THe words are the salutation of an Apostle, of an A­postle to the Apostles; he which was the Apostle of the Fathers sending vers. 21. to them which were Apostles of his own; they are his own words a little after, as the father sent me, so send I you: But the sicut there, is not aequalitatis, but proportion is, saith Maldonate; in regard of the manner of his mission, and the matter of his commission there was indeed a non sicut; the work of mediation was only his, of ministration theirs; he was to purchase, they to publish; He was pax nostra, so saith th' Apostle; they but praecones pacis, saith the Prophet, messengers of peace; yet in regard of the authority of the mission, and the efficacy of the mini­stration, there was a similitude; their hard fortune in the world, their course entertainment amongst Wolves, (I might instance in other matters, but that it is not proper to this Text) may very well be suffered to carry some proportion; Amongst the rest there was a si­cut in this, this salutation in the Text: when he sent them the first word, he appointed them to say were, Peace he to this house, Luke 10. 5. And now he whom the Father had sent comes un [...]o them with the same salutation, to shew that he and they were of the same mission, Peace he unto you; and when he had said so, be shewed them his hands and his feet. I shall not need to tell you that these words were a usuall com­plement amongst the Jewes; they practise it within themselves [...]o this present; Peace he unto you, is their salutation: even when war is in their heart, they would have peace in their mouthes, and make the [Page 2] symb [...]ll of love and friendship, a mask of falshood and treason: to that effect Joab greeted Amasa in the 2 Sam. 20. 9. Art thou in health my brother? but he shewed him neither his hand nor his side; for there he covertly held his sword, with which treacherously he slew him. Little better is much of the only complement of these times, whose words are smoother then butter, and yet are they very sword [...]. But there was no matter of any such mistrust from these words of our Sa­viour, and to prevent all suspition which possibly might arise, assoon as he had said them, He shewed them his hands and his side.

Indeed the Disciples were afraid, so Saint Luke saith, chap 24. 37. they had but lately beheld the sad Tragedy of their Masters sufferings, and like a trembling Herd when their choisest Hart was smitten down, fled amazedly distracted at the fall; they looked every hour when themselves should be marked out for the slaugh er by those hun­gry woodmen. They were at this time assembled together for fear of the Jewes, (the words before my Text) and the doors were shut; and our Saviours sudden and invisible apparition had been enough to have frighted them being in that terrour, if he had not presently sayd unto them, Peace be unto you, and shewed them his hands and his side.

And yet whether they mistrusted some poyson might lie in that courtship, remembring what treason was of late interred in a kisse; or whether fear had so much estranged them, that they werenot come to themselves when Christ spake, and so gave no attention to what was said; he is fain to repeat the same over again; and that he might not lose in their acceptance that which he thought they would so h [...]hly prize, saith Maldonate, he saith unto them again, Peace be unto you, verse 21. and [...]aint Luke saith, again he shewed them his hands and his feet. Christ had received this praise in the Gospel, that he did both do, and teach, Acts 1. 1. and that he was mighty indeed, and in word, Luke 24. 19. He practised ever himself first, what he taught others, and though never man spake like him, yet his works made a far better report of him then his words, Ioh. 5. 36. Indeed he was sent to bring the blessing, and those come to steal it rather which come with the voice of Jacob, but the hands of Esau: Those which will be right bringers of it, must when they come shew their hands and their feet; then will they say like those in Esay 52. 7. How beautifull are the feet of them, which declare and publish peace! Christ had purchased peace; the wounds in his hands, and side, and feet were the chastisements of our peace, so the Prophet Esay calls them, Esay 53. 5. and now he [Page 3] comes to publish it to his Disciples; and that his last act might be made up of a perfect harmony, he brings the Trophees of his victory, the wounds of his body, to shew them how and upon what termes he had purchased it for them: He said unto them, Peace be unto you, and when he had so sayd, he shewed them his hands and his side.

If we attend only the salutation of our Saviour, there were not much to be spoken, it was common to others as well; yet it is re­markable in this, His Disciples had all of them either cowardly for­sa [...]en, or shamefully denyed him, they abode not by him at the first skirmish, he was left alone unto the shock, and there was none else; now he was returned a victorious champion, having broken through the steely ribs and braz [...]n bars of death and the grave; and that he should at the first word proclaim peace unto those traytors, that not sued, not sought unto, he should embrace those fugitives, is contrary unto most of the practice of the world, such a greeting doth ill agree with such as they; Curses upon such occasions are more in ure then blessings; the sword one would have thought had been more due then peace; but it becomes not Christ to be the messenger of war; He brought wounds but in his own hands and side; he would not give any, though he was content to receive. Such is the mercy of our God still unto us sinners, he is not Aestimator meriti, but largitor ve­niae, as our Church calls him in her Liturgie.

But there is more in it then so, Aliter a Christo, quàm a mundo si­lutamur, saith Maldonate: it is not for nothing, that contrary to the form of salutation, he doth presently upon the matter repeat the same words, vers. 21. he goeth over it, and over it again, to shew that he would not have it singly regarded; or as Pharaohs dreams were doub­led to confirm the vision, so are his words to make good his saluta­tion; Pacem subinde dicit, ut p [...] hello solamen afferat, saith Chris st.

And if we consider the quality of the peace, we shall finde it to answer the greatnesse of the war; before war Jehues reply to Jeho­ram sorted well to every one of us, what had we to do with peace? after war, so chargeable a war as our Saviour had so lately underta­ken, it is not likely an unworthy peace could be accepted; as is the man, such is his m [...]ssage, you shall hear more of the worth of both anon.

I had ere now taken the Text asunder, but that I thought I ought not rashly to have entred it without some salutation: I must now a while disturbe the peace of the Text, that I may the better discover [Page 4] unto you the Text of peace. The violation which shall be offered, will be redressed by the union: A division which is but morall, not mortall, will be the better relished in the close: I shall at last with more ease leave it as I finde it, then finde how or where to leave it.

Two words take up the whole Text.

• 1 Peace, and
• 2 The price of it.

1. The publishing of peace. 2. The purchasing of it. In the first is verbum pacis. In the second factum pacis: and when words and works concur, is like to be truest peace. Or else thus, There is first the blessing of peace, that is the matter of the Text. Secondly the author of peace, 1. Pax Dei. 2. Deus pacis. And he is

Two wayes the author of peace. 1. By Ministration. 2. By medi­ation. 1. By publishing. 2. By purchasing; the messenger, the ma­ker is one, he which brought it in the first words of the Text, Peace be unto you, first bought it in the latter, and for that end he shewed them his hands and his side.

Again, the publishing of peace is two wayes. First, optatively, by way of wishing. Secondly, imparatively, by way of commanding. In the first, Pax vohis, he wisheth peace to us, he wisheth us to it; and therefore some of the Fathers have called this more then a salutation, votum Christi; In the second, Pax vohis, is as much as, pacem habete in vohis; and therefore more yet, than votum Christi, it is mandatum Christi.

And here will come in at last to be considered, the persons to whom it is proclaimed, for whom it was purchased, vohis, Peace be unto you: and when he had so sayd, he shewed them his hands and his side.

We begin with the first, the blessing of peace, 1. Pax Dei. It will be too hard a task to make you understand that which the Scripture saith doth passe all understanding. The Kingdome of God saith the Apostle consists in three things, (whereof peace bears the greatest part) Righteousnesse, Peace, and Joy, Rom. 14. 17. Opus justitiae, Pax Letitia, offectum pacis: Joy could not have been at all without righteousnesse, righteousnesse alone could not have brought forth joy; upon those termes we stood till Peace was brought into the world purchasd and proclaimed: Those two extreams, Gods ju­stice and our joy had never come together, till Peace came in the midst and concluded for us.

Now peace, is that which all things wish, it is votum, and summa [Page 5] vo [...]orum: Aquinas calleth it, the summum bonum of all things. Reason­able Creatures the Angels in Heaven they desire to bring the news of peace, Pax terris, Luke 2. The devils in hell would be glad of it to; The very enimy of peace to have peace himself, he would not be tor­mented, nor troubled that troubles all things else, unreasonable Crea­tures, fire and water, whiles they are together, nothing bustles more, when asunder nothing ioyes more in their separation, they fight that they may be at peace all: even sencelesse things are at an unrest till in their place, to which naturally they tend in, which only they be at peace; even God himself wisheth so well to peace, that as if he pre­ferred it before all his other Titles, he loves to be stiled Deus Pacis, the God of Peace.

Saint Austin places it in order, and cals it tranquillitas ordinis: as the Symmetry among the members when none are out of place; the Harmony in musick, when no one note is harsh, or out of tune, such is peace and order among estates. Maximus cals it, ejus quod gratissi­mum est plena possess [...]o, when the desire hath its full complement of what most delights it: therefore happinesse is by some said to be Pax desiderii, when our desire hath what it would, then it will be at rest, not before; then it will have peace; But that is not to be had here in this life, not that peace which may estate us in a full and quiet possession of all things we could wish for; it is but desiderium Pacis here; we must therefore make two sorts of peace with the School. 1. Perfecta. 2. Imperfecta, The one is Patriae of the blessed Saints and Angels there; the other is Viae of the tossed souls and Pilgrims here: that consists in a Vnion to one eternall good, this chiefly in Communion.

The first, Pax vohis, sitting enough for Christ to wish, but not as yet for you to receive; you are yet but in the way to it; and yet that we may not altogether exclude from the Text. Christ purchased that for you, the peace of God, and therefore it belongs unto you. The glorified Saints in heaven enjoy it by right of redemption from him, by vertue of the price which he paid for it: you may joy in it here, but not enioy it; the remembrance of it will make you love peace the bet­ter whiles you live, and teach you to keep peace here, which to the preservers of it, is a Symboll and token of that blessed peace there.

But the peace is to be stated according to this life, and that is but imperfect; at the best but imperfectly perfect: it is three-fold; and to note that Tribus vicibus pace [...] dicit.

[Page 6]1. Peace in heaven with God above us, that is Pax aeterna, it is but begun here in this life, and they have it to whom Christ saith, Pax vo­his; there was a warre betwixt God and us; he was become our enemy, and in that great inundation had swept us all away for ever, but that Christ, like the Dove with the Olive Branch in his mouth, brought us peace, reconciled us to him; he is our peace which hath made of both one, saith the Apostle, Ephes. 1. 14. he which was factus u [...]us ex utra­que one Person of two natures, was faciens utram (que) unam, two na­tures into one peace.

2. Peace within us with our own hearts, Pax interna: that Caro semper militat contra Spiritum, saith St. Chrysost. Tom. 1. p 1. 41. It is not so much, that that war is to be still continued, there can be no peace there, till a [...]l the lusts be subdued: God forbade Israel to make any peace with the Cinaanite, victory onely which will not be till death must put an end to the Battell. But besides, there is a warre not onely against the soul, but in the soul, in sinu, t [...]e soul it self is woun­ded and cast down, and overthrown; it lies upon a Bed of thornes, between hope and fear, between faith and fainting; some have been so deeply engaged in it, that they wou'd have rid themselves of their souls to be rid of it, but now a peace here is concluded, a peace made with God above; and soon will there be peace in our hearts within: whiles the Lord of Hosts was up in arms the very powers and forces of the soul mustered themselves against her self, but now he is down, and is reconciled: Why art thou so vexed, O my soul? and why art thou so disquieted within me? and why say you then you rebelling fears, unto my soul, that she should fly as a bird unto the hill.

3. Peace with others without us, Pax externa: the Angels pro­claimed this from heaven at the Birth of our Saviour, pax terris: and all the world was then at peace, in token whereof Janus was shut up. I shall not doubt to say that this peace (peace amongst men) is part of our Saviours wish, and of his will too, and therefore when he sent his disciples, he bade them ever say first, pax buic Domui, and we know how much the Apostles preach it, as their Lord commanded them. Civill peace is after spirituall, the greatest of Gods blessings, with it an band full of herbs how sweet is it? without it an house full of Sacrifice, what good is it? Therefore the Primitive Church, saith Tertullian, ever used to pray for it, orbem pacatum; and the Psalmist bids us re­member to do it, Oh pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper that love it, Psal. 122. 6. They shall have joy that counsell it, Prov. 12. 20. [Page 7] They shall be blessed that make it, Matth. 5. 9. How great a reward should he finde in heaven? how glorious a name shall he leave upon earth that could bring it to passe?

I passe unto the next, the Author and Giver of Peace, the God of peace. Christ himself is the Author of it; omnis benedictio a majore, saith the Apostle, and no blessing greater than peace, none greater to give it than Christ; when he was born, it was Zenium Christi, so St. Cyprian calls it, Encaenium Christi, so Bonaventure. The chief part of the Angels song, Peace on earth; his first gift when he went away, it was Donativum Christi, my peace I give unto you, my peace I leave with you: his last Legacy; men use at the last, to give their best things unto their friends. and Christ had no better then peace to give; he gave it by way of Testament then, upon his Good-Friday farewell, by way of Testimony he renews it now as upon his Easter Salutation, that he might remember them afresh now, of what so late he bequeathed them then, saith Chrysostome. It was the last thing he thought on before his death, it is the first thing he thinks on now after his rising, the first and the last with Christ, and yet for the most part the last and the least with us Christians; and to shew how much himself was the cause of peace, he is called Pax nostra, Ephes. 2. 14. And every where in the New Testament, Deus Pacis, and God as if he took better liking to that Title, then any of his other, is no where since stiled Deminus Sabaoth, but Sabbath, not of hoasts, but of rest, not of power but of peace.

1. Now he is the Author of peace; so the Church in one of her collects cals him two wayes. 1. By Ministration, he was not content the Angels only should be Heralds of it, or that men alone should be Evangelizantes pacem: himself came to Minister, to grace our Functi­on the better, and if of any thing, it is most fit that he should be the Minister of the best things; It was necessary that peace should be published, there will be no laying down of Armes till then: but why Christ himself should be the Minister of it, was sure to set the greater price on his peace, to shew its dignity, his dignation, he which bought it, also brought it, the Make [...] of our peace would be the Messenger of it.

1. And now he brings it. 1. Optatively, by way of wishing, Peace be unto you. Those ever ought to do that at least which say it, there ought to be an intendment at least of peace, if it cannot be had, yet it were to be wished, to be sincerely desired; there should be [Page 8] votum pacis in corde, as well as vox pacis in ore: or else twere fairer dealing to march on furiously with Jehu, to say plainly, what hast thou to do with peace? then falsely with Jo [...]b and Judos to salute and kisse, and to betray and kill. It is pitty that th [...] Language of Heaven should ever usher in any project of hell, that black purposes should come cloathed with the whitest Ornaments, that dark fiends should speak like glorified Spirits, and under pretence of prayers devoure up houses, under the colours of peace, contrive mischief and destru­ction.

But our Saviour intended it sure, and therefore wisheth it to them, and in it whatsoever else goods to be wished for; Peace is the Breviary of all votes, Pacem te poscimus omnes: The Apostle cals Evangeli­zantes pacem, Evangelizantes bona, Rom. 10. 15. As if all good things were in peace, that is the best comment upon this complement, they which wish us peace, wish us all good things: besides, both Bonum jucundum & foecundum, they are the chief goods; we look after plea­sant and profitable goods. Peace is both th [...] Psalmist saith, Psal. 133. Behold how good and pleasant a thing it is, like A [...]rons oyntment, it is bonum amabile, and like the dew of Hermon, it is bonum utile. Peace and plenty ever go together: Abundance of peace were not so fit a phrase, if it were not to shew that abundance, is ever the effect, the fruit of peace. But Christ doth not only wish this, but also will it, he com­mends it to them, and commands it them both under one, his teach­ing was ever with au [...]hority.

2. Imperatively. Pax vobis, is as much as, Pacem babete in vohis: if it were not good for us, he would never wish it, much lesse command it; and this here is but a remembring of them, saith Saint Chrysostome, of what he had before so oft told them, of having peace one with an­other. If his authority was doubted then; sure it was sufficiently confirmed now: now he was risen from the dead, and had conque [...]ed all those enemies of peace, even death it self the last enemy of all. To speak of peace, to advise to it, to enjoyn it was a very fit time: Dives in hell desired no more, then that one should rise from the dead to teach his brethren.

Now the peace which commands us is

• Oris.
• Operis.
• Cordis.

1. To speak peace for strise, like to flames gather life by breath; angry words are ever heralds unto warre; they that will pursue peace [Page 9] must keep their tongue from evils, and their lips that they spake no guile: Curses and reproaches are like arms of straw to the fire of wrath, saith Camerarius, they adde fuell to it; but a soft answer, saith Solomon, al­layeth it. The Apostles though they had tongues given them like fire, yet they were such as had light, as much as heat in them, and that heat which was, was cooled with a blast of winde, Acts 2. And heat can do no harm where it is governed by light; there must be habete potestatem in verbis, before there can be any hopes of habete pacem in vobis, they know not the way of peace, which know not how to do that.

2. The next is Pax operis, To practise, peace: Christ did both, they heard him speak, and he shewed them his hands and his feet, to con­firm his practise, he was mighty in deed and in word: the Scripture places deed ever first where it speaks of Christ, Acts 1. 1. Luke 24 19. to shew there was most worth in that; and Christs action should be our imitation, when we speak peace, we should shew our hands that we practise it, that we labour for it, not Joa [...] and Judas like, have peace only in our mouth, but a sword or staffe in our hand: But it is possible our labour may be lost, as Davids was in Psal. 120. I labour for peace, but when I speak unto them thereof, they make themselves ready for battell. It is likely we shall speed no better then Christ told his Disciples, when as he sent them forth with the like salutation, Pax buic domui: as it hits and meets with the Son of peace, so it will be retained, else returned back to us again; yet there must be still

3. Pax in corde, a well wishing unto peace, an hearty desire of it; not to let enmity take up any room there, to expresse it by free motion of it, by glad receiving it, by seeking and suing for it, by sending af­ter it and purchasing it; till this be seen, we shew not our side, how it bleeds after peace: This is Christs wish, that we would do thus; and this is not only commended unto us, but commanded us: Pax vobis (i. e.) habete pacem in vobis.

And let it now passe for an injunction, and not only for a saluta­tion: Love is of the same nature with peace: our Saviour calls it a new Commandement, John 13. 34. Peace hath somewhat the advantage of that our Saviour speaks of, and that only to Peter after his resurrection, but this he gives in charge to all his Disciples: Pax vo­bis, is he to them.

We come to that now; the Persons to whom it is enjoyned, his Disciples; they were then gathered together, and their Congregation [Page 10] did fitly represent the Church of God; only they were gathered through fear, these through love: Now peace is never so fit as at a meeting, be it from what cause soever, whether of love or fear, there to be published, then to be entertained.

When men are simul, there ought least of all to be simultas: Peace is the Cartilage which keeps the members together, the bond of peace the Apostle calls it, because the Church like a shea [...]e, hath by it all her ears of corn kept from shattering together; This was the peace of Christs principall intendment, Pax Ecclesiae, that they should alwaies be, as their bodies were conjoyned, so have their hearts and mindes united: as they are of one place, so have all one peace: we cannot say with any successe, Pax huic domui, if they be not of one minde in the house.

