whence they were called Hemerobaptists (or, the Daily Baptizers) mentioned by Epiphanius; thus while they thought by a wrong zeale to make themselves cleane, they did by their Heresie become more uncleane. By the outward washing sinne is not taken away; by the inward washing sinne is not taken away, the Dominion of it is taken away: sinne Remaines; sinne Reignes not. To this happy effect the Elect are baptized; those of riper age in ancient times, not commonly changing their Names, Ambrose and Austin being the Names of those Holy men, both before bap­tisme [Page 206]tisme and after: but Infants usually taking the names of Saints, to prompt them, (yet without affectation) to a holy imitation. Nay, in an Arabique translation of the Nicene Council, one Canon forbids the imposing of a Heathen Name. And as the Church was thus carefull of the Names of Infants, so much more of their Education, anciently and mer­cifully providing fit persons for the Infants sound instruction in Doctrine and Life, in case of the possi­ble Heresie or Death of the Naturall parents; a Charity too unhappily corrupted by Ignorance or Neglect; being in it selfe, if duely observed, a spe­ciall wisedome in the Church of God. Alike care was used by the most Judicious, to have this Sacra­ment celebrated by one of the Clergy: which di­stinct title from the Layty, needs not be proved, since it is approved, whiles acknowledged by a late Act against great offenders, as Adulterers; which expresses their offence to be felonie without benefit of Clergie. Yet we will grant, that this Sacrament was sometimes anciently administred by the Layty; nay sometimes by women, but ancient practices must be as duely understood as imitated. Tertullian (de Baptismo cap. 17.) admits Lay-men to baptise in case of necessity, saying; Tunc enim constantia suc­currentis excipitur, cum urget circumstantia periclitan­tis; in effect; Then must an extraordinary helpe be admitted, when an extraordinary danger makes the exception. We may see then that this permissi­on was but extraordinary; and grounded but upon a falsely supposed Absolute Necessity of Baptisme; [Page 207]as then the Reason was erroneous, so likewise the permission. Baptizing by women may seem to have had a double cause; the former in respect of Infants in a supposed danger; and so with more mistake than charity; whiles not with a right charity: the o­ther in respect of women of riper age that were con­verted; and this was in a modestie; a part of the ce­lebration being ordered by those that in the first times were called Diaconissae; a principall part of whose office was, to prepare the women that were to be baptized: partly by annointing their bodies, if we admit the testimonie of the Constitutions attri­buted to Clemens; and partly by dressing them with that civilitie, that only the Brow of the Female was permitted to the eie of the Priest: who was indeed the usuall baptizer. Besides, women were separated, and so baptized, a part from the men; as S. Ciril of Ierusalem teaches us in his Preface to his Catechismes. But since that truth must be the Judge of all Cu­stome, we may remember that it was the judge­ment of a most learned and Royall judge, that though the Minister be not of the Essènce of the Sacra­ment, yet he is of the Essence of the right and lawfull Ministry of the Sacrament, taking for his Ground, the Commission of Christ to his Disciples, Mat. 28.20. Goe Preach and Baptize. It was only their office to whom it was Committed: and surely the Office was not or­dinary, when as the memoriall of the performance of it was Extraordinary; the Day of every one's baptizing being anciently his Festivall. So Nazian­nan tells us: and therefore devout are the Exhor­tations [Page 208]both of S. Chrysostome, and S. Ambrose, to move every Christian to an annuall celebration of that day by Holy meditations of this promise of God; by fervent prayers to God, and Charity to­wards men: which moved the late great Cardinall Borromaeus, a man eminent in his way of Devotion, (in the last Council at Millane) to injoyn all his Cler­gie in that province, of which he was Arch-Bishop, to move the people under their charge to the holy celebration of the day of their Baptizing. But if a love of God will not move us; let the feare of God move us; the Originall of this Institution presenting unto us our own unworthinesse, baptisme being not a new thing before the time of our Saviour, though by him amplifyed and advanced by a new Institution. It was a custome before his comming, among the Jews, when any of the Gentiles were con­verted to the Jewish worship, to baptize them, so to expresse a purifying of them from Idolatry; as their great Master Ben-Maimon teaches. But when the holy Baptist came, he called to the like purifying the Iews themselves; implying them to be as foule in God's sight, as the very Gentiles; and therefore to have need of a like, yet a better purifying. Such is the happy receivers baptisme into Christ; whereby though he finds not Miracle, he shall find Wounder: it being to such, an Illumination, [...], as the Greek Fathers call it. And speakes not the Apostle so; Heb. 10.32. remember the former days in which after you were Illuminated, ye indured a great fight of Afflictions! whence S. Cyrill of Jeru­salem [Page 209]calls his Instructions of Baptisme, Catechismes of Illumination. And as it is to such a purifying of the understanding; so is it also a purifying of the Affections, it is a cleansing, without the mockery of a Pilate, or the Hypocrisie of a Pharisie. To such it is a Grace, that bestows upon the soule a supernaturall being, which is the beginning of spiritual operations: and in its time truely powerfull. To such it is Seale, which he that sets upon the soule will own: it is a Mystery which the soule more injoys, than under­stands. To such the calling unto Baptisme is a high calling; a Spirituall Glory; it is like the face of Moses, when God had shined on him; a brightnesse from a brightnesse. To such it is also spirituall fruit­fullnesse, figur'd out at the Creation, when the Spi­rit of God sate upon the waters, to make them fruit­full. [...] is the word; he sate as the Henne upon the egge, which she does warme with a lively heate. This was the type of baptisme; God's Spirit bestow­ing a warmth of Grace; a regeneration of water and the Spirit. And since that such doe put on Christ, grant O Lord, that blessing to thine own Ordinance, that we may never defile our Christian Roabe; but at last through thy Mercy, through thy bounty we may be cloath'd with those white robes of Glory and Immortality, which thou hast prepa­red in Heaven, for such as shall keep their covenant with Thee here on Earth. To which our God that has bestowed Baptisme upon us, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost in whose name it was bestow'd, be ascribed all Holinesse, & Thanks, for evermore.

THE Lord, as he is al-suffici­ent; so is it He only, that is al-sufficient; yet has he made each creature, and consequently man with a sufficiency, but joyn'd with want: the one be­ing an act of his Bounty in the nature of the crea­ture; the other an act of his wisedome in the pre­servation of that nature. For such want in man de­clares his perpetuall dependance upon God: and such dependance makes him have perpetuall re­course to God. For man then to aske of God is Na­turall: as it is most naturall to aske those things, [Page 234]which most preserve nature. Since then, that God has given man Life, Yet not without a conditionall necessity of Food; it is as naturall to desire Food; as to desire Life. And since the desire of life is na­turally perpetuall, Man naturally would have both perpetuall life and perpetuall food. Which food though it be always in the desire of Nature, is never in the power of it: all food of the Body, which. Na­ture knowes, being as mortall as the Body. Philo­sophy therefore never distinguished Men from Beasts by the appetite and nature of Food; it being to the Philosopher beyond all Paradox, to hold, that a man may become immortall by Eating; nay that he should be made more immortall by Food, than by Fame. No marvaile then is it here, if the People, as naturall men, marvaile at our Saviour. They could have said that Adam by Eating dyed: but he only could say that man by Eating might Live for ever. Yet this is the wonder which he tells them; whiles he tells them of a Bread more won­derfull than the Manna, which their fathers did eate. That bread was the worke of God; This bread was God: This bread made that bread: He that eate that bread Dyed: he that eates This, is made as immortall as the Author & the Wonder! At which news they call him Lord; nor are asham'd to be­come beggars. They saw it impossible that this bread should be sold: since none that could provide it, could have need to sell it: nor, if it could be bought, could any be Equall to the price. In this Marvaile; we may see there marveiles; the Giver, the Lord: the Guift, [Page 215]in the Substance and the Excellency, This Bread: the Desire and the extent of the Desire, Give us evermore: of which the patron si the preface; Lord. A strange request it may seem, to beg a man of himselfe; to make a patrone his own guift. This implies, that since our nature has been corrupted, our naturall love of our selves is an unreasonable love of our selves; when as for our own benefit we can be content, that another, we may say, should be lost for us! Our Saviour had said he was the bread of Life; and yet of him they beg this bread, that is, Himselfe. It was a bold request and yet a wise one. They perceiv'd a wounder in it: and they venter therefore to beg of Him that was able, as they be­lieve, to performe a wonder. He had indeed a little before performed a wonder; a wonder in bread, feeding five thousand with five loaves. Manna was a wonderfull bread: but every person had an Omer full: when as here was but a loafe unto a thousand. Then the miracle was prepared to their hands; but now the miracle was performed in their hands; nay in their mouthes: then they were fed after the perfor­mance of a miracle; but now they were fed with it. They had before seen Corne grow; but not till now beheld Bread grow; This imbolden'd them to aske This bread of the Lord. And well might they orie, Lord, give us this bread; for whom might they aske, whatsoever was possible to be given; but of Him, that was able to give whatsoever was possible. He had by his power the dominion of his Creatures; and by his will, the dominion of Himselfe. And well [Page 216]might they call him Lord; Dominion implying as well Goodnesse, as Power. So among the Hebrwes, [...] and [...] are as neere in sense as in Derivation; the first fignifying a Lord; the