Saint Basil reports with astonishment what he had by experience sound in his travells, that when in all Arts and Sciences, and societies, he saw peace and agreement: tantum in Ecclesiâ Christi pro quâ ipse mortuus, maximum dissidium, Ascet. p. 186. He reckons it among the judgements of God, and we can do no lesse, if any time we think seriously of it: he imputes the cause of that to mens contempt of their heavenly King, as Israels calamities in the time of Judges, because every man did what they list, and there was no King in Is­rael; they which are rebells to the King will not be ruled by his Law, sine Rege, & sine Lege ever go together; and they do little better but deny his soveraignty which reject his commands; they forgo their obedience, which cast of his cognizance; nay with greater rage then the souldiers used him, they rent in sunder his seamlesse coat and break even his bones in peeces, so Saint Austin speaks of the Schisma­tick Donatus.

There will be ever in the Church of God haters of Peace. The ene­mie of peace will be still sowing tares of dissention, ever since the opening of the second seal, Revel. 6. 4. There was power given to take peace from the earth: then was Pax terris, that part of the Angels song turned into vaeterris. Jehnes fury, and Jereboams schisme carry all away before them: The Gospel they pretend to both, as if it had gotten new colours, war and the sword, and not peace, and love.

Yet shall Christs wish take no effect: Pax vobis, will sure be wel­come to the Disciples: Pax domui huic, to the sons of peace here: Those to whom Christ wisheth it, are the same to whom the Angels proclaimed it, Luke 2. Pax terris, but quibus? saith Saint Bernard: [Page 11] [...] hominibus magnae scientiae, & dignitatis, sed bone voluntatis.

But what and if you will needs reject it? shall it be sayd in vain, Pax vobis? if it finde no sons of peace, it will return to vs again; the blessing of peace will be returned to them that plead for it: and that our Saviour pronounceth, blessed are the Peace makers.

And blessed for ever, blessed be that Peacemaker who did not only plead for peace all his life, but purchased it by his death, who payd the prise of it, his own bloud, who was not only the messenger of it, but the maker of it: and to shew that, he shewed them his hands and his side.

2. I come to that now, the second way of Christs being author of our peace, by mediation, by purchase; he sayd; Peace be unto you and when he had so sayd, he shewed them his hands and his side.

O hers were Evangelizantes pacem, the Angels from Heaven, the Apostles on earth; but procurantes pacem, none but he: they by mini­stration having received commission from him, he only by mediation having his mission from the Father: they may be messengers, he only the maker, and in that respect he, and not they, is called Pax nostra.

If you require a sign of it, there is the Prophet Jonabs in such a storm which would have soon swoopt up the ship and all her passen­gers; Take me saith he, and cast me into the sea, and then the sea ceased from her raging. Adam was the Carrick, in him all mankinde was imbarqued, and that was ready to be swallowed up in the Abysse of Gods high displeasure: take me saith Christ, and let me passe through those angry wounds; only with this difference, Jonahs truly sayd it, Propter me haec tempestas; but of him saith Esay, He was woun­ded for our transgressions: and those wounds which he then received, here he shewes unto his Disciples: He shewed them his hands and his side.

Christ would have the wounds of his passion to be seen after his resurrection, for many good reasons. It is probable he hath them still to shew: In a vision which Zachary saw, 13. 6. there is one whether Saint or Angel, is bold to ask him, what are those wounds in thy hands? and his answer is, These are they which I received in the house of my friends. Saint Austine saith of the Martyrs, Omnes suas cicatrices in caelo habituros, non tanquam vitia sed veritatis testimonia. de Civit. lib. 22. chap. 20. Not as arguments of their frailties, but as testimonies of their virtue. Among the rest there are three not the least.

[Page 12]1. To consound his enemies when they shall look upon him whom they have pierced. Herod was affrighted when he heard of Christs works, and said it is John Baptist whom I beheaded; even so shall they be daunted when they shall see his wounds, and say, it is Jesus whom we crucified.

2. To confirm his friends: Ad sananda infidelium cordium vulnera, servata clavorum & lanceae vestigia, saith Leo. Except I see (saith Tho­mas) the print of his nayles, and put my hand into his side, I will not be­leeve, verse 25. & vidit & credidit: the mouthes of his wounds spake most effectually to his faith, he read best in the print of those nayles, the resurrection of his master. The report of Christs rising, was as strange to him, as to Jacob of Josephs living, till he saw the wagons which Joseph sent for him, and Thomas the wounds which Jesus suf­fered for him.

3. That he might carry in his body the Trophees of his victory and our peace, saith Maldonate; that the wound in his side might be like the bow in the Cloud, the rainbow about the Throne, which John saw in his vision, Revel. 4. 3. or like the bloud on the lentell, Exod. 12. or the red thred in the window, Joshna 2. 18. that God when he sees it, might remember his Covenant, that the godly might flie to his side as their sanctuary, to the holes of that rock, to the secret place of the stairs of his Crosse, and hide themselves in that great and terrible day of the Lord. This was the purchase of his passion, a place to hide us in: there is no finding of any peace for us murtherers, out of these Cities of refuge; no way for us to happinesse, but through these gates of the righteous, in at these everlasting doors: Of the wounds of his side, may very truly be sayd those words of the Psalmist, This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter in there at.

Now, he might well speak of peace, which was made our peace, and wish us to peace which was wounded for it: Peace after warre is ever welcome, nay it is the honor of peace, that war is made for it. The em­bleme of a souldier is a sword in one hand, and fire in the other, with this motto, Sic quaerimus pacem, and it is Christs our Captains word, Veni quaerere & sanare; and war destroyes all, Peace only saveth.

And now me thinks I hear those wounds in his hands and side, like so many mouthes (for Quot vulnera, tot ora) saying unto you, Peace be unto you; Videte quantum constitit mihi pax vestra, put your fingers here and see mine hands, put forth your hands here, and put them into my side; make not my wounds greater by your infidelity, [Page 13] then the Jewes did with all their cruelty; will you not beleeve ex­cept you see them bleed afresh in my members, in my spouse the Church? can you slight that for which I payd so dear? prize you my bloud at so low a rate, that upon such slight occasions you contemne the purchase of it; will you sell me again for thirty pence, and cry out so many crucifies, rather then put up any little injurie? Can you for a ceremony cashiere all your charity, and so readily break the bond of peace; for which I was content to be bound over to insupportable pains? will you use me more despightfully then those [...]urrish Soul­diers did? they neither rent my garments, nor brake my bones, and will you tear in peeces that seamlesse coat of charity, in which I have put my Spouse; as if you were wilde beasts? and like fierce Tygers, make wide wounds in my body which is the Church? Had I never bought it for you, or being bought, had I never brought it to you, you could not have been more strangely carelesse of it. All I can say unto you, is Peace be unto you; these wounds in my hands and side will say more, and he shewed them his hands and his side.

And it will make you think the better of peace whiles you live, if you consider one thing more, whose hands they are which deliver it unto you; if there were any better thing in the world, those hands would not have kept it from you; that side would have afforded bloud sufficient enough to have procured it for you; and you may be sure it is worth the receiving which Christ gives you, you ought not to refuse that which he bought at so dear a price.

I would here winde up all, lest while I be a factor for your peace, by too much tediousnesse I forfeit mine own; but that in Christs shewing his hands and his side, after he said, Peace be unto you; is as me thinks imported something of a morall intendment. Saint Luke saith, they were his hands and his feet; it is likely he shewed them all. 1. His side, how it desired their peace. 2. His hands and his feet, how they laboured for it.

In this sense we are to imitate him, the words of our commission are the same with his; Pax vobis, and Pax. buic Domni are much at one; and himself saith, sicut misit me Pater, &c. We cannot shew you our side how it hath bled for it; our hands and feet how they were wounded for it, that only Christ can do, and those wounds he hath yet to shew; yet in a morall meaning, we shew you our side, how earnestly we de­sire it, our hands and our feet, how we labour for it. Else

The voice of peace, if the heart be not to wish it, the hands to work [Page 14] it, will do little good; those which come with it on that fashion, art but like the bramble in Jothams parable, Judges 9. 15. which pro­mised peace to those that trust on him; and is likely first to scratch them that lay hold on it: Though one once carried away the blessing from old Isaac, I no where finde any ever brought it, which came with the voice of Jacob, and the hands of Esau. The Scripture joyns salt and peace together, habete salem & pacem, Mark 9. 50. and that is sal scientiae & conscientiae, which are matters of the heart and hands, and not meerly of the tongue. Indeed they must be all three seasoned, our words, our wishes, our works; before habete salme, there will be no habete Pacem.

How ever, let those which are sal Terrae, not lose their season: let their feet be shod with the preparations of the Gospel of peace, Eph. 6. 15. and that preparation is especially in patient putting up of wrongs: There is no true way of peace to be had there without it. And then will others say; Quare speciofi sunt pedes Evangelizantium pacem? their feet must be seen in the wayes of Peace, as well as well as their voices heard, with the words of peace; it is no right comming to come with the voice of a Turtle, and the talon of an Harpie. To such as you are Christ especially commends peace, in Pax vobis, and commands it too, in Pacem habete in vobis: do you pray for peace, and plead for it, and practice it, be benefactours for peace, that you may one day receive the blessing of peace.

And now Pax vobis, to you all; I promised you to end as I began, Pece be unto you. Christ wisheth it to you, and adviseth you to it: you can do no lesse then return him praise for it, Glory unto Heaven, for peace on earth. The Angels taught us that way in their hea­venly Hymne; and there is no way like that to keep peace here, than by giving glory there. Unto him ther­fore in the lighest Heavens, who is the Au­thor and giver of Peace, be given all Glory, and praise, now and ever, Amen.

HEre is Flebile principium, a lamentable beginning: This Text comes like man himself into the world, crying; you could not look that this day should bring forth any other childe, then a childe of sorrow: Ben-onies are ever the fruits of true fasts: If the day it self could speak. you should have no other voyce from it then that which Isaiab heard: A voyce saying, Cry, Isai. 40. 6. Now if you ask with him, what shall I cry, my Text will direct you in that; Woe now unto us, that we have sinned.

Here is a cry to be taken up by all of us; and there is good reason for it. There have been divers cryes already, only we our selves have not cryed, God himself hath cryed in the Proverbs, Chap. 1. Verse 20. Turn you at my correction: His Ministers have cryed, and never left crying, Isaiab, Jeremy, and Jonab; our sinnes have also cryed, Ʋnto heaven hath their cry ascended, it hath come unto the ears of the Almighty; Judgement also hath begun to cry, and her voyce to be exalted above mercy; only we, as if we were senselesse, have stood still at this time, and not cryed at all: But now we do begin, and it is well thought on, before we come into the cry of Egypt, a cry of midnight, we dye all, Exod. 12. 33. Or that dismall cry which shall be in the last night of all, a crying to the rocks to hide us, and the mountains to fall upon us. The way not to cry then, will be to cry now: to make our selves cry before we be made to cry; the cryes of repentance prevent the cryes of vengeance, especially when we joyn all of us in this cry. It hath been reported, that the cry of an huge Army hath intercepted the flight of Birds, they have not been able to passe over for it, but have fallen down in the midst: so are Gods flying Judgements to be intercepted: if we cry all of us, as [Page 16] we are appointed. I will only adde that advice of a King concer­ning this crying, and at such a time as this was: that it may be a strong cry, Let us cry mightily unto God, Jon. 3. 8.

But are we to cry indeed? me thinks that were fittest to be done in secret; tears shed in private, are commonly the tru [...]st; Ille dolet verè qui sine teste dolet, they speak loudest which make least noise; this is to be done, and done often by us: Yet we are to do it in pub­lique too; to weep with them that weep, was ever held seasonable, especially when there is a just cause of weeping as now there is; it will be an unanswerable fault, if the Church shall have just cause to complain of us, We have mourned unto you, and you have not wept.

And here we are not as upon a stage, only to personate a crying; we must act our own parts; like him which was to act a lament [...] ­ble part, that he might do it the better, call to remembrance the death of his only sonne, whom he most dearly loved, and fell in­deed into true tears; none of us but have cause enough, if we but call it unto minde, to make us to weep, if not for others sins, yet for our own; hinc illae lachrimae. They, they alone are a sufficient motive to make our hearts seek vent at our tongues, to make uss [...]y at least thus much, Woe unto us, that we have sinned.

We should not need this adoe, if we were but of Davids, or Jere­mies, or Peters, or Mary Magdalens temper, apt to cry: they could water their Beds, and mingle their drink with their tears; The Poets fain that Prometheus, when he made man, tempered his clay with tears; and yet how hardly come they from us, as if our natures were of another mould? I must needs grant a Corporall Calamity hath f [...]tcht too many our of some, even to a prejudicating of their faith, but when hath a spirituall done the like? is nature such an enemy to the soul, that the can be prodigall of her tears, when any temporall affliction moves her, and so base and nigardly, when a spirituall afflicts her? Woe is me that I have not Moses rod, to strike these Rocks; I have not the art to make you weep, no not to weep my self. The Angel of God descend this day, and stir our pools; he touch our hearts, that they may teach our eyes true tears, and our t [...]ngu [...]s strong cryes, that we may with unfained sorrow say, though it be but the words of this Text: Woe now unto us, that me have sinned.

I might have fitted you with a Text of more words, but not of more matter: long speeches are not alwayes strong ones: Magnum [Page 17] in parvo, is natures best work, so it is reasons, so it is religions: Those which are run out in length have commonly least spirits in them. How short was Moses cry, yet how forceable? Nay, when he had said least, he spake loudest, Exod. 14. 45. our Saviours cryes are by the Apostle called strong, yet they were long none of them: how short is that which he hath taught us to utter, and yet not the lesse effectuall? how powerfull was the Publican in that short petition, God he mercifull to me a sinner? The Pharisee said more, but went home with lesse. There are but three syllables in peccavi, yet quantum valent, saith Saint Ambrose. David received pardon only for them: it is but little we are to say now, we may say it in a moment, if we say it right; and that we may do that, we must say some­what of the manner of saying it.

If you please but to observe the Text where it is placed, you will finde two necessary attendants on it: The Book is a Lamentation, the Chapter a Petition; it is as Augustus Caesar said of himself, when he sate between Horace and Virgil, inter suspiria & lachrimas: The Author of it was a Petitioner with tears in his eyes, he was like a Dove upon the Rivers of waters, Can. 5. 12. His heart mourning, his head dropping: prayers and tears, are the true acconts of his voyce, he spake with his eyes, aswell as with his tongue: Lamentations, mourning, and woe are not severed, they are joyned by Ezekiel in Gods Book, they are not parted by Jeremy in his: so it is the manner of repentance to assume what is due by vengeance, she doth freely undergoe whatsoever justice doth award: they belong to her by her own judgement, whatsoever is due by Gods: So she useth to judge her self before hand: This is her manner, and to be practised by us now, with Lamentation, and mourning, to pronounce our woe. Woe now unto us, that we have sinned.

I may well tearm my Text, the lamentation of a sinner, or rather the lamentation of sinners, for we are not in our private Closets now; the time hath made it publique, we are to joyn all of us in doing of it, so the Text takes us in all, it is not to be said by one a­lone, but by many, all of us that are hear present: Woe now unto us, that we have sinned.

Now in saying this, we say two things,

• 1. Our misery, which is the cause of our Lamentatio [...], Woe now unto us.
• 2. Our sin, which is the cause of our misery, That we have sinned.

We begin with the first, the sence of our misery, and that will bring us afterwards to a sight of our sin; and in that we have two things to be considered.

• First, The greatnesse of it.
• Secondly, The neernesse of it.

First the greatnesse of it, it is expressed in one word, but that the most significant, and full that can be, if any expression may be in­finite, and take in all the intentions of misery, that is it, Woe now unto us, it is in that word Woe.

S [...]condly, the neernesse of it for miseries a farre of, do not so much affect our sences, we are not so much touched with them, as to go about to prevent them It was S ^t Iohns wo [...]d [...]r, Quit vos prae­ [...]nonuit fugere ab irâ venturâ, that any should take so much thought as to think of that: But this is neer two wayes: First, in resp [...]ct of persons, it is our own and not others. Secondly, of time, it is not to come, but is come already. Woe now unto us.

And by that time we have considered these we shall finde cause enough for lamentation, and finding th [...]se off [...]cts, look further to the true cause of our misery, which is our sin, take a full sight of that, and that is properly opus Diei; I humbly beg of God his assi­stance, while I dispatch it.

1. Our Misery. That takes up the first place: So it useth in all complaints, especially where our pain is as it is heer, Woe is the wor [...], we have it express [...]d by;

Woe, is a word of malediction and commination, there i [...] a cur­sing and a threatning [...]ver imployed in that: any mean Gramma­rian knows the meaning of that interj [...]ction. Two wayes only do we finde it us [...]d in Scripture. 1. By God, when he denouncethany judgement upon others: So it is often in the Prophets, Isai. 5. Ezek. 13. and by our Sa [...]iour in the Evangelists, Matth. 23. by the Angel in the Apocalips, Chap. 18. and Chap. 9. 2. By others when they lament any judgement already fallen, or likely to fall upon them­selves, in Ieremy we fin [...]e it often, Iere. 4. 31. Woe is me now, for my soul fainteth, Iere. 10. 19. Woe is me for my destruction, and my grievous plague, Iere. 15. 10. Woe is me my Mother, that thou bast born me a con­tentions man, a man that striveth with the whole earth: Of this sence is this Text: we do even curse our selves in saying of it, at least we make application of that curse which doth belo [...]g unto us.

And this is very proper to this time, we are now in hand with [Page 19] that w ^ch the Apostle else where adviseth us unto, To judge our selves, that we may not be judged of the Lord, by denouncing of a curse [...], we take upon us to be Judges; in the Court of Conscience, we are al­lowed to do it to our selves; it is the part of the discipline of re­pentance, to award that unto our selves, which the Justic [...] of God hath threatned unto sinners; such we are; nay the very cl [...]i [...]fest of sinners: we do not do it potestative, but approbative, we consent that the judgement of God is just: and we cannot ju [...]ge l [...]ss [...] doth belong unto us then this; this is the least that we can ju [...]ge, Woe un­to us. Now repentance is rightly called by the School a pe [...]ce of ju [...]tice, it consists especially in awarding due punishment: poeni­tentia à puniendo, saith the Master, L. 4. d. 14. We are apt in this mat­ter to follow Peters counsell, Master favour thy self: either we see not fully what we have committed, that part of the wallet we com­monly cast behinde, or we are but partiall judges to determine what we have deserved: but true repentance may not so spare her self; she is to assigne all that doth belong unto her self, to appoint in her own judgement, whatsoever divin [...] judgement hath threatned.

And then once Woe will be too little, we finde it thrice threatned Revel. 8. 13. Woe, woe, woe, and when these are past with S ^t Bernard, we sha [...]l finde a fourth, it will be but injustice with the King of Israel to smite but thrice, when we should do it five or sixe times, it will be but to repeat the words so much the oftner, and four woes we shall in justice award unto our selves, and those four, from four places. First, From Heaven above us. Secondly, From the world without us. Thirdly, From our own consciences within us. Fourth­ly, From hell beneath us; in respect of every one of these, we have just cause to say, Woe now unto us.

1. From heaven above us.] [...]hen we do contemplate the great­nesse and power of an incensed Judge, how the Lord of H [...]asts is up in armes against us, how justice musters up her clouds, a [...]d winds, and stormes; how thousand thousands, and ten thousand thousands, Dan. 7. d [...]ily march in his Army; how he cometh with flames of fire, rendring of vengeance; how with him Judgement cannot be prevaricated; no bribes will blinde his eyes; no friends corrupt his affections; mercy dares not plead; tears will not be heard to speak; who is able to stand before consuming fire; who can dwell with everlasting burnings? How the very Earth shall melt at his presence and the heavens be rowled up, as in a scrowle before him; how he will [Page 20] [...]ip up the bowels of the heart it self, and search the secrets of the soul; how he found not stedfastnesse in his Angels, and even the Starres are unclean in his sight: How much more is man a worm, even the Son of man, which is but a worm? If Moses could not abide his back parts, how shall we endure his presence? what can we conclude from this contemplation, but with my Text, Woe is unto us?

2. One woe is past, but behold a second: If heaven do abandon us, how shall the Earth comfort us? If the Lord be against us, how can I help? was said by a King, one as likely to help, as any in the world. We may well look about us, but we shall finde with Iere­my, our plague is desperate, our wound is incurable: When God is angry, he infatuates even counsells, quos perdere vult dementat. He mak [...]s abortive all policies; you may learn it by Achitophels; he suffers the Prophets themselves to provelyers, as they did in per­swading Abab to battail: he turns the swords of Armies against themselves, and their bows into their own bowels; he makes them bring in a strong people, to scourge themselves, as Israel the Egypti­ans, as children their own rod. He smites them with blindnesse, and astonishment, as he threatned Israel, Deut. 28. 28. If we look to the Church, we finde giddynesse; to the Common-weal madnesse; if without us to the North, vae malum, there is a mist; to the South there ever and anon ariseth a cloud, threatning a storm; if within us, we may say with the Apostle, we are in perils by false Brethren; there are Vipers which will eate up the bowels of the Mother that bred them; treasons, and conspiracies fill us with fears; divisions, and distractions adde unto our woes: The world is by Plato com­pared to a shop, almost whatsoever we look upon, we may say with the buyer in Solomon, malum est, malum est, it is naught, it is naught. We have cause enough, if we consider it, to say the second time, Woe is now unto us.

3. And yet behold a third, though there be never so many trou­bles, without us; yet peace within us, would afford us comfort: but let us look within us, and aske, is it peace? There is no peace unto the wicked, our own consciences will tell us that; They are wit­nesses to accuse us of sin, and judges to condemne us to woe. If they be quiet and trouble us not, our woe is the greater, because our consciences are secure; but if troublesome, how great is our woe! They are the Books by which we shall be judged hereafter: nay, [Page 21] by them we may become our own judges now. Search and see if in our own judgement, we may not pronounce against our selves another woe: how unsufferable are their checks; how evident their accusations; how faithfull their records: others cannot read them, and may judge us better then we are; we which know them our selves, if we will deal truly, must needs pronource a righteous judgement, and that is; Woe be unto us, because we have sinned.

4. Three woes are past, but behold a fourth. It is S ^t Bernards woe, of his adding; if we look below us, we shall have cause to say it, and there we shall finde the complement of all woe: can you endure to hear that fearfull sentence, depart you cursed, with­out saying, Woe be unto us? how ready is the cruell executioner of souls, the devill, to hale us thither? how wide hath hell opened her mouth to receive us there? could we but hear the dismall groans, and yelling cryes which they make, that are swallowed up into the river of Brimstone; Let Dives speak for the rest of his fellows, [...], I am grievously tormented; did we but beleeve the woefull extremity which they are in, that are in utter darknesse. Let our Saviours report work it into our faith, it is weeping, a [...]d wailing, and gnashing of teeth; night the duration of it not passe for a fable; we have the everlasting Truth to confirme it, there the worm dyeth not, and the fire is not quenched: have we not sufficient cause to cry out, Woe be unto us?

How shall I make you say it, if this will not? hither we are judged, if our judgement be right: we must not favour our selves and say, this shall not be unto us: repentance cannot be true if par­tiall: we must thus judge our selves, that we may not be judged, non sumus bis judicandi, saith S ^t Bernard: God will spare us, if we spare not our selves. Let us cast our selves down at the footstool of his judgement Seat, and confesse what we have deserved; Let us come as Benbadads servants did to the King of Israel, with Sack­cloth about our loynes, and ropes about our heads, 1 Kings 20. 32. such coming becomes us best this day; Let us cast our selves out of heaven, as expecting only wrath from thence; out of the world, as finding only miseries there; out of our selves, as feeling nothing but terrours there; down even to hell it self, whether we deserve to be for ever plunged; Let groans fill our souls, and tears our eyes, vae vohis qui ridetis, in such a day as this is; and let our mouths be filled with cryes, saying it often; Woe now unto us, that we have sinned.

But, If the greatnesse of our misery have not sufficiently brought us to that; yet the neernesse of it, will work some true effects. Things a farre of, work upon our apprehension somewhat, but not much upon our passion; but passion must be set to work now; this day is the passion day of repentance. In two respects we shall finde it neer enough. 1. Of Person. 2. Of Time. Those two will ad [...]e sufficiently to the greatnesse of our misery, we shall not be put to in quire further.

1. Of Person, it is our own misery; it belongs to our selves: Woe now to us. Others miseries affect us not much, they work ac­cording to their distance, of place, or person, Pacis cum proximus ardet, there begins our perplexity. When our selves come to be touched, and repentance toucheth no where else, it swells in her own bancks, it keepeth sessions at home, and pasleth judgement only against it self; We, we are the men, to whom woe doth ap­pertain; nostra res agitur, we must not put it of from our selves, least God I [...]y it on: To us belongeth shame and confusion of face, saith Daniel, Dan. 9. repentance threatens none but it self, vae nobis, is the voice of it: Woe unto us.

2. Of Time Neither doth it deferre its iudgement, nor put of the evill day farre from us, we deserve to have it brought upon us presently, and repentance iudgeth according to our des [...]rts. Woe now unto us: now indeed were it iustice with God, to bring upon us all this woe, he hath forborne and given u [...] many times of try­all, but we have despised the riches of his grace, and his goodnesse hath not lead us to repentance. He hath come these many yeers, looking for fruit, and found nothing but leaves; now might he in iustice lay his Axe to our roote, and bid cut us down; now might he pronounce a curse against us, and make us wither away; he might now speak unto us in his displeasure, depart you cursed, and powre upon us all his storms of indignation and vengeance. If we were now to stand before Gods tribunall, and to be indged according to our deserts, and there we are now placed by repentance; even now presently, were all this misery to come upon us.

Now if any thing will work true appr [...]hension in us, it must be this: Iraventura. Makes not any deep impression in many of us: the day of death, though we see it a farre of, may strike us into so ne dumps; but they are never so true as— [...] Cum sit inbeforae similis, jam jamque tenere.

When we see an hand writing with Baltazer, or hear a voyce speak­ing our doom with Nabuch adnezzar, then will our joynts he loosed, and our knees tremble: Saint Gregory reports it of himself, that when he expounded that sentence of Abraham unto Dives, now thou art tor­mented, he was not able to on in his Sermon. Pavore potius indi­gent quam expositione, saith he, to his Auditors; the apprehension of the present, wrought so much upon him, as if the jam vero, were iam verum, now to be said to any of us, as it was to him; indeed we are to say it our selves now, Woe now unto us: This certainly will make us sufficiently apprehensive of our misery.

And now as men brought unto some dangerous disease, ever look unto the cause that brought them to it, being in a storm as Jonahs Marriners were, they cast about to finde the fountain of it: it is the great consultation of this Kingdom at this time, to finde out the Au­thors of those great distempers that are in it: So the sence of our mi­sery will bring us to a sight of our sin, for indeed hinc illae lachrimae; all our sorrows come from thence, we must lay all our fault upon our sins, our sins are the troublers of ou [...] Israel, and that leads me to the second part of my Text. Woe now unto us, that we have sinned.

We came not till now to the cry of true repentance; it is not her misery she is under, but the sin she hath committed makes her cry: it is all the note that they have in hell, Woe now unto us; but they never come to say that we have sinned; for there is no place for repentance, the sence of their miseries makes them only cry, not any sorrow or remorse for their sins: But it is these we must now cry of; if we be true penitents, our sins must trouble us, and not any other troubles whatsoever.

And now it is fittest to be troubled for them, for in times of other afflictions, we cannot so well spend our tears upon our sins; torments of the body, will drink up our spirits, the pains which we endure, take up our complaints, our sins are not so well thought on, when our sences are otherwise perplexed; sorrow often proves too late, which is let alone till then; but now we do but make our selves mi­serable, we willingly assume woe unto our selves, those woes we spake of (we blesse the goodnesse, and long suffering of our God) are not as yet forced upon us, but freely assumed by us; other sorrows go not so neer unto our hearts at this time, that there may be the bet­ter room for the sorrow, for our sins; sins are best lamented, when we are otherwise well, and not afflicted: Pharoah and Abab have done [Page 24] it in extremity, but it came not freely from them, but by force; be­sides they lamented their plagues, not their sins: But it is for these that we are troubled; not that we are punished, but that we have sinned.

And that we may thoroughly be troubled for them, we must be sure to take a good sight of them; not cover them as Cain, nor hide them as Adam; not cast them behinde our backs, but bring them be­fore us, set them in our sight, that God may cover them, while we discover them, that when we bring them before our faces, he may cast them behinde his back: Sin cannot be hid, but when God hides it, we may rake it up, as we do fire in embers, but at the day of Revelation, God will bring it to light.

But then to say that we have sinned, will not be enough to make us see our sins; we have spent enough in the commission, Saint Peter tells us; shall we be short in our confession? If we did go about it, we could not bring all our sins to our remembrance: Holy men though they have studied the Art of Arithmetike, have fain to set down at the foot of their accompt, an indefinite number; my sins are more then the hairs of my bead, saith David, then the sands on the Sea shore, then the stars in the firmament. Our secret sins, S ^t Bernard cals them, maris magni rep­tilia, they are like the creeping creatures of the great Sea, innumera­ble: yet as an huge army, though the common souldiers be not to be mustered, the heads and chieftains are: in the firmament the starres are not to be numbred, yet those of greatest influence, and magnitude are: among our sins there are leaders, Captains over their hundreds, and thousands; there are some of more transcendent magnitude, and maligne influence; we may take sight of them, and we shall not trans­gresse the limits of the Text neither; it is to say, but so much the of­ner; that we have sinned.

We begin with Pride, that Primum pec [...]atorum, as Syrach calls it; a sin which first began in heaven, and tumbled the first abetters of it down to hell; That Epidemicall sin which hath infected the race of all mankinde; and like a most malignant disease runs thorough all his veines, from that man of sin, the King of all the children of Pride, as Job terms the Leviathan, who hath the horns of the Lamb, but the mouth of the Dragon, with which he speaketh proud words. Unto the lowest sinner amongst the sonnes of men, is this pestilence dispersed: those which have seemed most to trample upon pride, and made pretences of voluntary humility, have done it with greater pride, as Plato said [Page 25] of Diogenes, when he [...]ord upon his chair with greater Pride, then ever he sate in it: greater pride below often goes about to pull down lesser pride above; I must not stand to tell you what the pride of our self conceit is, the magnifying of our selves, the despising of our Bre­thren, our high looks, and proud stomacks, the heighth of our apparell, the glory of our Pompe, how we perch up to the highest twig of our estate, till the boughs will not bear us, how we look down like the sonnes of Anack, upon our brethren as Grashoppers; how full every vain of us is of this vice, it is enough to see it, and to say, Woe now un­to us, that we have sinned.

The next sin is covetousnesse, Amor sceleratus habendi, the root of all evill, as the Apostle calls, because it gives nourishment and groweth to all other sins; even pride it self hath grown up by it, Idolatry, Prophanation, Sacriledge, Extortion, and infinite others, are troupers in this band: the love of Mammon hath begotten it, the wages of Balaam, and the booty of G [...]bazi, and the Vineyard of N [...]both have maintained it. This also is our sin, and woe is unto us, that we have sinned.

These two, Pride and Coveteousnesse, have their residence in the heart, have usurped Gods mansion, and left him no room there; But

The third sin is Swearing, which is a cankar in the mouth, an open Sepulcher in the throat, a s [...]ink that doth ascend to heaven, which in­fects the sacred name of God, the true Generall of Blasphemies; per­juries, lyings, &c. It is a sin which crucifies Christ a new, and tears his very wounds and body in peeces, and sheds his pretious bloud a­gain, a sin which never goes without a curse a long with it, which the jealous God will not let go unrevenged. This also is our sin, and woe is unto us, that we have sinned.

I will but name another, a capitall sin among the Armies of Lucifer, it is Drunkennesse the ring leader to adulteries, quarrels, wounds, distempers, to profannesse, uncharitablenesse: swearing flyes into the face of God, but drunkennesse defaces the image of God; he is the sepulcher of the creatures of God, nay he is his own sepulcher, being entombed in his own bowels; It is a sin which began with the new world, and hath been cryed down by the Prophets, Apostles, Fathers, Pastors of the Church, and yet they have not prevailed; it is a crying sin which maketh a loud noise in Gods ears; and it is our sin also, woe now unto us, that we have sinned.

I have named these four, because of the four woes we spake of be­fore; [Page 26] and indeed if you peruse but the fifth chapter of Isaiah, you shall finde a severall woe threatned to each of them. I must not go about to number the rest, I cannot do it, I must say with the Psalmist, Oh how great is the summe of them! and set that at the foot of the ac­compt; I can shew you but a part of this great Army, as Balack shewed B [...]laam, but let that be enough to make you curse them all, and say, [...] ­ [...] unto us, that we have sinned.

Let us not now put them off, and say, these are indeed the sins of the times; with Saul, the people have sinned▪ Justus est accusator su [...], true repentance accuseth none but it self; I have sinned, saith David. we have sinned, we have done wickedly, saith Daniel. We our selves are the men, me, me, adsum qui fici, in me convertite flaminat; they are our sine that have troubled Israel, say it, though to the shame of our faces: [...]ertul. Let not us be ad delinquendum expandentes frontem, ad deprecandum subducenter; Let us say it, and give God glory by our saying it, as Joshnah taught A [...]han, but to our own shame, and the consusion of our faces; Fo [...] woe now unto us, that we have sinned.

Ile give you one observation more from the Text, woe now unto us; the pain, that is present, so we are to judge, so it would be i [...] that great Judge of all do not forbear us: but the sin: that is past, the pleasure that was in it, that i [...] gone; that we have sinned, this is ever the sting of sin. The fruit that it brings forth, is shame, the reward it leaves behinde is death; all the worth of it is woe. Woe now unto us, that we have sinnod.

What remains now, but that the sence of our misery, and the sight Exod. 31. 31. of our sins like, A [...]ton and Hur make us, bold up our hands, with Moses unto God in crying? That ceremony is not out of season now, it is all that remains, and let us cry a great and a strong cry unto God, saying: O Lord we have sinned a grievous sin, therefore if thou pardon our sin, thy mercy shall appear: and let us withall beleeve assuredly, that for the strong crying of his sonne, he will hear our faithfull, and un­fained, though but weak, and feeble cryes; for his satisfaction which be once made, he will forgive our sins, and accept of our re­pentance. To whom with the Father, and the holy Ghost, three Persons, but one God, blessed for ever, be all praise and glory, now, and ever. Amen.

THese words are an argument of the Apostle, and such an argu­ment which is [...], taken ab axiomate concesso, against which there could be no disputing: he appeals to themselves [...], which were able to judge of the truth of it; and if to judge, then to contradict it if not true.

1. Two things are to be taken notice of about it. 1 1. The Cohe­rence. 2 2. The Inference; the cause of it, and the case.

1 The first is the point of Idolatry, from which he diswades his Co­rinthians, verse 14. My beloved, flee from Idolatry, for Idolaters have fellowship with Divels; and I would not have you which drink of the Cup of the Lord, drink of the cup of divels; which are partakers of the Lords table, be partakers of the table of divels, verse 20, 21. Neither indeed can there be any communion between Christ and Belial: now they might possibly except; Though they did eat of things sacrificed to Idols, yet they did not beleeve they had any communion with di­vels, or that they were in so doing made partakers of the table of di­vels The Apostle answers that reply by a double argument; 2 The one taken from Israel after the flesh, which did still observe the cere­monies of the Law, and the legall sacrifices; are not they which eat of the sacrifices, partakers of the Altar? verse. 18. and if of the Altar, then of the Idol which is over the Altar: and though the Idol be nothing, yet of the Divell to whom the Gentiles sacrifice in the Idol, verse 19. The other argument taken from the Christians which are after the [Page 28] spirit, which have an Altar too, Heb. 13. 10. though only mysticall, and far superiour to theirs, because more spirituall, of which they which are partakers, all worthy receivers have a communion with the things signified upon the Altar. The Corinthians themselves were not ignorant of that; the Apostle speaketh unto them as men that understood it was so, verse 15. he carries it not out upon his own authority, bu [...] with their knowledge and assent: The cup of blessing which we blesse, is it not the Communion of the bloud of Christ? The bread which we breake, is it not the Communion of the body of Christ? and if there be communion in these, there is communion in those; if with God and Christ in his Altars, then with the Idoll and the Devill in his Altars. This is the coherence, and the inference of the Text.

This being already affirmed by the Apostle, and acknowledged by the Corinthians; for his interrogation, is it not? is Emphatica affirma­tio: the whole argument is grounded upon an Hypothesis which must not be denied; we ma [...]e no more work to prove it, but waite upon the Holy Ghosts further illustration of it, as he shall enable me, and your patience permit.

There is one word for the most part praedominant in every Text, in this the word Communion is it; it is the chief veine in the body of it, and runs through every line and part, and it is very fit for the season: Communion now especially to be spoken of; when there is so much need of Communion, 1 when faction and division have made the thoughts of our hearts otherwise too great, there to have some thoughts of communion. That you may know what it is the better, you may consider three Communions in the Text; they make each of Commu­nions. them a severall part.

The first is Sacramentall, between the signs, and the things signed; Calicis. The Cup of blessing which we blesse, is it not the Communion of the bloud of Christ?

The second is the Spirituall, between the things signed, and the Capitis. receivers; We are all partakers of one bread, which though last in the Text, is the second to be inserted; because by the Apostle it is made the cause of

The third Communion which is mysticall, between the receivers, Corporis, and themselves one with another; for we that are many, are one bread, and one body; or to read the words more agreeable to the origi­nall, and therein I have the judgement of Beza; Because there is but one bread, we that are many are one body.

The first of these is peculiar to the season, the Sacrament at the so­lemnity of the Sacrament; and the ground of the other two. For first there is Communio Calicis; and from thence springs the second, our Communion with Christ, which is Capitis; and the third, our communion one with another, which is Co [...]poris: Saint Austine af­firms them all. Sacramentum Pietatis, vinculum charitatis, signum u­nitatis, in Johan: Tract. 27.

I call them all Communions, because they are all cum unione; and where there is union, there needs must be communion. Though [...] in the originall be sayd only of the first which is Sacramentall; and [...] of the other, which is mysticall; yet they are made to dif­fer but as the effect and the cause; the ancient translations know no difference between them, these last ought to have as full and as firm communion as the first: the end of that being to effect these, the Sa­cramentall Communion for our spirituall, which is with Christ our head; and for our mysticall which is with one another, our body; Ideo institutum ut corpus in terris capiti quod est in Coelis coadunetur. Aug. Ser. 28. in Erem.

I begin with the first, Communio Calicis, the Sacramentall Commu­nion; and that because it is the seale of all the rest, the cement of all our Calicis. Communions, the Union of Communion. The Cup of blessing which we blesse, is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ? The Bread which we break, &c.