Last the Base, that sustaines any thing: which is agreeable to the wisedome of our Ancestours, the Saxons, with whom the name Lord signifyed a Sustainer, as by Noble hospitality, but strictly a Loafe-giver, anciently Hlaford; or founder of bread. And does not the Lord sustaine us with the staffe of bread? as the Prophet calls it, Psalme 105.16. making bread our principall sustenance! So did the old Latines prover­bially call the choise food wherwith old Age should be svstained, Maxillae baculus, the staffe of the Jaw. Wifely then might the people here ascribe Domini­on to our Saviour; for, thus acknowledging his power, they might hope to enjoy it, and yeilding themselves servants to such a Lord, might invite if not ingage him, to provide for them; nay, to make such provision, as would argue the power and Love of such a Lord. And since his Dominion must indure for ever; so likewise must his service, and therefore his servants; which service if happily they could attaine, attaine they should also immortallity. Since likewise this Love exceeded all other love, possibly it may seem to beg Him of himselfe. By Naturall Love indeed, Every man is his own Fa­vorite: but our Saviours love being above nature, they hope he will give them even Himselfe: which was the bread, that he had told them off, and the End or substance of their Desire, Bread; This bread. [Page 217]Which by way of excellency signifies all food; being the chiefe of all, as that which strengthens the Heart of Man. What therefore by one Evangelist is called Bread ( Mark. 6.36.) is by another called victualls ( Mat. 14.15.) More particularly sometimes Bread sig­nifies Flesh: so the flesh that was burnt on the Alar to the Lord, is ( Levit. 3.11.) called [...] which though our last Translators render thereby the food of the Offering made by fire; yet Levit. 21.22. they inter­pret the same word by bread. We might almost say that bread not only signifies Flesh, but also Bones; the Israelites bread in the Wildernesse, their Manna being though not so hard as bone, yet harder than Flesh: and though it melted with the heate of the Sun; yet was so hard that they ground it in mills, or pounded it, before they could make it into cakes. And surely the blessed bread which our Saviour here speakes of, which is himselfe apprehended by Faith, especially in his blessed Sacrament, is so like their Manna, and is such mysticall flesh and bone; that we may say of it with admiration, as the Israelites of their bread [...] What is this? The apprehension of which excellency has so tran­sported some, that they have changed their Reve­rence into Errour; mistaking and inverting our Sa­viour's words. He said indeed, He was the bread of life: They say, This bread of life in the Sacrament is so verily Christ, that it is not bread: thus whiles they feare that they be not Devout; they doe not feare to be Idolatrous. Which seems not to agree with the old preface to this Sacrament; Sursum [Page 218]Corda; Lift up your hearts; which rather excites to a Spirituall food, by Faith; than to a corporall food by sense. Bellarmine indeed would hence con­clude a corporall feeding in this Sacrament; when as he might rather have concluded the Contrary; it being done in Remembrance of our Saviour, and so of our Saviour corporally absent. And though some reformed Divines fearing disadvantage, have thought this passage not meant of the Eucharist, yet partly Calvin (in respect of Spirituall feeding) and more clearely the judicious Peter Martyr, think it conveniently understod in this place: indeed to eate Sacramentally, Mystically, and Spiritually, are termes not opposite, but most consistent and congruous. And though our Saviour says here, he he is the bread of Life, and speakes this along, time before he instruted his blessed Supper, yet is it ap­parently but a prediction of that spirituall blessing, which before his passion he bestowed upon his Church. Notwithstanding even in ancient time some curious Ceremonies crept-in; the Receivers in a Reverence of the bread, being first to wash their hand; as Maximus tells us; S. Cyrill (of Jerusalem) bids them come not with open palmes but with their singers closed together, their left hand being placed upon the right; so in the hollow of their hand, as in a throne, to intertaine so glorions a King: which custome continued in the East a long time. Damascen more wisely bids them lay their hands in forme of a Crosse, to remember the man­ner of our Saviours death. Yet, were only the Men [Page 219]permitted to receive it in their bare hand; the women receiving it on a clean hand-karcher, which they call'd Dominicale, as receiving the bread mysti­cally Christ's body. And for the Laytie in generall, they were not permitted to drink the wine out of the Chalice; but to sucke it up through a reed, or cane; which forme of Instruments they after­wards made of silver; as in latter times, as some tell us, when the Ador'd Bishop himselfe (the Roman) has celebrated this Sacrament, he has receiv'd the wine through such an instrument of Gold. But such nicenesse, as it was at first corrpti­on; so from superstition it grew into Sacriledge: not only the bread being taken from the hand of the Layty, and by the priests hand, as some describe it, put into their mouths; but the wine is quite taken from their mouths. Nay, in ancient times corrupti­on so grew in the Church, that they used to conse­crate their bread, and not receive it; but kept it upon the Altar inclosed in a silver Dove; a boxe made of that matter and figure. Sometimes also the receivers carryed it home, as S. Cyprian mentions, there vainely and vilely keeping it and worshipping it, as Nazianzene relates: and some of them every morning eat a part of it next their hearts. Sometimes they were permitted to travell with it, as S. Ambrose shewes: nay, with prophane vanitie, they put it into the mouths of the dead; as appeares by prohibition of that Custome, in the third Council of Carthage, Can. 6. But we may better see the excellency of this bread, in the Sacred figures, which foreshew'd it. [Page 220]It was prefigur'd in the Bread and Wine, which Melchisedec brought to Abraham. Melchisedec was king of Salem, which signifies peace; and he was also the Priest of God. Christ is the Prince of peace, and our high Priest to God. Melchisedec brought it to Abraham; and so in him typically to all the seed of Abraham by faith: and he brought it to refresh him: so does Christ by this bread much more refresh us. It was presigured in the Mosaicall Law, in the Offering which they called [...] Levit. 2.1. an Off­ring of fine flower, on which they pour'd Oile and Frankincense: and is not in this Offring Christ mystically the bread, his Grace the Oile, and the Thansgiving the Incense? It was presigur'd in Eliah's miraculous food, in the strength whereof he travailed fortie daies (1 Kings 19.8.) untill he came to Horeb the the Mount of God. It was prefigured more famously in the Pascall Lambe, with the blood whereof the Israelites doores were spinkled and pro­tected. It was prefigured in the blood of the Cove­nant, which Moses sprinkled upon the people ( Exod. 24.8.) The Chaldie Paraphrast saies, it was sprink­led upon the Altar, but for the people: so was Christ's blood upon the Crosse, but for us. Lastly it was prefigur'd in Manna; which falling upon the ground, was cover'd with a Dew: this dew is God's Grace; the Manna this bread; which is as it were wonderfully covered with grace & mystery: whence among other reasons, some have thought it to be called hidden Manna ( Rev. 2.17.) And as they were to gather the Manna in the morning, before it melted [Page 221]by the heate of the Sun: so must we be carefull to provide this spirituall food, whiles we have time and meanes. For as there is no Manna to be found on the Sabboth day; so can we have none of this Bread and Grace after this Life. Manna is by David ( Palm. 98.25) called Angell's food, not properly but figuratively by way of excellency; as if we should say, if the Angels could eate, such food would they eate; as likewise it is said the tongue of Angells for the most excellent tongue. But the tongue of Angells, the most ex­cellent tongue, is not able to expresse the excellency of this bread: which we may truely call, though not the bread of Angells, yet the bread of Saints; the food of the Righteous in this Life; who are the Saints of the Church Militant. This is a liberall feeding, yet without hurt; we being fed here as Tertullian expresses it, in a barbarous and excellent word, Opinitate Domini Corporis; with the plenti­fullnesse, with the wealthinesse of the Lord's Body, which here in a mysticall and admirable manner is presented. And may we not take up the words of the Israelites, not like Them in Distrust, but in Ad­miration; Can God furnish a table in the Wilder­nesse? Can he give Bread also? Can he provide flesh for his people? ( Ps. 76.19, 20.) Loe here he has done it, with more Mystery and Wonder! In this our food, if we eate it by Faith, in this Wilder­nesse of the world, and this Pilgrimage of our Life! Yet though this bread be mystically Christ, it is Na­turally Bread: and there is as truely the substance [Page 222]of bread, as there are truely the qualities of bread; the couler and tast of bread; and as there are the dimensions of bread. The lesse hardie Romanists, though they believe a change of the substance, yet they defended their opinion with Devotion and pretence of miracle: but a finer race of newer Artists project a possible defence, as well by nature, as by Miracle; whiles they maintain, that an Acci­dent may be sustained without a subject; making an aptitude to inhere, a sufficient foundation; by a devise as new, and cunning as the devisers. Were not this to make miracle to confound nature, rather then exceed it? to make an Accident a Substance! so violating in their beliefe, the distinctions of the Creatures, which the God of Nature has made In­violable? This bread then as it is naturally bread, so it is not Christs naturall body. When our Saviour drank this fruite of the Vine, and so eate this bread, with his disciples, shall we say, he eate his own body and dranke his own blood? and shall we say he deli­vered twelve Christ's to his Apostles? And that they eate a Mortall body; but others, since his Resurrecti­on, a body Glorifyed? And shall we say they eat him alive, and dank his blood before it was shed on the Crosse? Besides, was not he like to us in all things sinne only excepted? and could then his humane nature, as our nature, be in more than one place at one time? Our Saviour said, when he was to depart, that he would send a Comforter to us: so that now insteed of Christ's presence, we have the presence of the