Now a Communioni [...]s rightly defined a relation between two, or Paci [...]. union of two or more in one thing which is common. In the sacrament are two things; 1 The signes, 2 The things figned: These two, by the Outward signe. vertue of Divine operation, are made one, and thence is the Sacrament rightly styled, A Communion: untill this Union come, there is no Communion at all, res terrena, & Coelestis, which Iraeneus makes the parts of the Sacrament, never come together, they are at distance: look how high the heaven is from the earth, nec verit as signo, nec virtus Sacra­mento, saith Cyprian, till they meet in one conjunction; no truth there I ward grac [...]. in the signe, no mercy here from the things signed, till mercy and truth both meet: all the vertue in the Sacrament is in the Union of the parts, and when that Union is, there is then a Communion.

Take we a view of the parts; we must know them first, before we can say any thing of their Union, or of the Communion of them.

The first is res terrena, the outward and visible signe, which is in Ou [...]wa [...]d fight. effect but one, though in number two, even as the thing signed, one [Page 30] invisible grace, or as S ^t. Bern: saith, rather unus Christus, in quo est om­nis gratia: formally the signes and the things figned, are but one, but materially two, saith the School.

They are two in number, so delivered by Christ at the first Institu­tion, so exhibited by the Apostle, at the reinstauration; and so recei­ved by our Church, and all places where rightly received, at the So­lemnization; and these two severally considered, and not joyntly, the Bread asunder from the Wine, the better to illustrate the death and passion of our Saviour, which was in the separation of his Blood (which is the life) from the Body: but after they are received, they come together again, as they did this day, the Resurrection, Christ now dying no more. The Commemoration is of Christs death, butthe Communion of Christ alive.

The signes being two in number, are severally to be represented, so in the Text, as they are at the time: we consider them in that Order the Apostle layes them down, and content our selves with that reason which Hiereme and Anselme give for his speaking of the Cup first, be­cause he had more to speak of the bread last; not to invert the Order by a figure, but to divert his speech whither he first intended it, Bread being a more proper Symboll of Union than Wine, not so soon fal­ling into parts, not so easie a subject of separation as that is; and of Union his intent was to speak.

The Cup] that is first mentioned in the Text: by a Synecdoche, it is The Cup. put for the Wine in the Cup: That which is in the cup, S ^t. Chrysost. reades it: The Papists which boast so much of their keeping the lite­rall sense of the Sacrament, allow of this figure, no man was ever so much est ranged from common speech, as not to understand it: The Wine is the figne, the Cup by a figure put for it; but yet it is not the Wine in any cup. The Psalmist speaks of one, In the hand of the Lord there is a Cup, and the Wine is mixt, his enimies shall drink the dr [...]gs of it. And in Jeremy there is a cup of Wine of indignation, those that did drink of it did spue and fall, and rise no more. The Apostle disting [...]es from that, and calls it, The Cup of blessing.

The Scripture useth commonly to expresse the blessing of God by the Metaphor of a cup: the abundance of blessing by the filling and overflowing of a cup, Psal. 23. 5. The Navell of the Spouse was as a round Cup, Can [...]. 7. [...]. The Heathen used to crown their cups in the time of plenty; and Calvin reports that the Jews seats had their cup, an holy drinking, in which consisted the solemnity of their action, and [Page 31] thence seems to come the Cup of Salvation the Psalmist speaks of, which they used to drink at their solemn meetings, in a gratulatory remem­brance of their Deliverance; these are all farre inferiour unto that our Apostle speaks of, which [...] he calls the Cup of blessing.

Two wayes it may be called the Cup of blessing. First, from Gods blessing for us. 2. From our blessing of God for it.

1. Gods blessing of it for us; the words of Institution are, He took the Cup and blessed it: in which there is a double power. 1. A power of Cons [...]cration. 2. A power of Sanctification. By the first the Cup is made a Symboll, separated from a civill or common use, to a religi­gious and holy intendment. By the second, the Symboll is made effe­ctuall, to incorporate a right receiver into Christ, whereof it is made a Symbol. [...] will extend to both, whichis the word for both. Oecu­meni us takes it for [...], which is consecrare. Beza for the other, [...], which is sanctificare. Of the first there are infinite examples in the old Testament, blessing of the Sacrifices, the consecra­ting of them. Of the second we have a pregnant one in thenew: every Creature of God is good, and is sanctified by the Word of God, [...]. 1 Tim. 4. 5. Both these make the Sacrament necessarily to beof Divine Institution; none but God may appoint his figne, none blesseit but he, to make it effectuall to the receiver; other Creatures are of his blessing, in his first Institution they had that, Gen. 1. and by his blessing of them, we receive all our benefit from them; but that was but [...], his bare word; and man lives by that, Every word which coneth from the mouth of God, Matth. 4. 4. But in his second Institution, there is [...] the good Word of God; much good must needs come from that; the Creature, the Cup which is blessed with it, is indeed the Cup of blessing.

Besides the true effects of it in a worthy receiver, make it appear a Cup of blessing: it is the onely fap of our Spirituall life, the Autidote against the deepest Consumption, the water of life, which whosoever drinks worthily, shall never thirst any m [...]re. Haustus ej us neihi Nectar erit, it is the Wine of Angels, the Cup of Salvation, the Waters of Com­fort, the Spring-Head of eternall happines. In many things Christ hath deserved well at our hands, but in none so much as this. Super omnia it reddit amabilem, bone Jesu, Calix redemptionis meae, saith Bernard, it is a Cup of spiced Wine, Cant. 8. 2. Christ kept the good Wine till the last, and then gives it to his friends to drink: to his welbeloved to [...]ake her merry, Cant. 5. 1. it is a cup for the sad heart to chear it, for [Page 32] the merry heart to confirm it; to quench our spirituall thirst, to cure our spirituall grief: well may it receive from us these Eulogies, which receive by it [...]; so much blessing. There is Isaacs blessing, The Dew of Heaven in it; and Calebs blessing, the springs above in it; and that which is above all, and worth all, there is Gods blessing, it is the Cup of blessing: from his blessing of it for us, that first, and that is poculum benedictum, as well as benedictionis.

2. From our blessing of God for it; The Cup of blessing which we blesse: there is the same word for it. [...], but yet not altoge­ther of the same sence: Aliter nos Deum, aliter Dens nos: God bles­seth with power, and maketh that to be of force, which he saith, we blesse God withpraise; Gods blessing is reall, ours but verball: His cum effectu, ours at the best, but cum affectu: his is operativè, his word is ever a work with all, ours only optativè: it is the greater only that can blesse the lesser, according to that of the Apostle, effectually: and he is the greatest, we the least; but ei benedicimus, cum de co bene dicimus; we blesse him, when we speak well of him, when we con­fesse his praise, when we speak well of him: though so well as he hath deserved of us, we cannot speak. And hence is the Sacrament cal­led Eucharistia, which is a giving of praise and thanks, which is the word of institution, Matth. 26. 27. and [...] and [...] in the O­riginall are Synonima, saith Beza, to give praise and thinks, and to blesse.

And yet this is not all the blessing is intended, Cui benedicimus: hath reference to the Cup, we blesse the Cup as well as God for the cup: [...], saith Oecumenius. The consecration of it is the blessing of it, the setting it a part to an holy use, the prai­sing of God for it, the praying unto God for a blessing upon it; all these doth the word of blessing extend unto: and one thing more then these which is not to be forgot. [...] is a word for benevolence, and charity, The Sacrament it self was wont by the Ancients to be called [...] a Collection, a Gathering; because there used ever at such gathe­ring of the people to receive, to be a gathering for the poor withall. Let not this slip, call it a Cup of blessing from thence, let the poor re­ceive a blessing from you, that you may from God. Calix [...], of Gods benevolence and charity to you, of yours to his poor members for him; The first of these belongs only unto us, which have the mi­nisteriall power of consecration: We blesse, the Apostle speaks it in our persons: but the other belongs to you, as well as us, to blesse [Page 33] God for it, to pray for his blessing upon it, but then you must re­member that your blessing is not operativè, but only optativè, a wish; not a work; that belongs to God, as I said before, but this to us: so the words cui benedicimus, may be said of all: and that is all needs be said of it: The first signe, the Cup of blessing.

I passe to the second: the Bread which we break; Th [...]se signes are The b [...]ead. one, as Joseph said of Pharoabs dreams; one in nature, yet two in number, they make both but one part of the Sacrament: one thing is in effect signified by both; yet one was not thought sufficient for usby our Saviour, either to shew his death, which is the end of the Sacra­ment: or to seal to our faith, which is the use of it, and by two signes, as by twowitnesses will be an end of strife.

We may yeeld three reasons for it, why these, and why both these are exhibited by our Saviour.

1 First, in both these consists the chief maintenance of our life, they are the principall supporters of it; Bread alone will not serve, Man li [...]eth not by bread only; nor yet wine alone, there is no living alone by the Cup, though some make a shift to stay by it long enough, yet they cannot live by it; man is made of flesh and bloud, and needs both to feed him, Bread and Wine; and in our spirituall food, Christ would have no want: he takes them both, they are the best, the clea­nest food of our life, and so fittest to represent the food of the soul.

2 Secondly, There are no such things to shew the death of Christ by, as these: mark how the Bread is thrashed, and ground, and sifted, and baked before it can be fit good; And the wine, stript and trod­den, and p [...]essed, pressum antequam expressum, before it is made fit to drink: So was Christs body, The Plowers plowed upon his back, the souldiers thrashed him, the Jews fifted him, the teeth of the Lyons to Ignatius, the teeth of death to him, ground him small enough, the grave was the Oven to bake him; So was his bloud; the Crosse was the presse: The Prophet might well ask him, why are his Garments red? So many thorns, and nails, such a wound in his side, were win­dows enough to let out all his bloud: The Bread and the Wine, very aptly intimate all this; and this is even all, the end of the Sacra­ment.

3 Thirdly, The naturall body of Christ, is not only signified by the Sacrament, but also his mysticall, which is his Church, which is one made up of many beleevers, and is not the Bread one, made of many grains? and the Cup one, made of many grapes? no such Symbolls [Page 34] of Vnion as these are. So are the faithfull kneaded, and knit together, so incorporated into one: and therefore saith Saint Austine, Christ commends unto us his body and bloud in those things, quae ex multis redigunt in unum, that so the Sacrament might be signum unitatis, a very Communion, as it shall appear after: and to be this is another end of the Sacrament.

The signes then are both fit, other reasons might be given, but these are the chief: but yet a reason would be given, why the Apostle calls not this signe, the Bread of blessing, as well as he did the other, the Cup of blessing; it is to be observed besides, that in the 11 to the Co­rinthians, Verse 24. where the Apostle fals upon this matter again, there he mentions blessing only of the Bread, and not of the Cup at all; belike he thought once naming it in both, was enough for both, and that his saying of it once was enough to send us to his, quod accepi à D [...]mina, to the first institution of it, and there we finde them both blessed a like, Matth. 26. 26, 27. and it is worth the marking: that the word which the Apostle useth for the blessing of the Cup, is the same that the Evangelist useth there for the blessing of the Bread; [...] in both; and the word which the Apostle useth in the other for the blessing of the Bread, is the same that the Evangelist useth for the blessing of the Cup: it is Eucharistia in both, to shew that the words are both of one sence, and that the signes were both alike blessed.

But besides, he speaks not here of the blessing of the Bread, because he was to mention a necessary Ceremony, belonging to the signe, be­ing indeed a part of it, which may not be left out; and that is, the breaking of the Bread, and that alone made the words of the Text full: The Bread which we break; and of this minde is Pareus.

Breaking of the Bread is a most significant Ceremony annexed to the signe, it doth best shew the Lords death of any: not that any such thing was done to Christs body, a bone of him could not be broken: I will not say with Saint Chrysostome, he suffereth that to be done in the Sa­crament, which he could not suffer to be done him upon the Crosse, we may not think that he doth suffer any thing there, neither doth that Father think so: but it is broken to shew his many sufferings, of what nature, of what number soever they were, breaking is a Metaphor to expresse them, and the Prophet Isaiah hath it of his passion; He was broken for our iniquities, Isai 53. and the Apostle speaks it fully, Hoc est Corpus meum quod pro vobis frangitur.

This Ceremony our Saviour himself used at the institution, He [Page 35] brake the Bread: to shew indeed that he was not only broken in his passion, but he was willingly broken, that he did break himself; for indeed, the nails, and the thorns, and the spear could not have broken him, not so much as his skin, no more then the souldiers could break his legs, had not he been willing to have it done, to be broken; had not he been principall agent in it, as well as sole Patient of it, and broke himself.

As he used it then, from his institution, we use it still. The Bread which we break: and indeed, the rather to shew that we our selves were chief act ours in his breaking, it was for us, for our sakes he was content to be broken, we did sit, our sins, all of us had an hand in breaking him: and in sign of that it is sti [...]l, The Bread which we break.

But the chief cause of our breaking of it, is that which Saint Chry­sostome gives patitur frangi ut omnes impleat; every one could not take a little; if Christ did not suffer himself to be made so little; and to shew he gave his body to be crucified for all, he appoints his signe to be broken for all. This Ceremony and no other, he appointed for this signe, we may not so well away with that of the Papists, which use round Wafers, and give to every one, one, no breaking at all; nor yet, so properly allow of that of ours in some places, cutting and mangling of the Bread, and not any signe of breaking; Christ was known at first in the miracle of five Loaves, and there was breaking of Bread, after the Resurrection he was made known unto the Disci­ples by breaking of bread: The Apostles practice in the Primitive Church was, breaking of Bread, and in the Sacrament he makes it his Ceremony, He brake the bread: all Authority, all Antiquity makes especially for this Ceremony, and being it self of such use, it behoves us to make much of it too: and so much to be spoken of it, and of the first part of the Sacrament, The outward signe.

We be come now to the second part of the Sacrament, Res caelestis, part. The in­ward Grace. The inward and spirituall grace: which answers to the signes in num­ber; yet is in nature but one; Ʋnus Christus in quo omnis gratia, saith Bernard, yet Christ gave both: His body to be crucified, and his bloud to be shed: his body to be meat indeed, his bloud to be drink indeed: and in the Sacrament he instituted signes of both: The Cup which we blesse, the Bread which we break: they are both as yet to be considered seve­rally, till we come to the Communion; to their coming into one, the joyning of them both together. As yet we take the Text in parts; [Page 36] the second part is now to be taken notice of, and in that, according to the order of the Apostle.

1 The Bloud of Christ] Some take it Metaphorically for the soul The bloud. of Christ, so in the Law: Sanguis est anima. Christ indeed gave him­self, and he did consist of soul and body both, he had not took upon hi [...] our nature else, if he had not had a perfect humane soul, neither had he redeemed any soul at all, if he had not had a soul himself: Tolle animam Christi & Praesta quid Deus redemit, saith Tertullian to Marcion. And in his soul he suffered more then in his body; the fears, the sor­rows, the wounds of it, are past any mans expression; witnesse his heavy complaining, Anima mea tristis est: his strong crying: Pater si possibile est: his bloudy sweating, his fear, his whole Agony, none but he could ever feel such wounds, the guilt of a world of sin, the sence of the wrath of God, none but his soul could carry such sorrows: Something it is meet should be to remember them, as well as those of his body: the soul cannot be resembled by any thing: the bloud car­ries the neerest resemblance. Sanguis est anima, or at least, in loco ani­mae, we may allow of that.

If not that, then take it literally: his naturall bloud, the very sub­stance of it, that which he gave so liberally to be shed upon the Crosse: the Bloud of the Paschall Lamb, the bloud of all the Jewish sacrifices, were but Commonstratives of that: that is not now to be had, not to be shown again. Christ suffered once for all: his offering of himself was but once substantially to be made, and made by himself; his flesh, and bloud are now glorified with his Godhead, and become impatible, Care & sanguis usurpàrunt regnum Dei in Christo, saith Tertullian, only we remember that: and the Wine in the Cup is the nearest resemblance of it; not Commonstrative as the Type, but Commemorative, of the Truth; of his Bloud. That

We may adde to it: the Bloud of Christ Metonimically, the me­rit of his Bloud; that which he effected by shedding of his Bloud, the remission of sins, our reconcilement, and peace with God, our Righ­teousnesse. Sanctification, Redemption, 1 Cor. 1. 30. All these through his Bloud, through Faith in his Bloud. His Bloud which speaketh better things then the Bloud of Abel: this cryed for vengeance, his was Sanguis clamans too, but it spake, Father forgive them: it cryed for mercy and reconcilement. The benefit is specially intended by the Bloud, the purging of sin, and purchasing of peace: this is chiefly to be remembred, and we do this when we say the Bloud of Christ. [Page 37] For it is not the substance of his Bloud, that cleanseth, it comes not to all, it comes not at all: but the merit of it by the efficacy and vertue of it; this was the end of our shewing it, and this is the summe of what may be said of the first: The Bloud of Christ.

The next is the Body of Christ, we consider that also two wayes, The Body. and both of them are intensive in my Text: First, Substantiam Corpo­ris: Secondly, Efficaciam & meritum, both are to be remembred in this part.

First, The Body the substance of it, The same Body which was cru­cified: Corpus quod pro vobis traditum est, are the words of the insti­tution. The Syrian interpreter renders it, Pagra, which saith Beza is properly, Corpus mortuum, it is to shew his death, and it cannot be shewed plainer then by such a word, which signifies his dead Body; That we must shew: the Bread which is broken is his signe, Corporis quod frangitur, which is broken for you, 1 Cor. 11. 24. And when we shew that, we shew his w [...]unds, and stripes, his beating, and brusing, and bearing, all that he did suffer on his body; the Commemoration is to be of his passion.

Secondly, we remember the merit of his passion; that, for which he gave his Body to be crucified; the purchase for which he paid such a price: the remission of sins: they were all laid upon his Body: Davids sin upon Davids son; Dominus transtulit peccata tua, are the words of Nathan to him; not abstulit, but transtulit, from thee upon him; and not only his, but ours, he bare our sins, faith Isaiah 53. He bare them on his Body on the Tree, 1 Pet. 2. 24. we were sold to sin, to death; our body to the grave, our soul to hell. To corruption to torment he gave himself for us, both body and soul, ut redimeret, saith Saint Paul, Tit. 2. 14. Remission, Redemption, are the main ef­fects of his passion; we cannot remember his death, but we must re­member the desert, and merit of it. So I have done with the parts severally, the outward signe, the inward grace: Rem terrenam & C [...] ­lestem: we come now to the Communion, or their coming into one, to make up the Sacrament: though the one part be on earth, the other in heaven; and look how high the heaven is from the earth, yet they may meet, they must meet, else there will be no Sacrament at all: Nulla virtus Sacramento, saith Cyprian; they must be in Common, or there will be no Communion: and then the Text will not be true, which saith; The Cup of blessing, which we blesse, is it not the Communion of the Bloud of Christ? The Bread which we break, is it not the Communi­ [...]n of the Body of Christ?

Communion is ever, cum unione; when two or more meet in one, The Co [...] ­ [...]en. there is a Communion. It is divers wayes: either by nature, which is Physicall; as when soul and body are united into one person, there is Communion between them, by reason of tha [...] union. Secondly, by miracle, which is Metaphysicall; as when two Natures, God and man were united into one Christ. There is also Communion between them by virtue of that Union: neither of these is this heer; for it is no substantiall, no Hypostaticall Ʋ [...]ion, and yet the Fathers have used both these to illustrate this Commun [...]on. Thirdly, by locall coberence; as when many stones are in one heap. Fourthly, by actuall inexistence; as where accidences, as colours, &c. are in one ubject, none of these yet: for the body and bloud of Christ may not be thought to be, Locally, Actually, any where but in Heaven: The Heavens must con­tain him till his second, and last coming. There is yet another way. Fiftly, Intellectually, Sacramentally, which consists in meer relation, which is the nature of Communion.

Sacramentall Union is that Communion we speak off: and it con­sists in a Mysticall, and Mutuall relation, between the signes, and the things signed: Sacramentum est rei Sacrae signum, is Saint Austins de­finition, and allowed, and approved by all, when the signe comes to signifie the sacred thing, it comes to be a Sacrament; and this coming is the Communion. We look to two things: 1. The cause of it. 2. The effects.

First, Divine institution is the cause. The Rain-bow (it is generally The cause. agreed upon, was before the floud, yet) was not any signe of the pro­mise of God, of not destroying the world with a deluge, till after the floud; it was in nube to be seen there, but not signum in nube, till God first appointed it his signe to No [...]h. The Wine in the Cup, the Bread on the Table were in use before, blessed in their creation for temporall food; but not in any use to a spirituall life, till blessed a­gain at their institution; they were not signes of any sacred things, till God appointed them his signes to his Apostles; and as words which come to the ears, are signa rerum, of those things which the minde means to expresse: if aptly appointed, and do conveigh the very things to the understanding of the Auditor: if he be quick, you would wonder at it, to see how soon, at a word speaking, a thing of never so great distance can come to his knowledge: so these earthly things, which are signa rei sacrae, which come unto the eyes, and the other senses, being aptly appointed by the first institutor, do con­veigh [Page 39] unto the faith of the worthy receiver, the very things themselves; and though they were before at never so much distance, they come to be present to our faith, as other things expressed by words, are to our reason and sence. To make signes of such, belongs only unto him which can give the things: and his body and bloud none can give but himself; none can make a signe to be a means to conveigh it, to be apledge to confirm it, but he: the Elements are empty and non sig­nificant; Accedat verbum ad Elementum, saith Austin: his word▪ his work that comes, and it becomes a Sacrament; the signe is made effectually, to signifie the sacred thing: and that making a signe, is the cause of the Relation of the Communion first.

Secondly, being so made by the virtue of the Divine Institution, The effects. the effects of Sacramentall Communion follow. The signes them­selves, have a Communication of the Proprieties of the things signes: Communicatio Idiomatum is the chief effect: As by the Hypostaticall Union of the two natures in Christ, the humane nature is invested into the Divine, the manhood being assumed, is allowed to carry a­way the properties of the Godhead, in the person of Christ. And thence comes it, that the Son of God is called, the Son of man: and the Lord of life was crucified and slain. The Mother of God, the Bloud of God, are usuall speeches with the Fathers: so in this Sacramentall Union by virtue of that Communion, in the words of institution, the Bread is called the Body of Christ, the Wine his Bloud. When we give the Bread we say: The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, &c. the Cup, we say, The Bloud of our Lord Jesus Christ: The Bread, though it be res terrena, is called Panis vitae, the food of Angles, the Bread which came down from Heaven, The food of the soul: Panem Domi­num, S Cyprian calls it, and not only Panem Domini: and all this per Metonymiam signi, because of the Communion it hath with the things signed, with the Body of Christ.

Neither is this Communion only nominall, but also reall: the very substance of Christs Body and Bloud is by it communicated to worthy receivers: they are verily, and indeed, taken and received of the faith­full, saith our Church. Not in the signes essentially, but by the signes effectually; for we must hold us to this, that the Union is not Physi­call, nor Metaphysicall, not Essentiall, nor Locall, but Intellectuall, and Sacramentall, and yet reall, and not only nominall. Ask what the Bread, and Wine is, I answer the Body and Bloud of Christ. Ask me how or which way: I answer Sacramentally; because they [Page 40] are the Communion of the Body and Bloud of Christ, and not that properly neither; for a substance cannot be a Relation, but by a Me­tonymy of the effect; because they make us partakers of the Body and Bloud of Christ, they are called the Communion of his Body and Bloud.

And being Communis substantiae, they are also Communio efficaciae, they make us partakers of the merit of Christs Body and Bloud; those things ever bring their worth and dignity with them, remission of sins, redemption, sanctification, salvation; all graces come along with Christ, in quo est omnis gratia. Habent omnia qui habent deum ha­bentem omnia. S ^t August.

And as there is Communion with them, so there is communition from them: we may not amisse take the word Communio, a Communi­endo: that is to be reckoned among the benefits we receive; so our Church reckons it, the strengthening of our souls: Vis semper fortior in Ʋnione; nothing can prevail; against earth, when heaven is joyned to it: if God be with us who can be against us? and he is with us heer by Sacramentall Union he comes into the Communion.

Thus have we made the signes, and the things signed to meet, and but to meer, for we may go no further; my Text calls it but a Com­munion, and I take it to be a full exposition of our Saviours words at the Institution; This (speaking of the Bread) is my Body, saith he, A Communion of his Body, saith the Text: This (the Wine) is my Bloud: A Communion of his Bloud, saith the Apostle. If a Commu­nion of it, then not it, as the Papists will have it; Sacramentally we allow it to be it, signum rei; not it substantially, but onely a Commu­nion of it. Had it been it, grossely, carnally, The Apostle should have said, not the Cup, but the Bloud, not the Bread, but the Body; For the Bread, and the Wine both according to their Doctrines are gone, only accidences remains, then he had committed no small Tau­tology. The Bread which is my Body, is the Communion of the Body of Christ: The Wine in the Cup, which is the Bloud it self, is a Communion, of the Bloud of Christ; Indeed they do not well away with the Communion, it crosseth them too much, therefore they al­most crosse it out. It may appear by other particula [...]s. Their private Masse shuts it out quite: Their publique Masse justles it out not a little: They have no Communion of the Cup at all; The Laity are not allowed it: and if there be no Cup, there is no Communion there: neither is there any Eucharist, if not it; (I do only observe [Page 41] that by the way) for the word [...], from whence comes the name of Eucharist, is no where used at the Institution, but at the Cup, and if no Cup, no giving of thanks for it, of the Peoples part none, which have part of none: So Communion and Eucha­rist they shuffle out; and worse then this, Christum denuo crucifigunt, while they separate his Bloud from his Body, without any Com­munion, without any coming together again. But this is no place for controversies: be we sure to keep it right, as we do call it right: and from this very Text we call it a Communion.

And that we may keep it right, there must be on our parts a coming on to the Communion: where the dead body is, there the Eagles will be gathered together: and no where is the dead Body of our Saviour more plainly represented: G [...]t we up upon the Wing of pure Devotion, of holy Meditation, sore we aloft like Eagles: Sursum Corda: if we come not, there may be Commu­nion for others, none for us: for only those that receive, are of the Communion, those that cate of the things of the Altar, are par­takers of the Altar; if yee cat not, you are not of the Communion of the Body of Christ; If you drink not you are not of the Com­munion of the Bloud.

But yet, look how you come, for if you come unworthily, you will not be of that Communion neither: we may not so tye the things signed to the signes, the Body and Bloud, to the Bread and Wine, as if whosoever receives the one must also receive the other. Saint Cyprian resolves it well: Tantum utilitatis quisque reportat quantum Vasculo fidei Colligit; others which come without faith, Lambunt Petram, sed nec inde mel sugunt, nec oleum: They go away without joy; because they came without faith: Like Mary Mag­dalen, they see the Lord Corporall, the clean Linnen lye, wherein our Saviour was wrapped, but finde him not, and say without any comfort; They have taken away the Lord. Panem Domini they finde, but not Panem Dominum; neither do I know how they should; he is present only to the eye of faith, not of sence: Non ventris sed men­tis cibus est; The hand, the mouth, the teeth, the stomack of Faith: Credere est edere. Come with this then, and we come right, we shall no doubt be of the Communion.

And as you come with Faith, so you must come with Love: gi­ving and forgiving, are the tenour of it: both are done to you heer by Christ, he gives you his Body and Bloud, and they are given for [Page 42] the remission of sins: both must be done by you, unto your bre­thren. Then there will be a full Communion on all sides: of Christ with us by mercy and trueth, of us with Christ by Faith and Love? of the outward signes, and the inward graces, of both with the worthy receivers: of the receivers with themselves; for so from this Sacramentall Communion, will spring our spiri­tuall with Christ our head; and from thence our Mysticall, with h [...]s Body the Members, till at last we come to a perfect Union with the Communion of the Saints, which are compleate in Heaven, which with our Saviour still drink of the fruit of this Vine, new in the Kingdom: Whither he bring us all for his Infinit merits, and mercies, Amen.

WE be come now to the second part of the Text; the second Communion, that which is spirituall, between the things, and the receivers; Ʋnus Christus in quo est omnis gratia, he is the thing signed between him and us, and it is properly called Communio Commu­nio. Capitis. Capitis.

Communio Calicis was well premised, because it is the ground and foundation of the other Communions; for thence issues this our Communion with Christ, They that eat of the Sacrifices are partakers of the Altar, Verse 18. By eating we enter into it, and upon that we pitch it, in the last words of the Text, We that are many, are one Bread, because we are all partakers of one Bread.

Alimentum fit Alitum, saith the Phylosopher; so it is in our spiri­tuall food: Except we eat the Body of Christ, he dwelleth not in us; but [Page 43] if we eat him, if we digest him, both which are to be done by faith, as hath been shewed before, Participatione ea Respe­ctu Com­munica­tionis Idloma­tum di­ctum. corporaliter nobis inerit Christus, saith Cyrill; his very flesh is made ours, as we are in him by a certain Physicall Identity in the Hypostaticall Ʋnion, our humane nature and his Divine made one: so he shall be in us though neither by transubstantiation, nor by consubstantiation, not by naturall, nor corporall contract; but by spirituall and reall U­nion, his person, and ours made one. Sacramentally he is in his signe; Spiritually in the receiver.

The receivers are all those, which do worthily partake of one Bread; their Union with Christ, was the end of that I [...]stitution of Christ: that Sacramentall Communion was to be a mean to [...]ffect, and a seal to confirme our spirituall: ideo institutum ut Corpus in terris capiti quod est in Coelis coadunetur, saith Saint Austen: Panis Daminus to the right receiver comes along, cum pane Domini. They that eate of the Sacrifices, are partakers of the Altar, is a Proposi­tion unquestionably true; and then by consequence, if they partake of one Bread, they also partake of one Body, and of this [...] saith my Text. We are all partakers of one Bread.

And it needs not trouble us, that the word in the Originall is [...], when before it was [...]; there Communion, but partak­ing h [...]re; as if the Communion between the signes, and the things signed, were fuller, then it is between the receivers and them. Take one as the eff [...]ct, and the other as the cause, so Beza will have it, because by the partaking of the Bread, we come into the society, and Communion of Christ: So the Apostle seems to intend it, we are one body, one with him, because we are all partakers of one Bread; [...] symbolorum, [...] is rerum, we place not our U­nion with Christ in participation, but in the effect of that which is Communion, we fetch it thence, not seat it there; and as from Christs participation with our nature, where the Apostle useth the same word, because the Children were partakers of fl [...]sh and bloud, he also likewise, [...] took part, Heb. 2. 14. did result the Hypostaticall Union of our nature with him: So from our participation of one Bread, the Symboll of the Sacrament, of which [...] doth result the spirituall [...], the Union of his person with us. Saint Ambrose upon my Text saith it; non par­ticipatione taniùn & acceptatione, sed Ʋnitate Communicamus: Quem­admodum enim corpus unicum est Christo; ita & nos per hunc panem [Page 44] unione conjungimur. So that, though not in that, the act of partaking of that one Bread; yet by that, we come to the Communion of Christ, though the Bread be but the Symboll of this Society, yet upon the partaking of that, we come into the Communion of the thing it s [...]lf, which is signed by it, so that there is full out as firm Communion hence, as was before;

And being a Communion between Christ and us, we call it rightly Communio Capitis, in the Allegory of a Body, (which the Apostle he [...]r alludes unto) Christ will not away with any other place then the head in the Body Mysticall, the supream Head: In all other Allegories as of the Vine, and the branches, he will be the R [...]ot which bears all, Rom. 11. 18, and Radix arboris Caput est; of the family, he the Master; and Dominus is ever Capu [...] domus: In the Building caput Anguli; in the Book, in Capite libri; and our tenour if it be right, must hold in Capite too. All the Communion we have with him, depends upon this Relation, and it is enough, we need desire no more. Communio Capitis, is neer enough.

This Communion of the Head with the Body, is neither Physicall nor Corporall, but Spirituall: the naturall man cannot perceive it: how the Head in Heaven may be united to a Body in Earth, is, [...], a riddle to humane reason. Who shall fetch down Christ from above, or if he must be above still, Quomodo teneb [...] ab­sentem, saith Saint Austen, in the person of a naturall man? This is chiefly to be explained, and about it two things.

• 1. What this Union is.
  Parts.
• 2. Wherein it doth appear.

• 1. Esse,
• 2. Cognosci, are the materiall points about it.

1. It is Spirituall: the eye of Faith, and not of Sence can dis­cern Esse. it, Mitte manum fidei, & tractasti, saith Austen in answer to Quomodo tenebo absentem. That there is a Union, a being one with Christ, is plain from that prayer of our Saviour for his Disciples, and not for them only, but for all beleevers: Father I pray thee that they may be one in us, as thou art one in me, and I in thee, John 17. 21. but that being one is tanti [...]m spiritu & fide, saith Maldonate; and that sicut, there is not aequalitis, but cujusdam similitudinis, saith Chryso­stome; for [...]ssentiall Union, which is eternall, between the Father and the Son; or Hypostaticall Union, which is substantiall between the Sonne and our nature, it cannot be; our personall Union is spirituall, and no more.

Spirituall, because it is wrought by the Spirit; Faith is the fruit of Spirit, and it is that which is the very essence of this Union, the neerest symbolically quality that can be, between Christ and us. In every Union of naturall things, vis unitiva, some quality or o­ther there must be, by which they agree in one, something Medie Naturae. Fire and water can never be reconciled alone, because they have none: in that greatest union of all, of God and Man, Christ himself was factus Mediae Naturae. a Mediator: Earth and Heaven had never met, but by his being exalted in Medium locum, the Crosse was between both, and Heaven there was content to stoop lowest, Earth being able to rise no higher. In this Union of our persons with Christ, cum Capite, Faith is that, vis unitiva, the Cement by which Caput Anguli is joyned to the building, and yet that is but a conjunction; no thing is conveyed into the other parts from it: it is therefore more, the Ligament and sinew by which the Head is united to the Body, and thorow which is conveyed all the benefit of being, and motion to the members. Similitudo imaginis, that likenesse, after which man was created, had united him to God; but that was so defaced by the fall, God knew him not for his Creature; nothing like in the world was left, all similitude between God and him lost, till Christ repayred that Image again, washt it with his Bloud, and set Faith in the face of it; by that they may meet, there is something like to bring them into liking, to make an union.

Neither is this Imaginary, a device for speculation; but reall spirituall things have the best and truest reality in them: The Fa­thers Illustrate it divers wayes: as fire is united to red hot Iron, actually and virtually both, it is no where more visible, more powerfull for the time; as the Beams of the Son are united to the ayre; as Wine and water contemperated and mixt together; as wax to wax, and made into one lump: The Apostle giveth a plain instance, he that is coupled with an Harlot is one body; Erunt duo in carne una, is the cousummation of marriage: in that sence it is called a Mystery, between Christ and his Church: So he that is joyned unto Christ, is one Spirit.

One Spirit, is but Metalepsis: one spirituall body is the mean­ing: Faith on our parts, the Spirit on his part concurre, and make a union.

You may see more, the ground of this will confirme the truth [Page 46] of it, and it is in the words of the Text. We are all partakers of one Bread. There are foure sorts of unions, both Scriptures and Fathers use to Illustrate. First, Eternall, between the Father and the Sonne. Secondly, Hypostaticall, between the divine nature and humane. Thirdly, Conjugall and Matrimo [...]iall, between husband and wife. Fourthly, Allegoricall, as between the Vine and branch, between Head and Members, between Bread and the receivers: each would afford matter for a Sermon, I must insist only on that last.

That which we eate turns in carnem & sanguinem; alimentum fit alitum, if so be, it be digested first, else it doth not: Cibus Iadi­gestus famem satiat animalem, non naturalem. It comes not into union with the body, by which it might grow stronger, but is forceably cast out, though it stay the stomack for a time: So it is in our spiri­tuall food; they which know not how to digest it by faith, have their appetite staid, not their groweth, and strength augmented; but if it be digested, it comes into one, it becomes one with us.

Thus are Christ and we made one: We have the Symboll, the Sacrament, the Seal of it, of which we all eate, and wherefore do we eate, but ut uniamur? What is more ours then that we have eaten? A neerer Symboll could not possibly be thought on, of our incorporation, and making one with him; and yet S ^t Bernard saith more; Et manducat nos & m [...]mducatur à nobis quo arctiùs illi astringa­mur. In one and the same action he feeds on us, we feed on him: his joy fills us; our faith feeds him: his body, his bloud, his suff [...] ­rings, his righteousnesse are meat and drink to us; our faith, our re­pentance, our obedience, our salvation, are meat and drink to him: and those are one, (though the comparison be without compa [...]is [...]n, yet) our Saviour himself prayes it may be so; John 17. S ^t Bernard proves it is so, between Christ and us: we one with him abiding by faith and love; he one with us, a [...]iding by peace and truth: yet not in that manner one, as they are; the d [...]ffer [...]nce of our nature and substance still remains, which are one in the Father and the Sonne: only the diversity of our Non c [...]hrren­t a [...]essen­narum, sed co [...]ti­nentia volunta­r [...]m Lern. wills reconciled, makes us one, one with the Father and the Sonne, and so one, ut Deus & homo unus spiritus certa & absoluta veritate dicantur, si sibi glutino amori [...] inb [...]reant. So sure are we one, so reall is our spirituall Union with Christ our Head; if we eat the Bread, if we digest it, we are sure of it: in reason, that we eat is the same with us: in Religion it is so too, and eat it we do, we all are partakers of one Bread.

That this union is we are sure of, the Scripture every where beareth witnesse of it, we could not be branches, he the Vine; not members, he the head; not pretious stones built upon him, he the foundation, the cheif corner stone; we need not eat his fl [...]sh, nor drink his bloud, the Cup which we blesse, need not be the Communion of his Bloud, the Bread which we break the Communion of his Body, no Communion at all indeed, but for this union: [...] might well be spared, but for this, ut uniamur: it is the signe of it, the seal of it, the ground of it, the cause of it: ut corpus in terris capiti in caelis: to make them one, to make this union between Christ and us, Christus erat faciens utrumque in unum. Christs whole work was to do this, to make us one: our nature one in the Hypostaticall union; our persons one in the spirituall: nec pr [...]judicat rerum plura­litas huic unitati: for we that are many are one bread, and one body, one bread partaking all of one bread; one body united all to one head: one signe, one thing; we all though never so many partake of it: All the beleevers bad one heart, and one minde, Acts 4. All of them are joyned into one head.

That this is, that was the first: I have been the longer, because it is a matter of so much importance, and not so easily conceived: all our hope of that union, Quae glorificat, which the blessed Angels and Saints enjoy, consists in this our spirituall union, quae justificat, which is with Christ by faith: illa praemium, haec meritum est, saith Bernard, all cur [...]m rit is to be joyned with Christ. There is yet ano­ther work to be done to make this appear: else non apparentis & non existentis, eadem est ratio, as good not be at all.

And yet, appear we cannot make it, to the eye of sence, Caput in Cog­nosci. coelis, corpus in terris est: it is much too weak to be able to ken so farre; neither indeed is it necessary, that the hand or foot should see the heal; if they feel it, if they finde the use and benefit of it, that will be appearance enough to them: and that is to be had of him.