Holy Ghost by Grace. Christ's presence after he [Page 223]was glorified, was to be tryed by the eie, and by the touch; in our Saviour's Owne Judgement. Luk. 24.29. But from such tryall of his presence in the Sa­crament, though since his glorification, the new Artists will be as farre, as they are from the Truth. But we should remember, that when S. Paul, 1 Cor. 11. had plainly expressed the Consecration of the bread and wine, v. 24. and 25. he does notwithstan­ding in the next words ( v. 26.) after the Consecration, as verily call them, the bread and the cup. Thus is this blessed bread true bread, and mystically the wine is his blood,: he is indeed the true Vine; my­stically then also the wine is his blood, and a part of this great Sacrament. Our Saviour did Institute it in Bread and Wine; and of the Wine particularly said, Drink ye all of this: which if it be restrained only to his Disciples, and so only to the Clergie, then may the bread also by the like reason be restrained on­ly to Them; and so the Layty shall be deprived of all the Sacrament. Or if it be said, that the Layty have also the wine vertually in the bread, then should the priest have it only in the bread. What is then the practice of the Roman partie, but with an audacious Sacriledge to alter the Institution of the Sonne of God, the wisedome of the Father? as if he had not foreseen, or had not prevented all incon­veniences, in the celebration of this Sacrament. Let no man then leave out a part, least he loose the benefit of all: and let that precept be here also remembred, since here also it is of use; whom God has joyn'd, let no man put a sunder: nor by a [Page 224]jugle call confusion a Union. The Bread and Wine were consecrated successively; not Wine In Bread, this is mixture, rather than union. The Sacrament was a memoriall and Representation of our Savi­ours death: in which his blood was separated from his body: not then the Wine in the Bread repre­sents it; but the Bread, and then the Wine in respect of the order, and Consecration: this is the Union which our Saviour appointed. But if you would more comfortably see this Bread, this excellent bread, be­hold insteed of the Mystery of it, which you cannot well behold, the ample benefit of it, which you may more easily behold. And you may see the benefit even in the name of the Paschal Lambe: which was not call'd so from the Greek [...], though the Lambe sufferd death: but from the Hebrew, [...] a passing over; or, to expresse the swiftnes, a Leaping over; yet not from the Israelites passing through the Wildernes to the Land of promise: nor from their passing through the Red Sea: but from the Angells passing over their Dores in Mercy, their dores sprinkled with blood; when he destroyed the Aegyptians. And so will God's vengeance passe over those, whom he shall find sprinkled with the mysticall blood of our Saviour, imparted to us in this mercifull Sacrament. Unto which come all you, that would be delivered from all your sinnes past; you that are at the Gates of Death, and this bread of Life shall give you Life everlasting; and this Wine of life shall make your hearts cheerfull with an eternall joy. [Page 225]Come all you, that would be delivered from sins to come: this shall not only take away the delight in smaler sinnes; but also a consent to greater. Not to come at all to this heavenly food, is certaine death: to come but seldome, or with a small appe­tite, is a manifest sicknesse in the soule. O then come frequently to this Sacrament and in time you shall say, He hath fill'd the hungry with good things! But come with hunger; and then you may truely say, you keep a good dyet; and as truly say, you have got that by Grace, which the Physitian denyes in nature, a perfect Health. Come all you that would conquer all Affections, and all Temptations, that would lead you to such affections. Come hither, and you shall have peace in all your affections; you shall have peace in all your Temptations. You shall have that peace which the world cannot give; that peace which the world cannot understand! Come all you that would be one body with Christ; a possi­bility, but a miracle: Christ shall not be corrupted into you; that indeed is an Impossibility: but you by grace shall be perfected into Christ; and that is, though not properly a miracle, which is an out­ward act of power; yet the happiest miracle. which is an Act of Spirituall power. Come all you that would by Grace be one spirit with Christ: come, and you shall dwell with him, and he in you; his Grace in you! Eate Christ, and thus become Christs; ye shall be the Adopted Sonnes of God, & Heires of Eternity. And that you may the rather [Page 226]come and raise a desire in your selves unto this bread; observe the desire which was in the people, their Desire of this bread, Give us. Indeed now you have seen the benefit, you may easily think, the peo­ple might well crie out unto our Saviour, Give us this bread; you will acknowledge their desire and excuse it; nay, rather commend it by imitation. Yet when againe you think upon the wounder of it may you not think that our Saviour might have justly answered them, as he did the mother of Zebedeus children, ye know not what you ask? Surely, they had but a little knowledge of it. Yet the wounder of the benefit may warrant their desire; and condemne us, if we have not the like; yea, a greater Desire of this heavenly food, since a greater knowledge we have of this Heavenly food; which we should indeed hunt after. When the Prophet David says Ps. 78.25. Man did eate Angels food; he sent them meat to the full; the word for meate is there [...] properly venson; and so a meate caught with hunting: and surely with more earnestnesse should we pursue after this food, with a holy appetite. No marvaile then, we may say, if they crie out, as if already they had learned the sub­stance of prayer, Evermore give us of this Bread; which must be broken before it be given; and there­fore the distribution of the bread in the Sacrament, is called the breaking of bread. Act. 2.42. Yet is was the custome of the Hebrews to say, they brake bread not only when they brake it with the hand, but also when they cut it, & sōetimes when they did neither, but only gave it. Yet some think this phrase arose [Page 227]from the fashion of the Jewish Loaves, which they say, were usually made in the forme of Cakes, broad and thinne, and that so it was their custome to breake their bread. Which though it might be true, is yet uncertaine: for some of their loaves, as the Shew­bread, which was set upon the table of the Lord, were seaven fingers thick; as the Hebrew writers teach us. But in what manner soever the Jewes brake bread, or in what manner soever they gave bread, we know how they used the bread of life, our Savi­our. Indeed they could not breake a bone of him: and as they did not breake him, so neither did they give him: but we may say with the Prophet Isaiah (c. 53.5.) they bruised him; but he gave himselfe, he gave himself to be bread of life for us. And thus you see this bread is a guift, & therefore justly requires Thanks. For which cause it is call'd the Eucharist, or the Thanks-giving; not only to expresse, our Saviour administred it with giving of thanks, but also to expresse our duty of thanks, which ought most justly to waite upon this Sacrament. The bread, saies Origen, is call'd Thansgiving. S. Paul calls the cup [...], the cup of blessing (1 Cor. 10.16.) he addes, [...], which we blesse, or which with blessing we consecrate; [...] with with the Jews, is both to Blesse and to be Thankfull; they being commonly performed together. And so Justin the Martyr, calls the Eucharist, [...], the food consecrated, or bless'd with thanks­giving. And well may they be thankfull, that are the [Page 228]receivers of it, if they but consider themselves, They that would here have been receivers, were Jews; and may we not say, that to have given this bread to Them, had been to cast the Childrens bread unto dogges? yet though they were bad, they seem to have some desire to be good; & may seem some­what good already, whiles they wish'd good to one another; every one wishing this bread not only for himselfe; but all of them ask'd it for all collectively; Give us this bread; A desire that might have be­seem'd them, though they had understood the na­ture of a Communion. This is indeed a Commu­nion not only by our Union with Christ, but also with one another. We are all members of the same body; as was aptly presigur'd in Manna, which is said to have been like Coriander; which the Hebrews call [...] as some think, from [...] to gather & order an armie; the seeds growing in great number, and order'd as aptly as an armie of men. And is not this our Christian Manna, or Coriander, this wonderfull seed collected and ordered alwayes in a Christian armie of Communicants in the Church Militant? It is a Communion also of the rich and poore; and therefore in some places is usually celebrated with almes; in a good Imitation of the Primitive Christi­ans, who had their [...], their feast of Love, at which they did use to feed the poore; and had a table in the Church to that purpose; which also for the Chari­ty at it, as Pontius Pautinus says, was call'd the Lords Table. And in the time of Monica S. Austin's mother, there was a custome upon festivall days, to stay in the [Page 229]Church four and twenty houres together; and every man having brought thither his meat, they gave after the feast, what remain'd, unto the poore. Which custome, when Monica would have used in the Diocesse of Milan, S. Ambrose would not permit it, it being not with them the custome to doe so. Nor doth this Communion make us love only the poore, but also our enemies; the Pascall Lambe was to be eaten with unleaven'd bread; & this bread must not be eaten with the leaven of malice, as the Apostle shews 1 Cor. 5.8. The Heathen, though they reached not to the high precept of the Gospell, to love their enemies, (charity being a thing unknown unto thē) yet understood and practised a morall reconciliation of enemies. For which purpose they had their feast Charistia, as Valerius Max. tels us: which principally was for the reconciling of Kinsfolk fallen out. Theirs was Charistia; but ours an Eucharistia a happy love, or acknowledgement of Love. Besides, it is a Com­munion for the great and Mysticall Union, or colle­ction of so many unexpressible graces as are united in it, & imparted by it. If therefore it were but for our own sakes, we should be perswaded easily, to fre­quent it; and well might they here then extend their crie and their desire, Give us this bread ever­more. S. Luke relates Act. 2.42. That in the Apostles time they did continue stedfast in prayer and Brea­king bread, that is, in receiving the Sacrament. For by this, as Ignatius tells the Ephesians, the power of Satan grows lesse, and retires back, being more powerfully resisted by the united devotion of so [Page 230]many Communicants. And as S. Luke expresses the constancy of the Church in receiving the Sacra­ment; so Iustin the Martyr (2. Apol.) expresses the frequency, saying, that all in Townes and Villages met and received it every Sabbath. S. Basil (ad Caesariam) says, it was the custome to receive it four times in a Weeke. S. Jerom ( epist. 