Two wayes it will appear.

• 1. By that which the head is to the body.
  Wayes
• 2. By that the body is to the head.

1 There are foure things required to our head, all four to be known Wayes of him. That it be, 1. Verum. 2. Perfectum. 3. Ʋnicum. 4. Pe [...]pe­tuum. Christ is all these unto the body.

1. Verum of the same nature with the body, not like Nabuchad­nezzars Ver [...]. Image, whose head was of Gold, the breasts of Silver, the [Page 48] thighes of Brass [...], the feet of Iron, and Clay. And that he might be of the same nature, you know he took upon him our nature: and therefore God, saith the Apostle, hath made him head of the Church, Ephes. 1. and that he is of the same nature appears. First, by his suffering for us; he had not what to offer, till he had Corpus aptatum, Heb. 10. he had not been the Saviour of the body, if he had not had that: Tolle caruem Christi & praesta quid Deus redemit, saith Tertullian to Marcion. He redeemed not the Angels, quia non assumpsit, he took not upon him their nature. Secondly, By his suff [...]ri [...]g with us, therefore saith the Apostle, it behoved him to be in all things like his brethren, that he might be a mercifull high Pri [...]st. And again, that by the things which he suffered, when he was t [...]mpted, he might succour them that are tempted: for he is not an high Priest which may not be touched with our infirmities: when he cryed out upon the way, Saul, Saul, why pe [...]secutest thou me? he was neerly touched: he could not be an head, if he had not this, a sence of the bodies gri [...]vances. Secondly, Again, to make him a true head, he must be united to the body. An head s [...]vered from the body, is not the head; as good no head at all: a wrong head set on, a right head cut off are much a like: the Joynts, and Ligaments, and Nerves, are all for that end derived from the head, that it may be set on. And of what nature they are, you have heard b [...]fore: Spiritus sanctus est nexus, and thence is this union called spiritull. Thirdly, Again, ut sit verum debet esse vivum: a true head, must be endued with the same soul the rest of the members are; and such is Christ our head: the Spirit is the life of both, in the lead that is fully, we have all received from his fuln [...]sse: that member which hath not his Spirit is not of his body, his children are led by his spirit: We may know by this, whether we be in him or no, by the Spirit which he hath given us. A true head we may know him by this.

The second is a perfect head: such an one which hath, First, Per­fectum. Reason. Secondly, Sence. Thirdly, Motion, Fourthly, Soundnesse. Fifthly, Beauty in it. A [...]l are in him. First, The faculties of the soul, understanding, will, prudence, providence, he knoweth all things, sustaineth, quickneth, governeth all things. Secondly, he seeleth our miseries, seeth our wants, heareth our prayers, smelleth our sacrifices, tasteth our charities, he speaketh and pleadeth for us, mak [...]th intercession for us. Thirdly, he moveth us, all spirituall motion in the body comes from him, holy d [...]sires, good works, [Page 49] pure thoughts; in nature, in religion, life and motion, is a Capite: We see it in those Creatures which are insectilia; cut them in pieces, that part lives longest which cleaves to the head, the other soon dyes: so it is in others: so in our spirituall body: whatsoever is from the head is dead presently. Fourthly, He is a sound and perfect head; ill humours which do infect the body, flow not from him. All is like Aarons oyl, which runs down from the head to the skirts of the cloathing: or like Hermons Dew which waters the Vallies: His Influence ha [...]h no malignity in it, but rather healing to the members. Fifthly, he is a fair and beautifull head, admits of no deformity, The fairest of ten thousand, fairer then the children of men. All these shew him to be a per­fect head.

The third, he is an only head, to have no head, acephali, to have Vni­cum more heads policephali, are both a like monstrous: privations of one, divisions into many, ever tend to desolation: God and nature ever affect one, and but one. God himself being Principalis Ʋnit as, loves unity best, especially in the best. And de ratione capitis est, unum esse: and therefore, God after all things had been scattered both in Heaven and Earth by division, by hearkening unto more heads then one, to the Serpents h [...]ad, in the dispensation of the fulnesse of time, would gather them altogether again into one, the word is [...]. And that is properly a gathering together unto one head; all gather­ing together is into one, as of sheep into one flock, of materialls for building into one pile, of many numbers into one summe, of many grains into one loaf; but none so emphaticall, so fit in expression, as of many members unto one head; and that one head is Christ. Him God hath given to be head of his body, which is the Church: and he is caput unicum, only one head: all the heads of divinity, as great Maps in a little compasse, as many plots in a small Module, bring them together, contract them to one, they make but one [...] one head, and that is Christ.

The fourth is, he is an head that never dieth, death hath no domi­nion Perpe­tuam. over him: even in Heaven when his body shall be removed thi­ther, he will do the part of an head. And while there is life in him, he will preserve it in his body, the Church cannot dye, while her head lives, nor want while it hath sense and motion, and speech, and understanding to provide for it: Summe up all that need be said of an head: all is in him, Verum, Ʋaum, Perfectum, Perpetuum, all to be said, to be seen of him.

We have made this to appear sufficiently: the Communionis not ye [...] full, if all come from the head to the body, and nothing back again, from the body to the head; two things it owes to the head at least. 2

1. Obedience.

2. Maintenance.

First Obedience to be ruled and governed, and moved by the head: Obe­dience. it hath the eyes to see, the brain to counsell, the will to put on, and all to be sit to govern: if it go without the head, Mole ruit suâ: shall the soot or the hand say unto the eye, we have no need of thee? the Apostle makes this his chief argument for obedience, Ephesians 5. 22, 23. Let Wives be subject to their Husbands, for the Husband is the head of the Wife; as Christ is of the Church. The head wheresoever it be, in the body Naturall, Politicall, Spirituall is to be obeyed.

The second is Maintenance, if the head be hurt or gone, as good all Main­ [...]nance. the members be away; be the body never so entire, the members right in their places, if the head hap to be away, as good they all asunder; Therefore all Creatures strive most to defend their head; they had rather receive blows any where else then there: The Serpent her self exposeth her whole body to keep, her head from bruising; you may mark how she gardeth it with her whole train, the rather because she knows, that is laid at most: her head was to be broken ever since the prevarication; so it is in others: In the body Politique the enemy gives that charge that the Kings of Aram did, not to fight against great or small, but only against the King, 1 Kings 22. 31. Therefore Davids men had a care of him, ten thousand of them were not so good as he; the light of Israel was out if he were gone. So it is in other heads. All fencers play is most against it; it concerns the body to defend it most, ibi fortiter opponere ubi fortiter oppugnatur. So do Pagans, Infidels, Hereticks, strike at our head; our chief care if it be right, must be to defend it against them.

These are due from the body to it: and then there will be Communis cum Ʋnione, which is best on both sides: of spirit and life from the head; Of Duty and Defence from the body; it to guide, this to guard; it to lead, this to be lead; this agreement if it be in all things, will make the union to appear sufficiently, which is corporis cum capite, with Christ our head. Let us look back once to the ground of this union which is in the Sacrament: by which we that are many are one, one with Christ, because we have all partaken of one bread.

The Communion was for this union: he comes to the outward [Page 51] signes, that by them he may come neerer unto us; if we eat, we have him in us: nisi manducaveritis, Yee shall not have him in you: and manducantibus verè ac realiter unitur corpus Christi sicut panis, though the manner differ: This corporally the bread is, that spiritually Christ is.

It concerns us much then, [...] that we may be of the other, [...]: esse participes ut simus consortes: to be of the Communion that which is Sacramentall, to be of it, to be at it, to eat, to eat often, that we may be of this union with Christ here, quae justificat, which will bring us to that, quae glorificat, our blessed union with God here­after. Whither he bring us all. Amen.

WE are still upon this theam: Bonum est nobis esse hic: therefore what the Apostles would, we have done: Aedificavimus tria Tabernacula. We have staid a time in two of them, we must not dwell there, Tents are not for mansions, we must remove to the third: Communio corporis, which is mysticall, will now take up our Commu­nio Cor­por [...]s. employment.

Yet we pitch this upon the same ground, we did the other. [...] is still causa [...], our spirituall Communion which is capitis, our mysticall Communion which is corporis, spring from thence, from the Sacramentall, which is calicis: we are one bread and one body: because we are all partakers of one bread.

One body; there it is; we need not seek it by induction from the Text, which is there literally, as we did the other, our Communion with Christ, cum capite: that was as much intended as truly effected as this, though not so fully expressed. And that must have been first: [Page 52] if not for honour which is ever due to the head, yet for necessity, we must have premised that; there could be no talk of the members growing into one body, if they be not first united into one head: and in this sence Christ is caput Ecclesiae, because all begin there, as the branches at the root, if they be not held to it by Ligaments and Nerves, the skin, the flesh, and the veins never grow to them, never feed and nourish them: But we have done with that, and now the body in its right place comes next to be thought on.

One body is but one term of the Communion; duas oportet esse essentias ad minus, ut sit Communio, seu unitio: two at least are required to all relation, the Relatum is one, but the correlata are many, as many, as we are many; there are many members, but one body: though we retain unity there, for the body can be but one; yet we must admit of Multiplicity here, the members must be many. Si omnia essent unum membrum, ubi corpus? saith the Apostle; and so they are in the Text. We that are many, are one Body.

The ground of this Relation is necessarily to be thought on, to make it up, and it comes into the Text; one Bread, that is it: the Sa­cramentall Communion is the cause of the Mysticall: that hath ever been considered in all the parts of the Text, and the Apostle will not have it left out here; two wayes it comes to be considered.

1. As it is the signe of it; bread, of the body, one bread of one body: signum unitatis, Saint Austin calls it; for many grains go to make up that; many members to make up this; Bread and Wine both of them, ex multis rediguntur in unum; so we that are many are one body: this is Sacramentall; and if we read the Text right, as both the Originall hath it, and all the Ancient, both Translators, and Expositors render it, tis thus; for there is one bread, we also that are many, are one body, one as that is one, say Chrysostome, and Ambrose, &c. Yet I doubt not but a good Spirit moved our modern Transla­tors to render it as my Text reads it: We that are many, are one bread, and one body, one bread first; because we all eat of one bread, and vi fidei are in a manner become one with that, as alimentum & Alitum are one, and one body by virtue of that, one bread spiritually, one body mystically; yet the other is easier, lesse strained, and therefore we will keep to that.

2. It is not only as a signe, but also as a cause of it, [...] is a causall; because that is but one, the bread, as the Paschall Lamb was but one, to all the house of Israel, one in a Mysticall, and Spirituall [Page 53] sence, though Numerically many; and we all partake of this one, all the Church of God, all over the world, partakes of one and the same bread: in civill commerce to eat of one bread, at one board, hath ever been a pledge of unity and concord; so it is in our mysticall society, we are all of one Corporation, one body [...] because we all partake of one bread. All these will come to be considered in their places.

We begin with the Text: The Correlatives, We that are many. To the Church at Corinth are the words directed, but may be assumed by us, by all that are in the Church of God, wheresoever they be; place and time matter not in this matter, nos illi multi, so Beza reads it: we are those many.

We: the Jews, and Turks cannot read this Text; illi multi, tis true, too many they are, but such which come together into one, they are not materialls of this building, not sheep of this flock, not grains of this bread not members of this body, at the best they are but of those other sheep our Saviour speaks of, Qui non sunt hujus Ovilis, or nondum sunt; in Gods good time they may be brought, but as yet are not.

Besides them the Schismatiques cannot read it, illi multi, many they are, so many as that the world wonders at it. The Arians and Donatis [...]s never overspread the East and West part of the Church more in their times, then these in ours: Like Egypts frogs, the whole Land is full of their croakings: But yet they are many still, there is some good in that they come not into one, Quot homines, tot sententiae, their perpe­tuall differences among themselves, shew they are [...] and [...] not animated with one Spirit; they would be fearfull to the whole Church if they could be that, and like the Cake of Barly in the seventh of Judges, they might tumble down into the Hosts and Armies of Israel, and overturn them, but that they cannot be: their Cake which a flash of zeal hath heated, will prove dough, or rather like grains, not ground, they will not be kneaded or knit into one Loaf: if at any time they come together, it is with the sowre leaven of ma­lice, and uncharitablenesse, or of hereticall and Pharisaicall doctrines, the Leaven of the Law, which was to be cast out; not with the Lea­ven of the Gospel, the Leaven of Faith and Charity. They soon fall of having not the right Leaven, into many pieces, being not united by the cement of the Spirit into one Body: sowing is all they are fit for, and to that imployment the enemy of the Church puts them, the whole field is every where over-sown with them: These are many, but [Page 54] not [...] those many the Apostle speaks of; for those being many are one bread, and one body.

But besides all these, there are many, of whom this Text may be said, which are Materialls of one building, sheep of one sold, branches of one Vine, grains of one bread, members of one body: Which though they be dispersed on the Mountains, are of one flock, belong to one shepherd, and know and understand his call, though they be as divided members, here one, and that a little one on this Page, and over leaf another, yet being cast up make but one sum, are reckoned to one head; though they ly scattered like the dryed bones in Ezekiels vision, yet they shall come bone to bone, and the sinews, and the flesh, and the skin shall come unto them, and their breath that they may live, and shall be made up into one body; though they be but as an handfull, in comparison of others in the world, yet like the glean­ning of Ephraim, they are better then the whole Vintage of A [...]iezer: A little flock, a remnant, and other such terms the holy Ghost calls them by, when he opposeth them against the numerous multitudes of others; yet they are many, enough stones for the building, enough members for the body; God will not let any part be lacking, and there must be many members to one body, and here they are many in the Text.

And that which is above all, nos illi multi, we for our parts, and whosoever else which is of the Sacramentall Communion, which is Calicis, and of the spirituall which is Capitis; it needs not be disputed in what places we are, while we are parts, whether the ear, or the eye, or the hand, or the foot, whether of the honourable or lesse ho­nourable, while we be members: the administrations and functions are divers, but they all serve the necessities of the body. The whole Church is the Body of Christ; and we for our parts members of it. 1 Corinth. 12. 27. We may sure say the Text, We that are many, are one Body.

But then that we may say it right (and it concerns us much) we must know what it is to be one body, what tyes and bonds belong to this union, how necessary it is to be of it, what danger there is in being out of it: And this discourse will take up the second part of my Text, The Relatum, in which all the Correlates meet into one, We being many are one Body.

There are divers wayes for many to come into one. First, Naturall; so the soul, and the body are made one. Secondly, Conjugall; so [Page 55] man and wise. Thirdly, Politicall; so all the Inhabitants within one City, or house are made one. Fourthly, Morall; so friends are made one. Fifthly, Hypostaticall; so Christ and our nature were made one. Sixthly, Sacramentall; so the signe, and the thing signed, are made one. Lastly, Mysticall; so all the faithfull, like so many members are made one, being many, are one Body. I am not to say any thing, of any one of them, but the last, our Mysticall making one, one Body in Christ. And this the Scriptures and Fathers have sought divers wayes to illu­strate by other Allegories; one building the Materialls many; one flock, the sheep many; one tree, the branches many: and many such, yet it is but one. The last of these, I must insist upon, We being many, are one Body.

Yet there are three sorts of Bodies, especially considerable. First, the Body Naturall. Secondly, the Body Politicall. Thirdly, the Body Mysticall. The two first of these we cannot be, no man will imagine it, in a literall sense, one Body, or in a civill sense, one Body: the Church of Christ cannot be one so, which consists of many naturall bodies it self, and is in many remote places, never likely to come into one civill Polity, The Body Mysticall is only to be considered.

And that is but Metaphoricall; so called by a similitude, taken from the naturall body, otherwise it is not properly a body, which is made up of many bodies. But so the holy Ghost is sain to speak im­properly to condiscend to our capacity, to shew us what the Body of Christ is, his Church, by that we know already, what the body of man is, Visibilibus rapere ad invisibilia, saith Gregory, That is his way. That way we take and consider four things, belonging to a body naturall, and under that similitude, observeable in the My­sticall.

1. A sufficiency of parts.

2. The Union of them into one.

3. Their Symmetry and Agreement.

4. Their Offices and Administrations.

I begin with the first: A sufficiency of parts. No body can be without them, trina dimensio, belongs to every body at least: but a perfect body, such as the naturall body of man is, or the Mysticall Body of Christ is, cousists of many parts. All the body is not one member, Multa membra, unum corpus. It belongs to the Philosopher, and when he hath done to the Physition, to take an exact survey, of all the parts which do belong to a body, it is enough for us, that there [Page 56] are parts enough. God in framing of the naturall body, would not suffer any redundancy or d [...]fi [...]iency, we may not but think the same of the Mysticall. In thy Book, saith David, unto him are all my members written; he keeps a Book of all the members of his body; the Church as well; by him they are numbred, and to him only known; we may not deny the Body of Christ to be perfect, which hath a full enume­ration of parts.

But yet the parts are not come together to make it perfect, God hath a day Book, Liber vitae bujus, wherein lye some scattered m [...]m­bers not yet recollected, they are not yet summed up, till God comes to his verbum abbreviatum; yet they are to be reokoned in the ac­compts. In nature the generation of the form is in an instant, but the parts stay their time of production, and when they are all come, the body is not perfect, till it have the degrees: the state of this life is, but the womb of the body of Christ, there is a still repairing of the Saints, and an edification of the Body, till we all meet together unto a perfect man. Here as in the Mount, the Materialls are all cut out, and squared for that great building; no noise of any instrument shall be heard hereafter, but such stones as will serve shall be laid upon the pile, the rest put away with the rubbish; God only knows how many, and which they be will serve; we take all that are any way prepared to belong to it, wheresoever the Axe of the Gospel, and the Hammer of the Law have come; till the great builder shall have re­probated them. There shall no stone be lacking to this building, no member to this Body, though they lye sca [...]terred, yet there will be a Collection: Bo [...] to his bone; though they be wounded, yet there is a repairing, not one of them shall be lost: the hair and nail, and such excrements may well be let fall, and perish, but no part shall be missing: A sufficiency of parts there will be: Tha [...] is the first.

But yet they make not a body, unlesse they come together, the dry­ed bones till they were new set, and the Nerves, and flesh, and skin came upon them could not be said a body: ti [...]l the Union of the parts in one come, there is no Communion; many members there be, but by that; and that is the next, they come to be one body.

In the naturall body there are Nerves, and strings, and ligaments, and irteries, by which all the parts are firmly united; Such there are in the Mysticall by which the body is knit and coupled together in every joynt; Ephes. 4. 16.

1 1. Spirit us sa [...]ictus est nexus: he is the prime principall bond. The [Page 57] Tendon by which all the parts are knit and coupled; The Body to the head by him, and the members to the body: he is the sap, which runs from the root into all the branches, that a [...]me dyes, and withers, and soon falls off, which hath not him; He is the Leaven, by which the whole lump is compacted, and grows into one loaf; nothing keeps soul and body together, but he; all would soon fall off, like ears of Corn, if not by him bound up into one sheaf: he is the cement of the whole building, there is nothing else to hinde too the Materialls, if they b [...] laid loose they cannot last long: no Union can be firm with­out the spirit.

And to this quasi ad Tendonem, all the Nerves and other joyntures tend, here they meet: they are many, as in the naturall body.