28.) testifies of the Roman and Spanish Churches, that they receiv'd it every day: and S. Cyprian ( de Orat. Dom. Serm. 6.) wit­nesses as much for the African Church. And Tertulli­an (de Oratione) understands this Sacramentall bread, by our Daily bread in the Lords prayer: so likewise does S. Ambrose ( lib. 5. de Sacram. cap. 4.) And if this, says he, be Daily bread, why doest thou take it but once a yeare? as some in the East (or Greek Church) did use to doe. Receive that daily, says he, which may daily profit thee: and so live every day, that every day thou mayst be fit to re­ceive it. He that is not fit to receive it every day, will be lesse fit to receive it once in a yeare. He will be most fit for the Sacrament, who will most fre­quent it; the Sacrament being also a Preparative to it self. He that has not a clean conscience, is not fit to receive it once a yeare says S. Chrys. (in Ep. ad Hebr. hom. 27.) & he that receives it but once a yeare, shall never likely have a clean Conscience, & so shall ne­ver likely receive it once a yeare. Some think a man may sometimes abstain in reverence: yet such may know, a man may frequent it with reverence. True it is that the Centurion cried out unto our Saviour, Lord I am not worthy, that thou shouldest come [Page 231]my roofe. ( Mat. 8.8.) And yet againe we know, that Zachaeus receiv'd him joyfully. ( Luk. 19.6.) He that would abstaine from the Sacrament, for Reve­rence; is, by his reverence fit to receive it. He that ceases to sinne, says S. Hilary, must not cease to Communicate: nay, therefore he must not cease to Communicate, because he ceases from sinne. But he that finds himselfe not dispo­sed to receive, must know that he is spiritually sicke: and therefore he must strive to dispose himselfe by repentance, that he may eate of this food, and recover his health. He must remem­ber, that to frequent the Sacrament, is frequently to remember the death of Christ; and such remem­brance ought to be as perpetuall, as it is gratefull. The Godly man must be like God, as he is described. Revel. 4.3. where he is said to be like a Iaspar and a Sardine stone, and to be incompassed with a Raine­bow like an Emerald. This mystically implys the na­ture of God, the nature particularly of Christ, and the nature of a Christian. The Iaspar is a green stone, and signifies flourishing perpetuity. The Sardine is a stone like to blood and flesh; and aptly fignifies the precious wounds in our Saviour's body. And the union of these two, shews, that those wounds must be still fresh in our memory: they must be as perpetu­ally remembred, as they are perpetually beneficiall. The Raine-bow is a signe of God's covenant of Pro­tection: and the Emerald a glorious and green stone much of the nature of Iaspar, signifies likewise the perpetuity and Glory of that protection. So that he [Page 232]who pepetually remembers in this Sacrament the bloody Passion of our Saviour, shall be both glori­ously and perpetually incompassed with divine pro­tection. Yet for the frequency of receiving, we need not descend to private prescriptions, but use that moderate devotion of religious Congregations, which constantly communicate once a month; which practice, where it may be, may be the hope and endeavour of every good Christian: a practise, that may with a holy discretion, preserve both a Frequency and a Reverence of this great Mystery; which to receive is not left to our carelesse libertie, but is the Commandement of our blessed Saviour, Doe this in remembrance of me. And as the Comman­dement is to all, so also the Duty; and therefore none to be excluded, but notorious sinners; they must be great sinners, and known to be great sinners. Iudas was admitted to it by our Saviour, as the Christian Fathers generally believ'd (though S. Hila­ry indeed differed from that perswasion:) and their collection from thence is very charitable; they con­ceiving it to shew unto us, that whiles a sinner is conceal'd, (as it was in Iudas his case) so long the Church must be so charitable, as to admit him; a judgement that detests the rigour of private suspici­on. Let us not then whiles we would be over righ­teous, be unrighteous; and by thinking to exclude sinners, increase their number & their Guilt. In what age, in some unhappy places, was there ever, as of late years, such sad neglect of this blessed Sacrament, [Page 233]this Remedie against sinne? And in what age, in the mid'st of Zeale, was there ever such various corruptions in religion? Is not the Cause, as well as well as the Effect, Evident? Let not such, as, in charity I hope detest the Socinian, become by a mi­staking zeale partakers with him, in a contempt of the Sacrament. To which, that we may come with Reverence, we must come with Faith; whereby we shall discerne the Lord's body; and worke the true, the mysticall transubstantiation of ourselves by Grace, into Christ: so shall we be one with him, and he with us. We must come with an Examined Conscience; sometimes, that is occasionally, exami­ned by the Minister, as in a Conscience very Igno­rant; and usually rather for Instruction, than Cen­sure; but alwaies examined by it selfe. Let every man examine Himselfe, says the Apostle. The exa­mination by the Minister is more Charity, than com­mand: and therefore we must beware, that we Lord it not over the Lord's people. They are his people more than Ours: nor at all Ours, but be­cause His. Let us then chiefely examine Ourselves; and come with a Consceince, as resolute to Leave sinne, as to acknowledge it. Let us come with sorrow, answerable to that Joy, which we tooke formerly in sinne; The Paschall Lambe was to be eaten with bitter herbes, [...] the Septuagint render it, [...] now [...]; as Theodorus Gaza, expounds it, interpreting the ninth book of Aristo­tle, De natura Animalium, signifies Wild Lettice, (lactuca agrestis:) which as Dioscorides tells us (lib. 2. [Page 234]cap. 130.) was a very bitter herbe. And likely it is, God did not leave the choise of the herbe to the li­bertie of the Iewes; to whom in all other things he had so particularly prescribed; and so S. Jerome every where renders it, lactuca egrestis. And since this was a figure of the bitternesse, or sorrow of the soule for sinne, which every one ought to bring unto the Secrament: it will be necessary to know, what sort of the wild-lettice they did use. That which is Old and Grown is not only bitter, but also full of prickles upon the back, or out side of the leafe; so that it cannot be eaten: but the more yong and tender sort was used in medicine; & though it was bitter, yet it had a milkie moisture in it (whence it is call'd Lactuca) & this being boild they eate with the Paschal Lambe. Thus is there an Old and Grown sorrow for sinne; a sorrow that goares the soule; a sorrow, which we rather call despaire: but this is not that, which comes to the Sacrament: but we must bring the more gentle and tender grief, which has the milkie moisture, a supple Comfort with the bitternesse. We must have sorrow, but we must have Hope: nay, we must have sorrow, and we must have Joy. Yet must we come with Feare; remem­bring, that the surfet of bread, is of all surfets held the most dangerous; especially then the surfet of this bread, which they shall take, that unworthily take this bread. He that receives unworthily, insteed of bread receives a stone, or a Scorpion: usually 'tis undigestable death. The Apostle indeed told the Corinthians (1 Ep. 11.30.) that for unworthy [Page 235]receiving, many of them are weake and sickly, and some slept; that is, God did strike some of them with infirmities of body, some with grievous diseases, and some of them with the last sleep of nature, death it selfe. We must come likewise with Humilitie: and then by the Humility of our Savi­our, we shall obtaine pardon for our pride. He wash'd the feet of his Disciples, nay, of Iudas, whom yet he pronounced to be a Devil. Can any man think, he has an enemy worse than Iudas, can any man think he can be so injur'd, as our Saviour? O, what hu­mility then ought we to shew towards the Lord of Glory, who shewed such humility towards a servant, towards his own servant and a traitour? And that we may be sure we come not unworthily, we must come with a Desire, an earnest desire, the true signe of a true receiver: we must not like prophane Livers, be glad to scape a Communion; but we must long for it, we must seek for it. David professes such a search, and such a desire, in a like kind; when he cries out ( Psalm. 132.6.) We heard of it in Ephratah: we found it in the fields of the Wood. He speaks (as it appeares v. 8, 10.) of the Arke of God; which was a visible signe of God's gracious presence; and in which, as the Apostle says ( Heb. 9.4.) was the golden pot of Manna. Now David had heard, he knew, that the Arke had at the first been placed by Ioshua at Shiloh, a City in Ephratah, the Country of Ephraim, Iud. 18.1. but he found it in the fields of the Wood, that is, at Kireath-jearim, or the City of the Woods, where it had continued for the space of twenty [Page 236]years after it had been brought home from the Phili­stines (1 Sam. 7.2.) Now you know with what paines & joy he went to fetch it, & when he had it how he triumphed in the Musique and in the Dance. The like Desire and Labour and Joy we must come with, unto this admirable signe of God's presence, unto this more admirable Manna. The Infant, sayes S. Chrysostome, does with alacritie snatch the teat, fasten the lip upon it, and suck with a most fixt im­pression: so must we, saies he, like innocent babes, suck the grace of Christ, and like the babe, crie when we want this spirituall nourishment. The Iewes made great hast to be guilty of the blood of our Saviour: and shall not we make more hast, to purge our selves by his blood, from our Guilt? And if we truly purifie our selves with his blood, we shall be as carefull of our behavi­our after our receiving, as we were before. Other­wise we shall be but like the Iews; who brought our Saviour into Ierusalem with shoutes of joy, cry­ing Hosanna, and afterwards cryed as fast, Crucifie him, Crucifie him. We must not in the Morning drinke the Lord's wine, and continue at wine all the day after; nor must we expell the Joy of our soule, with the Mirth and Riot of our Body. But we shall be certainely carefull after the receiving of it, if we be truly carefull before. And if we be thus truely carefull to receive, we shall truly receive; we shall truely feast with Christ, both in this Kingdome of his Grace & in the Kingdome of his Glory; wherein this mstically feast shall be fullfilled, as it is said. Luke [Page 237]22.16. by being changed into that heavenly and eternall feast; in which, as our Saviour speakes Luk. 22.30. we shall eate and drinke at his table in his Kingdome. Then shall we be like Lazarus in Abra­ham's bosome; not in a Limbus Patrum, or the Con­fines of a Purgatory; but without a mistake of the speech, in an honourable place, with a loving inter­tainment at a feast. The speech is drawn from the custome of the Ancients, to eate lying in Couches, inclining sōewhat on the left side, & somewhat resting on the left elbow, the head of the second; lying in the bosōe of the first; as of the third in the bosome of the second, the right hand being at liberty; & whiles they eate being somwhat more erect, the table being placed before the couch. Now for a Lazarus, a poore Iew, to sit at the table, as we phrase it strictly to lye on the same Couch, and in the bosome even of Abraham, the famous patriarch of the Iews; or for an Eleazar Abraham's servant (in Hebrew the same with the Greek name Lazarus) to feast even in the bosome of his great Lord Abraham, were such a union of the King and the Begger, or such a union of the Lord and Servant, as were no lesse a wonder than a Feast! yet such shall be the entertainment of our Saviour's Ghuests, as it is said, Mat. 8.11. Many shall come from the East and West, and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac, and Jacob, in the Kingdome of Heaven; the Originall is more exact, [...], recumbent, they shall lie downe, or feast on the same couch with Abraham. In like manner it is said ( Ioh. 13.23. the Disciple lean'd on Iesus bosome: they [Page 238]were not then risen from the table, as may be observed in the story of that chapter; and v. 25. he is said, to lie on Iesus breast. And thus shall we be, not in the bosome of an Abraham, but indeed, of Christ himsefe: and he will prepare a table for us; and we shall be abundantly satisfyed with the fat­nesse of his house, and he shall make us drink of the Rivers of his pleasures Psal. 36.8. He will feed us with the fat of wheat, as the Prophet David speaks, Psal. 81.16. and 147.14. according to the Originall. He will feed us with the fat of kidnies of wheat, as as Moses speakes, or rather sings, Deut. 32.14. in a phrase almost as strange as the blessing. All which blessings are Promised to us in this bread; all which are sealed unto us in this bread; this being by faith the bread of Life: which evermore give unto us, O thou that art both the bread and the Lord; that we being fed with this bread, of Life in this life, may be strengthned to eternall Life, and to eternall thanks; which, for thy bounty and thy Mercy in this bread, be render'd unto thee O Lord, with the Father and thy Blessed Spirit, for evermore.

TO shew the beginning of Love, were to shew the beginning of God; the first Love that was, be­ing God Himselfe: so that He, which first Lo­ved, and he who was first Loved, was the same; the First love then consisted in Iden­titie. Thus whiles there was nothing but God, not only God was love, but all Love was God. But [Page 242]when God made something, and that there was an Intelligent Nature that was not God; then did there beginne a love which consisted in similitude; and shews it selfe to be but a deriv'd Love. Which resemblance of the Creator in the Creature, is in things meerely Naturall call'd similitude; as in Creatures indued with a reasonable Will, it is call'd Love; which we may terme a voluntary reflexion of Goodnesse in the Reasonable Creature towards the Creator. So that for the Creature to Love God is as truely naturall, as to be a Creature: and to fall from the Love of God, is to fall from the similitude of God; and so to fall from the nature of a Creature. Yet man thus fell: when God to shew his love and his Nature to be the same, and to be as unchangeable as Infinite, renew'd man; not by a new making of man, but by a making of him­selfe man; by an unexpected wonder of Mercy, making Man in part become his own Saviour. There ought then to be in renewed Man a new Similitude, a new Love, the Love of Jesus, of this Saviour. And since the Essence, the Nature of a Christian, con­sists in this Love, he that has not in him this Love, has not in him the nature of a Christian. And having not the nature of a Christian, he cannot have the blessing of a Christian, and therefore he is as ne­cessarily an Anathema, or Accurs'd, as he is voluntari­ly not a Christian. So that a man is made an Anathema by his unbelief; as he is to be declared an Anathema for his unbelief. Which curse our Apostle seeing to be due to some, and foreseeing the danger, which [Page 243]might be easily due to many, he uses in this place In­dignation and Mercy; making the same speech, which is a condemnation unto some, to be only a Threatning unto others. Those that were guilty might feele it, and those that were Innocent might Feare it, and by Fearing it not Feele it. That there­fore we may learne this Feare, we must learne to know this Curse: and that we may know the ju­stice of the punishment, we must know the justice of the Duty, for the breach whereof, the punish­ment is due; all which being expressed by the Apo­stle, we may see the Cause of the Duty; why we ought to love the Lord Iesus Christ: we may see the Punishment for the Violation of the Duty, expressed in the words, Anathema Maranatha: we may see al­so the Nature of the duty; wherein it consists: that so knowing what it is to Love the Lord Iesus Christ, we may understand our Innocency or Guilt. The Cause of the duty, the duty of Love to our blessed Saviour, is implyed in the names of our blessed Sa­viour; names alwaies used Devoutly by our Apo­stle; but here Eminently as including the principall Reasons of the Love; a love due to our Saviour for his Dominion over us, he is the Lord: a Love due to him for his Love towards us; he is Iesus, our Savi­our: a love due to him for God's Love toward Him; Christ he is the Annointed of God. He is a Lord in the Highest sense, being the Ruler of his People; he is a Lord in the nearest sense, being the Husband of his Church. Indeed God says unto the People, Hos. 2.16. they shall call me Ishi, (my Husband) and no [Page 244]more, Baali (my Lord:) not that he was not as well their Lord, as their Husband, but, as S. Jerome ob­serves, they should not call him their Lord, by the name Baali, it being the usuall name of their Idol-god. Being then the Lord and Husband of his Church; his Church must have power on her head (1 Cor. 11.10.) [...], dominion; indeed, in a figura­tive speech, a veile, the signe of his dominion. Which right was implyed by Abimilech rebuking, Sara; he is, saies he, of Abraham, a Covering of the eies unto thee, that is a veile, the signe of the Husband's power; and therefore by the Hebrews is the veile called [...] as some think, from [...] to have dominion; strict­ly to spread; [...] being to have dominion. Thus should the Gracious behaviour of every true Christian be as a testimonie of subjection to Christ our Lord; who extends to us his Love, his Providence, his Protecti­on. And most eminently is the title due to our Saviour, since in accurate use of the word Do­minus, it seem'd to implie a divine excellency; as is noted of the frantique ambition of Domitian, the Roman Emperour; who when he would be counted a God, caused himselfe to be call'd Dominus (Lord.) But as the Name is due to our saviour; so much more the power; and as the power, so our acknow­ledgement of his power. And if Sozomen's Ecclesi­asticall story be in no part Legend, we may heare him relate, that when Ioseph and the Blessed Virgin, who fled into Aegypt with our Infant Saviour, were ready to enter the gate of Hermopolis (or Thebais) a tree of singular size and beauty sudainly bended it [Page 245]self to the ground, as in Adoration at the presence of the true Lord. This tree was before worshipped by the Heathen Aegyptians; the name of which kind of tree was Persis, as the historian says; adding that this was the constant report of the Christian Inhabitants in his time; as also, that the fruit, or Leaf or any part of the Bark of it heal'd the sick. We may farther take notice, that Plutarch long before said, that this kind of tree was consecrated unto Isis; that also the fruite of it was like a Heart, and the Leaf like a Tongue; which may to us Christians by a devout Embleme Aptly, though not Articulately, expresse, that the Lord our Saviour should be worshipped and Ac­knowledged with heart and Tongue. But with a certainty of Truth and Wounder, declared he was to be the Lord, by miracle and prophecie; the prophet Micha saying ( ch. 5.2.) that he was to be Ruler in Israel; the word is [...] implying Dominion & a Proverbe; this having then Dominion in speech. Sometimes also it signifies a By-word; as Ps. 44.14. And thus also was our Blessed-Saviour a Lord and a Proverbe; yea he was for a signe, that should be spoken against. Luke 2.34. Yet still he was the Lord. Our Saviour before his Incarnation was called God; says Anastasius sometimes Bishop of Antiochia; but since his Incarnation he is call'd Lord: He is call'd Lord, says he, since he has come in the flesh; woun­ded our enemies; overcome death by death; freed us from the power of the Devil; taught the ungodly to acknowledge God; receiv'd of his Father the Gen­tiles for an Inheritance; possessed the utmost ends [Page 146]of the earth, reigning from Sea to Sea, and from the rivers to the bounds of the earth! Since these victorys we may with truth and triumph call him the Lord, Indeed he prov'd himselfe the Lord by Power and Mercy; by destroying Sinne, Death and Hell, which were our enemies; and by saving us, who were his enemies! and therefore he is not only the Lord, but also Iesus: this is his new name. Apoc. 3.12. as Iehovah was his old name; a name not known to Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, as God tells Moses, Exod. 6.3. though it was know unto them, as appeares, Gen. 15.7. and in diverse other places (as Gen. 26. 