2 2. Relig [...]on is a main tye, it is a religando; like Gordions knot, it will not be untyed, it may well be forc't. There is a story, how true I know not, yet of no mean Author, how four strong horses in an whole houres space, were not able to strain the joynts of one man in his severall quarters; and not then, till the executioner with his sword hackt them in peeces: it is in nothing so true as in this tye of Religion. Non dissolvi possunt quos vera religio conjunxit; it only makes true Yoak-followes, which like the two Kine, as Saint Bernard sweet­ly compares them, bare the Arke of God to Bethshemesh, 1 Sam. 6. though their Calves were left behinde them, and kept one path, and went up lowing together. Neither Policy, nor Villany, can make so firm brethren as Religion: Fratrum gratia is no where kept so sure, as between these; Quos Deus Conjunxit, is said of marriage knot, Let no man put asunder, let them not, but if they will do it, and it hath been done, who shall let them from it? And it is likeliest done, where both the parties are not of one Religion, or if they professe one, yet they are not, what they professe, both: but of these which by it are made one, quis separabit? Like Saul and Jonathan, they are lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death not divided: neither indeed can they be divided: see but what strings they are tyed together with.

1 1. One Faith: & quisquis fidem se tenere credit, unitatem teneat, saith S ^t Cyprian. He falls from that, which falls out of this: Faith is imitatis Monimentum & Munimentum. Therefore the Ancients hold that the Apostles Creed, Summa fidei, was made for that purpose: ut esset unanimitatis indicium: that all professors might there meet in one; though dispersed never so much in place. The Doctrine of [Page 58] Christian Religion is but one, one Faith materially. The gi [...]t of Faith, by which we have Faith in the Faith, to speak with Athanasius Creed; though it be numerically Diverse, yet is in all but one, one Faith for­mally: one Faith, there is union by that.

2 2. One Hope: Heaven, and our eternall inheritance, we all hope for; one mark the prize of our high calling, we all contend to; in the world men take divers wayes, because they pitch upon divers ends: he saith unto gold thou art my hope; another to his honour: but they that hope all for one thing, like a ship under sail, where there be many passengers, steer their course unto one and the same Port Can they think to meet there, and go every one their own wayes heer? As if we had many heads, as one said of the Christian Armies. Quid absurdius quàm nos in terris dissidere qui fruituri sumus omnes eadem felicitate in coelis? By one hope there comes more strength to this Union.

3 3. But the Bond of perfection is love, Coloss. 3. 14. and that is also one: it is called Christs garment; Faith and Hope never go apparreld in any other, and that was, non de parte consutilis, sed per totum textilis, saith Cyprian, without any seam, not to be ript, nor rent, but delivered whole: If we have that on, and we being Christians would not be thought without it, it will not be too little for us to put on; sufficit & mihi & tihi tuni [...] Christi, saith Bernard, it will cover us, and with­all a multitude of sins, of offences, of breaches, which must else make us fall off on all sides. And indeed the cause of all our rents is, the want of having that on; and it is not such charity, which we commonly reckon of such which hath but a thread between it, and emnity, or so little difference, as that they might not be distinguished asunder. Christs Garment is not like Jeroboams, wherein were made twelve rents at once: Integra vestis accipitur: the souldier to whose lot it fell took it whole: men of that calling seldomest of any have it, yet then it was had to shew, that it may be had by men of any condi­tion [...] of that: and being had whole, it will serve to cover the whole body; the ear from hearing, the eyes from spying, the lips from speak­ing, the hands from practising any thing, that may tend to the breach of Union, to differences, and discention: now a threefold cord is not easily broken: one Faith, one Hope, one Love, make the bond of perfection, make the Union firm.

But besides these three are other which are as Nerves and Sinews to unite all the parts, The Apostle reckons them up in Ephes. 4.

[Page 59] 4 4. One Baptisme, The Font is the wombe of our new birth, sumus fratres, As Abraham said to Lot: It was strange to Rebecca to have striving in her womb, but there was some reason for that, two nations and two manner of people, were in her bowels: But they are all of one people, whom the womb of the Church bears, if they be right bred. Indeed it is not the Baptism of Water which makes them one; many Lepers might have washed in Jordan, and yet not come out as Naaman the Syrian did: The Baptisme of the Spirit doth only that, and those that are so born, not of flesh nor of water only, but of the spirit, will keep this union, will be one, as that is one.

5. One House, where we are all brought up together the Church Domus Dei, is but one; I speak not of the materiall house, but of the mysticall, one Catholike Church, in which we su [...]k of the same breasts, we are fed with the same milk, are tutored under the same Govern­ment, partake of the same Sacrament: Habitare fratres in unum, to be of one minde which be of one house: this is no small strengthening of the Union. These all of them and many more, are Ecclesiastica vincula, and belong to the chief Tendon, by which this union is made, the spirit.

5 There are others not to be past ore with silence: Humane necessity, Civill Commerce, naturall Relations, are all of them Ligaments to bring the parts together to make up this union. Religion and Nature both leane to it: Their main intendment is to effect it. And yet when this is done, and the parts joyned, the body is not perfect, if there be not a Symmetry and agreement between them, if they be not of the same nature all: twill be but Humano capiti cervicem jungere equi­nam: if not of a just proportion, both will be a like monstrous. Their nature we have touched already, being in one wombe, we doubt not of that: of the other there may be some question made, in the naturall Body, it is the wonder of the Creation, to see in what perfect meeter all the parts are made; yet there may be some aberrati­ons there; the same should be in the mysticall Body: The Body of Christ can be no lesse perfect, and yet the jarring of the parts, as if they had not that Symmetry we speak of, their falling into pieces, as if they were not in their places, makes us make a question of it. Look a little into the cause of it.

God saith the Apostle, hath so tempered the parts of the body, that there might be no schisme, no division in it. but that the members should have the same care one for another: he hath done the like sor [Page 60] the Church. Apostles, Prophets, Teachers, workers of miracles, gifts of healing, helpers, governors, diversity of tongues, &c. are all of them members of this body; all of them set by him in their right places to their right offices. There are divers causes of the schisme that is among them.

Dislike of their own places: The foot would be the hand; or else not of the body: it aspires higher yet, to be the eye or the ear, in the seat of Magistracy, as it did of late among the Anabaptists in Ger­many: and in the seat of Ministery as in the experience of our times. So it was in that great rent of the Body of Israel, in Jeroboams dayes, the meanest of the people, Mechanicks among them, were made their Priests; and if they may not be that, they will not be of the Body, and indeed, Gratulandum est cum tales de Ecclesia separentur, saith Cyprian: Ʋtinam abscindantur, was Saint Pauls hearty prayer. Such were Corah and his company: Moses answer might serve their turns, Seemeth it a small thing, that the Lord hath separated you, to take you neer to himself? Is it not enough that you are of the Body? Were all the body an eye, where were the smelling? Hath not he placed lesser lights in the Firmament as well as great ones? All are not there primae Magnitudinis: hath not he ordered meaner servants in his family, as well as greater ones? All are not there primae distributionis: There will be degrees of glory in Heaven, as there are of places in earth. Besides to avoide this dangerous schisme, hath not God so tempered the body, that he hath given the more honour to that part which lacked? the onus is ours, the hones yours: The head cannot say, unto the feet, I have no need of you; nor the eye to the hand, I have no need of thee: This scisme, whether it be in Church or state, one Men­enius Agrippa in Livy very fitly confuted, by telling to the factious Romans, the tale of the falling out of the Belly, and the members: because it seemed to devour all, the hands would not work, the feet would not stirre, the mouth refused to receive any food, till they sound themselves to languish thorough the emptinesse of the stomack, and by bad experience proved the belly no lesse profitable to the body, then the other members; and that the safety of the whole depended upon the society and concord of the parts. This Emulation hath been the cause of the dissentions, which have ever been in the Church.

Yet there are some others causes, The neglect of their own offices, and impertinent surview of others, which belongs to the head to [Page 61] censure, and not to the parts: The want of Sympathy with the in­firmities of the fellow members, if one suffer, not careing to suffer with him, not considering if a Joynt be loosed or strained, all the parts ought to be painted with it: neither of these but are causes of this scisme, and these lead me to the fourth particular: the offices and administrations of the body.

A sufficiency of parts, a uniting of them into one body, a placing them in a true Symmetry and Proportion, are all of them for this, for their administrations and functions, and for them they have recei­ved diversities of gifts, and by them are to be exercised in severall operations: all three are specified by the Apostle, 1 Cor. 12. 4, 5, 6. All the Body is not one member but many; all the members have not the same gifts but divers; all their gifts are not for the same operations, but severall: altogether are most wisely disposed, both in the naturall and mysticall Body, for the furniture thereof, edifying of it self in love, Ephes. 4. 16. We have not leasure now to take a short view of them in particular.

All that hath been said tends to this conclusion, we are the Body of Christ, and Members in particular: We that are many, are one Body, a Body in the parts, in the union of the parts, in the Symmetry and Agreement of the parts, in the offices and Administrations of the parts; and if we be of his body in earth, we shall be sure to be joyned to our head in Heaven; Ʋsurpavimus regnum Dei in Christo, we hold Heaven in C [...]pite already. But then if we be all one body, there must be no scisme between us, no falling off from the parts, no falling out without them. Ad regnum pervenire non potest, qui eam quae regnatura est, pacem derelinquit, saith Cyprian: Hath God tempered them all, that there be no division, and shall we distemper them by scisme, and dissention? Will it be enough to hang by one Artery, and have the rest disjoynted? By faith, and hope, and not by love, which is the bond of perfe [...]tion? If we be wounded, there is a repairing; if loosed or strained, there is a re-establishing; if we be of the Body, we must have love to all the members, care of them all, we must suffer with them, suffer for them; we must cover the blemishes, hide the defor­mities of the parts, upon those parts which we think most unhonest, we must put more honesty, and give the more honour to that part which lacketh. Nature and religion both, can by no means away with a scisme in the body. If there be, you be not of the body; you cannot say the Text. We that are many, are one Body.

And if we be not of this Communion which is Corporis, we cannot be of the other which is Calicis: that is Fundamentum Relationis: and one bread, of one body, and of it sumus participes, we all partake. That of this simus consortes, we may be all members; To eat of that, which is one all over the world; as there was but one Lamb to an house, so but one bread to the whole Church; is the Symboll and Sacrament of one Union with the Body. Non ex alio tu, nec ex alio ille, sed ex eodem omnes nutrimur, saith Chrysostome; It is but one mystically though numerically many. And if but one bread, shall we make the Table of the Lord, the table of devils? And partake of that, with bitternesse and wrath? If but one body, shall we take the member of Christ, and make it the member of an harlot? of scisme and contention? God Al­mighty grant that we may be all of one minde, in one house, being all members of one body; that being united by one Spirit, in one Religion, in one Faith, in one Hope, we may serve one God the Father, and one Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour, in one Love, being entred by one Baptisme, confirmed and strengthned by one Bread, coupled and knit into one Body; there be no scisme, no division a­mong us, but that all the members have a care one of another, and endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit, in the bond of peace, Till we all meet together into a perfect man, and the Measure of the Age of the fulnesse of Christ. To whom with the Father, and the holy Ghost, be all praise, and glory, now, and ever. Amen.

I Must begin where the Text ends: the last words of it are the reason of the first: Quoniam is a causall: Many false Prophets are gone out into this world; Why what then? Only this, beleeve not therefore every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they are of God.

I could not think of any subject more proper to this season, or more profitable for our selves; the old complaint is now, if ever pro­ved true, the dayes are evill. The world was never more rightly com­pared to a Sea, then now; men upon dry Land, as if they were tossed in a rough Sea, thorough staggering and giddinesse of their brains, are driven to their wits end: they look thorough the waves of their unconstant humours, and prejuducate conceits, which make the straightest things, which have been so well settled with mature con­sideration, and unquestioned authority, seem to them crooked: they complain that the shoars and trees are moved, not perceiving how themselves are silently transported, and that they move, and not these: they do not look that way which they row; and yet as if they rushed not fast enough to their own destruction, they hoise up their sails of fury and madnesse, to precipitate them forward. They think to make away in the Sea, in which they cannot so much as spye out any prints of their steps, which have gone before them, nor must hope to leave any impression to be found by those which shall follow after. God only knows what Port they are bound for, I fear me the distraction, if not distruction both of Church and state: what else do so many fiery discursions abode, the perverting of Scriptures, pretending of Prophesies, wracking of consciences, the bold determinations of ignorant Mechanicks, flying into the face of dignities and authority; [Page 64] wounding thorough the sides of Ecclesiasticall Discipline, the head of Monarchy, and Government? Do they not all huddle in at one gap, to let in confusion and ruine? Are they not fruitfull seeds, which bring forth such a Monster, which hath so frighted Germany these hundred yeers, and will eat out the very bowels of the Mother which conceived them? Is it because there is no Prophet in our Israel, at whose lips may be inquired the knowledge of the Law? Or is it not rather because there are too many? Such which will take upon them tp be Prophets, and are not called as was Aaron: Which Prophesie in my name, saith the Lord, and I have not sent them, neither did I command them, neither spake I unto them, and yet they ran, Jere. 14. 14, 15. Is not Saul among the Prophets, madnesse and cruelty? And the devill gotten again into Samuels mantle, malice and hypocrisie? Is there not a lying spirit got into the mouth of these Prophets? As was in Ababs dayes, 1 Kings 22. 22. Do they not prophesie lyes unto us, in the name of the Lord? This, this the true cause, the Apostle tells in the last words of the Text; For many false Prophets are gone out into this world.

This being the cause what Counsell is to be followed? There are two rocks which we must necessarily avoide: to beleeve all, to beleeve none: by beleeving all, we rush presently into heresies and scisime; by beleeving none, we fall upon irreligion and Atheisme: against the first, the Apostle gives us a Caution; Beleeve not every spirit: Against the second, this Counsell; But try the spirits whether they be of God. This is his to them, to whom he writ; this is mine to you, to whom I speak. Dearly beloved, Beleeve not every spirit, &c.

So the Text you see plainly supplies us with two parts. First, A premonition. Secondly, A premunition. First, For praemoniti, Se­condly, Praemuniti. First, A warning of us, Secondly, An arming of us. They are but two, but we may say of them as our Saviour did of the Disciples two swords, it is enough; we need no more, if we be well accoutred with them, if thorowly instructed about them; if we know how to prove them, we shall by the grace of God, quit our selves like men; not to be put to turn to the right hand, or the left, but be able to stand fast in our faith, till we be removed from our station, from faith to fruition; from these earthly Tabernacles, unto heavenly Mansions; from waging of warre, and wrestling in combate against sin and errour, to wearing of Crowns, in immortality and glory. We begin with the first part, though the last in my Text, the Premonition.

Many false Prophets are gone out into this world. It is that which all the Prophets, all the Apostles ever complained of, I need not quote you places of Scripture to prove it. Look but into, Jere. 14. 14. and Chap. 23. Vers. 21. Our Saviour himself foretells us of them, Matth. 24. 24. Saint Peter, 2 C. 2. v. 1. is evidence enough, There were false Prophets among the people, even as there shall be false Teachers among you, Which privily shall bring in damnable Heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift damnation. To be told of them aforehand, is the way to take heed of them; to be warned of them, to be armed against them.

And indeed we had need to be warned, there are five reasons to be yeelded from the very Text, I need not seek further for more.

1. From their name, They are Prophets.

2. From their fame, They are false Prophets.

3. From their number, There are many false Prophets.

4. From their time, being now present, are gone out.

5. From the place whither they are gone, [...]. I know not what spirit moved our Translators, to render the Article so significantly, sure it was a good one: Into this world.

1 1. They are Prophets. Who would fear to be seduced by such a name? The very name of a Prophet hath been in all ages venerable. Whither should she go for truth but to a Prophet, for instruction not destruction? But this hath ever been the Devils policy, to bring in damnable heresies under Heavenly Titles: he which skils to trans­form himself into an Angel of Light, knows how to make his Agents seem like Saints. It is the old Proverb, in nomine Domini incipit omne malum. God himself complains of it: In my name have they prophesied lyes, Jere. 23. The enemy dares not appear himself, nor send in his own name: Sub praetextu Divinitatis delit [...]scentes omnia polluitis, as Constan­tine told Novatus Centu. 4. This hath been his way, he hath his Pro­phets, as well as God, he hath been ever stiled Gods ape: and there­fore though they be Prophets which come unto us, yet you are to be warned concerning them. that is the first reason.

2 2. They are false Prophets; such are all of his sending, be their shews never so glorious: the very Mahometanes would be called Maslulinen: the damnedst Incendiaries stile themselves Jesuites: the horridst Treason hath been hatcht in a Disciple: the lying spirit comes in the mouth of a Prophet, so do wolves in sheep skins: gilded pills are ever bitterest; painted poasts rotrennest.

Such as these do soonest seduce, for they have Syrens voyces, Croco­diles tears, and most dangerous they are, because the least suspected. This is another reason, and enough alone, if they be proved false, to take heed of them: and such as these then, false Prophets.

3 3. They are many; Legion may be their name, as well as his, who is the Master of them, Mark 5. 9. Ye are many, saith Eliah, 1 Kings 18. 25. So they were indeed, 450. to one; ods enough. And a little after 400. to one Michaiah, 1 King. 22. 6. Our Saviour himself notes out their number, Matth. 24. 5. Many shall say, Lord have we not prophesied in thy name? False Prophets all, not of his sending, such as he will professe unto, that he never knew them, Matth. 7. 22, 23. It was the complaint of the Church still. Many dogs are come about me, Psal. 22. 16. And they are false Prophets; look to Isai. 56. 10, 11. Greedy dogs which cannot understand, which look to their own way, for their own advantage, for their own purpose. By the many heresies they have scattered, you may well guesse at their number: Epiphanius in his dayes reckons up two hundred. Ecclesiasticall Histories muster them up by thousands. In Luthers time in Germany, they grew to 100000. Now if a small number were to be despised, yet so many may not; we well say of the true ones in comparison of the false, as the Disci­ples did of the Loaves, what are those among so many? All our hope is that which the Lord told Gideon, he saveth not by many; This is ano­ther reason, why we should take heed of them. Quia multa sunt.

4 4. They are already gone out] like the Locusts out of the dark smoak, Revel. 9. 3. In the Apostles time, the mystery of iniquity began to work. Alages since have been pestered with them. Semper aut exortae sunt novae Haereses, aut renovatae veteres, hath been the complaint of the whole Church; Satan never sleeps, he hath like the Philistimes, his spoiling bands still abroad. God hath no sooner his Prophets out, but he hath his: Moses presently met with the Magitians: they were then, so they are still; no times have ever had so just cause to complain as ours: we may take up Saint Jeromes cry, changing but the name; ingemuit tot us Orbis, & Miratus est se Arianum factum.

And yet is it worth the noting that the Apostle saith, they are gone; true Prophets are alwayes said to be sent, they go not till they be commanded; but these run, and yet I spake not to them, saith the Lord; of their own heads, they are gone out: this is another reason, why you must beware, quia multi exierunt, many false Prophets are gone out.

Lastly, they are gone out into this world, all the Emphasis lyes in the Article: this present world, now as well as then: this place of the world, here as well as there: nullibi satis tutum, nullibi satis cautum, saith Bernard: this world as much as that hath been troubled with them. Europe as well as Asia: toto divisos Orbe Britannos: we which are a world by our selves, have a world of them; like the Frogs of Egypt, they crawl in all places of the Land; the Kings houses, the Ovens, and the kneading troughes are not free from them. Here is cause enough why we should take warning; Quia multi, for many false Prophets are gone out into this world. Besides these all from the Text, we might render some reason out of the Text: They are gone out, for what purpose think you?