24, 25.28.13.) the meaning therefore was not, that they knew it not at all, but that they knew it not in the same respect; that Moses knew it. Iehovah expresses God's essence, which is truth it selfe; and therefore his truth in the fulfilling of his pro­mises: which were truth in Hope, to the Patriarchs, but truth in possession unto Moses. Thus may we say, that his new name Iesus was not known unto them of old; not that they were ignorant either of the Name or the Promise: but whereas They look'd Foreward to the Promise, we doe look Back to the Joy and wounder of the performance. That which was Faith in them, is succeeded by sense in us; and we may say in the words of Simeon, Mine eys have seen thy Salvation! Luk. 2.30. the Salvation of our Iesus, the true Joshua. Yet the first Ioshua was a type of Jesus in Name and Actions, says S. Jerome. Ioshua succeeded Moses; our Saviour succeeded the Law: [Page 247] Ioshua defended the Gibeonites; our Saviour the weake in Temptations: Ioshua brought the Israelites from the Wildernesse through Iordan, into the Land of Promise; our Joshua the elect Gentiles from Igno­rance and Idolatrie, through Baptisme, into the Heavenly Canaan. Lastly, their Ioshua expell'd the Canaanites into the utmost parts of the West, even to the Pillars of Hercules, as they are call'd: where they set up in their Phoenitian charracters an Inscription expressing this sense; we are they who fled before the Robber Joshua, the sonne of Nun; as Procopius, and before him Epiphanius relate. But our Ioshua in victo­rious Mercy has not expelled the Gentiles, but Gen­tilisme: and we are this day the Inscription and Confession of his bountifull Triumph; and to disco­ver the Extent of his Mercy he has discovered a new West; from whence, no doubt, many shall come, that shall feast with Abraham in the Kingdome of Heaven, An other Jesus also there was of good renown (the Son Josedech) the first High Priest after the captivity: but our Iesus was much more our high priest, after our greater Captivitie in sinne! The name Iesus signifies a Saviour; the shaddow of which sense was in others; but in our Iesus, the truth. Yet the ob­stinate Iews, formerly malicious against the person of our Saviour, are now as malicious against his Name: in the writing whereof they would leave out the letter [...] without which it cannot signifie a Saviour; when as for this cause it was given him by the Angel Mat. 1.21. So that it is neither [...] as some would have it; nor as the later Iewes would [Page 248]have it; [...] but [...] (as it is in the Hebrew Gospell of S. Mathew cap. 1.) from [...] as it is written, Isa. 45. 8. which our English Interpreters render Salvation; but the Latin has Salvatorem; by the Person insteed of the Thing; as also Genes. 49, 18. where the Latin has Salutare following the Greeks who have it [...]; that so, as it was in the concrete, they may understand our Saviour; which word is used also by S. Luke, (2.30.) in the song of Simeon. Yet we may observe, that the name of our Saviour is some­times written [...] as in the Hebrew Ep. of S. Paul to the Hebrews, ch. 1. (which was the name of Ioshua the sonne of Nun) ho being added by an epenthesis, as Munster notes on the first of S. Mathew; and thus our Saviour's right name imports a Saviour. But the Iews themselves acknowledged him a Saviour, even on the Crosse; when they cryed out he that saves others, let him save himselfe. It was the fittest time to acknowledge him a Saviour, he being then performing the great work, his great work of our Salvation. The benefit of which worke, the worke of Iesus, is most accurately expressed in those words of the Lord, Exod. 34.7. He keeps mercy for thousands, forgiving Iniquity, and Transgression, and Sinne. God spake then of Himselfe, and so, aptly of our Blessed Saviour. Nor are the words emptie or confus'd: but each has his just distinction & weight, He forgives Iniquitie, [...] the sinne of man against his Neighbour; his unjust dealing. He forgives Transgression, [...] Man's Rebellion against God; his receding from the power of the Lord, that layd a command upon him; [Page 249]and so aptly expresses the old offenee of our first pa­rents, their Disobedience, as the Apostle calls it, and our own offences against the Lord. He forgives, Sinne, [...], as the Sepiuagint renders it: which though it be of a large signification, yet here by way of difference, may fitly be taken for that sin of sinnes, which is too nerely against Our selves; that sinne, whence others flow; that law in our mem­bers, as the Apostle speakes, Rom. 7.23. the sinne that dwells in us v. 17. originall sinne. And thus does the Lord Iesus deliver his people at the last from all kind of sinne, Iniquitie against our Neighbour; Transgressi­on against God; Sinne against our selves. And as the Lord did visibly shew himselfe, passing by before Moses: so did the Lord Iesus, who was represented in that vision, exhibite himselfe in the flesh visibly to the world, as it were a passing by the World. At which wonderfull sight, yea at the remembrance of it, may not we likewise take up with a little change, those words of al­mighty God, The Lord, the Lord God; the Lord, the Lord Iesus; Mercifull and Gracious, long suffering and Abundant in Goodnesse and Truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving Iniquity and Transgression, and Sinne! Now as this work of our Saviour was the Re­storing of the world, so was it also the ordering of it; and accordingly the Greek Fathers frequently call it, [...] the ordering of a house hould, as Iustin and Nazianzene expresse it: God in his mercy, ha­ving by this provided for the world, as for his fa­milie. Which word they might borrow from the [Page 250]Apostle Ep. 1.10. where he says, God did worke, [...], in the dispensa­tion of the fullnesse of times; which might have been rendred in his house-hold-goverment, or in the gover­ning of his family, the world, in the fullnesse of times. Nor has he only order'd the world, but also Ho­noured it; whiles Man in Iesus is united unto God. Here did God gather together in one, all things in Christ. Eph. 1.10. all things, that is, Man, as Irenaeus and S. Gregory expound it. He did it, that he might gather all things together; [...], that he might Recapitulate, or bring to a Head all things in Christ. Indeed, we are but the Members, he is the Head, the Annointed head: he is God's Christ; or his Annointed. The eminency of Annointing, you may see in the excellency of the persons anciently annoin­ted among the Iews; the Priest, the Prophet, and the King. Of which last Lactantius observ'd, that Annoin­ting was the signe of Royalty among the Iews, as the purple roabe was among the Romans. All which respects concurr'd in the Annointing of our Saviour: he being a Priest, that offer'd Sacrifice for the sinnes of the World; he being a Prophet, that declared the secret Counsaile of his Father, con­cerning the redemption of mankind; he being a King, in delivering Laws and affording protection, to his Church. And being thus mystically annoin­ted with the Holy Ghost, he may more truely than Zerubbabel and Ioshua the high Priest after the Cap­tivity, in the phrase of the prophet Zacharie (4.14.) be call'd the Sonne of oile. Nor was it without an [Page 251]embleme, that he ascended into Heaven from the Mount of Olives, which then was also the mount of the Annointed. Oile is by the Hebrews called [...] from the purity and shining of it. When therefore it is said, Psal. 104.15. that God gives man Oile to make his face shine; the originall imports to make his face shine more than oile; as the English Inter­preters observe. Indeed [...] a word drawn from the same originall with the former, signifies the Light at noon day, or, the most full light: and thus is our Saviour Christ brighter than oile, and the Meridian Light, that inlightens the world. No mar­vaile then, if the Gentiles whiles they were out of the Govenant of Grace, so much envied at the glory of Christ, the annointed; so much, that they indea­voured to burne all bookes, that had the name of Christ in them, especially the Sacred writings; com­pelling all that in the Dioclesian persecution had such bookes, to deliver them up: whence such faint Christians as delivered them, were call'd Traditores; as S. Austin in part implies against the Donatists; and as appeares by the first Councill of Arles, Can. 13. and by Arnobius, with others. But as those Gentiles were not able to blot out the Sacred and Glorious name of Christ, so neither was Domitian with all the power of his Malice and Crueltie before that, able to disgrace the name of Christian; though because it was in ho­nour of our Saviour, and so signified a servant of Christ, (the Annointed) he imposed that scorne and intended torment upon the blessed Evangelist S. Iohn, by causing him to be cast into a vessell of [Page 252]scalding oile; Domitian's oile having no more pow­er agaist the Christian, than against Christ. And that we may know how to be true Christians, we may partly learne it from the names, by which at the be­ginning of their profession they call'd themselves; their usuall name being Disciples; implying an obe­dience and willingnesse to learne Truth: and so was an Instruction, as well as a Title. They were called the Beleivers; not that they did disclaime holy workes, which are all good mens Duty; but that comparatively they disesteemed them; nothing being meritorious but Christ, and by Christ, the Foundation of their Faith. They were called Breath­ren; they were call'd Saints; intimating their Unity, and Holinesse, not in Pretence but Practice. But the most usuall name of Humilitie and Zeale, was Disci­ples: which yet was chang'd at Antiochia, by the consent of the Apostles, into the name of Christians: upon occasion, as Athanasius shews, of the divisions of those, that pretended to be Disciples. Thus did their name declare and Remember them to be the worshippers of the Lord's Annointed. The Heathens in disgrace, fequently called them the Sibylists, as Origen tells us; the Christians so frequently alleadg­ing against the Gentiles, the Sibylls verses. So Clemens the Alexandrian mentions S. Paul alleadging a Sibyl: which memorialls, it seems, were in those times known among the Christians: which is the name by Apostolicall institution; and never was the name of any Sectaries: but among the Christians, the Apo­stoliques was the name of a Sect of Heretiques: And [Page 253]by as easy reason might the Catholiques have been so too. A Christian then being glorious in his Title, should remember, that as the Ancient wrestlers a­mong the Heathen, were annointed with oile, to make them the more Active: so should we, to a better expedition, be annointed with a spirituall Oile, which is Gods Grace. The Romanists annoint [...]he Christian when he comes into the visible Church by Baptisme; and when by death he is ready to goe out of it; at which time they use their extreame Unction: though the first be without warrant; as the last beyond the date of the warrant, that only for a time, was once given: and now accordingly of no effect. But insteed of this unprofitable Annoin­ting, we may see the benefits of our Saviours Annoin­ting, expressed unto us in the Olive-Tree and in the Oile. The Olive-Tree is green even in the Winter, and was not thus our Saviour Christ, and is not also thus the Christian, of a con­stant flourish, even in Calamities? The Root is Bitter: is not such the Biginning of the true Chri­stian Life? The Barke is Hard: Is not the life of the Christian fitly prepared against all violen­cies? The Wood of it is firme and solid. Is not such the Doctrine and Life of the Christian? The Flower, is singularly pleasant; the Fruite, sweet and full of Iuice: are not such the works of Fruitfull Christians? The Branch of the Olive, in a C [...]vell use was a signe of Peace, and carryed sometime by Embassadours, when they Desired or Offered Peace, and God him­selfe made it a signe of reconciliation, unto Noah: [Page 154]when he made the dove returne to him with an Olive-Branch. If likewise we consider the Naturall use of the Oile, we know that it refreshes man's Body. making him cheirfull: it nourishes the Lampe, to give us Light: it keepes pure from rust the wea­pons of our Safety. And does not Grace thus refresh the Christian soule! does it not increase & continue the Light of understanding; preserving our spiri­tuall weapons, Fasting, Prayer, Almes, from the un­happy rust of sloth and Hipocrisie? If troublesome­ly a dore turnes upon his hinges, with an ungrate­full noise; does not the oile give it a speedy willing­nesse? And sometimes when we are averse from de­votion, does not Grace give expedition and cheir­fullnesse of performance? Does it not make us with­out murmuring to turne unto Christ? Does it not make us as acceptable as it self unto Christ? Christ sayes to his Church ( Cant. 4.10.) The Savour of thy Ointments is better than all spices, yet much were the Ingredients of the holy Annointing Oile Ex. 30.23. and with such sometimes were women purified ( Esth. 2.12.) and the Dead embalm'd (2 Chron. 16.14.) such were also a present for a King (2 Chron. 9.9.) nay for a Solomon: there was no such spice as the Queen of Sheba gave King Solomon! And surely no such acceptable present to Christ our Solomon, as his own Grace in the Christian! By which the Chri­stian is made a Christ: by Grace not by Essence. Christ does annoint him as S. Paul speakes, 2 Cor. 1.21. nor are we only annointed by him but also with him: he being figuratively the oile it selfe, as the [Page 255]Prophet Isaiah calls him. (c. 10. 27.) our translation has it, the annointing; but the word is [...] literally, the Oile. Whosoever then will not love the blessing of this Oile, which is not only the Signe, but also the Cause of Joy: nor only of Joy, but also of Honour, (only especiall persons being eminently annointed) let him fall under the sorrow & shame of this curse, which here our Apostle pronounces against him: let him be Anathema Maranatha. To understand Gods word, necessary it is to understand Words: the Interpretation of which, we are to expect, not from Revelation but from Industry, the way of the divine providence in humane affaires. By which we may know, that from [...], to Separate, comes [...] written with [...], a Guift separated to God: and thus is the word [...] written and used Luk. 21.5. in which sense some wittily think [...], to be used for [...], above, the guifts separated to holy use being usually hâng'd up, (as shields, crownes, and the like, from an enemie) on walls and pillars, in thankfull­nesse and honour. And such a guift, for the separa­tion of it, is by Suidas call'd [...], a Taking-away; that is, from the use of man, to the use of God: as for the Elevation, some Offring is call'd [...] Exod. 30.13. from [...] advancing: as the Wave-offring is [...] Exod. 29.24. from [...] to Elevate. There is also [...], written with [...]: which being referr'd to [...], to Curse, signifies that which is accursed, and so an execrable person: according to which writing and sense, it is here used. The Gentiles indeed had a custome, when signes from Heaven, or Judg­ments terrified them, to indeavour the appeasing of [Page 260]their Gods, by leading some person out of the City, and killing him, as a Sacrifice for the rest: and such a One the old Grecians call'd [...], whence it is, that Hesychius makes this word of the same sense with [...], one that is separated from the Com­munion of men. S. Paul implyed such a sense and Custome. 1 Cor. 4.13. when he saies, he was the Off­scouring of all things, the word is there [...], alluding to the former Custome of the Gentiles: who when upon occasion they offered to the Sea-God Neptune, such a wretched person, used in the casting of him from some Cliffe into the Sea, to crie, [...], Be thou our Off-Scouring: as Suidas teaches us. And this may the rather appeare to be the purpose of the Apostle, from the ninth verse of that chapter: where he saies, I think that God has set forth us the Apostles last, as it were apoin­ted to death, meaning that they should be used like accursed persons. The Hebrews call'd such things, [...] destruction or devoting, from [...] to destroy without pitty: the word seeming as some observe contrary to [...] to love, or have compassion; both words consisting of the same letters, but inverted: as if the inversion of the letters were a figure of the in­version of the sense. Yet in Devoting there were some degrees; sometimes all things being to be de­stroyed, Man, Beast, and Goods: for thus they dealt with Idolatrous Cities. Deut. 13. Sometimes they were to kill Man and Beast; but spare the Goods, Gold, Silver, and Brasse; as in Iericho's destruction. Sometimes they were to destroy only the people, as in Hai's destruction, Iosh. 8. But at last [Page 261]among the Grecians, this word [...] came to an Ecclesiasticall acception, signifying a person Excom­municated from the Church; it being judg'd a fit word to expresse the Separation, and in that the Curse of such persons. The Jews had also their Ex­communication, which was the casting of one out of their Synagogues, their places throughout their Coun­trie, for Prayer, and the Exposition of the Law upon their Sabbaths. Which punishment was such a shame that in our Saviour's time, it kept some from the Co [...] ­fession of the Faith, though not from the Faith. In the primitive times there were degrees of such, as were separated frō the Church; of which were some of the Audientes; Hearers of the word preached: among whō were some indeed, that were not yet admitted to the farthar blessings of the Church: those were by pu­nishment, but Hearers; these had been but Hearers. A second sort were Procumbentes; such as in pro­strate manner ask'd pardon of the Church, for some publique scandall given by them to the Church. A third were the Orantes, call'd also as S. Cyprian say's, Abstenti; persons after some offence, admitted only to the Prayers of the Church. A last sort were such, as were once Communicants, persons admitted to the Lord's Supper; but for great sinnes depriv'd of so great a blessing. To be remov'd from the Lord's Table, was a great punishment; yet greater it was to be remov'd also from the prayers of the Church: but how great was it then, not to be admitted to aske pardon? The Libellatici were soonest Resto­red; the Church looking upon their frailty, as well as on their Fault; they being such as for feare of [Page 258]punishment had their names registred in the Magi­strates Booke (from whence they are call'd Libella­tici) aknowledging their consent to offer Incense to the Gentiles Gods; but meeting with a dealing Judge, redeem'd themselves from trouble and the performance, by the perswasion of a Bribe. Their unwillingnesse to offend, wonne the Church to a willingnesse to Restore them: Adulterers indeed, as too too foule, were left for many yeares to be wash'd with their own tears, in hope to be throughly wash'd in the blood of Christ. But such as relapsed in­to Idolatrie, were not readmitted till the houer of death, when as much they were to leave the Church, as to re-enter it: and rather in a new hope of the Church Triumphant, than a new possession of the Church Militant. This manner of Excommunica­tion was grievous indeed, and often attended with grievous consequences; God permitting the Devill in primitive times, upon the pronouncing of the sentence, to enter into the persons and torment them; as we read of Stilico's secretary excommuni­cated by S. Ambrose. We may remember it is call'd a delivering unto Satan 1 Cor. 4.5. Hymeneus and Alexander (1 Tim. 1.20.) were thus delivered up by S. Paul. And this Excommunication the Fathers call a resemblance of damnation; S. Jerome termes it, a judging before the day of Judgement; and S. Cy­prian calls it, the death of the Soule. So grievous it is, that S. Chrysostome thinks it to grievous too be exer­cised: since not against the living, saies he, because we must not prevent God's judgement.: nor against the Dead, because they have their judgement al­ready. [Page 259]Yet in this point his Mercy was more than his Judgement; we having not only the permission, but the Command in God's Word, and the practice of the Ancient Church: the greatest Heretiques ha­ving been struck with this sentence, by the grea­test Councils. And thus though it were very grievous, it was very necessary: and if more weight may be given unto it, some think it ad­ded in the Word that is added, Mara-natha; Let him be Anathema Mara-natha. Between which words some copies have no point: and such it seems Oeco­lampadius liked; but insteed of Maranatha he thinks it should be Matha, and so expounds it by, Anathema Mortis; which may be interpreted, One accursed to death. But Guesse being too bold an attendant upon the holy text; we must according to the Originall read, [...]; or as the very ancient prin­ted copie of Prevotius, with small difference [...], which as S. Jerome says, is as much as Do­minus noster venit, Our Lord is come. The compound word is acknowledg'd to be rather Syriaque, than Hebrew; [...] signifying then our Lord, [...] is come; or by the libertie of the Hebrew, (which often uses the time past for time to come) shall come, yet some understand it of the time past, which had been apt, if the Apostle had here spoken of the Iews, who denyed he was come: but speaking here to the Corinthians, he seems not to speake to such as denyed our Saviour, but to such as lov'd him not. According to which acception some make the sense to be, Let such a one be accursed 'till the Lord shall come; Others, Let suh a one be accursed, when the Lord shall come, [Page 264]or, be separated