First, To seduce: non Doctores sunt, sed Seductores, saith Tertullian, and that they may better do it, they begin as the Serpent did, with the woman; and they creep into their houses, as he did, for Serpentis est serpere: the Apostle speaks it plain, They Creep into houses, and lead captive simple women, which are laden with sins; which women are ever learning, and yet never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth. 2 Tim. 3. 6, 7. And that they do under a shew of godlinesse, making long prayers, Luke 20. 44. And then,

Secondly, When they are got in, wherefore come they there? Our Saviour resolves you; the Wolf cometh not, but to devour and de­stroy; and for that they come, to devour widows houses, their substance and estates: there can be no good lookt for, from their coming, They are of their Masters Profession, and his name is Apollyon, a destroyer, and do but mark, how they do ply his work; they destroy even foundations themselves, Faith, Hope, Love, Obedience; and if foundations be destroyed, what shall the righteous do? Other Rea­sons we might yeeld, but these are enough to make us follow the A­postles counsell, to mark those which make divisions and contentions, which with fair speech, and flattering, deceive the hearts of the simple, Rom. 16. 17, 18. Indeed to warne us of them, it is enough alone, but to remember the Text it self: Many fals Prophets are gone out into this world.

I passe to the second part.

The Premunition.

To be warned of them, and not Armed against them, is to little purpose; we may be armed two wayes, by the Text. First, Nega­tively, non credendo. Secondly, Affirmitively, probando.

First, Non Credendo: Beleeve not every spirit. Spirit and Prophet are here Synonima, so Beza and the best expound it, Metonimically it is put for him. Every Prophet pretends, he hath the Spirit: Mabomet himself, that grand Impostor, stuck not to affirm that the spirit was his teacher; By the name of the spirit they gain authority unto their Doctrines, So as you have heard already; The devil sendsforth his agents under the pretence of divinity: But there is a lying spirit, as well as a true one, and here we have a caution, de non Credendo: Be­leeve not every spirit.

It is not safe for any soul to be too credulous in matters of salvati­on; to beleeve every report, is in civill affairs, an argument of grea­test Levity, much more in religious: Credulity was the sin of our first parents: Eve beleeved the Serpent, Adam beleeved her. I know when God speaks, to beleeve him presently; ea Credulitas semper magni fuit & ingentis animi, saith Saint Chrysostome; it was Abrahams praise, and the Virgins Maries; But since lying spirits are gone out in the name of God, credulity must needs be dangerous: The foolish will be­leeve every thing, saith Solomon, Prov. 14. 15. And the sonne of Syrach, Eccle. 19. 4. He that is hasty to give credit, is light minded. This de non credendo then, cannot but be a good watch word. Beleeve not every spirit.

And the reason of it is.

It is alwayes best policy to watch that place, where the enimy strives to enter, ibi fortiter opponere, ubi fortiter oppugnatur. Satans chief battery is against our Faith; we need not fear him much, if he get not in at that: poyson hath no hurt in it, if it be not received; nor false doctrines, if not beleeved: therefore his Agents work most upon credulous natures, they commonly begin with weak and silly women, which are easie to beleeve and creep into them, and then by them, winde themselves into the opinions and bosomes of weak and eff [...]minate men. The Devill never could do any thing, if you would not beleeve him: He requires Faith in his Auditors, as well as God doth in his.

Belief is the only passage of all good or evill to the soul; if that be easie to God, he enters, and with him all graces: if open to the devill, he enters, and with him all vices. Therefore, Solomon bids us keep our heart with all diligence, and especially that passage, at which Satan so much seeks to enter, which is beleeving.

And that we may the better keep our heart, we should keep our ears [Page 69] too: stop those outward passages, hearken not to them, Deut. 13. 3. Thou shalt not hearken to the words of the Prophets, or dreamer of dreams, &c. We let him in too neer, if he get into the ear; that passage he seeks to get first: if he can, have free accesse to the ear, he will com­mand the heart too, ere he have done.

And that we may keep both our heart and ear, we should keep our houses too, not let them lye open to them; it is not safe letting them come so neer us, their desire is to creep in there first, 2 Tim. 3. 6. But no deceitfull person shall dwell in my house, He that telleth lyes shall not tarry in my sight, saith the Psalmist: and these are Deceivers, Matth. 24. 5. and Lyers, 2 Thes. 2. 9. 2 Pet. 2. 1. Beloved let me not be mistaken, I mean those false Prophets which are spoken in my Text, which are gone out into the world, which come unto you with damnable do­ctrines, novelties, s [...]ismes, which sow divisions, contentions, debates among you; which call themselves Prophets, but are not sent, and come in the name of the spirit, but are not to be received; for it is the Apostles caution. Dearly beloved, beleeve not every spirit. But I mean not to insist longer upon this. The second take up more time, which is affirmative. Probando.

But prove the spirits whether they be of God,] There is good rea­son for this rule: to beleeve all tends to heresie and scisme; for there are lying spirits. 1 King. 22. 22. Evill spirits, Judges 9. 23. Ʋnclean spirits. Luk. 4. 23. Spirits of errour, 1 Tim. 4. 1. And therefore you have heard of the Apostles caution, de non credendo. Beleeve not every spirit. But yet to beleeve none tends as much another way, to irreligion, and Atheisme; for there is a spirit, which is of God; nay, there are the seven spirits of God, which are sent abroad into the world; and these are to be beleeved, Revel. 5. 6. What is to be done, that we may not be deceived? We are now to hearken to the Apostles counsell: Prove the spirits, whether they be of God.

Now proving them is all the way we have to be safe from errour; the false and lying spirit comes in the name of God to us, as well as the righteous and true spirit: dicit Dominus is the prologue ever to their lye. 1 Kings 22. 11, 12. In my name do they prophesie lyes, saith the Lord himself, Jere. 14. We cannot but mistake, if we take all, if we take none: to take the right, is to be take us to the rule; to prove the spirits whether they be of God.

And now if ever we have need of proving, we live in the last and perillous dayes, where many spirits of errours are gone abroad, and [Page 70] many are deceived by them; those that are yet free, or not so farre gone, have reason to be both more thankfull unto God, and more vigilant over themselves: the name of the spirit is able to deceive the best and wisest. If a bad one but come, and as once the good spirit did, Gen. 1. 2. incumhehat aquis; be but incumbent there, or rest and stay there, God knowes what he may produce; it concerns such especially to take heed to this rule: to prove the spirits, whether they he of God, or no.

And it is but the same which Saint Paul else where bids us, Prove your selves, 2 Cor. 13. 5. Prove what things are well pleasing unto God, Ephes. 5. 10. That ye may allow these things which are best, Phil. 1. 10. Try all things, and keep that which is good, 1 Thes. 5. 21. Try the spirits whether they be of God.

And now we go about the Tryall; there are but two wayes that I know of, but both are Demonstrative; we may not in this case con­tent our selves with probabilities or possibilities: shews, and appa­rances are no good grounds for our souls to take any thing upon trust; our proof must be armour of proof, or else we shall not be well appointed against them.

The first is à Priori; the second à Posteriori: from their calling, from their conversation; those two are the grounds we can only go upon.

First, From their calling, for they must have that, or else they can­not be right. No man takes upon him the honour, unlesse he be called as was Aaron, Heb. 5. 4. God himself renounceth them from being his, if they come, and be not sent, if they run and be not commanded, Jere. 14. If they be not sent by him, you may soon conclude that they be not of God.

That you may understand this point more fully, being a matter these times so much stand upon. You must observe that there is a two­fold calling by God:

1. Extraordinary.

2. Ordinary.

First, Extraordinary, which was in old times: either spiritus Oris, as Abraham, Moses, Samuel, so the all the Apostles: They were called by the voyce of Christ; and sent into the world. Or else, ore spiritus, by speciall instinct, whereby they were inwardly furnished with all the gifts of the spirit, necessary to that service, whereto they were designed, so were many of the Prophets; Elias in the deplored estate of the Jews.

These wayes of calling are now ceased, and not to be looked for. [Page 71] The Anabaptists, and their brood the Brownists, which pretend Re­velations and Dreams are not to be regarded: By the instinct of the spirit of arrogancy and error do they take upon them to prophecy, and of no other spirit at all: though they come unto you in a mighty winde, yet God is not in that winde; you may not take those spirits to be of God.

2 2. The other way of calling by God, is his Ordinary calling, and that is twofold:

• Internall,
• Externall.

1. Internall; and that is when a man findes himself furnished with gists fit sor that calling, so saith Musculus and Zanchie: They are the Talents with which Christ hath endued him for his service. The search of this is left to every mans Conscience which desires the Ministery, he shall be reckoned an Intrudor, if he finde not these in some measure in himself: and therefore in our Form of Consecration, the Bishop asketh every one which cometh to be Ordained, whether he do think himself to be inwardly called. I confesse outward abilities others may judge of, humane learning, skill in Divinity, sound Intellectuals, by discourse, by examination, they come to be discovered; but inward preparations, they are from the Lord: It is the height of arrogancy for any to take upon them to judge of them in others than themselves, for what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of a man which [...] 1 Cor. 2. 11. God onely is the tryer of the heart and reins. He proudly enters into Gods Judgment Seat, which takes upon him to determine that. If it be internall and secret, how cometh it known to thee or me? Let other judge of my abilities for the Function, but the preparations of my heart are known onely to God and my self.

2. Externall, and that is Mediante Ecclesiâ: Christ hath left the power unto his Church, he called his Apostles, they called others after them; Titus had precept from Paul to ordain Ministers in every City, Tit. 1. 5. So had Timotby by Imposition of hands, 1 Tim. 5. 2. Christ cannot be visibly present, the Heavens must contain him till his last Coming: but by his Spirit he is present with his Church, he calls by it: those whom it balls lawfully, we are to acknowledge to be called by God.

But whether it calls lawfully or no, that is now called in que­stion; whether this Calling onely belong to the chief of the Church, which are so called [...] or to all the mul [...]itude of beleevers: [Page 72] Those that question it, do withall question the Doctrine of our Church, and if that, which they dare not deny but was well setled by uncontroulable Authority, cannot satisfie them, how shall I? Yet I shall adventure to lay my Axe unto the root of this Tree of pride and ar­rogancy, which doth oppose it, if so be it prove not as the young Pro­phets did, which was but borrowed.

They that are for a populary election, pretend two Arguments for the Confirmation, The Scriptures, and the Primitive times. I shall satisfie both with their own principles.

1. For the Scriptures, their own rule is this; That nothing bindes to a necessity of observation, which hath not there an affirmative pre­cept enjoyning it: Let them stand but to this, and be tried by them­selves, whether there be any such or no, and whether they do well in imposing a necessity of things which are besides the rule: Is there any? let them demonstrate it, and carry the cause; Is there none? let them see the invalidity and weaknesse of their Argument, and relin­quish it. But

They object the practice of the Apostles in their times; there are many things which must go to make that an everlasting rule, and not temporary: those times and ours are not like, and therefore not the like discipline: I will name but one reason, an essentiall one, the true cause of that alteration that hath been in this point: All the beleevers were then of one minde, there was no danger of any schis [...] [...] any rent to be made in the Church then, of which innumerable have been since. But yet that they cannot prove: the multitude of the [...] were present, we will grant that, and not onely with silence, as some think, but with suffrages, as others, without which there was no lay­ing on of hands. [...] is suffragiis creare, as Erasmus argues in the Election of Matthias to the Apostleship, and the seven to the Dea­conship: let it be granted they were there, that they s [...]e not onely still, but said some what, but gave their consent, yet that was onely to their Ordination, not to their Institution, at the giving them power to preach, not assigning them any place: and I report me to any indiffe­rent Judge, whether that be not so done in our Churches Form of Ordination.

2. For the Primitive times which succeeded the Apostles, we may most admite of their inference from thence, which have been ever most enimies to true an [...]iquity: you I now how Episcopacy and Ceremony is opposed, which themselves cannot deny, but be grounded in Anti­quity: [Page 73] we may say most truly what Saint Augustine saith, to some of the same sort: Qui in Evangelio, nihil nisi quod vultis creditis; vobis potiùs quam Evangelio creditis: so vobis potius quam antiquitati creditis. I confesse ingeniously there is something favours their saying, especi­ally from the African Churches, but proves it not to be of a binding nature at all times and places: Potest esse diversa consuetudo in diversis Ecclesis, s [...]ith Calvin: I condemn not those Churches that have it not, saith Zanche: our Church may truly say with the Apostle, we have no such custome. In things which are indifferent (as all things that are not commanded, or forbidden in Scripture are) no man in his right wits will deny, but the power of the Magistrate may determine. The Judgement of so many counsells, which have passed upon this point; The Laws established in this state wherin we live, are enough to satisfie any spirit that is not contentious, which defires not rather to steal into the calling under the pretence of Antiquity, then to come in by the door of Legall and established Authority. Of whom we may well say, as Saint Cyprian doth of Novatus, Adulter & extraneus Episcopus ille est qui fieri à desertoribus per ambitum nititur, Epist. 52. Sec. 16. The summe of all is, but the Doctrine of the Church of England, that those which come into their Ecclesiasticall charges, by those which are in Authority, do come in lawsully, and their calling is of God.

I must not stay upon this point which would take up a book, and is not to be contained in a Sermon. I return to my Text: the other way to know false Prophets by.

2. A Posteriori, and this is the surer, because best seen by us: it is the same which our Saviour gives his Disciples; You shall know them by their fruits: give me leave at once, to present you with a bundle of them.

The fruits of the spirit are Love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentlenesse, goodnesse, faith, meeknesse, temperance, Gal. 5. 22. These you may be su [...]e, they are of God: and so are those spirits, that do come with these: But contrarily, the fruits of the flesh, are Adultery, fornication, un­cleanaeesse, wantonnesse, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, debate, emulations, wrath, contentions, seditions, heresies, &c. Vers. 19. 20. These ye may be sure they are not of God, neither are those spirits which come with them: Look in another place that true Character of false Prophets, and of such which our times are especially forewarned of 2 Tim. 3. 1, 2. [Page 74] In the last dayes shall come perillous times, men lovers of themselves, cove­tous, boasters, disobedient to parents, cursed speakers, unthankfull, imholy, without naturall affection, truce breakers, false accusers, intemperate, fierce. And Verse 5. Having a shew of godlinesse, but deny the power of it. And Verse 6, 7. Creeping into houses, and leading captive silly wo­men. And if you please to make up their Character out of, 2 Peter 2. 1. Such which privily bring in damnable herefies, Verse 3. Which tho­rough coveteousnesse, and fained w [...]rks make merebandize of you. Vers. 10. Which despise government, and stand in their own conceit. Verse 12. which speak evill of those things which they know not, and make their liberty a cloak for their maliciousnesse. None of these are of God, neither are those spirits which do come with them. By these you may be able to discern them; and this is a tryall you may trust unto.

But as in a disease there may some Symptomes be missing, especially before it come to be Epidomicall, untill it come to the height of it: so it may fall out in the discovery of this great sicknesse of these times, all will not appear; especially where there is so much art and cunning used in the concealing them. I will pitch upon some few, which will not fail you, as soon as you perceive them, you may be able certainly to prove them.

1. If they come not in Love: the Spirit of God is a loving Spirit: This is the touch-stone of the spirit: By this shall all men know that [...]ou are my Disciples, saith Christ, if you love one another. It is an experi­ment upon which our Apostle himself concludeth a Probatum est: Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of errour, Verse 6. Saint Cyprian is down right, Quisquis ille est, qualiscunque ille est, Christianus non est, qui in Christi ecclesia non est: And in the next words he tells us, whom he means, even No [...]atus the Scismatick, Qui nec fraternam charitatem, nec Ecclesiasticam unitatem tenuit. Epist 52. sec. 16. The unity of the Spirit cannot be kept, but in the bond of Peace and Love: those then which come with malice, and contention, and hatred; which come with wrath, and envy, and debate; which are such as the Apostle speaks of, some which can never be appeased (pray mark that) Rom. 1. 30. are justly to be suspected, and you may be sure that they are not of God; and by this rule you may try not only false Prophets, but false professors.

2. If they come in Mecknesse and Humility: the Spirit of God is an humble Spirit: and it is our Saviour Lesson to his Disciples, discite ame quia mitis sum. I am neer unto him, saith the Lord, which is of an [Page 75] humble spirit. This is another argument to try them by, a Symptome of the Spirit of God: if they come with pride, and arrogancy, if contemning of their brethren, conceiting of themselves, above them­selves: you may know by this, that they are not of God.

Yet there is a voluntary humility, they may possibly creep, till they be got in; but this vizard will drop off in a short time, you shall soon discover them by this, whether they be of God.

3. If they come in Gentlenesse. The Spirit of the Lord is a gentle Spi­rit. Wis. 1. 5, 6. God himself came not in the fire, nor in the Earth­quake, nor in the strong winde, but in a soft and still voyce, 1 King. 19. 12. Gentlenesse and love are the fruits of the spirit, Gal. 5. 22. They know not of what spirit they are which come otherwise. The feet of the Messengers of the Gospel are to be shod with the preparations of peace: Isaiah delivers them their Message, Comfort yee, comfort ye my people, will your God say.

This is another rule to try the Spirit, it marcheth not suriously like Jebu; it is not madnesse, but mildnesse which comes with it. They prosecute their own cause, as he did, and not Gods, which come other­wise.

Again fourthly, Truth, is the tryall of them; the Spirit of God is a Spirit of truth; by their doctrines you must try the Spirits. He that denies that Christ came in the flesh, is the spirit of Antichrist, Verse 3. There are other Doctrines which proceed from the lying spirits. Saint Cyprian notes it for a notable one in Novatus, for taking upon him to make a separation of the good from the bad, as if he were the searcher of the hearts and reins; a lying Doctrine and contrary to the precept of our Saviour himself, who commandeth the tares, and wheat, to be let grow together: And to the Apostle who saith, that in agreat house there are vessels of wood and earth, as well as of gold, and silver. Such is the shutting up of the Gate of mercy unto a sinner, after he hath missed their set time of his call; The denying of hope of repen­tance to such as have gone on long in their wickednesse, and have faln from their professions: The cutting off, of most part of the visible Church, from a possibility of being saved, by Gods secret and eternall decree of reprobation: desperate and damnable, and lying doctrines, contrary to Gods own protestations; As I live saith the Lord, &c. At what time soever, &c. And the whole tenour of the Gospel, and in­deed a denying of Christs coming in the flesh; These and such as these are but lying spirits, and you may be sure they are not of God.

[Page 76]5. I will but adde one more, If they hate the light; The privily bringing in their Doctrines, is an argument of salfity, 1 Pet 2. 1. Our Saviours main reason to confirm the truth of his Doctrines was this, In private have Is [...]ad nothing, John 18. 20. Veritas non quaerit angul [...]r. The dangerous [...]st treasons have been nourished, and conceived that wayes: All estates have justly disallowed of private and frequent convenings.

The Disciples were commanded what they had heard in secret, to preach it upon the house top: These dare not do it, for they dare not come to light, least they be reproved. This is another rule if they come privately, if they seek privacy they are not of God. Christ himself forbids you to look after him in the desert or Chamber. I must not adde any more lest I trespasse too much on your patience; I will shut up all in that exhortation of the Apostle, Rom. 16. 17, 18.. I beseech you brethren mark them diligently, which cause division, and offences, con­trary to the Doctrine which you have learned, and avoyde them: for they that are such, serve not the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own bellies, and with fair speech, and flattering, deceive the hearts of the simple: and I conclude, as I began: Dearly beloved, beleeve not every spirit, but try the spirits, &c. Now to the eternall God, who is able to make you stand, be all praise, &c.