from the comming of the Lord, that is, from the benefit of his comming, which is the deli­verance of the Just. This expression then of the Apostle, is an allusion to to the severest curse among the Jewes, in their Excommunication, to be infli­cted at the comming of their Messias; a forme of speech not unknown, as appeares, to S. Pauls con­verted Corinthians. Briesely then and clearely, we may take the first words for the pronoucing of the Curse; the last for a confirmation of the curse; the first being as the writing; the last as the Seale. The sentence is, whosoever loves not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Accursed: the Confirmation is, Nay, the Lord shall come, and at his comming prove this Curse a Truth. Thus speakes the Apostle by an Aposiopesis, a figure attending upon Indignation, which is the passion in which the Apostles Zeale here speakes. Let him be Anathema: doe only 1 Paul say so? Yea Maranatha; the Lord, shall come and say so! The Lord whom he loves not, shall come and say so! Since then there is so great, so cer­taine a Curse, for all that doe not Love the Lord, needfull it will be to know who are such: which we may know by knowing the nature of the Duty, or, what it is to Love the Lord Jesus Christ. If we should aske most men, whether they love the Lord our Saviour, they would presently venture not to love him, by their Indignation at the question. Yet notwithstanding such Disdaine, one might perad­venture as easily pose them, as anger them. But not to tempt them to the hazard of the Passion, and at once to save their Patience and Credit, they may [Page 265]without being catechiz'd, positively know, that the nature of true Love consists in similitude; so that he which truely loves the Lord, is, to his endeavour, like the Lord. And since our blessed Saviour who is the Sonne of God, is like the Father by his Nature, we likewise who are by Adoption the Sonnes of the same Heavenly Father, must strive to be like unto him in Holinesse, He is holy, therefore we must be Holy. In this consists our proportionall similitude unto God! And that we may the more fitly resem­ble him, we must fit our will unto his will; which being reveal'd in his commandement, if we love Him, we must love his Commandement; and then we unfeinedly love it, when we keep it. No other signe or Truth is there of our Love: if we observe not what Christ Commands, we as yet love not Christ, that Commands it; And therefore Clemens ( Epist. 2.) dares to say, he that keeps not the Lord's Commands, Let him be accursed till the Lord comes. He is the Lord our Lord, we are his Servants, whose actions being vertually in reference to him; the nature of our love to him as to our Lord, con­sists in a conformity of our actions unto His. How sadly then doe they draw this curse upon them­selves, that abuse God's Word by Prophanesse, or Heresie? Who abuse his command by obstinacy or security? who abuse his Servants by oppression or contempt? indeavouring rather to prove his Ser­vants hypocrites, than to become his servants. A­gain, he is our Iesus (our Saviour) whose Love to­wards us being Infinite, we must in a sort imitate the Infinitie of his love, by a perpetuall increase of our [Page 262]Love. Which is surely increased by a remembrance of his Passion; which is perform'd according to his own desire in a frequent Communicating at his ho­ly table. Our Saviour has left that, as the sure mark of his friends: they are those that frequently come and suppe with him. How sadly then doe they draw this curse upon themselves, who by contempt or neglect of that blessed provision, insteed of parta­king with his friends in the merit of his Passion, partake with the Jews in their guilt of his passion. In what condition also are they, who to the merit of his Blood, dare adde the merit either of their workes, or will? Lastly he is Christ, the Lord's Annointed; He is annointed as a King; and is the Defender of his faithfull Subjects: who then can be safe from his Curse and Justice, that contemnes his Majestie in his command? He is annointed as a Prophet: and who shall escape a curse, that resists God's will, in resisting his prophet that declares his will? He is annointed as a Priest: who then shall escape that curse, from which only our High Priest, the Sonne of God, can deliver him? And as it is Duty to Love our Saviour, so is it Wisedome: which we must imploy in the manner of our Love. Of which one degree it is to be called after his Name: but a far­ther degree it is, a degree of wisedome, to be call'd by a fit name. Some indeed, as some Easterne Chri­stians, have from his name of Lord [...] the title of Ma­rani: some from his name Jesus; as the Iesuites, by the choise of their Ignatius: but the Apostles chose to be called from his name Christ, Christians. In the two first whereof we may see the weakenesse [Page 267]of men: In the last we may see the wisedome of God, and the Godly. All the names of our Saviour implie excellencies; the first, his Dominion over his Church; the second, his nature of a Mediatour, whereby he saves us: These are prerogatives as well as Excellencies; and therefore it is Humilitie and safety, for men rather to decline, than assume such Appellations. Or if the name Iesuite may be admitted, for the Pretence or Intent of an Indea­vour to save soules; too extreame an Arrogancy it is, for a Sect of men to assume a title as peculiar to themselves, which is as claimeable by all the Ministers of the Gospell. This covetuous zeale is not allowable! But the name Christ, implying our Saviours spirituall annointing; may for our proportion descend to us; may as a Holy oile descend from the Head to the Skirts of the Garment: and so from Christ, we may happily and fitly be called Christians. True it is, God has annointed him above his fellows: yet a truth it is also, that his fellows are annointed: nay, they were not his fellows if they were not annoin­ted. And as he has annointed them with Him; so has he annointed them by Him, and for his sake. Wherfore though the name Christ and also Christian, may signifie annointed; yet as the one name is de­rived from the other; so is our Annointing deriv'd from His. And since this annointing includes all blessings, and all these blessings come by our blessed Saviour, let him be accursed that loves not our Lord Jesus Christ. The word here for Love, is not [...], but [...]; which signifies a lesse degree of love than the former: and therefore he that beares [Page 268]not so small affection to our Saviour, justly deserves to be an Anathema. Yet the greatest part of such as professe Christ, are rather content to receive his bles­sings, his outward blessings, than his Commands: or if they receive them 'tis so unwillingly, that we may feare they rather Indure him, than Love him. But our Apostle curses all them that doe not love him: among whom the Greek Interpreters generally un­derstand, all that offend God by grievous sinnes; such as Schismatiques, Fornicatours, Eaters of meat offered to Idols, unworthy Communicants, Denyers of the Resurrection, and the like. Need then we have to learne the nature of love; and learne it we may from the Body, from that part of the body, the Liver, which is by nature appointed as the Instrument and seat of Love. It is the seate of Love, as Salomon implies Prov. 7.23. whiles he saies, the adulterer goes on, till a dart strike through his liver. The liver is the fountaine of the veines, and the first instrument of blood; the lappes or extremities of it compassing and comforting the stomach: thus sacred Love compasses and strengthens our spirituall appetite, and is as the fountaine of all devout affecti­ons! The Liver is made of blood, and it makes blood, so is our spirituall love begotten by God's love of us; and then increases into greater and new love of God: imitating in this the figure of the liver: which is shaped like a crescent or the Moone in her increase! The liver makes blood out of the purest and most aëry part of the matter it workes upon: and thus does spirituall love arise from the purer parts and contemplation of those things it con­siders. [Page 269]The Liver is the chiefe seate of the nutritive facultie, and by the veines conveighs blood to all parts of the body, so is love the chiefe instrument of spirituall nourishment, dispensing a chierfull heate and alacrity to all actions of a Christian! The temper of the liver consists in heate and moisture, qualities which singularly prolong life: so the sa­cred heate and living moisture of spirituall love shall maintaine us into an eternity of life! And as in the Liver is made that [...], or separation of the pro­fitable humours from the bad: so an intimate pow­er and degree of spirituall love, separates our thoughts from the corruptions and vaine humours of the World! The Hebrews call the Liver [...] Exod. 29.13. for the weightinesse of it through the a­bundance of blood, which abundance is the materi­all occasion of the abundance of spirits; thus like­wise holy love, which is the true spirituall blood, is fill'd with the abundance of purer spirits, which are the quick extasies and raptures of the soule! In the Judaicall Sacrifices the caule of the Liver was to be burnt unto the Lord; not only to expresse, that we ought to be purged from our naturall Lust, but al­so that we should be purisyed into a supernaturall Love. O then let us love the Lord, who is as un­willing to curse us, as he is able to doe it: who cannot loose his true Dominion, though we would loose our seeming obedience: who will judge all men with a Judgement, that shall be Just, and yet Extreame: since all shall receive from him, an everlasting reward. Let us Love our Jesus, our mercifull Saviour: who descended from Heaven, [Page 270]that we might ascend to it: who descended to Us, that we might not descend to Hell: who descen­ded to the Infamie of the Crosse, that we might ascend to the honour of the Love of Iesus: Let us then bow the Knee to him that bowed the Head for us and gave up the Ghost. And let us Love the Christ of God, the Annointed; let us returne unto him the holy Savour of his own oile, wherewith he has annointed us: let us thank him for his Grace, with his own Grace; let us at least make so cheap a re­compence; this being the acceptable art of Grace; whereby we shall not need to feare this our Apostle's Anathema; but with Truth and Comfort crie Maranatha, The Lord shall come, he shall come for our Deliverance. Which grant unto us most mercifull Father; that when thy Sonne, thy Christ, our Lord Iesus shall appeare, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him, at his Comming! To whom with thee, O Father, and thy blessed Spirit be all Praise and Glory now and for ever.